wl crossly; 'nobody ever
inquires after them again!'

CHAPTER IX. -- IN WHICH THE NIHILIST, THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE PROFESSOR
OFFER A SUGGESTION TO THE BISHOP.

'Were it not better not to be!'
Tennyson: The Two Voices.

'Si tu veux', je te tuerais ici tout franc,
en sorte que tu rien sentiras rien, et m'en croy,
car j'en ay bien tue d'autres qui s'en sont bien trouvez'
Pantagruel, ii. xiv.

'Look there!' said the Owl one day. 'There is a bishop, one of the
higher priests of St. George.'

He was a beautiful bishop, in his mitre, canonicals, and crozier, all
complete--so the Owl said. It strikes one as a novelty for bishops to
wear their rochettes and mitres when they go out walking in Richmond
Park; but one is forced to believe the Owl, he has such a truthful
way with him, like George Washington. By the way, what scope George
Washington had for telling lies, if he had wished it, after that
incident of the cherry-tree, which gave everyone such a high opinion of
his veracity!

The Bishop advanced slowly into full view, and then drew up before
a tree. He did not lean against the tree, for fear of spoiling his
splendours, but he drew up before it, and began to ponder, with a
mild, benevolent expression on his fine features. At the same time, two
hundred yards away, Queen Mab caught sight of the Democrat, walking very
fast, a little out of breath, and looking for the Bishop. He wanted to
explain to him the principles of Church and State, and to talk things
over in a friendly way. The Democrat had great faith in talking things
over, spite of his failure to convince the Aristocrat; he never really
doubted that if he only harangued against obstacles long enough they
would ultimately disappear. The Bishop, for instance, would willingly
rush into nonentity, if once he could be brought to look at his duty in
that light, and the Democrat was eager to begin to put it before him in
that light immediately. But while he was still looking earnestly for
his expected proselyte, someone else advanced with a similar purpose--a
tall, gentlemanly individual, with a pleasing exterior, spotless linen
cuffs, and a black bag. The Owl uttered a cry of horror.

'Come away!' he exclaimed. 'It is a Nihilist, a dynamiter!'

But Queen Mab held her ground, or rather her branch. She was a
courageous fairy, and though she turned a shade paler she spoke
resolutely:

'No!' she said. 'I mean to stay and see what