f her own."

"Not exclusively, I hope."

"No; not that I am sure. But a girl, when she loves--"

"Yes; that is all true. But a girl situated like Frances is bound not
to,--not to sacrifice those with whom Fame and Fortune have connected
her. I can speak plainly to you, Mrs. Roden, because you know what
are my own opinions about many things."

"George has no sister, no girl belonging to him; but if he had, and
you loved her, would you abstain from marrying her lest you should
sacrifice your--connections?"

"The word has offended you?"

"Not in the least. It is a word true to the purpose in hand. I
understand the sacrifice you mean. Lady Kingsbury's feelings would
be--sacrificed were her daughter,--even her stepdaughter,--to become
my boy's husband. She supposes that her girl's birth is superior to
my boy's."

"There are so many meanings to that word 'birth.'"

"I will take it all as you mean, Lord Hampstead, and will not be
offended. My boy, as he is, is no match for your sister. Both Lord
and Lady Kingsbury would think that there had been--a sacrifice. It
might be that those little lords would not in future years be wont to
talk at their club of their brother-in-law, the Post Office clerk, as
they would of some earl or some duke with whom they might have become
connected. Let us pass it by, and acknowledge that there would be--a
sacrifice. So there will be should you marry below your degree. The
sacrifice would be greater because it would be carried on to some
future Marquis of Kingsbury. Would you practise such self-denial as
that you demand from your sister?"

Lord Hampstead considered the matter a while, and then answered
the question. "I do not think that the two cases would be quite
analogous."

"Where is the difference?"

"There is something more delicate, more nice, requiring greater
caution in the conduct of a girl than of a man."

"Quite so, Lord Hampstead. Where conduct is in question, the girl
is bound to submit to stricter laws. I may explain that by saying
that the girl is lost for ever who gives herself up to unlawful
love,--whereas, for the man, the way back to the world's respect is
only too easy, even should he, on that score, have lost aught of the
world's respect. The same law runs through every act of a girl's
life, as contrasted with the acts of men. But in this act,--the act
now supposed of marrying a gentleman whom she loves,--your sister
would do nothing which should exclude her