ner in which her sister spoke of this most
unfortunate affair.

I heard something of it only yesterday, and the rest of
the details to-day. As it has come through the Foreign
Office you may be quite sure that it is true, though it
is so wonderful. The young man is not George Roden at all,
nor is he an Englishman. He is an Italian, and his proper
name and title is Duca di Crinola.

Again Lady Kingsbury allowed the letter almost to drop; but on this
occasion with feelings of a very different nature. What! not George
Roden! Not a miserable clerk in the English Post Office! Duca di
Crinola;--a title of which she thought that she remembered to have
heard as belonging to some peculiarly ancient family! It was not to
be believed. And yet it came from her sister, who was usually correct
in all such matters;--and came also from the Foreign Office, which
she regarded as the one really trustworthy source of information as
to foreign matters of an aristocratic nature. "Duca di Crinola!" she
said to herself, as she went on with the reading of her letter.

There is a long story of the marriage of his mother which
I do not quite understand as yet, but it is not necessary
to the facts of the case. The young man has been
recognized in his own country as entitled to all the
honours of his family, and must be received so by us.
Persiflage says that he will be ready to present him at
Court on his return as Duca di Crinola, and will ask him
at once to dine in Belgrave Square. It is a most romantic
story, but must be regarded by you and me as being very
fortunate, as dear Fanny had certainly set her heart upon
marrying the man. I am told that he inherits nothing but
the bare title. Some foreign noblemen are, you know, very
poor; and in this case the father, who was a "_mauvais
sujet_," contrived to destroy whatever rights of property
he had. Lord Kingsbury probably will be able to do
something for him. Perhaps he may succeed in getting
official employment suited to his rank. At any rate we
must all of us make the best of him for Fanny's sake. It
will be better to have a Duca di Crinola among us, even
though he should not have a shilling, than a Post Office
clerk with two or three hundred a year.

I asked Persiflage to write to Lord Kingsbury; but he
tells me that I must do it all, because he is so busy.
Were my brother-in-law well enough I