you said,« observed Phillotson, flinging himself down
wearily in a chair. »They have requested me to send in my resignation on account
of my scandalous conduct in giving my tortured wife her liberty - or, as they
call it, condoning her adultery. But I shan't resign!«
    »I think I would.
    I won't. It is no business of theirs. It doesn't affect me in my public
capacity at all. They may expel me if they like.«
    »If you make a fuss it will get into the papers, and you'll never get
appointed to another school. You see, they have to consider what you did as done
by a teacher of youth - and its effects as such upon the morals of the town;
and, to ordinary opinion, your position is indefensible. You must let me say
that.«
    To this good advice, however, Phillotson would not listen.
    »I don't care,« he said. »I don't go unless I am turned out. And for this
reason; that by resigning I acknowledge I have acted wrongly by her; when I am
more and more convinced every day that in the sight of Heaven and by all
natural, straightforward humanity, I have acted rightly.«
    Gillingham saw that his rather headstrong friend would not be able to
maintain such a position as this; but he said nothing further, and in due time -
indeed, in a quarter of an hour - the formal letter of dismissal arrived, the
managers having remained behind to write it after Phillotson's withdrawal. The
latter replied that he should not accept dismissal; and called a public meeting,
which he attended, although he looked so weak and ill that his friend implored
him to stay at home. When he stood up to give his reasons for contesting the
decision of the managers he advanced them firmly, as he had done to his friend,
and contended, moreover, that the matter was a domestic theory which did not
concern them. This they overruled, insisting that the private eccentricities of
a teacher came quite within their sphere of control, as it touched the morals of
those he taught. Phillotson replied that he did not see how an act of natural
charity could injure morals.
    All the respectable inhabitants and well-to-do fellow-natives of the town
were against Phillotson to a man. But, somewhat to his surprise, some dozen or
more champions rose up in his defence as from the ground.
    It has been stated that Shaston was the anchorage of a curious and