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not　much　surprised　at　your　news。　　Your　father　was　very　wise
after　all　in　entailing　everything　so　strictly　upon　your
offspring；　for　if　he　had　not　I　should　have　been　driven　wild
with　the　responsibility！'

'And　now　that　the　murder　is　out；'　continued　Paula；　passing
over　that　view　of　the　case；　'I　don't　mind　telling　you　that
somehow　or　other　I　have　got　to　like　George　Somerset　as
desperately　as　a　woman　can　care　for　any　man。　　I　thought　I
should　have　died　when　I　saw　him　dancing；　and　feared　I　had　lost
him！　　He　seemed　ten　times　nicer　than　ever　then！　　So　silly　we
women　are；　that　I　wouldn't　marry　a　duke　in　preference　to　him。
There；　that's　my　honest　feeling；　and　you　must　make　what　you
can　of　it；　my　conscience　is　clear；　thank　Heaven！'

'Have　you　fixed　the　day？'

'No；'　continued　the　young　lady；　still　watching　the　sleeping
flies　on　the　ceiling。　　'It　is　left　unsettled　between　us；　while
I　come　and　ask　you　if　there　would　be　any　harmif　it　could
conveniently　be　before　we　return　to　England？'

'Paula；　this　is　too　precipitate！'

'On　the　contrary；　aunt。　　In　matrimony；　as　in　some　other
things；　you　should　be　slow　to　decide；　but　quick　to　execute。
Nothing　on　earth　would　make　me　marry　another　man；　I　know　every
fibre　of　his　character；　and　he　knows　a　good　many　fibres　of
mine；　so　as　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　learnt；　why　shouldn't
we　marry　at　once？　　On　one　point　I　am　firm：　　I　will　never
return　to　that　castle　as　Miss　Power。　　A　nameless　dread　comes
over　me　when　I　think　of　ita　fear　that　some　uncanny　influence
of　the　dead　De　Stancys　would　drive　me　again　from　him。　　O；　if
it　were　to　do　that；'　she　murmured；　burying　her　face　in　her
hands；　'I　really　think　it　would　be　more　than　I　could　bear！'

'Very　well；'　said　Mrs。　Goodman；　'we　will　see　what　can　be　done。
I　will　write　to　Mr。　Wardlaw。'



IV。

On　a　windy　afternoon　in　November；　when　more　than　two　months
had　closed　over　the　incidents　previously　recorded；　a　number　of
farmers　were　sitting　in　a　room　of　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms　Inn；
Markton；　that　was　used　for　the　weekly　ordinary。　　It　was　a
long；　low　apartment；　formed　by　the　union　of　two　or　three
smaller　rooms；　with　a　bow…window　looking　upon　the　street；　and
at　the　present　moment　was　pervaded　by　a　blue　fog　from　tobacco…
pipes；　and　a　temperature　like　that　of　a　kiln。　　The　body　of
farmers　who　still　sat　on　there　was　greater　than　usual；　owing
to　the　cold　air　without；　the　tables　having　been　cleared　of
dinner　for　some　time　and　their　surface　stamped　with　liquid
circles　by　the　feet　of　the　numerous　glasses。

Besides　the　farmers　there　were　present　several　professional
men　of　the　town；　who　found　it　desirable　to　dine　here　on
market…days　for　the　opportunity　it　afforded　them　of　increasing
their　practice　among　the　agriculturists；　many　of　whom　were　men
of　large　balances；　even　luxurious　livers；　who　drove　to　market
in　elegant　phaetons　drawn　by　horses　of　supreme　blood；　bone；
and　action；　in　a　style　never　anticipated　by　their　fathers　when
jogging　thither　in　light　carts；　or　afoot　with　a　butter　basket
on　each　arm。

The　buzz　of　groggy　conversation　was　suddenly　impinged　on　by
the　notes　of　a　peal　of　bells　from　the　tower　hard　by。　　Almost
at　the　same　instant　the　door　of　the　room　opened；　and　there
entered　the　landlord　of　the　little　inn　at　Sleeping…Green。
Drawing　his　supply　of　cordials　from　this　superior　house；　to
which　he　was　subject；　he　came　here　at　stated　times　like　a
prebendary　to　the　cathedral　of　his　diocesan；　afterwards
retailing　to　his　own　humbler　audience　the　sentiments　which　he
had　learnt　of　this。　　But　curiosity　being　awakened　by　the
church　bells　the　usual　position　was　for　the　moment　reversed；
and　one　of　the　farmers；　saluting　him　by　name；　asked　him　the
reason　of　their　striking　up　at　that　time　of　day。

'My　mis'ess　out　yonder；'　replied　the　rural　landlord；　nodding
sideways；　'is　coming　home　with　her　fancy…man。　　They　have　been
a…gaying　together　this　turk　of　a　while　in　foreign　partsHere；
maid！what　with　the　wind；　and　standing　about；　my　blood's　as
low　as　waterbring　us　a　thimbleful　of　that　that　isn't　gin　and
not　far　from　it。'

'It　is　true；　then；　that　she's　become　Mrs。　Somerset？'
indifferently　asked　a　farmer　in　broadcloth；　tenant　of　an
estate　in　quite　another　direction　than　hers；　as　he
contemplated　the　grain　of　the　table　immediately　surrounding
the　foot　of　his　glass。

'Trueof　course　it　is；'　said　Havill；　who　was　also　present；　in
the　tone　of　one　who；　though　sitting　in　this　rubicund　company；
was　not　of　it。　　'I　could　have　told　you　the　truth　of　it　any　day
these　last　five　weeks。'

Among　those　who　had　lent　an　ear　was　Dairyman　Jinks；　an　old
gnarled　character　who　wore　a　white　fustian　coat　and　yellow
leggings；　the　only　man　in　the　room　who　never　dressed　up　in
dark　clothes　for　marketing。　　He　now　asked；　'Married　abroad；
was　they？　　And　how　long　will　a　wedding　abroad　stand　good　for
in　this　country？'

'As　long　as　a　wedding　at　home。'

'Will　it？　　Faith；　I　didn't　know：　　how　should　I？　　I　thought　it
might　be　some　new　plan　o'　folks　for　leasing　women　now　they　be
so　plentiful；　so　as　to　get　rid　o'　'em　when　the　men　be　tired　o'
'em；　and　hev　spent　all　their　money。'

'He　won't　be　able　to　spend　her　money；'　said　the　landlord　of
Sleeping…Green。　　''Tis　her　very　own　person'ssettled　upon　the
hairs　of　her　head　for　ever。'

'O　nation！　　Then　if　I　were　the　man　I　shouldn't　care　for　such　a
one…eyed　benefit　as　that；'　said　Dairyman　Jinks；　turning　away
to　listen　to　the　talk　on　his　other　hand。

'Is　that　true？'　asked　the　gentleman…farmer　in　broadcloth。

'It　is　sufficiently　near　the　truth；'　said　Havill。　　'There　is
nothing　at　all　unusual　in　the　arrangement；　it　was　only　settled
so　to　prevent　any　schemer　making　a　beggar　of　her。　　If　Somerset
and　she　have　any　children；　which　probably　they　will；　it　will
be　theirs；　and　what　can　a　man　want　more？　　Besides；　there　is　a
large　portion　of　property　left　to　her　personal　usequite　as
much　as　they　can　want。　　Oddly　enough；　the　curiosities　and
pictures　of　the　castle　which　belonged　to　the　De　Stancys　are
not　restricted　from　sale；　they　are　hers　to　do　what　she　likes
with。　　Old　Power　didn't　care　for　articles　that　reminded　him　so
much　of　his　predecessors。'

'Hey？'　said　Dairyman　Jinks；　turning　back　again；　having　decided
that　the　conversation　on　his　right　hand　was；　after　all；　the
more　interesting。　　'Wellwhy　can't　'em　hire　a　travelling　chap
to　touch　up　the　picters　into　her　own　gaffers　and　gammers？
Then　they'd　be　worth　sommat　to　her。'

'Ah；　here　they　are？　　I　thought　so；'　said　Havill；　who　had　been
standing　up　at　the　window　for　the　last　few　moments。　　'The
ringers　were　told　to　begin　as　soon　as　the　train　signalled。'

As　he　spoke　a　carriage　drew　up　to　the　hotel…door；　followed　by
another　with　the　maid　and　luggage。　　The　inmates　crowded　to　the
bow…window；　except　Dairyman　Jinks；　who　had　become　absorbed　in
his　own　reflections。

'What　be　they　stopping　here　for？'　asked　one　of　the　previous
speakers。

'They　are　going　to　stay　here　to…night；'　said　Havill。　　'They
have　come　quite　unexpectedly；　and　the　castle　is　in　such　a
state　of　turmoil　that　there　is　not　a　single　carpet　down；　or
room　for　them　to　use。　　We　shall　get　two　or　three　in　order　by
next　week。'

'Two　little　people　like　them　will　be　lost　in　the　chammers　of
that　wandering　place！'　satirized　Dairyman　Jinks。　　'They　will
be　bound　to　have　a　randy　every　fortnight　to　keep　the　moth　out
of　the　furniture！'

By　this　time　Somerset　was　handing　out　the　wife　of　his　bosom；
and　Dairyman　Jinks　went　on：　　'That's　no　more　Miss　Power　that
was；　than　my　niece's　daughter　Kezia　is　Miss　Powerin　short　it
is　a　different　woman　altogether！'

'There　is　no　mistake　about　the　woman；'　said　the　landlord；　'it
is　her　fur　clothes　that　make　her　look　so　like　a　caterpillar　on
end。　　Well；　she　is　not　a　bad　bargain！　　As　for　Captain　De
Stancy；　he'll　fret　his　gizzard　green。'

'He's　the　man　she　ought　to　ha'　married；'　declared　the　farmer
in　broadcloth。　　'As　the　world　goes　she　ought　to　have　been　Lady
De　Stancy。　　She　gave　up　her　chapel…going；　and　you　might　have
thought　she　would　have　given　up　her　first　young　man：　　but　she
stuck　to　him；　though　by　all　accounts　he　would　soon　have　been
interested　in　another　party。'

''Tis　woman's　nature　to　be　false　except　to　a　man；　and　man's
nature　to　be　true　except　to　a　woman；'　said　the　landlord　of
Sleeping…Green。　　'However；　all's　well　that　ends　well；　and　I
have　something　else　to　think　of　than　new…married　couples；'
saying　which　the　speaker　moved　off；　and　the　others　returned　to
their　seats；　the　young　pair　who　had　been　their　theme　vanishing
through　the　hotel　into　some　private　paradise　to　rest　and　dine。

By　this　time　their　arrival　had　become　known；　and　a　crowd　soon
gathered　outside；　acquiring　audacity　with　continuance　there。
Raising　a　hurrah；　the　group　would　not　leave　till　Somerset　had
showed　himself　on　the　balcony　above；　and　then　declined　to　go
away　till　Paula　also　had　appeared；　when；　remarking　that　her
husband　seemed　a　quiet　young　man　enough；　and　would　make　a　very
good　borough　member　when　their　present　one　misbehaved　himself；
the　assemblage　good…humouredly　dispersed。



Among　those　whose　ears　had　been　reached　by　the　hurrahs　of
these　idlers　was　a　man　in　silence　and　solitude；　far　out　of　the
town。　　He　was　leaning　over　a　gate　that　divided　two