, and on such occasions seemed inclined to soften his
habitually sardonic and depreciatory tone. Once or twice, when they did
disagree, she observed that he contrived to make some one else take her
side, and then argued the point, as long as he thought it worth while,
with the last opponent. Beyond the courtesy which invariably marked his
demeanor toward her sex, this was the only sign of especial deference
that he had shown. She never could detect the faintest approach to the
adulation that hundreds had paid her, and which she had wearied of long
ago. Nevertheless, she knew perfectly that on many subjects, generally
considered all-important, they differed as widely as the poles.

Perpetual struggles between the spirit and the flesh made Cecil's heart
an odd sort of debatable land; if she could not always insure success
and supremacy to the right side, she certainly did endeavor to preserve
the balance of power. Personally she rather disliked Mr. Fullarton, but
she seemed to look upon him as the embodiment of a principle, and the
symbol of an abstraction. He represented there the Establishment which
she had always been taught to venerate; and so she felt bound, as far as
possible, to favor and support him; just as Goring and Wilmot, and many
more wild cavaliers, fearing neither God nor devil, mingled in their
war-cry church as well as king. (Rather a rough comparison to apply to a
well-intentioned demoiselle of the nineteenth century, but, I fancy, a
correct one.) Thus, if she indulged herself in a long _tete-a-tete_ with
Keene, she was sure to be extraordinarily civil to the chaplain soon
after; and if she devoted herself for a whole evening to the society of
the priest and his family, the soldier was likely to benefit by it on
the morrow. Unluckily, the sacrifice of inclination was all on _one_
side.

The antagonists had never, as yet, come into open collision. It was not
respect or fear that made them shy of the conflict, but rather a
feeling, which neither could have explained to himself, resembling that
of leaders of parties in the House, who decline measuring their strength
against each other on questions of minor importance, reserving
themselves for the final crisis, when the want-of-confidence vote shall
come on. Once only there was a chance of a skirmish--the merest affair
of outposts.

Keene had been calling on the Tresilyans one evening, in the official
capacity of bearer of a verbal message from Mrs. Molyn