Old
Welmingham. I went there with him when he married me. We were neither
of us young, but we lived very happy together--happier than our
neighbour, Mr. Catherick, lived along with his wife when they came to
Old Welmingham a year or two afterwards."

"Was your husband acquainted with them before that?"

"With Catherick, sir--not with his wife. She was a stranger to both of
us. Some gentlemen had made interest for Catherick, and he got the
situation of clerk at Welmingham church, which was the reason of his
coming to settle in our neighbourhood. He brought his newly-married
wife along with him, and we heard in course of time she had been
lady's-maid in a family that lived at Varneck Hall, near Southampton.
Catherick had found it a hard matter to get her to marry him, in
consequence of her holding herself uncommonly high. He had asked and
asked, and given the thing up at last, seeing she was so contrary about
it. When he HAD given it up she turned contrary just the other way,
and came to him of her own accord, without rhyme or reason seemingly.
My poor husband always said that was the time to have given her a
lesson. But Catherick was too fond of her to do anything of the
sort--he never checked her either before they were married or after.
He was a quick man in his feelings, letting them carry him a deal too
far, now in one way and now in another, and he would have spoilt a
better wife than Mrs. Catherick if a better had married him. I don't
like to speak ill of any one, sir, but she was a heartless woman, with
a terrible will of her own--fond of foolish admiration and fine
clothes, and not caring to show so much as decent outward respect to
Catherick, kindly as he always treated her. My husband said he thought
things would turn out badly when they first came to live near us, and
his words proved true. Before they had been quite four months in our
neighbourhood there was a dreadful scandal and a miserable break-up in
their household. Both of them were in fault--I am afraid both of them
were equally in fault."

"You mean both husband and wife?"

"Oh, no, sir! I don't mean Catherick--he was only to be pitied. I
meant his wife and the person--"

"And the person who caused the scandal?"

"Yes, sir. A gentleman born and brought up, who ought to have set a
better example. You know him, sir--and my poor dear Anne knew him only
too well."

"Sir Percival Glyde?"

"Yes, Sir Percival Glyde."

My heart bea