2/12 Strange and romantic as it all sounded, they could hardly doubt now that this was the real explanation of the bird's command of English words. One problem alone remained to disturb their souls. Was the bird really in possession of any local secret and mystery at all, or was this the whole burden of the message he had brought down across the vast abyss of time--"God save the king, and to hell with all papists ?" Felix turned to M.Peyron in a perfect tumult of suspense. "What he recites is long ?" he said, interrogatively, with profound interest. "You have heard him say much more than this at times? |