t feel out of place. You know you taught me
first to care for Shakespeare, and I'd love to sit beside you and see a
play acted."

Mr. Macdonald shook his head at her.

"Are you tempting your old minister, Jean? I've lived for sixty-five
years without seeing a play, and I think I can go on to the end. It's
not that it's wrong or that I think myself more virtuous than the rest
of the world because I stay away. It's prejudice if you like,
intolerance perhaps, narrowness, bigotry--"

"Well, I think you and Mrs. Macdonald are better to rest this evening
after your journey," Pamela said.

"Wouldn't you rather we stayed at home with you?" Jean asked. "We're
only going to the play for something to do. We thought Davie would like
it."

"It's _Romeo and Juliet_," Jock broke in. "A silly love play, but
there's a fine scene at the end where they all get killed. If you're
sleeping, Mhor, I'll wake you up for that."

"I would like to stay with you," Jean said to Mrs. Macdonald.

"Never in the world. Off you go to your play, and John and I will go
early to bed and be fresh for to-morrow. When is the wedding?"

"At twelve o'clock in the church at Little St. Mary's," Lord Bidborough
told her. "It's about ten miles from Stratford. I'm staying at the inn
there to-night, and I trust you to see that they are all off to-morrow
in good time." He turned to Mr. Macdonald. "It's most extraordinarily
kind, sir, of you both to come. I knew Jean would never feel herself
properly married if you were not there. And we wondered, Mrs. Macdonald,
if you and your husband would add to your kindness by staying on here
for a few days with the boys? You would see the country round, and then
you would motor down with them and join us at Mintern Abbas for another
week. D'you think you can spare the time? Jean would like you to see her
in her own house, and I needn't say how honoured I would feel."

"Bless me," said Mrs. Macdonald. "That would mean a whole fortnight
away from Priorsford. You could arrange about the preaching, John, but
what about the spring cleaning? Agnes is a good creature, but I'm never
sure that she scrubs behind the shutters; they're the old-fashioned
kind, and need a lot of cleaning. However," with a deep sigh, "it's very
kind of you to ask us, and at our age we won't have many more
opportunities of having a holiday together, so perhaps we should seize
this one. Dear me, Jean, I don't understand how you can look so bright
so ne