quently remarked to himself--was a little fond of having a will of
his own, and may-be, might object to dispense with his dancing-girls.
And though there was, unfortunately, but little doubt that the money
was indispensably necessary to him, it was just possible that he might
insist on having the cash without his cousin. However, the proposal
must be made, and, as the operations necessary to perfect the marriage
would cause some delay, and the money would certainly be wanted as soon
as possible, no time was to be lost. Lord Kilcullen was, accordingly,
summoned to Grey Abbey; and, as he presumed his attendance was required
for the purpose of talking over some method of raising the wind, he
obeyed the summons.--I should rather have said of raising a storm, for
no gentle puff would serve to waft him through his present necessities.

Down he came, to the great delight of his mother, who thought him
by far the finest young man of the day, though he usually slighted,
snubbed, and ridiculed her--and of his sister, who always hailed with
dignified joy the return of the eldest scion of her proud family to the
ancestral roof. The earl was also glad to find that no previous
engagement detained him; that is, that he so far sacrificed his
own comfort as to leave Tattersall's and the _Figuranti_ of the
Opera-House, to come all the way to Grey Abbey, in the county of
Kildare. But, though the earl was glad to see his son, he was still a
little consternated: the business interview could not be postponed,
as it was not to be supposed that Lord Kilcullen would stay long at
Grey Abbey during the London season; and the father had yet hardly
sufficiently crammed himself for the occasion. Besides, the pressure
from without must have been very strong to have produced so immediate a
compliance with a behest not uttered in a very peremptory manner, or,
generally speaking, to a very obedient child.

On the morning after his arrival, the earl was a little uneasy in his
chair during breakfast. It was rather a sombre meal, for Fanny had by
no means recovered her spirits, nor did she appear to be in the way to
do so. The countess tried to chat a little to her son, but he hardly
answered her; and Lady Selina, though she was often profound, was never
amusing. Lord Cashel made sundry attempts at general conversation, but
as often failed. It was, at last, however, over; and the father
requested the son to come with him into the book-room.

When the fir