soft, and a little judicious consolation nicely administered----"

Though it was not perhaps of a very high quality, the rector was
delighted with his young friend's wit.

"It must be nicely administered," he said, "and you will not find them
inaccessible. They are the best girls in the world, but too natural to
make a fuss, as some girls do. He was a very insignificant, neutral-tinted
kind of man. I cannot think why they should be supposed to be so
inconsolable."

"Oh, Herbert!" said his wife.

"Yes, I know, my dear; but Oh, Herbert, is no argument. Nobody is
missed so much as we expect, not the very best. Life may have to make
itself a new channel, but it flows always on. And when the man is quite
insignificant, like poor Mr. Warrender----"

"Don't blaspheme the dead, Herbert. It is dreadful to hear you, you
are so cynical; and when even a clergyman takes up such opinions,
what can we expect of other people?" Mrs. Wilberforce said, with marked
disapproval, as she left the gentlemen after dinner. She left them in
a novel sort of way, going out of the window of the dining-room to the
lawn, which ran along all that side of the house. The drawing-room, too,
opened upon it, and one window of the rector's study; and the line of
limes, very fine trees, which stood at a little distance, throwing a
delightful shadow with their great silken mass of foliage over the
velvety grass, made the lawn into a kind of great withdrawing-room,
spacious and sweet. Mrs. Wilberforce had a little settlement at one end
of this, with wicker-work chairs and a table for her work and one for
tea, while her husband, at the other end, clinging to his own window,
which provided a mode of escape in case any one should appear to whom
his cigar might be offensive, smoked at the other, throwing now and then
a few words at her between the puffs. While thus indulging himself he
was never allowed to approach more near.

"I am afraid we have not very much amusement for you," the rector said.
"There is nothing going on at this season, and the Warren, as my wife
says, is shut up."

"Not so much shut up but that one may go to see Warrender?"

"Oh no."

"And in that case the ladies must be visible, too: for I entertained
them, you know, in my rooms at Commem. They must at least ask me to tea.
They owe me tea."

"Well, if you are content with that. My wife is dreadfully particular,
you know. I daresay we may be able to manage a game, for all Mrs.
Wi