Arthur, as he walked along, communed with himself as to what he was going to say. "At any rate, she shall know it all; we shall be more comfortable when we meet afterwards. Not that it will make any difference to her;" and then he sighed deeply, and cut at the river rushes with his walking-stick. He found her as usual alone in the drawing-room, and, as usual, she smiled sweetly when she saw him. Since the day on which he had first gone up to Oxford, she had always called him "Mr. Wilkinson"--so instructed by Aunt Penelope; but in other respects her manner to him was almost that of a sister, only that it was softer, and more gracious. "I declare, I thought we were never to see you again, Mr. Wilkinson." Ah, Adela! whom did the _we_ mean? But is it possible that any girl should live fairly before the world without some little insincerities? "I have been so occupied, Adela. There is so much to do in taking up a parish. Even though I know all the people so well, there has been so much to do." "Yes, yes, I am sure of it. But now that you are settled, I do so hope that you will be comfortable. I saw Mary the other day, and she told me that your mother was quite well again." "Yes, she is pretty well. We are all very well now, I think." "I do so love that old lord for giving you the living, though they say he is such a Turk. It was such a good thing in him to do; so considerate to everybody." "Yes; it has made my mother and the girls comfortable; that, of course, is what I had first to think of." "As for yourself, I have no doubt you would have done better at Oxford. But you could have got no home for them like their old home; could you?" "No, of course not," said Arthur, answering almost at random, and thinking how best he might explain the sacrifice which he had made without taking too much credit to himself. "And then, if you had remained up there, you would only have become a musty old don. I don't think you would have been happy, not so happy as in a parish. And when a man is a clergyman"--this she said in a lower and somewhat a solemn voice--"surely he cannot be so well placed as in charge of a parish. Don't you think so, Mr. Wilkinson?" "Certainly. It is the life for which he is intended; for which he should have intended himself." "And I am sure it is a happy life: look at papa; I do not know any happier man--only that poor mamma died." And upon this hint he spake. "Yes, your father I am sure has been a happy man, and he is an excellent clergyman." "Is he not? even still so active! And he is so glad now to have you near him." "I wish I had received my living as he did his; not that it would make any real difference." "He got his, you know, from the bishop. But do you dislike being Lord Stapledean's nominee?" "It would be ungrateful to say that; but I certainly do not like Lord Stapledean. However, I have taken his living, and should not complain." "I did not know that there was anything disagreeable."