anxiously, as Sibyl spoke, towards
the house. Everyone at Grayleigh Manor now knew that Sibyl was not to
be told of her father's absence during her visit. No one approved of
this course, although no one felt quite towards it with the same sense
of irritation that Mrs. Ogilvie herself did. Rochester wished at this
instant that Lord Grayleigh or someone else would appear. He wanted
anything to cause a diversion, but Sibyl, in happy ignorance of his
sentiments, talked on.

"It is at night that my father is the most perfect of all," she said.
"I wish you could see him when he comes into my room. I am in bed, you
know, lying down flat on my back, and mostly thinking about the
angels. I do that a lot at night, I have no time in the day; I think
of the angels, and Lord Jesus Christ, and heaven, and then father
comes in. He opens the door soft, and he treads on tiptoe for fear I'm
asleep, as if I could be! And then he kisses me, and I think in the
whole of heaven there can never be an angel so good and beautiful as
he is, and he says something to me which keeps me strong until the
next night, when he says something else."

"But your mother?" stammered Rochester. He was about to add, "She
would go to your room, would she not?" when he remembered that she
herself had told him that nothing would induce her to adopt so
pernicious a course.

"Oh, you're thinking about my perfect mother, too," said Sibyl. "Yes,
she is perfect, but there are different sorts in the world. My own
mother thinks it is not good for me to lie awake at night and think of
the angels and wait for father. She thinks that I ought to bear the
yoke in my youth. Solomon, the wise King Solomon--you have heard of
him, haven't you?"

Rochester nodded.

"He wrote that verse about bearing the yoke when you are young. I
learnt it a week ago, and I felt it just 'splained about my mother.
It's really very brave of mother; but, you see, father thinks
different, and, of course, I nat'rally like father's way best.
Mother's way is the goodest for me, p'waps. Don't you think mother's
way is the goodest for me, Mr. Rochester?"

"I dare say it is good for you, Sibyl. Now, shall we go and find Lady
Helen?"

"Seems to me," said Sibyl, "I'm always looking for Lady Helen when I'm
with you. Is it 'cos you're so desperate fond of her?"

"Don't you like her yourself?" said the young man, reddening visibly.

"Like her? I like her just awfully. She's the most 'licious person t