ain of his feet and hands--won
for him the common praise of the dandies (who occasionally honoured him
with a visit to shoot his game, and flirt with his daughter), "That old
Merton was a most gentlemanlike fellow--so d-----d neat for a parson!"

Such, mentally, morally, and physically, was the Rev. Charles Merton,
rector of Merton, brother of Sir John, and possessor of an income that,
what with his rich living, his wife's fortune, and his own, which was
not inconsiderable, amounted to between four and five thousand pounds a
year, which income, managed with judgment as well as liberality, could
not fail to secure to him all the good things of this world,--the
respect of his friends amongst the rest. Caroline was right when she
told Evelyn that her papa was very different from a mere country parson.

Now this gentleman could not fail to see all the claims that Evelyn
might fairly advance upon the esteem, nay, the veneration of himself and
family: a young beauty, with a fortune of about a quarter of a million,
was a phenomenon that might fairly be called celestial. Her pretensions
were enhanced by her engagement to Lord Vargrave,--an engagement which
might be broken; so that, as he interpreted it, the _worst_ that could
happen to the young lady was to marry an able and rising Minister of
State,--a peer of the realm; but she was perfectly free to marry a still
greater man, if she could find him; and who knows but what perhaps the
_attache_, if he could get leave of absence? Mr. Merton was too sensible
to pursue that thought further for the present.

The good man was greatly shocked at the too familiar manner in which
Mrs. Merton spoke to this high-fated heiress, at Evelyn's travelling so
far without her own maid, at her very primitive wardrobe--poor, ill-used
child! Mr. Merton was a connoisseur in ladies' dress. It was quite
painful to see that the unfortunate girl had been so neglected. Lady
Vargrave must be a very strange person. He inquired compassionately
whether she was allowed any pocket money; and finding, to his relief,
that in that respect Miss Cameron was munificently supplied, he
suggested that a proper abigail should be immediately engaged; that
proper orders to Madame Devy should be immediately transmitted to
London, with one of Evelyn's dresses, as a pattern for nothing but
length and breadth. He almost stamped with vexation when he heard
that Evelyn had been placed in one of the neat little rooms generally