ad better learn to treat the family affairs of others
in the same way."

The Marquis by this time was on his feet, and was calling for
Packer,--was calling for his carriage and horses,--was calling on
the very gods to send down their thunder to punish such insolence
as this. He had never heard of the like in all his experience. His
daughters! And then there came across his dismayed mind an idea that
his daughters had been put upon a par with that young murderer, Sam
Brattle,--perhaps even on a par with something worse than this. And
his daughters were such august persons,--old and ugly, it is true,
and almost dowerless in consequence of the nature of the family
settlements and family expenditure. It was an injury and an insult
that Mr. Fenwick should make the slightest allusion to his daughters;
but to talk of them in such a way as this, as though they were
mere ordinary human beings, was not to be endured! The Marquis had
hitherto had his doubts, but now he was quite sure that Mr. Fenwick
was an infidel. "And a very bad sort of infidel, too," as he said to
Lady Carolina on his return home. "I never heard of such conduct in
all my life," said Lord Trowbridge, walking down to his carriage.
"Who can be surprised that there should be murderers and prostitutes
in the parish?"

"My lord, they don't sit under me," said Mr. Puddleham.

"I don't care who they sit under," said his lordship.

As they walked away together, Mr. Fenwick had just a word to say to
Mr. Puddleham. "My friend," he said, "you were quite right about his
lordship's acres."

"Those are the numbers," said Mr. Puddleham.

"I mean that you were quite right to make the observation. Facts are
always valuable, and I am sure Lord Trowbridge was obliged to you.
But I think you were a little wrong as to another statement."

"What statement, Mr. Fenwick?"

"What you said about poor Carry Brattle. You don't know it as a
fact."

"Everybody says so."

"How do you know she has not married, and become an honest woman?"

"It is possible, of course. Though as for that,--when a young woman
has once gone astray--"

"As did Mary Magdalene, for instance!"

"Mr. Fenwick, it was a very bad case."

"And isn't my case very bad,--and yours? Are we not in a bad
way,--unless we believe and repent? Have we not all so sinned as to
deserve eternal punishment?"

"Certainly, Mr. Fenwick."

"Then there can't be much difference between her and us. She can't
deserve more