The idea of a residence at Nuncombe Putney had occurred first to Trevelyan himself, and he had spoken of it to Hugh Stanbury.  There had been some difficulty in this, because he had snubbed Stanbury grievously when his friend had attempted to do some work of gentle interference between him and his wife; and when he began the conversation, he took the trouble of stating, in the first instance, that the separation was a thing fixed so that nothing might be urged on that subject.  ‘It is to be.  You will understand that,’ he said; ’and if you think that your mother would agree to the arrangement, it would be satisfactory to me, and might, I think, be made pleasant to her.  Of course, your mother would be made to understand that the only fault with which my wife is charged is that of indomitable disobedience to my wishes.’

‘Incompatibility of temper,’ suggested Stanbury.

’You may call it that if you please; though I must say for myself that I do not think that I have displayed any temper to which a woman has a right to object.  Then he had gone on to explain what he was prepared to do about money.  He would pay, through Stanbury’s hands, so much for maintenance and so much for house rent, on the understanding that the money was not to go into his wife’s hands.  ‘I shall prefer,’ he said, ’to make myself, on her behalf, what disbursements may be necessary.  I will take care that she receives a proper sum quarterly through Mr Bideawhile for her own clothes and for those of our poor boy.’  Then Stanbury had told him of the Clock House, and there had been an agreement made between them; an agreement which was then, of course, subject to the approval of the ladies at Nuncombe Putney.  When the suggestion was made to Mrs Trevelyan with a proposition that the Clock House should be taken for one year, and that for that year, at least, her boy should remain with her she assented to it.  She did so with all the calmness that she was able to assume; but, in truth, almost everything seemed to have been gained, when she found that she was not to be separated from her baby.  ’I have no objection to living in Devonshire if Mr Trevelyan wishes it,’ she said, in her most stately manner; ’and certainly no objection to living with Mr Stanbury’s mother.’  Then Mr Bideawhile explained to her that Nuncombe Putney was not a large town was, in fact, a very small and a very remote village.  ‘That will make no difference whatsoever as far as I am concerned,’ she answered; ’and as for my sister, she must put up with it till my father and my mother are here.  I believe the scenery at Nuncombe Putney is very pretty.’  ‘Lovely!’ said Mr Bideawhile, who had a general idea that Devonshire is supposed to be a picturesque county.  ’With such a life before me as I must lead,’ continued Mrs Trevelyan, ’an ugly neighbourhood, one that would itself have had no interest for a stranger, would certainly have been an additional sorrow.’  So it had been settled, and by the end of July, Mrs Trevelyan, with her sister