"They are not in this parish."

"No, but they turn up here--the ladies, at least--at all the
services at odd times that Bindon has begun with."

"Ah! by the bye, is Herbert Bowater come?"

"Yes, the whole family came over to his installation in Mrs.
Hornblower's lodgings."

"I saw him this morning, poor old Herbs," added Frank, "looking
uncommonly as if he felt himself in a strait waistcoat."

"What, are there two curates?" demanded Cecil, in a tone of
reprobation.

Julius made a gesture of assent, with a certain humorous air of
deprecation, which, however, was lost upon her.

"We never let Mr. Venn have one," continued Cecil, "except one
winter when he was ill, and then not a young one. Papa says idle
young clergymen are not to be encouraged."

"I am entirely of Mr. Charnock's opinion. But if I have exceeded
the Dunstone standard, it was not willingly. Herbert Bowater is the
son of some old friends of my mother's, who wanted to keep their son
near home, and made it their request that I would give him a title."

"And the Bowaters are the great feature in the neighbourhood," added