But it was no dream, and when he turned to speak again I could see lurking beneath the assumed expression of the man all the evil passions and foul wickedness engraved upon the stone.
"'Well,' he remarked, 'stranger things than this have happened, but not much.

You seem distressed, Trenoweth.

Surely I, if any one, have the right to be annoyed.

But you let your antiquarian zeal carry you too far.

It's hardly fair to dig these poor remains from their sepulchre and leave them to bleach beneath this tropical sun, even in the interest of science.' "With this he knelt down and began to gather--very reverently, as I thought--the bones into a heap, and replace them in their tomb.
This done, he kicked up a lump or two of turf from the little lawn and pressed it down upon them, humming to himself all the while.
Finally he rose and turned again towards me-- "'You'll excuse me, Trenoweth.