"Mr. Hilton, my lady." The Countess lifted her shoulders sullenly. "What now? let him come in, Honoria. I would it had been another hour." She did not turn when her father entered nor give him any sign of welcome. "This is a foolish time for you to choose," she said. "'Tis a foolish time for you to still be in your chamber," he retorted sharply. My lady jerked her shoulders peevishly. "What are you here to say?" Mr. Hilton glanced round the dishevelled room with an air of disgust; his shrewd, expressionless face hardened. "You may call this living like a great lady, but I call it living like a slut," he remarked. "I am neither one nor the other, but--your daughter," she answered insolently, "and if this is to prove a tirade on virtue----" Mr. Hilton folded his hands behind him. "It is to be a few words about money," he said briefly. "I came unexpectedly because that way I have a greater chance of finding you." The Countess straightened herself. "The subject is stale," she replied; "and is one to be taken to my lord. I know nothing of the money." "You know something of the spending of it, Lavinia." "My husband knows more." "I have to speak of your husband, too." "You ask me of the two things of which I know the least--my husband and my money." "You must come to know more of both. I am not the rich man I was since the bank at Amsterdam failed, and your husband has had more money of me than would sound credible." "More than we have had value for, eh?" asked the Countess. "This grand marriage of mine was a poor bargain, my father." "Where is your effort to make it a good one?" he retorted. "We are of no more account than we ever were--you spend, spend, spend, and what do you get for it? Your husband is the talk of the town; he has entered the Ministry with our money, his mother lives like a princess, he is courted, flattered, and sought after; but who turns his head for you?" "I have lived with my lord for a year without a scandal," she answered; "and that is something to my credit." "I am not speaking of your credit," cried Mr. Hilton angrily. "You know what I mean well enough--did I spend a fortune on your upbringing for you to drop like a stone into this set I put you among--like a stone, to sink at once? You lose money at cards, no one remarks you; you hold no levees, you have no genteel friends--you have nothing of the great lady save the vices." "Because I am a tradesman's daughter," said the Countess, "yet I ape the woman of rank very well, yet--also I do not choose to alter my life, so spare your words." Mr. Hilton flushed. "Sometimes I think you really are mad," he answered violently. "But it has to cease----" She interrupted quickly. "What has to cease?" "This wild and useless expenditure, this idle indifference on your part." She made a weary gesture with her hands. "Do you think I care if you sell us up to-morrow?" "You speak like a fool," he answered furiously; "is there no way to bring you to sense?"