Hours elapsed, and the Captain had not returned home. I began to feel uneasy, and went forth in search of him, though I knew not whither to direct my steps. I thought it, however, at least probable, that he had not been able to resist visiting Lady Ellinor, so I went first to St James's Square. My suspicions were correct; the Captain had been there two hours before. Lady Ellinor herself had gone out shortly after the Captain left. While the porter was giving me this information, a carriage stopped at the door, and a footman, stepping up, gave the porter a note and a small parcel, seemingly of books, saying simply, "From the Marquis of Castleton." At the sound of that name I turned hastily, and recognised Sir Sedley Beaudesert seated in the carriage, and looking out of the window with a dejected, moody expression of countenance, very different from his ordinary aspect, except when the rare sight of a gray hair, or a twinge of the toothache, reminded him that he was no longer twenty-five. Indeed, the change was so great that I exclaimed, dubiously--"Is that Sir Sedley Beaudesert?" The footman looked at me, and touching his hat said, with a condescending smile,--"Yes, sir--now the Marquis of Castleton." Then, for the first time since the young lord's death, I remembered Sir Sedley's expressions of gratitude to Lady Castleton, and the waters of Ems, for having saved him from "that horrible marquisate." Meanwhile, my old friend had perceived me, exclaiming,-- "What, Mr Caxton! I am delighted to see you. Open the door, Thomas. Pray come in, come in." I obeyed; and the new Lord Castleton made room for me by his side. "Are you in a hurry?" said he; "if so, shall I take you anywhere?--if not, give me half an hour of your time, while I drive to the City." As I knew not now in what direction, more than another, to prosecute my search for the Captain, and as I thought I might as well call at our lodgings to inquire if he had not returned, I answered that I should be very happy to accompany his lordship; "though the City," said I, smiling, "sounds to me strange upon the lips of Sir Sedley--I beg pardon, I should say of Lord--" "Don't say any such thing; let me once more hear the grateful sound of Sedley Beaudesert. Shut the door, Thomas; to Gracechurch Street--Messrs Fudge and Fidget." The carriage drove on. "A sad affliction has befallen me," said the marquis, "and none sympathise with me!" "Yet all, even unacquainted with the late lord, must have felt shocked at the death of one so young, and so full of promise."