By working day and night almost, he finished his new picture in time for the Academy; and, as he had himself predicted, it proved, at least in the opinion of all his artist friends, the best that he had ever painted. It was bought at once for three hundred pounds; and never since then have we been in want of money.
CHAPTER XXXV.
WHAT LADY BERNARD THOUGHT OF IT.
My reader may wonder, that, in my record of these troubles, I have never mentioned Marion. The fact is, I could not bring myself to tell her of them; partly because she was in some trouble herself, from strangers who had taken rooms in the house, and made mischief between her and her grandchildren; and partly because I knew she would insist on going to Lady Bernard; and, although I should not have minded it myself, I knew that nothing but seeing the children hungry would have driven my husband to consent to it.
One evening, after it was all over, I told Lady Bernard the story. She allowed me to finish it without saying a word. When I had ended, she still sat silent for a few moments; then, laying her hand on my arm, said,—
My dear child, you were very wrong, as well as very unkind. Why did you not let me know?"
"Because my husband would never have allowed me," I answered.
"Then I must have a talk with your husband," she said.
"I wish you would," I replied; "for I can't help thinking Percivale too severe about such things."
The very next day she called, and did have a talk with him in the study to the following effect:—