Indeed I believe that you feel being separated from that garrulous person, who is but a servant, more than you do from me, your father." Here he waited for Godfrey's contradiction, but as none came, went on with added acerbity: "Of that _anguis in herba_, that viper, Isobel, who turns the pure milk of the Word to poison and bites the hand that fed her, I will say nothing, nothing," (here Godfrey reflected that Isobel would have been better described as a lion in the path rather than as a snake in the grass) "except that I rejoice that you are to be separated from her, and I strictly forbid any communication between you and her, bold, godless and revolutionary as she is.

I had rather see any man for whose welfare I cared, married to a virtuous and pious-minded housemaid, than to this young lady, as she is called, with all her wealth and position, who would eat out his soul with her acid unbelief and turn the world upside down to satisfy her fancy.

Now I must go or I shall miss my train.

Here is a present for you, of which I direct you to read a chapter every day," and he produced out of a brown paper parcel a large French Bible.

"It will both do you good and improve your knowledge of the French tongue.