point at the present moment, he might give it up
for ever. His resolve was, that his mother and sisters should go
elsewhere; but in what words could he explain this resolution to her?

"Dear mother, I think we should understand each other--"

"Certainly," said Mrs. Wilkinson, laying her hands across each other
on the table, and preparing for the onslaught.

"It is clearly my duty, as clergyman, to live in this parish, and to
live in this house."

"And it is my duty also, as was excellently explained by Lord
Stapledean after your poor father's death."

"My idea is this--" and then he paused, for his heart misgave him
when he attempted to tell his mother that she must pack up and turn
out. His courage all but failed him. He felt that he was right, and
yet he hardly knew how to explain that he was right without appearing
to be unnatural.

"I do not know that Lord Stapledean said anything about the house;
but if he did, it could make no difference."

"Not the least, I should think," said the lady. "When he appointed
me to the income of the parish, it could hardly be necessary that he
should explain that I was to have the house also."

"Mother, when I accepted the living, I promised him that I would give
you three hundred and fifty pounds out of the proceeds; and so I
will. Adela and I will be very poor, but I shall endeavour to eke out
our income; that is, of course, if she consents to marry me--"

"Psha!"

"--To eke out our income by taking pupils. To do that, I must have
the house at my own disposal."

"And you mean to tell me," said the female vicaress, rising to her
feet in her wrath, "that I--that I--am to go away?"

"I think it will be better, mother."

"And the poor girls!"

"For one or two of them there would be room here," said Arthur,
trying to palliate the matter.

"One or two of them! Is that the way you would treat your sisters? I
say nothing about myself, for I have long seen that you are tired of
me. I know how jealous you are because Lord Stapledean has thought
proper to--" she could not exactly remember what phrase would best
suit her purpose--"to--to--to place me here, as he placed your poor
father before. I have seen it all, Arthur. But I have my duty to do,
and I shall do it. What I have undertaken in this parish I shall go
through with, and if you oppose me I shall apply to his lordship."

"I think you have misunderstood Lord Stapledean."

"I have not misunderstood him at all. I kn