o word as to
her eligibility or non-eligibility in this respect escaped his lips.
Had he talked on the subject till nightfall no such word would have
been spoken. Had any friend of his own, man or woman, in discussing
such a matter with him and asking his advice upon it, alluded to the
fear of the Lord, the allusion would have been distasteful to him
and would have smacked to his palate of hypocrisy. Lady Lufton, who
understood as well as any woman what it is to be "tiled" with a
friend, took all this in good part. The archdeacon had spoken out
of his heart what was in his heart. One of his children had married
a marquis. Another might probably become a bishop,--perhaps an
archbishop. The third might be a county squire,--high among the
county squires. But he could only so become by walking warily;--and
now he was bent on marrying the penniless daughter of an impoverished
half-mad country curate, who was about to be tried for stealing
twenty pounds! Lady Lufton, in spite of all her arguments, could not
refuse her sympathy to her old friend.

"After all, from what you say, I suppose they are not engaged."

"I do not know," said the archdeacon. "I cannot tell!"

"And what do you wish me to do?"

"Oh--nothing. I came over, as I said before, because I thought he was
here. I think it right, before he has absolutely committed himself,
to take every means in my power to make him understand that I shall
withdraw from him all pecuniary assistance,--now and for the future."

"My friend, that threat seems to me to be so terrible."

"It is the only power I have left to me."

"But you, who are so affectionate by nature, would never adhere to
it."

"I will try. I will try my best to be firm. I will at once put
everything beyond my control after my death." The archdeacon, as
he uttered these terrible words,--words which were awful to Lady
Lufton's ears,--resolved that he would endeavour to nurse his own
wrath; but, at the same time, almost hated himself for his own
pusillanimity, because he feared that his wrath would die away before
he should have availed himself of its heat.

"I would do nothing rash of that kind," said Lady Lufton. "Your
object is to prevent the marriage,--not to punish him for it when
once he has made it."

"He is not to have his own way in everything, Lady Lufton."

"But you should first try to prevent it."

"What can I do to prevent it?"

Lady Lufton paused a couple of minutes before she replied.