ago, by saying evil things of her.  She had conquered in that combat.  Her victory had been complete, and she had triumphed after a most signal fashion.  But this triumph did not silence Barty’s tongue, nor soften his heart.  When she prayed to be forgiven, as she herself forgave others, she always exempted Barty Burgess from her prayers.  There are things which flesh and blood cannot do.  She had not liked Harry Burgess’ widow, nor, for the matter of that, Harry Burgess himself.  When she had last seen the children she had not liked any of them much, and had had her doubts even as to Brooke.  But with that branch of the family she was willing to try again.  Brooke was now coming to the Close, having received, however, an intimation, that if, during his visit to Exeter, he chose to see his Uncle Barty, any such intercourse must be kept quite in the background.  While he remained in Miss Stanbury’s house he was to remain there as though there were no such person as Mr Bartholomew Burgess in Exeter.

At this time Brooke Burgess was a man just turned thirty, and was a clerk in the Ecclesiastical Record Office, in Somerset House.  No doubt the peculiar nature and name of the public department to which he was attached had done something to recommend him to Miss Stanbury.  Ecclesiastical records were things greatly to be reverenced in her eyes, and she felt that a gentleman who handled them and dealt with them would probably be sedate, gentlemanlike, and conservative.  Brooke Burgess, when she had last seen him, was just about to enter upon the duties of the office.  Then there had come offence, and she had in truth known nothing of him from that day to this.  The visitor was to be at Exeter on the following Monday, and very much was done in preparation of his coming.  There was to be a dinner party on that very day, and dinner parties were not common with Miss Stanbury.  She had, however, explained to Martha that she intended to put her best foot forward.  Martha understood perfectly that Mr Brooke Burgess was to be received as the heir of property.  Sir Peter Mancrudy, the great Devonshire chemist, was coming to dinner, and Mr and Mrs Powel from Haldon, people of great distinction in that part of the county, Mrs MacHugh of course; and, equally of course, Mr Gibson.  There was a deep discussion between Miss Stanbury and Martha as to asking two of the Cliffords, and Mr and Mrs Noel from Doddiscombeleigh.  Martha had been very much in favour of having twelve.  Miss Stanbury had declared that with twelve she must have two waiters from the greengrocers, and that two waiters would overpower her own domesticities below stairs.  Martha had declared that she didn’t care about them any more than if they were puppy dogs.  But Miss Stanbury had been quite firm against twelve.  She had consented to have ten for the sake of artistic arrangement at the table; ’They should be pantaloons and petticoats alternate, you know,’ she had said to Martha and had therefore asked the Cliffords.