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her high…piled coiffure； they glittered every time she moved。 It was a
batch of Ivor's drawingssketches of Spirit Life； made in the course of
tranced tours through the other world。 On the back of each sheet
descriptive titles were written： 〃Portrait of an Angel； 15th March '20；〃
〃Astral Beings at Play； 3rd December '19；〃 〃A Party of Souls on their
Way to a Higher Sphere； 21st May '21。〃 Before examining the drawing
on the obverse of each sheet； she turned it over to read the title。 Try as she
couldand she tried hardPriscilla had never seen a vision or succeeded
in establishing any communication with the Spirit World。 She had to be
content with the reported experiences of others。
〃What have you done with the rest of your party？〃 she asked； looking
up as Denis entered the room。
He explained。 Anne had gone to bed； Ivor and Mary were still in the
garden。 He selected a book and a comfortable chair； and tried； as far as
the disturbed state of his mind would permit him； to compose himself for
an evening's reading。 The lamplight was utterly serene； there was no
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movement save the stir of Priscilla among her papers。 All silent and all
damned； Denis repeated to himself； all silent and all damned。。。
It was nearly an hour later when Ivor and Mary made their appearance。
〃We waited to see the moon rise；〃 said Ivor。
〃It was gibbous； you know；〃 Mary explained； very technical and
scientific。
〃It was so beautiful down in the garden！ The trees； the scent of the
flowers； the stars。。。〃 Ivor waved his arms。 〃And when the moon came
up； it was really too much。 It made me burst into tears。〃 He sat down at
the piano and opened the lid。
〃There were a great many meteorites；〃 said Mary to anyone who
would listen。 〃The earth must just be coming into the summer shower of
them。 In July and August。。。〃
But Ivor had already begun to strike the keys。 He played the garden；
the stars； the scent of flowers； the rising moon。 He even put in a
nightingale that was not there。 Mary looked on and listened with parted
lips。 The others pursued their occupations； without appearing to be
seriously disturbed。 On this very July day； exactly three hundred and
fifty years ago； Sir Ferdinando had eaten seven dozen oysters。 The
discovery of this fact gave Henry Wimbush a peculiar pleasure。 He had a
natural piety which made him delight in the celebration of memorial feasts。
The three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the seven dozen oysters。。。He
wished he had known before dinner； he would have ordered champagne。
On her way to bed Mary paid a call。 The light was out in Anne's
room； but she was not yet asleep。
〃Why didn't you come down to the garden with us？〃 Mary asked。
〃I fell down and twisted my ankle。 Denis helped me home。〃
Mary was full of sympathy。 Inwardly； too； she was relieved to find
Anne's non…appearance so simply accounted for。 She had been vaguely
suspicious； down there in the gardensuspicious of what； she hardly knew；
but there had seemed to be something a little louche in the way she had
suddenly found herself alone with Ivor。 Not that she minded； of course； far
from it。 But she didn't like the idea that perhaps she was the victim of a
put…up job。
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〃I do hope you'll be better to…morrow；〃 she said； and she commiserated
with Anne on all she had missedthe garden； the stars； the scent of flowers；
the meteorites through whose summer shower the earth was now passing；
the rising moon and its gibbosity。 And then they had had such interesting
conversation。 What about？ About almost everything。 Nature； art；
science； poetry； the stars； spiritualism； the relations of the sexes； music；
religion。 Ivor； she thought； had an interesting mind。
The two young ladies parted affectionately。
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CHAPTER XVIII。
The nearest Roman Catholic church was upwards of twenty miles
away。 Ivor； who was punctilious in his devotions； came down early to
breakfast and had his car at the door； ready to start； by a quarter to ten。 It
was a smart； expensive…looking machine； enamelled a pure lemon yellow
and upholstered in emerald green leather。 There were two seatsthree if
you squeezed tightly enoughand their occupants were protected from
wind； dust； and weather by a glazed sedan that rose； an elegant eighteenth…
century hump； from the midst of the body of the car。
Mary had never been to a Roman Catholic service； thought it would be
an interesting experience； and； when the car moved off through the great
gates of the courtyard； she was occupying the spare seat in the sedan。
The sea…lion horn roared； faintlier； faintlier； and they were gone。
In the parish church of Crome Mr。 Bodiham preached on 1 Kings vi。
18： 〃And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops〃a
sermon of immediately local interest。 For the past two years the problem
of the War Memorial had exercised the minds of all those in Crome who
had enough leisure； or mental energy； or party spirit to think of such things。
Henry Wimbush was all for a librarya library of local literature； stocked
with county histories； old maps of the district； monographs on the local
antiquities； dialect dictionaries； handbooks of the local geology and
natural history。 He liked to think of the villagers； inspired by such
reading； making up parties of a Sunday afternoon to look for fossils and
flint arrow…heads。 The villagers themselves favoured the idea of a
memorial reservoir and water supply。 But the busiest and most articulate
party followed Mr。 Bodiham in demanding something religious in
charactera second lich…gate； for example； a stained…glass window； a
monument of marble； or； if possible； all three。 So far； however； nothing
had been done； partly because the memorial committee had never been
able to agree； partly for the more cogent reason that too little money had
been subscribed to carry out any of the proposed schemes。 Every three
or four months Mr。 Bodiham preached a sermon on the subject。 His last
had been delivered in March； it was high time that his congregation had a
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fresh reminder。
〃And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops。〃
Mr。 Bodiham touched lightly on Solomon's temple。 From thence he
passed to temples and churches in general。 What were the characteristics
of these buildings dedicated to God？ Obviously； the fact of their； from a
human point of view； complete uselessness。 They were unpractical
buildings 〃carved with knops。〃 Solomon might have built a library
indeed； what could be more to the taste of the world's wisest man？ He
might have dug a reservoirwhat more useful in a parched city like
Jerusalem？ He did neither； he built a house all carved with knops；
useless and unpractical。 Why？ Because he was dedicating the work to
God。 There had been much talk in Crome about the proposed War
Memorial。 A War Memorial was； in its very nature； a work dedicated to
God。 It was a token of thankfulness that the first stage in the culminating
world…war had been crowned by the triumph of righteousness； it was at the
same time a visibly embodied supplication that God might not long delay
the Advent which alone could bring the final peace。 A library； a reservoir？
Mr。 Bodiham scornfully and indignantly