don't think
Lord George or Lady George will sleep away from home. We can ask them,
however; Mountains is only five miles from here, and I'm sure they'll
go back after dinner."

"Well, my dear, if they will, they must, and I can't help it; only I
must say it'll be very ill-natured of them. I'm sure it's a long time
since they were asked to stay here."

"As you say, mamma, at any rate we can ask them. And who comes next?"

"Why your father has put down the Swinburn people next; though I'm sure
I don't know how they are to come so far."

"Why, mamma, the colonel is a martyr to the gout!"

"Yes, my lady," said Griffiths, "and Mrs. Ellison is worse again, with
rheumatics. There would be nothing to do, the whole time, but nurse the
two of them."

"Never mind, Griffiths; you'll not have to nurse them, so you needn't
be so ill-natured."

"Me, ill-natured, my lady? I'm sure I begs pardon, but I didn't mean
nothing ill-natured; besides, Mrs. Ellison was always a very nice lady
to me, and I'm sure I'd be happy to nurse her, if she wanted it; only
that, as in duty bound, I've your ladyship to look to first, and so
couldn't spare time very well for nursing any one."

"Of course you couldn't, Griffiths; but, Selina, at any rate you must
ask the Ellisons: your papa thinks a great deal about the colonel--he
has so much influence in the county, and Adolphus will very likely
stand, now. Your papa and the colonel were members together for the
county more than forty years since."

"Well, mamma, I'll write Mrs. Ellison. Shall I say for a week or ten
days?"

"Say for ten days or a fortnight, and then perhaps they'll stay a
week. Then there's the Bishop of Maryborough, and Mrs. Moore. I'm sure
Adolphus will be glad to meet the bishop, for it was he that christened
him."

"Very well, mamma, I'll write to Mrs. Moore. I suppose the bishop is in
Dublin at present?"

"Yes, my dear, I believe so. There can't be anything to prevent their
coming."

"Only that he's the managing man on the Education Board, and he's
giving up his time very much to that at present. I dare say he'll come,
but he won't stay long."

"Well, Selina, if he won't, I can't help it; and I'm sure, now I think
about the cook, I don't see how we're to expect anybody to stay. What
am I to do, Griffiths, about that horrid woman?"

"I'll tell you what I was thinking, my lady; only I don't know whether
your ladyship would like it, either, and if you didn't you could