out at the same instant that Christopher came past, and together
they too went on to the church.

'Father, ought we not to go on at once to Ethelberta's, instead of
waiting?' said Sol, on reaching the vestry, still in ignorance. ''Twas
no use in coming here.'

'No use at all,' said Chickerel, as if he had straw in his throat. 'Look
at this. I would almost sooner have had it that in leaving this church I
came from her grave--well, no, perhaps not that, but I fear it is a bad
thing.'

Sol then saw the names in the register, Christopher saw them, and the man
closed the book. Christopher could not well command himself, and he
retired.

'I knew it. I always said that pride would lead Berta to marry an
unworthy man, and so it has!' said Sol bitterly. 'What shall we do now?
I'll see her.'

'Do no such thing, young man,' said Mountclere. 'The best course is to
leave matters alone. They are married. If you are wise, you will try to
think the match a good one, and be content to let her keep her position
without inconveniencing her by your intrusions or complaints. It is
possible that the satisfaction of her ambition will help her to endure
any few surprises to her propriety that may occur. She is a clever young
woman, and has played her cards adroitly. I only hope she may never
repent of the game! A-hem. Good morning.' Saying this, Mountclere
slightly bowed to his relations, and marched out of the church with
dignity; but it was told afterwards by the coachman, who had no love for
Mountclere, that when he stepped into the fly, and was as he believed
unobserved, he was quite overcome with fatuous rage, his lips frothing
like a mug of hot ale.

'What an impertinent gentleman 'tis,' said Chickerel. 'As if we had
tried for her to marry his brother!'

'He knows better than that,' said Sol. 'But he'll never believe that
Berta didn't lay a trap for the old fellow. He thinks at this moment
that Lord Mountclere has never been told of us and our belongings.'

'I wonder if she has deceived him in anything,' murmured Chickerel. 'I
can hardly suppose it. But she is altogether beyond me. However, if she
has misled him on any point she will suffer for it.'

'You need not fear that, father. It isn't her way of working. Why
couldn't she have known that when a title is to be had for the asking,
the owner must be a shocking one indeed?'

'The title is well enough. Any poor scrubs in our place must be fools
not t