ersing with the
hostess, Miss Moxey. The shy, awkward, hard-featured girl was grown
into a woman whose face made such declaration of intellect and
character that, after the first moment, one became indifferent to its
lack of feminine beauty. As if with the idea of compensating for
personal disadvantages, she was ornately dressed; her abundant tawny
hair had submitted to much manipulation, and showed the gleam of
jewels; expense and finished craft were manifest in every detail of her
garb. Though slightly round-shouldered, her form was well-proportioned
and suggested natural vigour. Like Christian, she had delicate hands.

'Do you know a distinguished clergyman, named Chilvers?' she asked of
Earwaker, with a laugh, when he had taken a place by her.

'Chilvers?--Is it Bruno Chilvers, I wonder?'

'That's the name!' exclaimed one of the guests, a young married lady of
eager face and fidgety manners.

'Then I knew him at College, but I had no idea he was become
distinguished.'

Miss Moxey again laughed.

'Isn't it amusing, the narrowness of a great clerical reputation? Mrs.
Morton was astonished that I had never heard his name.'

'Please don't think,' appealed the lady, looking anxiously at Earwaker,
'that I consider it shameful not to know him. I only happened to
mention a very ridiculous sermon of his, that was forced upon me by a
distressingly orthodox friend of mine. They tell me, he is one of the
newest lights of the Church.'

Earwaker listened with amusement, and then related anecdotes of Bruno
Chilvers. Whilst he was talking, the door opened to admit another
arrival, and a servant's voice announced 'Mr. Peak'. Miss Moxey rose,
and moved a step or two forward; a change was visible on her
countenance, which had softened and lightened.

'I am very sorry to be late,' said the new-comer, in a dull and rather
husky voice, which made strong contrast with the humorous tones his
entrance had interrupted.

He shook hands in silence with the rest of the company, giving merely a
nod and a smile as reply to some gracious commonplace from Mrs. Morton.

'Has it come to your knowledge,' Earwaker asked of him, 'that Bruno
Chilvers is exciting the orthodox world by his defence of Christianity
against neo-heathenism?'

'Chilvers?--No.'

'Mrs. Morton tells us that all the Church newspapers ring with his
name.'

'Please don't think,' cried Mrs. Morton, with the same anxious look as
before, 'that I read such papers. We n