"No," said Templeton, gently, for he had always liked his nephew, and
began now to thaw towards him a little on seeing that Lumley put a good
face upon the new state of affairs.

"No, my dear boy--no; but I think order and punctuality cardinal virtues
in a well-regulated family."

"Dinner, sir," said the butler, opening the folding-doors at the end of
the room.

"Permit me," said Lumley, offering his arm to his aunt. "What a lovely
place this is!"

Mrs. Templeton said something in reply, but what it was Ferrers could
not discover, so low and choked was the voice.

"Shy," thought he: "odd for a widow! but that's the way those
husband-buriers take us in!"

Plain as was the general furniture of the apartment, the natural
ostentation of Mr. Templeton broke out in the massive value of the
plate, and the number of the attendants. He was a rich man, and he was
proud of his riches: he knew it was respectable to be rich, and he
thought it was moral to be respectable. As for the dinner, Lumley knew
enough of his uncle's tastes to be prepared for viands and wines that
even he (fastidious gourmand as he was) did not despise.

Between the intervals of eating, Mr. Ferrers endeavoured to draw his
aunt into conversation, but he found all his ingenuity fail him. There