At intervals he allowed himself to be interrupted with a hymn, but resumed afterwards the steady flow of supplication.

The eldest Miss Beecher--the Canon had altogether two daughters and three sons--played a harmonium.

The other girl and the three boys, with the assistance of an uncertain bass from Mr.Quinn, gave utterance to the congregation's praise.

Hyacinth tried to join in the first hymn, which happened to be familiar to him, but quavered into silence towards the end of the second verse, discovering that the eyes of Mrs.Beecher from her pew, of the Canon from the reading-desk, of the vocal Miss Beecher and her brothers, were fixed upon him.

The sermon proved to be long and uninteresting.