ning to her with apparent respect. She found it necessary that
her description to him should be much more elaborate than that which
she had vouchsafed to her daughter, and, in telling her grievance,
she insisted most especially on the personal insult which had been
offered to herself.

"After what has now happened," said she, not quite able to repress a
tone of triumph as she spoke, "I do expect, Mr Gresham, that you
will--will--"

"Will what, my dear?"

"Will at least protect me from the repetition of such treatment."

"You are not afraid that Dr Thorne will come here to attack you? As
far as I can understand, he never comes near the place, unless when
you send for him."

"No; I do not think that he will come to Greshamsbury any more. I
believe I have put a stop to that."

"Then what is it, my dear, that you want me to do?"

Lady Arabella paused a minute before she replied. The game which she
now had to play was not very easy; she knew, or thought she knew,
that her husband, in his heart of hearts, much preferred his friend
to the wife of his bosom, and that he would, if he could, shuffle out
of noticing the doctor's iniquities. It behoved her, therefore, to
put them forward in such a way that they must be noticed.

"I suppose, Mr Gresham, you do not wish that Frank should marry the
girl?"

"I do not think there is the slightest chance of such a thing; and I
am quite sure that Dr Thorne would not encourage it."

"But I tell you, Mr Gresham, that he says he will encourage it."

"Oh, you have misunderstood him."

"Of course; I always misunderstand everything. I know that. I
misunderstood it when I told you how you would distress yourself if
you took those nasty hounds."

"I have had other troubles more expensive than the hounds," said the
poor squire, sighing.

"Oh, yes; I know what you mean; a wife and family are expensive, of
course. It is a little too late now to complain of that."

"My dear, it is always too late to complain of any troubles when they
are no longer to be avoided. We need not, therefore, talk any more
about the hounds at present."

"I do not wish to speak of them, Mr Gresham."

"Nor I."

"But I hope you will not think me unreasonable if I am anxious to
know what you intend to do about Dr Thorne."

"To do?"

"Yes; I suppose you will do something: you do not wish to see your
son marry such a girl as Mary Thorne."

"As far as the girl herself is concerned," said the squire, tu