poor East-end clergyman.  Then his wife’s niece had married a man of fashion, a man supposed at St. Diddulph’s to be very closely allied to fashion; and Mr Outhouse had never been induced even to dine in the house in Curzon Street.  When, therefore, he heard that Mr and Mrs Trevelyan were to be separated within two years of their marriage, it could not be expected that he should be very eager to lend to the two sisters the use of his rectory.

There had been interviews between Mr Outhouse and Trevelyan, and between Mrs Outhouse and her niece; and then there was an interview between Mr Outhouse and Emily, in which it was decided that Mrs Trevelyan would not go to the parsonage of St. Diddulph’s.  She had been very outspoken to her uncle, declaring that she by no means intended to carry herself as a disgraced woman.  Mr Outhouse had quoted St. Paul to her; ‘Wives, obey your husbands.’  Then she had got up and had spoken very angrily.  ‘I look for support from you,’ she said, ’as the man who is the nearest to me, till my father shall come.’  ’But I cannot support you in what is wrong,’ said the clergyman.  Then Mrs Trevelyan had left the room, and would not see her uncle again.

She carried things altogether with a high hand at this time.  When old Mr Bideawhile called upon her, her husband’s ancient family lawyer, she told that gentleman that if it was her husband’s will that they should live apart, it must be so.  She could not force him to remain with her.  She could not compel him to keep up the house in Curzon Street.  She had certain rights, she believed.  She spoke then, she said, of pecuniary rights not of those other rights which her husband was determined, and was no doubt able, to ignore.  She did not really know what those pecuniary rights might be, nor was she careful to learn their exact extent.  She would thank Mr Bideawhile to see that things were properly arranged.  But of this her husband, and Mr Bideawhile, might be quite sure; she would take nothing as a favour.  She would not go to her uncle’s house.  She declined to tell Mr Bideawhile why she had so decided; but she had decided.  She was ready to listen to any suggestion that her husband might make as to her residence, but she must claim to have some choice in the matter.  As to her sister, of course she intended to give Nora a home as long as such a home might be wanted.  It would be very sad for Nora, but in existing circumstances such an arrangement would be expedient.  She would not go into details as to expense.  Her husband was driving her away from him, and it was for him to say what proportion of his income he would choose to give for her maintenance for hers and for that of the child.  She was not desirous of anything beyond the means of decent living, but of course she must for the present find a home for her sister as well as for herself.  When speaking of her baby she had striven hard so to speak that Mr Bideawhile should find no trace of doubt in the tones of her voice.  And yet she had been full of doubt full of fear.  As Mr Bideawhile had uttered nothing antagonistic to her wishes in this matter had seemed to agree that wherever the mother went thither the child would go also Mrs Trevelyan had considered herself to be successful in this interview.