grammar. You had better go and hear her, since you will say nothing
more to me."

Lord George thought so too; but he stayed for a few moments in the
dining-room, during which he stooped over his wife, who had thrown
herself into an arm-chair, and kissed her. As he did so, she merely
shook her head, but made no response to his caress. Then he slowly
strode away, and went up stairs into the drawing-room.

What took place there need not be recorded at length. Lady Susanna did
not try to be mischievous. She spoke much of Mary's youth, and
expressed a strong opinion that Captain De Baron was not a fit
companion for her. She was very urgent against the use of slang, and
said almost harder things of Mrs. Houghton than she did of Jack. She
never had meant to imply that Mary had allowed improper attentions from
the gentleman, but that Mary, being young, had not known what
attentions were proper and what improper. To Lady Susanna the whole
matter was so serious that she altogether dropped the personal quarrel.
"Of course, George," she said, "young people do not like to be told;
but it has to be done. And I must say that Mary likes it as little as
any person that I have ever known."

This multiplicity of troubles falling together on to the poor man's
back almost crushed him. He had returned to town full of that terrible
letter which he had pledged himself to write; but the letter was
already driven out of his head for the time. It was essentially
necessary that he should compose this domestic trouble, and of course
he returned to his wife. Equally of course after a little time she
prevailed. He had to tell her that he was sure that she never flirted.
He had to say that she did not talk slang. He had to protest that the
fortune-telling cards were absolutely innocent. Then she condescended
to say that she would for the present be civil to Susanna, but even
while saying that she protested that she would never again have her
sister-in-law as a guest in the house. "You don't know, George, even
yet, all that she said to me, or in what sort of way she behaved."

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE DEAN RETURNS TO TOWN.

"Do you mean to say that you have any objection to my being acquainted
with Captain De Baron?" This question Mary asked her husband on the
Monday after his return. On that day Lady Susanna went back to
Brothershire, having somewhat hurried her return in consequence of the
uncomfortable state of things in Minister Court. Th