As I entered the hall I saw her at the far end of it talking to Mr. Allen.  This I thought strange, for I knew she disliked him.  Lord Comyn and Mr. Carroll, the barrister, and Singleton, were standing by, listening.  By the time I was halfway across to them the rector turned away.  I remember thinking afterwards that he changed colour when he said:  “Your servant, Mr. Richard.”  But I thought nothing of it at the time, and went on to Patty.

“I have come for a country dance, before we go, Patty,” I said.

Then something in her mien struck me.  Her eyes expressed a pain I had remarked in them before only when she spoke to me of Tom, and her lips were closed tightly.  She flushed, and paled, and looked from Singleton to Mr. Carroll.  They and his Lordship remained silent.

“I—­I cannot, Richard.  I am going home,” she said, in a low voice.

“I will see if the chariot is here,” I answered, surprised, but thinking of Tom.

She stopped me.

“I am going with Mr. Carroll,” she said.

I hope a Carvel never has to be rebuffed twice, nor to be humbled by craving an explanation before a company.  I was confounded that Patty should treat me thus, when I had done nothing to deserve it.  As I made for the door, burning and indignant, I felt as tho’ every eye in the room was upon me.’  Young Harvey drove me that night.

“Marlboro’ Street, Mr. Richard?” said he.

“Coffee House,” replied I, that place coming first into my head.

Young Harvey seldom took liberties; but he looked down from the box.

“Better home, sir; your pardon, sir.”

“D—­n it!” I cried, “drive where I bid you!”

I pulled down the fore-glass, though the night was cold, and began to cast about for the cause of Patty’s action.  And then it was the rector came to my mind.  Yes, he had been with her just before I came up, and I made sure on the instant that my worthy instructor was responsible for the trouble.  I remembered that I had quarrelled with him the morning before I had gone to Bentley Manor, and threatened to confess his villany and my deceit to Mr. Carvel.  He had answered me with a sneer and a dare.  I knew than Patty put honour and honesty before all else in the world, and that she would not have suffered my friendship for a day had she believed me to lack either.  But she, who knew me so well, was not likely to believe anything he might say without giving me the chance to clear myself.  And what could he have told her?

I felt my anger growing big within me, until I grew afraid of what I would do if I were tempted.  I had a long score and a heavy score against this rector of St. Anne’s,—­a score that had been gathering these years.  And I felt that my uncle was somewhere behind him; that the two of them were plotters against me, even as Harvey had declared; albeit my Uncle Grafton was little seen in his company now.  And finally, in a sinister