"I scarcely thought I should find a seat," he added.

"It is always full to the doors in the morning," said Lady Sophia, with a
cheerfulness that was slightly forced.

She glanced at her husband, and suddenly added, not without a decided
touch of feminine spite:

"Unless Mr. Chichester, the senior curate, is preaching."

"My dear Sophy!" exclaimed Mr. Harding.

"Well, it is so!" she said, with a sort of petulance.

"Perhaps Mr. Chichester is not gifted as a preacher," said Malling.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," said the rector.

"My husband never criticizes his--swans," said Lady Sophia, with delicate
malice, and a glance full of meaning at Malling. "But I'm a woman, and my
principles are not so high as his."

"You do yourself an injustice," said the rector. "Here we are."

He drew out his latch-key.

Before lunch Malling was left alone for a few minutes in the drawing-room
with Lady Sophia. The rector had to see a parishioner who had called and
was waiting for him in his study. Directly her husband had left the room
Lady Sophia turned to Malling and said: