hing. Just as brandy is a good thing, though this
particular brandy is British, and tastes like sugared rain-water caught
down the chimney. Here, Ratcliffe, let me have something to drink, a
little less like a decoction of sugar and soot.'

'_I_ said nothing again' Episcopacy,' returned Mr. Tomlinson. 'I only
said I thought we should do as well wi'out bishops; an' I'll say it again
for the matter o' that. Bishops never brought any grist to my mill.'

'Do you know when the lectures are to begin?' said Mr. Pilgrim.

'They are to _begin_ on Sunday next,' said Mr. Dempster, in a significant
tone; 'but I think it will not take a long-sighted prophet to foresee the
end of them. It strikes me Mr. Tryan will be looking out for another
curacy shortly.'

'He'll not get many Milby people to go and hear his lectures after a
while, I'll bet a guinea,' observed Mr. Budd. 'I know I'll not keep a
single workman on my ground who either goes to the lecture himself or
lets anybody belonging to him go.'

'Nor me nayther,' said Mr. Tomlinson. 'No Tryanite shall touch a sack or
drive a waggon o' mine, that you may depend on. An' I know more besides
me as are o' the same mind.'

'Tryan has a good many friends in the town, though, and friends that are
likely to stand by him too,' said Mr. Pilgrim. 'I should say it would be
as well to let him and his lectures alone. If he goes on preaching as he
does, with such a constitution as his, he'll get a relaxed throat
by-and-by, and you'll be rid of him without any trouble.'

'We'll not allow him to do himself that injury,' said Mr. Dempster.
'Since his health is not good, we'll persuade him to try change of air.
Depend upon it, he'll find the climate of Milby too hot for him.'

Chapter 7

Mr. Dempster did not stay long at the Red Lion that evening. He was
summoned home to meet Mr. Armstrong, a wealthy client, and as he was kept
in consultation till a late hour, it happened that this was one of the
nights on which Mr. Dempster went to bed tolerably sober. Thus the day,
which had been one of Janets happiest, because it had been spent by her
in helping her dear old friend Mrs. Crewe, ended for her with unusual
quietude; and as a bright sunset promises a fair morning, so a calm lying
down is a good augury for a calm waking. Mr. Dempster, on the Thursday
morning, was in one of his best humours, and though perhaps some of the
good-humour might result from the prospect of a lucrative and exc