It would have been more advisable to have given him a first trial either at a Bible-reading, or at most at the evening service.

But now the murder was out, and he had shown his feeling of antagonism to the Church before the whole congregation.

What would the dean do?
The affair would naturally have to be reported.
As soon as the service was over, Martens left the altar and hurried into the sacristy, into which he had already seen the dean enter.
"What do you say to that, sir ?" he cried breathlessly, as he shut the door after him.
Dean Sparre was sitting in his armchair, reading the hymn-book he had in his hand.

At the chaplain's question he raised his head with an expression of mild reproof at the disturbance, and said abstractedly, "To what are you alluding ?" "Why, the sermon; of course I allude to the sermon; it is perfectly scandalous!" cried the chaplain, excitedly.
"Well, certainly," answered the dean, "I cannot say that it was a good sermon, taken as a whole, but if you take into consideration--" "But really, sir--" interrupted the chaplain.
"It appears to me, and it is not the first time I have noticed it, my dear Martens, that you do not quite get on with our new fellow-worker; but is it not to us that he ought really to look for support ?" The chaplain cast down his eyes; there was some extraordinary power about his superior.

Not an instant before he had formed his opinion quite clearly, but the moment he found himself face to face with the dean's genial countenance, all his ideas seemed to change.
"It grieves me to be obliged to speak to you thus, my dear Martens, but I do so with the best intentions; and, then, we are alone." "But don't you think, sir, that he was far too bold ?" asked the chaplain.
"Yes, clearly, clearly so," assented the dean, in a friendly tone.