ustn't be
surprised, Georgey, if you find mamma very--very much cut up about
this.' Then Georgiana understood that she must be content to stand all
alone in the world, unless she made up her mind to give up Mr
Brehgert.

'So I've come back,' said Georgiana, stooping down and kissing her
mother.

'Oh, Georgiana; oh, Georgiana!' said Lady Pomona, slowly raising
herself and covering her face with one of her hands. 'This is
dreadful. It will kill me. It will indeed. I didn't expect it from
you.'

'What is the good of all that, mamma?'

'It seems to me that it can't be possible. It's unnatural. It's worse
than your wife's sister. I'm sure there's something in the Bible
against it. You never would read your Bible, or you wouldn't be going
to do this.'

'Lady Julia Start has done just the same thing,--and she goes
everywhere.'

'What does your papa say? I'm sure your papa won't allow it. If he's
fixed about anything, it's about the Jews. An accursed race;--think of
that, Georgiana;--expelled from Paradise.'

'Mamma, that's nonsense.'

'Scattered about all over the world, so that nobody knows who anybody
is. And it's only since those nasty Radicals came up that they have
been able to sit in Parliament.'

'One of the greatest judges in the land is a Jew,' said Georgiana, who
had already learned to fortify her own case.

'Nothing that the Radicals can do can make them anything else but what
they are. I'm sure that Mr Whitstable, who is to be your
brother-in-law, will never condescend to speak to him.'

Now if there was anybody whom Georgiana Longestaffe had despised from
her youth upwards it was George Whitstable. He had been a
laughing-stock to her when they were children, had been regarded as a
lout when he left school, and had been her common example of rural
dullness since he had become a man. He certainly was neither beautiful
nor bright;--but he was a Conservative squire born of Tory parents.
Nor was he rich;--having but a moderate income, sufficient to maintain
a moderate country house and no more. When first there came indications
that Sophia intended to put up with George Whitstable, the more
ambitious sister did not spare the shafts of her scorn. And now she
was told that George Whitstable would not speak to her future husband!
She was not to marry Mr Brehgert lest she should bring disgrace, among
others, upon George Whitstable! This was not to be endured.

'Then Mr Whitstable may keep himself at home