, throwing herself about and wiping her
face."

"Why should you go and see a vulgar creature throw herself about and
wipe her face?"

"Why should anybody do it? One likes to see what is going on, I
suppose. The woman's vulgarity could not hurt me, George."

"It could do you no good."

"Lady Selina Protest was there, and I went with Miss Mildmay."

"Two old maids who have gone crazy about Woman's Rights because nobody
has married them. The whole thing is distasteful to me, and I hope you
will not go there again."

"That I certainly shall not, because it is very dull," said Mary.

"I hope, also, that, independently of that, my request would be
enough."

"Certainly it would, George; but I don't know why you should be so
cross to me."

"I don't think that I have been cross; but I am anxious, specially
anxious. There are reasons why I have to be very anxious in regard to
you, and why you have to be yourself more particular than others."

"What reasons?" She asked this with a look of bewildered astonishment.
He was not prepared to answer the question, and shuffled out of it,
muttering some further words as to the peculiar difficulty of their
position. Then he kissed her and left her, telling her that all would
be well if she would be careful.

If she would be careful! All would be well if she would be careful! Why
should there be need of more care on her part than on that of others?
She knew that all this had reference in some way to that troublesome
lady and troublesome baby who were about to be brought home; but she
could not conceive how her conduct could be specially concerned. It was
a sorrow to her that her husband should allow himself to be ruffled
about the matter at all. It was a sorrow also that her father should do
so. As to herself, she had an idea that if Providence chose to make her
a Marchioness, Providence ought to be allowed to do it without any
interference on her part. But it would be a double sorrow if she were
told that she mustn't do this and mustn't do that because there was
before her a dim prospect of being seated in a certain high place which
was claimed and occupied by another person. And she was aware, too,
that her husband had in very truth scolded her. The ladies at Manor
Cross had scolded her before, but he had never done so. She had got
away from Manor Cross, and had borne the scolding because the prospect
of escape had been before her. But it would be very bad indeed if her
husb