of the de Courcys should be
crowded before the altar railings.

"I should be so happy that she should be there; but what am I to do,
Frank, if she refuses? I have asked her, and she has refused."

"Go to her again; you need not have any scruples with her. Do
not I tell you she will be your sister? Not come here again to
Greshamsbury! Why, I tell you that she will be living here while you
are living there at the parsonage, for years and years to come."

Beatrice promised that she would go to Mary again, and that she would
endeavour to talk her mother over if Mary would consent to come. But
she could not yet make herself believe that Mary Thorne would ever
be mistress of Greshamsbury. It was so indispensably necessary that
Frank should marry money! Besides, what were those horrid rumours
which were now becoming rife as to Mary's birth; rumours more horrid
than any which had yet been heard?

Augusta had said hardly more than the truth when she spoke of her
father being broken-hearted by his debts. His troubles were becoming
almost too many for him; and Mr Gazebee, though no doubt he was an
excellent man of business, did not seem to lessen them. Mr Gazebee,
indeed, was continually pointing out how much he owed, and in what
a quagmire of difficulties he had entangled himself. Now, to do Mr
Yates Umbleby justice, he had never made himself disagreeable in this
manner.

Mr Gazebee had been doubtless right, when he declared that Sir Louis
Scatcherd had not himself the power to take any steps hostile to the
squire; but Sir Louis had also been right, when he boasted that,
in spite of his father's will, he could cause others to move in
the matter. Others did move, and were moving, and it began to be
understood that a moiety, at least, of the remaining Greshamsbury
property must be sold. Even this, however, would by no means leave
the squire in undisturbed possession of the other moiety. And thus,
Mr Gresham was nearly broken-hearted.

Frank had now been at home a week, and his father had not as yet
spoken to him about the family troubles; nor had a word as yet been
said between them as to Mary Thorne. It had been agreed that Frank
should go away for twelve months, in order that he might forget her.
He had been away the twelvemonth, and had now returned, not having
forgotten her.

It generally happens, that in every household, one subject of
importance occupies it at a time. The subject of importance now
mostly thought of