Page:Moonfleet - John Meade Falkner.pdf/91

 crimes; that the poetry is a libel; and that he, Maskew, will have the law of him for calumny.

After that he took Grace by the arm, and bade her get hat and cape and come with him. "For," says he, "I will not have thee taught any more by a psalm-singing hypocrite that calls thy father murderer." And all the while he kept drawing up closer to Mr. Glennie, until the two stood very near each other.

There was a great difference between them—the one short and blustering, with a red face turned up; the other tall and craning down, ill-clad, ill-fed, and pale. Maskew had in his left hand a basket, with which he went marketing of mornings, for he made his own purchases, and liked fish, as being cheaper than meat. He had been chaffering with the fishwives this very day, and was bringing back his provend with him when he visited our school.

Then he said to Mr, Glennie: "Now, Sir Parson, the law has given into your fool's hands a power over this churchyard, and 'tis your trade to stop unseemly headlines from being set up within its walls, or, once set up, to turn them out forthwith. So I give you a week's grace, and if to-morrow sennight yon stone be not gone, I will have it up and flung in pieces outside the wall."

Mr. Glennie answered him in a low voice, but quite clear, so that we could hear where we sat: "I can neither turn the stone out myself, nor stop you from turning it out if you so mind; but if you do this thing, and dishonour the graveyard, there is One stronger than either you or I that must be reckoned with."

I knew afterwards that he meant the Almighty, but thought then that 'twas of Elzevir he spoke; and so,