ough. A man more sympathetic, open-hearted, and unselfish
than Gerald Wentworth did not exist in the world, as his brother well
knew; but nevertheless, Gerald's mind was so entirely preoccupied that
he passed over the Curate's cares with the lightest reference
imaginable. "I hope you found all right when you got back, and nothing
seriously amiss with Jack," the elder brother wrote, and then went on to
his own affairs. All right! nothing seriously amiss! To a man who felt
himself standing on the edge of possible ruin, such expressions seemed
strange indeed.

The Rector of Wentworth, however, had enough in his mind to excuse him
for a momentary forgetfulness of others. Things had taken a different
turn with him since his brother left. He had been so busy with his
change of faith and sentiment, that the practical possibilities of the
step which he contemplated had not disturbed Gerald. He had taken it
calmly for granted that he _could_ do what he wanted to do. But a new
light had burst upon him in that respect, and changed the character of
his thoughts. Notwithstanding the conviction into which he had
reasoned himself, the Rector of Wentworth had not contemplated the
idea of becoming simply a Catholic layman. He was nothing if not a
priest, he had said, passionately. He could have made a martyr of
himself--have suffered tortures and deaths with the steadiest
endurance; but he could not face the idea of taking all meaning and
significance out of his life, by giving up the profession which he
felt to be laid upon him by orders indelible, beyond the power of
circumstances to revoke. Such was the new complication to which Gerald
had come. He was terribly staggered in his previous resolution by this
new doubt, and he wrote to pour his difficulties into the ear of his
brother. It had been Frank's question which first awoke in his mind a
doubt as to the practicability of the step he contemplated; and one of
Louisa's relations, appealed to by her in her next access of terror,
had brought this aspect of the matter still more distinctly before the
Rector of Wentworth. Gerald had been studying Canon law, but his
English intelligence did not make very much of it; and the bare idea
of a dispensation making that right which in itself was wrong, touched
the high-minded gentleman to the quick, and brought him to a sudden
standstill. He who was nothing if not a priest, stood sorrowfully
looking at his contemplated martyrdom--like Brother D