bounded on the other side by the turnpike road to Raynham, which led
up the hill to the village green, surrounded by well-kept cottages
and gardens. The principal part of the village was, however, at the
foot of the hill, where the Court lane crossed the road, led to the
old church, the school, and parsonage, in its little garden, shut in
by thick yew hedges. Beyond was the blacksmith's shop, more
cottages, and Mrs. Appleton's wondrous village warehouse; and the
lane, after passing by the handsome old farmhouse of Mr. Harrington,
Mr. Mohun's principal tenant, led to a bridge across a clear trout
stream, the boundary of the parish of Beechcroft.



CHAPTER III--THE NEW PRINCIPLE



'And wilt thou show no more, quoth he,
Than doth thy duty bind?
I well perceive thy love is small.'

On the Sunday evening which followed Eleanor's wedding, Lilias was
sitting next to Emily, and talking in very earnest tones, which after
a time occasioned Claude to look up and say, 'What is all this about?
Something remarkably absurd I suspect.'

'Only a new principle,' said Emily.

'New!' cried Lily, 'only what must be the feeling of every person of
any warmth of character?'