Canon Alington rose, and in silence lit a pipe of half-awakened bird’s-eye.
“This is very serious,” he said. “I take it for granted you are not overestimating the unseaworthiness of this paper. For such a thing has never happened before, that we should find a member of our Literific proposing to read on a subject of which we should not like our wives and daughters to listen to.”
“Nor would your wife like her husband to listen to it,” said Agnes with sudden energy.
Canon Alington did not reply for a moment, for he was putting the case to the touchstone of conscience. The secretary’s position in the society, he knew, was a confidential one; yet if Agnes, with her scrupulous sense of honour, still wished to tell him, might he not be choosing the greater of two evils if he refused to hear? He knew also that she was as broad-minded as himself--it was not in the least likely that she should feel like this if there was no adequate cause.
“I have made up my mind,” he said. “I think it is my duty, both as your husband and as the guardian of the spiritual--Yet I don’t know. It is very difficult.”
“It comes to this, then,” said his wife, “that I must resign the secretaryship. Because I will not send these notices out. I will not sign them--that would imply my approval.”
“Tell me, then,” he said at length. “I take all responsibility.”
Mrs. Alington looked straight in front of her, and spoke calmly.
“The lately discovered letters of Lord Nelson,” she said. “They are addressed chiefly to Lady Hamilton.”
Though he heard quite clearly, Canon Alington said “What?” sharply. It was the incredulousness of the mind that spoke.
“You did right to tell me,” he said, after a moment; “you had to. Now what are we to do? We must be very careful, very tactful, very broad-minded, but we must be firm. Of course the paper cannot be read.”
“Oh, Laddie, you must manage it!” said Agnes. “That is just all that you can be. You are a priest too--she will recognise your authority.”
Canon Alington leaned his head on his hand thinking heavily. He did not feel quite certain in his own mind that Edith would recognise his authority, but he felt even in the first moments of thought, that there would not be any need that she should. Agnes seemed to imagine that she would insist on reading her paper to the horrified Literific unless he absolutely forbade her.