'Yes,' said Constance loudly, in answer to a whispered question put by one of her friends--she may have observed two or three listeners standing about with eager ears and parted lips--'yes, it is all quite true; it was an understood thing--this match with my second cousin. The pretensions of the Duchess rest upon too transparent a foundation--the poor man's money, my dear. As if she were not rich enough already! as if three husbands are not enough for any one woman to lament! Thank you; yes, I have not the slightest doubt of the result. In a matter of good feeling as well as equity one may always depend upon the House, whatever one's political opinions.' The Duchess certainly had not expected this resistance to her will. In fact, during the whole of her long life she had never known any resistance at all, except such as befalls every politician. But in her private life her will was law, which no one questioned or disputed. Nor did it even occur to her to inquire, before speaking to the Chancellor, whether there would be any rival in the field. Proud as she was, and careless of public opinion in a general way, it was far from pleasant, even for her, to reflect on the things which would be said of her proposal when the Appeal was brought before the House--on the motives which would be assigned or insinuated by her enemies; on the allusions to youth and age--the more keen the more skilfully they were disguised and wrapped in soft words; the open pity which would be expressed for the youth whose young life--she knew very well what would be said--was to be sacrificed; the sarcastic questions which would be asked about the increase of her property by the new marriage, and so forth. The plain speech of Peeresses in debate was well known to her. Yet pride forbade a retreat: she would fight it out; she could command, by ways and by methods only known to herself, a majority; yet she felt sure, beforehand, that it would be a cold and unsympathetic majority--even a reproachful majority. Nor was her temper improved by a visit from her old friend, once her schoolfellow, Lady Despard. She came with a long face, which portended expostulation. 'You have quite made up your mind, Duchess?' she began, without a word of explanation or preamble, but with a comfortable settlement in the chair, which meant a good long talk. 'I have quite made up my mind,' Between such old friends, no need to ask what was intended. 'Lord Chester,' said Lady Despard, thoughtfully, 'who is, no doubt, all that you think him--worthy in every way, I mean, of this promotion and your name--is, after all, a very young man.' 'That,' replied the Duchess spitefully, 'is my affair. His age need not be considered. I am not afraid of myself, Julia. With my experience, at all events, I can say so much.'