“I will tell you immediately who it is, if you prefer to know, but I am not anxious to do so. One thing I do tell you. We shall manage without the police. So much I am prepared to promise for the sake of everyone here.”
“I don’t understand.” She shook her head. “But you will know best. I shall leave it to you. God will guide you.”
A comfortable belief, thought Mrs. Bradley, but one which did not necessarily involve a lightening of personal responsibility. “Pray as though all depended on God; work as though all depended on you,” was the way the old priest at table had expressed it. She rose to take her leave, but before she went the Mother Superior said:
“We had hoped that you were going to join us in the Common Room to-night, but I expect you were far too busy. We shall have an immense debt to pay. You are very good to us.”
“I should like to come and sit with you all again. By the way, Mother Saint Simon-Zelotes has kindly undertaken to effect the repairs to the picture which was smashed the other evening.”
“She is clever. Her copies of our chalice and paten are to be on view—you have heard?”
“Yes; I am immensely interested. How long has it taken her to do them?”
“She has spent about six months on them altogether, and has given all the time she could spare, which, here, with the children to teach, is not very much. She has worked behind double-locked doors and fast-barred windows because of the value of the originals. The Insurance Company insisted upon that.”
“Do you ordinarily keep the originals at the bank?”
“Oh, no. We keep them here, very safely locked away. But one of the children, with the best of intentions, I am sure, told her father that the copies were to be made, and so we had several journalists, and some less reputable people, all very anxious to interview Sister Saint Simon. She gave no interviews, but the project had become public property. The Insurance Company were not well pleased when they knew that, but they did not increase our premium. Sister Saint Jude saw the manager.”
“You did not fear theft, though, did you? The chalice and paten are too well known, I should have thought, for thieves to take the risk of stealing them, and to sell the melted-down metal would not be worth while.”
“Every private collector knows them, and so do all the museums. Nevertheless, there are some private collectors who are really, one supposes, a little mad, and will run any risk to obtain possession of something which they covet.”
Mrs. Bradley agreed.
“I like, too, Mother Saint Cyprian’s embroidered bookbindings, and Mother Saint Benedict’s paintings,” she said, to change the direction which the conversation was taking.
“Yes. They are beautiful, both. It is good to use great talents entirely to the glory of God.”
“Are not all great talents so used? It seems to me that, whether consciously or not, all good work is done to the glory of God. But, Reverend Mother, I wish you would indulge a whim of mine.”
“I will if I can. What is it?”
“When are your experts coming down?”
“On Monday or Tuesday.”
“Not to-morrow?”
“No one is coming to-morrow. I thought, as it is a half-holiday, the school-children could see the work then.”
“Could they not wait until Wednesday? That also is a half-holiday.”
“Yes, they could.”
“Will you let me have my own way?”
“Willingly. It cannot make very much difference. I will speak to Sister Saint Simon-Zelotes about it.”
“Thank you very much. I have good reason for asking.”
“I am sure you have,” said the Superior, and blessed her before she let her go.
chapter 17
disappearance
“
thomas ken: Days Numbered.
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Saturday was a fine bright morning which later turned to rain. Mrs. Bradley interviewed Ulrica Doyle before morning school, and arranged that she should be driven to Wandles by George. Ulrica protested, and demanded to be sent to Mother Francis. Mother Francis in effect shrugged her shoulders, and Ulrica went to her first lesson, Geography with Mother Timothy, in tears.
By half-past eleven it was pouring with rain, and Mrs. Bradley was loth to allow a message to be taken to George. He drove over to the convent, however, a few minutes after twelve, to ask for instructions, and, while he
