“You’d better come and get your string then,” said Mr. Best.  “And long may your fine faith flourish.  You’re a great lesson to us people cursed with too much common-sense, I’m sure.”

“Where our religion is concerned, we should be too proud to submit it to common-sense,” declared Ernest.  “Common-sense is all very well in everyday affairs; in fact, this world would not prosper without it; but I strongly deprecate common-sense as applied to the next world, John.  The next world, from what one glimpses of it in prophecy and revelation, is outside the category of common-sense altogether.”

“I stand corrected,” said Mr. Best.  “But it’s a startler—­to leave common-sense out of what matters most to thinking men.”

“We shall be altered in the twinkling of an eye,” explained Ernest, “and so, doubtless, will be our humble, earthly intelligence, our reliance on reason and other mundane virtues.  From the heavenly standpoint, earth will seem a very sordid business altogether, I suspect, and even our good qualities appear very peddling.  In fact, we may find, John, that we were in the habit of putting up statues to the wrong persons, and discover the most unexpected people at the right hand of the Throne.”

“I dare say we shall,” admitted Mr. Best; “for if common-sense is going by the board and the virtues all to be scrapped also, then we that think we stand had better take heed lest we fall—­you and me included, Mister Churchouse.  However, I’m glad to say I’m not with you there.  The Book tells us very clear what’s good and what’s evil; and whatever else Heaven will do, it won’t go back on the Book.  I suppose you’ll grant that much?”

“Most certainly,” said the elder.  “Most certainly and surely, John.  That, at least, we can rely upon.  Our stronghold lies in the fact that we know good from evil, and though we don’t know what ‘infinite’ goodness is, we do know that it is still goodness.  Therefore, though God is infinitely good, He is still good; the difference between His goodness and ours is one of degree, not kind.  So metaphysics and quibbling leave us quite safe, which is all that really matters.”

“I hope you’re right,” answered Best.  “Life puts sharp questions to religion, and I can’t pretend my religion’s always clever enough to answer them.”

Ernest took his twine and departed; but the subject of Raymond and Sabina was not destined to slumber, for now he met Raymond on his way to North Hill House.

He asked him to come into tea and, to his surprise, the young man refused.

“That means Sabina isn’t at home then,” said Mr. Churchouse blandly.

“I don’t know where she is.”

At this challenge Ernest spoke and struck into the matter very directly.  He blamed Raymond and feared that his course of action was not that of a gentleman.

“You would be the very first to protest and criticise unfavourably, my dear boy, if you saw anybody else treating a girl in this fashion,” he concluded.