"I expected every moment to see you fly right away up into the air, and then we should have seen no more of you than if you were a little white pigeon quite lost up in the blue." "But I should come down again, papa, when I wanted something to eat." "Or your glass of port wine after dinner, eh?" They had dinner early at Chesnut Bank on Sundays, to let the servants get to afternoon church. And on Sundays, also, all the children dined downstairs; so that they had quite a fine party to-day, when they assembled round the table. Dove had seen that all the little boys’ and girls’ costume was correct; had got fresh flowers for the table; and wore herself a pretty white dress with blue ribbons—adding considerably to the brightness and liveliness of the family gathering. "Had you a good sermon to-day, Dove?" asked Mr. Anerley. "Yes, papa; but I don’t like Mr. Oldham." She had never forgiven the good man for his too great anxiety about the Athanasian Creed. "By the way, mamma," continued Mr. Anerley, "don’t let me forget to tell you what I was reading in the papers this morning—although it will shock you, I know. They are going to secularize the Church." Mrs. Anerley looked up—vaguely conscious that something dreadful was going to happen. "The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are to be abolished; the churches are to be turned into schoolrooms; and the clergymen may, if they like, remain and be schoolmasters. If they don’t, they must walk out." "Quite true, mother," continued Will, taking up the wondrous tale; "and the Government means to cut up the entire ecclesiastical property, the glebe-lands, and what not, into small farms for the use of the poor people all over the three Kingdoms." "The Prime Minister himself says it is useless trying to save the soul of a man until you give him a soul; and says that no man has a soul who is not properly fed and educated." "He says no man can have a soul," repeated Will, "who has less than twenty shillings a week; and until that minimum is reached, the clergymen must turn farm-bailiffs or teachers. After then, the people may think about getting up churches once more. All the bishops are to be provided with a home in the Dramatic College at Maybury; the archbishops, in consideration of their inexperience of the world——" "They’re only laughing at you, mamma," said Dove. "And a pretty example to set the children," said Mrs. Anerley. "Whoever laughs at mamma is sent upstairs to bed at once." "Dove," said Will, suddenly, "do you know where you are going to-morrow?" "No."