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66 kind of reason, except that it did strike me that my father's character had never—never, that is, in his home life—come out more strongly or more generously. Why, I should like to lay ruinous odds that he never refers to the matter again, even to you; while, you shall see, his manner to her will not suffer the slightest change in consequence of what has happened.'

'It would be a terrible thing if it did,' said Lady Bligh; and she added after a pause: 'She is so beautiful!'

Granville drummed with his fingers upon the chimney-piece. His mother wanted a reply. She wanted sympathy upon this point; it was a very insignificant point, the Bride's personal beauty; but as yet it seemed to be the only redeeming feature in Alfred's unfortunate marriage.

'You can't deny that, Gran?' she persisted.

'Deny what? The young woman's prepossessing appearance? Certainly not; nobody with eyes to see could deny that.'

'And after all,' said Lady Bligh, 'brought up as she evidently has been, it would be astonishing indeed if her ways were not wild and strange. Consequently, Gran, there is