Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume 1 (of 2): A full account of the colony and its inhabitants from the time of the Caribs to the present dayLanaghan, Mrs.
History
Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume 1 (of 2): A full account of the colony and its inhabitants from the time of the Caribs to the present day
Lanaghan, Mrs.
Antigua -- Description and travel; Antigua -- History
Although not always the case, still very generally, the face is
the index to the mind; and when I first saw that man, I felt
prejudiced against him. He came forward with a slovenly gait, and
downcast looks, and to our inquiries for the keys of the church,
he returned for answer, “Yes, but I can’t let you in.” On asking
the reason, the rejoinder was, “Because the parson told me not to
let any one go into the church.” This was by no means cheering
news for us; it was far from satisfactory after riding fifteen
miles, to be turned away without seeing the very object we came
to look at. Every kind of persuasion was used to induce him to
comply. I joined in urging him to “ope’ the door, and bid us
enter,” but alas! I found him as insensible to the voice of
woman, as to everything else. “Can we go into the churchyard?”
was then inquired. “Yes,” was the surly answer; and following his
steps, we soon reached that quiet spot.
Even here he apparently viewed us with suspicion, thinking,
perhaps, we not only looked capable of _sacrilege_, but of
carrying away the church also; for although he still had the keys
in his hand, and the rain began to fall, he not only remained
inexorable, but looked as if he should be quite as well pleased
if we quitted the place altogether. “The rain was falling fast,”
and obliged us to retire to the shelter of a large white-wood
tree, which no doubt was coeval with the first settlers, and
beneath its spreading branches we remained for some time, until
one of our party determined to try some other expedient, to gain
the wished-for admittance, and for that purpose left myself and
attendant in our shady retreat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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