“Oh, dear, yes; it’s quite imperative.”  Then Mr Palliser looked round the room, and thought he saw Lord Dumbello’s eye fixed upon him.  It was really very hard work.  If the truth must be told, he did not know how to begin.  What was he to say to her?  How was he to commence a conversation that should end by being tender?  She was very handsome certainly, and for him she could look interesting; but for his very life he did not know how to begin to say anything special to her.  A liaison with such a woman as Lady Dumbello,—­platonic, innocent, but nevertheless very intimate,—­would certainly lend a grace to his life, which, under its present circumstances, was rather dry.  He was told,—­told by public rumour, which had reached him through his uncle,—­that the lady was willing.  She certainly looked as though she liked him; but how was he to begin?  The art of startling the House of Commons and frightening the British public by the voluminous accuracy of his statistics he had already learned; but what was he to say to a pretty woman?

“You’ll be sure to be in London in April?” This was on another occasion.

“Oh, yes; I think so.”

“In Carlton Gardens, I suppose.”

“Yes; Lord Dumbello has got a lease of the house now.”

“Has he, indeed?  Ah, it’s an excellent house.  I hope I shall be allowed to call there sometimes.”

“Certainly,—­only I know you must be so busy.”

“Not on Saturdays and Sundays.”

“I always receive on Sundays,” said Lady Dumbello.  Mr Palliser felt that there was nothing peculiarly gracious in this.  A permission to call when all her other acquaintances would be there, was not much; but still, perhaps, it was as much as he could expect to obtain on that occasion.  He looked up and saw that Lord Dumbello’s eyes were again upon him, and that Lord Dumbello’s brow was black.  He began to doubt whether a country house, where all the people were thrown together, was the best place in the world for such manoeuvring.  Lady Dumbello was very handsome, and he liked to look at her, but he could not find any subject on which to interest her in that drawing-room at Hartlebury.  Later in the evening he found himself saying something to her about the sugar duties, and then he knew that he had better give it up.  He had only one day more, and that was required imperatively for his speech.  The matter would go much easier in London, and he would postpone it till then.  In the crowded rooms of London private conversation would be much easier, and Lord Dumbello wouldn’t stand over and look at him.  Lady Dumbello had taken his remarks about the sugar very kindly, and had asked for a definition of an ad valorem duty.  It was a nearer approach to a real conversation than he had ever before made; but the subject had been unlucky, and could not, in his hands, be brought round to anything tender; so he resolved to postpone his gallantry till the London spring should make it easy, and felt as he did so that he was relieved for the time from a heavy weight.