I saw them all drive off, and the village people slowly leave
the churchyard in different directions, and sat myself down on
the same tombstone as in the morning to watch for Mr. Leslie.
It was some time before he came out of church, and when he did
he remained for several minutes in conversation with the clerk
at the door of the porch. At last he dismissed him, and walked
my way; he seemed doubtful whether he should stop or not, as
he passed me, but I got up, and this decided him.
He smiled, and asked me if I had been forgotten and left
behind?
"No," I said, "I am only waiting here, as there is hardly time
to go to the house and come back before afternoon church; and
this is a pleasant place to spend an hour in."
"I am glad you like our old churchyard," said Mr. Leslie; and
then he began talking of the views, of the neighbouring
scenery, of the ruined palace now transformed into a farm, of
all the subjects he thought would interest me, little thinking
that at that moment the secret of a life of anguish, the
confession of an over-burthened conscience, was trembling on
my lips. The more he talked, too (although there was nothing
unsuitable to his sacred office in anything he said), the
morel felt to lose sight of the priest of God--of the
messenger of Heaven, in the amiable, conversible,
gentlemanlike man before me; however, when he pulled out his
watch, and apologised for leaving me, pleading a promise he
had made to visit a sick parishioner, I made a desperate
effort, and said: "May I ask you, Mr. Leslie, to allow me a
few moments of conversation with you before the hour of
afternoon service, if you can spare time?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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