o know that it is so because my taste is a bad taste."

"I know no man with a more accurate or refined taste in such
matters," said Lady Lufton. Beyond this she did not dare to go. She
knew very well that her strategy would be vain should her son once
learn that she had a strategy. To tell the truth, Lady Lufton was
becoming somewhat indifferent to Lucy Robarts. She had been very kind
to the little girl; but the little girl seemed hardly to appreciate
the kindness as she should do--and then Lord Lufton would talk to
Lucy, "which was so unnecessary, you know;" and Lucy had got into
a way of talking quite freely with Lord Lufton, having completely
dropped that short, spasmodic, ugly exclamation of "my lord." And so
the Christmas festivities were at an end, and January wore itself
away. During the greater part of this month Lord Lufton did not
remain at Framley, but was nevertheless in the county, hunting with
the hounds of both divisions, and staying at various houses. Two or
three nights he spent at Chaldicotes; and one--let it only be told in
an under voice--at Gatherum Castle! Of this he said nothing to Lady
Lufton. "Why make her unhappy?" as he said to Mark. But Lady Lufton
knew it, though she said not a word to him--knew it, and was unhappy.
"If he would only marry Griselda, there would be an end of that
danger," she said to herself.

But now we must go back for a while to the vicar and his little bill.
It will be remembered, that his first idea with reference to that
trouble, after the reading of his father's will, was to borrow the
money from his brother John. John was down at Exeter at the time,
and was to stay one night at the parsonage on his way to London.
Mark would broach the matter to him on the journey, painful though
it would be to him to tell the story of his own folly to a brother
so much younger than himself, and who had always looked up to him,
clergyman and full-blown vicar as he was, with a deference greater
than that which such difference in age required. The story was told,
however; but was told all in vain, as Mark found out before he
reached Framley. His brother John immediately declared that he would
lend him the money, of course--eight hundred, if his brother wanted
it. He, John, confessed that, as regarded the remaining two, he
should like to feel the pleasure of immediate possession. As for
interest, he would not take any--take interest from a brother! of
course not. Well, if Mark made such