quite understand,' she said. 'Your words are so unusual'--

'I cannot put my meaning in simpler words.'

'Then do you think it wrong to sing common songs?--those everybody
sings?'

'_I_ cannot sing them,' said Esther simply. 'My voice is Christ's
servant.' But the smile with which these (to Betty) severe words were
spoken was entirely charming. There was not severity but gladness upon
every line of the curving lips, along with a trait of tenderness which
touched Betty's heart. In all her life she had never had such a feeling
of inferiority. She had given due reverence to persons older than
herself; it was the fashion in those days; she had acknowledged a
certain social precedence in ladies who were leaders of society and
heads of families; she had never had such a feeling of being set down,
as before this young, pure, stately creature. Mentally, Betty, as it
were, stepped down from the dais and stood with her arms folded over
her breast, in the Eastern attitude of reverence, during the rest of
the interview.

'Then you do not do anything,' said Betty incredulously, 'if you cannot
do it _so?_'

'Not if I know it,' the other said, smiling more broadly and with some
archness.

'But still--may I speak frankly?--that does not tell me all. You
know--you _must_ know--that not everybody would like your choice of
music?'

'I suppose, very few.'

'Would it do any good, in any way, to displease them?'

'That is not the first question. The first question, in any case, is,
How may I best do this thing for God?--for His honour and His kingdom.'

'I do not see what His honour and His kingdom have to do with it.'

'It is for His honour that His servants should obey Him, is it not?'
said Esther, with another smile. 'And is it not for His kingdom, that
His invitations should be given?'

'But _here?_'

'Why not here?'

'It is unusual.'

'I have no business to be anywhere where I cannot do it.'

'That sounds--dreadful!' said Betty honestly.

'Why?'

'Oh, it sounds strict, narrow, like a sort of slavery, as if one could
never be free.'

'Free for what?'

'Whatever one likes! I should be miserable if I felt I could not do
what I liked!'

'Can you do it now?' said Esther.

'Well, not always; but I am free to try,' said Betty frankly.

'Is that your definition of happiness?--to try for that which you
cannot attain.'

'I do attain it,--sometimes.'

'And keep it?'

'Keep it? You cannot keep anything in this