an obedience to feminine sway such as had not been exercised on him
since his wife's death. He himself had been humbled, passive, and
happy. He had taken his gruel, grumbled with modesty, and consoled
himself with constantly reflecting that he was member of Parliament
for the borough of Percycross.

During their journey, although Patience was urgent in requiring from
her father quiescence, lest he should injure himself by too much
exertion, there were many words spoken both as to Clarissa and Mary
Bonner. As to poor Clary, Sir Thomas was very decided that if there
were any truth in the suspicion which had been now roused in his mind
as to Ralph the heir, the thing must be put an end to at once. Ralph
who had been the heir was now in possession of that mess of pottage
for which he had sold his inheritance,--so said Sir Thomas to his
daughter,--and would undoubtedly consume that, as he had consumed the
other mess which should have lasted him till the inheritance was his
own. And he told to Patience the whole story as to Polly Neefit,--the
whole story, at least, as he had heard it. Ralph had declared to Sir
Thomas, when discussing the expedience of his proposed marriage with
the daughter of the breeches-maker, that he was attached to Polly
Neefit. Sir Thomas had done all he could to dissuade the young man
from a marriage which, in his eyes, was disgraceful; but he could
not bring himself to look with favour on affections transferred so
quickly from the breeches-maker's daughter to his own. There must be
no question of a love affair between Clary and the foolish heir who
had disinherited himself by his folly. All this was doubly painful to
Patience. She suffered first for her sister, the violence of whose
feelings were so well known to her, and so completely understood; and
then on her own account she was obliged to endure the conviction that
she was deceiving her father. Although she had allowed something of
the truth to escape from her, she had not wilfully told her sister's
secret. But looking at the matter from her father's point of view,
and hearing all that her father now said, she was brought in guilty
of hypocrisy in the court of her own conscience.

In that other matter as to Mary Bonner there was much more of
pleasantness. There could be no possible reason why that other man,
to whom Fortune was going to be so good, should not marry Mary
Bonner, if Mary could bring herself to take him into her good graces.
And o