Mrs.Beecher was, indeed, the least worldly of women.
Did she not marry the Canon, then a mere curate, on the slenderest income, and bear him successively five babies in defiance of common prudence?
But it had fallen to her lot to order the affairs of the household, and she had learnt that the people who give you bread and beef demand, after an interval, more or less money in exchange.

It was likely that, after her first rapture had subsided, she would make some inquiry about Hyacinth's income and prospects.

The Canon felt he ought to be prepared.
'Of course, I have lost my position with Mr.Quinn.You know that.

But I have an offer of work which I hope will lead on to something better, and will enable me in a short time to earn enough money to marry on.
You know--or perhaps you don't, for I am afraid I never told you '-- he remembered that he had carefully concealed his connection with the _Croppy_ from his friends at Ballymoy, and paused--' I have done some little writing.

Oh, nothing very much--not a book, or anything like that, only a few articles for the press.