roved."

"Poor dear little thing," said the Marchioness, beginning to feel some
pity for the odious stranger as soon as she was told that he really was
to be called Popenjoy. Then the Ladies Susanna and Amelia were
informed, and the feeling became general throughout the household that
the world must be near its end. What were they all to do when he should
come? That was the great question. He had begun by declaring that he
did not want to see any of them. He had endeavoured to drive them away
from the neighbourhood, and had declared that neither his mother nor
his sisters would "get on" with his wife. All the ladies at Cross Hall
had a very strong opinion that this would turn out to be true, but
still they could not bear to think that they should be living as it
were next door to the head of the family, and never see him. A feeling
began to creep over all of them, except Lady Sarah, that it would have
been better for them to have obeyed the head of the family and gone
elsewhere. But it was too late now. The decision had been made, and
they must remain.

Lady Sarah, however, never gave way for a minute. "George," she said
very solemnly, "I have thought a great deal about this, and I do not
mean to let him trample upon us."

"It is all very sad," said Lord George.

"Yes, indeed. If I know myself, I think I should be the last person to
attribute evil motives to my elder brother, or to stand in his way in
aught that he might wish to do in regard to the family. I know all that
is due to him. But there is a point beyond which even that feeling
cannot carry me. He has disgraced himself." Lord George shook his head.
"And he is doing all he can to bring disgrace upon us. It has always
been my wish that he should marry."

"Of course, of course."

"It is always desirable that the eldest son should marry. The heir to
the property then knows that he is the heir, and is brought up to
understand his duties. Though he had married a foreigner, much as I
should regret it, I should be prepared to receive her as a sister; it
is for him to please himself; but in marrying a foreigner he is more
specially bound to let it be known to all the world, and to have
everything substantiated, than if he had married an English girl in her
own parish church. As it is, we must call on her, because he says that
she is his wife. But I shall tell him that he is acting very wrongly by
us all, especially by you, and most especially by his own child, i