l had some redeeming qualities.
Rubbish! humbug! don't tell me! Can good come out of Nazareth?'

'Good did come out of Nazareth, Mrs Pansey.'

'That is enough, Mr Pendle; do not pollute young ears with blasphemy.
And you the son of a bishop--the curate of a parish! Remember what is to
be the portion of mockers, sir. What happened to the men who threw
stones at David?'

'Oh, but really, dear Mrs Pansey, you know Mr Pendle is not throwing
stones.'

'People who live in glass houses dare not, my dear. I doubt your
interest in this young person, Mr Pendle. She is one who tires her head
and paints her face, lying in wait for comely youths that she may
destroy them. She--'

'Excuse me, Mrs Pansey!' cried Gabriel, with an angry look, 'you speak
too freely and too ignorantly. The Derby Winner is a well-conducted
house, for Mrs Mosk looks after it personally, and her daughter is an
excellent young woman. I do not defend the father, but I hope to bring
him to a sense of his errors in time. There is a charity which thinketh
no evil, Mrs Pansey,' and with great heat Gabriel, forgetting his
manners, walked off without taking leave of either the lady or Miss
Norsham. Mrs Pansey tossed her turban and snorted, but seeing very
plainly that she had gone too far, held for once her virulent tongue.
Cargrim rubbed his hands and laughed softly.

'Our young friend talks warmly, Mrs Pansey. The natural chivalry of
youth, my dear lady--nothing more.'

'I'll make it my business to assure myself that it _is_ nothing more,'
said Mrs Pansey, in low tones. 'I fear very much that the misguided
young man has fallen into the lures of this daughter of Heth. Do you
know anything about her, Mr Cargrim?'

Too wise to commit himself to speech, the chaplain cast up his pale eyes
and looked volumes. This was quite enough for Mrs Pansey; she scented
evil like a social vulture, and taking Cargrim's arm dragged him away to
find out all the bad she could about The Derby Winner and its too
attractive barmaid.

Left to herself, Miss Norsham seized upon Dean Alder, to whom she had
been lately introduced, and played with the artillery of her eyes on
that unattractive churchman. Mr Dean was old and wizen, but he was
unmarried and rich, so Miss Norsham thought it might be worth her while
to play Vivien to this clerical Merlin. His weak point,--speedily
discovered,--was archaeology, and she was soon listening to a dry
description of his researches into Beormi