main sorry to
hear what you say about Sir Ralph."

"Miss Mary thinks, however, that perhaps Miss Jane, who was in much
grief at Sir Reginald's death, might have spoken more seriously to Sir
Ralph than he liked. You know she does occasionally say things with
which worldly people are not pleased, and perhaps that put him out of
humour. She, however, asserts that she ought not to be ashamed of her
principles, and that she merely reminded Sir Ralph that he was but a
life tenant of Texford--that the time would come when he too would lie,
as Sir Reginald does now, on the bed of death, and his body be carried
to the family vault, while his soul has to stand before the Judge of all
things, and give an account of his stewardship while here below. Miss
Mary observed that, although what Miss Jane had said was very right and
true, she might not possibly have taken the proper time for making her
remarks, and that, perhaps, had they come from a clergyman, he would
have received them in a different spirit.

"Miss Jane replied that she was sure, in the first place, that the
clergyman would not make them, and felt that the time might pass when
they could be made at all, if she did not, while, as she supposed, he
was grieving for the death of his excellent uncle. Miss Jane, however,
confessed that she had made a mistake in supposing that his heart was in
any way touched with sorrow; but, on the contrary, she feared that he
felt nothing but satisfaction at becoming the possessor of Texford, and
was annoyed at being reminded of the uncertainty of human life.

"But I ought not, perhaps, to repeat, even to you, dear mother and
father, what my kind friends say; only, in this instance, I am sure they
would not object to my doing so."

"It's safer not to repeat what we hear, there is no doubt about that,"
observed the dame. "But, you know, what you say to us never goes to
other ears. Now, to my mind, Miss Mary is right. Miss Jane can say
strong things when she thinks it is her duty to say them, and people do
not always take them in the same spirit they are spoken. I hope when my
lady and Miss Julia come things will be put to rights, and that the Miss
Pembertons will not be shut out of Texford more than they like."

"For their sakes I hope, at all events, they may be on friendly terms
with their relatives," said May. "However, Miss Mary has no wish to
leave home even for a day, and I always enjoy being in her company
alone, and att