siderably shaken. It suffered an additional
blow when Mr Marshall led him into his quiet parlour, and he saw Agnes
seated at her work, the supper-table spread, and a cheerful fire blazing
upon a clean hearth. An expression of slight surprise came into her
eyes as she rose to greet Aubrey.

"You see, daughter, I have brought home a guest," said her father. "He
will tarry with us a little season."

Then, stepping across the room, he opened a closed door, and showed
Aubrey another chamber, the size of the first, across which a red
curtain was drawn.

"This is my chamber, and shall be also yours," said he: "I pray you use
it freely. At this end is my study, and beyond the curtain my
bedchamber. I somewhat fear my library may scarce be to your liking,"
he added, an amused smile playing round his lips; "but if you can find
therein anything to please you, I shall be glad.--Now, daughter, what
have we here? We so rarely have guests to supper, I fear Mr Louvaine
may find our fare somewhat meagre: though `better is a dinner of herbs
where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.'"

"It is a dinner of herbs, Father," said Agnes, echoing the smile; "for
'tis a bit of gammon of bacon and spinach, with eggs in poach."

"How say you, my friend?" asked Mr Marshall of Aubrey. "Can you make
your supper of so simple a dish?"

"Indeed I can, Sir, and thankfully," was the answer.

Agnes Marshall, though very quiet, was observant, and she perceived in a
moment that something was wrong with the magnificent youth who had
scarcely deigned to look at her when they had met on previous occasions.
She saw also that his manner had greatly changed, and very much for the
better. He spoke to her now on terms of equality, and actually
addressed her father in a tone of respect. Something must have
happened.

Aubrey, naturally the less observant of the two, was looking on just now
with quickened senses; and discovered, also to his surprise, that the
simple supper was served with as much dainty neatness as at Lord
Oxford's table; that Mr Marshall could talk intelligently and
interestingly on other than religious subjects; that Agnes really was
not dull, but quite able to respond to her father's remarks; that her
eyes were clear and bright, her complexion not at all bad, and her smile
decidedly pleasant: and lastly, that both his hosts, though take a thus
unawares, were exceedingly kind to him, and ready to put themselves to
any t