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think about it。〃
〃Carefully and dispassionately；〃 said Anne。
At the door Mary turned round。 〃Good…night；〃 she said； and
wondered as she said the words why Anne was smiling in that curious way。
It was probably nothing； she reflected。 Anne often smiled for no
apparent reason； it was probably just a habit。 〃I hope I shan't dream of
falling down wells again to…night；〃 she added。
〃Ladders are worse；〃 said Anne。
Mary nodded。 〃Yes； ladders are much graver。〃
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CHAPTER VIII。
Breakfast on Sunday morning was an hour later than on week…days；
and Priscilla； who usually made no public appearance before luncheon；
honoured it by her presence。 Dressed in black silk； with a ruby cross as
well as her customary string of pearls round her neck； she presided。 An
enormous Sunday paper concealed all but the extreme pinnacle of her
coiffure from the outer world。
〃I see Surrey has won；〃 she said； with her mouth full； 〃by four wickets。
The sun is in Leo： that would account for it！〃
〃Splendid game； cricket；〃 remarked Mr。 Barbecue…Smith heartily to no
one in particular； 〃so thoroughly English。〃
Jenny； who was sitting next to him； woke up suddenly with a start。
〃What？〃 she said。 〃What？〃
〃So English；〃 repeated Mr。 Barbecue…Smith。
Jenny looked at him； surprised。 〃English？ Of course I am。〃
He was beginning to explain； when Mrs。 Wimbush vailed her Sunday
paper； and appeared； a square； mauve…powdered face in the midst of
orange splendours。 〃I see there's a new series of articles on the next
world just beginning；〃 she said to Mr。 Barbecue…Smith。 〃This one's called
'Summer Land and Gehenna。'〃
〃Summer Land；〃 echoed Mr。 Barbecue…Smith； closing his eyes。
〃Summer Land。 A beautiful name。 Beautifulbeautiful。〃
Mary had taken the seat next to Denis's。 After a night of careful
consideration she had decided on Denis。 He might have less talent than
Gombauld； he might be a little lacking in seriousness； but somehow he
was safer。
〃Are you writing much poetry here in the country？〃 she asked； with a
bright gravity。
〃None；〃 said Denis curtly。 〃I haven't brought my typewriter。〃
〃But do you mean to say you can't write without a typewriter？〃
Denis shook his head。 He hated talking at breakfast； and； besides； he
wanted to hear what Mr。 Scogan was saying at the other end of the table。
〃。。。My scheme for dealing with the Church；〃 Mr。 Scogan was saying；
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〃is beautifully simple。 At the present time the Anglican clergy wear their
collars the wrong way round。 I would compel them to wear； not only
their collars； but all their clothes； turned back to franticcoat； waistcoat；
trousers； bootsso that every clergyman should present to the world a
smooth facade； unbroken by stud； button； or lace。 The enforcement of
such a livery would act as a wholesome deterrent to those intending to
enter the Church。 At the same time it would enormously enhance； what
Archbishop Laud so rightly insisted on； the 'beauty of holiness' in the few
incorrigibles who could not be deterred。〃
〃In hell； it seems；〃 said Priscilla； reading in her Sunday paper； 〃the
children amuse themselves by flaying lambs alive。〃
〃Ah； but； dear lady； that's only a symbol；〃 exclaimed Mr。 Barbecue…
Smith； 〃a material symbol of a h…piritual truth。 Lambs signify。。。〃
〃Then there are military uniforms；〃 Mr。 Scogan went on。 〃When
scarlet and pipe…clay were abandoned for khaki； there were some who
trembled for the future of war。 But then； finding how elegant the new
tunic was； how closely it clipped the waist； how voluptuously； with the
lateral bustles of the pockets； it exaggerated the hips； when they realized
the brilliant potentialities of breeches and top…boots； they were reassured。
Abolish these military elegances； standardise a uniform of sack… cloth and
mackintosh； you will very soon find that。。。〃
〃Is anyone coming to church with me this morning？〃 asked Henry
Wimbush。 No one responded。 He baited his bare invitation。 〃I read
the lessons； you know。 And there's Mr。 Bodiham。 His sermons are
sometimes worth hearing。〃
〃Thank you； thank you；〃 said Mr。 Barbecue…Smith。 〃I for one prefer
to worship in the infinite church of Nature。 How does our Shakespeare
put it？ 'Sermons in books； stones in the running brooks。'〃 He waved his
arm in a fine gesture towards the window； and even as he did so he
became vaguely； but none the less insistently； none the less uncomfortably
aware that something had gone wrong with the quotation。 Something
what could it be？ Sermons？ Stones？ Books？
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CHAPTER IX。
Mr。 Bodiham was sitting in his study at the Rectory。 The nineteenth…
century Gothic windows； narrow and pointed； admitted the light
grudgingly； in spite of the brilliant July weather； the room was sombre。
Brown varnished bookshelves lined the walls； filled with row upon row of
those thick； heavy theological works which the second…hand booksellers
generally sell by weight。 The mantelpiece； the over…mantel； a towering
structure of spindly pillars and little shelves； were brown and varnished。
The writing…desk was brown and varnished。 So were the chairs； so was
the door。 A dark red…brown carpet with patterns covered the floor。
Everything was brown in the room； and there was a curious brownish
smell。
In the midst of this brown gloom Mr。 Bodiham sat at his desk。 He
was the man in the Iron Mask。 A grey metallic face with iron cheek…
bones and a narrow iron brow； iron folds； hard and unchanging； ran
perpendicularly down his cheeks； his nose was the iron beak of some thin；
delicate bird of rapine。 He had brown eyes； set in sockets rimmed with
iron； round them the skin was dark； as though it had been charred。 Dense
wiry hair covered his skull； it had been black； it was turning grey。 His
ears were very small and fine。 His jaws； his chin； his upper lip were dark；
iron…dark； where he had shaved。 His voice； when he spoke and
especially when he raised it in preaching； was harsh； like the grating of
iron hinges when a seldom…used door is opened。
It was nearly half…past twelve。 He had just come back from church；
hoarse and weary with preaching。 He preached with fury； with passion；
an iron man beating with a flail upon the souls of his congregation。 But
the souls of the faithful at Crome were made of india…rubber； solid rubber；
the flail rebounded。 They were used to Mr。 Bodiham at Crome。 The
flail thumped on india… rubber； and as often as not the rubber slept。
That morning he had preached； as he had often preached before； on the
nature of God。 He had tried to make them understand about God； what a
fearful thing it was to fall into His hands。 God they thought of
something soft and merciful。 They blinded themselves to facts； still more；
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they blinded themselves to the Bible。 The passengers on the 〃Titanic〃
sang 〃Nearer my God to Thee〃 as the ship was going down。 Did they
realise what they were asking to be brought nearer to？ A white fire of
righteousness； an angry fire。。。