enny sadly felt the constraint of
her new life. She was obliged to fall back for her consolation on the
pleasure of her elevation above all her old associates. It was rather
poor fare.

When, after assisting Mrs Jane to undress, with sundry snubbings from
Millicent, and some not ill-natured laughter from her young mistress at
Jenny's blunders, she was at last free to lie down to rest herself, she
was conscious of a little doubt, whether the appellation of "Mrs
Jenny," the higher place at the table, and the distinction of being
nobody in the drawing-room, were quite as agreeable as plenty to eat and
drink, and liberty to run into the garden, dance and sing whenever she
chose to do so.

The Sunday which followed was spent as the Holy Day was wont to be spent
by Cavalier families who were respectable and not riotous.

The Lanes were members of the Church of England, but the Church had been
abolished, so far as it lay in the power of those in authority at that
time. Many of the clergy were turned out of their livings--it cannot be
denied that some of them had deserved it--and the Book of Common Prayer
was stringently suppressed. No man dared to use it now, except
secretly. Those solemn and beautiful prayers, offered up by many
generations, and endeared to their children as only childhood's memories
can endear, might not be uttered, save in fear and trembling, in the
dead of night, or in hushed whispers in the day-time.

Early in the morning, before the world was astir, a few of Colonel
Lane's family met the chaplain in the private chapel, and there in low
voices the morning prayers were read, and the responses breathed. There
was no singing nor chanting; that would have been too much to dare. The
men who had themselves suffered so much for holding secret conventicles,
and preferring one style of prayer to another, now drove their
fellow-countrymen into the very same acts, and imposed on them the same
sufferings.

This secret service over, the family met at breakfast, after which they
drove in the great family coach to Darlaston Church. The present Vicar,
if he may so be termed, was an independent minister. These ministers,
who alone were now permitted to minister, were of three kinds.

Some were true Christians--often very ripely spiritual ones--who
preached Christ, and let politics alone. Another class were virulent
controversialists, who preached politics, and too often let Christianity
alone. And a thir