and Mr. Pontifex had nearly everything in this world that they could wish for;
why, then, should people desire to introduce all sorts of changes of which no
one could foresee the end? Religion, she was deeply convinced had long since
attained its final development, nor could it enter into the heart of reasonable
man to conceive any faith more perfect than was inculcated by the Church of
England. She could imagine no position more honourable than that of a
clergyman's wife unless indeed it were a bishop's. Considering his father's
influence it was not at all impossible that Theobald might be a bishop some day
- and then - then would occur to her that one little flaw in the practise of the
Church of England - a flaw not indeed in its doctrine, but in its policy, which
she believed on the whole to be a mistaken one in this respect - I mean the fact
that a bishop's wife does not take the rank of her husband.
    This had been the doing of Elizabeth, who was a bad woman, of exceedingly
doubtful moral character, and at heart a papist to the last. Perhaps people
ought to be above mere considerations of worldly dignity, but the world was as
it was, and such things carried weight with them, whether they ought to do so or
no. Her influence as plain Mrs. Pontifex, wife, we will say, of the Bishop of
Winchester, would no doubt be considerable - such a character as hers could not
fail to carry weight if she were ever in a sufficiently conspicuous sphere for
its influence to be widely felt; but as Lady Winchester - or the Bishopess -
which would sound quite nicely - who could doubt that her power for good would
be enhanced? And it would be all the nicer because if she had a daughter the
daughter would not be Bishopess - unless indeed she were to marry a bishop too,
which would not be likely.
    These were her thoughts upon her good days; at other times she would, to do
her justice, have doubts whether she was in all respects as spiritually minded
as she ought to be. She must press on, press on, till every enemy to her
salvation was surmounted and Satan himself lay bruised under her feet. It
occurred to her on one of these occasions that she might steal a march over some
of her contemporaries if she were to leave off eating black puddings, of which
whenever they had killed a pig she had hitherto partaken freely; and if she were
also careful that no fowls were served at her table which had had their necks
wrung,