ould not like to come back here again; if--'

'Like a dog that has been out hunting,' said Lucilla, who could bear
opposition from this quarter as from no other. 'You won't take the
responsibility, that's the fact. Well, you may go and reconnoitre, if
you will; but mind, if you say one word of what brings you to town, I
shall never go near the Holt at all. To hear--whenever the Raymonds, or
any other of the godly school-keeping sort come to dinner--of the direful
effects of certificated schoolmistresses, would drive me to such
distraction that I cannot answer for the consequences.'

'I am sure it is not a fact to proclaim.'

'Ah! but if you run against Mr. Parsons, you'll never abstain from
telling him of his stray lamb, nor from condoling with him upon the wolf
in Cat-alley. Now there's a fair hope of his having more on his hands
than to get his fingers scratched by meddling with the cats, and so that
this may remain unknown. So consider yourself sworn to secrecy.'

Mr. Prendergast promised. The good man was a bit of a gossip, so perhaps
her precaution was not thrown away, for he could hardly have helped
seeking the sympathy of a brother pastor, especially of him to whose fold
the wanderer primarily belonged. Nor did Lucy feel certain of not
telling the whole herself in some unguarded moment of confidence. All
she cared for was, that the story should not transpire through some other
source, and be brandished over her head as an illustration of all the
maxims that she had so often spurned. She ran after Mr. Prendergast
after he had taken leave, to warn him against calling in Woolstone-lane,
and desired him instead to go to Masters's shop, where it was sure to be
known whether Miss Charlecote were in town or not.

Mr. Prendergast secretly did grateful honour to the consideration that
would not let him plod all the weary way into the City. Little did he
guess that it was one part mistrust of his silence, and three parts
reviving pride, which forbade that Honora should know that he had
received any such commission.

The day was spent in pleasant anticipations of the gratitude and
satisfaction that would be excited by her magnanimous return, and her
pardon to Honor and to Robert for having been in the right. She knew she
could own it so graciously that Robert would be overpowered with
compunction, and for ever beholden to her; and now that the Charterises
were so unmitigatedly hateful, it was time to lay her