and descend the pulpit
stairs, and their action only hardened his resolution. If an excuse were
needed, he was presiding, and the place to preside in was the pulpit.
But he waived in his mind the whole question of an excuse.

After a little, he put his hand over his face, leaning the elbow forward
on the reading-desk. The scene below would have thrilled him to the
marrow six months--yes, three months ago. He put a finger across his
eyes now, to half shut it out. The spectacle of these silly young
"mourners"--kneeling they knew not why, trembling at they could not tell
what, pledging themselves frantically to dogmas and mysteries they knew
nothing of, under the influence of a hubbub of outcries as meaningless
in their way, and inspiring in much the same way, as the racket of a
fife and drum corps--the spectacle saddened and humiliated him now.
He was conscious of a dawning sense of shame at being even tacitly
responsible for such a thing. His fancy conjured up the idea of Dr.
Ledsmar coming in and beholding this maudlin and unseemly scene, and he
felt his face grow hot at the bare thought.

Looking through his fingers, Theron all at once saw something which
caught at his breath with a sharp clutch. Alice had risen from the
minister's pew--the most conspicuous one in the church--and was moving
down the aisle toward the rail, her uplifted face chalk-like in its
whiteness, and her eyes wide-open, looking straight ahead.

The young pastor could scarcely credit his sight. He thrust aside his
hand, and bent forward, only to see his wife sink upon her knees among
the rest, and to hear this notable accession to the "mourners" hailed
by a tumult of approving shouts. Then, remembering himself, he drew back
and put up his hand, shutting out the strange scene altogether. To see
nothing at all was a relief, and under cover he closed his eyes, and bit
his teeth together.

A fresh outburst of thanksgivings, spreading noisily through the
congregation, prompted him to peer through his fingers again. Levi
Gorringe was making his way down the aisle--was at the moment quite in
front. Theron found himself watching this man with the stern composure
of a fatalist. The clamant brethren down below were stirred to new
excitement by the thought that the sceptical lawyer, so long with them,
yet not of them, had been humbled and won by the outpourings of the
Spirit. Theron's perceptions were keener. He knew that Gorringe was
coming forward to k