her place at service. Sitting there, it would not be hard to keep her
thoughts on mortality.

Would it not have been graceful in him to attend church to-day? Would
she in future worship under the canopy alone?

No time had been lost. Mr. Wyvern received notice of the proposed
marriage less than two hours after Adela had spoken her world-changing
monosyllable. She put in no plea for delay, and her mother, though
affecting a little consternation at Mutimer's haste, could not seriously
object. Wanley, discussing the matter at its Sunday tea-tables, declared
with unanimity that such expedition was indecent. By this time the
disapproval of the village had attached itself exclusively to Mrs.
Waltham; Adela was spoken of as a martyr to her mother's miserable
calculations. Mrs. Mewling went about with a story, that only by
physical restraint had the unhappy girl been kept from taking flight.
The name of Hubert Eldon once more came up in conversation. There was
an unauthenticated rumour that he had been seen of late, lurking about
Wanley. The more boldly speculative gossips looked with delicious
foreboding to the results of a marriage such as this. Given a young man
of Eldon's reputation--ah me!

The Walthams all lunched (or dined) at the Manor. Mutimer was in high
spirits, or seemed so; there were moments when the cheerful look died
on his face, and his thoughts wandered from the conversation; but if
his eye fell on Adela he never failed to smile the smile of inner
satisfaction. She had not yet responded to his look, and only answered
his questions in the briefest words; but her countenance was resolutely
bright, and her beauty all that man could ask. Richard did not flatter
himself that she held him dear; indeed, he was a good deal in doubt
whether affection, as vulgarly understood, was consistent with breeding
and education. But that did not concern him; he had gained his end, and
was jubilant.

In the course of the meal he mentioned that his sister would come down
from London in a day or two. Christmas was only a week off, and he had
thought it would be pleasant to have her at the Manor for that season.

'Oh, that's very nice!' assented Mrs. Waltham. 'Alice, her name is,
didn't you say? Is she dark or fair?'

'Fair, and just about Adela's height, I should think. I hope you'll like
her, Adela.'

It was unfortunate that Richard did not pronounce the name of his bride
elect quite as it sounds on cultured lips. This may