he would have been swamped by them, and
her success would have been at an end; but yet she never dreamed of
shutting her doors against them altogether, or of saying boldly that
none such should hamper her staircases. She knew that she must yield,
but her effort was made to yield to as few as might be possible. When
she was first told by her factotum in these operations that Mr Bott
wanted to come, she positively declined to have him. When it was
afterwards intimated to her that the Duchess of St Bungay had made a
point of it, she sneered at the Duchess, and did not even then yield.
But when at last it was brought home to her understanding that Mr
Palliser wished it, and that Mr Palliser probably would not come
himself unless his wishes were gratified, she gave way. She was
especially anxious that Lady Glencora should come to her gathering,
and she knew that Lady Glencora could not be had without Mr Palliser.

It was very much desired by her that Lady Glencora should be there.
"Burgo," said she to her nephew, one morning, "look here." Burgo was
at the time staying with his aunt, in Gloucester Square, much to the
annoyance of Sir Cosmo, who had become heartily tired of his nephew.
The aunt and the nephew had been closeted together more than once
lately, and perhaps they understood each other better now than they
had done down at Monkshade. The aunt had handed a little note to
Burgo, which he read and then threw back to her. "You see that she is
not afraid of coming," said Lady Monk.

"I suppose she doesn't think much about it," said Burgo.

"If that's what you really believe, you'd better give it up. Nothing
on earth would justify such a step on your part except a thorough
conviction that she is attached to you."

Burgo looked at the fireplace, almost savagely, and his aunt looked
at him very keenly. "Well," she said, "if there's to be an end of it,
let there be an end of it."

"I think I'd better hang myself," he said.

"Burgo, I will not have you here if you talk to me in that way. I am
trying to help you once again; but if you look like that, and talk
like that, I will give it up."

"I think you'd better give it up."

"Are you becoming cowardly at last? With all your faults I never
expected that of you."

"No; I am not a coward. I'd go out and fight him at two paces'
distance with the greatest pleasure in the world."

"You know that's nonsense, Burgo. It's downright braggadocio. Men do
not fight now; nor a