Thus saying, Charley Leicester linked his arm in that of Lewis and carried him off, _nolens volens_, to be introduced to his brother. Lord Bellefield having seen Lewis only once before, and under very peculiar circumstances, did not immediately recognise him; and having made up his mind that for electioneering purposes it was necessary to bear all species of social martyrdom amiably, underwent his introduction to Lewis with great resignation, curling up his moustaches and showing his white teeth in a ready-made smile--of which article he had always a stock on hand--most condescendingly. Lewis’s was, however, a face that once seen it was not easy to forget. Moreover, there was at that moment an expression gleaming in his dark eyes not altogether consistent with the conventional indifference befitting a mere social introduction, and Lord Bellefield was too close an observer not to notice it. “I’ve a strange idea I’ve seen you somewhere before, Mr. Arundel,” he remarked. “If I am not much mistaken,” returned Lewis, “your lordship once did me the honour,” and he laid a slightly sarcastic emphasis on the words, “to offer me a sum of money for a favourite dog.” There was something in Lewis’s manner as he uttered these words which showed that he had neither forgotten nor forgiven the insult that had been offered him. Lord Bellefield perceived it, and replied, with a half-sneer-- “Ay, I recollect now--you jumped into the water to fish him out; and I naturally imagined that, as you appeared to set such store by him, you must expect to make money of him. Have you got him still?” Lewis replied in the affirmative, and his lordship continued-- “Well, I’ll give you your own price for him any day you like to name the sum.” Without waiting for an answer he turned away and began conversing in an undertone with his cousin Annie. CHAPTER XX.--SOME OF THE CHARACTERS FALL OUT AND OTHERS FALL IN. “So! you’re old acquaintances, it seems!” observed Leicester, who had overheard the conversation following upon Lewis’s introduction to Lord Bellefield. “Frere told me about the dog business, but I never knew till now that it had been Bellefield who offered you money for him. I can see you were annoyed about it. Belle fancies money can buy everything (which is pretty true in the long run), and a dog is a dog to him and nothing more. He’d never dream of making a friend of one; in fact, he votes friendship a bore altogether; so you must not heed his insult to Herr Faust. What are people going to do this afternoon? I wish somebody would settle something. Annie, just attend to me a minute, will you--what are we going to do?” “Papa talked of a skating party on the lake,” returned Annie, “but I’ve had no definite orders. Where can papa be? Do go and look for him, Charles.” “Is he in the house, think you?” inquired Charles, rising languidly and gazing round with a look of dreamy helplessness.