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had exchanged houses and duties for the season with a brother
clergyman settled at Torquay； had called on Mrs。 Duncan in his
clerical capacity； and had come away from the interview deeply
impressed and interested by the widow's manners and conversation。
The visits were repeated； the acquaintance grew into friendship；
and the friendship into loveardent； devoted love on both sides。
Middle…aged man though he was； this was Mr。 Carling's first
attachment； and it was met by the same freshness of feeling on
the lady's part。 Her life with her first husband had not been a
happy one。 She had made the fatal mistake of marrying to please
her parents rather than herself； and had repented it ever
afterward。 On her husband's death his family had not behaved well
to her； and she had passed her widowhood； with her only child； a
daughter； in the retirement of a small Scotch town many miles
away from the home of her married life。 After a time the little
girl's health had begun to fail； and； by the doctor's advice； she
had migrated southward to the mild climate of Torquay。 The change
had proved to be of no avail； and； rather more than a year since；
the child had died。 The place where her darling was buried was a
sacred place to her and she remained a resident at Torquay。 Her
position in the world was now a lonely one。 She was herself an
only child； her father and mother were both dead； and； excepting
cousins； her one near relation left alive was a maternal uncle
living in London。
These particulars were all related simply and unaffectedly before
Mr。 Carling ventured on the confession of his attachment。 When he
made his proposal of marriage； Mrs。 Duncan received it with an
excess of agitation which astonished and almost alarmed the
inexperienced clergyman。 As soon as she could speak； she begged
with extraordinary earnestness and anxiety for a week to consider
her answer； and requested Mr。 Carling not to visit her on any
account until the week had expired。
The next morning she and her maid departed for London。 They did
not return until the week for consideration had expired。 On the
eighth day Mr。 Carling called again and was accepted。
The proposal to make the marriage as private as possible came
from the lady。 She had been to London to consult her uncle （whose
health； she regretted to say； would not allow him to travel to
Cornwall to give his niece away at the altar）； and he agreed with
Mrs。 Duncan that the wedding could not be too private and
unpretending。 If it was made public； the family of her first
husband would expect cards to be sent to them； and a renewal of
intercourse； which would be painful on both sides； might be the
consequence。 Other friends in Scotland； again； would resent her
marrying a second time at her age； and would distress her and
annoy her future husband in many ways。 She was anxious to break
altogether with her past existence； and to begin a new and
happier life untrammeled by any connection with former times and
troubles。 She urged these points； as she had received the offer
of marriage； with an agitation which was almost painful to see。
This peculiarity in her conduct； however； which might have
irritated some men； and rendered others distrustful； had no
unfavorable effect on Mr。 Carling。 He set it down to an excess of
sensitiveness and delicacy which charmed him。 He was
himselfthough he never would confess ita shy； nervous man by
nature。 Ostentation of any sort was something which he shrank
from instinctively； even in the simplest affairs of daily life；
and his future wife's proposal to avoid all the usual ceremony
and publicity of a wedding was therefore more than agreeable to
himit was a positive relief。
The courtship was kept secret at Torquay； and the marriage was
celebrated privately at Penliddy。 It found its way into the local
newspapers as a matter of course； but it was not； as usual in
such cases； also advertised in the _Times_。 Both husband and wife
were equally happy in the enjoyment of their new life； and
equally unsocial in taking no measures whatever to publish it to
others。
Such was the story of the rector's marriage。 Socially； Mr。
Carling's position was but little affected either way by the
change in his life。 As a bachelor； his circle of friends had been
a small one； and when he married he made no attempt to enlarge
it。 He had never been popular with the inhabitants of his parish
generally。 Essentially a weak man； he was； like other weak men；
only capable of asserting himself positively in serious matters
by running into extremes。 As a consequence of this moral defect；
he presented some singular anomalies in character。 In the
ordinary affairs of life he was the gentlest and most yielding of
men； but in all that related to strictness of religious principle
he was the sternest and the most aggressive of fanatics。 In the
pulpit he was a preacher of merciless sermonsan interpreter of
the Bible by the letter rather than by the spirit； as pitiless
and gloomy as one of the Puritans of old； while； on the other
hand； by his own fireside he was considerate； forbearing； and
humble almost to a fault。 As a necessary result of this singular
inconsistency of character； he was feared； and sometimes even
disliked； by the members of his congregation who only knew him as
their pastor； and he was prized and loved by the small circle of
friends who also knew him as a man。
Those friends gathered round him more closely and more
affectionately than ever after his marriage； not on his own
account only； but influenced also by the attractions that they
found in the society of his wife。 Her refinement and gentleness
of manner； her extraordinary accomplishments as a musician； her
unvarying sweetness of temper； and her quick； winning； womanly
intelligence in conversation； charmed every one who approached
her。 She was quoted as a model wife and woman by all her
husband's friends； and she amply deserved the character that they
gave her。 Although no children came to cheer it； a happier and a
more admirable married life has seldom been witnessed in this
world than the life which was once to be seen in the rectory
house at Penliddy。
With these necessary explanations； that preliminary part of my
narrative of which the events may be massed together generally；
for brevity's sake； comes to a close。 What I have next to tell is
of a deeper and a more serious interest； and must be carefully
related in detail。
The rector and his wife had lived together without； as I honestly
believe； a harsh word or an unkind look once passing between them
for upward of two years； when Mr。 Carling took his first step
toward the fatal future that was awaiting him by devoting his
leisure hours to the apparently simple a nd harmless occupation
of writing a pamphlet。
He had been connected for many years with one of our great
Missionary Societies； and had taken as active a part as a country
clergyman could in the management of its affairs。 At the period
of which I speak； certain influential members of the society had
proposed a plan for greatly extending the sphere of its
operations； trusting to a proportionate increase in the annual
subscr