What people they must be--that family of sacrilege who
hold these lands!"
"Hem!" said Egremont. "They certainly do not appear to have
much feeling for ecclesiastical art."
"And for little else, as we were told," said Sybil. "There
was a fire at the Abbey farm the day we were there, and from
all that reached us, it would appear the people were as little
tendered as the Abbey walls."
"They have some difficulty perhaps in employing their
population in those parts."
"You know the country?"
"Not at all: I was travelling in the neighbourhood, and made a
diversion for the sake of seeing an abbey of which I had heard
so much."
"Yes; it was the greatest of the Northern Houses. But they
told me the people were most wretched round the Abbey; nor do
I think there is any other cause for their misery, than the
hard hearts of the family that have got the lands."
"You feel deeply for the people!" said Egremont looking at her
earnestly.
Sybil returned him a glance expressive of some astonishment,
and then said, "And do not you? Your presence here assures me
of it."
"I humbly follow one who would comfort the unhappy."
"The charity of Mr St Lys is known to all."
"And you--you too are a ministering angel.
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