had a considerable fortune, which was subsequently increased by an unexpected inheritance. The lady had likewise a will of her own, as she had a right to have, and we daresay there may have been domestic tussles before she was permitted to indulge it. At any rate, the pair ultimately signed terms of peace, and agreed to go each their own way as they liked, coming together on a footing of friendship when they pleased. Winstanley had gone through all the successive grades, from unpaid attaché to first secretary of legation; and then he became a promising Minister, although he had never risen to the rank of ambassador. That, as I said, was very much his own fault. He was able, but only too versatile, for he wanted ballast. He loved change of scene, and was willing to be shifted anywhere, from the Hague or Frankfort to Quito or Pekin. And all that could certainly be predicated of him at the Foreign Office was, that he would scarcely be settled ere he would wish to change again. And a change he invariably succeeded in ejecting, which may have gone far to account for his complacent submission, though he went revolving in secondary spheres in place of rising to the primary.
So that even in the discharge of his strictly official duties, the proverb of the rolling stone could hardly be said to apply to him, for he rolled out of one good berth into another, and had always respectable pay and appointments. But he was a man who had many irons in the fire, and had a marvellous instinct for never burning his fingers. As to that, we may let him speak for himself, as it was a subject on which he was especially fond of speaking when he could make sure of his audience. Winstanley detested the semblance of boasting, but he loved sympathetic appreciation. Perhaps it was the unfeigned and only half-conscious flattery of Jack Venables in that respect, which had drawn the elder adventurer most strongly towards the younger one.
Jack had expressed his admiration and astonishment at the number and variety of those irons of Mr Winstanley, though he had merely heard of a few of them in course of conversation.
"Well, you see," said Winstanley, complacently, "I have lived in many places in my time, and have always made it a golden rule to turn my opportunities to the best advantage."
"And such opportunities!" sighingly ejaculated Jack.
"Such opportunities, you may well say. No man can do more in the speculative way than one of her Majesty's diplomatic representatives in foreign parts. The misfortune is, with men sent to Peru or Patagonia, or those sort of places, that very few of them have money. They try to live on their incomes, or to save upon them, and they fail ignominiously. Now I had money, as it happened. Trade is forbidden even to consuls now, very properly, though the poor devils have often to starve upon a pittance, in obedience to peremptory though righteous rules. But a free Briton may always invest his money in whatever quarter of the globe he happens to find himself. A diplomatist has always access to the best information, and should be able to count on his position for guaranteeing his being honestly dealt with."
"So, sir?" again ejaculated Jack, hanging on the lips of the speaker, in the confident hope of successfully imitating him.
Winstanley was pleased, and went on; perhaps he had his reasons besides.
"Look here, Venables; I have
