FOR  two  or  three  days,  incessant  rain  confined
Cecile  and  Amy  to  the  house.  All  was  gloom
and  discomfort  without  and  within.  Mrs.  De
Vere,  although  she  had  never  very  cordially
approved  of  her  daughter's  engagement  with  the
young  Vicar,  and  although  Cecile  kept  to  herself
all  the  details  of  the  rupture,  gathered  enough
by  cross-examining  Amy  and  Mabel,  to  make
her  suspect  that  Dudley  Harcourt  had  taken  the
initiative  in  the  final  breaking-off  of  the  match.
Her  natural  and  her  maternal  pride  were  severely
wounded  by  this  discovery.  She  did  not  pause


238  A  LOVER'S  QUARREL.
to  consider  that  it  was  possible  Cecile  might  feel
this  matter  deeply  enough.  She  was  very  angry,
and  when  that  was  the  case,  she  was  not  very
just  or  very  merciful.  She  said  and  did  many
things  that  would  have  sent  most  girls  into
hysterics,  but  only  roused  poor  Cecile  to  conceal,
beneath  a  calm  and  smiling  exterior,  the  remorse
and  wretchedness  of  her  heart.
Among  other  indiscretions  caused  by  Mrs.  De
Vere's  anger,  was  that  of  discussing  the  subject
in  the  presence  of  her  fiery,  cracked,  and  bed-
ridden husband.  The  idea  that  any  man  had
dared  to  slight  his  alliance  and  reject  his  daughter,
brought  on  poor  Mr.  De  Vere  an  acute  attack  of
gout ;  but  not  before  he  had,  in  his  wife's  ab-
sence, compelled  Amy  to  bring  him  his  desk,  and
forgetful  of  Mr.  Dudley  Harcourt's  cloth,  he  had
penned  him  a  challenge,  and  named  Claverhouse
as  his  friend  in  the  affair.  This  absurd  cartel
Mrs.  De  Vere  wisely  committed  to  the  flames.
