read in the room the sharp scent of the sea, with the foul
smell underneath it, that gave the Father a deadly sickness; he tried
to pray, but no words would come, and he felt indeed that the evil was
too strong for him. Presently the beast desisted from its play, and
looking wickedly about it, came near to the Father's bed, and seemed
to put up its hairy forelegs upon it; he could see its narrow and
obscene eyes, which burned with a dull yellow light, and were fixed
upon him. And now the Father thought that his end was near, for he
could stir neither hand nor foot, and the sweat rained down his brow;
but he made a mighty effort, and in a voice which shocked himself, so
dry and husky and withal of so loud and screaming a tone it was, he
said three holy words. The beast gave a great quiver of rage, but it
dropped down on the floor, and in a moment was gone. They Henry woke,
and raising himself on his arm, said somewhat; but there broke out in
the house a great outcry and the stamping of feet, which seemed very
fearful in the silence of the night. The priest leapt out of his bed
all dizzy, and made a light, and ran to the door, and went out, crying
whatever words came to his head. The door of Master Grimston's room
was open, and a strange and strangling sound came forth; the Father
made his way in, and found Master Grimston lying upon the floor, his
wife bending over him; he lay still, breathing pitifully, and every
now and then a shudder ran through him. In the room there seemed a
strange and shadowy tumult going forward; but the Father saw that no
time could be lost, and kneeling down beside Master Grimston, he
prayed with all his might.

Presently Master Grimston ceased to struggle and lay still, like a man
who had come out of a sore conflict. Then he opened his eyes, and the
Father stopped his prayers, and looking very hard at him he said, "My
son, the time is very short--give God the glory." Then Master
Grimston, rolling his haggard eyes upon the group, twice strove to
speak and could not; but the third time the Father, bending down his
head, heard him say in a thin voice, that seemed to float from a long
way off, "I slew him ... my sin." Then the Father swiftly gave him
shrift, and as he said the last word, Master Grimston's head fell over
on the side, and the Father said, "He is gone." And Bridget broke out
into a terrible cry, and fell upon Henry's neck, who had entered
unseen.

Then the Father bade him lead her