. The signature of the authoress was now known; and from
this resurgence of her name in public, suddenly a radiation of tongues from the
circle of Lady Wathin declared that the repentant Mrs. Warwick had gone back to
her husband's bosom and forgiveness! The rumour spread in spite of sturdy
denials at odd corners, counting the red-hot proposal of Mr. Sullivan Smith to
eat his head and boots for breakfast if it was proved correct. It filled a yawn
of the Clubs for the afternoon. Soon this wanton rumour was met and stifled by
another of more morbific density, heavily charged as that which led the sad
Eliza to her pyre.
    ANTONIA'S hero was easily identified. THE YOUNG MINISTER OF STATE could be
he only who was now at all her parties, always meeting her; had been spied
walking with her daily in the park near her house, on his march down to
Westminster during the session; and who positively went to concerts and sat
under fiddlers to be near her. It accounted moreover for his treatment of
Constance Asper. What effrontery of the authoress, to placard herself with him
in a book! The likeness of the hero to Percy Dacier once established became
striking to glaringness - a proof of her ability, and more of her audacity;
still more of her intention to flatter him up to his perdition. By the things
written of him, one would imagine the conversations going on behind the scenes.
She had the wiles of a Cleopatra, not without some of the Nilene's experiences.
A youthful Antony-Dacier would be little likely to escape her toils. And so
promising a young man! The sigh, the tear for weeping over his destruction,
almost fell, such vivid realizing of the prophesy appeared in its pathetic
pronouncement.
    This low rumour, or malaria, began blowing in the winter, and did not travel
fast; for strangely, there was hardly a breath of it in the atmosphere of
Dacier, none in Diana's. It rose from groups not so rapidly and largely mixing,
and less quick to kindle; whose crazy sincereness battened on the smallest
morsel of fact and collected the fictitious by slow absorption. But as guardians
of morality, often doing good duty in their office, they are persistent. When
Parliament assembled, Mr. Quintin Manx, a punctual member of the House, if
nothing else, arrived in town. He was invited to dine with Lady Wathin. After
dinner she spoke to him of the absent Constance, and heard of her being well,
and expressed a great rejoicing at that. Whereupon the burly old ship
