and on Bender and his hauls, and on the certainty--if we don't do
something energetic--of more and more Benders to come: such a conquering
horde as invaded the old civilisation, only armed now with huge
cheque-books instead of with spears and battle-axes. They refer to the
rumour current--as too horrific to believe--of Lord Theign's putting up
his Moretto; with the question of how properly to qualify any such
sad purpose in him should the further report prove true of a new and
momentous opinion about the picture entertained by several eminent
authorities."

"Of whom," said the girl, intensely attached to this recital, "you're of
course seen as not the least."

"Of whom, of course, Lady Grace, I'm as yet--however I'm 'seen'--the
whole collection. But we've time"--he rested on that "The fat, if you'll
allow me the expression, is on the fire--which, as I see the matter, is
where this particular fat _should_ be."

"Is the article, then," his companion appealed, "very severe?"

"I prefer to call it very enlightened and very intelligent--and the
great thing is that it immensely 'marks,' as they say. It will have made
a big public difference--from this day; though it's of course aimed not
so much at persons as at conditions; which it calls upon us all somehow
to tackle."

"Exactly"--she was full of the saving vision; "but as the conditions are
directly embodied in persons----"

"Oh, of course it here and there bells the cat; which means that it
bells three or four."

"Yes," she richly brooded--"Lady Lappington _is_ a cat!"

"She will have been 'belled,' at any rate, with your father," Hugh
amusedly went on, "to the certainty of a row; and a row can only be good
for us--I mean for _us_ in particular." Yet he had to bethink himself.
"The case depends a good deal of course on how your father _takes_ such
a resounding rap."

"Oh, I know how he'll take it!"--her perception went all the way.

"In the very highest and properest spirit?"

"Well, you'll see." She was as brave as she was clear. "Or at least I
shall!"

Struck with all this in her he renewed his homage. "You _are_, yes,
splendid!"

"I even," she laughed, "surprise myself."

But he was already back at his calculations. "How early do the papers
get to you?"

"At Dedborough? Oh, quite for breakfast--which isn't, however, very
early."

"Then that's what has caused his wire to Bender."

"But how will such talk strike _him_?" the girl asked.

Hugh mea