‘You will find that time conquers the fancy,’ said the Earl, quickly.  ’I am relieved to find that you have at least not committed yourself:  it would be no compliment to Mary Ponsonby.’

Louis’s lip curled somewhat; but he said no more, and made no objections to the arrangements which his father proceeded to detail.  Doubtful of the accommodations of Ebbscreek, Lord Ormersfield had prudently retained his fly, and though Louis, intending to sleep on the floor, protested that there was plenty of room, he chose to return to the inn at Bickleypool.  He would call for Louis to-morrow, to take him for a formal call at Beauchastel; and the day after they would go together to Oakstead, leaving James to return home, about ten days sooner than had been previously concerted.

Lord Ormersfield had not been gone ten minutes, before James’s quick bounding tread was heard far along the dry woodland paths.  He vaulted over the gate, and entered by the open window, exclaiming, as he did so, ’Hurrah!  The deed is done; the letter is off to engage the House Beautiful.’

‘Doom is doom!’ were the first words that occurred to Louis.  ’The lion and the prince.’

‘What’s that?’

‘There was once a king,’ began Louis, as if the tale were the newest in the world, ’whose son was predestined to be killed by a lion.  After much consideration, his majesty enclosed his royal highness in a tower, warranted wild-beast proof, and forbade the chase to be mentioned in his hearing.  The result was, that the locked-up prince died of look-jaw in consequence of tearing his hand with a nail in the picture of the lion.’

‘I shall send that apologue straight to Ormersfield.’

’You may spare that trouble.  My father has been with me all the evening.’

‘Oh! his double-ganger visits you.  That accounts for your freaks.’

‘Double-gangers seldom come in yellow-bodied flys.’

‘His lordship in propria persona.  You don’t mean it.’

’He is sleeping at the ‘George’ at Bickleypool.  There is a letter coming to-morrow by the post, to say he is coming to-day, with every imaginable civility to you; but I am to go to the rose-coloured pastor’s with him on Wednesday.’

‘So there’s an end of our peace and comfort!’

‘I am afraid we have sadly discomposed his peace.’

’Did you discover whether his warnings have the slightest foundation?’

’He told me a history that somewhat accounts for his distrust of my aunt.  I think there must be another side to it, and nothing can be more unjust than to condemn all the family, but it affected him so exceedingly that I do not wonder at his doing so.  He gave no names, but I am sure it touched him very nearly.  Can you tell who it could have been?’ And he narrated enough to make James exclaim, ’It ought to touch him nearly.  He was talking of himself.’

‘Impossible!—­my mother!’ cried Louis, leaping up.