The spirit behind the Church is true, though
her letter -true once -is now true no longer. The spirit behind the
High Priests of Science is as lying as its letter. The Theobalds,
who do what they do because it seems to be the correct thing, but
who in their hearts neither like it nor believe in it, are in
reality the least dangerous of all classes to the peace and
liberties of mankind. The man to fear is he who goes at things with
the cocksureness of pushing vulgarity and self-conceit. These are
not vices which can be justly laid to the charge of the English
clergy.
Many of the farmers came up to Ernest when service was over, and
shook hands with him. He found everyone knew of his having come into a
fortune. The fact was that Theobald had immediately told two or
three of the greatest gossips in the village, and the story was not
long in spreading. "It simplified matters," he had said to himself, "a
good deal." Ernest was civil to Mrs. Goodhew for her husband's sake,
but he gave Miss Wright the cut direct, for he knew that she was
only Charlotte in disguise.
A week passed slowly away. Two or three times the family took the
sacrament together round Christina's death-bed.
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