The Argosy — page 107: what you’re looking at

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94 The White Witch. he had any serious thoughts yet on the all-important subject of religion. The Abbey pew and the Vicarage pew faced each other close to the chancel in Croxham church; and, against her will, Mrs. Thornhill could not help noticing an indifference as to whether his prayer-book was right side up or upside down, a tendency to kneel with his hands reverently clasped, but with his head laid upon them in such a manner that he could scrutinise the vagaries of the school- children, with an aspect of negligence towards the parson, as if he didn’t know what was going on and didn’t care. ‘These defects, and a certain irreverent way of looking about him as if the communion- rails were no more than park palings, and his fellow-worshippers merely people to be stared at, a mother could not ignore; especially when things seemed to be going the contrary way instead of the straight one. But if the young man was not exceptionally good, he was not exceptionally wicked. It is true he was given to slouch about with his shoulders lifted, and to read French novels, and to smoke a great deal more than was proper ; but in character and habits he was bright and clear as the day. Mrs. Thornhill made her way to Elspeth’s little room that night, intending to question her: Godfrey was attractive; there was no doubt of that. She was not very successful; for when she had soothed the girl into drying her tears and had felt her way to the question whether she cared about Mr. Godfrey Mayne, all that the simple little creature could say in answer was: ‘I don’t know.” On the whole, Mrs. Thornhill decided that the impression made upon the easily-reached heart was not yet damgerously strong, and she resolved that it should have no chance, if she could prevent it, of getting stronger. But there was a woman’s will more stubborn than hers at work against her. The next day at luncheon, which Godfrey and his step-mother were taking alone, she said she had called at the Vicarage, and found the girls were under punishment for the affair of yesterday. ‘Put upon bread and water ?” remarked Godfrey, lightly. ‘Mr. Thornhill and his wife are both very angry with them.” ** Nonsense !” “Well, they are so. With Elspeth especially. Both the girls are ordered not to—well, I really believe not to speak to you again. Of course you will not care a straw about that. Poor little Elspeth had cried till her eyes were red—and it truly was no fault of hers.” ‘‘ What a shame!” commented Godfrey. From one of the windows of the Abbey drawing-room there was an uninterrupted view across a wide hay-field of the enclosure attached to the Vicarage garden where the girls played lawn-tennis. Sitting at her busy pretence of needlework after luncheon, Mrs. Mayne saw Godfrey get over the low iron railing which divided the Abbey garden Gomichbooks.co