ill be as you say. What do you now mean to do?"

"I shall say that I have a property of four or five hundred pounds left
me, and that I intend to go up to London," replied Rushbrook.

"Yes, that will be wise; it will be an excuse for our leaving this
place, and will be no clue to where we are going," replied Jane.

Rushbrook gave up his situation, sold his furniture, and quitted
Yorkshire. In a few weeks afterwards he was installed into his new
property, a splendid mansion, and situated in the west of Dorsetshire.
Report had gone before them; some said that a common labourer had come
into the property, others said it was a person in very moderate
circumstances; as usual, both these reports were contradicted by a
third, which represented him as a half-pay lieutenant in the army.
Rushbrook had contrived to mystify even the solicitor as to his
situation in life; he stated to him that he had retired from the army,
and lived upon the government allowance; and it was in consequence of a
reference to the solicitor, made by some of the best families in the
neighbourhood, who wished to ascertain if the newcomers were people who
could be visited, that this third report was spread, and universally
believed. We have already observed that Rushbrook was a fine, tall man;
and if there is any class of people who can be transplanted with success
from low to high life, it will be those who have served in the army.
The stoop is the evidence of a low-bred, vulgar man; the erect bearing
equally so that of the gentleman. Now, the latter is gained in the
army, by drilling and discipline, and being well-dressed will provide
for all else that is required, as far as mere personal appearance is
concerned. When, therefore, the neighbours called upon Mr and Mrs
Austin they were not surprised to find an erect, military-looking man,
but they were very much surprised to find him matched with such a fine,
and even elegant-looking woman, as his wife. Timid at first, Jane had
sufficient tact to watch others and copy; and before many months were
passed in their new position, it would have been difficult to suppose
that Mrs Austin had not been born in the sphere in which she then
moved. Austin was _brusque_ and abrupt in his manners as before; but
still there was always a reserve about him, which he naturally felt, and
which assisted to remove the impression of vulgarity. People who are
distant are seldom considered ungentlemanlike, although they