The Signora was at a private concert, and she was the last
person whom, at this moment, he cared to see. His low spirits rapidly
increased. He got terribly nervous, and felt miserable. At last he drove
to White's.
The House had just broken up, and the political members had just
entered, and in clusters, some standing and some yawning, some
stretching their arms and some stretching their legs, presented symptoms
of an escape from boredom. Among others, round the fire, was a young man
dressed in a rough great coat all cords and sables, with his hat bent
aside, a shawl tied round his neck with boldness, and a huge oaken staff
clenched in his left hand. With the other he held the 'Courier,' and
reviewed with a critical eye the report of the speech which he had made
that afternoon. This was Lord Darrell.
We have always considered the talents of younger brothers as an
unanswerable argument in favour of a Providence. Lord Darrell was the
younger son of the Earl of Darleyford, and had been educated for a
diplomatist. A report some two years ago had been very current that
his elder brother, then Lord Darrell, was, against the consent of his
family, about to be favoured with the hand of Mrs.
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