‘I believe, Conneally,’ said the Canon at last, ‘that you are a good man. I do not merely mean that you are moral and upright, but that you sincerely desire to follow in the footsteps of the Master.’ He looked as if he wanted some kind of answer, at least a confirmation of his belief. Fresh from his interview with Marion, and having the Canon’s eyes upon him, it did not seem impossible to Hyacinth to answer yes. Even the thought of the work he was to engage in with Miss Goold and Patrick O’Dwyer seemed to offer no ground for hesitation. Was he not enlisting with them to take part in the great battle? He had never ceased to believe his father’s words: ‘And the battlefield is Ireland--our dear Ireland which we love!’ He felt for the moment that he was altogether prepared to make the confession of faith the Canon required. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I am on His side.’ ‘And you love Marion? Are you quite sure of that? Are you certain that this is not a passing fancy?’ This time Hyacinth had no doubt whatever about his answer. ‘I am as certain of my love as I am of anything in the world.’ ‘I am glad. I am very glad that this has happened--for your sake, because I have always liked you; also for Marion’s sake. I shall see you happy because you love one another, and because you both love the Lord. I ask no more than those two things. But I must go and tell my wife at once. She will be glad, too.’ He rose and went to the door. With his hand stretched out to open it he stopped, struck by a sudden thought. ‘By the way, I ought to ask you--if you mean to be married--have you any--I mean it is necessary--I hope you won’t think I am laying undue stress upon such matters, but I really--I mean we really ought to consider what you are to live upon.’ It was the prospect of imparting the news to his wife which forced this speech from him. Mrs. Beecher was, indeed, the least worldly of women. Did she not marry the Canon, then a mere curate, on the slenderest income, and bear him successively five babies in defiance of common prudence? But it had fallen to her lot to order the affairs of the household, and she had learnt that the people who give you bread and beef demand, after an interval, more or less money in exchange. It was likely that, after her first rapture had subsided, she would make some inquiry about Hyacinth’s income and prospects. The Canon felt he ought to be prepared.