sy in my mind concerning
that chapter. It puzzles me."

"It is very plain, miss. He that runs may read."

"He may read it in his own fashion," remarked Caroline, now joining in
the dialogue for the first time. "You allow the right of private
judgment, I suppose, Joe?"

"My certy, that I do! I allow and claim it for every line of the holy
Book."

"Women may exercise it as well as men?"

"Nay. Women is to take their husbands' opinion, both in politics and
religion. It's wholesomest for them."

"Oh! oh!" exclaimed both Shirley and Caroline.

"To be sure; no doubt on't," persisted the stubborn overlooker.

"Consider yourself groaned down, and cried shame over, for such a stupid
observation," said Miss Keeldar. "You might as well say men are to take
the opinions of their priests without examination. Of what value would a
religion so adopted be? It would be mere blind, besotted superstition."

"And what is _your_ reading, Miss Helstone, o' these words o' St.
Paul's?"

"Hem! I--I account for them in this way. He wrote that chapter for a
particular congregation of Christians, under peculiar circumstances; and
besides, I dare say, if I could read the original Greek, I should find
that many of the words have been wrongly translated, perhaps
misapprehended altogether. It would be possible, I doubt not, with a
little ingenuity, to give the passage quite a contrary turn--to make it
say, 'Let the woman speak out whenever she sees fit to make an
objection.' 'It is permitted to a woman to teach and to exercise
authority as much as may be. Man, meantime, cannot do better than hold
his peace;' and so on."

"That willn't wash, miss."

"I dare say it will. My notions are dyed in faster colours than yours,
Joe. Mr. Scott, you are a thoroughly dogmatical person, and always
were. I like William better than you."

"Joe is well enough in his own house," said Shirley. "I have seen him as
quiet as a lamb at home. There is not a better nor a kinder husband in
Briarfield. He does not dogmatize to his wife."

"My wife is a hard-working, plain woman; time and trouble has ta'en all
the conceit out of her. But that is not the case with you, young misses.
And then you reckon to have so much knowledge; and i' my thoughts it's
only superficial sort o' vanities you're acquainted with. I can
tell--happen a year sin'--one day Miss Caroline coming into our
counting-house when I war packing up summat behind t' great desk, and
she didn't see