of their small Vanity Fair. Lord Beamys led the way with Mrs. Gervase,
Mrs. Dixon followed with Sir Vivian Ponsonby, and the multitudes that
followed cried, saying, "What a dear old man!"--"Isn't it _kind_ of
him to come all this way?"--"What a sweet expression, isn't it?"--"I
think he's an old love"--"One of the good old sort"--"Real English
nobleman"--"Oh most correct, I assure you; if a girl gets into trouble,
notice to quit at once"--"Always stands by the Church"--"Twenty livings
in his gift"--"Voted for the Public Worship Regulation Act"--"Ten
thousand acres strictly preserved." The old lord was leering pleasantly
and muttering to himself: "Some fine gals here. Like the looks of that
filly with the pink hat. Ought to see more of her. She'd give Lotty
points."

The pomp swept slowly across the grass: the archdeacon had got hold of
Mr. Dixon, and they were discussing the misdeeds of some clergyman in the
rural deanery.

"I can scarce credit it," said Mr. Dixon.

"Oh, I assure you, there can be no doubt. We have witnesses. There can be
no question that there was a procession at Llanfihangel on the Sunday
before Easter; the choir and minister went round the church, carrying
palm branches in their hands."

"Very shocking."

"It has distressed the bishop. Martin is a hard-working man enough, and
all that, but those sort of things can't be tolerated. The bishop told me
that he had set his face against processions."