pon hearing
these terrible words spoken, Lord Fawn rose from his seat and slowly
left the room. Augusta followed him with both her arms stretched
out. Lady Fawn covered her face with her hands, and even Amelia was
dismayed.

"Oh, Lucy! why could you not hold your tongue?" said Lydia.

"I won't hold my tongue!" said Lucy, bursting out into tears. "He is
a gentleman."

Then there was great commotion at Fawn Court. After a few moments
Lady Fawn followed her son without having said a word to Lucy, and
Amelia went with her. Poor Lucy was left with the younger girls, and
was no doubt very unhappy. But she was still indignant, and would
yield nothing. When Georgina, the fourth daughter, pointed out to her
that, in accordance with all rules of good breeding, she should have
abstained from asserting that her brother had spoken an untruth, she
blazed up again. "It was untrue," she said.

"But, Lucy, people never accuse each other of untruth. No lady should
use such a word to a gentleman."

"He should not have said so. He knows that Mr. Greystock is more to
me than all the world."

"If I had a lover," said Nina, "and anybody were to say a word
against him, I know I'd fly at them. I don't know why Frederic is to
have it all his own way."

"Nina, you're a fool," said Diana.

"I do think it was very hard for Lucy to bear," said Lydia.

"And I won't bear it!" exclaimed Lucy. "To think that Mr. Greystock
should be so mean as to bear malice about a thing like that wild
Indian because he takes his own cousin's part! Of course I'd better
go away. You all think that Mr. Greystock is an enemy now; but he
never can be an enemy to me."

"We think that Lady Eustace is an enemy," said Cecilia, "and a very
nasty enemy, too."

"I did not say a word about Lady Eustace," said Lucy. "But Mr.
Greystock is a gentleman."

About an hour after this Lady Fawn sent for Lucy, and the two were
closeted together for a long time. Lord Fawn was very angry, and had
hitherto altogether declined to overlook the insult offered. "I am
bound to tell you," declared Lady Fawn, with much emphasis, "that
nothing can justify you in having accused Lord Fawn of telling an
untruth. Of course, I was sorry that Mr. Greystock's name should have
been mentioned in your presence; but as it was mentioned, you should
have borne what was said with patience."

"I couldn't be patient, Lady Fawn."

"That is what wicked people say when they commit murder, and then
th