“By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes.”

That’s not mine, my dear Miss Bretherton; it’s Shakespeare’s first, Charles Lamb’s afterwards.  But look at him well—­he’s a heretic, a real, genuine heretic.  Twenty years ago it would have been a thrilling sight; but now, alas! it’s so common that it’s not the victim but the persecutors who are the curiosity.’

‘I don’t know that,’ said young Sartoris.  ’We liberals are by no means the cocks of the walk that we were a few years ago.  You see, now we have got nothing to pull against, as it were.  So long as we had two or three good grievances, we could keep the party together and attract all the young men.  We were Israel going up against the Philistines, who had us in their grip.  But now, things are changed; we’ve got our own way all round, and it’s the Church party who have the grievances and the cry.  It is we who are the Philistines and the oppressors in our turn, and, of course, the young men as they grow up are going into opposition.’

‘And a very good thing, too!’ said Forbes.  ’It’s the only thing that prevents Oxford becoming as dull as the rest of the world.  All your picturesqueness, so to speak, has been struck out of the struggle between the two forces.  The Church force is the one that has given you all your buildings and your beauty, while, as for you liberals, who will know such a lot of things that you’re none the happier for knowing—­well, I suppose you keep the place habitable for the plain man who doesn’t want to be bullied.  But it’s a very good thing the other side are strong enough to keep you in order.’

The conversation flowed on vigorously—­Forbes guiding it, now here, now there, while Kendal presently turned away to talk in an undertone to Mrs. Stuart, who sat next him, at the farther corner of the table from Miss Bretherton.

‘Edward has told you of my escapade,’ said Mrs. Stuart.  ’Yes, I have put my foot in it dreadfully.  I don’t know how it will turn out, I am sure.  She’s so set upon it, and Edward is so worried.  I don’t know how I came to tell her.  You see, I’ve seen so much of her lately, it slipped out when we were talking.’

‘It was very natural,’ said Kendal, glad to notice from Mrs. Stuart’s way of attacking the subject that she knew nothing of his own share in the matter.  It would have embarrassed him to be conscious of another observer.  ’Oh, a hundred things may turn up; there are ways out of these things if one is determined to find them.’

Mrs. Stuart shook her head.  ’She is so curiously bent upon it.  She is possessed with the idea that the play will suit her better than any she has had yet.  Don’t you think her looking very tired?  I have come to know her much better these last few weeks, and it seems absurd; but I get anxious about her.  Of course, she is an enormous success, but I fancy the theatrical part of it has not been quite so great as it was at first.’