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diff --git a/29828-8.txt b/29828-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c08a661 --- /dev/null +++ b/29828-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,23432 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Is He Popenjoy?, by Anthony Trollope + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Is He Popenjoy? + + +Author: Anthony Trollope + + + +Release Date: August 28, 2009 [eBook #29828] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IS HE POPENJOY?*** + + +E-text prepared by David Edwards, Linda Hamilton, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from +page images generously made available by Internet Archive +(http://www.archive.org) + + + +Note: Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + http://www.archive.org/details/ishepopenjoy00troluoft + + + + + +IS HE POPENJOY? + +by + +ANTHONY TROLLOPE, + +Author of "Doctor Thorne," "The Prime Minister," "Orley Farm," &c., &c. + +Third Edition. + + + + + + + +London: +Chapman & Hall, 193, Piccadilly. 1879. +[_All Rights Reserved._] + +London: Bradbury, Agnew, & Co., Printers, Whitefriars + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I. PAGE + INTRODUCTORY.--NUMBER ONE 1 + + CHAPTER II. + INTRODUCTORY.--NUMBER TWO 7 + + CHAPTER III. + LIFE AT MANOR CROSS 13 + + CHAPTER IV. + AT THE DEANERY 20 + + CHAPTER V. + MISS TALLOWAX IS SHOWN THE HOUSE 26 + + CHAPTER VI. + BAD TIDINGS 34 + + CHAPTER VII. + CROSS HALL GATE 41 + + CHAPTER VIII. + PUGSBY BROOK 47 + + CHAPTER IX. + MRS. HOUGHTON 52 + + CHAPTER X. + THE DEAN AS A SPORTING MAN 61 + + CHAPTER XI. + LORD AND LADY GEORGE GO UP TO TOWN 66 + + CHAPTER XII. + MISS MILDMAY AND JACK DE BARON 72 + + CHAPTER XIII. + MORE NEWS FROM ITALY 79 + + CHAPTER XIV. + "ARE WE TO CALL HIM POPENJOY?" 85 + + CHAPTER XV. + "DROP IT" 93 + + CHAPTER XVI. + ALL IS FISH THAT COMES TO HIS NET 100 + + CHAPTER XVII. + THE DISABILITIES 106 + + CHAPTER XVIII. + LORD GEORGE UP IN LONDON 112 + + CHAPTER XIX. + RATHER "BOISTEROUS" 119 + + CHAPTER XX. + BETWEEN TWO STOOLS 126 + + CHAPTER XXI. + THE MARQUIS COMES HOME 132 + + CHAPTER XXII. + THE MARQUIS AMONG HIS FRIENDS 139 + + CHAPTER XXIII. + THE MARQUIS SEES HIS BROTHER 146 + + CHAPTER XXIV. + THE MARQUIS GOES INTO BROTHERTON 153 + + CHAPTER XXV. + LADY SUSANNA IN LONDON 159 + + CHAPTER XXVI. + THE DEAN RETURNS TO TOWN 166 + + CHAPTER XXVII. + THE BARONESS BANMANN AGAIN 173 + + CHAPTER XXVIII. + "WHAT MATTER IF SHE DOES?" 180 + + CHAPTER XXIX. + MR. HOUGHTON WANTS A GLASS OF SHERRY 186 + + CHAPTER XXX. + THE DEAN IS VERY BUSY 193 + + CHAPTER XXXI. + THE MARQUIS MIGRATES TO LONDON 198 + + CHAPTER XXXII. + LORD GEORGE IS TROUBLED 205 + + CHAPTER XXXIII. + CAPTAIN DE BARON 213 + + CHAPTER XXXIV. + A DREADFUL COMMUNICATION 220 + + CHAPTER XXXV. + "I DENY IT" 226 + + CHAPTER XXXVI. + POPENJOY IS POPENJOY 235 + + CHAPTER XXXVII. + PREPARATIONS FOR THE BALL 241 + + CHAPTER XXXVIII. + THE KAPPA-KAPPA 248 + + CHAPTER XXXIX. + REBELLION 254 + + CHAPTER XL. + AS TO BLUEBEARD 260 + + CHAPTER XLI. + SCUMBERG'S 268 + + CHAPTER XLII. + "NOT GO!" 276 + + CHAPTER XLIII. + REAL LOVE 284 + + CHAPTER XLIV. + WHAT THE BROTHERTON CLERGYMEN SAID ABOUT IT 288 + + CHAPTER XLV. + LADY GEORGE AT THE DEANERY 293 + + CHAPTER XLVI. + LADY SARAH'S MISSION 298 + + CHAPTER XLVII. + THAT YOUNG FELLOW IN THERE 307 + + CHAPTER XLVIII. + THE MARQUIS MAKES A PROPOSITION 312 + + CHAPTER XLIX. + "WOULDN'T YOU COME HERE;--FOR A WEEK?" 320 + + CHAPTER L. + RUDHAM PARK 325 + + CHAPTER LI. + GUSS MILDMAY'S SUCCESS 333 + + CHAPTER LII. + ANOTHER LOVER 341 + + CHAPTER LIII. + POOR POPENJOY! 346 + + CHAPTER LIV. + JACK DE BARON'S VIRTUE 352 + + CHAPTER LV. + HOW COULD HE HELP IT? 357 + + CHAPTER LVI. + SIR HENRY SAID IT WAS THE ONLY THING 365 + + CHAPTER LVII. + MR. KNOX HEARS AGAIN FROM THE MARQUIS 372 + + CHAPTER LVIII. + MRS. JONES' LETTER 378 + + CHAPTER LIX. + BACK IN LONDON 384 + + CHAPTER LX. + THE LAST OF THE BARONESS 391 + + CHAPTER LXI. + THE NEWS COMES HOME 397 + + CHAPTER LXII. + THE WILL 405 + + CHAPTER LXIII. + POPENJOY IS BORN AND CHRISTENED 410 + + CHAPTER LXIV. + CONCLUSION 418 + + + + +IS HE POPENJOY? + +CHAPTER I. + +INTRODUCTORY.--NUMBER ONE. + + +I would that it were possible so to tell a story that a reader should +beforehand know every detail of it up to a certain point, or be so +circumstanced that he might be supposed to know. In telling the little +novelettes of our life, we commence our narrations with the presumption +that these details are borne in mind, and though they be all forgotten, +the stories come out intelligible at last. "You remember Mary Walker. +Oh yes, you do;--that pretty girl, but such a queer temper! And how she +was engaged to marry Harry Jones, and said she wouldn't at the +church-door, till her father threatened her with bread and water; and +how they have been living ever since as happy as two turtle-doves down +in Devonshire,--till that scoundrel, Lieutenant Smith, went to +Bideford! Smith has been found dead at the bottom of a saw-pit. +Nobody's sorry for him. She's in a madhouse at Exeter; and Jones has +disappeared, and couldn't have had more than thirty shillings in his +pocket." This is quite as much as anybody ought to want to know +previous to the unravelling of the tragedy of the Jones's. But such +stories as those I have to tell cannot be written after that fashion. +We novelists are constantly twitted with being long; and to the +gentlemen who condescend to review us, and who take up our volumes with +a view to business rather than pleasure, we must be infinite in length +and tedium. But the story must be made intelligible from the beginning, +or the real novel readers will not like it. The plan of jumping at once +into the middle has been often tried, and sometimes seductively enough +for a chapter or two; but the writer still has to hark back, and to +begin again from the beginning,--not always very comfortably after the +abnormal brightness of his few opening pages; and the reader who is +then involved in some ancient family history, or long local +explanation, feels himself to have been defrauded. It is as though one +were asked to eat boiled mutton after woodcocks, caviare, or maccaroni +cheese. I hold that it is better to have the boiled mutton first, if +boiled mutton there must be. + +The story which I have to tell is something in its nature akin to that +of poor Mrs. Jones, who was happy enough down in Devonshire till that +wicked Lieutenant Smith came and persecuted her; not quite so tragic, +perhaps, as it is stained neither by murder nor madness. But before I +can hope to interest readers in the perplexed details of the life of a +not unworthy lady, I must do more than remind them that they do know, +or might have known, or should have known the antecedents of my +personages. I must let them understand how it came to pass that so +pretty, so pert, so gay, so good a girl as Mary Lovelace, without any +great fault on her part, married a man so grim, so gaunt, so sombre, +and so old as Lord George Germain. It will not suffice to say that she +had done so. A hundred and twenty little incidents must be dribbled +into the reader's intelligence, many of them, let me hope, in such +manner that he shall himself be insensible to the process. But unless I +make each one of them understood and appreciated by my ingenious, +open-hearted, rapid reader,--by my reader who will always have his +fingers impatiently ready to turn the page,--he will, I know, begin to +masticate the real kernel of my story with infinite prejudices against +Mary Lovelace. + +Mary Lovelace was born in a country parsonage; but at the age of +fourteen, when her life was in truth beginning, was transferred by her +father to the deanery of Brotherton. Dean Lovelace had been a fortunate +man in life. When a poor curate, a man of very humble origin, with none +of what we commonly call Church interest, with nothing to recommend him +but a handsome person, moderate education, and a quick intellect, he +had married a lady with a considerable fortune, whose family had bought +for him a living. Here he preached himself into fame. It is not at all +to be implied from this that he had not deserved the fame he acquired. +He had been active and resolute in his work, holding opinions which, if +not peculiar, were at any rate advanced, and never being afraid of the +opinions which he held. His bishop had not loved him, nor had he made +himself dear to the bench of bishops generally. He had the reputation +of having been in early life a sporting parson. He had written a book +which had been characterised as tending to infidelity, and had more +than once been invited to state dogmatically what was his own belief. +He had never quite done so, and had then been made a dean. Brotherton, +as all the world knows, is a most interesting little city, neither a +Manchester nor a Salisbury; full of architectural excellencies, given +to literature, and fond of hospitality. The Bishop of Brotherton,--who +did not love the dean,--was not a general favourite, being strict, +ascetic, and utterly hostile to all compromises. At first there were +certain hostile passages between him and the new dean. But the Dean, +who was and is urbanity itself, won the day, and soon became certainly +the most popular man in Brotherton. His wife's fortune doubled his +clerical income, and he lived in all respects as a dean ought to live. +His wife had died very shortly after his promotion, and he had been +left with one only daughter on whom to lavish his cares and his +affection. + +Now we must turn for a few lines to the family of Lord George Germain. +Lord George was the brother of the Marquis of Brotherton, whose family +residence was at Manor Cross, about nine miles from the city. The +wealth of the family of the Germains was not equal to their rank, and +the circumstances of the family were not made more comfortable by the +peculiarities of the present marquis. He was an idle, self-indulgent, +ill-conditioned man, who found that it suited his tastes better to live +in Italy, where his means were ample, than on his own property, where +he would have been comparatively a poor man. And he had a mother and +four sisters, and a brother with whom he would hardly have known how to +deal had he remained at Manor Cross. As it was, he allowed them to keep +the house, while he simply took the revenue of the estate. With the +marquis I do not know that it will be necessary to trouble the reader +much at present. The old marchioness and her daughters lived always at +Manor Cross in possession of a fine old house in which they could have +entertained half the county, and a magnificent park,--which, however, +was let for grazing up to the garden-gates,--and a modest income +unequal to the splendour which should have been displayed by the +inhabitants of Manor Cross. + +And here also lived Lord George Germain, to whom at a very early period +of his life had been entrusted the difficult task of living as the head +of his family with little or no means for the purpose. When the old +Marquis died,--very suddenly, and soon after the Dean's coming to +Brotherton,--the widow had her jointure, some two thousand a year, out +of the property, and the younger children had each a small settled sum. +That the four ladies,--Sarah, Alice, Susanna, and Amelia,--should have +sixteen thousand pounds among them, did not seem to be so very much +amiss to those who knew how poor was the Germain family; but what was +Lord George to do with four thousand pounds, and no means of earning a +shilling? He had been at Eton, and had taken a degree at Oxford with +credit, but had gone into no profession. There was a living in the +family, and both father and mother had hoped that he would consent to +take orders; but he had declined to do so, and there had seemed to be +nothing for him but to come and live at Manor Cross. Then the old +Marquis had died, and the elder brother, who had long been abroad, +remained abroad. Lord George, who was the youngest of the family, and +at that time about five-and-twenty, remained at Manor Cross, and became +not only ostensibly but in very truth the managing head of the family. + +He was a man whom no one could despise, and in whom few could find much +to blame. In the first place he looked his poverty in the face, and +told himself that he was a very poor man. His bread he might earn by +looking after his mother and sisters, and he knew no other way in +which he could do so. He was a just steward, spending nothing to +gratify his own whims, acknowledging on all sides that he had nothing +of his own, till some began to think that he was almost proud of his +poverty. Among the ladies of the family, his mother and sisters, it was +of course said that George must marry money. In such a position there +is nothing else that the younger son of a marquis can do. But Lord +George was a person somewhat difficult of instruction in such a matter. +His mother was greatly afraid of him. Among his sisters Lady Sarah +alone dared to say much to him; and even to her teaching on this +subject he turned a very deaf ear. "Quite so, George," she said; "quite +so. No man with a spark of spirit would marry a woman for her +money,"--and she laid a great stress on the word "for,"--"but I do not +see why a lady who has money should be less fit to be loved than one +who has none. Miss Barm is a most charming young woman, of excellent +manners, admirably educated, if not absolutely handsome, quite of +distinguished appearance, and she has forty thousand pounds. We all +liked her when she was here." But there came a very black frown upon +Lord George's brow, and then even Lady Sarah did not dare to speak +again in favour of Miss Barm. + +Then there came a terrible blow. Lord George Germain was in love with +his cousin, Miss De Baron! It would be long to tell, and perhaps +unnecessary, how that young lady had made herself feared by the ladies +of Manor Cross. Her father, a man of birth and fortune, but not perhaps +with the best reputation in the world, had married a Germain of the +last generation, and lived, when in the country, about twenty miles +from Brotherton. He was a good deal on the turf, spent much of his time +at card-playing clubs, and was generally known as a fast man. But he +paid his way, had never put himself beyond the pale of society, and +was, of course, a gentleman. As to Adelaide de Baron, no one doubted +her dash, her wit, her grace, or her toilet. Some also gave her credit +for beauty; but there were those who said that, though she would behave +herself decently at Manor Cross and houses of that class, she could be +loud elsewhere. Such was the lady whom Lord George loved, and it may be +conceived that this passion was distressing to the ladies of Manor +Cross. In the first place, Miss De Baron's fortune was doubtful and +could not be large; and then--she certainly was not such a wife as Lady +Brotherton and her daughters desired for the one male hope of the +family. + +But Lord George was very resolute, and for a time it seemed to them all +that Miss de Baron,--of whom the reader will see much if he go through +with our story,--was not unwilling to share the poverty of her noble +lover. Of Lord George personally something must be said. He was a tall, +handsome, dark-browed man, silent generally and almost gloomy, looking, +as such men do, as though he were always revolving deep things in his +mind, but revolving in truth things not very deep,--how far the money +would go, and whether it would be possible to get a new pair of +carriage-horses for his mother. Birth and culture had given to him a +look of intellect greater than he possessed; but I would not have it +thought that he traded on this or endeavoured to seem other than he +was. He was simple, conscientious, absolutely truthful, full of +prejudices, and weak-minded. Early in life he had been taught to +entertain certain ideas as to religion by those with whom he had lived +at college, and had therefore refused to become a clergyman. The bishop +of the diocese had attacked him; but, though weak, he was obstinate. +The Dean and he had become friends, and so he had learned to think +himself in advance of the world. But yet he knew himself to be a +backward, slow, unappreciative man. He was one who could bear reproach +from no one else, but who never praised himself even to himself. + +But we must return to his love, which is that which now concerns us. +His mother and sisters altogether failed to persuade him. Week after +week he went over to Baronscourt, and at last threw himself at +Adelaide's feet. This was five years after his father's death, when he +was already thirty years old. Miss De Baron, though never a favourite +at Manor Cross, knew intimately the history of the family. The present +marquis was over forty, and as yet unmarried;--but then Lord George was +absolutely a pauper. In that way she might probably become a +marchioness; but then of what use would life be to her, should she be +doomed for the next twenty years to live simply as one of the ladies of +Manor Cross? She consulted her father, but he seemed to be quite +indifferent, merely reminding her that though he would be ready to do +everything handsomely for her wedding, she would have no fortune till +after his death. She consulted her glass, and told herself that, +without self-praise, she must regard herself as the most beautiful +woman of her own acquaintance. She consulted her heart, and found that +in that direction she need not trouble herself. It would be very nice +to be a marchioness, but she certainly was not in love with Lord +George. He was handsome, no doubt--very handsome; but she was not sure +that she cared much for men being handsome. She liked men that "had +some go in them," who were perhaps a little fast, and who sympathised +with her own desire for amusement. She could not bring herself to fall +in love with Lord George. But then, the rank of a marquis is very high! +She told Lord George that she must take time to consider. + +When a young lady takes time to consider she has, as a rule, given way, +Lord George felt it to be so, and was triumphant. The ladies at Manor +Cross thought that they saw what was coming, and were despondent. The +whole county declared that Lord George was about to marry Miss De +Baron. The county feared that they would be very poor; but the +recompence would come at last, as the present marquis was known not to +be a marrying man. Lady Sarah was mute with despair. Lady Alice had +declared that there was nothing for them but to make the best of it. +Lady Susanna, who had high ideas of aristocratic duty, thought that +George was forgetting himself. Lady Amelia, who had been snubbed by +Miss De Baron, shut herself up and wept. The Marchioness took to her +bed. Then, exactly at the same time, two things happened, both of which +were felt to be of vital importance at Manor Cross. Miss De Baron wrote +a most determined refusal to her lover, and old Mr. Tallowax died. Now +old Mr. Tallowax had been Dean Lovelace's father-in-law, and had never +had a child but she who had been the Dean's wife. + +Lord George did in truth suffer dreadfully. There are men to whom such +a disappointment as this causes enduring physical pain,--as though they +had become suddenly affected with some acute and yet lasting disease. +And there are men, too, who suffer the more because they cannot conceal +the pain. Such a man was Lord George. He shut himself up for months at +Manor Cross, and would see no one. At first it was his intention to try +again, but very shortly after the letter to himself came one from Miss +De Baron to Lady Alice, declaring that she was about to be married +immediately to one Mr. Houghton; and that closed the matter. Mr. +Houghton's history was well known to the Manor Cross family. He was a +friend of Mr. De Baron, very rich, almost old enough to be the girl's +father, and a great gambler. But he had a house in Berkeley Square, +kept a stud of horses in Northamptonshire, and was much thought of at +Newmarket. Adelaide De Baron explained to Lady Alice that the marriage +had been made up by her father, whose advice she had thought it her +duty to take. The news was told to Lord George, and then it was found +expedient never to mention further the name of Miss De Baron within the +walls of Manor Cross. + +But the death of Mr. Tallowax was also very important. Of late the Dean +of Brotherton had become very intimate at Manor Cross. For some years +the ladies had been a little afraid of him, as they were by no means +given to free opinions. But he made his way. They were decidedly high; +the bishop was notoriously low; and thus, in a mild manner, without +malignity on either side, Manor Cross and the Palace fell out. Their +own excellent young clergyman was snubbed in reference to his church +postures, and Lady Sarah was offended. But the Dean's manners were +perfect. He never trod on any one's toes. He was rich, and as far as +birth went, nobody,--but he knew how much was due to the rank of the +Germains. In all matters he obliged them, and had lately made the +deanery very pleasant to Lady Alice,--to whom a widowed canon at +Brotherton was supposed to be partial. The interest between the deanery +and Manor Cross was quite close; and now Mr. Tallowax had died leaving +the greater part of his money to the Dean's daughter. + +When a man suffers from disappointed love he requires consolation. +Lady Sarah boldly declared her opinion,--in female conclave of +course,--that one pretty girl is as good to a man as another, and might +be a great deal better if she were at the same time better mannered and +better dowered than the other. Mary Lovelace, when her grandfather +died, was only seventeen. Lord George was at that time over thirty. But +a man of thirty is still a young man, and a girl of seventeen may be a +young woman. If the man be not more than fifteen years older than the +woman the difference of age can hardly be regarded as an obstacle. And +then Mary was much loved at Manor Cross. She had been a most engaging +child, was clever, well-educated, very pretty, with a nice sparkling +way, fond of pleasure no doubt, but not as yet instructed to be fast. +And now she would have at once thirty thousand pounds, and in course of +time would be her father's heiress. + +All the ladies at Manor Cross put their heads together,--as did also +Mr. Canon Holdenough, who, while these things had been going on, had +been accepted by Lady Alice. They fooled Lord George to the top of his +bent, smoothing him down softly amidst the pangs of his love, not +suggesting Mary Lovelace at first, but still in all things acting in +that direction. And they so far succeeded that within twelve months of +the marriage of Adelaide De Baron to Mr. Houghton, when Mary Lovelace +was not yet nineteen and Lord George was thirty-three, with some few +grey hairs on his handsome head, Lord George did go over to the deanery +and offer himself as a husband to Mary Lovelace. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +INTRODUCTORY NUMBER TWO. + + +"What ought I to do, papa?" The proposition was in the first instance +made to Mary through the Dean. Lord George had gone to the father, and +the father with many protestations of personal goodwill, had declared +that in such a matter he would not attempt to bias his daughter. "That +the connection would be personally agreeable to myself, I need hardly +say," said the Dean. "For myself, I have no objection to raise. But I +must leave it to Mary. I can only say that you have my permission to +address her." But the first appeal to Mary was made by her father +himself, and was so made in conformity with his own advice. Lord +George, when he left the deanery, had thus arranged it, but had been +hardly conscious that the Dean had advised such an arrangement. And it +may be confessed between ourselves,--between me and my readers, who in +these introductory chapters may be supposed to be looking back together +over past things,--that the Dean was from the first determined that +Lord George should be his son-in-law. What son-in-law could he find +that would redound more to his personal credit, or better advance his +personal comfort. As to his daughter, where could a safer husband be +found! And then she might in this way become a marchioness! His own +father had kept livery stables at Bath. Her other grandfather had been +a candlemaker in the Borough. "What ought I to do, papa?" Mary asked, +when the proposition was first made to her. She of course admired the +Germains, and appreciated, at perhaps more than its full value the +notice she had received from them. She had thought Lord George to be +the handsomest man she had ever seen. She had heard of his love for +Miss De Baron, and had felt for him. She was not as yet old enough to +know how dull was the house at Manor Cross, or how little of resource +she might find in the companionship of such a man as Lord George. Of +her own money she knew almost nothing. Not as yet had her fortune +become as a carcase to the birds. And now, should she decide in Lord +George's favour, would she be saved at any rate from that danger. + +"You must consult your own feelings, my dear," said her father. She +looked up to him in blank dismay. She had as yet no feelings. + +"But, papa----" + +"Of course, my darling, there is a great deal to be said in favour of +such a marriage. The man himself is excellent,--in all respects +excellent. I do not know that there is a young man of higher principles +than Lord George in the whole county." + +"He is hardly a young man, papa." + +"Not a young man! He is thirty. I hope you do not call that old. I +doubt whether men in his position of life should ever marry at an +earlier age. He is not rich." + +"Would that matter?" + +"No; I think not. But of that you must judge. Of course with your +fortune you would have a right to expect a richer match. But though he +has not money, he has much that money gives. He lives in a large house +with noble surroundings. The question is whether you can like him?" + +"I don't know, papa." Every word she spoke she uttered hesitatingly. +When she had asked whether "that would matter," she had hardly known +what she was saying. The thing was so important to her, and yet so +entirely mysterious and as yet unconsidered, that she could not collect +her thoughts sufficiently for proper answers to her father's sensible +but not too delicate inquiries. The only ideas that had really struck +her were that he was grand and handsome, but very old. + +"If you can love him I think you would be happy," said the Dean. "Of +course you must look at it all round. He will probably live to be the +Marquis of Brotherton. From all that I hear I do not think that his +brother is likely to marry. In that case you would be the Marchioness +of Brotherton, and the property, though not great, would then be +handsome. In the meanwhile you would be Lady George Germain, and would +live at Manor Cross. I should stipulate on your behalf that you should +have a house of your own in town, for, at any rate, a portion of the +year. Manor Cross is a fine place, but you would find it dull if you +were to remain there always. A married woman too should always have +some home of her own." + +"You want me to do it, papa?" + +"Certainly not. I want you to please yourself. If I find that you +please yourself by accepting this man, I myself shall be better pleased +than if you please yourself by rejecting him; but you shall never know +that by my manner. I shall not put you on bread and water, and lock you +up in the garret either if you accept him, or if you reject him." The +Dean smiled as he said this, as all the world at Brotherton knew that +he had never in his life even scolded his daughter. + +"And you, papa?" + +"I shall come and see you, and you will come and see me. I shall get on +well enough. I have always known that you would leave me soon. I am +prepared for that." There was something in this which grated on her +feelings. She had, perhaps, taught herself to believe that she was +indispensable to her father's happiness. Then after a pause he +continued: "Of course you must be ready to see Lord George when he +comes again, and you ought to remember, my dear, that marquises do not +grow on every hedge." + +With great care and cunning workmanship one may almost make a silk +purse out of a sow's ear, but not quite. The care which Dean Lovelace +had bestowed upon the operation in regard to himself had been very +great, and the cunning workmanship was to be seen in every plait and +every stitch. But still there was something left of the coarseness of +the original material. Of all this poor Mary knew nothing at all; but +yet she did not like being told of marquises and hedges where her heart +was concerned. She had wanted,--had unconsciously wanted,--some touch +of romance from her father to satisfy the condition in which she found +herself. But there was no touch of romance there; and when she was left +to herself to work the matter out in her own heart and in her own mind +she was unsatisfied. + +Two or three days after this Mary received notice that her lover was +coming. The Dean had seen him and had absolutely fixed a time. To poor +Mary this seemed to be most unromantic, most unpromising. And though +she had thought of nothing else since she had first heard of Lord +George's intention, though she had laid awake struggling to make up her +mind, she had reached no conclusion. It had become quite clear to her +that her father was anxious for the marriage, and there was much in it +which recommended it to herself. The old elms of the park of Manor +Cross were very tempting. She was not indifferent to being called My +Lady. Though she had been slightly hurt when told that marquises did +not grow on hedges, still she knew that it would be much to be a +marchioness. And the man himself was good, and not only good but very +handsome. There was a nobility about him beyond that of his family. +Those prone to ridicule might perhaps have called him Werter-faced, but +to Mary there was a sublimity in this. But then was she in love with +him? + +She was a sweet, innocent, ladylike, high-spirited, joyous creature. +Those struggles of her father to get rid of the last porcine taint, +though not quite successful as to himself, had succeeded thoroughly in +regard to her. It comes at last with due care, and the due care had +here been taken. She was so nice that middle-aged men wished themselves +younger that they might make love to her, or older that they might be +privileged to kiss her. Though keenly anxious for amusement, though +over head and ears in love with sport and frolic, no unholy thought had +ever polluted her mind. That men were men, and that she was a woman, +had of course been considered by her. Oh, that it might some day be her +privilege to love some man with all her heart and all her strength, +some man who should be, at any rate to her, the very hero of heroes, +the cynosure of her world! It was thus that she considered the matter. +There could surely nothing be so glorious as being well in love. And +the one to be thus worshipped must of course become her husband. +Otherwise would her heart be broken, and perhaps his,--and all would be +tragedy. But with tragedy she had no sympathy. The loved one must +become her husband. But the pictures she had made to herself of him +were not at all like Lord George Germain. He was to be fair, with +laughing eyes, quick in repartee, always riding well to hounds. She had +longed to hunt herself, but her father had objected. He must be sharp +enough sometimes to others, though ever soft to her, with a silken +moustache and a dimpled chin, and perhaps twenty-four years old. Lord +George was dark, his eyes never laughed; he was silent generally, and +never went out hunting at all. He was dignified, and tall, very +handsome, no doubt,--and a lord. The grand question was that;--could +she love him? Could she make another picture, and paint him as her +hero? There were doubtless heroic points in the side wave of that +coal-black lock,--coal-black where the few grey hairs had not yet shown +themselves, in his great height, and solemn polished manners. + +When her lover came, she could only remember that if she accepted him +she would please everybody. The Dean had taken occasion to assure her +that the ladies at Manor Cross would receive her with open arms. But on +this occasion she did not accept him. She was very silent, hardly able +to speak a word, and almost sinking out of sight when Lord George +endeavoured to press his suit by taking her hand. But she contrived at +last to make him the very answer that Adelaide De Baron had made. She +must take time to think of it. But the answer came from her in a +different spirit. She at any rate knew as soon as it was given that it +was her destiny in life to become Lady George Germain. She did not say +"Yes" at the moment, only because it is so hard for a girl to tell a +man that she will marry him at the first asking! He made his second +offer by letter, to which the Dean wrote the reply:-- + + "My dear Lord George, + + "My daughter is gratified by your affection, and flattered by your + manner of showing it. A few plain words are perhaps the best. She + will be happy to receive you as her future husband, whenever it + may suit you to come to the deanery. + + "Yours affectionately, + + "HENRY LOVELACE." + +Immediately upon this the conduct of Lord George was unexceptionable. +He hurried over to Brotherton, and as he clasped his girl in his arms, +he told her that he was the happiest man in England. Poor as he was he +made her a handsome present, and besought her if she had any mercy, any +charity, any love for him, to name an early day. Then came the four +ladies from Manor Cross,--for Lady Alice had already become Lady Alice +Holdenough,--and caressed her, and patted her, and petted her, and told +her that she should be as welcome as flowers in May. Her father, too, +congratulated her with more of enthusiasm, and more also of +demonstrated feeling than she had ever before seen him evince. He had +been very unwilling, he said, to express any strong opinion of his own. +It had always been his desire that his girl should please herself. But +now that the thing was settled he could assure her of his thorough +satisfaction. It was all that he could have desired; and now he would +be ready at any time to lay himself down, and be at rest. Had his girl +married a spendthrift lord, even a duke devoted to pleasure and +iniquity, it would have broken his heart. But he would now confess that +the aristocracy of the county had charms for him; and he was not +ashamed to rejoice that his child should be accepted within their pale. +Then he brushed a real tear from his eyes, and Mary threw herself into +his arms. The tear was real, and in all that he said there was not an +insincere word. It was to him a very glory of glories that his child +should be in the way of becoming the Marchioness of Brotherton. It was +even a great glory that she should be Lady George Germain. The Dean +never forgot the livery stable, and owned day and night that God had +been very good to him. + +It was soon settled that Mary was to be allowed three months for +preparation, and that the marriage was to be solemnized in June. Of +course she had much to do in preparing her wedding garments, but she +had before her a much more difficult task than that at which she worked +most sedulously. It was now the great business of her life to fall in +love with Lord George. She must get rid of that fair young man with the +silky moustache and the darling dimple. The sallow, the sublime, and +the Werter-faced must be made to take the place of laughing eyes and +pink cheeks. She did work very hard, and sometimes, as she thought, +successfully. She came to a positive conclusion that he was the +handsomest man she ever saw, and that she certainly liked the few grey +hairs. That his manner was thoroughly noble no one could doubt. If he +were seen merely walking down the street he would surely be taken for a +great man. He was one of whom, as her husband, she could be always +proud;--and that she felt to be a great thing. That he would not play +lawn tennis, and that he did not care for riding were points in his +character to be regretted. Indeed, though she made some tenderly +cautious inquiries, she could not find what were his amusements. She +herself was passionately fond of dancing, but he certainly did not +dance. He talked to her, when he did talk, chiefly of his family, of +his own poverty, of the goodness of his mother and sisters, and of the +great regret which they all felt that they should have been deserted by +the head of their family. + +"He has now been away," said Lord George, "for ten years; but not +improbably he may return soon, and then we shall have to leave Manor +Cross." + +"Leave Manor Cross!" + +"Of course we must do so should he come home. The place belongs to him, +and we are only there because it has not suited him to reside in +England." + +This he said with the utmost solemnity, and the statement had been +produced by the answer which the Marquis had made to a letter +announcing to him his brother's marriage. The Marquis had never been a +good correspondent. To the ladies of the house he never wrote at all, +though Lady Sarah favoured him with a periodical quarterly letter. To +his agent, and less frequently to his brother, he would write curt, +questions on business, never covering more than one side of a sheet of +notepaper, and always signed "Yours, B." To these the inmates of Manor +Cross had now become accustomed, and little was thought of them; but on +this occasion he had written three or four complete sentences, which +had been intended to have, and which did have, a plain meaning. He +congratulated his brother, but begged Lord George to bear in mind that +he himself might not improbably want Manor Cross for his own purpose +before long. If Lord George thought it would be agreeable, Mr. Knox, +the agent, might have instructions to buy Miss Lovelace a present. Of +this latter offer Lord George took no notice; but the intimation +concerning the house sat gravely on his mind. + +The Dean did exactly as he had said with reference to the house in +town. Of course it was necessary that there should be arrangements as +to money between him and Lord George, in which he was very frank. +Mary's money was all her own,--giving her an income of nearly £1500 +per annum. The Dean was quite of opinion that this should be left to +Lord George's management, but he thought it right as Mary's father to +stipulate that his daughter should have a home of her own. Then he +suggested a small house in town, and expressed an opinion that his +daughter should be allowed to live there six months in the year. The +expense of such a sojourn might be in some degree shared by himself if +Lord George would receive him for a month or so in the spring. And so +the thing was settled, Lord George pledging himself that the house +should be taken. The arrangement was distasteful to him in many ways, +but it did not seem to be unreasonable, and he could not oppose it. +Then came the letter from the Marquis. Lord George did not consider +himself bound to speak of that letter to the Dean; but he communicated +the threat to Mary. Mary thought nothing about it, except that her +future brother-in-law must be a very strange man. + +During all those three months she strove very hard to be in love, and +sometimes she thought that she had succeeded. In her little way she +studied the man's character, and did all she could to ingratiate +herself with him. Walking seemed to be his chief relaxation, and she +was always ready to walk with him. She tried to make herself believe +that he was profoundly wise. And then, when she failed in other things, +she fell back upon his beauty. Certainly she had never seen a handsomer +face, either on a man's shoulders or in a picture. And so they were +married. + +Now I have finished my introduction,--having married my heroine to my +hero,--and have, I hope, instructed my reader as to those hundred and +twenty incidents, of which I spoke--not too tediously. If he will go +back and examine, he will find that they are all there. But perhaps it +will be better for us both that he should be in quiet possession of +them without any such examination. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +LIFE AT MANOR CROSS. + + +The married couple passed their honeymoon in Ireland, Lady Brotherton +having a brother, an Irish peer, who lent them for a few months his +house on the Blackwater. The marriage, of course, was celebrated in the +cathedral, and equally of course, the officiating clergymen were the +Dean and Canon Holdenough. On the day before the marriage Lord George +was astonished to find how rich a man was his father-in-law. + +"Mary's fortune is her own," he said; "but I should like to give her +something. Perhaps I had better give it to you on her behalf." + +Then he shuffled a cheque for a thousand pounds into Lord George's +hands. He moreover gave his daughter a hundred pounds in notes on the +morning of the wedding, and thus acted the part of the benevolent +father and father-in-law to a miracle. It may be acknowledged here that +the receipt of the money removed a heavy weight from Lord George's +heart. He was himself so poor, and at the same time so scrupulous, that +he had lacked funds sufficient for the usual brightness of a wedding +tour. He would not take his mother's money, nor lessen his own small +patrimony; but now it seemed that wealth was showered on him from the +deanery. + +Perhaps a sojourn in Ireland did as well as anything could towards +assisting the young wife in her object of falling in love with her +husband. He would hardly have been a sympathetic companion in +Switzerland or Italy, as he did not care for lakes or mountains. But +Ireland was new to him and new to her, and he was glad to have an +opportunity of seeing something of a people as to whom so little is +really known in England. And at Ballycondra, on the Blackwater, they +were justified in feeling a certain interest in the welfare of the +tenants around them. There was something to be done, and something of +which they could talk. Lord George, who couldn't hunt, and wouldn't +dance, and didn't care for mountains, could enquire with some zeal how +much wages a peasant might earn, and what he would do with it when +earned. It interested him to learn that whereas an English labourer +will certainly eat and drink his wages from week to week,--so that he +could not be trusted to pay any sum half-yearly,--an Irish peasant, +though he be half starving, will save his money for the rent. And Mary, +at his instance, also cared for these things. It was her gift, as with +many women, to be able to care for everything. It was, perhaps, her +misfortune that she was apt to care too much for many things. The +honeymoon in Ireland answered its purpose, and Lady George, when she +came back to Manor Cross, almost thought that she had succeeded. She +was at any rate able to assure her father that she had been as happy as +the day was long, and that he was absolutely--"perfect." + +This assurance of perfection the Dean no doubt took at its proper +value. He patted his daughter's cheek as she made it, and kissed her, +and told her that he did not doubt but that with a little care she +might make herself a happy woman. The house in town had already been +taken under his auspices, but of course was not to be inhabited yet. + +It was a very small but a very pretty little house, in a quaint little +street called Munster Court, near Storey's Gate, with a couple of +windows looking into St. James's Park. It was now September, and London +for the present was out of the question. Indeed, it had been arranged +that Lord George and his wife should remain at Manor Cross till after +Christmas. But the house had to be furnished, and the Dean evinced his +full understanding of the duties of a father-in-law in such an +emergency. This, indeed, was so much the case that Lord George became a +little uneasy. He had the greater part of the thousand pounds left, +which he insisted on expending,--and thought that that should have +sufficed. But the Dean explained in his most cordial manner,--and no +man's manner could be more cordial than the Dean's,--that Mary's +fortune from Mr. Tallowax had been unexpected, that having had but one +child he intended to do well by her, and that, therefore, he could now +assist in starting her well in life without doing himself a damage. The +house in this way was decorated and furnished, and sundry journeys up +to London served to brighten the autumn which might otherwise have been +dull and tedious. + +At this period of her life two things acting together, and both acting +in opposition to her anticipations of life, surprised the young bride +not a little. The one was her father's manner of conversation with her, +and the other was her husband's. The Dean had never been a stern +parent; but he had been a clergyman, and as a clergyman he had +inculcated a certain strictness of life,--a very modified strictness, +indeed, but something more rigid than might have come from him had he +been a lawyer or a country gentleman. Mary had learned that he wished +her to attend the cathedral services, and to interest herself +respecting them, and she had always done so. He had explained to her +that, although he kept a horse for her to ride, he, as the Dean of +Brotherton, did not wish her to be seen in the hunting field. In her +dress, her ornaments, her books, her parties, there had been always +something to mark slightly her clerical belongings. She had never +chafed against this because she loved her father and was naturally +obedient; but she had felt something perhaps of a soft regret. Now her +father, whom she saw very frequently, never spoke to her of any duties. +How should her house be furnished? In what way would she lay herself +out for London society? What enjoyments of life could she best secure? +These seemed to be the matters on which he was most intent. It occurred +to her that when speaking to her of the house in London he never once +asked her what church she would attend; and that when she spoke with +pleasure of being so near the Abbey, he paid little or no attention to +her remark. And then, too, she felt, rather than perceived, that in his +counsels to her he almost intimated that she must have a plan of life +different from her husband's. There were no such instructions given, +but it almost seemed as though this were implied. He took it for +granted that her life was to be gay and bright, though he seemed to +take it also for granted that Lord George did not wish to be gay and +bright. + +All this surprised her. But it did not perhaps surprise her so much as +the serious view of life which her husband from day to day impressed +upon her. That hero of her early dreams, that man with the light hair +and the dimpled chin, whom she had not as yet quite forgotten, had +never scolded her, had never spoken a serious word to her, and had +always been ready to provide her with amusements that never palled. But +Lord George made out a course of reading for her,--so much for the two +hours after breakfast, so much for the hour before dressing,--so much +for the evening; and also a table of results to be acquired in three +months,--in six months,--and so much by the close of the first year; +and even laid down the sum total of achievements to be produced by a +dozen years of such work! Of course she determined to do as he would +have her do. The great object of her life was to love him; and, of +course, if she really loved him, she would comply with his wishes. She +began her daily hour of Gibbon after breakfast with great zeal. But +there was present to her an idea that if the Gibbon had come from her +father, and the instigations to amuse herself from her husband, it +would have been better. + +These things surprised her; but there was another matter that vexed +her. Before she had been six weeks at Manor Cross she found that the +ladies set themselves up as her tutors. It was not the Marchioness who +offended her so much as her three sisters-in-law. The one of the family +whom she had always liked best had been also liked best by Mr. +Holdenough, and had gone to live next door to her father in the Close. +Lady Alice, though perhaps a little tiresome, was always gentle and +good-natured. Her mother-in-law was too much in awe of her own eldest +daughter ever to scold anyone. But Lady Sarah could be very severe; and +Lady Susanna could be very stiff; and Lady Amelia always re-echoed what +her elder sisters said. + +Lady Sarah was by far the worst. She was forty years old, and looked as +though she were fifty and wished to be thought sixty. That she was, in +truth, very good, no one either at Manor Cross or in Brotherton or any +of the parishes around ever doubted. She knew every poor woman on the +estate, and had a finger in the making of almost every petticoat worn. +She spent next to nothing on herself, giving away almost all her own +little income. She went to church whatever was the weather. She was +never idle and never wanted to be amused. The place in the carriage +which would naturally have been hers she had always surrendered to one +of her sisters when there had been five ladies at Manor Cross, and now +she surrendered again to her brother's wife. She spent hours daily in +the parish school. She was doctor and surgeon to the poor +people,--never sparing herself. But she was harsh-looking, had a harsh +voice, and was dictatorial. The poor people had become used to her and +liked her ways. The women knew that her stitches never gave way, and +the men had a wholesome confidence in her medicines, her plasters, and +her cookery. But Lady George Germain did not see by what right she was +to be made subject to her sister-in-law's jurisdiction. + +Church matters did not go quite on all fours at Manor Cross. The +ladies, as has before been said, were all high, the Marchioness being +the least exigeant in that particular, and Lady Amelia the most so. +Ritual, indeed, was the one point of interest in Lady Amelia's life. +Among them there was assent enough for daily comfort; but Lord George +was in this respect, and in this respect only, a trouble to them. He +never declared himself openly, but it seemed to them that he did not +care much about church at all. He would generally go of a Sunday +morning; but there was a conviction that he did so chiefly to oblige +his mother. Nothing was ever said of this. There was probably present +to the ladies some feeling, not uncommon, that religion is not so +necessary for men as for women. But Lady George was a woman. + +And Lady George was also the daughter of a clergyman. There was now a +double connexion between Manor Cross and the Close at Brotherton. Mr. +Canon Holdenough, who was an older man than the Dean, and had been +longer known in the diocese, was a most unexceptional clergyman, rather +high, leaning towards the high and dry, very dignified, and quite as +big a man in Brotherton as the Dean himself. The Dean was, indeed, the +Dean; but Mr. Holdenough was uncle to a baronet, and the Holdenoughs +had been Holdenoughs when the Conqueror came. And then he also had a +private income of his own. Now all this gave to the ladies at Manor +Cross a peculiar right to be great in church matters,--so that Lady +Sarah was able to speak with much authority to Mary when she found that +the bride, though a Dean's daughter, would only go to two services a +week, and would shirk one of them if the weather gave the slightest +colouring of excuse. + +"You used to like the cathedral services," Lady Sarah said to her, one +day, when Mary had declined to go to the parish church, to sing the +praises of St. Processus. + +"That was because they were cathedral services," said Mary. + +"You mean to say that you attended the House of God because the music +was good!" Mary had not thought the subject over sufficiently to be +enabled to say that good music is supplied with the object of drawing +large congregations, so she only shrugged her shoulders. "I, too, like +good music, dear; but I do not think the want of it should keep me from +church." Mary again shrugged her shoulders, remembering, as she did so, +that her sister-in-law did not know one tune from another. Lady Alice +was the only one of the family who had ever studied music. + +"Even your papa goes on Saints' days," continued Lady Sarah, conveying +a sneer against the Dean by that word "even." + +"Papa is Dean. I suppose he has to go." + +"He would not go to church, I suppose, unless he approved of going." + +The subject then dropped. Lady George had not yet arrived at that sort +of snarling home intimacy, which would have justified her in telling +Lady Sarah that if she wanted a lesson at all, she would prefer to take +it from her husband. + +The poor women's petticoats was another source of trouble. Before the +autumn was over,--by the end of October,--when Mary had been two months +at Manor Cross, she had been got to acknowledge that ladies living in +the country should employ a part of their time in making clothes for +the poor people; and she very soon learned to regret the +acknowledgment. She was quickly driven into a corner by an assertion +from Lady Sarah that, such being the case, the time to be so employed +should be defined. She had intended to make something,--perhaps an +entire petticoat,--at some future time. But Lady Sarah was not going to +put up with conduct such as that. Mary had acknowledged her duty. Did +she mean to perform it, or to neglect it? She made one petticoat, and +then gently appealed to her husband. Did not he think that petticoats +could be bought cheaper than they could be made? He figured it out, and +found that his wife could earn three-halfpence a day by two hours' +work; and even Lady Sarah did not require from her more than two hours +daily. Was it worth while that she should be made miserable for +ninepence a week,--less than £2 a-year? Lady George figured it out +also, and offered the exact sum, £1 19_s._, to Lady Sarah, in order +that she might be let off for the first twelve months. Then Lady Sarah +was full of wrath. Was that the spirit in which offerings were to be +made to the Lord? Mary was asked, with stern indignation, whether in +bestowing the work of her hands upon the people, whether in the very +fact that she was doing for the poor that which was distasteful to +herself, she did not recognise the performance of a duty? Mary +considered a while, and then said that she thought a petticoat was a +petticoat, and that perhaps the one made by the regular petticoat-maker +would be the best. She did not allude to the grand doctrine of the +division of labour, nor did she hint that she might be doing more harm +than good by interfering with regular trade, because she had not +studied those matters. But that was the line of her argument. Lady +Sarah told her that her heart in that matter was as hard as a nether +millstone. The young wife, not liking this, withdrew; and again +appealed to her husband. His mind was divided on the subject. He was +clearly of opinion that the petticoat should be obtained in the +cheapest market, but he doubted much about that three-halfpence in two +hours. It might be that his wife could not do better at present; but +experience would come, and in that case, she would be obtaining +experience as well as earning three-halfpence. And, moreover, +petticoats made at Manor Cross would, he thought, undoubtedly be better +than any that could be bought. He came, however, to no final decision; +and Mary, finding herself every morning sitting in a great petticoat +conclave, hardly had an alternative but to join it. + +It was not in any spirit of complaint that she spoke on the subject to +her father as the winter came on. A certain old Miss Tallowax had come +to the deanery, and it had been thought proper that Lady George should +spend a day or two there. Miss Tallowax, also, had money of her own, +and even still owned a share in the business; and the Dean had pointed +out, both to Lord George and his wife, that it would be well that they +should be civil to her. Lord George was to come on the last day, and +dine and sleep at the deanery. On this occasion, when the Dean and his +daughter were alone together, she said something in a playful way about +the great petticoat contest. + +"Don't you let those old ladies sit upon you," said the Dean. He smiled +as he spoke, but his daughter well knew, from his tone, that he meant +his advice to be taken seriously. + +"Of course, papa, I should like to accommodate myself to them as much +as I can." + +"But you can't, my dear. Your manner of life can't be their manner, nor +theirs yours. I should have thought George would see that." + +"He didn't take their part, you know." + +"Of course he didn't. As a married woman you are entitled to have your +own way, unless he should wish it otherwise. I don't want to make this +matter serious; but if it is pressed, tell them that you do not care to +spend your time in that way. They cling to old fashions. That is +natural enough; but it is absurd to suppose that they should make you +as old-fashioned as themselves." + +He had taken the matter up quite seriously, and had given his daughter +advice evidently with the intention that she should profit by it. That +which he had said as to her being a married woman struck her forcibly. +No doubt these ladies at Manor Cross were her superiors in birth; but +she was their brother's wife, and as a married woman had rights of her +own. A little spirit of rebellion already began to kindle itself within +her bosom; but in it there was nothing of mutiny against her husband. +If he were to desire her to make petticoats all day, of course she +would make them; but in this contest he had been, as it were, neutral, +and had certainly given her no orders. She thought a good deal about it +while at the deanery, and made up her mind that she would sit in the +petticoat conclave no longer. It could not be her duty to pass her time +in an employment in which a poor woman might with difficulty earn +sixpence a day. Surely she might do better with her time than that, +even though she should spend it all in reading Gibbon. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +AT THE DEANERY. + + +There was a dinner-party at the deanery during Miss Tallowax's sojourn +at Brotherton. Mr. Canon Holdenough and Lady Alice were there. The +bishop and his wife had been asked,--a ceremony which was gone through +once a year,--but had been debarred from accepting the invitation by +the presence of clerical guests at the palace. But his lordship's +chaplain, Mr. Groschut, was present. Mr. Groschut also held an honorary +prebendal stall, and was one of the chapter,--a thorn sometimes in the +Dean's side. But appearances were well kept up at Brotherton, and no +one was more anxious that things should be done in a seemly way than +the Dean. Therefore, Mr. Groschut, who was a very low churchman and had +once been a Jew, but who bore a very high character for theological +erudition, was asked to the deanery. There were also one or two other +clergymen there, with their wives, and Mr. and Mrs. Houghton. Mrs. +Houghton, it will be remembered, was the beautiful woman who had +refused to become the wife of Lord George Germain. Before taking this +step, the Dean had been careful to learn whether his son-in-law would +object to meet the Houghtons. Such objection would have been foolish, +as the families had all known each other. Both Mr. De Baron, Mrs. +Houghton's father, and Mr. Houghton himself, had been intimate with the +late marquis, and had been friends of the present lord before he had +quitted the country. A lady when she refuses a gentleman gives no cause +of quarrel. All this the Dean understood; and as he himself had known +both Mr. Houghton and Mr. De Baron ever since he came to Brotherton, he +thought it better that there should be such a meeting. Lord George +blushed up to the roots of his hair, and then said that he should be +very glad to meet the gentleman and his wife. + +The two young brides had known each other as girls, and now met with, +at any rate, an appearance of friendship. + +"My dear," said Mrs. Houghton, who was about four years the elder, "of +course I know all about it, and so do you. You are an heiress, and +could afford to please yourself. I had nothing of my own, and should +have had to pass all my time at Manor Cross. Are you surprised?" + +"Why should I be surprised?" said Lady George, who was, however, very +much surprised at this address. + +"Well, you know; he is the handsomest man in England. Everybody allows +that; and, then, such a family--and such possibilities! I was very much +flattered. Of course he had not seen you then, or only seen you as a +child, or I shouldn't have had a chance. It is a great deal better as +it is,--isn't it?" + +"I think so, certainly." + +"I am so glad to hear that you have a house in town. We go up about the +first of April, when the hunting is over. Mr. Houghton does not ride +much, but he hunts a great deal. We live in Berkeley Square, you know; +and I do so hope we shall see ever so much of you." + +"I'm sure I hope so too," said Lady George, who had never hitherto been +very fond of Miss De Baron, and had entertained a vague idea that she +ought to be a little afraid of Mrs. Houghton. But when her father's +guest was so civil to her she did not know how to be other than civil +in return. + +"There is no reason why what has passed should make any +awkwardness;--is there?" + +"No," said Lady George, feeling that she almost blushed at the allusion +to so delicate a subject. + +"Of course not. Why should there? Lord George will soon get used to me, +just as if nothing had happened; and I shall always be ever so fond of +him,--in a way, you know. There shall be nothing to make you jealous." + +"I'm not a bit afraid of that," said Lady George, almost too earnestly. + +"You need not be, I'm sure. Not but what I do think he was at one time +very--very much attached to me. But it couldn't be. And what's the good +of thinking of such a thing when it can't be? I don't pretend to be +very virtuous, and I like money. Now Mr. Houghton, at any rate, has got +a large income. If I had had your fortune at my own command, I don't +say what I might not have done." + +Lady George almost felt that she ought to be offended by all +this,--almost felt that she was disgusted; but, at the same time, she +did not quite understand it. Her father had made a point of asking the +Houghtons, and had told her that of course she would know the Houghtons +up in town. She had an idea that she was very ignorant of the ways of +life; but that now it would behove her, as a married woman, to learn +those ways. Perhaps the free and easy mode of talking was the right +thing. She did not like being told by another lady that that other lady +would have married her own husband, only that he was a pauper; and the +offence of all this seemed to be the greater because it was all so +recent. She didn't like being told that she was not to be jealous, +especially when she remembered that her husband had been desperately in +love with the lady who told her so not many months ago. But she was not +jealous, and was quite sure she never would be jealous; and, perhaps, +it did not matter. All this had occurred in the drawing-room before +dinner. Then Mr. Houghton came up to her, telling that he had been +commissioned by the Dean to have the honour of taking her down to +dinner. Having made his little speech, Mr. Houghton retired,--as +gentlemen generally do retire when in that position. + +"Be as nice as you can to him," said Mrs. Houghton. "He hasn't much to +say for himself, but he isn't half a bad fellow; and a pretty woman +like you can do what she likes with him." + +Lady George, as she went down to dinner, assured herself that she had +no slightest wish to take any unfair advantage of Mr. Houghton. + +Lord George had taken down Miss Tallowax, the Dean having been very +wise in this matter; and Miss Tallowax was in a seventh heaven of +happiness. Miss Tallowax, though she had made no promises, was quite +prepared to do great things for her noble connexions, if her noble +connexions would treat her properly. She had already made half-a-dozen +wills, and was quite ready to make another, if Lord George would be +civil to her. The Dean was in his heart a little ashamed of his aunt; +but he was man enough to be able to bear her eccentricities without +showing his vexation, and sufficiently wise to know that more was to be +won than lost by the relationship. + +"The best woman in the world," he had said to Lord George beforehand, +speaking of his aunt; "but, of course, you will remember that she was +not brought up as a lady." + +Lord George, with stately urbanity, had signified his intention of +treating Miss Tallowax with every consideration. + +"She has thirty thousand pounds at her own disposal," continued the +Dean. "I have never said a word to her about money, but, upon my +honour, I think she likes Mary better than any one else. It's worth +bearing in mind, you know." + +Lord George smiled again in a stately manner,--perhaps showing +something of displeasure in his smile. But, nevertheless, he was well +aware that it was worth his while to bear Miss Tallowax and her money +in his mind. + +"My lord," said Miss Tallowax, "I hope you will allow me to say how +much honoured we all feel by Mary's proud position." Lord George bowed +and smiled, and led the lady into the deanery dining-room. Words did +not come easily to him, and he hardly knew how to answer the lady. "Of +course, it's a great thing for people such as us," continued Miss +Tallowax, "to be connected with the family of a Marquis." Again Lord +George bowed. This was very bad, indeed,--a great deal worse than he +had anticipated from the aunt of so courtly a man as his father-in-law, +the Dean. The lady looked to be about sixty; very small, very healthy, +with streaky red cheeks, small grey eyes, and a brown front. Then came +upon him an idea, that it would be a very long time before the thirty +thousand pounds, or any part of it, would come to him. And then there +came to him another idea, that as he had married the Dean's daughter, +it was his duty to behave well to the Dean's aunt, even though the +money should never come to him. He therefore told Miss Tallowax that +his mother hoped to have the pleasure of seeing her at Manor Cross +before she left Brotherton. Miss Tallowax almost got out of her seat, +as she curtseyed with her head and shoulders to this proposition. + +The Dean was a very good man at the head of his own dinner-table, and +the party went off pleasantly in spite of sundry attempts at clerical +pugnacity made by Mr. Groschut. Every man and every beast has his own +weapon. The wolf fights with his tooth, the bull with his horn, and Mr. +Groschut always fought with his bishop,--so taught by inner instinct. +The bishop, according to Mr. Groschut, was inclined to think that this +and that might be done. That such a change might be advantageously made +in reference to certain clerical meetings, and that the hilarity of the +diocese might be enhanced by certain evangelical festivities. These +remarks were generally addressed to Mr. Canon Holdenough, who made +almost no reply to them. But the Dean was, on each occasion, prepared +with some civil answer, which, while it was an answer, would still seem +to change the conversation. It was a law in the Close that Bishop +Barton should be never allowed to interfere with the affairs of +Brotherton Cathedral; and if not the bishop, certainly not the bishop's +chaplain. Though the Canon and the Dean did not go altogether on all +fours in reference to clerical affairs generally they were both agreed +on this point. But the Chaplain, who knew the condition of affairs as +well as they did, thought the law a bad law, and was determined to +abolish it. "It certainly would be very pleasant, Mr. Holdenough, if we +could have such a meeting within the confines of the Close. I don't +mean to-day, and I don't mean to-morrow; but we might think of it. The +bishop, who has the greatest love for the cathedral services, is very +much of that mind." + +"I do not know that I care very much for any out-of-door gatherings," +said the Canon. + +"But why out of doors?" asked the Chaplain. + +"Whatever meeting there is to be in the Close, will, I hope, be held in +the deanery," said the Dean; "but of all meetings, I must say that I +like meetings such as this, the best. Germain, will you pass the +bottle?" When they were alone together he always called his son-in-law, +George; but in company he dropped the more familiar name. + +Mr. De Baron, Mrs. Houghton's father, liked his joke. "Sporting men," +he said, "always go to a meet, and clerical men to a meeting. What's +the difference?" + +"A good deal, if it is in the colour of the coat," said the Dean. + +"The one is always under cover," said the Canon. "The other, I believe, +is generally held out of doors." + +"There is, I fancy, a considerable resemblance in the energy of those +who are brought together," said the Chaplain. + +"But clergymen ain't allowed to hunt, are they?" said Mr. Houghton, +who, as usual, was a little in the dark as to the subject under +consideration. + +"What's to prevent them?" asked the Canon, who had never been out +hunting in his life, and who certainly would have advised a young +clergyman to abstain from the sport. But in asking the question, he was +enabled to strike a sidelong blow at the objectionable chaplain, by +seeming to question the bishop's authority. + +"Their own conscience, I should hope," said the Chaplain, solemnly, +thereby parrying the blow successfully. + +"I am very glad, then," said Mr. Houghton, "that I didn't go into the +Church." To be thought a real hunting man was the great object of Mr. +Houghton's ambition. + +"I am afraid you would hardly have suited us, Houghton," said the Dean. +"Come, shall we go up to the ladies?" + +In the drawing-room, after a little while, Lord George found himself +seated next to Mrs. Houghton--Adelaide De Baron, as she had been when +he had sighed in vain at her feet. How it had come to pass that he was +sitting there he did not know, but he was quite sure that it had come +to pass by no arrangement contrived by himself. He had looked at her +once since he had been in the room, almost blushing as he did so, and +had told himself that she was certainly very beautiful. He almost +thought that she was more beautiful than his wife; but he knew,--he +knew now,--that her beauty and her manners were not as well suited to +him as those of the sweet creature whom he had married. And now he was +once more seated close to her, and it was incumbent on him to speak to +her. "I hope," she said, almost in a whisper, but still not seeming to +whisper, "that we have both become very happy since we met last." + +"I hope so, indeed," said he. + +"There cannot, at least, be any doubt as to you, Lord George. I never +knew a sweeter young girl than Mary Lovelace; so pretty, so innocent, +and so enthusiastic. I am but a poor worldly creature compared to her." + +"She is all that you say, Mrs. Houghton." Lord George also was +displeased,--more thoroughly displeased than had been his wife. But he +did not know how to show his displeasure; and though he felt it, he +still felt, also, the old influence of the woman's beauty. + +"I am so delighted to have heard that you have got a house in Munster +Court. I hope that Lady George and I may be fast friends. Indeed, I +won't call her Lady George; for she was Mary to me before we either of +us thought of getting husbands for ourselves." This was not strictly +true, but of that Lord George could know nothing. "And I do hope,--may +I hope,--that you will call on me?" + +"Certainly I will do so." + +"It will add so much to the happiness of my life, if you will allow me +to feel that all that has come and gone has not broken the friendship +between us." + +"Certainly not," said Lord George. + +The lady had then said all that she had got to say, and changed her +position as silently as she had occupied it. There was no abruptness of +motion, and yet Lord George saw her talking to her husband at the other +side of the room, almost while his own words were still sounding in his +own ears. Then he watched her for the next few minutes. Certainly, she +was very beautiful. There was no room for comparison, they were so +unlike; otherwise, he would have been disposed to say that Adelaide was +the more beautiful. But Adelaide certainly would not have suited the +air of Manor Cross, or have associated well with Lady Sarah. + +On the next day the Marchioness and Ladies Susannah and Amelia drove +over to the deanery in great state, to call on Miss Tallowax, and to +take Lady George back to Manor Cross. Miss Tallowax enjoyed the company +of the Marchioness greatly. She had never seen a lady of that rank +before. "Only think how I must feel," she said to her niece, that +morning, "I, that never spoke to any one above a baronet's lady in my +life." + +"I don't think you'll find much difference," said Mary. + +"You're used to it. You're one of them yourself. You're above a +baronet's lady,--ain't you, my dear?" + +"I have hardly looked into all that as yet, aunt." There must surely +have been a little fib in this, or the Dean's daughter must have been +very much unlike other young ladies. + +"I suppose I ought to be afraid of you, my dear; only you are so nice +and so pretty. And as for Lord George, he was quite condescending." +Lady George knew that praise was intended, and therefore made no +objection to the otherwise objectionable epithet. + +The visit of the Marchioness was passed over with the less disturbance +to Miss Tallowax because it was arranged that she was to be taken over +to lunch at Manor Cross on the following day. Lord George had said a +word, and Lady Sarah had consented, though, as a rule, Lady Sarah did +not like the company of vulgar people. The peasants of the parish, down +to the very poorest of the poor, were her daily companions. With them +she would spend hours, feeling no inconvenience from their language or +habits. But she did not like gentlefolk who were not gentle. In days +now long gone by, she had only assented to the Dean, because holy +orders are supposed to make a gentleman; for she would acknowledge a +bishop to be as grand a nobleman as any, though he might have been born +the son of a butcher. But nobility and gentry cannot travel backwards, +and she had been in doubt about Miss Tallowax. But even with the Lady +Sarah a feeling has made its way which teaches them to know that they +must submit to some changes. The thing was to be regretted, but Lady +Sarah knew that she was not strong enough to stand quite alone. "You +know she is very rich," the Marchioness had said in a whisper; "and if +Brotherton marries, your poor brother will want it so badly." + +"That ought not to make any difference, mamma," said Lady Sarah. +Whether it did make any difference or not, Lady Sarah herself probably +hardly knew; but she did consent to the asking of Miss Tallowax to +lunch at Manor Cross. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +MISS TALLOWAX IS SHOWN THE HOUSE. + + +The Dean took his aunt over to Manor Cross in his brougham. The Dean's +brougham was the neatest carriage in Brotherton, very much more so than +the bishop's family carriage. It was, no doubt, generally to be seen +with only one horse; and neither the bishop or Mrs. Barton ever stirred +without two; but then one horse is enough for town work, and that one +horse could lift his legs and make himself conspicuous in a manner of +which the bishop's rather sorry jades knew nothing. On this occasion, +as the journey was long, there were two horses--hired; but, +nevertheless, the brougham looked very well as it came up the long +Manor Cross avenue. Miss Tallowax became rather frightened as she drew +near to the scene of her coming grandeur. + +"Henry," she said to her nephew, "they will think so little of me." + +"My dear aunt," replied the Dean, "in these days a lady who has plenty +of money of her own can hold her head up anywhere. The dear old +marchioness will think quite as much of you as you do of her." + +What perhaps struck Miss Tallowax most at the first moment was the +plainness of the ladies' dresses. She, herself, was rather gorgeous in +a shot-silk gown and a fashionable bonnet crowded with flowers. She had +been ashamed of the splendour of the article as she put it on, and yet +had been ashamed also of her ordinary daily head gear. But when she saw +the Marchioness, and especially when she saw Lady Sarah, who was +altogether strange to her, she wished that she had come in her +customary black gown. She had heard something about Lady Sarah from her +niece, and had conceived an idea that Lady Sarah was the dragon of the +family. But when she saw a little woman, looking almost as old as +herself,--though in truth the one might have been the other's +mother,--dressed in an old brown merino, with the slightest morsel of +white collar to be seen round her neck, she began to hope that the +dragon would not be very fierce. + +"I hope you like Brotherton, Miss Tallowax," said Lady Sarah. "I think +I have heard that you were here once before." + +"I like Brotherton very much, my lady." Lady Sarah smiled as graciously +as she knew how. "I came when they first made Henry dean, a long time +ago now it seems. But he had not then the honour of knowing your mamma +or the family." + +"It wasn't long before we did know him," said the Marchioness. Then +Miss Tallowax turned round and again curtseyed with her head and +shoulders. + +The Dean at this moment was not in the room, having been withdrawn from +the ladies by his son-in-law at the front door; but as luncheon was +announced, the two men came in. Lord George gave his arm to his wife's +great aunt, and the Dean followed with the Marchioness. + +"I really am a'most ashamed to walk out before her ladyship," said Miss +Tallowax, with a slight attempt at laughing at her own ignorance. + +But Lord George rarely laughed at anything, and certainly did not know +how to treat pleasantly such a subject as this. "It's quite customary," +he said very gravely. + +The lunch was much more tremendous to Miss Tallowax than had been the +dinner at the deanery. Though she was ignorant,--ignorant at any rate +of the ways of such people as those with whom she was now +consorting,--she was by no means a stupid old woman. She was soon able +to perceive that in spite of the old merino gown, it was Lady Sarah's +spirit that quelled them all. At first there was very little +conversation. Lord George did not speak a word. The Marchioness never +exerted herself. Poor Mary was cowed and unhappy. The Dean made one or +two little efforts, but without much success. Lady Sarah was intent +upon her mutton chop, which she finished to the last shred, turning it +over and over in her plate so that it should be economically disposed +of, looking at it very closely because she was short-sighted. But when +the mutton chop had finally done its duty, she looked up from her plate +and gave evident signs that she intended to take upon herself the +weight of the conversation. All the subsequent ceremonies of the lunch +itself, the little tarts and the jelly, and the custard pudding, she +despised altogether, regarding them as wicked additions. One pudding +after dinner she would have allowed, but nothing more of that sort. It +might be all very well for parvenu millionaires to have two grand +dinners a-day, but it could not be necessary that the Germains should +live in that way, even when the Dean of Brotherton and his aunt came to +lunch with them. + +"I hope you like this part of the country, Miss Tallowax," she said, as +soon as she had deposited her knife and fork over the bone. + +"Manor Cross is quite splendid, my lady," said Miss Tallowax. + +"It is an old house, and we shall have great pleasure in showing you +what the people call the state rooms. We never use them. Of course you +know the house belongs to my brother, and we only live here because it +suits him to stay in Italy." + +"That's the young Marquis, my lady?" + +"Yes; my elder brother is Marquis of Brotherton, but I cannot say that +he is very young. He is two years my senior, and ten years older than +George." + +"But I think he's not married yet?" asked Miss Tallowax. + +The question was felt to be disagreeable by them all. Poor Mary could +not keep herself from blushing, as she remembered how much to her might +depend on this question of her brother-in-law's marriage. Lord George +felt that the old lady was enquiring what chance there might be that +her grand niece should ever become a marchioness. Old Lady Brotherton, +who had always been anxious that her elder son should marry, felt +uncomfortable, as did also the Dean, conscious that all there must be +conscious how important must be the matter to him. + +"No," said Lady Sarah, with stately gravity; "my elder brother is not +yet married. If you would like to see the rooms, Miss Tallowax, I shall +have pleasure in showing you the way." + +The Dean had seen the rooms before, and remained with the old lady. +Lord George, who thought very much of everything affecting his own +family, joined the party, and Mary felt herself compelled to follow her +husband and her aunt. The two younger sisters also accompanied Lady +Sarah. + +"This is the room in which Queen Elizabeth slept," said Lady Sarah, +entering a large chamber on the ground floor, in which there was a +four-post bedstead, almost as high as the ceiling, and looking as +though no human body had profaned it for the last three centuries. + +"Dear me," said Miss Tallowax, almost afraid to press such sacred +boards with her feet. "Queen Elizabeth! Did she really now?" + +"Some people say she never did actually come to Manor Cross at all," +said the conscientious Lady Amelia; "but there is no doubt that the +room was prepared for her." + +"Laws!" said Miss Tallowax, who began to be less afraid of distant +royalty now that a doubt was cast on its absolute presence. + +"Examining the evidence as closely as we can," said Lady Sarah, with a +savage glance at her sister, "I am inclined to think that she certainly +did come. We know that she was at Brotherton in 1582, and there exists +the letter in which Sir Humphrey Germaine, as he was then, is desired +to prepare rooms for her. I myself have no doubt on the subject." + +"After all it does not make much difference," said Mary. + +"I think it makes all the difference in the world," said Lady Susanna. +"That piece of furniture will always be sacred to me, because I +believe it did once afford rest and sleep to the gracious majesty of +England." + +"It do make a difference, certainly," said Miss Tallowax, looking at +the bed with all her eyes. "Does anybody ever go to bed here now?" + +"Nobody, ever," said Lady Sarah. "Now we will go through to the great +dining hall. That's the portrait of the first earl." + +"Painted by Kneller," said Lady Amelia, proudly. + +"Oh, indeed," said Miss Tallowax. + +"There is some doubt as to that," said Lady Sarah. "I have found out +that Sir Godfrey Kneller was only born in 1648, and as the first earl +died a year or two after the restoration, I don't know that he could +have done it." + +"It was always said that it was painted by Kneller," said Lady Amelia. + +"There has been a mistake, I fear," said Lady Sarah. + +"Oh, indeed," said Miss Tallowax, looking up with intense admiration at +a very ill-drawn old gentleman in armour. Then they entered the state +dining-room or hall, and Miss Tallowax was informed that the room had +not been used for any purpose whatever for very many years. "And such a +beautiful room!" said Miss Tallowax, with much regret. + +"The fact is, I believe, that the chimney smokes horribly," said Lord +George. + +"I never remember a fire here," said Lady Sarah. "In very cold weather +we have a portable stove brought in, just to preserve the furniture. +This is called the old ball room." + +"Dear me!" ejaculated Miss Tallowax, looking round at the faded yellow +hangings. + +"We did have a ball here once," said Lady Amelia, "when Brotherton came +of age. I can just remember it." + +"Has it never been used since?" asked Mary. + +"Never," said Lady Sarah. "Sometimes when it's rainy we walk up and +down for exercise. It is a fine old house, but I often wish that it +were smaller. I don't think people want rooms of this sort now as much +as they used to do. Perhaps a time may come when my brother will make +Manor Cross gay again, but it is not very gay now. I think that is all, +Miss Tallowax." + +"It's very fine;--very fine indeed," said Miss Tallowax, shivering. +Then they all trooped back into the morning room which they used for +their daily life. + +The old lady when she had got back into the brougham with her nephew, +the Dean, was able to express her mind freely. "I wouldn't live in that +house, Henry, not if they was to give it me for nothing." + +"They'd have to give you something to keep it up with." + +"And not then, neither. Of course it's all very well having a bed that +Queen Elizabeth slept in." + +"Or didn't sleep in." + +"I'd teach myself to believe she did. But dear me, that isn't +everything. It nearly gave me the horrors to look at it. Room after +room,--room after room,--and nobody living in any of them." + +"People can't live in more than a certain number of rooms at once, +aunt." + +"Then what's the use of having them? And don't you think for the +daughters of a Marchioness they are a little what you'd call--dowdy?" + +"They don't go in for dress much." + +"Why, my Jemima at home, when the dirty work is done, is twice smarter +than Lady Sarah. And, Henry,--don't you think they're a little hard +upon Mary?" + +"Hard upon her;--how?" The Dean had listened to the old woman's +previous criticisms with a smile; but now he was interested and turned +sharply round to her. "How hard?" + +"Moping her up there among themselves; and it seemed to me they snubbed +her whenever she spoke." The Dean had not wanted his aunt's observation +to make him feel this. The tone of every syllable addressed to his girl +had caught his ear. He had been pleased to marry her into so good a +family. He had been delighted to think that by means of his prosperity +in the world his father's grand-daughter might probably become a +peeress. But he certainly had not intended that even for such a reward +as that his daughter should become submissive to the old maids at Manor +Cross. Foreseeing something of this he had stipulated that she should +have a house of her own in London; but half her time would probably be +spent in the country, and with reference to that half of her time it +would be necessary that she should be made to understand that as the +wife of Lord George she was in no respect inferior to his sisters, and +that in some respects she was their superior. "I don't see the good of +living in a big house," continued Miss Tallowax, "if all the time +everything is to be as dull as dull." + +"They are older than she is, you know." + +"Poor little dear! I always did say that young folk should have young +folk about 'em. Of course it's a great thing for her to have a lord for +her husband. But he looks a'most too old himself for such a pretty +darling as your Mary." + +"He's only thirty-three." + +"It's in the looks, I suppose, because he's so grand. But it's that +Lady Sarah puzzles me. It isn't in her looks, and yet she has it all +in her own way. Well;--I liked going there, and I'm glad I've been; but +I don't know as I shall ever want to go again." Then there was silence +for some time; but as the brougham was driven into Brotherton Miss +Tallowax spoke again. "I don't suppose an old woman like me can ever be +of any use, and you'll always be at hand to look after her. But if ever +she should want an outing, just to raise her spirits, old as I am, I +think I could make it brighter for her than it is there." The Dean took +her hand and pressed it, and then there was no more said. + +When the brougham was driven away Lord George took his wife for a walk +in the park. She was still struggling hard to be in love with him, +never owning failure to herself, and sometimes assuring herself that +she had succeeded altogether. Now, when he asked her to come with him, +she put on her hat joyfully, and joined her hands over his arm as she +walked away with him into the shrubbery. + +"She's a wonderful old woman;--is not she, George?" + +"Not very wonderful." + +"Of course you think she's vulgar." + +"I didn't say so." + +"No; you're too good to say so, because she's papa's aunt. But she's +very good. Don't you think she's very good?" + +"I dare say she is. I don't know that I run into superlatives quite so +much as you do." + +"She has brought me such a handsome present. I could not show it you +before them all just now, and it only came down from London this +morning. She did not say a word about it before. Look here." Then she +slipped her glove off and showed him a diamond ring. + +"You should not wear that out of doors." + +"I only put it on to show you. Wasn't it good of her? 'Young people of +rank ought to wear nice things,' she said, as she gave it me. Wasn't it +an odd thing for her to say? and yet I understood her." Lord George +frowned, thinking that he also understood the old woman's words, and +reminding himself that the ladies of rank at Manor Cross never did wear +nice things. "Don't you think it was nice?" + +"Of course she is entitled to make you a present if she pleases." + +"It pleased me, George." + +"I dare say, and as it doesn't displease me all is well. You, however, +have quite sense enough to understand, that in this house more is +thought of--of--of--" he would have said blood, but that he did not +wish to hurt her,--"more is thought of personal good conduct than of +rings and jewels." + +"Rings and jewels, and--personal conduct may go together; mayn't they?" + +"Of course they may." + +"And very often do. You won't think my--personal conduct--will be +injured because I wear my aunt's ring?" + +When Lord George made his allusion to personal conduct one of her two +hands dropped from his arm, and now, as she repeated the words, there +was a little sting of sarcasm in her voice. + +"I was intending to answer your aunt's opinion that young people ought +to wear nice things. No doubt there is at present a great rage for rich +ornaments and costly dress, and it was of these she was thinking when +she spoke of nice things. When I spoke of personal conduct being more +thought of here, I intended to imply that you had come into a family +not given to rich ornaments and costly dress. My sisters feel that +their portion in this world is assured to them without such outward +badges, and wish that you should share the feeling." + +This was a regular sermon, and to Mary's thinking was very +disagreeable, and not at all deserved. Did her husband really mean to +tell her that, because his sisters chose to dress themselves down in +the country like dowdy old maids whom the world had deserted, she was +to do the same up in London? The injustice of this on all sides struck +home to her at the moment. They were old and she was young. They were +plain; she was pretty. They were poor; she was rich. They didn't feel +any wish to make themselves what she called "nice." She did feel a very +strong wish in that direction. They were old maids; she was a young +bride. And then what right had they to domineer over her, and to send +word to her through her husband of their wishes as to her manner of +dressing? She said nothing at the moment; but she became red, and began +to feel that she had power within her to rebel at any rate against her +sisters-in-law. There was silence for a moment or so, and then Lord +George reverted to the subject. + +"I hope you can sympathise with my sisters," he said. He had felt that +the hand had been dropped, and had understood something of the reason. + +She wished to rebel against them, but by no means wished to oppose him. +She was aware, as though by instinct, that her life would be very bad +indeed should she fail to sympathise with him. It was still the +all-paramount desire of her heart to be in love with him. But she could +not bring herself to say that she sympathised with them in this direct +attack that was made on her own mode of thought. + +"Of course, they are a little older than I am," she said, hoping to get +out of the difficulty. + +"And therefore, the more entitled to consideration. I think you will +own that they must know what is, and what is not, becoming to a lady." + +"Do you mean," said she, hardly able to choke a rising sob, "that +they--have anything--to find fault with in me?" + +"I have said nothing as to finding fault, Mary." + +"Do they think that I do not dress as I ought to do?" + +"Why should you ask such a question as that?" + +"I don't know what else I am to understand, George. Of course I will +do anything that you tell me. If you wish me to make any change, I will +make it. But I hope they won't send me messages through you." + +"I thought you would have been glad to know that they interested +themselves about you." In answer to this Mary pouted, but her husband +did not see the pout. + +"Of course they are anxious that you should become one of them. We are +a very united family. I do not speak now of my elder brother, who is in +a great measure separated from us and is of a different nature. But my +mother, my sisters, and I, have very many opinions in common. We live +together, and have the same way of thinking. Our rank is high, and our +means are small. But to me blood is much more than wealth. We +acknowledge, however, that rank demands many sacrifices, and my sisters +endeavour to make those sacrifices most conscientiously. A woman more +thoroughly devoted to good works than Sarah I have never even read of. +If you will believe this, you will understand what they mean, and what +I mean, when we say that here at Manor Cross we think more of personal +conduct than of rings and jewels. You wish, Mary, to be one of us; do +you not?" + +She paused for a moment, and then she answered, "I wish to be always +one with you." + +He almost wanted to be angry at this, but it was impossible. "To be one +with me, dearest," he said, "you must be one, also, with them." + +"I cannot love them as I do you, George. That, I am sure, is not the +meaning of being married." Then she thought of it all steadily for a +minute, and after that, made a further speech. "And I don't think I can +quite dress like them. I'm sure you would not like it if I did." + +As she said this she put her second hand back upon his arm. + +He said nothing further on the subject till he had brought her back to +the house, walking along by her side almost mute, not quite knowing +whether he ought to be offended with her or to take her part. It was +true that he would not have liked her to look like Lady Sarah, but he +would have liked her to make some approach in that direction, +sufficient to show submission. He was already beginning to fear the +absence of all control which would befall his young wife in that London +life to which, she was to be so soon introduced, and was meditating +whether he could not induce one of his sisters to accompany them. As to +Sarah he was almost hopeless. Amelia would be of little or no service, +though she would be more likely to ingratiate herself with his wife +than the others. Susanna was less strong than Sarah and less amiable +than Amelia. And then, how would it be if Mary were to declare that she +would rather begin the campaign without any of them? + +The young wife, as soon as she found herself alone in her own bedroom, +sat down and resolved that she would never allow herself to be +domineered by her husband's sisters. She would be submissive to him in +all things, but his authority should not be delegated to them. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +BAD TIDINGS. + + +About the middle of October, there came a letter from the Marquis of +Brotherton to his brother, which startled them all at Manor Cross very +much indeed. In answering Lord George's communication as to the +marriage, the Marquis had been mysterious and disagreeable;--but then +he was always disagreeable and would on occasions take the trouble to +be mysterious also. He had warned his brother that he might himself +want the house at Manor Cross; but he had said the same thing +frequently during his residence in Italy, being always careful to make +his mother and sisters understand that they might have to take +themselves away any day at a very short warning. But now the short +warning had absolutely come, and had come in such a shape as to upset +everything at Manor Cross, and to upset many things at the Brotherton +Deanery. The letter was as follows:-- + + "My dear George, + + "I am to be married to the Marchesa Luigi. Her name is Catarina + Luigi, and she is a widow. As to her age, you can ask herself when + you see her, if you dare. I haven't dared. I suppose her to be ten + years younger than myself. I did not expect that it would be so, + but she says now that she would like to live in England. Of course + I've always meant to go back myself some day. I don't suppose we + shall be there before May, but we must have the house got ready. + My mother and the girls had better look out for a place as soon as + they can. Tell my mother of course I will allow her the rent of + Cross Hall, to which indeed she is entitled. I don't think she + would care to live there, and neither she nor the girls would get + on with my wife. + + "Yours, B. + + "I am waiting to know about getting the house painted and + furnished." + +When Lord George received this letter, he showed it first in privacy to +his sister Sarah. As the reader will have understood, there had never +been any close family affection between the present Marquis and his +brothers and sisters; nor had he been a loving son to his mother. But +the family at Manor Cross had always endeavoured to maintain a show of +regard for the head of the family, and the old Marchioness would no +doubt have been delighted had her eldest son come home and married an +English wife. Lady Sarah, in performing what she had considered to be a +family duty, had written regular despatches to her elder brother, +telling him everything that happened about the place,--despatches which +he, probably, never read. Now there had come a blow indeed. Lady Sarah +read the letter, and then looked into her brother's face. + +"Have you told Mary?" she asked. + +"I have told no one." + +"It concerns her as much as any of us. Of course, if he has married, it +is right that he should have his house. We ought to wish that he should +live hero." + +"If he were different from what he is," said Lord George. + +"If she is good it may be that he will become different. It is not the +thing, but the manner in which he tells it to us! Did you ever hear her +name before?" + +"Never." + +"What a way he has of mentioning her;--about her age," said Lady Sarah, +infinitely shocked. "Well! Mamma must be told, of course. Why shouldn't +we live at Cross Hall? I don't understand what he means about that. +Cross Hall belongs to mamma for her life, as much as Manor Cross does +to him for his." + +Just outside the park gate, at the side of the park furthest away from +Brotherton, and therefore placed very much out of the world, there +stood a plain substantial house built in the days of Queen Anne, which +had now for some generations been the habitation of the dowager of the +Brotherton family. When the late marquis died, this had become for her +life the property of the Marchioness; but had been ceded by her to her +son, in return for the loan of the big house. The absentee Marquis had +made with his mother the best bargain in his power, and had let the +dower house, known as Cross Hall, to a sporting farmer. He now kindly +offered to allow his mother to have the rent of her own house, +signifying at the same time his wish that all his family should remove +themselves out of his way. + +"He wishes that we should take ourselves off," said Lord George, +hoarsely. + +"But I do not see why we are to give way to his wishes. George, where +are we to go? Of what use can we be in a strange country? Wherever we +are we shall be very poor, but our money will go further here than +elsewhere. How are we to get up new interests in life? The land is his, +but the poor people belong to us as much as to him. It is +unreasonable." + +"It is frightfully selfish." + +"I for one am not prepared to obey him in this," said Lady Sarah. "Of +course mamma will do as she pleases, but I do not see why we should go. +He will never live here all the year through." + +"He will be sick of it after a month. Will you read the letter to my +mother?" + +"I will tell her, George. She had better not see the letter, unless she +makes a point of it. I will read it again, and then do you keep it. You +should tell Mary at once. It is natural that she should have built +hopes on the improbability of Brotherton's marriage." + +Before noon on that day the news had been disseminated through the +house. The old Marchioness, when she first heard of the Italian wife, +went into hysterics, and then was partly comforted by reminding herself +that all Italians were not necessarily bad. She asked after the letter +repeatedly; and at last, when it was found to be impossible to explain +to her otherwise what her eldest son meant about the houses, it was +shown to her. Then she began to weep afresh. + +"Why mayn't we live at Cross Hall, Sarah?" she said. + +"Cross Hall belongs to you, mamma, and nothing can hinder you from +living there." + +"But Augustus says that we are to go away." + +The Marchioness was the only one of the family who ever called the +Marquis by his Christian name, and she did so only when she was much +disturbed. + +"No doubt he expresses a wish that we should do so?" + +"Where are we to go to, and I at my age?" + +"I think you should live at Cross Hall." + +"But he says that we mayn't. We could never go on there if he wants us +to go away." + +"Why not, mamma? It is your house as much as this is his. If you will +let him understand that when you leave this you mean to go there, he +will probably say nothing more about it." + +"Mr. Price is living there. I can't make Mr. Price go away directly the +painter people come in here. They'll come to-morrow, perhaps, and what +am I to do then?" + +The matter was discussed throughout the whole day between Lady Sarah +and her mother, the former bearing the old woman's plaintive weakness +with the utmost patience, and almost succeeding, before the evening +came, in inducing her mother to agree to rebel against the tyranny of +her son. There were peculiar difficulties and peculiar hardships in the +case. The Marquis could turn out all the women of his family at a day's +notice. He had only to say to them, "Go!" and they must be gone. And he +could be rid of them without even saying or writing another word. A +host of tradesmen would come, and then of course they must go. But Mr. +Price at Cross Hall must have a regular year's notice, and that notice +could not now be given till Lady-day next. + +"If the worst comes to the worst, mamma we will go and live in +Brotherton for the time. Mr. Holdenough or the Dean would find some +place for us." Then the old lady began to ask how Mary had borne the +news; but as yet Lady Sarah had not been able to interest herself +personally about Mary. + +Lord George was surprised to find how little his wife was affected by +the terrible thunderbolt which had fallen among them. On him the blow +had been almost as terrible as on his mother. He had taken a house in +town, at the instance of the Dean, and in consequence of a promise made +before his marriage, which was sacred to him but which he regretted. He +would have preferred himself to live the whole year through at Manor +Cross. Though he had not very much to do there the place was never dull +to him. He liked the association of the big house. He liked the sombre +grandeur of the park. He liked the magistrates' bench, though he rarely +spoke a word when he was there. And he liked the thorough economy of +the life. But as to that house in town, though his wife's fortune would +enable him to live there four or five months, he knew that he could not +stretch the income so as to bear the expense of the entire year. And +yet, what must he do now? If he could abandon the house in town, then +he could join his mother as to some new country house. But he did not +dare to suggest that the house in town should be abandoned. He was +afraid of the Dean, and afraid, so to say, of his own promise. The +thing had been stipulated, and he did not know how to go back from the +stipulation. + +"Going to leave Manor Cross," said Mary, when she was told. "Dear me; +how odd. Where will they go to?" + +It was evident to her husband from the tone of her voice that she +regarded her own house in Munster Court, for it was her own, as her +future residence,--as hers and his. In asking where "they" would live, +she spoke of the other ladies of the family. He had expected that she +would have shown some disappointment at the danger to her future +position which this new marriage would produce. But in regard to that +she was, he thought, either perfectly indifferent, or else a very good +actor. In truth, she was almost indifferent. The idea that she might +some day be Lady Brotherton had been something to her, but not much. +Her happiness was not nearly as much disturbed by this marriage as it +had been by the allusion made to her dress. She herself could hardly +understand the terrible gloom which seemed during that evening and the +whole of the next day to have fallen on the entire family. + +"George, does it make you very unhappy?" she said, whispering to him on +the morning of the second day. + +"Not that my brother should marry," he said, "God forbid that I, as a +younger brother, should wish to debar him from any tittle of what +belongs to him. If he would marry well it ought to be a joy to us all." + +"Is not this marrying well?" + +"What, with a foreigner; with an Italian widow? And then there will, I +fear, be great trouble in finding a comfortable home for my mother." + +"Amelia says she can go to Cross Hall." + +"Amelia does not know what she is talking of. It would be very long +before they could get into Cross Hall, even if they can go there at +all. It would have to be completely furnished, and there is no money to +furnish it." + +"Wouldn't your brother----?" Lord George shook his head. "Or papa." +Lord George again shook his head--"What will they do?" + +"If it were not for our house in London we might take a place in the +country together," said Lord George. + +All the various facts of the proposition now made to her flashed upon +Mary's mind at once. Had it been suggested to her, when she was first +asked to marry Lord George, that she should live permanently in a +country house with his mother and sisters, in a house of which she +would not be and could not be the mistress, she would certainly have +rejected the offer. And now the tedium of such a life was plainer to +her than it would have been then. But, under her father's auspices, a +pleasant, gay little house in town had been taken for her, and she had +been able to gild the dullness of Manor Cross with the brightness of +her future prospects. For four or five months she would be her own +mistress, and would be so in London. Her husband would be living on her +money, but it would be the delight of her heart that he should be happy +while doing so. And all this must be safe and wise, because it was to +be done under the advice of her father. Now it was proposed to her that +she should abandon all this and live in some smaller, poorer, duller +country residence, in which she would be the least of the family +instead of the mistress of her own house. She thought of it all for a +moment, and then she answered him with a firm voice. + +"If you wish to give up the house in London we will do so." + +"It would distress you I fear." When we call on our friends to +sacrifice themselves, we generally wish them also to declare that they +like being sacrificed. + +"I should be disappointed of course, George." + +"And it would be unjust," said he. + +"If you wish it I will not say a word against it." + +On that afternoon he rode into Brotherton to tell the tidings to the +Dean. Upon whatever they might among them decide, it was expedient that +the Dean should be at once told of the marriage. Lord George, as he +thought over it all on horseback, found difficulties on every side. He +had promised that his wife should live in town, and he could not go +back from that promise without injustice. He understood the nature of +her lately offered sacrifice, and felt that it would not liberate his +conscience. And then he was sure that the Dean would be loud against +any such arrangement. The money no doubt was Mary's own money and, +subject to certain settlement, was at Lord George's immediate disposal; +but he would be unable to endure the Dean's reproaches. He would be +unable also to endure his own, unless--which was so very +improbable--the Dean should encourage him. But how were things to be +arranged? Was he to desert his mother and sisters in their difficulty? +He was very fond of his wife; but it had never yet occurred to him that +the daughter of Dean Lovelace could be as important to him as all the +ladies of the house of Germain. His brother purposed to bring his wife +to Manor Cross in May, when he would be up in London. Where at that +moment, and after what fashion, would his mother and sisters be living? + +The Dean showed his dismay at the marriage plainly enough. + +"That's very bad, George," he said; "very bad indeed!" + +"Of course we don't like her being a foreigner." + +"Of course you don't like his marrying at all. Why should you? You all +know enough of him to be sure that he wouldn't marry the sort of woman +you would approve." + +"I don't know why my brother should not have married any lady in +England." + +"At any rate he hasn't. He has married some Italian widow, and it's a +misfortune. Poor Mary!" + +"I don't think Mary feels it at all." + +"She will some day. Girls of her age don't feel that kind of thing at +first. So he is going to come over at once. What will your mother do?" + +"She has Cross Hall." + +"That man Price is there. He will go out of course?" + +"With notice he must go." + +"He won't stand about that, if you don't interfere with his land and +farm-yard. I know Price. He's not a bad fellow." + +"But Brotherton does not want them to go there," said Lord George, +almost in a whisper. + +"Does not want your mother to live in her own house! Upon my word the +Marquis is considerate to you all! He has said that plainly, has he? If +I were Lady Brotherton I would not take the slightest heed of what he +says. She is not dependent on him. In order that he may be relieved +from the bore of being civil to his own family she is to be sent out +about the world to look for a home in her old age! You must tell her +not to listen for a minute to such a proposition." + +Lord George, though he put great trust in his father-in-law, did not +quite like hearing his brother spoken of so very freely by a man who +was, after all, the son of a tradesman. It seemed to him as though the +Dean made himself almost too intimate with the affairs at Manor Cross, +and yet he was obliged to go on and tell the Dean everything. + +"Even if Price went, there must be some delay in getting the house +ready." + +"The Marquis surely won't turn your mother out before the spring?" + +"Tradesmen will have to come in. And then I don't quite know what we +are to do as to the----expense of furnishing the new house. It will +cost a couple of thousand pounds, and none of us have ready money." The +Dean assumed a very serious face. "Every spoon and fork at Manor Cross, +every towel and every sheet belongs to my brother." + +"Was not the Cross House ever furnished?" + +"Many years ago; in my grandmother's time. My father left money for the +purpose, but it was given up to my sister Alice when she married +Holdenough." He found himself explaining all the little intricacies of +his family to the Dean, because it was necessary that he should hold +council with some one. "I was thinking of a furnished house for them +elsewhere." + +"In London?" + +"Certainly not there. My mother would not like it, nor would my +sisters. I like the country very much the best myself." + +"Not for the whole year?" + +"I have never cared to be in London; but, of course, as for Mary and +myself that is settled. You would not wish her to give up the house in +Munster Court?" + +"Certainly not. It would not be fair to her to ask her to live always +under the wing of your mother and sisters. She would never learn to be +a woman. She would always be in leading strings. Do you not feel that +yourself?" + +"I feel that beggars cannot be choosers. My mother's fortune is £2000 a +year. As you know we have only 5000_l._ a piece. There is hardly income +enough among us for a house in town and a house in the country." + +The Dean paused a moment, and then replied that his daughter's welfare +could not be made subordinate to that of the family generally. He then +said that if any immediate sum of money were required he would lend it +either to the dowager or to Lord George. + +Lord George, as he rode home, was angry both with himself and with the +Dean. There had been an authority in the Dean's voice which had grated +upon his feelings; of course he intended to be as good as his word; +but, nevertheless, his wife was his wife and subject to his will; and +her fortune had been her own and had not come from the Dean. The Dean +took too much upon himself. And yet, with all that, he had consulted +the Dean about everything, and had confessed the family poverty. The +thing, however, was quite certain to him; he could not get out of the +house in town. + +During the whole of that day Lady Sarah had been at work with her +mother, instigating her to insist on her own rights, and at last she +had succeeded. + +"What would our life be, mamma," Lady Sarah had said, "if we were +removed altogether into a new world. Here we are of some use. People +know us, and give us credit for being what we are. We can live after +our own fashion, and yet live in accordance with our rank. There is not +a man or a woman or a child in the parish whom I do not know. There is +not a house in which you would not see Amelia's and Susanna's work. We +cannot begin all that over again." + +"When I am gone, my dear, you must do so." + +"Who can say how much may be done before that sad day shall come to us? +He may have taken his Italian wife back again to Italy. Mamma, we ought +not to run away from our duties." + +On the following morning it was settled among them that the dowager +should insist on possession of her own house at Cross Hall, and a +letter was written to the Marquis, congratulating him of course on his +marriage, but informing him at the same time that the family would +remain in the parish. + +Some few days later Mr. Knox, the agent for the property, came down +from London. He had received the orders of the Marquis, and would be +prepared to put workmen into the house as soon as her ladyship would be +ready to leave it. But he quite agreed that this could not be done at +once. A beginning no doubt might be made while they were still there, +but no painting should be commenced or buildings knocked down or put up +till March. It was settled at the same time that on the first of March +the family should leave the house. + +"I hope my son won't be angry," the Marchioness said to Mr. Knox. + +"If he be angry, my lady, he will be angry without a cause. But I never +knew him to be very angry about anything." + +"He always did like to have his own way, Mr. Knox," said the mindful +mother. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +"CROSS HALL GATE." + + +While Mr. Knox was still in the country negotiations were opened with +Mr. Price, the sporting farmer, who, like all sporting farmers, was in +truth a very good fellow. He had never been liked by the ladies at +Manor Cross, as having ways of his own which were not their ways. He +did not go to church as often as they thought he ought to do; and, +being a bachelor, stories were told about him which were probably very +untrue. A bachelor may live in town without any inquiries as to any of +the doings of his life; but if a man live forlorn and unmarried in a +country house, he will certainly become the victim of calumny should +any woman under sixty ever be seen about his place. It was said also of +Mr. Price that sometimes, after hunting, men had been seen to go out of +his yard in an uproarious condition. But I hardly think that old Sir +Simon Bolt, the master of the hounds, could have liked him so well, or +so often have entered his house, had there been much amiss there; and +as to the fact of there always being a fox in Cross Hall Holt, which a +certain little wood was called about half a mile of the house, no one +even doubted that. But there had always been a prejudice against Price +at the great house, and in this even Lord George had coincided. But +when Mr. Knox went to him and explained to him what was about to +happen,--that the ladies would be forced, almost before the end of +winter, to leave Manor Cross and make way for the Marquis, Mr. Price +declared that he would clear out, bag and baggage, top-boots, spurs, +and brandy-bottles, at a moment's notice. The Prices of the English +world are not, as a rule, deficient in respect for the marquises and +marchionesses. "The workmen can come in to-morrow," Price said, when he +was told that some preparations would be necessary. "A bachelor can +shake down anywhere, Mr. Knox." Now it happened that Cross Hall House +was altogether distinct from the Cross Hall Farm, on which, indeed, +there had been a separate farmhouse, now only used by labourers. But +Mr. Price was a comfortable man, and, when the house had been vacant, +had been able to afford himself the luxury of living there. + +So far the primary difficulties lessened themselves when they were well +looked in the face. And yet things did not run altogether smoothly. The +Marquis did not condescend to reply to his brother's letter; but he +wrote what was for him a long letter to Mr. Knox, urging upon the agent +the duty of turning his mother and sisters altogether out of the place. +"We shall be a great deal better friends apart," he said. "If they +remain there we shall see little or nothing of each other, and it will +be very uncomfortable. If they will settle themselves elsewhere, I will +furnish a house for them; but I don't want to have them at my elbow." +Mr. Knox was of course bound to show this to Lord George, and Lord +George was bound to consult Lady Sarah. Lady Sarah told her mother +something of it, but not all; but she told it in such a way that the +old lady consented to remain and to brave her eldest son. As for Lady +Sarah herself, in spite of her true Christianity and real goodness, she +did not altogether dislike the fight. Her brother was her brother, and +the head of the family, and he had his privileges; but they too had +their rights, and she was not disposed to submit herself to tyranny. +Mr. Knox was therefore obliged to inform the Marquis in what softest +language he could find applicable for the purpose that the ladies of +the family had decided upon removing to the dower-house. + +About a month after this there was a meet of the Brotherton Hunt, of +which Sir Simon Bolt was the master, at Cross Hall Gate. The +grandfather of the present Germains had in the early part of the +century either established this special pack, or at any rate become the +master of it. Previous to that the hunting probably had been somewhat +precarious; but there had been, since his time, a regular Brotherton +Hunt associated with a collar and button of its own,--a blue collar on +a red coat, with B. H. on the buttons,--and the thing had been done +well. They had four days a week, with an occasional bye, and £2500 +were subscribed annually. Sir Simon Bolt had been the master for the +last fifteen years, and was so well known that no sporting pen and no +sporting tongue in England ever called him more than Sir Simon. Cross +Hall Gate, a well-loved meet, was the gate of the big park which opened +out upon the road just opposite to Mr. Price's house. It was an old +stone structure, with a complicated arch stretching across the gate +itself, with a lodge on each side. It lay back in a semi-circle from +the road, and was very imposing. In old days no doubt the gate was much +used, as the direct traffic from London to Brotherton passed that way. +But the railway had killed the road; and as the nearer road from the +Manor Cross House to the town came out on the same road much nearer to +Brotherton, the two lodges and all the grandeur were very much wasted. +But it was a pretty site for a meet when the hounds were seated on +their haunches inside the gate, or moving about slowly after the +huntsman's horse, and when the horses and carriages were clustered +about on the high road and inside the park. And it was a meet, too, +much loved by the riding men. It was always presumed that Manor Cross +itself was preserved for foxes, and the hounds were carefully run +through the belt of woods. But half an hour did that, and then they +went away to Price's Little Holt. On that side there were no more +gentlemen's places; there was a gorse cover or two and sundry little +spinnies; but the county was a country for foxes to run and men to +ride; and with this before them, the members of the Brotherton Hunt +were pleased to be summoned to Cross Hall Gate. + +On such occasions Lord George was always there. He never hunted, and +very rarely went to any other meet; but on these occasions he would +appear mounted, in black, and would say a few civil words to Sir Simon, +and would tell George Scruby, the huntsman, that he had heard that +there was a fox among the laurels. George would touch his hat and say +in his loud, deep voice, "Hope so, my lord," having no confidence +whatever in a Manor Cross fox. Sir Simon would shake hands with him, +make a suggestion about the weather, and then get away as soon as +possible; for there was no sympathy and no common subject between the +men. On this occasion Lady Amelia had driven down Lady Susanna in the +pony-carriage, and Lady George was there, mounted, with her father the +Dean, longing to be allowed to go away with the hounds but having been +strictly forbidden by her husband to do so. Mr. Price was of course +there, as was also Mr. Knox, the agent, who had a little shooting-box +down in the country, and kept a horse, and did a little hunting. + +There was good opportunity for talking as the hounds were leisurely +taken through the loose belt of woods which were by courtesy called the +Manor Cross coverts, and Mr. Price took the occasion of drawing a +letter from his pocket and showing it to Mr. Knox. + +"The Marquis has written to you!" said the agent in a tone of surprise, +the wonder not being that the Marquis should write to Mr. Price, but +that he should write to any one. + +"Never did such a thing in his life before, and I wish he hadn't now." + +Mr. Knox wished it also when he had read the letter. It expressed a +very strong desire on the part of the Marquis that Mr. Price should +keep the Cross Hall House, saying that it was proper that the house +should go with the farm, and intimating the Marquis's wish that Mr. +Price should remain as his neighbour. "If you can manage it, I'll make +the farm pleasant and profitable to you," said the Marquis. + +"He don't say a word about her ladyship," said Price; "but what he +wants is just to get rid of 'em all, box and dice." + +"That's about it, I suppose," said the agent. + +"Then he's come to the wrong shop, that's what he has done, Mr. Knox. +I've three more year of my lease of the farm, and after that, out I +must go, I dare say." + +"There's no knowing what may happen before that, Price." + +"If I was to go, I don't know that I need quite starve, Mr. Knox." + +"I don't suppose you will." + +"I ain't no family, and I don't know as I'm just bound to go by what a +lord says, though he is my landlord. I don't know as I don't think more +of them ladies than I does of him. ---- him, Mr. Knox." + +And then Mr. Price used some very strong language indeed. "What right +has he to think as I'm going to do his dirty work? You may tell him +from me as he may do his own." + +"You'll answer him, Price?" + +"Not a line. I ain't got nothing to say to him. He knows I'm a-going +out of the house; and if he don't, you can tell him." + +"Where are you going to?" + +"Well, I was going to fit up a room or two in the old farmhouse; and if +I had anything like a lease, I wouldn't mind spending three or four +hundred pounds there. I was thinking of talking to you about it, Mr. +Knox." + +"I can't renew the lease without his approval." + +"You write and ask him, and mind you tell him that there ain't no doubt +at all as to any going out of Cross Hall after Christmas. Then, if +he'll make it fourteen years, I'll put the old house up and not ask him +for a shilling. As I'm a living sinner, they're on a fox! Who'd have +thought of that in the park? That's the old vixen from the holt, as +sure as my name's Price. Them cubs haven't travelled here yet." + +So saying, he rode away, and Mr. Knox rode after him, and there was +consternation throughout the hunt. It was so unaccustomed a thing to +have to gallop across Manor Cross Park! But the hounds were in full +cry, through the laurels, and into the shrubbery, and round the +conservatory, close up to the house. Then she got into the +kitchen-garden, and back again through the laurels. The butler and the +gardener and the housemaid and the scullery-maid were all there to see. +Even Lady Sarah came to the front door, looking very severe, and the +old Marchioness gaped out of her own sitting-room window upstairs. Our +friend Mary thought it excellent fun, for she was really able to ride +to the hounds; and even Lady Amelia became excited as she flogged the +pony along the road. Stupid old vixen, who ought to have known better! +Price was quite right, for it was she, and the cubs in the holt were +now finally emancipated from all maternal thraldom. She was killed +ignominiously in the stokehole under the greenhouse,--she who had been +the mother of four litters, and who had baffled the Brotherton hounds +half a dozen times over the cream of the Brotherton country! + +"I knew it," said Price in a melancholy tone, as he held up the head +which the huntsman had just dissevered from the body. "She might 'a +done better with herself than come to such a place as this for the last +move." + +"Is it all over?" asked Lady George. + +"That one is pretty nearly all over, miss," said George Scruby, as he +threw the fox to the hounds. "My Lady, I mean, begging your Ladyship's +pardon." Some one had prompted him at the moment. "I'm very glad to see +your Ladyship out, and I hope we'll show you something better before +long." + +But poor Mary's hunting was over. When George Scruby and Sir Simon and +the hounds went off to the holt, she was obliged to remain with her +husband and sisters-in-law. + +While this was going on Mr. Knox had found time to say a word to Lord +George about that letter from the Marquis. "I am afraid," he said, +"your brother is very anxious that Price should remain at Cross Hall." + +"Has he said anything more?" + +"Not to me; but to Price he has." + +"He has written to Price?" + +"Yes, with his own hand, urging him to stay. I cannot but think it was +very wrong." A look of deep displeasure came across Lord George's face. +"I have thought it right to mention it, because it may be a question +whether her Ladyship's health and happiness may not be best consulted +by her leaving the neighbourhood." + +"We have considered it all, Mr. Knox, and my mother is determined to +stay. We are very much obliged to you. We feel that in doing your duty +by my brother you are anxious to be courteous to us. The hounds have +gone on; don't let me keep you." + +Mr. Houghton was of course out. Unless the meets were very distant from +his own place, he was always out. On this occasion his wife also was +there. She had galloped across the park as quickly as anybody, and when +the fox was being broken up in the grass before the hall-door, was +sitting close to Lady George. "You are coming on?" she said in a +whisper. + +"I am afraid not," answered Mary. + +"Oh, yes; do come. Slip away with me. Nobody'll see you. Get as far as +the gate, and then you can see that covert drawn." + +"I can't very well. The truth is, they don't want me to hunt." + +"They! Who is they? 'They' don't want me to hunt. That is, Mr. Houghton +doesn't. But I mean to get out of his way by riding a little forward. I +don't see why that is not just as good as staying behind. Mr. Price is +going to give me a lead. You know Mr. Price?" + +"But he goes everywhere." + +"And I mean to go everywhere. What's the good of half-doing it? Come +along." + +But Mary had not even thought of rebellion such as this--did not in her +heart approve of it, and was angry with Mrs. Houghton. Nevertheless, +when she saw the horsewoman gallop off across the grass towards the +gate, she could not help thinking that she would have been just as well +able to ride after Mr. Price as her old friend Adelaide de Baron. The +Dean did go on, having intimated his purpose of riding on just to see +Price's farm. + +When the unwonted perturbation was over at Manor Cross Lord George was +obliged to revert again to the tidings he had received from Mr. Knox. +He could not keep it to himself. He felt himself obliged to tell it all +to Lady Sarah. + +"That he should write to such a man as Mr. Price, telling him of his +anxiety to banish his own mother from her own house!" + +"You did not see the letter?" + +"No; but Knox did. They could not very well show such a letter to me; +but Knox says that Price was very indignant, and swore that he would +not even answer it." + +"I suppose he can afford it, George? It would be very dreadful to ruin +him." + +"Price is a rich man. And after all, if Price were to do all that +Brotherton desires him, he could only keep us out for a year or so. But +don't you think you will all be very uncomfortable here. How will my +mother feel if she isn't ever allowed to see him? And how will you feel +if you find that you never want to see his wife?" + +Lady Sarah sat silent for a few minutes before she answered him, and +then declared for war. "It is very bad, George; very bad. I can foresee +great unhappiness; especially the unhappiness which must come from +constant condemnation of one whom we ought to wish to love and approve +of before all others. But nothing can be so bad as running away. We +ought not to allow anything to drive mamma from her own house, and us +from our own duties. I don't think we ought to take any notice of +Brotherton's letter to Mr. Price." It was thus decided between them +that no further notice should be taken of the Marquis's letter to Mr. +Price. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +PUGSBY BROOK. + + +There was great talking about the old vixen as they all trotted away to +Cross Hall Holt;--how it was the same old fox that they hadn't killed +in a certain run last January, and how one old farmer was quite sure +that this very fox was the one which had taken them that celebrated run +to Bamham Moor three years ago, and how she had been the mother of +quite a Priam's progeny of cubs. And now that she should have been +killed in a stokehole! While this was going on a young lady rode up +along side of Mr. Price, and said a word to him with her sweetest +smile. + +"You remember your promise to me, Mr. Price?" + +"Surely, Mrs. Houghton. Your nag can jump a few, no doubt." + +"Beautifully. Mr. Houghton bought him from Lord Mountfencer. Lady +Mountfencer couldn't ride him because he pulls a little. But he's a +perfect hunter." + +"We shall find him, Mrs. Houghton, to a moral; and do you stick to me. +They generally go straight away to Thrupp's larches. You see the little +wood. There's an old earth there, but that's stopped. There is only one +fence between this and that, a biggish ditch, with a bit of a hedge on +this side, but it's nothing to the horses when they're fresh." + +"Mine's quite fresh." + +"Then they mostly turn to the right for Pugsby; nothing but grass then +for four miles a-head." + +"And the jumping?" + +"All fair. There's one bit of water,--Pugsby Brook,--that you ought to +have as he'll be sure to cross it ever so much above the bridge. But, +lord love you, Mrs. Houghton, that horse'll think nothing of the +brook." + +"Nothing at all, Mr. Price. I like brooks." + +"I'm afraid he's not here, Price," said Sir Simon, trotting round the +cover towards the whip, who was stationed at the further end. + +"Well, Sir Simon, her as we killed came from the holt, you know," said +the farmer, mindful of his reputation for foxes. "You can't eat your +cake and have it too, can you, Sir Simon?" + +"Ought to be able in a covert like this." + +"Well, perhaps we shall. The best lying is down in that corner. I've +seen a brace of cubs together there a score of times." Then there was +one short low, dubious, bark, and then another a little more confirmed. +"That's it, Sir Simon. There's your 'cake.'" + +"Good hound, Blazer," cried Sir Simon, recognising the voice of his +dog. And many of the pack recognised the well-known sound as plainly as +the master, for you might hear the hounds rustling through the covert +as they hurried up to certify to the scent which their old leader had +found for them. The holt though thick was small and a fox had not much +chance but by breaking. Once up the covert and once back again the +animal went, and then Dick, the watchful whip, holding his hand up to +his face, holloaed him away. "Gently, gentlemen," shouted Sir Simon, +"let them settle. Now, Mr. Bottomley, if you'll only keep yourself a +little steady, you'll find yourself the better for it at the finish." +Mr. Bottomley was a young man from London, who was often addressed +after this fashion, was always very unhappy for a few minutes, and then +again forgot it in his excitement. + +"Now, Mr. Price," said Mrs. Houghton in a fever of expectation. She had +been dodging backwards and forwards trying to avoid her husband, and +yet unwilling to leave the farmer's side. + +"Wait a moment, ma'am; wait a moment. Now we're right; here to the +left." So saying Mr. Price jumped over a low hedge, and Mrs. Houghton +followed him, almost too closely. Mr. Houghton saw it, and didn't +follow. He had made his way up, resolved to stop his wife, but she gave +him the slip at the last moment. "Now through the gate, ma'am, and then +on straight as an arrow for the little wood. I'll give you a lead over +the ditch, but don't ride quite so close, ma'am." Then the farmer went +away feeling perhaps that his best chance of keeping clear from his too +loving friend was to make the pace so fast that she should not be able +quite to catch him. But Lady Mountfencer's nag was fast too, was fast +and had a will of his own. It was not without a cause that Lord +Mountfencer had parted with so good a horse out of his stable. "Have a +care, ma'am," said Price, as Mrs. Houghton canoned against him as they +both landed over the big ditch; "have a care, or we shall come to grief +together. Just see me over before you let him take his jump." It was +very good advice, and is very often given; but both ladies and +gentlemen, whose hands are a little doubtful, sometimes find themselves +unable to follow it. But now they were at Thrupp's larches. George +Scruby had led the way, as becomes a huntsman, and a score or more had +followed him over the big fence. Price had been going a little to the +left, and when they reached the wood was as forward as any one. + +"He won't hang here, Sir Simon," said the farmer, as the master came +up, "he never does." + +"He's only a cub," said the master. + +"The holt cubs this time of the year are nigh as strong as old foxes. +Now for Pugsby." + +Mrs. Houghton looked round, fearing every moment that her husband would +come up. They had just crossed a road, and wherever there was a road +there, she thought, he would certainly be. + +"Can't we get round the other side, Mr. Price?" she said. + +"You won't be any better nor here." + +"But there's Mr. Houghton on the road," she whispered. + +"Oh-h-h," ejaculated the farmer, just touching the end of his nose with +his finger and moving gently on through the wood. "Never spoil sport," +was the motto of his life, and to his thinking it was certainly sport +that a young wife should ride to hounds in opposition to an old +husband. Mrs. Houghton followed him, and as they got out on the other +side, the fox was again away. "He ain't making for Pugsby's after all," +said Price to George Scruby. + +"He don't know that country yet," said the huntsman. "He'll be back in +them Manor Cross woods. You'll see else." + +The park of Manor Cross lay to the left of them, whereas Pugsby and the +desirable grass country away to Bamham Moor were all to the right. Some +men mindful of the big brook and knowing the whereabouts of the bridge, +among whom was Mr. Houghton, kept very much to the right and were soon +out of the run altogether. But the worst of it was that though they +were not heading for their good country, still there was the brook, +Pugsby brook, to be taken. Had the fox done as he ought to have done, +and made for Pugsby itself, the leap would have been from grass to +grass; but now it must be from plough to plough, if taken at all. It +need hardly be said that the two things are very different. Sir Simon, +when he saw how the land lay, took a lane leading down to the +Brotherton road. If the fox was making for the park he must be right in +that direction. It is not often that a master of hounds rides for +glory, and Sir Simon had long since left all that to younger men. But +there were still a dozen riders pressing on, and among them were the +farmer and his devoted follower,--and a gentleman in black. + +Let us give praise where praise is due, and acknowledge that young +Bottomley was the first at the brook,--and the first over it. As soon +as he was beyond Sir Simon's notice, he had scurried on across the +plough, and being both light and indiscreet, had enjoyed the heartfelt +pleasure of passing George Scruby. George, who hated Mr. Bottomley, +grunted out his malediction, even though no one could hear him. "He'll +soon be at the bottom of that," said George, meaning to imply in horsey +phrase that the rider, if he rode over ploughed ground after that +fashion, would soon come to the end of his steed's power. But +Bottomley, if he could only be seen to jump the big brook before any +one else, would have happiness enough for a month. To have done a thing +that he could talk about was the charm that Bottomley found in hunting. +Alas, though he rode gallantly at the brook and did get over it, there +was not much to talk about; for, unfortunately, he left his horse +behind him in the water. The poor beast going with a rush off the +plough, came with her neck and shoulders against the opposite bank, and +shot his rider well on to the dry land. + +"That's about as good as a dead'un," said George, as he landed a yard +or two to the right. This was ill-natured, and the horse in truth was +not hurt. But a rider, at any rate a young rider, should not take a +lead from a huntsman unless he is very sure of himself, of his horse, +and of the run of the hounds. The next man over was the gentleman in +black, who took it in a stand, and who really seemed to know what he +was about. There were some who afterwards asserted that this was the +Dean, but the Dean was never heard to boast of the performance. + +Mrs. Houghton's horse was going very strong with her. More than once +the farmer cautioned her to give him a pull over the plough. And she +attempted to obey the order. But the horse was self-willed, and she was +light; and in truth the heaviness of the ground would have been nothing +to him had he been fairly well ridden. But she allowed him to rush with +her through the mud. As she had never yet had an accident she knew +nothing of fear, and she was beyond measure excited. She had been near +enough to see that a man fell at the brook, and then she saw also that +the huntsman got over, and also the gentleman in black. It seemed to +her to be lovely. The tumble did not scare her at all, as others coming +after the unfortunate one had succeeded. She was aware that there were +three or four other men behind her, and she was determined that they +should not pass her. They should see that she also could jump the +river. She had not rid herself of her husband for nothing. Price, as he +came near the water, knew that he had plenty to do, and knew also how +very close to him the woman was. It was too late now to speak to her +again, but he did not fear for his own horse if she would only give him +room. He steadied the animal a yard or two from the margin as he came +to the headland that ran down the side of the brook, and then took his +leap. + +But Mrs. Houghton rode as though the whole thing was to be accomplished +by a rush, and her horse, true to the manner of horses, insisted on +following in the direct track of the one who had led him so far. When +he got to the bank he made his effort to jump high, but had got no +footing for a fair spring. On he went, however, and struck Price's +horse on the quarter so violently as to upset that animal, as well as +himself. + +Price, who was a thoroughly good horseman, was knocked off, but got on +to the bank as Bottomley had done. The two animals were both in the +brook, and when the farmer was able to look round, he saw that the lady +was out of sight. He was in the water immediately himself, but before +he made the plunge he had resolved that he never again would give a +lady a lead till he knew whether she could ride. + +Mr. Knox and Dick were soon on the spot, and Mrs. Houghton was +extracted. "I'm blessed if she ain't dead," said the whip, pale as +death himself. "H--sh!" said Mr. Knox; "she's not dead, but I'm afraid +she's hurt." Price had come back through the water with the woman in +his arms, and the two horses were still floundering about, unattended. +"It's her shoulder, Mr. Knox," said Price. "The horse has jammed her +against the bank under water." During this time her head was drooping, +and her eyes were closed, and she was apparently senseless. "Do you +look to the horses, Dick. There ain't no reason why they should get +their death of cold." By this time there were a dozen men round them, +and Dick and others were able to attend to the ill-used nags. "Yes; +it's her shoulder," continued Price. "That's out, any way. What the +mischief will Mr. Houghton say to me when he comes up!" + +There is always a doctor in the field,--sent there by some benignity of +providence,--who always rides forward enough to be near to accidents, +but never so forward as to be in front of them. It has been hinted that +this arrangement is professional rather than providential; but the +present writer, having given his mind to the investigation of the +matter, is inclined to think that it arises from the general fitness of +things. All public institutions have, or ought to have, their doctor, +but in no institution is the doctor so invariably at hand, just when he +is wanted, as in the hunting field. A very skilful young surgeon from +Brotherton was on the spot almost as soon as the lady was out of the +water, and declared that she had dislocated her shoulder. + +What was to be done? Her hat had gone; she had been under the water; +she was covered with mud; she was still senseless, and of course she +could neither ride nor walk. There were ever so many suggestions. Price +thought that she had better be taken back to Cross Hall, which was +about a mile and a half distant. Mr. Knox, who knew the country, told +them of a side gate in the Manor Cross wall, which made the great house +nearer than Cross Hall. They could get her there in little over a mile. +But how to get her there? They must find a door on which to carry her. +First a hurdle was suggested, and then Dick was sent galloping up to +the house for a carriage. In the meantime she was carried to a +labourer's cottage by the roadside on a hurdle, and there the party was +joined by Sir Simon and Mr. Houghton. + +"It's all your fault," said the husband, coming up to Price as though +he meant to strike him with his whip. "Part of it is no doubt, sir," +said Price, looking his assailant full in the face, but almost sobbing +as he spoke, "and I'm very unhappy about it." Then the husband went and +hung over his wife, but his wife, when she saw him, found it convenient +to faint again. + +At about two o'clock the cortège with the carriage reached the great +house. Sir Simon, after expressions of deep sorrow had, of course, gone +on after his hounds. Mr. Knox, as belonging to Manor Cross, and Price, +and, of course, the doctor, with Mr. Houghton and Mr. Houghton's groom, +accompanied the carriage. When they got to the door all the ladies were +there to receive them. "I don't think we want to see anything more of +you," said Mr. Houghton to the farmer. The poor man turned round and +went away home, alone, feeling himself to be thoroughly disgraced. +"After all," he said to himself, "if you come to fault it was she nigh +killed me, not me her. How was I to know she didn't know nothing about +it!" + +"Now, Mary, I think you'll own that I was right," Lord George said to +his wife, as soon as the sufferer had been put quietly to bed. + +"Ladies don't always break their arms," said Mary. + +"It might have been you as well as Mrs. Houghton." + +"As I didn't go, you need not scold me, George." + +"But you were discontented because you were prevented," said he, +determined to have the last word. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +MRS. HOUGHTON. + + +Lady Sarah, who was generally regarded as the arbiter of the very +slender hospitalities exercised at Manor Cross, was not at all well +pleased at being forced to entertain Mrs. Houghton, whom she especially +disliked; but, circumstanced as they were, there was no alternative. +She had been put to bed with a dislocated arm, and had already suffered +much in having it reduced, before the matter could be even discussed. +And then it was of course felt that she could not be turned out of the +house. She was not only generally hurt, but she was a cousin, also. "We +must ask him, mamma," Lady Sarah said. The Marchioness whined +piteously. Mr. Houghton's name had always been held in great +displeasure by the ladies at Manor Cross. "I don't think we can help +it. Mr. Sawyer"--Mr. Sawyer was the very clever young surgeon from +Brotherton--"Mr. Sawyer says that she ought not to be removed for at +any rate a week." The Marchioness groaned. But the evil became less +than had been anticipated, by Mr. Houghton's refusal. At first, he +seemed inclined to stay, but after he had seen his wife he declared +that, as there was no danger, he would not intrude upon Lady +Brotherton, but would, if permitted, ride over and see how his wife was +progressing on the morrow. "That is a relief," said Lady Sarah to her +mother; and yet Lady Sarah had been almost urgent in assuring Mr. +Houghton that they would be delighted to have him. + +In spite of her suffering, which must have been real, and her fainting, +which had partly been so, Mrs. Houghton had had force enough to tell +her husband that he would himself be inexpressibly bored by remaining +at Manor Cross, and that his presence would inexpressibly bore "all +those dowdy old women," as she called the ladies of the house. +"Besides, what's the use?" she said; "I've got to lay here for a +certain time. You would not be any good at nursing. You'd only kill +yourself with ennui. I shall do well enough, and do you go on with your +hunting." He had assented; but finding her to be well enough to express +her opinion as to the desirability of his absence strongly, thought +that she was well enough, also, to be rebuked for her late +disobedience. He began, therefore, to say a word. "Oh! Jeffrey, are you +going to scold me," she said, "while I am in such a state as this!" and +then, again, she almost fainted. He knew that he was being ill-treated, +but knowing, also, that he could not avoid it, he went away without a +further word. + +But she was quite cheerful that evening when Lady George came up to +give her her dinner. She had begged that it might be so. She had known +"dear Mary" so long, and was so warmly attached to her. "Dear Mary" did +not dislike the occupation, which was soon found to comprise that of +being head nurse to the invalid. She had never especially loved +Adelaide De Baron, and had felt that there was something amiss in her +conversation when they had met at the deanery; but she was brighter +than the ladies at Manor Cross, was affectionate in her manner, and was +at any rate young. There was an antiquity about every thing at Manor +Cross, which was already crushing the spirit of the young bride. + +"Dear me! this is nice," said Mrs. Houghton, disregarding, apparently +altogether, the pain of her shoulder; "I declare, I shall begin to be +glad of the accident!" + +"You shouldn't say that." + +"Why not, if I feel it? Doesn't it seem like a thing in a story that I +should be brought to Lord George's house, and that he was my lover only +quite the other day?" The idea had never occurred to Mary, and now that +it was suggested to her, she did not like it. "I wonder when he'll come +and see me. It would not make you jealous, I hope." + +"Certainly not." + +"No, indeed. I think he's quite as much in love with you as ever he was +with me. And yet, he was very, very fond of me once. Isn't it odd that +men should change so?" + +"I suppose you are changed, too," said Mary,--hardly knowing what to +say. + +"Well,--yes,--no. I don't know that I'm changed at all. I never told +Lord George that I loved him. And what's more, I never told Mr. +Houghton so. I don't pretend to be very virtuous, and of course I +married for an income. I like him very well, and I always mean to be +good to him; that is, if he lets me have my own way. I'm not going to +be scolded, and he need not think so." + +"You oughtn't to have gone on to-day, ought you?" + +"Why not? If my horse hadn't gone so very quick, and Mr. Price at that +moment hadn't gone so very slow, I shouldn't have come to grief, and +nobody would have known anything about it. Wouldn't you like to ride?" + +"Yes; I should like it. But are not you exerting yourself too much?" + +"I should die if I were made to lie here without speaking to any one. +Just put the pillow a little under me. Now I'm all right. Who do you +think was going as well as anybody yesterday? I saw him." + +"Who was it?" + +"The very Reverend the Dean of Brotherton, my dear." + +"No!" + +"But he was. I saw him jump the brook just before I fell into it. What +will Mr. Groschut say?" + +"I don't think papa cares much what Mr. Groschut says." + +"And the Bishop?" + +"I'm not sure that he cares very much for the Bishop either. But I am +quite sure that he would not do anything that he thought to be wrong." + +"A Dean never does, I suppose." + +"My papa never does." + +"Nor Lord George, I dare say," said Mrs. Houghton. + +"I don't say anything about Lord George. I haven't known him quite so +long." + +"If you won't speak up for him, I will. I'm quite sure Lord George +Germain never in his life did anything that he ought not to do. That's +his fault. Don't you like men who do what they ought not to do?" + +"No," said Mary, "I don't. Everybody always ought to do what they ought +to do. And you ought to go to sleep, and so I shall go away." She knew +that it was not all right,--that there was something fast, and also +something vulgar, about this self-appointed friend of hers. But though +Mrs. Houghton was fast, and though she was vulgar, she was a relief to +the endless gloom of Manor Cross. + +On the next day Mr. Houghton came, explaining to everybody that he had +given up his day's hunting for the sake of his wife. But he could say +but little, and could do nothing, and he did not remain long. "Don't +stay away from the meet another day," his wife said to him; "I shan't +get well any the sooner, and I don't like being a drag upon you." Then +the husband went away, and did not come for the next two days. On the +Sunday he came over in the afternoon and stayed for half-an-hour, and +on the following Tuesday he appeared on his way to the meet in top +boots and a red coat. He was, upon the whole, less troublesome to the +Manor Cross people than might have been expected. + +Mr. Price came every morning to enquire, and very gracious passages +passed between him and the lady. On the Saturday she was up, sitting on +a sofa in a dressing gown, and he was brought in to see her. "It was +all my fault, Mr. Price," she said immediately. "I heard what Mr. +Houghton said to you; I couldn't speak then, but I was so sorry." + +"What a husband says, ma'am, at such a time, goes for nothing." + +"What husbands say, Mr. Price, very often does go for nothing." He +turned his hat in his hand, and smiled. "If it had not been so, all +this wouldn't have happened, and I shouldn't have upset you into the +water. But all the same, I hope you'll give me a lead another day, and +I'll take great care not to come so close to you again." This pleased +Mr. Price so much, that as he went home he swore to himself that if +ever she asked him again, he would do just the same as he had done on +the day of the accident. + +When Price, the farmer, had seen her, of course it became Lord George's +duty to pay her his compliments in person. At first he visited her in +company with his wife and Lady Sarah, and the conversation was very +stiff. Lady Sarah was potent enough to quell even Mrs. Houghton. But +later in the afternoon Lord George came back again, his wife being in +the room, and then there was a little more ease. "You can't think how +it grieves me," she said, "to bring all this trouble upon you." She +emphasised the word "you," as though to show him that she cared nothing +for his mother and sisters. + +"It is no trouble to me," said Lord George, bowing low. "I should say +that it was a pleasure, were it not that your presence here is attended +with so much pain to yourself." + +"The pain is nothing," said Mrs. Houghton. "I have hardly thought of +it. It is much more than compensated by the renewal of my intimacy with +Lady George Germain." This she said with her very prettiest manner, and +he told himself that she was, indeed, very pretty. + +Lady George,--or Mary, as we will still call her, for simplicity, in +spite of her promotion,--had become somewhat afraid of Mrs. Houghton; +but now, seeing her husband's courtesy to her guest, understanding from +his manner that he liked her society, began to thaw, and to think that +she might allow herself to be intimate with the woman. It did not occur +to her to be in any degree jealous,--not, at least, as yet. In her +innocence she did not think it possible that her husband's heart should +be untrue to her, nor did it occur to her that such a one as Mrs. +Houghton could be preferred to herself. She thought that she knew +herself to be better than Mrs. Houghton, and she certainly thought +herself to be the better looking of the two. + +Mrs. Houghton's beauty, such as it was, depended mainly on style; on a +certain dash and manner which she had acquired, and which, to another +woman, were not attractive. Mary knew that she, herself, was beautiful. +She could not but know it. She had been brought up by all belonging to +her with that belief; and so believing, had taught herself to +acknowledge that no credit was due to herself on that score. Her beauty +now belonged entirely to her husband. There was nothing more to be done +with it, except to maintain her husband's love, and that, for the +present, she did not in the least doubt. She had heard of married men +falling in love with other people's wives, but she did not in the least +bring home the fact to her own case. + +In the course of that afternoon all the ladies of the family sat for a +time with their guest. First came Lady Sarah and Lady Susanna. Mrs. +Houghton, who saw very well how the land lay, rather snubbed Lady +Sarah. She had nothing to fear from the dragon of the family. Lady +Sarah, in spite of their cousinship, had called her Mrs. Houghton, and +Mrs. Houghton, in return, called the other Lady Sarah. There was to be +no intimacy, and she was only received there because of her dislocated +shoulder. Let it be so. Lord George and his wife were coming up to +town, and the intimacy should be there. She certainly would not wish to +repeat her visit to Manor Cross. + +"Some ladies do like hunting, and some don't," she said, in answer to a +severe remark from Lady Sarah. "I am one of those who do, and I don't +think an accident like that has anything to do with it." + +"I can't say I think it an amusement fit for ladies," said Lady Sarah. + +"I suppose ladies may do what clergymen do. The Dean jumped over the +brook just before me." There was not much of an argument in this, but +Mrs. Houghton knew that it would vex Lady Sarah, because of the +alliance between the Dean and the Manor Cross family. + +"She's a detestable young woman," Lady Sarah said to her mother, "and I +can only hope that Mary won't see much of her up in town." + +"I don't see how she can, after what there has been between her and +George," said the innocent old lady. In spite, however, of this +strongly expressed opinion, the old lady made her visit, taking Lady +Amelia with her. "I hope, my dear, you find yourself getting better." + +"So much better, Lady Brotherton! But I am so sorry to have given you +all this trouble; but it has been very pleasant to me to be here, and +to see Lord George and Mary together. I declare I think hers is the +sweetest face I ever looked upon. And she is so much improved. That's +what perfect happiness does. I do so like her." + +"We love her very dearly," said the Marchioness. + +"I am sure you do. And he is so proud of her!" Lady Sarah had said that +the woman was detestable, and therefore the Marchioness felt that she +ought to detest her. But, had it not been for Lady Sarah, she would +have been rather pleased with her guest than otherwise. She did not +remain very long, but promised that she would return on the next day. + +On the following morning Mr. Houghton came again, staying only a few +minutes; and while he was in his wife's sitting-room, both Lord George +and Mary found them. As they were all leaving her together, she +contrived to say a word to her old lover. "Don't desert me all the +morning. Come and talk to me a bit. I am well now, though they won't +let me move about." In obedience to this summons, he returned to her +when his wife was called upon to attend to the ordinary cloak and +petticoat conclave of the other ladies. In regard to these charitable +meetings she had partly carried her own way. She had so far thrown off +authority as to make it understood that she was not to be bound by the +rules which her sisters-in-law had laid down for their own guidance. +But her rebellion had not been complete, and she still gave them a +certain number of weekly stitches. Lord George had said nothing of his +purpose; but for a full hour before luncheon he was alone with Mrs. +Houghton. If a gentleman may call on a lady in her house, surely he +may, without scandal, pay her a visit in his own. That a married man +should chat for an hour with another man's wife in a country house is +not much. Where is the man and where the woman who has not done that, +quite as a matter of course? And yet when Lord George knocked at the +door there was a feeling on him that he was doing something in which he +would not wish to be detected. "This is so good of you," she said. "Do +sit down; and don't run away. Your mother and sisters have been +here,--so nice of them, you know; but everybody treats me as though I +oughtn't to open my mouth for above five minutes at a time. I feel as +though I should like to jump the brook again immediately." + +"Pray don't do that." + +"Well, no; not quite yet. You don't like hunting, I'm afraid?" + +"The truth is," said Lord George, "that I've never been able to afford +to keep horses." + +"Ah, that's a reason. Mr. Houghton, of course, is a rich man; but I +don't know anything so little satisfactory in itself as being rich." + +"It is comfortable." + +"Oh yes, it is comfortable; but so unsatisfactory! Of course Mr. +Houghton can keep any number of horses; but, what's the use, when he +never rides to hounds? Better not have them at all, I think. I am very +fond of hunting myself." + +"I daresay I should have liked it had it come in my way early in life." + +"You speak of yourself as if you were a hundred years old. I know your +age exactly. You are just seventeen years younger than Mr. Houghton!" +To this Lord George had no reply to make. Of course he had felt that +when Miss De Baron had married Mr. Houghton she had married quite an +old man. "I wonder whether you were much surprised when you heard that +I was engaged to Mr. Houghton?" + +"I was, rather." + +"Because he is so old?" + +"Not that altogether." + +"I was surprised myself, and I knew that you would be. But what was I +to do?" + +"I think you have been very wise," said Lord George. + +"Yes, but you think I have been heartless. I can see it in your eyes +and hear it in your voice. Perhaps I was heartless;--but then I was +bound to be wise. A man may have a profession before him. He may do +anything. But what has a girl to think of? You say that money is +comfortable." + +"Certainly it is." + +"How is she to get it, if she has not got it of her own, like dear +Mary?" + +"You do not think that I have blamed you." + +"But even though you have not, yet I must excuse myself to you," she +said with energy, bending forward from her sofa towards him. "Do you +think that I do not know the difference?" + +"What difference?" + +"Ah, you shouldn't ask. I may hint at it, but you shouldn't ask. But it +wouldn't have done, would it?" Lord George hardly understood what it +was that wouldn't have done; but he knew that a reference was being +made to his former love by the girl he had loved; and, upon the whole, +he rather liked it. The flattery of such intrigues is generally +pleasant to men, even when they cannot bring their minds about quick +enough to understand all the little ins and outs of the woman's +manoeuvres. "It is my very nature to be extravagant. Papa has brought +me up like that. And yet I had nothing that I could call my own. I had +no right to marry any one but a rich man. You said just now you +couldn't afford to hunt." + +"I never could." + +"And I couldn't afford to have a heart. You said just now, too, that +money is very comfortable. There was a time when I should have found it +very, very comfortable to have had a fortune of my own." + +"You have plenty now." + +She wasn't angry with him, because she had already found out that it is +the nature of men to be slow. And she wasn't angry with him, again, +because, though he was slow, yet also was he evidently gratified. +"Yes," she said, "I have plenty now. I have secured so much. I couldn't +have done without a large income; but a large income doesn't make me +happy. It's like eating and drinking. One has to eat and drink, but yet +one doesn't care very much about it. Perhaps you don't regret hunting +very much?" + +"Yes I do, because it enables a man to know his neighbours." + +"I know that I regret the thing I couldn't afford." + +Then a glimmer of what she meant did come across him, and he blushed. +"Things will not always turn out as they are wanted," he said. Then his +conscience upbraided him, and he corrected himself. "But, God knows +that I have no reason to complain. I have been fortunate." + +"Yes, indeed." + +"I sometimes think it is better to remember the good things we have +than to regret those that are gone." + +"That is excellent philosophy, Lord George. And therefore I go out +hunting, and break my bones, and fall into rivers, and ride about with +such men as Mr. Price. One has to make the best of it, hasn't one? But +you, I see, have no regrets." + +He paused for a moment, and then found himself driven to make some +attempt at gallantry. "I didn't quite say that," he replied. + +"You were able to re-establish yourself according to your own tastes. A +man can always do so. I was obliged to take whatever came. I think that +Mary is so nice." + +"I think so too, I can assure you." + +"You have been very fortunate to find such a girl; so innocent, so +pure, so pretty, and with a fortune too. I wonder how much difference +it would have made in your happiness if you had seen her before we had +ever been acquainted. I suppose we should never have known each other +then." + +"Who can say?" + +"No; no one can say. For myself, I own that I like it better as it is. +I have something to remember that I can be proud of." + +"And I something to be ashamed of." + +"To be ashamed of!" she said, almost rising in anger. + +"That you should have refused me!" + +She had got it at last. She had made her fish rise to the fly. "Oh, +no," she said; "there can be nothing of that. If I did not tell you +plainly then, I tell you plainly now. I should have done very wrong to +marry a poor man." + +"I ought not to have asked you." + +"I don't know how that may be," she said in a very low voice, looking +down to the ground. "Some say that if a man loves he should declare his +love, let the circumstances be what they may. I rather think that I +agree with them. You at any rate knew that I felt greatly honoured, +though the honour was out of my reach." Then there was a pause, during +which he could find nothing to say. He was trapped by her flattery, but +he did not wish to betray his wife by making love to the woman. He +liked her words and her manner; but he was aware that she was a thing +sacred as being another man's wife. "But it is all better as it is," +she said with a laugh, "and Mary Lovelace is the happiest girl of her +year. I am so glad you are coming to London, and do so hope you'll come +and see me." + +"Certainly I will." + +"I mean to be such friends with Mary. There is no woman I like so much. +And then circumstances have thrown us together, haven't they; and if +she and I are friends, real friends, I shall feel that our friendship +may be continued,--yours and mine. I don't mean that all this accident +shall go for nothing. I wasn't quite clever enough to contrive it; but +I am very glad of it, because it has brought us once more together, so +that we may understand each other. Good-bye, Lord George. Don't let me +keep you longer now. I wouldn't have Mary jealous, you know." + +"I don't think there is the least fear of that," he said in real +displeasure. + +"Don't take me up seriously for my little joke," she said as she put +out her left hand. He took it, and once more smiled, and then left her. + +When she was alone there came a feeling on her that she had gone +through some hard work with only moderate success; and also a feeling +that the game was hardly worth the candle. She was not in the least in +love with the man, or capable of being in love with any man. In a +certain degree she was jealous, and felt that she owed Mary Lovelace a +turn for having so speedily won her own rejected lover. But her +jealousy was not strong enough for absolute malice. She had formed no +plot against the happiness of the husband and wife when she came into +the house; but the plot made itself, and she liked the excitement. He +was heavy,--certainly heavy; but he was very handsome, and a lord; and +then, too, it was much in her favour that he certainly had once loved +her dearly. + +Lord George, as he went down to lunch, felt himself to be almost +guilty, and hardly did more than creep into the room where his wife and +sisters were seated. + +"Have you been with Mrs. Houghton?" asked Lady Sarah in a firm voice. + +"Yes, I have been sitting with her for the last half hour," he replied; +but he couldn't answer the question without hesitation in his manner. +Mary, however, thought nothing about it. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE DEAN AS A SPORTING MAN. + + +In Brotherton the Dean's performance in the run from Cross Hall Holt +was almost as much talked of as Mrs. Houghton's accident. There had +been rumours of things that he had done in the same line after taking +orders, when a young man,--of runs that he had ridden, and even of +visits which he had made to Newmarket and other wicked places. But, as +far as Brotherton knew, there had been nothing of all this since the +Dean had been a dean. Though he was constantly on horseback, he had +never been known to do more than perhaps look at a meet, and it was +understood through Brotherton generally that he had forbidden his +daughter to hunt. But now, no sooner was his daughter married, and the +necessity of setting an example to her at an end, than the Dean, with a +rosette in his hat,--for so the story was told,--was after the hounds +like a sporting farmer or a mere country gentleman! On the very next +day Mr. Groschut told the whole story to the Bishop. But Mr. Groschut +had not seen the performance, and the Bishop affected to disbelieve it. +"I'm afraid, my lord," said the chaplain, "I'm afraid you'll find it's +true." "If he rides after every pack of dogs in the county, I don't +know that I can help it," said the Bishop. With this Mr. Groschut was +by no means inclined to agree. A bishop is as much entitled to cause +inquiries to be made into the moral conduct of a dean as of any country +clergyman in his diocese. "Suppose he were to take to gambling on the +turf," said Mr. Groschut, with much horror expressed in his tone and +countenance. "But riding after a pack of dogs isn't gambling on the +turf," said the Bishop, who, though he would have liked to possess the +power of putting down the Dean, by no means relished the idea of being +beaten in an attempt to do so. + +And Mr. Canon Holdenough heard of it. "My dear," he said to his wife, +"Manor Cross is coming out strong in the sporting way. Not only is Mrs. +Houghton laid up there with a broken limb, but your brother's +father-in-law took the brush on the same day." + +"The Dean!" said Lady Alice. + +"So they tell me." + +"He was always so particular in not letting Mary ride over a single +fence. He would hardly let her go to a meet on horseback." + +"Many fathers do what they won't let their daughters do. The Dean has +been always giving signs that he would like to break out a little." + +"Can they do anything to him?" + +"Oh dear no;--not if he was to hunt a pack of hounds himself, as far as +I know." + +"But I suppose it's wrong, Canon," said the clerical wife. + +"Yes; I think it's wrong because it will scandalise. Everything that +gives offence is wrong, unless it be something that is on other grounds +expedient. If it be true we shall hear about it a good deal here, and +it will not contribute to brotherly love and friendship among us +clergymen." + +There was another canon at Brotherton, one Dr. Pountner, a red-faced +man, very fond of his dinner, a man of infinite pluck, and much +attached to the Cathedral, towards the reparation of which he had +contributed liberally. And, having an ear for music, he had done much +to raise the character of the choir. Though Dr. Pountner's sermons were +supposed to be the worst ever heard from the pulpit of the Cathedral, +he was, on account of the above good deeds, the most popular clergyman +in the city. "So I'm told you've been distinguishing yourself, Mr. +Dean," said the Doctor, meeting our friend in the close. + +"Have I done so lately, more than is usual with me?" asked the Dean, +who had not hitherto heard of the rumour of his performances. + +"I am told that you were so much ahead the other day in the hunting +field, that you were unable to give assistance to the poor lady who +broke her arm." + +"Oh, that's it! If I do anything at all, though I may do it but once in +a dozen years, I like to do it well, Dr. Pountner. I wish I thought +that you could follow my example, and take a little exercise. It would +be very good for you." The Doctor was a heavy man, and hardly walked +much beyond the confines of the Close or his own garden. Though a bold +man, he was not so ready as the Dean, and had no answer at hand. "Yes," +continued our friend, "I did go a mile or two with them, and I enjoyed +it amazingly. I wish with all my heart there was no prejudice against +clergymen hunting." + +"I think it would be an abominable practise," said Dr. Pountner, +passing on. + +The Dean himself would have thought nothing more about it had there not +appeared a few lines on the subject in a weekly newspaper called the +"Brotherton Church," which was held to be a pestilential little rag by +all the Close. Deans, canons, and minor canons were all agreed as to +this, Dr. Pountner hating the "Brotherton Church" quite as sincerely as +did the Dean. The "Brotherton Church" was edited nominally by a +certain Mr. Grease,--a very pious man who had long striven, but +hitherto in vain, to get orders. But it was supposed by many that the +paper was chiefly inspired by Mr. Groschut. It was always very +laudatory of the Bishop. It had distinguished itself by its elaborate +opposition to ritual. Its mission was to put down popery in the diocese +of Brotherton. It always sneered at the Chapter generally, and very +often said severe things of the Dean. On this occasion the paragraph +was as follows; "There is a rumour current that Dean Lovelace was out +with the Brotherton foxhounds last Wednesday, and that he rode with the +pack all the day, leading the field. We do not believe this, but we +hope that for the sake of the Cathedral and for his own sake, he will +condescend to deny the report." On the next Saturday there was another +paragraph, with a reply from the Dean; "We have received from the Dean +of Brotherton the following startling letter, which we publish without +comment. What our opinion on the subject may be our readers will +understand. + + "Deanery, November, 187-- + + "Sir,--You have been correctly informed that I was out with the + Brotherton foxhounds on Wednesday week last. The other reports + which you have published, and as to which after publication, you + have asked for information, are unfortunately incorrect. I wish I + could have done as well as my enemies accuse me of doing. + + "I am, Sir, + + "Your humble servant, + + "HENRY LOVELACE. + + "To the Editor of the 'Brotherton Church.'" + +The Dean's friends were unanimous in blaming him for having taken any +notice of the attack. The Bishop, who was at heart an honest man and a +gentleman, regretted it. All the Chapter were somewhat ashamed of it. +The Minor Canons were agreed that it was below the dignity of a dean. +Dr. Pountner, who had not yet forgotten the allusion to his obesity, +whispered in some clerical ear that nothing better could be expected +out of a stable; and Canon Holdenough, who really liked the Dean in +spite of certain differences of opinion, expostulated with him about +it. + +"I would have let it pass," said the Canon. "Why notice it at all?" + +"Because I would not have any one suppose that I was afraid to notice +it. Because I would not have it thought that I had gone out with the +hounds and was ashamed of what I had done." + +"Nobody who knows you would have thought that." + +"I am proud to think that nobody who knows me would. I make as many +mistakes as another, and am sorry for them afterwards. But I am never +ashamed. I'll tell you what happened, not to justify my hunting, but +to justify my letter. I was over at Manor Cross, and I went to the +meet, because Mary went. I have not done such a thing before since I +came to Brotherton, because there is,--what I will call a feeling +against it. When I was there I rode a field or two with them, and I can +tell you I enjoyed it." + +"I daresay you did." + +"Then, very soon after the fox broke, there was that brook at which +Mrs. Houghton hurt herself. I happened to jump it, and the thing became +talked about because of her accident. After that we came out on the +Brotherton road, and I went back to Manor Cross. Do not suppose that I +should have been ashamed of myself if I had gone on even half a dozen +more fields." + +"I'm sure you wouldn't." + +"The thing in itself is not bad. Nevertheless,--thinking as the world +around us does about hunting,--a clergyman in my position would be +wrong to hunt often. But a man who can feel horror at such a thing as +this is a prig in religion. If, as is more likely, a man affects +horror, he is a hypocrite. I believe that most clergymen will agree +with me in that; but there is no clergyman in the diocese of whose +agreement I feel more certain than of yours." + +"It is the letter, not the hunting, to which I object." + +"There was an apparent cowardice in refraining from answering such an +attack. I am aware, Canon, of a growing feeling of hostility to +myself." + +"Not in the Chapter?" + +"In the diocese. And I know whence it comes, and I think I understand +its cause. Let what will come of it I am not going to knock under. I +want to quarrel with no man, and certainly with no clergyman,--but I am +not going to be frightened out of my own manner of life or my own +manner of thinking by fear of a quarrel." + +"Nobody doubts your courage; but what is the use of fighting when there +is nothing to win. Let that wretched newspaper alone. It is beneath you +and me, Dean." + +"Very much beneath us, and so is your butler beneath you. But if he +asks you a question, you answer him. To tell the truth I would rather +they should call me indiscreet than timid. If I did not feel that it +would be really wrong and painful to my friends I would go out hunting +three days next week, to let them know that I am not to be cowed." + +There was a good deal said at Manor Cross about the newspaper +correspondence, and some condemnation of the Dean expressed by the +ladies, who thought that he had lowered himself by addressing a reply +to the editor. In the heat of discussion a word or two was spoken by +Lady Susanna,--who entertained special objections to all things +low,--which made Mary very angry. "I think papa is at any rate a better +judge than you can be," she said. Between sisters as sisters generally +are, or even sisters-in-laws, this would not be much; but at Manor +Cross it was felt to be misconduct. Mary was so much younger than they +were! And then she was the grand-daughter of a tradesman! No doubt they +all thought that they were willing to admit her among themselves on +terms of equality; but then there was a feeling among them that she +ought to repay this great goodness by a certain degree of humility and +submission. From day to day the young wife strengthened herself in a +resolution that she would not be humble and would not be submissive. + +Lady Susanna, when she heard the words, drew herself up with an air of +offended dignity. "Mary, dear," said Lady Sarah, "is not that a little +unkind?" + +"I think it is unkind to say that papa is indiscreet," said the Dean's +daughter. "I wonder what you'd all think if I were to say a word +against dear mamma." She had been specially instructed to call the +Marchioness mamma. + +"The Dean is not my father-in-law," said Lady Amelia, very proudly, as +though in making the suggestion, she begged it to be understood that +under no circumstances could such a connection have been possible. + +"But he's my papa, and I shall stand up for him,--and I do say that he +must know more about such things than any lady." Then Lady Susanna got +up and marched majestically out of the room. + +Lord George was told of this, and found himself obliged to speak to his +wife. "I'm afraid there has been something between you and Susanna, +dear." + +"She abused papa, and I told her papa knew better than she did, and +then she walked out of the room." + +"I don't suppose she meant to--abuse the Dean." + +"She called him names." + +"She said he was indiscreet." + +"That is calling him names." + +"No, my dear, indiscreet is an epithet; and even were it a noun +substantive, as a name must be, it could only be one name." It was +certainly very hard to fall in love with a man who could talk about +epithets so very soon after his marriage; but yet she would go on +trying. "Dear George," she said, "don't you scold me. I will do +anything you tell me, but I don't like them to say hard things of papa. +You are not angry with me for taking papa's part, are you?" + +He kissed her, and told her that he was not in the least angry with +her; but, nevertheless, he went on to insinuate, that if she could +bring herself to show something of submission to his sisters, it would +make her own life happier and theirs and his. "I would do anything I +could to make your life happy," she said. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +LORD AND LADY GEORGE GO UP TO TOWN. + + +Time went on, and the day arranged for the migration to London came +round. After much delicate fencing on one side and the other, this was +fixed for the 31st January. The fencing took place between the Dean, +acting on behalf of his daughter, and the ladies of the Manor Cross +family generally. They, though they conceived themselves to have had +many causes of displeasure with Mary, were not the less anxious to keep +her at Manor Cross. They would all, at any moment, have gladly assented +to an abandonment of the London house, and had taught themselves to +look upon the London house as an allurement of Satan, most unwisely +contrived and countenanced by the Dean. And there was no doubt that, as +the Dean acted on behalf of his daughter, so did they act on behalf of +their brother. He could not himself oppose the London house; but he +disliked it and feared it, and now, at last, thoroughly repented +himself of it. But it had been a stipulation made at the marriage; and +the Dean's money had been spent. The Dean had been profuse with his +money, and had shown himself to be a more wealthy man than any one at +Manor Cross had suspected. Mary's fortune was no doubt her own; but the +furniture had been in a great measure supplied by the Dean, and the +Dean had paid the necessary premium on going into the house. Lord +George felt it to be impossible to change his mind after all that had +been done; but he had been quite willing to postpone the evil day as +long as possible. + +Lady Susanna was especially full of fears, and, it must be owned, +especially inimical to all Mary's wishes. She was the one who had +perhaps been most domineering to her brother's wife, and she was +certainly the one whose domination Mary resisted with the most settled +determination. There was a self-abnegation about Lady Sarah, a +downright goodness, and at the same time an easily-handled magisterial +authority, which commanded reverence. After three months of residence +at Manor Cross, Mary was willing to acknowledge that Lady Sarah was +more than a sister-in-law,--that her nature partook of divine +omnipotence, and that it compelled respect, whether given willingly or +unwillingly. But to none of the others would her spirit thus humble +itself, and especially not to Lady Susanna. Therefore Lady Susanna was +hostile, and therefore Lady Susanna was quite sure that Mary would fall +into great trouble amidst the pleasures of the metropolis. + +"After all," she said to her elder sister, "what is £1,500 a year to +keep up a house in London?" + +"It will only be for a few months," said Lady Sarah. + +"Of course she must have a carriage, and then George will find himself +altogether in the hands of the Dean. That is what I fear. The Dean has +done very well with himself, but he is not a man whom I like to trust +altogether." + +"He is at any rate generous with his money." + +"He is bound to be that, or he could not hold up his head at all. He +has nothing else to depend on. Did you hear what Dr. Pountner said +about him the other day? Since that affair with the newspaper, he has +gone down very much in the Chapter. I am sure of that." + +"I think you are a little hard upon him, Susanna." + +"You must feel that he is very wrong about this house in London. Why is +a man, because he's married, to be taken away from all his own +pursuits? If she could not accommodate herself to his tastes, she +should not have accepted him." + +"Let us be just," said Lady Sarah. + +"Certainly, let us be just," said Lady Amelia, who in these +conversations seldom took much part, unless when called upon to support +her eldest sister. + +"Of course we should be just," said Lady Susanna. + +"She did not accept him," said Lady Sarah, "till he had agreed to +comply with the Dean's wish that they should spend part of their time +in London." + +"He was very weak," said Lady Susanna. + +"I wish it could have been otherwise," continued Lady Sarah; "but we +can hardly suppose that the tastes of a young girl from Brotherton +should be the same as ours. I can understand that Mary should find +Manor Cross dull." + +"Dull!" exclaimed Lady Susanna. + +"Dull!" ejaculated Lady Amelia, constrained on this occasion to differ +even from her eldest sister. "I can't understand that she should find +Manor Cross dull, particularly while she has her husband with her." + +"The bargain, at any rate, was made," said Lady Sarah, "before the +engagement was settled; and as the money is hers, I do not think we +have a right to complain. I am very sorry that it should be so. Her +character is very far from being formed, and his tastes are so +completely fixed that nothing will change them." + +"And then there's that Mrs. Houghton!" said Lady Susanna. Mrs. Houghton +had of course left Manor Cross long since; but she had left a most +unsatisfactory feeling behind her in the minds of all the Manor Cross +ladies. This arose not only from their personal dislike, but from a +suspicion, a most agonising suspicion, that their brother was more fond +than he should have been of the lady's society. It must be understood +that Mary herself knew nothing of this, and was altogether free from +such suspicion. But the three sisters, and the Marchioness under their +tuition, had decided that it would be very much better that Lord +George should see no more of Mrs. Houghton. He was not, they thought, +infatuated in such a fashion that he would run to London after her; +but, when in London, he would certainly be thrown into her society. "I +cannot bear to think of it," continued Lady Susanna. Lady Amelia shook +her head. "I think, Sarah, you ought to speak to him seriously. No man +has higher ideas of duty than he has; and if he be made to think of it, +he will avoid her." + +"I have spoken," replied Lady Sarah, almost in a whisper. + +"Well!" + +"Well!" + +"Was he angry?" + +"How did he bear it?" + +"He was not angry, but he did not bear it very well. He told me that he +certainly found her to be attractive, but that he thought he had power +enough to keep himself free from any such fault as that. I asked him to +promise me not to see her; but he declined to make a promise which he +said he might not be able to keep." + +"She is a horrid woman, and Mary. I am afraid, likes her," said Lady +Susanna. "I know that evil will come of it." + +Sundry scenes counter to this were enacted at the deanery. Mary was in +the habit of getting herself taken over to Brotherton more frequently +than the ladies liked; but it was impossible that they should openly +oppose her visits to her father. On one occasion, early in January, she +had got her husband to ride over with her, and was closeted with the +Dean while he was away in the city. "Papa," she said, "I almost think +that I'll give up the house in Munster Court." + +"Give it up! Look here, Mary; you'll have no happiness in life unless +you can make up your mind not to allow those old ladies at Manor Cross +to sit upon you." + +"It is not for their sake. He does not like it, and I would do anything +for him." + +"That is all very well; and I would be the last to advise you to oppose +his wishes if I did not see that the effect would be to make him +subject to his sisters' dominion as well as you. Would you like him to +be always under their thumb?" + +"No, papa; I shouldn't like that." + +"It was because I foresaw all this that I stipulated so expressly as I +did that you should have a house of your own. Every woman, when she +marries, should be emancipated from other domestic control than that of +her husband. From the nature of Lord George's family this would have +been impossible at Manor Cross, and therefore I insisted on a house in +town. I could do this the more freely because the wherewithal was to +come from us, and not from them. Do not disturb what I have done." + +"I will not go against you, of course, papa." + +"And remember always that this is to be done as much for his sake as +for yours. His position has been very peculiar. He has no property of +his own, and he has lived there with his mother and sisters till the +feminine influences of the house have almost domineered him. It is your +duty to assist in freeing him from this." Looking at the matter in the +light now presented to her, Mary began to think that her father was +right. "With a husband there should at any rate be only one feminine +influence," he added, laughing. + +"I shall not over rule him, and I shall not try," said Mary, smiling. + +"At any rate, do not let other women rule him. By degrees he will learn +to enjoy London society, and so will you. You will spend half the year +at Manor Cross or the deanery, and by degrees both he and you will be +emancipated. For myself, I can conceive nothing more melancholy than +would be his slavery and yours if you were to live throughout the year +with those old women." Then, too, he said something to her of the +satisfaction which she herself would receive from living in London, and +told her that, for her, life itself had hardly as yet been commenced. +She received her lessons with thankfulness and gratitude, but with +something of wonder that he should so openly recommend to her a manner +of life which she had hitherto been taught to regard as worldly. + +After that no further hint was given to her that the house in London +might yet be abandoned. When riding back with her husband, she had been +clever enough to speak of the thing as a fixed certainty; and he had +then known that he also must regard it as fixed. "You had better not +say anything more about it," he said one day almost angrily to Lady +Susanna, and then nothing more had been said about it--to him. + +There were other causes of confusion,--of terrible confusion,--at Manor +Cross, of confusion so great that from day to day the Marchioness would +declare herself unable to go through the troubles before her. The +workmen were already in the big house preparing for the demolition and +reconstruction of everything as soon as she should be gone; and other +workmen were already demolishing and reconstructing Cross Hall. The +sadness of all this and the weight on the old lady's mind were +increased by the fact that no member of the family had received so much +even as a message from the Marquis himself since it had been decided +that his wishes should not be obeyed. Over and over again the dowager +attempted to give way, and suggested that they should all depart and be +out of sight. It seemed to her that when a marquis is a marquis he +ought to have his own way, though it be never so unreasonable. Was he +not the head of the family? But Lady Sarah was resolved, and carried +her point. Were they all to be pitched down in some strange corner, +where they would be no better than other women, incapable of doing good +or exercising influence, by the wish of one man who had never done any +good anywhere, or used his own influence legitimately? Lady Sarah was +no coward, and Lady Sarah stuck to Cross Hall, though in doing so she +had very much to endure. "I won't go out, my Lady," said Price, "not +till the day when her Ladyship is ready to come in. I can put up with +things, and I'll see as all is done as your Ladyship wishes." Price, +though he was a sporting farmer, and though men were in the habit of +drinking cherry brandy at his house, and though naughty things had been +said about him, had in these days become Lady Sarah's prime minister at +Cross Hall, and was quite prepared in that capacity to carry on war +against the Marquis. + +When the day came for the departure of Mary and her husband, a +melancholy feeling pervaded the whole household. A cook had been sent +up from Brotherton who had lived at Manor Cross many years previously. +Lord George took a man who had waited on himself lately at the old +house, and Mary had her own maid who had come with her when she +married. They had therefore been forced to look for but one strange +servant. But this made the feeling the stronger that they would all be +strange up in London. This was so strong with Lord George that it +almost amounted to fear. He knew that he did not know how to live in +London. He belonged to the Carlton, as became a conservative nobleman; +but he very rarely entered it, and never felt himself at home when he +was there. And Mary, though she had been quite resolved since the +conversation with her father that she would be firm about her house, +still was not without her own dread. She herself had no personal +friends in town,--not one but Mrs. Houghton, as to whom she heard +nothing but evil words from the ladies around her. There had been an +attempt made to get one of the sisters to go up with them for the first +month. Lady Sarah had positively refused, almost with indignation. Was +it to be supposed that she would desert her mother at so trying a time? +Lady Amelia was then asked, and with many regrets declined the +invitation. She had not dared to use her own judgment, and Lady Sarah +had not cordially advised her to go. Lady Sarah had thought that Lady +Susanna would be the most useful. But Lady Susanna was not asked. There +were a few words on the subject between Lord George and his wife. Mary, +remembering her father's advice, had determined that she would not be +sat upon, and had whispered to her husband that Susanna was always +severe to her. When, therefore, the time came, they departed from Manor +Cross without any protecting spirit. + +There was something sad in this, even to Mary. She knew that she was +taking her husband away from the life he liked, and that she, herself, +was going to a life as to which she could not even guess, whether she +would like it or not. But she had the satisfaction of feeling that she +was at last going to begin to live as a married woman. Hitherto she +had been treated as a child. If there was danger, there was, at any +rate, the excitement which danger produces. "I am almost glad that we +are going alone, George," she said. "It seems to me that we have never +been alone yet." + +He wished to be gracious and loving to her, and yet he was not disposed +to admit anything which might seem to imply that he had become tired of +living with his own family. "It is very nice, but----" + +"But what, dear?" + +"Of course I am anxious about my mother just at present." + +"She is not to move for two months yet." + +"No,--not to move; but there are so many things to be done." + +"You can run down whenever you please?" + +"That's expensive; but of course it must be done." + +"Say that you'll like being with me alone." They had the compartment of +the railway carriage all to themselves, and she, as she spoke, leaned +against him, inviting him to caress her. "You don't think it a trouble, +do you, having to come and live with me?" Of course he was conquered, +and said, after his nature, what prettiest things he could to her, +assuring her that he would sooner live with her than with any one in +the world, and promising that he would always endeavour to make her +happy. She knew that he was doing his best to be a loving husband, and +she felt, therefore, that she was bound to be loyal in her endeavours +to love him; but at the same time, at the very moment in which she was +receiving his words with outward show of satisfied love, her +imagination was picturing to her something else which would have been +so immeasurably superior, if only it had been possible. + +That evening they dined together, alone; and it was the first time that +they had ever done so, except at an inn. Never before had been imposed +on her the duty of seeing that his dinner was prepared for him. There +certainly was very little of duty to perform in the matter, for he was +a man indifferent as to what he ate, or what he drank. The plainness of +the table at Manor Cross had surprised Mary, after the comparative +luxury of the deanery. All her lessons at Manor Cross had gone to show +that eating was not a delectation to be held in high esteem. But still +she was careful that everything around him should be nice. The +furniture was new, the glasses and crockery were new. Few, if any, of +the articles used, had ever been handled before. All her bridal +presents were there; and no doubt there was present to her mind the +fact that everything in the house had in truth been given to him by +her. If only she could make the things pleasant! If only he would allow +himself to be taught that nice things are nice! She hovered around him, +touching him every now and then with her light fingers, moving a lock +of his hair, and then stooping over him and kissing his brow. It might +still be that she would be able to galvanise him into that lover's +vitality, of which she had dreamed. He never rebuffed her; he did not +scorn her kisses, or fail to smile when his hair was moved; he answered +every word she spoke to him carefully and courteously; he admired her +pretty things when called upon to admire them. But through it all, she +was quite aware that she had not galvanised him as yet. + +Of course there were books. Every proper preparation had been made for +rendering the little house pleasant. In the evening she took from her +shelf a delicate little volume of poetry, something exquisitely bound, +pretty to look at, and sweet to handle, and settled herself down to be +happy in her own drawing-room. But she soon looked up from the troubles +of Aurora Leigh to see what her husband was doing. He was comfortable +in his chair, but was busy with the columns of the Brothershire Herald. + +"Dear me, George, have you brought that musty old paper up here?" + +"Why shouldn't I read the Herald here, as well as at Manor Cross?" + +"Oh! yes, if you like it." + +"Of course I want to know what is being done in the county." But when +next she looked, the county had certainly faded from his mind, for he +was fast asleep. + +On that occasion she did not care very much for Aurora Leigh. Her mind +was hardly tuned to poetry of that sort. The things around her were too +important to allow her mind to indulge itself with foreign cares. And +then she found herself looking at the watch. At Manor Cross ten o'clock +every night brought all the servants into the drawing-room. First the +butler would come and place the chairs, and then the maids, and then +the coachman and footman would follow. Lord George read the prayers, +and Mary had always thought them to be very tiring. But she now felt +that it would almost be a relief if the butler would come in and place +the chairs. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +MISS MILDMAY AND JACK DE BARON. + + +Lady George was not left long in her new house without visitors. Early +on the day after her arrival, Mrs. Houghton came to her, and began at +once, with great volubility, to explain how the land lay, and to +suggest how it should be made to lie for the future. "I am so glad you +have come. As soon, you know, as they positively forbade me to get on +horseback again this winter, I made up my mind to come to town. What +is there to keep me down there if I don't ride? I promised to obey if I +was brought here,--and to disobey if I was left there. Mr. Houghton +goes up and down, you know. It is hard upon him, poor old fellow. But +then the other thing would be harder on me. He and papa are together +somewhere now, arranging about the spring meetings. They have got their +stables joined, and I know very well who will have the best of that. A +man has to get up very early to see all round papa. But Mr. Houghton is +so rich, it doesn't signify. And now, my dear, what are you going to +do? and what is Lord George going to do? I am dying to see Lord George. +I dare say you are getting a little tired of him by this time." + +"Indeed, I'm not." + +"You haven't picked up courage enough yet to say so; that's it, my +dear. I've brought cards from Mr. Houghton, which means to say that +though he is down somewhere at Newmarket in the flesh he is to be +supposed to have called upon you and Lord George. And now we want you +both to come and dine with us on Monday. I know Lord George is +particular, and so I've brought a note. You can't have anything to do +yet, and of course you'll come. Houghton will be back on Sunday, and +goes down again on Tuesday morning. To hear him talk about it you'd +think he was the keenest man in England across a country. Say that +you'll come." + +"I'll ask Lord George." + +"Fiddle de dee. Lord George will be only too delighted to come and see +me. I've got such a nice cousin to introduce to you; not one of the +Germain sort, you know, who are all perhaps a little slow. This man is +Jack De Baron, a nephew of papa's. He's in the Coldstreams, and I do +think you'll like him. There's nothing on earth he can't do, from +waltzing down to polo. And old Mildmay will be there, and Guss Mildmay, +who is dying in love with Jack." + +"And is Jack dying in love with Guss?" + +"Oh! dear no; not a bit. You needn't be afraid. Jack De Baron has just +£500 a year and his commission, and must, I should say, be over head +and ears in debt. Miss Mildmay may perhaps have £5,000 for her fortune. +Put this and that together, and you can hardly see anything comfortable +in the way of matrimony, can you?" + +"Then I fear your----Jack is mercenary." + +"Mercenary;--of course he's mercenary. That is to say, he doesn't want +to go to destruction quite at one leap. But he's awfully fond of +falling in love, and when he is in love he'll do almost +anything,--except marry." + +"Then if I were you, I shouldn't ask--Guss to meet him." + +"She can fight her own battles, and wouldn't thank me at all if I were +to fight them for her after that fashion. There'll be nobody else +except Houghton's sister, Hetta. You never met Hetta Houghton?" + +"I've heard of her." + +"I should think so. 'Not to know her,'--I forget the words; but if you +don't know Hetta Houghton, you're just nowhere. She has lots of money, +and lives all alone, and says whatever comes uppermost, and does what +she pleases. She goes everywhere, and is up to everything. I always +made up my mind I wouldn't be an old maid, but I declare I envy Hetta +Houghton. But then she'd be nothing unless she had money. There'll be +eight of us, and at this time of the year we dine at half-past seven, +sharp. Can I take you anywhere? The carriage can come back with you?" + +"Thank you, no. I am going to pick Lord George up at the Carlton at +four." + +"How nice! I wonder how long you'll go on picking up Lord George at the +Carlton." + +She could only suppose, when her friend was gone, that this was the +right kind of thing. No doubt Lady Susanna had warned her against Mrs. +Houghton, but then she was not disposed to take Lady Susanna's warnings +on any subject. Her father had known that she intended to know the +woman; and her father, though he had cautioned her very often as to the +old women at Manor Cross, as he called them, had never spoken a word of +caution to her as to Mrs. Houghton. And her husband was well aware of +the intended intimacy. She picked up her husband, and rather liked +being kept waiting a few minutes at the club door in her brougham. Then +they went together to look at a new picture, which was being exhibited +by gas-light in Bond Street, and she began to feel that the pleasures +of London were delightful. "Don't you think those two old priests are +magnificent?" she said, pressing on his arm, in the obscurity of the +darkened chamber. "I don't know that I care much about old priests," +said Lord George. + +"But the heads are so fine." + +"I dare say. Sacerdotal pictures never please me. Didn't you say you +wanted to go to Swann and Edgar's?" He would not sympathize with her +about pictures, but perhaps she would be able to find out his taste at +last. + +He seemed quite well satisfied to dine with the Houghtons, and did, in +fact, call at the house before that day came round. "I was in Berkeley +Square this morning," he said one day, "but I didn't find any one." + +"Nobody ever is at home, I suppose," she said. "Look here. There have +been Lady Brabazon, and Mrs. Patmore Green, and Mrs. Montacute Jones. +Who is Mrs. Montacute Jones?" + +"I never heard of her." + +"Dear me; how very odd. I dare say it was kind of her to come. And +yesterday the Countess of Care called. Is not she some relative?" + +"She is my mother's first cousin." + +"And then there was dear old Miss Tallowax. And I wasn't at home to see +one of them." + +"No one I suppose ever is at home in London unless they fix a day for +seeing people." + +Lady George, having been specially asked to come "sharp" to her +friend's dinner party, arrived with her husband exactly at the hour +named, and found no one in the drawing-room. In a few minutes Mrs. +Houghton hurried in, apologising. "It's all Mr. Houghton's fault +indeed, Lord George. He was to have been in town yesterday, but would +stay down and hunt to-day. Of course the train was late, and of course +he was so tired that he couldn't dress without going to sleep first." +As nobody else came for a quarter of an hour Mrs. Houghton had an +opportunity of explaining some things. "Has Mrs. Montacute Jones +called? I suppose you were out of your wits to find out who she was. +She's a very old friend of papa's, and I asked her to call. She gives +awfully swell parties, and has no end of money. She was one of the +Montacutes of Montacute, and so she sticks her own name on to her +husband's. He's alive, I believe, but he never shews. I think she keeps +him somewhere down in Wales." + +"How odd!" + +"It is a little queer, but when you come to know her you'll find it +will make no difference. She's the ugliest old woman in London, but I'd +be as ugly as she is to have her diamonds." + +"I wouldn't," said Mary. + +"Your husband cares about your appearance," said Mrs. Houghton, turning +her eyes upon Lord George. He simpered and looked pleased and did not +seem to be at all disgusted by their friend's slang, and yet had she +talked of "awfully swell" parties, he would, she was well aware, have +rebuked her seriously. + +Miss Houghton--Hetta Houghton--was the first to arrive, and she +somewhat startled Mary by the gorgeous glories of her dress, though +Mrs. Houghton afterwards averred that she wasn't "a patch upon Mrs. +Montacute Jones." But Miss Houghton was a lady, and though over forty +years of age, was still handsome. + +"Been hunting to-day, has he?" she said. "Well, if he likes it, I +shan't complain. But I thought he liked his ease too well to travel +fifty miles up to town after riding about all day." + +"Of course he's knocked up, and at his age it's quite absurd," said the +young wife. "But Hetta, I want you to know my particular friend Lady +George Germain. Lord George, if he'll allow me to say so, is a cousin, +though I'm afraid we have to go back to Noah to make it out." + +"Your great-grandmother was my great-grandmother's sister. That's not +so very far off." + +"When you get to grandmothers no fellow can understand it, can they, +Mary?" Then came Mr. and Miss Mildmay. He was a gray-haired old +gentleman, rather short and rather fat, and she looked to be just such +another girl as Mrs. Houghton herself had been, though blessed with +more regular beauty. She was certainly handsome, but she carried with +her that wearied air of being nearly worn out by the toil of searching +for a husband which comes upon some young women after the fourth or +fifth year of their labours. Fortune had been very hard upon Augusta +Mildmay. Early in her career she had fallen in love, while abroad, with +an Italian nobleman, and had immediately been carried off home by her +anxious parents. Then in London she had fallen in love again with an +English nobleman, an eldest son, with wealth of his own. Nothing could +be more proper, and the young man had fallen also in love with her. All +her friends were beginning to hate her with virulence, so lucky had she +been! When on a sudden, the young lord told her that the match would +not please his father and mother, and that therefore there must be an +end of it. What was there to be done! All London had talked of it; all +London must know the utter failure. Nothing more cruel, more barefaced, +more unjust had ever been perpetrated. A few years since all the +Mildmays in England, one after another, would have had a shot at the +young nobleman. But in these days there seems to be nothing for a girl +to do but to bear it and try again. So Augusta Mildmay bore it and did +try again; tried very often again. And now she was in love with Jack De +Baron. The worst of Guss Mildmay was that, through it all, she had a +heart and would like the young men,--would like them, or perhaps +dislike them, equally to her disadvantage. Old gentlemen, such as was +Mr. Houghton, had been willing to condone all her faults, and all her +loves, and to take her as she was. But when the moment came, she would +not have her Houghton, and then she was in the market again. Now a +young woman entering the world cannot make a greater mistake than not +to know her own line, or, knowing it, not to stick to it. Those who are +thus weak are sure to fall between two stools. If a girl chooses to +have a heart, let her marry the man of her heart, and take her mutton +chops and bread and cheese, her stuff gown and her six children, as +they may come. But if she can decide that such horrors are horrid to +her, and that they must at any cost be avoided, then let her take her +Houghton when he comes, and not hark back upon feelings and fancies, +upon liking and loving, upon youth and age. If a girl has money and +beauty too, of course she can pick and choose. Guss Mildmay had no +money to speak of, but she had beauty enough to win either a working +barrister or a rich old sinner. She was quite able to fall in love with +the one and flirt with the other at the same time; but when the moment +for decision came, she could not bring herself to put up with either. +At present she was in real truth in love with Jack De Baron, and had +brought herself to think that if Jack would ask her, she would risk +everything. But were he to do so, which was not probable, she would +immediately begin to calculate what could be done by Jack's moderate +income and her own small fortune. She and Mrs. Houghton kissed each +other affectionately, being at the present moment close in each other's +confidences, and then she was introduced to Lady George. "Adelaide +hasn't a chance," was Miss Mildmay's first thought as she looked at the +young wife. + +Then came Jack De Baron. Mary was much interested in seeing a man of +whom she had heard so striking an account, and for the love of whom she +had been told that a girl was almost dying. Of course all that was to +be taken with many grains of salt; but still the fact of the love and +the attractive excellence of the man had been impressed upon her. She +declared to herself at once that his appearance was very much in his +favour, and a fancy passed across her mind that he was somewhat like +that ideal man of whom she herself had dreamed, ever so many years ago +as it seemed to her now, before she had made up her mind that she would +change her ideal and accept Lord George Germain. He was about the +middle height, light haired, broad shouldered, with a pleasant smiling +mouth and well formed nose; but above all, he had about him that +pleasure-loving look, that appearance of taking things jauntily and of +enjoying life, which she in her young girlhood had regarded as being +absolutely essential to a pleasant lover. There are men whose very eyes +glance business, whose every word imports care, who step as though +their shoulders were weighed with thoughtfulness, who breathe +solicitude, and who seem to think that all the things of life are too +serious for smiles. Lord George was such a man, though he had in truth +very little business to do. And then there are men who are always +playfellows with their friends, who--even should misfortune be upon +them,--still smile and make the best of it, who come across one like +sunbeams, and who, even when tears are falling, produce the tints of a +rainbow. Such a one Mary Lovelace had perhaps seen in her childhood and +had then dreamed of him. Such a one was Jack De Baron, at any rate to +the eye. + +And such a one in truth he was. Of course the world had spoiled him. He +was in the Guards. He was fond of pleasure. He was fairly well off in +regard to all his own wants, for his cousin had simply imagined those +debts with which ladies are apt to believe that young men of pleasure +must be overwhelmed. He had gradually taught himself to think that his +own luxuries and his own comforts should in his own estimation be +paramount to everything. He was not naturally selfish, but his life had +almost necessarily engendered selfishness. Marrying had come to be +looked upon as an evil,--as had old age;--not of course an unavoidable +evil, but one into which a man will probably fall sooner or later. To +put off marriage as long as possible, and when it could no longer be +put off to marry money was a part of his creed. In the meantime the +great delight of his life came from women's society. He neither gambled +nor drank. He hunted and fished, and shot deer and grouse, and +occasionally drove a coach to Windsor. But little love affairs, +flirtation, and intrigues, which were never intended to be guilty, but +which now and again had brought him into some trouble, gave its charm +to his life. On such occasions he would too, at times, be very badly in +love, assuring himself sometimes with absolute heroism that he would +never again see this married woman, or declaring to himself in moments +of self-sacrificial grandness that he would at once marry that +unmarried girl. And then, when he had escaped from some especial +trouble, he would take to his regiment for a month, swearing to himself +that for the next year he would see no women besides his aunts and his +grandmother. When making this resolution he might have added his cousin +Adelaide. They were close friends, but between them there had never +been the slightest spark of a flirtation. + +In spite of all his little troubles Captain De Baron was a very popular +man. There was a theory abroad about him that he always behaved like a +gentleman, and that his troubles were misfortunes rather than faults. +Ladies always liked him, and his society was agreeable to men because +he was neither selfish nor loud. He talked only a little, but still +enough not to be thought dull. He never bragged or bullied or bounced. +He didn't want to shoot more deer or catch more salmon than another +man. He never cut a fellow down in the hunting-field. He never borrowed +money, but would sometimes lend it when a reason was given. He was +probably as ignorant as an owl of anything really pertaining to +literature, but he did not display his ignorance. He was regarded by +all who knew him as one of the most fortunate of men. He regarded +himself as being very far from blessed, knowing that there must come a +speedy end to the things which he only half enjoyed, and feeling partly +ashamed of himself in that he had found for himself no better part. + +"Jack," said Mrs. Houghton, "I can't blow you up for being late, +because Mr. Houghton has not yet condescended to shew himself. Let me +introduce you to Lady George Germain." Then he smiled in his peculiar +way, and Mary thought his face the most beautiful she had ever seen. +"Lord George Germain,--who allows me to call him my cousin, though he +isn't as near as you are. My sister-in-law, you know." Jack shook hands +with the old lady in his most cordial manner. "I think you have seen +Mr. Mildmay before, and Miss Mildmay." Mary could not but look at the +greeting between the two, and she saw that Miss Mildmay almost turned +up her nose at him. She was quite sure that Mrs. Houghton had been +wrong about the love. There had surely only been a pretence of love. +But Mrs. Houghton had been right, and Mary had not yet learned to read +correctly the signs which men and women hang out. + +At last Mr. Houghton came down. "Upon my word," said his wife, "I +wonder you ain't ashamed to shew yourself." + +"Who says I'm not ashamed? I'm very much ashamed. But how can I help +it if the trains won't keep their time? We were hunting all day +to-day,--nothing very good, Lord George, but on the trot from eleven to +four. That tires a fellow, you know. And the worst of it is I've got to +do it again on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday." + +"Is there a necessity?" asked Lord George. + +"When a man begins that kind of thing he must go through with it. +Hunting is like women. It's a jealous sport. Lady George, may I take +you down to dinner? I am so sorry to have kept you waiting." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +MORE NEWS FROM ITALY. + + +Mr. Houghton took Lady George down to dinner; but Jack De Baron sat on +his left hand. Next to him was Augusta Mildmay, who had been consigned +to his care. Then came Lord George sitting opposite to his host at a +round table, with Mrs. Houghton at his right hand. Mrs. Mildmay and +Miss Hetta Houghton filled up the vacant places. To all this a great +deal of attention had been given by the hostess. She had not wished to +throw her cousin Jack and Miss Mildmay together. She would probably +have said to a confidential friend that "there had been enough of all +that." In her way she liked Guss Mildmay; but Guss was not good enough +to marry her cousin. Guss herself must know that such a marriage was +impossible. She had on an occasion said a word or two to Guss upon the +subject. She had thought that a little flirtation between Jack and her +other friend Lady George might put things right; and she had thought, +too,--or perhaps felt rather than thought,--that Lord George had +emancipated himself from the thraldom of his late love rather too +quickly. Mary was a dear girl. She was quite prepared to make Mary her +friend, being in truth somewhat sick of the ill-humours and +disappointments of Guss Mildmay; but it might be as well that Mary +should be a little checked in her triumph. She herself had been obliged +to put up with old Mr. Houghton. She never for a moment told herself +that she had done wrong; but of course she required compensation. When +she was manoeuvring she never lost sight of her manoeuvres. She had had +all this in her mind when she made up her little dinner-party. She had +had it all in her mind when she arranged the seats. She didn't want to +sit next to Jack herself, because Jack would have talked to her to the +exclusion of Lord George, so she placed herself between Lord George and +Mr. Mildmay. It had been necessary that Mr. Mildmay should take Miss +Houghton down to dinner, and therefore she could not separate Guss +from Jack De Baron. Anybody who understands dinner-parties will see it +all at a glance. But she was convinced that Jack would devote himself +to Lady George at his left hand; and so he did. + +"Just come up to town, haven't you?" said Jack. + +"Only last week." + +"This is the nicest time in the year for London, unless you do a deal +of hunting; then it's a grind." + +"I never hunt at all; Lord George won't let me." + +"I wish some one wouldn't let me. It would save me a deal of money, and +a great deal of misery. It's all a delusion and a snare. You never get +a run nowadays." + +"Do you think so? I'd rather hunt than do anything." + +"That's because you are not let to do it; the perversity of human +nature, you know! The only thing I'm not allowed to do is to marry, and +it's the only thing I care for." + +"Who prevents it, Captain de Baron?" + +"There's a new order come out from the Horse Guards yesterday. No one +under a field officer is to marry unless he has got £2,000 a year." + +"Marrying is cheaper than hunting." + +"Of course, Lady George, you may buy your horses cheap or dear, and you +may do the same with your wives. You may have a cheap wife who doesn't +care for dress, and likes to sit at home and read good books." + +"That's just what I do." + +"But then they're apt to go wrong and get out of order." + +"How do you mean? I shan't get out of order, I hope." + +"The wheels become rusty, don't you think? and then they won't go as +they ought. They scold and turn up their noses. What I want to find is +perfect beauty, devoted affection, and £50,000." + +"How modest you are." + +In all this badinage there was not much to make a rival angry; but Miss +Mildmay, who heard a word or two now and then, was angry. He was +talking to a pretty woman about marriage and money, and of course that +amounted to flirtation. Lord George, on her other hand, now and then +said a word to her; but he was never given to saying many words, and +his attention was nearly monopolised by his hostess. She had heard the +last sentence, and determined to join the conversation. + +"If you had the £50,000, Captain De Baron," she said, "I think you +would manage to do without the beauty and the devoted affection." + +"That's ill-natured, Miss Mildmay, though it may be true. Beggars can't +be choosers. But you've known me a long time, and I think it's unkind +that you should run me down with a new acquaintance. Suppose I was to +say something bad of you." + +"You can say whatever you please, Captain De Baron." + +"There is nothing bad to say, of course, except that you are always +down on a poor fellow in distress. Don't you think it's a grand thing +to be good-natured, Lady George?" + +"Indeed I do. It's almost better than being virtuous." + +"Ten to one. I don't see the good of virtue myself. It always makes +people stingy and cross and ill-mannered. I think one should always +promise to do everything that is asked. Nobody would be fool enough to +expect you to keep your word afterwards, and you'd give a lot of +pleasure." + +"I think promises ought to be kept, Captain De Baron." + +"I can't agree to that. That's bondage, and it puts an embargo on the +pleasant way of living that I like. I hate all kind of strictness, and +duty, and self-denying, and that kind of thing. It's rubbish. Don't you +think so?" + +"I suppose one has to do one's duty." + +"I don't see it. I never do mine." + +"Suppose there were a battle to fight." + +"I should get invalided at once. I made up my mind to that long ago. +Fancy the trouble of it. And when they shoot you they don't shoot you +dead, but knock half your face away, or something of that sort. Luckily +we live in an island, and haven't much fighting to do. If we hadn't +lived in an island I should never have gone into the army." + +This was not flirting certainly. It was all sheer nonsense,--words +without any meaning in them. But Mary liked it. She decidedly would not +have liked it had it ever occurred to her that the man was flirting +with her. It was the very childishness of the thing that pleased +her,--the contrast to conversation at Manor Cross, where no childish +word was ever spoken. And though she was by no means prepared to flirt +with Captain De Baron, still she found in him something of the +realisation of her dreams. There was the combination of manliness, +playfulness, good looks, and good humour which she had pictured to +herself. To sit well-dressed in a well-lighted room and have nonsense +talked to her suited her better than a petticoat conclave. And she knew +of no harm in it. Her father encouraged her to be gay, and altogether +discouraged petticoat conclaves. So she smiled her sweetest on Captain +De Baron, and replied to his nonsense with other nonsense, and was +satisfied. + +But Guss Mildmay was very much dissatisfied, both as to the amusement +of the present moment and as to the conduct of Captain De Baron +generally. She knew London life well, whereas Lady George did not know +it at all; and she considered that this was flirtation. She may have +been right in any accusation which she made in her heart against the +man, but she was quite wrong in considering Lady George to be a flirt. +She had, however, grievances of her own--great grievances. It was not +only that the man was attentive to some one else, but that he was not +attentive to her. He and she had had many passages in life together, +and he owed it to her at any rate not to appear to neglect her. And +then what a stick was that other man on the other side of her,--that +young woman's husband! During the greater part of dinner she was +sitting speechless,--not only loverless, but manless. It is not what +one suffers that kills one, but what one knows that other people see +that one suffers. + +There was not very much conversation between Lord George and Mrs. +Houghton at dinner. Perhaps she spoke as much to Mr. Mildmay as to him; +for she was a good hostess, understanding and performing her duty. But +what she did say to him she said very graciously, making allusions to +further intimacy between herself and Mary, flattering his vanity by +little speeches as to Manor Cross, always seeming to imply that she +felt hourly the misfortune of having been forced to decline the honour +of such an alliance as had been offered to her. He was, in truth, as +innocent as his wife, except in this, that he would not have wished her +to hear all that Mrs. Houghton said to him, whereas Mary would have had +not the slightest objection to his hearing all the nonsense between her +and Captain De Baron. + +The ladies sat a long time after dinner, and when they went Mrs. +Houghton asked her husband to come up in ten minutes. They did not +remain much longer, but during those ten minutes Guss Mildmay said +something of her wrongs to her friend, and Lady George heard some news +from Miss Houghton. Miss Houghton had got Lady George on to a sofa, and +was talking to her about Brotherton and Manor Cross. "So the Marquis is +coming," she said. "I knew the Marquis years ago, when we used to be +staying with the De Barons,--Adelaide's father and mother. She was +alive then, and the Marquis used to come over there. So he has +married?" + +"Yes; an Italian." + +"I did not think he would ever marry. It makes a difference to +you;--does it not?" + +"I don't think of such things." + +"You will not like him, for he is the very opposite to Lord George." + +"I don't know that I shall ever even see him. I don't think he wants to +see any of us." + +"I dare say not. He used to be very handsome, and very fond of ladies' +society,--but, I think, the most selfish human being I ever knew in my +life. That is a complaint that years do not cure. He and I were great +friends once." + +"Did you quarrel?" + +"Oh, dear no. I had rather a large fortune of my own, and there was a +time in which he was, perhaps, a little in want of money. But they had +to build a town on his property in Staffordshire, and you see that did +instead." + +"Did instead!" said Lady George, altogether in the dark. + +"There was suddenly a great increase to his income, and, of course, +that altered his view. I am bound to say that he was very explicit. He +could be so without suffering himself, or understanding that any one +else would suffer. I tell you because you are one of the family, and +would, no doubt, hear it all some day through Adelaide. I had a great +escape." + +"And he a great misfortune," said Mary civilly. + +"I think he had, to tell you the truth. I am good-tempered, +long-suffering, and have a certain grain of sagacity that might have +been useful to him. Have you heard about this Italian lady?" + +"Only that she is an Italian lady." + +"He is about my age. If I remember rightly there is hardly a month or +two between us. She is three or four years older." + +"You knew her then?" + +"I knew of her. I have been curious enough to enquire, which is, I dare +say, more than any body has done at Manor Cross." + +"And is she so old?" + +"And a widow. They have been married, you know, over twelve months; +nearly two years, I believe." + +"Surely not; we heard of it only since our own marriage." + +"Exactly; but the Marquis was always fond of a little mystery. It was +the news of your marriage that made him hint at the possibility of such +a thing; and he did not tell the fact till he had made up his mind to +come home. I do not know that he has told all now." + +"What else is there?" + +"She has a baby,--a boy." Mary felt that the colour flew to her cheeks; +but she knew that it did so, not from any disappointment of her own, +not because these tidings were in truth a blow to her, but because +others,--this lady, for instance,--would think that she suffered. "I am +afraid it is so," said Miss Houghton. + +"She may have twenty, for what I care," said Mary, recovering herself. + +"I think Lord George ought to know." + +"Of course I shall tell him what you told me. I am sorry that he is not +nice, that's all. I should have liked a brother-in-law that I could +have loved. And I wish he had married an English woman. I think English +women are best for English men." + +"I think so too. I am afraid you will none of you like the lady. She +cannot speak a word of English. Of course you will use my name in +telling Lord George. I heard it all from a friend of mine who is +married to one of the Secretaries at the Embassy." Then the gentlemen +came in, and Mary began to be in a hurry to get away that she might +tell this news to her husband. + +In the meantime Guss Mildmay made her complaints, deep but not loud. +She and Mrs. Houghton had been very intimate as girls, knew each +other's secrets, and understood each other's characters. "Why did you +have him to such a party as this?" said Guss. + +"I told you he was coming." + +"But you didn't tell me about that young woman. You put him next to her +on purpose to annoy me." + +"That's nonsense. You know as well as I do that nothing can come of it. +You must drop it, and you'd better do it at once. You don't want to be +known as the girl who is dying for the love of a man she can't marry. +That's not your métier." + +"That's my own affair. If I choose to stick to him you, at least, ought +not to cross me." + +"But he won't stick to you. Of course he's my cousin, and I don't see +why he's to be supposed never to say a word to anyone else, when it's +quite understood that you're not going to have one another. What's the +good of being a dog in the manger?" + +"Adelaide, you never had any heart!" + +"Of course not;--or, if I had, I knew how to get the better of so +troublesome an appendage. I hate hearing about hearts. If he'd take you +to-morrow you wouldn't marry him?" + +"Yes, I would." + +"I don't believe it. I don't think you'd be so wicked. Where would you +live, and how? How long would it be before you hated each other? +Hearts! As if hearts weren't just like anything else which either you +can or you cannot afford yourself. Do you think I couldn't go and fall +in love to-morrow, and think it the best fun in the world? Of course +it's nice to have a fellow like Jack always ready to spoon, and sending +one things, and riding with one, and all that. I don't know any young +woman in London would like it better than I should. But I can't afford +it, my dear, and so I don't do it." + +"It seems to me you are going to do it with your old lover?" + +"Dear Lord George! I swear it's only to bring Mary down a peg, because +she is so proud of her nobleman. And then he is handsome! But, my dear, +I've pleased myself. I have got a house over my head, and a carriage to +sit in, and servants to wait on me, and I've settled myself. Do you do +likewise, and you shall have your Lord George, or Jack De Baron, if he +pleases;--only don't go too far with him." + +"Adelaide," said the other, "I'm not good, but you're downright bad." +Mrs. Houghton only laughed, as she got up from her seat to welcome the +gentlemen as they entered the room. + +Mary, as soon as the door of the brougham had been closed upon her, and +her husband, began to tell her story. "What do you think Miss Houghton +has told me?" Lord George, of course, could have no thoughts about it, +and did not at first very much care what the story might have been. +"She says that your brother was married ever so long ago!" + +"I don't believe it," said Lord George, suddenly and angrily. + +"A year before we were married, I mean." + +"I don't believe it." + +"And she says that they have a son." + +"What!" + +"That there is a baby,--a boy. She has heard it all from some friend of +hers at Rome." + +"It can't be true." + +"She said that I had better tell you. Does it make you unhappy, +George?" To this he made no immediate answer. "What can it matter +whether he was married two months ago or two years? It does not make me +unhappy;" as she said this, she locked herself close into his arm. + +"Why should he deceive us? That would make me unhappy. If he had +married in a proper way and had a family, here in England, of course I +should have been glad. I should have been loyal to him as I am to the +others. But if this be true, of course, it will make me unhappy. I do +not believe it. It is some gossip." + +"I could not but tell you." + +"It is some jealousy. There was a time when they said that Brotherton +meant to marry her." + +"What difference could it make to her? Of course we all know that he is +married. I hope it won't make you unhappy, George." But Lord George was +unhappy, or at any rate, was moody, and would talk no more then on that +subject, or any other. But in truth the matter rested on his mind all +the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +"ARE WE TO CALL HIM POPENJOY?" + + +The news which he had heard did afflict Lord George very much. A day or +two after the dinner-party in Berkeley Square he found Mr. Knox, his +brother's agent, and learned from him that Miss Houghton's story was +substantially true. The Marquis had informed his man of business that +an heir had been born to him, but had not communicated the fact to any +one of the family! This omission, in such a family, was, to Lord +George's thinking, so great a crime on the part of his brother, as to +make him doubt whether he could ever again have fraternal relations +with a man who so little knew his duty. When Mr. Knox showed him the +letter his brow became very black. He did not often forget +himself,--was not often so carried away by any feeling as to be in +danger of doing so. But on this occasion even he was so moved as to be +unable to control his words. "An Italian brat? Who is to say how it was +born?" + +"The Marquis, my Lord, would not do anything like that," said Mr. Knox, +very seriously. + +Then Lord George was ashamed of himself, and blushed up to the roots of +his hair. He had hardly himself known what he had meant. But he +mistrusted an Italian widow, because she was an Italian, and because +she was a widow, and he mistrusted the whole connexion, because there +had been in it none of that honourable openness which should, he +thought, characterise all family doings in such a family as that of the +Germains. "I don't know of what kind you mean," he said, shuffling, and +knowing that he shuffled. "I don't suppose my brother would do anything +really wrong. But it's a blot to the family--a terrible blot." + +"She is a lady of good family,--a Marchese," said Mr. Knox. + +"An Italian Marchese!" said Lord George, with that infinite contempt +which an English nobleman has for foreign nobility not of the highest +order. + +He had learnt that Miss Houghton's story was true, and was certainly +very unhappy. It was not at all that he had pictured to himself the +glory of being himself the Marquis of Brotherton after his brother's +death; nor was it only the disappointment which he felt as to any +possible son of his own, though on that side he did feel the blow. The +reflection which perplexed him most was the consciousness that he must +quarrel with his brother, and that after such a quarrel he would become +nobody in the world. And then, added to this, was the sense of family +disgrace. He would have been quite content with his position had he +been left master of the house at Manor Cross, even without any of his +brother's income wherewith to maintain the house. But now he would only +be his wife's husband, the Dean's son-in-law, living on their money, +and compelled by circumstances to adapt himself to them. He almost +thought that had he known that he would be turned out of Manor Cross, +he would not have married. And then, in spite of his disclaimer to Mr. +Knox, he was already suspicious of some foul practise. An heir to the +title and property, to all the family honours of the Germains, had +suddenly burst upon him, twelve months,--for aught that he knew, two or +three years,--after the child's birth! Nobody had been informed when +the child was born, or in what circumstances,--except that the mother +was an Italian widow! What evidence on which an Englishman might rely +could possibly be forthcoming from such a country as Italy! Poor Lord +George, who was himself as honest as the sun, was prepared to believe +all evil things of people of whom he knew nothing! Should his brother +die,--and his brother's health was bad,--what steps should he take? +Would it be for him to accept this Italian brat as the heir to +everything, or must he ruin himself by a pernicious lawsuit? Looking +forward he saw nothing but family misery and disgrace, and he saw, +also, inevitable difficulties with which he knew himself to be +incapable to cope. "It is true," he said to his wife very gloomily, +when he first met her after his interview with Mr. Knox. + +"What Miss Houghton said? I felt sure it was true, directly she told +me." + +"I don't know why you should have felt sure, merely on her word, as to +a thing so monstrous as this is. You don't seem to see that it concerns +yourself." + +"No; I don't. It doesn't concern me at all, except as it makes you +unhappy." Then there was a pause for a moment, during which she crept +close up to him, in a manner that had now become usual with her. "Why +do you think I married you?" she said. He was too unhappy to answer her +pleasantly,--too much touched by her sweetness to answer her +unpleasantly; and so he said nothing. "Certainly not with any hope that +I might become Marchioness of Brotherton. Whatever may have made me do +such a thing, I can assure you that that had nothing to do with it." + +"Can't you look forward? Don't you suppose that you may have a son?" +Then she buried her face upon his shoulder. "And if so, would it not be +better that a child so born should be the heir, than some Italian baby, +of whom no one knows anything?" + +"If you are unhappy, George, I shall be unhappy. But for myself I will +not affect to care anything. I don't want to be a Marchioness. I only +want to see you without a frown on your brow. To tell the truth, if you +didn't mind it, I should care nothing about your brother and his +doings. I would make a joke of this Marchese, who, Miss Houghton says, +is a puckered-faced old woman. Miss Houghton seems to care a great deal +more about it than I do." + +"It cannot be a subject for a joke." He was almost angry at the idea of +the wife of the head of the family being made a matter of laughter. +That she should be reprobated, hated,--cursed, if necessary,--was +within the limits of family dignity; but not that she should become a +joke to those with whom she had unfortunately connected herself. When +he had finished speaking to her she could not but feel that he was +displeased, and could not but feel also the injustice of such +displeasure. Of course she had her own little share in the general +disappointments. But she had striven before him to make nothing of it, +in order that he might be quite sure that she had married him--not with +any idea of rank or wealth, but for himself alone. She had made light +of the family misfortune, in order that he might be relieved. And yet +he was angry with her! This was unreasonable. How much had she done for +him! Was she not striving every hour of her life to love him, and, at +any rate, to comfort him with the conviction that he was loved? Was she +not constant in her assurance to herself that her whole life should be +devoted to him? And yet he was surly to her simply because his brother +had disgraced himself! When she was left alone she sat down and cried, +and then consoled herself by remembering that her father was coming to +her. + +It had been arranged that the last days of February should be spent by +Lord George with his mother and sisters at Cross Hall, and that the +Dean should run up to town for a week. Lord George went down to +Brotherton by a morning train, and the Dean came up on the same +afternoon. But the going and coming were so fixed that the two men met +at the deanery. Lord George had determined that he would speak fully to +the Dean respecting his brother. He was always conscious of the Dean's +low birth, remembering, with some slight discomfort, the stable-keeper +and the tallow-chandler; and he was a little inclined to resent what he +thought to be a disposition on the part of the Dean to domineer. But +still the Dean was a practical, sagacious man, in whom he could trust; +and the assistance of such a friend was necessary to him. Circumstances +had bound him to the Dean, and he was a man not prone to bind himself +to many men. He wanted and yet feared the confidence of friendship. He +lunched with the Dean, and then told his story. "You know," he said, +"that my brother is married?" + +"Of course, we all heard that." + +"He was married more than twelve months before he informed us that he +was going to be married." + +"No!" + +"It was so." + +"Do you mean, then, that he told you a falsehood?" + +"His letter to me was very strange, though I did not think much of it +at the time. He said, 'I am to be married'--naming no day." + +"That certainly was--a falsehood, as, at that time, he was married." + +"I do not know that harsh words will do any good." + +"Nor I. But it is best, George, that you and I should be quite plain in +our words to each other. Placed as he was, and as you were, he was +bound to tell you of his marriage as soon as he knew it himself. You +had waited till he was between forty and fifty, and, of course, he must +feel that what you would do would depend materially upon what he did." + +"It didn't at all." + +"And then, having omitted to do his duty, he screens his fault by +a----positive misstatement, when his intended return home makes further +concealment impossible." + +"All that, however, is of little moment," said Lord George, who could +not but see that the Dean was already complaining that he had been left +without information which he ought to have possessed when he was giving +his daughter to a probable heir to the title. "There is more than +that." + +"What more?" + +"He had a son born more than twelve months since." + +"Who says so?" exclaimed the Dean, jumping up from his chair. + +"I heard it first,--or rather Mary did,--in common conversation, from +an old friend. I then learned the truth from Knox. Though he had told +none of us, he had told Knox." + +"And Knox has known it all through?" + +"No, only lately. But he knows it now. Knox supposes that they are +coming home so that the people about may be reconciled to the idea of +his having an heir. There will be less trouble, he thinks, if the boy +comes now, than if he were never heard of till he was ten or fifteen +years old,--or perhaps till after my brother's death." + +"There may be trouble enough still," said the Dean, almost with a gasp. + +The Dean, it was clear, did not believe in the boy. Lord George +remembered that he himself had expressed disbelief, and that Mr. Knox +had almost rebuked him. "I have now told you all the facts," said Lord +George, "and have told them as soon as I knew them." + +"You are as true as the sun," said the Dean, putting his hand on his +son-in-law's shoulder. "You will be honest. But you must not trust in +the honesty of others. Poor Mary!" + +"She does not feel it in the least;--will not even interest herself +about it." + +"She will feel it some day. She is no more than a child now. I feel it, +George;--I feel it; and you ought to feel it." + +"I feel his ill-treatment of myself." + +"What--in not telling you? That is probably no more than a small part +of a wide scheme. We must find out the truth of all this." + +"I don't know what there is to find out," said Lord George, hoarsely. + +"Nor do I; but I do feel that there must be something. Think of your +brother's position and standing,--of his past life and his present +character! This is no time now for being mealy-mouthed. When such a man +as he appears suddenly with a foreign woman and a foreign child, and +announces one as his wife and the other as his heir, having never +reported the existence of one or of the other, it is time that some +enquiry should be made. I, at any rate, shall make enquiry. I shall +think myself bound to do so on behalf of Mary." Then they parted as +confidential friends do part, but each with some feeling antagonistic +to the other. The Dean, though he had from his heart acknowledged that +Lord George was as honest as the sun, still felt himself to be +aggrieved by the Germain family, and doubted whether his son-in-law +would be urgent enough and constant in hostility to his own brother. He +feared that Lord George would be weak, feeling; as regarded himself, +that he would fight till he had spent his last penny, as long as there +was a chance that, by fighting, a grandson of his own might be made +Marquis of Brotherton. He, at any rate, understood his own heart in the +matter, and knew what it was that he wanted. But Lord George, though he +had found himself compelled to tell everything to the Dean, still +dreaded the Dean. It was not in accordance with his principles that he +should be leagued against his brother with such a man as Dean Lovelace, +and he could see that the Dean was thinking of his own possible +grandchildren, whereas he himself was thinking only of the family of +Germain. + +He found his mother and sister at the small house,--the house at which +Farmer Price was living only a month or two since. No doubt it was the +recognised dower house, but nevertheless there was still about it a +flavour of Farmer Price. A considerable sum of money had been spent +upon it, which had come from a sacrifice of a small part of the capital +belonging to the three sisters, with an understanding that it should be +repaid out of the old lady's income. But no one, except the old lady +herself, anticipated such repayment. All this had created trouble and +grief, and the family, which was never gay, was now more sombre than +ever. When the further news was told to Lady Sarah it almost crushed +her. "A child!" she said in a horror-stricken whisper, turning quite +pale, and looking as though the crack of doom were coming at once. "Do +you believe it?" Then her brother explained the grounds he had for +believing it. "And that it was born in wedlock twelve months before the +fact was announced to us." + +"It has never been announced to us," said Lord George. + +"What are we to do? is my mother to be told? She ought to know at once; +and yet how can we tell her? What shall you do about the Dean?" + +"He knows." + +"You told him?" + +"Yes; I thought it best." + +"Well,--perhaps. And yet it is terrible that any man so distant from us +should have our secrets in his keeping." + +"As Mary's father, I thought it right that he should know." + +"I have always liked the Dean personally," said Lady Sarah. "There is a +manliness about him which has recommended him, and having a full hand +he knows how to open it. But he isn't----; he isn't quite----" + +"No; he isn't quite----," said Lord George, also hesitating to +pronounce the word which was understood by both of them. + +"You must tell my mother, or I must. It will be wrong to withhold it. +If you like, I will tell Susanna and Amelia." + +"I think you had better tell my mother," said Lord George; "she will +take it more easily from you. And then, if she breaks down, you can +control her better." That Lady Sarah should have the doing of any +difficult piece of work was almost a matter of course. She did tell the +tale to her mother, and her mother did break down. The Marchioness, +when she found that an Italian baby had been born twelve months before +the time which she had been made to believe was the date of the +marriage, took at once to her bed. What a mass of horrors was coming on +them! Was she to go and see a woman who had had a baby under such +circumstances? Or was her own eldest son, the very, very Marquis of +Brotherton, to be there with his wife, and was she not to go and see +them? Through it all her indignation against her son had not been hot +as had been theirs against their brother. He was her eldest son,--the +very Marquis,--and ought to be allowed to do almost anything he +pleased. Had it not been impossible for her to rebel against Lady Sarah +she would have obeyed her son in that matter of the house. And, even +now, it was not against her son that her heart was bitter, but against +the woman, who, being an Italian, and having been married, if married, +without the knowledge of the family, presumed to say that her child was +legitimate. Had her eldest son brought over with him to the halls of +his ancestors an Italian mistress that would, of course, have been very +bad, but it would not have been so bad as this. Nothing could be so bad +as this. "Are we to call him Popenjoy?" she asked with a gurgling voice +from amidst the bed clothes. Now the eldest son of the Marquis of +Brotherton would, as a matter of course, be Lord Popenjoy, if +legitimate. "Certainly we must," said Lady Sarah, authoritatively, +"unless the marriage should be disproved." + +"Poor dear little thing," said the Marchioness, beginning to feel some +pity for the odious stranger as soon as she was told that he really was +to be called Popenjoy. Then the Ladies Susanna and Amelia were +informed, and the feeling became general throughout the household that +the world must be near its end. What were they all to do when he should +come? That was the great question. He had begun by declaring that he +did not want to see any of them. He had endeavoured to drive them away +from the neighbourhood, and had declared that neither his mother nor +his sisters would "get on" with his wife. All the ladies at Cross Hall +had a very strong opinion that this would turn out to be true, but +still they could not bear to think that they should be living as it +were next door to the head of the family, and never see him. A feeling +began to creep over all of them, except Lady Sarah, that it would have +been better for them to have obeyed the head of the family and gone +elsewhere. But it was too late now. The decision had been made, and +they must remain. + +Lady Sarah, however, never gave way for a minute. "George," she said +very solemnly, "I have thought a great deal about this, and I do not +mean to let him trample upon us." + +"It is all very sad," said Lord George. + +"Yes, indeed. If I know myself, I think I should be the last person to +attribute evil motives to my elder brother, or to stand in his way in +aught that he might wish to do in regard to the family. I know all that +is due to him. But there is a point beyond which even that feeling +cannot carry me. He has disgraced himself." Lord George shook his head. +"And he is doing all he can to bring disgrace upon us. It has always +been my wish that he should marry." + +"Of course, of course." + +"It is always desirable that the eldest son should marry. The heir to +the property then knows that he is the heir, and is brought up to +understand his duties. Though he had married a foreigner, much as I +should regret it, I should be prepared to receive her as a sister; it +is for him to please himself; but in marrying a foreigner he is more +specially bound to let it be known to all the world, and to have +everything substantiated, than if he had married an English girl in her +own parish church. As it is, we must call on her, because he says that +she is his wife. But I shall tell him that he is acting very wrongly by +us all, especially by you, and most especially by his own child, if he +does not take care that such evidence of his marriage is forthcoming as +shall satisfy all the world." + +"He won't listen to you." + +"I think I can make him, as far as that goes; at any rate I do not mean +to be afraid of him. Nor must you." + +"I hardly know whether I will even see him." + +"Yes; you must see him. If we are to be expelled from the family house, +let it be his doing, and not ours. We have to take care, George, that +we do not make a single false step. We must be courteous to him, but +above all we must not be afraid of him." + +In the meantime the Dean went up to London, meaning to spend a week +with his daughter in her new house. They had both intended that this +should be a period of great joy to them. Plans had been made as to the +theatres and one or two parties, which were almost as exciting to the +Dean as to his daughter. It was quite understood by both of them that +the Dean up in London was to be a man of pleasure, rather than a +clergyman. He had no purpose of preaching either at St. Paul's or the +Abbey. He was going to attend no Curates' Aid Society or Sons of the +Clergy. He intended to forget Mr. Groschut, to ignore Dr. Pountney, and +have a good time. That had been his intention, at least till he saw +Lord George at the deanery. But now there were serious thoughts in his +mind. When he arrived Mary had for the time got nearly rid of the +incubus of the Italian Marchioness with her baby. She was all smiles as +she kissed him. But he could not keep himself from the great subject. + +"This is terrible news, my darling," he said at once. + +"Do you think so, papa?" + +"Certainly I do." + +"I don't see why Lord Brotherton should not have a son and heir as well +as anybody else." + +"He is quite entitled to have a son and heir,--one may almost say more +entitled than anyone else, seeing that he has got so much to leave to +him,--but on that very account he is more bound than anyone else to let +all the world feel sure that his declared son and heir is absolutely +his son and heir." + +"He couldn't be so vile as that, papa!" + +"God forbid that I should say that he could. It may be that he +considers himself married, though the marriage would not be valid here. +Maybe he is married, and that yet the child is not legitimate." Mary +could not but blush as her father spoke to her thus plainly. "All we do +know is that he wrote to his own brother declaring that he was about to +be married twelve months after the birth of the child whom he now +expects us to recognise as the heir to the title. I for one am not +prepared to accept his word without evidence, and I shall have no +scruple in letting him know that such evidence will be wanted." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +"DROP IT." + + +For ten or twelve days after the little dinner in Berkeley Square Guss +Mildmay bore her misfortunes without further spoken complaint. During +all that time, though they were both in London, she never saw Jack De +Baron, and she knew that in not seeing her he was neglecting her. But +for so long she bore it. It is generally supposed that young ladies +have to bear such sorrow without loud complaint; but Guss was more +thoroughly emancipated than are some young ladies, and when moved was +wont to speak her mind. At last, when she herself was only on foot with +her father, she saw Jack De Baron riding with Lady George. It is quite +true that she also saw, riding behind them, her perfidious friend, Mrs. +Houghton, and a gentleman whom at that time she did not know to be Lady +George's father. This was early in March, when equestrians in the park +are not numerous. Guss stood for a moment looking at them, and Jack De +Baron took off his hat. But Jack did not stop, and went on talking with +that pleasant vivacity which she, poor girl, knew so well and valued so +highly. Lady George liked it too, though she could hardly have given +any reason for liking it, for, to tell the truth, there was not often +much pith in Jack's conversation. + +On the following morning Captain De Baron, who had lodgings in Charles +Street close to the Guards' Club, had a letter brought to him before +he was out of bed. The letter was from Guss Mildmay, and he knew the +handwriting well. He had received many notes from her, though none so +interesting on the whole as was this letter. Miss Mildmay's letter to +Jack was as follows. It was written, certainly, with a swift pen, and, +but that he knew her writing well, would in parts have been hardly +legible. + + "I think you are treating me very badly. I tell you openly and + fairly. It is neither gentlemanlike or high spirited, as you know + that I have no one to take my part but myself. If you mean to cut + me, say so, and let me understand it at once. You have taken up + now with that young married woman just because you know it will + make me angry. I don't believe for a moment that you really care + for such a baby-faced chit as that. I have met her too, and I know + that she hasn't a word to say for herself. Do you mean to come and + see me? I expect to hear from you, letting me know when you will + come. I do not intend to be thrown over for her or anyone. I + believe it is mostly Adelaide's doing, who doesn't like to think + that you should really care for anyone. You know very well what my + feelings are, and what sacrifice I am ready to make. And you know + what you have told me of yourself. I shall be at home all this + afternoon. Papa, of course, will go to his club at three. Aunt + Julia has an afternoon meeting at the Institute for the + distribution of prizes among the Rights-of-Women young men, and I + have told her positively that I won't go. Nobody else will be + admitted. Do come and at any rate let us have it out. This state + of things will kill me,--though, of course, you don't mind that. + + "G. + + "I shall think you a coward if you don't come. Oh, Jack, do come." + +She had begun like a lion, but had ended like a lamb; and such was the +nature of every thought she had respecting him. She was full of +indignation. She assured herself hourly that such treachery as his +deserved death. She longed for a return of the old times,--thirty years +since,--and for some old-fashioned brother, so that Jack might be shot +at and have a pistol bullet in his heart. And yet she told herself as +often that she could not live without him. Where should she find +another Jack after her recklessness in letting all the world know that +this man was her Jack? She hardly wanted to marry him, knowing full +well the nature of the life which would then be before her. Jack had +told her often that if forced to do that he must give up the army and +go and live in ----, he had named Dantzic as having the least alluring +sound of any place he knew. To her it would be best that things should +go on just as they were now till something should turn up. But that she +should be enthralled and Jack free was not to be borne! She begrudged +him no other pleasure. She was willing that he should hunt, gamble, +eat, drink, smoke, and be ever so wicked, if that were his taste; but +not that he should be seen making himself agreeable to another young +woman. It might be that their position was unfortunate, but of that +misfortune she had by far the heavier share. She could not eat, drink, +smoke, gamble, hunt, and be generally wicked. Surely he might bear it +if she could. + +Jack, when he had read the letter, tossed it on to the counterpane, and +rolled himself again in bed. It was not as yet much after nine, and he +need not decide for an hour or two whether he would accept the +invitation or not. But the letter bothered him and he could not sleep. +She told him that if he did not come he would be a coward, and he felt +that she had told him the truth. He did not want to see her,--not +because he was tired of her, for in her softer humours she was always +pleasant to him,--but because he had a clear insight into the misery of +the whole connection. When the idea of marrying her suggested itself, +he always regarded it as being tantamount to suicide. Were he to be +persuaded to such a step he would simply be blowing his own brains out +because someone else asked him to do so. He had explained all this to +her at various times when suggesting Dantzic, and she had agreed with +him. Then, at that point, his common sense had been better than hers, +and his feeling really higher. "That being so," he had said, "it is +certainly for your advantage that we should part." But this to her had +been as though he were striving to break his own chains and was +indifferent as to her misery. "I can take care of myself," she had +answered him. But he knew that she could not take care of herself. Had +she not been most unwise, most imprudent, she would have seen the +wisdom of letting the intimacy of their acquaintance drop without any +further explanation. But she was most unwise. Nevertheless, when she +accused him of cowardice, must he not go? + +He breakfasted uncomfortably, trying to put off the consideration, and +then uncomfortably sauntered down to the Guard House, at St. James's. +He had no intention of writing, and was therefore not compelled to make +up his mind till the hour named for the appointment should actually +have come. He thought for a while that he would write her a long +letter, full of good sense; explaining to her that it was impossible +that they should be useful to each other, and that he found himself +compelled, by his regard for her, to recommend that their peculiar +intimacy should be brought to an end. But he knew that such a letter +would go for nothing with her,--that she would regard it simply as an +excuse on his part. They two had tacitly agreed not to be bound by +common sense,--not to be wise. Such tacit agreements are common enough +between men, between women, and between men and women. What! a sermon +from you! No indeed; not that. Jack felt all this,--felt that he could +not preach without laying himself open to ridicule. When the time came +he made up his mind that he must go. Of course it was very bad for her. +The servants would all know it. Everybody would know it. She was +throwing away every chance she had of doing well for herself. But what +was he to do? She told him that he would be a coward, and he at any +rate could not bear that. + +Mr. Mildmay lived in a small house in Green Street, very near the Park, +but still a modest, unassuming, cheap little house. Jack De Baron knew +the way to it well, and was there not above a quarter-of-an-hour after +the appointed time. "So aunt Ju has gone to the Rights of Women, has +she?" he said, after his first greeting. He might have kissed her if he +would, but he didn't. He had made up his mind about that. And so had +she. She was ready for him, whether he should kiss her or not,--ready +to accept either greeting, as though it was just that which she had +expected. + +"Oh, yes; she is going to make a speech herself." + +"But why do they give prizes to young men?" + +"Because the young men have stood up for the old women. Why don't you +go and get a prize?" + +"I had to be here instead." + +"Had to be here, sir!" + +"Yes, Guss; had to be here! Isn't that about it? When you tell me to +come, and tell me that I am a coward if I don't come, of course I am +here." + +"And now you are here, what have you got to say for yourself?" This she +attempted to say easily and jauntily. + +"Not a word." + +"Then I don't see what is the use of coming?" + +"Nor I, either. What would you have me say?" + +"I would have you,--I would have you----" And then there was something +like a sob. It was quite real. "I would have you tell me--that +you--love me." + +"Have I not told you so a score of times; and what has come of it?" + +"But is it true?" + +"Come, Guss, this is simple folly. You know it is true; and you know, +also, that there is no good whatever to be got from such truth." + +"If you loved me, you would like--to--see me." + +"No, I shouldn't;--no, I don't;--unless it could lead to something. +There was a little fun to be had when we could spoon together,--when I +hardly knew how to ask for it, and you hardly knew how to grant it; +when it was a little shooting bud, and had to be nursed by smiles and +pretty speeches. But there are only three things it can come to now. +Two are impossible, and therefore there is the other." + +"What are the three?" + +"We might get married." + +"Well?" + +"One of the three I shall not tell you. And we might--make up our +minds to forget it all. Do what the people call, part. That is what I +suggest." + +"So that you may spend your time in riding about with Lady George +Germain." + +"That is nonsense, Guss. Lady George Germain I have seen three times, +and she talks only about her husband; a pretty little woman more +absolutely in love I never came across." + +"Pretty little fool!" + +"Very likely. I have nothing to say against that. Only, when you have +no heavier stone to throw against me than Lady George Germain, really +you are badly off for weapons." + +"I have stones enough, if I chose to throw them. Oh, Jack!" + +"What more is there to be said?" + +"Have you had enough of me already, Jack?" + +"I should not have had half enough of you if either you or I had fifty +thousand pounds." + +"If I had them I would give them all to you." + +"And I to you. That goes without telling. But as neither of us have got +the money, what are we to do? I know what we had better not do. We had +better not make each other unhappy by what people call recriminations." + +"I don't suppose that anything I say can affect your happiness." + +"Yes, it does; very much. It makes me think of deep rivers, and high +columns; of express trains and prussic acid. Well as we have known each +other, you have never found out how unfortunately soft I am." + +"Very soft!" + +"I am. This troubles me so that I ride over awfully big places, +thinking that I might perhaps be lucky enough to break my neck." + +"What must I feel, who have no way of amusing myself at all?" + +"Drop it. I know it is a hard thing for me to say. I know it will sound +heartless. But I am bound to say so. It is for your sake. I can't hurt +myself. It does me no harm that everybody knows that I am philandering +after you; but it is the very deuce for you." She was silent for a +moment. Then he said again emphatically, "Drop it." + +"I can't drop it," she said, through her tears. + +"Then what are we to do?" As he asked this question, he approached her +and put his arm round her waist. This he did in momentary vacillating +mercy,--not because of the charm of the thing to himself, but through +his own inability not to give her some token of affection. + +"Marry," she said, in a whisper. + +"And go and live at Dantzic for the rest of our lives!" He did not +speak these words, but such was the exclamation which he at once made +internally to himself. If he had resolved on anything, he had resolved +that he would not marry her. One might sacrifice one's self, he had +said to himself, if one could do her any good; but what's the use of +sacrificing both. He withdrew his arm from her, and stood a yard apart +from her, looking into her face. + +"That would be so horrible to you!" she said. + +"It would be horrible to have nothing to eat." + +"We should have seven hundred and fifty pounds a year," said Guss, who +had made her calculations very narrowly. + +"Well, yes; and no doubt we could get enough to eat at such a place as +Dantzic." + +"Dantzic! you always laugh at me when I speak seriously." + +"Or Lubeck, if you like it better; or Leipsig. I shouldn't care the +least in the world where we went. I know a chap who lives in Minorca +because he has not got any money. We might go to Minorca, only the +mosquitoes would eat you up." + +"Will you do it? I will if you will." They were standing now three +yards apart, and Guss was looking terrible things. She did not +endeavour to be soft, but had made up her mind as to the one step that +must be taken. She would not lose him. They need not be married +immediately. Something might turn up before any date was fixed for +their marriage. If she could only bind him by an absolute promise that +he would marry her some day! "I will, if you will," she said again, +after waiting a second or two for his answer. Then he shook his head. +"You will not, after all that you have said to me?" He shook his head +again. "Then, Jack De Baron, you are perjured, and no gentleman." + +"Dear Guss, I can bear that. It is not true, you know, as I have never +made you any promise which I am not ready to keep; but still I can bear +it." + +"No promise! Have you not sworn that you loved me?" + +"A thousand times." + +"And what does that mean from a gentleman to a lady?" + +"It ought to mean matrimony and all that kind of thing, but it never +did mean it with us. You know how it all began." + +"I know what it has come to, and that you owe it to me as a gentleman +to let me decide whether I am able to encounter such a life or not. +Though it were absolute destruction, you ought to face it if I bid +you." + +"If it were destruction for myself only--perhaps, yes. But though you +have so little regard for my happiness, I still have some for yours. It +is not to be done. You and I have had our little game, as I said +before, and now we had better put the rackets down and go and rest +ourselves." + +"What rest? Oh, Jack,--what rest is there?" + +"Try somebody else." + +"Can you tell me to do that!" + +"Certainly I can. Look at my cousin Adelaide." + +"Your cousin Adelaide never cared for any human being in her life +except herself. She had no punishment to suffer as I have. Oh, Jack! I +do so love you." Then she rushed at him, and fell upon his bosom, and +wept. + +He knew that this would come, and he felt that, upon the whole, this +was the worst part of the performance. He could bear her anger or her +sullenness with fortitude, but her lachrymose caresses were +insupportable. He held her, however, in his arms, and gazed at himself +in the pier glass most uncomfortably over her shoulder. "Oh, Jack," she +said, "oh, Jack,--what is to come next?" His face became somewhat more +lugubrious than before, but he said not a word. "I cannot lose you +altogether. There is no one else in the wide world that I care for. +Papa thinks of nothing but his whist. Aunt Ju, with her 'Rights of +Women,' is an old fool." + +"Just so," said Jack, still holding her, and still looking very +wretched. + +"What shall I do if you leave me?" + +"Pick up some one that has a little money. I know it sounds bad and +mercenary, and all that, but in our way of life there is nothing else +to be done. We can't marry like the ploughboy and milkmaid?" + +"I could." + +"And would be the first to find out your mistake afterwards. It's all +very well saying that Adelaide hasn't got a heart. I dare say she has +as much heart as you or me." + +"As you;--as you." + +"Very well. Of course you have a sort of pleasure in abusing me. But +she has known what she could do, and what she could not. Every year as +she grows older she will become more comfortable. Houghton is very good +to her, and she has lots of money to spend. If that's heartlessness +there's a good deal to be said for it." Then he gently disembarrassed +himself of her arms, and placed her on a sofa. + +"And this is to be the end?" + +"Well,--I think so really." She thumped her hand upon the head of the +sofa as a sign of her anger. "Of course we shall always be friends?" + +"Never," she almost screamed. + +"We'd better. People will talk less about it, you know." + +"I don't care what people talk. If they knew the truth, no one would +ever speak to you again." + +"Good bye, Guss." She shook her head, as he had shaken his before. "Say +a word to a fellow." Again she shook her head. He attempted to take her +hand, but she withdrew it. Then he stood for perhaps a minute looking +at her, but she did not move. "Good bye, Guss," he said again, and then +he left the room. + +When he got into the street he congratulated himself. He had undergone +many such scenes before, but none which seemed so likely to bring the +matter to an end. He was rather proud of his own conduct, thinking that +he had been at the same time both tender and wise. He had not given way +in the least, and had yet been explicit in assuring her of his +affection. He felt now that he would go and hunt on the morrow without +any desire to break his neck over the baron's fences. Surely the thing +was done now for ever and ever! Then he thought how it would have been +with him at this moment had he in any transient weakness told her that +he would marry her. But he had been firm, and could now walk along with +a light heart. + +She, as soon as he had left her, got up, and taking the cushion off the +sofa, threw it to the further end of the room. Having so relieved +herself, she walked up to her own chamber. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +ALL IS FISH THAT COMES TO HIS NET. + + +The Dean's week up in London during the absence of Lord George was gay +enough; but through it all and over it all there was that cloud of +seriousness which had been produced by the last news from Italy. He +rode with his daughter, dined out in great state at Mrs. Montacute +Jones's, talked to Mr. Houghton about Newmarket and the next Derby, had +a little flirtation of his own with Hetta Houghton,--into which he +contrived to introduce a few serious words about the Marquis,--and was +merry enough; but, to his daughter's surprise, he never for a moment +ceased to be impressed with the importance of the Italian woman and her +baby. "What does it signify, papa?" she said. + +"Not signify!" + +"Of course it was to be expected that the Marquis should marry. Why +should he not marry as well as his younger brother?" + +"In the first place, he is very much older." + +"As to that, men marry at any age. Look at Mr. Houghton." The Dean only +smiled. "Do you know, papa, I don't think one ought to trouble about +such things." + +"That's nonsense, my dear. Men, and women too, ought to look after +their own interests. It is the only way in which progress can be made +in the world. Of course you are not to covet what belongs to others. +You will make yourself very unhappy if you do. If Lord Brotherton's +marriage were all fair and above board, nobody would say a word; but, +as it has not been so, it will be our duty to find out the truth. If +you should have a son, do not you think that you would turn every stone +before you would have him defrauded of his rights?" + +"I shouldn't think any one would defraud him." + +"But if this child be--anything else than what he pretends to be, there +will be fraud. The Germains, though they think as I do, are frightened +and superstitious. They are afraid of this imbecile who is coming over; +but they shall find that if they do not move in the matter, I will. I +want nothing that belongs to another; but while I have a hand and +tongue with which to protect myself, or a purse,--which is better than +either,--no one shall take from me what belongs to me." All this seemed +to Mary to be pagan teaching, and it surprised her much as coming from +her father. But she was beginning to find out that she, as a married +woman, was supposed to be now fit for other teaching than had been +administered to her as a child. She had been cautioned in her father's +house against the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and could +remember the paternal, almost divine expression of the Dean's face as +the lesson was taught. But now it seemed to her that the pomps and +vanities were spoken of in a very different way. The divine expression +was altogether gone, and that which remained, though in looking at her +it was always pleasant, was hardly paternal. + +Miss Mildmay,--Aunt Ju as she was called,--and Guss Mildmay came and +called, and as it happened the Dean was in the drawing-room when they +came. They were known to be friends of Mrs. Houghton's who had been in +Brothershire, and were therefore in some degree connected even with the +Dean. Guss began at once about the new Marchioness and the baby; and +the Dean, though he did not of course speak to Guss Mildmay as he had +done to his own daughter, still sneered at the mother and her child. In +the meantime Aunt Ju was enlisting poor Mary. "I should be so proud if +you would come with me to the Institute, Lady George." + +"I am sure I should be delighted. But what Institute?" + +"Don't you know?--in the Marylebone Road,--for relieving females from +their disabilities." + +"Do you mean Rights of Women? I don't think papa likes that," said +Mary, looking round at her father. + +"You haven't got to mind what papa likes and dislikes any more," said +the Dean, laughing. "Whether you go in for the rights or the wrongs of +women is past my caring for now. Lord George must look after that." + +"I am sure Lord George could not object to your going to the Marylebone +Institute," said Aunt Ju. "Lady Selina Protest is there every week, and +Baroness Banmann, the delegate from Bavaria, is coming next Friday." + +"You'd find the Disabilities awfully dull, Lady George," said Guss. + +"Everybody is not so flighty as you are, my dear. Some people do +sometimes think of serious things. And the Institute is not called the +Disabilities." + +"What is it all about?" said Mary. + +"Only to empower women to take their own equal places in the +world,--places equal to those occupied by men," said Aunt Ju +eloquently. "Why should one-half of the world be ruled by the _ipse +dixit_ of the other?" + +"Or fed by their labours?" said the Dean. + +"That is just what we are not. There are 1,133,500 females in +England----" + +"You had better go and hear it all at the Disabilities, Lady George," +said Guss. Lady George said that she would like to go for once, and so +that matter was settled. + +While Aunt Ju was pouring out the violence of her doctrine upon the +Dean, whom she contrived to catch in a corner just before she left the +house, Guss Mildmay had a little conversation on her own part with Lady +George. "Captain De Baron," she said, "is an old friend of yours, I +suppose." She, however, had known very well that Jack had never seen +Lady George till within the last month. + +"No, indeed; I never saw him till the other day." + +"I thought you seemed to be intimate. And then the Houghtons and the De +Barons and the Germains are all Brothershire people." + +"I knew Mrs. Houghton's father, of course, a little; but I never saw +Captain De Baron." This she said rather seriously, remembering what +Mrs. Houghton had said to her of the love affair between this young +lady and the Captain in question. + +"I thought you seemed to know him the other night, and I saw you riding +with him." + +"He was with his cousin Adelaide,--not with us." + +"I don't think he cares much for Adelaide. Do you like him?" + +"Yes, I do; very much. He seems to be so gay." + +"Yes, he is gay. He's a horrid flirt, you know." + +"I didn't know; and what is more, I don't care." + +"So many girls have said that about Captain De Baron; but they have +cared afterwards." + +"But I am not a girl, Miss Mildmay," said Mary, colouring, offended and +resolved at once that she would have no intimacy and as little +acquaintance as possible with Guss Mildmay. + +"You are so much younger than so many of us that are girls," said Guss, +thinking to get out of the little difficulty in that way. "And then +it's all fish that comes to his net." She hardly knew what she was +saying, but was anxious to raise some feeling that should prevent any +increased intimacy between her own lover and Lady George. It was +nothing to her whether or no she offended Lady George Germain. If she +could do her work without sinning against good taste, well; but if not, +then good taste must go to the wall. Good taste certainly had gone to +the wall. + +"Upon my word, I can hardly understand you!" Then Lady George turned +away to her father. "Well, papa, has Miss Mildmay persuaded you to come +to the Institute with me?" + +"I am afraid I should hardly be admitted, after what I have just said." + +"Indeed you shall be admitted, Mr. Dean," said the old woman. "We are +quite of the Church's way of thinking, that no sinner is too hardened +for repentance." + +"I am afraid the day of grace has not come yet," said the Dean. + +"Papa," said Lady George, as soon as her visitors were gone, "do you +know I particularly dislike that younger Miss Mildmay." + +"Is she worth being particularly disliked so rapidly?" + +"She says nasty, impudent things. I can't quite explain what she said." +And again Lady George blushed. + +"People in society now do give themselves strange liberty;--women, I +think, more than men. You shouldn't mind it." + +"Not mind it?" + +"Not mind it so as to worry yourself. If a pert young woman like that +says anything to annoy you, put her down at the time, and then think no +more about it. Of course you need not make a friend of her." + +"That I certainly shall not do." + +On the Sunday after this Lady George dined again with her father at Mr. +Houghton's house, the dinner having been made up especially for the +Dean. On this occasion the Mildmays were not there; but Captain De +Baron was one of the guests. But then he was Mrs. Houghton's cousin, +and had the run of the house on all occasions. Again, there was no +great party; Mrs. Montacute Jones was there, and Hetta,--Miss Houghton, +that is, whom all the world called Hetta,--and Mrs. Houghton's father, +who happened to be up in town. Again Lady George found herself sitting +between her host and Jack De Baron, and again she thought that Jack was +a very agreeable companion. The idea of being in any way afraid of him +did not enter into her mind. Those horrid words which Guss Mildmay had +said to her,--as to all being fish for his net,--had no effect of that +nature. She assured herself that she knew herself too well to allow +anything of that kind to influence her. That she, Lady George Germain, +the daughter of the Dean of Brotherton, a married woman, should be +afraid of any man, afraid of any too close intimacy! The idea was +horrible and disgusting to her. So that when Jack proposed to join her +and her father in the park on the next afternoon, she said that she +would be delighted; and when he told her absurd stories of his +regimental duties, and described his brother officers who probably did +not exist as described by him, and then went on to hunting legends in +Buckinghamshire, she laughed at everything he said and was very merry. +"Don't you like Jack?" Mrs. Houghton said to her in the drawing-room. + +"Yes, I do; very much. He's just what Jack ought to be." + +"I don't know about that. I suppose Jack ought to go to church twice on +Sundays, and give half what he has to the poor, just as well as John." + +"Perhaps he does. But Jack is bound to be amusing, while John need not +have a word to say for himself." + +"You know he's my pet friend. We are almost like brother and sister, +and therefore I need not be afraid of him." + +"Afraid of him! Why should anybody be afraid of him?" + +"I am sure you needn't. But Jack has done mischief in his time. Perhaps +he's not the sort of man that would ever touch your fancy." Again Lady +George blushed, but on this occasion she had nothing to say. She did +not want to quarrel with Mrs. Houghton, and the suggestion that she +could possibly love any other man than her husband had not now been +made in so undisguised a manner as before. + +"I thought he was engaged to Miss Mildmay," said Lady George. + +"Oh, dear no; nothing of the kind. It is impossible, as neither of them +has anything to speak of. When does Lord George come back?" + +"To-morrow." + +"Mind that he comes to see me soon. I do so long to hear what he'll say +about his new sister-in-law. I had made up my mind that I should have +to koto to you before long as a real live marchioness." + +"You'll never have to do that." + +"Not if this child is a real Lord Popenjoy. But I have my hopes still, +my dear." + +Soon after that Hetta Houghton reverted to the all important subject. + +"You have found out that what I told you was true, Lady George." + +"Oh yes,--all true." + +"I wonder what the Dowager thinks about it." + +"My husband is with his mother. She thinks, I suppose, just what we all +think, that it would have been better if he had told everybody of his +marriage sooner." + +"A great deal better." + +"I don't know whether, after all, it will make a great deal of +difference. Lady Brotherton,--the Dowager I mean,--is so thoroughly +English in all her ways that she never could have got on very well with +an Italian daughter-in-law." + +"The question is whether when a man springs a wife and family on his +relations in that way, everything can be taken for granted. Suppose a +man had been ever so many years in Kamptschatka, and had then come back +with a Kamptschatkean female, calling her his wife, would everybody +take it as all gospel?" + +"I suppose so." + +"Do you? I think not. In the first place it might be difficult for an +Englishman to get himself married in that country according to English +laws, and in the next, when there, he would hardly wish to do so." + +"Italy is not Kamptschatka, Miss Houghton." + +"Certainly not; and it isn't England. People are talking about it a +great deal, and seem to think that the Italian lady oughtn't to have a +walk over." + +Miss Houghton had heard a good deal about races from her brother, and +the phrase she had used was quite an everyday word to her. Lady George +did not understand it, but felt that Miss Houghton was talking very +freely about a very delicate matter. And she remembered at the same +time what had been the aspirations of the lady's earlier life, and put +down a good deal of what was said to personal jealousy. "Papa," she +said, as she went home, "it seems to me that people here talk a great +deal about one's private concerns." + +"You mean about Lord Brotherton's marriage." + +"That among other things." + +"Of course they will talk about that. It is hardly to be considered +private. And I don't know but what the more it is talked about the +better for us. It is felt to be a public scandal, and that feeling may +help us." + +"Oh, papa, I wish you wouldn't think that we wanted any help." + +"We want the truth, my dear, and we must have it." + +On the next day they met Jack De Baron in the park. They had not been +long together before the Dean saw an old friend on the footpath and +stopped to speak to him. Mary would have stayed too, had not her horse +displayed an inclination to go on, and that she had felt herself +unwilling to make an effort in the matter. As she rode on with Captain +De Baron she remembered all that had been said by Guss Mildmay and Mrs. +Houghton, and remembered also her own decision that nothing of that +kind could matter to her. It was an understood thing that ladies and +gentlemen when riding should fall into this kind of intercourse. Her +father was with her, and it would be absurd that she should be afraid +to be a minute or two out of his sight. "I ought to have been hunting," +said Jack; "but there was frost last night, and I do hate going down +and being told that the ground is as hard as brickbats at the kennels, +while men are ploughing all over the country. And now it's a delicious +spring day." + +"You didn't like getting up, Captain De Baron," she said. + +"Perhaps there's something in that. Don't you think getting up is a +mistake? My idea of a perfect world is one where nobody would ever have +to get up." + +"I shouldn't at all like always to lie in bed." + +"But there might be some sort of arrangement to do away with the +nuisance. See what a good time the dogs have." + +"Now, Captain De Baron, would you like to be a dog?" This she said +turning round and looking him full in the face. + +"Your dog I would." At that moment, just over his horse's withers, she +saw the face of Guss Mildmay who was leaning on her father's arm. Guss +bowed to her, and she was obliged to return the salute. Jack De Baron +turned his face to the path and seeing the lady raised his hat. "Are +you two friends?" he asked. + +"Not particularly." + +"I wish you were. But, of course, I have no right to wish in such a +matter as that." Lady George felt that she wished that Guss Mildmay had +not seen her riding in the park on that day with Jack De Baron. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE DISABILITIES. + + +It had been arranged that on Friday evening Lady George should call for +Aunt Ju in Green Street, and that they should go together to the +Institute in the Marylebone Road. The real and full name of the +college, as some ladies delighted to call it, was, though somewhat +lengthy, placarded in big letters on a long black board on the front of +the building, and was as follows, "Rights of Women Institute; +Established for the Relief of the Disabilities of Females." By friendly +tongues to friendly ears "The College" or "the Institute" was the +pleasant name used; but the irreverent public was apt to speak of the +building generally as the "Female Disabilities." And the title was made +even shorter. Omnibuses were desired to stop at the "Disabilities;" and +it had become notorious that it was just a mile from King's Cross to +the "Disabilities." There had been serious thoughts among those who +were dominant in the Institute of taking down the big board and +dropping the word. But then a change of a name implies such a +confession of failure! It had on the whole been thought better to +maintain the courage of the opinion which had first made the mistake. +"So you're going to the Disabilities, are you?" Mrs. Houghton had said +to Lady George. + +"I'm to be taken by old Miss Mildmay." + +"Oh, yes; Aunt Ju is a sort of first-class priestess among them. Don't +let them bind you over to belong to them. Don't go in for it." Lady +George had declared it to be very improbable that she should go in for +it, but had adhered to her determination of visiting the Institute. + +She called in Green Street fearing that she should see Guss Mildmay +whom she had determined to keep at arm's distance as well as her +friendship with Mrs. Houghton would permit; but Aunt Ju was ready for +her in the passage. "I forgot to tell you that we ought to be a little +early, as I have to take the chair. I daresay we shall do very well," +she added, "if the man drives fast. But the thing is so important! One +doesn't like to be flurried when one gets up to make the preliminary +address." The only public meetings at which Mary had ever been present +had appertained to certain lectures at Brotherton, at which her father +or some other clerical dignity had presided, and she could not as yet +understand that such a duty should be performed by a woman. She +muttered something expressing a hope that all would go right. "I've got +to introduce the Baroness, you know." + +"Introduce the Baroness?" + +"The Baroness Banmann. Haven't you seen the bill of the evening? The +Baroness is going to address the meeting on the propriety of +patronising female artists,--especially in regard to architecture. A +combined college of female architects is to be established in Posen and +Chicago, and why should we not have a branch in London, which is the +centre of the world?" + +"Would a woman have to build a house?" asked Lady George. + +"She would draw the plans, and devise the proportions, and--and--do the +æsthetic part of it. An architect doesn't carry bricks on his back, my +dear." + +"But he walks over planks, I suppose." + +"And so could I walk over a plank; why not as well as a man? But you +will hear what the Baroness says. The worst is that I am a little +afraid of her English." + +"She's a foreigner, of course. How will she manage?" + +"Her English is perfect, but I am afraid of her pronunciation. However, +we shall see." They had now arrived at the building, and Lady George +followed the old lady in with the crowd. But when once inside the door +they turned to a small passage on the left, which conducted those in +authority to the august room preparatory to the platform. It is here +that bashful speakers try to remember their first sentences, and that +lecturers, proud of their prominence, receive the homage of the +officers of the Institute. Aunt Ju, who on this occasion was second in +glory, made her way in among the crowd and welcomed the Baroness, who +had just arrived. The Baroness, was a very stout woman, about fifty, +with a double chin, a considerable moustache, a low broad forehead, and +bright, round, black eyes, very far apart. When introduced to Lady +George, she declared that she had great honour in accepting the +re-cog-nition. She had a stout roll of paper in her hand, and was +dressed in a black stuff gown, with a cloth jacket buttoned up to neck, +which hardly gave to her copious bust that appearance of manly firmness +which the occasion almost required. But the virile collars budding out +over it perhaps supplied what was wanting. Lady George looked at her to +see if she was trembling. How, thought Lady George, would it have been +with herself if she had been called upon to address a French audience +in French! But as far as she could judge from experience, the Baroness +was quite at her ease. Then she was introduced by Aunt Ju to Lady +Selina Protest, who was a very little woman with spectacles,--of a +most severe aspect. "I hope, Lady George, that you mean to put your +shoulder to the wheel," said Lady Selina. "I am only here as a +stranger," said Lady George. Lady Selina did not believe in strangers +and passed on very severely. There was no time for further ceremonies, +as a bald-headed old gentleman, who seemed to act as chief usher, +informed Aunt Ju that it was time for her to take the Baroness on to +the platform. Aunt Ju led the way, puffing a little, for she had been +somewhat hurried on the stairs, and was not as yet quite used to the +thing,--but still with a proudly prominent step. The Baroness waddled +after her, apparently quite indifferent to the occasion. Then followed +Lady Selina,--and Lady George, the bald-headed gentleman telling her +where to place herself. She had never been on a platform before, and it +seemed as though the crowd of people below was looking specially at +her. As she sat down, at the right hand of the Baroness, who was of +course at the right hand of the Chairwoman, the bald-headed gentleman +introduced her to her other neighbour, Miss Doctor Olivia Q. Fleabody, +from Vermont. There was so much of the name and it all sounded so +strange to the ears of Lady George that she could remember very little +of it, but she was conscious that her new acquaintance was a miss and a +doctor. She looked timidly round, and saw what would have been a pretty +face, had it not been marred by a pinched look of studious severity and +a pair of glass spectacles of which the glasses shone in a disagreeable +manner. There are spectacles which are so much more spectacles than +other spectacles that they make the beholder feel that there is before +him a pair of spectacles carrying a face, rather than a face carrying a +pair of spectacles. So it was with the spectacles of Olivia Q. +Fleabody. She was very thin, and the jacket and collars were quite +successful. Sitting in the front row she displayed her feet,--and it +may also be said her trousers, for the tunic which she wore came down +hardly below the knees. Lady George's enquiring mind instantly began to +ask itself what the lady had done with her petticoats. "This is a great +occasion," said Dr. Fleabody, speaking almost out loud, and with a very +strong nasal twang. + +Lady George looked at the chair before she answered, feeling that she +would not dare to speak a word if Aunt Ju were already on her legs; but +Aunt Ju was taking advantage of the commotion which was still going on +among those who were looking for seats to get her breath, and therefore +she could whisper a reply. "I suppose it is," she said. + +"If it were not that I have wedded myself in a peculiar manner to the +prophylactick and therapeutick sciences, I would certainly now put my +foot down firmly in the cause of architecture. I hope to have an +opportunity of saying a few words on the subject myself before this +interesting session shall have closed." Lady George looked at her again +and thought that this enthusiastic hybrid who was addressing her could +not be more than twenty-four years old. + +But Aunt Ju was soon on her legs. It did not seem to Lady George that +Aunt Ju enjoyed the moment now that it was come. She looked hot, and +puffed once or twice before she spoke. But she had studied her few +words so long, and had made so sure of them, that she could not go very +far wrong. She assured her audience that the Baroness Banmann, whose +name had only to be mentioned to be honoured both throughout Europe and +America, had, at great personal inconvenience, come all the way from +Bavaria to give them the advantage of her vast experience on the +present occasion. Like a good chairwoman, she took none of the bread +out of the Baroness's mouth--as we have occasionally known it to be +done on such occasions--but confined herself to ecstatic praises of the +German lady. All these the Baroness bore without a quiver, and when +Aunt Ju sat down she stepped on to the rostrum of the evening amidst +the plaudits of the room, with a confidence which to Lady George was +miraculous. Then Aunt Ju took her seat, and was able for the next hour +and a half to occupy her arm-chair with gratifying fainéant dignity. + +The Baroness, to tell the truth, waddled rather than stepped to the +rostrum. She swung herself heavily about as she went sideways; but it +was manifest to all eyes that she was not in the least ashamed of her +waddling. She undid her manuscript on the desk, and flattened it down +all over with her great fat hand, rolling her head about as she looked +around, and then gave a grunt before she began. During this time the +audience was applauding her loudly, and it was evident that she did not +intend to lose a breath of their incense by any hurry on her own part. +At last the voices and the hands and the feet were silent. Then she +gave a last roll to her head and a last pat to the papers, and began. +"De manifest infairiority of de tyrant saix----." + +Those first words, spoken in a very loud voice, came clearly home to +Lady George's ear, though they were uttered with a most un-English +accent. The Baroness paused before she completed her first sentence, +and then there was renewed applause. Lady George could remark that the +bald-headed old gentleman behind and a cadaverous youth who was near to +him were particularly energetic in stamping on the ground. Indeed, it +seemed that the men were specially charmed with this commencement of +the Baroness's oration. It was so good that she repeated it with, +perhaps, even a louder shout. "De manifest infairiority of de tyrant +saix----." Lady George, with considerable trouble, was able to follow +the first sentence or two, which went to assert that the inferiority of +man to woman in all work was quite as conspicuous as his rapacity and +tyranny in taking to himself all the wages. The Baroness, though +addressing a mixed audience, seemed to have no hesitation in speaking +of man generally as a foul worm who ought to be put down and kept +under, and merely allowed to be the father of children. But after a +minute or two Lady George found that she could not understand two words +consecutively, although she was close to the lecturer. The Baroness, +as she became heated, threw out her words quicker and more quickly, +till it became almost impossible to know in what language they were +spoken. By degrees our friend became aware that the subject of +architecture had been reached, and then she caught a word or two as the +Baroness declared that the science was "adaapted only to de æstetic and +comprehensive intelligence of de famale mind." But the audience +applauded throughout as though every word reached them; and when from +time to time the Baroness wiped her brows with a very large +handkerchief, they shook the building with their appreciation of her +energy. Then came a loud rolling sentence, with the old words as an +audible termination--"de manifest infairiority of de tyrant saix!" As +she said this she waved her handkerchief in the air and almost threw +herself over the desk. "She is very great to-night,--very great +indeed," whispered Miss Doctor Olivia Q. Fleabody to Lady George. Lady +George was afraid to ask her neighbour whether she understood one word +out of ten that were being spoken. + +Great as the Baroness was, Lady George became very tired of it all. The +chair was hard and the room was full of dust, and she could not get up. +It was worse than the longest and the worst sermon she had ever heard. +It seemed to her at last that there was no reason why the Baroness +should not go on for ever. The woman liked it, and the people applauded +her. The poor victim had made up her mind that there was no hope of +cessation, and in doing so was very nearly asleep, when, on a sudden, +the Baroness had finished and had thrown herself violently back into +her chair. "Baroness, believe me," said Dr. Fleabody, stretching across +Lady George, "it is the greatest treat I ever had in my life." The +Baroness hardly condescended to answer the compliment. She was at this +moment so great a woman, at this moment so immeasurably the greatest +human being at any rate in London, that it did not become her to +acknowledge single compliments. She had worked hard and was very hot, +but still she had sufficient presence of mind to remember her +demeanour. + +When the tumult was a little subsided, Lady Selina Protest got up to +move a vote of thanks. She was sitting on the left-hand side of the +Chair, and rose so silently that Lady George had at first thought that +the affair was all over, and that they might go away. Alas, alas! there +was more to be borne yet! Lady Selina spoke with a clear but low voice, +and though she was quite audible, and an earl's sister, did not evoke +any enthusiasm. She declared that the thanks of every woman in England +were due to the Baroness for her exertions, and of every man who wished +to be regarded as the friend of women. But Lady Selina was very quiet, +making no gestures, and was indeed somewhat flat. When she sat down no +notice whatever was taken of her. Then very quickly, before Lady George +had time to look about her, the Doctor was on her feet. It was her task +to second the vote of thanks, but she was far too experienced an +occupant of platforms to waste her precious occasion simply on so poor +a task. She began by declaring that never in her life had a duty been +assigned to her more consonant to her taste than that of seconding a +vote of thanks to a woman so eminent, so humanitarian, and at the same +time so essentially a female as the Baroness Banmann. Lady George, who +knew nothing about speaking, felt at once that here was a speaker who +could at any rate make herself audible and intelligible. Then the +Doctor broke away into the general subject, with special allusions to +the special matter of female architecture, and went on for twenty +minutes without dropping a word. There was a moment in which she had +almost made Lady George think that women ought to build houses. Her +dislike to the American twang had vanished, and she was almost sorry +when Miss Doctor Fleabody resumed her seat. + +But it was after that,--after the Baroness had occupied another ten +minutes in thanking the British public for the thanks that had been +given to herself,--that the supreme emotion of the evening came to Lady +George. Again she had thought, when the Baroness a second time rolled +back to her chair, that the time for departure had come. Many in the +hall, indeed, were already going, and she could not quite understand +why no one on the platform had as yet moved. Then came that bald-headed +old gentleman to her, to her very self, and suggested to her that +she,--she, Lady George Germain, who the other day was Mary Lovelace, +the Brotherton girl,--should stand up and make a speech! "There is to +be a vote of thanks to Miss Mildmay as Chairwoman," said the +bald-headed old man, "and we hope, Lady George, that you will favour us +with a few words." + +Her heart utterly gave way and the blood flew into her cheeks, and she +thoroughly repented of having come to this dreadful place. She knew +that she could not do it, though the world were to depend upon it; but +she did not know whether the bald-headed old gentleman might not have +the right of insisting on it. And then all the people were looking at +her as the horrible old man was pressing his request over her shoulder. +"Oh," she said; "no, I can't. Pray don't. Indeed I can't,--and I +won't." The idea had come upon her that it was necessary that she +should be very absolute. The old man retired meekly, and himself made +the speech in honour of Aunt Ju. + +As they were going away Lady George found that she was to have the +honour of conveying the Baroness to her lodgings in Conduit Street. +This was all very well, as there was room for three in the brougham, +and she was not ill-pleased to hear the ecstasies of Aunt Ju about the +lecture. Aunt Ju declared that she had agreed with every word that had +been uttered. Aunt Ju thought that the cause was flourishing. Aunt Ju +was of opinion that women in England would before long be able to sit +in Parliament and practise in the Law Courts. Aunt Ju was thoroughly in +earnest; but the Baroness had expended her energy in the lecture, and +was more inclined to talk about persons. Lady George was surprised to +hear her say that this young man was a very handsome young man, and +that old man a very nice old man. She was almost in love with Mr. +Spuffin, the bald-headed gentleman usher; and when she was particular +in asking whether Mr. Spuffin was married, Lady George could hardly +think that this was the woman who had been so eloquent on the +"infairiority of de tyrant saix." + +But it was not till Aunt Ju had been dropped in Green Street, and the +conversation fell upon Lady George herself, that the difficulty began. +"You no speak?" asked the Baroness. + +"What, in public! Not for the world!" + +"You wrong dere. Noting so easy. Say just as you please, only say it +vera loud. And alvays abuse somebody or someting. You s'ould try." + +"I would sooner die," said Lady George. "Indeed, I should be dead +before I could utter a word. Isn't it odd how that lady Doctor could +speak like that." + +"De American young woman! Dey have de impudence of--of--of everything +you please; but it come to noting." + +"But she spoke well." + +"Dear me, no; noting at all. Dere was noting but vords, vords, vords. +Tank you; here I am. Mind you come again, and you shall learn to +speak." + +Lady George, as she was driven home, was lost in her inability to +understand it all. She had thought that the Doctor spoke the best of +all, and now she was told that it was nothing. She did not yet +understand that even people so great as female orators, so nobly +humanitarian as the Baroness Banmann, can be jealous of the greatness +of others. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +LORD GEORGE UP IN LONDON. + + +Lord George returned to town the day after the lecture, and was not +altogether pleased that his wife should have gone to the Disabilities. +She thought, indeed, that he did not seem to be in a humour to be +pleased with anything. His mind was thoroughly disturbed by the coming +of his brother, and perplexed with the idea that something must be done +though he knew not what. And he was pervaded by a feeling that in the +present emergency it behoved him to watch his own steps, and more +especially those of his wife. An anonymous letter had reached Lady +Sarah, signed, "A Friend of the Family," in which it was stated that +the Marquis of Brotherton had allied himself to the highest blood that +Italy knew, marrying into a family that had been noble before English +nobility had existed, whereas his brother had married the granddaughter +of a stable-keeper and a tallow chandler. This letter had, of course, +been shown to Lord George; and, though he and his sisters agreed in +looking upon it as an emanation from their enemy, the new Marchioness, +it still gave them to understand that she, if attacked, would be +prepared to attack again. And Lord George was open to attack on the +side indicated. He was, on the whole, satisfied with his wife. She was +ladylike, soft, pretty, well-mannered, and good to him. But her +grandfathers had been stable-keepers and tallow-chandlers. Therefore it +was specially imperative that she should be kept from injurious +influences. Lady Selina Protest and Aunt Ju, who were both well-born, +might take liberties; but not so his wife. "I don't think that was a +very nice place to go to, Mary." + +"It wasn't nice at all, but it was very funny. I never saw such a +vulgar creature as the Baroness, throwing herself about and wiping her +face." + +"Why should you go and see a vulgar creature throw herself about and +wipe her face?" + +"Why should anybody do it? One likes to see what is going on, I +suppose. The woman's vulgarity could not hurt me, George." + +"It could do you no good." + +"Lady Selina Protest was there, and I went with Miss Mildmay." + +"Two old maids who have gone crazy about Woman's Rights because nobody +has married them. The whole thing is distasteful to me, and I hope you +will not go there again." + +"That I certainly shall not, because it is very dull," said Mary. + +"I hope, also, that, independently of that, my request would be +enough." + +"Certainly it would, George; but I don't know why you should be so +cross to me." + +"I don't think that I have been cross; but I am anxious, specially +anxious. There are reasons why I have to be very anxious in regard to +you, and why you have to be yourself more particular than others." + +"What reasons?" She asked this with a look of bewildered astonishment. +He was not prepared to answer the question, and shuffled out of it, +muttering some further words as to the peculiar difficulty of their +position. Then he kissed her and left her, telling her that all would +be well if she would be careful. + +If she would be careful! All would be well if she would be careful! Why +should there be need of more care on her part than on that of others? +She knew that all this had reference in some way to that troublesome +lady and troublesome baby who were about to be brought home; but she +could not conceive how her conduct could be specially concerned. It was +a sorrow to her that her husband should allow himself to be ruffled +about the matter at all. It was a sorrow also that her father should do +so. As to herself, she had an idea that if Providence chose to make her +a Marchioness, Providence ought to be allowed to do it without any +interference on her part. But it would be a double sorrow if she were +told that she mustn't do this and mustn't do that because there was +before her a dim prospect of being seated in a certain high place which +was claimed and occupied by another person. And she was aware, too, +that her husband had in very truth scolded her. The ladies at Manor +Cross had scolded her before, but he had never done so. She had got +away from Manor Cross, and had borne the scolding because the prospect +of escape had been before her. But it would be very bad indeed if her +husband should take to scold her. Then she thought that if Jack De +Baron were married he would never scold his wife. + +The Dean had not yet gone home, and in her discomfort she had recourse +to him. She did not intend to complain of her husband to her father. +Had any such idea occurred to her, she would have stamped it out at +once, knowing that such a course would be both unloyal and unwise. But +her father was so pleasant with her, so easy to be talked to, so easy +to be understood, whereas her husband was almost mysterious,--at any +rate, gloomy and dark. "Papa," she said, "what does George mean by +saying that I ought to be more particular than other people?" + +"Does he say so?" + +"Yes; and he didn't like my going with that old woman to hear the other +women. He says that I ought not to do it though anybody else might." + +"I think you misunderstood him." + +"No; I didn't, papa." + +"Then you had better imagine that he was tired with his journey, or +that his stomach was a little out of order. Don't fret about such +things, and whatever you do, make the best of your husband." + +"But how am I to know where I may go and where I mayn't? Am I to ask +him everything first?" + +"Don't be a child, whatever you do. You will soon find out what pleases +him and what doesn't, and, if you manage well, what you do will please +him. Whatever his manner may be, he is soft-hearted and affectionate." + +"I know that, papa." + +"If he says a cross word now and again just let it go by. You should +not suppose that words always mean what they seem to mean. I knew a man +who used to tell his wife ever so often that he wished she were dead." + +"Good heavens, papa!" + +"Whenever he said so she always put a little magnesia into his beer, +and things went on as comfortably as possible. Never magnify things, +even to yourself. I don't suppose Lord George wants magnesia as yet, +but you will understand what I mean." She said that she did; but she +had not, in truth, quite comprehended the lesson as yet, nor could her +father as yet teach it to her in plainer language. + +On that same afternoon Lord George called in Berkeley Square and saw +Mrs. Houghton. At this time the whole circle of people who were in any +way connected with the Germain family, or who, by the circumstances of +their lives were brought within the pale of the Germain influence, were +agog with the marriage of the Marquis. The newspapers had already +announced the probable return of the Marquis and the coming of a new +Marchioness and a new Lord Popenjoy. Occasion had been taken to give +some details of the Germain family, and public allusion had even been +made to the marriage of Lord George. These are days in which, should +your wife's grandfather have ever been insolvent, some newspaper, in +its catering for the public, will think it proper to recall the fact. +The Dean's parentage had been alluded to, and the late Tallowax will, +and the Tallowax property generally. It had also been declared that the +Marchesa Luigi,--now the present Marchioness,--had been born an Orsini; +and also, in another paper, the other fact (?) that she had been +divorced from her late husband. This had already been denied by Mr. +Knox, who had received a telegram from Florence ordering such denial to +be made. It may, therefore, be conceived that the Germains were at this +moment the subject of much conversation, and it may be understood that +Mrs. Houghton, who considered herself to be on very confidential terms +with Lord George, should, as they were alone, ask a few questions and +express a little sympathy. "How does the dear Marchioness like the new +house?" she asked. + +"It is tolerably comfortable." + +"That Price is a darling, Lord George; I've known him ever so long. +And, of course, it is the dower house." + +"It was the suddenness that disturbed my mother." + +"Of course; and then the whole of it must have gone against the grain +with her. You bear it like an angel." + +"For myself, I don't know that I have anything to bear." + +"The whole thing is so dreadful. There are you and your dear +wife,--everything just as it ought to be,--idolized by your mother, +looked up to by the whole country, the very man whom we wish to see the +head of such a family." + +"Don't talk in that way, Mrs. Houghton." + +"I know it is very distant; but still, I do feel near enough related to +you all to be justified in being proud, and also to be justified in +being ashamed. What will they do about calling upon her?" + +"My brother will, of course, come to my mother first. Then Lady Sarah +and one of her sisters will go over. After that he will bring his wife +to Cross Hall if he pleases." + +"I am so glad it is all settled; it is so much better. But you know, +Lord George,--I must say it to you as I would to my own brother, +because my regard for you is the same,--I shall never think that that +woman is really his wife." Lord George frowned heavily, but did not +speak. "And I shall never think that that child is really Lord +Popenjoy." + +Neither did Lord George in his heart of hearts believe that the Italian +woman was a true Marchioness or the little child a true Lord Popenjoy; +but he had confessed to himself that he had no adequate reason for such +disbelief, and had perceived that it would become him to keep his +opinion to himself. The Dean had been explicit with him, and that very +explicitness had seemed to impose silence on himself. To his mother he +had not whispered an idea of a suspicion. With his sisters he had been +reticent, though he knew that Lady Sarah, at any rate, had her +suspicions. But now an open expression of the accusation from so dear a +friend as Mrs. Houghton,--from the Adelaide De Baron whom he had so +dearly loved,--gratified him and almost tempted him into confidence. He +had frowned at first, because his own family was to him so august that +he could not but frown when anyone ventured to speak of it. Even +crowned princes are driven to relax themselves on occasions, and Lord +George Germain felt that he would almost like, just for once, to talk +about his brothers and sisters as though they were Smiths and Joneses. +"It is very hard to know what to think," he said. + +Mrs. Houghton at once saw that the field was open to her. She had +ventured a good deal, and, knowing the man, had felt the danger of +doing so; but she was satisfied now that she might say almost anything. +"But one is bound to think, isn't one? Don't you feel that? It is for +the whole family that you have to act." + +"What is to be done? I can't go and look up evidence." + +"But a paid agent can. Think of Mary. Think of Mary's child,--if she +should have one." As she said this she looked rather anxiously into his +face, being desirous of receiving an answer to a question which she did +not quite dare to ask. + +"Of course there's all that," he said, not answering the question. + +"I can only just remember him though papa knew him so well. But I +suppose he has lived abroad till he has ceased to think and feel like +an Englishman. Could anyone believe that a Marquis of Brotherton would +have married a wife long enough ago to have a son over twelve months +old, and never to have said a word about it to his brother or mother? I +don't believe it." + +"I don't know what to believe," said Lord George. + +"And then to write in such a way about the house! Of course I hear it +talked of by people who won't speak before you; but you ought to know." + +"What do people say?" + +"Everybody thinks that there is some fraud. There is old Mrs. Montacute +Jones,--I don't know anybody who knows everything better than she +does,--and she was saying that you would be driven by your duty to +investigate the matter. 'I daresay he'd prefer to do nothing,' she +said, 'but he must.' I felt that to be so true! Then Mr. Mildmay, who +is so very quiet, said that there would be a lawsuit. Papa absolutely +laughed at the idea of the boy being Lord Popenjoy, though he was +always on good terms with your brother. Mr. Houghton says that nobody +in society will give the child the name. Of course he's not very +bright, but on matters like that he does know what he's talking about. +When I hear all this I feel it a great deal, Lord George." + +"I know what a friend you are." + +"Indeed I am. I think very often what I might have been, but could not +be; and though I am not jealous of the happiness and honours of +another, I am anxious for your happiness and your honours." He was +sitting near her, on a chair facing the fire, while she was leaning +back on the sofa. He went on staring at the hot coals, flattered, in +some sort elate, but very disturbed. The old feeling was coming back +upon him. She was not as pretty as his wife,--but she was, he thought, +more attractive, had more to say for herself, was more of a woman. She +could pour herself into his heart and understand his feelings, whereas +Mary did not sympathize with him at all in this great family trouble. +But then Mary was, of course, his wife, and this woman was the wife of +another man. He would be the last man in the world,--so he would have +told himself could he have spoken to himself on the subject,--to bring +disgrace on himself and misery on other people by declaring his love to +another man's wife. He was the last man to do an injury to the girl +whom he had made his own wife! But he liked being with his old love, +and felt anxious to say a word to her that should have in it something +just a little beyond the ordinary tenderness of friendship. The proper +word, however, did not come to him at that moment. In such moments the +proper word very often will not come. "You are not angry with me for +saying so?" she asked. + +"How can I be angry?" + +"I don't think that there can have been such friendship, as there was +between you and me, and that it should fade and die away, unless there +be some quarrel. You have not quarrelled with me?" + +"Quarrelled with you? Never!" + +"And you did love me once?" She at any rate knew how to find the tender +words that were required for her purpose. + +"Indeed I did." + +"It did not last very long; did it, Lord George?" + +"It was you that--that--. It was you that stopped it." + +"Yes, it was I that stopped it. Perhaps I found it easier to--stop than +I had expected. But it was all for the best. It must have been +stopped. What could our life have been? I was telling a friend to mine +the other day, a lady, that there are people who cannot afford to wear +hearts inside them. If I had jumped at your offer,--and there was a +moment when I would have done so----" + +"Was there?" + +"Indeed there was, George." The "George" didn't mean quite as much as +it might have meant between others, because they were cousins. "But, if +I had, the joint home of us all must have been in Mr. Price's +farm-house." + +"It isn't a farm-house." + +"You know what I mean. But I want you to believe that I thought of you +quite as much as of myself,--more than of myself. I should at any rate +have had brilliant hopes before me. I could understand what it would be +to be the Marchioness of Brotherton. I could have borne much for years +to think that at some future day I might hang on your arm in London +salons as your wife. I had an ambition which now can never be +gratified. I, too, can look on this picture and on that. But I had to +decide for you as well as for myself, and I did decide that it was not +for your welfare nor for your honour, nor for your happiness to marry a +woman who could not help you in the world." She was now leaning forward +and almost touching his arm. "I think sometimes that those most nearly +concerned hardly know what a woman may have to endure because she is +not selfish." + +How could any man stand this? There are words which a man cannot resist +from a woman even though he knows them to be false. Lord George, though +he did not quite believe that all these words were sincere, did think +that there was a touch of sincerity about them--an opinion which the +reader probably will not share with Lord George. "Have you suffered?" +he said, putting out his hand to her and taking hers. + +"Suffered!" she exclaimed, drawing away her hand, and sitting bolt +upright and shaking her head. "Do you think that I am a fool, not to +know! Do you suppose that I am blind and deaf? When I said that I was +one of those who could not afford to wear a heart, did you imagine that +I had been able to get rid of the article? No, it is here still," and +she put her hand upon her side. "It is here still, and very troublesome +I find it. I suppose the time will come when it will die away. They say +that every plant will fade if it be shut in from the light, and never +opened to the rains of heaven." + +"Alas! alas!" he said. "I did not know that you would feel like that." + +"Of course I feel. I have had something to do with my life, and I have +done this with it! Two men have honoured me with their choice, and out +of the two I have chosen--Mr. Houghton. I comfort myself by telling +myself that I did right;--and I did do right. But the comfort is not +very comforting." Still he sat looking at the fire. He knew that it was +open to him to get up and swear to her that she still had his heart. +She could not be angry with him as she had said as much to himself. And +he almost believed at the moment that it was so. He was quite alive to +the attraction of the wickedness, though, having a conscience, he was +aware that the wickedness should, if possible, be eschewed. There is no +romance in loving one's own wife. The knowledge that it is a duty +deadens the pleasure. "I did not mean to say all this," she exclaimed +at last, sobbing. + +"Adelaide!" he said. + +"Do you love me? You may love me without anything wrong." + +"Indeed I do." Then there was an embrace, and after that he hurried +away, almost without another word. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +RATHER "BOISTEROUS." + + +"After all, he's very dreary!" It was this that Adelaide Houghton spoke +to herself as soon as Lord George had left her. No doubt the whole work +of the interview had fallen on to her shoulders. He had at last been +talked into saying that he loved her, and had then run away frightened +by the unusual importance and tragic signification of his own words. +"After all, he's very dreary." + +Mrs. Houghton wanted excitement. She probably did like Lord George as +well as she liked any one. Undoubtedly she would have married him had +he been able to maintain her as she liked to be maintained. But, as he +had been unable, she had taken Mr. Houghton without a notion on her +part of making even an attempt to love him. When she said that she +could not afford to wear a heart,--and she had said so to various +friends and acquaintances,--she did entertain an idea that +circumstances had used her cruelly, that she had absolutely been forced +to marry a stupid old man, and that therefore some little freedom was +due to her as a compensation. Lord George was Lord George, and might, +possibly, some day be a marquis. He was at any rate a handsome man, and +he had owned allegiance to her before he had transferred his homage to +that rich little chit Mary Lovelace. She was incapable of much passion, +but she did feel that she owed it to herself to have some revenge on +Mary Lovelace. The game as it stood had charms sufficient to induce her +to go on with it; and yet,--after all, he was dreary. + +Such was the lady's feeling when she was left alone; but Lord George +went away from the meeting almost overcome by the excitement of the +occasion. To him the matter was of such stirring moment that he could +not go home, could not even go to his club. He was so moved by his +various feelings, that he could only walk by himself and consider +things. To her that final embrace had meant very little. What did it +signify? He had taken her in his arms and kissed her forehead. It might +have been her lips had he so pleased. But to him it had seemed to mean +very much indeed. There was a luxury in it which almost intoxicated +him, and a horror in it which almost quelled him. That she should so +love him as to be actually subdued by her love could not but charm him. +He had none of that strength which arms a man against flatterers;--none +of that experience which strengthens a man against female cajolery. It +was to him very serious and very solemn. There might, perhaps, have +been exaggeration in her mode of describing her feelings, but there +could be no doubt in this,--that he had held her in his arms and that +she was another man's wife. + +The wickedness of the thing was more wicked to him than the charm of it +was charming. It was dreadful to him to think that he had done a thing +of which he would have to be ashamed if the knowledge of it were +brought to his wife's ears. That he should have to own himself to have +been wrong to her would tear him to pieces! That he should lord it over +her as a real husband, was necessary to his happiness, and how can a +man be a real lord over a woman when he has had to confess his fault to +her, and to beg her to forgive him? A wife's position with her husband +may be almost improved by such asking for pardon. It will enhance his +tenderness. But the man is so lowered that neither of them can ever +forget the degradation. And, though it might never come to that, though +this terrible passion might be concealed from her, still it was a +grievance to him and a disgrace that he should have anything to +conceal. It was a stain in his own eyes on his own nobility, a slur +upon his escutcheon, a taint in his hitherto unslobbered honesty, and +then the sin of it;--the sin of it! To him it already sat heavy on his +conscience. In his ear, even now, sounded that commandment which he +weekly prayed that he might be permitted to keep. While with her there +was hardly left a remembrance of the kiss which he had imprinted on her +brow, his lips were still burning with the fever. Should he make up his +mind, now at once, that he would never, never see her again? Should he +resolve that he would write to her a moving tragic letter,--not a love +letter,--in which he would set forth the horrors of unhallowed love, +and tell her that there must be a gulf between them, over which neither +must pass till age should have tamed their passions! As he walked +across the park he meditated what would be the fitting words for such a +letter, and almost determined that it should be written. Did he not owe +his first duty to his wife, and was he not bound for her sake to take +such a step? Then, as he wandered alone in Kensington Gardens,--for it +had taken him many steps, and occupied much time to think of it +all,--there came upon him an idea that perhaps the lady would not +receive the letter in the proper spirit. Some idea occurred to him of +the ridicule which would befall him should the lady at last tell him +that he had really exaggerated matters. And then the letter might be +shown to others. He did love the lady. With grief and shame and a +stricken conscience he owned to himself that he loved her. But he could +not quite trust her. And so, as he walked down towards the Albert +Memorial, he made up his mind that he would not write the letter. But +he also made up his mind,--he thought that he made up his mind,--that +he would go no more alone to Berkeley Square. + +As he walked on he suddenly came upon his wife walking with Captain De +Baron, and he was immediately struck by the idea that his wife ought +not to be walking in Kensington Gardens with Captain De Baron. The idea +was so strong as altogether to expel from his mind for the moment all +remembrance of Mrs. Houghton. He had been unhappy before because he was +conscious that he was illtreating his wife, but now he was almost more +disturbed because it seemed to him to be possible that his wife was +illtreating him. He had left her but a few minutes ago,--he thought of +it now as being but a few minutes since,--telling her with almost his +last word that she was specially bound, more bound than other women, to +mind her own conduct,--and here she was walking in Kensington Gardens +with a man whom all the world called Jack De Baron? As he approached +them his brow became clouded, and she could see that it was so. She +could not but fear that her companion would see it also. Lord George +was thinking how to address them, and had already determined on tucking +his wife under his own arm and carrying her off, before he saw that a +very little way behind them the Dean was walking with--Adelaide +Houghton herself. Though he had been more than an hour wandering about +the park he could not understand that the lady whom he had left in her +own house so recently, in apparently so great a state of agitation, +should be there also, in her best bonnet and quite calm. He had no +words immediately at command, but she was as voluble as ever. "Doesn't +this seem odd?" she said. "Why, it is not ten minutes since you left me +in Berkeley Square. I wonder what made you come here." + +"What made you come?" + +"Jack brought me here. If it were not for Jack I should never walk or +ride or do anything, except sit in a stupid carriage. And just at the +gate of the gardens we met the Dean and Lady George." + +This was very simple and straightforward. There could be no doubt of +the truth of it all. Lady George had come out with her father and +nothing could be more as it ought to be. As to "Jack" and the lady he +did not, at any rate as yet, feel himself justified in being angry at +that arrangement. But nevertheless he was disturbed. His wife had been +laughing when he first saw her, and Jack had been talking, and they had +seemed to be very happy together. The Dean no doubt was there; but +still the fact remained that Jack had been laughing and talking with +his wife. He almost doubted whether his wife ought under any +circumstances to laugh in Kensington Gardens. And then the Dean was so +indiscreet! He, Lord George, could not of course forbid his wife to +walk with her father;--but the Dean had no idea that any real looking +after was necessary for anybody. He at once gave his arm to his wife, +but in two minutes she had dropped it. They were on the steps of the +Albert Memorial, and it was perhaps natural that she should do so. But +he hovered close to her as they were looking at the figures, and was +uneasy. "I think it's the prettiest thing in London," said the Dean, +"one of the prettiest things in the world." + +"Don't you find it very cold?" said Lord George, who did not at the +present moment care very much for the fine arts. + +"We have been walking quick," said Mrs. Houghton, "and have enjoyed +it." The Dean with the two others had now passed round one of the +corners. "I wonder," she went on, "I do wonder how it has come to pass +that we should be brought together again so soon!" + +"We both happened to come the same way," said Lord George, who was +still thinking of his wife. + +"Yes;--that must have been it. Though is it not a strange coincidence? +My mind had been so flurried that I was glad to get out into the fresh +air. When shall I see you again?" He couldn't bring himself to +say--never. There would have been a mock-tragic element about the +single word which even he felt. And yet, here on the steps of the +monument, there was hardly an opportunity for him to explain at length +the propriety of their both agreeing to be severed. "You wish to see +me;--don't you?" she asked. + +"I hardly know what to say." + +"But you love me!" She was now close to him, and there was no one else +near enough to interfere. She was pressing close up to him, and he was +sadly ashamed of himself. And yet he did love her. He thought that she +had never looked so well as at the present moment. "Say that you love +me," she said, stamping her foot almost imperiously. + +"You know I do, but--" + +"But what." + +"I had better come to you again and tell you all." The words were no +sooner out of his mouth than he remembered that he had resolved that he +would never go to her again. But yet, after what had passed, something +must be done. He had also made up his mind that he wouldn't write. He +had quite made up his mind about that. The words that are written +remain. It would perhaps be better that he should go to her and tell +her everything. + +"Of course you will come again," she said. "What is it ails you? You +are unhappy because she is here with my cousin Jack?" It was +intolerable to him that any one should suspect him of jealousy. "Jack +has a way of getting intimate with people, but it means nothing." It +was dreadful to him that an allusion should be made to the possibility +of anybody "meaning anything" with his wife. + +Just at this moment Jack's voice was heard coming back round the +corner, and also the laughter of the Dean. Captain De Baron had been +describing the persons represented on the base of the monument, and had +done so after some fashion of his own that had infinitely amused not +only Lady George but her father also. "You ought to be appointed Guide +to the Memorial," said the Dean. + +"If Lady George will give me a testimonial no doubt I might get it, +Dean," said Jack. + +"I don't think you know anything about any of them," said Lady George. +"I'm sure you've told me wrong about two. You're the last man in the +world that ought to be a guide to anything." + +"Will you come and be guide, and I'll just sweep the steps!" + +Lord George heard the last words, and allowed himself to be annoyed at +them, though he felt them to be innocent. He knew that his wife was +having a game of pleasant play, like a child with a pleasant +play-fellow. But then he was not satisfied that his wife should play +like a child,--and certainly not with such a playfellow. He doubted +whether his wife ought to allow playful intimacy from any man. Marriage +was to him a very serious thing. Was he not prepared to give up a real +passion because he had made this other woman his wife? In thinking over +all this his mind was not very logical, but he did feel that he was +justified in exacting particularly strict conduct from her because he +was going to make Mrs. Houghton understand that they two, though they +loved each other, must part. If he could sacrifice so much for his +wife, surely she might sacrifice something for him. + +They returned altogether to Hyde Park Corner and then they separated. +Jack went away towards Berkeley Square with his cousin; the Dean got +himself taken in a cab to his club; and Lord George walked his wife +down Constitution Hill towards their own home. He felt it to be +necessary that he should say something to his wife; but, at the same +time, was specially anxious that he should give her no cause to suspect +him of jealousy. Nor was he jealous, in the ordinary sense of the word. +He did not suppose for a moment that his wife was in love with Jack De +Baron, or Jack with his wife. But he did think that whereas she had +very little to say to her own husband she had a great deal to say to +Jack. And he was sensible, also, of a certain unbecomingness in such +amusement on her part. She had to struggle upwards, so as to be able to +sustain properly the position and dignity of Lady George Germain, and +the possible dignity of the Marchioness of Brotherton. She ought not to +want playfellows. If she would really have learned the names of all +those artists on the base of the Memorial, as she might so easily have +done, there would have been something in it. A lady ought to know, at +any rate, the names of such men. But she had allowed this Jack to make +a joke of it all, and had rather liked the joke. And the Dean had +laughed loud,--more like the son of a stable-keeper than a Dean. Lord +George was almost more angry with the Dean than with his wife. The +Dean, when at Brotherton, did maintain a certain amount of dignity; but +here, up in London, he seemed to be intent only on "having a good +time," like some schoolboy out on a holiday. + +"Were you not a little loud when you were on the steps of the +Memorial?" he said. + +"I hope not, George; not too loud." + +"A lady should never be in the least loud, nor for the matter of that +would a gentleman either if he knew what he was about." + +She walked on a little way, leaning on his arm in silence, considering +whether he meant anything by what he was saying, and how much he meant. +She felt almost sure that he did mean something disagreeable, and that +he was scolding her. "I don't quite know what you mean by loud, George? +We were talking, and of course wanted to make each other hear. I +believe with some people loud means--vulgar. I hope you didn't mean +that." + +He certainly would not tell his wife that she was vulgar. "There is," +he said, "a manner of talking which leads people on to--to--being +boisterous." + +"Boisterous, George? Was I boisterous?" + +"I think your father was a little." + +She felt herself blush beneath her veil as she answered. "Of course if +you tell me anything about myself, I will endeavour to do as you tell +me; but, as for papa, I am sure he knows how to behave himself. I don't +think he ought to be found fault with because he likes to amuse +himself." + +"And that Captain De Baron was very loud," said Lord George, conscious +that though his ground might be weak in reference to the Dean, he could +say what he pleased about Jack De Baron. + +"Young men do laugh and talk, don't they, George?" + +"What they do in their barracks, or when they are together, is nothing +to you or me. What such a one may do when he is in company with my wife +is very much to me, and ought to be very much to you." + +"George," she said, again pausing for a moment, "do you mean to tell me +that I have misbehaved myself? Because, if so, speak it out at once." + +"My dear, that is a foolish question for you to ask. I have said +nothing about misbehaviour, and you ought, at any rate, to wait till I +have done so. I should be very sorry to use such a word, and do not +think that I shall ever have occasion. But surely you will admit that +there may be practises, and manners, and customs on which I am at +liberty to speak to you. I am older than you." + +"Husbands, of course, are older than their wives, but wives generally +know what they are about quite as well as their husbands." + +"Mary, that isn't the proper way to take what I say. You have a very +peculiar place to fill in the world,--a place for which your early life +could not give you the very fittest training." + +"Then why did you put me there?" + +"Because of my love, and also because I had no doubt whatever as to +your becoming fit. There is a levity which is often pretty and becoming +in a girl, in which a married woman in some ranks of life may, perhaps, +innocently indulge, but which is not appropriate to higher positions." + +"This is all because I laughed when Captain De Baron mispronounced the +men's names. I don't know anything peculiar in my position. One would +suppose that I was going to be made a sort of female bishop, or to sit +all my life as a chairwoman, like that Miss Mildmay. Of course I laugh +when things are said that make me laugh. And as for Captain De Baron, I +think he is very nice. Papa likes him, and he is always at the +Houghtons, and I cannot agree that he was loud and vulgar, or +boisterous, because he made a few innocent jokes in Kensington +Gardens." + +He perceived now, for the first time since he had known her, that she +had a temper of her own, which he might find some difficulty in +controlling. She had endured gently enough his first allusions to +herself, but had risen up in wrath against him from the moment in which +he had spoken disparagingly of her father. At the moment he had nothing +further to say. He had used what eloquence there was in him, what words +he had collected together, and then walked home in silence. But his +mind was full of the matter; and though he made no further allusion on +that day, or for some subsequent days either to this conversation or to +his wife's conduct in the park, he had it always in his mind. He must +be the master, and in order that he might be master the Dean must be as +little as possible in the house. And that intimacy with Jack De Baron +must be crushed,--if only that she might be taught that he intended to +be master. + +Two or three days passed by, and during those two or three days he did +not go to Berkeley Square. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +BETWEEN TWO STOOLS. + + +In the middle of the next week the Dean went back to Brotherton. Before +starting he had an interview with Lord George which was not altogether +pleasant; but otherwise he had thoroughly enjoyed his visit. On the day +on which he started he asked his host what inquiries he intended to set +on foot in reference to the validity of the Italian marriage and the +legitimacy of the Italian baby. Now Lord George had himself in the +first instance consulted the Dean on this very delicate subject, and +was therefore not entitled to be angry at having it again mentioned; +but nevertheless he resented the question as an interference. "I +think," he replied, "that at present nothing had better be said upon +the subject." + +"I cannot agree with you there, George." + +"Then I am afraid I must ask you to be silent without agreeing with +me." + +The Dean felt this to be intentionally uncivil. They two were in a boat +together. The injury to be done, if there were an injury, would affect +the wife as much as the husband. The baby which might some day be born, +and which might be robbed of his inheritance, would be as much the +grandchild of the Dean of Brotherton as of the old Marquis. And then +perhaps there was present to the Dean some unacknowledged feeling that +he was paying and would have to pay for the boat. Much as he revered +rank, he was not disposed to be snubbed by his son-in-law, because his +son-in-law was a nobleman. "You mean to tell me that I am to hold my +tongue," he said angrily. + +"For the present I think we had both better do so." + +"That may be, as regards any discussion of the matter with outsiders. I +am not at all disposed to act apart from you on a subject of such +importance to us both. If you tell me that you are advised this way or +that, I should not, without very strong ground, put myself in +opposition to that advice; but I do expect that you will let me know +what is being done." + +"Nothing is being done." + +"And also that you will not finally determine on doing nothing without +consulting me." Lord George drew himself up and bowed, but made no +further reply; and then the two parted, the Dean resolving that he +would be in town again before long, and Lord George resolving that the +Dean should spend as little time as possible in his house. Now, there +had been an undertaking, after a sort, made by the Dean,--a compact +with his daughter contracted in a jocose fashion,--which in the +existing circumstances was like to prove troublesome. There had been a +question of expenditure when the house was furnished,--whether there +should or should not be a carriage kept. Lord George had expressed an +opinion that their joint means would not suffice to keep a carriage. +Then the Dean had told his daughter that he would allow her £300 a-year +for her own expenses, to include the brougham,--for it was to be no +more than a brougham,--during the six months they would be in London, +and that he would regard this as his subscription towards the +household. Such a mode of being generous to his own child was pretty +enough. Of course the Dean would be a welcome visitor. Equally, of +course, a son-in-law may take any amount of money from a father-in-law +as a portion of his wife's fortune. Lord George, though he had suffered +some inward qualms, had found nothing in the arrangement to which he +could object while his friendship with the deanery was close and +pleasant. But now, as the Dean took his departure, and as Mary, while +embracing her father, said something of his being soon back, Lord +George remembered the compact with inward grief, and wished that there +had been no brougham. + +In the mean time he had not been to Berkeley Square; nor was he at all +sure that he would go there. A distant day had been named, before that +exciting interview in the square, on which the Houghtons were to dine +in Munster Court. The Mildmays were also to be there, and Mrs. +Montacute Jones, and old Lord Parachute, Lord George's uncle. That +would be a party, and there would be no danger of a scene then. He had +almost determined that, in spite of his promise, he would not go to +Berkeley Square before the dinner. But Mrs. Houghton was not of the +same mind. A promise on such a subject was a sacred thing, and +therefore she wrote the following note to Lord George at his club. The +secrecy which some correspondence requires certainly tends to make a +club a convenient arrangement. "Why don't you come as you said you +would? A." In olden times, fifteen or twenty years ago, when telegraph +wires were still young, and messages were confined to diplomatic +secrets, horse-racing, and the rise and fall of stocks, lovers used to +indulge in rapturous expressions which would run over pages; but the +pith and strength of laconic diction has now been taught to us by the +self-sacrificing patriotism of the Post Office. We have all felt the +vigour of telegrammatic expression, and, even when we do not trust the +wire, we employ the force of wiry language. "Wilt thou be mine?--M. +N.," is now the ordinary form of an offer of marriage by post; and the +answer seldom goes beyond "Ever thine--P. Q." Adelaide Houghton's +love-letter was very short, but it was short from judgment and with a +settled purpose. She believed that a long epistle declaratory of her +everlasting but unfortunate attachment would frighten him. These few +words would say all that she had to say, and would say it safely. He +certainly had promised that he would go to her, and, as a gentleman, he +was bound to keep his word. He had mentioned no exact time, but it had +been understood that the visit was to be made at once. He would not +write to her. Heaven and earth! How would it be with him if Mr. +Houghton were to find the smallest scrap from him indicating improper +affection for Mrs. Houghton? He could not answer the note, and +therefore he must go at once. + +He went into a deserted corner of a drawing-room at his club, and there +seated himself for half an hour's meditation. How should he extricate +himself from this dilemma? In what language should he address a young +and beautiful woman devoted to him, but whose devotion he was bound to +repudiate? He was not voluble in conversation, and he was himself aware +of his own slowness. It was essential to him that he should prepare +beforehand almost the very words for an occasion of such +importance,--the very words and gestures and action. Would she not fly +into his arms, or at least expect that he should open his own? That +must be avoided. There must be no embracing. And then he must at once +proceed to explain all the evils of this calamitous passion;--how he +was the husband of another wife; how she was the wife of another +husband; how they were bound by honour, by religion, and equally by +prudence to remember the obligations they had incurred. He must beg her +to be silent while he said all this, and then he would conclude by +assuring her that she should always possess his steadiest friendship. +The excogitation of this took long, partly because his mind was greatly +exercised in the matter, and partly through a nervous desire to +postpone the difficult moment. At last, however, he seized his hat and +went away straight to Berkeley Square. Yes, Mrs. Houghton was at home. +He had feared that there was but little chance that she should be out +on the very day on which she knew that he would get her note. "Oh, so +you have come at last," she said as soon as the drawing-room door was +closed. She did not get up from her chair, and there was therefore no +danger of that immediate embrace which he had felt that it would be +almost equally dangerous to refuse or to accept. + +"Yes," he said, "I have come." + +"And now sit down and make yourself comfortable. It's very bad out of +doors, isn't it?" + +"Cold, but dry." + +"With a wretched east wind. I know it, and I don't mean to stir out the +whole day. So you may put your hat down, and not think of going for the +next hour and a half." It was true that he had his hat still in his +hand, and he deposited it forthwith on the floor, feeling that had he +been master of the occasion, he would have got rid of it less +awkwardly. "I shouldn't wonder if Mary were to be here by and by. There +was a sort of engagement that she and Jack De Baron were to come and +play bagatelle in the back drawing-room; but Jack never comes if he +says he will, and I daresay she has forgotten all about it." + +He found that his purpose was altogether upset. In the first place, he +could hardly begin about her unfortunate passion when she received him +just as though he were an ordinary acquaintance; and then the whole +tenour of his mind was altered by this allusion to Jack De Baron. Had +it come to this, that he could not get through a day without having +Jack De Baron thrown at his head? He had from the first been averse to +living in London; but this was much worse than he had expected. Was it +to be endured that his wife should make appointments to play bagatelle +with Jack De Baron by way of passing her time? "I had heard nothing +about it," he said with gloomy, truthful significance. It was +impossible for him to lie even by a glance of his eye or a tone of his +voice. He told it all at once; how unwilling he was that his wife +should come out on purpose to meet this man, and how little able he +felt himself to prevent it. + +"Of course dear Mary has to amuse herself," said the lady, answering +the man's look rather than his words. "And why should she not?" + +"I don't know that bagatelle is a very improving occupation." + +"Or Jack a very improving companion, perhaps. But I can tell you, +George, that there are more dangerous companions than poor Jack. And +then, Mary, who is the sweetest, dearest young woman I know, is not +impulsive in that way. She is such a very child. I don't suppose she +understands what passion means. She has the gaiety of a lark, and the +innocence. She is always soaring upwards, which is so beautiful." + +"I don't know that there is much soaring upwards in bagatelle." + +"Nor in Jack De Baron, perhaps. But we must take all that as we find +it. Of course Mary will have to amuse herself. She will never live such +a life as your sisters live at Manor Cross. The word that best +describes her disposition is--gay. But she is not mischievous." + +"I hope not." + +"Nor is she--passionate. You know what I mean." He did know what she +meant, and was lost in amazement at finding that one woman, in talking +of another, never contemplated the idea that passion could exist in a +wife for her husband. He was to regard himself as safe, not because his +wife loved himself, but because it was not necessary to her nature to +be in love with any one! "You need not be afraid," she went on to say. +"I know Jack au fond. He tells me everything; and should there be +anything to fear, I will let you know at once." + +But what had all this to do with the momentous occasion which had +brought him to Berkeley Square? He was almost beginning to be sore at +heart because she had not thrown herself into his arms. There was no +repetition of that "But you do love me?" which had been so very +alarming but at the same time so very exciting on the steps of the +Albert Memorial. And then there seemed to be a probability that the +words which he had composed with so much care at his club would be +altogether wasted. He owed it to himself to do or to say something, to +allude in some way to his love and hers. He could not allow himself to +be brought there in a flurry of excitement, and there to sit till it +was time for him to go, just as though it were an ordinary morning +visit. "You bade me come," he said, "and so I came." + +"Yes, I did bid you come. I would always have you come." + +"That can hardly be; can it?" + +"My idea of a friend,--of a man friend, I mean, and a real friend--is +some one to whom I can say everything, who will do everything for me, +who will come if I bid him and will like to stay and talk to me just as +long as I will let him; who will tell me everything, and as to whom I +may be sure that he likes me better than anybody else in the world, +though he perhaps doesn't tell me so above once a month. And then in +return----" + +"Well, what in return?" + +"I should think a good deal about him, you know; but I shouldn't want +always to be telling him that I was thinking about him. He ought to be +contented with knowing how much he was to me. I suppose that would not +suffice for you?" + +Lord George was disposed to think that it would suffice, and that the +whole matter was now being represented to him in a very different light +than that in which he had hitherto regarded it. The word "friend" +softened down so many asperities! With such a word in his mind he need +not continually scare himself with the decalogue. All the pleasure +might be there, and the horrors altogether omitted. There would, +indeed, be no occasion for his eloquence; but he had already become +conscious that at this interview his eloquence could not be used. She +had given everything so different a turn! "Why not suffice for me?" he +said. "Only this,--that all I did for my friend I should expect her to +do for me." + +"But that is unreasonable. Who doesn't see that in the world at large +men have the best of it almost in everything. The husband is not only +justified in being a tyrant, but becomes contemptible if he is not so. +A man has his pocket full of money; a woman is supposed to take what he +gives her. A man has all manner of amusements." + +"What amusements have I?" + +"You can come to me." + +"Yes, I can do that." + +"I cannot go to you. But when you come to me,--if I am to believe that +I am really your friend,--then I am to be the tyrant of the moment. Is +it not so? Do you think you would find me a hard tyrant? I own to you +freely that there is nothing in the world I like so much as your +society. Do I not earn by that a right to some obedience from you, to +some special observance?" + +All this was so different from what he had expected, and so much more +pleasant! As far as he could look into it and think of it at the +pressure of the moment he did not see any reason why it should not be +as she proposed. There was clearly no need for those prepared words. +There had been one embrace,--an embrace that was objectionable because, +had either his wife seen it or Mr. Houghton, he would have been forced +to own himself wrong; but that had come from sudden impulse, and need +not be repeated. This that was now proposed to him was friendship, and +not love. "You shall have all observance," he said with his sweetest +smile. + +"And as to obedience? But you are a man, and therefore must not be +pressed too hard. And now I may tell you what is the only thing that +can make me happy, and the absence of which would make me miserable." + +"What thing?" + +"Your society." He blushed up to his eyes as he heard this. "Now that, +I think, is a very pretty speech, and I expect something equally pretty +from you." He was much embarrassed, but was at the moment delivered +from his embarrassment by the entrance of his wife. "Here she is," said +Mrs. Houghton, getting up from her chair. "We have been just talking +about you, my dear. If you have come for bagatelle, you must play with +Lord George, for Jack De Baron isn't here." + +"But I haven't come for bagatelle." + +"So much the better, for I doubt whether Lord George would be very good +at it. I have been made to play so much that I hate the very sound of +the balls." + +"I didn't expect to find you here," said Mary, turning to her husband. + +"Nor I you, till Mrs. Houghton said that you were coming." + +After that there was nothing of interest in their conversation. Jack +did not come, and after a few minutes Lord George proposed to his wife +that they should return home together. Of course she assented, and as +soon as they were in the brougham made a little playful attack upon +him. "You are becoming fond of Berkeley Square, I think." + +"Mrs. Houghton is a friend of mine, and I am fond of my friends," he +said, gravely. + +"Oh, of course." + +"You went there to play that game with Captain De Baron." + +"No, I didn't. I did nothing of the kind." + +"Were you not there by appointment?" + +"I told her that I should probably call. We were to have gone to some +shop together, only it seems she has changed her mind. Why do you tell +me that I had gone there to play some game with Captain De Baron?" + +"Bagatelle." + +"Bagatelle, or anything else! It isn't true. I have played bagatelle +with Captain de Baron, and I daresay I may again. Why shouldn't I?" + +"And if so, would probably make some appointment to play with him." + +"Why not?" + +"That was all I said. What I suggested you had done is what you declare +you will do." + +"But I had done nothing of the kind. I know very well, from the tone of +your voice, that you meant to scold me. You implied that I had done +something wrong. If I had done it, it wouldn't be wrong, as far as I +know. But your scolding me about it when I hadn't done it at all is +very hard to bear." + +"I didn't scold you." + +"Yes you did, George. I understand your voice and your look. If you +mean to forbid me to play bagatelle with Captain De Baron, or Captain +anybody else, or to talk with Mr. This, or to laugh with Major That, +tell me so at once. If I know what you want, I will do it. But I must +say that I shall feel it very, very hard if I cannot take care of +myself in such matters as that. If you are going to be jealous, I shall +wish that I were dead." + +Then she burst out crying; and he, though he would not quite own that +he had been wrong, was forced to do so practically by little acts of +immediate tenderness. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE MARQUIS COMES HOME. + + +Some little time after the middle of April, when the hunting was all +over, and Mr. Price had sunk down into his summer insignificance, there +came half a dozen telegrams to Manor Cross, from Italy, from Mr. Knox, +and from a certain managing tradesman in London, to say that the +Marquis was coming a fortnight sooner than he had expected. Everything +was at sixes and sevens. Everything was in a ferment. Everybody about +Manor Cross seemed to think that the world was coming to an end. But +none of these telegrams were addressed to any of the Germain family, +and the last people in the county who heard of this homeward rush of +the Marquis were the ladies at Cross Hall, and they heard it from Lord +George, upon whom Mr. Knox called in London; supposing, however, when +he did call that Lord George had already received full information on +the subject. Lord George's letter to Lady Sarah was full of dismay, +full of horror. "As he has not taken the trouble to communicate his +intentions to me, I shall not go down to receive him." "You will know +how to deal with the matter, and will, I am sure, support our mother +in this terrible trial." "I think that the child should, at any rate, +at first be acknowledged by you all as Lord Popenjoy." "We have to +regard, in the first place, the honour of the family. No remissness on +his part should induce us to forget for a moment what is due to the +title, the property, and the name." The letter was very long, and was +full of sententious instructions, such as the above. But the purport of +it was to tell the ladies at Cross Hall that they must go through the +first burden of receiving the Marquis without any assistance from +himself. + +The Dean heard of the reported arrival some days before the family did +so. It was rumoured in Brotherton, and the rumour reached the deanery. +But he thought that there was nothing that he could do on the spur of +the moment. He perfectly understood the condition of Lord George's +mind, and perceived that it would not be expedient for him to interfere +quite on the first moment. As soon as the Marquis should have settled +himself in the house, of course he would call; and when the Marquis had +settled himself, and when the world had begun to recognise the fact +that the Marquis, with his Italian Marchioness, and his little Italian, +so-called Popenjoy, were living at Manor Cross, then,--if he saw his +way,--the Dean would bestir himself. + +And so the Marquis arrived. He reached the Brotherton station with his +wife, a baby, a lady's maid, a nurse, a valet, a cook, and a courier, +about three o'clock in the afternoon; and the whole crowd of them were +carried off in their carriages to Manor Cross. A great many of the +inhabitants of Brotherton were there to see, for this coming of the +Marquis had been talked of far and wide. He himself took no notice of +the gathering people,--was perhaps unaware that there was any +gathering. He and his wife got into one carriage; the nurse, the lady's +maid, and the baby into a second; the valet and courier, and cook into +a third. The world of Brotherton saw them, and the world of Brotherton +observed that the lady was very old and very ugly. Why on earth could +he have married such a woman as that, and then have brought her home! +That was the exclamation which was made by Brotherton in general. + +It was soon ascertained by every one about Manor Cross that the +Marchioness could not speak a word of English, nor could any of the +newly imported servants do so with the exception of the courier, who +was supposed to understand all languages. There was, therefore, an +absolutely divided household. It had been thought better that the old +family housekeeper, Mrs. Toff, should remain in possession. Through a +long life she had been devoted to the old Marchioness and to the ladies +of the family generally; but she would have been useless at their new +home, and there was an idea that Manor Cross could not be maintained +without her. It might also be expedient to have a friend in the enemy's +camp. Other English servants had been provided,--a butler, two +footmen, a coachman, and the necessary housemaids and kitchen maids. It +had been stated that the Marquis would bring his own cook. There were, +therefore, at once two parties, at the head of one of which was Mrs. +Toff, and at the head of the other the courier,--who remained, none of +the English people knew why. + +For the first three days the Marchioness showed herself to no one. It +was understood that the fatigues of the journey had oppressed her, and +that she chose to confine herself to two or three rooms upstairs, which +had been prepared for her. Mrs. Toff, strictly obeying orders which had +come from Cross Hall, sent up her duty and begged to know whether she +should wait upon my lady. My lady sent down word that she didn't want +to see Mrs. Toff. These messages had to be filtered through the +courier, who was specially odious to Mrs. Toff. His Lordship was almost +as closely secluded as her Ladyship. He did, indeed, go out to the +stables, wrapped up in furs, and found fault with everything he saw +there. And he had himself driven round the park. But he did not get up +on any of these days till noon, and took all his meals by himself. The +English servants averred that during the whole of this time he never +once saw the Marchioness or the baby; but then the English servants +could not very well have known what he saw or what he did not see. + +But this was very certain, that during those three days he did not go +to Cross Hall, or see any one of his own family. Mrs. Toff in the +gloaming of the evening, on the third day, hurried across the park to +see--the young ladies as she still called them. Mrs. Toff thought that +it was all very dreadful. She didn't know what was being done in those +apartments. She had never set her eyes upon the baby. She didn't feel +sure that there was any baby at all, though John,--John was one of the +English servants,--had seen a bundle come into the house. Wouldn't it +be natural and right that any real child should be carried out to take +the air? "And then all manner of messes were," said Mrs. Toff, +"prepared up in the closed room." Mrs. Toff didn't believe in anything, +except that everything was going to perdition. The Marchioness was +intent on asking after the health and appearance of her son, but Mrs. +Toff declared that she hadn't been allowed to catch a sight of "my +lord." Mrs. Toff's account was altogether very lachrymose. She spoke of +the Marquis, of course, with the utmost respect. But she was +sufficiently intimate with the ladies to treat the baby and its mother +with all the scorn of an upturned nose. Nor was the name of Popenjoy +once heard from her lips. + +But what were the ladies to do? On the evening of the third day Lady +Sarah wrote to her brother George, begging him to come down to them. +"The matter was so serious, that he was," said Lady Sarah, "bound to +lend the strength of his presence to his mother and sisters." But on +the fourth morning Lady Sarah sent over a note to her brother, the +Marquis. + + "DEAR BROTHERTON,--We hope that you and your wife and little boy + have arrived well, and have found things comfortable. Mamma is + most anxious to see you,--as of course we all are. Will you not + come over to us to-day. I dare say my sister-in-law may be too + fatigued to come out as yet. I need not tell you that we are very + anxious to see your little Popenjoy. + + "Your affectionate Sister, + + "SARAH GERMAIN." + +It may be seen from this that the ladies contemplated peace, if peace +were possible. But in truth the nature of the letter, though not the +words, had been dictated by the Marchioness. She was intent upon seeing +her son, and anxious to acknowledge her grandchild. Lady Sarah had felt +her position to be very difficult, but had perceived that no temporary +acceptance by them of the child would at all injure her brother +George's claim, should Lord George set up a claim, and so, in deference +to the old lady, the peaceful letter was sent off, with directions to +the messenger to wait for an answer. The messenger came back with +tidings that his Lordship was in bed. Then there was another +consultation. The Marquis, though in bed, had of course read the +letter. Had he felt at all as a son and a brother ought to feel, he +would have sent some reply to such a message. It must be, they felt, +that he intended to live there and utterly ignore his mother and +sisters. What should they do then? How should they be able to live? The +Marchioness surrendered herself to a paroxysm of weeping, bitterly +blaming those who had not allowed her to go away and hide herself in +some distant obscurity. Her son, her eldest son, had cast her off +because she had disobeyed his orders! "His orders!" said Lady Sarah, in +scorn, almost in wrath against her mother. "What right has he to give +orders either to you or us? He has forgotten himself, and is only +worthy to be forgotten." Just as she spoke the Manor Cross phaeton, +with the Manor Cross ponies, was driven up to the door, and Lady +Amelia, who went to the window, declared that Brotherton himself was in +the carriage. "Oh, my son; my darling son," said the Marchioness, +throwing up her arms. + +It really was the Marquis. It seemed to the ladies to be a very long +time indeed before he got into the room, so leisurely was he in +divesting himself of his furs and comforters. During this time the +Marchioness would have rushed into the hall had not Lady Sarah +prevented her. The old lady was quite overcome with emotion, and +prepared to lay at the feet of her eldest son, if he would only extend +to her the slightest sign of affection. "So, here you all are," he said +as he entered the room. "It isn't much of a house for you, but you +would have it so." He was of course forced to kiss his mother, but the +kiss was not very fervent in its nature. To each of his sisters he +merely extended his hand. This Amelia received with empressement; for, +after all, severe though he was, nevertheless he was the head of the +family. Susanna measured the pressure which he gave, and returned back +to him the exact weight. Lady Sarah made a little speech. "We are very +glad to see you; Brotherton. You have been away a long time." + +"A deuced long time." + +"I hope your wife is well;--and the little boy. When will she wish that +we should go and see her?" The Marchioness during this time had got +possession of his left hand, and from her seat was gazing up into his +face. He was a very handsome man, but pale, worn, thin, and apparently +unhealthy. He was very like Lord George, but smaller in feature, and +wanting full four inches of his brother's height. Lord George's hair +was already becoming grey at the sides. That of the Marquis, who was +ten years older, was perfectly black;--but his Lordship's valet had +probably more to do with that than nature. He wore an exquisite +moustache, but in other respects was close shaven. He was dressed with +great care, and had fur even on the collar of his frock coat, so much +did he fear the inclemency of his native climate. + +"She doesn't speak a word of English, you know," he said, answering his +sister's question. + +"We might manage to get on in French," said Lady Sarah. + +"She doesn't speak a word of French either. She never was out of Italy +till now. You had better not trouble yourselves about her." + +This was dreadful to them all. It was monstrous to them that there +should be a Marchioness of Brotherton, a sister-in-law, living close to +them, whom they were to acknowledge to be the reigning Marchioness, and +that they should not be allowed to see her. It was not that they +anticipated pleasure from her acquaintance. It was not that they were +anxious to welcome such a new relation. This marriage, if it were a +marriage, was a terrible blow to them. It would have been infinitely +better for them all that, having such a wife, he should have kept her +in Italy. But, as she was here in England, as she was to be +acknowledged,--as far as they knew at present,--it was a fearful thing +that she should be living close to them and not be seen by them. For +some moments after his last announcement they were stricken dumb. He +was standing with his back to the fire, looking at his boots. The +Marchioness was the first to speak. "We may see Popenjoy!" she +exclaimed through her sobs. + +"I suppose he can be brought down,--if you care about it." + +"Of course we care about it," said Lady Amelia. + +"They tell me he is not strong, and I don't suppose they'll let him +come out such weather as this. You'll have to wait. I don't think any +body ought to stir out in this weather. It doesn't suit me, I know. +Such an abominable place as it is I never saw in my life. There is not +a room in the house that is not enough to make a man blow his brains +out." + +Lady Sarah could not stand this, nor did she think it right to put up +with the insolence of his manner generally. "If so," she said, "it is a +pity that you came away from Italy." + +He turned sharply round and looked at her for an instant before he +answered. And as he did so she remembered the peculiar tyranny of his +eyes,--the tyranny to which, when a boy, he had ever endeavoured to +make her subject, and all others around him. Others had become subject +because he was the Lord Popenjoy of the day, and would be the future +Marquis; but she, though recognising his right to be first in every +thing, had ever rebelled against his usurpation of unauthorized power. +He, too, remembered all this, and almost snarled at her with his eyes. +"I suppose I might stay if I liked, or come back if I liked, without +asking you," he said. + +"Certainly." + +"But you are the same as ever you were." + +"Oh, Brotherton," said the Marchioness, "do not quarrel with us +directly you have come back." + +"You may be quite sure, mother, that I shall not take the trouble to +quarrel with any one. It takes two for that work. If I wanted to +quarrel with her or you, I have cause enough." + +"I know of none," said Lady Sarah. + +"I explained to you my wishes about this house, and you disregarded +them altogether." The old lady looked up at her eldest daughter as +though to say, "There,--that was your sin." "I knew what was better for +you and better for me. It is impossible that there should be pleasant +intercourse between you and my wife, and I recommended you to go +elsewhere. If you had done so I would have taken care that you were +comfortable." Again the Marchioness looked at Lady Sarah with bitter +reproaches in her eyes. + +"What interest in life would we have had in a distant home?" said Lady +Sarah. + +"Why not you as well as other people?" + +"Because, unlike other people, we have become devoted to one spot. The +property belongs to you." + +"I hope so." + +"But the obligations of the property have been, at any rate, as near to +us as to you. Society, I suppose, may be found in a new place, but we +do not care much for society." + +"Then it would have been so much the easier." + +"But it would have been impossible for us to find new duties." + +"Nonsense," said the Marquis, "humbug; d----d trash." + +"If you cannot speak otherwise than like that before your mother, +Brotherton, I think you had better leave her," said Lady Sarah, +bravely. + +"Don't, Sarah,--don't!" said the Marchioness. + +"It is trash and nonsense, and humbug. I told you that you were better +away, and you determined to stay. I knew what was best for you, but you +chose to be obstinate. I have not the slightest doubt as to who did +it." + +"We were all of the same mind," said Lady Susanna. "Alice said it would +be quite cruel that mamma should be moved." Alice was now the wife of +Canon Holdenough. + +"It would have been very bad for us all to go away," said Lady Amelia. + +"George was altogether against it," said Lady Susanna. + +"And the Dean," said Lady Amelia, indiscreetly. + +"The Dean!" exclaimed the Marquis. "Do you mean to say that that stable +boy has been consulted about my affairs? I should have thought that not +one of you would have spoken to George after he had disgraced himself +by such a marriage." + +"There was no need to consult any one," said Lady Sarah. "And we do not +think George's marriage at all disgraceful." + +"Mary is a very nice young person," said the Marchioness. + +"I dare say. Whether she is nice or not is very little to me. She has +got some fortune, and I suppose that was what he wanted. As you are all +of you fixed here now, and seem to have spent a lot of money, I suppose +you will have to remain. You have turned my tenant out----" + +"Mr. Price was quite willing to go," said Lady Susanna. + +"I dare say. I trust he may be as willing to give up the land when his +lease is out. I have been told that he is a sporting friend of the +Dean's. It seems to me that you have, all of you, got into a nice mess +here by yourselves. All I want you to understand is that I cannot now +trouble myself about you." + +"You don't mean to give us up," said the afflicted mother. "You'll come +and see me sometimes, won't you?" + +"Certainly not, if I am to be insulted by my sister." + +"I have insulted no one," said Lady Sarah, haughtily. + +"It was no insult to tell me that I ought to have stayed in Italy, and +not have come to my own house!" + +"Sarah, you ought not to have said that," exclaimed the Marchioness. + +"He complained that everything here was uncomfortable, and therefore I +said it. He knows that I did not speak of his return in any other +sense. Since he settled himself abroad there has not been a day on +which I have not wished that he would come back to his own house and +his own duties. If he will treat us properly, no one will treat him +with higher consideration than I. But we have our own rights as well as +he, and are as well able to guard them." + +"Sarah can preach as well as ever," he said. + +"Oh! my children,--oh! my children!" sobbed the old lady. + +"I have had about enough of this. I knew what it would be when you +wrote to me to come to you." Then he took up his hat, as though he were +going. + +"And am I to see nothing more of you?" asked his mother. + +"I will come to you, mother,--once a-week if you wish it. Every Sunday +afternoon will be as good a time as any other. But I will not come +unless I am assured of the absence of Lady Sarah. I will not subject +myself to her insolence, nor put myself in the way of being annoyed by +a ballyragging quarrel." + +"I and my sisters are always at Church on Sunday afternoons," said Lady +Sarah. + +In this way the matter was arranged, and then the Marquis took himself +off. For some time after he left the room the Marchioness sat in +silence, sobbing now and again, and then burying her face in her +handkerchief. "I wish we had gone away when he told us," she said, at +last. + +"No, mamma," said her eldest daughter. "No,--certainly no. Even though +all this is very miserable, it is not so bad as running away in order +that we might be out of his way. No good can ever be got by yielding in +what is wrong to any one. This is your house; and as yours it is ours." + +"Oh, yes." + +"And here we can do something to justify our lives. We have a work +appointed to us which we are able to perform. What will his wife do for +the people here? Why are we not to say our prayers in the Church which +we all know and love? Why are we to leave Alice--and Mary? Why should +he, because he is the eldest of us,--he, who for so many years has +deserted the place,--why is he to tell us where to live, and where not +to live. He is rich, and we are poor, but we have never been pensioners +on his bounty. The park, I suppose, is now closed to us; but I am +prepared to live here in defiance of him." This she said walking up and +down the room as she spoke, and she said it with so much energy that +she absolutely carried her sisters with her and again partly convinced +her mother. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE MARQUIS AMONG HIS FRIENDS. + + +There was, of course, much perturbation of mind at Brotherton as to +what should be done on this occasion of the Marquis's return. Mr. Knox +had been consulted by persons in the town, and had given it as his +opinion that nothing should be done. Some of the tradesmen and a few of +the tenants living nearest to the town had suggested a triumphal +entry,--green boughs, a bonfire, and fire works. This idea, however, +did not prevail long. The Marquis of Brotherton was clearly not a man +to be received with green boughs and bonfires. All that soon died away. +But there remained what may be called the private difficulty. Many in +Brotherton and around Brotherton had of course known the man when he +was young, and could hardly bring themselves to take no notice of his +return. One or two drove over and simply left their cards. The bishop +asked to see him, and was told that he was out. Dr. Pountner did see +him, catching him at his own hall door, but the interview was very +short, and not particularly pleasant. "Dr. Pountner. Well; I do +remember you, certainly. But we have all grown older, you know." + +"I came," said the doctor, with a face redder than ever, "to pay my +respects to your Lordship, and to leave my card on your wife." + +"We are much obliged to you,--very much obliged. Unfortunately we are +both invalids." Then the doctor, who had not got out of his carriage, +was driven home again. The doctor had been a great many years at +Brotherton, and had known the old Marquis well. "I don't know what you +and Holdenough will make of him," the doctor said to the Dean. "I +suppose you will both be driven into some communion with him. I shan't +try it again." + +The Dean and Canon Holdenough had been in consultation on the subject, +and had agreed that they would each of them act as though the Marquis +had been like any other gentleman, and his wife like any other newly +married lady. They were both now connected with the family, and even +bound to act on the presumption that there would be family friendship. +The Dean went on his errand first, and the Dean was admitted into his +sitting-room. This happened a day or two after the scene at Cross Hall. +"I don't know that I should have troubled you so soon," said the Dean, +"had not your brother married my daughter." The Dean had thought over +the matter carefully, making up his mind how far he would be courteous +to the man, and where he would make a stand if it were necessary that +he should make a stand at all. And he had determined that he would ask +after the new Lady Brotherton, and speak of the child as Lord Popenjoy, +the presumption being that a man is married when he says so himself, +and that his child is legitimate when declared to be so. His present +acknowledgment would not bar any future proceedings. + +"There has been a good deal of marrying and giving in marriage since I +have been away," replied the Marquis. + +"Yes, indeed. There has been your brother, your sister, and last, not +least, yourself." + +"I was not thinking of myself. I meant among you here. The church seems +to carry everything before it." + +It seemed to the Dean, who was sufficiently mindful of his daughter's +fortune, and who knew to a penny what was the very liberal income of +Canon Holdenough, that in these marriages the church had at least given +as much as it had got. "The church holds its own," said the Dean, "and +I hope that it always will. May I venture to express a hope that the +Marchioness is well." + +"Not very well." + +"I am sorry for that. Shall I not have the pleasure of seeing her +to-day?" + +The Marquis looked as though he were almost astounded at the impudence +of the proposition; but he replied to it by the excuse that he had made +before. "Unless you speak Italian I'm afraid you would not get on very +well with her." + +"She will not find that I have the Tuscan tongue or the Roman mouth, +but I have enough of the language to make myself perhaps intelligible +to her ladyship." + +"We will postpone it for the present, if you please, Mr. Dean." + +There was an insolence declared in the man's manner and almost declared +in his words, which made the Dean at once determine that he would never +again ask after the new Marchioness, and that he would make no allusion +whatever to the son. A man may say that his wife is too unwell to +receive strangers without implying that the wish to see her should not +have been expressed. The visitor bowed, and then the two men both sat +silent for some moments. "You have not seen your brother since you have +been back?" the Dean said at last. + +"I have not seen him. I don't know where he is, or anything about him." + +"They live in London,--in Munster Court." + +"Very likely. He didn't consult me about his marriage, and I don't know +anything about his concerns." + +"He told you of it,--before it took place." + +"Very likely,--though I do not exactly see how that concerns you and +me." + +"You must be aware that he is married to--my daughter." + +"Quite so." + +"That would, generally, be supposed to give a common interest." + +"Ah! I dare say. You feel it so, no doubt. I am glad that you are +satisfied by an alliance with my family. You are anxious for me to +profess that it is reciprocal." + +"I am anxious for nothing of the kind," said the Dean, jumping up from +his chair. "I have nothing to get and nothing to lose by the alliance. +The usual courtesies of life are pleasant to me." + +"I wish that you would use them then on the present occasion by being a +little quieter." + +"Your brother has married a lady, and my daughter has married a +gentleman." + +"Yes; George is a great ass; in some respects the greatest ass I know; +but he is a gentleman. Perhaps if you have anything else that you wish +to say you will do me the honour of sitting down." + +The Dean was so angry that he did not know how to contain himself. The +Marquis had snubbed him for coming. He had then justified his visit by +an allusion to the connection between them, and the Marquis had replied +to this by hinting that though a Dean might think it a very fine thing +to have his daughter married into the family of a Marquis, the Marquis +probably would not look at it in the same light. And yet what was the +truth? Whence had come the money which had made the marriage possible? +In the bargain between them which party had had the best of it? He was +conscious that it would not become him to allude to the money, but his +feeling on the subject was very strong. "My lord," he said, "I do not +know that there is anything to be gained by my sitting down again." + +"Perhaps not. I dare say you know best." + +"I came here intent on what I considered to be a courtesy due to your +lordship. I am sorry that my visit has been mistaken." + +"I don't see that there is anything to make a fuss about." + +"It shall not be repeated, my lord." And so he left the room. + +Why on earth had the man come back to England, bringing a foreign woman +and an Italian brat home with him, if he intended to make the place too +hot to hold him by insulting everybody around him? This was the first +question the Dean asked himself, when he found himself outside the +house. And what could the man hope to gain by such insolence? Instead +of taking the road through the park back to Brotherton, he went on to +Cross Hall. He was desirous of learning what were the impressions, and +what the intentions, of the ladies there. Did this madman mean to +quarrel with his mother and sisters as well as with his other +neighbours? He did not as yet know what intercourse there had been +between the two houses, since the Marquis had been at Manor Cross. And +in going to Cross Hall in the midst of all these troubles, he was no +doubt actuated in part by a determination to show himself to be one of +the family. If they would accept his aid, no one would be more loyal +than he to these ladies. But he would not be laid aside. If anything +unjust were intended, if any fraud was to be executed, the person most +to be injured would be that hitherto unborn grandson of his for whose +advent he was so anxious. He had been very free with his money, but he +meant to have his money's worth. + +At Cross Hall he found Canon Holdenough's wife and the Canon. At the +moment of his entrance old Lady Brotherton was talking to the +clergyman, and Lady Alice was closeted in a corner with her sister +Sarah. "I would advise you to go just as though you had heard nothing +from us," Lady Sarah had said. "Of course he would be readier to +quarrel with me than with any one. For mamma's sake I would go away for +a time if I had anywhere to go to." + +"Come to us," Lady Alice had said. But Lady Sarah had declared that she +would be as much in the way at Brotherton as at Cross Hall, and had +then gone on to explain that it was Lady Alice's duty to call on her +sister-in-law, and that she must do so,--facing the consequences +whatever they might be. "Of course mamma could not go till he had been +here," Lady Sarah added; "and now he has told mamma not to go at all. +But that is nothing to you." + +"I have just come from the house," said the Dean. + +"Did you see him?" asked the old woman with awe. + +"Yes; I saw him." + +"Well!" + +"I must say that he was not very civil to me, and that I suppose I have +seen all of him that I shall see." + +"It is only his manner," said her ladyship. + +"An unfortunate manner, surely." + +"Poor Brotherton!" + +Then the Canon said a word. "Of course no one wants to trouble him. I +can speak at least for myself. I do not,--certainly. I have requested +her ladyship to ask him whether he would wish me to call or not. If he +says that he does, I shall expect him to receive me cordially. If he +does not--there's an end of it." + +"I hope you won't all of you turn against him," said the Marchioness. + +"Turn against him!" repeated the Dean. "I do not suppose that there is +any one who would not be both kind and courteous to him, if he would +accept kindness and courtesy. It grieves me to make you unhappy, +Marchioness, but I am bound to let you know that he treated me very +badly." From that moment the Marchioness made up her mind that the Dean +was no friend of the family, and that he was, after all, vulgar and +disagreeable. She undertook, however, to enquire from her son on next +Sunday whether he would wish to be called upon by his brother-in-law, +the Canon. + +On the following day Lady Alice went alone to Manor Cross,--being the +first lady who had gone to the door since the new arrivals,--and asked +for Lady Brotherton. The courier came to the door and said "not at +home," in a foreign accent, just as the words might have been said to +any chance caller in London. Then Lady Alice asked the man to tell her +brother that she was there. "Not at home, miladi," said the man, in the +same tone. At that moment Mrs. Toff came running through the long hall +to the carriage door. The house was built round a quadrangle, and all +the ground floor of the front and of one of the sides consisted of +halls, passages, and a billiard-room. Mrs. Toff must have been watching +very closely or she could hardly have known that Lady Alice was there. +She came out and stood beside the carriage, and leaning in, whispered +her fears and unhappinesses. "Oh! my lady, I'm afraid it's very bad. I +haven't set eyes on the--the--his wife, my lady, yet; nor the little +boy." + +"Are they in now, Mrs. Toff?" + +"Of course they're in. They never go out. He goes about all the +afternoon in a dressing-gown, smoking bits of paper, and she lies in +bed or gets up and doesn't do,--nothing at all, as far as I can see, +Lady Alice. But as for being in, of course they're in; they're always +in." Lady Alice, however, feeling that she had done her duty, and not +wishing to take the place by storm, had herself driven back to +Brotherton. + +On the following Sunday afternoon the Marquis came, according to his +promise, and found his mother alone. "The fact is, mother," he said, +"you have got a regular church set around you during the last year or +two, and I will have nothing to do with them. I never cared much for +Brotherton Close, and now I like it less than ever." The Marchioness +moaned and looked up into his face imploringly. She was anxious to say +something in defence, at any rate, of her daughter's marriage, but +specially anxious to say nothing that should not anger him. Of course +he was unreasonable, but, according to her lights, he, being the +Marquis, had a right to be unreasonable. "The Dean came to me the other +day," continued he, "and I could see at a glance that he meant to be +quite at home in the house, if I didn't put him down." + +"You'll see Mr. Holdenough, won't you? Mr. Holdenough is a very +gentlemanlike man, and the Holdenoughs were always quite county people. +You used to like Alice." + +"If you ask me, I think she has been a fool at her age to go and marry +an old parson. As for receiving him, I shan't receive anybody,--in the +way of entertaining them. I haven't come home for that purpose. My +child will have to live here when he is a man." + +"God bless him!" said the Marchioness. + +"Or at any rate his property will be here. They tell me that it will be +well that he should be used to this damnable climate early in life. He +will have to go to school here, and all that. So I have brought him, +though I hate the place." + +"It is so nice to have you back, Brotherton." + +"I don't know about its being nice. I don't find much niceness in it. +Had I not got myself married I should never have come back. But it's as +well that you all should know that there is an heir." + +"God bless him!" said the Marchioness, again. "But don't you think that +we ought to see him?" + +"See him! Why?" He asked the question sharply, and looked at her with +that savageness in his eyes which all the family remembered so well, +and which she specially feared. + +That question of the legitimacy of the boy had never been distinctly +discussed at Cross Hall, and the suspicious hints on the subject which +had passed between the sisters, the allusions to this and the other +possibility which had escaped them, had been kept as far as possible +from their mother. They had remarked among themselves that it was very +odd that the marriage should have been concealed, and almost more than +odd that an heir to the title should have been born without any +announcement of such a birth. A dread of some evil mystery had filled +their thoughts, and shown itself in their words and looks to each +other. And, though they had been very anxious to keep this from their +mother, something had crept through which had revealed a suspicion of +the suspicion even to her. She, dear old lady, had resolved upon no +line of conduct in the matter. She had conceived no project of +rebelling against her eldest daughter, or of being untrue to her +youngest son. But now that she was alone with her eldest son, with the +real undoubted Marquis, with him who would certainly be to her more +than all the world beside if he would only allow it, there did come +into her head an idea that she would put him on his guard. + +"Because,--because----" + +"Because what? Speak out, mother." + +"Because, perhaps they'll say that--that----" + +"What will they say?" + +"If they don't see him, they may think he isn't Popenjoy at all." + +"Oh! they'll think that, will they? How will seeing help them?" + +"It would be so nice to have him here, if it's only for a little," said +the Marchioness. + +"So that's it," he said, after a long pause. "That's George's game, and +the Dean's; I can understand." + +"No, no, no; not George," said the unhappy mother. + +"And Sarah, I dare say, is in a boat with them. I don't wonder that +they should choose to remain here and watch me." + +"I am sure George has never thought of such a thing." + +"George will think as his father-in-law bids him. George was never very +good at thinking for himself. So you fancy they'll be more likely to +accept the boy if they see him." + +"Seeing is believing, Brotherton." + +"There's something in that, to be sure. Perhaps they don't think I've +got a wife at all, because they haven't seen her." + +"Oh, yes; they believe that." + +"How kind of them. Well, mother, you've let the cat out of the bag." + +"Don't tell them that I said so." + +"No; I won't tell. Nor am I very much surprised. I thought how it would +be when I didn't announce it all in the old-fashioned way. It's lucky +that I have the certificated proof of the date of my marriage, isn't +it?" + +"It's all right, of course. I never doubted it, Brotherton." + +"But all the others did. I knew there was something up when George +wasn't at home to meet me." + +"He is coming." + +"He may stay away if he likes it. I don't want him. He won't have the +courage to tell me up to my face that he doesn't intend to acknowledge +my boy. He's too great a coward for that." + +"I'm sure it's not George, Brotherton." + +"Who is it, then?" + +"Perhaps it's the Dean." + +"D---- his impudence. How on earth among you could you let George marry +the daughter of a low-bred ruffian like that,--a man that never ought +to have been allowed to put his foot inside the house?" + +"She had such a very nice fortune! And then he wanted to marry that +scheming girl, Adelaide De Baron,--without a penny." + +"The De Barons, at any rate, are gentlefolk. If the Dean meddles with +me, he shall find that he has got the wrong sow by the ear. If he puts +his foot in the park again I'll have him warned off as a trespasser." + +"But you'll see Mr. Holdenough?" + +"I don't want to see anybody. I mean to hold my own, and do as I please +with my own, and live as I like, and toady no one. What can I have in +common with an old parson like that?" + +"You'll let me see Popenjoy, Brotherton?" + +"Yes," he said, pausing a moment before he answered her. "He shall be +brought here, and you shall see him. But mind, mother, I shall expect +you to tell me all that you hear." + +"Indeed, I will." + +"You will not rebel against me, I suppose." + +"Oh, no;--my son, my son!" Then she fell upon his neck, and he suffered +it for a minute, thinking it wise to make sure of one ally in that +house. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +THE MARQUIS SEES HIS BROTHER. + + +When Lord George was summoned down to Manor Cross,--or rather, to Cross +Hall, he did not dare not to go. Lady Sarah had told him that it was +his duty, and he could not deny the assertion. But he was very angry +with his brother, and did not in the least wish to see him. Nor did he +think that by seeing him he could in any degree render easier that +horrible task which would, sooner or later, be imposed upon him, of +testing the legitimacy of his brother's child. And there were other +reasons which made him unwilling to leave London. He did not like to be +away from his young wife. She was, of course, a matron now, and +entitled to be left alone, according to the laws of the world; but then +she was so childish, and so fond of playing bagatelle with Jack De +Baron! He had never had occasion to find fault with her; not to say +words to her which he himself would regard as fault-finding words +though she had complained more than once of his scolding her. He would +caution her, beg her to be grave, ask her to read heavy books, and try +to impress her with the solemnity of married life. In this way he would +quell her spirits for a few hours. Then she would burst out again, and +there would be Jack De Baron and the bagatelle. In all these sorrows he +solaced himself by asking advice from Mrs. Houghton. By degrees he told +Mrs. Houghton almost everything. The reader may remember that there had +been a moment in which he had resolved that he would not again go to +Berkeley Square. But all that was very much altered now. He was there +almost every day, and consulted the lady about every thing. She had +induced him even to talk quite openly about this Italian boy, to +express his suspicions, and to allude to most distressing duties which +might be incumbent on him. She strenuously advised him to take nothing +for granted. If the Marquisate was to be had by careful scrutiny she +was quite of opinion that it should not be lost by careless confidence. +This sort of friendship was very pleasant to him, and especially so, +because he could tell himself that there was nothing wicked in it. No +doubt her hand would be in his sometimes for a moment, and once or +twice his arm had almost found its way round her waist. But these had +been small deviations, which he had taken care to check. No doubt it +had occurred to him, once or twice, that she had not been careful to +check them. But this, when he thought of it maturely, he attributed to +innocence. + +It was at last, by her advice, that he begged that one of his sisters +might come up to town, as a companion to Mary during his absence at +Cross Hall. This counsel she had given to him after assuring him +half-a-dozen times that there was nothing to fear. He had named Amelia, +Mary having at once agreed to the arrangement, on condition that the +younger of the three sisters should be invited. The letter was of +course written to Lady Sarah. All such letters always were written to +Lady Sarah. Lady Sarah had answered, saying, that Susanna would take +the place destined for Amelia. Now Susanna, of all the Germain family, +was the one whom Mary disliked the most. But there was no help for it. +She thought it hard, but she was not strong enough in her own position +to say that she would not have Susanna, because Susanna had not been +asked. "I think Lady Susanna will be the best," said Lord George, +"because she has so much strength of character." + +"Strength of character! You speak as if you were going away for three +years, and were leaving me in the midst of danger. You'll be back in +five days, I suppose. I really think I could have got on without +Susanna's--strength of character!" This was her revenge; but, all the +same, Lady Susanna came. + +"She is as good as gold," said Lord George, who was himself as weak as +water. "She is as good as gold; but there is a young man comes here +whom I don't care for her to see too often." This was what he said to +Lady Susanna. + +"Oh, indeed! Who is he?" + +"Captain De Baron. You are not to suppose that she cares a straw about +him." + +"Oh, no; I am sure there can be nothing of that," said Lady Susanna, +feeling herself to be as energetic as Cerberus, and as many-eyed as +Argus. + +"You must take care of yourself now, master Jack," Mrs. Houghton said +to her cousin. "A duenna has been sent for." + +"Duennas always go to sleep, don't they; and take tips; and are +generally open to reason?" + +"Oh, heavens! Fancy tipping Lady Susanna! I should think that she never +slept in her life with both eyes at the same time, and that she thinks +in her heart that every man who says a civil word ought to have his +tongue cut out." + +"I wonder how she'd take it if I were to say a civil word to herself?" + +"You can try; but as far as Madame is concerned, you had better wait +till Monsieur is back again." + +Lord George, having left his wife in the hands of Lady Susanna, went +down to Brotherton and on to Cross Hall. He arrived on the Saturday +after that first Sunday visit paid by the Marquis to his mother. The +early part of the past week had been very blank down in those parts. No +further personal attempts had been made to intrude upon the Manor Cross +mysteries. The Dean had not been seen again, even at Cross Hall. Mr. +Holdenough had made no attempt after the reception,--or rather +non-reception,--awarded to his wife. Old Mr. De Baron had driven over, +and had seen the Marquis, but nothing more than that fact was known at +Cross Hall. He had been there for about an hour, and as far as Mrs. +Toff knew, the Marquis had been very civil to him. But Mr. De Baron, +though a cousin, was not by any means one of the Germain party. Then, +on Saturday there had been an affair. Mrs. Toff had come to the Hall, +boiling over with the importance of her communication, and stating that +she had been--turned out of the house. She, who had presided over +everything material at Manor Cross for more than thirty years, from the +family pictures down to the kitchen utensils, had been absolutely +desired to--walk herself off. The message had been given to her by that +accursed Courier, and she had then insisted on seeing the Marquis. "My +Lord," she said, only laughed at her. "'Mrs. Toff,' he had said, 'you +are my mother's servant, and my sisters'. You had better go and live +with them.'" She had then hinted at the shortness of the notice given +her, upon which he had offered her anything she chose to ask in the way +of wages and board wages. "But I wouldn't take a penny, my Lady; only +just what was due up to the very day." As Mrs. Toff was a great deal +too old a servant to be really turned away, and as she merely migrated +from Manor Cross to Cross Hall, she did not injure herself much by +refusing the offers made to her. + +It must be held that the Marquis was justified in getting rid of Mrs. +Toff. Mrs. Toff was, in truth, a spy in his camp, and, of course, his +own people were soon aware of that fact. Her almost daily journeys to +Cross Hall were known, and it was remembered, both by the Marquis and +his wife, that this old woman, who had never been allowed to see the +child, but who had known all the preceding generation as children, +could not but be an enemy. Of course it was patent to all the servants, +and to every one connected with the two houses, that there was war. Of +course, the Marquis, having an old woman acting spy in his stronghold, +got rid of her. But justice would shortly have required that the other +old woman, who was acting spy in the other stronghold, should be turned +out, also. But the Marchioness, who had promised to tell everything to +her son, could not very well be offered wages and be made to go. + +In the midst of the ferment occasioned by this last piece of work Lord +George reached Cross Hall. He had driven through the park, that way +being nearly as short as the high road, and had left word at the house +that he would call on the following morning, immediately after morning +church. This he did, in consequence of a resolution which he had +made,--to act on his own judgment. A terrible crisis was coming, in +which it would not be becoming that he should submit himself either to +his eldest sister, or to the Dean. He had talked the matter over fully +with Mrs. Houghton, and Mrs. Houghton had suggested that he should call +on his way out to the Hall. + +The ladies had at first to justify their request that he should come to +them, and there was a difficulty in doing this, as he was received in +presence of their mother. Lady Sarah had not probably told herself that +the Marchioness was a spy, but she had perceived that it would not be +wise to discuss everything openly in her mother's presence. "It is +quite right that you should see him," said Lady Sarah. + +"Quite right," said the old lady. + +"Had he sent me even a message I should have been here, of course," +said the brother. "He passed through London, and I would have met him +there had he not kept everything concealed." + +"He isn't like anybody else, you know. You mustn't quarrel with him. He +is the head of the family. If we quarrel with him, what will become of +us?" + +"What will become of him if everybody falls off from him. That's what I +am thinking of," said Lady Sarah. + +Soon after this all the horrors that had taken place,--horrors which +could not be entrusted to a letter,--were narrated him. The Marquis had +insulted Dr. Pountner, he had not returned the Bishop's visit, he had +treated the Dean with violent insolence, and he had refused to receive +his brother-in-law, Mr. Holdenough, though the Holdenoughs had always +moved in county society! He had declared that none of his relatives +were to be introduced to his wife. He had not as yet allowed the +so-called Popenjoy to be seen. He had said none of them were to trouble +him at Manor Cross, and had explained his purpose, of only coming to +the Hall when he knew that his sister Sarah was away. "I think he must +be mad," said the younger brother. + +"It is what comes of living in a godless country like Italy," said Lady +Amelia. + +"It is what comes of utterly disregarding duty," said Lady Sarah. + +But what was to be done? The Marquis had declared his purpose of doing +what he liked with his own, and certainly none of them could hinder +him. If he chose to shut himself and his wife up at the big house, he +must do so. It was very bad, but it was clear that they could not +interfere with his eccentricities. How was anybody to interfere? Of +course, there was present in the mind of each of them a feeling that +this woman might not be his wife, or that the child might not be +legitimate. But they did not like with open words among themselves to +accuse their brother of so great a crime. "I don't see what there is to +be done," said Lord George. + +The Church was in the park, not very far from the house, but nearer to +the gate leading to Brotherton. On that Sunday morning the Marchioness +and her youngest daughter went there in the carriage, and in doing so, +had to pass the front doors. The previous Sunday had been cold, and +this was the first time that the Marchioness had seen Manor Cross since +her son had been there. "Oh, dear! if I could only go in and see the +dear child," she said. + +"You know you can't, mamma," said Amelia. + +"It is all Sarah's fault, because she would quarrel with him." + +After Church the ladies returned in the carriage, and Lord George went +to the house according to his appointment. He was shown into a small +parlour, and in about half an hour's time luncheon was brought to him. +He then asked whether his brother was coming. The servant went away, +promising to enquire, but did not return. He was cross and would eat no +lunch,--but after awhile rang the bell, loudly, and again asked the +same question. The servant again went away and did not return. He had +just made up his mind to leave the house and never to return to it, +when the Courier, of whom he had heard, came to usher him into his +brother's room. "You seem to be in a deuce of a hurry, George," said +the Marquis, without getting out of his chair. "You forget that people +don't get up at the same hour all the world over." + +"It's half-past two now." + +"Very likely; but I don't know that there is any law to make a man +dress himself before that hour." + +"The servant might have given me a message." + +"Don't make a row now you are here, old fellow. When I found you were +in the house I got down as fast as I could. I suppose your time isn't +so very precious." + +Lord George had come there determined not to quarrel if he could help +it. He had very nearly quarrelled already. Every word that his brother +said was in truth an insult,--being, as they were, the first words +spoken after so long an interval. They were intended to be insolent, +probably intended to drive him away. But if anything was to be gained +by the interview he must not allow himself to be driven away. He had a +duty to perform,--a great duty. He was the last man in England to +suspect a fictitious heir,--would at any rate be the last to hint at +such an iniquity without the strongest ground. Who is to be true to a +brother if not a brother? Who is to support the honour of a great +family if not its own scions? Who is to abstain from wasting the wealth +and honour of another, if not he who has the nearest chance of +possessing them? And yet who could be so manifestly bound as he to take +care that no surreptitious head was imposed upon the family. This +little child was either the real Popenjoy, a boy to be held by him as +of all boys the most sacred, to the promotion of whose welfare all his +own energies would be due,--or else a brat so abnormously distasteful +and abominable as to demand from him an undying enmity, till the +child's wicked pretensions should be laid at rest. There was something +very serious in it, very tragic,--something which demanded that he +should lay aside all common anger, and put up with many insults on +behalf of the cause which he had in hand. "Of course I could wait," +said he; "only I thought that perhaps the man would have told me." + +"The fact is, George, we are rather a divided house here. Some of us +talk Italian and some English. I am the only common interpreter in the +house, and I find it a bore." + +"I dare say it is troublesome." + +"And what can I do for you now you are here?" + +Do for him! Lord George didn't want his brother to do anything for him. +"Live decently, like an English nobleman, and do not outrage your +family." That would have been the only true answer he could have made +to such a question. "I thought you would wish to see me after your +return," he said. + +"It's rather lately thought of; but, however, let that pass. So you've +got a wife for yourself." + +"As you have done also." + +"Just so. I have got a wife too. Mine has come from one of the oldest +and noblest families in Christendom." + +"Mine is the granddaughter of a livery-stable keeper," said Lord +George, with a touch of real grandeur; "and, thank God, I can be proud +of her in any society in England." + +"I dare say;--particularly as she had some money." + +"Yes; she had money. I could hardly have married without. But when you +see her I think you will not be ashamed of her as your sister-in-law." + +"Ah! She lives in London and I am just at present down here." + +"She is the daughter of the Dean of Brotherton." + +"So I have heard. They used to make gentlemen Deans." After this there +was a pause, Lord George finding it difficult to go on with the +conversation without a quarrel. "To tell you the truth, George, I will +not willingly see anything more of your Dean. He came here and insulted +me. He got up and blustered about the room because I wouldn't thank him +for the honour he had done our family by his alliance. If you please, +George, we'll understand that the less said about the Dean the better. +You see I haven't any of the money out of the stable-yard." + +"My wife's money didn't come out of a stable-yard. It came from a +wax-chandler's shop," said Lord George, jumping up, just as the Dean +had done. There was something in the man's manner worse even than his +words which he found it almost impossible to bear. But he seated +himself again as his brother sat looking at him with a bitter smile +upon his face. "I don't suppose," he said, "you can wish to annoy me." + +"Certainly not. But I wish that the truth should be understood between +us." + +"Am I to be allowed to pay my respects to your wife?" said Lord George +boldly. + +"I think, you know, that we have gone so far apart in our marriages +that there is nothing to be gained by it. Besides, you couldn't speak +to her,--nor she to you." + +"May I be permitted to see--Popenjoy?" + +The Marquis paused a moment, and then rang the bell. "I don't know what +good it will do you, but if he can be made fit he shall be brought +down." The Courier entered the room and received certain orders in +Italian. After that there was considerable delay, during which an +Italian servant brought the Marquis a cup of chocolate and a cake. He +pushed a newspaper over to his brother, and as he was drinking his +chocolate, lighted a cigarette. In this way there was a delay of over +an hour, and then there entered the room an Italian nurse with a little +boy who seemed to Lord George to be nearly two years old. The child was +carried in by the woman, but Lord George thought that he was big enough +to have walked. He was dressed up with many ribbons, and was altogether +as gay as apparel could make him. But he was an ugly, swarthy little +boy, with great black eyes, small cheeks, and a high forehead,--very +unlike such a Popenjoy as Lord George would have liked to have seen. +Lord George got up and stood over him, and leaning down kissed the high +forehead. "My poor little darling," he said. + +"As for being poor," said the Marquis, "I hope not. As to being a +darling, I should think it doubtful. If you've done with him, she can +take him away, you know." Lord George had done with him, and so he was +taken away. "Seeing is believing, you know," said the Marquis; "that's +the only good of it." Lord George said to himself that in this case +seeing was not believing. + +At this moment the open carriage came round to the door. "If you like +to get up behind," said the Marquis, "I can take you back to Cross +Hall, as I am going to see my mother. Perhaps you'll remember that I +wish to be alone with her." Lord George then expressed his preference +for walking. "Just as you please. I want to say a word. Of course I +took it very ill of you all when you insisted on keeping Cross Hall in +opposition to my wishes. No doubt they acted on your advice." + +"Partly so." + +"Exactly; your's and Sarah's. You can't expect me to forget it, +George;--that's all." Then he walked out of the room among the +servants, giving his brother no opportunity for further reply. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +THE MARQUIS GOES INTO BROTHERTON. + + +The poor dear old Marchioness must have had some feeling that she was +regarded as a spy. She had promised to tell everything to her eldest +son, and though she had really nothing to tell, though the Marquis did +in truth know all that there was as yet to know, still there grew up at +Cross Hall a sort of severance between the unhappy old lady and her +children. This showed itself in no diminution of affectionate +attention; in no intentional change of manner; but there was a +reticence about the Marquis and Popenjoy which even she perceived, and +there crept into her mind a feeling that Mrs. Toff was on her guard +against her,--so that on two occasions she almost snubbed Mrs. Toff. "I +never see'd him, my Lady; what more can I say?" said Mrs. Toff. "Toff, +I don't believe you wanted to see your master's son and heir!" said the +Marchioness. Then Mrs. Toff pursed up her lips, and compressed her +nose, and half-closed her eyes, and the Marchioness was sure that Mrs. +Toff did not believe in Popenjoy. + +No one but Lord George had seen Popenjoy. To no eyes but his had the +august baby been displayed. Of course many questions had been asked, +especially by the old lady, but the answers to them had not been +satisfactory. "Dark, is he?" asked the Marchioness. Lord George replied +that the child was very swarthy. "Dear me! That isn't like the +Germains. The Germains were never light, but they're not swarthy. Did +he talk at all?" "Not a word." "Did he play about?" "Never was out of +the nurse's arms." "Dear me! Was he like Brotherton?" "I don't think I +am a judge of likenesses." "He's a healthy child?" "I can't say. He +seemed to be a good deal done up with finery." Then the Marchioness +declared that her younger son showed an unnatural indifference to the +heir of the family. It was manifest that she intended to accept the new +Popenjoy, and to ally herself with no party base enough to entertain +any suspicion. + +These examinations respecting the baby went on for the three first days +of the week. It was Lord George's intention to return to town on the +Saturday, and it seemed to them all to be necessary that something +should be arranged before that. Lady Sarah thought that direct +application should be made to her brother for proof of his marriage and +for a copy of the register of the birth of his child. She quite +admitted that he would resent such application with the bitterest +enmity. But that she thought must be endured. She argued that nothing +could be done more friendly to the child than this. If all was right +the enquiry which circumstances certainly demanded would be made while +he could not feel it. If no such proof were adduced now there would +certainly be trouble, misery, and perhaps ruin in coming years. If the +necessary evidence were forthcoming, then no one would wish to +interfere further. There might be ill blood on their brother's part, +but there would be none on theirs. Neither Lord George nor their +younger sister gainsayed this altogether. Neither of them denied the +necessity of enquiry. But they desired to temporise;--and then how was +the enquiry to be made? Who was to bell the cat? And how should they go +on when the Marquis refused to take any heed of them,--as, of course, +he would do? Lady Sarah saw at once that they must employ a +lawyer;--but what lawyer? Old Mr. Stokes, the family attorney, was the +only lawyer they knew. But Mr. Stokes was Lord Brotherton's lawyer, and +would hardly consent to be employed against his own client. Lady Sarah +suggested that Mr. Stokes might be induced to explain to the Marquis +that these enquiries should be made for his, the Marquis's, own +benefit. But Lord George felt that this was impossible. It was evident +that Lord George would be afraid to ask Mr. Stokes to undertake the +work. + +At last it came to be understood among them that they must have some +friend to act with them. There could be no doubt who that friend should +be. "As to interfering," said Lady Sarah, speaking of the Dean, "he +will interfere, whether we ask him to or not. His daughter is as much +affected as anybody, and if I understand him he is not the man to see +any interest of his own injured by want of care." Lord George shook his +head but yielded. He greatly disliked the idea of putting himself into +the Dean's hands; of becoming a creature of the Dean's. He felt the +Dean to be stronger than himself, endowed with higher spirit and more +confident hopes. But he also felt that the Dean was--the son of a +stable-keeper. Though he had professed to his brother that he could own +the fact without shame, still he was ashamed. It was not the Dean's +parentage that troubled him so much as a consciousness of some defect, +perhaps only of the absence of some quality, which had been caused by +that parentage. The man looked like a gentleman, but still there was a +smell of the stable. Feeling this rather than knowing it Lord George +resisted for awhile the idea of joining forces with the Dean; but when +it was suggested to him as an alternative that he himself must go to +Mr. Stokes and explain his suspicions in the lawyer's room, then he +agreed that, as a first step, he would consult the Dean. The Dean, no +doubt, would have his own lawyer, who would not care a fig for the +Marquis. + +It was thought by them at Cross Hall that the Dean would come over to +them, knowing that his son-in-law was in the country; but the Dean did +not come, probably waiting for the same compliment from Lord George. On +the Friday Lord George rode into Brotherton early, and was at the +Deanery by eleven o'clock. "I thought I should see you," said the Dean, +in his pleasantest manner. "Of course, I heard from Mary that you were +down here. Well;--what do you think of it all?" + +"It is not pleasant." + +"If you mean your brother, I am bound to say, that he is very +unpleasant. Of course you have seen him?" + +"Yes; I have seen him." + +"And her ladyship?" + +"No. He said that as I do not speak Italian it would be no good." + +"And he seemed to think," said the Dean, "that as I do speak Italian it +would be dangerous. Nobody has seen her then?" + +"Nobody." + +"That promises well! And the little lord?" + +"He was brought down to me." + +"That was gracious! Well; what of him. Did he look like a Popenjoy?" + +"He is a nasty little black thing." + +"I shouldn't wonder." + +"And looks----. Well, I don't want to abuse the poor child, and God +knows, if he is what he pretends to be, I would do anything to serve +him." + +"That's just it, George," said the Dean, very seriously,--seriously, +and with his kindest manner, being quite disposed to make himself +agreeable to Lord George, if Lord George would be agreeable to him. +"That's just it. If we were certified as to that, what would we not do +for the child in spite of the father's brutality? There is no +dishonesty on our side, George. You know of me, and I know of you, +that if every tittle of the evidence of that child's birth were in the +keeping of either of us, so that it could be destroyed on the moment, +it should be made as public as the winds of heaven to-morrow, so that +it was true evidence. If he be what he pretends to be, who would +interfere with him? But if he be not?" + +"Any suspicion of that kind is unworthy of us;--except on very strong +ground." + +"True. But if there be very strong ground, it is equally true that such +suspicion is our duty. Look at the case. When was it that he told you +that he was going to be married? About six months since, as far as my +memory goes." + +"He said, 'I am to be married.'" + +"That is speaking in the future tense; and now he claims to have been +married two or three years ago. Has he ever attempted to explain this?" + +"He has not said a word about it. He is quite unwilling to talk about +himself." + +"I dare say. But a man in such circumstances must be made to talk about +himself. You and I are so placed that if we did not make him talk about +himself, we ought to be made to make him do so. He may be deceitful if +he pleases. He may tell you and me fibs without end. And he may give us +much trouble by doing so. Such trouble is the evil consequence of +having liars in the world." Lord George winced at the rough word as +applied by inference to his own brother. "But liars themselves are +always troubled by their own lies. If he chooses to tell you that on a +certain day he is about to be married, and afterwards springs a +two-year old child upon you as legitimate, you are bound to think that +there is some deceit. You cannot keep yourself from knowing that there +is falsehood; and if falsehood, then probably fraud. Is it likely that +a man with such privileges, and such property insured to a legitimate +son, would allow the birth of such a child to be slurred over without +due notice of it? You say that suspicion on our part without strong +ground would be unworthy of us. I agree with you. But I ask you whether +the grounds are not so strong as to force us to suspect. Come," he +continued, as Lord George did not answer at once; "let us be open to +each other, knowing as each does that the other means to do what is +right. Do not you suspect?" + +"I do," said Lord George. + +"And so do I. And I mean to learn the truth." + +"But how?" + +"That is for us to consider; but of one thing I am quite sure. I am +quite certain that we must not allow ourselves to be afraid of your +brother. To speak the truth, as it must be spoken, he is a bully, +George." + +"I would rather you would not abuse him, sir." + +"Speak ill of him I must. His character is bad, and I have to speak of +it. He is a bully. He set himself to work to put me down when I did +myself the honour to call on him, because he felt that my connexion +with you would probably make me an enemy to him. I intend that he shall +know that he cannot put me down. He is undoubtedly Lord Brotherton. He +is the owner of a wide property. He has many privileges and much power, +with which I cannot interfere. But there is a limit to them. If he have +a legitimate son, those privileges will be that son's property, but he +has to show to the world that that son is legitimate. When a man +marries before all the world, in his own house, and a child is born to +him as I may say openly, the proofs are there of themselves. No +bringing up of evidence is necessary. The thing is simple, and there is +no suspicion and no enquiry. But he has done the reverse of this, and +now flatters himself that he can cow those who are concerned by a +domineering manner. He must be made to feel that this will not +prevail." + +"Sarah thinks that he should be invited to produce the necessary +certificates." Lord George, when he dropped his sister's title in +speaking of her to the Dean, must have determined that very familiar +intercourse with the Dean was a necessity. + +"Lady Sarah is always right. That should be the first step. But will +you invite him to do so? How shall the matter be broken to him?" + +"She thinks a lawyer should do it." + +"It must be done either by you or by a lawyer." Lord George looked very +blank. "Of course, if the matter were left in my hands;--if I had to do +it,--I should not do it personally. The question is, whether you might +not in the first instance write to him?" + +"He would not notice it." + +"Very likely not. Then we must employ a lawyer." + +The matter was altogether so distasteful to Lord George, that more than +once during the interview he almost made up his mind that he would +withdraw altogether from the work, and at any rate appear to take it +for granted that the child was a real heir, an undoubted Popenjoy. But +then, as often, the Dean showed him that he could not so withdraw +himself. "You will be driven," said the Dean, "to express your belief, +whatever it may be; and if you think that there has been foul play, you +cannot deny that you think so." It was at last decided that Lord George +should write a letter to his brother, giving all the grounds, not of +his own suspicion, but which the world at large would have for +suspecting; and earnestly imploring that proper evidence as to his +brother's marriage and as to the child's birth, might be produced. +Then, if this letter should not be attended to, a lawyer should be +employed. The Dean named his own lawyer, Mr. Battle, of Lincoln's Inn +Fields. Lord George having once yielded, found it convenient to yield +throughout. Towards the end of the interview the Dean suggested that he +would "throw a few words together," or, in other language, write the +letter which his son-in-law would have to sign. This suggestion was +also accepted by Lord George. + +The two men were together for a couple of hours, and then, after lunch, +went out together into the town. Each felt that he was now more closely +bound to the other than ever. The Dean was thoroughly pleased that it +should be so. He intended his son-in-law to be the Marquis, and being +sanguine as well as pugnacious looked forward to seeing that time +himself. Such a man as the Marquis would probably die early, whereas he +himself was full of health. There was nothing he would not do to make +Lord George's life pleasant, if only Lord George would be pleasant to +him, and submissive. But Lord George himself was laden with many +regrets. He had formed a conspiracy against the head of his own family, +and his brother conspirator was the son of a stable-keeper. It might be +also that he was conspiring against his own legitimate nephew; and if +so, the conspiracy would of course fail, and he would be stigmatised +for ever among the Germains as the most sordid and vile of the name. + +The Dean's house was in the Close, joined on to the Cathedral, a +covered stone pathway running between the two. The nearest way from the +Deanery to the High Street was through the Cathedral, the transept of +which could be entered by crossing the passage. The Dean and his +son-in-law on this occasion went through the building to the west +entrance, and there stood for a few minutes in the street while the +Dean spoke to men who were engaged on certain repairs of the fabric. In +doing this they all went out into the middle of the wide street in +order that they might look up at the work which was being done. While +they were there, suddenly an open carriage, with a postilion, came upon +them unawares, and they had to retreat out of the way. As they did so +they perceived that Lord Brotherton was in the carriage, enveloped in +furs, and that a lady, more closely enveloped even than himself, was by +his side. It was evident to them that he had recognised them. Indeed he +had been in the act of raising his hand to greet his brother when he +saw the Dean. They both bowed to him, while the Dean, who had the +readier mind, raised his hat to the lady. But the Marquis steadily +ignored them. "That's your sister-in-law," said the Dean. + +"Perhaps so." + +"There is no other lady here with whom he could be driving. I am pretty +sure that it is the first time that either of them have been in +Brotherton." + +"I wonder whether he saw us." + +"Of course he saw us. He cut me from fixed purpose, and you because I +was with you. I shall not disturb him by any further recognition." Then +they went on about their business, and in the afternoon, when the Dean +had thrown his few words together, Lord George rode back to Cross Hall. +"Let the letter be sent at once,--but date it from London." These were +the last words the Dean said to him. + +It was the Marquis and his wife. All Brotherton heard the news. She had +absolutely called at a certain shop and the Marquis had condescended to +be her interpreter. All Brotherton was now sure that there was a new +Marchioness, a fact as to which a great part of Brotherton had hitherto +entertained doubts. And it seemed that this act of condescension in +stopping at a Brotherton shop was so much appreciated that all the +former faults of the Marquis were to be condoned on that account. If +only Popenjoy could be taken to a Brotherton pastrycook, and be got to +eat a Brotherton bun, the Marquis would become the most popular man in +the neighbourhood, and the undoubted progenitor of a long line of +Marquises to come. A little kindness after continued cruelty will +always win a dog's heart;--some say, also a woman's. It certainly +seemed to be the way to win Brotherton. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +LADY SUSANNA IN LONDON. + + +In spite of the caution which he had received from his friend and +cousin Mrs. Houghton, Jack De Baron did go to Munster Court during the +absence of Lord George, and there did encounter Lady Susanna. And Mrs. +Houghton herself, though she had given such excellent advice, +accompanied him. She was of course anxious to see Lady Susanna, who had +always especially disliked her; and Jack himself was desirous of making +the acquaintance of a lady who had been, he was assured, sent up to +town on purpose to protect the young wife from his wiles. Both Mrs. +Houghton and Jack had become very intimate in Munster Court, and there +was nothing strange in their dropping in together even before lunch. +Jack was of course introduced to Lady Susanna. The two ladies grimaced +at each other, each knowing the other's feeling towards herself. Mary +having suspected that Lady Susanna had been sent for in reference to +this special friend, determined on being specially gracious to Jack. +She had already, since Lady Susanna's arrival, told that lady that she +was able to manage her own little affairs. Lady Susanna had said an +unfortunate word as to the unnecessary expense of four wax candles +when they two were sitting alone in the drawing-room. Lady George had +said that it was pretty. Lady Susanna had expostulated gravely, and +then Lady George had spoken out. "Dear Susanna, do let me manage my own +little affairs." Of course the words had rankled, and of course the +love which the ladies bore to each other had not been increased. Lady +George was now quite resolved to show dear Susanna that she was not +afraid of her duenna. + +"We thought we'd venture to see if you'd give us lunch," said Mrs. +Houghton. + +"Delightful!" exclaimed Lady George. "There's nothing to eat; but you +won't mind that." + +"Not in the least," said Jack. "I always think the best lunch in the +world is a bit of the servants' dinner. It's always the best meat, and +the best cooked and the hottest served." + +There was plenty of lunch from whatsoever source it came, and the three +young people were very merry. Perhaps they were a little noisy. Perhaps +there was a little innocent slang in their conversation. Ladies do +sometimes talk slang, and perhaps the slang was encouraged for the +special edification of Lady Susanna. But slang was never talked at +Manor Cross or Cross Hall, and was odious to Lady Susanna. When Lady +George declared that some offending old lady ought to be "jumped upon," +Lady Susanna winced visibly. When Jack told Lady George that "she was +the woman to do it," Lady Susanna shivered almost audibly. "Is anything +the matter?" asked Lady George, perhaps not quite innocently. + +It seemed to Lady Susanna that these visitors were never going away, +and yet this was the very man as to whom her brother had cautioned her! +And what an odious man he was--in Lady Susanna's estimation! A +puppy,--an absolute puppy! Good-looking, impudent, familiar, with a +light visage, and continually smiling! All those little gifts which +made him so pleasant to Lady George were stains and blemishes in the +eyes of Lady Susanna. To her thinking, a man,--at any rate a +gentleman,--should be tall, dark, grave, and given to silence rather +than to much talk. This Jack chattered about everything, and hardly +opened his mouth without speaking slang. About half-past three, when +they had been chattering in the drawing-room for an hour, after having +chattered over their lunch for a previous hour, Mrs. Houghton made a +most alarming proposition. "Let us all go to Berkeley Square and play +bagatelle." + +"By all means," said Jack. "Lady George, you owe me two new hats +already." + +Playing bagatelle for new hats! Lady Susanna felt that if ever there +could come a time in which interference would be necessary that time +had come now. She had resolved that she would be patient; that she +should not come down as an offended deity upon Lady George, unless +some sufficient crisis should justify such action. But now surely, if +ever, she must interpose. Playing at bagatelle with Jack De Baron for +new hats, and she with the prospect before her of being Marchioness of +Brotherton! "It's only one," said Lady George gaily, "and I daresay +I'll win that back to-day. Will you come, Susanna?" + +"Certainly not," said Lady Susanna, very grimly. They all looked at +her, and Jack De Baron raised his eyebrows, and sat for a moment +motionless. Lady Susanna knew that Jack De Baron was intending to +ridicule her. Then she remembered that should this perverse young woman +insist upon going to Mrs. Houghton's house with so objectionable a +companion, her duty to her brother demanded that she also should go. "I +mean," said Lady Susanna, "that I had rather not go." + +"Why not?" asked Mary. + +"I do not think that playing bagatelle for new hats is--is--the best +employment in the world either for a lady or for a gentleman." The +words were hardly out of her mouth before she herself felt that they +were overstrained and more than even this occasion demanded. + +"Then we will only play for gloves," said Mary. Mary was not a woman to +bear with impunity such an assault as had been made on her. + +"Perhaps you will not mind giving it up till George comes back," said +Lord George's sister. + +"I shall mind very much. I will go up and get ready. You can do as you +please." So Mary left the room, and Lady Susanna followed her. + +"She means to have her own way," said Jack, when he was alone with his +cousin. + +"She is not at all what I took her to be," said Mrs. Houghton. "The +fact is, one cannot know what a girl is as long as a girl is a girl. It +is only when she's married that she begins to speak out." Jack hardly +agreed with this, thinking that some girls he had known had learned to +speak out before they were married. + +They all went out together to walk across the parks to Berkeley Square, +orders being left that the brougham should follow them later in the +afternoon. Lady Susanna had at last resolved that she also would go. +The very fact of her entering Mrs. Houghton's house was disagreeable to +her; but she felt that duty called her. And, after all, when they got +to Berkeley Square no bagatelle was played at all. But the bagatelle +would almost have been better than what occurred. A small parcel was +lying on the table which was found to contain a pack of pictured cards +made for the telling of fortunes, and which some acquaintance had sent +to Mrs. Houghton. With these they began telling each other's fortunes, +and it seemed to Lady Susanna that they were all as free with lovers +and sweethearts as though the two ladies had been housemaids instead +of being the wives of steady, well-born husbands. "That's a dark man, +with evil designs, a wicked tongue, and no money," said Mrs. Houghton, +as a combination of cards lay in Lady George's lap. "Jack, the lady +with light hair is only flirting with you. She doesn't care for you one +bit." + +"I daresay not," said Jack. + +"And yet she'll trouble you awfully. Lady Susanna, will you have your +fortune told?" + +"No," said Lady Susanna, very shortly. + +This went on for an hour before the brougham came, during the latter +half of which Lady Susanna sat without once opening her lips. If any +play could have been childish, it was this play; but to her it was +horrible. And then they all sat so near together, and that man was +allowed to put cards into her brother's wife's hand and to take them +out just as though they had been brother and sister, or playfellows all +their days. And then, as they were going down to the brougham, the +odious man got Lady George aside and whispered to her for two minutes. +Lady Susanna did not hear a word of their whispers, but knew that they +were devilish. And so she would have thought if she had heard them. +"You're going to catch it, Lady George," Jack had said. "There's +somebody else will catch something if she makes herself disagreeable," +Lady George had answered. "I wish I could be invisible and hear it," +had been Jack's last words. + +"My dear Mary," said Lady Susanna, as soon as they were seated, "you +are very young." + +"That's a fault that will mend of itself." + +"Too quickly, as you will soon find; but in the meantime, as you are a +married woman, should you not be careful to guard against the +indiscretions of youth?" + +"Well, yes; I suppose I ought," said Mary, after a moment of mock +consideration. "But then if I were unmarried I ought to do just the +same. It's a kind of thing that is a matter of course without talking +about it." She had firmly made up her mind that she would submit in no +degree to Lady Susanna, and take from her no scolding. Indeed, she had +come to a firm resolve long since that she would be scolded by no one +but her husband--and by him as little as possible. Now she was angry +with him because he had sent this woman to watch her, and was +determined that he should know that, though she would submit to him, +she would not submit to his sister. The moment for asserting herself +had now come. + +"A young married woman," said the duenna, "owes it to her husband to be +peculiarly careful. She has his happiness and his honour in her hands." + +"And he has hers. It seems to me that all these things are matters of +course." + +"They should be, certainly," said Lady Susanna, hardly knowing how to +go on with her work; a little afraid of her companion, but still very +intent. "But it will sometimes happen that a young person does not +quite know what is right and what is wrong." + +"And sometimes it happens that old people don't know. There was Major +Jones had his wife taken away from him the other day by the Court +because he was always beating her, and he was fifty. I read all about +it in the papers. I think the old people are just as bad as the young." + +Lady Susanna felt that her approaches were being cut off from her, and +that she must rush at once against the citadel if she meant to take it. +"Do you think that playing bagatelle is--nice?" + +"Yes, I do;--very nice." + +"Do you think George would like your playing with Captain De Baron?" + +"Why not with Captain de Baron?" said Mary, turning round upon her +assailant with absolute ferocity. + +"I don't think he would like it. And then that fortune-telling! If you +will believe me, Mary, it was very improper." + +"I will not believe anything of the kind. Improper!--a joke about a lot +of picture-cards!" + +"It was all about love and lovers," said Lady Susanna, not quite +knowing how to express herself, but still sure that she was right. + +"Oh, what a mind you must have, Susanna, to pick wrong out of that! All +about love and lovers! So are books and songs and plays at the theatre. +I suppose you didn't understand that it was intended as a burlesque on +fortune-telling?" + +"And I am quite sure George wouldn't like the kind of slang you were +talking with Captain De Baron at lunch." + +"If George does not like anything he had better tell me so, and not +depute you to do it for him. If he tells me to do anything I shall do +it. If you tell me I shall pay no attention to it whatever. You are +here as my guest, and not as my governess; and I think your +interference very impertinent." This was strong language,--so strong +that Lady Susanna found it impossible to continue the conversation at +that moment. Nothing, indeed, was said between them during the whole +afternoon, or at dinner, or in the evening,--till Lady Susanna had +taken up her candlestick. + +There had been that most clearly declared of all war which is shown by +absolute silence. But Lady Susanna, as she was retiring to rest, +thought it might be wise to make a little effort after peace. She did +not at all mean to go back from what charges she had made. She had no +idea of owning herself to be wrong. But perhaps she could throw a +little oil upon the waters. "Of course," she said, "I should not have +spoken as I have done but for my great love for George and my regard +for you." + +"As far as I am concerned, I think it a mistaken regard," said Mary. +"Of course I shall tell George; but even to him I shall say that I will +not endure any authority but his own." + +"Will you hear me?" + +"No, not on this subject. You have accused me of behaving +improperly--with that man." + +"I do think," began Lady Susanna, not knowing how to pick her words in +this emergency, fearing to be too strong, and at the same time +conscious that weakness would be folly----; "I do think that anything +like--like--like flirting is so very bad!" + +"Susanna," said Lady George, with a start as she heard the odious +words, "as far as I can help it, I will never speak to you again." +There certainly had been no oil thrown upon the waters as yet. + +The next day was passed almost in absolute silence. It was the Friday, +and each of them knew that Lord George would be home on the morrow. The +interval was so short that nothing could be gained by writing to him. +Each had her own story to tell, and each must wait till he should be +there to hear it. Mary with a most distant civility went through her +work of hostess. Lady Susanna made one or two little efforts to subdue +her; but, failing, soon gave up the endeavour. In the afternoon Aunt Ju +called with her niece, but their conversation did not lessen the +breach. Then Lady Susanna went out alone in the brougham; but that had +been arranged beforehand. They ate their dinner in silence, in silence +read their books, and met in silence at the breakfast-table. At three +o'clock Lord George came home, and then Mary, running downstairs, took +him with her into the drawing-room. There was one embrace, and then she +began. "George," she said, "you must never have Susanna here again." + +"Why?" said he. + +"She has insulted me. She has said things so nasty that I cannot repeat +them, even to you. She has accused me to my face--of flirting. I won't +bear it from her. If you said it, it would kill me; but of course you +can say what you please. But she shall not scold me, and tell me that I +am this and that because I am not as solemn as she is, George. Do you +believe that I have ever--flirted?" She was so impetuous that he had +been quite unable to stop her. "Did you mean that she should behave to +me like that?" + +"This is very bad," he said. + +"What is very bad. Is it not bad that she should say such things to me +as that? Are you going to take her part against me?" + +"Dearest Mary, you seem to be excited." + +"Of course I am excited. Would you wish me to have such things as that +said to me, and not to be excited? You are not going to take part +against me?" + +"I have not heard her yet." + +"Will you believe her against me? Will she be able to make you believe +that I have--flirted? If so, then it is all over." + +"What is all over?" + +"Oh, George, why did you marry me, if you cannot trust me?" + +"Who says that I do not trust you? I suppose the truth is you have been +a little--flighty." + +"Been what? I suppose you mean the same thing. I have talked and +laughed, and been amused, if that means being flighty. She thinks it +wicked to laugh, and calls it slang if every word doesn't come out of +the grammar. You had better go and hear her, since you will say nothing +more to me." + +Lord George thought so too; but he stayed for a few moments in the +dining-room, during which he stooped over his wife, who had thrown +herself into an arm-chair, and kissed her. As he did so, she merely +shook her head, but made no response to his caress. Then he slowly +strode away, and went up stairs into the drawing-room. + +What took place there need not be recorded at length. Lady Susanna did +not try to be mischievous. She spoke much of Mary's youth, and +expressed a strong opinion that Captain De Baron was not a fit +companion for her. She was very urgent against the use of slang, and +said almost harder things of Mrs. Houghton than she did of Jack. She +never had meant to imply that Mary had allowed improper attentions from +the gentleman, but that Mary, being young, had not known what +attentions were proper and what improper. To Lady Susanna the whole +matter was so serious that she altogether dropped the personal quarrel. +"Of course, George," she said, "young people do not like to be told; +but it has to be done. And I must say that Mary likes it as little as +any person that I have ever known." + +This multiplicity of troubles falling together on to the poor man's +back almost crushed him. He had returned to town full of that terrible +letter which he had pledged himself to write; but the letter was +already driven out of his head for the time. It was essentially +necessary that he should compose this domestic trouble, and of course +he returned to his wife. Equally of course after a little time she +prevailed. He had to tell her that he was sure that she never flirted. +He had to say that she did not talk slang. He had to protest that the +fortune-telling cards were absolutely innocent. Then she condescended +to say that she would for the present be civil to Susanna, but even +while saying that she protested that she would never again have her +sister-in-law as a guest in the house. "You don't know, George, even +yet, all that she said to me, or in what sort of way she behaved." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE DEAN RETURNS TO TOWN. + + +"Do you mean to say that you have any objection to my being acquainted +with Captain De Baron?" This question Mary asked her husband on the +Monday after his return. On that day Lady Susanna went back to +Brothershire, having somewhat hurried her return in consequence of the +uncomfortable state of things in Minister Court. They had all gone to +church together on the intermediate Sunday, and Lady Susanna had done +her best to conciliate her sister-in-law. But she was ignorant of the +world, and did not know how bitter to a young married woman is such +interference as that of which she had been guilty. She could not +understand the amount of offence which was rankling in Mary's bosom. It +had not consisted only in the words spoken, but her looks in the man's +presence had conveyed the same accusation, so that it could be seen and +understood by the man himself. Mary, with an effort, had gone on with +her play, determined that no one should suppose her to be cowed by her +grand sister-in-law; but through it all she had resolved always to look +upon Lady Susanna as an enemy. She had already abandoned her threat of +not speaking to her own guest; but nothing that Lady Susanna could say, +nothing that Lord George could say, softened her heart in the least. +The woman had told her that she was a flirt, had declared that what she +did and said was improper. The woman had come there as a spy, and the +woman should never be her friend. In these circumstances Lord George +found it impossible not to refer to the unfortunate subject again, and +in doing so caused the above question to be asked. "Do you mean to say +that you have any objection to my being acquainted with Captain De +Baron?" She looked at him with so much eagerness in her eyes as she +spoke that he knew that much at any rate of his present comfort might +depend on the answer which he made. + +He certainly did object to her being acquainted with Jack De Baron. He +did not at all like Jack De Baron. In spite of what he had found +himself obliged to say, in order that she might be comforted on his +first arrival, he did not like slang, and he did not like +fortune-telling cards or bagatelle. His sympathies in these matters +were all with his sister. He did like spending his own time with Mrs. +Houghton, but it was dreadful to him to think that his wife should be +spending hers with Jack De Baron. Nevertheless he could not tell her +so. "No," he said, "I have no particular objection." + +"Of course if you had, I would never see him again. But it would be +very dreadful. He would have to be told that you were--jealous." + +"I am not in the least jealous," said he, angrily. "You should not use +such a word." + +"Certainly I should not have used it, but for the disturbance which +your sister has caused. But after all that she has said, there must be +some understanding. I like Captain De Baron very much, as I dare say +you like other ladies. Why not?" + +"I have never suspected anything." + +"But Susanna did. Of course you don't like all this, George. I don't +like it. I have been so miserable that I have almost cried my eyes out. +But if people will make mischief, what is one to do? The only thing is +not to have the mischief maker any more." + +The worst of this was, to him, that she was so manifestly getting the +better of him! When he had married her, not yet nine months since, she +had been a little girl, altogether in his hands, not pretending to any +self-action, and anxious to be guided in everything by him. His only +fear had been that she might be too slow in learning that +self-assertion which is necessary from a married woman to the world at +large. But now she had made very great progress in the lesson, not only +as regarded the world at large, but as regarded himself also. As for +his family,--the grandeur of his family,--she clearly had no reverence +for that. Lady Susanna, though generally held to be very awful, had +been no more to her than any other Susan. He almost wished that he had +told her that he did object to Jack De Baron. There would have been a +scene, of course; and she, not improbably, might have told her father. +That at present would have been doubly disagreeable, as it was +incumbent upon him to stand well with the Dean, just at this time. +There was this battle to be fought with his brother, and he felt that +he could not fight it without the Dean! + +Having given his sanction to Jack De Baron, he went away to his club to +write his letter. This writing really amounted to no more than copying +the Dean's words, which he had carried in his pocket ever since he had +left the deanery, and the Dean's words were as follows:-- + + "Munster Court, _26th April, 187--_. + + "MY DEAR BROTHERTON,--I am compelled to write to you under very + disagreeable circumstances, and to do so on a subject which I + would willingly avoid if a sense of duty would permit me to be + silent. + + "You will remember that you wrote to me in October last, telling + me that you were about to be married. 'I am to be married to the + Marchesa Luigi,' were your words. Up to that moment we had heard + nothing of the lady or of any arrangement as to a marriage. When I + told you of my own intended marriage a few months before that, you + merely said in answer that you might probably soon want the house + at Manor Cross yourself. It now seems that when you told us of + your intended marriage you had already been married over two + years, and that when I told you of mine you had a son over twelve + months old,--a fact which I might certainly expect that you would + communicate to me at such a time. + + "I beg to assure you that I am now urged to write by no suspicions + of my own; but I know that if things are left to go on as they are + now, suspicions will arise at a future time. I write altogether in + the interests of your son and heir; and for his sake I beseech you + to put at once into the hands of your own lawyer absolute evidence + of the date of your marriage, of its legality, and of the birth of + your son. It will also be expedient that my lawyer shall see the + evidence in your lawyer's hands. If you were to die as matters are + now it would be imperative on me to take steps which would seem to + be hostile to Popenjoy's interest. I think you must yourself feel + that this would be so. And yet nothing would be further from my + wish. If we were both to die, the difficulty would be still + greater, as in that case proceedings would have to be taken by + more distant members of the family. + + "I trust you will believe me when I say that my only object is to + have the matter satisfactorily settled. + + "Your affectionate brother, + + "GEORGE GERMAIN." + +When the Marquis received this letter he was not in the least +astonished by it. Lord George had told his sister Sarah that it was to +be written, and had even discussed with her the Dean's words. Lady +Sarah had thought that as the Dean was a sagacious man, his exact words +had better be used. And then Lady Amelia had been told, Lady Amelia +having asked various questions on the subject. Lady Amelia had of +course known that her brother would discuss the matter with the Dean, +and had begged that she might not be treated as a stranger. Everything +had not been told to Lady Amelia, nor had Lady Amelia told all that she +had heard to her mother. But the Marchioness had known enough, and had +communicated enough to her son to save him from any great astonishment +when he got his brother's letter. Of course he had known that some +steps would be taken. + +He answered the letter at once. + + "MY DEAR BROTHER," he said,--"I don't think it necessary to let + you know the reasons which induced me to keep my marriage private + awhile. You rush at conclusions very fast in thinking that because + a marriage is private, therefore it is illegal. I am glad that you + have no suspicions of your own, and beg to assure you I don't care + whether you have or not. Whenever you or anybody else may want to + try the case, you or he or they will find that I have taken care + that there is plenty of evidence. I didn't know that you had a + lawyer. I only hope he won't run you into much expense in finding + a mare's nest. + + "Yours truly, + + "B." + +This was not in itself satisfactory; but such as it was, it did for a +time make Lord George believe that Popenjoy was Popenjoy. It was +certainly true of him that he wished Popenjoy to be Popenjoy. No +personal longing for the title or property made him in his heart +disloyal to his brother or his family. And then the trouble and expense +and anxieties of such a contest were so terrible to his imagination, +that he rejoiced when he thought that they might be avoided. But there +was the Dean. The Dean must be satisfied as well as he, and he felt +that the Dean would not be satisfied. According to agreement he sent a +copy of his brother's letter down to the Dean, and added the assurance +of his own belief that the marriage had been a marriage, that the heir +was an heir, and that further steps would be useless. It need hardly be +said that the Dean was not satisfied. Before dinner on the following +day the Dean was in Minister Court. "Oh, papa," exclaimed Mary, "I am +so glad to see you." Could it be anything about Captain De Baron that +had brought him up? If so, of course she would tell him everything. +"What brought you up so suddenly? Why didn't you write? George is at +the club, I suppose." George was really in Berkeley Square at that +moment. "Oh, yes; he will be home to dinner. Is there anything wrong at +Manor Cross, papa?" Her father was so pleasant in his manner to her, +that she perceived at once that he had not come up in reference to +Captain De Baron. No complaint of her behaviour on that score had as +yet reached him. "Where's your portmanteau, papa?" + +"I've got a bed at the hotel in Suffolk Street. I shall only be here +one night, or at the most two; and as I had to come suddenly I wouldn't +trouble you." + +"Oh, papa, that's very bad of you." + +This she said with that genuine tone which begets confidence. The Dean +was very anxious that his daughter should in truth be fond of his +company. In the game which he intended to play her co-operation and her +influence over her husband would be very necessary to him. She must be +a Lovelace rather than a Germain till she should blaze forth as the +presiding genius of the Germain family. That Lord George should become +tired of him and a little afraid of him he knew could not be avoided; +but to her he must, if possible, be a pleasant genius, never +accompanied in her mind by ideas of parental severity or clerical +heaviness. "I should weary you out if I came too often and came so +suddenly," he said, laughing. + +"But what has brought you, papa?" + +"The Marquis, my dear, who, it seems to me, will, for some time to +come, have a considerable influence on my doings." + +"The Marquis!" + +He had made up his mind that she should know everything. If her husband +did not tell her, he would. "Yes, the Marquis. Perhaps I ought to say +the Marchioness, only that I am unwilling to give that title to a lady +who I think very probably has no right to it." + +"Is all that coming up already?" + +"The longer it is postponed the greater will be the trouble to all +parties. It cannot be endured that a man in his position should tell us +that his son is legitimate when that son was born more than a year +before he had declared himself about to marry, and that he should then +refuse to furnish us with any evidence." + +"Have you asked him?" Mary, as she made the suggestion, was herself +horror-stricken at the awfulness of the occasion. + +"George has asked him." + +"And what has the Marquis done?" + +"Sent him back a jeering reply. He has a way of jeering which he thinks +will carry everything before it. When I called upon him he jeered at +me. But he'll have to learn that he cannot jeer you out of your +rights." + +"I wish you would not think about my rights, papa." + +"Your rights will probably be the rights of some one else." + +"I know, papa; but still----" + +"It has to be done, and George quite agrees with me. The letter which +he did write to his brother was arranged between us. Lady Sarah is +quite of the same accord, and Lady Susanna----" + +"Oh, papa, I do so hate Susanna." This she said with all her eloquence. + +"I daresay she can make herself unpleasant." + +"I have told George that she shall not come here again as a guest." + +"What did she do?" + +"I cannot bring myself to tell you what it was that she said. I told +George, of course. She is a nasty evil-minded creature--suspecting +everything." + +"I hope there has been nothing disagreeable." + +"It was very disagreeable, indeed, while George was away. Of course I +did not care so much when he came back." The Dean, who had been almost +frightened, was reassured when he learned that there had been no +quarrel between the husband and wife. Soon afterwards Lord George came +in and was astonished to find that his letter had brought up the Dean +so quickly. No discussion took place till after dinner, but then the +Dean was very perspicuous, and at the same time very authoritative. It +was in vain that Lord George asked what they could do, and declared +that the evil troubles which must probably arise would all rest on his +brother's head. "But we must prevent such troubles, let them rest where +they will," said the Dean. + +"I don't see what we can do." + +"Nor do I, because we are not lawyers. A lawyer will tell us at once. +It will probably be our duty to send a commissioner out to Italy to +make enquiry." + +"I shouldn't like to do that about my brother." + +"Of course your brother should be told; or rather everything should be +told to your brother's lawyer, so that he might be advised what steps +he ought to take. We would do nothing secretly--nothing of which any +one could say that we ought to be ashamed." The Dean proposed that they +should both go to his attorney, Mr. Battle, on the following day; but +this step seemed to Lord George to be such an absolute declaration of +war that he begged for another day's delay; and it was at last arranged +that he himself should on that intervening day call on Mr. Stokes, the +Germain family lawyer. The Marquis, with one of his jeers, had told his +brother that, being a younger brother, he was not entitled to have a +lawyer. But in truth Lord George had had very much more to do with Mr. +Stokes than the Marquis. All the concerns of the family had been +managed by Mr. Stokes. The Marquis probably meant to insinuate that the +family bill, which was made out perhaps once every three years, was +charged against his account. Lord George did call on Mr. Stokes, and +found Mr. Stokes very little disposed to give him any opinion. Mr. +Stokes was an honest man who disliked trouble of this kind. He freely +admitted that there was ground for enquiry, but did not think that he +himself was the man who ought to make it. He would certainly +communicate with the Marquis, should Lord George think it expedient to +employ any other lawyer, and should that lawyer apply to him. In the +meantime he thought that immediate enquiry would be a little +precipitate. The Marquis might probably himself take steps to put the +matter on a proper footing. He was civil, gracious, almost subservient; +but he had no comfort to give and no advice to offer, and, like all +attorneys, he was in favour of delay. "Of course, Lord George, you must +remember that I am your brother's lawyer, and may in this matter be +called upon to act as his confidential adviser." All this Lord George +repeated that evening to the Dean, and the Dean merely said that it had +been a matter of course. + +Early on the next morning the Dean and Lord George went together to Mr. +Battle's chambers. Lord George felt that he was being driven by his +father-in-law; but he felt also that he could not help himself. Mr. +Battle, who had chambers in Lincoln's Inn, was a very different man +from Mr. Stokes, who carried on his business in a private house at the +West End, who prepared wills and marriage settlements for gentlefolk, +and who had, in fact, very little to do with law. Mr. Battle was an +enterprising man with whom the Dean's first acquaintance had arisen +through the Tallowaxes and the stable interests,--a very clever man, +and perhaps a little sharp. But an attorney ought to be sharp, and it +is not to be understood that Mr. Battle descended to sharp practise. +But he was a solicitor with whom the old-fashioned Mr. Stokes's would +not find themselves in accord. He was a handsome burly man, nearly +sixty years of age, with grey hair and clean shorn face, with bright +green eyes, and a well-formed nose and mouth,--a prepossessing man, +till something restless about the eyes would at last catch the +attention and a little change the judgment. + +The Dean told him the whole story, and during the telling he sat +looking very pleasant, with a smile on his face, rubbing his two hands +together. All the points were made. The letter of the Marquis, in which +he told his brother that he was to be married, was shown to him. The +concealment of the birth of the boy till the father had made up his +mind to come home was urged. The absurdity of his behaviour since he +had been at home was described. The singularity of his conduct in +allowing none of his family to become acquainted with his wife was +pointed out. This was done by the Dean rather than by Lord George, and +Lord George, as he heard it all, almost regarded the Dean as his enemy. +At last he burst out in his own defence. "Of course you will +understand, Mr. Battle, that our only object is to have the thing +proved, so that hereafter there may be no trouble." + +"Just so, my Lord." + +"We do not want to oppose my brother, or to injure his child." + +"We want to get at the truth," said the Dean. + +"Just so." + +"Where there is concealment there must be suspicion," urged the Dean. + +"No doubt." + +"But everything must be done quite openly," said Lord George. "I would +not have a step taken without the knowledge of Mr. Stokes. If Mr. +Stokes would do it himself on my brother's behalf it would be so much +the better." + +"That is hardly probable," said the Dean. + +"Not at all probable," said Mr. Battle. + +"I couldn't be a party to an adverse suit," said Lord George. + +"There is no ground for any suit at all," said the lawyer. "We cannot +bring an action against the Marquis because he chooses to call the lady +he lives with a Marchioness, or because he calls an infant Lord +Popenjoy. Your brother's conduct may be ill-judged. From what you tell +me, I think it is. But it is not criminal." + +"Then nothing need be done," said Lord George. + +"A great deal may be done. Enquiry may be made now which might +hereafter be impossible." Then he begged that he might have a week to +consider the matter, and requested that the two gentlemen would call +upon him again. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +THE BARONESS BANMANN AGAIN. + + +A day or two after the meeting at Mr. Battle's office there came to +Lord George a letter from that gentleman suggesting that, as the Dean +had undertaken to come up to London again, and as he, Mr. Battle, might +not be ready with his advice at the end of a week, that day fortnight +might be fixed. To Lord George this delay was agreeable rather than +otherwise, as he was not specially anxious for the return of his +father-in-law, nor was he longing for action in this question as to his +brother's heir. But the Dean, when the lawyer's letter reached him, was +certain that Mr. Battle did not mean to lose the time simply in +thinking over the matter. Some preliminary enquiry would now be made, +even though no positive instructions had been given. He did not at all +regret this, but was sure that Lord George would be very angry if he +knew it. He wrote back to say that he would be in Munster Court on the +evening before the day appointed. + +It was now May, and London was bright with all the exotic gaiety of the +season. The park was crowded with riders at one, and was almost +impassable at six. Dress was outvying dress, and equipage equipage. Men +and women, but principally women, seemed to be intent on finding out +new ways of scattering money. Tradesmen no doubt knew much of +defaulters, and heads of families might find themselves pressed for +means; but to the outside west-end eye looking at the outside west-end +world it seemed as though wealth was unlimited and money a drug. To +those who had known the thing for years, to young ladies who were now +entering on their seventh or eighth campaign, there was a feeling of +business about it all which, though it buoyed them up by its +excitement, robbed amusement of most of its pleasure. A ball cannot be +very agreeable in which you may not dance with the man you like and are +not asked by the man you want; at which you are forced to make a note +that that full-blown hope is futile, and that this little bud will +surely never come to flower. And then the toil of smiles, the pretence +at flirtation, the long-continued assumption of fictitious character, +the making of oneself bright to the bright, solemn to the solemn, and +romantic to the romantic, is work too hard for enjoyment. But our +heroine had no such work to do. She was very much admired and could +thoroughly enjoy the admiration. She had no task to perform. She was +not carrying out her profession by midnight labours. Who shall say +whether now and again a soft impalpable regret,--a regret not +recognised as such,--may not have stolen across her mind, telling her +that if she had seen all this before she was married instead of +afterwards, she might have found a brighter lot for herself? If it were +so, the only enduring effect of such a feeling was a renewal of that +oft-made resolution that she would be in love with her husband. The +ladies whom she knew had generally their carriages and riding horses. +She had only a brougham, and had that kept for her by the generosity of +her father. The Dean, when coming to town, had brought with him the +horse which she used to ride, and wished that it should remain. But +Lord George, with a husband's solicitude, and perhaps with something of +a poor man's proper dislike to expensive habits, had refused his +permission. She soon, too, learned to know the true sheen of diamonds, +the luxury of pearls, and the richness of rubies; whereas she herself +wore only the little ornaments which had come from the deanery. And as +she danced in spacious rooms and dined in noble halls, and was fêted on +grand staircases, she remembered what a little place was the little +house in Munster Court, and that she was to stay there only for a few +weeks more before she was taken to the heavy dulness of Cross Hall. But +still she always came back to that old resolution. She was so +flattered, so courted, so petted and made much of, that she could not +but feel that had all this world been opened to her sooner her destiny +would probably have been different;--but then it might have been +different, and very much less happy. She still told herself that she +was sure that Lord George was all that he ought to be. + +Two or three things did tease her certainly. She was very fond of +balls, but she soon found that Lord George disliked them as much, and +when present was always anxious to get home. She was a married woman, +and it was open to her to go alone; but that she did not like, nor +would he allow it. Sometimes she joined herself to other parties. Mrs. +Houghton was always ready to be her companion, and old Mrs. Montacute +Jones, who went everywhere, had taken a great liking to her. But there +were two antagonistic forces, her husband and herself, and of course +she had to yield to the stronger force. The thing might be managed +occasionally,--and the occasion was no doubt much the pleasanter +because it had to be so managed,--but there was always the feeling that +these bright glimpses of Paradise, these entrances into Elysium, were +not free to her as to other ladies. And then one day, or rather one +night, there came a great sorrow,--a sorrow which robbed these +terrestrial Paradises of half their brightness and more than half their +joy. One evening he told her that he did not like her to waltz. "Why?" +she innocently asked. They were in the brougham, going home, and she +had been supremely happy at Mrs. Montacute Jones's house. Lord George +said that he could hardly explain the reason. He made rather a long +speech, in which he asked her whether she was not aware that many +married women did not waltz. "No," said she. "That is, of course, when +they get old they don't." "I am sure," said he, "that when I say I do +not like it, that will be enough." "Quite enough," she answered, "to +prevent my doing it, though not enough to satisfy me why it should not +be done." He said no more to her on the occasion, and so the matter was +considered to be settled. Then she remembered that her very last waltz +had been with Jack De Baron. Could it be that he was jealous? She was +well aware that she took great delight in waltzing with Captain De +Baron because he waltzed so well. But now that pleasure was over, and +for ever! Was it that her husband disliked waltzing, or that he +disliked Jack De Baron? + +A few days after this Lady George was surprised by a visit from the +Baroness Banmann, the lady whom she had been taken to hear at the +Disabilities. Since that memorable evening she had seen Aunt Ju more +than once, and had asked how the cause of the female architects was +progressing; but she had never again met the Baroness. Aunt Ju had +apparently been disturbed by these questions. She had made no further +effort to make Lady George a proselyte by renewed attendances at the +Rights of Women Institute, and had seemed almost anxious to avoid the +subject. As Lady George's acquaintance with the Baroness had been owing +altogether to Aunt Ju she was now surprised that the German lady should +call upon her. + +The German lady began a story with great impetuosity,--with so much +impetuosity that poor Mary could not understand half that was said to +her. But she did learn that the Baroness had in her own estimation been +very ill-treated, and that the ill-treatment had come mainly from the +hands of Aunt Ju and Lady Selina Protest. And it appeared at length +that the Baroness claimed to have been brought over from Bavaria with a +promise that she should have the exclusive privilege of using the hall +of the Disabilities on certain evenings, but that this privilege was +now denied to her. The Disabilities seemed to prefer her younger rival, +Miss Doctor Olivia Q. Fleabody, whom Mary now learned to be a person of +no good repute whatever, and by no means fit to address the masses of +Marylebone. But what did the Baroness want of her? What with the female +lecturer's lack of English pronunciation, what with her impetuosity, +and with Mary's own innocence on the matter, it was some time before +the younger lady did understand what the elder lady required. At last +eight tickets were brought out of her pocket, on looking at which Mary +began to understand that the Baroness had established a rival +Disabilities, very near the other, in Lisson Grove; and then at last, +but very gradually, she further understood that these were front-row +tickets, and were supposed to be worth 2_s._ 6_d._ each. But it was not +till after that, till further explanation had been made which must, she +feared, have been very painful to the Baroness, that she began to +perceive that she was expected to pay for the eight tickets on the +moment. She had a sovereign in her pocket, and was quite willing to +sacrifice it; but she hardly knew how to hand the coin bodily to a +Baroness. When she did do so, the Baroness very well knew how to put it +into her pocket. "You vill like to keep the entire eight?" asked the +Baroness. Mary thought that four might perhaps suffice for her own +wants;--whereupon the Baroness re-pocketed four, but of course did not +return the change. + +But even then the Baroness had not completed her task. Aunt Ju had +evidently been false and treacherous, but might still be won back to +loyal honesty. So much Mary gradually perceived to be the drift of the +lady's mind. Lady Selina was hopeless. Lady Selina, whom the Baroness +intended to drag before all the judges in England, would do nothing +fair or honest; but Aunt Ju might yet be won. Would Lady George go with +the Baroness to Aunt Ju? The servant had unfortunately just announced +the brougham as being at the door. "Ah," said the Baroness, "it vould +be ten minutes, and vould be my salvation." Lady George did not at all +want to go to the house in Green Street. She had no great desire to +push her acquaintance with Aunt Ju, she particularly disliked the +younger Miss Mildmay, and she felt that she had no business to +interfere in this matter. But there is nothing which requires so much +experience to attain as the power of refusing. Almost before she had +made up her mind whether she would refuse or not the Baroness was in +the brougham with her, and the coachman had been desired to take them +to Green Street. Throughout the whole distance the Baroness was voluble +and unintelligible; but Lady George could hear the names of Selina +Protest and Olivia Q. Fleabody through the thunder of the lady's loud +complaints. + +Yes, Miss Mildmay was at home. Lady George gave her name to the +servant, and also especially requested that the Baroness Banmann might +be first announced. She had thought it over in the brougham, and had +determined that if possible it should appear that the Baroness had +brought her. Twice she repeated the name to the servant. When they +reached the drawing-room only the younger Miss Mildmay was present. She +sent the servant to her aunt, and received her two visitors very +demurely. With the Baroness, of whom probably she had heard quite +enough, she had no sympathies; and with Lady George she had her own +special ground of quarrel. Five or six very long minutes passed during +which little or nothing was said. The Baroness did not wish to expend +her eloquence on an unprofitable young lady, and Lady George could find +no subject for small talk. At last the door was opened and the servant +invited the Baroness to go downstairs. The Baroness had perhaps been +unfortunate, for at this very time Lady Selina Protest was down in the +dining-room discussing the affairs of the Institute with Aunt Ju. There +was a little difficulty in making the lady understand what was required +of her, but after a while she did follow the servant down to the +dining-room. + +Lady George, as soon as the door was closed, felt that the blood +rushed to her face. She was conscious at the moment that Captain De +Baron had been this girl's lover, and that there were some who said +that it was because of her that he had deserted the girl. The girl had +already said words to her on the subject which had been very hard to +bear. She had constantly told herself that in this matter she was quite +innocent,--that her friendship with Jack was simple, pure friendship, +that she liked him because he laughed and talked and treated the world +lightly; that she rarely saw him except in the presence of his cousin, +and that everything was as it ought to be. And yet, when she found +herself alone with this Miss Mildmay, she was suffused with blushes and +uneasy. She felt that she ought to make some excuse for her visit. "I +hope," she said, "that your aunt will understand that I brought the +lady here only because she insisted on being brought." Miss Mildmay +bowed. "She came to me, and I really couldn't quite understand what she +had to say. But the brougham was there, and she would get into it. I am +afraid there has been some quarrel." + +"I don't think that matters at all," said Miss Mildmay. + +"Only your aunt might think it so impertinent of me! She took me to +that Institute once, you know." + +"I don't know anything about the Institute. As for the German woman, +she is an impostor; but it doesn't matter. There are three of them +there now, and they can have it out together." Lady George didn't +understand whether her companion meant to blame her for coming, but was +quite sure, from the tone of the girl's voice and the look of her eyes, +that she meant to be uncivil. "I am surprised," continued Miss Mildmay, +"that you should come to this house at all." + +"I hope your aunt will not think----" + +"Never mind my aunt. The house is more my house than my aunt's. After +what you have done to me----" + +"What have I done to you?" She could not help asking the question, and +yet she well knew the nature of the accusation. And she could not stop +the rushing of the tell-tale blood. + +Augusta Mildmay was blushing too, but the blush on her face consisted +in two red spots beneath the eyes. The determination to say what she +was going to say had come upon her suddenly. She had not thought that +she was about to meet her rival. She had planned nothing; but now she +was determined. "What have you done?" she said. "You know very well +what you have done. Do you mean to tell me that you had never heard of +anything between me and Captain De Baron? Will you dare to tell me +that? Why don't you answer me, Lady George Germain?" + +This was a question which she did not wish to answer, and one that did +not at all appertain to herself--which did not require any answer for +the clearing of herself; but yet it was now asked in such a manner +that she could not save herself from answering it. "I think I did hear +that you and he--knew each other." + +"Knew each other! Don't be so mealy-mouthed. I don't mean to be +mealy-mouthed, I can tell you. You knew all about it. Adelaide had told +you. You knew that we were engaged." + +"No," exclaimed Lady George; "she never told me that." + +"She did. I know she did. She confessed to me that she had told you +so." + +"But what if she had?" + +"Of course he is nothing to you," said the young lady with a sneer. + +"Nothing at all;--nothing on earth. How dare you ask such a question? +If Captain De Baron is engaged, I can't make him keep his engagements." + +"You can make him break them." + +"That is not true. I can make him do nothing of the kind. You have no +right to talk to me in this way, Miss Mildmay." + +"Then I shall do it without a right. You have come between me and all +my happiness." + +"You cannot know that I am a married woman," said Lady George, speaking +half in innocence and half in anger, almost out of breath with +confusion, "or you wouldn't speak like that." + +"Psha!" exclaimed Miss Mildmay. "It is nothing to me whether you are +married or single. I care nothing though you have twenty lovers if you +do not interfere with me." + +"It is a falsehood," said Lady George, who was now standing. "I have no +lover. It is a wicked falsehood." + +"I care nothing for wickedness or falseness either. Will you promise me +if I hold my tongue that you will have nothing further to say to +Captain De Baron?" + +"No; I will promise nothing. I should be ashamed of myself to make such +a promise." + +"Then I shall go to Lord George. I do not want to make mischief, but I +am not going to be treated in this way. How would you like it? When I +tell you that the man is engaged to me why cannot you leave him alone?" + +"I do leave him alone," said Mary, stamping her foot. + +"You do everything you can to cheat me of him. I shall tell Lord +George." + +"You may tell whom you like," said Mary, rushing to the bell-handle and +pulling it with all her might. "You have insulted me, and I will never +speak to you again." Then she burst out crying, and hurried to the +door. "Will you--get me--my--carriage?" she said to the man through her +sobs. As she descended the stairs she remembered that she had brought +the German baroness with her, and that the German baroness would +probably expect to be taken away again. But when she reached the hall +the door of the dining-room burst open, and the German baroness +appeared. It was evident that two scenes had been going on in the same +house at the same moment. Through the door the Baroness came first, +waving her hands above her head. Behind her was Aunt Ju, advancing with +imploring gesture. And behind Aunt Ju might be seen Lady Selina Protest +standing in mute dignity. "It is all a got up cheating and a fraud," +said the Baroness: "and I vill have justice,--English justice." The +servant was standing with the front door open, and the Baroness went +straight into Lady George's brougham, as though it had been her own. +"Oh, Lady George," said Aunt Ju, "what are you to do with her?" But +Lady George was so taken up with her own trouble that she could hardly +think of the other matter. She had to say something. "Perhaps I had +better go with her. Good-bye." And then she followed the Baroness. "I +did not tink dere was such robbery with ladies," said the Baroness. But +the footman was asking for directions for the coachman. Whither was he +to go? "I do not care," said the Baroness. Lady George asked her in a +whisper whether she would be taken home. "Anywhere," said the Baroness. +In the meantime the footman was still standing, and Aunt Ju could be +seen in the hall through the open door of the house. During the whole +time our poor Mary's heart was crushed by the accusations which had +been made against her upstairs. "Home," said Mary in despair. To have +the Baroness in Munster Court would be dreadful; but anything was +better than standing in Green Street with the servant at the carriage +window. + +Then the Baroness began her story. Lady Selina Protest had utterly +refused to do her justice, and Aunt Ju was weak enough to be domineered +by Lady Selina. That, as far as Mary understood anything about it, was +the gist of the story. But she did not try to understand anything about +it. During the drive her mind was intent on forming some plan by which +she might be able to get rid of her companion without asking her into +her house. She had paid her sovereign, and surely the Baroness had no +right to demand more of her. When she reached Munster Court her plan +was in some sort framed. "And now, madam," she said, "where shall I +tell my servant to take you?" The Baroness looked very suppliant. "If +you vas not busy I should so like just one half-hour of conversation." +Mary nearly yielded. For a moment she hesitated as though she were +going to put up her hand and help the lady out. But then the memory of +her own unhappiness steeled her heart, and the feeling grew strong +within her that this nasty woman was imposing on her,--and she refused. +"I am afraid, madam," she said, "that my time is altogether occupied." +"Then let him take me to 10, Alexandrina Row, Maida Vale," said the +Baroness, throwing herself sulkily back into the carriage. Lady George +gave the direction to the astounded coachman,--for Maida Vale was a +long way off,--and succeeded in reaching her own drawing-room alone. + +What was she to do? The only course in which there seemed to be safety +was in telling all to her husband. If she did not, it would probably be +told by the cruel lips of that odious woman. But yet, how was she to +tell it? It was not as though everything in this matter was quite +pleasant between her and him. Lady Susanna had accused her of flirting +with the man, and that she had told to him. And in her heart of hearts +she believed that the waltzing had been stopped because she had waltzed +with Jack De Baron. Nothing could be more unjust, nothing more cruel; +but still there were the facts. And then the sympathy between her and +her husband was so imperfect. She was ever trying to be in love with +him, but had never yet succeeded in telling even herself that she had +succeeded. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +"WHAT MATTER IF SHE DOES?" + + +About noon on the day after the occurrences related in the last chapter +Lady George owned to herself that she was a most unfortunate young +woman. Her husband had gone out, and she had not as yet told him +anything of what that odious Augusta Mildmay had said to her. She had +made various little attempts but had not known how to go on with them. +She had begun by giving him her history of the Baroness, and he had +scolded her for giving the woman a sovereign and for taking the woman +about London in her carriage. It is very difficult to ask in a fitting +way for the sympathies and co-operation of one who is scolding you. And +Mary in this matter wanted almost more than sympathy and co-operation. +Nothing short of the fullest manifestation of affectionate confidence +would suffice to comfort her; and, desiring this, she had been afraid +to mention Captain De Baron's name. She thought of the waltzing, +thought of Susanna, and was cowardly. So the time slipped away from +her, and when he left her on the following morning her story had not +been told. He was no sooner gone than she felt that if it were to be +told at all it should have been told at once. + +Was it possible that that venomous girl should really go to her husband +with such a complaint? She knew well enough, or at any rate thought +that she knew, that there had never been an engagement between the girl +and Jack De Baron. She had heard it all over and over again from +Adelaide Houghton, and had even herself been present at some joke on +the subject between Adelaide and Jack. There was an idea that Jack was +being pursued, and Mrs. Houghton had not scrupled to speak of it before +him. Mary had not admired her friend's taste, and had on such +occasions thought well of Jack because he had simply disowned any +consciousness of such a state of things. But all this had made Mary +sure that there was not and that there never had been any engagement; +and yet the wretched woman, in her futile and frantic endeavours to +force the man to marry her, was not ashamed to make so gross an attack +as this! + +If it hadn't been for Lady Susanna and those wretched fortune-telling +cards, and that one last waltz, there would be nothing in it; but as it +was, there might be so much! She had begun to fear that her husband's +mind was suspicious,--that he was prone to believe that things were +going badly. Before her marriage, when she had in truth known him not +at all, her father had given her some counsels in his light airy way, +which, however, had sunk deep into her mind and which she had +endeavoured to follow to the letter. He had said not a word to her as +to her conduct to other men. It would not be natural that a father +should do so. But he had told her how to behave to her husband. Men, he +had assured her, were to be won by such comforts as he described. A +wife should provide that a man's dinner was such as he liked to eat, +his bed such as he liked to lie on, his clothes arranged as he liked to +wear them, and the household hours fixed to suit his convenience. She +should learn and indulge his habits, should suit herself to him in +external things of life, and could thus win from him a liking and a +reverence which would wear better than the feeling generally called +love, and would at last give the woman her proper influence. The Dean +had meant to teach his child how she was to rule her husband, but of +course had been too wise to speak of dominion. Mary, declaring to +herself that the feeling generally called love should exist as well as +the liking and the reverence, had laboured hard to win it all from her +husband in accordance with her father's teaching; but it had seemed to +her that her labour was wasted. Lord George did not in the least care +what he ate. He evidently had no opinion at all about the bed; and as +to his clothes, seemed to receive no accession of comfort by having one +wife and her maid, instead of three sisters and their maid and old Mrs. +Toff to look after them. He had no habits which she could indulge. She +had looked about for the weak point in his armour, but had not found +it. It seemed to her that she had no influence over him whatever. She +was of course aware that they lived upon her fortune; but she was aware +also that he knew that it was so, and that the consciousness made him +unhappy. She could not, therefore, even endeavour to minister to his +comfort by surrounding him with pretty things. All expenditure was +grievous to him. The only matter in which she had failed to give way to +any expressed wish had been in that important matter of their town +residence; and, as to that, she had in fact had no power of yielding. +It had been of such moment as to have been settled for her by previous +contract. But, she had often thought, whether in her endeavour to force +herself to be in love with him, she would not persistently demand that +Munster Court should be abandoned, and that all the pleasures of her +own life should be sacrificed. + +Now, for a day or two, she heartily wished that she had done so. She +liked her house; she liked her brougham; she liked the gaieties of her +life; and in a certain way she liked Jack De Baron; but they were all +to her as nothing when compared to her duty and her sense of the +obligations which she owed to her husband. Playful and childish as she +was, all this was very serious to her;--perhaps the more serious +because she was playful and childish. She had not experience enough to +know how small some things are, and how few are the evils which cannot +be surmounted. It seemed to her that if Miss Mildmay were at this +moment to bring the horrid charge against her, it might too probably +lead to the crash of ruin and the horrors of despair. And yet, through +it all, she had a proud feeling of her own innocence and a +consciousness that she would speak out very loudly should her husband +hint to her that he believed the accusation. + +Her father would now be in London in a day or two, and on this occasion +would again be staying in Munster Court. At last she made up her mind +that she would tell everything to him. It was not, perhaps, the wisest +resolution to which she could have come. A married woman should not +usually teach herself to lean on her parents instead of her husband, +and certainly not on her father. It is in this way that divided +households are made. But she had no other real friend of whom she could +ask a question. She liked Mrs. Houghton, but, as to such a matter as +this, distrusted her altogether. She liked Miss Houghton, her friend's +aunt, but did not know her well enough for such service as this. She +had neither brother nor sister of her own, and her husband's brothers +and sisters were certainly out of the question. Old Mrs. Montacute +Jones had taken a great fancy to her, and she almost thought that she +could have asked Mrs. Jones for advice; but she had no connection with +Mrs. Jones, and did not dare to do it. Therefore she resolved to tell +everything to her father. + +On the evening before her father came to town there was another ball at +Mrs. Montacute Jones's. This old lady, who had no one belonging to her +but an invisible old husband, was the gayest of the gay among the gay +people of London. On this occasion Mary was to have gone with Lady +Brabazon, who was related to the Germains, and Lord George had arranged +an escape for himself. They were to drive out together, and when she +went to her ball he would go to bed. But in the course of the afternoon +she told him that she was writing to Lady Brabazon to decline. "Why +won't you go?" said he. + +"I don't care about it." + +"If you mean that you won't go without me, of course I will go." + +"It isn't that exactly. Of course it is nicer if you go; though I +wouldn't take you if you don't like it. But----" + +"But what, dear?" + +"I think I'd rather not to-night. I don't know that I am quite strong +enough." Then he didn't say another word to press her,--only begging +that she would not go to the dinner either if she were not well. But +she was quite well, and she did go to the dinner. + +Again she had meant to tell him why she would not go to Mrs. Jones's +ball, but had been unable. Jack De Baron would be there, and would want +to know why she would not waltz. And Adelaide Houghton would tease her +about it, very likely before him. She had always waltzed with him, and +could not now refuse without some reason. So she gave up her ball, +sending word to say that she was not very well. "I shouldn't at all +wonder if he has kept her at home because he's afraid of you," said +Mrs. Houghton to her cousin. + +Late in the following afternoon, before her husband had come home from +his club, she told her father the whole story of her interview with +Miss Mildmay. "What a tiger," he said, when he had heard it. "I have +heard of women like that before, but I have never believed in them." + +"You don't think she will tell him?" + +"What matter if she does? What astonishes me most is that a woman +should be so unwomanly as to fight for a man in such a way as that. It +is the sort of thing that men used to do. 'You must give up your claim +to that lady, or else you must fight me.' Now she comes forward and +says that she will fight you." + +"But, papa, I have no claim." + +"Nor probably has she?" + +"No; I'm sure she has not. But what does that matter? The horrid thing +is that she should say all this to me. I told her that she couldn't +know that I was married." + +"She merely wanted to make herself disagreeable. If one comes across +disagreeable people one has to bear with it. I suppose she was jealous. +She had seen you dancing or perhaps talking with the man." + +"Oh, yes." + +"And in her anger she wanted to fly at some one." + +"It is not her I care about, papa." + +"What then?" + +"If she were to tell George." + +"What if she did? You do not mean to say that he would believe her? You +do not think that he is jealous?" + +She began to perceive that she could not get any available counsel from +her father unless she could tell him everything. She must explain to +him what evil Lady Susanna had already done; how her sister-in-law had +acted as duenna, and had dared to express a suspicion about this very +man. And she must tell him that Lord George had desired her not to +waltz, and had done so, as she believed, because he had seen her +waltzing with Jack De Baron. But all this seemed to her to be +impossible. There was nothing which she would not be glad that he +knew, if only he could be made to know it all truly. But she did not +think that she could tell him what had really happened; and were she to +do so, there would be horrid doubts on his mind. "You do not mean to +say that he is given to that sort of thing?" asked the Dean, again with +a look of anger. + +"Oh no,--at least I hope not. Susanna did try to make mischief." + +"The d---- she did," said the Dean. Mary almost jumped in her chair, +she was so much startled by such a word from her father's mouth. "If +he's fool enough to listen to that old cat, he'll make himself a +miserable and a contemptible man. Did she say anything to him about +this very man?" + +"She said something very unpleasant to me, and of course I told +George." + +"Well?" + +"He was all that was kind. He declared that he had no objection to make +to Captain De Baron at all. I am sure there was no reason why he +should." + +"Tush!" exclaimed the Dean, as though any assurance or even any notice +of the matter in that direction were quite unnecessary. "And there was +an end of that?" + +"I think he is a little inclined to be--to be----" + +"To be what? You had better tell it all out, Mary." + +"Perhaps what you would call strict. He told me not to waltz any more +the other day." + +"He's a fool," said the Dean angrily. + +"Oh no, papa; don't say that. Of course he has a right to think as he +likes, and of course I am bound to do as he says." + +"He has no experience, no knowledge of the world. Perhaps one of the +last things which a man learns is to understand innocence when he sees +it." The word innocence was so pleasant to her that she put out her +hand and touched his knee. "Take no notice of what that angry woman +said to you. Above all, do not drop your acquaintance with this +gentleman. You should be too proud to be influenced in any way by such +scandal." + +"But if she were to speak to George?" + +"She will hardly dare. But if she does, that is no affair of yours. You +can have nothing to do with it till he shall speak to you." + +"You would not tell him?" + +"No; I should not even think about it. She is below your notice. If it +should be the case that she dares to speak to him, and that he should +be weak enough to be moved by what such a creature can say to him, you +will, I am sure, have dignity enough to hold your own with him. Tell +him that you think too much of his honour as well of your own to make +it necessary for him to trouble himself. But he will know that himself, +and if he does speak to you, he will speak only in pity for her." All +this he said slowly and seriously, looking as she had sometimes seen +him look when preaching in the cathedral. And she believed him now as +she always believed him then, and was in a great measure comforted. + +But she could not but be surprised that her father should so absolutely +refuse to entertain the idea that any intimacy between herself and +Captain De Baron should be injurious. It gratified her that it should +be so, but nevertheless she was surprised. She had endeavoured to +examine the question by her own lights, but had failed in answering it. +She knew well enough that she liked the man. She had discovered in him +the realization of those early dreams. His society was in every respect +pleasant to her. He was full of playfulness, and yet always gentle. He +was not very clever, but clever enough. She had made the mistake in +life,--or rather others had made it for her,--of taking herself too +soon from her playthings and devoting herself to the stern reality of a +husband. She understood something of this, and liked to think that she +might amuse herself innocently with such a one as Jack De Baron. She +was sure that she did not love him,--that there was no danger of her +loving him; and she was quite confident also that he did not love her. +But yet,--yet there had been a doubt on her mind. Innocent as it all +was, there might be cause of offence to her husband. It was this +thought that had made her sometimes long to be taken away from London +and be immured amidst the dulness of Cross Hall. But of such dangers +and of such fears her father saw nothing. Her father simply bade her to +maintain her own dignity and have her own way. Perhaps her father was +right. + +On the next day the Dean and his son-in-law went, according to +appointment, to Mr. Battle. Mr. Battle received them with his usual +bland courtesy, and listened attentively to whatever the two gentlemen +had to say. Lawyers who know their business always allow their clients +to run out their stories even when knowing that the words so spoken are +wasted words. It is the quickest way of arriving at their desired +result. Lord George had a good deal to say, because his mind was full +of the conviction that he would not for worlds put an obstacle in the +way of his brother's heir, if he could be made sure that the child was +the heir. He wished for such certainty, and cursed the heavy chance +that had laid so grievous a duty on his shoulders. + +When he had done, Mr. Battle began. "I think, Lord George, that I have +learned most of the particulars." + +Lord George started back in his chair. "What particulars?" said the +Dean. + +"The Marchioness's late husband,--for she doubtless is his Lordship's +wife,--was a lunatic." + +"A lunatic!" said Lord George. + +"We do not quite know when he died, but we believe it was about a month +or two before the date at which his Lordship wrote home to say that he +was about to be married." + +"Then that child cannot be Lord Popenjoy," said the Dean with +exultation. + +"That's going a little too fast, Mr. Dean. There may have been a +divorce." + +"There is no such thing in Roman Catholic countries," said the Dean. +"Certainly not in Italy." + +"I do not quite know," said the lawyer. "Of course we are as yet very +much in the dark. I should not wonder if we found that there had been +two marriages. All this is what we have got to find out. The lady +certainly lived in great intimacy with your brother before her first +husband died." + +"How do you know anything about it?" asked Lord George. + +"I happened to have heard the name of the Marchese Luigi, and I knew +where to apply for information." + +"We did not mean that any inquiry should be made so suddenly," said +Lord George angrily. + +"It was for the best," said the Dean. + +"Certainly for the best," said the unruffled lawyer. "I would now +recommend that I may be commissioned to send out my own confidential +clerk to learn all the circumstances of the case; and that I should +inform Mr. Stokes that I am going to do so, on your instructions, Lord +George." Lord George shivered. "I think we should even offer to give +his Lordship time to send an agent with my clerk if he pleases to do +so, or to send one separately at the same time, or to take any other +step that he may please. It is clearly your duty, my Lord, to have the +inquiry made." + +"Your manifest duty," said the Dean, unable to restrain his triumph. + +Lord George pleaded for delay, and before he left the lawyer's chambers +almost quarrelled with his father-in-law; but before he did leave them +he had given the necessary instructions. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +MR. HOUGHTON WANTS A GLASS OF SHERRY. + + +Lord George, when he got out of the lawyer's office with his +father-in-law, expressed himself as being very angry at what had been +done. While discussing the matter within, in the presence of Mr. +Battle, he had been unable to withstand the united energies of the Dean +and the lawyer, but, nevertheless, even while he had yielded, he had +felt that he was being driven. + +"I don't think he was at all justified in making any inquiry," he said, +as soon as he found himself in the Square. + +"My dear George," replied the Dean, "the quicker this can be done the +better." + +"An agent should only act in accordance with his instructions." + +"Without disputing that, my dear fellow, I cannot but say that I am +glad to have learned so much." + +"And I am very sorry." + +"We both mean the same thing, George." + +"I don't think we do," said Lord George, who was determined to be +angry. + +"You are sorry that it should be so,--and so am I." The triumph which +had sat in the Dean's eye when he heard the news in the lawyer's +chambers almost belied this latter assertion. "But I certainly am glad +to be on the track as soon as possible, if there is a track which it is +our duty to follow." + +"I didn't like that man at all," said Lord George. + +"I neither like him nor dislike him; but I believe him to be honest, +and I know him to be clever. He will find out the truth for us." + +"And when it turns out that Brotherton was legally married to the +woman, what will the world think of me then?" + +"The world will think that you have done your duty. There can be no +question about it, George. Whether it be agreeable or disagreeable, it +must be done. Could you have brought yourself to have thrown the burden +of doing this upon your own child, perhaps some five-and-twenty years +hence, when it may be done so much easier now by yourself." + +"I have no child," said Lord George. + +"But you will have." The Dean, as he said this, could not keep himself +from looking too closely into his son-in-law's face. He was most +anxious for the birth of that grandson who was to be made a Marquis by +his own energies. + +"God knows. Who can say?" + +"At any rate there is that child at Manor Cross. If he be not the +legitimate heir, is it not better for him that the matter should be +settled now than when he may have lived twenty years in expectation of +the title and property?" The Dean said much more than this, urging the +propriety of what had been done, but he did not succeed in quieting +Lord George's mind. + +That same day the Dean told the whole story to his daughter, perhaps in +his eagerness adding something to what he had heard from the lawyer. +"Divorces in Roman Catholic countries," he said, "are quite impossible. +I believe they are never granted, except for State purposes. There may +be some new civil law, but I don't think it; and then, if the man was +an acknowledged lunatic, it must have been impossible." + +"But how could the Marquis be so foolish, papa?" + +"Ah, that is what we do not understand. But it will come out. You may +be sure it will all come out. Why did he come home to England and bring +them with him? And why just at this time? Why did he not communicate +his first marriage; and if not that, why the second? He probably did +not intend at first to put his child forward as Lord Popenjoy, but has +become subsequently bold. The woman, perhaps, has gradually learned the +facts and insisted on making the claim for her child. She may gradually +have become stronger than he. He may have thought that by coming here +and declaring the boy to be his heir, he would put down suspicion by +the very boldness of his assertion. Who can say? But these are the +facts, and they are sufficient to justify us in demanding that +everything shall be brought to light." Then for the first time, he +asked her what immediate hope there was that Lord George might have an +heir. She tried to laugh, then blushed; then wept a tear or two, and +muttered something which he failed to hear. "There is time enough for +all that, Mary," he said, with his pleasantest smile, and then left +her. + +Lord George did not return home till late in the afternoon. He went +first to Mrs. Houghton's house, and told her nearly everything. But he +told it in such a way as to make her understand that his strongest +feeling at the present moment was one of anger against the Dean. + +"Of course, George," she said, for she always called him George +now,--"The Dean will try to have it all his own way." + +"I am almost sorry that I ever mentioned my brother's name to him." + +"She, I suppose, is ambitious," said Mrs. Houghton. 'She,' was intended +to signify Mary. + +"No. To do Mary justice, it is not her fault. I don't think she cares +for it." + +"I dare say she would like to be a Marchioness as well as any one else. +I know I should." + +"You might have been," he said, looking tenderly into her face. + +"I wonder how I should have borne all this. You say that she is +indifferent. I should have been so anxious on your behalf,--to see you +installed in your rights!" + +"I have no rights. There is my brother." + +"Yes; but as the heir. She has none of the feeling about you that I +have, George." Then she put out her hand to him, which he took and +held. "I begin to think that I was wrong. I begin to know that I was +wrong. We could have lived at any rate." + +"It is too late," he said, still holding her hand. + +"Yes,--it is too late. I wonder whether you will ever understand the +sort of struggle which I had to go through, and the feeling of duty +which overcame me at last. Where should we have lived?" + +"At Cross Hall, I suppose." + +"And if there had been children, how should we have brought them up?" +She did not blush as she asked the question, but he did. "And yet I +wish that I had been braver. I think I should have suited you better +than she." + +"She is as good as gold," he said, moved by a certain loyalty which, +though it was not sufficient absolutely to protect her from wrong, was +too strong to endure to hear her reproached. + +"Do not tell me of her goodness," said Mrs. Houghton, jumping up from +her seat. "I do not want to hear of her goodness. Tell me of my +goodness. Does she love you as I do? Does she make you the hero of her +thoughts? She has no idea of any hero. She would think more of Jack De +Baron whirling round the room with her than of your position in the +world, or of his, or even of her own." He winced visibly when he heard +Jack De Baron's name. "You need not be afraid," she continued, "for +though she is, as you say, as good as gold, she knows nothing about +love. She took you when you came because it suited the ambition of the +Dean,--as she would have taken anything else that he provided for her." + +"I believe she loves me," he said, having in his heart of hearts, at +the moment, much more solicitude in regard to his absent wife than to +the woman who was close to his feet and was flattering him to the top +of his bent. + +"And her love, such as it is, is sufficient for you?" + +"She is my wife." + +"Yes; because I allowed it; because I thought it wrong to subject your +future life to the poverty which I should have brought with me. Do you +think there was no sacrifice then?" + +"But, Adelaide;--it is so." + +"Yes, it is so. But what does it all mean? The time is gone by when +men, or women either, were too qualmish and too queasy to admit the +truth even to themselves. Of course you are married, and so am I; but +marriage does not alter the heart. I did not cease to love you because +I would not marry you. You could not cease to love me merely because I +refused you. When I acknowledged to myself that Mr. Houghton's income +was necessary to me, I did not become enamoured of him. Nor I suppose +did you when you found the same as to Miss Lovelace's money." + +Upon this he also jumped up from his seat, and stood before her. "I +will not have even you say that I married my wife for her money." + +"How was it then, George? I am not blaming you for doing what I did as +well as you." + +"I should blame myself. I should feel myself to be degraded." + +"Why so? It seems to me that I am bolder than you. I can look the +cruelties of the world in the face, and declare openly how I will meet +them. I did marry Mr. Houghton for his money, and of course he knew it. +Is it to be supposed that he or any human being could have thought that +I married him for love? I make his house comfortable for him as far as +I can, and am civil to his friends, and look my best at his table. I +hope he is satisfied with his bargain; but I cannot do more. I cannot +wear him in my heart. Nor, George, do I believe that you in your heart +can ever wear Mary Lovelace!" But he did,--only that he thought that he +had space there for two, and that in giving habitation to this second +love he was adding at any rate to the excitements of his life. "Tell +me, George," said the woman, laying her hand upon his breast, "is it +she or I that have a home there?" + +"I will not say that I do not love my wife," he said. + +"No; you are afraid. The formalities of the world are so much more to +you than to me! Sit down, George. Oh, George!" Then she was on her +knees at his feet, hiding her face upon her hands, while his arms were +almost necessarily thrown over her and embracing her. The lady was +convulsed with sobs, and he was thinking how it would be with him and +her should the door be opened and some pair of eyes see them as they +were. But her ears were sharp in spite of her sobs. There was the fall +of a foot on the stairs which she heard long before it reached him, +and, in a moment, she was in her chair. He looked at her, and there was +no trace of a tear. "It's Houghton," she said, putting her finger up to +her mouth with almost a comic gesture. There was a smile in her eyes, +and a little mockery of fear in the trembling of her hand and the +motion of her lips. To him it seemed to be tragic enough. He had to +assume to this gentleman whom he had been injuring a cordial friendly +manner,--and thus to lie to him. He had to make pretences, and at a +moment's notice to feign himself something very different from what he +was. Had the man come a little more quickly, had the husband caught him +with the wife at his knees, nothing could have saved him and his own +wife from utter misery. So he felt it to be, and the feeling almost +overwhelmed him. His heart palpitated with emotion as the wronged +husband's hand was on the door. She, the while, was as thoroughly +composed as a stage heroine. But she had flattered him and pretended to +love him, and it did not occur to him that he ought to be angry with +her. "Who would ever think of seeing you at this time of day?" said +Mrs. Houghton. + +"Well, no; I'm going back to the club in a few minutes. I had to come +up to Piccadilly to have my hair cut!" + +"Your hair cut!" + +"Honour bright! Nothing upsets me so much as having my hair cut. I'm +going to ring for a glass of sherry. By the bye, Lord George, a good +many of them are talking at the club about young Popenjoy." + +"What are they saying?" Lord George felt that he must open his mouth, +but did not wish to talk to this man, and especially did not wish to +talk about his own affairs. + +"Of course I know nothing about it; but surely the way Brotherton has +come back is very odd. I used to be very fond of your brother, you +know. There was nobody her father used to swear by so much as him. But, +by George, I don't know what to make of it now. Nobody has seen the +Marchioness!" + +"I have not seen her," said Lord George; "but she is there all the same +for that." + +"Nobody doubts that she's there. She's there, safe enough. And the boy +is there too. We're all quite sure of that. But you know the Marquis of +Brotherton is somebody." + +"I hope so," said Lord George. + +"And when he brings his wife home people will expect,--will expect to +know something about it;--eh?" All this was said with an intention of +taking Lord George's part in a question which was already becoming one +of interest to the public. It was hinted here and there that there was +"a screw loose" about this young Popenjoy, who had just been brought +from Italy, and that Lord George would have to look to it. Of course +they who were connected with Brothershire were more prone to talk of it +than others, and Mr. Houghton, who had heard and said a good deal about +it, thought that he was only being civil to Lord George in seeming to +take part against the Marquis. + +But Lord George felt it to be matter of offence that any outsider +should venture to talk about his family. "If people would only confine +themselves to subjects with which they are acquainted, it would be very +much better," he said;--and then almost immediately took his leave. + +"That's all regular nonsense, you know," Mr. Houghton said as soon as +he was alone with his wife. "Of course people are talking about it. +Your father says that Brotherton must be mad." + +"That's no reason why you should come and tell Lord George what people +say. You never have any tact." + +"Of course I'm wrong; I always am," said the husband, swallowing his +glass of sherry and then taking his departure. + +Lord George was now in a very uneasy state of mind. He intended to be +cautious,--had intended even to be virtuous and self-denying; and yet, +in spite of his intentions, he had fallen into such a condition of +things with Mr. Houghton's wife, that were the truth to be known, he +would be open to most injurious proceedings. To him the love affair +with another man's wife was more embarrassing even than pleasant. Its +charm did not suffice to lighten for him the burden of the wickedness. +He had certain inklings of complaint in his own mind against his own +wife, but he felt that his own hands should be perfectly clean before +he could deal with those inklings magisterially and maritally. How +would he look were she to turn upon him and ask him as to his own +conduct with Adelaide Houghton? And then into what a sea of trouble +had he not already fallen in this matter of his brother's marriage? His +first immediate duty was that of writing to his elder sister, and he +expressed himself to her in strong language. After telling her all that +he had heard from the lawyer, he spoke of himself and of the Dean. "It +will make me very unhappy," he wrote. "Do you remember what Hamlet +says: + + 'O, cursed spite, + That ever I was born to set it right!' + +"I feel like that altogether. I want to get nothing by it. No man ever +less begrudged to his elder brother than I do all that belongs to him. +Though he has himself treated me badly, I would support him in anything +for the sake of the family. At this moment I most heartily wish that +the child may be Lord Popenjoy. The matter will destroy all my +happiness perhaps for the next ten years;--perhaps for ever. And I +cannot but think that the Dean has interfered in a most unjustifiable +manner. He drives me on, so that I almost feel that I shall be forced +to quarrel with him. With him it is manifestly personal ambition, and +not duty." There was much more of it in the same strain, but at the +same time an acknowledgment that he had now instructed the Dean's +lawyer to make the inquiry. + +Lady Sarah's answer was perhaps more judicious; and as it was shorter +it shall be given entire. + + "Cross Hall, May 10, 187--. + + "MY DEAR GEORGE,--Of course it is a sad thing to us all that this + terrible inquiry should be forced upon us;--and more grievous to + you than to us, as you must take the active part in it. But this + is a manifest duty, and duties are seldom altogether pleasant. All + that you say as to yourself,--which I know to be absolutely + true,--must at any rate make your conscience clear in the matter. + It is not for your sake nor for our sake that this is to be done, + but for the sake of the family at large, and to prevent the + necessity of future lawsuits which would be ruinous to the + property. If the child be legitimate, let that, in God's name, be + proclaimed so loud that no one shall hereafter be able to cast a + doubt upon the fact. To us it must be matter of deepest sorrow + that our brother's child and the future head of our family should + have been born under circumstances which, at the best, must still + be disgraceful. But, although that is so, it will be equally our + duty to acknowledge his rights to the full, if they be his rights. + Though the son of the widow of a lunatic foreigner, still if the + law says that he is Brotherton's heir, it is for us to render the + difficulties in his way as light as possible. But that we may do + so, we must know what he is. + + "Of course you find the Dean to be pushing and perhaps a little + vulgar. No doubt with him the chief feeling is one of personal + ambition. But in his way he is wise, and I do not know that in + this matter he has done anything which had better have been left + undone. He believes that the child is not legitimate;--and so in + my heart do I. + + "You must remember that my dear mother is altogether on + Brotherton's side. The feeling that there should be an heir is so + much to her, and the certainty that the boy is at any rate her + grandson, that she cannot endure that a doubt should be expressed. + Of course this does not tend to make our life pleasant down here. + Poor dear mamma! Of course we do all we can to comfort her. + + "Your affectionate sister, + + "SARAH GERMAIN." + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +THE DEAN IS VERY BUSY. + + +A week had passed away and nothing had as yet been heard from the +Marquis, nor had Mr. Battle's confidential clerk as yet taken his +departure for Italy, when Mrs. Montacute Jones called one day in +Munster Court. Lady George had not seen her new old friend since the +night of the ball to which she had not gone, but had received more than +one note respecting her absence on that occasion, and various other +little matters. Why did not Lady George come and lunch; and why did not +Lady George come and drive? Lady George was a little afraid that there +was a conspiracy about her in reference to Captain De Baron, and that +Mrs. Montacute Jones was one of the conspirators. If so Adelaide +Houghton was certainly another. It had been very pleasant. When she +examined herself about this man, as she endeavoured to do, she declared +that it had been as innocent as pleasant. She did not really believe +that either Adelaide Houghton or Mrs. Montacute Jones had intended to +do mischief. Mischief, such as the alienation of her own affections +from her husband, she regarded as quite out of the question. She would +not even admit to herself that it was possible that she should fall +into such a pit as that. But there were other dangers; and those +friends of hers would indeed be dangerous if they brought her into any +society that made her husband jealous. Therefore, though she liked Mrs. +Montacute Jones very much, she had avoided the old lady lately, knowing +that something would be said about Jack De Baron, and not quite +confident as to her own answers. + +And now Mrs. Montacute Jones had come to her. "My dear Lady George," +she said, "where on earth have you been? Are you going to cut me? If +so, tell me at once." + +"Oh, Mrs. Jones," said Lady George, kissing her, "how can you ask such +a question?" + +"Because you know it requires two to play at that game, and I'm not +going to be cut." Mrs. Montacute Jones was a stout built but very short +old lady, with grey hair curled in precise rolls down her face, with +streaky cheeks, giving her a look of extreme good health, and very +bright grey eyes. She was always admirably dressed, so well dressed +that her enemies accused her of spending enormous sums on her toilet. +She was very old,--some people said eighty, adding probably not more +than ten years to her age,--very enthusiastic, particularly in +reference to her friends; very fond of gaiety, and very charitable. +"Why didn't you come to my ball?" + +"Lord George doesn't care about balls," said Mary, laughing. + +"Come, come! Don't try and humbug me. It had been all arranged that you +should come when he went to bed. Hadn't it now?" + +"Something had been said about it." + +"A good deal had been said about it, and he had agreed. Are you going +to tell me that he won't go out with you, and yet dislikes your going +out without him? Is he such a Bluebeard as that?" + +"He's not a Bluebeard at all, Mrs. Jones." + +"I hope not. There has been something about that German +Baroness;--hasn't there?" + +"Oh dear no." + +"I heard that there was. She came and took you and the brougham all +about London. And there was a row with Lady Selina. I heard of it." + +"But that had nothing to do with my going to your party." + +"Well, no; why should it? She's a nasty woman, that Baroness Banmann. +If we can't get on here in England without German Baronesses and +American she doctors, we are in a bad way. You shouldn't have let them +drag you into that lot. Women's rights! Women are quite able to hold +their own without such trash as that. I'm told she's in debt +everywhere, and can't pay a shilling. I hope they'll lock her up." + +"She is nothing to me, Mrs. Jones." + +"I hope not. What was it then? I know there was something. He doesn't +object to Captain De Baron; does he?" + +"Object to him! Why should he object to Captain De Baron?" + +"I don't know why. Men do take such fancies into their heads. You are +not going to give up dancing;--are you?" + +"Not altogether. I'm not sure that I care for it very much." + +"Oh, Lady George; where do you expect to go to?" Mary could not keep +herself from laughing, though she was at the same time almost inclined +to be angry with the old lady's interference. "I should have said that +I didn't know a young person in the world fonder of dancing than you +are. Perhaps he objects to it." + +"He doesn't like my waltzing," said Mary, with a blush. On former +occasions she had almost made up her mind to confide her troubles to +this old woman, and now the occasion seemed so suitable that she could +not keep herself from telling so much as that. + +"Oh!" said Mrs. Montacute Jones. "That's it! I knew there was +something. My dear, he's a goose, and you ought to tell him so." + +"Couldn't you tell him," said Mary, laughing. + +"Would do it in half a minute, and think nothing of it!" + +"Pray, don't. He wouldn't like it at all." + +"My dear, you shouldn't be afraid of him. I'm not going to preach up +rebellion against husbands. I'm the last woman in London to do that. I +know the comfort of a quiet house as well as any one, and that two +people can't get along easy together unless there is a good deal of +give and take. But it doesn't do to give up everything. What does he +say about it?" + +"He says he doesn't like it." + +"What would he say if you told him you didn't like his going to his +club." + +"He wouldn't go." + +"Nonsense! It's being a dog in the manger, because he doesn't care for +it himself. I should have it out with him,--nicely and pleasantly. Just +tell him that you're fond of it, and ask him to change his mind. I +can't bear anybody interfering to put down the innocent pleasures of +young people. A man like that just opens his mouth and speaks a word, +and takes away the whole pleasure of a young woman's season! You've got +my card for the 10th of June?" + +"Oh yes,--I've got it." + +"And I shall expect you to come. It's only going to be a small affair. +Get him to bring you if you can, and you do as I bid you. Just have it +out with him,--nicely and quietly. Nobody hates a row so much as I do, +but people oughtn't to be trampled on." + +All this had considerable effect upon Lady George. She quite agreed +with Mrs. Jones that people ought not to be trampled on. Her father had +never trampled on her. From him there had been very little positive +ordering as to what she might and what she might not do. And yet she +had been only a child when living with her father. Now she was a +married woman, and the mistress of her own house. She was quite sure +that were she to ask her father, the Dean would say that such a +prohibition as this was absurd. Of course she could not ask her father. +She would not appeal from her husband to him. But it was a hardship, +and she almost made up her mind that she would request him to revoke +the order. + +Then she was very much troubled by a long letter from the Baroness +Banmann. The Baroness was going to bring an action jointly against Lady +Selina Protest and Miss Mildmay, whom the reader will know as Aunt Ju; +and informed Lady George that she was to be summoned as a witness. +This was for a while a grievous affliction to her. "I know nothing +about it," she said to her husband, "I only just went there once +because Miss Mildmay asked me." + +"It was a very foolish thing for her to do." + +"And I was foolish, perhaps; but what can I say about it? I don't know +anything." + +"You shouldn't have bought those other tickets." + +"How could I refuse when the woman asked for such a trifle?" + +"Then you took her to Miss Mildmay's." + +"She would get into the brougham, and I couldn't get rid of her. Hadn't +I better write and tell her that I know nothing about it?" But to this +Lord George objected, requesting her altogether to hold her peace on +the subject, and never even to speak about it to anyone. He was not +good humoured with her, and this was clearly no occasion for asking him +about the waltzing. Indeed, just at present he rarely was in a good +humour, being much troubled in his mind on the great Popenjoy question. + +At this time the Dean was constantly up in town, running backwards and +forwards between London and Brotherton, prosecuting his enquiry and +spending a good deal of his time at Mr. Battle's offices. In doing all +this he by no means acted in perfect concert with Lord George, nor did +he often stay or even dine at the house in Munster Court. There had +been no quarrel, but he found that Lord George was not cordial with +him, and therefore placed himself at the hotel in Suffolk Street. "Why +doesn't papa come here as he is in town?" Mary said to her husband. + +"I don't know why he comes to town at all," replied her husband. + +"I suppose he comes because he has business, or because he likes it. I +shouldn't think of asking why he comes; but as he is here, I wish he +wouldn't stay at a nasty dull hotel after all that was arranged." + +"You may be sure he knows what he likes best," said Lord George +sulkily. That allusion to "an arrangement" had not served to put him in +a good humour. + +Mary had known well why her father was so much in London, and had in +truth known also why he did not come to Munster Court. She could +perceive that her father and husband were drifting into unfriendly +relations, and greatly regretted it. In her heart she took her father's +part. She was not keen as he was in this matter of the little Popenjoy, +being restrained by a feeling that it would not become her to be over +anxious for her own elevation or for the fall of others; but she had +always sympathised with her father in everything, and therefore she +sympathised with him in this. And then there was gradually growing upon +her a conviction that her father was the stronger man of the two, the +more reasonable, and certainly the kinder. She had thoroughly +understood when the house was furnished, very much at the Dean's +expense, that he was to be a joint occupant in it when it might suit +him to be in London. He himself had thought less about this, having +rather submitted to the suggestion as an excuse for his own liberality +than contemplated any such final arrangement. But Lord George +remembered it. The house would certainly be open to him should he +choose to come;--but Lord George would not press it. + +Mr. Stokes had thought it proper to go in person to Manor Cross, in +order that he might receive instructions from the Marquis. "Upon my +word, Mr. Stokes," said the Marquis, "only that I would not seem to be +uncourteous to you I should feel disposed to say that this interview +can do no good." + +"It is a very serious matter, my Lord." + +"It is a very serious annoyance, certainly, that my own brother and +sisters should turn against me, and give me all this trouble because I +have chosen to marry a foreigner. It is simply an instance of that +pigheaded English blindness which makes us think that everything +outside our own country is or ought to be given up to the devil. My +sisters are very religious, and, I daresay, very good women. But they +are quite willing to think that I and my wife ought to be damned +because we talk Italian, and that my son ought to be disinherited +because he was not baptised in an English church. They have got this +stupid story into their heads, and they must do as they please about +it. I will have no hand in it. I will take care that there shall be no +difficulty in my son's way when I die." + +"That will be right, of course, my Lord." + +"I know where all this comes from. My brother, who is an idiot, has +married the daughter of a vulgar clergyman, who thinks in his ignorance +that he can make his grandson, if he has one, an English nobleman. +He'll spend his money and he'll burn his fingers, and I don't care how +much money he spends or how much he burns his hands. I don't suppose +his purse is so very long but that he may come to the bottom of it." +This was nearly all that passed between Mr. Stokes and the Marquis. Mr. +Stokes then went back to town and gave Mr. Battle to understand that +nothing was to be done on their side. + +The Dean was very anxious that the confidential clerk should be +dispatched, and at one time almost thought that he would go himself. +"Better not, Mr. Dean. Everybody would know," said Mr. Battle. + +"And I should intend everybody to know," said the Dean. "Do you suppose +that I am doing anything that I'm ashamed of." + +"But being a dignitary----" began Mr. Battle. + +"What has that to do with it? A dignitary, as you call it, is not to +see his child robbed of her rights. I only want to find the truth, and +I should never take shame to myself in looking for that by honest +means." But Mr. Battle prevailed, persuading the Dean that the +confidential clerk, even though he confined himself to honest means, +would reach his point more certainly than a Dean of the Church of +England. + +But still there was delay. Mr. Stokes did not take his journey down to +Brotherton quite as quickly as he perhaps might have done, and then +there was a prolonged correspondence carried on through an English +lawyer settled at Leghorn. But at last the man was sent. "I think we +know this," said Mr. Battle to the Dean on the day before the man +started, "there were certainly two marriages. One of them took place as +much as five years ago, and the other after his lordship had written to +his brother." + +"Then the first marriage must have been nothing," said the Dean. + +"It does not follow. It may have been a legal marriage, although the +parties chose to confirm it by a second ceremony." + +"But when did the man Luigi die?" + +"And where and how? That is what we have got to find out. I shouldn't +wonder if we found that he had been for years a lunatic." + +Almost all this the Dean communicated to Lord George, being determined +that his son-in-law should be seen to act in co-operation with him. +They met occasionally in Mr. Battle's chambers, and sometimes by +appointment in Munster Court. "It is essentially necessary that you +should know what is being done," said the Dean to his son-in-law. Lord +George fretted and fumed, and expressed an opinion that as the matter +had been put into a lawyer's hands it had better be left there. But the +Dean had very much his own way. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +THE MARQUIS MIGRATES TO LONDON. + + +Soon after Mr. Stokes' visit there was a great disturbance at Manor +Cross, whether caused or not by that event no one was able to say. The +Marquis and all the family were about to proceed to London. The news +first reached Cross Hall through Mrs. Toff, who still kept up friendly +relations with a portion of the English establishment at the great +house. There probably was no idea of maintaining a secret on the +subject. The Marquis and his wife, with Lord Popenjoy and the servants, +could not have had themselves carried up to town without the knowledge +of all Brotherton, nor was there any adequate reason for supposing that +secrecy was desired. Nevertheless Mrs. Toff made a great deal of the +matter, and the ladies at Cross Hall were not without a certain +perturbed interest as though in a mystery. It was first told to Lady +Sarah, for Mrs. Toff was quite aware of the position of things, and +knew that the old Marchioness herself was not to be regarded as being +on their side. "Yes, my Lady, it's quite true," said Mrs. Toff. "The +horses is ordered for next Friday." This was said on the previous +Saturday, so that considerable time was allowed for the elucidation of +the mystery. "And the things is already being packed, and her +Ladyship,--that is, if she is her Ladyship,--is taking every dress and +every rag as she brought with her." + +"Where are they going to, Toff?--Not to the Square?" Now the Marquis of +Brotherton had an old family house in Cavendish Square, which, however, +had been shut up for the last ten or fifteen years, but was still known +as the family house by all the adherents of the family. + +"No, my Lady. I did hear from one of the servants that they are going +to Scumberg's Hotel, in Albemarle Street." + +Then Lady Sarah told the news to her mother. The poor old lady felt +that she was ill-used. She had been at any rate true to her eldest son, +had always taken his part during his absence by scolding her daughters +whenever an allusion was made to the family at Manor Cross, and had +almost worshipped him when he would come to her on Sunday. And now he +was going off to London without saying a word to her of the journey. "I +don't believe that Toff knows anything about it," she said. "Toff is a +nasty, meddling creature, and I wish she had not come here at all." The +management of the Marchioness under these circumstances was very +difficult, but Lady Sarah was a woman who allowed no difficulty to +crush her. She did not expect the world to be very easy. She went on +with her constant needle, trying to comfort her mother as she worked. +At this time the Marchioness had almost brought herself to quarrel with +her younger son, and would say very hard things about him and about the +Dean. She had more than once said that Mary was a "nasty sly thing," +and had expressed herself as greatly aggrieved by that marriage. All +this came of course from the Marquis, and was known by her daughters to +come from the Marquis; and yet the Marchioness had never as yet been +allowed to see either her daughter-in-law or Popenjoy. + +On the following day her son came to her when the three sisters were at +church in the afternoon. On these occasions he would stay for a quarter +of an hour, and would occupy the greater part of the time in abusing +the Dean and Lord George. But on this day she could not refrain from +asking him a question. "Are you going up to London, Brotherton?" + +"What makes you ask?" + +"Because they tell me so. Sarah says that the servants are talking +about it." + +"I wish Sarah had something to do better than listening to the +servants?" + +"But you are going?" + +"If you want to know, I believe we shall go up to town for a few days. +Popenjoy ought to see a dentist, and I want to do a few things. Why the +deuce shouldn't I go up to London as well as any one else?" + +"Of course, if you wish it." + +"To tell you the truth, I don't much wish anything, except to get out +of this cursed country again." + +"Don't say that, Brotherton. You are an Englishman." + +"I am ashamed to say I am. I wish with all my heart that I had been +born a Chinese or a Red Indian." This he said, not in furtherance of +any peculiar cosmopolitan proclivities, but because the saying of it +would vex his mother. "What am I to think of the country, when the +moment I get here I am hounded by all my own family because I choose to +live after my own fashion and not after theirs?" + +"I haven't hounded you." + +"No. You might possibly get more by being on good terms with me than +bad. And so might they if they knew it. I'll be even with Master George +before I've done with him; and I'll be even with that parson, too, who +still smells of the stables. I'll lead him a dance that will about ruin +him. And as for his daughter----" + +"It wasn't I got up the marriage, Brotherton." + +"I don't care who got it up. But I can have enquiries made as well as +another person. I am not very fond of spies; but if other people use +spies, so can I too. That young woman is no better than she ought to +be. The Dean, I daresay, knows it; but he shall know that I know it. +And Master George shall know what I think about it. As there is to be +war, he shall know what it is to have war. She has got a lover of her +own already, and everybody who knows them is talking about it." + +"Oh, Brotherton!" + +"And she is going in for women's rights! George has made a nice thing +of it for himself. He has to live on the Dean's money, so that he +doesn't dare to call his soul his own. And yet he's fool enough to send +a lawyer to me to tell me that my wife is a ----, and my son a ----!" +He made use of very plain language, so that the poor old woman was +horrified and aghast and dumbfounded. And as he spoke the words there +was a rage in his eyes worse than anything she had seen before. He was +standing with his back to the fire, which was burning though the +weather was warm, and the tails of his coat were hanging over his arms +as he kept his hands in his pockets. He was generally quiescent in his +moods, and apt to express his anger in sarcasm rather than in outspoken +language; but now he was so much moved that he was unable not to give +vent to his feelings. As the Marchioness looked at him, shaking with +fear, there came into her distracted mind some vague idea of Cain and +Abel, though had she collected her thoughts she would have been far +from telling herself that her eldest son was Cain. "He thinks," +continued the Marquis, "that because I have lived abroad I shan't mind +that sort of thing. I wonder how he'll feel when I tell him the truth +about his wife. I mean to do it;--and what the Dean will think when I +use a little plain language about his daughter. I mean to do that too. +I shan't mince matters. I suppose you have heard of Captain De Baron, +mother?" + +Now the Marchioness unfortunately had heard of Captain De Baron. Lady +Susanna had brought the tidings down to Cross Hall. Had Lady Susanna +really believed that her sister-in-law was wickedly entertaining a +lover, there would have been some reticence in her mode of alluding to +so dreadful a subject. The secret would have been confided to Lady +Sarah in awful conclave, and some solemn warning would have been +conveyed to Lord George, with a prayer that he would lose no time in +withdrawing the unfortunate young woman from evil influences. But Lady +Susanna had entertained no such fear. Mary was young, and foolish, and +fond of pleasure. Hard as was this woman in her manner, and +disagreeable as she made herself, yet she could, after a fashion, +sympathise with the young wife. She had spoken of Captain De Baron with +disapprobation certainly, but had not spoken of him as a fatal danger. +And she had spoken also of the Baroness Banmann and Mary's folly in +going to the Institute. The old Marchioness had heard of these things, +and now, when she heard further of them from her son, she almost +believed all that he told her. "Don't be hard upon poor George," she +said. + +"I give as I get, mother. I'm not one of those who return good for +evil. Had he left me alone, I should have left him alone. As it is, I +rather think I shall be hard upon poor George. Do you suppose that all +Brotherton hasn't heard already what they are doing;--that there is a +man or a woman in the county who doesn't know that my own brother is +questioning the legitimacy of my own son? And then you ask me not to be +hard." + +"It isn't my doing, Brotherton." + +"But those three girls have their hand in it. That's what they call +charity! That's what they go to church for!" + +All this made the poor old Marchioness very ill. Before her son left +her she was almost prostrate; and yet, to the end, he did not spare +her. But as he left he said one word which apparently was intended to +comfort her. "Perhaps Popenjoy had better be brought here for you to +see before he is taken up to town." There had been a promise made +before that the child should be brought to the hall to bless his +grandmother. On this occasion she had been too much horrified and +overcome by what had been said to urge her request; but when the +proposition was renewed by him of course she assented. + +Popenjoy's visit to Cross Hall was arranged with a good deal of state, +and was made on the following Tuesday. On the Monday there came a +message to say that the child should be brought up at twelve on the +following day. The Marquis was not coming himself, and the child would +of course be inspected by all the ladies. At noon they were assembled +in the drawing-room; but they were kept there waiting for half an hour, +during which the Marchioness repeatedly expressed her conviction that +now, at the last moment, she was to be robbed of the one great desire +of her heart. "He won't let him come because he's so angry with +George," she said, sobbing. + +"He wouldn't have sent a message yesterday, mother," said Lady Amelia, +"if he hadn't meant to send him." + +"You are all so very unkind to him," ejaculated the Marchioness. + +But at half-past twelve the cortège appeared. The child was brought up +in a perambulator which had at first been pushed by the under-nurse, an +Italian, and accompanied by the upper-nurse, who was of course an +Italian also. With them had been sent one of the Englishmen to show the +way. Perhaps the two women had been somewhat ill-treated, as no true +idea of the distance had been conveyed to them; and though they had now +been some weeks at Manor Cross, they had never been half so far from +the house. Of course the labour of the perambulator had soon fallen to +the man; but the two nurses, who had been forced to walk a mile, had +thought that they would never come to the end of their journey. When +they did arrive they were full of plaints, which, however, no one could +understand. But Popenjoy was at last brought into the hall. + +"My darling," said the Marchioness, putting out both her arms. But +Popenjoy, though a darling, screamed frightfully beneath his heap of +clothes. + +"You had better let him come into the room, mamma," said Lady Susanna. +Then the nurse carried him in, and one or two of his outer garments +were taken from him. + +"Dear me, how black he is!" said Lady Susanna. + +The Marchioness turned upon her daughter in great anger. "The Germains +were always dark," she said. "You're dark yourself,--quite as black as +he is. My darling!" + +She made another attempt to take the boy; but the nurse with voluble +eloquence explained something which of course none of them understood. +The purport of her speech was an assurance that "Tavo," as she most +unceremoniously called the child whom no Germain thought of naming +otherwise than as Popenjoy, never would go to any "foreigner." The +nurse therefore held him up to be looked at for two minutes while he +still screamed, and then put him back into his covering raiments. "He +is very black," said Lady Sarah severely. + +"So are some people's hearts," said the Marchioness with a vigour for +which her daughters had hardly given her credit. This, however, was +borne without a murmur by the three sisters. + +On the Friday the whole family, including all the Italian servants, +migrated to London, and it certainly was the case that the lady took +with her all her clothes and everything that she had brought with her. +Toff had been quite right, there. And when it came to be known by the +younger ladies at Cross Hall that Toff had been right, they argued from +the fact that their brother had concealed something of the truth when +saying that he intended to go up to London only for a few days. There +had been three separate carriages, and Toff was almost sure that the +Italian lady had carried off more than she had brought with her, so +exuberant had been the luggage. It was not long before Toff effected an +entrance into the house, and brought away a report that very many +things were missing. "The two little gilt cream-jugs is gone," she said +to Lady Sarah, "and the minitshur with the pearl settings out of the +yellow drawing-room!" Lady Sarah explained that as these things were +the property of her brother, he or his wife might of course take them +away if so pleased. "She's got 'em unbeknownst to my Lord, my Lady," +said Toff, shaking her head. "I could only just scurry through with +half an eye; but when I comes to look there will be more, I warrant +you, my Lady." + +The Marquis had expressed so much vehement dislike of everything about +his English home, and it had become so generally understood that his +Italian wife hated the place, that everybody agreed that they would not +come back. Why should they? What did they get by living there? The lady +had not been outside the house a dozen times, and only twice beyond the +park gate. The Marquis took no share in any county or any country +pursuit. He went to no man's house and received no visitors. He would +not see the tenants when they came to him, and had not even returned a +visit except Mr. De Baron's. Why had he come there at all? That was the +question which all the Brothershire people asked of each other, and +which no one could answer. Mr. Price suggested that it was just +devilry,--to make everybody unhappy. Mrs. Toff thought that it was the +woman's doing,--because she wanted to steal silver mugs, miniatures, +and such like treasures. Mr. Waddy, the vicar of the parish, said that +it was "a trial," having probably some idea in his own mind that the +Marquis had been sent home by Providence as a sort of precious blister +which would purify all concerned in him by counter irritation. The old +Marchioness still conceived that it had been brought about that a +grandmother might take delight in the presence of her grandchild. Dr. +Pountner said that it was impudence. But the Dean was of opinion that +it had been deliberately planned with the view of passing off a +supposititious child upon the property and title. The Dean, however, +kept his opinion very much to himself. + +Of course tidings of the migration were sent to Munster Court. Lady +Sarah wrote to her brother, and the Dean wrote to his daughter. "What +shall you do, George? Shall you go and see him?" + +"I don't know what I shall do?" + +"Ought I to go?" + +"Certainly not. You could only call on her, and she has not even seen +my mother and sisters. When I was there he would not introduce me to +her, though he sent for the child. I suppose I had better go. I do not +want to quarrel with him if I can help it." + +"You have offered to do everything together with him, if only he would +let you." + +"I must say that your father has driven me on in a manner which +Brotherton would be sure to resent." + +"Papa has done everything from a sense of duty, George." + +"Perhaps so. I don't know how that is. It is very hard sometimes to +divide a sense of duty from one's own interest. But it has made me very +miserable,--very wretched, indeed." + +"Oh George; is it my fault?" + +"No; not your fault. If there is one thing worse to me than another, it +is the feeling of being divided from my own family. Brotherton has +behaved badly to me." + +"Very badly." + +"And yet I would give anything to be on good terms with him. I think I +shall go and call. He is at an hotel in Albemarle Street. I have done +nothing to deserve ill of him, if he knew all." + +It should, of course, be understood that Lord George did not at all +know the state of his brother's mind towards him, except as it had been +exhibited at that one interview which had taken place between them at +Manor Cross. He was aware that in every conversation which he had had +with the lawyers,--both with Mr. Battle and Mr. Stokes,--he had +invariably expressed himself as desirous of establishing the legitimacy +of the boy's birth. If Mr. Stokes had repeated to his brother what he +had said, and had done him the justice of explaining that in all that +he did he was simply desirous of performing his duty to the family, +surely his brother would not be angry with him! At any rate it would +not suit him to be afraid of his brother, and he went to the hotel. +After being kept waiting in the hall for about ten minutes, the Italian +courier came down to him. The Marquis at the present moment was not +dressed, and Lord George did not like being kept waiting. Would Lord +George call at three o'clock on the following day. Lord George said +that he would, and was again at Scumberg's Hotel at three o'clock on +the next afternoon. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +LORD GEORGE IS TROUBLED. + + +This was a day of no little importance to Lord George; so much so, that +one or two circumstances which occurred before he saw his brother at +the hotel must be explained. On that day there had come to him from the +Dean a letter written in the Dean's best humour. When the house had +been taken in Munster Court there had been a certain understanding, +hardly quite a fixed assurance, that it was to be occupied up to the +end of June, and that then Lord George and his wife should go into +Brothershire. There had been a feeling ever since the marriage that +while Mary preferred London, Lord George was wedded to the country. +They had on the whole behaved well to each other in the matter. The +husband, though he feared that his wife was surrounded by dangers, and +was well aware that he himself was dallying on the brink of a terrible +pitfall, would not urge a retreat before the time that had been named. +And she, though she had ever before her eyes the fear of the dullness +of Cross Hall, would not ask to have the time postponed. It was now the +end of May, and a certain early day in July had been fixed for their +retreat from London. Lord George had, with a good grace, promised to +spend a few days at the deanery before he went to Cross Hall, and had +given Mary permission to remain there for some little time afterwards. +Now there had come a letter from the Dean full of smiles and +pleasantness about this visit. There were tidings in it about Mary's +horse, which was still kept at the deanery, and comfortable assurances +of sweetest welcome. Not a word had been said in this letter about the +terrible family matter. Lord George, though he was at the present +moment not disposed to think in the most kindly manner of his +father-in-law, appreciated this, and had read the letter aloud to his +wife at the breakfast table with pleasant approbation. As he left the +house to go to his brother, he told her that she had better answer her +father's letter, and had explained to her where she would find it in +his dressing room. + +But on the previous afternoon he had received at his club another +letter, the nature of which was not so agreeable. This letter had not +been pleasant even to himself, and certainly was not adapted to give +pleasure to his wife. After receiving it he had kept it in the close +custody of his breast-pocket; and when, as he left the house, he sent +his wife to find that which had come from her father, he certainly +thought that this prior letter was at the moment secure from all eyes +within the sanctuary of his coat. But it was otherwise. With that +negligence to which husbands are so specially subject, he had made the +Dean's letter safe next to his bosom, but had left the other epistle +unguarded. He had not only left it unguarded, but had absolutely so +put his wife on the track of it that it was impossible that she should +not read it. + +Mary found the letter and did read it before she left her husband's +dressing room,--and the letter was as follows:-- + +"Dearest George;--" When she read the epithet, which she and she only +was entitled to use, she paused for a moment and all the blood rushed +up into her face. She had known the handwriting instantly, and at the +first shock she put the paper down upon the table. For a second there +was a feeling prompting her to read no further. But it was only for a +second. Of course she would read it. It certainly never would have +occurred to her to search her husband's clothes for letters. Up to this +moment she had never examined a document of his except at his bidding +or in compliance with his wish. She had suspected nothing, found +nothing, had entertained not even any curiosity about her husband's +affairs. But now must she not read this letter to which he himself had +directed her? Dearest George! And that in the handwriting of her +friend,--her friend!--Adelaide Houghton;--in the handwriting of the +woman to whom her husband had been attached before he had known +herself! Of course she read the letter. + + "DEAREST GEORGE,-- + + "I break my heart when you don't come to me; for heaven's sake be + here to-morrow. Two, three, four, five, six, seven--I shall be + here any hour till you come. I don't dare to tell the man that I + am not at home to anybody else, but you must take your chance. + Nobody ever does come till after three or after six. He never + comes home till half-past seven. Oh me! what is to become of me + when you go out of town? There is nothing to live for, + nothing;--only you. Anything that you write is quite safe. Say + that you love me. A." + +The letter had grieved him when he got it,--as had other letters before +that. And yet it flattered him, and the assurance of the woman's love +had in it a certain candied sweetness which prevented him from +destroying the paper instantly, as he ought to have done. Could his +wife have read all his mind in the matter her anger would have been +somewhat mollified. In spite of the candied sweetness he hated the +correspondence. It had been the woman's doing and not his. It is so +hard for a man to be a Joseph! The Potiphar's wife of the moment has +probably had some encouragement,--and after that Joseph can hardly flee +unless he be very stout indeed. This Joseph would have fled, though +after a certain fashion he liked the woman, had he been able to assure +himself that the fault had in no degree been his. But looking back, he +thought that he had encouraged her, and did not know how to fly. Of all +this Mary knew nothing. She only knew that old Mr. Houghton's wife, who +professed to be her dear friend, had written a most foul love-letter to +her husband, and that her husband had preserved it carefully, and had +then through manifest mistake delivered it over into her hands. + +She read it twice, and then stood motionless for a few minutes thinking +what she would do. Her first idea was that she would tell her father. +But that she soon abandoned. She was grievously offended with her +husband; but, as she thought of it, she became aware that she did not +wish to bring on him any anger but her own. Then she thought that she +would start immediately for Berkeley Square, and say what she had to +say to Mrs. Houghton. As this idea presented itself to her, she felt +that she could say a good deal. But how would that serve her? Intense +as was her hatred at present against Adelaide, Adelaide was nothing to +her in comparison with her husband. For a moment she almost thought +that she would fly after him, knowing, as she did, that he had gone to +see his brother at Scumberg's Hotel. But at last she resolved that she +would do nothing and say nothing till he should have perceived that she +had read the letter. She would leave it open on his dressing-table so +that he might know immediately on his return what had been done. Then +it occurred to her that the servants might see the letter if she +exposed it. So she kept it in her pocket, and determined that when she +heard his knock at the door she would step into his room, and place the +letter ready for his eyes. After that she spent the whole day in +thinking of it, and read the odious words over and over again till they +were fixed in her memory. "Say that you love me!" Wretched viper; +ill-conditioned traitor! Could it be that he, her husband, loved this +woman better than her? Did not all the world know that the woman was +plain and affected, and vulgar, and odious? "Dearest George!" The woman +could not have used such language without his sanction. Oh;--what +should she do? Would it not be necessary that she should go back and +live with her father? Then she thought of Jack De Baron. They called +Jack De Baron wild; but he would not have been guilty of wickedness +such as this. She clung, however, to the resolution of putting the +letter ready for her husband, so that he should know that she had read +it before they met. + +In the meantime Lord George, ignorant as yet of the storm which was +brewing at home, was shown into his brother's sitting-room. When he +entered he found there, with his brother, a lady whom he could +recognise without difficulty as his sister-in-law. She was a tall, dark +woman, as he thought very plain, but with large bright eyes and very +black hair. She was ill-dressed, in a morning wrapper, and looked to +him to be at least as old as her husband. The Marquis said something to +her in Italian which served as an introduction, but of which Lord +George could not understand a word. She curtseyed and Lord George put +out his hand. "It is perhaps as well that you should make her +acquaintance," said the Marquis. Then he again spoke in Italian, and +after a minute or two the lady withdrew. It occurred to Lord George +afterwards that the interview had certainly been arranged. Had his +brother not wished him to see the lady, the lady could have been kept +in the background here as well as at Manor Cross. "It's uncommon civil +of you to come," said the Marquis as soon as the door was closed. "What +can I do for you?" + +"I did not like that you should be in London without my seeing you." + +"I daresay not. I daresay not. I was very much obliged to you, you +know, for sending that lawyer down to me." + +"I did not send him." + +"And particularly obliged to you for introducing that other lawyer into +our family affairs." + +"I would have done nothing of the kind if I could have helped it. If +you will believe me, Brotherton, my only object is to have all this so +firmly settled that there may not be need of further enquiry at a +future time." + +"When I am dead?" + +"When we may both be dead." + +"You have ten years advantage of me. Your own chance isn't bad." + +"If you will believe me----" + +"But suppose I don't believe you! Suppose I think that in saying all +that you are lying like the very devil!" Lord George jumped in his +chair, almost as though he had been shot. "My dear fellow, what's the +good of this humbug? You think you've got a chance. I don't believe you +were quick enough to see it yourself, but your father-in-law has put +you up to it. He is not quite such an ass as you are; but even he is +ass enough to fancy that because I, an Englishman, have married an +Italian lady, therefore the marriage may, very likely, be good for +nothing." + +"We only want proof." + +"Does anybody ever come to you and ask you for proofs of your marriage +with that very nice young woman, the Dean's daughter?" + +"Anybody may find them at Brotherton." + +"No doubt. And I can put my hand on the proofs of my marriage when I +want to do so. In the meantime I doubt whether you can learn anything +to your own advantage by coming here." + +"I didn't want to learn anything." + +"If you would look after your own wife a little closer, I fancy it +would be a better employment for you. She is at present probably +amusing herself with Captain De Baron." + +"That is calumny," said Lord George, rising from his chair. + +"No doubt. Any imputation coming from me is calumny. But you can make +imputations as heavy and as hard as you please--and all in the way of +honour. I've no doubt you'll find her with Captain De Baron if you'll +go and look." + +"I should find her doing nothing that she ought not to do," said the +husband, turning round for his hat and gloves. + +"Or perhaps making a speech at the Rights of Women Institute on behalf +of that German baroness who, I'm told, is in gaol. But, George, don't +you take it too much to heart. You've got the money. When a man goes +into a stable for his wife, he can't expect much in the way of conduct +or manners. If he gets the money he ought to be contented." He had to +hear it all to the last bitter word before he could escape from the +room and make his way out into the street. + +It was at this time about four o'clock, and in his agony of mind he had +turned down towards Piccadilly before he could think what he would do +with himself for the moment. Then he remembered that Berkeley Square +was close to him on the other side, and that he had been summoned there +about this hour. To give him his due, it should be owned that he had no +great desire to visit Berkeley Square in his present condition of +feeling. Since the receipt of that letter,--which was now awaiting him +at home,--he had told himself half a dozen times that he must and would +play the part of Joseph. He had so resolved when she had first spoken +to him of her passion, now some months ago; and then his resolution had +broken down merely because he had not at the moment thought any great +step to be necessary. But now it was clear that some great step was +necessary. He must make her know that it did not suit him to be called +"dearest George" by her, or to be told to declare that he loved her. +And this accusation against his wife, made in such coarse and brutal +language by his brother, softened his heart to her. Why, oh why, had he +allowed himself to be brought up to a place he hated as he had always +hated London! Of course Jack De Baron made him unhappy, though he was +at the present moment prepared to swear that his wife was as innocent +as any woman in London. + +But now, as he was so near, and as his decision must be declared in +person, he might as well go to Berkeley Square. As he descended Hay +Hill he put his hand into his pocket for the lady's letter, and pulled +out that from the Dean which he had intended to leave with his wife. In +an instant he knew what he had done. He remembered it all, even to the +way in which he had made the mistake with the two letters. There could +be no doubt but that he had given Adelaide Houghton's letter into his +wife's hands, and that she had read it. At the bottom of Hill Street, +near the stables, he stopped suddenly and put his hand up to his head. +What should he do now? He certainly could not pay his visit in Berkeley +Square. He could not go and tell Mrs. Houghton that he loved her, and +certainly would not have strength to tell her that he did not love her +while suffering such agony as this. Of course he must see his wife. Of +course he must,--if I may use the slang phrase,--of course he must +"have it out with her," after some fashion, and the sooner the better. +So he turned his stops homewards across the Green Park. But, in going +homewards, he did not walk very fast. + +What would she do? How would she take it? Of course women daily forgive +such offences; and he might probably, after the burst of the storm was +over, succeed in making her believe that he did in truth love her and +did not love the other woman. In his present mood he was able to assure +himself most confidently that such was the truth. He could tell himself +now that he never wished to see Adelaide Houghton again. But, before +anything of this could be achieved, he would have to own himself a +sinner before her. He would have, as it were, to grovel at her feet. +Hitherto, in all his intercourse with her, he had been masterful and +marital. He had managed up to this point so to live as to have kept in +all respects the upper hand. He had never yet been found out even in a +mistake or an indiscretion. He had never given her an opening for the +mildest finding of fault. She, no doubt, was young, and practise had +not come to her. But, as a natural consequence of this, Lord George had +hitherto felt that an almost divine superiority was demanded from him. +That sense of divine superiority must now pass away. + +I do not know whether a husband's comfort is ever perfect till some +family peccadilloes have been conclusively proved against him. I am +sure that a wife's temper to him is sweetened by such evidence of human +imperfection. A woman will often take delight in being angry; will +sometimes wrap herself warm in prolonged sullenness; will frequently +revel in complaint;--but she enjoys forgiving better than aught else. +She never feels that all the due privileges of her life have been +accorded to her, till her husband shall have laid himself open to the +caresses of a pardon. Then, and not till then, he is her equal; and +equality is necessary for comfortable love. But the man, till he be +well used to it, does not like to be pardoned. He has assumed divine +superiority, and is bound to maintain it. Then, at last, he comes home +some night with a little too much wine, or he cannot pay the weekly +bills because he has lost too much money at cards, or he has got into +trouble at his office and is in doubt for a fortnight about his place, +or perhaps a letter from a lady falls into wrong hands. Then he has to +tell himself that he has been "found out." The feeling is at first very +uncomfortable; but it is, I think, a step almost necessary in reaching +true matrimonial comfort. Hunting men say that hard rain settles the +ground. A good scold with a "kiss and be friends" after it, perhaps, +does the same. + +Now Lord George had been found out. He was quite sure of that. And he +had to undergo all that was unpleasant without sufficient experience to +tell him that those clouds too would pass away quickly. He still walked +homewards across St. James's Park, never stopping, but dragging himself +along slowly, and when he came to his own door he let himself in very +silently. She did not expect him so soon, and when he entered the +drawing-room was startled to see him. She had not as yet put the +letter, as she had intended, on his dressing-table, but still had it in +her pocket; nor had it occurred to her that he would as yet have known +the truth. She looked at him when he entered, but did not at first +utter a word. "Mary," he said. + +"Well; is anything the matter?" + +It was possible that she had not found the letter,--possible, though +very improbable. But he had brought his mind so firmly to the point of +owning what was to be owned and defending what might be defended, that +he hardly wished for escape in that direction. At any rate, he was not +prepared to avail himself of it. "Did you find the letter?" he asked. + +"I found a letter." + +"Well!" + +"Of course I am sorry to have intruded upon so private a +correspondence. There it is." And she threw the letter to him. "Oh, +George!" + +He picked up the letter, which had fallen to the ground, and, tearing +it into bits, threw the fragments into the grate. "What do you believe +about it, Mary?" + +"Believe!" + +"Do you think that I love any one as I love you?" + +"You cannot love me at all,--unless that wicked, wretched creature is a +liar." + +"Have I ever lied to you? You will believe me?" + +"I do not know." + +"I love no one in the world but you." + +Even that almost sufficed for her. She already longed to have her arms +round his neck and to tell him that it was all forgiven;--that he at +least was forgiven. During the whole morning she had been thinking of +the angry words she would say to him, and of the still more angry words +which she would speak of that wicked, wicked viper. The former were +already forgotten; but she was not as yet inclined to refrain as to +Mrs. Houghton. "Oh, George, how could you bear such a woman as +that;--that you should let her write to you in such language? Have you +been to her?" + +"What, to-day?" + +"Yes, to-day." + +"Certainly not. I have just come from my brother." + +"You will never go into the house again! You will promise that!" + +Here was made the first direct attack upon his divine superiority! Was +he, at his wife's instance, to give a pledge that he would not go into +a certain house under any circumstances? This was the process of +bringing his nose down to the ground which he had feared. Here was the +first attempt made by his wife to put her foot on his neck. "I think +that I had better tell you all that I can tell," he said. + +"I only want to know that you hate her," said Mary. + +"I neither hate her nor love her. I did--love her--once. You knew +that." + +"I never could understand it. I never did believe that you really could +have loved her." Then she began to sob. "I shouldn't--ever--have taken +you--if--I had." + +"But from the moment when I first knew you it was all changed with me." +As he said this he put out his arms to her, and she came to him. "There +has never been a moment since in which you have not had all my heart." + +"But why--why--why--," she sobbed, meaning to ask how it could have +come to pass that the wicked viper could, in those circumstances, have +written such a letter as that which had fallen into her hands. + +The question certainly was not unnatural. But it was a question very +difficult to answer. No man likes to say that a woman has pestered him +with unwelcome love, and certainly Lord George was not the man to make +such a boast. "Dearest Mary," he said, "on my honour as a gentleman I +am true to you." + +Then she was satisfied and turned her face to him and covered him with +kisses. I think that morning did more than any day had done since their +marriage to bring about the completion of her desire to be in love with +her husband. Her heart was so softened towards him that she would not +even press a question that would pain him. She had intended sternly to +exact from him a pledge that he would not again enter the house in +Berkeley Square, but she let even that pass by because she would not +annoy him. She gathered herself up close to him on the sofa, and +drawing his arm over her shoulder, sobbed and laughed, stroking him +with her hands as she crouched against his shoulder. But yet, every now +and then, there came forth from her some violent ebullition against +Mrs. Houghton. "Nasty creature! Wicked, wicked beast! Oh, George, she +is so ugly!" And yet before this little affair, she had been quite +content that Adelaide Houghton should be her intimate friend. + +It had been nearly five when Lord George reached the house, and he had +to sit enduring his wife's caresses, and listening to devotion to +himself and her abuses of Mrs. Houghton till past six. Then it struck +him that a walk by himself would be good for him. They were to dine +out, but not till eight, and there would still be time. When he +proposed it, she acceded at once. Of course she must go and dress, and +equally of course he would not, could not go to Berkeley Square now. +She thoroughly believed that he was true to her, but yet she feared the +wiles of that nasty woman. They would go to the country soon, and then +the wicked viper would not be near them. + +Lord George walked across to Pall Mall, looked at an evening paper at +his club, and then walked back again. Of course it had been his object +to have a cool half hour in which to think it all over,--all that had +passed between him and his wife, and also what had passed between him +and his brother. That his wife was the dearest, sweetest woman in the +world he was quite sure. He was more than satisfied with her conduct to +him. She had exacted from him very little penitence:--had not required +to put her foot in any disagreeable way upon his neck. No doubt she +felt that his divine superiority had been vanquished, but she had +uttered no word of triumph. With all that he was content. But what was +he to do with Mrs. Houghton, as to whom he had sworn a dozen times +within the last hour that she was quite indifferent to him. He now +repeated the assertion to himself, and felt himself to be sure of the +fact. But still he was her lover. He had allowed her so to regard him, +and something must be done. She would write to him letters daily if he +did not stop it; and every such letter not shown to his wife would be a +new treason against her. This was a great trouble. And then, through it +all, those terrible words which his brother had spoken to him about +Captain De Baron rung in his ears. This afternoon had certainly +afforded no occasion to him to say a word about Captain De Baron to his +wife. When detected in his own sin he could not allude to possible +delinquencies on the other side. Nor did he think that there was any +delinquency. But Cæsar said that Cæsar's wife should be above +suspicion, and in that matter every man is a Cæsar to himself. Lady +Susanna had spoken about this Captain, and Adelaide Houghton had said +an ill-natured word or two, and he himself had seen them walking +together. Now his brother had told him that Captain De Baron was his +wife's lover. He did not at all like Captain De Baron. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +CAPTAIN DE BARON. + + +Of course as the next day or two passed by, the condition of Mrs. +Houghton was discussed between Lord George and his wife. The affair +could not be passed over without further speech. "I am quite contented +with you," he said; "more than contented. But I suppose she does not +feel herself contented with Mr. Houghton." + +"Then why did she marry him?" + +"Ah;--why indeed." + +"A woman ought to be contented with her husband. But at any rate what +right can she have to disturb other people? I suppose you never wrote +her a love-letter." + +"Never, certainly;--since her marriage." This indeed was true. The lady +had frequently written to him, but he had warily kept his hands from +pen and ink and had answered her letters by going to her. + +"And yet she could persevere! Women can do such mean things! I would +sooner have broken my heart and died than have asked a man to say that +he loved me. I don't suppose you have much to be proud of. I daresay +she has half a dozen others. You won't see her again?" + +"I think I may be driven to do so. I do not wish to have to write to +her, and yet I must make her understand that all this is to be over." + +"She'll understand that fast enough when she does not see you. It would +have served her right to have sent that letter to her husband." + +"That would have been cruel, Mary." + +"I didn't do it. I thought of doing it, and wouldn't do it. But it +would have served her right. I suppose she was always writing." + +"She had written, but not quite like that," said Lord George. He was +not altogether comfortable during this conversation. + +"She writes lots of such letters no doubt. You do then mean to go there +again?" + +"I think so. Of course I do not look upon her as being so utterly a +castaway as you do." + +"I believe her to be a heartless, vile, intriguing woman, who married +an old man without caring a straw for him, and who doesn't care how +miserable she makes other people. And I think she is very--very ugly. +She paints frightfully. Anybody can see it. And as for false +hair,--why, it's nearly all false." Lady George certainly did not +paint, and had not a shred of false hair about her. "Oh, George, if you +do go, do be firm! You will be firm;--will you not?" + +"I shall go simply that this annoyance may be at an end." + +"Of course you will tell her that I will never speak to her again. How +could I? You would not wish it;--would you?" In answer to this there +was nothing for him to say. He would have wished that a certain amount +of half friendly intercourse should be carried on; but he could not ask +her to do this. After a time he might perhaps be able to press on her +the advantage of avoiding a scandal, but as yet he could not do even +that. He had achieved more than he had a right to expect in obtaining +her permission to call once more in Berkeley Square himself. After that +they would soon be going down to Brotherton, and when they were there +things might be allowed to settle themselves. Then she asked him +another question. "You don't object to my going to Mrs. Jones' party on +Thursday?" + +The question was very sudden, so that he was almost startled. "It is a +dance, I suppose." + +"Oh yes, a dance of course." + +"No;--I have no objection." + +She had meant to ask him to reconsider his verdict against round +dances, but she could hardly do so at this moment. She could not take +advantage of her present strength to extract from him a privilege which +under other circumstances he had denied to her. Were she to do so it +would be as much as to declare that she meant to waltz because he had +amused himself with Mrs. Houghton. Her mind was not at all that way +given. But she did entertain an idea that something more of freedom +should be awarded to her because her husband had given her cause of +offence and had been forgiven. While he was still strong with that +divine superiority which she had attributed to him, she had almost +acknowledged to herself that he had a right to demand that she should +be dull and decorous. But now that she had found him to be in the +receipt of clandestine love-letters, it did seem that she might allow +herself a little liberty. She had forgiven him freely. She had really +believed that in spite of the letter she herself was the woman he +loved. She had said something to herself about men amusing themselves, +and had told herself that though no woman could have written such a +letter as that without disgracing herself altogether, a man might +receive it and even keep it in his pocket without meaning very much +harm. But the accident must, she thought, be held to absolve her from +some part of the strictness of her obedience. She almost thought that +she would waltz at Mrs. Jones's ball; perhaps not with Captain De +Baron; perhaps not with much energy or with full enjoyment; but still +sufficiently to disenthral herself. If possible she would say a word to +her husband first. They were both going to a rather crowded affair at +Lady Brabazon's before the night of Mrs. Jones's party. They had agreed +that they would do little more than shew themselves there. He was +obliged to go to this special place and he hated staying. But even at +Lady Brabazon's she might find an opportunity of saying what she wished +to say. + +On that day she took him out in her brougham, and on her return home +was alone all the afternoon till about five; and then who should come +to her but Captain De Baron. No doubt they two had become very +intimate. She could not at all have defined her reasons for liking him. +She was quite sure of one thing,--she was not in the least in love with +him. But he was always gay, always good humoured, always had plenty to +say. He was the source of all the fun that ever came in her way; and +fun was very dear to her. He was nice-looking and manly, and gentle +withal. Why should she not have her friend? He would not write +abominable letters and ask her to say that she loved him! And yet she +was aware that there was a danger. She knew that her husband was a +little jealous. She knew that Augusta Mildmay was frightfully jealous. +That odious creature Mrs. Houghton had made ever so many nasty little +allusions to her and Jack. When his name was announced she almost +wished that he had not come; but yet she received him very pleasantly. +He immediately began about the Baroness Banmann. The Baroness had on +the previous evening made her way on to the platform at the +Disabilities when Dr. Fleabody was lecturing, and Lady Selina was +presiding and had, to use Jack's own words, "Kicked up the most +delightful bobbery that had ever been witnessed! She bundled poor old +Lady Selina out of the chair." + +"Nonsense!" + +"So I am told;--took the chair by the back and hoisted her out." + +"Didn't they send for the police?" + +"I suppose they did at last; but the American doctor was too many for +her. The Baroness strove to address the meeting; but Olivia Q. Fleabody +has become a favourite, and carried the day. I am told that at last the +bald-headed old gentleman took the Baroness home in a cab. I'd have +given a five-pound note to be there. I think I must go some night and +hear the Doctor." + +"I wouldn't go again for anything." + +"You women are all so jealous of each other. Poor Lady Selina! I'm told +she was very much shaken." + +"How did you hear it all?" + +"From Aunt Ju," said the Captain. "Aunt Ju was there, of course. The +Baroness tried to fly into Aunt Ju's arms, but Aunt Ju seems to have +retired." + +Then the quarrel must have been made up between Captain De Baron and +Miss Mildmay. That was the idea which at once came into Mary's head. He +could hardly have seen Aunt Ju without seeing her niece at the same +time. Perhaps it was all settled. Perhaps, after all, they would be +married. It would be a pity, because she was not half nice enough for +him. And then Mary doubted whether Captain De Baron as a married man +would be nearly so pleasant as in his present condition. "I hope Miss +Mildmay is none the worse," she said. + +"A little shaken in her nerves." + +"Was--Augusta Mildmay there?" + +"Oh dear no. It is quite out of her line. She is not at all disposed to +lay aside the feeblenesses of her sex and go into one of the learned +professions. By the bye, I am afraid you and she are not very good +friends." + +"What makes you say that, Captain De Baron?" + +"But are you?" + +"I don't know why you should enquire." + +"It is natural to wish that one's own friends should be friends." + +"Has Miss Mildmay said--anything about--me?" + +"Not a word;--nor you about her. And, therefore, I know that something +is wrong." + +"The last time I saw her I did not think that Miss Mildmay was very +happy," said Mary, in a low voice. + +"Did she complain to you?" Mary had no answer ready for this question. +She could not tell a lie easily, nor could she acknowledge the +complaint which the lady had made, and had made so loudly. "I suppose +she did complain," he said, "and I suppose I know the nature of her +complaint." + +"I cannot tell;--though, of course, it was nothing to me." + +"It is very much to me, though. I wish, Lady George, you could bring +yourself to tell me the truth." He paused, but she did not speak. "If +it were as I fear, you must know how much I am implicated. I would not +for the world that you should think I am behaving badly." + +"You should not permit her to think so, Captain De Baron." + +"She doesn't think so. She can't think so. I am not going to say a word +against her. She and I have been dear friends, and there is no +one,--hardly any one,--for whom I have a greater regard. But I do +protest to you, Lady George, that I have never spoken an untrue word to +Augusta Mildmay in my life." + +"I have not accused you." + +"But has she? Of course it is a kind of thing that a man cannot talk +about without great difficulty." + +"Is it not a thing that a man should not talk about at all?" + +"That is severe, Lady George;--much more severe than I should have +expected from your usual good nature. Had you told me that nothing had +been said to you, there would have been an end of it. But I cannot bear +to think that you should have been told that I had behaved badly, and +that I should be unable to vindicate myself." + +"Have you not been engaged to marry Miss Mildmay?" + +"Never." + +"Then why did you allow yourself to become so--so much to her?" + +"Because I liked her. Because we were thrown together. Because the +chances of things would have it so. Don't you know that that kind of +thing is occurring every day? Of course, if a man were made up of +wisdom and prudence and virtue and self-denial, this kind of thing +wouldn't occur. But I don't think the world would be pleasanter if men +were like that. Adelaide Houghton is Miss Mildmay's most intimate +friend, and Adelaide has always known that I couldn't marry." As soon +as Mrs. Houghton's name was mentioned a dark frown came across Lady +George's brow. Captain De Baron saw it, but did not as yet know +anything of its true cause. + +"Of course I am not going to judge between you," said Lady George, very +gravely. + +"But I want you to judge me. I want you of all the world to feel that I +have not been a liar and a blackguard." + +"Captain De Baron! how can you use such language?" + +"Because I feel this very acutely. I do believe that Miss Mildmay has +accused me to you. I do not wish to say a word against her. I would do +anything in the world to protect her from the ill words of others. But +I cannot bear that your mind should be poisoned against me. Will you +believe me when I tell you that I have never said a word to Miss +Mildmay which could possibly be taken as an offer of marriage?" + +"I had rather give no opinion." + +"Will you ask Adelaide?" + +"No; certainly not." This she said with so much vehemence that he was +thoroughly startled. "Mrs. Houghton is not among the number of my +acquaintances." + +"Why not? What is the matter?" + +"I can give no explanation, and I had rather that no questions should +be asked. But so it is." + +"Has she offended Lord George?" + +"Oh dear no; that is to say I cannot tell you anything more about it. +You will never see me in Berkeley Square again. And now, pray say no +more about it." + +"Poor Adelaide. Well; it does seem terrible that there should be such +misunderstandings. She knows nothing about it. I was with her this +morning, and she was speaking of you with the greatest affection." Mary +struggled hard to appear indifferent to all this, but struggled in +vain. She could not restrain herself from displaying her feeling. "May +I not ask any further questions?" + +"No, Captain De Baron." + +"Nor hope that I may be a peacemaker between you?" + +"Certainly not. I wish you wouldn't talk about it any more." + +"I certainly will not if it offends you. I would not offend you for all +the world. When you came up to town, Lady George, a few months ago, +there were three or four of us that soon became such excellent friends! +And now it seems that everything has gone wrong. I hope we need not +quarrel--you and I?" + +"I know no reason why we should." + +"I have liked you so much. I am sure you have known that. Sometimes one +does come across a person that one really likes; but it is so seldom." + +"I try to like everybody," she said. + +"I don't do that. I fear that at first starting I try to dislike +everybody. I think it is natural to hate people the first time you see +them." + +"Did you hate me?" she asked, laughing. + +"Oh, horribly,--for two minutes. Then you laughed, or cried, or +sneezed, or did something in a manner that I liked, and I saw at once +that you were the most charming human being in the world." + +When a young man tells a young woman that she is the most charming +human being in the world, he is certainly using peculiar language. In +most cases the young man would be supposed to be making love to the +young woman. Mary, however, knew very well that Captain De Baron was +not making love to her. There seemed to be an understanding that all +manner of things should be said between them, and that yet they should +mean nothing. But, nevertheless, she felt that the language which this +man had used to her would be offensive to her husband if he knew that +it had been used when they two were alone together. Had it been said +before a room-full of people it would not have mattered. And yet she +could not rebuke him. She could not even look displeased. She had +believed all that he had said to her about Augusta Mildmay, and was +glad to believe it. She liked him so much, that she would have spoken +to him as to a brother of the nature of her quarrel with Mrs. Houghton, +only that, even to a brother, she would not have mentioned her +husband's folly. When he spoke of her crying, or laughing, or sneezing, +she liked the little attempt at drollery. She liked to know that he had +found her charming. Where is the woman who does not wish to charm, and +is not proud to think that she has succeeded with those whom she most +likes? She could not rebuke him. She could not even avoid letting him +see that she was pleased. "You have a dozen human beings in the world +who are the most delightful," she said, "and another dozen who are the +most odious." + +"Quite a dozen who are the most odious, but only one, Lady George, who +is the most delightful." He had hardly said this when the door opened +and Lord George entered the room. Lord George was not a clever +hypocrite. If he disliked a person he soon showed his dislike in his +manner. It was very clear to both of them on the present occasion that +he did not like the presence of Captain De Baron. He looked very +gloomy,--almost angry, and after speaking hardly more than a single +word to his wife's guest, he stood silent and awkward, leaning against +the mantel-piece. "What do you think Captain De Baron tells me?" Mary +said, trying, but not very successfully, to speak with natural ease. + +"I don't in the least know." + +"There has been such a scene at the Women's Institute! That Baroness +made a dreadful attack on poor Lady Selina Protest." + +"She and the American female doctor were talking against each other +from the same platform, at the same time," said De Baron. + +"Very disgraceful!" said Lord George. "But then the whole thing is +disgraceful, and always was. I should think Lord Plausible must be +thoroughly ashamed of his sister." Lady Selina was sister to the Earl +of Plausible, but, as all the world knew, was not on speaking terms +with her brother. + +"I suppose that unfortunate German lady will be put in prison," said +Lady George. + +"I only trust she may never be able to put her foot into your house +again." + +Then there was a pause. He was apparently so cross that conversation +seemed to be impossible. The Captain would have gone away at once had +he been able to escape suddenly. But there are times when it is very +hard to get out of a room, at which a sudden retreat would imply a +conviction that something was wrong. It seemed to him that for her sake +he was bound to remain a few minutes longer. "When do you go down to +Brothershire?" he asked. + +"About the 7th of July," said Mary. + +"Or probably earlier," said Lord George;--at which his wife looked up +at him, but without making any remark. + +"I shall be down at my cousin's place some day in August," De Baron +said. Lord George frowned more heavily than ever. "Mr. De Baron is +going to have a large gathering of people about the end of the month." + +"Oh, indeed," said Mary. + +"The Houghtons will be there." Then Mary also frowned. "And I have an +idea that your brother, Lord George, has half promised to be one of the +party." + +"I know nothing at all about it." + +"My cousin was up in town yesterday with the Houghtons. Good-bye, Lady +George; I shan't be at Lady Brabazon's, because she has forgotten to +invite me, but I suppose I shall see you at Mrs. Montacute Jones'?" + +"I shall certainly be at Mrs. Montacute Jones'," said Mary, trying to +speak cheerfully. + +The bell was rang and the door was closed, and then the husband and +wife were together. "A dreadful communication has just been made to +me," said Lord George in his most solemn and funereal voice;--"a most +dreadful communication!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +A DREADFUL COMMUNICATION. + + +"A most dreadful communication!" There was something in Lord George's +voice as he uttered these words which so frightened his wife that she +became at the moment quite pale. She was sure, almost sure from his +countenance that the dreadful communication had some reference to +herself. Had any great calamity happened in regard to his own family he +would not have looked at her as he was now looking. And yet she could +not imagine what might be the nature of the communication. "Has +anything happened at Manor Cross?" she asked. + +"It is not about Manor Cross." + +"Or your brother?" + +"It is not about my brother; it does not in any way concern my family. +It is about you." + +"About me! Oh, George! do not look at me like that. What is it?" + +He was very slow in the telling of the story; slow even in beginning to +tell it; indeed, he hardly knew how to begin. "You know Miss Augusta +Mildmay?" he asked. + +Then she understood it all. She might have told him that he could spare +himself all further trouble in telling, only that to do so would hardly +have suited her purpose; therefore she had to listen to the story, very +slowly told. Miss Augusta Mildmay had written to him begging him to +come to her. He, very much astonished at such a request, had +nevertheless obeyed it; and Augusta Mildmay had assured him that his +wife, by wicked wiles and lures, was interfering between her and her +affianced lover Captain De Baron. Mary sat patiently till she had heard +it all,--sat almost without speaking a word; but there was a stern look +on her face which he had never seen there before. Still he went on with +his determined purpose. "These are the kind of things which are being +repeated of you," he said at last. "Susanna made the same complaint. +And it had reached Brotherton's ears. He spoke to me of it in +frightfully strong language. And now this young lady tells me that you +are destroying her happiness." + +"Well!" + +"You can't suppose that I can hear all this without uneasiness." + +"Do you believe it?" + +"I do not know what to believe. I am driven mad." + +"If you believe it, George, if you believe a word of it, I will go away +from you. I will go back to papa. I will not stay with you to be +doubted." + +"That is nonsense." + +"It shall not be nonsense. I will not live to hear myself accused by my +husband as to another man. Wicked young woman! Oh, what women are and +what they can do! She has never been engaged to Captain De Baron." + +"What is that to you or me?" + +"Nothing, if you had not told me that I stood in her way." + +"It is not her engagement, or her hopes, whether ill or well founded, +or his treachery to a lady, that concerns you and me, Mary; but that +she should send for me and tell me to my face that you are the cause of +her unhappiness. Why should she pitch upon you?" + +"How can I say? Because she is very wicked." + +"And why should Susanna feel herself obliged to caution me as to this +Captain De Baron? She had no motive. She is not wicked." + +"I don't know that." + +"And why should my brother tell me that all the world is speaking of +your conduct with this very man?" + +"Because he is your bitterest enemy. George, do you believe it?" + +"And why, when I come home with all this heavy on my heart, do I find +this very man closeted with you?" + +"Closeted with me!" + +"You were alone with him." + +"Alone with him! Of course I am alone with anyone who calls. Would you +like me to tell the servant that Captain De Baron is to be +excluded,--so that all the world might know that you are jealous?" + +"He must be excluded." + +"Then you must do it. But it will be unnecessary. As you believe all +this, I will tell my father everything and will go back to him. I will +not live here, George, to be so suspected that the very servants have +to be told that I am not to be allowed to see one special man." + +"No; you will go down into the country with me." + +"I will not stay in the same house with you," she said, jumping up from +her seat, "unless you tell me that you suspect me of nothing--not even +of an impropriety. You may lock me up, but you cannot hinder me from +writing to my father." + +"I trust you will do nothing of the kind." + +"Not tell him! Who then is to be my friend if you turn against me? Am I +to be all alone among a set of people who think nothing but ill of me?" + +"I am to be your friend." + +"But you think ill of me." + +"I have not said so, Mary." + +"Then say at once that you think no ill, and do not threaten me that I +am to be taken into the country for protection. And when you tell me of +the bold-faced villany of that young woman, speak of her with the +disgust that she deserves; and say that your sister Susanna is +suspicious and given to evil thoughts; and declare your brother to be a +wicked slanderer if he has said a word against the honour of your wife. +Then I shall know that you think no ill of me; and then I shall know +that I may lean upon you as my real friend." + +Her eyes flashed fire as she spoke, and he was silenced for the moment +by an impetuosity and a passion which he had not at all expected. He +was not quite disposed to yield to her, to assure her of his conviction +that those to whom she alluded were all wrong, and that she was all +right; but yet he was beginning to wish for peace. That Captain De +Baron was a pestilential young man whose very business it was to bring +unhappiness into families, he did believe; and he feared also that his +wife had allowed herself to fall into an indiscreet intimacy with this +destroyer of women's characters. Then there was that feeling of Cæsar's +wife strong within his bosom, which he could, perhaps, have more fully +explained to her but for that unfortunate letter from Mrs. Houghton. +Any fault, however, of that kind on his part was, in his estimation, +nothing to a fault on the part of his wife. She, when once assured +that he was indifferent about Mrs. Houghton, would find no cause for +unhappiness in the matter. But what would all the world be to him if +his wife were talked about commonly in connection with another man? +That she should not absolutely be a castaway would not save him from a +perpetual agony which he would find to be altogether unendurable. He +was, he was sure, quite right as to that theory about Cæsar's wife, +even though, from the unfortunate position of circumstances, he could +not dilate upon it at the present moment. "I think," he said, after a +pause, "that you will allow that you had better drop this gentleman's +acquaintance." + +"I will allow nothing of the kind, George. I will allow nothing that +can imply the slightest stain upon my name or upon your honour. Captain +De Baron is my friend. I like him very much. A great many people know +how intimate we are. They shall never be taught to suppose that there +was anything wrong in that intimacy. They shall never, at any rate, be +taught so by anything that I will do. I will admit nothing. I will do +nothing myself to show that I am ashamed. Of course you can take me +into the country; of course you can lock me up if you like; of course +you can tell all your friends that I have misbehaved myself; you can +listen to calumny against me from everybody; but if you do I will have +one friend to protect me, and I will tell papa everything." Then she +walked away to the door as though she were leaving the room. + +"Stop a moment," he said. Then she stood with her hand still on the +lock, as though intending to stay merely till he should have spoken +some last word to her. He was greatly surprised by her strength and +resolution, and now hardly knew what more to say to her. He could not +beg her pardon for his suspicion; he could not tell her that she was +right; and yet he found it impossible to assert that she was wrong. "I +do not think that passion will do any good," he said. + +"I do not know what will do any good. I know what I feel." + +"It will do good if you will allow me to advise you." + +"What is your advice?" + +"To come down to the country as soon as possible, and to avoid, as far +as possible, seeing Captain De Baron before you go." + +"That would be running away from Captain De Baron. I am to meet him at +Mrs. Montacute Jones' ball." + +"Send an excuse to Mrs. Montacute Jones." + +"You may do so, George, if you like. I will not. If I am told by you +that I am not to meet this man, of course I shall obey you; but I shall +consider myself to have been insulted,--to have been insulted by you." +As she said this his brow became very black. "Yes, by you. You ought to +defend me from these people who tell stories about me, and not accuse +me yourself. I cannot and will not live with you if you think evil of +me." Then she opened the door, and slowly left the room. He would have +said more had he known what to say. But her words came more fluently +than his, and he was dumbfounded by her volubility; yet he was as much +convinced as ever that it was his duty to save her from the ill repute +which would fall upon her from further intimacy with this Captain. He +could, of course, take her into the country to-morrow, if he chose to +do so; but he could not hinder her from writing to the Dean; he could +not debar her from pen and ink and the use of the post-office; nor +could he very well forbid her to see her father. + +Of course if she did complain to the Dean she would tell the Dean +everything. So he told himself. Now, when a man assumes the divine +superiority of an all-governing husband his own hands should be quite +clean. Lord George's hands were by no means clean. It was not, perhaps, +his own fault that they were dirty. He was able at any rate to tell +himself that the fault had not been his. But there was that undoubted +love-letter from Mrs. Houghton. If the Dean were to question him about +that he could not lie. And though he would assure himself that the +fault had all been with the lady, he could not excuse himself by that +argument in discussing the matter with the Dean. He was in such trouble +that he feared to drive his wife to retaliation; and yet he must do his +duty. His honour and her honour must be his first consideration. If she +would only promise him not willingly to see Captain De Baron there +should be an end of it, and he would allow her to stay the allotted +time in London; but if she would not do this he thought that he must +face the Dean and all his terrors. + +But he hardly knew his wife--was hardly aware of the nature of her +feelings. When she spoke of appealing to her father, no idea crossed +her mind of complaining of her husband's infidelity. She would seek +protection for herself, and would be loud enough in protesting against +the slanderous tongues of those who had injured her. She would wage war +to the knife against the Marquis, and against Lady Susanna, and against +Augusta Mildmay, and would call upon her father to assist her in that +warfare; but she would not condescend to allude to a circumstance +which, if it were an offence against her, she had pardoned, but as to +which, in her heart of hearts, she believed her husband to be, if not +innocent, at least not very guilty. She despised Adelaide Houghton too +much to think that her husband had really loved such a woman, and was +too confident in herself to doubt his love for many minutes. She could +hate Adelaide Houghton for making the attempt, and yet could believe +that the attempt had been futile. + +Nevertheless when she was alone she thought much of Mrs. Houghton's +letter. Throughout her interview with her husband she had thought of +it, but had determined from the very first that she would not cast it +in his teeth. She would do nothing ungenerous. But was it not singular +that he should be able to upbraid her for her conduct, for conduct in +which there had been no trespass, knowing as he must have known, +feeling as he must have felt, that every word of that letter was +dwelling in her memory! He had, at any rate, intended that the +abominable correspondence should be clandestine. He must have been +sadly weak, to make the least of it, to have admitted such a +correspondence. "Pray tell me that you love me!" That had been the +language addressed to him only a few days since by a married lady to +whom he had once made an offer of marriage; and yet he could now come +and trample on her as though his marital superiority had all the +divinity of snow-white purity. This was absolute tyranny. But yet in +complaining to her father of his tyranny she would say nothing of +Adelaide Houghton. Of the accusations made against herself she would +certainly tell her father, unless they were withdrawn as far as her own +husband could withdraw them. For an hour after leaving him her passion +still sustained her. Was this to be her reward for all her endeavours +to become a loving wife? + +They were engaged to dine that evening with a certain Mrs. Patmore +Green, who had herself been a Germain, and who had been first cousin to +the late marquis. Mary came down dressed into the drawing room at the +proper time, not having spoken another word to her husband, and there +she found him also dressed. She had schooled herself to show no sign +either of anger or regret, and as she entered the room said some +indifferent words about the brougham. He still looked as dark as a +thunder-cloud, but he rang the bell and asked the servant a question. +The brougham was there, and away they went to Mrs. Patmore Green's. She +spoke half-a-dozen words on the way, but he hardly answered her. She +knew that he would not do so, being aware that it was not within his +power to rise above the feelings of the moment. But she exerted herself +so that he might know that she did not mean to display her ill-humour +at Mrs. Patmore Green's house. + +Lady Brabazon, whose sister had married a Germain, was there, and a +Colonel Ansley, who was a nephew of Lady Brotherton's; so that the +party was very much a Germain party. All these people had been a good +deal exercised of late on the great Popenjoy question. So immense is +the power of possession that the Marquis, on his arrival in town, had +been asked to all the Germain houses in spite of his sins, and had been +visited with considerable family affection and regard; for was he not +the head of them all? But he had not received these offers graciously, +and now the current of Germain opinion was running against him. Of the +general propriety of Lord George's conduct ever since his birth there +had never been a doubt, and the Greens and Brabazons and Ansleys were +gradually coming round to the opinion that he was right to make +enquiries as to the little Popenjoy's antecedents. They had all taken +kindly to Mary, though they were, perhaps, beginning to think that she +was a little too frivolous, too fond of pleasure for Lord George. Mrs. +Patmore Green, who was the wife of a very rich man, and the mother of a +very large family, and altogether a very worthy woman, almost at once +began to whisper to Mary--"Well, my dear, what news from Italy?" + +"I never hear anything about it, Mrs. Green," said Mary, with a laugh. + +"And yet the Dean is so eager, Lady George!" + +"I won't let papa talk to me about it. Lord Brotherton is quite welcome +to his wife and his son, and everything else for me--only I do wish he +would have remained away." + +"I think we all wish that, my dear." + +Mr. Patmore Green, and Colonel Ansley, and Lady Brabazon all spoke a +word or two in the course of the evening to Lord George on the same +subject, but he would only shake his head and say nothing. At that time +this affair of his wife's was nearer to him and more burdensome to him +than even the Popenjoy question. He could not rid himself of this new +trouble even for a moment. He was still thinking of it when all the +enquiries about Popenjoy were being made. What did it matter to him how +that matter should be settled, if all the happiness of his life were to +be dispelled by this terrible domestic affliction. "I am afraid this +quarrel with his brother will be too much for Lord George," said Mr. +Patmore Green to his wife, when the company were gone. "He was not able +to say a word the whole evening." + +"And I never knew her to be more pleasant," said Mrs. Patmore Green. +"She doesn't seem to care about it the least in the world." The husband +and wife did not speak a word to each other as they went home in the +brougham. Mary had done her duty by sustaining herself in public, but +was not willing to let him think that she had as yet forgiven the +cruelty of his suspicions. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +"I DENY IT." + + +During the whole of that night Lord George lay suffering from his +troubles, and his wife lay thinking about them. Though the matter +affected her future life almost more materially than his, she had the +better courage to maintain her, and a more sustained conviction. It +might be that she would have to leave her home and go back to the +deanery, and in that there would be utter ruin to her happiness. Let +the result, however, be as it would, she could never own herself to +have been one tittle astray, and she was quite sure that her father +would support her in that position. The old 'ruat coelum' feeling was +strong within her. She would do anything she could for her husband +short of admitting, by any faintest concession, that she had been wrong +in reference to Captain De Baron. She would talk to him, coax him, +implore him, reason with him, forgive him, love him, and caress him. +She would try to be gentle with him this coming morning. But if he were +obdurate in blaming her, she would stand on her own innocence and fight +to the last gasp. He was supported by no such spirit of pugnacity. He +felt it to be his duty to withdraw his wife from the evil influence of +this man's attractions, but felt, at the same time, that he might +possibly lack the strength to do so. And then, what is the good of +withdrawing a wife, if the wife thinks that she ought not to be +withdrawn? There are sins as to which there is no satisfaction in +visiting the results with penalties. The sin is in the mind, or in the +heart, and is complete in its enormity, even though there be no result. +He was miserable because she had not at once acknowledged that she +never ought to see this man again, as soon as she had heard the horrors +which her husband had told her. "George," she said to him at breakfast, +the next morning, "do not let us go on in this way together." + +"In what way?" + +"Not speaking to each other,--condemning each other." + +"I have not condemned you, and I don't know why you should condemn me." + +"Because I think that you suspect me without a cause." + +"I only tell you what people say!" + +"If people told me bad things of you, George,--that you were this or +that, or the other, should I believe them?" + +"A woman's name is everything." + +"Then do you protect my name. But I deny it. Her name should be as +nothing when compared with her conduct. I don't like to be evil spoken +of, but I can bear that, or anything else, if you do not think evil of +me,--you and papa." This reference to her father brought back the black +cloud which her previous words had tended to dispel. "Tell me that you +do not suspect me." + +"I never said that I suspected you of anything." + +"Say that you are sure that in regard to this man I never said, or did, +or thought anything that was wrong. Come, George, have I not a right to +expect that from you?" She had come round the table and was standing +over him, touching his shoulder. + +"Even then it would be better that you should go away from him." + +"No!" + +"I say that it would be better, Mary." + +"And I say that it would be worse,--much worse. What? Will you bid your +wife make so much of any man as to run away from him? Will you let the +world say that you think that I cannot be safe in his company? I will +not consent to that, George. The running away shall not be mine. Of +course you can take me away, if you please, but I shall feel----" + +"Well!" + +"You know what I shall feel. I told you last night." + +"What do you want me to do?" he asked, after a pause. + +"Nothing." + +"I am to hear these stories and not even to tell you that I have heard +them?" + +"I did not say that, George. I suppose it is better that you should +tell me. But I think you should say at the same time that you know them +to be false." Even though they were false, there was that doctrine of +Cæsar's wife which she would not understand! "I think I should be told, +and then left to regulate my own ways accordingly." This was mutinously +imperious, and yet he did not quite know how to convince her of her +mutiny. Through it all he was cowed by the remembrance of that +love-letter, which, of course, was in her mind, but which she was +either too generous or too wise to mention. He almost began to think +that it was wisdom rather than generosity, feeling himself to be more +cowed by her reticence than he would have been by her speech. + +"You imagine, then, that a husband should never interfere." + +"Not to protect a wife from that from which she is bound to protect +herself. If he has to do so, she is not the worth the trouble, and he +had better get rid of her. It is like preventing a man from drinking by +locking up the wine." + +"That has to be done sometimes." + +"It sha'n't be done to me, George. You must either trust me, or we must +part." + +"I do trust you," he said, at last. + +"Then let there be an end of all this trouble. Tell Susanna that you +trust me. For your brother and that disappointed young woman I care +nothing. But if I am to spend my time at Cross Hall, whatever they may +think, I should not wish them to believe that you thought evil of me. +And, George, don't suppose that because I say that I will not run away +from Captain De Baron, all this will go for nothing with me. I will not +avoid Captain De Baron, but I will be careful to give no cause for +ill-natured words." Then she put her arm round his neck, and kissed +him, and had conquered him. + +When he went away from the house he had another great trouble before +him. He had not seen Mrs. Houghton as yet, since his wife had found +that love-letter; but she had written to him often. She had sent notes +to his club almost wild with love and anger,--with that affectation of +love and anger which some women know how to assume, and which so few +men know how to withstand. It was not taken to be quite real, even by +Lord George; and yet he could not withstand it. Mrs. Houghton, who +understood the world thoroughly, had become quite convinced that Lady +George had quarrelled with her. The two women had been very intimate +ever since Lady George had been in town, and now for the last few days +they had not seen each other. Mrs. Houghton had called twice, and had +been refused. Then she had written, and had received no answer. She +knew then that Mary had discovered something, and, of course, +attributed her lover's absence to the wife's influence. But it did not +occur to her that she should, on this account, give up her intercourse +with Lord George. Scenes, quarrels, reconciliations, troubles, +recriminations, jealousies, resolves, petty triumphs, and the general +upsetting of the happiness of other people,--these were to her the +sweets of what she called a passion. To give it all up because her +lover's wife had found her out, and because her lover was in trouble, +would be to abandon her love just when it was producing the desired +fruit. She wrote short letters and long letters, angry letters, and +most affectionate letters to Lord George at his club, entreating him to +come to her, and almost driving him out of his wits. He had, from the +first, determined that he would go to her. He had even received his +wife's sanction for doing so; but, knowing how difficult it would be to +conduct such an interview, had, hitherto, put off the evil hour. But +now a day and an hour had been fixed, and the day and the hour had +come. The hour had very nearly come. When he left his house there was +still time for him to sit for awhile at his club, and think what he +would say to this woman. + +He wished to do what was right. There was not a man in England less +likely to have intended to amuse himself with a second love within +twelve months of his marriage than Lord George Germain. He had never +been a Lothario,--had never thought himself to be gifted in that way. +In the first years of his manhood, when he had been shut up at Manor +Cross, looking after his mother's limited means, with a full conviction +that it was his duty to sacrifice himself to her convenience, he had +been apt to tell himself that he was one of those men who have to go +through life without marrying--or loving. Though strikingly handsome, +he had never known himself to be handsome. He had never thought himself +to be clever, or bright, or agreeable. High birth had been given to +him, and a sense of honour. Of those gifts he had been well aware and +proud enough, but had taken credit to himself for nothing else. Then +had come that startling episode of his life in which he had fallen in +love with Adelaide De Baron, and then the fact of his marriage with +Mary Lovelace. Looking back at it now, he could hardly understand how +it had happened that he had either fallen in love or married. He +certainly was not now the least in love with Mrs. Houghton. And, though +he did love his wife dearly, though the more he saw of her the more he +admired her, yet his marriage had not made him happy. He had to live on +her money, which galled him, and to be assisted by the Dean's money, +which was wormwood to him. And he found himself to be driven whither +he did not wish to go, and to be brought into perils from which his +experience did not suffice to extricate him. He already repented the +step he had taken in regard to his brother, knowing that it was the +Dean who had done it, and not he himself. Had he not married, he might +well have left the battle to be fought in after years,--when his +brother should be dead, and very probably he himself also. + +He was aware that he must be very firm with Mrs. Houghton. Come what +might he must give her to understand quite clearly that all love-making +must be over between them. The horrors of such a condition of things +had been made much clearer to him than before by his own anxiety in +reference to Captain De Baron. But he knew himself to be too +soft-hearted for such firmness. If he could send some one else, how +much better it would be! But, alas! this was a piece of work which no +deputy could do for him. Nor could a letter serve as a deputy. Let him +write as carefully as he might, he must say things which would condemn +him utterly were they to find their way into Mr. Houghton's hands. One +terrible letter had gone astray, and why not another? + +She had told him to be in Berkeley Square at two, and he was there very +punctually. He would at the moment have given much to find the house +full of people; but she was quite alone. He had thought that she would +receive him with a storm of tears, but when he entered she was radiant +with smiles. Then he remembered how on a former occasion she had +deceived him, making him believe that all her lures to him meant little +or nothing just when he had determined to repudiate them because he had +feared that they meant so much. He must not allow himself to be won in +that way again. He must be firm, even though she smiled. "What is all +this about?" she said in an affected whisper as soon as the door was +closed. He looked very grave and shook his head. "'Thou canst not say I +did it. Never shake thy gory locks at me.' That wife of yours has found +out something, and has found it out from you, my Lord." + +"Yes, indeed." + +"What has she found out?" + +"She read a letter to me which you sent to the club." + +"Then I think it very indecent behaviour on her part. Does she search +her husband's correspondence? I don't condescend to do that sort of +thing." + +"It was my fault. I put it into her hand by mistake. But that does not +matter." + +"Not matter! It matters very much to me, I think. Not that I care. She +cannot hurt me. But, George, was not that careless--very careless; so +careless as to be--unkind?" + +"Of course it was careless." + +"And ought you not to think more of me than that? Have you not done me +an injury, sir, when you owed me all solicitude and every possible +precaution?" This was not to be denied. If he chose to receive such +letters, he was bound at any rate to keep them secret. "But men are so +foolish--so little thoughtful! What did she say, George?" + +"She behaved like an angel." + +"Of course. Wives in such circumstances always do. Just a few drops of +anger, and then a deluge of forgiveness. That was it, was it not?" + +"Something like it." + +"Of course. It happens every day,--because men are so stupid, but at +the same time so necessary. But what did she say of me I Was she angel +on my side of the house as well as yours?" + +"Of course she was angry." + +"It did not occur to her that she had been the interloper, and had +taken you away from me?" + +"That was not so. You had married." + +"Psha! Married! Of course I had married. Everybody marries. You had +married; but I did not suppose that for that reason you would forget me +altogether. People must marry as circumstances suit. It is no good +going back to that old story. Why did you not come to me sooner, and +tell me of this tragedy? Why did you leave me to run after her and +write to her?" + +"I have been very unhappy." + +"So you ought to be. But things are never so bad in the wearing as in +the anticipation. I don't suppose she'll go about destroying my name +and doing me a mischief?" + +"Never." + +"Because if she did, you know, I could retaliate." + +"What do you mean by that, Mrs. Houghton?" + +"Nothing that need disturb you, Lord George. Do not look such daggers +at me. But women have to be forbearing to each other. She is your wife, +and you may be sure I shall never say a nasty word about her,--unless +she makes herself very objectionable to me." + +"Nobody can say nasty things about her." + +"That is all right, then. And now what have you to say to me about +myself? I am not going to be gloomy because a little misfortune has +happened. It is not my philosophy to cry after spilt milk." + +"I will sit down a minute," he said; for hitherto he had been standing. + +"Certainly; and I will sit opposite to you,--for ten minutes if you +wish it. I see that there is something to be said. What is it?" + +"All that has passed between you and me for the last month or two must +be forgotten." + +"Oh, that is it!" + +"I will not make her miserable, nor will I bear a burden upon my own +conscience." + +"Your conscience! What a speech for a man to make to a woman! And how +about my conscience? And then one thing further. You say that it must +be all forgotten?" + +"Yes, indeed." + +"Can you forget it?" + +"I can strive to do so. By forgetting, one means laying it aside. We +remember chiefly those things which we try to remember." + +"And you will not try to remember me--in the least? You will lay me +aside--like an old garment? Because this--angel--has come across a +scrawl which you were too careless either to burn or to lock up! You +will tell yourself to forget me, as you would a servant that you had +dismissed,--much more easily than you would a dog? Is that so?" + +"I did not say that I could do it easily." + +"You shall not do it at all. I will not be forgotten. Did you ever love +me, sir?" + +"Certainly I did. You know that I did." + +"When? How long since? Have you ever sworn that you loved me since +this--angel--has been your wife?" Looking back as well as he could, he +rather thought that he never had sworn that he loved her in these +latter days. She had often bidden him to do so; but as far as he could +recollect at the moment, he had escaped the absolute utterance of the +oath by some subterfuge. But doubtless he had done that which had been +tantamount to swearing; and, at any rate, he could not now say that he +had never sworn. "Now you come to tell me that it must all be +forgotten! Was it she taught you that word?" + +"If you upbraid me I will go away." + +"Go, sir,--if you dare. You first betray me to your wife by your +egregious folly, and then tell me that you will leave me because I have +a word to say for myself. Oh, George, I expected more tenderness than +that from you." + +"There is no use in being tender. It can only produce misery and +destruction." + +"Well; of all the cold-blooded speeches I ever heard, that is the +worst. After all that has passed between us, you do not scruple to tell +me that you cannot even express tenderness for me, lest it should bring +you into trouble! Men have felt that before, I do not doubt; but I +hardly think any man was ever hard enough to make such a speech. I +wonder whether Captain De Baron is so considerate." + +"What do you mean by that?" + +"You come here and talk to me about your angel, and then tell me that +you cannot show me even the slightest tenderness, lest it should make +you miserable,--and you expect me to hold my tongue." + +"I don't know why you should mention Captain De Baron." + +"I'll tell you why, Lord George. There are five or six of us playing +this little comedy. Mr. Houghton and I are married, but we have not +very much to say to each other. It is the same with you and Mary." + +"I deny it." + +"I daresay; but at the same time you know it to be true. She consoles +herself with Captain De Baron. With whom Mr. Houghton consoles himself +I have never taken the trouble to enquire. I hope someone is +good-natured to him, poor old soul. Then, as to you and me,--you used, +I think, to get consolation here. But such comforts cost trouble, and +you hate trouble." As she said this, she wound her arm inside his; and +he, angry as he was with her for speaking as she had done of his wife, +could not push her from him roughly. "Is not that how it is, George?" + +"No?" + +"Then I don't think you understand the play as well as I do." + +"No! I deny it all." + +"All?" + +"Everything about Mary. It's a slander to mention that man's name in +connection with her,--a calumny which I will not endure." + +"How is it, then, if they mention mine in connection with you?" + +"I am saying nothing about that." + +"But I suppose you think of it. I am hardly of less importance to +myself than Lady George is to herself. I did think I was not of less +importance to you." + +"Nobody ever was or ever can be of so much importance to me as my wife, +and I will be on good terms with no one who speaks evil of her." + +"They may say what they like of me?" + +"Mr. Houghton must look to that." + +"It is no business of yours, George?" + +He paused a moment, and then found the courage to answer her. +"No--none," he said. Had she confined herself to her own assumed +wrongs, her own pretended affection,--had she contented herself with +quarrelling with him for his carelessness, and had then called upon him +for some renewed expression of love,--he would hardly have been strong +enough to withstand her. But she could not keep her tongue from +speaking evil of his wife. From the moment in which he had called Mary +an angel, it was necessary to her comfort to malign the angel. She did +not quite know the man, or the nature of men generally. A man, if his +mind be given that way, may perhaps with safety whisper into a woman's +ear that her husband is untrue to her. Such an accusation may serve his +purpose. But the woman, on her side, should hold her peace about the +man's wife. A man must be very degraded indeed if his wife be not holy +to him. Lord George had been driving his wife almost mad during the +last twenty-four hours by implied accusations, and yet she was to him +the very holy of holies. All the Popenjoy question was as nothing to +him in comparison with the sanctity of her name. And now, weak as he +was, incapable as he would have been, under any other condition of +mind, of extricating himself from the meshes which this woman was +spinning for him, he was enabled to make an immediate and most salutary +plunge by the genuine anger she had produced. "No, none," he said. + +"Oh, very well. The angel is everything to you, and I am nothing?" + +"Yes; my wife is everything to me." + +"How dared you, then, come here and talk to me of love? Do you think I +will stand this,--that I will endure to be treated in this way? Angel, +indeed! I tell you that she cares more for Jack De Baron's little +finger than for your whole body. She is never happy unless he is with +her. I don't think very much of my cousin Jack, but to her he is a +god." + +"It is false." + +"Very well. It is nothing to me; but you can hardly expect, my Lord, +that I should hear from you such pleasant truths as you have just told +me, and not give you back what I believe to be truth in return." + +"Have I spoken evil of any one? But I will not stay here, Mrs. +Houghton, to make recriminations. You have spoken most cruelly of a +woman who never injured you, who has always been your firm friend. It +is my duty to protect her, and I shall always do so in all +circumstances. Good morning." Then he went before she could say another +word to him. + +He would perhaps have been justified had he been a little proud of the +manner in which he had carried himself through this interview; but he +entertained no such feeling. To the lady he had just left he feared +that he had been rough and almost cruel. She was not to him the mass of +whipped cream turned sour which she may perhaps be to the reader. +Though he had been stirred to anger, he had been indignant with +circumstances rather than with Mrs. Houghton. But in truth the renewed +accusation against his wife made him so wretched that there was no room +in his breast for pride. He had been told that she liked Jack De +Baron's little finger better than his whole body, and had been so told +by one who knew both his wife and Jack De Baron. Of course there had +been spite and malice and every possible evil passion at work. But then +everybody was saying the same thing. Even though there were not a word +of truth in it, such a rumour alone would suffice to break his heart. +How was he to stop cruel tongues, especially the tongue of this woman, +who would now be his bitterest enemy? If such things were repeated by +all connected with him, how would he be able to reconcile his own +family to his wife? There was nothing which he valued now but the +respect which he held in his own family and that which his wife might +hold. And in his own mind he could not quite acquit her. She would not +be made to understand that she might injure his honour and destroy his +happiness even though she committed no great fault. To take her away +with a strong hand seemed to be his duty. But then there was the Dean, +who would most certainly take her part,--and he was afraid of the Dean. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + +POPENJOY IS POPENJOY. + + +Then came Lady Brabazon's party. Lord George said nothing further to +his wife about Jack De Baron for some days after that storm in Berkeley +Square,--nor did she to him. She was quite contented that matters +should remain as they now were. She had vindicated herself, and if he +made no further accusation, she was willing to be appeased. He was by +no means contented;--but as a day had been fixed for them to leave +London, and that day was now but a month absent, he hardly knew how to +insist upon an alteration of their plans. If he did so he must declare +war against the Dean, and, for a time, against his wife also. He +postponed, therefore, any decision, and allowed matters to go on as +they were. Mary was no doubt triumphant in her spirit. She had +conquered him for a time, and felt that it was so. But she was, on that +account, more tender and observant to him than ever. She even offered +to give up Lady Brabazon's party, altogether. She did not much care for +Lady Brabazon's party, and was willing to make a sacrifice that was +perhaps no sacrifice. But to this he did not assent. He declared +himself to be quite ready for Lady Brabazon's party, and to Lady +Brabazon's party they went. As she was on the staircase she asked him a +question. "Do you mind my having a waltz to-night?" He could not bring +himself for the moment to be stern enough to refuse. He knew that the +pernicious man would not be there. He was quite sure that the question +was not asked in reference to the pernicious man. He did not +understand, as he should have done, that a claim was being made for +general emancipation, and he muttered something which was intended to +imply assent. Soon afterwards she took two or three turns with a stout +middle-aged gentleman, a Count somebody, who was connected with the +German embassy. Nothing on earth could have been more harmless or +apparently uninteresting. Then she signified to him that she had done +her duty to Lady Brabazon and was quite ready to go home. "I'm not +particularly bored," he said; "don't mind me." "But I am," she +whispered, laughing, "and as I know you don't care about it, you might +as well take me away." So he took her home. They were not there above +half-an-hour, but she had carried her point about the waltzing. + +On the next day the Dean came to town to attend a meeting at Mr. +Battle's chambers by appointment. Lord George met him there, of course, +as they were at any rate supposed to act in strict concert; but on +these days the Dean did not stay in Munster Court when in London. + +He would always visit his daughter, but would endeavour to do so in her +husband's absence, and was unwilling even to dine there. "We shall be +better friends down at Brotherton," he said to her. "He is always angry +with me after discussing this affair of his brother's; and I am not +quite sure that he likes seeing me here." This he had said on a +previous occasion, and now the two men met in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, not +having even gone there together. + +At this meeting the lawyer told them a strange story, and one which to +the Dean was most unsatisfactory,--one which he resolutely determined +to disbelieve. "The Marquis," said Mr. Battle, "had certainly gone +through two marriage ceremonies with the Italian lady, one before the +death and one after the death of her first reputed husband. And as +certainly the so-called Popenjoy had been born before the second +ceremony." So much the Dean believed very easily, and the information +tallied altogether with his own views. If this was so, the so-called +Popenjoy could not be a real Popenjoy, and his daughter would be +Marchioness of Brotherton when this wicked ape of a marquis should die; +and her son, should she have one, would be the future marquis. But then +there came the remainder of the lawyer's story. Mr. Battle was +inclined, from all that he had learned, to believe that the Marchioness +had never really been married at all to the man whose name she had +first borne, and that the second marriage had been celebrated merely to +save appearances. + +"What appearances!" exclaimed the Dean. Mr. Battle shrugged his +shoulders. Lord George sat in gloomy silence. "I don't believe a word +of it," said the Dean. + +Then the lawyer went on with his story. This lady had been betrothed +early in life to the Marchese Luigi; but the man had become +insane--partially insane and by fits and starts. For some reason, not +as yet understood, which might probably never be understood, the lady's +family had thought it expedient that the lady should bear the name of +the man to whom she was to be married. She had done so for some years +and had been in possession of some income belonging to him. But Mr. +Battle was of opinion that she had never been Luigi's wife. Further +enquiries might possibly be made, and might add to further results. But +they would be very expensive. A good deal of money had already been +spent. "What did Lord George wish?" + +"I think we have done enough," said Lord George, slowly,--thinking also +that he had been already constrained to do much too much. + +"It must be followed out to the end," said the Dean. "What! Here is a +woman who professed for years to be a man's wife, who bore his name, +who was believed by everybody to have been his wife----" + +"I did not say that, Mr. Dean," interrupted the lawyer. + +"Who lived on the man's revenues as his wife, and even bore his title, +and now in such an emergency as this we are to take a cock and bull +story as gospel. Remember, Mr. Battle, what is at stake." + +"Very much is at stake, Mr. Dean, and therefore these enquiries have +been made,--at a very great expense. But our own evidence as far as it +goes is all against us. The Luigi family say that there was no +marriage. Her family say that there was, but cannot prove it. The child +may die, you know." + +"Why should he die?" asked Lord George. + +"I am trying the matter all round, you know. I am told the poor child +is in ill health. One has got to look at probabilities. Of course you +do not abandon a right by not prosecuting it now." + +"It would be a cruelty to the boy to let him be brought up as Lord +Popenjoy and afterwards dispossessed," said the Dean. + +"You, gentlemen, must decide," said the lawyer. "I only say that I do +not recommend further steps." + +"I will do nothing further," said Lord George. "In the first place I +cannot afford it." + +"We will manage that between us," said the Dean. "We need not trouble +Mr. Battle with that. Mr. Battle will not fear but that all expenses +will be paid." + +"Not in the least," said Mr. Battle, smiling. + +"I do not at all believe the story," said the Dean. "It does not sound +like truth. If I spent my last shilling in sifting the matter to the +bottom, I would go on with it. Though I were obliged to leave England +for twelve months myself, I would do it. A man is bound to ascertain +his own rights." + +"I will have nothing more to do with it," said Lord George, rising from +his chair. "As much has been done as duty required; perhaps more. Mr. +Battle, good morning. If we could know as soon as possible what this +unfortunate affair has cost, I shall be obliged." He asked his +father-in-law to accompany him, but the Dean said that he would speak a +word or two further to Mr. Battle and remained. + +At his club Lord George was much surprised to find a note from his +brother. The note was as follows:-- + + "Would you mind coming to me here to-morrow or the next day at 3. + + "B. Scumberg's Hotel, Tuesday." + +This to Lord George was very strange indeed. He could not but remember +all the circumstances of his former visit to his brother,--how he had +been insulted, how his wife had been vilified, how his brother had +heaped scorn on him. At first he thought that he was bound to refuse to +do as he was asked. But why should his brother ask him? And his brother +was his brother,--the head of his family. He decided at last that he +would go, and left a note himself at Scumberg's Hotel that evening, +saying that he would be there on the morrow. + +He was very much perplexed in spirit as he thought of the coming +interview. He went to the Dean's club and to the Dean's hotel, hoping +to find the Dean, and thinking that as he had consented to act with the +Dean against his brother, he was bound in honour to let the Dean know +of the new phase in the affair. But he did not find his father-in-law. +The Dean returned to Brotherton on the following morning, and therefore +knew nothing of this meeting till some days after it had taken place. +The language which the Marquis had used to his brother when they were last +together had been such as to render any friendly intercourse almost +impossible. And then the mingled bitterness, frivolity, and wickedness +of his brother, made every tone of the man's voice and every glance of +his eye distasteful to Lord George. Lord George was always honest, was +generally serious, and never malicious. There could be no greater +contrast than that which had been produced between the brothers, either +by difference of disposition from their birth, or by the varied +circumstances of a residence on an Italian lake and one at Manor Cross. +The Marquis thought his brother to be a fool, and did not scruple to +say so on all occasions. Lord George felt that his brother was a knave, +but would not have so called him on any consideration. The Marquis in +sending for his brother hoped that even after all that had passed, he +might make use of Lord George. Lord George in going to his brother, +hoped that even after all that had passed he might be of use to the +Marquis. + +When he was shown into the sitting-room at the hotel, the Marchioness +was again there. She, no doubt, had been tutored. She got up at once +and shook hands with her brother-in-law, smiling graciously. It must +have been a comfort to both of them that they spoke no common language, +as they could hardly have had many thoughts to interchange with each +other. + +"I wonder why the deuce you never learned Italian," said the Marquis. + +"We never were taught," said Lord George. + +"No;--nobody in England ever is taught anything but Latin and +Greek,--with this singular result, that after ten or a dozen years of +learning not one in twenty knows a word of either language. That is our +English idea of education. In after life a little French may be picked +up, from necessity; but it is French of the very worst kind. My wonder +is that Englishman can hold their own in the world at all." + +"They do," said Lord George,--to whom all this was ear-piercing +blasphemy. The national conviction that an Englishman could thrash +three foreigners, and if necessary eat them, was strong with him. + +"Yes; there is a ludicrous strength even in their pig-headedness. But +I always think that Frenchmen, Italians, and Prussians must in dealing +with us, be filled with infinite disgust. They must ever be saying, +'pig, pig, pig,' beneath their breath, at every turn." + +"They don't dare to say it out loud," said Lord George. + +"They are too courteous, my dear fellow." Then he said a few words to +his wife in Italian, upon which she left the room, again shaking hands +with her brother-in-law, and again smiling. + +Then the Marquis rushed at once into the middle of his affairs. + +"Don't you think George that you are an infernal fool to quarrel with +me." + +"You have quarrelled with me. I haven't quarrelled with you." + +"Oh no;--not at all! When you send lawyer's clerks all over Italy to +try to prove my boy to be a bastard, and that is not quarrelling with +me! When you accuse my wife of bigamy that is not quarrelling with me! +When you conspire to make my house in the country too hot to hold me, +that is not quarrelling with me!" + +"How have I conspired? with whom have I conspired?" + +"When I explained my wishes about the house at Cross Hall, why did you +encourage those foolish old maids to run counter to me. You must have +understood pretty well that it would not suit either of us to be near +the other, and yet you chose to stick up for legal rights." + +"We thought it better for my mother." + +"My mother would have consented to anything that I proposed. Do you +think I don't know how the land lies? Well; what have you learned in +Italy?" Lord George was silent. "Of course, I know. I'm not such a fool +as not to keep my ears and eyes open. As far as your enquiries have +gone yet, are you justified in calling Popenjoy a bastard?" + +"I have never called him so;--never. I have always declared my belief +and my wishes to be in his favour." + +"Then why the d---- have you made all this rumpus?" + +"Because it was necessary to be sure. When a man marries the same wife +twice over----" + +"Have you never heard of that being done before? Are you so ignorant as +not to know that there are a hundred little reasons which may make that +expedient? You have made your enquiries now and what is the result?" + +Lord George paused a moment before he replied, and then answered with +absolute honesty. "It is all very odd to me. That may be my English +prejudice. But I do think that your boy is legitimate." + +"You are satisfied as to that?" + +He paused again, meditating his reply. He did not wish to be untrue to +the Dean, but then he was very anxious to be true to his brother. He +remembered that in the Dean's presence he had told the lawyer that he +would have nothing to do with further enquiries. He had asked for the +lawyer's bill, thereby withdrawing from the investigation. "Yes," he +said slowly; "I am satisfied." + +"And you mean to do nothing further?" + +Again he was very slow, remembering how necessary it would be that he +should tell all this to the Dean, and how full of wrath the Dean would +be. "No; I do not mean to do anything further." + +"I may take that as your settled purpose?" + +There was another pause, and then he spoke, "Yes; you may." + +"Then, George, let us try and forget what has passed. It cannot pay for +you and me to quarrel. I shall not stay in England very long. I don't +like it. It was necessary that the people about should know that I had +a wife and son, and so I brought him and her to this comfortless +country. I shall return before the winter, and for anything that I care +you may all go back to Manor Cross." + +"I don't think my mother would like that." + +"Why shouldn't she like it? I suppose I was to be allowed to have my +own house when I wanted it? I hope there was no offence in that, even +to that dragon Sarah? At any rate, you may as well look after the +property; and if they won't live there, you can. But there's one +question I want to ask you." + +"Well?" + +"What do you think of your precious father-in-law; and what do you +think that I must think of him? Will you not admit that for a vulgar, +impudent brute, he is about as bad as even England can supply?" Of +course Lord George had nothing to say in answer to this. "He is going +on with this tom-foolery, I believe?" + +"You mean the enquiry?" + +"Yes; I mean the enquiry whether my son and your nephew is a bastard. I +know he put you up to it. Am I right in saying that he has not +abandoned it?" + +"I think you are right." + +"Then by heaven I'll ruin him. He may have a little money, but I don't +think his purse is quite so long as mine. I'll lead him such a dance +that he shall wish he had never heard the name of Germain. I'll make +his deanery too hot to hold him. Now, George, as between you and me +this shall be all passed over. That poor child is not strong, and after +all you may probably be my heir. I shall never live in England, and you +are welcome to the house. I can be very bitter, but I can forgive; and +as far as you are concerned I do forgive. But I expect you to drop your +precious father-in-law." Lord George was again silent. He could not say +that he would drop the Dean; but at this moment he was not sufficiently +fond of the Dean to rise up in his stirrups and fight a battle for him. +"You understand me," continued the Marquis, "I don't want any assurance +from you. He is determined to prosecute an enquiry adverse to the +honour of your family, and in opposition to your settled convictions. I +don't think that after that you can doubt about your duty. Come and +see me again before long; won't you?" Lord George said that he would +come again before long, and then departed. + +As he walked home his mind was sorely perplexed and divided. He had +made up his mind to take no further share in the Popenjoy +investigation, and must have been right to declare as much to his +brother. His conscience was clear as to that. And then there were many +reasons which induced him to feel coldly about the Dean. His own wife +had threatened him with her father. And the Dean was always driving +him. And he hated the Dean's money. He felt that the Dean was not quite +all that a gentleman should be. But, nevertheless, it behoved him above +all things to be honest and straightforward with the Dean. + +There had been something in his interview with his brother to please +him, but it had not been all delightful. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + +PREPARATIONS FOR THE BALL. + + +How was he to keep faith with the Dean? This was Lord George's first +trouble after his reconciliation with his brother. The Dean was back at +the deanery, and Lord George mistrusted his own power of writing such a +letter as would be satisfactory on so abstruse a matter. He knew that +he should fail in making a good story, even face to face, and that his +letter would be worse than spoken words. In intellect he was much +inferior to the Dean, and was only too conscious of his own +inferiority. In this condition of mind he told his story to his wife. +She had never even seen the Marquis, and had never quite believed in +those ogre qualities which had caused so many groans to Lady Sarah and +Lady Susanna. When, therefore, her husband told her that he had made +his peace with his brother she was inclined to rejoice. "And Popenjoy +is Popenjoy," she said smiling. + +"I believe he is, with all my heart." + +"And that is to be an end of it, George? You know that I have never +been eager for any grandeur." + +"I know it. You have behaved beautifully all along." + +"Oh; I won't boast. Perhaps I ought to have been more ambitious for +you. But I hate quarrels, and I shouldn't like to have claimed anything +which did not really belong to us. It is all over now." + +"I can't answer for your father." + +"But you and papa are all one." + +"Your father is very steadfast. He does not know yet that I have seen +my brother. I think you might write to him. He ought to know what has +taken place. Perhaps he would come up again if he heard that I had been +with my brother." + +"Shall I ask him to come here?" + +"Certainly. Why should he not come here? There is his room. He can +always come if he pleases." So the matter was left, and Mary wrote her +letter. It was not very lucid;--but it could hardly have been lucid, +the writer knowing so few of the details. "George has become friends +with his brother," she said, "and wishes me to tell you. He says that +Popenjoy is Popenjoy, and I am very glad. It was such a trouble. George +thinks you will come up to town when you hear, and begs you will come +here. Do come, papa! It makes me quite wretched when you go to that +horrid hotel. There is such a lot of quarrelling, and it almost seems +as if you were going to quarrel with us when you don't come here. Pray, +papa, never, never do that. If I thought you and George weren't friends +it would break my heart. Your room is always ready for you, and if +you'll say what day you'll be here I will get a few people to meet +you." The letter was much more occupied with her desire to see her +father than with that momentous question on which her father was so +zealously intent. Popenjoy is Popenjoy! It was very easy to assert so +much. Lord George would no doubt give way readily, because he disliked +the trouble of the contest. But it was not so with the Dean. "He is no +more Popenjoy than I am Popenjoy," said the Dean to himself when he +read the letter. Yes; he must go up to town again. He must know what +had really taken place between the two brothers. That was essential, +and he did not doubt but that he should get the exact truth from Lord +George. But he would not go to Munster Court. There was already a +difference of opinion between him and his son-in-law sufficient to make +such a sojourn disagreeable. If not disagreeable to himself, he knew +that it would be so to Lord George. He was sorry to vex Mary, but +Mary's interests were more at his heart than her happiness. It was now +the business of his life to make her a Marchioness, and that business +he would follow whether he made himself, her, and others happy or +unhappy. He wrote to her, bidding her tell her husband that he would +again be in London on a day which he named, but adding that for the +present he would prefer going to the hotel. "I cannot help it," said +Lord George moodily. "I have done all I could to make him welcome here. +If he chooses to stand off and be stiff he must do so." + +At this time Lord George had many things to vex him. Every day he +received at his club a letter from Mrs. Houghton, and each letter was a +little dagger. He was abused by every epithet, every innuendo, and +every accusation familiar to the tongues and pens of the irritated +female mind. A stranger reading them would have imagined that he had +used all the arts of a Lothario to entrap the unguarded affections of +the writer, and then, when successful, had first neglected the lady and +afterwards betrayed her. And with every stab so given there was a +command expressed that he should come instantly to Berkeley Square in +order that he might receive other and worse gashes at the better +convenience of the assailant. But as Mrs. Bond's ducks would certainly +not have come out of the pond had they fully understood the nature of +that lady's invitation, so neither did Lord George go to Berkeley +Square in obedience to these commands. Then there came a letter which +to him was no longer a little dagger, but a great sword,--a sword +making a wound so wide that his life-blood seemed to flow. There was no +accusation of betrayal in this letter. It was simply the broken-hearted +wailings of a woman whose love was too strong for her. Had he not +taught her to regard him as the only man in the world whose presence +was worth having? Had he not so wound himself into every recess of her +heart as to make life without seeing him insupportable? Could it be +possible that, after having done all this, he had no regard for her? +Was he so hard, so cruel, such adamant as to deny her at least a +farewell? As for herself, she was now beyond all fear of consequences. +She was ready to die if it were necessary,--ready to lose all the +luxuries of her husband's position rather than never see him again. She +had a heart! She was inclined to doubt whether any one among her +acquaintances was so burdened. Why, oh why, had she thought so +steadfastly of his material interests when he used to kneel at her feet +and ask her to be his bride, before he had ever seen Mary Lovelace? +Then this long epistle was brought to an end. "Come to me to-morrow, A. +H. Destroy this the moment you have read it." The last behest he did +obey. He would put no second letter from this woman in his wife's way. +He tore the paper into minute fragments, and deposited the portions in +different places. That was easily done; but what should be done as to +the other behest? If he went to Berkeley Square again, would he be able +to leave it triumphantly as he had done on his last visit? That he did +not wish to see her for his own sake he was quite certain. But he +thought it incumbent on him to go yet once again. He did not altogether +believe all that story as to her tortured heart. Looking back at what +had passed between them since he had first thought himself to be in +love with her, he could not remember such a depth of love-making on his +part as that which she described. In the ordinary way he had proposed +to her, and had, in the ordinary way, been rejected. Since that, and +since his marriage, surely the protestations of affection had come +almost exclusively from the lady! He thought that it was so, and yet +was hardly sure. If he had got such a hold on her affections as she +described, certainly, then, he owed to her some reparation. But as he +remembered her great head of false hair and her paint, and called to +mind his wife's description of her, he almost protested to himself that +she was deceiving him;--he almost read her rightly. Nevertheless, he +would go once more. He would go and tell her sternly that the thing +must come to an end, and that no more letters were to be written. + +He did go and found Jack De Baron there, and heard Jack discourse +enthusiastically about Mrs. Montacute Jones's ball, which was to be +celebrated in two or three days from the present time. Then Mrs. +Houghton was very careful to ask some question in Lord George's +presence as to some special figure-dance which was being got up for the +occasion. It was a dance newly introduced from Moldavia, and was the +most ravishing thing in the way of dancing that had ever yet found its +way into this country. Nobody had yet seen it, and it was being kept a +profound secret,--to be displayed only at Mrs. Montacute Jones's party. +It was practised in secret in her back drawing room by the eight +performers, with the assistance of a couple of most trustworthy hired +musicians, whom that liberal old lady, Mrs. Montacute Jones, +supplied,--so that the rehearsals might make the performers perfect for +the grand night. This was the story as told with great interest by Mrs. +Houghton, who seemed for the occasion almost to have recovered from her +heart complaint. That, however, was necessarily kept in abeyance during +Jack's presence. Jack, though he had been enthusiastic about Mrs. Jones +and her ball before Lord George's arrival, and though he had continued +to talk freely up to a certain point, suddenly became reticent as to +the great Moldavian dance. But Mrs. Houghton would not be reticent. She +declared the four couple who had been selected as performers to be the +happy, fortunate ones of the season. Mrs. Montacute Jones was a nasty +old woman for not having asked her. Of course there was a difficulty, +but there might have been two sets. "And Jack is such a false loon," +she said to Lord George, "that he won't show me one of the figures." + +"Are you going to dance it?" asked Lord George. + +"I fancy I'm to be one of the team." + +"He is to dance with Mary," said Mrs. Houghton. Then Lord George +thought that he understood the young man's reticence, and he was once +again very wretched. There came that cloud upon his brow which never +sat there without being visible to all who were in the company. No man +told the tale of his own feelings so plainly as he did. And Mrs. +Houghton, though declaring herself to be ignorant of the figure, had +described the dance as a farrago of polkas, waltzes, and galops, so +that the thing might be supposed to be a fast rapturous whirl from the +beginning to the end. And his wife was going through this indecent +exhibition at Mrs. Montacute Jones' ball with Captain de Baron after +all that he had said! + +"You are quite wrong in your ideas about the dance," said Jack to his +cousin. "It is the quietest thing out,--almost as grave as a minuet. +It's very pretty, but people here will find it too slow." It may be +doubted whether he did much good by this explanation. Lord George +thought that he was lying, though he had almost thought before that +Mrs. Houghton was lying on the other side. But it was true at any rate +that after all that had passed a special arrangement had been made for +his wife to dance with Jack De Baron. And then his wife had been called +by implication, "One of the team." + +Jack got up to go, but before he left the room Aunt Ju was there, and +then that sinful old woman Mrs. Montacute Jones herself. "My dear," she +said in answer to a question from Mrs. Houghton about the dance, "I am +not going to tell anybody anything about it. I don't know why it should +have been talked of. Four couple of good looking young people are going +to amuse themselves, and I have no doubt that those who look on will be +very much gratified." Oh, that his wife, that Lady Mary Germain, should +be talked of as one of "four couple of good looking young people," and +that she should be about to dance with Jack De Baron, in order that +strangers might be gratified by looking at her! + +It was manifest that nothing special could be said to Mrs. Houghton on +that occasion, as one person came after another. She looked all the +while perfectly disembarrassed. Nobody could have imagined that she was +in the presence of the man whose love was all the world to her. When he +got up to take his leave she parted from him as though he were no more +to her than he ought to have been. And indeed he too had for the time +been freed from the flurry of his affair with Mrs. Houghton by the +other flurry occasioned by the Moldavian dance. The new dance was +called, he had been told, the Kappa-kappa. There was something in the +name suggestive of another dance of which he had heard,--and he was +very unhappy. + +He found the Dean in Munster Court when he reached his own house. The +first word that his wife spoke to him was about the ball. "George, papa +is going with me on Friday to Mrs. Montacute Jones'." + +"I hope he will like it," said Lord George. + +"I wish you would come." + +"Why should I go? I have already said that I would not." + +"As for the invitation that does not signify in the least. Do come just +about twelve o'clock. We've got up such a dance, and I should like you +to come and see it." + +"Who is we?" + +"Well;--the parties are not quite arranged yet. I think I'm to dance +with Count Costi. Something depends on colours of dress and other +matters. The gentlemen are all to be in some kind of uniform. We have +rehearsed it, and in rehearsing we have done it all round, one with the +other." + +"Why didn't you tell me before?" + +"We weren't to tell till it was settled." + +"I mean to go and see it," said the Dean. "I delight in anything of +that kind." + +Mary was so perfectly easy in the matter, so free from doubt, so +disembarrassed, that he was for the moment tranquillised. She had said +that she was to dance, not with that pernicious Captain, but with a +foreign Count. He did not like foreign Counts, but at the present +moment he preferred any one to Jack De Baron. He did not for a moment +doubt her truth. And she had been true,--though Jack De Baron and Mrs. +Houghton had been true also. When Mary had been last at Mrs. Jones' +house the matter had not been quite settled, and in her absence Jack +had foolishly, if not wrongly, carried his point with the old lady. It +had been decided that the performers were to go through their work in +the fashion that might best achieve the desired effect;--that they were +not to dance exactly with whom they pleased, but were to have their +parts assigned them as actors on a stage. Jack no doubt had been led by +his own private wishes in securing Mary as his partner, but of that +contrivance on his part she had been ignorant when she gave her +programme of the affair to her husband. "Won't you come in and see it?" +she said again. + +"I am not very fond of those things. Perhaps I may come in for a few +minutes." + +"I am fond of them," said the Dean. "I think any innocent thing that +makes life joyous and pretty is good." + +"That is rather begging the question," said Lord George, as he left the +room. + +Mary had not known what her husband meant by begging the question, but +the Dean had of course understood him. "I hope he is not going to +become ascetic," he said. "I hope at least that he will not insist that +you should be so." + +"It is not his nature to be very gay," she answered. + +On the next day, in the morning, was the last rehearsal, and then Mary +learned what was her destiny. She regretted it, but could not +remonstrate. Jack's uniform was red. The Count's dress was blue and +gold. Her dress was white, and she was told that the white and red must +go together. There was nothing more to be said. She could not plead +that her husband was afraid of Jack De Baron. Nor certainly would she +admit to herself that she was in the least afraid of him herself. But +for her husband's foolish jealousy she would infinitely have preferred +the arrangement as now made,--just as a little girl prefers as a +playmate a handsome boy whom she has long known, to some ill-visaged +stranger with whom she has never quarrelled and never again made +friends. But when she saw her husband she found herself unable to tell +him of the change which had been made. She was not actor enough to be +able to mention Jack De Baron's name to him with tranquillity. + +On the next morning,--the morning of the important day,--she heard +casually from Mrs. Jones that Lord George had been at Mrs. Houghton's +house. She had quite understood from her husband that he intended to +see that evil woman again after the discovery and reading of the +letter. He had himself told her that he intended it; and she, if she +had not actually assented, had made no protest against his doing so. +But that visit, represented as being one final necessary visit, had, +she was well aware, been made some time since. She had not asked him +what had taken place. She had been unwilling to show any doubt by such +a question. The evil woman's name had never been on her tongue since +the day on which the letter had been read. But now, when she heard that +he was there again, so soon, as a friend joining in general +conversation in the evil woman's house, the matter did touch her. Could +it be that he was deceiving her after all, and that he loved the woman? +Did he really like that helmet, that paint and that affected laugh? And +had he lied to her,--deceived her with a premeditated story which must +have been full of lies? She could hardly bring herself to believe this; +and yet, why, why, why should he be there? The visit of which he had +spoken had been one intended to put an end to all close +friendship,--one in which he was to tell the woman that though the +scandal of an outward quarrel might be avoided, he and she were to meet +no more. And yet he was there. For aught she knew, he might be there +every day! She did know that Mrs. Montacute Jones had found him there. +Then he could come home to her and talk of the impropriety of dancing! +He could do such thinks as this, and yet be angry with her because she +liked the society of Captain De Baron! + +Certainly she would dance with Captain De Baron. Let him come and see +her dancing with him; and then, if he dared to upbraid her, she would +ask him why he continued his intimacy in Berkeley Square. In her anger +she almost began to think that a quarrel was necessary. Was it not +manifest that he was deceiving her about that woman? The more she +thought of it the more wretched she became; but on that day she said +nothing of it to him. They dined together, the Dean dining with them. +He was perturbed and gloomy, the Dean having assured them that he did +not mean to allow the Popenjoy question to rest. "I stand in no awe of +your brother," the Dean had said to him. This had angered Lord George, +and he had refused to discuss the matter any further. + +At nine Lady George went up to dress, and at half-past ten she started +with her father. At that time her husband had left the house and had +said not a word further as to his intention of going to Mrs. Jones' +house. "Do you think he will come?" she said to the Dean. + +"Upon my word I don't know. He seems to me to be in an ill-humour with +all the world." + +"Don't quarrel with him, papa." + +"I do not mean to do so. I never mean to quarrel with anyone, and least +of all with him. But I must do what I conceive to be my duty whether he +likes it or not." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + +THE KAPPA-KAPPA. + + +Mrs. Montacute Jones' house in Grosvenor Place was very large and very +gorgeous. On this occasion it was very gorgeous indeed. The party had +grown in dimensions. The new Moldavian dance had become the topic of +general discourse. Everybody wanted to see the Kappa-kappa. Count +Costi, Lord Giblet, young Sir Harry Tripletoe, and, no doubt, Jack De +Baron also, had talked a good deal about it at the clubs. It had been +intended to be a secret, and the ladies, probably, had been more +reticent. Lady Florence Fitzflorence had just mentioned it to her +nineteen specially intimate friends. Madame Gigi, the young wife of the +old Bohemian minister, had spoken of it only to the diplomatic set; +Miss Patmore Green had been as silent as death, except in her own +rather large family, and Lady George had hardly told anybody, except +her father. But, nevertheless, the secret had escaped, and great +efforts had been made to secure invitations. "I can get you to the +Duchess of Albury's in July if you can manage it for me," one young +lady said to Jack De Baron. + +"Utterly impossible!" said Jack, to whom the offered bribe was not +especially attractive. "There won't be standing room in the cellars. I +went down on my knees to Mrs. Montacute Jones for a very old friend, +and she simply asked me whether I was mad." This was, of course, +romance; but, nevertheless, the crowd was great, and the anxiety to see +the Kappa-kappa universal. + +By eleven the dancing had commenced. Everything had been arranged in +the strictest manner. Whatever dance might be going on was to be +brought to a summary close at twelve o'clock, and then the Kappa-kappa +was to be commenced. It had been found that the dance occupied exactly +forty minutes. When it was over the doors of the banquetting hall would +be opened. The Kappa-kappaites would then march into supper, and the +world at large would follow them. + +Lady George, when she first entered the room, found a seat near the +hostess, and sat herself down, meaning to wait for the important +moment. She was a little flurried as she thought of various things. +There was the evil woman before her, already dancing. The evil woman +had nodded at her, and had then quickly turned away, determined not to +see that her greeting was rejected; and there was Augusta Mildmay +absolutely dancing with Jack De Baron, and looking as though she +enjoyed the fun. But to Mary there was something terrible in it all. +She had been so desirous to be happy,--to be gay,--to amuse herself, +and yet to be innocent. Her father's somewhat epicurean doctrines had +filled her mind completely. And what had hitherto come of it? Her +husband mistrusted her; and she at this moment certainly mistrusted him +most grievously. Could she fail to mistrust him? And she, absolutely +conscious of purity, had been so grievously suspected! As she looked +round on the dresses and diamonds, and heard the thick hum of voices, +and saw on all sides the pretence of cordiality, as she watched the +altogether unhidden flirtations of one girl, and the despondent frown +of another, she began to ask herself whether her father had not been +wrong when he insisted that she should be taken to London. Would she +not have been more safe and therefore more happy even down at Cross +Hall, with her two virtuous sisters-in-law? What would become of her +should she quarrel with her husband, and how should she not quarrel +with him if he would suspect her, and would frequent the house of that +evil woman? + +Then Jack De Baron came up to her, talking to her father. The Dean +liked the young man, who had always something to say for himself, whose +manners were lively, and who, to tell the truth, was more than +ordinarily civil to Lady George's father. Whether Jack would have put +himself out of the way to describe the Kappa-kappa to any other +dignitary of the Church may be doubted, but he had explained it all +very graciously to the Dean. "So it seems that, after all, you are to +dance with Captain De Baron," said the Dean. + +"Yes; isn't it hard upon me? I was to have stood up with a real French +Count, who has real diamond buttons, and now I am to be put off with a +mere British Captain, because my white frock is supposed to suit his +red coat!" + +"And who has the Count?" + +"That odiously fortunate Lady Florence;--and she has diamonds of her +own! I think they should have divided the diamonds. Madame Gigi has the +Lord. Between ourselves, papa,"--and as she said this she whispered, +and both her father and Jack bent over to hear her--"we are rather +afraid of our Lord; ain't we, Captain De Baron? There has been ever so +much to manage, as we none of us quite wanted the Lord. Madame Gigi +talks very little English, so we were able to put him off upon her." + +"And does the Lord talk French?" + +"That doesn't signify as Giblet never talks at all," said Jack. + +"Why did you have him?" + +"To tell you the truth, among us all there is rather a hope that he +will propose to Miss Patmore Green. Dear Mrs. Montacute Jones is very +clever at these things, and saw at a glance that nothing would be so +likely to make him do it as seeing Madeline Green dancing with +Tripletoe. No fellow ever did dance so well as Tripletoe, or looked +half so languishing. You see, Dean, there are a good many in's and +out's in these matters, and they have to be approached carefully." The +Dean was amused, and his daughter would have been happy, but for the +double care which sat heavy at her heart. Then Jack suggested to her +that she might as well stand up for a square dance. All the other +Kappa-kappaites had danced or were dancing. The one thing on which she +was firmly determined was that she would not be afraid of Captain De +Baron. Whatever she did now she did immediately under her father's eye. +She made no reply, but got up and put her hand on the Captain's arm +without spoken assent, as a woman will do when she is intimate with a +man. + +"Upon my word, for a very young creature I never saw such impudence as +that woman's," said a certain Miss Punter to Augusta Mildmay. Miss +Punter was a great friend of Augusta Mildmay, and was watching her +friend's broken heart with intense interest. + +"It is disgusting," said Augusta. + +"She doesn't seem to mind the least who sees it. She must mean to leave +Lord George altogether, or she would never go on like that. De Baron +wouldn't be such a fool as to go off with her?" + +"Men are fools enough for anything," said the broken-hearted one. While +this was going on Mary danced her square dance complaisantly; and her +proud father, looking on, thought that she was by far the prettiest +woman in the room. + +Before the quadrille was over a gong was struck, and the music stopped +suddenly. It was twelve o'clock, and the Kappa-kappa was to be danced. +It is hard in most amusements to compel men and women into disagreeable +punctuality; but the stopping of music will bring a dance to a sudden +end. There were some who grumbled, and one or two declared that they +would not even stay to look at the Kappa-kappa. But Mrs. Montacute +Jones was a great autocrat; and in five minutes' time the four couples +were arranged, with ample space, in spite of the pressing crowd. + +It must be acknowledged that Jack De Baron had given no correct idea of +the dance when he said that it was like a minuet; but it must be +remembered also that Lady George had not been a party to that deceit. +The figure was certainly a lively figure. There was much waltzing to +quick time, the glory of which seemed to consist in going backwards, +and in the interweaving of the couples without striking each other, as +is done in skating. They were all very perfect, except poor Lord +Giblet, who once or twice nearly fell into trouble. During the +performance they all changed partners more than once, but each lady +came back to her own after very short intervals. All those who were not +envious declared it to be very pretty and prophesied great future +success for the Kappa-kappa. Those who were very wise and very discreet +hinted that it might become a romp when danced without all the +preparation which had been given to it on the present occasion. It +certainly became faster as it progressed, and it was evident that +considerable skill and considerable physical power were necessary for +its completion. "It would be a deal too stagey for my girls," said Mrs. +Conway Smith, whose "girls" had, during the last ten years, gone +through every phase of flirtation invented in these latter times. +Perhaps it did savour a little too much of ballet practise; perhaps it +was true that with less care there might have been inconveniences. +Faster it grew and faster; but still they had all done it before, and +done it with absolute accuracy. It was now near the end. Each lady had +waltzed a turn with each gentleman. Lady George had been passed on from +the Count to Sir Harry, and from Sir Harry to Lord Giblet. After her +turn it was his lordship's duty to deliver her up to her partner, with +whom she would make a final turn round the dancing space; and then the +Kappa-kappa would have been danced. But alas! as Lord Giblet was doing +this he lost his head and came against the Count and Madame Gigi. Lady +George was almost thrown to the ground, but was caught by the Captain, +who had just parted with Lady Florence to Sir Harry. But poor Mary had +been almost on the floor, and could hardly have been saved without +something approaching to the violence of an embrace. + +Lord George had come into the room very shortly after the Kappa-kappa +had been commenced, but had not at once been able to get near the +dancers. Gradually he worked his way through the throng, and when he +first saw the performers could not tell who was his wife's partner. She +was then waltzing backwards with Count Costi; and he, though he hated +waltzing, and considered the sin to be greatly aggravated by the +backward movement, and though he hated Counts, was still somewhat +pacified. He had heard since he was in the room how the partners were +arranged, and had thought that his wife had deceived him. The first +glance was reassuring. But Mary soon returned to her real partner; and +he slowly ascertained that she was in very truth waltzing with Captain +De Baron. He stood there, a little behind the first row of spectators, +never for a moment seen by his wife, but able himself to see +everything, with a brow becoming every moment blacker and blacker. To +him the exhibition was in every respect objectionable. The brightness +of the apparel of the dancers was in itself offensive to him. The +approach that had been made to the garishness of a theatrical +performance made the whole thing, in his eyes, unfit for modest +society. But that his wife should be one of the performers, that she +should be gazed at by a crowd as she tripped about, and that, after all +that had been said, she should be tripping in the arms of Captain De +Baron, was almost more than he could endure. Close to him, but a little +behind, stood the Dean, thoroughly enjoying all that he saw. It was to +him a delight that there should be such a dance to be seen in a lady's +drawing-room, and that he should be there to see it. It was to him an +additional delight that his daughter should have been selected as one +of the dancers. These people were all persons of rank and fashion, and +his girl was among them quite as their equal,--his girl, who some day +should be Marchioness of Brotherton. And it gratified him thoroughly to +think that she enjoyed it,--that she did it well,--that she could dance +so that standers-by took pleasure in seeing her dancing. His mind in +the matter was altogether antagonistic to that of his son-in-law. + +Then came the little accident. The Dean, with a momentary impulse, put +up his hand, and then smiled well pleased when he saw how well the +matter had been rectified by the Captain's activity. But it was not so +with Lord George. He pressed forward into the circle with so determined +a movement that nothing could arrest him till he had his wife by the +arm. Everybody, of course, was staring at him. The dancers were +astounded. Mary apparently thought less of it than the others, for she +spoke to him with a smile. "It is all right, George; I was not in the +least hurt." + +"It is disgraceful!" said he, in a loud voice; "come away." + +"Oh, yes," she said; "I think we had finished. It was nobody's fault." + +"Come away; I will have no more of this." + +"Is there anything wrong?" asked the Dean, with an air of innocent +surprise. + +The offended husband was almost beside himself with passion. Though he +knew that he was surrounded by those who would mock him he could not +restrain himself. Though he was conscious at the moment that it was his +special duty to shield his wife, he could not restrain his feelings. +The outrage was too much for him. "There is very much the matter," he +said, aloud; "let her come away with me." Then he took her under his +arm, and attempted to lead her away to the door. + +Mrs. Montacute Jones had, of course, seen it all, and was soon with +him. "Pray, do not take her away, Lord George," she said. + +"Madam, I must be allowed to do so," he replied, still pressing on. "I +would prefer to do so." + +"Wait till her carriage is here." + +"We will wait below. Good-night, good-night." And so he went out of the +room with his wife on his arm, followed by the Dean. Since she had +perceived that he was angry with her, and that he had displayed his +anger in public Mary had not spoken a word. She had pressed him to come +and see the dance, not without a purpose in her mind. She meant to get +rid of the thraldom to which he had subjected her when desiring her not +to waltz, and had done so in part when she obtained his direct sanction +at Lady Brabazon's. No doubt she had felt that as he took liberties as +to his own life, as he received love-letters from an odious woman, he +was less entitled to unqualified obedience than he might have been had +his hands been perfectly clean. There had been a little spirit of +rebellion engendered in her by his misconduct; but she had determined +to do nothing in secret. She had asked his leave to waltz at Lady +Brabazon's, and had herself persuaded him to come to Mrs. Montacute +Jones'. Perhaps she would hardly have dared to do so had she known that +Captain De Baron was to be her partner. While dancing she had been +unaware of her husband's presence, and had not thought of him. When he +had first come to her she had in truth imagined that he had been +frightened by her narrow escape from falling. But when he bade her come +away with that frown on his face, and with that awful voice, then she +knew it all. She had no alternative but to take his arm, and to "come +away." She had not courage enough,--I had better perhaps say impudence +enough,--to pretend to speak to him or to anyone near him with ease. +All eyes were upon her, and she felt them; all tongues would be talking +of her, and she already heard the ill-natured words. Her own husband +had brought all this upon her,--her own husband, whose love-letter from +another woman she had so lately seen, and so readily forgiven! It was +her own husband who had so cruelly, so causelessly subjected her to +shame in public, which could never be washed out or forgotten! And who +would sympathise with her? There was no one now but her father. He +would stand by her; he would be good to her; but her husband by his own +doing had wilfully disgraced her. + +Not a word was spoken till they were in the cloak-room, and then Lord +George stalked out to find the brougham, or any cab that might take +them away from the house. Then for the first time the Dean whispered a +word to her. "Say as little as you can to him to-night, but keep up +your courage." + +"Oh, papa!" + +"I understand it all. I will be with you immediately after breakfast." + +"You will not leave me here alone?" + +"Certainly not,--nor till you are in your carriage. But listen to what +I am telling you. Say as little as you can till I am with you. Tell him +that you are unwell to-night, and that you must sleep before you talk +to him." + +"Ah! you don't know, papa." + +"I know that I will have the thing put on a right footing." Then Lord +George came back, having found a cab. He gave his arm to his wife and +took her away, without saying a word to the Dean. At the door of the +cab the Dean bade them both good-night. "God bless you, my child," he +said. + +"Good-night; you'll come to-morrow?" + +"Certainly." Then the door was shut, and the husband and wife were +driven away. + +Of course this little episode contributed much to the amusement of Mrs. +Montacute Jones's guests. The Kappa-kappa had been a very pretty +exhibition, but it had not been nearly so exciting as that of the +jealous husband. Captain De Baron, who remained, was, of course, a +hero. As he could not take his partner into supper, he was honoured by +the hand of Mrs. Montacute Jones herself. "I wouldn't have had that +happen for a thousand pounds," said the old lady. + +"Nor I for ten," said Jack. + +"Has there been any reason for it?" + +"None in the least. I can't explain of what nature is my intimacy with +Lady George, but it has been more like that of children than grown +people." + +"I know. When grown people play at being children, it is apt to be +dangerous." + +"But we had no idea of the kind. I may be wicked enough. I say nothing +about that. But she is as pure as snow. Mrs. Jones, I could no more +dare to press her hand than I would to fly at the sun. Of course I like +her." + +"And she likes you." + +"I hope so,--in that sort of way. But it is shocking that such a scene +should come from such a cause." + +"Some men, Captain De Baron, don't like having their handsome young +wives liked by handsome young officers. It's very absurd, I grant." + +Mrs. Jones and Captain De Baron did really grieve at what had been +done, but to others, the tragedy coming after the comedy had not been +painful. "What will be the end of it?" said Miss Patmore Green to Sir +Harry. + +"I am afraid they won't let her dance it any more," said Sir Harry, who +was intent solely on the glories of the Kappa-kappa. "We shall hardly +get any one to do it so well." + +"There'll be something worse than that, I'm afraid," said Miss Green. + +Count Costi suggested to Lady Florence that there would certainly be a +duel. "We never fight here in England, Count." + +"Ah! dat is bad. A gentleman come and make himself vera disagreeable. +If he most fight perhaps he would hold his tong. I tink we do things +better in Paris and Vienna." Lord Giblet volunteered his opinion to +Madame Gigi that it was very disgraceful. Madame Gigi simply shrugged +her shoulders, and opened her eyes. She was able to congratulate +herself on being able to manage her own husband better than that. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +REBELLION. + + +Lady George never forgot that slow journey home in the cab,--for in +truth it was very slow. It seemed to her that she would never reach her +own house. "Mary," he said, as soon as they were seated, "you have made +me a miserable man." The cab rumbled and growled frightfully, and he +felt himself unable to attack her with dignity while they were +progressing. "But I will postpone what I have to say till we have +reached home." + +"I have done nothing wrong," said Mary, very stoutly. + +"You had better say nothing more till we are at home." After that not a +word more was said, but the journey was very long. + +At the door of the house Lord George gave his hand to help her out of +the cab, and then marched before her through the passage into the +dining-room. It was evident that he was determined to make his harangue +on that night. But she was the first to speak. "George," she said, "I +have suffered very much, and am very tired. If you please, I will go to +bed." + +"You have disgraced me," he said. + +"No; it is you that have disgraced me and put me to shame before +everybody,--for nothing, for nothing. I have done nothing of which I am +ashamed." She looked up into his face, and he could see that she was +full of passion, and by no means in a mood to submit to his reproaches. +She, too, could frown, and was frowning now. Her nostrils were dilated, +and her eyes were bright with anger. He could see how it was with her; +and though he was determined to be master, he hardly knew how he was to +make good his masterdom. + +"You had better listen to me," he said. + +"Not to-night. I am too ill, too thoroughly wretched. Anything you have +got to say of course I will listen to,--but not now." Then she walked +to the door. + +"Mary!" She paused with her hand on the lock. "I trust that you do not +wish to contest the authority which I have over you?" + +"I do not know; I cannot say. If your authority calls upon me to own +that I have done anything wrong, I shall certainly contest it. And if I +have not, I think--I think you will express your sorrow for the injury +you have done me to-night." Then she left the room before he had made +up his mind how he would continue his address. He was quite sure that +he was right. Had he not desired her not to waltz? At that moment he +quite forgot the casual permission he had barely given at Lady +Brabazon's, and which had been intended to apply to that night only. +Had he not specially warned her against this Captain De Baron, and told +her that his name and hers were suffering from her intimacy with the +man? And then, had she not deceived him directly by naming another +person as her partner in that odious dance? The very fact that she had +so deceived him was proof to him that she had known that she ought not +to dance with Captain De Baron, and that she had a vicious pleasure in +doing so which she had been determined to gratify even in opposition to +his express orders. As he stalked up and down the room in his wrath, he +forgot as much as he remembered. It had been represented to him that +this odious romp had been no more than a minuet; but he did not bear +in mind that his wife had been no party to that misrepresentation. And +he forgot, too, that he himself had been present as a spectator at her +express request. And when his wrath was at the fullest he almost forgot +those letters from Adelaide Houghton! But he did not forget that all +Mrs. Montacute Jones' world had seen him as in his offended marital +majesty he took his wife out from amidst the crowd, declaring his +indignation and his jealousy to all who were there assembled. He might +have been wrong there. As he thought of it all he confessed to himself +as much as that. But the injury done had been done to himself rather +than to her. Of course they must leave London now, and leave it for +ever. She must go with him whither he might choose to take her. Perhaps +Manor Cross might serve for their lives' seclusion, as the Marquis +would not live there. But Manor Cross was near the deanery, and he must +sever his wife from her father. He was now very hostile to the Dean, +who had looked on and seen his abasement, and had smiled. But, through +it all, there never came to him for a moment any idea of a permanent +quarrel with his wife. It might, he thought, be long before there was +permanent comfort between them. Obedience, absolute obedience, must +come before that could be reached. But of the bond which bound them +together he was far too sensible to dream of separation. Nor, in his +heart, did he think her guilty of anything but foolish, headstrong +indiscretion,--of that and latterly of dissimulation. It was not that +Cæsar had been wronged, but that his wife had enabled idle tongues to +suggest a wrong to Cæsar. + +He did not see her again that night, betaking himself at a very late +hour to his own dressing-room. On the next morning at an early hour he +was awake thinking. He must not allow her to suppose for a moment that +he was afraid of her. He went into her room a few minutes before their +usual breakfast hour, and found her, nearly dressed, with her maid. "I +shall be down directly, George," she said in her usual voice. As he +could not bid the woman go away, he descended and waited for her in the +parlour. When she entered the room she instantly rang the bell and +contrived to keep the man in the room while she was making the tea. But +he would not sit down. How is a man to scold his wife properly with +toast and butter on a plate before him? "Will you not have your tea?" +she asked--oh, so gently. + +"Put it down," he said. According to her custom, she got up and brought +it round to his place. When they were alone she would kiss his forehead +as she did so; but now the servant was just closing the door, and there +was no kiss. + +"Do come to your breakfast, George," she said. + +"I cannot eat my breakfast while all this is on my mind. I must speak +of it. We must leave London at once." + +"In a week or two." + +"At once. After last night, there must be no more going to parties." +She lifted her cup to her lips and sat quite silent. She would hear a +little more before she answered him. "You must feel yourself that for +some time to come, perhaps for some years, privacy will be the best for +us." + +"I feel nothing of the kind, George." + +"Could you go and face those people after what happened last night?" + +"Certainly I could, and should think it my duty to do so to-night, if +it were possible. No doubt you have made it difficult, but I would do +it." + +"I was forced to make it difficult. There was nothing for me to do but +to take you away." + +"Because you were angry, you were satisfied to disgrace me before all +the people there. What has been done cannot be helped. I must bear it. +I cannot stop people from talking and thinking evil. But I will never +say that I think evil of myself by hiding myself. I don't know what you +mean by privacy. I want no privacy." + +"Why did you dance with that man?" + +"Because it was so arranged." + +"You had told me it was some one else?" + +"Do you mean to accuse me of a falsehood, George? First one arrangement +had been made, and then another." + +"I had been told before how it was to be." + +"Who told you? I can only answer for myself." + +"And why did you waltz?" + +"Because you had withdrawn your foolish objection. Why should I not +dance like other people? Papa does not think it wrong?" + +"Your father has nothing to do with it." + +"If you ill-treat me, George, papa must have something to do with it. +Do you think he will see me disgraced before a room full of people, as +you did yesterday, and hold his tongue? Of course you are my husband, +but he is still my father; and if I want protection he will protect +me." + +"I will protect you," said Lord George, stamping his foot upon the +floor. + +"Yes; by burying me somewhere. That is what you say you mean to do. And +why? Because you get some silly nonsense into your head, and then make +yourself and me ridiculous in public. If you think I am what you seem +to suspect, you had better let papa have me back again,--though that is +so horrible that I can hardly bring myself to think of it. If you do +not think so, surely you should beg my pardon for the affront you put +on me last night." + +This was a way in which he had certainly not looked at the matter. Beg +her pardon! He, as a husband, beg a wife's pardon under any +circumstances! And beg her pardon for having carried her away from a +house in which she had manifestly disobeyed him. No, indeed. But then +he was quite as strongly opposed to that other idea of sending her back +to her father, as a man might send a wife who had disgraced herself. +Anything would be better than that. If she would only acknowledge that +she had been indiscreet, they would go down together into Brothershire, +and all might be comfortable. Though she was angry with him, obstinate +and rebellious, yet his heart was softened to her because she did not +throw the woman's love-letter in his teeth. He had felt that here would +be his great difficulty, but his difficulty now arose rather from the +generosity which kept her silent on the subject. "What I did," he said, +"I did to protect you." + +"Such protection was an insult." Then she left the room before he had +tasted his tea or his toast. She had heard her father's knock, and knew +that she would find him in the drawing-room. She had made up her mind +how she would tell the story to him; but when she was with him he would +have no story told at all. He declared that he knew everything, and +spoke as though there could be no doubt as to the heinousness, or +rather, absurdity, of Lord George's conduct. "It is very sad,--very +sad, indeed," he said; "one hardly knows what one ought to do." + +"He wants to go down--to Cross Hall." + +"That is out of the question. You must stay out your time here and then +come to me, as you arranged. He must get out of it by saying that he +was frightened by thinking that you had fallen." + +"It was not that, papa." + +"Of course it was not; but how else is he to escape from his own +folly?" + +"You do not think that I have been--wrong--with Captain De Baron?" + +"I! God bless you, my child. I think that you have been wrong! He +cannot think so either. Has he accused you?" + +Then she told him, as nearly as she could, all that had passed between +them, including the expression of his desire that she should not waltz, +and his subsequent permission given at Lady Brabazon's. "Pish!" he +ejaculated. "I hate these attempted restrictions. It is like a woman +telling her husband not to smoke. What a fool a man must be not to see +that he is preparing misery for himself by laying embargoes on the +recreations of his nearest companion!" Then he spoke of what he himself +would do. "I must see him, and if he will not hear reason you must go +with me to the Deanery without him." + +"Don't separate us, papa." + +"God forbid that there should be any permanent separation. If he be +obstinate, it may be well that you should be away from him for a week +or two. Why can't a man wash his dirty linen at home, if he has any to +wash. His, at any rate, did not come to him with you." + +Then there was a very stormy scene in the dining-room between the two +men. The Dean, whose words were infinitely more ready and available +than those of his opponent, said very much the most, and by the fierce +indignation of his disclaimers, almost prevented the husband from +dwelling on the wife's indiscretion. "I did not think it possible that +such a man as you could have behaved so cruelly to such a girl." + +"I was not cruel; I acted for the best." + +"You degraded yourself, and her too." + +"I degraded no one," said Lord George. + +"It is hard to think what may now best be done to cure the wound which +she has been made to suffer. I must insist on this,--that she must not +be taken from town before the day fixed for her departure." + +"I think of going to-morrow," said Lord George, gloomily. + +"Then you must go alone, and I must remain with her." + +"Certainly not;--certainly not." + +"She will not go. She shall not be made to run away. Though everything +have to be told in the public prints, I will not submit to that. I +suppose you do not dare to tell me that you suspect her of any evil?" + +"She has been indiscreet." + +"Suppose I granted that,--which I don't,--is she to be ground into dust +in this way for indiscretion? Have not you been indiscreet?" Lord +George made no direct answer to this question, fearing that the Dean +had heard the story of the love-letter; but of that matter the Dean had +heard nothing. "In all your dealings with her, can you tax yourself +with no deviation from wisdom?" + +"What a man does is different. No conduct of mine can blemish her +name." + +"But it may destroy her happiness,--and if you go on in this way it +will do so." + +During the whole of that day the matter was discussed. Lord George +obstinately insisted on taking his wife down to Cross Hall, if not on +the next day, then on the day after. But the Dean, and with the Dean +the young wife, positively refused to accede to this arrangement. The +Dean had his things brought from the inn to the house in Munster Court, +and though he did not absolutely declare that he had come there for his +daughter's protection, it was clear that this was intended. In such an +emergency Lord George knew not what to do. Though the quarrel was +already very bitter, he could not quite tell his father-in-law to leave +the house; and then there was always present to his mind a feeling that +the Dean had a right to be there in accordance with the pecuniary +arrangement made. The Dean would have been welcome to the use of the +house and all that was in it, if only Mary would have consented to be +taken at once down to Cross Hall. But being under her father's wing, +she would not consent. She pleaded that by going at once, or running +away as she called it, she would own that she had done something wrong, +and she was earnest in declaring that nothing should wring such a +confession from her. Everybody, she said, knew that she was to stay in +London to the end of June. Everybody knew that she was then to go to +the Deanery. It was not to be borne that people should say that her +plans had been altered because she had danced the Kappa-kappa with +Captain De Baron. She must see her friends before she went, or else her +friends would know that she had been carried into banishment. In answer +to this, Lord George declared that he, as husband, was paramount. This +Mary did not deny, but, paramount as the authority was, she would not, +in this instance, be governed by it. + +It was a miserable day to them all. Many callers came, asking after +Lady George, presuming that her speedy departure from the ball had been +caused by her accident. No one was admitted, and all were told that she +had not been much hurt. There were two or three stormy scenes between +the Dean and his son-in-law, in one of which Lord George asked the Dean +whether he conceived it to be compatible with his duty as a clergyman +of the Church of England to induce a wife to disobey her husband. In +answer to this, the Dean said that in such a matter the duty of a +Church dignitary was the same as that of any other gentleman, and that +he, as a gentleman, and also as a dignitary, meant to stand by his +daughter. She refused to pack up, or to have her things packed. When he +came to look into himself, he found that he had not power to bid the +servants do it in opposition to their mistress. That the power of a +husband was paramount he was well aware, but he did not exactly see his +way to the exercise of it. At last he decided that he, at any rate, +would go down to Cross Hall. If the Dean chose to create a separation +between his daughter and her husband, he must bear the responsibility. + +On the following day he did go down to Cross Hall, leaving his wife and +her father in Munster Court without any definite plans. + + + + +CHAPTER XL. + +AS TO BLUEBEARD. + + +When Lord George left his own house alone he was very wretched, and his +wife, whom he left behind him, was as wretched as himself. Of course +the matter had not decided itself in this way without very much +absolute quarrelling between them. Lord George had insisted, had +stamped his foot, and had even talked of force. Mary, prompted by her +father, had protested that she would not run away from the evil tongues +of people who would be much more bitter in her absence than they would +dare to be if she remained among them. He, when he found that his +threat of forcible abduction was altogether vain, had to make up his +mind whether he also would remain. But both the Dean and his wife had +begged that he would do so, and he would not even seem to act in +obedience to them. So he went, groaning much in spirit, puzzled to +think what story he should tell to his mother and sisters, terribly +anxious as to the future, and in spirit repentant for the rashness of +his conduct at the ball. Before he was twenty miles out of London he +was thinking with infinite regret of his love for his wife, already +realising the misery of living without her, almost stirred to get out +at the next station and return by the first train to Munster Court. In +this hour of his sorrow there came upon him a feeling of great hatred +for Mrs. Houghton. He almost believed that she had for her own vile +purposes excited Captain De Baron to make love to his wife. And then, +in regard to that woman, his wife had behaved so well! Surely something +was due to so much generosity. And then, when she had been angry with +him, she had been more beautiful than ever. What a change had those few +months in London made in her! She had lost her childish little +timidities, and had bloomed forth a beautiful woman. He had no doubt as +to her increased loveliness, and had been proud to think that all had +acknowledged it. But as to the childish timidity, perhaps he would have +preferred that it should not have been so quickly or so entirely +banished. Even at Brotherton he hankered to return to London; but, had +he done so, the Brotherton world would have known it. He put himself +into a carriage instead, and had himself driven through the park to +Cross Hall. + +All this occurred on the day but one subsequent to the ball, and he had +by the previous post informed Lady Sarah that he was coming. But in +that letter he had said that he would bring his wife with him, and on +his immediate arrival had to answer questions as to her unexpected +absence. "Her father was very unwilling that she should come," he said. + +"But I thought he was at the hotel," said Lady Sarah. + +"He is in Munster Court, now. To tell the truth I am not best pleased +that it should be so; but at the last moment I did not like to +contradict her. I hate London and everything in it. She likes it, and +as there was a kind of bargain made I could not well depart from it." + +"And you have left her alone with her father in London," said Lady +Susanna, with a tone of pretended dismay. + +"How can she be alone if her father is with her," answered Lord George, +who did not stand in awe of Lady Susanna as he did of Lady Sarah. +Nothing further at the moment was said, but all the sisters felt that +there was something wrong. + +"I don't think it at all right that Mary should be left with the Dean," +said the old lady to her second daughter. But the old lady was +specially prejudiced against the Dean as being her eldest son's great +enemy. Before the day was over Lord George wrote a long letter to his +wife,--full of affection indeed, but still more full of covert +reproaches. He did not absolutely scold her; but he told her that there +could be no happiness between a wife and a husband unless the wife +would obey, and he implored her to come to him with as little delay as +possible. If she would only come, all should be right between them. + +Mary, when her husband was really gone, was much frightened at her own +firmness. That doctrine of obedience to her husband had been accepted +by her in full. When disposed to run counter to the ladies at Manor +Cross, she always had declared to herself that they bore no authority +delegated from "George," and that she would obey "George," and no one +but George. She had told him more than once, half-playfully, that if he +wanted anything done, he must tell her himself. And this, though he +understood it to contain rebellion against the Germains generally, had +a pleasant flavour with him as acknowledging so completely his own +power. She had said to her father, and unfortunately to Mrs. Houghton +when Mrs. Houghton was her friend, that she was not going to do what +all the Germain women told her; but she had always spoken of her +husband's wishes as absolutely imperative. Now she was in open mutiny +against her husband, and, as she thought of it, it seemed to her to be +almost impossible that peace should be restored between them. + +"I think I will go down very soon," she said to her father, after she +had received her husband's letter. + +"What do you call very soon?" + +"In a day or two." + +"Do not do anything of the kind. Stay here till the appointed time +comes. It is only a fortnight now. I have made arrangements at +Brotherton, so that I can be with you till then. After that come down +to me. Of course your husband will come over to you at the deanery." + +"But if he shouldn't come?" + +"Then he would be behaving very wickedly. But, of course, he will come. +He is not a man to be obstinate in that fashion." + +"I do not know that, papa." + +"But I do. You had better take my advice in this matter. Of course I do +not want to foster a quarrel between you and your husband." + +"Pray,--pray don't let there be a quarrel." + +"Of course not. But the other night he lost his head, and treated you +badly. You and I are quite willing to forgive and forget all that. Any +man may do a foolish thing, and men are to be judged by general results +rather than single acts." + +"He is very kind to me--generally." + +"Just so; and I am not angry with him in the least. But after what +occurred it would be wrong that you should go away at once. You felt it +yourself at the moment." + +"But anything would be better than quarrelling, papa." + +"Almost anything would be better than a lasting quarrel with your +husband; but the best way to avoid that is to show him that you know +how to be firm in such an emergency as this." She was, of course, +compelled by her father's presence and her father's strength to remain +in town, but she did so longing every hour to pack up and be off to +Cross Hall. She had very often doubted whether she could love her +husband as a husband ought to be loved, but now, in her present +trouble, she felt sure of her own heart. She had never been really on +bad terms with him before since their marriage, and the very fact of +their separation increased her tenderness to him in a wonderful degree. +She answered his letter with Language full of love and promises and +submission, loaded with little phrases of feminine worship, merely +adding that papa thought she had better stay in town till the end of +the month. There was not a word of reproach in it. She did not allude +to his harsh conduct at the ball, nor did she write the name of Mrs. +Houghton. + +Her father was very urgent with her to see all her friends, to keep any +engagements previously made, to be seen at the play, and to let all the +world know by her conduct that she was not oppressed by what had taken +place. There was some intention of having the Kappa-kappa danced again, +as far as possible by the same people. Lord Giblet was to retire in +favour of some more expert performer, but the others were supposed to +be all worthy of an encore. But of course there arose a question as to +Lady George. There could be no doubt that Lord George had disapproved +very strongly of the Kappa-kappa. The matter got to the Dean's ears, +and the Dean counselled his daughter to join the party yet again. "What +would he say, papa?" The Dean was of opinion that in such case Lord +George would say and do much less than he had said and done before. +According to his views, Lord George must be taught that his wife had +her privileges as well as he his. This fresh difficulty dissolved +itself because the second performance was fixed for a day after that on +which it had been long known that Lady George was to leave London; and +even the Dean did not propose that she should remain in town after that +date with a direct view to the Kappa-kappa. + +She was astonished at the zeal with which he insisted that she should +go out into the gay world. He almost ridiculed her when she spoke of +economy in her dress, and seemed to think that it was her duty to be a +woman of fashion. He still spoke to her from time to time of the +Popenjoy question, always asserting his conviction that, whatever the +Marquis might think, even if he were himself deceived through ignorance +of the law, the child would be at last held to be illegitimate. "They +tell me, too," he said, "that his life is not worth a year's purchase." + +"Poor little boy!" + +"Of course, if he had been born as the son of the Marquis of Brotherton +ought to be born, nobody would wish him anything but good." + +"I don't wish him anything but good," said Mary. + +"But as it is," continued the Dean, apparently not observing his +daughter's remark, "everybody must feel that it would be better for the +family that he should be out of the way. Nobody can think that such a +child can live to do honour to the British peerage." + +"He might be well brought up." + +"He wouldn't be well brought up. He has an Italian mother and Italian +belongings, and everything around him as bad as it can be. But the +question at last is one of right. He was clearly born when his mother +was reputed to be the wife, not of his father, but of another man. That +cock-and-bull story which we have heard may be true. It is possible. +But I could not rest in my bed if I did not persevere in ascertaining +the truth." The Dean did persevere, and was very constant in his visits +to Mr. Battle's office. At this time Miss Tallowax came up to town, and +she also stayed for a day or two in Munster Court. What passed between +the Dean and his aunt on the subject Mary, of course, did not hear; but +she soon found that Miss Tallowax was as eager as her father, and she +learned that Miss Tallowax had declared that the inquiry should not +languish from want of funds. Miss Tallowax was quite alive to the glory +of the Brotherton connection. + +As the month drew to an end Mary, of course, called on all her London +friends. Her father was always eager to know whom she saw, and whether +any allusion was made by any of them to the scene at the ball. But +there was one person, who had been a friend, on whom she did not call, +and this omission was observed by the Dean. "Don't you ever see Mrs. +Houghton now?" he asked. + +"No, papa," said Mary, with prompt decision. + +"Why not?" + +"I don't like her." + +"Why don't you like her? You used to be friends. Have you quarrelled?" + +"Yes; I have quarrelled with her." + +"What did she do?" Mary was silent. "Is it a secret?" + +"Yes, papa; it is a secret. I would rather you would not ask. But she +is a nasty vile creature, and I will never speak to her again." + +"That is strong language, Mary." + +"It is. And now that I have said that, pray don't talk about her any +more." + +The Dean was discreet, and did not talk about Mrs. Houghton any more; +but he set his mind to work to guess, and guessed something near the +truth. Of course he knew that his son-in-law had professed at one time +to love this lady when she had been Miss De Baron, and he had been able +to see that subsequently to that they had been intimate friends. "I +don't think, my dear," he said, laughing, "that you can be jealous of +her attractions." + +"I am not in the least jealous of her, papa. I don't know anyone that I +think so ugly. She is a nasty made-up thing. But pray don't talk about +her anymore." Then the Dean almost knew that Mary had discovered +something, and was too noble to tell a story against her husband. + +The day but one before she was to leave town Mrs. Montacute Jones came +to her. She had seen her kind old friend once or twice since the +catastrophe at the ball, but always in the presence of other persons. +Now they were alone together. "Well, my dear," said Mrs. Jones, "I hope +you have enjoyed your short season. We have all been very fond of you." + +"You have been very kind to me, Mrs. Jones." + +"I do my best to make young people pleasant, my dear. You ought to have +liked it all, for I don't know anybody who has been so much admired. +His Royal Highness said the other night that you were the handsomest +woman in London." + +"His Royal Highness is an old fool," said Mary, laughing. + +"He is generally thought to be a very good judge in that matter. You +are going to keep the house, are you not?" + +"Oh, yes; I think there is a lease." + +"I am glad of that. It is a nice little house, and I should be sorry to +think that you are not coming back." + +"We are always to live here half the year, I believe," said Mary. "That +was agreed when we married, and that's why I go away now." + +"Lord George, I suppose, likes the country best?" + +"I think he does. I don't, Mrs. Jones." + +"They are both very well in their way, my dear. I am a wicked old +woman, who like to have everything gay. I never go out of town till +everything is over, and I never come up till everything begins. We have +a nice place down in Scotland, and you must come and see me there some +autumn. And then we go to Rome. It's a pleasant way of living, though +we have to move about so much." + +"It must cost a great deal of money?" + +"Well, yes. One can't drive four-in-hand so cheap as a pair. Mr. Jones +has a large income." This was the first direct intimation Mary had ever +received that there was a Mr. Jones. "But we weren't always rich. When +I was your age I hadn't nearly so nice a house as you. Indeed, I hadn't +a house at all, for I wasn't married, and was thinking whether I would +take or reject a young barrister of the name of Smith, who had nothing +a year to support me on. You see I never got among the aristocratic +names, as you have done." + +"I don't care a bit about that." + +"But I do. I like Germains, and Talbots, and Howards, and so does +everybody else, only so many people tell lies about it. I like having +lords in my drawing-room. They look handsomer and talk better than +other men. That's my experience. And you are pretty nearly sure with +them that you won't find you have got somebody quite wrong." + +"I know a lord," said Mary, "who isn't very right. That is, I don't +know him, for I never saw him." + +"You mean your wicked brother-in-law. I should like to know him of all +things. He'd be quite an attraction. I suppose he knows how to behave +like a gentleman?" + +"I'm not so sure of that. He was very rough to papa." + +"Ah;--yes. I think we can understand that, my dear. Your father hasn't +made himself exactly pleasant to the Marquis. Not that I say he's +wrong. I think it was a pity, because everybody says that the little +Lord Popenjoy will die. You were talking of me and my glories, but long +before you are my age you will be much more glorious. You will make a +charming Marchioness." + +"I never think about it, Mrs. Jones; and I wish papa didn't. Why +shouldn't the little boy live? I could be quite happy enough as I am if +people would only be good to me and let me alone." + +"Have I distressed you?" asked the old woman. + +"Oh, dear no;--not you." + +"You mean what happened at my house the other night?" + +"I didn't mean anything particular, Mrs. Jones. But I do think that +people sometimes are very ill-natured." + +"I think, you know, that was Lord George's doing. He shouldn't have +taken you off so suddenly. It wasn't your fault that the stupid man +tripped. I suppose he doesn't like Captain De Baron?" + +"Don't talk about it, Mrs. Jones." + +"Only that I know the world so well that what I say might, perhaps, be +of use. Of course I know that he has gone out of town." + +"Yes, he has gone." + +"I was so glad that you didn't go with him. People will talk, you know, +and it did look as though he were a sort of Bluebeard. Bluebeards, my +dear, must be put down. There may be most well-intentioned Bluebeards, +who have no chambers of horrors, no secrets,"--Mary thought of the +letter from Mrs. Houghton, of which nobody knew but herself,--"who +never cut off anybody's heads, but still interfere dreadfully with the +comfort of a household. Lord George is very nearly all that a man ought +to be." + +"He is the best man in the world," said Mary. + +"I am sure you think so. But he shouldn't be jealous, and above all he +shouldn't show that he's jealous. You were bound, I think, to stay +behind and show the world that you had nothing to fear. I suppose the +Dean counselled it?" + +"Yes;--he did." + +"Fathers of married daughters shouldn't often interfere, but there I +think he was right. It is much better for Lord George himself that it +should be so. There is nothing so damaging to a young woman as to have +it supposed she has had to be withdrawn from the influence of a young +man." + +"It would be wicked of anybody to think so," said Mary, sobbing. + +"But they must have thought so if you hadn't remained. You may be sure, +my dear, that your father was quite right. I am sorry that you cannot +make one in the dance again, because we shall have changed Lord Giblet +for Lord Augustus Grandison, and I am sure it will be done very well. +But of course I couldn't ask you to stay for it. As your departure was +fixed beforehand you ought not to stay for it. But that is very +different from being taken away in a jiffey, like some young man who is +spending more than he ought to spend, and is hurried off suddenly +nobody knows where." + +Mary, when Mrs. Jones had left the house, found that upon the whole she +was thankful to her friend for what had been said. It pained her to +hear her husband described as a jealous Bluebeard; but the fact of his +jealousy had been so apparent, that in any conversation on the matter +intended to be useful so much had to be acknowledged. She, however, had +taken the strong course of trusting to her father rather than to her +husband, and she was glad to find that her conduct and her father's +conduct were approved by so competent a judge as Mrs. Montacute Jones. +And throughout the whole interview there had been an air of kindness +which Mary had well understood. The old lady had intended to be useful, +and her intentions were accepted. + +On the next morning, soon after breakfast, the Dean received a note +which puzzled him much, and for an hour or two left him in doubt as to +what he would do respecting it,--whether he would comply with, or +refuse to comply with, the request made in it. At first he said nothing +of the letter to his daughter. He had, as she was aware, intended to go +to Lincoln's Inn early in the day, but he sat thinking over something, +instead of leaving the house, till at last he went to Mary and put the +letter into her hands. "That," said he, "is one of the most unexpected +communications I ever had in my life, and one which it is most +difficult to answer. Just read it." The letter, which was very short, +was as follows:-- + + "The Marquis of Brotherton presents his compliments to the Dean of + Brotherton, and begs to say that he thinks that some good might + now be done by a personal interview. Perhaps the Dean will not + object to call on the Marquis here at some hour after two o'clock + to-morrow. + + "Scumberg's Hotel, + + "Albemarle Street. + + "_29th June, 187--_." + +"But we go to-morrow," said Mary. + +"Ah;--he means to-day. The note was written last night. I have been +thinking about it, and I think I shall go." + +"Have you written to him?" + +"There is no need. A man who sends to me a summons to come to him so +immediately as that has no right to expect an answer. He does not mean +anything honest." + +"Then why do you go?" + +"I don't choose to appear to be afraid to meet him. Everything that I +do is done above board. I rather imagine that he doesn't expect me to +come; but I will not let him have to say that he had asked me and that +I had refused. I shall go." + +"Oh, papa, what will he say to you?" + +"I don't think he can eat me, my dear; nor will he dare even to murder +me. I daresay he would if he could." + +And so it was decided; and at the hour appointed the Dean sallied forth +to keep the appointment. + + + + +CHAPTER XLI. + +SCUMBERG'S. + + +The Dean as he walked across the park towards Albemarle Street had many +misgivings. He did not at all believe that the Marquis entertained +friendly relations in regard to him, or even such neutral relations as +would admit of the ordinary courtesies of civilized life. He made up +his mind that he would be insulted,--unless indeed he should be so +cowed as to give way to the Marquis. But, that he himself thought to be +impossible. The more he reflected about it, the more assured he became +that the Marquis had not expected him to obey the summons. It was +possible that something might be gained on the other side by his +refusal to see the elder brother of his son-in-law. He might, by +refusing, leave it open to his enemies to say that he had rejected an +overture to peace, and he now regarded as his enemies almost the entire +Germain family. His own son-in-law would in future, he thought, be as +much opposed to him as the head of the family. The old Marchioness, he +knew, sincerely believed in Popenjoy. And the daughters, though they +had at first been very strong in their aversion to the foreign mother +and the foreign boy, were now averse to him also, on other grounds. Of +course Lord George would complain of his wife at Cross Hall. Of course +the story of the Kappa-kappa would be told in a manner that would +horrify those three ladies. The husband would of course be indignant at +his wife's disobedience in not having left London when ordered by him +to do so. He had promised not to foster a quarrel between Mary and Lord +George, but he thought it by no means improbable that circumstances +would for a time render it expedient that his daughter should live at +the deanery, while Lord George remained at Cross Hall. As to nothing +was he more fully resolved than this,--that he would not allow the +slightest blame to be attributed to his daughter, without repudiating +and resenting the imputation. Any word against her conduct, should such +word reach his ears even through herself, he would resent, and it would +go hard with him, but he would exceed such accusations by +recriminations. He would let them know, that if they intended to fight, +he also could fight. He had never uttered a word as to his own +liberality in regard to money, but he had thought of it much. Theirs +was the rank, and the rank was a great thing in his eyes; but his was +at present the wealth; and wealth, he thought was as powerful as rank. +He was determined that his daughter should be a Marchioness, and in +pursuit of that object he was willing to spend his money;--but he +intended to let those among whom he spent it know that he was not to be +set on one side, as a mere parson out of the country, who happened to +have a good income of his own. + +It was in this spirit,--a spirit of absolute pugnacity,--that he asked +for the Marquis at Scumberg's hotel. Yes;--the Marquis was at home, and +the servant would see if his master could be seen. "I fancy that I have +an appointment with him," said the Dean, as he gave his card. "I am +rather hurried, and if he can't see me perhaps you'll let me know at +once." The man soon returned, and with much condescension told the Dean +that his lordship would see him. "That is kind, as his lordship told me +to come," said the Dean to himself, but still loud enough for the +servant to hear him. "His Lordship will be with you in a few minutes," +said the man, as he shut the door of the sitting room. + +"I shall be gone if he's not here in a very few minutes," said the +Dean, unable to restrain himself. + +And he very nearly did go before the Marquis came to him. He had +already walked to the rug with the object of ringing the bell, and had +then decided on giving the lord two minutes more, resolving also that +he would speak his mind to the lord about this delay, should the lord +make his appearance before the two minutes were over. The time had just +expired when his lordship did make his appearance. He came shuffling +into the room after a servant, who walked before him with the pretence +of carrying books and a box of papers. It had all been arranged, the +Marquis knowing that he would secure the first word by having his own +servant in the room. "I am very much obliged to you for coming, Mr. +Dean," he said. "Pray sit down. I should have been here to receive you +if you had sent me a line." + +"I only got your note this morning," said the Dean angrily. + +"I thought that perhaps you might have sent a message. It doesn't +signify in the least. I never go out till after this, but had you named +a time I should have been here to receive you. That will do, +John,--shut the door. Very cold,--don't you think it." + +"I have walked, my lord, and am warm." + +"I never walk,--never could walk. I don't know why it is, but my legs +won't walk." + +"Perhaps you never tried." + +"Yes, I have. They wanted to make me walk in Switzerland twenty years +ago, but I broke down after the first mile. George used to walk like +the very d----. You see more of him now than I do. Does he go on +walking?" + +"He is an active man." + +"Just that. He ought to have been a country letter-carrier. He would +have been as punctual as the sun, and has quite all the necessary +intellect." + +"You sent for me, Lord Brotherton----" + +"Yes; yes. I had something that I thought I might as well say to you, +though, upon my word, I almost forget what it was." + +"Then I may as well take my leave." + +"Don't do that. You see, Mr. Dean, belonging to the church militant as +you do, you are so heroically pugnacious! You must like fighting very +much." + +"When I have anything which I conceive it to be my duty to fight for, I +think I do." + +"Things are generally best got without fighting. You want to make your +grandson Marquis of Brotherton." + +"I want to ensure to my grandson anything that may be honestly and +truly his own." + +"You must first catch a grandson." + +It was on his lips to say that certainly no heir should be caught on +his side of the family after the fashion that had been practised by his +lordship in catching the present pseudo-Popenjoy; but he was restrained +by a feeling of delicacy in regard to his own daughter. "My lord," he +said, "I am not here to discuss any such contingency." + +"But you don't scruple to discuss my contingency, and that in the most +public manner. It has suited me, or at any rate it has been my chance, +to marry a foreigner. Because you don't understand Italian fashions you +don't scruple to say that she is not my wife." + +"I have never said so." + +"And to declare that my son is not my son." + +"I have never said that." + +"And to set a dozen attorneys to work to prove that my heir is a +bastard." + +"We heard of your marriage, my lord, as having been fixed for a certain +date,--a date long subsequent to that of the birth of your son. What +were we to think?" + +"As if that hadn't been explained to you, and to all the world, a dozen +times over. Did you never hear of a second marriage being solemnized in +England to satisfy certain scruples? You have sent out and made your +inquiries, and what have they come to? I know all about it." + +"As far as I am concerned you are quite welcome to know everything." + +"I dare say;--even though I should be stung to death by the knowledge. +Of course I understand. You think that I have no feeling at all." + +"Not much as to duty to your family, certainly," said the Dean, +stoutly. + +"Exactly. Because I stand a little in the way of your new ambition, I +am the Devil himself. And yet you and those who have abetted you think +it odd that I haven't received you with open arms. My boy is as much to +me as ever was your daughter to you." + +"Perhaps so, my lord. The question is not whether he is beloved, but +whether he is Lord Popenjoy." + +"He is Lord Popenjoy. He is a poor weakling, and I doubt whether he may +enjoy the triumph long, but he is Lord Popenjoy. You must know it +yourself, Dean." + +"I know nothing of the kind," said the Dean, furiously. + +"Then you must be a very self-willed man. When this began George was +joined with you in the unnatural inquiry. He at any rate has been +convinced." + +"It may be he has submitted himself to his brother's influence." + +"Not in the least. George is not very clever, but he has at any rate +had wit enough to submit to the influence of his own legal adviser,--or +rather to the influence of your legal adviser. Your own man, Mr. +Battle, is convinced. You are going on with this in opposition even to +him. What the devil is it you want? I am not dead, and may outlive at +any rate you. Your girl hasn't got a child, and doesn't seem likely to +have one. You happen to have married her into a noble family, and now, +upon my word, it seems to me that you are a little off your head with +downright pride." + +"Was it for this you sent for me?" + +"Well;--yes it was. I thought it might be as well to argue it out. It +isn't likely that there should be much love between us, but we needn't +cut each other's throats. It is costing us both a d----d lot of money; +but I should think that my purse must be longer than yours." + +"We will try it, my lord." + +"You intend to go on with this persecution then?" + +"The Countess Luigi was presumably a married woman when she bore that +name, and I look upon it as a sacred duty to ascertain whether she was +so or not." + +"Sacred!" said the Marquis, with a sneer. + +"Yes;--sacred. There can be no more sacred duty than that which a +father owes to his child." + +"Ah!" Then the Marquis paused and looked at the Dean before he went on +speaking. He looked so long that the Dean was preparing to take his hat +in his hand ready for a start. He showed that he was going to move, and +then the Marquis went on speaking. "Sacred! Ah!--and such a child!" + +"She is one of whom I am proud as a father, and you should be proud as +a sister-in-law." + +"Oh, of course. So I am. The Germains were never so honoured before. As +for her birth I care nothing about that. Had she behaved herself, I +should have thought nothing of the stable." + +"What do you dare to say?" said the Dean, jumping from his seat. + +The Marquis sat leaning back in his arm-chair, perfectly motionless. +There was a smile,--almost a pleasant smile on his face. But there was +a very devil in his eye, and the Dean, who stood some six feet removed +from him, saw the devil plainly. "I live a solitary life here, Mr. +Dean," said the Marquis, "but even I have heard of her." + +"What have you heard?" + +"All London have heard of her,--this future Marchioness, whose ambition +is to drive my son from his title and estates. A sacred duty, Mr. Dean, +to put a coronet on the head of that young ----!" The word which we +have not dared to print was distinctly spoken,--more distinctly, more +loudly, more incisively, than any word which had yet fallen from the +man's lips. It was evident that the lord had prepared the word, and had +sent for the father that the father might hear the word applied to his +own daughter,--unless indeed he should first acknowledge himself to +have lost his case. So far the interview had been carried out very much +in accordance with the preparations as arranged by the Marquis; but, as +to what followed, the Marquis had hardly made his calculations +correctly. + +A clergyman's coat used to save him from fighting in fighting days; and +even in these days, in which broils and personal encounters are held to +be generally disreputable, it saves the wearer from certain remote +dangers to which other men are liable. And the reverse of this is also +true. It would probably be hard to extract a first blow from the whole +bench of bishops. And deans as a rule are more sedentary, more +quiescent, more given to sufferance even than bishops. The normal Dean +is a goodly, sleek, bookish man, who would hardly strike a blow under +any provocation. The Marquis, perhaps, had been aware of this. He had, +perhaps, fancied that he was as good a man as the Dean who was at least +ten years his senior. He had not at any rate anticipated such speedy +violence as followed the utterance of the abominable word. + +The Dean, as I have said, had been standing about six feet from the +easy chair in which the Marquis was lolling when the word was spoken. +He had already taken his hat in his hand and had thought of some means +of showing his indignation as he left the room. Now his first impulse +was to rid himself of his hat, which he did by pitching it along the +floor. And then in an instant he was at the lord's throat. The lord had +expected it so little that up to the last he made no preparation for +defence. The Dean had got him by his cravat and shirt-collar before he +had begun to expect such usage as this. Then he simply gurgled out some +ejaculated oath, uttered half in surprise and half in prayer. Prayer +certainly was now of no use. Had five hundred feet of rock been there +the Marquis would have gone down it, though the Dean had gone with him. +Fire flashed from the clergyman's eyes, and his teeth were set fast and +his very nostrils were almost ablaze. His daughter! The holy spot of +his life! The one being in whom he believed with all his heart and with +all his strength! + +The Dean was fifty years of age, but no one had ever taken him for an +old man. They who at home at Brotherton would watch his motions, how he +walked and how he rode on horseback, how he would vault his gates when +in the fields, and scamper across the country like a schoolboy, were +wont to say that he was unclerical. Perhaps Canons Pountner and +Holdenough, with Mr. Groschut, the bishop's chaplain, envied him +something of his juvenile elasticity. But I think that none of them had +given him credit for such strength as he now displayed. The Marquis, in +spite of what feeble efforts he made, was dragged up out of his chair +and made to stand, or rather to totter, on his legs. He made a clutch +at the bell-rope, which to aid his luxurious ease had been brought +close to his hand as he sat, but failed, as the Dean shook him hither +and thither. Then he was dragged on to the middle of the rug, feeling +by this time that he was going to be throttled. He attempted to throw +himself down, and would have done so but that the Dean with his left +hand prevented him from falling. He made one vigorous struggle to free +himself, striving as he did so to call for assistance. But the Dean +having got his victim's back to the fireplace, and having the poor +wretch now fully at his command, threw the man with all his strength +into the empty grate. The Marquis fell like a heap within the fender, +with his back against the top bar and his head driven further back +against the bricks and iron. There for a second or two he lay like a +dead mass. + +Less than a minute had done it all, and for so long a time the Dean's +ungoverned fury had held its fire. What were consequences to him with +that word as applied to his child ringing in his ears? How should he +moderate his wrath under such outrage as that? Was it not as though +beast had met beast in the forest between whom nothing but internecine +fight to the end was possible? But when that minute was over, and he +saw what he had done,--when the man, tumbled, dishevelled, all alump +and already bloody, was lying before him,--then he remembered who he +was himself and what it was that he had done. He was Dean Lovelace, who +had already made for himself more than enough of clerical enmity; and +this other man was the Marquis of Brotherton, whom he had perhaps +killed in his wrath, with no witness by to say a word as to the +provocation he had received. + +The Marquis groaned and impotently moved an arm as though to raise +himself. At any rate, he was not dead as yet. With a desire to do what +was right now, the Dean rang the bell violently, and then stooped down +to extricate his foe. He had succeeded in raising the man and in +seating him on the floor with his head against the arm-chair before the +servant came. Had he wished to conceal anything, he could without much +increased effort have dragged the Marquis up into his chair; but he was +anxious now simply that all the truth should be known. It seemed to him +still that no one knowing the real truth would think that he had done +wrong. His child! His daughter! His sweetly innocent daughter! The man +soon rushed into the room, for the ringing of the bell had been very +violent. "Send for a doctor," said the Dean, "and send the landlord +up." + +"Has my lord had a fit?" said the man, advancing into the room. He was +the servant, not of the hotel, but of the Marquis himself. + +"Do as I bid you;--get a doctor and send up the landlord immediately. +It is not a fit, but his lordship has been much hurt. I knocked him +down." The Dean made the last statement slowly and firmly, under a +feeling at the moment that it became him to leave nothing concealed, +even with a servant. + +"He has murdered me," groaned the Marquis. The injured one could speak +at least, and there was comfort in that. The servant rushed back to the +regions below, and the tidings were soon spread through the house. +Resident landlord there was none. There never are resident landlords in +London hotels. Scumberg was a young family of joint heirs and +heiresses, named Tomkins, who lived at Hastings, and the house was +managed by Mrs. Walker. Mrs. Walker was soon in the room, with a German +deputy manager kept to maintain the foreign Scumberg connection, and +with them sundry waiters and the head chambermaid. Mrs. Walker made a +direct attack upon the Dean, which was considerably weakened by +accusations from the lips of the Marquis himself. Had he remained +speechless for a while the horrors of the Dean's conduct would have +been greatly aggravated. "My good woman," said the Dean, "wait till +some official is here. You cannot understand. And get a little warm +water and wash his lordship's head." + +"He has broken my back," said his lordship. "Oh, oh, oh." + +"I am glad to hear you speak, Lord Brotherton," said the Dean. "I think +you will repent having used such a word as that to my daughter." It +would be necessary now that everybody should understand everything; but +how terrible would it be for the father even to say that such a name +had been applied to his child! + +First there came two policemen, then a surgeon, and then a sergeant. "I +will do anything that you suggest, Mr. Constable," said the Dean, +"though I hope it may not be necessary that I should remain in custody. +I am the Dean of Brotherton." The sergeant made a sign of putting his +finger up to his cap. "This, man, as you know, is the Marquis of +Brotherton." The sergeant bowed to the groaning nobleman. "My daughter +is married to his brother. There have been family quarrels, and he just +now applied a name to his own sister-in-law, to my child,--which I will +not utter because there are women here. Fouler slander never came from +a man's mouth. I took him from his chair and threw him beneath the +grate. Now you know it all. Were it to do again, I would do it again." + +"She is a ----," said the imprudent prostrate Marquis. The sergeant, +the doctor who was now present, and Mrs. Walker suddenly became the +Dean's friends. The Marquis was declared to be much shaken, to have a +cut head, and to be very badly bruised about the muscles of the back. +But a man who could so speak of his sister-in-law deserved to have his +head cut and his muscles bruised. Nevertheless the matter was too +serious to be passed over without notice. The doctor could not say that +the unfortunate nobleman had received no permanent injury;--and the +sergeant had not an opportunity of dealing with deans and marquises +every day of his life. The doctor remained with his august patient and +had him put to bed, while the Dean and the sergeant together went off +in a cab to the police-office which lies in the little crowded streets +between the crooked part of Regent Street and Piccadilly. Here +depositions were taken and forms filled, and the Dean was allowed to +depart with an understanding that he was to be forthcoming immediately +when wanted. He suggested that it had been his intention to go down to +Brotherton on the following day, but the Superintendent of Police +recommended him to abandon that idea. The superintendent thought that +the Dean had better make arrangements to stay in London till the end of +the week. + + + + +CHAPTER XLII. + +"NOT GO!" + + +The Dean had a great deal to think of as he walked home a little too +late for his daughter's usual dinner hour. What should he tell +her;--and what should he do as to communicating or not communicating +tidings of the day's work to Lord George? Of course everybody must know +what had been done sooner or later. He would have had no objection to +that,--providing the truth could be told accurately,--except as to the +mention of his daughter's name in the same sentence with that +abominable word. But the word would surely be known, and the facts +would not be told with accuracy unless he told them himself. His only, +but his fully sufficient defence was in the word. But who would know +the tone? Who would understand the look of the man's eye and the smile +on his mouth? Who could be made to conceive, as the Dean himself had +conceived, the aggravated injury of the premeditated slander? He would +certainly write and tell Lord George everything. But to his daughter he +thought that he would tell as little as possible. Might God in his +mercy save her ears, her sacred feelings, her pure heart from the wound +of that word! He felt that she was dearer to him than ever she had +been,--that he would give up deanery and everything if he could save +her by doing so. But he felt that if she were to be sacrificed in the +contest, he would give up deanery and everything in avenging her. + +But something must be told to her. He at any rate must remain in town, +and it would be very desirable that she should stay with him. If she +went alone she would at once be taken to Cross Hall; and he could +understand that the recent occurrence would not add to the serenity of +her life there. The name that had been applied to her, together with +the late folly of which her husband had been guilty, would give those +Manor Cross dragons,--as the Dean was apt in his own thoughts to call +the Ladies Germain--a tremendous hold over her. And should she be once +at Cross Hall he would hardly be able to get her back to the deanery. + +He hurried up to dress as soon as he reached the house, with a word of +apology as to being late, and then found her in the drawing room. + +"Papa," she said, "I do like Mrs. Montacute Jones." + +"So do I, my dear, because she is good-humoured." + +"But she is so good-natured also! She has been here again to-day and +wants me and George to go down to Scotland in August. I should so like +it." + +"What will George say?" + +"Of course he won't go; and of course I shan't. But that doesn't make +it the less good-natured. She wishes all her set to think that what +happened the other night doesn't mean anything." + +"I'm afraid he won't consent." + +"I know he won't. He wouldn't know what to do with himself. He hates a +house full of people. And now tell me what the Marquis said." But +dinner was announced, and the Dean was not forced to answer this +question immediately. + +"Now, papa," she said again, as soon as the coffee was brought and the +servant was gone, "do tell me what my most noble brother-in-law wanted +to say to you?" + +That he certainly would not tell. "Your brother-in-law, my dear, +behaved about as badly as a man could behave." + +"Oh, dear! I am so sorry!" + +"We have to be sorry,--both of us. And your husband will be sorry." He +was so serious that she hardly knew how to speak to him. "I cannot tell +you everything; but he insulted me, and I was forced to--strike him." + +"Strike him! Oh, papa!" + +"Bear with me, Mary. In all things I think well of you, and do you try +to think well of me." + +"Dear papa! I will. I do. I always did." + +"Anything he might have said of myself I could have borne. He could +have applied no epithet to me which, I think, could even have ruffled +me. But he spoke evil of you." While he was sitting there he made up +his mind that he would tell her as much as that, though he had before +almost resolved that he would not speak to her of herself. But she must +hear something of the truth, and better that she should hear it from +his than from other lips. She turned very pale, but did not immediately +make any reply. "Then I was full of wrath," he continued. "I did not +even attempt to control myself; but I took him by the throat and flung +him violently to the ground. He fell upon the grate, and it may be that +he has been hurt. Had the fall killed him he would have deserved it. He +had courage to wound a father in his tenderest part, only because that +father was a clergyman. His belief in a black coat will, I think, be a +little weakened by what occurred to-day." + +"What will be done?" she asked, whispering. + +"Heaven only knows. But I can't go out of town to-morrow. I shall write +to George to-night and tell him everything that has occurred, and shall +beg that you may be allowed to stay with me for the few days that will +be necessary." + +"Of course I will not leave you." + +"It is not that. But I do not want you to go to Cross Hall quite at +present. If you went without me they would not let you come to the +deanery. Of course there will be a great commotion at Cross Hall. Of +course they will condemn me. Many will condemn me, as it will be +impossible to make the world believe the exact truth." + +"I will never condemn you," she said. Then she came over and threw +herself on her knees at his feet, and embraced him. "But, papa, what +did the man say of me?" + +"Not what he believed;--but what he thought would give me the greatest +anguish. Never mind. Do not ask any more questions. You also had better +write to your husband, and you can tell him fully all that I have told +you. If you will write to-night I will do so also, and I will take care +that they shall have our letters to-morrow afternoon. We must send a +message to say that we shall not be at the deanery to-morrow." The two +letters to Lord George were both written that night, and were both very +long. They told the same story, though in a different tone. The Dean +was by no means apologetic, but was very full and very true. When he +came to the odious word he could not write it, but he made it very +clear without writing. Would not the husband feel as he the father had +felt in regard to his young wife, the sweet pure girl of whose love and +possession he ought to be so proud? How would any brother be forgiven +who had assailed such a treasure as this;--much less such a brother as +this Marquis? Perhaps Lord George might think it right to come up. The +Dean would of course ask at the hotel on the following day, and would +go to the police office. He believed, he said, that no permanent injury +had been done. Then came, perhaps, the pith of his letter. He trusted +that Lord George would agree with him in thinking that Mary had better +remain with him in town during the two or three days of his necessarily +prolonged sojourn. This was put in the form of a request; but was put +in a manner intended to show that the request if not granted would be +enforced. The Dean was fully determined that Mary should not at once go +down to Cross Hall. + +Her letter was supplicatory, spasmodic, full of sorrow, and full of +love. She was quite sure that her dear papa would have done nothing +that he ought not to have done; but yet she was very sorry for the +Marquis, because of his mother and sisters, and because of her dear, +dear George. Could he not run up to them and hear all about it from +papa? If the Marquis had said ill-natured things of her it was very +cruel, because nobody loved her husband better than she loved her dear, +dear George,--and so on. The letters were then sent under cover to the +housekeeper at the deanery, with orders to send them on by private +messenger to Cross Hall. + +On the following day the Dean went to Scumberg's, but could not learn +much there. The Marquis had been very bad, and had had one and another +doctor with him almost continually; but Mrs. Walker could not take upon +herself to say that "it was dangerous." She thought it was "in'ard." +Mrs. Walkers always do think that it is "in'ard" when there is nothing +palpable outward. At any rate his lordship had not been out of bed and +had taken nothing but tapioca and brandy. There was very little more +than this to be learned at the police court. The case might be serious, +but the superintendent hoped otherwise. The superintendent did not +think that the Dean should go down quite to-morrow. The morrow was +Friday; but he suggested Saturday as possible, Monday as almost +certain. It may be as well to say here that the Dean did not call at +the police court again, and heard nothing further from the officers of +the law respecting the occurrence at Scumberg's. On the Friday he +called again at Scumberg's, and the Marquis was still in bed. His +"in'ards" had not ceased to be matter of anxiety to Mrs. Walker; but +the surgeon, whom the Dean now saw, declared that the muscles of the +nobleman's back were more deserving of sympathy. The surgeon, with a +gravity that almost indicated offence, expressed his opinion that the +Marquis's back had received an injury which--which might be--very +injurious. + +Lord George when he received the letters was thrown into a state of +mind that almost distracted him. During the last week or two the +animosity felt at Cross Hall against the Marquis had been greatly +weakened. A feeling had come upon the family that after all Popenjoy +was Popenjoy; and that, although the natal circumstances of such a +Popenjoy were doubtless unfortunate for the family generally, still, as +an injury had been done to the Marquis by the suspicion, those +circumstances ought now to be in a measure forgiven. The Marquis was +the head of the family, and a family will forgive much to its head when +that head is a Marquis. As we know the Dowager had been in his favour +from the first, Lord George had lately given way and had undergone a +certain amount of reconciliation with his brother. Lady Amelia had +seceded to her mother, as had also Mrs. Toff, the old housekeeper. Lady +Susanna was wavering, having had her mind biased by the objectionable +conduct of the Dean and his daughter. Lady Sarah was more staunch. Lady +Sarah had never yet given way; she never did give way; and, in her very +heart, she was the best friend that Mary had among the ladies of the +family. But when her brother gave up the contest she felt that further +immediate action was impossible. Things were in this state at Cross +Hall when Lord George received the two letters. He did not wish to +think well of the Dean just at present, and was horrified at the idea +of a clergyman knocking a Marquis into the fire-place. But the word +indicated was very plain, and that word had been applied to his own +wife. Or, perhaps, no such word had really been used. Perhaps the Dean +had craftily saved himself from an absolute lie, and in his attempt to +defend the violence of his conduct had brought an accusation against +the Marquis, which was in its essence, untrue. Lord George was quite +alive to the duty of defending his wife; but in doing so he was no +longer anxious to maintain affectionate terms with his wife's father. +She had been very foolish. All the world had admitted as much. He had +seen it with his own eyes at that wretched ball. She had suffered her +name to be joined with that of a stranger in a manner derogatory to her +husband's honour. It was hardly surprising that his brother should have +spoken of her conduct in disparaging terms;--but he did not believe +that his brother had used that special term. Personal violence;--blows +and struggling, and that on the part of a Dean of the Church of +England, and violence such as this seemed to have been,--violence that +might have killed the man attacked, seemed to him to be in any case +unpardonable. He certainly could not live on terms of friendship with +the Dean immediately after such a deed. His wife must be taken away and +secluded, and purified by a long course of Germain asceticism. + +But what must he do now at once? He felt that it was his duty to hurry +up to London, but he could not bring himself to live in the same house +with the Dean. His wife must be taken away from her father. However bad +may have been the language used by the Marquis, however indefensible, +he could not allow himself even to seem to keep up affectionate +relations with the man who had half slaughtered his brother. He too +thought of what the world would say, he too felt that such an affair, +after having become known to the police, would be soon known to every +one else. But what must he do at once? He had not as yet made up his +mind as to this when he took his place at the Brotherton Railway +Station on the morning after he had received the letters. + +But on reaching the station in London he had so far made up his mind as +to have his portmanteau taken to the hotel close at hand, and then to +go to Munster Court. He had hoped to find his wife alone; but on his +arrival the Dean was there also. "Oh, George," she said, "I am so glad +you have come; where are your things?" He explained that he had no +things, that he had come up only for a short time, and had left his +luggage at the station. "But you will stay here to-night?" asked Mary, +in despair. + +Lord George hesitated, and the Dean at once saw how it was. "You will +not go back to Brotherton to-day," he said. Now, at this moment the +Dean had to settle in his mind the great question whether it would be +best for his girl that she should be separated from her husband or from +her father. In giving him his due it must be acknowledged that he +considered only what might in truth be best for her. If she were now +taken away from him there would be no prospect of recovery. After all +that had passed, after Lord George's submission to his brother, the +Dean was sure that he would be held in abhorrence by the whole Germain +family. Mary would be secluded and trodden on, and reduced to pale +submission by all the dragons till her life would be miserable. Lord +George himself would be prone enough to domineer in such circumstances. +And then that ill word which had been spoken, and which could only be +effectually burned out of the thoughts of people by a front to the +world at the same time innocent and bold, would stick to her for ever +if she were carried away into obscurity. + +But the Dean knew as well as others know how great is the evil of a +separation, and how specially detrimental such a step would be to a +young wife. Than a permanent separation anything would be better; +better even that she should be secluded and maligned, and even, for a +while, trodden under foot. Were such separation to take place his girl +would have been altogether sacrificed, and her life's happiness brought +to shipwreck. But then a permanent separation was not probable. She had +done nothing wrong. The husband and wife did in truth love each other +dearly. The Marquis would be soon gone, and then Lord George would +return to his old habits of thought and his old allegiance. Upon the +whole the Dean thought it best that his present influence should be +used in taking his daughter to the deanery. + +"I should like to return quite early to-morrow," said Lord George, very +gravely, "unless my brother's condition should make it impossible." + +"I trust you won't find your brother much the worse for what has +happened," said the Dean. + +"But you will sleep here to-night," repeated Mary. + +"I will come for you the first thing in the morning," said Lord George +in the same funereal voice. + +"But why;--why?" + +"I shall probably have to be a good deal with my brother during the +afternoon. But I will be here again in the afternoon. You can be at +home at five, and you can get your things ready for going to-morrow." + +"Won't you dine here?" + +"I think not." + +Then there was silence for a minute. Mary was completely astounded. +Lord George wished to say nothing further in the presence of his +father-in-law. The Dean was thinking how he would begin to use his +influence. "I trust you will not take Mary away to-morrow." + +"Oh;--certainly." + +"I trust not. I must ask you to hear me say a few words about this." + +"I must insist on her coming with me to-morrow, even though I should +have to return to London myself afterwards." + +"Mary," said her father, "leave us for a moment." Then Mary retired, +with a very saddened air. "Do you understand, George, what it was that +your brother said to me?" + +"I suppose so," he answered, hoarsely. + +"Then, no doubt, I may take it for granted that you approve of the +violence of my resentment? To me as a clergyman, and as a man past +middle life, the position was very trying. But had I been an +Archbishop, tottering on the grave with years, I must have endeavoured +to do the same." This he said with great energy. "Tell me, George, that +you think that I was right." + +But George had not heard the word, had not seen the man's face. And +then, though he would have gone to a desert island with his wife, had +such exile been necessary for her protection, he did believe that she +had misconducted herself. Had he not seen her whirling round the room +with that man after she had been warned against him. "It cannot be +right to murder a man," he said at last. + +"You do not thank me then for vindicating your honour and your wife's +innocence?" + +"I do not think that that was the way. The way is to take her home." + +"Yes;--to her old home,--to the deanery for a while; so that the world, +which will no doubt hear the malignant epithet applied to her by your +wicked brother, may know that both her husband and her father support +her. You had promised to come to the deanery." + +"We cannot do that now." + +"Do you mean that after what has passed you will take your brother's +part?" + +"I will take my wife to Cross Hall," he said, leaving the room and +following Mary up to her chamber. + +"What am I to do, papa?" she said when she came down about half-an-hour +afterwards. Lord George had then started to Scumberg's, saying that he +would come to Munster Court again before dinner, but telling her +plainly that he would not sit down to dine with her father, "He has +determined to quarrel with you." + +"It will only be for a time, dearest." + +"But what shall I do?" + +Now came the peril of the answer. He was sure, almost sure, that she +would in this emergency rely rather upon him than on her husband, if he +were firm; but should he be firm as against the husband, how great +would be his responsibility! "I think, my dear," he said, at last, +"that you should go with me to Brotherton." + +"But he will not let me." + +"I think that you should insist on his promise." + +"Don't make us quarrel, papa." + +"Certainly not. Anything would be better than a permanent quarrel. But, +after what has been said, after the foul lies that have been told, I +think that you should assert your purpose of staying for awhile with +your father. Were you now to go to Cross Hall there would be no limit +to their tyranny." He left her without a word more, and calling at +Scumberg's Hotel was told that the Marquis could not move. + +At that moment Lord George was with his brother, and the Marquis could +talk though he could not move. "A precious family you've married into, +George," he said, almost as soon as his brother was in the room. Then +he gave his own version of the affair, leaving his brother in doubt as +to the exact language that had been used. "He ought to have been a +coal-heaver instead of a clergyman," said the Marquis. + +"Of course he would be angry," said Lord George. + +"Nothing astonishes me so much," said the Marquis, "as the way in which +you fellows here think you may say whatever comes into your head about +my wife, because she is an Italian, and you seem to be quite surprised +if I object; yet you rage like wild beasts if the compliment is +returned. Why am I to think better of your wife than you of mine?" + +"I have said nothing against your wife, Brotherton." + +"By ----, I think you have said a great deal,--and with much less +reason than I have. What did you do yourself when you found her +struggling in that fellow's arms at the old woman's party?" Some +good-natured friend had told the Marquis the whole story of the +Kappa-kappa. "You can't be deaf to what all the world is saying of +her." This was wormwood to the wretched husband, and yet he could not +answer with angry, self-reliant indignation, while his brother was +lying almost motionless before him. + +Lord George found that he could do nothing at Scumberg's Hotel. He was +assured that his brother was not in danger, and that the chief injury +done was to the muscles of his back, which bruised and lacerated as +they were, would gradually recover such elasticity as they had ever +possessed. But other words were said and other hints expressed, all of +which tended to increase his animosity against the Dean, and almost to +engender anger against his wife. To himself, personally, except in +regard to his wife, his brother had not been ungracious. The Marquis +intended to return to Italy as soon as he could. He hated England and +everything in it. Manor Cross would very soon be at Lord George's +disposal, "though I do hope," said the Marquis, "that the lady who has +condescended to make me her brother-in-law, will never reign paramount +there." By degrees there crept on Lord George's mind a feeling that his +brother looked to a permanent separation,--something like a +repudiation. Over and over again he spoke of Mary as though she had +disgraced herself utterly; and when Lord George defended his wife, the +lord only smiled and sneered. + +The effect upon Lord George was to make him very imperious as he walked +back to Munster Court. He could not repudiate his wife, but he would +take her away with a very high hand. Crossing the Green Park, at the +back of Arlington Street, whom should he meet but Mrs. Houghton with +her cousin Jack. He raised his hat, but could not stop a moment. Mrs. +Houghton made an attempt to arrest him,--but he escaped without a word +and went on very quickly. His wife had behaved generously about Mrs. +Houghton. The sight of the woman brought that truth to his mind. He was +aware of that. But no generosity on the part of the wife, no love, no +temper, no virtue, no piety can be accepted by Cæsar as weighing a +grain in counterpoise against even suspicion. + +He found his wife and asked her whether her things were being packed. +"I cannot go to-morrow," she said. + +"Not go?" + +"No, George;--not to Cross Hall. I will go to the deanery. You promised +to go to the deanery." + +"I will not go to the deanery. I will go to Cross Hall." There was an +hour of it, but during the entire hour, the young wife persisted +obstinately that she would not be taken to Cross Hall. "She had," she +said, "been very badly treated by her husband's family." "Not by me," +shouted the husband. She went on to say that nothing could now really +put her right but the joint love of her father and her husband. Were +she at Cross Hall her father could do nothing for her. She would not go +to Cross Hall. Nothing short of policemen should take her to Cross Hall +to-morrow. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. + +REAL LOVE. + + +"He is looking awfully cut up," Mrs. Houghton said to her cousin. + +"He is one of the most infernal fools that ever I came across in my +life," said Jack. + +"I don't see that he is a fool at all,--any more than all men are +fools. There isn't one among you is ever able to keep his little +troubles to himself. You are not a bit wiser than the rest of them +yourself." + +"I haven't got any troubles,--of that sort." + +"You haven't a wife,--but you'll be forced into having one before long. +And when you like another man's wife you can't keep all the world from +knowing it." + +"All the world may know everything that has taken place between me and +Lady George," said Jack. "Of course I like her." + +"I should say, rather." + +"And so do you." + +"No, I don't, sir. I don't like her at all. She is a foolish, +meaningless little creature, with nothing to recommend her but a pretty +colour. And she has cut me because her husband will come and pour out +his sorrow into my ears. For his sake I used to be good to her." + +"I think she is the sweetest human being I ever came across in my +life," said Jack, enthusiastically. + +"Everybody in London knows that you think so,--and that you have told +her your thoughts." + +"Nobody in London knows anything of the kind. I never said a word to +her that her husband mightn't have heard." + +"Jack!" + +"I never did." + +"I wonder you are not ashamed to confess such simplicity, even to me." + +"I am not a bit ashamed of that, though I am ashamed of having in some +sort contributed to do her an injury. Of course I love her." + +"Rather,--as I said before." + +"Of course you intended that I should." + +"I intended that you should amuse yourself. As long as you are good to +me, I shall be good to you." + +"My dear Adelaide, nobody can be so grateful as I am. But in this +matter the thing hasn't gone quite as you intended. You say that she is +meaningless." + +"Vapid, flabby, childish, and innocent as a baby." + +"Innocent I am sure she is. Vapid and flabby she certainly is not. She +is full of fun, and is quite as witty as a woman should be." + +"You always liked fools, Jack." + +"Then how did I come to be so very fond of you." In answer to this she +merely made a grimace at him. "I hadn't known her three days," +continued he, "before I began to feel how impossible it would be to say +anything to her that ought not to be said." + +"That is just like the world all over," said Mrs. Houghton. "When a man +really falls in love with a woman he always makes her such a goddess +that he doesn't dare to speak to her. The effect is that women are +obliged to put up with men who ain't in love with them,--either that, +or vouchsafe to tell their own little story,--when, lo, they are +goddesses no longer." + +"I dare say it's very ridiculous," said Jack, in a mooning despondent +way. "I dare say I'm not the man I ought to be after the advantages I +have had in such friends as you and others." + +"If you try to be severe to me, I'll quarrel with you." + +"Not severe at all. I'm quite in earnest. A man, and a woman too, have +to choose which kind of role shall be played. There is innocence and +purity, combined with going to church and seeing that the children's +faces are washed. The game is rather slow, but it lasts a long time, +and leads to great capacity for digesting your dinner in old age. You +and I haven't gone in for that." + +"Do you mean to say that I am not innocent?" + +"Then there is the Devil with all his works,--which I own are, for the +most part, pleasant works to me. I have always had a liking for the +Devil." + +"Jack!" + +"Of all the saints going he is certainly the most popular. It is +pleasant to ignore the Commandments and enjoy the full liberty of a +debauched conscience. But there are attendant evils. It costs money and +wears out the constitution." + +"I should have thought that you had never felt the latter evil." + +"The money goes first, no doubt. This, however, must surely be clear. A +man should make up his mind and not shilly-shally between the two." + +"I should have thought you had made up your mind very absolutely." + +"I thought so, too, Adelaide, till I knew Lady George Germain. I'll +tell you what I feel about her now. If I could have any hope that he +would die I would put myself into some reformatory to fit myself to be +her second husband." + +"Good heavens!" + +"That is one idea that I have. Another is to cut his throat, and take +my chance with the widow. She is simply the only woman I ever saw that +I have liked all round." + +"You come and tell me this, knowing what I think of her." + +"Why shouldn't I tell you? You don't want me to make love to you?" + +"But a woman never cares to hear all these praises of another." + +"It was you began it, and if I do speak of her I shall tell the truth. +There is a freshness as of uncut flowers about her." + +"Psha! Worms and grubs!" + +"And when she laughs one dreams of a chaste Venus." + +"My heavens, Jack! You should publish all that!" + +"The dimples on her cheeks are so alluring that I would give my +commission to touch them once with my finger. When I first knew her I +thought that the time would come when I might touch them. Now I feel +that I would not commit such an outrage to save myself from being +cashiered." + +"Shall I tell you what you ought to do?" + +"Hang myself." + +"Just say to her all that you have said to me. You would soon find that +her dimples are not more holy than another's." + +"You think so." + +"Of course I think so. The only thing that puzzles me is that you, Jack +De Baron, should be led away to such idolatry. Why should she be +different from others? Her father is a money-loving, selfish old +reprobate, who was born in a stable. She married the first man that was +brought to her, and has never cared for him because he does not laugh, +and dance, and enjoy himself after her fashion. I don't suppose she is +capable of caring very much for anybody, but she likes you better than +any one else. Have you seen her since the row at Mrs. Jones's?" + +"No." + +"You have not been, then?" + +"No." + +"Why not?" + +"Because I don't think she would wish to see me," said Jack. "All that +affair must have troubled her." + +"I don't know how that is. She has been in town ever since, and he +certainly went down to Brotherton. He has come up, I suppose, in +consequence of this row between the Dean and his brother. I wonder what +really did happen?" + +"They say that there was a scuffle and that the parson had very much +the best of it. The police were sent for, and all that kind of thing. I +suppose the Marquis said something very rough to him." + +"Or he to the Marquis, which is rather more likely. Well,--good-day, +Jack." They were now at the house-door in Berkeley Square. "Don't come +in, because Houghton will be here." Then the door was opened. "But take +my advice, and go and call in Munster Court at once. And, believe me, +when you have found out what one woman is, you have found out what most +women are. There are no such great differences." + +It was then six o'clock, and he knew that in Munster Court they did not +dine till near eight. There was still time with a friend so intimate as +he was for what is styled a morning call. The words which his cousin +had spoken had not turned him,--had not convinced him. Were he again +tempted to speak his real mind about this woman,--as he had spoken in +very truth his real mind,--he would still express the same opinion. She +was to him like a running stream to a man who had long bathed in +stagnant waters. But the hideous doctrines which his cousin had +preached to him were not without their effect. If she were as other +women,--meaning such women as Adelaide Houghton,--or if she were not, +why should he not find out the truth? He was well aware that she liked +him. She had not scrupled to show him that by many signs. Why should he +scruple to say a word that might show him how the wind blew? Then he +remembered a few words which he had spoken, but which had been taken so +innocently, that they, though they had been meant to be mischievous, +had become innocent themselves. Even things impure became pure by +contact with her. He was sure, quite sure, that that well-known pupil +of Satan, his cousin, was altogether wrong in her judgment. He knew +that Adelaide Houghton could not recognise, and could not appreciate, a +pure woman. But still,--still it is so poor a thing to miss your plum +because you do not dare to shake the tree! It is especially so, if you +are known as a professional stealer of plums! + +When he got into Piccadilly, he put himself into a cab, and had himself +driven to the corner of Munster Court. It was a little street, gloomy +to look at, with dingy doors and small houses, but with windows +looking into St. James's Park. There was no way through it, so that he +who entered it must either make his way into some house, or come back. +He walked up to the door, and then taking out his watch, saw that it +was half-past six. It was almost too late for calling. And then this +thing that he intended to do required more thought than he had given +it. Would it not be well for him that there should be something holy, +even to him, in spite of that Devil's advocate who had been so powerful +with him. So he turned, and walking slowly back towards Parliament +Street, got into another cab, and was taken to his club. "It has come +out," said Major M'Mickmack to him, immediately on his entrance, "that +when the Dean went to see Brotherton at the hotel, Brotherton called +Lady George all the bad names he could put his tongue to." + +"I dare say. He is blackguard enough for anything," said De Baron. + +"Then the old Dean took his lordship in his arms, and pitched him bang +into the fireplace. I had it all from the police myself." + +"I always liked the Dean." + +"They say he is as strong as Hercules," continued M'Mickmack. "But he +is to lose his deanery." + +"Gammon!" + +"You just ask any of the fellows that know. Fancy a clergyman pitching +a Marquis into the fire!" + +"Fancy a father not doing so if the Marquis spoke ill of his daughter," +said Jack De Baron. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. + +WHAT THE BROTHERTON CLERGYMEN SAID ABOUT IT. + + +Had Jack knocked at the door and asked for Lady George he certainly +would not have seen her. She was enduring at that moment, with almost +silent obstinacy, the fierce anger of her indignant husband. "She was +sure that it would be bad for her to go to Cross Hall at present, or +anywhere among the Germains, while such things were said of her as the +Marquis had said." Could Lord George have declared that the Marquis was +at war with the family as he had been at war some weeks since, this +argument would have fallen to the ground. But he could not do so, and +it seemed to be admitted that by going to Cross Hall she was to take +part against her father, and so far to take part with the Marquis, who +had maligned her. This became her strong point, and as Lord George was +not strong in argument, he allowed her to make the most of it. "Surely +you wouldn't let me go anywhere," she said, "where such names as that +are believed against me?" She had not heard the name, nor had he, and +they were in the dark;--but she pleaded her cause well, and appealed +again and again to her husband's promise to take her to the deanery. +His stronghold was that of marital authority,--authority unbounded, +legitimate, and not to be questioned. "But if you commanded me to +quarrel with papa?" she asked. + +"I have commanded nothing of the kind." + +"But if you did?" + +"Then you must quarrel with him." + +"I couldn't,--and I wouldn't," said she, burying her face upon the arm +of the sofa. + +At any rate on the next morning she didn't go, nor, indeed, did he come +to fetch her, so convinced had he been of the persistency of her +obstinacy. But he told her as he left her that if she separated herself +from him now, then the separation must be lasting. Her father, however, +foreseeing this threat, had told her just the reverse. "He is an +obstinate man," the Dean had said, "but he is good and conscientious, +and he loves you." + +"I hope he loves me." + +"I am sure he does. He is not a fickle man. At present he has put +himself into his brother's hands, and we must wait till the tide turns. +He will learn by degrees to know how unjust he has been." + +So it came to pass that Lord George went down to Cross Hall in the +morning and that Mary accompanied her father to the deanery the same +afternoon. The Dean had already learned that it would be well that he +should face his clerical enemies as soon as possible. He had already +received a letter worded in friendly terms from the Bishop, asking him +whether he would not wish to make some statement as to the occurrence +at Scumberg's Hotel which might be made known to the clergymen of the +Cathedral. He had replied by saying that he wished to make no such +statement, but that on his return to Brotherton he would be very +willing to tell the Bishop the whole story if the Bishop wished to hear +it. He had been conscious of Mr. Groschut's hand even among the civil +phrases which had come from the Bishop himself. "In such a matter," he +said in his reply, "I am amenable to the laws of the land, and am not, +as I take it, amenable to any other authority." Then he went on to say +that for his own satisfaction he should be very glad to tell the story +to the Bishop. + +The story as it reached Brotherton had, no doubt, given rise to a great +deal of scandal and a great deal of amusement. Pountner and Holdenough +were to some extent ashamed of their bellicose Dean. There is something +ill-mannered, ungentlemanlike, what we now call rowdy, in personal +encounters, even among laymen,--and this is of course aggravated when +the assailant is a clergyman. And these canons, though they kept up +pleasant, social relations with the Dean, were not ill-disposed to +make use of so excellent a weapon against a man, who, though coming +from a lower order than themselves, was never disposed in any way to +yield to them. But the two canons were gentlemen, and as gentlemen were +gracious. Though they liked to have the Dean on the hip, they did not +want to hurt him sorely when they had gotten him there. They would be +contented with certain sly allusions, and only half-expressed triumphs. +But Mr. Groschut was confirmed in his opinion that the Dean was +altogether unfit for his position,--which, for the interests of the +Church, should be filled by some such man as Mr. Groschut himself, by +some God-fearing clergyman, not known as a hard rider across country +and as a bruiser with his fists. There had been an article in the +"Brotherton Church Gazette," in which an anxious hope was expressed +that some explanation would be given of the very incredible tidings +which had unfortunately reached Brotherton. Then Mr. Groschut had +spoken a word in season to the Bishop. Of course he said it could not +be true; but would it not be well that the Dean should be invited to +make his own statement? It was Mr. Groschut who had himself used the +word "incredible" in the article. Mr. Groschut, in speaking to the +Bishop, said that the tidings must be untrue. And yet he believed and +rejoiced in believing every word of them. He was a pious man, and did +not know that he was lying. He was an anxious Christian, and did not +know that he was doing his best to injure an enemy behind his back. He +hated the Dean;--but he thought that he loved him. He was sure that the +Dean would go to some unpleasant place, and gloried in the certainty; +but he thought that he was most anxious for the salvation of the Dean's +soul. "I think your Lordship owes it to him to offer him the +opportunity," said Mr. Groschut. + +The Bishop, too, was what we call a severe man;--but his severity was +used chiefly against himself. He was severe in his principles; but, +knowing the world better than his chaplain, was aware how much latitude +it was necessary that he should allow in dealing with men. And in his +heart of hearts he had a liking for the Dean. Whenever there were any +tiffs the Dean could take a blow and give a blow, and then think no +more about it. This, which was a virtue in the eyes of the Bishop, was +no virtue at all to Mr. Groschut, who hated to be hit himself and +wished to think that his own blows were fatal. In urging the matter +with the bishop, Mr. Groschut expressed an opinion that, if this story +were unfortunately true, the Dean should cease to be Dean. He thought +that the Dean must see this himself. "I am given to understand that he +was absolutely in custody of the police," said Mr. Groschut. The Bishop +was annoyed by his chaplain; but still he wrote the letter. + +On the very morning of his arrival in Brotherton the Dean went to the +palace. "Well, my lord," said the Dean, "you have heard this cock and +bull story." + +"I have heard a story," said the Bishop. He was an old man, very tall +and very thin, looking as though he had crushed out of himself all +taste for the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, but singularly +urbane in his manner, with an old-fashioned politeness. He smiled as he +invited the Dean to a seat, and then expressed a hope that nobody had +been much hurt. "Very serious injuries have been spoken of here, but I +know well how rumour magnifies these things." + +"Had I killed him, my lord, I should have been neither more nor less to +blame than I am now, for I certainly endeavoured to do my worst to +him." The Bishop's face assumed a look of pain and wonder. "When I had +the miscreant in my hands I did not pause to measure the weight of my +indignation. He told me, me a father, that my child was ----." He had +risen from his chair, and as he pronounced the word, stood looking into +the Bishop's eyes. "If there be purity on earth, sweet feminine +modesty, playfulness devoid of guile, absolute freedom from any stain +of leprosy, they are to be found with my girl." + +"Yes! yes; I am sure of that." + +"She is my worldly treasure. I have none other. I desire none other. I +had wounded this man by certain steps which I have taken in reference +to his family;--and then, that he might wound me in return, he did not +scruple, to use that word to his own sister-in-law, to my daughter. Was +that a time to consider whether a clergyman may be justified in putting +out his strength? No; my lord. Old as you are you would have attempted +it yourself. I took him up and smote him, and it is not my fault if he +is not a cripple for life." The Bishop gazed at him speechlessly, but +felt quite sure that it was not in his power to rebuke his fellow +clergyman. "Now, my lord," continued the Dean, "you have heard the +story. I tell it to you, and I shall tell it to no one else. I tell it +you, not because you are the bishop of this diocese, and I, the Dean of +this Cathedral,--and as such I am in such a matter by no means subject +to your lordship's authority;--but, because of all my neighbours you +are the most respected, and I would wish that the truth should be known +to some one." Then he ceased, neither enjoining secrecy, or expressing +any wish that the story should be correctly told to others. + +"He must be a cruel man," said the Bishop. + +"No, my lord;--he is no man at all. He is a degraded animal +unfortunately placed almost above penalties by his wealth and rank. I +am glad to think that he has at last encountered some little +punishment, though I could wish that the use of the scourge had fallen +into other hands than mine." Then he took his leave, and as he went the +Bishop was very gracious to him. + +"I am almost inclined to think he was justified," said the Bishop to +Mr. Groschut. + +"Justified, my lord! The Dean;--in striking the Marquis of Brotherton, +and then falling into the hands of the police!" + +"I know nothing about the police." + +"May I ask your lordship what was his account of the transaction." + +"I cannot give it you. I simply say that I think that he was +justified." Then Mr. Groschut expressed his opinion to Mrs. Groschut +that the Bishop was getting old,--very old indeed. Mr. Groschut was +almost afraid that no good could be done in the diocese till a firmer +and a younger man sat in the seat. + +The main facts of the story came to the knowledge of the canons, though +I doubt whether the Bishop ever told all that was told to him. Some few +hard words were said. Canon Pountner made a remark in the Dean's +hearing about the Church militant, which drew forth from the Dean an +allusion to the rites of Bacchus, which the canon only half understood. +And Dr. Holdenough asked the Dean whether there had not been some +little trouble between him and the Marquis. "I am afraid you have been +a little hard upon my noble brother-in-law," said the Doctor. To which +the Dean replied that the Doctor should teach his noble brother-in-law +better manners. But, upon the whole, the Dean held his own well, and +was as carefully waited upon to his seat by the vergers as though there +had been no scene at Scumberg's Hotel. + +For a time no doubt there was a hope on the part of Mr. Groschut +and his adherents that there would be some further police +interference;--that the Marquis would bring an action, or that the +magistrates would demand some inquiry. But nothing was done. The +Marquis endured his bruised back at any rate in silence. But there came +tidings to Brotherton that his lordship would not again be seen at +Manor Cross that year. The house had been kept up as though for him, +and he had certainly declared his purpose of returning when he left the +place. He had indeed spoken of living there almost to the end of +autumn. But early in July it became known that when he left Scumberg's +Hotel, he would go abroad;--and before the middle of July it was +intimated to Lady Alice, and through her to all Brotherton, that the +Dowager with her daughters and Lord George were going back to the old +house. + +In the meantime Lady George was still at the deanery, and Lord George +at Cross Hall, and to the eyes of the world the husband had been +separated from his wife. His anger was certainly very deep, especially +against his wife's father. The fact that his commands had been +twice,--nay as he said thrice,--disobeyed rankled in his mind. He had +ordered her not to waltz, and she had waltzed with, as Lord George +thought, the most objectionable man in all London. He had ordered her +to leave town with him immediately after Mrs. Jones's ball, and she had +remained in town. He had ordered her now to leave her father and to +cleave to him; but she had cleft to her father and had deserted him. +What husband can do other than repudiate his wife under such +circumstances as these! He was moody, gloomy, silent, never speaking of +her, never going into Brotherton lest by chance he should see her; but +always thinking of her,--and always, always longing for her company. + +She talked of him daily to her father, and was constant in her prayer +that they should not be made to quarrel. Having so long doubted whether +she could ever love him, she now could not understand the strength of +her own feeling. "Papa, mightn't I write to him," she said. But her +father thought that she should not herself take the first step at any +rate till the Marquis was gone. It was she who had in fact been +injured, and the overture should come from the other side. Then at +last, in a low whisper, hiding her face, she told her father a great +secret,--adding with a voice a little raised, "Now, papa, I must write +to him." + +"My darling, my dearest," said the Dean, leaning over and kissing her +with more than his usual demonstration of love. + +"I may write now." + +"Yes, dear, you should certainly tell him that." Then the Dean went out +and walked round the deanery garden, and the cathedral cloisters, and +the close, assuring himself that after a very little while the real +Lord Popenjoy would be his own grandson. + + + + +CHAPTER XLV. + +LADY GEORGE AT THE DEANERY. + + +It took Mary a long long morning,--not altogether an unhappy +morning,--to write her letter to her husband. She was forced to make +many attempts before she could tell the great news in a fitting way, +and even when the telling was done she was very far from being +satisfied with the manner of it. There should have been no necessity +that such tidings should be told by letter. It was cruel, very cruel, +that such a moment should not have been made happy to her by his joy. +The whisper made to her father should have been made to him,--but that +things had gone so untowardly with her. And then, in her present +circumstances, she could not devote her letter to the one event. She +must refer to the said subject of their separation. "Dear, dearest +George, pray do not think of quarrelling with me," she said twice over +in her letter. The letter did get itself finished at last, and the +groom was sent over with it on horseback. + +What answer would he make to her? Would he be very happy? would he be +happy enough to forgive her at once and come and stay with her at the +deanery? or would the importance of the moment make him more imperious +than ever in commanding that she should go with him to Cross Hall. If +he did command her now she thought that she must go. Then she sat +meditating what would be the circumstances of her life there,--how +absolutely she would be trodden upon; how powerless she would be to +resist those Dorcas conclaves after her mutiny and subsequent +submission! Though she could not quite guess, she could nearly guess +what bad things had been said of her; and the ladies at Cross Hall +were, as she understood, now in amity with him who had said them. They +had believed evil of her, and of course, therefore, in going to Cross +Hall, she would go to it as to a reformatory. But the deanery would be +to her a paradise if only her husband would but come to her there. It +was not only that she was mistress of everything, including her own +time, but that her father's infinite tenderness made all things soft +and sweet to her. She hated to be scolded, and the slightest roughness +of word or tone seemed to her to convey a rebuke. But he was never +rough. She loved to be caressed by those who were dear and near and +close to her, and his manner was always caressing. She often loved, if +the truth is to be spoken, to be idle, and to spend hours with an +unread book in her hand under the shade of the deanery trees, and among +the flowers of the deanery garden. The Dean never questioned her as to +those idle hours. But at Cross Hall not a half-hour would be allowed to +pass without enquiry as to its purpose. At Cross Hall there would be no +novels,--except those of Miss Edgeworth, which were sickening to her. +She might have all Mudie down to the deanery if she chose to ask for +it. At Cross Hall she would be driven out with the Dowager, Lady +Susanna, and Lady Amelia, for two hours daily, and would have to get +out of the carriage at every cottage she came to. At the deanery there +was a pair of ponies, and it was her great delight to drive her father +about the roads outside the city. She sometimes thought that a long +sojourn at Cross Hall would kill her. Would he not be kind to her now, +and loving, and would he not come and stay with her for one or two +happy weeks in her father's house? If so, how dearly she would love +him; how good she would be to him; how she would strive to gratify him +in all his whims! Then she thought of Adelaide Houghton and the letter; +and she thought also of those subsequent visits to Berkeley Square. But +still she did not in the least believe that he cared for Adelaide +Houghton. It was impossible that he should like a painted, unreal, +helmeted creature, who smelt of oils, and was never unaffected for a +moment. At any rate she would never, never throw Adelaide Houghton in +his teeth. If she had been imprudent, so had he; and she would teach +him how small errors ought to be forgiven. But would he come to her, or +would he only write? Surely he would come to her now when there was +matter of such vital moment to be discussed between them! Surely there +would be little directions to her given, which should be obeyed,--oh, +with such care, if he would be good to her. + +That pernicious groom must have ridden home along the road nearly as +quick as the Dean's cob would carry him for the express purpose of +saying that there was no message. When he had been about ten minutes in +the Cross Hall kitchen, he was told that there was no message, and had +trotted off with most unnecessary speed. Mary was with her father when +word was brought to him, saying that there was no message. "Oh, papa, +he doesn't care!" she said. + +"He will be sure to write," said the Dean, "and he would not allow +himself to write in a hurry." + +"But why doesn't he come?" + +"He ought to come." + +"Oh, papa;--if he doesn't care, I shall die." + +"Men always care very much." + +"But if he has made up his mind to quarrel with me for ever, then he +won't care. Why didn't he send his love?" + +"He wouldn't do that by the groom." + +"I'd send him mine by a chimney-sweep if there were nobody else." Then +the door was opened, and in half a second she was in her husband's +arms. "Oh, George, my darling, my own, I am so happy. I thought you +would come. Oh, my dear!" Then the Dean crept out without a word, and +the husband and the wife were together for hours. + +"Do you think she is well," said Lord George to the Dean in the course +of the afternoon. + +"Well? why shouldn't she be well!" + +"In this condition I take it one never quite knows." + +"I should say there isn't a young woman in England in better general +health. I never knew her to be ill in my life since she had the +measles." + +"I thought she seemed flushed." + +"No doubt,--at seeing you." + +"I suppose she ought to see the doctor." + +"See a fiddlestick. If she's not fretted she won't want a doctor till +the time comes when the doctor will be with her whether she wants him +or not. There's nothing so bad as coddling. Everybody knows that now. +The great thing is to make her happy." + +There came a cloud across Lord George's brow as this was said,--a cloud +which he could not control, though, as he had hurried across the park +on horseback, he had made up his mind to be happy and good-humoured. He +certainly had cared very much. He had spoken no word on the subject to +anyone, but he had been very much disappointed when he had been married +twelve months and no hope of an heir had as yet been vouchsafed to him. +When his brother had alluded to the matter, he had rebuked even his +brother. He had never ventured to ask a question even of his wife. But +he had been himself aware of his own bitter disappointment. The reading +of his wife's letter had given him a feeling of joy keener than any he +had before felt. For a moment he had been almost triumphant. Of course +he would go to her. That distasteful Popenjoy up in London was sick and +ailing; and after all this might be the true Popenjoy who, in coming +days, would re-establish the glory of the family. But, at any rate, she +was his wife, and the bairn would be his bairn. He had been made a +happy man, and had determined to enjoy to the full the first blush of +his happiness. But when he was told that she was not to be fretted, +that she was to be made especially happy, and was so told by her +father, he did not quite clearly see his way for the future. Did this +mean that he was to give up everything, that he was to confess tacitly +that he had been wrong in even asking his wife to go with him to Cross +Hall, and that he was to be reconciled in all things to the Dean? He +was quite ready to take his wife back, to abstain from accusations +against her, to let her be one of the family, but he was as eager as +ever to repudiate the Dean. To the eyes of his mother the Dean was now +the most horrible of human beings, and her eldest born the dearest of +sons. After all that he had endured he was again going to let her live +at the old family house, and all those doubts about Popenjoy had, she +thought, been fully satisfied. The Marquis to her thinking was now +almost a model Marquis, and this dear son, this excellent head of the +family, had been nearly murdered by the truculent Dean. Of course the +Dean was spoken of at Cross Hall in very bitter terms, and of course +those terms made impression on Lord George. In the first moments of his +paternal anxiety he had been willing to encounter the Dean in order +that he might see his wife; but he did not like to be told by the Dean +that his wife ought to be made happy. "I don't know what there is to +make her unhappy," he said, "if she will do her duty." + +"That she has always done," said the Dean, "both before her marriage +and since." + +"I suppose she will come home now," said Lord George. + +"I hardly know what home means. Your own home I take it is in Munster +Court." + +"My own home is at Manor Cross," said Lord George, proudly. + +"While that is the residence of Lord Brotherton it is absolutely +impossible that she should go there. Would you take her to the house of +a man who has scurrilously maligned her as he has done?" + +"He is not there or likely to be there. Of course she would come to +Cross Hall first." + +"Do you think that would be wise? You were speaking just now with +anxiety as to her condition." + +"Of course I am anxious." + +"You ought to be at any rate. Do you think, that as she is now she +should be subjected to the cold kindnesses of the ladies of your +family?" + +"What right have you to call their kindness cold?" + +"Ask yourself. You hear what they say. I do not. You must know exactly +what has been the effect in your mother's house of the scene between me +and your brother at that hotel. I spurned him from me with violence +because he had maligned your wife. I may expect you to forgive me." + +"It was very unfortunate." + +"I may feel sure that you as a man must exonerate me from blame in that +matter, but I cannot expect your mother to see it in the same light. I +ask you whether they do not regard her as wayward and unmanageable?" + +He paused for a reply; and Lord George found himself obliged to say +something. "She should come and show that she is not wayward or +unmanageable." + +"But she would be so to them. Without meaning it they would torment +her, and she would be miserable. Do you not know that it would be so?" +He almost seemed to yield. "If you wish her to be happy, come here for +a while. If you will stay here with us for a month, so that this stupid +idea of a quarrel shall be wiped out of people's minds, I will +undertake that she shall then go to Cross Hall. To Manor Cross she +cannot go while the Marquis is its ostensible master." + +Lord George was very far from being prepared to yield in this way. He +had thought that his wife in her present condition would have been sure +to obey him, and had even ventured to hope that the Dean would make no +further objection. "I don't think that this is the place for her," he +said. "Wherever I am she should be with me." + +"Then come here, and it will be all right," said the Dean. + +"I don't think that I can do that." + +"If you are anxious for her health you will." A few minutes ago the +Dean had been very stout in his assurances that everything was well +with his daughter, but he was by no means unwilling to take advantage +of her interesting situation to forward his own views. "I certainly +cannot say that she ought to go to Cross Hall at present. She would be +wretched there. Ask yourself." + +"Why should she be wretched?" + +"Ask yourself. You had promised her that you would come here. Does not +the very fact of your declining to keep that promise declare that you +are dissatisfied with her conduct, and with mine?" Lord George was +dissatisfied with his wife's conduct and with the Dean's, but at the +present moment did not wish to say so. "I maintain that her conduct is +altogether irreproachable; and as for my own, I feel that I am entitled +to your warmest thanks for what I have done. I must desire you to +understand that we will neither of us submit to blame." + +Nothing had been arranged when Lord George left the deanery. The +husband could not bring himself to say a harsh word to his wife. When +she begged him to promise that he would come over to the deanery, he +shook his head. Then she shed a tear, but as she did it she kissed him, +and he could not answer her love by any rough word. So he rode back to +Cross Hall, feeling that the difficulties of his position were almost +insuperable. + +On the next morning Mr. Price came to him. Mr. Price was the farmer who +had formerly lived at Cross Hall, who had given his house up to the +Dowager, and who had in consequence been told that he must quit the +land at the expiration of his present term. "So, my lord, his lordship +ain't going to stay very long after all," said Mr. Price. + +"I don't quite know as yet," said Lord George. + +"I have had Mr. Knox with me this morning, saying that I may go back to +the Hall whenever I please. He took me so much by surprise, I didn't +know what I was doing." + +"My mother is still there, Mr. Price." + +"In course she is, my lord. But Mr. Knox was saying that she is going +to move back at once to the old house. It's very kind of his lordship, +I'm sure, to let bygones be bygones." Lord George could only say that +nothing was as yet settled, but that Mr. Price would be, of course, +welcome to Cross Hall, should the family go back to Manor Cross. + +This took place about the 10th of June, and for a fortnight after that +no change took place in any of their circumstances. Lady Alice +Holdenough called upon Lady George, and, with her husband, dined at the +deanery; but Mary saw nothing else of any of the ladies of the family. +No letter came from either of her sisters-in-law congratulating her as +to her new hopes, and the Manor Cross carriage never stopped at the +Dean's door. The sisters came to see Lady Alice, who lived also in the +Close, but they never even asked for Lady George. All this made the +Dean very angry, so that he declared that his daughter should under no +circumstances be the first to give way. As she had not offended, she +should never be driven to ask for pardon. During this time Lord George +more than once saw his wife, but he had no further interview with the +Dean. + + + + +CHAPTER XLVI. + +LADY SARAH'S MISSION. + + +Towards the end of June the family at Cross Hall were in great +perturbation. In the first place it had been now settled that they were +to go back to the great house early in July. This might have been a +source of unalloyed gratification. The old Marchioness had been made +very unhappy by the change to Cross Hall, and had persisted in calling +her new home a wretched farmhouse. Both Lady Susanna and Lady Amelia +were quite alive to the advantages of the great mansion. Lord George +had felt that his position in the county had been very much injured by +recent events. This might partly have come from his residence in +London; but had, no doubt, been chiefly owing to the loss of influence +arising from the late migration. He was glad enough to go back again. +But Lady Sarah was strongly opposed to the new movement. "I don't think +that mamma should be made liable to be turned out again," she had said +to her brother and sisters. + +"But mamma is particularly anxious to go," Amelia had replied. + +"You can't expect mamma to think correctly about Brotherton," said Lady +Sarah. "He is vicious and fickle, and I do not like to feel that any of +us should be in his power." But Lady Sarah, who had never been on good +terms with her elder brother, was overruled, and everybody knew that in +July the family was to return to Manor Cross. + +Then there came tidings from London,--unauthorised tidings, and, one +may say, undignified tidings,--but still tidings which were received +with interest. Mrs. Toff had connections with Scumberg's, and heard +through these connections that things at Scumberg's were not going on +in a happy way. Mrs. Toff's correspondent declared that the Marquis had +hardly been out of his bed since he had been knocked into the +fireplace. Mrs. Toff, who had never loved the Dean and had never +approved of that alliance, perhaps made the most of this. But the +report, which was first made to the Dowager herself, caused very great +uneasiness. The old lady said that she must go up to London herself to +nurse her son. Then a letter was written by Lady Amelia to her brother, +asking for true information. This was the answer which Lady Amelia +received;-- + + "DEAR A.,--I'm pretty well, thank you. Don't trouble yourselves. + Yours, B." + +"I'm sure he's dying," said the Marchioness, "and he's too +noble-hearted to speak of his sufferings." Nevertheless she felt that +she did not dare to go up to Scumberg's just at present. + +Then there came further tidings. Mrs. Toff was told that the Italian +Marchioness had gone away, and had taken Popenjoy with her. There was +not anything necessarily singular in this. When a gentleman is going +abroad with his family, he and his family need not as a matter of +course travel together. Lord Brotherton had declared his purpose of +returning to Italy, and there could be no reason why his wife, with the +nurses and the august Popenjoy, should not go before him. It was just +such an arrangement as such a man as Lord Brotherton would certainly +make. But Mrs. Toff was sure that there was more in it than this. The +Italian Marchioness had gone off very suddenly. There had been no grand +packing up;--but there had been some very angry words. And Popenjoy, +when he was taken away, was supposed to be in a very poor condition of +health. All this created renewed doubts in the mind of Lord George, or +rather, perhaps, renewed hopes. Perhaps, after all, Popenjoy was not +Popenjoy. And even if he were, it seemed that everyone concurred in +thinking that the poor boy would die. Surely the Marquis would not have +allowed a sick child to be carried away by an indiscreet Italian mother +if he cared much for the sick child. But then Lord George had no real +knowledge of these transactions. All this had come through Mrs. Toff, +and he was hardly able to rely upon Mrs. Toff. Could he have +communicated with the Dean, the Dean would soon have found out the +truth. The Dean would have flown up to London and have known all about +it in a couple of hours; but Lord George was not active and clever as +the Dean. + +Then he wrote a letter to his brother;--as follows;-- + + "MY DEAR BROTHERTON,--We have heard through Mr. Knox that you wish + us to move to Manor Cross at once, and we are preparing to do so. + It is very kind of you to let us have the house, as Cross Hall is + not all that my mother likes, and as there would hardly be room + for us should my wife have children. I ought perhaps to have told + you sooner that she is in the family way. We hear too that you are + thinking of starting for Italy very soon, and that the Marchioness + and Popenjoy have already gone. Would it suit you to tell us + something of your future plans? It is not that I want to be + inquisitive, but that I should like to know with reference to your + comfort and our own whether you think that you will be back at + Manor Cross next year. Of course we should be very sorry to be in + your way, but we should not like to give up Cross Hall till we + know that it will not be wanted again. + + "I hope you are getting better. I could of course come up to town + at a moment's notice, if you wished to see me. + + "Yours affectionately, + + "GEORGE GERMAIN." + +There was nothing in this letter which ought to have made any brother +angry, but the answer which came to it certainly implied that the +Marquis had received it with dudgeon. + + "MY DEAR GEORGE," the Marquis said, + + "I can give you no guarantee that I shall not want Manor Cross + again, and you ought not to expect it. If you and the family go + there of course I must have rent for Cross Hall. I don't suppose + I shall ever recover altogether from the injury that cursed brute + did me. + + "Yours, 'B.' + + "As to your coming family of course I can say nothing. You won't + expect me to be very full of joy. Nevertheless, for the honour of + the family, I hope it is all right." + +There was a brutality about this which for a time made the expectant +father almost mad. He tore the letter at once into fragments, so that +he might be ready with an answer if asked to show it to his sisters. +Lady Sarah had known of his writing, and did ask as to her brother's +answer. "Of course he told me nothing," said Lord George. "He is not +like any other brother that ever lived." + +"May I see his letter?" + +"I have destroyed it. It was not fit to be seen. He will not say +whether he means to come back next year or not." + +"I would not stir, if it were for me to determine," said Lady Sarah. +"Nobody ever ought to live in another person's house as long as he has +one of his own;--and of all men certainly not in Brotherton's." +Nevertheless, the migration went on, and early in July the Marchioness +was once more in possession of her own room at Manor Cross, and Mrs. +Toff was once again in the ascendant. + +But what was to be done about Mary? Had Popenjoy been reported to enjoy +robust health, and had Mary been as Mary was a month or two since, the +Marchioness and Lady Susanna would have been contented that the present +separation should have been permanent. They would at any rate have +taken no steps to put an end to it which would not have implied abject +submission on Mary's part. But now things were so altered! If this +Popenjoy should die, and if Mary should have a son, Mary's position +would be one which they could not afford to overlook. Though Mary +should be living in absolute rebellion with that horrid Dean, still her +Popenjoy would in course of time be the Popenjoy, and nothing that any +Germain could do would stand in her way. Her Popenjoy would be Popenjoy +as soon as the present Marquis should die, and the family estates would +all in due time be his! Her position had been becoming daily more +honourable as these rumours were received. Everyone at Manor Cross, +down to the boy in the kitchen, felt that her dignity had been +immeasurably increased. Her child should now certainly be born at Manor +Cross,--though the deanery would have been quite good enough had the +present Popenjoy been robust. Something must be done. The Marchioness +was clear that Mary should be taken into favour and made much of,--even +hinted that she should not be asked to make shirts and petticoats,--if +only she could be separated from the pestilential Dean. She spoke in +private to her son, who declared that nothing would separate Mary from +her father. "I don't think I could entertain him after what he did to +Brotherton," said the Marchioness, bursting into tears. + +There were great consultations at Manor Cross, in which the wisdom of +Lady Sarah and Lady Susanna, and sometimes the good offices of Lady +Alice Holdenough were taxed to the utmost. Lady Sarah had since the +beginning of these latter troubles been Mary's best friend, though +neither Mary nor the Dean had known of her good services. She had +pretty nearly understood the full horror of the accusation brought by +the Marquis, and had in her heart acquitted the Dean. Though she was +hard she was very just. She believed no worse evil of Mary than that +she had waltzed when her husband had wished her not to do so. To Lady +Sarah all waltzing was an abomination, and disobedience to legitimate +authority was abominable also. But then Mary had been taken to London, +and had been thrown into temptation, and was very young. Lady Sarah +knew that her own life was colourless, and was contented. But she could +understand that women differently situated should not like a colourless +existence. She had seen Adelaide Houghton and her sister-in-law +together, and had known that her brother's lot had fallen in much the +better place, and, to her, any separation between those whom God had +bound together was shocking and wicked. Lady Susanna was louder and +less just. She did not believe that Mary had done anything to merit +expulsion from the family; but she did think that her return to it +should be accompanied by sackcloth and ashes. Mary had been pert to +her, and she was not prone to forgive. Lady Alice had no +opinion,--could say nothing about it; but would be happy if, by her +services, she could assuage matters. + +"Does she ever talk of him," Lady Susanna asked. + +"Not to me; I don't think she dares. But whenever he goes there she is +delighted to see him." + +"He has not been for the last ten days," said Lady Sarah. + +"I don't think he will ever go again,--unless it be to fetch her," said +Lady Susanna. "I don't see how he can keep on going there, when she +won't do as he bids her. I never heard of such a thing! Why should she +choose to live with her father when she is his wife? I can't understand +it at all." + +"There has been some provocation," said Lady Sarah. + +"What provocation? I don't know of any. Just to please her fancy, +George had to take a house in London, and live there against his own +wishes." + +"It was natural that she should go to the deanery for a few days; but +when she was there no one went to see her." + +"Why did she not come here first?" said Lady Susanna. "Why did she take +upon herself to say where she would go, instead of leaving it to her +husband. Of course it was the Dean. How can any man be expected to +endure that his wife should be governed by her father instead of by +himself? I think George has been very forbearing." + +"You have hardly told the whole story," said Lady Sarah. "Nor do I wish +to tell it. Things were said which never should have been spoken. If +you will have me, Alice, I will go to Brotherton for a day or two, and +I will then go and see her." + +And so it was arranged. No one in the house was told of the new plan, +Lady Susanna having with difficulty been brought to promise silence. +Lady Sarah's visit was of course announced, and that alone created +great surprise, as Lady Sarah very rarely left home. The Marchioness +had two or three floods of tears over it, and suggested that the +carriage would be wanted for the entire day. This evil, however, was +altogether escaped, as Lady Alice had a carriage of her own. "I'm sure +I don't know who is to look after Mrs. Green," said the Marchioness. +Mrs. Green was an old woman of ninety who was supported by Germain +charity and was visited almost daily by Lady Sarah. But Lady Amelia +promised that she would undertake Mrs. Green. "Of course I'm nobody," +said the Marchioness. Mrs. Toff and all who knew the family were sure +that the Marchioness would, in truth, enjoy her temporary freedom from +her elder daughter's control. + +Whatever might have been Lord George's suspicion, he said nothing about +it. It had not been by agreement with him that the ladies of the family +had abstained from calling on his wife. He had expressed himself in +very angry terms as to the Dean's misconduct in keeping her in +Brotherton, and in his wrath had said more than once that he would +never speak to the Dean again. He had not asked any one to go there; +but neither had he asked them not to do so. In certain of his moods he +was indignant with his sisters for their treatment of his wife; and +then again he would say to himself that it was impossible that they +should go into the Dean's house after what the Dean had done. Now, when +he heard that his eldest sister was going to the Close, he said not a +word. + +On the day of her arrival Lady Sarah knocked at the deanery door alone. +Up to this moment she had never put her foot in the house. Before the +marriage she had known the Dean but slightly, and the visiting to be +done by the family very rarely fell to her share. The streets of +Brotherton were almost strange to her, so little was she given to leave +the sphere of her own duties. In the hall, at the door of his study, +she met the Dean. He was so surprised that he hardly knew how to greet +her. "I am come to call upon Mary," said Lady Sarah, very brusquely. + +"Better late than never," said the Dean, with a smile. + +"I hope so," said Lady Sarah, very solemnly. "I hope that I am not +doing that which ought not to be done. May I see her?" + +"Of course you can see her. I dare say she will be delighted. Is your +carriage here?" + +"I am staying with my sister. Shall I go upstairs?" + +Mary was in the garden, and Lady Sarah was alone for a few minutes in +the drawing-room. Of course she thought that this time was spent in +conference by the father and daughter; but the Dean did not even see +his child. He was anxious enough himself that the quarrel should be +brought to an end, if only that end could be reached by some steps to +be taken first by the other side. Mary, as she entered the room, was +almost frightened, for Lady Sarah had certainly been the greatest of +the bugbears when she was living at Manor Cross, "I am come to +congratulate you," said Lady Sarah, putting her hand out straight +before her. + +Better late than never. Mary did not say so, as her father had done, +but only thought it. "Thank you," she said, in a very low voice. "Has +any one else come?" + +"No,--no one else. I am with Alice, and as I have very very much to +say, I have come alone. Oh! Mary,--dear Mary, is not this sad?" Mary +was not at all disposed to yield, or to acknowledge that the sadness +was, in any degree, her fault, but she remembered, at the moment, that +Lady Sarah had never called her "dear Mary" before. "Don't you wish +that you were back with George?" + +"Of course I do. How can I wish anything else?" + +"Why don't you go back to him?" + +"Let him come here and fetch me, and be friends with papa. He promised +that he would come and stay here. Is he well, Sarah?" + +"Yes; he is well." + +"Quite well? Give him my love,--my best love. Tell him that in spite of +everything I love him better than all the world." + +"I am sure you do." + +"Yes;--of course I do. I could be so happy now if he would come to me." + +"You can go to him. I will take you if you wish it." + +"You don't understand," said Mary. + +"What don't I understand?" + +"About papa." + +"Will he not let you go to your husband?" + +"I suppose he would let me go;--but if I were gone what would become of +him?" + +Lady Sarah did not, in truth, understand this. "When he gave you to be +married," she said, "of course he knew that you must go away from him +and live with your husband. A father does not expect a married daughter +to stay in his own house." + +"But he expects to be able to go to hers. He does not expect to be +quarrelled with by everybody. If I were to go to Manor Cross, papa +couldn't even come and see me." + +"I think he could." + +"You don't know papa if you fancy he would go into any house in which +he was not welcome. Of course I know that you have all quarrelled with +him. You think because he beat the Marquis up in London that he +oughtn't ever to be spoken to again. But I love him for what he did +more dearly than ever. He did it for my sake. He was defending me, and +defending George. I have done nothing wrong. If it is only for George's +sake, I will never admit that I have deserved to be treated in this +way. None of you have come to see me before, since I came back from +London, and now George doesn't come." + +"We should all have been kind to you if you had come to us first." + +"Yes; and then I should never have been allowed to be here at all. Let +George come and stay here, if it is only for two days, and be kind to +papa, and then I will go with him to Manor Cross." + +Lady Sarah was much surprised by the courage and persistence of the +young wife's plea. The girl had become a woman, and was altered even in +appearance. She certainly looked older, but then she was certainly much +more beautiful than before. She was dressed, not richly, but with care, +and looked like a woman of high family. Lady Sarah, who never changed +either the colour or the material of her brown morning gown, liked to +look at her, telling herself that should it ever be this woman's fate +to be Marchioness of Brotherton, she would not in appearance disgrace +the position. "I hope you can understand that we are very anxious about +you," she said. + +"I don't know." + +"You might know, then. Your baby will be a Germain." + +"Ah,--yes,--for that! You can't think I am happy without George. I am +longing all day long, from morning to night, that he will come back to +me. But after all that has happened, I must do what papa advises. If I +were just to go to Manor Cross now, and allow myself to be carried +there alone, you would all feel that I had been--forgiven. Isn't that +true?" + +"You would be very welcome." + +"Susanna would forgive me, and your mother. And I should be like a girl +who has been punished, and who is expected to remember ever so long +that she has been naughty. I won't be forgiven, except by George,--and +he has nothing to forgive. You would all think me wicked if I were +there, because I would not live in your ways." + +"We should not think you wicked, Mary." + +"Yes, you would. You thought me wicked before." + +"Don't you believe we love you, Mary?" + +She considered a moment before she made a reply, but then made it very +clearly: "No," she said, "I don't think you do. George loves me. Oh, I +hope he loves me." + +"You may be quite sure of that. And I love you." + +"Yes;--just as you love all people, because the Bible tells you. That +is not enough." + +"I will love you like a sister, Mary, if you will come back to us." + +She liked being asked. She was longing to be once more with her +husband. She desired of all things to be able to talk to him of her +coming hopes. There was something in the tone of Lady Sarah's voice, +different from the tones of old, which had its effect. She would +promise to go if only some slightest concession could be made, which +should imply that neither she nor her father had given just cause of +offence. And she did feel,--she was always feeling,--that her husband +ought to remember that she had never brought counter-charges against +him. She had told no one of Mrs. Houghton's letter. She was far too +proud to give the slightest hint that she too had her grievance. But +surely he should remember it. "I should like to go," she said. + +"Then come back with me to-morrow." Lady Sarah had come only on this +business, and if the business were completed there would be no +legitimate reason for her prolonged sojourn at Brotherton. + +"Would George come here for one night." + +"Surely, Mary, you would not drive a bargain with your husband." + +"But papa!" + +"Your father can only be anxious for your happiness." + +"Therefore I must be anxious for his. I can't say that I'll go without +asking him." + +"Then ask him and come in and see me at Alice's house this afternoon. +And tell your father that I say you shall be received with all +affection." + +Mary made no promise that she would do even this as Lady Sarah took her +leave; but she did at once consult her father. "Of course you can go if +you like it, dearest." + +"But you!" + +"Never mind me. I am thinking only of you. They will be different to +you now that they think you will be the mother of the heir." + +"Would you take me, and stay there, for one night?" + +"I don't think I could do that, dear. I do not consider that I have +been exactly asked." + +"But if they will ask you?" + +"I cannot ask to be asked. To tell the truth I am not at all anxious to +be entertained at Manor Cross. They would always be thinking of that +fireplace into which the Marquis fell." + +The difficulty was very great and Mary could not see her way through +it. She did not go to Dr. Holdenough's house that afternoon, but wrote +a very short note to Lady Sarah begging that George might come over and +talk to her. + + + + +CHAPTER XLVII. + +"THAT YOUNG FELLOW IN THERE." + + +A day or two after this Lord George did call at the deanery, but stayed +there only for a minute or two, and on that occasion did not even speak +of Mary's return to Manor Cross. He was considerably flurried, and +showed his wife the letter which had caused his excitement. It was from +his brother, and like most of the Marquis's letters was very short. + +"I think you had better come up and see me. I'm not very well. B." That +was the entire letter, and he was now on his way to London. + +"Do you think it is much, George?" + +"He would not write like that unless he were really ill. He has never +recovered from the results of that--accident." + +Then it occurred to Mary that if the Marquis were to die, and Popenjoy +were to die, she would at once be the Marchioness of Brotherton, and +that people would say that her father had raised her to the title +by--killing the late lord. And it would be so. There was something so +horrible in this that she trembled as she thought of it. "Oh, George!" + +"It is very--very sad." + +"It was his fault; wasn't it? I would give all the world that he were +well; but it was his fault." Lord George was silent. "Oh, George, dear +George, acknowledge that. Was it not so? Do you not think so? Could +papa stand by and hear him call me such names as that? Could you have +done so?" + +"A man should not be killed for an angry word." + +"Papa did not mean to kill him!" + +"I can never be reconciled to the man who has taken the life of my +brother." + +"Do you love your brother better than me?" + +"You and your father are not one." + +"If this is to be said of him I will always be one with papa. He did it +for my sake and for yours. If they send him to prison I will go with +him. George, tell the truth about it." + +"I always tell the truth," he said angrily. + +"Did he not do right to protect his girl's name? I will never leave him +now; never. If everybody is against him, I will never leave him." + +No good was to be got from the interview. Whatever progress Lady Sarah +may have made was altogether undone by the husband's sympathy for his +injured brother. Mary declared to herself that if there must be two +sides, if there must be a real quarrel, she could never be happy again, +but that she certainly would not now desert her father. Then she was +left alone. Ah, what would happen if the man were to die. Would any +woman ever have risen to high rank in so miserable a manner! In her +tumult of feelings she told her father everything, and was astonished +by his equanimity. "It may be so," he said, "and if so, there will be +considerable inconvenience." + +"Inconvenience, papa!" + +"There will be a coroner's inquest, and perhaps some kind of trial. But +when the truth comes out no English jury will condemn me." + +"Who will tell the truth, papa?" + +The Dean knew it all, and was well aware that there would be no one to +tell the truth on his behalf,--no one to tell it in such guise that a +jury would be entitled to accept the telling as evidence. A verdict of +manslaughter with punishment, at the discretion of the judge, would be +the probable result. But the Dean did not choose to add to his +daughter's discomfort by explaining this. "The chances are that this +wretched man is dying. No doubt his health is bad. How should the +health of such a man be good? But had he been so hurt as to die from +it, the doctor would have found something out long since. He may be +dying, but he is not dying from what I did to him." The Dean was +disturbed, but in his perturbation he remembered that if the man were +to die there would be nothing but that little alien Popenjoy between +his daughter and the title. + +Lord George hurried up to town, and took a room for himself at an hotel +in Jermyn Street. He would not go to Scumberg's, as he did not wish to +mix his private life with that of his brother. That afternoon he went +across, and was told that his brother would see him at three o'clock +the next day. Then he interrogated Mrs. Walker as to his brother's +condition. Mrs. Walker knew nothing about it, except that the Marquis +lay in bed during the most of his time, and that Dr. Pullbody was there +every day. Now Dr. Pullbody was an eminent physician, and had the +Marquis been dying from an injury in his back an eminent surgeon would +have been required. Lord George dined at his club on a mutton chop and +a half a pint of sherry, and then found himself terribly dull. What +could he do with himself? Whither could he betake himself? So he walked +across Piccadilly and went to the old house in Berkeley Square. + +He had certainly become very sick of the woman there. He had discussed +the matter with himself and had found out that he did not care one +straw for the woman. He had acknowledged to himself that she was a +flirt, a mass of affectation, and a liar. And yet he went to her house. +She would be soft to him and would flatter him, and the woman would +trouble herself to do so. She would make him welcome, and in spite of +his manifest neglect would try, for the hour, to make him comfortable. + +He was shown up into the drawing-room and there he found Jack De Baron, +Guss Mildmay;--and Mr. Houghton, fast asleep. The host was wakened up +to bid him welcome, but was soon slumbering again. De Baron and Guss +Mildmay had been playing bagatelle,--or flirting in the back +drawing-room, and after a word or two returned to their game. "Ill is +he?" said Mrs. Houghton, speaking of the Marquis, "I suppose he has +never recovered from that terrible blow." + +"I have not seen him yet, but I am told that Dr. Pullbody is with him." + +"What a tragedy,--if anything should happen! She has gone away; has she +not." + +"I do not know. I did not ask." + +"I think she has gone, and that she has taken the child with her; a +poor puny thing. I made Houghton go there to enquire, and he saw the +child. I hear from my father that we are to congratulate you." + +"Things are too sad for congratulation." + +"It is horrible; is it not? And Mary is with her father." + +"Yes, she's at the deanery." + +"Is that right?--when all this is going on?" + +"I don't think anything is right," he said, gloomily. + +"Has she--quarrelled with you, George?" At the sound of his Christian +name from the wife's lips he looked round at the sleeping husband. He +was quite sure that Mr. Houghton would not like to hear his wife call +him George. "He sleeps like a church," said Mrs. Houghton, in a low +voice. The two were sitting close together and Mr. Houghton's arm-chair +was at a considerable distance. The occasional knocking of the balls, +and the continued sound of voices was to be heard from the other room. +"If you have separated from her I think you ought to tell me." + +"I saw her to-day as I came through." + +"But she does not go to Manor Cross?" + +"She has been at the deanery since she went down." + +Of course this woman knew of the quarrel which had taken place in +London. Of course she had been aware that Lady George had stayed behind +in opposition to her husband's wishes. Of course she had learned every +detail as to the Kappa-kappa. She took it for granted that Mary was in +love with Jack De Baron, and thought it quite natural that she should +be so. "She never understood you as I should have done, George," +whispered the lady. Lord George again looked at the sleeping man, who +grunted and moved, "He would hardly hear a pistol go off." + +"Shouldn't I?" said the sleeping man, rubbing away the flies from his +nose. Lord George wished himself back at his club. + +"Come out into the balcony," said Mrs. Houghton. She led the way and he +was obliged to follow her. There was a balcony to this house surrounded +with full-grown shrubs, so that they who stood there could hardly be +seen from the road below. "He never knows what any one is saying." As +she spoke she came close up to her visitor. "At any rate he has the +merit of never troubling me or himself by any jealousies." + +"I should be very sorry to give him cause," said Lord George. + +"What's that you say?" Poor Lord George had simply been awkward, having +intended no severity. "Have you given him no cause?" + +"I meant that I should be sorry to trouble him." + +"Ah--h! That is a different thing. If husbands would only be +complaisant, how much nicer it would be for everybody." Then there was +a pause. "You do love me, George?" There was a beautiful moon that was +bright through the green foliage, and there was a smell of sweet +exotics, and the garden of the Square was mysteriously pretty as it lay +below them in the moonlight. He stood silent, making no immediate +answer to this appeal. He was in truth plucking up his courage for a +great effort. "Say that you love me. After all that is passed you must +love me." Still he was silent. "George, will you not speak?" + +"Yes; I will speak." + +"Well, sir!" + +"I do not love you." + +"What! But you are laughing at me. You have some scheme or some plot +going on." + +"I have nothing going on. It is better to say it. I love my wife." + +"Psha! love her;--yes, as you would a doll or any pretty plaything. I +loved her too till she took it into her stupid head to quarrel with me. +I don't grudge her such love as that. She is a child." + +It occurred to Lord George at the moment that his wife had certainly +more than an infantine will of her own. "You don't know her," he said. + +"And now, after all, you tell me to my face that you do not love me! +Why have you sworn so often that you did?" He hadn't sworn it often. He +had never sworn it at all since she had rejected him. He had been +induced to admit a passion in the most meagre terms. "Do you own +yourself to be false?" she asked. + +"I am true to my wife." + +"Your wife! One would think you were the curate of the parish. And is +that to be all?" + +"Yes, Mrs. Houghton; that had better be all." + +"Then why did you come here? Why are you here now?" She had not +expected such courage from him, and almost thought more of him now than +she had ever thought before. "How dare you come to this house at all?" + +"Perhaps I should not have come." + +"And I am nothing to you?" she asked in her most plaintive accents. +"After all those scenes at Manor Cross you can think of me with +indifference?" There had been no scenes, and as she spoke he shook his +head, intending to disclaim them. "Then go!" How was he to go? Was he +to wake Mr. Houghton? Was he to disturb that other loving couple? Was +he to say no word of farewell to her? "Oh, stay," she added, "and unsay +it all--unsay it all and give no reason, and it shall be as though it +were never said." Then she seized him by the arm and looked +passionately up into his eyes. Mr. Houghton moved restlessly in his +chair and coughed aloud. "He'll be off again in half a moment," said +Mrs. Houghton. Then he was silent, and she was silent, looking at him. +And he heard a word or two come clearly from the back drawing-room. +"You will, Jack; won't you, dear Jack?" + +The ridicule of the thing touched even him. "I think I had better go," +he said. + +"Then go!" + +"Good-night, Mrs. Houghton." + +"I will not say good-night. I will never speak to you again. You are +not worth speaking to. You are false. I knew that men could be false, +but not so false as you. Even that young fellow in there has some +heart. He loves your--darling wife, and will be true to his love." She +was a very devil in her wickedness. He started as though he had been +stung, and rushed inside for his hat. "Halloa, Germain, are you going?" +said the man of the house, rousing himself for the moment. + +"Yes, I am going. Where did I leave my hat?" + +"You put it on the piano," said Mrs. Houghton in her mildest voice, +standing at the window. Then he seized his hat and went off. "What a +very stupid man he is," she said, as she entered the room. + +"A very good sort of fellow," said Mr. Houghton. + +"He's a gentleman all round," said Jack De Baron. Jack knew pretty well +how the land lay and could guess what had occurred. + +"I am not so sure of that," said the lady. "If he were a gentleman as +you say all round, he would not be so much afraid of his elder brother. +He has come up to town now merely because Brotherton sent to him, and +when he went to Scumberg's the Marquis would not see him. He is just +like his sisters,--priggish, punctilious and timid." + +"He has said something nasty to you," remarked her husband, "or you +would not speak of him like that." + +She had certainly said something very nasty to him. As he returned to +his club he kept on repeating to himself her last words;--"He loves +your darling wife." Into what a mass of trouble had he not fallen +through the Dean's determination that his daughter should live in +London! He was told on all sides that this man was in love with his +wife, and he knew,--he had so much evidence for knowing,--that his wife +liked the man. And now he was separated from his wife, and she could +go whither her father chose to take her. For aught that he could do she +might be made to live within the reach of this young scoundrel. No +doubt his wife would come back if he would agree to take her back on +her own terms. She would again belong to him if he would agree to take +the Dean along with her. But taking the Dean would be to put himself +into the Dean's leading strings. The Dean was strong and imperious; and +then the Dean was rich. But anything would be better than losing his +wife. Faulty as he thought her to be, she was sweet as no one else was +sweet. When alone with him she would seem to make every word of his a +law. Her caresses were full of bliss to him. When he kissed her her +face would glow with pleasure. Her voice was music to him; her least +touch was joy. There was a freshness about the very things which she +wore which pervaded his senses. There was a homeliness about her beauty +which made her more lovely in her own room than when dressed for balls +and parties. And yet he had heard it said that when dressed she was +declared to be the most lovely woman that had come to London that +season. And now she was about to become the mother of his child. He was +thoroughly in love with his wife. And yet he was told that his wife was +"Jack De Baron's darling!" + + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII. + +THE MARQUIS MAKES A PROPOSITION. + + +The next morning was very weary with him, as he had nothing to do till +three o'clock. He was most anxious to know whether his sister-in-law +had in truth left London, but he had no means of finding out. He could +not ask questions on such a subject from Mrs. Walker and her +satellites; and he felt that it would be difficult to ask even his +brother. He was aware that his brother had behaved to him badly, and he +had determined not to be over courteous,--unless, indeed, he should +find his brother to be dangerously ill. But above all things he would +avoid all semblance of inquisitiveness which might seem to have a +reference to the condition of his own unborn child. He walked up and +down St. James' Park thinking of all this, looking up once at the +windows of the house which had brought so much trouble on him, that +house of his which had hardly been his own, but not caring to knock at +the door and enter it. He lunched in solitude at his club, and exactly +at three o'clock presented himself at Scumberg's door. The Marquis's +servant was soon with him, and then again he found himself alone in +that dreary sitting-room. How wretched must his brother be, living +there from day to day without a friend, or, as far as he was aware, +without a companion! + +He was there full twenty minutes, walking about the room in exasperated +ill-humour, when at last the door was opened and his brother was +brought in between two men-servants. He was not actually carried, but +was so supported as to appear to be unable to walk. Lord George asked +some questions, but received no immediate answers. The Marquis was at +the moment thinking too much of himself and of the men who were +ministering to him to pay any attention to his brother. Then by degrees +he was fixed in his place, and after what seemed to be interminable +delay the two men went away. "Ugh!" ejaculated the Marquis. + +"I am glad to see that you can at any rate leave your room," said Lord +George. + +"Then let me tell you that it takes deuced little to make you glad." + +The beginning was not auspicious, and further progress in conversation +seemed to be difficult. "They told me yesterday that Dr. Pullbody was +attending you." + +"He has this moment left me. I don't in the least believe in him. Your +London doctors are such conceited asses that you can't speak to them? +Because they can make more money than their brethren in other countries +they think that they know everything, and that nobody else knows +anything. It is just the same with the English in every branch of life. +The Archbishop of Canterbury is the greatest priest going, because he +has the greatest income, and the Lord Chancellor the greatest lawyer. +All you fellows here are flunkies from top to bottom." + +Lord George certainly had not come up to town merely to hear the great +dignitaries of his country abused. But he was comforted somewhat as he +reflected that a dying man would hardly turn his mind to such an +occupation. When a sick man criticises his doctor severely he is seldom +in a very bad way. "Have you had anybody else with you, Brotherton?" + +"One is quite enough. But I had another. A fellow named Bolton was +here, a baronet, I believe, who told me I ought to walk a mile in Hyde +Park every day. When I told him I couldn't he said I didn't know till I +tried. I handed him a five-pound note, upon which he hauled out three +pounds nineteen shillings change and walked off in a huff. I didn't +send for him any more." + +"Sir James Bolton has a great reputation." + +"No doubt. I daresay he could cut off my leg if I asked him, and would +then have handed out two pounds eighteen with the same indifference." + +"I suppose your back is better?" + +"No, it isn't,--not a bit. It gets worse and worse." + +"What does Dr. Pullbody say?" + +"Nothing that anybody can understand. By George! he takes my money +freely enough. He tells me to eat beefsteaks and drink port-wine. I'd +sooner die at once. I told him so, or something a little stronger, I +believe, and he almost jumped out of his shoes." + +"He doesn't think there is any----danger?" + +"He doesn't know anything about it. I wish I could have your +father-in-law in a room by ourselves, with a couple of loaded +revolvers. I'd make better work of it than he did." + +"God forbid!" + +"I daresay he won't give me the chance. He thinks he has done a plucky +thing because he's as strong as a brewer's horse. I call that downright +cowardice." + +"It depends on how it began, Brotherton." + +"Of course there had been words between us. Things always begin in that +way." + +"You must have driven him very hard." + +"Are you going to take his part? Because, if so, there may as well be +an end of it. I thought you had found him out and had separated +yourself from him. You can't think that he is a gentleman?" + +"He is a very liberal man." + +"You mean to sell yourself, then, for the money that was made in his +father's stables?" + +"I have not sold myself at all. I haven't spoken to him for the last +month." + +"So I understood; therefore I sent for you. You are all back at Manor +Cross now?" + +"Yes;--we are there." + +"You wrote me a letter which I didn't think quite the right thing. But, +however, I don't mind telling you that you can have the house if we can +come to terms about it." + +"What terms?" + +"You can have the house and the park, and Cross Hall Farm, too, if +you'll pledge yourself that the Dean shall never enter your house +again, and that you will never enter his house or speak to him. You +shall do pretty nearly as you please at Manor Cross. In that event I +shall live abroad, or here in London if I come to England. I think +that's a fair offer, and I don't suppose that you yourself can be very +fond of the man." Lord George sat perfectly silent while the Marquis +waited for a reply. "After what has passed," continued he, "you can't +suppose that I should choose that he should be entertained in my +dining-room." + +"You said the same about my wife before." + +"Yes, I did; but a man may separate himself from his father-in-law when +he can't very readily get rid of his wife. I never saw your wife." + +"No;--and therefore cannot know what she is." + +"I don't in the least want to know what she is. You and I, George, +haven't been very lucky in our marriages." + +"I have." + +"Do you think so? You see I speak more frankly of myself. But I am not +speaking of your wife. Your wife's father has been a blister to me ever +since I came back to this country, and you must make up your mind +whether you will take his part or mine. You know what he did, and what +he induced you to do about Popenjoy. You know the reports that he has +spread abroad. And you know what happened in this room. I expect you to +throw him off altogether." Lord George had thrown the Dean off +altogether. For reasons of his own he had come to the conclusion that +the less he had to do with the Dean the better for himself; but he +certainly could give no such pledge as this now demanded from him. "You +won't make me this promise?" said the Marquis. + +"No; I can't do that." + +"Then you'll have to turn out of Manor Cross," said the Marquis, +smiling. + +"You do not mean that my mother must be turned out?" + +"You and my mother, I suppose, will live together?" + +"It does not follow. I will pay you rent for Cross Hall." + +"You shall do no such thing. I will not let Cross Hall to any friend of +the Dean's." + +"You cannot turn your mother out immediately after telling her to go +there?" + +"It will be you who turn her out,--not I. I have made you a very +liberal offer," said the Marquis. + +"I will have nothing to do with it," said Lord George. "In any house in +which I act as master I will be the judge who shall be entertained and +who not." + +"The first guests you will ask, no doubt, will be the Dean of +Brotherton and Captain De Baron." This was so unbearable that he at +once made a rush at the door. "You'll find, my friend," said the +Marquis, "that you'll have to get rid of the Dean and of the Dean's +daughter as well." Then Lord George swore to himself as he left the +room that he would never willingly be in his brother's company again. + +He was rushing down the stairs, thinking about his wife, swearing to +himself that all this was calumny, yet confessing to himself that there +must have been terrible indiscretion to make the calumny so general, +when he was met on the landing by Mrs. Walker in her best silk gown. +"Please, my lord, might I take the liberty of asking for one word in my +own room?" Lord George followed her and heard the one word. "Please, my +lord, what are we to do with the Marquis?" + +"Do with him!" + +"About his going." + +"Why should he go? He pays his bills, I suppose?" + +"Oh yes, my lord; the Marquis pays his bills. There ain't no difficulty +there, my lord. He's not quite himself." + +"You mean in health?" + +"Yes, my lord;--in health. He don't give himself,--not a chance. He's +out every night,--in his brougham." + +"I thought he was almost confined to his room?" + +"Out every night, my lord,--and that Courier with him on the box. When +we gave him to understand that all manner of people couldn't be allowed +to come here, we thought he'd go." + +"The Marchioness has gone?" + +"Oh yes;--and the poor little boy. It was bad enough when they was +here, because things were so uncomfortable; but now----. I wish +something could be done, my lord." Lord George could only assure her +that it was out of his power to do anything. He had no control over his +brother, and did not even mean to come and see him again. "Dearie me!" +said Mrs. Walker; "he's a very owdacious nobleman, I fear,--is the +Marquis." + +All this was very bad. Lord George had learned, indeed, that the +Marchioness and Popenjoy were gone, and was able to surmise that the +parting had not been pleasant. His brother would probably soon follow +them. But what was he to do himself! He could not, in consequence of +such a warning, drag his mother and sisters back to Cross Hall, into +which house Mr. Price, the farmer, had already moved himself. Nor could +he very well leave his mother without explaining to her why he did so. +Would it be right that he should take such a threat, uttered as that +had been, as a notice to quit the house? He certainly would not live in +his brother's house in opposition to his brother. But how was he to +obey the orders of such a madman? + +When he reached Brotherton he went at once to the deanery and was very +glad to find his wife without her father. He did not as yet wish to +renew his friendly relations with the Dean, although he had refused to +pledge himself to a quarrel. He still thought it to be his duty to take +his wife away from her father, and to cause her to expiate those +calumnies as to De Baron by some ascetic mode of life. She had been, +since his last visit, in a state of nervous anxiety about the Marquis. +"How is he, George?" she asked at once. + +"I don't know how he is. I think he's mad." + +"Mad?" + +"He's leading a wretched life." + +"But his back? Is he;--is he--? I am afraid that papa is so unhappy +about it! He won't say anything, but I know he is unhappy." + +"You may tell your father from me that as far as I can judge his +illness, if he is ill, has nothing to do with that." + +"Oh, George, you have made me so happy." + +"I wish I could be happy myself. I sometimes think that we had better +go and live abroad." + +"Abroad! You and I?" + +"Yes. I suppose you would go with me?" + +"Of course I would. But your mother?" + +"I know there is all manner of trouble about it." He could not tell her +of his brother's threat about the house, nor could he, after that +threat, again bid her come to Manor Cross. As there was nothing more to +be said he soon left her, and went to the house which he had again been +forbidden to call his home. + +But he told his sister everything. "I was afraid," she said, "that we +should be wrong in coming here." + +"It is no use going back to that now." + +"Not the least. What ought we to do? It will break mamma's heart to be +turned out again." + +"I suppose we must ask Mr. Knox." + +"It is unreasonable;--monstrous! Mr. Price has got all his furniture +back again into the Hall! It is terrible that any man should have so +much power to do evil." + +"I could not pledge myself about the Dean, Sarah." + +"Certainly not. Nothing could be more wicked than his asking you. Of +course, you will not tell mamma." + +"Not yet." + +"I should take no notice of it whatever. If he means to turn us out of +the house let him write to you, or send word by Mr. Knox. Out every +night in London! What does he do?" Lord George shook his head. "I don't +think he goes into society." Lord George could only shake his head +again. There are so many kinds of society! "They said he was coming +down to Mr. De Baron's in August." + +"I heard that too. I don't know whether he'll come now. To see him +brought in between two servants you'd think that he couldn't move." + +"But they told you he goes out every night?" + +"I've no doubt that is true." + +"I don't understand it all," said Lady Sarah. "What is he to gain by +pretending. And so they used to quarrel." + +"I tell you what the woman told me." + +"I've no doubt it's true. And she has gone and taken Popenjoy? Did he +say anything about Popenjoy?" + +"Not a word," said Lord George. + +"It's quite possible that the Dean may have been right all through. +What terrible mischief a man may do when he throws all idea of duty to +the winds! If I were you, George, I should just go on as though I had +not seen him at all." + +That was the decision to which Lord George came, but in that he was +soon shaken by a letter which he received from Mr. Knox. "I think if +you were to go up to London and see your brother it would have a good +effect," said Mr. Knox. In fact Mr. Knox's letter contained little more +than a petition that Lord George would pay another visit to the +Marquis. To this request, after consultation with his sister, he gave a +positive refusal. + + "MY DEAR MR. KNOX," he said, + + "I saw my brother less than a week ago, and the meeting was so + unsatisfactory in every respect that I do not wish to repeat it. + If he has anything to say to me as to the occupation of the house + he had better say it through you. I think, however, that my + brother should be told that though I may be subject to his freaks, + we cannot allow that my mother should be annoyed by them. + + "Faithfully yours, + + "GEORGE GERMAIN." + +At the end of another week Mr. Knox came in person. The Marquis was +willing that his mother should live at Manor Cross,--and his sisters. +But he had,--so he said,--been insulted by his brother, and must insist +that Lord George should leave the house. If this order were not obeyed +he should at once put the letting of the place into the hands of a +house agent. Then Mr. Knox went on to explain that he was to take back +to the Marquis a definite reply. "When people are dependent on me I +choose that they shall be dependent," the Marquis had said. + +Now, after a prolonged consultation to which Lady Susanna was +admitted,--so serious was the thing to be considered,--it was found to +be necessary to explain the matter to the Marchioness. Some step +clearly must be taken. They must all go, or Lord George must go. Cross +Hall was occupied, and Mr. Price was going to be married on the +strength of his occupation. A lease had been executed to Mr. Price, +which the Dowager herself had been called upon to sign. "Mamma will +never be made to understand it," said Lady Susanna. + +"No one can understand it," said Lord George. Lord George insisted that +the ladies should continue to live at the large house, insinuating +that, for himself, he would take some wretched residence in the most +miserable corner of the globe, which he could find. + +The Marchioness was told and really fell into a very bad way. She +literally could not understand it, and aggravated matters by appearing +to think that her younger son had been wanting in respect to his elder +brother. And it was all that nasty Dean! And Mary must have behaved +very badly or Brotherton would not have been so severe! "Mamma," said +Lady Sarah, moved beyond her wont, "you ought not to think such things. +George has been true to you all his life, and Mary has done nothing. It +is all Brotherton's fault. When did he ever behave well? If we are to +be miserable, let us at any rate tell the truth about it." Then the +Marchioness was put to bed and remained there for two days. + +At last the Dean heard of it,--first through Lady Alice, and then +directly from Lady Sarah, who took the news to the deanery. Upon which +he wrote the following letter to his son-in-law;-- + + "MY DEAR GEORGE,--I think your brother is not quite sane. I never + thought that he was. Since I have had the pleasure of knowing you, + especially since I have been connected with the family, he has + been the cause of all the troubles that have befallen it. It is to + be regretted that you should ever have moved back to Manor Cross, + because his temper is so uncertain, and his motives so + unchristian! + + "I think I understand your position now, and will therefore not + refer to it further than to say, that when not in London I hope + you will make the deanery your home. You have your own house in + town, and when here will be close to your mother and sisters. + Anything I can do to make this a comfortable residence for you + shall be done; and it will surely go for something with you, that + a compliance with this request on your part will make another + person the happiest woman in the world. + + "In such an emergency as this am I not justified in saying that + any little causes of displeasure that may have existed between you + and me should now be forgotten? If you will think of them they + really amount to nothing. For you I have the esteem of a friend + and the affection of a father-in-law. A more devoted wife than my + daughter does not live. Be a man and come to us, and let us make + much of you. + + "She knows I am writing, and sends her love; but I have not told + her of the subject lest she should be wild with hope. + + "Affectionately yours, + + "HENRY LOVELACE." + +The letter as he read it moved him to tears, but when he had finished +the reading he told himself that it was impossible. There was one +phrase in the letter which went sorely against the grain with him. The +Dean told him to be a man. Did the Dean mean to imply that his conduct +hitherto had been unmanly? + + + + +CHAPTER XLIX. + +"WOULDN'T YOU COME HERE--FOR A WEEK?" + + +Lord George Germain was very much troubled by the nobility of the +Dean's offer. He felt sure that he could not accept it, but he felt at +the same time that it would be almost as difficult to decline to accept +it. What else was he to do? where was he to go? how was he now to +exercise authority over his wife? With what face could he call upon her +to leave her father's house, when he had no house of his own to which +to take her? There was, no doubt, the house in London, but that was her +house, and peculiarly disagreeable to him. He might go abroad; but then +what would become of his mother and sisters? He had trained himself to +think that his presence was necessary to the very existence of the +family; and his mother, though she ill-treated him, was quite of the +same opinion. There would be a declaration of a break up made to all +the world if he were to take himself far away from Manor Cross. In his +difficulty, of course he consulted Lady Sarah. What other counsellor +was possible to him? + +He was very fair with his sister, trying to explain everything to +her--everything, with one or two exceptions. Of course he said nothing +of the Houghton correspondence, nor did he give exactly a true account +of the scene at Mrs. Montacute Jones' ball; but he succeeded in making +Lady Sarah understand that though he accused his wife of nothing, he +felt it to be incumbent on him to make her completely subject to his +own authority. "No doubt she was wrong to waltz after what you told +her," said Lady Sarah. + +"Very wrong." + +"But it was simply high spirits, I suppose." + +"I don't think she understands how circumspect a young married woman +ought to be," said the anxious husband. "She does not see how very much +such high spirits may injure me. It enables an enemy to say such +terrible things." + +"Why should she have an enemy, George?" Then Lord George merely +whispered his brother's name. "Why should Brotherton care to be her +enemy?" + +"Because of the Dean." + +"She should not suffer for that. Of course, George, Mary and I are very +different. She is young and I am old. She has been brought up to the +pleasures of life, which I disregard, perhaps because they never came +in my way. She is beautiful and soft,--a woman such as men like to have +near them. I never was such a one. I see the perils and pitfalls in her +way; but I fancy that I am prone to exaggerate them, because I cannot +sympathise with her yearnings. I often condemn her frivolity, but at +the same time I condemn my own severity. I think she is true of +heart,--a loving woman. And she is at any rate your wife." + +"You don't suppose that I wish to be rid of her?" + +"Certainly not; but in keeping her close to you you must remember that +she has a nature of her own. She cannot feel as you do in all things +any more than you feel as she does." + +"One must give way to the other." + +"Each must give way to the other if there is to be any happiness." + +"You don't mean to say she ought to waltz, or dance stage dances?" + +"Let all that go for the present. She won't want to dance much for a +time now, and when she has a baby in her arms she will be more apt to +look at things with your eyes. If I were you I should accept the Dean's +offer." + +There was a certain amount of comfort in this, but there was more pain. +His wife had defied him, and it was necessary to his dignity that she +should be brought to submission before she was received into his full +grace. And the Dean had encouraged her in those acts of defiance. They +had, of course, come from him. She had been more her father's daughter +than her husband's wife, and his pride could not endure that it should +be so. Everything had gone against him. Hitherto he had been able to +desire her to leave her father and to join him in his own home. Now he +had no home to which to take her. He had endeavoured to do his +duty,--always excepting that disagreeable episode with Mrs. +Houghton,--and this was the fruit of it. He had tried to serve his +brother, because his brother was Marquis of Brotherton, and his brother +had used him like an enemy. His mother treated him, with steady +injustice. And now his sister told him that he was to yield to the +Dean! He could not bring himself to yield to the Dean. At last he +answered the Dean's letter as follows;-- + + "MY DEAR DEAN,-- + + "Your offer is very kind, but I do not think that I can accept it + just at present. No doubt I am very much troubled by my brother's + conduct. I have endeavoured to do my duty by him, and have met + with but a poor return. What arrangements I shall ultimately make + as to a home for myself and Mary, I cannot yet say. When anything + is settled I shall, of course, let her know at once. It will + always be, at any rate, one of my chief objects to make her + comfortable, but I think that this should be done under my roof + and not under yours. I hope to be able to see her in a day or two, + when perhaps I shall have been able to settle upon something. + + "Yours always affectionately, + + "G. GERMAIN." + +Then, upon reading this over and feeling that it was cold and almost +heartless, he added a postscript. "I do feel your offer to be very +generous, but I think you will understand the reasons which make it +impossible that I should accept it." The Dean as he read this declared +to himself that he knew the reasons very well. The reasons were not far +to search. The man was pigheaded, foolish, and obstinately proud. So +the Dean thought. As far as he himself was concerned Lord George's +presence in the house would not be a comfort to him. Lord George had +never been a pleasant companion to him. But he would have put up with +worse than Lord George for the sake of his daughter. + +On the very next day Lord George rode into Brotherton and went direct +to the deanery. Having left his horse at the inn he met the Dean in the +Close, coming out of a side door of the Cathedral close to the deanery +gate. "I thought I would come in to see Mary," he said. + +"Mary will be delighted." + +"I did not believe that I should be able to come so soon when I wrote +yesterday." + +"I hope you are going to tell her that you have thought better of my +little plan." + +"Well;--no; I don't think I can do that. I think she must come to me +first, sir." + +"But where!" + +"I have not yet quite made up my mind. Of course there is a difficulty. +My brother's conduct has been so very strange." + +"Your brother is a madman, George." + +"It is very easy to say so, but that does not make it any better. +Though he be ever so mad the house is his own. If he chooses to turn me +out of it he can. I have told Mr. Knox that I would leave it within a +month,--for my mother's sake; but that as I had gone there at his +express instance, I could not move sooner. I think I was justified in +that." + +"I don't see why you should go at all." + +"He would let the place." + +"Or, if you do go, why you should not come here. But, of course, you +know your own business best. How d'ye do, Mr. Groschut? I hope the +Bishop is better this morning." + +At this moment, just as they were entering the deanery gate, the +Bishop's chaplain had appeared. He had been very studious in spreading +a report, which he had no doubt believed to be true, that all the +Germain family, including Lord George, had altogether repudiated the +Dean, whose daughter, according to his story, was left upon her +father's hands because she would not be received at Manor Cross. For +Mr. Groschut had also heard of Jack De Baron, and had been cut to the +soul by the wickedness of the Kappa-kappa. The general iniquity of +Mary's life in London had been heavy on him. Brotherton, upon the +whole, had pardoned the Dean for knocking the Marquis into the +fireplace, having heard something of the true story with more or less +correctness. But the Chaplain's morals were sterner than those of +Brotherton at large, and he was still of opinion that the Dean was a +child of wrath, and poor Mary, therefore, a grandchild. Now, when he +saw the Dean and his son-in-law apparently on friendly terms, the +spirit of righteousness was vexed within him as he acknowledged this to +be another sign that the Dean was escaping from that punishment which +alone could be of service to him in this world. "His Lordship is better +this morning. I hope, my Lord, I have the pleasure of seeing your +Lordship quite well." Then Mr. Groschut passed on. + +"I'm not quite sure," said the Dean, as he opened his own door, +"whether any good is ever done by converting a Jew." + +"But St. Paul was a converted Jew," said Lord George. + +"Well--yes; in those early days Christians were only to be had by +converting Jews or Pagans; and in those days they did actually become +Christians. But the Groschuts are a mistake." Then he called to Mary, +and in a few minutes she was in her husband's arms on the staircase. +The Dean did not follow them, but went into his own room on the ground +floor; and Lord George did not see him again on that day. + +Lord George remained with his wife nearly all the afternoon, going out +with her into the town as she did some little shopping, and being seen +with her in the market-place and Close. It must be owned of Mary that +she was proud thus to be seen with him again, and that in buying her +ribbons and gloves she referred to him, smiling as he said this, and +pouting and pretending to differ as he said that, with greater urgency +than she would have done had there been no breach between them. It had +been terrible to her to think that there should be a quarrel,--terrible +to her that the world should think so. There was a gratification to her +in feeling that even the shopkeepers should see her and her husband +together. And when she met Canon Pountner and stopped a moment in the +street while that worthy divine shook hands with her husband, that was +an additional pleasure to her. The last few weeks had been heavy to her +in spite of her father's affectionate care,--heavy with a feeling of +disgrace from which no well-minded young married woman can quite +escape, when she is separated from her husband. She had endeavoured to +do right. She thought she was doing right. But it was so sad! She was +fond of pleasure, whereas he was little given to any amusement; but no +pleasures could be pleasant to her now unless they were in some sort +countenanced by him. She had never said such a word to a human being, +but since that dancing of the Kappa-kappa she had sworn to herself a +thousand times that she would never waltz again. And she hourly yearned +for his company, having quite got over that first difficulty of her +married life, that doubt whether she could ever learn to love her +husband. During much of this day she was actually happy in spite of the +great sorrow which still weighed so heavily upon them both. + +And he liked it also in his way. He thought that he had never seen her +looking more lovely. He was sure that she had never been more gracious +to him. The touch of her hand was pleasant to his arm, and even he had +sufficient spirit of fun about him to enjoy something of the mirth of +her little grimaces. When he told her what her father had said about +Mr. Groschut, even he laughed at her face of assumed disgust. "Papa +doesn't hate him half as much as I do," she said. "Papa always does +forgive at last, but I never can forgive Mr. Groschut." + +"What has the poor man done?" + +"He is so nasty! Don't you see that his face always shines. Any man +with a shiny face ought to be hated." This was very well to give as a +reason, but Mary entertained a very correct idea as to Mr. Groschut's +opinion of herself. + +Not a word had been said between the husband and wife as to the great +question of residence till they had returned to the deanery after their +walk. Then Lord George found himself unable to conceal from her the +offer which the Dean had made. "Oh, George,--why don't you come?" + +"It would not be--fitting." + +"Fitting! Why not fitting? I think it would fit admirably. I know it +would fit me." Then she leaned over him and took his hand and kissed +it. + +"It was very good of your father." + +"I am sure he meant to be good." + +"It was very good of your father," Lord George repeated,--"very good +indeed; but it cannot be. A married woman should live in her husband's +house and not in her father's." + +Mary gazed into his face with a perplexed look, not quite understanding +the whole question, but still with a clear idea as to a part of it. All +that might be very true, but if a husband didn't happen to have a house +then might not the wife's father's house be a convenience? They had +indeed a house, provided no doubt with her money, but not the less now +belonging to her husband, in which she would be very willing to live if +he pleased it,--the house in Munster Court. It was her husband that +made objection to their own house. It was her husband who wished to +live near Manor Cross, not having a roof of his own under which to do +so. Were not these circumstances which ought to have made the deanery a +convenience to him? "Then what will you do?" she asked. + +"I cannot say as yet." He had become again gloomy and black-browed. + +"Wouldn't you come here--for a week?" + +"I think not, my dear." + +"Not when you know how happy it would make me to have you with me once +again. I do so long to be telling you everything." Then she leant +against him and embraced him, and implored him to grant her this +favour. But he would not yield. He had told himself that the Dean had +interfered between him and his wife, and that he must at any rate go +through the ceremony of taking his wife away from her father. Let it be +accorded to him that he had done that, and then perhaps he might visit +the deanery. As for her, she would have gone with him anywhere now, +having fully established her right to visit her father after leaving +London. + +There was nothing further settled, and very little more said, when Lord +George left the deanery and started back to Manor Cross. But with Mary +there had been left a certain comfort. The shopkeepers and Dr. Pountner +had seen her with her husband, and Mr. Groschut had met Lord George at +the deanery door. + + + + +CHAPTER L. + +RUDHAM PARK. + + +Lord George had undertaken to leave Manor Cross by the middle of +August, but when the first week of that month had passed away he had +not as yet made up his mind what he would do with himself. Mr. Knox had +told him that should he remain with his mother the Marquis would not, +as Mr. Knox thought, take further notice of the matter; but on such +terms as these he could not consent to live in his brother's house. + +On a certain day early in August Lord George had gone with a return +ticket to a town but a few miles distant from Brotherton to sit on a +committee for the distribution of coals and blankets, and in the +afternoon got into a railway carriage on his way home. How great was +his consternation when, on taking his seat, he found that his brother +was seated alongside of him! There was one other old gentleman in the +carriage, and the three passengers were all facing the engine. On two +of the seats opposite were spread out the Marquis's travelling +paraphernalia,--his French novel, at which he had not looked, his +dressing bag, the box in which his luncheon had been packed, and his +wine flask. There was a small basket of strawberries, should he be +inclined to eat fruit, and an early peach out of a hothouse, with some +flowers. "God Almighty, George;--is that you?" he said. "Where the +devil have you been?" + +"I've been to Grumby." + +"And what are the people doing at Grumby?" + +"Much the same as usual. It was the coal and blanket account." + +"Oh!--the coal and blanket account! I hope you liked it." Then he +folded himself afresh in his cloaks, ate a strawberry, and looked as +though he had taken sufficient notice of his brother. + +But the matter was very important to Lord George. Nothing ever seemed +to be of importance to the Marquis. It might be very probable that the +Marquis, with half-a-dozen servants behind him, should drive up to the +door at Manor Cross without having given an hour's notice of his +intention. It seemed to be too probable to Lord George that such would +be the case now. For what other reason could he be there? And then +there was his back. Though they had quarrelled he was bound to ask +after his brother's back. When last they two had met, the Marquis had +been almost carried into the room by two men. "I hope you find yourself +better than when I last saw you," he said, after a pause of five +minutes. + +"I've not much to boast of. I can just travel, and that's all." + +"And how is--Popenjoy?" + +"Upon my word I can't tell you. He has never seemed to be very well +when I've seen him." + +"I hope the accounts have been better," said Lord George, with +solicitude. + +"Coal and blanket accounts!" suggested the Marquis. And then the +conversation was again brought to an end for five minutes. + +But it was essential that Lord George should know whither his brother +was going. If to Manor Cross, then, thought Lord George, he himself +would stay at an inn at Brotherton. Anything, even the deanery, would +be better than sitting at table with his brother, with the insults of +their last interview unappeased. At the end of five minutes he plucked +up his courage, and asked his brother another question. "Are you going +to the house, Brotherton?" + +"The house! What house? I'm going to a house, I hope." + +"I mean to Manor Cross." + +"Not if I know it. There is no house in this part of the country in +which I should be less likely to show my face." Then there was not +another word said till they reached the Brotherton Station, and there +the Marquis, who was sitting next the door, requested his brother to +leave the carriage first. "Get out, will you?" he said. "I must wait +for somebody to come and take these things. And don't trample on me +more than you can help." This last request had apparently been made, +because Lord George was unable to step across him without treading on +the cloak. + +"I will say good-bye, then," said Lord George, turning round on the +platform for a moment. + +"Ta, ta," said the Marquis, as he gave his attention to the servant who +was collecting the fruit, and the flowers, and the flask. Lord George +then passed on out of the station, and saw no more of his brother. + +"Of course he is going to Rudham," said Lady Susanna, when she heard +the story. Rudham Park was the seat of Mr. De Baron, Mrs. Houghton's +father, and tidings had reached Manor Cross long since that the Marquis +had promised to go there in the autumn. No doubt other circumstances +had seemed to make it improbable that the promise should be kept. +Popenjoy had gone away ill,--as many said, in a dying condition. Then +the Marquis had been thrown into a fireplace, and report had said that +his back had been all but broken. It had certainly been generally +thought that the Marquis would go nowhere after that affair in the +fireplace, till he returned to Italy. But Lady Susanna was, in truth, +right. His Lordship was on his way to Rudham Park. + +Mr. De Baron, of Rudham Park, though a much older man than the Marquis, +had been the Marquis's friend,--when the Marquis came of age, being +then the Popenjoy of those days and a fast young man known as such +about England. Mr. De Baron, who was a neighbour, had taken him by the +hand. Mr. De Baron had put him in the way of buying and training +race-horses, and had, perhaps, been godfather to his pleasures in other +matters. Rudham Park had never been loved at Manor Cross by others than +the present Lord, and for that reason, perhaps, was dearer to him. He +had promised to go there soon after his return to England, and was now +keeping his promise. On his arrival there the Marquis found a houseful +of people. There were Mr. and Mrs. Houghton, and Lord Giblet, who, +having engaged himself rashly to Miss Patmore Green, had rushed out of +town sooner than usual that he might devise in retirement some means of +escaping from his position; and, to Lord Giblet's horror, there was +Mrs. Montacute Jones, who, he well knew, would, if possible, keep him +to the collar. There was also Aunt Julia, with her niece Guss, and of +course, there was Jack De Baron. The Marquis was rather glad to meet +Jack, as to whom he had some hope that he might be induced to run away +with Lord George's wife, and thus free the Germain family from that +little annoyance. But the guest who surprised the Marquis the most, was +the Baroness Banmann, whose name and occupation he did not at first +learn very distinctly. + +"All right again, my lord?" asked Mr. De Baron, as he welcomed his +noble guest. + +"Upon my word I'm not, then. That coal-heaving brute of a parson pretty +nearly did for me." + +"A terrible outrage it was." + +"Outrage! I should think so. There's nothing so bad as a clerical +bully. What was I to do with him? Of course he was the stronger. I +don't pretend to be a Samson. One doesn't expect that kind of thing +among gentlemen?" + +"No, indeed." + +"I wish I could have him somewhere with a pair of foils with the +buttons off. His black coat shouldn't save his intestines. I don't +know what the devil the country is come to, when such a fellow as that +is admitted into people's houses." + +"You won't meet him here, Brotherton." + +"I wish I might. I think I'd manage to be even with him before he got +away. Who's the Baroness you have got?" + +"I don't know much about her. My daughter Adelaide,--Mrs. Houghton, you +know,--has brought her down. There's been some row among the women up +in London. This is one of the prophets, and I think she is brought here +to spite Lady Selina Protest who has taken an American prophetess by +the hand. She won't annoy you, I hope?" + +"Not in the least. I like strange wild beasts. And so that is Captain +De Baron, of whom I have heard?" + +"That is my nephew, Jack. He has a small fortune of his own, which he +is spending fast. As long as it lasts one has to be civil to him." + +"I am delighted to meet him. Don't they say he is sweet on a certain +young woman?" + +"A dozen, I believe." + +"Ah,--but one I know something of." + +"I don't think there is anything in that, Brotherton;--I don't, indeed, +or I shouldn't have brought him here." + +"I do, though. And as to not bringing him here, why shouldn't you bring +him? If she don't go off with him, she will with somebody else, and the +sooner the better, according to my ideas." This was a matter upon which +Mr. De Baron was not prepared to dilate, and he therefore changed the +subject. + +"My dear Lord Giblet, it is such a pleasure to me to meet you here," +old Mrs. Jones said to that young nobleman. "When I was told you were +to be at Rudham, it determined me at once." This was true, for there +was no more persistent friend living than old Mrs. Jones, though it +might be doubted whether, on this occasion, Lord Giblet was the friend +on whose behalf she had come to Rudham. + +"It's very nice, isn't it?" said Lord Giblet, gasping. + +"Hadn't we a pleasant time of it with our little parties in Grosvenor +Place?" + +"Never liked anything so much in life; only I don't think that fellow +Jack De Baron, dances so much better than other people, after all?" + +"Who says he does? But I'll tell you who dances well. Olivia Green was +charming in the Kappa-kappa. Don't you think so?" + +"Uncommon pretty." Lord Giblet was quite willing to be understood to +admire Miss Patmore Green, though he thought it hard that people should +hurry him on into matrimony. + +"The most graceful girl I ever saw in my life, certainly," said Mrs. +Montacute Jones. "His Royal Highness, when he heard of the engagement, +said that you were the happiest man in London." + +Lord Giblet could not satisfy himself by declaring that H.R.H. was an +old fool, as poor Mary had done on a certain occasion,--but at the +present moment he did not feel at all loyal to the Royal Family +generally. Nor did he, in the least, know how to answer Mrs. Jones. She +had declared the engagement as a fact, and he did not quite dare to +deny it altogether. He had, in an unguarded moment, when the weather +had been warm and the champagne cool, said a word with so definite a +meaning that the lady had been justified in not allowing it to pass by +as idle. The lady had accepted him, and on the following morning he had +found the lock of hair and the little stud which she had given him, and +had feverish reminiscences of a kiss. But surely he was not a bird to +be caught with so small a grain of salt as that! He had not as yet seen +Mr. Patmore Green, having escaped from London at once. He had answered +a note from Olivia, which had called him "dearest Charlie" by a counter +note, in which he had called her "dear O," and had signed himself "ever +yours, G," promising to meet her up the river. But of course he had not +gone up the river! The rest of the season might certainly be done +without assistance from him. He knew that he would be pursued. He could +not hope not to be pursued. But he had not thought that Mrs. Montacute +Jones would be so quick upon him. It was impossible that H.R.H should +have heard of any engagement as yet. What a nasty, false, wicked old +woman she was! He blushed, red as a rose, and stammered out that he +"didn't know." He was only four-and-twenty, and perhaps he didn't know. + +"I never saw a girl so much in love in my life," continued Mrs. Jones. +"I know her just as well as if she were my own, and she speaks to me as +she doesn't dare to speak to you at present. Though she is barely +twenty-one, she has been very much sought after already, and the very +day she marries she has ten thousand pounds in her own hands. That +isn't a large fortune, and of course you don't want a large fortune, +but it isn't every girl can pay such a sum straight into her husband's +bank the moment she marries!" + +"No, indeed," said Lord Giblet. He was still determined that nothing +should induce him to marry Miss Green; but nevertheless, behind that +resolution there was a feeling, that if anything should bring about the +marriage, such a sum of ready money would be a consolation. His father, +the Earl of Jopling, though a very rich man, kept him a little close, +and ten thousand pounds would be nice. But then, perhaps the old woman +was lying. + +"Now I'll tell you what I want you to do," said Mrs. Jones, who was +resolved that if the game were not landed it should not be her fault. +"We go from here to Killancodlem next week. You must come and join +us." + +"I've got to go and grouse at Stranbracket's," said Lord Giblet, happy +in an excuse. + +"It couldn't be better. They're both within eight miles of Dunkeld." If +so, then ropes shouldn't take him to Stranbracket's that year. "Of +course you'll come. It's the prettiest place in Perth, though I say it, +as oughtn't. And she will be there. If you really want to know a girl, +see her in a country house." + +But he didn't really want to know the girl. She was very nice, and he +liked her uncommonly, but he didn't want to know anything more about +her. By George! Was a man to be persecuted this way, because he had +once spooned a girl a little too fiercely? As he thought of this he +almost plucked up his courage sufficiently to tell Mrs. Jones that she +had better pick out some other young man for deportation to +Killancodlem. "I should like it ever so," he said. + +"I'll take care that you shall like it, Lord Giblet. I think I may +boast that when I put my wits to work I can make my house agreeable. +I'm very fond of young people, but there's no one I love as I do Olivia +Green. There isn't a young woman in London has so much to be loved for. +Of course you'll come. What day shall we name?" + +"I don't think I could name a day." + +"Let us say the 27th. That will give you nearly a week at the grouse +first. Be with us to dinner on the 27th." + +"Well,--perhaps I will." + +"Of course you will. I shall write to Olivia to-night, and I daresay +you will do so also." + +Lord Giblet, when he was let to go, tried to suck consolation from the +£10,000. Though he was still resolved, he almost believed that Mrs. +Montacute Jones would conquer him. Write to Olivia to-night! Lying, +false old woman! Of course she knew that there was hardly a lady in +England to whom it was so little likely that he should write as to Miss +Patmore Green. How could an old woman, with one foot in the grave, be +so wicked? And why should she persecute him? What had he done to her? +Olivia Green was not her daughter, or even her niece. "So you are going +to Killancodlem?" Mrs. Houghton said to him that afternoon. + +"She has asked me," said Lord Giblet. + +"It's simply the most comfortable house in all Scotland, and they tell +me some of the best deer-stalking. Everybody likes to get to +Killancodlem. Don't you love old Mrs. Jones?" + +"Charming old woman!" + +"And such a friend! If she once takes to you she never drops you." + +"Sticks like wax, I should say." + +"Quite like wax, Lord Giblet. And when she makes up her mind to do a +thing she always does it. It's quite wonderful; but she never gets +beaten." + +"Doesn't she now?" + +"Never. She hasn't asked us to Killancodlem yet, but I hope she will." +A manly resolution now roused itself in Lord Giblet's bosom that he +would be the person to beat Mrs. Jones at last. But yet he doubted. If +he were asked the question by anyone having a right to ask he could not +deny that he had proposed to marry Miss Patmore Green. + +"So you've come down to singe your wings again?" said Mrs. Houghton to +her cousin Jack. + +"My wings have been burned clean away already, and, in point of fact, I +am not half so near to Lady George here as I was in London." + +"It's only ten miles." + +"If it were five it would be the same. We're not in the same set down +in Barsetshire." + +"I suppose you can have yourself taken to Brotherton if you please?" + +"Yes,--I can call at the deanery; but I shouldn't know what to say when +I got there." + +"You've become very mealy-mouthed of a sudden." + +"Not with you, my sweet cousin. With you I can discuss the devil and +all his works as freely as ever; but with Lady George, at her father's +house, I think I should be dumb. In truth, I haven't got anything to +say to her." + +"I thought you had." + +"I know you think so; but I haven't. It is quite on the card that I may +ride over some day, as I would to see my sister." + +"Your sister!" + +"And that I shall make eager enquiries after her horse, her pet dog, +and her husband." + +"You will be wrong there, for she has quarrelled with her husband +altogether." + +"I hope not." + +"They are not living together, and never even see each other. He's at +Manor Cross, and she's at the deanery. She's a divinity to you, but +Lord George seems to have found her so human that he's tired of her +already." + +"Then it must be his own fault." + +"Or perhaps yours, Jack. You don't suppose a husband goes through a +little scene like that at Mrs. Jones' without feeling it?" + +"He made an ass of himself, and a man generally feels that afterwards," +said Jack. + +"The truth is, they're tired of each other. There isn't very much in +Lord George, but there is something. He is slow, but there is a certain +manliness at the bottom of it. But there isn't very much in her!" + +"That's all you know about it." + +"Perhaps you may know her better, but I never could find anything. You +confess to being in love, and of course a lover is blind. But where you +are most wrong is in supposing that she is something so much better +than other women. She flirted with you so frankly that she made you +think her a goddess." + +"She never flirted with me in her life." + +"Exactly;--because flirting is bad, and she being a goddess cannot do +evil. I wish you'd take her in your arms and kiss her." + +"I shouldn't dare." + +"No;--and therefore you're not in the way to learn that she's a woman +just the same as other women. Will Mrs. Jones succeed with that stupid +young man?" + +"With Giblet? I hope so. It can't make any difference to him whether +it's this one or another, and I do like Mrs. Jones." + +"Would they let me have just a little lecture in the dining-room?" +asked the Baroness of her friend, Aunt Ju. There had been certain +changes among the Disabilities up in London. Lady Selina Protest had +taken Dr. Olivia Q. Fleabody altogether by the hand, and had appointed +her chief professor at the Institute, perhaps without sufficient +authority. Aunt Ju had been cast into the shade, and had consequently +been driven to throw herself into the arms of the Baroness. At present +there was a terrible feud in which Aunt Ju was being much worsted. For +the Baroness was an old Man of the Sea, and having got herself on to +Aunt Ju's shoulders could not be shaken off. In the meantime Dr. +Fleabody was filling the Institute, reaping a golden harvest, and +breaking the heart of the poor Baroness, who had fallen into much +trouble and was now altogether penniless. + +"I'm afraid not," said Aunt Ju. "I'm afraid we can't do that." + +"Perhaps de Marquis would like it?" + +"I hardly think so." + +"He did say a word to me, and I tink he would like it. He vant to +understand." + +"My dear Baroness, I'm sure the Marquis of Brotherton does not care +about it in the least. He is quite in the dark on such subjects--quite +benighted." What was the use, thought the Baroness, of bringing her +down to a house in which people were so benighted that she could not be +allowed to open her mouth or carry on her profession. Had she not been +enticed over from her own country in order that she might open her +mouth, and preach her doctrine, and become a great and a wealthy woman? +There was a fraud in this enforced silence which cut her to the very +quick. "I tink I shall try," she said, separating herself in her wrath +from her friend. + + + + +CHAPTER LI. + +GUSS MILDMAY'S SUCCESS. + + +The treatment which the Marquis received at Rudham did not certainly +imply any feeling that he had disgraced himself by what he had done +either at Manor Cross or up in London. Perhaps the ladies there did not +know as much of his habits as did Mrs. Walker at Scumberg's. Perhaps +the feeling was strong that Popenjoy was Popenjoy, and that therefore +the Marquis had been injured. If a child be born in British +purple,--true purple, though it may have been stained by +circumstances,--that purple is very sacred. Perhaps it was thought that +under no circumstances should a Marquis be knocked into the fireplace +by a clergyman. There was still a good deal of mystery, both as to +Popenjoy and as to the fireplace, and the Marquis was the hero of these +mysteries. Everyone at Rudham was anxious to sit by his side and to be +allowed to talk to him. When he abused the Dean, which he did freely, +those who heard him assented to all he said. The Baroness Banmann held +up her hands in horror when she heard the tale, and declared the Church +to be one grand bêtise. Mrs. Houghton, who was very attentive to the +Marquis and whom the Marquis liked, was pertinacious in her enquiries +after Popenjoy, and cruelly sarcastic upon the Dean. "Think what was +his bringing up," said Mrs. Houghton. + +"In a stable," said the Marquis. + +"I always felt it to be a great pity that Lord George should have made +that match;--not but what she is a good creature in her way." + +"She is no better than she should be," said the Marquis. Then Mrs. +Houghton found herself able to insinuate that perhaps, after all, Mary +was not a good creature, even in her own way. But the Marquis's chief +friend was Jack De Baron. He talked to Jack about races and billiards, +and women; but though he did not refrain from abusing the Dean, he said +no word to Jack against Mary. If it might be that the Dean should +receive his punishment in that direction he would do nothing to prevent +it. "They tell me she's a beautiful woman. I have never seen her +myself," said the Marquis. + +"She is very beautiful," said Jack. + +"Why the devil she should have married George, I can't think. She +doesn't care for him the least." + +"Don't you think she does?" + +"I'm sure she don't. I suppose her pestilent father thought it was the +nearest way to a coronet. I don't know why men should marry at all. +They always get into trouble by it." + +"Somebody must have children," suggested Jack. + +"I don't see the necessity. It's nothing to me what comes of the +property after I'm gone. What is it, Madam?" They were sitting out on +the lawn after lunch and Jack and the Marquis were both smoking. As +they were talking the Baroness had come up to them and made her little +proposition. "What! a lecture! If Mr. De Baron pleases, of course. I +never listen to lectures myself,--except from my wife." + +"Ah! dat is vat I vant to prevent." + +"I have prevented it already by sending her to Italy. Oh, rights of +women! Very interesting; but I don't think I'm well enough myself. Here +is Captain De Baron, a young man as strong as a horse, and very fond of +women. He'll sit it out." + +"I beg your pardon; what is it?" Then the Baroness, with rapid words, +told her own sad story. She had been deluded, defrauded, and ruined by +those wicked females, Lady Selina Protest and Dr. Fleabody. The Marquis +was a nobleman whom all England, nay, all Europe, delighted to honour. +Could not the Marquis do something for her? She was rapid and eloquent, +but not always intelligible. "What is it she wants?" asked the Marquis, +turning to Jack. + +"Pecuniary assistance, I think, my Lord." + +"Yah, yah. I have been bamboozled of everything, my Lord Marquis." + +"Oh, my G--, De Baron shouldn't have let me in for this. Would you mind +telling my fellow to give her a ten-pound note?" Jack said that he +would not mind; and the Baroness stuck to him pertinaciously, not +leaving his side a moment till she had got the money. Of course there +was no lecture. The Baroness was made to understand that visitors at a +country house in England could not be made to endure such an +infliction; but she succeeded in levying a contribution from Mrs. +Montacute Jones, and there were rumours afloat that she got a sovereign +out of Mr. Houghton. + +Lord Giblet had come with the intention of staying a week, but, the day +after the attack made upon him by Mrs. Montacute Jones, news arrived +which made it absolutely necessary that he should go to Castle Gossling +at once. "We shall be so sorry to miss you," said Mrs. Montacute Jones, +whom he tried to avoid in making his general adieux, but who was a +great deal too clever not to catch him. + +"My father wants to see me about the property, you know." + +"Of course. There must be a great deal to do between you." Everybody +who knew the affairs of the family was aware that the old Earl never +thought of consulting his son; and Mrs. Montacute Jones knew +everything. + +"Ever so much; therefore I must be off at once. My fellow is packing my +things now; and there is a train in an hour's time." + +"Did you hear from Olivia this morning?" + +"Not to-day." + +"I hope you are as proud as you ought to be of having such a sweet girl +belonging to you." Nasty old woman! What right had she to say these +things? "I told Mrs. Green that you were here, and that you were coming +to meet Olivia on the 27th." + +"What did she say?" + +"She thinks you ought to see Mr. Green as you go through London. He is +the easiest, most good-natured man in the world. Don't you think you +might as well speak to him?" Who was Mrs. Montacute Jones that she +should talk to him in this way? "I would send a telegram if I were you, +to say I would be there to-night." + +"Perhaps it would be best," said Lord Giblet. + +"Oh, certainly. Now mind, we expect you to dinner on the 27th. Is there +anybody else you'd specially like me to ask?" + +"Nobody in particular, thank ye." + +"Isn't Jack De Baron a friend of yours?" + +"Yes,--I like Jack pretty well. He thinks a great deal of himself, you +know." + +"All the young men do that now. At any rate I'll ask Jack to meet you." +Unfortunately for Lord Giblet Jack appeared in sight at this very +moment. "Captain De Baron, Lord Giblet has been good enough to say that +he'll come to my little place at Killancodlem on the 27th. Can you meet +him there?" + +"Delighted, Mrs. Jones. Who ever refuses to go to Killancodlem?" + +"It isn't Killancodlem and its little comforts that are bringing his +lordship. We shall be delighted to see him; but he is coming to +see----. Well I suppose it's no secret now, Lord Giblet?" Jack bowed +his congratulations, and Lord Giblet again blushed as red as a rose. + +Detestable old woman! Whither should he take himself? In what furthest +part of the Rocky Mountains should he spend the coming autumn? If +neither Mr. nor Mrs. Green called upon him for an explanation, what +possible right could this abominable old harpy have to prey upon him? +Just at the end of a cotillon he had said one word! He knew men who had +done ten times as much and had not been as severely handled. And he was +sure that Jack De Baron had had something to do with it. Jack had been +hand in hand with Mrs. Jones at the making up of the Kappa-kappa. But +as he went to the station he reflected that Olivia Green was a very +nice girl. If those ten thousand pounds were true they would be a great +comfort to him. His mother was always bothering him to get married. If +he could bring himself to accept this as his fate he would be saved a +deal of trouble. Spooning at Killancodlem, after all, would not be bad +fun. He almost told himself that he would marry Miss Green, were it not +that he was determined not to be dictated to by that old harridan. + +Many people came and went at Rudham Park, but among those who did not +go was Guss Mildmay. Aunt Julia, who had become thoroughly ashamed of +the Baroness, had wished to take her departure on the third day; but +Guss had managed to stop her. "What's the good of coming to a house for +three days? You said you meant to stay a week. They know what she is +now, and the harm's done. It was your own fault for bringing her. I +don't see why I'm to be thrown over because you've made a mistake about +a vulgar old woman. We've nowhere to go to till November, and now we +are out of town for heaven's sake let us stay as long as we can." In +this way Guss carried her point, watching her opportunity for a little +conversation with her former lover. + +At last the opportunity came. It was not that Jack had avoided her, but +that it was necessary that she should be sure of having half-an-hour +alone with him. At last she made the opportunity, calling upon him to +walk with her one Sunday morning when all other folk were in +church--or, perhaps, in bed. "No; I won't go to church," she had said +to Aunt Ju. "What is the use of your asking 'why not?' I won't go. They +are quite accustomed at Rudham to people not going to church. I always +go in a stiff house, but I won't go here. When you are at Rome you +should do as the Romans do. I don't suppose there'll be half-a-dozen +there out of the whole party." Aunt Ju went to church as a matter of +course, and the opportunity of walking in the grounds with Jack was +accomplished. "Are you going to Killancodlem?" she said. + +"I suppose I shall, for a few days." + +"Have you got anything to say before you go?" + +"Nothing particular." + +"Of course I don't mean to me." + +"I've nothing particular to say to anybody just at present. Since I've +been here that wretched old Marquis has been my chief fate. It's quite +a pleasure to hear him abuse the Dean." + +"And the Dean's daughter?" + +"He has not much good to say about her either." + +"I'm not surprised at that, Jack. And what do you say to him about the +Dean's daughter?" + +"Very little, Guss." + +"And what are you going to say to me about her?" + +"Nothing at all, Guss." + +"She's all the world to you, I suppose?" + +"What's the use of your saying that? In one sense she's nothing to me. +My belief is that the only man she'll ever care a pin about is her +husband. At any rate she does not care a straw for me." + +"Nor you for her?" + +"Well;--Yes I do. She's one of my pet friends. There's nobody I like +being with better." + +"And if she were not married?" + +"God knows what might have happened. I might have asked her to have me, +because she has got money of her own. What's the use of coming back to +the old thing, Guss?" + +"Money, money, money!" + +"Nothing more unfair was ever said to anyone. Have I given any signs of +selling myself for money? Have I been a fortune hunter? No one has ever +found me guilty of so much prudence. All I say is that having found out +the way to go to the devil myself, I won't take any young woman I like +with me there by marrying her. Heavens and earth! I can fancy myself +returned from a wedding tour with some charmer, like you, without a +shilling at my banker's, and beginning life at lodgings, somewhere down +at Chelsea. Have you no imagination? Can't you see what it would be? +Can't you fancy the stuffy sitting room with the horsehair chairs, and +the hashed mutton, and the cradle in the corner before long?" + +"No I can't," said Guss. + +"I can;--two cradles, and very little of the hashed mutton; and my lady +wife with no one to pin her dress for her but the maid of all work with +black fingers." + +"It wouldn't be like that." + +"It very soon would, if I were to marry a girl without a fortune. And I +know myself. I'm a very good fellow while the sun shines, but I +couldn't stand hardship. I shouldn't come home to the hashed mutton. I +should dine at the club, even though I had to borrow the money. I +should come to hate the cradle and its occupant, and the mother of its +occupant. I should take to drink, and should blow my brains out just as +the second cradle came. I can see it all as plain as a pikestaff. I +often lay awake the whole night and look at it. You and I, Guss, have +made a mistake from the beginning. Being poor people we have lived as +though we were rich." + +"I have never done so." + +"Oh yes, you have. Instead of dining out in Fitzroy Square and drinking +tea in Tavistock Place, you have gone to balls in Grosvenor Square and +been presented at Court." + +"It wasn't my fault." + +"It has been so, and therefore you should have made up your mind to +marry a rich man." + +"Who was it asked me to love him?" + +"Say that I did if you please. Upon my word I forget how it began, but +say that it was my fault. Of course it was my fault. Are you going to +blow me up for that? I see a girl, and first I like her, and then I +love her, and then I tell her so;--or else she finds it out without my +telling. Was that a sin you can't forgive?" + +"I never said it was a sin." + +"I don't mind being a worm, but I won't be trodden upon overmuch. Was +there ever a moment in which you thought that I thought of marrying +you?" + +"A great many, Jack." + +"Did I ever say so?" + +"Never. I'll do you justice there. You have been very cautious." + +"Of course you can be severe, and of course I am bound to bear it. I +have been cautious,--for your sake!" + +"Oh, Jack!" + +"For your sake. When I first saw how it was going to be,--how it might +be between you and me,--I took care to say outright that I couldn't +marry unless a girl had money." + +"There will be something--when papa dies." + +"The most healthy middle-aged gentleman in London! There might be half +a dozen cradles, Guss, before that day. If it will do you good, you +shall say I'm the greatest rascal walking." + +"That will do me no good." + +"But I don't know that I can give you any other privilege." + +Then there was a long pause during which they were sauntering together +under an old oak tree in the park. "Do you love me, Jack?" she then +asked, standing close up to him. + +"God bless my soul! That's going back to the beginning." + +"You are heartless,--absolutely heartless. It has come to that with you +that any real idea of love is out of the question." + +"I can't afford it, my dear." + +"But is there no such thing as love that you can't help? Can you drop a +girl out of your heart altogether simply because she has got no money? +I suppose you did love me once?" Here Jack scratched his head. "You did +love me once?" she said, persevering with her question. + +"Of course I did," said Jack, who had no objection to making assurances +of the past. + +"And you don't now?" + +"Whoever said so? What's the good of talking about it?" + +"Do you think you owe me nothing?" + +"What's the good of owing, if a man can't pay his debts?" + +"You will own nothing then?" + +"Yes, I will. If anyone left me twenty thousand pounds to-morrow, then +I should owe you something." + +"What would you owe me?" + +"Half of it." + +"And how would you pay me?" He thought a while before he made his +answer. He knew that in that case he would not wish to pay the debt in +the only way in which it would be payable. "You mean then that you +would--marry me?" + +"I shouldn't be afraid of the hashed mutton and cradles." + +"In that case you--would marry me?" + +"A man has no right to take so much on himself as to say that." + +"Psha!" + +"I suppose I should. I should make a devilish bad husband even then." + +"Why should you be worse than others?" + +"I don't know. Perhaps I was made worse. I can't fancy myself doing any +duty well. If I had a wife of my own I should be sure to fall in love +with somebody else's." + +"Lady George for instance." + +"No;--not Lady George. It would not be with somebody whom I had learned +to think the very best woman in all the world. I am very bad, but I'm +just not bad enough to make love to her. Or rather I am very foolish, +but just not foolish enough to think that I could win her." + +"I suppose she's just the same as others, Jack." + +"She's not just the same to me. But I'd rather not talk about her, +Guss. I'm going to Killancodlem in a day or two, and I shall leave this +to-morrow!" + +"To-morrow!" + +"Well; yes; to-morrow. I must be a day or two in town, and there is not +much doing here. I'm tired of the old Marquis who is the most +illnatured brute I ever came across in my life, and there's no more fun +to be made of the Baroness. I'm not sure but that she has the best of +the fun. I didn't think there was an old woman in the world could get a +five pound note out of me; but she had." + +"How could you be so foolish?" + +"How indeed! You'll go back to London?" + +"I suppose so;--unless I drown myself." + +"Don't do that, Guss?" + +"I often think it will be best. You don't know what my life is,--how +wretched. And you made it so." + +"Is that fair, Guss?" + +"Quite fair! Quite true! You have made it miserable. You know you have. +Of course you know it." + +"Can I help it now?" + +"Yes you can. I can be patient if you will say that it shall be some +day. I could put up with anything if you would let me hope. When you +have got that twenty thousand pounds----?" + +"But I shall never have it." + +"If you do,--will you marry me then? Will you promise me that you will +never marry anybody else?" + +"I never shall." + +"But will you promise me? If you will not say so much as that to me you +must be false indeed. When you have the twenty thousand pounds will you +marry me?" + +"Oh, certainly." + +"And you can laugh about such a matter when I am pouring out my very +soul to you? You can make a joke of it when it is all my life to me! +Jack, if you will say that it shall happen some day,--some day,--I will +be happy. If you won't,--I can only die. It may be play to you, but +it's death to me." He looked at her, and saw that she was quite in +earnest. She was not weeping, but there was a drawn, heavy look about +her face which, in truth, touched his heart. Whatever might be his +faults he was not a cruel man. He had defended himself without any +scruples of conscience when she had seemed to attack him, but now he +did not know how to refuse her request. It amounted to so little! "I +don't suppose it will ever take place, but I think I ought to allow +myself to consider myself as engaged to you," she said. + +"As it is you are free to marry anyone else," he replied. + +"I don't care for such freedom. I don't want it. I couldn't marry a man +whom I didn't love." + +"Nobody knows what that they can do till they're tried." + +"Do you suppose, sir, I've never been tried? But I can't bring myself +to laugh now, Jack. Don't joke now. Heaven knows when we may see each +other again. You will promise me that, Jack?" + +"Yes;--if you wish it." And so at last she had got a promise from him! +She said nothing more to fix it, fearing that in doing so she might +lose it; but she threw herself into his arms and buried her face upon +his bosom. + +Afterwards, when she was leaving him, she was very solemn in her manner +to him. "I will say good-bye now, Jack, for I shall hardly see you +again to speak to. You do love me?" + +"You know I do." + +"I am so true to you! I have always been true to you. God bless you, +Jack. Write me a line sometimes." Then he escaped, having brought her +back to the garden among the flowers, and he wandered away by himself +across the park. At last he had engaged himself. He knew that it was +so, and he knew that she would tell all her friends. Adelaide Houghton +would know, and would, of course, congratulate him. There never could +be a marriage. That would, of course, be out of the question. But, +instead of being the Jack De Baron of old, at any rate free as air, he +would be the young man engaged to marry Augusta Mildmay. And then he +could hardly now refuse to answer the letters which she would be sure +to write to him, at least twice a week. There had been a previous +period of letter-writing, but that had died a natural death through +utter neglect on his part. But now----. It might be as well that he +should take advantage of the new law and exchange into an Indian +regiment. + +But, even in his present condition, his mind was not wholly occupied +with Augusta Mildmay. The evil words which had been spoken to him of +Mary had not been altogether fruitless. His cousin Adelaide had told +him over and over again that Lady George was as other women,--by which +his cousin had intended to say that Lady George was the same as +herself. Augusta Mildmay had spoken of his Phoenix in the same strain. +The Marquis had declared her to be utterly worthless. It was not that +he wished to think of her as they thought, or that he could be brought +so to think; but these suggestions, coming as they did from those who +knew how much he liked the woman, amounted to ridicule aimed against +the purity of his worship. They told him,--almost told him,--that he +was afraid to speak of love to Lady George. Indeed he was afraid, and +within his own breast he was in some sort proud of his fear. But, +nevertheless, he was touched by their ridicule. He and Mary had +certainly been dear friends. Certainly that friendship had given great +umbrage to her husband. Was he bound to keep away from her because of +her husband's anger? He knew that they two were not living together. He +knew that the Dean would at any rate welcome him. And he knew, too, +that there was no human being he wished to see again so much as Lady +George. He had no purpose as to anything that he would say to her, but +he was resolved that he would see her. If then some word warmer than +any he had yet spoken should fall from him, he would gather from her +answer what her feelings were towards him. In going back to London on +the morrow he must pass by Brotherton, and he would make his +arrangements so as to remain there for an hour or two. + + + + +CHAPTER LII. + +ANOTHER LOVER. + + +The party at Rudham Park had hardly been a success,--nor was it much +improved in wit or gaiety when Mrs. Montacute Jones, Lord Giblet, and +Jack de Baron had gone away, and Canon Holdenough and his wife, with +Mr. Groschut, had come in their places. This black influx, as Lord +Brotherton called it, had all been due to consideration for his +Lordship. Mr. De Baron thought that his guest would like to see, at any +rate, one of his own family, and Lady Alice Holdenough was the only one +whom he could meet. As to Mr. Groschut, he was the Dean's bitterest +enemy, and would, therefore, it was thought, be welcome. The Bishop had +been asked, as Mr. De Baron was one who found it expedient to make +sacrifices to respectability; but, as was well known, the Bishop never +went anywhere except to clerical houses. Mr. Groschut, who was a +younger man, knew that it behoved him to be all things to all men, and +that he could not be efficacious among sinners unless he would allow +himself to be seen in their paths. Care was, of course, taken that +Lady Alice should find herself alone with her brother. It was probably +expected that the Marquis would be regarded as less of an ogre in the +country if it were known that he had had communication with one of the +family without quarrelling with her. "So you're come here," he said. + +"I didn't know that people so pious would enter De Baron's doors." + +"Mr. De Baron is a very old friend of the Canon's. I hope he isn't very +wicked, and I'm afraid we are not very pious." + +"If you don't object, of course I don't. So they've all gone back to +the old house?" + +"Mamma is there." + +"And George?" he asked in a sharp tone. + +"And George,--at present." + +"George is, I think, the biggest fool I ever came across in my life. He +is so cowed by that man whose daughter he has married that he doesn't +know how to call his soul his own." + +"I don't think that, Brotherton. He never goes to the deanery to stay +there." + +"Then what makes him quarrel with me? He ought to know which side his +bread is buttered." + +"He had a great deal of money with her, you know." + +"If he thinks his bread is buttered on that side, let him stick to that +side and say so. I will regard none of my family as on friendly terms +with me who associate with the Dean of Brotherton or his daughter after +what took place up in London." Lady Alice felt this to be a distinct +threat to herself, but she allowed it to pass by without notice. She +was quite sure that the Canon would not quarrel with the Dean out of +deference to his brother-in-law. "The fact is they should all have gone +away as I told them, and especially when George had married the girl +and got her money. It don't make much difference to me, but it will +make a deal to him." + +"How is Popenjoy, Brotherton?" asked Lady Alice, anxious to change the +conversation. + +"I don't know anything about him." + +"What!" + +"He has gone back to Italy with his mother. How can I tell? Ask the +Dean. I don't doubt that he knows all about him. He has people +following them about, and watching every mouthful they eat." + +"I think he has given all that up." + +"Not he. He'll have to, unless he means to spend more money than I +think he has got." + +"George is quite satisfied about Popenjoy now," said Lady Alice. + +"I fancy George didn't like the expense. But he began it, and I'll +never forgive him. I fancy it was he and Sarah between them. They'll +find that they will have had the worst of it. The poor little beggar +hadn't much life in him. Why couldn't they wait?" + +"Is it so bad as that, Brotherton?" + +"They tell me he is not a young Hercules. Oh yes;--you can give my love +to my mother. Tell her that if I don't see her it is all George's +fault. I am not going to the house while he's there." To the Canon he +hardly spoke a word, nor was the Canon very anxious to talk to him. But +it became known throughout the country that the Marquis had met his +sister at Rudham Park, and the general effect was supposed to be good. + +"I shall go back to-morrow, De Baron," he said to his host that same +afternoon. This was the day on which Jack had gone to Brotherton. + +"We shall be sorry to lose you. I'm afraid it has been rather dull." + +"Not more dull than usual. Everything is dull after a certain time of +life unless a man has made some fixed line for himself. Some men can +eat and drink a great deal, but I haven't got stomach for that. Some +men play cards; but I didn't begin early enough to win money, and I +don't like losing it. The sort of things that a man does care for die +away from him, and of course it becomes dull." + +"I wonder you don't have a few horses in training." + +"I hate horses, and I hate being cheated." + +"They don't cheat me," said Mr. De Baron. + +"Ah;--very likely. They would me. I think I made a mistake, De Baron, +in not staying at home and looking after the property." + +"It's not too late, now." + +"Yes, it is. I could not do it. I could not remember the tenants' +names, and I don't care about game. I can't throw myself into a litter +of young foxes, or get into a fury of passion about pheasants' eggs. +It's all beastly nonsense, but if a fellow could only bring himself to +care about it that wouldn't matter. I don't care about anything." + +"You read." + +"No, I don't. I pretend to read--a little. If they had left me alone I +think I should have had myself bled to death in a warm bath. But I +won't now. That man's daughter shan't be Lady Brotherton if I can help +it. I have rather liked being here on the whole, though why the d---- +you should have a Germain impostor in your house, and a poor clergyman, +I can't make out." + +"He's the Deputy Bishop of the diocese." + +"But why have the Bishop himself unless he happen to be a friend? Does +your daughter like her marriage?" + +"I hope so. She does not complain." + +"He's an awful ass,--and always was. I remember when you used always to +finish up your books by making him bet as you pleased." + +"He always won." + +"And now you've made him marry your daughter. Perhaps he has won +there. I like her. If my wife would die and he would die, we might get +up another match and cut out Lord George after all." This speculation +was too deep even for Mr. De Baron, who laughed and shuffled himself +about, and got out of the room. + +"Wouldn't you have liked to be a marchioness," he said, some hours +afterwards, to Mrs. Houghton. She was in the habit of sitting by him +and talking to him late in the evening, while he was sipping his +curaçoa and soda water, and had become accustomed to hear odd things +from him. He liked her because he could say what he pleased to her, and +she would laugh and listen, and show no offence. But this last question +was very odd. Of course she thought that it referred to the old +overtures made to her by Lord George; but in that case, had she married +Lord George, she could only have been made a marchioness by his own +death,--by that and by the death of the little Popenjoy of whom she had +heard so much. + +"If it had come in my way fairly," she said with an arch smile. + +"I don't mean that you should have murdered anybody. Suppose you had +married me?" + +"You never asked me, my lord." + +"You were only eight or nine years old when I saw you last." + +"Isn't it a pity you didn't get yourself engaged to me then? Such +things have been done." + +"If the coast were clear I wonder whether you'd take me now." + +"The coast isn't clear, Lord Brotherton." + +"No, by George. I wish it were, and so do you too, if you'd dare to say +so." + +"You think I should be sure to take you." + +"I think you would. I should ask you at any rate. I'm not so old by ten +years as Houghton." + +"Your age would not be the stumbling block." + +"What then?" + +"I didn't say there would be any. I don't say that there would not. +It's a kind of thing that a woman doesn't think of." + +"It's just the kind of thing that women do think of." + +"Then they don't talk about it, Lord Brotherton. Your brother you know +did want me to marry him." + +"What, George? Before Houghton?" + +"Certainly;--before I had thought of Mr. Houghton." + +"Why the deuce did you refuse him? Why did you let him take that +little----" He did not fill up the blank, but Mrs. Houghton quite +understood that she was to suppose everything that was bad. "I never +heard of this before." + +"It wasn't for me to tell you." + +"What an ass you were." + +"Perhaps so. What should we have lived upon? Papa would not have given +us an income." + +"I could." + +"But you wouldn't. You didn't know me then." + +"Perhaps you'd have been just as keen as she is to rob my boy of his +name. And so George wanted to marry you! Was he very much in love?" + +"I was bound to suppose so, my lord." + +"And you didn't care for him!" + +"I didn't say that. But I certainly did not care to set up housekeeping +without a house or without the money to get one. Was I wrong?" + +"I suppose a fellow ought to have money when he wants to marry. Well, +my dear, there is no knowing what may come yet. Won't it be odd, if +after all, you should be Marchioness of Brotherton some day? After that +won't you give me a kiss before you say good-night." + +"I would have done if you had been my brother-in-law,--or, perhaps, if +the people were not all moving about in the next room. Good-night, +Marquis." + +"Good-night. Perhaps you'll regret some day that you haven't done what +I asked." + +"I might regret it more if I did." Then she took herself off, enquiring +in her own mind whether it might still be possible that she should ever +preside in the drawing-room at Manor Cross. Had he not been very much +in love with her, surely he would not have talked to her like that. + +"I think I'll say good-bye to you, De Baron," the Marquis said to his +host, that night. + +"You won't be going early." + +"No;--I never do anything early. But I don't like a fuss just as I am +going. I'll get down and drive away to catch some train. My man will +manage it all." + +"You go to London?" + +"I shall be in Italy within a week. I hate Italy, but I think I hate +England worse. If I believed in heaven and thought I were going there, +what a hurry I should be in to die." + +"Let us know how Popenjoy is." + +"You'll be sure to know whether he is dead or alive. There's nothing +else to tell. I never write letters except to Knox, and very few to +him. Good-night." + +When the Marquis was in his room, his courier, or the man so called, +came to undress him. "Have you heard anything to-day?" he asked in +Italian. The man said that he had heard. A letter had reached him that +afternoon from London. The letter had declared that little Popenjoy was +sinking. "That will do Bonni," he said. "I will get into bed by +myself." Then he sat down and thought of himself, and his life, and his +prospects,--and of the prospects of his enemies. + + + + +CHAPTER LIII. + +POOR POPENJOY! + + +On the following morning the party at Rudham Park were assembled at +breakfast between ten and eleven. It was understood that the Marquis +was gone,--or going. The Mildmays were still there with the Baroness, +and the Houghtons, and the black influx from the cathedral town. A few +other new comers had arrived on the previous day. Mr. Groschut, who was +sitting next to the Canon, had declared his opinion that, after all, +the Marquis of Brotherton was a very affable nobleman. "He's civil +enough," said the Canon, "when people do just what he wants." + +"A man of his rank and position of course expects to have some +deference paid to him." + +"A man of his rank and position should be very careful of the rights of +others, Mr. Groschut." + +"I'm afraid his brother did make himself troublesome. You're one of the +family, Canon, and therefore, of course, know all about it." + +"I know nothing at all about it, Mr. Groschut." + +"But it must be acknowledged that the Dean behaved very badly. +Violence!--personal violence! And from a clergyman,--to a man of his +rank!" + +"You probably don't know what took place in that room. I'm sure I +don't. But I'd rather trust the Dean than the Marquis any day. The +Dean's a man!" + +"But is he a clergyman?" + +"Of course he is; and a father. If he had been very much in the wrong +we should have heard more about it through the police." + +"I cannot absolve a clergyman for using personal violence," said Mr. +Groschut, very grandly. "He should have borne anything sooner than +degrade his sacred calling." Mr. Groschut had hoped to extract from the +Canon some expression adverse to the Dean, and to be able to assure +himself that he had enrolled a new ally. + +"Poor dear little fellow!" aunt Ju was saying to Mrs. Holdenough. Of +course she was talking of Popenjoy. "And you never saw him?" + +"No; I never saw him." + +"I am told he was a lovely child." + +"Very dark, I fancy." + +"And all those--those doubts? They're all over now?" + +"I never knew much about it, Miss Mildmay. I never inquired into it. +For myself, I always took it for granted that he was Popenjoy. I think +one always does take things for granted till somebody proves that it is +not so." + +"The Dean, I take it, has given it up altogether," said Mrs. Houghton +to old Lady Brabazon, who had come down especially to meet her nephew, +the Marquis, but who had hardly dared to speak a word to him on the +previous evening, and was now told that he was gone. Lady Brabazon for +a week or two had been quite sure that Popenjoy was not Popenjoy, being +at that time under the influence of a very strong letter from Lady +Sarah. But, since that, a general idea had come to prevail that the +Dean was wrong-headed, and Lady Brabazon had given in her adhesion to +Popenjoy. She had gone so far as to call at Scumberg's, and to leave a +box of bonbons. + +"I hope so, Mrs. Houghton; I do hope so. Quarrels are such dreadful +things in families. Brotherton isn't, perhaps, all that he might have +been." + +"Not a bad fellow, though, after all." + +"By no means, Mrs. Houghton, and quite what he ought to be in +appearance. I always thought that George was very foolish." + +"Lord George is foolish--sometimes." + +"Very stubborn, you know, and pigheaded. And as for the Dean,--is was +great interference on his part, very great interference. I won't say +that I like foreigners myself. I should be very sorry if Brabazon were +to marry a foreigner. But if he chooses to do so I don't see why he is +to be told that his heir isn't his heir. They say she is a very worthy +woman, and devoted to him." At this moment the butler came in and +whispered a word to Mr. De Baron, who immediately got up from his +chair. "So my nephew hasn't gone," said Lady Brabazon. "That was a +message from him. I heard his name." + +Her ears had been correct. The summons which Mr. De Baron obeyed had +come from the Marquis. He went upstairs at once, and found Lord +Brotherton sitting in his dressing-gown, with a cup of chocolate before +him, and a bit of paper in his hand. He did not say a word, but handed +the paper, which was a telegram, to Mr. De Baron. As the message was in +Italian, and as Mr. De Baron did not read the language, he was at a +loss. "Ah! you don't understand it," said the Marquis. "Give it me. +It's all over with little Popenjoy." + +"Dead!" said Mr. De Baron. + +"Yes. He has got away from all his troubles,--lucky dog! He'll never +have to think what he'll do with himself. They'd almost told me that it +must be so, before he went." + +"I grieve for you greatly, Brotherton." + +"There's no use in that, old fellow. I'm sorry to be a bother to you, +but I thought it best to tell you. I don't understand much about what +people call grief. I can't say that I was particularly fond of him, or +that I shall personally miss him. They hardly ever brought him to me, +and when they did, it bothered me. And yet, somehow it pinches me;--it +pinches me." + +"Of course it does." + +"It will be such a triumph to the Dean, and George. That's about the +worst of it. But they haven't got it yet. Though I should be the most +miserable dog on earth I'll go on living as long as I can keep my body +and soul together. I'll have another son yet, if one is to be had for +love or money. They shall have trouble enough before they find +themselves at Manor Cross." + +"The Dean'll be dead before that time;--and so shall I," said Mr. De +Baron. + +"Poor little boy! You never saw him. They didn't bring him in when you +were over at Manor Cross?" + +"No;--I didn't see him." + +"They weren't very proud of showing him. He wasn't much to look at. +Upon my soul I don't know whether he was legitimate or not, according +to English fashions." Mr. De Baron stared. "They had something to stand +upon, but,--damn it,--they went about it in such a dirty way! It don't +matter now, you know, but you needn't repeat all this." + +"Not a word," said Mr. De Baron, wondering why such a communication +should have been made to him. + +"And there was plenty of ground for a good fight. I hardly know whether +she had been married or not. I never could quite find out." Again Mr. +De Baron stared. "It's all over now." + +"But if you were to have another son?" + +"Oh! we're married now! There were two ceremonies. I believe the Dean +knows quite as much about it as I do;--very likely more. What a rumpus +there has been about a rickety brat who was bound to die." + +"Am I to tell them downstairs?" + +"Yes;--you might as well tell them. Wait till I'm gone. They'd say I'd +concealed it if I didn't let them know, and I certainly shan't write. +There's no Popenjoy now. If that young woman has a son he can't be +Popenjoy as long as I live. I'll take care of myself. By George I will. +Fancy, if the Dean had killed me. He'd have made his own daughter a +Marchioness." + +"But he'd have been hung." + +"Then I wish he'd done it. I wonder how it would have gone. There was +nobody there to see, nor to hear. Well;--I believe I'll think of going. +There's a train at two. You'll let me have a carriage; won't you?" + +"Certainly." + +"Let me get out some back way, and don't say a word about this till I'm +off. I wouldn't have them condoling with me, and rejoicing in their +sleeves, for a thousand pounds. Tell Holdenough, or my sister;--that'll +be enough. Good-bye. If you want ever to see me again, you must come to +Como." Then Mr. De Baron took his leave, and the Marquis prepared for +his departure. + +As he was stepping into the carriage at a side door he was greeted by +Mr. Groschut. "So your Lordship is leaving us," said the Chaplain. The +Marquis looked at him, muttered something, and snarled as he hurried up +the step of the carriage. "I'm sorry that we are to lose your Lordship +so soon." Then there was another snarl. "I had one word I wanted to +say." + +"To me! What can you have to say to me?" + +"If at any time I can do anything for your Lordship at Brotherton----" + +"You can't do anything. Go on." The last direction was given to the +coachman, and the carriage was driven off, leaving Mr. Groschut on the +path. + +Before lunch everybody in the house knew that poor little Popenjoy was +dead, and that the Dean had, in fact, won the battle,--though not in +the way that he had sought to win it. Lord Brotherton had, after a +fashion, been popular at Rudham, but, nevertheless, it was felt by them +all that Lady George was a much greater woman to-day than she had been +yesterday. It was felt also that the Dean was in the ascendant. The +Marquis had been quite agreeable, making love to the ladies, and fairly +civil to the gentlemen,--excepting Mr. Groschut; but he certainly was +not a man likely to live to eighty. He was married, and, as was +generally understood, separated from his wife. They might all live to +see Lady George Marchioness of Brotherton and a son of hers Lord +Popenjoy. + +"Dead!" said Lady Brabazon, when Lady Alice, with sad face, whispered +to her the fatal news. + +"He got a telegram this morning from Italy. Poor little boy." + +"And what'll he do now;--the Marquis I mean?" + +"I suppose he'll follow his wife," said Lady Alice. + +"Was he much cut up?" + +"I didn't see him. He merely sent me word by Mr. De Baron." Mr. De +Baron afterwards assured Lady Brabazon that the poor father had been +very much cut up. Great pity was expressed throughout the party, but +there was not one there who would not now have been civil to poor Mary. + +The Marquis had his flowers, and his fruit, and his French novels on +his way up to town, and kept his sorrow, if he felt it, very much to +himself. Soon after his arrival at Scumberg's, at which place they were +obliged to take him in as he was still paying for his rooms, he made it +known that he should start for Italy in a day or two. On that night and +on the next he did not go out in his brougham, nor did he give any +offence to Mrs. Walker. London was as empty as London ever is, and +nobody came to see him. For two days he did not leave his room, the +same room in which the Dean had nearly killed him, and received nobody +but his tailor and his hair-dresser. I think that, in his way, he did +grieve for the child who was gone, and who, had he lived, would have +been the intended heir of his title and property. They must now all go +from him to his enemies! And the things themselves were to himself of +so very little value! Living alone at Scumberg's was not a pleasant +life. Even going out in his brougham at nights was not very pleasant to +him. He could do as he liked at Como, and people wouldn't grumble;--but +what was there even at Como that he really liked to do? He had a half +worn out taste for scenery which he had no longer energy to gratify by +variation. It had been the resolution of his life to live without +control, and now, at four and forty, he found that the life he had +chosen was utterly without attraction. He had been quite in earnest in +those regrets as to shooting, hunting, and the duties of an English +country life. Though he was free from remorse, not believing in +anything good, still he was open to a conviction that had he done what +other people call good, he would have done better for himself. +Something of envy stirred him as he read the records of a nobleman +whose political life had left him no moment of leisure for his private +affairs;--something of envy when he heard of another whose cattle were +the fattest in the land. He was connected with Lord Grassangrains, and +had always despised that well-known breeder of bullocks;--but he could +understand now that Lord Grassangrains should wish to live, whereas +life to him was almost unbearable. Lord Grassangrains probably had a +good appetite. + +On the last morning of his sojourn at Scumberg's he received two or +three letters which he would willingly have avoided by running away had +it been possible. The first he opened was from his old mother, who had +not herself troubled him much with letters for some years past. It was +as follows:-- + + "DEAREST BROTHERTON,--I have heard about poor Popenjoy, and I am + so unhappy. Darling little fellow. We are all very wretched here, + and I have nearly cried my eyes out. I hope you won't go away + without seeing me. If you'll let me, I'll go up to London, though + I haven't been there for I don't know how long. But perhaps you + will come here to your own house. I do so wish you would. + + "Your most affectionate mother, + + "H. BROTHERTON. + + "P.S.--Pray don't turn George out at the end of the month." + +This he accepted without anger as being natural, but threw aside as +being useless. Of course he would not answer it. They all knew that he +never answered their letters. As to the final petition he had nothing +to say to it. + +The next was from Lord George, and shall also be given:-- + + "MY DEAR BROTHERTON,--I cannot let the tidings which I have just + heard pass by without expressing my sympathy. I am very sorry + indeed that you should have lost your son. I trust you will credit + me for saying so much with absolute truth. + + "Yours always, + + "GEORGE GERMAIN." + +"I don't believe a word of it," he said almost out loud. To his +thinking it was almost impossible that what his brother said should be +true. Why should he be sorry,--he that had done his utmost to prove +that Popenjoy was not Popenjoy? He crunched the letter up and cast it +on one side. Of course he would not answer that. + +The third was from a new correspondent; and that also the reader shall +see;-- + + "MY DEAR LORD MARQUIS,--Pray believe that had I known under what + great affliction you were labouring when you left Rudham Park I + should have been the last man in the world to intrude myself upon + you. Pray believe me also when I say that I have heard of your + great bereavement with sincere sympathy, and that I condole with + you from the bottom of my heart. Pray remember, my dear Lord, that + if you will turn aright for consolation you certainly will not + turn in vain. + + "Let me add, though this is hardly the proper moment for such + allusion, that both his lordship the Bishop and myself were most + indignant when we heard of the outrage committed upon you at your + hotel. I make no secret of my opinion that the present Dean of + Brotherton ought to be called upon by the great Council of the + Nation to vacate his promotion. I wish that the bench of bishops + had the power to take from him his frock. + + "I have the honour to be, + + "My Lord Marquis, + + "With sentiments of most unfeigned respect, + + "Your Lordship's most humble servant, + + "JOSEPH GROSCHUT." + +The Marquis smiled as he also threw this letter into the waste-paper +basket, telling himself that birds of that feather very often did fall +out with one another. + + + + +CHAPTER LIV. + +JACK DE BARON'S VIRTUE. + + +We must now go back to Jack De Baron, who left Rudham Park the same day +as the Marquis,--having started before the news of Lord Popenjoy's +death had been brought down stairs by Mr. De Baron. Being only Jack De +Baron he had sent to Brotherton for a fly, and in that conveyance had +had himself taken to the "Lion," arriving there three or four hours +before the time at which he purposed to leave the town. Indeed his +arrangements had intentionally been left so open that he might if he +liked remain the night,--or if he pleased, remain a week at the "Lion." +He thought it not improbable that the Dean might ask him to dinner, +and, if so, he certainly would dine with the Dean. + +He was very serious,--considering who he was, we may almost say solemn, +as he sat in the fly. It was the rule of his life to cast all cares +from him, and his grand principle to live from hand to mouth. He was +almost a philosopher in his epicureanism, striving always that nothing +should trouble him. But now he had two great troubles, which he could +not throw off from him. In the first place, after having striven +against it for the last four or five years with singular success, he +had in a moment of weakness allowed himself to become engaged to Guss +Mildmay. She had gone about it so subtlely that he had found himself +manacled almost before he knew that the manacles were there. He had +fallen into the trap of an hypothesis, and now felt that the +preliminary conditions on which he had seemed to depend could never +avail him. He did not mean to marry Guss Mildmay. He did not suppose +that she thought he meant to marry her. He did not love her, and he did +not believe very much in her love for him. But Guss Mildmay, having +fought her battle in the world for many years with but indifferent +success, now felt that her best chance lay in having a bond upon her +old lover. He ought not to have gone to Rudham when he knew that she +was to be there. He had told himself that before, but he had not liked +to give up the only chance which had come in his way of being near Lady +George since she had left London. And now he was an engaged man,--a +position which had always been to him full of horrors. He had run his +bark on to the rock, which it had been the whole study of his +navigation to avoid. He had committed the one sin which he had always +declared to himself that he never would commit. This made him unhappy. + +And he was uneasy also,--almost unhappy,--respecting Lady George. +People whom he knew to be bad had told him things respecting her which +he certainly did not believe, but which he did not find it compatible +with his usual condition of life altogether to disbelieve. If he had +ever loved any woman he loved her. He certainly respected her as he had +never respected any other young woman. He had found the pleasure to be +derived from her society to be very different from that which had come +from his friendship with others. With her he could be perfectly +innocent, and at the same time completely happy. To dance with her, to +ride with her, to walk with her, to sit with the privilege of looking +at her, was joy of itself, and required nothing beyond. It was a +delight to him to have any little thing to do for her. When his daily +life was in any way joined with hers there was a brightness in it which +he thoroughly enjoyed though he did not quite understand. When that +affair of the dance came, in which Lord George had declared his +jealousy, he had been in truth very unhappy because she was unhappy, +and he had been thoroughly angry with the man, not because the man had +interfered with his own pleasures, but because of the injury and the +injustice done to the wife. He found himself wounded, really hurt, +because she had been made subject to calumny. When he tried to analyse +the feeling he could not understand it. It was so different from +anything that had gone before! He was sure that she liked him, and yet +there was a moment in which he thought that he would purposely keep out +of her way for the future, lest he might be a trouble to her. He loved +her so well that his love for a while almost made him unselfish. + +And yet,--yet he might be mistaken about her. It had been the theory of +his life that young married women become tired of their husbands, and +one of his chief doctrines that no man should ever love in such a way +as to believe in the woman he loves. After so many years, was he to +give up his philosophy? Was he to allow the ground to be cut from under +his feet by a young creature of twenty-one who had been brought up in a +county town? Was he to run away because a husband had taken it into his +head to be jealous? All the world had given him credit for his +behaviour at the Kappa-kappa. He had gathered laurels,--very much +because he was supposed to be the lady's lover. He had never boasted to +others of the lady's favour; but he knew that she liked him, and he had +told himself that he would be poor-spirited if he abandoned her. + +He drove up to the "Lion" and ordered a room. He did not know whether +he should want it, but he would at any rate bespeak it. And he ordered +his dinner. Come what come might, he thought that he would dine and +sleep at Brotherton that day. Finding himself so near to Lady George, +he would not leave her quite at once. He asked at the inn whether the +Dean was in Brotherton. Yes; the Dean was certainly at the deanery. He +had been seen about in the city that morning. The inhabitants, when +they talked about Brotherton, always called it the city. And were Lord +George and Lady George at the deanery? In answer to this question, the +landlady with something of a lengthened face declared that Lady George +was with her papa, but that Lord George was at Manor Cross. Then Jack +De Baron strolled out towards the Close. + +It was a little after one when he found himself at the cathedral door, +and thinking that the Dean and his daughter might be at lunch, he went +into the building, so that he might get rid of half an hour. He had not +often been in cathedrals of late years, and now looked about him with +something of awe. He could remember that when he was a child he had +been brought here to church, and as he stood in the choir with the +obsequient verger at his elbow he recollected how he had got through +the minutes of a long sermon,--a sermon that had seemed to be very +long,--in planning the way in which, if left to himself, he would climb +to the pinnacle which culminated over the bishop's seat, and thence +make his way along the capitals and vantages of stonework, till he +would ascend into the triforium and thus become lord and master of the +old building. How much smaller his ambitions had become since then, and +how much less manly. "Yes, sir; his Lordship is here every Sunday when +he is at the palace," said the verger. "But his Lordship is ailing +now." + +"And the Dean?" + +"The Dean always comes once a day to service when he is here; but the +Dean has been much away of late. Since Miss Mary's marriage the Dean +isn't in Brotherton as much as formerly." + +"I know the Dean. I'm going to his house just now. They like him in +Brotherton, I suppose?" + +"That's according to their way of thinking, sir. We like him. I suppose +you heard, sir, there was something of a row between him and Miss +Mary's brother-in-law!" Jack said that he had heard of it. "There's +them as say he was wrong." + +"I say he was quite right." + +"That's what we think, sir. It's got about that his Lordship said some +bad word of Miss Mary. A father wasn't to stand that because he's a +clergyman, was he, sir?" + +"The Dean did just what you or I would do." + +"That's just it, sir. That's what we all say. Thank you, sir. You won't +see Prince Edward's monument, sir? Gentlemen always do go down to the +crypt." Jack wouldn't see the monument to-day, and having paid his +half-crown, was left to wander about alone through the aisles. + +How would it have been with him if his life had been different; if he +had become, perhaps, a clergyman and had married Mary Lovelace?--or if +he had become anything but what he was with her for his wife? He knew +that his life had been a failure, that the best of it was gone, and +that even the best of it had been unsatisfactory. Many people liked +him, but was there any one who loved him? In all the world there was +but one person that he loved, and she was the wife of another man. Of +one thing at this moment he was quite sure,--that he would never wound +her ears by speaking of his love. Would it not be better that he should +go away and see her no more? The very tone in which the verger had +spoken of Miss Mary had thrown to the winds those doubts which had come +from the teaching of Adelaide Houghton and Guss Mildmay. If she had +been as they said, would even her father have felt for her as he did +feel, and been carried away by his indignation at the sound of an evil +word? + +But he had asked after the Dean at the hotel, and had told the verger +of his acquaintance, and had been seen by many in the town. He could +not now leave the place without calling. So resolving he knocked at +last at the deanery door, and was told that the Dean was at home. He +asked for the Dean, and not for Lady George, and was shown into the +library. In a minute the Dean was with him. "Come in and have some +lunch," said the Dean. "We have this moment sat down. Mary will be +delighted to see you,--and so am I." Of course he went in to lunch, and +in a moment was shaking hands with Mary, who in truth was delighted to +see him. + +"You've come from Rudham?" asked the Dean. + +"This moment." + +"Have they heard the news there?" + +"What news?" + +"Lord Brotherton is there, is he not?" + +"I think he left to-day. He was to do so. I heard no news." He looked +across to Mary, and saw that her face was sad and solemn. + +"The child that they called Lord Popenjoy is dead," said the Dean. He +was neither sad nor solemn. He could not control the triumph of his +voice as he told the news. + +"Poor little boy!" said Mary. + +"Dead!" exclaimed Jack. + +"I've just had a telegram from my lawyer in London. Yes; he's out of +the way. Poor little fellow! As sure as I sit here he was not Lord +Popenjoy." + +"I never understood anything about it," said Jack. + +"But I did. Of course the matter is at rest now. I'm not the man to +grudge any one what belongs to him; but I do not choose that any one +belonging to me should be swindled. If she were to have a son now, he +would be the heir." + +"Oh, papa, do not talk in that way." + +"Rights are rights, and the truth is the truth. Can any one wish that +such a property and such a title should go to the child of an Italian +woman whom no one has seen or knows?" + +"Let it take its chance now, papa." + +"Of course it must take its chance; but your chances must be +protected." + +"Papa, he was at any rate my nephew." + +"I don't know that. In law, I believe, he was no such thing. But he +has gone, and we need think of him no further." He was very triumphant. +There was an air about him as though he had already won the great stake +for which he had been playing. But in the midst of it all he was very +civil to Jack De Baron. "You will stay and dine with us to-day, Captain +De Baron?" + +"Oh, do," said Mary. + +"We can give you a bed if you will sleep here." + +"Thanks. My things are at the hotel, and I will not move them. I will +come and dine if you'll have me." + +"We shall be delighted. We can't make company of you, because no one is +coming. I shouldn't wonder if Lord George rode over. He will if he +hears of this. Of course he'll know to-morrow; but perhaps they will +not have telegraphed to him. I should go out to Manor Cross, only I +don't quite like to put my foot in that man's house." Jack could not +but feel that the Dean treated him almost as though he were one of the +family. "I rather think I shall ride out and risk it. You won't mind my +leaving you?" Of course Jack declared that he would not for worlds be +in the way. "Mary will play Badminton with you, if you like it. Perhaps +you can get hold of Miss Pountner and Grey; and make up a game." Mr. +Grey was one of the minor canons, and Miss Pountner was the canon's +daughter. + +"We shall do very well, papa. I'm not mad after Badminton, and I dare +say we shall manage without Miss Pountner." + +The Dean went off, and in spite of the feud did ride over to Manor +Cross. His mind was so full of the child's death and of the all but +certainty of coming glory which now awaited his daughter, that he could +not keep himself quiet. It seemed to him that a just Providence had +interfered to take that child away. And as the Marquis hated him, so +did he hate the Marquis. He had been willing at first to fight the +battle fairly without personal animosity. On the Marquis's first +arrival he had offered him the right hand of fellowship. He remembered +it all accurately,--how the Marquis had on that occasion ill-used and +insulted him. No man knew better than the Dean when he was well-treated +and when ill-treated. And then this lord had sent for him for the very +purpose of injuring and wounding him through his daughter's name. His +wrath on that occasion had not all expended itself in the blow. After +that word had been spoken he was the man's enemy for ever. There could +be no forgiveness. He could not find room in his heart for even a spark +of pity because the man had lost an only child. Had not the man tried +to do worse than kill his only child--his daughter? Now the +pseudo-Popenjoy was dead, and the Dean was in a turmoil of triumph. It +was essential to him that he should see his son-in-law. His son-in-law +must be made to understand what it would be to be the father of the +future Marquis of Brotherton. + +"I think I'll just step across to the inn," said Jack, when the Dean +had left them. + +"And we'll have a game of croquet when you come back. I do like +croquet, though papa laughs at me. I think I like all games. It is so +nice to be doing something." + +Jack sauntered back to the inn, chiefly that he might have a further +opportunity of considering what he would say to her. And he did make up +his mind. He would play croquet with all his might, and behave to her +as though she were his dearest sister. + + + + +CHAPTER LV. + +HOW COULD HE HELP IT? + + +When he returned she was out in the garden with her hat on and a mallet +in her hand; but she was seated on one of a cluster of garden-chairs +under a great cedar tree. "I think it's almost too hot to play," she +said. It was an August afternoon, and the sun was very bright in the +heavens. Jack was of course quite willing to sit under the cedar-tree +instead of playing croquet. He was prepared to do whatever she wished. +If he could only know what subjects she would prefer, he would talk +about them and nothing else. "How do you think papa is looking?" she +asked. + +"He always looks well." + +"Ah; he was made dreadfully unhappy by that affair up in London. He +never would talk about it to me; but he was quite ill while he thought +the Marquis was in danger." + +"I don't believe the Marquis was much the worse for it." + +"They said he was, and papa for some time could not get over it. Now he +is elated. I wish he would not be so glad because that poor little boy +has died." + +"It makes a great difference to him, Lady George;--and to you." + +"Of course it makes a difference, and of course I feel it. I am as +anxious for my husband as any other woman. If it should come fairly, as +it were by God's doing, I am not going to turn up my nose at it." + +"Is not this fairly?" + +"Oh yes. Papa did not make the little boy die, of course. But I don't +think that people should long for things like this. If they can't keep +from wishing them, they should keep their wishes to themselves. It is +so like coveting other people's goods. Don't you think we ought to keep +the commandments, Captain De Baron?" + +"Certainly--if we can." + +"Then we oughtn't to long for other people's titles." + +"If I understand it, the Dean wanted to prevent somebody else from +getting a title which wasn't his own. That wouldn't be breaking the +commandment." + +"Of course I am not finding fault with papa. He would not for worlds +try to take anything that wasn't his,--or mine. But it's so sad about +the little boy." + +"I don't think the Marquis cared for him." + +"Oh, he must have cared! His only child! And the poor mother;--think +how she must feel." + +"In spite of it all, I do think it's a very good thing that he's dead," +said Jack, laughing. + +"Then you ought to keep it to yourself, sir. It's a very horrid thing +to say so. Wouldn't you like to smoke a cigar? You may, you know. Papa +always smokes out here, because he says Mr. Groschut can't see him." + +"Mr. Groschut is at Rudham," said Jack, as he took a cigar out of his +case and lit it. + +"At Rudham? What promotion!" + +"He didn't seem to me to be a first-class sort of a fellow." + +"Quite a last-class sort of fellow, if there is a last class. I'll tell +you a secret, Captain De Baron. Mr. Groschut is my pet abomination. If +I hate anybody, I hate him. I think I do really hate Mr. Groschut. I +almost wish that they would make him bishop of some unhealthy place." + +"So that he might go away and die?" + +"If the mosquitoes would eat him day and night, that would be enough. +Who else was there at Rudham?" + +"Mrs. Montacute Jones." + +"Dear Mrs. Jones. I do like Mrs. Jones." + +"And Adelaide Houghton with her husband." Mary turned up her nose and +made a grimace as the Houghtons were named. "You used to be very fond +of Adelaide." + +"Very fond is a long word. We were by way of being friends; but we are +friends no longer." + +"Tell me what she did to offend you, Lady George? I know there was +something." + +"You are her cousin. Of course I am not going to abuse her to you." + +"She's not half so much my cousin as you are my friend,--if I may say +so. What did she do or what did she say?" + +"She painted her face." + +"If you're going to quarrel, Lady George, with every woman in London +who does that, you'll have a great many enemies." + +"And the hair at the back of her head got bigger and bigger every +month. Papa always quotes something about Dr. Fell when he's asked why +he does not like anybody. She's Dr. Fell to me." + +"I don't think she quite knows why you've cut her." + +"I'm quite sure she does, Captain De Baron. She knows all about it. And +now, if you please, we won't talk of her any more. Who else was there +at Rudham?" + +"All the old set. Aunt Ju and Guss." + +"Then you were happy." + +"Quite so. I believe that no one knows all about that better than you +do." + +"You ought to have been happy." + +"Lady George, I thought you always told the truth." + +"I try to; and I think you ought to have been happy. You don't mean to +tell me that Miss Mildmay is nothing to you?" + +"She is a very old friend." + +"Ought she not to be more? Though of course I have no right to ask." + +"You have a right if any one has. I haven't a friend in the world I +would trust as I would you. No; she ought not to be more." + +"Have you never given her a right to think that she would be more?" + +He paused a moment or two before he answered. Much as he wished to +trust her, anxious as he was that she should be his real friend he +could hardly bring himself to tell her all that had taken place at +Rudham Park during the last day or two. Up to that time he never had +given Miss Mildmay any right. So, at least, he still assured himself. +But now,--it certainly was different now. He desired of all things to +be perfectly honest with Lady George,--to be even innocent in all that +he said to her; but--just for this once--he was obliged to deviate into +a lie. "Never!" he said. + +"Of course it is not for me to enquire further." + +"It is very hard to describe the way in which such an intimacy has come +about. Guss Mildmay and I have been very much thrown together; but, +even had she wished it, we never could have married. We have no means." + +"And yet you live like rich people." + +"We have no means because we have lived like rich people." + +"You have never asked her to marry you?" + +"Never." + +"Nor made her think that you would ask her? That comes to the same +thing, Captain De Baron." + +"How am I to answer that? How am I to tell it all without seeming to +boast. When it first came to pass that we knew ourselves well enough to +admit of such a thing being said between us, I told her that marriage +was impossible. Is not that enough?" + +"I suppose so," said Lady George, who remembered well every word that +Gus Mildmay had said to herself. "I don't know why I should enquire +about it, only I thought----" + +"I know what you thought." + +"What did I think?" + +"That I was a heartless scoundrel." + +"No, never. If I had, I should not have,--have cared about it. Perhaps +it has been unfortunate." + +"Most unfortunate!" Then again there was a pause, during which he went +on smoking while she played with her mallet. "I wish I could tell you +everything about it;--only I can't. Did she ever speak to you?" + +"Yes, once." + +"And what did she say?" + +"I cannot tell you that either." + +"I have endeavoured to be honest; but sometimes it is so difficult. One +wants sometimes to tell the whole truth, but it won't come out. I am +engaged to her now." + +"You are engaged to her!" + +"And two days since I was as free as ever." + +"Then I may congratulate you." + +"No, no. It makes me miserable. I do not love her. There is one other +person that I care for, and I never can care for any one else. There is +one woman that I love, and I never really loved any one else." + +"That is very sad, Captain De Baron." + +"Is it not? I can never marry Miss Mildmay." + +"And yet you have promised?" + +"I have promised under certain circumstances which can never, never +come about." + +"Why did you promise if you do not love her?" + +"Cannot you understand without my telling you? I cannot tell you that. +I am sure you understand." + +"I suppose I do. Poor Miss Mildmay!" + +"And poor Jack De Baron!" + +"Yes; poor Jack De Baron also! No man should talk to a girl of marrying +her unless he loves her. It is different with a girl. She may come to +love a man. She may love a man better than all the world, though she +hardly knew him when she married him. If he is good to her, she will +certainly do so. But if a man marries a woman without loving her, he +will soon hate her." + +"I shall never marry Miss Mildmay." + +"And yet you have said you would?" + +"I told you that I wanted to tell you everything. It is so pleasant to +have some one to trust, even though I should be blamed as you are +blaming me. It simply means that I can marry no one else." + +"But you love some one?" She felt when she was asking the question that +it was indiscreet. When the assertion was made she had not told herself +that she was the woman. She had not thought it. For an instant she had +tried to imagine who that other one could be. But yet, when the words +were out of her mouth, she knew that they were indiscreet. Was she not +indiscreet in holding any such conversation with a man who was not her +brother or even her cousin? She wished that he were her cousin, so that +she might become the legitimate depository of his secrets. Though she +was scolding him for his misdoings, yet she hardly liked him the less +for them. She thought that she did understand how it was, and she +thought that the girl was more in fault than the man. It was not till +the words had passed her mouth and the question had been asked that she +felt the indiscretion. "But you love some one else?" + +"Certainly I do; but I had not meant to speak about that." + +"I will enquire into no secrets." + +"Is that a secret? Can it be a secret? Do you not know that ever since +I knew you I have had no pleasure but in being with you, and talking to +you, and looking at you?" + +"Captain De Baron!" As she spoke she rose from her seat as though she +would at once leave him and go back into the house. + +"You must hear me now. You must not go without hearing me. I will not +say a word to offend you." + +"You have offended me." + +"How could I help it? What was I to do? What ought I to have said? Pray +do not go, Lady George." + +"I did not think you would have insulted me. I did trust you." + +"You may trust me. On my honour as a gentleman, I will never say +another word that you can take amiss. I wish I could tell you all my +feelings. One cannot help one's love." + +"A man may govern his words." + +"As I trust in heaven, I had determined that I would never say a +syllable to you that I might not have spoken to my sister. Have I asked +you to love me? I have not thought it possible that you should do so. I +know you to be too good. It has never come within my dreams." + +"It is wicked to think of it." + +"I have not thought of it. I will never think of it. You are like an +angel to me. If I could write poetry, I should write about you. If ever +I build castles in the air and think what I might have been if things +had gone well with me, I try to fancy then that I might have had you +for a wife. That is not wicked. That is not a crime. Can you be angry +with me because, having got to know you as I do, I think you better, +nicer, jollier, more beautiful than any one else? Have you never really +loved a friend?" + +"I love my husband with all my heart,--oh, better than all the world." + +Jack did not quite understand this. His angel was an angel. He was sure +of that. And he wished her to be still an angel. But he could not +understand how any angel could passionately love Lord George +Germain,--especially this angel who had been so cruelly treated by him. +Had she loved him better than all the world when he walked her out of +Mrs. Jones' drawing-room, reprimanding her before all the guests for +her conduct in dancing the Kappa-kappa? But this was a matter not open +to argument. "I may still be your friend?" he said. + +"I think you had better not come again." + +"Do not say that, Lady George. If I have done wrong, forgive me. I +think you must admit that I could hardly help myself." + +"Not help yourself!" + +"Did I not tell you that I wanted you to know the whole truth? How +could I make you understand about Miss Mildmay without telling it all? +Say that you will forgive me." + +"Say that it is not so, and then I will forgive you." + +"No. It is so, and it must be so. It will remain so always, but yet you +will surely forgive me, if I never speak of it again. You will forgive +me and understand me, and when hereafter you see me as a middle-aged +man about town, you will partly know why it is so. Oh dear; I forgot to +tell you. We had another old friend of yours at Rudham,--a very +particular friend." Of course she had forgiven him and now she was +thankful to him for his sudden breach of the subject; but she was not +herself strong enough immediately to turn to another matter. "Who do +you think was there?" + +"How can I tell?" + +"The Baroness." + +"No?" + +"As large as life." + +"Baroness Banmann at Mr. De Baron's." + +"Yes;--Baroness Banmann. Aunt Julia had contrived to get permission to +bring her, and the joke was that she did us all out of our money. She +got a five-pound note from me." + +"What a goose you were." + +"And ten from Lord Brotherton! I think that was the greatest triumph. +She was down on him without the slightest compunction. I never saw a +man so shot in my life. He sent me to look for the money, and she never +left me till I had got it for her." + +"I thought Aunt Ju had had enough of her." + +"I should think she has now. And we had Lord Giblet. Lord Giblet is to +marry Miss Patmore Green after all." + +"Poor Lord Giblet!" + +"And poor Miss Patmore Green. I don't know which will have the worst of +it. They can practise the Kappa-kappa together for consolation. It is +all Mrs. Jones' doing, and she is determined that he shan't escape. I'm +to go down to Killancodlem and help." + +"Why should you have anything to do with it?" + +"Very good shooting, and plenty to eat and drink,--and Giblet is a +friend of mine; so I'm bound to lend a hand. And now, Lady George, I +think I'll go to the hotel and be back to dinner. We are friends." + +"Yes; if you promise not to offend me." + +"I will never offend you. I will never say a word that all the world +might not hear,--except this once,--to thank you." Then he seized her +hand and kissed it. "You shall always be a sister to me," he said. +"When I am in trouble I will come to you. Say that you will love me as +a brother." + +"I will always regard you as a friend." + +"Regard is a cold word, but I will make the most of it. Here is your +father." + +At this moment they were coming from a side path on to the lawn, and as +they did so the Dean appeared upon the terrace through the deanery room +window. With the Dean was Lord George, and Mary, as soon as she saw +him, rushed up to him and threw her arms round his neck. "Oh George, +dear, dearest George, papa said that perhaps you would come. You are +going to stay?" + +"He will dine here," said the Dean. + +"Only dine!" + +"I cannot stay longer to-day," said Lord George, with his eye upon +Captain De Baron. The Dean had told him that De Baron was there; but, +still, when he saw that the man had been walking with his wife, a +renewed uneasiness came upon him. It could not be right that the man +from whose arms he had rescued her on the night of the ball should be +left alone with her a whole afternoon in the Deanery Garden! She was +thoughtless as a child;--but it seemed to him that the Dean was as +thoughtless as his daughter. The Dean must know what people had said. +The Dean had himself seen that horrid dance, with its results. The +awful accusation made by the Marquis had been uttered in the Dean's +ears. Because that had been wicked and devilishly false, the Dean's +folly was not the less. Lord George embraced his wife, but she knew +from the touch of his arm round her waist that there was something +wrong with him. + +The two men shook hands of course, and then De Baron went out, +muttering something to the Dean as to his being back to dinner. "I +can't say I like that young man," said Lord George. + +"I like him very much," replied the Dean. "He is always good-humoured, +and I think he's honest. I own to a predilection for happy people." + +Mary was of course soon upstairs with her husband. "I thought you would +come," she said, hanging on him. + +"I did not like not to see you after the news. It is important. You +must feel that." + +"Poor little boy! Don't you grieve for them." + +"Yes, I do. Brotherton has treated me very badly, but I do feel for +him. I shall write to him and say so. But that will not alter the fact. +Popenjoy is dead." + +"No; it will not alter the fact." He was so solemn with her that she +hardly knew how to talk to him. + +"Popenjoy is dead,--if he was Popenjoy. I suppose he was; but that does +not signify now." + +"Not in the least I suppose." + +"And if you have a son----" + +"Oh, George?" + +"He won't be Popenjoy yet." + +"Or perhaps ever." + +"Or perhaps ever;--but a time will probably come when he will be +Popenjoy. We can't help thinking about it, you know." + +"Of course not." + +"I'm sure I don't want my brother to die." + +"I am sure I don't." + +"But the family has to be kept up. I do care about the family. They all +think at Manor Cross that you should go over at once." + +"Are you going to stay there, George. Of course I will go if you are +going to stay there." + +"They think you should come, though it were only for a few days." + +"And then? Of course I will go, George, if you say so. I have had my +visit with papa,--as much as I had a right to expect. And, oh George, I +do so long to be with you again." Then she hung upon him and kissed +him. It must have been impossible that he should be really jealous, +though Captain De Baron had been there the whole day. Nor was he +jealous, except with that Cæsarian jealousy lest she should be +unfortunate enough to cause a whisper derogatory to his marital +dignity. + +The matter had been fully discussed at Manor Cross; and the Manor Cross +conclave, meaning of course Lady Sarah, had thought that Mary should be +brought to the house, if only for a day or two, if only that people in +Brothershire might know that there had been no quarrel between her and +her husband. That she should have visited her father might be +considered as natural. It need not be accounted as quite unnatural that +she should have done so without her husband. But now,--now it was +imperative that Brothershire should know that the mother of the future +Lord Popenjoy was on good terms with the family. "Of course her +position is very much altered," Lady Susanna had said in private to +Lady Amelia. The old Marchioness felt a real longing to see "dear +Mary," and to ask becoming questions as to her condition. And it was +quite understood that she was not to be required to make any cloaks or +petticoats. The garments respecting which she must be solicitous for +the next six months would, as the Marchioness felt, be of a very august +nature. Oh, that the future baby might be born at Manor Cross! The +Marchioness did not see why Lord George should leave the house at all. +Brotherton couldn't know anything about it in Italy, and if George must +go, Mary might surely be left there for the event. The Marchioness +declared that she could die happy if she might see another Popenjoy +born in the purple of Manor Cross. + +"When am I to go?" asked Mary. She was sitting now close to him, and +the question was asked with full delight. + +"I do not know whether you can be ready to-morrow." + +"Of course I can be ready to-morrow. Oh George, to be back with you! +Even for ten days it seems to be a great happiness. But if you go, then +of course you will take me with you." There was a reality about this +which conquered him, even in spite of Captain De Baron, so that he came +down to dinner in good-humour with the world. + + + + +CHAPTER LVI. + +SIR HENRY SAID IT WAS THE ONLY THING. + + +The dinner at the deanery went off without much excitement. Captain De +Baron would of course have preferred that Lord George should have +remained at Manor Cross, but under no circumstances could he have had +much more to say to the lady. They understood each other now. He was +quite certain that any evil thing spoken of her had been sheer slander, +and yet he had managed to tell her everything of himself without +subjecting himself to her undying anger. When she left the +drawing-room, the conversation turned again upon the great Popenjoy +question, and from certain words which fell from the Dean, Jack was +enabled to surmise that Lord George had reason to hope that an heir +might be born to him. "He does not look as though he would live long +himself," said the Dean, speaking of the Marquis. + +"I trust he may with all my heart," said Lord George. + +"That's another question," replied the Dean. "I only say that he +doesn't look like it." Lord George went away early, and Jack De Baron +thought it prudent to retire at the same time. "So you're going +to-morrow, dear," said the Dean. + +"Yes, papa. Is it not best?" + +"Oh yes. Nothing could be worse than a prolonged separation. He means +to be honest and good." + +"He is honest and good, papa." + +"You have had your triumph." + +"I did not want to triumph;--not at least over him." + +"After what had occurred it was necessary that you should have your own +way in coming here. Otherwise he would have triumphed. He would have +taken you away, and you and I would have been separated. Of course you +are bound to obey him;--but there must be limits. He would have taken +you away as though in disgrace, and that I could not stand. There will +be an end of that now. God knows when I shall see you again, Mary." + +"Why not, papa?" + +"Because he hasn't got over his feeling against me. I don't think he +ever gets over any feeling. Having no home of his own why does he not +bring you here?" + +"I don't think he likes the idea of being a burden to you." + +"Exactly. He has not cordiality enough to feel that when two men are in +a boat together, as he and I are because of you, all that feeling +should go to the wind. He ought not to be more ashamed to sit at my +table and drink of my cup than you are. If it were all well between us +and he had the property, should I scruple to go and stay at Manor +Cross." + +"You would still have your own house to go back to." + +"So will he,--after a while. But it can't be altered, dear, and God +forbid that I should set you against him. He is not a rake nor a +spendthrift, nor will he run after other women." Mary thought of Mrs. +Houghton, but she held her tongue. "He is not a bad man and I think he +loves you." + +"I am sure he does." + +"But I can't help feeling sad at parting with you. I suppose I shall at +any rate be able to see you up in town next season." The Dean as he +said this was almost weeping. + +Mary, when she was alone in her room, of course thought much of Captain +De Baron and his story. It was a pity,--a thousand pities,--that it +should be so. It was to be regretted,--much regretted,--that he had +been induced to tell his story. She was angry with herself because she +had been indiscreet, and she was still angry,--a little angry with +him,--because he had yielded to the temptation. But there had been +something sweet in it. She was sorry, grieved in her heart of hearts +that he should love her. She had never striven to gain his love. She +had never even thought of it. It ought not to have been so. She should +have thought of it; she should not have shown herself to be so pleased +with his society. But yet,--yet it was sweet. Then there came upon her +some memory of her old dreams, before she had been engaged to Lord +George. She knew how vain had been those dreams, because she now loved +Lord George with her whole heart; but yet she remembered them, and felt +as though they had come true with a dreamy half truth. And she brought +to mind all those flattering words with which he had spoken her +praises,--how he had told her that she was an angel, too good and pure +to be supposed capable of evil; how he had said that in his castles in +the air he would still think of her as his wife. Surely a man may build +what castles in the air he pleases, if he will only hold his tongue! +She was quite sure that she did not love him, but she was sure also +that his was the proper way of making love. And then she thought of +Guss Mildmay. Could she not in pure charity do a good turn to that poor +girl? Might she not tell Captain De Baron that it was his duty to marry +her? And if he felt it to be his duty would he not do so? It may be +doubted whether in these moments she did not think much better of +Captain De Baron than that gentleman deserved. + +On the next day the Manor Cross carriage came over for her. The Dean +had offered to send her, but Lord George had explained that his mother +was anxious that the carriage should come. There would be a cart for +the luggage. As to Lady George herself there was a general feeling at +Manor Cross that in the present circumstances the family carriage +should bring her home. But it came empty. "God bless you, dearest," +said the Dean as he put her into the vehicle. + +"Good-bye, papa. I suppose you can come over and see me." + +"I don't know that I can. I saw none of the ladies when I was there +yesterday." + +"I don't care a bit for the ladies. Where I go, papa, you can come. Of +course George will see you, and you could ask for me." The Dean smiled, +and kissed her again, and then she was gone. + +She hardly knew what grand things were in store for her. She was still +rebelling in her heart against skirts and petticoats, and resolving +that she would not go to church twice on Sundays unless she liked it, +when the carriage drove up to the door. They were all in the hall, all +except the Marchioness. "We wouldn't go in," said Lady Amelia, "because +we didn't like to fill the carriage." + +"And George wanted us to send it early," said Lady Sarah, "before we +had done our work." They all kissed her affectionately, and then she +was again in her husband's arms. Mrs. Toff curtseyed to her most +respectfully. Mary observed the curtsey and reminded herself at the +moment that Mrs. Toff had never curtseyed to her before. Even the tall +footman in knee-breeches stood back with a demeanour which had hitherto +been vouchsafed only to the real ladies of the family. Who could tell +how soon that wicked Marquis would die; and then,--then how great would +not be the glory of the Dean's daughter! "Perhaps you won't mind coming +up to mamma as soon as you have got your hat off," said Lady Susanna. +"Mamma is so anxious to see you." Mary's hat was immediately off, and +she declared herself ready to go to the Marchioness. "Mamma has had a +great deal to trouble her since you were here," said Lady Susanna, as +she led the way upstairs. "She has aged very much. You'll be kind to +her, I know." + +"Of course I'll be kind," said Mary; "I hope I never was unkind." + +"She thinks so much of things now, and then she cries so often. We do +all we can to prevent her from crying, because it does make her so +weak. Beef-tea is best, we think; and then we try to get her to sleep +a good deal. Mary has come, mamma. Here she is. The carriage has only +just arrived." Mary followed Lady Susanna into the room, and the +Marchioness was immediately immersed in a flood of tears. + +"My darling!" she exclaimed; "my dearest, if anything can ever make me +happy again it is that you should have come back to me." Mary kissed +her mother-in-law and submitted to be kissed with a pretty grace, as +though she and the old lady had always been the warmest, most +affectionate friends. "Sit down, my love. I have had the easy chair +brought there on purpose for you. Susanna, get her that footstool." +Susanna, without moving a muscle of her face, brought the footstool. +"Now sit down, and let me look at you. I don't think she's much +changed." This was very distressing to poor Mary, who, with all her +desire to oblige the Marchioness could not bring herself to sit down in +the easy chair. "So that poor little boy has gone, my dear?" + +"I was so sorry to hear it." + +"Yes, of course. That was quite proper. When anybody dies we ought to +be sorry for them. I'm sure I did all I could to make things +comfortable for him. Didn't I, Susanna?" + +"You were quite anxious about him, mamma." + +"So I was,--quite anxious. I have no doubt his mother neglected him. I +always thought that. But now there will be another, won't there?" This +was a question which the mother expectant could not answer, and in +order to get over the difficulty Susanna suggested that Mary should be +allowed to go down to lunch. + +"Certainly, my dear. In her condition she ought not to be kept waiting +a minute. And mind, Susanna, she has bottled porter. I spoke about it +before. She should have a pint at lunch and a pint at dinner." + +"I can't drink porter," said Mary, in despair. + +"My dear, you ought to; you ought indeed; you must. I remember as well +as if it were yesterday Sir Henry telling me it was the only sure +thing. That was before Popenjoy was born,--I mean Brotherton. I do so +hope it will be a Popenjoy, my dear." This was the last word said to +her as Mary was escaping from the room. + +She was not expected to make cloaks and skirts, but she was obliged to +fight against a worse servitude even than that. She almost longed for +the cloaks and skirts when day after day she was entreated to take her +place in the easy chair by the couch of the Marchioness. There was a +cruelty in refusing, but in yielding there was a crushing misery. The +Marchioness evidently thought that the future stability of the family +depended on Mary's quiescence and capability for drinking beer. Very +many lies were necessarily told her by all the family. She was made to +believe that Mary never got up before eleven; and the doctor who came +to see herself and to whose special care Mary was of course +recommended, was induced to say that it was essential that Lady George +should be in the open air three hours every day. "You know I'm not the +least ill, mother," Mary said to her one day. Since these new hopes and +the necessity for such hopes had come up the Marchioness had requested +that she might be called mother by her daughter-in-law. + +"No, my dear, not ill; but I remember as though it were yesterday what +Sir Henry said to me when Popenjoy was going to be born. Of course he +was Popenjoy when he was born. I don't think they've any physicians +like Sir Henry now. I do hope it'll be a Popenjoy." + +"But that can't be, mother. You are forgetting." + +The old woman thought for a while, and then remembered the difficulty. +"No, not quite at once." Then her mind wandered again. "But if this +isn't a Popenjoy, my dear,--and it's all in the hands of God,--then the +next may be. My three first were all girls; and it was a great trouble; +but Sir Henry said the next would be a Popenjoy; and so it was. I hope +this will be a Popenjoy, because I might die before the next." When a +week of all this had been endured Mary in her heart was glad that the +sentence of expulsion from Manor Cross still stood against her husband, +feeling that six months of reiterated longings for a Popenjoy would +kill her and the possible Popenjoy also. + +Then came the terrible question of an immediate residence. The month +was nearly over, and Lord George had determined that he would go up to +town for a few days when the time came. Mary begged to be taken with +him, but to this he would not accede, alleging that his sojourn there +would only be temporary, till something should be settled. "I am sure," +said Mary, "your brother would dislike my being here worse than you." +That might be true, but the edict, as it had been pronounced, had not +been against her. The Marquis had simply ordered that in the event of +Lord George remaining in the house, the house and park should be +advertised for letting. "George, I think he must be mad," said Mary. + +"He is sane enough to have the control of his own property." + +"If it is let, why shouldn't you take it?" + +"Where on earth should I get the money?" + +"Couldn't we all do it among us?" + +"He wouldn't let it to us; he will allow my mother and sisters to live +here for nothing; and I don't think he has said anything to Mr. Knox +about you. But I am to be banished." + +"He must be mad." + +"Mad or not, I must go." + +"Do,--do let me go with you! Do go to the deanery. Papa will make it +all square by coming up to us in London." + +"Your father has a right to be in the house in London," said Lord +George with a scowl. + +When the month was over he did go up to town, and saw Mr. Knox. Mr. +Knox advised him to go back to Manor Cross, declaring that he himself +would take no further steps without further orders. He had not had a +line from the Marquis. He did not even know where the Marquis was, +supposing, however, that he was in his house on the lake; but he did +know that the Marchioness was not with him, as separate application had +been made to him by her Ladyship for money. "I don't think I can do +it," said Lord George. Mr. Knox shrugged his shoulders, and again said +that he saw no objection. "I should be very slow in advertising, you +know," said Mr. Knox. + +"But I don't think that I have a right to be in a man's house without +his leave. I don't think I am justified in staying there against his +will because he is my brother." Mr. Knox could only shrug his +shoulders. + +He remained up in town doing nothing, doubtful as to where he should go +and whither he should take his wife, while she was still at Manor +Cross, absolutely in the purple, but still not satisfied with her +position. She was somewhat cheered at this time by a highspirited +letter from her friend Mrs. Jones, written from Killancodlem. + +"We are all here," said Mrs. Jones, "and we do so wish you were with +us. I have heard of your condition at last, and of course it would not +be fit that you should be amusing yourself with wicked idle people like +us, while all the future of all the Germains is, so to say, in your +keeping. How very opportune that that poor boy should have gone just as +the other is coming! Mind that you are a good girl and take care of +yourselves. I daresay all the Germain ladies are looking after you day +and night, so that you can't misbehave very much. No more Kappa-kappas +for many a long day for you! + +"We have got Lord Giblet here. It was such a task! I thought cart-ropes +wouldn't have brought him? Now he is as happy as the day is long, and +like a tame cat in my hands. I really think he is very much in love +with her, and she behaves quite prettily. I took care that Green père +should come down in the middle of it, and that clenched it. The lover +didn't make the least fight when papa appeared, but submitted himself +like a sheep to the shearers. I shouldn't have done it if I hadn't +known that he wanted a wife and if I hadn't been sure that she would +make a good one. There are some men who never really get on their legs +till they're married, and never would get married without a little +help. I'm sure he'll bless me, or would do, only he'll think after a +bit that he did it all by himself. + +"Our friend Jack is with us, behaving very well, but not quite like +himself. There are two or three very pretty girls here, but he goes +about among them quite like a steady old man. I got him to tell me that +he'd seen you at Brotherton, and then he talked a deal of nonsense +about the good you'd do when you were Marchioness. I don't see, my +dear, why you should do more good than other people. I hope you'll be +gracious to your old friends, and keep a good house, and give nice +parties. Try and make other people happy. That's the goodness I believe +in. I asked him why you were to be particularly good, and then he +talked a deal more nonsense, which I need not repeat. + +"I hear very queer accounts about the Marquis. He behaved himself at +Rudham almost like anybody else, and walked into dinner like a +Christian. They say that he is all alone in Italy, and that he won't +see her. I fancy he was more hurt in that little affair than some +people will allow. Whatever it was, it served him right. Of course I +should be glad to see Lord George come to the throne. I always tell the +truth, my dear, about these things. What is the use of lying. I shall +be very glad to see Lord George a marquis,--and then your Popenjoy will +be Popenjoy. + +"You remember the Baroness,--your Baroness. Oh, the Baroness! She +absolutely asked me to let her come to Killancodlem. 'But I hate +disabilities and rights,' said I. She gave me to understand that that +made no difference. Then I was obliged to tell her that I hadn't a bed +left. Any little room would do for her. 'We haven't any little rooms at +Killancodlem,' said I;--and then I left her. + +"Good-bye. Mind you are good and take care of yourself; and, whatever +you do, let Popenjoy have a royal godfather." + +Then her father came over to see her. At this time Lord George was up +in town, and when her father was announced she felt that there was no +one to help her. If none of the ladies of the family would see her +father she never would be gracious to them again. This was the +turning-point. She could forgive them for the old quarrel. She could +understand that they might have found themselves bound to take their +elder brother's part at first. Then they had quarrelled with her, too. +Now they had received her back into their favour. But she would have +none of their favours, unless they would take her father with her. + +She was sitting at the time in that odious arm-chair in the old lady's +room; and when Mrs. Toff brought in word that the Dean was in the +little drawing-room, Lady Susanna was also present. Mary jumped up +immediately, and knew that she was blushing. "Oh! I must go down to +papa," she said. And away she went. + +The Dean was in one of his best humours, and was full of Brotherton +news. Mr. Groschut had been appointed to the vicarage of Pugsty, and +would leave Brotherton within a month. + +"I suppose it's a good living." + +"About £300 a year, I believe. He's been acting not quite on the square +with a young lady, and the Bishop made him take it. It was that or +nothing." The Dean was quite delighted; and when Mary told him +something of her troubles,--how impossible she found it to drink +bottled porter,--he laughed, and bade her be of good cheer, and told +her that there were good days coming. They had been there for nearly +an hour together, and Mary was becoming unhappy. If her father were +allowed to go without some recognition from the family, she would never +again be friends with those women. She was beginning to think that she +never would be friends again with any of them, when the door opened, +and Lady Sarah entered the room. + +The greeting was very civil on both sides. Lady Sarah could, if she +pleased, be gracious, though she was always a little grand; and the +Dean was quite willing to be pleased, if only any effort was made to +please him. Lady Sarah hoped that he would stay and dine. He would +perhaps excuse the Marchioness, as she rarely now left her room. The +Dean could not dine at Manor Cross on that day, and then Lady Sarah +asked him to come on the Thursday following. + + + + +CHAPTER LVII. + +MR. KNOX HEARS AGAIN FROM THE MARQUIS. + + +"Do come, papa," said Mary, jumping up and putting her arm round her +father's shoulders. She was more than willing to meet them all +half-way. She would sit in the arm-chair all the morning and try to +drink porter at lunch if they would receive her father graciously. Of +course she was bound to her husband. She did not wish not to be bound +to him. She was quite sure that she loved her husband with a perfect +love. But her marriage happiness could not be complete unless her +father was to make a part of the intimate home circle of her life. She +was now so animated in her request to him, that her manner told all her +little story,--not only to him, but to Lady Sarah also. + +"I will say do come also," said Lady Sarah, smiling. + +Mary looked up at her and saw the smile. "If he were your papa," she +said, "you would be as anxious as I am." But she also smiled as she +spoke. + +"Even though he is not, I am anxious." + +"Who could refuse when so entreated? Of course I shall be delighted to +come," said the Dean. And so it was settled. Her father was to be again +made welcome at Manor Cross, and Mary thought that she could now be +happy. + +"It was very good of you," she whispered to Lady Sarah, as soon as he +had left them. "Of course I understand. I was very, very sorry that he +and Lord Brotherton had quarrelled. I won't say anything now about +anybody being wrong or anybody being right. But it would be dreadful to +me if papa couldn't come to see me. I don't think you know what he +is." + +"I do know that you love him very dearly." + +"Of course I do. There is nothing on earth he wouldn't do for me. He is +always trying to make me happy. And he'd do just as much for George, if +George would let him. You've been very good about it, and I love you +for it." Lady Sarah was quite open to the charm of being loved. She did +not talk much of such things, nor was it compatible with her nature to +make many professions of affection. But it would be a happiness to her +if this young sister-in-law, who would no doubt sooner or later be the +female head of the house, could be taught to love her. So she kissed +Mary, and then walked demurely away, conscious that any great display +of feeling would be antagonistic to her principles. + +During the hour that Mary had been closeted with her father there had +been much difficulty among the ladies upstairs about the Dean. The +suggestion that he should be asked to dine had of course come from Lady +Sarah, and it fell like a little thunderbolt among them. In the first +place, what would Brotherton say? Was it not an understood portion of +the agreement under which they were allowed to live in the house, that +the Dean should not be a guest there? Lady Susanna had even shuddered +at his coming to call on his daughter, and they had all thought it to +be improper when a short time since he had personally brought the news +of Popenjoy's death to the house. And then there was their own +resentment as to that affray at Scumberg's. They were probably inclined +to agree with Lady Brabazon that Brotherton was not quite all that he +should be; but still he was Brotherton, and the man who had nearly +murdered him could not surely be a fit guest at Manor Cross. "I don't +think we can do that, Sarah," Lady Susanna had said after a long +silence. "Oh dear! that would be very dreadful!" the Marchioness had +exclaimed. Lady Amelia had clasped her hands together and had trembled +in every limb. But Lady Sarah, who never made any suggestion without +deep thought, was always loth to abandon any that she had made. She +clung to this with many arguments. Seeing how unreasonable Brotherton +was, they could not feel themselves bound to obey him. As to the house, +while their mother lived there it must be regarded as her house. It was +out of the question that they should have their guests dictated to them +by their brother. Perhaps the Dean was not all that a dean ought to +be,--but then, who was perfect? George had married his daughter, and it +could not be right to separate the daughter from the father. Then came +the final, strong, clenching argument. Mary would certainly be +disturbed in her mind if not allowed to see her father. Perfect +tranquillity for Mary was regarded as the chief ingredient in the cup +of prosperity which, after many troubles, was now to be re-brewed for +the Germain family. If she were not allowed to see her father, the +coming Popenjoy would suffer for it. "You'd better let him come, +Susanna," said the Marchioness through her tears. Susanna had looked +as stern as an old sibyl. "I really think it will be best," said Lady +Amelia. "It ought to be done," said Lady Sarah. "I suppose you had +better go to him," said the Marchioness. "I could not see him; indeed I +couldn't. But he won't want to see me." Lady Susanna did not yield, but +Lady Sarah, as we know, went down on her mission of peace. + +Mary, as soon as she was alone, sat herself down to write a letter to +her husband. It was then Monday, and her father was to dine there on +Thursday. The triumph would hardly be complete unless George would come +home to receive him. Her letter was full of arguments, full of +entreaties, and full of love. Surely he might come for one night, if he +couldn't stay longer. It would be so much nicer for her father to have +a gentleman there. Such an attention would please him so much! "I am +sure he would go twice the distance if you were coming to his house," +pleaded Mary. + +Lord George came, and in a quiet way the dinner was a success. The Dean +made himself very agreeable. The Marchioness did not appear, but her +absence was attributed to the condition of her health. Lady Sarah, as +the great promoter of the festival, was bound to be on her good +behaviour, and Lady Amelia endeavoured to copy her elder sister. It was +not to be expected that Lady Susanna should be cordially hospitable; +but it was known that Lady Susanna was habitually silent in company. +Mary could forgive her second sister-in-law's sullenness, +understanding, as she did quite well, that she was at this moment +triumphing over Lady Susanna. Mr. Groschut was not a favourite with any +of the party at Manor Cross, and the Dean made himself pleasant by +describing the nature of the late chaplain's promotion. "He begged the +Bishop to let him off," said the Dean, "but his Lordship was +peremptory. It was Pugsty or leave the diocese." + +"What had he done, papa?" asked Mary. + +"He had promised to marry Hawkins' daughter." Hawkins was the +Brotherton bookseller on the Low Church side. "And then he denied the +promise. Unfortunately he had written letters, and Hawkins took them to +the Bishop. I should have thought Groschut would have been too sharp to +write letters." + +"But what was all that to the Bishop?" asked Lord George. + +"The Bishop was, I think, just a little tired of him. The Bishop is old +and meek, and Mr. Groschut thought that he could domineer. He did not +quite know his man. The Bishop is old and meek, and would have borne +much. When Mr. Groschut scolded him, I fancy that he said nothing. But +he bided his time; and when Mr. Hawkins came, then there was a decision +pronounced. It was Pugsty, or nothing." + +"Is Pugsty very nasty, papa?" + +"It isn't very nice, I fancy. It just borders on the Potteries, and +the population is heavy. As he must marry the bookseller's daughter +also, the union, I fear, won't be very grateful." + +"I don't see why a bishop should send a bad man to any parish," +suggested Lady Sarah. + +"What is he to do with a Groschut, when he has unfortunately got hold +of one? He couldn't be turned out to starve. The Bishop would never +have been rid of him. A small living--some such thing as Pugsty--was +almost a necessity." + +"But the people," said Lady Sarah. "What is to become of the poor +people?" + +"Let us hope they may like him. At any rate, he will be better at +Pugsty than at Brotherton." In this way the evening passed off; and +when at ten o'clock the Dean took his departure, it was felt by every +one except Lady Susanna that the proper thing had been done. + +Lord George, having thus come back to Manor Cross, remained there. He +was not altogether happy in his mind; but his banishment seemed to be +so absurd a thing that he did not return to London. At Manor Cross +there was something for him to do. In London there was nothing. And, +after all, there was a question whether, as a pure matter of right, the +Marquis had the power to pronounce such a sentence. Manor Cross no +doubt belonged to him, but then so also did Cross Hall belong for the +time to his mother; and he was receiving the rent of Cross Hall while +his mother was living at Manor Cross. Lady Sarah was quite clear that +for the present they were justified in regarding Manor Cross as +belonging to them. "And who'll tell him when he's all the way out +there?" asked Mary. "I never did hear of such a thing in all my life. +What harm can you do to the house, George?" + +So they went on in peace and quietness for the next three months, +during which not a single word was heard from the Marquis. They did not +even know where he was, and under the present circumstances did not +care to ask any questions of Mr. Knox. Lord George had worn out his +scruples, and was able to go about his old duties in his old fashion. +The Dean had dined there once or twice, and Lord George on one occasion +had consented to stay with his wife for a night or two at the deanery. +Things seemed to have fallen back quietly into the old way,--as they +were before the Marquis with his wife and child had come to disturb +them. Of course there was a great difference in Mary's position. It was +not only that she was about to become a mother, but that she would do +so in a very peculiar manner. Had not the Marquis taken a wife to +himself, there would always have been the probability that he would +some day do so. Had there not been an Italian Marchioness and a little +Italian Popenjoy, the ladies at Manor Cross would still have given him +credit for presenting them with a future marchioness and a future +Popenjoy at some future day. Now his turn had, as it were, gone. +Another Popenjoy from that side was not to be expected. In consequence +of all this Mary was very much exalted. They none of them now wished +for another Popenjoy from the elder branch. All their hopes were +centred in Mary. To Mary herself this importance had its drawbacks. +There was the great porter question still unsettled. The arm-chair with +the footstool still was there. And she did not like being told that a +mile and a half on the sunny side of the trees was the daily amount of +exercise which Sir Henry, nearly half a century ago, had prescribed for +ladies in her condition. But she had her husband with her, and could, +with him, be gently rebellious and affectionately disobedient. It is a +great thing, at any rate, to be somebody. In her early married days she +had felt herself to be snubbed as being merely the Dean's daughter. Her +present troubles brought a certain balm with them. No one snubbed her +now. If she had a mind for arrowroot, Mrs. Toff would make it herself +and suggest a thimbleful of brandy in it with her most coaxing words. +Cloaks and petticoats she never saw, and she was quite at liberty to +stay away from afternoon church if she pleased. + +It had been decided, after many discussions on the subject, that she +and her husband should go up to town for a couple of months after +Christmas, Lady Amelia going with them to look after the porter and +arrowroot, and that in March she should be brought back to Manor Cross +with a view to her confinement. This had not been conceded to her +easily, but it had at last been conceded. She had learned in secret +from her father that he would come up to town for a part of the time, +and after that she never let the question rest till she had carried her +point. The Marchioness had been obliged to confess that, in +anticipation of her Popenjoy, Sir Henry had recommended a change from +the country to town. She did not probably remember that Sir Henry had +done so because she had been very cross at the idea of being kept +running down to the country all through May. Mary pleaded that it was +no use having a house if she were not allowed to see it, that all her +things were in London, and at last declared that it would be very +convenient to have the baby born in London. Then the Marchioness saw +that a compromise was necessary. It was not to be endured that the +future Popenjoy, the future Brotherton, should be born in a little +house in Munster Court. With many misgivings it was at last arranged +that Mary should go to London on the 18th of January, and be brought +back on the 10th of March. After many consultations, computations, and +calculations, it was considered that the baby would be born somewhere +about the 1st of April. + +It may be said that things at Manor Cross were quite in a halcyon +condition, when suddenly a thunderbolt fell among them. Mr. Knox +appeared one day at the house and showed to Lord George a letter from +the Marquis. It was written with his usual contempt of all ordinary +courtesy of correspondence, but with more than his usual bitterness. +It declared the writer's opinion that his brother was a mean fellow, +and deserving of no trust in that he had continued to live at the house +after having been desired to leave it by its owner; and it went on to +give peremptory orders to Mr. Knox to take steps for letting the house +at once. This took place at the end of the first week in December. Then +there was a postscript to the letter in which the Marquis suggested +that Mr. Knox had better take a house for the Marchioness, and apply +Mr. Price's rent in the payment for such house. "Of course you will +consult my mother," said the postscript; "but it should not be anywhere +near Brotherton." + +There was an impudence as well as a cruelty about this which almost +shook the belief which Lord George still held in the position of an +elder brother. Mr. Knox was to take a house;--as though his mother and +sisters had no rights, no freedom of their own! "Of course I will go," +said he, almost pale with anger. + +Then Mr. Knox explained his views. It was his intention to write back +to the Marquis and to decline to execute the task imposed upon him. The +care of the Marquis's property was no doubt his chief mainstay; but +there were things, he said, which he could not do. Of course the +Marquis would employ someone else, and he must look for his bread +elsewhere. But he could not, he said, bring himself to take steps for +the letting of Manor Cross as long as the Marchioness was living there. + +Of course there was a terrible disturbance in the house. There arose a +great question whether the old lady should or should not be told of +this new trouble, and it was decided at last that she should for the +present be kept in the dark. Mr. Knox was of opinion that the house +never would be let, and that it would not be in his Lordship's power to +turn them out without procuring for them the use of Cross Hall;--in +which Mr. Price's newly married bride had made herself comfortable on a +lease of three years. And he was also of opinion that the attempt made +by the Marquis to banish his brother was a piece of monstrous tyranny +to which no attention should be paid. This he said before all the +younger ladies;--but to Lord George himself he said even more. He +expressed a doubt whether the Marquis could be in his right mind, and +added a whisper that the accounts of the Marquis's health were very bad +indeed. "Of course he could let the house?" asked Lord George. + +"Yes;--if he can get anybody to let it for him, and anybody else to +take it. But I don't think it ever will be let. He won't quite know +what to do when he gets my letter. He can hardly change his agent +without coming to London, and he won't like to do that in the winter. +He'll write me a very savage letter, and then in a week or two I shall +answer him. I don't think I'd disturb the Marchioness if I were you, my +lord." + +The Marchioness was not disturbed, but Lord George again went up to +London, on this occasion occupying the house in Munster Court in +solitude. His scruples were all renewed, and it was in vain that Lady +Sarah repeated to him all Mr. Knox's arguments. He had been called a +mean fellow, and the word rankled with him. He walked about alone +thinking of the absolute obedience with which in early days he had +complied with all the behests of his elder brother, and the perfect +faith with which in latter days he had regarded that brother's +interests. He went away swearing to himself that he would never again +put his foot within the domain of Manor Cross as long as it was his +brother's property. A day might come when he would return there; but +Lord George was not a man to anticipate his own prosperity. Mary wished +to accompany him; but this was not allowed. The Marchioness inquired a +dozen times why he should go away; but there was no one who could tell +her. + + + + +CHAPTER LVIII. + +MRS. JONES' LETTER. + + +A few days before Christmas Mary received a long letter from her friend +Mrs. Montacute Jones. At this time there was sad trouble again at Manor +Cross. Lord George had been away for a fortnight, and no reason for his +departure had as yet been given to the Marchioness. She had now become +aware that he was not to be at home at Christmas, and she was full of +doubt, full of surmises of her own. He must have quarrelled with his +sisters! They all assured her that there hadn't been an unpleasant word +between him and any one of them. Then he must have quarrelled with his +wife! "Indeed, indeed he has not," said Mary. "He has never quarrelled +with me and he never shall." Then why did he stay away? Business was +nonsense. Why was he going to stay away during Christmas. Then it was +necessary to tell the old lady a little fib. She was informed that +Brotherton had specially desired him to leave the house. This certainly +was a fib, as Brotherton's late order had been of a very different +nature. "I hope he hasn't done anything to offend his brother again," +said the Marchioness. "I wonder whether it's about Popenjoy!" In the +midst of her troubles the poor old woman's wits were apt to wander. + +Mary too had become rather cross, thinking that as her husband was up +in town she should be allowed to be there too. But it had been conceded +by her, and by her father on her behalf, that her town life was not to +begin till after Christmas, and now she was unable to prevail. She and +the family were in this uncomfortable condition when Mrs. Montacute +Jones' letter came for her consolation. As it contained tidings, more +or less accurate, concerning many persons named in this chronicle, it +shall be given entire. Mrs. Montacute Jones was a great writer of +letters, and she was wont to communicate many details among her friends +and acquaintances respecting one another. It was one of the marvels of +the day that Mrs. Jones should have so much information; and no one +could say how or whence she got it. + + "CURRY HALL, _December 12, 187--_." + +Curry Hall was the name of Mr. Jones' seat in Gloucestershire, whereas, +as all the world knew, Killancodlem was supposed to belong to Mrs. +Jones herself. + + "DEAREST LADY GEORGE,--We have been here for the last six weeks, + quite quiet. A great deal too quiet for me, but for the three or + four winter months, I am obliged to give way a little to Mr. + Jones. We have had the Mildmays here, because they didn't seem to + have any other place to go to. But I barred the Baroness. I am + told that she is now bringing an action against Aunt Ju, who + unfortunately wrote the letter which induced the woman to come + over from--wherever she came from. Poor Aunt Ju is in a terrible + state, and wants her brother to buy the woman off,--which he will + probably have to do. That's what comes, my dear, of meddling with + disabilities. I know my own disabilities, but I never think of + interfering with Providence. Mr. Jones was made a man, and I was + made a woman. So I put up with it, and I hope you will do the + same. + + "Mr. and Mrs. Green are here also, and remain till Christmas when + the Giblets are coming. It was the prettiest wedding in the world, + and they have been half over Europe since. I am told he's the + happiest man in the world, and the very best husband. Old Gossling + didn't like it at all, but every stick is entailed, and they say + he's likely to have gout in his stomach, so that everything will + go pleasantly. Lord Giblet himself is loud against his father, + asking everybody whether it was to be expected that in such a + matter as that he shouldn't follow his own inclination. I do hope + he'll show a little gratitude to me. But it's an ungrateful world, + and they'll probably both forget what I did for them. + + "And now I want to ask you your opinion about another friend. + Don't you think that Jack had better settle down with poor dear + Guss? She's here, and upon my word I think she's nearly + broken-hearted. Of course you and I know what Jack has been + thinking of lately. But when a child cries for the top brick of + the chimney, it is better to let him have some possible toy. You + know what top brick he has been crying for. But I'm sure you like + him, and so do I, and I think we might do something for him. Mr. + Jones would let them a nice little house a few miles from here at + a peppercorn rent; and I suppose old Mr. Mildmay could do + something. They are engaged after a fashion. She told me all about + it the other day. So I've asked him to come down for Christmas, + and have offered to put up his horses if he wants to hunt. + + "And now, my dear, I want to know what you have heard about Lord + Brotherton at Manor Cross. Of course we all know the way he has + behaved to Lord George. If I were Lord George I should not pay the + slightest attention to him. But I'm told he is in a very low + condition,--never sees anybody except his courier, and never stirs + out of the house. Of course you know that he makes his wife an + allowance, and refuses to see her. From what I hear privately I + really do think that he'll not last long. What a blessing it would + be! That's plain speaking;--but it would be a blessing! Some + people manage to live so that everybody will be the better for + their dying. I should break my heart if anybody wanted me to die. + + "How grand it would be! The young and lovely Marchioness of + Brotherton! I'll be bound you think about it less than anybody + else, but it would be nice. I wonder whether you'd cut a poor old + woman like me, without a handle to her name. And then it would be + Popenjoy at once! Only how the bonfires wouldn't burn if it should + turn out to be only a disability after all. But we should say, + better luck next time, and send you caudle cups by the dozen. Who + wouldn't send a caudle cup to a real young lovely live + Marchioness? I'll be bound your father knows all about it, and has + counted it all up a score of times. I suppose it's over £40,000 a + year since they took to working the coal at Popenjoy, and whatever + the present man has done he can't have clipped the property. He + has never gambled, and never spent his income. Italian wives and + that sort of thing don't cost so much money as they do in England. + + "Pray write and tell me all about it. I shall be in town in + February, and of course shall see you. I tell Mr. Jones that I + can't stand Curry Hall for more than three months. He won't come + to town till May, and perhaps when May comes he'll have forgotten + all about it. He is very fond of sheep, but I don't think he cares + for anything else, unless he has a slight taste for pigs. + + "Your affectionate friend, + + "G. MONTACUTE JONES." + +There was much in this letter that astonished Mary, something that +shocked her, but something also that pleased her. The young and lovely +Marchioness of Brotherton! Where is the woman who would not like to be +a young and lovely Marchioness, so that it had all been come by +honestly, that the husband had been married as husbands ought to be +married, and had not been caught like Lord Giblet; and she knew that +her old friend,--her old friend whom she had not yet known for quite +twelve months,--was only joking with her in that suggestion as to +being cut. What a fate was this in store for her--if it really was in +store--that so early in her life she should be called upon to fill so +high a place. Then she made some resolutions in her mind that should it +be so she would be humble and meek; and a further resolution that she +would set her heart upon none of it till it was firmly her own. + +But it shocked her that the Marquis should be so spoken of, especially +that he should be so spoken of if he were really dying! Plain speaking! +Yes, indeed. But such plain speaking was very terrible. This old woman +could speak of another nobleman having gout in his stomach as though +that were a thing really to be desired. And then that allusion to the +Italian wife or wives! Poor Mary blushed as she thought of it. + +But there was a paragraph in the letter which interested her as much as +the tidings respecting Lord Brotherton. Could it be right that Jack De +Baron should be made to marry Guss Mildmay? She thought not, for she +knew that he did not love Guss Mildmay. That he should have wanted an +impossible brick, whether the highest or lowest brick, was very sad. +When children cry for impossible bricks they must of course be +disappointed. But she hardly thought that this would be the proper cure +for his disappointment. There had been a moment in which the same idea +had suggested itself to her; but now since her friendship with Jack had +been strengthened by his conduct in the deanery garden she thought that +he might do better with himself than be made by Mrs. Jones to marry +Guss Mildmay. Of course she could not interfere, but she hoped that +something might prevent Jack De Baron from spending his Christmas at +Curry Hall. She answered Mrs. Jones' letter very prettily. She trusted +that Lord Giblet might be happy with his wife, even though his father +should get well of the gout. She was very sorry to hear that Lord +Brotherton was ill. Nothing was known about him at Manor Cross, except +that he seemed to be very ill-natured to everybody. She was surprised +that anybody should be so ill-natured as he was. If ever she should +live to fill a high position she hoped she would be good-natured. She +knew that the people she would like best would be those who had been +kind to her, and nobody had been so kind as a certain lady named Mrs. +Montacute Jones. Then she spoke of her coming trial. "Don't joke with +me about it any more, there's a dear woman. They all flutter me here, +talking of it always, though they mean to be kind. But it seems to me +so serious. I wish that nobody would speak to me of it except George, +and he seems to think nothing about it." + +Then she came to the paragraph the necessity for writing which had made +her answer Mrs. Jones' letter so speedily. "I don't think you ought to +persuade anybody to marry anyone. It didn't much signify, perhaps, with +Lord Giblet, as he isn't clever, and I daresay that Miss Green will +suit him very well; but as a rule I think gentlemen should choose for +themselves. In the case you speak of I don't think he cares for her, +and then they would be unhappy." She would not for worlds have +mentioned Captain De Baron's name; but she thought that Mrs. Jones +would understand her. + +Of course Mrs. Jones understood her,--had understood more than Mary had +intended her to understand. Christmas was over and Mary was up in town +when she received Mrs. Jones' rejoinder, but it may as well be given +here. "The child who wanted the top brick is here, and I think will +content himself with a very much less exalted morsel of the building. I +am older than you, my dear, and know better. Our friend is a very good +fellow in his way, but there is no reason why he should not bend his +neck as well as another. To you no doubt he seems to have many graces. +He has had the great grace of holding his tongue because he appreciated +your character." Mary, as she read this, knew that even Mrs. Montacute +Jones could be misinformed now and then. "But I do not know that he is +in truth more gracious than others, and I think it quite as well that +Miss Mildmay should have the reward of her constancy." + +But this was after Christmas, and in the meantime other occurrences had +taken place. On the 20th of December Lord George was informed by Mr. +Knox that his brother, who was then at Naples, had been struck by +paralysis, and at Mr. Knox's advice he started off for the southern +capital of Italy. The journey was a great trouble to him, but this was +a duty which he would under no circumstances neglect. The tidings were +communicated to Manor Cross, and after due consultation, were conveyed +by Lady Sarah to her mother. The poor old lady did not seem to be made +very unhappy by them. "Of course I can't go to him," she said; "how +could I do it?" When she was told that that was out of the question she +subsided again into tranquillity, merely seeming to think it necessary +to pay increased attention to Mary; for she was still quite alive to +the fact that all this greatly increased the chances that the baby +would be Popenjoy; but even in this the poor old lady's mind wandered +much, for every now and then she would speak of Popenjoy as though +there were a living Popenjoy at the present moment. + +Lord George hurried off to Naples, and found that his brother was +living at a villa about eight miles from the town. He learned in the +city, before he had made his visit, that the Marquis was better, having +recovered his speech and apparently the use of his limbs. Still being +at Naples he found himself bound to go out to the villa. He did so, and +when he was there his brother refused to see him. He endeavoured to get +what information he could from the doctor; but the doctor was an +Italian, and Lord George could not understand him. As far as he could +learn the doctor thought badly of the case; but for the present his +patient had so far recovered as to know what he was about. Then Lord +George hurried back to London, having had a most uncomfortable journey +in the snow. Come what might he didn't think that he would ever again +take the trouble to pay a visit to his brother. The whole time taken on +his journey and for his sojourn in Naples was less than three weeks, +and when he returned the New Year had commenced. + +He went down to Brotherton to bring his wife up to London, but met her +at the deanery, refusing to go to the house. When the Marchioness heard +of this,--and it became impossible to keep it from her,--she declared +that it was with herself that her son George must have quarrelled. Then +it was necessary to tell her the whole truth, or nearly the whole. +Brotherton had behaved so badly to his brother that Lord George had +refused to enter even the park. The poor old woman was very wretched, +feeling in some dim way that she was being robbed of both her sons. "I +don't know what I've done," she said, "that everything should be like +this. I'm sure I did all I could for them; but George never would +behave properly to his elder brother, and I don't wonder that +Brotherton feels it. Brotherton always had so much feeling. I don't +know why George should be jealous because Popenjoy was born. Why +shouldn't his elder brother have a son of his own like anybody else?" +And yet whenever she saw Mary, which she did for two or three hours +every day, she was quite alive to the coming interest. It was suggested +to her that she should be driven into Brotherton, so that she might see +George at the deanery; but her objection to go to the Dean's house was +as strong as was that of Lord George to come to his brother's. + +Mary was of course delighted when the hour of her escape came. It had +seemed to her that there was especial cruelty in keeping her at Manor +Cross while her husband was up in town. Her complaints on this head had +of course been checked by her husband's unexpected journey to Naples, +as to which she had hardly heard the full particulars till she found +herself in the train with him. "After going all that way he wouldn't +see you!" + +"He neither would see me or send me any message." + +"Then he must be a bad man." + +"He has lived a life of self-indulgence till he doesn't know how to +control a thought or a passion. It was something of that kind which was +meant when we were told about the rich man and the eye of the needle." + +"But you will be a rich man soon, George." + +"Don't think of it, Mary; don't anticipate it. God knows I have never +longed for it. Your father longs for it." + +"Not for his own sake, George." + +"He is wrong all the same. It will not make you happier,--nor me." + +"But, George, when you thought that that little boy was not Popenjoy +you were as anxious as papa to find it all out." + +"Right should be done," said Lord George, after a pause. "Whether it be +for weal or woe, justice should have its way. I never wished that the +child should be other than what he was called; but when there seemed to +be reason for doubt I thought that it should be proved." + +"It will certainly come to you now, George, I suppose." + +"Who can say? I might die to-night, and then Dick Germain, who is a +sailor somewhere, would be the next Lord Brotherton." + +"Don't talk like that, George." + +"He would be if your child happened to be a girl. And Brotherton might +live ever so long. I have been so harassed by it all that I am almost +sick of the title and sick of the property. I never grudged him +anything, and see how he has treated me." Then Mary was very gracious +to him and tried to comfort him, and told him that fortune had at any +rate given him a loving wife. + + + + +CHAPTER LIX. + +BACK IN LONDON. + + +Mary was fond of her house in Munster Court. It was her own; and her +father and Miss Tallowax between them had enabled her to make it very +pretty. The married woman who has not some pet lares of her own is but +a poor woman. Mary worshipped her little household gods with a perfect +religion, and was therefore happy in being among them again; but she +was already beginning to feel that in a certain event she would be +obliged to leave Munster Court. She knew that as Marchioness of +Brotherton she would not be allowed to live there. There was a large +brick house, with an unbroken row of six windows on the first-floor, in +St. James' Square, which she already knew as the town house of the +Marquis of Brotherton. It was, she thought, by far the most gloomy +house in the whole square. It had been uninhabited for years, the +present Marquis having neither resided there nor let it. Her husband +had never spoken to her about the house, had never, as far as she could +remember, been with her in St. James' Square. She had enquired about it +of her father, and he had once taken her through the square, and had +shown her the mansion. But that had been in the days of the former +Popenjoy, when she, at any rate, had never thought that the +dreary-looking mansion would make or mar her own comfort. Now there had +arisen a question of a delicate nature on which she had said a word or +two to her husband in her softest whisper. Might not certain changes be +made in the house at Munster Court in reference to--well, to a nursery. +A room to be baby's own she had called it. She had thus made herself +understood, though she had not said the word which seemed to imply a +plural number. "But you'll be down at Manor Cross," said Lord George. + +"You don't mean to keep me there always." + +"No, not always; but when you come back to London it may be to another +house." + +"You don't mean St. James' Square?" But that was just what he did mean. +"I hope we shan't have to live in that prison." + +"It's one of the best houses in London," said Lord George, with a +certain amount of family pride. "It used to be, at least, before the +rich tradesmen had built all those palaces at South Kensington." + +"It's dreadfully dingy." + +"Because it has not been painted lately. Brotherton has never done +anything like anybody else." + +"Couldn't we keep this and let that place?" + +"Not very well. My father and grandfather, and great-grandfather lived +there. I think we had better wait a bit and see." Then she felt sure +that the glory was coming. Lord George would never have spoken of her +living in St. James' Square had he not felt almost certain that it +would soon come about. + +Early in February her father came to town, and he was quite certain. +"The poor wretch can't speak articulately," he said. + +"Who says so, papa?" + +"I have taken care to find out the truth. What a life! And what a +death! He is there all alone. Nobody ever sees him but an Italian +doctor. If it's a boy, my dear, he will be my lord as soon as he's +born; or for the matter of that, if it's a girl she will be my lady." + +"I wish it wasn't so." + +"You must take it all as God sends it, Mary." + +"They've talked about it till I'm sick of it," said Mary angrily. Then +she checked herself and added--"I don't mean you, papa; but at Manor +Cross they all flatter me now, because that poor man is dying. If you +were me you wouldn't like that." + +"You've got to bear it, my dear. It's the way of the world. People at +the top of the tree are always flattered. You can't expect that Mary +Lovelace and the Marchioness of Brotherton will be treated in the same +way." + +"Of course it made a difference when I was married." + +"But suppose you had married a curate in the neighbourhood." + +"I wish I had," said Mary wildly, "and that someone had given him the +living of Pugsty." But it all tended in the same direction. She began +to feel now that it must be, and must be soon. She would, she told +herself, endeavour to do her duty; she would be loving to all who had +been kind to her, and kind even to those who had been unkind. To all of +them at Manor Cross she would be a real sister,--even to Lady Susanna +whom certainly she had not latterly loved. She would forgive +everybody,--except one. Adelaide Houghton she never could forgive, but +Adelaide Houghton should be her only enemy. It did not occur to her +that Jack De Baron had been very nearly as wicked as Adelaide +Houghton. She certainly did not intend that Jack De Baron should be one +of her enemies. + +When she had been in London about a week or two Jack De Baron came to +see her. She knew that he had spent his Christmas at Curry Hall, and +she knew that Guss Mildmay had also been there. That Guss Mildmay +should have accepted such an invitation was natural enough, but she +thought that Jack had been very foolish. Why should he have gone to the +house when he had known that the girl whom he had promised to marry, +but whom he did not intend to marry, was there? And now what was to be +the result? She did not think that she could ask him; but she was +almost sure that he would tell her. + +"I suppose you've been hunting?" she asked. + +"Yes; they put up a couple of horses for me, or I couldn't have +afforded it." + +"She is so good-natured." + +"Mrs. Jones! I should think she was; but I'm not quite sure that she +intended to be very good-natured to me." + +"Why not?" Mary, of course, understood it all; but she could not +pretend to understand it, at any rate as yet. + +"Oh, I don't know. It was all fair, and I won't complain. She had got +Miss Green off her hands, and therefore she wanted something to do. I'm +going to exchange, Lady George, into an Indian regiment." + +"You're not in earnest." + +"Quite in earnest. My wing will be at Aden, at the bottom of the Red +Sea, for the next year or two. Aden, I'm told, is a charming place." + +"I thought it was hot." + +"I like hot places; and as I have got rather sick of society I shall do +very well there, because there's none. A fellow can't spend any money, +except in soda and brandy. I suppose I shall take to drink." + +"Don't talk of yourself in that horrid way, Captain De Baron." + +"It won't much matter to any one, for I don't suppose I shall ever come +back again. There's a place called Perim, out in the middle of the sea, +which will just suit me. They only send one officer there at a time, +and there isn't another soul in the place." + +"How dreadful!" + +"I shall apply to be left there for five years. I shall get through all +my troubles by that time." + +"I am sure you won't go at all." + +"Why not?" + +"Because you have got so many friends here." + +"Too many, Lady George. Of course you know what Mrs. Jones has been +doing?" + +"What has she been doing?" + +"She tells you everything, I fancy. She has got it all cut and dry. I'm +to be married next May, and am to spend the honeymoon at Curry Hall. Of +course I'm to leave the army and put the value of my commission into +the three per cents. Mr. Jones is to let me have a place called Clover +Cottage, down in Gloucestershire, and, I believe, I'm to take a farm +and be churchwarden of the parish. After paying my debts we shall have +about two hundred a-year, which of course will be ample for Clover +Cottage. I don't exactly see how I'm to spend my evenings, but I +suppose that will come. It's either that or Perim. Which would you +advise?" + +"I don't know what I ought to say." + +"Of course I might cut my throat." + +"I wish you wouldn't talk in that way. If it's all a joke I'll take it +as a joke." + +"It's no joke at all; it's very serious. Mrs. Jones wants me to marry +Guss Mildmay." + +"And you are engaged to her?" + +"Only on certain conditions,--which conditions are almost impossible." + +"What did you say to--Miss Mildmay at Curry Hall?" + +"I told her I should go to Perim." + +"And what did she say?" + +"Like a brick, she offered to go with me, just as the girl offered to +eat the potato parings when the man said that there would not be +potatoes enough for both. Girls always say that kind of thing, though, +when they are taken at their words, they want bonnets and gloves and +fur cloaks." + +"And you are going to take her?" + +"Not unless I decide upon Clover Cottage. No; if I do go to Perim I +think that I shall manage to go alone." + +"If you don't love her, Captain De Baron, don't marry her." + +"There's Giblet doing very well, you know; and I calculate I could +spend a good deal of my time at Curry Hall. Perhaps if we made +ourselves useful, they would ask us to Killancodlem. I should manage to +be a sort of factotum to old Jones. Don't you think it would suit me?" + +"You can't be serious about it." + +"Upon my soul, Lady George, I never was so serious in my life. Do you +think that I mean nothing because I laugh at myself? You know I don't +love her." + +"Then say so, and have done with it." + +"That is so easy to suggest, but so impossible to do. How is a man to +tell a girl that he doesn't love her after such an acquaintance as I +have had with Guss Mildmay? I have tried to do so, but I couldn't do +it. There are men, I believe, hard enough even for that; and things are +changed now, and the affectation of chivalry has gone bye. Women ask +men to marry them, and the men laugh and refuse." + +"Don't say that, Captain De Baron." + +"I'm told that's the way the thing is done now; but I've no strength +myself, and I'm not up to it. I'm not at all joking. I think I shall +exchange and go away. I've brought my pigs to a bad market, but as far +as I can see that is the best that is left for me." Mary could only say +that his friends would be very--very sorry to lose him, but that in her +opinion anything would be better than marrying a girl whom he did not +love. + +Courtesies at this time were showered upon Lady George from all sides. +Old Lady Brabazon, to whom she had hardly spoken, wrote to her at great +length. Mrs. Patmore Green came to her on purpose to talk about her +daughter's marriage. "We are very much pleased of course," said Mrs. +Green. "It was altogether a love affair, and the young people are so +fond of each other! I do so hope you and she will be friends. Of course +her position is not so brilliant as yours, but still it is very good. +Poor dear Lord Gossling"--whom, by the bye, Mrs. Patmore Green had +never seen--"is failing very much; he is a martyr to the gout, and then +he is so imprudent." + +Lady Mary smiled and was civil, but did not make any promise of +peculiarly intimate friendship. Lady Selina Protest came to her with a +long story of her wrongs, and a petition that she would take the +Fleabody side in the coming contest. It was in vain that she declared +that she had no opinion whatsoever as to the rights of women; a +marchioness she was told would be bound to have opinions, or, at any +rate, would be bound to subscribe. + +But the courtesy which surprised and annoyed her most was a visit from +Adelaide Houghton. She came up to London for a week about the end of +February, and had the hardihood to present herself at the house in +Munster Court. This was an insult which Mary had by no means expected; +she had therefore failed to guard herself against it by any special +instructions to her servant. And thus Mrs. Houghton, the woman who had +written love-letters to her husband, was shown up into her drawing-room +before she had the means of escaping. When the name was announced she +felt that she was trembling. There came across her a feeling that she +was utterly incapable of behaving properly in such an emergency. She +knew that she blushed up to the roots of her hair. She got up from her +seat as she heard the name announced, and then seated herself again +before her visitor had entered the room. She did resolve that nothing +on earth should induce her to shake hands with the woman. "My dear Lady +George," said Mrs. Houghton, hurrying across the room, "I hope you will +let me explain." She had half put out her hand, but had done so in a +manner which allowed her to withdraw it without seeming to have had her +overture refused. + +"I do not know that there is anything to explain," said Mary. + +"You will let me sit down?" Mary longed to refuse; but, not quite +daring to do so, simply bowed,--upon which Mrs. Houghton did sit down. +"You are very angry with me, it seems?" + +"Well;--yes, I am." + +"And yet what harm have I done you?" + +"None in the least--none at all. I never thought that you could do me +any harm." + +"Is it wise, Lady George, to give importance to a little trifle?" + +"I don't know what you call a trifle." + +"I had known him before you did; and, though it had not suited me to +become his wife, I had always liked him. Then the intimacy sprang up +again; but what did it amount to? I believe you read some foolish +letter?" + +"I did read a letter, and I was perfectly sure that my husband had done +nothing, I will not say to justify, but even to excuse the writing of +it. I am quite aware, Mrs. Houghton, that it was all on one side." + +"Did he say so?" + +"You must excuse me if I decline altogether to tell you what he said." + +"I am sure he did not say that. But what is the use of talking of it +all. Is it necessary, Lady George, that you and I should quarrel about +such a thing as that?" + +"Quite necessary, Mrs. Houghton." + +"Then you must be very fond of quarrelling." + +"I never quarrelled with anybody else in my life." + +"When you remember how near we are to each other in the country----. I +will apologise if you wish it." + +"I will remember nothing, and I want no apology. To tell you the truth, +I really think that you ought not to have come here." + +"It is childish, Lady George, to make so much of it." + +"It may be nothing to you. It is a great deal to me. You must excuse me +if I say that I really cannot talk to you any more." Then she got up +and walked out of the room, leaving Mrs. Houghton among her treasures. +In the dining-room she rang the bell and told the servant to open the +door when the lady upstairs came down. After a very short pause, the +lady upstairs did come down, and walked out to her carriage with an +unabashed demeanour. + +After much consideration Lady George determined that she must tell her +husband what had occurred. She was aware that she had been very +uncourteous, and was not sure whether in her anger she had not been +carried further than became her. Nothing could, she thought, shake her +in her determination to have no further friendly intercourse of any +kind with the woman. Not even were her husband to ask her would that be +possible. Such a request from him would be almost an insult to her. And +no request from anyone else could have any strength, as no one else +knew the circumstances of the case. It was not likely that he would +have spoken of it,--and of her own silence she was quite sure. But how +had it come to pass that the woman had had the face to come to her? +Could it be that Lord George had instigated her to do so? She never +made enquiries of her husband as to where he went and whom he saw. For +aught that she knew, he might be in Berkeley Square every day. Then she +called to mind Mrs. Houghton's face, with the paint visible on it in +the broad day, and her blackened eyebrows, and her great crested helmet +of false hair nearly eighteen inches deep, and her affected voice and +false manner,--and then she told herself that it was impossible that +her husband should like such a creature. + +"George," she said to him abruptly, as soon as he came home, "who do +you think has been here? Mrs. Houghton has been here." Then came that +old frown across his brow; but she did not know at first whether it was +occasioned by anger against herself or against Mrs. Houghton. "Don't +you think it was very unfortunate?" + +"What did she say?" + +"She wanted to be friends with me." + +"And what did you say?" + +"I was very rude to her. I told her that I would never have anything to +do with her; and then I left the room, so that she had to get out of +the house as she could. Was I not right? You don't want me to know her, +do you?" + +"Certainly not." + +"And I was right." + +"Quite right. She must be a very hardened woman." + +"Oh George, dear George! You have made me so happy!" Then she jumped up +and threw her arms round him. "I never doubted you for a moment--never, +never; but I was afraid you might have thought----. I don't know what I +was afraid of, but I was a fool. She is a nasty hardened creature, and +I do hate her. Don't you see how she covers herself with paint?" + +"I haven't seen her for the last three months." + +Then she kissed him again and again, foolishly betraying her past +fears. "I am almost sorry I bothered you by telling you, only I didn't +like to say nothing about it. It might have come out, and you would +have thought it odd. How a woman can be so nasty I cannot imagine. But +I will never trouble you by talking of her again. Only I have told +James that she is not to be let into the house." + + + + +CHAPTER LX. + +THE LAST OF THE BARONESS. + + +At this time Dr. Olivia Q. Fleabody had become quite an institution in +London. She had obtained full though by no means undisputed possession +of the great hall in the Marylebone Road, and was undoubtedly for the +moment the Queen of the Disabilities. She lectured twice a week to +crowded benches. A seat on the platform on these occasions was +considered by all high-minded women to be an honour, and the body of +the building was always filled by strongly-visaged spinsters and +mutinous wives, who twice a week were worked up by Dr. Fleabody to a +full belief that a glorious era was at hand in which woman would be +chosen by constituencies, would wag their heads in courts of law, would +buy and sell in Capel Court, and have balances at their banker's. It +was certainly the case that Dr. Fleabody had made proselytes by the +hundred, and disturbed the happiness of many fathers of families. + +It may easily be conceived that all this was gall and wormwood to the +Baroness Banmann. The Baroness, on her arrival in London, had +anticipated the success which this low-bred American female had +achieved. It was not simply the honour of the thing,--which was very +great and would have been very dear to the Baroness,--but the American +Doctor was making a rapid fortune out of the proceeds of the hall. She +had on one occasion threatened to strike lecturing unless she were +allowed a certain very large percentage on the sum taken at the doors, +and the stewards and directors of the Institute had found themselves +compelled to give way to her demands. She had consequently lodged +herself magnificently at the Langham Hotel, had set up her brougham, in +which she always had herself driven to the Institute, and was asked out +to dinner three or four times a week; whereas the Baroness was in a +very poor condition. She had indeed succeeded in getting herself +invited to Mr. De Baron's house, and from time to time raised a little +money from those who were unfortunate enough to come in her way. But +she was sensible of her own degradation, and at the same time quite +assured that as a preacher on women's rights at large she could teach +lessons infinitely superior to anything that had come from that +impudent but imbecile American. + +She had undoubtedly received overtures from the directors of the +Institute of whom poor Aunt Ju had for the moment been the spokeswoman, +and in these overtures it had been intimated to her that the directors +would be happy to remunerate her for her trouble should the money +collected at the hall enable them to do so. The Baroness believed that +enormous sums had been received, and was loud in assuring all her +friends that this popularity had in the first place been produced by +her own exertions. At any rate, she was resolved to seek redress at +law, and at last had been advised to proceed conjointly against Aunt +Ju, Lady Selina Protest, and the bald-headed old gentleman. The +business had now been brought into proper form, and the trial was to +take place in March. + +All this was the cause of much trouble to poor Mary, and of very great +vexation to Lord George. When the feud was first becoming furious, an +enormous advertisement was issued by Dr. Fleabody's friends, in which +her cause was advocated and her claims recapitulated. And to this was +appended a list of the nobility, gentry, and people of England who +supported the Disabilities generally and her cause in particular. Among +these names, which were very numerous, appeared that of Lady George +Germain. This might probably have escaped both her notice and her +husband's, had not the paper been sent to her, with usual friendly +zeal, by old Lady Brabazon. "Oh George," she said, "look here. What +right have they to say so? I never patronised anything. I went there +once when I came to London first, because Miss Mildmay asked me." + +"You should not have gone," said he. + +"We have had all that before, and you need not scold me again. There +couldn't be any great harm in going to hear a lecture." This occurred +just previous to her going down to Manor Cross,--that journey which was +to be made for so important an object. + +Then Lord George did--just what he ought not to have done. He wrote an +angry letter to Miss Fleabody, as he called her, complaining bitterly +of the insertion of his wife's name. Dr. Fleabody was quite clever +enough to make fresh capital out of this. She withdrew the name, +explaining that she had been ordered to do so by the lady's husband, +and implying that thereby additional evidence was supplied that the +Disabilities of Women were absolutely crushing to the sex in England. +Mary, when she saw this,--and the paper did not reach her till she was +at Manor Cross,--was violent in her anxiety to write herself, in her +own name, and disclaim all disabilities; but her husband by this time +had been advised to have nothing further to do with Dr. Fleabody, and +Mary was forced to keep her indignation to herself. + +But worse than this followed the annoyance of the advertisement. A man +came all the way down from London for the purpose of serving Lady +George with a subpoena to give evidence at the trial on the part of the +Baroness. Lord George was up in London at the time, never having +entered the house at Manor Cross, or even the park, since his visit to +Italy. The consternation of the ladies may be imagined. Poor Mary was +certainly not in a condition to go into a court of law, and would be +less so on the day fixed for the trial. And yet this awful document +seemed to her and to her sisters-in-law to be so imperative as to admit +of no escape. It was in vain that Lady Sarah, with considerable +circumlocution, endeavoured to explain to the messenger the true state +of the case. The man could simply say that he was only a messenger, and +had now done his work. Looked at in any light, the thing was very +terrible. Lord George might probably even yet be able to run away with +her to some obscure corner of the continent in which messengers from +the Queen's judges would not be able to find her; and she might perhaps +bear the journey without injury. But then what would become of a +baby--perhaps of a Popenjoy--so born? There were many who still thought +that the Marquis would go before the baby came; and, in that case, the +baby would at once be a Popenjoy. What a condition was this for a +Marchioness to be in at the moment of the birth of her eldest child! +"But I don't know anything about the nasty women!" said Mary, through +her tears. + +"It is such a pity that you should ever have gone," said Lady Susanna, +shaking her head. + +"It wasn't wicked to go," said Mary, "and I won't be scolded about it +any more. You went to a lecture yourself when you were in town, and +they might just as well have sent for you." + +Lady Sarah promised her that she should not be scolded, and was very +keen in thinking what steps had better be taken. Mary wished to run off +to the deanery at once, but was told that she had better not do so till +an answer had come to the letter which was of course written by that +day's post to Lord George. There were still ten days to the trial, and +twenty days, by computation, to the great event. There were, of course, +various letters written to Lord George. Lady Sarah wrote very sensibly, +suggesting that he should go to Mr. Stokes, the family lawyer. Lady +Susanna was full of the original sin of that unfortunate visit to the +Disabilities. She was, however, of opinion that if Mary was concealed +in a certain room at Manor Cross, which might she thought be +sufficiently warmed and ventilated for health, the judges of the +Queen's Bench would never be able to find her. The baby in that case +would have been born at Manor Cross, and posterity would know nothing +about the room. Mary's letter was almost hysterically miserable. She +knew nothing about the horrid people. What did they want her to say? +All she had done was to go to a lecture, and to give the wicked woman a +guinea. Wouldn't George come and take her away. She wouldn't care where +she went. Nothing on earth should make her go up and stand before the +judges. It was, she said, very cruel, and she did hope that George +would come to her at once. If he didn't come she thought that she would +die. + +Nothing, of course, was said to the Marchioness, but it was found +impossible to keep the matter from Mrs. Toff. Mrs. Toff was of opinion +that the bit of paper should be burned, and that no further notice +should be taken of the matter at all. "If they don't go they has to pay +£10," said Mrs. Toff with great authority,--Mrs. Toff remembering that +a brother of hers, who had "forgotten himself in liquor" at the +Brotherton assizes, had been fined £10 for not answering to his name as +a juryman. "And then they don't really have to pay it," said Mrs. Toff, +who remembered also that the good-natured judge had not at last exacted +the penalty. But Lady Sarah could not look at the matter in that light. +She was sure that if a witness were really wanted, that witness could +not escape by paying a fine. + +The next morning there came a heartrending letter from Aunt Ju. She was +very sorry that Lady George should have been so troubled;--but then let +them think of her trouble, of her misery! She was quite sure that it +would kill her,--and it would certainly ruin her. That odious Baroness +had summoned everybody that had ever befriended her. Captain De Baron +had been summoned, and the Marquis, and Mrs. Montacute Jones. And the +whole expense, according to Aunt Ju, would fall upon her; for it seemed +to be the opinion of the lawyers that she had hired the Baroness. Then +she said some very severe things against the Disabilities generally. +There was that woman Fleabody making a fortune in their hall, and would +take none of this expense upon herself. She thought that such things +should be left to men, who after all were not so mean as women;--so, at +least, said Aunt Ju. + +And then there was new cause for wonderment. Lord Brotherton had been +summoned, and would Lord Brotherton come? They all believed that he was +dying, and, if so, surely he could not be made to come. "But is it not +horrible," said Lady Susanna, "that people of rank should be made +subject to such an annoyance! If anybody can summon anybody, nobody can +ever be sure of herself!" + +On the next morning Lord George himself came down to Brotherton, and +Mary with a carriage full of precautions, was sent into the deanery to +meet him. The Marchioness discovered that the journey was to be made, +and was full of misgivings and full of enquiries. In her present +condition, the mother expectant ought not to be allowed to make any +journey at all. The Marchioness remembered how Sir Henry had told her, +before Popenjoy was born, that all carriage exercise was bad. And why +should she go to the deanery? Who could say whether the Dean would let +her come away again? What a feather it would be in the Dean's cap if +the next Popenjoy were born at the deanery. It was explained to her +that in no other way could she see her husband. Then the poor old woman +was once more loud in denouncing the misconduct of her youngest son to +the head of the family. + +Mary made the journey in perfect safety, and then was able to tell her +father the whole story. "I never heard of anything so absurd in my +life," said the Dean. + +"I suppose I must go, papa?" + +"Not a yard." + +"But won't they come and fetch me?" + +"Fetch you? No." + +"Does it mean nothing." + +"Very little. They won't attempt to examine half the people they have +summoned. That Baroness probably thinks that she will get money out of +you. If the worst comes to the worst, you must send a medical +certificate." + +"Will that do?" + +"Of course it will. When George is here we will get Dr. Loftly, and he +will make it straight for us. You need not trouble yourself about it at +all. Those women at Manor Cross are old enough to have known better." + +Lord George came and was very angry. He quite agreed as to Dr. Loftly, +who was sent for, and who did give a certificate,--and who took upon +himself to assure Lady George that all the judges in the land could not +enforce her attendance as long as she had that certificate in her +hands. But Lord George was vexed beyond measure that his wife's name +should have been called in question, and could not refrain himself from +a cross word or two. "It was so imprudent your going to such a place!" + +"Oh George, are we to have that all again?" + +"Why shouldn't she have gone?" asked the Dean. + +"Are you in favour of rights of women?" + +"Not particularly;--though if there be any rights which they haven't +got, I thoroughly wish that they might get them. I certainly don't +believe in the Baroness Banmann, nor yet in Dr. Fleabody; but I don't +think they could have been wrong in going in good company to hear what +a crazy old woman might have to say." + +"It was very foolish," said Lord George. "See what has come of it!" + +"How could I tell, George? I thought you had promised that you wouldn't +scold any more. Nasty fat old woman! I'm sure I didn't want to hear +her." Then Lord George went back to town with the medical certificate +in his pocket, and Mary, being in her present condition, afraid of the +authorities, was unable to stay and be happy even for one evening with +her father. + +During the month the Disabilities created a considerable interest +throughout London, of which Dr. Fleabody reaped the full advantage. The +Baroness was so loud in her clamours that she forced the question of +the Disabilities on the public mind generally, and the result was that +the world flocked to the Institute. The Baroness, as she heard of this, +became louder and louder. It was not this that she wanted. Those who +wished to sympathise with her should send her money,--not go to the +hall to hear that loud imbecile American female! The Baroness, when she +desired to be-little the doctor, always called her a female. And the +Baroness, though in truth she was not personally attractive, did +contrive to surround herself with supporters, and in these days moved +into comfortable lodgings in Wigmore Street. Very few were heard to +speak in her favour, but they who contributed to the relief of her +necessities were many. It was found to be almost impossible to escape +from her without leaving some amount of money in her hands. And then, +in a happy hour, she came at last across an old gentleman who did +appreciate her and her wrongs. How it was that she got an introduction +to Mr. Philogunac Coelebs was not, I think, ever known. It is not +improbable that having heard of his soft heart, his peculiar +propensities, and his wealth, she contrived to introduce herself. It +was, however, suddenly understood that Mr. Philogunac Coelebs, who was +a bachelor and very rich, had taken her by the hand, and intended to +bear all the expenses of the trial. It was after the general intimation +which had been made to the world in this matter that the summons for +Lady Mary had been sent down to Manor Cross. + +And now in these halcyon days of March the Baroness also had her +brougham and was to be seen everywhere. How she did work! The attornies +who had the case in hands, found themselves unable to secure themselves +against her. She insisted on seeing the barristers, and absolutely did +work her way into the chambers of that discreet junior Mr. Stuffenruff. +She was full of her case, full of her coming triumph. She would teach +women like Miss Julia Mildmay and Lady Selina Protest what it was to +bamboozle a Baroness of the Holy Roman Empire! And as for the American +female----. + +"You'll put her pipe out," suggested Mr. Philogunac Coelebs, who was +not superior to a mild joke. + +"Stop her from piping altogether in dis contry," said the Baroness, who +in the midst of her wrath and zeal and labour was superior to all +jokes. + +Two days before that fixed for the trial there fell a great blow upon +those who were interested in the matter;--a blow that was heavy on Mr. +Coelebs but heavier still on the attornies. The Baroness had taken +herself off, and when enquiries were made it was found that she was at +Madrid. Mr. Snape, one of the lawyers, was the person who first +informed Mr. Coelebs, and did so in a manner which clearly implied that +he expected Mr. Coelebs to pay the bill. Then Mr. Snape encountered a +terrible disappointment, and Mr. Coelebs was driven to confess his own +disgrace. He had, he said, never undertaken to pay the cost of the +trial, but he had, unfortunately, given the lady a thousand pounds to +enable her to pay the expenses herself. Mr. Snape, expostulated, and, +later on, urged with much persistency, that Mr. Coelebs had more than +once attended in person at the office of Messrs. Snape and Cashett. But +in this matter the lawyers did not prevail. They had taken their orders +from the lady, and must look to the lady for payment. They who best +knew Mr. Philogunac Coelebs thought that he had escaped cheaply, as +there had been many fears that he should make the Baroness altogether +his own. + +"I am so glad she has gone," said Mary, when she heard the story. "I +should never have felt safe while that woman was in the country. I'm +quite sure of one thing. I'll never have anything more to do with +disabilities. George need not be afraid about that." + + + + +CHAPTER LXI. + +THE NEWS COMES HOME. + + +During those last days of the glory of the Baroness, when she was +driving about London under the auspices of Philogunac Coelebs in her +private brougham and talking to everyone of the certainty of her coming +success, Lord George Germain was not in London either to hear or to see +what was going on. He had gone again to Naples, having received a +letter from the British Consul there telling him that his brother was +certainly dying. The reader will understand that he must have been most +unwilling to take this journey. He at first refused to do so, alleging +that his brother's conduct to him had severed all ties between them; +but at last he allowed himself to be persuaded by the joint efforts of +Mr. Knox, Mr. Stokes, and Lady Sarah, who actually came up to London +herself for the purpose of inducing him to take the journey. "He is not +only your brother," said Lady Sarah, "but the head of your family as +well. It is not for the honour of the family that he should pass away +without having someone belonging to him at the last moment." When Lord +George argued that he would in all probability be too late, Lady Sarah +explained that the last moments of a Marquis of Brotherton could not +have come as long as his body was above ground. + +So urged the poor man started again, and found his brother still alive, +but senseless. This was towards the end of March, and it is hoped that +the reader will remember the event which was to take place on the 1st +of April. The coincidence of the two things added of course very +greatly to his annoyance. Telegrams might come to him twice a-day, but +no telegram could bring him back in a flash when the moment of peril +should arrive, or enable him to enjoy the rapture of standing at his +wife's bedside when that peril should be over. He felt as he went away +from his brother's villa to the nearest hotel,--for he would not sleep +nor eat in the villa,--that he was a man marked out for misfortune. +When he returned to the villa on the next morning the Marquis of +Brotherton was no more. His Lordship had died in the 44th year of his +age, on the 30th March, 187--. + +The Marquis of Brotherton was dead, and Lord George Germain was Marquis +of Brotherton, and would be so called by all the world as soon as his +brother was decently hidden under the ground. It concerns our story now +to say that Mary Lovelace was Marchioness of Brotherton, and that the +Dean of Brotherton was the father-in-law of a Marquis, and would, in +all probability, be the progenitor of a long line of Marquises. Lord +George, as soon as the event was known, caused telegrams to be sent to +Mr. Knox, to Lady Sarah,--and to the Dean. He had hesitated about the +last, but his better nature at last prevailed. He was well aware that +no one was so anxious as the Dean, and though he disliked and condemned +the Dean's anxiety, he remembered that the Dean had at any rate been a +loving father to his wife, and a very liberal father-in-law. + +Mr. Knox, when he received the news, went at once to Mr. Stokes, and +the two gentlemen were not long in agreeing that a very troublesome and +useless person had been removed out of the world. "Oh, yes; there's a +will," said Mr. Stokes in answer to an enquiry from Mr. Knox, "made +while he was in London the other day, just before he started,--as bad a +will as a man could make; but he couldn't do very much harm. Every acre +was entailed." + +"How about the house in town?" asked Mr. Knox. + +"Entailed on the baby about to be born, if he happens to be a boy." + +"He didn't spend his income?" suggested Mr. Knox. + +"He muddled a lot of money away; but since the coal came up he couldn't +spend it all, I should say." + +"Who gets it?" asked Mr. Knox, laughing. + +"We shall see that when the will is read," said the attorney with a +smile. + +The news was brought out to Lady Sarah as quick as the very wretched +pony which served for the Brotherton telegraph express could bring it. +The hour which was lost in getting the pony ready, perhaps, did not +signify much. Lady Sarah, at the moment, was busy with her needle, and +her sisters were with her. "What is it?" said Lady Susanna, jumping up. +Lady Sarah, with cruel delay, kept the telegram for a moment in her +hand. "Do open it," said Lady Amelia; "is it from George? Pray open +it;--pray do!" Lady Sarah, feeling certain of the contents of the +envelope, and knowing the importance of the news, slowly opened the +cover. "It is all over," she said, "Poor Brotherton!" Lady Amelia burst +into tears. "He was never so very unkind to me," said Lady Susanna, +with her handkerchief up to her eyes. "I cannot say that he was good to +me," said Lady Sarah, "but it may be that I was hard to him. May God +Almighty forgive him all that he did amiss!" + +Then there was a consultation held, and it was decided that Mary and +the Marchioness must both be told at once. "Mamma will be dreadfully +cut up," said Lady Susanna. Then Lady Amelia suggested that their +mother's attention should be at once drawn off to Mary's condition, +for the Marchioness at this time was much worried in her feelings about +Mary,--as to whom it now seemed that some error must have been made. +The calculations had not been altogether exact. So at least, judging +from Mary's condition, they all now thought at Manor Cross. Mrs. Toff +was quite sure, and the Marchioness was perplexed in her memory as to +certain positive information which had been whispered into her ear by +Sir Henry just before the birth of that unfortunate Popenjoy, who was +now lying dead as Lord Brotherton at Naples. + +The telegram had arrived in the afternoon at the hour in which Mary was +accustomed to sit in the easy chair with the Marchioness. The penalty +had now been reduced to an hour a day, and this, as it happened, was +the hour. The Marchioness had been wandering a good deal in her mind. +From time to time she expressed her opinion that Brotherton would get +well and would come back; and she would then tell Mary how she ought to +urge her husband to behave well to his elder brother, always asserting +that George had been stiff-necked and perverse. But in the midst of all +this she would refer every minute to Mary's coming baby as the coming +Popenjoy--not a possible Popenjoy at some future time, but the +immediate Popenjoy of the hour,--to be born a Popenjoy! Poor Mary, in +answer to all this, would agree with everything. She never contradicted +the old lady, but sat longing that the hour might come to an end. + +Lady Sarah entered the room, followed by her two sisters. "Is there any +news?" asked Mary. + +"Has Brotherton come back?" demanded the Marchioness. + +"Dear mamma!" said Lady Sarah;--and she went up and knelt down before +her mother and took her hand. + +"Where is he?" asked the Marchioness. + +"Dear mamma! He has gone away,--beyond all trouble." + +"Who has gone away?" + +"Brotherton is--dead, mamma. This is a telegram from George." The old +woman looked bewildered, as though she did not as yet quite comprehend +what had been said to her. "You know," continued Lady Sarah, "that he +was so ill that we all expected this." + +"Expected what?" + +"That my brother could not live." + +"Where is George? What has George done? If George had gone to him----. +Oh me! Dead! He is not dead! And what has become of the child?" + +"You should think of Mary, mamma." + +"My dear, of course I think of you. I am thinking of nothing else. I +should say it would be Friday. Sarah,--you don't mean to say that +Brotherton is--dead?" Lady Sarah merely pressed her mother's hand and +looked into the old lady's face. "Why did not they let me go to him? +And is Popenjoy dead also?" + +"Dear mamma, don't you remember?" said Lady Susanna. + +"Yes; I remember. George was determined it should be so. Ah me!--ah me! +Why should I have lived to hear this!" After that it was in vain that +they told her of Mary and of the baby that was about to be born. She +wept herself into hysterics,--was taken away and put to bed; and then +soon wept herself asleep. + +Mary during all this had said not a word. She had felt that the moment +of her exaltation,--the moment in which she had become the mistress of +the house and of everything around it,--was not a time in which she +could dare even to speak to the bereaved mother. But when the two +younger sisters had gone away with the Marchioness, she asked after her +husband. Then Lady Sarah showed her the telegram in which Lord George, +after communicating the death of his brother, had simply said that he +should himself return home as quickly as possible. "It has come very +quick," said Lady Sarah. + +"What has come!" + +"Your position, Mary. I hope,--I hope you will bear it well." + +"I hope so," said Mary, almost sullenly. But she was awestruck, and not +sullen. + +"It will all be yours now,--the rank, the wealth, the position, the +power of spending money, and tribes of friends anxious to share your +prosperity. Hitherto you have only seen the gloom of this place, which +to you has of course been dull. Now it will be lighted up, and you can +make it gay enough." + +"This is not a time to think of gaiety," said Mary. + +"Poor Brotherton was nothing to you. I do not think you ever saw him." + +"Never." + +"He was nothing to you. You cannot mourn." + +"I do mourn. I wish he had lived. I wish the boy had lived. If you have +thought that I wanted all this, you have done me wrong. I have wanted +nothing but to have George to live with me. If anybody thinks that I +married him because all this might come,--oh, they do not know me." + +"I know you, Mary." + +"Then you will not believe that." + +"I do not believe it. I have never believed it. I know that you are +good and disinterested and true of heart. I have loved you dearly and +more dearly as I have seen you every day. But Mary, you are fond of +what the world calls--pleasure." + +"Yes," said Mary, after a pause, "I am fond of pleasure. Why not? I +hope I am not fond of doing harm to anyone." + +"If you will only remember how great are your duties. You may have +children to whom you may do harm. You have a husband, who will now have +many cares, and to whom much harm may be done. Among women you will be +the head of a noble family, and may grace or disgrace them all by your +conduct." + +"I will never disgrace them," she said proudly. + +"Not openly, not manifestly I am sure. Do you think that there are no +temptations in your way?" + +"Everybody has temptations." + +"Who will have more than you? Have you thought that every tenant, every +labourer on the estate will have a claim on you?" + +"How can I have thought of anything yet?" + +"Don't be angry with me, dear, if I bid you think of it. I think of +it,--more I know than I ought to do. I have been so placed that I could +do but little good and little harm to others than myself. The females +of a family such as ours, unless they marry, are very insignificant in +the world. You who but a few years ago were a little school girl in +Brotherton have now been put over all our heads." + +"I didn't want to be put over anybody's head." + +"Fortune has done it for you, and your own attractions. But I was going +to say that little as has been my power and low as is my condition, I +have loved the family and striven to maintain its respectability. There +is not, I think, a face on the estate I do not know. I shall have to go +now and see them no more." + +"Why should you go?" + +"It will probably be proper. No married man likes to have his unmarried +sisters in his house." + +"I shall like you. You shall never go." + +"Of course I shall go with mamma and the others. But I would have you +sometimes think of me and those I have cared for, and I would have you +bear in mind that the Marchioness of Brotherton should have more to do +than to amuse herself." + +Whatever assurances Mary might have made or have declined to make in +answer to this were stopped by the entrance of a servant, who came to +inform Lady George that her father was below. The Dean too had received +his telegram, and had at once ridden over to greet the new Marchioness +of Brotherton. + +Of all those who first heard the news, the Dean's feelings were by far +the strongest. It cannot be said of any of the Germains that there was +sincere and abiding grief at the death of the late Marquis. The poor +mother was in such a state, was mentally so weak, that she was in truth +no longer capable of strong grief or strong joy. And the man had been, +not only so bad but so injurious also, to all connected with him,--had +contrived of late to make his whole family so uncomfortable,--that he +had worn out even that enduring love which comes of custom. He had been +a blister to them,--assuring them constantly that he would ever be a +blister; and they could not weep in their hearts because the blister +was removed. But neither did they rejoice. Mary, when, in her simple +language, she had said that she did not want it, had spoken the plain +truth. Munster Court, with her husband's love and the power to go to +Mrs. Jones' parties, sufficed for her ambition. That her husband should +be gentle with her, should caress her as well as love her, was all the +world to her. She feared rather than coveted the title of Marchioness, +and dreaded that gloomy house in the Square with all her heart. But to +the Dean the triumph was a triumph indeed and the joy was a joy! He had +set his heart upon it from the first moment in which Lord George had +been spoken of as a suitor for his daughter's hand,--looking forward to +it with the assured hope of a very sanguine man. The late Marquis had +been much younger than he, but he calculated that his own life had been +wholesome while that of the Marquis was the reverse. Then had come the +tidings of the Marquis' marriage. That had been bad;--but he had again +told himself how probable it was that the Marquis should have no son. +And then the Lord had brought home a son. All suddenly there had come +to him the tidings that a brat called Popenjoy,--a brat who in life +would crush all his hopes,--was already in the house at Manor Cross! He +would not for a moment believe in the brat. He would prove that the boy +was not Popenjoy, though he should have to spend his last shilling in +doing so. He had set his heart upon the prize, and he would allow +nothing to stand in his way. + +And now the prize had come before his daughter had been two years +married, before the grandchild was born on whose head was to be +accumulated all these honours! There was no longer any doubt. The +Marquis was gone, and that false Popenjoy was gone; and his daughter +was the wife of the reigning Lord, and the child,--his grandchild,--was +about to be born. He was sure that the child would be a boy! But even +were a girl the eldest, there would be time enough for boys after that. +There surely would be a real Popenjoy before long. + +And what was he to gain,--he himself? He often asked himself the +question, but could always answer it satisfactorily. He had risen above +his father's station by his own intellect and industry so high as to be +able to exalt his daughter among the highest in the land. He could +hardly have become a Marquis himself. That career could not have been +open to him; but a sufficiency of the sweets of the peerage would be +his own if he could see his daughter a Marchioness. And now that was +her rank. Fate could not take it away from her. Though Lord George were +to die to-morrow, she would still be a Marchioness, and the coming boy, +his grandson, would be the Marquis. He himself was young for his age. +He might yet live to hear his grandson make a speech in the House of +Commons as Lord Popenjoy. + +He had been out about the city and received the telegram at three +o'clock. He felt at the moment intensely grateful to Lord George for +having sent it;--as he would have been full of wrath had none been sent +to him. There was no reference to "Poor Brotherton!" on his tongue; no +reference to "Poor Brotherton!" in his heart. The man had grossly +maligned his daughter to his own ears, had insulted him with bitter +malignity, and was his enemy. He did not pretend to himself that he +felt either sorrow or pity. The man had been a wretch and his enemy and +was now dead; and he was thoroughly glad that the wretch was out of his +way. "Marchioness of Brotherton!" he said to himself, as he rested for +a few minutes alone in his study. He stood with his hands in his +pockets, looking up at the ceiling, and realizing it all. Yes; all that +was quite true which had been said to himself more than once. He had +begun his life as a stable-boy. He could remember the time when his +father touched his hat to everybody that came into the yard. +Nevertheless he was Dean of Brotherton,--and so much a Dean as to have +got the better of all enemies in the Close. And his daughter was +Marchioness of Brotherton. She would be Mary to him, and would +administer to his little comforts when men descended from the comrades +of William the Conqueror would treat her with semi-regal respect. He +told himself that he was sure of his daughter. + +Then he ordered his horse, and started off to ride to Manor Cross. He +did not doubt but that she knew it already, but still it was necessary +that she should hear it from his lips and he from hers. As he rode +proudly beneath the Manor Cross oaks he told himself again and again +that they would all belong to his grandson. + +When the Dean was announced Mary almost feared to see him,--or rather +feared that expression of triumph which would certainly be made both by +his words and manner. All that Lady Sarah had said had entered into her +mind. There were duties incumbent on her which would be very heavy, for +which she felt that she could hardly be fit,--and the first of these +duties was to abstain from pride as to her own station in life. But her +father she knew would be very proud, and would almost demand pride from +her. She hurried down to him nevertheless. Were she ten times a +Marchioness, next to her husband her care would be due to him. What +daughter had ever been beloved more tenderly than she? Administer to +him! Oh yes, she would do that as she had always done. She rushed into +his arms in the little parlour and then burst into tears. + +"My girl," he said, "I congratulate you." + +"No;--no, no." + +"Yes, yes, yes. Is it not better in all ways that it should be so? I do +congratulate you. Hold up your head, dear, and bear it well." + +"Oh, papa, I shall never bear it well." + +"No woman that was ever born has, I believe, borne it better than you +will. No woman was ever more fit to grace a high position. My own +girl!" + +"Yes, papa, your own girl. But I wish,--I wish----" + +"All that I have wished has come about." She shuddered as she heard +these words, remembering that two deaths had been necessary for this +fruition of his desires. But he repeated his words. "All that I have +wished has come about. And, Mary, let me tell you this;--you should in +no wise be afraid of it, nor should you allow yourself to think of it +as though there were anything to be regretted. Which do you believe +would make the better peer; your husband or that man who has died?" + +"Of course George is ten times the best." + +"Otherwise he would be very bad. But no degree of comparison would +express the difference. Your husband will add an honour to his rank." +She took his hand and kissed it as he said this,--which certainly would +not have been said had not that telegram come direct to the deanery. +"And, looking to the future, which would probably make the better peer +in coming years;--the child born of that man and woman, and bred by +them as they would have bred it, or your child,--yours and your +husband's? And here, in the country,--from which lord would the tenants +receive the stricter justice, and the people the more enduring +kindness? Don't you know that he disgraced his order, and that the +woman was unfit to bear the name which rightly or wrongly she had +assumed? You will be fit." + +"No, papa." + +"Excuse me, dear. I am praising myself rather than you when I +say,--yes. But though I praise myself it is a matter as to which I have +no shadow of doubt. There can be nothing to regret,--no cause for +sorrow. With the inmates of this house custom demands the decency of +outward mourning;--but there can be no grief of heart. The man was a +wild beast, destroying everybody and everything that came near him. +Only think how he treated your husband." + +"He is dead, papa!" + +"I thank God that he has gone. I cannot bring myself to lie about it. I +hate such lying. To me it is unmanly. Grief or joy, regrets or +satisfaction, when expressed, should always be true. It is a grand +thing to rise in the world. The ambition to do so is the very salt of +the earth. It is the parent of all enterprise, and the cause of all +improvement. They who know no such ambition are savages and remain +savage. As far as I can see, among us Englishmen such ambition is +healthily and happily almost universal, and on that account we stand +high among the citizens of the world. But, owing to false teaching, men +are afraid to own aloud a truth which is known to their own hearts. I +am not afraid to do so and I would not have you afraid. I am proud that +by one step after another I have been able so to place you and so to +form you that you should have been found worthy of rank much higher +than my own. And I would have you proud also and equally ambitious for +your child. Let him be the Duke of Brotherton. Let him be brought up to +be one of England's statesmen, if God shall give him intellect for the +work. Let him be seen with the George and Garter, and be known +throughout Europe as one of England's worthiest worthies. Though not +born as yet his career should already be a care to you. And that he may +be great you should rejoice that you yourself are great already." + +After that he went away, leaving messages for Lord George and the +family. He bade her tell Lady Sarah that he would not intrude on the +present occasion, but that he hoped to be allowed to see the ladies of +the family very shortly after the funeral. + +Poor Mary could not but be bewildered by the difference of the two +lessons she had received on this the first day of her assured honours. +And she was the more perplexed because both her instructors had +appeared to her to be right in their teaching. The pagan exaltation of +her father at the death of his enemy she could put on one side, +excusing it by the remembrance of the terrible insult which she knew +that he had received. But the upshot of his philosophy she did receive +as true, and she declared to herself that she would harbour in her +heart of hearts the lessons which he had given her as to her own child, +lessons which must be noble as they tended to the well-being of the +world at large. To make her child able to do good to others, to assist +in making him able and anxious to do so,--to train him from the first +in that way,--what wish could be more worthy of a mother than this? But +yet the humility and homely carefulness inculcated by Lady Sarah,--was +not that lesson also true? Assuredly yes! And yet how should she +combine the two? + +She was unaware that within herself there was a power, a certain +intellectual alembic of which she was quite unconscious, by which she +could distil the good of each, and quietly leave the residuum behind +her as being of no moment. + + + + +CHAPTER LXII. + +THE WILL. + + +Lord George came back to England as quick as the trains would carry +him, and with him came the sad and mournful burden which had to be +deposited in the vaults of the parish church at Manor Cross. There must +be a decent tombstone now that the life was gone, with decent words +upon it and a decent effigy,--even though there had been nothing decent +in the man's life. The long line of past Marquises must be perpetuated, +and Frederic Augustus, the tenth peer of the name, must be made to lie +with the others. Lord George, therefore,--for he was still Lord George +till after the funeral,--travelled with his sad burden, some deputy +undertaker having special charge of it, and rested for a few hours in +London. Mr. Knox met him in Mr. Stokes' chambers, and there he learned +that his brother, who had made many wills in his time, had made one +last will just before he left London, after his return from Rudham +Park. Mr. Stokes took him aside and told him that he would find the +will to be unfavourable. "I thought the property was entailed," said +Lord George very calmly. Mr. Stokes assented, with many assurances as +to the impregnability of the family acres and the family houses; but +added that there was money, and that the furniture had belonged to the +late Marquis to dispose of as he pleased. "It is a matter of no +consequence," said Lord George,--whom the loss of the money and +furniture did not in truth at all vex. + +Early on the following morning he went down to Brotherton, leaving the +undertakers to follow him as quickly as they might. He could enter the +house now, and to him as he was driven home under the oaks no doubt +there came some idea of his own possession of them. But the idea was +much less vivid than the Dean's, and was chiefly confined to the +recollection that no one could now turn him out of the home in which he +had been born and in which his mother and sisters and wife were living. +Had his elder brother been a man of whom he could have been proud, I +almost think he would have been more contented as a younger brother. +"It is over at last" were the first words he said to his wife, not +finding it to be more important that his greatness was beginning than +that his humiliation should be brought to an end. + +The funeral took place with all the state that undertakers could give +to it in a little village, but with no other honours. Lord George was +the chief mourner and almost the only one. One or two neighbours +came,--Mr. De Baron, from Rudham Park, and such of the farmers as had +been long on the land, among them being Mr. Price. But there was one +person among the number whom no one had expected. This was Jack De +Baron. "He has been mentioned in the will," said Mr. Stokes very +gravely to Lord George, "and perhaps you would not object to my asking +him to be present." Lord George did not object, though certainly +Captain De Baron was the last person whom he would have thought of +asking to Manor Cross on any occasion. He was made welcome, however, +with a grave courtesy. + +"What on earth has brought you here?" said old Mr. De Baron to his +cousin. + +"Don't in the least know! Got a letter from a lawyer, saying I had +better come. Thought everybody was to be here who had ever seen him." + +"He hasn't left you money, Jack," said Mr. De Baron. + +"What will you give for my chance?" said Jack. But Mr. De Baron, though +he was much given to gambling speculations, did not on this occasion +make an offer. + +After the funeral, which was sadder even than funerals are in general +though no tear was shed, the will was read in the library at Manor +Cross, Lord George being present, together with Mr. Knox, Mr. Stokes +and the two De Barons. The Dean might have wished to be there; but he +had written early on that morning an affectionate letter to his +son-in-law, excusing himself from being present at the funeral. "I +think you know," he had said, "that I would do anything either to +promote your welfare or to gratify your feelings, but there had +unfortunately been that between me and the late Marquis which would +make my attendance seem to be a mockery." He did not go near Manor +Cross on that day; but no one knew better than he,--not even Mr. Knox +himself,--that the dead lord had possessed no power of alienating a +stick or a brick upon the property. The will was very short, and the +upshot of it was that every shilling of which the Marquis died +possessed, together with his house at Como and the furniture contained +in the three houses, was left to our old friend Jack De Baron. "I took +the liberty," said Mr. Stokes, "to inform his lordship that should he +die before his wife, his widow would be entitled to a third of his +personal property. He replied that whatever his widow could claim by +law, she could get without any act of his. I mention this, as Captain +De Baron may perhaps be willing that the widow of the late Marquis may +be at once regarded as possessed of a third of the property." + +"Quite so," said Jack, who had suddenly become as solemn and funereal +as Mr. Stokes himself. He was now engaged to Guss Mildmay with a +vengeance! + +When the solemnity of the meeting was over, Lord George,--or the +Marquis, as he must now be called,--congratulated the young heir with +exquisite grace. "I was so severed from my brother of late," he said, +"that I had not known of the friendship." + +"Never saw him in my life till I met him down at Rudham," said Jack. "I +was civil to him there because he seemed to be ill. He sent me once to +fetch a ten-pound note. I thought it odd, but I went. After that he +seemed to take to me a good deal." + +"He took to you to some purpose, Captain De Baron. As to me, I did not +want it, and certainly should not have got it. You need not for a +moment think that you are robbing us." + +"That is so good of you!" said Jack, whose thoughts, however, were too +full of Guss Mildmay to allow of any thorough enjoyment of his +unexpected prosperity. + +"Stokes says that after the widow is paid and the legacy duty there +will be eight--and twenty--thousand pounds!" whispered Mr. De Baron to +his relative. "By heavens! you are a lucky fellow." + +"I am rather lucky." + +"It will be fourteen hundred a year, if you only look out for a good +investment. A man with ready money at his own disposal can always get +five per cent, at least. I never heard of such a fluke in my life." + +"It was a fluke, certainly." + +"You'll marry now and settle down, I suppose?" + +"I suppose I shall," said Jack. "One has to come to that kind of thing +at last. I knew when I was going to Rudham that some d---- thing would +come of it. Oh,--of course I'm awfully glad. It's sure to come sooner +or later, and I suppose I've had my run. I've just seen Stokes, and he +says I'm to go to him in about a month's time. I thought I should have +got some of it to-morrow?" + +"My dear fellow, I can let you have a couple of hundreds, if you want +them," said Mr. De Baron, who had never hitherto been induced to +advance a shilling when his young cousin had been needy. + +Mr. Stokes, Mr. Knox, Mr. De Baron and the heir went away, leaving the +family to adjust their own affairs in their new position. Then Mary +received a third lecture as she sat leaning upon her husband's +shoulder. + +"At any rate, you won't have to go away any more," she had said to him. +"You have been always away, for ever so long." + +"It was you who would go to the deanery when you left London." + +"I know that. Of course I wanted to see papa then. I don't want to talk +about that any more. Only, you won't go away again?" + +"When I do you shall go with me." + +"That won't be going away. Going away is taking yourself off,--by +yourself." + +"Could I help it?" + +"I don't know. I could have gone with you. But it's over now, isn't +it?" + +"I hope so." + +"It shall be over. And when this other trouble is done,--you'll go to +London then?" + +"It will depend on your health, dear." + +"I am very well. Why shouldn't I be well? When a month is over,--then +you'll go." + +"In two months, perhaps." + +"That'll be the middle of June. I'm sure I shall be well in three +weeks. And where shall we go? We'll go to Munster Court,--shan't we?" + +"As soon as the house is ready in St. James' Square, we must go there." + +"Oh! George,--I do so hate that house in St. James' Square. I shall +never be happy there. It's like a prison." + +Then he gave her his lecture. "My love, you should not talk of hating +things that are necessary." + +"But why is St. James' Square necessary?" + +"Because it is the town residence belonging to the family. Munster +Court was very well for us as we were before. Indeed, it was much too +good, as I felt every hour that I was there. It was more than we could +afford without drawing upon your father for assistance." + +"But he likes being drawn upon," said Mary. "I don't think there is +anything papa likes so much as to be drawn upon." + +"That could make no difference to me, my dear. I don't think that as +yet you understand money matters." + +"I hope I never shall, then." + +"I hope you will. It will be your duty to do so. But, as I was saying, +the house at Munster Court will be unsuitable to you as Lady +Brotherton." On hearing this Mary pouted and made a grimace. "There is +a dignity to be borne which, though it may be onerous, must be +supported." + +"I hate dignity." + +"You would not say that if you knew how it vexed me. Could I have +chosen for myself personally, perhaps, neither would I have taken this +position. I do not think that I am by nature ambitious. But a man is +bound to do his duty in that position in which he finds himself +placed,--and so is a woman." + +"And it will be my duty to live in an ugly house?" + +"Perhaps the house may be made less ugly; but to live in it will +certainly be a part of your duty. And if you love me, Mary----" + +"Do you want me to tell you whether I love you?" + +"But, loving me as I know you do, I am sure you will not neglect your +duty. Do not say again that you hate your dignity. You must never +forget now that you are Marchioness of Brotherton." + +"I never shall, George." + +"That is right, my dear," he said, omitting to understand the little +satire conveyed in her words. "It will come easy to you before long. +But I would have all the world feel that you are the mistress of the +rank to which you have been raised. Of course, it has been different +hitherto," he said, endeavouring in his own mind to excuse the +indiscretion of that Kappa-kappa. This lecture also she turned to +wholesome food and digested, obtaining from it some strength and +throwing off the bombast by which a weaker mind might have been +inflated. She understood, at any rate, that St. James' Square must be +her doom; but while acknowledging this to herself, she made a little +resolution that a good deal would have to be done to the house before +it was ready for her reception, and that the doing would require a +considerable time. + +When she heard the purport of the late lord's will she was much +surprised,--more surprised, probably, than Jack himself. Why should a +man who was so universally bad,--such a horror,--leave his money to one +who was so--so--so good as Jack De Baron. The epithet came to her at +last in preference to any other. And what would he do now? George had +told her that the sum would be very large, and of course he could marry +if he pleased. At any rate he would not go to Perim. The idea that he +should go to Perim had made her uncomfortable. Perhaps he had better +marry Guss Mildmay. She was not quite all that his wife should be; but +he had said that he would do so in certain circumstances. Those +circumstances had come round and it was right that he should keep his +word. And yet it made her somewhat melancholy to think that he should +marry Guss Mildmay. + +Very shortly after this, and when she was becoming aware that the event +which ought to have taken place on the 1st of April would not be much +longer delayed, there came home to her various things containing +lectures almost as severe, and perhaps more eloquent than those she had +received from her sister, her father, and her husband. There was an +infinity of clothes which someone had ordered for her, and on all the +things which would bear a mark, there was a coronet. The coronets on +the pockethandkerchiefs seemed to be without end. And there was +funereal note-paper, on which the black edges were not more visible +than the black coronets. And there came invoices to her from the +tradesmen, addressed to the Marchioness of Brotherton. And then there +came the first letter from her father with her rank and title on the +envelope. At first she was almost afraid to open it. + + + + +CHAPTER LXIII. + +POPENJOY IS BORN--AND CHRISTENED. + + +At last, not much above a week after the calculations, in all the glory +of the purple of Manor Cross, the new Popenjoy was born. For it was a +Popenjoy. The Fates, who had for some time past been unpropitious to +the house of Brotherton, now smiled; and Fortune, who had been good to +the Dean throughout, remained true to him also in this. The family had +a new heir, a real Popenjoy; and the old Marchioness when the baby was +shown to her for awhile forgot her sorrows and triumphed with the rest. + +The Dean's anxiety had been so great that he had insisted on remaining +at the house. It had been found impossible to refuse such a request +made at such a time. And now, at last, the ladies at Manor Cross +gradually forgave the Dean his offences. To the old dowager they did +not mention his name, and she probably forgot his existence; but the +Marquis appeared to live with him on terms of perfect friendship, and +the sisters succumbed to the circumstances and allowed themselves to +talk to him as though he were in truth the father of the reigning +Marchioness. + +It will be understood that for forty-eight hours before the birth of +the child and for forty-eight hours afterwards all Manor Cross was +moved in the matter, as though this were the first male child born into +the world since the installation of some new golden age. It was a great +thing that, after all the recent troubles, a Popenjoy,--a proper +Popenjoy,--should be born at Manor Cross of English parents,--a healthy +boy,--a bouncing little lord, as Mrs. Toff called him; and the event +almost justified the prophetic spirit in which his grandmother spoke of +this new advent. "Little angel!" she said. "I know he'll grow up to +bring new honours to the family, and do as much for it as his +great-grandfather." The great-grandfather spoken of had been an earl, +great in borough-mongery, and had been made a marquis by Pitt on the +score of his votes. "George," she went on to say, "I do hope there will +be bells and bonfires, and that the tenants will be allowed to see +him." There were bells and bonfires. But in these days tenants are +perhaps busier men than formerly, and have less in them certainly of +the spirit of heir-worship than their fathers. But Mr. Price, with his +bride, did come down and see the baby; on which occasion the gallant +husband bade his wife remember that although they had been married more +than twelve months after Lord George, their baby would only be three +months younger. Whereupon Mrs. Price boxed her husband's ears,--to the +great delight of Mrs. Toff, who was dispensing sherry and cherry brandy +in her own sitting-room. + +The Dean's joy, though less ecstatic in its expression, was quite as +deep and quite as triumphant as that of the Marchioness. When he was +admitted for a moment to his daughter's bedside, the tears rolled down +his face as he prayed for a blessing for her and her baby. Lady Sarah +was in the room, and began to doubt whether she had read the man's +character aright. There was an ineffable tenderness about him, a +sweetness of manners, a low melody of voice, a gracious solemnity in +which piety seemed to be mingled with his love and happiness! That he +was an affectionate father had been always known; but now it had to be +confessed that he bore himself as though he had sprung from some noble +family or been the son and grandson of archbishops. How it would have +been with him on such an occasion had his daughter married some vicar +of Pugsty, as she had herself once suggested, Lady Sarah did not now +stop to enquire. It was reasonable to Lady Sarah that the coming of a +Popenjoy should be hailed with greater joy and receive a warmer welcome +than the birth of any ordinary baby. "You have had a good deal to bear, +Brotherton," he said, holding his noble son-in-law by the hand; "but I +think that this will compensate for it all." The tears were still in +his eyes, and they were true tears,--tears of most unaffected joy. He +had seen the happy day; and as he told himself in words which would +have been profane had they been absolutely uttered, he was now ready +to die in peace. Not that he meant to die, or thought that he should +die. That vision of young Popenjoy, bright as a star, beautiful as a +young Apollo, with all the golden glories of the aristocracy upon his +head, standing up in the House of Commons and speaking to the world at +large with modest but assured eloquence, while he himself occupied some +corner in the gallery, was still before his eyes. + +After all, who shall say that the man was selfish? He was contented to +shine with a reflected honour. Though he was wealthy, he never desired +grand doings at the deanery. In his own habits he was simple. The +happiness of his life had been to see his daughter happy. His very soul +had smiled within him when she had smiled in his presence. But he had +been subject to one weakness, which had marred a manliness which would +otherwise have been great. He, who should have been proud of the +lowliness of his birth, and have known that the brightest feather in +his cap was the fact that having been humbly born he had made himself +what he was,--he had never ceased to be ashamed of the stable-yard. And +as he felt himself to be degraded by that from which he had sprung, so +did he think that the only whitewash against such dirt was to be found +in the aggrandisement of his daughter and the nobility of her children. +He had, perhaps, been happier than he deserved. He might have sold her +to some lord who would have scorned her after a while and despised +himself. As it was, the Marquis, who was his son-in-law, was a man whom +upon the whole he could well trust. Lord George had indeed made one +little error in regard to Mrs. Houghton; but that had passed away and +would not probably be repeated. + +Of all those closely concerned in the coming of Popenjoy the father +seemed to bear the greatness of the occasion with the most modesty. +When the Dean congratulated him he simply smiled and expressed a hope +that Mary would do well in her troubles. Poor Mary's welfare had +hitherto been almost lost in the solicitude for her son. "She can't but +do well now," said the Dean, who of all men was the most sanguine. "She +is thoroughly healthy, and nothing has been amiss." + +"We must be very careful--that's all," said the Marquis. Hitherto he +had not brought his tongue to speak of his son as Popenjoy, and did not +do so for many a day to come. That an heir had been born was very well; +but of late the name of Popenjoy had not been sweet to his ears. + +Nothing had gone amiss, and nothing did go amiss. When it was decided +that the young Marchioness was to nurse her own baby,--a matter which +Mary took into her own hands with a very high tone,--the old +Marchioness became again a little troublesome. She had her memories +about it all in her own time; how she had not been able to do as Mary +was doing. She remembered all that, and how unhappy it had made her; +but she remembered also that, had she done so for Popenjoy, Sir Henry +would have insisted on three pints of porter. Then Mary rebelled +altogether, and talked of drinking nothing but tea,--and would not be +brought to consent even to bitter beer without a great deal of trouble. +But, through it all, the mother throve and the baby throve; and when +the bonfires had been all burned and the bells had been all rung, and +the child had been shown to such tenants and adherents and workmen as +desired to see him, the family settled down to a feeling of permanent +satisfaction. + +And then came the christening. Now in spite of the permanent +satisfaction there were troubles,--troubles of which the Marquis became +conscious very soon, and which he was bound to communicate to his +sister,--troubles of which the Dean was unfortunately cognisant, and of +which he would speak and with which he would concern him,--much to the +annoyance of the Marquis. The will which the late man had made was a +serious temporary embarrassment. There was no money with which to do +anything. The very bed on which the mother lay with her baby belonged +to Jack De Baron. They were absolutely drinking Jack De Baron's port +wine, and found, when the matter came to be considered, that they were +making butter from Jack De Baron's cows. This could not be long +endured. Jack, who was now bound to have a lawyer of his own, had very +speedily signified his desire that the family should be put to no +inconvenience, and had declared that any suggestion from the Marquis as +to the house in town or that in the country would be a law to him. But +it was necessary that everything should be valued at once, and either +purchased or given up to be sold to those who would purchase it. There +was, however, no money, and the Marquis who hated the idea of borrowing +was told that he must go among the money-lenders. Then the Dean +proposed that he and Miss Tallowax between them might be able to +advance what was needed. The Marquis shook his head and said nothing. +The proposition had been very distasteful to him. + +Then there came another proposition. But it will be right in the first +place to explain that the great question of godfather and godmother had +received much attention. His Royal Highness the Duke of Windsor had +signified through young Lord Brabazon that he would stand as one of the +sponsors. The honour had been very great, and had of course been +accepted at the moment. The Dean had hankered much after the office, +but had abstained from asking with a feeling that should the request be +refused a coolness would be engendered which he himself would be unable +to repress. It would have filled him with delight to stand in his own +cathedral as godfather to the little Popenjoy; but he abstained, and +soon heard that the Duke of Dunstable, who was a distant cousin, was to +be the colleague of His Royal Highness. He smiled and said nothing of +himself,--but thought that his liberality might have been more +liberally remembered. + +Just at this time Miss Tallowax arrived at the deanery, and on the next +morning the Dean came over to Manor Cross with a proposition from that +lady. She would bestow twenty thousand pounds immediately upon +Popenjoy, and place it for instant use in the father's hands, on +condition that she might be allowed to stand as godmother! + +"We could not consent to accept the money," said the Marquis very +gravely. + +"Why not? Mary is her nearest living relative in that generation. As a +matter of course, she will leave her money to Mary or her +children,--unless she be offended. Nothing is so common as for old +people with liberal hearts to give away the money which they must soon +leave behind them. A more generous creature than my old aunt doesn't +live." + +"Very generous; but I am afraid we cannot accept it." + +"After all, it is only an empty honour. I would not ask it for myself +because I knew how you might be situated. But I really think you might +gratify the old lady. Twenty thousand pounds is an important sum, and +would be so useful just at present!" + +This was true, but the father at the moment declined. The Dean, +however, who knew his man, determined that the money should not be +lost, and communicated with Mr. Knox. Mr. Knox came down to Manor Cross +and held a long consultation at which both the Dean and Lady Sarah were +present. "Let it be granted," said the Dean, "that it is a foolish +request; but are you justified in refusing twenty thousand pounds +offered to Popenjoy?" + +"Certainly," said Lady Sarah, "if the twenty thousand pounds is a +bribe." + +"But it is no bribe, Lady Sarah," said Mr. Knox. "It is not +unreasonable that Miss Tallowax should give her money to her +great-nephew, nor is it unreasonable that she should ask for this +honour, seeing that she is the child's great-aunt." There was a strong +opposition to Miss Tallowax's liberal offer,--but in the end it was +accepted. The twenty thousand pounds was important, and, after all, the +godmother could do no lasting injury to the child. Then it was +discovered that the offer was clogged with a further stipulation. The +boy must be christened Tallowax! To this father and mother and aunts +all objected, swearing that they would not subject their young Popenjoy +to so great an injury,--till it was ascertained that the old lady did +not insist on Tallowax as a first name, or even as a second. It would +suffice that Tallowax should be inserted among others. It was at last +decided that the boy should be christened Frederic Augustus Tallowax. +Thus he became Frederic Augustus Tallowax Germain,--commonly to be +called, by the Queen's courtesy, Lord Popenjoy. The christening itself +was not very august, as neither the Royal Duke nor his fellow attended +in person. The Dean stood proxy for the one, and Canon Holdenough for +the other. + +Mary by this time was able to leave her room, and was urgent with her +husband to take her up to London. Had she not been very good, and done +all that she was told,--except in regard to the porter? And was it not +manifest to everybody that she would be able to travel to St. +Petersburg and back if such a journey were required? Her husband +assured her that she would be knocked up before she got half-way. "But +London isn't a tenth part of the distance," said Mary, with a woman's +logic. Then it was settled that on May 20th she should be taken with +her baby to Munster Court. The following are a few of the letters of +congratulation which she received during the period of her +convalescence. + + "GROSVENOR PLACE. + + "MY DEAR MARCHIONESS,--Of course I have heard all about you from + time to time, and of course I have been delighted. In the first + place, we none of us could grieve very much for that unfortunate + brother of yours. Really it was so very much better for everybody + that Lord George should have the title and property,--not to talk + of all the advantage which the world expects from a young and + fascinating Lady Brotherton. I am told that the scaffolding is + already up in St. James' Square. I drove through the place the + other day, and bethought myself how long it might be before I + should receive the honour of a card telling me that on such and + such a day the Marchioness of Brotherton would be at home. I + should not suggest such a thing but for a dearly kind expression + in your last letter. + + "But the baby of course is the first object. Pray tell me what + sort of a baby it is. Two arms and two legs, I know, for even a + young Lord Popenjoy is not allowed to have more; but of his + special graces you might send me a catalogue, if you have as yet + been allowed pen and paper. I can believe that a good deal of mild + tyranny would go on with those estimable sisters, and that Lord + George would be anxious. I beg his pardon,--the Marquis. Don't you + find this second change in your name very + perplexing,--particularly in regard to your linen? All your nice + wedding things will have become wrong so soon! + + "And now I can impart a secret. There are promises of a little + Giblet. Of course it is premature to speak with certainty; but why + shouldn't there be a little Giblet as well as a little Popenjoy? + Only it won't be a Giblet as long as dear old Lord Gossling can + keep the gout out of his stomach. They say that in anger at his + son's marriage he has forsworn champagne and confines himself to + two bottles of claret a-day. But Giblet, who is the happiest young + man of my acquaintance, says that his wife is worth it all. + + "And so our friend the Captain is a millionaire! What will he do? + Wasn't it an odd will? I couldn't be altogether sorry, for I have + a little corner in my heart for the Captain, and would have left + him something myself if I had anything to leave. I really think he + had better marry his old love. I like justice, and that would be + just. He would do it to-morrow if you told him. It might take me a + month of hard work. How much is it he gets? I hear such various + sums,--from a hundred thousand down to as many hundreds. + Nevertheless, the will proves the man to have been mad,--as I + always said he was. + + "I suppose you'll come to Munster Court till the house in the + square be finished. Or will you take some furnished place for a + month or two? Munster Court is small; but it was very pretty, and + I hope I may see it again. + + "Kiss the little Popenjoy for me, and believe me to be, + + "Dear Lady Brotherton, + + "Your affectionate old friend, + + "G. MONTACUTE JONES." + +The next was from their friend the Captain himself. + + "DEAR LADY BROTHERTON,--I hope it won't be wrong in me to + congratulate you on the birth of your baby. I do so with all my + heart. I hope that some day, when I am an old fogy, I may be + allowed to know him and remind him that in old days I used to know + his mother. I was down at Manor Cross the other day; but of course + on such an occasion I could not see you. I was sent for because of + that strange will; but it was more strange to me that I should so + soon find myself in your house. It was not very bright on that + occasion. + + "I wonder who was surprised most by the will,--you or I?" Mary, + when she read this, declared to herself that she ought not to have + been surprised at all. How could anyone be surprised by what such + a man as that might do? + + "He had never seen me, as far as I know, till he met me at Rudham. + I did not want his money,--though I was poor enough. I don't know + what I shall do now; but I shan't go to Perim. + + "Mrs. Jones says you will soon be in town. I hope I may be allowed + to call. + + "Believe me always, + + "Most sincerely yours, + + "JOHN DE BARON." + +Both those letters gave her pleasure, and both she answered. To all +Mrs. Jones' enquiries she gave very full replies, and enjoyed her jokes +with her old friend. She hinted that she did not at all intend to hurry +the men at St. James' Square, and that certainly she would be found in +Munster Court till the men had completed their work. As to what their +young friend would do with his money she could say nothing. She could +not undertake the commission,--though perhaps that might be best,--and +so on. Her note to Jack was very short. She thanked him heartily for +his good wishes, and told him the day on which she would be in Munster +Court. Then in a postscript she said that she was "_very, very glad_" +that he had inherited the late lord's money. + +The other letter offended her as much as those two had pleased her. It +offended her so much that when she saw the handwriting she would not +have read it but that curiosity forbade her to put it on one side. It +was from Adelaide Houghton, and as she opened it there was a sparkle of +anger in her eyes which perhaps none of her friends had ever seen +there. This letter was as follows;-- + + "DEAR LADY BROTHERTON,--Will you not at length allow bygones to be + bygones? What can a poor woman do more than beg pardon and promise + never to be naughty again. Is it worth while that we who have + known each other so long should quarrel about what really amounted + to nothing? It was but a little foolish romance, the echo of a + past feeling,--a folly if you will, but innocent. I own my fault + and put on the sackcloth and ashes of confession, and, after that, + surely you will give me absolution. + + "And now, having made my apology, which I trust will be accepted, + pray let me congratulate you on all your happiness. The death of + your poor brother-in-law of course we have all expected. Mr. + Houghton had heard a month before that it was impossible that he + should live. Of course, we all feel that the property has fallen + into much better hands. And I am so glad that you have a boy. Dear + little Popenjoy! Do, do forgive me, so that I may have an + opportunity of kissing him. I am, at any rate, + + "Your affectionate old friend, + + "ADELAIDE HOUGHTON." + +Affectionate old friend! Serpent! Toad! Nasty degraded painted Jezebel! +Forgive her! No,--never; not though she were on her knees! She was +contemptible before, but doubly contemptible in that she could humble +herself to make an apology so false, so feeble, and so fawning. It was +thus that she regarded her correspondent's letter. Could any woman who +knew that love-letters had been written to her husband by another woman +forgive that other? We are all conscious of trespassers against +ourselves whom we especially bar when we say our prayers. Forgive us +our trespasses, as we forgive them who trespass against us,--excepting +Jones who has committed the one sin that we will not forgive, that we +ought not to forgive. Is there not that sin against the Holy Ghost to +justify us? This was the sin that Mary could not forgive. The +disgusting woman,--for to Mary the woman was now absolutely +disgusting,--had attempted to take from her the heart of her husband! +There was a good deal of evidence also against her husband, but that +she had quite forgotten. She did not in the least believe that Adelaide +was preferred to herself. Her husband had eyes, and could see,--a +heart, and could feel,--an understanding, and could perceive. She was +not in the least afraid as to her husband. But nothing on earth should +induce her to forgive Mrs. Houghton. She thought for a moment whether +it was worth her while to show the letter to the Marquis, and then tore +it into fragments and threw the pieces away. + + + + +CHAPTER LXIV. + +CONCLUSION. + + +It is now only necessary that we should collect together the few loose +threads of our story which require to be tied lest the pieces should +become unravelled in the wear. Of our hero, Lord Popenjoy, it need only +be said that when we last heard of him he was a very healthy and rather +mischievous boy of five years old, who tyrannised over his two little +sisters,--the Lady Mary and the Lady Sarah. Those, however, who look +most closely to his character think that they can see the germs of that +future success which his grandfather so earnestly desires for him. His +mother is quite sure that he will live to be Prime Minister, and has +already begun to train him for that office. The house in Munster Court +has of course been left, and the Marchioness was on one occasion roused +into avowing that the family mansion is preferable. But then the family +mansion has been so changed that no Germain of a former generation +would know it. The old Dowager who still lives at Manor Cross has never +seen the change, but Lady Sarah, who always spends a month or two in +town, pretends to disbelieve that it is the same house. One of the +events in Mary's life which astonishes her most is the perfect +friendship which exists between her and her eldest sister-in-law. She +corresponds regularly with Lady Sarah, and is quite content to have her +letters filled with the many ailments and scanty comforts of the poor +people on the estate. Lady Sarah is more than content to be able to +love the mother of the heir, and she does love her, and the boy too, +with all her heart. Now that there is a Popenjoy,--a coming Brotherton, +of whom she can be proud, she finds nothing in her own life with which +she ought to quarrel. The Ladies Susanna and Amelia also come up to +town every year, very greatly to their satisfaction, and are most +devoted to the young Marchioness. But the one guest who is honoured +above all others in St. James' Square, for whose comfort everything is +made to give way, whom not to treat with loving respect is to secure a +banishment from the house, whom all the servants are made to regard as +a second master, is the Dean. His lines have certainly fallen to him in +pleasant places. No woman in London is more courted and more popular +than the Marchioness of Brotherton, and consequently the Dean spends +his two months in London very comfortably. But perhaps the happiest +period of his life is the return visit which his daughter always makes +to him for a fortnight during the winter. At this period the Marquis +will generally pass a couple of days at the deanery, but for the +greater part of the time the father and daughter are alone together. +Then he almost worships her. Up in London he allows himself to be +worshipped with an exquisite grace. To Mrs. Houghton the Marchioness +has never spoken, and on that subject she is inexorable. Friends have +interceded, but such intercession has only made matters worse. Of what +nature must the woman be who could speak to any friend of such an +offence as she had committed? The Marchioness, in refusing to be +reconciled, has never alluded to the cause of her anger, but has shown +her anger plainly and has persistently refused to abandon it. + +The Marquis has become a model member of the House of Lords. He is +present at all their sittings, and is indefatigably patient on +Committees,--but very rarely speaks. In this way he is gradually +gaining weight in the country, and when his hair is quite grey and his +step less firm than at present, he will be an authority in Parliament. +He is also a pattern landlord, listening to all complaints, and +endeavouring in everything to do justice between himself and those who +are dependent on him. He is also a pattern father, expecting great +things from Popenjoy, and resolving that the child shall be subjected +to proper discipline as soon as he is transferred from feminine to +virile teaching. In the meantime the Marchioness reigns supreme in the +nursery,--as it is proper that she should do. + +The husband now never feels himself called upon to remind his wife to +support her dignity. Since the dancing of the Kappa-kappa she has never +danced, except when on grand occasions she has walked through a +quadrille with some selected partner of special rank; and this she does +simply as a duty. Nevertheless, in society she is very gay and very +joyous. But dancing has been a peril to her, and she avoids it +altogether, pleading to such friends as Mrs. Jones that a woman with a +lot of babies is out of place capering about a room. Mrs. Jones +remembers the Kappa-kappa and says little or nothing on the subject, +but she heartily dissents from her friend, and still hopes that there +may be a good time coming. The Marquis remembers it all, too, and is +thoroughly thankful to his wife, showing his gratitude every now and +then by suggesting that Captain and Mrs. De Baron may be asked to +dinner. He knows that there is much for which he has to be grateful. +Though the name of Mrs. Houghton is never on his tongue, he has not +forgotten the way in which he went astray in Berkeley Square,--nor the +sweet reticence of his wife, who has never thrown his fault in his +teeth since that day on which, at his bidding, she took the letter from +his pocket and read it. No man in London is better satisfied with his +wife than the Marquis, and perhaps no man in London has better cause to +be satisfied. + +Yes! Captain De Baron--and his wife--do occasionally dine together in +St. James' Square. Whether it was that Mrs. Montacute Jones was +successful in her efforts, or that Guss was enabled to found arguments +on Jack's wealth which Jack was unable to oppose, or that a sense of +what was due to the lady prevailed with him at last, he did marry her +about a twelvemonth after the reading of the will. When the Marchioness +came to town,--before Popenjoy was born,--he called, and was allowed to +see her. Nothing could be more respectful than was his demeanour then, +nor than it had been ever since; and when he announced to his friend, +as he did in person, that he was about to be married to Miss Mildmay, +she congratulated him with warmth, not saying a word as to past +occurrences. But she determined that she would ever be his friend, and +for his sake she has become friendly also to his wife. She never really +liked poor Guss,--nor perhaps does the Captain. But there have been no +quarrels, at any rate, no public quarrels, and Jack has done his duty +in a manner that rather surprised his old acquaintances. But he is a +much altered man, and is growing fat, and has taken to playing whist at +his club before dinner for shilling points. I have always thought that +in his heart of hearts he regrets the legacy. + +Whether to spite his son, or at the urgent entreaty of his wife and +doctors, Lord Gossling has of late been so careful, that the gout has +not had a chance of getting into his stomach. Lord Giblet professes +himself to be perfectly satisfied with things as they are. He has +already four children. He lives in a small house in Green Street, and +is a member of the Entomological Society. He is so strict in his +attendance that it is thought that he will some day be president. But +the old lord does not like this turn in his son's life, and says that +the family of De Geese must be going to the dogs when the heir has +nothing better to do than to attend to insects. + +Mrs. Montacute Jones gives as many parties as ever in Grosvenor Place, +and is never so well pleased as when she can get the Marchioness of +Brotherton to her house. She is still engaged in matrimonial pursuits, +and is at the present moment full of an idea that the minister from +Saxony, who is a fine old gentleman of sixty, but a bachelor, may be +got to marry Lady Amelia Germain. Mary assures her that there isn't the +least chance,--that Amelia would certainly not accept him,--and that an +old German of sixty, used to diplomacy all his life, is the last man in +the world to be led into difficulties. But Mrs. Jones never gives way +in such matters, and has already made the plans for a campaign at +Killancodlem next August. + +I regret to state that Messrs. Snape and Cashett have persecuted the +poor Baroness most cruelly. They have contrived to show that the lady +has not only got into their debt, but has also swindled them,--swindled +them according to law,--and consequently they have been able to set all +the police of the continent on her track. She had no sooner shown her +face back in Germany, than they were upon her. For a while she +escaped, rushing from one country to another, but at last she was +arrested on a platform in Oregon, and is soon about to stand her trial +in an English Court. As a good deal of sympathy has been expressed in +her favour, and as Mr. Philogunac Coelebs has taken upon himself the +expense of her defence, it is confidently hoped in many quarters that +no jury will convict her. In the meantime, Dr. Fleabody has, I am told, +married a store-keeper in New York, and has settled down into a good +mother of a family. + +At Manor Cross during the greater portion of the year things go on very +much as they used. The Marchioness is still living, and interests +herself chiefly in the children of her daughter-in-law,--born, and to +be born. But the great days of her life are those in which Popenjoy is +brought to her. The young scapegrace will never stay above five minutes +with his grandmother, but the old lady is sure that she is regarded by +him with a love passing the love of children. At Christmas time, and +for a week or two before, and a month or two afterwards, the house is +full of company and bright with unaccustomed lights. Lady Sarah puts on +her newest silk, and the Marchioness allows herself to be brought into +the drawing-room after dinner. But at the end of February the young +family flits to town, and then the Manor Cross is as Manor Cross so +long has been. + +Mr. Price still hunts, and is as popular in the country as ever. He +often boasts that although he was married much after the Marquis, the +youngest of his three children is older than Lady Mary. But when he +does this at home, his ears are always boxed for him. + +Of Mr. Groschut it is only necessary to say that he is still at Pugsty, +vexing the souls of his parishioners by Sabbatical denunciations. + + +THE END. + + + + +BRADBURY, AGNEW, & CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. + + + + +ANTHONY TROLLOPE'S WORKS + +CHEAP EDITIONS. + + +_3s. cloth, 2s. Picture Boards._ + + DOCTOR THORNE. + THE MACDERMOTS. + RACHEL RAY. + THE KELLYS. + TALES OF ALL COUNTRIES. + CASTLE RICHMOND. + THE BERTRAMS. + MISS MACKENZIE. + THE BELTON ESTATE. + LOTTA SCHMIDT. + AN EDITOR'S TALES. + LA VENDÉE. + LADY ANNA. + VICAR OF BULLHAMPTON. + + +_2s. 6d. Vols., Picture Boards._ + + ORLEY FARM. + CAN YOU FORGIVE HER? + PHINEAS FINN. + HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. + RALPH THE HEIR. + EUSTACE DIAMONDS. + PHINEAS REDUX. + THE PRIME MINISTER. + + +AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. + +_Now ready, PEOPLE'S EDITION, in 2s. Volumes._ + + NEW ZEALAND. + VICTORIA AND TASMANIA. + SOUTH AND WEST AUSTRALIA. + N. S. WALES AND QUEENSLAND. + + + + + THE + SELECT LIBRARY OF FICTION EDITION + OF + CHARLES LEVER'S WORKS. + + +_Two Shilling Vols._ + + JACK HINTON. + HARRY LORREQUER. + THE O'DONOGHUE. + FORTUNES OF GLENCORE. + ONE OF THEM. + SIR JASPER CAREW. + A DAY'S RIDE. + MAURICE TIERNAY. + BARRINGTON. + LUTTRELL OF ARRAN. + A RENT IN A CLOUD. + SIR BROOK FOSSBROOKE. + BRAMLEIGHS OF BISHOP'S FOLLY. + TONY BUTLER. + THAT BOY OF NORCOTT'S. + LORD KILGOBBIN. + CORNELIUS O'DOWD. + NUTS AND NUTCRACKERS. + + +_Half-Crown Vols._ + + CHARLES O'MALLEY. + THE DALTONS. + KNIGHT OF GWYNNE. + DODD FAMILY ABROAD. + TOM BURKE OF "OURS." + DAVENPORT DUNN. + ROLAND CASHEL. + MARTINS OF CRO' MARTIN. + + + + +LONDON: CHAPMAN & HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. + + + + + + * * * * * + + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Inconsistent hyphenation "a-head" / "ahead", "farm-house" / "farmhouse", +"fire-place" / "fireplace", "grand-daughter" / "granddaughter", +"high-spirited" / "highspirited", "ill-natured" / "illnatured", +"note-paper" / "notepaper", "play-fellow" / "playfellow", +"half-a-dozen" / "half a dozen", and "cock-and-bull" / "cock and bull" +has been retained. Inconsistent capitalization of "Marchioness" +has also been retained as has the use of "grey" and "gray". + +The following minor typographical corrections were made: + + - Changed single quote to double after "MINISTER" on cover page. + - Capitalized "he" in "He is thirty" on page 8. + - Changed period to comma after "said" on page 16. + - "Sarahs" changed to "Sarah" on page 25. + - End quote added after "Italy" on page 28. + - Original reads "ill-dawn" instead of "ill-drawn" on page 29. + - Quotation mark added before "when Brotherton came of age" on page 29. + - Original reads "andj" instead of "and" on page 33. + - Comma changed to period here after "closely" on page 48. + - Period added after "family" on page 46. + - Second "made" removed on page 60. + - End quote added after "quarrel" on page 64. + - End quote added after "cousin" on page 74. + - End quote added after "once" on page 82. + - End quote added after "boy" on page 83. + - Quotation mark added before "She would draw" on page 107. + - Removed second "was" on page 116. + - Double quote added before "We have been" on page 131. + - Original reads "de" instead of "he" on page 134. + - End quote added after "Sarah Germain" on page 135. + - Single quote changed to double after "duties." on page 137. + - Second "a" deleted on page 141. + - Original reads "intercouse" instead of "intercourse" on page 142. + - Original reads "musn't" instead of "mustn't" on page 149. + - Comma removed after "Lord George" on page 154. + - Single quote changed to double before "Ah" on page 187. + - Quotation added before "I feel like" on page 192. + - Comma changed to period after "undone" on page 193. + - End quote added after "George," on page 193. + - Period changed to a comma after "it" on page 199. + - End quote added after "matter?" on page 218. + - End quote added after "ball." On page 223. + - On page 237, I have used blockquoted text similar to that used + elsewhere in the text for correspondence. + - New paragraph added before "B" on page 237. + - Period added after "herself" on page 253. + - Original reads "Dont" instead of "Don't" on page 258. + - Quotation mark removed from before "What" on page 293. + - End quote added after "happy." On page 295. + - Double quotes changed to single around "B." on page 301. + - Quotation mark added before "and unsay" on page 311. + - Comma changed to period after "Lord" on page 334. + - Original reads "dul" instead of "dull" on page 343. + - Period added after "out" on page 348. + - Original shows "s" instead of "is" on page 359. + - End quote added after "parish," on page 375. + - Quotation mark removed from before "It had been" on page 376. + - New paragraph added before "He had never" on page 416. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IS HE POPENJOY?*** + + +******* This file should be named 29828-8.txt or 29828-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/9/8/2/29828 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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