But the house of Eardly was ugly and bad.

The Bishop's palace was an excellent gentleman's residence, but then that too was comparatively modern, and had no peculiar features of its own.

Now Carbury Manor House was peculiar, and in the eyes of its owner was pre-eminently beautiful.
It often troubled him to think what would come of the place when he was gone.

He was at present forty years old, and was perhaps as healthy a man as you could find in the whole county.

Those around who had known him as he grew into manhood among them, especially the farmers of the neighbourhood, still regarded him as a young man.