indeed, or by the same mode of conveyance; for that letter went into Barchester by the Courcy night mail-cart, which, on

mley footpost messenger, and in due course delivered at the Framley Parsonage exactly as Mrs Robarts had finished reading prayers to the four servants. Or, I should say rather, that such would in its usual course have been that letter's destiny. As it was, however, it reached Silverbridge

an as he handed in that and the vicar's newspaper. T

aid Jemima the cook, pushing a stool a little to one

'edges 'as eyes and tells on me in Silverbridge,

nded him a bowl of tea with a slice of buttered toast. Robin postman took the proffered tea, put his dripping hat on the ground, and thanked Jemima cook

, it may be held that its course of transport was not inconveniently arranged. We, however, will travel by a much shorter route. Robin, in the course of his daily travels, passed, first the post-office at Framley, then Framley Court back

indicated, let the owner of the letter be where she might; and he laid down the law very satisfactorily with sundry long-worded quotations. Not to much effect, however, for the housemaid called him an oaf; and Robin would decidedly have had the worst of it had not the gardener come in and taken his part. 'They woman

room, writing her own letters, and looking after her own matters: for Lady Lufton was a person who dealt in figures herself, and understood business almost as well as Harold Smith. And on that morning she also had received a letter which had displeased her not a little.

hing wrong,' s

rs,' said Lady Meredith. Ludovic was Lord Lufton - Ludovic L

ng to stay with the Duke of Omnium. It was so thoroughly understood at Framley Court that the duke and all belonging to him, was noxious and damnable. He was a Whig, he was a bachelor, he was a gambler, he was immoral in every way, he was a man of no Church principle, a corrupter of youth, a sworn foe of young wives, a swallower up of small men's patrimonies; a man whom mothers feared for their sons, and sisters for their brothers; and worse again, whom fathers had cause to fear for their daught

ia!' at las

you got ba

pose you had better read it;' and she handed her husband's epi

?' said Lady Meredith, as she folded th

s were to stay over that evening. Lady Meredith now advised her friend to carry out this determination without saying anything about her husband's iniquities, and then to send the letter up to Lady Lufton as soon as she reached the parsonage. 'Mamma will never know that you received it here,' said Lady Meredith. But Mrs Robarts would not consent to thi

as to which Mr Sowerby once spoke. Lord Lufton had told the lawyer that the thing must be done at once, adding that his friend Robarts would have explained the whole affair to his mother. And then the lawyer had written to Lady Lufton, as was indeed necessary; but unfortunately Lady Lufton had not hitherto heard a word of the matter. In her eyes the sale of family property was horrible; the fact that a young man with some fifteen or twenty thousand a year should require subsidiary money was horrible; that her own son should have not written to he

as the door was opened; 'I should have been d

ich makes her wish to speak to

d it in her hand, but had not yet quite made up her mind whether s

ly, for she was thinking of the farm in Oxfordshire. The imprudence of the young is very sore to the prudence of their elders. No woman could be l

said for himself more than she could say for him, and so, probably, it was best that her ladyship should see it. Lady Lufton took it, and read it, and her face grew blacker and blacker. Her mind was set against the writer before she began it, and every word in it tended to make her feel more estranged from him. 'Oh, he is going to

ay that,' said Mrs Robart

speak in that way,'

A man must choose for himself, but he can't live with two different sets of people; at least, not if I belong to

pocrisy in that

u tell me that Mr Robarts would really have thought it wrong to refuse that invitation? I say that is hypocrisy. There is no other word for it.' By this time the poor wife, who had been in tears, was wiping them away and preparing

n ill-judged,' she said,

ow better than I; but to me it looks e

a, do be

How is one to moderate one's feel

Mr Robarts has betraye

nt as to going into any house in the kingdom, however infamous? We must all stand in judgement one upon another in that sense. "Crawley!" Yes; if he were a

e very hard upon him - very hard. I

en to Jones"- yes; it is easy enough to write to poor Jones. He had better write to Jone

own duty as any clergyman in the whole dio

Mrs Podgens. What with his curate and his wife and Mr

inia, 'pray, pray don'

me. "Tell her ladyship my whereabouts." He

her hand to get it back, but in vain. 'I

ce with him! Well - well - well. Had I not read it myself, I could not have believed it of him. I would not positively have believed it. "Coming from my parish he could not go to the Duke of Omnium!" And it is what I woul

hing to deceive

nny. I am very sorry for it. I can say nothing more.' And she folded up the letter and

ther you did or not; of cou

ly begs me t

um's without my knowing it.' And now Fanny Robarts's cup was full, full to overflowing. When she heard these words she forgot all about Lady Lufton, all about Lady Meredith, an

u forget yourself in speakin

to show me such a letter as that, an

. Even you are not justified in speaking t

hty!' said h

f Omnium's, I will not pretend to judge. He is th

bill unpaid and no money to buy shoes for

e - and neither you nor I have a right to expect them -

ay go to the Duke of Omniu

ady Meredith. 'Why should

without speaking up for him. If I don't defend him, who will? Lady

y!' said

id Lady Lufton. 'This is t

uch people as you have named. He does not neglect his duties. If every clergyman were as much in his parish, it would be well for some of them. And in going t

ady Lufton; 'he can join the duke with them and then they'll stand for the three Grace

may go now,

certainly,

any one to speak against Mr Robarts without answering them. You have b

now you are going to begin it all over again. That is more than I can stand. If you have nothing else particular to say, you might as well leave me.' And Lady Lufton's face as she spoke wa

on,' she said; 'then

re left Framley Court to go back to her own parsonage without a warm embrace. Now she was to do so without even havi

' said Lady Meredith. 'She will b

id nothing of the kind, but she was far too proud to point this out. So with a gentle step she retreated through the door, and then Lady Meredi

s. What were they to do now? Of such a tragedy as this they had had no remotest preconception. Was it absolutely the case that Fanny Robarts was to walk o

said Lady Meredith. 'You saw that she was vexed. She ha

answer any one who

her say what she pleased, and leave

daughter, and Sir George - she would not dare t

pleased her. I am sorry

is quite as well that we should know them. Even for all that I owe to her, and all the love I be

know what happens when two

en I went up to her

oking back. What

rs Robarts. 'I will go and put my things

hen you will be able to kiss

nk what I have to say to him. I could not write that letter here, and the post goes

aching the elder one to say something about papa. But, even as she taught him, the tears stood in her eyes, and the little fellow knew that everything was not right. And there she sat till about two, doing little odds and ends of things for the children, and allowing that occupation to stand as an excuse to her for not commencing her letter. But then there remained only two hours to

, as it will you, dearest; I know that. But we both know how good she is at heart, and Justinia thinks that she had other things to trouble her; and I hope it will all be made up before you come home; only, dearest Mark, pray do not be longer than you said in your last letter.' And then there were three or four paragraphs about the babies, and two about the schools, which I may as well omit. She had just finished her letter, and was carefully folding it for its envelope, with the two whole five-pound notes im

ithout the aid of any servant - and Lady Lufton herself stood

ady Lu

u of your husband as I did, and so I have come to beg your pardon.' Mrs Robarts was past answering by the time that this was said, at least in

right. I have not been at all happy since you left my den this morning, and I don't suppose you have. But, Fan

s, Lady

it down, my love, and let us have a little talk. There, I must take my bonnet off. You have pulled the strings so that you have

she owes to her husband, and, therefore, you were quite right to stand up for Mr Robarts this morning.' Upon t

fierce, you know. Even Justinia admits that, and she has been at me ever since you went away. And

ady Lu

ay, so we'll say nothing more about that; wi

fton, you mus

said about the duke, either now or when he comes back;

ay week,

the house on Wednesday. He'll be in time, I suppose, a

obliged to you

believe me he's better

he is; much

at, for I thought you seemed

, Lady

ll find that it's better for him, better for him in every way, to stick to his old friends. It will be better for his peace of mind, better for his character as a clergyman, better for his pocket, better for his children, and for you - and better for his eternal welfare. The duke is not such a

ould have you back to dinner to-night,- by force if necessary. It was the only way I could make my peace with

m, poking with her umbrella at the epistle, which lay directed on Mrs Robarts's desk. 'I can und

atch and it was past four. She had hardly begun when the postman came. 'Oh, Mary,' she

hat, ma'am. Let him h

. I'll be ready in ten minutes.' And in five minutes she had scrawled a very different s