oughts as quickly as he was able.

The tidings had reached the parsonage very late on the previous
night--so late that the rector had been disturbed in his bed to receive
them. It was his duty to make known to Lady Clavering the fact that she
was a widow, but this he could not do till the next morning. But there
was little sleep that night for him or for his wife! He knew well enough
that the property was entailed. He felt with sufficient strength what it
was to become a baronet at a sudden blow, and to become also the owner
of the whole Clavering property. He was not slow to think of the removal
to the great house, of the altered prospects of his son, and of the mode
of life which would be fitting for himself in future. Before the morning
came he had meditated who should be the future rector of Clavering, and
had made some calculations as to the expediency of resuming his hunting.
Not that he was a heartless man, or that he rejoiced at what had
happened. But a man's ideas of generosity change as he advances in age,
and the rector was old enough to tell himself boldly that this thing
that had happened could not be to him a cause of much grief. He had
never loved his cousins, or pretended to love them. His cousin's wife he
did love, after a fashion, but in speaking to his own wife of the way in
which this tragedy would affect Hermione, he did not scruple to speak of
her widowhood as a period of coining happiness.

"She will be cut to pieces," said Mrs. Clavering. "She was attached to
him as earnestly as though he had treated her always well."

"I believe it; but not the less will she feel her release,
unconsciously; and her life, which has been very wretched, will
gradually become easy to her."

Even Mrs. Clavering could not deny that this would be so, and then they
reverted to matters which more closely concerned themselves. "I suppose
Harry will marry at once now?" said the mother.

"No doubt; it is almost a pity, is it not?" The rector--as we still call
him--was thinking that Florence was hardly a fitting wife for his son
with his altered prospects. Ah! what a grand thing it would have been if
the Clavering property and Lady Ongar's jointure could have gone
together!

"Not a pity at all," said Mrs. Clavering. "You will find that Florence
will make him a very happy man."

"I dare say--I dare say. Only he would hardly have taken her had this
sad accident happened before he saw her. But if she will make him happy,