To a much longer speech than this had Horatio Markham given his attention, when he and the reverend divine were interrupted by the return of Mr. Martindale in a downright passion. The cause of that passion we shall narrate in the following chapter.


CHAPTER III.

“There was a time,—

And pity ’tis so good a time had wings

To fly away,—when reverence was paid

To a grey head; ’twas held a sacrilege

Not expiable, to deny respect

To one, sir, of your years and gravity.”