“Yes, it is,” said Anne. “Cards are the bane of thousands.”
“Oh yes, gambling and all that; but to play in the evening to amuse an invalid can have no harm in it.”
“An invalid and aged woman ought to have her mind set upon better things,” said Anne. “I shall not withdraw my testimony, and I hope you will not.”
“I don’t know,” said Cecil. “You see I am expected to attend to Mrs. Poynsett; and I have seen whist at Dunstone when any dull old person came there. What a troublesome crooked hand Julius writes—just like Greek! What’s all this? So many services—four on Sunday, two every day, three on Wednesdays and Fridays! We never had anything like this at Dunstone.”
“It is very superstitious,” said Anne.
“Very superfluous, I should say,” amended Cecil. “I am sure my father would consent to nothing of the kind. I shall speak to Raymond about it.”
“Yes,” said Anne; “it does seem terrible that a minister should try to make up for worldly amusements by a quantity of vain ceremonies.”
“I wish you would not call him a minister, it sounds like a dissenter.”
“I think ministers their best name, except pastors.”
“Both are horrid alike,” said Cecil. “I shall teach all the people to call Julius the Rector. That’s better than Mr. Charnock—what Raymond ought to be.”