"
Much cannot be said for the five voices that sang, nor for the two
fiddles that accompanied them. Eugene had scarcely outgrown his
terror at the strains, and still required Aurelia to hold his hand,
under pretext of helping him to follow the words, not an easy thing,
since the last lines were always repeated three or four times.
Somehow the repetition brought them the more home to Betty's heart,
and they rang consolingly in her ears, all through the sermon, of
which she took in so little that she never found out that it was an
elaborate exposition of the Newtonian philosophy, including Mr.
Arden's views of the miracle at the battle Beth-horon, in the Lesson
for the day.
The red face and Belamour livery looked doubly ominous when she came
out of church, but she had to give her arm to her father till they
were overtaken by Mr. Arden, who always shared the Sunday roast beef
and plum pudding. Betty feared it was the best meal he had in the
week, for he lived in lodgings, and his landlady was not too careful
of his comforts, while he was wrapped up in his books and experiments.
There was a hole singed in the corner of his black gown, which Eugene
pointed out with great awe to Aurelia as they walked behind him.
"See there, Aura. Don't you think he has been raising spirits, like
Friar Bacon?"
"What do you know about Friar Bacon?" asked Harriet.
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