cted that he would.

"I do not know," he said. "I feel as if I were, in some measure, running
the risk of degrading my holy office, by accepting, merely for my
personal convenience, a dependent position, where certain compliances,
as a necessary condition, might be expected, which are contrary to my
views of things."

"Why so? I assure you, upon my honor, nothing of that sort is to be
apprehended. These are really very well meaning people, and you may
serve them more than you seem aware. The part of domestic chaplain is
not held beneath the members of your church. I own this is not a noble
family, and doubt whether you can legitimately claim the title. Yet the
office is the same."

"Yes--if I may perform the duties of that office. On that condition
alone, will I entertain the thought of it for a moment. And I must add,
that as soon as ever I am in a condition--if that time ever arrives--to
resume my public duties, I am to be allowed to do so."

"Unquestionably."

"And, that while I reside under the general's roof, I may carry out
certain reforms which I believe to be greatly wanted."

"No doubt."

"And that I shall be enabled to assist Mr. Thomas in the care of this
extremity of his large parish, which so deplorably requires looking
after."

The general grumbled a little at some of these conditions, but finally
consented to all.

He was getting an old man. Perhaps he was not sorry--though he thought
it due to those ancient prejudices of his profession, I am happy to say
now fast growing obsolete, to appear so--perhaps he was not really
sorry, now the wheel was beginning to pause at the cistern, and the
darkness of age was closing around him, to have some one in his
household to call his attention to things which he began to feel had
been neglected too long.

Perhaps he was not sorry to allow family prayer in a mansion, where the
voice of united family prayer had, till then, never been heard. To
anticipate a little--I may add, as certain, that he, who began with
never attending at all, was known to drop in once or twice; and ended by
scolding Lettice heartily in a morning if there was any danger of her
not having bound up his arm in time for him to be present.

His gray venerable head--his broken, but still manly figure--his
wrinkled face--his still keen blue eye, might be seen at last amid his
household. The eye fixed in a sort of determined attention--the lips
muttering the prayer--a sort of child in rel