‘I do not mean to say it was not very good of him,’ said Jane.

‘Good of him—­what a word!’ cried Lily.  ’Well, good-night, I cannot bear to talk to you now.  Shall I say anything for you downstairs?’

‘Oh, tell papa and Robert I am very sorry,’ said Jane.  ’I shall not come down again, you may leave the lamp.’

On her way downstairs in the dark Lilias was led, by the example of her cousin, to reflect that she was not without some share in the mischief that had been done; the words which report imputed to Mr. Devereux were mostly her own or Jane’s.  There was no want of candour in Lily, and as soon as she entered the drawing-room she went straight up to her father and cousin, and began, ’Poor Jenny is very unhappy; she desired me to tell you how sorry she is.  But I really believe that I did the mischief, Robert.  It was I who said those foolish things that were repeated as if you had said them.  It is a grievous affair, but who could have thought that we were doing so much harm?’

‘Perhaps it may not do any,’ said Emily.  ’The Naylors have a great deal of good about them.’

’They must have more than I suppose, if they can endure what Robert is reported to have said of them,’ said Mr. Mohun.

‘What did you say, Robert,’ said Lily, ’did you not tell them all was said by your foolish young cousins?’

’I agreed with you too much to venture on contradicting the report; you know I could not even deny having called Mrs. Gage by that name.’

‘Oh, if I could do anything to mend it!’ cried Lily.

But wishes had no effect.  Lilias and Jane had to mourn over the full extent of harm done by hasty words.  After the more respectable men had left the Mohun Arms on the evening of Whit-Monday, the rest gave way to unrestrained drunkenness, not so much out of reckless self-indulgence, as to defy the clergyman and the squire.  They came to the front of the parsonage, yelled and groaned for some time, and ended by breaking down the gate.

This conduct was repeated on Tuesday, and on many Saturdays following; some young trees in the churchyard were cut, and abuse of the parson written on the walls the idle young men taking this opportunity to revenge their own quarrels, caused by Mr. Devereux’s former efforts for their reformation.

On Sunday several children were absent from school; all those belonging to Farmer Gage’s labourers were taken away, and one man was turned off by the farmers for refusing to remove his child.

Now that the war was carried on so openly, Mr. Mohun considered it his duty to withdraw his custom from one who chose to set his pastor at defiance.  He went to the forge, and had a long conversation with the blacksmith, but though he was listened to with respect, it was not easy to make much impression on an ignorant, hot-tempered man, who had been greatly offended, and prided himself on showing that he would support the quarrel of his wife and her relations against both squire and parson; and though Mr. Mohun did persuade him to own that it was wrong to be at war with the clergyman, the effect of his arguments was soon done away with by the Gages, and no ground was gained.