ss in heart as well as mind, the
flower of that Burton flock which had prospered so well--that she should
be sacrificed through the treachery of a man who, at his best, had
scarcely been worthy of her! The thought of this was almost too much for
him, and he gnashed his teeth as he went on his way.

But yet he had not given up the man. Though he could not restrain
himself from foreshadowing the misery that would result from such
baseness, yet he told himself that he would not condemn before
condemnation was necessary. Harry Clavering might not be good enough for
Florence. What man was good enough for Florence? But still, if married,
Harry, he thought, would not make a bad husband Many a man who is prone
enough to escape from the bonds which he has undertaken to endure--to
escape from them before they are riveted--is mild enough under their
endurance, when they are once fastened upon him. Harry Clavering was not
of such a nature that Burton could tell himself that it would be well
that his sister should escape even though her way of escape must lie
through the fire and water of outraged love. That Harry Clavering was a
gentleman, that he was clever, that he was by nature affectionate, soft
in manner, tender of heart, anxious to please, good-tempered, and of
high ambition, Burton knew well; and he partly recognized the fact that
Harry had probably fallen into his present fault more by accident than
by design. Clavering was not a skilled and practiced deceiver. At last,
as he drew near to his own door, he resolved on the line of conduct he
would pursue. He would tell his wife everything, and she should receive
Harry alone.

He was weary when he reached home, and was a little cross with his
fatigue. Good man as he was, he was apt to be fretful on the first
moment of his return to his own house, hot with walking, tired with his
day's labor, and in want of his dinner. His wife understood this well,
and always bore with him at such moments, coming down to him in the
dressing-room behind the back parlor, and ministering to his wants. I
fear he took some advantage of her goodness, knowing that at such
moments he could grumble and scold without danger of contradiction. But
the institution was established, and Cecilia never rebelled against its
traditional laws. On the present day he had much to say to her, but even
that he could not say without some few symptoms of petulant weariness.

"I'm afraid you've had a terrible long day,