ronet, and his reputation for wisdom was severely
criticized in consequence of the injunctions he thought fit to issue
through butler and housekeeper down to the lower household, for the
preservation of his son from any visible symptom of the passion. A
footman and two housemaids are believed to have been dismissed on the
report of heavy Benson that they were in or inclining to the state; upon
which an undercook and a dairymaid voluntarily threw up their places,
averring that "they did not want no young men, but to have their sex
spied after by an old wretch like that," indicating the ponderous
butler, "was a little too much for a Christian woman," and then
they were ungenerous enough to glance at Benson's well-known marital
calamity, hinting that some men met their deserts. So intolerable
did heavy Benson's espionage become, that Raynham would have grown
depopulated of its womankind had not Adrian interfered, who pointed out
to the baronet what a fearful arm his butler was wielding. Sir Austin
acknowledged it despondently. "It only shows," said he, with a fine
spirit of justice, "how all but impossible it is to legislate where
there are women!"

"I do not object," he added; "I hope I am too just to object to
the exercise of their natural inclinations. All I ask from them is
discreetness."

"Ay," said Adrian, whose discreetness was a marvel.

"No gadding about in couples," continued the baronet, "no kissing in
public. Such occurrences no boy should witness. Whenever people of
both sexes are thrown together, they will be silly; and where they are
high-fed, uneducated, and barely occupied, it must be looked for as a
matter of course. Let it be known that I only require discreetness."

Discreetness, therefore, was instructed to reign at the Abbey. Under
Adrian's able tuition the fairest of its domestics acquired that virtue.

Discreetness, too, was enjoined to the upper household. Sir Austin, who
had not previously appeared to notice the case of Lobourne's hopeless
curate, now desired Mrs. Doria to interdict, or at least discourage, his
visits, for the appearance of the man was that of an embodied sigh and
groan.

"Really, Austin!" said Mrs. Doria, astonished to find her brother more
awake than she had supposed, "I have never allowed him to hope."

"Let him see it, then," replied the baronet; "let him see it."

"The man amuses me," said Mrs. Doria. "You know, we have few amusements
here, we inferior creatures. I c