hristian
condescension, but others praised the times that were past; bishops were
losing caste, they said, and it was a sad day for the Church when they
were found associating openly with persons so manifestly their
inferiors.

"We must see more of each other," the Bishop said, as they walked under
the arcade in front of the shops. "You must get out of this quag
somehow. You can't expect to do it all at once, but we must make a
beginning. I have taken away your temptation under my coat, and you
must make a start from this minute; you must make me a promise _now_. I
have to be in Cullerne again in six days' time, and will come and see
you. You must promise me not to touch anything for these six days, and
you must drive back with me to Carisbury when I go back then, and spend
a few days with me. Promise me this, Nick; the time is pressing, and I
must leave you, but you must promise me this first."

The organist hesitated for a moment, but the Bishop gripped his arm.

"Promise me this; I will not go till you promise."

"Yes, I promise."

And lying-and-mischief-making Mrs Flint, who was passing, told
afterwards how she had overheard the Bishop discussing with Mr Sharnall
the best means for introducing ritualism into the minster, and how the
organist had promised to do his very best to help him so far as the
musical part of the sendee was concerned.

The Confirmation was concluded without any contretemps, save that two of
the Grammar School boys incurred an open and well-merited rebuke from
the master for appearing in gloves of a much lighter slate colour than
was in any way decorous, and that this circumstance reduced the youngest
Miss Bulteel to such a state of hysteric giggling that her mother was
forced to remove her from the church, and thus deprive her of spiritual
privileges for another year.

Mr Sharnall bore his probation bravely. Three days had passed, and he
had not broken his vow--no, not in one jot or tittle. They had been
days of fine weather, brilliantly clear autumn days of blue sky and
exhilarating air. They had been bright days for Mr Sharnall; he was
himself exhilarated; he felt a new life coursing in his veins. The
Bishop's talk had done him good; from his heart he thanked the Bishop
for it. Giving up drinking had done him no harm; he felt all the better
for his abstinence. It had not depressed him at all; on the contrary,
he was more cheerful than he had been for years. Scales had fa