She shrugged her shoulders.
"But you make the speech!"
"Not at all. They only want to hear you. And there'll be a great crowd."
"Elizabeth can't speak worth a cent!" said Philip, with brotherly candour. "Can you, Lisa?"
"I don't believe it," said Lord Waynflete, "but it don't matter. All they want is that a Gaddesden should say something. Ah, Mrs. Gaddesden--how glorious the Romney looks to-night!" He turned to the fireplace, admiring the illuminated picture, his hands on his sides.
"Is it an ancestress?" Mariette addressed the question to Elizabeth.
"Yes. She had three husbands, and is supposed to have murdered the fourth," said Elizabeth drily.
"All the same she's an extremely handsome woman," put in Lord Waynflete. "And as you're the image of her, Lady Merton, you'd better not run her down." Elizabeth joined in the laugh against herself and the speaker turned to Anderson.
"You'll find this place a perfect treasure-house, Mr. Anderson, and I advise you to study it--for the Radicals won't leave any of us anything, before many years are out. You're from Manitoba? Ah, you're not troubled with any of these Socialist fellows yet! But you'll get 'em--you'll get 'em--like rats in the corn. They'll pull the old flag down if they can. But you'll help us to keep it flying. The Colonies are our hope--we look to the Colonies!"
The handsome old man raised an oratorical hand, and looked round on his audience, like one to whom public speaking was second nature.