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individual community to which he belonged； but of this； Mrs。
Appleditch was carefully kept ignorant。
After dinner was over； and the children had been sent away； which
was effected without a greater amount of difficulty than； from the
anticipative precautions adopted； appeared to be lawful and
ordinary； Mr。 Appleditch proceeded to business。
〃Now； Mr。 Sutherland； what do you think of Johnnie； sir？〃
〃It is impossible for me to say yet； but I am quite willing to teach
him if you like。〃
〃He's a forward boy；〃 said his mother。
〃Not a doubt of it；〃 responded Hugh； for he remembered the boy
asking him； across the table： 〃Isn't our Mr。 Lixom〃（the
pastor）〃a oner？〃
〃And very eager and retentive；〃 said his father。
Hugh had seen the little glutton paint both cheeks to the eyes with
damson tart； and render more than a quantity proportionate to the
colouring； invisible。
〃Yes； he is eager； and retentive； too； I daresay；〃 he said； 〃but
much will depend on whether he has a turn for study。〃
〃Well； you will find that out to…morrow。 I think you will be
surprised； sir。〃
〃At what hour would you like me to come？〃
〃Stop； Mr。 Appleditch；〃 interposed his wife。 〃You have said nothing
yet about terms； and that is of some importance； considering the
rent and taxes we pay。〃
〃Well； my love； what do you feel inclined to give？〃
〃How much do you charge a lesson； Mr。 Sutherland？ Only let me
remind you； sir； that he is a very little boy； although stout； and
that you cannot expect to put much Greek and Latin into him for some
time yet。 Besides； we want you to come every day； which ought to be
considered in the rate of charge。〃
〃Of course it ought；〃 said Hugh。
〃How much do you say； then； sir？〃
〃I should be content with half…a…crown a lesson。〃
〃I daresay you would！〃 replied the lady； with indignation。
〃Half…a…crown！ That'ssix half…crowns isfifteen shillings。
Fifteen shillings a week for that mite of a boy！ Mr。 Sutherland；
you ought to be ashamed of yourself； sir。〃
〃You forget； Mrs。 Appleditch； that it is as much trouble to me to
teach one little boyyes； a great deal more than to teach twenty
grown men。〃
〃You ought to be ashamed of yourself； sir。 You a Christian man； and
talk of trouble in teaching such a little cherub as that？〃
〃But do pray remember the distance I have to come； and that it will
take nearly four hours of my time every day。〃
〃Then you can get lodgings nearer。〃
〃But I could not get any so cheap。〃
〃Then you can the better afford to do it。〃
And she threw herself back in her chair； as if she had struck the
decisive blow。 Mr。 Appleditch remarked； gently：
〃It is good for your health to walk the distance； sir。〃
Mrs。 Appleditch resumed：
〃I won't give a farthing more than one shilling a lesson。 There；
now！〃
〃Very well；〃 said Hugh； rising； 〃then I must wish you good day。 We
need not waste more time in talking about it。〃
〃Surely you are not going to make any use of your time on a Sunday？〃
said the grocer； mildly。 〃Don't be in a hurry； Mr。 Sutherland。 We
tradespeople like to make the best bargain we can。〃
〃Mr。 Appleditch； I am ashamed of you。 You always will be vulgar。
You always smell of the shop。〃
〃Well； my dear； how can I help it？ The sugar and soft…soap will
smell； you know。〃
〃Mr。 Appleditch； you disgust me！〃
〃Dear！ dear！ I am sorry for that。Suppose we say to Mr。
Sutherland〃
〃Now； you leave that to me。 I'll tell you what； Mr。
SutherlandI'll give you eighteenpence a lesson； and your dinner on
the Sabbath； that is； if you sit under Mr。 Lixom in our pew； and
walk home with us。〃
〃That I must decline〃 said Hugh。 〃I must have my Sundays for
myself。〃
Mrs。 Appleditch was disappointed。 She had coveted the additional
importance which the visible possession of a live tutor would secure
her at 〃Salem。〃
〃Ah！ Mr。 Sutherland；〃 she said。 〃And I must trust my child； with an
immortal soul in his inside； to one who wants the Lord's only day
for himself！for himself； Mr。 Sutherland！〃
Hugh made no answer； because he had none to make。 Again Mrs。
Appleditch resumed：
〃Shall it be a bargain； Mr。 Sutherland？ Eighteen…pence a
lessonthat's nine shillings a weekand begin to morrow？〃
Hugh's heart sunk within him； not so much with disappointment as
with disgust。
But to a man who is making nothing； the prospect of earning ever so
little； is irresistibly attractive。 Even on a shilling a day； he
could keep hunger at arm's length。 And a beginning is half the
battle。 He resolved。
〃Let it be a bargain； then； Mrs。 Appleditch。〃
The lady immediately brightened up； and at once put on her
company…manners again； behaving to him with great politeness； and a
sneer that would not be hid away under it。 From this Hugh suspected
that she had made a better bargain than she had hoped； but the
discovery was now too late； even if he could have brought himself to
take advantage of it。 He hated bargain…making as heartily as the
grocer's wife loved it。
He very soon rose to take his leave。
〃Oh！〃 said Mrs。 Appleditch to her husband； 〃but Mr。 Sutherland has
not seen the drawing…room！〃
Hugh wondered what there could be remarkable about the drawing…room；
but he soon found that it was the pride of Mrs。 Appleditch's heart。
She abstained from all use of it except upon great occasionswhen
parties of her friends came to drink tea with her。 She made a
point； however； of showing it to everybody who entered the house for
the first time。 So Hugh was led up…stairs； to undergo the operation
of being shown the drawing…room； and being expected to be astonished
at it。
I asked him what it was like。 He answered： 〃It was just what it
ought to berich and ugly。 Mr。 Appleditch； in his deacon's
uniform； hung over the fire； and Mrs。 Appleditch； in her
wedding…dress； over the piano； for there was a piano； and she could
play psalm…tunes on it with one finger。 The round table in the
middle of the room had books in gilded red and blue covers
symmetrically arranged all round it。 This is all I can recollect。〃
Having feasted his eyes on the magnificence thus discovered to him；
he walked home； more depressed at the prospect of his new employment
than he could have believed possible。
On his way he turned aside into the Regent's Park； where the sight
of the people enjoying themselvesfor it was a fine day for the
seasonpartially dispelled the sense of living corruption and
premature burial which he had experienced all day long。 He kept as
far off from the rank of open…air preachers as possible； and really
was able to thank God that all the world did not keep Scotch
Sabbatha day neither Mosaic； nor Jewish； nor Christian： not
Mosaic； inasmuch as it kills the very essence of the fourth
commandment； which is Rest； transmuting it into what the chemists
would call a mechanical mixture of service and inertia； not Jewish；
inasmuch as it is ten times more severe； and formal； and full of
negations； than that of the Sabbatarian Jews reproved by the Saviour
for their idolatry of the day； and unchristian； inasmuch as it
insists； beyond appeal； on the observance of times and seasons；
abolished； as far as law is con