Mr。Knightverysoonbecameawarefirstthathisincomewasinsufficienttohisneeds，andsecondly，especiallynowwhenhishealthwasmuchimproved，thatafterabusyandhard-workinglife，timeatMonk’sAcrehungheavilyuponhishands。Thelattertroubletosomeextenthepalliatedbybeginningthegreatworkthathehadplannedeversincehebecameadeacon，forwhichhisundoubtedscholarshipgavehimcertainqualifications。Itsprovisionaltitlewas，“BabylonUnveiled“hewouldhavelikedtosubstitute“TheScarletWoman“forBabylonanditsapparentobjectanelaborateattackupontheRomanChurch，whichinfactwasbutacoverfortherealonslaught。WiththeRomans，althoughperhapshedidnotknowithimself，hehadcertainsympathies，forinstance，inthematterofcelibacy。Nordidheentirelydisapproveofthemonasticorders。ThenhefoundnothingshockinginthetenetsandmethodsoftheJesuitsworkingforwhattheyconceivedtobeagoodend。Therealtargetsofhisanimositywerehishigh-churchbrethrenoftheChurchofEngland，wretcheswho，whilstretainingalltheprivilegesoftheAnglicanEstablishment，suchasmarriage，didnothesitatetoadoptalmosteveryerrorofRomeandtomakeuseofhersecretpoweroverthesoulsofmenbythepracticeofConfessionandotherwise。
　　AsthismonumentaltreatisebeganinthetimesoftheEarlyFathersandwasplannedtofilltenvolumesofatleastahundredthousandwordsapiece，noonewillbesurprisedtolearnthatitneverreachedthestageofpublication，orindeed，tobeaccurate，thatitcametofinalstopsomewhereaboutthetimeofAthanasius。
　　RealizingthattheworkwaslikelytoequalthatofGibbonbothinlengthandtheyearsnecessarytoitscompletion；alsothatfromitcouldbeexpectednoimmediatepecuniaryprofits，Mr。Knightlookedroundtofindsomeotherwayofoccupyinghisleisure，andaddingtohisincome。Althoughareservedperson，onacertainSundaywhenhewenttolunchattheHall，intheabsenceofMr。Blakewhowasspendingtheweek-endsomewhereelse，heconfidedhisdifficultiestoLadyJanewhomhefelttobesympathetic。
　　“Thehouseissobig，“hecomplained。“Mrs。Parsons“Godfrey’soldnurseandhishousekeeper“andonegirlcannotevenkeepitclean。ItwasmostfoolishofmypredecessorinthelivingtorestorethatoldrefectoryandallthesoutherndormitoriesuponwhichIamtoldhespentnolessthan￡1，500ofhisownmoney，neverreflectingontheexpensewhichhissuccessorsmustincurmerelytokeeptheminorder，sincebeingoncetheretheyareliableforchargesfordilapidations。
　　Itwouldhavebeenbetter，afterpermissionobtained，toletthemgotoruin。“
　　“Nodoubt，buttheyareverybeautiful，aretheynot？“remarkedLadyJanefeebly。
　　“Beautyisaluxuryand，Imayadd，asnare。Itisamistakenloveofbeautyandpomp，baitsthattheEvilOnewellknowshowtouse，whichhaveledsolargeasectionofourChurchastray，“herepliedsippingathistumblerofwater。
　　Asilencefollowed，forLadyJane，whofromearlyandtenderassociationslovedhigh-churchpractices，didnotknowwhattoanswer。
　　ItwasbrokenbyIsobelwhohadbeenlisteningtotheconversationinheracuteway，andnowsaidinherclear，strongvoice：
　　“Whydon’tyoukeepaschool，Mr。Knight？There’slotsofroomforitintheAbbey。“
　　“Aschool!“hesaid。“Aschool!Ineverthoughtofthat。No，itisridiculous。Still，pupilsperhaps。Outofthemouthofbabesandsucklings，&c。Well，itistimeformetobegoing。Iwillthinkthematteroverafterchurch。“
　　Mr。Knightdidthinkthematteroverandafterconsultationwithhishousekeeper，Mrs。Parsons，anadvertisementappearedin/TheTimes/
　　and/TheSpectator/invitingparentsandguardianstoentrusttwoorthreeladstotheadvertiser’scaretoreceivepreliminaryeducation，togetherwithhisownson。Itprovedfruitful，andafteranexchangeofthe“highestreferences，“twolittleboysappearedatMonk’sAcre，bothofthemratherdelicateinhealth。ThiswasshortlybeforethecrisisaroseastothefutureteachingofIsobel，whenthelastgoverness，wishingher“abetterspirit，“hadbiddenherafrigidfarewellandshakenthedustofHawk’sHalloffherfeet。
　　OnedayIsobelwassentwithanotetotheAbbeyHouse。Sherangthebellbutnoonecame，forMr。KnightwasoutwalkingwithhispupilsandMrs。Parsonsandtheparlour-maidwereelsewhere。Tiredofwaiting，shewanderedroundthegreyoldbuildinginthehopeoffindingsomeonetowhomshecoulddelivertheletter，andcametotherefectorywhichhadaseparateentrance。Thedoorwasopenandshepeepedin。Atfirst，afterthebrilliantsunlightwithout，shesawnothingexceptthegreatemptinessoftheplacewithitssplendidoakroofontherepairofwhichthelateincumbenthadspentsomuch，sinceasiscommoninmonkishbuildings，thewindowswerehighandnarrow。Presently，however，sheperceivedalittlefigureseatedintheshadowattheendofthelongoakenrefectorytable，thatatwhichthemonkshadeaten，whichstillremainedwhereithadstoodforhundredsofyears，oneofthefixturesofthehouse，andknewitforthatofGodfrey，Mr。Knight’sson。Glidingtowardshimquietlyshesawthathewasasleepandstoppedtostudyhim。
　　Hewasabeautifulboy，palejustnowforhehadrecoveredbutrecentlyfromsomechildishillness。Hishairwasdarkandcurling，dark，too，werehiseyes，thoughtheseshecouldnotsee，andthelashesoverthem，whilehishandswerelongandfine。Helookedmostlonelyandpathetic，thereinthebigoakchairthathadsooftenaccommodatedtheportlyformsofdepartedabbots，andherwarmheartwentouttowardshim。OfcourseIsobelknewhim，butnotverywell，forhewasashyladandherfatherhadneverencouragedintimacybetweentheAbbeyHouseandtheHall。
　　Somehowshehadtheideathathewasunhappy，forindeedhelookedsoeveninhissleep，thoughperhapsthiswastobeaccountedforbyapaperofunfinishedsumsbeforehim。SympathywelledupinIsobel，whorememberedtheoppressionsofthelastgoverness——heroftheinkpot。
　　Sympathy，yes，andmorethansympathy，forofasuddenshefeltasshehadneverfeltbefore。Shelovedthelittleladasthoughhewereherbrother。Astrangeaffinityforhimcamehometoher，althoughshedidnotdefineitthus；itwasasifsheknewthatherspiritwasintimatewithhis，yes，andalwayshadbeenandalwayswouldbeintimate。
　　ThissubtleknowledgewentthroughIsobellikefireandshookher。Sheturnedpale，hernostrilsexpanded，herlargeeyesopenedandshesighed。Shedidmoreindeed。Drawnbysomeover-masteringimpulseshedrewneartoGodfreyandkissedhimgentlyontheforehead，thenglidedbackagainfrightenedandashamedatherownact。
　　Nowhewokeup；shefelthisdarkeyeslookingather。Thenhespokeinaslow，puzzledvoice，saying：
　　“Ihavehadsuchafunnydream。Idreamedthataspiritcameandkissedme。Ididnotseeit，butIthinkitmusthavebeenmymother’s。“
　　“Why？“askedIsobel。
　　“Becausenooneelseevercaredenoughformetokissme，exceptMrs。
　　Parsons，andshehasgivenitupnowthattheotherboysarehere。“
　　“Doesnotyourfatherkissyou？“sheasked。
　　“Yes，onceaweek，onSundayeveningwhenIgotobed。BecauseIdon’tcountthat。“
　　“No，Iunderstand，“saidIsobel，thinkingofherownfather，thenaddedhastily，“itmustbesadnottohaveamother。“
　　“Itis，“heanswered，“especiallywhenoneisillasIhavebeen，andmustliesolonginbedwithpainsinthehead。YouknowIhadanabscessintheearandithurtverymuch。“
　　“Ididn’tknow。Weheardyouwereillandmotherwantedtocometoseeyou。Fatherwouldn’tlether。Hethoughtitmightbemeaslesandheisafraidofcatchingthings。“
　　“Yes，“repliedGodfreywithoutsurprise。“Itwasn’tmeasles，butifithadbeenyoumighthavecaughtthem，soofcoursehewasrighttobecareful。“
　　“Oh!hewasn’tthinkingofmeorMummy，hewasthinkingofhimself，“
　　blurtedoutIsobelwiththecandourofyouth。
　　“Big，strongmendon’tcatchmeasles，“saidGodfreyinmildastonishment。
　　“Hesaystheydo，andthattheyareverydangerouswhenyouaregrownup。Whyareyoualonehere，andwhatareyouworkingat？“
　　“MyfatherhaskeptmeinasapunishmentbecauseIdidmysumswrong。
　　Theotherboyshavegoneoutbird-nesting，butIhavetostophereuntilIgetthemright。Idon’tknowwhenthatwillbe，“headdedwithasigh，“asIhateruleofthreeandcan’tdoit。“
　　“Ruleofthree，“saidIsobel，“I’mquitegoodatit。YouseeIlikefigures。Myfathersaysitisthefamilybusinessinstinct。Here，letmetry。Movetotheothersideofthatbigchair，there’splentyofroomfortwo，andshowittome。“
　　Heobeyedwithalacrityandsoonthebrownheadandthefaironewerebenttogetheroverthescrawledsheet。Isobel，whohadreallyabuddingtalentformathematics，workedoutthesum，orratherthesums，withoutdifficultyandthen，withguileacquiredunderthegovernessrégime，madehimcopythemanddestroyedalltracesofherownhandiwork。
　　“Areyouasstupidateverythingasyouareatsums？“sheaskedwhenhehadfinished，risingfromthechairandseatingherselfontheedgeofthetable。
　　“Whatarudethingtoask!Ofcoursenot，“herepliedindignantly。“I
　　amverygoodatLatinandhistory，whichIlike。Butyouseefatherdoesn’tcaremuchforthem。HewasaWrangler，youknow。“
　　“AWrangler!Howdreadful。Isupposethatiswhyhearguessomuchinhissermons。Ihatehistory。It’sfullofdatesandthenamesofkingswhowereallbad。Ican’tmakeoutwhypeopleputupwithkings，“sheaddedreflectively。
　　“Becausetheyoughtto，’GodblessourgraciousQueen，’youknow。“
　　“Well，GodmayblessherbutIdon’tseewhyIshouldassheneverdidanythingforme，thoughFatherdoeshopeshewillmakehimsomethingoneday。I’dliketobeaRepublicanwithaPresidentastheyhaveinAmerica。“
　　“YoumustbewhatfathercallsawickedRadical，“saidGodfreystaringather，“oneofthosepeoplewhowanttodisestablishtheChurch。“