once? It
makes things much easier for the bulk of humanity, and it also makes
love and fear, and therefore morality possible. Without a personal god
you feel as if you are dealing only with a natural element, or natural
law. But who minds if the sea watched him while he picks his neighbour's
pocket? Who cares that the sky is overhearing him when he courts and
kisses his neighbour's wife?"

The remark provoked wild outbursts of laughter, followed by the weak
voice, which said, "Don't, Agnes, don't fidget! Leave my coat-sleeve
alone!"

Lord Henry having formed a fairly accurate estimate of the situation,
and realising that little Mrs. Tribe was evidently miserable, felt he
could endure it no longer. In any case Malster was having it too much
his own way with his chorus of sympathetic females, and so, turning
towards the group in the bower, the young nobleman advanced a few paces
towards them.

"Forgive me," he began, "but the subject of your discussion, which I
could scarcely help overhearing, interests me enormously. Might I be
allowed to join in it too?"

Nobody recognised him. From the refined, gentle manner of his speech, he
might have been one of the local vicars taking a stroll. Only Malster
stirred, as if he felt there was something oddly familiar about the
speaker, but seeing that he had no reason to suppose that Lord Henry was
anywhere within twenty miles of the place, the identity of the stranger
did not immediately occur to him. There was a pause, and then Malster
said:

"Move up a bit, Leo! Yes, certainly, sir; we should be glad if you
would."

"I'm tired," said the sweet soft female voice, which Lord Henry, as he
sat down, realised that he had rightly ascribed to Mrs. Tribe, "I want
to go indoors."

"One moment," said the weak voice, which had now become more than
usually agitated.

"To begin with," Lord Henry said, "I should like to join issue most
violently with the gentleman who has been arguing in favour of a
personal god. Nothing,--in the last two centuries has been more fatal to
Europe and humanity than this."

There was a general movement as if the whole party wished to draw closer
to the speaker, and Stephen Fearwell, who was leaning against one of the
outside uprights of the bower, swung round until his head was well
inside the shelter.

"Good man!" he ejaculated enthusiastically, as he performed this
movement. And Lord Henry recognised his voice as that of the boy who had
previously