mind of Sextus Parker, that in spite of the harrowing fears by
which he had been tormented on more than one occasion already, he
allowed himself to be persuaded into certain fiscal arrangements, by
which Lopez would find himself put at ease with reference to money at
any rate for the next four months. He had at once told himself that
this election would cost him L1000. When various sums were mentioned
in reference to such an affair, safety could alone be found in taking
the outside sum;--perhaps might generally be more surely found by
adding fifty per cent. to that. He knew that he was wrong about the
election, but he assured himself that he had had no alternative. The
misfortune had been that the Duke should have made his proclamation
about the borough immediately after the offer made by the Duchess. He
had been almost forced to send the agent down to inquire;--and the
agent, when making his inquiries, had compromised him. He must go
on with it now. Perhaps some idea of the pleasantness of increased
intimacy with the Duchess of Omnium encouraged him in this way of
thinking. The Duchess was up in town in February, and Lopez left a
card in Carlton Terrace. On the very next day the card of the Duchess
was left for Mrs. Lopez at the Belgrave Mansions.

Lopez went into the city every day, leaving home at about eleven
o'clock, and not returning much before dinner. The young wife at
first found that she hardly knew what to do with her time. Her aunt,
Mrs. Roby, was distasteful to her. She had already learned from her
husband that he had but little respect for Mrs. Roby. "You remember
the sapphire brooch," he had said once. "That was part of the price I
had to pay for being allowed to approach you." He was sitting at the
time with his arm round her waist, looking out on beautiful scenery
and talking of his old difficulties. She could not find it in her
heart to be angry with him, but the idea brought to her mind was
disagreeable to her. And she was thoroughly angry with Mrs. Roby. Of
course in these days Mrs. Roby came to see her, and of course when
she was up in Manchester Square, she went to the house round the
corner,--but there was no close intimacy between the aunt and the
niece. And many of her father's friends,--whom she regarded as the
Herefordshire set,--were very cold to her. She had not made herself a
glory to Herefordshire, and,--as all these people said,--had broken
the heart of the best Herefordshire young man of