CHAPTER LXXXVII.
MR. LUPIN MEDDLES WITH OTHER FOLKS’ AFFAIRS.
“Brother Oakley, is sister Oakley within?”
This rather cool speech—cool considering all the circumstances—was uttered by no other than the Reverend Mr. Lupin to Mr. Oakley, who was working in his shop on the morning after Johanna had gone upon her perilous enterprise to Todd’s.
Mr. Oakley looked up with surprise upon his features.
“What?” he said.
“Is sister Oakley within, brother?”
“Don’t call me brother, you canting hypocrite. How do you make out any such relationship, I should like to know?”
“Are we not all brothers in the Lord?”
“Pho! Go along.”
“Nay, brother Oakley, my coming to you upon this day hath, in good truth, a meaning.”
As he said these words, the countenance of the pious man had upon it a malignant expr
