Thencameanevenworsereflection；howifhehadfallenamongmaterialthievesaswellasspiritualones？Heknewverylittleofhowhismoneywasgoingon；hehadputitallnowintoPryer’shands，andthoughPryergavehimcashtospendwheneverhewantedit，heseemedimpatientofbeingquestionedastowhatwasbeingdonewiththeprincipal。Itwaspartoftheunderstanding，hesaid，thatthatwastobelefttohim，andErnesthadbettersticktothis，orhe，Pryer，wouldthrowuptheCollegeofSpiritualPathologyaltogether；andsoErnestwascowedintoacquiescence，orcajoled，accordingtothehumourinwhichPryersawhimtobe。
ErnestthoughtthatfurtherquestionswouldlookasifhedoubtedPryer’sword，andalsothathehadgonetoofartobeabletorecedeindecencyorhonour。This，however，hefeltwasridingouttomeettroubleunnecessarily。Pryerhadbeenalittleimpatient，buthewasagentlemanandanadmirablemanofbusiness，sohismoneywoulddoubtlesscomebacktohimallrightsomeday。
Ernestcomfortedhimselfasregardsthislastsourceofanxiety，butasregardstheother，hebegantofeelasthough，ifhewastobesaved，agoodSamaritanmusthurryupfromsomewhere——heknewnotwhence。
Nextdayhefeltstrongeragain。Hehadbeenlisteningtothevoiceoftheeviloneonthenightbefore，andwouldparleynomorewithsuchthoughts。Hehadchosenhisprofession，andhisdutywastoperseverewithit。IfhewasunhappyitwasprobablybecausehewasnotgivingupallforChrist。Lethimseewhetherhecouldnotdomorethanhewasdoingnow，andthenperhapsalightwouldbesheduponhispath。
Itwasallverywelltohavemadethediscoverythathedidn’tverymuchlikepoorpeople，buthehadgottoputupwiththem，foritwasamongthemthathisworkmustlie。SuchmenasTowneleywereverykindandconsiderate，butheknewwellenoughitwasonlyonconditionthathedidnotpreachtothem。Hecouldmanagethepoorbetter，and，letPryersneerasheliked，hewasresolvedtogomoreamongthem，andtrytheeffectofbringingChristtothemiftheywouldnotcomeandseekChristofthemselves。Hewouldbeginwithhisownhouse。
Whothenshouldhetakefirst？Surelyhecouldnotdobetterthanbeginwiththetailorwholivedimmediatelyoverhishead。Thiswouldbedesirable，notonlybecausehewastheonewhoseemedtostandmostinneedofconversion，butalsobecause，ifhewereonceconverted，hewouldnolongerbeathiswifeattwoo’clockinthemorning，andthehousewouldbemuchpleasanterinconsequence。Hewouldthereforegoupstairsatonce，andhaveaquiettalkwiththisman。
Beforedoingso，hethoughtitwouldbewellifheweretodrawupsomethinglikeaplanofacampaign；hethereforereflectedoversomeprettyconversationswhichwoulddoverynicelyifMrHoltwouldbekindenoughtomaketheanswersproposedforhimintheirproperplaces。Butthemanwasagreathulkingfellow，ofasavagetemper，andErnestwasforcedtoadmitthatunforeseendevelopmentsmightarisetodisconcerthim。Theysayittakesninetailorstomakeaman，butErnestfeltthatitwouldtakeatleastnineErneststomakeaMrHolt。Howif，assoonasErnestcamein，thetailorweretobecomeviolentandabusive？Whatcouldhedo？MrHoltwasinhisownlodgings，andhadarighttobeundisturbed。Alegalright，yes，buthadheamoralright？Ernestthoughtnot，consideringhismodeoflife。Butputthisononeside；ifthemanweretobeviolent，whatshouldhedo？PaulhadfoughtwithwildbeastsatEphesus——thatmustindeedhavebeenawful——butperhapstheywerenotverywildwildbeasts；arabbitandacanaryarewildbeasts；but，formidableornotaswildbeastsgo，theywould，neverthelessstandnochanceagainstStPaul，forhewasinspired；
themiraclewouldhavebeenifthewildbeastsescaped，notthatStPaulshouldhavedoneso；but，howeverallthismightbe，ErnestfeltthathedarednotbegintoconvertMrHoltbyfightinghim。
Why，whenhehadheardMrsHoltscreaming“murder。”hehadcoweredunderthebedclothesandwaited，expectingtoheartheblooddrippingthroughtheceilingontohisownfloor。Hisimaginationtranslatedeverysoundintoapat，pat，pat，andonceortwicehethoughthehadfeltitdroppingontohiscounterpane，buthehadnevergoneupstairstotryandrescuepoorMrsHolt。HappilyithadprovednextmorningthatMrsHoltwasinherusualhealth。
Ernestwasindespairabouthittingonanygoodwayofopeningupspiritualcommunicationwithhisneighbour，whenitoccurredtohimthathehadbetterperhapsbeginbygoingupstairs，andknockingverygentlyatMrHolt’sdoor。HewouldthenresignhimselftotheguidanceoftheHolySpirit，andactastheoccasion，which，I
suppose，wasanothernamefortheHolySpirit，suggested。Triplyarmedwiththisreflection，hemountedthestairsquitejauntily，andwasabouttoknockwhenheheardHolt’svoiceinsideswearingsavagelyathiswife。Thismadehimpausetothinkwhetherafterallthemomentwasanauspiciousone，andwhilehewasthuspausing，MrHolt，whohadheardthatsomeonewasonthestairs，openedthedoorandputhisheadout。WhenhesawErnest，hemadeanunpleasant，nottosayoffensivemovement，whichmightormightnothavebeendirectedatErnestandlookedaltogethersouglythatmyherohadaninstantaneousandunequivocalrevelationfromtheHolySpirittotheeffectthatheshouldcontinuehisjourneyupstairsatonce，asthoughhehadneverintendedarrestingitatMrHolt’sroom，andbeginbyconvertingMrandMrsBaxter，theMethodistsinthetopfloorfront。Sothiswaswhathedid。
Thesegoodpeoplereceivedhimwithopenarms，andwerequitereadytotalk。HewasbeginningtoconvertthemfromMethodismtotheChurchofEngland，whenallatoncehefoundhimselfembarrassedbydiscoveringthathedidnotknowwhathewastoconvertthemfrom。
HeknewtheChurchofEngland，orthoughthedid，butheknewnothingofMethodismbeyonditsname。Whenhefoundthat，accordingtoMrBaxter，theWesleyanshadavigoroussystemofChurchdisciplinewhichworkedadmirablyinpracticeitappearedtohimthatJohnWesleyhadanticipatedthespiritualenginewhichheandPryerwerepreparing，andwhenhelefttheroomhewasawarethathehadcaughtmoreofaspiritualTartarthanhehadexpected。ButhemustcertainlyexplaintoPryerthattheWesleyanshadasystemofChurchdiscipline。Thiswasveryimportant。
MrBaxteradvisedErnestonnoaccounttomeddlewithMrHolt，andErnestwasmuchrelievedattheadvice。Ifanopportunityaroseoftouchingtheman’sheart，hewouldtakeit；hewouldpatthechildrenontheheadwhenhesawthemonthestairs，andingratiatehimselfwiththemasfarashedared；theyweresturdyyoungsters，andErnestwasafraidevenofthem，fortheywerereadywiththeirtongues，andknewmuchfortheirages。Ernestfeltthatitwouldindeedbealmostbetterforhimthatamillstoneshouldbehangedabouthisneck，andhecastintothesea，thanthatheshouldoffendoneofthelittleHolts。However，hewouldtrynottooffendthem；
perhapsanoccasionalpennyortwomightsquarethem。Thiswasasmuchashecoulddo，forhesawthattheattempttobeinstantoutofseason，aswellasinseason，would，StPaul’sinjunctionnotwithstanding，endinfailure。
MrsBaxtergaveaverybadaccountofMissEmilySnow，wholodgedinthesecondfloorbacknexttoMrHolt。HerstorywasquitedifferentfromthatofMrsJuppthelandlady。ShewoulddoubtlessbeonlytoogladtoreceiveErnest’sministrationsorthoseofanyothergentleman，butshewasnogoverness，shewasintheballetatDruryLane，andbesidesthis，shewasaverybadyoungwoman，andifMrsBaxterwaslandladywouldnotbeallowedtostayinthehouseasinglehour，notsheindeed。
MissMaitlandinthenextroomtoMrsBaxter’sownwasaquietandrespectableyoungwomantoallappearance；MrsBaxterhadneverknownofanygoingsoninthatquarter，but，blessyou，stillwatersrundeep，andthesegirlswereallalike，oneasbadastheother。
Shewasoutatallkindsofhours，andwhenyouknewthatyouknewall。
ErnestdidnotpaymuchheedtotheseaspersionsofMrsBaxter’s。
MrsJupphadgotroundthegreaternumberofhismanyblindsides，andhadwarnedhimnottobelieveMrsBaxter，whoselipshesaidwassomethingawful。
Ernesthadheardthatwomenwerealwaysjealousofoneanother，andcertainlytheseyoungwomenweremoreattractivethanMrsBaxterwas，sojealousywasprobablyatthebottomofit。Iftheyweremalignedtherecouldbenoobjectiontohismakingtheiracquaintance；ifnotmalignedtheyhadallthemoreneedofhisministrations。Hewouldreclaimthematonce。
HetoldMrsJuppofhisintention。MrsJuppatfirsttriedtodissuadehim，butseeinghimresolute，suggestedthatsheshouldherselfseeMissSnowfirst，soastoprepareherandpreventherfrombeingalarmedbyhisvisit。Shewasnotathomenow，butinthecourseofthenextday，itshouldbearranged。InthemeantimehehadbettertryMrShaw，thetinker，inthefrontkitchen。MrsBaxterhadtoldErnestthatMrShawwasfromtheNorthCountry，andanavowedfreethinker；hewouldprobably，shesaid，ratherlikeavisit，butshedidnotthinkErnestwouldstandmuchchanceofmakingaconvertofhim。
BeforegoingdownintothekitchentoconvertthetinkerErnestranhurriedlyoverhisanalysisofPaley’sevidences，andputintohispocketacopyofArchbishopWhateley’s“HistoricDoubts。”Thenhedescendedthedarkrottenoldstairsandknockedatthetinker’sdoor。MrShawwasverycivil；hesaidhewasratherthrongjustnow，butifErnestdidnotmindthesoundofhammeringheshouldbeverygladofatalkwithhim。Ourhero，assentingtothis，erelongledtheconversationtoWhateley’s“HistoricDoubts“——aworkwhich，asthereadermayknow，pretendstoshowthatthereneverwasanysuchpersonasNapoleonBuonaparte，andthussatirisestheargumentsofthosewhohaveattackedtheChristianmiracles。
MrShawsaidheknew“HistoricDoubts“verywell。
“Andwhatyouthinkofit？”saidErnest，whoregardedthepamphletasamasterpieceofwitandcogency。
“Ifyoureallywanttoknow。”saidMrShaw，withaslytwinkle，“I
thinkthathewhowassowillingandabletoprovethatwhatwaswasnot，wouldbeequallyableandwillingtomakeacaseforthinkingthatwhatwasnotwas，ifitsuitedhispurpose。”Ernestwasverymuchtakenaback。HowwasitthatallthecleverpeopleofCambridgehadneverputhimuptothissimplerejoinder？Theansweriseasy：theydidnotdevelopitforthesamereasonthatahenhadneverdevelopedwebbedfeet——thatistosay，becausetheydidnotwanttodoso；butthiswasbeforethedaysofEvolution，andErnestcouldnotasyetknowanythingofthegreatprinciplethatunderliesit。
“Yousee。”continuedMrShaw，“thesewritersallgettheirlivingbywritinginacertainway，andthemoretheywriteinthatway，themoretheyarelikelytogeton。Youshouldnotcallthemdishonestforthisanymorethanajudgeshouldcallabarristerdishonestforearninghislivingbydefendingoneinwhoseinnocencehedoesnotseriouslybelieve；butyoushouldhearthebarristerontheothersidebeforeyoudecideuponthecase。”
Thiswasanotherfacer。Ernestcouldonlystammerthathehadendeavouredtoexaminethesequestionsascarefullyashecould。