I
thought the poor young ladies might feel--at least they might think it
a respect--or, at all events, it would be a satisfaction to one's
self," said the late Rector, who had got into a mire of explanation.
"Though he was far from being a young man, yet having a young daughter
like Miss Lucy--"

"Poor Lucy!" said Mr Morgan. "I hope that wretched fellow, young
Wentworth"--and here the Rector came to a dead stop, and felt that he
had brought the subject most to be avoided head and shoulders into the
conversation, as was natural to an embarrassed man. The consequence
was that he got angry, as might have been expected. "My dear, you must
not look at me as you do. I have just been hearing all the evidence.
No unbiassed mind could possibly come to any other decision," said Mr
Morgan, with exasperation. Now that he had committed himself, he
thought it was much the best thing to go in for it wholly, without
half measures, which was certainly the most straightforward way.

"What has happened to Wentworth?" said Mr Proctor. "He is a young man
for whom I have a great regard. Though he is so much younger than I
am, he taught me some lessons while I was in Carlingford which I shall
never forget. If he is in any trouble that I can help him in, I shall
be very glad to do it, both for his sake and for--" Mr Proctor slurred
over the end of his sentence a little, and the others were occupied
with their own difficulties, and did not take very much notice--for it
was difficult to state fully the nature and extent of Mr Wentworth's
enormities after such a declaration of friendship. "I met him on my
way here," said the Fellow of All-Souls, "not looking quite as he used
to do. I supposed it might be Mr Wodehouse's death, perhaps." All Mr
Proctor's thoughts ran in that channel of Mr Wodehouse's death, which,
after all, though sad enough, was not so great an event to the
community in general as the late Rector seemed to suppose.

It was Mrs Morgan at length who took heart to explain to Mr Proctor
the real state of affairs. "He has been a very good clergyman for five
years," said Mrs Morgan; "he might behave foolishly, you know, about
Wharfside, but then that was not his fault so much as the fault of the
Rector's predecessors. I am sure I beg your pardon, Mr Proctor--I did
not mean that you were to blame," said the Rector's wife; "but,
notwithstanding all the work he has done, and the consistent life he
has led, there is nobody in Carlingfor