red me, and Cartmell told me that only the
severest office discipline kept his working hours sacred from kind
intruders.

Moreover, a little problem arose, not in itself serious, but showing the
extreme inconvenience which results when people who are in a position to
confer pleasant favors so act as to make it doubtful whether favors can
properly be accepted from them. Such a state of affairs puts an unfair
strain on virtue, inconsiderately demanding martyrdom where
righteousness only has been volunteered. As may have been gathered,
Jenny's neighbors were in the habit of using the road through her park
as an alternative route to the high road in their comings and goings to
and from Catsford. For some it was shorter--as for the Wares, the
Dormers, and the Aspenicks; for all it was pleasanter. What was to be
done about this now? Fillingford had no doubt; neither he nor Lady Sarah
used the park road any more; but then the road was no great saving of
distance for the folks at the Manor--their martyrdom was easy--whereas
it was very materially shorter for the Wares, the Dormers, and, above
all, for the Aspenicks. The question was so acute for the Aspenicks that
I heard of Lady Aspenick's collecting opinions on the subject from
persons of light and leading. She did not consider Fillingford's course
impartial--nor decisive of the question; it was easy for him to take the
virtuous line; it did not involve his going pretty nearly two miles out
of his way.

Discussion ran high on the question. Mrs. Jepps declared against using
the road, though her fat pair of horses had been accustomed to get what
little exercise they ever did get along it three afternoons a week.

"If I use the road, and she comes back and finds me using it, where am
I?" asked Mrs. Jepps. "I can't cut her when I'm driving in her park by
her permission. Yet I may feel obliged to refuse to bow to her!"

The attitude had all Mrs. Jepps's logic in it; it was unassailable. Very
reluctantly old Mr. and Mrs. Dormer gave in to it--they would go round
by the King's highway, longer though it was. Bertram Ware, lawyer and
politician, stole round the difficulty--and along the park road--by
adopting a provisional attitude; until more was known, he felt justified
in using--and in allowing Mrs. Ware to use--the road. He reserved
liberty of action if more facts condemnatory of Jenny should appear.

The Aspenicks remained--to whom the road was more precious than to any
of t