Experiment 1

In last days of December, Dr Hall, village priest, was working in his study when his servant entered room, in great alarm.
‘Oh, Dr Hall, sir,’ she cried. ‘What do you think? poor Squire’s dead!’
‘What? Squire Bowles? What are you saying, woman?’ replied priest. ‘I saw him only yesterday-‘
‘Yes, sir, I know,’ said servant, ‘but it’s true. Mr Wickem, clerk, has just brought news on his way to ring church bell. You’ll hear it yourself in moment. Listen! There it is.’ And sure enough, bell then began to ring, long and slow, telling people of village that someone had died.

Dr Hall stood up. ‘This is terrible,’ he said. ‘I must go up to Hall at once. Squire was so much better yesterday. It seems so sudden.’
‘Yes, sir,’ agreed servant. ‘Mr Wickem said that poor Squire was taken ill very suddenly with terrible pain. He died very quickly, and Wickem said they want him buried quickly too.’
‘Yes, yes; well, I must ask Mrs Bowles herself or Mr Joseph,’ said priest. ‘Bring me my coat and hat, please. Oh, and tell Mr Wickem that I would like to see him when he has finished ringing bell.’ And he hurried off to Hall.
When he returned hour later, he found clerk waiting for him.

There’s lot of work for you to do, Wickem,’ he said, ‘and not much time to do it.’
‘Yes, sir,’ said Wickem. ‘You’ll want family tomb opened, of course…’
‘No, no, not at all,’ replied Dr Hall. ‘ poor Squire said before he died that he did not want to be buried in family tomb. It is to be earth grave in churchyard.’
‘Excuse me, sir,’ said Wickem, very surprised. ‘Do I understand you right? no tomb, you said, and just earth grave? poor Squire was too ill to know what he was saying, surely?’
‘Yes, Wickem, it seems strange to me too,’ said priest. ‘But Mr Joseph tells me that his father, or I should say his stepfather, made his wishes very clear when he was in good health. Clean earth and open air. You know, of course, Squire had some strange ideas, though he never told me of this one. And there’s another thing, Wickem. no coffin.’

Oh dear, oh dear!’ said Wickem. ‘There’ll be some talk about that. And I know that old Mr Wright has some lovely wood for Squire’s coffin — he’s kept it for him for years.’
‘Well,’ said Dr Hall, ‘those are Squire’s wishes, so I’m told, so that’s what we must do. You must get grave dug and everything ready by ten o’clock tomorrow night. Tell Wright that we shall need some lights.’
‘Very well, sir. If those are orders, I must do my best,’ said Wickem. ‘Shall I send women from village to prepare body?’
‘No, Wickem. That was not mentioned,’ said priest. ‘No doubt Mr Joseph will send for them if he wants them. You have enough work to do without that. Good night, Wickem.’ He paused. ‘I was just writing out year’s burials in church records. I didn’t think that I’d have to add Squire Bowles’ name to them.’