.

Which concludes the first Part of this History.
The Curate had gone on his daily errand to Fairoaks, and was upstairs in Pens study pretending to read with his pupil, in the early part of that very afternoon when Mrs.Portman, after transacting business with Mrs.
Pybus, had found the weather so exceedingly fine that she pursued her walk as far as Fairoaks, in order to pay a visit to her dear friend there.

In the course of their conversation, the Rector's lady told Mrs.Pendennis and the Major a very great secret about the Curate, Mr.
Smirke, which was no less than that he had an attachment, a very old attachment, which he had long kept quite private.
"And on whom is it that Mr.Smirke has bestowed his heart ?" asked Mrs.
Pendennis, with a superb air but rather an inward alarm.
"Why, my dear," the other lady answered, "when he first came and used to dine at the Rectory, people said we wanted him for Myra, and we were forced to give up asking him.

Then they used to say he was smitten in another quarter; but I always contradicted it for my part, and said that you----" "That I," cried Mrs.Pendennis; "people are very impertinent, I am sure.
Mr.Smirke came here as Arthur's tutor, and I am surprised that anybody should dare to speak so----" "'Pon my soul, it is a little too much," the Major said, laying down the newspaper and the double eye-glass.
"I've no patience with that Mrs.Pybus," Helen continued indignantly.
"I told her there was no truth in it," Mrs.Portman said.

"I always said so, my dear: and now it comes out that my demure gentleman has been engaged to a young lady--Miss Thompson, of Clapham Common, ever so long: and I am delighted for my part, and on Myra's account, too, for an unmarried curate is always objectionable about one's house: and of course it is strictly private, but I thought I would tell you, as it might remove unpleasantnesses.