‘Certainly not, my dear. There is no ground on which I could ask for any favour from the bishop, whom, indeed, I hardly know. Nor would I ask a favour, that granting of which might possibly be made a question to be settled by Mr Slope. No,’ said he, moved for a moment by a spirit very unlike his own, ‘I certainly shall be very glad to go back to the hospital; but I should never go there, if it were necessary that my doing so should be the subject of a request to Mr Slope.’

This little outbreak of her father’s anger jarred on the present tone of Eleanor’s mind. She had not learnt to like Mr Slope, but she had learnt to think that he had much respect for her father; and she would, therefore, willingly use her efforts to induce something like good feeling between them.

‘Papa,’ said she, ‘I think you somewhat mistake Mr Slope’s character.’

‘Do I?’ said he, placidly.

‘I think you do, papa. I think he intended no personal disrespect to you when he preached the sermon which made the archdeacon and the dean so angry.!’

‘I never supposed that he did, my dear. I hope I never inquired within myself whether he did or no. Such a matter would be unworthy of any inquiry, and very unworthy of the consideration of the chapter. But I fear he intended disrespect to the ministration’s of God’s services, as conducted in conformity with the rules of the Church of England.’

‘But might it not be that he thought it his duty to express his dissent from that which you, and the dean, and all of us here approve?’

‘It can hardly be the duty of any young man rudely to assail the religious convictions of his elders of the church. Courtesy should have kept him silent, even if neither charity nor modesty could do so.’

‘But Mr Slope would say that on such a subject the commands of his heavenly Master do not admit of his being silent.’

‘Nor of being courteous, Eleanor?’

‘He did not say that, papa.’

‘Believe me, my child, that Christian ministers are never called on by God’s word to insult the convictions, or even the prejudices, of their brethren; and that religion is at any rate not less susceptible to urbane and courteous conduct among men, than any other study which men take up. I am sorry to say that I cannot defend Mr Slope’s sermon in the cathedral. But come, my dear, put on your bonnet, and let us walk round the dear old gardens at the hospital. I have never yet had the heart to go beyond the court–yard since we left the place. Now I think I can venture to enter.’

Eleanor rang the bell, and gave a variety of imperative charges as to the welfare of the precious baby, whom, all but unwillingly, she was about to leave for an hour or so, and then sauntered forth with her father to revisit the old hospital. It had been forbidden ground to her as well as to him since the day on which they had walked forth together from its walk.