DuringthegovernesserawhichfollowedthissceneIsobeltravelledfarandfastalongthatroad。Thelady，orrathertheladies，hiredbyherfather，forhiswifewasallowednovoiceintheirselection，wereoftheotherknownas“determined“；disciplinariansofthefirstwater。Foronereasonoranothertheydidnotstay。Isobel，thoughaquickandablechild，veryfondofreadingmoreover，provedunamenableunderdisciplineasunderstoodbythoseformidablefemales，andowingtoherpossessionofacurioustenacityofpurpose，endedbywearingthemdown。Alsotheydidnotcarefortheatmosphereofthehouse，whichwasdepressing。
OneofthemoncetriedtostrikeIsobel。Thiswaswhenshewasnearlythirteen。Isobelrepliedwiththeschoolroominkpot。Shewasanadeptatstone-throwing，andotherathleticarts。Itcaughtherinstructressfairuponhergentlebosom，spoiledherdress，filledhermouthandeyeswithink，andnearlyknockedherdown。
“Ishalltellyourfathertoflogyou，“gaspedtheladywhensherecoveredherbreath。
“Ishouldadviseyounot，“saidIsobel。“Andwhatismore，“sheaddedafterreflection，“ifyoudoIshalladvisehimnottolistentoyou。“
Thenthegovernessthoughtbetterofitandgavenoticeinstead。TobejusttoJohnBlakeheneverattemptedtoresorttoviolenceagainsthisdaughter。Thismayhavebeenbecauseheknewbyinstinctthatitwouldnotbesafetodosoortendtohisowncomfort。Orperhaps，itwasforthereasonthatinhiswayhewasfondofher，lookingonherwithpridenotquiteuntouchedbyfear。Likeallbullieshewasacowardatheart，andrespectedanyonewhodaredtostanduptohim，evenalthoughshewerebutagirl，andhisowndaughter。
Afterthevictimoftheinkpotincidentdeparted，threateningactionsatlawandproclaimingthatherpupilwouldcometoabadend，questionsaroseastoIsobel’sfutureeducation。Evidentlythegovernessexperimenthadbrokendownandwasnotworthrepeating。
Althoughshetrembledattheideaofpartingwithheronlyjoyandconsolationinlife，LadyJanesuggestedthatsheshouldbesenttoschool。Itwasfortunateforherthatshedidso，sinceastheideacamefromhiswife，Mr。Blakenegativeditatoncefirmlyandfinally，adecisionwhichsheacceptedwithanoutwardsighofresignation，havinglearnedthenecessityofguile，andinwarddelight。Indeed，foritthateveningshethankedGoduponherknees。
ItmaybealsothatherfatherdidnotwishthatIsobelshouldgoaway。LadyJaneboredhimtodistraction，sincekickingacushionsoonbecomespoorsport。SomuchdidsheborehimindeedthatforthisandotherreasonshepassedmostofhistimeinLondonoratHarwich，inbothofwhichplaceshehadofficeswherehetransactedhisshippingbusiness，onlyspendingtheweek-endsatHawk’sHall。Itwashiscustomtobringwithhimpartiesoffriends，businessmenasarule，towhom，forsundrypurposes，hewishedtoappearinthecharacterofafamilymanandlocalmagnate。Isobel，whowasquickandvivaciousevenwhileshewasstillachild，helpedtomakethesepartiespassoffwell，whereaswithoutherhefeltthattheywouldhavebeenafailure。Alsoshewasusefulduringtheshootingseason。Soitcameaboutthatshewaskeptathome。
ItwasatthisjuncturethatanideacametoMr。Blake。Afewyearsbefore，attheverydepthoftheterribleagriculturaldepressionoftheperiod，hehadpurchasedataforcedsalebythemortgagees，theentireMonk’sAcreestate，atabout￡12theacre，whichwaslessthanthecostofthebuildingsthatstoodupontheland。This，asheexplainedtoallandsundry，hehaddoneatgreatpersonallossintheinterestofthetenantsandlabourers，butasamatteroffact，evenattheexistingrents，theinvestmentpaidhimafairrateofinterest，andwasonewhich，asabusinessmanheknewmustincreaseinvaluewhentimeschanged。WiththepropertywenttheadvowsonofMonk’sAcre，anditchancedthatayearlaterthelivingfellvacantthroughtheresignationoftheincumbent。Mr。Blake，nowasalwaysseekingpopularity，consultedthebishop，consultedthechurch-
wardens，consultedtheparishioners，andintheendconsultedhisowninterestsbynominatingthenephewofawealthybaronetofhisacquaintancewhomhewasanxioustosecureasadirectorupontheBoardofacertaincompanyinwhichhehadlargeholdings。
“Ihaveneverseenthisclericalgentlemanandknownothingofhisviews，oranythingabouthim。Butifyourecommendhim，mydearSirSamuel，itisenoughforme，sinceIalwaysjudgeofamanbyhisfriends。Perhapsyouwillfurnishme，orrathermylawyers，withthenecessaryparticulars，andIwillseethatthematterisputthrough。
Now，tocometomoreimportantbusiness，astothisBoardofwhichI
amchairman，“&c。
TheendofitwasthatSirSamuel，flatteredbysuchdeference，becameamemberoftheBoardandSirSamuel’snephewbecamerectorofMonk’sAcre。
Suchappointments，likemarriages，aremadeinHeaven——atleastthatseemstobethedoctrineoftheEnglishChurch，whichiscontenttoactthereon。Inthisparticularinstancetheresultswerequitegood。
TheRev。Mr。Knight，thenephewoftheopulentSirSamuel，provedtobeanexcellentandhard-workingclergyman。Hewaslow-church，andnarrowalmosttothepointofCalvinism，butintenselyearnestandconscientious；onewholookedupontheworldasaplaceofsinandwoethroughwhichwemustlabourandpasson，adifficultpathbesetwithrocksandthorns，leadingtotheunmeasuredplainsofHeaven。Alsohewasaneducatedmanwhohadtakenhighdegreesatcollege，andreallylearnedinhisway。Whilehewasacurate，workingveryhardinagreatseaporttown，hehadmarriedthedaughterofanotherclergymanofthecity，whodiedinasuddenfashionastheresultofanaccident，leavingthegirlanorphan。ShewasnotpureEnglishashermotherhadbeenaDane，butonbothsidesherdescentwashigh，asindeedwasthatofMr。Knighthimself。
Thisunion，contractedonthehusband’spartlargelyfrommotivesthatmightbecalledcharitable，sincehehadpromisedhisdeceasedcolleagueonhisdeathbedtobefriendthedaughter，wasbutmoderatelysuccessful。Thewifehadthecharacteristicsofherrace；
largenessandliberalityofview，highaspirationsforhumanity，considerableintelligence，andacertaintendencytowardsmysticismoftheSwedenborgiantype，qualitiesthatherhusbandneithersharednorcouldappreciate。Itwasperhapsaswell，thereforethatshediedatthebirthofheronlyson，Godfrey，threeyearsafterhermarriage。
Mr。Knightnevermarriedagain。Matrimonywasnotastatewhichappealedtohissomewhatshrunkennature。Althoughheadmitteditsnecessitytothehumanrace，ofitinhishearthedidnotapprove，norwouldheeverhaveundertakenitatallhaditnotbeenforasenseofobligation。Thisattitude，becauseitmadeforvirtueasheunderstoodit，hesetdowntovirtue，asweareallapttodo，asacrificeofthethingsofearthandofthefleshtothethingsofheaven，andofthespirit。Infact，itwasnothingofthesort，butonlytheoutcomeofindividualphysicalandmentalconditions。Towardsfemalesociety，howeverhallowedandapproveditsform，hehadnoleanings。Alsothechildwasadifficulty，sogreatindeedthatattimesalmostheregrettedthatawiseProvidencehadnotthoughtfittotakeitstraighttothejoysofheavenwithitsmother，thoughafterwards，astheboy’sintelligenceunfolded，hedevelopedinterestinhim。This，however，hewascarefultokeepincheck，lestheshouldfallintothesinofinordinateaffection，denouncedbySt。Paulincommonwithothererrors。
Finally，hefoundanelderlywidow，namedParsons，whoactedashishousekeeper，andtookchargeofhisson。FortunatelyforGodfreyhersenseofparenthoodwasmorepronouncedthanthatofhisfather，andshe，whohadlosttwochildrenofherown，playedthepartofmothertohimwithawarmandloyalheart。Fromthefirstshelovedhim，andhelovedher；itwasanaffectionthatcontinuedthroughouttheirlives。
WhenGodfreywasaboutninehisfather’shealthbrokedown。Hewasstillacurateinhisseaporttown，forgood，asgoodnessisunderstood，andhard-workingashewas，nopromotionhadcomehisway。
Perhapsthiswasbecausethebishopandhisothersuperiors，recognisinghislackofsympathyandhisnarrownessofoutlook，didnotthinkhimasuitablemantoputinchargeofaparish。Atanyrate，soithappened。
Thusarosehisappealtohiswealthyandpowerfulrelative，SirSamuel，andhisfinalnominationtoacountrybenefice，forinthecountrythedoctorsaidthathemustlive——unlesshewishedtodie。
ConvincedthoughhewasoftheenormousadvantagesofHeavenoveranearthwhichheknewtobeextremelysinful，theRev。Mr。Knight，liketherestoftheworld，shrankfromthesecondalternative，which，ashestatedinaletterofthankstoSirSamuel，howevermuchitmightbenefithimpersonally，wouldcutshorthisperiodofterrestrialusefulnesstoothers。SoheacceptedtherectorshipofMonk’sAcrewithgratitude。
Inonewaytherewasnotmuchforwhichtobegrateful，seeingthatinthosedaysofdepreciatedtithesthelivingwasnotworthmorethan￡250ayearandhisownresources，whichcamefromhiswife’ssmallfortune，wereverylimited。Itshouldhavebeenvaluable，butthegreattitheswerealienatedwiththelandedpropertyoftheAbbeybyHenryVIII，andnowbelongedtothelayrector，Mr。Blake，whoshowednosignsofusingthemtoincreasetheincumbent’sstipend。
Stilltherewasagoodhousewithanexcellentgarden，toogoodindeed，withitsbeautifulandancientroomswhichaformerrectorofarch？ologicalknowledgeandmeanshadinpartrestoredtotheirpristinestate，whilefortheresthistastesweresimpleandhisneedsfew，for，ofcourse，heneitherdrankwinenorsmoked。
Therefore，ashasbeensaid，hetookthelivingwiththankfulnessanddeterminedtomakethebestofitonatotalincomeofabout￡350ayear。
OnthewholeMonk’sAcresuitedMr。Knightfairlywell。ItistruethathedidnotliketheAbbey，asitwasstillcalled，ofwhichtheassociationsandarchitecturalbeautymadenoappealtohim，andthoughtoftenwithaffectionofthelodging-house-likeabodeinwhichhehaddweltinhissouthernseaporttownamidtheVictoriansurroundingsthatweresuitedtohisVictoriannature。Thegloriouschurch，too，irritatedhim，partlybecauseitwassoglorious，andnotwithstandingallthattheReformationhaddonetomarit，sosuggestiveofpapisticalpracticeanderrors，andpartlybecausethecongregationwassoscantyinthatgreatexpanseofnaveandaisle，tosaynothingofthechancelandsundrychapels，thattheylookedlikeafewwanderingsheepleftbythemselvesinavastandalmostemptiedfold。Norwasthisstrange，seeingthatthetotalpopulationoftheparishwasbutonehundredandforty-sevensouls。
Ofhissquireandpatronhesawbutlittle。OccasionallyMr。Blakeattendedchurchandaslay-rectorwasaccommodatedinanuglyoakboxinthechancel，wherehisbigbodyandfloridcountenanceremindedGodfreyofFarmerJohnson’sprizepolledoxinitsstall。Thesestatevisitswerenothoweververyfrequentanddependedlargelyupontheguestswhowerestayingfortheweek-endattheHall。IfMr。Blakediscoveredthatthesegentlemenwerereligiouslyinclined，hewenttochurch。Ifotherwise，andthiswasmorecommon，actingonhisprincipleofbeingallthingstoallmen，hestoppedaway。
Personallyhedidnotbotherhisheadaboutthematterwhich，insecret，helookeduponasoneoftheramificationsofthegreatedificeofBritishcant。Thevastmajorityofpeopleinhisviewwenttochurch，notbecausetheybelievedinanythingorwishedforinstructionorspiritualconsolation，butbecauseitlookedrespectable，whichwasexactlywhyhedidsohimself。Eventhennearlyalwayshesataloneintheoakbox，hisvisitorsgenerallypreferringtooccupythepewinthenavewhichwasfrequentedbyLadyJaneandIsobel。
Nordidthetwooftenmeetsociallysincetheirnatureswereantipathetic。InthebosomofhisfamilyMr。BlakewouldrefertoMr。
Knightasthe“littleparsonrat，“whileinhisbosomMr。KnightwouldthinkofMr。Blakeas“thatbullofBashan。“Further，aftersometroubleshadarisenaboutaquestionoftithe，alsoabouttheupkeepofthechancel，Blakediscoveredthatbeneathhismeekexteriortheclergymanhadastrongwillandveryclearideasofthedifferencebetweenrightandwrong，inshort，thathewasnotamantobetrifledwith，andlessstilloneofwhomhecouldmakeatool。Havingascertainedthesethingshelefthimaloneasmuchaspossible。