disguise, although she was not rude. The manners of the cultivated
classes are sometimes very charming, and more particularly their
courtesy, which puts the guest so much at his ease, and constrains him
to believe that an almost personal interest is taken in his affairs,
but after a time it becomes wearisome. It is felt to be nothing but
courtesy, the result of a rule of conduct uniform for all, and verging
very closely upon hypocrisy. We long rather for plainness of speech,
for some intimation of the person with whom we are talking, and that
the mask and gloves may be laid aside.

Tea being over, Miss Mardon cleared away the tea-things, and presently
came back again. She took one of the arm-chairs by the side of the
fireplace, which her father had reserved for her, and while he and I
were talking, she sat with her head leaning a little sideways on the
back of the chair. I could just discern that her feet, which rested on
the stool, were very diminutive, like her hands.

The talk with Mardon turned upon the chapel. I had begun it by saying
that I had noticed him there on the Sunday just mentioned. He then
explained why he never went to any place of worship. A purely orthodox
preacher it was, of course, impossible for him to hear, but he doubted
also the efficacy of preaching. What could be the use of it, supposing
the preacher no longer to be a believer in the common creeds? If he
turns himself into a mere lecturer on all sorts of topics, he does
nothing more than books do, and they do it much better. He must base
himself upon the Bible, and above all upon Christ, and how can he base
himself upon a myth? We do not know that Christ ever lived, or that if
He lived His life was anything like what is attributed to Him. A mere
juxtaposition of the Gospels shows how the accounts of His words and
deeds differ according to the tradition followed by each of His