And so saying he got up and walked quickly about the room. "Would you
believe it now; my mother takes upon herself to tell me in what way
I should read the absolution; and feels herself injured because I do
not comply?"

"I can tell you but of one remedy, Arthur; but I can tell you of
one."

"What remedy?"

"Take a wife to yourself; one who will not mind in what way you read
the absolution to her."

"A wife!" said Wilkinson, and he uttered a long sigh as he continued
his walk.

"Yes, a wife; why not? People say that a country clergyman should
never be without a wife; and as for myself, I firmly think that they
are right."

"Every curate is to marry, then?"

"But you are not a curate."

"I should only have the income of a curate. And where should I put a
wife? The house is full of women already. Who would come to such a
house as this?"

"There is Adela; would not she come if you asked her?"

"Adela!" said the young vicar. And now his walk had brought him to
the further end of the table; and there he remained for a minute or
two. "Adela!"

"Yes, Adela," said Bertram.

"What a life my mother would lead her! She is fond of her now; very.
But in that case I know that she would hate her."

"If I were you, I would make my wife the mistress of my house, not my
mother."

"Ah! you do not understand, George."

"But perhaps you do not like Adela--perhaps you could not teach
yourself to love her?"

"Perhaps not," said Wilkinson. "And perhaps she could not teach
herself to like me. But, ah! that is out of the question."

"There is nothing between you and Adela then?" asked Bertram.

"Oh, no; nothing."

"On your honour, nothing?"

"Nothing at all. It is quite out of the question. My marrying,
indeed!"

And then they took their bedroom candlesticks and went to their own
rooms.

CHAPTER XII.

THE WOUNDED DOE.

It was a weary, melancholy household just then, that of Hurst Staple,
and one may almost wonder that Bertram should have remained there;
but still he did remain. He had been there a fortnight, when he
learnt that in three days' time Adela was to go to Littlebath. She
was to go down with Miss Baker; and was to remain there with her, or
with Miss Todd if Miss Baker should go back to Hadley, till her own
aunt should have returned.

"I don't know why you should be in such a hurry to get to
Littlebath," said Mrs. Wilkinson. "We have been very glad to have
you; and I hope we have shown it."