a great experiment and entirely for their
interests. Ring the changes on great measures and great experiments till
it is time to go down and make a house. Your official duties of course
must not be interfered with. They will take the hint. I have no doubt
you will get through the business very well, Mr Hoaxem, particularly
if you be 'frank and explicit;' that is the right line to take when you
wish to conceal your own mind and to confuse the minds of others. Good
morning!"

Book 6 Chapter 2

Two days after this conversation in Downing Street, a special messenger
arrived at Marney Abbey from the Lord Lieutenant of the county, the Duke
of Fitz-Aquitaine. Immediately after reading the despatch of which he
was the bearer, there was a great bustle in the house; Lady Marney was
sent for to her husband's library and there enjoined immediately to
write various letters which were to prevent certain expected visitors
from arriving; Captain Grouse was in and out the same library every five
minutes, receiving orders and counter orders, and finally mounting his
horse was flying about the neighbourhood with messages and commands.
All this stir signified that the Marney regiment of Yeomanry were to be
called out directly.

Lord Marney who had succeeded in obtaining a place in the Household and
was consequently devoted to the institutions of the country, was full of
determination to uphold them; but at the same time with characteristic
prudence was equally resolved that the property principally protected
should be his own, and that the order of his own district should chiefly
engage his solicitude.

"I do not know what the Duke means by marching into the disturbed
districts," said Lord Marney to Captain Grouse. "These are disturbed
districts. There have been three fires in one week, and I want to know
what disturbance can be worse than that? In my opinion this is a mere
anti-corn-law riot to frighten the government; and suppose they do stop
the mills--what then? I wish they were all stopped, and then one might
live like a gentleman again?"

Egremont, between whom and his brother a sort of bad-tempered good
understanding had of late years to a certain degree flourished, in spite
of Lord Marney remaining childless, which made him hate Egremont with
double distilled virulence, and chiefly by the affectionate manoeuvres
of their mother, but whose annual visits to Marney had generally been
limited to the yeomanry week, arri