highest welfare. I do not pretend I can enter into the high-flown
and romantic feelings engendered by your reprehensible habit of
novel-reading."

"You've scolded me so often for that," said Lady Mary, half mockingly,
half sadly. "Can't we--keep to the subject in hand, as you said just
now?"

"I have a reason, a strong reason," said Sir Timothy, "for wishing you
to remain at home to-morrow. I had hoped, by concealing it from you,
to spare you some of the painful suspense and anxiety which I am
myself experiencing."

Lady Mary laughed.

"How like a man to suppose a woman is spared anything by being kept in
the dark! I knew something was wrong. Dr. Blundell and Canon Birch are
in your confidence, I presume? They kept exchanging glances like two
mysterious owls. Your sisters are not, or they would be sighing and
shaking their heads. And John--John Crewys? Oh, he is a lawyer. When
does a visitor ever come here except on business? He has something to
do with it. Ah, to advise you for nothing over your purchase of the
Crown lands! You have got into some difficulty over that, or something
of the kind? You brought him down here for some special purpose, I am
sure; but I did not know him well enough, and I knew you too well, to
ask why."

"Mary, what has come to you? I never knew you quite like this before.
I dislike this extraordinary flippancy of tone very much."