'And what do I find them?' 'You say reprehensible. But you might at least let me hear the proof!' 'I can do more, sir. I can let you see it!' There was a pause. Louis Glanville was so highly interested that he stood upon the seat of the arbour, and looked through the leafage over

the wall. The Bishop had produced an article from his pocket.

'What is it?' said Swithin, laboriously scrutinizing the thing.

'Why, don't you see?' said the Bishop, holding it out between his finger

and thumb in Swithin's face. 'A bracelet,--a coral bracelet. I found

the wanton object on the bed in your cabin! And of the sex of the owner

there can be no doubt. More than that, she was concealed behind the

curtains, for I saw them move.' In the decision of his opinion the

Bishop threw the coral bracelet down on a tombstone.

'Nobody was in my room, my lord, who had not a perfect right to be

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there,' said the younger man.

'Well, well, that's a matter of assertion. Now don't get into a passion,

and say to me in your haste what you'll repent of saying afterwards.' 'I am not in a passion, I assure your lordship. I am too sad for

passion.' 'Very well; that's a hopeful sign. Now I would ask you, as one man of

another, do you think that to come to me, the Bishop of this large and

important diocese, as you came yesterday, and pretend to be something

that you are not, is quite upright conduct, leave alone religious?

Think it over. We may never meet again. But bear in mind what your Bishop and

spiritual head says to you, and see if you cannot mend before it is too

late.' Swithin was meek as Moses, but he tried to appear sturdy. 'My lord, I am

in a difficult position,' he said mournfully; 'how difficult, nobody but

myself can tell. I cannot explain; there are insuperable reasons against

it. But will you take my word of assurance that I am not so bad as I

seem? Some day I will prove it. Till then I only ask you to suspend

your judgment on me.' The Bishop shook his head incredulously and went towards the vicarage, as

if he had lost his hearing. Swithin followed him with his eyes, and

Louis followed the direction of Swithin's. Before the Bishop had reached

the vicarage entrance Lady Constantine crossed in front of him. She had

a basket on her arm, and was, in fact, going to visit some of the poorer

cottages. Who could believe the Bishop now to be the same man that he

had been a moment before? The darkness left his face as if he had come

out of a cave; his look was all sweetness, and shine, and gaiety, as he

again greeted Viviette.




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