Such a woman would feel that wealth was necessary to her, and would be willing, for the sake of wealth, to put up with a husband without romance.

Nay; might it not be that she would prefer a husband without romance?
Thus Phineas was arguing to himself as he was driven up to the door of Loughlinter Castle, while Mr.Ratler was eloquent on the beauty of old park trees.

"After all, a Scotch forest is a very scrubby sort of thing," said Mr.Ratler.
There was nobody in the house,--at least, they found nobody; and within half an hour Phineas was walking about the grounds by himself.
Mr.Ratler had declared himself to be delighted at having an opportunity of writing letters,--and no doubt was writing them by the dozen, all dated from Loughlinter, and all detailing the facts that Mr.Gresham, and Mr.Monk, and Plantagenet Palliser, and Lord Brentford were in the same house with him.

Phineas had no letters to write, and therefore rushed down across the broad lawn to the river, of which he heard the noisy tumbling waters.

There was something in the air which immediately filled him with high spirits; and, in his desire to investigate the glories of the place, he forgot that he was going to dine with four Cabinet Ministers in a row.