said Kitty, as her lovely eyebrows lifted, "that shows how little
people know."

"I don't quite understand," said Lord Parham. "To what do you allude,
Lady Kitty?"

Kitty laughed. She raised her eyes to the Rector, a spare High
Churchman, who had retreated uncomfortably behind Lady Tranmore.

"Some one--said to me last week--that Lady Parham had saved the
Church!"

The Prime Minister rose. "I must have a little exercise before dinner.
Your gardens, Ashe--is there time?"

Ashe, scarlet with discomfort and annoyance, carried his visitor off. As
he did so, he passed his wife. Kitty turned her little head, looked at
him half shyly, half defiantly. The Dean saw the look; saw also that
Ashe deliberately avoided it.

The party presently began to disperse. The Dean found himself beside his
hostess--strolling over the lawn towards the house. He observed her
attentively--vexed with her, and vexed for her! Surely she was thinner
than he had ever seen her. A little more, and her beauty would suffer
seriously. Coming he knew not whence, there lit upon him the sudden and
painful impression of something undermined, something consumed from
within.

"Lady Kitty, do you ever rest?" he asked her, unexpectedly.

"Rest!" she laughed. "Why should I?"

"Because you are wearing yourself out."

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you ever lie down--alone--and read a book?" persisted the Dean.

"Yes. I have just finished Renan's <i>Vie de Jesus</i>!"

Her glance, even with him, kept its note of audacity, but much softened
by a kind of wistfulness.

"Ah! my dear Lady Kitty, let Renan alone," cried the Dean--then with a
change of tone--"but are you speaking truth--or naughtiness?"

"Truth," said Kitty. "But--of course--I am in a temper."

The Dean laughed.

"I see Lord Parham is not a favorite of yours."

Kitty compressed her small lips.

"To think that William should have to take his orders from that man!"
she said, under her breath.

"Bear it--for William's sake," said the Dean, softly, "and,
meanwhile--take my advice--and don't read any more Renan!"

Kitty looked at him curiously.

"I prefer to see things as they are."

The Dean sighed.

"That none of us can do, my dear Lady Kitty. No one can satisfy his
<i>intelligence</i>. But religion speaks to the <i>will</i>--and it is the only
thing between us and the void. Don't tamper with it! It is soon gone."

A satirical expression passed over the face of his companion.