as a rule embody much essential truth. As a
force, Egremont would not have weighed in the scale against Dalmaine.
Putting himself in conscious opposition to such a man, he had but his
due in a sense of nullity.

Mr. Tyrrell was kind to him in the assignment of a partner. A pretty,
gentle, receptive maiden, anxious to show interest in things of the
mind--with such a one Walter was at his best, because his simplest and
happiest. He put away thought of Lambeth--which in truth was beginning
to trouble his mind like a fixed idea--and talked much as he would have
done a couple of years ago, with bright intelligence, with natural
enjoyment of the hour. It was greatly his charm in such conversation
that had made him a favourite with pleasant people of the world. In
withdrawing himself from the sphere of these amenities he was opposing
the free growth of his character, which in consequence suffered. He was
cognisant of that; he knew that he was more himself to-night than he
had been for some months. But the fixed idea waited in the background.

When the ladies were gone, he saw Dalmaine rise and come round the
table towards him.

'I'm glad to see you again,' Dalmaine began, depositing his wine-glass
and refilling it. 'Pray tell me something about your lectures. You have
resumed since Christmas, I think?'

Egremont had no mind to speak of these things. It cost him an effort to
find an answer.

'Yes, I still have a few hearers.'

And at once he was angry with himself for falling into this confession
of failure. Dalmaine was the last man before whom he would affect
humility.

'I am sure,' observed the politician, 'everyone who has the good of the
working classes at heart must feel indebted to you. It's so very seldom
that men of culture care to address audiences of that kind. Yet it must
be the most effectual way of reaching the people. You address them on
English Literature, I think?'

Egremont did not care to explain that he had now a broader subject. He
murmured an affirmative. Dalmaine had hoped to elicit some of the
'Thoughts for the Present,' and felt disappointment.

'An excellent choice, it seems to me,' he continued, making his glass
revolve on the table-cloth. 'They are much too ignorant of the best
wealth of their country. They have so few inducements to read the great
historians, for instance. If you can bring them to do so, you make them
more capable citizens, abler to form a judgment on the questions of the