."

"Papa, you are using strong language to-night."

"And that Lady Eustace! Heaven and earth! Am I to be told that that
creature is a lady?"

They had now come to their own door, and while that was being opened
and as they went up into their own drawing-room, nothing was said,
but then Emily began again. "I wonder why you go to Aunt Harriet's at
all. You don't like the people?"

"I didn't like any of them to-day."

"Why do you go there? You don't like Aunt Harriet herself. You don't
like Uncle Dick. You don't like Mr. Lopez."

"Certainly I do not."

"I don't know who it is you do like."

"I like Mr. Fletcher."

"It's no use saying that to me, papa."

"You ask me a question, and I choose to answer it. I like Arthur
Fletcher, because he is a gentleman,--because he is a gentleman of
the class to which I belong myself; because he works; because I know
all about him, so that I can be sure of him; because he had a decent
father and mother; because I am safe with him, being quite sure that
he will say to me neither awkward things nor impertinent things. He
will not talk to me about driving a mail coach like that foolish
baronet, nor tell me the price of all his wines like your uncle." Nor
would Ferdinand Lopez do so, thought Emily to herself. "But in all
such matters, my dear, the great thing is like to like. I have spoken
of a young person, merely because I wish you to understand that I
can sympathise with others besides those of my own age. But to-night
there was no one there at all like myself,--or, as I hope, like you.
That man Roby is a chattering ass. How such a man can be useful to
any government I can't conceive. Happerton was the best, but what had
he to say for himself? I've always thought that there was very little
wit wanted to make a fortune in the City." In this frame of mind
Mr. Wharton went off to bed, but not a word more was spoken about
Ferdinand Lopez.

CHAPTER XI

Carlton Terrace

Certainly the thing was done very well by Lady Glen,--as many in the
political world persisted in calling her even in these days. She had
not as yet quite carried out her plan,--the doing of which would have
required her to reconcile her husband to some excessive abnormal
expenditure, and to have obtained from him a deliberate sanction for
appropriation and probable sale of property. She never could find the
proper moment for doing this, having, with all her courage,--low down
in some corner of her hear