Page:Headlong Hall - Peacock (1816).djvu/140

 "Willingly," said Mr. Escot, smiling; "I have an abstruse reason for the inquiry."

"Why, if you have an obtuse reason," said the Sexton, who thought this a good opportunity to show that he could pronounce hard words as well as other people; "if you have an obtuse reason, that alters the case."

So saying, he led the way to the bonehouse, from which he began to throw out various bones and skulls of more than common dimensions, and amongst them a skull of very extraordinary magnitude, which he swore by St. David was the skull of Cadwallader.

"How do you know this to be his skull?" said Mr. Escot.

"He was the piggest man that ever lived, and he was puried here; and this is the piggest skull I ever found: you see now"

"Nothing can be more logical," said Mr.