to her to be deterred from going down, simply because the man was there.  So she descended to the parlour, and was standing near the open window when Stanbury bustled into the room, some quarter of an hour after the proper time.  Priscilla was there also, guessing something of the truth, and speculating whether these two young people, should they love each other, would be the better or the worse for such love.  There must be marriages if only that the world might go on in accordance with the Creator’s purpose.  But, as Priscilla could see, blessed were they who were not called upon to assist in the scheme.  To her eyes all days seemed to be days of wrath, and all times, times of tribulation.  And it was all mere vanity and vexation of spirit.  To go on and bear it till one was dead, helping others to bear it, if such help might be of avail, that was her theory of life.  To make it pleasant by eating, and drinking, and dancing, or even by falling in love, was, to her mind, a vain crunching of ashes between the teeth.  Not to have ill things said of her and of hers, not to be disgraced, not to be rendered incapable of some human effort, not to have actually to starve, such was the extent of her ambition in this world.  And for the next she felt so assured of the goodness of God that she could not bring herself to doubt of happiness in a world that was to be eternal.  Her doubt was this, whether it was really the next world which would be eternal.  Of eternity she did not doubt, but might there not be many worlds?  These, things, however, she kept almost entirely to herself.  ‘You, down!’ Priscilla had said.

’Well, yes; I could not sleep when I heard you all moving.  And the morning is so fine, and I thought that perhaps you would go out and walk after your brother has gone.’  Priscilla promised that she would walk, and then the tea was made.

‘Your sister and I are going out for an early walk,’ said Nora, when she was greeted by Stanbury.  Priscilla said nothing but thought she understood it all.

‘I wish I were going with you,’ said Hugh.  Nora, remembering how very little he had made of his opportunity on the evening before, did not believe him.

The eggs and fried bacon were eaten in a hurry, and very little was said.  Then there came the moment for parting.  The brother and sister kissed each other, and Hugh took Nora by the hand.  ’I hope you make yourself happy here,’ he said.

‘Oh, yes, if it were only for myself I should want nothing.’

‘I will do the best I can with Trevelyan.’

’The best will be to make him and every one understand that the fault is altogether his, and not Emily’s.’

’The best will be to make each think that there has been no real fault,’ said Hugh.

‘There should be no talking of faults,’ said Priscilla.  ’Let the husband take his wife back as he is bound to do.’