Albinia was too much demolished to recollect her two arguments, that pride on their side would only serve to make Algernon prouder, and that she did not believe that asking pardon would be so bitter a pill to Maurice as his father supposed.  She could only feel thankful to have been forgiven for her own offence.

When they met at dinner, all were formal, Algernon stiff and haughty, ashamed, but too grand to betray himself, and Lucy restless and uneasy, her eyes looking as if she had been crying.  When Maurice came in at dessert, the fourth part of his countenance emulating the unlucky cast in gorgeous hues of crimson and violet, Algernon was startled, and turning to Albinia, muttered something about ’never having intended,’ and ‘having had no idea.’

He might have said more, if Mr. Kendal, with Maurice on his knee, had not looked as if he expected it; and that look sealed Albinia’s lips against expressing regret for the provocation; but Maurice exclaimed, ’Never mind, Algernon, it was all fair, and it doesn’t hurt now.  I wouldn’t have touched your image, but that I wanted to know what you would do to me.  Shake hands; people always do when they’ve had a good mill.’

Mr. Kendal looked across the table to his wife in a state of unbounded exultation in his generous boy, and Albinia felt infinitely relieved and grateful.  Mr. Cavendish Dusautoy took the firm young paw, and said with an attempt at condescension, ’Very well, Maurice, the subject shall be mentioned no more, since you have received a severer lesson than I intended, and appear sensible of your error.’

‘It wasn’t you that made me so,’ began Maurice, with defiant eye; but with a strong sense of ‘let well alone,’ his father cut him short with, ‘That’s enough, my man, you’ve said all that can be wished,’ lifted him again on his knee, and stopped his mouth with almonds and raisins.

The subject was mentioned no more; Lucy considered peace as proclaimed, and herself relieved from the necessity of such an unprecedented deed as preferring an accusation against Maurice, and Albinia, unaware of the previous persecution, did not trace that Maurice considered himself as challenged to prove, that experience of his brother-in-law’s fist did not suffice to make him cease from his ‘fun.’

Two days after, Algernon was coming in from riding, when a simple voice upon the stairs observed, ‘Here’s such a pretty picture!’

‘Eh! what?’ said Algernon; and Maurice held it near to him as he stood taking off his great coat.

‘Such a pretty picture, but you mustn’t have it!  No, it is Ulick’s.’

‘Heavens and earth!’ thundered Algernon, as he gathered up the meaning.  ‘Who has dared—?  Give it me—­or—­’ and as soon as he was freed from the sleeves, he snatched at the paper, but the boy had already sprung up to the first landing, and waving his treasure, shouted, ‘No, it’s not for you, I’ll not give you Ulick’s picture.’