“Of the City, generally,” replied Lady Hester, proudly. “Not in ignorance, either,” rejoined Sir Stafford; “her own father was a merchant in Lombard Street.” “But the family are of the best blood in Lancashire, Sir Stafford.” “It may be so; but I remember Walter Crofts himself boasting that he had danced to warm his feet on the very steps of the door in Grosvenor Square which afterwards acknowledged him as the master; and as he owed his wealth and station to honest industry and successful enterprise, none heard the speech without thinking the better of him.” “The anecdote is new to me,” said Lady Hester, superciliously; “and I have little doubt that the worthy man was merely embellishing an incident to suit the tastes of his company.” “It was the company around his table, as Lord Mayor of London!” “I could have sworn it,” said she, laughing; “but what has all this to do with what I wished to speak about if I could but remember what it was! These eternal digressions have made me forget everything.” Although the appeal was palpably directed to Sir Stafford, he sat silent and motionless, patiently awaiting the moment when recollection might enable her to resume. “Dear me! how tiresome it is! I cannot think of what I came about, and you will not assist me in the least.” “Up to this moment you have given me no clew to it,” said Sir Stafford, with a smile. “It was not to speak of Grounsell?” “Of course not. I hate even to think of him!” “Of Prichard, perhaps?” he said, with a half-sly twinkle of the eye. “Just as little!” “Possibly your friend Colonel Haggerstone was in your thoughts?” “Pray do not call him my friend. I know very little of the gentleman; I intend even to know less. I declined to receive him this morning, when he sent up his card.” “An attention I fear he has not shown that poor creature he wounded, Grounsell tells me.” “Oh, I have it!” said she, suddenly; the allusion to Hans at once recalling the Daltons, and bringing to mind the circumstances she desired to remember. “It was exactly of these poor people I came to speak. You must know, Sir Stafford, that I have made the acquaintance of a most interesting family here, a father and two daughters named Dalton.” “Grounsell has already told me so,” interrupted Sir Stafford. “Of course, then, every step I have taken in this intimacy has been represented in the most odious light. The amiable doctor will have, doubtless, imputed to me the least worthy motives for knowing persons in their station?” “On the contrary, Hester. If he expressed any qualification to the circumstance, it was in the form of a fear lest the charms of your society and the graces of your manner might indispose them to return with patience to the dull round of their daily privations.”