Our Friend the Charlatan

to about the moist lawn of Alverholme Vicarage. But his gaze was absent and worried. The countenance of the reverend gentleman rarely wore any other e

ewed in a very depressing strain the present aspect of English life. He felt that he might have, and

ly he accepted the theory of organic evolution, reconciling it with a very broad Anglicanism; in his public utterances he touched upon the Darwinian doctrine with a weary disdain. This contradiction involved

arrassed, likely to be so in a very short time. He was not a good economist; he despised everything in the nature of parsimony; his ideal of the clerical life demanded a liberal expenditure of money no less than unsparing personal toil. He had generously exhausted the greater part

that of household order and thrift. Whilst the vicar stood waiting for breakfast, tapping drearily on the window-pane

akfast isn't ready! Surely, my

d the vicar, in a tone o

ossly offend against the convention of good-breeding; but her nature was self-assertive. She could not brook a semblance of disregard for her authority, yet, like women in general, had no idea of how to rule. The small, round face had once been pretty; now, with its promin

at length he applied himself to his lukewarm egg

he

oesn'

e with those vague projects. Why did he

. Lashmar, feebly. His wife, in thi

see the

he half-dozen lines in

in her deepest and most disdainf

hardly think

all I want to know here's a letter, I see, from that silly Mrs. Barker-her husband

to me," remarked the vicar,

ost all interest in them as soon as their troubles were surmounted, and even viewed with resentment that result of her own efforts. Worse still, from her point of view, if the effort had l

eap note-paper with its illiterate gratitude. "Oh, here's something from Lady Susan-pooh! Ano

t you expected," rema

tutor. The obscurity of this existence, so painful a contrast to the hopes his parents had nourished, so disappointing an outcome of all the thought that had been given to Dyce's education, and of the not inconsiderable sums spent upon it, fretted Mrs. Lashmar to the soul; at times she turned in anger against the young man himself, accusing him of ungrateful supineness, but more often eased her injured feelings by accusation of all such persons as, by any possibility, might have ai

t as the deliberate utterance of cold judgment. "Never in all her life has she thought of anyone but herself. What

erfect tooth upon a piece of toast, and, as u

ppointment," he observed. "

any better opinion of Lady

s never to argue with a woman. Sad

g out the weekly paper. "It's fall of truth, well expr

. . an all but utter lack of what old-fashioned people still call principle. . . ." these phrases recurred to his memory, with disagreeable significance. Was that in truth a picture of his son, of the boy whom he had loved and watched over and so zealously hoped for? Possibly he wronged Dyce, for the young man's mind and heart had long ceased to be clearly legible to him. "Worst, perhaps, of all these frequent traits is the affectation of-to use a silly word-altruism. The most radically selfish of men seem capable of persuading themselves into the belief that their prime moti

refused spiritual comfort, and would speak of nothing but the future of his children. Straightway Mr. Lashmar became the practical console

or the world to come. Is it not also better? Afte

st spring, he had found white violets about the roots of the trees. A desire for their beauty and odour possessed him; he turned across the grass. Presently a perfume guided him to a certain mossy corner where pa

bout them," was another tho

of joints. Alas for the days when he ran and leapt and knew not pain

rate at the church school, and, not to be unpunctual, he quickened his pace in that direction. At a little distance behind hi

ou do, Mr

vicar. "What a long time since

day. How are you? And

d the practical woman, who thinks about her costume only just as much as is needful; her dark-brown hair was coiled in a plait just above the nape, as if neatly and definitely put out of the way. She looked neither more nor less than her age, which was eight and twenty. At first sight her features struck one as hard and unsympathetic, though tolerably regular; watching her as

ss Bride?" asked Mr. Lashmar,

it. I am secretary to Lady Ogram-I don

hear that you have such a pleasant position. And y

and seems to be all right. My m

Though very little of an observer, he was comforted by an assurance that Miss Bride's features were less impassiv

nd of the first twelvemonth in his rural benefice the unfortunate cleric made a calculation that he was legally responsible for rather more than twice the sum of money represented by his stipend and the offertories. The church needed a new roof; the parsonage was barely habita

n to an embittered pessimist. As for herself, sound health and a good endowment of brains enabled her to make a way in the world. Luckily, she was a sole child: her father managed to give her a decent education till she was old enough to live by teaching. But teaching was not her vocation. Looking round for possibi

as they walked on. "I think I remem

old aunt still living in the town

this bluntness of revelation; it gave him a sligh

will dine with us this

by an early evening train. But I should li

for leaving you-an appointment at the schools; but I

mar. I haven't forgotten

dining-room, busy with a female parishioner whose self-will in the treatme

mum," the woman was exclaiming, "tha

r severely, "you will allow me

pened the door to a

in astonishment. "Very well; s

brella across her knees. After a rather nervous survey of the room, (it had changed very little in appearance since her last visit six years ago), she fell into uneasy t

mar, in a voice of forced welcome. "I thou

d to Alverholme," replied the other

all about yourself. Are you still at the hospital? You

ns for regarding Constance Bride with disapproval, the least of them that sense of natural antipathy which was inevitable between two such women.

s, with some emphasis of candid surprise

s the balanced reply. "Lady Ogra

ed! I was

nd smoothed off into commonplaces. Presently the vicar entered, and foun

Lashmar. "I am trying to persuade her to sta

ictated by decency for the prolongation of her stay. Once or twice her look wandered to a certain part of the wall where hung a framed photograph-a portrait of Dyce Lashmar at the age of one

" said Mrs. Lashmar. "

ed her ears; surprise and anno

e vicar, who for his part, rec

aid he was coming

tement, and remark was rendered superfluous by the o

," said the young man, in a suave Oxford

ute; then he stepped towards her, and, with an air of peculia

lad to see you." Re touched Mrs. Lashmar's forehead with his lips

p, and was now advanci

rs. Lashmar, with her

d Dyce. "Why? Are you s

st catch

t tr

ix fort

ven't had a moment's talk with her; it's absurd. Six forty-five? You needn'

epart or remain. Glancing involuntarily at Mrs. Lashmar, she saw the gloom of rese

, as Constance with some abruptness resumed her seat. "How is

eplied the girl, quite

uttered gently a "Pray forgive me!" and was silent. The vica