第71章

DuringthissameabsencewhathadMrsGoodhewandoldMissWrighttakentodoingbutturningtowardstheeastwhilerepeatingtheBelief？Theobalddislikedthisevenworsethanchanting。Whenhesaidsomethingaboutitinatimidwayatdinnerafterservice，Charlottesaid，“Really，papadear，youMUSTtaketocallingitthe’Creed’andnotthe’Belief’“；andTheobaldwincedimpatientlyandsnortedmeekdefiance，butthespiritofherauntsJaneandElizawasstronginCharlotte，andthethingwastoosmalltofightabout，andheturneditoffwithalaugh。“AsforCharlotte。”thoughtChristina，“IbelievesheknowsEVERYTHING。”SoMrsGoodhewandoldMissWrightcontinuedtoturntotheeastduringthetimetheCreedwassaid，andby-and-byothersfollowedtheirexample，anderelongthefewwhohadstoodoutyieldedandturnedeastwardtoo；andthenTheobaldmadeasthoughhehadthoughtitallveryrightandproperfromthefirst，butlikeithedidnot。By-and-byCharlottetriedtomakehimsay“Alleluia“insteadof“Hallelujah。”butthiswasgoingtoofar，andTheobaldturned，andshegotfrightenedandranaway。

Andtheychangedthedoublechantsforsingleones，andalteredthempsalmbypsalm，andinthemiddleofpsalms，justwhereacursoryreaderwouldseenoreasonwhytheyshoulddoso，theychangedfrommajortominorandfromminorbacktomajor；andthentheygot“HymnsAncientandModern。”and，asIhavesaid，theyrobbedhimofhisbelovedbands，andtheymadehimpreachinasurplice，andhemusthavecelebrationoftheHolyCommuniononceamonthinsteadofonlyfivetimesintheyearasheretofore，andhestruggledinvainagainsttheunseeninfluencewhichhefelttobeworkinginseasonandoutofseasonagainstallthathehadbeenaccustomedtoconsidermostdistinctiveofhisparty。Whereitwas，orwhatitwas，heknewnot，norexactlywhatitwoulddonext，butheknewexceedinglywellthatgowherehewoulditwasundermininghim；thatitwastoopersistentforhim；thatChristinaandCharlottelikeditagreatdealbetterthanhedid，andthatitcouldendinnothingbutRome。Easterdecorationsindeed！Christmasdecorations——inreason——wereproperenough，butEasterdecorations！well，itmightlasthistime。

ThiswasthecoursethingshadtakenintheChurchofEnglandduringthelastfortyyears。Thesethasbeensteadilyinonedirection。

Afewmenwhoknewwhattheywantedmadecats’pawsoftheChristmasandtheCharlottes，andtheChristmasandtheCharlottesmadecats’

pawsoftheMrsGoodhewsandtheoldMissWrights，andMrsGoodhewsandoldMissWrightstoldtheMrGoodhewsandyoungMissWrightswhattheyshoulddo，andwhentheMrGoodhewsandtheyoungMissWrightsdiditthelittleGoodhewsandtherestofthespiritualflockdidastheydid，andtheTheobaldswentfornothing；stepbystep，daybyday，yearbyyear，parishbyparish，diocesebydiocesethiswashowitwasdone。AndyettheChurchofEnglandlookswithnofriendlyeyesuponthetheoryofEvolutionorDescentwithModification。

Myherothoughtoverthesethings，andrememberedmanyaruseonthepartofChristinaandCharlotte，andmanyadetailofthestrugglewhichIcannotfurtherinterruptmystorytoreferto，andherememberedhisfather’sfavouriteretortthatitcouldonlyendinRome。Whenhewasaboyhehadfirmlybelievedthis，buthesmilednowa