Alice, or the Mysteries — Book 05

								

another bottle of this famous claret!  Droll old fellow that,--quite a
character!"
"He is a great favourite with Lady Vargrave and Miss Cameron, I believe,"
said Mr. Merton.  "A mere village priest, I suppose; no talent, no
energy--or he could not be a curate at that age."
"Very true,--a shrewd remark.  The Church is as good a profession as any
other for getting on, if a man has anything in him.  I shall live to see
you a bishop!"
Mr. Merton shook his head.
"Yes, I shall; though you have hitherto disdained to exhibit any one of
the three orthodox qualifications for a mitre."
"And what are they, my lord?"
"Editing a Greek play, writing a political pamphlet, and apostatizing at
the proper moment."
"Ha, ha! your lordship is severe on us."
"Not I; I often wish I had been brought up to the Church,--famous
profession, properly understood.  By Jupiter, I should have been a
capital bishop!"
In his capacity of parson, Mr. Merton tried to look grave; in his
capacity of a gentlemanlike, liberal fellow, he gave up the attempt, and
laughed pleasantly at the joke of the rising man.

CHAPTER VII.


WILL nothing please you?
What do you think of the Court?--The Plain Dealer.
ON one subject Aubrey found no difficulty in ascertaining Evelyn's wishes
and condition of mind.  The experiment of her visit, so far as Vargrave's
hopes were concerned, had utterly failed; she could not contemplate the
prospect of his alliance, and she poured out to the curate, frankly and
fully, all her desire to effect a release from her engagement.  As it was
now settled that she should return with Aubrey to Brook-Green, it was
indeed necessary to come to the long-delayed understanding with her
betrothed.  Yet this was difficult, for he had so little pressed, so
distantly alluded to, their engagement, that it was like a forwardness,
an indelicacy in Evelyn to forestall the longed-for yet dreaded
explanation.  This, however, Aubrey took upon himself; and at this
promise Evelyn felt as the slave may feel when the chain is stricken off.
At breakfast, Mr. Aubrey communicated to the Mertons Evelyn's intention
to return with him to Brook-Green on the following day.  Lord Vargrave
started, bit his lip, but said nothing.
Not so silent was Mr. Merton.
"Return with you! my dear Mr. Aubrey, just consider; it is impossible!
You see Miss Cameron's rank of life, her position,--so very strange; no
servants of her own here but her woman,--no carriage even!  You would not
have her travel in a post-chaise such a long journey!  Lord Vargrave, you
can never consent to that, I am sure?"
"Were it only as Miss Cameron's guardian," said Lord Vargrave,
pointedly, "I should certainly object to such a mode of performing such a
journey.  Perhaps Mr. Aubrey means to perfect the project by taking two
outside places on the top of the coach?"
"Pardon me," said the curate, mildly, "but I am not so ignorant of what