Charles Dickens

The Mystery of Edwin Drood Charles Dickens

Whosoever has observed that sedate and clerical bird, the rook, may perhaps have noticedthat when he wings his way homeward towards nightfall, in a sedate and clerical company, two rooks will suddenly detach themselves from the rest, will retrace their flight for somedistance, and will there poise and linger; conveying to mere men the fancy that it is of someoccult importance to the body politic, that this artful couple should pretend to haverenounced connection with it. Similarly, service being over in the old Cathedral with the square tower, and the choirscuffling out again, and divers venerable persons of rook-like aspect dispersing, two ofthese latter retrace their steps, and walk together in the echoing Close. Not only is the day waning, but the year. The low sun is fiery and yet cold behind themonastery ruin, and the Virginia creeper on the Cathedral wall has showered half its deepred leaves down on the pavement. There has been rain this afternoon, and a wintryshudder goes among the little pools on the cracked, uneven flag-stones, and through thegiant elm-trees as they shed a gust of tears. Their fallen leaves lie strewn thicklyabout. Some of these leaves, in a timid rush, seek sanctuary within the low archedCathedral door; but two men coming out resist them, and cast them forth again with theirfeet; this done, one of the two locks the door with a goodly key, and the other flits awaywith a folio music-book.'Mr. Jasper was that, Tope?