to his movements. He was
of course incensed against the Marquis; but his anger burnt hottest
against Lord Hampstead. In this he was altogether unreasonable, for
Lord Hampstead had said nothing and done nothing that could injure
his position. Lord Hampstead disliked him and, perhaps, despised
him, but had been anxious that the Marquis should be liberal in the
mode of severing a connection which had lasted so long. But to Mr.
Greenwood himself it was manifest that all his troubles came from the
iniquities of his patron's two elder children; and he remembered at
every moment that Lord Hampstead had insulted him when they were both
together. He was certainly not a man to forgive an enemy, or to lose
any opportunity for revenge which might come in his way.

Certainly it would be good if the young man could be got to break
his neck out hunting;--or good if the yacht could be made to founder,
or go to pieces on a rock, or come to any other fatal maritime
misfortune. But these were accidents which he personally could have
no power to produce. Such wishing was infantine, and fit only for
a weak woman, such as the Marchioness. If anything were to be done
it must be done by some great endeavour; and the endeavour must
come from himself. Then he reflected how far the Marchioness would
certainly be in his power, if both the Marquis and his eldest son
were dead. He did believe that he had obtained great influence over
her. That she should rebel against him was of course on the cards.
But he was aware that within the last month, since the date, indeed,
at which the Marquis had threatened to turn him out of the house,
he had made considerable progress in imposing himself upon her as a
master. He gave himself in this respect much more credit than was
in truth due to him. Lady Kingsbury, though she had learnt to fear
him, had not so subjected herself to his influence as not to be able
to throw him off should a time come at which it might be essential
to her comfort to do so. But he had misread the symptoms, and had
misread also the fretfulness of her impatience. He now assured
himself that if anything could be done he might rely entirely on her
support. After all that she had said to him, it would be impossible
that she should throw him over. Thinking of all this, and thinking
also how expedient it was that something should be done, he returned
to the house when he had taken the exact amount of exercise which he
supposed necessary for h