"I thought so," he said humbly. "The offer came unsought, and it did
not appear to me that I should be right to reject it until to-day.
To-day I had a letter."
"From the Duke?"
"No. From the wife of a man who, it appears, hoped to have had the
living."
"Men hope easily."
"He had grounds. The Duke replied to him that if he had not offered it
already to me, he should have been glad to have assisted him."
"He had applied for it! What becomes of your scruples in such a case?"
"They belong only to myself. Heaven forbid that I should judge a man
who has worked on a pittance, and is saddled with half-a-dozen
children."
"Oh, of course!" cried Lady Fanny pettishly. "I wanted to hear that
conclusion. Are you certain there are only six?" He went on,
unheeding.
"There can be no doubt that he wants it more. And he is a good man. I
know him. He will work the parish well."
"Pray, are you aware that the Duke never offers a second living to a man
who has refused one?"
"I should not expect it."
"And you do not care! It is nothing to you that--"
So far Fanny's words rushed, then she suddenly stopped and crimsoned.
He drew a hard breath, and was silent, and with him silence said more
than speech. She interpreted it as a declaration that he knew what he
was renouncing.