Page:Moonfleet - John Meade Falkner.pdf/35

 for he likened life to the letter "Y," saying that "in each man's life must come a point where two roads part like the arms of a 'Y,' and that every one must then choose for himself whether he will follow the broad and sloping path on the left, or the steep and narrow path on the right. For," said he, "if you will look in your books, you will see that the letter 'Y' is not like the Mohune's, with both arms equal, but has the arm on the left broader and more sloping than the arm on the right; hence ancient philosophers hold that this arm on the left represents the easy downward road to destruction, and the arm on the right the narrow upward path of life." When we heard that we all fell to searching our prayer-books for a capital "Y;" and Granny Tucker, who knew not A from B, made much ado in fumbling with her book, for she would have people think that she could read. Then just at that moment came a noise from below louder than those before, hollow and grating like the cry of an old man in pain. With that up jumps Granny Tucker, calling out loud in church to Mr. Glennie,—

"O Master, however can'ee bide there preaching when the Moons be rising from their graves?" and out from the church.

That was too much for the others, and all fled, Mrs. Vining crying, "Lordsakes, we shall all be throttled like Cracky Jones."

So in a minute there were none left in the church, save and except Mr. Glennie, with me, Ratsey, and Elzevir Block. I did not run: first, not wishing to show myself coward before the men; second, because I thought if Blackbeard came he would fall on the men