bellowed father omalley , s.j ... .frank , wax upon the high altar , pure , virgin , he had stretched on tippy toes many times to light the devilish but sacred wick as it ignored , avoided , eluded his blazing taper ... dripping , vitalis grooming acid , leaking , slipping stinging beads upon his callow forehead , into his eyes , he , a river of putrefying sweat under his cassock and surplusnow , bertha the licking flame and he the consummable wick !