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；theleastimportantthingshadaninfluence(herehismannerbecamedefinitelypriestlyandhisremarksseemedtobedirectedtowomen，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。
