suddenlycome
in
and
taken
possession
all
around
her
of
the
once
gay
and
brilliant
room
.
She
had
just
made
her
final
decision
when
she
was
rejoined
by
her
aunt
,
who
,
everybody
said
,
was
at
this
trying
moment
like
a
mother
to
Lucilla
.
Yet
Aunt
Jemima
,
too
,
had
changed
a
little
since
her
brother-in-law
's
death
.
She
was
very
fond
of
Miss
Marjoribanks
,
and
meant
every
word
she
had
said
about
giving
her
a
home
,
and
still
meant
it
.
But
she
did
not
feel
so
certain
now
as
she
had
done
about
Tom
's
love
for
his
cousin
,
nor
at
all
anxious
to
have
him
come
home
just
at
this
moment
;
and
for
another
thing
,
she
had
got
a
way
of
prowling
about
the
house
and
looking
at
the
furniture
in
a
speculative
,
auctioneering
sort
of
way
.
"
It
must
be
all
sold
,
of
course
,
"
Aunt
Jemima
had
said
to
herself
,
"
and
I
may
as
well
look
what
things
would
suit
me
;
there
is
a
little
chiffonier
that
I
have
always
wanted
for
my
drawing-room
,
and
Lucilla
would
like
to
see
a
few
of
the
old
things
about
her
,
poor
dear
.
"
With
this
idea
Mrs
John
gave
herself
a
great
deal
of
unnecessary
fatigue
,
and
gave
much
offence
to
the
servants
by
making
pilgrimages
all
over
the
house
,
turning
up
at
the
most
unlikely
places
and
poking
about
in
the
least
frequented
rooms
.
It
was
a
perfectly
virtuous
and
even
amiable
thing
to
do
,
for
it
was
better
,
as
she
reasoned
,
that
they
should
go
to
her
than
to
a
stranger
,
and
it
would
be
nice
for
Lucilla
to
feel
that
she
had
some
of
the
old
things
about
her
;
but
then
such
delicate
motives
are
seldom
appreciated
by
the
homely
critics
downstairs
.
It
was
with
something
of
this
same
air
that
she
came
into
the
drawing-room
,
where
Lucilla
was
.
She
could
not
help
laying
her
hand
in
a
suggestive
sort
of
way
on
a
small
table
which
she
had
to
pass
,
as
if
she
were
saying
to
herself
(
as
indeed
she
was
saying
)
,
"
The
veneer
has
been
broken
off
at
that
side
,
and
the
foot
is
mended
;
it
will
bring
very
little
;
and
yet
it
looks
well
when
you
do
n't
look
too
close
.
"
Such
were
the
ideas
with
which
Aunt
Jemima
's
mind
was
filled
.
But
yet
she
came
forward
with
a
great
deal
of
sympathy
and
curiosity
,
and
forgot
about
the
furniture
in
presence
of
her
afflicted
niece
.
"
Did
he
tell
you
anything
,
Lucilla
?
"
said
Mrs
John
;
"
of
course
he
must
have
told
you
something
—
but
anything
satisfactory
,
I
mean
.
"
"
I
do
n't
know
if
you
can
call
it
satisfactory
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
with
a
sudden
rush
of
softer
thoughts
;
"
but
it
was
a
comfort
to
hear
it
.
He
told
me
something
about
dear
papa
,
Aunt
Jemima
.
After
he
had
heard
of
that
,
you
know
—
all
that
he
said
was
,
Poor
Lucilla
!
And
do
n't
you
remember
how
he
put
his
hand
on
my
shoulder
that
last
night
?
I
am
so
—
so
—
glad
he
did
it
,
"
sobbed
Miss
Marjoribanks
.
It
may
be
supposed
it
was
an
abrupt
transition
from
her
calculations
;
but
after
all
it
was
only
a
different
branch
of
the
same
subject
;
and
Lucilla
in
all
her
life
had
never
before
shed
such
poignant
and
tender
tears
.
"
He
might
well
say
,
Poor
Lucilla
!
"
said
Mrs
John
—
"
brought
up
as
you
have
been
,
my
dear
;
and
did
not
you
hear
anything
more
important
?
—
I
mean
,
more
important
in
a
worldly
point
of
view
,
"
Aunt
Jemima
added
,
correcting
herself
,
"
of
course
,
it
must
be
the
greatest
comfort
to
hear
something
about
your
poor
papa
.
"
And
then
Lucilla
unfolded
John
Brown
's
further
particulars
to
her
surprised
hearer
.
Mrs
John
lived
upon
a
smallish
income
herself
,
and
she
was
not
so
contemptuous
of
the
two
hundred
a
year
.
"
And
the
house
,
"
she
said
—
"
the
house
would
bring
you
in
another
hundred
,
Lucilla
.
The
Riders
,
I
am
sure
,
would
take
it
directly
,
and
perhaps
a
great
part
of
the
furniture
too
.
Three
hundred
would
not
be
so
bad
for
a
single
woman
.
Did
you
say
anything
about
the
furniture
,
my
dear
?
"
Aunt
Jemima
added
,
half
regretfully
,
for
she
did
feel
that
she
would
be
sorry
to
lose
that
chiffonier
.
"
I
think
I
shall
stay
in
the
house
,
"
said
Lucilla
;
"
you
may
think
it
silly
,
Aunt
Jemima
,
but
I
was
born
in
it
,
and
—
—
"
"
Stay
in
the
house
!
"
Mrs
John
said
,
with
a
gasp
.
She
did
not
think
it
silly
,
but
simple
madness
,
and
so
she
told
her
niece
.
If
Lucilla
could
not
make
up
her
mind
to
Elsworthy
's
,
there
was
Brighton
and
Bath
and
Cheltenham
,
and
a
hundred
other
places
where
a
single
woman
might
be
very
comfortable
on
three
hundred
a
year
.
And
to
lose
a
third
part
of
her
income
for
a
piece
of
sentiment
was
so
utterly
unlike
any
conception
Aunt
Jemima
had
ever
formed
of
her
niece
.
It
was
unlike
Miss
Marjoribanks
;
but
there
are
times
of
life
when
even
the
most
reasonable
people
are
inconsistent
.
Lucilla
,
though
she
felt
it
was
open
to
grave
criticism
,
felt
only
more
confirmed
in
her
resolution
by
her
aunt
's
remarks
.
She
heard
a
voice
Aunt
Jemima
could
not
hear
,
and
that
voice
said
,
Stay
!
Chapter
XLV
It
must
be
allowed
that
Lucilla
's
decision
caused
very
general
surprise
in
Carlingford
,
where
people
had
been
disposed
to
think
that
she
would
be
rather
glad
,
now
that
things
were
so
changed
,
to
get
away
.
To
be
sure
it
was
not
known
for
some
time
;
but
everybody
's
idea
was
that
,
being
thus
left
alone
in
the
world
,
and
in
circumstances
so
reduced
,
Miss
Marjoribanks
naturally
would
go
to
live
with
somebody
.
Perhaps
with
her
aunt
,
who
had
something
,
though
she
was
not
rich
;
perhaps
,
after
a
little
,
to
visit
about
among
her
friends
,
of
whom
she
had
so
many
.
Nobody
doubted
that
Lucilla
would
abdicate
at
once
,
and
a
certain
uneasy
,
yet
delicious
,
sense
of
freedom
had
already
stolen
into
the
hearts
of
some
of
the
ladies
in
Grange
Lane
.
They
lamented
,
it
is
true
,
the
state
of
chaos
into
which
everything
would
fall
,
and
the
dreadful
loss
Miss
Marjoribanks
would
be
to
society
;
but
still
,
freedom
is
a
noble
thing
,
and
Lucilla
's
subjects
contemplated
their
emancipation
with
a
certain
guilty
delight
.
It
was
,
at
the
same
time
,
a
most
fertile
subject
of
discussion
in
Carlingford
,
and
gave
rise
to
all
those
lively
speculations
and
consultations
,
and
oft-renewed
comparing
of
notes
,
which
take
the
place
of
bets
in
the
feminine
community
.
The
Carlingford
ladies
as
good
as
betted
upon
Lucilla
,
whether
she
would
go
with
her
aunt
,
or
pay
Mrs
Beverley
a
visit
at
the
Deanery
,
or
retire
to
Mount
Pleasant
for
a
little
,
where
those
good
old
Miss
Blounts
were
so
fond
of
her
.
Each
of
these
opinions
had
its
backers
,
if
it
is
not
profane
to
say
so
;
and
the
discussion
which
of
them
Miss
Marjoribanks
would
choose
waxed
very
warm
.
It
almost
put
the
election
out
of
people
's
heads
;
and
indeed
the
election
had
been
sadly
damaged
in
interest
and
social
importance
by
the
sad
and
most
unexpected
event
which
had
just
happened
in
Grange
Lane
.
But
when
the
fact
was
really
known
,
it
would
be
difficult
to
describe
the
sense
of
guilt
and
horror
which
filled
many
innocent
bosoms
.
The
bound
of
freedom
had
been
premature
—
liberty
and
equality
had
not
come
yet
,
notwithstanding
that
too
early
unwise
élan
of
republican
satisfaction
.
It
was
true
that
she
was
in
deep
mourning
,
and
that
for
a
year
,
at
least
,
society
must
be
left
to
its
own
devices
;
and
it
was
true
,
also
,
that
she
was
poor
—
which
might
naturally
be
supposed
a
damper
upon
her
energies
—
but
,
at
the
same
time
,
Carlingford
knew
its
Lucilla
.
As
long
as
she
remained
in
Grange
Lane
,
even
though
retired
and
in
crape
,
the
constitutional
monarch
was
still
present
among
her
subjects
;
and
nobody
could
usurp
her
place
or
show
that
utter
indifference
to
her
regulations
which
some
revolutionaries
had
dreamed
of
.
Such
an
idea
would
have
gone
direct
in
the
face
of
the
British
Constitution
,
and
the
sense
of
the
community
would
have
been
dead
against
it
.
But
everybody
who
had
speculated
upon
her
proceedings
disapproved
of
Lucilla
in
her
most
unlooked-for
resolution
.
Some
could
not
think
how
she
could
bear
it
,
staying
on
there
when
everything
was
so
changed
;
and
some
said
it
was
a
weakness
they
could
never
have
believed
to
exist
in
her
;
and
some
—
for
there
are
spiteful
people
everywhere
—
breathed
the
names
of
Cavendish
and
Ashburton
,
the
rival
candidates
,
and
hinted
that
Miss
Marjoribanks
had
something
in
her
mind
to
justify
her
lingering
.
If
Lucilla
had
not
been
supported
by
a
conscious
sense
of
rectitude
,
she
must
have
broken
down
before
this
universal
disapprobation
.
Not
a
soul
in
the
world
except
one
supported
her
in
her
resolution
,
and
that
was
perhaps
,
of
all
others
,
the
one
least
likely
to
be
able
to
judge
.
And
it
was
not
for
want
of
opportunity
to
go
elsewhere
.
Aunt
Jemima
,
as
has
been
seen
,
did
not
lose
an
instant
in
offering
the
shelter
of
her
house
to
her
niece
;
and
Mrs
Beverley
wrote
the
longest
,
kindest
,
most
incoherent
letter
begging
her
dear
Lucilla
to
come
to
her
immediately
for
a
long
visit
,
and
adding
,
that
though
she
had
to
go
out
a
good
deal
into
society
,
she
need
n't
mind
,
for
that
everything
she
could
think
of
would
be
done
to
make
her
comfortable
;
to
which
Dr
Beverley
himself
,
who
was
now
a
dean
,
added
an
equally
kind
postscript
,
begging
Miss
Marjoribanks
to
make
her
home
at
the
Deanery
"
until
she
saw
how
things
were
to
be
.
"
"
He
would
have
found
me
a
place
,
perhaps
,
"
Lucilla
said
,
when
she
folded
up
the
letter
—
and
this
was
a
terrible
mode
of
expression
to
the
genteel
ears
of
Mrs
John
.
"
I
wish
you
would
not
use
such
words
,
my
dear
,
"
said
Aunt
Jemima
;
"
even
if
you
had
been
as
poor
as
you
thought
,
my
house
would
always
have
been
a
home
for
you
.
Thank
Heaven
I
have
enough
for
both
;
you
never
needed
to
have
thought
,
under
any
circumstances
,
of
taking
a
—
a
situation
.
It
is
a
thing
I
could
never
have
consented
to
,
"
—
which
was
a
very
handsome
thing
of
Aunt
Jemima
to
say
.
"
Thank
you
,
aunt
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
but
she
sighed
;
for
,
though
it
was
very
kind
,
what
was
Miss
Marjoribanks
to
have
done
with
herself
in
such
a
dowager
establishment
?
And
then
Colonel
Chiley
came
in
,
who
had
also
his
proposal
to
make
.
"
She
sent
me
,
"
the
Colonel
said
;
"
it
's
been
a
sad
business
for
us
all
,
Lucilla
;
I
do
n't
know
when
I
have
felt
anything
more
;
and
as
for
her
,
you
know
,
she
has
never
held
up
her
head
since
—
—
"
"
Dear
Mrs
Chiley
!
"
Miss
Marjoribanks
said
,
unable
to
resist
the
old
affection
;
"
and
yet
I
heard
she
had
sent
for
Dr
Rider
directly
,
"
Lucilla
added
.
She
knew
it
was
quite
natural
,
and
perhaps
quite
necessary
,
but
then
it
did
seem
hard
that
his
own
friends
should
be
the
first
to
replace
her
dear
papa
.
"
It
was
I
did
that
,
"
said
the
Colonel
.
"
What
was
a
man
to
do
?
I
was
horribly
cut
up
,
but
I
could
not
stand
and
see
her
making
herself
worse
;
and
I
said
you
had
too
much
sense
to
mind
—
—
"
"
So
I
ought
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
with
penitence
,
"
but
when
I
remembered
where
he
was
last
,
the
very
last
place
—
—
"
It
was
hard
upon
the
Colonel
to
stand
by
and
see
a
woman
cry
.
It
was
a
thing
he
could
never
stand
,
as
he
had
always
said
to
his
wife
.
He
took
the
poker
,
which
was
his
favourite
resource
,
and
made
one
of
his
tremendous
dashes
at
the
fire
,
to
give
Lucilla
time
to
recover
herself
,
and
then
he
turned
to
Aunt
Jemima
,
who
sat
pensively
by
:
"
She
sent
me
,
"
said
the
Colonel
,
who
did
not
think
his
wife
needed
any
other
name
—
"
not
that
I
would
not
have
come
of
my
own
accord
;
we
want
Lucilla
to
go
to
us
,
you
see
.
I
do
n't
know
what
plans
she
may
have
been
making
,
but
we
're
both
very
fond
of
her
—
she
knows
that
.
I
think
,
if
you
have
not
settled
upon
anything
,
the
best
that
Lucilla
can
do
is
to
come
to
us
.
She
'll
be
the
same
as
at
home
,
and
always
somebody
to
look
after
her
—
—
"
The
old
Colonel
was
standing
before
the
fire
,
wavering
a
little
on
his
long
unsteady
old
legs
,
and
looking
wonderfully
well
preserved
,
and
old
and
feeble
;
and
Lucilla
,
though
she
was
in
mourning
,
was
so
full
of
life
and
force
in
her
way
.
It
was
a
curious
sort
of
protection
to
offer
her
,
and
yet
it
was
real
protection
,
and
love
and
succour
,
though
,
Heaven
knows
!
it
might
not
perhaps
last
out
the
year
.
"
I
am
sure
,
Colonel
Chiley
,
it
is
a
very
kind
offer
,
"
said
Aunt
Jemima
,
"
and
I
would
have
been
thankful
if
she
could
have
made
up
her
mind
to
go
with
me
.
But
I
must
say
she
has
taken
a
very
queer
notion
into
her
head
—
a
thing
I
should
never
have
expected
from
Lucilla
—
she
says
she
will
stay
here
.
"
"
Here
?
—
ah
—
eh
—
what
does
she
mean
by
here
?
"
said
the
Colonel
.
"
Here
,
Colonel
Chiley
,
in
this
great
big
melancholy
house
.
I
have
been
thinking
about
it
,
and
talking
about
it
till
my
head
goes
round
and
round
.
Unless
she
were
to
take
Inmates
,
"
said
Aunt
Jemima
,
in
a
resigned
and
doleful
voice
.
As
for
the
Colonel
,
he
was
petrified
,
and
for
a
long
time
had
not
a
word
to
say
.
"
Here
!
—
By
Jove
,
I
think
she
must
have
lost
her
senses
,
"
said
the
old
soldier
.
"
Why
,
Lucilla
,
I
—
I
thought
—
was
n't
there
something
about
the
money
being
lost
?
You
could
n't
keep
up
this
house
under
a
—
fifteen
hundred
a
year
at
least
;
the
Doctor
spent
a
mint
of
money
;
—
you
must
be
going
out
of
your
senses
.
And
to
have
all
the
sick
people
coming
,
and
the
bell
ringing
of
nights
.
Bless
my
soul
!
it
would
kill
anybody
,
"
said
Colonel
Chiley
.
"
Put
on
your
bonnet
,
and
come
out
with
me
;
shutting
her
up
here
,
and
letting
her
cry
,
and
so
forth
—
I
do
n't
say
it
ai
n't
natural
—
I
'm
terribly
cut
up
myself
whenever
I
think
of
it
;
but
it
's
been
too
much
for
her
head
,
"
said
the
Colonel
,
with
anxiety
and
consternation
mingling
in
his
face
.
"
Unless
she
were
to
take
Inmates
,
you
know
,
"
said
Aunt
Jemima
,
in
a
sepulchral
voice
.
There
was
something
in
the
word
that
seemed
to
carry
out
to
a
point
of
reality
much
beyond
anything
he
had
dreamt
of
,
the
suggestion
Colonel
Chiley
had
just
made
.
"
Inmates
!
Lord
bless
my
soul
!
what
do
you
mean
,
ma'am
?
"
said
the
old
soldier
.
"
Lucilla
,
put
on
your
bonnet
directly
,
and
come
and
have
a
little
fresh
air
.
She
'll
soon
be
an
inmate
herself
if
we
leave
her
here
,
"
the
Colonel
said
.
They
were
all
very
sad
and
grave
,
and
yet
it
was
a
droll
scene
;
and
then
the
old
hero
offered
Lucilla
his
arm
,
and
led
her
to
the
door
.
"
You
'll
find
me
in
the
hall
as
soon
as
you
are
ready
,
"
he
said
,
in
tones
half
gruff
,
half
tender
,
and
was
glad
to
go
downstairs
,
though
it
was
cold
,
and
put
on
his
greatcoat
with
the
aid
of
Thomas
,
and
stand
warming
the
tips
of
his
boots
at
the
hall
fire
.
As
for
Lucilla
,
she
obeyed
him
without
a
word
;
and
it
was
with
his
unsteady
but
kind
old
arm
to
lean
upon
that
she
first
saw
how
the
familiar
world
looked
through
the
mist
of
this
strange
change
that
had
come
over
it
,
and
through
the
blackness
of
her
crape
veil
.
But
though
she
succeeded
in
satisfying
her
friends
that
she
had
made
up
her
mind
,
she
did
not
secure
their
approval
.
There
were
so
many
objections
to
her
plan
.
"
If
you
had
been
rich
even
,
I
do
n't
think
I
should
have
approved
of
it
,
Lucilla
,
"
Mrs
Chiley
said
,
with
tears
;
"
and
I
think
we
could
have
made
you
happy
here
.
"
So
the
good
old
lady
spoke
,
looking
round
her
pretty
room
,
which
was
so
warm
and
cheery
and
bright
,
and
where
the
Colonel
,
neat
and
precise
as
if
he
had
come
out
of
a
box
,
was
standing
poking
the
fire
.
It
looked
all
very
solid
and
substantial
,
and
yet
it
was
as
unstable
as
any
gossamer
that
the
careless
passenger
might
brush
away
.
The
two
good
people
were
so
old
that
they
had
forgotten
to
remember
they
were
old
.
But
neither
did
Lucilla
think
of
that
.
This
was
really
what
she
thought
and
partly
said
:
"
I
am
in
my
own
house
,
that
wants
no
expense
nor
changing
,
and
Nancy
is
getting
old
,
and
does
not
mind
standing
by
me
.
And
it
is
not
so
much
trouble
after
all
keeping
everything
nice
when
there
is
no
gentleman
coming
in
,
and
nothing
else
to
do
.
And
,
besides
,
I
do
n't
mean
to
be
Lucilla
Marjoribanks
for
ever
and
ever
.
"
This
was
the
general
scope
,
without
going
into
all
the
details
,
of
what
Lucilla
said
.
But
,
at
the
same
time
,
though
she
was
so
happy
as
not
to
be
disturbed
in
her
decision
,
or
made
uncomfortable
,
either
by
lamentation
or
remonstrance
,
and
had
no
doubt
in
her
mind
that
she
was
doing
right
,
it
was
disagreeable
to
Miss
Marjoribanks
to
go
thus
in
the
face
of
all
her
friends
.
She
went
home
by
herself
,
and
the
house
did
look
dreary
from
the
outside
.
It
was
just
as
it
had
always
been
,
for
none
of
the
servants
were
dismissed
as
yet
,
nor
any
external
change
made
;
but
still
a
look
as
if
it
had
fallen
asleep
—
a
look
as
if
it
too
had
died
somehow
,
and
only
pretended
to
be
a
house
and
home
—
was
apparent
,
in
the
aspect
of
the
place
;
and
when
the
servants
were
gone
,
and
nobody
remained
except
Lucilla
and
her
faithful
Nancy
,
and
a
young
maid
—
which
must
be
the
furthest
limit
of
Miss
Marjoribanks
's
household
,
and
difficult
enough
to
maintain
upon
two
hundred
a
year
—
what
would
it
look
like
?
This
thought
was
more
discouraging
than
any
remonstrances
;
and
it
was
with
a
heavy
heart
that
Lucilla
re-entered
her
solitary
house
.
She
told
Thomas
to
follow
her
upstairs
;
and
when
she
sank
,
tired
,
into
a
chair
,
and
put
up
her
veil
before
commencing
to
speak
to
him
,
it
was
all
she
could
do
to
keep
from
crying
.
The
depressing
influences
of
this
sad
week
had
told
so
much
on
her
,
that
she
was
quite
fatigued
by
her
walk
to
see
Mrs
Chiley
;
and
Thomas
,
too
,
knew
why
he
had
been
called
,
and
stood
in
a
formal
manner
before
her
,
with
his
hands
crossed
,
against
the
closed
door
.
When
she
put
back
her
thick
black
veil
,
the
last
climax
of
painful
change
came
upon
Miss
Marjoribanks
.
She
did
not
feel
as
if
she
were
Lucilla
;
so
discouraged
and
depressed
and
pale
,
and
tired
with
her
walk
as
she
was
,
with
all
sorts
of
projects
and
plans
so
quenched
out
of
her
;
almost
if
she
had
been
charged
with
being
somebody
else
,
the
imputation
was
one
which
she
could
not
have
denied
.
"
Thomas
,
"
she
said
faintly
,
"
I
think
I
ought
to
speak
to
you
myself
about
all
that
has
happened
—
we
are
such
old
friends
,
and
you
have
been
such
a
good
kind
servant
.
You
know
I
sha
n't
be
able
to
keep
up
—
—
"
"
And
sorry
we
all
was
,
Miss
,
to
hear
it
,
"
said
Thomas
,
when
Lucilla
's
utterance
failed
.
"
I
am
sure
there
never
was
a
better
master
,
though
particular
;
and
for
a
comfortabler
house
—
—
"
"
If
I
had
been
as
poor
papa
expected
to
leave
me
,
"
said
Miss
Marjoribanks
,
after
a
little
pause
,
"
everything
would
have
gone
on
as
usual
:
but
after
your
long
service
here
,
and
so
many
people
as
know
you
,
Thomas
,
you
will
have
no
difficulty
in
getting
as
good
a
place
:
and
you
know
that
anything
I
can
say
—
—
"
"
Thank
you
,
Miss
,
"
said
Thomas
;
and
then
he
made
a
pause
.
"
It
was
not
exactly
that
as
I
was
thinking
of
;
I
've
set
my
heart
,
this
many
a
day
,
on
a
little
business
.
If
you
would
be
so
kind
as
to
speak
a
word
for
me
to
the
gentlemen
as
has
the
licensing
.
There
ai
n't
nobody
as
knows
better
how
—
—
"
"
What
kind
of
a
business
,
Thomas
?
"
said
Lucilla
,
who
cheered
up
a
little
in
ready
interest
,
and
would
have
been
very
glad
if
she
could
have
taken
a
little
business
too
.
"
Well
,
Miss
,
a
kind
of
a
quiet
—
public-house
,
if
I
do
n't
make
too
bold
to
name
it
,
"
said
Thomas
,
with
a
deprecating
air
—
"
not
one
of
them
drinking-places
,
Miss
,
as
,
I
know
,
ladies
ca
n't
abide
;
but
many
a
man
,
as
is
a
very
decent
man
,
wants
his
pint
o
'
beer
now
and
again
,
and
their
little
sort
of
clubs
of
a
night
as
well
as
the
gentlefolks
;
and
it
's
my
opinion
,
Miss
,
as
it
's
a
man
's
dooty
to
see
as
that
sort
of
thing
do
n't
go
too
far
,
and
yet
as
his
fellow-creatures
has
their
bit
of
pleasure
,
"
said
Thomas
,
who
naturally
took
the
defensive
side
.
"
I
am
sure
you
are
quite
right
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
cheering
up
more
and
more
,
and
instinctively
,
with
her
old
statesmanlike
breadth
of
view
,
throwing
a
rapid
glance
upon
the
subject
to
see
what
capabilities
there
might
be
in
it
;
"
and
I
hope
you
will
try
always
to
exercise
a
good
influence
—
What
is
all
that
noise
and
shouting
out
of
doors
?
"
"
It
's
one
of
the
candidates
,
Miss
,
"
said
Thomas
,
"
as
is
addressing
of
the
bargemen
at
the
top
o
'
Prickett
's
Lane
.
"
"
Ah
!
"
said
Lucilla
;
and
a
deep
sigh
escaped
from
her
bosom
.
"
But
you
cannot
do
anything
of
that
kind
,
you
know
,
Thomas
,
without
a
wife
.
"
"
Yes
,
Miss
,
"
said
Thomas
,
with
great
confusion
and
embarrassment
;
"
that
was
just
what
I
was
going
to
say
.
Me
and
Betsy
—
—
"
"
Betsy
!
"
said
Lucilla
,
with
dismay
;
for
it
had
been
Betsy
she
had
specially
fixed
upon
as
the
handy
,
willing
,
cheerful
maid
who
,
when
there
was
no
gentleman
coming
in
,
and
little
else
to
do
,
might
keep
even
this
big
house
in
order
.
She
sighed
;
but
it
was
not
in
her
power
,
even
if
she
had
desired
it
,
to
put
any
restriction
upon
Betsy
's
wishes
.
And
it
was
not
without
a
momentary
envy
that
she
received
the
intelligence
.
It
was
life
the
housemaid
was
about
to
enter
on
—
active
life
of
her
own
,
with
an
object
and
meaning
—
clogged
by
Thomas
,
no
doubt
,
who
did
not
appear
to
Lucilla
as
the
bright
spot
in
the
picture
—
but
still
independent
life
;
whereas
her
mistress
knew
of
nothing
particularly
interesting
in
her
own
uncertain
future
.
She
was
roused
from
her
momentary
meditation
by
the
distant
shouts
which
came
from
the
top
of
Prickett
's
Lane
,
and
sighed
again
,
without
knowing
it
,
as
she
spoke
.
"
It
's
a
pity
you
had
not
got
your
—
little
inn
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
for
the
sake
of
euphony
,
"
six
months
or
a
year
ago
,
for
then
you
might
have
voted
for
Mr
Ashburton
,
Thomas
.
I
had
forgotten
about
the
election
until
now
.
"
"
Not
as
that
need
n't
stand
in
the
way
,
Miss
,
"
said
Thomas
eagerly
;
"
there
's
Betsy
's
brother
as
has
it
now
,
and
he
ai
n't
made
up
his
mind
about
his
vote
;
and
if
he
knowed
as
it
would
be
any
comfort
to
you
—
—
"
"
Of
course
it
will
be
a
comfort
to
me
!
"
said
Miss
Marjoribanks
;
and
she
got
up
from
her
chair
with
a
sense
that
she
was
still
not
altogether
useless
in
the
world
.
"
Go
and
speak
to
him
directly
,
Thomas
;
and
here
's
one
of
Mr
Ashburton
's
colours
that
I
made
up
myself
;
and
tell
him
that
there
can
be
no
doubt
he
is
the
man
for
Carlingford
;
and
send
up
Nancy
to
me
.
And
I
hope
Betsy
and
you
will
be
very
happy
,
"
said
Lucilla
.
She
had
been
dreadfully
down
,
but
the
rebound
was
all
the
more
grateful
.
"
I
am
not
done
with
yet
,
and
,
thank
Heaven
!
there
must
always
be
something
to
do
,
"
she
said
to
herself
when
she
was
alone
.
And
she
threw
off
her
shawl
,
and
began
to
make
the
drawing-room
look
like
itself
;
not
that
it
was
not
perfectly
in
order
,
and
as
neat
as
a
room
could
be
;
but
still
the
neatness
savoured
of
Betsy
,
and
not
of
Lucilla
.
Miss
Marjoribanks
,
in
five
minutes
,
made
it
look
like
that
cosy
empire
of
hospitality
and
kindness
and
talk
and
wit
,
and
everything
pleasant
,
that
it
used
to
be
;
and
then
,
when
she
had
finished
,
she
sat
down
and
had
a
good
cry
,
which
did
not
do
her
any
harm
.
Then
Nancy
appeared
,
disturbed
in
her
preparations
for
dinner
,
and
with
her
arms
wrapped
in
her
apron
,
looking
glum
and
defiant
.
Hers
was
not
the
resigned
and
resourceful
preparation
for
her
fate
which
had
appeared
in
Thomas
.
She
came
in
,
and
put
the
door
ajar
,
and
leant
her
back
against
the
sharp
edge
.
She
might
be
sent
off
like
the
rest
,
if
that
was
Miss
Lucilla
's
meaning
—
her
that
had
been
in
the
house
off
and
on
for
more
than
thirty
years
;
but
if
it
was
so
,
at
least
she
would
not
give
up
without
unfolding
a
bit
of
her
mind
.
"
Come
in
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
drying
her
eyes
—
"
come
in
and
shut
the
door
;
you
had
better
come
and
sit
down
here
,
Nancy
,
for
I
have
a
great
deal
to
say
,
and
I
want
to
speak
to
you
as
a
friend
.
"
Nancy
shut
the
door
,
but
she
thought
to
herself
that
she
knew
what
all
this
meant
,
and
made
but
a
very
little
movement
into
the
room
,
looking
more
forbidding
than
ever
.
"
Thank
you
all
the
same
,
Miss
Lucilla
,
but
I
ai
n't
too
old
to
stand
,
"
she
said
;
and
stood
firm
to
meet
the
shock
,
with
her
arms
folded
under
her
apron
,
thinking
in
her
heart
that
it
was
about
one
of
the
almshouses
,
her
horror
and
hope
,
that
her
young
mistress
was
going
to
speak
.
"
Nancy
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
"
I
want
to
tell
you
what
I
am
going
to
do
.
I
have
to
make
up
my
mind
for
myself
now
.
They
all
go
against
me
,
and
one
says
I
should
do
this
and
another
says
I
should
do
that
;
but
I
do
n't
think
anybody
knows
me
so
well
as
you
do
.
Do
n't
stand
at
the
door
.
I
want
to
consult
you
as
a
friend
.
I
want
to
ask
you
a
question
,
and
you
must
answer
as
if
you
were
before
a
judge
—
I
have
such
confidence
in
you
.
"
Nancy
's
distrust
and
defiance
gave
way
a
little
before
this
appeal
.
She
came
a
step
nearer
,
and
let
the
apron
drop
from
her
folded
arms
.
"
What
is
it
,
Miss
Lucilla
?
—
though
I
ai
n't
pretending
to
be
one
to
advise
,
"
she
said
,
building
a
kind
of
intrenchment
round
her
with
the
nearest
chairs
.
"
You
know
how
things
are
changed
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
"
and
that
I
ca
n't
stay
here
as
I
used
to
do
.
People
think
I
should
go
and
live
with
somebody
;
but
I
think
,
you
know
—
if
I
was
one
of
those
ladies
that
have
a
faithful
old
servant
to
stand
by
them
,
and
never
to
grumble
nor
make
a
fuss
,
nor
go
back
on
the
past
,
nor
go
in
for
expensive
dishes
—
one
that
would
n't
mind
cooking
a
chop
or
making
a
cup
of
tea
,
if
that
was
all
we
could
afford
—
why
,
I
think
,
Nancy
—
—
"
But
Nancy
could
not
hear
any
more
.
She
made
a
little
rush
forward
,
with
a
kind
of
convulsive
chuckling
that
was
half
sobbing
and
half
laughter
.
"
And
me
here
!
"
cried
Dr
Marjoribanks
's
famous
cook
,
who
had
spent
a
fortune
on
her
gravy-beef
alone
,
and
was
one
of
the
most
expensive
people
in
Carlingford
—
"
me
as
has
done
for
you
all
your
days
!
me
as
would
—
if
it
was
but
a
roast
potato
!
"
cried
the
devoted
woman
.
She
was
in
such
a
state
of
hysterical
flutter
and
excitement
that
Lucilla
had
to
take
her
almost
into
her
arms
and
put
the
old
woman
into
a
chair
and
bring
her
to
,
which
was
an
occupation
quite
in
Miss
Marjoribanks
's
way
.
"
But
I
shall
only
have
two
hundred
a
year
,
"
said
Lucilla
.
"
Now
do
n't
be
rash
;
there
will
have
to
be
a
maid
to
keep
things
tidy
,
and
that
is
every
farthing
I
shall
have
.
You
used
to
spend
as
much
in
gravy-beef
,
"
said
Miss
Marjoribanks
,
with
a
sigh
.
"
Oh
,
Miss
Lucilla
,
let
bygones
be
bygones
,
"
said
Nancy
,
with
tears
.
"
If
I
did
,
it
was
n't
without
many
a
little
something
for
them
as
was
too
poor
to
buy
it
for
themselves
—
for
I
never
was
one
as
boiled
the
senses
out
of
a
bit
of
meat
;
and
when
a
gentleman
is
well-to-do
,
and
has
n't
got
no
occasion
to
count
every
penny
—
—
The
Doctor
,
I
will
say
for
him
,
was
never
one
as
asked
too
many
questions
.
Give
him
a
good
dinner
on
his
own
table
,
and
he
was
n't
the
gentleman
as
grudged
a
bit
of
broken
meat
for
the
poor
folks
.
He
did
a
deal
of
good
as
you
nor
no
one
never
know
'd
of
,
Miss
Lucilla
,
"
said
Nancy
,
with
a
sob
.
And
then
his
daughter
and
his
faithful
old
servant
cried
a
little
in
company
over
Dr
Marjoribanks
's
vacant
place
.
What
could
a
man
have
more
?
Nobody
was
made
altogether
desolate
by
his
death
,
nor
was
any
heart
broken
,
but
they
wept
for
him
honestly
,
though
the
old
woman
felt
happy
in
her
sorrow
.
And
Lucilla
,
on
her
knees
before
the
fire
,
told
Nancy
of
that
exclamation
the
Doctor
had
made
in
John
Brown
's
office
,
and
how
he
had
put
his
hand
on
her
shoulder
that
last
night
.
"
All
he
said
was
,
Poor
Lucilla
!
"
sobbed
Miss
Marjoribanks
;
"
he
never
thought
of
himself
nor
all
his
money
that
he
had
worked
so
hard
for
;
"
and
once
more
that
touch
of
something
more
exquisite
than
was
usual
to
her
went
sharply
down
into
Lucilla
's
heart
and
brought
up
tenderer
and
deeper
tears
.
She
felt
all
the
better
for
it
after
,
and
was
even
a
little
cheerful
in
the
evening
,
and
like
herself
;
and
thus
it
will
be
seen
that
one
person
in
Carlingford
—
not
,
it
is
true
,
a
popular
oracle
,
but
of
powerful
influence
and
first-rate
importance
in
a
practical
point
of
view
—
gave
the
heartiest
approbation
to
Miss
Marjoribanks
's
scheme
for
her
new
life
.
Chapter
XLVI
Lucilla
's
calculations
were
fully
justified
by
the
result
.
Twenty
times
in
a
day
she
recognised
the
wisdom
of
her
own
early
decision
,
which
was
made
while
she
was
still
by
herself
,
and
before
anybody
had
come
in
to
advise
her
.
If
she
had
left
it
over
until
the
time
when
,
though
much
shaken
,
she
was
understood
to
be
able
to
see
her
friends
,
it
is
just
possible
that
the
whirlwind
of
popular
opinion
which
raged
about
her
might
have
exercised
a
distracting
influence
even
upon
Miss
Marjoribanks
's
clear
head
and
steady
judgment
.
For
even
now
,
though
they
saw
her
in
her
own
house
,
in
her
mourning
,
people
would
not
believe
that
it
was
true
,
and
that
Lucilla
actually
intended
to
make
"
no
change
"
;
and
all
that
tide
of
good
advice
which
had
been
flowing
through
Carlingford
ever
since
the
Doctor
's
death
in
the
form
of
opinion
,
now
rushed
in
upon
her
,
notwithstanding
that
all
the
world
knew
that
she
had
made
up
her
mind
.
"
Everybody
says
you
are
going
to
stay
on
,
but
we
do
hope
it
is
not
true
,
Lucilla
,
"
her
friends
said
,
in
many
voices
.
"
It
is
dreadful
for
us
to
lose
you
,
but
you
never
could
bear
it
,
dear
.
"
And
this
was
repeated
so
often
that
if
Miss
Marjoribanks
had
been
weak-minded
,
she
must
have
ended
by
believing
not
only
that
it
was
more
than
she
was
equal
to
,
but
more
than
she
ought
to
be
equal
to
—
which
was
a
more
touching
argument
still
.
"
You
are
excited
now
,
"
Miss
Brown
said
,
who
had
a
great
deal
of
experience
in
family
troubles
;
"
one
always
is
at
such
a
time
;
but
when
things
have
settled
down
in
their
ordinary
way
,
then
you
will
find
it
is
more
than
you
can
bear
.
I
think
it
is
always
best
to
make
a
change
.
If
you
were
to
travel
a
little
,
you
know
—
—
"
"
But
,
my
dear
,
I
am
poor
,
"
said
Lucilla
.
"
It
does
n't
require
so
much
money
when
you
know
how
to
set
about
it
,
"
said
her
adviser
;
"
and
there
are
so
many
people
who
would
be
glad
to
have
you
,
Lucilla
!
And
then
you
might
settle
a
little
at
Caen
or
Tours
,
or
some
of
those
nice
places
,
where
there
is
such
capital
English
society
,
and
everything
so
cheap
;
or
,
if
you
thought
your
health
required
it
,
at
Pau
or
Nice
,
you
know
.
You
are
looking
quite
pale
,
and
I
do
n't
think
you
were
ever
very
strong
in
the
chest
,
Lucilla
;
and
everything
is
so
different
on
the
Continent
—
one
feels
it
the
moment
one
crosses
the
Channel
;
there
is
something
different
in
the
very
air
.
"
"
It
smells
different
,
I
know
,
"
said
Lucilla
meekly
;
and
then
the
conversation
was
interrupted
by
that
afternoon
cup
of
tea
,
which
Nancy
could
not
be
got
to
think
was
an
extravagance
,
and
around
which
,
to
tell
the
truth
,
the
Grange
Lane
ladies
began
to
resume
their
habit
of
gathering
—
though
Miss
Marjoribanks
,
of
course
,
was
still
quite
unequal
to
society
—
as
in
the
old
times
.
"
And
unless
it
is
for
a
very
short
time
,
Lucilla
,
"
Mrs
Centum
said
,
who
had
joined
them
,
"
you
never
can
keep
it
up
,
you
know
.
I
could
not
pretend
to
afford
Nancy
,
for
my
part
;
and
when
a
cook
is
extravagant
she
may
promise
as
faithfully
as
you
please
,
and
make
good
resolutions
,
and
all
that
;
but
when
it
is
in
her
,
Lucilla
—
I
am
sure
one
or
two
receipts
she
has
given
me
have
been
quite
ridiculous
.
You
do
n't
like
to
give
in
,
I
know
,
but
you
'll
be
driven
to
give
in
;
and
if
she
does
not
get
you
into
debt
as
well
,
you
will
be
very
lucky
.
I
know
what
it
is
.
With
my
family
,
you
know
,
a
week
of
Nancy
would
make
an
end
of
me
.
"
"
And
the
worst
of
all
is
,
"
said
Lady
Richmond
,
who
had
driven
in
expressly
to
add
her
mite
to
the
treasure
of
precious
counsel
,
of
which
Miss
Marjoribanks
was
making
so
little
use
,
"
that
I
am
sure
Lucilla
is
overestimating
her
strength
.
She
will
find
after
that
she
is
not
equal
to
it
,
you
know
;
all
the
associations
—
and
the
people
coming
at
night
to
ask
for
the
Doctor
—
and
—
and
all
that
.
I
know
it
would
kill
me
.
"
"
Dear
Lady
Richmond
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
making
a
desperate
stand
,
and
setting
,
as
it
were
,
her
back
against
a
rock
,
"
do
n't
you
think
I
can
bear
it
best
here
where
you
are
all
so
kind
to
me
;
and
where
everybody
was
so
fond
of
—
of
him
?
You
ca
n't
think
what
a
comfort
it
is
to
me
,
"
said
Lucilla
,
with
a
sob
,
"
to
see
all
the
hatbands
upon
the
gentlemen
's
hats
.
"
And
then
there
was
a
pause
,
for
this
was
an
argument
against
which
nobody
could
find
anything
to
say
.
"
For
my
part
,
I
think
the
only
thing
she
can
do
is
to
take
Inmates
,
"
said
Aunt
Jemima
.
"
If
I
were
obliged
to
leave
she
would
be
so
very
lonely
.
I
have
known
ladies
do
it
who
were
in
a
very
good
position
,
and
it
made
no
difference
;
people
visited
them
all
the
same
.
She
could
say
,
'
In
consequence
of
changes
in
the
family
,
'
or
'
A
lady
who
has
a
larger
house
than
she
requires
'
;
which
I
am
sure
is
quite
true
.
It
goes
to
one
's
heart
to
think
of
all
these
bedrooms
,
and
only
one
lady
to
sleep
in
them
all
—
when
so
many
people
are
so
hampered
for
want
of
room
.
Or
she
might
say
,
'
For
the
sake
of
society
'
;
for
,
I
am
sure
,
if
I
should
have
to
go
away
—
—
"
"
But
I
hope
you
are
not
going
away
.
It
would
be
so
sad
for
Lucilla
to
be
left
alone
,
"
said
Lady
Richmond
,
who
took
a
serious
view
of
everything
,
"
at
such
a
time
.
"
"
Oh
,
no
!
"
Aunt
Jemima
said
,
faltering
a
little
;
and
then
a
pink
blush
,
which
seemed
strangely
uncalled
for
in
such
a
mild
little
tea-party
,
came
over
her
mature
countenance
;
"
but
then
one
can
never
tell
what
may
happen
.
I
might
have
other
duties
—
my
son
might
make
a
call
upon
my
time
.
Not
that
I
know
of
anything
at
present
,
"
she
added
hurriedly
,
"
but
I
never
can
bind
myself
on
account
of
Tom
—
—
"
And
then
she
caught
Lucilla
's
eye
,
and
grew
more
confused
than
ever
.
What
could
she
have
to
be
confused
about
?
If
Tom
did
make
a
call
upon
her
time
,
whatever
that
might
mean
,
there
was
nothing
in
it
to
call
a
blush
upon
his
mother
's
face
.
And
the
fact
was
,
that
a
letter
had
come
from
Tom
a
day
or
two
before
,
of
which
,
contrary
to
all
her
usual
habits
,
Aunt
Jemima
had
taken
no
notice
to
Lucilla
.
These
were
things
which
would
have
roused
Miss
Marjoribanks
's
curiosity
if
she
had
been
able
to
think
about
anything
,
as
she
said
.
But
her
visitors
were
taking
their
cup
of
tea
all
the
time
,
in
a
melancholy
,
half-sympathetic
,
half-disapproving
way
,
and
they
could
not
be
expected
to
see
anything
particularly
interesting
in
Aunt
Jemima
's
blush
.
And
then
Rose
Lake
came
in
from
Grove
Street
,
who
was
rather
an
unusual
visitor
,
and
whose
appearance
,
though
they
were
all
very
kind
and
gracious
to
her
,
rather
put
the
others
to
flight
;
for
nobody
had
ever
quite
forgotten
or
forgiven
Barbara
's
brief
entrance
into
society
and
flirtation
with
Mr
Cavendish
,
which
might
be
said
to
have
been
the
beginning
of
all
that
happened
to
him
in
Grange
Lane
.
As
for
Mrs
Centum
,
she
took
her
leave
directly
,
and
pressed
Lucilla
's
hand
,
and
could
not
help
saying
in
her
ear
that
she
hoped
the
other
was
not
coming
back
to
Carlingford
to
throw
herself
in
poor
Mr
Cavendish
's
way
.
"
It
would
do
him
so
much
harm
,
"
Mrs
Centum
said
anxiously
;
"
but
oh
!
I
forgot
,
Lucilla
,
you
are
on
the
other
side
.
"
"
I
am
on
no
side
now
,
"
said
Miss
Marjoribanks
,
with
plaintive
meaning
;
"
and
Barbara
was
as
old
as
I
am
,
you
know
,
and
she
must
have
gone
off
.
"
"
I
have
no
doubt
she
has
gone
off
,
"
said
Mrs
Centum
,
with
righteous
indignation
.
"
As
old
as
you
,
Lucilla
!
She
must
be
ten
years
older
at
least
;
and
such
a
shocking
style
of
looks
—
if
men
were
not
so
infatuated
!
And
you
have
not
gone
off
at
all
,
my
poor
dear
,
"
she
added
,
with
all
the
warmth
of
friendship
!
And
then
they
were
joined
at
the
door
by
the
county
lady
,
who
was
the
next
to
go
away
.
"
My
dear
,
I
hope
you
will
be
guided
for
the
best
,
"
Lady
Richmond
said
as
she
went
away
;
but
she
gave
a
deep
sigh
as
she
kissed
Lucilla
,
and
looked
as
if
she
had
very
little
faith
in
the
efficacy
of
her
own
wish
.
Maria
Brown
had
withdrawn
to
another
part
of
the
drawing-room
with
Aunt
Jemima
,
so
that
Lucilla
was
,
so
to
speak
,
left
alone
with
Rose
.
And
Rose
,
too
,
had
come
with
the
intention
of
giving
advice
.
"
I
hear
you
are
going
to
stay
,
Lucilla
,
"
she
said
,
"
and
I
did
not
think
I
would
be
doing
my
duty
if
I
did
not
tell
you
what
was
in
my
mind
.
I
ca
n't
do
any
good
to
anybody
,
you
know
;
but
you
who
are
so
clever
,
and
have
so
much
in
your
power
—
—
"
"
I
am
poor
now
,
"
said
Miss
Marjoribanks
;
"
and
as
for
being
clever
,
I
do
n't
know
about
that
.
I
never
was
clever
about
drawing
or
Art
,
like
you
.
"
"
Oh
,
like
me
!
"
said
poor
little
Rose
,
whose
Career
had
been
sacrificed
ten
years
ago
,
and
who
was
a
little
misanthropical
now
,
and
did
not
believe
even
in
Schools
of
Design
;
"
I
am
not
so
sure
about
the
moral
influence
of
Art
as
I
used
to
be
—
except
High
Art
,
to
be
sure
;
but
we
never
have
any
High
Art
down
here
.
And
oh
,
Lucilla
!
the
poor
people
do
want
something
done
for
them
.
If
I
was
as
clever
as
you
,
and
with
a
great
house
all
to
myself
like
this
,
and
well
off
,
and
with
plenty
of
influence
,
and
no
ties
—
—
"
said
Rose
,
with
energetic
emphasis
.
She
made
a
pause
there
,
and
she
was
so
much
in
earnest
that
the
tears
came
into
her
eyes
.
"
I
would
make
it
a
House
of
Mercy
,
Lucilla
!
I
would
show
all
these
poor
creatures
how
to
live
and
how
to
manage
,
if
I
was
as
clever
as
you
;
and
teach
them
and
their
children
,
and
look
after
them
,
and
be
a
mother
to
them
!
"
said
Rose
;
and
here
she
stopped
short
,
altogether
overcome
by
her
own
magnificent
conception
of
what
her
friend
could
or
might
do
.
Aunt
Jemima
and
Miss
Brown
,
who
had
drawn
near
out
of
curiosity
,
stared
at
Rose
as
if
they
thought
she
had
gone
mad
;
but
Lucilla
,
who
was
of
a
larger
mind
and
more
enlightened
ideas
,
neither
laughed
nor
looked
horrified
.
She
did
not
make
a
very
distinct
answer
,
it
is
true
,
but
she
was
very
kind
to
her
new
adviser
,
and
made
her
a
fresh
cup
of
tea
,
and
even
consented
,
though
in
an
ambiguous
way
,
to
the
principle
she
had
just
enunciated
,
"
If
you
wo
n't
be
affronted
,
my
dear
,
"
Lucilla
said
,
"
I
do
not
think
that
Art
could
do
very
much
in
Carlingford
;
and
I
am
sure
any
little
thing
that
I
may
be
of
use
for
—
—
"
But
she
did
not
commit
herself
any
further
,
and
Rose
too
found
the
result
of
her
visit
unsatisfactory
,
and
went
home
disappointed
in
Lucilla
.
This
was
how
the
afternoon
passed
;
and
at
the
end
of
such
a
day
,
it
may
well
be
imagined
how
Miss
Marjoribanks
congratulated
herself
on
having
made
up
her
mind
before
the
public
,
so
to
speak
,
were
admitted
.
For
Rose
was
followed
by
the
Rector
,
who
,
though
he
did
not
propose
in
so
many
words
a
House
of
Mercy
,
made
no
secret
of
his
conviction
that
parish-work
was
the
only
thing
that
could
be
of
any
service
to
Lucilla
;
and
that
,
in
short
,
such
was
the
inevitable
and
providential
destination
of
a
woman
who
had
"
no
ties
.
"
Indeed
,
to
hear
Mr
Bury
,
a
stranger
would
have
been
disposed
to
believe
that
Dr
Marjoribanks
had
been
,
as
he
said
,
"
removed
,
"
and
his
fortune
swept
away
,
all
in
order
to
indicate
to
Lucilla
the
proper
sphere
for
her
energies
.
In
the
face
of
all
this
it
will
be
seen
how
entirely
Miss
Marjoribanks
's
wisdom
in
making
her
decision
by
herself
before
her
advisers
broke
in
upon
her
,
was
justified
.
She
could
now
set
her
back
against
her
rock
,
and
face
her
assailants
,
as
Fitz-James
did
.
Come
one
,
come
all
,
this
rock
shall
fly
From
its
firm
base
as
soon
as
I
,
might
have
been
her
utterance
;
but
she
was
not
in
a
defiant
mood
.
She
kissed
all
her
counsellors
that
day
(
except
,
of
course
,
the
Rector
)
,
and
heard
them
out
with
the
sweetest
patience
;
and
then
she
thought
to
herself
how
much
better
it
was
that
she
had
made
up
her
mind
to
take
her
own
way
.
Notwithstanding
,
all
this
commotion
of
public
opinion
about
her
made
a
certain
impression
upon
Miss
Marjoribanks
's
mind
.
It
was
not
unpleasant
to
feel
that
,
for
this
moment
at
least
,
she
was
the
centre
of
the
thoughts
of
the
community
,
and
that
almost
everybody
in
Carlingford
had
taken
the
trouble
to
frame
an
ideal
existence
for
her
,
according
as
he
or
she
regarded
life
.
It
is
so
seldom
that
any
one
has
it
in
his
power
,
consciously
and
evidently
,
to
regulate
his
life
for
himself
,
and
make
it
whatever
he
wants
it
to
be
.
And
then
,
at
the
same
time
,
the
best
that
she
could
make
of
it
would
,
after
all
,
be
something
very
limited
and
unsatisfactory
.
In
her
musings
on
this
subject
,
Lucilla
could
not
but
go
back
a
great
many
times
to
that
last
conversation
she
had
with
her
father
,
when
she
walked
up
Grange
Lane
with
him
that
night
over
the
thawed
and
muddy
snow
.
The
Doctor
had
said
she
was
not
cut
out
for
a
single
woman
;
and
Lucilla
,
with
candour
,
yet
a
certain
philosophical
speculativeness
,
had
allowed
that
she
was
not
—
unless
,
indeed
,
she
could
be
very
rich
.
If
she
had
been
very
rich
,
the
prospect
would
no
doubt
have
been
,
to
a
certain
extent
,
different
.
And
then
,
oddly
enough
,
it
was
Rose
Lake
's
suggestion
which
came
after
this
to
Lucilla
's
mind
.
She
did
not
smile
at
it
as
some
people
might
expect
she
would
.
One
thing
was
quite
sure
,
that
she
had
no
intention
of
sinking
into
a
nobody
,
and
giving
up
all
power
of
acting
upon
her
fellow-creatures
;
and
she
could
not
help
being
conscious
of
the
fact
that
she
was
able
to
be
of
much
use
to
her
fellow-creatures
.
If
it
had
been
Maria
Brown
,
for
instance
,
who
had
been
concerned
,
the
whole
question
would
have
been
one
of
utter
unimportance
,
except
to
the
heroine
itself
;
but
it
was
different
in
Miss
Marjoribanks
's
case
.
The
House
of
Mercy
was
not
a
thing
to
be
taken
into
any
serious
consideration
;
but
still
there
was
something
in
the
idea
which
Lucilla
could
not
dismiss
carelessly
as
her
friends
could
.
She
had
no
vocation
,
such
as
the
foundress
of
such
an
establishment
ought
to
have
,
nor
did
she
see
her
way
to
the
abandonment
of
all
projects
for
herself
,
and
that
utter
devotion
to
the
cause
of
humanity
which
would
be
involved
in
it
;
but
yet
,
when
a
woman
happens
to
be
full
of
energy
and
spirit
,
and
determined
that
whatever
she
may
be
she
shall
certainly
not
be
a
nonentity
,
her
position
is
one
that
demands
thought
.
She
was
very
capable
of
serving
her
fellow-creatures
,
and
very
willing
and
well
disposed
to
serve
them
;
and
yet
she
was
not
inclined
to
give
herself
up
entirely
to
them
,
nor
to
relinquish
her
personal
prospects
—
vague
though
these
might
be
.
It
was
a
tough
problem
,
and
one
which
might
have
caused
a
most
unusual
disturbance
in
Lucilla
's
well-regulated
mind
,
had
not
she
remembered
all
at
once
what
deep
mourning
she
was
in
,
and
that
at
present
no
sort
of
action
,
either
of
one
kind
or
another
,
could
be
expected
of
her
.
There
was
no
need
for
making
a
final
decision
,
either
about
the
parish-work
,
or
about
taking
Inmates
,
as
Aunt
Jemima
proposed
,
or
about
any
other
single
suggestion
which
had
been
offered
to
her
;
no
more
than
there
was
any
necessity
for
asking
what
her
cousin
Tom
's
last
letter
had
been
about
,
or
why
his
mother
looked
so
guilty
and
embarrassed
when
she
spoke
of
him
.
Grief
has
its
privileges
and
exemptions
,
like
other
great
principles
of
life
;
and
the
recollection
that
she
could
not
at
present
be
expected
to
be
able
to
think
about
anything
,
filled
Lucilla
's
mind
with
the
most
soothing
sense
of
consolation
and
refreshing
calm
.
And
then
other
events
occurred
to
occupy
her
friends
;
the
election
for
one
thing
began
to
grow
a
little
exciting
,
and
took
away
some
of
the
superfluous
energy
of
Grange
Lane
.
Mr
Ashburton
had
carried
all
before
him
at
first
;
but
since
the
Rector
had
come
into
the
field
,
the
balance
had
changed
a
little
.
Mr
Bury
was
very
Low-Church
;
and
from
the
moment
at
which
he
was
persuaded
that
Mr
Cavendish
was
a
great
penitent
,
the
question
as
to
which
was
the
Man
for
Carlingford
had
been
solved
in
his
mind
in
the
most
satisfactory
way
.
A
man
who
intrenched
himself
in
mere
respectability
,
and
trusted
in
his
own
good
character
,
and
considered
himself
to
have
a
clear
conscience
,
and
to
have
done
his
duty
,
had
no
chance
against
a
repentant
sinner
.
Mr
Cavendish
,
perhaps
,
had
not
done
his
duty
quite
so
well
;
but
then
he
was
penitent
,
and
everything
was
expressed
in
that
word
.
The
Rector
was
by
no
means
contemptible
,
either
as
an
adversary
or
a
supporter
—
and
the
worst
of
it
was
that
,
in
embracing
Mr
Cavendish
's
claims
,
he
could
scarcely
help
speaking
of
Mr
Ashburton
as
if
he
was
in
a
very
bad
way
.
And
feeling
began
to
rise
rather
high
in
Carlingford
.
If
anything
could
have
deepened
the
intensity
of
Miss
Marjoribanks
's
grief
,
it
would
have
been
to
know
that
all
this
was
going
on
,
and
that
affairs
might
go
badly
with
her
candidate
,
while
she
was
shut
up
,
and
could
give
no
aid
.
It
was
hard
upon
her
,
and
it
was
hard
upon
the
candidates
themselves
—
one
of
whom
had
thus
become
generally
disapproved
of
,
without
,
so
far
as
he
knew
,
doing
anything
to
deserve
it
;
while
the
other
occupied
the
still
more
painful
character
of
being
on
his
promotion
—
a
repentant
man
,
with
a
character
to
keep
up
.
It
was
no
wonder
that
Mrs
Centum
grew
pale
at
the
very
idea
of
such
a
creature
as
Barbara
Lake
throwing
herself
in
poor
Mr
Cavendish
's
way
.
A
wrong
step
one
way
or
other
—
a
relapse
into
the
ways
of
wickedness
—
might
undo
in
a
moment
all
that
it
had
cost
so
much
trouble
to
do
.
And
the
advantage
of
the
Rector
's
support
was
thus
grievously
counterbalanced
by
what
might
be
called
the
uncertainty
of
it
—
especially
as
Mr
Cavendish
was
not
,
as
his
committee
lamented
secretly
among
themselves
,
a
man
of
strong
will
or
business
habits
,
in
whom
implicit
confidence
could
be
placed
.
He
might
get
restive
,
and
throw
the
Rector
over
just
at
the
critical
moment
;
or
he
might
relapse
into
his
lazy
Continental
habits
,
and
give
up
church-going
and
other
good
practices
.
But
still
,
up
to
this
moment
,
he
had
shown
very
tolerable
perseverance
;
and
Mr
Bury
's
influence
thrown
into
his
scale
had
equalised
matters
very
much
,
and
made
the
contest
very
exciting
.
All
this
Lucilla
heard
,
not
from
Mr
Cavendish
,
but
from
her
own
candidate
,
who
had
taken
to
calling
in
a
steady
sort
of
way
.
He
never
went
into
any
effusions
of
sympathy
,
for
he
was
not
that
kind
of
man
;
but
he
would
shake
hands
with
her
,
and
say
that
