g to say next."

"Exactly," said Sir Arthur, "that is the worst of becoming suddenly
notorious, Vane. You have made yourself, in a most righteous manner, the
talk of London, and London will follow you now wherever you go. However,
that can't be helped, it is one of the penalties of fame, and now if you
have nothing more to say to Father Baldwin, you might put on your hat,
and come, I have got a hansom at the door."

CHAPTER XIX.

On the way from the Clergy-House to Warwick Gardens Vane tried more than
once to get his father to tell him something about the evening's
entertainment which he had invited him for, but Sir Arthur only laughed,
albeit somewhat seriously, and said:

"My dear boy, I am not going to let you spoil a pleasant little
surprise. I don't say that it will be altogether a pleasant one, yet I
know that it will not be an entirely unpleasant one. To a certain
extent, as you will find afterwards, it is one of the many results of
that precious sermon of yours, and, as certain things had to be done, I
thought they would be better done at home than elsewhere."

And in reply to Vane's second attempt his father said simply:

"No, Vane, this is a surprise party, as they say in the States, and I am
not going to give the names of my guests away. You really must possess
your soul in patience for the present. Meanwhile tell me what Father
Baldwin thinks of the position you have taken up?"

"You mean, of course, about this new heresy of mine?" replied Vane with
a laugh--"a heresy, by the way, which is as old as Christianity. Well,
dad, to tell you the truth I think the dear old Father is a little bit
frightened, but he is too strong a man to go back from the position, and
too good a Christian to want to do so. He sees that I am right, or, I
should say of course, that this is after all the only possible doctrine
and belief for a Christian. He gave me permission to preach that sermon
from his pulpit, but I don't think he quite realised, as a matter of
fact I didn't myself, what an effect it would have, and perhaps the
consequences have worried him a little; but he is perfectly staunch, and
so are Moran and Webley."

"And so, I suppose," replied Sir Arthur, "St. Chrysostom's will not be a
pleasant Sunday morning and evening resort for rich people any longer.
That is, perhaps, a somewhat flippant way of putting it, but of course
you know what I mean."

"Yes, I quite see what you mean, dad," said Vane rathe