’Let us hope so.  Only nothing has ever come right for me yet.  What is Frank doing?’

‘I haven’t seen him since he left Crummie-Toddle.’

‘And your sister?’ she whispered.

‘I know nothing about it at all.’

‘And you?  I have told you everything about myself.’

’As for me, I think of nothing but politics now.  I have told you about my racing experiences.  Just at present shooting is up.  Before Christmas I shall go into Chiltern’s country for a little hunting.’

‘You can hunt here?’

’I shan’t stay long enough to make it worth while to have my horses down.  If Tregear will go with me to the Brake, I can mount him for a day or two.  But I daresay you know more of his plans that I do.  He went to see you at Grex.’

‘And you did not.’

‘I was not asked.’

‘Nor was he.’

‘Then all I can say is,’ replied Silverbridge, speaking in a low voice, but with considerable energy, ’that he can use a freedom with Lady Mabel Grex which I cannot venture.’

’I believe you begrudge me his friendship.  If you had no one else belonging to you with whom you could have sympathy, would not you find comfort in a relation who could be almost as near to you as a brother?’

‘I do not grudge him to you.’

‘Yes; you do.  And what business have to you interfere?’

‘None at all;—­certainly.  I will never do it again.’

’Don’t say that, Lord Silverbridge.  You ought to have more mercy on me.  You ought to put up with anything from me,—­knowing how much I suffer.’

‘I will put up with anything,’ said he.

‘Do, do.  And now I will try to talk to Mr Erle.’

Miss Boncassen was sitting on the other side of the table, between Mr Monk and Phineas Finn, and throughout the dinner talked mock politics with the greatest liveliness.  Silverbridge when he entered the room had gone round the table and shaken hands with everyone.  But there had no other greeting between him and Isabel, nor had any sign passed from one to the other.  No such greeting or sign had been possible.  Nothing had been left undone which she had expected, or hoped.  But, though she was lively, nevertheless she kept her eye upon her lover and Lady Mabel.  Lady Mary had said that she thought her brother was in love with Lady Mabel.  Could it be possible?  In her own land she had heard absurd stories, stories which had seemed to her to be absurd,—­of the treachery of Lords and Countesses, of the baseness of aristocrats, of the iniquities of high life in London.  But her father had told her to go where she might, she would find people in the main to be very like each other.  It had seemed that nothing could be more ingenuous than this young man had been in his declaration of his love.  No simplest republican could have spoken more plainly.  But now, at this moment, she could doubt but that her lover was very intimate with this other girl.  Of course he was