Fromtheirfacesitseemedthatforthemostparttheymadenoeffortatall，and，recumbentasitwere，acceptedtheideasthewordsgaveasrepresentinggoodness，inthesameway，nodoubt，asoneofthoseindustriousneedlewomenhadacceptedthebrightuglypatternonhermatasbeauty。
　　Whateverthereasonmightbe，forthefirsttimeinherlife，insteadofslippingatonceintosomecuriouspleasantcloudofemotion，toofamiliartobeconsidered，Rachellistenedcriticallytowhatwasbeingsaid。Bythetimetheyhadswunginanirregularwayfromprayertopsalm，frompsalmtohistory，fromhistorytopoetry，andMr。Baxwasgivingouthistext，shewasinastateofacutediscomfort。Suchwasthediscomfortshefeltwhenforcedtositthroughanunsatisfactorypieceofmusicbadlyplayed。
　　Tantalised，enragedbytheclumsyinsensitivenessoftheconductor，whoputthestressonthewrongplaces，andannoyedbythevastflockoftheaudiencetamelypraisingandacquiescingwithoutknowingorcaring，soshewasnottantalizedandenraged，onlyhere，witheyeshalf-shutandlipspursedtogether，theatmosphereofforcedsolemnityincreasedheranger。Allroundherwerepeoplepretendingtofeelwhattheydidnotfeel，whilesomewhereaboveherfloatedtheideawhichtheycouldnoneofthemgrasp，whichtheypretendedtograsp，alwaysescapingoutofreach，abeautifulidea，anidealikeabutterfly。Oneafteranother，vastandhardandcold，appearedtoherthechurchesallovertheworldwherethisblunderingeffortandmisunderstandingwereperpetuallygoingon，greatbuildings，filledwithinnumerablemenandwomen，notseeingclearly，whofinallygaveuptheefforttosee，andrelapsedtamelyintopraiseandacquiescence，half-shuttingtheireyesandpursinguptheirlips。
　　Thethoughthadthesamesortofphysicaldiscomfortasiscausedbyafilmofmistalwayscomingbetweentheeyesandtheprintedpage。
　　Shedidherbesttobrushawaythefilmandtoconceivesomethingtobeworshippedastheservicewenton，butfailed，alwaysmisledbythevoiceofMr。Baxsayingthingswhichmisrepresentedtheidea，andbythepatterofbaainginexpressivehumanvoicesfallingroundherlikedampleaves。Theeffortwastiringanddispiriting。
　　Sheceasedtolisten，andfixedhereyesonthefaceofawomannearher，ahospitalnurse，whoseexpressionofdevoutattentionseemedtoprovethatshewasatanyratereceivingsatisfaction。
　　Butlookingathercarefullyshecametotheconclusionthatthehospitalnursewasonlyslavishlyacquiescent，andthatthelookofsatisfactionwasproducedbynosplendidconceptionofGodwithinher。
　　Howindeed，couldsheconceiveanythingfaroutsideherownexperience，awomanwithacommonplacefacelikehers，alittleroundredface，uponwhichtrivialdutiesandtrivialspiteshaddrawnlines，whoseweakblueeyessawwithoutintensityorindividuality，whosefeatureswereblurred，insensitive，andcallous？Shewasadoringsomethingshallowandsmug，clingingtoit，sotheobstinatemouthwitnessed，withtheassiduityofalimpet；nothingwouldtearherfromherdemurebeliefinherownvirtueandthevirtuesofherreligion。
　　Shewasalimpet，withthesensitivesideofherstucktoarock，foreverdeadtotherushoffreshandbeautifulthingspasther。
　　ThefaceofthissingleworshipperbecameprintedonRachel’smindwithanimpressionofkeenhorror，andshehaditsuddenlyrevealedtoherwhatHelenmeantandSt。JohnmeantwhentheyproclaimedtheirhatredofChristianity。Withtheviolencethatnowmarkedherfeelings，sherejectedallthatshehadimplicitlybelieved。
　　MeanwhileMr。Baxwashalf-waythroughthesecondlesson。
　　Shelookedathim。Hewasamanoftheworldwithsupplelipsandanagreeablemanner，hewasindeedamanofmuchkindlinessandsimplicity，thoughbynomeansclever，butshewasnotinthemoodtogiveanyonecreditforsuchqualities，andexaminedhimasthoughhewereanepitomeofallthevicesofhisservice。
　　RightatthebackofthechapelMrs。Flushing，Hirst，andHewetsatinarowinaverydifferentframeofmind。Hewetwasstaringattheroofwithhislegsstuckoutinfrontofhim，forashehadnevertriedtomaketheservicefitanyfeelingorideaofhis，hewasabletoenjoythebeautyofthelanguagewithouthindrance。
　　Hismindwasoccupiedfirstwithaccidentalthings，suchasthewomen’shairinfrontofhim，thelightonthefaces，thenwiththewordswhichseemedtohimmagnificent，andthenmorevaguelywiththecharactersoftheotherworshippers。ButwhenhesuddenlyperceivedRachel，allthesethoughtsweredrivenoutofhishead，andhethoughtonlyofher。Thepsalms，theprayers，theLitany，andthesermonwereallreducedtoonechantingsoundwhichpaused，andthenreneweditself，alittlehigheroralittlelower。
　　HestaredalternatelyatRachelandattheceiling，buthisexpressionwasnowproducednotbywhathesawbutbysomethinginhismind。
　　Hewasalmostaspainfullydisturbedbyhisthoughtsasshewasbyhers。
　　EarlyintheserviceMrs。FlushinghaddiscoveredthatshehadtakenupaBibleinsteadofaprayer-book，and，asshewassittingnexttoHirst，shestoleaglanceoverhisshoulder。Hewasreadingsteadilyinthethinpale-bluevolume。Unabletounderstand，shepeeredcloser，uponwhichHirstpolitelylaidthebookbeforeher，pointingtothefirstlineofaGreekpoemandthentothetranslationopposite。
　　“What’sthat？“shewhisperedinquisitively。
　　“Sappho，“hereplied。“TheoneSwinburnedid——thebestthingthat’severbeenwritten。“
　　Mrs。Flushingcouldnotresistsuchanopportunity。ShegulpeddowntheOdetoAphroditeduringtheLitany，keepingherselfwithdifficultyfromaskingwhenSappholived，andwhatelseshewroteworthreading，andcontrivingtocomeinpunctuallyattheendwith“theforgivenessofsins，theResurrectionofthebody，andthelifeeverlastin’。Amen。“
　　MeanwhileHirsttookoutanenvelopeandbeganscribblingonthebackofit。WhenMr。BaxmountedthepulpitheshutupSapphowithhisenvelopebetweenthepages，settledhisspectacles，andfixedhisgazeintentlyupontheclergyman。Standinginthepulpithelookedverylargeandfat；thelightcomingthroughthegreenishunstainedwindow-glassmadehisfaceappearsmoothandwhitelikeaverylargeegg。
　　Helookedroundatallthefaceslookingmildlyupathim，althoughsomeofthemwerethefacesofmenandwomenoldenoughtobehisgrandparents，andgaveouthistextwithweightysignificance。
　　Theargumentofthesermonwasthatvisitorstothisbeautifulland，althoughtheywereonaholiday，owedadutytothenatives。
　　Itdidnot，intruth，differverymuchfromaleadingarticleupontopicsofgeneralinterestintheweeklynewspapers。Itrambledwithakindofamiableverbosityfromoneheadingtoanother，suggestingthatallhumanbeingsareverymuchthesameundertheirskins，illustratingthisbytheresemblanceofthegameswhichlittleSpanishboysplaytothegameslittleboysinLondonstreetsplay，observingthatverysmallthingsdoinfluencepeople，particularlynatives；infact，averydearfriendofMr。Bax’shadtoldhimthatthesuccessofourruleinIndia，thatvastcountry，largelydependeduponthestrictcodeofpolitenesswhichtheEnglishadoptedtowardsthenatives，whichledtotheremarkthatsmallthingswerenotnecessarilysmall，andthatsomehowtothevirtueofsympathy，whichwasavirtuenevermoreneededthanto-day，whenwelivedinatimeofexperimentandupheaval——
　　witnesstheaeroplaneandwirelesstelegraph，andtherewereotherproblemswhichhardlypresentedthemselvestoourfathers，butwhichnomanwhocalledhimselfamancouldleaveunsettled。
　　HereMr。Baxbecamemoredefinitelyclerical，ifitwerepossible，heseemedtospeakwithacertaininnocentcraftiness，ashepointedoutthatallthislaidaspecialdutyuponearnestChristians。
　　Whatmenwereinclinedtosaynowwas，“Oh，thatfellow——he’saparson。“
　　Whatwewantthemtosayis，“He’sagoodfellow“——inotherwords，“Heismybrother。“Heexhortedthemtokeepintouchwithmenofthemoderntype；theymustsympathisewiththeirmultifariousinterestsinordertokeepbeforetheireyesthatwhateverdiscoveriesweremadetherewasonediscoverywhichcouldnotbesuperseded，whichwasindeedasmuchofanecessitytothemostsuccessfulandmostbrilliantofthemallasithadbeentotheirfathers。
　　Thehumblestcouldhelp；theleastimportantthingshadaninfluenceherehismannerbecamedefinitelypriestlyandhisremarksseemedtobedirectedtowomen，forindeedMr。Bax’scongregationsweremainlycomposedofwomen，andhewasusedtoassigningthemtheirdutiesinhisinnocentclericalcampaigns。Leavingmoredefiniteinstruction，hepassedon，andhisthemebroadenedintoaperorationforwhichhedrewalongbreathandstoodveryupright，——“Asadropofwater，detached，alone，separatefromothers，fallingfromthecloudandenteringthegreatocean，alters，soscientiststellus，notonlytheimmediatespotintheoceanwhereitfalls，butallthemyriaddropswhichtogethercomposethegreatuniverseofwaters，andbythismeansalterstheconfigurationoftheglobeandthelivesofmillionsofseacreatures，andfinallythelivesofthemenandwomenwhoseektheirlivingupontheshores——
　　asallthisiswithinthecompassofasingledropofwater，suchasanyrainshowersendsinmillionstolosethemselvesintheearth，tolosethemselveswesay，butweknowverywellthatthefruitsoftheearthcouldnotflourishwithoutthem——
　　soisamarvelcomparabletothiswithinthereachofeachoneofus，whodroppingalittlewordoralittledeedintothegreatuniversealtersit；yea，itisasolemnthought，_alters_it，forgoodorforevil，notforoneinstant，orinonevicinity，butthroughouttheentirerace，andforalleternity。“Whippingroundasthoughtoavoidapplause，hecontinuedwiththesamebreath，butinadifferenttoneofvoice，——“AndnowtoGodtheFather……“
　　Hegavehisblessing，andthen，whilethesolemnchordsagainissuedfromtheharmoniumbehindthecurtain，thedifferentpeoplebeganscrapingandfumblingandmovingveryawkwardlyandconsciouslytowardsthedoor。Half-wayupstairs，atapointwherethelightandsoundsoftheupperworldconflictedwiththedimnessandthedyinghymn-tuneoftheunder，Rachelfeltahanddropuponhershoulder。
　　“MissVinrace，“Mrs。Flushingwhisperedperemptorily，“staytoluncheon。
　　It’ssuchadismalday。Theydon’tevengiveonebeefforluncheon。
　　Pleasestay。“
　　Heretheycameoutintothehall，whereoncemorethelittlebandwasgreetedwithcuriousrespectfulglancesbythepeoplewhohadnotgonetochurch，althoughtheirclothingmadeitclearthattheyapprovedofSundaytotheveryvergeofgoingtochurch。
　　Rachelfeltunabletostandanymoreofthisparticularatmosphere，andwasabouttosayshemustgoback，whenTerencepassedthem，drawnalongintalkwithEvelynM。Rachelthereuponcontentedherselfwithsayingthatthepeoplelookedveryrespectable，whichnegativeremarkMrs。Flushinginterpretedtomeanthatshewouldstay。
　　“Englishpeopleabroad！“shereturnedwithavividflashofmalice。
　　“Ain’ttheyawful！Butwewon’tstayhere，“shecontinued，pluckingatRachel’sarm。“Comeuptomyroom。“
　　SheboreherpastHewetandEvelynandtheThornburysandtheElliots。
　　Hewetsteppedforward。
　　“Luncheon——“hebegan。
　　“MissVinracehaspromisedtolunchwithme，“saidMrs。Flushing，andbegantopoundenergeticallyupthestaircase，asthoughthemiddleclassesofEnglandwereinpursuit。Shedidnotstopuntilshehadslammedherbedroomdoorbehindthem。
　　“Well，whatdidyouthinkofit？“shedemanded，pantingslightly。
　　AllthedisgustandhorrorwhichRachelhadbeenaccumulatingburstforthbeyondhercontrol。
　　“IthoughtitthemostloathsomeexhibitionI’deverseen！“
　　shebrokeout。“Howcanthey——howdarethey——whatdoyoumeanbyit——
　　Mr。Bax，hospitalnurses，oldmen，prostitutes，disgusting——“
　　Shehitoffthepointssherememberedasfastasshecould，butshewastooindignanttostoptoanalyseherfeelings。Mrs。Flushingwatchedherwithkeengustoasshestoodejaculatingwithemphaticmovementsofherheadandhandsinthemiddleoftheroom。
　　“Goon，goon，dogoon，“shelaughed，clappingherhands。
　　“It’sdelightfultohearyou！“
　　“Butwhydoyougo？“Racheldemanded。