Then, less than crumbs, less than drops, there were to be grabbed, the lease of the big Brighton house, the furniture therein, the carriage and pair, the girl's riding horse, her costly trinkets; down to the heavily gold-mounted collar of her pedigree St.Bernard.

The dog too went: the most noble-looking item in the beggarly assets.
What however went first of all or rather vanished was nothing in the nature of an asset.

It was that plotting governess with the trick of a "perfect lady" manner (severely conventional) and the soul of a remorseless brigand.

When a woman takes to any sort of unlawful man-trade, there's nothing to beat her in the way of thoroughness.

It's true that you will find people who'll tell you that this terrific virulence in breaking through all established things, is altogether the fault of men.