"Who _was_ she, you mean, my Lady Frances?" said the Advocate blandly,
helping himself to a pinch of snuff. "I can tell you who she is--Mrs.
Duncan MacAlpine, wife of my private assistant and the sub-editor of the
_Universal Review_."

It was the first time he had given me that title, which pleased me, and
led me to hope that he meant to accompany the honour by a rise in
salary.

"I am--I was--Irma Sobieski Maitland," the answer was rather halting and
faint, for Irma was easily touched, and it was only when much provoked
that she put on her "No-one-shall-touch-me-with-impunity" air.

"If the bride be at all uneasy in her mind," said the Lord Advocate,
"here we are at Mr. Dean's door. I dare say he will step down-stairs
into the chapel and put on his surplice. From what I judge of the
lady's family, she will probably have as little confidence in a
Presbyterian minister as in a Presbyterian Lord Advocate!"

Freddy and Amelia were waiting across the street. I beckoned to them,
and they crossed reluctantly, seeing us talking with my Lord Advocate,
whom, of course, all the world of Edinburgh knew. I was not long in
making the introductions.

"Miss Craven, late of Yorkshire, and Mr. Frederick Esquillant, assistant
to Professor Greg at the College."

"Any more declarations before witnesses to-day?" said my Lord, looking
quaintly at them. "Ah--the crop is not ripe yet. Well, well--we must be
content for one day."

And he vanished into a wide, steeply-gabled house, standing crushed
between higher "lands."

"The Dean will officiate, never fear," said Lady Frances. "So you have
been staying with my sister, and of course she turned you out. Well, she
sent you to me, I'll wager, and you were on your way. You could not have
done better than come direct to me."

"Indeed it was quite an accident," said Irma, who never would take
credit for what she had not deserved; "you see, I did not know you, and
I thought that one like my Lady Kirkpatrick was quite enough----"

"Hush, hush," said the tall brown woman; "perhaps she means better than
you give her credit for. She is a rich woman, and can afford to pay for
her whimsies. Be sure she meant some kindness. But, at any rate, here
comes the Advocate with our good Dean."

We mounted into a curiously arranged house. At first one saw nothing but
flights on flights of stairs, range above range apparently going
steeply up to the second floor, without any first floor rooms at all.