“Oh, no, he works with his brain, he’s thinking,” said Aline, putting her hand to her brow with mock gravity. “He’s reckoning up his fortune. How much is it, Joseph?” “Methinks his fortune will all be reckonings,” said Silas, “for he’ll never get any other kind.” “Well, we’ll change the subject; there’s going to be a funeral here to-night,” Aline observed. “No, really?” exclaimed half a dozen voices. “Yes, it’s a terrible story and it really ought not to be known; but you’ll keep it secret I know,” she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. As they crowded round her she went on in mysterious tones, “You know John Darley and Philip Emberlin.” “Yes,” said Joe, rousing himself to take in the situation, “they are coming here to-night.” “They’ve a long way to come and they are not strong,” said Aline, “and they will arrive hungry and just have to be buried, because there was nothing to eat. Yes, it’s a sad story; I’m not surprised to see the tears in your eyes, Joseph, and, in fact, in a manner of speaking you might say that you will have killed them, you and your accomplices,” she added, looking round. A good tempered laugh greeted this last sally. “Marry, we have much to get through. How can I help? It would be a sorry thing that Holwick should be disgraced before its guests. Give me something to do.” There was nothing in the words, but the tone was one of dignity combined with gentleness and sympathy. The effect was peculiar;--no one felt reproved, but felt rather as though there was full sympathy with his own point of view; yet at the same time he was conscious that he would lose his own dignity if he became querulous and allowed the honour of the house to suffer. Aline helped for a short time and then, leaving them for a moment all cheerful and joking but working with a will, she looked into the buttery, where she saw Thomas and Edward, the seneschal, a pompous but good hearted fellow, merely talking and doing nothing. “You are not setting us a good example,” she said laughing; “everybody else is working so hard,” and then she added in a tone that combined something of jest, something of command and something of a coaxing quality, “do try to keep things going; Master Richard would be much put about if he failed in his hospitality.” This time there was undoubtedly a very gentle sting in the tone that pricked Edward’s vanity; yet his own conscience smote him, so that he bore no ill will. He said nothing, however, but Thomas remarked;--“Yes, Mistress Aline, the sin of idleness is apt to get hold of us, we must to our work as you say.” Aline raised her eyebrows slightly, the ill-bred vulgarity of the remark was too much for her sensitive nature. Thomas was marked by that lack of refinement that cheapens all that is noble and good by ostentatious piety and sentimentality.