t
was not to be expected that the poor man, who understood every word of
it, could repeat his commonplace about the unlooked-for pleasure. Miss
Dora of course seized the opportunity to rush in.

"We have been hearing such delightful things about you, my dear, from
the people of the house. Leonora is so pleased to hear how you are
labouring among the people, and doing your Master's work. We take all
the happiness to ourselves, because, you know, you are _our_ boy,
Frank," said the anxious aunt, all her thin ringlets, poor lady,
trembling with her eagerness to make everything comfortable for her
favourite; "and we have come, you know, specially to hear you on Easter
Sunday in your own church. I am looking forward to a great treat: to
think I should never have heard you, though it is so long since you were
ordained! None of us have ever heard you--not even Leonora; but it is
such a pleasure to us all to know you are so much liked in Carlingford,"
cried the troubled woman, growing nervous at sight of the unresponsive
quiet around her. Miss Leonora by no means replied to the covert
appeals thus made to her. She left her nephew and her sister to keep up
the conversation unassisted; and as for Miss Wentworth, conversation was
not her forte.

"I'm afraid, aunt, you will not _hear_ anything worth such a long
journey," said Mr Wentworth, moved, like a rash young man as he was, to
display his colours at once, and cry no surrender. "I don't think an
Easter Sunday is a time for much preaching; and the Church has made such
ample provision for the expression of our sentiments. I am more of a
humble priest than an ambitious preacher," said the young man, with
characteristic youthful pretence of the most transparent kind. He looked
in Miss Leonora's face as he spoke. He knew the very name of priest was
an offence in its way to that highly Evangelical woman; and if they were
to come to single combat, better immediately than after intolerable
suspense and delay.

"Perhaps, Dora, you will postpone your raptures about Frank's
sermon--which may be a very indifferent sermon, as he says, for anything
we can tell--till after dinner," said Miss Leonora. "We're all very glad
to see him; and he need not think any little ill-tempered speeches he
may make will disturb me. I daresay the poor boy would be glad to hear
of some of the people belonging to him instead of all that nonsense.
Come to dinner, Frank. Take the other side of the table, opposi