’Perhapswemay，’saidI。’Butwithrespecttothelowerclasses，haveyoumixedmuchwiththem？’
’Ihavemixedwithallclasses，’saidthemaninblack，’andwiththelowernotlessthantheupperandmiddle；theyaremuchasI
havedescribedthem；andofthethree，theloweraretheworst。I
neverknewoneofthemthatpossessedtheslightestprinciple，no，not。Itistrue，therewasonefellowwhomIoncemet，who-；
butitisalongstory，andtheaffairhappenedabroad-IoughttoknowsomethingoftheEnglishpeople，’hecontinued，afteramoment’spause；’Ihavebeenmanyyearsamongstthem，labouringinthecauseoftheChurch。’
’YourSeemusthavehadgreatconfidenceinyourpowerswhenitselectedyoutolabourforitintheseparts，’saidI。
’Theychoseme，’saidthemaninblack，’principallybecause，beingofBritishextractionandeducation，IcouldspeaktheEnglishlanguageandbearaglassofsomethingstrong。ItistheopinionofmySeethatitwouldhardlydotosendamissionaryintoacountrylikethiswhoisnotwellversedinEnglish-acountrywhere，theythink，sofarfromunderstandinganylanguagebesideshisown，scarcelyoneindividualintenspeakshisownintelligibly；oranasceticpersonwhere，astheysay，highandlow，maleandfemale，are，atsomeperiodoftheirlives，fondofarenovatingglass，asitisstyled-inotherwords，oftippling。’
’YourSeeappearstoentertainaverystrangeopinionoftheEnglish，’saidI。
’Notaltogetheranunjustone，’saidthemaninblack，liftingtheglasstohismouth。
’Well，’saidI，’itiscertainlyverykindonitsparttowishtobringbacksuchasetofbeingsbeneathitswing。’
’Why，astothekindnessofmySee，’saidthemaninblack，’Ihavenotmuchtosay；mySeehasgenerallyinwhatitdoesatolerablygoodmotive；thesehereticspossessinplentywhatmySeehasagreathankeringfor，andcanturntoagoodaccount-money!’
’TheFounderoftheChristianreligioncarednothingformoney，’
saidI。
’WhathavewetodowithwhattheFounderoftheChristianreligioncaredfor？’saidthemaninblack。’Howcouldourtemplesbebuiltandourpriestssupportedwithoutmoney？Butyouareunwisetoreproachuswithadesireofobtainingmoney；youforgetthatyourownChurch，iftheChurchofEnglandbeyourownChurch，asI
supposeitisfromthewillingnesswhichyoudisplayedinthepublic-housetofightforit，isequallyavaricious；lookatyourgreedyBishopsandyourcorpulentRectors-dotheyimitateChristinHisdisregardformoney？YoumightaswelltellmethattheyimitateChristinHismeeknessandhumility。’
’Well，’saidI，’whatevertheirfaultsmaybe，youcan’tsaythattheygotoRomeformoney。’
Themaninblackmadenodirectanswer，butappearedbythemotionofhislipstoberepeatingsomethingtohimself。
’Iseeyourglassisagainempty，’saidI；’perhapsyouwillreplenishit。’
Themaninblackarosefromhisseat，adjustedhishabiliments，whichwereratherindisorder，andplaceduponhisheadhishat，whichhehadlaidaside；then，lookingatme，whowasstilllyingontheground，hesaid-’Imight，perhaps，takeanotherglass，thoughIbelieveIhavehadquiteasmuchasIcanwellbear；butI
donotwishtohearyouutteranythingmorethisevening，afterthatlastobservationofyours-itisquiteoriginal；Iwillmeditateuponitonmypillowthisnight，afterhavingsaidanaveandapater-gotoRomeformoney!’HethenmadeBellealowbow，slightlymotionedtomewithhishandasifbiddingfarewell，andthenleftthedinglewithratherunevensteps。
’GotoRomeformoney，’Iheardhimsayasheascendedthewindingpath，’he!he!he!GotoRomeformoney，ho!ho!ho!’
CHAPTERXCV
Woodedretreat-Freshshoes-Woodfire-Ash，whengreen-QueenofChina-Cleverestpeople-Declensions-Armenian-Thunder-
Deepolive-Whatdoyoumean？-KoulAdonai-Thethickbushes-
Woodpigeon-OldGothe。
NEARLYthreedayselapsedwithoutanythingofparticularmomentoccurring。Belledrovethelittlecartcontaininghermerchandiseabouttheneighbourhood，returningtothedingletowardstheevening。Asformyself，Ikeptwithinmywoodedretreat，workingduringtheperiodsofherabsenceleisurelyatmyforge。Havingobservedthatthequadrupedwhichmycompaniondrovewasasmuchinneedofshoesasmyownhadbeensometimepreviously，Ihaddeterminedtoprovideitwithaset，andduringtheaforesaidperiodsoccupiedmyselfinpreparingthem。AsIwasemployedthreemorningsandafternoonsaboutthem，IamsurethatthereaderwillagreethatIworkedleisurely，orrather，lazily。OnthethirddayBellearrivedsomewhatlaterthanusual；Iwaslyingonmybackatthebottomofthedingle，employedintossinguptheshoeswhichI
hadproduced，andcatchingthemastheyfell-somebeingalwaysintheairmountingordescending，somewhatafterthefashionofthewatersofafountain。
’Whyhaveyoubeenabsentsolong？’saidItoBelle；’itmustbelongpastfourbytheday。’
’Ihavebeenalmostkilledbytheheat，’saidBelle；’Iwasneveroutinamoresultryday-thepoordonkey，too，couldscarcelymovealong。’
’Heshallhavefreshshoes，’saidI，continuingmyexercise；’heretheyarequiteready；to-morrowIwilltackthemon。’
’Andwhyareyouplayingwiththeminthatmanner？’saidBelle。
’Partlyintriumphathavingmadethem，andpartlytoshowthatI
candosomethingbesidesmakingthem；itisnoteveryonewho，afterhavingmadeasetofhorse-shoes，cankeepthemgoingupanddownintheair，withoutlettingonefall-’
’Onehasnowfallenonyourchin，’saidBelle。
’Andanotheronmycheek，’saidI，gettingup；’itistimetodiscontinuethegame，forthelastshoedrewblood。’
Bellewenttoherownlittleencampment；andasformyself，afterhavingflungthedonkey’sshoesintomytent，Iputsomefreshwoodonthefire，whichwasnearlyout，andhungthekettleoverit。I
thenissuedforthfromthedingle，andstrolledroundthewoodthatsurroundedit；foralongtimeIwasbusiedinmeditation，lookingattheground，strikingwithmyfoot，halfunconsciously，thetuftsofgrassandthistlesthatImetinmyway。Aftersometime，I
liftedupmyeyestothesky，atfirstvacantly，andthenwithmoreattention，turningmyheadinalldirectionsforaminuteortwo；
afterwhichIreturnedtothedingle。Isopelwasseatednearthefire，overwhichthekettlewasnowhung；shehadchangedherdress-nosignsofthedustandfatigueofherlateexcursionremained；
shehadjustaddedtothefireasmallbilletofwood，twoorthreeofwhichIhadleftbesideit；thefirecracked，andasweetodourfilledthedingle。
’Iamfondofsittingbyawoodfire，’saidBelle，’whenabroad，whetheritbehotorcold；Ilovetoseetheflamesdartoutofthewood；butwhatkindisthis，andwheredidyougetit？’
’Itisash，’saidI，’greenash。Somewhatlessthanaweekago，whilstIwaswanderingalongtheroadbythesideofawood，Icametoaplacewheresomepeasantswereengagedincuttingupandclearingawayaconfusedmassoffallentimber：amightyagedoakhadgivenwaythenightbefore，andinitsfallhadshiveredsomesmallertrees；theupperpartoftheoak，andthefragmentsoftherest，layacrosstheroad。Ipurchased，foratrifle，abundleortwo，andthewoodonthefireispartofit-ash，greenash。’
’Thatmakesgoodtheoldrhyme，’saidBelle，’whichIhaveheardsungbytheoldwomeninthegreathouse：-
’Ash，whengreen，Isfireforaqueen。’
’Andonfairerformofqueenashfirenevershone，’saidI，’thanonthine，Obeauteousqueenofthedingle。’
’Iamhalfdisposedtobeangrywithyou，youngman，’saidBelle。
’Andwhynotentirely？’saidI。
Bellemadenoreply。
’ShallItellyou？’Idemanded。’Youhadnoobjectiontothefirstpartofthespeech，butyoudidnotlikebeingcalledqueenofthedingle。Well，ifIhadthepower，Iwouldmakeyouqueenofsomethingbetterthanthedingle-QueenofChina。Come，letushavetea。’
’Somethinglesswouldcontentme，’saidBelle，sighing，assherosetoprepareoureveningmeal。
Sowetookteatogether，BelleandI。’Howdeliciousteaisafterahotsummer’sdayandalongwalk，’saidshe。
’Idaresayitismostrefreshingthen，’saidI；’butIhaveheardpeoplesaythattheymostenjoyitonacoldwinter’snight，whenthekettleishissingonthefire，andtheirchildrenplayingonthehearth。’
Bellesighed。’Wheredoesteacomefrom？’shepresentlydemanded。
’FromChina，’saidI；’Ijustnowmentionedit，andthementionofitputmeinmindoftea。’
’WhatkindofcountryisChina？’
’Iknowverylittleaboutit；allIknowis，thatitisaverylargecountryfartotheEast，butscarcelylargeenoughtocontainitsinhabitants，whoaresonumerous，thatthoughChinadoesnotcoverone-ninthpartoftheworld，itsinhabitantsamounttoone-
thirdofthepopulationoftheworld。’
’Anddotheytalkaswedo？’
’Ohno!Iknownothingoftheirlanguage；butIhaveheardthatitisquitedifferentfromallothers，andsodifficultthatnonebutthecleverestpeopleamongstforeignerscanmasterit，onwhichaccount，perhaps，onlytheFrenchpretendtoknowanythingaboutit。’
’AretheFrenchsoveryclever，then？’saidBelle。
’Theysaytherearenopeoplelikethem，atleastinEurope。ButtalkingofChineseremindsmethatIhavenotforsometimepastgivenyoualessoninArmenian。ThewordforteainArmenianis-
bythebyewhatistheArmenianwordfortea？’
’That’syouraffair，notmine，’saidBelle；’itseemshardthatthemastershouldaskthescholar。’
’Well，’saidI，’whateverthewordmaybeinArmenian，itisanoun；andaswehaveneveryetdeclinedanArmeniannountogether，wemayaswelltakethisopportunityofdecliningone。Belle，therearetendeclensionsinArmenian!
’What’sadeclension？’