Santley seemed to reflect.
“As a clergyman of the Church, I should advise her the other way, I think. Surely the fulfilment of religious duties points to a more elevated mode of existence than mere marrying and giving in marriage. I am sorry for you, since I believe that any man possessed of that lady’s esteem might deem himself fortunate; still, I could not advise her to act against her conscience and the promptings of religion.”
“And me, what do you advise me to do?”
The clergyman shrugged his shoulders. “It seems to me that there is only one thing that you can do. If the lady finds your attentions disagreeable, surely the most honourable course for you to adopt would be to leave her—in peace.” Walter rose, and the clergyman breathed more freely, believing that the interview had come to a satisfactory end. Neither of them spoke for a minute or so, till the clergyman looked up, and said quietly—
“You have something more to say, Mr. Hetherington?”
“Yes,” 9 answered Walter; “I have something more to say.” Then, going a few steps nearer to the clergyman, he added, “You are a hypocrite, Mr. Santley!”
The clergyman’s face grew pale. He rose hastily from his seat; but before he could speak Walter continued, vehemently—
“Do you think I don’t know you? Do you think I haven’t discovered that it is you, and not the Church, who has taken my cousin from me? You talk to me of religion, of religious duties, and yet you know that you are playing the hypocrite to her, as you have done to me, and that you are breaking her heart.”
He paused, flushed, excited, and angry. The clergyman stood calm and very pale.
“You do well to seek this interview in my house, sir,” he said. “Now you have insulted me with impunity, perhaps you will take your leave.”