y other kind of man. But Hope is, though a very
happy man, not this sort of privileged person. His friends are so
attached to him that they confide to him all their own affairs; but they
respect him too much to gossip at large to him of other people's. I see
you do not know how to credit this; but I assure you, though the
inhabitants of Deerbrook are as accomplished in the arts of gossip as
any villagers in England, Hope knows little more than you do at this
moment about who are upon terms and who are not."

"My sister and I must learn his art of ignorance," said Margaret. "If
it be really true that the place is full of quarrels, we shall be afraid
to stay, unless we can contrive to know nothing about them."

"Oh, do not suppose we are worse than others who live in villages.
Since our present rector came, we have risen somewhat above the rural
average of peace and quiet."

"And the country has always been identical with the idea of peace and
quiet to us town-bred people!" said Margaret.

"And very properly, in one sense. But if you leave behind the din of
streets for the sake of stepping forth from your work-table upon a soft
lawn, or of looking out upon the old church steeple among the trees,
while you hear nothing but bleating and chirping, you must expect some
set-off against such advantages: and that set-off is the being among a
small number of people, who are always busy looking into one another's
small concerns."

"But this is not a necessary evil," said Margaret. "From what you were
saying just now, it appears that it may be avoided."

"From what I was saying about Hope. Yes; such an one as Hope may get
all the good out of every situation, without its evils; but--"

"But nobody else," said Margaret, smiling. "Well, Hester and I must try
whether we cannot have to do with lawns and sheep for a few months,
without quarrelling or having to do with quarrels."

"And what if you are made the subject of quarrels?" asked Mr Enderby.
"How are you to help yourselves, in that case?"

"How does Mr Hope help himself in that case?"

"It remains to be seen. As far as I know, the whole place is agreed
about him at present. Every one will tell you that never was society so
blessed in a medical man before;--from the rector and my mother, who
never quarrel with anybody, down to the village scold. I am not going
to prepossess you against even our village scold, by telling her name.
You will know it in time, thou