"I don't know as I does, Muster Fenwick."

"You used to, and you must still pity her."

"She's been and well-nigh broke the hearts of all on us. There wasn't
one of us as wasn't respectable, till she come up;--and now there's
Sam. But a boy as is bad ain't never so bad as a girl."

It must be understood that in the expression of this opinion Mr.
Brattle was alluding, not to the personal wickedness of the wicked
of the two sexes, but to the effect of their wickedness on those
belonging to them.

"And therefore more should be done to help a girl."

"I'll stand the money, Muster Fenwick,--if it ain't much."

"What is wanted is a home in your own house."

"Here--at Startup?"

"Yes; here, at Startup. Your father will not take her."

"Neither won't I. But it ain't me in such a matter as this. You ask
my missus, and see what she'll say. Besides, Muster Fenwick, it's
clean out of all reason."

"Out of all reason to help a sister?"

"So it be. Sister, indeed! Why did she go and make--. I won't say
what she's made of herself. Ain't she brought trouble and sorrow
enough upon us? Have her here! Why, I'm that angry with her, I
shouldn't be keeping my hands off her. Why didn't she keep herself to
herself, and not disgrace the whole family?"

Nevertheless, in spite of these strong expressions of opinion, Mr.
Fenwick, by the dint of the bitter words which he spoke in reference
to the brother's duty as a Christian, did get leave from the farmer
to make the proposition to Mrs. George Brattle,--such permission as
would have bound the brother to accept Carry, providing that Mrs.
George would also consent to accept her. But even this permission
was accompanied by an assurance that it would not have been given had
he not felt perfectly convinced that his wife would not listen for
a moment to the scheme. He spoke of his wife almost with awe, when
Mr. Fenwick left him to make this second attack. "She has never had
nothing to say to none sich as that," said the farmer, shaking his
head, as he alluded both to his wife and to his sister; "and I ain't
sure as she'll be first-rate civil to any one as mentions sich in her
hearing."

But Mr. Fenwick persevered, in spite even of this caution. When
the Vicar re-entered the house, Mrs. George Brattle had retired to
her parlour, and the kitchen was in the hands of the maid-servant.
He followed the lady, however, and found that she had been at the
trouble, since he had seen her last, of