‘Is not that quite enough?  But of course I change them sometimes;’ and she smiled on him very good-naturedly.  ’It would be very dull if I were always to keep the same.’

‘Very dull indeed,’ said Frank, who did not quite know what to say.

’Do you think the countess would mind my having or two of them here if I were to ask her?’

‘I am quite sure she would,’ said Frank, very briskly.  ’She would not approve of it; nor should I.’

‘You—­why, what have you to do with it?’

’A great deal—­so much so that I positively forbid it; but, Miss Dunstable—­’

‘Well, Mr Gresham?’

’We will contrive to make up for the deficiency as well as possible, if you will permit us to do so.  Now for myself—­’

‘Well, for yourself?’

At this moment the countess gleamed her accomplished eye round the table, and Miss Dunstable rose from her chair as Frank was preparing his attack, and accompanied the other ladies into the drawing-room.

His aunt, as she passed him, touched his arm lightly with her fan, so lightly that the action was perceived by no one else.  But Frank well understood the meaning of the touch, and appreciated the approbation which it conveyed.  He merely blushed however at his own dissimulation; for he felt more certain that ever that he would never marry Miss Dunstable, and he felt nearly equally sure that Miss Dunstable would never marry him.

Lord de Courcy was now at home; but his presence did not add much hilarity to the claret-cup.  The young men, however, were very keen about the election, and Mr Nearthewinde, who was one of the party, was full of the most sanguine hopes.

‘I have done a good one at any rate,’ said Frank; ’I have secured the chorister’s vote.’

‘What!  Bagley?’ said Nearthewinde.  ’The fellow kept out of my way, and I couldn’t see him.’

‘I haven’t exactly seen him,’ said Frank; ’but I’ve got his vote all the same.’

‘What! by a letter?’ said Mr Moffat.

‘No, not by letter,’ said Frank, speaking rather low as he looked at the bishop and the earl; ’I got a promise from his wife:  I think he’s a little in the henpecked line.’

‘Ha—­ha—­ha!’ laughed the good bishop, who, in spite of Frank’s modulation of voice, had overheard what had passed.  ’Is that the way you manage electioneering matters in our cathedral city?’ The idea of one of his choristers being in the henpecked line was very amusing to the bishop.

‘Oh, I got a distinct promise,’ said Frank, in his pride; and then added incautiously, ‘but I had to order bonnets for the whole family.’

‘Hush-h-h-h!’ said Mr Nearthewinde, absolutely flabbergasted by such imprudence on the part of one of his client’s friends.  ’I am quite sure that you order had no effect, and was intended to have no effect on Mr Bagley’s vote.’

‘Is that wrong?’ said Frank; ’upon my word I thought it was quite legitimate.’