"There's nothing serious in mortality: All is but toys."MACBETH.
"I think," said Mrs. Rush-Marvelle deliberately, laying down the Morning Post beside her breakfast-cup, "I think his conduct is perfectly disgraceful!"
Mr. Rush-Marvelle, a lean gentleman with a sallow, clean-shaven face and an apologetic, almost frightened manner, looked up hastily.
"Of whom are you speaking, my dear?" he inquired.
"Why, of that wretched young man Bruce-Errington! He ought to be ashamed of himself!"
And Mrs. Marvelle fixed her glasses more firmly on her small nose, and regarded her husband almost reproachfully. "Don't tell me, Montague, that you've forgotten that scandal about him! He went off last year, in the middle of the season, to Norway, in his yacht, with three of the very fastest fellows he could pick out from his acquaintance--regular reprobates, so I'm told--and after leading the most awful life out there, making love to all the peasant girls in the place, he married one of them,--a common farmer's daughter. Don't you remember? We saw the announcement of his marriage in the Times."
"Ah yes, yes!" And Mr. Rush-Marvelle smiled a propitiatory smile, intended to soothe the evidently irritated feelings of his better-half, of whom he stood always in awe. "Of course, of course! A very sad mésalliance. Yes, yes! Poor fellow! And is there fresh news of him?"
"Read that,"--and the lady handed the Morning Post across the table, indicating by a dent of her polished finger-nail, the paragraph that had offended her sense of social dignity. Mr. Marvelle read it with almost laborious care--though it was remarkably short and easy of comprehension.
"Sir Philip and Lady Bruce-Errington have arrived at their house in Prince's Gate from Errington Manor."
"Well, my dear?" he inquired, with a furtive and anxious glance at his wife. "I suppose--er--it--er--it was to be expected?"
"No, it was not to be expected," said Mrs. Rush-Marvelle, rearing her head, and heaving her ample bosom to and fro in rather a tumultuous manner. "Of course it was to be expected that Bruce-Errington would behave like a fool--his father was a fool before him. But I say it was not to be expected that he would outrage society by bringing that common wife of his to London, and expecting us to receive her! The thing is perfectly scandalous! He has had the decency to keep away from town ever since his marriage--part of the time he has staid abroad, and since January he has been at his place in Warwickshire,--and this time--observe this!" and Mrs. Marvelle looked most impressive--"not a soul has been invited to the Manor--not a living soul! The house used to be full of people during the winter season--of course, now, he dare not ask anybody lest they should be shocked at his wife's ignorance. That's as clear as daylight! And now he has the impudence to actually bring her here,--into society! Good Heavens! He must be mad! He will be laughed at wherever he goes!"