Christian's Mistake

e behind

no othe

attle that m

but with

rp, stainless,

rity

ay through a

rong sword

look a little more like the master's wife-a lady in as good a position as any i

thinking over something much more worldly-that plan about Miss Bennett's new situation of which I have just been telling you"-told as briefly

I hate a morning-gown, as I wish you particularly to look a

we?

course, you can not be expected to be acquainted with these sort of things. Besides, one gentlem

come back," said Christian, hopeless

were always conveyed to the children, which, no doubt, Miss Gascoigne thought-as many well-meaning parents and guardians do think-is the best

etta! I like this sofa.

you! Obey

face, at which his aunt

f her marriage. It always made her unhappy, but she attempted no resistance.

lifted hand, and Arthur's, alr

And, Arthur, how can you be so naughty

s cough which was their dread and pain still.

stress here. I will at

ring th

t, when fate interfered in the shape of Barker and a visiting car

I was speaking of. I shall be delight

n his handsome face, perfectly satisfied with himself and his fortunes-a little flushed, perhaps, it might be, with what he would call the "pluckiness" of coming thus to "beard the l

gagements with an old woman," said Miss Gascoigne, with mingled dignity and empr

enrietta's "mann

nners, and by the flow of small-talk which at once began, and in which it was difficult to say who carried off the posi

created by Christian's r

Phillis. The child has been ill, Sir Edwin, and

charming!" said

ghter than ever to his step-mother's

red help, which was, indeed, the only sentence she had attempted to exchange with him. Wi

w she knew it-no virtuous girl could or ought to have regarded with a moment's tenderness. Here was he insulting her by coming to her own house-her husband's house, without the permission of either. Had he been humble or shamefaced, she might have pitied him, for all pure hearts have such infinite pity for sinners. She would have wish

forgotten, and meant her to feel he had forgotten, not a jot of the past. Whatever the episode of Susan Bennett might mean-if, indeed, such a man was not capable of carrying on a dozen such little episodes-his manner to Christian plainly show

on the very confines of guilt. She was not ignorant. She knew what sin was, as set forth in the Ten Commandments, but she understood absolutely nothing of that strange leniency or laxi

hought of any man not her husband, or allow any man to lift up the least corner of that veil of matronly dignity with which every married woman, under whate

With maiden flowers, that all the world

and, and her God. She was conscious of no dramatic struggles of conscience, no picturesque persistence in duty: she arrived at her end withou

him as she appeared to be. And no wonder. He was one of those men who charm every body-perhaps because he was not deliberately bad, else how could he have attracted Christian Oakley? He ha

nce upon Christian against her will. "No, I am not afr

bricks on the hearth-rug at her feet, every now and then lifting up eyes of such heavenly depth of innocence that she felt almost a sort of compassion for the erring man who had no such child-angels

tious, and Oliver went into one of his storms of passion, which upon him, as once upon his elder broth

he was tender over even the exaggerated rights of such a long-faithful servant, but by the quiet influence which general

ns were beginning invariably to take-such a contrast to the dreamy musing

sweet, calm brow, and lustrous, smiling eyes, a picture such as it does any man good to gaze at from his table's foot, and know that

than that "it was good to have her back again." But

hing. Angry were the looks she cast around, and grim was

ian, "shall we sen

Grey, I wish that you, who have some knowledge of the usages of society, would instruct your wife in them a little more.

laimed Christian, half

o notice, but continu

dies generally, ought Mrs. Grey to take the earliest opportunity of escaping from the drawing- room, nor return to

n. "Yes, I did this afternoon exactly as

man to whom you were so very r

n-and oh! how thankful that she was abl

tart and flash of sudden anger wit

ouse? That is more effronter

t Avonsbridge, to pay a call at Saint Bede's Lodge. Besides, I gave him permission to do so. He was exceedingly civil to me

urse you might not have heard; the dean and I keep these things priv

his fact or not; anyhow, she was

olly-debt, or the like. Now he has came into his property,

er deeper than the occasion seemed to warrant. "But, in the meantime, he is not the sort of

all-listening with a kind of wondering eagerness as to what her husband would say- her husband, a man in every way the very op

l replies to all Miss Gascoigne's questions. She gained nothing except the fi

obstinacy. "Did we not meet him at the vice chancellor's? And he told me o

but in my own house I

iously angry. "It is unfair to act so oddly-I mu

nt, and seemed to pond

puts into open practice, opinions which I wholly condemn, and consider un

y, what a

ever ceases to be sin; and, while impenitent, can neither be forgiven nor blotted out. If a man or a woman-there is no difference-came to me and said, 'I have erred, but I mean to err no more,' I hope I would never shut my door against either; I would help, and comfort, a

ked Miss Gascoigne, in

I will have no fellowship with it, whether it is perpetrated by the beggar in the streets or the prince on the throne. That no consideration, either of worldly advantage, or dread of what

dwin, not only yourself, but your wife appare

was sharp indeed, b

ctly right in acting as she has done. It only shows, what I knew well befor

olly of passionate youth, compared to the intense emotion-what was it, reverence or love?-that was creeping slowly and surely into

Miss Cascoigne sat, routed, but unconquered still. She might have made one more

Grey, as the man wa

mas

econd before speaking

ack

the mouth, which showed he knew only too much,

dies are engaged; but should he ask

well,

ing-room, broke into a broad grin; bu