“Jump in.”

“Thank you.  And how is Marian?”

“Quite well, thank you. Everybody is quite well.  The girls are at a tennis party, or they would have come to meet you.  Constance desired me particularly to apologize.”

“Oh, needless, most needless.  Why should they not enjoy themselves?  What a landscape!  The smiling beauty of nature in the country is like a—­like a message to us.  This is indeed a delightful drive.”

“Yes, she is a capital trotter, this mare of mine.  What do you think of her?”

“A noble animal, Jasper.  Although I never studied horseflesh much, even in my university days, I can admire a spirited nag on occasion.  But I have to content myself with humbler means of locomotion in my own calling.  A poor parson cannot entertain his friends as a magnate like you can.  Have you any one at the hall now, besides the girls?”

“No.  The place will be rather dull for you, I am afraid.”

“Not at all, my dear fellow, not at all.  I shall be satisfied and thankful under all circumstances.”

“We have led a humdrum life for the past month.  Marian and Elinor have begun to potter about in my laboratory.  They come there every day for an hour to work and study, as they call it.”

“Indeed!  I have no doubt Marian will find the study of nature most improving.  It is very generous of you to allow her to trespass on you.”

“I occupy myself chiefly with Nelly McQuinch.  Marian is my assistant’s pupil, and he has made a very expert workwoman of her already.  With a little direction, she can put a machine together as well as I can.”

“I am delighted to hear it.  And dear Nelly?”

“Oh, dear Nelly treats the subject in her usual way.  But she is very amusing.”

“Ah, Jasper!  Ah!  An unstable nature there, an unstable nature!  Elinor has not been firmly trained.  She needs to be tried by adversity.”

“No doubt she will be.  Most of us are.”

“And dear Constance?  Does she study?”

“No.”

“Ahem!  A—­have you——?  That is St. Mildred’s yonder, is it not?”

“It is.  They have put a new clock in the tower, worth about sixty pounds.  I believe they collected a hundred and fifty for the purpose.  But you were going to say something else.”

“No.  At least, I intended to ask you about Marmaduke.  He is coming down, I understand.”

“I dont know what he is doing.  Last week he wrote to us that he had just returned from Paris; but I happened to know that he had then been back for some time.  He has arranged to come twice, but on each occasion, at the last moment, he has made excuses.  He can do as he likes now.  I wish he would say definitely that he doesnt intend to come, instead of shilly-shallying from week to week.  Hallo, Prentice, have the ladies returned yet?” This was addressed to the keeper of the gate-lodge, at which they had now arrived.  He replied that the ladies were still absent.