evident to you; and have expressed distinctly
my disapprobation of some of your ideas.
You may imagine, then, that I was not well
pleased when I found that you had taken a
rood or more of Farmer Hale's land, and were
laying the foundations of a school-house.
You had done this without asking for my
permission, which, as Farmer Hale's liege
lady, ought to have been obtained legally, as
well as asked for out of courtesy. I put a
stop to what I believed to be calculated to
do harm to a village, to a population in
which, to say the least of it, I may be
supposed to take as much interest as you can
do. How can reading and writing, and the
multiplication-table (if you choose to go so
far) prevent blasphemy, and uncleanness and
cruelty? Really, Mr. Gray, I hardly like to
express myself so strongly on the subject in
your present state of health as I should do
at any other time. It seems to me that
books do little; character much; and
character is not formed from books."

"I do not think of character: I think of
souls. I must get some hold upon these
children, or what will become of them in the
next world? I must be found to have some
power beyond what they have, and what
they are rendered capable of appreciating
before they will listen to me. At present,
physical force is all they look up to; and I
have none."

"Nay, Mr. Gray, by your own admission,
they look up to me."

"They would not do anything your ladyship
disliked if it was likely to come to your
knowledge; but if they could conceal it from
you, the knowledge of your dislike to such or
such a line of conduct would never make
them cease from pursuing it."

"Mr. Gray," surprise in her air, and some
little indignation, " they and their fathers
have lived on the Hanbury lands for
generations!"

"I cannot help it, madam. I am telling
you the truth, whether you believe me or
not." There was a pause; my lady looking
perplexed, and somewhat ruffled; Mr. Gray
as though hopeless and wearied out. "Then,
my lady," said he, at last, rising as he spoke,
"you can suggest nothing to ameliorate the
state of things which, I do assure you, does
exist on your lands, and among your tenants.
Surely, you will not object to my using
Farmer Hale's great barn every Sabbath.
He will allow me the use of it, if your ladyship
will grant your permission."

"You are not fit for any extra work at
present" (and indeed he had been coughing
very much all through the conversation).
"Give me time to consider of it. Tell me
what you wish to teach. You will be able
to take care of your health and grow stronger
while I consider. It shall not be the worse
for you, if you leave it in my hands for a
time."

My lady spoke very kindly; but he was in
too excited a state to recognise the kindness,
while the idea of delay was evidently a sore
irritation. I heard him say: "And I have
so little time in which to do my work. Lord!
lay not this sin to my charge."

But my lady was speaking to the old
butler, for whom, at her sign, I had rung the
bell some little time before. Now she turned
round.

"Mr. Gray, I find I have some bottles of
Malmsey, of the vintage of seventeen hundred
and seventy-eight, yet left. Malmsey, as
perhaps you know, used to be considered a
specific for coughs arising from weakness.
You must permit me to send you half-a-
dozen bottles, and depend upon it you will
take a more cheerful view of life and its
duties before you have finished them,
especially if you will be so kind as to see Doctor
Trevor, who is coming to see me in the
course of the week. By the time you are
strong enough to work I will try and find
some means of preventing the children from
using such bad language, and otherwise
annoying you."

"My lady, it is the sin, and not the annoyance.
I wish I could make you understand."
He spoke with some impatience; poor fellow,
he was too weak, exhausted, and nervous.
"I am perfectly well; I can set to work
to-morrow; I will do anything not to be
oppressed with the thought of how little I
am doing. I do not want your wine. Liberty
to act in the manner I think right, will do
me far more good. But it is of no use. It is
pre-ordained that I am to be nothing but a
cumberer of the ground. I beg your
ladyship's pardon for this call."

He stood up, and then turned dizzy. My
lady looked on, deeply hurt, and not a little
offended. He held out his hand to her, and
I could see that she had a little hesitation
before she took it. He then saw me, I almost
think, for the first time; and put out his
hand once more, drew it back, as if
undecided, put it out again, and finally took
hold of mine for an instant in his damp,
listless hand, and was gone.

Lady Ludlow was dissatisfied with both
him and herself, I was sure. Indeed I was
dissatisfied with the result of the interview
myself. But my lady was not one to speak
out her feelings on the subject; nor was I
one to forget myself, and begin on a topic
which she did not begin. She came to me,
and was very tender with me; so tender,
that that, and the thoughts of Mr. Gray's
sick, hopeless, disappointed look, nearly made
me cry.

"You are tired, little one," said my lady.
"Go and lie down in my room, and hear what
Medlicott and I can decide upon in the way
of strengthening dainties for that poor young
man, who is killing himself with his
oversensitive conscientiousness."

"O, my lady!" said I, and then I stopped.

"Well. What?" asked she.