ealous
member of the Lutheran persuasion, and, moreover, as one who had in his
youth lived for some years in Christiania,--thereby gaining a knowledge
of the Norwegian tongue,--he invited him to take his place for his
enforced time of absence, offering him his house, his servants, his
pony-carriage and an agreeable pecuniary _douceur_ in exchange for his
services,--proposals which the Reverend Charles eagerly accepted. Though
Norway was not exactly new to him, the region of the Alten Fjord was,
and he at once felt, though he knew not why, that the air there would be
the very thing to benefit his delicate constitution. Besides, it looked
well for at least _one_ occasion, to go away for the summer without
asking his congregation to pay for his trip. It was generous on his
part, almost noble.

The ladies of his flock wept at his departure and made him socks,
comforters, slippers, and other consoling gear of the like description
to recall their sweet memories to his saintly mind during his absence
from their society. But, truth to tell, Mr. Dyceworthy gave little
thought to these fond and regretful fair ones; he was much too
comfortable at Bosekop to look back with any emotional yearning to the
ugly, precise little provincial town he had left behind him. The
minister's quaint, pretty house suited him perfectly; the minister's
servants were most punctual in their services: the minister's phaeton
conveniently held his cumbrous person, and the minister's pony was a
quiet beast, that trotted good-temperedly wherever it was guided, and
shied at nothing. Yes, he was thoroughly comfortable,--as comfortable as
a truly pious fat man deserves to be, and all the work he had to do was
to preach twice on Sundays, to a quiet, primitive, decently ordered
congregation, who listened to his words respectfully though without
displaying any emotional rapture. Their stolidity, however, did not
affect him,--he preached to please himself,--loving above all things to
hear the sound of his own voice, and never so happy as when thundering
fierce denunciations against the Church of Rome. His thoughts seemed
tending in that direction now, as he poured himself out his third cup of
tea and smilingly shook his head over it, while he stirred the cream and
sugar in,--for he took from his waistcoat pocket a small glittering
object and laid it before him on the table, still shaking his head and
smiling with a patient, yet reproachful air of superior wisdom.