"After that elegant introduction, and lucid explanation, I think you may

be excused," returned Alick Keith.

The boy shook Ermine's hand with his soldierly grace, but rather spoilt

the effect thereof by his aside, "I wanted to see the toad and the

pictures our Miss Williams told me about, but I'll come another time;"

and the wink of his black eyes, and significant shrug of his shoulders

at Rachel, were irresistible. They all laughed, even Rachel herself, as

Ermine, seeing it would be worse to ignore the demonstration, said, "The

elements of aunt and boy do not always work together."

"No," said Rachel; "I have never been forgiven for being the first

person who tried to keep those boys in order."

"And now," said Ermine, turning to her other visitor, "perhaps I may

discover which of us, or of our uncles, preached a sermon."

"Mine, I suspect," returned Mr. Keith. "Your sister and I made out at

luncheon that you had known my uncle, Mr. Clare, of Bishopsworthy."

"Mr. Clare! Oh yes," cried Ermine eagerly, "he took the duty for one

of our curates once for a long vacation. Did you ever hear him speak of

Beauchamp?"

"Yes, often; and of Dr. Williams. He will be very much interested to

hear of you."

"It was a time I well remember," said Ermine. "He was an Oxford tutor

then, and I was about fourteen, just old enough to be delighted to hear

clever talk. And his sermons were memorable; they were the first I ever

listened to."

"There are few sermons that it is not an infliction to listen to," began

Rachel, but she was not heard or noticed.

"I assure you they are even more striking now in his blindness."

"Blindness! Indeed, I had not heard of that."

Even Rachel listened with interest as the young officer explained that

his uncle, whom both he and Miss Williams talked of as a man of note, of

whom every one must have heard, had for the last four years been totally

blind, but continued to be an active parish priest, visiting regularly,

preaching, and taking a share in the service, which he knew by heart. He

had, of course, a curate, who lived with him, and took very good care of

him.

"No one else?" said Rachel. "I thought your sister lived at

Bishopsworthy."

"No, my sister lives, or has lived, at Little Worthy, the next parish,

and as unlike it as possible. It has a railroad in it, and the cockneys

have come down on it and 'villafied' it. My aunt, Mrs. Lacy Clare, has

lived there ever since my sister has been with her; but now her last

daughter is to be married, she wishes to give up housekeeping."

"And your sister is coming to Lady Temple," said Rachel, in her peculiar

affirmative way of asking questions. "She will find it very dull here."




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