DuringthegovernesserawhichfollowedthissceneIsobeltravelledfarandfastalongthatroad。Thelady，orrathertheladies，hiredbyherfather，forhiswifewasallowednovoiceintheirselection，wereoftheotherknownas“determined“；disciplinariansofthefirstwater。Foronereasonoranothertheydidnotstay。Isobel，thoughaquickandablechild，veryfondofreadingmoreover，provedunamenableunderdisciplineasunderstoodbythoseformidablefemales，andowingtoherpossessionofacurioustenacityofpurpose，endedbywearingthemdown。Alsotheydidnotcarefortheatmosphereofthehouse，whichwasdepressing。
　　OneofthemoncetriedtostrikeIsobel。Thiswaswhenshewasnearlythirteen。Isobelrepliedwiththeschoolroominkpot。Shewasanadeptatstone-throwing，andotherathleticarts。Itcaughtherinstructressfairuponhergentlebosom，spoiledherdress，filledhermouthandeyeswithink，andnearlyknockedherdown。
　　“Ishalltellyourfathertoflogyou，“gaspedtheladywhensherecoveredherbreath。
　　“Ishouldadviseyounot，“saidIsobel。“Andwhatismore，“sheaddedafterreflection，“ifyoudoIshalladvisehimnottolistentoyou。“
　　Thenthegovernessthoughtbetterofitandgavenoticeinstead。TobejusttoJohnBlakeheneverattemptedtoresorttoviolenceagainsthisdaughter。Thismayhavebeenbecauseheknewbyinstinctthatitwouldnotbesafetodosoortendtohisowncomfort。Orperhaps，itwasforthereasonthatinhiswayhewasfondofher，lookingonherwithpridenotquiteuntouchedbyfear。Likeallbullieshewasacowardatheart，andrespectedanyonewhodaredtostanduptohim，evenalthoughshewerebutagirl，andhisowndaughter。
　　Afterthevictimoftheinkpotincidentdeparted，threateningactionsatlawandproclaimingthatherpupilwouldcometoabadend，questionsaroseastoIsobel’sfutureeducation。Evidentlythegovernessexperimenthadbrokendownandwasnotworthrepeating。
　　Althoughshetrembledattheideaofpartingwithheronlyjoyandconsolationinlife，LadyJanesuggestedthatsheshouldbesenttoschool。Itwasfortunateforherthatshedidso，sinceastheideacamefromhiswife，Mr。Blakenegativeditatoncefirmlyandfinally，adecisionwhichsheacceptedwithanoutwardsighofresignation，havinglearnedthenecessityofguile，andinwarddelight。Indeed，foritthateveningshethankedGoduponherknees。
　　ItmaybealsothatherfatherdidnotwishthatIsobelshouldgoaway。LadyJaneboredhimtodistraction，sincekickingacushionsoonbecomespoorsport。SomuchdidsheborehimindeedthatforthisandotherreasonshepassedmostofhistimeinLondonoratHarwich，inbothofwhichplaceshehadofficeswherehetransactedhisshippingbusiness，onlyspendingtheweek-endsatHawk’sHall。Itwashiscustomtobringwithhimpartiesoffriends，businessmenasarule，towhom，forsundrypurposes，hewishedtoappearinthecharacterofafamilymanandlocalmagnate。Isobel，whowasquickandvivaciousevenwhileshewasstillachild，helpedtomakethesepartiespassoffwell，whereaswithoutherhefeltthattheywouldhavebeenafailure。Alsoshewasusefulduringtheshootingseason。Soitcameaboutthatshewaskeptathome。
　　ItwasatthisjuncturethatanideacametoMr。Blake。Afewyearsbefore，attheverydepthoftheterribleagriculturaldepressionoftheperiod，hehadpurchasedataforcedsalebythemortgagees，theentireMonk’sAcreestate，atabout￡12theacre，whichwaslessthanthecostofthebuildingsthatstoodupontheland。This，asheexplainedtoallandsundry，hehaddoneatgreatpersonallossintheinterestofthetenantsandlabourers，butasamatteroffact，evenattheexistingrents，theinvestmentpaidhimafairrateofinterest，andwasonewhich，asabusinessmanheknewmustincreaseinvaluewhentimeschanged。WiththepropertywenttheadvowsonofMonk’sAcre，anditchancedthatayearlaterthelivingfellvacantthroughtheresignationoftheincumbent。Mr。Blake，nowasalwaysseekingpopularity，consultedthebishop，consultedthechurch-
　　wardens，consultedtheparishioners，andintheendconsultedhisowninterestsbynominatingthenephewofawealthybaronetofhisacquaintancewhomhewasanxioustosecureasadirectorupontheBoardofacertaincompanyinwhichhehadlargeholdings。
　　“Ihaveneverseenthisclericalgentlemanandknownothingofhisviews，oranythingabouthim。Butifyourecommendhim，mydearSirSamuel，itisenoughforme，sinceIalwaysjudgeofamanbyhisfriends。Perhapsyouwillfurnishme，orrathermylawyers，withthenecessaryparticulars，andIwillseethatthematterisputthrough。
　　Now，tocometomoreimportantbusiness，astothisBoardofwhichI
　　amchairman，“&c。
　　TheendofitwasthatSirSamuel，flatteredbysuchdeference，becameamemberoftheBoardandSirSamuel’snephewbecamerectorofMonk’sAcre。
　　Suchappointments，likemarriages，aremadeinHeaven——atleastthatseemstobethedoctrineoftheEnglishChurch，whichiscontenttoactthereon。Inthisparticularinstancetheresultswerequitegood。
　　TheRev。Mr。Knight，thenephewoftheopulentSirSamuel，provedtobeanexcellentandhard-workingclergyman。Hewaslow-church，andnarrowalmosttothepointofCalvinism，butintenselyearnestandconscientious；onewholookedupontheworldasaplaceofsinandwoethroughwhichwemustlabourandpasson，adifficultpathbesetwithrocksandthorns，leadingtotheunmeasuredplainsofHeaven。Alsohewasaneducatedmanwhohadtakenhighdegreesatcollege，andreallylearnedinhisway。Whilehewasacurate，workingveryhardinagreatseaporttown，hehadmarriedthedaughterofanotherclergymanofthecity，whodiedinasuddenfashionastheresultofanaccident，leavingthegirlanorphan。ShewasnotpureEnglishashermotherhadbeenaDane，butonbothsidesherdescentwashigh，asindeedwasthatofMr。Knighthimself。
　　Thisunion，contractedonthehusband’spartlargelyfrommotivesthatmightbecalledcharitable，sincehehadpromisedhisdeceasedcolleagueonhisdeathbedtobefriendthedaughter，wasbutmoderatelysuccessful。Thewifehadthecharacteristicsofherrace；
　　largenessandliberalityofview，highaspirationsforhumanity，considerableintelligence，andacertaintendencytowardsmysticismoftheSwedenborgiantype，qualitiesthatherhusbandneithersharednorcouldappreciate。Itwasperhapsaswell，thereforethatshediedatthebirthofheronlyson，Godfrey，threeyearsafterhermarriage。
　　Mr。Knightnevermarriedagain。Matrimonywasnotastatewhichappealedtohissomewhatshrunkennature。Althoughheadmitteditsnecessitytothehumanrace，ofitinhishearthedidnotapprove，norwouldheeverhaveundertakenitatallhaditnotbeenforasenseofobligation。Thisattitude，becauseitmadeforvirtueasheunderstoodit，hesetdowntovirtue，asweareallapttodo，asacrificeofthethingsofearthandofthefleshtothethingsofheaven，andofthespirit。Infact，itwasnothingofthesort，butonlytheoutcomeofindividualphysicalandmentalconditions。Towardsfemalesociety，howeverhallowedandapproveditsform，hehadnoleanings。Alsothechildwasadifficulty，sogreatindeedthatattimesalmostheregrettedthatawiseProvidencehadnotthoughtfittotakeitstraighttothejoysofheavenwithitsmother，thoughafterwards，astheboy’sintelligenceunfolded，hedevelopedinterestinhim。This，however，hewascarefultokeepincheck，lestheshouldfallintothesinofinordinateaffection，denouncedbySt。Paulincommonwithothererrors。
　　Finally，hefoundanelderlywidow，namedParsons，whoactedashishousekeeper，andtookchargeofhisson。FortunatelyforGodfreyhersenseofparenthoodwasmorepronouncedthanthatofhisfather，andshe，whohadlosttwochildrenofherown，playedthepartofmothertohimwithawarmandloyalheart。Fromthefirstshelovedhim，andhelovedher；itwasanaffectionthatcontinuedthroughouttheirlives。
　　WhenGodfreywasaboutninehisfather’shealthbrokedown。Hewasstillacurateinhisseaporttown，forgood，asgoodnessisunderstood，andhard-workingashewas，nopromotionhadcomehisway。
　　Perhapsthiswasbecausethebishopandhisothersuperiors，recognisinghislackofsympathyandhisnarrownessofoutlook，didnotthinkhimasuitablemantoputinchargeofaparish。Atanyrate，soithappened。
　　Thusarosehisappealtohiswealthyandpowerfulrelative，SirSamuel，andhisfinalnominationtoacountrybenefice，forinthecountrythedoctorsaidthathemustlive——unlesshewishedtodie。
　　ConvincedthoughhewasoftheenormousadvantagesofHeavenoveranearthwhichheknewtobeextremelysinful，theRev。Mr。Knight，liketherestoftheworld，shrankfromthesecondalternative，which，ashestatedinaletterofthankstoSirSamuel，howevermuchitmightbenefithimpersonally，wouldcutshorthisperiodofterrestrialusefulnesstoothers。SoheacceptedtherectorshipofMonk’sAcrewithgratitude。
　　Inonewaytherewasnotmuchforwhichtobegrateful，seeingthatinthosedaysofdepreciatedtithesthelivingwasnotworthmorethan￡250ayearandhisownresources，whichcamefromhiswife’ssmallfortune，wereverylimited。Itshouldhavebeenvaluable，butthegreattitheswerealienatedwiththelandedpropertyoftheAbbeybyHenryVIII，andnowbelongedtothelayrector，Mr。Blake，whoshowednosignsofusingthemtoincreasetheincumbent’sstipend。
　　Stilltherewasagoodhousewithanexcellentgarden，toogoodindeed，withitsbeautifulandancientroomswhichaformerrectorofarch？ologicalknowledgeandmeanshadinpartrestoredtotheirpristinestate，whilefortheresthistastesweresimpleandhisneedsfew，for，ofcourse，heneitherdrankwinenorsmoked。
　　Therefore，ashasbeensaid，hetookthelivingwiththankfulnessanddeterminedtomakethebestofitonatotalincomeofabout￡350ayear。
　　OnthewholeMonk’sAcresuitedMr。Knightfairlywell。ItistruethathedidnotliketheAbbey，asitwasstillcalled，ofwhichtheassociationsandarchitecturalbeautymadenoappealtohim，andthoughtoftenwithaffectionofthelodging-house-likeabodeinwhichhehaddweltinhissouthernseaporttownamidtheVictoriansurroundingsthatweresuitedtohisVictoriannature。Thegloriouschurch，too，irritatedhim，partlybecauseitwassoglorious，andnotwithstandingallthattheReformationhaddonetomarit，sosuggestiveofpapisticalpracticeanderrors，andpartlybecausethecongregationwassoscantyinthatgreatexpanseofnaveandaisle，tosaynothingofthechancelandsundrychapels，thattheylookedlikeafewwanderingsheepleftbythemselvesinavastandalmostemptiedfold。Norwasthisstrange，seeingthatthetotalpopulationoftheparishwasbutonehundredandforty-sevensouls。
　　Ofhissquireandpatronhesawbutlittle。OccasionallyMr。Blakeattendedchurchandaslay-rectorwasaccommodatedinanuglyoakboxinthechancel，wherehisbigbodyandfloridcountenanceremindedGodfreyofFarmerJohnson’sprizepolledoxinitsstall。Thesestatevisitswerenothoweververyfrequentanddependedlargelyupontheguestswhowerestayingfortheweek-endattheHall。IfMr。Blakediscoveredthatthesegentlemenwerereligiouslyinclined，hewenttochurch。Ifotherwise，andthiswasmorecommon，actingonhisprincipleofbeingallthingstoallmen，hestoppedaway。
　　Personallyhedidnotbotherhisheadaboutthematterwhich，insecret，helookeduponasoneoftheramificationsofthegreatedificeofBritishcant。Thevastmajorityofpeopleinhisviewwenttochurch，notbecausetheybelievedinanythingorwishedforinstructionorspiritualconsolation，butbecauseitlookedrespectable，whichwasexactlywhyhedidsohimself。Eventhennearlyalwayshesataloneintheoakbox，hisvisitorsgenerallypreferringtooccupythepewinthenavewhichwasfrequentedbyLadyJaneandIsobel。
　　Nordidthetwooftenmeetsociallysincetheirnatureswereantipathetic。InthebosomofhisfamilyMr。BlakewouldrefertoMr。
　　Knightasthe“littleparsonrat，“whileinhisbosomMr。KnightwouldthinkofMr。Blakeas“thatbullofBashan。“Further，aftersometroubleshadarisenaboutaquestionoftithe，alsoabouttheupkeepofthechancel，Blakediscoveredthatbeneathhismeekexteriortheclergymanhadastrongwillandveryclearideasofthedifferencebetweenrightandwrong，inshort，thathewasnotamantobetrifledwith，andlessstilloneofwhomhecouldmakeatool。Havingascertainedthesethingshelefthimaloneasmuchaspossible。