The rector had been very crafty.  There was no doubt about the wealthy gentleman with the American project, and the salary had been offered.  But in other respects there had been some exaggeration.  It was well known to the rector that Mr. Prosper regarded America and all her institutions with a religious hatred.  An American was to him an ignorant, impudent, foul-mouthed, fraudulent creature, to have any acquaintance with whom was a disgrace.  Could he have had his way, he would have reconstituted the United States as British Colonies at a moment’s notice.  Were he to die without having begotten another heir, Buston must become the property of Harry Annesley; and it would be dreadful to him to think that Buston should be owned by an American citizen.  “The salary offered is too good to be abandoned,” said Mr. Annesley, when he saw the effect which his story had produced.

“Everything is going against me!” exclaimed Mr. Prosper.

“Well:  I will not talk about that.  I did not come here to discuss Harry or his sins,—­nor, for the matter of that, his virtues.  But I felt it would be improper to let him go upon his journey without communicating with you.”  So saying, he took his departure and walked back to the rectory.

CHAPTER XLV.

A DETERMINED YOUNG LADY.

When this offer had been made to Harry Annesley he found it to be absolutely necessary that he should write a farther letter to Florence.  He was quite aware that he had been forbidden to write.  He had written one letter since that order had been given to him, and no reply had come to him.  He had not expected a reply; but still her silence had been grievous to him.  It might be that she was angry with him, really angry.  But let that be as it might, he could not go to America, and be absent for so long a period, without telling her.  She and her mother were still at Brussels when January came.  Mrs. Mountjoy had gone there, as he had understood, for a month, and was still at the embassy when three months had passed.  “I think I shall stay here the winter,” Mrs. Mountjoy had said to Sir Magnus, “but we will take lodgings.  I see that very nice sets of apartments are to be let.”  But Sir Magnus would not hear of this.  He said, and said truly, that the ministerial house was large; and at last he declared the honest truth.  His sister-in-law had been very kind to him about money, and had said not a word on that troubled subject since her arrival.  Mrs. Mountjoy, with that delicacy which still belongs to some English ladies, would have suffered extreme poverty rather than have spoken on such a matter.  In truth she suffered nothing, and hardly thought about it.  But Sir Magnus was grateful, and told her that if she went to look for lodgings he should go to the lodgings and say that they were not wanted.  Therefore Mrs. Mountjoy remained where she was, entertaining a feeling of increased good-will toward Sir Magnus.