who was kneeling at the foot of the bed, whined like a
dog, and some women on the landing, who were peering in at the open door,
whispered among themselves: "It's the Holy Communion! Hush!"

John's power did not fail him. He made his responses in a clear voice,
although his last strength was thrilling along the thread of life. And
Glory, when her turn came, was brave, too. There was just a touch of the
old hoarseness in her glorious voice, a slight quivering of the lids of
her glistening eyes, and then she went on to the end without faltering.

"_I, GLORY_--

"I, GLORY--

"--_take thee, JOHN_--

"--take thee, JOHN--

"--_to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward_--

"....to have and to hold from this day forward--

"--_for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in
health_--

"....in sickness and in health--

"--_to love, cherish, and obey, till death us do part_--

"....till death us do part----

"....AMEN!"

* * * * *

_AUTHOR'S NOTE_.

_It will be seen that in writing this book I have sometimes used the
diaries, letters, memoirs, sermons, and speeches of recognisable persons,
living and dead. Also, it will be seen that I have frequently employed
fact for the purposes of fiction. In doing so, I think I am true to the
principles of art, and I know I am following the precedent of great
writers. But being conscious of the grievous: danger of giving personal
offence, I would wish to say that I have not intended to paint anybody's
portrait, or to describe the life of any known Society or to indicate the
management of any particular Institution. To do any of these things would
be to wrong the theory of fiction as I understand it, which is not to
offer mock history or a substitute for fact, but to present a thought in
the form of a story, with as much realism as the requirements of idealism
will permit. In presenting the thought which is the motive of "The
Christian" my desire has been to depict, however imperfectly, the types
of mind and character, of creed and culture, of social effort and
religious purpose which I think I see in the life of England and America
at the close of the nineteenth century. For such a task my own
observation and reflection could not be enough, and so I am conscious
that in many passages of this book I have often been merely as the mould
through which the metal has passed from the fires kept burning round
ab