He paused. Margaret sighed, as if standing on the verge of some new horror. He began again, speaking rapidly, as if to get over a set task:
"You could not understand it all, if I told you--my anxiety, for years past, to know whether I had any right to hold my living--my efforts to quench my smouldering doubts by the authority of the Church. Oh! Margaret, how I love the holy Church from which I am to be shut out!" He could not go on for a moment or two. Margaret could not tell what to say; it seemed to her as terribly mysterious as if her father were about to turn Mahometan.
"I have been reading to-day of the two thousand who were ejected from their churches,"--continued Mr. Hale, smiling faintly,--"trying to steal some of their bravery; but it is of no use--no use--I cannot help feeling it acutely."

He paused, and then began again, speaking rapidly, as if to get over a task:
'You could not understand it all, if I told you - my anxiety, for years, to know whether I had any right to hold my living - my efforts to quench my smouldering doubts by the authority of the Church. Oh! Margaret, how I love the holy Church from which I am to be shut out!' He could not go on for a moment. It seemed to Margaret as terribly mysterious as if her father were about to turn Mahometan.
'I have been reading today of the two thousand who were ejected from their churches,' continued Mr. Hale, smiling faintly, 'trying to steal some of their bravery; but I cannot help feeling it acutely.'
