chariot and horses； which we most of us reject。 Our best teachers
insist on the ideal； and keep the marvels in the background。 If
they could say outright that our age has outgrown them； they would
say so； but this they may not do； nevertheless they contrive to let
their opinions be sufficiently well known； and their hearers are
content with this。
〃We have others who take a very different course； but of these I
will not speak。 Roughly； then； if you cannot abolish me
altogether； make me a peg on which to hang all your own best
ethical and spiritual conceptions。 If you will do this； and
wriggle out of that wretched relic； with that not less wretched
pictureif you will make me out to be much better and abler than I
was； or ever shall be； Sunchildism may serve your turn for many a
long year to come。 Otherwise it will tumble about your heads
before you think it will。
〃Am I to go on or stop？〃
〃Go on；〃 said George softly。 That was enough for my father； so on
he went。
〃You are already doing part of what I wish。 I was delighted with
the two passages I heard on Sunday； from what you call the
Sunchild's Sayings。 I never said a word of either passage； I wish
I had； I wish I could say anything half so good。 And I have read a
pamphlet by President Gurgoyle； which I liked extremely； but I
never said what he says I did。 Again； I wish I had。 Keep to this
sort of thing； and I will be as good a Sunchildist as any of you。
But you must bribe some thief to steal that relic； and break it up
to mend the roads with； andfor I believe that here as elsewhere
fires sometimes get lighted through the carelessness of a workman
set the most careless workman you can find to do a plumbing job
near that picture。〃
Hanky looked black at this； and George trod lightly on my father's
toe； but he told me that my father's face was innocence itself。
〃These are hard sayings；〃 said Dr。 Downie。
〃I know they are；〃 replied my father； 〃and I do not like saying
them； but there is no royal road to unlearning； and you have much
to unlearn。 Still； you Musical Bank people bear witness to the
fact that beyond the kingdoms of this world there is another；
within which the writs of this world's kingdoms do not run。 This
is the great service which our church does for us in England； and
hence many of us uphold it； though we have no sympathy with the
party now dominant within it。 'Better；' we think； 'a corrupt
church than none at all。' Moreover； those who in my country would
step into the church's shoes are as corrupt as the church； and more
exacting。 They are also more dangerous； for the masses distrust
the church； and are on their guard against aggression； whereas they
do not suspect the doctrinaires and faddists； who； if they could；
would interfere in every concern of our lives。
〃Let me return to yourselves。 You Musical Bank Managers are very
much such a body of men as your country needsbut when I was here
before you had no figurehead； I have unwittingly supplied you with
one； and it is perhaps because you saw this； that you good people
of Bridgeford took up with me。 Sunchildism is still young and
plastic； if you will let the cock…and…bull stories about me tacitly
drop； and invent no new ones； beyond saying what a delightful
person I was； I really cannot see why I should not do for you as
well as any one else。
〃There。 What I have said is nine…tenths of it rotten and wrong；
but it is the most practicable rotten and wrong that I can suggest；
seeing into what a rotten and wrong state of things you have
drifted。 And now； Mr。 Mayor； do you not think we may join the
Mayoress and Mrs。 Humdrum？〃
〃As you please； Mr。 Higgs；〃 answered the Mayor。
〃Then let us go； for I have said too much already； and your son
George tells me that we must be starting shortly。〃
As they were leaving the room Panky sidled up to my father and
said； 〃There is a point； Mr。 Higgs； which you can settle for me；
though I feel pretty certain how you will settle it。 I think that
a corruption has crept into the text of the very beautiful〃
At this moment； as my father； who saw what was coming； was
wondering what in the world he could say； George came up to him and
said； 〃Mr。 Higgs； my mother wishes me to take you down into the
store…room； to make sure that she has put everything for you as you
would like it。〃 On this my father said he would return directly
and answer what he knew would be Panky's question。
When Yram had shewn what she had preparedall of it； of course；
faultlessshe said； 〃And now； Mr。 Higgs； about our leave…taking。
Of course we shall both of us feel much。 I shall； I know you will；
George will have a few more hours with you than the rest of us； but
his time to say good…bye will come； and it will be painful to both
of you。 I am glad you cameI am glad you have seen George； and
George you； and that you took to one another。 I am glad my husband
has seen you； he has spoken to me about you very warmly； for he has
taken to you much as George did。 I am very； very glad to have seen
you myself； and to have learned what became of youand of your
wife。 I know you wish well to all of us； be sure that we all of us
wish most heartily well to you and yours。 I sent for you and
George； because I could not say all this unless we were alone； it
is all I can do；〃 she said； with a smile； 〃to say it now。〃
Indeed it was； for the tears were in her eyes all the time； as they
were also in my father's。
〃Let this；〃 continued Yram； 〃be our leave…takingfor we must have
nothing like a scene upstairs。 Just shake hands with us all； say
the usual conventional things； and make it as short as you can； but
I could not bear to send you away without a few warmer words than I
could have said when others were in the room。〃
〃May heaven bless you and yours；〃 said my father； 〃for ever and
ever。〃
〃That will do；〃 said George gently。 〃Now； both of you shake hands；
and come upstairs with me。〃
* * *
When all three of them had got calm； for George had been moved
almost as much as his father and mother； they went upstairs； and
Panky came for his answer。 〃You are very possibly right；〃 said my
father〃the version you hold to be corrupt is the one in common
use amongst ourselves； but it is only a translation； and very
possibly only a translation of a translation； so that it may
perhaps have been corrupted before it reached us。〃
〃That；〃 said Panky； 〃will explain everything；〃 and he went
contentedly away。
My father talked a little aside with Mrs。 Humdrum about her grand…
daughter and George； for Yram had told him that she knew all about
the attachment； and then George； who saw that my father found the
greatest difficulty in maintaining an outward calm； said； 〃Mr。
Higgs； the streets are empty； we had better go。〃
My father did as Yram had told him； shook hands with every one；
said all that was usual and proper as briefly as he could； and
followed George out of the room。 The Mayor saw them to the door；
and saved my father from embarrassment by saying； 〃Mr。 Higgs； you
and I understand one another too well to make it necessary for us
to say so。 Good…bye to you； and may no ill befall you ere you get
home。〃
My father grasped his hand in both his own。 〃Again；〃 he said； 〃I
can say no more than that I thank you from the bottom of my heart。〃
As he spoke he bowed his head； and went out with George into the
night。
CHAPTER XXV： GEORGE ESCORTS MY FATHER TO THE STATUES； THE TWO THEN
PART
The streets were quite deserted as George had said they would be；
and very dark； save for an occasional oil lamp。
〃As soon as we can get within the preserves；〃 said George； 〃we had
better wait till morning。 I have a rug for myself as well as for
you。〃
〃I saw you had two；〃 answered my father； 〃you must let me carry
them both； the provisions are much the heavier load。
George fought as hard as a dog would do； till my father said that
they must not quarrel during the very short time they had to be
together。 On this George gave up one rug meekly enough； and my
father yielded about the basket； and the other rug。
It was about half…past eleven when they started； and it was after
one before they reached the preserves。 For the first mile from the
town they were not much hindered by the darkness； and my father
told George about his book and many another matter； he also
promised George to say nothing about this second visit。 Then the
road became more rough； and when it dwindled away to be a mere
lanebecoming presently only a foot trackthey had to mind their
footsteps； and got on but slowly。 The night was starlit； and warm；
considering that they were more than three thousand feet above the
sea； but it was very dark； so that my father was well enough
pleased when George showed him the white stones that marked the
boundary； and said they had better soon make themselves as
comfortable as they could till morning。
〃We can stay here；〃 he said； 〃till half…past three； there will be a
little daylight then； we will rest half an hour for breakfast at
about five； and by noon we shall be at the statues； where we will
dine。〃
This being settled； George rolled himself up in his rug； and in a
few minutes went comfortably off to sleep。 Not so my poor father。
He wound up his watch； wrapped his rug round him； and lay down； but
he could get no sleep。 After such a day； and such an evening； how
could any one have slept？
About three the first signs of dawn began to show； and half an hour
later my father could see the sleeping face of his sonwhom it
went to his heart to wake。 Nevertheless he woke him； and in a few
minutes the two were on their wayGeorge as fresh as a larkmy
poor father intent on nothing so much as on hiding from George how
ill and unsound in body and mind he was feeling。
They walked on； saying but little； till at five by my father's
watch George proposed a halt for breakfast。 The spot he chose was
a grassy oasis among the trees； carpeted with subalpine flowers；
now in their fullest beauty； and close to a small stream that here
came down from a side valley。 The freshness of the morning air；
the extreme beauty of the place； the lovely birds that flitted