"
"I always think your sermons very good," said Howard, quite
sincerely; "they seem to me arrows deliberately aimed at a definite
target--they have the grace of congruity, as the articles say."
"You are very good," said the Vicar. "I am really overwhelmed; but
I must admit that your presence--the mere chance of your presence--
has made me exercise an unwonted caution, and indeed introduce now
and then an idea which is perhaps rather above the comprehension of
my flock!"
"But may I go back for one moment?" said Howard. "You will forgive
my asking this--but what you said just now about Maud interested me
very much, and of course pleased me enormously. I would do anything
I could to make her happy in any way--I wish you would tell me how
and in what you think her more content. I want to learn all I can
about her earlier days--you must remember that all that is unknown
to me. Won't you exercise your powers of analysis for my benefit?"
"You are very kind," said the Vicar in high delight; "let me see,
let me see! Well, dear Maud as a girl had always a very high and
anxious sense of responsibility and duty. She conceived of herself--
perhaps owing to some chance expressions of my own--as bound as
far as possible to fill the place of her dear mother--a gap, of
course, that it was impossible to fill,--my own pursuits are, you
will realise, mere distractions, or, to be frank, were originally
so designed, to combat my sense of loss.
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