Now, Miss Palliser, who was still staying at Lord Chiltern's house, was niece to the old Duke, and first cousin to the heir.

"They are nothing to me," she said once, when Lord Chiltern had attempted to apologise for the abuse he was heaping on her relatives.

"I haven't seen the Duke since I was a little child, and I shouldn't know my cousin were I to meet him." "So much the more gracious is your condition," said Lady Chiltern,--"at any rate in Oswald's estimation." "I know them, and once spent a couple of days at Matching with them," said Lord Chiltern.

"The Duke is an old fool, who always gave himself greater airs than any other man in England,--and as far as I can see, with less to excuse them.

As for Planty Pall, he and I belong so essentially to different orders of things, that we can hardly be reckoned as being both men." "And which is the man, Lord Chiltern ?" "Whichever you please, my dear; only not both.