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〃She suffers too much to speak；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃That's all gammon；〃 said Percy Beaumont； 〃there's a limit
to what people can suffer！〃 And； though sending no apologies
to Jones's Hotel； he undertook in a manner to explain his absence。
〃You are always there；〃 he said； 〃and that's reason enough
for my not going。〃
〃I don't see why。 There is enough for both of us。〃
〃I don't care to be a witness of youryour reckless passion；〃
said Percy Beaumont。
Lord Lambeth looked at him with a cold eye and for a moment said nothing。
〃It's not so obvious as you might suppose；〃 he rejoined dryly；
〃considering what a demonstrative beggar I am。〃
〃I don't want to know anything about itnothing whatever；〃
said Beaumont。 〃Your mother asks me everytime she sees me whether
I believe you are really lostand Lady Pimlico does the same。
I prefer to be able to answer that I know nothing about it
that I never go there。 I stay away for consistency's sake。
As I said the other day； they must look after you themselves。〃
〃You are devilish considerate；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃They never question me。〃
〃They are afraid of you。 They are afraid of irritating you and making
you worse。 So they go to work very cautiously； and； somewhere or other；
they get their information。 They know a great deal about you。
They know that you have been with those ladies to the dome of St。 Paul's and
where was the other place？to the Thames Tunnel。〃
〃If all their knowledge is as accurate as that； it must be very valuable；〃
said Lord Lambeth。
〃Well； at any rate； they know that you have been visiting
the 'sights of the metropolis。' They thinkvery naturally；
as it seems to methat when you take to visiting the sights
of the metropolis with a little American girl； there is serious
cause for alarm。〃 Lord Lambeth responded to this intimation
by scornful laughter； and his companion continued； after a pause：
〃I said just now I didn't want to know anything about the affair；
but I will confess that I am curious to learn whether you
propose to marry Miss Bessie Alden。〃
On this point Lord Lambeth gave his interlocutor no immediate satisfaction；
he was musing； with a frown。 〃By Jove；〃 he said； 〃they go rather too far。
They SHALL find me dangerousI promise them。〃
Percy Beaumont began to laugh。 〃You don't redeem your promises。
You said the other day you would make your mother call。〃
Lord Lambeth continued to meditate。 〃I asked her to call；〃
he said simply。
〃And she declined？〃
〃Yes； but she shall do it yet。〃
〃Upon my word；〃 said Percy Beaumont； 〃if she gets much more frightened
I believe she will。〃 Lord Lambeth looked at him； and he went on。
〃She will go to the girl herself。〃
〃How do you mean she will go to her？〃
〃She will beg her off； or she will bribe her。 She will take strong measures。〃
Lord Lambeth turned away in silence； and his companion
watched him take twenty steps and then slowly return。
〃I have invited Mrs。 Westgate and Miss Alden to Branches；〃
he said； 〃and this evening I shall name a day。〃
〃And shall you invite your mother and your sisters to meet them？〃
〃Explicitly！〃
〃That will set the duchess off；〃 said Percy Beaumont。
〃I suspect she will come。〃
〃She may do as she pleases。〃
Beaumont looked at Lord Lambeth。 〃You do really propose to marry
the little sister； then？〃
〃I like the way you talk about it！〃 cried the young man。
〃She won't gobble me down； don't be afraid。〃
〃She won't leave you on your knees；〃 said Percy Beaumont。
〃What IS the inducement？〃
〃You talk about proposing： wait till I HAVE proposed；〃
Lord Lambeth went on。
〃That's right； my dear fellow； think about it；〃 said Percy Beaumont。
〃She's a charming girl；〃 pursued his lordship。
〃Of course she's a charming girl。 I don't know a girl
more charming； intrinsically。 But there are other charming
girls nearer home。〃
〃I like her spirit；〃 observed Lord Lambeth； almost as if he were trying
to torment his cousin。
〃What's the peculiarity of her spirit？〃
〃She's not afraid； and she says things out； and she thinks
herself as good as anyone。 She is the only girl I have ever
seen that was not dying to marry me。〃
〃How do you know that； if you haven't asked her？〃
〃I don't know how； but I know it。〃
〃I am sure she asked me questions enough about your property
and your titles；〃 said Beaumont。
〃She has asked me questions； too； no end of them；〃 Lord Lambeth admitted。
〃But she asked for information； don't you know。〃
〃Information？ Aye； I'll warrant she wanted it。 Depend upon it
that she is dying to marry you just as much and just as little
as all the rest of them。〃
〃I shouldn't like her to refuse meI shouldn't like that。〃
〃If the thing would be so disagreeable； then； both to you and to her；
in Heaven's name leave it alone；〃 said Percy Beaumont。
Mrs。 Westgate； on her side； had plenty to say to her sister about the rarity
of Mr。 Beaumont's visits and the nonappearance of the Duchess of Bayswater。
She professed； however； to derive more satisfaction from this latter
circumstance than she could have done from the most lavish attentions on
the part of this great lady。 〃It is most marked；〃 she said〃most marked。
It is a delicious proof that we have made them miserable。 The day
we dined with Lord Lambeth I was really sorry for the poor fellow。〃
It will have been gathered that the entertainment offered by Lord Lambeth
to his American friends had not been graced by the presence of his
anxious mother。 He had invited several choice spirits to meet them；
but the ladies of his immediate family were to Mrs。 Westgate's sense
a sense possibly morbidly acuteconspicuous by their absence。
〃I don't want to express myself in a manner that you dislike；〃
said Bessie Alden； 〃but I don't know why you should have so many
theories about Lord Lambeth's poor mother。 You know a great many
young men in New York without knowing their mothers。〃
Mrs。 Westgate looked at her sister and then turned away。
〃My dear Bessie； you are superb！〃 she said。
〃One thing is certain；〃 the young girl continued。
〃If I believed I were a cause of annoyancehowever unwitting
to Lord Lambeth's family； I should insist〃
〃Insist upon my leaving England；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate。
〃No； not that。 I want to go to the National Gallery again；
I want to see Stratford…on…Avon and Canterbury Cathedral。
But I should insist upon his coming to see us no more。〃
〃That would be very modest and very pretty of you； but you wouldn't
do it now。〃
〃Why do you say 'now'？〃 asked Bessie Alden。 〃Have I ceased to be modest？〃
〃You care for him too much。 A month ago； when you said
you didn't； I believe it was quite true。 But at present；
my dear child；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate； 〃you wouldn't find it
quite so simple a matter never to see Lord Lambeth again。
I have seen it coming on。〃