d that the solution of the
mystery must in any case be discreditable to all concerned.

"I wonder, my dear," the Rector said to his wife, "whether Mr Sharnall
has the means to entertain the Bishop properly."

"Properly!" said Mrs Parkyn--"properly! I think the whole proceeding
entirely improper. Do you mean has Mr Sharnall money enough to
purchase a proper repast? I should say certainly not. Or has he proper
plates or forks or spoons, or a proper room in which to eat? Of course
he has not. Or do you mean can he get things properly cooked? Who is
to do it? There is only feckless old Miss Joliffe and her stuck-up
niece."

The Canon was much perturbed by the vision of discomfort which his wife
had called up.

"The Bishop ought to be spared as much as _possible_," he said; "we
ought to do all we _can_ to save him annoyance. What do you think?
Should we not put up with a little inconvenience, and ask Sharnall to
bring the Bishop here, and lunch himself? He must know perfectly well
that entertaining a Bishop in a lodging-house is an unheard-of thing,
and he would do to make up the sixth instead of old Noot. We could
easily tell Noot he was not wanted."

"Sharnall is such a disreputable creature," Mrs Parkyn answered; "he is
quite as likely as not to come tipsy; and, if he does not, he has no
_breeding_ or education, and would scarcely understand polite
conversation."

"You forget, my dear, that the Bishop is already pledged to lunch with
Mr Sharnall, so that we should not be held responsible for introducing
him. And Sharnall has managed to pick up some sort of an education--I
can't imagine where; but I found on one occasion that he could
understand a little Latin. It was the Blandamer motto, `_Aut Fynes, aut
finis_.' He may have been told what it meant, but he certainly seemed
to know. Of course, no real knowledge of Latin can be obtained without
a _University_ education"--and the Rector pulled up his tie and
collar--"but still chemists and persons of that sort do manage to get a
smattering of it."

"Well, well, I don't suppose we are going to talk Latin all through
lunch," interrupted his wife. "You can do precisely as you please about
asking him."

The Rector contented himself with the permission, however ungraciously
accorded, and found himself a little later in Mr Sharnall's room.

"Mrs Parkyn was hoping that she might have prevailed on you to lunch
with us on the day of the Confirmation. She