"It is like everything else that he does," he said, being anxious to induce the stepmother to speak ill of her stepson. But the bent of her mind had been turned. She was not conscious of the cause which had produced the change, but she was determined to speak no further evil of her stepchildren before Mr. Greenwood. "I suppose there is nothing to be done?" said Mr. Greenwood. "What should there be to be done? If you do remain here I wish you would sit down, Mr. Greenwood. You oppress me by standing up in that way in the middle of the room." "I do not wonder that you should be oppressed," he said, seating himself, as was his wont, on the edge of a chair. "I am oppressed, I know. No one ever says a word to comfort me. What am I to do if anything should happen?" "Mr. Greenwood, what is the use of all this?" "What would you think, Lady Kingsbury, if you had to live all the rest of your life on an income arising from a thousand pounds?" "It isn't my fault. What's the good of your coming to me with all that? I have had nothing to do with the arrangement which Lord Kingsbury has made with you. You know very well that I do not dare even to mention your name to him, lest he should order that you should be turned out of the house." "Turned out of the house!" he said, jumping off his chair on to his legs with an alacrity which was quite unusual to him. "Turned out of the house?--as if I were a dog! No man alive would stand such language." "You know very well that I've always stood your friend," said the Marchioness, alarmed by the man's impetuosity. "And you tell me that I'm to be turned out of the house." "I only say that it would be better not to mention your name to him. I must go now, because he will be waiting for me." "He doesn't care a straw for you; not a straw." "Mr. Greenwood!" "He cares only for his son and daughter;--for the son and daughter of his first wife; for those two ignoble young persons who, as you have said so often, are altogether unworthy of their name." "Mr. Greenwood, I cannot admit this." "Have you not said it over and over again? Have you not declared how good a thing it would be that Lord Hampstead should die? You cannot go back from all that, Lady Kingsbury." "I must go now, Mr. Greenwood," she said, shuffling out of the room. He had altogether frightened her, and, as she went down-stairs, she determined that at whatever cost she must save herself from further private conversation with the chaplain.