spoken so little of our family matters that I do not now understand how
you are cousin to Susan, nor what, to my surprise and delight, brought
you hither three days ago."

"Faith, my story is easier to explain than your own, William. Here
goes!"

But as Ardworth's recital partially involves references to family matters
not yet sufficiently known to the reader, we must be pardoned if we
assume to ourselves his task of narrator, and necessarily enlarge on his
details.

The branch of the illustrious family of St. John represented by Sir
Miles, diverged from the parent stem of the Lords of Bletshoe. With them
it placed at the summit of its pedigree the name of William de St. John,
the Conqueror's favourite and trusted warrior, and Oliva de Filgiers.
With them it blazoned the latter alliance, which gave to Sir Oliver St.
John the lands of Bletshoe by the hand of Margaret Beauchamp (by her
second marriage with the Duke of Somerset), grandmother to Henry VII. In
the following generation, the younger son of a younger son had founded,
partly by offices of state, partly by marriage with a wealthy heiress, a
house of his own; and in the reign of James the First, the St. Johns of
Laughton ranked amongst the chief gentlemen of Hampshire. From that time
till the accession of George III the family, though it remained untitled,
had added to its consequence by intermarriages of considerable dignity,--
chosen, indeed, with a disregard for money uncommon amongst the English
aristocracy; so that the estate was but little enlarged since the reign
of James, though profiting, of course, by improved cultivation and the
different value of money. On the other hand, perhaps there were scarcely
ten families in the country who could boast of a similar directness of