uld have killed me if it had
been Dolly; but this was worse than that. Her father was a methodist.'

'They had neither of them a shilling of money,' said Georgey through
her tears.

'And your papa says this man was next door to a bankrupt. But it's all
over?'

'Yes, mamma.'

'And now we must all remain here at Caversham till people forget it.
It has been very hard upon George Whitstable, because of course
everybody has known it through the county. I once thought he would
have been off, and I really don't know that we could have said
anything.' At that moment Sophy entered the room. 'It's all over
between Georgiana and the--man,' said Lady Pomona, who hardly saved
herself from stigmatising him by a further reference to his religion.

'I knew it would be,' said Sophia.

'Of course it could never have really taken place,' said their mother.

'And now I beg that nothing more may be said about it,' said
Georgiana. 'I suppose, mamma, you will write to papa?'

'You must send him back his watch and chain, Georgey,' said Sophia.

'What business is that of yours?'

'Of course she must. Her papa would not let her keep it.'

To such a miserable depth of humility had the younger Miss Longestaffe
been brought by her ill-considered intimacy with the Melmottes!
Georgiana, when she looked back on this miserable episode in her life,
always attributed her grief to the scandalous breach of compact of
which her father had been guilty.

CHAPTER LXXX - RUBY PREPARES FOR SERVICE

Our poor old honest friend John Crumb was taken away to durance vile
after his performance in the street with Sir Felix, and was locked up
for the remainder of the night. This indignity did not sit so heavily
on his spirits as it might have done on those of a quicker nature.
He was aware that he had not killed the baronet, and that he had
therefore enjoyed his revenge without the necessity of 'swinging for
it at Bury.' That in itself was a comfort to him. Then it was a great
satisfaction to think that he had 'served the young man out' in the
actual presence of his Ruby. He was not prone to give himself undue
credit for his capability and willingness to knock his enemies about;
but he did think that Ruby must have observed on this occasion that
he was the better man of the two. And, to John, a night in the
station-house was no great personal inconvenience. Though he was
very proud of his four-post bed at home, he did not care very much
for such