cousin Lady Grogram that the boy is not to go back after the holidays."
This happened to be altogether untrue. What she probably meant was, that
the boy should not go back if she could prevent his doing so.

"I feel quite sure," said Lady Margaret, "that Lady Anne will not allow
her boys to remain when she finds out what sort of inmates the Doctor
chooses to entertain." The Lady Anne spoken of was Lady Anne Clifford,
the widowed mother of two boys who were intrusted to the Doctor's care.

"I do hope you'll be firm about Gus," said Mrs. Stantiloup to Mrs. Momson.
"If we're not to put down this kind of thing, what is the good of having
any morals in the country at all? We might just as well live like pagans,
and do without any marriage services, as they do in so many parts of the
United States."

"I wonder what the Bishop does think about it?" asked Mrs. Momson of the
Bishop's wife.

"It makes him very unhappy; I know that," said Mrs. Rolland. "Of course
he cannot interfere about the school. As for licensing the gentleman as a
curate, that was of course quite out of the question."

At this moment Mr. Momson, the clergyman, and the Bishop came into the
room, and were offered, as is usual on such occasions, cold tea and the
remains of the buttered toast. The squire was not there. Had he been
with the other gentlemen, Mrs. Stantiloup, violent as she was, would
probably have held her tongue; but as he was absent, the opportunity was
not bad for attacking the Bishop on the subject under discussion. "We
were talking, my lord, about the Bowick school."

Now the Bishop was a man who could be very confidential with one lady, but
was apt to be guarded when men are concerned. To any one of those present
he might have said what he thought, had no one else been there to hear.
That would have been the expression of a private opinion; but to speak
before the four would have been tantamount to a public declaration.

"About the Bowick school?" said he; "I hope there is nothing going wrong
with the Bowick school."

"You must have heard about Mr. Peacocke," said Lady Margaret.

"Yes; I have certainly heard of Mr. Peacocke. He, I believe, has left Dr.
Wortle's seminary."

"But she remains!" said Mrs. Stantiloup, with tragic energy.

"So I understand;--in the house; but not as part of the establishment."

"Does that make so much difference?" asked Lady Margaret.

"It does make a very great difference," said Lady Margare