e Lord Eskdale, who had sat for a long time in
the House of Commons, and who was used to everything, assured his cousin
that the custom, though odd, was by no means irregular. 'I remember,'
said his lordship, 'seeing Ripon, when he was Robinson, and Huskisson,
each pulling one of Canning's coat-tails at the same time.'

Throughout dinner not a word about Tancred. Lord Eskdale neither asked
where he was nor how he was. At length, to the great relief of the
duchess, dinner was finished; the servants had disappeared. The duke
pushed away the table; they drew their chairs round the hearth; Lord
Eskdale took half a glass of Madeira, then stretched his legs a little,
then rose, stirred the fire, and then, standing with his back to it
and his hands in his pockets, said, in a careless tone approaching to a
drawl, 'And so, duchess, Tancred wants to go to Jerusalem?'

'George has told you, then, all our troubles?' 'Only that; he left the
rest to you, and I came to hear it.'

Whereupon the duchess went off, and spoke for a considerable time
with great animation and ability, the duke hanging on every word with
vigilant interest, Lord Eskdale never interrupting her for an instant;
while she stated the case not only with the impassioned feeling of
a devoted mother, but occasionally with all the profundity of a
theologian. She did not conceal from him the interview between Tancred
and the bishop; it was her last effort, and had failed; and so, 'after
all our plans,' she ended, 'as far as I can form an opinion, he is
absolutely more resolved than ever to go to Jerusalem.'

'Well,' said his lordship, 'it is at least better than going to the
Jews, which most men do at his time of life.'

'I cannot agree even to that,' said the duchess; 'for I would rather
that he should be ruined than die.'

'Men do not die as they used,' said his lordship. 'Ask the annuity
offices; they have all raised their rates.'

'I know nothing about annuity offices, but I know that almost everybody
dies who goes to those countries; look at young Fernborough, he was just
Tancred's age; the fevers alone must kill him.'

'He must take some quinine in his dressing-case,' said Lord Eskdale.

'You jest, Henry,' said the duchess, disappointed, 'when I am in
despair.'

'No,' said Lord Eskdale, looking up to the ceiling, 'I am thinking how
you may prevent Tancred from going to Jerusalem, without, at the same
time, opposing his wishes.'

'Ay, ay,' said the duke