they passed through the ruins,
"why the House is called 'the Priory.' The priory buildings are here."

"There too," said Mr. Carlisle. "The oldest foundations are really up
there; and part of the superstructure is still hidden within the modern
walls. After they had established themselves up there, the monks became
possessed of the richer sheltered lands of the valley and moved
themselves and their headquarters accordingly."

The gloom of the afternoon was already gathering over the old tower of
the priory church. The influence of the place and time went to swell
the under current of Eleanor's thoughts and bring it nearer to the
surface. It would have driven her into silence, but that she did not
choose that it should. She met Mr. Carlisle's conversation, all the
way, with the sort of subdued gentleness that had been upon her and
which the day's work had deepened. Nevertheless, when Eleanor went in
at home, and the day's work lay behind her, and Rythdale's master was
gone, and all the fascinations the day had presented to her presented
themselves anew to her imagination, Eleanor thought with sinking of
heart--that what Jane Lewis had was better than all. So she went to bed
that night.

CHAPTER XI.

AT BROMPTON.

"Why, and I trust, and I may go too. May I not?
What, shall I be appointed hours: as though, belike,
I know not what to take and what to leave? Ha!"

"Eleanor, what is the matter?" said Julia one day. For Eleanor was
found in her room in tears.

"Nothing--I am going to ruin only;--that is all."

"Going to _what?_ Why Eleanor--what is the matter?"

"Nothing--if not that."

"Why Eleanor!" said the little one in growing astonishment, for
Eleanor's distress was evidently great, and jumping at conclusions with
a child's recklessness,--"Eleanor!--don't you want to be married?"

"Hush! hush!" exclaimed Eleanor rousing herself up. "How dare you talk
so, I did not say anything about being married."

"No, but you don't seem glad," said Julia.

"Glad! I don't know that I ever shall feel glad again--unless I get
insensible--and that would be worse."

"Oh Eleanor! what is it? do tell me!"

"I have made a mistake, that is all, Julia," her sister said with
forced calmness. "I want time to think and to get right, and to be
good--then I could be in peace, I think; but I am in such a confusion
of everything, I only know I am drifting on like a ship to the rocks. I
can't catch my breath."

"Do