When their brother next communicated with them, Lady Northlake and Mrs.
Gallilee heard of him as a voluntary exile in Italy. He was building a
studio and a gallery; he was contemplating a series of pictures; and he
was a happy man for the first time in his life.

Another interval passed--and the sisters heard of Robert again.

Having already outraged the sense of propriety among his English
neighbours, he now degraded himself in the estimation of his family, by
marrying a "model." The letter announcing this event declared, with
perfect truth, that he had chosen a virtuous woman for his wife. She
sat to artists, as any lady might sit to any artist, "for the head
only." Her parents gained a bare subsistence by farming their own
little morsel of land; they were honest people--and what did brother
Robert care for rank? His own grandfather had been a farmer.

Lady Northlake and Mrs. Gallilee felt it due to themselves to hold a
consultation, on the subject of their sister-in-law. Was it desirable,
in their own social interests, to cast Robert off from that moment?

Susan (previously advised by her kind-hearted husband) leaned to the
side of mercy. Robert's letter informed them that he proposed to live,
and die, in Italy. If he held to this resolution, his marriage would
surely be an endurable misfortune to his relatives in London. "Suppose
we write to him," Susan concluded, "and say we are surprised, but we
have no doubt he knows best. We offer our congratulations to Mrs.
Robert, and our sincere wishes for his happiness."

To Lady Northlake's astonishment, Mrs. Gallilee adopted this indulgent