iently explain and apologize for a visit from a nephew sincerely
attached to his memory."

"Humph! I certainly did do all in my power to promote Mr. Templeton's
interests. No man, I may say, did more; and yet I don't think it was
much thought of the moment he turned his back upon the electors of
C-----. Not that I bear any malice; I am well to do, and value no man's
favour,--no man's, my lord!"

"You amaze me! I always heard my poor uncle speak of you in the highest
terms."

"Oh, well, it don't signify; pray say no more of it. Can I offer your
lordship a glass of wine?"

"No, I am much obliged to you; but we really must set this little matter
right. You know that after his marriage my uncle never revisited C-----;
and that shortly before his death he sold the greater part of
his interest in this city. His young wife, I suppose, liked the
neighbourhood of London; and when elderly gentlemen _do_ marry, you
know they are no longer their own masters; but if you had ever come to
Fulham--ah! then, indeed, my uncle would have rejoiced to see his old
friend."

"Your lordship thinks so," said Mr. Winsley with a sardonic smile. "You
are mistaken; I did call at Fulham; and though I sent in my card, Lord
Vargrave's servant (he was then My Lord) brought back word that his
lordship was not at home."

"But that must have been true; he was out, you may depend on it."

"I saw him at the window, my lord," said Mr. Winsley, taking a pinch of
snuff.

"Oh, the deuce! I'm in for it," thought Lumley.--"Very strange,
indeed! but how can you account for it? Ah, perhaps the health of Lady
Vargrave--she was so very delicate then, and my poor uncle lived for
her--you know that he left all his fortune to Miss Cameron?"

"Miss Cameron! Who is she, my lord?"

"Why, his daughter-in-law; Lady Vargrave was a widow,--a Mrs. Cameron."

"Mrs. Cam--I remember now,--they put Cameron in the newspapers; but I
thought it was a mistake. But, perhaps" (added Winsley, with a sneer of
peculiar malignity),--"perhaps, when your worthy uncle thought of being
a peer, he did not like to have it known that he married so much beneath
him."

"You quite mistake, my dear sir; my uncle never denied that Mrs. Cameron
was a lady of no fortune or connections,--widow to some poor Scotch
gentleman, who died I think in India."

"He left her very ill off, poor thing; but she had a great deal of
merit, and worked hard; she taught my girls to play--"

"Your girls! d