And in spite of her friendship, would
not revenge be dear to her,--revenge of that nature which a slighted
woman must always desire? He had rejected her, and would it not be
fair also that he should be rejected? "I suppose you'll be in your
own room before lunch to-morrow," he said to her as they separated
for the night. It had come to pass from the constancy of her visits
to Matching in the old Duke's time, that a certain small morning-room
had been devoted to her, and this was still supposed to be her
property,--so that she was not driven to herd with the public or to
remain in her bedroom during all the hours of the morning. "Yes," she
said; "I shall go out immediately after breakfast, but I shall soon
be driven in by the heat, and then I shall be there till lunch. The
Duchess always comes about half-past twelve, to complain generally of
the guests." She answered him quite at her ease, making arrangement
for privacy if he should desire it, but doing so as though she
thought that he wanted to talk to her about his trial, or about
politics, or the place he had just refused.
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