to this tedious sermon, was
standing opposite to the preacher with his hat in his hand, having
not yet had accorded to him the favour of a seat. During the
preaching of the sermon the preacher had never ceased to shiver and
shake, rubbing one fat little clammy hand slowly over the other, and
apparently afraid to look his audience in the face. It seemed to
Roden as though the words must have been learnt by heart, they came
so glibly, with so much of unction and of earnestness, and were in
their glibness so strongly opposed to the man's manner. There had not
been a single word spoken that had not been offensive to Roden. It
seemed to him that they had been chosen because of their offence.
In all those long-winded sentences about rank in which Mr. Greenwood
had expressed his own humility and insufficiency for the position of
friend in a family so exalted he had manifestly intended to signify
the much more manifest insufficiency of his hearer to fill a place
of higher honour even than that of friend. Had the words come at the
spur of the moment, the man must, thought Roden, have great gifts for
extempore preaching. He had thought the time in the hall to be long,
but it had not been much for the communication of the Earl's wishes,
and then for the preparation of all these words. It was necessary,
however, that he must make his reply without any preparation.

"I have come," he said, "to tell Lord Kingsbury that I am in love
with his daughter." At hearing this the fat little man held up both
his hands in amazement,--although he had already made it clear that
he was acquainted with all the circumstances. "And I should have been
bound to add," said Roden, plucking up all his courage, "that the
young lady is also in love with me."

"Oh,--oh,--oh!" The hands went higher and higher as these
interjections were made.

"Why not? Is not the truth the best?"

"A young man, Mr. Roden, should never boast of a young lady's
affection,--particularly of such a young lady;--particularly when
I cannot admit that it exists;--particularly not in her father's
house."

"Nobody should boast of anything, Mr. Greenwood. I speak of a fact
which it is necessary that a father should know. If the lady denies
the assertion I have done."

"It is a matter in which delicacy demands that no question shall be
put to the young lady. After what has occurred, it is out of the
question that your name should even be mentioned in the young lady's
hearing."