"
The Superior looked down at his desk pondering. Presently he opened a
letter and threw a quick suspicious glance at Mark.
"Why didn't you tell me that you had an introduction from Sir Charles
Horner?"
"I didn't know that I had," Mark answered in some astonishment. "I only
met him here a few days ago for the first time. He invited me to lunch,
and he was very pleasant; but I never asked him to write to you, nor did
he suggest doing so."
"Have you any vices?" Father Burrowes asked abruptly.
"I don't think--what do you mean exactly?" Mark inquired.
"Drink?"
"No, certainly not."
"Women?"
Mark flushed.
"No." He wondered if he should speak of the episode of St. John's eve
such a short time ago; but he could not bring himself to do so, and he
repeated the denial.
"You seem doubtful," the Superior insisted.
"As a matter of fact," said Mark, "since you press this point I ought
to tell you that I took a vow of celibacy when I was sixteen."
Father Burrowes looked at him sharply.
"Did you indeed? That sounds very morbid. Don't you like women?"
"I don't think a priest ought to marry. I was told by Sir Charles that
you vowed yourself to the monastic life when you were not much more than
seventeen. Was that morbid?"
The Superior laughed boisterously, and Mark glad to have put him in a
good humour laughed with him.
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