“Why, it’s Mister John,” piped an old, tremulous voice.
Pent-up feelings vented themselves in an hysterically explosive
‘Sh-h-h.’
Pendragon rose to his feet and glanced down the church. Then he stepped
down from the chancel and passed to Mrs. Trelawney and Miss de Lisle.
A whisper, and the ladies rose and preceded him to his family pew.
The ranks of Sundial ‘could scarce forbear to cheer.’
But when, after the Second Lesson, the Vicar published ‘the Banns of
Marriage between Christopher John Charles Pendragon, Bachelor, and
Audrey de Lisle, Spinster, both of this Parish,’ the concluding
sentences were lost in a spontaneous rendering of Sundial’s favourite
hymn.
This was the Old Hundredth.
The villagers of Sundial are simple folk.