“Verywell，Ernest。”saidhisfather，catchinghimangrilybytheshoulder。“Ihavedonemybesttosaveyou，butifyouwillhaveitso，youwill。”andheluggedthelittlewretch，cryingbyanticipation，outoftheroom。Afewminutesmoreandwecouldhearscreamscomingfromthedining-room，acrossthehallwhichseparatedthedrawing-roomfromthedining-room，andknewthatpoorErnestwasbeingbeaten。
　　“Ihavesenthimuptobed。”saidTheobald，ashereturnedtothedrawing-room，“andnow，Christina，Ithinkwewillhavetheservantsintoprayers。”andherangthebellforthem，red-handedashewas。
　　Theman-servantWilliamcameandsetthechairsforthemaids，andpresentlytheyfiledin。FirstChristina’smaid，thenthecook，thenthehousemaid，thenWilliam，andthenthecoachman。Isatoppositethem，andwatchedtheirfacesasTheobaldreadachapterfromtheBible。Theywerenicepeople，butmoreabsolutevacancyI
　　neversawuponthecountenancesofhumanbeings。
　　TheobaldbeganbyreadingafewversesfromtheOldTestament，accordingtosomesystemofhisown。OnthisoccasionthepassagecamefromthefifteenthchapterofNumbers：ithadnoparticularbearingthatIcouldseeuponanythingwhichwasgoingonjustthen，butthespiritwhichbreathedthroughoutthewholeseemedtometobesolikethatofTheobaldhimself，thatIcouldunderstandbetterafterhearingit，howhecametothinkashethought，andactasheacted。
　　Theversesareasfollows-
　　“Butthesoulthatdoethaughtpresumptuously，whetherhebeborninthelandorastranger，thesamereproacheththeLord；andthatsoulshallbecutofffromamonghispeople。
　　“BecausehehathdespisedthewordoftheLord，andhathbrokenHiscommandments，thatsoulshallbeutterlycutoff；hisiniquityshallbeuponhim。
　　“AndwhilethechildrenofIsraelwereinthewildernesstheyfoundamanthatgatheredsticksupontheSabbathday。
　　“AndtheythatfoundhimgatheringsticksbroughthimuntoMosesandAaron，anduntoallthecongregation。
　　“Andtheyputhiminwardbecauseitwasnotdeclaredwhatshouldbedonetohim。
　　“AndtheLordsaiduntoMoses，themanshallbesurelyputtodeath；
　　allthecongregationshallstonehimwithstoneswithoutthecamp。
　　“Andallthecongregationbroughthimwithoutthecamp，andstonedhimwithstones，andhedied；astheLordcommandedMoses。
　　“AndtheLordspakeuntoMoses，saying，“SpeakuntothechildrenofIsrael，andbidthemthattheymakethemfringesinthebordersoftheirgarmentsthroughouttheirgenerations，andthattheyputuponthefringeofthebordersaribbandofblue。
　　“Anditshallbeuntoyouforafringe，thatyemaylookuponitandrememberallthecommandmentsoftheLord，anddothem，andthatyeseeknotafteryourownheartandyourowneyes。
　　“ThatyemayrememberanddoallmycommandmentsandbeholyuntoyourGod。
　　“IamtheLordyourGodwhichbroughtyououtofthelandofEgypt，tobeyourGod：IamtheLordyourGod。”
　　MythoughtswanderedwhileTheobaldwasreadingtheabove，andrevertedtoalittlematterwhichIhadobservedinthecourseoftheafternoon。
　　Ithappenedthatsomeyearspreviously，aswarmofbeeshadtakenuptheirabodeintheroofofthehouseundertheslates，andhadmultipliedsothatthedrawing-roomwasagooddealfrequentedbythesebeesduringthesummer，whenthewindowswereopen。Thedrawing-roompaperwasofapatternwhichconsistedofbunchesofredandwhiteroses，andIsawseveralbeesatdifferenttimesflyuptothesebunchesandtrythem，undertheimpressionthattheywererealflowers；havingtriedonebunch，theytriedthenext，andthenext，andthenext，tilltheyreachedtheonethatwasnearesttheceiling，thentheywentdownbunchbybunchastheyhadascended，tilltheywerestoppedbythebackofthesofa；onthistheyascendedbunchbybunchtotheceilingagain；andsoon，andsoontillIwastiredofwatchingthem。AsIthoughtofthefamilyprayersbeingrepeatednightandmorning，weekbyweek，monthbymonth，andyearbyyear，Icouldnorhelpthinkinghowlikeitwastothewayinwhichthebeeswentupthewallanddownthewall，bunchbybunch，withouteversuspectingthatsomanyoftheassociatedideascouldbepresent，andyetthemainideabewantinghopelessly，andforever。
　　WhenTheobaldhadfinishedreadingweallkneltdownandtheCarloDolciandtheSassoferratolookeddownuponaseaofupturnedbacks，asweburiedourfacesinourchairs。InotedthatTheobaldprayedthatwemightbemade“trulyhonestandconscientious“inallourdealings，andsmiledattheintroductionofthe“truly。”ThenmythoughtsranbacktothebeesandIreflectedthatafterallitwasperhapsaswellatanyrateforTheobaldthatourprayerswereseldommarkedbyanyveryencouragingdegreeofresponse，forifI
　　hadthoughttherewastheslightestchanceofmybeingheardI
　　shouldhaveprayedthatsomeonemighterelongtreathimashehadtreatedErnest。
　　Thenmythoughtswanderedontothosecalculationswhichpeoplemakeaboutwasteoftimeandhowmuchonecangetdoneifonegivestenminutesadaytoit，andIwasthinkingwhatimpropersuggestionI
　　couldmakeinconnectionwiththisandthetimespentonfamilyprayerswhichshouldatthesametimebejusttolerable，whenI
　　heardTheobaldbeginning“ThegraceofourLordJesusChrist“andinafewsecondstheceremonywasover，andtheservantsfiledoutagainastheyhadfiledin。
　　Assoonastheyhadleftthedrawing-room，Christina，whowasalittleashamedofthetransactiontowhichIhadbeenawitness，imprudentlyreturnedtoit，andbegantojustifyit，sayingthatitcuthertotheheart，andthatitcutTheobaldtotheheartandagooddealmore，butthat“itwastheonlythingtobedone。”
　　IreceivedthisascoldlyasIdecentlycould，andbymysilenceduringtherestoftheeveningshowedthatIdisapprovedofwhatI
　　hadseen。
　　NextdayIwastogobacktoLondon，butbeforeIwentIsaidI
　　shouldliketotakesomenew-laideggsbackwithme，soTheobaldtookmetothehouseofalabourerinthevillagewholivedastone’sthrowfromtheRectoryasbeinglikelytosupplymewiththem。Ernest，forsomereasonorother，wasallowedtocometoo。I
　　thinkthehenshadbeguntosit，butatanyrateeggswerescarce，andthecottager’swifecouldnotfindmemorethansevenoreight，whichweproceededtowrapupinseparatepiecesofpapersothatI
　　mighttakethemtotownsafely。
　　Thisoperationwascarriedonuponthegroundinfrontofthecottagedoor，andwhilewewereinthemidstofitthecottager’slittleboy，aladmuchaboutErnest’sage，trodupononeoftheeggsthatwaswrappedupinpaperandbrokeit。
　　“Therenow，Jack。”saidhismother，“seewhatyou’vedone，you’vebrokenaniceeggandcostmeapenny——Here，Emma。”sheadded，callingherdaughter，“takethechildaway，there’sadear。”
　　Emmacameatonce，andwalkedoffwiththeyoungster，takinghimoutofharm’sway。
　　“Papa。”saidErnest，afterwehadleftthehouse，“Whydidn’tMrsHeatonwhipJackwhenhetrodontheegg？”
　　IwasspitefulenoughtogiveTheobaldagrimsmilewhichsaidasplainlyaswordscouldhavedonethatIthoughtErnesthadhithimratherhard。
　　Theobaldcolouredandlookedangry。“Idaresay。”hesaidquickly，“thathismotherwillwhiphimnowthatwearegone。”
　　IwasnotgoingtohavethisandsaidIdidnotbelieveit，andsothematterdropped，butTheobalddidnotforgetitandmyvisitstoBattersbywerehenceforthlessfrequent。
　　OnourreturntothehousewefoundthepostmanhadarrivedandhadbroughtaletterappointingTheobaldtoaruraldeanerywhichhadlatelyfallenvacantbythedeathofoneoftheneighbouringclergywhohadheldtheofficeformanyyears。ThebishopwrotetoTheobaldmostwarmly，andassuredhimthathevaluedhimasamongthemosthard-workinganddevotedofhisparochialclergy。
　　Christinaofcoursewasdelighted，andgavemetounderstandthatitwasonlyaninstalmentofthemuchhigherdignitieswhichwereinstoreforTheobaldwhenhismeritsweremorewidelyknown。
　　Ididnotthenforeseehowcloselymygodson’slifeandminewereinafteryearstobebounduptogether；ifIhad，IshoulddoubtlesshavelookeduponhimwithdifferenteyesandnotedmuchtowhichI
　　paidnoattentionatthetime。Asitwas，Iwasgladtogetawayfromhim，forIcoulddonothingforhim，orchosetosaythatI
　　couldnot，andthesightofsomuchsufferingwaspainfultome。A