CHAPTER IV. MR. YORKE (continued).

mentandthescaffold,ifeverpublicmendid—thathungamillstoneaboutEngland'sneck. "Butwherewastheuseoftalking?"hedemanded."Whatchancewasthereofreasonbeingheardinalandthatwasking-ridden,priest-ridden,peer-riddenwherealunaticwasthenominalmonarch,anunprincipleddebaucheetherealrulerwheresuchaninsulttocommonsenseashereditarylegislatorswastoleratedwheresuchahumbugasabenchofbishops,suchanarrogantabuseasapampered,persecutingestablishedchurchwasenduredandveneratedwhereastandingarmywasmaintained,andahostoflazyparsonsandtheirpauperfamilieswerekeptonthefatoftheland?" Mr.Helstone,risingupandputtingonhisshovel-hat,observedinreply,"thatinthecourseofhislifehehadmetwithtwoorthreeinstanceswheresentimentsofthissorthadbeenverybravelymaintainedsolongashealth,strength,andworldlyprosperityhadbeenthealliesofhimwhoprofessedthembuttherecameatime,"hesaid,"toallmen,'whenthekeepersofthehouseshouldtremblewhentheyshouldbeafraidofthatwhichishigh,andfearshouldbeintheway'andthattimewasthetestoftheadvocateofanarchyandrebellion,theenemyofreligionandorder.Erenow,"heaffirmed,"hehadbeencalledupontoreadthoseprayersourchurchhasprovidedforthesickbythemiserabledying-bedofoneofhermostrancorousfoeshehadseensuchaonestrickenwithremorse,solicitoustodiscoveraplaceforrepentance,andunabletofindany,thoughhesoughtitcarefullywithtears.HemustforewarnMr.YorkethatblasphemyagainstGodandthekingwasadeadlysin,andthattherewassuchathingas'judgmenttocome.'" Mr.Yorke"believedfullythattherewassuchathingasjudgmenttocome.Ifitwereotherwise,itwouldbedifficulttoimaginehowallthescoundrelswhoseemedtriumphantinthisworld,whobrokeinnocentheartswithimpunity,abusedunmeritedprivileges,wereascandaltohonourablecallings,tookthebreadoutofthemouthsofthepoor,browbeatthehumble,andtruckledmeanlytotherichandproud,weretobeproperlypaidoffinsuchcoinastheyhadearned.But,"headded,"wheneverhegotlow-spiritedaboutsuch-likegoings-on,andtheirseemingsuccessinthismuckylumpofaplanet,hejustreacheddownt'owdbook"(pointingtoagreatBibleinthebookcase),"openeditlikeatachance,andhewassuretolightofaverseblazingwi'abluebrimstonelowthatsetallstraight.Heknew,"hesaid,"wheresomefolkwarboundfor,justasweelasifanangelwi'greatwhitewingshadcomeinowert'door-stoneandtoldhim." "Sir,"saidMr.Helstone,collectingallhisdignity—"sir,thegreatknowledgeofmanistoknowhimself,andthebournewhitherhisownstepstend." "Ay,ay.You'llrecollect,Mr.Helstone,thatIgnorancewascarriedawayfromtheverygatesofheaven,bornethroughtheair,andthrustinatadoorinthesideofthehillwhichleddowntohell." "NorhaveIforgotten,Mr.Yorke,thatVain-Confidence,notseeingthewaybeforehim,fellintoadeeppit,whichwasonpurposetheremadebytheprinceofthegrounds,tocatchvaingloriousfoolswithal,andwasdashedtopieceswithhisfall." "Now,"interposedMr.Moore,whohadhithertosatasilentbutamusedspectatorofthisworldlycombat,andwhoseindifferencetothepartypoliticsoftheday,aswellastothegossipoftheneighbourhood,madehimanimpartial,ifapathetic,judgeofthemeritsofsuchanencounter,"youhavebothsufficientlyblackballedeachother,andprovedhowcordiallyyoudetesteachother,andhowwickedyouthinkeachother.Formypart,myhateisstillrunninginsuchastrongcurrentagainstthefellowswhohavebrokenmyframesthatIhavenonetospareformyprivateacquaintance,andstilllessforsuchavaguethingasasectoragovernment.Butreally,gentlemen,youbothseemverybadbyyourownshowing—worsethaneverIsuspectedyoutobe.—Idarenotstayallnightwitharebelandblasphemerlikeyou,YorkeandIhardlydareridehomewithacruelandtyrannicalecclesiasticlikeMr.Helstone." "Iamgoing,however,Mr.Moore,"saidtherectorsternly."Comewithmeornot,asyouplease." "Nay,heshallnothavethechoiceheshallgowithyou,"respondedYorke."It'smidnight,andpastandI'llhavenob'dystayingupi'myhouseanylonger.Yemunallgo." Herangthebell. "Deb,"saidhetotheservantwhoansweredit,"clearthemfolkouto't'kitchen,andlockt'doors,andbeofftobed.—Hereisyourway,gentlemen,"hecontinuedtohisguestsand,lightingthemthroughthepassage,hefairlyputthemoutathisfrontdoor. Theymettheirpartyhurryingoutpell-mellbythebackway.Theirhorsesstoodatthegatetheymounted,androdeoff,Moorelaughingattheirabruptdismissal,Helstonedeeplyindignantthereat.