WhenJameswenthomehefoundthattheVicarofLittlePrimptonandhiswifehadalreadyarrived.Theywerebothofthemlittle,dried-uppersons,withanearnestmannerandnosenseofhumour,quiteexcellentinaratherunpleasantwaytheyresembledoneanotherlikepeas,butnoneknewwhetherthelikenesshadgrownfromthepropinquityoftwentyyears,orhadbeentheoriginalattraction.Deeplyimpressedwiththeirsacredcalling—forMrs.JacksonwouldneverhaveacknowledgedthattheVicar'swifeheldapositioninferiortotheVicar's—theyarguedthatthewholeworldwasGod's,andtheyGod'sparticularministrantssothatitwastheirplaindutytoconcernthemselveswiththebusinessoftheirfellows—anditmustbeconfessedthattheynevershrankfromthisduty.Theywereneitherwell-educated,norexperienced,nortactfulbutblissfullyignorantofthesedefects,theyshepherdedtheirflockwithlittlemoralbarks,andgavethem,ratherself-consciously,agoodexampleinthedifficultwaytoeternallife.Theywereeminentlyworthypeople,whothoughtlight-heartednesssomewhatindecent.Theydidendlessgoodinthemostdisagreeablemannerpossibleandintheirfervournotonlyboreunnecessarycrossesthemselves,butsaddledthemontoeveryoneelse,astheonlycertainpassporttotheGoldenCity.
TheReverendArchibaldJacksonhadbeenappointedtothelivingofLittlePrimptonwhileJameswasinIndia,andconsequentlyhadneverseenhim.
"Iwastellingyourfather,"saidMrs.Jackson,onshakinghands,"thatIhopedyouwereproperlygratefulforallthemerciesthathavebeenbestoweduponyou."
Jamesstaredatheralittle."Wereyou?"
Hehatedthefashionthesepeoplehadofdiscussingmatterswhichhehimselfthoughtmostprivate.
"Mr.Jacksonwasaskingifyou'dlikeashortprayerofferedupnextSunday,James,"saidhismother.
"Ishouldn'tatall."
"Whynot?"askedtheVicar,"Ithinkit'syourdutytothankyourMakerforyoursafereturn,andIthinkyourparentsshouldjoininthethanksgiving."
"We'reprobablynoneofuslessgrateful,"saidJames,"becausewedon'twanttoexpressourfeelingsbeforetheunitedcongregatio