I say?--some appropriate besetting sin to qualify you for this holy
retreat. An absolutely gratuitous and blameless idiocy appears to
be your only peculiarity, and for this you must do penance. From
this day henceforth, I make you doorkeeper! Go on with your
shoveling at present, and shut the door behind you; there's a
terrible draught in these corridors."

For three days John Gale underwent an agony of doubt and
determination, and it still snowed in Bishopsgate Street.

On the fourth evening he went to Brother Bones.

"Would you like to have an evening out?"

"I would," said Brother Bones.

"What would you do?"

"I would go to see my remaining sister." His left eyelid trembled
slowly in his cadaverous face.

"But if you should hear she was ruined like the other? What would
you do?"

A shudder passed over the man. "I have not got my little knife,"
he said vacantly.

True, he had not! The Brotherhood had no pockets,--or rather only
a corporate one, which belonged to the Superior. John Gale lifted
his eyes in sublime exaltation. "You shall go out," he said with