Under Seal of Confession, by Averil Beaumont (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1874. Excerpt: ... brightened when he saw the new comers enter; for to people who were not in love with him, Dickie was but poor company. "T'weather's not going to get its mends yet to all appearances," said he, as they sat down by him and his dull companion. Old Davie shook his head, and slowly filled a long pipe. "There's letters for the islands, Davie," continued the landlord, "ye'U have thowts of them when ye go." "Ay," answered Davie, "but it'll not be the morn." It was not every day that letters could go to the islands. A strong north-easterly gale made the whole space between them and the mainland one sheet of frothing foam, and lesser winds from the same, or nearly the same quarter, combined with the currents which set in various directions in and out of their clusters of rock to keep boats and ships as far away from them as possible. There were sixteen of these islands, the nearest of them lying a mile or two from Ravensburgh; most of them mere bare rocks where nothing grew but a little rough grass, or lived but gulls and guillemots. On one was a lighthouse and coast-guard station, and here the Saint who had in old times hallowed the neighbourhood lived and died alone. In his day the islands had had ruder occupants, in the shape of evil spirits. These by force of prayer he banished, and confined in an island near his own; where, according to an ancient manuscript, for many centuries they held rule. The same manuscript tells of their short stature, the black cowls which they wore--the she-goats on which they rode--their long beards and dreadful looks, and the manner in which they brandished their lances like men-of-war. The sight of a cross, held them in check and frustrated their diabolical efforts. Is it not.all written in the book of Bartholomew the hermit, and t...