r, the
church-wardens had taken it in hand, so that, owing to Richard Stokes
and John Ball, as they permanently declared in yellow letters on a blue
ground, the congregation were no longer in danger of the roof admitting
the rain or coming down on the congregation. They had further beautified
the place with a huge board of the royal arms, and with Moses and Aaron
in white cauliflower wigs presiding over the tables of the Commandments.
Four long dark, timber pews and numerous benches, ruthlessly constructed
out of old carvings, occupied the aisle, and the chancel was more than
half filled with the lofty "closet" of the Great House family. Hither
the Delavie family betook themselves, and on her way Betty was startled
by the recognition, in the seat reserved for the servants, of a broad
back and curled wig that could belong to no one but Jonah Dove. She did
her utmost to keep her mind from dwelling on what this might portend,
though she followed the universal custom by exchanging nods and curtsies
with the Duckworth family as she sailed up the aisle at the head of the
little procession.

There was always a little doubt as to who would serve the church. One
of the Canons was the incumbent, and the curate was Mr. Arden, the
scientific minor canon, but when his services were required at the
cathedral, one of his colleagues would supply his place, usually in a
sadly perfunctory manner. However, he was there in person, as his voice,
a clear and pleasant one, showed the denizens of the "closet," for they
could not see out of it, except where Eugene had furtively enlarged
a moth-eaten hole in the curtain, through which, when standing on the
seat, he could enjoy an oblique view of the back of an iron-moulded
surplice and a very ill-powdered wig. This was a comfort to him. It
would have been more satisfactory to have been able to make out whence
came the stentorian A-men, that responded to the parson, totally
unaccompanied save by the good Major, who always read his part almost as
loud as the clerk, from a great octavo prayer-book, bearing on the lid
the Delavie arms with coronet, supporters, and motto, "_Ma Vie et ma
Mie_." It would have been thought unladylike, if not unscriptural,
to open the lips in church; yet, for all her silence, good Betty was
striving to be devout and attentive, praying earnestly for her little
sister's safety, and hailing as a kind of hopeful augury this verse from
the singers--

"At