"It is settled!" cried Denzil, jumping up, with a return of his
extravagant spirits. "You, Glazzard, will stand by and watch--our
truest friend. You on the hustings! Ha, ha, ha! Come, one more glass
of whisky, and I will tell them to get our cab ready. I say,
Glazzard, from this evening forth never a word between us about the
secret. That is understood, of course. You may let people know that
you were in my confidence about the private marriage. But I can
trust your discretion as my own. Your glass--pledge me in the old
style!"
Ten minutes more, and they were driving back to Polterham.
CHAPTER X
But for domestic warfare, Mrs. Mumbray would often have been at a
loss how to spend her time. The year of her husband's Mayoralty
supplied, it is true, a good many unwonted distractions, but in the
middle of the morning, and late in the evening (if there were no
dinner-party), _ennui_ too frequently weighed upon her. For relief
in the former case, she could generally resort to a quarrel with
Serena; in the latter, she preferred to wrangle with her spouse.
One morning early in December, having indulged her ill-humour with
even more than usual freedom among the servants, she repaired to the
smaller drawing-room, where, at this hour, her daughter often sat
reading. Serena was at a table, a French book and dictionary open
before her.
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