family, or would allow it to appear that he was conscious of being shone
upon by the wife of a marquis. Any adulation which Griselda received of
that kind came from her father, and therefore, unconsciously she had
learned to think that her father was more better bred than the other
members of her family, and more fitted by nature to move in that sacred
circle to which she herself had been exalted. We need not dwell upon the
dinner, which was but a dull affair. Mrs Grantly strove to carry on the
family party exactly as it would have been carried on had her daughter
married the son of some neighbouring squire; but she herself was
conscious of the struggle, and the fact of there being a struggle
produced failure. The rector's servants treated the daughter of the
house with special awe, and the marchioness herself moved, and spoke,
and ate, and drank with a cold magnificence, which I think had become a
second nature with her, but which was not on that account the less
oppressive. Even the archdeacon, who enjoyed something in that which was
so disagreeable to his wife, felt a relief when he was left alone after
dinner with his son. He felt relieved as his son got up to open the door
for his mother and sister, but was aware at the same time that he had
before him a most difficult and possibly a most disastrous task. His
dear son Henry was not a man to be talked smoothly out of, or into, any
propriety. He had a will of his own, and having hitherto been a
successful man, who in youth had fallen into few youthful troubles--who
had never justified his father in using stern parental authority--was
not now inclined to bend his neck. 'Henry,' said the archdeacon, 'what
are you drinking? That's '34 port, but it's not just what it should be.
Shall I send for another bottle?'

'It will do for me, sir. I shall only take a glass.'

'I shall drink two or three glasses of claret. But you young fellows