iend of the world, Pitt?' his mother asked
reprovingly.

'I should say,' Mr. Dallas remarked with an amused, indifferent
tone,--'I should say that Pitt had been attending a conventicle; only
at Oxford that is hardly possible.'

The young man made no answer to either speaker; he remained with his
head bent down over the Bible, and a face almost stern in its gravity.
Mrs. Dallas presently repeated her question.

'Pitt, would you not be a friend to the world?'

'That is the question, mother,' he said, lifting his face to look at
her. 'I thought it right to tell you all this, that you may know just
where I stand. Of course I have thought of the question of a
profession; but this other comes first, and I feel it ought first to be
decided.'

With which utterance the young man rose, put the big Bible in its
place, and left the room.

CHAPTER XXIII.

_A DEBATE_.

The two who were left sat still for a few moments, without speaking.
Mrs. Dallas once again made that gesture of her hand across her brow.

'You need not disturb yourself, wife,' said her husband presently.
'Young men must have a turn at being fools, once in a way. It is not
much in Pitt's way; but, however, it seems his turn has come. There are
worse types of the disorder. I would rather have this Puritan scruple
to deal with than some other things. The religious craze passes off
easier than a fancy for drinking or gambling; it is hot while it lasts,
but it is easier to cure.'

'But Pitt is so persistent!'

'In other things. You will see it will not be so with this.'

'He's very persistent,' repeated the mother. 'He always did stick to
anything he once resolved upon.'

'He is not resolved upon this yet. Distraction is the best thing, not
talk. Where's Betty Frere? I thought she was coming.'

'She is coming. She will be here in a few days. I cannot imagine what
has set Pitt upon this strange way of thinking. He has got hold of some
Methodist or some other dreadful person; but where? It couldn't be at
Oxford; and I am certain it was never in Uncle Strahan's house; where
could it be?'

'Methodism began at Oxford, my dear.'

'It is one mercy that the Gainsboroughs are gone.'

'Yes,' said her husband; 'that was well done. Does he know?'

'I have never told him. He will be asking about them directly.'

'Say as little as you can, and get Betty Frere here.'

Pitt meanwhile had gone to his old room, his work-room, the scene of
many a pleasant