Rector went back to the hearthrug when his wife left the room, but
in the heat of his own personal reflections he did not say anything to
Elsworthy, who still stood smoothing his hat in his hand. On the
whole, Mr Morgan was rather aggravated for the moment by the unlucky
cause of this little encounter, and was not half so well disposed
towards Mr Wentworth's enemy as half an hour before, when he
recognised his wife as the champion of the Curate, and felt controlled
by her presence; for the human and even the clerical mind has its
impulses of perversity. He began to get very impatient of Elsworthy's
hat, and the persistent way in which he worked at it with his hands.

"I suppose you would not be so certain about it if you had not
satisfactory evidence?" he said, turning abruptly, and even a little
angrily, upon the supplicant; for Mr Morgan naturally resented his own
temper and the little semi-quarrel he had got into upon the third
person who was the cause of all.

"Sir," said Elsworthy, with eagerness, "it aint no wonder to me as the
lady takes Mr Wentworth's part. A poor man don't stand no chance
against a young gentleman as has had every advantage. It's a thing as
I'm prepared for, and it don't have no effect upon me. A lady as is so
respected and thought a deal of both in town and country--"

"I was not speaking of my wife," said the Rector, hastily, "don't you
think you had better put down your hat? I think you said it was on
Friday it occurred. It will be necessary to take down the facts in a
business-like way," said Mr Morgan, drawing his chair towards the table
and taking up his pen. This was how the Rector was occupied when Thomas
announced the most unexpected of all possible visitors, Mr Proctor, who
had been Mr Morgan's predecessor in Carlingford. Thomas announced his
old master with great solemnity as "the late Rector"--a title which
struck the present incumbent with a sense of awe not unnatural in the
circumstances. He jumped up from his chair and let his pen fall out of
his startled fingers when his old friend came in. They had eaten many a
good dinner together in the revered hall of All-Souls, and as the
familiar countenance met his eyes, perhaps a regretful thought of that
Elysium stole across the mind of the late Fellow, who had been so glad
to leave the sacred brotherhood, and marry, and become as other men. He
gave but a few hurried words of surprise and welcome to his visitor, and
then, with a curio