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to their morals； it is your eyes that are sunk deeper into your head。
Hum！ no horses； no vices； no dancers； no yacht； you confound one's
notions of nobility； and I ought to know them； for I have to patch them
all up a bit just before they go to the deuce。〃
〃But I have； Doctor Aberford。〃
〃What！〃
〃A yacht！ and a clipper she is； too。〃
〃Ah！（Now I've got him。）〃
〃In the Bay of Biscay she lay half a point nearer the wind than Lord
Heavyjib。〃
〃Oh！ bother Lord Heavyjib； and his Bay of Biscay。〃
〃With all my heart； they have often bothered me。〃
〃Send her round to Granton Pier； in the Firth of Forth。〃
〃I will； sir。〃
〃And write down this prescription。〃 And away he walked again； thinking
the prescription。
〃Saunders；〃 appealed his master。
〃Saunders be hanged。〃
〃Sir！〃 said Saunders； with dignity； 〃I thank you。〃
〃Don't thank me； thank your own deserts；〃 replied the modern
Chesterfield。 〃Oblige me by writing it yourself； my lord； it is all the
bodily exercise you will have had to…day； no doubt。〃
The young viscount bowed； seated himself at a desk； and wrote from
dictation：
〃DR。 ABERFORD'S PRESCRIPTION。
〃Make acquaintance with all the people of low estate who have time to be
bothered with you； learn their ways； their minds； and； above all； their
troubles。〃
〃Won't all this bore me？〃 suggested the writer。
〃You will see。 Relieve one fellow…creature every day； and let Mr。
Saunders book the circumstances。〃
〃I shall like this part；〃 said the patient； laying down his pen。 〃How
clever of you to think of such things； may not I do two sometimes？〃
〃Certainly not； one pill per day。 Write； Fish the herring！ （that beats
deer…stalking。） Run your nose into adventures at sea； live on tenpence；
and earn it。 Is it down？〃
〃Yes； it is down； but Saunders would have written it better。〃
〃If he hadn't he ought to be hanged；〃 said the Aberford； inspecting the
work。 〃I'm off； where's my hat？ oh； there； where's my money？ oh； here。
Now look here； follow my prescription； and
You will soon have Mens sana in corpore sano； And not care whether the
girls say yes or say no；
neglect it； andmy gloves； oh； in my pocketyou will be _blase'_ and
_ennuye'；_ and （an English participle； that means something as bad）； God
bless you！〃
And out he scuttled； glided after by Saunders； for whom he opened and
shut the street door。
Never was a greater effect produced by a doctor's visit； patient and
physician were made for each other。 Dr。 Aberford was the specific for
Lord Ipsden。 He came to him like a shower to a fainting strawberry。
Saunders； on his return； found his lord pacing the apartment。
〃Saunders；〃 said he； smartly； 〃send down to Gravesend and order the yacht
to this placewhat is it？〃
〃Granton Pier。 Yes； my lord。〃
〃And； Saunders； take clothes； and books； and violins； and telescopes； and
thingsand meto Euston Square； in an hour。〃
〃Impossible；' my lord；〃 cried Saunders； in dismay。 〃And there is no train
for hours。〃
His master replied with a hundred…pound note； and a quiet； but wickedish
look； and the prince of gentlemen's gentleman had all the required items
with him； in a special train； within the specified time； and away they
flashed； northward。
CHAPTER II。
IT is said that opposite characters make a union happiest； and perhaps
Lord Ipsden； diffident of himself； felt the value to him of a creature so
different as Lady Barbara Sinclair； but the lady； for her part； was not
so diffident of herself； nor was she in search of her opposite。 On the
contrary； she was waiting patiently to find just such a man as she was；
or fancied herself； a woman。
Accustomed to measure men by their characters alone； and to treat with
sublime contempt the accidents of birth and fortune； she had been a
little staggered by the assurance of this butterfly that had proposed to
settle upon her handfor life。
In a word； the beautiful writer of the fatal note was honestly romantic；
according to the romance of 1848； and of good society； of course she was
not affected by hair tumbling back or plastered down forward； and a
rolling eye went no further with her than a squinting one。
Her romance was stern； not sickly。 She was on the lookout for iron
virtues； she had sworn to be wooed with great deeds； or never won； on
this subject she had thought much； though not enough to ask herself
whether great deeds are always to be got at； however disposed a lover may
be。
No matter； she kept herself in reserve for some earnest man； who was not
to come flattering and fooling to her； but look another way and do
exploits。
She liked Lord Ipsden； her cousin once removed； but despised him for
being agreeable； handsome； clever； and nobody。
She was also a little bitten with what she and others called the Middle
Ages； in fact with that picture of them which Grub Street； imposing on
the simplicity of youth； had got up for sale by arraying painted glass；
gilt rags； and fancy； against fact。
With these vague and sketchy notices we are compelled to part； for the
present； with Lady Barbara。 But it serves her right； she has gone to
establish her court in Perthshire； and left her rejected lover on our
hands。
Journeys of a few hundred miles are no longer described。
You exchange a dead chair for a living chair； Saunders puts in your hand
a new tale like this； you mourn the superstition of booksellers； which
still inflicts uncut leaves upon humanity； though tailors do not send
home coats with the sleeves stitched up； nor chambermaids put travelers
into apple…pie beds as well as damp sheets。 You rend and read； and are at
Edinburgh； fatigued more or less； but not by the journey。
Lord Ipsden was； therefore； soon installed by the Firth side； full of the
Aberford。
The young nobleman not only venerated the doctor's sagacity； but half
admired his brusquerie and bustle； things of which he was himself never
guilty。
As for the prescription； that was a Delphic Oracle。 Worlds could not have
tempted him to deviate from a letter in it。
He waited with impatience for the yacht； and； meantime； it struck him
that the first part of the prescription could be attacked at once。
It was the afternoon of the day succeeding his arrival。 The Fifeshire
hills； seen across the Firth from his windows； were beginning to take
their charming violet tinge； a light breeze ruffled the blue water into a
sparkling smile； the shore was tranquil； and the sea full of noiseless
life； with the craft of all sizes gliding and dancing and courtesying on
their trackless roads。
The air was tepid； pure and sweet as heaven； this bright afternoon；
Nature had grudged nothing that could give fresh life and hope to such
dwellers in dust and smoke and vice as were there to look awhile on her
clean face and drink her honeyed breath。
This young gentleman was not insensible to the beauty of the scene。 He
was a little lazy by nature； and made lazier by the misfortune of wealth；
but he had sensibilities； he was an artist of great natural talent； had
he only been without a penny； how he would have handled the brush！ And
then he was a mighty sailor； if he had sailed for biscuit a few years；
ho