'
Soon after that Silverbridge and Popplecourt came in. If the story
of the old woman in the portrait may be taken as evidence of a
family connection between Lady Cantrip and Lord Popplecourt,
everybody there was more or less connected with everybody else.
Nidderdale had been a first cousin of Lady Glencora, and he had
married a daughter of Lady Cantrip. They were manifestly a family
party,--thanks to the old woman in the picture.
It is a point of conscience among the--perhaps not ten thousand,
but say one thousand of bluest blood,--that everybody should know
who everybody is. Our Duke, though he had not given his mind much
to the pursuit, had nevertheless learned his lesson. It is a
knowledge which the possession of the blue blood itself produces.
There are countries with bluer blood than our own in which to be
without such knowledge is a crime.
When the old lady in the portrait had been discussed, Popplecourt
was close to Lady Mary. They two had no idea why such vicinity had
been planned. The Duke knew of course, and Lady Cantrip.
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