"Editing a Greek play, writing a political pamphlet, and apostatizing at
the proper moment."

"Ha, ha! your lordship is severe on us."

"Not I; I often wish I had been brought up to the Church,--famous
profession, properly understood. By Jupiter, I should have been a
capital bishop!"

In his capacity of parson, Mr. Merton tried to look grave; in his
capacity of a gentlemanlike, liberal fellow, he gave up the attempt, and
laughed pleasantly at the joke of the rising man.



CHAPTER VII.

WILL nothing please you?
What do you think of the Court?--_The Plain Dealer_.

ON one subject Aubrey found no difficulty in ascertaining Evelyn's wishes
and condition of mind. The experiment of her visit, so far as Vargrave's
hopes were concerned, had utterly failed; she could not contemplate the
prospect of his alliance, and she poured out to the curate, frankly and
fully, all her desire to effect a release from her engagement. As it was
now settled that she should return with Aubrey to Brook-Green, it was
indeed necessary to come to the long-delayed understanding with her
betrothed. Yet this was difficult, for he had so little pressed, so
distantly alluded to, their engagement, that it was like a forwardness,