‘My aunt said she wanted to give pleasure.’

’Ah! there’s nothing so inconvenient to one’s friends as good nature.  Who cares for what is shared indiscriminately?’

’I don’t think I can trust Fitzjocelyn with my visiting-list just yet,’ said Lady Conway.  ’You are too far above to be sensible of the grades beneath, with your place made for you.’

‘Not at all,’ said Louis.  ’Northwold tea-parties were my earliest, most natural dissipation; and I spoke for these good people for my own personal gratification.’

‘Nay, I can’t consent to your deluding Lady Conway into Mrs. Walby.’

‘If there be any one you wish me to ask, my dear Fitzjocelyn—­’ began Lady Conway.

’Oh no, thank you; Jem is quite right.  I might have been playing on your unguarded innocence; but I am the worst person in the world to consult; for all the county and all the town are so kind to me, that I don’t know whom I could leave out.  Now, the Pendragon there will help you to the degree of gentility that may safely be set to consort together.’

‘What an unkind fling!’ thought Isabel.

Louis took leave, exclaiming to himself on the stairs, ’There! if comporting oneself like a donkey before the object be a token, I’ve done it efiectually.  Didn’t I know the exclusiveness of the woman?  Yet, how could I help saying a word for the poor little Walbys? and, after all, if they were there, no one would speak to them but Aunt Kitty and I. And Isabel, I am sure she scorned the fastidious nonsense; I saw it in her eye and lip.’

After a quarter of an hour spent in hearing her praises from Miss Faithfull, he betook himself to Mrs. Ponsonby’s, not quite without embarrassment, for he had not been alone with the mother and daughter since August.

‘I am glad you did not come before,’ said Mary, heartily; ’I have just done:’  and she returned to her writing-table, while her mother was saying,

‘We like it very much.’

‘You have not been copying that wretched concern!’ exclaimed Louis.  ’Why, Mary, you must have been at it all night.  It is a week’s work.’

‘Copying is not composing,’ said Mary.

’But you have mended it, made it consecutive!  If I had guessed that my father meant to trouble any one with it!’

‘If you take pains with it, it may be very valuable,’ said Mrs. Ponsonby.  ’We have marked a few things that you had better revise before it goes to Oakstead.’

‘Goes to Oakstead!’ said Louis, faintly.

’Your father talks of sending it, to see if Sir Miles does not think it might tell well in one of the Reviews.’

’I hope not.  I should lose all my faith in anonymous criticism, if they admitted such a crude undergraduate’s omnium gatherum!  Besides, what an immense task to make it presentable!’

‘Is that the root of your humility?’

’Possibly.  But for very shame I must doctor it, if Mary has wasted so much time over it.  It does not look so bad in your hand!’