Joshuaremarkedcoldlythatitwastheprincipalofhiscollege，guardedlyinquiring，’Didyoutellhimwhomyouwerecometosee？’
Hisfatherdidnotreply。Heandhisstrappinggipsywife——ifshewerehiswife——stayednolonger，anddisappearedinthedirectionoftheHighStreet。JoshuaHalboroughwentbacktothelibrary。
Determinedaswashisnature，hewepthottearsuponthebooks，andwasimmeasurablymorewretchedthatafternoonthantheunwelcomemillwright。Intheeveninghesatdownandwrotealettertohisbrother，inwhich，afterstatingwhathadhappened，andexpatiatinguponthisnewdisgraceinthegipsywife，hepropoundedaplanforraisingmoneysufficienttoinducethecoupletoemigratetoCanada。
’Itisouronlychance，’hesaid。’Thecaseasitstandsismaddening。Forasuccessfulpainter，sculptor，musician，author，whotakessocietybystorm，itisnodrawback，itissometimesevenaromanticrecommendation，tohailfromoutcastsandprofligates。ButforaclergymanoftheChurchofEngland!Cornelius，itisfatal!
TosucceedintheChurch，peoplemustbelieveinyou，firstofall，asagentleman，secondlyasamanofmeans，thirdlyasascholar，fourthlyasapreacher，fifthly，perhaps，asaChristian，——butalwaysfirstasagentleman，withalltheirheartandsoulandstrength。I
wouldhavefacedthefactofbeingasmallmachinist’sson，andhavetakenmychance，ifhe’dbeeninanysenserespectableanddecent。
TheessenceofChristianityishumility，andbythehelpofGodI
wouldhavebrazeneditout。Butthisterriblevagabondageanddisreputableconnection!Ifhedoesnotacceptmytermsandleavethecountry，itwillextinguishusandkillme。Forhowcanwelive，andrelinquishourhighaim，andbringdownourdearsisterRosatothelevelofagipsy’sstep-daughter？’
TherewasexcitementintheparishofNarrobourneoneday。Thecongregationhadjustcomeoutfrommorningservice，andthewholeconversationwasofthenewcurate，Mr。Halborough，whohadofficiatedforthefirsttime，intheabsenceoftherector。
Neverbeforehadthefeelingofthevillagersapproachedalevelwhichcouldbecalledexcitementonsuchamatterasthis。Thedroningwhichhadbeentheruleinthatquietoldplaceforacenturyseemedendedatlast。Theyrepeatedthetexttoeachotherasarefrain：’OLord，bethoumyhelper!’Notwithinlivingmemorytillto-dayhadthesubjectofthesermonformedthetopicofconversationfromthechurchdoortochurch-yardgate，totheexclusionofpersonalremarksonthosewhohadbeenpresent，andontheweek’snewsingeneral。
Thethrillingperiodsofthepreacherhungabouttheirmindsallthatday。Theparishbeingsteepedinindifferentism，ithappenedthatwhentheyouthsandmaidens，middle-agedandoldpeople，whohadattendedchurchthatmorning，recurredasbyafascinationtowhatHalboroughhadsaid，theydidsomoreorlessindirectly，andevenwiththesubterfugeofalightlaughthatwasnotreal，sogreatwastheirshynessunderthenoveltyoftheirsensations。
Whatwasmorecuriousthanthattheseunconventionalvillagersshouldhavebeenexcitedbyapreacherofanewschoolafterfortyyearsoffamiliaritywiththeoldhandwhohadhadchargeoftheirsouls，wastheeffectofHalborough’saddressupontheoccupantsofthemanor-
housepew，includingtheowneroftheestate。Thesethoughttheyknewhowtodiscountthemeresensationalsermon，howtominimizeflashoratorytoitsbareproportions；buttheyhadyieldedliketherestoftheassemblytothecharmofthenewcomer。
Mr。Fellmer，thelandowner，wasayoungwidower，whosemother，stillintheprimeoflife，hadreturnedtoheroldpositioninthefamilymansionsincethedeathofherson’swifeintheyearafterhermarriage，atthebirthofafragilelittlegirl。Fromthedateofhislosstothepresenttime，Fellmerhadledaninactiveexistenceintheseclusionoftheparish；alackofmotiveseemedtoleavehimlistless。Hehadgladlyreinstatedhismotherinthegloomyhouse，andhismainoccupationnowlayinstewardinghisestate，whichwasnotlarge。Mrs。Fellmer，whohadsatbesidehimunderHalboroughthismorning，wasacheerful，straightforwardwoman，whodidhermarketingandheralms-givinginperson，wasfondofold-fashionedflowers，andwalkedaboutthevillageonverywetdaysvisitingtheparishioners。These，theonlytwogreatonesofNarrobourne，wereimpressedbyJoshua’seloquenceasmuchasthecottagers。
Halboroughhadbeenbrieflyintroducedtothemonhisarrivalsomedaysbefore，and，theirinterestbeingkindled，theywaitedafewmomentstillhecameoutofthevestry，towalkdownthechurchyard-
pathwithhim。Mrs。Fellmerspokewarmlyofthesermon，ofthegoodfortuneoftheparishinhisadvent，andhopedhehadfoundcomfortablequarters。
Halborough，faintlyflushing，saidthathehadobtainedveryfairlodgingsintheroomyhouseofafarmer，whomhenamed。
Shefearedhewouldfinditverylonely，especiallyintheevenings，andhopedtheywouldseeagooddealofhim。Whenwouldhedinewiththem？Couldhenotcomethatday——itmustbesodullforhimthefirstSundayeveningincountrylodgings？
Halboroughrepliedthatitwouldgivehimmuchpleasure，butthathefearedhemustdecline。’Iamnotaltogetheralone，’hesaid。’Mysister，whohasjustreturnedfromBrussels，andwhofelt，asyoudo，thatIshouldberatherdismalbymyself，hasaccompaniedmehithertostayafewdaystillshehasputmyroomsinorderandsetmegoing。Shewastoofatiguedtocometochurch，andiswaitingformenowatthefarm。’
’Oh，butbringyoursister——thatwillbestillbetter!Ishallbedelightedtoknowher。HowIwishIhadbeenaware!Dotellher，please，thatwehadnoideaofherpresence。’
HalboroughassuredMrs。Fellmerthathewouldcertainlybearthemessage；butastohercominghewasnotsosure。Therealtruthwas，however，thatthematterwouldbedecidedbyhim，Rosahavinganalmostfilialrespectforhiswishes。Buthewasuncertainastothestateofherwardrobe，andhaddeterminedthatsheshouldnotenterthemanor-houseatadisadvantagethatevening，whentherewouldprobablybeplentyofopportunitiesinthefutureofherdoingsobecomingly。
Hewalkedtothefarminlongstrides。This，then，wastheoutcomeofhisfirstmorning’sworkascuratehere。Thingshadgonefairlywellwithhim。Hehadbeenordained；hewasinacomfortableparish，wherehewouldexercisealmostsolesupervision，therectorbeinginfirm。Hehadmadeadeepimpressionatstarting，andtheabsenceofahoodseemedtohavedonehimnoharm。Moreover，byconsiderablepersuasionandpayment，hisfatherandthedarkwomanhadbeenshippedofftoCanada，wheretheywerenotlikelytointerferegreatlywithhisinterests。
Rosacameouttomeethim。’Ah!youshouldhavegonetochurchlikeagoodgirl，’hesaid。
’Yes——IwishedIhadafterwards。ButIdosohatechurchasarulethatevenyourpreachingwasunderestimatedinmymind。Itwastoobadofme!’
Thegirlwhospokethusplayfullywasfair，tall，andsylph-like，inamuslindress，andwithjustthecoquettishdesinvolturewhichanEnglishgirlbringshomefromabroad，andlosesagainafterafewmonthsofnativelife。Joshuawasthereverseofplayful；theworldwastooimportantaconcernforhimtoindulgeinlightmoods。Hetoldherindecided，practicalphraseologyoftheinvitation。
’Now，Rosa，wemustgo——that’ssettled——ifyou’veadressthatcanbemadefittowearallonthehoplikethis。Youdidn’t，ofcourse，thinkofbringinganeveningdresstosuchanout-of-the-wayplace？’
ButRosahadcomefromthewrongcitytobecaughtnappinginthosematters。’Yes，Idid，’saidshe。’Oneneverknowswhatmayturnup。’
’Welldone!Thenoffwegoatseven。’
Theeveningdrewon，andatdusktheystartedonfoot，Rosapullinguptheedgeofherskirtunderhercloakoutofthewayofthedews，sothatitformedagreatwind-bagallroundher，andcarryinghersatinshoesunderherarm。Joshuawouldnotletherwaittillshegotindoorsbeforechangingthem，assheproposed，butinsistedonherperformingthatoperationunderatree，sothattheymightenterasiftheyhadnotwalked。Hewasnervouslyformalaboutsuchtrifles，whileRosatookthewholeproceeding——walk，dressing，dinner，andall——asapastime。ToJoshuaitwasaseriousstepinlife。
Amoreunexpectedkindofpersonforacurate’ssisterwasneverpresentedatadinner。ThesurpriseofMrs。Fellmerwasunconcealed。
ShehadlookedforwardtoaDorcas，orMartha，orRhodaattheoutside，andashadeofmisgivingcrossedherface。Itwaspossiblethat，hadtheyoungladyaccompaniedherbrothertochurch，therewouldhavebeennodiningatNarrobourneHousethatday。
Notsowiththeyoungwidower，herson。Heresembledasleeperwhohadawakedinasummernoonexpectingtofinditonlydawn。Hecouldscarcelyhelpstretchinghisarmsandyawningintheirfaces，sostrongwashissenseofbeingsuddenlyarousedtoanunforeseenthing。WhentheyhadsatdowntotableheatfirsttalkedtoRosasomewhatwiththeairofarulerintheland；butthewomanlurkingintheacquaintancesoonbroughthimtohislevel，andthegirlfromBrusselssawhimlookingathermouth，herhands，hercontour，asifhecouldnotquitecomprehendhowtheygotcreated：thenhedroppedintothemoresatisfactorystagewhichdiscernsnoparticulars。
Hetalkedbutlittle；shesaidmuch。ThehomelinessoftheFellmers，toherview，thoughtheywereregardedwithsuchawedownhere，quitedisembarrassedher。Thesquirehadbecomesounpractised，haddroppedsofarintotheshadeduringthelastyearorsoofhislife，thathehadalmostforgottenwhattheworldcontainedtillthiseveningremindedhim。Hismother，afterherfirstmomentsofdoubt，appearedtothinkthathemustbelefttohisownguidance，andgaveherattentiontoJoshua。
Withallhisforesightanddoggednessofaim，theresultofthatdinnerexceededHalborough’sexpectations。InweavinghisambitionshehadviewedhissisterRosaasaslight，brightthingtobehelpedintonoticebyhisabilities；butitnowbegantodawnuponhimthatthephysicalgiftsofnaturetohermightdomoreforthemboththannature’sintellectualgiftstohimself。WhilehewaspatientlyboringthetunnelRosaseemedabouttoflyoverthemountain。
Hewrotethenextdaytohisbrother，nowoccupyinghisownoldroomsinthetheologicalcollege，tellinghimexultinglyoftheunanticipateddebutofRosaatthemanor-house。Thenextpostbroughthimareplyofcongratulation，dashedwiththecounteractingintelligencethathisfatherdidnotlikeCanada——thathiswifehaddesertedhim，whichmadehimfeelsodrearythathethoughtofreturninghome。
InhisrecentsatisfactionathisownsuccessesJoshuaHalboroughhadwell-nighforgottenhischronictrouble——latterlyscreenedbydistance。Butitnowreturneduponhim；hesawmoreinthisbriefannouncementthanhisbrotherseemedtosee。Itwasthecloudnobiggerthanaman’shand。