So he beat himself on the breast once more, and took up his office-book.
He finished in half an hour, and again sat thinking; but this time it was of poor Father Francis. He wondered what he was doing now; whether he had taken off the Roman collar of Christ’s familiar slaves? The poor devil! And how far was he, Percy Franklin, responsible?
When a tap came at his door presently, and Father Blackmore looked in for a talk before going to bed, Percy told him what had happened.
Father Blackmore removed his pipe and sighed deliberately.
“I knew it was coming,” he said. “Well, well.”
“He has been honest enough,” explained Percy. “He told me eight months ago he was in trouble.”
Father Blackmore drew upon his pipe thoughtfully.
“Father Franklin,” he said, “things are really very serious. There is the same story everywhere. What in the world is happening?”
Percy paused before answering.
“I think these things go in waves,” he said.