Mr. Hale shook his head. "These last few years!" said he. But after a minute's pause, he raised himself from his half recumbent position, in one of Mr. Bell's luxurious easy-chairs, and said with a kind of trembling earnestness:
"Bell! you're not to think, that if I could have foreseen all that would come of my change of opinion, and my resignation of my living--no! not even if I could have known how _she_ would have suffered,--that I would undo it--the act of open acknowledgment that I no longer held the same faith as the church in which I was a priest. As I think now, even if I could have foreseen that cruellest martyrdom of suffering, through the sufferings of one whom I loved, I would have done just the same as far as that step of openly leaving the church went. I might have done differently, and acted more wisely, in all that I subsequently did for my family. But I don't think God endued me with over-much wisdom or strength," he added, falling back into his old position.

Mr. Hale shook his head. 'These last few years!' said he. But after a pause, he said with trembling earnestness:
'Bell! if I could have foreseen all that would come of my change of opinion - even if I could have known how she would have suffered - I would not undo my acknowledgment that I no longer held the same faith as my church. I would have done just the same as far as leaving the church goes. I might have acted more wisely, in all that I subsequently did for my family. But I don't think God endued me with over-much wisdom or strength,' he added, falling back into his chair.
