“What is the discovery?  I did not quite understand the prospectus.”

“Well, it is called the Conolly Electro-motor.”

“Yes, I know that.”

“And it—­it turns all sorts of machinery.  I cannot explain it scientifically to you:  you would not understand me.  But it is, in short, a method of driving machinery by electricity at a less cost than by steam.  It is connected in principle with the conservation of energy and other technical matters.  You must come and see the machinery at work some day.”

“I must, indeed.  And is it true that Mr. Conolly was a common working man?”

“Yes, a practical man, undoubtedly, but highly educated.  He speaks French and Italian fluently, and is a remarkable musician.  Altogether a man of very superior attainments, and by no means deficient in culture.”

“Dear me!  Jasper told me something of that sort about him; but Lady Carbury gave him a very different character.  She assured me that he was sprung from the dregs of the people, and that she had a great deal of trouble to teach him his proper place.  Still, we know that she is not very particular as to what she says when she dislikes people.  Yet she ought to know; for he was Jasper’s laboratory servant—­at least so she said.”

“Oh, surely not a servant.  Jasper never regarded him in that light.  The Countess disapproves of Jasper’s scientific pursuits, and sets her face against all who encourage him in them.  However, I really know nothing about Mr. Conolly’s antecedents.  His manner when he appears at our board meetings is quiet and not unpleasant.  Marian, it appears, met him at Towers Cottage the year before last, and had some scientific lessons from him.  He was quite unknown then.  It was rather a curious coincidence.  I did not know of it until about a month ago, when he read a paper at the Society of Arts on his invention.  I attended the meeting with Marian; and when it was over, I introduced him to her, and was surprised to learn that they knew one another already.  He told me afterward that Marian had shewn an unusual degree of cleverness in studying electricity, and that she greatly interested him at the time.”

“No doubt.  Marian interests everybody; and even great discoverers, when they are young, are only human.”

“Ah!  Perhaps so.  But she must have shewn some ability or she would never have elicited a remark from him.  He is full of his business.”

“And what is the latest news of the family scamp?”

“Do you mean my Reginald?”

“Dear me, no!  What a shame to call poor Reggy a scamp!  I mean young Marmaduke, of course.  Is it true that he has a daughter now?”

“Oh yes.  Perfectly true.”

“The reprobate!  And he was always such a pleasant fellow.”