to perceive at the first glance the noble,
simple conception of his own duties and position, which was implied in
the honest gentleman's words. "Your second son might be either a fool or
a knave, or even, although neither, might be quite unfit to be intrusted
with the eternal interests of his fellow-creatures. In my opinion, the
duty of choosing a clergyman is one not to be exercised without the
gravest deliberation. A conscientious man would make his selection
dependent, at least, upon the character of his second son--if he had
one. We, however--"

"But then his character is _so_ satisfactory, Leonora," cried Miss
Dora, feeling emboldened by the shadow of visitors under whose shield
she could always retire. "Everybody knows what a good clergyman he
is--I am sure it would be like a new world in Skelmersdale if you were
there, Frank, my dear--and he preaches such beautiful sermons!" said
the unlucky little woman, upon whom her sister immediately descended,
swift and sudden, like a storm at sea.

"We are generally perfectly of accord in our conclusions," said Miss
Leonora; "as for Dora, she comes to the same end by a roundabout way.
After what my brother has been saying--"

"Yes," said the Squire, with uncomfortable looks, "I was saying to
your aunt, Frank, what I said to you about poor Mary. Since Gerald
_will_ go, and since you don't want to come, the best thing to do
would be to have Huxtable. He's a very good fellow on the whole, and
it might cheer her up, poor soul, to be near her sisters. Life has
been hard work to her, poor girl--very hard work, sir," said the
Squire, with a sigh. The idea was troublesome and uncomfortable, and
always disturbed his mind when it occurred to him. It was indeed a
secret humiliation to the Squire, that his eldest daughter possessed
so little the characteristic health and prosperity of the Wentworths.
He was very sorry for her, but yet half angry and half ashamed, as if
she could have helped it; but, however, he had been obliged to admit,
in his private deliberations on the subject, that, failing Frank,
Mary's husband had the next best right to Wentworth Rectory--an
arrangement of which Miss Leonora did not approve.

"I was about to say that we have no second son," she said, taking up the
thread of her discourse where it had been interrupted. "Our duty is
solely towards the Christian people. I do not pretend to be infallible,"
said Miss Leonora, with a meek air of self-contradictio