But her mind misgave her, not because the house was outwardly dreary,
but in fear of the inward dreariness of the people--or in fear
rather of their dreariness and pride combined. Old Lady Ball, though
naturally ill-natured, was not ill-mannered, nor did she give herself
any special airs; but she knew that she was a baronet's wife, that
she kept her carriage, and that it was an obligation upon her to
make up for the poverty of her house by some little haughtiness of
demeanour. There are women, high in rank, but poor in pocket, so
gifted with the peculiar grace of aristocracy, that they show by
every word spoken, by every turn of the head, by every step taken,
that they are among the high ones of the earth, and that money has
nothing to do with it. Old Lady Ball was not so gifted, nor had she
just claim to such gifts. But some idea on the subject pervaded her
mind, and she made efforts to be aristocratic in her poverty. Sir
John was a discontented, cross old man, who had succeeded greatly
in early life, having been for nearly twenty years in Parliament,
but had fallen into adversity in his older days. The loss of that
very money of which his niece, Miss Mackenzie was possessed, was,
in truth, the one great misfortune which he deplored; but that
misfortune had had ramifications and extensions with which the reader
need not trouble himself; but which, altogether, connected as they
were with certain liberal aspirations which he had entertained
in early life, and certain political struggles made during his
parliamentary career, induced him to regard himself as a sort of
Prometheus. He had done much for the world, and the world in return
had made him a baronet without any money! He was a very tall, thin,
gray-haired, old man, stooping much, and worn with age, but still
endowed with some strength of will, and great capability of making
himself unpleasant. His son was a bald-headed, stout man, somewhat
past forty, who was by no means without cleverness, having done
great things as a young man at Oxford; but in life he had failed.
He was a director of certain companies in London, at which he used
to attend, receiving his guinea for doing so, and he had some small
capital,--some remnant of his father's trade wealth, which he nursed
with extreme care, buying shares here and there and changing his
money about as his keen outlook into City affairs directed him. I do
not suppose that he had much talent for the business, or he would