the small dining-room, which was contiguous to a
saloon in which Lady Marney, when they were alone, generally passed the
evening.

The dinner was silent and sombre; happily it was also short. Lord Marney
tasted several dishes, ate of none; found fault with his own claret,
though the butler had given him a choice bottle; praised Lord Mowbray's,
wondered where he got it, "all the wines at Mowbray were good;" then for
the twentieth time wondered what could have induced Grouse to fix the
cricket match the day he returned home, though he chose to forget that
he had never communicated to Grouse even the probable day on which he
might be expected.

As for Egremont it must be admitted that he was scarcely in a more
contented mood than his brother, though he had not such insufficient
cause for his dark humours. In quitting Mowbray, he had quitted
something else than merely an agreeable circle: enough had happened in
that visit to stir up the deep recesses of his heart, and to prompt
him to investigate in an unusual spirit the cause and attributes of
his position. He had found a letter on his return to the Abbey, not
calculated to dispel these somewhat morbid feelings; a letter from his
agent, urging the settlement of his election accounts, the primary cause
of his visit to his brother.

Lady Marney left the dining-room; the brothers were alone. Lord Marney
filled a bumper, which he drank off rapidly, pushed the bottle to his
brother, and then said again, "What a cursed bore it is that Grouse is
not here."

"Well, I cannot say, George, that I particularly miss the presence of
Captain Grouse," said his brother.

Lord Marney looked at Egremont pugnaciously, and then observed, "Grouse
is a capital fellow; one is never dull when Grouse is here."

"Well, for my part," said Egremont, "I do not much admire that amusement
which is dependent on the efforts of hangers-on."

"Grouse is no more a hanger-on than any one else," said Lord Marney,
rather fiercely.

"Perhaps not," said Egremont quietly; "I am no judge of such sort of
people."

"I should like to know what you are a judge of; certainly not of making
yourself agreeable to young ladies. Arabella cannot he particularly
charmed with the result of your visit to Mowbray, as far as Lady Joan is
concerned, Arabella's most intimate friend by the bye. If for no other
reason, you ought to have paid her more attention."

"I cannot pay attention unless I am attracted," said Egremon