dear, we are in a churchyard," remonstrated Lady Engleton,
half laughing.

"We are at this grave," said Hadria.

"The poor woman would have been among the first to approve of the whole
scheme, though it places her here beneath the daisies."

"Exactly. Am I not justified then in crying 'fool'? Don't imagine that I
exclude myself," she added.

"I think you might be less liable to error if you _were_ rather more of
a fool, if I may say so," observed Lady Engleton.

"Oh error! I daresay. One can guard against that, after a fashion, by
never making a stretch after truth. And the reward comes, of its kind.
How green the grave is. The grass grows so fast on graves."

Lady Engleton could not bear a churchyard. It made one think too
seriously.

"Oh, you needn't unless you like!" said Hadria with a laugh. "Indeed a
churchyard might rather teach us what nonsense it is to take things
seriously--our little affairs. This poor woman, a short while ago, was
dying of grief and shame and agony, and the village was stirred with
excitement, as if the solar system had come to grief. It all seemed so
stupendous and important, yet now--look at that tall grass waving in the
wind!"

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Professor Theobald had been engaged, for the last ten minutes, in
instructing Joseph Fleming and a few stragglers, among whom was Dodge,
in the characteristics of ancient architecture. He was pointing out the
fine Norman window of the south transept, Joseph nodding wearily, Dodge
leaning judicially on his broom and listening with attention. Joseph, as
Lady Engleton remarked, was evidently bearing the Normans a bitter
grudge for making interesting arches. The Professor seemed to have no
notion of tempering the wind of his instruction to the shorn lambs of
his audience.

"I _can't_ understand why he does not join us," said Lady Engleton. "It
must be nearly luncheon time. However, it doesn't much matter, as
everyone seems to be up here. I wonder," she went on after a pause,
"what the bride would think if she had heard our conversation this
morning!"

"Probably she would recognize many a half-thought of her own," said
Hadria.

Lady Engleton shook her head.

"They alarm me, all these ideas. For myself, I feel bound to accept the
decision of wise and good men, who have studied social questions
deeply."

Personal feeling had finally overcome her desire to fight off the
influence of tradition.

"I do not feel competent to judge