to unfriendly
relations, and greatly regretted it. In her heart she took her father's
part. She was not keen as he was in this matter of the little Popenjoy,
being restrained by a feeling that it would not become her to be over
anxious for her own elevation or for the fall of others; but she had
always sympathised with her father in everything, and therefore she
sympathised with him in this. And then there was gradually growing upon
her a conviction that her father was the stronger man of the two, the
more reasonable, and certainly the kinder. She had thoroughly
understood when the house was furnished, very much at the Dean's
expense, that he was to be a joint occupant in it when it might suit
him to be in London. He himself had thought less about this, having
rather submitted to the suggestion as an excuse for his own liberality
than contemplated any such final arrangement. But Lord George
remembered it. The house would certainly be open to him should he
choose to come;--but Lord George would not press it.

Mr. Stokes had thought it proper to go in person to Manor Cross, in
order that he might receive instructions from the Marquis. "Upon my
word, Mr. Stokes," said the Marquis, "only that I would not seem to be
uncourteous to you I should feel disposed to say that this interview
can do no good."

"It is a very serious matter, my Lord."

"It is a very serious annoyance, certainly, that my own brother and
sisters should turn against me, and give me all this trouble because I
have chosen to marry a foreigner. It is simply an instance of that
pigheaded English blindness which makes us think that everything
outside our own country is or ought to be given up to the devil. My
sisters are very religious, and, I daresay, very good women. But they
are quite willing to think that I and my wife ought to be damned
because we talk Italian, and that my son ought to be disinherited
because he was not baptised in an English church. They have got this
stupid story into their heads, and they must do as they please about
it. I will have no hand in it. I will take care that there shall be no
difficulty in my son's way when I die."

"That will be right, of course, my Lord."

"I know where all this comes from. My brother, who is an idiot, has
married the daughter of a vulgar clergyman, who thinks in his ignorance
that he can make his grandson, if he has one, an English nobleman.
He'll spend his money and he'll burn his fingers, and I do