that, and, prodigious! the watch went! He
had a rooted pique against his marchioness. Apparently he had conceived
this pique from the very first. He showed it passively by supreme
neglect; he showed it actively by removing her from all the spheres
of power which naturally fall to the wife when the husband shuns the
details of business. Evidently he had a dread lest any one should say,
"Lady Montfort influences my lord." Accordingly, not only the management
of his estates fell to Carr Vipont, but even of his gardens, his
household, his domestic arrangements. It was Carr Vipont or Lady Selina
who said to Lady Montfort, "Give a ball;" "You should ask so and so to
dinner;" "Montfort was much hurt to see the old lawn at the Twickenham
villa broken up by those new bosquets. True, it is settled on you as a
jointure-house, but for that very reason Montfort is sensitive," etc.
In fact, they were virtually as separated, my lord and my lady, as if
legally disunited, and as if Carr Vipont and Lady Selina were trustees
or intermediaries in any polite approach to each other. But, on the
other hand, it is fair to say that where Lady Montfort's sphere of
action did not interfere with her husband's plans, habits, likings,
dislikings, jealous apprehensions that she should be supposed to
have any ascendency over what exclusively belonged to himself as _Roi
faineant_ of the Viponts, she was left free as air. No attempt at
masculine control or conjugal advice. At her disposal was wealth without
stint, every luxury the soft could desire, every gewgaw the vain could
covet. Had her pin-money, which in itself was the revenue of an ordinary
peeress, failed to satisfy her wants; had she grown tired of wearing the
family diamonds, and coveted new gems from Golconda,--a single word to
Carr Vipont or Lady Selina would have been answered by a carte blanche
on the Bank of England. But Lady Montfort had the misfortune not to be
extravagant in her tastes. Strange to say, in the world Lord Montfort's
marriage was called a love-match; he had married a portionless girl,
daughter to one of his poorest and obscurest cousins, against the
uniform policy of the House of Vipont, which did all it could for poor
cousins except marrying them to its chief. But Lady Montfort's conduct
in these trying circumstances was admirable and rare. Few affronts can
humiliate us unless we resent them--and in vain. Lady Montfort had
that exquisite dignity which gives to submission