I think, have resolved to give it to another.  Love had not conquered her, but had been taken into her service.  Nevertheless, she could not now rid herself of her servant, when she found that his services would stand her no longer in good stead.  She parted from Lord Chiltern with an assent, with an assured brow, and with much dignity in her gait; but as soon as she was alone she was a prey to remorse.  She had declared to the man who was to have been her husband that his life was discreditable,—­and, of course, no man would bear such language.  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.”  The Earl was convinced, and did his best.  But the task was very difficult to him.  How was he to keep his tongue off his son while his son was daily saying things of which any father,—­any such father as Lord Brentford,—­could not but disapprove?  Lord Chiltern professed to disbelieve even in the wisdom of the House of Lords, and on one occasion asserted that it must be a great comfort to any Prime Minister to have three or four old women in the Cabinet.  The father, when he heard this, tried to rebuke his son tenderly, strove even to be jocose.  It was the one wish of his heart that Violet Effingham should be his daughter-in-law.  But even with this wish he found it very hard to keep his tongue off Lord Chiltern.

When Lady Laura discussed the matter with Violet, Violet would always declare that there was no hope.  “The truth is,” she said on the morning of that day on which they both went to Mrs. Gresham’s, “that though we like each other,—­love each other, if you choose to say so,—­we are not fit to be man and wife.”

“And why not fit?”

“We are too much alike.  Each is too violent, too headstrong, and too masterful.”