as not disposed to acquiesce in this decision. He
had done as much as honor and friendship demanded, and saw no reason why
his own happiness should be longer delayed; for he had little doubt that
Stafford's rebuff meant his own success. He could not, however, persist
in seeking Claudia after her declaration of unwillingness to be sought;
and he departed from Territon Park in some degree of dudgeon. All this
sort of thing seemed to him to have a touch of the theater about it. But
Claudia took it seriously; she did not forbid him to write to her, but
she answered none of his letters, and Lord Rickmansworth, whom he
encountered at one of the October race-meetings, gave him to understand
that she was living a life of seclusion at Territon Park. Rickmansworth
openly scoffed at this behavior, and Eugene did not know whether to be
pleased at finding his views agreed with, or angry at hearing his
mistress's whims treated with fraternal disrespect. Ultimately, he found
himself, under the influence of lunch, coinciding with Rickmansworth's
dictum that girls rather liked making fools of themselves, and that
Claudia was no better than the rest. It was one of Eugene's misfortunes
that he could not cherish illusions about his friends, unless his
feeling toward Stafford must be ranked as an illusion. About the latter
he had heard nothing, except for a short note from Sir Roderick, telling
him that no tragedy of a violent character need now be feared. He was
anxious to see Ayre and learn what passed, but that gentleman had also
vanished to recruit at a German bath after his arduous labors.

It was mid-November before any progress was made in the matter. Eugene
was in London, and so were very many people, for Parliament met in the
autumn that year, and the season before Christmas was more active than
usual. He had met Haddington about the House, and congratulated him with
a fervor and sincerity that had made the recipient of his blessings
positively uneasy. Why should Lane be so uncommonly glad to get rid of
Kate? thought the happy man who had won her from him. It really looked
as if there were something more than met the eye. Eugene detected this
idea in Haddington's mind, and it caused him keen amusement. Kate also
he had encountered, and their meeting had been marked by the ceremonious
friendship demanded by the circumstances. The flavor of diplomacy
imparted to private life by these episodes had not, however, been strong
enough to pr