had managed to get down into the country to grace the coming of age of the heir, bringing with her all the Ladies Amelia, Ros

e pretext, imperatively urged, of Augusta's teeth - young ladies' teeth are not infrequently of value in this way;- and having received authority for a new carpet, which was really much wanted, had made such dexterous use of that sanction as to run up an upholsterer's

er's dressing-room, discussing the unreasonableness of the squire, who had expressed himself with more than

uch eager animation; 'what can the ma

ondon, and bury us all here for ever.

oes he say?' Lady de Courcy was very anxious to learn the exact truth of the matter, a

town at all; that he was barely able to pay the claims made

hat?' asked

he would not utterl

n Fr

what h

o bad as that? What possible reason

talking of tho

here was when you married into the family; we all know that. And whom will he have to thank but

dogs, Rosina,' sai

any expenses that are not absolutely necessary. That is a golden rule which Mr Gresham ought to have remembered. Indeed, I put it to

aimed, in her gratitude, the Lady Arabella; to speak the truth, however, but for the De Courcys,

eshamsbury; but yet, my dear, the hounds can't have eaten up everything. A man with ten

scription was li

lla, what does he do with his money?

y, and certainly very few men looking like gamblers were in the habit of coming thither as guests. 'I don't think he does gamble.' Lady Arabella put her emphasis on

cious. She certainly had sufficient domestic reasons for disliking the pro

don't know it,' sai

give when you tell him you want this and that - all the co

sometimes he says the

rank, and he can't have cost anything yet. Ca

anything; he never did, and never will save, though he is

id the Countess de Courcy, w

the money goes!' And the injured wife wiped a piteous tear from her eye with her fine dress cambric handkerchief. 'I have all the sufferings and privations of a poor man's wife, but

Countess de Courcy hated Dr

verything, too. Whatever difficulties poor Gresham may have, I do

agine. Lord de Courcy has not always been to me all that he should have been; far from it.' And Lady de Courcy thought over in her mind injuries of a much graver des

as the doctor,'

estate like him, making a confidant of a country doctor was too great a shock for her ne

and a year may indulge himself in looking for blood, as Mr Gresham did, my dear'- it must be understood that there was very little compliment in this, as the Lady Arabella had always conceived herself to be a beauty -'or for beauty, as some men do,' continued the countess, thinking of the choice that the present Earl de Courcy had made; 'but

Gresham had already m

he walked round to the stable-yard with him before dinner, to inspect a setter puppy of peculiarly fine breed wh

the eldest son of a plain squire?' said Frank, wishing t

man sighed as he reflected what small hope there was that all those who were nearest and dearest to him should die out of his way, and leave him to the sweet enjoyment of an earl's coronet and fortu

prospect now that it was offered to him. He had always, however, been taught to look to his cousins, the De Courcys, as men

rsetshire this season, John

dland. I rather fancy I shall go to Leicestershire when the partridge-s

ave two,' he said; 'that is, the mare I have had these t

? and the mare is not

hands,' said F

onourable John. 'What, go out before the county with one un

ing in Barsetshire will stop him. Peter says'- Peter was the Gr

t you'll stand anything; and if you don't mean to go in leading-strings all your life, now is the time to show it. There's young Baker - Harry Baker, you know - he came of age last

ly four thousand a year; but it was also true that he had no other child than Harry Baker; that he had no great establishment to keep up; that he owed a shilling to no one; and, also, that he was a gr

knows very well that you won't put up with such a stable as that. Lord bless you! I have heard that when he married my aunt, and that

, died when he was ve

roke of luck that doesn'

ifference. What! was he thus to think of his father, whose face was always lighted up with pleasure when his boy came near to him, and so rarely bright at any other time? Frank had watched his father closely enough to be aware of this; he knew how his father delighted in him; he had had cause to guess that his fath

luck, John. I should think it the

orality, or even an expression of ordinary good feeling, without giving himsel

understand that without saying it. Porlock, of course, would feel exactly the same about the governor; b

ling with my uncle, I know. I only spoke of myself; I ne

e tried; but it you are, you'll find before six months are o

ldn't find anyth

did, at Hatherly Court, in Gloucestershire, when his f

never s

was in Paris, but he went off to Hatherly as fast as special train and post-horses would carry him, and got there just in time for the funeral. As he came back to Hatherly C

s,' sai

eman. That would be too much of a joke; I'll take care of that." So he got up at night, and he got some fellows with him, and they climbed up and painted out "Resurgam", and they painted into i

in's mode of translating the undertaker's mottoes; and then they s

sham's request, and was now sitting with the squire in his own book-ro

itting in his usual arm-chair, close to his littered table, with his head supported on his han

s standing with his back to the fireplace, with his coat-tails over his arms, as though he were engaged,

unds! It's a very l

n,' said t

is no doubt he'll let you have it. Scatcherd will let you

uire. 'There is not a registered debt agains

is very lar

ng; about four-and-tw

comes first

there was nothing left of Greshamsbury. What's four-and-tw

it well enough: I

as already advanced before he goes on. I wish to goodness you had no f

difficulty, Umbleby

will you have

oke, he got up hurriedly from his chair, thrust his hands into his trousers-pockets, walked qu

one of his feet, 'though God knows I ought to be patient now, for I am made to bear a good many things.

thing, his face said much. He was very unhappy; he was greatly grieved to find that the squire was so soon again in want of money, and greatly grieved also to find

but he was not endowed with the gift of silence,

asy about everything if it were not for

laid it gently on the squire's shoulder. 'Frank will do very well yet,' said the he. 'It is

e, and I should leave it entire to my

act, on the other hand, was that, long as he had k

cannot be, and, therefore, I say again, that Frank will do very well yet, although he will not

a man feels when he - Ah, well! it's no use my troubling you with what

his back against the chimney-piece,

eby as you came in?'

y advice you will not see him now; at

from someone; you say Scat

ham; I did n

ember, and the money must be had. I have agreed to give Moffat si

ot more than your daughter should have. But then, five times six a

en, and that the trouble of arranging their marriage portions might

aid the squire. 'I suppose Augusta likes him

erything. I am not in love with him my

de Courcy says that he is a perfect gentl

all right,' said the doctor, with a quiet sarcas

fication in the near connexion which he had with the earl and countess; and when he wanted to support his family greatness, would sometimes weakly

e country - he did not say, was now at Boxall Hill, as he did not wish to wound the squire's ears - perhaps he had better go and see him, and ascertain in what way this affair of the mo

ands, then. I think ten thousand pounds will do. And n

the least; neither had he any such interest, nor did the squire think that he had any. What Dr Thorne did in this matter the squire well knew was done for love. But the squire of Greshamsbury was a great m

ed an indulgence for his weakness. Had Mr Gresham been in easy circumstances, the doctor would by no means have stood so placidly with his hands in his pockets, and have had Mr Umbleby thus thrown in hi

of the grown-up ladies of the family, whereas one of the old nurseries was now the modern schoolroom. Mary well knew her way to the sanctum, and, without asking any questions, w

, and having shaken hands with her two friends, was bowing to the lady, when t

er by indulging in such a friendship. But Beatrice, with some faults, was true at heart, and she persisted in lovin

etended, that she loved Mr Moffat, but she knew, she said, that in the present state of her father's affairs such a match was expedient. Mr Moffat was a young man of very large fortune, in Parliament, and inclined to business, and in every way recommendable. He was not a man of birth, to be sure; that was to be lamented;- in confessing that Mr Moffat was not a man of birth, Augusta did not go so far as to admit that he was the son of a tailor; such, however, was th

pretend to any romance of affection. And, having so said, she went to work with considerable mental satisfaction, choosing furniture, carriages, and clothes, not extravagantly as her mother would have done, not in deference to sterner dictates of the latest fashion as her aunt would have done, with none of the girlish glee in new purc

fore fell back on such qualities as she had, and determined to win the world as a strong-minded, useful woman. That which she had of her own was blood; hav

tapis, the invitations to be given were talked over. Sensible as Augusta was, she was not above such feminine cares; she was, indeed, rather anxious t

whether or not there should be any more. If there were to be one more there must be two. Now Miss Moffat had expressed a direct wish, and Augusta, though she would much rather have done without her, hardly knew how to refuse. Alexandrina - we hope we may be allowed to drop the 'lady' for the sake of brevity, for the present scene only - was dead agains

really think that Pussy is too young; it will be troublesome.' Pussy was the you

f her noble cousin, 'if you do have Miss Moffat would you mind asking Mary Thorne to join her? I think Mary would li

spake the Lad

t all. Miss Thorne is a very nice girl, I am sure; and, indeed, what little I have seen of her I highly approve.

and, in spite of the dignity of her co

aying a word agai

r, she shall be one of my

teous pen to drop the title. 'But Augusta is very peculiarly situated. Mr Moffat, is, you see, not of the v

have Miss Moffa

f I could help it,

Greshams,' said Beatrice. She had not quite t

of Ullathorne, Augusta probably would not object t

r Thorne'

her father was, or who her mother was? I, for one,

opened gently and Mary

es were a little cast aback. The Lady Alexandrina, however, quickly recovered herself, and, by he

I may mention to an acquaintance of so long standing as Miss Thor

schoolroom; had quarrelled, and squabbled, and caressed and kissed, and been all but sisters to each other. Acquaintance indeed! Beatrice felt that her ears were tinglin

put her arm over Augusta's shoulder and kissed her. The Lady Alexandrina could not but think that the doctor's niece uttered h

the beginning of October, is the nicest time of the year. If I we

ere, Mary,' s

oneymoon along with me. I won't stir out of Greshamsbury till I have

at,' said Augusta. 'Mr

to Paris in September?' s

and act at Greshamsbury as though she was on a par with the young ladies of the family. That Beatrice should have

she; 'I agree with Miss Thorne in thinking that, in ordinary circumstances, with ordinary people, perhaps

's niece, 'presuming them to be of some use; but I fear

t. It was almost impossible, it was incredible, that a fatherless, motherless, doctor's niece should be pert to an earl's daughter at Greshamsbury, seeing that t

r she intended to be pert or not, Miss Mary Thorne was, to say the least, very free. The De Courcy ladies knew what was

h stately composure, 'it is nearly time to dress; will you

m - no, tried to swim - after her. Miss Gresham had had great advantages; but she had not been abs

ustling muslins of the ladies. 'There, I have made

r back, why do you come and upset it all by making the whole family of the

would be equally unanimous in a case of love a

o much sense? Don't you remember that you were saying yourself the other

It is so much easier to preach than to

done so much

e whole evening in a corner; if I put my neck down and let all your cousins trample on it, and then your aunt, would not t

ry; but still I think you

le, which I look upon to be the comparative, or, indeed, superlative degree. Or perhaps there are four degrees; humble, umble, stumb

, M

ou. There, perhaps you'd like to put your foot on my neck.' And the

hand on your cheek and give you a

read on me, or slap me, or k

I am,' said Beatrice; 'I w

al in female matters. I mean pots and pans, and such like. Of course I don't allude to extraordinary peopl

well,

t, there I won't. I won't allude to the noble blood of your noble relativ

e one of Augusta

me, even for a morning, into the same category o

e is to

ink of it. Even if Augusta wished it I would refuse. I should be obliged to refuse. I, too, suffer from pride; a pride quite as unpardonable as

d knows that you are pre

but on its birth. You know how they would look at me; now they would scorn me; and there, in church, at the altar, with all that is solemn round us, I could not return their scorn as I might do elsewhere. In a room I'm no

ort of arrogance should be despis

ells you to hate riches. But though the clergyman tells

you to be one of Au

our has not been, and will not be, offered to me. No, Tri

hat, d

married, when the new wing has been

tongue, or you know

upon me and obliterate me. Though I should be dust among the stars, though I should creep up in calico among their satins and lace, I will nevertheless be there; close, close to the bride; to hold something for her, to tou

reshadowed in her friend's promise we will not repeat. The afternoon was advanc