Umblebys, and had been for many years one of their
family. "If she had only chosen to exert herself as Miss Gresham had
done, she could have had Mr Oriel, easily; oh, too easily! but she
had despised such work," so she said. "But though she had despised
it, the Greshams had not been less irritated, and, therefore, Mr
Umbleby had been driven out of his house." We can hardly believe
this, as victory generally makes men generous. Miss Gushing, however,
stated it as a fact so often that it is probable she was induced to
believe it herself.

Thus everything was going wrong at Greshamsbury, and the squire
himself was especially a sufferer. Umbleby had at any rate been his
own man, and he could do what he liked with him. He could see him
when he liked, and where he liked, and how he liked; could scold him
if in an ill-humour, and laugh at him when in a good humour. All this
Mr Umbleby knew, and bore. But Mr Gazebee was a very different sort
of gentleman; he was the junior partner in the firm of Gumption,
Gazebee & Gazebee, of Mount Street, a house that never defiled
itself with any other business than the agency business, and that in
the very highest line. They drew out leases, and managed property
both for the Duke of Omnium and Lord de Courcy; and ever since her
marriage, it had been one of the objects dearest to Lady Arabella's
heart, that the Greshamsbury acres should be superintended by the
polite skill and polished legal ability of that all but elegant firm
in Mount Street.

The squire had long stood firm, and had delighted in having
everything done under his own eye by poor Mr Yates Umbleby. But now,
alas! he could stand it no longer. He had put off the evil day as
long as he could; he had deferred the odious work of investigation
till things had seemed resolved on investigating themselves; and
then, when it was absolutely necessary that Mr Umbleby should go,
there was nothing for him left but to fall into the ready hands of
Messrs Gumption, Gazebee and Gazebee.

It must not be supposed that Messrs Gumption, Gazebee & Gazebee
were in the least like the ordinary run of attorneys. They wrote
no letters for six-and-eightpence each: they collected no debts,
filed no bills, made no charge per folio for "whereases" and "as
aforesaids;" they did no dirty work, and probably were as ignorant
of the interior of a court of law as any young lady living in their
Mayfair vicinity. No; their business was to manage the property of