en she was the grand-daughter of a tradesman! No doubt they
all thought that they were willing to admit her among themselves on
terms of equality; but then there was a feeling among them that she
ought to repay this great goodness by a certain degree of humility and
submission. From day to day the young wife strengthened herself in a
resolution that she would not be humble and would not be submissive.

Lady Susanna, when she heard the words, drew herself up with an air of
offended dignity. "Mary, dear," said Lady Sarah, "is not that a little
unkind?"

"I think it is unkind to say that papa is indiscreet," said the Dean's
daughter. "I wonder what you'd all think if I were to say a word
against dear mamma." She had been specially instructed to call the
Marchioness mamma.

"The Dean is not my father-in-law," said Lady Amelia, very proudly, as
though in making the suggestion, she begged it to be understood that
under no circumstances could such a connection have been possible.

"But he's my papa, and I shall stand up for him,--and I do say that he
must know more about such things than any lady." Then Lady Susanna got
up and marched majestically out of the room.

Lord George was told of this, and found himself obliged to speak to his
wife. "I'm afraid there has been something between you and Susanna,
dear."

"She abused papa, and I told her papa knew better than she did, and
then she walked out of the room."

"I don't suppose she meant to--abuse the Dean."

"She called him names."

"She said he was indiscreet."

"That is calling him names."

"No, my dear, indiscreet is an epithet; and even were it a noun
substantive, as a name must be, it could only be one name." It was
certainly very hard to fall in love with a man who could talk about
epithets so very soon after his marriage; but yet she would go on
trying. "Dear George," she said, "don't you scold me. I will do
anything you tell me, but I don't like them to say hard things of papa.
You are not angry with me for taking papa's part, are you?"

He kissed her, and told her that he was not in the least angry with
her; but, nevertheless, he went on to insinuate, that if she could
bring herself to show something of submission to his sisters, it would
make her own life happier and theirs and his. "I would do anything I
could to make your life happy," she said.

CHAPTER XI.

LORD AND LADY GEORGE GO UP TO TOWN.

Time went on, and the day arranged for the