Mr. Tozer paused with a "humph!" of uncertainty; rather dazzled with the fine language, but doubtful of the sentiment. At length light seemed to dawn upon the excellent butterman. "Bless my soul! that's a new view," said Tozer; "that's taking the superior line over them! My impression is as that would tell beautiful. Eh! it's famous, that is! I've heard a many gentlemen attacking the Church, like, from down below, and giving it her about her money and her greatness, and all that; but our clearer atmosphere--there's the point! I always knew as you was a clever young man, Mr. Vincent, and expected a deal from you; but that's a new view, that is!" "Oh, Pa, dear! don't be always talking about chapel business," said Miss Phoebe, coming in. "I am sure Mr. Vincent is sick to death of Salem. I am sure his heart is in some other place now; and if you bore him always about the chapel, he'll never, _never_ take to Carlingford. Oh, Mr. Vincent, I am sure you know it is quite true!" "Indeed," said the young minister, with a sudden recollection, "I can vouch for my heart being in Carlingford, and nowhere else;" and as he spoke his colour rose. Phoebe clapped her hands with a little semblance of confusion. "Oh, la!" cried that young lady, "that is _quite_ as good as a confession that you have lost it, Mr. Vincent. Oh, I _am_ so interested! I wonder who it can be!" "Hush, child; I daresay we shall know before long," said Mrs. Tozer, who had also rejoined the domestic party; "and don't you colour up or look ashamed, Mr. Vincent. Take my word, it's the very best a young minister can do. To be sure, where there's a quantity of young ladies in a congregation, it sometimes makes a little dispeace; but there ain't to say many to choose from in Salem." "La, mamma, how _can_ you think it's a lady in Salem?" cried Phoebe, in a flutter of consciousness. "Oh, you curious thing!" cried Mrs. Tozer: "she'll never rest, Mr. Vincent, till she's found it all out. She always was, from a child, a dreadful one for finding out a secret. But don't you trouble yourself; it's the very best thing a young minister can do." Poor Vincent made a hasty effort to exculpate himself from the soft impeachment, but with no effect. Smiles, innuendoes, a succession of questions asked by Phoebe, who retired, whenever she had made her remark, with conscious looks and pink blushes, perpetually renewed this delightful subject. The unlucky young man retired upon Tozer. In desperation he laid himself open to the less troublesome infliction of the butterman's advice. In the mean time the table was spread, and supper appeared in most substantial and savoury shape; the only drawback being, that whenever the door was opened, the odours of bacon and cheese from the shop came in like a musty shadow of the boiled ham and hot sausages within.