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parish church was two miles from the town, was very com-
mon; and it was necessary to deal only with churchgoers;
Mrs. Carey knew perfectly that the vicarage custom might
make all the difference to a tradesman’s faith. There were
two butchers who went to church, and they would not un-
derstand that the Vicar could not deal with both of them
at once; nor were they satisfied with his simple plan of go-
ing for six months to one and for six months to the other.
The butcher who was not sending meat to the vicarage con-
stantly threatened not to come to church, and the Vicar was
sometimes obliged to make a threat: it was very wrong of
him not to come to church, but if he carried iniquity further
and actually went to chapel, then of course, excellent as his
meat was, Mr. Carey would be forced to leave him for ever.
Mrs. Carey often stopped at the bank to deliver a message to
Josiah Graves, the manager, who was choir-master, treasur-
er, and churchwarden. He was a tall, thin man with a sallow
face and a long nose; his hair was very white, and to Philip
he seemed extremely old. He kept the parish accounts, ar-
ranged the treats for the choir and the schools; though there
was no organ in the parish church, it was generally con-
sidered (in Blackstable) that the choir he led was the best
in Kent; and when there was any ceremony, such as a visit
from the Bishop for confirmation or from the Rural Dean
to preach at the Harvest Thanksgiving, he made the nec-
essary preparations. But he had no hesitation in doing all
manner of things without more than a perfunctory consul-
tation with the Vicar, and the Vicar, though always ready to
be saved trouble, much resented the churchwarden’s man-