y which a weaker mind might have been
inflated. She understood, at any rate, that St. James' Square must be
her doom; but while acknowledging this to herself, she made a little
resolution that a good deal would have to be done to the house before
it was ready for her reception, and that the doing would require a
considerable time.

When she heard the purport of the late lord's will she was much
surprised,--more surprised, probably, than Jack himself. Why should a
man who was so universally bad,--such a horror,--leave his money to one
who was so--so--so good as Jack De Baron. The epithet came to her at
last in preference to any other. And what would he do now? George had
told her that the sum would be very large, and of course he could marry
if he pleased. At any rate he would not go to Perim. The idea that he
should go to Perim had made her uncomfortable. Perhaps he had better
marry Guss Mildmay. She was not quite all that his wife should be; but
he had said that he would do so in certain circumstances. Those
circumstances had come round and it was right that he should keep his
word. And yet it made her somewhat melancholy to think that he should
marry Guss Mildmay.

Very shortly after this, and when she was becoming aware that the event
which ought to have taken place on the 1st of April would not be much
longer delayed, there came home to her various things containing
lectures almost as severe, and perhaps more eloquent than those she had
received from her sister, her father, and her husband. There was an
infinity of clothes which someone had ordered for her, and on all the
things which would bear a mark, there was a coronet. The coronets on
the pockethandkerchiefs seemed to be without end. And there was
funereal note-paper, on which the black edges were not more visible
than the black coronets. And there came invoices to her from the
tradesmen, addressed to the Marchioness of Brotherton. And then there
came the first letter from her father with her rank and title on the
envelope. At first she was almost afraid to open it.

CHAPTER LXIII.

POPENJOY IS BORN--AND CHRISTENED.

At last, not much above a week after the calculations, in all the glory
of the purple of Manor Cross, the new Popenjoy was born. For it was a
Popenjoy. The Fates, who had for some time past been unpropitious to
the house of Brotherton, now smiled; and Fortune, who had been good to
the Dean throughout, remained true to him also in this