"What's become of Harborough, does any one know?" said Lord Dunstable, when the cachinnation was concluded. "Gone into the country with his friend Chichester, I believe," replied Greenwood. "Harborough and I have not spoken for a long time; but I heard of him a little while ago." "A dreadful thing that was about his wife," observed the Honourable Augustus Smicksmack. "I don't think Harborough cared much about it," returned Greenwood. "They had long led a cat-and-dog kind of a life. The moment Lady Cecilia's suicide reached the ears of Sir Rupert, who was in France at the time, he came over to England, and sold the few things which had belonged to his wife—her trinkets, I mean; for the house in Tavistock Square was a ready-furnished one." "And _that_ he gave up, I believe?" said Dunstable. "Or rather the landlord took it away from him," answered Greenwood. "That intimacy with Reginald Tracy was a bad business for Lady Cecilia," he continued. "But I had my suspicions of _him_ before the exposure took place. The fact is, I saw him at a masquerade ball one night, at Drury Lane theatre." "At a masquerade?" ejaculated Lord Dunstable. "Yes. I was dressed as a Greek brigand, and he was attired as a monk." "The sanctified scoundrel!" said Colonel Cholmondeley, in a tone of deep indignation. "What dishonour he brought upon the cloth! You know my brother the Archdeacon? Well, he's as jovial a fellow as you could wish to meet. Keeps his three mistresses, his horses and hounds, and goes to bed mellow every night of his life. But _he_ does things discreetly." "In a proper manner, to be sure," muttered the Marquis of Holmesford. "But, by the by, Greenwood, you once admired my beautiful Georgian." "And I often think of her now, my lord," returned the Member of Parliament. "I'll make you a proposal, if you like," continued the Marquis, grinning like an antiquated goat. "I have taken quite a fancy to your bay mare _Cleopatra_." "Yes—'tis a beautiful bit of horse-flesh," remarked Greenwood. "Well—my Georgian for your bay mare?" said the Marquis. "Is it a bargain?" "A decided bargain," replied Greenwood. "But how do you know that the lady will submit to the exchange?" asked Smicksmack, with a smile. "I feel convinced that she will offer no objection," answered Greenwood. "It is true that every slave becomes free when once the foot touches the soil of this country, as I once observed to the independent electors of Rottenborough;—but I am sure that she will wear the gold chain that I shall be delighted to throw around her." "Well spoken, Greenwood!" cried the Marquis. "Send the bay to my stables in the morning; and fetch away the Georgian when you choose." "Greenwood's the man for business," observed Lord Dunstable. "By the by, how did the African Railroad scheme turn out?" "Oh! admirably," replied the capitalist. "I cleared my ten thousand by it: so did the Marquis."