'I don't know,' she said at last. 'Everyone says it is very good.'

He would have been repelled by her irresponsiveness but that her
last words had in them a note of lingering, of wistfulness, as
though the subject were connected with an inner debate not yet
solved which troubled bar. He was puzzled, but certainly not
repelled.

Twenty minutes later everybody was going. The Seatons went first,
and the other guests lingered awhile afterward to enjoy the sense
of freedom left by their departure. But at last the Mayews, father
and son, set off on foot to walk home over the moonlit mountains;
the doctor tucked himself and his daughter into his high gig and
drove off with a sweeping ironical bow to Rose, who had stood on
the steps teasing him to the last; and Robert Elsmere offered to
escort the Miss Leyburns and their mother home.

Mrs. Thornburgh was left protesting to the vicar's incredulous ears
that never--never as long as she lived--would she have Mrs. Seaton
inside her doors again.

'Her manners'--cried the vicar's wife, fuming-'her manners would
disgrace a Whinborough shop-girl. She has none-positively none!'

Then suddenly her round, comfortable face brightened and broadened
out into a beaming smile--

'But, after all, William, say what you will--and you always do say
the most unpleasant things you can think of--it was a great success.