Doctor Mosely turned purple at the implication and the insolence. He scolded Jim loftily, but Jim did not cower. He was upheld by his own religion, which was Charity Coe's right to vindication and happiness.
At length he realized that he was harming Charity and not Doctor Mosely. Suddenly he was apologizing humbly:
“I'm very much ashamed of myself. You're an older man and venerable, and I—I oughtn't to have forgotten that.”
“You ought not.”
“I'll do any penance you say, if you'll only marry Charity and me.”
“Don't speak of that again.”
He thought of his old friend and attorney, money. He put that forward.
“I'll pay anything.”
“Mr. Dyckman!”
“I'll give the church a solid gold reredos or contribute any sum to any alms—”