"With your scholarship there's enough to keep you there for the four
years. After that, no doubt, you will be earning a good income."

"But--" He remembered what had been said about the lace-money, and
could not help wondering.

"Taffy," said his mother, touching his hand, "leave all this to me
until your degree is taken. You have a race to run and must not
start unprepared. If you could have seen _his_ joy when the news
came of the demy-ship!"

Taffy kissed her and went up to his room. He found his books laid
out on the little table there.

4.

"TREDINNIS, February 13, 18--."

"MY DEAR TAFFY,--I have a valentine for you, if you care to
accept it; but I don't suppose you will, and indeed I hope in
my heart that you will not. But I must offer it.
Your father's living is vacant, and my trustees (that is to
say, Sir Harry; for the other, a second cousin of mine who
lives in London, never interferes) can put in someone as a
stop-gap, thus allowing me to present you to it when the time
comes, if you have any thought of Holy Orders. You will
understand exactly why I offer it; and also, I hope, you will
know that I think it wholly unworthy of you. But turn it over
in your mind and give me your answer."

"George and I are to be married at the end of April. May is an
unlucky month. It shall be a week--even a fortnight--earlier,
if that fits in with your vacation, and you care to come.
See how obliging I am! I yield to you what I have refused to
Sir Harry. We shall try to persuade the Bishop to come and
open the church on the same day."

"Always your friend,"
"HONORIA."

5.

"TREDINNIS, February 21. 18--."

"My Dear Taffy,--No, I am not offended in the least; but very
glad. I do not think you are fitted for the priesthood; but my
doubts have nothing to do with your doubts, which I don't
understand, though you tried to explain them so carefully.
You will come through _them_, I expect. I don't know that I
have any reasons that could be put on paper: only, somehow, I
cannot _see_ you in a black coat and clerical hat."

"You complain that I never write about George. You don't
deserve to hear, since you refuse to come to our wedding.
But would _you_ talk, if you happened to be in love? There, I
have told you more than