Thesimpleservicewenton；thefirstlessonwasread。Itcriedwoeuponthemthatjoinedhousetohouseandfieldtofield，thatdrawiniquitywithcordsofvanityandsinasitwerewithacartrope；
thatcallevilgoodandgoodevil，thatputdarknessforlightandlightfordarkness，thatjustifythewickedforreward；thatfeastfullbutregardnottheworkoftheLord，neitherconsidertheoperationofHishand，forofsuchitprophesiedthattheirhousesgreatandfairshouldbewithoutinhabitantanddesolate。
Itwasverywellread，andAlan，listening，thoughtthatthedenunciationsoftheoldseerofthousandsofyearsagowerenotinappropriatetothedwellersinsomehousesgreatandfairofhisownday，who，whatevertheydidorleftundone，regardednottheworkoftheLord，neitherconsideredtheoperationofHishand。PerhapsBarbarathoughtsotoo；atanyratearathersadlittlesmileappearedonceortwiceuponhersweet，firmfaceastheimmortalpoemechoeddowntheaisle。
Thepeacethatpassethunderstandingwasinvokedupontheirheads，andrisingwiththerestofthescantycongregationtheywentaway。
“Shallwewalkhomebythewoods，Alan？“askedBarbara。“Itisthreemilesround，butwedon’tlunchtilltwo。“