right, my dear--you are better
so."

Mr. Carlisle's smile said so too, as the doctor glanced at him. But the
momentary colour faded again. Eleanor remembered how near she had come
to being a ghost actually. Just then Mr. Carlisle's attention was
forcibly claimed, and Mrs. Powle moved away. Eleanor seized her chance.

"Dr. Cairnes, I want your instruction in something."

"Well, my dear," said the doctor, lowering his tone in imitation of
Eleanor's--"I shall be happy to be your instructor. I have been that,
in some sort, ever since you were five years old--a little tot down in
your mother's pew, sitting under my ministrations. What is it, Miss
Eleanor?"

"I am afraid I did not receive much in those days, sir."

"Probably not. Hardly to be expected. I have no doubt you received as
much as a child could, from the mysteries which were above its
comprehension. What is it now, Miss Eleanor?"

"Something in your line, sir. Dr. Cairnes, you remember the helmet
spoken of in the Bible?"

"Helmet?" said the doctor. "Goliath's? He had a helmet of brass upon
his head. Must have been heavy, but I suppose he could carry it. The
same thing essentially as those worn by our ancestors--a little
variation in form. What about it, my dear? I am glad to see you smiling
again."

"Nothing about that. I am speaking of another sort of helmet--do you
not remember?--it is called somewhere the helmet of salvation."

"_That?_ O!--um! _That_ helmet! Yes--it is in, let me see--it is in the
description of Christian armour, in a fine passage in Ephesians, I
think. What about that, Miss Eleanor?"

"I want to know, sir, what shape that helmet takes."

It was odd, with what difficulty Eleanor brought out her questions. It
was touching, the concealed earnestness which lingered behind her
glance and smile.

"Shape?" said the doctor, descending into his cravat;--"um! a fair
question; easier asked than answered. Why my dear, you should read a
commentary."

"I like living commentaries, Dr. Cairnes."

"Do you? Ha, ha!--well. Living commentaries, eh? and shapes of helmets.
Well. What shape does it take? Why, my dear, you know of course that
those expressions are figurative. I think it takes the shape of a
certain composure and peace of mind which the Christian soul feels, and
justly feels, in regarding the provision made for its welfare in the
gospel. It is spoken of as the helmet of salvation; and there is the
shield of faith; and so forth."