'I'll lay she didn't belieft it, then--not if she was a Whitgift. A
won'erful choice place for Pharisees, the Marsh, by all accounts, till
Queen Bess's father he come in with his Reformatories.'
'Would that be a Act of Parliament like?' Hobden asked.
'Sure-ly. Can't do nothing in Old England without Act, Warrant an'
Summons. He got his Act allowed him, an', they say, Queen Bess's
father he used the parish churches something shameful. Just about tore
the gizzards out of I dunnamany. Some folk in England they held with
'en; but some they saw it different, an' it eended in 'em takin' sides
an' burnin' each other no bounds, accordin' which side was top, time
bein'. That tarrified the Pharisees: for Goodwill among Flesh an'
Blood is meat an' drink to 'em, an' ill-will is poison.'
'Same as bees,' said the Bee Boy. 'Bees won't stay by a house where
there's hating.'
'True,' said Tom. 'This Reformatories tarrified the Pharisees same as
the reaper goin' round a last stand o' wheat tarrifies rabbits. They
packed into the Marsh from all parts, and they says, "Fair or foul, we
must flit out o' this, for Merry England's done with, an' we're
reckoned among the Images."'
'Did they all see it that way?' said Hobden.
'All but one that was called Robin--if you've heard of him. What are
you laughin' at?'Tom turned to Dan. 'The Pharisees's trouble didn't
tech Robin, because he'd cleaved middlin' close to people, like. No
more he never meant to go out of Old England--not he; so he was sent
messagin' for help among Flesh an' Blood. But Flesh an' Blood must
always think of their own concerns, an' Robin couldn't get through at
'em, ye see. They thought it was tide-echoes off the Marsh.'
'What did you--what did the fai--Pharisees want?' Una asked.
'A boat, to be sure. Their liddle wings could no more cross Channel
than so many tired butterflies. A boat an' a crew they desired to sail
'em over to France, where yet awhile folks hadn't tore down the Images.
They couldn't abide cruel Canterbury Bells ringin' to Bulverhithe for
more pore men an' women to be burnded, nor the King's proud messenger
ridin' through the land givin' orders to tear down the Images. They
couldn't abide it no shape. Nor yet they couldn't get their boat an'
crew to flit by without Leave an' Good-will from Flesh an' Blood; an'
Flesh an' Blood came an' went about its own business the while the
Marsh was swarvin' up, an' swarvin' up with Pharis
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