‘No more than she might have expected,’ said Lord Ormersfield.

‘And what is to be done?’

’I should say, never interfere between people and their servants, still less between them and their sons.  You will do no good.’

‘I cannot see this go on!’ cried Louis.  ’The boy told me all, by way of showing me his superiority.  I believe he wants to introduce me to some of his distinguished friends.  They flatter him, and make him a great man; and as to any scruples about his mother, Delaford has disposed of her objections as delicate weaknesses.  When I began to look grave, the poor boy set it down to my neglected training, always spending my holidays in the country, and not knowing what fast men are up to.’

‘And so he goes to destruction—­just the sort of boy that does,’ said the Earl, with due acquiescence in the course of the world.

‘He need not,’ exclaimed Louis.  ’He is a nice boy, a very nice boy, if only he cared for his mother, or knew right from wrong.’

Lord Ormersfield smiled at these slight exceptions.

‘He is heartily fond of Isabel,’ said Louis.  ’If I thought Jem could do any good, I would send for him; but he has made my auut so much afraid of unworldliness just now, that I only wonder she lets Miss King stay on.’

‘You had better leave it alone,’ said the Earl, ’unless you can do anything with the boy.  I am glad that I am not his guardian!’

‘I wish I was,’ sighed Louis.

‘I suppose you will grow older some day,’ said Lord Ormersfield.  ’However, I see you will not be contented without going your own way to work.’

’When the Earl saw his son the next day, Louis looked radiant at having taken one step.  He had seen his aunt, and she had endured the revelation with more equanimity than he could have supposed possible.  ‘It was a house where they took things easily,’ as he said; a house where nothing was more feared than a scene; and Lady Conway had thanked her nephew greatly for his communication; promised what he did not ask, that he should not be betrayed to Walter; assured him that the butler should be dismissed, without giving any reason, before the summer holidays; and for the few remaining days before Walter returned to Eton, she thought she might reckon on her dear Fitzjocelyn for keeping his eye upon him:  no doubt all would be right when Delaford was once gone.

It was the old want of a high standard—­the love of ease rather than the love of right.  The Earl laughed at her short-sighted policy, and resented her saddling Louis with the care of her son; while Louis philosophized upon good-nature, and its use and abuse.

Whether Mr. Delaford learnt that Sir Walter had betrayed him to Lord Fitzjocelyn, or whether he took alarm from the young gentleman being kept under surveillance, he scented danger; and took the initiative, by announcing to my Lady that he intended to retire from his situation into private life at the month’s end.