and from that time forward those two ladies were
enemies. Mrs Marsham, groping quite in the dark, partly guessed that
Alice had in some way interfered to prevent Lady Glencora's visit to
Monkshade, and, though such prevention was, no doubt, good in that
lady's eyes, she resented the interference. She had made up her mind
that Alice was not the sort of friend that Lady Glencora should have
about her. Alice recognized and accepted the feud.

"I thought I might find you at home," said Mrs Marsham, "as I know
you are lazy about going out in the cold,--unless it be for a foolish
midnight ramble," and Mrs Marsham shook her head. She was a little
woman, with sharp small eyes, with a permanent colour in her face,
and two short, crisp, grey curls at each side of her face; always
well dressed, always in good health, and, as Lady Glencora believed,
altogether incapable of fatigue.

"The ramble you speak of was very wise, I think," said Lady Glencora;
"but I never could see the use of driving about in London in the
middle of winter."

"One ought to go out of the house every day," said Mrs Marsham.

"I hate all those rules. Don't you, Alice?" Alice did not hate them,
therefore she said nothing.

"My dear Glencora, one must live by rules in this life. You might as
well say that you hated sitting down to dinner."

"So I do, very often; almost always when there's company."

"You'll get over that feeling after another season in town," said Mrs
Marsham, pretending to suppose that Lady Glencora alluded to some
remaining timidity in receiving her own guests.

"Upon my word I don't think I shall. It's a thing that seems always
to be getting more grievous, instead of less so. Mr Bott is coming to
dine here to-night."

There was no mistaking the meaning of this. There was no pretending
even to mistake it. Now, Mrs Marsham had accepted the right hand of
fellowship from Mr Bott,--not because she especially liked him,
but in compliance with the apparent necessities of Mr Palliser's
position. Mr Bott had made good his ground about Mr Palliser; and Mrs
Marsham, as she was not strong enough to turn him off from it, had
given him the right hand of fellowship.

"Mr Bott is a Member of Parliament, and a very serviceable friend of
Mr Palliser's," said Mrs Marsham.

"All the same; we do not like Mr Bott--do we, Alice? He is Doctor
Fell to us; only I think we could tell why."

"I certainly do not like him," said Alice.

"It can be but o