Kenelm was not long in drawing out his host on the subject to which that profound thinker had devoted so much meditation.
“I can scarcely convey to you,” said Kenelm, “the intense admiration with which I have studied your noble work, ‘Approach to the Angels.’ It produced a great effect on me in the age between boyhood and youth. But of late some doubts on the universal application of your doctrine have crept into my mind.”
“Ay, indeed?” said Mr. Roach, with an expression of interest in his face.
“And I come to you for their solution.”
Mr. Roach turned away his head, and pushed the bottle to Kenelm.
“I am quite willing to concede,” resumed the heir of the Chillinglys, “that a priesthood should stand apart from the distracting cares of a family, and pure from all carnal affections.”
“Hem, hem,” grunted Mr. Roach, taking his knee on his lap and caressing it.
“I go further,” continued Kenelm, “and supposing with you that the Confessional has all the importance, whether in its monitory or its cheering effects upon repentant sinners, which is attached to it by the Roman Catholics, and that it ought to be no less cultivated by the Reformed Church, it seems to me essential that the Confessor should have no better half to whom it can be even suspected he may, in an unguarded moment, hint at the frailties of one of her female acquaintances.”
“I pushed that argument too far,” murmured Roach.
“Not a bit of it. Celibacy in the Confessor stands or falls with the Confessional. Your argument there is as sound as a bell. But when it comes to the layman, I think I detect a difference.”