Money! For had not the whole degrading thing been settled before he had ever seen her?
He was worse than Ladislaus who, at all events, had been passionately in love, in his revolting, animal way.
She knew nothing of the English customs, nor how such a thing as the arrangement of this marriage, as she thought it was, was a perfectly unknown impossibility, as an idea.

She supposed that the entire family were aware of the circumstances, and were willing to accept her only for her uncle's wealth--she already hated and despised them all.

Her idea was, "_noblesse oblige_," and that a great and ancient house should never stoop to such depths.
Francis Markrute looked at her when she said, "I suppose we shall have to go down," with that icy calm.

He felt faintly uneasy.
"Zara, it is understood you will be gracious?
and _brusquer_ no one ?" But all the reply he received was a glance of scorn.

She had given her word and refused to discuss that matter.
And so they descended the stairs just in time to be standing ready to receive Lord and Lady Coltshurst who were the first to be announced.