o be better entitled to talk of his
family than he had been some three or four weeks back--"As I am
travelling with my family, I have been obliged to carry large bills
with me, and I can accommodate you without any trouble."

There was something pleasant in this, which made Burgo Fitzgerald
laugh. Mr Palliser, the husband of Lady Glencora M'Cluskie, and the
heir of the Duke of Omnium happening to have money with him! As if
Mr Palliser could not bring down showers of money in any quarter
of the globe by simply holding up his hand. And then to talk of
accommodating him,--Burgo Fitzgerald, as though it were simply a
little matter of convenience,--as though Mr Palliser would of course
find the money at his bankers' when he next examined his book! Burgo
could not but laugh.

"I was not in the least doubting your ability to raise the money,"
said he; "but how would you propose to get it back again?"

"That would be at your convenience," said Mr Palliser, who hardly
knew how to put himself on a proper footing with his companion, so
that he might offer to do something effectual for the man's aid.

"I never have any such convenience," said Burgo. "Who were those
women whose tubs always had holes at the bottom of them? My tub
always has such a hole."

"You mean the daughters of Danaus," said Mr Palliser.

"I don't know whose daughters they were, but you might just as well
lend them all eight hundred pounds apiece."

"There were so many of them," said Mr Palliser, trying a little joke.
"But as you are only one I shall be most happy, as I said before, to
be of service."

They were now walking slowly together up towards the hills, and near
to them they heard a step. Upon this, Burgo turned round.

"Do you see that fellow?" said he. Mr Palliser, who was somewhat
short-sighted, said that he did not see him. "I do, though. I don't
know his name, but they have sent him out from the hotel with me, to
see what I do with myself. I owe them six or seven hundred francs,
and they want to turn me out of the house and not let me take my
things with me."

"That would be very uncomfortable," said Mr Palliser.

"It would be uncomfortable, but I shall be too many for them. If they
keep my traps they shall keep me. They think I'm going to blow my
brains out. That's what they think. The man lets me go far enough off
to do that,--so long as it's nowhere about the house."

"I hope you're not thinking of such a thing?"

"As long as I ca