of all, he had to see his father, and "After all, it was not an unnatural ascertain what were the Squire's in- mistake," he said to himself, and tentions, and how long he meant to smiled benignly upon the excelstay in Carlingford; and then It lent people who had found out the occurred to the Perpetual Curate that error of their own ways. Carlingafter that, politeness demanded that ford, indeed, seemed altogether in he should call on the Miss Wode- a more cheerful state than usual, and houses, who had, or at least one of Mr. Wentworth could not but think them, expressed so frankly their that the community in general was confidence in him. He could not glad to find that it had been debut call to thank her, to inquire in- ceived, and so went upon his way, to their plans, perhaps to back aunt pleasing himself with those maxims Leonora's invitation, which he was about the ultimate prevalence of aware had been gratefully declined. justice and truth, which make it With these ideas in his mind he went apparent that goodness is always down-stairs, after brushing his hat victorious, and wickedness punishvery carefully and casting one solicit- ed, in the end. Somehow even a ous glance in the mirror as he pass- popular fallacy has an aspect of ed-which presented to him a very truth when it suits one's own case. creditable reflection, an eidolon The Perpetual Curate went through in perfect clerical apparel, without his aunt's garden with a con. any rusty suggestions of a Perpetu- scious smile, feeling once more al Curacy. Yet a Perpetual Curacy master of himself and his concerns. it was which was his sole bene- There was, to tell the truth, fice or hope in his present circum- even a slight shade of self-content stances, for he knew very well that, and approbation upon his handwere all other objections at an end, some countenance. In the present neither Skelmersdale nor Went changed state of public opinion and worth could be kept open for him; private feeling, he began to take and that beyond these two he had some pleasure in his sacrifice. not a hope of advancement and at To be sure, a Perpetual Curate the same time he was pledged to re- could not marry; but perhaps main in Carlingford. All this, how- Lucy-in short, there was no telling ever, though discouraging enough, what might happen; and it was acdid not succeed in discouraging Mr. cordingly with that delicious sense Wentworth after he had read Lucy's of goodness which generally attends letter. He went down-stairs so an act of self sacrifice, mingled with lightly that Mrs. Hadwin, who was an equally delicious feeling that the waiting in the parlour in her best act, when accomplished, might turn cap, to ask if he would pardon her out no such great sacrifice after all, for making such a mistake, did not which it is to be feared is the hear him pass, and sat waiting for most usual way in which the sacrian hour, forgetting, or rather ne- fices of youth are made- that the glecting to give any response, when Curate walked into the hall, passing the butcher came for orders- which his aunt Dora's toy terrier without was an unprecedented accident. that violent inclination to give it a Mr. Wentworth went cheerfully up whack with his cane in passing, Grange Lane, meeting, by a singular which was his usual state of feelchance, ever so many people, who ing. To tell the truth, Lucy's letstopped to shake hands with him, ter had made him at peace with all or at least bowed their good wishes the world. and friendly acknowledgments. He smiled in himself at these evidences of popular penitence, but was not the less pleased to find himself reinstated in his place in the affections and respect of Carlingford. When, however, he entered the dining-room, where the family were still at breakfast, Frank's serenity was unexpectedly disturbed. The first thing that met his eye was his aunt Leonora, towering over her tea-urn at the upper end of the table, holding in her hand a letter which she had just opened. The envelope had fallen in the midst of the immaculate breakfast "things," and indeed lay, with its broad black edge on the top of the snow white lumps, in Miss Leonora's own sugarbasin; and the news had been sufficiently interesting to supend the operations of tea-making, and bring the strong-minded woman to her feet. The first words which were audible to Frank revealed to him the nature of the intelligence which had produced such startling effects. just had a letter announcing Mr. Shirley's death," she continued, facing round towards her nephew, and setting off abruptly, in face of all consequences, on the new tack. "Oh you are there, Frank," said his sensible aunt; and strong-minded though she was, a slight shade of additional colour appeared for a moment on Miss Leonora's face. She paused a little, evidently diverted from the line of discourse "He was always a contradictory which she had contemplated, and man,' ," said Miss Leonora; "since wavered like a vessel disturbed in the first hour he was in Skelmers- its course. "The fact is, I have dale, he has made a practice of doing things at the wrong time. I don't mean to reproach the poor man now he's gone; but when he has been so long of going, what good could it do him to choose this particular moment, for no other reason that I can see, except that it was specially uncomfortable to us? What my brother has just been saying makes it all the worse," said Miss Leonora with a look of annoyance. She had turned her head away from the door, which was at the side of the room, and had not perceived the entrance of the Curate. "As long as we could imagine that Frank was to succeed to the Rectory the thing looked comparatively easy. I beg your pardon, Gerald. Of course, you know how grieved I am-in short, that we all feel the deepest distress and vexation; but, to be sure, since you have given it up, somebody must succeed youthere can be no doubt of that." "Not the least, my dear aunt," said Gerald. "I am glad you grant so much. It is well to be sure of something," said the incisive and peremptory speaker. "It would have been a painful thing for us at any time to place another person in Skelmersdale while Frank was unprovided for; but, of course," said Miss Leonora, sitting down suddenly, "nobody "I am very sorry," said Frank Wentworth; "though I have an old grudge at him on account of his long sermons; but as you have expected it for a year or two, I can't imagine your grief to be overwhelming," said the Curate, with a touch of natural impertinence to be expected under the circumstances. Skelmersdale had been so long thought interesting to him, that now, when it was not in the least interesting, he got impatient of the name. "I quite agree with you, Frank," said Miss Wentworth. Aunt Cecilia had not been able for a long time to agree with anybody. She had been, on the contrary, shaking her head and shedding a few gentle tears over Gerald's silent submission and Louisa's noisy lamentations. Everything was somehow going wrong; and she who had no power to mend, at least could not assent, and broke through her old use and wont to shake her head, which was a thing very alarming to the family. The entire party was moved by a sensation of pleasure to hear Miss Cecilia say, "I quite agree with you, Frank.' "You are looking better this morning, my dear aunt," said Gerald. They had a great respect for each other these two; but when Miss Cecilia turned to hear what her elder nephew was saying, her face lost the momentary look of approval it had worn, and she again, though very softly, almost imperceptibly, began to shake her head. there is a living in the family, to educate one of his sons for it. In my opinion, it's one of the duties of property. You have no right to live off your estate, and spend your money elsewhere; and no more have you any right to give less than than your Own flesh and blood to the people you have the charge of. You've got the charge of them to-to a certain extent "We were not asking for your sympathy," said Miss Leonora, soul and body, sir," said the sharply. "Don't talk like a saucy boy. We were talking of our own embarrassment. There is a very excellent young man, the curate of the parish, whom Julia Trench is to be married to. By the way, of course, this must put it off; but I was about to say, when you interrupted me that to give it away from you at this moment, just as you had been doing well-doingyour duty," said Miss Leonora, with unusual hesitation, was certainly very uncomfortable, to say the least, to us." "Don't let that have the slight est influence on you, I beg," cried the Perpetual Curate, with all the pride of his years. "I hope I have been doing my duty all along," the young man added, more softly, a moment after; upon which the Squire gave a little nod, partly of satisfaction and encouragement to his son-partly of remonstrance and protest to his sister. "Yes, I suppose so-with the flowers at Easter, for example," said Miss Leonora, with a slight sneer. "I consider that I have stood by you through all this business, Frank-but, of course, in so important a matter as a cure of souls, neither relationship nor, to a certain extent, approval," said Miss Leonora, with again some hesitation "can be allowed to stand against public duty. We have the responsibility of providing a good gospel minister "I beg your pardon for interrupting you, Leonora," said the Squire, "but I can't help thinking that you make a mistake. I think it's a man's bounden duty, when Squire, growing warm, as he put down his Times,' and forgetting that he addressed a lady. "I'd never have any peace of mind if I filled up a family living with a stranger-unless, of course," Mr Wentworth added in a parenthesis -an unlikely sort of contingency which had not occurred to him at first-"you should happen to have no second son. The eldest the squire, the second the rector. That's my idea, Leonora, of Church and State." Miss Leonora smiled a little at her brother's semi-feudal, semi-pagan ideas. "I have long known that we were not of the same way of thinking," said the strong-minded aunt, who, though cleverer than her brother, was too wise in her own conceit to perceive at the first glance the noble, simple conception of his own duties and position, which was implied in the honest gentleman's words. "Your second son might be either a fool or a knave, or even, although neither, might be quite unfit to be intrusted with the eternal interest of his fellow-creatures. In my opinion, the duty of choosing a clergyman is one not to be exercised without the gravest deliberation. A conscientious man would make his selection dependant, at least, upon the character of his second son-if he had one. We, however "But then his character is 80 satisfactory, Leonora," cried Miss Dora, feeling emboldened by the shadow of visitors under whose shield she could always retire. Everybody knows what a good clergyman he is-I am sure it would be like a new world in Skelmers- venient moment possible for dying), dale if you were there, Frank, my it can't be expected of me that I dear and preaches such beautiful should appoint my nephew, whose sermons!" said the unlucky little opinions in most points are exactly woman, upon whom her sister im- the opposite of mine." mediately descended, swift and sudden, like a storm at sea. "Yes," said the Squire, with uncomfortable looks, "I was saying to your aunt, Frank, what I said to you about poor Mary. Since Gerald will go, and since you don't want to come, the best thing to do would be to have Huxtable. He's a very good fellow on the whole, and it might cheer her up, poor soul, to be near her sisters. Life has been hard work to her, poor girl- very hard work, sir," said the Squire with a sigh. The idea was troublesome and uncomfortable, and always disturbed his mind when it occurred to him. It was indeed a secret humiliation to the Squire, that his eldest daughter possessed so little the characteristic health and prosperity of the Wentworths. He was very sorry for her, but yet half angry and half ashamed, as if she could have helped it; but, however, he had been obliged to admit, in his private deliberations on the subject, that, failing Frank, Mary's husband had the next best right to Wentworth Rectory-an arrangement of which Miss Leonora did not approve. "I was about to say that we have no second son," she said, taking up the thread of her discourse where it had been interrupted. "Our duty is solely towards the Christian people. I do not pretend to be infallible," said Miss Leonora, with a meek air of self-contradiction; "but I should be a very poor creature indeed if, at my age, I did not know what I believed, and was not perfectly convinced that I am right, Consequently (though, I repeat, Mr Shirley has chosen the most incon "I wish, at least, you would believe what I say," interrupted the Curate impatiently. "There might have been some sense in all this three months ago; but if Skelmersdale were the highroad to everything desirable in the Church, you are all quite aware that I could not accept it. Stop, Gerald; I am not so disinterested as you think," said Frank; "if I left Carlingford now, people would remember against me that my character had been called in question here. I can remain a Perpetual Curate," said the young man, with a smile, "but I can't tolerate any shadow upon my honour. I am sorry I came in at such an awkward moment. Good morning, aunt Leonora. I hope Julia Trench, when she has the Rectory, will always keep of your way of thinking. She used to incline a little to mine," he said, mischievously, as he went away. "Come back, Frank, presently," said the Squire, whose attention had been distracted from his Times.' Mr. Wentworth began to be tired of such a succession of exciting discussions. He thought if he had Frank quietly to himself he could settle matters much more agreeably; but the Times' was certainly an accompaniment more tranquillising so far as a comfortable meal was concerned. "He can't come back presently," said aunt Leonora. "You speak as if he had nothing to do; when, on the contrary, he has every thing to do that is worth doing," said that contradictory authority. "Come back to lunch, Frank; and I wish you would eat your breakfast, Dora, and not stare at me." Miss Dora had come down to breakfast as an invalid, in a pretty little cap, with a shawl over her dressing-gown. She had not yet got over her adventure and the excitement of Rosa's capture. That skilful charioteer gets his team under hand without touching them; "but it is very lucky that we always come to agree in the end," she added, more significantly still. It was well to crush insubordination in the bud. Not that she did not share the sentiment of her sisters; but then they were guided like ordinary women by their feelings, whereas Miss Leonora had the rights of property before her, and the approval of Exeter Hall. unusual accident, and all the ap- of his whip, by means of which a plauses of her courage which had been addressed to her since, had roused the timid woman. She did not withdraw her eyes from her sister, though commanded to do so; on the contrary, her look grew more and more emphatic. She meant to have made a solemn address, throwing off Leonora's yoke, and declaring her intention, in this grave crisis of her nephew's fortunes, of acting for herself; but her feelings were too much for Miss Dora. The tears came creeping to "And he wants to marry, poor the corners of her eyes, and she dear boy," said Miss Dora, pale with could not keep them back; and fright, yet persevering; "and she is her attempt at dignity broke down. a dear good girl-the very person "I am never consulted," she said, for a clergyman's wife; and what with a gasp. "I don't mean to is he to do if he is always to be pretend to know better than Leo- Curate of St. Roque's? You may nora; but-but I think it is very say it is my fault, but I cannot help hard that Frank should be disap- it. He always used to come to me pointed about Skelmersdale. You in all his little troubles; and when may call me as foolish as you he wants anything very particular, please," said Miss Dora, with rising tears, "I know everybody will say it is my fault; but I must say I think it is very hard that Frank should be disappointed. He was always brought up for it, as every body knows; and to disappoint him, who is so good and so nice, for a fat young man, buttered all over like like a pudding-basin," cried poor Miss Dora, severely adhering to the unity of her desperate metaphor. "I don't know what Julia Trench can be thinking of; I-I don't know what Leonora means." "I am of the same way of thinking, said aunt Cecilia, setting down, with a little gentle emphasis, her cup of tea. he knows there is nothing I would not do for him," sobbed the proud annt, who could not help recollecting how much use she had been to Frank. She wiped her eyes at the thought, and held up her head with a thrill of pride and satisfaction. Nobody could blame her in that particular at least. "He knew he had only to tell me what he wanted," said Miss Dora, swelling out her innocent plumes. Jack, who was sitting opposite, and who had been listening with admiration, thought it time to come in on his own part. "I hope you don't mean to forsake me, aunt Dora," he said. "If a poor fellow cannot have faith in Here was rebellion, open and un- his aunt, whom can he have faith compromised. Miss Leonora was in? I thought it was too good to so much taken by surprise, that she last," said the neglected prodigal. lifted the tea-urn out of the way, "You have left the poor sheep in and stared at her interlocutors the wilderness and gone back to with genuine amazement. But she the ninety-and-nine righteous men proved herself, as usual, equal to the occasion. "It's unfortunate that we never see eye to eye just at once," she said, with a look which expressed more distinctly than words could have done the preliminary flourish who need no repentance." He put up his handkerchief to his eyes as he spoke, and so far forgot himself as to look with laughter in his face at his brother Gerald. As for the Squire, he was startled to hear his eldest son quoting Scrip |