The Dweller on the Threshold

han credulous, he had a cool brain, and he was seldom, if ever, the victim of his imagination. But on the evening of the day in question he found himself continually dwelling, and with a curiously hea

ly so very marked? He had noticed it before his attention had been drawn to it. That he knew. But was he not now, perhaps, exaggerating its character, "suggestioned" as it were by the obvious turmoil of Mr. Harding? He wondered, and was disturbed by his wonderment. Two or three times he got up, with the intention of jumping into a cab, and going to Westminster to find ou

in silver which stood on his writing-table. He took it up and stared at it. May 8, Friday-May 9, Saturday-May 10, Su

attend morning serv

, and some of his best friends were priests and clergymen. Nevertheless it was in a rather unusual go-to-meeting

arding had attractive powers, and Malling began to wonder whether he would have any difficulty in obtaining the seat he wanted, in some corner

n and joined the stream of church-goers w

im, and he was pushed rather roughly against a tall lady immediately before him

d," he said.

had looked almost tragically anxious, he thought. The church was seated with chairs, and a man, evidently an attendant, told him that all the chairs in the right and left aisles were free. He made his way to the right, and was fortunate enough to get one not far from the pulpit. Unluckily, from it he could only see the left-hand side of the choir. But the preacher would

Fight," Mr. Harding mounted into the pulpit. He let down the brass reading-desk. He had no notes in his hands. Evidently he was going to preach extempore. After the "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" had been pronounced, Malling sett

en a boy he must have been the leading choir-boy in a cathedral. There was nothing powerful in his face, but much that

elf wondering as M

he powerful preacher

is hands pressed palm downward upon it. But it seemed to Malling that he held them rather because of his reputation, because of what they confidently expe

ds, "Know thyself." This was surely a promising subject. He began to treat it with vigor. But very soon it became evident that he was ill at ease, as an actor becomes who cannot get into touch with his audience. He stumbled now and then in his sentences, harked back, corrected a phrase, modified a thought, attenuated a statement. Then, evidently bracing himself up, almost aggressively he delivered a few passages that were eloquent enough. But the indecision returned, became more painful

the cause of their pastor's perturbation, bu

was Henry

y to convey help to the pupil. And as the sermon went on it was obvious to Malling that the curate was not satisfied with it, and that his dissatisfaction was, as it were, breaking the rector down. At certain statements of Mr. Harding looks of contempt flashed over Chichester's face, transforming it. The anxiety of the master, product of vanity but also of sympathy, was overlaid by the powerful contempt of a

n was becoming painf

as affected. It grew husky. It seemed to be failing. Yet he would not cease. To Malling he gave the impression of a man governed by a s

and the lady with the fan began to ply her

ight, and almost craning his neck, he stared over the heads of the fidgeting people and met the e

instant the rector saw Mailing in the congregation. He stopped short, muttered an uneven sentence,

expression of intense thankfulness, which

ection w

left the church. Henry Chichester and the fair, athletic-looking curate remained. Mailing too

e to speak to you if you could wait just

w could

and that you were wearing a tie with a large

veling at the rector's rapid and

aiting for some one. She stood not far from him. She was holding a parasol, and looking down; she moved its point to and fro on the ground. Several people greeted her. Al

her quivering mouth to smile. Mr. Harding had

said, "so you have sta

ce Mr. Malling to you-

he white lock h

speak of Mr. Malling, haven't yo

have," she

ression began to talk with some animation as they all walked tog

d to lunch to-d

nswered

turned to

mind our being alone. We lunch early, at one, as my husband is tire

d," said Malling. "I

lk home," sai

e morning, but he tried to conceal the fact, and his wife tactfully helped h

ht I should find

e morning," said Lady Sophia, with a

suddenly added, not without a

ter, the senior cur

y!" exclaimed

she said, with a

r is not gifted as a p

t say that," s

ith delicate malice, and a glance full of meaning at Malling

njustice," said the r

out his

phia. The rector had to see a parishioner who had called and was waiting for him in hi

my husband preach

ular church-goer. I must congratulate you again on the music

was obviously in a highly nervous condit

glad you liked it. But what I want to say is that

part with her as he had the previous day with her husband. But, as he looked, he cam

was not in his best vein," he said. "I w

im at all. He wasn

sofa and clasped h

so full of self-confidence. It was his great gift. His self-confidence

f and looked, with a sort o

like this," she said, with a return

y think?" he asked, leaning fo

, do

husband and that your ambition for him

the door opened and M

was devoted to her husband, "wrapped up in" him-to use an expressive phrase. Any failure on his part upset her even more than it did him. Secretly she must still be quivering from the public distresses of

her husband was confus

ked Mr. Harding, w

said tha

d have a ciga

ophia. "A quiet talk with

y, leaving the t

e books in the shelves nearest to him. He always liked to see what a man had to read. The first book his eyes rested upon was Myers's "Human Personality." Then came a series of works by Hudson, including "Psychic Phenomena," then Oliver Lodge's "Survival of Man," "Man and t

ling turned about to t

g offe

think?" Mr. Harding said, when the two

of agreeable twilight, aware of the bla

ciousness of the presence and criticism of one whom, apparently, he feared, or of whose adverse opinion at any rate he was in peculiar dread. But what was the character of the man himself? Was he saint or sinner, or just ordinary, normal man, with a usual allowance of faults and virtues? Was he a man of real force, or was he painted lath? The Chichester episodes seemed to point to the latter conclusion. But Malling was too intelligent to take everything at its surface value.

together alone he showed a reserve through which, Malling believed, he secretly wanted to break. But something held him back. He talked of politics, government and church, the spread of science, the follies of the day

is a very interesting subject because of its effect upon the mind, even, so it seems sometimes, upon the very nature of a man. N

re feel

e complaint, because it takes away for the time a man's confidence in himself, reduces him to the worm-level almost; and it gives him ab

u were trouble

ow how sensitive women are. To hold a crowd of people a man must be stro

len

it again-tre

shifted i

t it is possible for another, an outsider,

s, yes," answ

as a

g that outsiders se

d when all are subject

ding, f

is own outburst, for instantly

care so much as most of them undoubt

"But some people have a quite peculiar power of impressing their critical t

y eagerness. "Now surely one ought to keep out of such

y n

difficulty men have in getting away

rength," said Mai

think

't y

as a knock at the door

et moment," he said with acute irr

tman ap

r has called t

he man to come into the room and to shut the

ked Mr. Harding, in a low

ngaged I showed him up

l. Thank you.

t out, still lo

ut to close the do

a mo

ir

ship in the d

yship is lying do

hat wi

man shut

the rector got up wit

from Professor Stepton. But there's another thing. As I told you yesterday, you are the only person of my acquaintance who, having been fairly intimate with Henry Chichester, has not seen anything of him during the two years he has been with me as my coadjutor. Now what I want you to do is this: will you go upstairs

ing, with his most pro

ost tragic. "I'll ask you one thing-afterward you will tell me the truth, exactly how Chichester impresses you now

g hesi

tained, for instance, a less favorable, or even an unfavorab

r interru

he said. "Do just as you

son for wishing to know

eed

mentable sound

ht I will give it to

ened the door

now yo

es

arding stood watching him fr