He looked at them both for a moment, and could trace much of the lines of that face which he loved so well.  But the troubles of life had almost robbed the elder lady of her beauty; and with the younger, the awkward thinness of the last years of feminine childhood had not yet given place to the fulfilment of feminine grace.  But the likeness in each was quite enough to make him feel that he ought to be at home in that room.  He thought that he could love the woman as his mother, and the girl as his sister.  He found it very difficult to begin any conversation in their presence, and yet it seemed to be his duty to begin.  Mr Crawley had marshalled him into the room, and having done so, stood aside near the door.  Mrs Crawley had received him very graciously, and having done so, seemed to be ashamed of her own hospitality.  Poor Jane had shrunk back into a distant corner, near the open standing desk at which she was accustomed to read Greek to her father, and, of course, could not be expected to speak.  If Major Grantly could have found himself alone with any one of the three—­nay, if he could have been there with any two, he could have opened his budget at once; but, before all the family, he felt the difficulty of his situation.  ‘Mrs Crawley,’ said he, ’I have been most anxious to make your acquaintance, and I trust you will excuse the liberty I have taken in calling.’

‘I feel grateful to you, as I am sure does also my husband.’  So much she said, and then felt angry with herself for saying so much.  Was she not expressing the strong hope that he might stand fast by her child, whereby the whole Crawley family would gain so much—­and the Grantly family lose much, in the same proportion?

‘Sir,’ said Mr Crawley, ’I owe you thanks, still unexpressed, in that you came forward together with Mr Robarts of Framley, to satisfy the not unnatural requisition of the magistrates before whom I was called upon to appear in the early winter.  I know not why anyone should have ventured into such jeopardy on my account.’

’There was no jeopardy, Mr Crawley.  Anyone in the county would have done it.’

’I know not that; nor can I see that there was no jeopardy.  I trust that I may assure you that there is no danger;—­none, I mean, to you.  The danger to myself and those belonging to me, is, alas, very urgent.  The facts of my position are pressing close upon me.  Methinks I suffer more from the visit of the gentleman who has just departed from me than anything that has yet happened to me.  And yet he is right;—­he is altogether right.’

‘No, papa; he is not,’ said Jane, from her standing ground near the upright desk.

‘My dear,’ said her father, ’you should be silent on such a subject.  It is a matter hard to be understood in all its bearings—­even by those who are most conversant with them.  But as this we need not trouble Major Grantly.’