_ in reserve about that
matter; but this is merely suspicion: I will now speak only of what I
know to exist. She is injuring your brother to an extent that he is
not, but ought to be, aware of."

"What does she say? She shudders at his politics, I know."

"Yes; that might be ignorance merely, and even conscientious ignorance:
so we will let that pass. She also hints, very plainly and extensively,
that your brother and sister are not happy together."

"She is a wicked woman," said Margaret, with a deep sigh. "I half
suspected what you tell me, from poor George's errand that unhappy day."

"Right. Mr Rowland's irony was intended to stop his wife's
insinuations before the children. She says the most unwarrantable
things about Mrs Grey's having made the match--and she intimates that
Hester has several times gone to bed in hysterics, from Mr Hope having
upbraided her with taking him in."

"What _is_ to be done?" cried Margaret, throwing down her work.

"Your brother will decide for himself whether to speak to Mr Rowland,
or to let the slander pass, and live it down. Our duty is to give him
information; and I feel that it is a duty. And now, have you been told
anything about Mr Hope's practice of dissection?"

Margaret related what she had heard on the bank of the river, and Hope's
explanation of it.

"He knows more than he told you, I have no doubt," replied Maria. "The
beginning of it was, your brother's surgery-pupil having sent a great
toe, in a handsome-looking sealed packet, to some lad in the village,
who happened to open it at table. You may imagine the conjectures as to
where it came from, and the revival of stories about robbing
churchyards, and of prejudices about dissection. Mrs Rowland could not
let such an opportunity as this pass by; and her neighbours have been
favoured with dark hints, as to what has been heard under the churchyard
wall, and what she herself has seen from her window in sleepless nights.
Now, Mr Hope must take notice of this. It is too dangerous a subject
to be left quietly to the ignorance and superstitions of such a set of
people as those among whom his calling lies. No ignorance on earth
exceeds that of the country folks whom he attends."

"But they worship him," cried Margaret.

"They have worshipped him; but you know, worship easily gives place to
hatred among the extremely ignorant; and nothing is so likely to quicken
the process as to talk about violating graves.