Eachyearbegrewmoremoral，moreefficient，morelearned，moregenial。Sohowcouldhefailtobemoreloving？Hedidnotspeaktohimselfasfollows，becauseheneverspoketohimself;butthefollowingnotionsmovedintherecessesofhismind:\"Itisnotthefireofyouth。ButIamnotsurethatIapproveofthefireofyouth。Lookatmysister！Onceshehassuffered，twiceshehasbeenmostimprudent，andputmetogreatinconveniencebesides，forifshewasstoppingwithmeshewouldhavedonethehousekeeping。Irathersuspectthatitisanobler，riperemotionthatIamlayingatthefeetofMrs。Orr。\"Itnevertookhimlongtogetmuddled，ortoreversecauseandeffect。Inashorttimehebelievedthathehadbeenpiningforyears，andonlywaitingforthisgoodfortunetoasktheladytoshareitwithhim。
Mrs。Orrwasquiet，clever，kindly，capable，andamusingandtheywereoldacquaintances。Altogetheritwasnotsurprisingthatheshouldaskhertobehiswife，norverysurprisingthatsheshouldrefuse。Butsherefusedwithaviolencethatalarmedthemboth。Heleftherhousedeclaringthathehadbeeninsulted，andshe，assoonasheleft，passedfromdisgustintotears。
Hewasmuchannoyed。TherewasacertainMissHerritonwho，thoughfarinferiortoMrs。Orr，wouldhavedoneinsteadofher。
Butnowitwasimpossible。HecouldnotgoofferinghimselfaboutSawston。Havingengagedamatronwhohadthereputationforbeingbrightandmotherly，hemovedintoDunwoodHouseandopenedtheMichaelmasterm。Everythingwentwrong。Thecookleft;theboyshadadiseasecalledroseola;Agnes，whowasstilldrunkwithherengagement，wasofnoassistance，butkeptflyinguptoLondontopushRickie’sfortunes;and，tocrowneverything，thematronwastoobrightandnotmotherlyenough:sheneglectedthelittleboysandwasoverattentivetothebigones。Sheleftabruptly，andthevoiceofMrs。Jacksonarose，prophesyingdisaster。
Shouldheavertitbytakingorders？Parentsdonotdemandthatahouse—mastershouldbeaclergyman，yetitreassuresthemwhenheis。Andhewouldhavetotakeorderssometime，ifhehopedforaschoolofhisown。Hisreligiousconvictionswerereadytohand，buthespentseveraluncomfortabledayshuntinguphisreligiousenthusiasms。ItwasnotunlikehisattempttomarryMrs。Orr。Buthispietywasmoregenuine，andthistimehenevercametothepoint。HissenseofdecencyforbadehimhurryingintoaChurchthathereverenced。Moreover，hethoughtofanothersolution: