year. The first year, nothing under an earl; the second, nothing under a
baron. It will be full four years before she comes down to a commoner.
Mr. Hazeldean's danger is of another kind. He lives much with men who
are not exactly /mauvais ton/, but certainly not of the best taste. Yet
he is very young; he may extricate himself,--leaving half his fortune
behind him. What, he nods to you! You know him?"

"Very well; he is nephew to Mr. Egerton."

"Indeed! I did not know that. Hazeldean is a new name in London. I
heard his father was a plain country gentleman, of good fortune, but not
that he was related to Mr. Egerton."

"Half-brother."

"Will Mr. Egerton pay the young gentleman's debts? He has no sons
himself."

RANDAL.---"Mr. Egerton's fortune comes from his wife, from my family,
--from a Leslie, not from a Hazeldean." Lady Frederick turned sharply,
looked at Randal's countenance with more attention than she had yet
vouchsafed to it, and tried to talk of the Leslies. Randal was very
short there.

An hour afterwards, Randal, who had not danced, was still in the
refreshment-room, but Lady Frederick had long quitted him. He was
talking with some old Etonians who had recognized him, when there entered
a lady of very remarkable appearance, and a murmur passed through the
room as she appeared.