still--left her husband for him, and used to travel
with him everywhere. Her husband's dead now; I found a fellow who was
in the same regiment with him, and knew this Mrs. Glasher before she
took wing. A fiery dark-eyed woman--a noted beauty at that time--he
thought she was dead. They say she has Grandcourt under her thumb
still, and it's a wonder he didn't marry her, for there's a very fine
boy, and I understand Grandcourt can do absolutely as he pleases with
the estates. Lush told me as much as that."

"What right had he to marry this girl?" said Deronda, with disgust.

Mr. Vandernoodt, adjusting the end of his cigar, shrugged his shoulders
and put out his lips.

"_She_ can know nothing of it," said Deronda, emphatically. But that
positive statement was immediately followed by an inward query--"Could
she have known anything of it?"

"It's rather a piquant picture," said Mr. Vandernoodt--"Grandcourt
between two fiery women. For depend upon it this light-haired one has
plenty of devil in her. I formed that opinion of her at Leubronn. It's
a sort of Medea and Creuesa business. Fancy the two meeting! Grandcourt
is a new kind of Jason: I wonder what sort of a part he'll make of it.
It's a dog's part at best. I think I hear Ristori now, saying, 'Jasone!
Jasone!' These fine women generally get hold of a stick."

"Grandcourt can bite, I fancy," said Deronda. "He is no stick."

"No, no; I meant Jason. I can't quite make out Grandcourt. But he's a
keen fellow enough--uncommonly well built too. And if he comes into all
this property, the estates will bear dividing. This girl, whose friends
had come to beggary, I understand, may think herself lucky to get him.
I don't want to be hard on a man because he gets involved in an affair
of that sort. But he might make himself more agreeable. I was telling
him a capital story last night, and he got up and walked away in the
middle. I felt inclined to kick him. Do you suppose that is inattention
or insolence, now?"

"Oh, a mixture. He generally observes the forms: but he doesn't listen
much," said Deronda. Then, after a moment's pause, he went on, "I
should think there must be some exaggeration or inaccuracy in what you
have heard about this lady at Gadsmere."

"Not a bit, depend upon it; it has all lain snug of late years. People
have forgotten all about it. But there the nest is, and the birds are
in it. And I know Grandcourt goes there. I have good evidence that he
goes there