?"

"We won't be made wretched. What! be wretched because there is an
ugly building opposite to your outside gate? It is almost wicked to
say so. I don't like it. I like the doing of the thing less even than
the thing itself. If it can be stopped, I will stop it. If it could
be prevented by any amount of fighting, I should think myself right
to fight in such a cause. If I can see my way to doing anything to
oppose the Marquis, it shall be done. But I won't run away." Mrs.
Fenwick said nothing more on the subject at that moment, but she felt
that the glory and joy of the Vicarage were gone from it.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

SAM BRATTLE GOES OFF AGAIN.

Mr. Grimes had suggested to the Vicar in a very low whisper that the
new chapel might perhaps be put down as a nuisance. "It ain't for me
to say, of course," said Mr. Grimes, "and in the way of business one
building is as good as another as long as you see your money. But
buildings is stopped because they're nuisances." This occurred a day
or two after the receipt of the agent's letter from Turnover, and the
communication was occasioned by orders given to Mr. Grimes to go on
with the building instantly, unless he intended to withdraw from the
job. "I don't think, Grimes, that I can call a place of Christian
worship a nuisance," said the Vicar. To this Grimes rejoined that he
had known a nunnery bell to be stopped because it was a nuisance, and
that he didn't see why a Methodist chapel bell was not as bad as a
nunnery bell. Fenwick had declared that he would fight if he could
find a leg to stand upon, and he thanked Grimes, saying that he would
think of the suggestion. But when he thought of it, he did not see
that any remedy was open to him on that side. In the meantime Mr.
Puddleham attacked Grimes with great severity because the work was
not continued. Mr. Puddleham, feeling that he had the Marquis at
his back, was eager for the fight. He had already received in the
street a salutation from the Vicar, cordial as usual, with the
very slightest bend of his neck, and the sourest expression of his
mouth. Mrs. Puddleham had already taught the little Puddlehams that
the Vicarage cabbages were bitter with the wormwood of an endowed
Establishment, and ought no longer to be eaten by the free children
of an open Church. Mr. Puddleham had already raised up his voice in
his existing tabernacle, as to the injury which was being done to
his flock, and had been very touching on the