ope of escape would lie in the
prospect of another lover. The prescription was disagreeable, but it
had availed in the case of his own wife. Before he had ever seen her
as Lady Glencora McCloskie she had been desirous of giving herself
and all her wealth to one Burgo Fitzgerald, who had been altogether
unworthy. The Duke could remember well how a certain old Lady
Midlothian had first hinted to him that Lady Glencora's property was
very large, and had then added that the young lady herself was very
beautiful. And he could remember how his uncle, the late Duke, who
had seldom taken much trouble in merely human affairs, had said a
word or two--"I have heard a whisper about you and Lady Glencora
McCloskie; nothing could be better." The result had been undoubtedly
good. His Cora and all her money had been saved from a worthless
spendthrift. He had found a wife who he now thought had made him
happy. And she had found at any rate a respectable husband. The idea
when picked to pieces is not a nice idea. "Let us look out for a
husband for this girl, so that we may get her married,--out of the
way of her lover." It is not nice. But it had succeeded in one case,
and why should it not succeed in another?

But how was it to be done? Who should do it? Whom should he select to
play the part which he had undertaken in that other arrangement? No
worse person could be found than himself for managing such an affair.
When the idea had first been raised he had thought that Lady Cantrip
would do it all; but now he was angry with Lady Cantrip.

How was it to be done? How should it be commenced? How had it been
commenced in his own case? He did not in the least know how he had
been chosen. Was it possible that his uncle, who was the proudest man
in England, should have condescended to make a bargain with an old
dowager whom everybody had despised? And in what way had he been
selected? No doubt he had been known to be the heir-apparent to a
dukedom and to ducal revenues. In his case old Lady Midlothian had
begun the matter with him. It occurred to him that in royal marriages
such beginnings are quite common.

But who should be the happy man? Then he began to count up the
requisite attributes. He must be of high rank, and an eldest son,
and the possessor of, or the heir to, a good estate. He did despise
himself when he found that he put these things first,--as a matter
of course. Nevertheless he did put them first. He was ejecting this
other