(Bells chime)
Morning, Dr Black.
Morning.
(Black) 'The matter began, as far as I'm concerned,
'in the November of 1932.
'when I was cataloguing the library of Barchester Cathedral.
'It was a disappointing collection,
'and what volumes of value I found were much fallen into decay.
'My task was scarcely furthered by the unhelpfulness of the librarian.
'at whose door I found myself bound to place the unhappy confusion
'that I discovered wherever I turned.'
I trust you prosper in your task. Dr Black?
It's profoundly uninteresting. I'm afraid.
I sometimes wonder whether there shouldn't be a tax on all these.
Mere poverty seems to be insufficient to deter them from writing.
Now. if they had to pay for the privilege...
A great many librarians would be seeking fresh employment
and there'd be far fewer books to catalogue.
Have you nearly finished?
With the numbered volumes. yes.
In fact. I was just coming to ask you if there was anything else here
you thought worth including in my description.
Perhaps I can surprise you.
Nothing you haven't seen there. I think.
What about the manuscript class?
Hardly a fruitful field. I fear.
Some mute. inglorious Milton. perhaps.
Canon Marcel's annotation to the Epistles, no?
Professor R D Ellington's Mathematical Tract?
I think not.
Well. Cyrus. of course.
- Cyrus? - An epic poem in eight cantos.
Product of a country clergyman's leisure.
I wonder if he read it to his parishioners.
I expect he did.
What's this? I don't remember... Oh.
Yes, of course, I'd completely forgotten.
"Papers of the Venerable Archdeacon Haynes.
"Bequeathed in 1894 by his sister Letitia Haynes."
Haynes? I know that name.
I read something about it quite recently.
Our old Dean said the box should never have been accepted by the library.
He kept it locked up in the deanery.
He said it never would be opened while he was in charge.
Strange.
I wanted to know what was in that box for years.
You'd better have a look at it.
Archdeacon Haynes. Now. Archdeacon of where?
Here. if you remember.
Of course. yes. About 50 years ago.
I recently read his obituary in an old copy of the Gentleman's Magazine.
His death, as I remember, was hardly becoming to the cloth.
It was most unfortunate. the whole affair.
And unexplained.
I wonder if the box...
I mean, one hardly likes to think...
Do you wish me to examine the contents?
I think it can hardly matter.
Our former dean was adamant in his refusal, of course,
but that was many years ago.
Probably of no interest anyway.
And if the matter should be objectionable or...
Obscene...
Well. we can leave it unpublished.
- Quite. - I have the key.
Well, I'll leave you with it.
I trust you'll keep me informed. if you discover anything of interest.
'Dr Haynes arrived in Barchester Close in 1872,
'where he took up residence with his sister as a junior deacon.
'The dignity of Archdeacon had long been the object of his wishes,
'and there were few who denied
'that he was admirably suited for the position.
(Bells tolling)
'His predecessor, Dr Pulteney, however, lived to a great age
'and showed no willingness to relinquish his post.'
Good morning. young man'.
Good morning, Archdeacon.
(♪ Choral singing)
(Letitia) 'The Archdeacon will be 84 tomorrow.'
- Really. one would hardly believe it. - A marvellous age.
(Letitia) 'You're invited to a modest celebration in his honour.'
- Long life. Dr Pulteney. Long life. - Long life.
Many happy returns on this auspicious day.
(Letitia) 'Mr Robinson was arguing most heatedly with Canon Arnold.'
Canon Arnold insists that we believe every word of the Holy Bible.
Mr Robinson cited Methuselah.
"How could anyone," he said,
"be expected to believe that a man had lived for 900 years?"
I find it entirely credible.
And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life, as he lived.
103 score and 15 years.
(Letitia) 'Catherine tells me there is an infection in the town.
Indeed.
Three people in Buxton Street have died
and two more families are very ill.
(Bells ring)
The Archdeacon's late this morning.
- Good morning, young man. - Good morning, Archdeacon.
♪ As it was in the beginning ♪
♪ Is now and ever shall be ♪
♪ World without end... ♪
- The Archdeacon will be 90 on Monday. - A marvellous age.
(Letitia) You're invited to a modest celebration in his honour.
Long life. Dr Pulteney.
And absent friends.
(Black) 'It was not until Dr Pulteney had reached the age of 92
'that he unwillingly vacated his position.'
Aargh'.
(She screams)
They say that poor Miss Pulteney is quite overcome.
Now that her poor father is gone. she has no one at all.
Of course. The poor dear Archdeacon was very old. but to go like that.
Well, I blame the maid, of course.
- The maid? - Yes, that insolent girl, Jane Lee.
Oh, I never liked her.
Well, it seems a stair rod was missing and she never mentioned it.
Poor dear Archdeacon set his foot quite on the edge of the step.
and you know how slippery the oak is.
- You've remarked on it yourself. - I don't think so, Letitia.
They say the funeral is for Thursday.
Oh, poor Miss Pulteney.
Of course, he had been in the position for a very long time.
Catherine was saying to me only the other day
that the affairs of the Archdeacon really are beyond belief.
The dues upon Westwood have been uncollected for nearly 12 years.
And four chancels are almost past repair.
Dr Pulteney was a dear man. but as an Archdeacon...
Catherine was saying it would take a man of your zeal and determination.
I hardly think it fitting at a time like this, Letitia,
to discuss the administrative defects of the late lamented Archdeacon.
Nor can I feel it to be in anything but the worst possible taste
to speculate on his possible successor.
(Bells toll)
(♪ Organ music plays)
♪ Oh. Lord. open thou our lips
♪ And my mouth shall show forth thy praise... ♪
(Silent scream)
♪ Oh, God, ♪ make speed to save us
(Choir) ♪ Oh. Lord ♪
♪ Make haste to help us ♪
Have you discovered anything at all untoward. Dr Black?
No. nothing tangible. so far.
Mainly devoted to cleansing the Augean stables...
Given time to reduce to some semblance of order
the innumerable errors and so forth.
His conflicts with the organist.
Not. for once. successful.
He seems to have been a very busy man. our Dr Haynes.
Not, perhaps, the most popular figure in the cathedral close,
but very energetic.
No. it's a disappointing and blameless life, so far.
For the first three years, at any rate,
he seems completely occupied with his administrative details.
And yet, traces of uneasiness impinge
rather as though his waking hours had to be crammed with activity
in order to keep the shadows at bay.
"August 30th. 1880."
I wish I were not leaving you for Brighton, dear.
The air will benefit you, Letitia.
Damp and raw in Barchester in winter.
Might even put some colour into your cheeks.
Besides. you'll enjoy cousin Henrietta's company and she yours.
Will you not be lonely, John, alone in this great house?
I have my book to finish, I shall be fully occupied.
I sometimes think we've been in Barchester too long.
Too long?
Do you remember how we used to joke about old Dr Pulteney?
Lord. now let us thou thy servant depart in peace.
Letitia, I do not think...
I'm only trying to say that perhaps you might retire one day.
Not this year. perhaps. but sometime soon.
Are you not happy here. Letitia?
It is you I'm thinking of, John.
Have I shown myself to be unhappy or given others cause to think bitter?
No. John.
Besides. I have my duty.
I could hardly wish the affairs of the cathedral to fall again
into that state of dereliction that my predecessor allowed.
I had only thought...
One should avoid fanciful thoughts. Letitia.
Now. what's this? A letter.
It's not the doctor's hand, nor his spelling, either.
"I have been expecting to hear from you these last weeks.
"Bad times. Which way to look for the rent, we do not know.
"Send £40 or steps will be took I shall not wish."
What is it, a begging letter?
More than that, I think.
"Seeing as how you was the means of my losing my place with Dr Pulteney.
"what I could say. if put to it. Jane Lee."
The maid servant.
There was a portly payment in the accounts to one JL.
I wondered about that. It started soon after he became Archdeacon.
(Haynes) 'December 6th.
'I do indeed miss Letitia's company.
'The evenings after I have worked as long as I can are very trying.
'The house is too large for a lonely man and visitors of any kind are too rare.
'I get an uncomfortable impression when going to my room
'that there is company of some kind.
'The fact is,
'I may as well formulate it to myself,
'that I hear voices.'
(Voices) 'Long life. Dr Pulteney. Long life.'
(Letitia) 'It seems a stair rod was missing and she never mentioned it.'
(Echoing woman's laughter)
(Haynes) 'This, I am well aware, is a common symptom
'of incipient decay of the brain.
'And I believe I should be less disquieted than I am
'if I had any suspicion that this was the cause.
'I have none.
'Nor is there anything in my family history to give colour to such an idea.'
(♪ Organ music)
♪ Lord. now let us thou thy servant depart
♪ In peace
♪ O glory to thy Lord
♪ Open thine eyes and see... ♪
(Haynes) 'October 11th.
'Candles lit in the choir for the first time at evening prayers.
'It came as a shock.
'I find that I absolutely shrink from the dark season.
'Much struck by the character of the carving on my stall.'
♪...to enlighten the Gentiles...
(Choir voices echoing)
(Cries out)
(Coughs)
Matthew, do you know anything about these?
They were done before my time, sir.
Nasty little things. I'd say.
No place in the Lord's house. in my opinion.
I never really noticed them before. Do you know anything of their history?
Oh, all the carvings here is very famous, sir.
Amongst those that likes that sort of thing, of course.
On the south side. There's the angels and the blessed and that.
And over here...is the damned.
Everlastingly burning, sir.
As is their lot.
There appears to be more conviction in the figures of the damned.
I dare say you're right, sir.
Course. what a lot of folk don't notice is these.
Very strange some of these are.
(Haynes) It's one of the seven deadly sins. Pride, I think.
They must all be along here.
Yes, sir, I'm sure you're right.
Oh, they all have a moral, sir. If you can understand them. That is.
Of course. I prefer something a bit more modern myself.
They must be 14th century.
Most of them are, sir.
Of course. yours was done only about 200 years ago.
There was a fire, you see, sir, and they had to be restored.
The wood for it came from the oak trees over to the Holywood.
At least, that's what my father used to tell me.
I had no idea, Dr Haynes,
that you interested yourself in antiquities of this kind.
I'd imagine the affairs of the cathedral occupied all your time.
It was the carvings on my stall that struck me particularly.
I could not help noting the uncommon craftsmanship
with which they were executed.
- The devil, death and the cat. - Yes.
They were done by a local man, you know. John Austin.
He had a strange reputation.
I believe he rejoiced in the nickname of "Austin the Twice-Born".
They credited him with second sight.
I suppose there are still parts of England as yet
imperfectly lightened by the radiance of Christian thought.
Indeed'.
I suspect the process of enlightenment
is far less advanced than many imagine.
The trees at the centre of this grove,
which furnished the materials for the noble structure
in your cathedral, Archdeacon,
were used at one time for much darker rites than those they now fulfil.
In pre-Christian times, of course. one understands.
Within living memory, my dear sir.
Take, for example, the largest stump
which stands a little apart from the others.
It is still remembered in my parish that it was called the Hanging Oak.
The propriety of the title was confirmed by the fact
that human bones were found between its roots when it was filled.
There are old people who still talk of the days
when small images were hung from its branches
to bring good fortune in love or commerce.
I hope the grove's destruction put an end
to the practice of such...superstitious foolery.
So far as I know, the old customs have died.
(Bells ringing)
(Haynes) 'January 1st.
'My trouble. I must confess. is increasing upon me.
'Last night, I returned from the deanery after midnight.'
(Echoing woman's laughter)
(Rasping voice) 'Let me wish you a Happy New Year.'
'Let me wish you a Happy New Year.
Let me wish you a Happy New Year. A Happy New Year...'
(Sighs heavily)
(Haynes) 'January 15th.
'I had occasion to go downstairs last night for my watch
'which I had inadvertently left in my study.
'I cannot say that I found it easy to leave my bedroom.
'I must be firm.'
(Clock chimes)
(Stairs creak)
(Rustling)
(Stairs creak)
(Cat hisses)
(Cat miaows)
(Echoing voice) 'Take care, take care...'
The Archdeacon's diary provides the one outlet
for all his troubles and fears.
although I suspect that much is concealed even from this.
Look at this now.
"I must be firm, I must be firm, I must be firm."
Repeated over and over on subsequent days.
Look how it bites into the paper here.
Poor man.
Incipient madness.
His loneliness, conscience and overwork.
His sister Letitia returns in the spring,
and things take on a more cheerful air for him.
No more dark evenings. I suspect.
"Modest celebration at the dean's last night.
"My defence of the episcopacy has been well received.
"The Bishop was heard to say it displayed in no ordinary degree
"the refinement of the scholar united with the graces of a Christian."
He's a resilient soul, our Dr Haynes.
One can't help but admire him a little.
What a pity that he couldn't wait for Dr Pulteney
to leave the stage gracefully.
"September 12th.
"Letitia is gone again. And the house is very empty."
(Haynes) 'A curious thing last night which I should like to forget.
'Perhaps if I put it down here. I may see it in its true proportion.
'I worked in the library from about nine to ten o'clock.'
(Muffled noises)
'The hall and staircase seemed to be unusually full
'of what I can only call movement without sound.
'By this I mean there seemed to be continuous going and coming
'and that whenever I ceased writing to listen
'or looked out in to the hall,
'the stillness was absolutely unbroken.'
(♪ Choral singing)
(Haynes) 'October 22nd.
'At evening prayers I had the same experience
'which I recollect from last year.
'I can assign the moment at which I became sensible of this.
'The choir were singing the 109th Psalm...'
♪...and let Satan stand at his right hand
♪ When sentence is given among ye
♪ Let him be condemned
♪ And let him his prayer become sin
(Echoing) ♪ Let his days be few
♪ And let another take his office... ♪
(Voices echo and fade)
♪...and make their bread
♪ Let them seek it also... ♪
'I was going to say that a change came over the carving,
'but that seems to be attributing too much importance to what, after all,
'must be due to some physical affliction in myself.'
(Footsteps echo)
(Footsteps continue)
(Footsteps approaching)
I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to startle you.
I wondered if that was Canon Arnold you was with. sir.
I wanted to have a word with him.
Canon Arnold?
Yes. sir. I saw both of you by the tablet a minute ago.
Has he gone in to the chapel?
No one was with me. No one'.
I'm very sorry, sir.
I didn't mean to disturb you.
(Haynes) 'November 15th.
'Here again. I must note a matter I do not understand.
'I am much troubled in sleep.'
(Echoes of woman's laughter)
(Matthew) 'I wondered if that was Canon Arnold you was with. sir.
- 'I wanted to have a word with him.' - 'No one was with me. No one'.'
(Matthew) 'Nasty little things. I'd say.
'No place in the Lord's house. in my opinion.'
(Dean) 'Was called the Hanging Oak.
'Human bones were found between its roots when it was filled.'
(Matthew) 'Everlastingly burning. sir. As is their lot.'
(Dean) 'Austin the Twice-Born. They credited him with second sight.'
Oh'. Ah'.
(Black) "I must be firm."
It would appear that his firmness is beginning to give out.
Why did he not plead ill health and join his sister in Brighton?
I suspect that he was a man who simply would not admit defeat.
He's a confirmed rationalist, you see.
It's interesting to note that he never once admits
that the phenomena could be the product of anything
other than some affliction in himself.
But what else could they have been than the result of strain?
But these phenomena were witnessed by people other than himself.
"January 7th.
"I have prevailed upon my cousin Alan to stay.
"Alan thinks this is a very noisy house.
"He thinks my cat is an unusually large and fine specimen
"but very wild."
(Haynes) 'January 18th.
'Alan left yesterday.
'Apart from my servant John, I am alone.'
Would there be anything else. sir?
John. I should like you to come up to my room in about an hour's time.
I shall have a letter for the Bishop which I should like you to deliver
to the Palace early in the morning.
Very well, sir.
(Scratching)
(Male voice) May I come in?
Yes, come in. I've got the letter.
John? John?
Here I am, sir.
Give me your candle.
- Do we have a cat, John? - Cat, sir?
A kitchen cat. A large brute.
No, sir.
- Has there never been a cat? - Not as far as I know of. sir.
- Will that be all, sir? - Yes. Thank you. John.
(Haynes) 'February 21st.
'I must be firm.
'I must be firm'.'
(Cat miaows)
(Miaowing)
(Floorboards creak)
(Cat screeches)
(Cat hisses)
(Stairs creak)
(Cat miaows)
(Echoing laughter)
(Cries out)
"To the distress and horror of friends and family alike,
"his neck was broken and his features almost unrecognisable.
"The author or authors of this mysterious outrage
"are alike bedded in mystery,
"and the most active conjecture has hitherto failed to suggest a solution
"of the melancholy problem afforded by this appalling occurrence."
Well, with all due respect,
I feel that your former dean was quite correct.
I take it that you don't wish me to publish this in my catalogue?
My dear sir'.
Nevertheless. I think I will take the liberty
of paying a visit to the cathedral.
- Good night. - Good night.
(♪ Organ music plays)
(Black) 'The choir stalls were immediately recognisable
'from the Archdeacon's description.
'But of the two carvings. cat and the hooded figure.
'there was no trace at all.
'The arms of the stall were plain and appear to have been recently restored.'
'Local enquiries led me to search out the curator of the town museum.
'whom I was told was more likely to know the fate of the carvings
'than anyone else.'
Er...Mr Stevens?
- Yes? - My name is Black. Dr Black.
I've had occasion to do some work
on the choir stalls in the cathedral
and was told that you might be able to help me further.
Of course, Dr Black, I shall be delighted to give you what help I can.
It was the Archdeacon's stall, in particular.
I read of two extremely unusual figures.
I think I've heard of the pieces you mean.
I had them from an old man who did speak to me over some figures.
- Have you seen the figures? - Oh, no.
I've only heard them described.
But I have something somewhere appertaining to them.
Let me see, now. Where, oh, where...?
You see. This old fella dropped it and it came in two.
Saw it only a week ago.
Oh. it's ridiculous.
Do you know more relics of Barchester have been lost in here...?
Oh, here we are. I knew I had it.
Erm...it's... Where was I?
- It broke in two. - Yes. and this came out.
The old man brought it to me. He couldn't make head or tail of it.
The only thing I can say with safety
is that it was written by the man who did the carving.
The name's known.
Can I see it?
"When I grew in the wood, I was watered with blood.
"Now in the church I stand.
"Who that touches me with his hand. if a bloody hand he bear,
"I counts of him. beware.
"Lest he be fetched away, whether by night or day,
"but chiefly when the wind blows high. in a night of February.
"This I dreamt 26th February. 1699. John Austin."
Austin the Twice-born.
Some sort of spell or charm.
Would you say it was something of that kind?
Yes. I suppose one might.
What happened to the figure in which it was concealed?
Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you.
The old man told me that it frightened his children so much
that he burnt it.
(♪ Organ music plays)