‘But, sir,’ said Puck, most respectfully, ‘haven’t you left out what Meon said afterwards?’ Before the Bishop could speak he turned to the children and went on: ‘Meon called all his fishers and ploughmen and herdsmen into the hall and he said: “Listen, men! Two days ago I asked our Bishop whether it was fair for a man to desert his fathers’ Gods in a time of danger. Our Bishop said it was not fair. You needn’t shout like that, because you are all Christians now. My red war-boat’s crew will remember how near we all were to death when Padda fetched them over to the Bishop’s islet. You can tell your mates that even in that place, at that time, hanging on the wet, weedy edge of death, our Bishop, a Christian, counselled me, a heathen, to stand by my fathers’ Gods. I tell you now that a faith which takes care that every man shall keep faith, even though he may save his soul by breaking faith, is the faith for a man to believe in. So I believe in the Christian God, and in Wilfrid His Bishop, and in the Church that Wilfrid rules. You have been baptized once by the King’s orders. I shall not have you baptized again; but if I find any more old women being sent to Wotan, or any girls dancing on the sly before Balder, or any men talking about Thun or Lok or the rest, I will teach you with my own hands how to keep faith with the Christian God. Go out quietly; you’ll find a couple of beefs on the beach.” Then of course they shouted “Hurrah!” which meant “Thor help us!” and--I think you laughed, sir?’ ‘I think you remember it all too well,’ said the Archbishop, smiling. ‘It was a joyful day for me. I had learned a great deal on that rock where Padda found us. Yes--yess! One should deal kindly with all the creatures of God, and gently with their masters. But one learns late.’ He rose, and his gold-embroidered sleeves rustled thickly. The organ cracked and took deep breaths. ‘Wait a minute,’ Dan whispered. ‘She’s going to do the trumpety one. It takes all the wind you can pump. It’s in Latin, sir.’ ‘There is no other tongue,’ the Archbishop answered. ‘It’s not a real hymn,’ Una explained. ‘She does it as a treat after her exercises. She isn’t a real organist, you know. She just comes down here sometimes, from the Albert Hall.’ ‘Oh, what a miracle of a voice!’ said the Archbishop. It rang out suddenly from a dark arch of lonely noises--every word spoken to the very end: ‘Dies Irae, dies illa, Solvet saeclum in favilla, Teste David cum Sibylla.’ The Archbishop caught his breath and moved forward. The music carried on by itself a while. ‘Now it’s calling all the light out of the windows,’ Una whispered to Dan. ‘I think it’s more like a horse neighing in battle,’ he whispered back. The voice continued: ‘Tuba mirum spargens sonum Per sepulchre regionum.’ Deeper and deeper the organ dived down, but far below its deepest note they heard Puck’s voice joining in the last line: ‘Coget omnes ante thronum.’