’Perhapswemay，’saidI。’Butwithrespecttothelowerclasses，haveyoumixedmuchwiththem？’
　　’Ihavemixedwithallclasses，’saidthemaninblack，’andwiththelowernotlessthantheupperandmiddle；theyaremuchasI
　　havedescribedthem；andofthethree，theloweraretheworst。I
　　neverknewoneofthemthatpossessedtheslightestprinciple，no，not。Itistrue，therewasonefellowwhomIoncemet，who-；
　　butitisalongstory，andtheaffairhappenedabroad-IoughttoknowsomethingoftheEnglishpeople，’hecontinued，afteramoment’spause；’Ihavebeenmanyyearsamongstthem，labouringinthecauseoftheChurch。’
　　’YourSeemusthavehadgreatconfidenceinyourpowerswhenitselectedyoutolabourforitintheseparts，’saidI。
　　’Theychoseme，’saidthemaninblack，’principallybecause，beingofBritishextractionandeducation，IcouldspeaktheEnglishlanguageandbearaglassofsomethingstrong。ItistheopinionofmySeethatitwouldhardlydotosendamissionaryintoacountrylikethiswhoisnotwellversedinEnglish-acountrywhere，theythink，sofarfromunderstandinganylanguagebesideshisown，scarcelyoneindividualintenspeakshisownintelligibly；oranasceticpersonwhere，astheysay，highandlow，maleandfemale，are，atsomeperiodoftheirlives，fondofarenovatingglass，asitisstyled-inotherwords，oftippling。’
　　’YourSeeappearstoentertainaverystrangeopinionoftheEnglish，’saidI。
　　’Notaltogetheranunjustone，’saidthemaninblack，liftingtheglasstohismouth。
　　’Well，’saidI，’itiscertainlyverykindonitsparttowishtobringbacksuchasetofbeingsbeneathitswing。’
　　’Why，astothekindnessofmySee，’saidthemaninblack，’Ihavenotmuchtosay；mySeehasgenerallyinwhatitdoesatolerablygoodmotive；thesehereticspossessinplentywhatmySeehasagreathankeringfor，andcanturntoagoodaccount-money!’
　　’TheFounderoftheChristianreligioncarednothingformoney，’
　　saidI。
　　’WhathavewetodowithwhattheFounderoftheChristianreligioncaredfor？’saidthemaninblack。’Howcouldourtemplesbebuiltandourpriestssupportedwithoutmoney？Butyouareunwisetoreproachuswithadesireofobtainingmoney；youforgetthatyourownChurch，iftheChurchofEnglandbeyourownChurch，asI
　　supposeitisfromthewillingnesswhichyoudisplayedinthepublic-housetofightforit，isequallyavaricious；lookatyourgreedyBishopsandyourcorpulentRectors-dotheyimitateChristinHisdisregardformoney？YoumightaswelltellmethattheyimitateChristinHismeeknessandhumility。’
　　’Well，’saidI，’whatevertheirfaultsmaybe，youcan’tsaythattheygotoRomeformoney。’
　　Themaninblackmadenodirectanswer，butappearedbythemotionofhislipstoberepeatingsomethingtohimself。
　　’Iseeyourglassisagainempty，’saidI；’perhapsyouwillreplenishit。’
　　Themaninblackarosefromhisseat，adjustedhishabiliments，whichwereratherindisorder，andplaceduponhisheadhishat，whichhehadlaidaside；then，lookingatme，whowasstilllyingontheground，hesaid-’Imight，perhaps，takeanotherglass，thoughIbelieveIhavehadquiteasmuchasIcanwellbear；butI
　　donotwishtohearyouutteranythingmorethisevening，afterthatlastobservationofyours-itisquiteoriginal；Iwillmeditateuponitonmypillowthisnight，afterhavingsaidanaveandapater-gotoRomeformoney!’HethenmadeBellealowbow，slightlymotionedtomewithhishandasifbiddingfarewell，andthenleftthedinglewithratherunevensteps。
　　’GotoRomeformoney，’Iheardhimsayasheascendedthewindingpath，’he!he!he!GotoRomeformoney，ho!ho!ho!’
　　CHAPTERXCV
　　Woodedretreat-Freshshoes-Woodfire-Ash，whengreen-QueenofChina-Cleverestpeople-Declensions-Armenian-Thunder-
　　Deepolive-Whatdoyoumean？-KoulAdonai-Thethickbushes-
　　Woodpigeon-OldGothe。
　　NEARLYthreedayselapsedwithoutanythingofparticularmomentoccurring。Belledrovethelittlecartcontaininghermerchandiseabouttheneighbourhood，returningtothedingletowardstheevening。Asformyself，Ikeptwithinmywoodedretreat，workingduringtheperiodsofherabsenceleisurelyatmyforge。Havingobservedthatthequadrupedwhichmycompaniondrovewasasmuchinneedofshoesasmyownhadbeensometimepreviously，Ihaddeterminedtoprovideitwithaset，andduringtheaforesaidperiodsoccupiedmyselfinpreparingthem。AsIwasemployedthreemorningsandafternoonsaboutthem，IamsurethatthereaderwillagreethatIworkedleisurely，orrather，lazily。OnthethirddayBellearrivedsomewhatlaterthanusual；Iwaslyingonmybackatthebottomofthedingle，employedintossinguptheshoeswhichI
　　hadproduced，andcatchingthemastheyfell-somebeingalwaysintheairmountingordescending，somewhatafterthefashionofthewatersofafountain。
　　’Whyhaveyoubeenabsentsolong？’saidItoBelle；’itmustbelongpastfourbytheday。’
　　’Ihavebeenalmostkilledbytheheat，’saidBelle；’Iwasneveroutinamoresultryday-thepoordonkey，too，couldscarcelymovealong。’
　　’Heshallhavefreshshoes，’saidI，continuingmyexercise；’heretheyarequiteready；to-morrowIwilltackthemon。’
　　’Andwhyareyouplayingwiththeminthatmanner？’saidBelle。
　　’Partlyintriumphathavingmadethem，andpartlytoshowthatI
　　candosomethingbesidesmakingthem；itisnoteveryonewho，afterhavingmadeasetofhorse-shoes，cankeepthemgoingupanddownintheair，withoutlettingonefall-’
　　’Onehasnowfallenonyourchin，’saidBelle。
　　’Andanotheronmycheek，’saidI，gettingup；’itistimetodiscontinuethegame，forthelastshoedrewblood。’
　　Bellewenttoherownlittleencampment；andasformyself，afterhavingflungthedonkey’sshoesintomytent，Iputsomefreshwoodonthefire，whichwasnearlyout，andhungthekettleoverit。I
　　thenissuedforthfromthedingle，andstrolledroundthewoodthatsurroundedit；foralongtimeIwasbusiedinmeditation，lookingattheground，strikingwithmyfoot，halfunconsciously，thetuftsofgrassandthistlesthatImetinmyway。Aftersometime，I
　　liftedupmyeyestothesky，atfirstvacantly，andthenwithmoreattention，turningmyheadinalldirectionsforaminuteortwo；
　　afterwhichIreturnedtothedingle。Isopelwasseatednearthefire，overwhichthekettlewasnowhung；shehadchangedherdress-nosignsofthedustandfatigueofherlateexcursionremained；
　　shehadjustaddedtothefireasmallbilletofwood，twoorthreeofwhichIhadleftbesideit；thefirecracked，andasweetodourfilledthedingle。
　　’Iamfondofsittingbyawoodfire，’saidBelle，’whenabroad，whetheritbehotorcold；Ilovetoseetheflamesdartoutofthewood；butwhatkindisthis，andwheredidyougetit？’
　　’Itisash，’saidI，’greenash。Somewhatlessthanaweekago，whilstIwaswanderingalongtheroadbythesideofawood，Icametoaplacewheresomepeasantswereengagedincuttingupandclearingawayaconfusedmassoffallentimber：amightyagedoakhadgivenwaythenightbefore，andinitsfallhadshiveredsomesmallertrees；theupperpartoftheoak，andthefragmentsoftherest，layacrosstheroad。Ipurchased，foratrifle，abundleortwo，andthewoodonthefireispartofit-ash，greenash。’
　　’Thatmakesgoodtheoldrhyme，’saidBelle，’whichIhaveheardsungbytheoldwomeninthegreathouse：-
　　’Ash，whengreen，Isfireforaqueen。’
　　’Andonfairerformofqueenashfirenevershone，’saidI，’thanonthine，Obeauteousqueenofthedingle。’
　　’Iamhalfdisposedtobeangrywithyou，youngman，’saidBelle。
　　’Andwhynotentirely？’saidI。
　　Bellemadenoreply。
　　’ShallItellyou？’Idemanded。’Youhadnoobjectiontothefirstpartofthespeech，butyoudidnotlikebeingcalledqueenofthedingle。Well，ifIhadthepower，Iwouldmakeyouqueenofsomethingbetterthanthedingle-QueenofChina。Come，letushavetea。’
　　’Somethinglesswouldcontentme，’saidBelle，sighing，assherosetoprepareoureveningmeal。
　　Sowetookteatogether，BelleandI。’Howdeliciousteaisafterahotsummer’sdayandalongwalk，’saidshe。
　　’Idaresayitismostrefreshingthen，’saidI；’butIhaveheardpeoplesaythattheymostenjoyitonacoldwinter’snight，whenthekettleishissingonthefire，andtheirchildrenplayingonthehearth。’
　　Bellesighed。’Wheredoesteacomefrom？’shepresentlydemanded。
　　’FromChina，’saidI；’Ijustnowmentionedit，andthementionofitputmeinmindoftea。’
　　’WhatkindofcountryisChina？’
　　’Iknowverylittleaboutit；allIknowis，thatitisaverylargecountryfartotheEast，butscarcelylargeenoughtocontainitsinhabitants，whoaresonumerous，thatthoughChinadoesnotcoverone-ninthpartoftheworld，itsinhabitantsamounttoone-
　　thirdofthepopulationoftheworld。’
　　’Anddotheytalkaswedo？’
　　’Ohno!Iknownothingoftheirlanguage；butIhaveheardthatitisquitedifferentfromallothers，andsodifficultthatnonebutthecleverestpeopleamongstforeignerscanmasterit，onwhichaccount，perhaps，onlytheFrenchpretendtoknowanythingaboutit。’
　　’AretheFrenchsoveryclever，then？’saidBelle。
　　’Theysaytherearenopeoplelikethem，atleastinEurope。ButtalkingofChineseremindsmethatIhavenotforsometimepastgivenyoualessoninArmenian。ThewordforteainArmenianis-
　　bythebyewhatistheArmenianwordfortea？’
　　’That’syouraffair，notmine，’saidBelle；’itseemshardthatthemastershouldaskthescholar。’
　　’Well，’saidI，’whateverthewordmaybeinArmenian，itisanoun；andaswehaveneveryetdeclinedanArmeniannountogether，wemayaswelltakethisopportunityofdecliningone。Belle，therearetendeclensionsinArmenian!
　　’What’sadeclension？’