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'I _have_ heard from authority, which I thought _as_ _good,_

that it was left you conditionally only, and at the will of

the present patron.'

'You have! Yes, there was something in _that;_ I told you

so from the first, you may remember.'

'I _did_ hear, too, that there was a time when sermon-~

making was not so palatable to you as it seems to be at

present; that you actually declared your resolution of never

taking orders, and that the business had been compromised

accordingly.'

'You did! and it was not wholly without foundation. You

may remember what I told you on that point, when first we

talked of it.'

They were now almost at the door of the house, for she

had walked fast to get rid of him; and unwilling, for her

sister's sake, to provoke him, she only said in reply, with a

good-humoured smile,--

'Come, Mr. Wickham, we are brother and sister, you

know. Do not let us quarrel about the past. In future, I

hope we shall be always of one mind.'

She held out her hand: he kissed it with affectionate

gallantry, though he hardly knew how to look, and they

entered the house.

 [455]