Kitchens proceeded: "Have you attended any of the lectures delivered
against the Mystic Babylon, or any of the public disputes which have
been carried on in so many places? My dear friend, Mr. Macanoise,
contested ten points with thirty Jesuits--a good half of the Jesuits in
London--and beat them upon all. Or have you heard any of the luminaries
of Exeter Hall? There is Mr. Gabb; he is a Boanerges, a perfect Niagara,
for his torrent of words; such momentum in his delivery; it is as rapid
as it's strong; it's enough to knock a man down. He can speak seven
hours running without fatigue; and last year he went through England,
delivering through the length and breadth of the land, one, and one
only, awful protest against the apocalyptic witch of Endor. He began at
Devonport and ended at Berwick, and surpassed himself on every delivery.
At Berwick, his last exhibition, the effect was perfectly tremendous; a
friend of mine heard it; he assures me, incredible as it may appear,
that it shattered some glass in a neighbouring house; and two priests of
Baal, who were with their day-school within a quarter of a mile of Mr.
Gabb, were so damaged by the mere echo, that one forthwith took to his
bed and the other has walked on crutches ever since." He stopped awhile;
then he continued: "And what was it, do you think, Mr. Reding, which had
this effect on them? Why, it was Mr. Gabb's notion about the sign of the
beast in the Revelation: he proved, Mr. Reding--it was the most original
hit in his speech--he proved that it was the sign of the cross, the
material cross."

The time at length was come; Reding could not bear more; and, as it
happened, his visitor's offence gave him the means, as well as a cause,
for punishing him. "Oh," he said suddenly, "then I suppose, Dr.
Kitchens, you can't tolerate the cross?"

"Oh no; tolerate it!" answered Dr. Kitchens; "it is Antichrist."

"You can't bear the sight of it, I suspect, Dr. Kitchens?"

"I can't endure it, sir; what true Protestant can?"

"Then look here," said Charles, taking a small crucifix out of his
writing-desk; and he held it before Dr. Kitchens' face.

Dr. Kitchens at once started on his feet, and retreated. "What's that?"
he said, and his face flushed up and then turned pale; "what's that?
it's the thing itself!" and he made a snatch at it. "Take it away, Mr.
Reding; it's an idol; I cannot endure it; take away the thing!"

"I declare," said Reding to himself, "it really has