"I am commissioned by the Duke of Omnium," continued Mr.Fothergill, "to say how glad he will be if you will join his grace's party at Gatherum Castle next week.

The bishop will be there, and indeed nearly the whole set who are here now.

The duke would have written when he heard that you were to be at Chaldicotes; but things were hardly quite arranged then, so his grace has left it for me to tell you how happy he will be to make your acquaintance in his own house.
I have spoken to Sowerby," continued Mr.Fothergill, "and he very much hopes that you will be able to join us." Mark felt that his face became red when this proposition was made to him.

The party in the county to which he properly belonged--he and his wife, and all that made him happy and respectable--looked upon the Duke of Omnium with horror and amazement; and now he had absolutely received an invitation to the duke's house! A proposition was made to him that he should be numbered among the duke's friends! And though in one sense he was sorry that the proposition was made to him, yet in another he was proud of it.

It is not every young man, let his profession be what it may, who can receive overtures of friendship from dukes without some elation.