dale's. We had whist. Lydgate was there too."

"And what do you think of him? He is very gentlemanly, I suppose.
They say he is of excellent family--his relations quite county people."

"Yes," said Fred. "There was a Lydgate at John's who spent no end of
money. I find this man is a second cousin of his. But rich men may
have very poor devils for second cousins."

"It always makes a difference, though, to be of good family," said
Rosamond, with a tone of decision which showed that she had thought on
this subject. Rosamond felt that she might have been happier if she
had not been the daughter of a Middlemarch manufacturer. She disliked
anything which reminded her that her mother's father had been an
innkeeper. Certainly any one remembering the fact might think that
Mrs. Vincy had the air of a very handsome good-humored landlady,
accustomed to the most capricious orders of gentlemen.

"I thought it was odd his name was Tertius," said the bright-faced
matron, "but of course it's a name in the family. But now, tell us
exactly what sort of man he is."

"Oh, tallish, dark, clever--talks well--rather a prig, I think."

"I never can make out what you mean by a prig," said Rosamond.

"A fellow who wants to show that he has opinions."

"Why, my dear, doctors must have opinions," said Mrs. Vincy. "What are
they there for else?"

"Yes, mother, the opinions they are paid for. But a prig is a fellow
who is always making you a present of his opinions."

"I suppose Mary Garth admires Mr. Lydgate," said Rosamond, not without
a touch of innuendo.

"Really, I can't say." said Fred, rather glumly, as he left the table,
and taking up a novel which he had brought down with him, threw himself
into an arm-chair. "If you are jealous of her, go oftener to Stone
Court yourself and eclipse her."

"I wish you would not be so vulgar, Fred. If you have finished, pray
ring the bell."

"It is true, though--what your brother says, Rosamond," Mrs. Vincy
began, when the servant had cleared the table. "It is a thousand
pities you haven't patience to go and see your uncle more, so proud of
you as he is, and wanted you to live with him. There's no knowing what
he might have done for you as well as for Fred. God knows, I'm fond of
having you at home with me, but I can part with my children for their
good. And now it stands to reason that your uncle Featherstone will do
something for Mary Garth."

"Mary Garth can bear being at S