Theroominfactwasasdepressingfromitsslatternlinessasfromitsatmosphereoferudition。TheobaldandErnestastheyenteredit，stumbledoveralargeholeintheTurkeycarpet，andthedustthatroseshowedhowlongitwassinceithadbeentakenupandbeaten。This，Ishouldsay，wasnofaultofMrsSkinner’sbutwasduetotheDoctorhimself，whodeclaredthatifhispaperswereoncedisturbeditwouldbethedeathofhim。Nearthewindowwasagreencagecontainingapairofturtledoves，whoseplaintivecooingaddedtothemelancholyoftheplace。Thewallswerecoveredwithbookshelvesfromfloortoceiling，andoneveryshelfthebooksstoodindoublerows。Itwashorrible。Prominentamongthemostprominentuponthemostprominentshelfwereaseriesofsplendidlyboundvolumesentitled“Skinner’sWorks。”
Boysaresadlyapttorushtoconclusions，andErnestbelievedthatDrSkinnerknewallthebooksinthisterriblelibrary，andthathe，ifheweretobeanygood，shouldhavetolearnthemtoo。Hisheartfaintedwithinhim。
Hewastoldtositonachairagainstthewallanddidso，whileDrSkinnertalkedtoTheobalduponthetopicsoftheday。HetalkedabouttheHampdenControversythenraging，anddiscoursedlearnedlyabout“Praemunire“；thenhetalkedabouttherevolutionwhichhadjustbrokenoutinSicily，andrejoicedthatthePopehadrefusedtoallowforeigntroopstopassthroughhisdominionsinordertocrushit。DrSkinnerandtheothermasterstookintheTimesamongthem，andDrSkinnerechoedtheTimes’leaders。InthosedaystherewerenopennypapersandTheobaldonlytookintheSpectator——forhewasatthattimeontheWhigsideinpolitics；besidesthisheusedtoreceivetheEcclesiasticalGazetteonceamonth，buthesawnootherpapers，andwasamazedattheeaseandfluencywithwhichDrSkinnerranfromsubjecttosubject。
ThePope’sactioninthematteroftheSicilianrevolutionnaturallyledtheDoctortothereformswhichhisHolinesshadintroducedintohisdominions，andhelaughedconsumedlyoverthejokewhichhadnotlongsinceappearedinPunch，totheeffectthatPio“No，No。”
shouldratherhavebeennamedPio“Yes，Yes。”because，asthedoctorexplained，hegrantedeverythinghissubjectsaskedfor。AnythinglikeapunwentstraighttoDrSkinner’sheart。