at the sight of the clergyman and the lady, pulled
her cap forward and her apron to the middle, curtsied low, and in a
voice of conscious merit, though out of breath, explained that she was
"arter Elizabeth," who was _that_ terrifying and _contrary_ that she
would not go to school.

Mr Harford, not quite accustomed to the popular use of the verb to
terrify, began to ask what the child had done to alarm her mother so
much and Nancy, understanding him as little, said, "'Tis all along of
Dame Verdon, ma'am. She be for to say that the new governess will beat
them and send them off to Minsterham, as sure as they're alive; and I
told Bet not to believe no such stuff, but her won't listen to I--"

Mr Harford was the more mystified. Why should she send them to
Minsterham? And what was the child afraid of? Mrs Carbonel had more
notion. Minsterham was the assize town, and going thither was a polite
form of mentioning the being before a court of justice.

"Elizabeth need have no fears of a prison," she said. "She is a silly
child to be frightened; but when she sees that the other children like
school, and that nothing happens to them, she will know better. Don't
beat her, it will only frighten her more."

"If it is your will, ma'am, I'll let her off; but I'll give her the
stick another time, as sure as she is alive, the little toad."

"Hopeful," said the lady and gentleman to each other, as soon as she was
out of sight, and they could laugh.

It was indeed uphill work in every sense that was before Mrs Thorpe,
but the effect was visible in much improvement in the general demeanour
of the children. A chair was found for her where she sat among them at
church, and prevented the outrageous misconduct that the ladies had been
unable effectively to check; and the superior readers were gradually
acquiring a very cheap form of Prayer-book, with only Matins and
Evensong and the Collects, besides the Psalms.

But that the children sat on the chancel steps, and that kneeling in
church was unknown to them, never occurred as an irreverence to any of
the party, though as Mr Harford read the ante-Communion service from
the altar instead of disrobing himself of his surplice in the pulpit
just before the sermon, he had to walk through the whole school, making
those in his way stand up to let him pass.

The singers, on the establishment of a double service, began to absent
themselves at least once on a Sunday, so Mr Harford and th