d himself witnessed the
seclusion of Portray Castle, and had heard, when there, many stories
of the Ayrshire hunting. "It is your nature;--but, dear Lady Eustace,
will you allow me to say that our nature is implanted in us in
accordance with the Fall?"

"Do you mean to say that it is wicked to like to be in Scotland
better than in this giddy town?"

"I say nothing about wicked, Lady Eustace; but this I do say, that
nature alone will not lead us always aright. It is good to be at
Portray part of the year, no doubt; but are there not blessings in
such a congregation of humanity as this London which you cannot find
at Portray?"

"I can hear you preach, Mr. Emilius, certainly."

"I hope that is something, too, Lady Eustace;--otherwise a great many
people who kindly come to hear me must sadly waste their time. And
your example to the world around;--is it not more serviceable amidst
the crowds of London than in the solitudes of Scotland? There is more
good to be done, Lady Eustace, by living among our fellow-creatures
than by deserting them. Therefore I think you should not go to
Scotland before August, but should have your little boy brought to
you here."

"The air of his native mountains is everything to my child," said
Lizzie. The child had, in fact, been born at Bobsborough, but that
probably would make no real difference.

"You cannot wonder that I should plead for your stay," said Mr.
Emilius, throwing all his soul into his eyes. "How dark would
everything be to me if I missed you from your seat in the house of
praise and prayer!"

Lizzie Eustace, like some other ladies who ought to be more
appreciative, was altogether deficient in what may perhaps be called
good taste in reference to men. Though she was clever, and though,
in spite of her ignorance, she at once knew an intelligent man from
a fool, she did not know the difference between a gentleman and
a--"cad." It was in her estimation something against Mr. Emilius that
he was a clergyman, something against him that he had nothing but
what he earned, something against him that he was supposed to be a
renegade Jew, and that nobody knew whence he came nor who he was.
These deficiencies or drawbacks Lizzie recognised. But it was nothing
against him in her judgment that he was a greasy, fawning, pawing,
creeping, black-browed rascal, who could not look her full in the
face, and whose every word sounded like a lie. There was a twang
in his voice which ought to h