"Struck both by his manner and his unaccountable knowledge of my
movements, I decided to question him further respecting the cause of his
evident distress. Stepping back into the shop, therefore, I invited him to
follow me, explaining that there we could discuss the matter privately.
When, however, I turned round to hear what he had to tell me, I found that
he was gone, nor, on returning to the door, could I see him anywhere in
the street.

"Unable to account for his abrupt departure, and anxious to help him if it
lay in my power, I recalled that his wife had a little shop in the town,
and I succeeded in tracing my way thither. Judge of my astonishment on
finding the old woman in widow's mourning, and on learning from her that
her husband had been dead for some months! Still more was I startled upon
hearing that on his death-bed he had repeatedly told her that my father's
steward had wronged him of some money, but that when Master Tom returned
he would see her righted. Needless to say, as speedily as possible I
accomplished the old man's dying wish which had been so strangely brought
to my knowledge."

The next mention of Chancellor Ego which occurs in Mrs Stanhope's
correspondence is not so complimentary:--


_June 3rd, 1806._

Your sisters are now well, and propose being very gay. To-morrow, in
the morning, we attend the Drawingroom, after which your father dines
at what is called Mr Pitt's Dinner, & where the attendance is expected
to be very large. In the evening, I am to have a few friends, amongst
them Lady C. Wortley and Mr Mercer, who sing together most