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The minister vanished behind the trees； Somerset and Miss
Power being left confronting each other alone。
Somerset stepped aside from the stone； hat in hand； at the
same moment in which Miss Power rose from her seat。 She
hesitated for an instant； and said； with a pretty girlish
stiffness； sweeping back the skirt of her dress to free her
toes in turning： 'Although you are personally unknown to me；
I cannot leave you without expressing my deep sense of your
profound scholarship； and my admiration for the thoroughness
of your studies in divinity。'
'Your opinion gives me great pleasure；' said Somerset； bowing；
and fairly blushing。 'But； believe me； I am no scholar； and
no theologian。 My knowledge of the subject arises simply from
the accident that some few years ago I looked into the
question for a special reason。 In the study of my profession
I was interested in the designing of fonts and baptisteries；
and by a natural process I was led to investigate the history
of baptism； and some of the arguments I then learnt up still
remain with me。 That's the simple explanation of my
erudition。'
'If your sermons at the church only match your address to…day；
I shall not wonder at hearing that the parishioners are at
last willing to attend。'
It flashed upon Somerset's mind that she supposed him to be
the new curate； of whose arrival he had casually heard； during
his sojourn at the inn。 Before he could bring himself to
correct an error to which； perhaps； more than to anything
else； was owing the friendliness of her manner； she went on；
as if to escape the embarrassment of silence：
'I need hardly say that I at least do not doubt the sincerity
of your arguments。'
'Nevertheless； I was not altogether sincere；' he answered。
She was silent。
'Then why should you have delivered such a defence of me？' she
asked with simple curiosity。
Somerset involuntarily looked in her face for his answer。
Paula again teased the necklace。 'Would you have spoken so
eloquently on the other side if Iif occasion had served？'
she inquired shyly。
'Perhaps I would。'
Another pause； till she said； 'I； too； was insincere。'
'You？'
'I was。'
'In what way？；
'In letting him； and you； think I had been at all influenced
by authority； scriptural or patristic。'
'May I ask； why； then； did you decline the ceremony the other
evening？'
'Ah； you； too； have heard of it！' she said quickly。
'No。'
'What then？'
'I saw it。'
She blushed and looked down the river。 'I cannot give my
reasons；' she said。
'Of course not；' said Somerset。
'I would give a great deal to possess real logical dogmatism。'
'So would I。'
There was a moment of embarrassment： she wanted to get away；
but did not precisely know how。 He would have withdrawn had
she not said； as if rather oppressed by her conscience； and
evidently still thinking him the curate： 'I cannot but feel
that Mr。 Woodwell's heart has been unnecessarily wounded。'
'The minister's？'
'Yes。 He is single…mindedness itself。 He gives away nearly
all he has to the poor。 He works among the sick； carrying
them necessaries with his own hands。 He teaches the ignorant
men and lads of the village when he ought to be resting at
home； till he is absolutely prostrate from exhaustion； and
then he sits up at night writing encouraging letters to those
poor people who formerly belonged to his congregation in the
village； and have now gone away。 He always offends ladies；
because he can't help speaking the truth as he believes it；
but he hasn't offended me！'
Her feelings had risen towards the end； so that she finished
quite warmly； and turned aside。
'I was not in the least aware that he was such a man；'
murmured Somerset； looking wistfully after the minister。 。 。 。
'Whatever you may have done； I fear that I have grievously
wounded a worthy man's heart from an idle wish to engage in a
useless； unbecoming； dull； last…century argument。'
'Not dull；' she murmured； 'for it interested me。'
Somerset accepted her correction willingly。 'It was ill…
considered of me； however；' he said； 'and in his distress he
has forgotten his Bible。' He went and picked up the worn
volume from where it lay on the grass。
'You can easily win him to forgive you； by just following； and
returning the book to him；' she observed。
'I will；' said the young man impulsively。 And； bowing to her；
he hastened along the river brink after the minister。 He at
length saw his friend before him； leaning over the gate which
led from the private path into a lane； his cheek resting on
the palm of his hand with every outward sign of abstraction。
He was not conscious of Somerset's presence till the latter
touched him on the shoulder。
Never was a reconciliation effected more readily。 When
Somerset said that； fearing his motives might be misconstrued；
he had followed to assure the minister of his goodwill and
esteem； Mr。 Woodwell held out his hand； and proved his
friendliness in return by preparing to have the controversy on
their religious differences over again from the beginning；
with exhaustive detail。 Somerset evaded this with alacrity；
and once having won his companion to other subjects he found
that the austere man had a smile as pleasant as an infant's on
the rare moments when he indulged in it； moreover； that he was
warmly attached to Miss Power。
'Though she gives me more trouble than all the rest of the
Baptist church in this district；' he said； 'I love her as my
own daughter。 But I am sadly exercised to know what she is at
heart。 Heaven supply me with fortitude to contest her wild
opinions； and intractability！ But she has sweet virtues； and
her conduct at times can be most endearing。'
'I believe it！' said Somerset； with more fervour than mere
politeness required。
'Sometimes I think those Stancy towers and lands will be a
curse to her。 The spirit of old papistical times still
lingers in the nooks of those silent walls； like a bad odour
in a still atmosphere； dulling the iconoclastic emotions of
the true Puritan。 It would be a pity indeed if she were to be
tainted by the very situation that her father's indomitable
energy created for her。'
'Do not be concerned about her；' said Somerset gently。 'She's
not a Paedobaptist at heart； although she seems so。'
Mr。 Woodwell placed his finger on Somerset's arm； saying； 'If
she's not a Paedobaptist； or Episcopalian； if she is not
vulnerable to the mediaeval influences of her mansion； lands；
and new acquaintance； it is because she's been vulnerable to
what is worse： to doctrines beside which the errors of
Paaedobaptists； Episcopalians； Roman Catholics； are but as
air。'
'How？ You astonish me。'
'Have you heard in your metropolitan experience of a curious
body of New Lights； as they think themselves？' The minister
whispered a name to his listener； as if he were fearful of
being overheard。
'O no；' said Somerset； shaking his head； and smiling at the
minister's horror。 'She's not that； at least； I think not。 。
。 。 She's a woman； nothing more。 Don't fear for her； all
will be well。'
The poor old man sighed。 'I love her as my own。 I will say