tor was obdurate. "I seek no redress," he said, "against my
bishop. I seek redress against a newspaper which has calumniated me. It
is your good opinion, my lord,--your good opinion or your ill opinion
which is the breath of my nostrils. I have to refer to you in order that
I may show that this paper, which I should otherwise have despised, has
been strong enough to influence that opinion."

CHAPTER III.

"'AMO' IN THE COOL OF THE EVENING."

THE Doctor went up to London, and was told by his lawyers that an action
for damages probably would lie. "'Amo' in the cool of the evening,"
certainly meant making love. There could be no doubt that allusion was
made to Mrs. Peacocke. To accuse a clergyman of a parish, and a
schoolmaster, of making love to a lady so circumstanced as Mrs. Peacocke,
no doubt was libellous. Presuming that the libel could not be justified,
he would probably succeed. "Justified!" said the Doctor, almost
shrieking, to his lawyers; "I never said a word to the lady in my life
except in pure kindness and charity. Every word might have been heard by
all the world." Nevertheless, had all the world been present, he would
not have held her hand so tenderly or so long as he had done on a certain
occasion which has been mentioned.

"They will probably apologise," said the lawyer.

"Shall I be bound to accept their apology?"

"No; not bound; but you would have to show, if you went on with the
action, that the damage complained of was of so grievous a nature that the
apology would not salve it."

"The damage has been already done," said the Doctor, eagerly. "I have
received the Bishop's rebuke,--a rebuke in which he has said that I have
brought scandal upon the diocese."

"Rebukes break no bones," said the lawyer. "Can you show that it will
serve to prevent boys from coming to your school?"

"It may not improbably force me to give up the living. I certainly will
not remain there subject to the censure of the Bishop. I do not in truth
want any damages. I would not accept money. I only want to set myself
right before the world." It was then agreed that the necessary
communication should be made by the lawyer to the newspaper proprietors,
so as to put the matter in a proper train for the action.

After this the Doctor returned home, just in time to open his school with
his diminished forces. At the last moment there was another defaulter, so
that there were now no more than twenty pupi