"
"I hope not, I hope not. George, how is Priscilla, and how is her
child? Are they both quite well?" and with a pontifical benediction
the minister moved away. When he got home he consulted the oracle;
not on his knees, but sitting in his arm-chair; that is to say, Mrs.
Broad at the Monday afternoon tea, and she relieved his anxiety.
There was no fear of any secession on the part of the Allens,
connected as they were with them through Priscilla. On the other
hand, Brother Bushel, although he gave out the hymns, had already had
a quarrel with the singing pew because they would not more frequently
perform a tune with a solo for the double bass, which he always
accompanied with his own bass voice, and Mr. Broad had found it
difficult to restore peace; the flute and clarionet justly urging
that they never had solos, and why the double bass, who only played
from ear, and not half as many notes as they played, should be
allowed to show off they didn't know. Mr. Bushel, too, contributed
ten pounds a year to the cause, and Piddingfold Green Chapel was but
a mile farther off from him than Cowfold. There were allies of the
Allens in Tanner's Lane, no doubt; but none of them would be likely
to desert so long as the Allens themselves remained.
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