"But, my dear James, you really are overscrupulous. What share had you?" The clerical wife does not always see eye to eye with her spouse in respect of his female parishioners, more particularly, perhaps, the unmarried ones. Mrs. Horniblow loved, honoured, and--within reasonable limits--obeyed her James; but this neither prevented her being shrewd, nor knowing her James, after all, to be human. Remembrance of Theresa, heading the Deadham procession during the inspection of Harchester Cathedral, sandwiched in between him and the Dean, still rankled in her wifely bosom. "I overpersuaded Miss Bilson to accompany us on the choir treat. I forgot she must not be regarded as an entirely free agent. She has shown interest in parish work and really proved very useful and obliging. Her acquaintance with architecture--the technical terms, too--is unusually accurate for a member of your sex." "Her business is teaching," said the lady. "And I can't but fear I have been instrumental in her loss of an excellent position." "If her learning is as remarkable as you consider it, she will doubtless soon secure another." "Ah! you're prejudiced, my love. One cannot but be struck, at times, by the harshness with which even women of high principle, like yourself, judge other women." "Possibly the highness of my principles may be accountable for my judgments--in some cases." "Argument is very unrestful," the vicar remarked, turning over on his side. "But there would be an end of conversation if I always agreed with you." "Tut--tut," he murmured. Then with renewed plaintiveness--"I cannot make up my mind whether it is not my duty, my chivalrous duty, to seek an interview with Sir Charles Verity and explain--put the aspects of the case to him as I see them." "Call on him by all means. I'll go with you. We ought, in common civility, to enquire for Damaris after this illness of hers. But don't explain or attempt to enlarge on the case from your own point of view. Sir Charles will consider it an impertinence. It won't advantage Miss Bilson and will embroil you with the most important of your parishioners. The wisdom of the serpent is permitted, on occasion even recommended." "A most dangerous doctrine, Jane, most dangerous, save under authority." "What authority can be superior to that under which the recommendation was originally given?" "My love, you become slightly profane.--I implore you don't argue--and at this hour! When a woman touches on exegesis, on theology "-- "All I know upon those subjects you, dear, have taught me." "Ah! well--ah! well"--the good man returned, at once mollified and suspicious. For might not the compliment be regarded as something of a back-hander? "We can defer our decision till to-morrow. Perhaps we had better, as you propose, call together. I need not go straight to the point, but watch my opportunity and slip in a word edgeways."