Parson.—“Our religion proves it, my love; he was an angel, and he fell.”
There was a solemn pause. Randal was more impressed than he liked to own to himself. By this time the dinner was over, and the servants had retired. Harry glanced at Carry. Carry smoothed her gown and rose.
The gentlemen remained over their wine; and the Parson, satisfied with what he deemed a clencher upon his favorite subject of discussion, changed the subject to lighter topics, till happening to fall upon tithes, the Squire struck in, and by dint of loudness of voice, and truculence of brow, fairly overwhelmed both his guests, and proved to his own satisfaction that tithes were an unjust and unchristianlike usurpation on the part of the Church generally, and a most especial and iniquitous infliction upon the Hazeldean estates in particular.
CHAPTER IX.
On entering the drawing-room, Randal found the two ladies seated close together, in a position much more appropriate to the familiarity of their school-days than to the politeness of the friendship now existing between them. Mrs. Hazeldean’s hand hung affectionately over Carry’s shoulder, and both those fair English faces were bent over the same book. It was pretty to see these sober matrons, so different from each other in character and aspect, thus unconsciously restored to the intimacy of happy maiden youth by the golden link of some Magician from the still land of Truth or Fancy—brought together in heart, as each eye rested on the same thought;—closer and closer, as sympathy, lost in the actual world, grew out of that world which unites in one bond of feeling the readers of some gentle book.
“And what work interests you so much?” said Randal, pausing by the table.
“One you have read, of course,” replied Mrs Dale, putting a bookmark embroidered by her self into the page, and handing the volume to Randal. “It has made a great sensation, I believe.”
Randal glanced at the title of the work “True,” said he, “I have heard much of it in London, but I have not yet had time to read it.”
Mrs. Dale.—“I can lend it to you, if you like to look over it to-night, and you can leave it for me with Mrs. Hazeldean.”