''Last night,' said Prue, 'she said 'er prayers.'
"'Didn't she always say 'er prayers?' asked my uncle, shocked.
"'Not kneeling down,' said Prue. 'But last night she was kneeling quite a long time. She thought I was asleep but I watched 'er.'
"'That looks bad,' said my uncle. 'Y'know, Smith; that looks bad. I don't like that praying. Sominous. I don't like it.'
"And then suddenly and violently Prue and I were packed off upstairs to bed.
"For long the sound of their voices went on; the three of them came up into the shop and stood at the front door while my uncle gradually took leave, but what further things they said I did not hear. But I remember that suddenly I had a brilliant idea, suggested no doubt by Prue's scrap of evidence. I got out of bed and knelt down and said, 'Pray God, be kind to my Fanny! Pray God not to be hard on Fanny! I'm sure she means to get merried. For ever and ever. Amen.' And after putting Providence upon his honour, so to speak, in this fashion, I felt less mentally distracted and got back into bed and presently I fell asleep."
Sarnac paused.
"It's all rather puzzling," said Willow.
"It seemed perfectly natural at the time," said Sarnac.
"That pork butcher was evidently a repulsive creature," said Firefly. "Why didn't they object to him?"