CHAPTER VI.
L'ESPRIT de l'homme est plus penetrant que consequent, et embrasse plus qu'il ne peat lier.*--VAUVENARGUES.
* "The spirit of man is more penetrating than logical, and gathers more than it can garner." AND now Maltravers was constantly with the Merton family; there was no need of excuse for familiarity on his part.

Mr.Merton, charmed to find his advances not rejected, thrust intimacy upon him.
One day they spent the afternoon at Burleigh, and Evelyn and Caroline finished their survey of the house,--tapestry, and armour, pictures and all.

This led to a visit to the Arabian horses.

Caroline observed that she was very fond of riding, and went into ecstasies with one of the animals,--the one, of course, with the longest tail.

The next day the horse was in the stables at the rectory, and a gallant epistle apologized for the costly gift.
Mr.Merton demurred, but Caroline always had her own way; and so the horse remained (no doubt, in much amazement and disdain) with the parson's pony, and the brown carriage horses.