"'Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut----'" Then shouts drowned his voice and a resolute and angry faction got over the rope with intent to stop the proceedings. Mr. Taverner was appealed to by Jarratt Weekes. "Stop 'em--stop 'em!--they can't interfere. This is private land!" he shouted. But Jacob had gone over to the other side. "If I'd known who it was----" he began, and stripped his mourning band off his hat. At this sign the ring was broken up; a torch fell here and there and illuminated the open graves; then, like the sudden charge of some great beast, Brendon, who had at last understood, ploughed through the people and cast them to right and left. In another moment his hand was on the collar of Jarratt Weekes. With one sweep of his arm he tore the surplice off; then he dashed the book aside; and then he shook the mummer till Jarratt screamed and an answering scream came from his mother. "Speak," said Daniel. "Tell me why you've done this; and tell me why I shouldn't let the life out of you for doing it!" "Let go my neck, then," answered the other. Then he shouted to the people, "Why don't you pull this fool away? D'you want to see me killed?" "Sarve you right," cried a dozen voices. "We'd do the like if we was the husband!" "Speak!" repeated Brendon. His eyes burnt redder than the flames of the torch-fires round him. "Then I will. I've done this thing because it was true. Ask John Prout. True afore the living God; and may He blast me, and strike me with all the curses of hell for all eternity now and for evermore if it ban't true. True!--ask Prout--ask them we've mimicked here--they'll not deny it!" He pointed to the puppets staring mildly up at their makers. For a moment Brendon held off and glared round him. "Don't you believe the filthy liar, Dan!" bellowed Agg from the crowd. "Let God strike me blind and mad now afore the people if it's not true. Prout saw it--with his own eyes he saw it. Kill me if you like--but it's true--true as the Bible is true--and you'll live to know it," cried Weekes; and his grim earnestness appeared to affect the principal listener. Ignorant of what was doing, the boy in the shed still struck an old iron bin to imitate a passing bell. The sound acted on the people as a drum on a dervish. Brendon stood irresolute. "Fling the beastly man into one of them graves and that big, fat fool after him!" shouted a voice. There was a rush for Weekes and William Churchward. Mud and stones were flung, and a clod struck Jarratt in the mouth.