bread; or whether it was from the spotless aspect of his hands: certain it is that Mr. Falsgrave acquitted himself on this little occasion, in a manner that beheld of old by Leonardo, might have given that artist no despicable hint touching his celestial painting. As Pierre regarded him, sitting there so mild and meek; such an image of white-browed and white-handed, and napkined immaculateness; and as he felt the gentle humane radiations which came from the clergyman's manly and rounded beautifulness; and as he remembered all the good that he knew of this man, and all the good that he had heard of him, and could recall no blemish in his character; and as in his own concealed misery and forlornness, he contemplated the open benevolence, and beaming excellent-heartedness of Mr. Falsgrave, the thought darted through his mind, that if any living being was capable of giving him worthy counsel in his strait; and if to anyone he could go with Christian propriety and some small hopefulness, that person was the one before him.
'Pray, Mr. Glendinning,' said the clergyman, pleasantly, as Pierre was silently offering to help him to some tongue—'don't let me rob you of it—pardon me, but you seem to have very little yourself this morning, I think. An execrable pun, I know: but'—turning toward Mrs. Glendinning—'when one is made to feel very happy, one is somehow apt to say very silly things. Happiness and silliness—ah, it's a suspicious coincidence.'
'Mr. Falsgrave,' said the hostess—'your cup is empty. Dates!—We were talking yesterday, Mr. Falsgrave, concerning that vile fellow, Ned.'
'Well, madam,' responded the gentleman, a very little uneasily.
'He shall not stay on any ground of mine; my mind is made up, sir. Infamous man!—did he not have a wife as virtuous and beautiful now, as when I first gave her
