nd Mrs Jackson; the Batesons from Annesgrove, viz., Mr and Mrs Bateson, and Miss Bateson, their daughter - an unmarried lady of about fifty; the Bakers of Mill Hill, fa

t part in the proceedings, to be made more of a hero than would have been the case had half the county been there. In that case the importance of the guests would have

owing to the present state of affairs at Greshamsbury. Fourteen thousand a year will receive honour; in that case there is no doubt, and the man already possessing it is not apt to be suspicious as to the treatment he may receive; but the gho

han a very ordinary cousinly love; and he had resolved, forgetful of birth and blood, and all those gigantic considerations which now that manhood had come upon him, he was

the foreground for half an hour before dinner, he had to walk out to the dining-room with

hich has been held by the Greshams for so many years,' said the countess, as she walked through the spacious hall, r

eneral good conduct, such as old bores of aunts are apt to i

go along all square, aunt, and no mistake. When

m to look for the money in a great measure himself. She, Lady de Courcy, could doubtless help him; she might probably be able to fit him with a wife who would bring her money onto his birth. His reading was a matter in which she could in no way assist him; w

Well, if your father wishes it;- though very lit

r, aunt; and I am determined, at

uck

the wrong set at John's. He's an excellent fellow if you knew him. He got among

thus

nk beer. So poor Harry Baker got plucked. I don't know th

e usually occupied by Lady Arabella. She, on the present occasion, sat next to her son on the one side, as th

and fish had been disposed of, anxious to perform the rites

Frank,' said his mother

ort of things. My hand is not yet in for this wo

abella?' said the countess to her sis

ather see

te of time?' ask

d the idea of Cambridge myself at all. All the De Courcys were Chri

better to send hi

y Arabella; 'but you know, I never interfe

it would be wasting fragrance on the desert air,' she could not have spoken more plainly. The effect on Frank was this: that he said to himself, speaking quite as plainly as Lady De Courcy had spoken by her shake of

ome beef, aunt?' Thi

money, Frank; that is your one great duty; that is the matter to be borne steadfastly in your mind.' She could not now, with sufficient weight and impress of emphasis, pour this wisdom into

r turn yet. I beg your pardon, Miss Bateson,' and he sent to that lady a pound and a h

e banquet

eat accumulated onus of an oration which he had long known that he should have to sustain after the cloth was taken away. Some one of course would propose his health, and then there woul

cousin, the Honourable George, whom he regarded as a dab at speaki

o say, George, when he stands

resence of mind, you know. I'll tell you what I do, and I'm often called up, you know; at our agriculturals I always propose

it be better if I made a mark of some old cov

looking up. I've heard people say, who go to those sort of dinners every day of their lives, th

ay anything witty; I'll

eed. Fix your eye on one of the bottles; put your thumbs in your waist-coat

ery well; but you can't go ahea

ains a bit. Let's see: how will you begin? Of course, you'll say that you are not accustomed to this sort of thing; that the honour conferred upon you is too much for you

ey know

ou must say something about us; or you'l

earth can I say about her when

y any lie you can think of; you must say something abo

al remained in London; but this he kept to himself. He thanked his cousin for his hints, and though he did not feel that th

ey were there in a body, men and women, nurses, cooks, and ladies' maids, coachmen, grooms, and footmen, standing in two doorways to hear what Master Frank would say. The

ted family. His young friend, Frank, was every inch a Gresham. Mr Baker omitted to make mention of the infusion of De Courcy blood, and the countess, therefore, drew herself up on her chair and looked as though she were extremely bored. He then

our good health, Frank!' 'And especially a good wife, Frank!' 'Two or three of them, Frank!' 'Good health and prosperity to you, Mr Gresham!' 'More power to you, Frank, my boy!' 'May God bless you and preserve you, my dear boy!' and then a merry, sweet, eager voice from the far end

f sticking to the bottle; nevertheless, in the difficulty of the moment, it was well to have any system to go by. But, as misfortune would have it, though the table was cov

eptor's advice, as touching the bottle, he adopted his own crude plan of 'mak

hould say, for drinking my health, and doing me so much honour, and all that sort of thing. U

're Mr Gresham,

for many a long year if I can help it; not at any

; and whose w

his father. Mr Baker said I was every inch a Gresham. Well, I hope I am.' Here the countess beg

countenance by the orator's intense gaze. The countess looked colder

es, my aunty and cousins have come all the way from London to hear me take this speech which certainly is not worth the trouble; but, all the same I am very much obliged to them.' And he looked round and made a little bow at the countess. 'And so I am to Mr and Mrs Jackson, and Mr and Mrs and Miss Bateso

hen Miss Bateson shook him by the hand. 'Oh, Miss Bateson,' said he, 'I thought the kissing was to go all round.' So Miss Bateson laughed and went her way; and Patience O

ience by the hand; he took her hand and pressed it for a moment, but dropped it quickly, in

'The ceremony is now over, so you may have your place of dignity.' Frank sat himself down where he was told, and Mr Gresham put his hand on his son'

e never will

he ever will,'

is own as well as the squire; one also who was the apple of his eye. But the doctor,- he did care; he had a niece, to be sure

a moment or two. But silence was not dear to the hear

ing,' he said to his uncle. 'I was looking at

was bred,' said the squire. 'H

'They've all those ears, and that peculiar dip in th

much,' said

ined hunter

on will be,' s

e for that,' sa

ven't tried him myself, but Peter made him go

Frank was very ill used in being put off with so incomplete stud, and thinking also that the son had not

horse, I don't doubt. I wish y

y ashamed of himself in that he had listened with a certain degree of complacency to his cousin's tempting; but he had no idea that the subject would be repeated - and then repeated, too, before his

e best thing you have, and I'll bring, not the black horse, but my old mare; and then do you try to keep ne

every newest invention for carrying spare shoes, sandwiches, and flasks of sherry. He was prominent at the cover side;- some people, including the master of hounds, thought him perhaps a little too loudly prominent; he affected a familiarity with the dogs, and was on speaking acquaintance with every man's hors

was not, perhaps, as much accustomed to the ready use of his tongue as was his honourable brother, seeing that it was not his annual business to depict the glories of the farmers' daughters; at any rat

had thought of the stableful of horses which had belonged to himself when he became of age; and of the much more humble position which his son would have to fill than that which his father had pre

id the father to himself. 'I

have been said of him now, at the period of which we are speaking, that the only really happy moments