and happier tears were never shed. In all the long years which have
now gone by since that memorable day I have never had to endure from
that divine creature a word or a hint which even the suspicion of
wounded self-respect could interpret as a reproach.

We were married at B. The custom-house surveyor never entered his
parish church again, but went over to B. once every Sunday. He
wrote me a letter to say that it was with much regret that he left
the church of his own village, but that it was no longer possible to
derive any edification from the services there. The captain
remained, but discontinued his civilities. The squire informed me
that as I was still a priest and possessed authority to administer
the holy sacraments he should continue his attendance, but that of
course all personal intercourse must cease. I expected that the
common people would have been confirmed in their attachment to me,
but the opinion of the little village butcher was that I had
disgraced myself, and the farmers and labourers would not even touch
their hats to my wife when they met her. However, we did not care,
and in time it was impossible even to the squire not to recognise
her tact, manners, and sense. Her father had constructed an
ingenious sun-dial which he had placed on the front of his shop.
The great Mr. Halley was staying with Mr. M., who lives about five
miles from B., and seeing the dial when he was in the town, called
on my father-in-law, and was so much struck with him that he
obtained permission to invite him to dinner. There the squire met
him and was obliged to sit opposite him, amazed to hear him converse
on equal terms with Mr. Halley and his host, and to discover that he
knew how to behave with decency. Hostility continued to wear away.
Few people are endowed with sufficient perseverance to continue a
quarrel unless the cause is constantly renewed.