"
"And do we not," added a Benedictine. "say a mass daily at St. Wilfred's
altar for the souls of Oswald and his son Ragnar?"
"Oswald may be dead; Ragnar yet lives in Redwald. The name alone is
changed."
"But where are the proofs? We cannot wholly trust an imaginary resemblance."
"It is not imaginary; and these are the proofs in question. The night
after the murder" (all looked at each other as if a sudden inspiration
struck them), "as I was going to the chapel from the lady Edith's
apartments, I passed through a passage little used, but leading past the
chamber allotted to Redwald, and only separated by a thin wainscoting. I
was startled as I passed it by the sound of a pacing to and fro; an
incessant pacing; and I heard the inmate of the room soliloquising with
himself as in a state of frenzied feeling. I caught only broken words
but again and again I heard 'Avenged;' and once 'Father you are
avenged;' and once 'Little do they know who is their guest;' once 'It is
a good beginning,' and such like ejaculations. I remained a long time,
because, as you will all see, the murderer stood revealed."
"Then why did you not tell us before?" exclaimed all, almost in a breath.
"Because it would have been of no avail. Had there been the least chance
of calling him to account, I should, you may be sure, have proclaimed
his guilt. But early in the morning fresh forces began to arrive to his
aid.
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