“I should forget the man if I were you,” was his counsel to Edith.
“Somehow I can’t. He’s made a most curious impression upon me. I begin to feel now that I had no right to take for granted that what he said was meant for blasphemy.”
The vicar dissented forcibly. “There can be no possible excuse for him. It was a most improper remark for any man to make in such circumstances, and you were quite right to feel as you did about it. But if you are wise you will now put it out of your mind; at the same time I should like you to give up the practice of distributing feathers.”
“Yes, father, I will,” said Edith with a quick flush.
“You will be wise. I am arranging for an inquiry to be made into the man’s mental condition.”
“Is that absolutely necessary?” The flush grew deeper.
“The public interest calls for it. This incident is a climax of many.”
“Yet somehow he doesn’t seem exactly insane.”
“Not even when he talks in that way?” said the vicar surprisedly. “My dear girl, it is the only charitable explanation.”
“Do you really think so?” said the reluctant Edith.