orld. If she was a bit proud o' being
noticed, there wasn't no harm in that. But seeing as there's nothing
in this world that folks won't make a talk of when they've started,
her aunt, as is very partic'lar, has took her away. Not as I'm meaning
no reproach to you, Mr Wentworth; but she's a loss to us, is Rosa. She
was a cheerful little thing, say the worst of her," said Mr Elsworthy;
"going a-singing and a-chirping out and in the shop; and I won't deny
as the place looks desolate, now she's away. But that aint neither
here nor there. It was for her good, as my missis says. Most things as
is unpleasant _is_ sent for good, they tell me; and I wouldn't--not
for any comfort to myself--have a talk got up about the clergyman--"

By this time Mr Wentworth had awakened to a sense of the real meaning of
Elsworthy's talk. He sat upright on his chair, and looked into the face
of the worthy shopkeeper until the poor man trembled. "A talk about the
clergyman?" said the Curate. "About me, do you mean? and what has little
Rosa to do with me? Have you gone crazy in Carlingford--what is the
meaning of it all?" He sat with his elbows on the counter, looking at
his trembling adherent--looking through and through him, as Elsworthy
said. "I should be glad of an explanation; what does it mean?" said Mr
Wentworth, with a look which there was no evading; and the clerk of St
Roque's cast an anxious glance round him for help. He would have
accepted it from any quarter at that overwhelming moment; but there was
not even an errand-boy to divert from him the Curate's terrible eyes.

"I--I don't know--I--can't tell how it got up," said the unhappy man,
who had not even his "missis" in the parlour as a moral support. "One
thing as I know is, it wasn't no blame o' mine. I as good as went down
on my knees to them three respected ladies when they come to inquire. I
said as it was kindness in you a-seeing of the child home, and didn't
mean nothing more. I ask you, sir, what could I do?" cried Mr Elsworthy.
"Folks in Carlingford will talk o' two straws if they're a-seen
a-blowing up Grange Lane on the same breath o' wind. I couldn't do no
more nor contradict it," cried Rosa's guardian, getting excited in his
self-defence; "and to save your feelings, Mr Wentworth, and put it out
o' folks's power to talk, the missis has been and took her away."

"To save my feelings!" said the Curate, with a laugh of contempt and
vexation and impatience which it was not p