the small
city. One of the houses in the Close had been handed over to the
Theological College, the Principal of which usually occupied a Canon's
stall in the Cathedral. Here were the lecture-rooms, and here lived
Canon Havelock the Principal, Mr. Drakeford the Vice-Principal, Mr.
Brewis the Chaplain, and Mr. Moore and Mr. Waters the Lecturers.

There did not seem to be many arduous rules. Probably the most ascetic
was one that forbade gentlemen to smoke in the streets of Silchester.
There was no early Mass except on Saints' days at eight; but gentlemen
were expected, unless prevented by reasonable cause, to attend Matins in
the Cathedral before breakfast and Evensong in the College Oratory at
seven. A mutilated Compline was delivered at ten, after which gentlemen
were requested to retire immediately to their rooms. Academic Dress was
to be worn at lectures, and Mark wondered what costume would be designed
for him. The lectures took place every morning between nine and one, and
every afternoon between five and seven. The Principal lectured on
Dogmatic Theology and Old Testament history; the Vice-Principal on the
Old and New Testament set books; the Chaplain on Christian worship and
Church history; Mr. Moore on Pastoralia and Old Testament Theology; and
Mr. Waters on Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.

As against the prevailing Gothic of the mighty Cathedral Vicar's Walk
stood out with a simple and fragrant charm of its own, so against the
prevailing Gothic of Mark's religious experience life at the Theological
College remained in his memory as an unvexed interlude during which
flesh and spirit never sought to trouble each other. Perhaps if Mark had
not been educated at Haverton House, had not experienced conversion, had
not spent those years at Chatsea and Malford, but like his fellow
students had gone decorously from public school to University and still
more decorously from University to Theological College, he might with
his temperament have wondered if this red-brick alley closed to traffic
at either end by beautifully wrought iron gates was the best place to
prepare a man for the professional service of Jesus Christ.

Sin appeared very remote in that sunny lecture-room where to the sound
of cawing rooks the Principal held forth upon the strife between
Pelagius and Augustine, when prevenient Grace, operating Grace,
co-operating Grace and the _donum perseverantiae_ all seemed to depend
for their importance so much more upo