The Belton Estate

n her life that she was to make the journey from Belton to Perivale and back very often, as there prevailed an idea that she owed a divided duty. Thi

d had scarcely a right to call upon her niece for dutiful attendance after having settled it with her own conscience that her property was all to go to her nephew. But Cla

ergyman, called at Belton Castle, and in the course of conversation with Mr. Amedroz renewed one of those ill-natured rumour

eaking almost with anger, "that yo

he replied. "You know how I hate to be bothered. I tell

e fair either, papa.

the rector of the parish, and I

ever liked

ybody, my dear. Nobody likes me, a

ut ought to be called something else. Now we know that he served as Captain and Major Askerton for seven

at Mr. Wright asks. I don't say anything. I think

to any lady that you ever knew. But I know that she is her husband's wife, as we all of us know things of that sort. I

about it, my dear," sai

before he says such things. And then this that he

ow what he

both of them usin

sh they hadn't come here, if I'm to be troubled abo

en very good

nd remind me about the shooting whe

his gossip should have no effect upon her intimacy with Mrs. Askerton. But not

sions. It was very clear that Mrs. Askerton did not like Mr. Belton, and that she wished to prejudice Clara against him. "It's a pity he shouldn't be a lover of yours," the lady

y that he's not a han

her he has the proper use of his voice before ladies." Clara remembered a word or two spoken by her cousin to herself, in speaking whi

Clara. "Finish wha

I was going to say,

Miss Vigo," replied Clara, sharply. Mrs. Askerton was on that occasion silenced, and

eave their homes. This vehicle usually travelled at the rate of five miles an hour; but the old grey driver was never content to have time allowed to him for the transit calculated upon such a rate of speed. Accidents might happen, and why should he be made, as he would plaintively ask, to drive the poor beast out of its skin? He was consequently always at Belton a full hour before the time, and though Clara was well aw

tances the train can be saved. But the grey old man reassured her. "Now, miss," said he, coming to the window, while he left his horse recumbent and apparently comfortable on the road, "where'd you have been now, zure, if I hadn't a few minutes in hand for you?" Then he walked off to some neighbouring cottage, and

but they are few in number. The mind altogether declines to be active, whereas the body is seized by a spirit of restlessness to which delay and tranquillity are loathsome. The advertisements on the walls are examined, the map of some new Eden is studied-some Eden in which an irregular pond and a church are surrounded by a multiplicity of regular villas and shrubs-till the student feels that no consideration of health or economy would induce him to live there.

e had not been so watching for many seconds when she saw Captain Frederic Aylmer appear upon the platform. Immediately she sank back into her corner and watched no more. Of course he was going to Perivale; but why had not her aunt told her that she was to meet him? Of course she would be staying in the same house with him, and her present small attempt to avoid him would thus

not the slightest expectation of meeting you

rfield has not mentioned to me t

Perivalians who send me to Parliament. I'm to dine with the mayor to-morrow, and as some big-wig has come in his way who

my aunt about thi

r. Belton's visit, telling him nothing-as the reader will hardly require to be told-of

said the captain, with sympathetic voi

at I feel,

ds in that position to the property. An

ord for him.

r that they hated some old Greek patrio

u to hate my

of looking

some;-at least

ly must hate hi

all clever. He is very clev

is some rel

about him of doing everything just as he likes it, which is wonde

sure that I should like

en he is so generous! His spending all that money down there is onl

ot plenty

ast, I think so. H

dsome, and omnipotent, and to understand cattle and fields! One would strive to emulate him rather t

im, but you'd like

other man, I can generally tell whether I should like him or not-particularly if I know the ma

t you won't t

man-and as prosperous a gentleman as the Thane of Cawdor in his prosperous days;-bu

they two to meet in her presence,-the captain and the farmer,-she felt that she might have to blush for her cousin. But yet he was the bett

in Aylmer had said that he should return to London on the Saturday, the present day being Tuesday, and Clara accused him

I? Sunday is just the day tha

ld not have made much differe

one specially likes to pas

don't stay with my aunt. I u

an to be il

. But women,-women, that is, of my age,-are such slaves! We are forced to give an obedience for which we can see no

which makes imperative

retended excuses. But the true r

ething in tha

But my position generally is depe

erything she possessed to her niece. The old lady had not been open and candid to him whom she meant to favour in her will, as she had been to her to whom no such favour was to be shown. But Captain Aylmer did know, with tolerable accuracy, what was the state of affairs at Belton, and was aware that Miss Amedroz had no prospect of maintenance on which to depend, unless she could

word," he said; "and one nev

t stay at Perivale on Sundays, while you can go up t

your aunt, the performance of which is not altogether agre

am bound to her for this service. But she is kind to you also, and yet you are not bound. That's why I complain. You sail away under false pretences, and y

t got any

nybody;-only you don't like going to church three times, and you don't like heari

eart, if you c

r shooting, or to have our own way in anything,

stay if yo

ended; and I don't know that your sufferings would make mine any lighter. I'm not prepared

respectable as unlimited bricks and mortar could make it. Immediately opposite to Mrs. Winterfield lived the leading doctor and a retired builder, so that the lady's eye was not hurt by any sign of a shop. The shops, indeed, came within a very few yards of her on either side; but as the neighbouring shops on each side were her own property, this was not unbearable. To me, had I lived there, the incipient growth of grass through some of the stones which formed the margin of the road would have been altogether unendurable. There is no sign of coming decay which is so melancholy to the eye as any which tells of a decrease in the throng of men. Of men or horses there was never any throng now in that end of Perivale. That street had formed part of the main line of road from Salisbury to Taunton, and coaches, waggons, and posting-carriage

e to read good little books; but gardeners, as a class, are a profane people, who think themselves entitled to claim liberty of conscience, and who will not submit to the domestic despotism of a serious Sunday. They live in cottages by themselves, and choose to have an opinion of their own on church matters. Mrs. Winterfield was aware that she ought to bid high for such a gardener as she wanted. A man must be paid well who will submit to daily inquiries as to the spiritual welfare of himself, his wife, and family. But even though she did bid high, and though sh

could have preached their sermons to them better than they could preach them to her. It was impossible that she could learn anything from them; and yet she would sit there thrice a day, suffering from cold in winter, from cough in spring, from heat in summer, and from rheumatism in autumn; and now that her doctor had forbidden her to go more than twice, recommending her to go only once, she really thought that she regarded the prohibition as a grievance. Indeed, to such as her, that expectation of the jewelled causew

t had directed her. She had cared little for herself,-forgiving injuries done to her, and not forgiving those only which she thought were done to the Lord. She had lived her life somewhat as the martyr lived, who stood for years on his pillar unmoved, w

own to meet Clara. For Mrs. Winterfield was a lady who thought it unbecoming that her niece,-though only an adopted niece,-should come to her door in an omn

aid Mrs. Winterfield. "I didn't know when to expect you

lf a little margin, aunt, becau

ns. "But I knew Clara would come by this train," continued the old lady; "so I sent Tom to meet her. Ladies always can be punctual; they can do