ered--"what
does it matter to us about William Whitecoat, or Miss Pucker's
squint? She is a woman eager in doing good."

"It's only since he left Baslehurst, my dear."

"Mother!--does that matter to Rachel? Will that save her if she be in
danger? I tell you that Miss Pucker saw her walking with that young
man from the brewery!"

Though Mrs. Ray had been strongly inclined to throw what odium she
could upon Miss Pucker, and though she hated Miss Pucker in her
heart,--at this special moment,--for having carried tales against her
darling, she could not deny, even to herself, that a terrible state
of things had arrived if it were really true that Rachel had been
seen walking with a young man. She was not bitter on the subject
as was Mrs. Prime and poor Miss Pucker, but she was filled full of
indefinite horror with regard to young men in general. They were all
regarded by her as wolves,--as wolves, either with or without sheep's
clothing. I doubt whether she ever brought it home to herself that
those whom she now recognized as the established and well-credited
lords of the creation had ever been young men themselves. When she
heard of a wedding,--when she learned that some struggling son of
Adam had taken to himself a wife, and had settled himself down to the
sober work of the world, she rejoiced greatly, thinking that the son
of Adam had done well to get himself married. But whenever it was
whispered into her ear that any young man was looking after a young
woman,--that he was taking the only step by which he could hope to
find a wife for himself,--she was instantly shocked at the wickedness
of the world, and prayed inwardly that the girl at least might be
saved like a brand from the burning. A young man, in her estimation,
was a wicked wild beast, seeking after young women to devour them, as
a cat seeks after mice. This at least was her established idea,--the
idea on which she worked, unless some other idea on any special
occasion were put into her head. When young Butler Cornbury, the
eldest son of the neighbouring squire, came to Cawston after pretty
Patty Comfort,--for Patty Comfort was said to have been the prettiest
girl in Devonshire;--and when Patty Comfort had been allowed to go to
the assemblies at Torquay almost on purpose to meet him, Mrs. Ray had
thought it all right, because it had been presented to her mind as
all right by the Rector. Butler Cornbury had married Patty Comfort
and it was all right. But had