"But, father," said she, suddenly lifting up her flushed, tear-wet face, "the early martyrs suffered for the truth, while you--oh! dear, dear papa!"
"I suffer for conscience' sake, my child," said he, with a dignity that was only tremulous from the acute sensitiveness of his character; "I must do what my conscience bids. I have borne long with self-reproach that would have roused any mind less torpid and cowardly than mine." He shook his head as he went on. "Your poor mother's fond wish, gratified at last in the mocking way in which over-fond wishes are too often fulfilled--Sodom apples as they are--has brought on this crisis, for which I ought to be, and I hope I am thankful. It is not a month since the bishop offered me another living; if I had accepted it, I should have had to make a fresh declaration of conformity to the Liturgy at my institution. Margaret, I tried to do it; I tried to content myself with simply refusing the additional preferment, and stopping quietly here,--strangling my conscience now, as I had strained it before. God forgive me!"

'But, father,' said she, lifting up her flushed, tear-wet face, 'the early martyrs suffered for the truth, while you - oh! dear papa!'
'I suffer for conscience' sake, my child,' said he, with tremulous dignity. 'I must do what my conscience bids. Your poor mother's fond wish has brought on this crisis, for which I hope I am thankful. A month ago the bishop offered me another living; if I had accepted it, I should have had to make a fresh declaration of conformity to the Liturgy. Margaret, I tried to do it; I tried to content myself with simply refusing the preferment, and staying quietly here - strangling my conscience. God forgive me!'
