The Bishop of Stortford, accompanied by his secretary Augustine Mulliner, goes to his old school Harchester to unveil a statue to a fellow old boy, Lord Hemel of Hempstead. The prospect of the '87 port does not feature in his decision, of course.
Feeling depressed at returning after 40 years, the Bishop, with his friend the headmaster, partake of Augustine's Buck-U-Uppo but have to guess at the dosage. A night-time excursion involving pink paint suggests they may have got it wrong ...
| Mr Mulliner | narrator |
| Augustine Mulliner | a curate |
| Bishop of Stortford | a bishop |
| Rev. Trevor Entwhistle | Headmaster of Harchester school |
| General Bloodenough | Chairman of the College Board of Governors |
| Mulliner | a schoolboy, Augustine's brother |
First published 20 August 1927 in Liberty magazine (US).
Also published September 1927 in the Strand magazine.
Bishop of Stortford
- Bishop's Stortford is a town in Hertfordshire.
'the voice of the turtle'
- is that of the turtle dove.
Alb
- a white vestment reaching to the feet.
Reredos
- an ornamented screen covering the wall at the back of an altar.
Harchester
- not a real school, probably made up from Harrow and Winchester.
Lord Hemel of Hempstead
- Hemel Hempstead is another Hertfordshire town, but on the other side of the county.
Public weal
- the public good or welfare.
'Something attempted, something done, has earned a night's repose.'
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Village Blacksmith.
Shovel-hat
- a broad-brimmed hat especially as worn by some Anglican dignitaries.
V. C.
- Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy.
K. C. I. E.
- Knight Commander of the Indian Empire; this order is now defunct as India is an independent country.
M. V. O.
- Member of the (Royal) Victorian Order; honours or awards in the order are in the gift of the monarch, a personal 'thank you' for services rendered.
There are two errors in the bible citations
- 'Peace be on thy walls ...' is Psalms 122:7 and 'Oh, that I had wings ...' is Psalms 55:6.