第22章

Theroominfactwasasdepressingfromitsslatternlinessasfromitsatmosphereoferudition。TheobaldandErnestastheyenteredit，stumbledoveralargeholeintheTurkeycarpet，andthedustthatroseshowedhowlongitwassinceithadbeentakenupandbeaten。This，Ishouldsay，wasnofaultofMrsSkinner’sbutwasduetotheDoctorhimself，whodeclaredthatifhispaperswereoncedisturbeditwouldbethedeathofhim。Nearthewindowwasagreencagecontainingapairofturtledoves，whoseplaintivecooingaddedtothemelancholyoftheplace。Thewallswerecoveredwithbookshelvesfromfloortoceiling，andoneveryshelfthebooksstoodindoublerows。Itwashorrible。Prominentamongthemostprominentuponthemostprominentshelfwereaseriesofsplendidlyboundvolumesentitled“Skinner’sWorks。”

Boysaresadlyapttorushtoconclusions，andErnestbelievedthatDrSkinnerknewallthebooksinthisterriblelibrary，andthathe，ifheweretobeanygood，shouldhavetolearnthemtoo。Hisheartfaintedwithinhim。

Hewastoldtositonachairagainstthewallanddidso，whileDrSkinnertalkedtoTheobalduponthetopicsoftheday。HetalkedabouttheHampdenControversythenraging，anddiscoursedlearnedlyabout“Praemunire“；thenhetalkedabouttherevolutionwhichhadjustbrokenoutinSicily，andrejoicedthatthePopehadrefusedtoallowforeigntroopstopassthroughhisdominionsinordertocrushit。DrSkinnerandtheothermasterstookintheTimesamongthem，andDrSkinnerechoedtheTimes’leaders。InthosedaystherewerenopennypapersandTheobaldonlytookintheSpectator——forhewasatthattimeontheWhigsideinpolitics；besidesthisheusedtoreceivetheEcclesiasticalGazetteonceamonth，buthesawnootherpapers，andwasamazedattheeaseandfluencywithwhichDrSkinnerranfromsubjecttosubject。

ThePope’sactioninthematteroftheSicilianrevolutionnaturallyledtheDoctortothereformswhichhisHolinesshadintroducedintohisdominions，andhelaughedconsumedlyoverthejokewhichhadnotlongsinceappearedinPunch，totheeffectthatPio“No，No。”

shouldratherhavebeennamedPio“Yes，Yes。”because，asthedoctorexplained，hegrantedeverythinghissubjectsaskedfor。AnythinglikeapunwentstraighttoDrSkinner’sheart。

Thenhewentontothematterofthesereformsthemselves。TheyopenedupanewerainthehistoryofChristendom，andwouldhavesuchmomentousandfar-reachingconsequences，thattheymightevenleadtoareconciliationbetweentheChurchesofEnglandandRome。

DrSkinnerhadlatelypublishedapamphletuponthissubject，whichhadshowngreatlearning，andhadattackedtheChurchofRomeinawaywhichdidnotpromisemuchhopeofreconciliation。HehadgroundedhisattackuponthelettersA。M。D。G。，whichhehadseenoutsideaRomanCatholicchapel，andwhichofcoursestoodforAdMariamDeiGenetricem。Couldanythingbemoreidolatrous？

Iamtold，bytheway，thatImusthaveletmymemoryplaymeoneofthetricksitoftendoesplayme，whenIsaidtheDoctorproposedAdMariamDeiGenetricemasthefullharmonies，sotospeak，whichshouldbeconstructeduponthebassA。M。D。G。，forthatthisisbadLatin，andthatthedoctorreallyharmonisedthelettersthus：AveMariaDeiGenetrix。NodoubtthedoctordidwhatwasrightinthematterofLatinity——IhaveforgottenthelittleLatinIeverknew，andamnotgoingtolookthematterup，butIbelievethedoctorsaidAdMariamDeiGenetricem，andifsowemaybesurethatAdMariamDeiGenetricem，isgoodenoughLatinatanyrateforecclesiasticalpurposes。

Thereplyofthelocalpriesthadnotyetappeared，andDrSkinnerwasjubilant，butwhentheanswerappeared，anditwassolemnlydeclaredthatA。M。D。G。stoodfornothingmoredangerousthanAdMajoremDeiGloriam，itwasfeltthatthoughthissubterfugewouldnotsucceedwith