“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
