enormous course of books, getting up the
great subject of the world's history,--filling himself full of
facts,--though perhaps not destined to acquire the power of using
those facts otherwise than as precedents. He strove also diligently
to become a linguist--not without success, as far as a competent
understanding of various languages. He was a thin-minded, plodding,
respectable man, willing to devote all his youth to work, in order
that in old age he might be allowed to sit among the Councillors of
the State.

Hitherto his name had not been coupled by the world with that of any
woman whom he had been supposed to admire; but latterly it had been
observed that he had often been seen in the same room with Lady
Dumbello. It had hardly amounted to more than this; but when it was
remembered how undemonstrative were the two persons concerned,--how
little disposed was either of them to any strong display of
feeling,--even this was thought matter to be mentioned. He certainly
would speak to her from time to time almost with an air of interest;
and Lady Dumbello, when she saw that he was in the room, would be
observed to raise her head with some little show of life, and to
look round as though there were something there on which it might be
worth her while to allow her eyes to rest. When such innuendoes were
abroad, no one would probably make more of them than Lady de Courcy.
Many, when they heard that Mr Palliser was to be at the castle, had
expressed their surprise at her success in that quarter. Others, when
they learned that Lady Dumbello had consented to become her guest,
had also wondered greatly. But when it was ascertained that the two
were to be there together, her good-natured friends had acknowledged
that she was a very clever woman. To have either Mr Palliser or Lady
Dumbello would have been a feather in her cap; but to succeed in
getting both, by enabling each to know that the other would be there,
was indeed a triumph. As regards Lady Dumbello, however, the bargain
was not fairly carried out; for, after all, Mr Palliser came to
Courcy Castle only for two nights and a day, and during the whole of
that day he was closeted with sundry large blue-books. As for Lady
de Courcy, she did not care how he might be employed. Blue-books
and Lady Dumbello were all the same to her. Mr Palliser had been at
Courcy Castle, and neither enemy nor friend could deny the fact.

This was his second evening; and as he had promised to m