"No, I mightn't. I've been grinding. If you knew what a dose of Aristotle I've had, you'd pity me. That's where you girls have the best of it. You learn to read a story-book in two or three modern languages, to meander up and down the piano, and spoil Bristol board, or Whatman's hot-pressed imperial, and then you call yourselves educated; while we have to go back to the beginning of civilisation, and find out what a lot of old Greek duffers were driving at when they sat in the sunshine and prosed like old boots." Lady Mabel looked at him with a serene smile. "Would you be surprised to hear that I know a little Greek," she said, "just enough to struggle through the Socratic dialogues with the aid of my master?" Roderick started as if he had been stung. "What a shame!" he cried. "Aunt Sophia, what do you mean by making a Lady Jane Grey or an Elizabeth Barrett Browning of her?" "A woman who has to occupy a leading position can hardly know too much," answered the Duchess sententiously. "Ah, to be sure, Mabel will marry some diplomatic swell, and be entertaining ambassadors by-and-by. And when some modern Greek envoy comes simpering up to her with a remark about the weather, it will be an advantage for her to know Plato. I understand. Wheels within wheels." "The Duchess of Dovedale's carriage," announced the butler, rolling out the syllables as if it were a personal gratification to announce them. Mabel rose at once from the piano, and came to say good-night to her aunt. "My dear child, it's quite early," said Lady Jane; "Roderick's last night, too. And your mamma is in no hurry." Mabel looked at Roderick, but that young gentleman was airing himself on the hearth-rug, and gazing absently up at the ceiling. It evidently signified very little to him whether his aunt and cousin went or stayed. "You know you told papa you would be home soon after ten," said Lady Mabel, and the Duchess rose immediately. She had a way of yielding to her only daughter which her stronger-minded sister highly disapproved. The first duty of a mother, in Lady Jane's opinion, was to rule her child, the second, to love it. The idea was no doubt correct in the abstract; but the practice was not succeeding too well with Roderick. "Good-night and good-bye," said Lady Mabel, when the maid had brought her wraps, and Rorie had put them on. "Not good-bye," said the good-natured Duchess; "Rorie must come to breakfast to-morrow, and see the Duke. He has just bought some wonderful short-horns, and I am sure he would like to show them to you, Rorie, because you can appreciate them. He was too tired to come out to-night, but I know he wants to see you." "Thanks, I'll be there," answered Rorie, and he escorted the ladies to their carriage; but not another word did Mabel speak till the brougham had driven away from Briarwood. "What a horrid young man Roderick has grown, mamma!" she remarked decisively, when they were outside the park-gates.