"I
should be very glad indeed to see you one of us. You know
your father was! But if any one is my friend I never will
hear him attacked behind his back without fighting his
battles; and I certainly did fight yours last night."
"Pray tell me where it was?"
"Lady Crumbleford--"
"Confound Lady Crumbleford!" said Mr Berners indignant but a
little relieved.
"No, no; Lady Crumbleford told Lady Alicia Severn."
"Yes, yes," said Berners, a little pale, for he was touched.
"But I cannot stop," said Lady Firebrace. "I must be with
Lady St Julians exactly at a quarter past four;" and she
sprang into her carriage.
"I would sooner meet any woman in London than Lady Firebrace,"
said Mr Berners; "she makes me uneasy for the day: she
contrives to convince me that the whole world are employed
behind my back in abusing or ridiculing me."
"It is her way," said Egerton; "she proves her zeal by showing
you that you are odious. It is very successful with people of
weak nerves. Scared at their general unpopularity, they seek
refuge with the very person who at the same time assures them
of their odium and alone believes it unjust. She rules that
poor old goose, Lady Gramshawe, who feels that Lady Firebrace
makes her life miserable, but is convinced that if she break
with the torturer, she loses her only friend.
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