That Mr.Caldigate should be what he called a pagan had been represented by Mr.Bromley to his friends as a great misfortune, and especially a misfortune to the squire himself.

But he would have ignored that in regard to social life,--so Mr.Bromley said when discussing the matter,--if the pagan would have desisted from arguing the subject.

But when Mr.Caldigate insisted on the parson owning the unreasonableness of his own belief, and called upon him to confess himself to be either a fool or a hypocrite, then the parson found himself constrained to drop all further intercourse.

'It is the way with all priests,' said the old squire triumphantly to the first man he could get to hear him.

'The moment you disagree with them they become your enemies at once, and would straightway kill you if they had the power.' He probably did not know how very disagreeable he had made himself to the poor clergyman.
But now matters were on a much better footing, and all the parish rejoiced.