Trevelyan with them also; and in saying this she
hinted that if Nora were disposed to stand by her engagement, and
Mr. Stanbury equally so disposed, there might be some possibility
of a marriage at a future period. Only in such case, there must be
no correspondence. In answer to this Hugh declared that he regarded
such a scheme as being altogether bad. The Mandarins were so very far
distant that he might as well be engaged to an angel in heaven. Nora,
if she were to go away now, would perhaps never come back again; and
if she did come back, would be an old woman, with hollow cheeks. In
replying to this proposition, he let fall an opinion that Nora was
old enough to judge for herself. He said nothing about her actual
age, and did not venture to plead that the young lady had a legal
right to do as she liked with herself; but he made it manifest that
such an idea was in his mind. In answer to this, Lady Rowley asserted
that Nora was a good girl, and would do as her father told her; but
she did not venture to assert that Nora would give up her engagement.
Lady Rowley at last undertook to speak to Sir Rowley, and to speak
also to her daughter. Hugh was asked for his address, and gave that
of the office of the D. R. He was always to be found there between
three and five; and after that, four times a week, in the reporters'
gallery of the House of Commons. Then he was at some pains to explain
to Lady Rowley that though he attended the reporters' gallery, he
did not report himself. It was his duty to write leading political
articles, and, to enable him to do so, he attended the debates.

Before he went Mrs. Trevelyan thanked him most cordially for the
trouble he had taken in procuring for her the address at Willesden,
and gave him some account of the journey which she and her mother
had made to River's Cottage. He argued with both of them that the
unfortunate man must now be regarded as being altogether out of his
mind, and something was said as to the great wisdom and experience of
Dr. Trite Turbury. Then Hugh Stanbury took his leave; and even Lady
Rowley bade him adieu with kind cordiality. "I don't wonder, mamma,
that Nora should like him," said Mrs. Trevelyan.

"That is all very well, my dear, and no doubt he is pleasant, and
manly, and all that;--but really it would be almost like marrying a
beggar."

"For myself," said Mrs. Trevelyan, "if I could begin life again, I do
not think that any temptation would induce me to p