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Walpole, Hugh, Sir, 1884-1941

"The Cathedral"

"
Ronder, Foster and Witheram raised their hands.
"And those against?" said the Dean.
Brandon, Ryle and Bentinck-Major were against.
"I'm afraid," said the Dean, smiling anxiously, "that it will be for me to
give the casting vote." He paused for a moment. Then, looking straight
across the table at the Clerk, he said:
"I think I must decide _for_ the roller. Canon Ronder seems to me to
have proved his case."
Every one, except possibly Ronder, was aware that this was the first
occasion for many years that any motion of Brandon's had been defeated....
Without waiting for any further business the Archdeacon gathered together
his papers and, looking neither to right nor left, strode from the room.


Book II
The Whispering Gallery


Chapter I
Five O'Clock--The Green Cloud

The cloud seemed to creep like smoke from the funnel of the Cathedral
tower. The sun was setting in a fiery wreath of bubbling haze, shading in
rosy mist the mountains of grey stone. The little cloud, at first in the
shadowy air light green and shaped like a ring, twisted spirally, then,
spreading, washed out and lay like a pool of water against the smoking
sunset.


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