Had Lord Chiltern borne it, he would not have been worthy
of her love.
She herself told Lady Laura and Lord Brentford what had
occurred,--and had told Lady Baldock also. Lady Baldock had, of
course, triumphed,--and Violet sought her revenge by swearing that
she would regret for ever the loss of so inestimable a gentleman.
"Then why have you given him up, my dear?" demanded Lady Baldock.
"Because I found that he was too good for me," said Violet. It may be
doubtful whether Lady Baldock was not justified, when she declared
that her niece was to her a care so harassing that no aunt known in
history had ever been so troubled before.
Lord Brentford had fussed and fumed, and had certainly made things
worse. He had quarrelled with his son, and then made it up, and then
quarrelled again,--swearing that the fault must all be attributed to
Chiltern's stubbornness and Chiltern's temper. Latterly, however, by
Lady Laura's intervention, Lord Brentford and his son had again been
reconciled, and the Earl endeavoured manfully to keep his tongue from
disagreeable words, and his face from evil looks, when his son was
present. "They will make it up," Lady Laura had said, "if you and I
do not attempt to make it up for them. If we do, they will never come
together.
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