第3章

Mr。Knightverysoonbecameawarefirstthathisincomewasinsufficienttohisneeds，andsecondly，especiallynowwhenhishealthwasmuchimproved，thatafterabusyandhard-workinglife，timeatMonk’sAcrehungheavilyuponhishands。Thelattertroubletosomeextenthepalliatedbybeginningthegreatworkthathehadplannedeversincehebecameadeacon，forwhichhisundoubtedscholarshipgavehimcertainqualifications。Itsprovisionaltitlewas，“BabylonUnveiled“(hewouldhavelikedtosubstitute“TheScarletWoman“forBabylon)anditsapparentobjectanelaborateattackupontheRomanChurch，whichinfactwasbutacoverfortherealonslaught。WiththeRomans，althoughperhapshedidnotknowithimself，hehadcertainsympathies，forinstance，inthematterofcelibacy。Nordidheentirelydisapproveofthemonasticorders。ThenhefoundnothingshockinginthetenetsandmethodsoftheJesuitsworkingforwhattheyconceivedtobeagoodend。Therealtargetsofhisanimositywerehishigh-churchbrethrenoftheChurchofEngland，wretcheswho，whilstretainingalltheprivilegesoftheAnglicanEstablishment，suchasmarriage，didnothesitatetoadoptalmosteveryerrorofRomeandtomakeuseofhersecretpoweroverthesoulsofmenbythepracticeofConfessionandotherwise。

AsthismonumentaltreatisebeganinthetimesoftheEarlyFathersandwasplannedtofilltenvolumesofatleastahundredthousandwordsapiece，noonewillbesurprisedtolearnthatitneverreachedthestageofpublication，orindeed，tobeaccurate，thatitcametofinalstopsomewhereaboutthetimeofAthanasius。

RealizingthattheworkwaslikelytoequalthatofGibbonbothinlengthandtheyearsnecessarytoitscompletion；alsothatfromitcouldbeexpectednoimmediatepecuniaryprofits，Mr。Knightlookedroundtofindsomeotherwayofoccupyinghisleisure，andaddingtohisincome。Althoughareservedperson，onacertainSundaywhenhewenttolunchattheHall，intheabsenceofMr。Blakewhowasspendingtheweek-endsomewhereelse，heconfidedhisdifficultiestoLadyJanewhomhefelttobesympathetic。

“Thehouseissobig，“hecomplained。“Mrs。Parsons“(Godfrey’soldnurseandhishousekeeper)“andonegirlcannotevenkeepitclean。ItwasmostfoolishofmypredecessorinthelivingtorestorethatoldrefectoryandallthesoutherndormitoriesuponwhichIamtoldhespentnolessthan￡1，500ofhisownmoney，neverreflectingontheexpensewhichhissuccessorsmustincurmerelytokeeptheminorder，sincebeingoncetheretheyareliableforchargesfordilapidations。

Itwouldhavebeenbetter，afterpermissionobtained，toletthemgotoruin。“

“Nodoubt，buttheyareverybeautiful，aretheynot？“remarkedLadyJanefeebly。

“Beautyisaluxuryand，Imayadd，asnare。Itisamistakenloveofbeautyandpomp，baitsthattheEvilOnewellknowshowtouse，whichhaveledsolargeasectionofourChurchastray，“herepliedsippingathistumblerofwater。

Asilencefollowed，forLadyJane，whofromearlyandtenderassociationslovedhigh-churchpractices，didnotknowwhattoanswer。

ItwasbrokenbyIsobelwhohadbeenlisteningtotheconversationinheracuteway，andnowsaidinherclear，strongvoice：

“Whydon’tyoukeepaschool，Mr。Knight？There’slotsofroomforitintheAbbey。“

“Aschool!“hesaid。“Aschool!Ineverthoughtofthat。No，itisridiculous。Still，pupilsperhaps。Outofthemouthofbabesandsucklings，&c。Well，itistimeformetobegoing。Iwillthinkthematteroverafterchurch。“

Mr。Knightdidthinkthematteroverandafterconsultationwithhishousekeeper，Mrs。Parsons，anadvertisementappearedin/TheTimes/

and/TheSpectator/invitingparentsandguardianstoentrusttwoorthreeladstotheadvertiser’scaretoreceivepreliminaryeducation，togetherwithhisownson。Itprovedfruitful，andafteranexchangeofthe“highestreferences，“twolittleboysappearedatMonk’sAcre，bothofthemratherdelicateinhealth。ThiswasshortlybeforethecrisisaroseastothefutureteachingofIsobel，whenthelastgoverness，wishingher“abetterspirit，“hadbiddenherafrigidfarewellandshakenthedustofHawk’sHalloffherfeet。

OnedayIsobelwassentwithanotetotheAbbeyHouse。Sherangthebellbutnoonecame，forMr。KnightwasoutwalkingwithhispupilsandMrs。Parsonsandtheparlour-maidwereelsewhere。Tiredofwaiting，shewanderedroundthegreyoldbuildinginthehopeoffindingsomeonetowhomshecoulddelivertheletter，andcametotherefectorywhichhadaseparateentrance。Thedoorwasopenandshepeepedin。Atfirst，afterthebrilliantsunlightwithout，shesawnothingexceptthegreatemptinessoftheplacewithitssplendidoakroofontherepairofwhichthelateincumbenthadspentsomuch，sinceasiscommoninmonkishbuildings，thewindowswerehighandnarrow。Presently，however，sheperceivedalittlefigureseatedintheshadowattheendofthelongoakenrefectorytable，thatatwhichthemonkshadeaten，whichstillremainedwhereithadstoodforhundredsofyears，oneofthefixturesofthehouse，andknewitforthatofGodfrey，Mr。Knight’sson。Glidingtowardshimquietlyshesawthathewasasleepandstoppedtostudyhim。

Hewasabeautifulboy，palejustnowforhehadrecoveredbutrecentlyfromsomechildishillness。Hishairwasdarkandcurling，dark，too，werehiseyes，thoughtheseshecouldnotsee，andthelashesoverthem，whilehishandswerelongandfine。Helookedmostlonelyandpathetic，thereinthebigoakchairthathadsooftenaccommodatedtheportlyformsofdepartedabbots，andherwarmheartwentouttowardshim。OfcourseIsobelknewhim，butnotverywell，forhewasashyladandherfatherhadneverencouragedintimacybetweentheAbbeyHouseandtheHall。

Somehowshehadtheideathathewasunhappy，forindeedhelookedsoeveninhissleep，thoughperhapsthiswastobeaccountedforbyapaperofunfinishedsumsbeforehim。SympathywelledupinIsobel，whorememberedtheoppressionsofthelastgoverness——heroftheinkpot。

Sympathy，yes，andmorethansympathy，forofasuddenshefeltasshehadneverfeltbefore。Shelovedthelittleladasthoughhewereherbrother。Astrangeaffinityforhimcamehometoher，althoughshedidnotdefineitthus；itwasasifsheknewthatherspiritwasintimatewithhis，yes，andalwayshadbeenandalwayswouldbeintimate。

ThissubtleknowledgewentthroughIsobellikefireandshookher。Sheturnedpale，hernostrilsexpanded，herlargeeyesopenedandshesighed。Shedidmoreindeed。Drawnbysomeover-masteringimpulseshedrewneartoGodfreyandkissedhimgentlyontheforehead，thenglidedbackagainfrightenedandashamedatherownact。

Nowhewokeup；shefelthisdarkeyeslookingather。Thenhespokeinaslow，puzzledvoice，saying：

“Ihavehadsuchafunnydream。Idreamedthataspiritcameandkissedme。Ididnotseeit，butIthinkitmusthavebeenmymother’s。“

“Why？“askedIsobel。

“Becausenooneelseevercaredenoughformetokissme，exceptMrs。

Parsons，andshehasgivenitupnowthattheotherboysarehere。“

“Doesnotyourfatherkissyou？“sheasked。

“Yes，onceaweek，onSundayeveningwhenIgotobed。BecauseIdon’tcountthat。“

“No，Iunderstand，“saidIsobel，thinkingofherownfather，thenaddedhastily，“itmustbesadnottohaveamother。“

“Itis，“heanswered，“especiallywhenoneisillasIhavebeen，andmustliesolonginbedwithpainsinthehead。YouknowIhadanabscessintheearandithurtverymuch。“

“Ididn’tknow。Weheardyouwereillandmotherwantedtocometoseeyou。Fatherwouldn’tlether。Hethoughtitmightbemeaslesandheisafraidofcatchingthings。“

“Yes，“repliedGodfreywithoutsurprise。“Itwasn’tmeasles，butifithadbeenyoumighthavecaughtthem，soofcoursehewasrighttobecareful。“

“Oh!hewasn’tthinkingofmeorMummy，hewasthinkingofhimself，“

blurtedoutIsobelwiththecandourofyouth。

“Big，strongmendon’tcatchmeasles，“saidGodfreyinmildastonishment。

“Hesaystheydo，andthattheyareverydangerouswhenyouaregrownup。Whyareyoualonehere，andwhatareyouworkingat？“

“MyfatherhaskeptmeinasapunishmentbecauseIdidmysumswrong。

Theotherboyshavegoneoutbird-nesting，butIhavetostophereuntilIgetthemright。Idon’tknowwhenthatwillbe，“headdedwithasigh，“asIhateruleofthreeandcan’tdoit。“

“Ruleofthree，“saidIsobel，“I’mquitegoodatit。YouseeIlikefigures。Myfathersaysitisthefamilybusinessinstinct。Here，letmetry。Movetotheothersideofthatbigchair，there’splentyofroomfortwo，andshowittome。“

Heobeyedwithalacrityandsoonthebrownheadandthefaironewerebenttogetheroverthescrawledsheet。Isobel，whohadreallyabuddingtalentformathematics，workedoutthesum，orratherthesums，withoutdifficultyandthen，withguileacquiredunderthegovernessrégime，madehimcopythemanddestroyedalltracesofherownhandiwork。

“Areyouasstupidateverythingasyouareatsums？“sheaskedwhenhehadfinished，risingfromthechairandseatingherselfontheedgeofthetable。

“Whatarudethingtoask!Ofcoursenot，“herepliedindignantly。“I

amverygoodatLatinandhistory，whichIlike。Butyouseefatherdoesn’tcaremuchforthem。HewasaWrangler，youknow。“

“AWrangler!Howdreadful。Isupposethatiswhyhearguessomuchinhissermons。Ihatehistory。It’sfullofdatesandthenamesofkingswhowereallbad。Ican’tmakeoutwhypeopleputupwithkings，“sheaddedreflectively。

“Becausetheyoughtto，’GodblessourgraciousQueen，’youknow。“

“Well，GodmayblessherbutIdon’tseewhyIshouldassheneverdidanythingforme，thoughFatherdoeshopeshewillmakehimsomethingoneday。I’dliketobeaRepublicanwithaPresidentastheyhaveinAmerica。“

“YoumustbewhatfathercallsawickedRadical，“saidGodfreystaringather，“oneofthosepeoplewhowanttodisestablishtheChurch。“