[Birds of Prey by M. E. Braddon]@TWC D-Link book
Birds of Prey

CHAPTER II
18/20

He died three weeks after the event which I have described, and was buried in that vault close to the little grave." I thanked Mr.Wendover for his succinct narrative, and apologised for the trouble I had occasioned him.
"Do not speak of the trouble," he answered kindly; "I am used to telling that story.

I have heard it a great many times from poor old Andrew, and I have told it a great many times." "The story has rather a legendary tone," I said; "I should have scarcely thought such a thing possible." The rector shrugged his shoulders with a deprecating gesture.
"In our own day," he replied, "such an occurrence would be almost impossible; but you must remember that we are talking of the last century--a century in which, I regret to say, the clergy of the Church of England were sadly lax in the performance of their duties.

The followers of Wesley and Whitefield could scarcely have multiplied as they did if the flocks had not been cruelly neglected by their proper shepherds.

It was a period in which benefices were bestowed constantly on men obviously unfitted for the holy office--men who were gamblers and drunkards, patrons of cock-pits, and in many cases open and shameless reprobates.

In such an age almost anything was possible; and this midnight and unhallowed interment may very well have taken place either with the consent or without the knowledge of the incumbent, who, I am told, bore no high character for piety or morality." "And you say there is an entry in the register ?" "Yes, a careless scrawl, dated Sept.


<<Back  Index  Next>>

D-Link book Top

TWC mobile books