Stephen rose from his knees, a little relieved, but with an uncomfortable sense of bargaining. It was difficult to pray without driving a bargain, somehow⁠ ⁠… like some of those wretched hymns:

“And when I see Thee as Thou art

I’ll praise Thee as I ought,”

“And when I see Thee as Thou art I’ll praise Thee as I ought,”

for instance, a close, inescapable contract. The old tune sang in his head. But if one prayed properly, no doubt one learned to exclude that commercial flavour.⁠—How hot it was!