elaborate pause of
astonishment. "Things must be bad indeed," added that interesting
youth, with solemnity, shaking the devoted head, upon which he did not
know that Mrs Morgan had fixed her eyes, "if his own family give him
up, and leave him to starve here. They would never give him up if they
had not very good cause. Oh, come; I shouldn't like to believe that!
_I_ know how much a curate has to live on," said Mr Leeson, with a
smile of engaging candour. "Before they give him up like that, with
two livings in the family, they must have very good cause."

"Very good cause indeed," said Mrs Morgan, from the head of the table.
The company in general had, to tell the truth, been a little taken
aback by the Curate's observations; and there was almost the entire
length of the table between the unhappy man and the Avenger. "So good
a reason, that it is strange how it should not have occurred to a
brother clergyman. That is the evil of a large parish," said the
Rector's wife, with beautiful simplicity; "however hard one works, one
never can know above half of the poor people; and I suppose you have
been occupied in the other districts, and have not heard what a great
work Mr Wentworth is doing. I have reason to know," said Mrs Morgan,
with considerable state, "that he will remain in Carlingford, in a
very different position from that which he has filled hitherto. Mr
Leeson knows how much a curate has to live upon, but I am afraid that
is all he does know of such a life as Mr Wentworth's." Mrs Morgan
paused for a moment to get breath, for her excitement was
considerable, and she had many wrongs to avenge. "There is a great
deal of difference in curates as well as in other things," said the
indignant woman. "I have reason to know that Mr Wentworth will remain
in Carlingford in quite a different position. Now and then, even in
this world, things come right like a fairy tale--that is, when the
authority is in the right hands;" the Rector's wife went on, with a
smile at her husband, which disarmed that astonished man. "Perhaps if
Mr Leeson had the same inducement as Mr Wentworth, he too would make
up his mind to remain in Carlingford." Mrs Morgan got up, as she made
this speech, with a rustle and sweep of drapery which seemed all
addressed to the unhappy Curate, who stumbled upon his feet like the
other gentlemen, but dared not for his life have approached her to
open the door. Mr Leeson felt that he had received his _conge_, as he