The Rector sighed and coughed vaguely. Then, in a low, sad voice, he said
Morrison, I am grieved deeply grieved and mine is a most painful duty to perform; but I stand here the spiritual head of this parish, a lowly servant of Christs Church, and I must obey her laws.
But, sir, said Tom, that tiny child, so innocent and young you couldnt be doing wrong. I beg your pardon, sir, Im an ignorant man, but dont pray, dont say you wont bury it.
Mr Morrison, you are not an ignorant man, said the Rector, sternly. You know the laws of the Church; you know your duty to that unfortunate child that you have wilfully excluded it from the fold of Christs flock. I cannot, will not, disobey those laws in departing from my duty as a clergyman.
The Curate moved his fingers about an inch apart, and then rejoined them, in time to a deep sigh, but he did not raise his head; while Tom Morrison stood, with brow contracted, evidently stricken by some powerful emotion which he was struggling to master; and at last he did, speaking calmly and with deep pathos in his appealing voice.
Sir, I am a man, and rough, and able to fight hard and bear trouble; but I have a wife who loved, almost worshipped
Set not your affections upon things on earth, said the Rector, in a low, stern voice, as if in warning to himself.
Tom paused a few moments, till the speaker had finished, and then he went on
She almost worshipped that child I ask you humbly, sir, for her sake, dont say no. At a time like this she is low, and weak, and ill. Parson, if you say no, it will go nigh to break her heart.
Morrison, said the Rector, slowly, with his eyes still half closed as a man and a fellow-Christian, I sympathise with you deeply. I am more grieved than I can express. By your neglect you have thrown upon me a painful duty. The fold was open always open from the day of its birth for the reception of your poor lamb, but in your worldliness you turned your back upon it till it was too late. I say it with bitter sorrow too late. Let this be a lesson to you both for life. It is a hard lesson, but you must bear it. I cannot do what you ask.
The wheelwright stood with the veins in his forehead swelling, and his clenched fists trembled with the struggle that was going on within his breast; but the face of his sorrowing wife seemed to rise before him, and he gained the mastery once more, and turned to the silent Curate.
Mr Paulby, sir, you married Mary and me, and, we seem to know you here, sir, as our parson
The Rev. Eli winced as he heard the emphasis on the you .
wish me to believe that my poor, tender infant, fresh given to us by God, has gone to everlasting punishment for what it could not help my neglect, as you call it?
I have told you that I cannot enter into a controversy with you; these are matters such as you cannot understand.
Then I swear roared Morrison.
Stop! exclaimed the Curate. Thomas Morrison, my good friend, you are angry and excited now, and will be saying words that, when cooler, you may repent.
This is little better than an outrage, said the Rector, in whose cheeks two angry spots now glowed.
Allow me to speak, sir, said the Curate, firmly. I speak on behalf of that fold whose fences you accused me of neglecting.
The Rector turned upon him wonderingly, while the wrath of the wheelwright was quelled by the calm, stern words of the little man who now stood before them.
Morrison, he continued, I have been a clergyman many years, and, God helping me, it has been my earnest work to try and convince my people of the love and tenderness of the Father of all for His children. Whenever a dogma of the Church has been likely to seem harsh to our present day ideas, I have let it rest, knowing how much there is of that which is just and good in our grand old religion. Mr Mallow, as your subordinate, sir, I may seem presumptuous. You are an older man than I, and perhaps a wiser, but I ask you, sir, with no irreverent feeling, whether, if it were possible that He who said, Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, were holding your position here the God as man and teacher of the people of this parish He would act as you are acting? Would He not deal with such a canon as He did with the teachings of the Pharisees? Why, sir, He took little children into His arms, and blessed them, and said, Of such is the kingdom of heaven.
He paused for a moment, while the Rector stood calm, stern, and cold, with his eyes once more half closed, covered in his cold church armour, and a pitying smile of contempt upon his lip; while Morrison stayed, angry still, but with quivering lip, and his hand upon the door.
A dead silence fell upon the little group when Mr Paulby had done speaking, and both the Curate and Tom Morrison watched the Rector, expecting him to make some reply, but none came.
At last the silence was broken by the wheelwright, out of whose voice every tinge of anger had now gone, and he spoke in tones which sounded deep, and trembled exceedingly at first, but gained strength as he went on: