must go up and look at herself in the glass if she did nothing more,
before coming in to receive company.

Susan entered the parlor; she came in so gently that she had a moment
to observe her visitor before he saw her. He had seated himself with
his back to the light, and was devouring a stupid book on husbandry
that belonged to her father. The moment she closed the door he saw her
and rose from his seat.

"Miss Merton?"

"Yes, sir."

"The living of this place has been vacant more than a month."

"Yes, sir."

"It will not be filled up for three months, perhaps."

"So we hear, sir."

"Meantime you have no church to go to nearer than Barmstoke, which is
a chapel-of-ease to this place, but two miles distant."

"Two miles and a half, sir."

"So then the people here have no divine service on the Lord's day."

"No, sir, not for the present," said Susan meekly, lowering her
lashes, as if the clergyman had said, "This is a parish of heathens,