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ood and sonship。〃
Lady Sunderbund nodded eagerly。 〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃oh； yes；〃 and held up an expectant face for more。
〃Our utmost words； our most elaborately phrased creeds； can at the best be no better than the shadow of something unseen thrown upon the screen of experience。〃
He raised his rather weary eyes to Hoppart as if he would know what else needed explanation。 He was gratified by Lady Sunderbund's approval； but he affected not to see or hear it。 But it was Bent who spoke。
He spoke in the most casual way。 He made the thing seem the most incidental of observations。
〃What puzzles me；〃 he said； 〃is why the early Christians identified the Spermaticos Logos of the Stoics with the second and not with the third person of the Trinity。〃
To which the bishop； rising artlessly to the bait； replied； 〃Ah！ that indeed is the unfortunate aspect of the whole affair。〃
And then the Irish Catholic came down on him。。。。
（3）
How the bishop awakened in the night after this dispute has been told already in the opening section of this story。 To that night of discomfort we now return after this comprehensive digression。 He awoke from nightmares of eyes and triangles to bottomless remorse and perplexity。 For the first time he fully measured the vast distances he had travelled from the beliefs and attitudes of his early training； since his coming to Princhester。 Travelledor rather slipped and fallen down the long slopes of doubt。
That clear inky dimness that comes before dawn found his white face at the window looking out upon the great terrace and the park。
（4）
After a bout of mental distress and sleeplessness the bishop would sometimes wake in the morning not so much exhausted as in a state of thin mental and bodily activity。 This was more particularly so if the night had produced anything in the nature of a purpose。 So it was on this occasion。 The day was clear before him； at least it could be cleared by sending three telegrams； his man could go back to Princhester and so leave him perfectly free to go to Brighton…Pomfrey in London and secure that friendly dispensation to smoke again which seemed the only alternative to a serious mental breakdown。 He would take his bag； stay the night in London； smoke； sleep well； and return the next morning。 Dunk； his valet…butler； found him already bathed and ready for a cup of tea and a Bradshaw at half…past seven。 He went on dressing although the good train for London did not start until 10。45。
Mrs。 Garstein Fellows was by nature and principle a late riser； the breakfast…room showed small promise yet of the repast； though the table was set and bright with silver and fresh flowers； and a wood fire popped and spurted to greet and encourage the March sunshine。 But standing in the doorway that led to the promise and daffodils and crocuses of Mrs。 Garstein Fellows' garden stood Lady Sunderbund； almost with an effect of waiting； and she greeted the bishop very cheerfully； doubted the immediate appearance of any one else； and led him in the most natural manner into the new but already very pleasant shrubbery。
In some indefinable special way the bishop had been aware of Lady Sunderbund's presence since first he had met her； but it was only now that he could observe her with any particularity。 She was tall like his own Lady Ella but not calm and quiet； she was electric； her eyes； her smiles； her complexion had as it were an established brightness that exceeded the common lustre of things。 This morning she was dressed in grey that was nevertheless not grey but had an effect of colour； and there was a thread of black along the lines of her body and a gleam of gold。 She carried her head back with less dignity than pride； there was a little frozen movement in her dark hair as if it flamed up out of her head。 There were silver ornaments in her hair。 She spoke with a pretty little weakness of the r's that had probably been acquired abroad。 And she lost no time in telling him； she was eager to tell him； that she had been waylaying him。 〃I did so want to talk to you some maw；〃 she said。 〃I was shy last night and they we' all so noisy and eaga'。 I p'ayed that you might come down early。
〃It's an oppo'tunity I've longed for；〃 she said。
She did her very pretty best to convey what it was had been troubling her。 'iligion bad been worrying her for years。 Life was ohjust ornaments and games and so wea'isome； so wea'isome； unless it was 'iligious。 And she couldn't get it 'iligious。
The bishop nodded his head gravely。
〃You unde'stand？〃 she pressed。
〃I understand too wellthe attempt to get holdand keep hold。〃
〃I knew you would！〃 she cried。
She went on with an impulsive rapidity。 O'thodoxy had always 'ipelled her；always。 She had felt herself confronted by the most insurmountable difficulties； and yet whenever she had gone away from Christianityshe had gone away from Christianity； to the Theosophists and the Christian Scientistsshe had felt she was only 〃st'aying fu'tha。〃 And then suddenly when he was speaking last night； she had felt he knew。 It was so wonderful to hear the 〃k'eed was only a symbol。〃
〃Symbol is the proper name for it；〃 said the bishop。 〃It wasn't for centuries it was called the Creed。〃
Yes； and so what it really meant was something quite different from what it did mean。
The bishop felt that this sentence also was only a symbol； and nodded encouraginglybut gravely； warily。
And there she was； and the point was there were thousands and thousands and thousands of educated people like her who were dying to get through these old…fashioned symbols to the true faith that lay behind them。 That they knew lay behind them。 She didn't know if he had read 〃The Light under the Altar〃？
〃He's vicar of Wombashin my diocese；〃 said the bishop with restraint。
〃It's wonde'ful stuff；〃 said Lady Sunderbund。 〃It's spi'tually cold； but it's intellectually wonde'ful。 But we want that with spi'tuality。 We want it so badly。 If some one〃
She became daring。 She bit her under lip and flashed her spirit at him。
〃If you〃 she said and paused。
〃Could think aloud；〃 said the bishop。
〃Yes；〃 she said； nodding rapidly； and became breathless to hear。
It would certainly be an astonishing end to the Chasters difficulty if the bishop went over to the heretic； the bishop reflected。
〃My dear lady； I won't disguise；〃 he began； 〃in fact I don't see how I could； that for some years I have been growing more and more discontented with some of our most fundamental formulae。 But it's been very largely a shapeless discontenthitherto。 I don't think I've said a word to a single soul。 No； not a word。 You are the first person to whom I've ever made the admission that even my feelings are at times unorthodox。〃
She lit up marvellously at his words。 〃Go on；〃 she whispered。
But she did not need to tell him to go on。 Now that he had once broached the casket of his reserves he was only too glad of a listener。 He talked as if they were intimate and loving friends； and so it seemed to both of them they were。 It was a wonderful release from a long and painful solitude。
To certain types it is never quite clear what has happened to them until they tell it。 So that now the bishop； pu