e right, there. And when it came to be known by the
younger ladies at Cross Hall that Toff had been right, they argued from
the fact that their brother had concealed something of the truth when
saying that he intended to go up to London only for a few days. There
had been three separate carriages, and Toff was almost sure that the
Italian lady had carried off more than she had brought with her, so
exuberant had been the luggage. It was not long before Toff effected an
entrance into the house, and brought away a report that very many
things were missing. "The two little gilt cream-jugs is gone," she said
to Lady Sarah, "and the minitshur with the pearl settings out of the
yellow drawing-room!" Lady Sarah explained that as these things were
the property of her brother, he or his wife might of course take them
away if so pleased. "She's got 'em unbeknownst to my Lord, my Lady,"
said Toff, shaking her head. "I could only just scurry through with
half an eye; but when I comes to look there will be more, I warrant
you, my Lady."

The Marquis had expressed so much vehement dislike of everything about
his English home, and it had become so generally understood that his
Italian wife hated the place, that everybody agreed that they would not
come back. Why should they? What did they get by living there? The lady
had not been outside the house a dozen times, and only twice beyond the
park gate. The Marquis took no share in any county or any country
pursuit. He went to no man's house and received no visitors. He would
not see the tenants when they came to him, and had not even returned a
visit except Mr. De Baron's. Why had he come there at all? That was the
question which all the Brothershire people asked of each other, and
which no one could answer. Mr. Price suggested that it was just
devilry,--to make everybody unhappy. Mrs. Toff thought that it was the
woman's doing,--because she wanted to steal silver mugs, miniatures,
and such like treasures. Mr. Waddy, the vicar of the parish, said that
it was "a trial," having probably some idea in his own mind that the
Marquis had been sent home by Providence as a sort of precious blister
which would purify all concerned in him by counter irritation. The old
Marchioness still conceived that it had been brought about that a
grandmother might take delight in the presence of her grandchild. Dr.
Pountner said that it was impudence. But the Dean was of opinion that
it had been deliberately pla