"Parson seems peekish, I think," said the baronet.
"Peekish?" said the squire, inquisitively.
"Rather down on his luck. He's decently well off himself, isn't he?"
There was another pause, and nobody seemed inclined to answer the question.
"I mean, he's got something more than his bare living."
"Oh, yes," said Frank, laughing. "He's got what will buy him bread and cheese when the Rads shut up the Church:—unless, indeed, they shut up the Funds too."
"Ah, there's nothing like land," said Sir Louis: "nothing like the dirty acres; is there, squire?"
"Land is a very good investment, certainly," said Mr Gresham.
"The best going," said the other, who was now, as people say when they mean to be good-natured, slightly under the influence of liquor. "The best going—eh, Gazebee?"
Mr Gazebee gathered himself up, and turned away his head, looking out of the window.