‘Not leisure in the sense of idleness,’ said James.

‘No,’ said Isabel; ’but formerly idle requirements thronged my time, and for nothing worth doing could I find leisure.’

‘There is nothing more exacting than idle requirements,’ said James.  ’Pray is Clara accepting that invitation?  Come to dinner, Louis, and give us an excuse.’

‘No, he won’t,’ said Mrs. Frost, ’he will take my side.  These young people want to cast off all their neighbours.’

‘Now, granny,’ exclaimed James, ’have we not dutifully dined all round?  Did not Isabel conduct Clara to that ball?  Is it not hard to reproach us with sighing at an evening immolated at the shrine of the Richardsons?’

‘Well, my dears, you must judge.’

’I am ready to do whatever you think right; I leave you to settle it,’ said Isabel, moving out of the room, that Louis might be free for a more intimate conversation.

‘Now,’ cried James, ’is it in the nature of things that she should live in such society as Mrs. Walby’s and Mrs. Richardson’s?  People who call her Mrs. James!’

‘Such a queen as she looks among them!’ said Clara.

‘One comfort is, they don’t like that,’ said James.  ’Even Mrs. Calcott is not flattered by her precedence.  I hope we shall soon be dropped out of their parties.  As long as I do my duty by their sons, what right have they to impose the penance of their society on my wife?  All the irksomeness of what she has left, and none of the compensations!’

‘Blissful solitude’ said Louis, ‘thereto I leave you.’

‘You are not going yet!  You mean to dine here?’ was the cry.

‘My dear friends,’ he said, holding up his hands, ’if you only knew how I long to have no one to speak to!’

‘You crying out for silence!’ exclaimed James.

’I am panting for what I have not had these five months—­space for my thoughts to turn round.’

‘Surely you are at liberty to form your own habits!’ said James.

‘I am told so whenever my father sees me receive a note,’ said Louis, wearily; ’but I see that, habituated as he is to living alone, he is never really at ease unless I am in the way; so I make our hours agree as far as our respective treadmills permit; and though we do not speak much, I can never think in company.’

‘Don’t you have your rides to yourself?’

’Why, no.  My father will never ride enough to do him good, unless he wants to do me good.  People are all surprised to see him looking so well; the country lanes make him quite blooming.’

‘But not you, my poor boy,’ said his aunt; ’I am afraid it is a sad strain.’

’There now, Aunt Kitty, I am gone.  I must have the pleasure of looking natural sometimes, without causing any vituperation of any one beyond seas.’

’You shall look just as you please if you will only stay.  We are just going to dinner.’