dle. At
length she asked, without raising her eyes, whether it was true--and she
spoke slowly and in what is called a spiritual tone--whether it was
true, the information had been given her, that Mr. Reding, the
gentleman she had the honour of addressing--whether it was true, that he
was in search of a religion more congenial to his feelings than that of
the Church of England? "Mr. Reding could not give her any satisfaction
on the subject of her inquiry;"--he answered shortly, and had some
difficulty in keeping from rudeness in his tone. The interrogation, she
went on to say, perhaps might seem impertinent; but she had a motive.
Some dear sisters of hers were engaged in organizing a new religious
body, and Mr. Reding's accession, counsel, assistance, would be
particularly valuable; the more so, because as yet they had not any
gentleman of University education among them.

"May I ask," said Charles, "the name of the intended persuasion?"

"The name," she answered, "is not fixed; indeed, this is one of the
points on which we should covet the privilege of the advice of a
gentleman so well qualified as Mr. Reding to assist us in our
deliberations."

"And your tenets, ma'am?"

"Here, too," she replied, "there is much still to be done; the tenets
are not fixed either, that is, they are but sketched; and we shall prize
your suggestions much. Nay, you will of course have the opportunity, as
you would have the right, to nominate any doctrine to which you may be
especially inclined."

Charles did not know how to answer to so liberal an offer.

She continued: "Perhaps it is right, Mr. Reding, that I should tell you
something more about myself personally. I was born in the communion of
the Church of England; for a while I was a member of the New Connexion;
and after that," she added, still with drooping head and languid
sing-song voice, "after that, I was a Plymouth brother." It got too
absurd; and Charles, who had for an instant been amused, now became full
of the one thought, how to get her out of the room.

It was obviously left to her to keep up the conversation: so she said
presently, "We are all for a pure religion."

"From what you tell me," said Charles, "I gather that every member of
your new community is allowed to name one or two doctrines of his own."

"We are all scriptural," she made answer, "and therefore are all one; we
may differ, but we agree. Still it is so, as you say, Mr. Reding. I'm
for election and