ara;--never. No
more I didn't. Deary;--deary! And I suppose you'll be living at the
big house now; won't ye?"

"The big house belongs to Captain Aylmer, Mrs. Partridge." She was
driven to bawl out her words, and by no means liked the task. Then
Captain Aylmer said something, but his speech was altogether lost.

"Oh;--it belongs to the Captain, do it? They told me that was the way
of the will; but I suppose it's all one."

"Yes; it's all one," said Captain Aylmer, gaily.

"It's not exactly all one, as you call it," said Clara, attempting to
laugh, but still shouting at the top of her voice.

"Ah;--I don't understand; but I hope you'll both live there
together,--and I hope you'll be as good to the poor as she that is
gone. Well, well; I didn't ever think that I should be still here,
while she is lying under the stones up in the old church!"

Captain Aylmer had determined that he would ask his question on the
way back from the farm, and now resolved that he might as well begin
with some allusion to Mrs. Partridge's words about the house. The
afternoon was bright and cold, and the lane down to the farmhouse
had been dried by the wind, so that the day was pleasant for walking.
"We might as well go on to the bridge," he said, as they left the
farm-yard. "I always think that Perivale church looks better from
Creevy bridge than any other point." Perivale church stood high in
the centre of the town, on an eminence, and was graced with a spire
which was declared by the Perivalians to be preferable to that of
Salisbury in proportion, though it was acknowledged to be somewhat
inferior to it in height. The little river Creevy, which ran through
a portion of the suburbs of the town, and which, as there seen, was
hardly more than a ditch, then sloped away behind Creevy Grange, as
the farm of Mrs. Partridge was called, and was crossed by a small
wooden bridge, from which there was a view, not only of the church,
but of all that side of the hill on which Mrs. Winterfield's large
brick house stood conspicuously. So they walked down to Creevy
bridge, and, when there, stood leaning on the parapet and looking
back upon the town.

"How well I know every house and spot in the place as I see them from
here," he said.

"A good many of the houses are your own,--or will be some day; and
therefore you should know them."

"I remember, when I used to be here as a boy fishing, I always
thought Aunt Winterfield's house was the biggest hous