that already you have switched on the moral entirely, so perhaps we had
better follow it up first. On the side of the moral, we have certain
justification for belief in the utterances of revealed religion. For
instance, 'the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much'
is altogether for good. We have nothing of a similar kind on the side of
evil. But if we accept this dictum we need have no more fear of
'mysteries': these become thenceforth merely obstacles."

Adam suddenly changed to another phase of the subject.

"And now, sir, may I turn for a few minutes to purely practical things,
or rather to matters of historical fact?"

Sir Nathaniel bowed acquiescence.

"We have already spoken of the history, so far as it is known, of some of
the places round us--'Castra Regis,' 'Diana's Grove,' and 'The Lair of
the White Worm.' I would like to ask if there is anything not
necessarily of evil import about any of the places?"

"Which?" asked Sir Nathaniel shrewdly.

"Well, for instance, this house and Mercy Farm?"

"Here we turn," said Sir Nathaniel, "to the other side, the light side of
things. Let us take Mercy Farm first. When Augustine was sent by Pope
Gregory to Christianise England, in the time of the Romans, he was
received and protected by Ethelbert, King of Kent, whose wife, daughter
of Charibert, King of Paris, was a Christian, and did much for Augustine.
She founded a nunnery in memory of Columba, which was named _Sedes