ny. "I have very little advice to give you
as to your future career," he said to the young Bishop, "but all that
experience has given me I hand on to you. Place before your eyes
two precepts, and two only. One is--Preach the Gospel; and the other
is--_Put down enthusiasm!_"'

There was a sudden gleam of steely animation in the Squire's look as he
told his story, his eye all the while fixed on Robert. Robert divined
in a moment that the story had been retold for his special benefit, and
that in some unexplained way, the relations between him and the Squire
were already biased. He smiled a little with faint politeness, and
falling back into his place made no comment on the Squire's anecdote.
Lady Charlotte's eyeglass, having adjusted itself for a moment to the
distant figure of the Rector, with regard to whom she had been asking
Dr. Meyrick for particulars quite unmindful of Catherine's neighborhood,
turned back again toward the Squire.

'An unblushing old worldling, I should call your Archbishop,' she said
briskly, 'and a very good thing for him that he lived when he did. Our
modern good people would have dusted his apron for him.'

Lady Charlotte prided herself on these vigorous forms of speech, and the
Squire's neighborhood generally called out an unusual crop of them. The
Squire was still sitting with his hands on the table, his great brows
bent, surveying his guests.

'Oh, of course all the sensible men are dead!' he said indifferently.
'But that is a pet saying of mine--the Church of England in a nutshell.'

Robert flushed, and after a moment's hesitation bent forward.

'What do you suppose,' he asked quietly, your Archbishop meant, Mr.
Wendover, by enthusiasm? Nonconformity, I imagine.'

'Oh, very possibly!' and again Robert found the hawk-like glance
concentrated on himself. 'But I like to give his remark a much wider
extension. One may make it a maxim of general experience, and take it as
fitting all the fools with a mission who have teased our generation--all
your Kingsleys, and Maurices, and Ruskins--everyone bent on making any
sort of aimless commotion, which may serve him both as an investment for
the next world and an advertisement for this.'

'Upon my word, Squire,' said Lady Charlotte, 'I hope you don't expect
Mr. Elsmere to agree with you?'

Mr. Wendover made her a little bow.

'I have very little sanguineness of any sort in my composition,' he said
dryly.

'I should like to know,' said Rober