eet his
constituents at Silverbridge at one P.M. on the following day, with
the view of explaining to them his own conduct and the political
position of the world in general; and as he was not to return from
Silverbridge to Courcy, Lady Dumbello, if she made any way at all,
must take advantage of the short gleam of sunshine which the present
hour afforded her. No one, however, could say that she showed any
active disposition to monopolise Mr Palliser's attention. When he
sauntered into the drawing-room she was sitting, alone, in a large,
low chair, made without arms, so as to admit the full expansion of
her dress, but hollowed and round at the back, so as to afford her
the support that was necessary to her. She had barely spoken three
words since she had left the dining-room, but the time had not passed
heavily with her. Lady Julia had again attacked the countess about
Lily Dale and Mr Crosbie, and Alexandrina, driven almost to rage,
had stalked off to the farther end of the room, not concealing her
special concern in the matter.

"How I do wish they were married and done with," said the countess;
"and then we should hear no more about them."

All of which Lady Dumbello heard and understood; and in all of it she
took a certain interest. She remembered such things, learning thereby
who was who, and regulating her own conduct by what she learned. She
was by no means idle at this or at other such times, going through,
we may say, a considerable amount of really hard work in her manner
of working. There she had sat speechless, unless when acknowledging
by a low word of assent some expression of flattery from those around
her. Then the door opened, and when Mr Palliser entered she raised
her head, and the faintest possible gleam of satisfaction might have
been discerned upon her features. But she made no attempt to speak
to him; and when, as he stood at the table, he took up a book and
remained thus standing for a quarter of an hour, she neither showed
nor felt any impatience. After that Lord Dumbello came in, and he
stood at the table without a book. Even then Lady Dumbello felt no
impatience.

Plantagenet Palliser skimmed through his little book, and probably
learned something. When he put it down he sipped a cup of tea, and
remarked to Lady de Courcy that he believed it was only twelve miles
to Silverbridge.

"I wish it was a hundred and twelve," said the countess.

"In that case I should be forced to start to-nigh