We have a right to think only for ourselves, and we
should not have yielded to him. How are we to get back again out of
this house to our cottage?"

"They are pulling the cottage down, Priscilla."

"To some other cottage, mother. Do you not feel while we are living
here that we are pretending to be what we are not? After all, Aunt
Stanbury was right, though it was not her business to meddle with us.
We should never have come here. That poor woman now regards us as her
bitter enemies."

"I meant to do for the best," said Mrs. Stanbury.

"The fault was mine, mother."

"But you meant it for the best, my dear."

"Meaning for the best is trash. I don't know that I did mean it for
the best. While we were at the cottage we paid our way and were
honest. What is it people say of us now?"

"They can't say any harm."

"They say that we are paid by the husband to keep his wife, and paid
again by the lover to betray the husband."

"Priscilla!"

"Yes;--it is shocking enough. But that comes of people going out
of their proper course. We were too humble and low to have a right
to take any part in such a matter. How true it is that while one
crouches on the ground, one can never fall."

The matter was discussed in the Clock House all day, between Mrs.
Stanbury and Priscilla, and between Mrs. Trevelyan and Nora, in their
rooms and in the garden; but nothing could come of such discussions.
No change could be made till further instructions should have been
received from the angry husband; nor could any kind of argument be
even invented by Priscilla which might be efficacious in inducing the
two ladies to remain at the Clock House, even should Mr. Trevelyan
allow them to do so. They all felt the intolerable injustice, as
it appeared to them,--of their subjection to the caprice of an
unreasonable and ill-conditioned man; but to all of them it seemed
plain enough that in this matter the husband must exercise his own
will,--at any rate till Sir Marmaduke should be in England. There
were many difficulties throughout the day. Mrs. Trevelyan would not
go down to dinner, sending word that she was ill, and that she would,
if she were allowed, have some tea in her own room. And Nora said
that she would remain with her sister. Priscilla went to them more
than once; and late in the evening they all met in the parlour. But
any conversation seemed to be impossible; and Mrs. Trevelyan, as she
went up to her room at night, again declared th