stance. "It has been a bad business, Mrs.
Crocket," said Priscilla; "and all we can do now is to get out of
it as well as we can. Every mouthful I eat chokes me while I stay
there." "It ain't good, certainly, miss, not to know as you're all
straight the first thing as you wakes in the morning," said Mrs.
Crocket,--who was always able to feel when she woke that everything
was straight with her.

Then there came the correspondence between Priscilla and Hugh.
Priscilla was at first decided, indeed, but mild in the expression
of her decision. To this, and to one or two other missives
couched in terms of increasing decision, Hugh answered with manly,
self-asserting, overbearing arguments. The house was theirs till
Christmas; between this and then he would think about it. He could
very well afford to keep the house on till next Midsummer, and then
they might see what had best be done. There was plenty of money, and
Priscilla need not put herself into a flutter. In answer to that word
flutter, Priscilla wrote as follows:--

Clock House, September 16, 186--.

DEAR HUGH,

I know very well how good you are, and how generous, but
you must allow me to have feelings as well as yourself. I
will not consent to have myself regarded as a grand lady
out of your earnings. How should I feel when some day I
heard that you had run yourself into debt? Neither mamma
nor I could endure it. Dorothy is provided for now, at any
rate for a time, and what we have is enough for us. You
know I am not too proud to take anything you can spare to
us, when we are ourselves placed in a proper position: but
I could not live in this great house, while you are paying
for everything,--and I will not. Mamma quite agrees with
me, and we shall go out of it on Michaelmas-day. Mrs.
Crocket says she thinks she can get you a tenant for the
three months, out of Exeter,--if not for the whole rent,
at least for part of it. I think we have already got a
small place for eight shillings a week, a little out of
the village, on the road to Cockchaffington. You will
remember it. Old Soames used to live there. Our old
furniture will be just enough. There is a mite of a
garden, and Mrs. Crocket says she thinks we can get it for
seven shillings, or perhaps for six and sixpence, if we
stay there. We shall go in on the 29th. Mrs. Crocket will
see about having somebody to take care of the house.