But Mark had not anticipated being so late, and said at first that it was necessary that he should go on to the house; then, when the horses had again begun to move, he remembered that he could send for his gown, and as he got out of the carriage he gave his orders accordingly.

And now the other two carriages were there, and so there was a noise and confusion at the door--very unseemly, as Mark felt it; and the gentlemen spoke in loud voices, and Mrs.Harold Smith declared that she had no Prayer-Book, and was much too tired to go in at present; she would go home and rest herself, she said.

And two other ladies of the party did so also, leaving Miss Dunstable to go alone;--for which, however, she did not care one button.

And then one of the party, who had a nasty habit of swearing, cursed at something as he walked in close to Mark's elbow; and so they made their way up the church as the Absolution was being read, and Mark Robarts felt thoroughly ashamed of himself.

If his rising in the world brought him in contact with such things as these, would it not be better for him that he should do without rising?
His sermon went off without any special notice.