was not a very clear one, but the colonel never hesitated
to give in his adhesion.

"Sir Stafford always took that view in the House, and consequently
differed from his party, as well as about Ireland. Poor dear Ireland!
what is to be done for her?"

This was a rather more embarrassing demand than the previous one, and
the colonel hemmed and coughed, and prepared for a speech of subtle
generalities; but the dexterity was all unnecessary, for her Ladyship
had already forgotten the theme, and everything about it, as she went
on. "How I pity those dear Wreckingtons, who are condemned to live
there! The Earl, you know, had promised solemnly that he would go any
lengths for the party when he got his blue riband; and so they took him
at his word, and actually named him to the viceroyalty. It was a very
cruel thing, but I hear nothing could be better than his conduct on
hearing it: and dear Lady Wreckington insisted upon accompanying him.
It was exactly like the story of what was that man's name, who assisted
in the murder of the Emperor Paul Geroboffskoi, or something like that,
and whose wife followed him to the mines."

The colonel avowed that the cases were precisely alike, and now the
conversation if the word can be degraded to mean that bald disjointed
chat ran upon London people and events their marriages, their dinners,
their separations, coalitions, divorces, and departures; on all
which themes Haggerstone affected a considerable degree of knowledge,
although, to any one less occupied with herself than her Ladyship, it
would have been at once apparent that all his information was derived
from the newspapers. It was at the close of a lamentation on the utter
stupidity of everything and everywhere, that he adroitly asked where she
meant to pass the winter.

"I wish I knew," said she, languidly. "The Dollingtons say Naples; the
Upsleys tell us Rome; and, for my part, I pronounce for neither. Lady
Dollingtou is my aversion, and the three Upsley girls, with their pink
noses and red hair, are insufferable."

"What does your Ladyship think of Florence?" asked the colonel,
soothingly.

"Pretty much what I might of one of the Tonga Islands. I know nothing of
the place, the people, or the climate. Pray tell me about it."

"There is very little to say," said Haggerstone, shrugging his
shoulders; "not but the place might be very agreeable, if there were
some one of really fashionable standing to take the lead and give a