g ladies
of the neighbourhood, and to decide on each in turn that it would be
intolerable to see her as Humfrey's wife; more at home at the Holt than
herself. She had ample time for contemplation, for he had become very
silent, and once or twice the presumptuous idea crossed her that he might
be actually about to make her some confidence, but when he at length
spoke, very near the house, it was only to say, 'Honor, I wanted to ask
you if you think your father would wish me to ask young Sandbrook here?'

'Oh! thank you, I am sure he would be glad. You know poor Owen has
nowhere to go, since his uncle has behaved so shamefully.'

'It must have been a great mortification--'

'To Owen? Of course it was, to be so cast off for his noble purpose.'

'I was thinking of old Mr. Sandbrook--'

'Old wretch! I've no patience with him!'

'Just as he has brought this nephew up and hopes to make him useful and
rest some of his cares upon him in his old age, to find him flying off
upon this fresh course, and disappointing all his hopes.'

'But it is such a high and grand course, he ought to have rejoiced in it,
and Owen is not his son.'

'A man of his age, brought up as he has been, can hardly be expected to
enter into Owen's views.'

'Of course not. It is all sordid and mean, he cannot even understand the
missionary spirit of resigning all. As Owen says, half the Scripture
must be hyperbole to him, and so he is beginning Owen's persecution
already.'

It was one of Humfrey's provoking qualities that no amount of eloquence
would ever draw a word of condemnation from him; he would praise readily
enough, but censure was very rare with him, and extenuation was always
his first impulse, so the more Honora railed at Mr. Sandbrook's
interference with his nephew's plans, the less satisfaction she received
from him. She seemed to think that in order to admire Owen as he
deserved, his uncle must be proportionably reviled, and though Humfrey
did not imply a word save in commendation of the young missionary's
devotion, she went indoors feeling almost injured at his not
understanding it; but Honora's petulance was a very bright, sunny
piquancy, and she only appeared the more glowing and animated for it when
she presented herself at the breakfast-table, with a preposterous country
appetite.

Afterwards she filled a vase very tastefully with her varieties of
leaves, and enjoyed taking in her cousin Sarah, who admired the leaves
gre