CHAPTER X. THE CHURCH

“Well,MissGrey,whatdoyouthinkofthenewcurate?”askedMissMurray,onourreturnfromchurchtheSundayaftertherecommencementofourduties. “Icanscarcelytell,”wasmyreply:“Ihavenotevenheardhimpreach.” “Well,butyousawhim,didn’tyou?” “Yes,butIcannotpretendtojudgeofaman’scharacterbyasinglecursoryglanceathisface.” “Butisn’theugly?” “HedidnotstrikemeasbeingparticularlysoIdon’tdislikethatcastofcountenance:buttheonlythingIparticularlynoticedabouthimwashisstyleofreadingwhichappearedtomegood—infinitelybetter,atleast,thanMr.Hatfield’s.HereadtheLessonsasifhewerebentongivingfulleffecttoeverypassageitseemedasifthemostcarelesspersoncouldnothavehelpedattending,northemostignoranthavefailedtounderstandandtheprayershereadasifhewerenotreadingatall,butprayingearnestlyandsincerelyfromhisownheart.” “Oh,yes,that’sallheisgoodfor:hecanplodthroughtheservicewellenoughbuthehasnotasingleideabeyondit.” “Howdoyouknow?” “Oh!IknowperfectlywellIamanexcellentjudgeinsuchmatters.Didyouseehowhewentoutofchurch?stumpingalong—asiftherewerenobodytherebuthimself—neverlookingtotherighthandortheleft,andevidentlythinkingofnothingbutjustgettingoutofthechurch,and,perhaps,hometohisdinner:hisgreatstupidheadcouldcontainnootheridea.” “Isupposeyouwouldhavehadhimcastaglanceintothesquire’spew,”saidI,laughingatthevehemenceofherhostility. “Indeed!Ishouldhavebeenhighlyindignantifhehaddaredtodosuchathing!”repliedshe,haughtilytossingherheadthen,afteramoment’sreflection,sheadded—“Well,well!Isupposehe’sgoodenoughforhisplace:butI’mgladI’mnotdependentonhimforamusement—that’sall.DidyouseehowMr.Hatfieldhurriedouttogetabowfromme,andbeintimetoputusintothecarriage?” “Yes,”answeredIinter