ed to the villa.

CHAPTER XV. A VILLA AND ITS COMPANY

Having told our readers that the villa was called La Rocca, it is
perhaps needless that we should say that the lady was our old friend
Lady Hester, who, under the spiritual guidance of the Canon of the
Duomo, was now completing her religious education, while Lord Norwood
was fain to escape the importunity of duns and the impertinence of
creditors by a few weeks' retirement in this secluded region. Not that
this was his only inducement. For some time back he had pressed his
claim on various members of his Government for place or employment. He
had in vain represented the indignity of a peer reduced to beggary,
or the scarcely better alternative of play for support He had
tried--unsuccessfully, however--every sort of cajolery, menace, and
flattery, to obtain something; and after successively offering his
services for or against Carlism in Spain, with Russia or against her in
the Caucasus, with twenty minor schemes in Mexico, Sicily, Greece, and
Cuba, he at last determined on making Northern Italy the sphere of his
abilities, wisely calculating that before the game was played out he
should see enough to know what would be the winning side.

An accidental meeting with D'Esmonde, which renewed this old intimacy,
had decided him on taking this step. The Abbe had told him that the
English Government of the day was secretly favorable to the movement;
and although, from the necessities of State policy and the requirements
of treaties, unable to afford any open or avowed assistance, would still
gladly recognize his participation in the struggle, and, in the event of
success, liberally reward him.

"A new kingdom of Upper Italy, with Milan for the capital, and Viscount
Norwood the resident minister plenipotentiary," there was the whole
episode, in three volumes, with its "plot," "catastrophe," and "virtue
rewarded," in appropriate fashion; and as times were bad, neither racing
nor cards profitable, patriotism was the only unexplored resource he
could think of.

Not that my Lord had much faith in the Abbe. Far from it. He thought all
priests were knaves; but he also thought "that he 'll not cheat _me_.
No, no; too wide awake for that He 'll not try that dodge. Knows where
I 've graduated. Remembers too well what school I come of." He was
perfectly candid, too, in this mode of reasoning, calmly telling
D'Esmonde his opinions of himself, and frankly showing that any at