g his
assistance," said Mr Morgan, in his perplexity; "we are all friends of
Mr Wentworth. Will you have the goodness to ring the bell? There are
few things more painful than to take steps against a brother
clergyman, if one did not hope it would be for his benefit in the
end. Oh, never mind the table. Be so good as to ring the bell
again--louder, please."

"There aint nothing equal to blotting-paper, sir," said Elsworthy,
eagerly. "With a bit o' blotting-paper I'd undertake to rub out
ink-stains out o' the finest carpet--if you'll permit me. It aint but a
small speck, and it'll be gone afore you could look round. It's twenty
times better nor lemon-juice, or them poisonous salts as you're always
nervous of leaving about. Look you here, sir, if it aint a-sopping up
beautiful. There aint no harm done as your respected lady could be put
out about; and I'll take the list with me, if you please, to show to my
wife, as is a-breaking her heart at home, and can't believe as we'll
ever get justice. She says as how the quality always takes a gentleman's
part against us poor folks, but that aint been my experience. Don't you
touch the carpet, Thomas--there aint a speck to be seen when the
blotting-paper's cleared away. I'll go home, not to detain you no more,
sir, and cheer up the poor heart as is a-breaking," said Elsworthy,
getting up from his knees where he had been operating upon the carpet.
He had got in his hand the list of names which Mr Morgan had put down as
referees in this painful business, and it dawned faintly upon the Rector
for the moment that he himself was taking rather an undignified position
as Elsworthy's partisan.

"I have no objection to your showing it to your wife," said Mr Morgan;
"but I shall be much displeased if I hear any talk about it, Elsworthy;
and I hope it is not revenge you are thinking of, which is a very
unchristian sentiment," said the Rector, severely, "and not likely to
afford comfort either to her or to you."

"No, sir, nothing but justice," said Elsworthy, hoarsely, as he backed
out of the room. Notwithstanding this statement, it was with very
unsatisfactory sensations that Mr Morgan went up-stairs. He felt somehow
as if the justice which Elsworthy demanded, and which he himself had
solemnly declared to be pursuing the Curate of St Roque's, was
wonderfully like revenge. "All punishment must be more or less
vindictive," he said to himself as he went up-stairs; but that fact did
not make