Further that she and the said Morris were seen embracing at night on the Rectory road, which I don't believe, as the witnesses are Layard, who is prejudiced, and his sister, who is the most ill-bred, bitter, and disappointed woman in the county.

Lastly, and this is no doubt true, that they are generally on terms of great intimacy, and we all know where that leads to between a man and woman--'Plato, thy confounded fantasies,' etc.

You see, when people sit up singing to each other alone till two in the morning--I don't mean that Morris sings, he has no more voice than a crow; he does the appreciative audience--well, other people will talk, won't they ?" "I suppose so, the world being what it is," sighed Mr.Fregelius.
"Exactly; the world being what it is, and men and women what they are, a most unregenerate lot and 'au fond' very primitive, as I daresay you may have observed." "What is to be done ?" "Well, under other circumstances, I should have said, Nothing at all except congratulate them most heartily, more especially my son.

But in this case there are reasons which make such a course impossible.

As you know, Morris is engaged to be married to my niece, Miss Porson, and it is a contract which, even if he wished it, honour would forbid him to break, for family as well as for personal reasons." "Quite so, quite so; it is not to be thought of.