"A surgical operation in fact: and I shouldn't wonder if she meant to be a doctor," said John. "The mother has done nothing all her life, therefore the daughter means to do much. It is the natural reaction of the generations. But I never noticed that Miss Dolly had any eyes--to speak of," said the highly indifferent middle-aged man. The boy flushed with a sense of indignation. "Perhaps you think the old lady's were finer?" he said. "I never admired the old lady, as you call her," said John, shortly; and then he turned Philip's attention to something, possibly with the easily satisfied conviction of a spectator that the boy thought of it no more. "We met my Lady Mariamne in the park," he said to Elinor when they sat at dinner an hour later at that bachelor table in Halkin Street, where everything was so exquisitely cared for. It was like Elinor, but most unlike the place in which she found herself, that she started so violently as to shake the whole table, crying out in a tone of consternation, "John!" as if he did not know very well what he might venture to say, or as if he had any intention of betraying her to her son. "She was very anxious," he said, perhaps playing a little with her excitement, "to have Philip presented to her: but I sent him on--that is to say, I thought I sent him on. The fellow went no farther than to the next tree, where he stood and watched Miss Dolly, not feeling any interest in the old lady, as he said." "Well, Uncle John--did you expect me to look at the old lady? You are not so fond of old ladies yourself." "And who is Miss Dolly?" said Elinor, trying to conceal the beating of her heart and the quiver on her lips with a smile; and then she added, with a little catch of her breath, "Oh, yes, I remember there was a little girl." "You will be surprised to hear that we are by way of being great friends. Her ladyship visits me in my chambers----" Again Elinor uttered that startled cry, "John!" but she tried this time to cover it with a tremulous laugh. "Are you becoming a flirt in your old age?" "It appears so," said John. And then he added, "That aphorism, which struck you as it struck me, Elinor, by its good sense--about the heir to a peerage--is really her production, and not mine." "Miss Dolly's? And what was the aphorism, Uncle John?" cried Philip. "No, it was not Miss Dolly's, my young man. It was the mother's, and so of course does not interest you any more."