a good story, even face to face, and that his
letter would be worse than spoken words. In intellect he was much
inferior to the Dean, and was only too conscious of his own
inferiority. In this condition of mind he told his story to his wife.
She had never even seen the Marquis, and had never quite believed in
those ogre qualities which had caused so many groans to Lady Sarah and
Lady Susanna. When, therefore, her husband told her that he had made
his peace with his brother she was inclined to rejoice. "And Popenjoy
is Popenjoy," she said smiling.

"I believe he is, with all my heart."

"And that is to be an end of it, George? You know that I have never
been eager for any grandeur."

"I know it. You have behaved beautifully all along."

"Oh; I won't boast. Perhaps I ought to have been more ambitious for
you. But I hate quarrels, and I shouldn't like to have claimed anything
which did not really belong to us. It is all over now."

"I can't answer for your father."

"But you and papa are all one."

"Your father is very steadfast. He does not know yet that I have seen
my brother. I think you might write to him. He ought to know what has
taken place. Perhaps he would come up again if he heard that I had been
with my brother."

"Shall I ask him to come here?"

"Certainly. Why should he not come here? There is his room. He can
always come if he pleases." So the matter was left, and Mary wrote her
letter. It was not very lucid;--but it could hardly have been lucid,
the writer knowing so few of the details. "George has become friends
with his brother," she said, "and wishes me to tell you. He says that
Popenjoy is Popenjoy, and I am very glad. It was such a trouble. George
thinks you will come up to town when you hear, and begs you will come
here. Do come, papa! It makes me quite wretched when you go to that
horrid hotel. There is such a lot of quarrelling, and it almost seems
as if you were going to quarrel with us when you don't come here. Pray,
papa, never, never do that. If I thought you and George weren't friends
it would break my heart. Your room is always ready for you, and if
you'll say what day you'll be here I will get a few people to meet
you." The letter was much more occupied with her desire to see her
father than with that momentous question on which her father was so
zealously intent. Popenjoy is Popenjoy! It was very easy to assert so
much. Lord George would no doubt give way readily, because he dislik