family generally, still, as
an injury had been done to the Marquis by the suspicion, those
circumstances ought now to be in a measure forgiven. The Marquis was
the head of the family, and a family will forgive much to its head when
that head is a Marquis. As we know the Dowager had been in his favour
from the first, Lord George had lately given way and had undergone a
certain amount of reconciliation with his brother. Lady Amelia had
seceded to her mother, as had also Mrs. Toff, the old housekeeper. Lady
Susanna was wavering, having had her mind biased by the objectionable
conduct of the Dean and his daughter. Lady Sarah was more stanch. Lady
Sarah had never yet given way; she never did give way; and, in her very
heart, she was the best friend that Mary had among the ladies of the
family. But when her brother gave up the contest she felt that further
immediate action was impossible. Things were in this state at Cross
Hall when Lord George received the two letters. He did not wish to
think well of the Dean just at present, and was horrified at the idea
of a clergyman knocking a Marquis into the fire-place. But the word
indicated was very plain, and that word had been applied to his own
wife. Or, perhaps, no such word had really been used. Perhaps the Dean
had craftily saved himself from an absolute lie, and in his attempt to
defend the violence of his conduct had brought an accusation against
the Marquis, which was in its essence, untrue. Lord George was quite
alive to the duty of defending his wife; but in doing so he was no
longer anxious to maintain affectionate terms with his wife's father.
She had been very foolish. All the world had admitted as much. He had
seen it with his own eyes at that wretched ball. She had suffered her
name to be joined with that of a stranger in a manner derogatory to her
husband's honour. It was hardly surprising that his brother should have
spoken of her conduct in disparaging terms;--but he did not believe
that his brother had used that special term. Personal violence;--blows
and struggling, and that on the part of a Dean of the Church of
England, and violence such as this seemed to have been,--violence that
might have killed the man attacked, seemed to him to be in any case
unpardonable. He certainly could not live on terms of friendship with
the Dean immediately after such a deed. His wife must be taken away and
secluded, and purified by a long course of Germain asceticism.

But what