as you came in," said the Rector's wife, by way of smoothing down his
ruffled temper and giving him time to recover. "I feel _sure_ it is a
mistake, and that everything will come right as soon as they can talk
it over by themselves. The last Rector was not at all a working
clergyman--and perhaps Mr Wentworth felt it was his duty--and now I
daresay he forgets that it is not his own parish. It will all come
right after a time."

"But the mission is effective, I suppose, or you would not object to
it?" said Miss Leonora, who, though a very religious woman, was not a
peacemaker; and the Rector, whose temper was hasty, swallowed the bait.
He entered into his grievances more fully than his wife thought
consistent with his dignity. She sat with her eyes fixed upon the floor,
tracing the objectionable pattern on the carpet with her foot, but too
much vexed for the moment to think of those bouquets which were so
severe a cross to her on ordinary occasions. Perhaps she was thinking
secretly to herself how much better one knows a man after being married
to him three months than after being engaged to him ten years; but the
discovery that he was merely a man after all, with very ordinary
defects, did not lessen her loyalty. She sat with her eyes bent upon the
carpet, feeling a little hot and uncomfortable as her husband disclosed
his weakness, and watching her opportunities to rush in and say a
softening word now and then. The chances were, perhaps, on the whole,
that the wife grew _more_ loyal, if that were possible, as she perceived
the necessity of standing by him and backing him out. The Rector went
very fully into the subject, being drawn out by Miss Leonora's questions,
and betrayed an extent of information strangely opposed to the utter
ignorance which he had displayed at Mr Wodehouse's party. He knew the
hours of Mr Wentworth's services, and the number of people who attended,
and even about Tom Burrows's six children who had been baptised the day
before. Somehow Mr Morgan took this last particular as a special
offence; it was this which had roused him beyond his usual self-control.
Six little heathens brought into the Christian fold in his own parish
without the permission of the Rector! It was indeed enough to try any
clergyman's temper. Through the entire narrative Miss Dora broke in now
and then with a little wail expressive of her general dismay and grief,
and certainty that her dear Frank did not mean it. Mrs Morgan re