stands there, I will only say here, at
this fag end of a chapter, that it is the Small House at Allington.
Allington Street, as I have said, turns short round towards the
church at this point, and there ends at a white gate, leading into
the churchyard by a second entrance.

So much it was needful that I should say of Allington Great House,
of the Squire, and of the village. Of the Small House, I will speak
separately in a further chapter.

CHAPTER II

The Two Pearls of Allington

"But Mr Crosbie is only a mere clerk."

This sarcastic condemnation was spoken by Miss Lilian Dale to her
sister Isabella, and referred to a gentleman with whom we shall have
much concern in these pages. I do not say that Mr Crosbie will be our
hero, seeing that that part in the drama will be cut up, as it were,
into fragments. Whatever of the magnificent may be produced will be
diluted and apportioned out in very moderate quantities among two or
more, probably among three or four, young gentlemen--to none of whom
will be vouchsafed the privilege of much heroic action.

"I don't know what you call a mere clerk, Lily. Mr Fanfaron is a mere
barrister, and Mr Boyce is a mere clergyman." Mr Boyce was the vicar
of Allington, and Mr Fanfaron was a lawyer who had made his way over
to Allington during the last assizes. "You might as well say that
Lord De Guest is a mere earl."

"So he is--only a mere earl. Had he ever done anything except have
fat oxen, one wouldn't say so. You know what I mean by a mere clerk?
It isn't much in a man to be in a public office, and yet Mr Crosbie
gives himself airs."

"You don't suppose that Mr Crosbie is the same as John Eames," said
Bell, who, by her tone of voice, did not seem inclined to undervalue
the qualifications of Mr Crosbie. Now John Eames was a young man from
Guestwick, who had been appointed to a clerkship in the Income-tax
office, with eighty pounds a year, two years ago.

"Then Johnny Eames is a mere clerk," said Lily; "and Mr Crosbie is--
After all, Bell, what is Mr Crosbie, if he is not a mere clerk? Of
course, he is older than John Eames; and, as he has been longer at
it, I suppose he has more than eighty pounds a year."

"I am not in Mr Crosbie's confidence. He is in the General Committee
Office, I know; and, I believe, has pretty nearly the management of
the whole of it. I have heard Bernard say that he has six or seven
young men under him, and that--; but, of course, I don't kn