"One's one thing," at last shouted the confused man, "and t'other's another!" An oracular deliverance which surely must have been entirely unintelligible in the kitchen, where we will not deny that an utterance so incomprehensible awoke a laudable curiosity. "My dear, you're lucid!" cried the old lady, "I hope you don't preach like that. T'other's another!--is she so? and I suppose that's the one you're wanted to marry--eh? For shame, Morley, not to tell your mother!" The Rector jumped to his feet, thunderstruck. Wanted to marry!--the idea was too overwhelming and dreadful--his mind could not receive it. The air of alarm which immediately diffused itself all over him--his unfeigned horror at the suggestion--captivated his mother. She was amused, but she was pleased at the same time. Just making her cheery outset on this second lifetime, you can't suppose she would have been glad to hear that her son was going to jilt her, and appoint another queen in her stead. "Sit down and tell me about them," said Mrs Proctor; "my dear, you're wonderfully afraid of the servants hearing. They don't know who we're speaking of. Aha! and so you didn't know what they meant--didn't you? I don't say you shouldn't marry, my dear--quite the reverse. A man _ought_ to marry, one time or another. Only it's rather soon to lay their plans. I don't doubt there's a great many unmarried ladies in your church, Morley. There always is in a country place." To this the alarmed Rector answered only by a groan--a groan so expressive that his quick-witted mother heard it with her eyes. "They will come to call on me," said Mrs Proctor, with fun dancing in her bright old eyes. "I'll tell you all about them, and you needn't be afraid of the servants. Trust to me, my dear--I'll find them out. And now, if you wish to take a walk, or go out visiting, don't let me detain you, Morley. I shouldn't wonder but there's something in the papers I would like to see--or I even might close my eyes for a few minutes: the afternoon is always a drowsy time with me. When I was in Devonshire, you know, no one minded what I did. You had better refresh yourself with a nice walk, my dear boy."