an average man, as the result of his own observation and
discovery, makes always the strongest impression upon him. Now the
average man is not engaged in studying Church government. He will not
thank you for calling his attention to it."

"Then what do you want Beauclerk to do?" asked Sara.

"He must fight just the same, of course. I merely wish him to see what
he has to encounter. By dragging the clergy into the movement you make
it savour--to the popular intelligence--of professional jealousy. By
making Dr. Temple your example, you render those who respect his
character powerless to express their opinion. Given the system, he is
unquestionably the fittest man to profit by it."

Reckage took many turns round the room.

"The personal character of Dean Ethbin," he said, at last, "is not
exactly square. He acts a trimming part. But now and again he sums up a
situation. He says that the English people do not choose to keep up an
Established Church which shall be independent of its Sovereign and
Legislature. I have seen most of the bishops and archdeacons. They are
against Temple; they say very little about the system. Even men with
nothing to gain by it," he added, ingenuously, "don't appear to
criticise it."

"For all that, the Church must deliver her conscience at whatever risk.
She ought to assert her will--even against her interest--in order to
show England that she is her own mistress!"

"You mean that ironically! What does for Rome, however, doesn't do for
us. The Church of England is It--not She--to most people. As for Rome,
nothing in her belongs to humanity, except the Vatican discipline--the
life of which, I confess, is a permanent miracle!"

"My best friends," entreated Sara gaily, "do not--do not fight. Be nice
to each other and listen to me. The English never read history. Why not
get up a kind of Historical Commission and examine the validity of the
Anglican Orders? There you can work at the roots of things. After that,
introduce a Bill for the admission of clergymen to Parliament. You have
spiritual peers, why not spiritual Commons?"

"One at a time," said Reckage; "what ideas you have! Say them again. I
believe they are not half bad. But do go more slowly."

Sara, with a becoming instinct of meekness, took her favourite seat on
the fender, and at the feet of the two men, looking up humbly, began to
explain herself with that lightness of phrase only possible to those
who have a profound knowledge