With this object he hurried out, to find Brother George
ploughing that stony ground by the fir-trees. He was looking ruefully at
a broken share when Mark approached him.
"Two since I started," he commented.
But he was breaking more precious things than shares, thought Mark, if
he could but understand.
"Let the fellow go," said Brother George coldly, when Mark had related
his interview with the chaplain.
"But, Reverend Brother, if he goes we shall have no priest for Easter."
"We shall be better off with no priest than with a fellow like that."
"Reverend Brother," said Mark miserably, "I have no right to remonstrate
with you, I know. But I must say something. You are making a mistake.
You will break up the Community. I am not speaking on my own account
now, because I have already made up my mind to leave, and get ordained.
But the others! They're not all strong like you. They really are not. If
they feel that they have been deprived of their Easter Communion by you
. . . and have you the right to deprive them? After all, Father Hett has
reason on his side. He is entitled to keep the key of the Tabernacle. If
he wishes to hold Benediction, you can forbid him, or at least you can
forbid the brethren to attend. But the key of the Tabernacle belongs to
him, if he says Mass there.
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