It did not suit him, a Knight of the Garter and a Duke of St Bungay, to beg mercy for that poor wife of his from such a one as Mrs Conway Sparkes; nor would it be more in his way to lodge a formal complaint against that lady before his host or hostess,--as one boy at school may sometimes do as regards another.

"If you don't like the people, my dear, we will go away," he said to her late on that evening of which we have spoken.

"No," she replied, "I do not wish to go away.

I have said that we would stay till December, and Longroyston won't be ready before that.

But I think that something ought to be done to silence that woman." And the accent came strong upon "something," and then again with terrific violence upon "woman." The Duke did not know how to silence Mrs Conway Sparkes.