Popery, instead of Methodism, was just beginning to be the bugbear set up for those whom the world held to be ultra-religious, and my mother was so far disturbed at our interest in what was termed Oxford theology that the warning would have alarmed her if it had come from any other quarter. However, Lady Peacock was rather fond of Clarence, and entertained him with schemes for improving Chantry House when it should have descended to Griffith. The mullion rooms were her special aversion, and were all to be swept away, together with the vaultings and the ruin—‘enough to give one the blues, if there were nothing else,’ she averred. We really felt it to the credit of our country that Sir George Eastwood sent an invitation to an early dance to please his young daughters; and for this our visitors prolonged their stay. My mother made Clarence go, that she might have some one to take care of her and Emily, since Griff was sure to be absorbed by his lady. Emily had not been to a ball since those gay days in London with Ellen. She shrank back from the contrast, and would have begged off; but she was told that she must submit; and though she said she felt immeasurably older than at that happy time, I believe she was not above being pleased with the pale pink satin dress and wreath of white jessamine, which my father presented to her, and in which, according to Martyn, she beat ‘Griff’s bird all to shivers.’ Clarence had grown much less bashful and embarrassed since the Tooke affair had given him a kind of position and a sense of not being a general disgrace. He really was younger in some ways at five-and-twenty than at eighteen; he enjoyed dancing, and especially enjoyed the compliments upon our sister, whom in our usual fashion we viewed as the belle of the ball. He was standing by my fire, telling me the various humours of the night, when a succession of shrieks ran through the house. He dashed away to see what was the matter, and returned, in a few seconds, saying that Selina had seen some one in the garden, and neither she nor mamma would be satisfied without examination—‘though, of course, I know what it must be,’ he added, as he drew on his coat. ‘Bill, are you coming?’ said Griff at the door. ‘You needn’t, if you don’t like it. I bet it is your old friend.’ ‘I’m coming! I’m coming! I’m sure it is,’ shouted Martyn from behind, with the inconsistent addition, ‘I’ve got my gun.’ ‘Enough to dispose of any amount of robbers or phantoms either,’ observed Griff as they went forth by the back door, reinforced by Amos Bell with a lantern in one hand and a poker in the other. My father was fortunately still asleep, and my mother came down to see whether I was frightened.