'O well--we've forgotten that. He's a stunning preacher, they tell me.'

The acquaintance developed apparently, for the Captain said to her a
little later on, 'There's a good deal in Sainway's argument about having
no band on Sunday afternoons. After all, it is close to his church. But
he doesn't press his objections unduly.'

'I am surprised to hear you defend him!'

'It was only a passing thought of mine. We naturally don't wish to
offend the inhabitants of the town if they don't like it.'

'But they do.'

The invalid in the oriel never clearly gathered the details of progress
in this conflict of lay and clerical opinion; but so it was that, to the
disappointment of musicians, the grief of out-walking lovers, and the
regret of the junior population of the town and country round, the band-
playing on Sunday afternoons ceased in Casterbridge barrack-square.

By this time the Maumbrys had frequently listened to the preaching of the
gentle if narrow-minded curate; for these light-natured, hit-or-miss,
rackety people went to church like others for respectability's sake. None
so orthodox as your unmitigated worldling. A more remarkable event was
the sight to the man in the window of Captain Maumbry and Mr. Sainway
walking down the High Street in earnest conversation. On his mentioning
this fact to a caller he was assured that it was a matter of common talk
that they were always together.

The observer would soon have learnt this with his own eyes if he had not