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〃Oh yes； if his father were not living he would be a duke。〃
〃So that when his father dies；〃 pursued Bessie Alden with more
simplicity than might have been expected in a clever girl；
〃he will become Duke of Bayswater？〃
〃Of course；〃 said Percy Beaumont。 〃But his father is in excellent health。〃
〃And his mother？〃
Beaumont smiled a little。 〃The duchess is uncommonly robust。〃
〃And has he any sisters？〃
〃Yes； there are two。〃
〃And what are they called？〃
〃One of them is married。 She is the Countess of Pimlico。〃
〃And the other？〃
〃The other is unmarried； she is plain Lady Julia。〃
Bessie Alden looked at him a moment。 〃Is she very plain？〃
Beaumont began to laugh again。 〃You would not find her so handsome as
her brother；〃 he said； and it was after this that he attempted to dissuade
the heir of the Duke of Bayswater from accepting Mrs。 Westgate's invitation。
〃Depend upon it；〃 he said； 〃that girl means to try for you。〃
〃It seems to me you are doing your best to make a fool of me；〃
the modest young nobleman answered。
〃She has been asking me；〃 said Beaumont； 〃all about your people
and your possessions。〃
〃I am sure it is very good of her！〃 Lord Lambeth rejoined。
〃Well； then；〃 observed his companion； 〃if you go； you go
with your eyes open。〃
〃Damn my eyes！〃 exclaimed Lord Lambeth。 〃If one is to be a dozen times
a day at the house； it is a great deal more convenient to sleep there。
I am sick of traveling up and down this beastly avenue。〃
Since he had determined to go； Percy Beaumont would； of course；
have been very sorry to allow him to go alone； he was a man
of conscience； and he remembered his promise to the duchess。
It was obviously the memory of this promise that made him say
to his companion a couple of days later that he rather wondered
he should be so fond of that girl。
〃In the first place； how do you know how fond I am of her？〃
asked Lord Lambeth。 〃And； in the second place； why shouldn't
I be fond of her？〃
〃I shouldn't think she would be in your line。〃
〃What do you call my 'line'？ You don't set her down as 'fast'？〃
〃Exactly so。 Mrs。 Westgate tells me that there is no such thing
as the 'fast girl' in America； that it's an English invention；
and that the term has no meaning here。〃
〃All the better。 It's an animal I detest。〃
〃You prefer a bluestocking。〃
〃Is that what you call Miss Alden？〃
〃Her sister tells me；〃 said Percy Beaumont； 〃that she
is tremendously literary。〃
〃I don't know anything about that。 She is certainly very clever。〃
〃Well；〃 said Beaumont； 〃I should have supposed you would have found
that sort of thing awfully slow。〃
〃In point of fact；〃 Lord Lambeth rejoined； 〃I find it uncommonly lively。〃
After this； Percy Beaumont held his tongue； but on
the 10th of August he wrote to the Duchess of Bayswater。
He was； as I have said； a man of conscience； and he had
a strong； incorruptible sense of the proprieties of life。
His kinsman； meanwhile； was having a great deal of talk
with Bessie Aldenon the red sea rocks beyond the lawn；
in the course of long island rides； with a slow return in
the glowing twilight； on the deep veranda late in the evening。
Lord Lambeth； who had stayed at many houses； had never stayed
at a house in which it was possible for a young man to converse
so frequently with a young lady。 This young lady no longer applied
to Percy Beaumont for information concerning his lordship。
She addressed herself directly to the young nobleman。
She asked him a great many questions； some of which bored him
a little； for he took no pleasure in talking about himself。
〃Lord Lambeth；〃 said Bessie Alden； 〃are you a hereditary legislator？〃
〃Oh； I say！〃 cried Lord Lambeth； 〃don't make me call myself
such names as that。〃
〃But you are a member of Parliament；〃 said the young girl。
〃I don't like the sound of that； either。〃
〃Don't you sit in the House of Lords？〃 Bessie Alden went on。
〃Very seldom；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃Is it an important position？〃 she asked。
〃Oh； dear； no；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃I should think it would be very grand；〃 said Bessie Alden；
〃to possess； simply by an accident of birth； the right to make
laws for a great nation。〃
〃Ah； but one doesn't make laws。 It's a great humbug。〃
〃I don't believe that；〃 the young girl declared。
〃It must be a great privilege； and I should think that if one
thought of it in the right wayfrom a high point of view
it would be very inspiring。〃
〃The less one thinks of it； the better；〃 Lord Lambeth affirmed。
〃I think it's tremendous；〃 said Bessie Alden； and on
another occasion she asked him if he had any tenantry。
Hereupon it was that； as I have said； he was a little bored。
〃Do you want to buy up their leases？〃 he asked。
〃Well； have you got any livings？〃 she demanded。
〃Oh； I say！〃 he cried。 〃Have you got a clergyman that is looking out？〃
But she made him tell her that he had a castle； he confessed to but one。
It was the place in which he had been born and brought up； and； as he had
an old…time liking for it； he was beguiled into describing it a little
and saying it was really very jolly。 Bessie Alden listened with great
interest and declared that she would give the world to see such a place。
Whereupon〃It would be awfully kind of you to come and stay there；〃
said Lord Lambeth。 He took a vague satisfaction in the circumstance
that Percy Beaumont had not heard him make the remark I have just recorded。
Mr。 Westgate all this time had not； as they said at Newport； 〃come on。〃
His wife more than once announced that she expected him on the morrow；
but on the morrow she wandered about a little； with a telegram in her
jeweled fingers； declaring it was very tiresome that his business detained him
in New York； that he could only hope the Englishmen were having a good time。
〃I must say；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate； 〃that it is no thanks to him if you are。〃
And she went on to explain； while she continued that slow…paced
promenade which enabled her well…adjusted skirts to display themselves
so advantageously； that unfortunately in America there was no leisure class。
It was Lord Lambeth's theory； freely propounded when the young men
were together； that Percy Beaumont was having a very good time with
Mrs。 Westgate； and that； under the pretext of meeting for the purpose
of animated discussion； they were indulging in practices that imparted
a shade of hypocrisy to the lady's regret for her husband's absence。
〃I assure you we are always discussing and differing；〃
said Percy Beaumont。 〃She is awfully argumentative。
American ladies certainly don't mind contradicting you。
Upon my word I don't think I was ever treated so by a woman before。
She's so devilish positive。〃
Mrs。 Westgate's positive quality； however； evidently had
its attractions； for Beaumont was constantly at his hostess's si