ly and armor from Wardour Street—was thronged with gentlemen and ladies, and gave forth unwonted echoes to many a footstep. His grace himself, when Mark arrived there with Sowerby and Miss Dunstable—for in this instance Miss Dunstable did travel in the phaeton, while Mark occupied a seat in the dicky—his grace himself was at this moment in the drawing-room, and nothing could exceed his urbanity.
"Oh, Miss Dunstable," he said, taking that lady by the hand, and leading her up to the fire, "now I feel for the first time that Gatherum Castle has not been built for nothing."
"Nobody ever supposed it was, your grace," said Miss Dunstable. "I am sure the architect did not think so when his bill was paid." And Miss Dunstable put her toes up on the fender to warm them with as much self-possession as though her father had been a duke also, instead of a quack doctor.
"We have given the strictest orders about the parrot," said the duke—
"Ah! but I have not brought him, after all," said Miss Dunstable.
"And I have had an aviary built on purpose—just such as parrots are used to in their own country. Well, Miss Dunstable, I do call that unkind. Is it too late to send for him?"
"He and Dr. Easyman are traveling together. The truth was, I could not rob the doctor of his companion."
"Why? I have had another aviary built for him. I declare, Miss Dunstable, the honor you are doing me is shorn of half its glory. But the poodle—I still trust in the poodle."
"And your grace's trust shall not in that respect be in vain. Where is he, I wonder?" And Miss Dunstable looked round as though she expected that somebody would certainly have brought her dog in after her. "I declare I must go and look for him—only think if they were to put him among your grace's dogs—how his morals would be destroyed!"
"Miss Dunstable, is that intended to be personal?" But the lady had turned away from the fire, and the duke was able to welcome his other guests.
This he did with much courtesy. "Sowerby," he said,
