Avon Fantasy Reader No. 12 — page 106: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Worby showed him the papers which he had come to fetch out of the Dean’s stall, and asked him what he thought of the spectacle: Lake agreed that it was well worth seeing. “I suppose,” he said, as they walked towards the altar-steps towel lio, “that you're too much used to going about here at night to feel nervous—but you must get a start every now and then, don’t you, when a book falls down or a door swings to?” “No, Mr. Lake, I can’t say I think much about noises, not nowadays: Pin much more afraid of finding an escape of gas or a burst in the stove pipes than anything elsc. Still there have been times, years ago. Did you notice that plain altar-tomb there—fifteenth century we say it is, | don’t know if you agree to that? Well, if you didn’t look at it, just come back and give it a lance, if you'd be so good.” It was on the north side of the choir, and rather awkwardly placed: only about three fect from the enclosing stene screen. Quite plain, as the Verger had said, but for some ordinary stone panclling. A metal cross of some size on the northern side (that next to the screen) was the solitary feature of any interest. Lake agreed that it was not earlier than the Perpendicular period: “but,” he said, “unless it’s the tomb of some remarkable person, you'll forgive me for saying that L don’t think it’s particularly noteworthy.” “Well, T can’t say as it is the tomb of anybody noted in ’istory,” said Worby, who had a dry smile on his face, “for we don’t own an record whatsoever of who it was put up to. For all that, if you've half an hour to spare, sir, when we get back to the house, Mr. Lake, I could tell you a tale about that tomb. 1 won't begin on it now; it strikes cold here, and we don't want to be dawdling about all night.” “Of course I should like to hear it immensely.” “Very well, sir, you shall. Now if I might put a question to you,” he went on, as they passed down the choir aisle, “in our little local guide ~~and not only there, but in the little book on our Cathedral in the series—you'll find it stated that this portion of the building was erected previous to the twelfth century. Now of course I should be glad enough to take that view, but--mind the step, sir—but, 1 put it to you —does the lay of the stone ’ere in this portion of the wall (which he tapped with his key), docs it to your eye carry the flavour of what you might call Saxon masonry? No, L thought not; no more it does to me: now, if you'll believe me. I've said as much to those men-—one’s the librarian of our Free Libry here, and the other came down from London on purpose —-fifty times, if I have once, but I might just as well have talked to that bit of stonework. But there it is, I Suppose every oue's got their opinions.” The discussion of this peculiar trait of human nature occupied Mr. Worby almost up to the moment when he and Lake re-entered the former's house. The condition of the fire in Lake's sitting-room led 104 comichbooks.com