Whereupon Annabel proceeded to obey me more or less implicitly, interspersing Arthur's quoted remarks with innumerable commentaries of her own.
"It will be a splendid thing for him," she said in conclusion, "as he is really a most able and gifted man, and such a capital organiser, and there is no proper scope for him in a small village like this. I've liked to have him here, but I have always felt he was a bit buried."
"Do you remember Mrs. Figshaw?" said I, "who kept saying that her daughter wanted a scoop? I agree with you that Blathwayte is like Mrs. Figshaw's daughter: he wants a scoop badly."
"Scope, Reggie; not scoop," corrected Annabel. I should have been disappointed in her if she had not done so. At least I should have been disappointed a year ago: but even Annabel had ceased to amuse me now.
"We shall miss Blathwayte," I remarked: "at least you will."
"But why me particularly? Surely the Rector is more your friend than mine."
"I know that. But I have lost the power of missing any person save one. In my case all lesser griefs have been swallowed up in the one great one."
"Poor Reggie! But it's a pity to feel like that, and all the same I feel sure you'll miss Mr. Blathwayte more than you think you will when the time comes. And I shall miss him too, as he has always been so good in being guided by me, and has followed my advice in everything connected with the parish."
I doubted this, though I should have considered it most unfair to Arthur to say so: but there was a quiet obstinacy about him which might raise him at times even to the height of standing up against Annabel. Fortunately, however, she had never found it out and I should have been the last to enlighten her.
"Of course," she continued, "cathedrals and daily services and things like that are apt to lure men into ritualism: I only hope Mr. Blathwayte will have the strength of mind to resist them: and you must be very careful, Reggie, in selecting a new rector not to get any one with leanings that way. I could never allow anything ritualistic in our Church."