ts," cried Augustus. "The Church shall
represent the laity."

"I 'm not in trim to enter a drawing-room, Miss Bram-leigh," said
the curate, blushing. "I would n't dare to present myself in such a
costume."

"I declare," said Jack, "I think it becomes you better than your Sunday
rig; don't you, Nelly?"

"Papa will be greatly disappointed, Mr. L'Estrange, if he should not
see you," said she, rising to leave the room; "he wants to hear all
about your day's sport, and especially about that poor Frenchman. Do you
know his name?"

"Yes, here's his card;--Anatole de Pracontal."

"A good name," said Temple, "but the fellow himself looks a snob."

"I call that very hard," said Jack, "to say what any fellow looks like
when he is covered with slush and dirt, his hat smashed, and his mouth
full of mud."

"Don't forget that we expect to see you," said Ellen, with a nod and a
smile to the curate, and left the room.

"And who or what is Mr. Longworth?" said Temple.

"I never met him. All I know is, that he owns that very ugly red-brick
house, with the three gables in front, on the hill-side as you go
towards Newry," said Augustus.

"I think I can tell you something about him," said the parson; "his
father was my grandfather's agent. I believe he began as his steward,
when we had property in this county; he must have been a shrewd sort of
man, for he raised himself from a very humble origin to become a small
estated proprietor and justice of the peace; and when he died, about
four years ago, he left Philip Longworth something like a thousand a
year in landed property, and some ready money besides."

"And this Longworth, as you call him,--what is he like?"

"A good sort of fellow, who would be better if he was not possessed by
a craving ambition to know fine people, and move in their society. Not
being able to attain the place he aspires to in his own county, he has
gone abroad, and affects to have a horror of English life and ways, the
real grievance being his own personal inability to meet acceptance in
a certain set. This is what I hear of him; my own knowledge is very
slight. I have ever found him well-mannered and polite, and, except a
slight sign of condescension, I should say pleasant."

"I take it," said the sailor, "he must be an arrant snob."

"Not necessarily, Jack," said Temple. "There is nothing ignoble in
a man's desire to live with the best people, if he do nothing mean to
reach that goal."

"Whom do y