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 was recovering himself, it seemed, and wiping his forehead, and Palmer helped him up on to his legs, as I was glad to see.

‘They were too far off for me to hear what they said, but my father pointed to the north door in the aisle, and Palmer and Henslow both of them looked very surprised and scared. After a bit, my father and Henslow went out of the church, and the others made what haste they could to put the slab back and plaster it in. And about as the clock struck twelve the Cathedral was opened again and us boys made the best of our way home.

‘I was in a great taking to know what it was had given my poor father such a turn, and when I got in and found him sitting in his chair taking a glass of spirits, and my mother standing looking anxious at him, I couldn’t keep from bursting out and making confession where I’d been. But he didn’t seem to take on, not in the way of losing his temper. “You was there, was you? Well did you see it?” “I see everything, father,” I said, “except when the noise came.” “Did you see what it was knocked the Dean over?” he says, “that what come out of the monument? You didn’t? Well, that’s a mercy.” “Why, what was it, father?” I said. “Come, you must have seen it,” he says. “