y both lived was
one and the same, and it was of course well that both should act on
it. When the matter was first arranged, Father Bernard took the bull
by the horns and went there; but Mr. Townsend, hearing this, did not
do so. But now that it had become evident that much work, and for a
long time, would have to be performed at these committees, it was
clear that Mr. Townsend, as a Protestant clergyman, could not remain
away without neglecting his duty. And so, after many mental struggles
and questions of conscience, the parson agreed to meet the priest.

The point had been very deeply discussed between the rector and his
wife. She had given it as her opinion that priest M'Carthy was pitch,
pitch itself in its blackest turpitude, and as such could not be
touched without defilement. Had not all the Protestant clergymen
of Ireland in a body, or, at any rate, all those who were worth
anything, who could with truth be called Protestant clergymen, had
they not all refused to enter the doors of the National schools
because they could not do so without sharing their ministration
there with papist priests; with priests of the altar of Baal, as Mrs.
Townsend called them? And should they now yield, when, after all, the
assistance needed was only for the body--not for the soul?

It may be seen from this that the lady's mind was not in its nature
logical; but the extreme absurdity of her arguments, though they did
not ultimately have the desired effect, by no means came home to
the understanding of her husband. He thought that there was a great
deal in what she said, and almost felt that he was yielding to
instigations from the evil one; but public opinion was too strong for
him; public opinion and the innate kindness of his own heart. He felt
that at this very moment he ought to labour specially for the bodies
of these poor people, as at other times he would labour specially for
their souls; and so he yielded.

"Well," said his wife to him as he got off his car at his own door
after the meeting, "what have you done?" One might have imagined from
her tone of voice and her manner that she expected, or at least hoped
to hear that the priest had been absolutely exterminated and made
away with in the good fight.

Mr. Townsend made no immediate answer, but proceeded to divest
himself of his rusty outside coat, and to rub up his stiff, grizzled,
bristly, uncombed hair with both his hands, as was his wont when he
was not quite sati