I asked who the visitor in the ante-chapel was and was told that he
was a Sir Charles Horner who owns the whole of Malford and who has
presented the Order with the thirty acres on which the Abbey is
built. Sir Charles is evidently an ecclesiastically-minded person
and, I should imagine, rather pleased to be able to be the patron
of a monastic order.
I will write you again when I have seen Father Burrowes. For the
moment I'm inclined to think that Malford is rather playing at
being monks; but as I said, the bigwigs are all away. Brother
Dunstan is a delightful fellow, yet I shouldn't imagine that he
would make a successful abbot for long.
I enjoyed Compline most of all my experiences during the day, after
which I retired to my cell and slept without turning till the bell
rang for Lauds and Prime, both said as one office at six o'clock,
after which I should have liked a conventual Mass. But alas, there
is no priest here and I have been spending the time till breakfast
by writing you this endless letter.
Yours ever affectionately,
Mark.
P.S. They don't say Mattins, which I'm inclined to think rather
slack. But I suppose I oughtn't to criticize so soon.
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