"I hope not. I can fancy no affliction greater than an ambitious wife. No. My poor mother left Mabel her orchids. Mabel will confine her ambition to orchids and literature. I believe she writes poetry, and some day she will be tempted to publish a small volume, I daresay. 'AEolian Echoes,' or 'Harp Strings,' or 'Broken Chords,' 'Consecutive Fifths,' or something of that kind." "You believe!" exclaimed Vixen. "Surely you have read some of Lady Mabel's poetry, or heard it read. She must have read some of her verses to you." "Never. She is too reserved, and I am too candid. It would be a dangerous experiment. I should inevitably say something rude. Mabel adores Shelley and Browning; she reads Greek, too. Her poetry is sure to be unintelligible, and I should expose my obtuseness of intellect. I couldn't even look as if I understood it." "If I were Lady Mabel, I think under such circumstances I should leave off writing poetry." "That would be quite absurd. Mabel has a hundred tastes which I do not share with her. She is devoted to her garden and hot-houses. I hardly know one flower from another, except the forest wildlings. She detests horses and dogs. I am never happier than when among them. She reads AEschylus as glibly as I can read a French newspaper. But she will make an admirable mistress for Briarwood. She has just that tranquil superiority which becomes the ruler of a large estate. You will see what cottages and schools we shall build. There will not be a weed in our allotment gardens, and our farm-labourers will get all the prizes at cottage flower-shows." "You will hunt, of course?" "Naturally; don't you know that I am to have the hounds next year? It was all arranged a few days ago. Poor Mabel was strongly opposed to the plan. She thought it was the first stage on the road to ruin; but I think I convinced her that it was the natural thing for the owner of Briarwood; and the Duke was warmly in favour of it." "The dear old kennels!" said Vixen, "I have never seen them since--since I came home. I ride by the gate very often, but I have never had the courage to go inside. The hounds wouldn't know me now." "You must renew your friendship with them. You will hunt, of course, next year?" "No, I shall never hunt again!" "Oh, nonsense; I hear that Captain Winstanley is a mighty Nimrod--quite a Leicestershire man. He will wish you to hunt." "What can Captain Winstanley have to do with it?" asked Vixen, turning sharply upon him. "A great deal, I should imagine, by next season." "I haven't the least idea what you mean." It was Roderick Vawdrey's turn to look astonished. He looked both surprised and angry.