Denzil Quarrier

, by name William, was, like his father and grandfather, simply a country gentleman, but, unlike those respectable ancestors, had seen a good deal of the world, and only settled down amid

, when the desire for retirement came upon him, was glad of the society of a son and a daughter in their early teens. But the lad died of consumption, and

day as possible. Prior to the outbreak of Revivalism no one had supposed her particularly pious, and, indeed, she had often suffered Mrs. Mumbray's rebukes for levity of speech and indifference to the conventional norm of feminine behaviour. Though her parents had always been prominent in Polterham society, she was ill-educated, and of late years had endeavoured, in a fitful, fretful way, to make amends to herself for this injustice. Disregarding paternal censure, she subscribed to the Literary Institute, and read at hap-hazard with little enough profit. Twenty-three years old, she was now doubly independent, for the will of a maiden aunt (a lady always on the worst of terms with Mr. and Mrs. Mumbray,

was discoverable. At such times the master of the house seldom showed himself, and, on the whole, Highmead reminded one of a mansion left in the care of servants whilst the family are abroad. Miss Mumbray was surprised when, on her arrival one

ght of stepping directly into Ivy's sanctum. So far from this, she found herself under the scrutiny of two well-dressed men, whose faces, however courteous, manifested the signature of a critical spirit. The elder Mr. Glazzard was bald, wrinkled, and of aristocratic bearing; he wore gold-

ion, and for a quarter of an hour something like convers

oom," said Ivy, reg

e reply, "I mustn't

u must come for a moment; I

d with show of reluctance suffered her

addressed her, when the door was closed.

't quite in the humour for-for that kind of th

it was my uncle-I had spoken of you to him, a

look rather like the woman who co

laug

ourse

've any claim to look better than Mrs. Moss. I suppose she and I are about on a level in u

ing her friend's shoulder. "It's so wrong of you, dear. My father

about me-your uncle?" a

friend, and that w

ourse! Wh

falt

ned who y

s name, and was the dau

is unkin

else? I insist o

t you mightn't have heard yourself

by this time. There's no harm in that. I like people to know that I am indepen

London, and I've never seen him more than once a year. I'm afraid he doesn't care much about the things that I prize

didn't h

e seem to fall far short of

ou expect? But men are fr

seems to have enou

dulged he

tly. "But he is improved. He can talk well, I shou

ppose

ite you to London, and

ter than that!" repl

e library and made themselves comfortable with cigars-a cellaret and glasses standing within reach. The rooms at H

saying, with an air of indifference. "I suppose she'll marry

the old

vy wouldn't be s

William turned with

. She has no humbug about her-no pretence

ign, I'm

r it. That old ass, Mumbray, and his wife make things pret

earance-intelligent at b

silence. Eustace bro

o things g

had better let the place before it get

no answer, but sa

th, "the lawyer? He wants me to stand

lace of We

andidate; or Radi

oking, I

the impos

eyes

at. Welwyn-Baker is breaking up; they won't let him come forward again, even if he wishes. His son is disliked, and would have a very poor chance. If you cared to put

s the use of my standing for a part

k that's

illiam an effort to fix his mind on the question; but at length he admitted that the contest wo

gs are. Now, there seems to be no doubt that Liversedge would gladly withdraw in favour of

can't reconcile such

I have taken up one thing after another, and gone just far enough to understand that there's no hope of reaching what I aimed at-superlative excellence; then the thing began to nauseate me. I'm like poor Jackson, the novelist, who groaned to me onc

of feeling astonished his brother, who-as is so often the case between brother

, slowly. "But do you imagine that in p

e a figure in the House of Commons; but I want to sit there, and be in the full current of existence. I had

ial matter?" asked Wil

ulty. You, I understand, are

w hundreds will make no difference to me. I suppose

away, but that shall stop; there'll be no

thing. The Radicals have often tried to draw me into their camp, and of course it's taken for granted that I am rather for than against them. By-the-bye, what is the date?

ake some part

persistent; they caught me in a weak moment a few days ago. I suppose you realize the kind of speechifying th

re more sides to my char

s of liqueur. His manner had become more youth

thy with anything popular, that's true; but it's easier for me to adopt the heroic strain of popular leaders than to put my own sentiments into the lan

nkling of wh

illed the l

ruled by the balance of two parties; neither could do without the other. This being the case, a man of my mind may conscientiously support either side. Nowadays neither is a foe to liberty; we know that party tall-talk means nothing-mere playing to the

n't do so in

remembered how long it was since such an

evilish bad time, I can tell you. To make things worse, some one has fixed an infernal accusa

t could be made use a

I think. I didn't

on the hustings mus

w do you spend your after

he end of a cigar, a

kind. I think my average is six novels a week: French, Russian, German, Italian. No English, unless I'm in need of an emetic. W

people to dinner one of these

to talk much about art, and above all not to p

with Liversedge? I go there

you know. We have probably several months bef

esently went out into the garde