nity of
offering to you a little good advice. You may guess what I am by my
appearance: I speak for myself; I will say no more; I can be of use to
you. Mr. Reding," he continued, pulling his chair towards him, and
putting out his hand as if he was going to paw him, "have not you made a
mistake in thinking it necessary to go to the Romish Church for a relief
of your religious difficulties?"

"You have not yet heard from me, sir," answered Charles gravely, "that I
have any difficulties at all. Excuse me if I am abrupt; I have had many
persons calling on me with your errand. It is very kind of you, but I
don't want advice; I was a fool to come here."

"Well, my dear Mr. Reding, but listen to me," answered his persecutor,
spreading out the fingers of his right hand, and opening his eyes wide:
"I am right, I believe, in apprehending that your reason for leaving the
Establishment is, that you cannot carry out the surplice in the pulpit
and the candlesticks on the table. Now, don't you do more than you need.
Pardon me, but you are like a person who should turn the Thames in upon
his house, when he merely wanted his door-steps scrubbed. Why become a
convert to Popery, when you can obtain your object in a cheaper and
better way? Set up for yourself, my dear sir--set up for yourself; form
a new denomination, sixpence will do it; and then you may have your
surplice and candlesticks to your heart's content, without denying the
gospel, or running into the horrible abominations of the Scarlet Woman."
And he sat upright in his chair, with his hands flat on his extended
knees, watching with a self-satisfied air the effect of his words upon
Reding.

"I have had enough of this," said poor Charles; "you, indeed, are but
one of a number, sir, and would say you had nothing to do with the rest;
but I cannot help regarding you as the fifth, or sixth, or seventh
person--I can't count them--who has been with me this morning, giving
me, though with the best intentions, advice which has not been asked
for. I don't know you, sir; you have no introduction to me; you have not
even told me your name. It is not usual to discourse on such personal
matters with strangers. Let me, then, thank you first for your kindness
in coming, and next for the additional kindness of going." And Charles
rose up.

His visitor did not seem inclined to move, or to notice what he had
said. He stopped awhile, opened his handkerchief with much deliberation,
and blew hi