ing a word of comfort to Roden, who still
sat writing at his desk. "I thought it was very low form," said
Bobbin; "Crocker going on like that."

"Crocker's a baist," said Geraghty.

"What was it to him what anybody eats for his lunch?" continued
Bobbin.

"Only he likes to have a nobleman's name in his mouth," said
Geraghty. "I think it's the hoighth of bad manners talking about
anybody's friends unless you happen to know them yourself."

"I think it is," said Roden, looking up from his desk. "But I'll tell
you what shows worse manners;--that is, a desire to annoy anybody.
Crocker likes to be funny, and he thinks there is no fun so good
as what he calls taking a rise. I don't know that I'm very fond of
Crocker, but it may be as well that we should all think no more about
it." Upon this the young men promised that they, at least, would
think no more about it, and then took their departure. George Roden
soon followed them, for it was not the practice of anybody in that
department to remain at work long after four o'clock.

Roden as he walked home did think more of the little affair than it
deserved,--more at least than he would acknowledge that it deserved.
He was angry with himself for bearing it in mind, and yet he did bear
it in mind. Could it be that a creature so insignificant as Crocker
could annoy him by a mere word or two? But he was annoyed, and did
not know how such annoyance could be made to cease. If the man would
continue to talk about Lord Hampstead there was nothing by which he
could be made to hold his tongue. He could not be kicked, or beaten,
or turned out of the room. For any purpose of real assistance Mr.
Jerningham was useless. As to complaining to the Aeolus of the office
that a certain clerk would talk about Lord Hampstead, that of course
was out of the question. He had already used strong language, calling
the man vulgar and ungentlemanlike, but if a man does not regard
strong language what further can an angry victim do to him?

Then his thoughts passed on to his connexion with the Marquis of
Kingsbury's family generally. Had he not done wrong, at any rate,
done foolishly, in thus moving himself out of his own sphere? At
the present moment Lady Frances was nearer to him even than Lord
Hampstead,--was more important to him and more in his thoughts.
Was it not certain that he would give rise to misery rather than to
happiness by what had occurred between him and Lady Frances? Was it
not proba