tter, and soon perceived
that the verdict was to be given against the writer of it. I do not
know that Mrs. Ray was particularly quick at reading the countenances
of men, but, in this instance, she did read the countenance of Mr.
Comfort. We, all of us, read more in the faces of those with whom we
hold converse, than we are aware of doing. Of the truth, or want of
truth in every word spoken to us, we judge, in great part, by the
face of the speaker. By the face of every man and woman seen by us,
whether they speak or are silent, we form a judgment,--and in nine
cases out of ten our judgment is true. It is because our tenth
judgment,--that judgment which has been wrong,--comes back upon us
always with the effects of its error, that we teach ourselves to
say that appearances cannot be trusted. If we did not trust them
we should be walking ever in doubt, in darkness, and in ignorance.
As Mr. Comfort read the letter, Mrs. Ray knew that it would not be
allowed to her to speak words of happiness to Rachel on that day. She
knew that the young man was to be set down as dangerous; but she was
by no means aware that she was reading the vicar's face with precise
accuracy. Mr. Comfort had been slow in his perusal, weighing the
words of the letter; and when he had finished it he slowly refolded
the paper and put it back into its envelope. "He means what he says,"
said he, as he gave the letter back to Mrs. Ray.

"Yes; I think he means what he says."

"But we cannot tell how long he may mean it; nor can we tell as yet
whether such a connection would be good for Rachel, even if he should
remain stedfast in such meaning. If you ask me, Mrs. Ray--"

"I do ask you, Mr. Comfort."

"Then I think we should all of us know more about him, before we
allow Rachel to give him encouragement;--I do indeed."

Mrs. Ray could not quite repress in her heart a slight feeling of
anger against the vicar. She remembered the words,--so different not
only in their meaning, but in the tone in which they were spoken,--in
which he had sanctioned Rachel's going to the ball: "Young people
get to think of each other," he had then said, speaking with
good-humoured, cheery voice, as though such thinking were worthy of
all encouragement. He had spoken then of marriage being the happiest
condition for both men and women, and had inquired as to Rowan's
means. Every word that had then fallen from him had expressed his
opinion that Luke Rowan was an eligible lover