CHAPTER 16-2

　　"And he saw you were a clergyman so my husbandsaid, ‘it’s all quite respectable.‘Then he said he’d better not call thepolice because being a clergyman and all that you mightn‘tlike it. that’s if you was drunk, in spite of there being nosmell of drink. So then we hit upon getting Dr. Stokes to come and have a look at you. Westill call him Dr. stokes although he‘s been struck off. Avery nice man he is, embittered a bit, of course, by being struck off. It was only hiskind heart really, helping a lot of girls who were no better than they should be. Anyway,he’s a good enough doctor and we got him to come and take alook at you. He says you‘ve come to no real harm, says it’s mild concussion. All we‘d got to do was to keepyou lying flat and quiet in a dark room. ’Mind you,‘ he said, ’I‘m notgiving an opinion or anything like that. This is unofficial. I’veno right to prescribe or to say anything. By rights I dare say you ought to report it tothe police, but if you don‘t want to, why should you?’Give the poor old geezer a chance, that‘swhat he said. Excuse me if I’m speaking disrespectful. He‘s a rough and ready speaker, the doctor is. Now what about a drop of soup orsome hot bread and milk?"

　　"Either," said CanonPennyfather faintly, "would be very welcome."

　　He relapsed on to his pillows. An accident? So thatwas it. an accident, and he couldn’t remember a thing aboutit! A few minutes later the good woman returned bearing a tray with a steaming bowl on it.

　　"You‘ll feel betterafter this," she said. "I’d like to have put a drop of whisky or s drop of brandy in it but the doctorsaid you wasn‘t to have nothing like that."

　　"Certainly not," saidCanon Pennyfather, "not with concussion. No. it would havebeen unadvisable."

　　"I’ll put anotherpillow behind your back, shall I, ducks? There, is that all right?"

　　Canon Pennyfather was a little startled by beingaddressed as "ducks." He toldhimself that it was kindly meant.

　　"Upsydaisy," said thewoman, "there we are."

　　"Yes, but where are we?" said Canon Pennyfather. "I mean, where am I?Where is this place?"

　　"Milton St. John," saidthe woman. "Didn‘t you know?"

　　"Milton St. John?" saidCanon Pennyfather. He shook his head. "I never heard the namebefore."

　　"Oh well, it’s notmuch of a place. Only a village."

　　"You have been very kind," said Canon Pennyfather. "May I ask your name?"

　　"Mrs. Wheeling. Emma Wheeling."

　　"You are most kind," saidCanon Pennyfather again. "But this accident now. I simplycannot remember –”

　　"You put yourself outside that, luv, and you‘ll feel better and up to remembering things."

　　"Milton St. John," saidCanon Pennyfather to himself, in a tone of wonder. "The namemeans nothing to me at all. how very extraordinary!"