ut you see what chance there is of his mending
while those children are at him day and night.'

'Poor things! they little know.'

'One does not expect them to know, but one does expect them to show a
little rationality. It puts one out of all patience to see him so weak.
If he is encouraged to take them abroad, he may do so, but I wash my
hands of him. I won't be responsible for him--let them go alone!'

Honora saw this was a reproach to her for the favour with which she had
regarded the project. She saw that the father's weakness quite altered
the case, and her former vision flashed across her again, but she
resolutely put it aside for consideration, and only made the unmeaning
answer, 'It is very sad and perplexing.'

'A perplexity of his own making. As for their not going to Castle
Blanch, they were always there in my poor sister's time a great deal more
than was good for any of them, or his parish either, as I told him then;
and now, if he finds out that it is a worldly household, as he calls it,
why, what harm is that to do to a couple of babies like those? If Mrs.
Charteris does not trouble herself much about the children, there are
governesses and nurses enough for a score!'

'I must own,' said Honora, 'that I think he is right. Children are never
too young for impressions.'

'I'll tell you what, Miss Charlecote, the way he is going on is enough to
ruin the best children in the world. That little Cilly is the most
arrant little flirt I ever came across; it is like a comedy to see the
absurd little puss going on with the curate, ay, and with every parson
that comes to Wrapworth; and she sees nothing else. Impressions! All
she wants is to be safe shut up with a good governess, and other
children. It would do her a dozen times more good than all his stories
of good children and their rocky paths, and boats that never sailed on
any reasonable principle.'

'Poor child,' said Honora, smiling, 'she is a little witch.'

'And,' continued the uncle, 'if he thinks it so bad for them, he had
better take the only way of saving them from it for the future, or they
will be there for life. If he gets through this winter, it will only be
by the utmost care.'

Honora kept her project back with the less difficulty, because she
doubted how it would be received by the rough captain; but it won more
and more upon her, as she rattled home through the gas-lights, and though
she knew she should learn to love the chil