It was not till two or three days after his visit to St. Diddulph’s that he met Colonel Osborne.  The Easter recess was then over, and Colonel Osborne had just returned to London.  They met on the door-steps of ‘The Acrobats,’ and the Colonel immediately began with an apology.  ’I have been so sorry to be away just when you are here—­upon my word I have.  But I was obliged to go down to the duchess’s.  I had promised early in the winter; and those people are so angry if you put them off.  By George, it’s almost as bad as putting off royalty.’

‘D n the duchess,’ said Sir Marmaduke.

‘With all my heart,’ said the Colonel ’only I thought it as well that I should tell you the truth.’

’What I mean is, that the duchess and her people make no difference to me.  I hope you had a pleasant time; that’s all.’

’Well yes, we had.  One must get away somewhere at Easter.  There is no one left at the club, and there’s no House, and no one asks one to dinner in town.  In fact, if one didn’t go away one wouldn’t know what to do.  There were ever so many people there that I liked to meet.  Lady Glencora was there, and uncommon pleasant she made it.  That woman has more to say for herself than any half-dozen men that I know.  And Lord Cantrip, your chief, was there.  He said a word or two to me about you.’

‘What sort of word?’

’He says he wishes you would read up some blue books, or papers, or reports, or something of that kind, which he says that some of his fellows have sent you.  It seems that there are some new rules, or orders, or fashions, which he wants you to have at your finger’s ends.  Nothing could be more civil than he was but he just wished me to mention this, knowing that you and I are likely to see each other.’

‘I wish I had never come over,’ said Sir Marmaduke.

‘Why so?’

’They didn’t bother me with their new rules and fashions over there.  When the papers came somebody read them, and that was enough.  I could do what they wanted me to do there.’

‘And so you will here after a bit.’

’I’m not so sure of that.  Those young fellows seem to forget that an old dog can’t learn new tricks.  They’ve got a young brisk fellow there who seems to think that a man should be an encyclopaedia of knowledge because he has lived in a colony over twenty years.’

‘That’s the new under-secretary.’

’Never mind who it is.  Osborne, just come up to the library, will you?  I want to speak to you.’

Then Sir Marmaduke, with considerable solemnity, led the way up to the most deserted room in the club, and Colonel Osborne followed him, well knowing that something was to be said about Emily Trevelyan.