arties. And what were those convictions? Lord Valleys had
tried to understand them, but up to the present he had failed. And
this did not surprise him exactly, since, as he often said, political
convictions were not, as they appeared on the surface, the outcome of
reason, but merely symptoms of temperament. And he could not comprehend,
because he could not sympathize with, any attitude towards public
affairs that was not essentially level, attached to the plain,
common-sense factors of the case as they appeared to himself. Not that
he could fairly be called a temporizer, for deep down in him there was
undoubtedly a vein of obstinate, fundamental loyalty to the traditions
of a caste which prized high spirit beyond all things. Still he did feel
that Miltoun was altogether too much the 'pukka' aristocrat--no better
than a Socialist, with his confounded way of seeing things all cut and
dried; his ideas of forcing reforms down people's throats and holding
them there with the iron hand! With his way too of acting on his
principles! Why! He even admitted that he acted on his principles! This
thought always struck a very discordant note in Lord Valleys' breast. It
was almost indecent; worse-ridiculous! The fact was, the dear fellow
had unfortunately a deeper habit of thought than was wanted in
politics--dangerous--very! Experience might do something for him!
And out of his own long experience the Earl of Valleys tried hard to
recollect any politician whom the practice of politics had left where he
was when he started. He could not think of one. But this gave him little
comfort; and, above a piece of late asparagus his steady eyes sought his
son's. What had he come up to tell him?

The phrase had been ominous; he could not recollect Miltoun's ever
having told him anything. For though a really kind and indulgent father,
he had--like so many men occupied with public and other lives--a little
acquired towards his offspring the look and manner: Is this mine? Of his
four children, Barbara alone he claimed with conviction. He admired her;
and, being a man who savoured life, he was unable to love much except
where he admired. But, the last person in the world to hustle any man
or force a confidence, he waited to hear his son's news, betraying no
uneasiness.

Miltoun seemed in no hurry. He described Courtier's adventure, which
tickled Lord Valleys a good deal.

"Ordeal by red pepper! Shouldn't have thought them equal to that," he
sai