o had as yet tamed his own peculiar shrew. Lucinda was as
savage as ever, and would snap and snarl, and almost bite. Sir
Griffin would snarl too, and say very bearish things. But when it
came to the point of actual quarrelling, he would become sullen, and
in his sullenness would yield.

"I don't see why Carruthers should have it all his own way," he said,
one hunting morning, to Lucinda.

"I don't care twopence who have their way," said Lucinda, "I mean to
have mine;--that's all."

"I'm not speaking about you. I call it downright interference on his
part. And I do think you give way to him. You never do anything that
I suggest."

"You never suggest anything that I like to do," said Lucinda.

"That's a pity," said Sir Griffin, "considering that I shall have to
suggest so many things that you will have to do."

"I don't know that at all," said Lucinda.

Mrs. Carbuncle came up during the quarrel, meaning to throw oil upon
the waters. "What children you are!" she said laughing. "As if each
of you won't have to do what the other suggests."

"Mrs. Carbuncle," began Sir Griffin, "if you will have the great
kindness not to endeavour to teach me what my conduct should be now
or at any future time, I shall take it as a kindness."

"Sir Griffin, pray don't quarrel with Mrs. Carbuncle," said Lizzie.

"Lady Eustace, if Mrs. Carbuncle interferes with me, I shall quarrel
with her. I have borne a great deal more of this kind of thing than
I like. I'm not going to be told this and told that because Mrs.
Carbuncle happens to be the aunt of the future Lady Tewett,--if it
should come to that. I'm not going to marry a whole family; and the
less I have of this kind of thing the more likely it is that I shall
come up to scratch when the time is up."

Then Lucinda rose and spoke. "Sir Griffin Tewett," she said, "there
is not the slightest necessity that you should come up--'to scratch.'
I wonder that I have not as yet been able to make you understand that
if it will suit your convenience to break off our match, it will
not in the least interfere with mine. And let me tell you this, Sir
Griffin,--that any repetition of your unkindness to my aunt will make
me utterly refuse to see you again."

"Of course, you like her better than you do me."

"A great deal better," said Lucinda.

"If I stand that I'll be ----," said Sir Griffin, leaving the room.
And he left the castle, sleeping that night at the inn at Kilmarnock.
The day, how