Love Eternal

ch the associations and architectural beauty made no appeal to him, and thought often with affection of the lodging-house-like ab

d errors, and partly because the congregation was so scanty in that great expanse of nave and aisle, to say nothing of the chancel and sundry chapels, that they looked like a few w

nded Godfrey of Farmer Johnson's prize polled ox in its stall. These state visits were not however very frequent and depended largely upon the guests who were staying for the week-end at the Hall. If

le in his view went to church, not because they believed in anything or wished for instruction or spiritual consolation, but because it looked respectable, which was exactly why h

s "that bull of Bashan." Further, after some troubles had arisen about a question of tithe, also about the upkeep of the chancel, Blake discovered that beneath his meek exterior the clergyman had a strong will and very cle

provisional title was, "Babylon Unveiled" (he would have liked to substitute "The Scarlet Woman" for Babylon) and its apparent object an elaborate attack upon the Roman Church, which in fact was but a cover for the real onslaught. With the Romans, although perhaps he did not know it himself, he had certain sympathies, for instance, in the matter of celibacy. Nor did he entirely disapprove of the monastic orders. Then he found nothing sh

t least a hundred thousand words apiece, no one will be surprised to learn that it never reached the stage o

iary profits, Mr. Knight looked round to find some other way of occupying his leisure, and adding to his income. Although a reserved person, on a certain Sunday when he we

to restore that old refectory and all the southern dormitories upon which I am told he spent no less than ￡1,500 of his own money, never reflecting on the expense which his successors mu

y beautiful, are they not?"

nd pomp, baits that the Evil One well knows how to use, which have led so larg

church practices, did not know what to answer. It was broken by Isobel who had been l

, Mr. Knight? There's lots o

us. Still, pupils perhaps. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, &c. Wel

vertiser's care to receive preliminary education, together with his own son. It proved fruitful, and after an exchange of the "highest references," two little boys appeared at Monk's Acre, both of them rather delicate in h

ad a separate entrance. The door was open and she peeped in. At first, after the brilliant sunlight without, she saw nothing except the great emptiness of the place with its splendid oak roof on the repair of which the late incumbent had spent so much, since as is common in monkish buildings, the windows were high and narrow. Presently, however, she p

nd the lashes over them, while his hands were long and fine. He looked most lonely and pathetic, there in the big oak chair that had so often accommodated the portly forms of departed abbots

remembered the oppressions of the last governess-her of the inkpot. Sympathy, yes, and more than sympathy, for of a sudden she felt as she had never felt before. She loved the little lad as though he were he

r large eyes opened and she sighed. She did more indeed. Drawn by some over-mastering impulse she drew near t

eyes looking at her. Then he spoke

t a spirit came and kissed me. I did not see

asked

to kiss me, except Mrs. Parsons, and she has

father kiss y

y evening when I go to bed.

ng of her own father, then added hastil

been, and must lie so long in bed with pains in the head.

to come to see you. Father wouldn't let her. He thought

't measles, but if it had been you might have cau

, he was thinking of himself," blurted

atch measles," said Godf

angerous when you are grown up. Why are yo

have gone out bird-nesting, but I have to stop here until I get them right. I don't kn

father says it is the family business instinct. Here, let me try. Move to the

who had really a budding talent for mathematics, worked out the sum, or rather the sums, without difficulty and the

?" she asked when he had finished, rising from the

. "I am very good at Latin and history, which I like. But you see

rmons. I hate history. It's full of dates and the names of kings who were al

, 'God bless our graci

ything for me, though Father does hope she will make him something one da

al," said Godfrey staring at her, "one of tho

mean making clergymen work like other people, instead of s

ue the argument, but

lass, for then I could do your histo

, but all s

ing. Don't forget to give the note. I shall have to say that I

," he answered,

ew well that something had forced her, something outside of herself, as she understood herself. It was as though another entity that was in her and yet not herself had taken possession of her and made her act as uninfluenced, she never would have acted. Thus she pondered in her calm fashion, then, being able to make nothing of the business, shrugged her shoulder

to the station to meet some particularly important week-end guest. He asked if she had brought any answer to his note t

hinks he understands architecture and I want the parson to show him over the Abbey House. Ind

. "Even I felt that it would be easy to learn in th

a stru

to go to schoo

go to school somewhere and I ha

ss Hook. Lord! what a rage she was in," he added with a chuckle. "I had to pay her ￡

iage came and

them that associating with these little lads might make a tomboy of the girl, adding that she had been taught with children of her own sex. He retorted in his rough ma

able man and a good teacher, and being a clever girl she learned a great deal from him, es

gether and then it was that she always found herself at the side of Godfrey. Indeed they became inseparable, at any rate in mind. A strange and most uncommon intimacy existed between these young creatures, almost might it have been called a friendship of t

fined faith as "the art of believing those things which we know to be untrue," while to him on the other hand they were profoundly true, though often enough not in the way that they are generally accepted. Had he possessed any powers of definition at that age, probably he would

e built up her philosophy of life and of the death that ends it. Of course all such contradictions may often be found in a single mind

ach other and sought the opportunities of escape which were open to them. But it was not so in the least. They argued and contradicted until they had nothing more to say, and then lapsed into

pure sisterly, or one might almost say, motherly, and indeed this quality inspired their relationship for much longer than might have been expected. So much was th

as in mind. Godfrey was dark, pale and thoughtful-faced. Isobel was fair, vivacious, open-natured, amusing, and given to saying the first thing that came to her tongue. She had few reservations; her thoughts might be read in her large grey eyes before they were hea

heard from her upon the subject. And yet notwithstanding all his care she suspected him, by instinct, not by knowledge. For his part he was proud of her and would listen with pleasure when, still a mere child, she engaged his guests boldly in argument, for instance a bishop or a dean on theology,

d been asked to stand for Parliament and declined the honour. He knew himself to be no speaker, and was sure also that he could not attend both to the affairs of the country and

as drawing near, one evening after dinner at Hawk's Hall he had a purely business conversation with a politic

elp your, or rather our cause. Money is tight with me just now and the outlook is very bad

that it would be

ake, "I presume that the usua

is port wearily, for such negotiations were no

acting on his usual principle of as

through his eyeglass with

outside list waiting as well. Perhaps you mean with a K. You know money isn't everything, as so

n actor-manager. Let's say B, that stands for Beginning

l we join the ladies? I want to continue my conversation with your daughter about the corruption which some enemy, taking advantage of her innocence, has persuaded her exists in the Conservative P

nto Sir John Blake, Bart.; information that left tens of thousands of the students of the list mildly marvelling why. As the same wonder struck them regarding the vast majority of the names which appeared therein, this, however, did not matter. They presumed

s spent in alleviating the distress of the "Submerged Tenth" which at that time was much in evidence. Hence no doubt the gracious recognition that had come to him. John Blake himself, who paid over the cash, naturally had no such delusions, and unfort

mself out like a great toad before the fire, as he threw down the Daily News in which his name was icily ignore

in an interested

. "Certain qualifications of which it does not become me to speak, and a good subscription to the Party funds, and there you are with Bar

now all about the accolade," she added; "for Godfrey has told me. Only the other day he was showing me in the Abbey Church where the warrior

changed," h

robe on, Father, in prayer before an altar. But tell me, would th

great form shook-he had gro

for yourself. I have observed, Isobel, that you know

h a flash of her grey eyes. "I thought that

other things, are for those who can pay for them in this way or that. Nobody bothers how they come so long as they do come. Now, listen. U

ion, but enjoining silence on her with a

I am a Bart," and he pointed to the pile of newspapers on the floor, "and if my Party gets in again, before long I shall be a Lord, which would make you an Honourable. Anyway, my girl, although you ain't exactly a beauty," here he considered her with a c

expect me to get any husband I

h sarcasm. "But don't you try it on me, for I'm smarter. You know very well that I

sbands are alike in one thing; once taken you can never be rid of them day or night. So I'll say at once, to save trouble af

ght in the eyes, she t

d after her. "Anyway, she has got spirit and no doubt w