’Now，MissHolman，that’swhatIcallwilful，’saidHoldsworth，asshegavethemtohim。’No，Iwon’tthankyou’（hislookswerethankingherallthetime）。’Mylittlebitofdampnessannoyedyou，becauseyouthoughtIhadgotwetinyourservice;soyouweredeterminedtomakemeasuncomfortableasyouwereyourself。Itwasanunchristianpieceofrevenge！’
Histoneofbadinage（astheFrenchcallit）wouldhavebeenpalpableenoughtoanyoneaccustomedtotheworld;butPhilliswasnot，anditdistressedorratherbewilderedher。’Unchristian’hadtoheraveryseriousmeaning;itwasnotawordtobeusedlightly;andthoughshedidnotexactlyunderstandwhatwrongitwasthatshewasaccusedofdoing，shewasevidentlydesiroustothrowofftheimputation。AtfirstherearnestnesstodisclaimunkindmotivesamusedHoldsworth;whilehislightcontinuanceofthejokeperplexedherstillmore;butatlasthesaidsomethinggravely，andintoolowatoneformetohear，whichmadeherallatoncebecomesilent，andcalledoutherblushes。Afterawhile，theministercameback，amovingmassofshawls，cloaks，andumbrellas。Philliskeptveryclosetoherfather’ssideonourreturntothefarm。SheappearedtometobeshrinkingawayfromHoldsworth，whilehehadnottheslightestvariationinhismannerfromwhatitusuallywasinhisgravermoods;kind，protecting，andthoughtfultowardsher。Ofcourse，therewasagreatcommotionaboutourwetclothes;
butInamethelittleeventsofthateveningnowbecauseIwonderedatthetimewhathehadsaidinthatlowvoicetosilencePhillissoeffectually，andbecause，inthinkingoftheirintercoursebythelightoffutureevents，thateveningstandsoutwithsomeprominence。
IhavesaidthatafterourremovaltoHornbyourcommunicationswiththefarmbecamealmostofdailyoccurrence。CousinHolmanandIwerethetwowhohadleasttodowiththisintimacy。AfterMrHoldsworthregainedhishealth，hetoooftentalkedaboveherheadinintellectualmatters，andtooofteninhislightbanteringtoneforhertofeelquiteathereasewithhim。Ireallybelievethatheadoptedthislattertoneinspeakingtoherbecausehedidnotknowwhattotalkabouttoapurelymotherlywoman，whoseintellecthadneverbeencultivated，andwhoselovingheartwasentirelyoccupiedwithherhusband，herchild，herhouseholdaffairsand，perhaps，alittlewiththeconcernsofthemembersofherhusband’scongregation，becausethey，inaway，belongedtoherhusband。IhadnoticedbeforethatshehadfleetingshadowsofjealousyevenofPhillis，whenherdaughterandherhusbandappearedtohavestronginterestsandsympathiesinthingswhichwerequitebeyondhercomprehension。Ihadnoticeditinmyfirstacquaintancewiththem，Isay，andhadadmiredthedelicatetactwhichmadetheminister，onsuchoccasions，bringtheconversationbacktosuchsubjectsasthoseonwhichhiswife，withherpracticalexperienceofevery-daylife，wasanauthority;whilePhillis，devotedtoherfather，unconsciouslyfollowedhislead，totallyunaware，inherfilialreverence，ofhismotivefordoingso。
ToreturntoHoldsworth。Theministerhadatmorethanonetimespokenofhimtomewithslightdistrust，principallyoccasionedbythesuspicionthathiscarelesswordswerenotalwaysthoseofsobernessandtruth。Butitwasmoreasaprotestagainstthefascinationwhichtheyoungermanevidentlyexercisedovertheelderonemoreasitweretostrengthenhimselfagainstyieldingtothisfascination——thattheministerspokeouttomeaboutthisfailingofHoldsworth’s，asitappearedtohim。InreturnHoldsworthwassubduedbytheminister’suprightnessandgoodness，anddelightedwithhisclearintellect——hisstronghealthycravingafterfurtherknowledge。