“Perhaps not; the only possible objection was, that there was no truth in it all.” “Not true!” “Not a word of it, except what relates to his quarrel with his family. As for the rest, he is pretty much like other fellows of his age and time of life. He has done the sort of things they all do, and hitherto has come fairly enough out of them.” “But what motive could she have had for blackening him?” “Ask her, mother,” said he, with a grin of devilish spite-fulness,--“just ask her; and even if she won't tell you, your woman's wit will find out the reason without her aid.” “I declare, Dudley, you are too bad,--too bad,” said she, coloring with anger as she spoke. “I should say, Too good,--too good by half, mother; at least, if endurance be any virtue. The world is beautifully generous towards us husbands. We are either monsters of cruelty, or we come into that category the French call 'complaisant.' I can't say I have any fancy for either class; but if I am driven to a choice, I accept the part which meets the natural easiness of my disposition, the general kindliness of my character.” For an instant Lady Lendrick's eyes flashed with a fiery indignation, and she seemed about to reply with anger; but with an effort she controlled her passion, and took a turn or two in the room without speaking. At last, having recovered her calm, she said, “Is the marriage project then broken off?” “So far as the Chief is concerned, it is. He has written a furious letter to his granddaughter,--dwelt forcibly on the ingratitude of her conduct. There is nothing old people so constantly refer to ingratitude as young folks falling in love. It is strange what a close tie would seem to connect this sin of ingratitude with the tender passion. He has reminded her of all the good precepts and wise examples that were placed before her at the Priory, and how shamefully she would seem to have forgotten them. He asks her, Did she ever see him fall in love? Did she ever see any weakness of this kind in Mrs. Beales the housekeeper, or Joe the gardener?” “What stuff and nonsense!” said Lady Lendrick, turning angrily away from him. “Sir William is not an angel, but as certainly he is not a fool.” “There I differ from you altogether. He may be the craftiest lawyer, the wisest judge, the neatest scholar, and the best talker of his day,--these are all claims I cannot adjudicate on,--they are far and away above me. But I _do_ pretend to know something about life and the world we live in, and I tell you that your all-accomplished Chief Baron is, in whatever relates to these, as consummate an ass as ever I met with. It is not that he is sometimes wrong; it is that he is never right.” “I can imagine he is not very clever at billiards, and it is possible that there may be persons more conversant than _he_ with the odds at Tattersall's,” said she, with a sneer.