They walked a few paces in silence, and then Judith said, "Perhaps she will be better after the holidays. I think she is very tired, she is so terribly drowsy. She drops asleep directly she sits down, and is quite sure she has been awake all the time. I'm so afraid the girls may take advantage of it some day." "But even for Miss Crawford's sake you must not do too much," urged Percival. "I will try not. But it is such a comfort to me to be able to help her! If it were not for that, I sometimes question whether I did wisely in coming here at all." "If it is not an impertinent question--though I rather think it is--what should you have done if you had not come?" "I should have stayed with an aunt of mine. She wanted me, but she would not help Bertie, and I fancied that I could be of use to him. But I doubt if I can do him much good, and if I lost my situation I should only be a burden to him." "Perhaps that might do him more good than anything," Percival suggested. "He might rise to the occasion and take life in earnest, which is just what he wants, isn't it? For any one can see how fond he is of you." "He's a dear boy," Judith answered with a smile, and looked over her shoulder. The dear boy was not in sight. "Plenty of time," said Percival. "But it is rather a long way for him, so often as he has to go to St. Sylvester's." "He doesn't mind that. He says he can do it in less than ten minutes, only to-day he had to go back, you see." "It isn't so far as it would be to St. Andrew's," Thorne went on. "By the way, have you ever been to your parish church?" "Never. I don't think your description was very inviting."