who was endeared to
her by frank good humour and an unselfish disposition. In regard to
men she had never asked herself the question whether this man was
handsome or that man ugly. Of Frank Greystock she knew that his face
was full of quick intellect; and of Lord Fawn she knew that he bore
no outward index of mind. One man she not only loved, but could not
help loving; the other man, as regarded that sort of sympathy which
marriage should recognise, must always have been worlds asunder from
her. She knew that men demand that women shall possess beauty, and
she certainly had never thought of herself as beautiful; but it did
not occur to her that on that account she was doomed to fail. She was
too strong-hearted for any such fear. She did not think much of these
things, but felt herself to be so far endowed as to be fit to be
the wife of such a man as Frank Greystock. She was a proud, stout,
self-confident, but still modest little woman, too fond of truth to
tell lies of herself even to herself. She was possessed of a great
power of sympathy, genial, very social, greatly given to the mirth
of conversation,--though in talking she would listen much and say
but little. She was keenly alive to humour, and had at her command a
great fund of laughter, which would illumine her whole face without
producing a sound from her mouth. She knew herself to be too good to
be a governess for life;--and yet how could it be otherwise with her?

Lady Linlithgow's visit to her niece had been made on a Thursday,
and on that same evening Frank Greystock had asked his question in
the House of Commons,--or rather had made his speech about the Sawab
of Mygawb. We all know the meaning of such speeches. Had not Frank
belonged to the party that was out, and had not the resistance to
the Sawab's claim come from the party that was in, Frank would not
probably have cared much about the prince. We may be sure that he
would not have troubled himself to read a line of that very dull
and long pamphlet of which he had to make himself master before he
could venture to stir in the matter, had not the road of Opposition
been open to him in that direction. But what exertion will not a
politician make with the view of getting the point of his lance
within the joints of his enemies' harness? Frank made his speech, and
made it very well. It was just the case for a lawyer, admitting that
kind of advocacy which it is a lawyer's business to practise. The
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