eorge.

"It was a matter of no moment. He came to see Lady Julia De Guest."

"Yes; but he came about that man Crosbie."

"I suppose he did."

"Why have you let that girl be such a fool? You'll find he'll play
her some knave's trick."

"Oh dear, no."

"And why should she want to marry such a man as that?"

"He's quite a gentleman, you know, and very much thought of in the
world. It won't be at all bad for her, poor thing. It is so very hard
for a girl to get married nowadays without money."

"And so they're to take up with anybody. As far as I can see, this is
a worse affair than that of Amelia."

"Amelia has done very well, my dear."

"Oh, if you call it doing well for your girls; I don't. I call it
doing uncommon badly; about as bad as they well can do. But it's your
affair. I have never meddled with them, and don't intend to do it
now."

"I really think she'll be happy, and she is devotedly attached to the
young man."

"Devotedly attached to the young man!" The tone and manner in which
the earl repeated these words were such as to warrant an opinion that
his lordship might have done very well on the stage had his attention
been called to that profession. "It makes me sick to hear people
talk in that way. She wants to get married, and she's a fool for her
pains;--I can't help that; only remember that I'll have no nonsense
here about that other girl. If he gives me trouble of that sort, by
----, I'll be the death of him. When is the marriage to be?"

"They talk of February."

"I won't have any tomfoolery and expense. If she chooses to marry a
clerk in an office, she shall marry him as clerks are married."

"He'll be the secretary before that, de Courcy."

"What difference does that make? Secretary, indeed! What sort of men
do you suppose secretaries are? A beggar that came from nobody knows
where! I won't have any tomfoolery;--d'ye hear?" Whereupon the
countess said that she did hear, and soon afterwards managed to
escape. The valet then took his turn; and repeated, after his hour
of service, that "Old Nick" in his tantrums had been more like the
Prince of Darkness than ever.

CHAPTER XXVII

"On My Honour, I Do Not Understand It"

In the meantime Lady Alexandrina endeavoured to realise to herself
all the advantages and disadvantages of her own position. She was not
possessed of strong affections, nor of depth of character, nor of
high purpose; but she was no fool, nor was she devoid of