“But you have not told him that?”

“I would not tell him anything without your consent and papa’s.  He said he should go to papa to-morrow, and I could not prevent that.  I did say that I knew it was quite impossible.”

The mischief was done and there was no help for it.  Mrs. Clavering told her daughter that she would talk it all over with the rector that night, so that Fanny was able to come down to dinner without fearing any further scene on that evening.  But on the following morning she did not appear at prayers, nor was she present at the breakfast table.  Her mother went to her early, and she immediately asked if it was considered necessary that she should see her father before Mr. Saul came.  But this was not required of her.

“Papa says that it is out of the question,” said Mrs. Clavering.

“I told him so myself” said Fanny, beginning to whimper.

“And there must be no engagements,” said Mrs. Clavering.

“No, mamma.  I haven’t engaged myself.  I told him it was impossible.”

“And papa thinks that Mr. Saul must leave him,” continued Mrs. Clavering.

“I knew papa would say that; but, mamma, I shall not forget him for that reason.”

To this Mrs. Clavering made no reply, and Fanny was allowed to remain upstairs till Mr. Saul had come and gone.

Very soon after breakfast Mr. Saul did come.  His presence at the rectory was so common that the servants were not generally summoned to announce his arrivals, but his visits were made to Mrs. Clavering and Fanny more often than to the rector.  On this occasion he rang the bell, and asked for Mr. Clavering, and was shown into the rector’s so-called study, in a way that the maid-servant felt to be unusual.  And the rector was sitting uncomfortably prepared for the visit, not having had his after-breakfast cigar.  He had been induced to declare that he was not, and would not be, angry with Fanny; but Mr. Saul was left to such indignation as he thought it incumbent on himself to express.  In his opinion, the marriage was impossible, not only because there was no money, but because Mr. Saul was Mr. Saul, and because Fanny Clavering was Fanny Clavering.  Mr. Saul was a gentleman; but that was all that could be said of him.  There is a class of country clergymen in England, of whom Mr. Clavering was one, and his son-in-law, Mr. Fielding, another, which is so closely allied to the squirearchy as to possess a double identity.  Such clergymen are not only clergymen, but they are country gentlemen also.  Mr. Clavering regarded clergymen of his class—­of the country gentlemen class—­as being quite distinct from all others, and as being, I may say, very much higher than all others, without reference to any money question.  When meeting his brother rectors and vicars, he had quite a different tone in addressing them, as they might belong to his class, or to another.  There was no offence in this.  The clerical country gentlemen