'How are we to know what that is?'
'I suppose—the Church tells us.'
'Where?'
'I do not know—in books, I suppose.'
'What books? But we are going a little wild. May I bring you an instance or two? I am talking in earnest, and mean it earnestly.'
'Do you ever do anything in any other way?' asked the young lady, with a charming air of fine raillery and recognition blended. 'Certainly; I am in earnest too.'
Pitt went away and returned with a book in his hand.
'What have you there? the Prayer-book?' his mother asked, with a doubtful expression.
'No, mamma; I like to go to the Fountain-head of authority as well as of learning.'
'The Fountain-head!' exclaimed Mrs. Dallas, in indignant protest; and then she remembered her wisdom, and said no more. It cost her an effort; however, she knew that for her to set up a defence of either Church or Prayer-book just then would not be wise, and that she had better leave the matter in Betty's hands. She looked at Betty anxiously. The young lady's face showed her cool and collected, not likely to be carried away by any stream of enthusiasm or overborne by influence. It was, in fact, more cool than she felt. She liked to get into a good talk with Pitt upon any subject, and so far was content; at the same time she would rather have chosen any other than this, and was a little afraid whereto it might lead. Religion had not been precisely her principal study. True, it had not been his principal study either; but Betty discerned a difference in their modes of approaching it. She attributed that to the Puritan or dissenting influences which had at some time got hold of him. To thwart those would at any rate be a good work, and she prepared herself accordingly.