I went to my room and changed my clothes, but I remained there till the evening. The violence of the storm had passed over us, but the rain had settled down to a drizzle. On descending to dinner I found that the change in the weather had already broken up our party. The Mellifonts had departed in a carriage and four, they had been followed by others, and several vehicles had been bespoken for the morning. Blanche Adney's was one of them, and on the pretext that she had preparations to make she quitted us directly after dinner. Clare Vawdrey asked me what was the matter with her--she suddenly appeared to dislike him. I forget what answer I gave, but I did my best to comfort him by driving away with him the next day. Mrs. Adney had vanished when we came down; but they made up their quarrel in London, for he finished his play, which she produced. I must add that she is still, nevertheless, in want of the great part. I have a beautiful one in my head, but she doesn't come to see me to stir me up about it. Lady Mellifont always drops me a kind word when we meet, but that doesn't console me. THE WHEEL OF TIME I "And your daughter?" said Lady Greyswood; "tell me about her. She must be nice." "Oh, yes, she's nice enough. She's a great comfort." Mrs. Knocker hesitated a moment, then she went on: "Unfortunately she's not good-looking--not a bit." "That doesn't matter, when they're not ill-natured," rejoined, insincerely, Lady Greyswood, who had the remains of great beauty. "Oh, but poor Fanny is quite extraordinarily plain. I assure you it does matter. She knows it herself; she suffers from it. It's the sort of thing that makes a great difference in a girl's life." "But if she's charming, if she's clever!" said Lady Greyswood, with more benevolence than logic. "I've known plain women who were liked." "Do you mean _me_, my dear?" her old friend straightforwardly inquired. "But I'm not so awfully liked!" "You?" Lady Greyswood exclaimed. "Why, you're grand!" "I'm not so repulsive as I was when I was young perhaps, but that's not saying much." "As when you were young!" laughed Lady Greyswood. "You sweet thing, you _are_ young. I thought India dried people up." "Oh, when you're a mummy to begin with!" Mrs. Knocker returned, with her trick of self-abasement. "Of course I've not been such a fool as to keep my children there. My girl _is_ clever," she continued, "but she's afraid to show it. Therefore you may judge whether, with her unfortunate appearance, she's charming." "She shall show it to _me!_ You must let me do everything for her." "Does that include finding her a husband? I should like her to show it to someone who'll marry her." "_I_'ll marry her!" said Lady Greyswood, who was handsomer than ever when she laughed and looked capable.