"I don't--want to look at 'em," said Brother Burge in an exhausted voice.
"What's--the good of--looking at 'em? It's like you, you know diamonds
are my weakness. What does it matter if he is asleep? What's my knife
got to do with you?"

Brother Higgs reeled back and a mist passed before his eyes. He came to
himself at the sound of a door opening, and impelled with a vague idea of
defending his property, snatched up his candle and looked out on to the
landing.

The light fell on Brother Burge, fully dressed and holding his boots in
his hand. For a moment they gazed at each other in silence; then the
jeweller found his voice.

"I thought you were ill, Brother," he faltered.

An ugly scowl lit up the other's features. "Don't you tell me any of
your lies," he said fiercely. "You're watching me; that's what you're
doing. Spying on me."

"I thought that you were being tempted," confessed the trembling Mr.
Higgs.

An expression of satisfaction which he strove to suppress appeared on Mr.
Burge's face.

"So I was," he said sternly. "So I was; but that's my business. I don't
want your assistance; I can fight my own battles. You go to bed--I'm
going to tell the congregation I won the fight single-'anded."