Then a sound of bells is heard—­a waggon drawn by a fine bell-team climbs the hill, and stops by Alma.  She accepts the waggoner’s offer of a lift, and on reaching the gate of her home in the dusk, is distressed by his insistence on a kiss in payment, when out of the tree-shadows steps Cyril Maitland, the graceful and gifted son of the rector of Malbourne, newly ordained deacon.

He rebukes the waggoner, rescues Alma, and escorts her across a field to her father’s cottage.  There he is welcomed with respectful affection as the rector’s son and Alma’s former playmate.  Afterwards she lights him to the gate, where a chance word of his evokes from her an innocent and unconscious betrayal of her secret love, kindling such strong response in him as he cannot conquer except by touching a letter in his breast-pocket.  This letter is from Marion Everard, to whom he has been a year engaged.

He walks through the dark to Malbourne Rectory, where, by the fire, he finds his invalid mother, his twin sister, Lilian, and two younger children.  Here he appears the idol of the hearth—­genial, graceful, gifted, beautiful, and warm-hearted.  But he betrays ambition, sudden and great haste to be married, and some selfishness.  He walks to his lodging in a neighbouring village, where trifling circumstances point to a refined sensuousness, self-indulgence, and sophistry in his character, leading to the neglect of serious duty.  The shadow of impending tragedy is hinted at from the first line of the book.

December in the following year.  Cyril now an East End curate, and Henry Everard, M.D., going by rail to Malbourne.  Everard asleep; manly, cheerful, intellectual, healthy in body and mind.  Cyril awake; consumed by unspeakable sorrow.  Everard wakes; Cyril suddenly becomes gay in response to his friend’s high spirits.  They chaff each other.  Cyril preaches to Everard, when Henry scolds him for fasting, and his laxity of faith and practice.  They pass Belminster, when Cyril betrays unconscious ambition at Everard’s jesting prophecy that he would preach as bishop in the cathedral.  Asceticism is defended by Cyril and condemned by Everard.  Cyril speaks of the discipline of sorrow, and presses a spiked cross under his clothes into his side.  Everard exalts the discipline of joy.  The friends have been privately educated together, and were together at Cambridge.  Henry admires Cyril’s character and mental brilliance; Cyril regards Henry with condescending affection.  Everard is silently in love with Lilian.

Cyril and Everard in the meantime have arrived at Malbourne Rectory.  Cyril and Marion, who have not met since a quarrel, are alone together.  She wonders that he makes so much of the little tiff.  He talks of his unworthiness, and makes her promise to cleave to him through good and evil report.  At dinner, Everard asks for all the villagers, and gathers that Alma Lee is disgraced.  “Alma, little Alma, the child we used to play with!” he cries afterwards to the men Maitlands.  “Who is the scoundrel?” Cyril grows impatient under the discussion that follows.  “After all, she is not the first!” he says at last, to Everard’s indignation.