ve done so without self-abasement. Or he
might write as she had done,--advocating his own cause with all his
strength, using that last one strong argument,--"there should not
have been a moment." But there would be something repulsive to his
personal dignity in the continued correspondence which this would
produce. "The Duke of Omnium regrets to say, in answer to Mrs.
Finn's letter, that he thinks no good can be attained by a prolonged
correspondence." Such, or of such kind, he thought must be his
answer. But would this be a fair return for the solicitude shown by
her to his uncle, for the love which had made her so patient a friend
to his wife, for the nobility of her own conduct in many things? Then
his mind reverted to certain jewels,--supposed to be of enormous
value,--which were still in his possession though they were the
property of this woman. They had been left to her by his uncle, and
she had obstinately refused to take them. Now they were lying packed
in the cellars of certain bankers,--but still they were in his
custody. What should he now do in this matter? Hitherto, perhaps once
in every six months, he had notified to her that he was keeping them
as her curator, and she had always repeated that it was a charge from
which she could not relieve him. It had become almost a joke between
them. But how could he joke with a woman with whom he had quarrelled
after this internecine fashion?

What if he were to consult Lady Cantrip? He could not do so without a
pang that would be very bitter to him,--but any agony would be better
than that arising from a fear that he had been unjust to one who had
deserved well of him. No doubt Lady Cantrip would see it in the same
light as he had done. And then he would be able to support himself by
the assurance that that which he had judged to be right was approved
of by one whom the world would acknowledge to be a good judge on such
a matter.

When he got home he found his son's letter telling him of the
election at Silverbridge. There was something in it which softened
his heart to the young man,--or perhaps it was that in the midst
of his many discomforts he wished to find something which at least
was not painful to him. That his son and his heir should insist on
entering political life in opposition to him was of course a source
of pain; but, putting that aside, the thing had been done pleasantly
enough, and the young member's letter had been written with some good
feeling