minor grades of nobility, until he had reached his
present standing. Gertrude was not noble in respect of anything but her
title.

Lady Enville, with a smile which was half amusement and half contempt,
rose and retired to her boudoir. Sir Thomas and Rachel sat still by the
hall fire, both deeply meditating: the former with his head thrown back,
gazing--without seeing them--at the shields painted on the ceiling;
while the latter leaned forward towards the fire, resting her chin on
both hands.

"What saidst, Tom?" asked Rachel in a dreamy voice.

"I spake not to know it, good Sister: but have what I said, an' thou so
wilt. I was thinking on that word of Paul--`Not many noble are called.'
I thought, Rachel, how far it were better to be amongst the called of
God, than to be of the noble."

"'Tis not the first, time that I have thanked the Lord I am not noble,"
said Rachel without changing her attitude. "'Tis some comfort to know
me not so high up that any shall be like to take thought to cut my head
off. And if Gertrude be noble--not to say"--Rachel's voice died away.
"Tom," she said in a moment later, "we have made some blunders in our
lives, thou and I."

"I have, dear Rachel," said Sir Thomas sighing: "what thine may be I wis
not."

"God knoweth!" she replied in a low voice. "And I know of one--the
grandest of all blunders. Thou settedst out for Heaven these few months
gone, Tom. May be thou shalt find more company on the road than thou
wert looking for."

"Dear Rachel!"

"Clare must be metely well on by this time," she continued in the dry
tone with which she often veiled her deepest feelings, "and Blanche is
tripping in at the gate, or I mistake. I would not by my goodwill have
thee lonely in the road, Tom: and I suppose--there shall be room for
more than two a-breast, no' will?" [Will there not?]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

During all this time, the once close intercourse between the Court and
the parsonage had been somewhat broken off. Arthur had never been in
the Squire's house since the day when Lucrece jilted him; and Clare was
shy of showing herself in his vicinity. Blanche visited Mrs Tremayne
occasionally, and sometimes Lysken paid a return visit; but very much
less was seen of all than in old times. When, therefore, it became
known at Enville Court that Arthur had received holy orders at the
Bishop's last ordination, the whole family as i