. I'm sorry to put you out."

"Not at all. I say that it _might_ have done."

Dyce's bearing to his mother was decently respectful, but in no way
affectionate. The knowledge that she counted for little or nothing with
him was an annoyance, rather than a distress, to Mrs. Lashmar. With
tenderness she could dispense, but the loss of authority wounded her.

Dinner was a rather silent meal. The vicar seemed to be worrying about
something even more than usual. When they had risen from table, Mrs.
Lashmar made the remark which was always forthcoming on these occasions.

"So you are still doing nothing, Dyce?"

"I assure you, I'm very busy," answered the young man, as one indulgent
to an inferior understanding.

"So you always say. When did you see Lady Susan?"

"Oh, not for a long time."

"What vexes me is, that you don't make the slightest use of your
opportunities. It's really astonishing that, with your talents, you
should be content to go on teaching children their A. B. C. You have no
energy, Dyce, and no ambition. By this time you might have been in the
diplomatic service, you might have been in Parliament. Are you going to
waste your whole life?"

"That depends on the view one takes of life," said Dyce, in a
philosophical tone which he sometimes adopted--generally after dinner.
"Why should one always be thinking about 'getting on?' It's the vice of
the time. Why should I elbow and hustle in a vulgar crowd? A friend of
mine, Lord Dymchurch--"

"What! You have made friends with a lord?" cried Mrs. Lashmar, her face
illumined.

"Why not?--I was going to say that Dymchurch, though he's poor, and
does nothing at all, is probably about the most distinguished man in
the peerage. He is distinguished by nature, and that's enough for him.
You'd like Dymchurch, father."

The vicar looked up from a fit of black brooding, and said "Ah! no
doubt." Mrs. Lashmar, learning the circumstances of Lord Dymchurch,
took less pride in him, but went on to ask questions. Had his lordship
no interest, which might serve a friend? Could he not present Dyce to
more influential people.

"I should be ashamed to hint that kind of thing to him," answered Dyce.
"Don't be so impatient, mother. If I am to do anything--in your sense
of the word the opportunity will come. If it doesn't, well, fate has
ordered it so."

"All I know is, Dyce, that you might be the coming man, and you're
content to be nobody at all."

Dyce laughed.

"The c