ister in a train `if he
didn't feel an aching void?' `An aching void? Where?' said Jones, in a
tone of alarm, for he was an unimaginative person. `Within, sir,
within!' said the stranger. Jones felt anxiously to find whether one of
his ribs was accidentally protruding, but finding them all safe, set
down the minister for a lunatic, and moved to the further end of the
carriage."

Julian smiled; he was more accustomed to this kind of phraseology than
his friend, and knew that outrageous as it was to good taste under the
circumstances, it yet might spring from a sincere and honourable motive,
or at best must be regarded as the natural result of innate vulgarity
and mistaken training.

"Surely at best," continued Kennedy, "it's a most unwarrantable
impertinence for a fellow like that to want to dabble his ignorant and
coarse hand in the hallowed secrets of the microcosm. Not to one's
nearest and dearest friend, not to one's mother or brother would one
babble promiscuously on such awful themes; and to have the soul's
sublime and eternal emotions, its sacred and unspoken communings, lugged
out into farcical prominence by such conversational cant as that, is to
dry up the very fountain of true religion, and put a premium on the
successful grin of an offensive hypocrisy."

Kennedy seemed quite agitated, and as usual found relief in striding up
and down the room. His religious feelings were deep and real--none the
less so for being hidden--and Hazlet's language and manner had given him
a rude shock.

"Another hour in that fellow's company would make me an infidel," he
exclaimed with quivering lip. "Pray for me, indeed, with some of his
`sound and congenial friends.' Faugh! `sound!' how does he dare to
judge whether his superiors are `sound' or not? and why must he borrow a
metaphor from Stilton cheeses when he's talking of religious
convictions."

"Why really, Kennedy," said Julian, "to see the contempt written in your
face, one would think you were an archangel looking at a black beetle,
as a learned judge once observed. If you won't regard Hazlet as a man
and a brother, at least remember that he's a vertebrate animal."

But Kennedy was not to be joked out of his indignation, so Julian
continued. "I wish you knew more of Lillyston. At one time, I should
have been nearly as much bothered by Hazlet as you, but Lillyston's
kind, genial good-humour with every one, and the genuine respectful
sympathy which he show