"Lady Amelia is quite unhappy." He always called her Lady Amelia, even when speaking of her to his own brothers and sisters. He was too well behaved to take the liberty of calling an earl's daughter by her plain Christian name, even though that earl's daughter was his own wife. "She fears that you have been a good deal hurt." "Not at all hurt; but disfigured, as you see." "And so you beat the fellow well that did it?" "No, I didn't," said Crosbie, very angrily. "I didn't beat him at all. You don't believe everything you read in the newspapers, do you?" "No, I don't believe everything. Of course I didn't believe about his having aspired to an alliance with Lady Alexandrina. That was untrue, of course." Mr. Gazebee showed by the tone of his voice that imprudence so unparalleled as that was quite incredible. "You shouldn't believe anything; except this,--that I have got a black eye." "You certainly have got that. Lady Amelia thinks you would be more comfortable if you would come up to us this evening. You can't go out, of course; but Lady Amelia said, very good-naturedly, that you need not mind with her." "Thank you, no; I'll come on Sunday." "Of course Lady Alexandrina will be very anxious to hear from her sister; and Lady Amelia begged me very particularly to press you to come." "Thank you, no; not to-day." "Why not?" "Oh, simply because I shall be better at home." "How can you be better at home? You can have anything that you want. Lady Amelia won't mind, you know." Another beefsteak to his eye, as he sat in the drawing-room, a cold-water bandage, or any little medical appliance of that sort;--these were the things which Lady Amelia would, in her domestic good nature, condescend not to mind! "I won't trouble her this evening," said Crosbie. "Well, upon my word, I think you're wrong. All manner of stories will get down to Courcy Castle, and to the countess's ears; and you don't know what harm may come of it. Lady Amelia thinks she had better write and explain it; but she can't do so till she has heard something about it from you." "Look here, Gazebee. I don't care one straw what story finds its way down to Courcy Castle." "But if the earl were to hear anything, and be offended?" "He may recover from his offence as he best likes." "My dear fellow; that's talking wildly, you know." "What on earth do you suppose the earl can do to me? Do you think I'm going to live in fear of Lord De Courcy all my life, because I'm going to marry his daughter? I shall write to Alexandrina myself to-day, and you can tell her sister so. I'll be up to dinner on Sunday, unless my face makes it altogether out of the question." "And you won't come in time for church?" "Would you have me go to church with such a face as this?" Then Mr. Mortimer Gazebee went, and when he got home he told his wife that Crosbie was taking things with a high hand. "The fact is, my dear, that he's ashamed of himself, and therefore tries to put a bold face upon it."