'Solemn thoughts, Sir—solemn thoughts, Captain Lake—silent mentors, eloquent monitors!' And he waved his long lank hand toward the monumental groups.
'Yes,' said Lake, in the same mocking tone, that was low and sweet, and easily mistaken for something more amiable. 'You and they go capitally together—so solemn, and eloquent, and godly—capital fellows! I'm not half good enough for such company—and the place is growing rather cold—is not it?'
'A great many Wylders, Sir—a great many Wylders.' And the attorney dropped his voice, and paused at this emphasis, pointing a long finger toward the surrounding effigies.
Captain Lake, after his custom, glared a single full look upon the attorney, sudden as the flash of a pair of guns from their embrasures in the dark; and he said quietly, with a wave of his cane in the same direction—
'Yes, a precious lot of Wylders.'
'Is there a Wylder vault here, Captain Brandon Lake?'
'Hanged if I know!—what the devil's that to you or me, Sir?' answered the captain, with a peevish sullenness.
'I was thinking, Captain Lake, whether in the event of its turning out that Mr. Mark Wylder was dead, it would be thought proper to lay his body here?'
'Dead, Sir!—and what the plague puts that in your head? You are corresponding with him—aren't you?'
'I'll tell you exactly how that is, Captain Lake. May I take the liberty to ask you for one moment to look up?'