Issuing into Albemarle Street, he looked vaguely about him, and wondered how he should get through the rest of the afternoon.

A dull sky hastened the failure of his spirits; when, in a few minutes, rain began to fall, he walked on under his umbrella, thoroughly cheerless and objectless.

Then it struck him that he would go presently to Pont Street; Mrs.Toplady might help him to solve the mystery of Lady Ogram's niece.
Confound Lady Ogram's niece! Her appearance could not have been more inopportune.

The old woman was obviously quite taken up with her, and, as likely as not, would lose all her interest in politics.

Here was the explanation of her not having answered his last long letter.