"It is not at the first sound so startling a cry as
war to the castle."
"But you think it may lead to it?" said Lord Mowbray.
"I love not to be a prophet of evil," said Mr St Lys.
Lord Marney rose from his seat and addressed Lady Firebrace,
whose husband in another part of the room had caught Mr
Jermyn, and was opening his mind on "the question of the day;"
Lady Maud, followed by Egremont, approached Mr St Lys, and
said, "Mr Egremont has a great feeling for Christian
architecture, Mr St Lys, and wishes particularly to visit our
church of which we are so proud." And in a few moments they
were seated together and engaged in conversation.
Lord Mowbray placed himself by the side of Lady Marney, who
was seated by his countess.
"Oh! how I envy you at Marney," he exclaimed. "No
manufactures, no smoke; living in the midst of a beautiful
park and surrounded by a contented peasantry!"
"It is very delightful," said Lady Marney, "but then we are so
very dull; we have really no neighbourhood."
"I think that such a great advantage," said Lady Mowbray: "I
must say I like my friends from London. I never know what to
say to the people here. Excellent people, the very best
people in the world; the way they behaved to poor dear Fitz-
Warene, when they wanted him to stand for the county, I never
can forget; but then they do not know the people we know, or
do the things we do; and when you have gone through the
routine of county questions, and exhausted the weather and all
the winds, I am positively, my dear Lady Marney, aux abois,
and then they think you are proud, when really one is only
stupid.
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