matter be as you all
say, I do think that any gentleman would disgrace himself by lending
a hand against her."

"Upon my word, sir, I fully agree with you," said Sir Peregrine,
bowing to Felix Graham over his glass.

"I will take permission to think, Sir Peregrine," said Mr. Furnival,
"that you would not agree with Mr. Graham if you had given to the
matter much deep consideration."

"I have not had the advantage of a professional education," said Sir
Peregrine, again bowing, and on this occasion addressing himself to
the lawyer; "but I cannot see how any amount of learning should alter
my views on such a subject."

"Truth and honour cannot be altered by any professional
arrangements," said Graham; and then the conversation turned away
from Lady Mason, and directed itself to those great corrections of
legal reform which had been debated during the past autumn.

The Orley Farm Case, though in other forms and different language,
was being discussed also in the drawing-room. "I have not seen much
of her," said Sophia Furnival, who by some art had usurped the most
prominent part in the conversation, "but what I did see I liked much.
She was at The Cleeve when I was staying there, if you remember, Mrs.
Orme." Mrs. Orme said that she did remember.

"And we went over to Orley Farm. Poor lady! I think everybody ought
to notice her under such circumstances. Papa, I know, would move
heaven and earth for her if he could."

"I cannot move the heaven or the earth either," said Lady Staveley;
"but if I thought that my calling on her would be any satisfaction to
her--"

"It would, Lady Staveley," said Mrs. Orme. "It would be a great
satisfaction to her. I cannot tell you how warmly I regard her, nor
how perfectly Sir Peregrine esteems her."

"We will drive over there next week, Madeline."

"Do, mamma. Everybody says that she is very nice."

"It will be so kind of you, Lady Staveley," said Sophia Furnival.

"Next week she will be staying with us," said Mrs. Orme. "And that
would save you three miles, you know, and we should be so glad to see
you."

Lady Staveley declared that she would do both. She would call at
The Cleeve, and again at Orley Farm after Lady Mason's return home.
She well understood, though she could not herself then say so, that
the greater part of the advantage to be received from her kindness
would be derived from its being known at Hamworth that the Staveley
carriage had been driven up to Lady Maso