of debt this has laid upon the Order and on myself what a weight of responsibility.  The closing of our Malta Priory, which was too far away to interest people in England, eased us a little.  But if we are going to establish ourselves as a permanent force in modern religious life, we must establish our Mother House before anything.  You may say that the Order of St. George is an Order devoted to active work among soldiers, and that we are not concerned with the establishment of a partially contemplative community.  But all of you will recognize the advantage it has been to you to be asked to stay here and prepare yourselves for active work, to gather within yourselves a great store of spiritual energy, and hoard within your hearts a mighty treasure of spiritual strength.  Brethren, if the Order of St. George is to be worthy of its name and of its claim we must not rest till we have a priory in every port and garrison, and in every great city where soldiers are stationed.  Even if we had the necessary funds to endow these priories, have we enough brethren to take charge of them?  We have not.  I cannot help feeling that I was too hasty in establishing active houses both at Aldershot and at Sandgate, and I have convened you to-day to ask you to vote in Chapter that the house at Sandgate be temporarily given up, great spiritual influence though it has proved itself under our dear Brother Dominic with the men of Shorncliffe Camp, not only that we may concentrate our resources and pay our debts, but also that we may have the help of Brother Dominic himself, and of Brother Athanasius, who has remained behind in charge and is not here today.”

The Father Superior then read a statement of the Order’s financial liabilities, and invited any Brother who wished, to speak his mind.  All waited for the Prior, who after a short silence rose: 

“Reverend Father and Brethren, I don’t think that there is much to say.  Frankly, I am not convinced that we ought to have spent so much on the Abbey, but having done so, we must obviously try and put ourselves on a sound financial basis.  I should like to hear what Brother Dominic has to say.”

Brother Dominic was a slight man with black hair and a sallow complexion, whose most prominent feature was an, immense hooked nose with thin nostrils.  Whether through the associations with his name saint, or merely by his personality, Mark considered that he looked a typical inquisitor.  When he spoke, his lips seemed to curl in a sneer.  The expression was probably quite accidental, perhaps caused by some difficulty in breathing, but the effect was sinister, and his smooth voice did nothing to counteract the unpleasant grimace.  Mark wondered if he was really successful with the men at Shorncliffe.

“Reverend Father, Reverend Brother, and Brethren,” said Brother Dominic, “you can imagine that it is no easy matter for me to destroy with a few words a house that in a small way I had a share in building up.”