half amused and half
alarmed.

'No occasion, my dear; Mary Quince and Mrs. Rusk can prove it perfectly.'

'And why do you dislike her so very much?' I asked.

Cousin Monica leaned back in her chair, and searched the cornice from
corner to corner with upturned eyes for the reason, and at last laughed a
little, amused at herself.

'Well, really, it is not easy to define, and, perhaps, it is not quite
charitable; but I know I hate her, and I know, you little hypocrite, you
hate her as much as I;' and we both laughed a little.

'But you must tell me all you know of her history.'

'Her history?' echoed she. 'I really know next to nothing about it; only
that I used to see her sometimes about the place that Georgina mentions,
and there were some unpleasant things said about her; but you know they may
be all lies. The worst I _know_ of her is her treatment of you, and her
robbing the desk'--(Cousin Monica always called it her _robbery_)--'and I
think that's enough to hang her. Suppose we go out for a walk?'

So together we went, and I resumed about Madame; but no more could I
extract--perhaps there was not much more to hear.

CHAPTER XXX

_ON THE ROAD_

All at Knowl was indicative of the break-up that was so near at hand.
Doctor Bryerly arrived according to promise. He was in a whirl of business
all the time. He and Mr. Danvers conferred about the management of the
estate. It was agreed that the grounds and gardens should be let, but not
the house, of which Mrs. Rusk was to take the care. The gamekeeper remained
in office, and some out-door servants. But the rest were to go, except Mary
Quince, who was to accompany me to Bartram-Haugh as my maid.

'Don't part with Quince,' said Lady Knollys, peremptorily 'they'll want
you, but _don't_.'

She kept harping on this point, and recurred to it half a dozen times every
day.

'They'll say, you know, that she is not fit for a lady's maid, as she
certainly is _not_, if it in the least signified in such a wilderness as
Bartram-Haugh; but she is attached, trustworthy, and honest; and those are
qualities valuable everywhere, especially in a solitude. Don't allow them
to get you a wicked young French milliner in her stead.'

Sometimes she said things that jarred unpleasantly on my nerves, and left
an undefined sense of danger. Such as:--

'I know she's true to you, and a good creature; but is she shrewd enough?'

Or, with an anxious look:--

'I hope Mary Quince i