Walsingham!'

'Dr. Walsingham's the best rector in the whole world, and the holiest
man and the noblest,' cried brave little Lily, standing like a deer at
bay, with her wild shy eyes looking full in Aunt Becky's, and a flush in
her cheeks, and the beautiful light of truth beaming like a star from
her forehead. And for a moment it looked like battle; but the old lady
smiled a kind of droll little smile, and gave her a little pat on the
cheek, saying with a shake of her head, 'saucy girl!'

'And you,' said Lily, throwing her arms about her neck, 'are my own Aunt
Becky, the greatest darling in the world!' And so, as John Bunyan says,
'the water stood in their eyes,' and they both laughed, and then they
kissed, and loved one another the better. That was the way their little
quarrels used always to end.

'Well, doctor, we must only do what we can,' said Aunt Becky, looking
gravely on the physician: 'and I don't see why _you_ should not
read--you can lend us a prayer-book, darling--just a collect or two, and
the Lord's Prayer--eh?'

'Why, my dear Ma'am, the fellow's howling about King Lewis and the
American Indians, Dominick says, and ghosts and constables, and devils,
and worse things, Madam, and--pooh--punch and laudanum's his only
chance; don't mind the prayer-book, Miss Lily--there's no use in it,
Mistress Chattesworth! I give you my honour, Ma'am, he could not make
head or tale of it.'

In fact, the doctor was terrified lest Aunt Rebecca should compel him to
officiate, and he was thinking how the fellows at the club, and the
Aldermen of Skinner's-alley, would get hold of the story, and treat the
subject less gravely than was desirable.

So Aunt Becky, with Lily's leave, called in Dominick, to examine him
touching the soundness of Pat Doolan's mind, and the honest footman had
no hesitation in pronouncing him wholly _non compos_.

'Pleasant praying with a chap like that, by Jove, as drunk as an owl,
and as mad as a March hare! my dear Ma'am,' whispered Toole to Lilias.

'And, Lily dear', there's poor Gertrude all alone--'twould be good
natured in you to go up and drink a dish of tea with her; but, then,
you're cold--you're afraid?'

She was not afraid--she had been out to-day--and it had done her all the
good in the world, and it was very good of Aunt Becky to think of it,
for she was lonely too: and so off went the elder Miss Chattesworth,
with her doctor and Dominick, in their various moods, on their mission