ashaw, "that this instance of yours, Mr. Challis,
has any real bearing on the situation. If the child is a mathematical
genius--there have been instances in history, such as Blaise Pascal--he
would not, of course, receive elementary instruction in a subject with
which he was already acquainted."

"You could not find any subject, believe me, Crashaw, in which he could
be instructed by any teacher in a Council school."

"Forgive me, I don't agree with you," returned Crashaw. "He is sadly in
need of some religious training."

"He would not get that at a Council school," said Challis, and Mr.
Forman shook his head sadly, as though he greatly deprecated the fact.

"He must learn to recognise authority," said Crashaw. "When he has been
taught the necessity of submitting himself to all his governors,
teachers, spiritual pastors, and masters: ordering himself lowly and
reverently to all his betters; when, I say, he has learnt that lesson,
he may be in a fit and proper condition to receive the teachings of the
Holy Church."

Mr. Forman appeared to think he was attending divine service. If the
rector had said "Let us pray," there can be no doubt that he would
immediately have fallen on his knees.

Challis shook his head. "You can't understand, Crashaw," he said.

"I _do_ understand," said Crashaw, rising to his feet, "and I intend to
see that the statute is not disobeyed in the case of this child, Victor
Stott."

Challis shrugged his shoulders; Mr. Forman assumed an expression of
stern determination.

"In any case, why drag me into it?" asked Challis.

Crashaw sat down again. The flush which had warmed his sallow skin
subsided as his passion died out. He had worked himself into a condition
of righteous indignation, but the calm politeness of Challis rebuked
him. If Crashaw prided himself on his devotion to the Church, he did not
wish that attitude to overshadow the pride he also took in the belief
that he was Challis's social equal. Crashaw's father had been a lawyer,
with a fair practice in Derby, but he had worked his way up to a
partnership from the position of office-boy, and Percy Crashaw seldom
forgot to be conscious that he was a gentleman by education and
profession.

"I did not wish to _drag_ you into this business," he said quietly,
putting his elbows on the writing-table in front of him, and reassuming
the judicial attitude he had adopted earlier; "but I regard this child
as, in some sense, your protege."