ir on one
of its legs for a pivot. 'Fitzhugh would have me come down for a
fortnight's fishing to Wrangerton. There's but one inn there fit to put
a dog to sleep in, and when we got there we found the house turned out
of window for a ball, all the partitions down on the first floor, and
we driven into holes to be regaled with distant fiddle-squeak. So
Fitzhugh's Irish blood was up for a dance, and I thought I might as well
give in to it, for the floor shook so that there was no taking a cigar
in peace. So you see the stars ordained it, and it is of no use making
a row about one's destiny,' concluded Arthur, in a sleepy voice, ceasing
to spin the chair.

'That was your first introduction?'

'Ay. After that, one was meeting the Mosses for ever; indeed, we had to
call on the old fellow to get leave for fishing in that water of Lord
St. Erme's. He has a very pretty sort of little place out of the town
close to the park, and--and somehow the weather was too bright for any
sport, and the stream led by their garden.'

'I perceive,' said John.

'Well, I saw I was in for it, and had nothing for it but to go through
with it. Anything for a quiet life.'

'A new mode of securing it,' said John, indignant at his nonchalance.

'There you don't display your wonted sagacity,' returned Arthur coolly.
'You little know what I have gone through on your account. If you had
been sound-winded, you would have saved me no end of persecution.'

'You have not avoided speculation as it is,' John could not help saying.

'I beg to observe that you are mistaken. Old Moss is as cunning a fox
as ever lived; but I saw his game, and without my own good-will he might
have whistled for me. I saw what he was up to, and let him know it, but
as I was always determined that when I married it should be to please
myself, not my aunt, I let things take their course and saved the row at
home.'

'I am sure she knew nothing of this.'

'She? Bless you, poor child. She is as innocent as a lamb, and only
thinks me all the heroes in the world.'

'She did not know my father was ignorant of it?'

'Not she. She does not know it to this day.' John sat thinking; Arthur
twirled the chair, then said, 'That is the fact. I suppose my aunt had a
nice story for you.'

'It agreed in the main with yours.'

'I was unlucky,' said Arthur, 'I meant to have brought her home before
my aunt and Theodora had any news of it. I could have got round them
that way, but somehow