lad to take you there. It is not in the
gay world, like Grange Lane."

"But you might want to ask people to dinner; and then we should be so
near Frank," said Miss Dora, whispering at her sister's elbow. As for
the second Miss Hemmings, she was dull of comprehension, and did not
quite make out who the strangers were.

"It is so sad to a feeling mind to see the mummeries that go on at St
Roque's," said this obtuse sister; "and I am afraid poor Mr Wentworth
must be in a bad way. They say there is the strangest man in his
house--some relation of his--and he daren't be seen in the daylight;
and people begin to think there must be something wrong, and that Mr
Wentworth himself is involved; but what can you expect when there is
no true Christian principle?" asked Miss Hemmings, triumphantly. It
was a dreadful moment for the bystanders; for Miss Leonora turned
round upon this new intelligence with keen eyes and attention; and
Miss Dora interposed, weeping; and Miss Wodehouse grew so pale, that
Mr Elsworthy rushed for cold water, and thought she was going to
faint. "Tell me all about this," said Miss Leonora, with peremptory
and commanding tones. "Oh, Leonora, I am sure my dear Frank has
nothing to do with it, if there is anything wrong," cried Miss Dora.
Even Miss Wentworth herself was moved out of her habitual smile. She
said, "He is my nephew"--an observation which she had never been heard
to make before, and which covered the second Miss Hemmings with
confusion. As for Miss Wodehouse, she retreated very fast to a seat
behind Miss Cecilia, and said nothing. The two who had arrived last
slunk back upon each other with fiery glances of mutual reproach. The
former three stood together in this emergency, full of curiosity, and
perhaps a little anxiety. In this position of affairs, Mr Elsworthy,
being the only impartial person present, took the management of
matters into his own hands.

"Miss Hemmings and ladies, if you'll allow _me_," said Mr Elsworthy,
"it aint no more than a mistake. The new gentleman as is staying at
Mrs Hadwin's may be an unfortunate gentleman for anything I can tell;
but he aint no relation of our clergyman. There aint nobody belonging
to Mr Wentworth," said the clerk of St Roque's, "but is a credit both
to him and to Carlingford. There's his brother, the Rev. Mr Wentworth,
as is the finest-spoken man, to be a clergyman, as I ever set eyes on;
and there's respected ladies as needn't be named more particu