all fair and above board, nobody would say a word; but,
as it has not been so, it will be our duty to find out the truth. If
you should have a son, do not you think that you would turn every stone
before you would have him defrauded of his rights?"

"I shouldn't think any one would defraud him."

"But if this child be--anything else than what he pretends to be, there
will be fraud. The Germains, though they think as I do, are frightened
and superstitious. They are afraid of this imbecile who is coming over;
but they shall find that if they do not move in the matter, I will. I
want nothing that belongs to another; but while I have a hand and
tongue with which to protect myself, or a purse,--which is better than
either,--no one shall take from me what belongs to me." All this seemed
to Mary to be pagan teaching, and it surprised her much as coming from
her father. But she was beginning to find out that she, as a married
woman, was supposed to be now fit for other teaching than had been
administered to her as a child. She had been cautioned in her father's
house against the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and could
remember the paternal, almost divine expression of the Dean's face as
the lesson was taught. But now it seemed to her that the pomps and
vanities were spoken of in a very different way. The divine expression
was altogether gone, and that which remained, though in looking at her
it was always pleasant, was hardly paternal.

Miss Mildmay,--Aunt Ju as she was called,--and Guss Mildmay came and
called, and as it happened the Dean was in the drawing-room when they
came. They were known to be friends of Mrs. Houghton's who had been in
Brothershire, and were therefore in some degree connected even with the
Dean. Guss began at once about the new Marchioness and the baby; and
the Dean, though he did not of course speak to Guss Mildmay as he had
done to his own daughter, still sneered at the mother and her child. In
the meantime Aunt Ju was enlisting poor Mary. "I should be so proud if
you would come with me to the Institute, Lady George."

"I am sure I should be delighted. But what Institute?"

"Don't you know?--in the Marylebone Road,--for relieving females from
their disabilities."

"Do you mean Rights of Women? I don't think papa likes that," said
Mary, looking round at her father.

"You haven't got to mind what papa likes and dislikes any more," said
the Dean, laughing. "Whether you go in for the rig