‘Honest Abraham?’ Lord Almeric asked; he had listened open-mouthed.

‘Every word of it,’ the tutor answered.

‘Then, my dear, if you have a fortune, sit down,’ cried Mr. Pomeroy; and seizing a chair he handed it with exaggerated gallantry to Julia, who still remained near the door, frowning darkly at the trio; neither ashamed nor abashed, but proudly and coldly contemptuous.  ’Make yourself at home, my pretty,’ he continued familiarly, ’for if you have a fortune it is the only one in this house, and a monstrous uncommon thing.  Is it not, my lord?’

‘Lord!  I vow it is!’ the other drawled; and then, taking advantage of the moment when Julia’s attention was engaged elsewhere—­she dumbly refused to sit, ‘Where is Dunborough?’ my lord muttered.

‘Heaven knows,’ Mr. Thomasson whispered, with a wink that postponed inquiry.  ‘What is more to the purpose,’ he continued aloud, ’if I may venture to make the suggestion to your lordship and Mr. Pomeroy, Miss Masterson has been much distressed and fatigued this evening.  If there is a respectable elderly woman in the house, therefore, to whose care you could entrust her for the night, it were well.’

‘There is old Mother Olney,’ Mr. Pomeroy answered, assenting with a readier grace than the tutor expected, ’who locked herself up an hour ago for fear of us young bloods.  She should be old and ugly enough!  Here you, Jarvey, go and kick in her outworks, and bid her come down.’

‘Better still, if I may suggest it,’ said the tutor, who was above all things anxious to be rid of the girl before too much was said—­’Might not your servant take Miss above stairs to this good woman—­who will doubtless see to her comfort?  Miss Masterson has gone through some surprising adventures this evening, and I think it were better if you allowed her to withdraw at once, Mr. Pomeroy.’

‘Jarvey, take the lady,’ Mr. Pomeroy cried.  ’A sweet pretty toad she is.  Here’s to your eyes and fortune, child!’ he continued with an impudent grin; and filling his glass he pledged her as she passed.

After that he stood watching while Mr. Thomasson opened the door and bowed her out; and this done and the door closed after her, ’Lord, what ceremony!’ he said, with an ugly sneer.  ’Is’t real, man, or are you bubbling her?  And what is this Cock-lane story of a chaise and the rest?  Out with it, unless you want to be tossed in a blanket.’

‘True, upon my honour!’ Mr. Thomasson asseverated.

‘Oh, but Tommy, the fortune?’ Lord Almeric protested seriously.  ’I vow you are sharping us.’

‘True too, my lord, as I hope to be saved!’

‘True?  Oh, but it is too monstrous absurd,’ my lord wailed.  ’The Little Masterson?  As pretty a little tit as was to be found in all Oxford.  The Little Masterson a fortune?’

‘She has eyes and a shape,’ Mr. Pomeroy admitted generously.  ’For the rest, what is the figure, Mr. Thomasson?’ he continued.  ’There are fortunes and fortunes.’