as much as this is his. If you will
let him understand that when you leave this you mean to go there, he
will probably say nothing more about it."

"Mr. Price is living there. I can't make Mr. Price go away directly the
painter people come in here. They'll come to-morrow, perhaps, and what
am I to do then?"

The matter was discussed throughout the whole day between Lady Sarah
and her mother, the former bearing the old woman's plaintive weakness
with the utmost patience, and almost succeeding, before the evening
came, in inducing her mother to agree to rebel against the tyranny of
her son. There were peculiar difficulties and peculiar hardships in the
case. The Marquis could turn out all the women of his family at a day's
notice. He had only to say to them, "Go!" and they must be gone. And he
could be rid of them without even saying or writing another word. A
host of tradesmen would come, and then of course they must go. But Mr.
Price at Cross Hall must have a regular year's notice, and that notice
could not now be given till Lady-day next.

"If the worst comes to the worst, mamma we will go and live in
Brotherton for the time. Mr. Holdenough or the Dean would find some
place for us." Then the old lady began to ask how Mary had borne the
news; but as yet Lady Sarah had not been able to interest herself
personally about Mary.

Lord George was surprised to find how little his wife was affected by
the terrible thunderbolt which had fallen among them. On him the blow
had been almost as terrible as on his mother. He had taken a house in
town, at the instance of the Dean, and in consequence of a promise made
before his marriage, which was sacred to him but which he regretted. He
would have preferred himself to live the whole year through at Manor
Cross. Though he had not very much to do there the place was never dull
to him. He liked the association of the big house. He liked the sombre
grandeur of the park. He liked the magistrates' bench, though he rarely
spoke a word when he was there. And he liked the thorough economy of
the life. But as to that house in town, though his wife's fortune would
enable him to live there four or five months, he knew that he could not
stretch the income so as to bear the expense of the entire year. And
yet, what must he do now? If he could abandon the house in town, then
he could join his mother as to some new country house. But he did not
dare to suggest that the house in town should be aba