called him so;--never. I have always declared my belief
and my wishes to be in his favour."

"Then why the d---- have you made all this rumpus?"

"Because it was necessary to be sure. When a man marries the same wife
twice over----"

"Have you never heard of that being done before? Are you so ignorant as
not to know that there are a hundred little reasons which may make that
expedient? You have made your enquiries now and what is the result?"

Lord George paused a moment before he replied, and then answered with
absolute honesty. "It is all very odd to me. That may be my English
prejudice. But I do think that your boy is legitimate."

"You are satisfied as to that?"

He paused again, meditating his reply. He did not wish to be untrue to
the Dean, but then he was very anxious to be true to his brother. He
remembered that in the Dean's presence he had told the lawyer that he
would have nothing to do with further enquiries. He had asked for the
lawyer's bill, thereby withdrawing from the investigation. "Yes," he
said slowly; "I am satisfied."

"And you mean to do nothing further?"

Again he was very slow, remembering how necessary it would be that he
should tell all this to the Dean, and how full of wrath the Dean would
be. "No; I do not mean to do anything further."

"I may take that as your settled purpose?"

There was another pause, and then he spoke, "Yes; you may."

"Then, George, let us try and forget what has passed. It cannot pay for
you and me to quarrel. I shall not stay in England very long. I don't
like it. It was necessary that the people about should know that I had
a wife and son, and so I brought him and her to this comfortless
country. I shall return before the winter, and for anything that I care
you may all go back to Manor Cross."

"I don't think my mother would like that."

"Why shouldn't she like it? I suppose I was to be allowed to have my
own house when I wanted it? I hope there was no offence in that, even
to that dragon Sarah? At any rate, you may as well look after the
property; and if they won't live there, you can. But there's one
question I want to ask you."

"Well?"

"What do you think of your precious father-in-law; and what do you
think that I must think of him? Will you not admit that for a vulgar,
impudent brute, he is about as bad as even England can supply?" Of
course Lord George had nothing to say in answer to this. "He is going
on with this tom-foolery, I believe?"