But the work was very disagreeable.  It was the more hard upon Lady Cantrip because she did not believe in it.  If it could be done, it would be expedient.  But she felt very strongly that it could not be done.  No doubt that Lady Glencora had been turned from her evil destiny; but Lady Glencora had been younger than her daughter was now, and possessed of less character.  Nor was Lady Cantrip blind to the difference between a poor man with bad character, such as that Burgo had been, and a poor man with good character, such as was Tregear.  Nevertheless she undertook to aid the work, and condescended to pretend to be so interested in the portrait of some common ancestor as to persuade the young man to have it photographed, in order that the bringing down of the photograph might lead to something.

He took the photograph, and Lady Cantrip said very much to him about his grandmother, who was the old lady in question.  She could, she said, just remember the features of the dear old woman.  She was not habitually a hypocrite, and she hated herself for what she was doing, and yet her object was simply good,—­to bring together two young people who might advantageously marry each other.  The mere talking about the old woman would be of no service.  She longed to bring out the offer plainly, and say, ’There is Lady Mary Palliser.  Don’t you think she’d make a good wife for you?’ But she could not, as yet, bring herself to be so indelicately plain.  ‘You haven’t seen the Duke since?’ she asked.

‘He spoke to me only yesterday in the House.  I like the Duke.’

’If I may be allowed to say so, it would be to your advantage that he should like you;—­that is, if you mean to take a part in politics.’

‘I suppose I shall,’ said Popplecourt.  ’There isn’t much else to do.’

‘You don’t go to races.’  He shook his head.  ‘I am glad of that,’ said Lady Cantrip.  ’Nothing so bad as the turf.  I fear Lord Silverbridge is devoting himself to the turf.’

’I don’t think it can be good for any man to have much to do with Major Tifto.  I suppose Silverbridge knows what he is about.’

Here was an opportunity which might have been used.  It would have been so easy for her to glide from the imperfections of the brother to the perfections of the sister.  But she could not bring herself to do it quite at once.  She approached the matter however as nearly as she could without making her grand proposition.  She shook her head sadly in reference to Silverbridge, and then spoke of the Duke.  ‘His father is so anxious about him.’

‘I dare say.’

’I don’t know any man who is more painfully anxious about his children.  He feels the responsibility so much since his wife’s death.  There is Lady Mary.’

‘She’s all right, I should say.’

’All right!  Oh yes.  But when a girl is possessed of so many things,—­rank, beauty, intelligence, large fortune,—­’

‘Will Lady Mary have much?’