Part 9 (1/2)
”Well, I beg your pardon,” said Charles; ”I recollect now: it's the exhibition room. However, _once_ it _was_ a chapel: that's my mistake.
Isn't it what is called 'the Old Methodist Chapel?' I never was there; they showed there the _Dio-astro-doxon_, so I think they called it.”
Charles talked on, to cover his own mistake, for he was ashamed of the charge he had made.
Willis did not know whether he was in jest or earnest. ”Reding,” he said, ”don't go on; you offend me.”
”Well, what is it?” said Charles.
”You know well enough,” answered Willis, ”though you wish to annoy me.”
”I don't indeed.”
”It's the Catholic church,” said Willis.
Reding was silent a moment; then he said, ”Well, I don't think you have mended the matter; it _is_ a dissenting meeting, call it what you will, though not the kind of one I meant.”
”What can you mean?” asked Willis.
”Rather, what mean _you_ by going to such places?” retorted Charles; ”why, it is against your oath.”
”My oath! what oath?”
”There's not an oath now; but there was an oath till lately,” said Reding; ”and we still make a very solemn engagement. Don't you recollect your matriculation at the Vice-Chancellor's, and what oaths and declarations you made?”
”I don't know what I made: my tutor told me nothing about it. I signed a book or two.”
”You did more,” said Reding. ”I was told most carefully. You solemnly engaged to keep the statutes; and one statute is, not to go into any dissenting chapel or meeting whatever.”
”Catholics are not Dissenters,” said Willis.
”Oh, don't speak so,” said Charles; ”you know it's meant to include them. The statute wishes us to keep from all places of wors.h.i.+p whatever but our own.”
”But it is an illegal declaration or vow,” said Willis, ”and so not binding.”
”Where did you find that get-off?” said Charles; ”the priest put that into your head.”
”I don't know the priest; I never spoke a word to him,” answered Willis.
”Well, any how, it's not your own answer,” said Reding; ”and does not help you. I am no casuist; but if it is an illegal engagement you should not continue to enjoy the benefit of it.”
”What benefit?”
”Your cap and gown; a university education; the chance of a scholars.h.i.+p or fellows.h.i.+p. Give up these, and then plead, if you will, and lawfully, that you are quit of your engagement; but don't sail under false colours: don't take the benefit and break the stipulation.”
”You take it too seriously; there are half a hundred statutes _you_ don't keep, any more than I. You are most inconsistent.”
”Well, if we don't keep them,” said Charles, ”I suppose it is in points where the authorities don't enforce them; for instance, they don't mean us to dress in brown, though the statutes order it.”
”But they _do_ mean to keep you from walking down High Street in beaver,” answered Willis; ”for the Proctors march up and down, and send you back, if they catch you.”