diness. When he spoke again, it was only after two or three
efforts to clear his voice. "I can't make out that he says _that_,
Frank--I don't see that _that's_ what he means," said Mr Wentworth, in
a fainter tone than usual; and then he continued, with more agitation,
"Louisa is a dear good soul, you know; but she's a bit of a fool, like
most women. She always takes the worst view--if she can get a good cry
out of anything, she will. It's she that's put this fancy into your
head, eh? You don't say you had it from Gerald himself? You don't mean
to tell me that? By Jove, sir!--by heaven, sir!" cried the excited
Squire, blazing up suddenly in a burst of passion, "he can't be any
son of mine--For any damnable Papistical madness to give up his wife!
Why, God bless us, he was a man, wasn't he, before he became a priest?
A priest! He's not a priest--he's a clergyman, and the Rector of
Wentworth. I can't believe it--I won't believe it!" said the head of
the house, with vehemence. "Tell me one of my sons is a sneak and a
traitor!--and if you weren't another of my sons, sir, I'd knock you
down for your pains." In the excitement of the moment Mr Wentworth
came full force against a projecting branch which he did not see, as
he spoke these words; but though the sudden blow half stunned him, he
did not stop in his vehement contradiction. "It can't be. I tell you
it can't--it shan't be, Frank!" cried the Squire. He would not pay any
attention to the Curate's anxieties, or accept the arm Frank offered,
though he could not deny feeling faint and giddy after the blow. It
took away all the colour from his ruddy face, and left him pale, with
a red welt across his forehead, and wonderfully unlike himself.
"Confound it! I told Miles to look after that tree weeks ago. If he
thinks I'll stand his carelessness, he's mistaken," said Mr Wentworth,
by way of relieving himself. He was a man who always eased his mind by
being angry with somebody when anything happened to put him out.

"My dear father," said the Curate as soon as it was practicable, "I
want you to listen to me and help me; there's only one thing to be
done that I can see. Gerald is in a state of high excitement, fit for
any martyrdom. We can't keep him back from one sacrifice, but by all
the force we can gather we must detain him from the other. He must be
shown that he can't abandon his natural duties. He was a man before he
was a priest, as you say; he can no more give up his duty t