'I suppose Mr. Ashford meant to pension her off?' said Guy.

'He did say something about it; but who is to do it, I should like to
know?'

'We are, I suppose.'

'Pay two schoolmistresses mistresses at once! One for doing nothing! A
pretty tolerable proposal for Mr. Ashford to be making?'

'I don't see why. Of course it is my business!'

'Besides, I don't see that she is not as fit to keep school as ever she
was.'

'That may well be,' said Guy, smiling. 'We never used to be noted for
our learning.'

'Don't you be for bringing new lights into the parish, Sir Guy, or we
shall never have any more peace.'

'I shall see about old Jenny,' answered Guy. 'As to the house, that must
be done directly. Her cottage is not fit to keep school in.'

Grunt, grunt; but though a very unbending viceroy, a must from the
reigning baronet had a potent effect on Markham, whether it was for good
or evil. He might grumble, but he never disobeyed, and the boy he was
used to scold and order had found that Morville intonation of the must,
which took away all idea of resistance. He still, however remonstrated.

'As you please, Sir Guy, but we shall have the deer frightened, and the
plantations cut to pieces, if the boys from the Cove are to be crossing
the park.'

'I'll be answerable for all the damage. If they are once properly spoken
to, they will be on honour to behave well. I have seen a little of what
a village school ought to be at East-hill, and I should like to see
Redclyffe like it.'

Grunt again; and Guy found that to make Markham amiable, he must inquire
after all his nephews and nieces.

All the evening he had much to occupy him, and the dreaded sense
of solitude and bereavement did not come on till he had parted with
Markham, and stood alone before the fire in the large, gloomy room,
where the light of the lamp seemed absorbed in the darkness of the
distant corners, and where he had scarcely been since the moment when
he found his grandfather senseless in that very chair. How different
had that room once been in his eyes, when his happy spirits defied every
association of gloom, and the bookshelves, the carved chairs, the heavy
dark-green curtains and deep windows were connected with merry freaks,
earnest researches, delightful achievements or discoveries! How long ago
that time seemed! and how changed was he!

There was a certain tendency to melancholy in Guy's mind. High spirits,
prosperity, and self-discipline, had