. "If we do go away, that is what
we must do," she said.

"And we shall have to walk out with Mary Eames, instead of Susan
Boyce," said Lily. "It won't make so much difference after all."

"In that respect we shall gain as much as we lose," said Bell.

"And then it will be so nice to have the shops," said Lily,
ironically.

"Only we shall never have any money to buy anything," said Bell.

"But we shall see more of the world," said Lily. "Lady Julia's
carriage comes into town twice a week, and the Miss Gruffens drive
about in great style. Upon the whole, we shall gain a great deal;
only for the poor old garden. Mamma, I do think I shall break my
heart at parting with Hopkins; and as to him, I shall be disappointed
in mankind if he ever holds his head up again after I am gone."

But in truth there was very much of sadness in their resolution, and
to Mrs Dale it seemed as though she were managing matters badly for
her daughters and allowing poverty and misfortune to come upon them
through her own fault. She well knew how great a load of sorrow
was lying on Lily's heart, hidden beneath those little attempts at
pleasantry which she made. When she spoke of being disappointed in
mankind, Mrs Dale could hardly repress an outward shudder that would
betray her thoughts. And now she was consenting to take them forth
from their comfortable home, from the luxury of their lawns and
gardens, and to bring them to some small dingy corner of a provincial
town,--because she had failed to make herself happy with her
brother-in-law. Could she be right to give up all the advantages
which they enjoyed at Allington,--advantages which had come to them
from so legitimate a source,--because her own feelings had been
wounded? In all their future want of comfort, in the comfortless
dowdiness of the new home to which she would remove them, would
she not always blame herself for having brought them to that by
her own false pride? And yet it seemed to her that she now had no
alternative. She could not now teach her daughters to obey their
uncle's wishes in all things. She could not make Bell understand that
it would be well that she should marry Bernard because the squire had
set his heart on such a marriage. She had gone so far that she could
not now go back.

"I suppose we must move at Lady-day?" said Bell, who was in favour of
instant action. "If so, had you not better let Uncle Christopher know
at once?"

"I don't think that we can find