e. Mrs. Lespel was unable to conceal it; she looked meaningly at Cecilia, talked of the house being very full, and her husband engaged till late

in the library, any

erved unconsciously for an excellent ally to Cecilia in chatt

outer world; sweeter society could not have been offered him: but glancing carelessly on to the lawn, he exclaimed in some wonderment that the man he partic

Mrs. Lespel, to give and receive counsel in the emergency, while Beauchamp struck acro

as the first to give them intelligence of it, and he declared that Beauchamp had wrested Dollikins from Grancey Les

od in the world to Gra

-room, with gentlemen cong

drawing-room stood out: 'The maddest folly ever talked!' he deliver

be a live one, for the party's in pieces, blown to the winds. The country was once a chess-board

t about it, how is it I

ried to get that man Dollikins

t of Radical clutches.

e open window, still conversing

from me; I have hi

have his promise, his pl

sp

ld you his opinion

neg

actionable phrase,' M

s unn

"dead,"' said Beauchamp. 'Dead Whig

conceit of your p

would not be seen touting for Tories if they were not

peated, 'if there's no d

doubt a

lity in Reform. It was t

nsical

o the Tories, but you have no right to attempt to ta

. Come, you'll own he swore he

example; you hit them off to the life,' said Beauchamp, brightening with the fine ire of strife, and affecting a sadder

ancey Lespel bounced away with both ha

sent the ghastly a

exalted above the wit of daily life as to sneer at it. Mrs. Lespel remarked to Mr. Culbrett, 'Do you

I'm sorry to tell you that if ever he was a sin

she answered, 'promise you will

e provo

e sh

Radical candidate, for every voter there demands a division of his proper

but I am under government'; and

up the group, Captai

zed his cousin's hand. 'Having a holiday out of Bevisham? The baron expects to meet you at Moun

t,' sai

nvass goes o

Pal

gh. The poor old Tory tortoise is nowhere

an of honour in the party I sha

y honour. I give you my word, I have rarely read an article so eloquent. And what i

u about it by-an

t she could not put him on his guard. She would have had Mr. Culbrett do so. She walked on the terrace

things. He speaks, but won't act, as if he were among enemies. He's getting too fond of his bow-wow. Here he is, and he knows the den, and he chooses to act the innocent. You see how ridiculous? That trick of the ingenu, or peculiarl

ure he will

crotchets, and thinks more of them than of his winds and his tides. No public man is to be made out of that. His idea of the Whigs being

a naval

elle

irits, and a dancing politician appeared to her so absurd that at one moment she had to bite her lips not to laugh. It will hardly be credited that the waltz with Nevil was delightful to Cecilia all the while, and dancing with others a penance. He danced with none other. He led her to a three o'clock morning supper: one of those triumphant subversions of the laws and customs of earth which have the charm of a form of present deification fo

ainly,' s

ake a whip

re all i

ving a four-in-hand is easier

hority for what you k

e Drive into Be

sensitiveness. All the gentlemen were against him, excepting perhaps that chattering pie Lord Palmet, who did him more mischief than his enemies. She could not sleep. She walked ou

to bed to-night,'

ng Captain Beaucha

are going to drive him i

she could scarcel

eir plot?'

or nine A.M. She wrote two lines on note-paper in her room: but found them over

e they gone?' and her heart still throbbed after hearing that most of the gentlemen were in and about the stables. Cecilia was down-stairs at a quarter to nine. The breakfast-room was empty of all but Lord Palmet and Mr. Wardour- Devereux; one selecting a cigar to light out of doors, the other debating between two pipes. She becko

t go,' she s

,' said he-'for the sake of m

to me, Nevil, when

an's tru

. He starts first, then Wardour-Devereux, then Cec

a purpose for their driving

s haven't commonly m

Election time! Surely, Nevi

amp. The alternative of breaking her pledged word to her father, or of letting

ll, Nevil, then y

's groom informed Captain

o Cecilia, 'tell me

nto the town with the second

ho?' Nevi

cousin

idn't differ. I shall hope to change you-make you come half-way out of that citadel of yours. This is my uncle Everard! I might have made sure there'd be a

aptain Baskel

ghed. 'Isn't it exactly like the b

the stunning effect it had on him. Gratitude and tenderness toward Cecilia for saving him, at the cost of a partial breach of faith that he quite u

ons to Mrs. Devereux where to look out for the Esperanza and the

maid with them on the coach-boxes, a brilliant

ndidate. But Lydiard knew nothing of it. He was the bearer of a letter on foreign paper- marked urgent, in Rosamund'

opened i

u Tour

Eu

e you three

EN

d it spring from childish im

oments of excited speculation we do not dwell on th

er to France this eveni

y to be stormy to-night.

find a French lugger. You are tir

evereux, beside whom Mr. Lydiard stood:

rt, as disturbing to her as the one gathering in the