My Lady's Money

nly not pleasure as well. "How many years is it since you and I last met?" she asked,

iard's hand, and kissed it with easy grace. A shade of irony was

stood still since we met last. How wonderfully well you wear! When shall we celebra

s eye over her ill-chosen dress with an air of satirical admiration. "How perfectly

r Ladyship, not in the least

wered, perfectly impenetrable to his ungracious recept

ng fellow." Every woman he sees is "sweetly pretty." What picnics he gives on the banks of the Thames in the summer season! What a well-earned little income he derives from the whist-table! What an inestimable actor he is at private theatricals of all sorts (weddings included)! Did you never read Sweetsir's novel, dashed off in the intervals of curative perspiration at a German bath? Then you don't know what brilliant fiction really is. He has never written a second work; he does everything, and only does it once. One song-

ere, what have you got to say for yoursel

llent reason, that the French are the only people who know how to make the most of life.

Paris," her Ladyship interposed. "That'

interruption with his

ou lose and win, win and lose-and you haven't a dull day to complain of." He paused, his smile died away, he looked inquiringly at Lady Lydiard. "What a wonderful existence yours must be," he resumed. "The everlasting question with your needy f

addition to my picture-gallery." She looked, as she said those words, towards an archway at the further end of the room, closed by curtains of purple velvet. "I really tremble when I think of what that one picture cost me before I could call it mine. A landscape by Hobbema; and the National Gallery bidding against me. Never min

subsided little by little, and had left him looking so serious and so old that his most intimate friend would hardly have known him again. Roused by th

hen I look round this beautiful room; something fami

diard, still watching her n

ing his spirits. "Why don't I hear Tommie snarling behi

e. She showed him plainly that she disapproved of it. Felix went on, nevertheless, impenetrable to reproof of the silent sort. "

mself. "I wish to speak to you about Tommie. You know everybody. Do you know of

l person?" i

es

you-a gentleman. Knows more about horses and dogs than all the veterinary surgeons put together. We met in the boa

us racehorses?" cried Lady Lydiard. "My dear Felix, how ca

to your Ladyship. He has heard, like everybody, of the magnificent decorations of this house, and he is longing to see them. His ch

had better not be disturbed," she answered.

with a mixed expression of curios

ce. Felix was not the sort of person whom she was desirous of admitting to her confidence in domes

your picture-gallery? You look at the picture-gallery-I am answered again." He rose to approach the archway, and stopped at his first step forward. "A sweet girl is a dreadful responsi

Sweetsir, being near-sighted, was obliged to fit his eye-glass in positio

e would tell. As it is, he looks unutterable things, and holds his tongue. Ah! if I could only have held my tongue-when I was in the diplomatic ser

, and a grave look of wonder which respectfully repelled that viva

e bank-note?" as

he bank-note

e way?" inq

't occupy me for more than a few minutes. You can stay

with rare old china. Being nothing if not a cultivated amateur, Mr. Sweetsir paused to pay his passing tribute of admiration before the contents of the cabinet. "Charming! charming!" he sai

r of the note, in case of a

om his waistcoat pocket. "I took

ting my letter, suppose you direct the

k round at Lady Lydiard and the steward while they were both engaged in wri

e a line at once to Hardyman, aunt? The sooner you have

o work on his letter, in a large scrambling handwriting, with plenty of ink and a noisy pen. "I declare we are like clerks in an office," he remarked, in

d time. In a moment more Lady Lydiard finished her letter, and folded up the bank-note in it. She had just taken the directed envelope from Moody, and had just placed the letter inside i

ran-yes, short as she was and fat as she was, ran-into the

p would run? Bah! these are the things that shake one's faith in human nature. I feel infernally seedy.

nd you, sir?" Mo

t be brought to me in the picture-gallery.

the archway, and disappeared behind