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Walpole, Hugh, Sir, 1884-1941

"The Captives"

It's really on a message from him that
I came."
He did not look at her, placed like a square shadow against the
dusky wall. He sat, leaning forward a little, his red-brown hand on
his knee, his leg bulging under the cloth of his trouser, his neck
struggling behind his collar--but his smile was pleasant and easy,
he seemed perfectly at home.
"My father wonders whether you will mind some friends of Miss Avies
sitting with you in your pew to-morrow evening. She has especially
asked--two of them . . . ladies, I believe. But it seems that there
will be something of a crowd, and as your pew is always half empty--
He would not have asked except that there seems nowhere else."
Aunt Anne graciously assented.
"But, of course, Mr. Warlock, Maggie will be going with us, but
still there will be room. Mr. Crashaw is going to speak after all, I
hear. I was afraid that he would have been too ill."
Martin laughed. "He is staying with us, you know, and already he is
preparing himself. He's about the oldest human being I've ever seen.
He must be a hundred."
"He's a great saint," said Aunt Anne.
"He's always in a terrible temper though," said Martin.


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