was then honourable, however
disadvantageous it might have seemed to be to her--he had made in his
mind certain calculations as to the good things which would result
to him if he were successful He would keep hounds, and have three or
four horses every day for his own riding, and he would have no more
interviews with Magruin, waiting in that rogue's dingy back parlour
for many a weary wretched half-hour, till the rogue should be pleased
to show himself. So far he had been mercenary; but he had learned to
love the girl, and to care more for her than for her money, and when
the day of disappointment came upon him,--the day on which she had
told him that all between them was to be over for ever,--he had, for
a few hours, felt the loss of his love more than the loss of his
money.

Then he had had no further hope. No such idea as that which now
filled his mind had then come upon him. The girl had gone from him
and married another man, and there was an end of it. But by degrees
tidings had reached him that she was not happy,--reaching him through
the mouths of people who were glad to exaggerate all that they had
heard. A whole tribe of his female relatives had been anxious to
promote his marriage with Lady Glencora M'Cluskie, declaring that,
after all that was come and gone, Burgo would come forth from his
troubles as a man of great wealth. So great was the wealth of the
heiress that it might withstand even his propensities for spending.
That whole tribe had been bitterly disappointed; and when they heard
that Mr Palliser's marriage had given him no child, and that Lady
Glencora was unhappy,--they made their remarks in triumph rather
than in sorrow. I will not say that they looked forward approvingly
to such a step as that which Burgo now wished to take,--though as
regarded his aunt, Lady Monk, he himself had accused her; but they
whispered that such things had been done and must be expected, when
marriages were made up as had been that marriage between Mr Palliser
and his bride.

As he walked on, thinking of his project, he strove hard to cheat
himself into a belief that he would do a good thing in carrying Lady
Glencora away from her husband. Bad as had been his life he had
never before done aught so bad as that. The more fixed his intention
became, the more thoroughly he came to perceive how great and
grievous was the crime which he contemplated. To elope with another
man's wife no longer appeared to him to be a joke at