`Bitsofoldwoodcarvingsfromthepulpit，andpanelsfromthechancel，andimagesfromtheorgan-loft，’saidtheclerk。`Portraitsofthetwelveapostlesinwood，andnotawholenoseamong’em。Allbroken，andworm-eaten，andcrumblingtodustattheedges。Asbrittleascrockery，sir，andasoldasthechurch，ifnotolder。’
`AndwhyweretheygoingtoLondon？Toberepaired？’
`That’sit，sir，toberepaired，andwheretheywerepastrepair，tobecopiedinsoundwood。But，blessyou，themoneyfellshort，andtheretheyare，waitingfornewsubscriptions，andnobodytosubscribe。Itwasalldoneayearago，sir。Sixgentlemendinedtogetheraboutit，atthehotelinthenewtown。Theymadespeeches，andpassedresolutions，andputtheirnamesdown，andprintedoffthousandsofprospectuses。Beautifulprospectuses，sir，allflourishedoverwithGothicdevicesinredink，sayingitwasadisgracenottorestorethechurchandrepairthefamouscarvings，andsoon。Therearetheprospectusesthatcouldn’tbedistributed，andthearchitect’splansandestimates，andthewholecorrespondencewhichseteverybodyatloggerheadsandendedinadispute，alldowntogetherinthatcorner，behindthepacking-cases。Themoneydribbledinalittleatfirst——butwhatFanyouexpectoutofLondon？Therewasjustenough，youknow，topackthebrokencarvings，andgettheestimates，andpaytheprinter’sbill，andafterthattherewasn’tahalfpennyleft。Therethethingsare，asIsaidbefore。Wehavenowhereelsetoputthem——nobodyinthenewtowncaresaboutaccommodatingus——we’reinalostcorner——andthisisanuntidyvestry——andwho’stohelpit？——that’swhatIwanttoknow。’
Myanxietytoexaminetheregisterdidnotdisposemetooffermuchencouragementtotheoldman’stalkativeness。Iagreedwithhimthatnobodycouldhelptheuntidinessofthevestry，andthensuggestedthatweshouldproceedtoourbusinesswithoutmoredelay。
`Ay，ay，themarriage-register，tobesure，’saidtheclerk，takingalittlebunchofkeysfromhispocket。`Howfardoyouwanttolookback，sir？’