f his wine--an indulgence she well knew he would not
willingly forego--that worthy individual drew one chair to his side to
support his arm, and resting his legs on another, exclaimed, "Now, this
is what I call cosy. There 's a pleasant light, a nice bit of view out
of that window, and as good a bottle of St. Julien as a man may desire."

"I wish I could offer you something better," began Augustus, but Cutbill
stopped him at once, saying,--

"Taking the time of the year into account, there 's nothing better! It's
not the season for a Burgundy or even a full-bodied claret. Shall I tell
you, Bramleigh, that you gave me a better dinner to-day than I got at
your great house,--the Bishop's Folly?"

"We were very vain of our cook, notwithstanding, in those days," said
Augustus, smiling.

"So you might. I suppose he was as good as money could buy--and you had
plenty of money. But your dinners were grand, cumbrous, never-ending
feeds, that with all the care a man might bestow on the bill o' fare,
he was sure to eat too much of venison curry after he had taken mutton
twice, and pheasant following after fat chickens. I always thought your
big dinners were upside down; if one could have had the tail-end first
they'd have been excellent. Somehow, I fancy it was only your brother
Temple took an interest in these things at your house. Where is he now?"

"He's at Rome with my brother-in-law."

"That 's exactly the company he ought to keep. A lord purifies the air
for him, and I don't think his constitution could stand without one."

"My brother has seen a good deal of the world; and, I think, understands
it tolerably well," said Bramleigh, meaning so much of rebuke to the
other's impertinence as he could force himself to bestow on a guest.

"He knows as much about life as a dog knows about decimals. He knows the
cad's life of fetch and carry; how to bow himself into a room and out
again; when to smile, and when to snigger; how to look profound when a
great man talks, and a mild despair when he is silent; but that ain't
life, Bramleigh, any more than these strawberries are grapes from
Fontainebleau!"

"You occasionally forget, Mr. Cutbill, that a man's brother is not
exactly the public."

"Perhaps I do. I only had one brother, and a greater blackguard never
existed; and the 'Times' took care to remind me of the fact every year
till he was transported; but no one ever saw me lose temper about it."

"I can admire if I cannot