had striven to arouse himself to ecstatic joy amidst the
loveliness of the Italian lakes. But through it all he had been
aware that he had failed. The Duchess had made no such
resolution,-had hardly, perhaps, made any attempt; but, in truth
they had both sighed to back amongst the war-trumpets. They had
both suffered much among the trumpets, and yet they longed to
return. He told himself from day to day, that though he had been
banished from the House of Commons, still, as a peer, he had a
seat in Parliament; and that though he was no longer a minister,
still he might be useful as a legislator. She, in her careers as a
leader of fashion, had no doubt met with some trouble,--with some
trouble but with no disgrace; and as she had been carried about
among the lakes and mountains, among the pictures and statues,
among the counts and countesses; she had often felt that there was
no happiness except in that dominion which circumstances had
enabled her to achieve once, and might enable her to achieve
again--in the realms of London society.

Then, in the early spring of 187-, they came back to England,
having persistently carried out their project, at any rate in
regard to time. Lord Gerald, the younger son, was at once sent up
to Trinity. For the eldest son a seat was to be found in the House
of Commons, and the fact that a dissolution of Parliament was
expected served to prevent any prolonged sojourn abroad. Lady Mary
Palliser was at that time nineteen, and her entrance into the
world was to be her mother's greatest care and great delight. In
March they spent a few days in London, and then went down to
Marching Priory. When she left town the Duchess was complaining of
cold, sore throat, and debility. A week after their arrival at
Matching she was dead.