"What sinks some floats others."
Lady Diana here succeeded in hushing up the subject, Harold having
said nothing all the time; but, after we broke up from breakfast, I
had a private view of Lady Diana's letter, which was spiteful beyond
description as far as we were concerned; making all manner of
accusations on the authority of the Australian relations; the old
stories exaggerated into horrible blackness, besides others for which
I could by no means account. Gambling among the gold-diggers, horrid
frays in Victoria, and even cattle-stealing, were so impossible in a
man who had always been a rich sheep farmer, that I laughed; yet they
were told by the cousins with strange circumstantiality. Then came
later tales--about our ways at Arghouse--all as a warning against
permitting any intercourse of the sweet child's, which might be
abused. Lady Diana was angered and vexed, but she was not a woman
who rose above the opinion of the world. Her daughter, Di Enderby,
was a friend of Birdie Stympson, and would be shocked; and she
actually told me that I must perceive that, while such things were
said, it was not possible--for her own Viola's sake--to keep up the
intimacy she would have wished.
For my part it seemed to me that, in Lady Diana's position, unjust
accusations against a poor young girl were the very reason for
befriending her openly; but her ladyship spoke in a grand,
authoritative, regretful way, and habitual submission prevented me
from making any protest beyond saying coldly, "I am very sorry, but
I cannot give up my nephews.
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