party on the lawn. It sounds so ugly, being married from
lodgings; doesn't it, mamma?"

"It doesn't sound at all ugly to me," said Bell.

"I shall always call you Dame Commonplace when you're married," said
Lily.

Then they had tea, and after tea Dr Crofts got on his horse and rode
back to Guestwick.

"Now may I talk about him?" said Lily, as soon as the door was closed
behind his back.

"No; you may not."

"As if I hadn't known it all along! And wasn't it hard to bear that
you should have scolded me with such pertinacious austerity, and that
I wasn't to say a word in answer!"

"I don't remember the austerity," said Mrs Dale.

"Nor yet Lily's silence," said Bell.

"But it's all settled now," said Lily, "and I'm downright happy. I
never felt more satisfaction,--never, Bell!"

"Nor did I," said her mother; "I may truly say that I thank God for
this good thing."

CHAPTER LI

John Eames Does Things Which He Ought Not to Have Done

John Eames succeeded in making his bargain with Sir Raffle Buffle. He
accepted the private secretaryship on the plainly expressed condition
that he was to have leave of absence for a fortnight towards the end
of April. Having arranged this he took an affectionate leave of Mr
Love, who was really much affected at parting with him, discussed
valedictory pots of porter in the big room, over which many wishes
were expressed that he might be enabled to compass the length and
breadth of old Ruffle's feet, uttered a last cutting joke at Mr
Kissing as he met that gentleman hurrying through the passages with
an enormous ledger in his hands, and then took his place in the
comfortable arm-chair which FitzHoward had been forced to relinquish.

"Don't tell any of the fellows," said Fitz, "but I'm going to cut
the concern altogether. My governor wouldn't let me stop here in any
other place than that of private secretary."

"Ah, your governor is a swell," said Eames.

"I don't know about that," said FitzHoward. "Of course he has a good
deal of family interest. My cousin is to come in for St. Bungay at
the next election, and then I can do better than remain here."

"That's a matter of course;" said Eames. "If my cousin were Member
for St Bungay, I'd never stand anything east of Whitehall."

"And I don't mean," said FitzHoward. "This room, you know, is all
very nice; but it is a bore coming into the City every day. And then
one doesn't like to be rung for like a servant. Not that I