om he grieved inwardly with a deep grief. After a
while he walked off to his wife's room, still perturbed in spirit.
The perturbation had indeed increased from minute to minute. He would
rather give up politics altogether and shut himself up in absolute
seclusion than find himself subject to the insolence of any Pountney
that might address him. With his wife he found Mrs. Finn. Now for
this lady personally he entertained what for him was a warm regard.
In various matters of much importance he and she had been brought
together, and she had, to his thinking, invariably behaved well. And
an intimacy had been established which had enabled him to be at ease
with her,--so that her presence was often a comfort to him. But at
the present moment he had not wished to find any one with his wife,
and felt that she was in his way. "Perhaps I am disturbing you," he
said in a tone of voice that was solemn and almost funereal.

"Not at all," said the Duchess, who was in high spirits. "I want to
get your promise now about Silverbridge. Don't mind her. Of course
she knows everything." To be told that any body knew everything was
another shock to him. "I have just got a letter from Mr. Lopez."
Could it be right that his wife should be corresponding on such a
subject with a person so little known as this Mr. Lopez? "May I tell
him that he shall have your interest when the seat is vacant?"

"Certainly not," said the Duke, with a scowl that was terrible even
to his wife. "I wished to speak to you, but I wished to speak to you
alone."

"I beg a thousand pardons," said Mrs. Finn, preparing to go.

"Don't stir, Marie," said the Duchess; "he is going to be cross."

"If Mrs. Finn will allow me, with every feeling of the most perfect
respect and sincerest regard, to ask her to leave me with you for
a few minutes, I shall be obliged. And if, with her usual hearty
kindness, she will pardon my abruptness--" Then he could not go on,
his emotion being too great; but he put out his hand, and taking hers
raised it to his lips and kissed it. The moment had become too solemn
for any further hesitation as to the lady's going. The Duchess for a
moment was struck dumb, and Mrs. Finn, of course, left the room.

"In the name of heaven, Plantagenet, what is the matter?"

"Who is Major Pountney?"

"Who is Major Pountney! How on earth should I know? He is--Major
Pountney. He is about everywhere."

"Do not let him be asked into any house of mine again. Bu