対人能力ゼロのナンパ６

The Archbishop moved slowly about the little church, peering
at the old memorial tablets and the new glass windows.

The Ladywho practises the organ began to pull out stops and rustle hymn-
books behind the screen.


'I hope she'll do all the soft lacey tunes - like treacle on
porridge,' said Una.

'I like the trumpety ones best,' said Dan. 'Oh, look at Wilfrid!
He's trying to shut the Altar-gates!'

'Tell him he mustn't,' said Puck, quite seriously.

He can't, anyhow,' Dan muttered, and tiptoed out of Panama
Corner while the Archbishop patted and patted at the carved gates
that always sprang open again beneath his hand.

'That's no use, sir,' Dan whispered. 'Old Mr Kidbrooke says
Altar-gates are just the one pair of gates which no man can shut.
He made 'em so himself.'

The Archbishop's blue eyes twinkled. Dan saw that he knew all
about it.

'I beg your pardon,' Dan stammered - very angry with Puck.'Yes, I know! He made them so Himself.' The Archbishop
smiled, and crossed to Panama Corner, where Una dragged up a
certain padded arm-chair for him to sit on.

The organ played softly. 'What does that music say?'he asked.

Una dropped into the chant without thinking: '"O all ye
works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; praise him and magnify him
for ever." We call it the Noah's Ark, because it's all lists of things
- beasts and birds and whales, you know.'

'Whales?' said the Archbishop quickly.

'Yes - "O ye whales, and all that move in the waters,"' Una
hummed - '"Bless ye the Lord." It sounds like a wave turning
over, doesn't it?'

'Holy Father,' said Puck with a demure face, 'is a little seal also
"one who moves in the water"?'

'Eh? Oh yes - yess!' he laughed. 'A seal moves wonderfully in
the waters. Do the seal come to my island still?'

Puck shook his head. 'All those little islands have been
swept away.'

'Very possible. The tides ran fiercely down there. Do you
know the land of the Sea-calf, maiden?'

'No - but we've seen seals - at Brighton.'