“And in the first lessons in church do we not read and hear of things which we should not allude to in private life?” she asked.
The formidable upper lip grew immense.
“That is sacred history,” he said. “Also we do not discuss them. One of the great objects of the Literific is discussion.”
Mrs. Owen sank back again in her chair.
“Discussion?” she said. “I never thought of that. Oh, impossible!”
The thought of the Bishop retreated toward the horizon again.
“Then you agree with us?” said Agnes.
“On the question of the expediency of having the paper read and discussed here in Mannington,” she said, “I do agree. I should not know which way to look, far less what to say.”
“A discussion without Mrs. Owen!” said Canon Alington, as if flinging a challenge to the universe to imagine such a thing possible. “‘Hamlet’ without the Prince of Denmark?”
Mrs. Owen cast her eyes down at this very handsome estimate of her value as a debater, as she did when the chorus of thanks rose at the end of one of her songs.