would have served to bring back his mind to reason. But his wife thought
of the misery of the journey, of his scanty clothing, of his worn boots,
of the need there was to preserve the raiment which he wore; and she
remembered that he was fasting--that he had eaten nothing since the
morning, and that he was not fit to be alone. She stopped him,
therefore, before he could reach the door.

'Your bidding shall be done,' she said--'of course.'

'Tell them, then, that they must seek me if they want me.'

'But, Josiah, think of the parish--of the people who respect you--for
their sakes let it not be said that you were taken away by policemen.'

'Was St Paul not bound in prison? Did he think of what the people might
see?'

'If it were necessary, I would encourage you to bear it without a
murmur.'

'It is necessary, whether you murmur, or do not murmur. Murmur indeed!
Why does not your voice ascend to heaven with one loud wail against the
cruelty of man?' Then he went forth from the room into an empty chamber
on the other side of the passage; and his wife, when she followed him
there after a few minutes, found him on his knees, with his forehead
against the floor, and with his hands clutching at the scanty hairs of
his head. Often before had she seen him so, on the same spot, half
grovelling, half prostrate in prayer, reviling in his agony all things
around him--nay, nearly all things above him--and yet striving to
reconcile himself to his Creator by the humiliation of his confession.