“You cannot expect your father to do that.”

“No;—­and therefore there is a difficulty.  So you’ve had that awfully ponderous Duke here.  How did you get on with him?”

“Admirably.  He condescended to do something which he called shaking hands with me.”

“He is the greatest old dust out,” said Lord Chiltern, disrespectfully.  “Did he take any notice of Violet?”

“Not that I observed.”

“He ought not to be allowed into the same room with her.”  After that there was a short pause, and Phineas felt some hesitation in speaking of Miss Effingham to Lord Chiltern.  “And how do you get on with her?” asked Lord Chiltern.  Here was a question for a man to answer.  The question was so hard to be answered, that Phineas did not at first make any attempt to answer it.  “You know exactly the ground that I stand on,” continued Lord Chiltern.  “She has refused me three times.  Have you been more fortunate?”

Lord Chiltern, as he asked his question, looked full into Finn’s face in a manner that was irresistible.  His look was not one of anger nor even of pride.  It was not, indeed, without a strong dash of fun.  But such as it was it showed Phineas that Lord Chiltern intended to have an answer.  “No,” said he at last, “I have not been more fortunate.”

“Perhaps you have changed your mind,” said his host.

“No;—­I have not changed my mind,” said Phineas, quickly.

“How stands it then?  Come;—­let us be honest to each other.  I told you down at Willingford that I would quarrel with any man who attempted to cut me out with Violet Effingham.  You made up your mind that you would do so, and therefore I quarrelled with you.  But we can’t always be fighting duels.”

“I hope we may not have to fight another.”

“No;—­it would be absurd,” said Lord Chiltern.  “I rather think that what we did was absurd.  But upon my life I did not see any other way out of it.  However, that is over.  How is it to be now?”

“What am I to say in answer to that?” asked Phineas.

“Just the truth.  You have asked her, I suppose?”

“Yes;—­I have asked her.”

“And she has refused you?”

“Yes;—­she has refused me.”

“And you mean to ask her again?”

“I shall;—­if I ever think that there is a chance.  Indeed, Chiltern, I believe I shall whether I think that I have any chance or not.”

“Then we start fairly, Finn.  I certainly shall do so.  I believe I once told you that I never would;—­but that was long before I suspected that you would enter for the same plate.  What a man says on such a matter when he is down in the mouth goes for nothing.  Now we understand each other, and you had better go and dress.  The bell rang nearly half an hour ago, and my fellow is hanging about outside the door.”