IN THE GLOAMING. 195 



night in the close, — how Cromwell's defaming 

 crew completed the work of demolition and dese- 

 cration, and smashed the old bell called " Jesus," 

 with its legend " I am the bell of Jesus, and 

 Edward is our King; Sir Thomas Hey wood first 

 caused me to ring," — how, finally, the chapter- 

 house alone had a roof under which service 

 might be said, — how the good Hackett on the 

 first day of his bishopric set his own servants and 

 his own coach-horses at work removing the rub- 

 bish, and never tired until in eight years' time 

 the magnificence of the cathedral was restored, 

 except for the forever irreparable loss of the 

 decorations, and especially of the lady chapel 

 windows, which all the cost of the restoration 

 would not have sufficed to renew, — how the 

 church was reconsecrated with great pomp and 

 solemnity, — all this he told me in detail, and 

 he would gladly have told more, for this Poor 

 Brother had made these few rich historic acres 

 nearly his whole world, and had peopled it with 

 all who throughout the long ages had marred it 

 or had made it. To have given " two good trees " 



