does not matter to me, and I was reading and quite
forgot the time. I am so glad you have enjoyed yourself," and Dinah
dismissed him with her gentle smile.

Malcolm was rather disappointed with the vicar's sermon the next day.
It was learned, and full of quotations from the Fathers, but he could
not but perceive that it was perfectly unsuited to a village
congregation. "Can these dry bones live?" he thought, as they came out
into the sunny churchyard.

Mr. Carlyon had read the service. His manner had been extremely
reverent and devout, but Malcolm found his delivery unpleasing. The
peculiarity in his speech was very noticeable in the reading-desk, and
there was no clearness of articulation.

"I am not versed in phonology," he said reluctantly, when Elizabeth
asked him a little anxiously about Mr. Carlyon's reading, "but I know
you would not have questioned me if you did not want to know my real
opinion. I think it is rather a pity that Mr. Carlyon has not taken
elocution lessons."

"You are quite right," she returned quietly. "I can assure you that he
is fully aware of his deficiencies."

"I am not sure that he has not some physical difficulties to surmount,"
went on Malcolm; "but however that may be, a course of elocution and
some sound advice about the management of the voice would have been of
immense value. I have always thought that every young man who intends
to take holy orders should be compelled to attend elocution classes as
part of the training. You will not think me too critical in saying all
this?"

But Elizabeth, with evident sincerity, assured him that she perfectly
agreed with him.

They all spent the afternoon down at the Pool, and Malcolm read aloud
to the sisters, while Cedric and the dogs enjoyed a nap. When he had
finished the poem--it was Browning's Christmas and Easter Eve he had
been reading--Dinah thanked him with tears in her eyes. "I never heard
any one read so beautifully," she said. But Elizabeth was silent; only
as they were crossing the little bridge she turned for a moment to
Malcolm, who was following her closely.

"You have a right to be critical," she said meaningly; "I should think
you must have been top of the class," and a flush of gratification came
to his face.

They all went to church again in the evening, and this time Mr.
Charrington read the prayers and the lessons, in a mellow, cultured
voice that was very agreeable to Malcolm's ear. Mr. Carlyon preached.

Malco