e upon them,
unaided by back-stairs influence. If they are true, no one can help
you.'

'I think you, at least, ought to know that they are as false as hell,'
retorted the Earl, with an attempt to maintain his dignity.

'I have acted as if I so believed,' replied his wife. 'I have lived as
if there were no such slanders in the air. I have steadily ignored every
report, every insinuation--have held my head as high as if I knew you
were immaculate.'

'I expected as much from you,' answered the Earl, coolly. 'If I had not
known you were a woman of sense I should not have married you.'

This was his utmost expression of gratitude. His next remarks had
reference solely to his own comfort. Where were his rooms? at what hour
were they to dine? And hereupon he rang for his valet, a German Swiss,
and a servant out of a thousand.

CHAPTER III.

ON THE WRONG ROAD.

Lord and Lady Maulevrier left Southampton next morning, posting. They
took two servants in the rumble, Steadman and the footman. Steadman was
to valet his lordship, the footman to be useful in all emergencies of
the journey. The maid and the valet were to travel by heavy coach, with
the luggage--her ladyship dispensing with all personal attendance during
the journey.

The first day took them to Rugby, whither they travelled across country
by Wallingford and Oxford. The second day took them to Lichfield. Lord
Maulevrier was out of health and feeble, and grumbled a good deal about
the fatigue of the journey, the badness of the weather, which was dull
and cold, east winds all day, and a light frost morning and night. As
they progressed northward the sky looked grayer, the air became more
biting. His lordship insisted upon the stages being shortened. He lay in
bed at his hotel till noon, and was seldom ready to start till two
o'clock. He could see no reason for haste; the winter would be long
enough in all conscience at Fellside. He complained of mysterious aches
and pains, described himself in the presence of hotel-keepers and
headwaiters as a mass of maladies. He was nervous, irritable, intensely
disagreeable. Lady Maulevrier bore his humours with unwavering patience,
and won golden opinions from all sorts of people by her devotion to a
husband whose blighted name was the common talk of England. Everybody,
even in distant provincial towns, had heard of the scandal against the
Governor of Madras; and everybody looked at the sallow, faded
Anglo-Indian wit