302 THE VICARAGE. 



" You are welcome to Coombe Neville ; may I 

 take the liberty of asking your names. " 



The Vicar mentioned his name, and introduced 

 Mr. Davenport. 



" Davenport/' said the old gentlemen, whose 

 favourite study had been genealogy fe Davenport 



that must have been before the Flodden charge 



you bear only three bars dancette without the 

 border engrailed." 



" Because/' said Mr. Davenport, kindly, and 

 as if to encourage the old man's prattle, " we are 

 not descended from Lord William, who obtained 

 that honour/' 



The old gentleman's face appeared confused. 

 He muttered to himself " bars dancette," and 

 then added, " but I forget it all." Turning next 

 to the Vicar, he again asked his name. On being 

 told it, he looked at him as at one who had no 

 ancestry to boast of, and then said something 

 which implied a hint that such was the case. The 

 worthy Vicar, with all his modesty and humility, 

 was a little annoyed at this sneer on his pedigree, 

 and perhaps shewed it by a start and an exclama- 

 tion. The old gentleman, whose high breeding 

 could not be mistaken, was immediately sensible 

 that he had been guilty of a breach of propriety, 

 and hid his face with his two hands. It was some 

 time before he recovered from his confusion, when 

 again turning to Davenport, he said 



