"I will discharge them if you will let me have the amount accurately. I have a great repugnance to the thought of Castalia--and you--beginning your married life in debt." "A thousand thanks. It will be better for us to start fair." "I hope, Ancram, that you will use every endeavour to live clearly within your means, and to make the best of your circumstances. The fact is, this marriage has been hurried on----" Algernon did not answer in words; but he gave an expressive shrug and smile, which said, as plainly as possible, "I have not hurried it on!" Lord Seely coloured deeply, and seemed to shrink bodily, as if he had received a blow. He went on hastily, and with less than his usual self-possession: "I--I have felt, rather than perceived, a--a little touch of bitterness in your manner lately. There, there, we will not quibble about the word! If not bitter, you have not been, at all events, in the frame of mind I wished and hoped to find you in. You are young; and youth is apt to be a little unreasonable in its expectations. I own--I admit--that your worldly position will not be--a--exactly brilliant. But I assure you that in these days there are many gentlemen of good abilities, and industry, who would be glad of it." "Oh, I am fully aware of my good fortune, my lord! Besides, you know, this is only a stepping-stone." "Yes; we--we hope so. But, Ancram--and this is what I had in my mind to say to you frankly--don't neglect or despise the present employment, in looking forward to something better." "By no means!" "For your own sake--your own sake, I earnestly advise you not to give way to a feeling of discontent." "Do I look discontented? Upon my word, your lordship is doing me singular injustice!" "There is a smiling discontent, as well as a frowning discontent: and I don't know but that it is the worst of the two." Algernon laughed outright. "Well," said he, "you must own that it is a little difficult to give satisfaction!" His light smooth tone jarred disagreeably on Lord Seely. If the latter had thought to make any impression on the young man, to draw from him any outburst of feeling, he had signally failed. Algernon's words could not be objected to, but the tone in which they were uttered was completely nonchalant. His nonchalance increased in proportion to Lord Seely's earnestness. A year ago Algernon would have brought his manner into harmony with my lord's mood. He would have been grave, attentive, eager to show his appreciation of my lord's kindness, and his value for my lord's advice. But now there was some malice in his smiling good-humour; a little cruelty in the brightness of his unruffled serenity. He was genuinely tickled at seeing the pompous little nobleman embarrassed in speaking to him, Algernon Errington, and he enjoyed what comedy there might be in the situation none the less because his patron suffered.