CHAPTERXXVI
WAR
WeneednotfollowSirRogertohisgrave，norpartakeofthebakedmeatswhichwerefurnishedforhisfuneralbanquet。SuchmenasSirRogerScatcherdarealwayswellburied，andwehavealreadyseenthathisgloriesweredulytoldtoposterityinthegraphicdictionofhissepulchralmonument。InafewdaysthedoctorhadreturnedtohisquitehomeandSirLouisfoundhimselfreigningatBoxallHillinhisfather\'sstead——with，however，amuchdiminishedsway，and，ashethoughtit，butapoorexchequer。Wemustsoonreturntohimandsaysomethingofhiscareerasabaronet；butforthepresent，wemaygobacktoourmorepleasantfriendsatGreshamsbury。
ButourfriendsatGreshamsburyhadnotbeenmakingthemselvespleasant——notsopleasanttoeachotherascircumstanceswouldhaveadmitted。Inthosedayswhichthedoctorhadfelthimselfboundtopass，ifnotaltogetheratBoxallHill，yetaltogetherawayfromhisownhome，soastoadmitofhisbeingasmuchaspossiblewithhispatient，MaryhadbeenthrownmorethaneverwithPatienceOriel，and，also，almostmorethaneverwithBeatriceGresham。AsregardedMary，shewoulddoubtlesshavepreferredthecompanionshipofPatience，thoughshelovedBeatricefarthebest；butshehadnochoice。WhenshewenttotheparsonageBeatricecametherealso，andwhenPatiencecametothedoctor\'shouseBeatriceeitheraccompaniedorfollowedher。Marycouldhardlyhaverejectedtheirsociety，evenhadshefeltitwisetodoso。Shewouldinsuchcasehavebeenallalone，andherseverancefromtheGreshamsburyhouseandhousehold，fromthebigfamilyinwhichshehadforsomanyyearsbeenalmostathome，wouldhavemadesuchsolitudealmostunendurable。
Andthenthesetwogirlsbothknew——nothersecret；shehadnosecret——butthelittlehistoryofherill-treatment。Theyknewthatthoughshehadbeenblamelessinthismatter，yetshehadbeentheonetobearthepunishment；and，asgirlsandbosomfriends，theycouldnotbutsympathizewithher，andendowherwithheroicattributes；makeher，infact，aswearedoing，theirlittleheroineforthenonce。Thiswas，perhaps，notserviceableforMary；butitwasfarfrombeingdisagreeable。