it was easy
to discover, and Mary and Dora were soon talking eagerly to her, and
hearing what was done at Poppleby; but there were gentry and prosperous
tradespeople there, who could be made available as subscribers or
teachers; so that their situation was much more hopeful than that of the
Carbonels, who had not the authority of the clergyman.

Poppleby was a much larger place than Downhill, on the post road to
London. The mail-coach went through it, and thence post-horses were
hired, and chaises, from the George Inn. The Carbonels possessed a
phaeton, and a horse which could be used for driving or riding, and thus
Captain Carbonel took the two ladies to return the various calls that
had been made upon them. They found the Selbys not at home, but were
warmly welcomed by the Grantleys, and spent the whole afternoon with
them, and, at Dora's earnest request, were taken to see the schools. So
different was the taste and feeling of those days that, though Poppleby
Church was a very fine old one--in grand architecture, such as in these
days is considered one of the glories of the country--no one thought of
going to look at it, and the effect of Mr Grantley's excellent sermons
had been the putting up of a new gallery right across the chancel arch.

It had a fine tower and steeple, and this Dora thought of as a
delightful subject for a sketch from the Parsonage garden. She made
great friends with Lucy Grantley, the eldest daughter, over their tastes
in drawing, as well as in the Waverley novels and in poetry, and was
invited to spend a long day at Poppleby and take a portrait of the
steeple.

After the calls had been made and returned, began the dinner-parties.
Elmour Priory was so near Greenhow that it would have been easy to walk
there across the fields, or to drive in the phaeton, especially as the
hours were much earlier, and six or half-past was held to be a late
dinner hour, but this would have been contrary to etiquette, especially
the first time, with people who evidently thought much of "style," and
the Carbonels were not superior to such considerations, which were--or
were supposed to be--of more importance in those days. So a chaise was
ordered, and they went in state, and had a long, dull evening, chiefly
enlivened by the Miss Selbys and Dora playing on the piano.

As they were going home, all round by the road, when they were near the
top of the hill, before they came to the "Fox and Hounds," the postil