Agnes Grey

ate?' asked Miss Murray, on our return from church

as my reply: 'I have not

ou saw him,

dge of a man's character by a si

sn't h

me good-infinitely better, at least, than Mr. Hatfield's. He read the Lessons as if he were bent on giving full effect to every passage; it seemed as if the most careless person could no

can plod through the service well enough

o you

g-as if there were nobody there but himself-never looking to the right hand or the left, and evidently thinking of nothin

glance into the squire's pew,' said I, la

ter a moment's reflection, she added-'Well, well! I suppose he's good enough for his place: but I'm glad I'm not dependent on him f

their carriage: and, moreover, I owe him a grudge for nearly shutting me out of it'; for, in fact, though I was standing before his face, close beside the carriage steps, waiting to get in, he would persist in putting them up

Mr. Harry or Miss Meltham, nor Mr. Green or his sisters, nor any other lady or gent

For,' said she, smiling slyly at her own fair image in the glass, 'he has been a most exemplary attendant at church these last few Sundays: you would think he was quite a good Christian. And you may go with us, Miss

gown flying behind him and rustling against the pew doors, mount the pulpit like a conqueror ascending his triumphal car; then, sinking on the velvet cushion in an attitude of studied grace, remain in silent prostration for a certain time; then mutter over a Collect, and gabble through the Lord's Prayer, rise, draw off one bright lavender glove, to give the congregation the benefit of his sparkling rings, lightly pass his fingers through his well-curled hair, flourish a

Fathers: with whom he appeared to be far better acquainted than with the Apostles and Evangelists, and whose importance he seemed to consider at least equal to theirs. But now and then he gave us a sermon of a different order-what some would call a very good one; but sunless and severe: representing the Deity as a terrible taskmaster rather than a benevolent father. Yet, as I listened, I felt inclined to think the man was sincere in all he said: he must have changed his views, and become decidedly religious, gloomy and austere, yet still devout. But such illusions were usually dissipated, on coming out of church

while they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers'; and who 'make the word of God of none effect by their traditions, teaching for do

him now?' said Miss Murray, as we took

still,' r

she in amazement.

no worse of him t

t indeed-quite the contrary!

handed them into the carriage. He had not attempted to shut me out, like Mr. Hatfield; neither, of course, had he offered me his assistance (I should not have accepted it, if he had), but as long as the door remained open he had stood smirking and chatting with them, and then lifted hi

Miss Matilda at the close of this discussion; 'I like

m, Matilda,' replied her sister,

, 'he admires me quite as much as h

not acquainted wi

t he does

ver admire you till you get rid

m likes such manners; an

younger sons; but nobody else, I am

mamma. If my husband is able to keep a few good horses and dogs,

e no real gentleman will ever venture to come near y

bly prevent it

upposing that Harry Meltham admires you:

now at an end; and the contention was cut short by the footman ope