Sir Damask's
religion had never been doubted, though except on the occasion of his
marriage no acquaintance of his had probably ever seen him in church.

But to tell her father and mother required a higher spirit than she
had shown even in her communication to Lady Monogram, and that spirit
had not as yet come to her. On the morning before she left the
Melmottes in Bruton Street, her lover had been with her. The Melmottes
of course knew of the engagement and quite approved of it. Madame
Melmotte rather aspired to credit for having had so happy an affair
arranged under her auspices. It was some set-off against Marie's
unfortunate escapade. Mr Brehgert, therefore, had been allowed to come
and go as he pleased, and on that morning he had pleased to come. They
were sitting alone in some back room, and Brehgert was pressing for an
early day. 'I don't think we need talk of that yet, Mr Brehgert,' she
said.

'You might as well get over the difficulty and call me Ezekiel at
once,' he remarked. Georgiana frowned, and made no soft little attempt
at the name as ladies in such circumstances are wont to do. 'Mrs
Brehgert'--he alluded of course to the mother of his children--'used
to call me Ezzy.'

'Perhaps I shall do so some day,' said Miss Longestaffe, looking at
her lover, and asking herself why she should not have been able to
have the house and the money and the name of the wife without the
troubles appertaining. She did not think it possible that she should
ever call him Ezzy.

'And ven shall it be? I should say as early in August as possible.'

'In August!' she almost screamed. It was already July.

'Vy not, my dear? Ve would have our little holiday in Germany at
Vienna. I have business there, and know many friends.' Then he pressed
her hard to fix some day in the next month. It would be expedient that
they should be married from the Melmottes' house, and the Melmottes
would leave town some time in August. There was truth in this. Unless
married from the Melmottes' house, she must go down to Caversham for
the occasion,--which would be intolerable. No,--she must separate
herself altogether from father and mother, and become one with the
Melmottes and the Brehgerts,--till she could live it down and make a
position for herself. If the spending of money could do it, it should
be done.

'I must at any rate ask mamma about it,' said Georgiana. Mr Brehgert,
with the customary good-humour of his people, was satisfied with t