They separated then, and Molly went upstairs very happy, very full and warm at her heart; it was so pleasant to have Roger talking to her in this way, like a friend; she had once thought that she could never look upon the great brown-bearded celebrity in the former light of almost brotherly intimacy, but now it was all coming right.  There was no opportunity for renewed confidences that afternoon.  Molly went a quiet decorous drive as fourth with two dowagers and one spinster; but it was very pleasant to think that she should see him again at dinner, and again to-morrow.  On the Sunday evening, as they all were sitting and loitering on the lawn before dinner, Roger went on with what he had to say about the position of his sister-in-law in his father’s house:  the mutual bond between the mother and grandfather being the child; who was also, through jealousy, the bone of contention and the severance.  There were many little details to be given in order to make Molly quite understand the difficulty of the situations on both sides; and the young man and the girl became absorbed in what they were talking about, and wandered away into the shade of the long avenue.  Lady Harriet separated herself from a group and came up to Lord Hollingford, who was sauntering a little apart, and putting her arm within his with the familiarity of a favourite sister, she said,—­

’Don’t you think that your pattern young man, and my favourite young woman are finding out each other’s good qualities?’

He had not been observing as she had been.

‘Who do you mean?’ said he.

‘Look along the avenue; who are those?’

’Mr. Hamley and—­is it not Miss Gibson?  I can’t quite make out.  Oh! if you’re letting your fancy run off in that direction, I can tell you it’s quite waste of time.  Roger Hamley is a man who will soon have an European reputation!’

’That’s very possible, and yet it does not make any difference in my opinion.  Molly Gibson is capable of appreciating him.’

’She is a very pretty, good little country-girl.  I don’t mean to say anything against her, but—­’

’Remember the Charity Ball; you called her “unusually intelligent” after you had danced with her there.  But after all we are like the genie and the fairy in the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment, who each cried up the merits of the Prince Caramalzaman and the Princess Badoura.’

‘Hamley is not a marrying man.’

‘How do you know?’

’I know that he has very little private fortune, and I know that science is not a remunerative profession, if profession it can be called.’

’Oh, if that’s all—­a hundred things may happen—­some one may leave him a fortune—­or this tiresome little heir that nobody wanted, may die.’

’Hush, Harriet, that’s the worst of allowing yourself to plan far ahead for the future; you are sure to contemplate the death of some one, and to reckon upon the contingency as affecting events.’