."

"You mean about religion?"

"I mean about everything. If she wears a bonnet on her head, she'll
think you very wicked because you wear a hat."

"Will she? what a very funny woman! But, Mr. Fitzgerald, I shan't
give up my hat, let her say what she will."

"I should rather think not."

"And Mr. Townsend? we know him a little; he's very good too, isn't
he?"

"Do you mean me to answer you truly, or to answer you according to
the good-natured idea of never saying any ill of one's neighbour?"

"Oh, both; if you can."

"Oh both; must I? Well, then, I think him good as a man, but bad as a
clergyman."

"But I thought he worked so very hard as a clergyman?"

"So he does. But if he works evil rather than good, you can't call
him a good clergyman. Mind, you would have my opinion; and if I talk
treason and heterodoxy and infidelity and papistry, you must only
take it for what it's worth."

"I'm sure you won't talk infidelity."

"Nor yet treason; and then, moreover, Mr. Townsend would be so much
better a clergyman, to my way of thinking, if he would sometimes
brush his hair, and occasionally put on a clean surplice. But,
remember, not a word of all this to Aunt Letty."

"Oh dear, no; of course not."

Mr. Townsend did come out of the house on the little sweep before
the door to help Miss Letty up on the car, though it was dark and
piercingly cold.

"Well, young ladies, and won't you come in now and warm yourselves?"

They all of course deprecated any such idea, and declared that they
were already much too late.

"Richard, mind you take care going down Ballydahan Hill," said the
parson, giving a not unnecessary caution to the servant. "I came up
it just now, and it was one sheet of ice."

"Now, Richard, do be careful," said Miss Letty.

"Never fear, miss," said Richard.

"We'll take care of you," said Herbert. "You're not frightened, Lady
Clara, are you?"

"Oh, no," said Clara; and so they started.

It was quite dark and very cold, and there was a sharp hard frost.
But the lamps of the car were lighted, and the horse seemed to be on
his mettle, for he did his work well. Ballydahan Hill was not above
a mile from the glebe, and descending that, Richard, by his young
master's orders, got down from his seat and went to the animal's
head. Herbert also himself got off, and led his horse down the hill.
At first the girls were a little inclined to be frightened, and
Miss Letty found herself obliged to remind