little
parlour below stairs, where they finished the night, alternately dozing
in their chairs, and talking, and occasionally supporting themselves by
draughts of the different liquors that were spread upon the table near
them. In spite of his best efforts to throw aside such thoughts, Howel
could see nothing all that night but the gold, the father who had won
it, and the poor wretches who had been ruined in paying usurious
interest for it.

CHAPTER VII.

THE SQUIRE.

The dinners at Glanyravon were always unexceptionable. Mr Gwynne was a
bit of an epicure, and kept a capital cook, and his daughter liked to
see everything done in good style. Even Mrs. Jonathan Prothero declared
that the dinner-parties at her cousin's, Sir Philip Payne Perry's, were
scarcely more agreeable or better managed.

Still, at the dinner in question, all the elements were not quite well
amalgamated. Although the dishes were so discreetly seasoned, and the
_entremets_ so exquisitely prepared, that the most fastidious critic of
the gastronomic art would not have found a grain too much of any one
ingredient, there was a less judicious mixture amongst the guests.
Nothing could be more perfect than the bearing of the host and hostess.
Mr Gywnne was a gentleman, even in his peculiarities--fastidiously a
gentleman--and comported himself as such to every one. But he was too
nervous, and had too low a voice to put his guests at ease: one half did
not hear him at all, and the rest were slightly afraid of him on account
of this extreme fastidiousness, his nervous complaints and his being
very easily tired, or bored. Miss Gwynne was more successful at her end
of the table, but she rather annoyed some of her guests by being too
much bent on bringing out her friend Netta, and playing her off against
Miss Nugent.

She was, however, very polite to all, and, for so young a woman, made a
very agreeable and fascinating hostess. So, apparently, thought all the
gentlemen, as they principally addressed their conversation to her, and
had manoeuvred, particularly the young ones, to sit as near her as
possible. The Rev Jonathan Prothero had the place of honour at her
right, and did not take up much of her time. He appeared to be deep in
the speculation concerning the ancient castle of which we have already
heard, and was learnedly descanting upon it to Mrs Rice Rice, a lady on
his other side. The said Mrs Rice Rice, having _un oeil aux champs, et
l'aut