y should be
punished or shut out of anything; while there was no denying that,
now the first novelty was passing, she was very lazy as to her
parochial work, and that where her feelings were not stirred she was
of little use.

Julius seemed shamefully tolerant of her omissions, and likewise of
her eagerness for all gaieties. He would not go himself, would not
accept a dinner invitation for any of the three busy nights of the
week, and refused all those to dances and balls for himself, though
he never hindered Rosamond's going.

She used absolutely to cry with passionate entreaties that he would
relent and come with her, declaring that he was very unkind, he knew
it took away all her pleasure--he was a tyrant, and wanted her not
to go. And then he smiled, and owned that he hoped some day she
would be tired of it; whereat she raged, and begged him to forbid
her, if he really thought her whole life had been so shocking,
declaring in the same breath that she would never disown her family,
or cast a slur on her mother and sisters.

It always ended in her going, and though never again offending as by
her bridal gown, she seldom failed to scandalize Cecil by an excess
of talking and of waltzing, such as even Raymond regretted, and
which disabled her for a whole day after from all but sofa, sleep,
novels, and yawns.

Was this the person whose advice the discreet heiress of Dunstone
was likely to follow?

It may be mentioned here, among other elements of difficulty, that
Cecil's maid Grindstone was a thorough Dunstonite, who 'kept herself
to herself,' was perfectly irreproachable, lived on terms of distant
civility with the rest of the household, never complained, but
constantly led her young mistress to understand that she was
enduring much for her sake.

Cecil was too well trained, and so was she, for a word of gossip or
censure to pass between them; but the influence was not the less
strong.

CHAPTER XII
Pastoral Visiting

A finger's breadth at hand may mar
A world of light in heaven afar;
A mote eclipse a glorious star,
An eyelid hide the sky.--KEBLE.

The dinner was over, and Cecil was favouring the audience with a
severely classical piece of music, when, under cover thereof, a low
voice said to Julius, "Now, really and truly, tell me how he is
getting on?"

"Really and truly, Jenny?"

"Well, not as you would tell mamma, for instance; but as you think
in your secret soul."

"I am sorry you