Page 377 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

fess I do not understand. It was confided to me in my sacred
character as a Christian pastor.’
‘That’s just it. The fellows play upon the parsons, don’t
you know, and under cover of your ‘sacred character’ play
all kinds of pranks. How the dog must have chuckled when
he gave you that!’
‘Captain Frere,’ said Mr. Meekin, changing colour like a
chameleon with indignation and rage, ‘your interpretation
is, I am convinced, an incorrect one. How could the poor
man compose such an ingenious piece of cryptography?’
‘If you mean, fake up that paper,’ returned Frere, uncon-
sciously dropping into prison slang, ‘I’ll tell you. He had a
Bible, I suppose, while he was writing?’
‘I certainly permitted him the use of the Sacred Volume,
Captain Frere. I should have judged it inconsistent with the
character of my Office to have refused it to him.’
‘Of course. And that’s just where you parsons are always
putting your foot into it. If you’d put your ‘Office’ into your
pocket and open your eyes a bit—‘
‘Maurice! My dear Maurice!’
‘I beg your pardon, Meekin,’ says Maurice, with clumsy
apology; ‘but I know these fellows. I’ve lived among ‘em, I
came out in a ship with ‘em, I’ve talked with ‘em, and drank
with ‘em, and I’m down to all their moves, don’t you see.
The Bible is the only book they get hold of, and texts are the
only bits of learning ever taught ‘m, and being chockfull of
villainy and plots and conspiracies, what other book should
they make use of to aid their infernal schemes but the one
that the chaplain has made a text book for ‘em?’ And Mau-

For the Term of His Natural Life