managed, moreover, at last to refurnish, not ingloriously, the Portman
Square drawing-room. She had gone up to London under the pretext,
imperatively urged, of Augusta's teeth--young ladies' teeth are not
infrequently of value in this way;--and having received authority for a
new carpet, which was really much wanted, had made such dexterous use
of that sanction as to run up an upholsterer's bill of six or seven
hundred pounds. She had of course had her carriage and horses; the
girls of course had gone out; it had been positively necessary to have
a few friends in Portman Square; and, altogether, the ten weeks had not
been unpleasant, and not inexpensive.

For a few confidential minutes before dinner, Lady de Courcy and her
sister-in-law sat together in the latter's dressing-room, discussing
the unreasonableness of the squire, who had expressed himself with more
than ordinary bitterness as to the folly--he had probably used some
stronger word--of these London proceedings.

'Heavens!' said the countess, with much eager animation; 'what can the
man expect? What does he wish you to do?'

'He would like to sell the house in London, and bury us all here for
ever. Mind, I was there only for ten weeks.'

'Barely time for the girls to get their teeth properly looked at! But
Arabella, what does he say?' Lady de Courcy was very anxious to learn
the exact truth of the matter, and ascertain, if she could, whether Mr
Gresham was really as poor as he pretended to be.

'Why, he said yesterday that he would have no more going to town at
all; that he was barely able to pay the claims made on him, and keep up