His daughter poured out his coffee, and ministered to his various wants as he breakfasted, eating with but little appetite herself, albeit the fare was excellent. Captain Palliser talked in a desultory way as he ate, not often looking up from his plate, but meandering on. Happily for Ida, who had been reduced to the lowest stage of self-abasement by her welcome, he said no more about Miss Pew or his daughter's gloomy prospects. It was not without a considerable mental effort that he was able to bring his thoughts to bear upon other people's business. He had strained his mind a good deal during the last twenty-four hours, and he was very glad to relax the tension of the bow. 'Rather a dull kind of life for a man who has been used to society--eh, Ida?' he murmured, as he ate his omelette; 'but we contrive to rub on somehow. Your step-mother likes it, and the boy likes it--wonderful healthy air, don't you know--no smoke--no fogs--only three miles from the sea, as the crow flies. It suits them, and it's cheap--a paramount consideration with a poor devil on half-pay; and in the season there are some of the best people in Europe to be seen at the _établissement_.' 'I suppose you go to Dieppe often in the season, father?' said Ida, pleased to find he had dropped Miss Pew and the governess question. 'Well, yes; I wander in almost every fine day.' 'You don't walk?' exclaimed Ida, surprised at such activity in a man of his languid temper. 'Oh, no; I never walk. I just wander in--on the diligence--or in, a return fly. I wander in and look about me a little, and perhaps take a cup of coffee with a friend at the Hôtel des Bains. There is generally some one I know at the Bains or the Royal. Ah, by-the-bye whom, do you think I saw there a fortnight ago?' 'I haven't the least idea,' answered Ida; 'I know so few of your friends.' 'No, of course not. You never saw Sir Vernon Palliser, but you've heard me talk about him.' 'Your rich brother, the wicked old baronet in Sussex, who never did you a kindness in his life?' 'My dear, old Sir Vernon has been dead two years.' 'I never heard of his death.' 'No, by-the-bye. It wasn't worth while worrying you about it, especially as we could not afford to go into mourning. Your step-mother fretted about that dreadfully, poor little woman; as if it could matter to her, when she had never seen the man in her life. She said if one had a baronet in one's family one ought to go into mourning for him. I can't understand the passion some women have for mourning. They are eager to smother themselves in crape at the slightest provocation, and for a mean old beggar like Vernon, who never gave me a sixpence. But as I was saying, these two young fellows turned up the other day in front of the Hôtel des Bains.' 'Which two young fellows, my dear father? I haven't the faintest idea of whom you are talking,' protested Ida, who found her father's conversation very difficult to follow.