ington, exciting the contest.

'Decidedly,' said the young Duke. 'I remember my friend always spoke of
the Duke of Burlington as grandpapa.'

'You will profit, I have no doubt, then, by the company of so venerable
a friend,' said Miss Dacre.

'Why,' said the young Duke, 'I am not a believer in the perfectibility
of the species; and you know, that when we come to a certain point----'

'We must despair of improvement,' said the Duke of Burlington.

'Your Grace came forward, like a true knight, to my rescue,' said Miss
Dacre, bowing to the Duke of Burlington.

'Beauty can inspire miracles,' said the Duke of St. James.

'This young gentleman has been spoiled by travel, Miss Dacre,' said the
Duke of Burlington. 'You have much to answer for, for he tells every one
that you were his guardian.'

The eyes of Miss Dacre and the Duke of St. James met. He bowed with that
graceful impudence which is, after all, the best explanation for every
possible misunderstanding.

'I always heard that the Duke of St. James was born of age,' said Miss
Dacre.

'The report was rife on the Continent when I travelled,' said Mrs.
Dallington Vere.

'That was only a poetical allegory, which veiled the precocious results
of my fair tutor's exertions.'

'How discreet he is!' said the Duke of Burlington. 'You may tell
immediately that he is two-and-forty.'

'We are neither of us, though, off the _pave_ yet, Burlington; so what
say you to inducing these inspiring muses to join the waltz which is
just now commencing?'

The young Duke offered his hand to Miss Dacre, and, followed by
their companions, they were in a few minutes lost in the waves of the
waltzers.

CHAPTER VI.

_A Complaisant Spouse_

THE gaieties of the race-week closed with a ball at Dallington House.
As the pretty mistress of this proud mansion was acquainted with all the
members of the ducal party, our hero and his noble band were among those
who honoured it with their presence.

We really have had so many balls both in this and other as immortal
works that, in a literary point of view, we think we must give up
dancing; nor would we have introduced you to Dallington House if there
had been no more serious business on hand than a flirtation with a lady
or a lobster salad. Ah! why is not a little brief communion with the
last as innocent as with the first?

Small feet are flitting in the mazy dance and music winds with inspiring
harmony through halls whose