e to live there if she
pleases. But of course she cannot do that."

"They do say about the country," whispered Mrs. Townsend, "that he
refuses to be the heir at all. He certainly has not had any cards
printed with the title on them--I know that as a fact."

"He is a very singular man, very. You know I never could bear him,"
said Aunt Letty.

"No, nor I either. He has not been to our church once these six
months. But it's very odd, isn't it? Of course you know the story?"

"What story?" asked Aunt Letty.

"About Lady Clara. Owen Fitzgerald was dreadfully in love with her
before your Herbert had ever seen her. And they do say that he has
sworn his cousin shall never live if he marries her."

"They can never marry now, you know. Only think of it. There would be
three hundred a year between them.--Not at present, that is," added
Aunt Letty, looking forward to a future period after her own death.

"That is very little, very little indeed," said Mrs. Townsend,
remembering, however, that she herself had married on less. "But,
Miss Fitzgerald, if Herbert does not marry her do you think this Owen
will?"

"I don't think she'd have him. I am quite sure she would not."

"Not when he has all the property, and the title too?"

"No, nor double as much. What would people say of her if she did?
But, however, there is no fear, for she declares that nothing shall
induce her to give up her engagement with our Herbert."

And so they discussed it backward and forward in every way, each
having her own theory as to that singular rumour which was going
about the country, signifying that Owen had declined to accept the
title. Aunt Letty, however, would not believe that any good could
come from so polluted a source, and declared that he had his own
reasons for the delay. "It's not for any love of us," she said, "if
he refuses to take either that or the estate." And in this she was
right. But she would have been more surprised still had she learned
that Owen's forbearance arose from a strong anxiety to do what was
just in the matter.

"And so Herbert won't go into the Church?"

And Letty shook her head sorrowing.

"Aeneas would have been so glad to have taken him for a twelvemonth's
reading," said Mrs. Townsend. "He could have come here, you know,
when you went away, and been ordained at Cork, and got a curacy close
in the neighbourhood, where he was known. It would have been so nice;
wouldn't it?"

Aunt Letty would not exactly