“It’s all a fuss about nothing, that’s my opinion. What has she done that you know to be wrong? And as to the Doctor, he’s got a right to please himself. I’m surprised at you, Miss Tarrant, for _you’ve_ always stuck for him through thick and thin. As for that Mrs. Jenkins, I’ll take my Bible oath that the last time she washed for me she stunk of gin enough to poison me, and went away with two bits of soap in her pocket. You may credit what she says: _I_ don’t, and never demean myself to listen to her.” The ladies came to no conclusion. Mrs. Bingham said that she had suggested a round robin to Dr. Midleton, but that her husband decidedly “discountenanced the proposal.” Within a fortnight the election of governors was to take place. There was always a fight at these elections, and this year the Radicals had a strong list. The Doctor, whose term of office had expired, was the most prominent of the Tory and Church candidates, and never doubted his success. He was ignorant of all the gossip about him. One day in that fortnight he might have been seen in Ferry Street. He went into Mrs. Fairfax’s shop and was invited as before into the back parlour. “I have brought you a basket of pears, and the book I promised you, the _Utopia_.” He sat down. “I am afraid you will think my visits too frequent.” “They are not too frequent for me: they may be for yourself.” “Ah! since I last entered your house I have not seen any books excepting my own. You hardly know what life in Langborough is like.” “Does nobody take any interest in archæology?” “Nobody within five miles. Sinclair cares nothing about it: he is Low Church, as I have told you.” “Why does that prevent his caring about it?” “Being Low Church he is narrow-minded, or, perhaps it would be more correct to say, being narrow-minded he is Low Church. He is an indifferent scholar, and occupies himself with his religious fancies and those of his flock. He can reign supreme there. He is not troubled in that department by the difficulties of learning and is not exposed to criticism or contradiction.” “I suppose it is a fact of the greatest importance to him that he and his parishioners have souls to be saved, and that in comparison with that fact others are immaterial.” “We all believe we have souls to be saved. Having set forth God’s way of saving them we have done all we ought to do. God’s way is not sufficient for Sinclair. He enlarges it out of his own head, and instructs his silly, ignorant friends to do the same. He will not be satisfied with what God and the Church tell him.” “God and the Church, according to Dr. Midleton’s account, have not been very effective in Langborough.” “They hear from me, madam, all I am commissioned to say, and if they do not attend I cannot help it.”