part," he added with a faint smile, "I have had duties as well as
honours devolved on me. I am left guardian to an heiress, and betrothed
to a child."

"How do you mean?"

"Why, my poor uncle was so fondly attached to his wife's daughter, that
he has left her the bulk of his property: a very small estate--not L2000
a year--goes with the title (a new title, too, which requires twice as
much to carry it off and make its pinchbeck pass for gold). In order,
however, to serve a double purpose, secure to his /protegee/ his own
beloved peerage, and atone to his nephew for the loss of wealth--he has
left it a last request, that I should marry the young lady over whom I
am appointed guardian, when she is eighteen--alas! I shall then be at
the other side of forty! If she does not take to so mature a
bridegroom, she loses thirty--only thirty of the L200,000 settled upon
her, which goes to me as a sugar-plum after the nauseous draught of the
young lady's 'No.' Now, you know all. His widow, really an exemplary
young woman, has a jointure of L1500 a year, and the villa. It is not
much, but she is contented."

The lightness of the new peer's tone revolted Maltravers, and he turned
impatiently away. But Lord Vargrave, resolving not to suffer the
conversation to glide back to sorrowful subjects, which he always hated,
turned round to Ernest, and said, "Well, my dear Ernest, I see by the
papers that you are to have N------'s late appointment--it is a very
rising office. I congratulate you."

"I have refused," said Maltravers, drily.