.

Ah, no; the handwriting must have been your index.

The Bishop showed it to you, then ?" "I--er--have been permitted to glance it over." "Over his shoulder, if I may make a guess," murmured Brother Copas, putting his watch away and searching for his snuff-box.
"Anyway, you signed it: as Bon--as Brother Bonaday here was too sensible to do: though," added Mr.Colt, "_his_ signature one could at least have respected." Brother Copas tapped his snuff-box, foreseeing comedy.
"And why not mine, sir ?" "Oh, come, come!" blurted the Chaplain.

"I take you to be a man of some education." "Is that indeed the reason ?" "A man of some education, I say." "And I hear you, sir." Brother Copas bowed.

"'Praise from Sir Richard Strahan is praise indeed'-- though my poor friend here seems to get the backhand of the compliment." "And it is incredible you should go with the ignorant herd and believe us Clergy of the Church of England to be heading for Rome, as your Petition asserts." Brother Copas slowly inhaled a pinch.
"In England, Mr.Chaplain, the ignorant herd has, by the admission of other nations, a practical political sense, and a somewhat downright way with it.