Oh, do say a candle!" Mr.Coventry responded, "It's awfully tempting; but I suspect the traditional part of my story is SLIGHTLY EMBELLISHED, so the historical part must be accurate.

What the box did really contain, to my knowledge, was a rush-wick, much thicker than they are made nowadays: and this rush-wick was impregnated with grease, and even lightly coated with a sort of brown wafer-like paste.

The rector thinks it was a combination of fine dust from the box with the original grease.

He shall show it you, if you are curious to see it." "Of course we are curious.

Oh, Mr.Raby, what a strange story.