devoted to that happy
event. Poor Georgey's position was in every respect wretched, but its
misery was infinitely increased by the triumph of those hymeneals. It
was but the other day that she had looked down from a very great
height on her elder sister, and had utterly despised the squire of
Toodlam. And at that time, still so recent, this contempt from her had
been accepted as being almost reasonable. Sophia had hardly ventured
to rebel against it, and Mr Whitstable himself had been always afraid
to encounter the shafts of irony with which his fashionable future
sister-in-law attacked him. But all that was now changed. Sophia in
her pride of place had become a tyrant, and George Whitstable, petted
in the house with those sweetmeats which are always showered on embryo
bridegrooms, absolutely gave himself airs. At this time Mr Longestaffe
was never at home. Having assured himself that there was no longer any
danger of the Brehgert alliance he had remained in London, thinking
his presence to be necessary for the winding up of Melmotte's affairs,
and leaving poor Lady Pomona to bear her daughter's ill humour. The
family at Caversham consisted therefore of the three ladies, and was
enlivened by daily visits from Toodlam. It will be owned that in this
state of things there was very little consolation for Georgiana.

It was not long before she quarrelled altogether with her sister,--to
the point of absolutely refusing to act as bridesmaid. The reader may
remember that there had been a watch and chain, and that two of the
ladies of the family had expressed an opinion that these trinkets
should be returned to Mr Brehgert who had bestowed them. But Georgiana
had not sent them back when a week had elapsed since the receipt of Mr
Brehgert's last letter. The matter had perhaps escaped Lady Pomona's
memory, but Sophia was happily alive to the honour of her family.
'Georgey,' she said one morning in their mother's presence, 'don't you
think Mr Brehgert's watch ought to go back to him without any more
delay?'

'What have you got to do with anybody's watch? The watch wasn't given
to you.'

'I think it ought to go back. When papa finds that it has been kept
I'm sure he'll be very angry.'

'It's no business of yours whether he's angry or not.'

'If it isn't sent, George will tell Dolly. You know what would happen
then.'

This was unbearable! That George Whitstable should interfere in her
affairs,--that he should talk about her w