DuringthissameabsencewhathadMrsGoodhewandoldMissWrighttakentodoingbutturningtowardstheeastwhilerepeatingtheBelief？Theobalddislikedthisevenworsethanchanting。Whenhesaidsomethingaboutitinatimidwayatdinnerafterservice，Charlottesaid，“Really，papadear，youMUSTtaketocallingitthe’Creed’andnotthe’Belief’“；andTheobaldwincedimpatientlyandsnortedmeekdefiance，butthespiritofherauntsJaneandElizawasstronginCharlotte，andthethingwastoosmalltofightabout，andheturneditoffwithalaugh。“AsforCharlotte。”thoughtChristina，“IbelievesheknowsEVERYTHING。”SoMrsGoodhewandoldMissWrightcontinuedtoturntotheeastduringthetimetheCreedwassaid，andby-and-byothersfollowedtheirexample，anderelongthefewwhohadstoodoutyieldedandturnedeastwardtoo；andthenTheobaldmadeasthoughhehadthoughtitallveryrightandproperfromthefirst，butlikeithedidnot。By-and-byCharlottetriedtomakehimsay“Alleluia“insteadof“Hallelujah。”butthiswasgoingtoofar，andTheobaldturned，andshegotfrightenedandranaway。
Andtheychangedthedoublechantsforsingleones，andalteredthempsalmbypsalm，andinthemiddleofpsalms，justwhereacursoryreaderwouldseenoreasonwhytheyshoulddoso，theychangedfrommajortominorandfromminorbacktomajor；andthentheygot“HymnsAncientandModern。”and，asIhavesaid，theyrobbedhimofhisbelovedbands，andtheymadehimpreachinasurplice，andhemusthavecelebrationoftheHolyCommuniononceamonthinsteadofonlyfivetimesintheyearasheretofore，andhestruggledinvainagainsttheunseeninfluencewhichhefelttobeworkinginseasonandoutofseasonagainstallthathehadbeenaccustomedtoconsidermostdistinctiveofhisparty。Whereitwas，orwhatitwas，heknewnot，norexactlywhatitwoulddonext，butheknewexceedinglywellthatgowherehewoulditwasundermininghim；thatitwastoopersistentforhim；thatChristinaandCharlottelikeditagreatdealbetterthanhedid，andthatitcouldendinnothingbutRome。Easterdecorationsindeed！Christmasdecorations——inreason——wereproperenough，butEasterdecorations！well，itmightlasthistime。
ThiswasthecoursethingshadtakenintheChurchofEnglandduringthelastfortyyears。Thesethasbeensteadilyinonedirection。
Afewmenwhoknewwhattheywantedmadecats’pawsoftheChristmasandtheCharlottes，andtheChristmasandtheCharlottesmadecats’
pawsoftheMrsGoodhewsandtheoldMissWrights，andMrsGoodhewsandoldMissWrightstoldtheMrGoodhewsandyoungMissWrightswhattheyshoulddo，andwhentheMrGoodhewsandtheyoungMissWrightsdiditthelittleGoodhewsandtherestofthespiritualflockdidastheydid，andtheTheobaldswentfornothing；stepbystep，daybyday，yearbyyear，parishbyparish，diocesebydiocesethiswashowitwasdone。AndyettheChurchofEnglandlookswithnofriendlyeyesuponthetheoryofEvolutionorDescentwithModification。
Myherothoughtoverthesethings，andrememberedmanyaruseonthepartofChristinaandCharlotte，andmanyadetailofthestrugglewhichIcannotfurtherinterruptmystorytoreferto，andherememberedhisfather’sfavouriteretortthatitcouldonlyendinRome。Whenhewasaboyhehadfirmlybelievedthis，buthesmilednowashethoughtofanotheralternativeclearenoughtohimself，butsohorriblethatithadnotevenoccurredtoTheobald——Imeanthetopplingoverofthewholesystem。AtthattimehewelcomedthehopethattheabsurditiesandunrealitiesoftheChurchwouldendinherdownfall。Sincethenhehascometothinkverydifferently，notasbelievinginthecowjumpingoverthemoonmorethanheusedto，ormore，probably，thannine-tenthsoftheclergythemselves——whoknowaswellashedoesthattheiroutwardandvisiblesymbolsareoutofdate——butbecauseheknowsthebafflingcomplexityoftheproblemwhenitcomestodecidingwhatisactuallytobedone。
Also，nowthathehasseenthemmoreclosely，heknowsbetterthenatureofthosewolvesinsheep’sclothing，whoarethirstingforthebloodoftheirvictim，andexultingsoclamorouslyoveritsanticipatedearlyfallintotheirclutches。ThespiritbehindtheChurchistrue，thoughherletter——trueonce——isnowtruenolonger。
ThespiritbehindtheHighPriestsofScienceisaslyingasitsletter。TheTheobalds，whodowhattheydobecauseitseemstobethecorrectthing，butwhointheirheartsneitherlikeitnorbelieveinit，areinrealitytheleastdangerousofallclassestothepeaceandlibertiesofmankind。Themantofearishewhogoesatthingswiththecocksurenessofpushingvulgarityandself-
conceit。ThesearenotviceswhichcanbejustlylaidtothechargeoftheEnglishclergy。
ManyofthefarmerscameuptoErnestwhenservicewasover，andshookhandswithhim。Hefoundeveryoneknewofhishavingcomeintoafortune。ThefactwasthatTheobaldhadimmediatelytoldtwoorthreeofthegreatestgossipsinthevillage，andthestorywasnotlonginspreading。“Itsimplifiedmatters。”hehadsaidtohimself，“agooddeal。”ErnestwasciviltoMrsGoodhewforherhusband’ssake，buthegaveMissWrightthecutdirect，forheknewthatshewasonlyCharlotteindisguise。
Aweekpassedslowlyaway。TwoorthreetimesthefamilytookthesacramenttogetherroundChristina’sdeath-bed。Theobald’simpatiencebecamemoreandmoretransparentdaily，butfortunatelyChristinawhoevenifshehadbeenwellwouldhavebeenreadytoshuthereyestoitbecameweakerandlesscoherentinmindalso，sothatshehardly，ifatall，perceivedit。AfterErnesthadbeeninthehouseaboutaweekhismotherfellintoacomatosestatewhichlastedacoupleofdays，andintheendwentawaysopeacefullythatitwasliketheblendingofseaandskyinmid-oceanuponasofthazydaywhennonecansaywheretheearthendsandtheheavensbegin。Indeedshediedtotherealitiesoflifewithlesspainthanshehadwakedfrommanyofitsillusions。
“Shehasbeenthecomfortandmainstayofmylifeformorethanthirtyyears。”saidTheobaldassoonasallwasover，“butonecouldnotwishitprolonged。”andheburiedhisfaceinhishandkerchieftoconcealhiswantofemotion。
Ernestcamebacktotownthedayafterhismother’sdeath，andreturnedtothefuneralaccompaniedbymyself。HewantedmetoseehisfatherinordertopreventanypossiblemisapprehensionaboutMissPontifex’sintentions，andIwassuchanoldfriendofthefamilythatmypresenceatChristina’sfuneralwouldsurprisenoone。WithallherfaultsIhadalwaysratherlikedChristina。ShewouldhavechoppedErnestoranyoneelseintolittlepiecesofmincemeattogratifytheslightestwishofherhusband，butshewouldnothavechoppedhimupforanyoneelse，andsolongashedidnotcrosshershewasveryfondofhim。Bynatureshewasofaneventemper，morewillingtobepleasedthanruffled，veryreadytodoagood-naturedaction，provideditdidnotcosthermuchexertion，norinvolveexpensetoTheobald。Herownlittlepursedidnotmatter；anyonemighthaveasmuchofthatasheorshecouldgetaftershehadreservedwhatwasabsolutelynecessaryforherdress。IcouldnothearofherendasErnestdescribedittomewithoutfeelingverycompassionatetowardsher，indeedherownsoncouldhardlyhavefeltmoreso；Iatonce，therefore，consentedtogodowntothefuneral；perhapsIwasalsoinfluencedbyadesiretoseeCharlotteandJoey，inwhomIfeltinterestedonhearingwhatmygodsonhadtoldme。
IfoundTheobaldlookingremarkablywell。Everyonesaidhewasbearingitsobeautifully。Hedidindeedonceortwiceshakehisheadandsaythathiswifehadbeenthecomfortandmainstayofhislifeforoverthirtyyears，buttherethematterended。IstayedoverthenextdaywhichwasSunday，andtookmydepartureonthefollowingmorningafterhavingtoldTheobaldallthathissonwishedmetotellhim。TheobaldaskedmetohelphimwithChristina’sepitaph。
“Iwouldsay。”saidhe，“aslittleaspossible；eulogiesofthedepartedareinmostcasesbothunnecessaryanduntrue。Christina’sepitaphshallcontainnothingwhichshallbeeithertheoneortheother。Ishouldgivehername，thedatesofherbirthanddeath，andofcoursesayshewasmywife，andthenIthinkIshouldwindupwithasimpletext——herfavouriteoneforexample，noneindeedcouldbemoreappropriate，’BlessedarethepureinheartfortheyshallseeGod。’“
IsaidIthoughtthiswouldbeverynice，anditwassettled。SoErnestwassenttogivetheordertoMrProsser，thestonemasoninthenearesttown，whosaiditcamefrom“theBeetitudes。”
OnourwaytotownErnestbroachedhisplansforspendingthenextyearortwo。Iwantedhimtotryandgetmoreintosocietyagain，buthebrushedthisasideatonceastheverylastthinghehadafancyfor。Forsocietyindeedofallsorts，exceptofcoursethatofafewintimatefriends，hehadanunconquerableaversion。“I
alwaysdidhatethosepeople。”hesaid，“andtheyalwayshavehatedandalwayswillhateme。IamanIshmaelbyinstinctasmuchasbyaccidentofcircumstances，butifIkeepoutofsocietyIshallbelessvulnerablethanIshmaelsgenerallyare。Themomentamangoesintosociety，hebecomesvulnerableallround。”
Iwasverysorrytohearhimtalkinthisway；forwhateverstrengthamanmayhaveheshouldsurelybeabletomakemoreofitifheactinconcertthanalone。Isaidthis。
“Idon’tcare。”heanswered，“whetherImakethemostofmystrengthornot；Idon’tknowwhetherIhaveanystrength，butifIhaveI
daresayitwillfindsomewayofexertingitself。IwillliveasI
likeliving，notasotherpeoplewouldlikemetolive；thankstomyauntandyouIcanaffordtheluxuryofaquietunobtrusivelifeofself-indulgence。”saidhelaughing，“andImeantohaveit。YouknowIlikewriting。”headdedafterapauseofsomeminutes，“I
havebeenascribblerforyears。IfIamtocometotheforeatallitmustbebywriting。”
Ihadalreadylongsincecometothatconclusionmyself。