And Mr. Barton's voice was raised in holy exhortation.
"At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sin from the bottom
of his heart, I will put all his wickedness out of remembrance, with the
Lord."
III
Those who could best observe (for the tale was handed on with the
careful accuracy of those who cannot read or write) professed themselves
amazed at the assured ease of the squire. No sound came from the seat
half-hidden behind the reading-desk where he sat alone; and, during the
prayers when he stood or kneeled, he moved as if he understood well
enough what he was at. A great bound Prayer-Book, it was known, rested
before him on the book-board, and he was observed to turn the pages more
than once.
It was, indeed, a heavy task that Mr. Barton had to do. For first there
was the morning prayer, with its psalms, its lessons and its prayers;
next the Litany, and last the communion, in the course of which was
delivered one of the homilies set forth by authority, especially
designed for the support of those who were no preachers--preceded and
followed by a psalm. But all was easy to-day to a man who had such cause
for exultation; his voice boomed heartily out; his face radiated his
pleasure; and he delivered his homily when the time came, with excellent
emphasis and power--all from the reading-desk, except the communion.
Yet it is to be doubted whether the attention of those that heard him
was where their pastor would have desired it to be; since even to these
country-folk the drama of the whole was evident.
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