nowledged that he
gathered some wisdom by his experience.

Again Rowland sat down, but this time he drew up the blind, and let the
moonlight in upon his chamber like a silver flood. He took himself to
task for his pride, ambition, and conceit, in a way that did him good,
doubtless, but was not palatable; still he made many excuses for
himself, and none for Miss Gwynne. He was not to recover the effects of
that disappointment in a few hours! Days and even years were necessary
for that. But he asked for strength where it is never asked in vain, and
then resolutely wrote a sermon on the words, 'Blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'

He wrote as he felt, and under the influence of those strong,
half-curbed feelings, wrote so easily, that he was astonished to find
how quickly he composed, and how soon a sufficient number of sheets were
written, to occupy his customary half-hour when preached. He did not
read them over, but promised to do so on the morrow, which was Saturday.
He was already far into the small hours, and knew that he ought to be in
bed.

When he was there he could not sleep. That love of his was too
deeply-rooted to be torn up by a few proud words that haunted him all
the night, and to which he was constantly adding 'Yes, you are the
heiress of Glanyravon, and I am only a farmer's son and a poor curate.'

CHAPTER XXII.

THE GOVERNESS.

'Only a curate!' exclaimed Miss Gwynne, as she and Miss Hall were
discussing Rowland's presumption the following morning.

'Still, a gentleman,' replied Miss Hall quietly.

'The son of one of my father's tenants; a farmer's son!'

'Still, a gentleman!'

'The ninety-ninth attempt on Glanyravon, and, happily, an unsuccessful
one.'

'Perhaps the first sincere attempt to gain the heiress's heart, without
any thought of her park and its broad acres.'

'I declare, Serena, _vous m'impatientez_. I verily believe you are in
his interest and confidence, and trying to plead his cause.'

This was said with great excitement; the answer, however, was calm.

'Scarcely possible, if probable, because I was never alone with him in
my life, and have rarely seen him except in your presence.'

'Then, why do you take up his defence? You would not have me marry him,
would you?'

'Certainly not, for many reasons. In the first place, you do not love
him; in the second, your father would not approve of such a match; in
the third, you are no