"Yes, she does," said Mr Timson, gruffly; "she offends me; I don't like her. Wish Mother Nimmer was alive again." "Pooh! nonsense! stuff! prejudice!" "Shoo, shoo, shoo, shoo!" ejaculated Mr Timson. "I haven't a bit of prejudice in my whole body." "I mean," said the vicar, taking not the slightest notice of the interruption, "she never seems to give offence about people's sittings; for her's is a delicate task, and one not easy to manage. I can assure you that I have not had a single complaint as yet, and they used to be constant in Mrs Nimmer's time." "'Fraid of her," suggested Mr Timson. "I do wish that you would talk rationally, Timson," said the vicar. "Well, that is rationally," said Mr Timson. "The church fills uncommonly well now," observed the vicar, after a pause, so as to start a fresh subject; for Mr Timson was looking red and choleric, and his short hair was standing up all over his head. "The people seem to like those historical sermons. I think I shall continue them." "I think I should," said Timson, drily; "perhaps it might be as well, at the same time, to stop some of the music, or give Mr Pellet a holiday." "Why?" said the vicar, sharply. "Make more room in the church," said Timson. "There, there! I won't quarrel with you Timson," said the vicar, with some asperity; "but I can understand your allusion, though I won't notice it. But, to return to the subject, don't you think that Mrs Ruggles' salary might be a little raised?" "No," said Mr Timson, stoutly; "I don't think anything of the kind. Why, what for, pray? when the woman has the same as poor old Mrs Nimmer, who was worth a dozen of her." "Well, Timson," said the vicar, quietly, "if you are not disposed to discuss the matter in a liberal spirit, why it had better drop; at least, I think so." "So do I," said the illiberal Timson; and consequently the matter did drop, with the advantage to Mrs Ruggles of making her appear an ill-used woman, much persecuted, in the vicar's eyes. For the old gentleman most thoroughly believed in her, from her conduct being so exemplary. Always the same quiet, prim woman, ready at proper times to do her duty; to arrange hassocks at a christening, or to point out the positions for the actors at a hymeneal sacrifice. The vicar was loud in her praise, so loud, indeed, that when with his crony Timson, Mrs Ruggles grew to be quite a bone--or rather bundle of bones--of contention, over which at times they almost quarrelled, for Mr Timson, either from a spirit of opposition, or from genuine dislike, invariably took part against the woman. So near were they to quarrelling at times, that had they been people of a more secular turn, it might have been said that they quite fell out. The vicar told Timson so more than once, though he would not believe it; for in spite of his friendly feeling and genuine respect for his nominator, the churchwarden could at times be as obstinate as the proverbial pig.