Herbert
had declared that nothing would have induced him to accept what he
persuaded his father to let him offer to James Bindon, whom he had
found to have an old mother in great need of the comfortable home,
which, without interest, or any talent save for hard work, he could
scarcely hope to secure to her.
"And you, Herbert," said Julius, "can I ask you to come back to me,
now that we shall have a fair amount to do between us?"
Herbert smiled and shook his head, as he took out an advertisement
for a curate in one of the blackest parishes of the Black Country.
"I've written to answer that," he said.
Julius did not try to hinder him. What had been exaggerated had
parsed away, and he was now a brave man going forth in his strength
and youth to the service he had learnt to understand; able still
keenly to enjoy, but only using pleasure as an incidental episode
for the delight of others, and as subordinate to the true work of
his life.
He asked for his fellow-worker, Mrs. Duncombe. There were tidings,
but disappointing ones. She had written a long letter to Julius,
full of her reasons for being received into the Roman Communion,
where she rapturously declared she had for the first time found
peace.
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