. The family had
a new heir, a real Popenjoy; and the old Marchioness when the baby was
shown to her for awhile forgot her sorrows and triumphed with the rest.

The Dean's anxiety had been so great that he had insisted on remaining
at the house. It had been found impossible to refuse such a request
made at such a time. And now, at last, the ladies at Manor Cross
gradually forgave the Dean his offences. To the old dowager they did
not mention his name, and she probably forgot his existence; but the
Marquis appeared to live with him on terms of perfect friendship, and
the sisters succumbed to the circumstances and allowed themselves to
talk to him as though he were in truth the father of the reigning
Marchioness.

It will be understood that for forty-eight hours before the birth of
the child and for forty-eight hours afterwards all Manor Cross was
moved in the matter, as though this were the first male child born into
the world since the installation of some new golden age. It was a great
thing that, after all the recent troubles, a Popenjoy,--a proper
Popenjoy,--should be born at Manor Cross of English parents,--a healthy
boy,--a bouncing little lord, as Mrs. Toff called him; and the event
almost justified the prophetic spirit in which his grandmother spoke of
this new advent. "Little angel!" she said. "I know he'll grow up to
bring new honours to the family, and do as much for it as his
great-grandfather." The great-grandfather spoken of had been an earl,
great in borough-mongery, and had been made a marquis by Pitt on the
score of his votes. "George," she went on to say, "I do hope there will
be bells and bonfires, and that the tenants will be allowed to see
him." There were bells and bonfires. But in these days tenants are
perhaps busier men than formerly, and have less in them certainly of
the spirit of heir-worship than their fathers. But Mr. Price, with his
bride, did come down and see the baby; on which occasion the gallant
husband bade his wife remember that although they had been married more
than twelve months after Lord George, their baby would only be three
months younger. Whereupon Mrs. Price boxed her husband's ears,--to the
great delight of Mrs. Toff, who was dispensing sherry and cherry brandy
in her own sitting-room.

The Dean's joy, though less ecstatic in its expression, was quite as
deep and quite as triumphant as that of the Marchioness. When he was
admitted for a moment to his daughter's bedside,