COUSIN PHILLIS. 57
remain there for a week or ten days, doing what work he could at that end of the line, while I took his place at Eltham to the best of my ability. I grew a little nervous, as the time drew near, and wondered how the brilliant Holdsworth would agree with the quiet quaint family of the minister; how they would like him, and many of his half-foreign ways. I tried to prepare him, by telling him from time to time little things about the goings-on at Hope Farm.
"Manning," said he, "I see you don't think I am half good enough for your friends. Out with it, man."
"No," I replied, boldly. "I think you are good; but I don't know if you are quite of their kind of goodness."
"And you've found out already that there is greater chance of disagreement between two 'kinds of goodness,' each having its own idea of right, than between a given goodness and a moderate degree of naughtiness — which last often arises from an indifference to right?"
"I don't know. I think you're talking metaphysics, and I am sure that is bad for you."
"'When a man talks to you in a way that you don't understand about a thing which he does not understand, them's metaphysics.' You remember the clown's definition, don't you, Manning?"
"No, I don't," said I. "But what I do understand is, that you must go to bed; and tell me at what time we must start to-morrow, that I may go to Hepworth, and get those letters written we were talking about this morning."
"Wait till to-morrow, and let us see what the day is like," he answered, with such languid indecision as
