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diff --git a/old/lorna10.txt b/old/lorna10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7441580 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/lorna10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,32418 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Lorna Doone, A Romance of Exmoor + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + +Lorna Doone, A Romance of Exmoor + +by R. D. 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And +in shaping this old tale, the Writer neither dares, nor +desires, to claim for it the dignity or cumber it with +the difficulty of an historic novel. + +And yet he thinks that the outlines are filled in more +carefully, and the situations (however simple) more +warmly coloured and quickened, than a reader would +expect to find in what is called a 'legend.' + +And he knows that any son of Exmoor, chancing on this +volume, cannot fail to bring to mind the nurse-tales of +his childhood--the savage deeds of the outlaw Doones in +the depth of Bagworthy Forest, the beauty of the +hapless maid brought up in the midst of them, the plain +John Ridd's Herculean power, and (memory's too +congenial food) the exploits of Tom Faggus. + +March, 1869. + + + +CONTENTS + + +I. ELEMENTS OF EDUCATION + +II. AN IMPORTANT ITEM + +III. THE WARPATH OF THE DOONES + +IV. A VERY RASH VISIT + +V. AN ILLEGAL SETTLEMENT + +VI. NECESSARY PRACTICE + +VII. HARD IT IS TO CLIMB + +VIII. A BOY AND A GIRL + +IX. THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME + +X. A BRAVE RESCUE AND A ROUGH RIDE + +XI. TOM DESERVES HIS SUPPER + +XII. A MAN JUSTLY POPULAR + +XIII. MASTER HUCKABACK COMES IN + +XIV. A MOTION WHICH ENDS IN A MULL + +XV. MASTER HUCKABACK FAILS OF WARRANT + +XVI. LORNA GROWS FORMIDABLE + +XVII. JOHN IS CLEARLY BEWITCHED + +XVIII. WITCHERY LEADS TO WITCHCRAFT + +XIX. ANOTHER DANGEROUS INTERVIEW + +XX. LORNA BEGINS HER STORY + +XXI. LORNA ENDS HER STORY + +XXII. A LONG SPRING MONTH + +XXIII. A ROYAL INVITATION + +XXIV. A SAFE PASS FOR KING'S MESSENGER + +XXV. A GREAT MAN ATTENDS TO BUSINESS + +XXVI. JOHN IS DRAINED AND CAST ASIDE + +XXVII. HOME AGAIN AT LAST + +XXVIII. JOHN HAS HOPE OF LORNA + +XXIX. REAPING LEADS TO REVELLING + +XXX. ANNIE GETS THE BEST OF IT + +XXXI. JOHN FRY'S ERRAND + +XXXII. FEEDING OF THE PIGS + +XXXIII. AN EARLY MORNING CALLING + +XXXIV. TWO NEGATIVES MAKE AN AFFIRMATIVE + +XXXV. RUTH IS NOT LIKE LORNA + +XXXVI. JOHN RETURNS TO BUSINESS + +XXXVII. A VERY DESPERATE VENTURE + +XXXVIII. A GOOD TURN FOR JEREMY + +XXXIX. A TROUBLED STATE AND A FOOLISH JOKE + +XL. TWO FOOLS TOGETHER + +XLI. COLD COMFORT + +XLII. THE GREAT WINTER + +XLIII. NOT TOO SOON + +XLIV. BROUGHT HOME AT LAST + +XLV. A CHANGE LONG NEEDED + +XLVI. SQUIRE FAGGUS MAKES SOME LUCKY HITS + +XLVII. JEREMY IN DANGER + +XLVIII. EVERY MAN MUST DEFEND HIMSELF + +XLIX. MAIDEN SENTINELS ARE BEST + +L. A MERRY MEETING A SAD ONE + +LI. A VISIT FROM THE COUNSELLOR + +LII. THE WAY TO MAKE THE CREAM RISE + +LIII. JEREMY FINDS OUT SOMETHING + +LIV. MUTUAL DISCOMFITURE + +LV. GETTING INTO CHANCERY + +LVI. JOHN BECOMES TOO POPULAR + +LVII. LORNA KNOWS HER NURSE + +LVIII. MASTER HUCKABACK'S SECRET + +LIX. LORNA GONE AWAY + +LX. ANNIE LUCKIER THAN JOHN + +LXI. THEREFORE HE SEEKS COMFORT + +LXII. THE KING MUST NOT BE PRAYED FOR + +LXIII. JOHN IS WORSTED BY THE WOMEN + +LXIV. SLAUGHTER IN THE MARSHES + +LXV. FALLING AMONG LAMBS + +LXVI. SUITABLE DEVOTION + +LXVII. LORNA STILL IS LORNA + +LXVIII. JOHN IS JOHN NO LONGER + +LXIX. NOT TO BE PUT UP WITH + +LXX. COMPELLED TO VOLUNTEER + +LXXI. A LONG ACCOUNT SETTLED + +LXXII. THE COUNSELLOR AND THE CARVER + +LXXIII. HOW TO GET OUT OF CHANCERY + +LXXIV. DRIVEN BEYOND ENDURANCE + +LXXV. LIFE AND LORNA COME AGAIN + + + +CHAPTER I + +ELEMENTS OF EDUCATION + +If anybody cares to read a simple tale told simply, I, +John Ridd, of the parish of Oare, in the county of +Somerset, yeoman and churchwarden, have seen and had a +share in some doings of this neighborhood, which I will +try to set down in order, God sparing my life and +memory. And they who light upon this book should bear +in mind not only that I write for the clearing of our +parish from ill fame and calumny, but also a thing +which will, I trow, appear too often in it, to +wit--that I am nothing more than a plain unlettered +man, not read in foreign languages, as a gentleman +might be, nor gifted with long words (even in mine own +tongue), save what I may have won from the Bible or +Master William Shakespeare, whom, in the face of common +opinion, I do value highly. In short, I am an +ignoramus, but pretty well for a yeoman. + +My father being of good substance, at least as we +reckon in Exmoor, and seized in his own right, from +many generations, of one, and that the best and +largest, of the three farms into which our parish is +divided (or rather the cultured part thereof), he John +Ridd, the elder, churchwarden, and overseer, being a +great admirer of learning, and well able to write his +name, sent me his only son to be schooled at Tiverton, +in the county of Devon. For the chief boast of that +ancient town (next to its woollen staple) is a worthy +grammar-school, the largest in the west of England, +founded and handsomely endowed in the year 1604 by +Master Peter Blundell, of that same place, clothier. + +Here, by the time I was twelve years old, I had risen +into the upper school, and could make bold with +Eutropius and Caesar--by aid of an English version--and +as much as six lines of Ovid. Some even said that I +might, before manhood, rise almost to the third form, +being of a perservering nature; albeit, by full consent +of all (except my mother), thick-headed. But that +would have been, as I now perceive, an ambition beyond +a farmer's son; for there is but one form above it, and +that made of masterful scholars, entitled rightly +'monitors'. So it came to pass, by the grace of God, +that I was called away from learning, whilst sitting at +the desk of the junior first in the upper school, and +beginning the Greek verb [Greek word]. + +My eldest grandson makes bold to say that I never could +have learned [Greek word], ten pages further on, being +all he himself could manage, with plenty of stripes to +help him. I know that he hath more head than I--though +never will he have such body; and am thankful to have +stopped betimes, with a meek and wholesome head-piece. + +But if you doubt of my having been there, because now I +know so little, go and see my name, 'John Ridd,' graven +on that very form. Forsooth, from the time I was +strong enough to open a knife and to spell my name, I +began to grave it in the oak, first of the block +whereon I sate, and then of the desk in front of it, +according as I was promoted from one to other of them: +and there my grandson reads it now, at this present +time of writing, and hath fought a boy for scoffing at +it--'John Ridd his name'--and done again in 'winkeys,' +a mischievous but cheerful device, in which we took +great pleasure. + +This is the manner of a 'winkey,' which I here set +down, lest child of mine, or grandchild, dare to make +one on my premises; if he does, I shall know the mark +at once, and score it well upon him. The scholar +obtains, by prayer or price, a handful of saltpetre, +and then with the knife wherewith he should rather be +trying to mend his pens, what does he do but scoop a +hole where the desk is some three inches thick. This +hole should be left with the middle exalted, and the +circumfere dug more deeply. Then let him fill it with +saltpetre, all save a little space in the midst, where +the boss of the wood is. Upon that boss (and it will +be the better if a splinter of timber rise upward) he +sticks the end of his candle of tallow, or 'rat's +tail,' as we called it, kindled and burning smoothly. +Anon, as he reads by that light his lesson, lifting his +eyes now and then it may be, the fire of candle lays +hold of the petre with a spluttering noise and a +leaping. Then should the pupil seize his pen, and, +regardless of the nib, stir bravely, and he will see a +glow as of burning mountains, and a rich smoke, and +sparks going merrily; nor will it cease, if he stir +wisely, and there be a good store of petre, until the +wood is devoured through, like the sinking of a +well-shaft. Now well may it go with the head of a boy +intent upon his primer, who betides to sit thereunder! +But, above all things, have good care to exercise this +art before the master strides up to his desk, in the +early gray of the morning. + +Other customs, no less worthy, abide in the school of +Blundell, such as the singeing of nightcaps; but though +they have a pleasant savour, and refreshing to think +of, I may not stop to note them, unless it be that +goodly one at the incoming of a flood. The +school-house stands beside a stream, not very large, +called Lowman, which flows into the broad river of Exe, +about a mile below. This Lowman stream, although it be +not fond of brawl and violence (in the manner of our +Lynn), yet is wont to flood into a mighty head of +waters when the storms of rain provoke it; and most of +all when its little co-mate, called the Taunton +Brook--where I have plucked the very best cresses that +ever man put salt on--comes foaming down like a great +roan horse, and rears at the leap of the hedgerows. +Then are the gray stone walls of Blundell on every side +encompassed, the vale is spread over with looping +waters, and it is a hard thing for the day-boys to get +home to their suppers. + +And in that time, old Cop, the porter (so called +because he hath copper boots to keep the wet from his +stomach, and a nose of copper also, in right of other +waters), his place is to stand at the gate, attending +to the flood-boards grooved into one another, and so to +watch the torrents rise, and not be washed away, if it +please God he may help it. But long ere the flood hath +attained this height, and while it is only waxing, +certain boys of deputy will watch at the stoop of the +drain-holes, and be apt to look outside the walls when +Cop is taking a cordial. And in the very front of the +gate, just without the archway, where the ground is +paved most handsomely, you may see in copy-letters done +a great P.B. of white pebbles. Now, it is the custom +and the law that when the invading waters, either +fluxing along the wall from below the road-bridge, or +pouring sharply across the meadows from a cut called +Owen's Ditch--and I myself have seen it come both +ways--upon the very instant when the waxing element +lips though it be but a single pebble of the founder's +letters, it is in the license of any boy, soever small +and undoctrined, to rush into the great school-rooms, +where a score of masters sit heavily, and scream at the +top of his voice, 'P.B.' + +Then, with a yell, the boys leap up, or break away from +their standing; they toss their caps to the +black-beamed roof, and haply the very books after them; +and the great boys vex no more the small ones, and the +small boys stick up to the great ones. One with +another, hard they go, to see the gain of the waters, +and the tribulation of Cop, and are prone to kick the +day-boys out, with words of scanty compliment. Then +the masters look at one another, having no class to +look to, and (boys being no more left to watch) in a +manner they put their mouths up. With a spirited bang +they close their books, and make invitation the one to +the other for pipes and foreign cordials, recommending +the chance of the time, and the comfort away from cold +water. + +But, lo! I am dwelling on little things and the +pigeons' eggs of the infancy, forgetting the bitter and +heavy life gone over me since then. If I am neither a +hard man nor a very close one, God knows I have had no +lack of rubbing and pounding to make stone of me. Yet +can I not somehow believe that we ought to hate one +another, to live far asunder, and block the mouth each +of his little den; as do the wild beasts of the wood, +and the hairy outrangs now brought over, each with a +chain upon him. Let that matter be as it will. It is +beyond me to unfold, and mayhap of my grandson's +grandson. All I know is that wheat is better than when +I began to sow it. + + + +CHAPTER II + +AN IMPORTANT ITEM + +Now the cause of my leaving Tiverton school, and the +way of it, were as follows. On the 29th day of +November, in the year of our Lord 1673, the very day +when I was twelve years old, and had spent all my +substance in sweetmeats, with which I made treat to the +little boys, till the large boys ran in and took them, +we came out of school at five o'clock, as the rule is +upon Tuesdays. According to custom we drove the +day-boys in brave rout down the causeway from the +school-porch even to the gate where Cop has his +dwelling and duty. Little it recked us and helped them +less, that they were our founder's citizens, and haply +his own grand-nephews (for he left no direct +descendants), neither did we much inquire what their +lineage was. For it had long been fixed among us, who +were of the house and chambers, that these same +day-boys were all 'caddes,' as we had discovered to +call it, because they paid no groat for their +schooling, and brought their own commons with them. In +consumption of these we would help them, for our fare +in hall fed appetite; and while we ate their victuals, +we allowed them freely to talk to us. Nevertheless, we +could not feel, when all the victuals were gone, but +that these boys required kicking from the premises of +Blundell. And some of them were shopkeepers' sons, +young grocers, fellmongers, and poulterers, and these +to their credit seemed to know how righteous it was to +kick them. But others were of high family, as any +need be, in Devon--Carews, and Bouchiers, and Bastards, +and some of these would turn sometimes, and strike the +boy that kicked them. But to do them justice, even +these knew that they must be kicked for not paying. + +After these 'charity-boys' were gone, as in contumely +we called them--'If you break my bag on my head,' said +one, 'how will feed thence to-morrow?'--and after old +Cop with clang of iron had jammed the double gates in +under the scruff-stone archway, whereupon are Latin +verses, done in brass of small quality, some of us who +were not hungry, and cared not for the supper-bell, +having sucked much parliament and dumps at my only +charges--not that I ever bore much wealth, but because +I had been thrifting it for this time of my birth--we +were leaning quite at dusk against the iron bars of the +gate some six, or it may be seven of us, small boys +all, and not conspicuous in the closing of the daylight +and the fog that came at eventide, else Cop would have +rated us up the green, for he was churly to little boys +when his wife had taken their money. There was plenty +of room for all of us, for the gate will hold nine boys +close-packed, unless they be fed rankly, whereof is +little danger; and now we were looking out on the road +and wishing we could get there; hoping, moreover, to +see a good string of pack-horses come by, with troopers +to protect them. For the day-boys had brought us word +that some intending their way to the town had lain that +morning at Sampford Peveril, and must be in ere +nightfall, because Mr. Faggus was after them. Now Mr. +Faggus was my first cousin and an honour to the family, +being a Northmolton man of great renown on the highway +from Barum town even to London. Therefore of course, I +hoped that he would catch the packmen, and the boys +were asking my opinion as of an oracle, about it. + +A certain boy leaning up against me would not allow my +elbow room, and struck me very sadly in the stomach +part, though his own was full of my parliament. And +this I felt so unkindly, that I smote him straightway +in the face without tarrying to consider it, or +weighing the question duly. Upon this he put his head +down, and presented it so vehemently at the middle of +my waistcoat, that for a minute or more my breath +seemed dropped, as it were, from my pockets, and my +life seemed to stop from great want of ease. Before I +came to myself again, it had been settled for us that +we should move to the 'Ironing-box,' as the triangle of +turf is called where the two causeways coming from the +school-porch and the hall-porch meet, and our fights +are mainly celebrated; only we must wait until the +convoy of horses had passed, and then make a ring by +candlelight, and the other boys would like it. But +suddenly there came round the post where the letters of +our founder are, not from the way of Taunton but from +the side of Lowman bridge, a very small string of +horses, only two indeed (counting for one the pony), +and a red-faced man on the bigger nag. + +'Plaise ye, worshipful masters,' he said, being feared +of the gateway, 'carn 'e tull whur our Jan Ridd be?' + +'Hyur a be, ees fai, Jan Ridd,' answered a sharp little +chap, making game of John Fry's language. + +'Zhow un up, then,' says John Fry poking his whip +through the bars at us; 'Zhow un up, and putt un aowt.' + +The other little chaps pointed at me, and some began to +hallo; but I knew what I was about. + +'Oh, John, John,' I cried, 'what's the use of your +coming now, and Peggy over the moors, too, and it so +cruel cold for her? The holidays don't begin till +Wednesday fortnight, John. To think of your not +knowing that!' + +John Fry leaned forward in the saddle, and turned his +eyes away from me; and then there was a noise in his +throat like a snail crawling on a window-pane. + +'Oh, us knaws that wull enough, Maister Jan; reckon +every Oare-man knaw that, without go to skoo-ull, like +you doth. Your moother have kept arl the apples up, +and old Betty toorned the black puddens, and none dare +set trap for a blagbird. Arl for thee, lad; every bit +of it now for thee!' + +He checked himself suddenly, and frightened me. I knew +that John Fry's way so well. + +'And father, and father--oh, how is father?' I pushed +the boys right and left as I said it. 'John, is father +up in town! He always used to come for me, and leave +nobody else to do it.' + +'Vayther'll be at the crooked post, tother zide o' +telling-house.* Her coodn't lave 'ouze by raison of +the Chirstmas bakkon comin' on, and zome o' the cider +welted.' + +* The 'telling-houses' on the moor are rude cots where +the shepherds meet to 'tell' their sheep at the end of +the pasturing season. + + +He looked at the nag's ears as he said it; and, being +up to John Fry's ways, I knew that it was a lie. And +my heart fell like a lump of lead, and I leaned back on +the stay of the gate, and longed no more to fight +anybody. A sort of dull power hung over me, like the +cloud of a brooding tempest, and I feared to be told +anything. I did not even care to stroke the nose of my +pony Peggy, although she pushed it in through the +rails, where a square of broader lattice is, and +sniffed at me, and began to crop gently after my +fingers. But whatever lives or dies, business must be +attended to; and the principal business of good +Christians is, beyond all controversy, to fight with +one another. + +'Come up, Jack,' said one of the boys, lifting me under +the chin; 'he hit you, and you hit him, you know.' + +'Pay your debts before you go,' said a monitor, +striding up to me, after hearing how the honour lay; +'Ridd, you must go through with it.' + +'Fight, for the sake of the junior first,' cried the +little fellow in my ear, the clever one, the head of +our class, who had mocked John Fry, and knew all about +the aorists, and tried to make me know it; but I never +went more than three places up, and then it was an +accident, and I came down after dinner. The boys were +urgent round me to fight, though my stomach was not up +for it; and being very slow of wit (which is not +chargeable on me), I looked from one to other of them, +seeking any cure for it. Not that I was afraid of +fighting, for now I had been three years at Blundell's, +and foughten, all that time, a fight at least once +every week, till the boys began to know me; only that +the load on my heart was not sprightly as of the +hay-field. It is a very sad thing to dwell on; but +even now, in my time of wisdom, I doubt it is a fond +thing to imagine, and a motherly to insist upon, that +boys can do without fighting. Unless they be very good +boys, and afraid of one another. + +'Nay,' I said, with my back against the wrought-iron +stay of the gate, which was socketed into Cop's +house-front: 'I will not fight thee now, Robin Snell, +but wait till I come back again.' + +'Take coward's blow, Jack Ridd, then,' cried half a +dozen little boys, shoving Bob Snell forward to do it; +because they all knew well enough, having striven with +me ere now, and proved me to be their master--they +knew, I say, that without great change, I would never +accept that contumely. But I took little heed of them, +looking in dull wonderment at John Fry, and Smiler, and +the blunderbuss, and Peggy. John Fry was scratching +his head, I could see, and getting blue in the face, by +the light from Cop's parlour-window, and going to and +fro upon Smiler, as if he were hard set with it. And +all the time he was looking briskly from my eyes to the +fist I was clenching, and methought he tried to wink at +me in a covert manner; and then Peggy whisked her tail. + +'Shall I fight, John?' I said at last; 'I would an you +had not come, John.' + +'Chraist's will be done; I zim thee had better faight, +Jan,' he answered, in a whisper, through the gridiron +of the gate; 'there be a dale of faighting avore thee. +Best wai to begin gude taime laike. Wull the geatman +latt me in, to zee as thee hast vair plai, lad?' + +He looked doubtfully down at the colour of his cowskin +boots, and the mire upon the horses, for the sloughs +were exceedingly mucky. Peggy, indeed, my sorrel +pony, being lighter of weight, was not crusted much +over the shoulders; but Smiler (our youngest sledder) +had been well in over his withers, and none would have +deemed him a piebald, save of red mire and black mire. +The great blunderbuss, moreover, was choked with a +dollop of slough-cake; and John Fry's sad-coloured +Sunday hat was indued with a plume of marish-weed. +All this I saw while he was dismounting, heavily and +wearily, lifting his leg from the saddle-cloth as if +with a sore crick in his back. + +By this time the question of fighting was gone quite +out of our discretion; for sundry of the elder boys, +grave and reverend signors, who had taken no small +pleasure in teaching our hands to fight, to ward, to +parry, to feign and counter, to lunge in the manner of +sword-play, and the weaker child to drop on one knee +when no cunning of fence might baffle the onset--these +great masters of the art, who would far liefer see us +little ones practise it than themselves engage, six or +seven of them came running down the rounded causeway, +having heard that there had arisen 'a snug little mill' +at the gate. Now whether that word hath origin in a +Greek term meaning a conflict, as the best-read boys +asseverated, or whether it is nothing more than a +figure of similitude, from the beating arms of a mill, +such as I have seen in counties where are no +waterbrooks, but folk make bread with wind--it is not +for a man devoid of scholarship to determine. Enough +that they who made the ring intituled the scene a +'mill,' while we who must be thumped inside it tried to +rejoice in their pleasantry, till it turned upon the +stomach. + +Moreover, I felt upon me now a certain responsibility, +a dutiful need to maintain, in the presence of John +Fry, the manliness of the Ridd family, and the honour +of Exmoor. Hitherto none had worsted me, although in +the three years of my schooling, I had fought more than +threescore battles, and bedewed with blood every plant +of grass towards the middle of the Ironing-box. And +this success I owed at first to no skill of my own; +until I came to know better; for up to twenty or thirty +fights, I struck as nature guided me, no wiser than a +father-long-legs in the heat of a lanthorn; but I had +conquered, partly through my native strength, and the +Exmoor toughness in me, and still more that I could not +see when I had gotten my bellyful. But now I was like +to have that and more; for my heart was down, to begin +with; and then Robert Snell was a bigger boy than I had +ever encountered, and as thick in the skull and hard in +the brain as even I could claim to be. + +I had never told my mother a word about these frequent +strivings, because she was soft-hearted; neither had I +told by father, because he had not seen it. Therefore, +beholding me still an innocent-looking child, with fair +curls on my forehead, and no store of bad language, +John Fry thought this was the very first fight that +ever had befallen me; and so when they let him at the +gate, 'with a message to the headmaster,' as one of the +monitors told Cop, and Peggy and Smiler were tied to +the railings, till I should be through my business, +John comes up to me with the tears in his eyes, and +says, 'Doon't thee goo for to do it, Jan; doon't thee +do it, for gude now.' But I told him that now it was +much too late to cry off; so he said, 'The Lord be with +thee, Jan, and turn thy thumb-knuckle inwards.' + +It was not a very large piece of ground in the angle of +the causeways, but quite big enough to fight upon, +especially for Christians, who loved to be cheek by +jowl at it. The great boys stood in a circle around, +being gifted with strong privilege, and the little boys +had leave to lie flat and look through the legs of the +great boys. But while we were yet preparing, and the +candles hissed in the fog-cloud, old Phoebe, of more +than fourscore years, whose room was over the +hall-porch, came hobbling out, as she always did, to +mar the joy of the conflict. No one ever heeded her, +neither did she expect it; but the evil was that two +senior boys must always lose the first round of the +fight, by having to lead her home again. + +I marvel how Robin Snell felt. Very likely he thought +nothing of it, always having been a boy of a hectoring +and unruly sort. But I felt my heart go up and down as +the boys came round to strip me; and greatly fearing to +be beaten, I blew hot upon my knuckles. Then pulled I +off my little cut jerkin, and laid it down on my head +cap, and over that my waistcoat, and a boy was proud to +take care of them. Thomas Hooper was his name, and I +remember how he looked at me. My mother had made that +little cut jerkin, in the quiet winter evenings. And +taken pride to loop it up in a fashionable way, and I +was loth to soil it with blood, and good filberds were +in the pocket. Then up to me came Robin Snell (mayor +of Exeter thrice since that), and he stood very square, +and looking at me, and I lacked not long to look at +him. Round his waist he had a kerchief busking up his +small-clothes, and on his feet light pumpkin shoes, and +all his upper raiment off. And he danced about in a +way that made my head swim on my shoulders, and he +stood some inches over me. But I, being muddled with +much doubt about John Fry and his errand, was only +stripped of my jerkin and waistcoat, and not comfortable +to begin. + +'Come now, shake hands,' cried a big boy, jumping in +joy of the spectacle, a third-former nearly six feet +high; 'shake hands, you little devils. Keep your pluck +up, and show good sport, and Lord love the better man +of you.' + +Robin took me by the hand, and gazed at me +disdainfully, and then smote me painfully in the face, +ere I could get my fence up. + +'Whutt be 'bout, lad?' cried John Fry; 'hutt un again, +Jan, wull 'e? Well done then, our Jan boy.' + +For I had replied to Robin now, with all the weight and +cadence of penthemimeral caesura (a thing, the name of +which I know, but could never make head nor tail of +it), and the strife began in a serious style, and the +boys looking on were not cheated. Although I could not +collect their shouts when the blows were ringing upon +me, it was no great loss; for John Fry told me +afterwards that their oaths went up like a furnace +fire. But to these we paid no heed or hap, being in +the thick of swinging, and devoid of judgment. All I +know is, I came to my corner, when the round was over, +with very hard pumps in my chest, and a great desire to +fall away. + +'Time is up,' cried head-monitor, ere ever I got my +breath again; and when I fain would have lingered +awhile on the knee of the boy that held me. John Fry +had come up, and the boys were laughing because he +wanted a stable lanthorn, and threatened to tell my +mother. + +'Time is up,' cried another boy, more headlong than +head-monitor. 'If we count three before the come of +thee, thwacked thou art, and must go to the women.' I +felt it hard upon me. He began to count, one, too, +three--but before the 'three' was out of his mouth, I +was facing my foe, with both hands up, and my breath +going rough and hot, and resolved to wait the turn of +it. For I had found seat on the knee of a boy sage and +skilled to tutor me, who knew how much the end very +often differs from the beginning. A rare ripe scholar +he was; and now he hath routed up the Germans in the +matter of criticism. Sure the clever boys and men have +most love towards the stupid ones. + +'Finish him off, Bob,' cried a big boy, and that I +noticed especially, because I thought it unkind of him, +after eating of my toffee as he had that afternoon; +'finish him off, neck and crop; he deserves it for +sticking up to a man like you.' + +But I was not so to be finished off, though feeling in +my knuckles now as if it were a blueness and a sense of +chilblain. Nothing held except my legs, and they were +good to help me. So this bout, or round, if you +please, was foughten warily by me, with gentle +recollection of what my tutor, the clever boy, had told +me, and some resolve to earn his praise before I came +back to his knee again. And never, I think, in all my +life, sounded sweeter words in my ears (except when my +love loved me) than when my second and backer, who had +made himself part of my doings now, and would have wept +to see me beaten, said,-- + +'Famously done, Jack, famously! Only keep your wind up, +Jack, and you'll go right through him!' + +Meanwhile John Fry was prowling about, asking the boys +what they thought of it, and whether I was like to be +killed, because of my mother's trouble. But finding +now that I had foughten three-score fights already, he +came up to me woefully, in the quickness of my +breathing, while I sat on the knee of my second, with a +piece of spongious coralline to ease me of my bloodshed, +and he says in my ears, as if he was clapping spurs +into a horse,-- + +'Never thee knack under, Jan, or never coom naigh +Hexmoor no more.' + +With that it was all up with me. A simmering buzzed in +my heavy brain, and a light came through my eyeplaces. +At once I set both fists again, and my heart stuck to +me like cobbler's wax. Either Robin Snell should kill +me, or I would conquer Robin Snell. So I went in again +with my courage up, and Bob came smiling for victory, +and I hated him for smiling. He let at me with his +left hand, and I gave him my right between his eyes, +and he blinked, and was not pleased with it. I feared +him not, and spared him not, neither spared myself. My +breath came again, and my heart stood cool, and my eyes +struck fire no longer. Only I knew that I would die +sooner than shame my birthplace. How the rest of it +was I know not; only that I had the end of it, and +helped to put Robin in bed. + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE WAR-PATH OF THE DOONES + + From Tiverton town to the town of Oare is a very long +and painful road, and in good truth the traveller must +make his way, as the saying is; for the way is still +unmade, at least, on this side of Dulverton, although +there is less danger now than in the time of my +schooling; for now a good horse may go there without +much cost of leaping, but when I was a boy the spurs +would fail, when needed most, by reason of the +slough-cake. It is to the credit of this age, and our +advance upon fatherly ways, that now we have laid down +rods and fagots, and even stump-oaks here and there, so +that a man in good daylight need not sink, if he be +quite sober. There is nothing I have striven at more +than doing my duty, way-warden over Exmoor. + +But in those days, when I came from school (and good +times they were, too, full of a warmth and fine +hearth-comfort, which now are dying out), it was a sad +and sorry business to find where lay the highway. We +are taking now to mark it off with a fence on either +side, at least, when a town is handy; but to me his +seems of a high pretence, and a sort of landmark, and +channel for robbers, though well enough near London, +where they have earned a race-course. + +We left the town of the two fords, which they say is +the meaning of it, very early in the morning, after +lying one day to rest, as was demanded by the nags, +sore of foot and foundered. For my part, too, I was +glad to rest, having aches all over me, and very heavy +bruises; and we lodged at the sign of the White Horse +Inn, in the street called Gold Street, opposite where +the souls are of John and Joan Greenway, set up in gold +letters, because we must take the homeward way at +cockcrow of the morning. Though still John Fry was dry +with me of the reason of his coming, and only told lies +about father, and could not keep them agreeable, I +hoped for the best, as all boys will, especially after +a victory. And I thought, perhaps father had sent for +me because he had a good harvest, and the rats were bad +in the corn-chamber. + +It was high noon before we were got to Dulverton that +day, near to which town the river Exe and its big +brother Barle have union. My mother had an uncle +living there, but we were not to visit his house this +time, at which I was somewhat astonished, since we +needs must stop for at least two hours, to bait our +horses thorough well, before coming to the black +bogway. The bogs are very good in frost, except where +the hot-springs rise; but as yet there had been no +frost this year, save just enough to make the +blackbirds look big in the morning. In a hearty +black-frost they look small, until the snow falls over +them. + +The road from Bampton to Dulverton had not been very +delicate, yet nothing to complain of much--no deeper, +indeed, than the hocks of a horse, except in the rotten +places. The day was inclined to be mild and foggy, and +both nags sweated freely; but Peggy carrying little +weight (for my wardrobe was upon Smiler, and John Fry +grumbling always), we could easily keep in front, as +far as you may hear a laugh. + +John had been rather bitter with me, which methought +was a mark of ill taste at coming home for the +holidays; and yet I made allowance for John, because he +had never been at school, and never would have chance +to eat fry upon condition of spelling it; therefore I +rode on, thinking that he was hard-set, like a saw, for +his dinner, and would soften after tooth-work. And yet +at his most hungry times, when his mind was far gone +upon bacon, certes he seemed to check himself and look +at me as if he were sorry for little things coming over +great. + +But now, at Dulverton, we dined upon the rarest and +choicest victuals that ever I did taste. Even now, at +my time of life, to think of it gives me appetite, as +once and awhile to think of my first love makes me love +all goodness. Hot mutton pasty was a thing I had often +heard of from very wealthy boys and men, who made a +dessert of dinner; and to hear them talk of it made my +lips smack, and my ribs come inwards. + +And now John Fry strode into the hostel, with the air +and grace of a short-legged man, and shouted as loud as +if he was calling sheep upon Exmoor,-- + +'Hot mooton pasty for twoo trarv'lers, at number vaive, +in vaive minnits! Dish un up in the tin with the +grahvy, zame as I hardered last Tuesday.' + +Of course it did not come in five minutes, nor yet in +ten or twenty; but that made it all the better when it +came to the real presence; and the smell of it was +enough to make an empty man thank God for the room +there was inside him. Fifty years have passed me +quicker than the taste of that gravy. + +It is the manner of all good boys to be careless of +apparel, and take no pride in adornment. Good lack, if +I see a boy make to do about the fit of his crumpler, +and the creasing of his breeches, and desire to be shod +for comeliness rather than for use, I cannot 'scape the +mark that God took thought to make a girl of him. Not +so when they grow older, and court the regard of the +maidens; then may the bravery pass from the inside to +the outside of them; and no bigger fools are they, even +then, than their fathers were before them. But God +forbid any man to be a fool to love, and be loved, as I +have been. Else would he have prevented it. + +When the mutton pasty was done, and Peggy and Smiler +had dined well also, out I went to wash at the pump, +being a lover of soap and water, at all risk, except of +my dinner. And John Fry, who cared very little to +wash, save Sabbath days in his own soap, and who had +kept me from the pump by threatening loss of the dish, +out he came in a satisfied manner, with a piece of +quill in his hand, to lean against a door-post, and +listen to the horses feeding, and have his teeth ready +for supper. + +Then a lady's-maid came out, and the sun was on her +face, and she turned round to go back again; but put a +better face upon it, and gave a trip and hitched her +dress, and looked at the sun full body, lest the +hostlers should laugh that she was losing her +complexion. With a long Italian glass in her fingers +very daintily, she came up to the pump in the middle of +the yard, where I was running the water off all my head +and shoulders, and arms, and some of my breast even, +and though I had glimpsed her through the sprinkle, it +gave me quite a turn to see her, child as I was, in my +open aspect. But she looked at me, no whit abashed, +making a baby of me, no doubt, as a woman of thirty +will do, even with a very big boy when they catch him +on a hayrick, and she said to me in a brazen manner, as +if I had been nobody, while I was shrinking behind the +pump, and craving to get my shirt on, 'Good leetle boy, +come hither to me. Fine heaven! how blue your eyes +are, and your skin like snow; but some naughty man has +beaten it black. Oh, leetle boy, let me feel it. Ah, +how then it must have hurt you! There now, and you +shall love me.' + +All this time she was touching my breast, here and +there, very lightly, with her delicate brown fingers, +and I understood from her voice and manner that she was +not of this country, but a foreigner by extraction. +And then I was not so shy of her, because I could talk +better English than she; and yet I longed for my +jerkin, but liked not to be rude to her. + +'If you please, madam, I must go. John Fry is waiting +by the tapster's door, and Peggy neighing to me. If +you please, we must get home to-night; and father will +be waiting for me this side of the telling-house.' + +'There, there, you shall go, leetle dear, and perhaps I +will go after you. I have taken much love of you. But +the baroness is hard to me. How far you call it now to +the bank of the sea at Wash--Wash--' + +'At Watchett, likely you mean, madam. Oh, a very long +way, and the roads as soft as the road to Oare.' + +'Oh-ah, oh-ah--I shall remember; that is the place +where my leetle boy live, and some day I will come seek +for him. Now make the pump to flow, my dear, and give +me the good water. The baroness will not touch unless +a nebule be formed outside the glass.' + +I did not know what she meant by that; yet I pumped for +her very heartily, and marvelled to see her for fifty +times throw the water away in the trough, as if it was +not good enough. At last the water suited her, with a +likeness of fog outside the glass, and the gleam of a +crystal under it, and then she made a curtsey to me, in +a sort of mocking manner, holding the long glass by the +foot, not to take the cloud off; and then she wanted to +kiss me; but I was out of breath, and have always been +shy of that work, except when I come to offer it; and +so I ducked under the pump-handle, and she knocked her +chin on the knob of it; and the hostlers came out, and +asked whether they would do as well. + +Upon this, she retreated up the yard, with a certain +dark dignity, and a foreign way of walking, which +stopped them at once from going farther, because it was +so different from the fashion of their sweethearts. +One with another they hung back, where half a cart-load +of hay was, and they looked to be sure that she would +not turn round; and then each one laughed at the rest +of them. + +Now, up to the end of Dulverton town, on the northward +side of it, where the two new pig-sties be, the Oare +folk and the Watchett folk must trudge on together, +until we come to a broken cross, where a murdered man +lies buried. Peggy and Smiler went up the hill, as if +nothing could be too much for them, after the beans +they had eaten, and suddenly turning a corner of trees, +we happened upon a great coach and six horses labouring +very heavily. John Fry rode on with his hat in his +hand, as became him towards the quality; but I was +amazed to that degree, that I left my cap on my head, +and drew bridle without knowing it. + +For in the front seat of the coach, which was half-way +open, being of the city-make, and the day in want of +air, sate the foreign lady, who had met me at the pump +and offered to salute me. By her side was a little +girl, dark-haired and very wonderful, with a wealthy +softness on her, as if she must have her own way. I +could not look at her for two glances, and she did not +look at me for one, being such a little child, and busy +with the hedges. But in the honourable place sate a +handsome lady, very warmly dressed, and sweetly +delicate of colour. And close to her was a lively +child, two or it may be three years old, bearing a +white cockade in his hat, and staring at all and +everybody. Now, he saw Peggy, and took such a liking +to her, that the lady his mother--if so she were--was +forced to look at my pony and me. And, to tell the +truth, although I am not of those who adore the high +folk, she looked at us very kindly, and with a +sweetness rarely found in the women who milk the cows +for us. + +Then I took off my cap to the beautiful lady, without +asking wherefore; and she put up her hand and kissed it +to me, thinking, perhaps, that I looked like a gentle +and good little boy; for folk always called me +innocent, though God knows I never was that. But now +the foreign lady, or lady's maid, as it might be, who +had been busy with little dark eyes, turned upon all +this going-on, and looked me straight in the face. I +was about to salute her, at a distance, indeed, and not +with the nicety she had offered to me, but, strange to +say, she stared at my eyes as if she had never seen me +before, neither wished to see me again. At this I was +so startled, such things beings out of my knowledge, +that I startled Peggy also with the muscle of my legs, +and she being fresh from stable, and the mire scraped +off with cask-hoop, broke away so suddenly that I could +do no more than turn round and lower my cap, now five +months old, to the beautiful lady. Soon I overtook +John Fry, and asked him all about them, and how it was +that we had missed their starting from the hostel. But +John would never talk much till after a gallon of +cider; and all that I could win out of him was that +they were 'murdering Papishers,' and little he cared to +do with them, or the devil, as they came from. And a +good thing for me, and a providence, that I was gone +down Dulverton town to buy sweetstuff for Annie, else +my stupid head would have gone astray with their great +out-coming. + +We saw no more of them after that, but turned into the +sideway; and soon had the fill of our hands and eyes to +look to our own going. For the road got worse and +worse, until there was none at all, and perhaps the +purest thing it could do was to be ashamed to show +itself. But we pushed on as best we might, with doubt +of reaching home any time, except by special grace of +God. + +The fog came down upon the moors as thick as ever I saw +it; and there was no sound of any sort, nor a breath of +wind to guide us. The little stubby trees that stand +here and there, like bushes with a wooden leg to them, +were drizzled with a mess of wet, and hung their points +with dropping. Wherever the butt-end of a hedgerow +came up from the hollow ground, like the withers of a +horse, holes of splash were pocked and pimpled in the +yellow sand of coneys, or under the dwarf tree's ovens. +But soon it was too dark to see that, or anything else, +I may say, except the creases in the dusk, where +prisoned light crept up the valleys. + +After awhile even that was gone, and no other comfort +left us except to see our horses' heads jogging to +their footsteps, and the dark ground pass below us, +lighter where the wet was; and then the splash, foot +after foot, more clever than we can do it, and the +orderly jerk of the tail, and the smell of what a horse +is. + +John Fry was bowing forward with sleep upon his saddle, +and now I could no longer see the frizzle of wet upon +his beard--for he had a very brave one, of a bright red +colour, and trimmed into a whale-oil knot, because he +was newly married--although that comb of hair had been +a subject of some wonder to me, whether I, in God's +good time, should have the like of that, handsomely set +with shining beads, small above and large below, from +the weeping of the heaven. But still I could see the +jog of his hat--a Sunday hat with a top to it--and some +of his shoulder bowed out in the mist, so that one +could say 'Hold up, John,' when Smiler put his foot in. +'Mercy of God! where be us now?' said John Fry, waking +suddenly; 'us ought to have passed hold hash, Jan. +Zeen it on the road, have 'ee?' + +'No indeed, John; no old ash. Nor nothing else to my +knowing; nor heard nothing, save thee snoring.' + +'Watt a vule thee must be then, Jan; and me myzell no +better. Harken, lad, harken!' + +We drew our horses up and listened, through the +thickness of the air, and with our hands laid to our +ears. At first there was nothing to hear, except the +panting of the horses and the trickle of the eaving +drops from our head-covers and clothing, and the soft +sounds of the lonely night, that make us feel, and try +not to think. Then there came a mellow noise, very low +and mournsome, not a sound to be afraid of, but to long +to know the meaning, with a soft rise of the hair. +Three times it came and went again, as the shaking of a +thread might pass away into the distance; and then I +touched John Fry to know that there was something near +me. + +'Doon't 'e be a vule, Jan! Vaine moozick as iver I +'eer. God bless the man as made un doo it.' + +'Have they hanged one of the Doones then, John?' + +'Hush, lad; niver talk laike o' thiccy. Hang a Doone! +God knoweth, the King would hang pretty quick if her +did.' + +'Then who is it in the chains, John?' + +I felt my spirit rise as I asked; for now I had crossed +Exmoor so often as to hope that the people sometimes +deserved it, and think that it might be a lesson to the +rogues who unjustly loved the mutton they were never +born to. But, of course, they were born to hanging, +when they set themselves so high. + +'It be nawbody,' said John, 'vor us to make a fush +about. Belong to t'other zide o' the moor, and come +staling shape to our zide. Red Jem Hannaford his +name. Thank God for him to be hanged, lad; and good +cess to his soul for craikin' zo.' + +So the sound of the quiet swinging led us very +modestly, as it came and went on the wind, loud and low +pretty regularly, even as far as the foot of the gibbet +where the four cross-ways are. + +'Vamous job this here,' cried John, looking up to be +sure of it, because there were so many; 'here be my own +nick on the post. Red Jem, too, and no doubt of him; +he do hang so handsome like, and his ribs up laike a +horse a'most. God bless them as discoovered the way to +make a rogue so useful. Good-naight to thee, Jem, my +lad; and not break thy drames with the craikin'.' + +John Fry shook his bridle-arm, and smote upon Smiler +merrily, as he jogged into the homeward track from the +guiding of the body. But I was sorry for Red Jem, and +wanted to know more about him, and whether he might not +have avoided this miserable end, and what his wife and +children thought of it, if, indeed, he had any. + +But John would talk no more about it; and perhaps he +was moved with a lonesome feeling, as the creaking +sound came after us. + +'Hould thee tongue, lad,' he said sharply; 'us be naigh +the Doone-track now, two maile from Dunkery Beacon +hill, the haighest place of Hexmoor. So happen they be +abroad to-naight, us must crawl on our belly-places, +boy.' + +I knew at once what he meant--those bloody Doones of +Bagworthy, the awe of all Devon and Somerset, outlaws, +traitors, murderers. My little legs began to tremble +to and fro upon Peggy's sides, as I heard the dead +robber in chains behind us, and thought of the live +ones still in front. + +'But, John,' I whispered warily, sidling close to his +saddle-bow; 'dear John, you don't think they will see +us in such a fog as this?' + +'Never God made vog as could stop their eyesen,' he +whispered in answer, fearfully; 'here us be by the +hollow ground. Zober, lad, goo zober now, if thee wish +to see thy moother.' + +For I was inclined, in the manner of boys, to make a +run of the danger, and cross the Doone-track at full +speed; to rush for it, and be done with it. But even +then I wondered why he talked of my mother so, and said +not a word of father. + +We were come to a long deep 'goyal,' as they call it on +Exmoor, a word whose fountain and origin I have nothing +to do with. Only I know that when little boys laughed +at me at Tiverton, for talking about a 'goyal,' a big +boy clouted them on the head, and said that it was in +Homer, and meant the hollow of the hand. And another +time a Welshman told me that it must be something like +the thing they call a 'pant' in those parts. Still I +know what it means well enough--to wit, a long trough +among wild hills, falling towards the plain country, +rounded at the bottom, perhaps, and stiff, more than +steep, at the sides of it. Whether it be straight or +crooked, makes no difference to it. + +We rode very carefully down our side, and through the +soft grass at the bottom, and all the while we listened +as if the air was a speaking-trumpet. Then gladly we +breasted our nags to the rise, and were coming to the +comb of it, when I heard something, and caught John's +arm, and he bent his hand to the shape of his ear. It +was the sound of horses' feet knocking up through +splashy ground, as if the bottom sucked them. Then a +grunting of weary men, and the lifting noise of +stirrups, and sometimes the clank of iron mixed with +the wheezy croning of leather and the blowing of hairy +nostrils. + +'God's sake, Jack, slip round her belly, and let her go +where she wull.' + +As John Fry whispered, so I did, for he was off Smiler +by this time; but our two pads were too fagged to go +far, and began to nose about and crop, sniffing more +than they need have done. I crept to John's side very +softly, with the bridle on my arm. + +'Let goo braidle; let goo, lad. Plaise God they take +them for forest-ponies, or they'll zend a bullet +through us.' + +I saw what he meant, and let go the bridle; for now the +mist was rolling off, and we were against the sky-line +to the dark cavalcade below us. John lay on the ground +by a barrow of heather, where a little gullet was, and +I crept to him, afraid of the noise I made in dragging +my legs along, and the creak of my cord breeches. John +bleated like a sheep to cover it--a sheep very cold and +trembling. + +Then just as the foremost horseman passed, scarce +twenty yards below us, a puff of wind came up the glen, +and the fog rolled off before it. And suddenly a +strong red light, cast by the cloud-weight downwards, +spread like fingers over the moorland, opened the +alleys of darkness, and hung on the steel of the +riders. + +'Dunkery Beacon,' whispered John, so close into my ear, +that I felt his lips and teeth ashake; 'dursn't fire it +now except to show the Doones way home again, since the +naight as they went up and throwed the watchmen atop of +it. Why, wutt be 'bout, lad? God's sake--' + +For I could keep still no longer, but wriggled away +from his arm, and along the little gullet, still going +flat on my breast and thighs, until I was under a grey +patch of stone, with a fringe of dry fern round it; +there I lay, scarce twenty feet above the heads of the +riders, and I feared to draw my breath, though prone to +do it with wonder. + +For now the beacon was rushing up, in a fiery storm to +heaven, and the form of its flame came and went in the +folds, and the heavy sky was hovering. All around it +was hung with red, deep in twisted columns, and then a +giant beard of fire streamed throughout the darkness. +The sullen hills were flanked with light, and the +valleys chined with shadow, and all the sombrous moors +between awoke in furrowed anger. + +But most of all the flinging fire leaped into the rocky +mouth of the glen below me, where the horsemen passed +in silence, scarcely deigning to look round. Heavy men +and large of stature, reckless how they bore their +guns, or how they sate their horses, with leathern +jerkins, and long boots, and iron plates on breast and +head, plunder heaped behind their saddles, and flagons +slung in front of them; I counted more than thirty +pass, like clouds upon red sunset. Some had carcasses +of sheep swinging with their skins on, others had deer, +and one had a child flung across his saddle-bow. +Whether the child were dead, or alive, was more than I +could tell, only it hung head downwards there, and must +take the chance of it. They had got the child, a very +young one, for the sake of the dress, no doubt, which +they could not stop to pull off from it; for the dress +shone bright, where the fire struck it, as if with gold +and jewels. I longed in my heart to know most sadly +what they would do with the little thing, and whether +they would eat it. + +It touched me so to see that child, a prey among those +vultures, that in my foolish rage and burning I stood +up and shouted to them leaping on a rock, and raving +out of all possession. Two of them turned round, and +one set his carbine at me, but the other said it was +but a pixie, and bade him keep his powder. Little they +knew, and less thought I, that the pixie then before +them would dance their castle down one day. + +John Fry, who in the spring of fright had brought +himself down from Smiler's side, as if he were dipped +in oil, now came up to me, all risk being over, cross, +and stiff, and aching sorely from his wet couch of +heather. + +'Small thanks to thee, Jan, as my new waife bain't a +widder. And who be you to zupport of her, and her son, +if she have one? Zarve thee right if I was to chuck +thee down into the Doone-track. Zim thee'll come to +un, zooner or later, if this be the zample of thee.' + +And that was all he had to say, instead of thanking +God! For if ever born man was in a fright, and ready to +thank God for anything, the name of that man was John +Fry not more than five minutes agone. + +However, I answered nothing at all, except to be +ashamed of myself; and soon we found Peggy and Smiler +in company, well embarked on the homeward road, and +victualling where the grass was good. Right glad they +were to see us again--not for the pleasure of carrying, +but because a horse (like a woman) lacks, and is better +without, self-reliance. + +My father never came to meet us, at either side of the +telling-house, neither at the crooked post, nor even +at home-linhay although the dogs kept such a noise that +he must have heard us. Home-side of the linhay, and +under the ashen hedge-row, where father taught me to +catch blackbirds, all at once my heart went down, and +all my breast was hollow. There was not even the +lanthorn light on the peg against the cow's house, and +nobody said 'Hold your noise!' to the dogs, or shouted +'Here our Jack is!' + +I looked at the posts of the gate, in the dark, because +they were tall, like father, and then at the door of +the harness-room, where he used to smoke his pipe and +sing. Then I thought he had guests perhaps--people +lost upon the moors--whom he could not leave unkindly, +even for his son's sake. And yet about that I was +jealous, and ready to be vexed with him, when he should +begin to make much of me. And I felt in my pocket for +the new pipe which I had brought him from Tiverton, and +said to myself, 'He shall not have it until to-morrow +morning.' + +Woe is me! I cannot tell. How I knew I know not +now--only that I slunk away, without a tear, or thought +of weeping, and hid me in a saw-pit. There the timber, +over-head, came like streaks across me; and all I +wanted was to lack, and none to tell me anything. + +By-and-by, a noise came down, as of woman's weeping; +and there my mother and sister were, choking and +holding together. Although they were my dearest loves, +I could not bear to look at them, until they seemed to +want my help, and put their hands before their eyes. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A VERY RASH VISIT + +My dear father had been killed by the Doones of +Bagworthy, while riding home from Porlock market, on +the Saturday evening. With him were six +brother-farmers, all of them very sober; for father +would have no company with any man who went beyond half +a gallon of beer, or a single gallon of cider. The +robbers had no grudge against him; for he had never +flouted them, neither made overmuch of outcry, because +they robbed other people. For he was a man of such +strict honesty, and due parish feeling, that he knew it +to be every man's own business to defend himself and +his goods; unless he belonged to our parish, and then +we must look after him. + +These seven good farmers were jogging along, helping +one another in the troubles of the road, and singing +goodly hymns and songs to keep their courage moving, +when suddenly a horseman stopped in the starlight full +across them. + +By dress and arms they knew him well, and by his size +and stature, shown against the glimmer of the evening +star; and though he seemed one man to seven, it was in +truth one man to one. Of the six who had been singing +songs and psalms about the power of God, and their own +regeneration--such psalms as went the round, in those +days, of the public-houses--there was not one but +pulled out his money, and sang small beer to a Doone. + +But father had been used to think that any man who was +comfortable inside his own coat and waistcoat deserved +to have no other set, unless he would strike a blow for +them. And so, while his gossips doffed their hats, and +shook with what was left of them, he set his staff +above his head, and rode at the Doone robber. With a +trick of his horse, the wild man escaped the sudden +onset, although it must have amazed him sadly that any +durst resist him. Then when Smiler was carried away +with the dash and the weight of my father (not being +brought up to battle, nor used to turn, save in plough +harness), the outlaw whistled upon his thumb, and +plundered the rest of the yeoman. But father, drawing +at Smiler's head, to try to come back and help them, +was in the midst of a dozen men, who seemed to come out +of a turf-rick, some on horse, and some a-foot. +Nevertheless, he smote lustily, so far as he could see; +and being of great size and strength, and his blood +well up, they had no easy job with him. With the play +of his wrist, he cracked three or four crowns, being +always famous at single-stick; until the rest drew +their horses away, and he thought that he was master, +and would tell his wife about it. + +But a man beyond the range of staff was crouching by +the peat-stack, with a long gun set to his shoulder, +and he got poor father against the sky, and I cannot +tell the rest of it. Only they knew that Smiler came +home, with blood upon his withers, and father was found +in the morning dead on the moor, with his ivy-twisted +cudgel lying broken under him. Now, whether this were +an honest fight, God judge betwixt the Doones and me. + +It was more of woe than wonder, being such days of +violence, that mother knew herself a widow, and her +children fatherless. Of children there were only +three, none of us fit to be useful yet, only to comfort +mother, by making her to work for us. I, John Ridd, +was the eldest, and felt it a heavy thing on me; next +came sister Annie, with about two years between us; and +then the little Eliza. + +Now, before I got home and found my sad loss--and no +boy ever loved his father more than I loved +mine--mother had done a most wondrous thing, which made +all the neighbours say that she must be mad, at least. +Upon the Monday morning, while her husband lay +unburied, she cast a white hood over her hair, and +gathered a black cloak round her, and, taking counsel +of no one, set off on foot for the Doone-gate. + +In the early afternoon she came to the hollow and +barren entrance, where in truth there was no gate, only +darkness to go through. If I get on with this story, I +shall have to tell of it by-and-by, as I saw it +afterwards; and will not dwell there now. Enough that +no gun was fired at her, only her eyes were covered +over, and somebody led her by the hand, without any +wish to hurt her. + +A very rough and headstrong road was all that she +remembered, for she could not think as she wished to +do, with the cold iron pushed against her. At the end +of this road they delivered her eyes, and she could +scarce believe them. + +For she stood at the head of a deep green valley, +carved from out the mountains in a perfect oval, with a +fence of sheer rock standing round it, eighty feet or a +hundred high; from whose brink black wooded hills swept +up to the sky-line. By her side a little river glided +out from underground with a soft dark babble, unawares +of daylight; then growing brighter, lapsed away, and +fell into the valley. Then, as it ran down the meadow, +alders stood on either marge, and grass was blading out +upon it, and yellow tufts of rushes gathered, looking +at the hurry. But further down, on either bank, were +covered houses built of stone, square and roughly +cornered, set as if the brook were meant to be the +street between them. Only one room high they were, and +not placed opposite each other, but in and out as +skittles are; only that the first of all, which proved +to be the captain's, was a sort of double house, or +rather two houses joined together by a plank-bridge, +over the river. + +Fourteen cots my mother counted, all very much of a +pattern, and nothing to choose between them, unless it +were the captain's. Deep in the quiet valley there, +away from noise, and violence, and brawl, save that of +the rivulet, any man would have deemed them homes of +simple mind and innocence. Yet not a single house +stood there but was the home of murder. + +Two men led my mother down a steep and gliddery +stair-way, like the ladder of a hay-mow; and thence +from the break of the falling water as far as the house +of the captain. And there at the door they left her +trembling, strung as she was, to speak her mind. + +Now, after all, what right had she, a common farmer's +widow, to take it amiss that men of birth thought fit +to kill her husband. And the Doones were of very high +birth, as all we clods of Exmoor knew; and we had +enough of good teaching now--let any man say the +contrary--to feel that all we had belonged of right to +those above us. Therefore my mother was half-ashamed +that she could not help complaining. + +But after a little while, as she said, remembrance of +her husband came, and the way he used to stand by her +side and put his strong arm round her, and how he liked +his bacon fried, and praised her kindly for it--and so +the tears were in her eyes, and nothing should gainsay +them. + +A tall old man, Sir Ensor Doone, came out with a +bill-hook in his hand, hedger's gloves going up his +arms, as if he were no better than a labourer at +ditch-work. Only in his mouth and eyes, his gait, and +most of all his voice, even a child could know and feel +that here was no ditch-labourer. Good cause he has +found since then, perhaps, to wish that he had been +one. + +With his white locks moving upon his coat, he stopped +and looked down at my mother, and she could not help +herself but curtsey under the fixed black gazing. + +'Good woman, you are none of us. Who has brought you +hither? Young men must be young--but I have had too +much of this work.' + +And he scowled at my mother, for her comeliness; and +yet looked under his eyelids as if he liked her for it. +But as for her, in her depth of love-grief, it struck +scorn upon her womanhood; and in the flash she spoke. + +'What you mean I know not. Traitors! cut-throats! +cowards! I am here to ask for my husband.' She could +not say any more, because her heart was now too much +for her, coming hard in her throat and mouth; but she +opened up her eyes at him. + +'Madam,' said Sir Ensor Doone--being born a gentleman, +although a very bad one--'I crave pardon of you. My +eyes are old, or I might have known. Now, if we have +your husband prisoner, he shall go free without +ransoms, because I have insulted you.' + +'Sir,' said my mother, being suddenly taken away with +sorrow, because of his gracious manner, 'please to let +me cry a bit.' + +He stood away, and seemed to know that women want no +help for that. And by the way she cried he knew that +they had killed her husband. Then, having felt of +grief himself, he was not angry with her, but left her +to begin again. + +'Loth would I be,' said mother, sobbing with her new +red handkerchief, and looking at the pattern of it, +'loth indeed, Sir Ensor Doone, to accuse any one +unfairly. But I have lost the very best husband God +ever gave to a woman; and I knew him when he was to +your belt, and I not up to your knee, sir; and never an +unkind word he spoke, nor stopped me short in speaking. +All the herbs he left to me, and all the bacon-curing, +and when it was best to kill a pig, and how to treat +the maidens. Not that I would ever wish--oh, John, it +seems so strange to me, and last week you were +everything.' + +Here mother burst out crying again, not loudly, but +turning quietly, because she knew that no one now would +ever care to wipe the tears. And fifty or a hundred +things, of weekly and daily happening, came across my +mother, so that her spirit fell like slackening lime. + +'This matter must be seen to; it shall be seen to at +once,' the old man answered, moved a little in spite of +all his knowledge. 'Madam, if any wrong has been +done, trust the honour of a Doone; I will redress it to +my utmost. Come inside and rest yourself, while I ask +about it. What was your good husband's name, and when +and where fell this mishap?' + +'Deary me,' said mother, as he set a chair for her very +polite, but she would not sit upon it; 'Saturday +morning I was a wife, sir; and Saturday night I was a +widow, and my children fatherless. My husband's name +was John Ridd, sir, as everybody knows; and there was +not a finer or better man in Somerset or Devon. He was +coming home from Porlock market, and a new gown for me +on the crupper, and a shell to put my hair up--oh, +John, how good you were to me!' + +Of that she began to think again, and not to believe +her sorrow, except as a dream from the evil one, +because it was too bad upon her, and perhaps she would +awake in a minute, and her husband would have the laugh +of her. And so she wiped her eyes and smiled, and +looked for something. + +'Madam, this is a serious thing,' Sir Ensor Doone said +graciously, and showing grave concern: 'my boys are a +little wild, I know. And yet I cannot think that they +would willingly harm any one. And yet--and yet, you +do look wronged. Send Counsellor to me,' he shouted, +from the door of his house; and down the valley went +the call, 'Send Counsellor to Captain.' + +Counsellor Doone came in ere yet my mother was herself +again; and if any sight could astonish her when all her +sense of right and wrong was gone astray with the force +of things, it was the sight of the Counsellor. A +square-built man of enormous strength, but a foot below +the Doone stature (which I shall describe hereafter), +he carried a long grey beard descending to the leather +of his belt. Great eyebrows overhung his face, like +ivy on a pollard oak, and under them two large brown +eyes, as of an owl when muting. And he had a power of +hiding his eyes, or showing them bright, like a blazing +fire. He stood there with his beaver off, and mother +tried to look at him, but he seemed not to descry her. + +'Counsellor,' said Sir Ensor Doone, standing back in +his height from him, 'here is a lady of good repute--'- + +'Oh, no, sir; only a woman.' + +'Allow me, madam, by your good leave. Here is a lady, +Counsellor, of great repute in this part of the +country, who charges the Doones with having unjustly +slain her husband--' + +'Murdered him! murdered him!' cried my mother, 'if ever +there was a murder. Oh, sir! oh, sir! you know it.' + +'The perfect rights and truth of the case is all I wish +to know,' said the old man, very loftily: 'and justice +shall be done, madam.' + +'Oh, I pray you--pray you, sirs, make no matter of +business of it. God from Heaven, look on me!' + +'Put the case,' said the Counsellor. + +'The case is this,' replied Sir Ensor, holding one hand +up to mother: 'This lady's worthy husband was slain, it +seems, upon his return from the market at Porlock, no +longer ago than last Saturday night. Madam, amend me +if I am wrong.' + +'No longer, indeed, indeed, sir. Sometimes it seems a +twelvemonth, and sometimes it seems an hour.' + +'Cite his name,' said the Counsellor, with his eyes +still rolling inwards. + +'Master John Ridd, as I understand. Counsellor, we +have heard of him often; a worthy man and a peaceful +one, who meddled not with our duties. Now, if any of +our boys have been rough, they shall answer it dearly. +And yet I can scarce believe it. For the folk about +these parts are apt to misconceive of our sufferings, +and to have no feeling for us. Counsellor, you are our +record, and very stern against us; tell us how this +matter was.' + +'Oh, Counsellor!' my mother cried; 'Sir Counsellor, you +will be fair: I see it in your countenance. Only tell +me who it was, and set me face to face with him, and I +will bless you, sir, and God shall bless you, and my +children.' + +The square man with the long grey beard, quite unmoved +by anything, drew back to the door and spoke, and his +voice was like a fall of stones in the bottom of a +mine. + +'Few words will be enow for this. Four or five of our +best-behaved and most peaceful gentlemen went to the +little market at Porlock with a lump of money. They +bought some household stores and comforts at a very +high price, and pricked upon the homeward road, away +from vulgar revellers. When they drew bridle to rest +their horses, in the shelter of a peat-rick, the night +being dark and sudden, a robber of great size and +strength rode into the midst of them, thinking to kill +or terrify. His arrogance and hardihood at the first +amazed them, but they would not give up without a blow +goods which were on trust with them. He had smitten +three of them senseless, for the power of his arm was +terrible; whereupon the last man tried to ward his blow +with a pistol. Carver, sir, it was, our brave and +noble Carver, who saved the lives of his brethren and +his own; and glad enow they were to escape. +Notwithstanding, we hoped it might be only a +flesh-wound, and not to speed him in his sins.' + +As this atrocious tale of lies turned up joint by joint +before her, like a 'devil's coach-horse,'* mother was +too much amazed to do any more than look at him, as if +the earth must open. But the only thing that opened +was the great brown eyes of the Counsellor, which +rested on my mother's face with a dew of sorrow, as he +spoke of sins. + +* The cock-tailed beetle has earned this name in the +West of England. + + +She, unable to bear them, turned suddenly on Sir Ensor, +and caught (as she fancied) a smile on his lips, and a +sense of quiet enjoyment. + +'All the Doones are gentlemen,' answered the old man +gravely, and looking as if he had never smiled since he +was a baby. 'We are always glad to explain, madam, any +mistake which the rustic people may fall upon about us; +and we wish you clearly to conceive that we do not +charge your poor husband with any set purpose of +robbery, neither will we bring suit for any attainder +of his property. Is it not so, Counsellor?' + +'Without doubt his land is attainted; unless is mercy +you forbear, sir.' + +'Counsellor, we will forbear. Madam, we will forgive +him. Like enough he knew not right from wrong, at that +time of night. The waters are strong at Porlock, and +even an honest man may use his staff unjustly in this +unchartered age of violence and rapine.' + +The Doones to talk of rapine! Mother's head went round +so that she curtseyed to them both, scarcely knowing +where she was, but calling to mind her manners. All +the time she felt a warmth, as if the right was with +her, and yet she could not see the way to spread it out +before them. With that, she dried her tears in haste +and went into the cold air, for fear of speaking +mischief. + +But when she was on the homeward road, and the +sentinels had charge of her, blinding her eyes, as if +she were not blind enough with weeping, some one came +in haste behind her, and thrust a heavy leathern bag +into the limp weight of her hand. + +'Captain sends you this,' he whispered; 'take it to the +little ones.' + +But mother let it fall in a heap, as if it had been a +blind worm; and then for the first time crouched before +God, that even the Doones should pity her. + + + +CHAPTER V + +AN ILLEGAL SETTLEMENT + +Good folk who dwell in a lawful land, if any such +there be, may for want of exploration, judge our +neighbourhood harshly, unless the whole truth is set +before them. In bar of such prejudice, many of us ask +leave to explain how and why it was the robbers came to +that head in the midst of us. We would rather not have +had it so, God knows as well as anybody; but it grew +upon us gently, in the following manner. Only let all +who read observe that here I enter many things which +came to my knowledge in later years. + +In or about the year of our Lord 1640, when all the +troubles of England were swelling to an outburst, great +estates in the North country were suddenly confiscated, +through some feud of families and strong influence at +Court, and the owners were turned upon the world, and +might think themselves lucky to save their necks. +These estates were in co-heirship, joint tenancy I +think they called it, although I know not the meaning, +only so that if either tenant died, the other living, +all would come to the live one in spite of any +testament. + +One of the joint owners was Sir Ensor Doone, a +gentleman of brisk intellect; and the other owner was +his cousin, the Earl of Lorne and Dykemont. + +Lord Lorne was some years the elder of his cousin, +Ensor Doone, and was making suit to gain severance of +the cumbersome joint tenancy by any fair apportionment, +when suddenly this blow fell on them by wiles and +woman's meddling; and instead of dividing the land, +they were divided from it. + +The nobleman was still well-to-do, though crippled in +his expenditure; but as for the cousin, he was left a +beggar, with many to beg from him. He thought that the +other had wronged him, and that all the trouble of law +befell through his unjust petition. Many friends +advised him to make interest at Court; for having done +no harm whatever, and being a good Catholic, which Lord +Lorne was not, he would be sure to find hearing there, +and probably some favour. But he, like a very +hot-brained man, although he had long been married to +the daughter of his cousin (whom he liked none the more +for that), would have nothing to say to any attempt at +making a patch of it, but drove away with his wife and +sons, and the relics of his money, swearing hard at +everybody. In this he may have been quite wrong; +probably, perhaps, he was so; but I am not convinced at +all but what most of us would have done the same. + +Some say that, in the bitterness of that wrong and +outrage, he slew a gentleman of the Court, whom he +supposed to have borne a hand in the plundering of his +fortunes. Others say that he bearded King Charles the +First himself, in a manner beyond forgiveness. One +thing, at any rate, is sure--Sir Ensor was attainted, +and made a felon outlaw, through some violent deed +ensuing upon his dispossession. + +He had searched in many quarters for somebody to help +him, and with good warrant for hoping it, inasmuch as +he, in lucky days, had been open-handed and cousinly to +all who begged advice of him. But now all these +provided him with plenty of good advice indeed, and +great assurance of feeling, but not a movement of leg, +or lip, or purse-string in his favour. All good people +of either persuasion, royalty or commonalty, knowing +his kitchen-range to be cold, no longer would play +turnspit. And this, it may be, seared his heart more +than loss of land and fame. + +In great despair at last, he resolved to settle in some +outlandish part, where none could be found to know him; +and so, in an evil day for us, he came to the West of +England. Not that our part of the world is at all +outlandish, according to my view of it (for I never +found a better one), but that it was known to be +rugged, and large, and desolate. And here, when he had +discovered a place which seemed almost to be made for +him, so withdrawn, so self-defended, and uneasy of +access, some of the country-folk around brought him +little offerings--a side of bacon, a keg of cider, hung +mutton, or a brisket of venison; so that for a little +while he was very honest. But when the newness of his +coming began to wear away, and our good folk were apt +to think that even a gentleman ought to work or pay +other men for doing it, and many farmers were grown +weary of manners without discourse to them, and all +cried out to one another how unfair it was that owning +such a fertile valley young men would not spade or +plough by reason of noble lineage--then the young +Doones growing up took things they would not ask for. + +And here let me, as a solid man, owner of five hundred +acres (whether fenced or otherwise, and that is my own +business), churchwarden also of this parish (until I go +to the churchyard), and proud to be called the parson's +friend--for a better man I never knew with tobacco and +strong waters, nor one who could read the lessons so +well and he has been at Blundell's too--once for all +let me declare, that I am a thorough-going +Church-and-State man, and Royalist, without any mistake +about it. And this I lay down, because some people +judging a sausage by the skin, may take in evil part my +little glosses of style and glibness, and the mottled +nature of my remarks and cracks now and then on the +frying-pan. I assure them I am good inside, and not a +bit of rue in me; only queer knots, as of marjoram, and +a stupid manner of bursting. + +There was not more than a dozen of them, counting a few +retainers who still held by Sir Ensor; but soon they +grew and multiplied in a manner surprising to think of. +Whether it was the venison, which we call a +strengthening victual, or whether it was the Exmoor +mutton, or the keen soft air of the moorlands, anyhow +the Doones increased much faster than their honesty. +At first they had brought some ladies with them, of +good repute with charity; and then, as time went on, +they added to their stock by carrying. They carried +off many good farmers' daughters, who were sadly +displeased at first; but took to them kindly after +awhile, and made a new home in their babies. For +women, as it seems to me, like strong men more than +weak ones, feeling that they need some staunchness, +something to hold fast by. + +And of all the men in our country, although we are of a +thick-set breed, you scarce could find one in +three-score fit to be placed among the Doones, without +looking no more than a tailor. Like enough, we could +meet them man for man (if we chose all around the crown +and the skirts of Exmoor), and show them what a +cross-buttock means, because we are so stuggy; but in +regard of stature, comeliness, and bearing, no woman +would look twice at us. Not but what I myself, John +Ridd, and one or two I know of--but it becomes me best +not to talk of that, although my hair is gray. + +Perhaps their den might well have been stormed, and +themselves driven out of the forest, if honest people +had only agreed to begin with them at once when first +they took to plundering. But having respect for their +good birth, and pity for their misfortunes, and perhaps +a little admiration at the justice of God, that robbed +men now were robbers, the squires, and farmers, and +shepherds, at first did nothing more than grumble +gently, or even make a laugh of it, each in the case of +others. After awhile they found the matter gone too +far for laughter, as violence and deadly outrage +stained the hand of robbery, until every woman clutched +her child, and every man turned pale at the very name +of Doone. For the sons and grandsons of Sir Ensor grew +up in foul liberty, and haughtiness, and hatred, to +utter scorn of God and man, and brutality towards dumb +animals. There was only one good thing about them, if +indeed it were good, to wit, their faith to one +another, and truth to their wild eyry. But this only +made them feared the more, so certain was the revenge +they wreaked upon any who dared to strike a Doone. One +night, some ten years ere I was born, when they were +sacking a rich man's house not very far from Minehead, +a shot was fired at them in the dark, of which they +took little notice, and only one of them knew that any +harm was done. But when they were well on the homeward +road, not having slain either man or woman, or even +burned a house down, one of their number fell from his +saddle, and died without so much as a groan. The youth +had been struck, but would not complain, and perhaps +took little heed of the wound, while he was bleeding +inwardly. His brothers and cousins laid him softly on +a bank of whortle-berries, and just rode back to the +lonely hamlet where he had taken his death-wound. No +man nor woman was left in the morning, nor house for +any to dwell in, only a child with its reason gone.* + +*This vile deed was done, beyond all doubt. + + +This affair made prudent people find more reason to let +them alone than to meddle with them; and now they had +so entrenched themselves, and waxed so strong in +number, that nothing less than a troop of soldiers +could wisely enter their premises; and even so it might +turn out ill, as perchance we shall see by-and-by. + +For not to mention the strength of the place, which I +shall describe in its proper order when I come to visit +it, there was not one among them but was a mighty man, +straight and tall, and wide, and fit to lift four +hundredweight. If son or grandson of old Doone, or one +of the northern retainers, failed at the age of twenty, +while standing on his naked feet to touch with his +forehead the lintel of Sir Ensor's door, and to fill +the door frame with his shoulders from sidepost even to +sidepost, he was led away to the narrow pass which made +their valley so desperate, and thrust from the crown +with ignominy, to get his own living honestly. Now, +the measure of that doorway is, or rather was, I ought +to say, six feet and one inch lengthwise, and two feet +all but two inches taken crossways in the clear. Yet I +not only have heard but know, being so closely mixed +with them, that no descendant of old Sir Ensor, neither +relative of his (except, indeed, the Counsellor, who +was kept by them for his wisdom), and no more than two +of their following ever failed of that test, and +relapsed to the difficult ways of honesty. + +Not that I think anything great of a standard the like +of that: for if they had set me in that door-frame at +the age of twenty, it is like enough that I should have +walked away with it on my shoulders, though I was not +come to my full strength then: only I am speaking now +of the average size of our neighbourhood, and the +Doones were far beyond that. Moreover, they were +taught to shoot with a heavy carbine so delicately and +wisely, that even a boy could pass a ball through a +rabbit's head at the distance of fourscore yards. Some +people may think nought of this, being in practice with +longer shots from the tongue than from the shoulder; +nevertheless, to do as above is, to my ignorance, very +good work, if you can be sure to do it. Not one word +do I believe of Robin Hood splitting peeled wands at +seven-score yards, and such like. Whoever wrote such +stories knew not how slippery a peeled wand is, even if +one could hit it, and how it gives to the onset. Now, +let him stick one in the ground, and take his bow and +arrow at it, ten yards away, or even five. + +Now, after all this which I have written, and all the +rest which a reader will see, being quicker of mind +than I am (who leave more than half behind me, like a +man sowing wheat, with his dinner laid in the ditch too +near his dog), it is much but what you will understand +the Doones far better than I did, or do even to this +moment; and therefore none will doubt when I tell them +that our good justiciaries feared to make an ado, or +hold any public inquiry about my dear father's death. +They would all have had to ride home that night, and +who could say what might betide them. Least said +soonest mended, because less chance of breaking. + +So we buried him quietly--all except my mother, indeed, +for she could not keep silence--in the sloping little +churchyard of Oare, as meek a place as need be, with +the Lynn brook down below it. There is not much of +company there for anybody's tombstone, because the +parish spreads so far in woods and moors without +dwelling-house. If we bury one man in three years, or +even a woman or child, we talk about it for three +months, and say it must be our turn next, and scarcely +grow accustomed to it until another goes. + +Annie was not allowed to come, because she cried so +terribly; but she ran to the window, and saw it all, +mooing there like a little calf, so frightened and so +left alone. As for Eliza, she came with me, one on +each side of mother, and not a tear was in her eyes, +but sudden starts of wonder, and a new thing to be +looked at unwillingly, yet curiously. Poor little +thing! she was very clever, the only one of our +family--thank God for the same--but none the more for +that guessed she what it is to lose a father. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +NECESSARY PRACTICE + +About the rest of all that winter I remember very +little, being only a young boy then, and missing my +father most out of doors, as when it came to the +bird-catching, or the tracking of hares in the snow, or +the training of a sheep-dog. Oftentimes I looked at +his gun, an ancient piece found in the sea, a little +below Glenthorne, and of which he was mighty proud, +although it was only a match-lock; and I thought of the +times I had held the fuse, while he got his aim at a +rabbit, and once even at a red deer rubbing among the +hazels. But nothing came of my looking at it, so far +as I remember, save foolish tears of my own perhaps, +till John Fry took it down one day from the hooks where +father's hand had laid it; and it hurt me to see how +John handled it, as if he had no memory. + +'Bad job for he as her had not got thiccy the naight as +her coom acrass them Doones. Rackon Varmer Jan 'ood +a-zhown them the wai to kingdom come, 'stead of gooin' +herzel zo aisy. And a maight have been gooin' to +market now, 'stead of laying banked up over yanner. +Maister Jan, thee can zee the grave if thee look alang +this here goon-barryel. Buy now, whutt be blubberin' +at? Wish I had never told thee.' + +'John Fry, I am not blubbering; you make a great +mistake, John. You are thinking of little Annie. I +cough sometimes in the winter-weather, and father gives +me lickerish--I mean--I mean--he used to. Now let me +have the gun, John.' + +'Thee have the goon, Jan! Thee isn't fit to putt un to +thy zhoulder. What a weight her be, for sure!' + +'Me not hold it, John! That shows how much you know +about it. Get out of the way, John; you are opposite +the mouth of it, and likely it is loaded.' + +John Fry jumped in a livelier manner than when he was +doing day-work; and I rested the mouth on a cross +rack-piece, and felt a warm sort of surety that I could +hit the door over opposite, or, at least, the cobwall +alongside of it, and do no harm in the orchard. But +John would not give me link or fuse, and, on the whole, +I was glad of it, though carrying on as boys do, +because I had heard my father say that the Spanish gun +kicked like a horse, and because the load in it came +from his hand, and I did not like to undo it. But I +never found it kick very hard, and firmly set to the +shoulder, unless it was badly loaded. In truth, the +thickness of the metal was enough almost to astonish +one; and what our people said about it may have been +true enough, although most of them are such liars--at +least, I mean, they make mistakes, as all mankind must +do. Perchance it was no mistake at all to say that +this ancient gun had belonged to a noble Spaniard, the +captain of a fine large ship in the 'Invincible +Armada,' which we of England managed to conquer, with +God and the weather helping us, a hundred years ago or +more--I can't say to a month or so. + +After a little while, when John had fired away at a rat +the charge I held so sacred, it came to me as a natural +thing to practise shooting with that great gun, instead +of John Fry's blunderbuss, which looked like a bell +with a stalk to it. Perhaps for a boy there is nothing +better than a good windmill to shoot at, as I have seen +them in flat countries; but we have no windmills upon +the great moorland, yet here and there a few +barn-doors, where shelter is, and a way up the hollows. +And up those hollows you can shoot, with the help of +the sides to lead your aim, and there is a fair chance +of hitting the door, if you lay your cheek to the +barrel, and try not to be afraid of it. + +Gradually I won such skill, that I sent nearly all the +lead gutter from the north porch of our little church +through our best barn-door, a thing which has often +repented me since, especially as churchwarden, and made +me pardon many bad boys; but father was not buried on +that side of the church. + +But all this time, while I was roving over the hills or +about the farm, and even listening to John Fry, my +mother, being so much older and feeling trouble longer, +went about inside the house, or among the maids and +fowls, not caring to talk to the best of them, except +when she broke out sometimes about the good master they +had lost, all and every one of us. But the fowls would +take no notice of it, except to cluck for barley; and +the maidens, though they had liked him well, were +thinking of their sweethearts as the spring came on. +Mother thought it wrong of them, selfish and +ungrateful; and yet sometimes she was proud that none +had such call as herself to grieve for him. Only Annie +seemed to go softly in and out, and cry, with nobody +along of her, chiefly in the corner where the bees are +and the grindstone. But somehow she would never let +anybody behold her; being set, as you may say, to think +it over by herself, and season it with weeping. Many +times I caught her, and many times she turned upon me, +and then I could not look at her, but asked how long to +dinner-time. + +Now in the depth of the winter month, such as we call +December, father being dead and quiet in his grave a +fortnight, it happened me to be out of powder for +practice against his enemies. I had never fired a shot +without thinking, 'This for father's murderer'; and +John Fry said that I made such faces it was a wonder +the gun went off. But though I could hardly hold the +gun, unless with my back against a bar, it did me good +to hear it go off, and hope to have hitten his enemies. + +'Oh, mother, mother,' I said that day, directly after +dinner, while she was sitting looking at me, and almost +ready to say (as now she did seven times in a week), +'How like your father you are growing! Jack, come here +and kiss me'--'oh, mother, if you only knew how much I +want a shilling!' + +'Jack, you shall never want a shilling while I am alive +to give thee one. But what is it for, dear heart, dear +heart?' + +'To buy something over at Porlock, mother. Perhaps I +will tell you afterwards. If I tell not it will be for +your good, and for the sake of the children.' + +'Bless the boy, one would think he was threescore years +of age at least. Give me a little kiss, you Jack, and +you shall have the shilling.' + +For I hated to kiss or be kissed in those days: and so +all honest boys must do, when God puts any strength in +them. But now I wanted the powder so much that I went +and kissed mother very shyly, looking round the corner +first, for Betty not to see me. + +But mother gave me half a dozen, and only one shilling +for all of them; and I could not find it in my heart to +ask her for another, although I would have taken it. +In very quick time I ran away with the shilling in my +pocket, and got Peggy out on the Porlock road without +my mother knowing it. For mother was frightened of +that road now, as if all the trees were murderers, and +would never let me go alone so much as a hundred yards +on it. And, to tell the truth, I was touched with fear +for many years about it; and even now, when I ride at +dark there, a man by a peat-rick makes me shiver, until +I go and collar him. But this time I was very bold, +having John Fry's blunderbuss, and keeping a sharp +look-out wherever any lurking place was. However, I +saw only sheep and small red cattle, and the common +deer of the forest, until I was nigh to Porlock town, +and then rode straight to Mr. Pooke's, at the sign of +the Spit and Gridiron. + +Mr. Pooke was asleep, as it happened, not having much +to do that day; and so I fastened Peggy by the handle +of a warming-pan, at which she had no better manners +than to snort and blow her breath; and in I walked with +a manful style, bearing John Fry's blunderbuss. Now +Timothy Pooke was a peaceful man, glad to live without +any enjoyment of mind at danger, and I was tall and +large already as most lads of a riper age. Mr. Pooke, +as soon as he opened his eyes, dropped suddenly under +the counting-board, and drew a great frying-pan over +his head, as if the Doones were come to rob him, as +their custom was, mostly after the fair-time. It made +me feel rather hot and queer to be taken for a robber; +and yet methinks I was proud of it. + +'Gadzooks, Master Pooke,' said I, having learned fine +words at Tiverton; 'do you suppose that I know not then +the way to carry firearms? An it were the old Spanish +match-lock in the lieu of this good flint-engine, which +may be borne ten miles or more and never once go off, +scarcely couldst thou seem more scared. I might point +at thee muzzle on--just so as I do now--even for an +hour or more, and like enough it would never shoot +thee, unless I pulled the trigger hard, with a crock +upon my finger; so you see; just so, Master Pooke, only +a trifle harder.' + +'God sake, John Ridd, God sake, dear boy,' cried Pooke, +knowing me by this time; 'don't 'e, for good love now, +don't 'e show it to me, boy, as if I was to suck it. +Put 'un down, for good, now; and thee shall have the +very best of all is in the shop.' + +'Ho!' I replied with much contempt, and swinging round +the gun so that it fetched his hoop of candles down, +all unkindled as they were: 'Ho! as if I had not +attained to the handling of a gun yet! My hands are +cold coming over the moors, else would I go bail to +point the mouth at you for an hour, sir, and no cause +for uneasiness.' + +But in spite of all assurances, he showed himself +desirous only to see the last of my gun and me. I dare +say 'villainous saltpetre,' as the great playwright +calls it, was never so cheap before nor since. For my +shilling Master Pooke afforded me two great packages +over-large to go into my pockets, as well as a mighty +chunk of lead, which I bound upon Peggy's withers. And +as if all this had not been enough, he presented me +with a roll of comfits for my sister Annie, whose +gentle face and pretty manners won the love of +everybody. + +There was still some daylight here and there as I rose +the hill above Porlock, wondering whether my mother +would be in a fright, or would not know it. The two +great packages of powder, slung behind my back, knocked +so hard against one another that I feared they must +either spill or blow up, and hurry me over Peggy's ears +from the woollen cloth I rode upon. For father always +liked a horse to have some wool upon his loins whenever +he went far from home, and had to stand about, where +one pleased, hot, and wet, and panting. And father +always said that saddles were meant for men full-grown +and heavy, and losing their activity; and no boy or +young man on our farm durst ever get into a saddle, +because they all knew that the master would chuck them +out pretty quickly. As for me, I had tried it once, +from a kind of curiosity; and I could not walk for two +or three days, the leather galled my knees so. But +now, as Peggy bore me bravely, snorting every now and +then into a cloud of air, for the night was growing +frosty, presently the moon arose over the shoulder of a +hill, and the pony and I were half glad to see her, and +half afraid of the shadows she threw, and the images +all around us. I was ready at any moment to shoot at +anybody, having great faith in my blunderbuss, but +hoping not to prove it. And as I passed the narrow +place where the Doones had killed my father, such a +fear broke out upon me that I leaned upon the neck of +Peggy, and shut my eyes, and was cold all over. +However, there was not a soul to be seen, until we came +home to the old farmyard, and there was my mother +crying sadly, and Betty Muxworthy scolding. + +'Come along, now,' I whispered to Annie, the moment +supper was over; 'and if you can hold your tongue, +Annie, I will show you something.' + +She lifted herself on the bench so quickly, and flushed +so rich with pleasure, that I was obliged to stare hard +away, and make Betty look beyond us. Betty thought I +had something hid in the closet beyond the clock-case, +and she was the more convinced of it by reason of my +denial. Not that Betty Muxworthy, or any one else, for +that matter, ever found me in a falsehood, because I +never told one, not even to my mother--or, which is +still a stronger thing, not even to my sweetheart (when +I grew up to have one)--but that Betty being wronged in +the matter of marriage, a generation or two agone, by a +man who came hedging and ditching, had now no mercy, +except to believe that men from cradle to grave are +liars, and women fools to look at them. + +When Betty could find no crime of mine, she knocked me +out of the way in a minute, as if I had been nobody; +and then she began to coax 'Mistress Annie,' as she +always called her, and draw the soft hair down her +hands, and whisper into the little ears. Meanwhile, +dear mother was falling asleep, having been troubled so +much about me; and Watch, my father's pet dog, was +nodding closer and closer up into her lap. + +'Now, Annie, will you come?' I said, for I wanted her +to hold the ladle for melting of the lead; 'will you +come at once, Annie? or must I go for Lizzie, and let +her see the whole of it?' + +'Indeed, then, you won't do that,' said Annie; 'Lizzie +to come before me, John; and she can't stir a pot of +brewis, and scarce knows a tongue from a ham, John, and +says it makes no difference, because both are good to +eat! Oh, Betty, what do you think of that to come of +all her book-learning?' + +'Thank God he can't say that of me,' Betty answered +shortly, for she never cared about argument, except on +her own side; 'thank he, I says, every marning a'most, +never to lead me astray so. Men is desaving and so is +galanies; but the most desaving of all is books, with +their heads and tails, and the speckots in 'em, lik a +peg as have taken the maisles. Some folk purtends to +laugh and cry over them. God forgive them for liars!' + +It was part of Betty's obstinacy that she never would +believe in reading or the possibility of it, but +stoutly maintained to the very last that people first +learned things by heart, and then pretended to make +them out from patterns done upon paper, for the sake of +astonishing honest folk just as do the conjurers. And +even to see the parson and clerk was not enough to +convince her; all she said was, 'It made no odds, they +were all the same as the rest of us.' And now that she +had been on the farm nigh upon forty years, and had +nursed my father, and made his clothes, and all that he +had to eat, and then put him in his coffin, she was +come to such authority, that it was not worth the wages +of the best man on the place to say a word in answer to +Betty, even if he would face the risk to have ten for +one, or twenty. + +Annie was her love and joy. For Annie she would do +anything, even so far as to try to smile, when the +little maid laughed and danced to her. And in truth I +know not how it was, but every one was taken with Annie +at the very first time of seeing her. She had such +pretty ways and manners, and such a look of kindness, +and a sweet soft light in her long blue eyes full of +trustful gladness. Everybody who looked at her seemed +to grow the better for it, because she knew no evil. +And then the turn she had for cooking, you never would +have expected it; and how it was her richest mirth to +see that she had pleased you. I have been out on the +world a vast deal as you will own hereafter, and yet +have I never seen Annie's equal for making a weary man +comfortable. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +HARD IT IS TO CLIMB + +So many a winter night went by in a hopeful and +pleasant manner, with the hissing of the bright round +bullets, cast into the water, and the spluttering of +the great red apples which Annie was roasting for me. +We always managed our evening's work in the chimney of +the back-kitchen, where there was room to set chairs +and table, in spite of the fire burning. On the +right-hand side was a mighty oven, where Betty +threatened to bake us; and on the left, long sides of +bacon, made of favoured pigs, and growing very brown +and comely. Annie knew the names of all, and ran up +through the wood-smoke, every now and then, when a +gentle memory moved her, and asked them how they were +getting on, and when they would like to be eaten. Then +she came back with foolish tears, at thinking of that +necessity; and I, being soft in a different way, would +make up my mind against bacon. + +But, Lord bless you! it was no good. Whenever it came +to breakfast-time, after three hours upon the moors, I +regularly forgot the pigs, but paid good heed to the +rashers. For ours is a hungry county, if such there be +in England; a place, I mean, where men must eat, and +are quick to discharge the duty. The air of the moors +is so shrewd and wholesome, stirring a man's +recollection of the good things which have betided him, +and whetting his hope of something still better in the +future, that by the time he sits down to a cloth, his +heart and stomach are tuned too well to say 'nay' to +one another. + +Almost everybody knows, in our part of the world at +least, how pleasant and soft the fall of the land is +round about Plover's Barrows farm. All above it is +strong dark mountain, spread with heath, and desolate, +but near our house the valleys cove, and open warmth +and shelter. Here are trees, and bright green grass, +and orchards full of contentment, and a man may scarce +espy the brook, although he hears it everywhere. And +indeed a stout good piece of it comes through our +farm-yard, and swells sometimes to a rush of waves, +when the clouds are on the hill-tops. But all below, +where the valley bends, and the Lynn stream comes along +with it, pretty meadows slope their breast, and the sun +spreads on the water. And nearly all of this is ours, +till you come to Nicholas Snowe's land. + +But about two miles below our farm, the Bagworthy water +runs into the Lynn, and makes a real river of it. +Thence it hurries away, with strength and a force of +wilful waters, under the foot of a barefaced hill, and +so to rocks and woods again, where the stream is +covered over, and dark, heavy pools delay it. There +are plenty of fish all down this way, and the farther +you go the larger they get, having deeper grounds to +feed in; and sometimes in the summer months, when +mother could spare me off the farm, I came down here, +with Annie to help (because it was so lonely), and +caught well-nigh a basketful of little trout and +minnows, with a hook and a bit of worm on it, or a +fern-web, or a blow-fly, hung from a hazel pulse-stick. +For of all the things I learned at Blundell's, +only two abode with me, and one of these was the knack +of fishing, and the other the art of swimming. And +indeed they have a very rude manner of teaching +children to swim there; for the big boys take the +little boys, and put them through a certain process, +which they grimly call 'sheep-washing.' In the third +meadow from the gate of the school, going up the river, +there is a fine pool in the Lowman, where the Taunton +brook comes in, and they call it the Taunton Pool. The +water runs down with a strong sharp stickle, and then +has a sudden elbow in it, where the small brook +trickles in; and on that side the bank is steep, four +or it may be five feet high, overhanging loamily; but +on the other side it is flat, pebbly, and fit to land +upon. Now the large boys take the small boys, crying +sadly for mercy, and thinking mayhap, of their mothers, +with hands laid well at the back of their necks, they +bring them up to the crest of the bank upon the eastern +side, and make them strip their clothes off. Then the +little boys, falling on their naked knees, blubber +upwards piteously; but the large boys know what is good +for them, and will not be entreated. So they cast them +down, one after other into the splash of the water, and +watch them go to the bottom first, and then come up and +fight for it, with a blowing and a bubbling. It is a +very fair sight to watch when you know there is little +danger, because, although the pool is deep, the current +is sure to wash a boy up on the stones, where the end +of the depth is. As for me, they had no need to throw +me more than once, because I jumped of my own accord, +thinking small things of the Lowman, after the violent +Lynn. Nevertheless, I learnt to swim there, as all +the other boys did; for the greatest point in learning +that is to find that you must do it. I loved the water +naturally, and could not long be out of it; but even +the boys who hated it most, came to swim in some +fashion or other, after they had been flung for a year +or two into the Taunton pool. + +But now, although my sister Annie came to keep me +company, and was not to be parted from me by the tricks +of the Lynn stream, because I put her on my back and +carried her across, whenever she could not leap it, or +tuck up her things and take the stones; yet so it +happened that neither of us had been up the Bagworthy +water. We knew that it brought a good stream down, as +full of fish as of pebbles; and we thought that it must +be very pretty to make a way where no way was, nor even +a bullock came down to drink. But whether we were +afraid or not, I am sure I cannot tell, because it is +so long ago; but I think that had something to do with +it. For Bagworthy water ran out of Doone valley, a +mile or so from the mouth of it. + +But when I was turned fourteen years old, and put into +good small-clothes, buckled at the knee, and strong +blue worsted hosen, knitted by my mother, it happened +to me without choice, I may say, to explore the +Bagworthy water. And it came about in this wise. + +My mother had long been ailing, and not well able to +eat much; and there is nothing that frightens us so +much as for people to have no love of their victuals. +Now I chanced to remember that once at the time of the +holidays I had brought dear mother from Tiverton a jar +of pickled loaches, caught by myself in the Lowman +river, and baked in the kitchen oven, with vinegar, a +few leaves of bay, and about a dozen pepper-corns. And +mother had said that in all her life she had never +tasted anything fit to be compared with them. Whether +she said so good a thing out of compliment to my skill +in catching the fish and cooking them, or whether she +really meant it, is more than I can tell, though I +quite believe the latter, and so would most people who +tasted them; at any rate, I now resolved to get some +loaches for her, and do them in the self-same manner, +just to make her eat a bit. + +There are many people, even now, who have not come to +the right knowledge what a loach is, and where he +lives, and how to catch and pickle him. And I will not +tell them all about it, because if I did, very likely +there would be no loaches left ten or twenty years +after the appearance of this book. A pickled minnow is +very good if you catch him in a stickle, with the +scarlet fingers upon him; but I count him no more than +the ropes in beer compared with a loach done properly. + +Being resolved to catch some loaches, whatever trouble +it cost me, I set forth without a word to any one, in +the forenoon of St. Valentine's day, 1675-6, I think +it must have been. Annie should not come with me, +because the water was too cold; for the winter had been +long, and snow lay here and there in patches in the +hollow of the banks, like a lady's gloves forgotten. +And yet the spring was breaking forth, as it always +does in Devonshire, when the turn of the days is over; +and though there was little to see of it, the air was +full of feeling. + +It puzzles me now, that I remember all those young +impressions so, because I took no heed of them at the +time whatever; and yet they come upon me bright, when +nothing else is evident in the gray fog of experience. +I am like an old man gazing at the outside of his +spectacles, and seeing, as he rubs the dust, the image +of his grandson playing at bo-peep with him. + +But let me be of any age, I never could forget that +day, and how bitter cold the water was. For I doffed +my shoes and hose, and put them into a bag about my +neck; and left my little coat at home, and tied my +shirt-sleeves back to my shoulders. Then I took a +three-pronged fork firmly bound to a rod with cord, and +a piece of canvas kerchief, with a lump of bread inside +it; and so went into the pebbly water, trying to think +how warm it was. For more than a mile all down the +Lynn stream, scarcely a stone I left unturned, being +thoroughly skilled in the tricks of the loach, and +knowing how he hides himself. For being gray-spotted, +and clear to see through, and something like a +cuttle-fish, only more substantial, he will stay quite +still where a streak of weed is in the rapid water, +hoping to be overlooked, not caring even to wag his +tail. Then being disturbed he flips away, like +whalebone from the finger, and hies to a shelf of +stone, and lies with his sharp head poked in under it; +or sometimes he bellies him into the mud, and only +shows his back-ridge. And that is the time to spear +him nicely, holding the fork very gingerly, and +allowing for the bent of it, which comes to pass, I +know not how, at the tickle of air and water. + +Or if your loach should not be abroad when first you +come to look for him, but keeping snug in his little +home, then you may see him come forth amazed at the +quivering of the shingles, and oar himself and look at +you, and then dart up-stream, like a little grey +streak; and then you must try to mark him in, and +follow very daintily. So after that, in a sandy place, +you steal up behind his tail to him, so that he cannot +set eyes on you, for his head is up-stream always, and +there you see him abiding still, clear, and mild, and +affable. Then, as he looks so innocent, you make full +sure to prog him well, in spite of the wry of the +water, and the sun making elbows to everything, and the +trembling of your fingers. But when you gird at him +lovingly, and have as good as gotten him, lo! in the +go-by of the river he is gone as a shadow goes, and +only a little cloud of mud curls away from the points +of the fork. + +A long way down that limpid water, chill and bright as +an iceberg, went my little self that day on man's +choice errand--destruction. All the young fish seemed +to know that I was one who had taken out God's +certificate, and meant to have the value of it; every +one of them was aware that we desolate more than +replenish the earth. For a cow might come and look +into the water, and put her yellow lips down; a +kingfisher, like a blue arrow, might shoot through the +dark alleys over the channel, or sit on a dipping +withy-bough with his beak sunk into his +breast-feathers; even an otter might float downstream +likening himself to a log of wood, with his flat head +flush with the water-top, and his oily eyes peering +quietly; and yet no panic would seize other life, as it +does when a sample of man comes. + +Now let not any one suppose that I thought of these +things when I was young, for I knew not the way to do +it. And proud enough in truth I was at the universal +fear I spread in all those lonely places, where I +myself must have been afraid, if anything had come up +to me. It is all very pretty to see the trees big with +their hopes of another year, though dumb as yet on the +subject, and the waters murmuring gaiety, and the banks +spread out with comfort; but a boy takes none of this +to heart; unless he be meant for a poet (which God can +never charge upon me), and he would liefer have a good +apple, or even a bad one, if he stole it. + +When I had travelled two miles or so, conquered now and +then with cold, and coming out to rub my legs into a +lively friction, and only fishing here and there, +because of the tumbling water; suddenly, in an open +space, where meadows spread about it, I found a good +stream flowing softly into the body of our brook. And +it brought, so far as I could guess by the sweep of it +under my knee-caps, a larger power of clear water than +the Lynn itself had; only it came more quietly down, +not being troubled with stairs and steps, as the +fortune of the Lynn is, but gliding smoothly and +forcibly, as if upon some set purpose. + +Hereupon I drew up and thought, and reason was much +inside me; because the water was bitter cold, and my +little toes were aching. So on the bank I rubbed them +well with a sprout of young sting-nettle, and having +skipped about awhile, was kindly inclined to eat a bit. + +Now all the turn of all my life hung upon that moment. +But as I sat there munching a crust of Betty +Muxworthy's sweet brown bread, and a bit of cold bacon +along with it, and kicking my little red heels against +the dry loam to keep them warm, I knew no more than +fish under the fork what was going on over me. It +seemed a sad business to go back now and tell Annie +there were no loaches; and yet it was a frightful +thing, knowing what I did of it, to venture, where no +grown man durst, up the Bagworthy water. And please to +recollect that I was only a boy in those days, fond +enough of anything new, but not like a man to meet it. + +However, as I ate more and more, my spirit arose within +me, and I thought of what my father had been, and how +he had told me a hundred times never to be a coward. +And then I grew warm, and my little heart was ashamed +of its pit-a-patting, and I said to myself, 'now if +father looks, he shall see that I obey him.' So I put +the bag round my back again, and buckled my breeches +far up from the knee, expecting deeper water, and +crossing the Lynn, went stoutly up under the branches +which hang so dark on the Bagworthy river. + +I found it strongly over-woven, turned, and torn with +thicket-wood, but not so rocky as the Lynn, and more +inclined to go evenly. There were bars of chafed +stakes stretched from the sides half-way across the +current, and light outriders of pithy weed, and blades +of last year's water-grass trembling in the quiet +places, like a spider's threads, on the transparent +stillness, with a tint of olive moving it. And here +and there the sun came in, as if his light was sifted, +making dance upon the waves, and shadowing the pebbles. + +Here, although affrighted often by the deep, dark +places, and feeling that every step I took might never +be taken backward, on the whole I had very comely sport +of loaches, trout, and minnows, forking some, and +tickling some, and driving others to shallow nooks, +whence I could bail them ashore. Now, if you have ever +been fishing, you will not wonder that I was led on, +forgetting all about danger, and taking no heed of the +time, but shouting in a childish way whenever I caught +a 'whacker' (as we called a big fish at Tiverton); and +in sooth there were very fine loaches here, having more +lie and harbourage than in the rough Lynn stream, +though not quite so large as in the Lowman, where I +have even taken them to the weight of half a pound. + +But in answer to all my shouts there never was any +sound at all, except of a rocky echo, or a scared bird +hustling away, or the sudden dive of a water-vole; and +the place grew thicker and thicker, and the covert grew +darker above me, until I thought that the fishes might +have good chance of eating me, instead of my eating the +fishes. + +For now the day was falling fast behind the brown of +the hill-tops, and the trees, being void of leaf and +hard, seemed giants ready to beat me. And every moment +as the sky was clearing up for a white frost, the cold +of the water got worse and worse, until I was fit to +cry with it. And so, in a sorry plight, I came to an +opening in the bushes, where a great black pool lay in +front of me, whitened with snow (as I thought) at the +sides, till I saw it was only foam-froth. + +Now, though I could swim with great ease and comfort, +and feared no depth of water, when I could fairly come +to it, yet I had no desire to go over head and ears +into this great pool, being so cramped and weary, and +cold enough in all conscience, though wet only up to +the middle, not counting my arms and shoulders. And +the look of this black pit was enough to stop one from +diving into it, even on a hot summer's day with +sunshine on the water; I mean, if the sun ever shone +there. As it was, I shuddered and drew back; not alone +at the pool itself and the black air there was about +it, but also at the whirling manner, and wisping of +white threads upon it in stripy circles round and +round; and the centre still as jet. + +But soon I saw the reason of the stir and depth of that +great pit, as well as of the roaring sound which long +had made me wonder. For skirting round one side, with +very little comfort, because the rocks were high and +steep, and the ledge at the foot so narrow, I came to a +sudden sight and marvel, such as I never dreamed of. +For, lo! I stood at the foot of a long pale slide of +water, coming smoothly to me, without any break or +hindrance, for a hundred yards or more, and fenced on +either side with cliff, sheer, and straight, and +shining. The water neither ran nor fell, nor leaped +with any spouting, but made one even slope of it, as if +it had been combed or planed, and looking like a plank +of deal laid down a deep black staircase. However, +there was no side-rail, nor any place to walk upon, +only the channel a fathom wide, and the perpendicular +walls of crag shutting out the evening. + +The look of this place had a sad effect, scaring me +very greatly, and making me feel that I would give +something only to be at home again, with Annie cooking +my supper, and our dog Watch sniffing upward. But +nothing would come of wishing; that I had long found +out; and it only made one the less inclined to work +without white feather. So I laid the case before me in +a little council; not for loss of time, but only that I +wanted rest, and to see things truly. + +Then says I to myself--'John Ridd, these trees, and +pools, and lonesome rocks, and setting of the sunlight +are making a gruesome coward of thee. Shall I go back +to my mother so, and be called her fearless boy?' + +Nevertheless, I am free to own that it was not any fine +sense of shame which settled my decision; for indeed +there was nearly as much of danger in going back as in +going on, and perhaps even more of labour, the journey +being so roundabout. But that which saved me from +turning back was a strange inquisitive desire, very +unbecoming in a boy of little years; in a word, I would +risk a great deal to know what made the water come down +like that, and what there was at the top of it. + +Therefore, seeing hard strife before me, I girt up my +breeches anew, with each buckle one hole tighter, for +the sodden straps were stretching and giving, and +mayhap my legs were grown smaller from the coldness of +it. Then I bestowed my fish around my neck more +tightly, and not stopping to look much, for fear of +fear, crawled along over the fork of rocks, where the +water had scooped the stone out, and shunning thus the +ledge from whence it rose like the mane of a white +horse into the broad black pool, softly I let my feet +into the dip and rush of the torrent. + +And here I had reckoned without my host, although (as I +thought) so clever; and it was much but that I went +down into the great black pool, and had never been +heard of more; and this must have been the end of me, +except for my trusty loach-fork. For the green wave +came down like great bottles upon me, and my legs were +gone off in a moment, and I had not time to cry out +with wonder, only to think of my mother and Annie, and +knock my head very sadly, which made it go round so +that brains were no good, even if I had any. But all +in a moment, before I knew aught, except that I must +die out of the way, with a roar of water upon me, my +fork, praise God stuck fast in the rock, and I was +borne up upon it. I felt nothing except that here was +another matter to begin upon; and it might be worth +while, or again it might not, to have another fight for +it. But presently the dash of the water upon my face +revived me, and my mind grew used to the roar of it, +and meseemed I had been worse off than this, when first +flung into the Lowman. + +Therefore I gathered my legs back slowly, as if they +were fish to be landed, stopping whenever the water +flew too strongly off my shin-bones, and coming along +without sticking out to let the wave get hold of me. +And in this manner I won a footing, leaning well +forward like a draught-horse, and balancing on my +strength as it were, with the ashen stake set behind +me. Then I said to my self, 'John Ridd, the sooner you +get yourself out by the way you came, the better it +will be for you.' But to my great dismay and affright, +I saw that no choice was left me now, except that I +must climb somehow up that hill of water, or else be +washed down into the pool and whirl around it till it +drowned me. For there was no chance of fetching back +by the way I had gone down into it, and further up was +a hedge of rock on either side of the waterway, rising +a hundred yards in height, and for all I could tell +five hundred, and no place to set a foot in. + +Having said the Lord's Prayer (which was all I knew), +and made a very bad job of it, I grasped the good +loach-stick under a knot, and steadied me with my left +hand, and so with a sigh of despair began my course up +the fearful torrent-way. To me it seemed half a mile +at least of sliding water above me, but in truth it was +little more than a furlong, as I came to know +afterwards. It would have been a hard ascent even +without the slippery slime and the force of the river +over it, and I had scanty hope indeed of ever winning +the summit. Nevertheless, my terror left me, now I was +face to face with it, and had to meet the worst; and I +set myself to do my best with a vigour and sort of +hardness which did not then surprise me, but have done +so ever since. + +The water was only six inches deep, or from that to +nine at the utmost, and all the way up I could see my +feet looking white in the gloom of the hollow, and here +and there I found resting-place, to hold on by the +cliff and pant awhile. And gradually as I went on, a +warmth of courage breathed in me, to think that perhaps +no other had dared to try that pass before me, and to +wonder what mother would say to it. And then came +thought of my father also, and the pain of my feet +abated. + +How I went carefully, step by step, keeping my arms in +front of me, and never daring to straighten my knees is +more than I can tell clearly, or even like now to think +of, because it makes me dream of it. Only I must +acknowledge that the greatest danger of all was just +where I saw no jeopardy, but ran up a patch of black +ooze-weed in a very boastful manner, being now not far +from the summit. + +Here I fell very piteously, and was like to have broken +my knee-cap, and the torrent got hold of my other leg +while I was indulging the bruised one. And then a vile +knotting of cramp disabled me, and for awhile I could +only roar, till my mouth was full of water, and all of +my body was sliding. But the fright of that brought me +to again, and my elbow caught in a rock-hole; and so I +managed to start again, with the help of more humility. + +Now being in the most dreadful fright, because I was so +near the top, and hope was beating within me, I +laboured hard with both legs and arms, going like a +mill and grunting. At last the rush of forked water, +where first it came over the lips of the fall, drove me +into the middle, and I stuck awhile with my toe-balls +on the slippery links of the pop-weed, and the world +was green and gliddery, and I durst not look behind me. +Then I made up my mind to die at last; for so my legs +would ache no more, and my breath not pain my heart so; +only it did seem such a pity after fighting so long to +give in, and the light was coming upon me, and again I +fought towards it; then suddenly I felt fresh air, and +fell into it headlong. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A BOY AND A GIRL +When I came to myself again, my hands were full of +young grass and mould, and a little girl kneeling at my +side was rubbing my forehead tenderly with a dock-leaf +and a handkerchief. + +'Oh, I am so glad,' she whispered softly, as I opened +my eyes and looked at her; 'now you will try to be +better, won't you?' + +I had never heard so sweet a sound as came from between +her bright red lips, while there she knelt and gazed at +me; neither had I ever seen anything so beautiful as +the large dark eyes intent upon me, full of pity and +wonder. And then, my nature being slow, and perhaps, +for that matter, heavy, I wandered with my hazy eyes +down the black shower of her hair, as to my jaded gaze +it seemed; and where it fell on the turf, among it +(like an early star) was the first primrose of the +season. And since that day I think of her, through all +the rough storms of my life, when I see an early +primrose. Perhaps she liked my countenance, and indeed +I know she did, because she said so afterwards; +although at the time she was too young to know what +made her take to me. Not that I had any beauty, or +ever pretended to have any, only a solid healthy face, +which many girls have laughed at. + +Thereupon I sate upright, with my little trident still +in one hand, and was much afraid to speak to her, being +conscious of my country-brogue, lest she should cease +to like me. But she clapped her hands, and made a +trifling dance around my back, and came to me on the +other side, as if I were a great plaything. + +'What is your name?' she said, as if she had every +right to ask me; 'and how did you come here, and what +are these wet things in this great bag?' + +'You had better let them alone,' I said; 'they are +loaches for my mother. But I will give you some, if +you like.' + +'Dear me, how much you think of them! Why, they are +only fish. But how your feet are bleeding! oh, I must +tie them up for you. And no shoes nor stockings! Is +your mother very poor, poor boy?' + +'No,' I said, being vexed at this; 'we are rich enough +to buy all this great meadow, if we chose; and here my +shoes and stockings be.' + +'Why, they are quite as wet as your feet; and I cannot +bear to see your feet. Oh, please to let me manage +them; I will do it very softly.' + +'Oh, I don't think much of that,' I replied; 'I shall +put some goose-grease to them. But how you are looking +at me! I never saw any one like you before. My name is +John Ridd. What is your name?' + +'Lorna Doone,' she answered, in a low voice, as if +afraid of it, and hanging her head so that I could see +only her forehead and eyelashes; 'if you please, my +name is Lorna Doone; and I thought you must have known +it.' + +Then I stood up and touched her hand, and tried to make +her look at me; but she only turned away the more. +Young and harmless as she was, her name alone made +guilt of her. Nevertheless I could not help looking at +her tenderly, and the more when her blushes turned into +tears, and her tears to long, low sobs. + +'Don't cry,' I said, 'whatever you do. I am sure you +have never done any harm. I will give you all my fish +Lorna, and catch some more for mother; only don't be +angry with me.' + +She flung her little soft arms up in the passion of her +tears, and looked at me so piteously, that what did I +do but kiss her. It seemed to be a very odd thing, +when I came to think of it, because I hated kissing so, +as all honest boys must do. But she touched my heart +with a sudden delight, like a cowslip-blossom (although +there were none to be seen yet), and the sweetest +flowers of spring. + +She gave me no encouragement, as my mother in her place +would have done; nay, she even wiped her lips (which +methought was rather rude of her), and drew away, and +smoothed her dress, as if I had used a freedom. Then I +felt my cheeks grow burning red, and I gazed at my legs +and was sorry. For although she was not at all a proud +child (at any rate in her countenance), yet I knew that +she was by birth a thousand years in front of me. They +might have taken and framed me, or (which would be more +to the purpose) my sisters, until it was time for us to +die, and then have trained our children after us, for +many generations; yet never could we have gotten that +look upon our faces which Lorna Doone had naturally, as +if she had been born to it. + +Here was I, a yeoman's boy, a yeoman every inch of me, +even where I was naked; and there was she, a lady born, +and thoroughly aware of it, and dressed by people of +rank and taste, who took pride in her beauty and set it +to advantage. For though her hair was fallen down by +reason of her wildness, and some of her frock was +touched with wet where she had tended me so, behold her +dress was pretty enough for the queen of all the +angels. The colours were bright and rich indeed, and +the substance very sumptuous, yet simple and free from +tinsel stuff, and matching most harmoniously. All +from her waist to her neck was white, plaited in close +like a curtain, and the dark soft weeping of her hair, +and the shadowy light of her eyes (like a wood rayed +through with sunset), made it seem yet whiter, as if it +were done on purpose. As for the rest, she knew what +it was a great deal better than I did, for I never +could look far away from her eyes when they were opened +upon me. + +Now, seeing how I heeded her, and feeling that I had +kissed her, although she was such a little girl, eight +years old or thereabouts, she turned to the stream in a +bashful manner, and began to watch the water, and +rubbed one leg against the other. + +I, for my part, being vexed at her behaviour to me, +took up all my things to go, and made a fuss about it; +to let her know I was going. But she did not call me +back at all, as I had made sure she would do; moreover, +I knew that to try the descent was almost certain death +to me, and it looked as dark as pitch; and so at the +mouth I turned round again, and came back to her, and +said, 'Lorna.' + +'Oh, I thought you were gone,' she answered; 'why did +you ever come here? Do you know what they would do to +us, if they found you here with me?' + +'Beat us, I dare say, very hard; or me, at least. They +could never beat you,' + +'No. They would kill us both outright, and bury us +here by the water; and the water often tells me that I +must come to that.' + +'But what should they kill me for?' + +'Because you have found the way up here, and they never +could believe it. Now, please to go; oh, please to go. +They will kill us both in a moment. Yes, I like you +very much'--for I was teasing her to say it--'very much +indeed, and I will call you John Ridd, if you like; +only please to go, John. And when your feet are well, +you know, you can come and tell me how they are.' + +'But I tell you, Lorna, I like you very much +indeed--nearly as much as Annie, and a great deal more +than Lizzie. And I never saw any one like you, and I +must come back again to-morrow, and so must you, to see +me; and I will bring you such lots of things--there +are apples still, and a thrush I caught with only one +leg broken, and our dog has just had puppies--' + +'Oh, dear, they won't let me have a dog. There is not +a dog in the valley. They say they are such noisy +things--' + +'Only put your hand in mine--what little things they +are, Lorna! And I will bring you the loveliest dog; I +will show you just how long he is.' + +'Hush!' A shout came down the valley, and all my heart +was trembling, like water after sunset, and Lorna's +face was altered from pleasant play to terror. She +shrank to me, and looked up at me, with such a power of +weakness, that I at once made up my mind to save her or +to die with her. A tingle went through all my bones, +and I only longed for my carbine. The little girl took +courage from me, and put her cheek quite close to mine. + +'Come with me down the waterfall. I can carry you +easily; and mother will take care of you.' + +'No, no,' she cried, as I took her up: 'I will tell you +what to do. They are only looking for me. You see +that hole, that hole there?' + +She pointed to a little niche in the rock which verged +the meadow, about fifty yards away from us. In the +fading of the twilight I could just descry it. + +'Yes, I see it; but they will see me crossing the grass +to get there.' + +'Look! look!' She could hardly speak. 'There is a way +out from the top of it; they would kill me if I told +it. Oh, here they come, I can see them.' + +The little maid turned as white as the snow which hung +on the rocks above her, and she looked at the water and +then at me, and she cried, 'Oh dear! oh dear!' And then +she began to sob aloud, being so young and unready. +But I drew her behind the withy-bushes, and close down +to the water, where it was quiet and shelving deep, ere +it came to the lip of the chasm. Here they could not +see either of us from the upper valley, and might have +sought a long time for us, even when they came quite +near, if the trees had been clad with their summer +clothes. Luckily I had picked up my fish and taken my +three-pronged fork away. + +Crouching in that hollow nest, as children get together +in ever so little compass, I saw a dozen fierce men +come down, on the other side of the water, not bearing +any fire-arms, but looking lax and jovial, as if they +were come from riding and a dinner taken hungrily. +'Queen, queen!' they were shouting, here and there, and +now and then: 'where the pest is our little queen +gone?' + +'They always call me "queen," and I am to be queen +by-and-by,' Lorna whispered to me, with her soft cheek +on my rough one, and her little heart beating against +me: 'oh, they are crossing by the timber there, and +then they are sure to see us.' + +'Stop,' said I; 'now I see what to do. I must get into +the water, and you must go to sleep.' + +'To be sure, yes, away in the meadow there. But how +bitter cold it will be for you!' + +She saw in a moment the way to do it, sooner than I +could tell her; and there was no time to lose. + +'Now mind you never come again,' she whispered over her +shoulder, as she crept away with a childish twist +hiding her white front from me; 'only I shall come +sometimes--oh, here they are, Madonna!' + +Daring scarce to peep, I crept into the water, and lay +down bodily in it, with my head between two blocks of +stone, and some flood-drift combing over me. The dusk +was deepening between the hills, and a white mist lay +on the river; but I, being in the channel of it, could +see every ripple, and twig, and rush, and glazing of +twilight above it, as bright as in a picture; so that +to my ignorance there seemed no chance at all but what +the men must find me. For all this time they were +shouting and swearing, and keeping such a hullabaloo, +that the rocks all round the valley rang, and my heart +quaked, so (what with this and the cold) that the water +began to gurgle round me, and to lap upon the pebbles. + +Neither in truth did I try to stop it, being now so +desperate, between the fear and the wretchedness; till +I caught a glimpse of the little maid, whose beauty and +whose kindliness had made me yearn to be with her. And +then I knew that for her sake I was bound to be brave +and hide myself. She was lying beneath a rock, thirty +or forty yards from me, feigning to be fast asleep, +with her dress spread beautifully, and her hair drawn +over her. + +Presently one of the great rough men came round a +corner upon her; and there he stopped and gazed awhile +at her fairness and her innocence. Then he caught her +up in his arms, and kissed her so that I heard him; and +if I had only brought my gun, I would have tried to +shoot him. + +'Here our queen is! Here's the queen, here's the +captain's daughter!' he shouted to his comrades; 'fast +asleep, by God, and hearty! Now I have first claim to +her; and no one else shall touch the child. Back to +the bottle, all of you!' + +He set her dainty little form upon his great square +shoulder, and her narrow feet in one broad hand; and so +in triumph marched away, with the purple velvet of her +skirt ruffling in his long black beard, and the silken +length of her hair fetched out, like a cloud by the +wind behind her. This way of her going vexed me so, +that I leaped upright in the water, and must have been +spied by some of them, but for their haste to the +wine-bottle. Of their little queen they took small +notice, being in this urgency; although they had +thought to find her drowned; but trooped away after one +another with kindly challenge to gambling, so far as I +could make them out; and I kept sharp watch, I assure +you. + +Going up that darkened glen, little Lorna, riding still +the largest and most fierce of them, turned and put up +a hand to me, and I put up a hand to her, in the thick +of the mist and the willows. + +She was gone, my little dear (though tall of her age +and healthy); and when I got over my thriftless fright, +I longed to have more to say to her. Her voice to me +was so different from all I had ever heard before, as +might be a sweet silver bell intoned to the small +chords of a harp. But I had no time to think about +this, if I hoped to have any supper. + +I crept into a bush for warmth, and rubbed my shivering +legs on bark, and longed for mother's fagot. Then as +daylight sank below the forget-me-not of stars, with a +sorrow to be quit, I knew that now must be my time to +get away, if there were any. + +Therefore, wringing my sodden breaches, I managed to +crawl from the bank to the niche in the cliff which +Lorna had shown me. + +Through the dusk I had trouble to see the mouth, at +even the five land-yards of distance; nevertheless, I +entered well, and held on by some dead fern-stems, and +did hope that no one would shoot me. + +But while I was hugging myself like this, with a boyish +manner of reasoning, my joy was like to have ended in +sad grief both to myself and my mother, and haply to +all honest folk who shall love to read this history. +For hearing a noise in front of me, and like a coward +not knowing where, but afraid to turn round or think of +it, I felt myself going down some deep passage into a +pit of darkness. It was no good to catch the sides, +the whole thing seemed to go with me. Then, without +knowing how, I was leaning over a night of water. + +This water was of black radiance, as are certain +diamonds, spanned across with vaults of rock, and +carrying no image, neither showing marge nor end, but +centred (at it might be) with a bottomless indrawal. + +With that chill and dread upon me, and the sheer rock +all around, and the faint light heaving wavily on the +silence of this gulf, I must have lost my wits and gone +to the bottom, if there were any. + +But suddenly a robin sang (as they will do after dark, +towards spring) in the brown fern and ivy behind me. I +took it for our little Annie's voice (for she could +call any robin), and gathering quick warm comfort, +sprang up the steep way towards the starlight. +Climbing back, as the stones glid down, I heard the +cold greedy wave go japping, like a blind black dog, +into the distance of arches and hollow depths of +darkness. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME + +I can assure you, and tell no lie (as John Fry always +used to say, when telling his very largest), that I +scrambled back to the mouth of that pit as if the evil +one had been after me. And sorely I repented now of +all my boyish folly, or madness it might well be +termed, in venturing, with none to help, and nothing to +compel me, into that accursed valley. Once let me get +out, thinks I, and if ever I get in again, without +being cast in by neck and by crop, I will give our +new-born donkey leave to set up for my schoolmaster. + +How I kept that resolution we shall see hereafter. It +is enough for me now to tell how I escaped from the den +that night. First I sat down in the little opening +which Lorna had pointed out to me, and wondered whether +she had meant, as bitterly occurred to me, that I +should run down into the pit, and be drowned, and give +no more trouble. But in less than half a minute I was +ashamed of that idea, and remembered how she was vexed +to think that even a loach should lose his life. And +then I said to myself, 'Now surely she would value me +more than a thousand loaches; and what she said must be +quite true about the way out of this horrible place.' + +Therefore I began to search with the utmost care and +diligence, although my teeth were chattering, and all +my bones beginning to ache with the chilliness and the +wetness. Before very long the moon appeared, over the +edge of the mountain, and among the trees at the top of +it; and then I espied rough steps, and rocky, made as +if with a sledge-hammer, narrow, steep, and far +asunder, scooped here and there in the side of the +entrance, and then round a bulge of the cliff, like the +marks upon a great brown loaf, where a hungry child has +picked at it. And higher up, where the light of the +moon shone broader upon the precipice, there seemed to +be a rude broken track, like the shadow of a crooked +stick thrown upon a house-wall. + +Herein was small encouragement; and at first I was +minded to lie down and die; but it seemed to come amiss +to me. God has His time for all of us; but He seems to +advertise us when He does not mean to do it. Moreover, +I saw a movement of lights at the head of the valley, +as if lanthorns were coming after me, and the +nimbleness given thereon to my heels was in front of +all meditation. + +Straightway I set foot in the lowest stirrup (as I +might almost call it), and clung to the rock with my +nails, and worked to make a jump into the second +stirrup. And I compassed that too, with the aid of my +stick; although, to tell you the truth, I was not at +that time of life so agile as boys of smaller frame +are, for my size was growing beyond my years, and the +muscles not keeping time with it, and the joints of my +bones not closely hinged, with staring at one another. +But the third step-hole was the hardest of all, and the +rock swelled out on me over my breast, and there seemed +to be no attempting it, until I espied a good stout +rope hanging in a groove of shadow, and just managed to +reach the end of it. + +How I clomb up, and across the clearing, and found my +way home through the Bagworthy forest, is more than I +can remember now, for I took all the rest of it then as +a dream, by reason of perfect weariness. And indeed it +was quite beyond my hopes to tell so much as I have +told, for at first beginning to set it down, it was all +like a mist before me. Nevertheless, some parts grew +clearer, as one by one I remembered them, having taken +a little soft cordial, because the memory frightens me. + +For the toil of the water, and danger of labouring up +the long cascade or rapids, and then the surprise of +the fair young maid, and terror of the murderers, and +desperation of getting away--all these are much to me +even now, when I am a stout churchwarden, and sit by +the side of my fire, after going through many far worse +adventures, which I will tell, God willing. Only the +labour of writing is such (especially so as to +construe, and challenge a reader on parts of speech, +and hope to be even with him); that by this pipe which +I hold in my hand I ever expect to be beaten, as in the +days when old Doctor Twiggs, if I made a bad stroke in +my exercise, shouted aloud with a sour joy, 'John Ridd, +sirrah, down with your small-clothes!' + +Let that be as it may, I deserved a good beating that +night, after making such a fool of myself, and grinding +good fustian to pieces. But when I got home, all the +supper was in, and the men sitting at the white table, +and mother and Annie and Lizzie near by, all eager, and +offering to begin (except, indeed, my mother, who was +looking out at the doorway), and by the fire was Betty +Muxworthy, scolding, and cooking, and tasting her work, +all in a breath, as a man would say. I looked through +the door from the dark by the wood-stack, and was half +of a mind to stay out like a dog, for fear of the +rating and reckoning; but the way my dear mother was +looking about and the browning of the sausages got the +better of me. + +But nobody could get out of me where I had been all the +day and evening; although they worried me never so +much, and longed to shake me to pieces, especially +Betty Muxworthy, who never could learn to let well +alone. Not that they made me tell any lies, although +it would have served them right almost for intruding on +other people's business; but that I just held my +tongue, and ate my supper rarely, and let them try +their taunts and jibes, and drove them almost wild +after supper, by smiling exceeding knowingly. And +indeed I could have told them things, as I hinted once +or twice; and then poor Betty and our little Lizzie +were so mad with eagerness, that between them I went +into the fire, being thoroughly overcome with laughter +and my own importance. + +Now what the working of my mind was (if, indeed it +worked at all, and did not rather follow suit of body) +it is not in my power to say; only that the result of +my adventure in the Doone Glen was to make me dream a +good deal of nights, which I had never done much +before, and to drive me, with tenfold zeal and purpose, +to the practice of bullet-shooting. Not that I ever +expected to shoot the Doone family, one by one, or even +desired to do so, for my nature is not revengeful; but +that it seemed to be somehow my business to understand +the gun, as a thing I must be at home with. + +I could hit the barn-door now capitally well with the +Spanish match-lock, and even with John Fry's +blunderbuss, at ten good land-yards distance, without +any rest for my fusil. And what was very wrong of me, +though I did not see it then, I kept John Fry there, to +praise my shots, from dinner-time often until the grey +dusk, while he all the time should have been at work +spring-ploughing upon the farm. And for that matter +so should I have been, or at any rate driving the +horses; but John was by no means loath to be there, +instead of holding the plough-tail. And indeed, one of +our old sayings is,-- + + For pleasure's sake I would liefer wet, + Than ha' ten lumps of gold for each one of my sweat. + +And again, which is not a bad proverb, though unthrifty +and unlike a Scotsman's,-- + + God makes the wheat grow greener, + While farmer be at his dinner. + +And no Devonshire man, or Somerset either (and I belong +to both of them), ever thinks of working harder than +God likes to see him. + +Nevertheless, I worked hard at the gun, and by the time +that I had sent all the church-roof gutters, so far as +I honestly could cut them, through the red pine-door, I +began to long for a better tool that would make less +noise and throw straighter. But the sheep-shearing +came and the hay-season next, and then the harvest of +small corn, and the digging of the root called 'batata' +(a new but good thing in our neighbourhood, which our +folk have made into 'taties'), and then the sweating of +the apples, and the turning of the cider-press, and the +stacking of the firewood, and netting of the woodcocks, +and the springles to be minded in the garden and by the +hedgerows, where blackbirds hop to the molehills in the +white October mornings, and grey birds come to look for +snails at the time when the sun is rising. + +It is wonderful how time runs away, when all these +things and a great many others come in to load him down +the hill and prevent him from stopping to look about. +And I for my part can never conceive how people who +live in towns and cities, where neither lambs nor birds +are (except in some shop windows), nor growing corn, +nor meadow-grass, nor even so much as a stick to cut or +a stile to climb and sit down upon--how these poor folk +get through their lives without being utterly weary of +them, and dying from pure indolence, is a thing God +only knows, if His mercy allows Him to think of it. + +How the year went by I know not, only that I was abroad +all day, shooting, or fishing, or minding the farm, or +riding after some stray beast, or away by the seaside +below Glenthorne, wondering at the great waters, and +resolving to go for a sailor. For in those days I had +a firm belief, as many other strong boys have, of being +born for a seaman. And indeed I had been in a boat +nearly twice; but the second time mother found it out, +and came and drew me back again; and after that she +cried so badly, that I was forced to give my word to +her to go no more without telling her. + +But Betty Muxworthy spoke her mind quite in a different +way about it, the while she was wringing my hosen, and +clattering to the drying-horse. + +'Zailor, ees fai! ay and zarve un raight. Her can't +kape out o' the watter here, whur a' must goo vor to +vaind un, zame as a gurt to-ad squalloping, and mux up +till I be wore out, I be, wi' the very saight of 's +braiches. How wil un ever baide aboard zhip, wi' the +watter zinging out under un, and comin' up splash when +the wind blow. Latt un goo, missus, latt un goo, zay I +for wan, and old Davy wash his clouts for un.' + +And this discourse of Betty's tended more than my +mother's prayers, I fear, to keep me from going. For I +hated Betty in those days, as children always hate a +cross servant, and often get fond of a false one. But +Betty, like many active women, was false by her +crossness only; thinking it just for the moment +perhaps, and rushing away with a bucket; ready to stick +to it, like a clenched nail, if beaten the wrong way +with argument; but melting over it, if you left her, as +stinging soap, left along in a basin, spreads all +abroad without bubbling. + +But all this is beyond the children, and beyond me too +for that matter, even now in ripe experience; for I +never did know what women mean, and never shall except +when they tell me, if that be in their power. Now let +that question pass. For although I am now in a place +of some authority, I have observed that no one ever +listens to me, when I attempt to lay down the law; but +all are waiting with open ears until I do enforce it. +And so methinks he who reads a history cares not much +for the wisdom or folly of the writer (knowing well +that the former is far less than his own, and the +latter vastly greater), but hurries to know what the +people did, and how they got on about it. And this I +can tell, if any one can, having been myself in the +thick of it. + +The fright I had taken that night in Glen Doone +satisfied me for a long time thereafter; and I took +good care not to venture even in the fields and woods +of the outer farm, without John Fry for company. John +was greatly surprised and pleased at the value I now +set upon him; until, what betwixt the desire to vaunt +and the longing to talk things over, I gradually laid +bare to him nearly all that had befallen me; except, +indeed, about Lorna, whom a sort of shame kept me from +mentioning. Not that I did not think of her, and wish +very often to see her again; but of course I was only a +boy as yet, and therefore inclined to despise young +girls, as being unable to do anything, and only meant +to listen to orders. And when I got along with the +other boys, that was how we always spoke of them, if we +deigned to speak at all, as beings of a lower order, +only good enough to run errands for us, and to nurse +boy-babies. + +And yet my sister Annie was in truth a great deal more +to me than all the boys of the parish, and of Brendon, +and Countisbury, put together; although at the time I +never dreamed it, and would have laughed if told so. +Annie was of a pleasing face, and very gentle manner, +almost like a lady some people said; but without any +airs whatever, only trying to give satisfaction. And +if she failed, she would go and weep, without letting +any one know it, believing the fault to be all her own, +when mostly it was of others. But if she succeeded in +pleasing you, it was beautiful to see her smile, and +stroke her soft chin in a way of her own, which she +always used when taking note how to do the right thing +again for you. And then her cheeks had a bright clear +pink, and her eyes were as blue as the sky in spring, +and she stood as upright as a young apple-tree, and no +one could help but smile at her, and pat her brown +curls approvingly; whereupon she always curtseyed. For +she never tried to look away when honest people gazed +at her; and even in the court-yard she would come and +help to take your saddle, and tell (without your asking +her) what there was for dinner. + +And afterwards she grew up to be a very comely maiden, +tall, and with a well-built neck, and very fair white +shoulders, under a bright cloud of curling hair. Alas! +poor Annie, like most of the gentle maidens--but tush, +I am not come to that yet; and for the present she +seemed to me little to look at, after the beauty of +Lorna Doone. + + + +CHAPTER X + +A BRAVE RESCUE AND A ROUGH RIDE + +It happened upon a November evening (when I was about +fifteen years old, and out-growing my strength very +rapidly, my sister Annie being turned thirteen, and a +deal of rain having fallen, and all the troughs in the +yard being flooded, and the bark from the wood-ricks +washed down the gutters, and even our water-shoot going +brown) that the ducks in the court made a terrible +quacking, instead of marching off to their pen, one +behind another. Thereupon Annie and I ran out to see +what might be the sense of it. There were thirteen +ducks, and ten lily-white (as the fashion then of ducks +was), not I mean twenty-three in all, but ten white and +three brown-striped ones; and without being nice about +their colour, they all quacked very movingly. They +pushed their gold-coloured bills here and there (yet +dirty, as gold is apt to be), and they jumped on the +triangles of their feet, and sounded out of their +nostrils; and some of the over-excited ones ran along +low on the ground, quacking grievously with their bills +snapping and bending, and the roof of their mouths +exhibited. + +Annie began to cry 'Dilly, dilly, einy, einy, ducksey,' +according to the burden of a tune they seem to have +accepted as the national duck's anthem; but instead of +being soothed by it, they only quacked three times as +hard, and ran round till we were giddy. And then they +shook their tails together, and looked grave, and went +round and round again. Now I am uncommonly fond of +ducks, both roasted and roasting and roystering; and it +is a fine sight to behold them walk, poddling one after +other, with their toes out, like soldiers drilling, and +their little eyes cocked all ways at once, and the way +that they dib with their bills, and dabble, and throw +up their heads and enjoy something, and then tell the +others about it. Therefore I knew at once, by the way +they were carrying on, that there must be something or +other gone wholly amiss in the duck-world. Sister +Annie perceived it too, but with a greater quickness; +for she counted them like a good duck-wife, and could +only tell thirteen of them, when she knew there ought +to be fourteen. + +And so we began to search about, and the ducks ran to +lead us aright, having come that far to fetch us; and +when we got down to the foot of the court-yard where +the two great ash-trees stand by the side of the little +water, we found good reason for the urgence and +melancholy of the duck-birds. Lo! the old white drake, +the father of all, a bird of high manners and chivalry, +always the last to help himself from the pan of +barley-meal, and the first to show fight to a dog or +cock intruding upon his family, this fine fellow, and +pillar of the state, was now in a sad predicament, yet +quacking very stoutly. For the brook, wherewith he had +been familiar from his callow childhood, and wherein he +was wont to quest for water-newts, and tadpoles, and +caddis-worms, and other game, this brook, which +afforded him very often scanty space to dabble in, and +sometimes starved the cresses, was now coming down in a +great brown flood, as if the banks never belonged to +it. The foaming of it, and the noise, and the cresting +of the corners, and the up and down, like a wave of the +sea, were enough to frighten any duck, though bred upon +stormy waters, which our ducks never had been. + +There is always a hurdle six feet long and four and a +half in depth, swung by a chain at either end from an +oak laid across the channel. And the use of this +hurdle is to keep our kine at milking time from +straying away there drinking (for in truth they are +very dainty) and to fence strange cattle, or Farmer +Snowe's horses, from coming along the bed of the brook +unknown, to steal our substance. But now this hurdle, +which hung in the summer a foot above the trickle, +would have been dipped more than two feet deep but for +the power against it. For the torrent came down so +vehemently that the chains at full stretch were +creaking, and the hurdle buffeted almost flat, and +thatched (so to say) with the drift-stuff, was going +see-saw, with a sulky splash on the dirty red comb of +the waters. But saddest to see was between two bars, +where a fog was of rushes, and flood-wood, and +wild-celery haulm, and dead crowsfoot, who but our +venerable mallard jammed in by the joint of his +shoulder, speaking aloud as he rose and fell, with his +top-knot full of water, unable to comprehend it, with +his tail washed far away from him, but often compelled +to be silent, being ducked very harshly against his +will by the choking fall-to of the hurdle. + +For a moment I could not help laughing, because, being +borne up high and dry by a tumult of the torrent, he +gave me a look from his one little eye (having lost one +in fight with the turkey-cock), a gaze of appealing +sorrow, and then a loud quack to second it. But the +quack came out of time, I suppose, for his throat got +filled with water, as the hurdle carried him back +again. And then there was scarcely the screw of his +tail to be seen until he swung up again, and left small +doubt by the way he sputtered, and failed to quack, and +hung down his poor crest, but what he must drown in +another minute, and frogs triumph over his body. + +Annie was crying, and wringing her hands, and I was +about to rush into the water, although I liked not the +look of it, but hoped to hold on by the hurdle, when a +man on horseback came suddenly round the corner of the +great ash-hedge on the other side of the stream, and +his horse's feet were in the water. + +'Ho, there,' he cried; 'get thee back, boy. The flood +will carry thee down like a straw. I will do it for +thee, and no trouble.' + +With that he leaned forward, and spoke to his mare--she +was just of the tint of a strawberry, a young thing, +very beautiful--and she arched up her neck, as +misliking the job; yet, trusting him, would attempt it. +She entered the flood, with her dainty fore-legs +sloped further and further in front of her, and her +delicate ears pricked forward, and the size of her +great eyes increasing, but he kept her straight in the +turbid rush, by the pressure of his knee on her. Then +she looked back, and wondered at him, as the force of +the torrent grew stronger, but he bade her go on; and +on she went, and it foamed up over her shoulders; and +she tossed up her lip and scorned it, for now her +courage was waking. Then as the rush of it swept her +away, and she struck with her forefeet down the stream, +he leaned from his saddle in a manner which I never +could have thought possible, and caught up old Tom with +his left hand, and set him between his holsters, and +smiled at his faint quack of gratitude. In a moment +all these were carried downstream, and the rider lay +flat on his horse, and tossed the hurdle clear from +him, and made for the bend of smooth water. + +They landed some thirty or forty yards lower, in the +midst of our kitchen-garden, where the winter-cabbage +was; but though Annie and I crept in through the hedge, +and were full of our thanks and admiring him, he would +answer us never a word, until he had spoken in full to +the mare, as if explaining the whole to her. + +'Sweetheart, I know thou couldst have leaped it,' he +said, as he patted her cheek, being on the ground by +this time, and she was nudging up to him, with the +water pattering off her; 'but I had good reason, Winnie +dear, for making thee go through it.' + +She answered him kindly with her soft eyes, and smiled +at him very lovingly, and they understood one another. +Then he took from his waistcoat two peppercorns, and +made the old drake swallow them, and tried him softly +upon his legs, where the leading gap in the hedge was. +Old Tom stood up quite bravely, and clapped his wings, +and shook off the wet from his tail-feathers; and then +away into the court-yard, and his family gathered +around him, and they all made a noise in their throats, +and stood up, and put their bills together, to thank +God for this great deliverance. + +Having taken all this trouble, and watched the end of +that adventure, the gentleman turned round to us with a +pleasant smile on his face, as if he were lightly +amused with himself; and we came up and looked at him. +He was rather short, about John Fry's height, or may be +a little taller, but very strongly built and springy, +as his gait at every step showed plainly, although his +legs were bowed with much riding, and he looked as if +he lived on horseback. To a boy like me he seemed very +old, being over twenty, and well-found in beard; but he +was not more than four-and-twenty, fresh and ruddy +looking, with a short nose and keen blue eyes, and a +merry waggish jerk about him, as if the world were not +in earnest. Yet he had a sharp, stern way, like the +crack of a pistol, if anything misliked him; and we +knew (for children see such things) that it was safer +to tickle than buffet him. + +'Well, young uns, what be gaping at?' He gave pretty +Annie a chuck on the chin, and took me all in without +winking. + +'Your mare,' said I, standing stoutly up, being a tall +boy now; 'I never saw such a beauty, sir. Will you let +me have a ride of her?' + +'Think thou couldst ride her, lad? She will have no +burden but mine. Thou couldst never ride her. Tut! I +would be loath to kill thee.' + +'Ride her!' I cried with the bravest scorn, for she +looked so kind and gentle; 'there never was horse upon +Exmoor foaled, but I could tackle in half an hour. +Only I never ride upon saddle. Take them leathers off +of her.' + +He looked at me with a dry little whistle, and thrust +his hands into his breeches-pockets, and so grinned +that I could not stand it. And Annie laid hold of me +in such a way that I was almost mad with her. And he +laughed, and approved her for doing so. And the worst +of all was--he said nothing. + +'Get away, Annie, will you? Do you think I'm a fool, +good sir! Only trust me with her, and I will not +override her.' + +'For that I will go bail, my son. She is liker to +override thee. But the ground is soft to fall upon, +after all this rain. Now come out into the yard, young +man, for the sake of your mother's cabbages. And the +mellow straw-bed will be softer for thee, since pride +must have its fall. I am thy mother's cousin, boy, and +am going up to house. Tom Faggus is my name, as +everybody knows; and this is my young mare, Winnie.' + +What a fool I must have been not to know it at once! +Tom Faggus, the great highwayman, and his young +blood-mare, the strawberry! Already her fame was +noised abroad, nearly as much as her master's; and my +longing to ride her grew tenfold, but fear came at the +back of it. Not that I had the smallest fear of what +the mare could do to me, by fair play and +horse-trickery, but that the glory of sitting upon her +seemed to be too great for me; especially as there were +rumours abroad that she was not a mare after all, but a +witch. However, she looked like a filly all over, and +wonderfully beautiful, with her supple stride, and soft +slope of shoulder, and glossy coat beaded with water, +and prominent eyes full of docile fire. Whether this +came from her Eastern blood of the Arabs newly +imported, and whether the cream-colour, mixed with our +bay, led to that bright strawberry tint, is certainly +more than I can decide, being chiefly acquaint with +farm-horses. And these come of any colour and form; +you never can count what they will be, and are lucky to +get four legs to them. + +Mr. Faggus gave his mare a wink, and she walked +demurely after him, a bright young thing, flowing over +with life, yet dropping her soul to a higher one, and +led by love to anything; as the manner is of females, +when they know what is the best for them. Then Winnie +trod lightly upon the straw, because it had soft muck +under it, and her delicate feet came back again. + +'Up for it still, boy, be ye?' Tom Faggus stopped, and +the mare stopped there; and they looked at me +provokingly. + +'Is she able to leap, sir? There is good take-off on +this side of the brook.' + +Mr. Faggus laughed very quietly, turning round to +Winnie so that she might enter into it. And she, for +her part, seemed to know exactly where the fun lay. + +'Good tumble-off, you mean, my boy. Well, there can be +small harm to thee. I am akin to thy family, and know +the substance of their skulls.' + +'Let me get up,' said I, waxing wroth, for reasons I +cannot tell you, because they are too manifold; 'take +off your saddle-bag things. I will try not to squeeze +her ribs in, unless she plays nonsense with me.' + +Then Mr. Faggus was up on his mettle, at this proud +speech of mine; and John Fry was running up all the +while, and Bill Dadds, and half a dozen. Tom Faggus +gave one glance around, and then dropped all regard for +me. The high repute of his mare was at stake, and what +was my life compared to it? Through my defiance, and +stupid ways, here was I in a duello, and my legs not +come to their strength yet, and my arms as limp as a +herring. + +Something of this occurred to him even in his wrath +with me, for he spoke very softly to the filly, who now +could scarce subdue herself; but she drew in her +nostrils, and breathed to his breath and did all she +could to answer him. + +'Not too hard, my dear,' he said: 'led him gently down +on the mixen. That will be quite enough.' Then he +turned the saddle off, and I was up in a moment. She +began at first so easily, and pricked her ears so +lovingly, and minced about as if pleased to find so +light a weight upon her, that I thought she knew I +could ride a little, and feared to show any capers. +'Gee wug, Polly!' cried I, for all the men were now +looking on, being then at the leaving-off time: 'Gee +wug, Polly, and show what thou be'est made of.' With +that I plugged my heels into her, and Billy Dadds flung +his hat up. + +Nevertheless, she outraged not, though her eyes were +frightening Annie, and John Fry took a pick to keep him +safe; but she curbed to and fro with her strong +forearms rising like springs ingathered, waiting and +quivering grievously, and beginning to sweat about it. +Then her master gave a shrill clear whistle, when her +ears were bent towards him, and I felt her form beneath +me gathering up like whalebone, and her hind-legs +coming under her, and I knew that I was in for it. + +First she reared upright in the air, and struck me full +on the nose with her comb, till I bled worse than Robin +Snell made me; and then down with her fore-feet deep in +the straw, and her hind-feet going to heaven. Finding +me stick to her still like wax, for my mettle was up as +hers was, away she flew with me swifter than ever I +went before, or since, I trow. She drove full-head at +the cobwall--'Oh, Jack, slip off,' screamed Annie--then +she turned like light, when I thought to crush her, and +ground my left knee against it. 'Mux me,' I cried, for +my breeches were broken, and short words went the +furthest--'if you kill me, you shall die with me.' Then +she took the court-yard gate at a leap, knocking my +words between my teeth, and then right over a quick set +hedge, as if the sky were a breath to her; and away for +the water-meadows, while I lay on her neck like a child +at the breast and wished I had never been born. +Straight away, all in the front of the wind, and +scattering clouds around her, all I knew of the speed +we made was the frightful flash of her shoulders, and +her mane like trees in a tempest. I felt the earth +under us rushing away, and the air left far behind us, +and my breath came and went, and I prayed to God, and +was sorry to be so late of it. + +All the long swift while, without power of thought, I +clung to her crest and shoulders, and dug my nails into +her creases, and my toes into her flank-part, and was +proud of holding on so long, though sure of being +beaten. Then in her fury at feeling me still, she +rushed at another device for it, and leaped the wide +water-trough sideways across, to and fro, till no +breath was left in me. The hazel-boughs took me too +hard in the face, and the tall dog-briers got hold of +me, and the ache of my back was like crimping a fish; +till I longed to give up, thoroughly beaten, and lie +there and die in the cresses. But there came a shrill +whistle from up the home-hill, where the people had +hurried to watch us; and the mare stopped as if with a +bullet, then set off for home with the speed of a +swallow, and going as smoothly and silently. I never +had dreamed of such delicate motion, fluent, and +graceful, and ambient, soft as the breeze flitting over +the flowers, but swift as the summer lightning. I sat +up again, but my strength was all spent, and no time +left to recover it, and though she rose at our gate +like a bird, I tumbled off into the mixen. + + + +CHAPTER XI + +TOM DESERVES HIS SUPPER + +'Well done, lad,' Mr. Faggus said good naturedly; for +all were now gathered round me, as I rose from the +ground, somewhat tottering, and miry, and crest-fallen, +but otherwise none the worse (having fallen upon my +head, which is of uncommon substance); nevertheless +John Fry was laughing, so that I longed to clout his +ears for him; 'Not at all bad work, my boy; we may +teach you to ride by-and-by, I see; I thought not to +see you stick on so long--' + +'I should have stuck on much longer, sir, if her sides +had not been wet. She was so slippery--'- + +'Boy, thou art right. She hath given many the slip. +Ha, ha! Vex not, Jack, that I laugh at thee. She is +like a sweetheart to me, and better, than any of them +be. It would have gone to my heart if thou hadst +conquered. None but I can ride my Winnie mare.' + +'Foul shame to thee then, Tom Faggus,' cried mother, +coming up suddenly, and speaking so that all were +amazed, having never seen her wrathful; 'to put my boy, +my boy, across her, as if his life were no more than +thine! The only son of his father, an honest man, and a +quiet man, not a roystering drunken robber! A man would +have taken thy mad horse and thee, and flung them both +into horse-pond--ay, and what's more, I'll have it done +now, if a hair of his head is injured. Oh, my boy, my +boy! What could I do without thee? Put up the other +arm, Johnny.' All the time mother was scolding so, she +was feeling me, and wiping me; while Faggus tried to +look greatly ashamed, having sense of the ways of +women. + +'Only look at his jacket, mother!' cried Annie; 'and a +shillingsworth gone from his small-clothes!' + +'What care I for his clothes, thou goose? Take that, +and heed thine own a bit.' And mother gave Annie a slap +which sent her swinging up against Mr. Faggus, and he +caught her, and kissed and protected her, and she +looked at him very nicely, with great tears in her soft +blue eyes. 'Oh, fie upon thee, fie upon thee!' cried +mother (being yet more vexed with him, because she had +beaten Annie); 'after all we have done for thee, and +saved thy worthless neck--and to try to kill my son for +me! Never more shall horse of thine enter stable here, +since these be thy returns to me. Small thanks to you, +John Fry, I say, and you Bill Dadds, and you Jem +Slocomb, and all the rest of your coward lot; much you +care for your master's son! Afraid of that ugly beast +yourselves, and you put a boy just breeched upon him!' + +'Wull, missus, what could us do?' began John; 'Jan wudd +goo, now wudd't her, Jem? And how was us--' + +'Jan indeed! Master John, if you please, to a lad of +his years and stature. And now, Tom Faggus, be off, if +you please, and think yourself lucky to go so; and if +ever that horse comes into our yard, I'll hamstring him +myself if none of my cowards dare do it.' + +Everybody looked at mother, to hear her talk like that, +knowing how quiet she was day by day and how pleasant +to be cheated. And the men began to shoulder their +shovels, both so as to be away from her, and to go and +tell their wives of it. Winnie too was looking at her, +being pointed at so much, and wondering if she had done +amiss. And then she came to me, and trembled, and +stooped her head, and asked my pardon, if she had been +too proud with me. + +'Winnie shall stop here to-night,' said I, for Tom +Faggus still said never a word all the while; but began +to buckle his things on, for he knew that women are to +be met with wool, as the cannon-balls were at the +siege of Tiverton Castle; 'mother, I tell you, Winnie +shall stop; else I will go away with her, I never knew +what it was, till now, to ride a horse worth riding.' + +'Young man,' said Tom Faggus, still preparing sternly +to depart, 'you know more about a horse than any man on +Exmoor. Your mother may well be proud of you, but she +need have had no fear. As if I, Tom Faggus, your +father's cousin--and the only thing I am proud +of--would ever have let you mount my mare, which dukes +and princes have vainly sought, except for the courage +in your eyes, and the look of your father about you. I +knew you could ride when I saw you, and rarely you have +conquered. But women don't understand us. Good-bye, +John; I am proud of you, and I hoped to have done you +pleasure. And indeed I came full of some courtly +tales, that would have made your hair stand up. But +though not a crust have I tasted since this time +yesterday, having given my meat to a widow, I will go +and starve on the moor far sooner than eat the best +supper that ever was cooked, in a place that has +forgotten me.' With that he fetched a heavy sigh, as +if it had been for my father; and feebly got upon +Winnie's back, and she came to say farewell to me. He +lifted his hat to my mother, with a glance of sorrow, +but never a word; and to me he said, 'Open the gate, +Cousin John, if you please. You have beaten her so, +that she cannot leap it, poor thing.' + +But before he was truly gone out of our yard, my mother +came softly after him, with her afternoon apron across +her eyes, and one hand ready to offer him. +Nevertheless, he made as if he had not seen her, though +he let his horse go slowly. + +'Stop, Cousin Tom,' my mother said, 'a word with you, +before you go.' + +'Why, bless my heart!' Tom Faggus cried, with the form +of his countenance so changed, that I verily thought +another man must have leaped into his clothes--'do I +see my Cousin Sarah? I thought every one was ashamed +of me, and afraid to offer me shelter, since I lost my +best cousin, John Ridd. 'Come here,' he used to say, +'Tom, come here, when you are worried, and my wife +shall take good care of you.' 'Yes, dear John,' I used +to answer, 'I know she promised my mother so; but +people have taken to think against me, and so might +Cousin Sarah.' Ah, he was a man, a man! If you only +heard how he answered me. But let that go, I am +nothing now, since the day I lost Cousin Ridd.' And +with that he began to push on again; but mother would +not have it so. + +'Oh, Tom, that was a loss indeed. And I am nothing +either. And you should try to allow for me; though I +never found any one that did.' And mother began to cry, +though father had been dead so long; and I looked on +with a stupid surprise, having stopped from crying long +ago. + +'I can tell you one that will,' cried Tom, jumping off +Winnie, in a trice, and looking kindly at mother; 'I +can allow for you, Cousin Sarah, in everything but one. +I am in some ways a bad man myself; but I know the +value of a good one; and if you gave me orders, by +God--' And he shook his fists towards Bagworthy Wood, +just heaving up black in the sundown. + +'Hush, Tom, hush, for God's sake!' And mother meant +me, without pointing at me; at least I thought she did. +For she ever had weaned me from thoughts of revenge, +and even from longings for judgment. 'God knows best, +boy,' she used to say, 'let us wait His time, without +wishing it.' And so, to tell the truth, I did; partly +through her teaching, and partly through my own mild +temper, and my knowledge that father, after all, was +killed because he had thrashed them. + +'Good-night, Cousin Sarah, good-night, Cousin Jack,' +cried Tom, taking to the mare again; 'many a mile I +have to ride, and not a bit inside of me. No food or +shelter this side of Exeford, and the night will be +black as pitch, I trow. But it serves me right for +indulging the lad, being taken with his looks so.' + +'Cousin Tom,' said mother, and trying to get so that +Annie and I could not hear her; 'it would be a sad and +unkinlike thing for you to despise our dwelling-house. +We cannot entertain you, as the lordly inns on the road +do; and we have small change of victuals. But the men +will go home, being Saturday; and so you will have the +fireside all to yourself and the children. There are +some few collops of red deer's flesh, and a ham just +down from the chimney, and some dried salmon from +Lynmouth weir, and cold roast-pig, and some oysters. +And if none of those be to your liking, we could roast +two woodcocks in half an hour, and Annie would make the +toast for them. And the good folk made some mistake +last week, going up the country, and left a keg of old +Holland cordial in the coving of the wood-rick, having +borrowed our Smiler, without asking leave. I fear +there is something unrighteous about it. But what can +a poor widow do? John Fry would have taken it, but for +our Jack. Our Jack was a little too sharp for him.' + +Ay, that I was; John Fry had got it, like a billet +under his apron, going away in the gray of the morning, +as if to kindle his fireplace. 'Why, John,' I said, +'what a heavy log! Let me have one end of it.' +'Thank'e, Jan, no need of thiccy,' he answered, turning +his back to me; 'waife wanteth a log as will last all +day, to kape the crock a zimmerin.' And he banged his +gate upon my heels to make me stop and rub them. 'Why, +John,' said I, 'you'm got a log with round holes in the +end of it. Who has been cutting gun-wads? Just lift +your apron, or I will.' + +But, to return to Tom Faggus--he stopped to sup that +night with us, and took a little of everything; a few +oysters first, and then dried salmon, and then ham and +eggs, done in small curled rashers, and then a few +collops of venison toasted, and next to that a little +cold roast-pig, and a woodcock on toast to finish with, +before the Scheidam and hot water. And having changed +his wet things first, he seemed to be in fair appetite, +and praised Annie's cooking mightily, with a kind of +noise like a smack of his lips, and a rubbing of his +hands together, whenever he could spare them. + +He had gotten John Fry's best small-clothes on, for he +said he was not good enough to go into my father's +(which mother kept to look at), nor man enough to fill +them. And in truth my mother was very glad that he +refused, when I offered them. But John was over-proud +to have it in his power to say that such a famous man +had ever dwelt in any clothes of his; and afterwards he +made show of them. For Mr. Faggus's glory, then, +though not so great as now it is, was spreading very +fast indeed all about our neighbourhood, and even as +far as Bridgewater. + +Tom Faggus was a jovial soul, if ever there has been +one, not making bones of little things, nor caring to +seek evil. There was about him such a love of genuine +human nature, that if a traveller said a good thing, he +would give him back his purse again. It is true that +he took people's money more by force than fraud; and +the law (being used to the inverse method) was bitterly +moved against him, although he could quote precedent. +These things I do not understand; having seen so much +of robbery (some legal, some illegal), that I scarcely +know, as here we say, one crow's foot from the other. +It is beyond me and above me, to discuss these +subjects; and in truth I love the law right well, when +it doth support me, and when I can lay it down to my +liking, with prejudice to nobody. Loyal, too, to the +King am I, as behoves churchwarden; and ready to make +the best of him, as he generally requires. But after +all, I could not see (until I grew much older, and came +to have some property) why Tom Faggus, working hard, +was called a robber and felon of great; while the King, +doing nothing at all (as became his dignity), was +liege-lord, and paramount owner; with everybody to +thank him kindly for accepting tribute. + +For the present, however, I learned nothing more as to +what our cousin's profession was; only that mother +seemed frightened, and whispered to him now and then +not to talk of something, because of the children being +there; whereupon he always nodded with a sage +expression, and applied himself to hollands. + +'Now let us go and see Winnie, Jack,' he said to me +after supper; 'for the most part I feed her before +myself; but she was so hot from the way you drove her. +Now she must be grieving for me, and I never let her +grieve long.' + +I was too glad to go with him, and Annie came slyly +after us. The filly was walking to and fro on the +naked floor of the stable (for he would not let her +have any straw, until he should make a bed for her), +and without so much as a headstall on, for he would not +have her fastened. 'Do you take my mare for a dog?' he +had said when John Fry brought him a halter. And now +she ran to him like a child, and her great eyes shone +at the lanthorn. + +'Hit me, Jack, and see what she will do. I will not +let her hurt thee.' He was rubbing her ears all the +time he spoke, and she was leaning against him. Then I +made believe to strike him, and in a moment she caught +me by the waistband, and lifted me clean from the +ground, and was casting me down to trample upon me, +when he stopped her suddenly. + +'What think you of that, boy? Have you horse or dog +that would do that for you? Ay, and more than that she +will do. If I were to whistle, by-and-by, in the tone +that tells my danger, she would break this stable-door +down, and rush into the room to me. Nothing will keep +her from me then, stone-wal1 or church-tower. Ah, +Winnie, Winnie, you little witch, we shall die +together.' + +Then he turned away with a joke, and began to feed her +nicely, for she was very dainty. Not a husk of oat +would she touch that had been under the breath of +another horse, however hungry she might be. And with +her oats he mixed some powder, fetching it from his +saddle-bags. What this was I could not guess, neither +would he tell me, but laughed and called it +'star-shavings.' He watched her eat every morsel of it, +with two or three drinks of pure water, ministered +between whiles; and then he made her bed in a form I +had never seen before, and so we said 'Good-night' to +her. + +Afterwards by the fireside he kept us very merry, +sitting in the great chimney-corner, and making us play +games with him. And all the while he was smoking +tobacco in a manner I never had seen before, not using +any pipe for it, but having it rolled in little sticks +about as long as my finger, blunt at one end and sharp +at the other. The sharp end he would put in his mouth, +and lay a brand of wood to the other, and then draw a +white cloud of curling smoke, and we never tired of +watching him. I wanted him to let me do it, but he +said, 'No, my son; it is not meant for boys.' Then +Annie put up her lips and asked, with both hands on his +knees (for she had taken to him wonderfully), 'Is it +meant for girls then cousin Tom?' But she had better +not have asked, for he gave it her to try, and she shut +both eyes, and sucked at it. One breath, however, was +quite enough, for it made her cough so violently that +Lizzie and I must thump her back until she was almost +crying. To atone for that, cousin Tom set to, and told +us whole pages of stories, not about his own doings at +all, but strangely enough they seemed to concern almost +every one else we had ever heard of. Without halting +once for a word or a deed, his tales flowed onward as +freely and brightly as the flames of the wood up the +chimney, and with no smaller variety. For he spoke +with the voices of twenty people, giving each person +the proper manner, and the proper place to speak from; +so that Annie and Lizzie ran all about, and searched +the clock and the linen-press. And he changed his face +every moment so, and with such power of mimicry that +without so much as a smile of his own, he made even +mother laugh so that she broke her new tenpenny +waistband; and as for us children, we rolled on the +floor, and Betty Muxworthy roared in the wash-up. + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A MAN JUSTLY POPULAR + +Now although Mr. Faggus was so clever, and generous, +and celebrated, I know not whether, upon the whole, we +were rather proud of him as a member of our family, or +inclined to be ashamed of him. And indeed I think that +the sway of the balance hung upon the company we were +in. For instance, with the boys at Brendon--for there +is no village at Oare--I was exceeding proud to talk of +him, and would freely brag of my Cousin Tom. But with +the rich parsons of the neighbourhood, or the justices +(who came round now and then, and were glad to ride up +to a warm farm-house), or even the well-to-do tradesmen +of Porlock--in a word, any settled power, which was +afraid of losing things--with all of them we were very +shy of claiming our kinship to that great outlaw. + +And sure, I should pity, as well as condemn him though +our ways in the world were so different, knowing as I +do his story; which knowledge, methinks, would often +lead us to let alone God's prerogative--judgment, and +hold by man's privilege--pity. Not that I would find +excuse for Tom's downright dishonesty, which was beyond +doubt a disgrace to him, and no credit to his kinsfolk; +only that it came about without his meaning any harm or +seeing how he took to wrong; yet gradually knowing it. +And now, to save any further trouble, and to meet those +who disparage him (without allowance for the time or +the crosses laid upon him), I will tell the history of +him, just as if he were not my cousin, and hoping to be +heeded. And I defy any man to say that a word of this +is either false, or in any way coloured by family. +Much cause he had to be harsh with the world; and yet +all acknowledged him very pleasant, when a man gave up +his money. And often and often he paid the toll for +the carriage coming after him, because he had emptied +their pockets, and would not add inconvenience. By +trade he had been a blacksmith, in the town of +Northmolton, in Devonshire, a rough rude place at the +end of Exmoor, so that many people marvelled if such a +man was bred there. Not only could he read and write, +but he had solid substance; a piece of land worth a +hundred pounds, and right of common for two hundred +sheep, and a score and a half of beasts, lifting up or +lying down. And being left an orphan (with all these +cares upon him) he began to work right early, and made +such a fame at the shoeing of horses, that the farriers +of Barum were like to lose their custom. And indeed he +won a golden Jacobus for the best-shod nag in the north +of Devon, and some say that he never was forgiven. + +As to that, I know no more, except that men are +jealous. But whether it were that, or not, he fell +into bitter trouble within a month of his victory; when +his trade was growing upon him, and his sweetheart +ready to marry him. For he loved a maid of Southmolton +(a currier's daughter I think she was, and her name was +Betsy Paramore), and her father had given consent; and +Tom Faggus, wishing to look his best, and be clean of +course, had a tailor at work upstairs for him, who had +come all the way from Exeter. And Betsy's things were +ready too--for which they accused him afterwards, as if +he could help that--when suddenly, like a thunderbolt, +a lawyer's writ fell upon him. + +This was the beginning of a law-suit with Sir Robert +Bampfylde, a gentleman of the neighbourhood, who tried +to oust him from his common, and drove his cattle and +harassed them. And by that suit of law poor Tom was +ruined altogether, for Sir Robert could pay for much +swearing; and then all his goods and his farm were sold +up, and even his smithery taken. But he saddled his +horse, before they could catch him, and rode away to +Southmolton, looking more like a madman than a good +farrier, as the people said who saw him. But when he +arrived there, instead of comfort, they showed him the +face of the door alone; for the news of his loss was +before him, and Master Paramore was a sound, prudent +man, and a high member of the town council. It is said +that they even gave him notice to pay for Betsy's +wedding-clothes, now that he was too poor to marry her. +This may be false, and indeed I doubt it; in the first +place, because Southmolton is a busy place for talking; +and in the next, that I do not think the action would +have lain at law, especially as the maid lost nothing, +but used it all for her wedding next month with Dick +Vellacott, of Mockham. + +All this was very sore upon Tom; and he took it to +heart so grievously, that he said, as a better man +might have said, being loose of mind and property, 'The +world hath preyed on me like a wolf. God help me now +to prey on the world.' + +And in sooth it did seem, for a while, as if Providence +were with him; for he took rare toll on the highway, +and his name was soon as good as gold anywhere this +side of Bristowe. He studied his business by night and +by day, with three horses all in hard work, until he +had made a fine reputation; and then it was competent +to him to rest, and he had plenty left for charity. +And I ought to say for society too, for he truly loved +high society, treating squires and noblemen (who much +affected his company) to the very best fare of the +hostel. And they say that once the King's +Justitiaries, being upon circuit, accepted his +invitation, declaring merrily that if never true bill +had been found against him, mine host should now be +qualified to draw one. And so the landlords did; and +he always paid them handsomely, so that all of them +were kind to him, and contended for his visits. Let it +be known in any township that Mr. Faggus was taking his +leisure at the inn, and straightway all the men flocked +thither to drink his health without outlay, and all the +women to admire him; while the children were set at the +cross-roads to give warning of any officers. One of +his earliest meetings was with Sir Robert Bampfylde +himself, who was riding along the Barum road with only +one serving-man after him. Tom Faggus put a pistol to +his head, being then obliged to be violent, through +want of reputation; while the serving-man pretended to +be along way round the corner. Then the baronet +pulled out his purse, quite trembling in the hurry of +his politeness. Tom took the purse, and his ring, and +time-piece, and then handed them back with a very low +bow, saying that it was against all usage for him to +rob a robber. Then he turned to the unfaithful knave, +and trounced him right well for his cowardice, and +stripped him of all his property. + +But now Mr. Faggus kept only one horse, lest the +Government should steal them; and that one was the +young mare Winnie. How he came by her he never would +tell, but I think that she was presented to him by a +certain Colonel, a lover of sport, and very clever in +horseflesh, whose life Tom had saved from some +gamblers. When I have added that Faggus as yet had +never been guilty of bloodshed (for his eyes, and the +click of his pistol at first, and now his high +reputation made all his wishes respected), and that he +never robbed a poor man, neither insulted a woman, but +was very good to the Church, and of hot patriotic +opinions, and full of jest and jollity, I have said as +much as is fair for him, and shown why he was so +popular. Everybody cursed the Doones, who lived apart +disdainfully. But all good people liked Mr. +Faggus--when he had not robbed them--and many a poor +sick man or woman blessed him for other people's money; +and all the hostlers, stable-boys, and tapsters +entirely worshipped him. + +I have been rather long, and perhaps tedious, in my +account of him, lest at any time hereafter his +character should be misunderstood, and his good name +disparaged; whereas he was my second cousin, and the +lover of my--But let that bide. 'Tis a melancholy +story. + +He came again about three months afterwards, in the +beginning of the spring-time, and brought me a +beautiful new carbine, having learned my love of such +things, and my great desire to shoot straight. But +mother would not let me have the gun, until he averred +upon his honour that he had bought it honestly. And so +he had, no doubt, so far as it is honest to buy with +money acquired rampantly. Scarce could I stop to make +my bullets in the mould which came along with it, but +must be off to the Quarry Hill, and new target I had +made there. And he taught me then how to ride bright +Winnie, who was grown since I had seen her, but +remembered me most kindly. After making much of Annie, +who had a wondrous liking for him--and he said he was +her godfather, but God knows how he could have been, +unless they confirmed him precociously--away he went, +and young Winnie's sides shone like a cherry by +candlelight. + +Now I feel that of those boyish days I have little more +to tell, because everything went quietly, as the world +for the most part does with us. I began to work at the +farm in earnest, and tried to help my mother, and when +I remembered Lorna Doone, it seemed no more than the +thought of a dream, which I could hardly call to mind. +Now who cares to know how many bushels of wheat we grew +to the acre, or how the cattle milched till we ate +them, or what the turn of the seasons was? But my +stupid self seemed like to be the biggest of all the +cattle; for having much to look after the sheep, and +being always in kind appetite, I grew four inches +longer in every year of my farming, and a matter of two +inches wider; until there was no man of my size to be +seen elsewhere upon Exmoor. Let that pass: what odds +to any how tall or wide I be? There is no Doone's door +at Plover's Barrows and if there were I could never go +through it. They vexed me so much about my size, long +before I had completed it, girding at me with paltry +jokes whose wit was good only to stay at home, that I +grew shame-faced about the matter, and feared to +encounter a looking-glass. But mother was very proud, +and said she never could have too much of me. + +The worst of all to make me ashamed of bearing my head +so high--a thing I saw no way to help, for I never +could hang my chin down, and my back was like a +gatepost whenever I tried to bend it--the worst of all +was our little Eliza, who never could come to a size +herself, though she had the wine from the Sacrament at +Easter and Allhallowmas, only to be small and skinny, +sharp, and clever crookedly. Not that her body was out +of the straight (being too small for that perhaps), but +that her wit was full of corners, jagged, and strange, +and uncomfortable. You never could tell what she might +say next; and I like not that kind of women. Now God +forgive me for talking so of my own father's daughter, +and so much the more by reason that my father could not +help it. The right way is to face the matter, and then +be sorry for every one. My mother fell grievously on a +slide, which John Fry had made nigh the apple-room +door, and hidden with straw from the stable, to cover +his own great idleness. My father laid John's nose on +the ice, and kept him warm in spite of it; but it was +too late for Eliza. She was born next day with more +mind than body--the worst thing that can befall a man. + +But Annie, my other sister, was now a fine fair girl, +beautiful to behold. I could look at her by the +fireside, for an hour together, when I was not too +sleepy, and think of my dear father. And she would do +the same thing by me, only wait the between of the +blazes. Her hair was done up in a knot behind, but +some would fall over her shoulders; and the dancing of +the light was sweet to see through a man's eyelashes. +There never was a face that showed the light or the +shadow of feeling, as if the heart were sun to it, more +than our dear Annie's did. To look at her carefully, +you might think that she was not dwelling on anything; +and then she would know you were looking at her, and +those eyes would tell all about it. God knows that I +try to be simple enough, to keep to His meaning in me, +and not make the worst of His children. Yet often have +I been put to shame, and ready to bite my tongue off, +after speaking amiss of anybody, and letting out my +littleness, when suddenly mine eyes have met the pure +soft gaze of Annie. + +As for the Doones, they were thriving still, and no one +to come against them; except indeed by word of mouth, +to which they lent no heed whatever. Complaints were +made from time to time, both in high and low quarters +(as the rank might be of the people robbed), and once +or twice in the highest of all, to wit, the King +himself. But His Majesty made a good joke about it +(not meaning any harm, I doubt), and was so much +pleased with himself thereupon, that he quite forgave +the mischief. Moreover, the main authorities were a +long way off; and the Chancellor had no cattle on +Exmoor; and as for my lord the Chief Justice, some +rogue had taken his silver spoons; whereupon his +lordship swore that never another man would he hang +until he had that one by the neck. Therefore the +Doones went on as they listed, and none saw fit to +meddle with them. For the only man who would have +dared to come to close quarters with them, that is to +say Tom Faggus, himself was a quarry for the law, if +ever it should be unhooded. Moreover, he had +transferred his business to the neighbourhood of +Wantage, in the county of Berks, where he found the +climate drier, also good downs and commons excellent +for galloping, and richer yeomen than ours be, and +better roads to rob them on. + +Some folk, who had wiser attended to their own affairs, +said that I (being sizeable now, and able to shoot not +badly) ought to do something against those Doones, and +show what I was made of. But for a time I was very +bashful, shaking when called upon suddenly, and +blushing as deep as a maiden; for my strength was not +come upon me, and mayhap I had grown in front of it. +And again, though I loved my father still, and would +fire at a word about him, I saw not how it would do him +good for me to harm his injurers. Some races are of +revengeful kind, and will for years pursue their wrong, +and sacrifice this world and the next for a moment's +foul satisfaction, but methinks this comes of some +black blood, perverted and never purified. And I doubt +but men of true English birth are stouter than so to be +twisted, though some of the women may take that turn, +if their own life runs unkindly. + +Let that pass--I am never good at talking of things +beyond me. All I know is, that if I had met the Doone +who had killed my father, I would gladly have thrashed +him black and blue, supposing I were able; but would +never have fired a gun at him, unless he began that +game with me, or fell upon more of my family, or were +violent among women. And to do them justice, my mother +and Annie were equally kind and gentle, but Eliza would +flame and grow white with contempt, and not trust +herself to speak to us. + +Now a strange thing came to pass that winter, when I +was twenty-one years old, a very strange thing, which +affrighted the rest, and made me feel uncomfortable. +Not that there was anything in it, to do harm to any +one, only that none could explain it, except by +attributing it to the devil. The weather was very mild +and open, and scarcely any snow fell; at any rate, none +lay on the ground, even for an hour, in the highest +part of Exmoor; a thing which I knew not before nor +since, as long as I can remember. But the nights were +wonderfully dark, as though with no stars in the +heaven; and all day long the mists were rolling upon +the hills and down them, as if the whole land were a +wash-house. The moorland was full of snipes and teal, +and curlews flying and crying, and lapwings flapping +heavily, and ravens hovering round dead sheep; yet no +redshanks nor dottrell, and scarce any golden plovers +(of which we have great store generally) but vast +lonely birds, that cried at night, and moved the whole +air with their pinions; yet no man ever saw them. It +was dismal as well as dangerous now for any man to go +fowling (which of late I loved much in the winter) +because the fog would come down so thick that the pan +of the gun was reeking, and the fowl out of sight ere +the powder kindled, and then the sound of the piece was +so dead, that the shooter feared harm, and glanced over +his shoulder. But the danger of course was far less in +this than in losing of the track, and falling into the +mires, or over the brim of a precipice. + +Nevertheless, I must needs go out, being young and very +stupid, and feared of being afraid; a fear which a wise +man has long cast by, having learned of the manifold +dangers which ever and ever encompass us. And beside +this folly and wildness of youth, perchance there was +something, I know not what, of the joy we have in +uncertainty. Mother, in fear of my missing +home--though for that matter, I could smell supper, +when hungry, through a hundred land-yards of fog--my +dear mother, who thought of me ten times for one +thought about herself, gave orders to ring the great +sheep-bell, which hung above the pigeon-cote, every +ten minutes of the day, and the sound came through the +plaits of fog, and I was vexed about it, like the +letters of a copy-book. It reminded me, too, of +Blundell's bell, and the grief to go into school again. + +But during those two months of fog (for we had it all +the winter), the saddest and the heaviest thing was to +stand beside the sea. To be upon the beach yourself, +and see the long waves coming in; to know that they are +long waves, but only see a piece of them; and to hear +them lifting roundly, swelling over smooth green rocks, +plashing down in the hollow corners, but bearing on all +the same as ever, soft and sleek and sorrowful, till +their little noise is over. + +One old man who lived at Lynmouth, seeking to be buried +there, having been more than half over the world, +though shy to speak about it, and fain to come home to +his birthplace, this old Will Watcombe (who dwelt by +the water) said that our strange winter arose from a +thing he called the 'Gulf-stream', rushing up Channel +suddenly. He said it was hot water, almost fit for a +man to shave with, and it threw all our cold water out, +and ruined the fish and the spawning-time, and a cold +spring would come after it. I was fond of going to +Lynmouth on Sunday to hear this old man talk, for +sometimes he would discourse with me, when nobody else +could move him. He told me that this powerful flood +set in upon our west so hard sometimes once in ten +years, and sometimes not for fifty, and the Lord only +knew the sense of it; but that when it came, therewith +came warmth and clouds, and fog, and moisture, and +nuts, and fruit, and even shells; and all the tides +were thrown abroad. As for nuts he winked awhile, and +chewed a piece of tobacco; yet did I not comprehend +him. Only afterwards I heard that nuts with liquid +kernels came, travelling on the Gulf stream; for never +before was known so much foreign cordial landed upon +our coast, floating ashore by mistake in the fog, and +(what with the tossing and the mist) too much astray to +learn its duty. + +Folk, who are ever too prone to talk, said that Will +Watcombe himself knew better than anybody else about +this drift of the Gulf-stream, and the places where it +would come ashore, and the caves that took the +in-draught. But De Whichehalse, our great magistrate, +certified that there was no proof of unlawful +importation; neither good cause to suspect it, at a +time of Christian charity. And we knew that it was a +foul thing for some quarrymen to say that night after +night they had been digging a new cellar at Ley Manor +to hold the little marks of respect found in the +caverns at high-water weed. Let that be, it is none of +my business to speak evil of dignities; duly we common +people joked of the 'Gulp-stream,' as we called it. + +But the thing which astonished and frightened us so, +was not, I do assure you, the landing of foreign +spirits, nor the loom of a lugger at twilight in the +gloom of the winter moonrise. That which made as +crouch in by the fire, or draw the bed-clothes over us, +and try to think of something else, was a strange +mysterious sound. + +At grey of night, when the sun was gone, and no red in +the west remained, neither were stars forthcoming, +suddenly a wailing voice rose along the valleys, and a +sound in the air, as of people running. It mattered +not whether you stood on the moor, or crouched behind +rocks away from it, or down among reedy places; all as +one the sound would come, now from the heart of the +earth beneath, now overhead bearing down on you. And +then there was rushing of something by, and melancholy +laughter, and the hair of a man would stand on end +before he could reason properly. + +God, in His mercy, knows that I am stupid enough for +any man, and very slow of impression, nor ever could +bring myself to believe that our Father would let the +evil one get the upper hand of us. But when I had +heard that sound three times, in the lonely gloom of +the evening fog, and the cold that followed the lines +of air, I was loath to go abroad by night, even so far +as the stables, and loved the light of a candle more, +and the glow of a fire with company. + +There were many stories about it, of course, all over +the breadth of the moorland. But those who had heard +it most often declared that it must be the wail of a +woman's voice, and the rustle of robes fleeing +horribly, and fiends in the fog going after her. To +that, however, I paid no heed, when anybody was with +me; only we drew more close together, and barred the +doors at sunset. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +MASTER HUCKABACK COMES IN + +Mr. Reuben Huckaback, whom many good folk in Dulverton +will remember long after my time, was my mother's +uncle, being indeed her mother's brother. He owned the +very best shop in the town, and did a fine trade in +soft ware, especially when the pack-horses came safely +in at Christmas-time. And we being now his only +kindred (except indeed his granddaughter, little Ruth +Huckaback, of whom no one took any heed), mother beheld +it a Christian duty to keep as well as could be with +him, both for love of a nice old man, and for the sake +of her children. And truly, the Dulverton people said +that he was the richest man in their town, and could +buy up half the county armigers; 'ay, and if it came to +that, they would like to see any man, at Bampton, or at +Wivelscombe, and you might say almost Taunton, who +could put down golden Jacobus and Carolus against him. + +Now this old gentleman--so they called him, according +to his money; and I have seen many worse ones, more +violent and less wealthy--he must needs come away that +time to spend the New Year-tide with us; not that he +wanted to do it (for he hated country-life), but +because my mother pressing, as mothers will do to a +good bag of gold, had wrung a promise from him; and the +only boast of his life was that never yet had he broken +his word, at least since he opened business. + +Now it pleased God that Christmas-time (in spite of all +the fogs) to send safe home to Dulverton, and what was +more, with their loads quite safe, a goodly string of +packhorses. Nearly half of their charge was for Uncle +Reuben, and he knew how to make the most of it. Then +having balanced his debits and credits, and set the +writs running against defaulters, as behoves a good +Christian at Christmas-tide, he saddled his horse, and +rode off towards Oare, with a good stout coat upon him, +and leaving Ruth and his head man plenty to do, and +little to eat, until they should see him again. + +It had been settled between us that we should expect +him soon after noon on the last day of December. For +the Doones being lazy and fond of bed, as the manner is +of dishonest folk, the surest way to escape them was to +travel before they were up and about, to-wit, in the +forenoon of the day. But herein we reckoned without +our host: for being in high festivity, as became good +Papists, the robbers were too lazy, it seems, to take +the trouble of going to bed; and forth they rode on the +Old Year-morning, not with any view of business, but +purely in search of mischief. + +We had put off our dinner till one o'clock (which to me +was a sad foregoing), and there was to be a brave +supper at six of the clock, upon New Year's-eve; and +the singers to come with their lanthorns, and do it +outside the parlour-window, and then have hot cup till +their heads should go round, after making away with the +victuals. For although there was nobody now in our +family to be churchwarden of Oare, it was well admitted +that we were the people entitled alone to that dignity; +and though Nicholas Snowe was in office by name, he +managed it only by mother's advice; and a pretty mess +he made of it, so that every one longed for a Ridd +again, soon as ever I should be old enough. This +Nicholas Snowe was to come in the evening, with his +three tall comely daughters, strapping girls, and well +skilled in the dairy; and the story was all over the +parish, on a stupid conceit of John Fry's, that I +should have been in love with all three, if there had +been but one of them. These Snowes were to come, and +come they did, partly because Mr. Huckaback liked to +see fine young maidens, and partly because none but +Nicholas Snowe could smoke a pipe now all around our +parts, except of the very high people, whom we durst +never invite. And Uncle Ben, as we all knew well, was +a great hand at his pipe, and would sit for hours over +it, in our warm chimney-corner, and never want to say +a word, unless it were inside him; only he liked to +have somebody there over against him smoking. + +Now when I came in, before one o'clock, after seeing to +the cattle--for the day was thicker than ever, and we +must keep the cattle close at home, if we wished to see +any more of them--I fully expected to find Uncle Ben +sitting in the fireplace, lifting one cover and then +another, as his favourite manner was, and making sweet +mouths over them; for he loved our bacon rarely, and +they had no good leeks at Dulverton; and he was a man +who always would see his business done himself. But +there instead of my finding him with his quaint dry +face pulled out at me, and then shut up sharp not to be +cheated--who should run out but Betty Muxworthy, and +poke me with a saucepan lid. + +'Get out of that now, Betty,' I said in my politest +manner, for really Betty was now become a great +domestic evil. She would have her own way so, and of +all things the most distressful was for a man to try to +reason. + +'Zider-press,' cried Betty again, for she thought it a +fine joke to call me that, because of my size, and my +hatred of it; 'here be a rare get up, anyhow.' + +'A rare good dinner, you mean, Betty. Well, and I have +a rare good appetite.' With that I wanted to go and +smell it, and not to stop for Betty. + +'Troost thee for thiccy, Jan Ridd. But thee must keep +it bit langer, I reckon. Her baint coom, Maister +Ziderpress. Whatt'e mak of that now?' + +'Do you mean to say that Uncle Ben has not arrived yet, +Betty?' + +'Raived! I knaws nout about that, whuther a hath of +noo. Only I tell 'e, her baint coom. Rackon them +Dooneses hath gat 'un.' + +And Betty, who hated Uncle Ben, because he never gave +her a groat, and she was not allowed to dine with him, +I am sorry to say that Betty Muxworthy grinned all +across, and poked me again with the greasy saucepan +cover. But I misliking so to be treated, strode +through the kitchen indignantly, for Betty behaved to +me even now, as if I were only Eliza. + +'Oh, Johnny, Johnny,' my mother cried, running out of +the grand show-parlour, where the case of stuffed birds +was, and peacock-feathers, and the white hare killed +by grandfather; 'I am so glad you are come at last. +There is something sadly amiss, Johnny.' + +Mother had upon her wrists something very wonderful, of +the nature of fal-lal as we say, and for which she had +an inborn turn, being of good draper family, and +polished above the yeomanry. Nevertheless I could +never bear it, partly because I felt it to be out of +place in our good farm-house, partly because I hate +frippery, partly because it seemed to me to have +nothing to do with father, and partly because I never +could tell the reason of my hating it. And yet the +poor soul had put them on, not to show her hands off +(which were above her station) but simply for her +children's sake, because Uncle Ben had given them. But +another thing, I never could bear for man or woman to +call me, 'Johnny,' 'Jack,' or 'John,' I cared not +which; and that was honest enough, and no smallness of +me there, I say. + +'Well, mother, what is the matter, then?' + +'I am sure you need not be angry, Johnny. I only hope +it is nothing to grieve about, instead of being angry. +You are very sweet-tempered, I know, John Ridd, and +perhaps a little too sweet at times'--here she meant +the Snowe girls, and I hanged my head--'but what would +you say if the people there'--she never would call them +'Doones'--'had gotten your poor Uncle Reuben, horse, +and Sunday coat, and all?' + +'Why, mother, I should be sorry for them. He would set +up a shop by the river-side, and come away with all +their money.' + +'That all you have to say, John! And my dinner done to +a very turn, and the supper all fit to go down, and no +worry, only to eat and be done with it! And all the new +plates come from Watchett, with the Watchett blue upon +them, at the risk of the lives of everybody, and the +capias from good Aunt Jane for stuffing a curlew with +onion before he begins to get cold, and make a woodcock +of him, and the way to turn the flap over in the inside +of a roasting pig--' + +'Well, mother dear, I am very sorry. But let us have +our dinner. You know we promised not to wait for him +after one o'clock; and you only make us hungry. +Everything will be spoiled, mother, and what a pity to +think of! After that I will go to seek for him in the +thick of the fog, like a needle in a hay-band. That is +to say, unless you think'--for she looked very grave +about it--'unless you really think, mother, that I +ought to go without dinner.' + +'Oh no, John, I never thought that, thank God! Bless +Him for my children's appetites; and what is Uncle Ben +to them?' + +So we made a very good dinner indeed, though wishing +that he could have some of it, and wondering how much +to leave for him; and then, as no sound of his horse +had been heard, I set out with my gun to look for him. + +I followed the track on the side of the hill, from the +farm-yard, where the sledd-marks are--for we have no +wheels upon Exmoor yet, nor ever shall, I suppose; +though a dunder-headed man tried it last winter, and +broke his axle piteously, and was nigh to break his +neck--and after that I went all along on the ridge of +the rabbit-cleve, with the brook running thin in the +bottom; and then down to the Lynn stream and leaped it, +and so up the hill and the moor beyond. The fog hung +close all around me then, when I turned the crest of +the highland, and the gorse both before and behind me +looked like a man crouching down in ambush. But still +there was a good cloud of daylight, being scarce three +of the clock yet, and when a lead of red deer came +across, I could tell them from sheep even now. I was +half inclined to shoot at them, for the children did +love venison; but they drooped their heads so, and +looked so faithful, that it seemed hard measure to do +it. If one of them had bolted away, no doubt I had let +go at him. + +After that I kept on the track, trudging very stoutly, +for nigh upon three miles, and my beard (now beginning +to grow at some length) was full of great drops and +prickly, whereat I was very proud. I had not so much +as a dog with me, and the place was unkind and +lonesome, and the rolling clouds very desolate; and now +if a wild sheep ran across he was scared at me as an +enemy; and I for my part could not tell the meaning of +the marks on him. We called all this part Gibbet-moor, +not being in our parish; but though there were gibbets +enough upon it, most part of the bodies was gone for +the value of the chains, they said, and the teaching of +young chirurgeons. But of all this I had little fear, +being no more a schoolboy now, but a youth +well-acquaint with Exmoor, and the wise art of the +sign-posts, whereby a man, who barred the road, now +opens it up both ways with his finger-bones, so far as +rogues allow him. My carbine was loaded and freshly +primed, and I knew myself to be even now a match in +strength for any two men of the size around our +neighbourhood, except in the Glen Doone. 'Girt Jan +Ridd,' I was called already, and folk grew feared to +wrestle with me; though I was tired of hearing about +it, and often longed to be smaller. And most of all +upon Sundays, when I had to make way up our little +church, and the maidens tittered at me. + +The soft white mist came thicker around me, as the +evening fell; and the peat ricks here and there, and +the furze-hucks of the summer-time, were all out of +shape in the twist of it. By-and-by, I began to doubt +where I was, or how come there, not having seen a +gibbet lately; and then I heard the draught of the wind +up a hollow place with rocks to it; and for the first +time fear broke out (like cold sweat) upon me. And yet +I knew what a fool I was, to fear nothing but a sound! +But when I stopped to listen, there was no sound, more +than a beating noise, and that was all inside me. +Therefore I went on again, making company of myself, +and keeping my gun quite ready. + +Now when I came to an unknown place, where a stone was +set up endwise, with a faint red cross upon it, and a +polish from some conflict, I gathered my courage to +stop and think, having sped on the way too hotly. +Against that stone I set my gun, trying my spirit to +leave it so, but keeping with half a hand for it; and +then what to do next was the wonder. As for finding +Uncle Ben that was his own business, or at any rate his +executor's; first I had to find myself, and plentifully +would thank God to find myself at home again, for the +sake of all our family. + +The volumes of the mist came rolling at me (like great +logs of wood, pillowed out with sleepiness), and +between them there was nothing more than waiting for +the next one. Then everything went out of sight, and +glad was I of the stone behind me, and view of mine own +shoes. Then a distant noise went by me, as of many +horses galloping, and in my fright I set my gun and +said, 'God send something to shoot at.' Yet nothing +came, and my gun fell back, without my will to lower +it. + +But presently, while I was thinking 'What a fool I am!' +arose as if from below my feet, so that the great stone +trembled, that long, lamenting lonesome sound, as of an +evil spirit not knowing what to do with it. For the +moment I stood like a root, without either hand or foot +to help me, and the hair of my head began to crawl, +lifting my hat, as a snail lifts his house; and my +heart like a shuttle went to and fro. But finding no +harm to come of it, neither visible form approaching, I +wiped my forehead, and hoped for the best, and resolved +to run every step of the way, till I drew our own latch +behind me. + +Yet here again I was disappointed, for no sooner was I +come to the cross-ways by the black pool in the hole, +but I heard through the patter of my own feet a rough +low sound very close in the fog, as of a hobbled sheep +a-coughing. I listened, and feared, and yet listened +again, though I wanted not to hear it. For being in +haste of the homeward road, and all my heart having +heels to it, loath I was to stop in the dusk for the +sake of an aged wether. Yet partly my love of all +animals, and partly my fear of the farmer's disgrace, +compelled me to go to the succour, and the noise was +coming nearer. A dry short wheezing sound it was, +barred with coughs and want of breath; but thus I made +the meaning of it. + +'Lord have mercy upon me! O Lord, upon my soul have +mercy! An if I cheated Sam Hicks last week, Lord +knowest how well he deserved it, and lied in every +stocking's mouth--oh Lord, where be I a-going?' + +These words, with many jogs between them, came to me +through the darkness, and then a long groan and a +choking. I made towards the sound, as nigh as ever I +could guess, and presently was met, point-blank, by the +head of a mountain-pony. Upon its back lay a man bound +down, with his feet on the neck and his head to the +tail, and his arms falling down like stirrups. The +wild little nag was scared of its life by the +unaccustomed burden, and had been tossing and rolling +hard, in desire to get ease of it. + +Before the little horse could turn, I caught him, jaded +as he was, by his wet and grizzled forelock, and he saw +that it was vain to struggle, but strove to bite me +none the less, until I smote him upon the nose. + +'Good and worthy sir,' I said to the man who was riding +so roughly; 'fear nothing; no harm shall come to thee.' + +'Help, good friend, whoever thou art,' he gasped, but +could not look at me, because his neck was jerked so; +'God hath sent thee, and not to rob me, because it is +done already.' + +'What, Uncle Ben!' I cried, letting go the horse in +amazement, that the richest man in Dulverton--'Uncle +Ben here in this plight! What, Mr. Reuben Huckaback!' + +'An honest hosier and draper, serge and longcloth +warehouseman'--he groaned from rib to rib--'at the +sign of the Gartered Kitten in the loyal town of +Dulverton. For God's sake, let me down, good fellow, +from this accursed marrow-bone; and a groat of good +money will I pay thee, safe in my house to Dulverton; +but take notice that the horse is mine, no less than +the nag they robbed from me.' + +'What, Uncle Ben, dost thou not know me, thy dutiful +nephew John Ridd?' + +Not to make a long story of it, I cut the thongs that +bound him, and set him astride on the little horse; but +he was too weak to stay so. Therefore I mounted him on +my back, turning the horse into horse-steps, and +leading the pony by the cords which I fastened around +his nose, set out for Plover's Barrows. + +Uncle Ben went fast asleep on my back, being jaded and +shaken beyond his strength, for a man of three-score +and five; and as soon he felt assured of safety he +would talk no more. And to tell the truth he snored so +loudly, that I could almost believe that fearful noise +in the fog every night came all the way from Dulverton. + +Now as soon as ever I brought him in, we set him up in +the chimney-corner, comfortable and handsome; and it +was no little delight to me to get him off my back; +for, like his own fortune, Uncle Ben was of a good +round figure. He gave his long coat a shake or two, +and he stamped about in the kitchen, until he was sure +of his whereabouts, and then he fell asleep again until +supper should be ready. + +'He shall marry Ruth,' he said by-and-by to himself, +and not to me; 'he shall marry Ruth for this, and have +my little savings, soon as they be worth the having. +Very little as yet, very little indeed; and ever so +much gone to-day along of them rascal robbers.' + +My mother made a dreadful stir, of course, about Uncle +Ben being in such a plight as this; so I left him to +her care and Annie's, and soon they fed him rarely, +while I went out to see to the comfort of the captured +pony. And in truth he was worth the catching, and +served us very well afterwards, though Uncle Ben was +inclined to claim him for his business at Dulverton, +where they have carts and that like. 'But,' I said, +'you shall have him, sir, and welcome, if you will only +ride him home as first I found you riding him.' And +with that he dropped it. + +A very strange old man he was, short in his manner, +though long of body, glad to do the contrary things to +what any one expected of him, and always looking sharp +at people, as if he feared to be cheated. This +surprised me much at first, because it showed his +ignorance of what we farmers are--an upright race, as +you may find, scarcely ever cheating indeed, except +upon market-day, and even then no more than may be +helped by reason of buyers expecting it. Now our +simple ways were a puzzle to him, as I told him very +often; but he only laughed, and rubbed his mouth with +the back of his dry shining hand, and I think he +shortly began to languish for want of some one to +higgle with. I had a great mind to give him the pony, +because he thought himself cheated in that case; only +he would conclude that I did it with some view to a +legacy. + +Of course, the Doones, and nobody else, had robbed good +Uncle Reuben; and then they grew sportive, and took his +horse, an especially sober nag, and bound the master +upon the wild one, for a little change as they told +him. For two or three hours they had fine enjoyment +chasing him through the fog, and making much sport of +his groanings; and then waxing hungry, they went their +way, and left him to opportunity. Now Mr. Huckaback +growing able to walk in a few days' time, became +thereupon impatient, and could not be brought to +understand why he should have been robbed at all. + +'I have never deserved it,' he said to himself, not +knowing much of Providence, except with a small p to +it; 'I have never deserved it, and will not stand it in +the name of our lord the King, not I!' At other times +he would burst forth thus: 'Three-score years and five +have I lived an honest and laborious life, yet never +was I robbed before. And now to be robbed in my old +age, to be robbed for the first time now!' + +Thereupon of course we would tell him how truly +thankful he ought to be for never having been robbed +before, in spite of living so long in this world, and +that he was taking a very ungrateful, not to say +ungracious, view, in thus repining, and feeling +aggrieved; when anyone else would have knelt and +thanked God for enjoying so long an immunity. But say +what we would, it was all as one. Uncle Ben stuck +fast to it, that he had nothing to thank God for. + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A MOTION WHICH ENDS IN A MULL + +Instead of minding his New-Year pudding, Master +Huckaback carried on so about his mighty grievance, +that at last we began to think there must be something +in it, after all; especially as he assured us that +choice and costly presents for the young people of our +household were among the goods divested. But mother +told him her children had plenty, and wanted no gold +and silver, and little Eliza spoke up and said, 'You +can give us the pretty things, Uncle Ben, when we come +in the summer to see you.' + +Our mother reproved Eliza for this, although it was the +heel of her own foot; and then to satisfy our uncle, +she promised to call Farmer Nicholas Snowe, to be of +our council that evening, 'And if the young maidens +would kindly come, without taking thought to smoothe +themselves, why it would be all the merrier, and who +knew but what Uncle Huckaback might bless the day of +his robbery, etc., etc.--and thorough good honest girls +they were, fit helpmates either for shop or farm.' All +of which was meant for me; but I stuck to my platter +and answered not. + +In the evening Farmer Snowe came up, leading his +daughters after him, like fillies trimmed for a fair; +and Uncle Ben, who had not seen them on the night of +his mishap (because word had been sent to stop them), +was mightily pleased and very pleasant, according to +his town bred ways. The damsels had seen good company, +and soon got over their fear of his wealth, and played +him a number of merry pranks, which made our mother +quite jealous for Annie, who was always shy and +diffident. However, when the hot cup was done, and +before the mulled wine was ready, we packed all the +maidens in the parlour and turned the key upon them; +and then we drew near to the kitchen fire to hear Uncle +Ben's proposal. Farmer Snowe sat up in the corner, +caring little to bear about anything, but smoking +slowly, and nodding backward like a sheep-dog dreaming. + Mother was in the settle, of course, knitting hard, as +usual; and Uncle Ben took to a three-legged stool, as +if all but that had been thieved from him. Howsoever, +he kept his breath from speech, giving privilege, as +was due, to mother. + +'Master Snowe, you are well assured,' said mother, +colouring like the furze as it took the flame and fell +over, 'that our kinsman here hath received rough harm +on his peaceful journey from Dulverton. The times are +bad, as we all know well, and there is no sign of +bettering them, and if I could see our Lord the King I +might say things to move him! nevertheless, I have had +so much of my own account to vex for--' + +'You are flying out of the subject, Sarah,' said Uncle +Ben, seeing tears in her eyes, and tired of that +matter. + +'Zettle the pralimbinaries,' spoke Farmer Snowe, on +appeal from us, 'virst zettle the pralimbinaries; and +then us knows what be drivin' at.' + +'Preliminaries be damned, sir,' cried Uncle Ben, losing +his temper. 'What preliminaries were there when I was +robbed; I should like to know? Robbed in this parish +as I can prove, to the eternal disgrace of Oare and the +scandal of all England. And I hold this parish to +answer for it, sir; this parish shall make it good, +being a nest of foul thieves as it is; ay, farmers, and +yeomen, and all of you. I will beggar every man in +this parish, if they be not beggars already, ay, and +sell your old church up before your eyes, but what I +will have back my tarlatan, time-piece, saddle, and +dove-tailed nag.' + +Mother looked at me, and I looked at Farmer Snowe, and +we all were sorry for Master Huckaback, putting our +hands up one to another, that nobody should browbeat +him; because we all knew what our parish was, and none +the worse for strong language, however rich the man +might be. But Uncle Ben took it in a different way. +He thought that we all were afraid of him, and that +Oare parish was but as Moab or Edom, for him to cast +his shoe over. + +'Nephew Jack,' he cried, looking at me when I was +thinking what to say, and finding only emptiness, 'you +are a heavy lout, sir; a bumpkin, a clodhopper; and I +shall leave you nothing, unless it be my boots to +grease.' + +'Well, uncle,' I made answer, 'I will grease your boots +all the same for that, so long as you be our guest, +sir.' + +Now, that answer, made without a thought, stood me for +two thousand pounds, as you shall see, by-and-by, +perhaps. + +'As for the parish,' my mother cried, being too hard +set to contain herself, 'the parish can defend itself, +and we may leave it to do so. But our Jack is not like +that, sir; and I will not have him spoken of. Leave +him indeed! Who wants you to do more than to leave him +alone, sir; as he might have done you the other night; +and as no one else would have dared to do. And after +that, to think so meanly of me, and of my children!' + +'Hoity, toity, Sarah! Your children, I suppose, are the +same as other people's.' + +'That they are not; and never will be; and you ought to +know it, Uncle Reuben, if any one in the world ought. +Other people's children!' + +'Well, well!' Uncle Reuben answered, 'I know very +little of children; except my little Ruth, and she is +nothing wonderful.' + +'I never said that my children were wonderful Uncle +Ben; nor did I ever think it. But as for being good--' + +Here mother fetched out her handkerchief, being +overcome by our goodness; and I told her, with my hand +to my mouth, not to notice him; though he might be +worth ten thousand times ten thousand pounds. + +But Farmer Snowe came forward now, for he had some +sense sometimes; and he thought it was high time for +him to say a word for the parish. + +'Maister Huckaback,' he began, pointing with his pipe +at him, the end that was done in sealing-wax, 'tooching +of what you was plaized to zay 'bout this here parish, +and no oother, mind me no oother parish but thees, I +use the vreedom, zur, for to tell 'e, that thee be a +laiar.' + +Then Farmer Nicholas Snowe folded his arms across with +the bowl of his pipe on the upper one, and gave me a +nod, and then one to mother, to testify how he had done +his duty, and recked not what might come of it. +However, he got little thanks from us; for the parish +was nothing at all to my mother, compared with her +children's interests; and I thought it hard that an +uncle of mine, and an old man too, should be called a +liar, by a visitor at our fireplace. For we, in our +rude part of the world, counted it one of the worst +disgraces that could befall a man, to receive the lie +from any one. But Uncle Ben, as it seems was used to +it, in the way of trade, just as people of fashion are, +by a style of courtesy. + +Therefore the old man only looked with pity at Farmer +Nicholas; and with a sort of sorrow too, reflecting how +much he might have made in a bargain with such a +customer, so ignorant and hot-headed. + +'Now let us bandy words no more,' said mother, very +sweetly; 'nothing is easier than sharp words, except to +wish them unspoken; as I do many and many's the time, +when I think of my good husband. But now let us hear +from Uncle Reuben what he would have us do to remove +this disgrace from amongst us, and to satisfy him of +his goods.' + +'I care not for my goods, woman,' Master Huckaback +answered grandly; 'although they were of large value, +about them I say nothing. But what I demand is this, +the punishment of those scoundrels.' + +'Zober, man, zober!' cried Farmer Nicholas; 'we be too +naigh Badgery 'ood, to spake like that of they +Dooneses.' + +'Pack of cowards!' said Uncle Reuben, looking first at +the door, however; 'much chance I see of getting +redress from the valour of this Exmoor! And you, Master +Snowe, the very man whom I looked to to raise the +country, and take the lead as churchwarden--why, my +youngest shopman would match his ell against you. Pack +of cowards,' cried Uncle Ben, rising and shaking his +lappets at us; 'don't pretend to answer me. Shake you +all off, that I do--nothing more to do with you!' + +We knew it useless to answer him, and conveyed our +knowledge to one another, without anything to vex him. +However, when the mulled wine was come, and a good deal +of it gone (the season being Epiphany), Uncle Reuben +began to think that he might have been too hard with +us. Moreover, he was beginning now to respect Farmer +Nicholas bravely, because of the way he had smoked his +pipes, and the little noise made over them. And Lizzie +and Annie were doing their best--for now we had let the +girls out--to wake more lightsome uproar; also young +Faith Snowe was toward to keep the old men's cups +aflow, and hansel them to their liking. + +So at the close of our entertainment, when the girls +were gone away to fetch and light their lanthorns (over +which they made rare noise, blowing each the other's +out for counting of the sparks to come), Master +Huckaback stood up, without much aid from the crock- +saw, and looked at mother and all of us. + +'Let no one leave this place,' said he, 'until I have +said what I want to say; for saving of ill-will among +us; and growth of cheer and comfort. May be I have +carried things too far, even to the bounds of +churlishness, and beyond the bounds of good manners. I +will not unsay one word I have said, having never yet +done so in my life; but I would alter the manner of it, +and set it forth in this light. If you folks upon +Exmoor here are loath and wary at fighting, yet you are +brave at better stuff; the best and kindest I ever +knew, in the matter of feeding.' + +Here he sat down with tears in his eyes, and called for +a little mulled bastard. All the maids, who were now +come back, raced to get it for him, but Annie of course +was foremost. And herein ended the expedition, a +perilous and a great one, against the Doones of +Bagworthy; an enterprise over which we had all talked +plainly more than was good for us. For my part, I +slept well that night, feeling myself at home again, +now that the fighting was put aside, and the fear of it +turned to the comfort of talking what we would have +done. + + + +CHAPTER XV + +MASTER HUCKABACK FAILS OF WARRANT + +On the following day Master Huckaback, with some show +of mystery, demanded from my mother an escort into a +dangerous part of the world, to which his business +compelled him. My mother made answer to this that he +was kindly welcome to take our John Fry with him; at +which the good clothier laughed, and said that John was +nothing like big enough, but another John must serve +his turn, not only for his size, but because if he were +carried away, no stone would be left unturned upon +Exmoor, until he should be brought back again. +Hereupon my mother grew very pale, and found fifty +reasons against my going, each of them weightier than +the true one, as Eliza (who was jealous of me) managed +to whisper to Annie. On the other hand, I was quite +resolved (directly the thing was mentioned) to see +Uncle Reuben through with it; and it added much to my +self-esteem to be the guard of so rich a man. +Therefore I soon persuaded mother, with her head upon +my breast, to let me go and trust in God; and after +that I was greatly vexed to find that this dangerous +enterprise was nothing more than a visit to the Baron +de Whichehalse, to lay an information, and sue a +warrant against the Doones, and a posse to execute it. + +Stupid as I always have been, and must ever be no +doubt, I could well have told Uncle Reuben that his +journey was no wiser than that of the men of Gotham; +that he never would get from Hugh de Whichehalse a +warrant against the Doones; moreover, that if he did +get one, his own wig would be singed with it. But for +divers reasons I held my peace, partly from youth and +modesty, partly from desire to see whatever please God +I should see, and partly from other causes. + +We rode by way of Brendon town, Illford Bridge, and +Babbrook, to avoid the great hill above Lynmouth; and +the day being fine and clear again, I laughed in my +sleeve at Uncle Reuben for all his fine precautions. +When we arrived at Ley Manor, we were shown very +civilly into the hall, and refreshed with good ale and +collared head, and the back of a Christmas pudding. I +had never been under so fine a roof (unless it were of +a church) before; and it pleased me greatly to be so +kindly entreated by high-born folk. But Uncle Reuben +was vexed a little at being set down side by side with +a man in a very small way of trade, who was come upon +some business there, and who made bold to drink his +health after finishing their horns of ale. + +'Sir,' said Uncle Ben, looking at him, 'my health would +fare much better, if you would pay me three pounds and +twelve shillings, which you have owed me these five +years back; and now we are met at the Justice's, the +opportunity is good, sir.' + +After that, we were called to the Justice-room, where +the Baron himself was sitting with Colonel Harding, +another Justiciary of the King's peace, to help him. I +had seen the Baron de Whichehalse before, and was not +at all afraid of him, having been at school with his +son as he knew, and it made him very kind to me. And +indeed he was kind to everybody, and all our people +spoke well of him; and so much the more because we knew +that the house was in decadence. For the first De +Whichehalse had come from Holland, where he had been a +great nobleman, some hundred and fifty years agone. +Being persecuted for his religion, when the Spanish +power was everything, he fled to England with all he +could save, and bought large estates in Devonshire. +Since then his descendants had intermarried with +ancient county families, Cottwells, and Marwoods, and +Walronds, and Welses of Pylton, and Chichesters of +Hall; and several of the ladies brought them large +increase of property. And so about fifty years before +the time of which I am writing, there were few names in +the West of England thought more of than De +Whichehalse. But now they had lost a great deal of +land, and therefore of that which goes with land, as +surely as fame belongs to earth--I mean big reputation. +How they had lost it, none could tell; except that as +the first descendants had a manner of amassing, so the +later ones were gifted with a power of scattering. +Whether this came of good Devonshire blood opening the +sluice of Low Country veins, is beyond both my province +and my power to inquire. Anyhow, all people loved this +last strain of De Whichehalse far more than the name +had been liked a hundred years agone. + +Hugh de Whichehalse, a white-haired man, of very noble +presence, with friendly blue eyes and a sweet smooth +forehead, and aquiline nose quite beautiful (as you +might expect in a lady of birth), and thin lips curving +delicately, this gentleman rose as we entered the room; +while Colonel Harding turned on his chair, and struck +one spur against the other. I am sure that, without +knowing aught of either, we must have reverenced more +of the two the one who showed respect to us. And yet +nine gentleman out of ten make this dull mistake when +dealing with the class below them! + +Uncle Reuben made his very best scrape, and then walked +up to the table, trying to look as if he did not know +himself to be wealthier than both the gentlemen put +together. Of course he was no stranger to them, any +more than I was; and, as it proved afterwards, Colonel +Harding owed him a lump of money, upon very good +security. Of him Uncle Reuben took no notice, but +addressed himself to De Whichehalse. + +The Baron smiled very gently, so soon as he learned the +cause of this visit, and then he replied quite +reasonably. + +'A warrant against the Doones, Master Huckaback. Which +of the Doones, so please you; and the Christian names, +what be they?' + +'My lord, I am not their godfather; and most like they +never had any. But we all know old Sir Ensor's name, +so that may be no obstacle.' + +'Sir Ensor Doone and his sons--so be it. How many +sons, Master Huckaback, and what is the name of each +one?' + +'How can I tell you, my lord, even if I had known them +all as well as my own shop-boys? Nevertheless there +were seven of them, and that should be no obstacle.' + +'A warrant against Sir Ensor Doone, and seven sons of +Sir Ensor Doone, Christian names unknown, and doubted +if they have any. So far so good Master Huckaback. I +have it all down in writing. Sir Ensor himself was +there, of course, as you have given in evidence--' + +'No, no, my lord, I never said that: I never said--' + +'If he can prove that he was not there, you may be +indicted for perjury. But as for those seven sons of +his, of course you can swear that they were his sons +and not his nephews, or grandchildren, or even no +Doones at all?' + +'My lord, I can swear that they were Doones. Moreover, +I can pay for any mistake I make. Therein need be no +obstacle.' + +'Oh, yes, he can pay; he can pay well enough,' said +Colonel Harding shortly. + +'I am heartily glad to hear it,' replied the Baron +pleasantly; 'for it proves after all that this robbery +(if robbery there has been) was not so very ruinous. +Sometimes people think they are robbed, and then it is +very sweet afterwards to find that they have not been +so; for it adds to their joy in their property. Now, +are you quite convinced, good sir, that these people +(if there were any) stole, or took, or even borrowed +anything at all from you?' + +'My lord, do you think that I was drunk?' + +'Not for a moment, Master Huckaback. Although excuse +might be made for you at this time of the year. But +how did you know that your visitors were of this +particular family?' + +'Because it could be nobody else. Because, in spite of +the fog--' + +'Fog!' cried Colonel Harding sharply. + +'Fog!' said the Baron, with emphasis. 'Ah, that +explains the whole affair. To be sure, now I remember, +the weather has been too thick for a man to see the +head of his own horse. The Doones (if still there be +any Doones) could never have come abroad; that is as +sure as simony. Master Huckaback, for your good sake, +I am heartily glad that this charge has miscarried. I +thoroughly understand it now. The fog explains the +whole of it.' + +'Go back, my good fellow,' said Colonel Harding; 'and +if the day is clear enough, you will find all your +things where you left them. I know, from my own +experience, what it is to be caught in an Exmoor fog.' + +Uncle Reuben, by this time, was so put out, that he +hardly knew what he was saying. + +'My lord, Sir Colonel, is this your justice! If I go to +London myself for it, the King shall know how his +commission--how a man may be robbed, and the justices +prove that he ought to be hanged at back of it; that in +his good shire of Somerset--' + +'Your pardon a moment, good sir,' De Whichehalse +interrupted him; 'but I was about (having heard your +case) to mention what need be an obstacle, and, I fear, +would prove a fatal one, even if satisfactory proof +were afforded of a felony. The mal-feasance (if any) +was laid in Somerset; but we, two humble servants of +His Majesty, are in commission of his peace for the +county of Devon only, and therefore could never deal +with it.' + +'And why, in the name of God,' cried Uncle Reuben now +carried at last fairly beyond himself, 'why could you +not say as much at first, and save me all this waste of +time and worry of my temper? Gentlemen, you are all in +league; all of you stick together. You think it fair +sport for an honest trader, who makes no shams as you +do, to be robbed and wellnigh murdered, so long as they +who did it won the high birthright of felony. If a +poor sheep stealer, to save his children from dying of +starvation, had dared to look at a two-month lamb, he +would swing on the Manor gallows, and all of you cry +"Good riddance!" But now, because good birth and bad +manners--' Here poor Uncle Ben, not being so strong as +before the Doones had played with him, began to foam at +the mouth a little, and his tongue went into the hollow +where his short grey whiskers were. + +I forget how we came out of it, only I was greatly +shocked at bearding of the gentry so, and mother scarce +could see her way, when I told her all about it. +'Depend upon it you were wrong, John,' was all I could +get out of her; though what had I done but listen, and +touch my forelock, when called upon. 'John, you may +take my word for it, you have not done as you should +have done. Your father would have been shocked to +think of going to Baron de Whichehalse, and in his own +house insulting him! And yet it was very brave of you +John. Just like you, all over. And (as none of the +men are here, dear John) I am proud of you for doing +it.' + +All throughout the homeward road, Uncle Ben had been +very silent, feeling much displeased with himself and +still more so with other people. But before he went to +bed that night, he just said to me, 'Nephew Jack, you +have not behaved so badly as the rest to me. And +because you have no gift of talking, I think that I may +trust you. Now, mark my words, this villain job shall +not have ending here. I have another card to play.' + +'You mean, sir, I suppose, that you will go to the +justices of this shire, Squire Maunder, or Sir Richard +Blewitt, or--' + +'Oaf, I mean nothing of the sort; they would only make +a laughing-stock, as those Devonshire people did, of +me. No, I will go to the King himself, or a man who is +bigger than the King, and to whom I have ready access. +I will not tell thee his name at present, only if thou +art brought before him, never wilt thou forget it.' +That was true enough, by the bye, as I discovered +afterwards, for the man he meant was Judge Jeffreys. + +'And when are you likely to see him, sir?' + +'Maybe in the spring, maybe not until summer, for I +cannot go to London on purpose, but when my business +takes me there. Only remember my words, Jack, and when +you see the man I mean, look straight at him, and tell +no lie. He will make some of your zany squires shake +in their shoes, I reckon. Now, I have been in this +lonely hole far longer than I intended, by reason of +this outrage; yet I will stay here one day more upon a +certain condition.' + +'Upon what condition, Uncle Ben? I grieve that you +find it so lonely. We will have Farmer Nicholas up +again, and the singers, and--' + +'The fashionable milkmaids. I thank you, let me be. +The wenches are too loud for me. Your Nanny is enough. +Nanny is a good child, and she shall come and visit +me.' Uncle Reuben would always call her 'Nanny'; he +said that 'Annie' was too fine and Frenchified for us. +'But my condition is this, Jack--that you shall guide +me to-morrow, without a word to any one, to a place +where I may well descry the dwelling of these scoundrel +Doones, and learn the best way to get at them, when the +time shall come. Can you do this for me? I will pay +you well, boy.' + +I promised very readily to do my best to serve him, +but, of course, would take no money for it, not being +so poor as that came to. Accordingly, on the day +following, I managed to set the men at work on the +other side of the farm, especially that inquisitive and +busybody John Fry, who would pry out almost anything +for the pleasure of telling his wife; and then, with +Uncle Reuben mounted on my ancient Peggy, I made foot +for the westward, directly after breakfast. Uncle Ben +refused to go unless I would take a loaded gun, and +indeed it was always wise to do so in those days of +turbulence; and none the less because of late more than +usual of our sheep had left their skins behind them. +This, as I need hardly say, was not to be charged to +the appetite of the Doones, for they always said that +they were not butchers (although upon that subject +might well be two opinions); and their practice was to +make the shepherds kill and skin, and quarter for them, +and sometimes carry to the Doone-gate the prime among +the fatlings, for fear of any bruising, which spoils +the look at table. But the worst of it was that +ignorant folk, unaware of their fastidiousness, scored +to them the sheep they lost by lower-born marauders, +and so were afraid to speak of it: and the issue of +this error was that a farmer, with five or six hundred +sheep, could never command, on his wedding-day, a prime +saddle of mutton for dinner. + +To return now to my Uncle Ben--and indeed he would not +let me go more than three land-yards from him--there +was very little said between us along the lane and +across the hill, although the day was pleasant. I +could see that he was half amiss with his mind about +the business, and not so full of security as an elderly +man should keep himself. Therefore, out I spake, and +said,-- + +'Uncle Reuben, have no fear. I know every inch of the +ground, sir; and there is no danger nigh us.' + +'Fear, boy! Who ever thought of fear? 'Tis the last +thing would come across me. Pretty things those +primroses.' + +At once I thought of Lorna Doone, the little maid of +six years back, and how my fancy went with her. Could +Lorna ever think of me? Was I not a lout gone by, only +fit for loach-sticking? Had I ever seen a face fit to +think of near her? The sudden flash, the quickness, +the bright desire to know one's heart, and not withhold +her own from it, the soft withdrawal of rich eyes, the +longing to love somebody, anybody, anything, not +imbrued with wickedness-- + +My uncle interrupted me, misliking so much silence now, +with the naked woods falling over us. For we were come +to Bagworthy forest, the blackest and the loneliest +place of all that keep the sun out. Even now, in +winter-time, with most of the wood unriddled, and the +rest of it pinched brown, it hung around us like a +cloak containing little comfort. I kept quite close to +Peggy's head, and Peggy kept quite close to me, and +pricked her ears at everything. However, we saw +nothing there, except a few old owls and hawks, and a +magpie sitting all alone, until we came to the bank of +the hill, where the pony could not climb it. Uncle Ben +was very loath to get off, because the pony seemed +company, and he thought he could gallop away on her, if +the worst came to the worst, but I persuaded him that +now he must go to the end of it. Therefore he made +Peggy fast, in a place where we could find her, and +speaking cheerfully as if there was nothing to be +afraid of, he took his staff, and I my gun, to climb +the thick ascent. + +There was now no path of any kind; which added to our +courage all it lessened of our comfort, because it +proved that the robbers were not in the habit of +passing there. And we knew that we could not go +astray, so long as we breasted the hill before us; +inasmuch as it formed the rampart, or side-fence of +Glen Doone. But in truth I used the right word there +for the manner of our ascent, for the ground came forth +so steep against us, and withal so woody, that to make +any way we must throw ourselves forward, and labour as +at a breast-plough. Rough and loamy rungs of oak-root +bulged here and there above our heads; briers needs +must speak with us, using more of tooth than tongue; +and sometimes bulks of rugged stone, like great sheep, +stood across us. At last, though very loath to do it, +I was forced to leave my gun behind, because I required +one hand to drag myself up the difficulty, and one to +help Uncle Reuben. And so at last we gained the top, +and looked forth the edge of the forest, where the +ground was very stony and like the crest of a quarry; +and no more trees between us and the brink of cliff +below, three hundred yards below it might be, all +strong slope and gliddery. And now far the first time +I was amazed at the appearance of the Doones's +stronghold, and understood its nature. For when I had +been even in the valley, and climbed the cliffs to +escape from it, about seven years agone, I was no more +than a stripling boy, noting little, as boys do, except +for their present purpose, and even that soon done +with. But now, what with the fame of the Doones, and +my own recollections, and Uncle Ben's insistence, all +my attention was called forth, and the end was simple +astonishment. + +The chine of highland, whereon we stood, curved to the +right and left of us, keeping about the same elevation, +and crowned with trees and brushwood. At about half a +mile in front of us, but looking as if we could throw a +stone to strike any man upon it, another crest just +like our own bowed around to meet it; but failed by +reason of two narrow clefts of which we could only see +the brink. One of these clefts was the Doone-gate, +with a portcullis of rock above it, and the other was +the chasm by which I had once made entrance. Betwixt +them, where the hills fell back, as in a perfect oval, +traversed by the winding water, lay a bright green +valley, rimmed with sheer black rock, and seeming to +have sunken bodily from the bleak rough heights above. +It looked as if no frost could enter neither wind go +ruffling; only spring, and hope, and comfort, breathe +to one another. Even now the rays of sunshine dwelt +and fell back on one another, whenever the clouds +lifted; and the pale blue glimpse of the growing day +seemed to find young encouragement. + +But for all that, Uncle Reuben was none the worse nor +better. He looked down into Glen Doone first, and +sniffed as if he were smelling it, like a sample of +goods from a wholesale house; and then he looked at the +hills over yonder, and then he stared at me. + +'See what a pack of fools they be?' + +'Of course I do, Uncle Ben. "All rogues are fools," +was my first copy, beginning of the alphabet.' + +'Pack of stuff lad. Though true enough, and very good +for young people. But see you not how this great Doone +valley may be taken in half an hour?' + +'Yes, to be sure I do, uncle; if they like to give it +up, I mean.' + +'Three culverins on yonder hill, and three on the top +of this one, and we have them under a pestle. Ah, I +have seen the wars, my lad, from Keinton up to Naseby; +and I might have been a general now, if they had taken +my advice--' + +But I was not attending to him, being drawn away on a +sudden by a sight which never struck the sharp eyes of +our General. For I had long ago descried that little +opening in the cliff through which I made my exit, as +before related, on the other side of the valley. No +bigger than a rabbit-hole it seemed from where we +stood; and yet of all the scene before me, that (from +my remembrance perhaps) had the most attraction. Now +gazing at it with full thought of all that it had cost +me, I saw a little figure come, and pause, and pass +into it. Something very light and white, nimble, +smooth, and elegant, gone almost before I knew that any +one had been there. And yet my heart came to my ribs, +and all my blood was in my face, and pride within me +fought with shame, and vanity with self-contempt; for +though seven years were gone, and I from my boyhood +come to manhood, and all must have forgotten me, and I +had half-forgotten; at that moment, once for all, I +felt that I was face to face with fate (however poor it +might be), weal or woe, in Lorna Doone. + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +LORNA GROWING FORMIDABLE + +Having reconnoitred thus the position of the enemy, +Master Huckaback, on the homeward road, cross-examined +me in a manner not at all desirable. For he had noted +my confusion and eager gaze at something unseen by him +in the valley, and thereupon he made up his mind to +know everything about it. In this, however, he partly +failed; for although I was no hand at fence, and would +not tell him a falsehood, I managed so to hold my peace +that he put himself upon the wrong track, and continued +thereon with many vaunts of his shrewdness and +experience, and some chuckles at my simplicity. Thus +much however, he learned aright, that I had been in the +Doone valley several years before, and might be brought +upon strong inducement to venture there again. But as +to the mode of my getting in, the things I saw, and my +thoughts upon them, he not only failed to learn the +truth, but certified himself into an obstinacy of +error, from which no after-knowledge was able to +deliver him. And this he did, not only because I +happened to say very little, but forasmuch as he +disbelieved half of the truth I told him, through his +own too great sagacity. + +Upon one point, however, he succeeded more easily than +he expected, viz. in making me promise to visit the +place again, as soon as occasion offered, and to hold +my own counsel about it. But I could not help smiling +at one thing, that according to his point of view my +own counsel meant my own and Master Reuben Huckaback's. + +Now he being gone, as he went next day, to his +favourite town of Dulverton, and leaving behind him +shadowy promise of the mountains he would do for me, my +spirit began to burn and pant for something to go on +with; and nothing showed a braver hope of movement and +adventure than a lonely visit to Glen Doone, by way of +the perilous passage discovered in my boyhood. +Therefore I waited for nothing more than the slow +arrival of new small-clothes made by a good tailor at +Porlock, for I was wishful to look my best; and when +they were come and approved, I started, regardless of +the expense, and forgetting (like a fool) how badly +they would take the water. + +What with urging of the tailor, and my own misgivings, +the time was now come round again to the high-day of +St. Valentine, when all our maids were full of lovers, +and all the lads looked foolish. And none of them more +sheepish or innocent than I myself, albeit twenty-one +years old, and not afraid of men much, but terrified of +women, at least, if they were comely. And what of all +things scared me most was the thought of my own size, +and knowledge of my strength, which came like knots +upon me daily. In honest truth I tell this thing, +(which often since hath puzzled me, when I came to mix +with men more), I was to that degree ashamed of my +thickness and my stature, in the presence of a woman, +that I would not put a trunk of wood on the fire in the +kitchen, but let Annie scold me well, with a smile to +follow, and with her own plump hands lift up a little +log, and fuel it. Many a time I longed to be no bigger +than John Fry was; whom now (when insolent) I took with +my left hand by the waist-stuff, and set him on my hat, +and gave him little chance to tread it; until he spoke +of his family, and requested to come down again. + +Now taking for good omen this, that I was a seven-year +Valentine, though much too big for a Cupidon, I chose a +seven-foot staff of ash, and fixed a loach-fork in it, +to look as I had looked before; and leaving word upon +matters of business, out of the back door I went, and +so through the little orchard, and down the brawling +Lynn-brook. Not being now so much afraid, I struck +across the thicket land between the meeting waters, and +came upon the Bagworthy stream near the great black +whirlpool. Nothing amazed me so much as to find how +shallow the stream now looked to me, although the pool +was still as black and greedy as it used to be. And +still the great rocky slide was dark and difficult to +climb; though the water, which once had taken my knees, +was satisfied now with my ankles. After some labour, I +reached the top; and halted to look about me well, +before trusting to broad daylight. + +The winter (as I said before) had been a very mild one; +and now the spring was toward so that bank and bush +were touched with it. The valley into which I gazed +was fair with early promise, having shelter from the +wind and taking all the sunshine. The willow-bushes +over the stream hung as if they were angling with +tasseled floats of gold and silver, bursting like a +bean-pod. Between them came the water laughing, like a +maid at her own dancing, and spread with that young +blue which never lives beyond the April. And on +either bank, the meadow ruffled as the breeze came by, +opening (through new tuft, of green) daisy-bud or +celandine, or a shy glimpse now and then of the +love-lorn primrose. + +Though I am so blank of wit, or perhaps for that same +reason, these little things come and dwell with me, and +I am happy about them, and long for nothing better. I +feel with every blade of grass, as if it had a history; +and make a child of every bud as though it knew and +loved me. And being so, they seem to tell me of my own +delusions, how I am no more than they, except in self- +importance. + +While I was forgetting much of many things that harm +one, and letting of my thoughts go wild to sounds and +sights of nature, a sweeter note than thrush or ouzel +ever wooed a mate in, floated on the valley breeze at +the quiet turn of sundown. The words were of an +ancient song, fit to laugh or cry at. + +Love, an if there be one, +Come my love to be, +My love is for the one +Loving unto me. + +Not for me the show, love, +Of a gilded bliss; +Only thou must know, love, +What my value is. + +If in all the earth, love, +Thou hast none but me, +This shall be my worth, love: +To be cheap to thee. + +But, if so thou ever +Strivest to be free, +'Twill be my endeavour +To be dear to thee. + +So shall I have plea, love, +Is thy heart andbreath +Clinging still to thee, love, +In the doom of death. + +All this I took in with great eagerness, not for the +sake of the meaning (which is no doubt an allegory), +but for the power and richness, and softness of the +singing, which seemed to me better than we ever had +even in Oare church. But all the time I kept myself in +a black niche of the rock, where the fall of the water +began, lest the sweet singer (espying me) should be +alarmed, and flee away. But presently I ventured to +look forth where a bush was; and then I beheld the +loveliest sight--one glimpse of which was enough to +make me kneel in the coldest water. + +By the side of the stream she was coming to me, even +among the primroses, as if she loved them all; and +every flower looked the brighter, as her eyes were on +them, I could not see what her face was, my heart so +awoke and trembled; only that her hair was flowing from +a wreath of white violets, and the grace of her coming +was like the appearance of the first wind-flower. The +pale gleam over the western cliffs threw a shadow of +light behind her, as if the sun were lingering. Never +do I see that light from the closing of the west, even +in these my aged days, without thinking of her. Ah me, +if it comes to that, what do I see of earth or heaven, +without thinking of her? + +The tremulous thrill of her song was hanging on her +open lips; and she glanced around, as if the birds were +accustomed to make answer. To me it was a thing of +terror to behold such beauty, and feel myself the while +to be so very low and common. But scarcely knowing +what I did, as if a rope were drawing me, I came from +the dark mouth of the chasm; and stood, afraid to look +at her. + +She was turning to fly, not knowing me, and frightened, +perhaps, at my stature, when I fell on the grass (as I +fell before her seven years agone that day), and I just +said, 'Lorna Doone!' + +She knew me at once, from my manner and ways, and a +smile broke through her trembling, as sunshine comes +through aspen-leaves; and being so clever, she saw, of +course, that she needed not to fear me. + +'Oh, indeed,' she cried, with a feint of anger (because +she had shown her cowardice, and yet in her heart she +was laughing); 'oh, if you please, who are you, sir, +and how do you know my name?' + +'I am John Ridd,' I answered; 'the boy who gave you +those beautiful fish, when you were only a little +thing, seven years ago to-day.' + +'Yes, the poor boy who was frightened so, and obliged +to hide here in the water.' + +'And do you remember how kind you were, and saved my +life by your quickness, and went away riding upon a +great man's shoulder, as if you had never seen me, and +yet looked back through the willow-trees?' + +'Oh, yes, I remember everything; because it was so rare +to see any except--I mean because I happen to remember. +But you seem not to remember, sir, how perilous this +place is.' + +For she had kept her eyes upon me; large eyes of a +softness, a brightness, and a dignity which made me +feel as if I must for ever love and yet for ever know +myself unworthy. Unless themselves should fill with +love, which is the spring of all things. And so I +could not answer her, but was overcome with thinking +and feeling and confusion. Neither could I look again; +only waited for the melody which made every word like a +poem to me, the melody of her voice. But she had not +the least idea of what was going on with me, any more +than I myself had. + +'I think, Master Ridd, you cannot know,' she said, with +her eyes taken from me, 'what the dangers of this place +are, and the nature of the people.' + +'Yes, I know enough of that; and I am frightened +greatly, all the time, when I do not look at you.' + +She was too young to answer me in the style some +maidens would have used; the manner, I mean, which now +we call from a foreign word 'coquettish.' And more than +that, she was trembling from real fear of violence, +lest strong hands might be laid on me, and a miserable +end of it. And to tell the truth, I grew afraid; +perhaps from a kind of sympathy, and because I knew +that evil comes more readily than good to us. + +Therefore, without more ado, or taking any +advantage--although I would have been glad at heart, if +needs had been, to kiss her (without any thought of +rudeness)--it struck me that I had better go, and have +no more to say to her until next time of coming. So +would she look the more for me and think the more about +me, and not grow weary of my words and the want of +change there is in me. For, of course, I knew what a +churl I was compared to her birth and appearance; but +meanwhile I might improve myself and learn a musical +instrument. 'The wind hath a draw after flying straw' +is a saying we have in Devonshire, made, peradventure, +by somebody who had seen the ways of women. + +'Mistress Lorna, I will depart'--mark you, I thought +that a powerful word--'in fear of causing disquiet. If +any rogue shot me it would grieve you; I make bold to +say it, and it would be the death of mother. Few +mothers have such a son as me. Try to think of me now +and then, and I will bring you some new-laid eggs, for +our young blue hen is beginning.' + +'I thank you heartily,' said Lorna; 'but you need not +come to see me. You can put them in my little bower, +where I am almost always--I mean whither daily I repair +to read and to be away from them.' + +'Only show me where it is. Thrice a day I will come +and stop--' + +'Nay, Master Ridd, I would never show thee--never, +because of peril--only that so happens it thou hast +found the way already.' + +And she smiled with a light that made me care to cry +out for no other way, except to her dear heart. But +only to myself I cried for anything at all, having +enough of man in me to be bashful with young maidens. +So I touched her white hand softly when she gave it to +me, and (fancying that she had sighed) was touched at +heart about it, and resolved to yield her all my goods, +although my mother was living; and then grew angry with +myself (for a mile or more of walking) to think she +would condescend so; and then, for the rest of the +homeward road, was mad with every man in the world who +would dare to think of having her. + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +JOHN IS CLEARLY BEWITCHED + +To forget one's luck of life, to forget the cark of +care and withering of young fingers; not to feel, or +not be moved by, all the change of thought and heart, +from large young heat to the sinewy lines and dry bones +of old age--this is what I have to do ere ever I can +make you know (even as a dream is known) how I loved my +Lorna. I myself can never know; never can conceive, or +treat it as a thing of reason, never can behold myself +dwelling in the midst of it, and think that this was I; +neither can I wander far from perpetual thought of it. +Perhaps I have two farrows of pigs ready for the +chapman; perhaps I have ten stones of wool waiting for +the factor. It is all the same. I look at both, and +what I say to myself is this: 'Which would Lorna choose +of them?' Of course, I am a fool for this; any man may +call me so, and I will not quarrel with him, unless he +guess my secret. Of course, I fetch my wit, if it be +worth the fetching, back again to business. But there +my heart is and must be; and all who like to try can +cheat me, except upon parish matters. + +That week I could do little more than dream and dream +and rove about, seeking by perpetual change to find the +way back to myself. I cared not for the people round +me, neither took delight in victuals; but made believe +to eat and drink and blushed at any questions. And +being called the master now, head-farmer, and chief +yeoman, it irked me much that any one should take +advantage of me; yet everybody did so as soon as ever +it was known that my wits were gone moon-raking. For +that was the way they looked at it, not being able to +comprehend the greatness and the loftiness. Neither do +I blame them much; for the wisest thing is to laugh at +people when we cannot understand them. I, for my part, +took no notice; but in my heart despised them as beings +of a lesser nature, who never had seen Lorna. Yet I +was vexed, and rubbed myself, when John Fry spread all +over the farm, and even at the shoeing forge, that a +mad dog had come and bitten me, from the other side of +Mallond. + +This seems little to me now; and so it might to any +one; but, at the time, it worked me up to a fever of +indignity. To make a mad dog of Lorna, to compare all +my imaginings (which were strange, I do assure you--the +faculty not being apt to work), to count the raising of +my soul no more than hydrophobia! All this acted on me +so, that I gave John Fry the soundest threshing that +ever a sheaf of good corn deserved, or a bundle of +tares was blessed with. Afterwards he went home, too +tired to tell his wife the meaning of it; but it proved +of service to both of them, and an example for their +children. + +Now the climate of this country is--so far as I can +make of it--to throw no man into extremes; and if he +throw himself so far, to pluck him back by change of +weather and the need of looking after things. Lest we +should be like the Southerns, for whom the sky does +everything, and men sit under a wall and watch both +food and fruit come beckoning. Their sky is a mother +to them; but ours a good stepmother to us--fearing to +hurt by indulgence, and knowing that severity and +change of mood are wholesome. + +The spring being now too forward, a check to it was +needful; and in the early part of March there came a +change of weather. All the young growth was arrested +by a dry wind from the east, which made both face and +fingers burn when a man was doing ditching. The +lilacs and the woodbines, just crowding forth in little +tufts, close kernelling their blossom, were ruffled +back, like a sleeve turned up, and nicked with brown at +the corners. In the hedges any man, unless his eyes +were very dull, could see the mischief doing. The +russet of the young elm-bloom was fain to be in its +scale again; but having pushed forth, there must be, +and turn to a tawny colour. The hangers of the hazel, +too, having shed their dust to make the nuts, did not +spread their little combs and dry them, as they ought +to do; but shrivelled at the base and fell, as if a +knife had cut them. And more than all to notice was +(at least about the hedges) the shuddering of +everything and the shivering sound among them toward +the feeble sun; such as we make to a poor fireplace +when several doors are open. Sometimes I put my face +to warm against the soft, rough maple-stem, which feels +like the foot of a red deer; but the pitiless east wind +came through all, and took and shook the caved hedge +aback till its knees were knocking together, and +nothing could be shelter. Then would any one having +blood, and trying to keep at home with it, run to a +sturdy tree and hope to eat his food behind it, and +look for a little sun to come and warm his feet in the +shelter. And if it did he might strike his breast, and +try to think he was warmer. + +But when a man came home at night, after long day's +labour, knowing that the days increased, and so his +care should multiply; still he found enough of light to +show him what the day had done against him in his +garden. Every ridge of new-turned earth looked like an +old man's muscles, honeycombed, and standing out void +of spring, and powdery. Every plant that had rejoiced +in passing such a winter now was cowering, turned away, +unfit to meet the consequence. Flowing sap had stopped +its course; fluted lines showed want of food, and if +you pinched the topmost spray, there was no rebound or +firmness. + +We think a good deal, in a quiet way, when people ask +us about them--of some fine, upstanding pear-trees, +grafted by my grandfather, who had been very greatly +respected. And he got those grafts by sheltering a +poor Italian soldier, in the time of James the First, a +man who never could do enough to show his grateful +memories. How he came to our place is a very difficult +story, which I never understood rightly, having heard +it from my mother. At any rate, there the pear-trees +were, and there they are to this very day; and I wish +every one could taste their fruit, old as they are, and +rugged. + +Now these fine trees had taken advantage of the west +winds, and the moisture, and the promise of the spring +time, so as to fill the tips of the spray-wood and the +rowels all up the branches with a crowd of eager +blossom. Not that they were yet in bloom, nor even +showing whiteness, only that some of the cones were +opening at the side of the cap which pinched them; and +there you might count perhaps, a dozen nobs, like very +little buttons, but grooved, and lined, and huddling +close, to make room for one another. And among these +buds were gray-green blades, scarce bigger than a hair +almost, yet curving so as if their purpose was to +shield the blossom. + +Other of the spur-points, standing on the older wood +where the sap was not so eager, had not burst their +tunic yet, but were flayed and flaked with light, +casting off the husk of brown in three-cornered +patches, as I have seen a Scotchman's plaid, or as his +legs shows through it. These buds, at a distance, +looked as if the sky had been raining cream upon them. + +Now all this fair delight to the eyes, and good promise +to the palate, was marred and baffled by the wind and +cutting of the night-frosts. The opening cones were +struck with brown, in between the button buds, and on +the scapes that shielded them; while the foot part of +the cover hung like rags, peeled back, and quivering. +And there the little stalk of each, which might have +been a pear, God willing, had a ring around its base, +and sought a chance to drop and die. The others which +had not opened comb, but only prepared to do it, were a +little better off, but still very brown and unkid, and +shrivelling in doubt of health, and neither peart nor +lusty. + +Now this I have not told because I know the way to do +it, for that I do not, neither yet have seen a man who +did know. It is wonderful how we look at things, and +never think to notice them; and I am as bad as anybody, +unless the thing to be observed is a dog, or a horse, +or a maiden. And the last of those three I look at, +somehow, without knowing that I take notice, and +greatly afraid to do it, only I knew afterwards (when +the time of life was in me), not indeed, what the +maiden was like, but how she differed from others. + +Yet I have spoken about the spring, and the failure of +fair promise, because I took it to my heart as token of +what would come to me in the budding of my years and +hope. And even then, being much possessed, and full of +a foolish melancholy, I felt a sad delight at being +doomed to blight and loneliness; not but that I managed +still (when mother was urgent upon me) to eat my share +of victuals, and cuff a man for laziness, and see that +a ploughshare made no leaps, and sleep of a night +without dreaming. And my mother half-believing, in her +fondness and affection, that what the parish said was +true about a mad dog having bitten me, and yet arguing +that it must be false (because God would have prevented +him), my mother gave me little rest, when I was in the +room with her. Not that she worried me with questions, +nor openly regarded me with any unusual meaning, but +that I knew she was watching slyly whenever I took a +spoon up; and every hour or so she managed to place a +pan of water by me, quite as if by accident, and +sometimes even to spill a little upon my shoe or +coat-sleeve. But Betty Muxworthy was worst; for, +having no fear about my health, she made a villainous +joke of it, and used to rush into the kitchen, barking +like a dog, and panting, exclaiming that I had bitten +her, and justice she would have on me, if it cost her a +twelvemonth's wages. And she always took care to do +this thing just when I had crossed my legs in the +corner after supper, and leaned my head against the +oven, to begin to think of Lorna. + +However, in all things there is comfort, if we do not +look too hard for it; and now I had much satisfaction, +in my uncouth state, from labouring, by the hour +together, at the hedging and the ditching, meeting the +bitter wind face to face, feeling my strength increase, +and hoping that some one would be proud of it. In the +rustling rush of every gust, in the graceful bend of +every tree, even in the 'lords and ladies,' clumped in +the scoops of the hedgerow, and most of all in the soft +primrose, wrung by the wind, but stealing back, and +smiling when the wrath was passed--in all of these, and +many others there was aching ecstasy, delicious pang of +Lorna. + +But however cold the weather was, and however hard the +wind blew, one thing (more than all the rest) worried +and perplexed me. This was, that I could not settle, +turn and twist as I might, how soon I ought to go again +upon a visit to Glen Doone. For I liked not at all the +falseness of it (albeit against murderers), the +creeping out of sight, and hiding, and feeling as a spy +might. And even more than this. I feared how Lorna +might regard it; whether I might seem to her a prone +and blunt intruder, a country youth not skilled in +manners, as among the quality, even when they rob us. +For I was not sure myself, but that it might be very +bad manners to go again too early without an +invitation; and my hands and face were chapped so badly +by the bitter wind, that Lorna might count them +unsightly things, and wish to see no more of them. + +However, I could not bring myself to consult any one +upon this point, at least in our own neighbourhood, nor +even to speak of it near home. But the east wind +holding through the month, my hands and face growing +worse and worse, and it having occurred to me by this +time that possibly Lorna might have chaps, if she came +abroad at all, and so might like to talk about them and +show her little hands to me, I resolved to take another +opinion, so far as might be upon this matter, without +disclosing the circumstances. + +Now the wisest person in all our parts was reckoned to +be a certain wise woman, well known all over Exmoor by +the name of Mother Melldrum. Her real name was Maple +Durham, as I learned long afterwards; and she came of +an ancient family, but neither of Devon nor Somerset. +Nevertheless she was quite at home with our proper +modes of divination; and knowing that we liked them +best--as each man does his own religion--she would +always practise them for the people of the country. +And all the while, she would let us know that she kept +a higher and nobler mode for those who looked down upon +this one, not having been bred and born to it. + +Mother Melldrum had two houses, or rather she had none +at all, but two homes wherein to find her, according to +the time of year. In summer she lived in a pleasant +cave, facing the cool side of the hill, far inland near +Hawkridge and close above Tarr-steps, a wonderful +crossing of Barle river, made (as everybody knows) by +Satan, for a wager. But throughout the winter, she +found sea-air agreeable, and a place where things could +be had on credit, and more occasion of talking. Not +but what she could have credit (for every one was +afraid of her) in the neighbourhood of Tarr-steps; only +there was no one handy owning things worth taking. + +Therefore, at the fall of the leaf, when the woods grew +damp and irksome, the wise woman always set her face to +the warmer cliffs of the Channel; where shelter was, +and dry fern bedding, and folk to be seen in the +distance, from a bank upon which the sun shone. And +there, as I knew from our John Fry (who had been to her +about rheumatism, and sheep possessed with an evil +spirit, and warts on the hand of his son, young John), +any one who chose might find her, towards the close of +a winter day, gathering sticks and brown fern for fuel, +and talking to herself the while, in a hollow stretch +behind the cliffs; which foreigners, who come and go +without seeing much of Exmoor, have called the Valley +of Rocks. + +This valley, or goyal, as we term it, being small for a +valley, lies to the west of Linton, about a mile from +the town perhaps, and away towards Ley Manor. Our +homefolk always call it the Danes, or the Denes, which +is no more, they tell me, than a hollow place, even as +the word 'den' is. However, let that pass, for I know +very little about it; but the place itself is a pretty +one, though nothing to frighten anybody, unless he hath +lived in a gallipot. It is a green rough-sided hollow, +bending at the middle, touched with stone at either +crest, and dotted here and there with slabs in and out +the brambles. On the right hand is an upward crag, +called by some the Castle, easy enough to scale, and +giving great view of the Channel. Facing this, from +the inland side and the elbow of the valley, a queer +old pile of rock arises, bold behind one another, and +quite enough to affright a man, if it only were ten +times larger. This is called the Devil's Cheese-ring, +or the Devil's Cheese-knife, which mean the same thing, +as our fathers were used to eat their cheese from a +scoop; and perhaps in old time the upmost rock (which +has fallen away since I knew it) was like to such an +implement, if Satan eat cheese untoasted. + +But all the middle of this valley was a place to rest +in; to sit and think that troubles were not, if we +would not make them. To know the sea outside the +hills, but never to behold it; only by the sound of +waves to pity sailors labouring. Then to watch the +sheltered sun, coming warmly round the turn, like a +guest expected, full of gentle glow and gladness, +casting shadow far away as a thing to hug itself, and +awakening life from dew, and hope from every spreading +bud. And then to fall asleep and dream that the fern +was all asparagus. + +Alas, I was too young in those days much to care for +creature comforts, or to let pure palate have things +that would improve it. Anything went down with me, as +it does with most of us. Too late we know the good +from bad; the knowledge is no pleasure then; being +memory's medicine rather than the wine of hope. + +Now Mother Melldrum kept her winter in this vale of +rocks, sheltering from the wind and rain within the +Devil's Cheese-ring, which added greatly to her fame +because all else, for miles around, were afraid to go +near it after dark, or even on a gloomy day. Under +eaves of lichened rock she had a winding passage, which +none that ever I knew of durst enter but herself. And +to this place I went to seek her, in spite of all +misgivings, upon a Sunday in Lenten season, when the +sheep were folded. + +Our parson (as if he had known my intent) had preached +a beautiful sermon about the Witch of Endor, and the +perils of them that meddle wantonly with the unseen +Powers; and therein he referred especially to the +strange noise in the neighbourhood, and upbraided us +for want of faith, and many other backslidings. We +listened to him very earnestly, for we like to hear +from our betters about things that are beyond us, and +to be roused up now and then, like sheep with a good +dog after them, who can pull some wool without biting. +Nevertheless we could not see how our want of faith +could have made that noise, especially at night time, +notwithstanding which we believed it, and hoped to do a +little better. + +And so we all came home from church; and most of the +people dined with us, as they always do on Sundays, +because of the distance to go home, with only words +inside them. The parson, who always sat next to +mother, was afraid that he might have vexed us, and +would not have the best piece of meat, according to his +custom. But soon we put him at his ease, and showed +him we were proud of him; and then he made no more to +do, but accepted the best of the sirloin. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +WITCHERY LEADS TO WITCHCRAFT + +Although wellnigh the end of March, the wind blew wild +and piercing, as I went on foot that afternoon to +Mother Melldrum's dwelling. It was safer not to take a +horse, lest (if anything vexed her) she should put a +spell upon him; as had been done to Farmer Snowe's +stable by the wise woman of Simonsbath. + +The sun was low on the edge of the hills by the time I +entered the valley, for I could not leave home till the +cattle were tended, and the distance was seven miles or +more. The shadows of rocks fell far and deep, and the +brown dead fern was fluttering, and brambles with their +sere leaves hanging, swayed their tatters to and fro, +with a red look on them. In patches underneath the +crags, a few wild goats were browsing; then they tossed +their horns, and fled, and leaped on ledges, and stared +at me. Moreover, the sound of the sea came up, and +went the length of the valley, and there it lapped on a +butt of rocks, and murmured like a shell. + +Taking things one with another, and feeling all the +lonesomeness, and having no stick with me, I was much +inclined to go briskly back, and come at a better +season. And when I beheld a tall grey shape, of +something or another, moving at the lower end of the +valley, where the shade was, it gave me such a stroke +of fear, after many others, that my thumb which lay in +mother's Bible (brought in my big pocket for the sake +of safety) shook so much that it came out, and I could +not get it in again. 'This serves me right,' I said to +myself, 'for tampering with Beelzebub. Oh that I had +listened to parson!' + +And thereupon I struck aside; not liking to run away +quite, as some people might call it; but seeking to +look like a wanderer who was come to see the valley, +and had seen almost enough of it. Herein I should +have succeeded, and gone home, and then been angry at +my want of courage, but that on the very turn and +bending of my footsteps, the woman in the distance +lifted up her staff to me, so that I was bound to stop. + +And now, being brought face to face, by the will of God +(as one might say) with anything that might come of it, +I kept myself quite straight and stiff, and thrust away +all white feather, trusting in my Bible still, hoping +that it would protect me, though I had disobeyed it. +But upon that remembrance, my conscience took me by the +leg, so that I could not go forward. + +All this while, the fearful woman was coming near and +more near to me; and I was glad to sit down on a rock +because my knees were shaking so. I tried to think of +many things, but none of them would come to me; and I +could not take my eyes away, though I prayed God to be +near me. + +But when she was come so nigh to me that I could descry +her features, there was something in her countenance +that made me not dislike her. She looked as if she had +been visited by many troubles, and had felt them one by +one, yet held enough of kindly nature still to grieve +for others. Long white hair, on either side, was +falling down below her chin; and through her wrinkles +clear bright eyes seemed to spread themselves upon me. +Though I had plenty of time to think, I was taken by +surprise no less, and unable to say anything; yet eager +to hear the silence broken, and longing for a noise or +two. + +'Thou art not come to me,' she said, looking through my +simple face, as if it were but glass, 'to be struck for +bone-shave, nor to be blessed for barn-gun. Give me +forth thy hand, John Ridd; and tell why thou art come +to me.' + +But I was so much amazed at her knowing my name and all +about me, that I feared to place my hand in her power, +or even my tongue by speaking. + +'Have no fear of me, my son; I have no gift to harm +thee; and if I had, it should be idle. Now, if thou +hast any wit, tell me why I love thee.' + +'I never had any wit, mother,' I answered in our +Devonshire way; 'and never set eyes on thee before, to +the furthest of my knowledge.' + +'And yet I know thee as well, John, as if thou wert my +grandson. Remember you the old Oare oak, and the bog +at the head of Exe, and the child who would have died +there, but for thy strength and courage, and most of +all thy kindness? That was my granddaughter, John; and +all I have on earth to love.' + +Now that she came to speak of it, with the place and +that, so clearly, I remembered all about it (a thing +that happened last August), and thought how stupid I +must have been not to learn more of the little girl who +had fallen into the black pit, with a basketful of +whortleberries, and who might have been gulfed if her +little dog had not spied me in the distance. I carried +her on my back to mother; and then we dressed her all +anew, and took her where she ordered us; but she did +not tell us who she was, nor anything more than her +Christian name, and that she was eight years old, and +fond of fried batatas. And we did not seek to ask her +more; as our manner is with visitors. + +But thinking of this little story, and seeing how she +looked at me, I lost my fear of Mother Melldrum, and +began to like her; partly because I had helped her +grandchild, and partly that if she were so wise, no +need would have been for me to save the little thing +from drowning. Therefore I stood up and said, though +scarcely yet established in my power against hers,-- + +'Good mother, the shoe she lost was in the mire, and +not with us. And we could not match it, although we +gave her a pair of sister Lizzie's.' + +'My son, what care I for her shoe? How simple thou +art, and foolish! according to the thoughts of some. +Now tell me, for thou canst not lie, what has brought +thee to me.' + +Being so ashamed and bashful, I was half-inclined to +tell her a lie, until she said that I could not do it; +and then I knew that I could not. + +'I am come to know,' I said, looking at a rock the +while, to keep my voice from shaking, 'when I may go to +see Lorna Doone.' + +No more could I say, though my mind was charged to ask +fifty other questions. But although I looked away, it +was plain that I had asked enough. I felt that the +wise woman gazed at me in wrath as well as sorrow; and +then I grew angry that any one should seem to make +light of Lorna. + +'John Ridd,' said the woman, observing this (for now I +faced her bravely), 'of whom art thou speaking? Is it +a child of the men who slew your father?' + +'I cannot tell, mother. How should I know? And what +is that to thee?' + +'It is something to thy mother, John, and something to +thyself, I trow; and nothing worse could befall thee.' + +I waited for her to speak again, because she had spoken +so sadly that it took my breath away. + +'John Ridd, if thou hast any value for thy body or thy +soul, thy mother, or thy father's name, have nought to +do with any Doone.' + +She gazed at me in earnest so, and raised her voice in +saying it, until the whole valley, curving like a great +bell echoed 'Doone,' that it seemed to me my heart was +gone for every one and everything. If it were God's +will for me to have no more of Lorna, let a sign come +out of the rocks, and I would try to believe it. But +no sign came, and I turned to the woman, and longed +that she had been a man. + +'You poor thing, with bones and blades, pails of water, +and door-keys, what know you about the destiny of a +maiden such as Lorna? Chilblains you may treat, and +bone-shave, ringworm, and the scaldings; even scabby +sheep may limp the better for your strikings. John the +Baptist and his cousins, with the wool and hyssop, are +for mares, and ailing dogs, and fowls that have the +jaundice. Look at me now, Mother Melldrum, am I like a +fool?' + +'That thou art, my son. Alas that it were any other! +Now behold the end of that; John Ridd, mark the end of +it.' + +She pointed to the castle-rock, where upon a narrow +shelf, betwixt us and the coming stars, a bitter fight +was raging. A fine fat sheep, with an honest face, had +clomb up very carefully to browse on a bit of juicy +grass, now the dew of the land was upon it. To him, +from an upper crag, a lean black goat came hurrying, +with leaps, and skirmish of the horns, and an angry +noise in his nostrils. The goat had grazed the place +before, to the utmost of his liking, cropping in and +out with jerks, as their manner is of feeding. +Nevertheless he fell on the sheep with fury and great +malice. + +The simple wether was much inclined to retire from the +contest, but looked around in vain for any way to peace +and comfort. His enemy stood between him and the last +leap he had taken; there was nothing left him but to +fight, or be hurled into the sea, five hundred feet +below. + +'Lie down, lie down!' I shouted to him, as if he were a +dog, for I had seen a battle like this before, and knew +that the sheep had no chance of life except from his +greater weight, and the difficulty of moving him. + +'Lie down, lie down, John Ridd!' cried Mother Melldrum, +mocking me, but without a sign of smiling. + +The poor sheep turned, upon my voice, and looked at me +so piteously that I could look no longer; but ran with +all my speed to try and save him from the combat. He +saw that I could not be in time, for the goat was +bucking to leap at him, and so the good wether stooped +his forehead, with the harmless horns curling aside of +it; and the goat flung his heels up, and rushed at him, +with quick sharp jumps and tricks of movement, and the +points of his long horns always foremost, and his +little scut cocked like a gun-hammer. + +As I ran up the steep of the rock, I could not see what +they were doing, but the sheep must have fought very +bravely at last, and yielded his ground quite slowly, +and I hoped almost to save him. But just as my head +topped the platform of rock, I saw him flung from it +backward, with a sad low moan and a gurgle. His body +made quite a short noise in the air, like a bucket +thrown down a well shaft, and I could not tell when it +struck the water, except by the echo among the rocks. +So wroth was I with the goat at the moment (being +somewhat scant of breath and unable to consider), that +I caught him by the right hind-leg, before he could +turn from his victory, and hurled him after the sheep, +to learn how he liked his own compulsion. + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +ANOTHER DANGEROUS INTERVIEW + +Although I left the Denes at once, having little heart +for further questions of the wise woman, and being +afraid to visit her house under the Devil's Cheese-ring +(to which she kindly invited me), and although I ran +most part of the way, it was very late for farm-house +time upon a Sunday evening before I was back at +Plover's Barrows. My mother had great desire to know +all about the matter; but I could not reconcile it with +my respect so to frighten her. Therefore I tried to +sleep it off, keeping my own counsel; and when that +proved of no avail, I strove to work it away, it might +be, by heavy outdoor labour, and weariness, and good +feeding. These indeed had some effect, and helped to +pass a week or two, with more pain of hand than heart +to me. + +But when the weather changed in earnest, and the frost +was gone, and the south-west wind blew softly, and the +lambs were at play with the daisies, it was more than I +could do to keep from thought of Lorna. For now the +fields were spread with growth, and the waters clad +with sunshine, and light and shadow, step by step, +wandered over the furzy cleves. All the sides of the +hilly wood were gathered in and out with green, +silver-grey, or russet points, according to the several +manner of the trees beginning. And if one stood +beneath an elm, with any heart to look at it, lo! all +the ground was strewn with flakes (too small to know +their meaning), and all the sprays above were rasped +and trembling with a redness. And so I stopped beneath +the tree, and carved L.D. upon it, and wondered at +the buds of thought that seemed to swell inside me. + +The upshot of it all was this, that as no Lorna came to +me, except in dreams or fancy, and as my life was not +worth living without constant sign of her, forth I must +again to find her, and say more than a man can tell. +Therefore, without waiting longer for the moving of the +spring, dressed I was in grand attire (so far as I had +gotten it), and thinking my appearance good, although +with doubts about it (being forced to dress in the +hay-tallat), round the corner of the wood-stack went I +very knowingly--for Lizzie's eyes were wondrous +sharp--and then I was sure of meeting none who would +care or dare to speak of me. + +It lay upon my conscience often that I had not made +dear Annie secret to this history; although in all +things I could trust her, and she loved me like a lamb. +Many and many a time I tried, and more than once began +the thing; but there came a dryness in my throat, and a +knocking under the roof of my mouth, and a longing to +put it off again, as perhaps might be the wisest. And +then I would remember too that I had no right to speak +of Lorna as if she were common property. + +This time I longed to take my gun, and was half +resolved to do so; because it seemed so hard a thing to +be shot at and have no chance of shooting; but when I +came to remember the steepness and the slippery nature +of the waterslide, there seemed but little likelihood +of keeping dry the powder. Therefore I was armed with +nothing but a good stout holly staff, seasoned well for +many a winter in our back-kitchen chimney. + +Although my heart was leaping high with the prospect of +some adventure, and the fear of meeting Lorna, I could +not but be gladdened by the softness of the weather, +and the welcome way of everything. There was that +power all round, that power and that goodness, which +make us come, as it were, outside our bodily selves, to +share them. Over and beside us breathes the joy of +hope and promise; under foot are troubles past; in the +distance bowering newness tempts us ever forward. We +quicken with largesse of life, and spring with vivid +mystery. + +And, in good sooth, I had to spring, and no mystery +about it, ere ever I got to the top of the rift leading +into Doone-glade. For the stream was rushing down in +strength, and raving at every corner; a mort of rain +having fallen last night and no wind come to wipe it. +However, I reached the head ere dark with more +difficulty than danger, and sat in a place which +comforted my back and legs desirably. + +Hereupon I grew so happy at being on dry land again, +and come to look for Lorna, with pretty trees around +me, that what did I do but fall asleep with the +holly-stick in front of me, and my best coat sunk in a +bed of moss, with water and wood-sorrel. Mayhap I had +not done so, nor yet enjoyed the spring so much, if so +be I had not taken three parts of a gallon of cider at +home, at Plover's Barrows, because of the lowness and +sinking ever since I met Mother Melldrum. + +There was a little runnel going softly down beside me, +falling from the upper rock by the means of moss and +grass, as if it feared to make a noise, and had a +mother sleeping. Now and then it seemed to stop, in +fear of its own dropping, and wait for some orders; and +the blades of grass that straightened to it turned +their points a little way, and offered their allegiance +to wind instead of water. Yet before their carkled +edges bent more than a driven saw, down the water came +again with heavy drops and pats of running, and bright +anger at neglect. + +This was very pleasant to me, now and then, to gaze at, +blinking as the water blinked, and falling back to +sleep again. Suddenly my sleep was broken by a shade +cast over me; between me and the low sunlight Lorna +Doone was standing. + +'Master Ridd, are you mad?' she said, and took my hand +to move me. + +'Not mad, but half asleep,' I answered, feigning not to +notice her, that so she might keep hold of me. + +'Come away, come away, if you care for life. The +patrol will be here directly. Be quick, Master Ridd, +let me hide thee.' + +'I will not stir a step,' said I, though being in the +greatest fright that might be well imagined,' unless +you call me "John."' + +'Well, John, then--Master John Ridd, be quick, if you +have any to care for you.' + +'I have many that care for me,' I said, just to let her +know; 'and I will follow you, Mistress Lorna, albeit +without any hurry, unless there be peril to more than +me.' + +Without another word she led me, though with many timid +glances towards the upper valley, to, and into, her +little bower, where the inlet through the rock was. I +am almost sure that I spoke before (though I cannot now +go seek for it, and my memory is but a worn-out tub) of +a certain deep and perilous pit, in which I was like to +drown myself through hurry and fright of boyhood. And +even then I wondered greatly, and was vexed with Lorna +for sending me in that heedless manner into such an +entrance. But now it was clear that she had been right +and the fault mine own entirely; for the entrance to +the pit was only to he found by seeking it. Inside +the niche of native stone, the plainest thing of all to +see, at any rate by day light, was the stairway hewn +from rock, and leading up the mountain, by means of +which I had escaped, as before related. To the right +side of this was the mouth of the pit, still looking +very formidable; though Lorna laughed at my fear of it, +for she drew her water thence. But on the left was a +narrow crevice, very difficult to espy, and having a +sweep of grey ivy laid, like a slouching beaver, over +it. A man here coming from the brightness of the outer +air, with eyes dazed by the twilight, would never think +of seeing this and following it to its meaning. + +Lorna raised the screen for me, but I had much ado to +pass, on account of bulk and stature. Instead of being +proud of my size (as it seemed to me she ought to be) +Lorna laughed so quietly that I was ready to knock my +head or elbows against anything, and say no more about +it. However, I got through at last without a word of +compliment, and broke into the pleasant room, the lone +retreat of Lorna. + +The chamber was of unhewn rock, round, as near as might +be, eighteen or twenty feet across, and gay with rich +variety of fern and moss and lichen. The fern was in +its winter still, or coiling for the spring-tide; but +moss was in abundant life, some feathering, and some +gobleted, and some with fringe of red to it. Overhead +there was no ceiling but the sky itself, flaked with +little clouds of April whitely wandering over it. The +floor was made of soft low grass, mixed with moss and +primroses; and in a niche of shelter moved the delicate +wood-sorrel. Here and there, around the sides, were +'chairs of living stone,' as some Latin writer says, +whose name has quite escaped me; and in the midst a +tiny spring arose, with crystal beads in it, and a soft +voice as of a laughing dream, and dimples like a +sleeping babe. Then, after going round a little, with +surprise of daylight, the water overwelled the edge, +and softly went through lines of light to shadows and +an untold bourne. + +While I was gazing at all these things with wonder and +some sadness, Lorna turned upon me lightly (as her +manner was) and said,-- + +'Where are the new-laid eggs, Master Ridd? Or hath +blue hen ceased laying?' + +I did not altogether like the way in which she said it +with a sort of dialect, as if my speech could be +laughed at. + +'Here be some,' I answered, speaking as if in spite of +her. 'I would have brought thee twice as many, but +that I feared to crush them in the narrow ways, +Mistress Lorna.' + +And so I laid her out two dozen upon the moss of the +rock-ledge, unwinding the wisp of hay from each as it +came safe out of my pocket. Lorna looked with growing +wonder, as I added one to one; and when I had placed +them side by side, and bidden her now to tell them, to +my amazement what did she do but burst into a flood of +tears. + +'What have I done?' I asked, with shame, scarce daring +even to look at her, because her grief was not like +Annie's--a thing that could be coaxed away, and left a +joy in going--'oh, what have I done to vex you so?' + +'It is nothing done by you, Master Ridd,' she answered, +very proudly, as if nought I did could matter; 'it is +only something that comes upon me with the scent of the +pure true clover-hay. Moreover, you have been too +kind; and I am not used to kindness.' + +Some sort of awkwardness was on me, at her words and +weeping, as if I would like to say something, but +feared to make things worse perhaps than they were +already. Therefore I abstained from speech, as I would +in my own pain. And as it happened, this was the way +to make her tell me more about it. Not that I was +curious, beyond what pity urged me and the strange +affairs around her; and now I gazed upon the floor, +lest I should seem to watch her; but none the less for +that I knew all that she was doing. + +Lorna went a little way, as if she would not think of +me nor care for one so careless; and all my heart gave +a sudden jump, to go like a mad thing after her; until +she turned of her own accord, and with a little sigh +came back to me. Her eyes were soft with trouble's +shadow, and the proud lift of her neck was gone, and +beauty's vanity borne down by woman's want of +sustenance. + +'Master Ridd,' she said in the softest voice that ever +flowed between two lips, 'have I done aught to offend +you?' + +Hereupon it went hard with me, not to catch her up and +kiss her, in the manner in which she was looking; only +it smote me suddenly that this would be a low advantage +of her trust and helplessness. She seemed to know +what I would be at, and to doubt very greatly about it, +whether as a child of old she might permit the usage. +All sorts of things went through my head, as I made +myself look away from her, for fear of being tempted +beyond what I could bear. And the upshot of it was +that I said, within my heart and through it, 'John +Ridd, be on thy very best manners with this lonely +maiden.' + +Lorna liked me all the better for my good forbearance; +because she did not love me yet, and had not thought +about it; at least so far as I knew. And though her +eyes were so beauteous, so very soft and kindly, there +was (to my apprehension) some great power in them, as +if she would not have a thing, unless her judgment +leaped with it. + +But now her judgment leaped with me, because I had +behaved so well; and being of quick urgent nature--such +as I delight in, for the change from mine own +slowness--she, without any let or hindrance, sitting +over against me, now raising and now dropping fringe +over those sweet eyes that were the road-lights of her +tongue, Lorna told me all about everything I wished to +know, every little thing she knew, except indeed that +point of points, how Master Ridd stood with her. + +Although it wearied me no whit, it might be wearisome +for folk who cannot look at Lorna, to hear the story +all in speech, exactly as she told it; therefore let me +put it shortly, to the best of my remembrance. + +Nay, pardon me, whosoever thou art, for seeming fickle +and rude to thee; I have tried to do as first proposed, +to tell the tale in my own words, as of another's +fortune. But, lo! I was beset at once with many heavy +obstacles, which grew as I went onward, until I knew +not where I was, and mingled past and present. And two +of these difficulties only were enough to stop me; the +one that I must coldly speak without the force of pity, +the other that I, off and on, confused myself with +Lorna, as might be well expected. + +Therefore let her tell the story, with her own sweet +voice and manner; and if ye find it wearisome, seek in +yourselves the weariness. + + + +CHAPTER XX + +LORNA BEGINS HER STORY + +'I cannot go through all my thoughts so as to make +them clear to you, nor have I ever dwelt on things, to +shape a story of them. I know not where the beginning +was, nor where the middle ought to be, nor even how at +the present time I feel, or think, or ought to think. +If I look for help to those around me, who should tell +me right and wrong (being older and much wiser), I meet +sometimes with laughter, and at other times with anger. + +'There are but two in the world who ever listen and try +to help me; one of them is my grandfather, and the +other is a man of wisdom, whom we call the Counsellor. +My grandfather, Sir Ensor Doone, is very old and harsh +of manner (except indeed to me); he seems to know what +is right and wrong, but not to want to think of it. +The Counsellor, on the other hand, though full of life +and subtleties, treats my questions as of play, and not +gravely worth his while to answer, unless he can make +wit of them. + +'And among the women there are none with whom I can +hold converse, since my Aunt Sabina died, who took such +pains to teach me. She was a lady of high repute and +lofty ways, and learning, but grieved and harassed more +and more by the coarseness, and the violence, and the +ignorance around her. In vain she strove, from year to +year, to make the young men hearken, to teach them what +became their birth, and give them sense of honour. It +was her favourite word, poor thing! and they called her +"Old Aunt Honour." Very often she used to say that I +was her only comfort, and I am sure she was my only +one; and when she died it was more to me than if I had +lost a mother. + +'For I have no remembrance now of father or of mother, +although they say that my father was the eldest son of +Sir Ensor Doone, and the bravest and the best of them. +And so they call me heiress to this little realm of +violence; and in sorry sport sometimes, I am their +Princess or their Queen. + +'Many people living here, as I am forced to do, would +perhaps be very happy, and perhaps I ought to be so. +We have a beauteous valley, sheltered from the cold of +winter and power of the summer sun, untroubled also by +the storms and mists that veil the mountains; although +I must acknowledge that it is apt to rain too often. +The grass moreover is so fresh, and the brook so bright +and lively, and flowers of so many hues come after one +another that no one need be dull, if only left alone +with them. + +'And so in the early days perhaps, when morning +breathes around me, and the sun is going upward, and +light is playing everywhere, I am not so far beside +them all as to live in shadow. But when the evening +gathers down, and the sky is spread with sadness, and +the day has spent itself; then a cloud of lonely +trouble falls, like night, upon me. I cannot see the +things I quest for of a world beyond me; I cannot join +the peace and quiet of the depth above me; neither have +I any pleasure in the brightness of the stars. + +'What I want to know is something none of them can tell +me--what am I, and why set here, and when shall I be +with them? I see that you are surprised a little at +this my curiosity. Perhaps such questions never spring +in any wholesome spirit. But they are in the depths of +mine, and I cannot be quit of them. + +'Meantime, all around me is violence and robbery, +coarse delight and savage pain, reckless joke and +hopeless death. Is it any wonder that I cannot sink +with these, that I cannot so forget my soul, as to live +the life of brutes, and die the death more horrible +because it dreams of waking? There is none to lead me +forward, there is none to teach me right; young as I +am, I live beneath a curse that lasts for ever.' + +Here Lorna broke down for awhile, and cried so very +piteously, that doubting of my knowledge, and of any +power to comfort, I did my best to hold my peace, and +tried to look very cheerful. Then thinking that might +be bad manners, I went to wipe her eyes for her. + +'Master Ridd,' she began again, 'I am both ashamed and +vexed at my own childish folly. But you, who have a +mother, who thinks (you say) so much of you, and +sisters, and a quiet home; you cannot tell (it is not +likely) what a lonely nature is. How it leaps in mirth +sometimes, with only heaven touching it; and how it +falls away desponding, when the dreary weight creeps +on. + +'It does not happen many times that I give way like +this; more shame now to do so, when I ought to +entertain you. Sometimes I am so full of anger, that I +dare not trust to speech, at things they cannot hide +from me; and perhaps you would be much surprised that +reckless men would care so much to elude a young girl's +knowledge. They used to boast to Aunt Sabina of +pillage and of cruelty, on purpose to enrage her; but +they never boast to me. It even makes me smile +sometimes to see how awkwardly they come and offer for +temptation to me shining packets, half concealed, of +ornaments and finery, of rings, or chains, or jewels, +lately belonging to other people. + +'But when I try to search the past, to get a sense of +what befell me ere my own perception formed; to feel +back for the lines of childhood, as a trace of +gossamer, then I only know that nought lives longer +than God wills it. So may after sin go by, for we are +children always, as the Counsellor has told me; so may +we, beyond the clouds, seek this infancy of life, and +never find its memory. + +'But I am talking now of things which never come across +me when any work is toward. It might have been a good +thing for me to have had a father to beat these rovings +out of me; or a mother to make a home, and teach me how +to manage it. For, being left with none--I think; and +nothing ever comes of it. Nothing, I mean, which I can +grasp and have with any surety; nothing but faint +images, and wonderment, and wandering. But often, when +I am neither searching back into remembrance, nor +asking of my parents, but occupied by trifles, +something like a sign, or message, or a token of some +meaning, seems to glance upon me. Whether from the +rustling wind, or sound of distant music, or the +singing of a bird, like the sun on snow it strikes me +with a pain of pleasure. + +'And often when I wake at night, and listen to the +silence, or wander far from people in the grayness of +the evening, or stand and look at quiet water having +shadows over it, some vague image seems to hover on the +skirt of vision, ever changing place and outline, ever +flitting as I follow. This so moves and hurries me, in +the eagerness and longing, that straightway all my +chance is lost; and memory, scared like a wild bird, +flies. Or am I as a child perhaps, chasing a flown +cageling, who among the branches free plays and peeps +at the offered cage (as a home not to be urged on him), +and means to take his time of coming, if he comes at +all? + +'Often too I wonder at the odds of fortune, which made +me (helpless as I am, and fond of peace and reading) +the heiress of this mad domain, the sanctuary of +unholiness. It is not likely that I shall have much +power of authority; and yet the Counsellor creeps up to +be my Lord of the Treasury; and his son aspires to my +hand, as of a Royal alliance. Well, "honour among +thieves," they say; and mine is the first honour: +although among decent folk perhaps, honesty is better. + +'We should not be so quiet here, and safe from +interruption but that I have begged one privilege +rather than commanded it. This was that the lower end, +just this narrowing of the valley, where it is most +hard to come at, might be looked upon as mine, except +for purposes of guard. Therefore none beside the +sentries ever trespass on me here, unless it be my +grandfather, or the Counsellor or Carver. + +'By your face, Master Ridd, I see that you have heard +of Carver Doone. For strength and courage and resource +he bears the first repute among us, as might well be +expected from the son of the Counsellor. But he +differs from his father, in being very hot and savage, +and quite free from argument. The Counsellor, who is +my uncle, gives his son the best advice; commending all +the virtues, with eloquence and wisdom; yet himself +abstaining from them accurately and impartially. + +'You must be tired of this story, and the time I take +to think, and the weakness of my telling; but my life +from day to day shows so little variance. Among the +riders there is none whose safe return I watch for--I +mean none more than other--and indeed there seems no +risk, all are now so feared of us. Neither of the old +men is there whom I can revere or love (except alone my +grandfather, whom I love with trembling): neither of +the women any whom I like to deal with, unless it be a +little maiden whom I saved from starving. + +'A little Cornish girl she is, and shaped in western +manner, not so very much less in width than if you take +her lengthwise. Her father seems to have been a miner, +a Cornishman (as she declares) of more than average +excellence, and better than any two men to be found in +Devonshire, or any four in Somerset. Very few things +can have been beyond his power of performance, and yet +he left his daughter to starve upon a peat-rick. She +does not know how this was done, and looks upon it as a +mystery, the meaning of which will some day be clear, +and redound to her father's honour. His name was Simon +Carfax, and he came as the captain of a gang from one +of the Cornish stannaries. Gwenny Carfax, my young +maid, well remembers how her father was brought up from +Cornwall. Her mother had been buried, just a week or +so before; and he was sad about it, and had been off +his work, and was ready for another job. Then people +came to him by night, and said that he must want a +change, and everybody lost their wives, and work was +the way to mend it. So what with grief, and +over-thought, and the inside of a square bottle, Gwenny +says they brought him off, to become a mighty captain, +and choose the country round. The last she saw of him +was this, that he went down a ladder somewhere on the +wilds of Exmoor, leaving her with bread and cheese, and +his travelling-hat to see to. And from that day to +this he never came above the ground again; so far as we +can hear of. + +'But Gwenny, holding to his hat, and having eaten the +bread and cheese (when he came no more to help her), +dwelt three days near the mouth of the hole; and then +it was closed over, the while that she was sleeping. +With weakness and with want of food, she lost herself +distressfully, and went away for miles or more, and lay +upon a peat-rick, to die before the ravens. + +'That very day I chanced to return from Aunt Sabina's +dying-place; for she would not die in Glen Doone, she +said, lest the angels feared to come for her; and so +she was taken to a cottage in a lonely valley. I was +allowed to visit her, for even we durst not refuse the +wishes of the dying; and if a priest had been desired, +we should have made bold with him. Returning very +sorrowful, and caring now for nothing, I found this +little stray thing lying, her arms upon her, and not a +sign of life, except the way that she was biting. +Black root-stuff was in her mouth, and a piece of dirty +sheep's wool, and at her feet an old egg-shell of some +bird of the moorland. + +'I tried to raise her, but she was too square and heavy +for me; and so I put food in her mouth, and left her to +do right with it. And this she did in a little time; +for the victuals were very choice and rare, being what +I had taken over to tempt poor Aunt Sabina. Gwenny ate +them without delay, and then was ready to eat the +basket and the ware that contained them. + +'Gwenny took me for an angel--though I am little like +one, as you see, Master Ridd; and she followed me, +expecting that I would open wings and fly when we came +to any difficulty. I brought her home with me, so far +as this can be a home, and she made herself my sole +attendant, without so much as asking me. She has +beaten two or three other girls, who used to wait upon +me, until they are afraid to come near the house of my +grandfather. She seems to have no kind of fear even of +our roughest men; and yet she looks with reverence and +awe upon the Counsellor. As for the wickedness, and +theft, and revelry around her, she says it is no +concern of hers, and they know their own business best. +By this way of regarding men she has won upon our +riders, so that she is almost free from all control of +place and season, and is allowed to pass where none +even of the youths may go. Being so wide, and short, +and flat, she has none to pay her compliments; and, +were there any, she would scorn them, as not being +Cornishmen. Sometimes she wanders far, by moonlight, +on the moors and up the rivers, to give her father (as +she says) another chance of finding her, and she comes +back not a wit defeated, or discouraged, or depressed, +but confident that he is only waiting for the proper +time. + +'Herein she sets me good example of a patience and +contentment hard for me to imitate. Oftentimes I am +vexed by things I cannot meddle with, yet which cannot +be kept from me, that I am at the point of flying from +this dreadful valley, and risking all that can betide +me in the unknown outer world. If it were not for my +grandfather, I would have done so long ago; but I +cannot bear that he should die with no gentle hand to +comfort him; and I fear to think of the conflict that +must ensue for the government, if there be a disputed +succession. + +'Ah me! We are to be pitied greatly, rather than +condemned, by people whose things we have taken from +them; for I have read, and seem almost to understand +about it, that there are places on the earth where +gentle peace, and love of home, and knowledge of one's +neighbours prevail, and are, with reason, looked for as +the usual state of things. There honest folk may go to +work in the glory of the sunrise, with hope of coming +home again quite safe in the quiet evening, and finding +all their children; and even in the darkness they have +no fear of lying down, and dropping off to slumber, and +hearken to the wind of night, not as to an enemy trying +to find entrance, but a friend who comes to tell the +value of their comfort. + +'Of all this golden ease I hear, but never saw the like +of it; and, haply, I shall never do so, being born to +turbulence. Once, indeed, I had the offer of escape, +and kinsman's aid, and high place in the gay, bright +world; and yet I was not tempted much, or, at least, +dared not to trust it. And it ended very sadly, so +dreadfully that I even shrink from telling you about +it; for that one terror changed my life, in a moment, +at a blow, from childhood and from thoughts of play and +commune with the flowers and trees, to a sense of death +and darkness, and a heavy weight of earth. Be content +now, Master Ridd ask me nothing more about it, so your +sleep be sounder.' + +But I, John Ridd, being young and new, and very fond of +hearing things to make my blood to tingle, had no more +of manners than to urge poor Lorna onwards, hoping, +perhaps, in depth of heart, that she might have to hold +by me, when the worst came to the worst of it. +Therefore she went on again. + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +LORNA ENDS HER STORY + +'It is not a twelvemonth yet, although it seems ten +years agone, since I blew the downy globe to learn the +time of day, or set beneath my chin the veinings of the +varnished buttercup, or fired the fox-glove cannonade, +or made a captive of myself with dandelion fetters; for +then I had not very much to trouble me in earnest, but +went about, romancing gravely, playing at bo-peep with +fear, making for myself strong heroes of gray rock or +fir-tree, adding to my own importance, as the children +love to do. + +'As yet I had not truly learned the evil of our living, +the scorn of law, the outrage, and the sorrow caused to +others. It even was a point with all to hide the +roughness from me, to show me but the gallant side, and +keep in shade the other. My grandfather, Sir Ensor +Doone, had given strictest order, as I discovered +afterwards, that in my presence all should be seemly, +kind, and vigilant. Nor was it very difficult to keep +most part of the mischief from me, for no Doone ever +robs at home, neither do they quarrel much, except at +times of gambling. And though Sir Ensor Doone is now +so old and growing feeble, his own way he will have +still, and no one dare deny him. Even our fiercest and +most mighty swordsmen, seared from all sense of right +or wrong, yet have plentiful sense of fear, when +brought before that white-haired man. Not that he is +rough with them, or querulous, or rebukeful; but that +he has a strange soft smile, and a gaze they cannot +answer, and a knowledge deeper far than they have of +themselves. Under his protection, I am as safe from +all those men (some of whom are but little akin to me) +as if I slept beneath the roof of the King's Lord +Justiciary. + +'But now, at the time I speak of, one evening of last +summer, a horrible thing befell, which took all play of +childhood from me. The fifteenth day of last July was +very hot and sultry, long after the time of sundown; +and I was paying heed of it, because of the old saying +that if it rain then, rain will fall on forty days +thereafter. I had been long by the waterside at this +lower end of the valley, plaiting a little crown of +woodbine crocketed with sprigs of heath--to please my +grandfather, who likes to see me gay at supper-time. +Being proud of my tiara, which had cost some trouble, I +set it on my head at once, to save the chance of +crushing, and carrying my gray hat, ventured by a path +not often trod. For I must be home at the supper-time, +or grandfather would be exceeding wrath; and the worst +of his anger is that he never condescends to show it. + +'Therefore, instead of the open mead, or the windings +of the river, I made short cut through the ash-trees +covert which lies in the middle of our vale, with the +water skirting or cleaving it. You have never been up +so far as that--at least to the best of my +knowledge--but you see it like a long gray spot, from +the top of the cliffs above us. Here I was not likely +to meet any of our people because the young ones are +afraid of some ancient tale about it, and the old ones +have no love of trees where gunshots are uncertain. + +'It was more almost than dusk, down below the +tree-leaves, and I was eager to go through, and be +again beyond it. For the gray dark hung around me, +scarcely showing shadow; and the little light that +glimmered seemed to come up from the ground. For the +earth was strown with the winter-spread and coil of +last year's foliage, the lichened claws of chalky +twigs, and the numberless decay which gives a light in +its decaying. I, for my part, hastened shyly, ready to +draw back and run from hare, or rabbit, or small field- +mouse. + +'At a sudden turn of the narrow path, where it stopped +again to the river, a man leaped out from behind a +tree, and stopped me, and seized hold of me. I tried +to shriek, but my voice was still; I could only hear my +heart. + +'"Now, Cousin Lorna, my good cousin," he said, with +ease and calmness; "your voice is very sweet, no doubt, +from all that I can see of you. But I pray you keep it +still, unless you would give to dusty death your very +best cousin and trusty guardian, Alan Brandir of Loch +Awe.' + +'"You my guardian!" I said, for the idea was too +ludicrous; and ludicrous things always strike me first, +through some fault of nature. + +'"I have in truth that honour, madam," he answered, +with a sweeping bow; "unless I err in taking you for +Mistress Lorna Doone." + +'"You have not mistaken me. My name is Lorna Doone." + +'He looked at me, with gravity, and was inclined to +make some claim to closer consideration upon the score +of kinship; but I shrunk back, and only said, "Yes, my +name is Lorna Doone." + +'"Then I am your faithful guardian, Alan Brandir of +Loch Awe; called Lord Alan Brandir, son of a worthy +peer of Scotland. Now will you confide in me?" + +'"I confide in you!" I cried, looking at him with +amazement; "why, you are not older than I am!" + +'"Yes I am, three years at least. You, my ward, are +not sixteen. I, your worshipful guardian, am almost +nineteen years of age." + +'Upon hearing this I looked at him, for that seemed +then a venerable age; but the more I looked the more I +doubted, although he was dressed quite like a man. He +led me in a courtly manner, stepping at his tallest to +an open place beside the water; where the light came as +in channel, and was made the most of by glancing waves +and fair white stones. + +'"Now am I to your liking, cousin?" he asked, when I +had gazed at him, until I was almost ashamed, except at +such a stripling." Does my Cousin Lorna judge kindly +of her guardian, and her nearest kinsman? In a word, +is our admiration mutual?" + +'"Truly I know not," I said; "but you seem +good-natured, and to have no harm in you. Do they +trust you with a sword?" + +'For in my usage among men of stature and strong +presence, this pretty youth, so tricked and slender, +seemed nothing but a doll to me. Although he scared me +in the wood, now that I saw him in good twilight, lo! +he was but little greater than my little self; and so +tasselled and so ruffled with a mint of bravery, and a +green coat barred with red, and a slim sword hanging +under him, it was the utmost I could do to look at him +half-gravely. + +'"I fear that my presence hath scarce enough of +ferocity about it" (he gave a jerk to his sword as he +spoke, and clanked it on the brook-stones); "yet do I +assure you, cousin, that I am not without some prowess; +and many a master of defence hath this good sword of +mine disarmed. Now if the boldest and biggest robber +in all this charming valley durst so much as breathe +the scent of that flower coronal, which doth not adorn +but is adorned"--here he talked some nonsense--"I would +cleave him from head to foot, ere ever he could fly or +cry." + +'"Hush!" I said; "talk not so loudly, or thou mayst +have to do both thyself, and do them both in vain." + +'For he was quite forgetting now, in his bravery before +me, where he stood, and with whom he spoke, and how the +summer lightning shone above the hills and down the +hollow. And as I gazed on this slight fair youth, +clearly one of high birth and breeding (albeit +over-boastful), a chill of fear crept over me; because +he had no strength or substance, and would be no more +than a pin-cushion before the great swords of the +Doones. + +'"I pray you be not vexed with me," he answered, in a +softer voice; "for I have travelled far and sorely, for +the sake of seeing you. I know right well among whom I +am, and that their hospitality is more of the knife +than the salt-stand. Nevertheless I am safe enough, +for my foot is the fleetest in Scotland, and what are +these hills to me? Tush! I have seen some border +forays among wilder spirits and craftier men than these +be. Once I mind some years agone, when I was quite a +stripling lad--" + +'"Worshipful guardian," I said, "there is no time now +for history. If thou art in no haste, I am, and +cannot stay here idling. Only tell me how I am akin +and under wardship to thee, and what purpose brings +thee here." + +'"In order, cousin--all things in order, even with fair +ladies. First, I am thy uncle's son, my father is thy +mother's brother, or at least thy grandmother's--unless +I am deceived in that which I have guessed, and no +other man. For my father, being a leading lord in the +councils of King Charles the Second, appointed me to +learn the law, not for my livelihood, thank God, but +because he felt the lack of it in affairs of state. +But first your leave, young Mistress Lorna; I cannot +lay down legal maxims, without aid of smoke." + +'He leaned against a willow-tree, and drawing from a +gilded box a little dark thing like a stick, placed it +between his lips, and then striking a flint on steel +made fire and caught it upon touchwood. With this he +kindled the tip of the stick, until it glowed with a +ring of red, and then he breathed forth curls of smoke, +blue and smelling on the air like spice. I had never +seen this done before, though acquainted with +tobacco-pipes; and it made me laugh, until I thought of +the peril that must follow it. + +'"Cousin, have no fear," he said; "this makes me all +the safer; they will take me for a glow-worm, and thee +for the flower it shines upon. But to return--of law I +learned as you may suppose, but little; although I have +capacities. But the thing was far too dull for me. +All I care for is adventure, moving chance, and hot +encounter; therefore all of law I learned was how to +live without it. Nevertheless, for amusement's sake, +as I must needs be at my desk an hour or so in the +afternoon, I took to the sporting branch of the law, +the pitfalls, and the ambuscades; and of all the traps +to be laid therein, pedigrees are the rarest. There is +scarce a man worth a cross of butter, but what you may +find a hole in his shield within four generations. And +so I struck our own escutcheon, and it sounded hollow. +There is a point--but heed not that; enough that being +curious now, I followed up the quarry, and I am come to +this at last--we, even we, the lords of Loch Awe, have +an outlaw for our cousin, and I would we had more, if +they be like you." + +'"Sir," I answered, being amused by his manner, which +was new to me (for the Doones are much in earnest), +"surely you count it no disgrace to be of kin to Sir +Ensor Doone, and all his honest family!" + +'"If it be so, it is in truth the very highest honour +and would heal ten holes in our escutcheon. What noble +family but springs from a captain among robbers? Trade +alone can spoil our blood; robbery purifies it. The +robbery of one age is the chivalry of the next. We may +start anew, and vie with even the nobility of France, +if we can once enrol but half the Doones upon our +lineage." + +'"I like not to hear you speak of the Doones, as if +they were no more than that," I exclaimed, being now +unreasonable; "but will you tell me, once for all, sir, +how you are my guardian?" + +'"That I will do. You are my ward because you were my +father's ward, under the Scottish law; and now my +father being so deaf, I have succeeded to that +right--at least in my own opinion--under which claim I +am here to neglect my trust no longer, but to lead you +away from scenes and deeds which (though of good repute +and comely) are not the best for young gentlewomen. +There spoke I not like a guardian? After that can you +mistrust me?" + +'"But," said I, "good Cousin Alan (if I may so call +you), it is not meet for young gentlewomen to go away +with young gentlemen, though fifty times their +guardians. But if you will only come with me, and +explain your tale to my grandfather, he will listen to +you quietly, and take no advantage of you." + +'"I thank you much, kind Mistress Lorna, to lead the +goose into the fox's den! But, setting by all thought +of danger, I have other reasons against it. Now, come +with your faithful guardian, child. I will pledge my +honour against all harm, and to bear you safe to +London. By the law of the realm, I am now entitled to +the custody of your fair person, and of all your +chattels." + +'"But, sir, all that you have learned of law, is how to +live without it." + +'"Fairly met, fair cousin mine! Your wit will do me +credit, after a little sharpening. And there is none +to do that better than your aunt, my mother. Although +she knows not of my coming, she is longing to receive +you. Come, and in a few months' time you shall set the +mode at Court, instead of pining here, and weaving +coronals of daisies." + +'I turned aside, and thought a little. Although he +seemed so light of mind, and gay in dress and manner, I +could not doubt his honesty; and saw, beneath his +jaunty air, true mettle and ripe bravery. Scarce had I +thought of his project twice, until he spoke of my +aunt, his mother, but then the form of my dearest +friend, my sweet Aunt Sabina, seemed to come and bid me +listen, for this was what she prayed for. Moreover I +felt (though not as now) that Doone Glen was no place +for me or any proud young maiden. But while I thought, +the yellow lightning spread behind a bulk of clouds, +three times ere the flash was done, far off and void of +thunder; and from the pile of cloud before it, cut as +from black paper, and lit to depths of blackness by the +blaze behind it, a form as of an aged man, sitting in a +chair loose-mantled, seemed to lift a hand and warn. + +'This minded me of my grandfather, and all the care I +owed him. Moreover, now the storm was rising and I +began to grow afraid; for of all things awful to me +thunder is the dreadfulest. It doth so growl, like a +lion coming, and then so roll, and roar, and rumble, +out of a thickening darkness, then crack like the last +trump overhead through cloven air and terror, that all +my heart lies low and quivers, like a weed in water. I +listened now for the distant rolling of the great black +storm, and heard it, and was hurried by it. But the +youth before me waved his rolled tobacco at it, and +drawled in his daintiest tone and manner,-- + +'"The sky is having a smoke, I see, and dropping +sparks, and grumbling. I should have thought these +Exmoor hills too small to gather thunder." + +'"I cannot go, I will not go with you, Lord Alan +Brandir," I answered, being vexed a little by those +words of his. "You are not grave enough for me, you +are not old enough for me. My Aunt Sabina would not +have wished it; nor would I leave my grandfather, +without his full permission. I thank you much for +coming, sir; but be gone at once by the way you came; +and pray how did you come, sir?" + +'"Fair cousin, you will grieve for this; you will +mourn, when you cannot mend it. I would my mother had +been here, soon would she have persuaded you. And +yet," he added, with the smile of his accustomed +gaiety, "it would have been an unco thing, as we say in +Scotland, for her ladyship to have waited upon you, as +her graceless son has done, and hopes to do again ere +long. Down the cliffs I came, and up them I must make +way back again. Now adieu, fair Cousin Lorna, I see +you are in haste tonight; but I am right proud of my +guardianship. Give me just one flower for token"-- +here he kissed his hand to me, and I threw him a truss +of woodbine--"adieu, fair cousin, trust me well, I will +soon be here again." + +'"That thou never shalt, sir," cried a voice as loud as +a culverin; and Carver Doone had Alan Brandir as a +spider hath a fly. The boy made a little shriek at +first, with the sudden shock and the terror; then he +looked, methought, ashamed of himself, and set his face +to fight for it. Very bravely he strove and struggled, +to free one arm and grasp his sword; but as well might +an infant buried alive attempt to lift his gravestone. +Carver Doone, with his great arms wrapped around the +slim gay body, smiled (as I saw by the flash from +heaven) at the poor young face turned up to him; then +(as a nurse bears off a child, who is loath to go to +bed), he lifted the youth from his feet, and bore him +away into the darkness. + +'I was young then. I am older now; older by ten years, +in thought, although it is not a twelvemonth since. If +that black deed were done again, I could follow, and +could combat it, could throw weak arms on the murderer, +and strive to be murdered also. I am now at home with +violence; and no dark death surprises me. + +'But, being as I was that night, the horror overcame +me. The crash of thunder overhead, the last despairing +look, the death-piece framed with blaze of +lightning--my young heart was so affrighted that I +could not gasp. My breath went from me, and I knew not +where I was, or who, or what. Only that I lay, and +cowered, under great trees full of thunder; and could +neither count, nor moan, nor have my feet to help me. + +'Yet hearkening, as a coward does, through the brushing +of the wind, and echo of far noises, I heard a sharp +sound as of iron, and a fall of heavy wood. No unmanly +shriek came with it, neither cry for mercy. Carver +Doone knows what it was; and so did Alan Brandir.' + +Here Lorna Doone could tell no more, being overcome +with weeping. Only through her tears she whispered, +as a thing too bad to tell, that she had seen that +giant Carver, in a few days afterwards, smoking a +little round brown stick, like those of her poor +cousin. I could not press her any more with +questions, or for clearness; although I longed very +much to know whether she had spoken of it to her +grandfather or the Counsellor. But she was now in such +condition, both of mind and body, from the force of her +own fear multiplied by telling it, that I did nothing +more than coax her, at a distance humbly; and so that +she could see that some one was at least afraid of her. +This (although I knew not women in those days, as now I +do, and never shall know much of it), this, I say, so +brought her round, that all her fear was now for me, +and how to get me safely off, without mischance to any +one. And sooth to say, in spite of longing just to see +if Master Carver could have served me such a trick--as +it grew towards the dusk, I was not best pleased to be +there; for it seemed a lawless place, and some of +Lorna's fright stayed with me as I talked it away from +her. + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +After hearing that tale from Lorna, I went home in +sorry spirits, having added fear for her, and misery +about, to all my other ailments. And was it not quite +certain now that she, being owned full cousin to a peer +and lord of Scotland (although he was a dead one), must +have nought to do with me, a yeoman's son, and bound to +be the father of more yeomen? I had been very sorry +when first I heard about that poor young popinjay, and +would gladly have fought hard for him; but now it +struck me that after all he had no right to be there, +prowling (as it were) for Lorna, without any +invitation: and we farmers love not trespass. Still, +if I had seen the thing, I must have tried to save him. + +Moreover, I was greatly vexed with my own hesitation, +stupidity, or shyness, or whatever else it was, which +had held me back from saying, ere she told her story, +what was in my heart to say, videlicet, that I must die +unless she let me love her. Not that I was fool enough +to think that she would answer me according to my +liking, or begin to care about me for a long time yet; +if indeed she ever should, which I hardly dared to +hope. But that I had heard from men more skillful in +the matter that it is wise to be in time, that so the +maids may begin to think, when they know that they are +thought of. And, to tell the truth, I had bitter +fears, on account of her wondrous beauty, lest some +young fellow of higher birth and finer parts, and +finish, might steal in before poor me, and cut me out +altogether. Thinking of which, I used to double my +great fist, without knowing it, and keep it in my +pocket ready. + +But the worst of all was this, that in my great dismay +and anguish to see Lorna weeping so, I had promised not +to cause her any further trouble from anxiety and fear +of harm. And this, being brought to practice, meant +that I was not to show myself within the precincts of +Glen Doone, for at least another month. Unless indeed +(as I contrived to edge into the agreement) anything +should happen to increase her present trouble and every +day's uneasiness. In that case, she was to throw a +dark mantle, or covering of some sort, over a large +white stone which hung within the entrance to her +retreat--I mean the outer entrance--and which, though +unseen from the valley itself, was (as I had observed) +conspicuous from the height where I stood with Uncle +Reuben. + +Now coming home so sad and weary, yet trying to console +myself with the thought that love o'erleapeth rank, and +must still be lord of all, I found a shameful thing +going on, which made me very angry. For it needs must +happen that young Marwood de Whichehalse, only son of +the Baron, riding home that very evening, from chasing +of the Exmoor bustards, with his hounds and serving- +men, should take the short cut through our farmyard, +and being dry from his exercise, should come and ask +for drink. And it needs must happen also that there +should be none to give it to him but my sister Annie. +I more than suspect that he had heard some report of +our Annie's comeliness, and had a mind to satisfy +himself upon the subject. Now, as he took the large +ox-horn of our quarantine-apple cider (which we always +keep apart from the rest, being too good except for the +quality), he let his fingers dwell on Annie's, by some +sort of accident, while he lifted his beaver gallantly, +and gazed on her face in the light from the west. Then +what did Annie do (as she herself told me afterwards) +but make her very best curtsey to him, being pleased +that he was pleased with her, while she thought what a +fine young man he was and so much breeding about him! +And in truth he was a dark, handsome fellow, hasty, +reckless, and changeable, with a look of sad destiny in +his black eyes that would make any woman pity him. +What he was thinking of our Annie is not for me to say, +although I may think that you could not have found +another such maiden on Exmoor, except (of course) my +Lorna. + +Though young Squire Marwood was so thirsty, he spent +much time over his cider, or at any rate over the +ox-horn, and he made many bows to Annie, and drank +health to all the family, and spoke of me as if I had +been his very best friend at Blundell's; whereas he +knew well enough all the time that we had nought to say +to one another; he being three years older, and +therefore of course disdaining me. But while he was +casting about perhaps for some excuse to stop longer, +and Annie was beginning to fear lest mother should come +after her, or Eliza be at the window, or Betty up in +pigs' house, suddenly there came up to them, as if from +the very heart of the earth, that long, low, hollow, +mysterious sound which I spoke of in winter. + +The young man started in his saddle, let the horn fall +on the horse-steps, and gazed all around in wonder; +while as for Annie, she turned like a ghost, and tried +to slam the door, but failed through the violence of +her trembling; (for never till now had any one heard it +so close at hand as you might say) or in the mere fall +of the twilight. And by this time there was no man, at +least in our parish, but knew--for the Parson himself +had told us so--that it was the devil groaning because +the Doones were too many for him. + +Marwood de Whichehalse was not so alarmed but what he +saw a fine opportunity. He leaped from his horse, and +laid hold of dear Annie in a highly comforting manner; +and she never would tell us about it (being so shy and +modest), whether in breathing his comfort to her he +tried to take some from her pure lips. I hope he did +not, because that to me would seem not the deed of a +gentleman, and he was of good old family. + +At this very moment, who should come into the end of +the passage upon them but the heavy writer of these +doings I, John Ridd myself, and walking the faster, it +may be, on account of the noise I mentioned. I entered +the house with some wrath upon me at seeing the +gazehounds in the yard; for it seems a cruel thing to +me to harass the birds in the breeding-time. And to my +amazement there I saw Squire Marwood among the +milk-pans with his arm around our Annie's waist, and +Annie all blushing and coaxing him off, for she was not +come to scold yet. + +Perhaps I was wrong; God knows, and if I was, no doubt +I shall pay for it; but I gave him the flat of my hand +on his head, and down he went in the thick of the +milk-pans. He would have had my fist, I doubt, but for +having been at school with me; and after that it is +like enough he would never have spoken another word. +As it was, he lay stunned, with the cream running on +him; while I took poor Annie up and carried her in to +mother, who had heard the noise and was frightened. + +Concerning this matter I asked no more, but held myself +ready to bear it out in any form convenient, feeling +that I had done my duty, and cared not for the +consequence; only for several days dear Annie seemed +frightened rather than grateful. But the oddest result +of it was that Eliza, who had so despised me, and made +very rude verses about me, now came trying to sit on my +knee, and kiss me, and give me the best of the pan. +However, I would not allow it, because I hate sudden +changes. + +Another thing also astonished me--namely, a beautiful +letter from Marwood de Whichehalse himself (sent by a +groom soon afterwards), in which he apologised to me, +as if I had been his equal, for his rudeness to my +sister, which was not intended in the least, but came +of their common alarm at the moment, and his desire to +comfort her. Also he begged permission to come and see +me, as an old schoolfellow, and set everything straight +between us, as should be among honest Blundellites. + +All this was so different to my idea of fighting out a +quarrel, when once it is upon a man, that I knew not +what to make of it, but bowed to higher breeding. Only +one thing I resolved upon, that come when he would he +should not see Annie. And to do my sister justice, she +had no desire to see him. + +However, I am too easy, there is no doubt of that, +being very quick to forgive a man, and very slow to +suspect, unless he hath once lied to me. Moreover, as +to Annie, it had always seemed to me (much against my +wishes) that some shrewd love of a waiting sort was +between her and Tom Faggus: and though Tom had made his +fortune now, and everybody respected him, of course he +was not to be compared, in that point of +respectability, with those people who hanged the +robbers when fortune turned against them. + +So young Squire Marwood came again, as though I had +never smitten him, and spoke of it in as light a way as +if we were still at school together. It was not in my +nature, of course, to keep any anger against him; and I +knew what a condescension it was for him to visit us. +And it is a very grievous thing, which touches small +landowners, to see an ancient family day by day +decaying: and when we heard that Ley Barton itself, and +all the Manor of Lynton were under a heavy mortgage +debt to John Lovering of Weare-Gifford, there was not +much, in our little way, that we would not gladly do or +suffer for the benefit of De Whichehalse. + +Meanwhile the work of the farm was toward, and every +day gave us more ado to dispose of what itself was +doing. For after the long dry skeltering wind of March +and part of April, there had been a fortnight of soft +wet; and when the sun came forth again, hill and +valley, wood and meadow, could not make enough of him. +Many a spring have I seen since then, but never yet two +springs alike, and never one so beautiful. Or was it +that my love came forth and touched the world with +beauty? + +The spring was in our valley now; creeping first for +shelter shyly in the pause of the blustering wind. +There the lambs came bleating to her, and the orchis +lifted up, and the thin dead leaves of clover lay for +the new ones to spring through. There the stiffest +things that sleep, the stubby oak, and the saplin'd +beech, dropped their brown defiance to her, and +prepared for a soft reply. + +While her over-eager children (who had started forth to +meet her, through the frost and shower of sleet), +catkin'd hazel, gold-gloved withy, youthful elder, and +old woodbine, with all the tribe of good hedge-climbers +(who must hasten while haste they may)--was there one +of them that did not claim the merit of coming first? + +There she stayed and held her revel, as soon as the +fear of frost was gone; all the air was a fount of +freshness, and the earth of gladness, and the laughing +waters prattled of the kindness of the sun. + +But all this made it much harder for us, plying the hoe +and rake, to keep the fields with room upon them for +the corn to tiller. The winter wheat was well enough, +being sturdy and strong-sided; but the spring wheat and +the barley and the oats were overrun by ill weeds +growing faster. Therefore, as the old saying is,-- + + Farmer, that thy wife may thrive, + Let not burr and burdock wive; + And if thou wouldst keep thy son, + See that bine and gith have none. + +So we were compelled to go down the field and up it, +striking in and out with care where the green blades +hung together, so that each had space to move in and to +spread its roots abroad. And I do assure you now, +though you may not believe me, it was harder work to +keep John Fry, Bill Dadds, and Jem Slocomb all in a +line and all moving nimbly to the tune of my own tool, +than it was to set out in the morning alone, and hoe +half an acre by dinner-time. For, instead of keeping +the good ash moving, they would for ever be finding +something to look at or to speak of, or at any rate, to +stop with; blaming the shape of their tools perhaps, or +talking about other people's affairs; or, what was most +irksome of all to me, taking advantage as married men, +and whispering jokes of no excellence about my having, +or having not, or being ashamed of a sweetheart. And +this went so far at last that I was forced to take two +of them and knock their heads together; after which +they worked with a better will. + +When we met together in the evening round the kitchen +chimney-place, after the men had had their supper and +their heavy boots were gone, my mother and Eliza would +do their very utmost to learn what I was thinking of. +Not that we kept any fire now, after the crock was +emptied; but that we loved to see the ashes cooling, +and to be together. At these times Annie would never +ask me any crafty questions (as Eliza did), but would +sit with her hair untwined, and one hand underneath her +chin, sometimes looking softly at me, as much as to say +that she knew it all and I was no worse off than she. +But strange to say my mother dreamed not, even for an +instant, that it was possible for Annie to be thinking +of such a thing. She was so very good and quiet, and +careful of the linen, and clever about the cookery and +fowls and bacon-curing, that people used to laugh, and +say she would never look at a bachelor until her mother +ordered her. But I (perhaps from my own condition and +the sense of what it was) felt no certainty about this, +and even had another opinion, as was said before. + +Often I was much inclined to speak to her about it, and +put her on her guard against the approaches of Tom +Faggus; but I could not find how to begin, and feared +to make a breach between us; knowing that if her mind +was set, no words of mine would alter it; although they +needs must grieve her deeply. Moreover, I felt that, +in this case, a certain homely Devonshire proverb would +come home to me; that one, I mean, which records that +the crock was calling the kettle smutty. Not, of +course, that I compared my innocent maid to a +highwayman; but that Annie might think her worse, and +would be too apt to do so, if indeed she loved Tom +Faggus. And our Cousin Tom, by this time, was living a +quiet and godly life; having retired almost from the +trade (except when he needed excitement, or came across +public officers), and having won the esteem of all +whose purses were in his power. + +Perhaps it is needless for me to say that all this time +while my month was running--or rather crawling, for +never month went so slow as that with me--neither weed, +nor seed, nor cattle, nor my own mother's anxiety, nor +any care for my sister, kept me from looking once every +day, and even twice on a Sunday, for any sign of Lorna. +For my heart was ever weary; in the budding valleys, +and by the crystal waters, looking at the lambs in +fold, or the heifers on the mill, labouring in trickled +furrows, or among the beaded blades; halting fresh to +see the sun lift over the golden-vapoured ridge; or +doffing hat, from sweat of brow, to watch him sink in +the low gray sea; be it as it would of day, of work, or +night, or slumber, it was a weary heart I bore, and +fear was on the brink of it. + +All the beauty of the spring went for happy men to +think of; all the increase of the year was for other +eyes to mark. Not a sign of any sunrise for me from my +fount of life, not a breath to stir the dead leaves +fallen on my heart's Spring. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +A ROYAL INVITATION + +Although I had, for the most part, so very stout an +appetite, that none but mother saw any need of +encouraging me to eat, I could only manage one true +good meal in a day, at the time I speak of. Mother +was in despair at this, and tempted me with the whole +of the rack, and even talked of sending to Porlock for +a druggist who came there twice in a week; and Annie +spent all her time in cooking, and even Lizzie sang +songs to me; for she could sing very sweetly. But my +conscience told me that Betty Muxworthy had some reason +upon her side. + +'Latt the young ozebird aloun, zay I. Makk zuch ado +about un, wi' hogs'-puddens, and hock-bits, and +lambs'-mate, and whaten bradd indade, and brewers' ale +avore dinner-time, and her not to zit wi' no winder +aupen--draive me mad 'e doo, the ov'ee, zuch a passel +of voouls. Do 'un good to starve a bit; and takk zome +on's wackedness out ov un.' + +But mother did not see it so; and she even sent for +Nicholas Snowe to bring his three daughters with him, +and have ale and cake in the parlour, and advise about +what the bees were doing, and when a swarm might be +looked for. Being vexed about this and having to stop +at home nearly half the evening, I lost good manners so +much as to ask him (even in our own house!) what he +meant by not mending the swing-hurdle where the Lynn +stream flows from our land into his, and which he is +bound to maintain. But he looked at me in a superior +manner, and said, 'Business, young man, in business +time.' + +I had other reason for being vexed with Farmer Nicholas +just now, viz. that I had heard a rumour, after church +one Sunday--when most of all we sorrow over the sins of +one another--that Master Nicholas Snowe had been seen +to gaze tenderly at my mother, during a passage of the +sermon, wherein the parson spoke well and warmly about +the duty of Christian love. Now, putting one thing +with another, about the bees, and about some ducks, and +a bullock with a broken knee-cap, I more than suspected +that Farmer Nicholas was casting sheep's eyes at my +mother; not only to save all further trouble in the +matter of the hurdle, but to override me altogether +upon the difficult question of damming. And I knew +quite well that John Fry's wife never came to help at +the washing without declaring that it was a sin for a +well-looking woman like mother, with plenty to live on, +and only three children, to keep all the farmers for +miles around so unsettled in their minds about her. +Mother used to answer 'Oh fie, Mistress Fry! be good +enough to mind your own business.' But we always saw +that she smoothed her apron, and did her hair up +afterwards, and that Mistress Fry went home at night +with a cold pig's foot or a bowl of dripping. + +Therefore, on that very night, as I could not well +speak to mother about it, without seeming undutiful, +after lighting the three young ladies--for so in sooth +they called themselves--all the way home with our +stable-lanthorn, I begged good leave of Farmer Nicholas +(who had hung some way behind us) to say a word in +private to him, before he entered his own house. + +'Wi' all the plaisure in laife, my zon,' he answered +very graciously, thinking perhaps that I was prepared +to speak concerning Sally. + +'Now, Farmer Nicholas Snowe,' I said, scarce knowing +how to begin it, 'you must promise not to be vexed with +me, for what I am going to say to you.' + +'Vaxed wi' thee! Noo, noo, my lad. I 'ave a knowed +thee too long for that. And thy veyther were my best +friend, afore thee. Never wronged his neighbours, +never spak an unkind word, never had no maneness in +him. Tuk a vancy to a nice young 'ooman, and never kep +her in doubt about it, though there wadn't mooch to +zettle on her. Spak his maind laike a man, he did, and +right happy he were wi' her. Ah, well a day! Ah, God +knoweth best. I never shall zee his laike again. And +he were the best judge of a dung-heap anywhere in this +county.' + +'Well, Master Snowe,' I answered him, 'it is very +handsome of you to say so. And now I am going to be +like my father, I am going to speak my mind.' + +'Raight there, lad; raight enough, I reckon. Us has +had enough of pralimbinary.' + +'Then what I want to say is this--I won't have any one +courting my mother.' + +'Coortin' of thy mother, lad?' cried Farmer Snowe, with +as much amazement as if the thing were impossible; +'why, who ever hath been dooin' of it?' + +'Yes, courting of my mother, sir. And you know best +who comes doing it.' + +'Wull, wull! What will boys be up to next? Zhud a' +thought herzelf wor the proper judge. No thank 'ee, +lad, no need of thy light. Know the wai to my own +door, at laste; and have a raight to goo there.' And he +shut me out without so much as offering me a drink of +cider. + +The next afternoon, when work was over, I had seen to +the horses, for now it was foolish to trust John Fry, +because he had so many children, and his wife had taken +to scolding; and just as I was saying to myself that in +five days more my month would be done, and myself free +to seek Lorna, a man came riding up from the ford where +the road goes through the Lynn stream. As soon as I +saw that it was not Tom Faggus, I went no farther to +meet him, counting that it must be some traveller bound +for Brendon or Cheriton, and likely enough he would +come and beg for a draught of milk or cider; and then +on again, after asking the way. + +But instead of that, he stopped at our gate, and stood +up from his saddle, and halloed as if he were somebody; +and all the time he was flourishing a white thing in +the air, like the bands our parson weareth. So I +crossed the court-yard to speak with him. + +'Service of the King!' he saith; 'service of our lord +the King! Come hither, thou great yokel, at risk of +fine and imprisonment.' + +Although not pleased with this, I went to him, as +became a loyal man; quite at my leisure, however, for +there is no man born who can hurry me, though I hasten +for any woman. + +'Plover Barrows farm!' said he; 'God only knows how +tired I be. Is there any where in this cursed county +a cursed place called Plover Barrows farm? For last +twenty mile at least they told me 'twere only half a +mile farther, or only just round corner. Now tell me +that, and I fain would thwack thee if thou wert not +thrice my size.' + +'Sir,' I replied, 'you shall not have the trouble. +This is Plover's Barrows farm, and you are kindly +welcome. Sheep's kidneys is for supper, and the ale +got bright from the tapping. But why do you think ill +of us? We like not to be cursed so.' + +'Nay, I think no ill,' he said; 'sheep's kidneys is +good, uncommon good, if they do them without burning. +But I be so galled in the saddle ten days, and never a +comely meal of it. And when they hear "King's service" +cried, they give me the worst of everything. All the +way down from London, I had a rogue of a fellow in +front of me, eating the fat of the land before me, and +every one bowing down to him. He could go three miles +to my one though he never changed his horse. He might +have robbed me at any minute, if I had been worth the +trouble. A red mare he rideth, strong in the loins, +and pointed quite small in the head. I shall live to +see him hanged yet.' + +All this time he was riding across the straw of our +courtyard, getting his weary legs out of the leathers, +and almost afraid to stand yet. A coarse-grained, +hard-faced man he was, some forty years of age or so, +and of middle height and stature. He was dressed in a +dark brown riding suit, none the better for Exmoor mud, +but fitting him very differently from the fashion of +our tailors. Across the holsters lay his cloak, made +of some red skin, and shining from the sweating of the +horse. As I looked down on his stiff bright +head-piece, small quick eyes and black needly beard, he +seemed to despise me (too much, as I thought) for a +mere ignoramus and country bumpkin. + +'Annie, have down the cut ham,' I shouted, for my +sister was come to the door by chance, or because of +the sound of a horse in the road, 'and cut a few +rashers of hung deer's meat. There is a gentleman come +to sup, Annie. And fetch the hops out of the tap with +a skewer that it may run more sparkling.' + +'I wish I may go to a place never meant for me,' said +my new friend, now wiping his mouth with the sleeve of +his brown riding coat, 'if ever I fell among such good +folk. You are the right sort, and no error therein. +All this shall go in your favour greatly, when I make +deposition. At least, I mean, if it be as good in the +eating as in the hearing. 'Tis a supper quite fit for +Tom Faggus himself, the man who hath stolen my victuals +so. And that hung deer's meat, now is it of the red +deer running wild in these parts?' + +'To be sure it is, sir,' I answered; 'where should we +get any other?' + +'Right, right, you are right, my son. I have heard +that the flavour is marvellous. Some of them came and +scared me so, in the fog of the morning, that I +hungered for them ever since. Ha, ha, I saw their +haunches. But the young lady will not forget--art sure +she will not forget it?' + +'You may trust her to forget nothing, sir, that may +tempt a guest to his comfort.' + +'In faith, then, I will leave my horse in your hands, +and be off for it. Half the pleasure of the mouth is +in the nose beforehand. But stay, almost I forgot my +business, in the hurry which thy tongue hath spread +through my lately despairing belly. Hungry I am, and +sore of body, from my heels right upward, and sorest in +front of my doublet, yet may I not rest nor bite +barley-bread, until I have seen and touched John Ridd. +God grant that he be not far away; I must eat my +saddle, if it be so.' + +'Have no fear, good sir,' I answered; 'you have seen +and touched John Ridd. I am he, and not one likely to +go beneath a bushel.' + +'It would take a large bushel to hold thee, John Ridd. +In the name of the King, His Majesty, Charles the +Second, these presents!' + +He touched me with the white thing which I had first +seen him waving, and which I now beheld to be +sheepskin, such as they call parchment. It was tied +across with cord, and fastened down in every corner +with unsightly dabs of wax. By order of the messenger +(for I was over-frightened now to think of doing +anything), I broke enough of seals to keep an Easter +ghost from rising; and there I saw my name in large; +God grant such another shock may never befall me in my +old age. + +'Read, my son; read, thou great fool, if indeed thou +canst read,' said the officer to encourage me; 'there +is nothing to kill thee, boy, and my supper will be +spoiling. Stare not at me so, thou fool; thou art big +enough to eat me; read, read, read.' + +'If you please, sir, what is your name?' I asked; +though why I asked him I know not, except from fear of +witchcraft. + +'Jeremy Stickles is my name, lad, nothing more than a +poor apparitor of the worshipful Court of King's Bench. +And at this moment a starving one, and no supper for me +unless thou wilt read.' + +Being compelled in this way, I read pretty nigh as +follows; not that I give the whole of it, but only the +gist and the emphasis,-- + +'To our good subject, John Ridd, etc.'--describing me +ever so much better than I knew myself--'by these +presents, greeting. These are to require thee, in the +name of our lord the King, to appear in person before +the Right Worshipful, the Justices of His Majesty's +Bench at Westminster, laying aside all thine own +business, and there to deliver such evidence as is +within thy cognisance, touching certain matters whereby +the peace of our said lord the King, and the well-being +of this realm, is, are, or otherwise may be impeached, +impugned, imperilled, or otherwise detrimented. As +witness these presents.' And then there were four +seals, and then a signature I could not make out, only +that it began with a J, and ended with some other +writing, done almost in a circle. Underneath was added +in a different handwriting 'Charges will be borne. The +matter is full urgent.' + +The messenger watched me, while I read so much as I +could read of it; and he seemed well pleased with my +surprise, because he had expected it. Then, not +knowing what else to do, I looked again at the cover, +and on the top of it I saw, 'Ride, Ride, Ride! On His +Gracious Majesty's business; spur and spare not.' + +It may be supposed by all who know me, that I was taken +hereupon with such a giddiness in my head and noisiness +in my ears, that I was forced to hold by the crook +driven in below the thatch for holding of the +hay-rakes. There was scarcely any sense left in me, +only that the thing was come by power of Mother +Melldrum, because I despised her warning, and had again +sought Lorna. But the officer was grieved for me, and +the danger to his supper. + +'My son, be not afraid,' he said; 'we are not going to +skin thee. Only thou tell all the truth, and it shall +be--but never mind, I will tell thee all about it, and +how to come out harmless, if I find thy victuals good, +and no delay in serving them.' + +'We do our best, sir, without bargain,' said I, 'to +please our visitors.' + +But when my mother saw that parchment (for we could not +keep it from her) she fell away into her favourite bed +of stock gilly-flowers, which she had been tending; +and when we brought her round again, did nothing but +exclaim against the wickedness of the age and people. +'It was useless to tell her; she knew what it was, and +so should all the parish know. The King had heard what +her son was, how sober, and quiet, and diligent, and +the strongest young man in England; and being himself +such a reprobate--God forgive her for saying so--he +could never rest till he got poor Johnny, and made him +as dissolute as himself. And if he did that'--here +mother went off into a fit of crying; and Annie minded +her face, while Lizzie saw that her gown was in comely +order. + +But the character of the King improved, when Master +Jeremy Stickles (being really moved by the look of it, +and no bad man after all) laid it clearly before my +mother that the King on his throne was unhappy, until +he had seen John Ridd. That the fame of John had gone +so far, and his size, and all his virtues--that verily +by the God who made him, the King was overcome with it. + +Then mother lay back in her garden chair, and smiled +upon the whole of us, and most of all on Jeremy; +looking only shyly on me, and speaking through some +break of tears. 'His Majesty shall have my John; His +Majesty is very good: but only for a fortnight. I want +no titles for him. Johnny is enough for me; and Master +John for the working men.' + +Now though my mother was so willing that I should go to +London, expecting great promotion and high glory for +me, I myself was deeply gone into the pit of sorrow. +For what would Lorna think of me? Here was the long +month just expired, after worlds of waiting; there +would be her lovely self, peeping softly down the glen, +and fearing to encourage me; yet there would be nobody +else, and what an insult to her! Dwelling upon this, +and seeing no chance of escape from it, I could not +find one wink of sleep; though Jeremy Stickles (who +slept close by) snored loud enough to spare me some. +For I felt myself to be, as it were, in a place of some +importance; in a situation of trust, I may say; and +bound not to depart from it. For who could tell what +the King might have to say to me about the Doones--and +I felt that they were at the bottom of this strange +appearance--or what His Majesty might think, if after +receiving a message from him (trusty under so many +seals) I were to violate his faith in me as a +churchwarden's son, and falsely spread his words +abroad? + +Perhaps I was not wise in building such a wall of +scruples. Nevertheless, all that was there, and +weighed upon me heavily. And at last I made up my +mind to this, that even Lorna must not know the reason +of my going, neither anything about it; but that she +might know I was gone a long way from home, and perhaps +be sorry for it. Now how was I to let her know even +that much of the matter, without breaking compact? + +Puzzling on this, I fell asleep, after the proper time +to get up; nor was I to be seen at breakfast time; and +mother (being quite strange to that) was very uneasy +about it. But Master Stickles assured her that the +King's writ often had that effect, and the symptom was +a good one. + +'Now, Master Stickles, when must we start?' I asked +him, as he lounged in the yard gazing at our turkey +poults picking and running in the sun to the tune of +their father's gobble. 'Your horse was greatly +foundered, sir, and is hardly fit for the road to-day; +and Smiler was sledding yesterday all up the higher +Cleve; and none of the rest can carry me.' + +'In a few more years,' replied the King's officer, +contemplating me with much satisfaction; ''twill be a +cruelty to any horse to put thee on his back, John.' + +Master Stickles, by this time, was quite familiar with +us, calling me 'Jack,' and Eliza 'Lizzie,' and what I +liked the least of all, our pretty Annie 'Nancy.' + +'That will be as God pleases, sir,' I answered him, +rather sharply; 'and the horse that suffers will not be +thine. But I wish to know when we must start upon our +long travel to London town. I perceive that the matter +is of great despatch and urgency.' + +'To be sure, so it is, my son. But I see a yearling +turkey there, him I mean with the hop in his walk, who +(if I know aught of fowls) would roast well to-morrow. +Thy mother must have preparation: it is no more than +reasonable. Now, have that turkey killed to-night (for +his fatness makes me long for him), and we will have +him for dinner to-morrow, with, perhaps, one of his +brethren; and a few more collops of red deer's flesh +for supper, and then on the Friday morning, with the +grace of God, we will set our faces to the road, upon +His Majesty's business.' + +'Nay, but good sir,' I asked with some trembling, so +eager was I to see Lorna; 'if His Majesty's business +will keep till Friday, may it not keep until Monday? +We have a litter of sucking-pigs, excellently choice +and white, six weeks old, come Friday. There be too +many for the sow, and one of them needeth roasting. +Think you not it would be a pity to leave the women to +carve it?' + +'My son Jack,' replied Master Stickles, 'never was I in +such quarters yet: and God forbid that I should be so +unthankful to Him as to hurry away. And now I think on +it, Friday is not a day upon which pious people love to +commence an enterprise. I will choose the young pig +to-morrow at noon, at which time they are wont to +gambol; and we will celebrate his birthday by carving +him on Friday. After that we will gird our loins, and +set forth early on Saturday.' + +Now this was little better to me than if we had set +forth at once. Sunday being the very first day upon +which it would be honourable for me to enter Glen +Doone. But though I tried every possible means with +Master Jeremy Stickles, offering him the choice for +dinner of every beast that was on the farm, he durst +not put off our departure later than the Saturday. And +nothing else but love of us and of our hospitality +would have so persuaded him to remain with us till +then. Therefore now my only chance of seeing Lorna, +before I went, lay in watching from the cliff and +espying her, or a signal from her. + +This, however, I did in vain, until my eyes were weary +and often would delude themselves with hope of what +they ached for. But though I lay hidden behind the +trees upon the crest of the stony fall, and waited so +quiet that the rabbits and squirrels played around me, +and even the keen-eyed weasel took me for a trunk of +wood--it was all as one; no cast of colour changed the +white stone, whose whiteness now was hateful to me; nor +did wreath or skirt of maiden break the loneliness of +the vale. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +A SAFE PASS FOR KING'S MESSENGER + +A journey to London seemed to us in those bygone days +as hazardous and dark an adventure as could be forced +on any man. I mean, of course, a poor man; for to a +great nobleman, with ever so many outriders, +attendants, and retainers, the risk was not so great, +unless the highwaymen knew of their coming beforehand, +and so combined against them. To a poor man, however, +the risk was not so much from those gentlemen of the +road as from the more ignoble footpads, and the +landlords of the lesser hostels, and the loose +unguarded soldiers, over and above the pitfalls and the +quagmires of the way; so that it was hard to settle, at +the first outgoing whether a man were wise to pray more +for his neck or for his head. + +But nowadays it is very different. Not that +highway-men are scarce, in this the reign of our good +Queen Anne; for in truth they thrive as well as ever, +albeit they deserve it not, being less upright and +courteous--but that the roads are much improved, and +the growing use of stage-waggons (some of which will +travel as much as forty miles in a summer day) has +turned our ancient ideas of distance almost upside +down; and I doubt whether God be pleased with our +flying so fast away from Him. However, that is not my +business; nor does it lie in my mouth to speak very +strongly upon the subject, seeing how much I myself +have done towards making of roads upon Exmoor. + +To return to my story (and, in truth, I lose that road +too often), it would have taken ten King's messengers +to get me away from Plover's Barrows without one +goodbye to Lorna, but for my sense of the trust and +reliance which His Majesty had reposed in me. And now +I felt most bitterly how the very arrangements which +seemed so wise, and indeed ingenious, may by the force +of events become our most fatal obstacles. For lo! I +was blocked entirely from going to see Lorna; whereas +we should have fixed it so that I as well might have +the power of signalling my necessity. + +It was too late now to think of that; and so I made up +my mind at last to keep my honour on both sides, both +to the King and to the maiden, although I might lose +everything except a heavy heart for it. And indeed, +more hearts than mine were heavy; for when it came to +the tug of parting, my mother was like, and so was +Annie, to break down altogether. But I bade them be of +good cheer, and smiled in the briskest manner upon +them, and said that I should be back next week as one +of His Majesty's greatest captains, and told them not +to fear me then. Upon which they smiled at the idea of +ever being afraid of me, whatever dress I might have +on; and so I kissed my hand once more, and rode away +very bravely. But bless your heart, I could no more +have done so than flown all the way to London if Jeremy +Stickles had not been there. + +And not to take too much credit to myself in this +matter, I must confess that when we were come to the +turn in the road where the moor begins, and whence you +see the last of the yard, and the ricks and the poultry +round them and can (by knowing the place) obtain a +glance of the kitchen window under the walnut-tree, it +went so hard with me just here that I even made +pretence of a stone in ancient Smiler's shoe, to +dismount, and to bend my head awhile. Then, knowing +that those I had left behind would be watching to see +the last of me, and might have false hopes of my coming +back, I mounted again with all possible courage, and +rode after Jeremy Stickles. + +Jeremy, seeing how much I was down, did his best to +keep me up with jokes, and tales, and light discourse, +until, before we had ridden a league, I began to long +to see the things he was describing. The air, the +weather, and the thoughts of going to a wondrous place, +added to the fine company--at least so Jeremy said it +was--of a man who knew all London, made me feel that I +should be ungracious not to laugh a little. And being +very simple then I laughed no more a little, but +something quite considerable (though free from +consideration) at the strange things Master Stickles +told me, and his strange way of telling them. And so +we became very excellent friends, for he was much +pleased with my laughing. + +Not wishing to thrust myself more forward than need be +in this narrative, I have scarcely thought it becoming +or right to speak of my own adornments. But now, what +with the brave clothes I had on, and the better ones +still that were packed up in the bag behind the saddle, +it is almost beyond me to forbear saying that I must +have looked very pleasing. And many a time I wished, +going along, that Lorna could only be here and there, +watching behind a furze-bush, looking at me, and +wondering how much my clothes had cost. For mother +would have no stint in the matter, but had assembled at +our house, immediately upon knowledge of what was to be +about London, every man known to be a good stitcher +upon our side of Exmoor. And for three days they had +worked their best, without stint of beer or cider, +according to the constitution of each. The result, so +they all declared, was such as to create admiration, +and defy competition in London. And to me it seemed +that they were quite right; though Jeremy Stickles +turned up his nose, and feigned to be deaf in the +business. + +Now be that matter as you please--for the point is not +worth arguing--certain it is that my appearance was +better than it had been before. For being in the best +clothes, one tries to look and to act (so far as may +be) up to the quality of them. Not only for the fear +of soiling them, but that they enlarge a man's +perception of his value. And it strikes me that our +sins arise, partly from disdain of others, but mainly +from contempt of self, both working the despite of God. +But men of mind may not be measured by such paltry rule +as this. + +By dinner-time we arrived at Porlock, and dined with my +old friend, Master Pooke, now growing rich and portly. +For though we had plenty of victuals with us we were +not to begin upon them, until all chance of victualling +among our friends was left behind. And during that +first day we had no need to meddle with our store at +all; for as had been settled before we left home, we +lay that night at Dunster in the house of a worthy +tanner, first cousin to my mother, who received us very +cordially, and undertook to return old Smiler to his +stable at Plover's Barrows, after one day's rest. + +Thence we hired to Bridgwater; and from Bridgwater on +to Bristowe, breaking the journey between the two. But +although the whole way was so new to me, and such a +perpetual source of conflict, that the remembrance +still abides with me, as if it were but yesterday, I +must not be so long in telling as it was in travelling, +or you will wish me farther; both because Lorna was +nothing there, and also because a man in our +neighbourhood had done the whole of it since my time, +and feigns to think nothing of it. However, one thing, +in common justice to a person who has been traduced, I +am bound to mention. And this is, that being two of +us, and myself of such magnitude, we never could have +made our journey without either fight or running, but +for the free pass which dear Annie, by some means (I +know not what), had procured from Master Faggus. And +when I let it be known, by some hap, that I was the own +cousin of Tom Faggus, and honoured with his society, +there was not a house upon the road but was proud to +entertain me, in spite of my fellow-traveller, bearing +the red badge of the King. + +'I will keep this close, my son Jack,' he said, having +stripped it off with a carving-knife; 'your flag is the +best to fly. The man who starved me on the way down, +the same shall feed me fat going home.' + +Therefore we pursued our way, in excellent condition, +having thriven upon the credit of that very popular +highwayman, and being surrounded with regrets that he +had left the profession, and sometimes begged to +intercede that he might help the road again. For all +the landlords on the road declared that now small ale +was drunk, nor much of spirits called for, because the +farmers need not prime to meet only common riders, +neither were these worth the while to get drunk with +afterwards. Master Stickles himself undertook, as an +officer of the King's Justices to plead this case with +Squire Faggus (as everybody called him now), and to +induce him, for the general good, to return to his +proper ministry. + +It was a long and weary journey, although the roads are +wondrous good on the farther side of Bristowe, and +scarcely any man need be bogged, if he keeps his eyes +well open, save, perhaps, in Berkshire. In consequence +of the pass we had, and the vintner's knowledge of it, +we only met two public riders, one of whom made off +straightway when he saw my companion's pistols and the +stout carbine I bore; and the other came to a parley +with us, and proved most kind and affable, when he knew +himself in the presence of the cousin of Squire Faggus. +'God save you, gentlemen,' he cried, lifting his hat +politely; 'many and many a happy day I have worked this +road with him. Such times will never be again. But +commend me to his love and prayers. King my name is, +and King my nature. Say that, and none will harm +you.' And so he made off down the hill, being a perfect +gentleman, and a very good horse he was riding. + +The night was falling very thick by the time we were +come to Tyburn, and here the King's officer decided +that it would be wise to halt, because the way was +unsafe by night across the fields to Charing village. +I for my part was nothing loth, and preferred to see +London by daylight. + +And after all, it was not worth seeing, but a very +hideous and dirty place, not at all like Exmoor. Some +of the shops were very fine, and the signs above them +finer still, so that I was never weary of standing +still to look at them. But in doing this there was no +ease; for before one could begin almost to make out the +meaning of them, either some of the wayfarers would +bustle and scowl, and draw their swords, or the owner, +or his apprentice boys, would rush out and catch hold +of me, crying, 'Buy, buy, buy! What d'ye lack, what +d'ye lack? Buy, buy, buy!' At first I mistook the +meaning of this--for so we pronounce the word 'boy' +upon Exmoor--and I answered with some indignation, +'Sirrah, I am no boy now, but a man of one-and-twenty +years; and as for lacking, I lack naught from thee, +except what thou hast not--good manners.' + +The only things that pleased me much, were the river +Thames, and the hall and church of Westminster, where +there are brave things to be seen, and braver still to +think about. But whenever I wandered in the streets, +what with the noise the people made, the number of the +coaches, the running of the footmen, the swaggering of +great courtiers, and the thrusting aside of everybody, +many and many a time I longed to be back among the +sheep again, for fear of losing temper. They were +welcome to the wall for me, as I took care to tell +them, for I could stand without the wall, which perhaps +was more than they could do. Though I said this with +the best intention, meaning no discourtesy, some of +them were vexed at it; and one young lord, being +flushed with drink, drew his sword and made at me. But +I struck it up with my holly stick, so that it flew on +the roof of a house, then I took him by the belt with +one hand, and laid him in the kennel. This caused some +little disturbance; but none of the rest saw fit to try +how the matter might be with them. + +Now this being the year of our Lord 1683, more than +nine years and a half since the death of my father, and +the beginning of this history, all London was in a +great ferment about the dispute between the Court of +the King and the City. The King, or rather perhaps his +party (for they said that His Majesty cared for little +except to have plenty of money and spend it), was quite +resolved to be supreme in the appointment of the chief +officers of the corporation. But the citizens +maintained that (under their charter) this right lay +entirely with themselves; upon which a writ was issued +against them for forfeiture of their charter; and the +question was now being tried in the court of His +Majesty's bench. + +This seemed to occupy all the attention of the judges, +and my case (which had appeared so urgent) was put off +from time to time, while the Court and the City +contended. And so hot was the conflict and hate +between them, that a sheriff had been fined by the King +in 100,000 pounds, and a former lord mayor had even +been sentenced to the pillory, because he would not +swear falsely. Hence the courtiers and the citizens +scarce could meet in the streets with patience, or +without railing and frequent blows. + +Now although I heard so much of this matter, for +nothing else was talked of, and it seeming to me more +important even than the churchwardenship of Oare, I +could not for the life of me tell which side I should +take to. For all my sense of position, and of +confidence reposed in me, and of my father's opinions, +lay heavily in one scale, while all my reason and my +heart went down plump against injustice, and seemed to +win the other scale. Even so my father had been, at +the breaking out of the civil war, when he was less +than my age now, and even less skilled in politics; and +my mother told me after this, when she saw how I myself +was doubting, and vexed with myself for doing so, that +my father used to thank God often that he had not been +called upon to take one side or other, but might remain +obscure and quiet. And yet he always considered +himself to be a good, sound Royalist. + +But now as I stayed there, only desirous to be heard +and to get away, and scarcely even guessing yet what +was wanted of me (for even Jeremy Stickles knew not, or +pretended not to know), things came to a dreadful pass +between the King and all the people who dared to have +an opinion. For about the middle of June, the judges +gave their sentence, that the City of London had +forfeited its charter, and that its franchise should be +taken into the hands of the King. Scarcely was this +judgment forth, and all men hotly talking of it, when a +far worse thing befell. News of some great conspiracy +was spread at every corner, and that a man in the +malting business had tried to take up the brewer's +work, and lop the King and the Duke of York. Everybody +was shocked at this, for the King himself was not +disliked so much as his advisers; but everybody was +more than shocked, grieved indeed to the heart with +pain, at hearing that Lord William Russell and Mr. +Algernon Sidney had been seized and sent to the Tower +of London, upon a charge of high treason. + +Having no knowledge of these great men, nor of the +matter how far it was true, I had not very much to say +about either of them or it; but this silence was not +shared (although the ignorance may have been) by the +hundreds of people around me. Such a commotion was +astir, such universal sense of wrong, and stern resolve +to right it, that each man grasped his fellow's hand, +and led him into the vintner's. Even I, although at +that time given to excess in temperance, and afraid of +the name of cordials, was hard set (I do assure you) +not to be drunk at intervals without coarse +discourtesy. + +However, that (as Betty Muxworthy used to say, when +argued down, and ready to take the mop for it) is +neither here nor there. I have naught to do with great +history and am sorry for those who have to write it; +because they are sure to have both friends and enemies +in it, and cannot act as they would towards them, +without damage to their own consciences. + +But as great events draw little ones, and the rattle of +the churn decides the uncertainty of the flies, so this +movement of the town, and eloquence, and passion had +more than I guessed at the time, to do with my own +little fortunes. For in the first place it was fixed +(perhaps from down right contumely, because the +citizens loved him so) that Lord Russell should be +tried neither at Westminster nor at Lincoln's Inn, but +at the Court of Old Bailey, within the precincts of the +city. This kept me hanging on much longer; because +although the good nobleman was to be tried by the Court +of Common Pleas, yet the officers of King's Bench, to +whom I daily applied myself, were in counsel with their +fellows, and put me off from day to day. + +Now I had heard of the law's delays, which the greatest +of all great poets (knowing much of the law himself, as +indeed of everything) has specially mentioned, when not +expected, among the many ills of life. But I never +thought at my years to have such bitter experience of +the evil; and it seemed to me that if the lawyers +failed to do their duty, they ought to pay people for +waiting upon them, instead of making them pay for it. +But here I was, now in the second month living at my +own charges in the house of a worthy fellmonger at the +sign of the Seal and Squirrel, abutting upon the Strand +road which leads from Temple Bar to Charing. Here I +did very well indeed, having a mattress of good +skin-dressings, and plenty to eat every day of my life, +but the butter was something to cry 'but' thrice at +(according to a conceit of our school days), and the +milk must have come from cows driven to water. +However, these evils were light compared with the heavy +bill sent up to me every Saturday afternoon; and +knowing how my mother had pinched to send me nobly to +London, and had told me to spare for nothing, but live +bravely with the best of them, the tears very nearly +came into my eyes, as I thought, while I ate, of so +robbing her. + +At length, being quite at the end of my money, and +seeing no other help for it, I determined to listen to +clerks no more, but force my way up to the Justices, +and insist upon being heard by them, or discharged from +my recognisance. For so they had termed the bond or +deed which I had been forced to execute, in the +presence of a chief clerk or notary, the very day after +I came to London. And the purport of it was, that on +pain of a heavy fine or escheatment, I would hold +myself ready and present, to give evidence when called +upon. Having delivered me up to sign this, Jeremy +Stickles was quit of me, and went upon other business, +not but what he was kind and good to me, when his time +and pursuits allowed of it. + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +A GREAT MAN ATTENDS TO BUSINESS + +Having seen Lord Russell murdered in the fields of +Lincoln's Inn, or rather having gone to see it, but +turned away with a sickness and a bitter flood of +tears--for a whiter and a nobler neck never fell before +low beast--I strode away towards Westminster, cured of +half my indignation at the death of Charles the First. +Many people hurried past me, chiefly of the more tender +sort, revolting at the butchery. In their ghastly +faces, as they turned them back, lest the sight should +be coming after them, great sorrow was to be seen, and +horror, and pity, and some anger. + +In Westminster Hall I found nobody; not even the crowd +of crawling varlets, who used to be craving evermore +for employment or for payment. I knocked at three +doors, one after other, of lobbies going out of it, +where I had formerly seen some officers and people +pressing in and out, but for my trouble I took nothing, +except some thumps from echo. And at last an old man +told me that all the lawyers were gone to see the +result of their own works, in the fields of Lincoln's +Inn. + +However, in a few days' time, I had better fortune; for +the court was sitting and full of business, to clear +off the arrears of work, before the lawyers' holiday. +As I was waiting in the hall for a good occasion, a man +with horsehair on his head, and a long blue bag in his +left hand, touched me gently on the arm, and led me +into a quiet place. I followed him very gladly, being +confident that he came to me with a message from the +Justiciaries. But after taking pains to be sure that +none could overhear us, he turned on me suddenly, and +asked,-- + +'Now, John, how is your dear mother?' + +'Worshipful sir' I answered him, after recovering from +my surprise at his knowledge of our affairs, and kindly +interest in them, 'it is two months now since I have +seen her. Would to God that I only knew how she is +faring now, and how the business of the farm goes!' + +'Sir, I respect and admire you,' the old gentleman +replied, with a bow very low and genteel; 'few young +court-gallants of our time are so reverent and dutiful. +Oh, how I did love my mother!' Here he turned up his +eyes to heaven, in a manner that made me feel for him +and yet with a kind of wonder. + +'I am very sorry for you, sir,' I answered most +respectfully, not meaning to trespass on his grief, yet +wondering at his mother's age; for he seemed to be at +least threescore; 'but I am no court-gallant, sir; I +am only a farmer's son, and learning how to farm a +little.' + +'Enough, John; quite enough,' he cried, 'I can read it +in thy countenance. Honesty is written there, and +courage and simplicity. But I fear that, in this town +of London, thou art apt to be taken in by people of no +principle. Ah me! Ah me! The world is bad, and I am +too old to improve it.' + +Then finding him so good and kind, and anxious to +improve the age, I told him almost everything; how much +I paid the fellmonger, and all the things I had been to +see; and how I longed to get away, before the corn was +ripening; yet how (despite of these desires) I felt +myself bound to walk up and down, being under a thing +called 'recognisance.' In short, I told him everything; +except the nature of my summons (which I had no right +to tell), and that I was out of money. + +My tale was told in a little archway, apart from other +lawyers; and the other lawyers seemed to me to shift +themselves, and to look askew, like sheep through a +hurdle, when the rest are feeding. + +'What! Good God!' my lawyer cried, smiting his breast +indignantly with a roll of something learned; 'in what +country do we live? Under what laws are we governed? +No case before the court whatever; no primary +deposition, so far as we are furnished; not even a +King's writ issued--and here we have a fine young man +dragged from his home and adoring mother, during the +height of agriculture, at his own cost and charges! I +have heard of many grievances; but this the very worst +of all. Nothing short of a Royal Commission could be +warranty for it. This is not only illegal, sir, but +most gravely unconstitutional.' + +'I had not told you, worthy sir,' I answered him, in a +lower tone, 'if I could have thought that your sense of +right would be moved so painfully. But now I must beg +to leave you, sir--for I see that the door again is +open. I beg you, worshipful sir, to accept--' + +Upon this he put forth his hand and said, 'Nay, nay, my +son, not two, not two:' yet looking away, that he might +not scare me. + +'To accept, kind sir, my very best thanks, and most +respectful remembrances.' And with that, I laid my hand +in his. 'And if, sir, any circumstances of business or +of pleasure should bring you to our part of the world, +I trust you will not forget that my mother and myself +(if ever I get home again) will do our best to make you +comfortable with our poor hospitality.' + +With this I was hasting away from him, but he held my +hand and looked round at me. And he spoke without +cordiality. + +'Young man, a general invitation is no entry for my fee +book. I have spent a good hour of business-time in +mastering thy case, and stating my opinion of it. And +being a member of the bar, called six-and-thirty years +agone by the honourable society of the Inner Temple, my +fee is at my own discretion; albeit an honorarium. For +the honour of the profession, and my position in it, I +ought to charge thee at least five guineas, although I +would have accepted one, offered with good will and +delicacy. Now I will enter it two, my son, and half a +crown for my clerk's fee.' + +Saying this, he drew forth from his deep, blue bag, a +red book having clasps to it, and endorsed in gold +letters 'Fee-book'; and before I could speak (being +frightened so) he had entered on a page of it, 'To +consideration of ease as stated by John Ridd, and +advising thereupon, two guineas.' + +'But sir, good sir,' I stammered forth, not having two +guineas left in the world, yet grieving to confess it, +'I knew not that I was to pay, learned sir. I never +thought of it in that way.' + +'Wounds of God! In what way thought you that a lawyer +listened to your rigmarole?' + +'I thought that you listened from kindness, sir, and +compassion of my grievous case, and a sort of liking +for me.' + +'A lawyer like thee, young curmudgeon! A lawyer afford +to feel compassion gratis! Either thou art a very deep +knave, or the greenest of all greenhorns. Well, I +suppose, I must let thee off for one guinea, and the +clerk's fee. A bad business, a shocking business!' + +Now, if this man had continued kind and soft, as when +he heard my story, I would have pawned my clothes to +pay him, rather than leave a debt behind, although +contracted unwittingly. But when he used harsh +language so, knowing that I did not deserve it, I began +to doubt within myself whether he deserved my money. +Therefore I answered him with some readiness, such as +comes sometimes to me, although I am so slow. + +'Sir, I am no curmudgeon: if a young man had called me +so, it would not have been well with him. This money +shall be paid, if due, albeit I had no desire to incur +the debt. You have advised me that the Court is liable +for my expenses, so far as they be reasonable. If this +be a reasonable expense, come with me now to Lord +Justice Jeffreys, and receive from him the two guineas, +or (it may be) five, for the counsel you have given me +to deny his jurisdiction.' With these words, I took his +arm to lead him, for the door was open still. + +'In the name of God, boy, let me go. Worthy sir, pray +let me go. My wife is sick, and my daughter dying--in +the name of God, sir, let me go.' + +'Nay, nay,' I said, having fast hold of him, 'I cannot +let thee go unpaid, sir. Right is right; and thou +shalt have it.' + +'Ruin is what I shall have, boy, if you drag me before +that devil. He will strike me from the bar at once, +and starve me, and all my family. Here, lad, good lad, +take these two guineas. Thou hast despoiled the +spoiler. Never again will I trust mine eyes for +knowledge of a greenhorn.' + +He slipped two guineas into the hand which I had hooked +through his elbow, and spoke in an urgent whisper +again, for the people came crowding around us--'For +God's sake let me go, boy; another moment will be too +late.' + +'Learned sir,' I answered him, 'twice you spoke, unless +I err, of the necessity of a clerk's fee, as a thing to +be lamented.' + +'To be sure, to be sure, my son. You have a clerk as +much as I have. There it is. Now I pray thee, take to +the study of the law. Possession is nine points of it, +which thou hast of me. Self-possession is the tenth, +and that thou hast more than the other nine.' + +Being flattered by this, and by the feeling of the two +guineas and half-crown, I dropped my hold upon +Counsellor Kitch (for he was no less a man than that), +and he was out of sight in a second of time, wig, blue +bag, and family. And before I had time to make up my +mind what I should do with his money (for of course I +meant not to keep it) the crier of the Court (as they +told me) came out, and wanted to know who I was. I +told him, as shortly as I could, that my business lay +with His Majesty's bench, and was very confidential; +upon which he took me inside with warning, and showed +me to an under-clerk, who showed me to a higher one, +and the higher clerk to the head one. + +When this gentleman understood all about my business +(which I told him without complaint) he frowned at me +very heavily, as if I had done him an injury. + +'John Ridd,' he asked me with a stern glance, 'is it +your deliberate desire to be brought into the presence +of the Lord Chief Justice?' + +'Surely, sir, it has been my desire for the last two +months and more.' + +'Then, John, thou shalt be. But mind one thing, not a +word of thy long detention, or thou mayst get into +trouble.' + +'How, sir? For being detained against my own wish?' I +asked him; but he turned away, as if that matter were +not worth his arguing, as, indeed, I suppose it was +not, and led me through a little passage to a door with +a curtain across it. + +'Now, if my Lord cross-question you,' the gentleman +whispered to me, 'answer him straight out truth at +once, for he will have it out of thee. And mind, he +loves not to be contradicted, neither can he bear a +hang-dog look. Take little heed of the other two; but +note every word of the middle one; and never make him +speak twice.' + +I thanked him for his good advice, as he moved the +curtain and thrust me in, but instead of entering +withdrew, and left me to bear the brunt of it. + +The chamber was not very large, though lofty to my +eyes, and dark, with wooden panels round it. At the +further end were some raised seats, such as I have seen +in churches, lined with velvet, and having broad +elbows, and a canopy over the middle seat. There were +only three men sitting here, one in the centre, and one +on each side; and all three were done up wonderfully +with fur, and robes of state, and curls of thick gray +horsehair, crimped and gathered, and plaited down to +their shoulders. Each man had an oak desk before him, +set at a little distance, and spread with pens and +papers. Instead of writing, however, they seemed to be +laughing and talking, or rather the one in the middle +seemed to be telling some good story, which the others +received with approval. By reason of their great +perukes it was hard to tell how old they were; but the +one who was speaking seemed the youngest, although he +was the chief of them. A thick-set, burly, and bulky +man, with a blotchy broad face, and great square jaws, +and fierce eyes full of blazes; he was one to be +dreaded by gentle souls, and to be abhorred by the +noble. + +Between me and the three lord judges, some few lawyers +were gathering up bags and papers and pens and so +forth, from a narrow table in the middle of the room, +as if a case had been disposed of, and no other were +called on. But before I had time to look round twice, +the stout fierce man espied me, and shouted out with a +flashing stare'-- + +'How now, countryman, who art thou?' + +'May it please your worship,' I answered him loudly, 'I +am John Ridd, of Oare parish, in the shire of Somerset, +brought to this London, some two months back by a +special messenger, whose name is Jeremy Stickles; and +then bound over to be at hand and ready, when called +upon to give evidence, in a matter unknown to me, but +touching the peace of our lord the King, and the +well-being of his subjects. Three times I have met our +lord the King, but he hath said nothing about his +peace, and only held it towards me, and every day, save +Sunday, I have walked up and down the great hall of +Westminster, all the business part of the day, +expecting to be called upon, yet no one hath called +upon me. And now I desire to ask your worship, whether +I may go home again?' + +'Well, done, John,' replied his lordship, while I was +panting with all this speech; 'I will go bail for thee, +John, thou hast never made such a long speech before; +and thou art a spunky Briton, or thou couldst not have +made it now. I remember the matter well, and I myself +will attend to it, although it arose before my time' +--he was but newly Chief Justice--'but I cannot take it +now, John. There is no fear of losing thee, John, any +more than the Tower of London. I grieve for His +Majesty's exchequer, after keeping thee two months or +more.' + +'Nay, my lord, I crave your pardon. My mother hath +been keeping me. Not a groat have I received.' + +'Spank, is it so?' his lordship cried, in a voice that +shook the cobwebs, and the frown on his brow shook the +hearts of men, and mine as much as the rest of them,-- +'Spank, is His Majesty come to this, that he starves +his own approvers?' + +'My lord, my lord,' whispered Mr. Spank, the +chief-officer of evidence, 'the thing hath been +overlooked, my lord, among such grave matters of +treason.' + +'I will overlook thy head, foul Spank, on a spike from +Temple Bar, if ever I hear of the like again. Vile +varlet, what art thou paid for? Thou hast swindled the +money thyself, foul Spank; I know thee, though thou art +new to me. Bitter is the day for thee that ever I came +across thee. Answer me not--one word more and I will +have thee on a hurdle.' And he swung himself to and fro +on his bench, with both hands on his knees; and every +man waited to let it pass, knowing better than to speak +to him. + +'John Ridd,' said the Lord Chief Justice, at last +recovering a sort of dignity, yet daring Spank from the +corners of his eyes to do so much as look at him, 'thou +hast been shamefully used, John Ridd. Answer me not +boy; not a word; but go to Master Spank, and let me +know how he behaves to thee;' here he made a glance at +Spank, which was worth at least ten pounds to me; 'be +thou here again to-morrow, and before any other case is +taken, I will see justice done to thee. Now be off +boy; thy name is Ridd, and we are well rid of thee.' + +I was only too glad to go, after all this tempest; as +you may well suppose. For if ever I saw a man's eyes +become two holes for the devil to glare from, I saw it +that day; and the eyes were those of the Lord Chief +Justice Jeffreys. + +Mr. Spank was in the lobby before me, and before I had +recovered myself--for I was vexed with my own +terror--he came up sidling and fawning to me, with a +heavy bag of yellow leather. + +'Good Master Ridd, take it all, take it all, and say a +good word for me to his lordship. He hath taken a +strange fancy to thee; and thou must make the most of +it. We never saw man meet him eye to eye so, and yet +not contradict him, and that is just what he loveth. +Abide in London, Master Ridd, and he will make thy +fortune. His joke upon thy name proves that. And I +pray you remember, Master Ridd, that the Spanks are +sixteen in family.' + +But I would not take the bag from him, regarding it as +a sort of bribe to pay me such a lump of money, without +so much as asking how great had been my expenses. +Therefore I only told him that if he would kindly keep +the cash for me until the morrow, I would spend the +rest of the day in counting (which always is sore work +with me) how much it had stood me in board and lodging, +since Master Stickles had rendered me up; for until +that time he had borne my expenses. In the morning I +would give Mr. Spank a memorandum, duly signed, and +attested by my landlord, including the breakfast of +that day, and in exchange for this I would take the +exact amount from the yellow bag, and be very thankful +for it. + +'If that is thy way of using opportunity,' said Spank, +looking at me with some contempt, 'thou wilt never +thrive in these times, my lad. Even the Lord Chief +Justice can be little help to thee; unless thou knowest +better than that how to help thyself ' + +It mattered not to me. The word 'approver' stuck in my +gorge, as used by the Lord Chief Justice; for we looked +upon an approver as a very low thing indeed. I would +rather pay for every breakfast, and even every dinner, +eaten by me since here I came, than take money as an +approver. And indeed I was much disappointed at being +taken in that light, having understood that I was sent +for as a trusty subject, and humble friend of His +Majesty. + +In the morning I met Mr. Spank waiting for me at the +entrance, and very desirous to see me. I showed him my +bill, made out in fair copy, and he laughed at it, and +said, 'Take it twice over, Master Ridd; once for thine +own sake, and once for His Majesty's; as all his loyal +tradesmen do, when they can get any. His Majesty knows +and is proud of it, for it shows their love of his +countenance; and he says, "bis dat qui cito dat," then +how can I grumble at giving twice, when I give so +slowly?' + +'Nay, I will take it but once,' I said; 'if His Majesty +loves to be robbed, he need not lack of his desire, +while the Spanks are sixteen in family.' + +The clerk smiled cheerfully at this, being proud of his +children's ability; and then having paid my account, he +whispered,-- + +'He is all alone this morning, John, and in rare good +humour. He hath been promised the handling of poor +Master Algernon Sidney, and he says he will soon make +republic of him; for his state shall shortly be +headless. He is chuckling over his joke, like a pig +with a nut; and that always makes him pleasant. John +Ridd, my lord!' With that he swung up the curtain +bravely, and according to special orders, I stood, face +to face, and alone with Judge Jeffreys. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +JOHN IS DRAINED AND CAST ASIDE + +His lordship was busy with some letters, and did not +look up for a minute or two, although he knew that I +was there. Meanwhile I stood waiting to make my bow; +afraid to begin upon him, and wondering at his great +bull-head. Then he closed his letters, well-pleased +with their import, and fixed his bold broad stare on +me, as if I were an oyster opened, and he would know +how fresh I was. + +'May it please your worship,' I said, 'here I am +according to order, awaiting your good pleasure.' + +'Thou art made to weight, John, more than order. How +much dost thou tip the scales to?' + +'Only twelvescore pounds, my lord, when I be in +wrestling trim. And sure I must have lost weight +here, fretting so long in London.' + +'Ha, ha! Much fret is there in thee! Hath His Majesty +seen thee?' + +'Yes, my lord, twice or even thrice; and he made some +jest concerning me.' + +'A very bad one, I doubt not. His humour is not so +dainty as mine, but apt to be coarse and unmannerly. +Now John, or Jack, by the look of thee, thou art more +used to be called.' + +'Yes, your worship, when I am with old Molly and Betty +Muxworthy.' + +'Peace, thou forward varlet! There is a deal too much +of thee. We shall have to try short commons with +thee, and thou art a very long common. Ha, ha! Where +is that rogue Spank? Spank must hear that by-and-by. +It is beyond thy great thick head, Jack.' + +'Not so, my lord; I have been at school, and had very +bad jokes made upon me.' + +'Ha, ha! It hath hit thee hard. And faith, it would be +hard to miss thee, even with harpoon. And thou lookest +like to blubber, now. Capital, in faith! I have thee +on every side, Jack, and thy sides are manifold; +many-folded at any rate. Thou shalt have double +expenses, Jack, for the wit thou hast provoked in me.' + +'Heavy goods lack heavy payment, is a proverb down our +way, my lord.' + +'Ah, I hurt thee, I hurt thee, Jack. The harpoon hath +no tickle for thee. Now, Jack Whale, having hauled +thee hard, we will proceed to examine thee.' Here all +his manner was changed, and he looked with his heavy +brows bent upon me, as if he had never laughed in his +life, and would allow none else to do so. + +'I am ready to answer, my lord,' I replied, 'if he asks +me nought beyond my knowledge, or beyond my honour.' + +'Hadst better answer me everything, lump. What hast +thou to do with honour? Now is there in thy +neighbourhood a certain nest of robbers, miscreants, +and outlaws, whom all men fear to handle?' + +'Yes, my lord. At least, I believe some of them be +robbers, and all of them are outlaws.' + +'And what is your high sheriff about, that he doth not +hang them all? Or send them up for me to hang, without +more to do about them?' + +'I reckon that he is afraid, my lord; it is not safe to +meddle with them. They are of good birth, and +reckless; and their place is very strong.' + +'Good birth! What was Lord Russell of, Lord Essex, and +this Sidney? 'Tis the surest heirship to the block to +be the chip of a good one. What is the name of this +pestilent race, and how many of them are there?' + +'They are the Doones of Bagworthy forest, may it please +your worship. And we reckon there be about forty of +them, beside the women and children.' + +'Forty Doones, all forty thieves! and women and +children! Thunder of God! How long have they been there +then?' + +'They may have been there thirty years, my lord; and +indeed they may have been forty. Before the great war +broke out they came, longer back than I can remember.' + +'Ay, long before thou wast born, John. Good, thou +speakest plainly. Woe betide a liar, whenso I get hold +of him. Ye want me on the Western Circuit; by God, and +ye shall have me, when London traitors are spun and +swung. There is a family called De Whichehalse living +very nigh thee, John?' + +This he said in a sudden manner, as if to take me off +my guard, and fixed his great thick eyes on me. And in +truth I was much astonished. + +'Yes, my lord, there is. At least, not so very far +from us. Baron de Whichehalse, of Ley Manor.' + +'Baron, ha! of the Exchequer--eh, lad? And taketh dues +instead of His Majesty. Somewhat which halts there +ought to come a little further, I trow. It shall be +seen to, as well as the witch which makes it so to +halt. Riotous knaves in West England, drunken outlaws, +you shall dance, if ever I play pipe for you. John +Ridd, I will come to Oare parish, and rout out the Oare +of Babylon.' + +'Although your worship is so learned,' I answered +seeing that now he was beginning to make things uneasy; +'your worship, though being Chief Justice, does little +justice to us. We are downright good and loyal folk; +and I have not seen, since here I came to this great +town of London, any who may better us, or even come +anigh us, in honesty, and goodness, and duty to our +neighbours. For we are very quiet folk, not prating +our own virtues--' + +'Enough, good John, enough! Knowest thou not that +modesty is the maidenhood of virtue, lost even by her +own approval? Now hast thou ever heard or thought that +De Whichehalse is in league with the Doones of +Bagworthy?' + +Saying these words rather slowly, he skewered his great +eyes into mine, so that I could not think at all, +neither look at him, nor yet away. The idea was so new +to me that it set my wits all wandering; and looking +into me, he saw that I was groping for the truth. + +'John Ridd, thine eyes are enough for me. I see thou +hast never dreamed of it. Now hast thou ever seen a +man whose name is Thomas Faggus?' + +'Yes, sir, many and many a time. He is my own worthy +cousin; and I fear he that hath intentions'--here I +stopped, having no right there to speak about our +Annie. + +'Tom Faggus is a good man,' he said; and his great +square face had a smile which showed me he had met my +cousin; 'Master Faggus hath made mistakes as to the +title to property, as lawyers oftentimes may do; but +take him all for all, he is a thoroughly +straightforward man; presents his bill, and has it +paid, and makes no charge for drawing it. +Nevertheless, we must tax his costs, as of any other +solicitor.' + +'To be sure, to be sure, my lord!' was all that I could +say, not understanding what all this meant. + +'I fear he will come to the gallows,' said the Lord +Chief Justice, sinking his voice below the echoes; +'tell him this from me, Jack. He shall never be +condemned before me; but I cannot be everywhere, and +some of our Justices may keep short memory of his +dinners. Tell him to change his name, turn parson, or +do something else, to make it wrong to hang him. +Parson is the best thing, he hath such command of +features, and he might take his tithes on horseback. +Now a few more things, John Ridd; and for the present I +have done with thee.' + +All my heart leaped up at this, to get away from London +so: and yet I could hardly trust to it. + +'Is there any sound round your way of disaffection to +His Majesty, His most gracious Majesty?' + +'No, my lord: no sign whatever. We pray for him in +church perhaps, and we talk about him afterwards, +hoping it may do him good, as it is intended. But +after that we have naught to say, not knowing much +about him--at least till I get home again.' + +'That is as it should be, John. And the less you say +the better. But I have heard of things in Taunton, +and even nearer to you in Dulverton, and even nigher +still upon Exmoor; things which are of the pillory +kind, and even more of the gallows. I see that you +know naught of them. Nevertheless, it will not be long +before all England hears of them. Now, John, I have +taken a liking to thee, for never man told me the +truth, without fear or favour, more thoroughly and +truly than thou hast done. Keep thou clear of this, my +son. It will come to nothing; yet many shall swing +high for it. Even I could not save thee, John Ridd, if +thou wert mixed in this affair. Keep from the Doones, +keep from De Whichehalse, keep from everything which +leads beyond the sight of thy knowledge. I meant to +use thee as my tool; but I see thou art too honest and +simple. I will send a sharper down; but never let me +find thee, John, either a tool for the other side, or a +tube for my words to pass through.' + +Here the Lord Justice gave me such a glare that I +wished myself well rid of him, though thankful for his +warnings; and seeing how he had made upon me a long +abiding mark of fear, he smiled again in a jocular +manner, and said,-- + +'Now, get thee gone, Jack. I shall remember thee; and +I trow, thou wilt'st not for many a day forget me.' + +'My lord, I was never so glad to go; for the hay must +be in, and the ricks unthatched, and none of them can +make spars like me, and two men to twist every +hay-rope, and mother thinking it all right, and +listening right and left to lies, and cheated at every +pig she kills, and even the skins of the sheep to go--' + +'John Ridd, I thought none could come nigh your folk in +honesty, and goodness, and duty to their neighbours!' + +'Sure enough, my lord; but by our folk, I mean +ourselves, not the men nor women neither--' + +'That will do, John. Go thy way. Not men, nor women +neither, are better than they need be.' + +I wished to set this matter right; but his worship +would not hear me, and only drove me out of court, +saying that men were thieves and liars, no more in one +place than another, but all alike all over the world, +and women not far behind them. It was not for me to +dispute this point (though I was not yet persuaded of +it), both because my lord was a Judge, and must know +more about it, and also that being a man myself I might +seem to be defending myself in an unbecoming manner. +Therefore I made a low bow, and went; in doubt as to +which had the right of it. + +But though he had so far dismissed me, I was not yet +quite free to go, inasmuch as I had not money enough to +take me all the way to Oare, unless indeed I should go +afoot, and beg my sustenance by the way, which seemed +to be below me. Therefore I got my few clothes packed, +and my few debts paid, all ready to start in half an +hour, if only they would give me enough to set out upon +the road with. For I doubted not, being young and +strong, that I could walk from London to Oare in ten +days or in twelve at most, which was not much longer +than horse-work; only I had been a fool, as you will +say when you hear it. For after receiving from Master +Spank the amount of the bill which I had +delivered--less indeed by fifty shillings than the +money my mother had given me, for I had spent fifty +shillings, and more, in seeing the town and treating +people, which I could not charge to His Majesty--I had +first paid all my debts thereout, which were not very +many, and then supposing myself to be an established +creditor of the Treasury for my coming needs, and +already scenting the country air, and foreseeing the +joy of my mother, what had I done but spent half my +balance, ay and more than three-quarters of it, upon +presents for mother, and Annie, and Lizzie, John Fry, +and his wife, and Betty Muxworthy, Bill Dadds, Jim +Slocombe, and, in a word, half of the rest of the +people at Oare, including all the Snowe family, who +must have things good and handsome? And if I must +while I am about it, hide nothing from those who read +me, I had actually bought for Lorna a thing the price +of which quite frightened me, till the shopkeeper said +it was nothing at all, and that no young man, with a +lady to love him, could dare to offer her rubbish, such +as the Jew sold across the way. Now the mere idea of +beautiful Lorna ever loving me, which he talked about +as patly (though of course I never mentioned her) as if +it were a settled thing, and he knew all about it, that +mere idea so drove me abroad, that if he had asked +three times as much, I could never have counted the +money. + +Now in all this I was a fool of course--not for +remembering my friends and neighbours, which a man has +a right to do, and indeed is bound to do, when he comes +from London--but for not being certified first what +cash I had to go on with. And to my great amazement, +when I went with another bill for the victuals of only +three days more, and a week's expense on the homeward +road reckoned very narrowly, Master Spank not only +refused to grant me any interview, but sent me out a +piece of blue paper, looking like a butcher's ticket, +and bearing these words and no more, 'John Ridd, go to +the devil. He who will not when he may, when he will, +he shall have nay.' From this I concluded that I had +lost favour in the sight of Chief Justice Jeffreys. +Perhaps because my evidence had not proved of any +value! perhaps because he meant to let the matter lie, +till cast on him. + +Anyhow, it was a reason of much grief, and some anger +to me, and very great anxiety, disappointment, and +suspense. For here was the time of the hay gone past, +and the harvest of small corn coming on, and the trout +now rising at the yellow Sally, and the blackbirds +eating our white-heart cherries (I was sure, though I +could not see them), and who was to do any good for +mother, or stop her from weeping continually? And more +than this, what was become of Lorna? Perhaps she had +cast me away altogether, as a flouter and a changeling; +perhaps she had drowned herself in the black well; +perhaps (and that was worst of all) she was even +married, child as she was, to that vile Carver Doone, +if the Doones ever cared about marrying! That last +thought sent me down at once to watch for Mr. Spank +again, resolved that if I could catch him, spank him I +would to a pretty good tune, although sixteen in +family. + +However, there was no such thing as to find him; and +the usher vowed (having orders I doubt) that he was +gone to the sea for the good of his health, having +sadly overworked himself; and that none but a poor +devil like himself, who never had handling of money, +would stay in London this foul, hot weather; which was +likely to bring the plague with it. Here was another +new terror for me, who had heard of the plagues of +London, and the horrible things that happened; and so +going back to my lodgings at once, I opened my clothes +and sought for spots, especially as being so long at a +hairy fellmonger's; but finding none, I fell down and +thanked God for that same, and vowed to start for Oare +to-morrow, with my carbine loaded, come weal come woe, +come sun come shower; though all the parish should +laugh at me, for begging my way home again, after the +brave things said of my going, as if I had been the +King's cousin. + +But I was saved in some degree from this lowering of my +pride, and what mattered more, of mother's; for going +to buy with my last crown-piece (after all demands were +paid) a little shot and powder, more needful on the +road almost than even shoes or victuals, at the corner +of the street I met my good friend Jeremy Stickles, +newly come in search of me. I took him back to my +little room--mine at least till to-morrow morning--and +told him all my story, and how much I felt aggrieved by +it. But he surprised me very much, by showing no +surprise at all. + +'It is the way of the world, Jack. They have gotten +all they can from thee, and why should they feed thee +further? We feed not a dead pig, I trow, but baste him +well with brine and rue. Nay, we do not victual him +upon the day of killing; which they have done to thee. +Thou art a lucky man, John; thou hast gotten one day's +wages, or at any rate half a day, after thy work was +rendered. God have mercy on me, John! The things I +see are manifold; and so is my regard of them. What +use to insist on this, or make a special point of that, +or hold by something said of old, when a different mood +was on? I tell thee, Jack, all men are liars; and he +is the least one who presses not too hard on them for +lying.' + +This was all quite dark to me, for I never looked at +things like that, and never would own myself a liar, +not at least to other people, nor even to myself, +although I might to God sometimes, when trouble was +upon me. And if it comes to that, no man has any right +to be called a 'liar' for smoothing over things +unwitting, through duty to his neighbour. + +'Five pounds thou shalt have, Jack,' said Jeremy +Stickles suddenly, while I was all abroad with myself +as to being a liar or not; 'five pounds, and I will +take my chance of wringing it from that great rogue +Spank. Ten I would have made it, John, but for bad +luck lately. Put back your bits of paper, lad; I will +have no acknowledgment. John Ridd, no nonsense with +me!' + +For I was ready to kiss his hand, to think that any man +in London (the meanest and most suspicious place, upon +all God's earth) should trust me with five pounds, +without even a receipt for it! It overcame me so that +I sobbed; for, after all, though big in body, I am but +a child at heart. It was not the five pounds that +moved me, but the way of giving it; and after so much +bitter talk, the great trust in my goodness. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +HOME AGAIN AT LAST + +It was the beginning of wheat-harvest, when I came to +Dunster town, having walked all the way from London, +and being somewhat footsore. For though five pounds +was enough to keep me in food and lodging upon the +road, and leave me many a shilling to give to far +poorer travellers, it would have been nothing for +horse-hire, as I knew too well by the prices Jeremy +Stickles had paid upon our way to London. Now I never +saw a prettier town than Dunster looked that evening; +for sooth to say, I had almost lost all hope of +reaching it that night, although the castle was long in +view. But being once there, my troubles were gone, at +least as regarded wayfaring; for mother's cousin, the +worthy tanner (with whom we had slept on the way to +London), was in such indignation at the plight in which +I came back to him, afoot, and weary, and almost +shoeless--not to speak of upper things--that he swore +then, by the mercy of God, that if the schemes abrewing +round him, against those bloody Papists, should come to +any head or shape, and show good chance of succeeding, +he would risk a thousand pounds, as though it were a +penny. + +I told him not to do it, because I had heard otherwise, +but was not at liberty to tell one-tenth of what I +knew, and indeed had seen in London town. But of this +he took no heed, because I only nodded at him; and he +could not make it out. For it takes an old man, or at +least a middle-aged one, to nod and wink, with any +power on the brains of other men. However, I think I +made him know that the bad state in which I came to his +town, and the great shame I had wrought for him among +the folk round the card-table at the Luttrell Arms, was +not to be, even there, attributed to King Charles the +Second, nor even to his counsellors, but to my own +speed of travelling, which had beat post-horses. For +being much distraught in mind, and desperate in body, I +had made all the way from London to Dunster in six +days, and no more. It may be one hundred and seventy +miles, I cannot tell to a furlong or two, especially as +I lost my way more than a dozen times; but at any rate +there in six days I was, and most kindly they received +me. The tanner had some excellent daughters, I forget +how many; very pretty damsels, and well set up, and +able to make good pastry. But though they asked me +many questions, and made a sort of lord of me, and +offered to darn my stockings (which in truth required +it), I fell asleep in the midst of them, although I +would not acknowledge it; and they said, 'Poor cousin! +he is weary', and led me to a blessed bed, and kissed +me all round like swan's down. + +In the morning all the Exmoor hills, the thought of +which had frightened me at the end of each day's +travel, seemed no more than bushels to me, as I looked +forth the bedroom window, and thanked God for the sight +of them. And even so, I had not to climb them, at +least by my own labour. For my most worthy uncle (as +we oft call a parent's cousin), finding it impossible +to keep me for the day, and owning indeed that I was +right in hastening to my mother, vowed that walk I +should not, even though he lost his Saturday hides from +Minehead and from Watchett. Accordingly he sent me +forth on the very strongest nag he had, and the maidens +came to wish me God-speed, and kissed their hands at +the doorway. It made me proud and glad to think that +after seeing so much of the world, and having held my +own with it, I was come once more among my own people, +and found them kinder, and more warm-hearted, ay and +better looking too, than almost any I had happened upon +in the mighty city of London. + +But how shall I tell you the things I felt, and the +swelling of my heart within me, as I drew nearer, and +more near, to the place of all I loved and owned, to +the haunt of every warm remembrance, the nest of all +the fledgling hopes--in a word, to home? The first +sheep I beheld on the moor with a great red J.R. on +his side (for mother would have them marked with my +name, instead of her own as they should have been), I +do assure you my spirit leaped, and all my sight came +to my eyes. I shouted out, 'Jem, boy!'--for that was +his name, and a rare hand he was at fighting--and he +knew me in spite of the stranger horse; and I leaned +over and stroked his head, and swore he should never be +mutton. And when I was passed he set off at full +gallop, to call the rest of the J.R.'s together, and +tell them young master was come home at last. + +But bless your heart, and my own as well, it would take +me all the afternoon to lay before you one-tenth of the +things which came home to me in that one half-hour, as +the sun was sinking, in the real way he ought to sink. +I touched my horse with no spur nor whip, feeling that +my slow wits would go, if the sights came too fast over +them. Here was the pool where we washed the sheep, and +there was the hollow that oozed away, where I had shot +three wild ducks. Here was the peat-rick that hid my +dinner, when I could not go home for it, and there was +the bush with the thyme growing round it, where Annie +had found a great swarm of our bees. And now was the +corner of the dry stone wall, where the moor gave over +in earnest, and the partridges whisked from it into the +corn lands, and called that their supper was ready, and +looked at our house and the ricks as they ran, and +would wait for that comfort till winter. + +And there I saw--but let me go--Annie was too much for +me. She nearly pulled me off my horse, and kissed the +very mouth of the carbine. + +"I knew you would come. Oh John! Oh John! I have +waited here every Saturday night; and I saw you for the +last mile or more, but I would not come round the +corner, for fear that I should cry, John, and then not +cry when I got you. Now I may cry as much as I like, +and you need not try to stop me, John, because I am so +happy. But you mustn't cry yourself, John; what will +mother think of you? She will be so jealous of me.' + +What mother thought I cannot tell; and indeed I doubt +if she thought at all for more than half an hour, but +only managed to hold me tight, and cry, and thank God +now and then, but with some fear of His taking me, if +she should be too grateful. Moreover she thought it +was my own doing, and I ought to have the credit of it, +and she even came down very sharply upon John's wife, +Mrs. Fry, for saying that we must not be too proud, for +all of it was the Lord's doing. However, dear mother +was ashamed of that afterwards, and asked Mrs. Fry's +humble pardon; and perhaps I ought not to have +mentioned it. + +Old Smiler had told them that I was coming--all the +rest, I mean, except Annie--for having escaped from his +halter-ring, he was come out to graze in the lane a +bit; when what should he see but a strange horse coming +with young master and mistress upon him, for Annie must +needs get up behind me, there being only sheep to look +at her. Then Smiler gave us a stare and a neigh, with +his tail quite stiff with amazement, and then (whether +in joy or through indignation) he flung up his hind +feet and galloped straight home, and set every dog wild +with barking. + +Now, methinks, quite enough has been said concerning +this mighty return of the young John Ridd (which was +known up at Cosgate that evening), and feeling that I +cannot describe it, how can I hope that any one else +will labour to imagine it, even of the few who are +able? For very few can have travelled so far, unless +indeed they whose trade it is, or very unsettled +people. And even of those who have done so, not one in +a hundred can have such a home as I had to come home +to. + +Mother wept again, with grief and some wrath, and so +did Annie also, and even little Eliza, and all were +unsettled in loyalty, and talked about a republic, when +I told them how I had been left without money for +travelling homeward, and expected to have to beg my +way, which Farmer Snowe would have heard of. And +though I could see they were disappointed at my failure +of any promotion, they all declared how glad they were, +and how much better they liked me to be no more than +what they were accustomed to. At least, my mother and +Annie said so, without waiting to hear any more; but +Lizzie did not answer to it, until I had opened my bag +and shown the beautiful present I had for her. And +then she kissed me, almost like Annie, and vowed that +she thought very little of captains. + +For Lizzie's present was the best of all, I mean, of +course, except Lorna's (which I carried in my breast +all the way, hoping that it might make her love me, +from having lain so long, close to my heart). For I +had brought Lizzie something dear, and a precious heavy +book it was, and much beyond my understanding; whereas +I knew well that to both the others my gifts would be +dear, for mine own sake. And happier people could not +be found than the whole of us were that evening. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +JOHN HAS HOPE OF LORNA + +Much as I longed to know more about Lorna, and though +all my heart was yearning, I could not reconcile it yet +with my duty to mother and Annie, to leave them on the +following day, which happened to be a Sunday. For lo, +before breakfast was out of our mouths, there came all +the men of the farm, and their wives, and even the two +crow-boys, dressed as if going to Barnstaple fair, to +inquire how Master John was, and whether it was true +that the King had made him one of his body-guard; and +if so, what was to be done with the belt for the +championship of the West-Counties wrestling, which I +had held now for a year or more, and none were ready to +challenge it. Strange to say, this last point seemed +the most important of all to them; and none asked who +was to manage the farm, or answer for their wages; but +all asked who was to wear the belt. + +To this I replied, after shaking hands twice over all +round with all of them, that I meant to wear the belt +myself, for the honour of Oare parish, so long as ever +God gave me strength and health to meet all-comers; for +I had never been asked to be body-guard, and if asked I +would never have done it. Some of them cried that the +King must be mazed, not to keep me for his protection, +in these violent times of Popery. I could have told +them that the King was not in the least afraid of +Papists, but on the contrary, very fond of them; +however, I held my tongue, remembering what Judge +Jeffreys bade me. + +In church, the whole congregation, man, woman, and +child (except, indeed, the Snowe girls, who only looked +when I was not watching), turned on me with one accord, +and stared so steadfastly, to get some reflection of +the King from me, that they forgot the time to kneel +down and the parson was forced to speak to them. If I +coughed, or moved my book, or bowed, or even said +'Amen,' glances were exchanged which meant--'That he +hath learned in London town, and most likely from His +Majesty.' + +However, all this went off in time, and people became +even angry with me for not being sharper (as they +said), or smarter, or a whit more fashionable, for all +the great company I had seen, and all the wondrous +things wasted upon me. + +But though I may have been none the wiser by reason of +my stay in London, at any rate I was much the better in +virtue of coming home again. For now I had learned the +joy of quiet, and the gratitude for good things round +us, and the love we owe to others (even those who must +be kind), for their indulgence to us. All this, before +my journey, had been too much as a matter of course to +me; but having missed it now I knew that it was a gift, +and might be lost. Moreover, I had pined so much, in +the dust and heat of that great town, for trees, and +fields, and running waters, and the sounds of country +life, and the air of country winds, that never more +could I grow weary of those soft enjoyments; or at +least I thought so then. + +To awake as the summer sun came slanting over the +hill-tops, with hope on every beam adance to the +laughter of the morning; to see the leaves across the +window ruffling on the fresh new air, and the tendrils +of the powdery vine turning from their beaded sleep. +Then the lustrous meadows far beyond the thatch of the +garden-wall, yet seen beneath the hanging scollops of +the walnut-tree, all awaking, dressed in pearl, all +amazed at their own glistening, like a maid at her own +ideas. Down them troop the lowing kine, walking each +with a step of character (even as men and women do), +yet all alike with toss of horns, and spread of udders +ready. From them without a word, we turn to the +farm-yard proper, seen on the right, and dryly strawed +from the petty rush of the pitch-paved runnel. Round +it stand the snug out-buildings, barn, corn-chamber, +cider-press, stables, with a blinker'd horse in every +doorway munching, while his driver tightens buckles, +whistles and looks down the lane, dallying to begin his +labour till the milkmaids be gone by. Here the cock +comes forth at last;--where has he been +lingering?--eggs may tell to-morrow--he claps his wings +and shouts 'cock-a-doodle'; and no other cock dare look +at him. Two or three go sidling off, waiting till +their spurs be grown; and then the crowd of partlets +comes, chattering how their lord has dreamed, and +crowed at two in the morning, and praying that the old +brown rat would only dare to face him. But while the +cock is crowing still, and the pullet world admiring +him, who comes up but the old turkey-cock, with all his +family round him. Then the geese at the lower end +begin to thrust their breasts out, and mum their +down-bits, and look at the gander and scream shrill joy +for the conflict; while the ducks in pond show nothing +but tail, in proof of their strict neutrality. + +While yet we dread for the coming event, and the fight +which would jar on the morning, behold the grandmother +of sows, gruffly grunting right and left with muzzle +which no ring may tame (not being matrimonial), hulks +across between the two, moving all each side at once, +and then all of the other side as if she were chined +down the middle, and afraid of spilling the salt from +her. As this mighty view of lard hides each combatant +from the other, gladly each retires and boasts how he +would have slain his neighbour, but that old sow drove +the other away, and no wonder he was afraid of her, +after all the chicks she had eaten. + +And so it goes on; and so the sun comes, stronger from +his drink of dew; and the cattle in the byres, and the +horses from the stable, and the men from cottage-door, +each has had his rest and food, all smell alike of hay +and straw, and every one must hie to work, be it drag, +or draw, or delve. + +So thought I on the Monday morning; while my own work +lay before me, and I was plotting how to quit it, void +of harm to every one, and let my love have work a +little--hardest perhaps of all work, and yet as sure as +sunrise. I knew that my first day's task on the farm +would be strictly watched by every one, even by my +gentle mother, to see what I had learned in London. +But could I let still another day pass, for Lorna to +think me faithless? + +I felt much inclined to tell dear mother all about +Lorna, and how I loved her, yet had no hope of winning +her. Often and often, I had longed to do this, and +have done with it. But the thought of my father's +terrible death, at the hands of the Doones, prevented +me. And it seemed to me foolish and mean to grieve +mother, without any chance of my suit ever speeding. +If once Lorna loved me, my mother should know it; and +it would be the greatest happiness to me to have no +concealment from her, though at first she was sure to +grieve terribly. But I saw no more chance of Lorna +loving me, than of the man in the moon coming down; or +rather of the moon coming down to the man, as related +in old mythology. + +Now the merriment of the small birds, and the clear +voice of the waters, and the lowing of cattle in +meadows, and the view of no houses (except just our own +and a neighbour's), and the knowledge of everybody +around, their kindness of heart and simplicity, and +love of their neighbour's doings,--all these could not +help or please me at all, and many of them were much +against me, in my secret depth of longing and dark +tumult of the mind. Many people may think me foolish, +especially after coming from London, where many nice +maids looked at me (on account of my bulk and stature), +and I might have been fitted up with a sweetheart, in +spite of my west-country twang, and the smallness of my +purse; if only I had said the word. But nay; I have +contempt for a man whose heart is like a shirt-stud +(such as I saw in London cards), fitted into one +to-day, sitting bravely on the breast; plucked out on +the morrow morn, and the place that knew it, gone. + +Now, what did I do but take my chance; reckless whether +any one heeded me or not, only craving Lorna's heed, +and time for ten words to her. Therefore I left the +men of the farm as far away as might be, after making +them work with me (which no man round our parts could +do, to his own satisfaction), and then knowing them to +be well weary, very unlike to follow me--and still more +unlike to tell of me, for each had his London +present--I strode right away, in good trust of my +speed, without any more misgivings; but resolved to +face the worst of it, and to try to be home for supper. + +And first I went, I know not why, to the crest of the +broken highland, whence I had agreed to watch for any +mark or signal. And sure enough at last I saw (when +it was too late to see) that the white stone had been +covered over with a cloth or mantle,--the sign that +something had arisen to make Lorna want me. For a +moment I stood amazed at my evil fortune; that I should +be too late, in the very thing of all things on which +my heart was set! Then after eyeing sorrowfully every +crick and cranny to be sure that not a single flutter +of my love was visible, off I set, with small respect +either for my knees or neck, to make the round of the +outer cliffs, and come up my old access. + +Nothing could stop me; it was not long, although to me +it seemed an age, before I stood in the niche of rock +at the head of the slippery watercourse, and gazed into +the quiet glen, where my foolish heart was dwelling. +Notwithstanding doubts of right, notwithstanding sense +of duty, and despite all manly striving, and the great +love of my home, there my heart was ever dwelling, +knowing what a fool it was, and content to know it. + +Many birds came twittering round me in the gold of +August; many trees showed twinkling beauty, as the sun +went lower; and the lines of water fell, from wrinkles +into dimples. Little heeding, there I crouched; though +with sense of everything that afterwards should move +me, like a picture or a dream; and everything went by +me softly, while my heart was gazing. + +At last, a little figure came, not insignificant (I +mean), but looking very light and slender in the moving +shadows, gently here and softly there, as if vague of +purpose, with a gloss of tender movement, in and out +the wealth of trees, and liberty of the meadow. Who +was I to crouch, or doubt, or look at her from a +distance; what matter if they killed me now, and one +tear came to bury me? Therefore I rushed out at once, +as if shot-guns were unknown yet; not from any real +courage, but from prisoned love burst forth. + +I know not whether my own Lorna was afraid of what I +looked, or what I might say to her, or of her own +thoughts of me; all I know is that she looked +frightened, when I hoped for gladness. Perhaps the +power of my joy was more than maiden liked to own, or +in any way to answer to; and to tell the truth, it +seemed as if I might now forget myself; while she would +take good care of it. This makes a man grow +thoughtful; unless, as some low fellows do, he believe +all women hypocrites. + +Therefore I went slowly towards her, taken back in my +impulse; and said all I could come to say, with some +distress in doing it. + +'Mistress Lorna, I had hope that you were in need of +me.' + +'Oh, yes; but that was long ago; two months ago, or +more, sir.' And saying this she looked away, as if it +all were over. But I was now so dazed and frightened, +that it took my breath away, and I could not answer, +feeling sure that I was robbed and some one else had +won her. And I tried to turn away, without another +word, and go. + +But I could not help one stupid sob, though mad with +myself for allowing it, but it came too sharp for pride +to stay it, and it told a world of things. Lorna heard +it, and ran to me, with her bright eyes full of wonder, +pity, and great kindness, as if amazed that I had more +than a simple liking for her. Then she held out both +hands to me; and I took and looked at them. + +'Master Ridd, I did not mean,' she whispered, very +softly, 'I did not mean to vex you.' + +'If you would be loath to vex me, none else in this +world can do it,' I answered out of my great love, but +fearing yet to look at her, mine eyes not being strong +enough. + +'Come away from this bright place,' she answered, +trembling in her turn; 'I am watched and spied of late. +Come beneath the shadows, John.' + +I would have leaped into the valley of the shadow of +death (as described by the late John Bunyan), only to +hear her call me 'John'; though Apollyon were lurking +there, and Despair should lock me in. + +She stole across the silent grass; but I strode hotly +after her; fear was all beyond me now, except the fear +of losing her. I could not but behold her manner, as +she went before me, all her grace, and lovely +sweetness, and her sense of what she was. + +She led me to her own rich bower, which I told of once +before; and if in spring it were a sight, what was it +in summer glory? But although my mind had notice of +its fairness and its wonder, not a heed my heart took +of it, neither dwelt it in my presence more than +flowing water. All that in my presence dwelt, all that +in my heart was felt, was the maiden moving gently, and +afraid to look at me. + +For now the power of my love was abiding on her, new to +her, unknown to her; not a thing to speak about, nor +even to think clearly; only just to feel and wonder, +with a pain of sweetness. She could look at me no +more, neither could she look away, with a studied +manner--only to let fall her eyes, and blush, and be +put out with me, and still more with herself. + +I left her quite alone; though close, though tingling +to have hold of her. Even her right hand was dropped +and lay among the mosses. Neither did I try to steal +one glimpse below her eyelids. Life and death to me +were hanging on the first glance I should win; yet I +let it be so. + +After long or short--I know not, yet ere I was weary, +ere I yet began to think or wish for any answer--Lorna +slowly raised her eyelids, with a gleam of dew below +them, and looked at me doubtfully. Any look with so +much in it never met my gaze before. + +'Darling, do you love me?' was all that I could say to +her. + +'Yes, I like you very much,' she answered, with her +eyes gone from me, and her dark hair falling over, so +as not to show me things. + +'But do you love me, Lorna, Lorna; do you love me more +than all the world?' + +'No, to be sure not. Now why should I?' + +'In truth, I know not why you should. Only I hoped +that you did, Lorna. Either love me not at all, or as +I love you for ever.' + +'John I love you very much; and I would not grieve you. +You are the bravest, and the kindest, and the simplest +of all men--I mean of all people--I like you very much, +Master Ridd, and I think of you almost every day.' + +'That will not do for me, Lorna. Not almost every day +I think, but every instant of my life, of you. For you +I would give up my home, my love of all the world +beside, my duty to my dearest ones, for you I would +give up my life, and hope of life beyond it. Do you +love me so?' + +'Not by any means,' said Lorna; 'no, I like you very +much, when you do not talk so wildly; and I like to see +you come as if you would fill our valley up, and I like +to think that even Carver would be nothing in your +hands--but as to liking you like that, what should make +it likely? especially when I have made the signal, and +for some two months or more you have never even +answered it! If you like me so ferociously, why do you +leave me for other people to do just as they like with +me?' + +'To do as they liked! Oh, Lorna, not to make you marry +Carver?' + +'No, Master Ridd, be not frightened so; it makes me +fear to look at you.' + +'But you have not married Carver yet? Say quick! Why +keep me waiting so?' + +'Of course I have not, Master Ridd. Should I be here +if I had, think you, and allowing you to like me so, +and to hold my hand, and make me laugh, as I declare +you almost do sometimes? And at other times you +frighten me.' + +'Did they want you to marry Carver? Tell me all the +truth of it.' + +'Not yet, not yet. They are not half so impetuous as +you are, John. I am only just seventeen, you know, and +who is to think of marrying? But they wanted me to +give my word, and be formally betrothed to him in the +presence of my grandfather. It seems that something +frightened them. There is a youth named Charleworth +Doone, every one calls him "Charlie"; a headstrong and +a gay young man, very gallant in his looks and manner; +and my uncle, the Counsellor, chose to fancy that +Charlie looked at me too much, coming by my +grandfather's cottage.' + +Here Lorna blushed so that I was frightened, and began +to hate this Charlie more, a great deal more, than even +Carver Doone. + +'He had better not,' said I; 'I will fling him over it, +if he dare. He shall see thee through the roof, Lorna, +if at all he see thee.' + +'Master Ridd, you are worse than Carver! I thought you +were so kind-hearted. Well, they wanted me to promise, +and even to swear a solemn oath (a thing I have never +done in my life) that I would wed my eldest cousin, +this same Carver Doone, who is twice as old as I am, +being thirty-five and upwards. That was why I gave the +token that I wished to see you, Master Ridd. They +pointed out how much it was for the peace of all the +family, and for mine own benefit; but I would not +listen for a moment, though the Counsellor was most +eloquent, and my grandfather begged me to consider, and +Carver smiled his pleasantest, which is a truly +frightful thing. Then both he and his crafty father +were for using force with me; but Sir Ensor would not +hear of it; and they have put off that extreme until he +shall be past its knowledge, or, at least, beyond +preventing it. And now I am watched, and spied, and +followed, and half my little liberty seems to be taken +from me. I could not be here speaking with you, even +in my own nook and refuge, but for the aid, and skill, +and courage of dear little Gwenny Carfax. She is now +my chief reliance, and through her alone I hope to +baffle all my enemies, since others have forsaken me.' + +Tears of sorrow and reproach were lurking in her soft +dark eyes, until in fewest words I told her that my +seeming negligence was nothing but my bitter loss and +wretched absence far away; of which I had so vainly +striven to give any tidings without danger to her. +When she heard all this, and saw what I had brought +from London (which was nothing less than a ring of +pearls with a sapphire in the midst of them, as pretty +as could well be found), she let the gentle tears flow +fast, and came and sat so close beside me, that I +trembled like a folded sheep at the bleating of her +lamb. But recovering comfort quickly, without more +ado, I raised her left hand and observed it with a nice +regard, wondering at the small blue veins, and curves, +and tapering whiteness, and the points it finished +with. My wonder seemed to please her much, herself so +well accustomed to it, and not fond of watching it. +And then, before she could say a word, or guess what I +was up to, as quick as ever I turned hand in a bout of +wrestling, on her finger was my ring--sapphire for the +veins of blue, and pearls to match white fingers. + +'Oh, you crafty Master Ridd!' said Lorna, looking up at +me, and blushing now a far brighter blush than when she +spoke of Charlie; 'I thought that you were much too +simple ever to do this sort of thing. No wonder you +can catch the fish, as when first I saw you.' + +'Have I caught you, little fish? Or must all my life +be spent in hopeless angling for you?' + +'Neither one nor the other, John! You have not caught +me yet altogether, though I like you dearly John; and +if you will only keep away, I shall like you more and +more. As for hopeless angling, John--that all others +shall have until I tell you otherwise.' + +With the large tears in her eyes--tears which seemed to +me to rise partly from her want to love me with the +power of my love--she put her pure bright lips, half +smiling, half prone to reply to tears, against my +forehead lined with trouble, doubt, and eager longing. +And then she drew my ring from off that snowy twig her +finger, and held it out to me; and then, seeing how my +face was falling, thrice she touched it with her lips, +and sweetly gave it back to me. 'John, I dare not take +it now; else I should be cheating you. I will try to +love you dearly, even as you deserve and wish. Keep it +for me just till then. Something tells me I shall earn +it in a very little time. Perhaps you will be sorry +then, sorry when it is all too late, to be loved by +such as I am.' + +What could I do at her mournful tone, but kiss a +thousand times the hand which she put up to warn me, +and vow that I would rather die with one assurance of +her love, than without it live for ever with all beside +that the world could give? Upon this she looked so +lovely, with her dark eyelashes trembling, and her soft +eyes full of light, and the colour of clear sunrise +mounting on her cheeks and brow, that I was forced to +turn away, being overcome with beauty. + +'Dearest darling, love of my life,' I whispered through +her clouds of hair; 'how long must I wait to know, how +long must I linger doubting whether you can ever stoop +from your birth and wondrous beauty to a poor, coarse +hind like me, an ignorant unlettered yeoman--' + +'I will not have you revile yourself,' said Lorna, very +tenderly--just as I had meant to make her. 'You are +not rude and unlettered, John. You know a great deal +more than I do; you have learned both Greek and Latin, +as you told me long ago, and you have been at the very +best school in the West of England. None of us but my +grandfather, and the Counsellor (who is a great +scholar), can compare with you in this. And though I +have laughed at your manner of speech, I only laughed +in fun, John; I never meant to vex you by it, nor knew +that it had done so.' + +'Naught you say can vex me, dear,' I answered, as she +leaned towards me in her generous sorrow; 'unless you +say "Begone, John Ridd; I love another more than you."' + +'Then I shall never vex you, John. Never, I mean, by +saying that. Now, John, if you please, be quiet--' + +For I was carried away so much by hearing her calling +me 'John' so often, and the music of her voice, and the +way she bent toward me, and the shadow of soft weeping +in the sunlight of her eyes, that some of my great hand +was creeping in a manner not to be imagined, and far +less explained, toward the lithesome, wholesome curving +underneath her mantle-fold, and out of sight and harm, +as I thought; not being her front waist. However, I +was dashed with that, and pretended not to mean it; +only to pluck some lady-fern, whose elegance did me no +good. + +'Now, John,' said Lorna, being so quick that not even a +lover could cheat her, and observing my confusion more +intently than she need have done. 'Master John Ridd, +it is high time for you to go home to your mother. I +love your mother very much from what you have told me +about her, and I will not have her cheated.' + +'If you truly love my mother,' said I, very craftily +'the only way to show it is by truly loving me.' + +Upon that she laughed at me in the sweetest manner, and +with such provoking ways, and such come-and-go of +glances, and beginning of quick blushes, which she +tried to laugh away, that I knew, as well as if she +herself had told me, by some knowledge (void of +reasoning, and the surer for it), I knew quite well, +while all my heart was burning hot within me, and mine +eyes were shy of hers, and her eyes were shy of mine; +for certain and for ever this I knew--as in a +glory--that Lorna Doone had now begun and would go on +to love me. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +REAPING LEADS TO REVELLING + +Although I was under interdict for two months from my +darling--'one for your sake, one for mine,' she had +whispered, with her head withdrawn, yet not so very far +from me--lighter heart was not on Exmoor than I bore +for half the time, and even for three quarters. For +she was safe; I knew that daily by a mode of signals +well-contrived between us now, on the strength of our +experience. 'I have nothing now to fear, John,' she +had said to me, as we parted; 'it is true that I am +spied and watched, but Gwenny is too keen for them. +While I have my grandfather to prevent all violence; +and little Gwenny to keep watch on those who try to +watch me; and you, above all others, John, ready at a +moment, if the worst comes to the worst--this neglected +Lorna Doone was never in such case before. Therefore +do not squeeze my hand, John; I am safe without it, and +you do not know your strength.' + +Ah, I knew my strength right well. Hill and valley +scarcely seemed to be step and landing for me; fiercest +cattle I would play with, making them go backward, and +afraid of hurting them, like John Fry with his terrier; +even rooted trees seemed to me but as sticks I could +smite down, except for my love of everything. The love +of all things was upon me, and a softness to them all, +and a sense of having something even such as they had. + +Then the golden harvest came, waving on the broad +hill-side, and nestling in the quiet nooks scooped from +out the fringe of wood. A wealth of harvest such as +never gladdened all our country-side since my father +ceased to reap, and his sickle hung to rust. There +had not been a man on Exmoor fit to work that +reaping-hook since the time its owner fell, in the +prime of life and strength, before a sterner reaper. +But now I took it from the wall, where mother proudly +stored it, while she watched me, hardly knowing whether +she should smile or cry. + +All the parish was assembled in our upper courtyard; +for we were to open the harvest that year, as had been +settled with Farmer Nicholas, and with Jasper Kebby, +who held the third or little farm. We started in +proper order, therefore, as our practice is: first, the +parson Josiah Bowden, wearing his gown and cassock, +with the parish Bible in his hand, and a sickle +strapped behind him. As he strode along well and +stoutly, being a man of substance, all our family came +next, I leading mother with one hand, in the other +bearing my father's hook, and with a loaf of our own +bread and a keg of cider upon my back. Behind us Annie +and Lizzie walked, wearing wreaths of corn-flowers, set +out very prettily, such as mother would have worn if +she had been a farmer's wife, instead of a farmer's +widow. Being as she was, she had no adornment, except +that her widow's hood was off, and her hair allowed to +flow, as if she had been a maiden; and very rich bright +hair it was, in spite of all her troubles. + +After us, the maidens came, milkmaids and the rest of +them, with Betty Muxworthy at their head, scolding even +now, because they would not walk fitly. But they only +laughed at her; and she knew it was no good to scold, +with all the men behind them. + +Then the Snowes came trooping forward; Farmer Nicholas +in the middle, walking as if he would rather walk to a +wheatfield of his own, yet content to follow lead, +because he knew himself the leader; and signing every +now and then to the people here and there, as if I were +nobody. But to see his three great daughters, strong +and handsome wenches, making upon either side, as if +somebody would run off with them--this was the very +thing that taught me how to value Lorna, and her pure +simplicity. + +After the Snowes came Jasper Kebby, with his wife, +new-married; and a very honest pair they were, upon +only a hundred acres, and a right of common. After +these the men came hotly, without decent order, trying +to spy the girls in front, and make good jokes about +them, at which their wives laughed heartily, being +jealous when alone perhaps. And after these men and +their wives came all the children toddling, picking +flowers by the way, and chattering and asking +questions, as the children will. There must have been +threescore of us, take one with another, and the lane +was full of people. When we were come to the big +field-gate, where the first sickle was to be, Parson +Bowden heaved up the rail with the sleeves of his gown +done green with it; and he said that everybody might +hear him, though his breath was short, 'In the name of +the Lord, Amen!' + +'Amen! So be it!' cried the clerk, who was far behind, +being only a shoemaker. + +Then Parson Bowden read some verses from the parish +Bible, telling us to lift up our eyes, and look upon +the fields already white to harvest; and then he laid +the Bible down on the square head of the gate-post, and +despite his gown and cassock, three good swipes he cut +off corn, and laid them right end onwards. All this +time the rest were huddling outside the gate, and along +the lane, not daring to interfere with parson, but +whispering how well he did it. + +When he had stowed the corn like that, mother entered, +leaning on me, and we both said, 'Thank the Lord for +all His mercies, and these the first-fruits of His +hand!' And then the clerk gave out a psalm verse by +verse, done very well; although he sneezed in the midst +of it, from a beard of wheat thrust up his nose by the +rival cobbler at Brendon. And when the psalm was sung, +so strongly that the foxgloves on the bank were +shaking, like a chime of bells, at it, Parson took a +stoop of cider, and we all fell to at reaping. + +Of course I mean the men, not women; although I know +that up the country, women are allowed to reap; and +right well they reap it, keeping row for row with men, +comely, and in due order, yet, meseems, the men must +ill attend to their own reaping-hooks, in fear lest the +other cut themselves, being the weaker vessel. But in +our part, women do what seems their proper business, +following well behind the men, out of harm of the +swinging hook, and stooping with their breasts and arms +up they catch the swathes of corn, where the reapers +cast them, and tucking them together tightly with a +wisp laid under them, this they fetch around and twist, +with a knee to keep it close; and lo, there is a goodly +sheaf, ready to set up in stooks! After these the +children come, gathering each for his little self, if +the farmer be right-minded; until each hath a bundle +made as big as himself and longer, and tumbles now and +again with it, in the deeper part of the stubble. + +We, the men, kept marching onwards down the flank of +the yellow wall, with knees bent wide, and left arm +bowed and right arm flashing steel. Each man in his +several place, keeping down the rig or chine, on the +right side of the reaper in front, and the left of the +man that followed him, each making farther sweep and +inroad into the golden breadth and depth, each casting +leftwards his rich clearance on his foregoer's double +track. + +So like half a wedge of wildfowl, to and fro we swept +the field; and when to either hedge we came, sickles +wanted whetting, and throats required moistening, and +backs were in need of easing, and every man had much to +say, and women wanted praising. Then all returned to +the other end, with reaping-hooks beneath our arms, and +dogs left to mind jackets. + +But now, will you believe me well, or will you only +laugh at me? For even in the world of wheat, when deep +among the varnished crispness of the jointed stalks, +and below the feathered yielding of the graceful heads, +even as I gripped the swathes and swept the sickle +round them, even as I flung them by to rest on brother +stubble, through the whirling yellow world, and +eagerness of reaping, came the vision of my love, as +with downcast eyes she wondered at my power of passion. +And then the sweet remembrance glowed brighter than the +sun through wheat, through my very depth of heart, of +how she raised those beaming eyes, and ripened in my +breast rich hope. Even now I could descry, like high +waves in the distance, the rounded heads and folded +shadows of the wood of Bagworthy. Perhaps she was +walking in the valley, and softly gazing up at them. +Oh, to be a bird just there! I could see a bright mist +hanging just above the Doone Glen. Perhaps it was +shedding its drizzle upon her. Oh, to be a drop of +rain! The very breeze which bowed the harvest to my +bosom gently, might have come direct from Lorna, with +her sweet voice laden. Ah, the flaws of air that +wander where they will around her, fan her bright +cheek, play with lashes, even revel in her hair and +reveal her beauties--man is but a breath, we know, +would I were such breath as that! + +But confound it, while I ponder, with delicious dreams +suspended, with my right arm hanging frustrate and the +giant sickle drooped, with my left arm bowed for +clasping something more germane than wheat, and my eyes +not minding business, but intent on distant +woods--confound it, what are the men about, and why am +I left vapouring? They have taken advantage of me, the +rogues! They are gone to the hedge for the cider-jars; +they have had up the sledd of bread and meat, quite +softly over the stubble, and if I can believe my eyes +(so dazed with Lorna's image), they are sitting down to +an excellent dinner, before the church clock has gone +eleven! + +'John Fry, you big villain!' I cried, with John hanging +up in the air by the scruff of his neck-cloth, but +holding still by his knife and fork, and a goose-leg in +between his lips, 'John Fry, what mean you by this, +sir?' + +'Latt me dowun, or I can't tell 'e,' John answered with +some difficulty. So I let him come down, and I must +confess that he had reason on his side. 'Plaise your +worship'--John called me so, ever since I returned from +London, firmly believing that the King had made me a +magistrate at least; though I was to keep it secret-- +'us zeed as how your worship were took with thinkin' of +King's business, in the middle of the whate-rigg: and +so uz zed, "Latt un coom to his zell, us had better +zave taime, by takking our dinner"; and here us be, +praise your worship, and hopps no offence with thick +iron spoon full of vried taties.' + +I was glad enough to accept the ladle full of fried +batatas, and to make the best of things, which is +generally done by letting men have their own way. +Therefore I managed to dine with them, although it was +so early. + +For according to all that I can find, in a long life +and a varied one, twelve o'clock is the real time for a +man to have his dinner. Then the sun is at his noon, +calling halt to look around, and then the plants and +leaves are turning, each with a little leisure time, +before the work of the afternoon. Then is the balance +of east and west, and then the right and left side of a +man are in due proportion, and contribute fairly with +harmonious fluids. And the health of this mode of +life, and its reclaiming virtue are well set forth in +our ancient rhyme,-- + + Sunrise, breakfast; sun high, dinner; + Sundown, sup; makes a saint of a sinner. + +Whish, the wheat falls! Whirl again; ye have had good +dinners; give your master and mistress plenty to supply +another year. And in truth we did reap well and +fairly, through the whole of that afternoon, I not only +keeping lead, but keeping the men up to it. We got +through a matter of ten acres, ere the sun between the +shocks broke his light on wheaten plumes, then hung his +red cloak on the clouds, and fell into grey slumber. + +Seeing this we wiped our sickles, and our breasts and +foreheads, and soon were on the homeward road, looking +forward to good supper. + +Of course all the reapers came at night to the +harvest-supper, and Parson Bowden to say the grace as +well as to help to carve for us. And some help was +needed there, I can well assure you; for the reapers +had brave appetites, and most of their wives having +babies were forced to eat as a duty. Neither failed +they of this duty; cut and come again was the order of +the evening, as it had been of the day; and I had no +time to ask questions, but help meat and ladle gravy. +All the while our darling Annie, with her sleeves +tucked up, and her comely figure panting, was running +about with a bucket of taties mashed with lard and +cabbage. Even Lizzie had left her books, and was +serving out beer and cider; while mother helped +plum-pudding largely on pewter-plates with the mutton. +And all the time, Betty Muxworthy was grunting in and +out everywhere, not having space to scold even, but +changing the dishes, serving the meat, poking the fire, +and cooking more. But John Fry would not stir a peg, +except with his knife and fork, having all the airs of +a visitor, and his wife to keep him eating, till I +thought there would be no end of it. + +Then having eaten all they could, they prepared +themselves, with one accord, for the business now of +drinking. But first they lifted the neck of corn, +dressed with ribbons gaily, and set it upon the +mantelpiece, each man with his horn a-froth; and then +they sang a song about it, every one shouting in the +chorus louder than harvest thunderstorm. Some were in +the middle of one verse, and some at the end of the +next one; yet somehow all managed to get together in +the mighty roar of the burden. And if any farmer up +the country would like to know Exmoor harvest-song as +sung in my time and will be sung long after I am +garnered home, lo, here I set it down for him, omitting +only the dialect, which perchance might puzzle him. + + EXMOOR HARVEST-SONG + + 1 + +The corn, oh the corn, 'tis the ripening of the corn! +Go unto the door, my lad, and look beneath the moon, +Thou canst see, beyond the woodrick, how it is yelloon: +'Tis the harvesting of wheat, and the barley must be shorn. + + (Chorus) + +The corn, oh the corn, and the yellow, mellow corn! +Here's to the corn, with the cups upon the board! +We've been reaping all the day, and we'll reap again the morn +And fetch it home to mow-yard, and then we'll thank the Lord. + + 2 + +The wheat, oh the wheat, 'tis the ripening of the wheat! +All the day it has been hanging down its heavy head, +Bowing over on our bosoms with a beard of red: +'Tis the harvest, and the value makes the labour sweet. + + (Chorus) + +The wheat, oh the wheat, and the golden, golden wheat! +Here's to the wheat, with the loaves upon the board! +We've been reaping all the day, and we never will be beat, +But fetch it all to mow-yard, and then we'll thank the Lord. + + 3 + +The barley, oh the barley, and the barley is in prime! +All the day it has been rustling, with its bristles brown, +Waiting with its beard abowing, till it can be mown! +'Tis the harvest and the barley must abide its time. + + (Chorus) + +The barley, oh the barley, and the barley ruddy brown! +Here's to the barley, with the beer upon the board! +We'll go amowing, soon as ever all the wheat is down; +When all is in the mow-yard, we'll stop, and thank the Lord. + + 4 + +The oats, oh the oats, 'tis the ripening of the oats! +All the day they have been dancing with their flakes of white, +Waiting for the girding-hook, to be the nags' delight: +'Tis the harvest, let them dangle in their skirted coats. + + (Chorus) + +The oats, oh the oats, and the silver, silver oats! +Here's to the oats with the blackstone on the board! +We'll go among them, when the barley has been laid in rotes: +When all is home to mow-yard, we'll kneel and thank the Lord. + + 5 + +The corn, oh the corn, and the blessing of the corn! +Come unto the door, my lads, and look beneath the moon, +We can see, on hill and valley, how it is yelloon, +With a breadth of glory, as when our Lord was born. + + (Chorus) + +The corn, oh the corn, and the yellow, mellow corn! +Thanks for the corn, with our bread upon the board! +So shall we acknowledge it, before we reap the morn, +With our hands to heaven, and our knees unto the Lord. + + +Now we sang this song very well the first time, having +the parish choir to lead us, and the clarionet, and the +parson to give us the time with his cup; and we sang it +again the second time, not so but what you might praise +it (if you had been with us all the evening), although +the parson was gone then, and the clerk not fit to +compare with him in the matter of keeping time. But +when that song was in its third singing, I defy any man +(however sober) to have made out one verse from the +other, or even the burden from the verses, inasmuch as +every man present, ay, and woman too, sang as became +convenient to them, in utterance both of words and +tune. + +And in truth, there was much excuse for them; because +it was a noble harvest, fit to thank the Lord for, +without His thinking us hypocrites. For we had more +land in wheat, that year, than ever we had before, and +twice the crop to the acre; and I could not help now +and then remembering, in the midst of the merriment, +how my father in the churchyard yonder would have +gloried to behold it. And my mother, who had left us +now, happening to return just then, being called to +have her health drunk (for the twentieth time at +least), I knew by the sadness in her eyes that she was +thinking just as I was. Presently, therefore, I +slipped away from the noise, and mirth, and smoking +(although of that last there was not much, except from +Farmer Nicholas), and crossing the courtyard in the +moonlight, I went, just to cool myself, as far as my +father's tombstone. + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +ANNIE GETS THE BEST OF IT + +I had long outgrown unwholesome feeling as to my +father's death, and so had Annie; though Lizzie (who +must have loved him least) still entertained some evil +will, and longing for a punishment. Therefore I was +surprised (and indeed, startled would not be too much +to say, the moon being somewhat fleecy), to see our +Annie sitting there as motionless as the tombstone, and +with all her best fallals upon her, after stowing away +the dishes. + +My nerves, however, are good and strong, except at +least in love matters, wherein they always fail me, and +when I meet with witches; and therefore I went up to +Annie, although she looked so white and pure; for I had +seen her before with those things on, and it struck me +who she was. + +"What are you doing here, Annie?" I inquired rather +sternly, being vexed with her for having gone so very +near to frighten me. + +"Nothing at all," said our Annie shortly. And indeed +it was truth enough for a woman. Not that I dare to +believe that women are such liars as men say; only that +I mean they often see things round the corner, and know +not which is which of it. And indeed I never have +known a woman (though right enough in their meaning) +purely and perfectly true and transparent, except only +my Lorna; and even so, I might not have loved her, if +she had been ugly. + +'Why, how so?' said I; 'Miss Annie, what business have +you here, doing nothing at this time of night? And +leaving me with all the trouble to entertain our +guests!' + +'You seem not to me to be doing it, John,' Annie +answered softly; 'what business have you here doing +nothing, at this time of night?' + +I was taken so aback with this, and the extreme +impertinence of it, from a mere young girl like Annie, +that I turned round to march away and have nothing more +to say to her. But she jumped up, and caught me by the +hand, and threw herself upon my bosom, with her face +all wet with tears. + +'Oh, John, I will tell you. I will tell you. Only +don't be angry, John.' + +'Angry! no indeed,' said I; 'what right have I to be +angry with you, because you have your secrets? Every +chit of a girl thinks now that she has a right to her +secrets.' + +'And you have none of your own, John; of course you +have none of your own? All your going out at night--' + +'We will not quarrel here, poor Annie,' I answered, +with some loftiness; 'there are many things upon my +mind, which girls can have no notion of.' + +'And so there are upon mine, John. Oh, John, I will +tell you everything, if you will look at me kindly, and +promise to forgive me. Oh, I am so miserable!' + +Now this, though she was behaving so badly, moved me +much towards her; especially as I longed to know what +she had to tell me. Therefore I allowed her to coax +me, and to kiss me, and to lead me away a little, as +far as the old yew-tree; for she would not tell me +where she was. + +But even in the shadow there, she was very long before +beginning, and seemed to have two minds about it, or +rather perhaps a dozen; and she laid her cheek against +the tree, and sobbed till it was pitiful; and I knew +what mother would say to her for spoiling her best +frock so. + +'Now will you stop?' I said at last, harder than I +meant it, for I knew that she would go on all night, if +any one encouraged her: and though not well acquainted +with women, I understood my sisters; or else I must be +a born fool--except, of course, that I never professed +to understand Eliza. + +'Yes, I will stop,' said Annie, panting; 'you are very +hard on me, John; but I know you mean it for the best. +If somebody else--I am sure I don't know who, and have +no right to know, no doubt, but she must be a wicked +thing--if somebody else had been taken so with a pain +all round the heart, John, and no power of telling it, +perhaps you would have coaxed, and kissed her, and come +a little nearer, and made opportunity to be very +loving.' + +Now this was so exactly what I had tried to do to +Lorna, that my breath was almost taken away at Annie's +so describing it. For a while I could not say a word, +but wondered if she were a witch, which had never been +in our family: and then, all of a sudden, I saw the way +to beat her, with the devil at my elbow. + +'From your knowledge of these things, Annie, you must +have had them done to you. I demand to know this very +moment who has taken such liberties.' + +'Then, John, you shall never know, if you ask in that +manner. Besides, it was no liberty in the least at +all, Cousins have a right to do things--and when they +are one's godfather--' Here Annie stopped quite +suddenly having so betrayed herself; but met me in the +full moonlight, being resolved to face it out, with a +good face put upon it. + +'Alas, I feared it would come to this,' I answered very +sadly; 'I know he has been here many a time, without +showing himself to me. There is nothing meaner than +for a man to sneak, and steal a young maid's heart, +without her people knowing it.' + +'You are not doing anything of that sort yourself then, +dear John, are you?' + +'Only a common highwayman!' I answered, without heeding +her; 'a man without an acre of his own, and liable to +hang upon any common, and no other right of common over +it--' + +'John,' said my sister, 'are the Doones privileged not +to be hanged upon common land?' + +At this I was so thunderstruck, that I leaped in the +air like a shot rabbit, and rushed as hard as I could +through the gate and across the yard, and back into the +kitchen; and there I asked Farmer Nicholas Snowe to +give me some tobacco, and to lend me a spare pipe. + +This he did with a grateful manner, being now some +five-fourths gone; and so I smoked the very first pipe +that ever had entered my lips till then; and beyond a +doubt it did me good, and spread my heart at leisure. + +Meanwhile the reapers were mostly gone, to be up +betimes in the morning; and some were led by their +wives; and some had to lead their wives themselves, +according to the capacity of man and wife respectively. +But Betty was as lively as ever, bustling about with +every one, and looking out for the chance of groats, +which the better off might be free with. And over the +kneading-pan next day, she dropped three and sixpence +out of her pocket; and Lizzie could not tell for her +life how much more might have been in it. + +Now by this time I had almost finished smoking that +pipe of tobacco, and wondering at myself for having so +despised it hitherto, and making up my mind to have +another trial to-morrow night, it began to occur to me +that although dear Annie had behaved so very badly and +rudely, and almost taken my breath away with the +suddenness of her allusion, yet it was not kind of me +to leave her out there at that time of night, all +alone, and in such distress. Any of the reapers going +home might be gotten so far beyond fear of ghosts as to +venture into the churchyard; and although they would +know a great deal better than to insult a sister of +mine when sober, there was no telling what they might +do in their present state of rejoicing. Moreover, it +was only right that I should learn, for Lorna's sake, +how far Annie, or any one else, had penetrated our +secret. + +Therefore, I went forth at once, bearing my pipe in a +skilful manner, as I had seen Farmer Nicholas do; and +marking, with a new kind of pleasure, how the rings and +wreaths of smoke hovered and fluttered in the +moonlight, like a lark upon his carol. Poor Annie was +gone back again to our father's grave, and there she +sat upon the turf, sobbing very gently, and not wishing +to trouble any one. So I raised her tenderly, and made +much of her, and consoled her, for I could not scold +her there; and perhaps after all she was not to be +blamed so much as Tom Faggus himself was. Annie was +very grateful to me, and kissed me many times, and +begged my pardon ever so often for her rudeness to me. +And then having gone so far with it, and finding me so +complaisant, she must needs try to go a little further, +and to lead me away from her own affairs, and into mine +concerning Lorna. But although it was clever enough of +her she was not deep enough for me there; and I soon +discovered that she knew nothing, not even the name of +my darling; but only suspected from things she had +seen, and put together like a woman. Upon this I +brought her back again to Tom Faggus and his doings. + +'My poor Annie, have you really promised him to be his +wife?' + +'Then after all you have no reason, John, no particular +reason, I mean, for slighting poor Sally Snowe so?' + +'Without even asking mother or me! Oh, Annie, it was +wrong of you!' + +'But, darling, you know that mother wishes you so much +to marry Sally; and I am sure you could have her +to-morrow. She dotes on the very ground--' + +'I dare say he tells you that, Annie, that he dotes on +the ground you walk upon--but did you believe him, +child?' + +'You may believe me, I assure you, John, and half the +farm to be settled upon her, after the old man's time; +and though she gives herself little airs, it is only +done to entice you; she has the very best hand in the +dairy John, and the lightest at a turn-over cake--' + +'Now, Annie, don't talk nonsense so. I wish just to +know the truth about you and Tom Faggus. Do you mean +to marry him?' + +'I to marry before my brother, and leave him with none +to take care of him! Who can do him a red deer collop, +except Sally herself, as I can? Come home, dear, at +once, and I will do you one; for you never ate a morsel +of supper, with all the people you had to attend upon.' + +This was true enough; and seeing no chance of anything +more than cross questions and crooked purposes, at +which a girl was sure to beat me, I even allowed her to +lead me home, with the thoughts of the collop +uppermost. But I never counted upon being beaten so +thoroughly as I was; for knowing me now to be off my +guard, the young hussy stopped at the farmyard gate, as +if with a brier entangling her, and while I was +stooping to take it away, she looked me full in the +face by the moonlight, and jerked out quite suddenly,-- + +'Can your love do a collop, John?' + +'No, I should hope not,' I answered rashly; 'she is not +a mere cook-maid I should hope.' + +'She is not half so pretty as Sally Snowe; I will +answer for that,' said Annie. + +'She is ten thousand times as pretty as ten thousand +Sally Snowes,' I replied with great indignation. + +'Oh, but look at Sally's eyes!' cried my sister +rapturously. + +'Look at Lorna Doone's,' said I; 'and you would never +look again at Sally's.' + +'Oh Lorna Doone. Lorna Doone!' exclaimed our Annie +half-frightened, yet clapping her hands with triumph, +at having found me out so: 'Lorna Doone is the lovely +maiden, who has stolen poor somebody's heart so. Ah, I +shall remember it; because it is so queer a name. But +stop, I had better write it down. Lend me your hat, +poor boy, to write on.' + +'I have a great mind to lend you a box on the ear,' I +answered her in my vexation, 'and I would, if you had +not been crying so, you sly good-for-nothing baggage. +As it is, I shall keep it for Master Faggus, and add +interest for keeping.' + +'Oh no, John; oh no, John,' she begged me earnestly, +being sobered in a moment. 'Your hand is so terribly +heavy, John; and he never would forgive you; although +he is so good-hearted, he cannot put up with an insult. +Promise me, dear John, that you will not strike him; +and I will promise you faithfully to keep your secret, +even from mother, and even from Cousin Tom himself.' + +'And from Lizzie; most of all, from Lizzie,' I answered +very eagerly, knowing too well which of my relations +would be hardest with me. + +'Of course from little Lizzie,' said Annie, with some +contempt; 'a young thing like her cannot be kept too +long, in my opinion, from the knowledge of such +subjects. And besides, I should be very sorry if +Lizzie had the right to know your secrets, as I have, +dearest John. Not a soul shall be the wiser for your +having trusted me, John; although I shall be very +wretched when you are late away at night, among those +dreadful people.' + +'Well,' I replied, 'it is no use crying over spilt milk +Annie. You have my secret, and I have yours; and I +scarcely know which of the two is likely to have the +worst time of it, when it comes to mother's ears. I +could put up with perpetual scolding but not with +mother's sad silence.' + +'That is exactly how I feel, John.' and as Annie said +it she brightened up, and her soft eyes shone upon me; +'but now I shall be much happier, dear; because I shall +try to help you. No doubt the young lady deserves it, +John. She is not after the farm, I hope?' + +'She!' I exclaimed; and that was enough, there was so +much scorn in my voice and face. + +'Then, I am sure, I am very glad,' Annie always made +the best of things; 'for I do believe that Sally Snowe +has taken a fancy to our dairy-place, and the pattern +of our cream-pans; and she asked so much about our +meadows, and the colour of the milk--' + +'Then, after all, you were right, dear Annie; it is the +ground she dotes upon.' + +'And the things that walk upon it,' she answered me +with another kiss; 'Sally has taken a wonderful fancy +to our best cow, "Nipple-pins." But she never shall +have her now; what a consolation!' + +We entered the house quite gently thus, and found +Farmer Nicholas Snowe asleep, little dreaming how his +plans had been overset between us. And then Annie said +to me very slyly, between a smile and a blush,-- + +'Don't you wish Lorna Doone was here, John, in the +parlour along with mother; instead of those two +fashionable milkmaids, as Uncle Ben will call them, and +poor stupid Mistress Kebby?' + +'That indeed I do, Annie. I must kiss you for only +thinking of it. Dear me, it seems as if you had known +all about us for a twelvemonth.' + +'She loves you, with all her heart, John. No doubt +about that of course.' And Annie looked up at me, as +much as to say she would like to know who could help +it. + +'That's the very thing she won't do,' said I, knowing +that Annie would love me all the more for it, 'she is +only beginning to like me, Annie; and as for loving, +she is so young that she only loves her grandfather. +But I hope she will come to it by-and-by.' + +'Of course she must,' replied my sister, 'it will be +impossible for her to help it.' + +'Ah well! I don't know,' for I wanted more assurance of +it. 'Maidens are such wondrous things!'' + +'Not a bit of it,' said Annie, casting her bright eyes +downwards: 'love is as simple as milking, when people +know how to do it. But you must not let her alone too +long; that is my advice to you. What a simpleton you +must have been not to tell me long ago. I would have +made Lorna wild about you, long before this time, +Johnny. But now you go into the parlour, dear, while I +do your collop. Faith Snowe is not come, but Polly and +Sally. Sally has made up her mind to conquer you this +very blessed evening, John. Only look what a thing of +a scarf she has on; I should be quite ashamed to wear +it. But you won't strike poor Tom, will you?' + +'Not I, my darling, for your sweet sake.' + +And so dear Annie, having grown quite brave, gave me a +little push into the parlour, where I was quite abashed +to enter after all I had heard about Sally. And I made +up my mind to examine her well, and try a little +courting with her, if she should lead me on, that I +might be in practice for Lorna. But when I perceived +how grandly and richly both the young damsels were +apparelled; and how, in their curtseys to me, they +retreated, as if I were making up to them, in a way +they had learned from Exeter; and how they began to +talk of the Court, as if they had been there all their +lives, and the latest mode of the Duchess of this, and +the profile of the Countess of that, and the last good +saying of my Lord something; instead of butter, and +cream, and eggs, and things which they understood; I +knew there must be somebody in the room besides Jasper +Kebby to talk at. + +And so there was; for behind the curtain drawn across +the window-seat no less a man than Uncle Ben was +sitting half asleep and weary; and by his side a little +girl very quiet and very watchful. My mother led me +to Uncle Ben, and he took my hand without rising, +muttering something not over-polite, about my being +bigger than ever. I asked him heartily how he was, and +he said, 'Well enough, for that matter; but none the +better for the noise you great clods have been making.' + +'I am sorry if we have disturbed you, sir,' I answered +very civilly; 'but I knew not that you were here even; +and you must allow for harvest time.' + +'So it seems,' he replied; 'and allow a great deal, +including waste and drunkenness. Now (if you can see +so small a thing, after emptying flagons much larger) +this is my granddaughter, and my heiress'--here he +glanced at mother--'my heiress, little Ruth Huckaback.' + +'I am very glad to see you, Ruth,' I answered, offering +her my hand, which she seemed afraid to take, 'welcome +to Plover's Barrows, my good cousin Ruth.' + +However, my good cousin Ruth only arose, and made me a +curtsey, and lifted her great brown eyes at me, more in +fear, as I thought, than kinship. And if ever any one +looked unlike the heiress to great property, it was the +little girl before me. + +'Come out to the kitchen, dear, and let me chuck you to +the ceiling,' I said, just to encourage her; 'I always +do it to little girls; and then they can see the hams +and bacon.' But Uncle Reuben burst out laughing; and +Ruth turned away with a deep rich colour. + +'Do you know how old she is, you numskull?' said Uncle +Ben, in his dryest drawl; 'she was seventeen last July, +sir.' + +'On the first of July, grandfather,' Ruth whispered, +with her back still to me; 'but many people will not +believe it.' + +Here mother came up to my rescue, as she always loved +to do; and she said, 'If my son may not dance Miss +Ruth, at any rate he may dance with her. We have only +been waiting for you, dear John, to have a little +harvest dance, with the kitchen door thrown open. You +take Ruth; Uncle Ben take Sally; Master Debby pair off +with Polly; and neighbour Nicholas will be good enough, +if I can awake him, to stand up with fair Mistress +Kebby. Lizzie will play us the virginal. Won't you, +Lizzie dear?' + +'But who is to dance with you, madam?' Uncle Ben asked, +very politely. 'I think you must rearrange your +figure. I have not danced for a score of years; and I +will not dance now, while the mistress and the owner of +the harvest sits aside neglected.' + +'Nay, Master Huckaback,' cried Sally Snowe, with a +saucy toss of her hair; 'Mistress Ridd is too kind a +great deal, in handing you over to me. You take her; +and I will fetch Annie to be my partner this evening. +I like dancing very much better with girls, for they +never squeeze and rumple one. Oh, it is so much +nicer!' + +'Have no fear for me, my dears,' our mother answered +smiling: 'Parson Bowden promised to come back again; I +expect him every minute; and he intends to lead me off, +and to bring a partner for Annie too, a very pretty +young gentleman. Now begin; and I will join you.' + +There was no disobeying her, without rudeness; and +indeed the girls' feet were already jigging; and Lizzie +giving herself wonderful airs with a roll of learned +music; and even while Annie was doing my collop, her +pretty round instep was arching itself, as I could see +from the parlour-door. So I took little Ruth, and I +spun her around, as the sound of the music came lively +and ringing; and after us came all the rest with much +laughter, begging me not to jump over her; and anon my +grave partner began to smile sweetly, and look up at me +with the brightest of eyes, and drop me the prettiest +curtseys; till I thought what a great stupe I must have +been to dream of putting her in the cheese-rack. But +one thing I could not at all understand; why mother, +who used to do all in her power to throw me across +Sally Snowe, should now do the very opposite; for she +would not allow me one moment with Sally, not even to +cross in the dance, or whisper, or go anywhere near a +corner (which as I said, I intended to do, just by way +of practice), while she kept me, all the evening, as +close as possible with Ruth Huckaback, and came up and +praised me so to Ruth, times and again, that I declare +I was quite ashamed. Although of course I knew that I +deserved it all, but I could not well say that. + +Then Annie came sailing down the dance, with her +beautiful hair flowing round her; the lightest figure +in all the room, and the sweetest, and the loveliest. +She was blushing, with her fair cheeks red beneath her +dear blue eyes, as she met my glance of surprise and +grief at the partner she was leaning on. It was Squire +Marwood de Whichehalse. I would sooner have seen her +with Tom Faggus, as indeed I had expected, when I heard +of Parson Bowden. And to me it seemed that she had no +right to be dancing so with any other; and to this +effect I contrived to whisper; but she only said, 'See +to yourself, John. No, but let us both enjoy +ourselves. You are not dancing with Lorna, John. But +you seem uncommonly happy.' + +'Tush,' I said; 'could I flip about so, if I had my +love with me?' + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +JOHN FRY'S ERRAND + +We kept up the dance very late that night, mother being in such +wonderful spirits, that she would not hear of our going to bed: +while she glanced from young Squire Marwood, very deep +in his talk with our Annie, to me and Ruth Huckaback +who were beginning to be very pleasant company. Alas, +poor mother, so proud as she was, how little she +dreamed that her good schemes already were hopelessly +going awry! + +Being forced to be up before daylight next day, in +order to begin right early, I would not go to my +bedroom that night for fear of disturbing my mother, +but determined to sleep in the tallat awhile, that +place being cool, and airy, and refreshing with the +smell of sweet hay. Moreover, after my dwelling in +town, where I had felt like a horse on a lime-kiln, I +could not for a length of time have enough of country +life. The mooing of a calf was music, and the chuckle +of a fowl was wit, and the snore of the horses was news +to me. + +'Wult have thee own wai, I reckon,' said Betty, being +cross with sleepiness, for she had washed up +everything; 'slape in hog-pound, if thee laikes, Jan.' + +Letting her have the last word of it (as is the due of +women) I stood in the court, and wondered awhile at the +glory of the harvest moon, and the yellow world it +shone upon. Then I saw, as sure as ever I was standing +there in the shadow of the stable, I saw a short wide +figure glide across the foot of the courtyard, between +me and the six-barred gate. Instead of running after +it, as I should have done, I began to consider who it +could be, and what on earth was doing there, when all +our people were in bed, and the reapers gone home, or +to the linhay close against the wheatfield. + +Having made up my mind at last, that it could be none +of our people--though not a dog was barking--and also +that it must have been either a girl or a woman, I ran +down with all speed to learn what might be the meaning +of it. But I came too late to learn, through my own +hesitation, for this was the lower end of the +courtyard, not the approach from the parish highway, +but the end of the sledd-way, across the fields where +the brook goes down to the Lynn stream, and where +Squire Faggus had saved the old drake. And of course +the dry channel of the brook, being scarcely any water +now, afforded plenty of place to hide, leading also to +a little coppice, beyond our cabbage-garden, and so +further on to the parish highway. + +I saw at once that it was vain to make any pursuit by +moonlight; and resolving to hold my own counsel about +it (though puzzled not a little) and to keep watch +there another night, back I returned to the tallatt-ladder, and +slept without leaving off till morning. + +Now many people may wish to know, as indeed I myself +did very greatly, what had brought Master Huckaback +over from Dulverton, at that time of year, when the +clothing business was most active on account of harvest +wages, and when the new wheat was beginning to sample +from the early parts up the country (for he meddled as +well in corn-dealing) and when we could not attend to +him properly by reason of our occupation. And yet more +surprising it seemed to me that he should have brought +his granddaughter also, instead of the troop of +dragoons, without which he had vowed he would never +come here again. And how he had managed to enter the +house together with his granddaughter, and be sitting +quite at home in the parlour there, without any +knowledge or even suspicion on my part. That last +question was easily solved, for mother herself had +admitted them by means of the little passage, during a +chorus of the harvest-song which might have drowned an +earthquake: but as for his meaning and motive, and +apparent neglect of his business, none but himself +could interpret them; and as he did not see fit to do +so, we could not be rude enough to inquire. + +He seemed in no hurry to take his departure, though his +visit was so inconvenient to us, as himself indeed must +have noticed: and presently Lizzie, who was the +sharpest among us, said in my hearing that she believed +he had purposely timed his visit so that he might have +liberty to pursue his own object, whatsoever it were, +without interruption from us. Mother gazed hard upon +Lizzie at this, having formed a very different opinion; +but Annie and myself agreed that it was worth looking +into. + +Now how could we look into it, without watching Uncle +Reuben, whenever he went abroad, and trying to catch +him in his speech, when he was taking his ease at +night. For, in spite of all the disgust with which he +had spoken of harvest wassailing, there was not a man +coming into our kitchen who liked it better than he +did; only in a quiet way, and without too many +witnesses. Now to endeavour to get at the purpose of +any guest, even a treacherous one (which we had no +right to think Uncle Reuben) by means of observing him +in his cups, is a thing which even the lowest of people +would regard with abhorrence. And to my mind it was +not clear whether it would be fair-play at all to +follow a visitor even at a distance from home and clear +of our premises; except for the purpose of fetching him +back, and giving him more to go on with. Nevertheless +we could not but think, the times being wild and +disjointed, that Uncle Ben was not using fairly the +part of a guest in our house, to make long expeditions +we knew not whither, and involve us in trouble we knew +not what. + +For his mode was directly after breakfast to pray to +the Lord a little (which used not to be his practice), +and then to go forth upon Dolly, the which was our +Annie's pony, very quiet and respectful, with a bag of +good victuals hung behind him, and two great cavalry +pistols in front. And he always wore his meanest +clothes as if expecting to be robbed, or to disarm the +temptation thereto; and he never took his golden +chronometer neither his bag of money. So much the +girls found out and told me (for I was never at home +myself by day); and they very craftily spurred me on, +having less noble ideas perhaps, to hit upon Uncle +Reuben's track, and follow, and see what became of him. +For he never returned until dark or more, just in time +to be in before us, who were coming home from the +harvest. And then Dolly always seemed very weary, and +stained with a muck from beyond our parish. + +But I refused to follow him, not only for the loss of a +day's work to myself, and at least half a day to the +other men, but chiefly because I could not think that +it would be upright and manly. It was all very well to +creep warily into the valley of the Doones, and heed +everything around me, both because they were public +enemies, and also because I risked my life at every +step I took there. But as to tracking a feeble old man +(however subtle he might be), a guest moreover of our +own, and a relative through my mother.--'Once for all,' +I said, 'it is below me, and I won't do it.' + +Thereupon, the girls, knowing my way, ceased to torment +me about it: but what was my astonishment the very next +day to perceive that instead of fourteen reapers, we +were only thirteen left, directly our breakfast was +done with--or mowers rather I should say, for we were +gone into the barley now. + +'Who has been and left his scythe?' I asked; 'and here's a tin +cup never been handled!' + +'Whoy, dudn't ee knaw, Maister Jan,' said Bill Dadds, +looking at me queerly, 'as Jan Vry wur gane avore +braxvass.' + +'Oh, very well,' I answered, 'John knows what he is +doing.' For John Fry was a kind of foreman now, and it +would not do to say anything that might lessen his +authority. However, I made up my mind to rope him, +when I should catch him by himself, without peril to +his dignity. + +But when I came home in the evening, late and almost +weary, there was no Annie cooking my supper, nor Lizzie +by the fire reading, nor even little Ruth Huckaback +watching the shadows and pondering. Upon this, I went +to the girls' room, not in the very best of tempers, +and there I found all three of them in the little place +set apart for Annie, eagerly listening to John Fry, who +was telling some great adventure. John had a great jug +of ale beside him, and a horn well drained; and he +clearly looked upon himself as a hero, and the maids +seemed to be of the same opinion. + +'Well done, John,' my sister was saying, 'capitally +done, John Fry. How very brave you have been, John. +Now quick, let us hear the rest of it.' + +'What does all this nonsense mean?' I said, in a voice +which frightened them, as I could see by the light of +our own mutton candles: 'John Fry, you be off to your +wife at once, or you shall have what I owe you now, instead of +to-morrow morning.' + +John made no answer, but scratched his head, and looked +at the maidens to take his part. + +'It is you that must be off, I think,' said Lizzie, +looking straight at me with all the impudence in the +world; 'what right have you to come in here to the +young ladies' room, without an invitation even?' + +'Very well, Miss Lizzie, I suppose mother has some +right here.' And with that, I was going away to fetch +her, knowing that she always took my side, and never +would allow the house to be turned upside down in that +manner. But Annie caught hold of me by the arm, and +little Ruth stood in the doorway; and Lizzie said, +'Don't be a fool, John. We know things of you, you +know; a great deal more than you dream of.' + +Upon this I glanced at Annie, to learn whether she had +been telling, but her pure true face reassured me at +once, and then she said very gently,-- + +'Lizzie, you talk too fast, my child. No one knows +anything of our John which he need be ashamed of; and +working as he does from light to dusk, and earning the +living of all of us, he is entitled to choose his own +good time for going out and for coming in, without +consulting a little girl five years younger than +himself. Now, John, sit down, and you shall know all +that we have done, though I doubt whether you will +approve of it.' + +Upon this I kissed Annie, and so did Ruth; and John Fry +looked a deal more comfortable, but Lizzie only made a +face at us. Then Annie began as follows:-- + +'You must know, dear John, that we have been extremely +curious, ever since Uncle Reuben came, to know what he +was come for, especially at this time of year, when he +is at his busiest. He never vouchsafed any +explanation, neither gave any reason, true or false, +which shows his entire ignorance of all feminine +nature. If Ruth had known, and refused to tell us, we +should have been much easier, because we must have got +it out of Ruth before two or three days were over. But +darling Ruth knew no more than we did, and indeed I +must do her the justice to say that she has been quite +as inquisitive. Well, we might have put up with it, if +it had not been for his taking Dolly, my own pet Dolly, +away every morning, quite as if she belonged to him, +and keeping her out until close upon dark, and then +bringing her home in a frightful condition. And he +even had the impudence, when I told him that Dolly was +my pony, to say that we owed him a pony, ever since you +took from him that little horse upon which you found +him strapped so snugly; and he means to take Dolly to +Dulverton with him, to run in his little cart. If +there is law in the land he shall not. Surely, John, +you will not let him?' + +'That I won't,' said I, 'except upon the conditions +which I offered him once before. If we owe him the +pony, we owe him the straps.' + +Sweet Annie laughed, like a bell, at this, and then she +went on with her story. + +'Well, John, we were perfectly miserable. You cannot +understand it, of course; but I used to go every +evening, and hug poor Dolly, and kiss her, and beg her +to tell me where she had been, and what she had seen, +that day. But never having belonged to Balaam, darling +Dolly was quite unsuccessful, though often she strove +to tell me, with her ears down, and both eyes rolling. +Then I made John Fry tie her tail in a knot, with a +piece of white ribbon, as if for adornment, that I +might trace her among the hills, at any rate for a mile +or two. But Uncle Ben was too deep for that; he cut +off the ribbon before he started, saying he would have +no Doones after him. And then, in despair, I applied +to you, knowing how quick of foot you are, and I got +Ruth and Lizzie to help me, but you answered us very +shortly; and a very poor supper you had that night, +according to your deserts. + +'But though we were dashed to the ground for a time, we +were not wholly discomfited. Our determination to know +all about it seemed to increase with the difficulty. +And Uncle Ben's manner last night was so dry, when we +tried to romp and to lead him out, that it was much +worse than Jamaica ginger grated into a poor sprayed +finger. So we sent him to bed at the earliest moment, +and held a small council upon him. If you remember +you, John, having now taken to smoke (which is a +hateful practice), had gone forth grumbling about your +bad supper and not taking it as a good lesson.' + +'Why, Annie,' I cried, in amazement at this, 'I will +never trust you again for a supper. I thought you were +so sorry.' + +'And so I was, dear; very sorry. But still we must do +our duty. And when we came to consider it, Ruth was +the cleverest of us all; for she said that surely we +must have some man we could trust about the farm to go +on a little errand; and then I remembered that old John +Fry would do anything for money.' + +'Not for money, plaize, miss,' said John Fry, taking a +pull at the beer; 'but for the love of your swate +face.' + +'To be sure, John; with the King's behind it. And so +Lizzie ran for John Fry at once, and we gave him full +directions, how he was to slip out of the barley in the +confusion of the breakfast, so that none might miss +him; and to run back to the black combe bottom, and +there he would find the very same pony which Uncle Ben +had been tied upon, and there is no faster upon the +farm. And then, without waiting for any breakfast +unless he could eat it either running or trotting, he +was to travel all up the black combe, by the track +Uncle Reuben had taken, and up at the top to look +forward carefully, and so to trace him without being +seen.' + +'Ay; and raight wull a doo'd un,' John cried, with his +mouth in the bullock's horn. + +'Well, and what did you see, John?' I asked, with great +anxiety; though I meant to have shown no interest. + +'John was just at the very point of it,' Lizzie +answered me sharply, 'when you chose to come in and +stop him.' + +'Then let him begin again,' said I; 'things being gone +so far, it is now my duty to know everything, for the +sake of you girls and mother.' + +'Hem!' cried Lizzie, in a nasty way; but I took no +notice of her, for she was always bad to deal with. +Therefore John Fry began again, being heartily glad to +do so, that his story might get out of the tumble which +all our talk had made in it. But as he could not tell +a tale in the manner of my Lorna (although he told it +very well for those who understood him) I will take it +from his mouth altogether, and state in brief what +happened. + +When John, upon his forest pony, which he had much ado +to hold (its mouth being like a bucket), was come to +the top of the long black combe, two miles or more from +Plover's Barrows, and winding to the southward, he +stopped his little nag short of the crest, and got off +and looked ahead of him, from behind a tump of +whortles. It was a long flat sweep of moorland over +which he was gazing, with a few bogs here and there, +and brushy places round them. Of course, John Fry, +from his shepherd life and reclaiming of strayed +cattle, knew as well as need be where he was, and the +spread of the hills before him, although it was beyond +our beat, or, rather, I should say, beside it. Not but +what we might have grazed there had it been our +pleasure, but that it was not worth our while, and +scarcely worth Jasper Kebby's even; all the land being +cropped (as one might say) with desolation. And nearly +all our knowledge of it sprang from the unaccountable +tricks of cows who have young calves with them; at +which time they have wild desire to get away from the +sight of man, and keep calf and milk for one another, +although it be in a barren land. At least, our cows +have gotten this trick, and I have heard other people +complain of it. + +John Fry, as I said, knew the place well enough, but he +liked it none the more for that, neither did any of our +people; and, indeed, all the neighbourhood of Thomshill +and Larksborough, and most of all Black Barrow Down lay +under grave imputation of having been enchanted with a +very evil spell. Moreover, it was known, though folk +were loath to speak of it, even on a summer morning, +that Squire Thom, who had been murdered there, a +century ago or more, had been seen by several +shepherds, even in the middle day, walking with his +severed head carried in his left hand, and his right +arm lifted towards the sun. + +Therefore it was very bold in John (as I acknowledged) +to venture across that moor alone, even with a fast +pony under him, and some whisky by his side. And he +would never have done so (of that I am quite certain), +either for the sake of Annie's sweet face, or of the +golden guinea, which the three maidens had subscribed +to reward his skill and valour. But the truth was that +he could not resist his own great curiosity. For, +carefully spying across the moor, from behind the tuft +of whortles, at first he could discover nothing having +life and motion, except three or four wild cattle +roving in vain search for nourishment, and a diseased +sheep banished hither, and some carrion crows keeping +watch on her. But when John was taking his very last +look, being only too glad to go home again, and +acknowledge himself baffled, he thought he saw a figure +moving in the farthest distance upon Black Barrow Down, +scarcely a thing to be sure of yet, on account of the +want of colour. But as he watched, the figure passed +between him and a naked cliff, and appeared to be a man +on horseback, making his way very carefully, in fear of +bogs and serpents. For all about there it is adders' +ground, and large black serpents dwell in the marshes, +and can swim as well as crawl. + +John knew that the man who was riding there could be +none but Uncle Reuben, for none of the Doones ever +passed that way, and the shepherds were afraid of it. +And now it seemed an unkind place for an unarmed man to +venture through, especially after an armed one who +might not like to be spied upon, and must have some +dark object in visiting such drear solitudes. +Nevertheless John Fry so ached with unbearable +curiosity to know what an old man, and a stranger, and +a rich man, and a peaceable could possibly be after in +that mysterious manner. Moreover, John so throbbed +with hope to find some wealthy secret, that come what +would of it he resolved to go to the end of the matter. + +Therefore he only waited awhile for fear of being +discovered, till Master Huckaback turned to the left +and entered a little gully, whence he could not survey +the moor. Then John remounted and crossed the rough +land and the stony places, and picked his way among the +morasses as fast as ever he dared to go; until, in +about half an hour, he drew nigh the entrance of the +gully. And now it behoved him to be most wary; for +Uncle Ben might have stopped in there, either to rest +his horse or having reached the end of his journey. +And in either case, John had little doubt that he +himself would be pistolled, and nothing more ever heard +of him. Therefore he made his pony come to the mouth +of it sideways, and leaned over and peered in around +the rocky corner, while the little horse cropped at the +briars. + +But he soon perceived that the gully was empty, so far +at least as its course was straight; and with that he +hastened into it, though his heart was not working +easily. When he had traced the winding hollow for half +a mile or more, he saw that it forked, and one part led +to the left up a steep red bank, and the other to the +right, being narrow and slightly tending downwards. +Some yellow sand lay here and there between the +starving grasses, and this he examined narrowly for a +trace of Master Huckaback. + +At last he saw that, beyond all doubt, the man he was +pursuing had taken the course which led down hill; and +down the hill he must follow him. And this John did +with deep misgivings, and a hearty wish that he had +never started upon so perilous an errand. For now he +knew not where he was, and scarcely dared to ask +himself, having heard of a horrible hole, somewhere in +this neighbourhood, called the Wizard's Slough. +Therefore John rode down the slope, with sorrow, and +great caution. And these grew more as he went onward, +and his pony reared against him, being scared, although +a native of the roughest moorland. And John had just +made up his mind that God meant this for a warning, as +the passage seemed darker and deeper, when suddenly he +turned a corner, and saw a scene which stopped him. + +For there was the Wizard's Slough itself, as black as +death, and bubbling, with a few scant yellow reeds in a +ring around it. Outside these, bright water-grass of +the liveliest green was creeping, tempting any unwary +foot to step, and plunge, and founder. And on the +marge were blue campanula, sundew, and forget-me-not, +such as no child could resist. On either side, the +hill fell back, and the ground was broken with tufts of +rush, and flag, and mares-tail, and a few rough +alder-trees overclogged with water. And not a bird was +seen or heard, neither rail nor water-hen, wag-tail +nor reed-warbler. + +Of this horrible quagmire, the worst upon all Exmoor, +John had heard from his grandfather, and even from his +mother, when they wanted to keep him quiet; but his +father had feared to speak of it to him, being a man of +piety, and up to the tricks of the evil one. This made +John the more desirous to have a good look at it now, +only with his girths well up, to turn away and flee at +speed, if anything should happen. And now he proved +how well it is to be wary and wide-awake, even in +lonesome places. For at the other side of the Slough, +and a few land-yards beyond it, where the ground was +less noisome, he had observed a felled tree lying over +a great hole in the earth, with staves of wood, and +slabs of stone, and some yellow gravel around it. But +the flags of reeds around the morass partly screened it +from his eyes, and he could not make out the meaning of +it, except that it meant no good, and probably was +witchcraft. Yet Dolly seemed not to be harmed by it, +for there she was as large as life, tied to a stump not +far beyond, and flipping the flies away with her tail. + +While John was trembling within himself, lest Dolly +should get scent of his pony, and neigh and reveal +their presence, although she could not see them, +suddenly to his great amazement something white arose +out of the hole, under the brown trunk of the tree. +Seeing this his blood went back within him, yet he was +not able to turn and flee, but rooted his face in among +the loose stones, and kept his quivering shoulders +back, and prayed to God to protect him. However, the +white thing itself was not so very awful, being nothing +more than a long-coned night-cap with a tassel on the +top, such as criminals wear at hanging-time. But when +John saw a man's face under it, and a man's neck and +shoulders slowly rising out of the pit, he could not +doubt that this was the place where the murderers come +to life again, according to the Exmoor story. He knew +that a man had been hanged last week, and that this was +the ninth day after it. + +Therefore he could bear no more, thoroughly brave as he +had been, neither did he wait to see what became of the +gallows-man; but climbed on his horse with what speed +he might, and rode away at full gallop. Neither did he +dare go back by the way he came, fearing to face Black +Barrow Down! therefore he struck up the other track +leading away towards Cloven Rocks, and after riding +hard for an hour and drinking all his whisky, he +luckily fell in with a shepherd, who led him on to a +public-house somewhere near Exeford. And here he was +so unmanned, the excitement being over, that nothing +less than a gallon of ale and half a gammon of bacon, +brought him to his right mind again. And he took good +care to be home before dark, having followed a +well-known sheep track. + +When John Fry finished his story at last, after many +exclamations from Annie, and from Lizzie, and much +praise of his gallantry, yet some little disappointment +that he had not stayed there a little longer, while he +was about it, so as to be able to tell us more, I said +to him very sternly,-- + +'Now, John, you have dreamed half this, my man. I +firmly believe that you fell asleep at the top of the +black combe, after drinking all your whisky, and never +went on the moor at all. You know what a liar you are, +John.' + +The girls were exceedingly angry at this, and laid +their hands before my mouth; but I waited for John to +answer, with my eyes fixed upon him steadfastly. + +'Bain't for me to denai,' said John, looking at me very +honestly, 'but what a maight tull a lai, now and +awhiles, zame as other men doth, and most of arl them +as spaks again it; but this here be no lai, Maister +Jan. I wush to God it wor, boy: a maight slape this +naight the better.' + +'I believe you speak the truth, John; and I ask your +pardon. Now not a word to any one, about this strange +affair. There is mischief brewing, I can see; and it +is my place to attend to it. Several things come +across me now--onlyI will not tell you.' + + +They were not at all contented with this; but I would +give them no better; except to say, when they plagued +me greatly, and vowed to sleep at my door all night,-- + +'Now, my dears, this is foolish of you. Too much of +this matter is known already. It is for your own dear +sakes that I am bound to be cautious. I have an +opinion of my own; but it may be a very wrong one; I +will not ask you to share it with me; neither will I +make you inquisitive.' + +Annie pouted, and Lizzie frowned, and Ruth looked at me +with her eyes wide open, but no other mark of regarding +me. And I saw that if any one of the three (for John +Fry was gone home with the trembles) could be trusted +to keep a secret, that one was Ruth Huckaback. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +FEEDING OF THE PIGS + +The story told by John Fry that night, and my +conviction of its truth, made me very uneasy, +especially as following upon the warning of Judge +Jeffreys, and the hints received from Jeremy Stickles, +and the outburst of the tanner at Dunster, as well as +sundry tales and rumours, and signs of secret +understanding, seen and heard on market-days, and at +places of entertainment. We knew for certain that at +Taunton, Bridgwater, and even Dulverton, there was much +disaffection towards the King, and regret for the days +of the Puritans. Albeit I had told the truth, and the +pure and simple truth, when, upon my examination, I +had assured his lordship, that to the best of my knowledge +there was nothing of the sort with us. + +But now I was beginning to doubt whether I might not +have been mistaken; especially when we heard, as we +did, of arms being landed at Lynmouth, in the dead of +the night, and of the tramp of men having reached some +one's ears, from a hill where a famous echo was. For +it must be plain to any conspirator (without the +example of the Doones) that for the secret muster of +men and the stowing of unlawful arms, and communication +by beacon lights, scarcely a fitter place could be +found than the wilds of Exmoor, with deep ravines +running far inland from an unwatched and mostly a +sheltered sea. For the Channel from Countisbury +Foreland up to Minehead, or even farther, though rocky, +and gusty, and full of currents, is safe from great +rollers and the sweeping power of the south-west +storms, which prevail with us more than all the others, +and make sad work on the opposite coast. + +But even supposing it probable that something against +King Charles the Second (or rather against his Roman +advisers, and especially his brother) were now in +preparation amongst us, was it likely that Master +Huckaback, a wealthy man, and a careful one, known +moreover to the Lord Chief Justice, would have anything +to do with it? To this I could make no answer; Uncle +Ben was so close a man, so avaricious, and so +revengeful, that it was quite impossible to say what +course he might pursue, without knowing all the chances +of gain, or rise, or satisfaction to him. That he +hated the Papists I knew full well, though he never +spoke much about them; also that he had followed the +march of Oliver Cromwell's army, but more as a suttler +(people said) than as a real soldier; and that he would +go a long way, and risk a great deal of money, to have +his revenge on the Doones; although their name never +passed his lips during the present visit. + +But how was it likely to be as to the Doones +themselves? Which side would they probably take in the +coming movement, if movement indeed it would be? So +far as they had any religion at all, by birth they were +Roman Catholics--so much I knew from Lorna; and indeed +it was well known all around, that a priest had been +fetched more than once to the valley, to soothe some +poor outlaw's departure. On the other hand, they were +not likely to entertain much affection for the son of +the man who had banished them and confiscated their +property. And it was not at all impossible that desperate +men, such as they were, having nothing to lose, but estates +to recover, and not being held by religion much, should +cast away all regard for the birth from which they had +been cast out, and make common cause with a Protestant +rising, for the chance of revenge and replacement. + +However I do not mean to say that all these things +occurred to me as clearly as I have set them down; only +that I was in general doubt, and very sad perplexity. +For mother was so warm, and innocent, and kind so to +every one, that knowing some little by this time of the +English constitution, I feared very greatly lest she +should be punished for harbouring malcontents. As well +as possible I knew, that if any poor man came to our +door, and cried, 'Officers are after me; for God's sake +take and hide me,' mother would take him in at once, +and conceal, and feed him, even though he had been very +violent; and, to tell the truth, so would both my +sisters, and so indeed would I do. Whence it will be +clear that we were not the sort of people to be safe +among disturbances. + +Before I could quite make up my mind how to act in this +difficulty, and how to get at the rights of it (for I +would not spy after Uncle Reuben, though I felt no +great fear of the Wizard's Slough, and none of the man +with the white night-cap), a difference came again upon +it, and a change of chances. For Uncle Ben went away +as suddenly as he first had come to us, giving no +reason for his departure, neither claiming the pony, +and indeed leaving something behind him of great value +to my mother. For he begged her to see to his young +grand-daughter, until he could find opportunity of +fetching her safely to Dulverton. Mother was overjoyed +at this, as she could not help displaying; and Ruth was +quite as much delighted, although she durst not show +it. For at Dulverton she had to watch and keep such +ward on the victuals, and the in and out of the +shopmen, that it went entirely against her heart, and +she never could enjoy herself. Truly she was an +altered girl from the day she came to us; catching our +unsuspicious manners, and our free goodwill, and hearty +noise of laughing. + +By this time, the harvest being done, and the thatching +of the ricks made sure against south-western tempests, +and all the reapers being gone, with good money and +thankfulness, I began to burn in spirit for the sight +of Lorna. I had begged my sister Annie to let Sally +Snowe know, once for all, that it was not in my power +to have any thing more to do with her. Of course our +Annie was not to grieve Sally, neither to let it appear +for a moment that I suspected her kind views upon me, +and her strong regard for our dairy: only I thought it +right upon our part not to waste Sally's time any +longer, being a handsome wench as she was, and many +young fellows glad to marry her. + +And Annie did this uncommonly well, as she herself told +me afterwards, having taken Sally in the sweetest +manner into her pure confidence, and opened half her +bosom to her, about my very sad love affair. Not that +she let Sally know, of course, who it was, or what it +was; only that she made her understand, without hinting +at any desire of it, that there was no chance now of +having me. Sally changed colour a little at this, and +then went on about a red cow which had passed seven +needles at milking time. + +Inasmuch as there are two sorts of month well +recognised by the calendar, to wit the lunar and the +solar, I made bold to regard both my months, in the +absence of any provision, as intended to be strictly +lunar. Therefore upon the very day when the eight +weeks were expiring forth I went in search of Lorna, +taking the pearl ring hopefully, and all the new-laid +eggs I could find, and a dozen and a half of small +trout from our brook. And the pleasure it gave me to +catch those trout, thinking as every one came forth and +danced upon the grass, how much she would enjoy him, is +more than I can now describe, although I well remember +it. And it struck me that after accepting my ring, and +saying how much she loved me, it was possible that my +Queen might invite me even to stay and sup with her: +and so I arranged with dear Annie beforehand, who was +now the greatest comfort to me, to account for my +absence if I should be late. + +But alas, I was utterly disappointed; for although I +waited and waited for hours, with an equal amount both +of patience and peril, no Lorna ever appeared at all, +nor even the faintest sign of her. And another thing +occurred as well, which vexed me more than it need have +done, for so small a matter. And this was that my little +offering of the trout and the new-laid eggs was carried +off in the coolest manner by that vile Carver Doone. For +thinking to keep them the fresher and nicer, away from so +much handling, I laid them in a little bed of reeds by the +side of the water, and placed some dog-leaves over them. +And when I had quite forgotten about them, and was watching +from my hiding-place beneath the willow-tree (for I liked +not to enter Lorna's bower, without her permission; except +just to peep that she was not there), and while I was turning +the ring in my pocket, having just seen the new moon, I +became aware of a great man coming eisurely down the valley. +He had a broad-brimmed hat, and a leather jerkin, and heavy +jack-boots to his middle thigh, and what was worst of all +for me, on his shoulder he bore a long carbine. Having +nothing to meet him withal but my staff, and desiring to +avoid disturbance, I retired promptly into the chasm, +keeping the tree betwixt us that he might not descry me, +and watching from behind the jut of a rock, where now I +had scraped myself a neat little hole for the purpose. + +Presently the great man reappeared, being now within +fifty yards of me, and the light still good enough, as +he drew nearer for me to descry his features: and +though I am not a judge of men's faces, there was +something in his which turned me cold, as though with a +kind of horror. Not that it was an ugly face; nay, +rather it seemed a handsome one, so far as mere form +and line might go, full of strength, and vigour, and +will, and steadfast resolution. From the short black +hair above the broad forehead, to the long black beard +descending below the curt, bold chin, there was not any +curve or glimpse of weakness or of afterthought. +Nothing playful, nothing pleasant, nothing with a track +of smiles; nothing which a friend could like, and laugh +at him for having. And yet he might have been a good +man (for I have known very good men so fortified by +their own strange ideas of God): I say that he might +have seemed a good man, but for the cold and cruel +hankering of his steel-blue eyes. + +Now let no one suppose for a minute that I saw all this +in a moment; for I am very slow, and take a long time +to digest things; only I like to set down, and have +done with it, all the results of my knowledge, though +they be not manifold. But what I said to myself, just +then, was no more than this: 'What a fellow to have +Lorna!' Having my sense of right so outraged (although, +of course, I would never allow her to go so far as +that), I almost longed that he might thrust his head in +to look after me. For there I was, with my ash staff +clubbed, ready to have at him, and not ill inclined to +do so; if only he would come where strength, not +firearms, must decide it. However, he suspected +nothing of my dangerous neighbourhood, but walked his +round like a sentinel, and turned at the brink of the +water. + +Then as he marched back again, along the margin of the +stream, he espied my little hoard, covered up with +dog-leaves. He saw that the leaves were upside down, +and this of course drew his attention. I saw him +stoop, and lay bare the fish, and the eggs set a little +way from them and in my simple heart, I thought that +now he knew all about me. But to my surprise, he +seemed well-pleased; and his harsh short laughter came +to me without echo,-- + +'Ha, ha! Charlie boy! Fisherman Charlie, have I caught +thee setting bait for Lorna? Now, I understand thy +fishings, and the robbing of Counsellor's hen roost. +May I never have good roasting, if I have it not +to-night and roast thee, Charlie, afterwards!' + +With this he calmly packed up my fish, and all the best +of dear Annie's eggs; and went away chuckling +steadfastly, to his home, if one may call it so. But I +was so thoroughly grieved and mortified by this most +impudent robbery, that I started forth from my rocky +screen with the intention of pursuing him, until my better sense +arrested me, barely in time to escape his eyes. For I +said to myself, that even supposing I could contend +unarmed with him, it would be the greatest folly in the +world to have my secret access known, and perhaps a +fatal barrier placed between Lorna and myself, and I +knew not what trouble brought upon her, all for the +sake of a few eggs and fishes. It was better to bear +this trifling loss, however ignominious and goading to +the spirit, than to risk my love and Lorna's welfare, and +perhaps be shot into the bargain. And I think that all +will agree with me, that I acted for the wisest, in +withdrawing to my shelter, though deprived of eggs and +fishes. + +Having waited (as I said) until there was no chance +whatever of my love appearing, I hastened homeward very +sadly; and the wind of early autumn moaned across the +moorland. All the beauty of the harvest, all the +gaiety was gone, and the early fall of dusk was like a +weight upon me. Nevertheless, I went every evening +thenceforward for a fortnight; hoping, every time in +vain to find my hope and comfort. And meanwhile, what +perplexed me most was that the signals were replaced, +in order as agreed upon, so that Lorna could scarcely +be restrained by any rigour. + +One time I had a narrow chance of being shot and +settled with; and it befell me thus. I was waiting +very carelessly, being now a little desperate, at the +entrance to the glen, instead of watching through my +sight-hole, as the proper practice was. Suddenly a +ball went by me, with a whizz and whistle, passing +through my hat and sweeping it away all folded up. My +soft hat fluttered far down the stream, before I had +time to go after it, and with the help of both wind and +water, was fifty yards gone in a moment. At this I had +just enough mind left to shrink back very suddenly, and +lurk very still and closely; for I knew what a narrow +escape it had been, as I heard the bullet, hard set by +the powder, sing mournfully down the chasm, like a +drone banished out of the hive. And as I peered +through my little cranny, I saw a wreath of smoke still +floating where the thickness was of the withy-bed; and +presently Carver Doone came forth, having stopped to +reload his piece perhaps, and ran very swiftly to the +entrance to see what he had shot. + +Sore trouble had I to keep close quarters, from the +slipperiness of the stone beneath me with the water +sliding over it. My foe came quite to the verge of the +fall, where the river began to comb over; and there he +stopped for a minute or two, on the utmost edge of dry +land, upon the very spot indeed where I had fallen +senseless when I clomb it in my boyhood. I could hear +him breathing hard and grunting, as in doubt and +discontent, for he stood within a yard of me, and I +kept my right fist ready for him, if he should discover +me. Then at the foot of the waterslide, my black hat +suddenly appeared, tossing in white foam, and +fluttering like a raven wounded. Now I had doubted +which hat to take, when I left home that day; till I +thought that the black became me best, and might seem +kinder to Lorna. + +'Have I killed thee, old bird, at last?' my enemy cried +in triumph; ''tis the third time I have shot at thee, +and thou wast beginning to mock me. No more of thy +cursed croaking now, to wake me in the morning. Ha, +ha! there are not many who get three chances from +Carver Doone; and none ever go beyond it.' + +I laughed within myself at this, as he strode away in +his triumph; for was not this his third chance of me, +and he no whit the wiser? And then I thought that +perhaps the chance might some day be on the other side. + +For to tell the truth, I was heartily tired of lurking +and playing bo-peep so long; to which nothing could +have reconciled me, except my fear for Lorna. And here +I saw was a man of strength fit for me to encounter, +such as I had never met, but would be glad to meet +with; having found no man of late who needed not my +mercy at wrestling, or at single-stick. And growing +more and more uneasy, as I found no Lorna, I would have +tried to force the Doone Glen from the upper end, and +take my chance of getting back, but for Annie and her +prayers. + +Now that same night I think it was, or at any rate the +next one, that I noticed Betty Muxworthy going on most +strangely. She made the queerest signs to me, when +nobody was looking, and laid her fingers on her lips, +and pointed over her shoulder. But I took little heed +of her, being in a kind of dudgeon, and oppressed with +evil luck; believing too that all she wanted was to +have some little grumble about some petty grievance. + +But presently she poked me with the heel of a +fire-bundle, and passing close to my ear whispered, so +that none else could hear her, 'Larna Doo-un.' + +By these words I was so startled, that I turned round +and stared at her; but she pretended not to know it, +and began with all her might to scour an empty crock +with a besom. + +'Oh, Betty, let me help you! That work is much too hard +for you,' I cried with a sudden chivalry, which only +won rude answer. + +'Zeed me adooing of thic, every naight last ten year, +Jan, wiout vindin' out how hard it wor. But if zo bee +thee wants to help, carr peg's bucket for me. Massy, +if I ain't forgotten to fade the pegs till now.' + +Favouring me with another wink, to which I now paid the +keenest heed, Betty went and fetched the lanthorn from +the hook inside the door. Then when she had kindled +it, not allowing me any time to ask what she was after, +she went outside, and pointed to the great bock of +wash, and riddlings, and brown hulkage (for we ground +our own corn always), and though she knew that Bill +Dadds and Jem Slocombe had full work to carry it on a +pole (with another to help to sling it), she said to me +as quietly as a maiden might ask one to carry a glove, +'Jan Ridd, carr thic thing for me.' + +So I carried it for her, without any words; wondering +what she was up to next, and whether she had ever heard +of being too hard on the willing horse. And when we +came to hog-pound, she turned upon me suddenly, with +the lanthorn she was bearing, and saw that I had the +bock by one hand very easily. + +'Jan Ridd,' she said, 'there be no other man in England +cud a' dood it. Now thee shalt have Larna.' + +While I was wondering how my chance of having Lorna +could depend upon my power to carry pig's wash, and how +Betty could have any voice in the matter (which seemed +to depend upon her decision), and in short, while I was +all abroad as to her knowledge and everything, the +pigs, who had been fast asleep and dreaming in their +emptiness, awoke with one accord at the goodness of the +smell around them. They had resigned themselves, as +even pigs do, to a kind of fast, hoping to break their +fast more sweetly on the morrow morning. But now they +tumbled out all headlong, pigs below and pigs above, +pigs point-blank and pigs across, pigs courant and pigs +rampant, but all alike prepared to eat, and all in good +cadence squeaking. + +'Tak smarl boocket, and bale un out; wad 'e waste sich +stoof as thic here be?' So Betty set me to feed the +pigs, while she held the lanthorn; and knowing what she +was, I saw that she would not tell me another word +until all the pigs were served. And in truth no man +could well look at them, and delay to serve them, they +were all expressing appetite in so forcible a manner; +some running to and fro, and rubbing, and squealing as +if from starvation, some rushing down to the oaken +troughs, and poking each other away from them; and the +kindest of all putting up their fore-feet on the +top-rail on the hog-pound, and blinking their little +eyes, and grunting prettily to coax us; as who would +say, 'I trust you now; you will be kind, I know, and +give me the first and the very best of it.' + +'Oppen ge-at now, wull 'e, Jan? Maind, young sow wi' +the baible back arlway hath first toorn of it, 'cos I +brought her up on my lap, I did. Zuck, zuck, zuck! How +her stickth her tail up; do me good to zee un! Now +thiccy trough, thee zany, and tak thee girt legs out o' +the wai. Wish they wud gie thee a good baite, mak thee +hop a bit vaster, I reckon. Hit that there girt +ozebird over's back wi' the broomstick, he be robbing +of my young zow. Choog, choog, choog! and a drap more +left in the dripping-pail.' + +'Come now, Betty,' I said, when all the pigs were at it +sucking, swilling, munching, guzzling, thrusting, and +ousting, and spilling the food upon the backs of their +brethren (as great men do with their charity), 'come +now, Betty, how much longer am I to wait for your +message? Surely I am as good as a pig.' + +'Dunno as thee be, Jan. No straikiness in thy bakkon. +And now I come to think of it, Jan, thee zed, a wake +agone last Vriday, as how I had got a girt be-ard. +Wull 'e stick to that now, Maister Jan?' + +'No, no, Betty, certainly not; I made a mistake about +it. I should have said a becoming mustachio, such as +you may well be proud of.' + +'Then thee be a laiar, Jan Ridd. Zay so, laike a man, +lad.' + +'Not exactly that, Betty; but I made a great mistake; +and I humbly ask your pardon; and if such a thing as a +crown-piece, Betty'-- + +'No fai, no fai!' said Betty, however she put it into +her pocket; 'now tak my advice, Jan; thee marry Zally +Snowe.' + +'Not with all England for her dowry. Oh, Betty, you +know better.' + +'Ah's me! I know much worse, Jan. Break thy poor +mother's heart it will. And to think of arl the +danger! Dost love Larna now so much?' + +'With all the strength of my heart and soul. I will +have her, or I will die, Betty.' + +'Wull. Thee will die in either case. But it baint for +me to argify. And do her love thee too, Jan?' + +'I hope she does, Betty I hope she does. What do you +think about it?' + +'Ah, then I may hold my tongue to it. Knaw what boys +and maidens be, as well as I knew young pegs. I myzell +been o' that zort one taime every bit so well as you +be.' And Betty held the lanthorn up, and defied me to +deny it; and the light through the horn showed a gleam +in her eyes, such as I had never seer there before. +'No odds, no odds about that,' she continued; 'mak a +fool of myzell to spake of it. Arl gone into +churchyard. But it be a lucky foolery for thee, my +boy, I can tull 'ee. For I love to see the love in +thee. Coom'th over me as the spring do, though I be +naigh three score. Now, Jan, I will tell thee one +thing, can't abear to zee thee vretting so. Hould thee +head down, same as they pegs do.' + +So I bent my head quite close to her; and she whispered +in my ear, 'Goo of a marning, thee girt soft. Her +can't get out of an avening now, her hath zent word to +me, to tull 'ee.' + +In the glory of my delight at this, I bestowed upon +Betty a chaste salute, with all the pigs for witnesses; +and she took it not amiss, considering how long she had +been out of practice. But then she fell back, like a +broom on its handle, and stared at me, feigning anger. + +'Oh fai, oh fai! Lunnon impudence, I doubt. I vear +thee hast gone on zadly, Jan.' + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +AN EARLY MORNING CALL + +Of course I was up the very next morning before the +October sunrise, and away through the wild and the +woodland towards the Bagworthy water, at the foot of +the long cascade. The rising of the sun was noble in +the cold and warmth of it; peeping down the spread of +light, he raised his shoulder heavily over the edge of +grey mountain, and wavering length of upland. Beneath +his gaze the dew-fogs dipped, and crept to the hollow +places; then stole away in line and column, holding +skirts, and clinging subtly at the sheltering corners, +where rock hung over grass-land; while the brave lines +of the hills came forth, one beyond other gliding. + +Then the woods arose in folds, like drapery of awakened +mountains, stately with a depth of awe, and memory of +the tempests. Autumn's mellow hand was on them, as +they owned already, touched with gold, and red, and +olive; and their joy towards the sun was less to a +bridegroom than a father. + +Yet before the floating impress of the woods could +clear itself, suddenly the gladsome light leaped over +hill and valley, casting amber, blue, and purple, and a +tint of rich red rose; according to the scene they lit +on, and the curtain flung around; yet all alike +dispelling fear and the cloven hoof of darkness, all on +the wings of hope advancing, and proclaiming, 'God is +here.' Then life and joy sprang reassured from every +crouching hollow; every flower, and bud, and bird, had +a fluttering sense of them; and all the flashing of +God's gaze merged into soft beneficence. + +So perhaps shall break upon us that eternal morning, +when crag and chasm shall be no more, neither hill and +valley, nor great unvintaged ocean; when glory shall +not scare happiness, neither happiness envy glory; but +all things shall arise and shine in the light of the +Father's countenance, because itself is risen. + +Who maketh His sun to rise upon both the just and the +unjust. And surely but for the saving clause, Doone +Glen had been in darkness. Now, as I stood with +scanty breath--for few men could have won that +climb--at the top of the long defile, and the bottom of +the mountain gorge all of myself, and the pain of it, +and the cark of my discontent fell away into wonder and +rapture. For I cannot help seeing things now and then, +slow-witted as I have a right to be; and perhaps +because it comes so rarely, the sight dwells with me +like a picture. + +The bar of rock, with the water-cleft breaking steeply +through it, stood bold and bare, and dark in shadow, +grey with red gullies down it. But the sun was +beginning to glisten over the comb of the eastern +highland, and through an archway of the wood hung with +old nests and ivy. The lines of many a leaning tree +were thrown, from the cliffs of the foreland, down upon +the sparkling grass at the foot of the western crags. +And through the dewy meadow's breast, fringed with +shade, but touched on one side with the sun-smile, ran +the crystal water, curving in its brightness like +diverted hope. + +On either bank, the blades of grass, making their last +autumn growth, pricked their spears and crisped their +tuftings with the pearly purity. The tenderness of +their green appeared under the glaucous mantle; while +that grey suffusion, which is the blush of green life, +spread its damask chastity. Even then my soul was +lifted, worried though my mind was: who can see such +large kind doings, and not be ashamed of human grief? + +Not only unashamed of grief, but much abashed with joy, +was I, when I saw my Lorna coming, purer than the +morning dew, than the sun more bright and clear. That +which made me love her so, that which lifted my heart +to her, as the Spring wind lifts the clouds, was the +gayness of her nature, and its inborn playfulness. And +yet all this with maiden shame, a conscious dream of +things unknown, and a sense of fate about them. + +Down the valley still she came, not witting that I +looked at her, having ceased (through my own misprison) +to expect me yet awhile; or at least she told herself +so. In the joy of awakened life and brightness of the +morning, she had cast all care away, and seemed to +float upon the sunrise, like a buoyant silver wave. +Suddenly at sight of me, for I leaped forth at once, in +fear of seeming to watch her unawares, the bloom upon +her cheeks was deepened, and the radiance of her eyes; +and she came to meet me gladly. + +'At last then, you are come, John. I thought you had +forgotten me. I could not make you understand--they +have kept me prisoner every evening: but come into my +house; you are in danger here.' + +Meanwhile I could not answer, being overcome with joy, +but followed to her little grotto, where I had been +twice before. I knew that the crowning moment of my +life was coming--that Lorna would own her love for me. + +She made for awhile as if she dreamed not of the +meaning of my gaze, but tried to speak of other things, +faltering now and then, and mantling with a richer +damask below her long eyelashes. + +'This is not what I came to know,' I whispered very +softly, 'you know what I am come to ask.' + +'If you are come on purpose to ask anything, why do you +delay so?' She turned away very bravely, but I saw +that her lips were trembling. + +'I delay so long, because I fear; because my whole life +hangs in balance on a single word; because what I have +near me now may never more be near me after, though +more than all the world, or than a thousand worlds, to +me.' As I spoke these words of passion in a low soft +voice, Lorna trembled more and more; but she made no +answer, neither yet looked up at me. + +'I have loved you long and long,' I pursued, being +reckless now, 'when you were a little child, as a boy I +worshipped you: then when I saw you a comely girl, as a +stripling I adored you: now that you are a full-grown +maiden all the rest I do, and more--I love you more +than tongue can tell, or heart can hold in silence. I +have waited long and long; and though I am so far below +you I can wait no longer; but must have my answer.' + +'You have been very faithful, John,' she murmured to +the fern and moss; 'I suppose I must reward you.' + +'That will not do for me,' I said; 'I will not have +reluctant liking, nor assent for pity's sake; which +only means endurance. I must have all love, or none, I +must have your heart of hearts; even as you have mine, +Lorna.' + +While I spoke, she glanced up shyly through her +fluttering lashes, to prolong my doubt one moment, for +her own delicious pride. Then she opened wide upon me +all the glorious depth and softness of her loving eyes, +and flung both arms around my neck, and answered with +her heart on mine,-- + +'Darling, you have won it all. I shall never be my own +again. I am yours, my own one, for ever and for ever.' + +I am sure I know not what I did, or what I said +thereafter, being overcome with transport by her words +and at her gaze. Only one thing I remember, when she +raised her bright lips to me, like a child, for me to +kiss, such a smile of sweet temptation met me through +her flowing hair, that I almost forgot my manners, +giving her no time to breathe. + +'That will do,' said Lorna gently, but violently +blushing; 'for the present that will do, John. And now +remember one thing, dear. All the kindness is to be +on my side; and you are to be very distant, as behoves +to a young maiden; except when I invite you. But you +may kiss my hand, John; oh, yes, you may kiss my hand, +you know. Ah to be sure! I had forgotten; how very +stupid of me!' + +For by this time I had taken one sweet hand and gazed +on it, with the pride of all the world to think that +such a lovely thing was mine; and then I slipped my +little ring upon the wedding finger; and this time +Lorna kept it, and looked with fondness on its beauty, +and clung to me with a flood of tears. + +'Every time you cry,' said I, drawing her closer to me +'I shall consider it an invitation not to be too +distant. There now, none shall make you weep. Darling, +you shall sigh no more, but live in peace and +happiness, with me to guard and cherish you: and who +shall dare to vex you?' But she drew a long sad sigh, +and looked at the ground with the great tears rolling, +and pressed one hand upon the trouble of her pure young +breast. + +'It can never, never be,' she murmured to herself +alone: 'Who am I, to dream of it? Something in my +heart tells me it can be so never, never.' + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +TWO NEGATIVES MAKE AN AFFIRMATIVE + +There was, however, no possibility of depressing me at +such a time. To be loved by Lorna, the sweet, the +pure, the playful one, the fairest creature on God's +earth and the most enchanting, the lady of high birth +and mind; that I, a mere clumsy, blundering yeoman, +without wit, or wealth, or lineage, should have won +that loving heart to be my own for ever, was a thought +no fears could lessen, and no chance could steal from +me. + +Therefore at her own entreaty taking a very quick +adieu, and by her own invitation an exceeding kind one, +I hurried home with deep exulting, yet some sad +misgivings, for Lorna had made me promise now to tell +my mother everything; as indeed I always meant to do, +when my suit should be gone too far to stop. I knew, +of course, that my dear mother would be greatly moved +and vexed, the heirship of Glen Doone not being a very +desirable dower, but in spite of that, and all +disappointment as to little Ruth Huckaback, feeling my +mother's tenderness and deep affection to me, and +forgiving nature, I doubted not that before very long +she would view the matter as I did. Moreover, I felt +that if once I could get her only to look at Lorna, she +would so love and glory in her, that I should obtain +all praise and thanks, perchance without deserving +them. + +Unluckily for my designs, who should be sitting down at +breakfast with my mother and the rest but Squire +Faggus, as everybody now began to entitle him. I +noticed something odd about him, something +uncomfortable in his manner, and a lack of that ease +and humour which had been wont to distinguish him. He +took his breakfast as it came, without a single joke +about it, or preference of this to that; but with sly +soft looks at Annie, who seemed unable to sit quiet, or +to look at any one steadfastly. I feared in my heart +what was coming on, and felt truly sorry for poor +mother. After breakfast it became my duty to see to +the ploughing of a barley-stubble ready for the sowing +of a French grass, and I asked Tom Faggus to come with +me, but he refused, and I knew the reason. Being +resolved to allow him fair field to himself, though +with great displeasure that a man of such illegal +repute should marry into our family, which had always +been counted so honest, I carried my dinner upon my +back, and spent the whole day with the furrows. + +When I returned, Squire Faggus was gone; which appeared +to me but a sorry sign, inasmuch as if mother had taken +kindly to him and his intentions, she would surely have +made him remain awhile to celebrate the occasion. And +presently no doubt was left: for Lizzie came running to +meet me, at the bottom of the woodrick, and cried,-- + +'Oh, John, there is such a business. Mother is in such +a state of mind, and Annie crying her eyes out. What +do you think? You would never guess, though I have +suspected it, ever so long.' + +'No need for me to guess,' I replied, as though with +some indifference, because of her self-important air; +'I knew all about it long ago. You have not been +crying much, I see. I should like you better if you +had.' + +'Why should I cry? I like Tom Faggus. He is the only +one I ever see with the spirit of a man.' + +This was a cut, of course, at me. Mr. Faggus had won +the goodwill of Lizzie by his hatred of the Doones, and +vows that if he could get a dozen men of any courage to +join him, he would pull their stronghold about their +ears without any more ado. This malice of his seemed +strange to me, as he had never suffered at their hands, +so far at least as I knew; was it to be attributed to +his jealousy of outlaws who excelled him in his +business? Not being good at repartee, I made no answer +to Lizzie, having found this course more irksome to her +than the very best invective: and so we entered the +house together; and mother sent at once for me, while I +was trying to console my darling sister Annie. + +'Oh, John! speak one good word for me,' she cried with +both hands laid in mine, and her tearful eyes looking +up at me. + +'Not one, my pet, but a hundred,' I answered, kindly +embracing her: 'have no fear, little sister: I am going +to make your case so bright, by comparison, I mean, +that mother will send for you in five minutes, and call +you her best, her most dutiful child, and praise Cousin +Tom to the skies, and send a man on horseback after +him; and then you will have a harder task to intercede +for me, my dear.' + +'Oh, John, dear John, you won't tell her about +Lorna--oh, not to-day, dear.' + +'Yes, to-day, and at once, Annie. I want to have it +over, and be done with it.' + +'Oh, but think of her, dear. I am sure she could not +bear it, after this great shock already.' + +'She will bear it all the better,' said I; 'the one +will drive the other out. I know exactly what mother +is. She will be desperately savage first with you, and +then with me, and then for a very little while with +both of us together; and then she will put one against +the other (in her mind I mean) and consider which was +most to blame; and in doing that she will be compelled +to find the best in either's case, that it may beat the +other; and so as the pleas come before her mind, they +will gain upon the charges, both of us being her +children, you know: and before very long (particularly +if we both keep out of the way) she will begin to think +that after all she has been a little too hasty, and +then she will remember how good we have always been to +her; and how like our father. Upon that, she will +think of her own love-time, and sigh a good bit, and +cry a little, and then smile, and send for both of us, +and beg our pardon, and call us her two darlings.' + +'Now, John, how on earth can you know all that?' +exclaimed my sister, wiping her eyes, and gazing at me +with a soft bright smile. 'Who on earth can have told +you, John? People to call you stupid indeed! Why, I +feel that all you say is quite true, because you +describe so exactly what I should do myself; I mean--I +mean if I had two children, who had behaved as we have +done. But tell me, darling John, how you learned all +this.' + +'Never you mind,' I replied, with a nod of some +conceit, I fear: 'I must be a fool if I did not know +what mother is by this time.' + +Now inasmuch as the thing befell according to my +prediction, what need for me to dwell upon it, after +saying how it would be? Moreover, I would regret to +write down what mother said about Lorna, in her first +surprise and tribulation; not only because I was +grieved by the gross injustice of it, and frightened +mother with her own words (repeated deeply after her); +but rather because it is not well, when people repent +of hasty speech, to enter it against them. + +That is said to be the angels' business; and I doubt if +they can attend to it much, without doing injury to +themselves. + +However, by the afternoon, when the sun began to go +down upon us, our mother sat on the garden bench, with +her head on my great otter-skin waistcoat (which was +waterproof), and her right arm round our Annie's waist, +and scarcely knowing which of us she ought to make the +most of, or which deserved most pity. Not that she had +forgiven yet the rivals to her love--Tom Faggus, I +mean, and Lorna--but that she was beginning to think a +tattle better of them now, and a vast deal better of +her own children. + +And it helped her much in this regard, that she was not +thinking half so well as usual of herself, or rather of +her own judgment; for in good truth she had no self, +only as it came home to her, by no very distant road, +but by way of her children. A better mother never +lived; and can I, after searching all things, add +another word to that? + +And indeed poor Lizzie was not so very bad; but behaved +(on the whole) very well for her. She was much to be +pitied, poor thing, and great allowances made for her, +as belonging to a well-grown family, and a very comely +one; and feeling her own shortcomings. This made her +leap to the other extreme, and reassert herself too +much, endeavouring to exalt the mind at the expense of +the body; because she had the invisible one (so far as +can be decided) in better share than the visible. Not +but what she had her points, and very comely points of +body; lovely eyes to wit, and very beautiful hands and +feet (almost as good as Lorna's), and a neck as white +as snow; but Lizzie was not gifted with our gait and +port, and bounding health. + +Now, while we sat on the garden bench, under the great +ash-tree, we left dear mother to take her own way, and +talk at her own pleasure. Children almost always are +more wide-awake than their parents. The fathers and +the mothers laugh; but the young ones have the best of +them. And now both Annie knew, and I, that we had +gotten the best of mother; and therefore we let her lay +down the law, as if we had been two dollies. + +'Darling John,' my mother said, 'your case is a very +hard one. A young and very romantic girl--God send +that I be right in my charitable view of her--has met +an equally simple boy, among great dangers and +difficulties, from which my son has saved her, at the +risk of his life at every step. Of course, she became +attached to him, and looked up to him in every way, as +a superior being'-- + +'Come now, mother,' I said; 'if you only saw Lorna, you +would look upon me as the lowest dirt'-- + +'No doubt I should,' my mother answered; 'and the king +and queen, and all the royal family. Well, this poor +angel, having made up her mind to take compassion upon +my son, when he had saved her life so many times, +persuades him to marry her out of pure pity, and throw +his poor mother overboard. And the saddest part of it +all is this--' + +'That my mother will never, never, never understand the +truth,' said I. + +'That is all I wish,' she answered; 'just to get at the +simple truth from my own perception of it. John, you +are very wise in kissing me; but perhaps you would not +be so wise in bringing Lorna for an afternoon, just to +see what she thinks of me. There is a good saddle of +mutton now; and there are some very good sausages left, +on the blue dish with the anchor, Annie, from the last +little sow we killed.' + +'As if Lorna would eat sausages!' said I, with +appearance of high contempt, though rejoicing all the +while that mother seemed to have her name so pat; and +she pronounced it in a manner which made my heart leap +to my ears: 'Lorna to eat sausages!' + +'I don't see why she shouldn't,' my mother answered +smiling, 'if she means to be a farmer's wife, she must +take to farmer's ways, I think. What do you say, +Annie?' + +'She will eat whatever John desires, I should hope,' +said Annie gravely; 'particularly as I made them.' + +'Oh that I could only get the chance of trying her!' I +answered, 'if you could once behold her, mother, you +would never let her go again. And she would love you +with all her heart, she is so good and gentle.' + +'That is a lucky thing for me'; saying this my mother +wept, as she had been doing off and on, when no one +seemed to look at her; 'otherwise I suppose, John, she +would very soon turn me out of the farm, having you so +completely under her thumb, as she seems to have. I +see now that my time is over. Lizzie and I will seek +our fortunes. It is wiser so.' + +'Now, mother,' I cried; 'will you have the kindness not +to talk any nonsense? Everything belongs to you; and +so, I hope, your children do. And you, in turn, belong +to us; as you have proved ever since--oh, ever since we +can remember. Why do you make Annie cry so? You ought +to know better than that.' + +Mother upon this went over all the things she had done +before; how many times I know not; neither does it +matter. Only she seemed to enjoy it more, every time +of doing it. And then she said she was an old fool; +and Annie (like a thorough girl) pulled her one grey +hair out. + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +RUTH IS NOT LIKE LORNA + +Although by our mother's reluctant consent a large +part of the obstacles between Annie and her lover +appeared to be removed, on the other hand Lorna and +myself gained little, except as regarded comfort of +mind, and some ease to the conscience. Moreover, our +chance of frequent meetings and delightful converse was +much impaired, at least for the present; because though +mother was not aware of my narrow escape from Carver +Doone, she made me promise never to risk my life by +needless visits. And upon this point, that is to say, +the necessity of the visit, she was well content, as +she said, to leave me to my own good sense and honour; +only begging me always to tell her of my intention +beforehand. This pledge, however, for her own sake, I +declined to give; knowing how wretched she would be +during all the time of my absence; and, on that +account, I promised instead, that I would always give +her a full account of my adventure upon returning. + +Now my mother, as might be expected, began at once to +cast about for some means of relieving me from all +further peril, and herself from great anxiety. She was +full of plans for fetching Lorna, in some wonderful +manner, out of the power of the Doones entirely, and +into her own hands, where she was to remain for at +least a twelve-month, learning all mother and Annie +could teach her of dairy business, and farm-house life, +and the best mode of packing butter. And all this +arose from my happening to say, without meaning +anything, how the poor dear had longed for quiet, and a +life of simplicity, and a rest away from violence! +Bless thee, mother--now long in heaven, there is no +need to bless thee; but it often makes a dimness now in +my well-worn eyes, when I think of thy loving-kindness, +warmth, and romantic innocence. + +As to stealing my beloved from that vile Glen Doone, +the deed itself was not impossible, nor beyond my +daring; but in the first place would she come, leaving +her old grandfather to die without her tendence? And +even if, through fear of Carver and that wicked +Counsellor, she should consent to fly, would it be +possible to keep her without a regiment of soldiers? +Would not the Doones at once ride forth to scour the +country for their queen, and finding her (as they must +do), burn our house, and murder us, and carry her back +triumphantly? + +All this I laid before my mother, and to such effect +that she acknowledged, with a sigh that nothing else +remained for me (in the present state of matters) +except to keep a careful watch upon Lorna from safe +distance, observe the policy of the Doones, and wait +for a tide in their affairs. Meanwhile I might even +fall in love (as mother unwisely hinted) with a certain +more peaceful heiress, although of inferior blood, who +would be daily at my elbow. I am not sure but what +dear mother herself would have been disappointed, had I +proved myself so fickle; and my disdain and indignation +at the mere suggestion did not so much displease her; +for she only smiled and answered,-- + +'Well, it is not for me to say; God knows what is good +for us. Likings will not come to order; otherwise I +should not be where I am this day. And of one thing I +am rather glad; Uncle Reuben well deserves that his pet +scheme should miscarry. He who called my boy a coward, +an ignoble coward, because he would not join some +crack-brained plan against the valley which sheltered +his beloved one! And all the time this dreadful +"coward" risking his life daily there, without a word +to any one! How glad I am that you will not have, for +all her miserable money, that little dwarfish +granddaughter of the insolent old miser!' + +She turned, and by her side was standing poor Ruth +Huckaback herself, white, and sad, and looking steadily +at my mother's face, which became as red as a plum +while her breath deserted her. + +'If you please, madam,' said the little maiden, with +her large calm eyes unwavering, 'it is not my fault, +but God Almighty's, that I am a little dwarfish +creature. I knew not that you regarded me with so much +contempt on that account; neither have you told my +grandfather, at least within my hearing, that he was an +insolent old miser. When I return to Dulverton, which +I trust to do to-morrow (for it is too late to-day), I +shall be careful not to tell him your opinion of him, +lest I should thwart any schemes you may have upon his +property. I thank you all for your kindness to me, +which has been very great, far more than a little +dwarfish creature could, for her own sake, expect. I +will only add for your further guidance one more little +truth. It is by no means certain that my grandfather +will settle any of his miserable money upon me. If I +offend him, as I would in a moment, for the sake of a +brave and straightforward man'--here she gave me a +glance which I scarcely knew what to do with--'my +grandfather, upright as he is, would leave me without a +shilling. And I often wish it were so. So many +miseries come upon me from the miserable money--' Here +she broke down, and burst out crying, and ran away with +a faint good-bye; while we three looked at one another, +and felt that we had the worst of it. + +'Impudent little dwarf!' said my mother, recovering her +breath after ever so long. 'Oh, John, how thankful you +ought to be! What a life she would have led you!' + +'Well, I am sure!' said Annie, throwing her arms around +poor mother: 'who could have thought that little atomy +had such an outrageous spirit! For my part I cannot +think how she can have been sly enough to hide it in +that crafty manner, that John might think her an +angel!' + +'Well, for my part,' I answered, laughing, 'I never +admired Ruth Huckaback half, or a quarter so much +before. She is rare stuff. I would have been glad to +have married her to-morrow, if I had never seen my +Lorna.' + +'And a nice nobody I should have been, in my own +house!' cried mother: 'I never can be thankful enough +to darling Lorna for saving me. Did you see how her +eyes flashed?' + +'That I did; and very fine they were. Now nine maidens +out of ten would have feigned not to have heard one +word that was said, and have borne black malice in +their hearts. Come, Annie, now, would not you have +done so?' + +'I think,' said Annie, 'although of course I cannot +tell, you know, John, that I should have been ashamed +at hearing what was never meant for me, and should have +been almost as angry with myself as anybody.' + +'So you would,' replied my mother; 'so any daughter of +mine would have done, instead of railing and reviling. +However, I am very sorry that any words of mine which +the poor little thing chose to overhear should have +made her so forget herself. I shall beg her pardon +before she goes, and I shall expect her to beg mine.' + +'That she will never do,' said I; 'a more resolute +little maiden never yet had right upon her side; +although it was a mere accident. I might have said the +same thing myself, and she was hard upon you, mother +dear.' + +After this, we said no more, at least about that +matter; and little Ruth, the next morning, left us, in +spite of all that we could do. She vowed an +everlasting friendship to my younger sister Eliza; but +she looked at Annie with some resentment, when they +said good-bye, for being so much taller. At any rate +so Annie fancied, but she may have been quite wrong. I +rode beside the little maid till far beyond Exeford, +when all danger of the moor was past, and then I left +her with John Fry, not wishing to be too particular, +after all the talk about her money. She had tears in +her eyes when she bade me farewell, and she sent a kind +message home to mother, and promised to come again at +Christmas, if she could win permission. + +Upon the whole, my opinion was that she had behaved +uncommonly well for a maid whose self-love was +outraged, with spirit, I mean, and proper pride; and +yet with a great endeavour to forgive, which is, +meseems, the hardest of all things to a woman, outside +of her own family. + +After this, for another month, nothing worthy of notice +happened, except of course that I found it needful, +according to the strictest good sense and honour, to +visit Lorna immediately after my discourse with mother, +and to tell her all about it. My beauty gave me one +sweet kiss with all her heart (as she always did, when +she kissed at all), and I begged for one more to take +to our mother, and before leaving, I obtained it. It +is not for me to tell all she said, even supposing +(what is not likely) that any one cared to know it, +being more and more peculiar to ourselves and no one +else. But one thing that she said was this, and I took +good care to carry it, word for word, to my mother and +Annie:-- + +'I never can believe, dear John, that after all the +crime and outrage wrought by my reckless family, it +ever can be meant for me to settle down to peace and +comfort in a simple household. With all my heart I +long for home; any home, however dull and wearisome to +those used to it, would seem a paradise to me, if only +free from brawl and tumult, and such as I could call my +own. But even if God would allow me this, in lieu of +my wild inheritance, it is quite certain that the +Doones never can and never will.' + +Again, when I told her how my mother and Annie, as well +as myself, longed to have her at Plover's Barrows, and +teach her all the quiet duties in which she was sure to +take such delight, she only answered with a bright +blush, that while her grandfather was living she would +never leave him; and that even if she were free, +certain ruin was all she should bring to any house that +received her, at least within the utmost reach of her +amiable family. This was too plain to be denied, and +seeing my dejection at it, she told me bravely that we +must hope for better times, if possible, and asked how +long I would wait for her. + +'Not a day if I had my will,' I answered very warmly; +at which she turned away confused, and would not look +at me for awhile; 'but all my life,' I went on to say, +'if my fortune is so ill. And how long would you wait +for me, Lorna?' + +'Till I could get you,' she answered slyly, with a +smile which was brighter to me than the brightest wit +could be. 'And now,' she continued, 'you bound me, +John, with a very beautiful ring to you, and when I +dare not wear it, I carry it always on my heart. But I +will bind you to me, you dearest, with the very poorest +and plainest thing that ever you set eyes on. I could +give you fifty fairer ones, but they would not be +honest; and I love you for your honesty, and nothing +else of course, John; so don't you be conceited. Look +at it, what a queer old thing! There are some ancient +marks upon it, very grotesque and wonderful; it looks +like a cat in a tree almost, but never mind what it +looks like. This old ring must have been a giant's; +therefore it will fit you perhaps, you enormous John. +It has been on the front of my old glass necklace +(which my grandfather found them taking away, and very +soon made them give back again) ever since I can +remember; and long before that, as some woman told me. +Now you seem very greatly amazed; pray what thinks my +lord of it?' + +'That is worth fifty of the pearl thing which I gave +you, you darling; and that I will not take it from +you.' + +'Then you will never take me, that is all. I will have +nothing to do with a gentleman'-- + +'No gentleman, dear--a yeoman.' + +'Very well, a yeoman--nothing to do with a yeoman who +will not accept my love-gage. So, if you please, give +it back again, and take your lovely ring back.' + +She looked at me in such a manner, half in earnest, +half in jest, and three times three in love, that in +spite of all good resolutions, and her own faint +protest, I was forced to abandon all firm ideas, and +kiss her till she was quite ashamed, and her head hung +on my bosom, with the night of her hair shed over me. +Then I placed the pearl ring back on the soft elastic +bend of the finger she held up to scold me; and on my +own smallest finger drew the heavy hoop she had given +me. I considered this with satisfaction, until my +darling recovered herself; and then I began very +gravely about it, to keep her (if I could) from chiding +me:-- + +'Mistress Lorna, this is not the ring of any giant. It +is nothing more nor less than a very ancient +thumb-ring, such as once in my father's time was +ploughed up out of the ground in our farm, and sent to +learned doctors, who told us all about it, but kept the +ring for their trouble. I will accept it, my own one +love; and it shall go to my grave with me.' And so it +shall, unless there be villains who would dare to rob +the dead. + +Now I have spoken about this ring (though I scarcely +meant to do so, and would rather keep to myself things +so very holy) because it holds an important part in the +history of my Lorna. I asked her where the glass +necklace was from which the ring was fastened, and +which she had worn in her childhood, and she answered +that she hardly knew, but remembered that her +grandfather had begged her to give it up to him, when +she was ten years old or so, and had promised to keep +it for her until she could take care of it; at the same +time giving her back the ring, and fastening it from +her pretty neck, and telling her to be proud of it. +And so she always had been, and now from her sweet +breast she took it, and it became John Ridd's delight. + +All this, or at least great part of it, I told my +mother truly, according to my promise; and she was +greatly pleased with Lorna for having been so good to +me, and for speaking so very sensibly; and then she +looked at the great gold ring, but could by no means +interpret it. Only she was quite certain, as indeed I +myself was, that it must have belonged to an ancient +race of great consideration, and high rank, in their +time. Upon which I was for taking it off, lest it +should be degraded by a common farmer's finger. But +mother said 'No,' with tears in her eyes; 'if the +common farmer had won the great lady of the ancient +race, what were rings and old-world trinkets, when +compared to the living jewel?' Being quite of her +opinion in this, and loving the ring (which had no gem +in it) as the token of my priceless gem, I resolved to +wear it at any cost, except when I should be ploughing, +or doing things likely to break it; although I must own +that it felt very queer (for I never had throttled a +finger before), and it looked very queer, for a length +of time, upon my great hard-working hand. + +And before I got used to my ring, or people could think +that it belonged to me (plain and ungarnished though it +was), and before I went to see Lorna again, having +failed to find any necessity, and remembering my duty +to mother, we all had something else to think of, not so +pleasant, and more puzzling. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +JOHN RETURNS TO BUSINESS + +Now November was upon us, and we had kept +Allhallowmass, with roasting of skewered apples (like +so many shuttlecocks), and after that the day of +Fawkes, as became good Protestants, with merry bonfires +and burned batatas, and plenty of good feeding in +honour of our religion; and then while we were at +wheat-sowing, another visitor arrived. + +This was Master Jeremy Stickles, who had been a good +friend to me (as described before) in London, and had +earned my mother's gratitude, so far as ever he chose +to have it. And he seemed inclined to have it all; for +he made our farm-house his headquarters, and kept us +quite at his beck and call, going out at any time of +the evening, and coming back at any time of the +morning, and always expecting us to be ready, whether +with horse, or man, or maiden, or fire, or provisions. +We knew that he was employed somehow upon the service +of the King, and had at different stations certain +troopers and orderlies quite at his disposal; also we +knew that he never went out, nor even slept in his +bedroom, without heavy firearms well loaded, and a +sharp sword nigh his hand; and that he held a great +commission, under royal signet, requiring all good +subjects, all officers of whatever degree, and +especially justices of the peace, to aid him to the +utmost, with person, beast, and chattel, or to +answer it at their peril. + +Now Master Jeremy Stickles, of course, knowing well +what women are, durst not open to any of them the +nature of his instructions. But, after awhile, +perceiving that I could be relied upon, and that it was +a great discomfort not to have me with him, he took me +aside in a lonely place, and told me nearly everything; +having bound me first by oath, not to impart to any +one, without his own permission, until all was over. + +But at this present time of writing, all is over long +ago; ay and forgotten too, I ween, except by those who +suffered. Therefore may I tell the whole without any +breach of confidence. Master Stickles was going forth +upon his usual night journey, when he met me coming +home, and I said something half in jest, about his zeal +and secrecy; upon which he looked all round the yard, +and led me to an open space in the clover field +adjoining. + +'John,' he said, 'you have some right to know the +meaning of all this, being trusted as you were by the +Lord Chief Justice. But he found you scarcely supple +enough, neither gifted with due brains.' + +'Thank God for that same,' I answered, while he tapped +his head, to signify his own much larger allowance. +Then he made me bind myself, which in an evil hour I +did, to retain his secret; and after that he went on +solemnly, and with much importance,-- + +'There be some people fit to plot, and others to be +plotted against, and others to unravel plots, which +is the highest gift of all. This last hath fallen +to my share, and a very thankless gift it is, +although a rare and choice one. Much of peril too +attends it; daring courage and great coolness are as +needful for the work as ready wit and spotless honour. +Therefore His Majesty's advisers have chosen me for +this high task, and they could not have chosen a better +man. Although you have been in London, Jack, much +longer than you wished it, you are wholly ignorant, of +course, in matters of state, and the public weal.' + +'Well,' said I, 'no doubt but I am, and all the better +for me. Although I heard a deal of them; for +everybody was talking, and ready to come to blows; if +only it could be done without danger. But one said +this, and one said that; and they talked so much about +Birminghams, and Tantivies, and Whigs and Tories, and +Protestant flails and such like, that I was only too +glad to have my glass and clink my spoon for answer.' + +'Right, John, thou art right as usual. Let the King go +his own gait. He hath too many mistresses to be ever +England's master. Nobody need fear him, for he is not +like his father: he will have his own way, 'tis true, +but without stopping other folk of theirs: and well he +knows what women are, for he never asks them questions. + Now heard you much in London town about the Duke of +Monmouth?' + +'Not so very much,' I answered; 'not half so much as in +Devonshire: only that he was a hearty man, and a very +handsome one, and now was banished by the Tories; and +most people wished he was coming back, instead of the +Duke of York, who was trying boots in Scotland.' + +'Things are changed since you were in town. The Whigs +are getting up again, through the folly of the Tories +killing poor Lord Russell; and now this Master Sidney +(if my Lord condemns him) will make it worse again. +There is much disaffection everywhere, and it must grow +to an outbreak. The King hath many troops in London, +and meaneth to bring more from Tangier; but he cannot +command these country places; and the trained bands +cannot help him much, even if they would. Now, do you +understand me, John?' + +'In truth, not I. I see not what Tangier hath to do +with Exmoor; nor the Duke of Monmouth with Jeremy +Stickles.' + +'Thou great clod, put it the other way. Jeremy +Stickles may have much to do about the Duke of +Monmouth. The Whigs having failed of Exclusion, and +having been punished bitterly for the blood they shed, +are ripe for any violence. And the turn of the balance +is now to them. See-saw is the fashion of England +always; and the Whigs will soon be the top-sawyers.' + +'But,' said I, still more confused, '"The King is the +top-sawyer," according to our proverb. How then can +the Whigs be?' + +'Thou art a hopeless ass, John. Better to sew with a +chestnut than to teach thee the constitution. Let it +be so, let it be. I have seen a boy of five years old +more apt at politics than thou. Nay, look not +offended, lad. It is my fault for being over-deep to +thee. I should have considered thy intellect.' + +'Nay, Master Jeremy, make no apologies. It is I that +should excuse myself; but, God knows, I have no +politics.' + +'Stick to that, my lad,' he answered; 'so shalt thou +die easier. Now, in ten words (without parties, or +trying thy poor brain too much), I am here to watch the +gathering of a secret plot, not so much against the +King as against the due succession.' + +'Now I understand at last. But, Master Stickles, you +might have said all that an hour ago almost.' + +'It would have been better, if I had, to thee,' he +replied with much compassion; 'thy hat is nearly off +thy head with the swelling of brain I have given thee. +Blows, blows, are thy business, Jack. There thou art +in thine element. And, haply, this business will bring +thee plenty even for thy great head to take. Now +hearken to one who wishes thee well, and plainly sees +the end of it--stick thou to the winning side, and have +naught to do with the other one.' + +'That,' said I, in great haste and hurry, 'is the very +thing I want to do, if I only knew which was the +winning side, for the sake of Lorna--that is to say, +for the sake of my dear mother and sisters, and the +farm.' + +'Ha!' cried Jeremy Stickles, laughing at the redness of +my face--'Lorna, saidst thou; now what Lorna? Is it +the name of a maiden, or a light-o'-love?' + +'Keep to your own business,' I answered, very proudly; +'spy as much as e'er thou wilt, and use our house for +doing it, without asking leave or telling; but if I +ever find thee spying into my affairs, all the King's +lifeguards in London, and the dragoons thou bringest +hither, shall not save thee from my hand--or one finger +is enough for thee.' + +Being carried beyond myself by his insolence about +Lorna, I looked at Master Stickles so, and spake in +such a voice, that all his daring courage and his +spotless honour quailed within him, and he shrank--as +if I would strike so small a man. + +Then I left him, and went to work at the sacks upon the +corn-floor, to take my evil spirit from me before I +should see mother. For (to tell the truth) now my +strength was full, and troubles were gathering round +me, and people took advantage so much of my easy +temper, sometimes when I was over-tried, a sudden heat +ran over me, and a glowing of all my muscles, and a +tingling for a mighty throw, such as my utmost +self-command, and fear of hurting any one, could but +ill refrain. Afterwards, I was always very sadly +ashamed of myself, knowing how poor a thing bodily +strength is, as compared with power of mind, and that +it is a coward's part to misuse it upon weaker folk. +For the present there was a little breach between +Master Stickles and me, for which I blamed myself very +sorely. But though, in full memory of his kindness and +faithfulness in London, I asked his pardon many times +for my foolish anger with him, and offered to undergo +any penalty he would lay upon me, he only said it was +no matter, there was nothing to forgive. When people +say that, the truth often is that they can forgive +nothing. + +So for the present a breach was made between Master +Jeremy and myself, which to me seemed no great loss, +inasmuch as it relieved me from any privity to his +dealings, for which I had small liking. All I feared +was lest I might, in any way, be ungrateful to him; but +when he would have no more of me, what could I do to +help it? However, in a few days' time I was of good +service to him, as you shall see in its proper place. + +But now my own affairs were thrown into such disorder +that I could think of nothing else, and had the +greatest difficulty in hiding my uneasiness. For +suddenly, without any warning, or a word of message, +all my Lorna's signals ceased, which I had been +accustomed to watch for daily, and as it were to feed +upon them, with a glowing heart. The first time I +stood on the wooded crest, and found no change from +yesterday, I could hardly believe my eyes, or thought +at least that it must be some great mistake on the +part of my love. However, even that oppressed me with +a heavy heart, which grew heavier, as I found from day +to day no token. + +Three times I went and waited long at the bottom of the +valley, where now the stream was brown and angry with +the rains of autumn, and the weeping trees hung +leafless. But though I waited at every hour of day, +and far into the night, no light footstep came to meet +me, no sweet voice was in the air; all was lonely, +drear, and drenched with sodden desolation. It seemed +as if my love was dead, and the winds were at her +funeral. + +Once I sought far up the valley, where I had never been +before, even beyond the copse where Lorna had found and +lost her brave young cousin. Following up the river +channel, in shelter of the evening fog, I gained a +corner within stone's throw of the last outlying cot. +This was a gloomy, low, square house, without any light +in the windows, roughly built of wood and stone, as I +saw when I drew nearer. For knowing it to be Carver's +dwelling (or at least suspecting so, from some words of +Lorna's), I was led by curiosity, and perhaps by jealousy, +to have a closer look at it. Therefore, I crept up the +stream, losing half my sense of fear, by reason of anxiety. +And in truth there was not much to fear, the sky being now +too dark for even a shooter of wild fowl to make good aim. +And nothing else but guns could hurt me, as in the pride of +my strength I thought, and in my skill of single-stick. + +Nevertheless, I went warily, being now almost among +this nest of cockatrices. The back of Carver's house +abutted on the waves of the rushing stream; and seeing +a loop-hole, vacant for muskets, I looked in, but all +was quiet. So far as I could judge by listening, there +was no one now inside, and my heart for a moment leaped +with joy, for I had feared to find Lorna there. Then I +took a careful survey of the dwelling, and its windows, +and its door, and aspect, as if I had been a robber +meaning to make privy entrance. It was well for me +that I did this, as you will find hereafter. + +Having impressed upon my mind (a slow but, perhaps +retentive mind), all the bearings of the place, and all +its opportunities, and even the curve of the stream +along it, and the bushes near the door, I was much +inclined to go farther up, and understand all the +village. But a bar of red light across the river, some +forty yards on above me, and crossing from the opposite +side like a chain, prevented me. In that second house +there was a gathering of loud and merry outlaws, making +as much noise as if they had the law upon their side. +Some, indeed, as I approached, were laying down both +right and wrong, as purely, and with as high a sense, +as if they knew the difference. Cold and troubled as I +was, I could hardly keep from laughing. + +Before I betook myself home that night, and eased dear +mother's heart so much, and made her pale face spread +with smiles, I had resolved to penetrate Glen Doone +from the upper end, and learn all about my Lorna. Not +but what I might have entered from my unsuspected +channel, as so often I had done; but that I saw fearful +need for knowing something more than that. Here was +every sort of trouble gathering upon me, here was +Jeremy Stickles stealing upon every one in the dark; +here was Uncle Reuben plotting Satan only could tell +what; here was a white night-capped man coming bodily +from the grave; here was my own sister Annie committed +to a highwayman, and mother in distraction; most of all +--here, there, and where--was my Lorna stolen, +dungeoned, perhaps outraged. It was no time for shilly +shally, for the balance of this and that, or for a man +with blood and muscle to pat his nose and ponder. If I +left my Lorna so; if I let those black-soul'd villains +work their pleasure on my love; if the heart that clave +to mine could find no vigour in it--then let maidens +cease from men, and rest their faith in tabby-cats. + +Rudely rolling these ideas in my heavy head and brain I +resolved to let the morrow put them into form and +order, but not contradict them. And then, as my +constitution willed (being like that of England), I +slept, and there was no stopping me. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII + +A VERY DESPERATE VENTURE + +That the enterprise now resolved upon was far more +dangerous than any hitherto attempted by me, needs no +further proof than this:--I went and made my will at +Porlock, with a middling honest lawyer there; not that +I had much to leave, but that none could say how far +the farm, and all the farming stock, might depend on my +disposition. It makes me smile when I remember how +particular I was, and how for the life of me I was +puzzled to bequeath most part of my clothes, and hats, +and things altogether my own, to Lorna, without the +shrewd old lawyer knowing who she was and where she +lived. At last, indeed, I flattered myself that I had +baffled old Tape's curiosity; but his wrinkled smile +and his speech at parting made me again uneasy. + +'A very excellent will, young sir. An admirably just +and virtuous will; all your effects to your nearest of +kin; filial and fraternal duty thoroughly exemplified; +nothing diverted to alien channels, except a small +token of esteem and reverence to an elderly lady, I +presume: and which may or may not be valid, or invalid, +on the ground of uncertainty, or the absence of any +legal status on the part of the legatee. Ha, ha! Yes, +yes! Few young men are so free from exceptionable +entanglements. Two guineas is my charge, sir: and a +rare good will for the money. Very prudent of you, +sir. Does you credit in every way. Well, well; we all +must die; and often the young before the old.' + +Not only did I think two guineas a great deal too much +money for a quarter of an hour's employment, but also I +disliked particularly the words with which he +concluded; they sounded, from his grating voice, like +the evil omen of a croaking raven. Nevertheless I +still abode in my fixed resolve to go, and find out, if +I died for it, what was become of Lorna. And herein I +lay no claim to courage; the matter being simply a +choice between two evils, of which by far the greater +one was, of course, to lose my darling. + +The journey was a great deal longer to fetch around the +Southern hills, and enter by the Doone-gate, than to +cross the lower land and steal in by the water-slide. +However, I durst not take a horse (for fear of the +Doones who might be abroad upon their usual business), +but started betimes in the evening, so as not to hurry, +or waste any strength upon the way. And thus I came to +the robbers' highway, walking circumspectly, scanning +the sky-line of every hill, and searching the folds of +every valley, for any moving figure. + +Although it was now well on towards dark, and the sun +was down an hour or so, I could see the robbers' road +before me, in a trough of the winding hills, where the +brook ploughed down from the higher barrows, and the +coving banks were roofed with furze. At present, there +was no one passing, neither post nor sentinel, so far +as I could descry; but I thought it safer to wait a +little, as twilight melted into night; and then I crept +down a seam of the highland, and stood upon the +Doone-track. + +As the road approached the entrance, it became more +straight and strong, like a channel cut from rock, with +the water brawling darkly along the naked side of it. +Not a tree or bush was left, to shelter a man from +bullets: all was stern, and stiff, and rugged, as I +could not help perceiving, even through the darkness, +and a smell as of churchyard mould, a sense of being +boxed in and cooped, made me long to be out again. + +And here I was, or seemed to be, particularly unlucky; +for as I drew near the very entrance, lightly of foot +and warily, the moon (which had often been my friend) +like an enemy broke upon me, topping the eastward ridge +of rock, and filling all the open spaces with the play +of wavering light. I shrank back into the shadowy +quarter on the right side of the road; and gloomily +employed myself to watch the triple entrance, on which +the moonlight fell askew. + +All across and before the three rude and beetling +archways hung a felled oak overhead, black, and thick, +and threatening. This, as I heard before, could be let +fall in a moment, so as to crush a score of men, and +bar the approach of horses. Behind this tree, the +rocky mouth was spanned, as by a gallery with brushwood +and piled timber, all upon a ledge of stone, where +thirty men might lurk unseen, and fire at any invader. +From that rampart it would be impossible to dislodge +them, because the rock fell sheer below them twenty +feet, or it may be more; while overhead it towered +three hundred, and so jutted over that nothing could be +cast upon them; even if a man could climb the height. +And the access to this portcullis place--if I may so +call it, being no portcullis there--was through certain +rocky chambers known to the tenants only. + +But the cleverest of their devices, and the most +puzzling to an enemy, was that, instead of one mouth +only, there were three to choose from, with nothing to +betoken which was the proper access; all being pretty +much alike, and all unfenced and yawning. And the +common rumour was that in times of any danger, when any +force was known to be on muster in their neighbourhood, +they changed their entrance every day, and diverted the +other two, by means of sliding doors to the chasms and +dark abysses. + +Now I could see those three rough arches, jagged, +black, and terrible; and I knew that only one of them +could lead me to the valley; neither gave the river now +any further guidance; but dived underground with a +sullen roar, where it met the cross-bar of the +mountain. Having no means at all of judging which was +the right way of the three, and knowing that the other +two would lead to almost certain death, in the +ruggedness and darkness,--for how could a man, among +precipices and bottomless depths of water, without a +ray of light, have any chance to save his life?--I do +declare that I was half inclined to go away, and have +done with it. + +However, I knew one thing for certain, to wit, that the +longer I stayed debating the more would the enterprise +pall upon me, and the less my relish be. And it struck +me that, in times of peace, the middle way was the +likeliest; and the others diverging right and left in +their farther parts might be made to slide into it (not +far from the entrance), at the pleasure of the warders. +Also I took it for good omen that I remembered (as +rarely happened) a very fine line in the Latin grammar, +whose emphasis and meaning is 'middle road is safest.' + +Therefore, without more hesitation, I plunged into the +middle way, holding a long ash staff before me, shodden +at the end with iron. Presently I was in black +darkness groping along the wall, and feeling a deal +more fear than I wished to feel; especially when upon +looking back I could no longer see the light, which I +had forsaken. Then I stumbled over something hard, and +sharp, and very cold, moreover so grievous to my legs +that it needed my very best doctrine and humour to +forbear from swearing, in the manner they use in +London. But when I arose and felt it, and knew it to +be a culverin, I was somewhat reassured thereby, +inasmuch as it was not likely that they would plant +this engine except in the real and true entrance. + +Therefore I went on again, more painfully and wearily, +and presently found it to be good that I had received +that knock, and borne it with such patience; for +otherwise I might have blundered full upon the +sentries, and been shot without more ado. As it was, I +had barely time to draw back, as I turned a corner upon +them; and if their lanthorn had been in its place, they +could scarce have failed to descry me, unless indeed I +had seen the gleam before I turned the corner. + +There seemed to be only two of them, of size indeed and +stature as all the Doones must be, but I need not have +feared to encounter them both, had they been unarmed, +as I was. It was plain, however, that each had a long +and heavy carbine, not in his hands (as it should have +been), but standing close beside him. Therefore it +behoved me now to be exceedingly careful, and even that +might scarce avail, without luck in proportion. So I +kept well back at the corner, and laid one cheek to the +rock face, and kept my outer eye round the jut, in the +wariest mode I could compass, watching my opportunity: +and this is what I saw. + +The two villains looked very happy--which villains have +no right to be, but often are, meseemeth--they were +sitting in a niche of rock, with the lanthorn in the +corner, quaffing something from glass measures, and +playing at push-pin, or shepherd's chess, or basset; or +some trivial game of that sort. Each was smoking a +long clay pipe, quite of new London shape, I could see, +for the shadow was thrown out clearly; and each would +laugh from time to time, as he fancied he got the +better of it. One was sitting with his knees up, and +left hand on his thigh; and this one had his back to +me, and seemed to be the stouter. The other leaned +more against the rock, half sitting and half astraddle, +and wearing leathern overalls, as if newly come from +riding. I could see his face quite clearly by the +light of the open lanthorn, and a handsomer or a bolder +face I had seldom, if ever, set eyes upon; insomuch +that it made me very unhappy to think of his being so +near my Lorna. + +'How long am I to stand crouching here?' I asked of +myself, at last, being tired of hearing them cry, +'score one,' 'score two,' 'No, by --, Charlie,' 'By --, +I say it is, Phelps.' And yet my only chance of +slipping by them unperceived was to wait till they +quarrelled more, and came to blows about it. +Presently, as I made up my mind to steal along towards +them (for the cavern was pretty wide, just there), +Charlie, or Charleworth Doone, the younger and taller +man, reached forth his hand to seize the money, which +he swore he had won that time. Upon this, the other +jerked his arm, vowing that he had no right to it; +whereupon Charlie flung at his face the contents of the +glass he was sipping, but missed him and hit the +candle, which sputtered with a flare of blue flame +(from the strength perhaps of the spirit) and then went +out completely. At this, one swore, and the other +laughed; and before they had settled what to do, I was +past them and round the corner. + +And then, like a giddy fool as I was, I needs must give +them a startler--the whoop of an owl, done so exactly, +as John Fry had taught me, and echoed by the roof so +fearfully, that one of them dropped the tinder box; and +the other caught up his gun and cocked it, at least as +I judged by the sounds they made. And then, too late, +I knew my madness, for if either of them had fired, no +doubt but what all the village would have risen and +rushed upon me. However, as the luck of the matter +went, it proved for my advantage; for I heard one say +to the other,-- + +'Curse it, Charlie, what was that? It scared me so, I +have dropped my box; my flint is gone, and everything. +Will the brimstone catch from your pipe, my lad?' + +'My pipe is out, Phelps, ever so long. Damn it, I am +not afraid of an owl, man. Give me the lanthorn, and +stay here. I'm not half done with you yet, my friend.' + +'Well said, my boy, well said! Go straight to Carver's, +mind you. The other sleepy heads be snoring, as there +is nothing up to-night. No dallying now under +Captain's window. Queen will have nought to say to +you; and Carver will punch your head into a new wick +for your lanthorn.' + +'Will he though? Two can play at that.' And so after +some rude jests, and laughter, and a few more oaths, I +heard Charlie (or at any rate somebody) coming toward +me, with a loose and not too sober footfall. As he +reeled a little in his gait, and I would not move from +his way one inch, after his talk of Lorna, but only +longed to grasp him (if common sense permitted it), his +braided coat came against my thumb, and his leathern +gaiters brushed my knee. If he had turned or noticed +it, he would have been a dead man in a moment; but his +drunkenness saved him. + +So I let him reel on unharmed; and thereupon it +occurred to me that I could have no better guide, +passing as he would exactly where I wished to be; that +is to say under Lorna's window. Therefore I followed +him without any especial caution; and soon I had the +pleasure of seeing his form against the moonlit sky. +Down a steep and winding path, with a handrail at the +corners (such as they have at Ilfracombe), Master +Charlie tripped along--and indeed there was much +tripping, and he must have been an active fellow to +recover as he did--and after him walked I, much hoping +(for his own poor sake) that be might not turn and espy +me. + +But Bacchus (of whom I read at school, with great +wonder about his meaning--and the same I may say of +Venus) that great deity preserved Charlie, his pious +worshipper, from regarding consequences. So he led me +very kindly to the top of the meadow land, where the +stream from underground broke forth, seething quietly +with a little hiss of bubbles. Hence I had fair view +and outline of the robbers' township, spread with +bushes here and there, but not heavily overshadowed. +The moon, approaching now the full, brought the forms +in manner forth, clothing each with character, as the +moon (more than the sun) does, to an eye accustomed. + +I knew that the Captain's house was first, both from +what Lorna had said of it, and from my mother's +description, and now again from seeing Charlie halt +there for a certain time, and whistle on his fingers, +and hurry on, fearing consequence. The tune that he +whistled was strange to me, and lingered in my ears, as +having something very new and striking, and fantastic +in it. And I repeated it softly to myself, while I +marked the position of the houses and the beauty of the +village. For the stream, in lieu of any street, +passing between the houses, and affording perpetual +change, and twinkling, and reflections moreover by its +sleepy murmur soothing all the dwellers there, this and +the snugness of the position, walled with rock and +spread with herbage, made it look, in the quiet +moonlight, like a little paradise. And to think of all +the inmates there, sleeping with good consciences, +having plied their useful trade of making others work +for them, enjoying life without much labour, yet with +great renown. + +Master Charlie went down the village, and I followed +him carefully, keeping as much as possible in the +shadowy places, and watching the windows of every +house, lest any light should be burning. As I passed +Sir Ensor's house, my heart leaped up, for I spied a +window, higher than the rest above the ground, and with +a faint light moving. This could hardly fail to be the +room wherein my darling lay; for here that impudent +young fellow had gazed while he was whistling. And +here my courage grew tenfold, and my spirit feared no +evil--for lo, if Lorna had been surrendered to that +scoundrel, Carver, she would not have been at her +grandfather's house, but in Carver's accursed dwelling. + +Warm with this idea, I hurried after Charleworth Doone, +being resolved not to harm him now, unless my own life +required it. And while I watched from behind a tree, +the door of the farthest house was opened; and sure +enough it was Carver's self, who stood bareheaded, and +half undressed in the doorway. I could see his great +black chest, and arms, by the light of the lamp he +bore. + +'Who wants me this time of night?' he grumbled, in a +deep gruff voice; 'any young scamp prowling after the +maids shall have sore bones for his trouble.' + +'All the fair maids are for thee, are they, Master +Carver?' Charlie answered, laughing; 'we young scamps +must be well-content with coarser stuff than thou +wouldst have.' + +'Would have? Ay, and will have,' the great beast +muttered angrily. 'I bide my time; but not very long. +Only one word for thy good, Charlie. I will fling thee +senseless into the river, if ever I catch thy girl-face +there again.' + +'Mayhap, Master Carver, it is more than thou couldst +do. But I will not keep thee; thou art not pleasant +company to-night. All I want is a light for my +lanthorn, and a glass of schnapps, if thou hast it.' + +'What is become of thy light, then? Good for thee I am +not on duty.' + +'A great owl flew between me and Phelps, as we watched +beside the culvern, and so scared was he at our fierce +bright eyes that he fell and knocked the light out.' + +'Likely tale, or likely lie, Charles! We will have the +truth to-morrow. Here take thy light, and be gone with +thee. All virtuous men are in bed now.' + +'Then so will I be, and why art thou not? Ha, have I +earned my schnapps now?' + +'If thou hast, thou hast paid a bad debt; there is too +much in thee already. Be off! my patience is done +with.' + +Then he slammed the door in the young man's face, +having kindled his lanthorn by this time: and Charlie +went up to the watchplace again, muttering as he passed +me, 'Bad look-out for all of us, when that surly old +beast is Captain. No gentle blood in him, no +hospitality, not even pleasant language, nor a good new +oath in his frowsy pate! I've a mind to cut the whole +of it; and but for the girls I would so.' + +My heart was in my mouth, as they say, when I stood in +the shade by Lorna's window, and whispered her name +gently. The house was of one story only, as the others +were, with pine-ends standing forth the stone, and only +two rough windows upon that western side of it, and +perhaps both of them were Lorna's. The Doones had been +their own builders, for no one should know their ins +and outs; and of course their work was clumsy. As for +their windows, they stole them mostly from the houses +round about. But though the window was not very close, +I might have whispered long enough, before she would +have answered me; frightened as she was, no doubt by +many a rude overture. And I durst not speak aloud +because I saw another watchman posted on the western +cliff, and commanding all the valley. And now this man +(having no companion for drinking or for gambling) +espied me against the wall of the house, and advanced +to the brink, and challenged me. + +'Who are you there? Answer! One, two, three; and I +fire at thee.' + +The nozzle of his gun was pointed full upon me, as I +could see, with the moonlight striking on the barrel; +he was not more than fifty yards off, and now he began +to reckon. Being almost desperate about it, I began to +whistle, wondering how far I should get before I lost +my windpipe: and as luck would have it, my lips fell +into that strange tune I had practised last; the one I +had heard from Charlie. My mouth would scarcely frame +the notes, being parched with terror; but to my +surprise, the man fell back, dropped his gun, and +saluted. Oh, sweetest of all sweet melodies! + +That tune was Carver Doone's passport (as I heard long +afterwards), which Charleworth Doone had imitated, for +decoy of Lorna. The sentinel took me for that vile +Carver; who was like enough to be prowling there, for +private talk with Lorna; but not very likely to shout +forth his name, if it might be avoided. The watchman, +perceiving the danger perhaps of intruding on Carver's +privacy, not only retired along the cliff, but withdrew +himself to good distance. + +Meanwhile he had done me the kindest service; for Lorna +came to the window at once, to see what the cause of +the shout was, and drew back the curtain timidly. Then +she opened the rough lattice; and then she watched the +cliff and trees; and then she sighed very sadly. + +'Oh, Lorna, don't you know me?' I whispered from the +side, being afraid of startling her by appearing over +suddenly. + +Quick though she always was of thought, she knew me not +from my whisper, and was shutting the window hastily +when I caught it back, and showed myself. + +'John!' she cried, yet with sense enough not to speak +aloud: 'oh, you must be mad, John.' + +'As mad as a March hare,' said I, 'without any news of +my darling. You knew I would come: of course you +did.' + +'Well, I thought, perhaps--you know: now, John, you +need not eat my hand. Do you see they have put iron +bars across?' + +'To be sure. Do you think I should be contented, even +with this lovely hand, but for these vile iron bars. I +will have them out before I go. Now, darling, for one +moment--just the other hand, for a change, you know.' + +So I got the other, but was not honest; for I kept them +both, and felt their delicate beauty trembling, as I +laid them to my heart. + +'Oh, John, you will make me cry directly'--she had been +crying long ago--'if you go on in that way. You know +we can never have one another; every one is against it. +Why should I make you miserable? Try not to think of +me any more.' + +'And will you try the same of me, Lorna?' + +'Oh yes, John; if you agree to it. At least I will try +to try it.' + +'Then you won't try anything of the sort,' I cried with +great enthusiasm, for her tone was so nice and +melancholy: 'the only thing we will try to try, is to +belong to one another. And if we do our best, Lorna, +God alone can prevent us.' + +She crossed herself, with one hand drawn free as I +spoke so boldly; and something swelled in her little +throat, and prevented her from answering. + +'Now tell me,' I said; 'what means all this? Why are +you so pent up here? Why have you given me no token? +Has your grandfather turned against you? Are you in +any danger?' + +'My poor grandfather is very ill: I fear that he will +not live long. The Counsellor and his son are now the +masters of the valley; and I dare not venture forth, +for fear of anything they might do to me. When I went +forth, to signal for you, Carver tried to seize me; but +I was too quick for him. Little Gwenny is not allowed +to leave the valley now; so that I could send no +message. I have been so wretched, dear, lest you +should think me false to you. The tyrants now make +sure of me. You must watch this house, both night and +day, if you wish to save me. There is nothing they +would shrink from; if my poor grandfather--oh, I cannot +bear to think of myself, when I ought to think of him +only; dying without a son to tend him, or a daughter to +shed a tear.' + +'But surely he has sons enough; and a deal too many,' I +was going to say, but stopped myself in time: 'why do +none of them come to him?' + +'I know not. I cannot tell. He is a very strange old +man; and few have ever loved him. He was black with +wrath at the Counsellor, this very afternoon--but I +must not keep you here--you are much too brave, John; +and I am much too selfish: there, what was that +shadow?' + +'Nothing more than a bat, darling, come to look for his +sweetheart. I will not stay long; you tremble so: and +yet for that very reason, how can I leave you, Lorna?' + +'You must--you must,' she answered; 'I shall die if +they hurt you. I hear the old nurse moving. +Grandfather is sure to send for me. Keep back from +the window.' + +However, it was only Gwenny Carfax, Lorna's little +handmaid: my darling brought her to the window and +presented her to me, almost laughing through her grief. + +'Oh, I am so glad, John; Gwenny, I am so glad you came. +I have wanted long to introduce you to my "young man," +as you call him. It is rather dark, but you can see +him. I wish you to know him again, Gwenny.' + +'Whoy!' cried Gwenny, with great amazement, standing on +tiptoe to look out, and staring as if she were weighing +me: 'her be bigger nor any Doone! Heared as her have +bate our Cornish champion awrastling. 'Twadn't fair +play nohow: no, no; don't tell me, 'twadn't fair play +nohow.' + +'True enough, Gwenny,' I answered her; for the play had +been very unfair indeed on the side of the Bodmin +champion; 'it was not a fair bout, little maid; I am +free to acknowledge that.' By that answer, or rather by +the construction she put upon it, the heart of the +Cornish girl was won, more than by gold and silver. + +'I shall knoo thee again, young man; no fear of that,' +she answered, nodding with an air of patronage. 'Now, +missis, gae on coortin', and I wall gae outside and +watch for 'ee.' Though expressed not over delicately, +this proposal arose, no doubt, from Gwenny's sense of +delicacy; and I was very thankful to her for taking her +departure. + +'She is the best little thing in the world,' said +Lorna, softly laughing; 'and the queerest, and the +truest. Nothing will bribe her against me. If she +seems to be on the other side, never, never doubt her. +Now no more of your "coortin'," John! I love you far +too well for that. Yes, yes, ever so much! If you will +take a mean advantage of me. And as much as ever you +like to imagine; and then you may double it, after +that. Only go, do go, good John; kind, dear, darling +John; if you love me, go.' + +'How can I go without settling anything?' I asked very +sensibly. 'How shall I know of your danger now? Hit +upon something; you are so quick. Anything you can +think of; and then I will go, and not frighten you.' + +'I have been thinking long of something,' Lorna answered +rapidly, with that peculiar clearness of voice which +made every syllable ring like music of a several note, +'you see that tree with the seven rooks' nests bright +against the cliffs there? Can you count them, from +above, do you think? From a place where you will be +safe, dear'-- + +'No doubt, I can; or if I cannot, it will not take me +long to find a spot, whence I can do it.' + +'Gwenny can climb like any cat. She has been up there +in the summer, watching the young birds, day by day, +and daring the boys to touch them. There are neither +birds, nor eggs there now, of course, and nothing +doing. If you see but six rooks' nests; I am in peril +and want you. If you see but five, I am carried off by +Carver.' + +'Good God!' said I, at the mere idea; in a tone which +frightened Lorna. + +'Fear not, John,' she whispered sadly, and my blood +grew cold at it: 'I have means to stop him; or at least +to save myself. If you can come within one day of that +man's getting hold of me, you will find me quite +unharmed. After that you will find me dead, or alive, +according to circumstances, but in no case such that +you need blush to look at me.' + +Her dear sweet face was full of pride, as even in the +gloom I saw: and I would not trespass on her feelings +by such a thing, at such a moment, as an attempt at any +caress. I only said, 'God bless you, darling!' and she +said the same to me, in a very low sad voice. And then +I stole below Carver's house, in the shadow from the +eastern cliff; and knowing enough of the village now to +satisfy all necessity, betook myself to my well-known +track in returning from the valley; which was neither +down the waterslide (a course I feared in the darkness) +nor up the cliffs at Lorna's bower; but a way of my own +inventing, which there is no need to dwell upon. + +A weight of care was off my mind; though much of +trouble hung there still. One thing was quite +certain--if Lorna could not have John Ridd, no one else +should have her. And my mother, who sat up for me, and +with me long time afterwards, agreed that this was +comfort. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII + +A GOOD TURN FOR JEREMY + +John Fry had now six shillings a week of regular and +permanent wage, besides all harvest and shearing money, +as well as a cottage rent-free, and enough of +garden-ground to rear pot-herbs for his wife and all +his family. Now the wages appointed by our justices, +at the time of sessions, were four-and-sixpence a week +for summer, and a shilling less for the winter-time; +and we could be fined, and perhaps imprisoned, for +giving more than the sums so fixed. Therefore John +Fry was looked upon as the richest man upon Exmoor, I +mean of course among labourers, and there were many +jokes about robbing him, as if he were the mint of the +King; and Tom Faggus promised to try his hand, if he +came across John on the highway, although he had ceased +from business, and was seeking a Royal pardon. + +Now is it according to human nature, or is it a thing +contradictory (as I would fain believe)? But anyhow, +there was, upon Exmoor, no more discontented man, no +man more sure that he had not his worth, neither half +so sore about it, than, or as, John Fry was. And one +thing he did which I could not wholly (or indeed I may +say, in any measure) reconcile with my sense of right, +much as I laboured to do John justice, especially +because of his roguery; and this was, that if we said +too much, or accused him at all of laziness (which he +must have known to be in him), he regularly turned +round upon us, and quite compelled us to hold our +tongues, by threatening to lay information against us +for paying him too much wages! + +Now I have not mentioned all this of John Fry, from any +disrespect for his memory (which is green and honest +amongst us), far less from any desire to hurt the +feelings of his grandchildren; and I will do them the +justice, once for all, to avow, thus publicly, that I +have known a great many bigger rogues, and most of +themselves in the number. But I have referred, with +moderation, to this little flaw in a worthy character +(or foible, as we call it, when a man is dead) for this +reason only--that without it there was no explaining +John's dealings with Jeremy Stickles. + +Master Jeremy, being full of London and Norwich +experience, fell into the error of supposing that we +clods and yokels were the simplest of the simple, and +could be cheated at his good pleasure. Now this is +not so: when once we suspect that people have that idea +of us, we indulge them in it to the top of their bent, +and grieve that they should come out of it, as they do +at last in amazement, with less money than before, and +the laugh now set against them. + +Ever since I had offended Jeremy, by threatening him +(as before related) in case of his meddling with my +affairs, he had more and more allied himself with +simple-minded John, as he was pleased to call him. +John Fry was everything: it was 'run and fetch my +horse, John'--'John, are my pistols primed well?'--'I +want you in the stable, John, about something very +particular', until except for the rudeness of it, I was +longing to tell Master Stickles that he ought to pay +John's wages. John for his part was not backward, but +gave himself the most wonderful airs of secrecy and +importance, till half the parish began to think that +the affairs of the nation were in his hand, and he +scorned the sight of a dungfork. + +It was not likely that this should last; and being the +only man in the parish with any knowledge of politics, +I gave John Fry to understand that he must not presume +to talk so freely, as if he were at least a constable, +about the constitution; which could be no affair of +his, and might bring us all into trouble. At this he +only tossed his nose, as if he had been in London at +least three times for my one; which vexed me so that I +promised him the thick end of the plough-whip if even +the name of a knight of the shire should pass his lips +for a fortnight. + +Now I did not suspect in my stupid noddle that John Fry +would ever tell Jeremy Stickles about the sight at the +Wizard's Slough and the man in the white nightcap; +because John had sworn on the blade of his knife not to +breathe a word to any soul, without my full permission. +However, it appears that John related, for a certain +consideration, all that he had seen, and doubtless more +which had accrued to it. Upon this Master Stickles was +much astonished at Uncle Reuben's proceedings, having +always accounted him a most loyal, keen, and wary +subject. + +All this I learned upon recovering Jeremy's good +graces, which came to pass in no other way than by the +saving of his life. Being bound to keep the strictest +watch upon the seven rooks' nests, and yet not bearing +to be idle and to waste my mother's stores, I contrived +to keep my work entirely at the western corner of our +farm, which was nearest to Glen Doone, and whence I +could easily run to a height commanding the view I +coveted. + +One day Squire Faggus had dropped in upon us, just in +time for dinner; and very soon he and King's messenger +were as thick as need be. Tom had brought his beloved +mare to show her off to Annie, and he mounted his +pretty sweetheart upon her, after giving Winnie notice +to be on her very best behaviour. The squire was in +great spirits, having just accomplished a purchase of +land which was worth ten times what he gave for it; and +this he did by a merry trick upon old Sir Roger +Bassett, who never supposed him to be in earnest, as +not possessing the money. The whole thing was done on +a bumper of claret in a tavern where they met; and the +old knight having once pledged his word, no lawyers +could hold him back from it. They could only say that +Master Faggus, being attainted of felony, was not a +capable grantee. 'I will soon cure that,' quoth Tom, +'my pardon has been ready for months and months, so +soon as I care to sue it.' + +And now he was telling our Annie, who listened very +rosily, and believed every word he said, that, having +been ruined in early innocence by the means of lawyers, +it was only just, and fair turn for turn, that having +become a match for them by long practice upon the +highway, he should reinstate himself, at their expense, +in society. And now he would go to London at once, and +sue out his pardon, and then would his lovely darling +Annie, etc., etc.--things which I had no right to +hear, and in which I was not wanted. + +Therefore I strode away up the lane to my afternoon's +employment, sadly comparing my love with theirs (which +now appeared so prosperous), yet heartily glad for +Annie's sake; only remembering now and then the old +proverb 'Wrong never comes right.' + +I worked very hard in the copse of young ash, with my +billhook and a shearing-knife; cutting out the saplings +where they stooled too close together, making spars to +keep for thatching, wall-crooks to drive into the cob, +stiles for close sheep hurdles, and handles for rakes, +and hoes, and two-bills, of the larger and straighter +stuff. And all the lesser I bound in faggots, to come +home on the sledd to the woodrick. It is not to be +supposed that I did all this work, without many peeps +at the seven rooks' nests, which proved my Lorna's +safety. Indeed, whenever I wanted a change, either +from cleaving, or hewing too hard, or stooping too much +at binding, I was up and away to the ridge of the hill, +instead of standing and doing nothing. + +Soon I forgot about Tom and Annie; and fell to thinking +of Lorna only; and how much I would make of her; and +what I should call our children; and how I would +educate them, to do honour to her rank; yet all the +time I worked none the worse, by reason of meditation. +Fresh-cut spars are not so good as those of a little +seasoning; especially if the sap was not gone down at +the time of cutting. Therefore we always find it +needful to have plenty still in stock. + +It was very pleasant there in the copse, sloping to the +west as it was, and the sun descending brightly, with +rocks and banks to dwell upon. The stems of mottled +and dimpled wood, with twigs coming out like elbows, +hung and clung together closely, with a mode of bending +in, as children do at some danger; overhead the +shrunken leaves quivered and rustled ripely, having +many points like stars, and rising and falling +delicately, as fingers play sad music. Along the bed +of the slanting ground, all between the stools of wood, +there were heaps of dead brown leaves, and sheltered +mats of lichen, and drifts of spotted stick gone +rotten, and tufts of rushes here and there, full of +fray and feathering. + +All by the hedge ran a little stream, a thing that +could barely name itself, flowing scarce more than a +pint in a minute, because of the sunny weather. Yet +had this rill little crooks and crannies dark and +bravely bearded, and a gallant rush through a reeden +pipe--the stem of a flag that was grounded; and here +and there divided threads, from the points of a +branching stick, into mighty pools of rock (as large as +a grown man's hat almost) napped with moss all around +the sides and hung with corded grasses. Along and +down the tiny banks, and nodding into one another, even +across main channel, hung the brown arcade of ferns; +some with gold tongues languishing; some with countless +ear-drops jerking, some with great quilled ribs +uprising and long saws aflapping; others cupped, and +fanning over with the grace of yielding, even as a +hollow fountain spread by winds that have lost their +way. + +Deeply each beyond other, pluming, stooping, glancing, +glistening, weaving softest pillow lace, coying to the +wind and water, when their fleeting image danced, or by +which their beauty moved,--God has made no lovelier +thing; and only He takes heed of them. + +It was time to go home to supper now, and I felt very +friendly towards it, having been hard at work for some +hours, with only the voice of the little rill, and some +hares and a pheasant for company. The sun was gone +down behind the black wood on the farther cliffs of +Bagworthy, and the russet of the tufts and spear-beds +was becoming gray, while the greyness of the sapling +ash grew brown against the sky; the hollow curves of +the little stream became black beneath the grasses and +the fairy fans innumerable, while outside the hedge our +clover was crimping its leaves in the dewfall, like the +cocked hats of wood-sorrel,--when, thanking God for all +this scene, because my love had gifted me with the key +to all things lovely, I prepared to follow their +example, and to rest from labour. + +Therefore I wiped my bill-hook and shearing-knife very +carefully, for I hate to leave tools dirty; and was +doubting whether I should try for another glance at the +seven rooks' nests, or whether it would be too dark for +it. It was now a quarter of an hour mayhap, since I +had made any chopping noise, because I had been +assorting my spars, and tying them in bundles, instead +of plying the bill-hook; and the gentle tinkle of the +stream was louder than my doings. To this, no doubt, I +owe my life, which then (without my dreaming it) was in +no little jeopardy. + +For, just as I was twisting the bine of my very last +faggot, before tucking the cleft tongue under, there +came three men outside the hedge, where the western +light was yellow; and by it I could see that all three +of them carried firearms. These men were not walking +carelessly, but following down the hedge-trough, as if +to stalk some enemy: and for a moment it struck me cold +to think it was I they were looking for. With the +swiftness of terror I concluded that my visits to Glen +Doone were known, and now my life was the forfeit. + +It was a most lucky thing for me, that I heard their +clothes catch in the brambles, and saw their hats under +the rampart of ash, which is made by what we call +'splashing,' and lucky, for me that I stood in a goyal, +and had the dark coppice behind me. To this I had no +time to fly, but with a sort of instinct, threw myself +flat in among the thick fern, and held my breath, and +lay still as a log. For I had seen the light gleam on +their gun-barrels, and knowing the faults of the +neighbourhood, would fain avoid swelling their number. +Then the three men came to the gap in the hedge, where +I had been in and out so often; and stood up, and +looked in over. + +It is all very well for a man to boast that, in all his +life, he has never been frightened, and believes that +he never could be so. There may be men of that +nature--I will not dare to deny it; only I have never +known them. The fright I was now in was horrible, and +all my bones seemed to creep inside me; when lying +there helpless, with only a billet and the comb of fern +to hide me, in the dusk of early evening, I saw three +faces in the gap; and what was worse, three +gun-muzzles. + +'Somebody been at work here--' it was the deep voice of +Carver Doone; 'jump up, Charlie, and look about; we +must have no witnesses.' + +'Give me a hand behind,' said Charlie, the same +handsome young Doone I had seen that night; 'this bank +is too devilish steep for me.' + +'Nonsense, man!' cried Marwood de Whichehalse, who to +my amazement was the third of the number; 'only a hind +cutting faggots; and of course he hath gone home long +ago. Blind man's holiday, as we call it. I can see +all over the place; and there is not even a rabbit +there.' + +At that I drew my breath again, and thanked God I had +gotten my coat on. + +'Squire is right,' said Charlie, who was standing up +high (on a root perhaps), 'there is nobody there now, +captain; and lucky for the poor devil that he keepeth +workman's hours. Even his chopper is gone, I see.' + +'No dog, no man, is the rule about here, when it comes +to coppice work,' continued young de Whichehalse; there +is not a man would dare work there, without a dog to +scare the pixies.' + +'There is a big young fellow upon this farm,' Carver +Doone muttered sulkily, 'with whom I have an account to +settle, if ever I come across him. He hath a cursed +spite to us, because we shot his father. He was going +to bring the lumpers upon us, only he was afeared, last +winter. And he hath been in London lately, for some +traitorous job, I doubt.' + +'Oh, you mean that fool, John Ridd,' answered the young +squire; 'a very simple clod-hopper. No treachery in +him I warrant; he hath not the head for it. All he +cares about is wrestling. As strong as a bull, and +with no more brains.' + +'A bullet for that bull,' said Carver; and I could see +the grin on his scornful face; 'a bullet for ballast to +his brain, the first time I come across him.' + +'Nonsense, captain! I won't have him shot, for he is my +old school-fellow, and hath a very pretty sister. But +his cousin is of a different mould, and ten times as +dangerous.' + +'We shall see, lads, we shall see,' grumbled the great +black-bearded man. 'Ill bodes for the fool that would +hinder me. But come, let us onward. No lingering, or +the viper will be in the bush from us. Body and soul, +if he give us the slip, both of you shall answer it.' + +'No fear, captain, and no hurry,' Charlie answered +gallantly, 'would I were as sure of living a +twelvemonth as he is of dying within the hour! Extreme +unction for him in my bullet patch. Remember, I claim +to be his confessor, because he hath insulted me.' + +'Thou art welcome to the job for me,' said Marwood, as +they turned away, and kept along the hedge-row; 'I love +to meet a man sword to sword; not to pop at him from a +foxhole.' + +What answer was made I could not hear, for by this time +the stout ashen hedge was between us, and no other gap +to be found in it, until at the very bottom, where the +corner of the copse was. Yet I was not quit of danger +now; for they might come through that second gap, and +then would be sure to see me, unless I crept into the +uncut thicket, before they could enter the clearing. +But in spite of all my fear, I was not wise enough to +do that. And in truth the words of Carver Doone had +filled me with such anger, knowing what I did about him +and his pretence to Lorna; and the sight of Squire +Marwood, in such outrageous company, had so moved my +curiosity, and their threats against some unknown +person so aroused my pity, that much of my prudence was +forgotten, or at least the better part of courage, +which loves danger at long distance. + +Therefore, holding fast my bill-hook, I dropped myself +very quietly into the bed of the runnel, being resolved +to take my chance of their entrance at the corner, +where the water dived through the hedge-row. And so I +followed them down the fence, as gently as a rabbit +goes, only I was inside it, and they on the outside; +but yet so near that I heard the branches rustle as +they pushed them. + +Perhaps I had never loved ferns so much as when I came +to the end of that little gully, and stooped betwixt +two patches of them, now my chiefest shelter, for +cattle had been through the gap just there, in quest of +fodder and coolness, and had left but a mound of +trodden earth between me and the outlaws. I mean at +least on my left hand (upon which side they were), for +in front where the brook ran out of the copse was a +good stiff hedge of holly. And now I prayed Heaven to +lead them straight on; for if they once turned to their +right, through the gap, the muzzles of their guns would +come almost against my forehead. + +I heard them, for I durst not look; and could scarce +keep still for trembling--I heard them trampling +outside the gap, uncertain which track they should +follow. And in that fearful moment, with my soul +almost looking out of my body, expecting notice to quit +it, what do you think I did? I counted the threads in +a spider's web, and the flies he had lately eaten, as +their skeletons shook in the twilight. + +'We shall see him better in there,' said Carver, in his +horrible gruff voice, like the creaking of the gallows +chain; 'sit there, behind holly hedge, lads, while he +cometh down yonder hill; and then our good-evening to +him; one at his body, and two at his head; and good +aim, lest we baulk the devil.' + +'I tell you, captain, that will not do,' said Charlie, +almost whispering: 'you are very proud of your skill, +we know, and can hit a lark if you see it: but he may +not come until after dark, and we cannot be too nigh to +him. This holly hedge is too far away. He crosses +down here from Slocomslade, not from Tibbacot, I tell +you; but along that track to the left there, and so by +the foreland to Glenthorne, where his boat is in the +cove. Do you think I have tracked him so many +evenings, without knowing his line to a hair? Will you +fool away all my trouble?' + +'Come then, lad, we will follow thy lead. Thy life for +his, if we fail of it.' + +'After me then, right into the hollow; thy legs are +growing stiff, captain.' + +'So shall thy body be, young man, if thou leadest me +astray in this.' + +I heard them stumbling down the hill, which was steep +and rocky in that part; and peering through the hedge, +I saw them enter a covert, by the side of the track +which Master Stickles followed, almost every evening, +when he left our house upon business. And then I knew +who it was they were come on purpose to murder--a thing +which I might have guessed long before, but for terror +and cold stupidity. + +'Oh that God,' I thought for a moment, waiting for my +blood to flow; 'Oh that God had given me brains, to +meet such cruel dastards according to their villainy! +The power to lie, and the love of it; the stealth to +spy, and the glory in it; above all, the quiet relish +for blood, and joy in the death of an enemy--these are +what any man must have, to contend with the Doones upon +even terms. And yet, I thank God that I have not any +of these.' + +It was no time to dwell upon that, only to try, if +might be, to prevent the crime they were bound upon. +To follow the armed men down the hill would have been +certain death to me, because there was no covert there, +and the last light hung upon it. It seemed to me that +my only chance to stop the mischief pending was to +compass the round of the hill, as fast as feet could be +laid to ground; only keeping out of sight from the +valley, and then down the rocks, and across the brook, +to the track from Slocombslade: so as to stop the +King's messenger from travelling any farther, if only I +could catch him there. + +And this was exactly what I did; and a terrible run I +had for it, fearing at every step to hear the echo of +shots in the valley, and dropping down the scrubby +rocks with tearing and violent scratching. Then I +crossed Bagworthy stream, not far below Doone-valley, +and breasted the hill towards Slocombslade, with my +heart very heavily panting. Why Jeremy chose to ride +this way, instead of the more direct one which would +have been over Oare-hill), was more than I could +account for: but I had nothing to do with that; all I +wanted was to save his life. + +And this I did by about a minute; and (which was the +hardest thing of all) with a great horse-pistol at my +head as I seized upon his bridle. + +'Jeremy, Jerry,' was all I could say, being so fearfully +short of breath; for I had crossed the ground quicker +than any horse could. + +'Spoken just in time, John Ridd!' cried Master +Stickles, still however pointing the pistol at me: 'I +might have known thee by thy size, John. What art +doing here?' + +'Come to save your life. For God's sake, go no +farther. Three men in the covert there, with long +guns, waiting for thee.' + +'Ha! I have been watched of late. That is why I +pointed at thee, John. Back round this corner, and get +thy breath, and tell me all about it. I never saw a +man so hurried. I could beat thee now, John.' + +Jeremy Stickles was a man of courage, and presence of +mind, and much resource: otherwise he would not have +been appointed for this business; nevertheless he +trembled greatly when he heard what I had to tell him. +But I took good care to keep back the name of young +Marwood de Whichehalse; neither did I show my knowledge +of the other men; for reasons of my own not very hard +to conjecture. + +'We will let them cool their heels, John Ridd,' said +Jeremy, after thinking a little. 'I cannot fetch my +musketeers either from Glenthorne or Lynmouth, in time +to seize the fellows. And three desperate Doones, +well-armed, are too many for you and me. One result +this attempt will have, it will make us attack them +sooner than we had intended. And one more it will +have, good John, it will make me thy friend for ever. +Shake hands my lad, and forgive me freely for having +been so cold to thee. Mayhap, in the troubles coming, +it will help thee not a little to have done me this +good turn.' + +Upon this he shook me by the hand, with a pressure such +as we feel not often; and having learned from me how to +pass quite beyond view of his enemies, he rode on to +his duty, whatever it might be. For my part I was +inclined to stay, and watch how long the three +fusiliers would have the patience to lie in wait; but +seeing less and less use in that, as I grew more and +more hungry, I swung my coat about me, and went home to +Plover's Barrows. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX + +TROUBLED STATE AND A FOOLISH JOKE + +Stickles took me aside the next day, and opened all +his business to me, whether I would or not. But I gave +him clearly to understand that he was not to be vexed +with me, neither to regard me as in any way dishonest, +if I should use for my own purpose, or for the benefit +of my friends, any part of the knowledge and privity +thus enforced upon me. To this he agreed quite +readily; but upon the express provision that I should +do nothing to thwart his schemes, neither unfold them +to any one; but otherwise be allowed to act according +to my own conscience, and as consisted with the honour +of a loyal gentleman--for so he was pleased to term me. +Now what he said lay in no great compass and may be +summed in smaller still; especially as people know the +chief part of it already. Disaffection to the King, or +rather dislike to his brother James, and fear of Roman +ascendancy, had existed now for several years, and of +late were spreading rapidly; partly through the +downright arrogance of the Tory faction, the cruelty +and austerity of the Duke of York, the corruption of +justice, and confiscation of ancient rights and +charters; partly through jealousy of the French king, +and his potent voice in our affairs; and partly (or +perhaps one might even say, mainly) through that +natural tide in all political channels, which verily +moves as if it had the moon itself for its mistress. +No sooner is a thing done and fixed, being set far in +advance perhaps of all that was done before (like a new +mole in the sea), but immediately the waters retire, +lest they should undo it; and every one says how fine +it is, but leaves other people to walk on it. Then +after awhile, the vague endless ocean, having retired +and lain still without a breeze or murmur, frets and +heaves again with impulse, or with lashes laid on it, +and in one great surge advances over every rampart. + +And so there was at the time I speak of, a great surge +in England, not rolling yet, but seething; and one +which a thousand Chief Justices, and a million Jeremy +Stickles, should never be able to stop or turn, by +stringing up men in front of it; any more than a rope +of onions can repulse a volcano. But the worst of it +was that this great movement took a wrong channel at +first; not only missing legitimate line, but roaring +out that the back ditchway was the true and established +course of it. + +Against this rash and random current nearly all the +ancient mariners of the State were set; not to allow +the brave ship to drift there, though some little boats +might try it. For the present there seemed to be a +pause, with no open onset, but people on the shore +expecting, each according to his wishes, and the feel +of his own finger, whence the rush of wind should come +which might direct the water. + +Now,--to reduce high figures of speech into our own +little numerals,--all the towns of Somersetshire and +half the towns of Devonshire were full of pushing eager +people, ready to swallow anything, or to make others +swallow it. Whether they believed the folly about the +black box, and all that stuff, is not for me to say; +only one thing I know, they pretended to do so, and +persuaded the ignorant rustics. Taunton, Bridgwater, +Minehead, and Dulverton took the lead of the other +towns in utterance of their discontent, and threats of +what they meant to do if ever a Papist dared to climb +the Protestant throne of England. On the other hand, +the Tory leaders were not as yet under apprehension of +an immediate outbreak, and feared to damage their own +cause by premature coercion, for the struggle was not +very likely to begin in earnest during the life of the +present King; unless he should (as some people hoped) +be so far emboldened as to make public profession of +the faith which he held (if any). So the Tory policy +was to watch, not indeed permitting their opponents to +gather strength, and muster in armed force or with +order, but being well apprised of all their schemes and +intended movements, to wait for some bold overt act, +and then to strike severely. And as a Tory +watchman--or spy, as the Whigs would call him--Jeremy +Stickles was now among us; and his duty was threefold. + +First, and most ostensibly, to see to the levying of +poundage in the little haven of Lynmouth, and farther +up the coast, which was now becoming a place of resort +for the folk whom we call smugglers, that is to say, +who land their goods without regard to King's revenue +as by law established. And indeed there had been no +officer appointed to take toll, until one had been sent +to Minehead, not so very long before. The excise as +well (which had been ordered in the time of the Long +Parliament) had been little heeded by the people +hereabouts. + +Second, his duty was (though only the Doones had +discovered it) to watch those outlaws narrowly, and +report of their manners (which were scanty), doings +(which were too manifold), reputation (which was +execrable), and politics, whether true to the King and +the Pope, or otherwise. + +Jeremy Stickles' third business was entirely political; +to learn the temper of our people and the gentle +families, to watch the movements of the trained bands +(which could not always be trusted), to discover any +collecting of arms and drilling of men among us, to +prevent (if need were, by open force) any importation +of gunpowder, of which there had been some rumour; in a +word, to observe and forestall the enemy. + +Now in providing for this last-mentioned service, the +Government had made a great mistake, doubtless through +their anxiety to escape any public attention. For all +the disposable force at their emissary's command +amounted to no more than a score of musketeers, and +these so divided along the coast as scarcely to suffice +for the duty of sentinels. He held a commission, it is +true, for the employment of the train-bands, but upon +the understanding that he was not to call upon them +(except as a last resource), for any political object; +although he might use them against the Doones as +private criminals, if found needful; and supposing that +he could get them. + +'So you see, John,' he said in conclusion, 'I have more +work than tools to do it with. I am heartily sorry I +ever accepted such a mixed and meagre commission. At +the bottom of it lies (I am well convinced) not only +the desire to keep things quiet, but the paltry +jealousy of the military people. Because I am not a +Colonel, forsooth, or a Captain in His Majesty's +service, it would never do to trust me with a company +of soldiers! And yet they would not send either Colonel +or Captain, for fear of a stir in the rustic mind. The +only thing that I can do with any chance of success, is +to rout out these vile Doone fellows, and burn their +houses over their heads. Now what think you of that, +John Ridd?' + +'Destroy the town of the Doones,' I said, 'and all the +Doones inside it! Surely, Jeremy, you would never think +of such a cruel act as that!' + +'A cruel act, John! It would be a mercy for at least +three counties. No doubt you folk, who live so near, +are well accustomed to them, and would miss your +liveliness in coming home after nightfall, and the joy +of finding your sheep and cattle right, when you not +expected it. But after awhile you might get used to +the dullness of being safe in your beds, and not losing +your sisters and sweethearts. Surely, on the whole, it +is as pleasant not to be robbed as to be robbed.' + +'I think we should miss them very much,' I answered +after consideration; for the possibility of having no +Doones had never yet occurred to me, and we all were so +thoroughly used to them, and allowed for it in our +year's reckoning; 'I am sure we should miss them very +sadly; and something worse would come of it.' + +'Thou art the staunchest of all staunch Tories,' cried +Stickles, laughing, as he shook my hand; 'thou +believest in the divine right of robbers, who are good +enough to steal thy own fat sheep. I am a jolly Tory, +John, but thou art ten times jollier: oh! the grief in +thy face at the thought of being robbed no longer!' + +He laughed in a very unseemly manner; while I descried +nothing to laugh about. For we always like to see our +way; and a sudden change upsets us. And unless it were +in the loss of the farm, or the death of the King, or +of Betty Muxworthy, there was nothing that could so +unsettle our minds as the loss of the Doones of +Bagworthy. + +And beside all this, I was thinking, of course, and +thinking more than all the rest, about the troubles +that might ensue to my own beloved Lorna. If an attack +of Glen Doone were made by savage soldiers and rude +train-bands, what might happen, or what might not, to +my delicate, innocent darling? Therefore, when Jeremy +Stickles again placed the matter before me, commending +my strength and courage and skill (to flatter me of the +highest), and finished by saying that I would be worth +at least four common men to him, I cut him short as +follows:-- + +'Master Stickles, once for all, I will have naught to +do with it. The reason why is no odds of thine, nor +in any way disloyal. Only in thy plans remember that I +will not strike a blow, neither give any counsel, +neither guard any prisoners.' + +'Not strike a blow,' cried Jeremy, 'against thy +father's murderers, John!' + +'Not a single blow, Jeremy; unless I knew the man who +did it, and he gloried in his sin. It was a foul and +dastard deed, yet not done in cold blood; neither in +cold blood will I take God's task of avenging it.' + +'Very well, John,' answered Master Stickles, 'I know +thine obstinacy. When thy mind is made up, to argue +with thee is pelting a rock with peppercorns. But thou +hast some other reason, lad, unless I am much mistaken, +over and above thy merciful nature and Christian +forgiveness. Anyhow, come and see it, John. There +will be good sport, I reckon; especially when we thrust +our claws into the nest of the ravens. Many a yeoman +will find his daughter, and some of the Porlock lads +their sweethearts. A nice young maiden, now, for thee, +John; if indeed, any--' + +'No more of this!' I answered very sternly: 'it is no +business of thine, Jeremy; and I will have no joking +upon this matter.' + +'Good, my lord; so be it. But one thing I tell thee in +earnest. We will have thy old double-dealing uncle, +Huckaback of Dulverton, and march him first to assault +Doone Castle, sure as my name is Stickles. I hear that +he hath often vowed to storm the valley himself, if +only he could find a dozen musketeers to back him. +Now, we will give him chance to do it, and prove his +loyalty to the King, which lies under some suspicion of +late.' + +With regard to this, I had nothing to say; for it +seemed to me very reasonable that Uncle Reuben should +have first chance of recovering his stolen goods, about +which he had made such a sad to-do, and promised +himself such vengeance. I made bold, however, to ask +Master Stickles at what time he intended to carry out +this great and hazardous attempt. He answered that he +had several things requiring first to be set in order, +and that he must make an inland Journey, even as far as +Tiverton, and perhaps Crediton and Exeter, to collect +his forces and ammunition for them. For he meant to +have some of the yeomanry as well as of the trained +bands, so that if the Doones should sally forth, as +perhaps they would, on horseback, cavalry might be +there to meet them, and cut them off from returning. + +All this made me very uncomfortable, for many and many +reasons, the chief and foremost being of course my +anxiety about Lorna. If the attack succeeded, what was +to become of her? Who would rescue her from the brutal +soldiers, even supposing that she escaped from the +hands of her own people, during the danger and +ferocity? And in smaller ways, I was much put out; for +instance, who would ensure our corn-ricks, sheep, and +cattle, ay, and even our fat pigs, now coming on for +bacon, against the spreading all over the country of +unlicensed marauders? The Doones had their rights, and +understood them, and took them according to +prescription, even as the parsons had, and the lords of +manors, and the King himself, God save him! But how +were these low soldiering fellows (half-starved at +home very likely, and only too glad of the fat of the +land, and ready, according to our proverb, to burn the +paper they fried in), who were they to come hectoring +and heroing over us, and Heliogabalising, with our +pretty sisters to cook for them, and be chucked under +chin perhaps afterwards? There is nothing England +hates so much, according to my sense of it, as that +fellows taken from plough-tail, cart-tail, pot-houses +and parish-stocks, should be hoisted and foisted upon +us (after a few months' drilling, and their lying +shaped into truckling) as defenders of the public weal, +and heroes of the universe. + +In another way I was vexed, moreover--for after all we +must consider the opinions of our neighbours--namely, +that I knew quite well how everybody for ten miles +round (for my fame must have been at least that wide, +after all my wrestling), would lift up hands and cry +out thus--'Black shame on John Ridd, if he lets them go +without him!' + +Putting all these things together, as well as many +others, which our own wits will suggest to you, it is +impossible but what you will freely acknowledge that +this unfortunate John Ridd was now in a cloven stick. +There was Lorna, my love and life, bound by her duty to +that old vil--nay, I mean to her good grandfather, who +could now do little mischief, and therefore deserved +all praise--Lorna bound, at any rate, by her womanly +feelings, if not by sense of duty, to remain in the +thick danger, with nobody to protect her, but everybody +to covet her, for beauty and position. Here was all +the country roused with violent excitement, at the +chance of snapping at the Doones; and not only getting +tit for tat; but every young man promising his +sweetheart a gold chain, and his mother at least a +shilling. And here was our own mow-yard, better filled +than we could remember, and perhaps every sheaf in it +destined to be burned or stolen, before we had finished +the bread we had baked. + +Among all these troubles, there was, however, or seemed +to be, one comfort. Tom Faggus returned from London +very proudly and very happily, with a royal pardon in +black and white, which everybody admired the more, +because no one could read a word of it. The Squire +himself acknowledged cheerfully that he could sooner +take fifty purses than read a single line of it. Some +people indeed went so far as to say that the parchment +was made from a sheep Tom had stolen, and that was why +it prevaricated so in giving him a character. But I, +knowing something by this time, of lawyers, was able to +contradict them; affirming that the wolf had more than +the sheep to do with this matter. + +For, according to our old saying, the three learned +professions live by roguery on the three parts of a +man. The doctor mauls our bodies; the parson starves +our souls, but the lawyer must be the adroitest knave, +for he has to ensnare our minds. Therefore he takes a +careful delight in covering his traps and engines with +a spread of dead-leaf words, whereof himself knows +little more than half the way to spell them. + +But now Tom Faggus, although having wit to gallop away +on his strawberry mare, with the speed of terror, from +lawyers (having paid them with money too honest to +stop), yet fell into a reckless adventure, ere ever he +came home, from which any lawyer would have saved him, +although he ought to have needed none beyond common +thought for dear Annie. Now I am, and ever have been, +so vexed about this story that I cannot tell it +pleasantly (as I try to write in general) in my own +words and manner. Therefore I will let John Fry (whom +I have robbed of another story, to which he was more +entitled, and whom I have robbed of many speeches +(which he thought very excellent), lest I should grieve +any one with his lack of education,--the last lack he +ever felt, by the bye), now with your good leave, I +will allow poor John to tell this tale, in his own +words and style; which he has a perfect right to do, +having been the first to tell us. For Squire Faggus +kept it close; not trusting even Annie with it (or at +least she said so); because no man knows much of his +sweetheart's tongue, until she has borne him a child or +two. + +Only before John begins his story, this I would say, in +duty to him, and in common honesty,--that I dare not +write down some few of his words, because they are not +convenient, for dialect or other causes; and that I +cannot find any way of spelling many of the words which +I do repeat, so that people, not born on Exmoor, may +know how he pronounced them; even if they could bring +their lips and their legs to the proper attitude. And +in this I speak advisedly; having observed some +thousand times that the manner a man has of spreading +his legs, and bending his knees, or stiffening, and +even the way he will set his heel, make all the +difference in his tone, and time of casting his voice +aright, and power of coming home to you. + +We always liked John's stories, not for any wit in +them; but because we laughed at the man, rather than +the matter. The way he held his head was enough, with +his chin fixed hard like a certainty (especially during +his biggest lie), not a sign of a smile in his lips or +nose, but a power of not laughing; and his eyes not +turning to anybody, unless somebody had too much of it +(as young girls always do) and went over the brink of +laughter. Thereupon it was good to see John Fry; how +he looked gravely first at the laughter, as much as to +ask, 'What is it now?' then if the fool went laughing +more, as he or she was sure to do upon that dry +inquiry, John would look again, to be sure of it, and +then at somebody else to learn whether the laugh had +company; then if he got another grin, all his mirth +came out in glory, with a sudden break; and he wiped +his lips, and was grave again. + +Now John, being too much encouraged by the girls (of +which I could never break them), came into the house +that December evening, with every inch of him full of +a tale. Annie saw it, and Lizzie, of course; and even +I, in the gloom of great evils, perceived that John was +a loaded gun; but I did not care to explode him. Now +nothing primed him so hotly as this: if you wanted to +hear all John Fry had heard, the surest of all sure ways +to it was, to pretend not to care for a word of it. + +'I wor over to Exeford in the morning,' John began from +the chimney-corner, looking straight at Annie; 'for to +zee a little calve, Jan, as us cuddn't get thee to lave +houze about. Meesus have got a quare vancy vor un, +from wutt her have heer'd of the brade. Now zit quite, +wull 'e Miss Luzzie, or a 'wunt goo on no vurder. +Vaine little tayl I'll tull' ee, if so be thee zits +quite. Wull, as I coom down the hill, I zeed a saight +of volks astapping of the ro-udwai. Arl on 'em wi' +girt goons, or two men out of dree wi' 'em. Rackon +there wor dree score on 'em, tak smarl and beg togather +laike; latt aloun the women and chillers; zum on em wi' +matches blowing, tothers wi' flint-lacks. "Wutt be up +now?" I says to Bill Blacksmith, as had knowledge of +me: "be the King acoomin? If her be, do 'ee want to +shutt 'un?" + +'"Thee not knaw!" says Bill Blacksmith, just the zame +as I be a tullin of it: "whai, man, us expex Tam +Faggus, and zum on us manes to shutt 'un." + +'"Shutt 'un wi'out a warrant!" says I: "sure 'ee knaws +better nor thic, Bill! A man mayn't shutt to another +man, wi'out have a warrant, Bill. Warship zed so, last +taime I zeed un, and nothing to the contrairy." + +'"Haw, haw! Never frout about that," saith Bill, zame +as I be tullin you; "us has warrants and warships enow, +dree or vour on 'em. And more nor a dizzen warranties; +fro'ut I know to contrairy. Shutt 'un, us manes; and +shutt 'un, us will--" Whai, Miss Annie, good Lord, +whuttiver maks 'ee stear so?' + +'Nothing at all, John,' our Annie answered; 'only the +horrible ferocity of that miserable blacksmith.' + +'That be nayther here nor there,' John continued, with +some wrath at his own interruption: 'Blacksmith knawed +whutt the Squire had been; and veared to lose his own +custom, if Squire tuk to shooin' again. Shutt any man +I would myzell as intervared wi' my trade laike. "Lucky +for thee," said Bill Blacksmith, "as thee bee'st so +shart and fat, Jan. Dree on us wor a gooin' to shutt 'ee, +till us zeed how fat thee waz, Jan." + +'"Lor now, Bill!" I answered 'un, wi' a girt cold swat +upon me: "shutt me, Bill; and my own waife niver drame +of it!' + +Here John Fry looked round the kitchen; for he had +never said anything of the kind, I doubt; but now made +it part of his discourse, from thinking that Mistress +Fry was come, as she generally did, to fetch him. + +'Wull done then, Jan Vry,' said the woman, who had +entered quietly, but was only our old Molly. 'Wutt +handsome manners thee hast gat, Jan, to spake so well +of thy waife laike; after arl the laife she leads +thee!' + +'Putt thee pot on the fire, old 'ooman, and bile thee +own bakkon,' John answered her, very sharply: 'nobody +no raight to meddle wi' a man's bad ooman but himzell. +Wull, here was all these here men awaitin', zum wi' +harses, zum wi'out; the common volk wi' long girt guns, +and tha quarlity wi' girt broad-swords. Who wor there? +Whay latt me zee. There wor Squire Maunder,' here John +assumed his full historical key, 'him wi' the pot to +his vittle-place; and Sir Richard Blewitt shaking over +the zaddle, and Squaire Sandford of Lee, him wi' the +long nose and one eye, and Sir Gronus Batchildor over +to Ninehead Court, and ever so many more on 'em, +tulling up how they was arl gooin' to be promoted, for +kitching of Tom Faggus. + +'"Hope to God," says I to myzell, "poor Tom wun't coom +here to-day: arl up with her, if 'a doeth: and who be +there to suckzade 'un?" Mark me now, all these charps +was good to shutt 'un, as her coom crass the watter; +the watter be waide enow there and stony, but no deeper +than my knee-place. + +'"Thee cas'n goo no vurder," Bill Blacksmith saith to +me: "nawbody 'lowed to crass the vord, until such time +as Faggus coom; plaise God us may mak sure of 'un." + +'"Amen, zo be it," says I; "God knoweth I be never in +any hurry, and would zooner stop nor goo on most +taimes." + +'Wi' that I pulled my vittles out, and zat a +horsebarck, atin' of 'em, and oncommon good they was. +"Won't us have 'un this taime just," saith Tim Potter, +as keepeth the bull there; "and yet I be zorry for 'un. +But a man must kape the law, her must; zo be her can +only learn it. And now poor Tom will swing as high as +the tops of they girt hashes there." + +'"Just thee kitch 'un virst," says I; "maisure rope, +wi' the body to maisure by." + +'"Hurrah! here be another now," saith Bill Blacksmith, +grinning; "another coom to help us. What a grave +gentleman! A warship of the pace, at laste!" + +'For a gentleman, on a cue-ball horse, was coming +slowly down the hill on tother zide of watter, looking +at us in a friendly way, and with a long papper +standing forth the lining of his coat laike. Horse +stapped to drink in the watter, and gentleman spak to +'un kindly, and then they coom raight on to ussen, and +the gentleman's face wor so long and so grave, us +veared 'a wor gooin' to prache to us. + +'"Coort o' King's Bench," saith one man; "Checker and +Plays," saith another; "Spishal Commission, I doubt," +saith Bill Blacksmith; "backed by the Mayor of +Taunton." + +'"Any Justice of the King's Peace, good people, to be +found near here?" said the gentleman, lifting his hat +to us, and very gracious in his manner. + +'"Your honour," saith Bill, with his hat off his head; +"there be sax or zeven warships here: arl on 'em very +wise 'uns. Squaire Maunder there be the zinnyer." + +'So the gentleman rode up to Squire Maunder, and raised +his cocked hat in a manner that took the Squire out of +countenance, for he could not do the like of it. + +'"Sir," said he, "good and worshipful sir, I am here to +claim your good advice and valour; for purposes of +justice. I hold His Majesty's commission, to make to +cease a notorious rogue, whose name is Thomas Faggus." +With that he offered his commission; but Squire Maunder +told the truth, that he could not rade even words in +print, much less written karakters.* Then the other +magistrates rode up, and put their heads together, how +to meet the London gentleman without loss of +importance. There wor one of 'em as could rade purty +vair, and her made out King's mark upon it: and he +bowed upon his horse to the gentleman, and he laid his +hand on his heart and said, "Worshipful sir, we, as has +the honour of His Gracious Majesty's commission, are +entirely at your service, and crave instructions from +you." + +* Lest I seem to under-rate the erudition of Devonshire +magistrates, I venture to offer copy of a letter from a +Justice of the Peace to his bookseller, circa 1810 +A.D., now in my possession:-- + + 'Sur. + 'plez to zen me the aks relatting to A-GUSTUS-PAKS,' + --Ed. of L. D. + + +'Then a waving of hats began, and a bowing, and making +of legs to wan anather, sich as nayver wor zeed afore; +but none of 'em arl, for air and brading, cud coom +anaigh the gentleman with the long grave face. + +'"Your warships have posted the men right well," saith +he with anather bow all round; "surely that big rogue +will have no chance left among so many valiant +musketeers. Ha! what see I there, my friend? Rust in +the pan of your gun! That gun would never go off, sure +as I am the King's Commissioner. And I see another +just as bad; and lo, there the third! Pardon me, +gentlemen, I have been so used to His Majesty's +Ordnance-yards. But I fear that bold rogue would ride +through all of you, and laugh at your worship's beards, +by George." + +'"But what shall us do?" Squire Maunder axed; "I vear +there be no oil here." + +'"Discharge your pieces, gentlemen, and let the men do +the same; or at least let us try to discharge them, and +load again with fresh powder. It is the fog of the +morning hath spoiled the priming. That rogue is not in +sight yet: but God knows we must not be asleep with +him, or what will His Majesty say to me, if we let him +slip once more?" + +'"Excellent, wondrous well said, good sir," Squire +Maunder answered him; "I never should have thought of +that now. Bill Blacksmith, tell all the men to be +ready to shoot up into the air, directly I give the +word. Now, are you ready there, Bill?" + +'"All ready, your worship," saith Bill, saluting like a +soldier. + +'"Then, one, two, dree, and shutt!" cries Squire +Maunder, standing up in the irons of his stirrups. + +'Thereupon they all blazed out, and the noise of it +went all round the hills; with a girt thick cloud +arising, and all the air smelling of powder. Before +the cloud was gone so much as ten yards on the wind, +the gentleman on the cue-bald horse shuts up his face +like a pair of nut-cracks, as wide as it was long +before, and out he pulls two girt pistols longside of +zaddle, and clap'th one to Squire Maunder's head, and +tother to Sir Richard Blewitt's. + +'"Hand forth your money and all your warrants," he +saith like a clap of thunder; "gentlemen, have you now +the wit to apprehend Tom Faggus?" + +'Squire Maunder swore so that he ought to he fined; but +he pulled out his purse none the slower for that, and +so did Sir Richard Blewitt. + +'"First man I see go to load a gun, I'll gi'e 'un the +bullet to do it with," said Tom; for you see it was him +and no other, looking quietly round upon all of them. +Then he robbed all the rest of their warships, as +pleasant as might be; and he saith, "Now, gentlemen, do +your duty: serve your warrants afore you imprison me"; +with that he made them give up all the warrants, and he +stuck them in the band of his hat, and then he made a +bow with it. + +'"Good morning to your warships now, and a merry +Christmas all of you! And the merrier both for rich and +poor, when gentlemen see their almsgiving. Lest you +deny yourselves the pleasure, I will aid your warships. +And to save you the trouble of following me, when your +guns be loaded--this is my strawberry mare, gentlemen, +only with a little cream on her. Gentlemen all, in the +name of the King, I thank you." + +'All this while he was casting their money among the +poor folk by the handful; and then he spak kaindly to +the red mare, and wor over the back of the hill in two +zeconds, and best part of two maile away, I reckon, +afore ever a gun wor loaded.'* + +* The truth of this story is well established by +first-rate tradition. + + + +CHAPTER XL + +TWO FOOLS TOGETHER + +That story of John Fry's, instead of causing any +amusement, gave us great disquietude; not only because +it showed that Tom Faggus could not resist sudden +temptation and the delight of wildness, but also that +we greatly feared lest the King's pardon might be +annulled, and all his kindness cancelled, by a reckless +deed of that sort. It was true (as Annie insisted +continually, even with tears, to wear in her arguments) +that Tom had not brought away anything, except the +warrants, which were of no use at all, after receipt of +the pardon; neither had he used any violence, except +just to frighten people; but could it be established, +even towards Christmas-time, that Tom had a right to +give alms, right and left, out of other people's money? + +Dear Annie appeared to believe that it could; saying +that if the rich continually chose to forget the poor, +a man who forced them to remember, and so to do good to +themselves and to others, was a public benefactor, and +entitled to every blessing. But I knew, and so Lizzie +knew--John Fry being now out of hearing--that this was +not sound argument. For, if it came to that, any man +might take the King by the throat, and make him cast +away among the poor the money which he wanted sadly for +Her Grace the Duchess, and the beautiful Countess, of +this, and of that. Lizzie, of course, knew nothing +about His Majesty's diversions, which were not fit for +a young maid's thoughts; but I now put the form of the +argument as it occurred to me. + +Therefore I said, once for all (and both my sisters +always listened when I used the deep voice from my +chest): + +'Tom Faggus hath done wrong herein; wrong to himself, +and to our Annie. All he need have done was to show +his pardon, and the magistrates would have rejoiced +with him. He might have led a most godly life, and +have been respected by everybody; and knowing how brave +Tom is, I thought that he would have done as much. Now +if I were in love with a maid'--I put it thus for the +sake of poor Lizzie--'never would I so imperil my life, +and her fortune in life along with me, for the sake of +a poor diversion. A man's first duty is to the women, +who are forced to hang upon him'-- + +'Oh, John, not that horrible word,' cried Annie, to my +great surprise, and serious interruption; 'oh, John, +any word but that!' And she burst forth crying +terribly. + +'What word, Lizzie? What does the wench mean?' I +asked, in the saddest vexation; seeing no good to ask +Annie at all, for she carried on most dreadfully. + +'Don't you know, you stupid lout?' said Lizzie, +completing my wonderment, by the scorn of her quicker +intelligence; 'if you don't know, axe about?' + +And with that, I was forced to be content; for Lizzie +took Annie in such a manner (on purpose to vex me, as I +could see) with her head drooping down, and her hair +coming over, and tears and sobs rising and falling, to +boot, without either order or reason, that seeing no +good for a man to do (since neither of them was Lorna), +I even went out into the courtyard, and smoked a pipe, +and wondered what on earth is the meaning of women. + +Now in this I was wrong and unreasonable (as all women +will acknowledge); but sometimes a man is so put out, +by the way they take on about nothing, that he really +cannot help thinking, for at least a minute, that women +are a mistake for ever, and hence are for ever +mistaken. Nevertheless I could not see that any of +these great thoughts and ideas applied at all to my +Lorna; but that she was a different being; not woman +enough to do anything bad, yet enough of a woman for +man to adore. + +And now a thing came to pass which tested my adoration +pretty sharply, inasmuch as I would far liefer faced +Carver Doone and his father, nay, even the roaring lion +himself with his hoofs and flaming nostrils, than have +met, in cold blood, Sir Ensor Doone, the founder of all +the colony, and the fear of the very fiercest. + +But that I was forced to do at this time, and in the +manner following. When I went up one morning to look +for my seven rooks' nests, behold there were but six to +be seen; for the topmost of them all was gone, and the +most conspicuous. I looked, and looked, and rubbed my +eyes, and turned to try them by other sights; and then +I looked again; yes, there could be no doubt about it; +the signal was made for me to come, because my love was +in danger. For me to enter the valley now, during the +broad daylight, could have brought no comfort, but only +harm to the maiden, and certain death to myself. Yet +it was more than I could do to keep altogether at +distance; therefore I ran to the nearest place where I +could remain unseen, and watched the glen from the +wooded height, for hours and hours, impatiently. + +However, no impatience of mine made any difference in +the scene upon which I was gazing. In the part of the +valley which I could see, there was nothing moving, +except the water, and a few stolen cows, going sadly +along, as if knowing that they had no honest right +there. It sank very heavily into my heart, with all +the beds of dead leaves around it, and there was +nothing I cared to do, except blow on my fingers, and +long for more wit. + +For a frost was beginning, which made a great +difference to Lorna and to myself, I trow; as well as +to all the five million people who dwell in this island +of England; such a frost as never I saw before,* +neither hope ever to see again; a time when it was +impossible to milk a cow for icicles, or for a man to +shave some of his beard (as I liked to do for Lorna's +sake, because she was so smooth) without blunting his +razor on hard gray ice. No man could 'keep yatt' (as +we say), even though he abandoned his work altogether, +and thumped himself, all on the chest and the front, +till his frozen hands would have been bleeding except +for the cold that kept still all his veins. + +* If John Ridd lived until the year 1740 (as so strong +a man was bound to do), he must have seen almost a +harder frost; and perhaps it put an end to him; for +then he would be some fourscore years old. But +tradition makes him 'keep yatt,' as he says, up to +fivescore years.--ED. + + +However, at present there was no frost, although for a +fortnight threatening; and I was too young to know the +meaning of the way the dead leaves hung, and the +worm-casts prickling like women's combs, and the leaden +tone upon everything, and the dead weight of the sky. +Will Watcombe, the old man at Lynmouth, who had been +half over the world almost, and who talked so much of +the Gulf-stream, had (as I afterwards called to mind) +foretold a very bitter winter this year. But no one +would listen to him because there were not so many hips +and haws as usual; whereas we have all learned from our +grandfathers that Providence never sends very hard +winters, without having furnished a large supply of +berries for the birds to feed upon. + +It was lucky for me, while I waited here, that our very +best sheep-dog, old Watch, had chosen to accompany me +that day. For otherwise I must have had no dinner, +being unpersuaded, even by that, to quit my survey of +the valley. However, by aid of poor Watch, I contrived +to obtain a supply of food; for I sent him home with a +note to Annie fastened upon his chest; and in less than +an hour back he came, proud enough to wag his tail off, +with his tongue hanging out from the speed of his +journey, and a large lump of bread and of bacon +fastened in a napkin around his neck. I had not told +my sister, of course, what was toward; for why should I +make her anxious? + +When it grew towards dark, I was just beginning to +prepare for my circuit around the hills; but suddenly +Watch gave a long low growl; I kept myself close as +possible, and ordered the dog to be silent, and +presently saw a short figure approaching from a +thickly-wooded hollow on the left side of my +hiding-place. It was the same figure I had seen once +before in the moonlight, at Plover's Barrows; and +proved, to my great delight, to be the little maid +Gwenny Carfax. She started a moment, at seeing me, but +more with surprise than fear; and then she laid both +her hands upon mine, as if she had known me for twenty +years. + +'Young man,' she said, 'you must come with me. I was +gwain' all the way to fetch thee. Old man be dying; +and her can't die, or at least her won't, without first +considering thee.' + +'Considering me!' I cried; 'what can Sir Ensor Doone +want with considering me? Has Mistress Lorna told +him?' + +'All concerning thee, and thy doings; when she knowed +old man were so near his end. That vexed he was about +thy low blood, a' thought her would come to life again, +on purpose for to bate 'ee. But after all, there +can't be scarcely such bad luck as that. Now, if her +strook thee, thou must take it; there be no denaying of +un. Fire I have seen afore, hot and red, and raging; +but I never seen cold fire afore, and it maketh me burn +and shiver.' + +And in truth, it made me both burn and shiver, to know +that I must either go straight to the presence of Sir +Ensor Doone, or give up Lorna, once for all, and +rightly be despised by her. For the first time of my +life, I thought that she had not acted fairly. Why +not leave the old man in peace, without vexing him +about my affair? But presently I saw again that in +this matter she was right; that she could not receive +the old man's blessing (supposing that he had one to +give, which even a worse man might suppose), while she +deceived him about herself, and the life she had +undertaken. + +Therefore, with great misgiving of myself, but no ill +thought of my darling, I sent Watch home, and followed +Gwenny; who led me along very rapidly, with her short +broad form gliding down the hollow, from which she had +first appeared. Here at the bottom, she entered a +thicket of gray ash stubs and black holly, with rocks +around it gnarled with roots, and hung with masks of +ivy. Here in a dark and lonely corner, with a pixie +ring before it, she came to a narrow door, very brown +and solid, looking like a trunk of wood at a little +distance. This she opened, without a key, by stooping +down and pressing it, where the threshold met the jamb; +and then she ran in very nimbly, but I was forced to be +bent in two, and even so without comfort. The passage +was close and difficult, and as dark as any black +pitch; but it was not long (be it as it might), and in +that there was some comfort. We came out soon at the +other end, and were at the top of Doone valley. In the +chilly dusk air, it looked most untempting, especially +during that state of mind under which I was labouring. +As we crossed towards the Captain's house, we met a +couple of great Doones lounging by the waterside. +Gwenny said something to them, and although they stared +very hard at me, they let me pass without hindrance. +It is not too much to say that when the little maid +opened Sir Ensor's door, my heart thumped, quite as +much with terror as with hope of Lorna's presence. + +But in a moment the fear was gone, for Lorna was +trembling in my arms, and my courage rose to comfort +her. The darling feared, beyond all things else, lest +I should be offended with her for what she had said to +her grandfather, and for dragging me into his presence; +but I told her almost a falsehood (the first, and the +last, that ever I did tell her), to wit, that I cared +not that much--and showed her the tip of my thumb as I +said it--for old Sir Ensor, and all his wrath, so long +as I had his granddaughter's love. + +Now I tried to think this as I said it, so as to save +it from being a lie; but somehow or other it did not +answer, and I was vexed with myself both ways. But +Lorna took me by the hand as bravely as she could, and +led me into a little passage where I could hear the +river moaning and the branches rustling. + +Here I passed as long a minute as fear ever cheated +time of, saying to myself continually that there was +nothing to be frightened at, yet growing more and more +afraid by reason of so reasoning. At last my Lorna +came back very pale, as I saw by the candle she +carried, and whispered, 'Now be patient, dearest. +Never mind what he says to you; neither attempt to +answer him. Look at him gently and steadfastly, and, +if you can, with some show of reverence; but above all +things, no compassion; it drives him almost mad. Now +come; walk very quietly.' + +She led me into a cold, dark room, rough and very +gloomy, although with two candles burning. I took +little heed of the things in it, though I marked that +the window was open. That which I heeded was an old +man, very stern and comely, with death upon his +countenance; yet not lying in his bed, but set upright +in a chair, with a loose red cloak thrown over him. +Upon this his white hair fell, and his pallid fingers +lay in a ghastly fashion without a sign of life or +movement or of the power that kept him up; all rigid, +calm, and relentless. Only in his great black eyes, +fixed upon me solemnly, all the power of his body +dwelt, all the life of his soul was burning. + +I could not look at him very nicely, being afeared of +the death in his face, and most afeared to show it. +And to tell the truth, my poor blue eyes fell away from +the blackness of his, as if it had been my +coffin-plate. Therefore I made a low obeisance, and +tried not to shiver. Only I groaned that Lorna thought +it good manners to leave us two together. + +'Ah,' said the old man, and his voice seemed to come +from a cavern of skeletons; 'are you that great John +Ridd?' + +'John Ridd is my name, your honour,' was all that I +could answer; 'and I hope your worship is better.' + +'Child, have you sense enough to know what you have +been doing?' + +'Yes, I knew right well,' I answered, 'that I have set +mine eyes far above my rank.' + +'Are you ignorant that Lorna Doone is born of the +oldest families remaining in North Europe?' + +'I was ignorant of that, your worship; yet I knew of +her high descent from the Doones of Bagworthy.' + +The old man's eyes, like fire, probed me whether I was +jesting; then perceiving how grave I was, and thinking +that I could not laugh (as many people suppose of me), +he took on himself to make good the deficiency with a +very bitter smile. + +'And know you of your own low descent from the Ridds of +Oare?' + +'Sir,' I answered, being as yet unaccustomed to this +style of speech, 'the Ridds, of Oare, have been honest +men twice as long as the Doones have been rogues.' + +'I would not answer for that, John,' Sir Ensor replied, +very quietly, when I expected fury. 'If it be so, thy +family is the very oldest in Europe. Now hearken to +me, boy, or clown, or honest fool, or whatever thou +art; hearken to an old man's words, who has not many +hours to live. There is nothing in this world to fear, +nothing to revere or trust, nothing even to hope for; +least of all, is there aught to love.' + +'I hope your worship is not quite right,' I answered, +with great misgivings; 'else it is a sad mistake for +anybody to live, sir.' + +'Therefore,' he continued, as if I had never spoken, +'though it may seem hard for a week or two, like the +loss of any other toy, I deprive you of nothing, but +add to your comfort, and (if there be such a thing) to +your happiness, when I forbid you ever to see that +foolish child again. All marriage is a wretched farce, +even when man and wife belong to the same rank of life, +have temper well assorted, similar likes and dislikes, +and about the same pittance of mind. But when they are +not so matched, the farce would become a long, dull +tragedy, if anything were worth lamenting. There, I +have reasoned enough with you; I am not in the habit of +reasoning. Though I have little confidence in man's +honour, I have some reliance in woman's pride. You +will pledge your word in Lorna's presence never to see +or to seek her again; never even to think of her more. +Now call her, for I am weary.' + +He kept his great eyes fixed upon me with their icy +fire (as if he scorned both life and death), and on his +haughty lips some slight amusement at my trouble; and +then he raised one hand (as if I were a poor dumb +creature), and pointed to the door. Although my heart +rebelled and kindled at his proud disdain, I could not +disobey him freely; but made a low salute, and went +straightway in search of Lorna. + +I found my love (or not my love; according as now she +should behave; for I was very desperate, being put upon +so sadly); Lorna Doone was crying softly at a little +window, and listening to the river's grief. I laid my +heavy arm around her, not with any air of claiming or +of forcing her thoughts to me, but only just to comfort +her, and ask what she was thinking of. To my arm she +made no answer, neither to my seeking eyes; but to my +heart, once for all, she spoke with her own upon it. +Not a word, nor sound between us; not even a kiss was +interchanged; but man, or maid, who has ever loved hath +learned our understanding. + +Therefore it came to pass, that we saw fit to enter Sir +Ensor's room in the following manner. Lorna, with her +right hand swallowed entirely by the palm of mine, and +her waist retired from view by means of my left arm. +All one side of her hair came down, in a way to be +remembered, upon the left and fairest part of my +favourite otter-skin waistcoat; and her head as well +would have lain there doubtless, but for the danger of +walking so. I, for my part, was too far gone to lag +behind in the matter; but carried my love bravely, +fearing neither death nor hell, while she abode beside +me. + +Old Sir Ensor looked much astonished. For forty years +he had been obeyed and feared by all around him; and he +knew that I had feared him vastly, before I got hold of +Lorna. And indeed I was still afraid of him; only for +loving Lorna so, and having to protect her. + +Then I made him a bow, to the very best of all I had +learned both at Tiverton and in London; after that I +waited for him to begin, as became his age and rank in +life. + +'Ye two fools!' he said at last, with a depth of +contempt which no words may express; 'ye two fools!' + +'May it please your worship,' I answered softly; 'maybe +we are not such fools as we look. But though we be, we +are well content, so long as we may be two fools +together.' + +'Why, John,' said the old man, with a spark, as of +smiling in his eyes; 'thou art not altogether the +clumsy yokel, and the clod, I took thee for.' + +'Oh, no, grandfather; oh, dear grandfather,' cried +Lorna, with such zeal and flashing, that her hands went +forward; 'nobody knows what John Ridd is, because he is +so modest. I mean, nobody except me, dear.' And here +she turned to me again, and rose upon tiptoe, and +kissed me. + +'I have seen a little o' the world,' said the old man, +while I was half ashamed, although so proud of Lorna; +'but this is beyond all I have seen, and nearly all I +have heard of. It is more fit for southern climates +than for the fogs of Exmoor.' + +'It is fit for all the world, your worship; with your +honour's good leave, and will,' I answered in humility, +being still ashamed of it; 'when it happens so to +people, there is nothing that can stop it, sir.' + +Now Sir Ensor Doone was leaning back upon his brown +chair-rail, which was built like a triangle, as in old +farmhouses (from one of which it had come, no doubt, +free from expense or gratitude); and as I spoke he +coughed a little; and he sighed a good deal more; and +perhaps his dying heart desired to open time again, +with such a lift of warmth and hope as he descried in +our eyes, and arms. I could not understand him then; +any more than a baby playing with his grandfather's +spectacles; nevertheless I wondered whether, at his +time of life, or rather on the brink of death, he was +thinking of his youth and pride. + +'Fools you are; be fools for ever,' said Sir Ensor +Doone, at last; while we feared to break his thoughts, +but let each other know our own, with little ways of +pressure; 'it is the best thing I can wish you; boy and +girl, be boy and girl, until you have grandchildren.' + +Partly in bitterness he spoke, and partly in pure +weariness, and then he turned so as not to see us; and +his white hair fell, like a shroud, around him. + + + +CHAPTER XLI + +COLD COMFORT + +All things being full of flaw, all things being full +of holes, the strength of all things is in shortness. +If Sir Ensor Doone had dwelled for half an hour upon +himself, and an hour perhaps upon Lorna and me, we must +both have wearied of him, and required change of air. +But now I longed to see and know a great deal more +about him, and hoped that he might not go to Heaven for +at least a week or more. However, he was too good for +this world (as we say of all people who leave it); and +I verily believe his heart was not a bad one, after +all. + +Evil he had done, no doubt, as evil had been done to +him; yet how many have done evil, while receiving only +good! Be that as it may; and not vexing a question +(settled for ever without our votes), let us own that +he was, at least, a brave and courteous gentleman. + +And his loss aroused great lamentation, not among the +Doones alone, and the women they had carried off, but +also of the general public, and many even of the +magistrates, for several miles round Exmoor. And this, +not only from fear lest one more wicked might succeed +him (as appeared indeed too probable), but from true +admiration of his strong will, and sympathy with his +misfortunes. + +I will not deceive any one, by saying that Sir Ensor +Doone gave (in so many words) his consent to my resolve +about Lorna. This he never did, except by his speech +last written down; from which as he mentioned +grandchildren, a lawyer perhaps might have argued it. +Not but what he may have meant to bestow on us his +blessing; only that he died next day, without taking +the trouble to do it. + +He called indeed for his box of snuff, which was a very +high thing to take; and which he never took without +being in very good humour, at least for him. And +though it would not go up his nostrils, through the +failure of his breath, he was pleased to have it there, +and not to think of dying. + +'Will your honour have it wiped?' I asked him very +softly, for the brown appearance of it spoiled (to my +idea) his white mostacchio; but he seemed to shake his +head; and I thought it kept his spirits up. I had +never before seen any one do, what all of us have to do +some day; and it greatly kept my spirits down, although +it did not so very much frighten me. + +For it takes a man but a little while, his instinct +being of death perhaps, at least as much as of life +(which accounts for his slaying his fellow men so, and +every other creature), it does not take a man very long +to enter into another man's death, and bring his own +mood to suit it. He knows that his own is sure to +come; and nature is fond of the practice. Hence it +came to pass that I, after easing my mother's fears, +and seeing a little to business, returned (as if drawn +by a polar needle) to the death-bed of Sir Ensor. + +There was some little confusion, people wanting to get +away, and people trying to come in, from downright +curiosity (of all things the most hateful), and others +making great to-do, and talking of their own time to +come, telling their own age, and so on. But every one +seemed to think, or feel, that I had a right to be +there; because the women took that view of it. As for +Carver and Counsellor, they were minding their own +affairs, so as to win the succession; and never found +it in their business (at least so long as I was there) +to come near the dying man. + +He, for his part, never asked for any one to come near +him, not even a priest, nor a monk or friar; but seemed +to be going his own way, peaceful, and well contented. +Only the chief of the women said that from his face she +believed and knew that he liked to have me at one side +of his bed, and Lorna upon the other. An hour or two +ere the old man died, when only we two were with him, +he looked at us both very dimly and softly, as if he +wished to do something for us, but had left it now too +late. Lorna hoped that he wanted to bless us; but he +only frowned at that, and let his hand drop downward, +and crooked one knotted finger. + +'He wants something out of the bed, dear,' Lorna +whispered to me; 'see what it is, upon your side, +there.' + +I followed the bent of his poor shrunken hand, and +sought among the pilings; and there I felt something +hard and sharp, and drew it forth and gave it to him. +It flashed, like the spray of a fountain upon us, in +the dark winter of the room. He could not take it in +his hand, but let it hang, as daisies do; only making +Lorna see that he meant her to have it. + +'Why, it is my glass necklace!' Lorna cried, in great +surprise; 'my necklace he always promised me; and from +which you have got the ring, John. But grandfather +kept it, because the children wanted to pull it from my +neck. May I have it now, dear grandfather? Not unless +you wish, dear.' + +Darling Lorna wept again, because the old man could not +tell her (except by one very feeble nod) that she was +doing what he wished. Then she gave to me the +trinket, for the sake of safety; and I stowed it in my +breast. He seemed to me to follow this, and to be well +content with it. + +Before Sir Ensor Doone was buried, the greatest frost +of the century had set in, with its iron hand, and step +of stone, on everything. How it came is not my +business, nor can I explain it; because I never have +watched the skies; as people now begin to do, when the +ground is not to their liking. Though of all this I +know nothing, and less than nothing I may say (because +I ought to know something); I can hear what people tell +me; and I can see before my eyes. + +The strong men broke three good pickaxes, ere they got +through the hard brown sod, streaked with little maps +of gray where old Sir Ensor was to lie, upon his back, +awaiting the darkness of the Judgment-day. It was in +the little chapel-yard; I will not tell the name of it; +because we are now such Protestants, that I might do it +an evil turn; only it was the little place where +Lorna's Aunt Sabina lay. + +Here was I, remaining long, with a little curiosity; +because some people told me plainly that I must be +damned for ever by a Papist funeral; and here came +Lorna, scarcely breathing through the thick of stuff +around her, yet with all her little breath steaming on +the air, like frost. + +I stood apart from the ceremony, in which of course I +was not entitled, either by birth or religion, to bear +any portion; and indeed it would have been wiser in me +to have kept away altogether; for now there was no one +to protect me among those wild and lawless men; and +both Carver and the Counsellor had vowed a fearful +vengeance on me, as I heard from Gwenny. They had not +dared to meddle with me while the chief lay dying; nor +was it in their policy, for a short time after that, to +endanger their succession by an open breach with Lorna, +whose tender age and beauty held so many of the youths +in thrall. + +The ancient outlaw's funeral was a grand and moving +sight; more perhaps from the sense of contrast than +from that of fitness. To see those dark and mighty +men, inured to all of sin and crime, reckless both of +man and God, yet now with heads devoutly bent, clasped +hands, and downcast eyes, following the long black +coffin of their common ancestor, to the place where +they must join him when their sum of ill was done; and +to see the feeble priest chanting, over the dead form, +words the living would have laughed at, sprinkling with +his little broom drops that could not purify; while the +children, robed in white, swung their smoking censers +slowly over the cold and twilight grave; and after +seeing all, to ask, with a shudder unexpressed, 'Is +this the end that God intended for a man so proud and +strong?' + +Not a tear was shed upon him, except from the sweetest +of all sweet eyes; not a sigh pursued him home. Except +in hot anger, his life had been cold, and bitter, and +distant; and now a week had exhausted all the sorrow of +those around him, a grief flowing less from affection +than fear. Aged men will show his tombstone; mothers +haste with their infants by it; children shrink from +the name upon it, until in time his history shall lapse +and be forgotten by all except the great Judge and God. + +After all was over, I strode across the moors very +sadly; trying to keep the cold away by virtue of quick +movement. Not a flake of snow had fallen yet; all the +earth was caked and hard, with a dry brown crust upon +it; all the sky was banked with darkness, hard, +austere, and frowning. The fog of the last three weeks +was gone, neither did any rime remain; but all things +had a look of sameness, and a kind of furzy colour. It +was freezing hard and sharp, with a piercing wind to +back it; and I had observed that the holy water froze +upon Sir Ensor's coffin. + +One thing struck me with some surprise, as I made off +for our fireside (with a strong determination to heave +an ash-tree up the chimney-place), and that was how the +birds were going, rather than flying as they used to +fly. All the birds were set in one direction, steadily +journeying westward, not with any heat of speed, +neither flying far at once; but all (as if on business +bound), partly running, partly flying, partly +fluttering along; silently, and without a voice, +neither pricking head nor tail. This movement of the +birds went on, even for a week or more; every kind of +thrushes passed us, every kind of wild fowl, even +plovers went away, and crows, and snipes and +wood-cocks. And before half the frost was over, all we +had in the snowy ditches were hares so tame that we +could pat them; partridges that came to hand, with a +dry noise in their crops; heath-poults, making cups of +snow; and a few poor hopping redwings, flipping in and +out the hedge, having lost the power to fly. And all +the time their great black eyes, set with gold around +them, seemed to look at any man, for mercy and for +comfort. + +Annie took a many of them, all that she could find +herself, and all the boys would bring her; and she made +a great hutch near the fire, in the back-kitchen +chimney-place. Here, in spite of our old Betty (who +sadly wanted to roast them), Annie kept some fifty +birds, with bread and milk, and raw chopped meat, and +all the seed she could think of, and lumps of rotten +apples, placed to tempt them, in the corners. Some got +on, and some died off; and Annie cried for all that +died, and buried them under the woodrick; but, I do +assure you, it was a pretty thing to see, when she went +to them in the morning. There was not a bird but knew +her well, after one day of comforting; and some would +come to her hand, and sit, and shut one eye, and look +at her. Then she used to stroke their heads, and feel +their breasts, and talk to them; and not a bird of them +all was there but liked to have it done to him. And I +do believe they would eat from her hand things +unnatural to them, lest she should he grieved and hurt +by not knowing what to do for them. One of them was a +noble bird, such as I never had seen before, of very +fine bright plumage, and larger than a missel-thrush. +He was the hardest of all to please: and yet he tried +to do his best. I have heard since then, from a man +who knows all about birds, and beasts, and fishes, that +he must have been a Norwegian bird, called in this +country a Roller, who never comes to England but in the +most tremendous winters. + +Another little bird there was, whom I longed to welcome +home, and protect from enemies, a little bird no native +to us, but than any native dearer. But lo, in the very +night which followed old Sir Ensor's funeral, such a +storm of snow began as never have I heard nor read of, +neither could have dreamed it. At what time of night +it first began is more than I can say, at least from my +own knowledge, for we all went to bed soon after +supper, being cold and not inclined to talk. At that +time the wind was moaning sadly, and the sky as dark as +a wood, and the straw in the yard swirling round and +round, and the cows huddling into the great cowhouse, +with their chins upon one another. But we, being +blinder than they, I suppose, and not having had a +great snow for years, made no preparation against the +storm, except that the lambing ewes were in shelter. + +It struck me, as I lay in bed, that we were acting +foolishly; for an ancient shepherd had dropped in and +taken supper with us, and foretold a heavy fall and +great disaster to live stock. He said that he had +known a frost beginning, just as this had done, with a +black east wind, after days of raw cold fog, and then +on the third night of the frost, at this very time of +year (to wit on the 15th of December) such a snow set +in as killed half of the sheep and many even of the red +deer and the forest ponies. It was three-score years +agone,* he said; and cause he had to remember it, +inasmuch as two of his toes had been lost by frost-nip, +while he dug out his sheep on the other side of the +Dunkery. Hereupon mother nodded at him, having heard +from her father about it, and how three men had been +frozen to death, and how badly their stockings came off +from them. + +* The frost of 1625. + + +Remembering how the old man looked, and his manner of +listening to the wind and shaking his head very +ominously (when Annie gave him a glass of schnapps), I +grew quite uneasy in my bed, as the room got colder and +colder; and I made up my mind, if it only pleased God +not to send the snow till the morning, that every +sheep, and horse, and cow, ay, and even the poultry, +should be brought in snug, and with plenty to eat, and +fodder enough to roast them. + +Alas what use of man's resolves, when they come a day +too late; even if they may avail a little, when they +are most punctual! + +In the bitter morning I arose, to follow out my +purpose, knowing the time from the force of habit, +although the room was so dark and gray. An odd white +light was on the rafters, such as I never had seen +before; while all the length of the room was grisly, +like the heart of a mouldy oat-rick. I went to the +window at once, of course; and at first I could not +understand what was doing outside of it. It faced due +east (as I may have said), with the walnut-tree partly +sheltering it; and generally I could see the yard, and +the woodrick, and even the church beyond. + +But now, half the lattice was quite blocked up, as if +plastered with gray lime; and little fringes, like +ferns, came through, where the joining of the lead was; +and in the only undarkened part, countless dots came +swarming, clustering, beating with a soft, low sound, +then gliding down in a slippery manner, not as drops of +rain do, but each distinct from his neighbour. Inside +the iron frame (which fitted, not to say too +comfortably, and went along the stonework), at least a +peck of snow had entered, following its own bend and +fancy; light as any cobweb. + +With some trouble, and great care, lest the ancient +frame should yield, I spread the lattice open; and saw +at once that not a moment must he lost, to save our +stock. All the earth was flat with snow, all the air +was thick with snow; more than this no man could see, +for all the world was snowing. + +I shut the window and dressed in haste; and when I +entered the kitchen, not even Betty, the earliest of +all early birds, was there. I raked the ashes together +a little, just to see a spark of warmth; and then set +forth to find John Fry, Jem Slocombe, and Bill Dadds. +But this was easier thought than done; for when I +opened the courtyard door, I was taken up to my knees +at once, and the power of the drifting cloud prevented +sight of anything. However, I found my way to the +woodrick, and there got hold of a fine ash-stake, cut +by myself not long ago. With this I ploughed along +pretty well, and thundered so hard at John Fry's door, +that he thought it was the Doones at least, and cocked +his blunderbuss out of the window. + +John was very loth to come down, when he saw the +meaning of it; for he valued his life more than +anything else; though he tried to make out that his +wife was to blame. But I settled his doubts by telling +him, that I would have him on my shoulder naked, unless +he came in five minutes; not that he could do much +good, but because the other men would be sure to skulk, +if he set them the example. With spades, and shovels, +and pitch-forks, and a round of roping, we four set +forth to dig out the sheep; and the poor things knew +that it was high time. + + + +CHAPTER XLII + +THE GREAT WINTER + +It must have snowed most wonderfully to have made that +depth of covering in about eight hours. For one of +Master Stickles' men, who had been out all the night, +said that no snow began to fall until nearly midnight. +And here it was, blocking up the doors, stopping the +ways, and the water courses, and making it very much +worse to walk than in a saw-pit newly used. However, +we trudged along in a line; I first, and the other men +after me; trying to keep my track, but finding legs and +strength not up to it. Most of all, John Fry was +groaning; certain that his time was come, and sending +messages to his wife, and blessings to his children. +For all this time it was snowing harder than it ever +had snowed before, so far as a man might guess at it; +and the leaden depth of the sky came down, like a mine +turned upside down on us. Not that the flakes were so +very large; for I have seen much larger flakes in a +shower of March, while sowing peas; but that there was +no room between them, neither any relaxing, nor any +change of direction. + +Watch, like a good and faithful dog, followed us very +cheerfully, leaping out of the depth, which took him +over his back and ears already, even in the level +places; while in the drifts he might have sunk to any +distance out of sight, and never found his way up +again. However, we helped him now and then, especially +through the gaps and gateways; and so after a deal of +floundering, some laughter, and a little swearing, we +came all safe to the lower meadow, where most of our +flock was hurdled. + +But behold, there was no flock at all! None, I mean, to +be seen anywhere; only at one corner of the field, by +the eastern end, where the snow drove in, a great white +billow, as high as a barn, and as broad as a house. +This great drift was rolling and curling beneath the +violent blast, tufting and combing with rustling +swirls, and carved (as in patterns of cornice) where +the grooving chisel of the wind swept round. Ever and +again the tempest snatched little whiffs from the +channelled edges, twirled them round and made them +dance over the chime of the monster pile, then let them +lie like herring-bones, or the seams of sand where the +tide has been. And all the while from the smothering +sky, more and more fiercely at every blast, came the +pelting, pitiless arrows, winged with murky white, and +pointed with the barbs of frost. + +But although for people who had no sheep, the sight was +a very fine one (so far at least as the weather +permitted any sight at all); yet for us, with our flock +beneath it, this great mount had but little charm. +Watch began to scratch at once, and to howl along the +sides of it; he knew that his charge was buried there, +and his business taken from him. But we four men set +to in earnest, digging with all our might and main, +shovelling away at the great white pile, and fetching +it into the meadow. Each man made for himself a cave, +scooping at the soft, cold flux, which slid upon him at +every stroke, and throwing it out behind him, in piles +of castled fancy. At last we drove our tunnels in (for +we worked indeed for the lives of us), and all +converging towards the middle, held our tools and +listened. + +The other men heard nothing at all; or declared that +they heard nothing, being anxious now to abandon the +matter, because of the chill in their feet and knees. +But I said, 'Go, if you choose all of you. I will work +it out by myself, you pie-crusts,' and upon that they +gripped their shovels, being more or less of +Englishmen; and the least drop of English blood is +worth the best of any other when it comes to lasting +out. + +But before we began again, I laid my head well into the +chamber; and there I hears a faint 'ma-a-ah,' coming +through some ells of snow, like a plaintive, buried +hope, or a last appeal. I shouted aloud to cheer him +up, for I knew what sheep it was, to wit, the most +valiant of all the wethers, who had met me when I came +home from London, and been so glad to see me. And then +we all fell to again; and very soon we hauled him out. +Watch took charge of him at once, with an air of the +noblest patronage, lying on his frozen fleece, and +licking all his face and feet, to restore his warmth to +him. Then fighting Tom jumped up at once, and made a +little butt at Watch, as if nothing had ever ailed him, +and then set off to a shallow place, and looked for +something to nibble at. + +Further in, and close under the bank, where they had +huddled themselves for warmth, we found all the rest of +the poor sheep packed, as closely as if they were in a +great pie. It was strange to observe how their vapour +and breath, and the moisture exuding from their wool +had scooped, as it were, a coved room for them, lined +with a ribbing of deep yellow snow. Also the churned +snow beneath their feet was as yellow as gamboge. Two +or three of the weaklier hoggets were dead, from want +of air, and from pressure; but more than three-score +were as lively as ever; though cramped and stiff for a +little while. + +'However shall us get 'em home?' John Fry asked in +great dismay, when we had cleared about a dozen of +them; which we were forced to do very carefully, so as +not to fetch the roof down. 'No manner of maning to +draive 'un, drough all they girt driftnesses.' + +'You see to this place, John,' I replied, as we leaned +on our shovels a moment, and the sheep came rubbing +round us; 'let no more of them out for the present; +they are better where they be. Watch, here boy, keep +them!' + +Watch came, with his little scut of a tail cocked as +sharp as duty, and I set him at the narrow mouth of the +great snow antre. All the sheep sidled away, and got +closer, that the other sheep might be bitten first, as +the foolish things imagine; whereas no good sheep-dog +even so much as lips a sheep to turn it. + +Then of the outer sheep (all now snowed and frizzled +like a lawyer's wig) I took the two finest and +heaviest, and with one beneath my right arm, and the +other beneath my left, I went straight home to the +upper sheppey, and set them inside and fastened them. +Sixty and six I took home in that way, two at a time on +each joumey; and the work grew harder and harder each +time, as the drifts of the snow were deepening. No +other man should meddle with them; I was resolved to +try my strength against the strength of the elements; +and try it I did, ay, and proved it. A certain fierce +delight burned in me, as the struggle grew harder; but +rather would I die than yield; and at last I finished +it. People talk of it to this day; but none can tell +what the labour was, who have not felt that snow and +wind. + +Of the sheep upon the mountain, and the sheep upon the +western farm, and the cattle on the upper barrows, +scarcely one in ten was saved; do what we would for +them, and this was not through any neglect (now that +our wits were sharpened), but from the pure +impossibility of finding them at all. That great snow +never ceased a moment for three days and nights; and +then when all the earth was filled, and the topmost +hedges were unseen, and the trees broke down with +weight (wherever the wind had not lightened them), a +brilliant sun broke forth and showed the loss of all +our customs. + +All our house was quite snowed up, except where we had +purged a way, by dint of constant shovellings. The +kitchen was as dark and darker than the cider-cellar, +and long lines of furrowed scollops ran even up to the +chimney-stacks. Several windows fell right inwards, +through the weight of the snow against them; and the +few that stood, bulged in, and bent like an old bruised +lanthorn. We were obliged to cook by candle-light; we +were forced to read by candle-light; as for baking, we +could not do it, because the oven was too chill; and a +load of faggots only brought a little wet down the +sides of it. + +For when the sun burst forth at last upon that world of +white, what he brought was neither warmth, nor cheer, +nor hope of softening; only a clearer shaft of cold, +from the violet depths of sky. Long-drawn alleys of +white haze seemed to lead towards him, yet such as he +could not come down, with any warmth remaining. Broad +white curtains of the frost-fog looped around the lower +sky, on the verge of hill and valley, and above the +laden trees. Only round the sun himself, and the spot +of heaven he claimed, clustered a bright purple-blue, +clear, and calm, and deep. + +That night such a frost ensued as we had never dreamed +of, neither read in ancient books, or histories of +Frobisher. The kettle by the fire froze, and the crock +upon the hearth-cheeks; many men were killed, and +cattle rigid in their head-ropes. Then I heard that +fearful sound, which never I had heard before, neither +since have heard (except during that same winter), the +sharp yet solemn sound of trees burst open by the +frost-blow. Our great walnut lost three branches, and +has been dying ever since; though growing meanwhile, as +the soul does. And the ancient oak at the cross was +rent, and many score of ash trees. But why should I +tell all this? the people who have not seen it (as I +have) will only make faces, and disbelieve; till such +another frost comes; which perhaps may never be. + +This terrible weather kept Tom Faggus from coming near +our house for weeks; at which indeed I was not vexed a +quarter so much as Annie was; for I had never half +approved of him, as a husband for my sister; in spite +of his purchase from Squire Bassett, and the grant of +the Royal pardon. It may be, however, that Annie took +the same view of my love for Lorna, and could not augur +well of it; but if so, she held her peace, though I was +not so sparing. For many things contributed to make +me less good-humoured now than my real nature was; and +the very least of all these things would have been +enough to make some people cross, and rude, and +fractious. I mean the red and painful chapping of my +face and hands, from working in the snow all day, and +lying in the frost all night. For being of a fair +complexion, and a ruddy nature, and pretty plump +withal, and fed on plenty of hot victuals, and always +forced by my mother to sit nearer the fire than I +wished, it was wonderful to see how the cold ran revel +on my cheeks and knuckles. And I feared that Lorna (if +it should ever please God to stop the snowing) might +take this for a proof of low and rustic blood and +breeding. + +And this I say was the smallest thing; for it was far +more serious that we were losing half our stock, do all +we would to shelter them. Even the horses in the +stables (mustered all together for the sake of breath +and steaming) had long icicles from their muzzles, +almost every morning. But of all things the very +gravest, to my apprehension, was the impossibility of +hearing, or having any token of or from my loved one. +Not that those three days alone of snow (tremendous as +it was) could have blocked the country so; but that the +sky had never ceased, for more than two days at a time, +for full three weeks thereafter, to pour fresh piles of +fleecy mantle; neither had the wind relaxed a single +day from shaking them. As a rule, it snowed all day, +cleared up at night, and froze intensely, with the +stars as bright as jewels, earth spread out in lustrous +twilight, and the sounds in the air as sharp and +crackling as artillery; then in the morning, snow +again; before the sun could come to help. + +It mattered not what way the wind was. Often and often +the vanes went round, and we hoped for change of +weather; the only change was that it seemed (if +possible) to grow colder. Indeed, after a week or so, +the wind would regularly box the compass (as the +sailors call it) in the course of every day, following +where the sun should be, as if to make a mock of him. +And this of course immensely added to the peril of the +drifts; because they shifted every day; and no skill or +care might learn them. + +I believe it was on Epiphany morning, or somewhere +about that period, when Lizzie ran into the kitchen to +me, where I was thawing my goose-grease, with the dogs +among the ashes--the live dogs, I mean, not the iron +ones, for them we had given up long ago,--and having +caught me, by way of wonder (for generally I was out +shoveling long before my 'young lady' had her nightcap +off), she positively kissed me, for the sake of warming +her lips perhaps, or because she had something proud to +say. + +'You great fool, John,' said my lady, as Annie and I +used to call her, on account of her airs and graces; +'what a pity you never read, John!' + +'Much use, I should think, in reading!' I answered, +though pleased with her condescension; 'read, I +suppose, with roof coming in, and only this chimney +left sticking out of the snow!' + +'The very time to read, John,' said Lizzie, looking +grander; 'our worst troubles are the need, whence +knowledge can deliver us.' + +'Amen,' I cried out; 'are you parson or clerk? +Whichever you are, good-morning.' + +Thereupon I was bent on my usual round (a very small +one nowadays), but Eliza took me with both hands, and I +stopped of course; for I could not bear to shake the +child, even in play, for a moment, because her back was +tender. Then she looked up at me with her beautiful +eyes, so large, unhealthy and delicate, and strangely +shadowing outward, as if to spread their meaning; and +she said,-- + +'Now, John, this is no time to joke. I was almost +frozen in bed last night; and Annie like an icicle. +Feel how cold my hands are. Now, will you listen to +what I have read about climates ten times worse than +this; and where none but clever men can live?' + +'Impossible for me to listen now, I have hundreds of +things to see to; but I will listen after breakfast to +your foreign climates, child. Now attend to mother's +hot coffee.' + +She looked a little disappointed, but she knew what I +had to do; and after all she was not so utterly +unreasonable; although she did read books. And when I +had done my morning's work, I listened to her +patiently; and it was out of my power to think that all +she said was foolish. + +For I knew common sense pretty well, by this time, +whether it happened to be my own, or any other +person's, if clearly laid before me. And Lizzie had a +particular way of setting forth very clearly whatever +she wished to express and enforce. But the queerest +part of it all was this, that if she could but have +dreamed for a moment what would be the first +application made me by of her lesson, she would rather +have bitten her tongue off than help me to my purpose. + +She told me that in the Arctic Regions, as they call +some places, a long way north, where the Great Bear +lies all across the heavens, and no sun is up, for +whole months at a time, and yet where people will go +exploring, out of pure contradiction, and for the sake +of novelty, and love of being frozen--that here they +always had such winters as we were having now. It +never ceased to freeze, she said; and it never ceased +to snow; except when it was too cold; and then all the +air was choked with glittering spikes; and a man's skin +might come off of him, before he could ask the reason. +Nevertheless the people there (although the snow was +fifty feet deep, and all their breath fell behind them +frozen, like a log of wood dropped from their +shoulders), yet they managed to get along, and make the +time of the year to each other, by a little cleverness. +For seeing how the snow was spread, lightly over +everything, covering up the hills and valleys, and the +foreskin of the sea, they contrived a way to crown it, +and to glide like a flake along. Through the sparkle +of the whiteness, and the wreaths of windy tossings, +and the ups and downs of cold, any man might get along +with a boat on either foot, to prevent his sinking. + +She told me how these boats were made; very strong and +very light, of ribs with skin across them; five feet +long, and one foot wide; and turned up at each end, +even as a canoe is. But she did not tell me, nor did I +give it a moment's thought myself, how hard it was to +walk upon them without early practice. Then she told +me another thing equally useful to me; although I would +not let her see how much I thought about it. And this +concerned the use of sledges, and their power of +gliding, and the lightness of their following; all of +which I could see at once, through knowledge of our own +farm-sleds; which we employ in lieu of wheels, used in +flatter districts. When I had heard all this from her, +a mere chit of a girl as she was, unfit to make a +snowball even, or to fry snow pancakes, I looked down +on her with amazement, and began to wish a little that +I had given more time to books. + +But God shapes all our fitness, and gives each man his +meaning, even as he guides the wavering lines of snow +descending. Our Eliza was meant for books; our dear +Annie for loving and cooking; I, John Ridd, for sheep, +and wrestling, and the thought of Lorna; and mother to +love all three of us, and to make the best of her +children. And now, if I must tell the truth, as at +every page I try to do (though God knows it is hard +enough), I had felt through all this weather, though my +life was Lorna's, something of a satisfaction in so +doing duty to my kindest and best of mothers, and to +none but her. For (if you come to think of it) a man's +young love is very pleasant, very sweet, and tickling; +and takes him through the core of heart; without his +knowing how or why. Then he dwells upon it sideways, +without people looking, and builds up all sorts of +fancies, growing hot with working so at his own +imaginings. So his love is a crystal Goddess, set upon +an obelisk; and whoever will not bow the knee (yet +without glancing at her), the lover makes it a sacred +rite either to kick or to stick him. I am not speaking +of me and Lorna, but of common people. + +Then (if you come to think again) lo!--or I will not +say lo! for no one can behold it--only feel, or but +remember, what a real mother is. Ever loving, ever +soft, ever turning sin to goodness, vices into virtues; +blind to all nine-tenths of wrong; through a telescope +beholding (though herself so nigh to them) faintest +decimal of promise, even in her vilest child. Ready to +thank God again, as when her babe was born to her; +leaping (as at kingdom-come) at a wandering syllable +of Gospel for her lost one. + +All this our mother was to us, and even more than all +of this; and hence I felt a pride and joy in doing my +sacred duty towards her, now that the weather compelled +me. And she was as grateful and delighted as if she +had no more claim upon me than a stranger's sheep might +have. Yet from time to time I groaned within myself +and by myself, at thinking of my sad debarment from the +sight of Lorna, and of all that might have happened to +her, now she had no protection. + +Therefore, I fell to at once, upon that hint from +Lizzie, and being used to thatching-work, and the +making of traps, and so on, before very long I built +myself a pair of strong and light snow-shoes, framed +with ash and ribbed of withy, with half-tanned calf- +skin stretched across, and an inner sole to support my +feet. At first I could not walk at all, but floundered +about most piteously, catching one shoe in the other, +and both of them in the snow-drifts, to the great +amusement of the girls, who were come to look at me. +But after a while I grew more expert, discovering what +my errors were, and altering the inclination of the +shoes themselves, according to a print which Lizzie +found in a book of adventures. And this made such a +difference, that I crossed the farmyard and came back +again (though turning was the worst thing of all) +without so much as falling once, or getting my staff +entangled. + +But oh, the aching of my ankles, when I went to bed +that night; I was forced to help myself upstairs with a +couple of mopsticks! and I rubbed the joints with +neatsfoot oil, which comforted them greatly. And +likely enough I would have abandoned any further trial, +but for Lizzie's ridicule, and pretended sympathy; +asking if the strong John Ridd would have old Betty to +lean upon. Therefore I set to again, with a fixed +resolve not to notice pain or stiffness, but to warm +them out of me. And sure enough, before dark that day, +I could get along pretty freely; especially improving +every time, after leaving off and resting. The +astonishment of poor John Fry, Bill Dadds, and Jem +Slocombe, when they saw me coming down the hill upon +them, in the twilight, where they were clearing the +furze rick and trussing it for cattle, was more than I +can tell you; because they did not let me see it, but +ran away with one accord, and floundered into a +snowdrift. They believed, and so did every one else +(especially when I grew able to glide along pretty +rapidly), that I had stolen Mother Melldrum's sieves, +on which she was said to fly over the foreland at +midnight every Saturday. + +Upon the following day, I held some council with my +mother; not liking to go without her permission, yet +scarcely daring to ask for it. But here she +disappointed me, on the right side of disappointment; +saying that she had seen my pining (which she never +could have done; because I had been too hard at work), +and rather than watch me grieving so, for somebody or +other, who now was all in all to me, I might go upon my +course, and God's protection go with me! At this I was +amazed, because it was not at all like mother; and +knowing how well I had behaved, ever since the time of +our snowing up, I was a little moved to tell her that +she could not understand me. However my sense of duty +kept me, and my knowledge of the catechism, from saying +such a thing as that, or even thinking twice of it. +And so I took her at her word, which she was not +prepared for; and telling her how proud I was of her +trust in Providence, and how I could run in my new +snow-shoes, I took a short pipe in my mouth, and +started forth accordingly. + + + +CHAPTER XLIII + +NOT TOO SOON + +When I started on my road across the hills and valleys +(which now were pretty much alike), the utmost I could +hope to do was to gain the crest of hills, and look +into the Doone Glen. Hence I might at least descry +whether Lorna still was safe, by the six nests still +remaining, and the view of the Captain's house. When I +was come to the open country, far beyond the sheltered +homestead, and in the full brunt of the wind, the keen +blast of the cold broke on me, and the mighty breadth +of snow. Moor and highland, field and common, cliff +and vale, and watercourse, over all the rolling folds +of misty white were flung. There was nothing square or +jagged left, there was nothing perpendicular; all the +rugged lines were eased, and all the breaches smoothly +filled. Curves, and mounds, and rounded heavings, took +the place of rock and stump; and all the country looked +as if a woman's hand had been on it. + +Through the sparkling breadth of white, which seemed to +glance my eyes away, and outside the humps of laden +trees, bowing their backs like a woodman, I contrived +to get along, half-sliding and half-walking, in places +where a plain-shodden man must have sunk, and waited +freezing till the thaw should come to him. For +although there had been such violent frost, every +night, upon the snow, the snow itself, having never +thawed, even for an hour, had never coated over. Hence +it was as soft and light as if all had fallen +yesterday. In places where no drift had been, but +rather off than on to them, three feet was the least of +depth; but where the wind had chased it round, or any +draught led like a funnel, or anything opposed it; +there you might very safely say that it ran up to +twenty feet, or thirty, or even fifty, and I believe +some times a hundred. + +At last I got to my spy-hill (as I had begun to call +it), although I never should have known it but for what +it looked on. And even to know this last again +required all the eyes of love, soever sharp and +vigilant. For all the beautiful Glen Doone (shaped +from out the mountains, as if on purpose for the +Doones, and looking in the summer-time like a sharp cut +vase of green) now was besnowed half up the sides, and +at either end so, that it was more like the white +basins wherein we boil plum-puddings. Not a patch of +grass was there, not a black branch of a tree; all was +white; and the little river flowed beneath an arch of +snow; if it managed to flow at all. + +Now this was a great surprise to me; not only because I +believed Glen Doone to be a place outside all frost, +but also because I thought perhaps that it was quite +impossible to be cold near Lorna. And now it struck me +all at once that perhaps her ewer was frozen (as mine +had been for the last three weeks, requiring embers +around it), and perhaps her window would not shut, any +more than mine would; and perhaps she wanted blankets. +This idea worked me up to such a chill of sympathy, +that seeing no Doones now about, and doubting if any +guns would go off, in this state of the weather, and +knowing that no man could catch me up (except with +shoes like mine), I even resolved to slide the cliffs, +and bravely go to Lorna. + +It helped me much in this resolve, that the snow came +on again, thick enough to blind a man who had not spent +his time among it, as I had done now for days and days. +Therefore I took my neatsfoot oil, which now was +clogged like honey, and rubbed it hard into my +leg-joints, so far as I could reach them. And then I +set my back and elbows well against a snowdrift, +hanging far adown the cliff, and saying some of the +Lord's Prayer, threw myself on Providence. Before +there was time to think or dream, I landed very +beautifully upon a ridge of run-up snow in a quiet +corner. My good shoes, or boots, preserved me from +going far beneath it; though one of them was sadly +strained, where a grub had gnawed the ash, in the early +summer-time. Having set myself aright, and being in +good spirits, I made boldly across the valley (where +the snow was furrowed hard), being now afraid of +nobody. + +If Lorna had looked out of the window she would not +have known me, with those boots upon my feet, and a +well-cleaned sheepskin over me, bearing my own (J.R.) +in red, just between my shoulders, but covered now in +snow-flakes. The house was partly drifted up, though +not so much as ours was; and I crossed the little +stream almost without knowing that it was under me. At +first, being pretty safe from interference from the +other huts, by virtue of the blinding snow and the +difficulty of walking, I examined all the windows; but +these were coated so with ice, like ferns and flowers +and dazzling stars, that no one could so much as guess +what might be inside of them. Moreover I was afraid of +prying narrowly into them, as it was not a proper thing +where a maiden might be; only I wanted to know just +this, whether she were there or not. + +Taking nothing by this movement, I was forced, much +against my will, to venture to the door and knock, in a +hesitating manner, not being sure but what my answer +might be the mouth of a carbine. However it was not +so, for I heard a pattering of feet and a whispering +going on, and then a shrill voice through the keyhole, +asking, 'Who's there?' + +'Only me, John Ridd,' I answered; upon which I heard a +little laughter, and a little sobbing, or something +that was like it; and then the door was opened about a +couple of inches, with a bar behind it still; and then +the little voice went on,-- + +'Put thy finger in, young man, with the old ring on it. +But mind thee, if it be the wrong one, thou shalt never +draw it back again.' + +Laughing at Gwenny's mighty threat, I showed my finger +in the opening; upon which she let me in, and barred +the door again like lightning. + +'What is the meaning of all this, Gwenny?' I asked, as +I slipped about on the floor, for I could not stand +there firmly with my great snow-shoes on. + +'Maning enough, and bad maning too,' the Cornish girl +made answer. Us be shut in here, and starving, and +durstn't let anybody in upon us. I wish thou wer't +good to ate, young man: I could manage most of thee.' + +I was so frightened by her eyes, full of wolfish +hunger, that I could only say 'Good God!' having never +seen the like before. Then drew I forth a large piece +of bread, which I had brought in case of accidents, and +placed it in her hands. She leaped at it, as a +starving dog leaps at sight of his supper, and she set +her teeth in it, and then withheld it from her lips, +with something very like an oath at her own vile +greediness; and then away round the corner with it, no +doubt for her young mistress. I meanwhile was +occupied, to the best of my ability, in taking my +snow-shoes off, yet wondering much within myself why +Lorna did not come to me. + +But presently I knew the cause, for Gwenny called me, +and I ran, and found my darling quite unable to say so +much as, 'John, how are you?' Between the hunger and +the cold, and the excitement of my coming, she had +fainted away, and lay back on a chair, as white as the +snow around us. In betwixt her delicate lips, Gwenny +was thrusting with all her strength the hard brown +crust of the rye-bread, which she had snatched from me +so. + +'Get water, or get snow,' I said; 'don't you know what +fainting is, you very stupid child?' + +'Never heerd on it, in Cornwall,' she answered, +trusting still to the bread; 'be un the same as +bleeding?' + +'It will be directly, if you go on squeezing away with +that crust so. Eat a piece: I have got some more. +Leave my darling now to me.' + +Hearing that I had some more, the starving girl could +resist no longer, but tore it in two, and had swallowed +half before I had coaxed my Lorna back to sense, and +hope, and joy, and love. + +'I never expected to see you again. I had made up my +mind to die, John; and to die without your knowing it.' + +As I repelled this fearful thought in a manner highly +fortifying, the tender hue flowed back again into her +famished cheeks and lips, and a softer brilliance +glistened from the depth of her dark eyes. She gave me +one little shrunken hand, and I could not help a tear +for it. + +'After all, Mistress Lorna,' I said, pretending to be +gay, for a smile might do her good; 'you do not love me +as Gwenny does; for she even wanted to eat me.' + +'And shall, afore I have done, young man,' Gwenny +answered laughing; 'you come in here with they red +chakes, and make us think o' sirloin.' + +'Eat up your bit of brown bread, Gwenny. It is not +good enough for your mistress. Bless her heart, I have +something here such as she never tasted the like of, +being in such appetite. Look here, Lorna; smell it +first. I have had it ever since Twelfth Day, and kept +it all the time for you. Annie made it. That is +enough to warrant it good cooking.' + +And then I showed my great mince-pie in a bag of tissue +paper, and I told them how the mince-meat was made of +golden pippins finely shred, with the undercut of the +sirloin, and spice and fruit accordingly and far beyond +my knowledge. But Lorna would not touch a morsel until +she had thanked God for it, and given me the kindest +kiss, and put a piece in Gwenny's mouth. + +I have eaten many things myself, with very great +enjoyment, and keen perception of their merits, and +some thanks to God for them. But I never did enjoy a +thing, that had found its way between my own lips, +half, or even a quarter as much as I now enjoyed +beholding Lorna, sitting proudly upwards (to show that +she was faint no more) entering into that mince-pie, +and moving all her pearls of teeth (inside her little +mouth-place) exactly as I told her. For I was afraid +lest she should be too fast in going through it, and +cause herself more damage so, than she got of +nourishment. But I had no need to fear at all, and +Lorna could not help laughing at me for thinking that +she had no self-control. + +Some creatures require a deal of food (I myself among +the number), and some can do with a very little; +making, no doubt, the best of it. And I have often +noticed that the plumpest and most perfect women never +eat so hard and fast as the skinny and three-cornered +ones. These last be often ashamed of it, and eat most +when the men be absent. Hence it came to pass that +Lorna, being the loveliest of all maidens, had as much +as she could do to finish her own half of pie; whereas +Gwenny Carfax (though generous more than greedy), ate +up hers without winking, after finishing the brown +loaf; and then I begged to know the meaning of this +state of things. + +'The meaning is sad enough,' said Lorna; 'and I see no +way out of it. We are both to be starved until I let +them do what they like with me. + +'That is to say until you choose to marry Carver Doone, +and be slowly killed by him?' + +'Slowly! No, John, quickly. I hate him so intensely, +that less than a week would kill me.' + +'Not a doubt of that,' said Gwenny; 'oh, she hates him +nicely then; but not half so much as I do.' + +I told them that this state of things could be endured +no longer, on which point they agreed with me, but saw +no means to help it. For even if Lorna could make up +her mind to come away with me and live at Plover's +Barrows farm, under my good mother's care, as I had +urged so often, behold the snow was all around us, +heaped as high as mountains, and how could any delicate +maiden ever get across it? + +Then I spoke with a strange tingle upon both sides of +my heart, knowing that this undertaking was a serious +one for all, and might burn our farm down,-- + +'If I warrant to take you safe, and without much fright +or hardship, Lorna, will you come with me?' + +'To be sure I will, dear,' said my beauty, with a smile +and a glance to follow it; 'I have small alternative, +to starve, or go with you, John.' + +'Gwenny, have you courage for it? Will you come with +your young mistress?' + +'Will I stay behind?' cried Gwenny, in a voice that +settled it. And so we began to arrange about it; and +I was much excited. It was useless now to leave it +longer; if it could be done at all, it could not be too +quickly done. It was the Counsellor who had ordered, +after all other schemes had failed, that his niece +should have no food until she would obey him. He had +strictly watched the house, taking turns with Carver, +to ensure that none came nigh it bearing food or +comfort. But this evening, they had thought it +needless to remain on guard; and it would have been +impossible, because themselves were busy offering high +festival to all the valley, in right of their own +commandership. And Gwenny said that nothing made her +so nearly mad with appetite as the account she received +from a woman of all the dishes preparing. Nevertheless +she had answered bravely,-- + +'Go and tell the Counsellor, and go and tell the +Carver, who sent you to spy upon us, that we shall have +a finer dish than any set before them.' And so in truth +they did, although so little dreaming it; for no Doone +that was ever born, however much of a Carver, might vie +with our Annie for mince-meat. + +Now while we sat reflecting much, and talking a good +deal more, in spite of all the cold--for I never was in +a hurry to go, when I had Lorna with me--she said, in +her silvery voice, which always led me so along, as if +I were a slave to a beautiful bell,-- + +'Now, John, we are wasting time, dear. You have +praised my hair, till it curls with pride, and my eyes +till you cannot see them, even if they are brown +diamonds which I have heard for the fiftieth time at +least; though I never saw such a jewel. Don't you +think it is high time to put on your snow-shoes, John?' + +'Certainly not,' I answered, 'till we have settled +something more. I was so cold when I came in; and now +I am as warm as a cricket. And so are you, you lively +soul; though you are not upon my hearth yet.' + +'Remember, John,' said Lorna, nestling for a moment to +me; 'the severity of the weather makes a great +difference between us. And you must never take +advantage.' + +'I quite understand all that, dear. And the harder it +freezes the better, while that understanding continues. +Now do try to be serious.' + +'I try to be serious! And I have been trying fifty +times, and could not bring you to it, John! Although I +am sure the situation, as the Counsellor says at the +beginning of a speech, the situation, to say the least, +is serious enough for anything. Come, Gwenny, imitate +him.' + +Gwenny was famed for her imitation of the Counsellor +making a speech; and she began to shake her hair, and +mount upon a footstool; but I really could not have +this, though even Lorna ordered it. The truth was that +my darling maiden was in such wild spirits, at seeing +me so unexpected, and at the prospect of release, and +of what she had never known, quiet life and happiness, +that like all warm and loving natures, she could scarce +control herself. + +'Come to this frozen window, John, and see them light +the stack-fire. They will little know who looks at +them. Now be very good, John. You stay in that +corner, dear, and I will stand on this side; and try to +breathe yourself a peep-hole through the lovely spears +and banners. Oh, you don't know how to do it. I must +do it for you. Breathe three times, like that, and +that; and then you rub it with your fingers, before it +has time to freeze again.' + +All this she did so beautifully, with her lips put up +like cherries, and her fingers bent half back, as only +girls can bend them, and her little waist thrown out +against the white of the snowed-up window, that I made +her do it three times over; and I stopped her every +time and let it freeze again, that so she might be the +longer. Now I knew that all her love was mine, every +bit as much as mine was hers; yet I must have her to +show it, dwelling upon every proof, lengthening out all +certainty. Perhaps the jealous heart is loath to own a +life worth twice its own. Be that as it may, I know +that we thawed the window nicely. + +And then I saw, far down the stream (or rather down the +bed of it, for there was no stream visible), a little +form of fire arising, red, and dark, and flickering. +Presently it caught on something, and went upward +boldly; and then it struck into many forks, and then it +fell, and rose again. + +'Do you know what all that is, John?' asked Lorna, +smiling cleverly at the manner of my staring. + +'How on earth should I know? Papists burn Protestants +in the flesh; and Protestants burn Papists in effigy, +as we mock them. Lorna, are they going to burn any +one to-night?' + +'No, you dear. I must rid you of these things. I see +that you are bigoted. The Doones are firing Dunkery +beacon, to celebrate their new captain.' + +'But how could they bring it here through the snow? If +they have sledges, I can do nothing.' + +'They brought it before the snow began. The moment +poor grandfather was gone, even before his funeral, the +young men, having none to check them, began at once +upon it. They had always borne a grudge against it; +not that it ever did them harm; but because it seemed +so insolent. "Can't a gentleman go home, without a +smoke behind him?" I have often heard them saying. And +though they have done it no serious harm, since they +threw the firemen on the fire, many, many years ago, +they have often promised to bring it here for their +candle; and now they have done it. Ah, now look! The +tar is kindled.' + +Though Lorna took it so in joke, I looked upon it very +gravely, knowing that this heavy outrage to the +feelings of the neighbourhood would cause more stir +than a hundred sheep stolen, or a score of houses +sacked. Not of course that the beacon was of the +smallest use to any one, neither stopped anybody from +stealing, nay, rather it was like the parish knell, +which begins when all is over, and depresses all the +survivors; yet I knew that we valued it, and were +proud, and spoke of it as a mighty institution; and +even more than that, our vestry had voted, within the +last two years, seven shillings and six-pence to pay +for it, in proportion with other parishes. And one of +the men who attended to it, or at least who was paid +for doing so, was our Jem Slocombe's grandfather. + +However, in spite of all my regrets, the fire went up +very merrily, blazing red and white and yellow, as it +leaped on different things. And the light danced on +the snow-drifts with a misty lilac hue. I was +astonished at its burning in such mighty depths of +snow; but Gwenny said that the wicked men had been +three days hard at work, clearing, as it were, a +cock-pit, for their fire to have its way. And now they +had a mighty pile, which must have covered five +land-yards square, heaped up to a goodly height, and +eager to take fire. + +In this I saw great obstacle to what I wished to +manage. For when this pyramid should be kindled +thoroughly, and pouring light and blazes round, would +not all the valley be like a white room full of +candles? Thinking thus, I was half inclined to abide +my time for another night: and then my second thoughts +convinced me that I would be a fool in this. For lo, +what an opportunity! All the Doones would be drunk, of +course, in about three hours' time, and getting more +and more in drink as the night went on. As for the +fire, it must sink in about three hours or more, and +only cast uncertain shadows friendly to my purpose. +And then the outlaws must cower round it, as the cold +increased on them, helping the weight of the liquor; +and in their jollity any noise would be cheered as a +false alarm. Most of all, and which decided once for +all my action,--when these wild and reckless villains +should be hot with ardent spirits, what was door, or +wall, to stand betwixt them and my Lorna? + +This thought quickened me so much that I touched my +darling reverently, and told her in a few short words +how I hoped to manage it. + +'Sweetest, in two hours' time, I shall be again with +you. Keep the bar up, and have Gwenny ready to answer +any one. You are safe while they are dining, dear, and +drinking healths, and all that stuff; and before they +have done with that, I shall be again with you. Have +everything you care to take in a very little compass, +and Gwenny must have no baggage. I shall knock loud, +and then wait a little; and then knock twice, very +softly.' + +With this I folded her in my arms; and she looked +frightened at me; not having perceived her danger; and +then I told Gwenny over again what I had told her +mistress: but she only nodded her head and said, 'Young +man, go and teach thy grandmother.' + + + +CHAPTER XLIV + +BROUGHT HOME AT LAST + +To my great delight I found that the weather, not +often friendly to lovers, and lately seeming so +hostile, had in the most important matter done me a +signal service. For when I had promised to take my +love from the power of those wretches, the only way of +escape apparent lay through the main Doone-gate. For +though I might climb the cliffs myself, especially with +the snow to aid me, I durst not try to fetch Lorna up +them, even if she were not half-starved, as well as +partly frozen; and as for Gwenny's door, as we called +it (that is to say, the little entrance from the wooded +hollow), it was snowed up long ago to the level of the +hills around. Therefore I was at my wit's end how to +get them out; the passage by the Doone-gate being long, +and dark, and difficult, and leading to such a weary +circuit among the snowy moors and hills. + +But now, being homeward-bound by the shortest possible +track, I slipped along between the bonfire and the +boundary cliffs, where I found a caved way of snow +behind a sort of avalanche: so that if the Doones had +been keeping watch (which they were not doing, but +revelling), they could scarcely have discovered me. +And when I came to my old ascent, where I had often +scaled the cliff and made across the mountains, it +struck me that I would just have a look at my first and +painful entrance, to wit, the water-slide. I never for +a moment imagined that this could help me now; for I +never had dared to descend it, even in the finest +weather; still I had a curiosity to know what my old +friend was like, with so much snow upon him. But, to +my very great surprise, there was scarcely any snow +there at all, though plenty curling high overhead from +the cliff, like bolsters over it. Probably the +sweeping of the north-east wind up the narrow chasm had +kept the showers from blocking it, although the water +had no power under the bitter grip of frost. All my +water-slide was now less a slide than path of ice; +furrowed where the waters ran over fluted ridges; +seamed where wind had tossed and combed them, even +while congealing; and crossed with little steps +wherever the freezing torrent lingered. And here and +there the ice was fibred with the trail of sludge- +weed, slanting from the side, and matted, so as to make +resting-place. + +Lo it was easy track and channel, as if for the very +purpose made, down which I could guide my sledge with +Lorna sitting in it. There were only two things to be +feared; one lest the rolls of snow above should fall in +and bury us; the other lest we should rush too fast, +and so be carried headlong into the black whirlpool at +the bottom, the middle of which was still unfrozen, and +looking more horrible by the contrast. Against this +danger I made provision, by fixing a stout bar across; +but of the other we must take our chance, and trust +ourselves to Providence. + +I hastened home at my utmost speed, and told my mother +for God's sake to keep the house up till my return, and +to have plenty of fire blazing, and plenty of water +boiling, and food enough hot for a dozen people, and +the best bed aired with the warming-pan. Dear mother +smiled softly at my excitement, though her own was not +much less, I am sure, and enhanced by sore anxiety. +Then I gave very strict directions to Annie, and +praised her a little, and kissed her; and I even +endeavoured to flatter Eliza, lest she should be +disagreeable. + +After this I took some brandy, both within and about +me; the former, because I had sharp work to do; and the +latter in fear of whatever might happen, in such great +cold, to my comrades. Also I carried some other +provisions, grieving much at their coldness: and then I +went to the upper linhay, and took our new light pony- +sledd, which had been made almost as much for pleasure +as for business; though God only knows how our girls +could have found any pleasure in bumping along so. On +the snow, however, it ran as sweetly as if it had been +made for it; yet I durst not take the pony with it; in +the first place, because his hoofs would break through +the ever-shifting surface of the light and piling snow; +and secondly, because these ponies, coming from the +forest, have a dreadful trick of neighing, and most of +all in frosty weather. + +Therefore I girded my own body with a dozen turns of +hay-rope, twisting both the ends in under at the bottom +of my breast, and winding the hay on the skew a little, +that the hempen thong might not slip between, and so +cut me in the drawing. I put a good piece of spare +rope in the sledd, and the cross-seat with the back to +it, which was stuffed with our own wool, as well as two +or three fur coats; and then, just as I was starting, +out came Annie, in spite of the cold, panting for fear +of missing me, and with nothing on her head, but a +lanthorn in one hand. + +'Oh, John, here is the most wonderful thing! Mother has +never shown it before; and I can't think how she could +make up her mind. She had gotten it in a great well +of a cupboard, with camphor, and spirits, and lavender. +Lizzie says it is a most magnificent sealskin cloak, +worth fifty pounds, or a farthing.' + +'At any rate it is soft and warm,' said I, very calmly +flinging it into the bottom of the sledd. 'Tell mother +I will put it over Lorna's feet.' + +'Lorna's feet! Oh, you great fool,' cried Annie, for +the first time reviling me; 'over her shoulders; and be +proud, you very stupid John.' + +'It is not good enough for her feet,' I answered, with +strong emphasis; 'but don't tell mother I said so, +Annie. Only thank her very kindly.' + +With that I drew my traces hard, and set my ashen staff +into the snow, and struck out with my best foot +foremost (the best one at snow-shoes, I mean), and the +sledd came after me as lightly as a dog might follow; +and Annie, with the lanthorn, seemed to be left behind +and waiting like a pretty lamp-post. + +The full moon rose as bright behind me as a paten of +pure silver, casting on the snow long shadows of the +few things left above, burdened rock, and shaggy +foreland, and the labouring trees. In the great white +desolation, distance was a mocking vision; hills looked +nigh, and valleys far; when hills were far and valleys +nigh. And the misty breath of frost, piercing through +the ribs of rock, striking to the pith of trees, +creeping to the heart of man, lay along the hollow +places, like a serpent sloughing. Even as my own gaunt +shadow (travestied as if I were the moonlight's daddy- +longlegs), went before me down the slope; even I, the +shadow's master, who had tried in vain to cough, when +coughing brought good liquorice, felt a pressure on my +bosom, and a husking in my throat. + +However, I went on quietly, and at a very tidy speed; +being only too thankful that the snow had ceased, and +no wind as yet arisen. And from the ring of low white +vapour girding all the verge of sky, and from the rosy +blue above, and the shafts of starlight set upon a +quivering bow, as well as from the moon itself and the +light behind it, having learned the signs of frost from +its bitter twinges, I knew that we should have a night +as keen as ever England felt. Nevertheless, I had work +enough to keep me warm if I managed it. The question +was, could I contrive to save my darling from it? + +Daring not to risk my sledd by any fall from the +valley-cliffs, I dragged it very carefully up the steep +incline of ice, through the narrow chasm, and so to the +very brink and verge where first I had seen my Lorna, +in the fishing days of boyhood. As I then had a +trident fork, for sticking of the loaches, so I now had +a strong ash stake, to lay across from rock to rock, +and break the speed of descending. With this I moored +the sledd quite safe, at the very lip of the chasm, +where all was now substantial ice, green and black in +the moonlight; and then I set off up the valley, +skirting along one side of it. + +The stack-fire still was burning strongly, but with +more of heat than blaze; and many of the younger Doones +were playing on the verge of it, the children making +rings of fire, and their mothers watching them. All +the grave and reverend warriors having heard of +rheumatism, were inside of log and stone, in the two +lowest houses, with enough of candles burning to make +our list of sheep come short. + +All these I passed, without the smallest risk or +difficulty, walking up the channel of drift which I +spoke of once before. And then I crossed, with more of +care, and to the door of Lorna's house, and made the +sign, and listened, after taking my snow-shoes off. + +But no one came, as I expected, neither could I espy a +light. And I seemed to hear a faint low sound, like +the moaning of the snow-wind. Then I knocked again +more loudly, with a knocking at my heart: and receiving +no answer, set all my power at once against the door. +In a moment it flew inwards, and I glided along the +passage with my feet still slippery. There in Lorna's +room I saw, by the moonlight flowing in, a sight which +drove me beyond sense. + +Lorna was behind a chair, crouching in the corner, with +her hands up, and a crucifix, or something that looked +like it. In the middle of the room lay Gwenny Carfax, +stupid, yet with one hand clutching the ankle of a +struggling man. Another man stood above my Lorna, +trying to draw the chair away. In a moment I had him +round the waist, and he went out of the window with a +mighty crash of glass; luckily for him that window had +no bars like some of them. Then I took the other man +by the neck; and he could not plead for mercy. I bore +him out of the house as lightly as I would bear a baby, +yet squeezing his throat a little more than I fain +would do to an infant. By the bright moonlight I saw +that I carried Marwood de Whichehalse. For his +father's sake I spared him, and because he had been my +schoolfellow; but with every muscle of my body strung +with indignation, I cast him, like a skittle, from me +into a snowdrift, which closed over him. Then I looked +for the other fellow, tossed through Lorna's window, +and found him lying stunned and bleeding, neither able +to groan yet. Charleworth Doone, if his gushing blood +did not much mislead me. + +It was no time to linger now; I fastened my shoes in a +moment, and caught up my own darling with her head upon +my shoulder, where she whispered faintly; and telling +Gwenny to follow me, or else I would come back for her, +if she could not walk the snow, I ran the whole +distance to my sledd, caring not who might follow me. +Then by the time I had set up Lorna, beautiful and +smiling, with the seal-skin cloak all over her, sturdy +Gwenny came along, having trudged in the track of my +snow-shoes, although with two bags on her back. I set +her in beside her mistress, to support her, and keep +warm; and then with one look back at the glen, which +had been so long my home of heart, I hung behind the +sledd, and launched it down the steep and dangerous +way. + +Though the cliffs were black above us, and the road +unseen in front, and a great white grave of snow might +at a single word come down, Lorna was as calm and happy +as an infant in its bed. She knew that I was with her; +and when I told her not to speak, she touched my hand +in silence. Gwenny was in a much greater fright, +having never seen such a thing before, neither knowing +what it is to yield to pure love's confidence. I could +hardly keep her quiet, without making a noise myself. +With my staff from rock to rock, and my weight thrown +backward, I broke the sledd's too rapid way, and +brought my grown love safely out, by the selfsame road +which first had led me to her girlish fancy, and my +boyish slavery. + +Unpursued, yet looking back as if some one must be +after us, we skirted round the black whirling pool, and +gained the meadows beyond it. Here there was hard +collar work, the track being all uphill and rough; and +Gwenny wanted to jump out, to lighten the sledd and to +push behind. But I would not hear of it; because it +was now so deadly cold, and I feared that Lorna might +get frozen, without having Gwenny to keep her warm. +And after all, it was the sweetest labour I had ever +known in all my life, to be sure that I was pulling +Lorna, and pulling her to our own farmhouse. + +Gwenny's nose was touched with frost, before we had +gone much farther, because she would not keep it quiet +and snug beneath the sealskin. And here I had to stop +in the moonlight (which was very dangerous) and rub it +with a clove of snow, as Eliza had taught me; and +Gwenny scolding all the time, as if myself had frozen +it. Lorna was now so far oppressed with all the +troubles of the evening, and the joy that followed +them, as well as by the piercing cold and difficulty of +breathing, that she lay quite motionless, like fairest +wax in the moonlight--when we stole a glance at her, +beneath the dark folds of the cloak; and I thought that +she was falling into the heavy snow-sleep, whence there +is no awaking. + +Therefore, I drew my traces tight, and set my whole +strength to the business; and we slipped along at a +merry pace, although with many joltings, which must +have sent my darling out into the cold snowdrifts but +for the short strong arm of Gwenny. And so in about an +hour's time, in spite of many hindrances, we came home +to the old courtyard, and all the dogs saluted us. My +heart was quivering, and my cheeks as hot as the +Doones' bonfire, with wondering both what Lorna would +think of our farm-yard, and what my mother would think +of her. Upon the former subject my anxiety was wasted, +for Lorna neither saw a thing, nor even opened her +heavy eyes. And as to what mother would think of her, +she was certain not to think at all, until she had +cried over her. + +And so indeed it came to pass. Even at this length of +time, I can hardly tell it, although so bright before +my mind, because it moves my heart so. The sledd was +at the open door, with only Lorna in it; for Gwenny +Carfax had jumped out, and hung back in the clearing, +giving any reason rather than the only true one--that +she would not be intruding. At the door were all our +people; first, of course, Betty Muxworthy, teaching me +how to draw the sledd, as if she had been born in it, +and flourishing with a great broom, wherever a speck of +snow lay. Then dear Annie, and old Molly (who was very +quiet, and counted almost for nobody), and behind them, +mother, looking as if she wanted to come first, but +doubted how the manners lay. In the distance Lizzie +stood, fearful of encouraging, but unable to keep out +of it. + +Betty was going to poke her broom right in under the +sealskin cloak, where Lorna lay unconscious, and where +her precious breath hung frozen, like a silver cobweb; +but I caught up Betty's broom, and flung it clean away +over the corn chamber; and then I put the others by, +and fetched my mother forward. + +'You shall see her first,' I said: 'is she not your +daughter? Hold the light there, Annie.' + +Dear mother's hands were quick and trembling, as she +opened the shining folds; and there she saw my Lorna +sleeping, with her black hair all dishevelled, and she +bent and kissed her forehead, and only said, 'God bless +her, John!' And then she was taken with violent +weeping, and I was forced to hold her. + +'Us may tich of her now, I rackon,' said Betty in her +most jealous way; 'Annie, tak her by the head, and I'll +tak her by the toesen. No taime to stand here like +girt gawks. Don'ee tak on zo, missus. Ther be vainer +vish in the zea--Lor, but, her be a booty!' + +With this, they carried her into the house, Betty +chattering all the while, and going on now about +Lorna's hands, and the others crowding round her, so +that I thought I was not wanted among so many women, +and should only get the worst of it, and perhaps do +harm to my darling. Therefore I went and brought +Gwenny in, and gave her a potful of bacon and peas, and +an iron spoon to eat it with, which she did right +heartily. + +Then I asked her how she could have been such a fool as +to let those two vile fellows enter the house where +Lorna was; and she accounted for it so naturally, that +I could only blame myself. For my agreement had been +to give one loud knock (if you happen to remember) and +after that two little knocks. Well these two drunken +rogues had come; and one, being very drunk indeed, had +given a great thump; and then nothing more to do with +it; and the other, being three-quarters drunk, had +followed his leader (as one might say) but feebly, and +making two of it. Whereupon up jumped Lorna, and +declared that her John was there. + +All this Gwenny told me shortly, between the whiles of +eating, and even while she licked the spoon; and then +there came a message for me that my love was sensible, +and was seeking all around for me. Then I told Gwenny +to hold her tongue (whatever she did among us), and not +to trust to women's words; and she told me they all +were liars, as she had found out long ago; and the only +thing to believe in was an honest man, when found. +Thereupon I could have kissed her as a sort of tribute, +liking to be appreciated; yet the peas upon her lips +made me think about it; and thought is fatal to action. +So I went to see my dear. + +That sight I shall not forget; till my dying head falls +back, and my breast can lift no more. I know not +whether I were then more blessed, or harrowed by it. +For in the settle was my Lorna, propped with pillows +round her, and her clear hands spread sometimes to the +blazing fireplace. In her eyes no knowledge was of +anything around her, neither in her neck the sense of +leaning towards anything. Only both her lovely hands +were entreating something, to spare her, or to love +her; and the lines of supplication quivered in her sad +white face. + +'All go away, except my mother,' I said very quietly, +but so that I would be obeyed; and everybody knew it. +Then mother came to me alone; and she said, 'The frost +is in her brain; I have heard of this before, John.' +'Mother, I will have it out,' was all that I could +answer her; 'leave her to me altogether; only you sit +there and watch.' For I felt that Lorna knew me, and no +other soul but me; and that if not interfered with, she +would soon come home to me. Therefore I sat gently by +her, leaving nature, as it were, to her own good time +and will. And presently the glance that watched me, as +at distance and in doubt, began to flutter and to +brighten, and to deepen into kindness, then to beam +with trust and love, and then with gathering tears to +falter, and in shame to turn away. But the small +entreating hands found their way, as if by instinct, to +my great projecting palms; and trembled there, and +rested there. + +For a little while we lingered thus, neither wishing to +move away, neither caring to look beyond the presence +of the other; both alike so full of hope, and comfort, +and true happiness; if only the world would let us be. +And then a little sob disturbed us, and mother tried to +make believe that she was only coughing. But Lorna, +guessing who she was, jumped up so very rashly that she +almost set her frock on fire from the great ash log; +and away she ran to the old oak chair, where mother was +by the clock-case pretending to be knitting, and she +took the work from mother's hands, and laid them both +upon her head, kneeling humbly, and looking up. + +'God bless you, my fair mistress!' said mother, bending +nearer, and then as Lorna's gaze prevailed, 'God bless +you, my sweet child!' + +And so she went to mother's heart by the very nearest +road, even as she had come to mine; I mean the road of +pity, smoothed by grace, and youth, and gentleness. + + + +CHAPTER XLV + +A CHANGE LONG NEEDED + +Jeremy Stickles was gone south, ere ever the frost set +in, for the purpose of mustering forces to attack the +Doone Glen. But, of course, this weather had put a +stop to every kind of movement; for even if men could +have borne the cold, they could scarcely be brought to +face the perils of the snow-drifts. And to tell the +truth I cared not how long this weather lasted, so long +as we had enough to eat, and could keep ourselves from +freezing. Not only that I did not want Master Stickles +back again, to make more disturbances; but also that +the Doones could not come prowling after Lorna while +the snow lay piled between us, with the surface soft +and dry. Of course they would very soon discover where +their lawful queen was, although the track of sledd and +snow-shoes had been quite obliterated by another +shower, before the revellers could have grown half as +drunk as they intended. But Marwood de Whichehalse, +who had been snowed up among them (as Gwenny said), +after helping to strip the beacon, that young Squire +was almost certain to have recognised me, and to have +told the vile Carver. And it gave me no little +pleasure to think how mad that Carver must be with me, +for robbing him of the lovely bride whom he was +starving into matrimony. However, I was not pleased at +all with the prospect of the consequences; but set all +hands on to thresh the corn, ere the Doones could come +and burn the ricks. For I knew that they could not +come yet, inasmuch as even a forest pony could not +traverse the country, much less the heavy horses needed +to carry such men as they were. And hundreds of the +forest ponies died in this hard weather, some being +buried in the snow, and more of them starved for want +of grass. + +Going through this state of things, and laying down the +law about it (subject to correction), I very soon +persuaded Lorna that for the present she was safe, and +(which made her still more happy) that she was not only +welcome, but as gladdening to our eyes as the flowers +of May. Of course, so far as regarded myself, this was +not a hundredth part of the real truth; and even as +regarded others, I might have said it ten times over. +For Lorna had so won them all, by her kind and gentle +ways, and her mode of hearkening to everybody's +trouble, and replying without words, as well as by her +beauty, and simple grace of all things, that I could +almost wish sometimes the rest would leave her more to +me. But mother could not do enough; and Annie almost +worshipped her; and even Lizzie could not keep her +bitterness towards her; especially when she found that +Lorna knew as much of books as need be. + +As for John Fry, and Betty, and Molly, they were a +perfect plague when Lorna came into the kitchen. For +betwixt their curiosity to see a live Doone in the +flesh (when certain not to eat them), and their high +respect for birth (with or without honesty), and their +intense desire to know all about Master John's +sweetheart (dropped, as they said, from the +snow-clouds), and most of all their admiration of a +beauty such as never even their angels could have +seen--betwixt and between all this, I say, there was no +getting the dinner cooked, with Lorna in the kitchen. + +And the worst of it was that Lorna took the strangest +of all strange fancies for this very kitchen; and it +was hard to keep her out of it. Not that she had any +special bent for cooking, as our Annie had; rather +indeed the contrary, for she liked to have her food +ready cooked; but that she loved the look of the place, +and the cheerful fire burning, and the racks of bacon +to be seen, and the richness, and the homeliness, and +the pleasant smell of everything. And who knows but +what she may have liked (as the very best of maidens +do) to be admired, now and then, between the times of +business? + +Therefore if you wanted Lorna (as I was always sure to +do, God knows how many times a day), the very surest +place to find her was our own old kitchen. Not +gossiping, I mean, nor loitering, neither seeking into +things, but seeming to be quite at home, as if she had +known it from a child, and seeming (to my eyes at +least) to light it up, and make life and colour out of +all the dullness; as I have seen the breaking sun do +among brown shocks of wheat. + +But any one who wished to learn whether girls can +change or not, as the things around them change (while +yet their hearts are steadfast, and for ever anchored), +he should just have seen my Lorna, after a fortnight of +our life, and freedom from anxiety. It is possible +that my company--although I am accounted stupid by folk +who do not know my way--may have had something to do +with it; but upon this I will not say much, lest I lose +my character. And indeed, as regards company, I had +all the threshing to see to, and more than half to do +myself (though any one would have thought that even +John Fry must work hard this weather), else I could not +hope at all to get our corn into such compass that a +good gun might protect it. + +But to come back to Lorna again (which I always longed +to do, and must long for ever), all the change between +night and day, all the shifts of cloud and sun, all the +difference between black death and brightsome +liveliness, scarcely may suggest or equal Lorna's +transformation. Quick she had always been and 'peart' +(as we say on Exmoor) and gifted with a leap of thought +too swift for me to follow; and hence you may find +fault with much, when I report her sayings. But +through the whole had always run, as a black string +goes through pearls, something dark and touched with +shadow, coloured as with an early end. + +But, now, behold! there was none of this! There was no +getting her, for a moment, even to be serious. All her +bright young wit was flashing, like a newly-awakened +flame, and all her high young spirits leaped, as if +dancing to its fire. And yet she never spoke a word +which gave more pain than pleasure. + +And even in her outward look there was much of +difference. Whether it was our warmth, and freedom, +and our harmless love of God, and trust in one another; +or whether it were our air, and water, and the pea-fed +bacon; anyhow my Lorna grew richer and more lovely, +more perfect and more firm of figure, and more light +and buoyant, with every passing day that laid its +tribute on her cheeks and lips. I was allowed one kiss +a day; only one for manners' sake, because she was our +visitor; and I might have it before breakfast, or else +when I came to say 'good-night!' according as I +decided. And I decided every night, not to take it in +the morning, but put it off till the evening time, and +have the pleasure to think about, through all the day +of working. But when my darling came up to me in the +early daylight, fresher than the daystar, and with no +one looking; only her bright eyes smiling, and sweet +lips quite ready, was it likely I could wait, and think +all day about it? For she wore a frock of Annie's, +nicely made to fit her, taken in at the waist and +curved--I never could explain it, not being a +mantua-maker; but I know how her figure looked in it, +and how it came towards me. + +But this is neither here nor there; and I must on with +my story. Those days are very sacred to me, and if I +speak lightly of them, trust me, 'tis with lip alone; +while from heart reproach peeps sadly at the flippant +tricks of mind. + +Although it was the longest winter ever known in our +parts (never having ceased to freeze for a single +night, and scarcely for a single day, from the middle +of December till the second week in March), to me it +was the very shortest and the most delicious; and +verily I do believe it was the same to Lorna. But when +the Ides of March were come (of which I do remember +something dim from school, and something clear from my +favourite writer) lo, there were increasing signals of +a change of weather. + +One leading feature of that long cold, and a thing +remarked by every one (however unobservant) had been +the hollow moaning sound ever present in the air, +morning, noon, and night-time, and especially at night, +whether any wind were stirring, or whether it were a +perfect calm. Our people said that it was a witch +cursing all the country from the caverns by the sea, +and that frost and snow would last until we could catch +and drown her. But the land, being thoroughly blocked +with snow, and the inshore parts of the sea with ice +(floating in great fields along), Mother Melldrum (if +she it were) had the caverns all to herself, for there +was no getting at her. And speaking of the sea reminds +me of a thing reported to us, and on good authority; +though people might be found hereafter who would not +believe it, unless I told them that from what I myself +beheld of the channel I place perfect faith in it: and +this is, that a dozen sailors at the beginning of March +crossed the ice, with the aid of poles from Clevedon to +Penarth, or where the Holm rocks barred the flotage. + +But now, about the tenth of March, that miserable +moaning noise, which had both foregone and accompanied +the rigour, died away from out the air; and we, being +now so used to it, thought at first that we must be +deaf. And then the fog, which had hung about (even in +full sunshine) vanished, and the shrouded hills shone +forth with brightness manifold. And now the sky at +length began to come to its true manner, which we had +not seen for months, a mixture (if I so may speak) of +various expressions. Whereas till now from +Allhallows-tide, six weeks ere the great frost set in, +the heavens had worn one heavy mask of ashen gray when +clouded, or else one amethystine tinge with a hazy rim, +when cloudless. So it was pleasant to behold, after +that monotony, the fickle sky which suits our England, +though abused by foreign folk. + +And soon the dappled softening sky gave some earnest of +its mood; for a brisk south wind arose, and the blessed +rain came driving, cold indeed, yet most refreshing to +the skin, all parched with snow, and the eyeballs so +long dazzled. Neither was the heart more sluggish in +its thankfulness to God. People had begun to think, +and somebody had prophesied, that we should have no +spring this year, no seed-time, and no harvest; for +that the Lord had sent a judgment on this country of +England, and the nation dwelling in it, because of the +wickedness of the Court, and the encouragement shown to +Papists. And this was proved, they said, by what had +happened in the town of London; where, for more than a +fortnight, such a chill of darkness lay that no man +might behold his neighbour, even across the narrowest +street; and where the ice upon the Thames was more than +four feet thick, and crushing London Bridge in twain. +Now to these prophets I paid no heed, believing not +that Providence would freeze us for other people's +sins; neither seeing how England could for many +generations have enjoyed good sunshine, if Popery meant +frost and fogs. Besides, why could not Providence +settle the business once for all by freezing the Pope +himself; even though (according to our view) he were +destined to extremes of heat, together with all who +followed him? + +Not to meddle with that subject, being beyond my +judgment, let me tell the things I saw, and then you +must believe me. The wind, of course, I could not see, +not having the powers of a pig; but I could see the +laden branches of the great oaks moving, hoping to +shake off the load packed and saddled on them. And +hereby I may note a thing which some one may explain +perhaps in the after ages, when people come to look at +things. This is that in desperate cold all the trees +were pulled awry, even though the wind had scattered +the snow burden from them. Of some sorts the branches +bended downwards, like an archway; of other sorts the +boughs curved upwards, like a red deer's frontlet. +This I know no reason* for; but am ready to swear that +I saw it. + +* The reason is very simple, as all nature's reasons +are; though the subject has not yet been investigated +thoroughly. In some trees the vascular tissue is more +open on the upper side, in others on the under side, of +the spreading branches; according to the form of +growth, and habit of the sap. Hence in very severe +cold, when the vessels (comparatively empty) are +constricted, some have more power of contraction on the +upper side, and some upon the under. + + +Now when the first of the rain began, and the old +familiar softness spread upon the window glass, and ran +a little way in channels (though from the coldness of +the glass it froze before reaching the bottom), knowing +at once the difference from the short sharp thud of +snow, we all ran out, and filled our eyes and filled +our hearts with gazing. True, the snow was piled up +now all in mountains round us; true, the air was still +so cold that our breath froze on the doorway, and the +rain was turned to ice wherever it struck anything; +nevertheless that it was rain there was no denying, as +we watched it across black doorways, and could see no +sign of white. Mother, who had made up her mind that +the farm was not worth having after all those +prophesies, and that all of us must starve, and holes +be scratched in the snow for us, and no use to put up a +tombstone (for our church had been shut up long ago) +mother fell upon my breast, and sobbed that I was the +cleverest fellow ever born of woman. And this because +I had condemned the prophets for a pack of fools; not +seeing how business could go on, if people stopped to +hearken to them. + +Then Lorna came and glorified me, for I had predicted a +change of weather, more to keep their spirits up, than +with real hope of it; and then came Annie blushing +shyly, as I looked at her, and said that Winnie would +soon have four legs now. This referred to some stupid +joke made by John Fry or somebody, that in this weather +a man had no legs, and a horse had only two. + +But as the rain came down upon us from the southwest +wind, and we could not have enough of it, even putting +our tongues to catch it, as little children might do, +and beginning to talk of primroses; the very noblest +thing of all was to hear and see the gratitude of the +poor beasts yet remaining and the few surviving birds. +From the cowhouse lowing came, more than of fifty +milking times; moo and moo, and a turn-up noise at the +end of every bellow, as if from the very heart of kine. +Then the horses in the stables, packed as closely as +they could stick, at the risk of kicking, to keep the +warmth in one another, and their spirits up by +discoursing; these began with one accord to lift up +their voices, snorting, snaffling, whinnying, and +neighing, and trotting to the door to know when they +should have work again. To whom, as if in answer, came +the feeble bleating of the sheep, what few, by dint of +greatest care, had kept their fleeces on their backs, +and their four legs under them. + +Neither was it a trifling thing, let whoso will say the +contrary, to behold the ducks and geese marching forth +in handsome order from their beds of fern and straw. +What a goodly noise they kept, what a flapping of their +wings, and a jerking of their tails, as they stood +right up and tried with a whistling in their throats to +imitate a cockscrow! And then how daintily they took +the wet upon their dusty plumes, and ducked their +shoulders to it, and began to dress themselves, and +laid their grooved bills on the snow, and dabbled for +more ooziness! + +Lorna had never seen, I dare say, anything like this +before, and it was all that we could do to keep her +from rushing forth with only little lambswool shoes on, +and kissing every one of them. 'Oh, the dear things, +oh, the dear things!' she kept saying continually, 'how +wonderfully clever they are! Only look at that one with +his foot up, giving orders to the others, John!' + +'And I must give orders to you, my darling,' I +answered, gazing on her face, so brilliant with +excitement; 'and that is, that you come in at once, +with that worrisome cough of yours; and sit by the +fire, and warm yourself.' + +'Oh, no, John! Not for a minute, if you please, good +John. I want to see the snow go away, and the green +meadows coming forth. And here comes our favourite +robin, who has lived in the oven so long, and sang us a +song every morning. I must see what he thinks of it!' + +'You will do nothing of the sort,' I answered very +shortly, being only too glad of a cause for having her +in my arms again. So I caught her up, and carried her +in; and she looked and smiled so sweetly at me instead +of pouting (as I had feared) that I found myself unable +to go very fast along the passage. And I set her there +in her favourite place, by the sweet-scented wood-fire; +and she paid me porterage without my even asking her; +and for all the beauty of the rain, I was fain to stay +with her; until our Annie came to say that my advice +was wanted. + +Now my advice was never much, as everybody knew quite +well; but that was the way they always put it, when +they wanted me to work for them. And in truth it was +time for me to work; not for others, but myself, and +(as I always thought) for Lorna. For the rain was now +coming down in earnest; and the top of the snow being +frozen at last, and glazed as hard as a china cup, by +means of the sun and frost afterwards, all the rain ran +right away from the steep inclines, and all the outlets +being blocked with ice set up like tables, it +threatened to flood everything. Already it was ponding +up, like a tide advancing at the threshold of the door +from which we had watched the duck-birds; both because +great piles of snow trended in that direction, in spite +of all our scraping, and also that the gulley hole, +where the water of the shoot went out (I mean when it +was water) now was choked with lumps of ice, as big as +a man's body. For the 'shoot,' as we called our little +runnel of everlasting water, never known to freeze +before, and always ready for any man either to wash his +hands, or drink, where it spouted from a trough of +bark, set among white flint-stones; this at last had +given in, and its music ceased to lull us, as we lay in +bed. + +It was not long before I managed to drain off this +threatening flood, by opening the old sluice-hole; but +I had much harder work to keep the stables, and the +cow-house, and the other sheds, from flooding. For we +have a sapient practice (and I never saw the contrary +round about our parts, I mean), of keeping all rooms +underground, so that you step down to them. We say +that thus we keep them warmer, both for cattle and for +men, in the time of winter, and cooler in the +summer-time. This I will not contradict, though having +my own opinion; but it seems to me to be a relic of the +time when people in the western countries lived in +caves beneath the ground, and blocked the mouths with +neat-skins. + +Let that question still abide, for men who study +ancient times to inform me, if they will; all I know +is, that now we had no blessings for the system. If +after all their cold and starving, our weak cattle now +should have to stand up to their knees in water, it +would be certain death to them; and we had lost enough +already to make us poor for a long time; not to speak +of our kind love for them. And I do assure you, I +loved some horses, and even some cows for that matter, +as if they had been my blood-relations; knowing as I did +their virtues. And some of these were lost to us; and +I could not bear to think of them. Therefore I worked +hard all night to try and save the rest of them. + + + +CHAPTER XLVI + +SQUIRE FAGGUS MAKES SOME LUCKY HITS + +Through that season of bitter frost the red deer of +the forest, having nothing to feed upon, and no shelter +to rest in, had grown accustomed to our ricks of corn, +and hay, and clover. There we might see a hundred of +them almost any morning, come for warmth, and food, and +comfort, and scarce willing to move away. And many of +them were so tame, that they quietly presented +themselves at our back door, and stood there with their +coats quite stiff, and their flanks drawn in and +panting, and icicles sometimes on their chins, and +their great eyes fastened wistfully upon any merciful +person; craving for a bit of food, and a drink of +water; I suppose that they had not sense enough to chew +the snow and melt it; at any rate, all the springs +being frozen, and rivers hidden out of sight, these +poor things suffered even more from thirst than they +did from hunger. + +But now there was no fear of thirst, and more chance +indeed of drowning; for a heavy gale of wind arose, +with violent rain from the south-west, which lasted +almost without a pause for three nights and two days. +At first the rain made no impression on the bulk of +snow, but ran from every sloping surface and froze on +every flat one, through the coldness of the earth; and +so it became impossible for any man to keep his legs +without the help of a shodden staff. After a good +while, however, the air growing very much warmer, this +state of things began to change, and a worse one to +succeed it; for now the snow came thundering down from +roof, and rock, and ivied tree, and floods began to +roar and foam in every trough and gulley. The drifts +that had been so white and fair, looked yellow, and +smirched, and muddy, and lost their graceful curves, +and moulded lines, and airiness. But the strangest +sight of all to me was in the bed of streams, and +brooks, and especially of the Lynn river. It was worth +going miles to behold such a thing, for a man might +never have the chance again. + +Vast drifts of snow had filled the valley, and piled +above the river-course, fifty feet high in many places, +and in some as much as a hundred. These had frozen +over the top, and glanced the rain away from them, and +being sustained by rock and tree, spanned the water +mightily. But meanwhile the waxing flood, swollen from +every moorland hollow and from every spouting crag, had +dashed away all icy fetters, and was rolling +gloriously. Under white fantastic arches, and long +tunnels freaked and fretted, and between pellucid +pillars jagged with nodding architraves, the red +impetuous torrent rushed, and the brown foam whirled +and flashed. I was half inclined to jump in and swim +through such glorious scenery; for nothing used to +please me more than swimming in a flooded river. But I +thought of the rocks, and I thought of the cramp, and +more than all, of Lorna; and so, between one thing and +another, I let it roll on without me. + +It was now high time to work very hard; both to make up +for the farm-work lost during the months of frost and +snow, and also to be ready for a great and vicious +attack from the Doones, who would burn us in our beds +at the earliest opportunity. Of farm-work there was +little yet for even the most zealous man to begin to +lay his hand to; because when the ground appeared +through the crust of bubbled snow (as at last it did, +though not as my Lorna had expected, at the first few +drops of rain) it was all so soaked and sodden, and as +we call it, 'mucksy,' that to meddle with it in any way +was to do more harm than good. Nevertheless, there was +yard work, and house work, and tendence of stock, +enough to save any man from idleness. + +As for Lorna, she would come out. There was no keeping +her in the house. She had taken up some peculiar +notion that we were doing more for her than she had any +right to, and that she must earn her living by the hard +work of her hands. It was quite in vain to tell her +that she was expected to do nothing, and far worse than +vain (for it made her cry sadly) if any one assured her +that she could do no good at all. She even began upon +mother's garden before the snow was clean gone from it, +and sowed a beautiful row of peas, every one of which +the mice ate. + +But though it was very pretty to watch her working for +her very life, as if the maintenance of the household +hung upon her labours, yet I was grieved for many +reasons, and so was mother also. In the first place, +she was too fair and dainty for this rough, rude work; +and though it made her cheeks so bright, it surely must +be bad for her to get her little feet so wet. +Moreover, we could not bear the idea that she should +labour for her keep; and again (which was the worst of +all things) mother's garden lay exposed to a dark +deceitful coppice, where a man might lurk and watch all +the fair gardener's doings. It was true that none +could get at her thence, while the brook which ran +between poured so great a torrent. Still the distance +was but little for a gun to carry, if any one could be +brutal enough to point a gun at Lorna. I thought that +none could be found to do it; but mother, having more +experience, was not so certain of mankind. + +Now in spite of the floods, and the sloughs being out, +and the state of the roads most perilous, Squire Faggus +came at last, riding his famous strawberry mare. There +was a great ado between him and Annie, as you may well +suppose, after some four months of parting. And so we +left them alone awhile, to coddle over their raptures. +But when they were tired of that, or at least had time +enough to do so, mother and I went in to know what news +Tom had brought with him. Though he did not seem to +want us yet, he made himself agreeable; and so we sent +Annie to cook the dinner while her sweetheart should +tell us everything. + +Tom Faggus had very good news to tell, and he told it +with such force of expression as made us laugh very +heartily. He had taken up his purchase from old Sir +Roger Bassett of a nice bit of land, to the south of +the moors, and in the parish of Molland. When the +lawyers knew thoroughly who he was, and how he had made +his money, they behaved uncommonly well to him, and +showed great sympathy with his pursuits. He put them +up to a thing or two; and they poked him in the ribs, +and laughed, and said that he was quite a boy; but of +the right sort, none the less. And so they made old +Squire Bassett pay the bill for both sides; and all he +got for three hundred acres was a hundred and twenty +pounds; though Tom had paid five hundred. But lawyers +know that this must be so, in spite of all their +endeavours; and the old gentleman, who now expected to +find a bill for him to pay, almost thought himself a +rogue, for getting anything out of them. + +It is true that the land was poor and wild, and the +soil exceeding shallow; lying on the slope of rock, and +burned up in hot summers. But with us, hot summers +are things known by tradition only (as this great +winter may be); we generally have more moisture, +especially in July, than we well know what to do with. +I have known a fog for a fortnight at the summer +solstice, and farmers talking in church about it when +they ought to be praying. But it always contrives to +come right in the end, as other visitations do, if we +take them as true visits, and receive them kindly. + +Now this farm of Squire Faggus (as he truly now had a +right to be called) was of the very finest pasture, +when it got good store of rain. And Tom, who had +ridden the Devonshire roads with many a reeking jacket, +knew right well that he might trust the climate for +that matter. The herbage was of the very sweetest, and +the shortest, and the closest, having perhaps from ten +to eighteen inches of wholesome soil between it and the +solid rock. Tom saw at once what it was fit for--the +breeding of fine cattle. + +Being such a hand as he was at making the most of +everything, both his own and other people's (although +so free in scattering, when the humour lay upon him) he +had actually turned to his own advantage that +extraordinary weather which had so impoverished every +one around him. For he taught his Winnie (who knew his +meaning as well as any child could, and obeyed not only +his word of mouth, but every glance be gave her) to go +forth in the snowy evenings when horses are seeking +everywhere (be they wild or tame) for fodder and for +shelter; and to whinny to the forest ponies, miles away +from home perhaps, and lead them all with rare +appetites and promise of abundance, to her master's +homestead. He shod good Winnie in such a manner that +she could not sink in the snow; and he clad her over +the loins with a sheep-skin dyed to her own colour, +which the wild horses were never tired of coming up and +sniffing at; taking it for an especial gift, and proof +of inspiration. And Winnie never came home at night +without at least a score of ponies trotting shyly after +her, tossing their heads and their tails in turn, and +making believe to be very wild, although hard pinched +by famine. Of course Tom would get them all into his +pound in about five minutes, for he himself could neigh +in a manner which went to the heart of the wildest +horse. And then he fed them well, and turned them into +his great cattle pen, to abide their time for breaking, +when the snow and frost should be over. + +He had gotten more than three hundred now, in this +sagacious manner; and he said it was the finest sight +to see their mode of carrying on, how they would snort, +and stamp, and fume, and prick their ears, and rush +backwards, and lash themselves with their long rough +tails, and shake their jagged manes, and scream, and +fall upon one another, if a strange man came anigh +them. But as for feeding time, Tom said it was better +than fifty plays to watch them, and the tricks they +were up to, to cheat their feeders, and one another. I +asked him how on earth he had managed to get fodder, in +such impassable weather, for such a herd of horses; but +he said that they lived upon straw and sawdust; and he +knew that I did not believe him, any more than about +his star-shavings. And this was just the thing he +loved--to mystify honest people, and be a great deal +too knowing. However, I may judge him harshly, because +I myself tell everything. + +I asked him what he meant to do with all that enormous +lot of horses, and why he had not exerted his wits to +catch the red deer as well. He said that the latter +would have been against the laws of venery, and might +have brought him into trouble, but as for disposing of +his stud, it would give him little difficulty. He +would break them, when the spring weather came on, and +deal with them as they required, and keep the +handsomest for breeding. The rest he would despatch to +London, where he knew plenty of horse-dealers; and he +doubted not that they would fetch him as much as ten +pounds apiece all round, being now in great demand. I +told him I wished that he might get it; but as it +proved afterwards, he did. + +Then he pressed us both on another point, the time for +his marriage to Annie; and mother looked at me to say +when, and I looked back at mother. However, knowing +something of the world, and unable to make any further +objection, by reason of his prosperity, I said that we +must even do as the fashionable people did, and allow +the maid herself to settle, when she would leave home +and all. And this I spoke with a very bad grace, being +perhaps of an ancient cast, and over fond of honesty--I +mean, of course, among lower people. + +But Tom paid little heed to this, knowing the world a +great deal better than ever I could pretend to do; and +being ready to take a thing, upon which he had set his +mind, whether it came with a good grace, or whether it +came with a bad one. And seeing that it would be +awkward to provoke my anger, he left the room, before +more words, to submit himself to Annie. + +Upon this I went in search of Lorna, to tell her of our +cousin's arrival, and to ask whether she would think +fit to see him, or to dine by herself that day; for she +should do exactly as it pleased her in everything, +while remaining still our guest. But I rather wished +that she might choose not to sit in Tom's company, +though she might be introduced to him. Not but what he +could behave quite as well as could, and much better, +as regarded elegance and assurance, only that his +honesty had not been as one might desire. But Lorna +had some curiosity to know what this famous man was +like, and declared that she would by all means have the +pleasure of dining with him, if he did not object to +her company on the ground of the Doones' dishonesty; +moreover, she said that it would seem a most foolish +air on her part, and one which would cause the greatest +pain to Annie, who had been so good to her, if she +should refuse to sit at table with a man who held the +King's pardon, and was now a pattern of honesty. + +Against this I had not a word to say; and could not +help acknowledging in my heart that she was right, as +well as wise, in her decision. And afterwards I +discovered that mother would have been much displeased, +if she had decided otherwise. + +Accordingly she turned away, with one of her very +sweetest smiles (whose beauty none can describe) saying +that she must not meet a man of such fashion and +renown, in her common gardening frock; but must try to +look as nice as she could, if only in honour of dear +Annie. And truth to tell, when she came to dinner, +everything about her was the neatest and prettiest that +can possibly be imagined. She contrived to match the +colours so, to suit one another and her own, and yet +with a certain delicate harmony of contrast, and the +shape of everything was so nice, so that when she came +into the room, with a crown of winning modesty upon the +consciousness of beauty, I was quite as proud as if the +Queen of England entered. + +My mother could not help remarking, though she knew +that it was not mannerly, how like a princess Lorna +looked, now she had her best things on; but two things +caught Squire Faggus's eyes, after he had made a most +gallant bow, and received a most graceful courtesy; and +he kept his bright bold gaze upon them, first on one, +and then on the other, until my darling was hot with +blushes, and I was ready to knock him down if he had +not been our visitor. But here again I should have +been wrong, as I was apt to be in those days; for Tom +intended no harm whatever, and his gaze was of pure +curiosity; though Annie herself was vexed with it. The +two objects of his close regard, were first, and most +worthily, Lorna's face, and secondly, the ancient +necklace restored to her by Sir Ensor Doone. + +Now wishing to save my darling's comfort, and to keep +things quiet, I shouted out that dinner was ready, so +that half the parish could hear me; upon which my +mother laughed, and chid me, and despatched her guests +before her. And a very good dinner we made, I +remember, and a very happy one; attending to the women +first, as now is the manner of eating; except among the +workmen. With them, of course, it is needful that the +man (who has his hours fixed) should be served first, +and make the utmost of his time for feeding, while the +women may go on, as much as ever they please, +afterwards. But with us, who are not bound to time, +there is no such reason to be quoted; and the women +being the weaker vessels, should be the first to begin +to fill. And so we always arranged it. + +Now, though our Annie was a graceful maid, and Lizzie a +very learned one, you should have seen how differently +Lorna managed her dining; she never took more than +about a quarter of a mouthful at a time, and she never +appeared to be chewing that, although she must have +done so. Indeed, she appeared to dine as if it were a +matter of no consequence, and as if she could think of +other things more than of her business. All this, and +her own manner of eating, I described to Eliza once, +when I wanted to vex her for something very spiteful +that she had said; and I never succeeded so well +before, for the girl was quite outrageous, having her +own perception of it, which made my observation ten +times as bitter to her. And I am not sure but what she +ceased to like poor Lorna from that day; and if so, I +was quite paid out, as I well deserved, for my bit of +satire. + +For it strikes me that of all human dealings, satire is +the very lowest, and most mean and common. It is the +equivalent in words of what bullying is in deeds; and +no more bespeaks a clever man, than the other does a +brave one. These two wretched tricks exalt a fool in +his own low esteem, but never in his neighbour's; for +the deep common sense of our nature tells that no man +of a genial heart, or of any spread of mind, can take +pride in either. And though a good man may commit the +one fault or the other, now and then, by way of outlet, +he is sure to have compunctions soon, and to scorn +himself more than the sufferer. + +Now when the young maidens were gone--for we had quite +a high dinner of fashion that day, with Betty Muxworthy +waiting, and Gwenny Carfax at the gravy--and only +mother, and Tom, and I remained at the white deal +table, with brandy, and schnapps, and hot water jugs; +Squire Faggus said quite suddenly, and perhaps on +purpose to take us aback, in case of our hiding +anything,--'What do you know of the history of that +beautiful maiden, good mother?' + +'Not half so much as my son does,' mother answered, +with a soft smile at me; 'and when John does not choose +to tell a thing, wild horses will not pull it out of +him.' + +'That is not at all like me, mother,' I replied rather +sadly; 'you know almost every word about Lorna, quite +as well as I do.' + +'Almost every word, I believe, John; for you never tell +a falsehood. But the few unknown may be of all the +most important to me.' + +To this I made no answer, for fear of going beyond the +truth, or else of making mischief. Not that I had, or +wished to have, any mystery with mother; neither was +there in purest truth, any mystery in the matter; to +the utmost of my knowledge. And the only things that I +had kept back, solely for mother's comfort, were the +death of poor Lord Alan Brandir (if indeed he were +dead) and the connection of Marwood de Whichehalse with +the dealings of the Doones, and the threats of Carver +Doone against my own prosperity; and, may be, one or +two little things harrowing more than edifying. + +'Come, come,' said Master Faggus, smiling very +pleasantly, 'you two understand each other, if any two +on earth do. Ah, if I had only had a mother, how +different I might have been!' And with that he sighed, +in the tone which always overcame mother upon that +subject, and had something to do with his getting +Annie; and then he produced his pretty box, full of +rolled tobacco, and offered me one, as I now had joined +the goodly company of smokers. So I took it, and +watched what he did with his own, lest I might go wrong +about mine. + +But when our cylinders were both lighted, and I +enjoying mine wonderfully, and astonishing mother by my +skill, Tom Faggus told us that he was sure he had seen +my Lorna's face before, many and many years ago, when +she was quite a little child, but he could not remember +where it was, or anything more about it at present; +though he would try to do so afterwards. He could not +be mistaken, he said, for he had noticed her eyes +especially; and had never seen such eyes before, +neither again, until this day. I asked him if he had +ever ventured into the Doone-valley; but he shook his +head, and replied that he valued his life a deal too +much for that. Then we put it to him, whether anything +might assist his memory; but he said that he knew not +of aught to do so, unless it were another glass of +schnapps. + +This being provided, he grew very wise, and told us +clearly and candidly that we were both very foolish. +For he said that we were keeping Lorna, at the risk not +only of our stock, and the house above our heads, but +also of our precious lives; and after all was she worth +it, although so very beautiful? Upon which I told him, +with indignation, that her beauty was the least part of +her goodness, and that I would thank him for his +opinion when I had requested it. + +'Bravo, our John Ridd!' he answered; 'fools will be +fools till the end of the chapter; and I might be as +big a one, if I were in thy shoes, John. Nevertheless, +in the name of God, don't let that helpless child go +about with a thing worth half the county on her.' + +'She is worth all the county herself,' said I, 'and all +England put together; but she has nothing worth half a +rick of hay upon her; for the ring I gave her cost +only,'--and here I stopped, for mother was looking, and +I never would tell her how much it had cost me; though +she had tried fifty times to find out. + +'Tush, the ring!' Tom Faggus cried, with a contempt +that moved me: 'I would never have stopped a man for +that. But the necklace, you great oaf, the necklace is +worth all your farm put together, and your Uncle Ben's +fortune to the back of it; ay, and all the town of +Dulverton.' + +'What,' said I, 'that common glass thing, which she has +had from her childhood!' + +'Glass indeed! They are the finest brilliants ever I +set eyes on; and I have handled a good many.' + +'Surely,' cried mother, now flushing as red as Tom's +own cheeks with excitement, 'you must be wrong, or the +young mistress would herself have known it.' + +I was greatly pleased with my mother, for calling Lorna +'the young mistress'; it was not done for the sake of +her diamonds, whether they were glass or not; but +because she felt as I had done, that Tom Faggus, a man +of no birth whatever, was speaking beyond his mark, in +calling a lady like Lorna a helpless child; as well as +in his general tone, which displayed no deference. He +might have been used to the quality, in the way of +stopping their coaches, or roystering at hotels with +them; but he never had met a high lady before, in +equality, and upon virtue; and we both felt that he +ought to have known it, and to have thanked us for the +opportunity, in a word, to have behaved a great deal +more humbly than he had even tried to do. + +'Trust me,' answered Tom, in his loftiest manner, which +Annie said was 'so noble,' but which seemed to me +rather flashy, 'trust me, good mother, and simple John, +for knowing brilliants, when I see them. I would have +stopped an eight-horse coach, with four carabined +out-riders, for such a booty as that. But alas, those +days are over; those were days worth living in. Ah, I +never shall know the like again. How fine it was by +moonlight!' + +'Master Faggus,' began my mother, with a manner of some +dignity, such as she could sometimes use, by right of +her integrity, and thorough kindness to every one, +'this is not the tone in which you have hitherto spoken +to me about your former pursuits and life, I fear that +the spirits'--but here she stopped, because the spirits +were her own, and Tom was our visitor,--'what I mean, +Master Faggus, is this: you have won my daughter's +heart somehow; and you won my consent to the matter +through your honest sorrow, and manly undertaking to +lead a different life, and touch no property but your +own. Annie is my eldest daughter, and the child of a +most upright man. I love her best of all on earth, +next to my boy John here'--here mother gave me a mighty +squeeze, to be sure that she would have me at +least--'and I will not risk my Annie's life with a man +who yearns for the highway.' + +Having made this very long speech (for her), mother +came home upon my shoulder, and wept so that (but for +heeding her) I would have taken Tom by the nose, and +thrown him, and Winnie after him, over our farm-yard +gate. For I am violent when roused; and freely hereby +acknowledge it; though even my enemies will own that it +takes a great deal to rouse me. But I do consider the +grief and tears (when justly caused) of my dearest +friends, to be a great deal to rouse me. + + + +CHAPTER XLVII + +JEREMY IN DANGER + +Nothing very long abides, as the greatest of all +writers (in whose extent I am for ever lost in raptured +wonder, and yet for ever quite at home, as if his heart +were mine, although his brains so different), in a word +as Mr. William Shakespeare, in every one of his works +insists, with a humoured melancholy. And if my journey +to London led to nothing else of advancement, it took +me a hundred years in front of what I might else have +been, by the most simple accident. + +Two women were scolding one another across the road, +very violently, both from upstair windows; and I in my +hurry for quiet life, and not knowing what might come +down upon me, quickened my step for the nearest corner. +But suddenly something fell on my head; and at first I +was afraid to look, especially as it weighed heavily. +But hearing no breakage of ware, and only the other +scold laughing heartily, I turned me about and espied a +book, which one had cast at the other, hoping to break +her window. So I took the book, and tendered it at the +door of the house from which it had fallen; but the +watchman came along just then, and the man at the door +declared that it never came from their house, and +begged me to say no more. This I promised readily, +never wishing to make mischief; and I said, 'Good sir, +now take the book; I will go on to my business.' But he +answered that he would do no such thing; for the book +alone, being hurled so hard, would convict his people +of a lewd assault; and he begged me, if I would do a +good turn, to put the book under my coat and go. And +so I did: in part at least. For I did not put the book +under my coat, but went along with it openly, looking +for any to challenge it. Now this book, so acquired, +has been not only the joy of my younger days, and main +delight of my manhood, but also the comfort, and even +the hope, of my now declining years. In a word, it is +next to my Bible to me, and written in equal English; +and if you espy any goodness whatever in my own loose +style of writing, you must not thank me, John Ridd, for +it, but the writer who holds the champion's belt in +wit, as I once did in wrestling. + +Now, as nothing very long abides, it cannot be expected +that a woman's anger should last very long, if she be +at all of the proper sort. And my mother, being one of +the very best, could not long retain her wrath against +the Squire Faggus especially when she came to reflect, +upon Annie's suggestion, how natural, and one might +say, how inevitable it was that a young man fond of +adventure and change and winning good profits by +jeopardy, should not settle down without some regrets +to a fixed abode and a life of sameness, however safe +and respectable. And even as Annie put the case, Tom +deserved the greater credit for vanquishing so nobly +these yearnings of his nature; and it seemed very hard +to upbraid him, considering how good his motives were; +neither could Annie understand how mother could +reconcile it with her knowledge of the Bible, and the +one sheep that was lost, and the hundredth piece of +silver, and the man that went down to Jericho. + +Whether Annie's logic was good and sound, I am sure I +cannot tell; but it seemed to me that she ought to have +let the Jericho traveller alone, inasmuch as he rather +fell among Tom Fagusses, than resembled them. However, +her reasoning was too much for mother to hold out +against; and Tom was replaced, and more than that, +being regarded now as an injured man. But how my +mother contrived to know, that because she had been too +hard upon Tom, he must be right about the necklace, is +a point which I never could clearly perceive, though no +doubt she could explain it. + +To prove herself right in the conclusion, she went +herself to fetch Lorna, that the trinket might be +examined, before the day grew dark. My darling came +in, with a very quick glance and smile at my cigarro +(for I was having the third by this time, to keep +things in amity); and I waved it towards her, as much +as to say, 'you see that I can do it.' And then mother +led her up to the light, for Tom to examine her +necklace. + +On the shapely curve of her neck it hung, like dewdrops +upon a white hyacinth; and I was vexed that Tom should +have the chance to see it there. But even if she had +read my thoughts, or outrun them with her own, Lorna +turned away, and softly took the jewels from the place +which so much adorned them. And as she turned away, +they sparkled through the rich dark waves of hair. +Then she laid the glittering circlet in my mother's +hands; and Tom Faggus took it eagerly, and bore it to +the window. + +'Don't you go out of sight,' I said; 'you cannot resist +such things as those, if they be what you think them.' + +'Jack, I shall have to trounce thee yet. I am now a +man of honour, and entitled to the duello. What will +you take for it, Mistress Lorna? At a hazard, say +now.' + +'I am not accustomed to sell things, sir,' replied +Lorna, who did not like him much, else she would have +answered sportively, 'What is it worth, in your +opinion?' + +'Do you think it is worth five pounds, now?' + +'Oh, no! I never had so much money as that in all my +life. It is very bright, and very pretty; but it +cannot be worth five pounds, I am sure.' + +'What a chance for a bargain! Oh, if it were not for +Annie, I could make my fortune.' + +'But, sir, I would not sell it to you, not for twenty +times five pounds. My grandfather was so kind about +it; and I think it belonged to my mother.' + +'There are twenty-five rose diamonds in it, and +twenty-five large brilliants that cannot be matched in +London. How say you, Mistress Lorna, to a hundred +thousand pounds?' + +My darling's eyes so flashed at this, brighter than any +diamonds, that I said to myself, 'Well, all have +faults; and now I have found out Lorna's--she is fond +of money!' And then I sighed rather heavily; for of all +faults this seems to me one of the worst in a woman. +But even before my sigh was finished, I had cause to +condemn myself. For Lorna took the necklace very +quietly from the hands of Squire Faggus, who had not +half done with admiring it, and she went up to my +mother with the sweetest smile I ever saw. + +'Dear kind mother, I am so glad,' she said in a +whisper, coaxing mother out of sight of all but me; +'now you will have it, won't you, dear? And I shall be +so happy; for a thousandth part of your kindness to me +no jewels in the world can match.' + +I cannot lay before you the grace with which she did +it, all the air of seeking favour, rather than +conferring it, and the high-bred fear of giving +offence, which is of all fears the noblest. Mother +knew not what to say. Of course she would never dream +of taking such a gift as that; and yet she saw how +sadly Lorna would be disappointed. Therefore, mother +did, from habit, what she almost always did, she called +me to help her. But knowing that my eyes were +full--for anything noble moves me so, quite as rashly +as things pitiful--I pretended not to hear my mother, +but to see a wild cat in the dairy. + +Therefore I cannot tell what mother said in reply to +Lorna; for when I came back, quite eager to let my love +know how I worshipped her, and how deeply I was ashamed +of myself, for meanly wronging her in my heart, behold +Tom Faggus had gotten again the necklace which had such +charms for him, and was delivering all around (but +especially to Annie, who was wondering at his learning) +a dissertation on precious stones, and his sentiments +about those in his hand. He said that the work was +very ancient, but undoubtedly very good; the cutting of +every line was true, and every angle was in its place. +And this he said, made all the difference in the lustre +of the stone, and therefore in its value. For if the +facets were ill-matched, and the points of light so +ever little out of perfect harmony, all the lustre of +the jewel would be loose and wavering, and the central +fire dulled; instead of answering, as it should, to all +possibilities of gaze, and overpowering any eye intent +on its deeper mysteries. We laughed at the Squire's +dissertation; for how should he know all these things, +being nothing better, and indeed much worse than a mere +Northmolton blacksmith? He took our laughter with much +good nature; having Annie to squeeze his hand and +convey her grief at our ignorance: but he said that of +one thing he was quite certain, and therein I believed +him. To wit, that a trinket of this kind never could +have belonged to any ignoble family, but to one of the +very highest and most wealthy in England. And looking +at Lorna, I felt that she must have come from a higher +source than the very best of diamonds. + +Tom Faggus said that the necklace was made, he would +answer for it, in Amsterdam, two or three hundred years +ago, long before London jewellers had begun to meddle +with diamonds; and on the gold clasp he found some +letters, done in some inverted way, the meaning of +which was beyond him; also a bearing of some kind, +which he believed was a mountain-cat. And thereupon he +declared that now he had earned another glass of +schnapps, and would Mistress Lorna mix it for him? + +I was amazed at his impudence; and Annie, who thought +this her business, did not look best pleased; and I +hoped that Lorna would tell him at once to go and do it +for himself. But instead of that she rose to do it +with a soft humility, which went direct to the heart of +Tom; and he leaped up with a curse at himself, and took +the hot water from her, and would not allow her to do +anything except to put the sugar in; and then he bowed +to her grandly. I knew what Lorna was thinking of; she +was thinking all the time that her necklace had been +taken by the Doones with violence upon some great +robbery; and that Squire Faggus knew it, though he +would not show his knowledge; and that this was perhaps +the reason why mother had refused it so. + +We said no more about the necklace for a long time +afterwards; neither did my darling wear it, now that +she knew its value, but did not know its history. She +came to me the very next day, trying to look cheerful, +and begged me if I loved her (never mind how little) to +take charge of it again, as I once had done before, and +not even to let her know in what place I stored it. I +told her that this last request I could not comply +with; for having been round her neck so often, it was +now a sacred thing, more than a million pounds could +be. Therefore it should dwell for the present in the +neighbourhood of my heart; and so could not be far from +her. At this she smiled her own sweet smile, and +touched my forehead with her lips. and wished that she +could only learn how to deserve such love as mine. + +Tom Faggus took his good departure, which was a kind +farewell to me, on the very day I am speaking of, the +day after his arrival. Tom was a thoroughly upright +man, according to his own standard; and you might rely +upon him always, up to a certain point I mean, to be +there or thereabouts. But sometimes things were too +many for Tom, especially with ardent spirits, and then +he judged, perhaps too much, with only himself for the +jury. At any rate, I would trust him fully, for +candour and for honesty, in almost every case in which +he himself could have no interest. And so we got on +very well together; and he thought me a fool; and I +tried my best not to think anything worse of him. + +Scarcely was Tom clean out of sight, and Annie's tears +not dry yet (for she always made a point of crying upon +his departure), when in came Master Jeremy Stickles, +splashed with mud from head to foot, and not in the +very best of humours, though happy to get back again. + +'Curse those fellows!' he cried, with a stamp which +sent the water hissing from his boot upon the embers; +'a pretty plight you may call this, for His Majesty's +Commissioner to return to his headquarters in! Annie, +my dear,' for he was always very affable with Annie, +'will you help me off with my overalls, and then turn +your pretty hand to the gridiron? Not a blessed morsel +have I touched for more than twenty-four hours.' + +'Surely then you must be quite starving, sir,' my +sister replied with the greatest zeal; for she did love +a man with an appetite; 'how glad I am that the fire is +clear!' But Lizzie, who happened to be there, said with +her peculiar smile,-- + +'Master Stickles must be used to it; for he never comes +back without telling us that.' + +'Hush!' cried Annie, quite shocked with her; 'how would +you like to be used to it? Now, Betty, be quick with +the things for me. Pork, or mutton, or deer's meat, +sir? We have some cured since the autumn.' + +'Oh, deer's meat, by all means,' Jeremy Stickles +answered; 'I have tasted none since I left you, though +dreaming of it often. Well, this is better than being +chased over the moors for one's life, John. All the +way from Landacre Bridge, I have ridden a race for my +precious life, at the peril of my limbs and neck. +Three great Doones galloping after me, and a good job +for me that they were so big, or they must have +overtaken me. Just go and see to my horse, John, +that's an excellent lad. He deserves a good turn this +day, from me; and I will render it to him.' + +However he left me to do it, while he made himself +comfortable: and in truth the horse required care; he +was blown so that he could hardly stand, and plastered +with mud, and steaming so that the stable was quite +full with it. By the time I had put the poor fellow to +rights, his master had finished dinner, and was in a +more pleasant humour, having even offered to kiss +Annie, out of pure gratitude, as he said; but Annie +answered with spirit that gratitude must not be shown +by increasing the obligation. Jeremy made reply to +this that his only way to be grateful then was to tell +us his story: and so he did, at greater length than I +can here repeat it; for it does not bear particularly +upon Lorna's fortunes. + +It appears that as he was riding towards us from the +town of Southmolton in Devonshire, he found the roads +very soft and heavy, and the floods out in all +directions; but met with no other difficulty until he +came to Landacre Bridge. He had only a single trooper +with him, a man not of the militia but of the King's +army, whom Jeremy had brought from Exeter. As these +two descended towards the bridge they observed that +both the Kensford water and the River Barle were +pouring down in mighty floods from the melting of the +snow. So great indeed was the torrent, after they +united, that only the parapets of the bridge could be +seen above the water, the road across either bank being +covered and very deep on the hither side. The trooper +did not like the look of it, and proposed to ride back +again, and round by way of Simonsbath, where the stream +is smaller. But Stickles would not have it so, and +dashing into the river, swam his horse for the bridge, +and gained it with some little trouble; and there he +found the water not more than up to his horse's knees +perhaps. On the crown of the bridge he turned his +horse to watch the trooper's passage, and to help him +with directions; when suddenly he saw him fall headlong +into the torrent, and heard the report of a gun from +behind, and felt a shock to his own body, such as +lifted him out of the saddle. Turning round he beheld +three men, risen up from behind the hedge on one side +of his onward road, two of them ready to load again, +and one with his gun unfired, waiting to get good aim +at him. Then Jeremy did a gallant thing, for which I +doubt whether I should have had the presence of mind in +danger. He saw that to swim his horse back again would +be almost certain death; as affording such a target, +where even a wound must be fatal. Therefore he struck +the spurs into the nag, and rode through the water +straight at the man who was pointing the long gun at +him. If the horse had been carried off his legs, +there must have been an end of Jeremy; for the other +men were getting ready to have another shot at him. +But luckily the horse galloped right on without any +need for swimming, being himself excited, no doubt, by +all he had seen and heard of it. And Jeremy lay almost +flat on his neck, so as to give little space for good +aim, with the mane tossing wildly in front of him. Now +if that young fellow with the gun had his brains as +ready as his flint was, he would have shot the horse at +once, and then had Stickles at his mercy; but instead +of that he let fly at the man, and missed him +altogether, being scared perhaps by the pistol which +Jeremy showed him the mouth of. And galloping by at +full speed, Master Stickles tried to leave his mark +behind him, for he changed the aim of his pistol to the +biggest man, who was loading his gun and cursing like +ten cannons. But the pistol missed fire, no doubt +from the flood which had gurgled in over the holsters; +and Jeremy seeing three horses tethered at a gate just +up the hill, knew that he had not yet escaped, but had +more of danger behind him. He tried his other great +pistol at one of the horses tethered there, so as to +lessen (if possible) the number of his pursuers. But +the powder again failed him; and he durst not stop to +cut the bridles, bearing the men coming up the hill. +So he even made the most of his start, thanking God +that his weight was light, compared at least to what +theirs was. + +And another thing he had noticed which gave him some +hope of escaping, to wit that the horses of the Doones, +although very handsome animals, were suffering still +from the bitter effects of the late long frost, and the +scarcity of fodder. 'If they do not catch me up, or +shoot me, in the course of the first two miles, I may +see my home again'; this was what he said to himself as +he turned to mark what they were about, from the brow +of the steep hill. He saw the flooded valley shining +with the breadth of water, and the trooper's horse on +the other side, shaking his drenched flanks and +neighing; and half-way down the hill he saw the three +Doones mounting hastily. And then he knew that his +only chance lay in the stoutness of his steed. + +The horse was in pretty good condition; and the rider +knew him thoroughly, and how to make the most of him; +and though they had travelled some miles that day +through very heavy ground, the bath in the river had +washed the mud off, and been some refreshment. +Therefore Stickles encouraged his nag, and put him into +a good hard gallop, heading away towards Withycombe. +At first he had thought of turning to the right, and +making off for Withypool, a mile or so down the valley; +but his good sense told him that no one there would +dare to protect him against the Doones, so he resolved +to go on his way; yet faster than he had intended. + +The three villains came after him, with all the speed +they could muster, making sure from the badness of the +road that he must stick fast ere long, and so be at +their mercy. And this was Jeremy's chiefest fear, for +the ground being soft and thoroughly rotten, after so +much frost and snow, the poor horse had terrible work +of it, with no time to pick the way; and even more good +luck than skill was needed to keep him from foundering. +How Jeremy prayed for an Exmoor fog (such as he had +often sworn at), that he might turn aside and lurk, +while his pursuers went past him! But no fog came, nor +even a storm to damp the priming of their guns; neither +was wood or coppice nigh, nor any place to hide in; +only hills, and moor, and valleys; with flying shadows +over them, and great banks of snow in the corners. At +one time poor Stickles was quite in despair; for after +leaping a little brook which crosses the track at +Newland, be stuck fast in a 'dancing bog,' as we call +them upon Exmoor. The horse had broken through the +crust of moss and sedge and marishweed, and could do +nothing but wallow and sink, with the black water +spirting over him. And Jeremy, struggling with all his +might, saw the three villains now topping the crest, +less than a furlong behind him; and heard them shout in +their savage delight. With the calmness of despair, he +yet resolved to have one more try for it; and +scrambling over the horse's head, gained firm land, and +tugged at the bridle. The poor nag replied with all +his power to the call upon his courage, and reared his +forefeet out of the slough, and with straining eyeballs +gazed at him. 'Now,' said Jeremy, 'now, my fine +fellow!' lifting him with the bridle, and the brave +beast gathered the roll of his loins, and sprang from +his quagmired haunches. One more spring, and he was on +earth again, instead of being under it; and Jeremy +leaped on his back, and stooped, for he knew that they +would fire. Two bullets whistled over him, as the +horse, mad with fright, dashed forward; and in five +minutes more he had come to the Exe, and the pursuers +had fallen behind him. The Exe, though a much smaller +stream than the Barle, now ran in a foaming torrent, +unbridged, and too wide for leaping. But Jeremy's +horse took the water well; and both he and his rider +were lightened, as well as comforted by it. And as +they passed towards Lucott hill, and struck upon the +founts of Lynn, the horses of the three pursuers began +to tire under them. Then Jeremy Stickles knew that if +he could only escape the sloughs, he was safe for the +present; and so he stood up in his stirrups, and gave +them a loud halloo, as if they had been so many foxes. + +Their only answer was to fire the remaining charge at +him; but the distance was too great for any aim from +horseback; and the dropping bullet idly ploughed the +sod upon one side of him. He acknowledged it with a +wave of his hat, and laid one thumb to his nose, in the +manner fashionable in London for expression of +contempt. However, they followed him yet farther; +hoping to make him pay out dearly, if he should only +miss the track, or fall upon morasses. But the +neighbourhood of our Lynn stream is not so very boggy; +and the King's messenger now knew his way as well as +any of his pursuers did; and so he arrived at Plover's +Barrows, thankful, and in rare appetite. + +'But was the poor soldier drowned?' asked Annie; 'and +you never went to look for him! Oh, how very dreadful!' + +'Shot, or drowned; I know not which. Thank God it was +only a trooper. But they shall pay for it, as dearly +as if it had been a captain.' + +'And how was it you were struck by a bullet, and only +shaken in your saddle? Had you a coat of mail on, or +of Milanese chain-armour? Now, Master Stickles, had +you?' + +'No, Mistress Lizzie; we do not wear things of that +kind nowadays. You are apt, I perceive, at romances. +But I happened to have a little flat bottle of the best +stoneware slung beneath my saddle-cloak, and filled +with the very best eau de vie, from the George Hotel, +at Southmolton. The brand of it now is upon my back. +Oh, the murderous scoundrels, what a brave spirit they +have spilled!' + +'You had better set to and thank God,' said I, 'that +they have not spilled a braver one.' + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII + +EVERY MAN MUST DEFEND HIMSELF + +It was only right in Jeremy Stickles, and of the +simplest common sense, that he would not tell, before +our girls, what the result of his journey was. But he +led me aside in the course of the evening, and told me +all about it; saying that I knew, as well as he did, +that it was not woman's business. This I took, as it +was meant, for a gentle caution that Lorna (whom he had +not seen as yet) must not he informed of any of his +doings. Herein I quite agreed with him; not only for +his furtherance, but because I always think that women, +of whatever mind, are best when least they meddle with +the things that appertain to men. + +Master Stickles complained that the weather had been +against him bitterly, closing all the roads around him; +even as it had done with us. It had taken him eight +days, he said, to get from Exeter to Plymouth; whither +he found that most of the troops had been drafted off +from Exeter. When all were told, there was but a +battalion of one of the King's horse regiments, and two +companies of foot soldiers; and their commanders had +orders, later than the date of Jeremy's commission, on +no account to quit the southern coast, and march +inland. Therefore, although they would gladly have +come for a brush with the celebrated Doones, it was +more than they durst attempt, in the face of their +instructions. However, they spared him a single +trooper, as a companion of the road, and to prove to +the justices of the county, and the lord lieutenant, +that he had their approval. + +To these authorities Master Stickles now was forced to +address himself, although he would rather have had one +trooper than a score from the very best trained bands. +For these trained bands had afforded very good +soldiers, in the time of the civil wars, and for some +years afterwards; but now their discipline was gone; +and the younger generation had seen no real fighting. +Each would have his own opinion, and would want to +argue it; and if he were not allowed, he went about his +duty in such a temper as to prove that his own way was +the best. + +Neither was this the worst of it; for Jeremy made no +doubt but what (if he could only get the militia to +turn out in force) he might manage, with the help of +his own men, to force the stronghold of the enemy; but +the truth was that the officers, knowing how hard it +would be to collect their men at that time of the year, +and in that state of the weather, began with one accord +to make every possible excuse. And especially they +pressed this point, that Bagworthy was not in their +county; the Devonshire people affirming vehemently that +it lay in the shire of Somerset, and the Somersetshire +folk averring, even with imprecations, that it lay in +Devonshire. Now I believe the truth to be that the +boundary of the two counties, as well as of Oare and +Brendon parishes, is defined by the Bagworthy river; so +that the disputants on both sides were both right and +wrong. + +Upon this, Master Stickles suggested, and as I thought +very sensibly, that the two counties should unite, and +equally contribute to the extirpation of this pest, +which shamed and injured them both alike. But hence +arose another difficulty; for the men of Devon said +they would march when Somerset had taken the field; and +the sons of Somerset replied that indeed they were +quite ready, but what were their cousins of Devonshire +doing? And so it came to pass that the King's +Commissioner returned without any army whatever; but +with promise of two hundred men when the roads should +be more passable. And meanwhile, what were we to do, +abandoned as we were to the mercies of the Doones, with +only our own hands to help us? And herein I grieved at +my own folly, in having let Tom Faggus go, whose wit +and courage would have been worth at least half a dozen +men to us. Upon this matter I held long council with +my good friend Stickles; telling him all about Lorna's +presence, and what I knew of her history. He agreed +with me that we could not hope to escape an attack from +the outlaws, and the more especially now that they knew +himself to be returned to us. Also he praised me for +my forethought in having threshed out all our corn, and +hidden the produce in such a manner that they were not +likely to find it. Furthermore, he recommended that +all the entrances to the house should at once be +strengthened, and a watch must be maintained at night; +and he thought it wiser that I should go (late as it +was) to Lynmouth, if a horse could pass the valley, and +fetch every one of his mounted troopers, who might now +be quartered there. Also if any men of courage, though +capable only of handling a pitchfork, could be found in +the neighbourhood, I was to try to summon them. But +our district is so thinly peopled, that I had little +faith in this; however my errand was given me, and I +set forth upon it; for John Fry was afraid of the +waters. + +Knowing how fiercely the floods were out, I resolved to +travel the higher road, by Cosgate and through +Countisbury; therefore I swam my horse through the +Lynn, at the ford below our house (where sometimes you +may step across), and thence galloped up and along the +hills. I could see all the inland valleys ribbon'd +with broad waters; and in every winding crook, the +banks of snow that fed them; while on my right the +turbid sea was flaked with April showers. But when I +descended the hill towards Lynmouth, I feared that my +journey was all in vain. + +For the East Lynn (which is our river) was ramping and +roaring frightfully, lashing whole trunks of trees on +the rocks, and rending them, and grinding them. And +into it rushed, from the opposite side, a torrent even +madder; upsetting what it came to aid; shattering wave +with boiling billow, and scattering wrath with fury. +It was certain death to attempt the passage: and the +little wooden footbridge had been carried away long +ago. And the men I was seeking must be, of course, on +the other side of this deluge, for on my side there was +not a single house. + +I followed the bank of the flood to the beach, some two +or three hundred yards below; and there had the luck to +see Will Watcombe on the opposite side, caulking an old +boat. Though I could not make him hear a word, from +the deafening roar of the torrent, I got him to +understand at last that I wanted to cross over. Upon +this he fetched another man, and the two of them +launched a boat; and paddling well out to sea, fetched +round the mouth of the frantic river. The other man +proved to be Stickles's chief mate; and so he went back +and fetched his comrades, bringing their weapons, but +leaving their horses behind. As it happened there were +but four of them; however, to have even these was a +help; and I started again at full speed for my home; +for the men must follow afoot, and cross our river high +up on the moorland. + +This took them a long way round, and the track was +rather bad to find, and the sky already darkening; so +that I arrived at Plover's Barrows more than two hours +before them. But they had done a sagacious thing, +which was well worth the delay; for by hoisting their +flag upon the hill, they fetched the two watchmen from +the Foreland, and added them to their number. + +It was lucky that I came home so soon; for I found the +house in a great commotion, and all the women +trembling. When I asked what the matter was, Lorna, +who seemed the most self-possessed, answered that it +was all her fault, for she alone had frightened them. +And this in the following manner. She had stolen out +to the garden towards dusk, to watch some favourite +hyacinths just pushing up, like a baby's teeth, and +just attracting the fatal notice of a great house-snail +at night-time. Lorna at last had discovered the +glutton, and was bearing him off in triumph to the +tribunal of the ducks, when she descried two glittering +eyes glaring at her steadfastly, from the elder-bush +beyond the stream. The elder was smoothing its +wrinkled leaves, being at least two months behind time; +and among them this calm cruel face appeared; and she +knew it was the face of Carver Doone. + +The maiden, although so used to terror (as she told me +once before), lost all presence of mind hereat, and +could neither shriek nor fly, but only gaze, as if +bewitched. Then Carver Doone, with his deadly smile, +gloating upon her horror, lifted his long gun, and +pointed full at Lorna's heart. In vain she strove to +turn away; fright had stricken her stiff as stone. +With the inborn love of life, she tried to cover the +vital part wherein the winged death must lodge--for she +knew Carver's certain aim--but her hands hung numbed, +and heavy; in nothing but her eyes was life. + +With no sign of pity in his face, no quiver of +relenting, but a well-pleased grin at all the charming +palsy of his victim, Carver Doone lowered, inch by +inch, the muzzle of his gun. When it pointed to the +ground, between her delicate arched insteps, he pulled +the trigger, and the bullet flung the mould all over +her. It was a refinement of bullying, for which I +swore to God that night, upon my knees, in secret, that +I would smite down Carver Doone or else he should smite +me down. Base beast! what largest humanity, or what +dreams of divinity, could make a man put up with this? + +My darling (the loveliest, and most harmless, in the +world of maidens), fell away on a bank of grass, and +wept at her own cowardice; and trembled, and wondered +where I was; and what I would think of this. Good God! +What could I think of it? She over-rated my slow +nature, to admit the question. + +While she leaned there, quite unable yet to save +herself, Carver came to the brink of the flood, which +alone was between them; and then he stroked his +jet-black beard, and waited for Lorna to begin. Very +likely, be thought that she would thank him for his +kindness to her. But she was now recovering the power +of her nimble limbs; and ready to be off like hope, and +wonder at her own cowardice. + +'I have spared you this time,' he said, in his deep +calm voice, 'only because it suits my plans; and I +never yield to temper. But unless you come back +to-morrow, pure, and with all you took away, and teach +me to destroy that fool, who has destroyed himself for +you, your death is here, your death is here, where it +has long been waiting.' + +Although his gun was empty, he struck the breech of it +with his finger; and then he turned away, not deigning +even once to look back again; and Lorna saw his giant +figure striding across the meadow-land, as if the Ridds +were nobodies, and he the proper owner. Both mother +and I were greatly hurt at hearing of this insolence: +for we had owned that meadow, from the time of the +great Alfred; and even when that good king lay in the +Isle of Athelney, he had a Ridd along with him. + +Now I spoke to Lorna gently, seeing how much she had +been tried; and I praised her for her courage, in not +having run away, when she was so unable; and my darling +was pleased with this, and smiled upon me for saying +it; though she knew right well that, in this matter, my +judgment was not impartial. But you may take this as a +general rule, that a woman likes praise from the man +whom she loves, and cannot stop always to balance it. + +Now expecting a sharp attack that night--when Jeremy +Stickles the more expected, after the words of Carver, +which seemed to be meant to mislead us--we prepared a +great quantity of knuckles of pork, and a ham in full +cut, and a fillet of hung mutton. For we would almost +surrender rather than keep our garrison hungry. And +all our men were exceedingly brave; and counted their +rounds of the house in half-pints. + +Before the maidens went to bed, Lorna made a remark +which seemed to me a very clever one, and then I +wondered how on earth it had never occurred to me +before. But first she had done a thing which I could +not in the least approve of: for she had gone up to my +mother, and thrown herself into her arms, and begged to +be allowed to return to Glen Doone. + +'My child, are you unhappy here?' mother asked her, +very gently, for she had begun to regard her now as a +daughter of her own. + +'Oh, no! Too happy, by far too happy, Mrs. Ridd. I +never knew rest or peace before, or met with real +kindness. But I cannot be so ungrateful, I cannot be +so wicked, as to bring you all into deadly peril, for +my sake alone. Let me go: you must not pay this great +price for my happiness.' + +'Dear child, we are paying no price at all,' replied my +mother, embracing her; 'we are not threatened for your +sake only. Ask John, he will tell you. He knows every +bit about politics, and this is a political matter.' + +Dear mother was rather proud in her heart, as well as +terribly frightened, at the importance now accruing to +Plover's Barrows farm; and she often declared that it +would be as famous in history as the Rye House, or the +Meal-tub, or even the great black box, in which she was +a firm believer: and even my knowledge of politics +could not move her upon that matter. 'Such things had +happened before,' she would say, shaking her head with +its wisdom, 'and why might they not happen again? +Women would be women, and men would be men, to the end +of the chapter; and if she had been in Lucy Water's +place, she would keep it quiet, as she had done'; and +then she would look round, for fear, lest either of her +daughters had heard her; 'but now, can you give me any +reason, why it may not have been so? You are so +fearfully positive, John: just as men always are.' +'No,' I used to say; 'I can give you no reason, why it +may not have been so, mother. But the question is, if +it was so, or not; rather than what it might have been. +And, I think, it is pretty good proof against it, that +what nine men of every ten in England would only too +gladly believe, if true, is nevertheless kept dark from +them.' 'There you are again, John,' mother would reply, +'all about men, and not a single word about women. If +you had any argument at all, you would own that +marriage is a question upon which women are the best +judges.' 'Oh!' I would groan in my spirit, and go; +leaving my dearest mother quite sure, that now at last +she must have convinced me. But if mother had known +that Jeremy Stickles was working against the black box, +and its issue, I doubt whether he would have fared so +well, even though he was a visitor. However, she knew +that something was doing and something of importance; +and she trusted in God for the rest of it. Only she +used te tell me, very seriously, of an evening, 'The +very least they can give you, dear John, is a coat of +arms. Be sure you take nothing less, dear; and the +farm can well support it.' + +But lo! I have left Lorna ever so long, anxious to +consult me upon political matters. She came to me, and +her eyes alone asked a hundred questions, which I +rather had answered upon her lips than troubled her +pretty ears with them. Therefore I told her nothing at +all, save that the attack (if any should be) would not +be made on her account; and that if she should hear, by +any chance, a trifle of a noise in the night, she was +to wrap the clothes around her, and shut her beautiful +eyes again. On no account, whatever she did, was she +to go to the window. She liked my expression about her +eyes, and promised to do the very best she could and +then she crept so very close, that I needs must have +her closer; and with her head on my breast she asked,-- + +'Can't you keep out of this fight, John?' + +'My own one,' I answered, gazing through the long black +lashes, at the depths of radiant love; 'I believe there +will be nothing: but what there is I must see out.' + +'Shall I tell you what I think, John? It is only a +fancy of mine, and perhaps it is not worth telling.' + +'Let us have it, dear, by all means. You know so much +about their ways.' + +'What I believe is this, John. You know how high the +rivers are, higher than ever they were before, and +twice as high, you have told me. I believe that Glen +Doone is flooded, and all the houses under water.' + +'You little witch,' I answered; 'what a fool I must be +not to think of it! Of course it is: it must be. The +torrent from all the Bagworthy forest, and all the +valleys above it, and the great drifts in the glen +itself, never could have outlet down my famous +waterslide. The valley must be under water twenty feet +at least. Well, if ever there was a fool, I am he, +for not having thought of it.' + +'I remember once before,' said Lorna, reckoning on her +fingers, 'when there was heavy rain, all through the +autumn and winter, five or it may be six years ago, the +river came down with such a rush that the water was two +feet deep in our rooms, and we all had to camp by the +cliff-edge. But you think that the floods are higher +now, I believe I heard you say, John.' + +'I don't think about it, my treasure,' I answered; 'you +may trust me for understanding floods, after our work +at Tiverton. And I know that the deluge in all our +valleys is such that no living man can remember, +neither will ever behold again. Consider three months +of snow, snow, snow, and a fortnight of rain on the top +of it, and all to be drained in a few days away! And +great barricades of ice still in the rivers blocking +them up, and ponding them. You may take my word for +it, Mistress Lorna, that your pretty bower is six feet +deep.' + +'Well, my bower has served its time', said Lorna, +blushing as she remembered all that had happened there; +'and my bower now is here, John. But I am so sorry to +think of all the poor women flooded out of their houses +and sheltering in the snowdrifts. However, there is +one good of it: they cannot send many men against us, +with all this trouble upon them.' + +'You are right,' I replied; 'how clever you are! and +that is why there were only three to cut off Master +Stickles. And now we shall beat them, I make no doubt, +even if they come at all. And I defy them to fire the +house: the thatch is too wet for burning.' + +We sent all the women to bed quite early, except Gwenny +Carfax and our old Betty. These two we allowed to stay +up, because they might be useful to us, if they could +keep from quarreling. For my part, I had little fear, +after what Lorna had told me, as to the result of the +combat. It was not likely that the Doones could bring +more than eight or ten men against us, while their +homes were in such danger: and to meet these we had +eight good men, including Jeremy, and myself, all well +armed and resolute, besides our three farm-servants, +and the parish-clerk, and the shoemaker. These five +could not be trusted much for any valiant conduct, +although they spoke very confidently over their cans of +cider. Neither were their weapons fitted for much +execution, unless it were at close quarters, which they +would be likely to avoid. Bill Dadds had a sickle, Jem +Slocombe a flail, the cobbler had borrowed the +constable's staff (for the constable would not attend, +because there was no warrant), and the parish clerk had +brought his pitch-pipe, which was enough to break any +man's head. But John Fry, of course, had his +blunderbuss, loaded with tin-tacks and marbles, and +more likely to kill the man who discharged it than any +other person: but we knew that John had it only for +show, and to describe its qualities. + +Now it was my great desire, and my chiefest hope, to +come across Carver Doone that night, and settle the +score between us; not by any shot in the dark, but by a +conflict man to man. As yet, since I came to +full-grown power, I had never met any one whom I could +not play teetotum with: but now at last I had found a +man whose strength was not to be laughed at. I could +guess it in his face, I could tell it in his arms, I +could see it in his stride and gait, which more than +all the rest betray the substance of a man. And being +so well used to wrestling, and to judge antagonists, I +felt that here (if anywhere) I had found my match. + +Therefore I was not content to abide within the house, +or go the rounds with the troopers; but betook myself +to the rick yard, knowing that the Doones were likely +to begin their onset there. For they had a pleasant +custom, when they visited farm-houses, of lighting +themselves towards picking up anything they wanted, or +stabbing the inhabitants, by first creating a blaze in +the rick yard. And though our ricks were all now of +mere straw (except indeed two of prime clover-hay), and +although on the top they were so wet that no firebrands +might hurt them; I was both unwilling to have them +burned, and fearful that they might kindle, if well +roused up with fire upon the windward side. + +By the bye, these Doones had got the worst of this +pleasant trick one time. For happening to fire the +ricks of a lonely farm called Yeanworthy, not far above +Glenthorne, they approached the house to get people's +goods, and to enjoy their terror. The master of the +farm was lately dead, and had left, inside the +clock-case, loaded, the great long gun, wherewith he +had used to sport at the ducks and the geese on the +shore. Now Widow Fisher took out this gun, and not +caring much what became of her (for she had loved her +husband dearly), she laid it upon the window-sill, +which looked upon the rick-yard; and she backed up the +butt with a chest of oak drawers, and she opened the +window a little back, and let the muzzle out on the +slope. Presently five or six fine young Doones came +dancing a reel (as their manner was) betwixt her and +the flaming rick. Upon which she pulled the trigger +with all the force of her thumb, and a quarter of a +pound of duck-shot went out with a blaze on the +dancers. You may suppose what their dancing was, and +their reeling how changed to staggering, and their +music none of the sweetest. One of them fell into the +rick, and was burned, and buried in a ditch next day; +but the others were set upon their horses, and carried +home on a path of blood. And strange to say, they +never avenged this very dreadful injury; but having +heard that a woman had fired this desperate shot among +them, they said that she ought to be a Doone, and +inquired how old she was. + +Now I had not been so very long waiting in our +mow-yard, with my best gun ready, and a big club by me, +before a heaviness of sleep began to creep upon me. +The flow of water was in my ears, and in my eyes a hazy +spreading, and upon my brain a closure, as a cobbler +sews a vamp up. So I leaned back in the clover-rick, +and the dust of the seed and the smell came round me, +without any trouble; and I dozed about Lorna, just once +or twice, and what she had said about new-mown hay; and +then back went my head, and my chin went up; and if +ever a man was blest with slumber, down it came upon +me, and away went I into it. + +Now this was very vile of me, and against all good +resolutions, even such as I would have sworn to an hour +ago or less. But if you had been in the water as I +had, ay, and had long fight with it, after a good day's +work, and then great anxiety afterwards, and brain-work +(which is not fair for me), and upon that a stout +supper, mayhap you would not be so hard on my sleep; +though you felt it your duty to wake me. + + + +CHAPTER XLIX + +MAIDEN SENTINELS ARE BEST + +It was not likely that the outlaws would attack out +premises until some time after the moon was risen; +because it would be too dangerous to cross the flooded +valleys in the darkness of the night. And but for this +consideration, I must have striven harder against the +stealthy approach of slumber. But even so, it was very +foolish to abandon watch, especially in such as I, who +sleep like any dormouse. Moreover, I had chosen the +very worst place in the world for such employment, with +a goodly chance of awakening in a bed of solid fire. + +And so it might have been, nay, it must have been, but +for Lorna's vigilance. Her light hand upon my arm +awoke me, not too readily; and leaping up, I seized my +club, and prepared to knock down somebody. + +'Who's that?' I cried; 'stand back, I say, and let me +have fair chance at you.' + +'Are you going to knock me down, dear John?' replied +the voice I loved so well; 'I am sure I should never +get up again, after one blow from you, John.' + +'My darling, is it you?' I cried; 'and breaking all +your orders? Come back into the house at once: and +nothing on your head, dear!' + +'How could I sleep, while at any moment you might he +killed beneath my window? And now is the time of real +danger; for men can see to travel.' + +I saw at once the truth of this. The moon was high and +clearly lighting all the watered valleys. To sleep any +longer might be death, not only to myself, but all. + +'The man on guard at the back of the house is fast +asleep,' she continued; 'Gwenny, who let me out, and +came with me, has heard him snoring for two hours. I +think the women ought to be the watch, because they +have had no travelling. Where do you suppose little +Gwenny is?' + +'Surely not gone to Glen Doone?' I was not sure, +however: for I could believe almost anything of the +Cornish maiden's hardihood. + +'No,' replied Lorna, 'although she wanted even to do +that. But of course I would not hear of it, on account +of the swollen waters. But she is perched on yonder +tree, which commands the Barrow valley. She says that +they are almost sure to cross the streamlet there; and +now it is so wide and large, that she can trace it in +the moonlight, half a mile beyond her. If they cross, +she is sure to see them, and in good time to let us +know.' + +'What a shame,' I cried, 'that the men should sleep, +and the maidens be the soldiers! I will sit in that +tree myself, and send little Gwenny back to you. Go to +bed, my best and dearest; I will take good care not to +sleep again.' + +'Please not to send me away, dear John,' she answered +very mournfully; 'you and I have been together through +perils worse than this. I shall only be more timid, +and more miserable, indoors.' + +'I cannot let you stay here,' I said; 'it is altogether +impossible. Do you suppose that I can fight, with you +among the bullets, Lorna? If this is the way you mean +to take it, we had better go both to the apple-room, +and lock ourselves in, and hide under the tiles, and +let them burn all the rest of the premises.' + +At this idea Lorna laughed, as I could see by the +moonlight; and then she said,-- + +'You are right, John. I should only do more harm than +good: and of all things I hate fighting most, and +disobedience next to it. Therefore I will go indoors, +although I cannot go to bed. But promise me one thing, +dearest John. You will keep yourself out of the way, +now won't you, as much as you can, for my sake?' + +'Of that you may be quite certain, Lorna. I will shoot +them all through the hay-ricks.' + +'That is right, dear,' she answered, never doubting but +what I could do it; 'and then they cannot see you, you +know. But don't think of climbing that tree, John; it +is a great deal too dangerous. It is all very well for +Gwenny; she has no bones to break.' + +'None worth breaking, you mean, I suppose. Very well; +I will not climb the tree, for I should defeat my own +purpose, I fear; being such a conspicuous object. Now +go indoors, darling, without more words. The more you +linger, the more I shall keep you.' + +She laughed her own bright laugh at this, and only +said, 'God keep you, love!' and then away she tripped +across the yard, with the step I loved to watch so. +And thereupon I shouldered arms, and resolved to tramp +till morning. For I was vexed at my own neglect, and +that Lorna should have to right it. + +But before I had been long on duty, making the round of +the ricks and stables, and hailing Gwenny now and then +from the bottom of her tree, a short wide figure stole +towards me, in and out the shadows, and I saw that it +was no other than the little maid herself, and that she +bore some tidings. + +'Ten on 'em crossed the watter down yonner,' said +Gwenny, putting her hand to her mouth, and seeming to +regard it as good news rather than otherwise: 'be arl +craping up by hedgerow now. I could shutt dree on 'em +from the bar of the gate, if so be I had your goon, +young man.' + +'There is no time to lose, Gwenny. Run to the house +and fetch Master Stickles, and all the men; while I +stay here, and watch the rick-yard.' + +Perhaps I was wrong in heeding the ricks at such a time +as that; especially as only the clover was of much +importance. But it seemed to me like a sort of triumph +that they should be even able to boast of having fired +our mow-yard. Therefore I stood in a nick of the +clover, whence we had cut some trusses, with my club in +hand, and gun close by. + +The robbers rode into our yard as coolly as if they had +been invited, having lifted the gate from the hinges +first on account of its being fastened. Then they +actually opened our stable-doors, and turned our +honest horses out, and put their own rogues in the +place of them. At this my breath was quite taken away; +for we think so much of our horses. By this time I +could see our troopers, waiting in the shadow of the +house, round the corner from where the Doones were, and +expecting the order to fire. But Jeremy Stickles very +wisely kept them in readiness, until the enemy should +advance upon them. + +'Two of you lazy fellows go,' it was the deep voice of +Carver Doone, 'and make us a light, to cut their +throats by. Only one thing, once again. If any man +touches Lorna, I will stab him where he stands. She +belongs to me. There are two other young damsels here, +whom you may take away if you please. And the mother, +I hear, is still comely. Now for our rights. We have +borne too long the insolence of these yokels. Kill +every man, and every child, and burn the cursed place +down.' + +As he spoke thus blasphemously, I set my gun against +his breast; and by the light buckled from his belt, I +saw the little 'sight' of brass gleaming alike upon +either side, and the sleek round barrel glimmering. +The aim was sure as death itself. If I only drew the +trigger (which went very lighily) Carver Doone would +breathe no more. And yet--will you believe me?--I +could not pull the trigger. Would to God that I had +done so! + +For I never had taken human life, neither done bodily +harm to man; beyond the little bruises, and the +trifling aches and pains, which follow a good and +honest bout in the wrestling ring. Therefore I dropped +my carbine, and grasped again my club, which seemed a +more straight-forward implement. + +Presently two young men came towards me, bearing brands +of resined hemp, kindled from Carver's lamp. The +foremost of them set his torch to the rick within a +yard of me, and smoke concealing me from him. I struck +him with a back-handed blow on the elbow, as he bent +it; and I heard the bone of his arm break, as clearly +as ever I heard a twig snap. With a roar of pain he +fell on the ground, and his torch dropped there, and +singed him. The other man stood amazed at this, not +having yet gained sight of me; till I caught his +firebrand from his hand, and struck it into his +countenance. With that he leaped at me; but I caught +him, in a manner learned from early wrestling, and +snapped his collar-bone, as I laid him upon the top of +his comrade. + +This little success so encouraged me, that I was half +inclined to advance, and challenge Carver Doone to meet +me; but I bore in mind that he would be apt to shoot me +without ceremony; and what is the utmost of human +strength against the power of powder? Moreover, I +remembered my promise to sweet Lorna; and who would be +left to defend her, if the rogues got rid of me? + +While I was hesitating thus (for I always continue to +hesitate, except in actual conflict), a blaze of fire +lit up the house, and brown smoke hung around it. Six +of our men had let go at the Doones, by Jeremy +Stickles' order, as the villains came swaggering down +in the moonlight ready for rape or murder. Two of them +fell, and the rest hung back, to think at their leisure +what this was. They were not used to this sort of +thing: it was neither just nor courteous. + +Being unable any longer to contain myself, as I thought +of Lorna's excitement at all this noise of firing, I +came across the yard, expecting whether they would +shoot at me. However, no one shot at me; and I went up +to Carver Doone, whom I knew by his size in the +moonlight, and I took him by the beard, and said, 'Do +you call yourself a man?' + +For a moment he was so astonished that he could not +answer. None had ever dared, I suppose, to look at him +in that way; and he saw that he had met his equal, or +perhaps his master. And then he tried a pistol at me, +but I was too quick for him. + +'Now, Carver Doone, take warning,' I said to him, very +soberly; 'you have shown yourself a fool by your +contempt of me. I may not be your match in craft; but +I am in manhood. You are a despicable villain. Lie +low in your native muck.' + +And with that word, I laid him flat upon his back in +our straw-yard, by a trick of the inner heel, which he +could not have resisted (though his strength had been +twice as great as mine), unless he were a wrestler. +Seeing him down the others ran, though one of them made +a shot at me, and some of them got their horses, before +our men came up; and some went away without them. And +among these last was Captain Carver who arose, while I +was feeling myself (for I had a little wound), and +strode away with a train of curses enough to poison the +light of the moon. + +We gained six very good horses, by this attempted +rapine, as well as two young prisoners, whom I had +smitten by the clover-rick. And two dead Doones were +left behind, whom (as we buried them in the churchyard, +without any service over them), I for my part was most +thankful that I had not killed. For to have the life +of a fellow-man laid upon one's conscience--deserved he +his death, or deserved it not--is to my sense of right +and wrong the heaviest of all burdens; and the one that +wears most deeply inwards, with the dwelling of the +mind on this view and on that of it. + +I was inclined to pursue the enemy and try to capture +more of them; but Jeremy Stickles would not allow it, +for he said that all the advantage would be upon their +side, if we went hurrying after them, with only the +moon to guide us. And who could tell but what there +might be another band of them, ready to fall upon the +house, and burn it, and seize the women, if we left +them unprotected? When he put the case thus, I was +glad enough to abide by his decision. And one thing +was quite certain, that the Doones had never before +received so rude a shock, and so violent a blow to +their supremacy, since first they had built up their +power, and become the Lords of Exmoor. I knew that +Carver Doone would gnash those mighty teeth of his, and +curse the men around him, for the blunder (which was in +truth his own) of over-confidence and carelessness. +And at the same time, all the rest would feel that such +a thing had never happened, while old Sir Ensor was +alive; and that it was caused by nothing short of gross +mismanagement. + +I scarcely know who made the greatest fuss about my +little wound, mother, or Annie, or Lorna. I was +heartily ashamed to be so treated like a milksop; but +most unluckily it had been impossible to hide it. For +the ball had cut along my temple, just above the +eyebrow; and being fired so near at hand, the powder +too had scarred me. Therefore it seemed a great deal +worse than it really was; and the sponging, and the +plastering, and the sobbing, and the moaning, made me +quite ashamed to look Master Stickles in the face. + +However, at last I persuaded them that I had no +intention of giving up the ghost that night; and then +they all fell to, and thanked God with an emphasis +quite unknown in church. And hereupon Master Stickles +said, in his free and easy manner (for no one courted +his observation), that I was the luckiest of all +mortals in having a mother, and a sister, and a +sweetheart, to make much of me. For his part, he said, +he was just as well off in not having any to care for +him. For now he might go and get shot, or stabbed, or +knocked on the head, at his pleasure, without any one +being offended. I made bold, upon this, to ask him +what was become of his wife; for I had heard him speak +of having one. He said that he neither knew nor +cared; and perhaps I should be like him some day. That +Lorna should hear such sentiments was very grievous to +me. But she looked at me with a smile, which proved +her contempt for all such ideas; and lest anything +still more unfit might be said, I dismissed the +question. + +But Master Stickles told me afterwards, when there was +no one with us, to have no faith in any woman, whatever +she might seem to be. For he assured me that now he +possessed very large experience, for so small a matter; +being thoroughly acquainted with women of every class, +from ladies of the highest blood, to Bonarobas, and +peasants' wives: and that they all might be divided +into three heads and no more; that is to say as +follows. First, the very hot and passionate, who were +only contemptible; second, the cold and indifferent, +who were simply odious; and third, the mixture of the +other two, who had the bad qualities of both. As for +reason, none of them had it; it was like a sealed book +to them, which if they ever tried to open, they began +at the back of the cover. + +Now I did not like to hear such things; and to me they +appeared to be insolent, as well as narrow-minded. For +if you came to that, why might not men, as well as +women, be divided into the same three classes, and be +pronounced upon by women, as beings even more devoid +than their gentle judges of reason? Moreover, I knew, +both from my own sense, and from the greatest of all +great poets, that there are, and always have been, +plenty of women, good, and gentle, warm-hearted, +loving, and lovable; very keen, moreover, at seeing the +right, be it by reason, or otherwise. And upon the +whole, I prefer them much to the people of my own sex, +as goodness of heart is more important than to show +good reason for having it. And so I said to Jeremy,-- + +'You have been ill-treated, perhaps, Master Stickles, +by some woman or other?' + +'Ah, that have I,' he replied with an oath; 'and the +last on earth who should serve me so, the woman who was +my wife. A woman whom I never struck, never wronged in +any way, never even let her know that I like another +better. And yet when I was at Berwick last, with the +regiment on guard there against those vile +moss-troopers, what does that woman do but fly in the +face of all authority, and of my especial business, by +running away herself with the biggest of all +moss-troopers? Not that I cared a groat about her; and +I wish the fool well rid of her: but the insolence of +the thing was such that everybody laughed at me; and +back I went to London, losing a far better and safer +job than this; and all through her. Come, let's have +another onion.' + +Master Stickles's view of the matter was so entirely +unromantic, that I scarcely wondered at Mistress +Stickles for having run away from him to an adventurous +moss-trooper. For nine women out of ten must have some +kind of romance or other, to make their lives +endurable; and when their love has lost this attractive +element, this soft dew-fog (if such it be), the love +itself is apt to languish; unless its bloom be well +replaced by the budding hopes of children. Now Master +Stickles neither had, nor wished to have, any children. + +Without waiting for any warrant, only saying something +about 'captus in flagrante delicto,'--if that be the +way to spell it--Stickles sent our prisoners off, +bound and looking miserable, to the jail at Taunton. I +was desirous to let them go free, if they would promise +amendment; but although I had taken them, and surely +therefore had every right to let them go again, Master +Stickles said, 'Not so.' He assured me that it was a +matter of public polity; and of course, not knowing +what he meant, I could not contradict him; but thought +that surely my private rights ought to be respected. +For if I throw a man in wrestling, I expect to get his +stakes; and if I take a man prisoner--why, he ought, in +common justice, to belong to me, and I have a good +right to let him go, if I think proper to do so. +However, Master Stickles said that I was quite +benighted, and knew nothing of the Constitution; which +was the very thing I knew, beyond any man in our +parish! + +Nevertheless, it was not for me to contradict a +commissioner; and therefore I let my prisoners go, and +wished them a happy deliverance. Stickles replied, +with a merry grin, that if ever they got it, it would +be a jail deliverance, and the bliss of dancing; and he +laid his hand to his throat in a manner which seemed to +me most uncourteous. However, his foresight proved too +correct; for both those poor fellows were executed, +soon after the next assizes. Lorna had done her very +best to earn another chance for them; even going down +on her knees to that common Jeremy, and pleading with +great tears for them. However, although much moved by +her, he vowed that he durst do nothing else. To set +them free was more than his own life was worth; for all +the country knew, by this time, that two captive Doones +were roped to the cider-press at Plover's Barrows. +Annie bound the broken arm of the one whom I had +knocked down with the club, and I myself supported it; +and then she washed and rubbed with lard the face of +the other poor fellow, which the torch had injured; and +I fetched back his collar-bone to the best of my +ability. For before any surgeon could arrive, they +were off with a well-armed escort. That day we were +reinforced so strongly from the stations along the +coast, even as far as Minehead, that we not only feared +no further attack, but even talked of assaulting Glen +Doone, without waiting for the train-bands. However, I +thought that it would be mean to take advantage of the +enemy in the thick of the floods and confusion; and +several of the others thought so too, and did not like +fighting in water. Therefore it was resolved to wait +and keep a watch upon the valley, and let the floods go +down again. + + + +CHAPTER L + +A MERRY MEETING A SAD ONE + +Now the business I had most at heart (as every one +knows by this time) was to marry Lorna as soon as might +be, if she had no objection, and then to work the farm +so well, as to nourish all our family. And herein I +saw no difficulty; for Annie would soon be off our +hands, and somebody might come and take a fancy to +little Lizzie (who was growing up very nicely now, +though not so fine as Annie); moreover, we were almost +sure to have great store of hay and corn after so much +snow, if there be any truth in the old saying,-- + +"A foot deep of rain +Will kill hay and grain; +But three feet of snow +Will make them come mo'." + +And although it was too true that we had lost a many +cattle, yet even so we had not lost money; for the few +remaining fetched such prices as were never known +before. And though we grumbled with all our hearts, +and really believed, at one time, that starvation was +upon us, I doubt whether, on the whole, we were not the +fatter, and the richer, and the wiser for that winter. +And I might have said the happier, except for the +sorrow which we felt at the failures among our +neighbours. The Snowes lost every sheep they had, and +nine out of ten horned cattle; and poor Jasper Kebby +would have been forced to throw up the lease of his +farm, and perhaps to go to prison, but for the help we +gave him. + +However, my dear mother would have it that Lorna was +too young, as yet, to think of being married: and +indeed I myself was compelled to admit that her form +was becoming more perfect and lovely; though I had not +thought it possible. And another difficulty was, that +as we had all been Protestants from the time of Queen +Elizabeth, the maiden must be converted first, and +taught to hate all Papists. Now Lorna had not the +smallest idea of ever being converted. She said that +she loved me truly, but wanted not to convert me; and +if I loved her equally, why should I wish to convert +her? With this I was tolerably content, not seeing so +very much difference between a creed and a credo, and +believing God to be our Father, in Latin as well as +English. Moreover, my darling knew but little of the +Popish ways--whether excellent or otherwise--inasmuch +as the Doones, though they stole their houses, or at +least the joiner's work, had never been tempted enough +by the devil to steal either church or chapel. + +Lorna came to our little church, when Parson Bowden +reappeared after the snow was over; and she said that +all was very nice, and very like what she had seen in +the time of her Aunt Sabina, when they went far away to +the little chapel, with a shilling in their gloves. It +made the tears come into her eyes, by the force of +memory, when Parson Bowden did the things, not so +gracefully nor so well, yet with pleasant imitation of +her old Priest's sacred rites. + +'He is a worthy man,' she said, being used to talk in +the service time, and my mother was obliged to cough: +'I like him very much indeed: but I wish he would let +me put his things the right way on his shoulders.' + +Everybody in our parish, who could walk at all, or hire +a boy and a wheelbarrow, ay, and half the folk from +Countisbury, Brendon, and even Lynmouth, was and were +to be found that Sunday, in our little church of Oare. +People who would not come anigh us, when the Doones +were threatening with carbine and with fire-brand, +flocked in their very best clothes, to see a lady Doone +go to church. Now all this came of that vile John Fry; +I knew it as well as possible; his tongue was worse +than the clacker of a charity-school bell, or the ladle +in the frying-pan, when the bees are swarming. + +However, Lorna was not troubled; partly because of her +natural dignity and gentleness; partly because she +never dreamed that the people were come to look at her. +But when we came to the Psalms of the day, with some +vague sense of being stared at more than ought to be, +she dropped the heavy black lace fringing of the velvet +hat she wore, and concealed from the congregation all +except her bright red lips, and the oval snowdrift of +her chin. I touched her hand, and she pressed mine; +and we felt that we were close together, and God saw no +harm in it. + +As for Parson Bowden (as worthy a man as ever lived, +and one who could shoot flying), he scarcely knew what +he was doing, without the clerk to help him. He had +borne it very well indeed, when I returned from London; +but to see a live Doone in his church, and a lady +Doone, and a lovely Doone, moreover one engaged to me, +upon whom he almost looked as the Squire of his parish +(although not rightly an Armiger), and to feel that +this lovely Doone was a Papist, and therefore of higher +religion--as all our parsons think--and that she knew +exactly how he ought to do all the service, of which he +himself knew little; I wish to express my firm belief +that all these things together turned Parson Bowden's +head a little, and made him look to me for orders. + +My mother, the very best of women, was (as I could well +perceive) a little annoyed and vexed with things. For +this particular occasion, she had procured from +Dulverton, by special message to Ruth Huckaback +(whereof more anon), a head-dress with a feather never +seen before upon Exmoor, to the best of every one's +knowledge. It came from a bird called a flaming +something--a flaming oh, or a flaming ah, I will not be +positive--but I can assure you that it did flame; and +dear mother had no other thought, but that all the +congregation would neither see nor think of any other +mortal thing, or immortal even, to the very end of the +sermon. + +Herein she was so disappointed, that no sooner did she +get home, but upstairs she went at speed, not even +stopping at the mirror in our little parlour, and flung +the whole thing into a cupboard, as I knew by the bang +of the door, having eased the lock for her lately. +Lorna saw there was something wrong; and she looked at +Annie and Lizzie (as more likely to understand it) with +her former timid glance; which I knew so well, and +which had first enslaved me. + +'I know not what ails mother,' said Annie, who looked +very beautiful, with lilac lute-string ribbons, which I +saw the Snowe girls envying; 'but she has not attended +to one of the prayers, nor said "Amen," all the +morning. Never fear, darling Lorna, it is nothing +about you. It is something about our John, I am sure; +for she never worries herself very much about anybody +but him.' And here Annie made a look at me, such as I +had had five hundred of. + +'You keep your opinions to yourself,' I replied; +because I knew the dear, and her little bits of +jealousy; 'it happens that you are quite wrong, this +time. Lorna, come with me, my darling.' + +'Oh yes, Lorna; go with him,' cried Lizzie, dropping +her lip, in a way which you must see to know its +meaning; 'John wants nobody now but you; and none can +find fault with his taste, dear.' + +'You little fool, I should think not,' I answered, very +rudely; for, betwixt the lot of them, my Lorna's +eyelashes were quivering; 'now, dearest angel, come +with me; and snap your hands at the whole of them.' + +My angel did come, with a sigh, and then with a smile, +when we were alone; but without any unangelic attempt +at snapping her sweet white fingers. + +These little things are enough to show that while every +one so admired Lorna, and so kindly took to her, still +there would, just now and then, be petty and paltry +flashes of jealousy concerning her; and perhaps it +could not be otherwise among so many women. However, +we were always doubly kind to her afterwards; and +although her mind was so sensitive and quick that she +must have suffered, she never allowed us to perceive +it, nor lowered herself by resenting it. + +Possibly I may have mentioned that little Ruth +Huckaback had been asked, and had even promised to +spend her Christmas with us; and this was the more +desirable, because she had left us through some +offence, or sorrow, about things said of her. Now my +dear mother, being the kindest and best-hearted of all +women, could not bear that poor dear Ruth (who would +some day have such a fortune), should be entirely lost +to us. 'It is our duty, my dear children,' she said +more than once about it, 'to forgive and forget, as +freely as we hope to have it done to us. If dear +little Ruth has not behaved quite as we might have +expected, great allowance should be made for a girl +with so much money. Designing people get hold of her, +and flatter her, and coax her, to obtain a base +influence over her; so that when she falls among simple +folk, who speak the honest truth of her, no wonder the +poor child is vexed, and gives herself airs, and so on. +Ruth can be very useful to us in a number of little +ways; and I consider it quite a duty to pardon her +freak of petulance.' + +Now one of the little ways in which Ruth had been very +useful, was the purchase of the scarlet feathers of the +flaming bird; and now that the house was quite safe +from attack, and the mark on my forehead was healing, I +was begged, over and over again, to go and see Ruth, +and make all things straight, and pay for the gorgeous +plumage. This last I was very desirous to do, that I +might know the price of it, having made a small bet on +the subject with Annie; and having held counsel with +myself, whether or not it were possible to get +something of the kind for Lorna, of still more +distinguished appearance. Of course she could not wear +scarlet as yet, even if I had wished it; but I believed +that people of fashion often wore purple for mourning; +purple too was the royal colour, and Lorna was by right +a queen; therefore I was quite resolved to ransack +Uncle Reuben's stores, in search of some bright purple +bird, if nature had kindly provided one. + +All this, however, I kept to myself, intending to trust +Ruth Huckaback, and no one else in the matter. And so, +one beautiful spring morning, when all the earth was +kissed with scent, and all the air caressed with song, +up the lane I stoutly rode, well armed, and well +provided. + +Now though it is part of my life to heed, it is no part +of my tale to tell, how the wheat was coming on. I +reckon that you, who read this story, after I am dead +and gone (and before that none shall read it), will +say, 'Tush! What is his wheat to us? We are not wheat: +we are human beings: and all we care for is human +doings.' This may be very good argument, and in the +main, I believe that it is so. Nevertheless, if a man +is to tell only what he thought and did, and not what +came around him, he must not mention his own clothes, +which his father and mother bought for him. And more +than my own clothes to me, ay, and as much as my own +skin, are the works of nature round about, whereof a +man is the smallest. + +And now I will tell you, although most likely only to +be laughed at, because I cannot put it in the style of +Mr. Dryden--whom to compare to Shakespeare! but if once +I begin upon that, you will never hear the last of +me--nevertheless, I will tell you this; not wishing to +be rude, but only just because I know it; the more a +man can fling his arms (so to say) round Nature's neck, +the more he can upon her bosom, like an infant, lie and +suck,--the more that man shall earn the trust and love +of all his fellow men. + +In this matter is no jealousy (when the man is dead); +because thereafter all others know how much of the milk +be had; and he can suck no longer; and they value him +accordingly, for the nourishment he is to them. Even +as when we keep a roaster of the sucking-pigs, we +choose, and praise at table most, the favourite of its +mother. Fifty times have I seen this, and smiled, and +praised our people's taste, and offered them more of +the vitals. + +Now here am I upon Shakespeare (who died, of his own +fruition, at the age of fifty-two, yet lived more than +fifty thousand men, within his little span of life), +when all the while I ought to be riding as hard as I +can to Dulverton. But, to tell the truth, I could not +ride hard, being held at every turn, and often without +any turn at all, by the beauty of things around me. +These things grow upon a man if once he stops to notice +them. + +It wanted yet two hours to noon, when I came to Master +Huckaback's door, and struck the panels smartly. +Knowing nothing of their manners, only that people in a +town could not be expected to entertain (as we do in +farm-houses), having, moreover, keen expectation of +Master Huckaback's avarice, I had brought some stuff to +eat, made by Annie, and packed by Lorna, and requiring +no thinking about it. + +Ruth herself came and let me in, blushing very +heartily; for which colour I praised her health, and my +praises heightened it. That little thing had lovely +eyes, and could be trusted thoroughly. I do like an +obstinate little woman, when she is sure that she is +right. And indeed if love had never sped me straight +to the heart of Lorna (compared to whom, Ruth was no +more than the thief is to the candle), who knows but +what I might have yielded to the law of nature, that +thorough trimmer of balances, and verified the proverb +that the giant loves the dwarf? + +'I take the privilege, Mistress Ruth, of saluting you +according to kinship, and the ordering of the Canons.' +And therewith I bussed her well, and put my arm around +her waist, being so terribly restricted in the matter +of Lorna, and knowing the use of practice. Not that I +had any warmth--all that was darling Lorna's--only out +of pure gallantry, and my knowledge of London fashions. +Ruth blushed to such a pitch at this, and looked up at +me with such a gleam; as if I must have my own way; +that all my love of kissing sunk, and I felt that I was +wronging her. Only my mother had told me, when the +girls were out of the way, to do all I could to please +darling Ruth, and I had gone about it accordingly. + +Now Ruth as yet had never heard a word about dear +Lorna; and when she led me into the kitchen (where +everything looked beautiful), and told me not to mind, +for a moment, about the scrubbing of my boots, because +she would only be too glad to clean it all up after me, +and told me how glad she was to see me, blushing more +at every word, and recalling some of them, and stooping +down for pots and pans, when I looked at her too +ruddily--all these things came upon me so, without any +legal notice, that I could only look at Ruth, and think +how very good she was, and how bright her handles were; +and wonder if I had wronged her. Once or twice, I +began--this I say upon my honour--to endeavour to +explain exactly, how we were at Plover's Barrows; how +we all had been bound to fight, and had defeated the +enemy, keeping their queen amongst us. But Ruth would +make some great mistake between Lorna and Gwenny +Carfax, and gave me no chance to set her aright, and +cared about nothing much, except some news of Sally +Snowe. + +What could I do with this little thing? All my sense +of modesty, and value for my dinner, were against my +over-pressing all the graceful hints I had given about +Lorna. Ruth was just a girl of that sort, who will not +believe one word, except from her own seeing; not so +much from any doubt, as from the practice of using eyes +which have been in business. + +I asked Cousin Ruth (as we used to call her, though the +cousinship was distant) what was become of Uncle Ben, +and how it was that we never heard anything of or from +him now. She replied that she hardly knew what to make +of her grandfather's manner of carrying on, for the +last half-year or more. He was apt to leave his home, +she said, at any hour of the day or night; going none +knew whither, and returning no one might say when. And +his dress, in her opinion, was enough to frighten a +hodman, of a scavenger of the roads, instead of the +decent suit of kersey, or of Sabbath doeskins, such as +had won the respect and reverence of his fellow- +townsmen. But the worst of all things was, as she +confessed with tears in her eyes, that the poor old +gentleman had something weighing heavily on his mind. + +'It will shorten his days, Cousin Ridd,' she said, for +she never would call me Cousin John; 'he has no +enjoyment of anything that he eats or drinks, nor even +in counting his money, as he used to do all Sunday; +indeed no pleasure in anything, unless it be smoking +his pipe, and thinking and staring at bits of brown +stone, which he pulls, every now and then, out of his +pockets. And the business he used to take such pride +in is now left almost entirely to the foreman, and to +me.' + +'And what will become of you, dear Ruth, if anything +happens to the old man?' + +'I am sure I know not,' she answered simply; 'and I +cannot bear to think of it. It must depend, I suppose, +upon dear grandfather's pleasure about me.' + +'It must rather depend,' said I, though having no +business to say it, 'upon your own good pleasure, Ruth; +for all the world will pay court to you.' + +'That is the very thing which I never could endure. I +have begged dear grandfather to leave no chance of +that. When he has threatened me with poverty, as he +does sometimes, I have always met him truly, with the +answer that I feared one thing a great deal worse than +poverty; namely, to be an heiress. But I cannot make +him believe it. Only think how strange, Cousin Ridd, I +cannot make him believe it.' + +'It is not strange at all,' I answered; 'considering +how he values money. Neither would any one else +believe you, except by looking into your true, and very +pretty eyes, dear.' + +Now I beg that no one will suspect for a single moment, +either that I did not mean exactly what I said, or +meant a single atom more, or would not have said the +same, if Lorna had been standing by. What I had always +liked in Ruth, was the calm, straightforward gaze, and +beauty of her large brown eyes. Indeed I had spoken of +them to Lorna, as the only ones to be compared (though +not for more than a moment) to her own, for truth and +light, but never for depth and softness. But now the +little maiden dropped them, and turned away, without +reply. + +'I will go and see to my horse,' I said; 'the boy that +has taken him seemed surprised at his having no horns +on his forehead. Perhaps he will lead him into the +shop, and feed him upon broadcloth.' + +'Oh, he is such a stupid boy,' Ruth answered with great +sympathy: 'how quick of you to observe that now: and +you call yourself "Slow John Ridd!" I never did see +such a stupid boy: sometimes he spoils my temper. But +you must be back in half an hour, at the latest, Cousin +Ridd. You see I remember what you are; when once you +get among horses, or cows, or things of that sort.' + +'Things of that sort! Well done, Ruth! One would think +you were quite a Cockney.' + +Uncle Reuben did not come home to his dinner; and his +granddaughter said she had strictest orders never to +expect him. Therefore we had none to dine with us, +except the foreman of the shop, a worthy man, named +Thomas Cockram, fifty years of age or so. He seemed to +me to have strong intentions of his own about little +Ruth, and on that account to regard me with a wholly +undue malevolence. And perhaps, in order to justify +him, I may have been more attentive to her than +otherwise need have been; at any rate, Ruth and I were +pleasant; and he the very opposite. + +'My dear Cousin Ruth,' I said, on purpose to vex Master +Cockram, because he eyed us so heavily, and squinted to +unluckily, 'we have long been looking for you at our +Plover's Barrows farm. You remember how you used to +love hunting for eggs in the morning, and hiding up in +the tallat with Lizzie, for me to seek you among the +hay, when the sun was down. Ah, Master Cockram, those +are the things young people find their pleasure in, not +in selling a yard of serge, and giving +twopence-halfpenny change, and writing "settled" at the +bottom, with a pencil that has blacked their teeth. +Now, Master Cockram, you ought to come as far as our +good farm, at once, and eat two new-laid eggs for +breakfast, and be made to look quite young again. Our +good Annie would cook for you; and you should have the +hot new milk and the pope's eye from the mutton; and +every foot of you would become a yard in about a +fortnight.' And hereupon, I spread my chest, to show +him an example. Ruth could not keep her countenance: +but I saw that she thought it wrong of me; and would +scold me, if ever I gave her the chance of taking those +little liberties. However, he deserved it all, +according to my young ideas, for his great impertinence +in aiming at my cousin. + +But what I said was far less grievous to a man of +honest mind than little Ruth's own behaviour. I could +hardly have believed that so thoroughly true a girl, +and one so proud and upright, could have got rid of any +man so cleverly as she got rid of Master Thomas +Cockram. She gave him not even a glass of wine, but +commended to his notice, with a sweet and thoughtful +gravity, some invoice which must be corrected, before +her dear grandfather should return; and to amend which +three great ledgers must be searched from first to +last. Thomas Cockram winked at me, with the worst of +his two wrong eyes; as much as to say, 'I understand +it; but I cannot help myself. Only you look out, if +ever'--and before he had finished winking, the door was +shut behind him. Then Ruth said to me in the simplest +manner, 'You have ridden far today, Cousin Ridd; and +have far to ride to get home again. What will dear +Aunt Ridd say, if we send you away without nourishment? +All the keys are in my keeping, and dear grandfather +has the finest wine, not to be matched in the west of +England, as I have heard good judges say; though I know +not wine from cider. Do you like the wine of Oporto, +or the wine of Xeres?' + +'I know not one from the other, fair cousin, except by +the colour,' I answered: 'but the sound of Oporto is +nobler, and richer. Suppose we try wine of Oporto.' + +The good little creature went and fetched a black +bottle of an ancient cast, covered with dust and +cobwebs. These I was anxious to shake aside; and +indeed I thought that the wine would be better for +being roused up a little. Ruth, however, would not +hear a single word to that purport; and seeing that she +knew more about it, I left her to manage it. And the +result was very fine indeed, to wit, a sparkling rosy +liquor, dancing with little flakes of light, and +scented like new violets. With this I was so pleased +and gay, and Ruth so glad to see me gay, that we quite +forgot how the time went on; and though my fair cousin +would not be persuaded to take a second glass herself, +she kept on filling mine so fast that it was never +empty, though I did my best to keep it so. + +'What is a little drop like this to a man of your size +and strength, Cousin Ridd?' she said, with her cheeks +just brushed with rose, which made her look very +beautiful; 'I have heard you say that your head is so +thick--or rather so clear, you ought to say--that no +liquor ever moves it.' + +'That is right enough,' I answered; 'what a witch you +must be, dear Ruth, to have remembered that now!' + +'Oh, I remember every word I have ever heard you say, +Cousin Ridd; because your voice is so deep, you know, +and you talk so little. Now it is useless to say +"no". These bottles hold almost nothing. Dear +grandfather will not come home, I fear, until long +after you are gone. What will Aunt Ridd think of me, I +am sure? You are all so dreadfully hospitable. Now +not another "no," Cousin Ridd. We must have another +bottle.' + +'Well, must is must,' I answered, with a certain +resignation. 'I cannot bear bad manners, dear; and how +old are you next birthday?' + +'Eighteen, dear John;' said Ruth, coming over with the +empty bottle; and I was pleased at her calling me +'John,' and had a great mind to kiss her. However, I +thought of my Lorna suddenly, and of the anger I should +feel if a man went on with her so; therefore I lay back +in my chair, to wait for the other bottle. + +'Do you remember how we danced that night?' I asked, +while she was opening it; 'and how you were afraid of +me first, because I looked so tall, dear?' + +'Yes, and so very broad, Cousin Ridd. I thought that +you would eat me. But I have come to know, since then, +how very kind and good you are.' + +'And will you come and dance again, at my wedding, +Cousin Ruth?' + +She nearly let the bottle fall, the last of which she +was sloping carefully into a vessel of bright glass; +and then she raised her hand again, and finished it +judiciously. And after that, she took the window, to +see that all her work was clear; and then she poured me +out a glass and said, with very pale cheeks, but else +no sign of meaning about her, 'What did you ask me, +Cousin Ridd?' + +'Nothing of any importance, Ruth; only we are so fond +of you. I mean to be married as soon as I can. Will +you come and help us?' + +'To be sure I will, Cousin Ridd--unless, unless, dear +grandfather cannot spare me from the business.' She +went away; and her breast was heaving, like a rick of +under-carried hay. And she stood at the window long, +trying to make yawns of sighs. + +For my part, I knew not what to do. And yet I could +think about it, as I never could with Lorna; with whom +I was always in a whirl, from the power of my love. So +I thought some time about it; and perceived that it was +the manliest way, just to tell her everything; except +that I feared she liked me. But it seemed to me +unaccountable that she did not even ask the name of my +intended wife. Perhaps she thought that it must be +Sally; or perhaps she feared to trust her voice. + +'Come and sit by me, dear Ruth; and listen to a long, +long story, how things have come about with me.' + +'No, thank you, Cousin Ridd,' she answered; 'at least I +mean that I shall be happy--that I shall be ready to +hear you--to listen to you, I mean of course. But I +would rather stay where I am, and have the air--or +rather be able to watch for dear grandfather coming +home. He is so kind and good to me. What should I do +without him?' + +Then I told her how, for years and years, I had been +attached to Lorna, and all the dangers and difficulties +which had so long beset us, and how I hoped that these +were passing, and no other might come between us, +except on the score of religion; upon which point I +trusted soon to overcome my mother's objections. And +then I told her how poor, and helpless, and alone in +the world, my Lorna was; and how sad all her youth had +been, until I brought her away at last. And many other +little things I mentioned, which there is no need for +me again to dwell upon. Ruth heard it all without a +word, and without once looking at me; and only by her +attitude could I guess that she was weeping. Then when +all my tale was told, she asked in a low and gentle +voice, but still without showing her face to me,-- + +'And does she love you, Cousin Ridd? Does she say that +she loves you with--with all her heart?' + +'Certainly, she does,' I answered. 'Do you think it +impossible for one like her to do so?' + +She said no more; but crossed the room before I had +time to look at her, and came behind my chair, and +kissed me gently on the forehead. + +'I hope you may be very happy, with--I mean in your new +life,' she whispered very softly; 'as happy as you +deserve to be, and as happy as you can make others be. +Now how I have been neglecting you! I am quite ashamed +of myself for thinking only of grandfather: and it +makes me so low-spirited. You have told me a very nice +romance, and I have never even helped you to a glass of +wine. Here, pour it for yourself, dear cousin; I shall +be back again directly.' + +With that she was out of the door in a moment; and when +she came back, you would not have thought that a tear +had dimmed those large bright eyes, or wandered down +those pale clear cheeks. Only her hands were cold and +trembling: and she made me help myself. + +Uncle Reuben did not appear at all; and Ruth, who had +promised to come and see us, and stay for a fortnight +at our house (if her grandfather could spare her), now +discovered, before I left, that she must not think of +doing so. Perhaps she was right in deciding thus; at +any rate it had now become improper for me to press +her. And yet I now desired tenfold that she should +consent to come, thinking that Lorna herself would work +the speediest cure of her passing whim. + +For such, I tried to persuade myself, was the nature of +Ruth's regard for me: and upon looking back I could not +charge myself with any misconduct towards the little +maiden. I had never sought her company, I had never +trifled with her (at least until that very day), and +being so engrossed with my own love, I had scarcely +ever thought of her. And the maiden would never have +thought of me, except as a clumsy yokel, but for my +mother's and sister's meddling, and their wily +suggestions. I believe they had told the little soul +that I was deeply in love with her; although they both +stoutly denied it. But who can place trust in a +woman's word, when it comes to a question of +match-making? + + + +CHAPTER LI + +A VISIT FROM THE COUNSELLOR + +Now while I was riding home that evening, with a +tender conscience about Ruth, although not a wounded +one, I guessed but little that all my thoughts were +needed much for my own affairs. So however it proved +to be; for as I came in, soon after dark, my sister +Eliza met me at the corner of the cheese-room, and she +said, 'Don't go in there, John,' pointing to mother's +room; 'until I have had a talk with you.' + +'In the name of Moses,' I inquired, having picked up +that phrase at Dulverton; 'what are you at about me +now? There is no peace for a quiet fellow.' + +'It is nothing we are at,' she answered; 'neither may +you make light of it. It is something very important +about Mistress Lorna Doone.' + +'Let us have it at once,' I cried; 'I can bear anything +about Lorna, except that she does not care for me.' + +'It has nothing to do with that, John. And I am quite +sure that you never need fear anything of that sort. +She perfectly wearies me sometimes, although her voice +is so soft and sweet, about your endless perfections.' + +'Bless her little heart!' I said; 'the subject is +inexhaustible.' + +'No doubt ' replied Lizzie, in the driest manner; +'especially to your sisters. However this is no time to +joke. I fear you will get the worst of it, John. Do +you know a man of about Gwenny's shape, nearly as broad +as he is long, but about six times the size of Gwenny, +and with a length of snow-white hair, and a thickness +also; as the copses were last winter. He never can +comb it, that is quite certain, with any comb yet +invented.' + +'Then you go and offer your services. There are few +things you cannot scarify. I know the man from your +description, although I have never seen him. Now where +is my Lorna? ' + +'Your Lorna is with Annie, having a good cry, I +believe; and Annie too glad to second her. She knows +that this great man is here, and knows that he wants to +see her. But she begged to defer the interview, until +dear John's return.' + +'What a nasty way you have of telling the very +commonest piece of news!' I said, on purpose to pay her +out. 'What man will ever fancy you, you unlucky little +snapper? Now, no more nursery talk for me. I will go +and settle this business. You had better go and dress +your dolls; if you can give them clothes unpoisoned.' +Hereupon Lizzie burst into a perfect roar of tears; +feeling that she had the worst of it. And I took her +up, and begged her pardon; although she scarcely +deserved it; for she knew that I was out of luck, and +she might have spared her satire. + +I was almost sure that the man who was come must be the +Counsellor himself; of whom I felt much keener fear +than of his son Carver. And knowing that his visit +boded ill to me and Lorna, I went and sought my dear; +and led her with a heavy heart, from the maiden's room +to mother's, to meet our dreadful visitor. + +Mother was standing by the door, making curtseys now +and then, and listening to a long harangue upon the +rights of state and land, which the Counsellor (having +found that she was the owner of her property, and knew +nothing of her title to it) was encouraged to deliver +it. My dear mother stood gazing at him, spell-bound by +his eloquence, and only hoping that he would stop. He +was shaking his hair upon his shoulders, in the power +of his words, and his wrath at some little thing, which +he declared to be quite illegal. + +Then I ventured to show myself, in the flesh, before +him; although he feigned not to see me; but he advanced +with zeal to Lorna; holding out both hands at once. + +'My darling child, my dearest niece; how wonderfully +well you look! Mistress Ridd, I give you credit. This +is the country of good things. I never would have +believed our Queen could have looked so royal. Surely +of all virtues, hospitality is the finest, and the most +romantic. Dearest Lorna, kiss your uncle; it is quite +a privilege.' + +'Perhaps it is to you, sir,' said Lorna, who could +never quite check her sense of oddity; 'but I fear that +you have smoked tobacco, which spoils reciprocity.' + +'You are right, my child. How keen your scent is! It +is always so with us. Your grandfather was noted for +his olfactory powers. Ah, a great loss, dear Mrs. +Ridd, a terrible loss to this neighbourhood! As one of +our great writers says--I think it must be Milton--"We +ne'er shall look upon his like again." ' + +'With your good leave sir,' I broke in, 'Master Milton +could never have written so sweet and simple a line as +that. It is one of the great Shakespeare.' + +'Woe is me for my neglect!' said the Counsellor, bowing +airily; 'this must be your son, Mistress Ridd, the +great John, the wrestler. And one who meddles with the +Muses! Ah, since I was young, how everything is +changed, madam! Except indeed the beauty of women, +which seems to me to increase every year.' Here the old +villain bowed to my mother; and she blushed, and made +another curtsey, and really did look very nice. + +'Now though I have quoted the poets amiss, as your son +informs me (for which I tender my best thanks, and must +amend my reading), I can hardly be wrong in assuming +that this young armiger must be the too attractive +cynosure to our poor little maiden. And for my part, +she is welcome to him. I have never been one of those +who dwell upon distinctions of rank, and birth, and +such like; as if they were in the heart of nature, and +must be eternal. In early youth, I may have thought +so, and been full of that little pride. But now I +have long accounted it one of the first axioms of +political economy--you are following me, Mistress +Ridd?' + +'Well, sir, I am doing my best; but I cannot quite keep +up with you.' + +'Never mind, madam; I will be slower. But your son's +intelligence is so quick--' + +'I see, sir; you thought that mine must be. But no; it +all comes from his father, sir. His father was that +quick and clever--' + +'Ah, I can well suppose it, madam. And a credit he is +to both of you. Now, to return to our muttons--a +figure which you will appreciate--I may now be +regarded, I think, as this young lady's legal guardian; +although I have not had the honour of being formally +appointed such. Her father was the eldest son of Sir +Ensor Doone; and I happened to be the second son; and +as young maidens cannot be baronets, I suppose I am +"Sir Counsellor." Is it so, Mistress Ridd, according to +your theory of genealogy?' + +'I am sure I don't know, sir,' my mother answered +carefully; 'I know not anything of that name, sir, +except in the Gospel of Matthew: but I see not why it +should be otherwise.' + +'Good, madam! I may look upon that as your sanction and +approval: and the College of Heralds shall hear of it. +And in return, as Lorna's guardian, I give my full and +ready consent to her marriage with your son, madam.' + +'Oh, how good of you, sir, how kind! Well, I always did +say, that the learnedest people were, almost always, +the best and kindest, and the most simple-hearted.' + +'Madam, that is a great sentiment. What a goodly +couple they will be! and if we can add him to our +strength--' + +'Oh no, sir, oh no!' cried mother: 'you really must not +think of it. He has always been brought up so +honest--' + +'Hem! that makes a difference. A decided +disqualification for domestic life among the Doones. +But, surely, he might get over those prejudices, +madam?' + +'Oh no, sir! he never can: he never can indeed. When +he was only that high, sir, he could not steal even an +apple, when some wicked boys tried to mislead him.' + +'Ah,' replied the Counsellor, shaking his white head +gravely; 'then I greatly fear that his case is quite +incurable. I have known such cases; violent prejudice, +bred entirely of education, and anti-economical to the +last degree. And when it is so, it is desperate: no +man, after imbibing ideas of that sort, can in any way +be useful.' + +'Oh yes, sir, John is very useful. He can do as much +work as three other men; and you should see him load a +sledd, sir.' + +'I was speaking, madam, of higher usefulness,--power of +the brain and heart. The main thing for us upon earth +is to take a large view of things. But while we talk +of the heart, what is my niece Lorna doing, that she +does not come and thank me, for my perhaps too prompt +concession to her youthful fancies? Ah, if I had +wanted thanks, I should have been more stubborn.' + +Lorna, being challenged thus, came up and looked at her +uncle, with her noble eyes fixed full upon his, which +beneath his white eyebrows glistened, like dormer +windows piled with snow. + +'For what am I to thank you, uncle?' + +'My dear niece, I have told you. For removing the +heaviest obstacle, which to a mind so well regulated +could possibly have existed, between your dutiful self +and the object of your affections.' + +'Well, uncle, I should be very grateful, if I thought +that you did so from love of me; or if I did not know +that you have something yet concealed from me.' + +'And my consent,' said the Counsellor, 'is the more +meritorious, the more liberal, frank, and candid, in +the face of an existing fact, and a very clearly +established one; which might have appeared to weaker +minds in the light of an impediment; but to my loftier +view of matrimony seems quite a recommendation.' + +'What fact do you mean, sir? Is it one that I ought to +know?' + +'In my opinion it is, good niece. It forms, to my +mind, so fine a basis for the invariable harmony of the +matrimonial state. To be brief--as I always endeavour +to be, without becoming obscure--you two young people +(ah, what a gift is youth! one can never be too +thankful for it) you will have the rare advantage of +commencing married life, with a subject of common +interest to discuss, whenever you weary of--well, say +of one another; if you can now, by any means, conceive +such a possibility. And perfect justice meted out: +mutual goodwill resulting, from the sense of +reciprocity.' + +'I do not understand you, sir. Why can you not say +what you mean, at once?' + +'My dear child, I prolong your suspense. Curiosity is +the most powerful of all feminine instincts; and +therefore the most delightful, when not prematurely +satisfied. However, if you must have my strong +realities, here they are. Your father slew dear John's +father, and dear John's father slew yours.' + +Having said thus much, the Counsellor leaned back upon +his chair, and shaded his calm white-bearded eyes from +the rays of our tallow candles. He was a man who liked +to look, rather than to be looked at. But Lorna came +to me for aid; and I went up to Lorna and mother looked +at both of us. + +Then feeling that I must speak first (as no one would +begin it), I took my darling round the waist, and led +her up to the Counsellor; while she tried to bear it +bravely; yet must lean on me, or did. + +'Now, Sir Counsellor Doone,' I said, with Lorna +squeezing both my hands, I never yet knew how +(considering that she was walking all the time, or +something like it); 'you know right well, Sir +Counsellor, that Sir Ensor Doone gave approval.' I +cannot tell what made me think of this: but so it came +upon me. + +'Approval to what, good rustic John? To the slaughter +so reciprocal?' + +'No, sir, not to that; even if it ever happened; which +I do not believe. But to the love betwixt me and +Lorna; which your story shall not break, without more +evidence than your word. And even so, shall never +break; if Lorna thinks as I do.' + +The maiden gave me a little touch, as much as to say, +'You are right, darling: give it to him, again, like +that.' However, I held my peace, well knowing that too +many words do mischief. + +Then mother looked at me with wonder, being herself too +amazed to speak; and the Counsellor looked, with great +wrath in his eyes, which he tried to keep from burning. + +'How say you then, John Ridd, ' he cried, stretching +out one hand, like Elijah; 'is this a thing of the sort +you love? Is this what you are used to?' + +'So please your worship, ' I answered; 'no kind of +violence can surprise us, since first came Doones upon +Exmoor. Up to that time none heard of harm; except of +taking a purse, maybe, or cutting a strange sheep's +throat. And the poor folk who did this were hanged, +with some benefit of clergy. But ever since the Doones +came first, we are used to anything.' + +'Thou varlet,' cried the Counsellor, with the colour of +his eyes quite changed with the sparkles of his fury; +'is this the way we are to deal with such a low-bred +clod as thou? To question the doings of our people, +and to talk of clergy! What, dream you not that we +could have clergy, and of the right sort, too, if only +we cared to have them? Tush! Am I to spend my time +arguing with a plough-tail Bob?' + +'If your worship will hearken to me,' I answered very +modestly, not wishing to speak harshly, with Lorna +looking up at me; 'there are many things that might be +said without any kind of argument, which I would never +wish to try with one of your worship's learning. And +in the first place it seems to me that if our fathers +hated one another bitterly, yet neither won the +victory, only mutual discomfiture; surely that is but a +reason why we should be wiser than they, and make it up +in this generation by goodwill and loving'-- + +'Oh, John, you wiser than your father!' mother broke +upon me here; 'not but what you might be as wise, when +you come to be old enough.' + +'Young people of the present age,' said the Counsellor +severely, 'have no right feeling of any sort, upon the +simplest matter. Lorna Doone, stand forth from +contact with that heir of parricide; and state in your +own mellifluous voice, whether you regard this +slaughter as a pleasant trifle.' + +'You know, without any words of mine,' she answered +very softly, yet not withdrawing from my hand, 'that +although I have been seasoned well to every kind of +outrage, among my gentle relatives, I have not yet so +purely lost all sense of right and wrong as to receive +what you have said, as lightly as you declared it. You +think it a happy basis for our future concord. I do +not quite think that, my uncle; neither do I quite +believe that a word of it is true. In our happy +valley, nine-tenths of what is said is false; and you +were always wont to argue that true and false are but a +blind turned upon a pivot. Without any failure of +respect for your character, good uncle, I decline +politely to believe a word of what you have told me. +And even if it were proved to me, all I can say is +this, if my John will have me, I am his for ever.' + +This long speech was too much for her; she had +overrated her strength about it, and the sustenance of +irony. So at last she fell into my arms, which had +long been waiting for her; and there she lay with no +other sound, except a gurgling in her throat. + +'You old villain,' cried my mother, shaking her fist at +the Counsellor, while I could do nothing else but hold, +and bend across, my darling, and whisper to deaf ears; +'What is the good of the quality; if this is all that +comes of it? Out of the way! You know the words that +make the deadly mischief; but not the ways that heal +them. Give me that bottle, if hands you have; what is +the use of Counsellors?' + +I saw that dear mother was carried away; and indeed I +myself was something like it; with the pale face upon +my bosom, and the heaving of the heart, and the heat +and cold all through me, as my darling breathed or lay. +Meanwhile the Counsellor stood back, and seemed a +little sorry; although of course it was not in his +power to be at all ashamed of himself. + +'My sweet love, my darling child,' our mother went on +to Lorna, in a way that I shall never forget, though I +live to be a hundred; 'pretty pet, not a word of it is +true, upon that old liar's oath; and if every word were +true, poor chick, you should have our John all the more +for it. You and John were made by God and meant for +one another, whatever falls between you. Little lamb, +look up and speak: here is your own John and I; and the +devil take the Counsellor.' + +I was amazed at mother's words, being so unlike her; +while I loved her all the more because she forgot +herself so. In another moment in ran Annie, ay and +Lizzie also, knowing by some mystic sense (which I have +often noticed, but never could explain) that something +was astir, belonging to the world of women, yet foreign +to the eyes of men. And now the Counsellor, being +well-born, although such a heartless miscreant, +beckoned to me to come away; which I, being smothered +with women, was only too glad to do, as soon as my own +love would let go of me. + +'That is the worst of them,' said the old man; when I +had led him into our kitchen, with an apology at every +step, and given him hot schnapps and water, and a +cigarro of brave Tom Faggus: 'you never can say much, +sir, in the way of reasoning (however gently meant and +put) but what these women will fly out. It is wiser to +put a wild bird in a cage, and expect him to sit and +look at you, and chirp without a feather rumpled, than +it is to expect a woman to answer reason reasonably.' +Saying this, he looked at his puff of smoke as if it +contained more reason. + +'I am sure I do not know, sir,' I answered according to +a phrase which has always been my favourite, on account +of its general truth: moreover, he was now our guest, +and had right to be treated accordingly: 'I am, as you +see, not acquainted with the ways of women, except my +mother and sisters.' + +'Except not even them, my son, said the Counsellor, now +having finished his glass, without much consultation +about it; 'if you once understand your mother and +sisters--why you understand the lot of them.' + +He made a twist in his cloud of smoke, and dashed his +finger through it, so that I could not follow his +meaning, and in manners liked not to press him. + +'Now of this business, John,' he said, after getting to +the bottom of the second glass, and having a trifle or +so to eat, and praising our chimney-corner; 'taking you +on the whole, you know, you are wonderfully good +people; and instead of giving me up to the soldiers, as +you might have done, you are doing your best to make me +drunk.' + +'Not at all, sir,' I answered; 'not at all, your +worship. Let me mix you another glass. We rarely have +a great gentleman by the side of our embers and oven. +I only beg your pardon, sir, that my sister Annie (who +knows where to find all the good pans and the lard) +could not wait upon you this evening; and I fear they +have done it with dripping instead, and in a pan with +the bottom burned. But old Betty quite loses her head +sometimes, by dint of over-scolding.' + +'My son,' replied the Counsellor, standing across the +front of the fire, to prove his strict sobriety: 'I +meant to come down upon you to-night; but you have +turned the tables upon me. Not through any skill on +your part, nor through any paltry weakness as to love +(and all that stuff, which boys and girls spin tops at, +or knock dolls' noses together), but through your +simple way of taking me, as a man to be believed; +combined with the comfort of this place, and the choice +tobacco and cordials. I have not enjoyed an evening so +much, God bless me if I know when!' + +'Your worship,' said I, 'makes me more proud than I +well know what to do with. Of all the things that +please and lead us into happy sleep at night, the first +and chiefest is to think that we have pleased a +visitor.' + +'Then, John, thou hast deserved good sleep; for I am +not pleased easily. But although our family is not so +high now as it hath been, I have enough of the +gentleman left to be pleased when good people try me. +My father, Sir Ensor, was better than I in this great +element of birth, and my son Carver is far worse. +Aetas parentum, what is it, my boy? I hear that you +have been at a grammar-school.' + +'So I have, your worship, and at a very good one; but I +only got far enough to make more tail than head of +Latin.' + +'Let that pass,' said the Counsellor; 'John, thou art +all the wiser.' And the old man shook his hoary locks, +as if Latin had been his ruin. I looked at him sadly, +and wondered whether it might have so ruined me, but +for God's mercy in stopping it. + + + +CHAPTER LII + +THE WAY TO MAKE THE CREAM RISE + +That night the reverend Counsellor, not being in such +state of mind as ought to go alone, kindly took our +best old bedstead, carved in panels, well enough, with +the woman of Samaria. I set him up, both straight and +heavy, so that he need but close both eyes, and keep +his mouth just open; and in the morning he was thankful +for all that he could remember. + +I, for my part, scarcely knew whether he really had +begun to feel goodwill towards us, and to see that +nothing else could be of any use to him; or whether he +was merely acting, so as to deceive us. And it had +struck me, several times, that he had made a great deal +more of the spirit he had taken than the quantity would +warrant, with a man so wise and solid. Neither did I +quite understand a little story which Lorna told me, +how that in the night awaking, she had heard, or seemed +to hear, a sound of feeling in her room; as if there +had been some one groping carefully among the things +within her drawers or wardrobe-closet. But the noise +had ceased at once, she said, when she sat up in bed +and listened; and knowing how many mice we had, she +took courage and fell asleep again. + +After breakfast, the Counsellor (who looked no whit the +worse for schnapps, but even more grave and venerable) +followed our Annie into the dairy, to see how we +managed the clotted cream, of which he had eaten a +basinful. And thereupon they talked a little; and +Annie thought him a fine old gentleman, and a very just +one; for he had nobly condemned the people who spoke +against Tom Faggus. + +'Your honour must plainly understand,' said Annie, +being now alone with him, and spreading out her light +quick hands over the pans, like butterflies, 'that they +are brought in here to cool, after being set in the +basin-holes, with the wood-ash under them, which I +showed you in the back-kitchen. And they must have +very little heat, not enough to simmer even; only just +to make the bubbles rise, and the scum upon the top set +thick; and after that, it clots as firm--oh, as firm as +my two hands be.' + +'Have you ever heard,' asked the Counsellor, who +enjoyed this talk with Annie, 'that if you pass across +the top, without breaking the surface, a string of +beads, or polished glass, or anything of that kind, the +cream will set three times as solid, and in thrice the +quantity?' + +'No, sir; I have never heard that,' said Annie, staring +with all her simple eyes; 'what a thing it is to read +books, and grow learned! But it is very easy to try it: +I will get my coral necklace; it will not be +witchcraft, will it, sir?' + +'Certainly not,' the old man replied; 'I will make the +experiment myself; and you may trust me not to be hurt, +my dear. But coral will not do, my child, neither will +anything coloured. The beads must be of plain common +glass; but the brighter they are the better.' + +'Then I know the very thing,' cried Annie; 'as bright +as bright can be, and without any colour in it, except +in the sun or candle light. Dearest Lorna has the very +thing, a necklace of some old glass-beads, or I think +they called them jewels: she will be too glad to lend +it to us. I will go for it, in a moment.' + +'My dear, it cannot be half so bright as your own +pretty eyes. But remember one thing, Annie, you must +not say what it is for; or even that I am going to use +it, or anything at all about it; else the charm will be +broken. Bring it here, without a word; if you know +where she keeps it.' + +'To be sure I do,' she answered; 'John used to keep it +for her. But she took it away from him last week, and +she wore it when--I mean when somebody was here; and he +said it was very valuable, and spoke with great +learning about it, and called it by some particular +name, which I forget at this moment. But valuable or +not, we cannot hurt it, can we, sir, by passing it over +the cream-pan?' + +'Hurt it!' cried the Counsellor: 'nay, we shall do it +good, my dear. It will help to raise the cream: and +you may take my word for it, young maiden, none can do +good in this world, without in turn receiving it.' +Pronouncing this great sentiment, he looked so grand +and benevolent, that Annie (as she said afterwards) +could scarce forbear from kissing him, yet feared to +take the liberty. Therefore, she only ran away to +fetch my Lorna's necklace. + +Now as luck would have it--whether good luck or +otherwise, you must not judge too hastily,--my darling +had taken it into her head, only a day or two before, +that I was far too valuable to be trusted with her +necklace. Now that she had some idea of its price and +quality, she had begun to fear that some one, perhaps +even Squire Faggus (in whom her faith was illiberal), +might form designs against my health, to win the bauble +from me. So, with many pretty coaxings, she had led me +to give it up; which, except for her own sake, I was +glad enough to do, misliking a charge of such +importance. + +Therefore Annie found it sparkling in the little secret +hole, near the head of Lorna's bed, which she herself +had recommended for its safer custody; and without a +word to any one she brought it down, and danced it in +the air before the Counsellor, for him to admire its +lustre. + +'Oh, that old thing!' said the gentleman, in a tone of +some contempt; 'I remember that old thing well enough. +However, for want of a better, no doubt it will answer +our purpose. Three times three, I pass it over. +Crinkleum, crankum, grass and clover! What are you +feared of, you silly child?' + +'Good sir, it is perfect witchcraft! I am sure of that, +because it rhymes. Oh, what would mother say to me? +Shall I ever go to heaven again? Oh, I see the cream +already!' + +'To be sure you do; but you must not look, or the whole +charm will be broken, and the devil will fly away with +the pan, and drown every cow you have got in it.' + +'Oh, sir, it is too horrible. How could you lead me to +such a sin? Away with thee, witch of Endor!' + +For the door began to creak, and a broom appeared +suddenly in the opening, with our Betty, no doubt, +behind it. But Annie, in the greatest terror, slammed +the door, and bolted it, and then turned again to the +Counsellor; yet looking at his face, had not the +courage to reproach him. For his eyes rolled like two +blazing barrels, and his white shagged brows were knit +across them, and his forehead scowled in black furrows, +so that Annie said that if she ever saw the devil, she +saw him then, and no mistake. Whether the old man +wished to scare her, or whether he was trying not to +laugh, is more than I can tell you. + +'Now,' he said, in a deep stern whisper; 'not a word of +this to a living soul; neither must you, nor any other +enter this place for three hours at least. By that +time the charm will have done its work: the pan will be +cream to the bottom; and you will bless me for a secret +which will make your fortune. Put the bauble under +this pannikin; which none must lift for a day and a +night. Have no fear, my simple wench; not a breath of +harm shall come to you, if you obey my orders' + +'Oh, that I will, sir, that I will: if you will only +tell me what to do.' + +'Go to your room, without so much as a single word to +any one. Bolt yourself in, and for three hours now, +read the Lord's Prayer backwards.' + +Poor Annie was only too glad to escape, upon these +conditions; and the Counsellor kissed her upon the +forehead and told her not to make her eyes red, because +they were much too sweet and pretty. She dropped them +at this, with a sob and a curtsey, and ran away to her +bedroom; but as for reading the Lord's Prayer +backwards, that was much beyond her; and she had not +done three words quite right, before the three hours +expired. + +Meanwhile the Counsellor was gone. He bade our mother +adieu, with so much dignity of bearing, and such warmth +of gratitude, and the high-bred courtesy of the old +school (now fast disappearing), that when he was gone, +dear mother fell back on the chair which he had used +last night, as if it would teach her the graces. And +for more than an hour she made believe not to know what +there was for dinner. + +'Oh, the wickedness of the world! Oh, the lies that are +told of people--or rather I mean the +falsehoods--because a man is better born, and has +better manners! Why, Lorna, how is it that you never +speak about your charming uncle? Did you notice, +Lizzie, how his silver hair was waving upon his velvet +collar, and how white his hands were, and every nail +like an acorn; only pink like shell-fish, or at least +like shells? And the way he bowed, and dropped his +eyes, from his pure respect for me! And then, that he +would not even speak, on account of his emotion; but +pressed my hand in silence! Oh, Lizzie, you have read +me beautiful things about Sir Gallyhead, and the rest; +but nothing to equal Sir Counsellor.' + +'You had better marry him, madam,' said I, coming in +very sternly; though I knew I ought not to say it: 'he +can repay your adoration. He has stolen a hundred +thousand pounds.' + +'John,' cried my mother, 'you are mad!' And yet she +turned as pale as death; for women are so quick at +turning; and she inkled what it was. + +'Of course I am, mother; mad about the marvels of Sir +Galahad. He has gone off with my Lorna's necklace. +Fifty farms like ours can never make it good to Lorna.' + +Hereupon ensued grim silence. Mother looked at +Lizzie's face, for she could not look at me; and Lizzie +looked at me, to know: and as for me, I could have +stamped almost on the heart of any one. It was not the +value of the necklace--I am not so low a hound as +that--nor was it even the damned folly shown by every +one of us--it was the thought of Lorna's sorrow for +her ancient plaything; and even more, my fury at the +breach of hospitality. + +But Lorna came up to me softly, as a woman should +always come; and she laid one hand upon my shoulder; +and she only looked at me. She even seemed to fear to +look, and dropped her eyes, and sighed at me. Without +a word, I knew by that, how I must have looked like +Satan; and the evil spirit left my heart; when she had +made me think of it. + +'Darling John, did you want me to think that you cared +for my money, more than for me?' + +I led her away from the rest of them, being desirous of +explaining things, when I saw the depth of her nature +opened, like an everlasting well, to me. But she would +not let me say a word, or do anything by ourselves, as +it were: she said, 'Your duty is to your mother: this +blow is on her, and not on me.' + +I saw that she was right; though how she knew it is +beyond me; and I asked her just to go in front, and +bring my mother round a little. For I must let my +passion pass: it may drop its weapons quickly; but it +cannot come and go, before a man has time to think. + +Then Lorna went up to my mother, who was still in the +chair of elegance; and she took her by both hands, and +said,-- + +'Dearest mother, I shall fret so, if I see you +fretting. And to fret will kill me, mother. They have +always told me so.' + +Poor mother bent on Lorna's shoulder, without thought +of attitude, and laid her cheek on Lorna's breast, and +sobbed till Lizzie was jealous, and came with two +pocket-handkerchiefs. As for me, my heart was lighter +(if they would only dry their eyes, and come round by +dinnertime) than it had been since the day on which Tom +Faggus discovered the value of that blessed and cursed +necklace. None could say that I wanted Lorna for her +money now. And perhaps the Doones would let me have +her; now that her property was gone. + +But who shall tell of Annie's grief? The poor little +thing would have staked her life upon finding the +trinket, in all its beauty, lying under the pannikin. +She proudly challenged me to lift it--which I had +done, long ere that, of course--if only I would take +the risk of the spell for my incredulity. I told her +not to talk of spells, until she could spell a word +backwards; and then to look into the pan where the +charmed cream should be. She would not acknowledge +that the cream was the same as all the rest was: and +indeed it was not quite the same, for the points of +poor Lorna's diamonds had made a few star-rays across +the rich firm crust of yellow. + +But when we raised the pannikin, and there was nothing +under it, poor Annie fell against the wall, which had +been whitened lately; and her face put all the white to +scorn. My love, who was as fond of her, as if she had +known her for fifty years, hereupon ran up and caught +her, and abused all diamonds. I will dwell no more +upon Annie's grief, because we felt it all so much. +But I could not help telling her, if she wanted a +witch, to seek good Mother Melldrum, a legitimate +performer. + +That same night Master Jeremy Stickles (of whose +absence the Counsellor must have known) came back, with +all equipment ready for the grand attack. Now the +Doones knew, quite as well as we did, that this attack +was threatening; and that but for the wonderful weather +it would have been made long ago. Therefore we, or at +least our people (for I was doubtful about going), were +sure to meet with a good resistance, and due +preparation. + +It was very strange to hear and see, and quite +impossible to account for, that now some hundreds of +country people (who feared to whisper so much as a word +against the Doones a year ago, and would sooner have +thought of attacking a church, in service time, than +Glen Doone) now sharpened their old cutlasses, and laid +pitch-forks on the grindstone, and bragged at every +village cross, as if each would kill ten Doones +himself, neither care to wipe his hands afterwards. +And this fierce bravery, and tall contempt, had been +growing ever since the news of the attack upon our +premises had taken good people by surprise; at least as +concerned the issue. + +Jeremy Stickles laughed heartily about Annie's new +manner of charming the cream; but he looked very grave +at the loss of the jewels, so soon as he knew their +value. + +'My son,' he exclaimed, 'this is very heavy. It will +go ill with all of you to make good this loss, as I +fear that you will have to do.' + +'What!' cried I, with my blood running cold. 'We make +good the loss, Master Stickles! Every farthing we have +in the world, and the labour of our lives to boot, will +never make good the tenth of it.' + +'It would cut me to the heart,' he answered, laying his +hand on mine, 'to hear of such a deadly blow to you and +your good mother. And this farm; how long, John, has +it been in your family?' + +'For at least six hundred years,' I said, with a +foolish pride that was only too like to end in groans; +'and some people say, by a Royal grant, in the time of +the great King Alfred. At any rate, a Ridd was with +him throughout all his hiding-time. We have always +held by the King and crown: surely none will turn us +out, unless we are guilty of treason?' + +'My son,' replied Jeremy very gently, so that I could +love him for it, 'not a word to your good mother of +this unlucky matter. Keep it to yourself, my boy, and +try to think but little of it. After all, I may be +wrong: at any rate, least said best mended.' + +'But Jeremy, dear Jeremy, how can I bear to leave it +so? Do you suppose that I can sleep, and eat my food, +and go about, and look at other people, as if nothing +at all had happened? And all the time have it on my +mind, that not an acre of all the land, nor even our +old sheep-dog, belongs to us, of right at all! It is +more than I can do, Jeremy. Let me talk, and know the +worst of it.' + +'Very well,' replied Master Stickles, seeing that both +the doors were closed; 'I thought that nothing could +move you, John; or I never would have told you. Likely +enough I am quite wrong; and God send that I be so. +But what I guessed at some time back seems more than a +guess, now that you have told me about these wondrous +jewels. Now will you keep, as close as death, every +word I tell you?' + +'By the honour of a man, I will. Until you yourself +release me.' + +'That is quite enough, John. From you I want no oath; +which, according to my experience, tempts a man to lie +the more, by making it more important. I know you now +too well to swear you, though I have the power. Now, +my lad, what I have to say will scare your mind in one +way, and ease it in another. I think that you have +been hard pressed--I can read you like a book, John--by +something which that old villain said, before he stole +the necklace. You have tried not to dwell upon it; you +have even tried to make light of it for the sake of the +women: but on the whole it has grieved you more than +even this dastard robbery.' + +'It would have done so, Jeremy Stickles, if I could +once have believed it. And even without much belief, +it is so against our manners, that it makes me +miserable. Only think of loving Lorna, only think of +kissing her; and then remembering that her father had +destroyed the life of mine!' + +'Only think,' said Master Stickles, imitating my very +voice, 'of Lorna loving you, John, of Lorna kissing +you, John; and all the while saying to herself, "this +man's father murdered mine." Now look at it in Lorna's +way as well as in your own way. How one-sided all men +are!' + +'I may look at it in fifty ways, and yet no good will +come of it. Jeremy, I confess to you, that I tried to +make the best of it; partly to baffle the Counsellor, +and partly because my darling needed my help, and bore +it so, and behaved to me so nobly. But to you in +secret, I am not ashamed to say that a woman may look +over this easier than a man may.' + +'Because her nature is larger, my son, when she truly +loves; although her mind be smaller. Now, if I can +ease you from this secret burden, will you bear, with +strength and courage, the other which I plant on you?' + +'I will do my best,' said I. + +'No man can do more,' said he and so began his story. + + + +CHAPTER LIII + +JEREMY FINDS OUT SOMETHING + +'You know, my son,' said Jeremy Stickles, with a good +pull at his pipe, because he was going to talk so much, +and putting his legs well along the settle; 'it has +been my duty, for a wearier time than I care to think +of (and which would have been unbearable, except for +your great kindness), to search this neighbourhood +narrowly, and learn everything about everybody. Now +the neighbourhood itself is queer; and people have +different ways of thinking from what we are used to in +London. For instance now, among your folk, when any +piece of news is told, or any man's conduct spoken of, +the very first question that arises in your mind is +this--"Was this action kind and good?" Long after that, +you say to yourselves, "does the law enjoin or forbid +this thing?" Now here is your fundamental error: for +among all truly civilised people the foremost of all +questions is, "how stands the law herein?" And if the +law approve, no need for any further questioning. That +this is so, you may take my word: for I know the law +pretty thoroughly. + +'Very well; I need not say any more about that, for I +have shown that you are all quite wrong. I only speak +of this savage tendency, because it explains so many +things which have puzzled me among you, and most of all +your kindness to men whom you never saw before; which +is an utterly illegal thing. It also explains your +toleration of these outlaw Doones so long. If your +views of law had been correct, and law an element of +your lives, these robbers could never have been +indulged for so many years amongst you: but you must +have abated the nuisance.' + +'Now, Stickles,' I cried, 'this is too bad!' he was +delivering himself so grandly. 'Why you yourself have +been amongst us, as the balance, and sceptre, and sword +of law, for nigh upon a twelvemonth; and have you +abated the nuisance, or even cared to do it, until they +began to shoot at you?' + +'My son,' he replied, 'your argument is quite beside +the purpose, and only tends to prove more clearly that +which I have said of you. However, if you wish to hear +my story, no more interruptions. I may not have a +chance to tell you, perhaps for weeks, or I know not +when, if once those yellows and reds arrive, and be +blessed to them, the lubbers! Well, it may be six +months ago, or it may be seven, at any rate a good +while before that cursed frost began, the mere name of +which sends a shiver down every bone of my body, when I +was riding one afternoon from Dulverton to Watchett'-- + +'Dulverton to Watchett!' I cried. 'Now what does that +remind me of? I am sure, I remember something--' + +'Remember this, John, if anything--that another word +from thee, and thou hast no more of mine. Well, I was +a little weary perhaps, having been plagued at +Dulverton with the grossness of the people. For they +would tell me nothing at all about their +fellow-townsmen, your worthy Uncle Huckaback, except +that he was a God-fearing man, and they only wished I +was like him. I blessed myself for a stupid fool, in +thinking to have pumped them; for by this time I might +have known that, through your Western homeliness, every +man in his own country is something more than a +prophet. And I felt, of course, that I had done more +harm than good by questioning; inasmuch as every soul +in the place would run straightway and inform him that +the King's man from the other side of the forest had +been sifting out his ways and works.' + +'Ah,' I cried, for I could not help it; 'you begin to +understand at last, that we are not quite such a set of +oafs, as you at first believed us.' + +'I was riding on from Dulverton,' he resumed, with +great severity, yet threatening me no more, which +checked me more than fifty threats: 'and it was late in +the afternoon, and I was growing weary. The road (if +road it could be called) 'turned suddenly down from the +higher land to the very brink of the sea; and rounding +a little jut of cliff, I met the roar of the breakers. +My horse was scared, and leaped aside; for a northerly +wind was piping, and driving hunks of foam across, as +children scatter snow-balls. But he only sank to his +fetlocks in the dry sand, piled with pop-weed: and I +tried to make him face the waves; and then I looked +about me. + +'Watchett town was not to be seen, on account of a +little foreland, a mile or more upon my course, and +standing to the right of me. There was room enough +below the cliffs (which are nothing there to yours, +John), for horse and man to get along, although the +tide was running high with a northerly gale to back it. +But close at hand and in the corner, drawn above the +yellow sands and long eye-brows of rackweed, as snug a +little house blinked on me as ever I saw, or wished to +see. + +'You know that I am not luxurious, neither in any way +given to the common lusts of the flesh, John. My +father never allowed his hair to grow a fourth part of +an inch in length, and he was a thoroughly godly man; +and I try to follow in his footsteps, whenever I think +about it. Nevertheless, I do assure you that my view +of that little house and the way the lights were +twinkling, so different from the cold and darkness of +the rolling sea, moved the ancient Adam in me, if he +could he found to move. I love not a house with too +many windows: being out of house and doors some +three-quarters of my time, when I get inside a house I +like to feel the difference. Air and light are good +for people who have any lack of them; and if a man once +talks about them, 'tis enough to prove his need of +them. But, as you well know, John Ridd, the horse who +has been at work all day, with the sunshine in his +eyes, sleeps better in dark stables, and needs no moon +to help him. + +'Seeing therefore that this same inn had four windows, +and no more, I thought to myself how snug it was, and +how beautiful I could sleep there. And so I made the +old horse draw hand, which he was only too glad to do, +and we clomb above the spring-tide mark, and over a +little piece of turf, and struck the door of the +hostelry. Some one came and peeped at me through the +lattice overhead, which was full of bulls' eyes; and +then the bolt was drawn back, and a woman met me very +courteously. A dark and foreign-looking woman, very +hot of blood, I doubt, but not altogether a bad one. +And she waited for me to speak first, which an +Englishwoman would not have done. + +'"Can I rest here for the night?" I asked, with a lift +of my hat to her; for she was no provincial dame, who +would stare at me for the courtesy; "my horse is weary +from the sloughs, and myself but little better: beside +that, we both are famished." + +'"Yes, sir, you can rest and welcome. But of food, I +fear, there is but little, unless of the common order. +Our fishers would have drawn the nets, but the waves +were violent. However, we have--what you call it? I +never can remember, it is so hard to say--the flesh of +the hog salted." + +'"Bacon!" said I; "what can be better? And half dozen +of eggs with it, and a quart of fresh-drawn ale. You +make me rage with hunger, madam. Is it cruelty, or +hospitality?" + +'"Ah, good!" she replied, with a merry smile, full of +southern sunshine: "you are not of the men round here; +you can think, and you can laugh!" + +'"And most of all, I can eat, good madam. In that way +I shall astonish you; even more than by my intellect." + +'She laughed aloud, and swung her shoulders, as your +natives cannot do; and then she called a little maid to +lead my horse to stable. However, I preferred to see +that matter done myself, and told her to send the +little maid for the frying-pan and the egg-box. + +'Whether it were my natural wit and elegance of manner; +or whether it were my London freedom and knowledge of +the world; or (which is perhaps the most probable, +because the least pleasing supposition) my ready and +permanent appetite, and appreciation of garlic--I leave +you to decide, John: but perhaps all three combined to +recommend me to the graces of my charming hostess. +When I say "charming," I mean of course by manners and +by intelligence, and most of all by cooking; for as +regards external charms (most fleeting and fallacious) +hers had ceased to cause distress, for I cannot say how +many years. She said that it was the climate--for even +upon that subject she requested my opinion--and I +answered, "if there be a change, let madam blame the +seasons." + +'However, not to dwell too much upon our little +pleasantries (for I always get on with these foreign +women better than with your Molls and Pegs), I became, +not inquisitive, but reasonably desirous to know, by +what strange hap or hazard, a clever and a handsome +woman, as she must have been some day, a woman moreover +with great contempt for the rustic minds around her, +could have settled here in this lonely inn, with only +the waves for company, and a boorish husband who slaved +all day in turning a potter's wheel at Watchett. And +what was the meaning of the emblem set above her +doorway, a very unattractive cat sitting in a ruined +tree? + +'However, I had not very long to strain my curiosity; +for when she found out who I was, and how I held the +King's commission, and might be called an officer, her +desire to tell me all was more than equal to mine of +hearing it. Many and many a day, she had longed for +some one both skilful and trustworthy, most of all for +some one bearing warrant from a court of justice. But +the magistrates of the neighbourhood would have nothing +to say to her, declaring that she was a crack-brained +woman, and a wicked, and even a foreign one. + +'With many grimaces she assured me that never by her +own free-will would she have lived so many years in +that hateful country, where the sky for half the year +was fog, and rain for nearly the other half. It was so +the very night when first her evil fortune brought her +there; and so no doubt it would be, long after it had +killed her. But if I wished to know the reason of her +being there, she would tell me in few words, which I +will repeat as briefly. + +'By birth she was an Italian, from the mountains of +Apulia, who had gone to Rome to seek her fortunes, +after being badly treated in some love-affair. Her +Christian name was Benita; as for her surname, that +could make no difference to any one. Being a quick and +active girl, and resolved to work down her troubles, +she found employment in a large hotel; and rising +gradually, began to send money to her parents. And +here she might have thriven well, and married well +under sunny skies, and been a happy woman, but that +some black day sent thither a rich and noble English +family, eager to behold the Pope. It was not, however, +their fervent longing for the Holy Father which had +brought them to St. Peter's roof; but rather their own +bad luck in making their home too hot to hold them. +For although in the main good Catholics, and pleasant +receivers of anything, one of their number had given +offence, by the folly of trying to think for himself. +Some bitter feud had been among them, Benita knew not +how it was; and the sister of the nobleman who had died +quite lately was married to the rival claimant, whom +they all detested. It was something about dividing +land; Benita knew not what it was. + +'But this Benita did know, that they were all great +people, and rich, and very liberal; so that when they +offered to take her, to attend to the children, and to +speak the language for them, and to comfort the lady, +she was only too glad to go, little foreseeing the end +of it. Moreover, she loved the children so, from their +pretty ways and that, and the things they gave her, and +the style of their dresses, that it would have broken +her heart almost never to see the dears again. + +'And so, in a very evil hour, she accepted the service +of the noble Englishman, and sent her father an old +shoe filled to the tongue with money, and trusted +herself to fortune. But even before she went, she knew +that it could not turn out well; for the laurel leaf +which she threw on the fire would not crackle even +once, and the horn of the goat came wrong in the twist, +and the heel of her foot was shining. This made her +sigh at the starting-time; and after that what could +you hope for? + +'However, at first all things went well. My Lord was +as gay as gay could be: and never would come inside the +carriage, when a decent horse could be got to ride. He +would gallop in front, at a reckless pace, without a +weapon of any kind, delighted with the pure blue air, +and throwing his heart around him. Benita had never +seen any man so admirable, and so childish. As +innocent as an infant; and not only contented, but +noisily happy with anything. Only other people must +share his joy; and the shadow of sorrow scattered it, +though it were but the shade of poverty. + +'Here Benita wept a little; and I liked her none the +less, and believed her ten times more; in virtue of a +tear or two. + +'And so they travelled through Northern Italy, and +throughout the south of France, making their way +anyhow; sometimes in coaches, sometimes in carts, +sometimes upon mule-back, sometimes even a-foot and +weary; but always as happy as could be. The children +laughed, and grew, and throve (especially the young +lady, the elder of the two), and Benita began to think +that omens must not be relied upon. But suddenly her +faith in omens was confirmed for ever. + +'My Lord, who was quite a young man still, and laughed +at English arrogance, rode on in front of his wife and +friends, to catch the first of a famous view, on the +French side of the Pyrenee hills. He kissed his hand +to his wife, and said that he would save her the +trouble of coming. For those two were so one in one, +that they could make each other know whatever he or she +had felt. And so my Lord went round the corner, with a +fine young horse leaping up at the steps. + +'They waited for him, long and long; but he never came +again; and within a week, his mangled body lay in a +little chapel-yard; and if the priests only said a +quarter of the prayers they took the money for, God +knows they can have no throats left; only a relaxation. + +'My lady dwelled for six months more--it is a +melancholy tale (what true tale is not so?)--scarcely +able to believe that all her fright was not a dream. +She would not wear a piece or shape of any +mourning-clothes; she would not have a person cry, or +any sorrow among us. She simply disbelieved the thing, +and trusted God to right it. The Protestants, who have +no faith, cannot understand this feeling. Enough that +so it was; and so my Lady went to heaven. + +'For when the snow came down in autumn on the roots of +the Pyrenees, and the chapel-yard was white with it, +many people told the lady that it was time for her to +go. And the strongest plea of all was this, that now +she bore another hope of repeating her husband's +virtues. So at the end of October, when wolves came +down to the farm-lands, the little English family went +home towards their England. + +'They landed somewhere on the Devonshire coast, ten or +eleven years agone, and stayed some days at Exeter; and +set out thence in a hired coach, without any proper +attendance, for Watchett, in the north of Somerset. +For the lady owned a quiet mansion in the neighbourhood +of that town, and her one desire was to find refuge +there, and to meet her lord, who was sure to come (she +said) when he heard of his new infant. Therefore with +only two serving-men and two maids (including Benita), +the party set forth from Exeter, and lay the first +night at Bampton. + +'On the following morn they started bravely, with +earnest hope of arriving at their journey's end by +daylight. But the roads were soft and very deep, and +the sloughs were out in places; and the heavy coach +broke down in the axle, and needed mending at +Dulverton; and so they lost three hours or more, and +would have been wiser to sleep there. But her ladyship +would not hear of it; she must be home that night, she +said, and her husband would be waiting. How could she +keep him waiting now, after such a long, long time? + +'Therefore, although it was afternoon, and the year now +come to December, the horses were put to again, and the +heavy coach went up the hill, with the lady and her two +children, and Benita, sitting inside of it; the other +maid, and two serving-men (each man with a great +blunderbuss) mounted upon the outside; and upon the +horses three Exeter postilions. Much had been said at +Dulverton, and even back at Bampton, about some great +freebooters, to whom all Exmoor owed suit and service, +and paid them very punctually. Both the serving-men +were scared, even over their ale, by this. But the +lady only said, "Drive on; I know a little of +highwaymen: they never rob a lady." + +'Through the fog and through the muck the coach went +on, as best it might; sometimes foundered in a slough, +with half of the horses splashing it, and some-times +knuckled up on a bank, and straining across the middle, +while all the horses kicked at it. However, they went +on till dark as well as might be expected. But when +they came, all thanking God, to the pitch and slope of +the sea-bank, leading on towards Watchett town, and +where my horse had shied so, there the little boy +jumped up, and clapped his hands at the water; and +there (as Benita said) they met their fate, and could +not fly it. + +'Although it was past the dusk of day, the silver light +from the sea flowed in, and showed the cliffs, and the +gray sand-line, and the drifts of wreck, and +wrack-weed. It showed them also a troop of horsemen, +waiting under a rock hard by, and ready to dash upon +them. The postilions lashed towards the sea, and the +horses strove in the depth of sand, and the serving-men +cocked their blunder-busses, and cowered away behind +them; but the lady stood up in the carriage bravely, +and neither screamed nor spoke, but hid her son behind +her. Meanwhile the drivers drove into the sea, till +the leading horses were swimming. + +'But before the waves came into the coach, a score of +fierce men were round it. They cursed the postilions +for mad cowards, and cut the traces, and seized the +wheel-horses, all-wild with dismay in the wet and the +dark. Then, while the carriage was heeling over, and +well-nigh upset in the water, the lady exclaimed, "I +know that man! He is our ancient enemy;" and Benita +(foreseeing that all their boxes would be turned inside +out, or carried away), snatched the most valuable of +the jewels, a magnificent necklace of diamonds, and +cast it over the little girl's head, and buried it +under her travelling-cloak, hoping to save it. Then a +great wave, crested with foam, rolled in, and the coach +was thrown on its side, and the sea rushed in at the +top and the windows, upon shrieking, and clashing, and +fainting away. + +'What followed Benita knew not, as one might well +suppose, herself being stunned by a blow on the head, +beside being palsied with terror. "See, I have the +mark now," she said, "where the jamb of the door came +down on me!" But when she recovered her senses, she +found herself lying upon the sand, the robbers were out +of sight, and one of the serving-men was bathing her +forehead with sea water. For this she rated him well, +having taken already too much of that article; and then +she arose and ran to her mistress, who was sitting +upright on a little rock, with her dead boy's face to +her bosom, sometimes gazing upon him, and sometimes +questing round for the other one. + +'Although there were torches and links around, and she +looked at her child by the light of them, no one dared +to approach the lady, or speak, or try to help her. +Each man whispered his fellow to go, but each hung back +himself, and muttered that it was too awful to meddle +with. And there she would have sat all night, with the +fine little fellow stone dead in her arms, and her +tearless eyes dwelling upon him, and her heart but not +her mind thinking, only that the Italian women stole up +softly to her side, and whispered, "It is the will of +God." + +'"So it always seems to be," were all the words the +mother' answered; and then she fell on Benita's neck; +and the men were ashamed to be near her weeping; and a +sailor lay down and bellowed. Surely these men are the +best. + +'Before the light of the morning came along the tide to +Watchett my Lady had met her husband. They took her +into the town that night, but not to her own castle; +and so the power of womanhood (which is itself +maternity) came over swiftly upon her. The lady, whom +all people loved (though at certain times particular), +lies in Watchett little churchyard, with son and heir +at her right hand, and a little babe, of sex unknown, +sleeping on her bosom. + +'This is a miserable tale,' said Jeremy Stickles +brightly; 'hand me over the schnapps, my boy. What +fools we are to spoil our eyes for other people's +troubles! Enough of our own to keep them clean, +although we all were chimney-sweeps. There is nothing +like good hollands, when a man becomes too sensitive. +Restore the action of the glands; that is my rule, +after weeping. Let me make you another, John. You are +quite low-spirited.' + +But although Master Jeremy carried on so (as became his +manhood), and laughed at the sailor's bellowing; bless +his heart, I knew as well that tears were in his brave +keen eyes, as if I had dared to look for them, or to +show mine own. + +'And what was the lady's name?' I asked; 'and what +became of the little girl? And why did the woman stay +there?' + +'Well!' cried Jeremy Stickles, only too glad to be +cheerful again: 'talk of a woman after that! As we used +to say at school--"Who dragged whom, how many times, in +what manner, round the wall of what?" But to begin, +last first, my John (as becomes a woman): Benita stayed +in that blessed place, because she could not get away +from it. The Doones--if Doones indeed they were, about +which you of course know best--took every stiver out of +the carriage: wet or dry they took it. And Benita +could never get her wages: for the whole affair is in +Chancery, and they have appointed a receiver.' + +'Whew!' said I, knowing something of London, and sorry +for Benita's chance. + +'So the poor thing was compelled to drop all thought of +Apulia, and settle down on the brink of Exmoor, where +you get all its evils, without the good to balance +them. She married a man who turned a wheel for making +the blue Watchett ware, partly because he could give +her a house, and partly because he proved himself a +good soul towards my Lady. There they are, and have +three children; and there you may go and visit them.' + +'I understand all that, Jeremy, though you do tell +things too quickly, and I would rather have John Fry's +style; for he leaves one time for his words to melt. +Now for my second question. What became of the little +maid?' + +'You great oaf!' cried Jeremy Stickles: 'you are rather +more likely to know, I should think, than any one else +in all the kingdoms.' + +'If I knew, I should not ask you. Jeremy Stickles, do +try to be neither conceited nor thick-headed.' + +'I will when you are neither,' answered Master Jeremy; +'but you occupy all the room, John. No one else can +get in with you there.' + +'Very well then, let me out. Take me down in both +ways.' + +'If ever you were taken down; you must have your double +joints ready now. And yet in other ways you will be as +proud and set up as Lucifer. As certain sure as I +stand here, that little maid is Lorna Doone.' + + + +CHAPTER LIV + +MUTUAL DISCOMFITURE + +It must not be supposed that I was altogether so +thick-headed as Jeremy would have made me out. But it +is part of my character that I like other people to +think me slow, and to labour hard to enlighten me, +while all the time I can say to myself, 'This man is +shallower than I am; it is pleasant to see his shoals +come up while he is sounding mine so!' Not that I would +so behave, God forbid, with anybody (be it man or +woman) who in simple heart approached me, with no gauge +of intellect. But when the upper hand is taken, upon +the faith of one's patience, by a man of even smaller +wits (not that Jeremy was that, neither could he have +lived to be thought so), why, it naturally happens, +that we knuckle under, with an ounce of indignation. + +Jeremy's tale would have moved me greatly both with +sorrow and anger, even without my guess at first, and +now my firm belief, that the child of those unlucky +parents was indeed my Lorna. And as I thought of the +lady's troubles, and her faith in Providence, and her +cruel, childless death, and then imagined how my +darling would be overcome to hear it, you may well +believe that my quick replies to Jeremy Stickles's +banter were but as the flourish of a drum to cover the +sounds of pain. + +For when he described the heavy coach and the persons +in and upon it, and the breaking down at Dulverton, and +the place of their destination, as well as the time and +the weather, and the season of the year, my heart began +to burn within me, and my mind replaced the pictures, +first of the foreign lady's-maid by the pump caressing +me, and then of the coach struggling up the hill, and +the beautiful dame, and the fine little boy, with the +white cockade in his hat; but most of all the little +girl, dark-haired and very lovely, and having even in +those days the rich soft look of Lorna. + +But when he spoke of the necklace thrown over the head +of the little maiden, and of her disappearance, before +my eyes arose at once the flashing of the beacon-fire, +the lonely moors embrowned with the light, the tramp of +the outlaw cavalcade, and the helpless child +head-downward, lying across the robber's saddle-bow. + +Then I remembered my own mad shout of boyish +indignation, and marvelled at the strange long way by +which the events of life come round. And while I +thought of my own return, and childish attempt to hide +myself from sorrow in the sawpit, and the agony of my +mother's tears, it did not fail to strike me as a thing +of omen, that the selfsame day should be, both to my +darling and myself, the blackest and most miserable of +all youthful days. + +The King's Commissioner thought it wise, for some good +reason of his own, to conceal from me, for the present, +the name of the poor lady supposed to be Lorna's +mother; and knowing that I could easily now discover +it, without him, I let that question abide awhile. +Indeed I was half afraid to hear it, remembering that +the nobler and the wealthier she proved to be, the +smaller was my chance of winning such a wife for plain +John Ridd. Not that she would give me up: that I never +dreamed of. But that others would interfere; or indeed +I myself might find it only honest to relinquish her. +That last thought was a dreadful blow, and took my +breath away from me. + +Jeremy Stickles was quite decided--and of course the +discovery being his, he had a right to be so--that not +a word of all these things must be imparted to Lorna +herself, or even to my mother, or any one whatever. +'Keep it tight as wax, my lad,' he cried, with a wink +of great expression; 'this belongs to me, mind; and the +credit, ay, and the premium, and the right of discount, +are altogether mine. It would have taken you fifty +years to put two and two together so, as I did, like a +clap of thunder. Ah, God has given some men brains; +and others have good farms and money, and a certain +skill in the lower beasts. Each must use his special +talent. You work your farm: I work my brains. In the +end, my lad, I shall beat you.' + +'Then, Jeremy, what a fool you must be, if you cudgel +your brains to make money of this, to open the +barn-door to me, and show me all your threshing.' + +'Not a whit, my son. Quite the opposite. Two men +always thresh better than one. And here I have you +bound to use your flail, one two, with mine, and yet in +strictest honour bound not to bushel up, till I tell +you.' + +'But,' said I, being much amused by a Londoner's brave, +yet uncertain, use of simplest rural metaphors, for he +had wholly forgotten the winnowing: 'surely if I bushel +up, even when you tell me, I must take half-measure.' + +'So you shall, my boy,' he answered, 'if we can only +cheat those confounded knaves of Equity. You shall +take the beauty, my son, and the elegance, and the +love, and all that--and, my boy, I will take the +money.' + +This he said in a way so dry, and yet so richly +unctuous, that being gifted somehow by God, with a kind +of sense of queerness, I fell back in my chair, and +laughed, though the underside of my laugh was tears. + +'Now, Jeremy, how if I refuse to keep this half as +tight as wax. You bound me to no such partnership, +before you told the story; and I am not sure, by any +means, of your right to do so afterwards.' + +'Tush!' he replied: 'I know you too well, to look for +meanness in you. If from pure goodwill, John Ridd, and +anxiety to relieve you, I made no condition precedent, +you are not the man to take advantage, as a lawyer +might. I do not even want your promise. As sure as I +hold this glass, and drink your health and love in +another drop (forced on me by pathetic words), so +surely will you be bound to me, until I do release you. +Tush! I know men well by this time: a mere look of +trust from one is worth another's ten thousand oaths.' + +'Jeremy, you are right,' I answered; 'at least as +regards the issue. Although perhaps you were not right +in leading me into a bargain like this, without my own +consent or knowledge. But supposing that we should +both be shot in this grand attack on the valley (for I +mean to go with you now, heart and soul), is Lorna to +remain untold of that which changes all her life?' + +'Both shot!' cried Jeremy Stickles: 'my goodness, boy, +talk not like that! And those Doones are cursed good +shots too. Nay, nay, the yellows shall go in front; we +attack on the Somerset side, I think. I from a hill +will reconnoitre, as behoves a general, you shall stick +behind a tree, if we can only find one big enough to +hide you. You and I to be shot, John Ridd, with all +this inferior food for powder anxious to be devoured?' + +I laughed, for I knew his cool hardihood, and +never-flinching courage; and sooth to say no coward +would have dared to talk like that. + +'But when one comes to think of it,' he continued, +smiling at himself; 'some provision should be made for +even that unpleasant chance. I will leave the whole in +writing, with orders to be opened, etc., etc.--Now no +more of that, my boy; a cigarro after schnapps, and go +to meet my yellow boys.' + +His 'yellow boys,' as he called the Somersetshire +trained bands, were even now coming down the valley +from the London Road, as every one since I went up to +town, grandly entitled the lane to the moors. There +was one good point about these men, that having no +discipline at all, they made pretence to none whatever. +Nay, rather they ridiculed the thing, as below men of +any spirit. On the other hand, Master Stickles's +troopers looked down on these native fellows from a +height which I hope they may never tumble, for it would +break the necks of all of them. + +Now these fine natives came along, singing, for their +very lives, a song the like of which set down here +would oust my book from modest people, and make +everybody say, 'this man never can have loved Lorna.' +Therefore, the less of that the better; only I thought, +'what a difference from the goodly psalms of the ale +house!' + +Having finished their canticle, which contained more +mirth than melody, they drew themselves up, in a sort +of way supposed by them to be military, each man with +heel and elbow struck into those of his neighbour, and +saluted the King's Commissioner. 'Why, where are your +officers?' asked Master Stickles; 'how is it that you +have no officers?' Upon this there arose a general +grin, and a knowing look passed along their faces, even +up to the man by the gatepost. 'Are you going to tell +me, or not,' said Jeremy, 'what is become of your +officers?' + +'Plaise zur,' said one little fellow at last, being +nodded at by the rest to speak, in right of his known +eloquence; 'hus tould Harfizers, as a wor no nade of +un, now King's man hiszell wor coom, a puppose vor to +command us laike.' + +'And do you mean to say, you villains,' cried Jeremy, +scarce knowing whether to laugh, or to swear, or what +to do; 'that your officers took their dismissal thus, +and let you come on without them?' + +'What could 'em do?' asked the little man, with reason +certainly on his side: 'hus zent 'em about their +business, and they was glad enough to goo.' + +'Well!' said poor Jeremy, turning to me; 'a pretty +state of things, John! Threescore cobblers, and farming +men, plasterers, tailors, and kettles-to-mend; and not +a man to keep order among them, except my blessed self, +John! And I trow there is not one among them could hit +all in-door flying. The Doones will make riddles of +all of us.' + +However, he had better hopes when the sons of Devon +appeared, as they did in about an hour's time; fine +fellows, and eager to prove themselves. These had not +discarded their officers, but marched in good obedience +to them, and were quite prepared to fight the men of +Somerset (if need be) in addition to the Doones. And +there was scarcely a man among them but could have +trounced three of the yellow men, and would have done +it gladly too, in honour of the red facings. + +'Do you mean to suppose, Master Jeremy Stickles,' said +I, looking on with amazement, beholding also all our +maidens at the upstair windows wondering; 'that we, my +mother a widow woman, and I a young man of small +estate, can keep and support all these precious +fellows, both yellow ones, and red ones, until they +have taken the Doone Glen?' + +'God forbid it, my son!' he replied, laying a finger +upon his lip: 'Nay, nay, I am not of the shabby order, +when I have the strings of government. Kill your sheep +at famine prices, and knead your bread at a figure +expressing the rigours of last winter. Let Annie make +out the bill every day, and I at night will double it. +You may take my word for it, Master John, this +spring-harvest shall bring you in three times as much +as last autumn's did. If they cheated you in town, my +lad, you shall have your change in the country. Take +thy bill, and write down quickly.' + +However this did not meet my views of what an honest +man should do; and I went to consult my mother about +it, as all the accounts would be made in her name. + +Dear mother thought that if the King paid only half +again as much as other people would have to pay, it +would be perhaps the proper thing; the half being due +for loyalty: and here she quoted an ancient saying,-- + + The King and his staff. + Be a man and a half: + +which, according to her judgment, ruled beyond dispute +the law of the present question. To argue with her +after that (which she brought up with such triumph) +would have been worse than useless. Therefore I just +told Annie to make the bills at a third below the +current market prices; so that the upshot would be +fair. She promised me honestly that she would; but +with a twinkle in her bright blue eyes, which she must +have caught from Tom Faggus. It always has appeared to +me that stern and downright honesty upon money matters +is a thing not understood of women; be they as good as +good can be. + +The yellows and the reds together numbered a hundred +and twenty men, most of whom slept in our barns and +stacks; and besides these we had fifteen troopers of +the regular army. You may suppose that all the country +was turned upside down about it; and the folk who came +to see them drill--by no means a needless +exercise--were a greater plague than the soldiers. The +officers too of the Devonshire hand were such a torment +to us, that we almost wished their men had dismissed +them, as the Somerset troop had done with theirs. For +we could not keep them out of our house, being all +young men of good family, and therefore not to be met +with bars. And having now three lovely maidens (for +even Lizzie might he called so, when she cared to +please), mother and I were at wit's ends, on account of +those blessed officers. I never got a wink of sleep; +they came whistling under the window so; and directly I +went out to chase them, there was nothing but a cat to +see. + +Therefore all of us were right glad (except perhaps +Farmer Snowe, from whom we had bought some victuals at +rare price), when Jeremy Stickles gave orders to march, +and we began to try to do it. A good deal of boasting +went overhead, as our men defiled along the lane; and +the thick broad patins of pennywort jutted out between +the stones, ready to heal their bruises. The parish +choir came part of the way, and the singing-loft from +Countisbury; and they kept our soldiers' spirits up +with some of the most pugnacious Psalms. Parson Bowden +marched ahead, leading all our van and file, as against +the Papists; and promising to go with us, till we came +to bullet distance. Therefore we marched bravely on, +and children came to look at us. And I wondered where +Uncle Reuben was, who ought to have led the culverins +(whereof we had no less than three), if Stickles could +only have found him; and then I thought of little Ruth; +and without any fault on my part, my heart went down +within me. + +The culverins were laid on bark; and all our horses +pulling them, and looking round every now and then, +with their ears curved up like a squirrel'd nut, and +their noses tossing anxiously, to know what sort of +plough it was man had been pleased to put behind +them--man, whose endless whims and wildness they could +never understand, any more than they could satisfy. +However, they pulled their very best--as all our horses +always do--and the culverins went up the hill, without +smack of whip, or swearing. It had been arranged, +very justly, no doubt, and quite in keeping with the +spirit of the Constitution, but as it proved not too +wisely, that either body of men should act in its own +county only. So when we reached the top of the hill, +the sons of Devon marched on, and across the track +leading into Doone-gate, so as to fetch round the +western side, and attack with their culverin from the +cliffs, whence the sentry had challenged me on the +night of my passing the entrance. Meanwhile the yellow +lads were to stay upon the eastern highland, whence +Uncle Reuben and myself had reconnoitred so long ago; +and whence I had leaped into the valley at the time of +the great snow-drifts. And here they were not to show +themselves; but keep their culverin in the woods, until +their cousins of Devon appeared on the opposite parapet +of the glen. + +The third culverin was entrusted to the fifteen +troopers; who, with ten picked soldiers from either +trained hand, making in all five-and-thirty men, were +to assault the Doone-gate itself, while the outlaws +were placed between two fires from the eastern cliff +and the western. And with this force went Jeremy +Stickles, and with it went myself, as knowing more +about the passage than any other stranger did. +Therefore, if I have put it clearly, as I strive to do, +you will see that the Doones must repulse at once three +simultaneous attacks, from an army numbering in the +whole one hundred and thirty-five men, not including +the Devonshire officers; fifty men on each side, I +mean, and thirty-five at the head of the valley. + +The tactics of this grand campaign appeared to me so +clever, and beautifully ordered, that I commended +Colonel Stickles, as everybody now called him, for his +great ability and mastery of the art of war. He +admitted that he deserved high praise; but said that he +was not by any means equally certain of success, so +large a proportion of his forces being only a raw +militia, brave enough no doubt for anything, when they +saw their way to it; but knowing little of gunnery, and +wholly unused to be shot at. Whereas all the Doones +were practised marksmen, being compelled when lads +(like the Balearic slingers) to strike down their meals +before tasting them. And then Colonel Stickles asked +me, whether I myself could stand fire; he knew that I +was not a coward, but this was a different question. I +told him that I had been shot at, once or twice before; +but nevertheless disliked it, as much as almost +anything. Upon that he said that I would do; for that +when a man got over the first blush of diffidence, he +soon began to look upon it as a puff of destiny. + +I wish I could only tell what happened, in the battle +of that day, especially as nearly all the people round +these parts, who never saw gun-fire in it, have gotten +the tale so much amiss; and some of them will even +stand in front of my own hearth, and contradict me to +the teeth; although at the time they were not born, nor +their fathers put into breeches. But in truth, I +cannot tell, exactly, even the part in which I helped, +how then can I be expected, time by time, to lay before +you, all the little ins and outs of places, where I +myself was not? Only I can contradict things, which I +know could not have been; and what I plainly saw should +not be controverted in my own house. + +Now we five-and-thirty men lay back a little way round +the corner, in the hollow of the track which leads to +the strong Doone-gate. Our culverin was in amongst +us, loaded now to the muzzle, and it was not +comfortable to know that it might go off at any time. +Although the yeomanry were not come (according to +arrangement), some of us had horses there; besides the +horses who dragged the cannon, and now were sniffing at +it. And there were plenty of spectators to mind these +horses for us, as soon as we should charge; inasmuch as +all our friends and neighbours, who had so keenly +prepared for the battle, now resolved to take no part, +but look on, and praise the winners. + +At last we heard the loud bang-bang, which proved that +Devon and Somerset were pouring their indignation hot +into the den of malefactors, or at least so we +supposed; therefore at double quick march we advanced +round the bend of the cliff which had hidden us, hoping +to find the gate undefended, and to blow down all +barriers with the fire of our cannon. And indeed it +seemed likely at first to be so, for the wild and +mountainous gorge of rock appeared to be all in pure +loneliness, except where the coloured coats of our +soldiers, and their metal trappings, shone with the sun +behind them. Therefore we shouted a loud hurrah, as +for an easy victory. + +But while the sound of our cheer rang back among the +crags above us, a shrill clear whistle cleft the air +for a single moment, and then a dozen carbines +bellowed, and all among us flew murderous lead. +Several of our men rolled over, but the rest rushed on +like Britons, Jeremy and myself in front, while we +heard the horses plunging at the loaded gun behind us. +'Now, my lads,' cried Jeremy, 'one dash, and we are +beyond them!' For he saw that the foe was overhead in +the gallery of brushwood. + +Our men with a brave shout answered him, for his +courage was fine example; and we leaped in under the +feet of the foe, before they could load their guns +again. But here, when the foremost among us were past, +an awful crash rang behind us, with the shrieks of men, +and the din of metal, and the horrible screaming of +horses. The trunk of the tree had been launched +overhead, and crashed into the very midst of us. Our +cannon was under it, so were two men, and a horse with +his poor back broken. Another horse vainly struggled +to rise, with his thigh-bone smashed and protruding. + +Now I lost all presence of mind at this, for I loved +both those good horses, and shouting for any to follow +me, dashed headlong into the cavern. Some five or six +men came after me, the foremost of whom was Jeremy, +when a storm of shot whistled and patted around me, +with a blaze of light and a thunderous roar. On I +leaped, like a madman, and pounced on one gunner, and +hurled him across his culverin; but the others had +fled, and a heavy oak door fell to with a bang, behind +them. So utterly were my senses gone, and naught but +strength remaining, that I caught up the cannon with +both hands, and dashed it, breech-first, at the +doorway. The solid oak burst with the blow, and the +gun stuck fast, like a builder's putlog. + +But here I looked round in vain for any one to come and +follow up my success. The scanty light showed me no +figure moving through the length of the tunnel behind +me; only a heavy groan or two went to my heart, and +chilled it. So I hurried back to seek Jeremy, fearing +that he must be smitten down. + +And so indeed I found him, as well as three other poor +fellows, struck by the charge of the culverin, which +had passed so close beside me. Two of the four were as +dead as stones, and growing cold already, but Jeremy +and the other could manage to groan, just now and then. +So I turned my attention to them, and thought no more +of fighting. + +Having so many wounded men, and so many dead among us, +we loitered at the cavern's mouth, and looked at one +another, wishing only for somebody to come and take +command of us. But no one came; and I was griefed so +much about poor Jeremy, besides being wholly unused to +any violence of bloodshed, that I could only keep his +head up, and try to stop him from bleeding. And he +looked up at me pitifully, being perhaps in a haze of +thought, as a calf looks at a butcher. + +The shot had taken him in the mouth; about that no +doubt could be, for two of his teeth were in his beard, +and one of his lips was wanting. I laid his shattered +face on my breast, and nursed him, as a woman might. +But he looked at me with a jerk at this; and I saw that +he wanted coolness. + +While here we stayed, quite out of danger (for the +fellows from the gallery could by no means shoot us, +even if they remained there, and the oaken door whence +the others fled was blocked up by the culverin), a boy +who had no business there (being in fact our clerk's +apprentice to the art of shoe-making) came round the +corner upon us in the manner which boys, and only boys, +can use with grace and freedom; that is to say, with a +sudden rush, and a sidelong step, and an impudence,-- + +'Got the worst of it!' cried the boy; 'better be off +all of you. Zoomerzett and Devon a vighting; and the +Doones have drashed 'em both. Maister Ridd, even thee +be drashed.' + +We few, who yet remained of the force which was to have +won the Doone-gate, gazed at one another, like so many +fools, and nothing more. For we still had some faint +hopes of winning the day, and recovering our +reputation, by means of what the other men might have +done without us. And we could not understand at all +how Devonshire and Somerset, being embarked in the same +cause, should be fighting with one another. + +Finding nothing more to be done in the way of carrying +on the war, we laid poor Master Stickles and two more +of the wounded upon the carriage of bark and hurdles, +whereon our gun had lain; and we rolled the gun into +the river, and harnessed the horses yet alive, and put +the others out of their pain, and sadly wended +homewards, feeling ourselves to be thoroughly beaten, +yet ready to maintain that it was no fault of ours +whatever. And in this opinion the women joined, being +only too glad and thankful to see us home alive again. + +Now, this enterprise having failed so, I prefer not to +dwell too long upon it; only just to show the mischief +which lay at the root of the failure. And this +mischief was the vile jealousy betwixt red and yellow +uniform. Now I try to speak impartially, belonging no +more to Somerset than I do to Devonshire, living upon +the borders, and born of either county. The tale was +told me by one side first; and then quite to a +different tune by the other; and then by both together, +with very hot words of reviling. and a desire to fight +it out again. And putting this with that, the truth +appears to be as follows:-- + +The men of Devon, who bore red facings, had a long way +to go round the hills, before they could get into due +position on the western side of the Doone Glen. And +knowing that their cousins in yellow would claim the +whole of the glory, if allowed to be first with the +firing, these worthy fellows waited not to take good +aim with their cannons, seeing the others about to +shoot; but fettled it anyhow on the slope, pointing in +a general direction; and trusting in God for +aimworthiness, laid the rope to the breech, and fired. +Now as Providence ordained it, the shot, which was a +casual mixture of anything considered hard--for +instance, jug-bottoms and knobs of doors--the whole of +this pernicious dose came scattering and shattering +among the unfortunate yellow men upon the opposite +cliff; killing one and wounding two. + +Now what did the men of Somerset do, but instead of +waiting for their friends to send round and beg pardon, +train their gun full mouth upon them, and with a +vicious meaning shoot. Not only this, but they loudly +cheered, when they saw four or five red coats lie low; +for which savage feeling not even the remarks of the +Devonshire men concerning their coats could entirely +excuse them. Now I need not tell the rest of it, for +the tale makes a man discontented. Enough that both +sides waxed hotter and hotter with the fire of +destruction. And but that the gorge of the cliffs lay +between, very few would have lived to tell of it; for +our western blood becomes stiff and firm, when churned +with the sense of wrong in it. + +At last the Doones (who must have laughed at the +thunder passing overhead) recalling their men from the +gallery, issued out of Gwenny's gate (which had been +wholly overlooked) and fell on the rear of the Somerset +men, and slew four beside their cannon. Then while the +survivors ran away, the outlaws took the hot culverin, +and rolled it down into their valley. Thus, of the +three guns set forth that morning, only one ever came +home again, and that was the gun of the Devonshire men, +who dragged it home themselves, with the view of making +a boast about it. + +This was a melancholy end of our brave setting out, and +everybody blamed every one else; and several of us +wanted to have the whole thing over again, as then we +must have righted it. But upon one point all agreed, +by some reason not clear to me, that the root of the +evil was to be found in the way Parson Bowden went up +the hill, with his hat on, and no cassock. + + + +CHAPTER LV + +GETTING INTO CHANCERY + +Two of the Devonshire officers (Captains Pyke and +Dallan) now took command of the men who were left, and +ordered all to go home again, commending much the +bravery which had been displayed on all sides, and the +loyalty to the King, and the English constitution. +This last word always seems to me to settle everything +when said, because nobody understands it, and yet all +can puzzle their neighbours. So the Devonshire men, +having beans to sow (which they ought to have done on +Good Friday) went home; and our Somerset friends only +stayed for two days more to backbite them. + +To me the whole thing was purely grievous; not from any +sense of defeat (though that was bad enough) but from +the pain and anguish caused by death, and wounds, and +mourning. 'Surely we have woes enough,' I used to +think of an evening, when the poor fellows could not +sleep or rest, or let others rest around them; 'surely +all this smell of wounds is not incense men should pay +to the God who made them. Death, when it comes and is +done with, may be a bliss to any one; but the doubt of +life or death, when a man lies, as it were, like a +trunk upon a sawpit and a grisly head looks up at him, +and the groans of pain are cleaving him, this would be +beyond all bearing--but for Nature's sap--sweet hope.' + +Jeremy Stickles lay and tossed, and thrust up his feet +in agony, and bit with his lipless mouth the clothes, +and was proud to see blood upon them. He looked at us +ever so many times, as much as to say, 'Fools, let me +die, then I shall have some comfort'; but we nodded at +him sagely, especially the women, trying to convey to +him, on no account to die yet. And then we talked to +one another (on purpose for him to hear us), how brave +he was, and not the man to knock under in a hurry, and +how he should have the victory yet; and how well he +looked, considering. + +These things cheered him a little now, and a little +more next time; and every time we went on so, he took +it with less impatience. Then once when he had been +very quiet, and not even tried to frown at us, Annie +leaned over, and kissed his forehead, and spread the +pillows and sheet, with a curve as delicate as his own +white ears; and then he feebly lifted hands, and prayed +to God to bless her. And after that he came round +gently; though never to the man he had been, and never +to speak loud again. + +For a time (as I may have implied before) Master +Stickles's authority, and manner of levying duties, had +not been taken kindly by the people round our +neighbourhood. The manors of East Lynn and West Lynn, +and even that of Woolhanger--although just then all +three were at issue about some rights of wreck, and the +hanging of a sheep-stealer (a man of no great eminence, +yet claimed by each for the sake of his clothes)--these +three, having their rights impugned, or even +superseded, as they declared by the quartering of +soldiers in their neighbourhood, united very kindly to +oppose the King's Commissioner. However, Jeremy had +contrived to conciliate the whole of them, not so much +by anything engaging in his deportment or delicate +address, as by holding out bright hopes that the +plunder of the Doone Glen might become divisible among +the adjoining manors. Now I have never discovered a +thing which the lords of manors (at least in our part +of the world) do not believe to belong to themselves, +if only they could get their rights. And it did seem +natural enough that if the Doones were ousted, and a +nice collection of prey remained, this should be parted +among the people having ancient rights of plunder. +Nevertheless, Master Jeremy knew that the soldiers +would have the first of it, and the King what they +could not carry. + +And perhaps he was punished justly for language so +misleading, by the general indignation of the people +all around us, not at his failure, but at himself, for +that which he could in no wise prevent. And the +stewards of the manors rode up to our house on purpose +to reproach him, and were greatly vexed with all of us, +because he was too ill to see them. + +To myself (though by rights the last to be thought of, +among so much pain and trouble) Jeremy's wound was a +great misfortune, in more ways than one. In the first +place, it deferred my chance of imparting either to my +mother or to Mistress Lorna my firm belief that the +maid I loved was not sprung from the race which had +slain my father; neither could he in any way have +offended against her family. And this discovery I was +yearning more and more to declare to them; being forced +to see (even in the midst of all our warlike troubles) +that a certain difference was growing betwixt them +both, and betwixt them and me. For although the words +of the Counsellor had seemed to fail among us, being +bravely met and scattered, yet our courage was but as +wind flinging wide the tare-seeds, when the sower +casts them from his bag. The crop may not come evenly, +many places may long lie bare, and the field be all in +patches; yet almost every vetch will spring, and tiller +out, and stretch across the scatterings where the wind +puffed. + +And so dear mother and darling Lorna now had been for +many a day thinking, worrying, and wearing, about the +matter between us. Neither liked to look at the +other, as they used to do; with mother admiring Lorna's +eyes, and grace, and form of breeding; and Lorna loving +mother's goodness, softness, and simplicity. And the +saddest and most hurtful thing was that neither could +ask the other of the shadow falling between them. And +so it went on, and deepened. + +In the next place Colonel Stickles's illness was a +grievous thing to us, in that we had no one now to +command the troopers. Ten of these were still alive, +and so well approved to us, that they could never fancy +aught, whether for dinner or supper, without its being +forth-coming. If they wanted trout they should have +it; if colloped venison, or broiled ham, or salmon from +Lynmouth and Trentisoe, or truffles from the woodside, +all these were at the warriors' service, until they +lusted for something else. Even the wounded men ate +nobly; all except poor Jeremy, who was forced to have a +young elder shoot, with the pith drawn, for to feed +him. And once, when they wanted pickled loach (from +my description of it), I took up my boyish sport again, +and pronged them a good jarful. Therefore, none of +them could complain; and yet they were not satisfied; +perhaps for want of complaining. + +Be that as it might, we knew that if they once resolved +to go (as they might do at any time, with only a +corporal over them) all our house, and all our goods, +ay, and our own precious lives, would and must be at +the mercy of embittered enemies. For now the Doones, +having driven back, as every one said, five hundred +men--though not thirty had ever fought with them--were +in such feather all round the country, that nothing was +too good for them. Offerings poured in at the Doone +gate, faster than Doones could away with them, and the +sympathy both of Devon and Somerset became almost +oppressive. And perhaps this wealth of congratulation, +and mutual good feeling between plundered and victim, +saved us from any piece of spite; kindliness having won +the day, and every one loving every one. + +But yet another cause arose, and this the strongest one +of all, to prove the need of Stickles's aid, and +calamity of his illness. And this came to our +knowledge first, without much time to think of it. For +two men appeared at our gate one day, stripped to their +shirts, and void of horses, and looking very sorrowful. +Now having some fear of attack from the Doones, and +scarce knowing what their tricks might be, we received +these strangers cautiously, desiring to know who they +were before we let them see all our premises. + +However, it soon became plain to us that although they +might not be honest fellows, at any rate they were not +Doones; and so we took them in, and fed, and left them +to tell their business. And this they were glad enough +to do; as men who have been maltreated almost always +are. And it was not for us to contradict them, lest +our victuals should go amiss. + +These two very worthy fellows--nay, more than that by +their own account, being downright martyrs--were come, +for the public benefit, from the Court of Chancery, +sitting for everybody's good, and boldly redressing +evil. This court has a power of scent unknown to the +Common-law practitioners, and slowly yet surely tracks +its game; even as the great lumbering dogs, now +introduced from Spain, and called by some people +'pointers,' differ from the swift gaze-hound, who sees +his prey and runs him down in the manner of the common +lawyers. If a man's ill fate should drive him to make +a choice between these two, let him rather be chased by +the hounds of law, than tracked by the dogs of Equity. + +Now, as it fell in a very black day (for all except the +lawyers) His Majesty's Court of Chancery, if that be +what it called itself, gained scent of poor Lorna's +life, and of all that might be made of it. Whether +through that brave young lord who ran into such peril, +or through any of his friends, or whether through that +deep old Counsellor, whose game none might penetrate; +or through any disclosures of the Italian woman, or +even of Jeremy himself; none just now could tell us; +only this truth was too clear--Chancery had heard of +Lorna, and then had seen how rich she was; and never +delaying in one thing, had opened mouth, and swallowed +her. + +The Doones, with a share of that dry humour which was +in them hereditary, had welcomed the two apparitors (if +that be the proper name for them) and led them kindly +down the valley, and told them then to serve their +writ. Misliking the look of things, these poor men +began to fumble among their clothes; upon which the +Doones cried, 'off with them! Let us see if your +message he on your skins.' And with no more manners +than that, they stripped, and lashed them out of the +valley; only bidding them come to us, if they wanted +Lorna Doone; and to us they came accordingly. Neither +were they sure at first but that we should treat them +so; for they had no knowledge of the west country, and +thought it quite a godless place, wherein no writ was +holy. + +We however comforted and cheered them so considerably, +that, in gratitude, they showed their writs, to which +they had stuck like leeches. And these were twofold; +one addressed to Mistress Lorna Doone, so called, and +bidding her keep in readiness to travel whenever called +upon, and commit herself to nobody, except the +accredited messengers of the right honourable Court; +while the other was addressed to all subjects of His +Majesty, having custody of Lorna Doone, or any power +over her. And this last threatened and exhorted, and +held out hopes of recompense, if she were rendered +truly. My mother and I held consultation, over both +these documents, with a mixture of some wrath and fear, +and a fork of great sorrow to stir them. And now +having Jeremy Stickles's leave, which he gave with a +nod when I told him all, and at last made him +understand it, I laid bare to my mother as well what I +knew, as what I merely surmised, or guessed, concerning +Lorna's parentage. All this she received with great +tears, and wonder, and fervent thanks to God, and still +more fervent praise of her son, who had nothing +whatever to do with it. However, now the question was, +how to act about these writs. And herein it was most +unlucky that we could not have Master Stickles, with +his knowledge of the world, and especially of the +law-courts, to advise us what to do, and to help in +doing it. And firstly of the first I said, 'We have +rogues to deal with; but try we not to rogue them.' + +To this, in some measure, dear mother agreed, though +she could not see the justice of it, yet thought that +it might he wiser, because of our want of practice. +And then I said, 'Now we are bound to tell Lorna, and +to serve her citation upon her, which these good +fellows have given us.' + +'Then go, and do it thyself, my son,' mother replied +with a mournful smile, misdoubting what the end might +be. So I took the slip of brown parchment, and went to +seek my darling. + +Lorna was in her favourite place, the little garden +which she tended with such care and diligence. Seeing +how the maiden loved it, and was happy there, I had +laboured hard to fence it from the dangers of the wood. +And here she had corrected me, with better taste, and +sense of pleasure, and the joys of musing. For I meant +to shut out the brook, and build my fence inside of it; +but Lorna said no; if we must have a fence, which could +not but be injury, at any rate leave the stream inside, +and a pleasant bank beyond it. And soon I perceived +that she was right, though not so much as afterwards; +for the fairest of all things in a garden, and in +summer-time most useful, is a brook of crystal water; +where a man may come and meditate, and the flowers may +lean and see themselves, and the rays of the sun are +purfied. Now partly with her own white hands, and +partly with Gwenny's red ones, Lorna had made of this +sunny spot a haven of beauty to dwell in. It was not +only that colours lay in the harmony we would seek of +them, neither was it the height of plants, sloping to +one another; nor even the delicate tone of foliage +following suit, and neighbouring. Even the breathing +of the wind, soft and gentle in and out, moving things +that need not move, and passing longer-stalked ones, +even this was not enough among the flush of fragrance, +to tell a man the reason of his quiet satisfaction. +But so it shall for ever be. As the river we float +upon (with wine, and flowers, and music,) is nothing at +the well-spring but a bubble without reason. + +Feeling many things, but thinking without much to guide +me, over the grass-plats laid between, I went up to +Lorna. She in a shower of damask roses, raised her +eyes and looked at me. And even now, in those sweet +eyes, so deep with loving-kindness, and soft maiden +dreamings, there seemed to be a slight unwilling, half +confessed withdrawal; overcome by love and duty, yet a +painful thing to see. + +'Darling,' I said, 'are your spirits good? Are you +strong enough to-day, to bear a tale of cruel sorrow; +but which perhaps, when your tears are shed, will leave +you all the happier?' + +'What can you mean?' she answered trembling, not having +been vey strong of late, and now surprised at my +manner; 'are you come to give me up, John?' + +'Not very likely,' I replied; 'neither do I hope such a +thing would leave you all the happier. Oh, Lorna, if +you can think that so quickly as you seem to have done, +now you have every prospect and strong temptation to +it. You are far, far above me in the world, and I have +no right to claim you. Perhaps, when you have heard +these tidings you will say, "John Ridd, begone; your +life and mine are parted."' + +'Will I?' cried Lorna, with all the brightness of her +playful ways returning: 'you very foolish and jealous +John, how shall I punish you for this? Am I to forsake +every flower I have, and not even know that the world +goes round, while I look up at you, the whole day long +and say, "John, I love, love, love you?"' + +During these words she leaned upon me, half in gay +imitation of what I had so often made her do, and half +in depth of earnestness, as the thrice-repeated word +grew stronger, and grew warmer, with and to her heart. +And as she looked up at the finish, saying, 'you,' so +musically, I was much inclined to clasp her round; but +remembering who she was, forbore; at which she seemed +surprised with me. + +'Mistress Lorna, I replied, with I know not what +temptation, making little of her caresses, though more +than all my heart to me: 'Mistress Lorna, you must keep +your rank and proper dignity. You must never look at +me with anything but pity now.' + +'I shall look at you with pity, John,' said Lorna, +trying to laugh it off, yet not knowing what to make of +me, 'if you talk any more of this nonsense, knowing me +as you ought to do. I shall even begin to think that +you, and your friends, are weary of me, and of so long +supporting me; and are only seeking cause to send me +back to my old misery. If it be so, I will go. My +life matters little to any one.' Here the great bright +tears arose; but the maiden was too proud to sob. + +'Sweetest of all sweet loves,' I cried, for the sign of +a tear defeated me; 'what possibility could make me +ever give up Lorna?' + +'Dearest of all dears,' she answered; 'if you dearly +love me, what possibility could ever make me give you +up, dear?' + +Upon that there was no more forbearing, but I kissed +and clasped her, whether she were Countess, or whether +Queen of England; mine she was, at least in heart; and +mine she should be wholly. And she being of the same +opinion, nothing was said between us. + +'Now, Lorna,' said I, as she hung on my arm, willing to +trust me anywhere, 'come to your little plant-house, +and hear my moving story.' + +'No story can move me much, dear,' she answered rather +faintly, for any excitement stayed with her; 'since I +know your strength of kindness, scarcely any tale can +move me, unless it be of yourself, love; or of my poor +mother.' + +'It is of your poor mother, darling. Can you bear to +hear it?' And yet I wondered why she did not say as +much of her father. + +'Yes, I can bear anything. But although I cannot see +her, and have long forgotten, I could not bear to hear +ill of her.' + +'There is no ill to hear, sweet child, except of evil +done to her. Lorna, you are of an ill-starred race.' + +'Better that than a wicked race,' she answered with her +usual quickness, leaping at conclusion; 'tell me I am +not a Doone, and I will--but I cannot love you more.' + +'You are not a Doone, my Lorna, for that, at least, I +can answer; though I know not what your name is.' + +'And my father--your father--what I mean is--' + +'Your father and mine never met one another. Your +father was killed by an accident in the Pyrenean +mountains, and your mother by the Doones; or at least +they caused her death, and carried you away from her.' + +All this, coming as in one breath upon the sensitive +maiden, was more than she could bear all at once; as +any but a fool like me must of course have known. She +lay back on the garden bench, with her black hair shed +on the oaken bark, while her colour went and came and +only by that, and her quivering breath, could any one +say that she lived and thought. And yet she pressed my +hand with hers, that I might tell her all of it. + + + +CHAPTER LVI + +JOHN BECOMES TOO POPULAR + +No flower that I have ever seen, either in shifting of +light and shade, or in the pearly morning, may vie with +a fair young woman's face when tender thought and quick +emotion vary, enrich, and beautify it. Thus my Lorna +hearkened softly, almost without word or gesture, yet +with sighs and glances telling, and the pressure of my +hand, how each word was moving her. + +When at last my tale was done, she turned away, and +wept bitterly for the sad fate of her parents. But to +my surprise she spoke not even a word of wrath or +rancour. She seemed to take it all as fate. + +'Lorna, darling,' I said at length, for men are more +impatient in trials of time than women are, 'do you not +even wish to know what your proper name is?' + +'How can it matter to me, John?' she answered, with a +depth of grief which made me seem a trifler. 'It can +never matter now, when there are none to share it.' + +'Poor little soul!' was all I said in a tone of purest +pity; and to my surprise she turned upon me, caught me +in her arms, and loved me as she had never done before. + +'Dearest, I have you,' she cried; 'you, and only you, +love. Having you I want no other. All my life is one +with yours. Oh, John, how can I treat you so?' + +Blushing through the wet of weeping, and the gloom of +pondering, yet she would not hide her eyes, but folded +me, and dwelled on me. + +'I cannot believe,' in the pride of my joy, I whispered +into one little ear, 'that you could ever so love me, +beauty, as to give up the world for me.' + +'Would you give up your farm for me, John?' cried +Lorna, leaping back and looking, with her wondrous +power of light at me; 'would you give up your mother, +your sisters, your home, and all that you have in the +world and every hope of your life, John?' + +'Of course I would. Without two thoughts. You know +it; you know it, Lorna.' + +'It is true that I do, 'she answered in a tone of +deepest sadness; 'and it is this power of your love +which has made me love you so. No good can come of +it, no good. God's face is set against selfishness.' + +As she spoke in that low tone I gazed at the clear +lines of her face (where every curve was perfect) not +with love and wonder only, but with a strange new sense +of awe. + +'Darling,' I said, 'come nearer to me. Give me surety +against that. For God's sake never frighten me with +the thought that He would part us.' + +'Does it then so frighten you?' she whispered, coming +close to me; 'I know it, dear; I have known it long; +but it never frightens me. It makes me sad, and very +lonely, till I can remember.' + +'Till you can remember what?' I asked, with a long, +deep shudder; for we are so superstitious. + +'Until I do remember, love, that you will soon come +back to me, and be my own for ever. This is what I +always think of, this is what I hope for.' + +Although her eyes were so glorious, and beaming with +eternity, this distant sort of beatitude was not much +to my liking. I wanted to have my love on earth; and +my dear wife in my own home; and children in good time, +if God should please to send us any. And then I would +be to them, exactly what my father was to me. And +beside all this, I doubted much about being fit for +heaven; where no ploughs are, and no cattle, unless +sacrificed bulls went thither. + +Therefore I said, 'Now kiss me, Lorna; and don't talk +any nonsense.' And the darling came and did it; being +kindly obedient, as the other world often makes us. + +'You sweet love,' I said at this, being slave to her +soft obedience; 'do you suppose I should be content to +leave you until Elysium?' + +'How on earth can I tell, dear John, what you will be +content with?' + +'You, and only you,' said I; 'the whole of it lies in a +syllable. Now you know my entire want; and want must +be my comfort.' + +'But surely if I have money, sir, and birth, and rank, +and all sorts of grandeur, you would never dare to +think of me.' + +She drew herself up with an air of pride, as she +gravely pronounced these words, and gave me a scornful +glance, or tried; and turned away as if to enter some +grand coach or palace; while I was so amazed and +grieved in my raw simplicity especially after the way +in which she had first received my news, so loving and +warm-hearted, that I never said a word, but stared and +thought, 'How does she mean it?' + +She saw the pain upon my forehead, and the wonder in my +eyes, and leaving coach and palace too, back she flew +to me in a moment, as simple as simplest milkmaid. + +'Oh, you fearful stupid, John, you inexpressibly +stupid, John,' she cried with both arms round my neck, +and her lips upon my forehead; 'you have called +yourself thick-headed, John, and I never would believe +it. But now I do with all my heart. Will you never +know what I am, love?' + +'No, Lorna, that I never shall. I can understand my +mother well, and one at least of my sisters, and both +the Snowe girls very easily, but you I never +understand; only love you all the more for it.' + +'Then never try to understand me, if the result is +that, dear John. And yet I am the very simplest of all +foolish simple creatures. Nay, I am wrong; therein I +yield the palm to you, my dear. To think that I can +act so! No wonder they want me in London, as an +ornament for the stage, John.' + +Now in after days, when I heard of Lorna as the +richest, and noblest, and loveliest lady to be found in +London, I often remembered that little scene, and +recalled every word and gesture, wondering what lay +under it. Even now, while it was quite impossible once +to doubt those clear deep eyes, and the bright lips +trembling so; nevertheless I felt how much the world +would have to do with it; and that the best and truest +people cannot shake themselves quite free. However, +for the moment, I was very proud and showed it. + +And herein differs fact from fancy, things as they +befall us from things as we would have them, human ends +from human hopes; that the first are moved by a +thousand and the last on two wheels only, which (being +named) are desire and fear. Hope of course is nothing +more than desire with a telescope, magnifying distant +matters, overlooking near ones; opening one eye on the +objects, closing the other to all objections. And if +hope be the future tense of desire, the future of fear +is religion--at least with too many of us. + +Whether I am right or wrong in these small moralities, +one thing is sure enough, to wit, that hope is the +fastest traveller, at any rate, in the time of youth. +And so I hoped that Lorna might be proved of blameless +family, and honourable rank and fortune; and yet none +the less for that, love me and belong to me. So I led +her into the house, and she fell into my mother's arms; +and I left them to have a good cry of it, with Annie +ready to help them. + +If Master Stickles should not mend enough to gain his +speech a little, and declare to us all he knew, I was +to set out for Watchett, riding upon horseback, and +there to hire a cart with wheels, such as we had not +begun, as yet, to use on Exmoor. For all our work went +on broad wood, with runners and with earthboards; and +many of us still looked upon wheels (though mentioned +in the Bible) as the invention of the evil one, and +Pharoah's especial property. + +Now, instead of getting better, Colonel Stickles grew +worse and worse, in spite of all our tendance of him, +with simples and with nourishment, and no poisonous +medicine, such as doctors would have given him. And +the fault of this lay not with us, but purely with +himself and his unquiet constitution. For he roused +himself up to a perfect fever, when through Lizzie's +giddiness he learned the very thing which mother and +Annie were hiding from him, with the utmost care; +namely, that Sergeant Bloxham had taken upon himself to +send direct to London by the Chancery officers, a full +report of what had happened, and of the illness of his +chief, together with an urgent prayer for a full +battalion of King's troops, and a plenary commander. + +This Sergeant Bloxham, being senior of the surviving +soldiers, and a very worthy man in his way, but a +trifle over-zealous, had succeeded to the captaincy +upon his master's disablement. Then, with desire to +serve his country and show his education, he sat up +most part of three nights, and wrote this very +wonderful report by the aid of our stable lanthorn. It +was a very fine piece of work, as three men to whom he +read it (but only one at a time) pronounced, being +under seal of secrecy. And all might have gone well +with it, if the author could only have held his tongue, +when near the ears of women. But this was beyond his +sense as it seems, although so good a writer. For +having heard that our Lizzie was a famous judge of +literature (as indeed she told almost every one), he +could not contain himself, but must have her opinion +upon his work. + +Lizzie sat on a log of wood, and listened with all her +ears up, having made proviso that no one else should be +there to interrupt her. And she put in a syllable here +and there, and many a time she took out one (for the +Sergeant overloaded his gun, more often than +undercharged it; like a liberal man of letters), and +then she declared the result so good, so chaste, and +the style to be so elegant, and yet so fervent, that +the Sergeant broke his pipe in three, and fell in love +with her on the spot. Now this has led me out of my +way; as things are always doing, partly through their +own perverseness, partly through my kind desire to give +fair turn to all of them, and to all the people who do +them. If any one expects of me a strict and +well-drilled story, standing 'at attention' all the +time, with hands at the side like two wens on my trunk, +and eyes going neither right nor left; I trow that man +has been disappointed many a page ago, and has left me +to my evil ways; and if not, I love his charity. +Therefore let me seek his grace, and get back, and just +begin again. + +That great despatch was sent to London by the Chancery +officers, whom we fitted up with clothes, and for three +days fattened them; which in strict justice they needed +much, as well as in point of equity. They were kind +enough to be pleased with us, and accepted my new +shirts generously; and urgent as their business was, +another week (as they both declared) could do no harm +to nobody, and might set them upon their legs again. +And knowing, although they were London men, that fish +do live in water, these two fellows went fishing all +day, but never landed anything. However, their holiday +was cut short; for the Sergeant, having finished now +his narrative of proceedings, was not the man to let it +hang fire, and be quenched perhaps by Stickles. + +Therefore, having done their business, and served both +citations, these two good men had a pannier of victuals +put up by dear Annie, and borrowing two of our horses, +rode to Dunster, where they left them, and hired on +towards London. We had not time to like them much, and +so we did not miss them, especially in our great +anxiety about poor Master Stickles. + +Jeremy lay between life and death, for at least a +fortnight. If the link of chain had flown upwards (for +half a link of chain it was which took him in the mouth +so), even one inch upwards, the poor man could have +needed no one except Parson Bowden; for the bottom of +his skull, which holds the brain as in the egg-cup, +must have clean gone from him. But striking him +horizontally, and a little upon the skew, the metal +came out at the back of his neck, and (the powder not +being strong, I suppose) it lodged in his leather +collar. + +Now the rust of this iron hung in the wound, or at +least we thought so; though since I have talked with a +man of medicine, I am not so sure of it. And our chief +aim was to purge this rust; when rather we should have +stopped the hole, and let the oxide do its worst, with +a plug of new flesh on both sides of it. + +At last I prevailed upon him by argument, that he must +get better, to save himself from being ignobly and +unjustly superseded; and hereupon I reviled Sergeant +Bloxham more fiercely than Jeremy's self could have +done, and indeed to such a pitch that Jeremy almost +forgave him, and became much milder. And after that +his fever and the inflammation of his wound, diminished +very rapidly. + +However, not knowing what might happen, or even how +soon poor Lorna might be taken from our power, and, +falling into lawyers' hands, have cause to wish herself +most heartily back among the robbers, I set forth one +day for Watchett, taking advantage of the visit of some +troopers from an outpost, who would make our house +quite safe. I rode alone, being fully primed, and +having no misgivings. For it was said that even the +Doones had begun to fear me, since I cast their +culverin through the door, as above related; and they +could not but believe, from my being still untouched +(although so large an object) in the thickest of their +fire, both of gun and cannon, that I must bear a +charmed life, proof against ball and bullet. However, +I knew that Carver Doone was not a likely man to hold +any superstitious opinions; and of him I had an +instinctive dread, although quite ready to face him. + +Riding along, I meditated upon Lorna's history; how +many things were now beginning to unfold themselves, +which had been obscure and dark! For instance, Sir +Ensor Doone's consent, or to say the least his +indifference, to her marriage with a yeoman; which in a +man so proud (though dying) had greatly puzzled both of +us. But now, if she not only proved to be no +grandchild of the Doone, but even descended from his +enemy, it was natural enough that he should feel no +great repugnance to her humiliation. And that Lorna's +father had been a foe to the house of Doone I gathered +from her mother's cry when she beheld their leader. +Moreover that fact would supply their motive in +carrying off the unfortunate little creature, and +rearing her among them, and as one of their own family; +yet hiding her true birth from her. She was a 'great +card,' as we say, when playing All-fours at +Christmas-time; and if one of them could marry her, +before she learned of right and wrong, vast property, +enough to buy pardons for a thousand Doones, would be +at their mercy. And since I was come to know Lorna +better, and she to know me thoroughly--many things had +been outspoken, which her early bashfulness had kept +covered from me. Attempts I mean to pledge her love +to this one, or that other; some of which perhaps might +have been successful, if there had not been too many. + +And then, as her beauty grew richer and brighter, +Carver Doone was smitten strongly, and would hear of no +one else as a suitor for her; and by the terror of his +claim drove off all the others. Here too may the +explanation of a thing which seemed to be against the +laws of human nature, and upon which I longed, but +dared not to cross-question Lorna. How could such a +lovely girl, although so young, and brave, and distant, +have escaped the vile affections of a lawless company? + +But now it was as clear as need be. For any proven +violence would have utterly vitiated all claim upon her +grand estate; at least as those claims must be urged +before a court of equity. And therefore all the elders +(with views upon her real estate) kept strict watch on +the youngers, who confined their views to her +personality. + +Now I do not mean to say that all this, or the hundred +other things which came, crowding consideration, were +half as plain to me at the time, as I have set them +down above. Far be it from me to deceive you so. No +doubt my thoughts were then dark and hazy, like an +oil-lamp full of fungus; and I have trimmed them, as +when they burned, with scissors sharpened long +afterwards. All I mean to say is this, that jogging +along to a certain tune of the horse's feet, which we +call 'three-halfpence and twopence,' I saw my way a +little into some things which had puzzled me. + +When I knocked at the little door, whose sill was +gritty and grimed with sand, no one came for a very +long time to answer me, or to let me in. Not wishing +to be unmannerly, I waited a long time, and watched the +sea, from which the wind was blowing; and whose many +lips of waves--though the tide was half-way out--spoke +to and refreshed me. After a while I knocked again, +for my horse was becoming hungry; and a good while +after that again, a voice came through the key-hole,-- + +'Who is that wishes to enter?' + +'The boy who was at the pump,' said I, 'when the +carriage broke down at Dulverton. The boy that lives +at oh--ah; and some day you would come seek for him.' + +'Oh, yes, I remember certainly. My leetle boy, with +the fair white skin. I have desired to see him, oh +many, yes, many times.' + +She was opening the door, while saying this, and then +she started back in affright that the little boy should +have grown so. + +'You cannot be that leetle boy. It is quite +impossible. Why do you impose on me?' + +'Not only am I that little boy, who made the water to +flow for you, till the nebule came upon the glass; but +also I am come to tell you all about your little girl.' + +'Come in, you very great leetle boy,' she answered, +with her dark eyes brightened. And I went in, and +looked at her. She was altered by time, as much as I +was. The slight and graceful shape was gone; not that +I remembered anything of her figure, if you please; for +boys of twelve are not yet prone to note the shapes of +women; but that her lithe straight gait had struck me +as being so unlike our people. Now her time for +walking so was past, and transmitted to her children. +Yet her face was comely still, and full of strong +intelligence. I gazed at her, and she at me; and we +were sure of one another. + +'Now what will ye please to eat?' she asked, with a +lively glance at the size of my mouth: 'that is always +the first thing you people ask, in these barbarous +places.' + +'I will tell you by-and-by,' I answered, misliking this +satire upon us; 'but I might begin with a quart of ale, +to enable me to speak, madam.' + +'Very well. One quevart of be-or;' she called out to a +little maid, who was her eldest child, no doubt. 'It +is to be expected, sir. Be-or, be-or, be-or, all day +long, with you Englishmen!' + +'Nay,' I replied, 'not all day long, if madam will +excuse me. Only a pint at breakfast-time, and a pint +and a half at eleven o'clock, and a quart or so at +dinner. And then no more till the afternoon; and half +a gallon at supper-time. No one can object to that.' + +'Well, I suppose it is right,' she said, with an air +of resignation; 'God knows. But I do not understand +it. It is "good for business," as you say, to preclude +everything.' + +'And it is good for us, madam,' I answered with +indignation, for beer is my favourite beverage; 'and I +am a credit to beer, madam; and so are all who trust to +it.' + +'At any rate, you are, young man. If beer has made you +grow so large, I will put my children upon it; it is +too late for me to begin. The smell to me is hateful.' + +Now I only set down that to show how perverse those +foreign people are. They will drink their wretched +heartless stuff, such as they call claret, or wine of +Medoc, or Bordeaux, or what not, with no more meaning +than sour rennet, stirred with the pulp from the cider +press, and strained through the cap of our Betty. This +is very well for them; and as good as they deserve, no +doubt, and meant perhaps by the will of God, for those +unhappy natives. But to bring it over to England and +set it against our home-brewed ale (not to speak of +wines from Portugal) and sell it at ten times the +price, as a cure for British bile, and a great +enlightenment; this I say is the vilest feature of the +age we live in. + +Madam Benita Odam--for the name of the man who turned +the wheel proved to be John Odam--showed me into a +little room containing two chairs and a fir-wood table, +and sat down on a three-legged seat and studied me very +steadfastly. This she had a right to do; and I, having +all my clothes on now, was not disconcerted. It would +not become me to repeat her judgment upon my +appearance, which she delivered as calmly as if I were +a pig at market, and as proudly as if her own pig. And +she asked me whether I had ever got rid of the black +marks on my breast. + +Not wanting to talk about myself (though very fond of +doing so, when time and season favour) I led her back +to that fearful night of the day when first I had seen +her. She was not desirous to speak of it, because of +her own little children; however, I drew her gradually +to recollection of Lorna, and then of the little boy +who died, and the poor mother buried with him. And her +strong hot nature kindled, as she dwelled upon these +things; and my wrath waxed within me; and we forgot +reserve and prudence under the sense of so vile a +wrong. She told me (as nearly as might be) the very +same story which she had told to Master Jeremy +Stickles; only she dwelled upon it more, because of my +knowing the outset. And being a woman, with an inkling +of my situation, she enlarged upon the little maid, +more than to dry Jeremy. + +'Would you know her again?' I asked, being stirred by +these accounts of Lorna, when she was five years old: +'would you know her as a full-grown maiden?' + +'I think I should,' she answered; 'it is not possible +to say until one sees the person; but from the eyes of +the little girl, I think that I must know her. Oh, the +poor young creature! Is it to be believed that the +cannibals devoured her! What a people you are in this +country! Meat, meat, meat!' + +As she raised her hands and eyes in horror at our +carnivorous propensities, to which she clearly +attributed the disappearance of Lorna, I could scarce +help laughing, even after that sad story. For though +it is said at the present day, and will doubtless be +said hereafter, that the Doones had devoured a baby +once, as they came up Porlock hill, after fighting hard +in the market-place, I knew that the tale was utterly +false; for cruel and brutal as they were, their taste +was very correct and choice, and indeed one might say +fastidious. Nevertheless I could not stop to argue +that matter with her. + +'The little maid has not been devoured,' I said to +Mistress Odam: 'and now she is a tall young lady, and +as beautiful as can be. If I sleep in your good hostel +to-night after going to Watchett town, will you come +with me to Oare to-morrow, and see your little maiden?' + +'I would like--and yet I fear. This country is so +barbarous. And I am good to eat--my God, there is much +picking on my bones!' + +She surveyed herself with a glance so mingled of pity +and admiration, and the truth of her words was so +apparent (only that it would have taken a week to get +at the bones, before picking) that I nearly lost good +manners; for she really seemed to suspect even me of +cannibal inclinations. However, at last I made her +promise to come with me on the morrow, presuming that +Master Odam could by any means be persuaded to keep her +company in the cart, as propriety demanded. Having +little doubt that Master Odam was entirely at his +wife's command, I looked upon that matter as settled, +and set off for Watchett, to see the grave of Lorna's +poor mother, and to hire a cart for the morrow. + +And here (as so often happens with men) I succeeded +without any trouble or hindrance, where I had looked +for both of them, namely, in finding a suitable cart; +whereas the other matter, in which I could have +expected no difficulty, came very near to defeat me. +For when I heard that Lorna's father was the Earl of +Dugal--as Benita impressed upon me with a strong +enforcement, as much as to say, 'Who are you, young +man, to come even asking about her?'--then I never +thought but that everybody in Watchett town must know +all about the tombstone of the Countess of Dugal. + +This, however, proved otherwise. For Lord Dugal had +never lived at Watchett Grange, as their place was +called; neither had his name become familiar as its +owner. Because the Grange had only devolved to him by +will, at the end of a long entail, when the last of the +Fitz-Pains died out; and though he liked the idea of +it, he had gone abroad, without taking seisin. And +upon news of his death, John Jones, a rich gentleman +from Llandaff, had taken possession, as next of right, +and hushed up all the story. And though, even at the +worst of times, a lady of high rank and wealth could +not be robbed, and as bad as murdered, and then buried +in a little place, without moving some excitement, yet +it had been given out, on purpose and with diligence, +that this was only a foreign lady travelling for her +health and pleasure, along the seacoast of England. +And as the poor thing never spoke, and several of her +servants and her baggage looked so foreign, and she +herself died in a collar of lace unlike any made in +England, all Watchett, without hesitation, pronounced +her to be a foreigner. And the English serving man +and maid, who might have cleared up everything, either +were bribed by Master Jones, or else decamped of their +own accord with the relics of the baggage. So the poor +Countess of Dugal, almost in sight of her own grand +house, was buried in an unknown grave, with her pair of +infants, without a plate, without a tombstone (worse +than all) without a tear, except from the hired Italian +woman. + +Surely my poor Lorna came of an ill-starred family. + +Now in spite of all this, if I had only taken Benita +with me, or even told her what I wished, and craved her +directions, there could have been no trouble. But I do +assure you that among the stupid people at Watchett +(compared with whom our folk of Oare, exceeding dense +though being, are as Hamlet against Dogberry) what with +one of them and another, and the firm conviction of all +the town that I could be come only to wrestle, I do +assure you (as I said before) that my wits almost went +out of me. And what vexed me yet more about it was, +that I saw my own mistake, in coming myself to seek out +the matter, instead of sending some unknown person. +For my face and form were known at that time (and still +are so) to nine people out of every ten living in forty +miles of me. Not through any excellence, or anything +of good desert, in either the one or the other, but +simply because folks will be fools on the rivalry of +wrestling. The art is a fine one in itself, and +demands a little wit of brain, as well as strength of +body; it binds the man who studies it to temperance, +and chastity, to self-respect, and most of all to an +even and sweet temper; for I have thrown stronger men +than myself (when I was a mere sapling, and before my +strength grew hard on me) through their loss of temper. +But though the art is an honest one, surely they who +excel therein have a right (like all the rest of +man-kind) to their own private life. + +Be that either way--and I will not speak too strongly, +for fear of indulging my own annoyance--anyhow, all +Watchett town cared ten times as much to see John Ridd, +as to show him what he wanted. I was led to every +public-house, instead of to the churchyard; and twenty +tables were ready for me, in lieu of a single +gravestone. 'Zummerzett thou bee'st, Jan Ridd, and +Zummerzett thou shalt be. Thee carl theezell a +Davonsheer man! Whoy, thee lives in Zummerzett; and in +Zummerzett thee wast barn, lad.' And so it went on, +till I was weary; though very much obliged to them. + +Dull and solid as I am, and with a wild duck waiting +for me at good Mistress Odam's, I saw that there was +nothing for it but to yield to these good people, and +prove me a man of Somerset, by eating a dinner at their +expense. As for the churchyard, none would hear of it; +and I grieved for broaching the matter. + +But how was I to meet Lorna again, without having done +the thing of all things which I had promised to see to? +It would never do to tell her that so great was my +popularity, and so strong the desire to feed me, that I +could not attend to her mother. Least of all could I +say that every one in Watchett knew John Ridd; while +none had heard of the Countess of Dugal. And yet that +was about the truth, as I hinted very delicately to +Mistress Odam that evening. But she (being vexed about +her wild duck, and not having English ideas on the +matter of sport, and so on) made a poor unwitting face +at me. Nevertheless Master Odam restored me to my +self-respect; for he stared at me till I went to bed; +and he broke his hose with excitement. For being in +the leg-line myself, I wanted to know what the muscles +were of a man who turned a wheel all day. I had never +seen a treadmill (though they have one now at Exeter), +and it touched me much to learn whether it were good +exercise. And herein, from what I saw of Odam, I +incline to think that it does great harm; as moving the +muscles too much in a line, and without variety. + + + +CHAPTER LVII + +LORNA KNOWS HER NURSE + +Having obtained from Benita Odam a very close and full +description of the place where her poor mistress lay, +and the marks whereby to know it, I hastened to +Watchett the following morning, before the sun was up, +or any people were about. And so, without +interruption, I was in the churchyard at sunrise. + +In the farthest and darkest nook, overgrown with grass, +and overhung by a weeping-tree a little bank of earth +betokened the rounding off of a hapless life. There +was nothing to tell of rank, or wealth, of love, or +even pity; nameless as a peasant lay the last (as +supposed) of a mighty race. Only some unskilful hand, +probably Master Odam's under his wife's teaching, had +carved a rude L., and a ruder D., upon a large pebble +from the beach, and set it up as a headstone. + +I gathered a little grass for Lorna and a sprig of the +weeping-tree, and then returned to the Forest Cat, as +Benita's lonely inn was called. For the way is long +from Watchett to Oare; and though you may ride it +rapidly, as the Doones had done on that fatal night, to +travel on wheels, with one horse only, is a matter of +time and of prudence. Therefore, we set out pretty +early, three of us and a baby, who could not well be +left behind. The wife of the man who owned the cart +had undertaken to mind the business, and the other +babies, upon condition of having the keys of all the +taps left with her. + +As the manner of journeying over the moor has been +described oft enough already, I will say no more, +except that we all arrived before dusk of the summer's +day, safe at Plover's Barrows. Mistress Benita was +delighted with the change from her dull hard life; and +she made many excellent observations, such as seem +natural to a foreigner looking at our country. + +As luck would have it, the first who came to meet us at +the gate was Lorna, with nothing whatever upon her head +(the weather being summerly) but her beautiful hair +shed round her; and wearing a sweet white frock tucked +in, and showing her figure perfectly. In her joy she +ran straight up to the cart; and then stopped and gazed +at Benita. At one glance her old nurse knew her: 'Oh, +the eyes, the eyes!' she cried, and was over the rail +of the cart in a moment, in spite of all her substance. +Lorna, on the other hand, looked at her with some doubt +and wonder, as though having right to know much about +her, and yet unable to do so. But when the foreign +woman said something in Roman language, and flung new +hay from the cart upon her, as if in a romp of +childhood, the young maid cried, 'Oh, Nita, Nita!' and +fell upon her breast, and wept; and after that looked +round at us. + +This being so, there could be no doubt as to the power +of proving Lady Lorna's birth, and rights, both by +evidence and token. For though we had not the necklace +now--thanks to Annie's wisdom--we had the ring of heavy +gold, a very ancient relic, with which my maid (in her +simple way) had pledged herself to me. And Benita knew +this ring as well as she knew her own fingers, having +heard a long history about it; and the effigy on it of +the wild cat was the bearing of the house of Lorne. + +For though Lorna's father was a nobleman of high and +goodly lineage, her mother was of yet more ancient and +renowned descent, being the last in line direct from +the great and kingly chiefs of Lorne. A wild and +headstrong race they were, and must have everything +their own way. Hot blood was ever among them, even of +one household; and their sovereignty (which more than +once had defied the King of Scotland) waned and fell +among themselves, by continual quarrelling. And it was +of a piece with this, that the Doones (who were an +offset, by the mother's side, holding in co- +partnership some large property, which had come by the +spindle, as we say) should fall out with the Earl of +Lorne, the last but one of that title. + +The daughter of this nobleman had married Sir Ensor +Doone; but this, instead of healing matters, led to +fiercer conflict. I never could quite understand all +the ins and outs of it; which none but a lawyer may go +through, and keep his head at the end of it. The +motives of mankind are plainer than the motions they +produce. Especially when charity (such as found among +us) sits to judge the former, and is never weary of it; +while reason does not care to trace the latter +complications, except for fee or title. + +Therefore it is enough to say, that knowing Lorna to be +direct in heirship to vast property, and bearing +especial spite against the house of which she was the +last, the Doones had brought her up with full intention +of lawful marriage; and had carefully secluded her from +the wildest of their young gallants. Of course, if +they had been next in succession, the child would have +gone down the waterfall, to save any further trouble; +but there was an intercepting branch of some honest +family; and they being outlaws, would have a poor +chance (though the law loves outlaws) against them. +Only Lorna was of the stock; and Lorna they must marry. +And what a triumph against the old earl, for a cursed +Doone to succeed him! + +As for their outlawry, great robberies, and grand +murders, the veriest child, nowadays, must know that +money heals the whole of that. Even if they had +murdered people of a good position, it would only cost +about twice as much to prove their motives loyal. But +they had never slain any man above the rank of yeoman; +and folk even said that my father was the highest of +their victims; for the death of Lorna's mother and +brother was never set to their account. + +Pure pleasure it is to any man, to reflect upon all +these things. How truly we discern clear justice, and +how well we deal it. If any poor man steals a sheep, +having ten children starving, and regarding it as +mountain game (as a rich man does a hare), to the +gallows with him. If a man of rank beats down a door, +smites the owner upon the head, and honours the wife +with attention, it is a thing to be grateful for, and +to slouch smitten head the lower. + +While we were full of all these things, and wondering +what would happen next, or what we ought ourselves to +do, another very important matter called for our +attention. This was no less than Annie's marriage to +the Squire Faggus. We had tried to put it off again; +for in spite of all advantages, neither my mother nor +myself had any real heart for it. Not that we dwelled +upon Tom's short-comings or rather perhaps his going +too far, at the time when he worked the road so. All +that was covered by the King's pardon, and universal +respect of the neighbourhood. But our scruple was +this--and the more we talked the more it grew upon us-- +that we both had great misgivings as to his future +steadiness. + +For it would be a thousand pities, we said, for a fine, +well-grown, and pretty maiden (such as our Annie was), +useful too, in so many ways, and lively, and +warm-hearted, and mistress of 500 pounds, to throw +herself away on a man with a kind of a turn for +drinking. If that last were even hinted, Annie would +be most indignant, and ask, with cheeks as red as +roses, who had ever seen Master Faggus any the worse +for liquor indeed? Her own opinion was, in truth, that +be took a great deal too little, after all his hard +work, and hard riding, and coming over the hills to be +insulted! And if ever it lay in her power, and with no +one to grudge him his trumpery glass, she would see +that poor Tom had the nourishment which his cough and +his lungs required. + +His lungs being quite as sound as mine, this matter was +out of all argument; so mother and I looked at one +another, as much as to say, 'let her go upstairs, she +will cry and come down more reasonable.' And while she +was gone, we used to say the same thing over and over +again; but without perceiving a cure for it. And we +almost always finished up with the following +reflection, which sometimes came from mother's lips, +and sometimes from my own: 'Well, well, there is no +telling. None can say how a man may alter; when he +takes to matrimony. But if we could only make Annie +promise to be a little firm with him!' + +I fear that all this talk on our part only hurried +matters forward, Annie being more determined every time +we pitied her. And at last Tom Faggus came, and spoke +as if he were on the King's road, with a pistol at my +head, and one at mother's. 'No more fast and loose,' +he cried. 'either one thing or the other. I love the +maid, and she loves me; and we will have one another, +either with your leave, or without it. How many more +times am I to dance over these vile hills, and leave my +business, and get nothing more than a sigh or a kiss, +and "Tom, I must wait for mother"? You are famous for +being straightforward, you Ridds. Just treat me as I +would treat you now.' + +I looked at my mother; for a glance from her would have +sent Tom out of the window; but she checked me with her +hand, and said, 'You have some ground of complaint, +sir; I will not deny it. Now I will be as +straight-forward with you, as even a Ridd is supposed +to be. My son and myself have all along disliked your +marriage with Annie. Not for what you have been so +much, as for what we fear you will be. Have patience, +one moment, if you please. We do not fear your taking +to the highway life again; for that you are too clever, +no doubt, now that you have property. But we fear that +you will take to drinking, and to squandering money. +There are many examples of this around us; and we know +what the fate of the wife is. It has been hard to tell +you this, under our own roof, and with our own--' Here +mother hesitated. + +'Spirits, and cider, and beer,' I broke in; 'out with +it, like a Ridd, mother; as he will have all of it.' + +'Spirits, and cider, and beer,' said mother very firmly +after me; and then she gave way and said, 'You know, +Tom, you are welcome to every drop and more of it.' + +Now Tom must have had a far sweeter temper than ever I +could claim; for I should have thrust my glass away, +and never have taken another drop in the house where +such a check had met me. But instead of that, Master +Faggus replied, with a pleasant smile,-- + +'I know that I am welcome, good mother; and to prove +it, I will have some more.' + +And thereupon be mixed himself another glass of +hollands with lemon and hot water, yet pouring it very +delicately. + +'Oh, I have been so miserable--take a little more, +Tom,' said mother, handing the bottle. + +'Yes, take a little more,' I said; 'you have mixed it +over weak, Tom.' + +'If ever there was a sober man,' cried Tom, complying +with our request; 'if ever there was in Christendom a +man of perfect sobriety, that man is now before you. +Shall we say to-morrow week, mother? It will suit your +washing day.' + +'How very thoughtful you are, Tom! Now John would never +have thought of that, in spite of all his steadiness.' + +'Certainly not,' I answered proudly; 'when my time +comes for Lorna, I shall not study Betty Muxworthy.' + +In this way the Squire got over us; and Farmer Nicholas +Snowe was sent for, to counsel with mother about the +matter and to set his two daughters sewing. + +When the time for the wedding came, there was such a +stir and commotion as had never been known in the +parish of Oare since my father's marriage. For Annie's +beauty and kindliness had made her the pride of the +neighbourhood; and the presents sent her, from all +around, were enough to stock a shop with. Master +Stickles, who now could walk, and who certainly owed +his recovery, with the blessing of God, to Annie, +presented her with a mighty Bible, silver-clasped, and +very handsome, beating the parson's out and out, and +for which he had sent to Taunton. Even the common +troopers, having tasted her cookery many times (to help +out their poor rations), clubbed together, and must +have given at least a week's pay apiece, to have turned +out what they did for her. This was no less than a +silver pot, well-designed, but suited surely rather to +the bridegroom's taste than bride's. In a word, +everybody gave her things. + +And now my Lorna came to me, with a spring of tears in +appealing eyes--for she was still somewhat childish, or +rather, I should say, more childish now than when she +lived in misery--and she placed her little hand in +mine, and she was half afraid to speak, and dropped her +eyes for me to ask. + +'What is it, little darling?' I asked, as I saw her +breath come fast; for the smallest emotion moved her +form. + +'You don't think, John, you don't think, dear, that you +could lend me any money?' + +'All I have got,' I answered; 'how much do you want, +dear heart?' + +'I have been calculating; and I fear that I cannot do +any good with less than ten pounds, John.' + +Here she looked up at me, with horror at the grandeur +of the sum, and not knowing what I could think of it. +But I kept my eyes from her. 'Ten pounds!' I said in +my deepest voice, on purpose to have it out in comfort, +when she should be frightened; 'what can you want with +ten pounds, child?' + +'That is my concern, said Lorna, plucking up her spirit +at this: 'when a lady asks for a loan, no gentleman +pries into the cause of her asking it.' + +'That may be as may be,' I answered in a judicial +manner; 'ten pounds, or twenty, you shall have. But I +must know the purport.' + +'Then that you never shall know, John. I am very sorry +for asking you. It is not of the smallest consequence. +Oh, dear, no.' Herewith she was running away. + +'Oh, dear, yes,' I replied; 'it is of very great +consequence; and I understand the whole of it. You +want to give that stupid Annie, who has lost you a +hundred thousand pounds, and who is going to be married +before us, dear--God only can tell why, being my +younger sister--you want to give her a wedding present. +And you shall do it, darling; because it is so good of +you. Don't you know your title, love? How humble you +are with us humble folk. You are Lady Lorna something, +so far as I can make out yet: and you ought not even to +speak to us. You will go away and disdain us.' + +'If you please, talk not like that, John. I will have +nothing to do with it, if it comes between you and me, +John.' + +'You cannot help yourself,' said I. And then she vowed +that she could and would. And rank and birth were +banished from between our lips in no time. + +'What can I get her good enough? I am sure I do not +know,' she asked: 'she has been so kind and good to me, +and she is such a darling. How I shall miss her, to be +sure! By the bye, you seem to think, John, that I shall +be rich some day.' + +'Of course you will. As rich as the French King who +keeps ours. Would the Lord Chancellor trouble himself +about you, if you were poor?' + +'Then if I am rich, perhaps you would lend me twenty +pounds, dear John. Ten pounds would be very mean for a +wealthy person to give her.' + +To this I agreed, upon condition that I should make the +purchase myself, whatever it might be. For nothing +could be easier than to cheat Lorna about the cost, +until time should come for her paying me. And this was +better than to cheat her for the benefit of our family. +For this end, and for many others, I set off to +Dulverton, bearing more commissions, more messages, and +more questions than a man of thrice my memory might +carry so far as the corner where the sawpit is. And to +make things worse, one girl or other would keep on +running up to me, or even after me (when started) with +something or other she had just thought of, which she +could not possibly do without, and which I must be sure +to remember, as the most important of the whole. + +To my dear mother, who had partly outlived the +exceeding value of trifles, the most important matter +seemed to ensure Uncle Reuben's countenance and +presence at the marriage. And if I succeeded in this, +I might well forget all the maidens' trumpery. This +she would have been wiser to tell me when they were out +of hearing; for I left her to fight her own battle with +them; and laughing at her predicament, promised to do +the best I could for all, so far as my wits would go. + +Uncle Reuben was not at home, but Ruth, who received me +very kindly, although without any expressions of joy, +was sure of his return in the afternoon, and persuaded +me to wait for him. And by the time that I had +finished all I could recollect of my orders, even with +paper to help me, the old gentleman rode into the yard, +and was more surprised than pleased to see me. But if +he was surprised, I was more than that--I was utterly +astonished at the change in his appearance since the +last time I had seen him. From a hale, and rather +heavy man, gray-haired, but plump, and ruddy, he was +altered to a shrunken, wizened, trembling, and almost +decrepit figure. Instead of curly and comely locks, +grizzled indeed, but plentiful, he had only a few lank +white hairs scattered and flattened upon his forehead. +But the greatest change of all was in the expression of +his eyes, which had been so keen, and restless, and +bright, and a little sarcastic. Bright indeed they +still were, but with a slow unhealthy lustre; their +keenness was turned to perpetual outlook, their +restlessness to a haggard want. As for the humour +which once gleamed there (which people who fear it call +sarcasm) it had been succeeded by stares of terror, and +then mistrust, and shrinking. There was none of the +interest in mankind, which is needful even for satire. + +'Now what can this be?' thought I to myself, 'has the +old man lost all his property, or taken too much to +strong waters?' + +'Come inside, John Ridd,' he said; 'I will have a talk +with you. It is cold out here; and it is too light. +Come inside, John Ridd, boy.' + +I followed him into a little dark room, quite different +from Ruth Huckaback's. It was closed from the shop by +an old division of boarding, hung with tanned canvas; +and the smell was very close and faint. Here there was +a ledger desk, and a couple of chairs, and a +long-legged stool. + +'Take the stool,' said Uncle Reuben, showing me in very +quietly, 'it is fitter for your height, John. Wait a +moment; there is no hurry.' + +Then he slipped out by another door, and closing it +quickly after him, told the foreman and waiting-men +that the business of the day was done. They had better +all go home at once; and he would see to the +fastenings. Of course they were only too glad to go; +but I wondered at his sending them, with at least two +hours of daylight left. + +However, that was no business of mine, and I waited, +and pondered whether fair Ruth ever came into this +dirty room, and if so, how she kept her hands from it. +For Annie would have had it upside down in about two +minutes, and scrubbed, and brushed, and dusted, until +it looked quite another place; and yet all this done +without scolding and crossness; which are the curse of +clean women, and ten times worse than the dustiest +dust. + +Uncle Ben came reeling in, not from any power of +liquor, but because he was stiff from horseback, and +weak from work and worry. + +'Let me be, John, let me be,' he said, as I went to +help him; 'this is an unkind dreary place; but many a +hundred of good gold Carolus has been turned in this +place, John.' + +'Not a doubt about it, sir,' I answered in my loud and +cheerful manner; 'and many another hundred, sir; and +may you long enjoy them!' + +'My boy, do you wish me to die?' he asked, coming up +close to my stool, and regarding me with a shrewd +though blear-eyed gaze; 'many do. Do you, John?' + +'Come,' said I, 'don't ask such nonsense. You know +better than that, Uncle Ben. Or else, I am sorry for +you. I want you to live as long as possible, for the +sake of--' Here I stopped. + +'For the sake of what, John? I knew it is not for my +own sake. For the sake of what, my boy?' + +'For the sake of Ruth,' I answered; 'if you must have +all the truth. Who is to mind her when you are gone?' + +'But if you knew that I had gold, or a manner of +getting gold, far more than ever the sailors got out of +the Spanish galleons, far more than ever was heard of; +and the secret was to be yours, John; yours after me +and no other soul's--then you would wish me dead, +John.' Here he eyed me as if a speck of dust in my eyes +should not escape him. + +'You are wrong, Uncle Ben; altogether wrong. For all +the gold ever heard or dreamed of, not a wish would +cross my heart to rob you of one day of life.' + +At last he moved his eyes from mine; but without any +word, or sign, to show whether he believed, or +disbelieved. Then he went to a chair, and sat with his +chin upon the ledger-desk; as if the effort of probing +me had been too much for his weary brain. 'Dreamed +of! All the gold ever dreamed of! As if it were but a +dream!' he muttered; and then he closed his eyes to +think. + +'Good Uncle Reuben,' I said to him, 'you have been a +long way to-day, sir. Let me go and get you a glass +of good wine. Cousin Ruth knows where to find it.' + +'How do you know how far I have been?' he asked, with a +vicious look at me. 'And Cousin Ruth! You are very pat +with my granddaughter's name, young man!' + +'It would be hard upon me, sir, not to know my own +cousin's name.' + +'Very well. Let that go by. You have behaved very +badly to Ruth. She loves you; and you love her not.' + +At this I was so wholly amazed--not at the thing +itself, I mean, but at his knowledge of it--that I +could not say a single word; but looked, no doubt, very +foolish. + +'You may well be ashamed, young man,' he cried, with +some triumph over me, 'you are the biggest of all +fools, as well as a conceited coxcomb. What can you +want more than Ruth? She is a little damsel, truly; +but finer men than you, John Ridd, with all your +boasted strength and wrestling, have wedded smaller +maidens. And as for quality, and value--bots! one inch +of Ruth is worth all your seven feet put together.' + +Now I am not seven feet high; nor ever was six feet +eight inches, in my very prime of life; and nothing +vexes me so much as to make me out a giant, and above +human sympathy, and human scale of weakness. It cost +me hard to hold my tongue; which luckily is not in +proportion to my stature. And only for Ruth's sake I +held it. But Uncle Ben (being old and worn) was vexed +by not having any answer, almost as much as a woman is. + +'You want me to go on,' he continued, with a look of +spite at me, 'about my poor Ruth's love for you, to +feed your cursed vanity. Because a set of asses call +you the finest man in England; there is no maid (I +suppose) who is not in love with you. I believe you +are as deep as you are long, John Ridd. Shall I ever +get to the bottom of your character?' + +This was a little too much for me. Any insult I could +take (with goodwill) from a white-haired man, and one +who was my relative; unless it touched my love for +Lorna, or my conscious modesty. Now both of these were +touched to the quick by the sentences of the old +gentleman. Therefore, without a word, I went; only +making a bow to him. + +But women who are (beyond all doubt) the mothers of all +mischief, also nurse that babe to sleep, when he is too +noisy. And there was Ruth, as I took my horse (with a +trunk of frippery on him), poor little Ruth was at the +bridle, and rusting all the knops of our town-going +harness with tears. + +'Good-bye dear,' I said, as she bent her head away from +me; 'shall I put you up on the saddle, dear?' + +'Cousin Ridd, you may take it lightly,' said Ruth, +turning full upon me, 'and very likely you are right, +according to your nature'--this was the only cutting +thing the little soul ever said to me--'but oh, Cousin +Ridd, you have no idea of the pain you will leave +behind you.' + +'How can that be so, Ruth, when I am as good as ordered +to be off the premises?' + +'In the first place, Cousin Ridd, grandfather will be +angry with himself, for having so ill-used you. And +now he is so weak and poorly, that he is always +repenting. In the next place I shall scold him first, +until he admits his sorrow; and when he has admitted +it, I shall scold myself for scolding him. And then he +will come round again, and think that I was hard on +him; and end perhaps by hating you--for he is like a +woman now, John.' + +That last little touch of self-knowledge in Ruth, which +she delivered with a gleam of some secret pleasantry, +made me stop and look closely at her: but she pretended +not to know it. 'There is something in this child,' I +thought, 'very different from other girls. What it is +I cannot tell; for one very seldom gets at it.' + +At any rate the upshot was that the good horse went +back to stable, and had another feed of corn, while my +wrath sank within me. There are two things, according +to my experience (which may not hold with another man) +fitted beyond any others to take hot tempers out of us. +The first is to see our favourite creatures feeding, +and licking up their food, and happily snuffling over +it, yet sparing time to be grateful, and showing taste +and perception; the other is to go gardening boldly, in +the spring of the year, without any misgiving about it, +and hoping the utmost of everything. If there be a +third anodyne, approaching these two in power, it is to +smoke good tobacco well, and watch the setting of the +moon; and if this should only be over the sea, the +result is irresistible. + +Master Huckaback showed no especial signs of joy at my +return; but received me with a little grunt, which +appeared to me to mean, 'Ah, I thought he would hardly +be fool enough to go.' I told him how sorry I was for +having in some way offended him; and he answered that I +did well to grieve for one at least of my offences. To +this I made no reply, as behoves a man dealing with +cross and fractious people; and presently he became +better-tempered, and sent little Ruth for a bottle of +wine. She gave me a beautiful smile of thanks for my +forbearance as she passed; and I knew by her manner +that she would bring the best bottle in all the cellar. + +As I had but little time to spare (although the days +were long and light) we were forced to take our wine +with promptitude and rapidity; and whether this +loosened my uncle's tongue, or whether he meant +beforehand to speak, is now almost uncertain. But true +it is that he brought his chair very near to mine, +after three or four glasses, and sent Ruth away upon +some errand which seemed of small importance. At this +I was vexed, for the room always looked so different +without her. + +'Come, Jack,' he said, 'here's your health, young +fellow, and a good and obedient wife to you. Not that +your wife will ever obey you though; you are much too +easy-tempered. Even a bitter and stormy woman might +live in peace with you, Jack. But never you give her +the chance to try. Marry some sweet little thing, if +you can. If not, don't marry any. Ah, we have the +maid to suit you, my lad, in this old town of +Dulverton.' + +'Have you so, sir? But perhaps the maid might have no +desire to suit me.' + +'That you may take my word she has. The colour of this +wine will prove it. The little sly hussy has been to +the cobwebbed arch of the cellar, where she has no +right to go, for any one under a magistrate. However, +I am glad to see it, and we will not spare it, John. +After my time, somebody, whoever marries little Ruth, +will find some rare wines there, I trow, and perhaps +not know the difference.' + +Thinking of this the old man sighed, and expected me to +sigh after him. But a sigh is not (like a yawn) +infectious; and we are all more prone to be sent to +sleep than to sorrow by one another. Not but what a +sigh sometimes may make us think of sighing. + +'Well, sir,' cried I, in my sprightliest manner, which +rouses up most people, 'here's to your health and dear +little Ruth's: and may you live to knock off the +cobwebs from every bottle in under the arch. Uncle +Reuben, your life and health, sir?' + +With that I took my glass thoughtfully, for it was +wondrous good; and Uncle Ben was pleased to see me +dwelling pleasantly on the subject with parenthesis, +and self-commune, and oral judgment unpronounced, +though smacking of fine decision. 'Curia vult +advisari,' as the lawyers say; which means, 'Let us +have another glass, and then we can think about it.' + +'Come now, John,' said Uncle Ben, laying his wrinkled +hand on my knee, when he saw that none could heed us, +'I know that you have a sneaking fondness for my +grandchild Ruth. Don't interrupt me now; you have; and +to deny it will only provoke me.' + +'I do like Ruth, sir,' I said boldly, for fear of +misunderstanding; 'but I do not love her.' + +'Very well; that makes no difference. Liking may very +soon be loving (as some people call it) when the maid +has money to help her.' + +'But if there be, as there is in my case--' + +'Once for all, John, not a word. I do not attempt to +lead you into any engagement with little Ruth; neither +will I blame you (though I may be disappointed) if no +such engagement should ever be. But whether you will +have my grandchild, or whether you will not--and such a +chance is rarely offered to a fellow of your +standing'--Uncle Ben despised all farmers--'in any case +I have at least resolved to let you know my secret; and +for two good reasons. The first is that it wears me +out to dwell upon it, all alone, and the second is that +I can trust you to fulfil a promise. Moreover, you +are my next of kin, except among the womankind; and you +are just the man I want, to help me in my enterprise.' + +'And I will help you, sir,' I answered, fearing some +conspiracy, 'in anything that is true, and loyal, and +according to the laws of the realm.' + +'Ha, ha!' cried the old man, laughing until his eyes +ran over, and spreading out his skinny hands upon his +shining breeches, 'thou hast gone the same fools' track +as the rest; even as spy Stickles went, and all his +precious troopers. Landing of arms at Glenthorne, and +Lynmouth, wagons escorted across the moor, sounds of +metal and booming noises! Ah, but we managed it +cleverly, to cheat even those so near to us. +Disaffection at Taunton, signs of insurrection at +Dulverton, revolutionary tanner at Dunster! We set it +all abroad, right well. And not even you to suspect +our work; though we thought at one time that you +watched us. Now who, do you suppose, is at the bottom +of all this Exmoor insurgency, all this western +rebellion--not that I say there is none, mind--but who +is at the bottom of it?' + +'Either Mother Melldrum,' said I, being now a little +angry, 'or else old Nick himself.' + +'Nay, old Uncle Reuben!' Saying this, Master Huckaback +cast back his coat, and stood up, and made the most of +himself. + +'Well!' cried I, being now quite come to the limits of +my intellect, 'then, after all, Captain Stickles was +right in calling you a rebel, sir!' + +'Of course he was; could so keen a man be wrong about +an old fool like me? But come, and see our rebellion, +John. I will trust you now with everything. I will +take no oath from you; only your word to keep silence; +and most of all from your mother.' + +'I will give you my word,' I said, although liking not +such pledges; which make a man think before he speaks +in ordinary company, against his usual practices. +However, I was now so curious, that I thought of +nothing else; and scarcely could believe at all that +Uncle Ben was quite right in his head. + +'Take another glass of wine, my son,' he cried with a +cheerful countenance, which made him look more than ten +years younger; 'you shall come into partnership with +me: your strength will save us two horses, and we +always fear the horse work. Come and see our +rebellion, my boy; you are a made man from to-night.' + +'But where am I to come and see it? Where am I to find +it, sir?' + +'Meet me,' he answered, yet closing his hands, and +wrinkling with doubt his forehead, 'come alone, of +course; and meet me at the Wizard's Slough, at ten +to-morrow morning.' + + + +CHAPTER LVIII + +MASTER HUCKABACK'S SECRET + +Knowing Master Huckaback to be a man of his word, as +well as one who would have others so, I was careful to +be in good time the next morning, by the side of the +Wizard's Slough. I am free to admit that the name of +the place bore a feeling of uneasiness, and a love of +distance, in some measure to my heart. But I did my +best not to think of this; only I thought it a wise +precaution, and due for the sake of my mother and +Lorna, to load my gun with a dozen slugs made from the +lead of the old church-porch, laid by, long since, +against witchcraft. + +I am well aware that some people now begin to doubt +about witchcraft; or at any rate feign to do so; being +desirous to disbelieve whatever they are afraid of. +This spirit is growing too common among us, and will +end (unless we put a stop to it!) in the destruction of +all religion. And as regards witchcraft, a man is +bound either to believe in it, or to disbelieve the +Bible. For even in the New Testament, discarding many +things of the Old, such as sacrifices, and Sabbath, and +fasting, and other miseries, witchcraft is clearly +spoken of as a thing that must continue; that the Evil +One be not utterly robbed of his vested interests. +Hence let no one tell me that witchcraft is done away +with; for I will meet him with St. Paul, than whom no +better man, and few less superstitious, can be found in +all the Bible. + +Feeling these things more in those days than I feel +them now, I fetched a goodish compass round, by the way +of the cloven rocks, rather than cross Black Barrow +Down, in a reckless and unholy manner. There were +several spots, upon that Down, cursed and smitten, and +blasted, as if thunderbolts had fallen there, and Satan +sat to keep them warm. At any rate it was good (as +every one acknowledged) not to wander there too much; +even with a doctor of divinity on one arm and of +medicine upon the other. + +Therefore, I, being all alone, and on foot (as seemed +the wisest), preferred a course of roundabout; and +starting about eight o'clock, without mentioning my +business, arrived at the mouth of the deep descent, +such as John Fry described it. Now this (though I have +not spoken of it) was not my first time of being there. + For, although I could not bring myself to spy upon +Uncle Reuben, as John Fry had done, yet I thought it no +ill manners, after he had left our house, to have a +look at the famous place, where the malefactor came to +life, at least in John's opinion. At that time, +however, I saw nothing except the great ugly black +morass, with the grisly reeds around it; and I did not +care to go very near it, much less to pry on the +further side. + +Now, on the other hand, I was bent to get at the very +bottom of this mystery (if there were any), having less +fear of witch or wizard, with a man of Uncle Reuben's +wealth to take my part, and see me through. So I +rattled the ramrod down my gun, just to know if the +charge were right, after so much walking; and finding +it full six inches deep, as I like to have it, went +boldly down the steep gorge of rock, with a firm +resolve to shoot any witch unless it were good Mother +Melldrum. Nevertheless to my surprise, all was quiet, +and fair to look at, in the decline of the narrow way, +with great stalked ferns coming forth like trees, yet +hanging like cobwebs over one. And along one side, a +little spring was getting rid of its waters. Any man +might stop and think; or he might go on and think; and +in either case, there was none to say that he was +making a fool of himself. + +When I came to the foot of this ravine, and over +against the great black slough, there was no sign of +Master Huckaback, nor of any other living man, except +myself, in the silence. Therefore, I sat in a niche of +rock, gazing at the slough, and pondering the old +tradition about it. + +They say that, in the ancient times, a mighty +necromancer lived in the wilderness of Exmoor. Here, +by spell and incantation, he built himself a strong +high palace, eight-sided like a spider's web, and +standing on a central steep; so that neither man nor +beast could cross the moors without his knowledge. If +he wished to rob and slay a traveller, or to have wild +ox, or stag for food, he had nothing more to do than +sit at one of his eight windows, and point his unholy +book at him. Any moving creature, at which that book +was pointed, must obey the call, and come from whatever +distance, if sighted once by the wizard. + +This was a bad condition of things, and all the country +groaned under it; and Exmoor (although the most honest +place that a man could wish to live in) was beginning +to get a bad reputation, and all through that vile +wizard. No man durst even go to steal a sheep, or a +pony, or so much as a deer for dinner, lest he should +be brought to book by a far bigger rogue than he was. +And this went on for many years; though they prayed to +God to abate it. But at last, when the wizard was +getting fat and haughty upon his high stomach, a mighty +deliverance came to Exmoor, and a warning, and a +memory. For one day the sorcerer gazed from his window +facing the southeast of the compass, and he yawned, +having killed so many men that now he was weary of it. + +"Ifackins,' he cried, or some such oath, both profane +and uncomely, 'I see a man on the verge of the +sky-line, going along laboriously. A pilgrim, I trow, +or some such fool, with the nails of his boots inside +them. Too thin to be worth eating; but I will have him +for the fun of the thing; and most of those saints have +got money.' + +With these words he stretched forth his legs on a +stool, and pointed the book of heathenish spells back +upwards at the pilgrim. Now this good pilgrim was +plodding along, soberly and religiously, with a pound +of flints in either boot, and not an ounce of meat +inside him. He felt the spell of the wicked book, but +only as a horse might feel a 'gee-wug!' addressed to +him. It was in the power of this good man, either to +go on, or turn aside, and see out the wizard's meaning. +And for a moment he halted and stood, like one in two +minds about a thing. Then the wizard clapped one cover +to, in a jocular and insulting manner; and the sound of +it came to the pilgrim's ear, about five miles in the +distance, like a great gun fired at him. + +'By our Lady,' he cried, 'I must see to this; although +my poor feet have no skin below them. I will teach +this heathen miscreant how to scoff at Glastonbury.' + +Thereupon he turned his course, and ploughed along +through the moors and bogs, towards the eight-sided +palace. The wizard sat on his chair of comfort, and +with the rankest contempt observed the holy man +ploughing towards him. 'He has something good in his +wallet, I trow,' said the black thief to himself; +'these fellows get always the pick of the wine, and the +best of a woman's money.' Then he cried, 'Come in, +come in, good sir,' as he always did to every one. + +'Bad sir, I will not come in,' said the pilgrim; +'neither shall you come out again. Here are the bones +of all you have slain; and here shall your own bones +be.' + +'Hurry me not,' cried the sorcerer; 'that is a thing to +think about. How many miles hast thou travelled this +day?' + +But the pilgrim was too wide awake, for if he had +spoken of any number, bearing no cross upon it, the +necromancer would have had him, like a ball at +bando-play. Therefore he answered, as truly as need +be, 'By the grace of our Lady, nine.' + +Now nine is the crossest of all cross numbers, and full +to the lip of all crochets. So the wizard staggered +back, and thought, and inquired again with bravery, +'Where can you find a man and wife, one going up-hill +and one going down, and not a word spoken between +them?' + +'In a cucumber plant,' said the modest saint; blushing +even to think of it; and the wizard knew he was done +for. + +'You have tried me with ungodly questions,' continued +the honest pilgrim, with one hand still over his eyes, +as he thought of the feminine cucumber; 'and now I will +ask you a pure one. To whom of mankind have you ever +done good, since God saw fit to make you?' + +The wizard thought, but could quote no one; and he +looked at the saint, and the saint at him, and both +their hearts were trembling. 'Can you mention only +one?' asked the saint, pointing a piece of the true +cross at him, hoping he might cling to it; 'even a +little child will do; try to think of some one.' + +The earth was rocking beneath their feet, and the +palace windows darkened on them, with a tint of blood, +for now the saint was come inside, hoping to save the +wizard. + +'If I must tell the pure truth,' said the wizard, +looking up at the arches of his windows, 'I can tell of +only one to whom I ever have done good.' + +'One will do; one is quite enough; be quick before the +ground opens. The name of one--and this cross will +save you. Lay your thumb on the end of it.' + +'Nay, that I cannot do, great saint. The devil have +mercy upon me.' + +All this while the palace was sinking, and blackness +coming over them. + +'Thou hast all but done for thyself,' said the saint, +with a glory burning round his head; 'by that last +invocation. Yet give us the name of the one, my +friend, if one there be; it will save thee, with the +cross upon thy breast. All is crashing round us; dear +brother, who is that one?' + +'My own self,' cried the wretched wizard. + +'Then there is no help for thee.' And with that the +honest saint went upward, and the wizard, and all his +palace, and even the crag that bore it, sank to the +bowels of the earth; and over them was nothing left +except a black bog fringed with reed, of the tint of +the wizard's whiskers. The saint, however, was all +right, after sleeping off the excitement; and he +founded a chapel, some three miles westward; and there +he lies with his holy relic and thither in after ages +came (as we all come home at last) both my Lorna's Aunt +Sabina, and her guardian Ensor Doone. + +While yet I dwelled upon this strange story, wondering +if it all were true, and why such things do not happen +now, a man on horseback appeared as suddenly as if he +had risen out of the earth, on the other side of the +great black slough. At first I was a little scared, my +mind being in the tune for wonders; but presently the +white hair, whiter from the blackness of the bog +between us, showed me that it was Uncle Reuben come to +look for me, that way. Then I left my chair of rock, +and waved my hat and shouted to him, and the sound of +my voice among the crags and lonely corners frightened +me. + +Old Master Huckaback made no answer, but (so far as I +could guess) beckoned me to come to him. There was +just room between the fringe of reed and the belt of +rock around it, for a man going very carefully to +escape that horrible pit-hole. And so I went round to +the other side, and there found open space enough, with +stunted bushes, and starveling trees, and straggling +tufts of rushes. + +'You fool, you are frightened,' said Uncle Ben, as he +looked at my face after shaking hands: 'I want a young +man of steadfast courage, as well as of strength and +silence. And after what I heard of the battle at Glen +Doone, I thought I might trust you for courage.' + +'So you may,' said I, 'wherever I see mine enemy; but +not where witch and wizard be.' + +'Tush, great fool!' cried Master Huckaback; 'the only +witch or wizard here is the one that bewitcheth all +men. Now fasten up my horse, John Ridd, and not too +near the slough, lad. Ah, we have chosen our entrance +wisely. Two good horsemen, and their horses, coming +hither to spy us out, are gone mining on their own +account (and their last account it is) down this good +wizard's bog-hole.' + +With these words, Uncle Reuben clutched the mane of his +horse and came down, as a man does when his legs are +old; and as I myself begin to do, at this time of +writing. I offered a hand, but he was vexed, and would +have nought to do with it. + +'Now follow me, step for step,' he said, when I had +tethered his horse to a tree; 'the ground is not death +(like the wizard's hole), but many parts are +treacherous, I know it well by this time.' + +Without any more ado, he led me in and out the marshy +places, to a great round hole or shaft, bratticed up +with timber. I never had seen the like before, and +wondered how they could want a well, with so much water +on every side. Around the mouth were a few little +heaps of stuff unused to the daylight; and I thought at +once of the tales I had heard concerning mines in +Cornwall, and the silver cup at Combe-Martin, sent to +the Queen Elizabeth. + +'We had a tree across it, John,' said Uncle Reuben, +smiling grimly at my sudden shrink from it: 'but some +rogue came spying here, just as one of our men went up. +He was frightened half out of his life, I believe, and +never ventured to come again. But we put the blame of +that upon you. And I see that we were wrong, John.' +Here he looked at me with keen eyes, though weak. + +'You were altogether wrong,' I answered. 'Am I mean +enough to spy upon any one dwelling with us? And more +than that, Uncle Reuben, it was mean of you to suppose +it.' + +'All ideas are different,' replied the old man to my +heat, like a little worn-out rill running down a +smithy; 'you with your strength and youth, and all +that, are inclined to be romantic. I take things as I +have known them, going on for seventy years. Now will +you come and meet the wizard, or does your courage fail +you?' + +'My courage must be none,' said I, 'if I would not go +where you go, sir.' + +He said no more, but signed to me to lift a heavy +wooden corb with an iron loop across it, and sunk in a +little pit of earth, a yard or so from the mouth of the +shaft. I raised it, and by his direction dropped it +into the throat of the shaft, where it hung and shook +from a great cross-beam laid at the level of the earth. +A very stout thick rope was fastened to the handle of +the corb, and ran across a pulley hanging from the +centre of the beam, and thence out of sight in the +nether places. + +'I will first descend,' he said; 'your weight is too +great for safety. When the bucket comes up again, +follow me, if your heart is good.' + +Then he whistled down, with a quick sharp noise, and a +whistle from below replied; and he clomb into the +vehicle, and the rope ran through the pulley, and Uncle +Ben went merrily down, and was out of sight, before I +had time to think of him. + +Now being left on the bank like that, and in full sight +of the goodly heaven, I wrestled hard with my flesh and +blood, about going down into the pit-hole. And but for +the pale shame of the thing, that a white-headed man +should adventure so, and green youth doubt about it, +never could I have made up my mind; for I do love air +and heaven. However, at last up came the bucket; and +with a short sad prayer I went into whatever might +happen. + +My teeth would chatter, do all I could; but the +strength of my arms was with me; and by them I held on +the grimy rope, and so eased the foot of the corb, +which threatened to go away fathoms under me. Of +course I should still have been safe enough, being like +an egg in an egg-cup, too big to care for the bottom; +still I wished that all should be done, in good order, +without excitement. + +The scoopings of the side grew black, and the patch of +sky above more blue, as with many thoughts of Lorna, a +long way underground I sank. Then I was fetched up at +the bottom with a jerk and rattle; and but for holding +by the rope so, must have tumbled over. Two great +torches of bale-resin showed me all the darkness, one +being held by Uncle Ben and the other by a short square +man with a face which seemed well-known to me. + +'Hail to the world of gold, John Ridd,' said Master +Huckaback, smiling in the old dry manner; 'bigger +coward never came down the shaft, now did he, Carfax?' + +'They be all alike,' said the short square man, 'fust +time as they doos it.' + +'May I go to heaven,' I cried, 'which is a thing quite +out of sight'--for I always have a vein of humour, too +small to be followed by any one--'if ever again of my +own accord I go so far away from it!' Uncle Ben grinned +less at this than at the way I knocked my shin in +getting out of the bucket; and as for Master Carfax, he +would not even deign to smile. And he seemed to look +upon my entrance as an interloping. + +For my part, I had nought to do, after rubbing my +bruised leg, except to look about me, so far as the +dullness of light would help. And herein I seemed, +like a mouse in a trap, able no more than to run to and +fro, and knock himself, and stare at things. For here +was a little channel grooved with posts on either side +of it, and ending with a heap of darkness, whence the +sight came back again; and there was a scooped place, +like a funnel, but pouring only to darkness. So I +waited for somebody to speak first, not seeing my way +to anything.' + +'You seem to be disappointed, John,' said Uncle Reuben, +looking blue by the light of the flambeaux; 'did you +expect to see the roof of gold, and the sides of gold, +and the floor of gold, John Ridd?' + +'Ha, ha!' cried Master Carfax; 'I reckon her did; no +doubt her did.' + +'You are wrong,' I replied; 'but I did expect to see +something better than dirt and darkness.' + +'Come on then, my lad; and we will show you some-thing +better. We want your great arm on here, for a job that +has beaten the whole of us.' + +With these words, Uncle Ben led the way along a narrow +passage, roofed with rock and floored with +slate-coloured shale and shingle, and winding in and +out, until we stopped at a great stone block or +boulder, lying across the floor, and as large as my +mother's best oaken wardrobe. Beside it were several +sledge-hammers, battered, and some with broken helves. + +'Thou great villain!' cried Uncle Ben, giving the +boulder a little kick; 'I believe thy time is come at +last. Now, John, give us a sample of the things they +tell of thee. Take the biggest of them sledge-hammers +and crack this rogue in two for us. We have tried at +him for a fortnight, and he is a nut worth cracking. +But we have no man who can swing that hammer, though +all in the mine have handled it.' + +'I will do my very best,' said I, pulling off my coat +and waistcoat, as if I were going to wrestle; 'but I +fear he will prove too tough for me.' + +'Ay, that her wull,' grunted Master Carfax; 'lack'th a +Carnishman, and a beg one too, not a little charp such +as I be. There be no man outside Carnwall, as can +crack that boolder.' + +'Bless my heart,' I answered; 'but I know something of +you, my friend, or at any rate of your family. Well, I +have beaten most of your Cornish men, though not my +place to talk of it. But mind, if I crack this rock +for you, I must have some of the gold inside it.' + +'Dost think to see the gold come tumbling out like the +kernel of a nut, thou zany?' asked Uncle Reuben +pettishly; 'now wilt thou crack it or wilt thou not? +For I believe thou canst do it, though only a lad of +Somerset.' + +Uncle Reuben showed by saying this, and by his glance +at Carfax, that he was proud of his county, and would +be disappointed for it if I failed to crack the +boulder. So I begged him to stoop his torch a little, +that I might examine my subject. To me there appeared +to be nothing at all remarkable about it, except that +it sparkled here and there, when the flash of the flame +fell upon it. A great obstinate, oblong, sullen +stone; how could it be worth the breaking, except for +making roads with? + +Nevertheless, I took up the hammer, and swinging it far +behind my head, fetched it down, with all my power, +upon the middle of the rock. The roof above rang +mightily, and the echo went down delven galleries, so +that all the miners flocked to know what might be +doing. But Master Carfax only smiled, although the +blow shook him where he stood, for behold the stone was +still unbroken, and as firm as ever. Then I smote it +again, with no better fortune, and Uncle Ben looked +vexed and angry, but all the miners grinned with +triumph. + +'This little tool is too light,' I cried; 'one of you +give me a piece of strong cord.' + +Then I took two more of the weightiest hammers, and +lashed them fast to the back of mine, not so as to +strike, but to burden the fall. Having made this firm, +and with room to grasp the handle of the largest one +only--for the helves of the others were shorter--I +smiled at Uncle Ben, and whirled the mighty implement +round my head, just to try whether I could manage it. +Upon that the miners gave a cheer, being honest men, +and desirous of seeing fair play between this +'shameless stone' (as Dan Homer calls it) and me with +my hammer hammering. + +Then I swung me on high to the swing of the sledge, as +a thresher bends back to the rise of his flail, and +with all my power descending delivered the ponderous +onset. Crashing and crushed the great stone fell over, +and threads of sparkling gold appeared in the jagged +sides of the breakage. + +'How now, Simon Carfax?' cried Uncle Ben triumphantly; +'wilt thou find a man in Cornwall can do the like of +that?' + +'Ay, and more,' he answered; 'however, it be pretty +fair for a lad of these outlandish parts. Get your +rollers, my lads, and lead it to the crushing engine.' + +I was glad to have been of some service to them; for it +seems that this great boulder had been too large to be +drawn along the gallery and too hard to crack. But now +they moved it very easily, taking piece by piece, and +carefully picking up the fragments. + +'Thou hast done us a good turn, my lad,' said Uncle +Reuben, as the others passed out of sight at the +corner; 'and now I will show thee the bottom of a very +wondrous mystery. But we must not do it more than +once, for the time of day is the wrong one.' + +The whole affair being a mystery to me, and far beyond +my understanding, I followed him softly, without a +word, yet thinking very heavily, and longing to be +above ground again. He led me through small passages, +to a hollow place near the descending shaft, where I +saw a most extraordinary monster fitted up. In form it +was like a great coffee-mill, such as I had seen in +London, only a thousand times larger, and with heavy +windlass to work it. + +'Put in a barrow-load of the smoulder,' said Uncle Ben +to Carfax, 'and let them work the crank, for John to +understand a thing or two.' + +'At this time of day!' cried Simon Carfax; 'and the +watching as has been o' late!' + +However, he did it without more remonstrance; pouring +into the scuttle at the top of the machine about a +baskeful of broken rock; and then a dozen men went to +the wheel, and forced it round, as sailors do. Upon +that such a hideous noise arose, as I never should have +believed any creature capable of making, and I ran to +the well of the mine for air, and to ease my ears, if +possible. + +'Enough, enough!' shouted Uncle Ben by the time I was +nearly deafened; 'we will digest our goodly boulder +after the devil is come abroad for his evening work. +Now, John, not a word about what you have learned; but +henceforth you will not be frightened by the noise we +make at dusk.' + +I could not deny but what this was very clever +management. If they could not keep the echoes of the +upper air from moving, the wisest plan was to open +their valves during the discouragement of the falling +evening; when folk would rather be driven away, than +drawn into the wilds and quagmires, by a sound so deep +and awful, coming through the darkness. + + +CHAPTER LIX + +LORNA GONE AWAY + +Although there are very ancient tales of gold being +found upon Exmoor, in lumps and solid hummocks, and of +men who slew one another for it, this deep digging and +great labour seemed to me a dangerous and unholy +enterprise. And Master Huckaback confessed that up to +the present time his two partners and himself (for they +proved to be three adventurers) had put into the earth +more gold than they had taken out of it. Nevertheless +he felt quite sure that it must in a very short time +succeed, and pay them back an hundredfold; and he +pressed me with great earnestness to join them, and +work there as much as I could, without moving my +mother's suspicions. I asked him how they had managed +so long to carry on without discovery; and he said that +this was partly through the wildness of the +neighbourhood, and the legends that frightened people +of a superstitious turn; partly through their own great +caution, and the manner of fetching both supplies and +implements by night; but most of all, they had to thank +the troubles of the period, the suspicions of +rebellion, and the terror of the Doones, which (like +the wizard I was speaking of) kept folk from being too +inquisitive where they had no business. The slough, +moreover, had helped them well, both by making their +access dark, and yet more by swallowing up and +concealing all that was cast from the mouth of the pit. +Once, before the attack on Glen Doone, they had a +narrow escape from the King's Commissioner; for Captain +Stickles having heard no doubt the story of John Fry, +went with half a dozen troopers, on purpose to search +the neighbourhood. Now if he had ridden alone, most +likely he would have discovered everything; but he +feared to venture so, having suspicion of a trap. +Coming as they did in a company, all mounted and +conspicuous, the watchman (who was posted now on the +top of the hill, almost every day since John Fry's +appearance) could not help espying them, miles distant, +over the moorland. He watched them under the shade of +his hand, and presently ran down the hill, and raised a +great commotion. Then Simon Carfax and all his men +came up, and made things natural, removing every sign +of work; and finally, sinking underground, drew across +the mouth of the pit a hurdle thatched with sedge and +heather. Only Simon himself was left behind, ensconced +in a hole of the crags, to observe the doings of the +enemy. + +Captain Stickles rode very bravely, with all his men +clattering after him, down the rocky pass, and even to +the margin of the slough. And there they stopped, and +held council; for it was a perilous thing to risk the +passage upon horseback, between the treacherous brink +and the cliff, unless one knew it thoroughly. +Stickles, however, and one follower, carefully felt the +way along, having their horses well in hand, and +bearing a rope to draw them out, in case of being +foundered. Then they spurred across the rough boggy +land, farther away than the shaft was. Here the ground +lay jagged and shaggy, wrought up with high tufts of +reed, or scragged with stunted brushwood. And between +the ups and downs (which met anybody anyhow) +green-covered places tempted the foot, and black +bog-holes discouraged it. It is not to be marvelled at +that amid such place as this, for the first time +visited, the horses were a little skeary; and their +riders partook of the feeling, as all good riders do. +In and out of the tufts they went, with their eyes +dilating, wishing to be out of harm, if conscience were +but satisfied. And of this tufty flaggy ground, pocked +with bogs and boglets, one especial nature is that it +will not hold impressions. + +Seeing thus no track of men, nor anything but +marsh-work, and stormwork, and of the seasons, these +two honest men rode back, and were glad to do so. For +above them hung the mountains, cowled with fog, and +seamed with storm; and around them desolation; and +below their feet the grave. Hence they went, with all +goodwill; and vowed for ever afterwards that fear of a +simple place like that was only too ridiculous. So +they all rode home with mutual praises, and their +courage well-approved; and the only result of the +expedition was to confirm John Fry's repute as a bigger +liar than ever. + +Now I had enough of that underground work, as before +related, to last me for a year to come; neither would +I, for sake of gold, have ever stepped into that +bucket, of my own goodwill again. But when I told +Lorna--whom I could trust in any matter of secrecy, as +if she had never been a woman--all about my great +descent, and the honeycombing of the earth, and the +mournful noise at eventide, when the gold was under the +crusher and bewailing the mischief it must do, then +Lorna's chief desire was to know more about Simon +Carfax. + +'It must be our Gwenny's father,' she cried; 'the man +who disappeared underground, and whom she has ever been +seeking. How grieved the poor little thing will be, if +it should turn out, after all, that he left his child +on purpose! I can hardly believe it; can you, John?' + +'Well,' I replied; 'all men are wicked, more or less, +to some extent; and no man may say otherwise.' + +For I did not wish to commit myself to an opinion about +Simon, lest I might be wrong, and Lorna think less of +my judgment. + +But being resolved to see this out, and do a good turn, +if I could, to Gwenny, who had done me many a good one, +I begged my Lorna to say not a word of this matter to +the handmaiden, until I had further searched it out. +And to carry out this resolve, I went again to the +place of business where they were grinding gold as +freely as an apothecary at his pills. + +Having now true right of entrance, and being known to +the watchman, and regarded (since I cracked the +boulder) as one who could pay his footing, and perhaps +would be the master, when Uncle Ben should he choked +with money, I found the corb sent up for me rather +sooner than I wished it. For the smell of the places +underground, and the way men's eyes came out of them, +with links, and brands, and flambeaux, instead of God's +light to look at, were to me a point of caution, rather +than of pleasure. + +No doubt but what some men enjoy it, being born, like +worms, to dig, and to live in their own scoopings. Yet +even the worms come up sometimes, after a good soft +shower of rain, and hold discourse with one another; +whereas these men, and the horses let down, come above +ground never. + +And the changing of the sky is half the change our +nature calls for. Earth we have, and all its produce +(moving from the first appearance, and the hope with +infants' eyes, through the bloom of beauty's promise, +to the rich and ripe fulfilment, and the falling back +to rest); sea we have (with all its wonder shed on +eyes, and ears, and heart; and the thought of something +more)--but without the sky to look at, what would +earth, and sea, and even our own selves, be to us? + +Do we look at earth with hope? Yes, for victuals only. +Do we look at sea with hope? Yes, that we may escape +it. At the sky alone (though questioned with the +doubts of sunshine, or scattered with uncertain stars), +at the sky alone we look with pure hope and with +memory. + +Hence it always hurt my feelings when I got into that +bucket, with my small-clothes turned up over, and a +kerchief round my hat. But knowing that my purpose was +sound, and my motives pure, I let the sky grow to a +little blue hole, and then to nothing over me. At the +bottom Master Carfax met me, being captain of the mine, +and desirous to know my business. He wore a loose sack +round his shoulders, and his beard was two feet long. + +'My business is to speak with you,' I answered rather +sternly; for this man, who was nothing more than Uncle +Reuben's servant, had carried things too far with me, +showing no respect whatever; and though I did not care +for much, I liked to receive a little, even in my early +days. + +'Coom into the muck-hole, then,' was his gracious +answer; and he led me into a filthy cell, where the +miners changed their jackets. + +'Simon Carfax, I began, with a manner to discourage +him; 'I fear you are a shallow fellow, and not worth my +trouble.' + +'Then don't take it,' he replied; 'I want no man's +trouble.' + +'For your sake I would not,' I answered; 'but for your +daughter's sake I will; the daughter whom you left to +starve so pitifully in the wilderness.' + +The man stared at me with his pale gray eyes, whose +colour was lost from candle light; and his voice as +well as his body shook, while he cried,-- + +'It is a lie, man. No daughter, and no son have I. +Nor was ever child of mine left to starve in the +wilderness. You are too big for me to tackle, and that +makes you a coward for saying it.' His hands were +playing with a pickaxe helve, as if he longed to have +me under it. + +'Perhaps I have wronged you, Simon,' I answered very +softly; for the sweat upon his forehead shone in the +smoky torchlight; 'if I have, I crave your pardon. But +did you not bring up from Cornwall a little maid named +"Gwenny," and supposed to be your daughter?' + +'Ay, and she was my daughter, my last and only child of +five; and for her I would give this mine, and all the +gold will ever come from it.' + +'You shall have her, without either mine or gold; if +you only prove to me that you did not abandon her.' + +'Abandon her! I abandon Gwenny!' He cried with such a +rage of scorn, that I at once believed him. 'They told +me she was dead, and crushed, and buried in the drift +here; and half my heart died with her. The Almighty +blast their mining-work, if the scoundrels lied to me!' + +'The scoundrels must have lied to you,' I answered, +with a spirit fired by his heat of fury: 'the maid is +living and with us. Come up; and you shall see her.' + +'Rig the bucket,' he shouted out along the echoing +gallery; and then he fell against the wall, and through +the grimy sack I saw the heaving of his breast, as I +have seen my opponent's chest, in a long hard bout of +wrestling. For my part, I could do no more than hold +my tongue and look at him. + +Without another word we rose to the level of the moors +and mires; neither would Master Carfax speak, as I led +him across the barrows. In this he was welcome to his +own way, for I do love silence; so little harm can come +of it. And though Gwenny was no beauty, her father +might be fond of her. + +So I put him in the cow-house (not to frighten the +little maid), and the folding shutters over him, such +as we used at the beestings; and he listened to my +voice outside, and held on, and preserved himself. For +now he would have scooped the earth, as cattle do at +yearning-time, and as meekly and as patiently, to have +his child restored to him. Not to make long tale of +it--for this thing is beyond me, through want of true +experience--I went and fetched his Gwenny forth from +the back kitchen, where she was fighting, as usual, +with our Betty. + +'Come along, you little Vick,' I said, for so we called +her; 'I have a message to you, Gwenny, from the Lord in +heaven.' + +'Don't 'ee talk about He,' she answered; 'Her have long +forgatten me.' + +'That He has never done, you stupid. Come, and see who +is in the cowhouse.' + +Gwenny knew; she knew in a moment. Looking into my +eyes, she knew; and hanging back from me to sigh, she +knew it even better. + +She had not much elegance of emotion, being flat and +square all over; but none the less for that her heart +came quick, and her words came slowly. + +'Oh, Jan, you are too good to cheat me. Is it joke you +are putting upon me?' + +I answered her with a gaze alone; and she tucked up her +clothes and followed me because the road was dirty. +Then I opened the door just wide enough for the child +to to go her father, and left those two to have it out, +as might be most natural. And they took a long time +about it. + +Meanwhile I needs must go and tell my Lorna all the +matter; and her joy was almost as great as if she +herself had found a father. And the wonder of the +whole was this, that I got all the credit; of which not +a thousandth part belonged by right and reason to me. +Yet so it almost always is. If I work for good desert, +and slave, and lie awake at night, and spend my unborn +life in dreams, not a blink, nor wink, nor inkling of +my labour ever tells. It would have been better to +leave unburned, and to keep undevoured, the fuel and +the food of life. But if I have laboured not, only +acted by some impulse, whim, caprice, or anything; or +even acting not at all, only letting things float by; +piled upon me commendations, bravoes, and applauses, +almost work me up to tempt once again (though sick of +it) the ill luck of deserving. + +Without intending any harm, and meaning only good +indeed, I had now done serious wrong to Uncle Reuben's +prospects. For Captain Carfax was full as angry at the +trick played on him as he was happy in discovering the +falsehood and the fraud of it. Nor could I help +agreeing with him, when he told me all of it, as with +tears in his eyes he did, and ready to be my slave +henceforth; I could not forbear from owning that it was +a low and heartless trick, unworthy of men who had +families; and the recoil whereof was well deserved, +whatever it might end in. + +For when this poor man left his daughter, asleep as he +supposed, and having his food, and change of clothes, +and Sunday hat to see to, he meant to return in an hour +or so, and settle about her sustenance in some house of +the neighbourhood. But this was the very thing of all +things which the leaders of the enterprise, who had +brought him up from Cornwall, for his noted skill in +metals, were determined, whether by fair means or foul, +to stop at the very outset. Secrecy being their main +object, what chance could there be of it, if the miners +were allowed to keep their children in the +neighbourhood? Hence, on the plea of feasting Simon, +they kept him drunk for three days and three nights, +assuring him (whenever he had gleams enough to ask for +her) that his daughter was as well as could be, and +enjoying herself with the children. Not wishing the +maid to see him tipsy, he pressed the matter no +further; but applied himself to the bottle again, and +drank her health with pleasure. + +However, after three days of this, his constitution +rose against it, and he became quite sober; with a +certain lowness of heart moreover, and a sense of +error. And his first desire to right himself, and +easiest way to do it, was by exerting parental +authority upon Gwenny. Possessed with this intention +(for he was not a sweet tempered man, and his head was +aching sadly) he sought for Gwenny high and low; first +with threats, and then with fears, and then with tears +and wailing. And so he became to the other men a +warning and a great annoyance. Therefore they combined +to swear what seemed a very likely thing, and might be +true for all they knew, to wit, that Gwenny had come to +seek for her father down the shaft-hole, and peering +too eagerly into the dark, had toppled forward, and +gone down, and lain at the bottom as dead as a stone. + +'And thou being so happy with drink,' the villains +finished up to him, 'and getting drunker every day, we +thought it shame to trouble thee; and we buried the +wench in the lower drift; and no use to think more of +her; but come and have a glass, Sim.' + +But Simon Carfax swore that drink had lost him his +wife, and now had lost him the last of his five +children, and would lose him his own soul, if further +he went on with it; and from that day to his death he +never touched strong drink again. Nor only this; but +being soon appointed captain of the mine, he allowed no +man on any pretext to bring cordials thither; and to +this and his stern hard rule and stealthy secret +management (as much as to good luck and place) might it +be attributed that scarcely any but themselves had +dreamed about this Exmoor mine. + +As for me, I had no ambition to become a miner; and the +state to which gold-seeking had brought poor Uncle Ben +was not at all encouraging. My business was to till +the ground, and tend the growth that came of it, and +store the fruit in Heaven's good time, rather than to +scoop and burrow like a weasel or a rat for the yellow +root of evil. Moreover, I was led from home, between +the hay and corn harvests (when we often have a week to +spare), by a call there was no resisting; unless I gave +up all regard for wrestling, and for my county. + +Now here many persons may take me amiss, and there +always has been some confusion; which people who ought +to have known better have wrought into subject of +quarrelling. By birth it is true, and cannot be +denied, that I am a man of Somerset; nevertheless by +breed I am, as well as by education, a son of Devon +also. And just as both of our two counties vowed that +Glen Doone was none of theirs, but belonged to the +other one; so now, each with hot claim and jangling +(leading even to blows sometimes), asserted and would +swear to it (as I became more famous) that John Ridd +was of its own producing, bred of its own true blood, +and basely stolen by the other. + +Now I have not judged it in any way needful or even +becoming and delicate, to enter into my wrestling +adventures, or describe my progress. The whole thing +is so different from Lorna, and her gentle manners, and +her style of walking; moreover I must seem (even to +kind people) to magnify myself so much, or at least +attempt to do it, that I have scratched out written +pages, through my better taste and sense. + +Neither will I, upon this head, make any difference +even now; being simply betrayed into mentioning the +matter because bare truth requires it, in the tale of +Lorna's fortunes. + +For a mighty giant had arisen in a part of Cornwall: +and his calf was twenty-five inches round, and the +breadth of his shoulders two feet and a quarter; and +his stature seven feet and three-quarters. Round the +chest he was seventy inches, and his hand a foot +across, and there were no scales strong enough to judge +of his weight in the market-place. Now this man--or I +should say, his backers and his boasters, for the giant +himself was modest--sent me a brave and haughty +challenge, to meet him in the ring at Bodmin-town, on +the first day of August, or else to return my +champion's belt to them by the messenger. + +It is no use to deny but that I was greatly dashed and +scared at first. For my part, I was only, when +measured without clothes on, sixty inches round the +breast, and round the calf scarce twenty-one, only two +feet across the shoulders, and in height not six and +three-quarters. However, my mother would never believe +that this man could beat me; and Lorna being of the +same mind, I resolved to go and try him, as they would +pay all expenses and a hundred pounds, if I conquered +him; so confident were those Cornishmen. + +Now this story is too well known for me to go through +it again and again. Every child in Devonshire knows, +and his grandson will know, the song which some clever +man made of it, after I had treated him to water, and +to lemon, and a little sugar, and a drop of eau-de-vie. +Enough that I had found the giant quite as big as they +had described him, and enough to terrify any one. But +trusting in my practice and study of the art, I +resolved to try a back with him; and when my arms were +round him once, the giant was but a farthingale put +into the vice of a blacksmith. The man had no bones; +his frame sank in, and I was afraid of crushing him. +He lay on his back, and smiled at me; and I begged his +pardon. + +Now this affair made a noise at the time, and redounded +so much to my credit, that I was deeply grieved at it, +because deserving none. For I do like a good strife +and struggle; and the doubt makes the joy of victory; +whereas in this case, I might as well have been sent +for a match with a hay-mow. However, I got my hundred +pounds, and made up my mind to spend every farthing in +presents for mother and Lorna. + +For Annie was married by this time, and long before I +went away; as need scarcely be said, perhaps; if any +one follows the weeks and the months. The wedding was +quiet enough, except for everybody's good wishes; and I +desire not to dwell upon it, because it grieved me in +many ways. + +But now that I had tried to hope the very best for dear +Annie, a deeper blow than could have come, even through +her, awaited me. For after that visit to Cornwall, +and with my prize-money about me, I came on foot from +Okehampton to Oare, so as to save a little sum towards +my time of marrying. For Lorna's fortune I would not +have; small or great I would not have it; only if there +were no denying we would devote the whole of it to +charitable uses, as Master Peter Blundell had done; and +perhaps the future ages would endeavour to be grateful. +Lorna and I had settled this question at least twice a +day, on the average; and each time with more +satisfaction. + +Now coming into the kitchen with all my cash in my +breeches pocket (golden guineas, with an elephant on +them, for the stamp of the Guinea Company), I found +dear mother most heartily glad to see me safe and sound +again--for she had dreaded that giant, and dreamed of +him--and she never asked me about the money. Lizzie +also was softer, and more gracious than usual; +especially when she saw me pour guineas, like +peppercorns, into the pudding-basin. But by the way +they hung about, I knew that something was gone wrong. + +'Where is Lorna?' I asked at length, after trying not +to ask it; 'I want her to come, and see my money. She +never saw so much before.' + +'Alas!' said mother with a heavy sigh; 'she will see a +great deal more, I fear; and a deal more than is good +for her. Whether you ever see her again will depend +upon her nature, John.' + +'What do you mean, mother? Have you quarrelled? Why +does not Lorna come to me? Am I never to know?' + +'Now, John, be not so impatient,' my mother replied, +quite calmly, for in truth she was jealous of Lorna, +'you could wait now, very well, John, if it were till +this day week, for the coming of your mother, John. +And yet your mother is your best friend. Who can ever +fill her place?' + +Thinking of her future absence, mother turned away and +cried; and the box-iron singed the blanket. + +'Now,' said I, being wild by this time; 'Lizzie, you +have a little sense; will you tell me where is Lorna?' + +'The Lady Lorna Dugal,' said Lizzie, screwing up her +lips as if the title were too grand, 'is gone to +London, brother John; and not likely to come back +again. We must try to get on without her.' + +'You little--[something]' I cried, which I dare not +write down here, as all you are too good for such +language; but Lizzie's lip provoked me so--'my Lorna +gone, my Lorna gone! And without good-bye to me even! +It is your spite has sickened her.' + +'You are quite mistaken there,' she replied; 'how can +folk of low degree have either spite or liking towards +the people so far above them? The Lady Lorna Dugal is +gone, because she could not help herself; and she wept +enough to break ten hearts--if hearts are ever broken, +John.' + +'Darling Lizzie, how good you are!' I cried, without +noticing her sneer; 'tell me all about it, dear; tell +me every word she said.' + +'That will not take long,' said Lizzie, quite as +unmoved by soft coaxing as by urgent cursing; 'the lady +spoke very little to any one, except indeed to mother, +and to Gwenny Carfax; and Gwenny is gone with her, so +that the benefit of that is lost. But she left a +letter for "poor John," as in charity she called him. +How grand she looked, to be sure, with the fine clothes +on that were come for her!' + +'Where is the letter, you utter vixen! Oh, may you have +a husband!' + +'Who will thresh it out of you, and starve it, and +swear it out of you!' was the meaning of my +imprecation: but Lizzie, not dreaming as yet of such +things, could not understand me, and was rather +thankful; therefore she answered quietly,-- + +'The letter is in the little cupboard, near the head of +Lady Lorna's bed, where she used to keep the diamond +necklace, which we contrived to get stolen.' + +Without another word I rushed (so that every board in +the house shook) up to my lost Lorna's room, and tore +the little wall-niche open and espied my treasure. It +was as simple, and as homely, and loving, as even I +could wish. Part of it ran as follows,--the other +parts it behoves me not to open out to strangers:--'My +own love, and sometime lord,--Take it not amiss of me, +that even without farewell, I go; for I cannot persuade +the men to wait, your return being doubtful. My +great-uncle, some grand lord, is awaiting me at +Dunster, having fear of venturing too near this Exmoor +country. I, who have been so lawless always, and the +child of outlaws, am now to atone for this, it seems, +by living in a court of law, and under special +surveillance (as they call it, I believe) of His +Majesty's Court of Chancery. My uncle is appointed my +guardian and master; and I must live beneath his care, +until I am twenty-one years old. To me this appears a +dreadful thing, and very unjust, and cruel; for why +should I lose my freedom, through heritage of land and +gold? I offered to abandon all if they would only let +me go; I went down on my knees to them, and said I +wanted titles not, neither land, nor money; only to +stay where I was, where first I had known happiness. +But they only laughed and called me "child," and said I +must talk of that to the King's High Chancellor. Their +orders they had, and must obey them; and Master +Stickles was ordered too, to help as the King's +Commissioner. And then, although it pierced my heart +not to say one "goodbye, John," I was glad upon the +whole that you were not here to dispute it. For I am +almost certain that you would not, without force to +yourself, have let your Lorna go to people who never, +never can care for her.' + +Here my darling had wept again, by the tokens on the +paper; and then there followed some sweet words, too +sweet for me to chatter them. But she finished with +these noble lines, which (being common to all humanity, +in a case of steadfast love) I do no harm, but rather +help all true love by repeating. 'Of one thing rest +you well assured--and I do hope that it may prove of +service to your rest, love, else would my own be +broken--no difference of rank, or fortune, or of life +itself, shall ever make me swerve from truth to you. +We have passed through many troubles, dangers, and +dispartments, but never yet was doubt between us; +neither ever shall be. Each has trusted well the +other; and still each must do so. Though they tell you +I am false, though your own mind harbours it, from the +sense of things around, and your own undervaluing, yet +take counsel of your heart, and cast such thoughts away +from you; being unworthy of itself they must he +unworthy also of the one who dwells there; and that one +is, and ever shall be, your own Lorna Dugal.' + +Some people cannot understand that tears should come +from pleasure; but whether from pleasure or from sorrow +(mixed as they are in the twisted strings of a man's +heart, or a woman's), great tears fell from my stupid +eyes, even on the blots of Lorna's. + +'No doubt it is all over,' my mind said to me bitterly; +'trust me, all shall yet be right,' my heart replied +very sweetly. + + + +CHAPTER LX + +ANNIE LUCKIER THAN JOHN + +Some people may look down upon us for our slavish ways +(as they may choose to call them), but in our part of +the country, we do love to mention title, and to roll +it on our tongues, with a conscience and a comfort. +Even if a man knows not, through fault of education, +who the Duke of this is, or the Earl of that, it will +never do for him to say so, lest the room look down on +him. Therefore he must nod his head, and say, 'Ah, to +he sure! I know him as well as ever I know my own good +woman's brother. He married Lord Flipflap's second +daughter, and a precious life she led him.' Whereupon +the room looks up at him. But I, being quite unable to +carry all this in my head, as I ought, was speedily put +down by people of a noble tendency, apt at Lords, and +pat with Dukes, and knowing more about the King than +His Majesty would have requested. Therefore, I fell +back in thought, not daring in words to do so, upon the +titles of our horses. And all these horses deserved +their names, not having merely inherited, but by their +own doing earned them. Smiler, for instance, had been +so called, not so much from a habit of smiling, as from +his general geniality, white nose, and white ankle. +This worthy horse was now in years, but hale and gay as +ever; and when you let him out of the stable, he could +neigh and whinny, and make men and horses know it. On +the other hand, Kickums was a horse of morose and surly +order; harbouring up revenge, and leading a rider to +false confidence. Very smoothly he would go, and as +gentle as a turtle-dove; until his rider fully +believed that a pack-thread was enough for him, and a +pat of approval upon his neck the aim and crown of his +worthy life. Then suddenly up went his hind feet to +heaven, and the rider for the most part flew over his +nose; whereupon good Kickums would take advantage of +his favourable position to come and bite a piece out of +his back. Now in my present state of mind, being +understood of nobody, having none to bear me company, +neither wishing to have any, an indefinite kind of +attraction drew me into Kickum's society. A bond of +mutual sympathy was soon established between us; I +would ride no other horse, neither Kickums be ridden by +any other man. And this good horse became as jealous +about me as a dog might be; and would lash out, or run +teeth foremost, at any one who came near him when I was +on his back. + +This season, the reaping of the corn, which had been +but a year ago so pleasant and so lightsome, was become +a heavy labour, and a thing for grumbling rather than +for gladness. However, for the sake of all, it must be +attended to, and with as fair a show of spirit and +alacrity as might be. For otherwise the rest would +drag, and drop their hands and idle, being quicker to +take infection of dullness than of diligence. And the +harvest was a heavy one, even heavier than the year +before, although of poorer quality. Therefore was I +forced to work as hard as any horse could during all +the daylight hours, and defer till night the brooding +upon my misfortune. But the darkness always found me +stiff with work, and weary, and less able to think than +to dream, may be, of Lorna. And now the house was so +dull and lonesome, wanting Annie's pretty presence, and +the light of Lorna's eyes, that a man had no temptation +after supper-time even to sit and smoke a pipe. + +For Lizzie, though so learned, and pleasant when it +suited her, never had taken very kindly to my love for +Lorna, and being of a proud and slightly upstart +nature, could not bear to be eclipsed in bearing, +looks, and breeding, and even in clothes, by the +stranger. For one thing I will say of the Doones, that +whether by purchase or plunder, they had always dressed +my darling well, with her own sweet taste to help them. +And though Lizzie's natural hate of the maid (as a +Doone and burdened with father's death) should have +been changed to remorse when she learned of Lorna's +real parentage, it was only altered to sullenness, and +discontent with herself, for frequent rudeness to an +innocent person, and one of such high descent. +Moreover, the child had imbibed strange ideas as to our +aristocracy, partly perhaps from her own way of +thinking, and partly from reading of history. For +while, from one point of view she looked up at them +very demurely, as commissioned by God for the country's +good; from another sight she disliked them, as ready to +sacrifice their best and follow their worst members. + +Yet why should this wench dare to judge upon a matter +so far beyond her, and form opinions which she knew +better than declare before mother? But with me she had +no such scruple, for I had no authority over her; and +my intellect she looked down upon, because I praised +her own so. Thus she made herself very unpleasant to +me; by little jags and jerks of sneering, sped as +though unwittingly; which I (who now considered myself +allied to the aristocracy, and perhaps took airs on +that account) had not wit enough to parry, yet had +wound enough to feel. + +Now any one who does not know exactly how mothers feel +and think, would have expected my mother (than whom +could be no better one) to pet me, and make much of me, +under my sad trouble; to hang with anxiety on my looks, +and shed her tears with mine (if any), and season every +dish of meat put by for her John's return. And if the +whole truth must be told, I did expect that sort of +thing, and thought what a plague it would be to me; yet +not getting it, was vexed, as if by some new injury. +For mother was a special creature (as I suppose we all +are), being the warmest of the warm, when fired at the +proper corner; and yet, if taken at the wrong point, +you would say she was incombustible. + +Hence it came to pass that I had no one even to speak +to, about Lorna and my grievances; for Captain Stickles +was now gone southward; and John Fry. of course, was +too low for it, although a married man, and well under +his wife's management. But finding myself unable at +last to bear this any longer, upon the first day when +all the wheat was cut, and the stooks set up in every +field, yet none quite fit for carrying, I saddled good +Kickums at five in the morning, and without a word to +mother (for a little anxiety might do her good) off I +set for Molland parish, to have the counsel and the +comfort of my darling Annie. + +The horse took me over the ground so fast (there being +few better to go when he liked), that by nine o'clock +Annie was in my arms, and blushing to the colour of +Winnie's cheeks, with sudden delight and young +happiness. + +'You precious little soul!' I cried: 'how does Tom +behave to you?' + +'Hush!' said Annie: 'how dare you ask? He is the +kindest, and the best, and the noblest of all men, +John; not even setting yourself aside. Now look not +jealous, John: so it is. We all have special gifts, +you know. You are as good as you can be, John; but my +husband's special gift is nobility of character.' Here +she looked at me, as one who has discovered something +quite unknown. + +'I am devilish glad to hear it,' said I, being touched +at going down so: 'keep him to that mark, my dear; and +cork the whisky bottle.' + +'Yes, darling John,' she answered quickly, not desiring +to open that subject, and being too sweet to resent it: +'and how is lovely Lorna? What an age it is since I +have seen you! I suppose we must thank her for that.' + +'You may thank her for seeing me now,' said I; 'or +rather,'--seeing how hurt she looked,--'you may thank +my knowledge of your kindness, and my desire to speak +of her to a soft-hearted dear little soul like you. I +think all the women are gone mad. Even mother treats +me shamefully. And as for Lizzie--' Here I stopped, +knowing no words strong enough, without shocking Annie. + +'Do you mean to say that Lorna is gone?' asked Annie, +in great amazement; yet leaping at the truth, as women +do, with nothing at all to leap from. + +'Gone. And I never shall see her again. It serves me +right for aspiring so.' + +Being grieved at my manner, she led me in where none +could interrupt us; and in spite of all my dejection, I +could not help noticing how very pretty and even +elegant all things were around. For we upon Exmoor +have little taste; all we care for is warm comfort, and +plenty to eat and to give away, and a hearty smack in +everything. But Squire Faggus had seen the world, and +kept company with great people; and the taste he had +first displayed in the shoeing of farmers' horses +(which led almost to his ruin, by bringing him into +jealousy, and flattery, and dashing ways) had now been +cultivated in London, and by moonlight, so that none +could help admiring it. + +'Well!' I cried, for the moment dropping care and woe +in astonishment: 'we have nothing like this at Plover's +Barrows; nor even Uncle Reuben. I do hope it is +honest, Annie?' + +'Would I sit in a chair that was not my own?' asked +Annie, turning crimson, and dropping defiantly, and +with a whisk of her dress which I never had seen +before, into the very grandest one: 'would I lie on a +couch, brother John, do you think, unless good money +was paid for it? Because other people are clever, +John, you need not grudge them their earnings.' + +'A couch!' I replied: 'why what can you want with a +couch in the day-time, Annie? A couch is a small bed, +set up in a room without space for a good four-poster. +What can you want with a couch downstairs? I never +heard of such nonsense. And you ought to be in the +dairy.' + +'I won't cry, brother John, I won't; because you want +to make me cry'--and all the time she was crying--'you +always were so nasty, John, sometimes. Ah, you have no +nobility of character, like my husband. And I have not +seen you for two months, John; and now you come to +scold me!' + +'You little darling,' I said, for Annie's tears always +conquered me; 'if all the rest ill-use me, I will not +quarrel with you, dear. You have always been true to +me; and I can forgive your vanity. Your things are +very pretty, dear; and you may couch ten times a day, +without my interference. No doubt your husband has +paid for all this, with the ponies he stole from +Exmoor. Nobility of character is a thing beyond my +understanding; but when my sister loves a man, and he +does well and flourishes, who am I to find fault with +him? Mother ought to see these things: they would turn +her head almost: look at the pimples on the chairs!' + +'They are nothing,' Annie answered, after kissing me +for my kindness: 'they are only put in for the time +indeed; and we are to have much better, with gold all +round the bindings, and double plush at the corners; so +soon as ever the King repays the debt he owes to my +poor Tom.' + +I thought to myself that our present King had been most +unlucky in one thing--debts all over the kingdom. Not +a man who had struck a blow for the King, or for his +poor father, or even said a good word for him, in the +time of his adversity, but expected at least a +baronetcy, and a grant of estates to support it. Many +have called King Charles ungrateful: and he may have +been so. But some indulgence is due to a man, with +entries few on the credit side, and a terrible column +of debits. + +'Have no fear for the chair,' I said, for it creaked +under me very fearfully, having legs not so large as my +finger; 'if the chair breaks, Annie, your fear should +be, lest the tortoise-shell run into me. Why, it is +striped like a viper's loins! I saw some hundreds in +London; and very cheap they are. They are made to be +sold to the country people, such as you and me, dear; +and carefully kept they will last for almost half a +year. Now will you come back from your furniture, and +listen to my story?' + +Annie was a hearty dear, and she knew that half my talk +was joke, to make light of my worrying. Therefore she +took it in good part, as I well knew that she would do; +and she led me to a good honest chair; and she sat in +my lap and kissed me. + +'All this is not like you, John. All this is not one +bit like you: and your cheeks are not as they ought to +be. I shall have to come home again, if the women +worry my brother so. We always held together, John; +and we always will, you know.' + +'You dear,' I cried, 'there is nobody who understands +me as you do. Lorna makes too much of me, and the rest +they make too little.' + +'Not mother; oh, not mother, John!' + +'No, mother makes too much, no doubt; but wants it all +for herself alone; and reckons it as a part of her. +She makes me more wroth than any one: as if not only my +life, but all my head and heart must seek from hers, +and have no other thought or care.' + +Being sped of my grumbling thus, and eased into better +temper, I told Annie all the strange history about +Lorna and her departure, and the small chance that now +remained to me of ever seeing my love again. To this +Annie would not hearken twice, but judging women by her +faithful self, was quite vexed with me for speaking so. +And then, to my surprise and sorrow, she would deliver +no opinion as to what I ought to do until she had +consulted darling Tom. + +Dear Tom knew much of the world, no doubt, especially +the dark side of it. But to me it scarcely seemed +becoming that my course of action with regard to the +Lady Lorna Dugal should be referred to Tom Faggus, and +depend upon his decision. However, I would not grieve +Annie again by making light of her husband; and so when +he came in to dinner, the matter was laid before him. + +Now this man never confessed himself surprised, under +any circumstances; his knowledge of life being so +profound, and his charity universal. And in the +present case he vowed that he had suspected it all +along, and could have thrown light upon Lorna's +history, if we had seen fit to apply to him. Upon +further inquiry I found that this light was a very dim +one, flowing only from the fact that he had stopped her +mother's coach, at the village of Bolham, on the +Bampton Road, the day before I saw them. Finding only +women therein, and these in a sad condition, Tom with +his usual chivalry (as he had no scent of the necklace) +allowed them to pass; with nothing more than a pleasant +exchange of courtesies, and a testimonial forced upon +him, in the shape of a bottle of Burgundy wine. This +the poor countess handed him; and he twisted the cork +out with his teeth, and drank her health with his hat +off. + +'A lady she was, and a true one; and I am a pretty good +judge,' said Tom: 'ah, I do like a high lady!' + +Our Annie looked rather queer at this, having no +pretensions to be one: but she conquered herself, and +said, 'Yes, Tom; and many of them liked you.' + +With this, Tom went on the brag at once, being but a +shallow fellow, and not of settled principles, though +steadier than he used to be; until I felt myself almost +bound to fetch him back a little; for of all things I +do hate brag the most, as any reader of this tale must +by this time know. Therefore I said to Squire Faggus, +'Come back from your highway days. You have married +the daughter of an honest man; and such talk is not fit +for her. If you were right in robbing people, I am +right in robbing you. I could bind you to your own +mantelpiece, as you know thoroughly well, Tom; and +drive away with your own horses, and all your goods +behind them, but for the sense of honesty. And should +I not do as fine a thing as any you did on the highway? +If everything is of public right, how does this chair +belong to you? Clever as you are, Tom Faggus, you are +nothing but a fool to mix your felony with your +farmership. Drop the one, or drop the other; you +cannot maintain them both.' + +As I finished very sternly a speech which had exhausted +me more than ten rounds of wrestling--but I was carried +away by the truth, as sometimes happens to all of +us--Tom had not a word to say; albeit his mind was so +much more nimble and rapid than ever mine was. He +leaned against the mantelpiece (a newly-invented affair +in his house) as if I had corded him to it, even as I +spoke of doing. And he laid one hand on his breast in +a way which made Annie creep softly to him, and look at +me not like a sister. + +'You have done me good, John,' he said at last, and the +hand he gave me was trembling: 'there is no other man +on God's earth would have dared to speak to me as you +have done. From no other would I have taken it. +Nevertheless every word is true; and I shall dwell on +it when you are gone. If you never did good in your +life before, John, my brother, you have done it now.' + +He turned away, in bitter pain, that none might see his +trouble; and Annie, going along with him, looked as if +I had killed our mother. For my part, I was so upset, +for fear of having gone too far, that without a word to +either of them, but a message on the title-page of King +James his Prayer-book, I saddled Kickums, and was off, +and glad of the moorland air again. + + + +CHAPTER LXI + +THEREFORE HE SEEKS COMFORT + +It was for poor Annie's sake that I had spoken my mind +to her husband so freely, and even harshly. For we all +knew she would break her heart, if Tom took to evil +ways again. And the right mode of preventing this was, +not to coax, and flatter, and make a hero of him (which +he did for himself, quite sufficiently), but to set +before him the folly of the thing, and the ruin to his +own interests. They would both be vexed with me, of +course, for having left them so hastily, and especially +just before dinner-time; but that would soon wear off; +and most likely they would come to see mother, and tell +her that I was hard to manage, and they could feel for +her about it. + +Now with a certain yearning, I know not what, for +softness, and for one who could understand me--for +simple as a child though being, I found few to do that +last, at any rate in my love-time--I relied upon +Kickum's strength to take me round by Dulverton. It +would make the journey some eight miles longer, but +what was that to a brisk young horse, even with my +weight upon him? + +And having left Squire Faggus and Annie much sooner +than had been intended, I had plenty of time before me, +and too much, ere a prospect of dinner. Therefore I +struck to the right, across the hills, for Dulverton. + +Pretty Ruth was in the main street of the town, with a +basket in her hand, going home from the market. + +'Why, Cousin Ruth, you are grown, I exclaimed; 'I do +believe you are, Ruth. And you were almost too tall, +already.' + +At this the little thing was so pleased, that she +smiled through her blushes beautifully, and must needs +come to shake hands with me; though I signed to her not +to do it, because of my horse's temper. But scarcely +was her hand in mine, when Kickums turned like an eel +upon her, and caught her by the left arm with his +teeth, so that she screamed with agony. I saw the +white of his vicious eye, and struck him there with all +my force, with my left hand over her right arm, and he +never used that eye again; none the less he kept his +hold on her. Then I smote him again on the jaw, and +caught the little maid up by her right hand, and laid +her on the saddle in front of me; while the horse being +giddy and staggered with blows, and foiled of his +spite, ran backward. Ruth's wits were gone; and she +lay before me, in such a helpless and senseless way +that I could have killed vile Kickums. I struck the +spurs into him past the rowels, and away he went at +full gallop; while I had enough to do to hold on, with +the little girl lying in front of me. But I called to +the men who were flocking around, to send up a surgeon, +as quick as could be, to Master Reuben Huckaback's. + +The moment I brought my right arm to bear, the vicious +horse had no chance with me; and if ever a horse was +well paid for spite, Kickums had his change that day. +The bridle would almost have held a whale and I drew on +it so that his lower jaw was well-nigh broken from him; +while with both spurs I tore his flanks, and he learned +a little lesson. There are times when a man is more +vicious than any horse may vie with. Therefore by the +time we had reached Uncle Reuben's house at the top of +the hill, the bad horse was only too happy to stop; +every string of his body was trembling, and his head +hanging down with impotence. I leaped from his back at +once, and carried the maiden into her own sweet room. + +Now Cousin Ruth was recovering softly from her fright +and faintness; and the volley of the wind from +galloping so had made her little ears quite pink, and +shaken her locks all round her. But any one who might +wish to see a comely sight and a moving one, need only +have looked at Ruth Huckaback, when she learned (and +imagined yet more than it was) the manner of her little +ride with me. Her hair was of a hazel-brown, and full +of waving readiness; and with no concealment of the +trick, she spread it over her eyes and face. Being so +delighted with her, and so glad to see her safe, I +kissed her through the thick of it, as a cousin has a +right to do; yea, and ought to do, with gravity. + +'Darling,' I said; 'he has bitten you dreadfully: show +me your poor arm, dear.' + +She pulled up her sleeve in the simplest manner, rather +to look at it herself, than to show me where the wound +was. Her sleeve was of dark blue Taunton staple; and +her white arm shone, coming out of it, as round and +plump and velvety, as a stalk of asparagus, newly +fetched out of the ground. But above the curved soft +elbow, where no room was for one cross word (according +to our proverb),* three sad gashes, edged with crimson, +spoiled the flow of the pearly flesh. My presence of +mind was lost altogether; and I raised the poor sore +arm to my lips, both to stop the bleeding and to take +the venom out, having heard how wise it was, and +thinking of my mother. But Ruth, to my great +amazement, drew away from me in bitter haste, as if I +had been inserting instead of extracting poison. For +the bite of a horse is most venomous; especially when +he sheds his teeth; and far more to be feared than the +bite of a dog, or even of a cat. And in my haste I had +forgotten that Ruth might not know a word about this, +and might doubt about my meaning, and the warmth of my +osculation. But knowing her danger, I durst not heed +her childishness, or her feelings. + +* A maid with an elbow sharp, or knee, + Hath cross words two, out of every three. + + +'Don't be a fool, Cousin Ruth,' I said, catching her so +that she could not move; 'the poison is soaking into +you. Do you think that I do it for pleasure?' + +The spread of shame on her face was such, when she saw +her own misunderstanding, that I was ashamed to look at +her; and occupied myself with drawing all the risk of +glanders forth from the white limb, hanging helpless +now, and left entirely to my will. Before I was quite +sure of having wholly exhausted suction, and when I had +made the holes in her arm look like the gills of a +lamprey, in came the doctor, partly drunk, and in haste +to get through his business. + +'Ha, ha! I see,' he cried; 'bite of a horse, they tell +me. Very poisonous; must be burned away. Sally, the +iron in the fire. If you have a fire, this weather.' + +'Crave your pardon, good sir,' I said; for poor little +Ruth was fainting again at his savage orders: 'but my +cousin's arm shall not be burned; it is a great deal +too pretty, and I have sucked all the poison out. +Look, sir, how clean and fresh it is.' + +'Bless my heart! And so it is! No need at all for +cauterising. The epidermis will close over, and the +cutis and the pellis. John Ridd, you ought to have +studied medicine, with your healing powers. Half my +virtue lies in touch. A clean and wholesome body, sir; +I have taught you the Latin grammar. I leave you in +excellent hands, my dear, and they wait for me at +shovel-board. Bread and water poultice cold, to be +renewed, tribus horis. John Ridd, I was at school with +you, and you beat me very lamentably, when I tried to +fight with you. You remember me not? It is likely +enough: I am forced to take strong waters, John, from +infirmity of the liver. Attend to my directions; and I +will call again in the morning.' + +And in that melancholy plight, caring nothing for +business, went one of the cleverest fellows ever known +at Tiverton. He could write Latin verses a great deal +faster than I could ever write English prose, and +nothing seemed too great for him. We thought that he +would go to Oxford and astonish every one, and write in +the style of Buchanan; but he fell all abroad very +lamentably; and now, when I met him again, was come +down to push-pin and shovel-board, with a wager of +spirits pending. + +When Master Huckaback came home, he looked at me very +sulkily; not only because of my refusal to become a +slave to the gold-digging, but also because he regarded +me as the cause of a savage broil between Simon Carfax +and the men who had cheated him as to his Gwenny. +However, when Uncle Ben saw Ruth, and knew what had +befallen her, and she with tears in her eyes declared +that she owed her life to Cousin Ridd, the old man +became very gracious to me; for if he loved any one on +earth, it was his little granddaughter. + +I could not stay very long, because, my horse being +quite unfit to travel from the injuries which his +violence and vice had brought upon him, there was +nothing for me but to go on foot, as none of Uncle +Ben's horses could take me to Plover's Barrows, without +downright cruelty: and though there would be a +harvest-moon, Ruth agreed with me that I must not keep +my mother waiting, with no idea where I might be, until +a late hour of the night. I told Ruth all about our +Annie, and her noble furniture; and the little maid was +very lively (although her wounds were paining her so, +that half her laughter came 'on the wrong side of her +mouth,' as we rather coarsely express it); especially +she laughed about Annie's new-fangled closet for +clothes, or standing-press, as she called it. This had +frightened me so that I would not come without my stick +to look at it; for the front was inlaid with two fiery +dragons, and a glass which distorted everything, making +even Annie look hideous; and when it was opened, a +woman's skeleton, all in white, revealed itself, in the +midst of three standing women. 'It is only to keep my +best frocks in shape,' Annie had explained to me; +'hanging them up does ruin them so. But I own that I +was afraid of it, John, until I had got all my best +clothes there, and then I became very fond of it. But +even now it frightens me sometimes in the moonlight.' + +Having made poor Ruth a little cheerful, with a full +account of all Annie's frocks, material, pattern, and +fashion (of which I had taken a list for my mother, and +for Lizzie, lest they should cry out at man's stupidity +about anything of real interest), I proceeded to tell +her about my own troubles, and the sudden departure of +Lorna; concluding with all the show of indifference +which my pride could muster, that now I never should +see her again, and must do my best to forget her, as +being so far above me. I had not intended to speak of +this, but Ruth's face was so kind and earnest, that I +could not stop myself. + +'You must not talk like that, Cousin Ridd,' she said, +in a low and gentle tone, and turning away her eyes +from me; 'no lady can be above a man, who is pure, and +brave, and gentle. And if her heart be worth having, +she will never let you give her up, for her grandeur, +and her nobility.' + +She pronounced those last few words, as I thought, with +a little bitterness, unperceived by herself perhaps, +for it was not in her appearance. But I, attaching +great importance to a maiden's opinion about a maiden +(because she might judge from experience), would have +led her further into that subject. But she declined to +follow, having now no more to say in a matter so +removed from her. Then I asked her full and straight, +and looking at her in such a manner that she could not +look away, without appearing vanquished by feelings of +her own--which thing was very vile of me; but all men +are so selfish,-- + +'Dear cousin, tell me, once for all, what is your +advice to me?' + +'My advice to you,' she answered bravely, with her dark +eyes full of pride, and instead of flinching, foiling +me,--'is to do what every man must do, if he would win +fair maiden. Since she cannot send you token, neither +is free to return to you, follow her, pay your court to +her; show that you will not be forgotten; and perhaps +she will look down--I mean, she will relent to you.' + +'She has nothing to relent about. I have never vexed +nor injured her. My thoughts have never strayed from her. +There is no one to compare with her.' + +'Then keep her in that same mind about you. See now, I +can advise no more. My arm is swelling painfully, in +spite of all your goodness, and bitter task of +surgeonship. I shall have another poultice on, and go +to bed, I think, Cousin Ridd, if you will not hold me +ungrateful. I am so sorry for your long walk. Surely +it might be avoided. Give my love to dear Lizzie: oh, +the room is going round so.' + +And she fainted into the arms of Sally, who was come +just in time to fetch her: no doubt she had been +suffering agony all the time she talked to me. Leaving +word that I would come again to inquire for her, and +fetch Kickums home, so soon as the harvest permitted +me, I gave directions about the horse, and striding +away from the ancient town, was soon upon the +moorlands. + +Now, through the whole of that long walk--the latter +part of which was led by starlight, till the moon +arose--I dwelt, in my young and foolish way, upon the +ordering of our steps by a Power beyond us. But as I +could not bring my mind to any clearness upon this +matter, and the stars shed no light upon it, but rather +confused me with wondering how their Lord could attend +to them all, and yet to a puny fool like me, it came to +pass that my thoughts on the subject were not worth +ink, if I knew them. + +But it is perhaps worth ink to relate, so far as I can +do so, mother's delight at my return, when she had +almost abandoned hope, and concluded that I was gone to +London, in disgust at her behaviour. And now she was +looking up the lane, at the rise of the harvest-moon, +in despair, as she said afterwards. But if she had +despaired in truth, what use to look at all? Yet +according to the epigram made by a good Blundellite,-- + +Despair was never yet so deep +In sinking as in seeming; +Despair is hope just dropped asleep +For better chance of dreaming. + +And mother's dream was a happy one, when she knew my +step at a furlong distant; for the night was of those +that carry sound thrice as far as day can. She +recovered herself, when she was sure, and even made up +her mind to scold me, and felt as if she could do it. +But when she was in my arms, into which she threw +herself, and I by the light of the moon descried the +silver gleam on one side of her head (now spreading +since Annie's departure), bless my heart and yours +therewith, no room was left for scolding. She hugged +me, and she clung to me; and I looked at her, with duty +made tenfold, and discharged by love. We said nothing +to one another; but all was right between us. + +Even Lizzie behaved very well, so far as her nature +admitted; not even saying a nasty thing all the time +she was getting my supper ready, with a weak imitation +of Annie. She knew that the gift of cooking was not +vouchsafed by God to her; but sometimes she would do +her best, by intellect to win it. Whereas it is no +more to be won by intellect than is divine poetry. An +amount of strong quick heart is needful, and the +understanding must second it, in the one art as in the +other. Now my fare was very choice for the next three +days or more; yet not turned out like Annie's. They +could do a thing well enough on the fire; but they +could not put it on table so; nor even have plates all +piping hot. This was Annie's special gift; born in +her, and ready to cool with her; like a plate borne +away from the fireplace. I sighed sometimes about +Lorna, and they thought it was about the plates. And +mother would stand and look at me, as much as to say, +'No pleasing him'; and Lizzie would jerk up one +shoulder, and cry, 'He had better have Lorna to cook +for him'; while the whole truth was that I wanted not +to be plagued about any cookery; but just to have +something good and quiet, and then smoke and think +about Lorna. + +Nevertheless the time went on, with one change and +another; and we gathered all our harvest in; and Parson +Bowden thanked God for it, both in church and out of +it; for his tithes would be very goodly. The +unmatched cold of the previous winter, and general fear +of scarcity, and our own talk about our ruin, had sent +prices up to a grand high pitch; and we did our best to +keep them there. For nine Englishmen out of every ten +believe that a bitter winter must breed a sour summer, +and explain away topmost prices. While according to my +experience, more often it would be otherwise, except +for the public thinking so. However, I have said too +much; and if any farmer reads my book, he will vow that +I wrote it for nothing else except to rob his family. + + + +CHAPTER LXII + +THE KING MUST NOT BE PRAYED FOR + +All our neighbourhood was surprised that the Doones +had not ere now attacked, and probably made an end of +us. For we lay almost at their mercy now, having only +Sergeant Bloxham, and three men, to protect us, Captain +Stickles having been ordered southwards with all his +force; except such as might be needful for collecting +toll, and watching the imports at Lynmouth, and thence +to Porlock. The Sergeant, having now imbibed a taste +for writing reports (though his first great effort had +done him no good, and only offended Stickles), reported +weekly from Plover's Barrows, whenever he could find a +messenger. And though we fed not Sergeant Bloxham at +our own table, with the best we had (as in the case of +Stickles, who represented His Majesty), yet we treated +him so well, that he reported very highly of us, as +loyal and true-hearted lieges, and most devoted to our +lord the King. And indeed he could scarcely have done +less, when Lizzie wrote great part of his reports, and +furbished up the rest to such a pitch of lustre, that +Lord Clarendon himself need scarce have been ashamed of +them. And though this cost a great deal of ale, and +even of strong waters (for Lizzie would have it the +duty of a critic to stand treat to the author), and +though it was otherwise a plague, as giving the maid +such airs of patronage, and such pretence to politics; +yet there was no stopping it, without the risk of +mortal offence to both writer and reviewer. Our mother +also, while disapproving Lizzie's long stay in the +saddle-room on a Friday night and a Saturday, and +insisting that Betty should be there, was nevertheless +as proud as need be, that the King should read our +Eliza' s writings--at least so the innocent soul +believed--and we all looked forward to something great +as the fruit of all this history. And something great +did come of it, though not as we expected; for these +reports, or as many of them as were ever opened, stood +us in good stead the next year, when we were accused of +harbouring and comforting guilty rebels. + +Now the reason why the Doones did not attack us was +that they were preparing to meet another and more +powerful assault upon their fortress; being assured +that their repulse of King's troops could not be looked +over when brought before the authorities. And no doubt +they were right; for although the conflicts in the +Government during that summer and autumn had delayed +the matter yet positive orders had been issued +that these outlaws and malefactors should at any price +be brought to justice; when the sudden death of King +Charles the Second threw all things into confusion, and +all minds into a panic. + +We heard of it first in church, on Sunday, the eighth +day of February, 1684-5, from a cousin of John Fry, who +had ridden over on purpose from Porlock. He came in +just before the anthem, splashed and heated from his +ride, so that every one turned and looked at him. He +wanted to create a stir (knowing how much would be made +of him), and he took the best way to do it. For he let +the anthem go by very quietly--or rather I should say +very pleasingly, for our choir was exceeding proud of +itself, and I sang bass twice as loud as a bull, to +beat the clerk with the clarionet--and then just as +Parson Bowden, with a look of pride at his minstrels, +was kneeling down to begin the prayer for the King's +Most Excellent Majesty (for he never read the litany, +except upon Easter Sunday), up jumps young Sam Fry, and +shouts,-- + +'I forbid that there prai-er.' + +'What!' cried the parson, rising slowly, and looking +for some one to shut the door: 'have we a rebel in the +congregation?' For the parson was growing short-sighted +now, and knew not Sam Fry at that distance. + +'No,' replied Sam, not a whit abashed by the staring of +all the parish; 'no rebel, parson; but a man who +mislaiketh popery and murder. That there prai-er be a +prai-er for the dead.' + +'Nay,' cried the parson, now recognising and knowing +him to be our John's first cousin, 'you do not mean to +say, Sam, that His Gracious Majesty is dead!' + +'Dead as a sto-un: poisoned by they Papishers.' And Sam +rubbed his hands with enjoyment, at the effect he had +produced. + +'Remember where you are, Sam,' said Parson Bowden +solemnly; 'when did this most sad thing happen? The +King is the head of the Church, Sam Fry; when did he +leave her?' + +'Day afore yesterday. Twelve o'clock. Warn't us quick +to hear of 'un?' + +'Can't be,' said the minister: 'the tidings can never +have come so soon. Anyhow, he will want it all the +more. Let us pray for His Gracious Majesty.' + +And with that he proceeded as usual; but nobody cried +'Amen,' for fear of being entangled with Popery. But +after giving forth his text, our parson said a few +words out of book, about the many virtues of His +Majesty, and self-denial, and devotion, comparing his +pious mirth to the dancing of the patriarch David +before the ark of the covenant; and he added, with some +severity, that if his flock would not join their pastor +(who was much more likely to judge aright) in praying +for the King, the least they could do on returning home +was to pray that the King might not be dead, as his +enemies had asserted. + +Now when the service was over, we killed the King, and +we brought him to life, at least fifty times in the +churchyard: and Sam Fry was mounted on a high +gravestone, to tell every one all he knew of it. But +he knew no more than he had told us in the church, as +before repeated: upon which we were much disappointed +with him, and inclined to disbelieve him; until he +happily remembered that His Majesty had died in great +pain, with blue spots on his breast and black spots all +across his back, and these in the form of a cross, by +reason of Papists having poisoned him. When Sam called +this to his remembrance (or to his imagination) he was +overwhelmed, at once, with so many invitations to +dinner, that he scarce knew which of them to accept; +but decided in our favour. + +Grieving much for the loss of the King, however greatly +it might be (as the parson had declared it was, while +telling us to pray against it) for the royal benefit, I +resolved to ride to Porlock myself, directly after +dinner, and make sure whether he were dead, or not. +For it was not by any means hard to suppose that Sam +Fry, being John's first cousin, might have inherited +either from grandfather or grandmother some of those +gifts which had made our John so famous for mendacity. +At Porlock I found that it was too true; and the women +of the town were in great distress, for the King had +always been popular with them: the men, on the other +hand, were forecasting what would be likely to ensue. + +And I myself was of this number, riding sadly home +again; although bound to the King as churchwarden now; +which dignity, next to the parson's in rank, is with us +(as it ought to be in every good parish) hereditary. +For who can stick to the church like the man whose +father stuck to it before him; and who knows all the +little ins, and great outs, which must in these +troublous times come across? + +But though appointed at last, by virtue of being best +farmer in the parish (as well as by vice of +mismanagement on the part of my mother, and Nicholas +Snowe, who had thoroughly muxed up everything, being +too quick-headed); yet, while I dwelled with pride upon +the fact that I stood in the King's shoes, as the +manager and promoter of the Church of England, and I +knew that we must miss His Majesty (whose arms were +above the Commandments), as the leader of our thoughts +in church, and handsome upon a guinea; nevertheless I +kept on thinking how his death would act on me. + +And here I saw it, many ways. In the first place, +troubles must break out; and we had eight-and-twenty +ricks; counting grain, and straw, and hay. Moreover, +mother was growing weak about riots, and shooting, and +burning; and she gathered the bed-clothes around her +ears every night, when her feet were tucked up; and +prayed not to awake until morning. In the next place, +much rebellion (though we would not own it; in either +sense of the verb, to 'own') was whispering, and +plucking skirts, and making signs, among us. And the +terror of the Doones helped greatly; as a fruitful tree +of lawlessness, and a good excuse for everybody. And +after this--or rather before it, and first of all +indeed (if I must state the true order)--arose upon me +the thought of Lorna, and how these things would affect +her fate. + +And indeed I must admit that it had occurred to me +sometimes, or been suggested by others, that the Lady +Lorna had not behaved altogether kindly, since her +departure from among us. For although in those days +the post (as we call the service of letter-carrying, +which now comes within twenty miles of us) did not +extend to our part of the world, yet it might have been +possible to procure for hire a man who would ride post, +if Lorna feared to trust the pack-horses, or the +troopers, who went to and fro. Yet no message whatever +had reached us; neither any token even of her safety in +London. As to this last, however, we had no +misgivings, having learned from the orderlies, more +than once, that the wealth, and beauty, and adventures +of young Lady Lorna Dugal were greatly talked of, both +at court and among the common people. + +Now riding sadly homewards, in the sunset of the early +spring, I was more than ever touched with sorrow, and a +sense of being, as it were, abandoned. And the weather +growing quite beautiful, and so mild that the trees +were budding, and the cattle full of happiness, I could +not but think of the difference between the world of +to-day and the world of this day twelvemonth. Then all +was howling desolation, all the earth blocked up with +snow, and all the air with barbs of ice as small as +splintered needles, yet glittering, in and out, like +stars, and gathering so upon a man (if long he stayed +among them) that they began to weigh him down to +sleepiness and frozen death. Not a sign of life was +moving, nor was any change of view; unless the wild +wind struck the crest of some cold drift, and bowed it. + +Now, on the other hand, all was good. The open palm of +spring was laid upon the yielding of the hills; and +each particular valley seemed to be the glove for a +finger. And although the sun was low, and dipping in +the western clouds, the gray light of the sea came up, +and took, and taking, told the special tone of +everything. All this lay upon my heart, without a word +of thinking, spreading light and shadow there, and the +soft delight of sadness. Nevertheless, I would it were +the savage snow around me, and the piping of the +restless winds, and the death of everything. For in +those days I had Lorna. + +Then I thought of promise fair; such as glowed around +me, where the red rocks held the sun, when he was +departed; and the distant crags endeavoured to retain +his memory. But as evening spread across them, shading +with a silent fold, all the colour stole away; all +remembrance waned and died. + +'So it has been with love,' I thought, 'and with simple +truth and warmth. The maid has chosen the glittering +stars, instead of the plain daylight.' + +Nevertheless I would not give in, although in deep +despondency (especially when I passed the place where +my dear father had fought in vain), and I tried to see +things right and then judge aright about them. This, +however, was more easy to attempt than to achieve; and +by the time I came down the hill, I was none the wiser. +Only I could tell my mother that the King was dead for +sure; and she would have tried to cry, but for thought +of her mourning. + +There was not a moment for lamenting. All the mourning +must be ready (if we cared to beat the Snowes) in +eight-and-forty hours: and, although it was Sunday +night, mother now feeling sure of the thing, sat up +with Lizzie, cutting patterns, and stitching things on +brown paper, and snipping, and laying the fashions +down, and requesting all opinions, yet when given, +scorning them; insomuch that I grew weary even of +tobacco (which had comforted me since Lorna), and +prayed her to go on until the King should be alive +again. + +The thought of that so flurried her--for she never yet +could see a joke--that she laid her scissors on the +table and said, 'The Lord forbid, John! after what I +have cut up!' + +'It would be just like him,' I answered, with a knowing +smile: 'Mother, you had better stop. Patterns may do +very well; but don't cut up any more good stuff.' + +'Well, good lack, I am a fool! Three tables pegged with +needles! The Lord in His mercy keep His Majesty, if +ever He hath gotten him!' + +By this device we went to bed; and not another stitch +was struck until the troopers had office-tidings that +the King was truly dead. Hence the Snowes beat us by a +day; and both old Betty and Lizzie laid the blame upon +me, as usual. + +Almost before we had put off the mourning, which as +loyal subjects we kept for the King three months and a +week; rumours of disturbances, of plottings, and of +outbreak began to stir among us. We heard of fighting +in Scotland, and buying of ships on the continent, and +of arms in Dorset and Somerset; and we kept our beacon +in readiness to give signals of a landing; or rather +the soldiers did. For we, having trustworthy reports +that the King had been to high mass himself in the +Abbey of Westminster, making all the bishops go with +him, and all the guards in London, and then tortured +all the Protestants who dared to wait outside, moreover +had received from the Pope a flower grown in the Virgin +Mary's garden, and warranted to last for ever, we of +the moderate party, hearing all this and ten times as +much, and having no love for this sour James, such as +we had for the lively Charles, were ready to wait for +what might happen, rather than care about stopping it. +Therefore we listened to rumours gladly, and shook our +heads with gravity, and predicted, every man something, +but scarce any two the same. Nevertheless, in our +part, things went on as usual, until the middle of June +was nigh. We ploughed the ground, and sowed the corn, +and tended the cattle, and heeded every one his +neighbour's business, as carefully as heretofore; and +the only thing that moved us much was that Annie had a +baby. This being a very fine child with blue eyes, +and christened 'John' in compliment to me, and with me +for his godfather, it is natural to suppose that I +thought a good deal about him; and when mother or +Lizzie would ask me, all of a sudden, and +treacherously, when the fire flared up at supper-time +(for we always kept a little wood just alight in +summer-time, and enough to make the pot boil), then +when they would say to me, 'John, what are you thinking +of? At a word, speak!' I would always answer, 'Little +John Faggus'; and so they made no more of me. + +But when I was down, on Saturday the thirteenth of +June, at the blacksmith's forge by Brendon town, where +the Lynn-stream runs so close that he dips his +horseshoes in it, and where the news is apt to come +first of all to our neighbourhood (except upon a +Sunday), while we were talking of the hay-crop, and of +a great sheep-stealer, round the corner came a man +upon a piebald horse looking flagged and weary. But +seeing half a dozen of us, young, and brisk, and +hearty, he made a flourish with his horse, and waved a +blue flag vehemently, shouting with great glory,-- + +'Monmouth and the Protestant faith! Monmouth and no +Popery! Monmouth, the good King's eldest son! Down +with the poisoning murderer! Down with the black +usurper, and to the devil with all papists!' + +'Why so, thou little varlet?' I asked very quietly; for +the man was too small to quarrel with: yet knowing +Lorna to be a 'papist,' as we choose to call +them--though they might as well call us 'kingists,' +after the head of our Church--I thought that this +scurvy scampish knave might show them the way to the +place he mentioned, unless his courage failed him. + +'Papist yourself, be you?' said the fellow, not daring +to answer much: 'then take this, and read it.' + +And he handed me a long rigmarole, which he called a +'Declaration': I saw that it was but a heap of lies, +and thrust it into the blacksmith's fire, and blew the +bellows thrice at it. No one dared attempt to stop me, +for my mood had not been sweet of late; and of course +they knew my strength. + +The man rode on with a muttering noise, having won no +recruits from us, by force of my example: and he +stopped at the ale-house farther down, where the road +goes away from the Lynn-stream. Some of us went +thither after a time, when our horses were shodden and +rasped, for although we might not like the man, we +might be glad of his tidings, which seemed to be +something wonderful. He had set up his blue flag in +the tap-room, and was teaching every one. + +'Here coom'th Maister Jan Ridd,' said the landlady, +being well pleased with the call for beer and cider: +'her hath been to Lunnon-town, and live within a maile +of me. Arl the news coom from them nowadays, instead +of from here, as her ought to do. If Jan Ridd say it +be true, I will try almost to belave it. Hath the good +Duke landed, sir?' And she looked at me over a foaming +cup, and blew the froth off, and put more in. + +'I have no doubt it is true enough,' I answered, before +drinking; 'and too true, Mistress Pugsley. Many a poor +man will die; but none shall die from our parish, nor +from Brendon, if I can help it.' + +And I knew that I could help it; for every one in those +little places would abide by my advice; not only from +the fame of my schooling and long sojourn in London, +but also because I had earned repute for being very +'slow and sure': and with nine people out of ten this +is the very best recommendation. For they think +themselves much before you in wit, and under no +obligation, but rather conferring a favour, by doing +the thing that you do. Hence, if I cared for +influence--which means, for the most part, making +people do one's will, without knowing it--my first step +toward it would be to be called, in common parlance, +'slow but sure.' + +For the next fortnight we were daily troubled with +conflicting rumours, each man relating what he desired, +rather than what he had right, to believe. We were +told that the Duke had been proclaimed King of England +in every town of Dorset and of Somerset; that he had +won a great battle at Axminster, and another at +Bridport, and another somewhere else; that all the +western counties had risen as one man for him, and all +the militia had joined his ranks; that Taunton, and +Bridgwater, and Bristowe, were all mad with delight, +the two former being in his hands, and the latter +craving to be so. And then, on the other hand, we +heard that the Duke had been vanquished, and put to +flight, and upon being apprehended, had confessed +himself an impostor and a papist as bad as the King +was. + +We longed for Colonel Stickles (as he always became in +time of war, though he fell back to Captain, and even +Lieutenant, directly the fight was over), for then we +should have won trusty news, as well as good +consideration. But even Sergeant Bloxham, much against +his will, was gone, having left his heart with our +Lizzie, and a collection of all his writings. All the +soldiers had been ordered away at full speed for +Exeter, to join the Duke of Albemarle, or if he were +gone, to follow him. As for us, who had fed them so +long (although not quite for nothing), we must take our +chance of Doones, or any other enemies. + +Now all these tidings moved me a little; not enough to +spoil appetite, but enough to make things lively, and +to teach me that look of wisdom which is bred of +practice only, and the hearing of many lies. Therefore +I withheld my judgment, fearing to be triumphed over, +if it should happen to miss the mark. But mother and +Lizzie, ten times in a day, predicted all they could +imagine; and their prophecies increased in strength +according to contradiction. Yet this was not in the +proper style for a house like ours, which knew the +news, or at least had known it; and still was famous, +all around, for the last advices. Even from Lynmouth, +people sent up to Plover's Barrows to ask how things +were going on: and it was very grievous to answer that +in truth we knew not, neither had heard for days and +days; and our reputation was so great, especially since +the death of the King had gone abroad from Oare parish, +that many inquirers would only wink, and lay a finger +on the lip, as if to say, 'you know well enough, but +see not fit to tell me.' And before the end arrived, +those people believed that they had been right all +along, and that we had concealed the truth from them. + +For I myself became involved (God knows how much +against my will and my proper judgment) in the troubles, +and the conflict, and the cruel work coming +afterwards. If ever I had made up my mind to anything +in all my life, it was at this particular time, and as +stern and strong as could be. I had resolved to let +things pass, --to hear about them gladly, to encourage +all my friends to talk, and myself to express opinion +upon each particular point, when in the fullness of +time no further doubt could be. But all my policy went +for nothing, through a few touches of feeling. + +One day at the beginning of July, I came home from mowing +about noon, or a little later, to fetch some cider for all +of us, and to eat a morsel of bacon. For mowing was no +joke that year, the summer being wonderfully wet (even +for our wet country), and the swathe falling heavier +over the scythe than ever I could remember it. We were +drenched with rain almost every day; but the mowing +must be done somehow; and we must trust to God for the +haymaking. + +In the courtyard I saw a little cart, with iron brakes +underneath it, such as fastidious people use to deaden +the jolting of the road; but few men under a lord or +baronet would be so particular. Therefore I wondered +who our noble visitor could be. But when I entered the +kitchen-place, brushing up my hair for somebody, behold +it was no one greater than our Annie, with my godson in +her arms, and looking pale and tear-begone. And at +first she could not speak to me. But presently having +sat down a little, and received much praise for her +baby, she smiled and blushed, and found her tongue as +if she had never gone from us. + +'How natural it all looks again! Oh, I love this old +kitchen so! Baby dear, only look at it wid him pitty, +pitty eyes, and him tongue out of his mousy! But who +put the flour-riddle up there. And look at the pestle +and mortar, and rust I declare in the patty pans! And a +book, positively a dirty book, where the clean skewers +ought to hang! Oh, Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie!' + +'You may just as well cease lamenting,' I said, 'for +you can't alter Lizzie's nature, and you will only make +mother uncomfortable, and perhaps have a quarrel with +Lizzie, who is proud as Punch of her housekeeping.' + +'She,' cried Annie, with all the contempt that could be +compressed in a syllable. 'Well, John, no doubt you +are right about it. I will try not to notice things. +But it is a hard thing, after all my care, to see +everything going to ruin. But what can be expected of +a girl who knows all the kings of Carthage?' + +'There were no kings of Carthage, Annie. They were +called, why let me see--they were called--oh, something +else.' + +'Never mind what they were called,' said Annie; 'will +they cook our dinner for us? But now, John, I am in +such trouble. All this talk is make-believe.' + +'Don't you cry, my dear: don't cry, my darling sister,' +I answered, as she dropped into the worn place of the +settle, and bent above her infant, rocking as if both +their hearts were one: 'don't you know, Annie, I cannot +tell, but I know, or at least I mean, I have heard the +men of experience say, it is so bad for the baby.' + +'Perhaps I know that as well as you do, John,' said +Annie, looking up at me with a gleam of her old +laughing: 'but how can I help crying; I am in such +trouble.' + +'Tell me what it is, my dear. Any grief of yours will +vex me greatly; but I will try to bear it.' + +'Then, John, it is just this. Tom has gone off with +the rebels; and you must, oh, you must go after him.' + + + +CHAPTER LXIII + +JOHN IS WORSTED BY THE WOMEN + +Moved as I was by Annie's tears, and gentle style of +coaxing, and most of all by my love for her, I yet +declared that I could not go, and leave our house and +homestead, far less my dear mother and Lizzie, at the +mercy of the merciless Doones. + +'Is that all your objection, John?' asked Annie, in her +quick panting way: 'would you go but for that, John?' + +'Now,' I said, 'be in no such hurry'--for while I was +gradually yielding, I liked to pass it through my +fingers, as if my fingers shaped it: 'there are many +things to be thought about, and many ways of viewing +it.' + +'Oh, you never can have loved Lorna! No wonder you gave +her up so! John, you can love nobody, but your +oat-ricks, and your hay-ricks.' + +'Sister mine, because I rant not, neither rave of what +I feel, can you be so shallow as to dream that I feel +nothing? What is your love for Tom Faggus? What is +your love for your baby (pretty darling as he is) to +compare with such a love as for ever dwells with me? +Because I do not prate of it; because it is beyond me, +not only to express, but even form to my own heart in +thoughts; because I do not shape my face, and would +scorn to play to it, as a thing of acting, and lay it +out before you, are you fools enough to think--' but +here I stopped, having said more than was usual with +me. + +'I am very sorry, John. Dear John, I am so sorry. +What a shallow fool I am!' + +'I will go seek your husband,' I said, to change the +subject, for even to Annie I would not lay open all my +heart about Lorna: 'but only upon condition that you +ensure this house and people from the Doones meanwhile. +Even for the sake of Tom, I cannot leave all helpless. +The oat-ricks and the hay-ricks, which are my only +love, they are welcome to make cinders of. But I will +not have mother treated so; nor even little Lizzie, +although you scorn your sister so.' + +'Oh, John, I do think you are the hardest, as well as +the softest of all the men I know. Not even a woman's +bitter word but what you pay her out for. Will you +never understand that we are not like you, John? We +say all sorts of spiteful things, without a bit of +meaning. John, for God's sake fetch Tom home; and then +revile me as you please, and I will kneel and thank +you.' + +'I will not promise to fetch him home,' I answered, +being ashamed of myself for having lost command so: +'but I will promise to do my best, if we can only hit +on a plan for leaving mother harmless.' + +Annie thought for a little while, trying to gather her +smooth clear brow into maternal wrinkles, and then she +looked at her child, and said, 'I will risk it, for +daddy's sake, darling; you precious soul, for daddy's +sake.' I asked her what she was going to risk. She +would not tell me; but took upper hand, and saw to my +cider-cans and bacon, and went from corner to cupboard, +exactly as if she had never been married; only without +an apron on. And then she said, 'Now to your mowers, +John; and make the most of this fine afternoon; kiss +your godson before you go.' And I, being used to obey +her, in little things of that sort, kissed the baby, +and took my cans, and went back to my scythe again. + +By the time I came home it was dark night, and pouring +again with a foggy rain, such as we have in July, even +more than in January. Being soaked all through, and +through, and with water quelching in my boots, like a +pump with a bad bucket, I was only too glad to find +Annie's bright face, and quick figure, flitting in and +out the firelight, instead of Lizzie sitting grandly, +with a feast of literature, and not a drop of gravy. +Mother was in the corner also, with her cheery-coloured +ribbons glistening very nice by candle-light, looking +at Annie now and then, with memories of her babyhood; +and then at her having a baby: yet half afraid of +praising her much, for fear of that young Lizzie. But +Lizzie showed no jealousy: she truly loved our Annie +(now that she was gone from us), and she wanted to know +all sorts of things, and she adored the baby. +Therefore Annie was allowed to attend to me, as she +used to do. + +'Now, John, you must start the first thing in the +morning,' she said, when the others had left the room, +but somehow she stuck to the baby, 'to fetch me back my +rebel, according to your promise.' + +'Not so,' I replied, misliking the job, 'all I promised +was to go, if this house were assured against any +onslaught of the Doones.' + +'Just so; and here is that assurance.' With these words +she drew forth a paper, and laid it on my knee with +triumph, enjoying my amazement. This, as you may +suppose was great; not only at the document, but also +at her possession of it. For in truth it was no less +than a formal undertaking, on the part of the Doones, +not to attack Plover's Barrows farm, or molest any of +the inmates, or carry off any chattels, during the +absence of John Ridd upon a special errand. This +document was signed not only by the Counsellor, but by +many other Doones: whether Carver's name were there, I +could not say for certain; as of course he would not +sign it under his name of 'Carver,' and I had never +heard Lorna say to what (if any) he had been baptized. + +In the face of such a deed as this, I could no longer +refuse to go; and having received my promise, Annie +told me (as was only fair) how she had procured that +paper. It was both a clever and courageous act; and +would have seemed to me, at first sight, far beyond +Annie's power. But none may gauge a woman's power, +when her love and faith are moved. + +The first thing Annie had done was this: she made +herself look ugly. This was not an easy thing; but she +had learned a great deal from her husband, upon the +subject of disguises. It hurt her feelings not a +little to make so sad a fright of herself; but what +could it matter?--if she lost Tom, she must be a far +greater fright in earnest, than now she was in seeming. +And then she left her child asleep, under Betty +Muxworthy's tendance--for Betty took to that child, as +if there never had been a child before--and away she +went in her own 'spring-cart' (as the name of that +engine proved to be), without a word to any one, except +the old man who had driven her from Molland parish that +morning, and who coolly took one of our best horses, +without 'by your leave' to any one. + +Annie made the old man drive her within easy reach of +the Doone-gate, whose position she knew well enough, +from all our talk about it. And there she bade the old +man stay, until she should return to him. Then with +her comely figure hidden by a dirty old woman's cloak, +and her fair young face defaced by patches and by +liniments, so that none might covet her, she addressed +the young man at the gate in a cracked and trembling +voice; and they were scarcely civil to the 'old hag,' +as they called her. She said that she bore important +tidings for Sir Counsellor himself, and must be +conducted to him. To him accordingly she was led, +without even any hoodwinking, for she had spectacles +over her eyes, and made believe not to see ten yards. + +She found Sir Counsellor at home, and when the rest +were out of sight, threw off all disguise to him, +flashing forth as a lovely young woman, from all her +wraps and disfigurements. She flung her patches on the +floor, amid the old man's laughter, and let her +tucked-up hair come down; and then went up and kissed +him. + +'Worthy and reverend Counsellor, I have a favour to +ask,' she began. + +'So I should think from your proceedings,'--the old man +interrupted--'ah, if I were half my age'-- + +'If you were, I would not sue so. But most excellent +Counsellor, you owe me some amends, you know, for the +way in which you robbed me.' + +'Beyond a doubt I do, my dear. You have put it rather +strongly; and it might offend some people. +Nevertheless I own my debt, having so fair a creditor.' + +'And do you remember how you slept, and how much we +made of you, and would have seen you home, sir; only +you did not wish it?' + +'And for excellent reasons, child. My best escort was +in my cloak, after we made the cream to rise. Ha, ha! +The unholy spell. My pretty child, has it injured +you?' + +'Yes, I fear it has, said Annie; 'or whence can all my +ill luck come?' And here she showed some signs of +crying, knowing that Counsellor hated it. + +'You shall not have ill luck, my dear. I have heard +all about your marriage to a very noble highwayman. +Ah, you made a mistake in that; you were worthy of a +Doone, my child; your frying was a blessing meant for +those who can appreciate.' + +'My husband can appreciate,' she answered very proudly; +'but what I wish to know is this, will you try to help +me?' + +The Counsellor answered that he would do so, if her +needs were moderate; whereupon she opened her meaning +to him, and told of all her anxieties. Considering +that Lorna was gone, and her necklace in his +possession, and that I (against whom alone of us the +Doones could bear any malice) would be out of the way +all the while, the old man readily undertook that our +house should not be assaulted, nor our property +molested, until my return. And to the promptitude of +his pledge, two things perhaps contributed, namely, +that he knew not how we were stripped of all defenders, +and that some of his own forces were away in the rebel +camp. For (as I learned thereafter) the Doones being +now in direct feud with the present Government, and +sure to be crushed if that prevailed, had resolved to +drop all religious questions, and cast in their lot +with Monmouth. And the turbulent youths, being long +restrained from their wonted outlet for vehemence, by +the troopers in the neighbourhood, were only too glad +to rush forth upon any promise of blows and excitement. + +However, Annie knew little of this, but took the +Counsellor's pledge as a mark of especial favour in her +behalf (which it may have been to some extent), and +thanked him for it most heartily, and felt that he had +earned the necklace; while he, like an ancient +gentleman, disclaimed all obligation, and sent her +under an escort safe to her own cart again. But Annie, +repassing the sentinels, with her youth restored and +blooming with the flush of triumph, went up to them +very gravely, and said, 'The old hag wishes you +good-evening, gentlemen'; and so made her best curtsey. + +Now, look at it as I would, there was no excuse left +for me, after the promise given. Dear Annie had not +only cheated the Doones, but also had gotten the best +of me, by a pledge to a thing impossible. And I +bitterly said, 'I am not like Lorna: a pledge once +given, I keep it.' + +'I will not have a word against Lorna,' cried Annie; 'I +will answer for her truth as surely as I would for my +own or yours, John.' And with that she vanquished me. + +But when my poor mother heard that I was committed, by +word of honour, to a wild-goose chase, among the +rebels, after that runagate Tom Faggus, she simply +stared, and would not believe it. For lately I had +joked with her, in a little style of jerks, as people +do when out of sorts; and she, not understanding this, +and knowing jokes to be out of my power, would only +look, and sigh, and toss, and hope that I meant +nothing. At last, however, we convinced her that I was +in earnest, and must be off in the early morning, and +leave John Fry with the hay crop. + +Then mother was ready to fall upon Annie, as not +content with disgracing us, by wedding a man of new +honesty (if indeed of any), but laying traps to catch +her brother, and entangle him perhaps to his death, for +the sake of a worthless fellow; and 'felon'--she was +going to say, as by the shape of her lips I knew. But +I laid my hand upon dear mother's lips; because what +must be, must be; and if mother and daughter stayed at +home, better in love than in quarrelling. + +Right early in the morning, I was off, without word to +any one; knowing that mother and sister mine had cried +each her good self to sleep; relenting when the light +was out, and sorry for hard words and thoughts; and yet +too much alike in nature to understand each other. +Therefore I took good Kickums, who (although with one +eye spoiled) was worth ten sweet-tempered horses, to a +man who knew how to manage him; and being well charged +both with bacon and powder, forth I set on my +wild-goose chase. + +For this I claim no bravery. I cared but little what +came of it; save for mother's sake, and Annie's, and +the keeping of the farm, and discomfiture of the +Snowes, and lamenting of Lorna at my death, if die I +must in a lonesome manner, not found out till +afterwards, and bleaching bones left to weep over. +However, I had a little kettle, and a pound and a half +of tobacco, and two dirty pipes and a clean one; also a +bit of clothes for change, also a brisket of hung +venison, and four loaves of farmhouse bread, and of the +upper side of bacon a stone and a half it might be--not +to mention divers small things for campaigning, which +may come in handily, when no one else has gotten them. + +We went away in merry style; my horse being ready for +anything, and I only glad of a bit of change, after +months of working and brooding; with no content to +crown the work; no hope to hatch the brooding; or +without hatching to reckon it. Who could tell but what +Lorna might be discovered, or at any rate heard of, +before the end of this campaign; if campaign it could +be called of a man who went to fight nobody, only to +redeem a runagate? And vexed as I was about the hay, +and the hunch-backed ricks John was sure to make (which +spoil the look of a farm-yard), still even this was +better than to have the mows and houses fired, as I had +nightly expected, and been worn out with the worry of +it. + +Yet there was one thing rather unfavourable to my +present enterprise, namely, that I knew nothing of the +country I was bound to, nor even in what part of it my +business might be supposed to lie. For beside the +uncertainty caused by the conflict of reports, it was +likely that King Monmouth's army would be moving from +place to place, according to the prospect of supplies +and of reinforcements. However, there would arise more +chance of getting news as I went on: and my road being +towards the east and south, Dulverton would not lie so +very far aside of it, but what it might be worth a +visit, both to collect the latest tidings, and to +consult the maps and plans in Uncle Reuben's parlour. +Therefore I drew the off-hand rein, at the cross-road +on the hills, and made for the town; expecting perhaps +to have breakfast with Master Huckaback, and Ruth, to +help and encourage us. This little maiden was now +become a very great favourite with me, having long +outgrown, no doubt, her childish fancies and follies, +such as my mother and Annie had planted under her soft +brown hair. It had been my duty, as well as my true +interest (for Uncle Ben was more and more testy, as he +went on gold-digging), to ride thither, now and again, +to inquire what the doctor thought of her. Not that +her wounds were long in healing, but that people can +scarcely be too careful and too inquisitive, after a +great horse-bite. And she always let me look at the +arm, as I had been first doctor; and she held it up in +a graceful manner, curving at the elbow, and with a +sweep of white roundness going to a wrist the size of +my thumb or so, and without any thimble-top standing +forth, such as even our Annie had. But gradually all I +could see, above the elbow, where the bite had been, +was very clear, transparent skin, with very firm sweet +flesh below, and three little blue marks as far asunder +as the prongs of a toasting-fork, and no deeper than +where a twig has chafed the peel of a waxen apple. And +then I used to say in fun, as the children do, 'Shall I +kiss it, to make it well, dear?' + +Now Ruth looked very grave indeed, upon hearing of this +my enterprise; and crying, said she could almost cry, +for the sake of my dear mother. Did I know the risks +and chances, not of the battlefield alone, but of the +havoc afterwards; the swearing away of innocent lives, +and the hurdle, and the hanging? And if I would please +not to laugh (which was so unkind of me), had I never +heard of imprisonments, and torturing with the cruel +boot, and selling into slavery, where the sun and the +lash outvied one another in cutting a man to pieces? I +replied that of all these things I had heard, and would +take especial care to steer me free of all of them. My +duty was all that I wished to do; and none could harm +me for doing that. And I begged my cousin to give me +good-speed, instead of talking dolefully. Upon this +she changed her manner wholly, becoming so lively and +cheerful that I was convinced of her indifference, and +surprised even more than gratified. + +'Go and earn your spurs, Cousin Ridd,' she said: 'you +are strong enough for anything. Which side is to have +the benefit of your doughty arm?' + +'Have I not told you, Ruth,' I answered, not being fond +of this kind of talk, more suitable for Lizzie, 'that I +do not mean to join either side, that is to say, +until--' + +'Until, as the common proverb goes, you know which way +the cat will jump. Oh, John Ridd! Oh, John Ridd!' + +'Nothing of the sort,' said I: 'what a hurry you are +in! I am for the King of course.' + +'But not enough to fight for him. Only enough to vote, +I suppose, or drink his health, or shout for him.' + +'I can't make you out to-day, Cousin Ruth; you are +nearly as bad as Lizzie. You do not say any bitter +things, but you seem to mean them.' + +'No, cousin, think not so of me. It is far more likely +that I say them, without meaning them.' + +'Anyhow, it is not like you. And I know not what I can +have done in any way, to vex you.' + +'Dear me, nothing, Cousin Ridd; you never do anything +to vex me.' + +'Then I hope I shall do something now, Ruth, when I say +good-bye. God knows if we ever shall meet again, +Ruth: but I hope we may.' + +'To be sure we shall, ' she answered in her brightest +manner. 'Try not to look wretched, John: you are as +happy as a Maypole.' + +'And you as a rose in May,' I said; 'and pretty nearly +as pretty. Give my love to Uncle Ben; and I trust him +to keep on the winning side.' + +'Of that you need have no misgivings. Never yet has he +failed of it. Now, Cousin Ridd, why go you not? You +hurried me so at breakfast time?' + +'My only reason for waiting, Ruth, is that you have not +kissed me, as you are almost bound to do, for the last +time perhaps of seeing me.' + +'Oh, if that is all, just fetch the stool; and I will +do my best, cousin.' + +'I pray you be not so vexatious; you always used to do +it nicely, without any stool, Ruth.' + +'Ah, but you are grown since then, and become a famous +man, John Ridd, and a member of the nobility. Go your +way, and win your spurs. I want no lip-service.' + +Being at the end of my wits, I did even as she ordered +me. At least I had no spurs to win, because there were +big ones on my boots, paid for in the Easter bill, and +made by a famous saddler, so as never to clog with +marsh-weed, but prick as hard as any horse, in reason, +could desire. And Kickums never wanted spurs; but +always went tail-foremost, if anybody offered them for +his consideration. + + + +CHAPTER LXIV + +SLAUGHTER IN THE MARSHES + +We rattled away at a merry pace, out of the town of +Dulverton; my horse being gaily fed, and myself quite +fit again for going. Of course I was puzzled about +Cousin Ruth; for her behaviour was not at all such as I +had expected; and indeed I had hoped for a far more +loving and moving farewell than I got from her. But I +said to myself, 'It is useless ever to count upon what +a woman will do; and I think that I must have vexed +her, almost as much as she vexed me. And now to see +what comes of it.' So I put my horse across the +moorland; and he threw his chest out bravely. + +Now if I tried to set down at length all the things +that happened to me, upon this adventure, every in and +out, and up and down, and to and fro, that occupied me, +together with the things I saw, and the things I heard +of, however much the wiser people might applaud my +narrative, it is likely enough that idle readers might +exclaim, 'What ails this man? Knows he not that men of +parts and of real understanding, have told us all we +care to hear of that miserable business. Let him keep +to his farm, and his bacon, and his wrestling, and +constant feeding.' + +Fearing to meet with such rebuffs (which after my death +would vex me), I will try to set down only what is +needful for my story, and the clearing of my character, +and the good name of our parish. But the manner in +which I was bandied about, by false information, from +pillar to post, or at other times driven quite out of +my way by the presence of the King's soldiers, may be +known by the names of the following towns, to which I +was sent in succession, Bath, Frome, Wells, Wincanton, +Glastonbury, Shepton, Bradford, Axbridge, Somerton, and +Bridgwater. + +This last place I reached on a Sunday night, the fourth +or fifth of July, I think--or it might be the sixth, +for that matter; inasmuch as I had been too much +worried to get the day of the month at church. Only I +know that my horse and myself were glad to come to a +decent place, where meat and corn could be had for +money; and being quite weary of wandering about, we +hoped to rest there a little. + +Of this, however, we found no chance, for the town was +full of the good Duke's soldiers; if men may be called +so, the half of whom had never been drilled, nor had +fired a gun. And it was rumoured among them, that the +'popish army,' as they called it, was to be attacked +that very night, and with God's assistance beaten. +However, by this time I had been taught to pay little +attention to rumours; and having sought vainly for Tom +Faggus among these poor rustic warriors, I took to my +hostel; and went to bed, being as weary as weary can +be. + +Falling asleep immediately, I took heed of nothing; +although the town was all alive, and lights had come +glancing, as I lay down, and shouts making echo all +round my room. But all I did was to bolt the door; not +an inch would I budge, unless the house, and even my +bed, were on fire. And so for several hours I lay, in +the depth of the deepest slumber, without even a dream +on its surface; until I was roused and awakened at last +by a pushing, and pulling, and pinching, and a plucking +of hair out by the roots. And at length, being able to +open mine eyes, I saw the old landlady, with a candle, +heavily wondering at me. + +'Can't you let me alone?' I grumbled. 'I have paid for +my bed, mistress; and I won't get up for any one.' + +'Would to God, young man,' she answered, shaking me as +hard as ever, 'that the popish soldiers may sleep this +night, only half as strong as thou dost! Fie on thee, +fie on thee! Get up, and go fight; we can hear the +battle already; and a man of thy size mought stop a +cannon.' + +'I would rather stop a-bed,' said I; 'what have I to do +with fighting? I am for King James, if any.' + +'Then thou mayest even stop a-bed,' the old woman +muttered sulkily. 'A would never have laboured half an +hour to awake a Papisher. But hearken you one thing, +young man; Zummerzett thou art, by thy brogue; or at +least by thy understanding of it; no Zummerzett maid +will look at thee, in spite of thy size and stature, +unless thou strikest a blow this night.' + +'I lack no Zummerzett maid, mistress: I have a fairer +than your brown things; and for her alone would I +strike a blow.' + +At this the old woman gave me up, as being beyond +correction: and it vexed me a little that my great fame +had not reached so far as Bridgwater, when I thought +that it went to Bristowe. But those people in East +Somerset know nothing about wrestling. Devon is the +headquarters of the art; and Devon is the county of my +chief love. Howbeit, my vanity was moved, by this slur +upon it--for I had told her my name was John Ridd, when +I had a gallon of ale with her, ere ever I came +upstairs; and she had nodded, in such a manner, that I +thought she knew both name and fame--and here was I, +not only shaken, pinched, and with many hairs pulled +out, in the midst of my first good sleep for a week, +but also abused, and taken amiss, and (which vexed me +most of all) unknown. + +Now there is nothing like vanity to keep a man awake at +night, however he be weary; and most of all, when he +believes that he is doing something great--this time, +if never done before--yet other people will not see, +except what they may laugh at; and so be far above him, +and sleep themselves the happier. Therefore their +sleep robs his own; for all things play so, in and out +(with the godly and ungodly ever moving in a balance, +as they have done in my time, almost every year or +two), all things have such nice reply of produce to the +call for it, and such a spread across the world, giving +here and taking there, yet on the whole pretty even, +that haply sleep itself has but a certain stock, and +keeps in hand, and sells to flattered (which can pay) +that which flattened vanity cannot pay, and will not +sue for. + +Be that as it may, I was by this time wide awake, +though much aggrieved at feeling so, and through the +open window heard the distant roll of musketry, and the +beating of drums, with a quick rub-a-dub, and the 'come +round the corner' of trumpet-call. And perhaps Tom +Faggus might be there, and shot at any moment, and my +dear Annie left a poor widow, and my godson Jack an +orphan, without a tooth to help him. + +Therefore I reviled myself for all my heavy laziness; +and partly through good honest will, and partly through +the stings of pride, and yet a little perhaps by virtue +of a young man's love of riot, up I arose, and dressed +myself, and woke Kickums (who was snoring), and set out +to see the worst of it. The sleepy hostler scratched +his poll, and could not tell me which way to take; what +odds to him who was King, or Pope, so long as he paid +his way, and got a bit of bacon on Sunday? And would I +please to remember that I had roused him up at night, +and the quality always made a point of paying four +times over for a man's loss of his beauty-sleep. I +replied that his loss of beauty-sleep was rather +improving to a man of so high complexion; and that I, +being none of the quality, must pay half-quality +prices: and so I gave him double fee, as became a good +farmer; and he was glad to be quit of Kickums; as I saw +by the turn of his eye, while going out at the archway. + +All this was done by lanthorn light, although the moon +was high and bold; and in the northern heaven, flags +and ribbons of a jostling pattern; such as we often +have in autumn, but in July very rarely. Of these +Master Dryden has spoken somewhere, in his courtly +manner; but of him I think so little--because by +fashion preferred to Shakespeare--that I cannot +remember the passage; neither is it a credit to him. + +Therefore I was guided mainly by the sound of guns and +trumpets, in riding out of the narrow ways, and into +the open marshes. And thus I might have found my road, +in spite of all the spread of water, and the glaze of +moonshine; but that, as I followed sound (far from +hedge or causeway), fog (like a chestnut-tree in +blossom, touched with moonlight) met me. Now fog is a +thing that I understand, and can do with well enough, +where I know the country; but here I had never been +before. It was nothing to our Exmoor fogs; not to be +compared with them; and all the time one could see the +moon; which we cannot do in our fogs; nor even the sun, +for a week together. Yet the gleam of water always +makes the fog more difficult: like a curtain on a +mirror; none can tell the boundaries. + +And here we had broad-water patches, in and out, inlaid +on land, like mother-of-pearl in brown Shittim wood. +To a wild duck, born and bred there, it would almost be +a puzzle to find her own nest amongst us; what chance +then had I and Kickums, both unused to marsh and mere? +Each time when we thought that we must be right, now at +last, by track or passage, and approaching the +conflict, with the sounds of it waxing nearer, suddenly +a break of water would be laid before us, with the moon +looking mildly over it, and the northern lights behind +us, dancing down the lines of fog. + +It was an awful thing, I say (and to this day I +remember it), to hear the sounds of raging fight, and +the yells of raving slayers, and the howls of poor men +stricken hard, and shattered from wrath to wailing; +then suddenly the dead low hush, as of a soul +departing, and spirits kneeling over it. Through the +vapour of the earth, and white breath of the water, and +beneath the pale round moon (bowing as the drift went +by), all this rush and pause of fear passed or lingered +on my path. + +At last, when I almost despaired of escaping from this +tangle of spongy banks, and of hazy creeks, and +reed-fringe, my horse heard the neigh of a +fellow-horse, and was only too glad to answer it; upon +which the other, having lost its rider, came up and +pricked his ears at us, and gazed through the fog very +steadfastly. Therefore I encouraged him with a soft +and genial whistle, and Kickums did his best to tempt +him with a snort of inquiry. However, nothing would +suit that nag, except to enjoy his new freedom; and he +capered away with his tail set on high, and the +stirrup-irons clashing under him. Therefore, as he +might know the way, and appeared to have been in the +battle, we followed him very carefully; and he led us +to a little hamlet, called (as I found afterwards) West +Zuyland, or Zealand, so named perhaps from its +situation amid this inland sea. + +Here the King's troops had been quite lately, and their +fires were still burning; but the men themselves had +been summoned away by the night attack of the rebels. +Hence I procured for my guide a young man who knew the +district thoroughly, and who led me by many intricate +ways to the rear of the rebel army. We came upon a +broad open moor striped with sullen water courses, +shagged with sedge, and yellow iris, and in the drier +part with bilberries. For by this time it was four +o'clock, and the summer sun, rising wanly, showed us +all the ghastly scene. + +Would that I had never been there! Often in the lonely +hours, even now it haunts me: would, far more, that the +piteous thing had never been done in England! Flying +men, flung back from dreams of victory and honour, only +glad to have the luck of life and limbs to fly with, +mud-bedraggled, foul with slime, reeking both with +sweat and blood, which they could not stop to wipe, +cursing, with their pumped-out lungs, every stick that +hindered them, or gory puddle that slipped the step, +scarcely able to leap over the corses that had dragged +to die. And to see how the corses lay; some, as fair +as death in sleep; with the smile of placid valour, and +of noble manhood, hovering yet on the silent lips. +These had bloodless hands put upwards, white as wax, +and firm as death, clasped (as on a monument) in prayer +for dear ones left behind, or in high thanksgiving. +And of these men there was nothing in their broad blue +eyes to fear. But others were of different sort; +simple fellows unused to pain, accustomed to the +bill-hook, perhaps, or rasp of the knuckles in a +quick-set hedge, or making some to-do at breakfast, +over a thumb cut in sharpening a scythe, and expecting +their wives to make more to-do. Yet here lay these +poor chaps, dead; dead, after a deal of pain, with +little mind to bear it, and a soul they had never +thought of; gone, their God alone knows whither; but to +mercy we may trust. Upon these things I cannot dwell; +and none I trow would ask me: only if a plain man saw +what I saw that morning, he (if God had blessed him +with the heart that is in most of us) must have +sickened of all desire to be great among mankind. + +Seeing me riding to the front (where the work of death +went on among the men of true English pluck; which, +when moved, no farther moves), the fugitives called out +to me, in half a dozen dialects, to make no utter fool +of myself; for the great guns were come, and the fight +was over; all the rest was slaughter. + +'Arl oop wi Moonmo',' shouted one big fellow, a miner +of the Mendip hills, whose weapon was a pickaxe: 'na +oose to vaight na moor. Wend thee hame, yoong mon +agin.' + +Upon this I stopped my horse, desiring not to be shot +for nothing; and eager to aid some poor sick people, +who tried to lift their arms to me. And this I did to +the best of my power, though void of skill in the +business; and more inclined to weep with them than to +check their weeping. While I was giving a drop of +cordial from my flask to one poor fellow, who sat up, +while his life was ebbing, and with slow insistence +urged me, when his broken voice would come, to tell his +wife (whose name I knew not) something about an +apple-tree, and a golden guinea stored in it, to divide +among six children--in the midst of this I felt warm +lips laid against my cheek quite softly, and then a +little push; and behold it was a horse leaning over me! +I arose in haste, and there stood Winnie, looking at me +with beseeching eyes, enough to melt a heart of stone. +Then seeing my attention fixed she turned her head, and +glanced back sadly toward the place of battle, and gave +a little wistful neigh: and then looked me full in the +face again, as much as to say, 'Do you understand?' +while she scraped with one hoof impatiently. If ever a +horse tried hard to speak, it was Winnie at that +moment. I went to her side and patted her; but that +was not what she wanted. Then I offered to leap into +the empty saddle; but neither did that seem good to +her: for she ran away toward the part of the field at +which she had been glancing back, and then turned +round, and shook her mane, entreating me to follow her. + +Upon this I learned from the dying man where to find +his apple-tree, and promised to add another guinea to +the one in store for his children; and so, commending +him to God, I mounted my own horse again, and to +Winnie's great delight, professed myself at her +service. With her ringing silvery neigh, such as no +other horse of all I ever knew could equal, she at once +proclaimed her triumph, and told her master (or meant +to tell, if death should not have closed his ears) that +she was coming to his aid, and bringing one who might +be trusted, of the higher race that kill. + +A cannon-bullet (fired low, and ploughing the marsh +slowly) met poor Winnie front to front; and she, being +as quick as thought, lowered her nose to sniff at it. +It might be a message from her master; for it made a +mournful noise. But luckily for Winnie's life, a rise +of wet ground took the ball, even under her very nose; +and there it cut a splashy groove, missing her off +hindfoot by an inch, and scattering black mud over her. +It frightened me much more than Winnie; of that I am +quite certain: because though I am firm enough, when it +comes to a real tussle, and the heart of a fellow warms +up and tells him that he must go through with it; yet I +never did approve of making a cold pie of death. + +Therefore, with those reckless cannons, brazen-mouthed, +and bellowing, two furlongs off, or it might be more +(and the more the merrier), I would have given that +year's hay-crop for a bit of a hill, or a thicket of +oaks, or almost even a badger's earth. People will +call me a coward for this (especially when I had made +up my mind, that life was not worth having without any +sign of Lorna); nevertheless, I cannot help it: those +were my feelings; and I set them down, because they +made a mark on me. At Glen Doone I had fought, even +against cannon, with some spirit and fury: but now I +saw nothing to fight about; but rather in every poor +doubled corpse, a good reason for not fighting. So, in +cold blood riding on, and yet ashamed that a man should +shrink where a horse went bravely, I cast a bitter +blame upon the reckless ways of Winnie. + +Nearly all were scattered now. Of the noble countrymen +(armed with scythe or pickaxe, blacksmith's hammer, or +fold-pitcher), who had stood their ground for hours +against blazing musketry (from men whom they could not +get at, by reason of the water-dyke), and then against +the deadly cannon, dragged by the Bishop's horses to +slaughter his own sheep; of these sturdy Englishmen, +noble in their want of sense, scarce one out of four +remained for the cowards to shoot down. 'Cross the +rhaine,' they shouted out, 'cross the rhaine, and coom +within rache:' but the other mongrel Britons, with a +mongrel at their head, found it pleasanter to shoot men +who could not shoot in answer, than to meet the chance +of mischief from strong arms, and stronger hearts. + +The last scene of this piteous play was acting, just as +I rode up. Broad daylight, and upstanding sun, +winnowing fog from the eastern hills, and spreading the +moors with freshness; all along the dykes they shone, +glistened on the willow-trunks, and touched the banks +with a hoary gray. But alas! those banks were touched +more deeply with a gory red, and strewn with fallen +trunks, more woeful than the wreck of trees; while +howling, cursing, yelling, and the loathsome reek of +carnage, drowned the scent of the new-mown hay, and the +carol of the lark. + +Then the cavalry of the King, with their horses at full +speed, dashed from either side upon the helpless mob of +countrymen. A few pikes feebly levelled met them; but +they shot the pikemen, drew swords, and helter-skelter +leaped into the shattered and scattering mass. Right +and left they hacked and hewed; I could hear the +snapping of scythes beneath them, and see the flash of +their sweeping swords. How it must end was plain +enough, even to one like myself, who had never beheld +such a battle before. But Winnie led me away to the +left; and as I could not help the people, neither stop +the slaughter, but found the cannon-bullets coming very +rudely nigh me, I was only too glad to follow her. + + + +CHAPTER LXV + +FALLING AMONG LAMBS + +That faithful creature, whom I began to admire as if +she were my own (which is no little thing for a man to +say of another man's horse), stopped in front of a low +black shed, such as we call a 'linhay.' And here she +uttered a little greeting, in a subdued and softened +voice, hoping to obtain an answer, such as her master +was wont to give in a cheery manner. Receiving no +reply, she entered; and I (who could scarce keep up +with her, poor Kickums being weary) leaped from his +back, and followed. There I found her sniffing gently, +but with great emotion, at the body of Tom Faggus. A +corpse poor Tom appeared to be, if ever there was one +in this world; and I turned away, and felt unable to +keep altogether from weeping. But the mare either +could not understand, or else would not believe it. +She reached her long neck forth, and felt him with her +under lip, passing it over his skin as softly as a +mother would do to an infant; and then she looked up at +me again; as much as to say, 'he is all right.' + +Upon this I took courage, and handled poor Tom, which +being young I had feared at first to do. He groaned +very feebly, as I raised him up; and there was the +wound, a great savage one (whether from pike-thrust or +musket-ball), gaping and welling in his right side, +from which a piece seemed to be torn away. I bound it +up with some of my linen, so far as I knew how; just to +stanch the flow of blood, until we could get a doctor. +Then I gave him a little weak brandy and water, which +he drank with the greatest eagerness, and made sign to +me for more of it. But not knowing how far it was +right to give cordial under the circumstances, I handed +him unmixed water that time; thinking that he was too +far gone to perceive the difference. But herein I +wrong Tom Faggus; for he shook his head and frowned at +me. Even at the door of death, he would not drink what +Adam drank, by whom came death into the world. So I +gave him a little more eau-de-vie, and he took it most +submissively. + +After that he seemed better, and a little colour came +into his cheeks; and he looked at Winnie and knew her; +and would have her nose in his clammy hand, though I +thought it not good for either of them. With the stay +of my arm he sat upright, and faintly looked about him; +as if at the end of a violent dream, too much for his +power of mind. Then he managed to whisper, 'Is Winnie +hurt?' + +'As sound as a roach,' I answered. 'Then so am I,' +said he: 'put me upon her back, John; she and I die +together.' + +Surprised as I was at this fatalism (for so it appeared +to me), of which he had often shown symptoms before +(but I took them for mere levity), now I knew not what +to do; for it seemed to me a murderous thing to set +such a man on horseback; where he must surely bleed to +death, even if he could keep the saddle. But he told +me, with many breaks and pauses, that unless I obeyed +his orders, he would tear off all my bandages, and +accept no further aid from me. + +While I was yet hesitating, a storm of horse at full +gallop went by, tearing, swearing, bearing away all the +country before them. Only a little pollard hedge kept +us from their blood-shot eyes. 'Now is the time,' +said my cousin Tom, so far as I could make out his +words; on their heels, I am safe, John, if I have only +Winnie under me. Winnie and I die together.' + +Seeing this strong bent of his mind, stronger than any +pains of death, I even did what his feeble eyes +sometimes implored, and sometimes commanded. With a +strong sash, from his own hot neck, bound and twisted, +tight as wax, around his damaged waist, I set him upon +Winnie's back, and placed his trembling feet in +stirrups, with a band from one to another, under the +good mare's body; so that no swerve could throw him +out: and then I said, 'Lean forward, Tom; it will stop +your hurt from bleeding.' He leaned almost on the neck +of the mare, which, as I knew, must close the wound; +and the light of his eyes was quite different, and the +pain of his forehead unstrung itself, as if he felt the +undulous readiness of her volatile paces under him. + +'God bless you, John; I am safe,' he whispered, fearing +to open his lungs much: 'who can come near my Winnie +mare? A mile of her gallop is ten years of life. Look +out for yourself, John Ridd.' He sucked his lips, and +the mare went off, as easy and swift as a swallow. + +'Well,' thought I, as l looked at Kickums, ignobly +cropping up a bit of grass, 'I have done a very good +thing, no doubt, and ought to be thankful to God for +the chance. But as for getting away unharmed, with all +these scoundrels about me, and only a foundered horse +to trust in--good and spiteful as he is--upon the +whole, I begin to think that I have made a fool of +myself, according to my habit. No wonder Tom said, +"Look out for yourself!" I shall look out from a prison +window, or perhaps even out of a halter. And then, +what will Lorna think of me?' + +Being in this wistful mood, I resolved to abide awhile, +even where fate had thrown me; for my horse required +good rest no doubt, and was taking it even while he +cropped, with his hind legs far away stretched out, and +his forelegs gathered under him, and his muzzle on the +mole-hills; so that he had five supportings from his +mother earth. Moreover, the linhay itself was full of +very ancient cow dung; than which there is no balmier +and more maiden soporific. Hence I resolved, upon the +whole, though grieving about breakfast, to light a +pipe, and go to sleep; or at least until the hot sun +should arouse the flies. + +I may have slept three hours, or four, or it might be +even five--for I never counted time, while +sleeping--when a shaking more rude than the old +landlady's, brought me back to the world again. I +looked up, with a mighty yawn; and saw twenty, or so, +of foot-soldiers. + +'This linhay is not yours,' I said, when they had quite +aroused me, with tongue, and hand, and even +sword-prick: 'what business have you here, good +fellows?' + +'Business bad for you,' said one, 'and will lead you to +the gallows.' + +'Do you wish to know the way out again?' I asked, very +quietly, as being no braggadocio. + +'We will show thee the way out,' said one, 'and the way +out of the world,' said another: 'but not the way to +heaven,' said one chap, most unlikely to know it: and +thereupon they all fell wagging, like a bed of clover +leaves in the morning, at their own choice humour. + +'Will you pile your arms outside,' I said, 'and try a +bit of fair play with me?' + +For I disliked these men sincerely, and was fain to +teach them a lesson; they were so unchristian in +appearance, having faces of a coffee colour, and dirty +beards half over them. Moreover their dress was +outrageous, and their address still worse. However, I +had wiser let them alone, as will appear afterwards. +These savage-looking fellows laughed at the idea of my +having any chance against some twenty of them: but I +knew that the place was in my favour; for my part of it +had been fenced off (for weaning a calf most likely), +so that only two could come at me at once; and I must +be very much out of training, if I could not manage two +of them. Therefore I laid aside my carbine, and the +two horse-pistols; and they with many coarse jokes at +me went a little way outside, and set their weapons +against the wall, and turned up their coat sleeves +jauntily; and then began to hesitate. + +'Go you first, Bob,' I heard them say: 'you are the +biggest man of us; and Dick the wrestler along of you. +Us will back you up, boy.' + +'I'll warrant I'll draw the badger,' said Bob; 'and not +a tooth will I leave him. But mind, for the honour of +Kirke's lambs, every man stands me a glass of gin.' +Then he, and another man, made a rush, and the others +came double-quick-march on their heels. But as Bob ran +at me most stupidly, not even knowing how to place his +hands, I caught him with my knuckles at the back of his +neck, and with all the sway of my right arm sent him +over the heads of his comrades. Meanwhile Dick the +wrestler had grappled me, expecting to show off his +art, of which indeed he had some small knowledge; but +being quite of the light-weights, in a second he was +flying after his companion Bob. + +Now these two men were hurt so badly, the light one +having knocked his head against the lintel of the outer +gate, that the rest had no desire to encounter the like +misfortune. So they hung back whispering; and before +they had made up their minds, I rushed into the midst +of them. The suddenness and the weight of my onset +took them wholly by surprise; and for once in their +lives, perhaps, Kirke's lambs were worthy of their +name. Like a flock of sheep at a dog's attack they +fell away, hustling one another, and my only difficulty +was not to tumble over them. + +I had taken my carbine out with me, having a fondness +for it; but the two horse-pistols I left behind; and +therefore felt good title to take two from the magazine +of the lambs. And with these, and my carbine, I leaped +upon Kickums, who was now quite glad of a gallop again; +and I bade adieu to that mongrel lot; yet they had the +meanness to shoot at me. Thanking God for my +deliverance (inasmuch as those men would have strung me +up, from a pollard-ash without trial, as I heard them +tell one another, and saw the tree they had settled +upon), I ventured to go rather fast on my way, with +doubt and uneasiness urging me. And now my way was +home again. Nobody could say but what I had done my +duty, and rescued Tom (if he could be rescued) from the +mischief into which his own perverseness and love of +change (rather than deep religious convictions, to +which our Annie ascribed his outbreak) had led, or +seemed likely to lead him. And how proud would my +mother be; and--ah well, there was nobody else to be +proud of me now. + +But while thinking these things, and desiring my +breakfast, beyond any power of describing, and even +beyond my remembrance, I fell into another fold of +lambs, from which there was no exit. These, like true +crusaders, met me, swaggering very heartily, and with +their barrels of cider set, like so many cannon, across +the road, over against a small hostel. + +'We have won the victory, my lord King, and we mean to +enjoy it. Down from thy horse, and have a stoup of +cider, thou big rebel.' + +'No rebel am I. My name is John Ridd. I belong to the +side of the King: and I want some breakfast.' + +These fellows were truly hospitable; that much will I +say for them. Being accustomed to Arab ways, they +could toss a grill, or fritter, or the inner meaning of +an egg, into any form they pleased, comely and very +good to eat; and it led me to think of Annie. So I +made the rarest breakfast any man might hope for, after +all his troubles; and getting on with these brown +fellows better than could be expected, I craved +permission to light a pipe, if not disagreeable. +Hearing this, they roared at me, with a superior +laughter, and asked me, whether or not, I knew the +tobacco-leaf from the chick-weed; and when I was forced +to answer no, not having gone into the subject, but +being content with anything brown, they clapped me on +the back and swore they had never seen any one like me. +Upon the whole this pleased me much; for I do not wish +to be taken always as of the common pattern: and so we +smoked admirable tobacco--for they would not have any +of mine, though very courteous concerning it--and I was +beginning to understand a little of what they told me; +when up came those confounded lambs, who had shown more +tail than head to me, in the linhay, as I mentioned. + +Now these men upset everything. Having been among +wrestlers so much as my duty compelled me to be, and +having learned the necessity of the rest which follows +the conflict, and the right of discussion which all +people have to pay their sixpence to enter; and how +they obtrude this right, and their wisdom, upon the man +who has laboured, until he forgets all the work he did, +and begins to think that they did it; having some +knowledge of this sort of thing, and the flux of minds +swimming in liquor, I foresaw a brawl, as plainly as if +it were Bear Street in Barnstaple. + +And a brawl there was, without any error, except of the +men who hit their friends, and those who defended their +enemies. My partners in breakfast and beer-can swore +that I was no prisoner, but the best and most loyal +subject, and the finest-hearted fellow they had ever +the luck to meet with. Whereas the men from the linhay +swore that I was a rebel miscreant; and have me they +would, with a rope's-end ready, in spite of every +[violent language] who had got drunk at my expense, and +been misled by my [strong word] lies. + +While this fight was going on (and its mere occurrence +shows, perhaps, that my conversation in those days was +not entirely despicable--else why should my new friends +fight for me, when I had paid for the ale, and +therefore won the wrong tense of gratitude?) it was in +my power at any moment to take horse and go. And this +would have been my wisest plan, and a very great saving +of money; but somehow I felt as if it would be a mean +thing to slip off so. Even while I was hesitating, and +the men were breaking each other's heads, a superior +officer rode up, with his sword drawn, and his face on +fire. + +'What, my lambs, my lambs!' he cried, smiting with the +flat of his sword; 'is this how you waste my time and +my purse, when you ought to be catching a hundred +prisoners, worth ten pounds apiece to me? Who is this +young fellow we have here? Speak up, sirrah; what art +thou, and how much will thy good mother pay for thee?' + +'My mother will pay naught for me,' I answered; while +the lambs fell back, and glowered at one another: 'so +please your worship, I am no rebel; but an honest +farmer, and well-proved of loyalty.' + +'Ha, ha; a farmer art thou? Those fellows always pay +the best. Good farmer, come to yon barren tree; thou +shalt make it fruitful.' + +Colonel Kirke made a sign to his men, and before I +could think of resistance, stout new ropes were flung +around me; and with three men on either side I was led +along very painfully. And now I saw, and repented +deeply of my careless folly, in stopping with those +boon-companions, instead of being far away. But the +newness of their manners to me, and their mode of +regarding the world (differing so much from mine own), +as well as the flavour of their tobacco, had made me +quite forget my duty to the farm and to myself. Yet +methought they would be tender to me, after all our +speeches: how then was I disappointed, when the men who +had drunk my beer, drew on those grievous ropes, twice +as hard as the men I had been at strife with! Yet this +may have been from no ill will; but simply that having +fallen under suspicion of laxity, they were compelled, +in self-defence, now to be over-zealous. + +Nevertheless, however pure and godly might be their +motives, I beheld myself in a grievous case, and likely +to get the worst of it. For the face of the Colonel +was hard and stern as a block of bogwood oak; and +though the men might pity me and think me unjustly +executed, yet they must obey their orders, or +themselves be put to death. Therefore I addressed +myself to the Colonel, in a most ingratiating manner; +begging him not to sully the glory of his victory, and +dwelling upon my pure innocence, and even good service +to our lord the King. But Colonel Kirke only gave +command that I should be smitten in the mouth; which +office Bob, whom I had flung so hard out of the linhay, +performed with great zeal and efficiency. But being +aware of the coming smack, I thrust forth a pair of +teeth; upon which the knuckles of my good friend made a +melancholy shipwreck. + +It is not in my power to tell half the thoughts that +moved me, when we came to the fatal tree, and saw two +men hanging there already, as innocent perhaps as I +was, and henceforth entirely harmless. Though ordered +by the Colonel to look steadfastly upon them, I could +not bear to do so; upon which he called me a paltry +coward, and promised my breeches to any man who would +spit upon my countenance. This vile thing Bob, being +angered perhaps by the smarting wound of his knuckles, +bravely stepped forward to do for me, trusting no doubt +to the rope I was led with. But, unluckily as it +proved for him, my right arm was free for a moment; and +therewith I dealt him such a blow, that he never spake +again. For this thing I have often grieved; but the +provocation was very sore to the pride of a young man; +and I trust that God has forgiven me. At the sound +and sight of that bitter stroke, the other men drew +back; and Colonel Kirke, now black in the face with +fury and vexation, gave orders for to shoot me, and +cast me into the ditch hard by. The men raised their +pieces, and pointed at me, waiting for the word to +fire; and I, being quite overcome by the hurry of these +events, and quite unprepared to die yet, could only +think all upside down about Lorna, and my mother, and +wonder what each would say to it. I spread my hands +before my eyes, not being so brave as some men; and +hoping, in some foolish way, to cover my heart with my +elbows. I heard the breath of all around, as if my +skull were a sounding-board; and knew even how the +different men were fingering their triggers. And a +cold sweat broke all over me, as the Colonel, +prolonging his enjoyment, began slowly to say, 'Fire.' + +But while he was yet dwelling on the 'F,' the hoofs of +a horse dashed out on the road, and horse and horseman +flung themselves betwixt me and the gun muzzles. So +narrowly was I saved that one man could not check his +trigger: his musket went off, and the ball struck the +horse on the withers, and scared him exceedingly. He +began to lash out with his heels all around, and the +Colonel was glad to keep clear of him; and the men made +excuse to lower their guns, not really wishing to shoot +me. + +'How now, Captain Stickles?' cried Kirke, the more +angry because he had shown his cowardice; 'dare you, +sir, to come betwixt me and my lawful prisoner?' + +'Nay, hearken one moment, Colonel,' replied my old +friend Jeremy; and his damaged voice was the sweetest +sound I had heard for many a day; 'for your own sake, +hearken.' He looked so full of momentous tidings, that +Colonel Kirke made a sign to his men not to shoot me +till further orders; and then he went aside with +Stickles, so that in spite of all my anxiety I could +not catch what passed between them. But I fancied that +the name of the Lord Chief-Justice Jeffreys was spoken +more than once, and with emphasis and deference. + +'Then I leave him in your hands, Captain Stickles,' +said Kirke at last, so that all might hear him; and +though the news was good for me, the smile of baffled +malice made his dark face look most hideous; 'and I +shall hold you answerable for the custody of this +prisoner.' + +'Colonel Kirke, I will answer for him,' Master Stickles +replied, with a grave bow, and one hand on his breast: +'John Ridd, you are my prisoner. Follow me, John +Ridd.' + +Upon that, those precious lambs flocked away, leaving +the rope still around me; and some were glad, and some +were sorry, not to see me swinging. Being free of my +arms again, I touched my hat to Colonel Kirke, as +became his rank and experience; but he did not +condescend to return my short salutation, having espied +in the distance a prisoner, out of whom he might make +money. + +I wrung the hand of Jeremy Stickles, for his truth and +goodness; and he almost wept (for since his wound he +had been a weakened man) as he answered, 'Turn for +turn, John. You saved my life from the Doones; and by +the mercy of God, I have saved you from a far worse +company. Let your sister Annie know it.' + + + +CHAPTER LXVI + +SUITABLE DEVOTION + +Now Kickums was not like Winnie, any more than a man +is like a woman; and so he had not followed my +fortunes, except at his own distance. No doubt but +what he felt a certain interest in me; but his interest +was not devotion; and man might go his way and be +hanged, rather than horse would meet hardship. +Therefore, seeing things to be bad, and his master +involved in trouble, what did this horse do but start +for the ease and comfort of Plover's Barrows, and the +plentiful ration of oats abiding in his own manger. +For this I do not blame him. It is the manner of +mankind. + +But I could not help being very uneasy at the thought +of my mother's discomfort and worry, when she should +spy this good horse coming home, without any master, or +rider, and I almost hoped that he might be caught +(although he was worth at least twenty pounds) by some +of the King's troopers, rather than find his way home, +and spread distress among our people. Yet, knowing his +nature, I doubted if any could catch, or catching would +keep him. + +Jeremy Stickles assured me, as we took the road to +Bridgwater, that the only chance for my life (if I +still refused to fly) was to obtain an order forthwith, +for my despatch to London, as a suspected person +indeed, but not found in open rebellion, and believed +to be under the patronage of the great Lord Jeffreys. +'For,' said he, 'in a few hours time you would fall +into the hands of Lord Feversham, who has won this +fight, without seeing it, and who has returned to bed +again, to have his breakfast more comfortably. Now he +may not be quite so savage perhaps as Colonel Kirke, +nor find so much sport in gibbeting; but he is equally +pitiless, and his price no doubt would be higher.' + +'I will pay no price whatever,' I answered, 'neither +will I fly. An hour agone I would have fled for the +sake of my mother, and the farm. But now that I have +been taken prisoner, and my name is known, if I fly, +the farm is forfeited; and my mother and sister must +starve. Moreover, I have done no harm; I have borne no +weapons against the King, nor desired the success of +his enemies. I like not that the son of a bona-roba +should be King of England; neither do I count the +Papists any worse than we are. If they have aught to +try me for, I will stand my trial.' + +'Then to London thou must go, my son. There is no such +thing as trial here: we hang the good folk without it, +which saves them much anxiety. But quicken thy step, +good John; I have influence with Lord Churchill, and we +must contrive to see him, ere the foreigner falls to +work again. Lord Churchill is a man of sense, and +imprisons nothing but his money.' + +We were lucky enough to find this nobleman, who has +since become so famous by his foreign victories. He +received us with great civility; and looked at me with +much interest, being a tall and fine young man himself, +but not to compare with me in size, although far better +favoured. I liked his face well enough, but thought +there was something false about it. He put me a few +keen questions, such as a man not assured of honesty +might have found hard to answer; and he stood in a very +upright attitude, making the most of his figure. + +I saw nothing to be proud of, at the moment, in this +interview; but since the great Duke of Marlborough rose +to the top of glory, I have tried to remember more +about him than my conscience quite backs up. How +should I know that this man would be foremost of our +kingdom in five-and-twenty years or so; and not +knowing, why should I heed him, except for my own +pocket? Nevertheless, I have been so +cross-questioned--far worse than by young Lord +Churchill--about His Grace the Duke of Marlborough, +and what he said to me, and what I said then, and how +His Grace replied to that, and whether he smiled like +another man, or screwed up his lips like a button (as +our parish tailor said of him), and whether I knew from +the turn of his nose that no Frenchman could stand +before him: all these inquiries have worried me so, +ever since the Battle of Blenheim, that if tailors +would only print upon waistcoats, I would give double +price for a vest bearing this inscription, 'No +information can be given about the Duke of +Marlborough.' + +Now this good Lord Churchill--for one might call him +good, by comparison with the very bad people around +him--granted without any long hesitation the order for +my safe deliverance to the Court of King's Bench at +Westminster; and Stickles, who had to report in London, +was empowered to convey me, and made answerable for +producing me. This arrangement would have been +entirely to my liking, although the time of year was +bad for leaving Plover's Barrows so; but no man may +quite choose his times, and on the while I would have +been quite content to visit London, if my mother could +be warned that nothing was amiss with me, only a mild, +and as one might say, nominal captivity. And to +prevent her anxiety, I did my best to send a letter +through good Sergeant Bloxham, of whom I heard as +quartered with Dumbarton's regiment at Chedzuy. But +that regiment was away in pursuit; and I was forced to +entrust my letter to a man who said that he knew him, +and accepted a shilling to see to it. + +For fear of any unpleasant change, we set forth at once +for London; and truly thankful may I be that God in His +mercy spared me the sight of the cruel and bloody work +with which the whole country reeked and howled during +the next fortnight. I have heard things that set my +hair on end, and made me loathe good meat for days; but +I make a point of setting down only the things which I +saw done; and in this particular case, not many will +quarrel with my decision. Enough, therefore, that we +rode on (for Stickles had found me a horse at last) as +far as Wells, where we slept that night; and being +joined in the morning by several troopers and +orderlies, we made a slow but safe journey to London, +by way of Bath and Reading. + +The sight of London warmed my heart with various +emotions, such as a cordial man must draw from the +heart of all humanity. Here there are quick ways and +manners, and the rapid sense of knowledge, and the +power of understanding, ere a word be spoken. Whereas +at Oare, you must say a thing three times, very slowly, +before it gets inside the skull of the good man you are +addressing. And yet we are far more clever there than +in any parish for fifteen miles. + +But what moved me most, when I saw again the noble oil +and tallow of the London lights, and the dripping +torches at almost every corner, and the handsome +signboards, was the thought that here my Lorna lived, +and walked, and took the air, and perhaps thought now +and then of the old days in the good farm-house. +Although I would make no approach to her, any more than +she had done to me (upon which grief I have not dwelt, +for fear of seeming selfish), yet there must be some +large chance, or the little chance might be enlarged, +of falling in with the maiden somehow, and learning how +her mind was set. If against me, all should be over. +I was not the man to sigh and cry for love, like a +Romeo: none should even guess my grief, except my +sister Annie. + +But if Lorna loved me still--as in my heart of hearts I +hoped--then would I for no one care, except her own +delicious self. Rank and title, wealth and grandeur, +all should go to the winds, before they scared me from +my own true love. + +Thinking thus, I went to bed in the centre of London +town, and was bitten so grievously by creatures whose +name is 'legion,' mad with the delight of getting a +wholesome farmer among them, that verily I was ashamed +to walk in the courtly parts of the town next day, +having lumps upon my face of the size of a pickling +walnut. The landlord said that this was nothing; and +that he expected, in two days at the utmost, a very +fresh young Irishman, for whom they would all forsake +me. Nevertheless, I declined to wait, unless he could +find me a hayrick to sleep in; for the insects of grass +only tickle. He assured me that no hayrick could now +be found in London; upon which I was forced to leave +him, and with mutual esteem we parted. + +The next night I had better luck, being introduced to a +decent widow, of very high Scotch origin. That house +was swept and garnished so, that not a bit was left to +eat, for either man or insect. The change of air +having made me hungry, I wanted something after supper; +being quite ready to pay for it, and showing my purse +as a symptom. But the face of Widow MacAlister, when I +proposed to have some more food, was a thing to be +drawn (if it could be drawn further) by our new +caricaturist. + +Therefore I left her also; for liefer would I be eaten +myself than have nothing to eat; and so I came back to +my old furrier; the which was a thoroughly hearty man, +and welcomed me to my room again, with two shillings +added to the rent, in the joy of his heart at seeing +me. Being under parole to Master Stickles, I only went +out betwixt certain hours; because I was accounted as +liable to be called upon; for what purpose I knew not, +but hoped it might be a good one. I felt it a loss, +and a hindrance to me, that I was so bound to remain at +home during the session of the courts of law; for +thereby the chance of ever beholding Lorna was very +greatly contracted, if not altogether annihilated. For +these were the very hours in which the people of +fashion, and the high world, were wont to appear to the +rest of mankind, so as to encourage them. And of +course by this time, the Lady Lorna was high among +people of fashion, and was not likely to be seen out of +fashionable hours. It is true that there were some +places of expensive entertainment, at which the better +sort of mankind might be seen and studied, in their +hours of relaxation, by those of the lower order, who +could pay sufficiently. But alas, my money was getting +low; and the privilege of seeing my betters was more +and more denied to me, as my cash drew shorter. For a +man must have a good coat at least, and the pockets not +wholly empty, before he can look at those whom God has +created for his ensample. + +Hence, and from many other causes--part of which was my +own pride --it happened that I abode in London betwixt +a month and five weeks' time, ere ever I saw Lorna. It +seemed unfit that I should go, and waylay her, and spy +on her, and say (or mean to say), 'Lo, here is your +poor faithful farmer, a man who is unworthy of you, by +means of his common birth; and yet who dares to crawl +across your path, that you may pity him. For God's +sake show a little pity, though you may not feel it.' +Such behaviour might be comely in a love-lorn boy, a +page to some grand princess; but I, John Ridd, would +never stoop to the lowering of love so. + +Nevertheless I heard of Lorna, from my worthy furrier, +almost every day, and with a fine exaggeration. This +honest man was one of those who in virtue of their +trade, and nicety of behaviour, are admitted into noble +life, to take measurements, and show patterns. And +while so doing, they contrive to acquire what is to the +English mind at once the most important and most +interesting of all knowledge,--the science of being +able to talk about the titled people. So my furrier +(whose name was Ramsack), having to make robes for +peers, and cloaks for their wives and otherwise, knew +the great folk, sham or real, as well as he knew a fox +or skunk from a wolverine skin. + +And when, with some fencing and foils of inquiry, I +hinted about Lady Lorna Dugal, the old man's face +became so pleasant that I knew her birth must be +wondrous high. At this my own countenance fell, I +suppose,--for the better she was born, the harder she +would be to marry--and mistaking my object, he took me +up:-- + +'Perhaps you think, Master Ridd, that because her +ladyship, Lady Lorna Dugal, is of Scottish origin, +therefore her birth is not as high as of our English +nobility. If you think so you are wrong, sir. She +comes not of the sandy Scotch race, with high +cheek-bones, and raw shoulder-blades, who set up +pillars in their courtyards. But she comes of the very +best Scotch blood, descended from the Norsemen. Her +mother was of the very noblest race, the Lords of +Lorne; higher even than the great Argyle, who has +lately made a sad mistake, and paid for it most sadly. +And her father was descended from the King Dugal, who +fought against Alexander the Great. No, no, Master +Ridd; none of your promiscuous blood, such as runs in +the veins of half our modern peerage.' + +'Why should you trouble yourself about it, Master +Ramsack?' I replied: 'let them all go their own ways: +and let us all look up to them, whether they come by +hook or crook.' + +'Not at all, not at all, my lad. That is not the way +to regard it. We look up at the well-born men, and +side-ways at the base-born.' + +'Then we are all base-born ourselves. I will look up +to no man, except for what himself has done.' + +'Come, Master Ridd, you might be lashed from New-gate +to Tyburn and back again, once a week, for a +twelvemonth, if some people heard you. Keep your +tongue more close, young man; or here you lodge no +longer; albeit I love your company, which smells to me +of the hayfield. Ah, I have not seen a hayfield for +nine-and-twenty years, John Ridd. The cursed moths +keep me at home, every day of the summer.' + +'Spread your furs on the haycocks,' I answered very +boldly: 'the indoor moth cannot abide the presence of +the outdoor ones.' + +'Is it so?' he answered: 'I never thought of that +before. And yet I have known such strange things +happen in the way of fur, that I can well believe it. +If you only knew, John, the way in which they lay their +eggs, and how they work tail-foremost--' + +'Tell me nothing of the kind,' I replied, with equal +confidence: 'they cannot work tail-foremost; and they +have no tails to work with.' For I knew a little about +grubs, and the ignorance concerning them, which we have +no right to put up with. However, not to go into that +(for the argument lasted a fortnight; and then was only +come so far as to begin again), Master Ramsack soon +convinced me of the things I knew already; the +excellence of Lorna's birth, as well as her lofty place +at Court, and beauty, and wealth, and elegance. But +all these only made me sigh, and wish that I were born +to them. + +From Master Ramsack I discovered that the nobleman to +whose charge Lady Lorna had been committed, by the +Court of Chancery, was Earl Brandir of Lochawe, her +poor mother's uncle. For the Countess of Dugal was +daughter, and only child, of the last Lord Lorne, whose +sister had married Sir Ensor Doone; while he himself +had married the sister of Earl Brandir. This nobleman +had a country house near the village of Kensington; and +here his niece dwelled with him, when she was not in +attendance on Her Majesty the Queen, who had taken a +liking to her. Now since the King had begun to attend +the celebration of mass, in the chapel at +Whitehall--and not at Westminster Abbey, as our gossips +had averred--he had given order that the doors should +be thrown open, so that all who could make interest to +get into the antechamber, might see this form of +worship. Master Ramsack told me that Lorna was there +almost every Sunday; their Majesties being most anxious +to have the presence of all the nobility of the +Catholic persuasion, so as to make a goodly show. And +the worthy furrier, having influence with the +door-keepers, kindly obtained admittance for me, one +Sunday, into the antechamber. + +Here I took care to be in waiting, before the Royal +procession entered; but being unknown, and of no high +rank, I was not allowed to stand forward among the +better people, but ordered back into a corner very dark +and dismal; the verger remarking, with a grin, that I +could see over all other heads, and must not set my own +so high. Being frightened to find myself among so many +people of great rank and gorgeous apparel, I blushed at +the notice drawn upon me by this uncourteous fellow; +and silently fell back into the corner by the hangings. + +You may suppose that my heart beat high, when the King +and Queen appeared, and entered, followed by the Duke +of Norfolk, bearing the sword of state, and by several +other noblemen, and people of repute. Then the doors +of the chapel were thrown wide open; and though I could +only see a little, being in the corner so, I thought +that it was beautiful. Bowers of rich silk were there, +and plenty of metal shining, and polished wood with +lovely carving; flowers too of the noblest kind, and +candles made by somebody who had learned how to clarify +tallow. This last thing amazed me more than all, for +our dips never will come clear, melt the mutton-fat how +you will. And methought that this hanging of flowers +about was a pretty thing; for if a man can worship God +best of all beneath a tree, as the natural instinct is, +surely when by fault of climate the tree would be too +apt to drip, the very best make-believe is to have +enough and to spare of flowers; which to the dwellers +in London seem to have grown on the tree denied them. + +Be that as it may, when the King and Queen crossed the +threshold, a mighty flourish of trumpets arose, and a +waving of banners. The Knights of the Garter (whoever +they be) were to attend that day in state; and some +went in, and some stayed out, and it made me think of +the difference betwixt the ewes and the wethers. For +the ewes will go wherever you lead them; but the +wethers will not, having strong opinions, and meaning +to abide by them. And one man I noticed was of the +wethers, to wit the Duke of Norfolk; who stopped +outside with the sword of state, like a beadle with a +rapping-rod. This has taken more to tell than the time +it happened in. For after all the men were gone, some +to this side, some to that, according to their +feelings, a number of ladies, beautifully dressed, +being of the Queen's retinue, began to enter, and were +stared at three times as much as the men had been. And +indeed they were worth looking at (which men never are +to my ideas, when they trick themselves with gewgaws), +but none was so well worth eye-service as my own +beloved Lorna. She entered modestly and shyly, with +her eyes upon the ground, knowing the rudeness of the +gallants, and the large sum she was priced at. Her +dress was of the purest white, very sweet and simple, +without a line of ornament, for she herself adorned it. +The way she walked. and touched her skirt (rather than +seemed to hold it up) with a white hand beaming one red +rose, this and her stately supple neck, and the flowing +of her hair would show, at a distance of a hundred +yards, that she could be none but Lorna Doone. Lorna +Doone of my early love; in the days when she blushed +for her name before me by reason of dishonesty; but now +the Lady Lorna Dugal as far beyond reproach as above my +poor affection. All my heart, and all my mind, +gathered themselves upon her. Would she see me, or +would she pass? Was there instinct in our love? + +By some strange chance she saw me. Or was it through +our destiny? While with eyes kept sedulously on the +marble floor, to shun the weight of admiration thrust +too boldly on them, while with shy quick steps she +passed, some one (perhaps with purpose) trod on the +skirt of her clear white dress,--with the quickness +taught her by many a scene of danger, she looked up, +and her eyes met mine. + +As I gazed upon her, steadfastly, yearningly, yet with +some reproach, and more of pride than humility, she +made me one of the courtly bows which I do so much +detest; yet even that was sweet and graceful, when my +Lorna did it. But the colour of her pure clear cheeks +was nearly as deep as that of my own, when she went on +for the religious work. And the shining of her eyes +was owing to an unpaid debt of tears. + +Upon the whole I was satisfied. Lorna had seen me, and +had not (according to the phrase of the high world +then) even tried to 'cut' me. Whether this low phrase +is born of their own stupid meanness, or whether it +comes of necessity exercised on a man without money, I +know not, and I care not. But one thing I know right +well; any man who 'cuts' a man (except for vice or +meanness) should be quartered without quarter. + +All these proud thoughts rose within me as the lovely +form of Lorna went inside, and was no more seen. And +then I felt how coarse I was; how apt to think strong +thoughts, and so on; without brains to bear me out: +even as a hen's egg, laid without enough of lime, and +looking only a poor jelly. + +Nevertheless, I waited on; as my usual manner is. For +to be beaten, while running away, is ten times worse +than to face it out, and take it, and have done with +it. So at least I have always found, because of +reproach of conscience: and all the things those clever +people carried on inside, at large, made me long for +our Parson Bowden that he might know how to act. + +While I stored up, in my memory, enough to keep our +parson going through six pipes on a Saturday night--to +have it as right as could be next day--a lean man with +a yellow beard, too thin for a good Catholic (which +religion always fattens), came up to me, working +sideways, in the manner of a female crab. + +'This is not to my liking,' I said: 'if aught thou +hast, speak plainly; while they make that horrible +noise inside.' + +Nothing had this man to say; but with many sighs, +because I was not of the proper faith, he took my +reprobate hand to save me: and with several religious +tears, looked up at me, and winked with one eye. +Although the skin of my palms was thick, I felt a +little suggestion there, as of a gentle leaf in spring, +fearing to seem too forward. I paid the man, and he +went happy; for the standard of heretical silver is +purer than that of the Catholics. + +Then I lifted up my little billet; and in that dark +corner read it, with a strong rainbow of colours coming +from the angled light. And in mine eyes there was +enough to make rainbow of strongest sun, as my anger +clouded off. + +Not that it began so well; but that in my heart I knew +(ere three lines were through me) that I was with all +heart loved--and beyond that, who may need? The +darling of my life went on, as if I were of her own +rank, or even better than she was; and she dotted her +'i's,' and crossed her 't's,' as if I were at least a +schoolmaster. All of it was done in pencil; but as +plain as plain could be. In my coffin it shall lie, +with my ring and something else. Therefore will I not +expose it to every man who buys this book, and haply +thinks that he has bought me to the bottom of my heart. +Enough for men of gentle birth (who never are +inquisitive) that my love told me, in her letter, just +to come and see her. + +I ran away, and could not stop. To behold even her, at +the moment, would have dashed my fancy's joy. Yet my +brain was so amiss, that I must do something. +Therefore to the river Thames, with all speed, I +hurried; and keeping all my best clothes on (indued for +sake of Lorna), into the quiet stream I leaped, and +swam as far as London Bridge, and ate nobler dinner +afterwards. + + + +CHAPTER LXVII + +LORNA STILL IS LORNA + +Although a man may be as simple as the flowers of the +field; knowing when, but scarcely why, he closes to the +bitter wind; and feeling why, but scarcely when, he +opens to the genial sun; yet without his questing much +into the capsule of himself--to do which is a +misery--he may have a general notion how he happens to +be getting on. + +I felt myself to be getting on better than at any time +since the last wheat-harvest, as I took the lane to +Kensington upon the Monday evening. For although no +time was given in my Lorna's letter, I was not inclined +to wait more than decency required. And though I went +and watched the house, decency would not allow me to +knock on the Sunday evening, especially when I found at +the corner that his lordship was at home. + +The lanes and fields between Charing Cross and the +village of Kensington, are, or were at that time, more +than reasonably infested with footpads and with +highwaymen. However, my stature and holly club kept +these fellows from doing more than casting sheep's eyes +at me. For it was still broad daylight, and the view +of the distant villages, Chelsea, Battersea, Tyburn, +and others, as well as a few large houses, among the +hams and towards the river, made it seem less lonely. +Therefore I sang a song in the broadest Exmoor dialect, +which caused no little amazement in the minds of all +who met me. + +When I came to Earl Brandir's house, my natural modesty +forbade me to appear at the door for guests; therefore +I went to the entrance for servants and retainers. +Here, to my great surprise, who should come and let me +in but little Gwenny Carfax, whose very existence had +almost escaped my recollection. Her mistress, no +doubt, had seen me coming, and sent her to save +trouble. But when I offered to kiss Gwenny, in my joy +and comfort to see a farm-house face again, she looked +ashamed, and turned away, and would hardly speak to me. + +I followed her to a little room, furnished very +daintily; and there she ordered me to wait, in a most +ungracious manner. 'Well,' thought I, 'if the +mistress and the maid are alike in temper, better it +had been for me to abide at Master Ramsack's.' But +almost ere my thought was done, I heard the light quick +step which I knew as well as 'Watch,' my dog, knew +mine; and my breast began to tremble, like the +trembling of an arch ere the keystone is put in. + +Almost ere I hoped--for fear and hope were so entangled +that they hindered one another--the velvet hangings of +the doorway parted, with a little doubt, and then a +good face put on it. Lorna, in her perfect beauty, +stood before the crimson folds, and her dress was all +pure white, and her cheeks were rosy pink, and her lips +were scarlet. + +Like a maiden, with skill and sense checking violent +impulse, she stayed there for one moment only, just to +be admired; and then like a woman, she came to me, +seeing how alarmed I was. The hand she offered me I +took, and raised it to my lips with fear, as a thing +too good for me. 'Is that all?' she whispered; and +then her eyes gleamed up at me; and in another instant, +she was weeping on my breast. + +'Darling Lorna, Lady Lorna,' I cried, in astonishment, +yet unable but to keep her closer to me, and closer; +'surely, though I love you so, this is not as it should +be.' + +'Yes, it is, John. Yes, it is. Nothing else should +ever be. Oh, why have you behaved so?' + +'I am behaving.' I replied, 'to the very best of my +ability. There is no other man in the world could +hold you so, without kissing you.' + +'Then why don't you do it, John?' asked Lorna, looking +up at me, with a flash of her old fun. + +Now this matter, proverbially, is not for discussion, +and repetition. Enough that we said nothing more than, +'Oh, John, how glad I am!' and 'Lorna, Lorna Lorna!' +for about five minutes. Then my darling drew back +proudly, with blushing cheeks, and tear-bright eyes, +she began to cross-examine me. + +'Master John Ridd, you shall tell the truth, the whole +truth, and nothing but the truth. I have been in +Chancery, sir; and can detect a story. Now why have +you never, for more than a twelvemonth, taken the +smallest notice of your old friend, Mistress Lorna +Doone?' Although she spoke in this lightsome manner, as +if it made no difference, I saw that her quick heart +was moving, and the flash of her eyes controlled. + +'Simply for this cause, I answered, 'that my old friend +and true love, took not the smallest heed of me. Nor +knew I where to find her.' + +'What!' cried Lorna; and nothing more; being overcome +with wondering; and much inclined to fall away, but for +my assistance. I told her, over and over again, that +not a single syllable of any message from her, or +tidings of her welfare, had reached me, or any one of +us, since the letter she left behind; except by +soldier's gossip. + +'Oh, you poor dear John!' said Lorna, sighing at +thought of my misery: 'how wonderfully good of you, +thinking of me as you must have done, not to marry that +little plain thing (or perhaps I should say that lovely +creature, for I have never seen her), Mistress Ruth--I +forget her name; but something like a towel.' + +'Ruth Huckaback is a worthy maid,' I answered with some +dignity; 'and she alone of all our world, except indeed +poor Annie, has kept her confidence in you, and told me +not to dread your rank, but trust your heart, Lady +Lorna.' + +'Then Ruth is my best friend,' she answered, 'and is +worthy of you, dear John. And now remember one thing, +dear; if God should part us, as may be by nothing short +of death, try to marry that little Ruth, when you cease +to remember me. And now for the head-traitor. I have +often suspected it: but she looks me in the face, and +wishes--fearful things, which I cannot repeat.' + +With these words, she moved an implement such as I had +not seen before, and which made a ringing noise at a +serious distance. And before I had ceased +wondering--for if such things go on, we might ring the +church bells, while sitting in our back-kitchen--little +Gwenny Carfax came, with a grave and sullen face. + +'Gwenny,' began my Lorna, in a tone of high rank and +dignity, 'go and fetch the letters which I gave you at +various times for despatch to Mistress Ridd.' + +'How can I fetch them, when they are gone? It be no +use for him to tell no lies--' + +'Now, Gwenny, can you look at me?' I asked, very +sternly; for the matter was no joke to me, after a +year's unhappiness. + +'I don't want to look at 'ee. What should I look at a +young man for, although he did offer to kiss me?' + +I saw the spite and impudence of this last remark, and +so did Lorna, although she could not quite refrain from +smiling. + +'Now, Gwenny, not to speak of that,' said Lorna, very +demurely, 'if you thought it honest to keep the +letters, was it honest to keep the money?' + +At this the Cornish maiden broke into a rage of +honesty: 'A putt the money by for 'ee. 'Ee shall have +every farden of it.' And so she flung out of the room. + +'And, Gwenny,' said Lorna very softly, following under +the door-hangings; 'if it is not honest to keep the +money, it is not honest to keep the letters, which +would have been worth more than any gold to those who +were so kind to you. Your father shall know the whole, +Gwenny, unless you tell the truth.' + +'Now, a will tell all the truth,' this strange maiden +answered, talking to herself at least as much as to her +mistress, while she went out of sight and hearing. And +then I was so glad at having my own Lorna once again, +cleared of all contempt for us, and true to me through +all of it, that I would have forgiven Gwenny for +treason, or even forgery. + +'I trusted her so much,' said Lorna, in her old +ill-fortuned way; 'and look how she has deceived me! +That is why I love you, John (setting other things +aside), because you never told me falsehood; and you +never could, you know.' + +'Well, I am not so sure of that. I think I could tell +any lie, to have you, darling, all my own.' + +'Yes. And perhaps it might be right. To other people +besides us two. But you could not do it to me, John. +You never could do it to me, you know.' + +Before I quite perceived my way to the bottom of the +distinction--although beyond doubt a valid one--Gwenny +came back with a leathern bag, and tossed it upon the +table. Not a word did she vouchsafe to us; but stood +there, looking injured. + +'Go, and get your letters, John,' said Lorna very +gravely; 'or at least your mother's letters, made of +messages to you. As for Gwenny, she shall go before +Lord Justice Jeffreys.' I knew that Lorna meant it not; +but thought that the girl deserved a frightening; as +indeed she did. But we both mistook the courage of +this child of Cornwall. She stepped upon a little +round thing, in the nature of a stool, such as I never +had seen before, and thus delivered her sentiments. + +'And you may take me, if you please, before the great +Lord Jeffreys. I have done no more than duty, though I +did it crookedly, and told a heap of lies, for your +sake. And pretty gratitude I gets.' + +'Much gratitude you have shown,' replied Lorna, 'to +Master Ridd, for all his kindness and his goodness to +you. Who was it that went down, at the peril of his +life, and brought your father to you, when you had lost +him for months and months? Who was it? Answer me, +Gwenny?' + +'Girt Jan Ridd,' said the handmaid, very sulkily. + +'What made you treat me so, little Gwenny?' I asked, +for Lorna would not ask lest the reply should vex me. + +'Because 'ee be'est below her so. Her shanna' have a +poor farmering chap, not even if her were a Carnishman. +All her land, and all her birth--and who be you, I'd +like to know?' + +'Gwenny, you may go,' said Lorna, reddening with quiet +anger; 'and remember that you come not near me for the +next three days. It is the only way to punish her,' +she continued to me, when the maid was gone, in a storm +of sobbing and weeping. 'Now, for the next three days, +she will scarcely touch a morsel of food, and scarcely +do a thing but cry. Make up your mind to one thing, +John; if you mean to take me, for better for worse, you +will have to take Gwenny with me. + +'I would take you with fifty Gwennies,' said I, +'although every one of them hated me, which I do not +believe this little maid does, in the bottom of her +heart.' + +'No one can possibly hate you, John,' she answered very +softly; and I was better pleased with this, than if she +had called me the most noble and glorious man in the +kingdom. + +After this, we spoke of ourselves and the way people +would regard us, supposing that when Lorna came to be +her own free mistress (as she must do in the course of +time) she were to throw her rank aside, and refuse her +title, and caring not a fig for folk who cared less +than a fig-stalk for her, should shape her mind to its +native bent, and to my perfect happiness. It was not +my place to say much, lest I should appear to use an +improper and selfish influence. And of course to all +men of common sense, and to everybody of middle age +(who must know best what is good for youth), the +thoughts which my Lorna entertained would be enough to +prove her madness. + +Not that we could not keep her well, comfortably, and +with nice clothes, and plenty of flowers, and fruit, +and landscape, and the knowledge of our neighbours' +affairs, and their kind interest in our own. Still +this would not be as if she were the owner of a county, +and a haughty title; and able to lead the first men of +the age, by her mind, and face, and money. + +Therefore was I quite resolved not to have a word to +say, while this young queen of wealth and beauty, and +of noblemen's desire, made her mind up how to act for +her purest happiness. But to do her justice, this was +not the first thing she was thinking of: the test of +her judgment was only this, 'How will my love be +happiest?' + +'Now, John,' she cried; for she was so quick that she +always had my thoughts beforehand; 'why will you be +backward, as if you cared not for me? Do you dream +that I am doubting? My mind has been made up, good +John, that you must be my husband, for--well, I will +not say how long, lest you should laugh at my folly. +But I believe it was ever since you came, with your +stockings off, and the loaches. Right early for me to +make up my mind; but you know that you made up yours, +John; and, of course, I knew it; and that had a great +effect on me. Now, after all this age of loving, shall +a trifle sever us?' + +I told her that it was no trifle, but a most important +thing, to abandon wealth, and honour, and the +brilliance of high life, and be despised by every one +for such abundant folly. Moreover, that I should +appear a knave for taking advantage of her youth, and +boundless generosity, and ruining (as men would say) a +noble maid by my selfishness. And I told her outright, +having worked myself up by my own conversation, that +she was bound to consult her guardian, and that without +his knowledge, I would come no more to see her. Her +flash of pride at these last words made her look like +an empress; and I was about to explain myself better, +but she put forth her hand and stopped me. + +'I think that condition should rather have proceeded +from me. You are mistaken, Master Ridd, in supposing +that I would think of receiving you in secret. It was +a different thing in Glen Doone, where all except +yourself were thieves, and when I was but a simple +child, and oppressed with constant fear. You are quite +right in threatening to visit me thus no more; but I +think you might have waited for an invitation, sir.' + +'And you are quite right, Lady Lorna, in pointing out +my presumption. It is a fault that must ever be found +in any speech of mine to you.' + +This I said so humbly, and not with any bitterness--for +I knew that I had gone too far--and made her so polite +a bow, that she forgave me in a moment, and we begged +each other's pardon. + +'Now, will you allow me just to explain my own view of +this matter, John?' said she, once more my darling. +'It may be a very foolish view, but I shall never +change it. Please not to interrupt me, dear, until you +have heard me to the end. In the first place, it is +quite certain that neither you nor I can be happy +without the other. Then what stands between us? +Worldly position, and nothing else. I have no more +education than you have, John Ridd; nay, and not so +much. My birth and ancestry are not one whit more pure +than yours, although they may be better known. Your +descent from ancient freeholders, for five-and-twenty +generations of good, honest men, although you bear no +coat of arms, is better than the lineage of nine proud +English noblemen out of every ten I meet with. In +manners, though your mighty strength, and hatred of any +meanness, sometimes break out in violence--of which I +must try to cure you, dear--in manners, if kindness, +and gentleness, and modesty are the true things wanted, +you are immeasurably above any of our Court-gallants; +who indeed have very little. As for difference of +religion, we allow for one another, neither having been +brought up in a bitterly pious manner.' + +Here, though the tears were in my eyes, at the loving +things love said of me, I could not help a little laugh +at the notion of any bitter piety being found among the +Doones, or even in mother, for that matter. Lorna +smiled, in her slyest manner, and went on again:-- + +'Now, you see, I have proved my point; there is nothing +between us but worldly position--if you can defend me +against the Doones, for which, I trow, I may trust you. +And worldly position means wealth, and title, and the +right to be in great houses, and the pleasure of being +envied. I have not been here for a year, John, without +learning something. Oh, I hate it; how I hate it! Of +all the people I know, there are but two, besides my +uncle, who do not either covet, or detest me. And who +are those two, think you?' + +'Gwenny, for one,' I answered. + +'Yes, Gwenny, for one. And the queen, for the other. +The one is too far below me (I mean, in her own +opinion), and the other too high above. As for the +women who dislike me, without having even heard my +voice, I simply have nothing to do with them. As for +the men who covet me, for my land and money, I merely +compare them with you, John Ridd; and all thought of +them is over. Oh, John, you must never forsake me, +however cross I am to you. I thought you would have +gone, just now; and though I would not move to stop +you, my heart would have broken.' + +'You don't catch me go in a hurry,' I answered very +sensibly, 'when the loveliest maiden in all the world, +and the best, and the dearest, loves me. All my fear +of you is gone, darling Lorna, all my fear--' + +'Is it possible you could fear me, John, after all we +have been through together? Now you promised not to +interrupt me; is this fair behaviour? Well, let me see +where I left off--oh, that my heart would have broken. +Upon that point, I will say no more, lest you should +grow conceited, John; if anything could make you so. +But I do assure you that half London--however, upon +that point also I will check my power of speech, lest +you think me conceited. And now to put aside all +nonsense; though I have talked none for a year, John, +having been so unhappy; and now it is such a relief to +me--' + +'Then talk it for an hour,' said I; 'and let me sit and +watch you. To me it is the very sweetest of all +sweetest wisdom.' + +'Nay, there is no time,' she answered, glancing at a +jewelled timepiece, scarcely larger than an oyster, +which she drew from her waist-band; and then she pushed +it away, in confusion, lest its wealth should startle +me. 'My uncle will come home in less than half an +hour, dear: and you are not the one to take a side- +passage, and avoid him. I shall tell him that you have +been here; and that I mean you to come again.' + +As Lorna said this, with a manner as confident as need +be, I saw that she had learned in town the power of her +beauty, and knew that she could do with most men aught +she set her mind upon. And as she stood there, flushed +with pride and faith in her own loveliness, and radiant +with the love itself, I felt that she must do exactly +as she pleased with every one. For now, in turn, and +elegance, and richness, and variety, there was nothing +to compare with her face, unless it were her figure. +Therefore I gave in, and said,-- + +'Darling, do just what you please. Only make no rogue +of me.' + +For that she gave me the simplest, kindest, and +sweetest of all kisses; and I went down the great +stairs grandly, thinking of nothing else but that. + + + +CHAPTER LXVIII + +JOHN IS JOHN NO LONGER + +It would be hard for me to tell the state of mind in +which I lived for a long time after this. I put away +from me all torment, and the thought of future cares, +and the sight of difficulty; and to myself appeared, +which means that I became the luckiest of lucky +fellows, since the world itself began. I thought not +of the harvest even, nor of the men who would get their +wages without having earned them, nor of my mother's +anxiety and worry about John Fry's great fatness (which +was growing upon him), and how she would cry fifty +times in a day, 'Ah, if our John would only come home, +how different everything would look!' + +Although there were no soldiers now quartered at +Plover's Barrows, all being busied in harassing the +country, and hanging the people where the rebellion had +thriven most, my mother, having received from me a +message containing my place of abode, contrived to send +me, by the pack-horses, as fine a maund as need be of +provisions, and money, and other comforts. Therein I +found addressed to Colonel Jeremiah Stickles, in +Lizzie's best handwriting, half a side of the dried +deer's flesh, in which he rejoiced so greatly. Also, +for Lorna, a fine green goose, with a little salt +towards the tail, and new-laid eggs inside it, as well +as a bottle of brandied cherries, and seven, or it may +have been eight pounds of fresh homemade butter. +Moreover, to myself there was a letter full of good +advice, excellently well expressed, and would have been +of the greatest value, if I had cared to read it. But +I read all about the farm affairs, and the man whe had +offered himself to our Betty for the five pounds in her +stocking; as well as the antics of Sally Snowe, and how +she had almost thrown herself at Parson Bowden's head +(old enough to be her grandfather), because on the +Sunday after the hanging of a Countisbury man, he had +preached a beautiful sermon about Christian love; which +Lizzie, with her sharp eyes, found to be the work of +good Bishop Ken. Also I read that the Doones were +quiet; the parishes round about having united to feed +them well through the harvest time, so that after the +day's hard work, the farmers might go to bed at night. +And this plan had been found to answer well, and to +save much trouble on both sides, so that everybody +wondered it had not been done before. But Lizzie +thought that the Doones could hardly be expected much +longer to put up with it, and probably would not have +done so now, but for a little adversity; to wit, that +the famous Colonel Kirke had, in the most outrageous +manner, hanged no less than six of them, who were +captured among the rebels; for he said that men of +their rank and breeding, and above all of their +religion, should have known better than to join +plough-boys, and carters, and pickaxemen, against our +Lord the King, and his Holiness the Pope. This hanging +of so many Doones caused some indignation among people +who were used to them; and it seemed for a while to +check the rest from any spirit of enterprise. + +Moreover, I found from this same letter (which was +pinned upon the knuckle of a leg of mutton, for fear of +being lost in straw) that good Tom Faggus was at home +again, and nearly cured of his dreadful wound; but +intended to go to war no more, only to mind his family. +And it grieved him more than anything he ever could +have imagined, that his duty to his family, and the +strong power of his conscience, so totally forbade him +to come up and see after me. For now his design was to +lead a new life, and be in charity with all men. Many +better men than he had been hanged, he saw no cause to +doubt; but by the grace of God he hoped himself to +cheat the gallows. + +There was no further news of moment in this very clever +letter, except that the price of horses' shoes was gone +up again, though already twopence-farthing each; and +that Betty had broken her lover's head with the +stocking full of money; and then in the corner it was +written that the distinguished man of war, and +worshipful scholar, Master Bloxham, was now promoted to +take the tolls, and catch all the rebels around our +part. + +Lorna was greatly pleased with the goose, and the +butter, and the brandied cherries; and the Earl Brandir +himself declared that he never tasted better than those +last, and would beg the young man from the country to +procure him instructions for making them. This +nobleman, being as deaf as a post, and of a very solid +mind, could never be brought to understand the nature +of my thoughts towards Lorna. He looked upon me as an +excellent youth, who had rescued the maiden from the +Doones, whom he cordially detested; and learning that I +had thrown two of them out of window (as the story was +told him), he patted me on the back, and declared that +his doors would ever be open to me, and that I could +not come too often. + +I thought this very kind of his lordship, especially as +it enabled me to see my darling Lorna, not indeed as +often as I wished, but at any rate very frequently, and +as many times as modesty (ever my leading principle) +would in common conscience approve of. And I made up +my mind that if ever I could help Earl Brandir, it +would be--as we say, when with brandy and water--the +'proudest moment of my life,' when I could fulfil the +pledge. + +And I soon was able to help Lord Brandir, as I think, +in two different ways; first of all as regarded his +mind, and then as concerned his body: and the latter +perhaps was the greatest service, at his time of life. +But not to be too nice about that; let me tell how +these things were. + +Lorna said to me one day, being in a state of +excitement--whereto she was over prone, when reft of my +slowness to steady her,-- + +'I will tell him, John; I must tell him, John. It is +mean of me to conceal it.' + +I thought that she meant all about our love, which we +had endeavoured thrice to drill into his fine old ears; +but could not make him comprehend, without risk of +bringing the house down: and so I said, 'By all means; +darling; have another try at it.' + +Lorna, however, looked at me--for her eyes told more +than tongue--as much as to say, 'Well, you are a +stupid. We agreed to let that subject rest.' And then +she saw that I was vexed at my own want of quickness; +and so she spoke very kindly,-- + +'I meant about his poor son, dearest; the son of his +old age almost; whose loss threw him into that dreadful +cold--for he went, without hat, to look for him--which +ended in his losing the use of his dear old ears. I +believe if we could only get him to Plover's Barrows +for a month, he would be able to hear again. And look +at his age! he is not much over seventy, John, you +know; and I hope that you will be able to hear me, long +after you are seventy, John.' + +'Well,' said I, 'God settles that. Or at any rate, He +leaves us time to think about those questions, when we +are over fifty. Now let me know what you want, Lorna. +The idea of my being seventy! But you would still be +beautiful.' + +'To the one who loves me,' she answered, trying to make +wrinkles in her pure bright forehead: 'but if you will +have common sense, as you always will, John, whether I +wish it or otherwise--I want to know whether I am +bound, in honour, and in conscience, to tell my dear +and good old uncle what I know about his son?' + +'First let me understand quite clearly,' said I, never +being in a hurry, except when passion moves me, 'what +his lordship thinks at present; and how far his mind is +urged with sorrow and anxiety.' This was not the first +time we had spoken of the matter. + +'Why, you know, John, well enough,' she answered, +wondering at my coolness, 'that my poor uncle stlll +believes that his one beloved son will come to light +and live again. He has made all arrangements +accordingly: all his property is settled on that +supposition. He knows that young Alan always was what +he calls a "feckless ne'er-do-weel;" but he loves him +all the more for that. He cannot believe that he will +die, without his son coming back to him; and he always +has a bedroom ready, and a bottle of Alan's favourite +wine cool from out the cellar; he has made me work him +a pair of slippers from the size of a mouldy boot; and +if he hears of a new tobacco--much as he hates the +smell of it--he will go to the other end of London to +get some for Alan. Now you know how deaf he is; but if +any one say, "Alan," even in the place outside the +door, he will make his courteous bow to the very +highest visitor, and be out there in a moment, and +search the entire passage, and yet let no one know it.' + +'It is a piteous thing,' I said; for Lorna's eyes were +full of tears. + +'And he means me to marry him. It is the pet scheme of +his life. I am to grow more beautiful, and more +highly taught, and graceful; until it pleases Alan to +come back, and demand me. Can you understand this +matter, John? Or do you think my uncle mad?' + +'Lorna, I should be mad myself, to call any other man +mad, for hoping.' + +'Then will you tell me what to do? It makes me very +sorrowful. For I know that Alan Brandir lies below +the sod in Doone-valley.' + +'And if you tell his father,' I answered softly, but +clearly, 'in a few weeks he will lie below the sod in +London; at least if there is any.' + +'Perhaps you are right, John,' she replied: 'to lose +hope must be a dreadful thing, when one is turned of +seventy. Therefore I will never tell him.' + +The other way in which I managed to help the good Earl +Brandir was of less true moment to him; but as he could +not know of the first, this was the one which moved +him. And it happened pretty much as follows--though I +hardly like to tell, because it advanced me to such a +height as I myself was giddy at; and which all my +friends resented greatly (save those of my own family), +and even now are sometimes bitter, in spite of all my +humility. Now this is a matter of history, because the +King was concerned in it; and being so strongly +misunderstood, (especially in my own neighbourhood, I +will overcome so far as I can) my diffidence in telling +it. + +The good Earl Brandir was a man of the noblest charity. +True charity begins at home, and so did his; and was +afraid of losing the way, if it went abroad. So this +good nobleman kept his money in a handsome pewter box, +with his coat of arms upon it, and a double lid and +locks. Moreover, there was a heavy chain, fixed to a +staple in the wall, so that none might carry off the +pewter with the gold inside of it. Lorna told me the +box was full, for she had seen him go to it, and she +often thought that it would be nice for us to begin the +world with. I told her that she must not allow her +mind to dwell upon things of this sort; being wholly +against the last commandment set up in our church at +Oare. + +Now one evening towards September, when the days were +drawing in, looking back at the house to see whether +Lorna were looking after me, I espied (by a little +glimpse, as it were) a pair of villainous fellows +(about whom there could be no mistake) watching from +the thicket-corner, some hundred yards or so behind the +good Earl's dwelling. 'There is mischief afoot,' +thought I to myself, being thoroughly conversant with +theft, from my knowledge of the Doones; 'how will be +the moon to-night, and when may we expect the watch?' + +I found that neither moon nor watch could be looked for +until the morning; the moon, of course, before the +watch, and more likely to be punctual. Therefore I +resolved to wait, and see what those two villains did, +and save (if it were possible) the Earl of Brandir's +pewter box. But inasmuch as those bad men were almost +sure to have seen me leaving the house and looking +back, and striking out on the London road, I marched +along at a merry pace, until they could not discern me; +and then I fetched a compass round, and refreshed +myself at a certain inn, entitled The Cross-bones and +Buttons. + +Here I remained until it was very nearly as dark as +pitch; and the house being full of footpads and +cutthroats, I thought it right to leave them. One or +two came after me, in the hope of designing a +stratagem; but I dropped them in the darkness; and +knowing all the neighbourhood well, I took up my +position, two hours before midnight, among the shrubs +at the eastern end of Lord Brandir's mansion. Hence, +although I might not see, I could scarcely fail to +hear, if any unlawful entrance either at back or front +were made. + +From my own observation, I thought it likely that the +attack would he in the rear; and so indeed it came to +pass. For when all the lights were quenched, and all +the house was quiet, I heard a low and wily whistle +from a clump of trees close by; and then three figures +passed between me and a whitewashed wall, and came to a +window which opened into a part of the servants' +basement. This window was carefully raised by some one +inside the house; and after a little whispering, and +something which sounded like a kiss, all the three men +entered. + +'Oh, you villains!' I said to myself, 'this is worse +than any Doone job; because there is treachery in it.' +But without waiting to consider the subject from a +moral point of view, I crept along the wall, and +entered very quietly after them; being rather uneasy +about my life, because I bore no fire-arms, and had +nothing more than my holly staff, for even a violent +combat. + +To me this was matter of deep regret, as I followed +these vile men inward. Nevertheless I was resolved +that my Lorna should not be robbed again. Through us +(or at least through our Annie) she had lost that +brilliant necklace; which then was her only birthright: +therefore it behoved me doubly, to preserve the pewter +box; which must belong to her in the end, unless the +thieves got hold of it. + +I went along very delicately (as a man who has learned +to wrestle can do, although he may weigh twenty stone), +following carefully the light, brought by the +traitorous maid, and shaking in her loose dishonest +hand. I saw her lead the men into a little place +called a pantry; and there she gave them cordials, and +I could hear them boasting. + +Not to be too long over it--which they were much +inclined to be--I followed them from this +drinking-bout, by the aid of the light they bore, as +far as Earl Brandir's bedroom, which I knew, because +Lorna had shown it to me that I might admire the +tapestry. But I had said that no horse could ever be +shod as the horses were shod therein, unless he had the +foot of a frog, as well as a frog to his foot. And +Lorna had been vexed at this (as taste and high art +always are, at any small accurate knowledge), and so +she had brought me out again, before I had time to +admire things. + +Now, keeping well away in the dark, yet nearer than was +necessary to my own dear Lorna's room, I saw these +fellows try the door of the good Earl Brandir, knowing +from the maid, of course, that his lordship could hear +nothing, except the name of Alan. They tried the lock, +and pushed at it, and even set their knees upright; but +a Scottish nobleman may be trusted to secure his door +at night. So they were forced to break it open; and +at this the guilty maid, or woman, ran away. These +three rogues--for rogues they were, and no charity may +deny it--burst into Earl Brandir's room, with a light, +and a crowbar, and fire-arms. I thought to myself that +this was hard upon an honest nobleman; and if further +mischief could be saved, I would try to save it. + +When I came to the door of the room, being myself in +shadow, I beheld two bad men trying vainly to break +open the pewter box, and the third with a pistol-muzzle +laid to the night-cap of his lordship. With foul face +and yet fouler words, this man was demanding the key of +the box, which the other men could by no means open, +neither drag it from the chain. + +'I tell you,' said this aged Earl, beginning to +understand at last what these rogues were up for; 'I +will give no key to you. It all belongs to my boy, +Alan. No one else shall have a farthing.' + +'Then you may count your moments, lord. The key is in +your old cramped hand. One, two, and at three, I shoot +you.' + +I saw that the old man was abroad; not with fear, but +with great wonder, and the regrets of deafness. And I +saw that rather would he be shot than let these men go +rob his son, buried now, or laid to bleach in the +tangles of the wood, three, or it might be four years +agone, but still alive to his father. Hereupon my +heart was moved; and I resolved to interfere. The +thief with the pistol began to count, as I crossed the +floor very quietly, while the old Earl fearfully gazed +at the muzzle, but clenched still tighter his wrinkled +hand. The villain, with hair all over his eyes, and +the great horse-pistol levelled, cried 'three,' and +pulled the trigger; but luckily, at that very moment, I +struck up the barrel with my staff, so that the shot +pierced the tester, and then with a spin and a thwack I +brought the good holly down upon the rascal's head, in +a manner which stretched him upon the floor. + +Meanwhile the other two robbers had taken the alarm, +and rushed at me, one with a pistol and one with a +hanger; which forced me to be very lively. Fearing the +pistol most, I flung the heavy velvet curtain of the +bed across, that he might not see where to aim at me, +and then stooping very quickly I caught up the +senseless robber, and set him up for a shield and +target; whereupon he was shot immediately, without +having the pain of knowing it; and a happy thing it was +for him. Now the other two were at my mercy, being men +below the average strength; and no hanger, except in +most skilful hands, as well as firm and strong ones, +has any chance to a powerful man armed with a stout +cudgel, and thoroughly practised in single-stick. + +So I took these two rogues, and bound them together; +and leaving them under charge of the butler (a worthy +and shrewd Scotchman), I myself went in search of the +constables, whom, after some few hours, I found; +neither were they so drunk but what they could take +roped men to prison. In the morning, these two men +were brought before the Justices of the Peace: and now +my wonderful luck appeared; for the merit of having +defeated, and caught them, would never have raised me +one step in the State, or in public consideration, if +they had only been common robbers, or even notorious +murderers. But when these fellows were recognised, by +some one in the court, as Protestant witnesses out of +employment, companions and understrappers to Oates, and +Bedloe, and Carstairs, and hand in glove with +Dangerfield, Turberville; and Dugdale--in a word, the +very men against whom His Majesty the King bore the +bitterest rancour, but whom he had hitherto failed to +catch--when this was laid before the public (with +emphasis and admiration), at least a dozen men came up, +whom I had never seen before, and prayed me to accept +their congratulations, and to be sure to remember them; +for all were of neglected merit, and required no more +than a piece of luck. + +I answered them very modestly, and each according to +his worth, as stated by himself, who of course could +judge the best. The magistrate made me many +compliments, ten times more than I deserved, and took +good care to have them copied, that His Majesty might +see them. And ere the case was thoroughly heard, and +those poor fellows were committed, more than a score of +generous men had offered to lend me a hundred pounds, +wherewith to buy a new Court suit, when called before +His Majesty. + +Now this may seem very strange to us who live in a +better and purer age--or say at least that we do +so--and yet who are we to condemn our fathers for +teaching us better manners, and at their own expense? +With these points any virtuous man is bound to deal +quite tenderly, making allowance for corruption, and +not being too sure of himself. And to tell the truth, +although I had seen so little of the world as yet, that +which astonished me in the matter, was not so much that +they paid me court, as that they found out so soon the +expediency of doing it. + +In the course of that same afternoon I was sent for by +His Majesty. He had summoned first the good Earl +Brandir, and received the tale from him, not without +exaggeration, although my lord was a Scotchman. But +the chief thing His Majesty cared to know was that, +beyond all possible doubt, these were the very precious +fellows from perjury turned to robbery. + +Being fully assured at last of this, His Majesty had +rubbed his hands, and ordered the boots of a stricter +pattern (which he himself had invented) to be brought +at once, that he might have them in the best possible +order. And he oiled them himself, and expressed his +fear that there was no man in London quite competent to +work them. Nevertheless he would try one or two, +rather than wait for his pleasure, till the torturer +came from Edinburgh. + +The next thing be did was to send for me; and in great +alarm and flurry I put on my best clothes, and hired a +fashionable hairdresser, and drank half a gallon of +ale, because both my hands were shaking. Then forth I +set, with my holly staff, wishing myself well out of +it. I was shown at once, and before I desired it, into +His Majesty's presence, and there I stood most humbly, +and made the best bow I could think of. + +As I could not advance any farther--for I saw that the +Queen was present, which frightened me tenfold--His +Majesty, in the most gracious manner, came down the +room to encourage me. And as I remained with my head +bent down, he told me to stand up, and look at him. + +'I have seen thee before, young man, he said; 'thy form +is not one to be forgotten. Where was it? Thou art +most likely to know.' + +'May it please Your Most Gracious Majesty the King,' I +answered, finding my voice in a manner which surprised +myself; 'it was in the Royal Chapel.' + +Now I meant no harm whatever by this. I ought to have +said the 'Ante-chapel,' but I could not remember the +word, and feared to keep the King looking at me. + +'I am well-pleased,' said His Majesty, with a smile +which almost made his dark and stubborn face look +pleasant, 'to find that our greatest subject, greatest +I mean in the bodily form, is also a good Catholic. +Thou needest not say otherwise. The time shall be, and +that right soon, when men shall be proud of the one +true faith.' Here he stopped, having gone rather far! +but the gleam of his heavy eyes was such that I durst +not contradict. + +'This is that great Johann Reed,' said Her Majesty, +coming forward, because the King was in meditation; +'for whom I have so much heard, from the dear, dear +Lorna. Ah, she is not of this black countree, she is +of the breet Italie.' + +I have tried to write it, as she said it: but it wants +a better scholar to express her mode of speech. + +'Now, John Ridd,' said the King, recovering from his +thoughts about the true Church, and thinking that his +wife was not to take the lead upon me; 'thou hast done +great service to the realm, and to religion. It was +good to save Earl Brandir, a loyal and Catholic +nobleman; but it was great service to catch two of the +vilest bloodhounds ever laid on by heretics. And to +make them shoot one another: it was rare; it was rare, +my lad. Now ask us anything in reason; thou canst +carry any honours, on thy club, like Hercules. What is +thy chief ambition, lad?' + +'Well,' said I, after thinking a little, and meaning to +make the most of it, for so the Queen's eyes conveyed +to me; 'my mother always used to think that having been +schooled at Tiverton, with thirty marks a year to pay, +I was worthy of a coat of arms. And that is what she +longs for.' + +'A good lad! A very good lad,' said the King, and he +looked at the Queen, as if almost in joke; 'but what is +thy condition in life?' + +'I am a freeholder,' I answered, in my confusion, 'ever +since the time of King Alfred. A Ridd was with him in +the isle of Athelney, and we hold our farm by gift from +him; or at least people say so. We have had three +very good harvests running, and might support a coat of +arms; but for myself I want it not.' + +'Thou shalt have a coat, my lad,' said the King, +smiling at his own humour; 'but it must be a large one +to fit thee. And more than that shalt thou have, John +Ridd, being of such loyal breed, and having done such +service.' + +And while I wondered what he meant, he called to some +of the people in waiting at the farther end of the +room, and they brought him a little sword, such as +Annie would skewer a turkey with. Then he signified +to me to kneel, which I did (after dusting the board, +for the sake of my best breeches), and then he gave me +a little tap very nicely upon my shoulder, before I +knew what he was up to; and said, 'Arise, Sir John +Ridd!' + +This astonished and amazed me to such extent of loss of +mind, that when I got up I looked about, and thought +what the Snowes would think of it. And I said to the +King, without forms of speech,-- + +'Sir, I am very much obliged. But what be I to do with +it?' + + + +CHAPTER LXIX + +NOT TO BE PUT UP WITH + +The coat of arms, devised for me by the Royal heralds, +was of great size, and rich colours, and full of bright +imaginings. They did me the honour to consult me +first, and to take no notice of my advice. For I +begged that there might be a good-sized cow on it, so +as to stamp our pats of butter before they went to +market: also a horse on the other side, and a flock +snowed up at the bottom. But the gentlemen would not +hear of this; and to find something more appropriate, +they inquired strictly into the annals of our family. +I told them, of course, all about King Alfred; upon +which they settled that one quarter should be, three +cakes on a bar, with a lion regardant, done upon a +field of gold. Also I told them that very likely there +had been a Ridd in the battle fought, not very far from +Plover's Barrows, by the Earl of Devon against the +Danes, when Hubba their chief was killed, and the +sacred standard taken. As some of the Danes are said +to be buried, even upon land of ours, and we call their +graves (if such they be) even to this day 'barrows,' +the heralds quite agreed with me that a Ridd might have +been there, or thereabouts; and if he was there, he was +almost certain to have done his best, being in sight of +hearth and home; and it was plain that he must have had +good legs to be at the same time both there and in +Athelney; and good legs are an argument for good arms; +and supposing a man of this sort to have done his +utmost (as the manner of the Ridds is), it was next to +certain that he himself must have captured the +standard. Moreover, the name of our farm was pure +proof; a plover being a wild bird, just the same as a +raven is. Upon this chain of reasoning, and without +any weak misgivings, they charged my growing escutcheon +with a black raven on a ground of red. And the next +thing which I mentioned possessing absolute certainty, +to wit, that a pig with two heads had been born upon +our farm, not more than two hundred years agone +(although he died within a week), my third quarter was +made at once, by a two-headed boar with noble tusks, +sable upon silver. All this was very fierce and fine; +and so I pressed for a peaceful corner in the lower +dexter, and obtained a wheat-sheaf set upright, gold +upon a field of green. + +Here I was inclined to pause, and admire the effect; +for even De Whichehalse could not show a bearing so +magnificent. But the heralds said that it looked a +mere sign-board, without a good motto under it; and the +motto must have my name in it. They offered me first, +'Ridd non ridendus'; but I said, 'for God's sake, +gentlemen, let me forget my Latin.' Then they proposed, +'Ridd readeth riddles': but I begged them not to set +down such a lie; for no Ridd ever had made, or made +out, such a thing as a riddle, since Exmoor itself +began. Thirdly, they gave me, 'Ridd never be ridden,' +and fearing to make any further objections, I let them +inscribe it in bronze upon blue. The heralds thought +that the King would pay for this noble achievement; but +His Majesty, although graciously pleased with their +ingenuity, declined in the most decided manner to pay a +farthing towards it; and as I had now no money left, +the heralds became as blue as azure, and as red as +gules; until Her Majesty the Queen came forward very +kindly, and said that if His Majesty gave me a coat of +arms, I was not to pay for it; therefore she herself +did so quite handsomely, and felt goodwill towards me +in consequence. + +Now being in a hurry--so far at least as it is in my +nature to hurry--to get to the end of this narrative, +is it likely that I would have dwelled so long upon my +coat of arms, but for some good reason? And this good +reason is that Lorna took the greatest pride in it, and +thought (or at any rate said) that it quite threw into +the shade, and eclipsed, all her own ancient glories. +And half in fun, and half in earnest, she called me +'Sir John' so continually, that at last I was almost +angry with her; until her eyes were bedewed with tears; +and then I was angry with myself. + +Beginning to be short of money, and growing anxious +about the farm, longing also to show myself and my +noble escutcheon to mother, I took advantage of Lady +Lorna's interest with the Queen, to obtain my +acquittance and full discharge from even nominal +custody. It had been intended to keep me in waiting, +until the return of Lord Jeffreys, from that awful +circuit of shambles, through which his name is still +used by mothers to frighten their children into bed. +And right glad was I--for even London shrank with +horror at the news--to escape a man so bloodthirsty, +savage, and even to his friends (among whom I was +reckoned) malignant. + +Earl Brandir was greatly pleased with me, not only for +having saved his life, but for saving that which he +valued more, the wealth laid by for Lord Alan. And he +introduced me to many great people, who quite kindly +encouraged me, and promised to help me in every way +when they heard how the King had spoken. As for the +furrier, he could never have enough of my society; and +this worthy man, praying my commendation, demanded of +me one thing only--to speak of him as I found him. As +I had found him many a Sunday, furbishing up old furs +for new, with a glaze to conceal the moths' ravages, I +begged him to reconsider the point, and not to demand +such accuracy. He said, 'Well, well; all trades had +tricks, especially the trick of business; and I must +take him--if I were his true friend--according to his +own description.' This I was glad enough to do; because +it saved so much trouble, and I had no money to spend +with him. But still he requested the use of my name; +and I begged him to do the best with it, as I never had +kept a banker. And the 'John Ridd cuffs,' and the 'Sir +John mantles,' and the 'Holly-staff capes,' he put into +his window, as the winter was coming on, ay and sold +(for everybody was burning with gossip about me), must +have made this good man's fortune; since the excess of +price over value is the true test of success in life. + +To come away from all this stuff, which grieves a man +in London--when the brisk air of the autumn cleared +its way to Ludgate Hill, and clever 'prentices ran out, +and sniffed at it, and fed upon it (having little else +to eat); and when the horses from the country were a +goodly sight to see, with the rasp of winter bristles +rising through and among the soft summer-coat; and when +the new straw began to come in, golden with the harvest +gloss, and smelling most divinely at those strange +livery-stables, where the nags are put quite tail to +tail; and when all the London folk themselves are +asking about white frost (from recollections of +childhood); then, I say, such a yearning seized me for +moory crag, and for dewy blade, and even the grunting +of our sheep (when the sun goes down), that nothing but +the new wisps of Samson could have held me in London +town. + +Lorna was moved with equal longing towards the country +and country ways; and she spoke quite as much of the +glistening dew as she did of the smell of our oven. +And here let me mention--although the two are quite +distinct and different--that both the dew and the bread +of Exmoor may be sought, whether high or low, but never +found elsewhere. The dew is so crisp, and pure, and +pearly, and in such abundance; and the bread is so +sweet, so kind, and homely, you can eat a loaf, and +then another. + +Now while I was walking daily in and out great crowds +of men (few of whom had any freedom from the cares of +money, and many of whom were even morbid with a worse +pest called 'politics'), I could not be quit of +thinking how we jostle one another. God has made the +earth quite large, with a spread of land large enough +for all to live on, without fighting. Also a mighty +spread of water, laying hands on sand and cliff with a +solemn voice in storm-time; and in the gentle weather +moving men to thoughts of equity. This, as well, is +full of food; being two-thirds of the world, and +reserved for devouring knowledge; by the time the sons +of men have fed away the dry land. Yet before the land +itself has acknowledged touch of man, upon one in a +hundred acres; and before one mile in ten thousand of +the exhaustless ocean has ever felt the plunge of hook, +or combing of the haul-nets; lo, we crawl, in flocks +together upon the hot ground that stings us, even as +the black grubs crowd upon the harried nettle! Surely +we are too much given to follow the tracks of each +other. + +However, for a moralist, I never set up, and never +shall, while common sense abides with me. Such a man +must be very wretched in this pure dearth of morality; +like a fisherman where no fish be; and most of us have +enough to do to attend to our own morals. Enough that +I resolved to go; and as Lorna could not come with me, +it was even worse than stopping. Nearly everybody +vowed that I was a great fool indeed, to neglect so +rudely--which was the proper word, they said--the +pushing of my fortunes. But I answered that to push +was rude, and I left it to people who had no room; and +thought that my fortune must be heavy, if it would not +move without pushing. + +Lorna cried when I came away (which gave me great +satisfaction), and she sent a whole trunkful of things +for mother and Annie, and even Lizzie. And she seemed +to think, though she said it not, that I made my own +occasion for going, and might have stayed on till the +winter. Whereas I knew well that my mother would think +(and every one on the farm the same) that here I had +been in London, lagging, and taking my pleasure, and +looking at shops, upon pretence of King's business, and +leaving the harvest to reap itself, not to mention the +spending of money; while all the time there was nothing +whatever, except my own love of adventure and sport, to +keep me from coming home again. But I knew that my +coat of arms, and title, would turn every bit of this +grumbling into fine admiration. + +And so it fell out, to a greater extent than even I +desired; for all the parishes round about united in a +sumptuous dinner, at the Mother Melldrum inn--for now +that good lady was dead, and her name and face set on a +sign-post--to which I was invited, so that it was as +good as a summons. And if my health was no better next +day, it was not from want of good wishes, any more than +from stint of the liquor. + +It is needless to say that the real gentry for a long +time treated my new honours with contempt and ridicule; +but gradually as they found that I was not such a fool +as to claim any equality with them, but went about my +farm-work, and threw another man at wrestling, and +touched my hat to the magistrates, just the same as +ever; some gentlemen of the highest blood--of which we +think a great deal more than of gold, around our +neighbourhood--actually expressed a desire to make my +acquaintance. And when, in a manner quite +straightforward, and wholly free from bitterness, I +thanked them for this (which appeared to me the highest +honour yet offered me), but declined to go into their +company because it would make me uncomfortable, and +themselves as well, in a different way, they did what +nearly all Englishmen do, when a thing is right and +sensible. They shook hands with me; and said that they +could not deny but that there was reason in my view of +the matter. And although they themselves must be the +losers--which was a handsome thing to say--they would +wait until I was a little older and more aware of my +own value. + +Now this reminds me how it is that an English gentleman +is so far in front of foreign noblemen and princes. I +have seen at times, a little, both of one and of the +other, and making more than due allowance for the +difficulties of language, and the difference of +training, upon the whole, the balance is in favour of +our people. And this, because we have two weights, +solid and (even in scale of manners) outweighing all +light complaisance; to wit, the inborn love of justice, +and the power of abiding. + +Yet some people may be surprised that men with any love +of justice, whether inborn or otherwise, could continue +to abide the arrogance, and rapacity, and tyranny of +the Doones. + +For now as the winter passed, the Doones were not +keeping themselves at home, as in honour they were +bound to do. Twenty sheep a week, and one fat ox, and +two stout red deer (for wholesome change of diet), as +well as threescore bushels of flour, and two hogsheads +and a half of cider, and a hundredweight of candles, +not to mention other things of almost every variety +which they got by insisting upon it--surely these might +have sufficed to keep the people in their place, with +no outburst of wantonness. Nevertheless, it was not +so; they had made complaint about something--too much +ewe-mutton, I think it was--and in spite of all the +pledges given, they had ridden forth, and carried away +two maidens of our neighbourhood. + +Now these two maidens were known, because they had +served the beer at an ale-house; and many men who had +looked at them, over a pint or quart vessel (especially +as they were comely girls), thought that it was very +hard for them to go in that way, and perhaps themselves +unwilling. And their mother (although she had taken +some money, which the Doones were always full of) +declared that it was a robbery; and though it increased +for a while the custom, that must soon fall off again. +And who would have her two girls now, clever as they +were and good? + +Before we had finished meditating upon this loose +outrage--for so I at least would call it, though people +accustomed to the law may take a different view of +it--we had news of a thing far worse, which turned the +hearts of our women sick. This I will tell in most +careful language, so as to give offence to none, if +skill of words may help it. * + +*The following story is strictly true; and true it is +that the country-people rose, to a man, at this dastard +cruelty, and did what the Government failed to do.--Ed. + + +Mistress Margery Badcock, a healthy and upright young +woman, with a good rich colour, and one of the finest +hen-roosts anywhere round our neighbourhood, was +nursing her child about six of the clock, and looking +out for her husband. Now this child was too old to be +nursed, as everybody told her; for he could run, say +two yards alone, and perhaps four or five, by holding +to handles. And he had a way of looking round, and +spreading his legs, and laughing, with his brave little +body well fetched up, after a desperate journey to the +end of the table, which his mother said nothing could +equal. Nevertheless, he would come to be nursed, as +regular as a clock, almost; and, inasmuch as he was the +first, both father and mother made much of him; for God +only knew whether they could ever compass such another +one. + +Christopher Badcock was a tenant farmer, in the parish +of Martinhoe, renting some fifty acres of land, with a +right of common attached to them; and at this +particular time, being now the month of February, and +fine open weather, he was hard at work ploughing and +preparing for spring corn. Therefore his wife was not +surprised although the dusk was falling, that farmer +Christopher should be at work in 'blind man's holiday,' +as we call it. + +But she was surprised, nay astonished, when by the +light of the kitchen fire (brightened up for her +husband), she saw six or seven great armed men burst +into the room upon her; and she screamed so that the +maid in the back kitchen heard her, but was afraid to +come to help. Two of the strongest and fiercest men at +once seized poor young Margery; and though she fought +for her child and home, she was but an infant herself +in their hands. In spite of tears, and shrieks, and +struggles, they tore the babe from the mother's arms, +and cast it on the lime ash floor; then they bore her +away to their horses (for by this time she was +senseless), and telling the others to sack the house, +rode off with their prize to the valley. And from the +description of one of those two, who carried off the +poor woman, I knew beyond all doubt that it was Carver +Doone himself. + +The other Doones being left behind, and grieved perhaps +in some respects, set to with a will to scour the +house, and to bring away all that was good to eat. And +being a little vexed herein (for the Badcocks were not +a rich couple) and finding no more than bacon, and +eggs, and cheese, and little items, and nothing to +drink but water; in a word, their taste being offended, +they came back, to the kitchen, and stamped; and there +was the baby lying. + +By evil luck, this child began to squeal about his +mother, having been petted hitherto, and wont to get +all he wanted, by raising his voice but a little. Now +the mark of the floor was upon his head, as the maid +(who had stolen to look at him, when the rough men were +swearing upstairs) gave evidence. And she put a dish- +cloth under his head, and kissed him, and ran away +again. Her name was Honour Jose, and she meant what +was right by her master and mistress; but could not +help being frightened. And many women have blamed her, +as I think unduly, for her mode of forsaking baby so. +If it had been her own baby, instinct rather than +reason might have had the day with her; but the child +being born of her mistress, she wished him good luck, +and left him, as the fierce men came downstairs. And +being alarmed by their power of language (because they +had found no silver), she crept away in a breathless +hurry, and afraid how her breath might come back to +her. For oftentime she had hiccoughs. + +While this good maid was in the oven, by side of +back-kitchen fireplace, with a faggot of wood drawn +over her, and lying so that her own heart beat worse +than if she were baking; the men (as I said before) +came downstairs, and stamped around the baby. + +'Rowland, is the bacon good?' one of them asked with an +oath or two; 'it is too bad of Carver to go off with +the only prize, and leave us in a starving cottage; and +not enough to eat for two of us. Fetch down the staves +of the rack, my boy. What was farmer to have for +supper?' + +'Naught but an onion or two, and a loaf and a rasher of +rusty bacon. These poor devils live so badly, they are +not worth robbing.' + +'No game! Then let us have a game of loriot with the +baby! It will be the best thing that could befall a +lusty infant heretic. Ride a cock-horse to Banbury +Cross. Bye, bye, baby Bunting; toss him up, and let me +see if my wrist be steady.' + +The cruelty of this man is a thing it makes me sick to +speak of; enough that when the poor baby fell (without +attempt at cry or scream, thinking it part of his usual +play, when they tossed him up, to come down again), the +maid in the oven of the back-kitchen, not being any +door between, heard them say as follows,-- + +'If any man asketh who killed thee, +Say 'twas the Doones of Bagworthy.' * + +* Always pronounced 'Badgery.' + + +Now I think that when we heard this story, and poor Kit +Badcock came all around, in a sort of half-crazy +manner, not looking up at any one, but dropping his +eyes, and asking whether we thought he had been +well-treated, and seeming void of regard for life, if +this were all the style of it; then having known him a +lusty man, and a fine singer in an ale-house, and much +inclined to lay down the law, as show a high hand about +women, I really think that it moved us more than if he +had gone about ranting, and raving, and vowing revenge +upon every one. + + + +CHAPTER LXX + +COMPELLED TO VOLUNTEER + +There had been some trouble in our own home during the +previous autumn, while yet I was in London. For +certain noted fugitives from the army of King Monmouth +(which he himself had deserted, in a low and currish +manner), having failed to obtain free shipment from the +coast near Watersmouth, had returned into the wilds of +Exmoor, trusting to lurk, and be comforted among the +common people. Neither were they disappointed, for a +certain length of time; nor in the end was their +disappointment caused by fault on our part. Major Wade +was one of them; an active and well-meaning man; but +prone to fail in courage, upon lasting trial; although +in a moment ready. Squire John Whichehalse (not the +baron) and Parson Powell* caught him (two or three +months before my return) in Farley farmhouse, near +Brendon. He had been up at our house several times; +and Lizzie thought a great deal of him. And well I +know that if at that time I had been in the +neighbourhood, he should not have been taken so easily. + +* Not our parson Bowden, nor any more a friend of his. +Our Parson Bowden never had naught whatever to do with +it; and never smoked a pipe with Parson Powell after +it.--J.R. + + +John Birch, the farmer who had sheltered him, was so +fearful of punishment, that he hanged himself, in a few +days' time, and even before he was apprehended. But +nothing was done to Grace Howe, of Bridgeball, who had +been Wade's greatest comforter; neither was anything +done to us; although Eliza had added greatly to +mother's alarm and danger by falling upon Rector +Powell, and most soundly rating him for his meanness, +and his cruelty, and cowardice, as she called it, in +setting men with firearms upon a poor helpless +fugitive, and robbing all our neighbourhood of its fame +for hospitality. However, by means of Sergeant +Bloxham, and his good report of us, as well as by +virtue of Wade's confession (which proved of use to the +Government) my mother escaped all penalties. + +It is likely enough that good folk will think it hard +upon our neighbourhood to be threatened, and sometimes +heavily punished, for kindness and humanity; and yet to +be left to help ourselves against tyranny, and base +rapine. And now at last our gorge was risen, and our +hearts in tumult. We had borne our troubles long, as a +wise and wholesome chastisement; quite content to have +some few things of our own unmeddled with. But what +could a man dare to call his own, or what right could +he have to wish for it, while he left his wife and +children at the pleasure of any stranger? + +The people came flocking all around me, at the +blacksmith's forge, and the Brendon alehouse; and I +could scarce come out of church, but they got me among +the tombstones. They all agreed that I was bound to +take command and management. I bade them go to the +magistrates, but they said they had been too often. +Then I told them that I had no wits for ordering of an +armament, although I could find fault enough with the +one which had not succeeded. But they would hearken to +none of this. + +All they said was 'Try to lead us; and we will try not +to run away.' + +This seemed to me to be common sense, and good stuff, +instead of mere bragging; moreover, I myself was moved +by the bitter wrongs of Margery, having known her at +the Sunday-school, ere ever I went to Tiverton; and +having in those days, serious thoughts of making her my +sweetheart; although she was three years my elder. But +now I felt this difficulty--the Doones had behaved very +well to our farm, and to mother, and all of us, while I +was away in London. Therefore, would it not be +shabby, and mean, for me to attack them now? + +Yet being pressed still harder and harder, as day by +day the excitement grew (with more and more talking +over it, and no one else coming forward to undertake +the business, I agreed at last to this; that if the +Doones, upon fair challenge, would not endeavour to +make amends by giving up Mistress Margery, as well as +the man who had slain the babe, then I would lead the +expedition, and do my best to subdue them. All our men +were content with this, being thoroughly well assured +from experience, that the haughty robbers would only +shoot any man who durst approach them with such +proposal. + +And then arose a difficult question--who was to take +the risk of making overtures so unpleasant? I waited +for the rest to offer; and as none was ready, the +burden fell on me, and seemed to be of my own inviting. +Hence I undertook the task, sooner than reason about +it; for to give the cause of everything is worse than +to go through with it. + +It may have been three of the afternoon, when leaving +my witnesses behind (for they preferred the background) +I appeared with our Lizzie's white handkerchief upon a +kidney-bean stick, at the entrance to the robbers' +dwelling. Scarce knowing what might come of it, I had +taken the wise precaution of fastening a Bible over my +heart, and another across my spinal column, in case of +having to run away, with rude men shooting after me. +For my mother said that the Word of God would stop a +two-inch bullet, with three ounces of powder behind it. +Now I took no weapons, save those of the Spirit, for +fear of being misunderstood. But I could not bring +myself to think that any of honourable birth would take +advantage of an unarmed man coming in guise of peace to +them. + +And this conclusion of mine held good, at least for a +certain length of time; inasmuch as two decent Doones +appeared, and hearing of my purpose, offered, without +violence, to go and fetch the Captain; if I would stop +where I was, and not begin to spy about anything. To +this, of course, I agreed at once; for I wanted no more +spying, because I had thorough knowledge of all ins and +outs already. Therefore, I stood waiting steadily, +with one hand in my pocket feeling a sample of corn for +market; and the other against the rock, while I +wondered to see it so brown already. + +Those men came back in a little while, with a sharp +short message that Captain Carver would come out and +speak to me by-and-by, when his pipe was finished. +Accordingly, I waited long, and we talked about the +signs of bloom for the coming apple season, and the +rain that had fallen last Wednesday night, and the +principal dearth of Devonshire, that it will not grow +many cowslips--which we quite agreed to be the +prettiest of spring flowers; and all the time I was +wondering how many black and deadly deeds these two +innocent youths had committed, even since last +Christmas. + +At length, a heavy and haughty step sounded along the +stone roof of the way; and then the great Carver Doone +drew up, and looked at me rather scornfully. Not with +any spoken scorn, nor flash of strong contumely; but +with that air of thinking little, and praying not to be +troubled, which always vexes a man who feels that he +ought not to be despised so, and yet knows not how to +help it. + +'What is it you want, young man?' he asked, as if he +had never seen me before. + +In spite of that strong loathing which I always felt at +sight of him, I commanded my temper moderately, and +told him that I was come for his good, and that of his +worshipful company, far more than for my own. That a +general feeling of indignation had arisen among us at +the recent behaviour of certain young men, for which he +might not be answerable, and for which we would not +condemn him, without knowing the rights of the +question. But I begged him clearly to understand that +a vile and inhuman wrong had been done, and such as we +could not put up with; but that if he would make what +amends he could by restoring the poor woman, and giving +up that odious brute who had slain the harmless infant, +we would take no further motion; and things should go +on as usual. As I put this in the fewest words that +would meet my purpose, I was grieved to see a +disdainful smile spread on his sallow countenance. +Then he made me a bow of mock courtesy, and replied as +follows,-- + +'Sir John, your new honours have turned your poor head, +as might have been expected. We are not in the habit +of deserting anything that belongs to us; far less our +sacred relatives. The insolence of your demand +well-nigh outdoes the ingratitude. If there be a man +upon Exmoor who has grossly ill-used us, kidnapped our +young women, and slain half a dozen of our young men, +you are that outrageous rogue, Sir John. And after all +this, how have we behaved? We have laid no hand upon +your farm, we have not carried off your women, we have +even allowed you to take our Queen, by creeping and +crawling treachery; and we have given you leave of +absence to help your cousin the highwayman, and to come +home with a title. And now, how do you requite us? By +inflaming the boorish indignation at a little frolic of +our young men; and by coming with insolent demands, to +yield to which would ruin us. Ah, you ungrateful +viper!' + +As he turned away in sorrow from me, shaking his head +at my badness, I became so overcome (never having been +quite assured, even by people's praises, about my own +goodness); moreover, the light which he threw upon +things differed so greatly from my own, that, in a +word--not to be too long--I feared that I was a +villain. And with many bitter pangs--for I have bad +things to repent of--I began at my leisure to ask +myself whether or not this bill of indictment against +John Ridd was true. Some of it I knew to be (however +much I condemned myself) altogether out of reason; for +instance, about my going away with Lorna very quietly, +over the snow, and to save my love from being starved +away from me. In this there was no creeping neither +crawling treachery; for all was done with sliding; and +yet I was so out of training for being charged by other +people beyond mine own conscience, that Carver Doone's +harsh words came on me, like prickly spinach sown with +raking. Therefore I replied, and said,-- + +'It is true that I owe you gratitude, sir, for a +certain time of forbearance; and it is to prove my +gratitude that I am come here now. I do not think that +my evil deeds can be set against your own; although I +cannot speak flowingly upon my good deeds as you can. +I took your Queen because you starved her, having +stolen her long before, and killed her mother and +brother. This is not for me to dwell upon now; any +more than I would say much about your murdering of my +father. But how the balance hangs between us, God +knows better than thou or I, thou low miscreant, Carver +Doone.' + +I had worked myself up, as I always do, in the manner +of heavy men; growing hot like an ill-washered wheel +revolving, though I start with a cool axle; and I felt +ashamed of myself for heat, and ready to ask pardon. +But Carver Doone regarded me with a noble and fearless +grandeur. + +'I have given thee thy choice, John Ridd,' he said in a +lofty manner, which made me drop away under him; 'I +always wish to do my best with the worst people who +come near me. And of all I have ever met with thou art +the very worst, Sir John, and the most dishonest.' + +Now after all my labouring to pay every man to a penny, +and to allow the women over, when among the couch-grass +(which is a sad thing for their gowns), to be charged +like this, I say, so amazed me that I stood, with my +legs quite open, and ready for an earthquake. And the +scornful way in which he said 'Sir John,' went to my +very heart, reminding me of my littleness. But seeing +no use in bandying words, nay, rather the chance of +mischief, I did my best to look calmly at him, and to +say with a quiet voice, 'Farewell, Carver Doone, this +time, our day of reckoning is nigh.' + +'Thou fool, it is come,' he cried, leaping aside into +the niche of rock by the doorway; 'Fire!' + +Save for the quickness of spring, and readiness, +learned in many a wrestling bout, that knavish trick +must have ended me; but scarce was the word 'fire!' out +of his mouth ere I was out of fire, by a single bound +behind the rocky pillar of the opening. In this jump I +was so brisk, at impulse of the love of life (for I saw +the muzzles set upon me from the darkness of the +cavern), that the men who had trained their guns upon +me with goodwill and daintiness, could not check their +fingers crooked upon the heavy triggers; and the volley +sang with a roar behind it, down the avenue of crags. + +With one thing and another, and most of all the +treachery of this dastard scheme, I was so amazed that +I turned and ran, at the very top of my speed, away +from these vile fellows; and luckily for me, they had +not another charge to send after me. And thus by good +fortune, I escaped; but with a bitter heart, and mind +at their treacherous usage. + +Without any further hesitation; I agreed to take +command of the honest men who were burning to punish, +ay and destroy, those outlaws, as now beyond all +bearing. One condition, however, I made, namely, that +the Counsellor should be spared if possible; not +because he was less a villain than any of the others, +but that he seemed less violent; and above all, had +been good to Annie. And I found hard work to make +them listen to my wish upon this point; for of all the +Doones, Sir Counsellor had made himself most hated, by +his love of law and reason. + +We arranged that all our men should come and fall into +order with pike and musket, over against our dung-hill, +and we settled early in the day, that their wives might +come and look at them. For most of these men had good +wives; quite different from sweethearts, such as the +militia had; women indeed who could hold to a man, and +see to him, and bury him--if his luck were evil--and +perhaps have no one afterwards. And all these women +pressed their rights upon their precious husbands, and +brought so many children with them, and made such a +fuss, and hugging, and racing after little legs, that +our farm-yard might be taken for an out-door school for +babies rather than a review ground. + +I myself was to and fro among the children continually; +for if I love anything in the world, foremost I love +children. They warm, and yet they cool our hearts, as +we think of what we were, and what in young clothes we +hoped to be; and how many things have come across. And +to see our motives moving in the little things that +know not what their aim or object is, must almost or +ought at least, to lead us home, and soften us. For +either end of life is home; both source and issue being +God. + +Nevertheless, I must confess that the children were a +plague sometimes. They never could have enough of +me--being a hundred to one, you might say--but I had +more than enough of them; and yet was not contented. +For they had so many ways of talking, and of tugging at +my hair, and of sitting upon my neck (not even two with +their legs alike), and they forced me to jump so +vehemently, seeming to court the peril of my coming +down neck and crop with them, and urging me still to go +faster, however fast I might go with them; I assure you +that they were sometimes so hard and tyrannical over +me, that I might almost as well have been among the +very Doones themselves. + +Nevertheless, the way in which the children made me +useful proved also of some use to me; for their mothers +were so pleased by the exertions of the 'great +Gee-gee'--as all the small ones entitled me--that they +gave me unlimited power and authority over their +husbands; moreover, they did their utmost among their +relatives round about, to fetch recruits for our little +band. And by such means, several of the yeomanry from +Barnstaple, and from Tiverton, were added to our +number; and inasmuch as these were armed with heavy +swords, and short carabines, their appearance was truly +formidable. + +Tom Faggus also joined us heartily, being now quite +healed of his wound, except at times when the wind was +easterly. He was made second in command to me; and I +would gladly have had him first, as more fertile in +expedients; but he declined such rank on the plea that +I knew most of the seat of war; besides that I might be +held in some measure to draw authority from the King. +Also Uncle Ben came over to help us with his advice and +presence, as well as with a band of stout warehousemen, +whom he brought from Dulverton. For he had never +forgiven the old outrage put upon him; and though it +had been to his interest to keep quiet during the last +attack, under Commander Stickles--for the sake of his +secret gold mine--yet now he was in a position to give +full vent to his feelings. For he and his partners +when fully-assured of the value of their diggings, had +obtained from the Crown a licence to adventure in +search of minerals, by payment of a heavy fine and a +yearly royalty. Therefore they had now no longer any +cause for secrecy, neither for dread of the outlaws; +having so added to their force as to be a match for +them. And although Uncle Ben was not the man to keep +his miners idle an hour more than might be helped, he +promised that when we had fixed the moment for an +assault on the valley, a score of them should come to +aid us, headed by Simon Carfax, and armed with the guns +which they always kept for the protection of their +gold. + +Now whether it were Uncle Ben, or whether it were Tom +Faggus or even my own self--for all three of us claimed +the sole honour--is more than I think fair to settle +without allowing them a voice. But at any rate, a +clever thing was devised among us; and perhaps it would +be the fairest thing to say that this bright stratagem +(worthy of the great Duke himself) was contributed, +little by little, among the entire three of us, all +having pipes, and schnapps-and-water, in the +chimney-corner. However, the world, which always +judges according to reputation, vowed that so fine a +stroke of war could only come from a highwayman; and so +Tom Faggus got all the honour, at less perhaps than a +third of the cost. + +Not to attempt to rob him of it--for robbers, more than +any other, contend for rights of property--let me try +to describe this grand artifice. It was known that the +Doones were fond of money, as well as strong drink, and +other things; and more especially fond of gold, when +they could get it pure and fine. Therefore it was +agreed that in this way we should tempt them; for we +knew that they looked with ridicule upon our rustic +preparations; after repulsing King's troopers, and the +militia of two counties, was it likely that they should +yield their fortress to a set of ploughboys? We, for +our part, felt of course, the power of this reasoning, +and that where regular troops had failed, half-armed +countrymen must fail, except by superior judgment and +harmony of action. Though perhaps the militia would +have sufficed, if they had only fought against the foe, +instead of against each other. From these things we +took warning; having failed through over-confidence, +was it not possible now to make the enemy fail through +the selfsame cause? + +Hence, what we devised was this; to delude from home a +part of the robbers, and fall by surprise on the other +part. We caused it to be spread abroad that a large +heap of gold was now collected at the mine of the +Wizard's Slough. And when this rumour must have +reached them, through women who came to and fro, as +some entirely faithful to them were allowed to do, we +sent Captain Simon Carfax, the father of little Gwenny, +to demand an interview with the Counsellor, by night, +and as it were secretly. Then he was to set forth a +list of imaginary grievances against the owners of the +mine; and to offer partly through resentment, partly +through the hope of gain, to betray into their hands, +upon the Friday night, by far the greatest weight of +gold as yet sent up for refining. He was to have one +quarter part, and they to take the residue. But +inasmuch as the convoy across the moors, under his +command, would be strong, and strongly armed, the +Doones must be sure to send not less than a score of +men, if possible. He himself, at a place agreed upon, +and fit for an ambuscade, would call a halt, and +contrive in the darkness to pour a little water into +the priming of his company's guns. + +It cost us some trouble and a great deal of money to +bring the sturdy Cornishman into this deceitful part; +and perhaps he never would have consented but for his +obligation to me, and the wrongs (as he said) of his +daughter. However, as he was the man for the task, +both from his coolness and courage, and being known to +have charge of the mine, I pressed him, until he +undertook to tell all the lies we required. And right +well he did it too, having once made up his mind to it; +and perceiving that his own interests called for the +total destruction of the robbers. + + + +CHAPTER LXXI + +A LONG ACCOUNT SETTLED + +Having resolved on a night-assault (as our +undisciplined men, three-fourths of whom had never been +shot at, could not fairly be expected to march up to +visible musket-mouths), we cared not much about +drilling our forces, only to teach them to hold a +musket, so far as we could supply that weapon to those +with the cleverest eyes; and to give them familiarity +with the noise it made in exploding. And we fixed upon +Friday night for our venture, because the moon would be +at the full; and our powder was coming from Dulverton +on the Friday afternoon. + +Uncle Reuben did not mean to expose himself to +shooting, his time of life for risk of life being now +well over and the residue too valuable. But his +counsels, and his influence, and above all his +warehousemen, well practised in beating carpets, were +of true service to us. His miners also did great +wonders, having a grudge against the Doones; as indeed +who had not for thirty miles round their valley? + +It was settled that the yeomen, having good horses +under them, should give account (with the miners' help) +of as many Doones as might be despatched to plunder the +pretended gold. And as soon as we knew that this party +of robbers, be it more or less, was out of hearing from +the valley, we were to fall to, ostensibly at the +Doone-gate (which was impregnable now), but in reality +upon their rear, by means of my old water-slide. For I +had chosen twenty young fellows, partly miners, and +partly warehousemen, and sheep farmers, and some of +other vocations, but all to be relied upon for spirit +and power of climbing. And with proper tools to aid +us, and myself to lead the way, I felt no doubt +whatever but that we could all attain the crest where +first I had met with Lorna. + +Upon the whole, I rejoiced that Lorna was not present +now. It must have been irksome to her feelings to have +all her kindred and old associates (much as she kept +aloof from them) put to death without ceremony, or else +putting all of us to death. For all of us were +resolved this time to have no more shilly-shallying; +but to go through with a nasty business, in the style +of honest Englishmen, when the question comes to 'Your +life or mine.' + +There was hardly a man among us who had not suffered +bitterly from the miscreants now before us. One had +lost his wife perhaps, another had lost a +daughter--according to their ages, another had lost his +favourite cow; in a word, there was scarcely any one +who had not to complain of a hayrick; and what +surprised me then, not now, was that the men least +injured made the greatest push concerning it. But be +the wrong too great to speak of, or too small to swear +about, from poor Kit Badcock to rich Master Huckaback, +there was not one but went heart and soul for stamping +out these firebrands. + +The moon was lifting well above the shoulder of the +uplands, when we, the chosen band, set forth, having +the short cut along the valleys to foot of the +Bagworthy water; and therefore having allowed the rest +an hour, to fetch round the moors and hills; we were +not to begin our climb until we heard a musket fired +from the heights on the left-hand side, where John Fry +himself was stationed, upon his own and his wife's +request; so as to keep out of action. And that was the +place where I had been used to sit, and to watch for +Lorna. And John Fry was to fire his gun, with a ball +of wool inside it, so soon as he heard the hurly-burly +at the Doone-gate beginning; which we, by reason of +waterfall, could not hear, down in the meadows there. + +We waited a very long time, with the moon marching up +heaven steadfastly, and the white fog trembling in +chords and columns, like a silver harp of the meadows. +And then the moon drew up the fogs, and scarfed herself +in white with them; and so being proud, gleamed upon +the water, like a bride at her looking-glass; and yet +there was no sound of either John Fry, or his +blunderbuss. + +I began to think that the worthy John, being out of all +danger, and having brought a counterpane (according to +his wife's directions, because one of the children had +a cold), must veritably have gone to sleep; leaving +other people to kill, or be killed, as might be the +will of God; so that he were comfortable. But herein +I did wrong to John, and am ready to acknowledge it; +for suddenly the most awful noise that anything short +of thunder could make, came down among the rocks, and +went and hung upon the corners. + +'The signal, my lads,' I cried, leaping up and rubbing +my eyes; for even now, while condemning John unjustly, +I was giving him right to be hard upon me. 'Now hold +on by the rope, and lay your quarter-staffs across, my +lads; and keep your guns pointing to heaven, lest haply +we shoot one another.' + +'Us shan't never shutt one anoother, wi' our goons at +that mark, I reckon,' said an oldish chap, but as tough +as leather, and esteemed a wit for his dryness. + +'You come next to me, old Ike; you be enough to dry up +the waters; now, remember, all lean well forward. If +any man throws his weight back, down he goes; and +perhaps he may never get up again; and most likely he +will shoot himself.' + +I was still more afraid of their shooting me; for my +chief alarm in this steep ascent was neither of the +water nor of the rocks, but of the loaded guns we bore. +If any man slipped, off might go his gun, and however +good his meaning, I being first was most likely to take +far more than I fain would apprehend. + +For this cause, I had debated with Uncle Ben and with +Cousin Tom as to the expediency of our climbing with +guns unloaded. But they, not being in the way +themselves, assured me that there was nothing to fear, +except through uncommon clumsiness; and that as for +charging our guns at the top, even veteran troops could +scarcely be trusted to perform it properly in the +hurry, and the darkness, and the noise of fighting +before them. + +However, thank God, though a gun went off, no one was +any the worse for it, neither did the Doones notice it, +in the thick of the firing in front of them. For the +orders to those of the sham attack, conducted by Tom +Faggus, were to make the greatest possible noise, +without exposure of themselves; until we, in the rear, +had fallen to; which John Fry was again to give the +signal of. + +Therefore we, of the chosen band, stole up the meadow +quietly, keeping in the blots of shade, and hollow of +the watercourse. And the earliest notice the +Counsellor had, or any one else, of our presence, was +the blazing of the log-wood house, where lived that +villain Carver. It was my especial privilege to set +this house on fire; upon which I had insisted, +exclusively and conclusively. No other hand but mine +should lay a brand, or strike steel on flint for it; I +had made all preparations carefully for a goodly blaze. + And I must confess that I rubbed my hands, with a +strong delight and comfort, when I saw the home of that +man, who had fired so many houses, having its turn of +smoke, and blaze, and of crackling fury. + +We took good care, however, to burn no innocent women +or children in that most righteous destruction. For we +brought them all out beforehand; some were glad, and +some were sorry; according to their dispositions. For +Carver had ten or a dozen wives; and perhaps that had +something to do with his taking the loss of Lorna so +easily. One child I noticed, as I saved him; a fair +and handsome little fellow, whom (if Carver Doone could +love anything on earth beside his wretched self) he did +love. The boy climbed on my back and rode; and much as +I hated his father, it was not in my heart to say or do +a thing to vex him. + +Leaving these poor injured people to behold their +burning home, we drew aside, by my directions, into the +covert beneath the cliff. But not before we had laid +our brands to three other houses, after calling the +women forth, and bidding them go for their husbands, +and to come and fight a hundred of us. In the smoke +and rush, and fire, they believed that we were a +hundred; and away they ran, in consternation, to the +battle at the Doone-gate. + +'All Doone-town is on fire, on fire!' we heard them +shrieking as they went; 'a hundred soldiers are burning +it, with a dreadful great man at the head of them!' + +Presently, just as I expected, back came the warriors +of the Doones; leaving but two or three at the gate, +and burning with wrath to crush under foot the +presumptuous clowns in their valley. Just then the +waxing fire leaped above the red crest of the cliffs, +and danced on the pillars of the forest, and lapped +like a tide on the stones of the slope. All the valley +flowed with light, and the limpid waters reddened, and +the fair young women shone, and the naked children +glistened. + +But the finest sight of all was to see those haughty +men striding down the causeway darkly, reckless of +their end, but resolute to have two lives for every +one. A finer dozen of young men could not have been +found in the world perhaps, nor a braver, nor a viler +one. + +Seeing how few there were of them, I was very loath to +fire, although I covered the leader, who appeared to be +dashing Charley; for they were at easy distance now, +brightly shone by the fire-light, yet ignorant where +to look for us. I thought that we might take them +prisoners--though what good that could be God knows, as +they must have been hanged thereafter--anyhow I was +loath to shoot, or to give the word to my followers. + +But my followers waited for no word; they saw a fair +shot at the men they abhorred, the men who had robbed +them of home or of love, and the chance was too much +for their charity. At a signal from old Ikey, who +levelled his own gun first, a dozen muskets were +discharged, and half of the Doones dropped lifeless, +like so many logs of firewood, or chopping-blocks +rolled over. + +Although I had seen a great battle before, and a +hundred times the carnage, this appeared to me to be +horrible; and I was at first inclined to fall upon our +men for behaving so. But one instant showed me that +they were right; for while the valley was filled with +howling, and with shrieks of women, and the beams of +the blazing houses fell, and hissed in the bubbling +river; all the rest of the Doones leaped at us, like so +many demons. They fired wildly, not seeing us well +among the hazel bushes; and then they clubbed their +muskets, or drew their swords, as might be; and +furiously drove at us. + +For a moment, although we were twice their number, we +fell back before their valorous fame, and the power of +their onset. For my part, admiring their courage +greatly, and counting it slur upon manliness that two +should be down upon one so, I withheld my hand awhile; +for I cared to meet none but Carver; and he was not +among them. The whirl and hurry of this fight, and the +hard blows raining down--for now all guns were +empty--took away my power of seeing, or reasoning upon +anything. Yet one thing I saw, which dwelled long with +me; and that was Christopher Badcock spending his life +to get Charley's. + +How he had found out, none may tell; both being dead so +long ago; but, at any rate, he had found out that +Charley was the man who had robbed him of his wife and +honour. It was Carver Doone who took her away, but +Charleworth Doone was beside him; and, according to +cast of dice, she fell to Charley's share. All this +Kit Badcock (who was mad, according to our measures) +had discovered, and treasured up; and now was his +revenge-time. + +He had come into the conflict without a weapon of any +kind; only begging me to let him be in the very thick +of it. For him, he said, life was no matter, after the +loss of his wife and child; but death was matter to +him, and he meant to make the most of it. Such a face +I never saw, and never hope to see again, as when poor +Kit Badcock spied Charley coming towards us. + +We had thought this man a patient fool, a philosopher +of a little sort, or one who could feel nothing. And +his quiet manner of going about, and the gentleness of +his answers (when some brutes asked him where his wife +was, and whether his baby had been well-trussed), +these had misled us to think that the man would turn +the mild cheek to everything. But I, in the loneliness +of our barn, had listened, and had wept with him. + +Therefore was I not surprised, so much as all the rest +of us, when, in the foremost of red light, Kit went up +to Charleworth Doone, as if to some inheritance; and +took his seisin of right upon him, being himself a +powerful man; and begged a word aside with him. What +they said aside, I know not; all I know is that without +weapon, each man killed the other. And Margery Badcock +came, and wept, and hung upon her poor husband; and +died, that summer, of heart-disease. + +Now for these and other things (whereof I could tell a +thousand) was the reckoning come that night; and not a +line we missed of it; soon as our bad blood was up. I +like not to tell of slaughter, though it might be of +wolves and tigers; and that was a night of fire and +slaughter, and of very long-harboured revenge. Enough +that ere the daylight broke upon that wan March +morning, the only Doones still left alive were the +Counsellor and Carver. And of all the dwellings of the +Doones (inhabited with luxury, and luscious taste, and +licentiousness) not even one was left, but all made +potash in the river. + +This may seem a violent and unholy revenge upon them. +And I (who led the heart of it) have in these my latter +years doubted how I shall be judged, not of men--for +God only knows the errors of man's judgments--but by +that great God Himself, the front of whose forehead is +mercy. + + + +CHAPTER LXXII + +THE COUNSELLOR AND THE CARVER + +From that great confusion--for nothing can be broken +up, whether lawful or unlawful, without a vast amount +of dust, and many people grumbling, and mourning for +the good old times, when all the world was happiness, +and every man a gentleman, and the sun himself far +brighter than since the brassy idol upon which he shone +was broken--from all this loss of ancient landmarks (as +unrobbed men began to call our clearance of those +murderers) we returned on the following day, almost as +full of anxiety as we were of triumph. In the first +place, what could we possibly do with all these women +and children, thrown on our hands as one might say, +with none to protect and care for them? Again how +should we answer to the justices of the peace, or +perhaps even to Lord Jeffreys, for having, without even +a warrant, taken the law into our own hands, and abated +our nuisance so forcibly? And then, what was to be +done with the spoil, which was of great value; though +the diamond necklace came not to public light? For we +saw a mighty host of claimants already leaping up for +booty. Every man who had ever been robbed, expected +usury on his loss; the lords of the manors demanded the +whole; and so did the King's Commissioner of revenue at +Porlock; and so did the men who had fought our battle; +while even the parsons, both Bowden and Powell, and +another who had no parish in it, threatened us with the +just wrath of the Church, unless each had tithes of the +whole of it. + +Now this was not as it ought to be; and it seemed as if +by burning the nest of robbers, we had but hatched +their eggs; until being made sole guardian of the +captured treasure (by reason of my known honesty) I hit +upon a plan, which gave very little satisfaction; yet +carried this advantage, that the grumblers argued +against one another and for the most part came to +blows; which renewed their goodwill to me, as being +abused by the adversary. + +And my plan was no more than this--not to pay a +farthing to lord of manor, parson, or even King's +Commissioner, but after making good some of the recent +and proven losses--where the men could not afford to +lose--to pay the residue (which might be worth some +fifty thousand pounds) into the Exchequer at +Westminster; and then let all the claimants file what +wills they pleased in Chancery. + +Now this was a very noble device, for the mere name of +Chancery, and the high repute of the fees therein, and +low repute of the lawyers, and the comfortable +knowledge that the woolsack itself is the golden +fleece, absorbing gold for ever, if the standard be but +pure; consideration of these things staved off at once +the lords of the manors, and all the little farmers, +and even those whom most I feared; videlicet, the +parsons. And the King's Commissioner was compelled to +profess himself contented, although of all he was most +aggrieved; for his pickings would have been goodly. + +Moreover, by this plan I made--although I never thought +of that--a mighty friend worth all the enemies, whom +the loss of money moved. The first man now in the +kingdom (by virtue perhaps of energy, rather than of +excellence) was the great Lord Jeffreys, appointed the +head of the Equity, as well as the law of the realm, +for his kindness in hanging five hundred people, +without the mere brief of trial. Nine out of ten of +these people were innocent, it was true; but that +proved the merit of the Lord Chief Justice so much the +greater for hanging them, as showing what might be +expected of him, when he truly got hold of a guilty +man. Now the King had seen the force of this argument; +and not being without gratitude for a high-seasoned +dish of cruelty, had promoted the only man in England, +combining the gifts of both butcher and cook. + +Nevertheless, I do beg you all to believe of me--and I +think that, after following me so long, you must +believe it--that I did not even know at the time of +Lord Jeffreys's high promotion. Not that my knowledge +of this would have led me to act otherwise in the +matter; for my object was to pay into an office, and +not to any official; neither if I had known the fact, +could I have seen its bearing upon the receipt of my +money. For the King's Exchequer is, meseemeth, of the +Common Law; while Chancery is of Equity, and well named +for its many chances. But the true result of the thing +was this--Lord Jeffreys being now head of the law, and +almost head of the kingdom, got possession of that +money, and was kindly pleased with it. + +And this met our second difficulty; for the law having +won and laughed over the spoil, must have injured its +own title by impugning our legality. + +Next, with regard to the women and children, we were +long in a state of perplexity. We did our very best at +the farm, and so did many others to provide for them, +until they should manage about their own subsistence. +And after a while this trouble went, as nearly all +troubles go with time. Some of the women were taken +back by their parents, or their husbands, or it may be +their sweethearts; and those who failed of this, went +forth, some upon their own account to the New World +plantations, where the fairer sex is valuable; and some +to English cities; and the plainer ones to field work. +And most of the children went with their mothers, or +were bound apprentices; only Carver Doone's handsome +child had lost his mother and stayed with me. + +This boy went about with me everywhere. He had taken +as much of liking to me--first shown in his eyes by the +firelight--as his father had of hatred; and I, +perceiving his noble courage, scorn of lies, and high +spirit, became almost as fond of Ensie as he was of me. +He told us that his name was 'Ensie,' meant for +'Ensor,' I suppose, from his father's grandfather, the +old Sir Ensor Doone. And this boy appeared to be +Carver's heir, having been born in wedlock, contrary to +the general manner and custom of the Doones. + +However, although I loved the poor child, I could not +help feeling very uneasy about the escape of his +father, the savage and brutal Carver. This man was +left to roam the country, homeless, foodless, and +desperate, with his giant strength, and great skill in +arms, and the whole world to be revenged upon. For his +escape the miners, as I shall show, were answerable; +but of the Counsellor's safe departure the burden lay +on myself alone. And inasmuch as there are people who +consider themselves ill-used, unless one tells them +everything, straitened though I am for space, I will +glance at this transaction. + +After the desperate charge of young Doones had been met +by us, and broken, and just as Poor Kit Badcock died in +the arms of the dead Charley, I happened to descry a +patch of white on the grass of the meadow, like the +head of a sheep after washing-day. Observing with some +curiosity how carefully this white thing moved along +the bars of darkness betwixt the panels of firelight, I +ran up to intercept it, before it reached the little +postern which we used to call Gwenny's door. +Perceiving me, the white thing stopped, and was for +making back again; but I ran up at full speed; and lo, +it was the flowing silvery hair of that sage the +Counsellor, who was scuttling away upon all fours; but +now rose and confronted me. + +'John,' he said, 'Sir John, you will not play falsely +with your ancient friend, among these violent fellows, +I look to you to protect me, John.' + +'Honoured sir, you are right,' I replied; 'but surely +that posture was unworthy of yourself, and your many +resources. It is my intention to let you go free.' + +'I knew it. I could have sworn to it. You are a noble +fellow, John. I said so, from the very first; you are +a noble fellow, and an ornament to any rank.' + +'But upon two conditions,' I added, gently taking him +by the arm; for instead of displaying any desire to +commune with my nobility, he was edging away toward the +postern; 'the first is that you tell me truly (for now +it can matter to none of you) who it was that slew my +father.' + +'I will tell you truly and frankly, John; however +painful to me to confess it. It was my son, Carver.' + +'I thought as much, or I felt as much all along,' I +answered; 'but the fault was none of yours, sir; for +you were not even present.' + +'If I had been there, it would not have happened. I am +always opposed to violence. Therefore, let me haste +away; this scene is against my nature.' + +'You shall go directly, Sir Counsellor, after meeting +my other condition; which is, that you place in my +hands Lady Lorna's diamond necklace.' + +'Ah, how often I have wished,' said the old man with a +heavy sigh, 'that it might yet be in my power to ease +my mind in that respect, and to do a thoroughly good +deed by lawful restitution.' + +'Then try to have it in your power, sir. Surely, with +my encouragement, you might summon resolution.' + +'Alas, John, the resolution has been ready long ago. +But the thing is not in my possession. Carver, my son, +who slew your father, upon him you will find the +necklace. What are jewels to me, young man, at my time +of life? Baubles and trash,--I detest them, from the +sins they have led me to answer for. When you come to +my age, good Sir John, you will scorn all jewels, and +care only for a pure and bright conscience. Ah! ah! +Let me go. I have made my peace with God.' + +He looked so hoary, and so silvery, and serene in the +moonlight, that verily I must have believed him, if he +had not drawn in his breast. But I happened to have +noticed that when an honest man gives vent to noble and +great sentiments, he spreads his breast, and throws it +out, as if his heart were swelling; whereas I had seen +this old gentleman draw in his breast more than once, +as if it happened to contain better goods than +sentiment. + +'Will you applaud me, kind sir,' I said, keeping him +very tight, all the while, 'if I place it in your power +to ratify your peace with God? The pledge is upon your +heart, no doubt, for there it lies at this moment.' + +With these words, and some apology for having recourse +to strong measures, I thrust my hand inside his +waistcoat, and drew forth Lorna's necklace, purely +sparkling in the moonlight, like the dancing of new +stars. The old man made a stab at me, with a knife +which I had not espied; but the vicious onset failed; +and then he knelt, and clasped his hands. + +'Oh, for God's sake, John, my son, rob me not in that +manner. They belong to me; and I love them so; I +would give almost my life for them. There is one jewel +I can look at for hours, and see all the lights of +heaven in it; which I never shall see elsewhere. All +my wretched, wicked life--oh, John, I am a sad +hypocrite--but give me back my jewels. Or else kill me +here; I am a babe in your hands; but I must have back +my jewels.' + +As his beautiful white hair fell away from his noble +forehead, like a silver wreath of glory, and his +powerful face, for once, was moved with real emotion, I +was so amazed and overcome by the grand contradictions +of nature, that verily I was on the point of giving him +back the necklace. But honesty, which is said to be +the first instinct of all the Ridds (though I myself +never found it so), happened here to occur to me, and +so I said, without more haste than might be expected,-- + +'Sir Counsellor, I cannot give you what does not belong +to me. But if you will show me that particular +diamond which is heaven to you, I will take upon myself +the risk and the folly of cutting it out for you. And +with that you must go contented; and I beseech you not +to starve with that jewel upon your lips.' + +Seeing no hope of better terms, he showed me his pet +love of a jewel; and I thought of what Lorna was to me, +as I cut it out (with the hinge of my knife severing +the snakes of gold) and placed it in his careful hand. +Another moment, and he was gone, and away through +Gwenny's postern; and God knows what became of him. + +Now as to Carver, the thing was this--so far as I could +ascertain from the valiant miners, no two of whom told +the same story, any more than one of them told it +twice. The band of Doones which sallied forth for the +robbery of the pretended convoy was met by Simon +Carfax, according to arrangement, at the ruined house +called The Warren, in that part of Bagworthy Forest +where the river Exe (as yet a very small stream) runs +through it. The Warren, as all our people know, had +belonged to a fine old gentleman, whom every one called +'The Squire,' who had retreated from active life to +pass the rest of his days in fishing, and shooting, and +helping his neighbours. For he was a man of some +substance; and no poor man ever left The Warren without +a bag of good victuals, and a few shillings put in his +pocket. However, this poor Squire never made a greater +mistake, than in hoping to end his life peacefully upon +the banks of a trout-stream, and in the green forest of +Bagworthy. For as he came home from the brook at +dusk, with his fly-rod over his shoulder, the Doones +fell upon him, and murdered him, and then sacked his +house, and burned it. + +Now this had made honest people timid about going past +The Warren at night; for, of course, it was said that +the old Squire 'walked,' upon certain nights of the +moon, in and out of the trunks of trees, on the green +path from the river. On his shoulder he bore a +fishing-rod, and his book of trout-flies, in one hand, +and on his back a wicker-creel; and now and then he +would burst out laughing to think of his coming so near +the Doones. + +And now that one turns to consider it, this seems a +strangely righteous thing, that the scene of one of the +greatest crimes even by Doones committed should, after +twenty years, become the scene of vengeance falling +(like hail from heaven) upon them. For although The +Warren lies well away to the westward of the mine; and +the gold, under escort to Bristowe, or London, would +have gone in the other direction; Captain Carfax, +finding this place best suited for working of his +design, had persuaded the Doones, that for reasons of +Government, the ore must go first to Barnstaple for +inspection, or something of that sort. And as every +one knows that our Government sends all things westward +when eastward bound, this had won the more faith for +Simon, as being according to nature. + +Now Simon, having met these flowers of the flock of +villainy, where the rising moonlight flowed through the +weir-work of the wood, begged them to dismount; and led +them with an air of mystery into the Squire's ruined +hall, black with fire, and green with weeds. + +'Captain, I have found a thing,' he said to Carver +Doone, himself, 'which may help to pass the hour, ere +the lump of gold comes by. The smugglers are a noble +race; but a miner's eyes are a match for them. There +lies a puncheon of rare spirit, with the Dutchman's +brand upon it, hidden behind the broken hearth. Set a +man to watch outside; and let us see what this be +like.' + +With one accord they agreed to this, and Carver pledged +Master Carfax, and all the Doones grew merry. But +Simon being bound, as he said, to see to their strict +sobriety, drew a bucket of water from the well into +which they had thrown the dead owner, and begged them +to mingle it with their drink; which some of them did, +and some refused. + +But the water from that well was poured, while they +were carousing, into the priming-pan of every gun of +theirs; even as Simon had promised to do with the guns +of the men they were come to kill. Then just as the +giant Carver arose, with a glass of pure hollands in +his hand, and by the light of the torch they had +struck, proposed the good health of the Squire's +ghost--in the broken doorway stood a press of men, with +pointed muskets, covering every drunken Doone. How it +fared upon that I know not, having none to tell me; for +each man wrought, neither thought of telling, nor +whether he might be alive to tell. The Doones rushed +to their guns at once, and pointed them, and pulled at +them; but the Squire's well had drowned their fire; and +then they knew that they were betrayed, but resolved to +fight like men for it. Upon fighting I can never +dwell; it breeds such savage delight in me; of which I +would fain have less. Enough that all the Doones +fought bravely; and like men (though bad ones) died in +the hall of the man they had murdered. And with them +died poor young De Whichehalse, who, in spite of his +good father's prayers, had cast in his lot with the +robbers. Carver Doone alone escaped. Partly through +his fearful strength, and his yet more fearful face; +but mainly perhaps through his perfect coolness, and +his mode of taking things. + +I am happy to say that no more than eight of the +gallant miners were killed in that combat, or died of +their wounds afterwards; and adding to these the eight +we had lost in our assault on the valley (and two of +them excellent warehousemen), it cost no more than +sixteen lives to be rid of nearly forty Doones, each of +whom would most likely have killed three men in the +course of a year or two. Therefore, as I said at the +time, a great work was done very reasonably; here were +nigh upon forty Doones destroyed (in the valley, and up +at The Warrens) despite their extraordinary strength +and high skill in gunnery; whereas of us ignorant +rustics there were only sixteen to be counted +dead--though others might be lamed, or so,--and of +those sixteen only two had left wives, and their wives +did not happen to care for them. + +Yet, for Lorna' s sake, I was vexed at the bold escape +of Carver. Not that I sought for Carver's life, any +more than I did for the Counsellor's; but that for us +it was no light thing, to have a man of such power, and +resource, and desperation, left at large and furious, +like a famished wolf round the sheepfold. Yet greatly +as I blamed the yeomen, who were posted on their +horses, just out of shot from the Doone-gate, for the +very purpose of intercepting those who escaped the +miners, I could not get them to admit that any blame +attached to them. + +But lo, he had dashed through the whole of them, with +his horse at full gallop; and was nearly out of shot +before they began to think of shooting him. Then it +appears from what a boy said--for boys manage to be +everywhere--that Captain Carver rode through the +Doone-gate, and so to the head of the valley. There, +of course, he beheld all the houses, and his own among +the number, flaming with a handsome blaze, and throwing +a fine light around such as he often had revelled in, +when of other people's property. But he swore the +deadliest of all oaths, and seeing himself to be +vanquished (so far as the luck of the moment went), +spurred his great black horse away, and passed into the +darkness. + + + +CHAPTER LXXIII + +HOW TO GET OUT OF CHANCERY + +Things at this time so befell me, that I cannot tell +one half; but am like a boy who has left his lesson (to +the master's very footfall) unready, except with false +excuses. And as this makes no good work, so I lament +upon my lingering, in the times when I might have got +through a good page, but went astray after trifles. +However, every man must do according to his intellect; +and looking at the easy manner of my constitution, I +think that most men will regard me with pity and +goodwill for trying, more than with contempt and wrath +for having tried unworthily. Even as in the wrestling +ring, whatever man did his best, and made an honest +conflict, I always laid him down with softness, easing +off his dusty fall. + +But the thing which next betided me was not a fall of +any sort; but rather a most glorious rise to the summit +of all fortune. For in good truth it was no less than +the return of Lorna--my Lorna, my own darling; in +wonderful health and spirits, and as glad as a bird to +get back again. It would have done any one good for a +twelve-month to behold her face and doings, and her +beaming eyes and smile (not to mention blushes also at +my salutation), when this Queen of every heart ran +about our rooms again. She did love this, and she must +see that, and where was our old friend the cat? All +the house was full of brightness, as if the sun had +come over the hill, and Lorna were his mirror. + +My mother sat in an ancient chair, and wiped her +cheeks, and looked at her; and even Lizzie's eyes must +dance to the freshness and joy of her beauty. As for +me, you might call me mad; for I ran out and flung my +best hat on the barn, and kissed mother Fry, till she +made at me with the sugar-nippers. + +What a quantity of things Lorna had to tell us! And yet +how often we stopped her mouth--at least mother, I +mean, and Lizzie--and she quite as often would stop her +own, running up in her joy to some one of us! And then +there arose the eating business--which people now call +'refreshment,' in these dandyfied days of our +language--for how was it possible that our Lorna could +have come all that way, and to her own Exmoor, without +being terribly hungry? + +'Oh, I do love it all so much,' said Lorna, now for the +fiftieth time, and not meaning only the victuals: 'the +scent of the gorse on the moors drove me wild, and the +primroses under the hedges. I am sure I was meant for +a farmer's--I mean for a farm-house life, dear +Lizzie'--for Lizzie was looking saucily--'just as you +were meant for a soldier's bride, and for writing +despatches of victory. And now, since you will not ask +me, dear mother, in the excellence of your manners, and +even John has not the impudence, in spite of all his +coat of arms--I must tell you a thing, which I vowed to +keep until tomorrow morning; but my resolution fails +me. I am my own mistress--what think you of that, +mother? I am my own mistress!' + +'Then you shall not be so long,' cried I; for mother +seemed not to understand her, and sought about for her +glasses: 'darling, you shall be mistress of me; and I +will be your master.' + +'A frank announcement of your intent, and beyond doubt +a true one; but surely unusual at this stage, and a +little premature, John. However, what must be, must +be.' And with tears springing out of smiles, she fell +on my breast, and cried a bit. + +When I came to smoke a pipe over it (after the rest +were gone to bed), I could hardly believe in my good +luck. For here was I, without any merit, except of +bodily power, and the absence of any falsehood (which +surely is no commendation), so placed that the noblest +man in England might envy me, and be vexed with me. +For the noblest lady in all the land, and the purest, +and the sweetest--hung upon my heart, as if there was +none to equal it. + +I dwelled upon this matter, long and very severely, +while I smoked a new tobacco, brought by my own Lorna +for me, and next to herself most delicious; and as the +smoke curled away, I thought, 'Surely this is too fine +to last, for a man who never deserved it.' + +Seeing no way out of this, I resolved to place my faith +in God; and so went to bed and dreamed of it. And +having no presence of mind to pray for anything, under +the circumstances, I thought it best to fall asleep, +and trust myself to the future. Yet ere I fell asleep +the roof above me swarmed with angels, having Lorna +under it. + +In the morning Lorna was ready to tell her story, and +we to hearken; and she wore a dress of most simple +stuff; and yet perfectly wonderful, by means of the +shape and her figure. Lizzie was wild with jealousy, +as might be expected (though never would Annie have +been so, but have praised it, and craved for the +pattern), and mother not understanding it, looked +forth, to be taught about it. For it was strange to +note that lately my dear mother had lost her quickness, +and was never quite brisk, unless the question were +about myself. She had seen a great deal of trouble; +and grief begins to close on people, as their power of +life declines. We said that she was hard of hearing; +but my opinion was, that seeing me inclined for +marriage made her think of my father, and so perhaps a +little too much, to dwell on the courting of thirty +years agone. Anyhow, she was the very best of mothers; +and would smile and command herself; and be (or try to +believe herself) as happy as could be, in the doings of +the younger folk, and her own skill in detecting them. +Yet, with the wisdom of age, renouncing any opinion +upon the matter; since none could see the end of it. + +But Lorna in her bright young beauty, and her knowledge +of my heart, was not to be checked by any thoughts of +haply coming evil. In the morning she was up, even +sooner than I was, and through all the corners of the +hens, remembering every one of them. I caught her and +saluted her with such warmth (being now none to look at +us), that she vowed she would never come out again; and +yet she came the next morning. + +These things ought not to be chronicled. Yet I am of +such nature, that finding many parts of life adverse to +our wishes, I must now and then draw pleasure from the +blessed portions. And what portion can be more blessed +than with youth, and health, and strength, to be loved +by a virtuous maid, and to love her with all one's +heart? Neither was my pride diminished, when I found +what she had done, only from her love of me. + +Earl Brandir's ancient steward, in whose charge she had +travelled, with a proper escort, looked upon her as a +lovely maniac; and the mixture of pity and admiration +wherewith he regarded her, was a strange thing to +observe; especially after he had seen our simple house +and manners. On the other hand, Lorna considered him a +worthy but foolish old gentleman; to whom true +happiness meant no more than money and high position. + +These two last she had been ready to abandon wholly, +and had in part escaped from them, as the enemies of +her happiness. And she took advantage of the times, in +a truly clever manner. For that happened to be a +time--as indeed all times hitherto (so far as my +knowledge extends), have, somehow, or other, happened +to be--when everybody was only too glad to take money +for doing anything. And the greatest money-taker in +the kingdom (next to the King and Queen, of course, who +had due pre-eminence, and had taught the maids of +honour) was generally acknowledged to be the Lord Chief +Justice Jeffreys. + +Upon his return from the bloody assizes, with triumph +and great glory, after hanging every man who was too +poor to help it, he pleased his Gracious Majesty so +purely with the description of their delightful +agonies, that the King exclaimed, 'This man alone is +worthy to be at the head of the law.' Accordingly in +his hand was placed the Great Seal of England. + +So it came to pass that Lorna's destiny hung upon Lord +Jeffreys; for at this time Earl Brandir died, being +taken with gout in the heart, soon after I left London. +Lorna was very sorry for him; but as he had never been +able to hear one tone of her sweet silvery voice, it is +not to be supposed that she wept without consolation. +She grieved for him as we ought to grieve for any good +man going; and yet with a comforting sense of the +benefit which the blessed exchange must bring to him. + +Now the Lady Lorna Dugal appeared to Lord Chancellor +Jeffreys so exceeding wealthy a ward that the lock +would pay for turning. Therefore he came, of his own +accord, to visit her, and to treat with her; having +heard (for the man was as big a gossip as never cared +for anybody, yet loved to know all about everybody) +that this wealthy and beautiful maiden would not listen +to any young lord, having pledged her faith to the +plain John Ridd. + +Thereupon, our Lorna managed so to hold out golden +hopes to the Lord High Chancellor, that he, being not +more than three parts drunk, saw his way to a heap of +money. And there and then (for he was not the man to +daily long about anything) upon surety of a certain +round sum--the amount of which I will not mention, +because of his kindness towards me--he gave to his fair +ward permission, under sign and seal, to marry that +loyal knight, John Ridd; upon condition only that the +King's consent should be obtained. + +His Majesty, well-disposed towards me for my previous +service, and regarding me as a good Catholic, being +moved moreover by the Queen, who desired to please +Lorna, consented, without much hesitation, upon the +understanding that Lorna, when she became of full age, +and the mistress of her property (which was still under +guardianship), should pay a heavy fine to the Crown, +and devote a fixed portion of her estate to the +promotion of the holy Catholic faith, in a manner to be +dictated by the King himself. Inasmuch, however, as +King James was driven out of his kingdom before this +arrangement could take effect, and another king +succeeded, who desired not the promotion of the +Catholic religion, neither hankered after subsidies, +whether French or English), that agreement was +pronounced invalid, improper, and contemptible. +However, there was no getting back the money once paid +to Lord Chancellor Jeffreys. + +But what thought we of money at this present moment; or +of position, or anything else, except indeed one +another? Lorna told me, with the sweetest smile, that +if I were minded to take her at all, I must take her +without anything; inasmuch as she meant, upon coming of +age, to make over the residue of her estates to the +next-of-kin, as being unfit for a farmer's wife. And I +replied with the greatest warmth and a readiness to +worship her, that this was exactly what I longed for, +but had never dared to propose it. But dear mother +looked most exceeding grave; and said that to be sure +her opinion could not be expected to count for much, +but she really hoped that in three years' time we +should both he a little wiser, and have more regard for +our interests, and perhaps those of others by that +time; and Master Snowe having daughters only, and +nobody coming to marry them, if anything happened to +the good old man--and who could tell in three years' +time what might happen to all or any of us?--why +perhaps his farm would be for sale, and perhaps Lady +Lorna's estates in Scotland would fetch enough money to +buy it, and so throw the two farms into one, and save +all the trouble about the brook, as my poor father had +longed to do many and many a time, but not having a +title could not do all quite as he wanted. And then if +we young people grew tired of the old mother, as seemed +only too likely, and was according to nature, why we +could send her over there, and Lizzie to keep her +company. + +When mother had finished, and wiped her eyes, Lorna, +who had been blushing rosily at some portions of this +great speech, flung her fair arms around mother's neck, +and kissed her very heartily, and scolded her (as she +well deserved) for her want of confidence in us. My +mother replied that if anybody could deserve her John, +it was Lorna; but that she could not hold with the +rashness of giving up money so easily; while her +next-of-kin would be John himself, and who could tell +what others, by the time she was one-and-twenty? + +Hereupon, I felt that after all my mother had common +sense on her side; for if Master Snowe's farm should be +for sale, it would be far more to the purpose than my +coat of arms, to get it; for there was a different +pasture there, just suited for change of diet to our +sheep as well as large cattle. And beside this, even +with all Annie's skill (and of course yet more now she +was gone), their butter would always command in the +market from one to three farthings a pound more than we +could get for ours. And few things vexed us more than +this. Whereas, if we got possession of the farm, we +might, without breach of the market-laws, or any harm +done to any one (the price being but a prejudice), sell +all our butter as Snowe butter, and do good to all our +customers. + +Thinking thus, yet remembering that Farmer Nicholas +might hold out for another score of years--as I +heartily hoped he might--or that one, if not all, of +his comely daughters might marry a good young farmer +(or farmers, if the case were so)--or that, even +without that, the farm might never be put up for sale; +I begged my Lorna to do as she liked; or rather to wait +and think of it; for as yet she could do nothing. + + + +CHAPTER LXXIV + +DRIVEN BEYOND ENDURANCE + +[Also known as BLOOD UPON THE ALTAR in other editions] + + +Everything was settled smoothly, and without any fear +or fuss, that Lorna might find end of troubles, and +myself of eager waiting, with the help of Parson +Bowden, and the good wishes of two counties. I could +scarce believe my fortune, when I looked upon her +beauty, gentleness, and sweetness, mingled with enough +of humour and warm woman's feeling, never to be dull or +tiring; never themselves to be weary. + +For she might be called a woman now; although a very +young one, and as full of playful ways, or perhaps I +may say ten times as full, as if she had known no +trouble. To wit, the spirit of bright childhood, +having been so curbed and straitened, ere its time was +over, now broke forth, enriched and varied with the +garb of conscious maidenhood. And the sense of +steadfast love, and eager love enfolding her, coloured +with so many tinges all her looks, and words, and +thoughts, that to me it was the noblest vision even to +think about her. + +But this was far too bright to last, without bitter +break, and the plunging of happiness in horror, and of +passionate joy in agony. My darling in her softest +moments, when she was alone with me, when the spark of +defiant eyes was veiled beneath dark lashes, and the +challenge of gay beauty passed into sweetest +invitation; at such times of her purest love and +warmest faith in me, a deep abiding fear would flutter +in her bounding heart, as of deadly fate's approach. +She would cling to me, and nestle to me, being scared +of coyishness, and lay one arm around my neck, and ask +if I could do without her. + +Hence, as all emotions haply, of those who are more to +us than ourselves, find within us stronger echo, and +more perfect answer, so I could not be regardless of +some hidden evil; and my dark misgivings deepened as +the time drew nearer. I kept a steadfast watch on +Lorna, neglecting a field of beans entirely, as well as +a litter of young pigs, and a cow somewhat given to +jaundice. And I let Jem Slocombe go to sleep in the +tallat, all one afternoon, and Bill Dadds draw off a +bucket of cider, without so much as a 'by your leave.' +For these men knew that my knighthood, and my coat of +arms, and (most of all) my love, were greatly against +good farming; the sense of our country being--and +perhaps it may be sensible--that a man who sticks up to +be anything, must allow himself to be cheated. + +But I never did stick up, nor would, though all the +parish bade me; and I whistled the same tunes to my +horses, and held my plough-tree, just the same as if no +King, nor Queen, had ever come to spoil my tune or +hand. For this thing, nearly all the men around our +parts upbraided me; but the women praised me: and for +the most part these are right, when themselves are not +concerned. + +However humble I might be, no one knowing anything of +our part of the country, would for a moment doubt that +now here was a great to do and talk of John Ridd and +his wedding. The fierce fight with the Doones so +lately, and my leading of the combat (though I fought +not more than need be), and the vanishing of Sir +Counsellor, and the galloping madness of Carver, and +the religious fear of the women that this last was gone +to hell--for he himself had declared that his aim, +while he cut through the yeomanry--also their remorse, +that he should have been made to go thither with all +his children left behind--these things, I say (if ever +I can again contrive to say anything), had led to the +broadest excitement about my wedding of Lorna. We +heard that people meant to come from more than thirty +miles around, upon excuse of seeing my stature and +Lorna's beauty; but in good truth out of sheer +curiosity, and the love of meddling. + +Our clerk had given notice, that not a man should come +inside the door of his church without shilling-fee; and +women (as sure to see twice as much) must every one pay +two shillings. I thought this wrong; and as +church-warden, begged that the money might be paid into +mine own hands, when taken. But the clerk said that +was against all law; and he had orders from the parson +to pay it to him without any delay. So as I always +obey the parson, when I care not much about a thing, I +let them have it their own way; though feeling inclined +to believe, sometimes, that I ought to have some of the +money. + +Dear mother arranged all the ins and outs of the way in +which it was to be done; and Annie and Lizzie, and all +the Snowes, and even Ruth Huckaback (who was there, +after great persuasion), made such a sweeping of +dresses that I scarcely knew where to place my feet, +and longed for a staff, to put by their gowns. Then +Lorna came out of a pew half-way, in a manner which +quite astonished me, and took my left hand in her +right, and I prayed God that it were done with. + +My darling looked so glorious, that I was afraid of +glancing at her, yet took in all her beauty. She was +in a fright, no doubt; but nobody should see it; +whereas I said (to myself at least), 'I will go through +it like a grave-digger.' + +Lorna's dress was of pure white, clouded with faint +lavender (for the sake of the old Earl Brandir), and as +simple as need be, except for perfect loveliness. I +was afraid to look at her, as I said before, except +when each of us said, 'I will,' and then each dwelled +upon the other. + +It is impossible for any who have not loved as I have +to conceive my joy and pride, when after ring and all +was done, and the parson had blessed us, Lorna turned +to look at me with her glances of subtle fun subdued by +this great act. + +Her eyes, which none on earth may ever equal, or +compare with, told me such a depth of comfort, yet +awaiting further commune, that I was almost amazed, +thoroughly as I knew them. Darling eyes, the sweetest +eyes, the loveliest, the most loving eyes--the sound of +a shot rang through the church, and those eyes were +filled with death. + +Lorna fell across my knees when I was going to kiss +her, as the bridegroom is allowed to do, and +encouraged, if he needs it; a flood of blood came out +upon the yellow wood of the altar steps, and at my feet +lay Lorna, trying to tell me some last message out of +her faithful eyes. I lifted her up, and petted her, +and coaxed her, but it was no good; the only sign of +life remaining was a spirt of bright red blood. + +Some men know what things befall them in the supreme +time of their life--far above the time of death--but to +me comes back as a hazy dream, without any knowledge in +it, what I did, or felt, or thought, with my wife's +arms flagging, flagging, around my neck, as I raised +her up, and softly put them there. She sighed a long +sigh on my breast, for her last farewell to life, and +then she grew so cold, and cold, that I asked the time +of year. + +It was Whit-Tuesday, and the lilacs all in blossom; and +why I thought of the time of year, with the young death +in my arms, God or His angels, may decide, having so +strangely given us. Enough that so I did, and looked; +and our white lilacs were beautiful. Then I laid my +wife in my mother's arms, and begging that no one would +make a noise, went forth for my revenge. + +Of course, I knew who had done it. There was but one +man in the world, or at any rate, in our part of it, +who could have done such a thing--such a thing. I use +no harsher word about it, while I leaped upon our best +horse, with bridle but no saddle, and set the head of +Kickums towards the course now pointed out to me. Who +showed me the course, I cannot tell. I only know that +I took it. And the men fell back before me. + +Weapon of no sort had I. Unarmed, and wondering at my +strange attire (with a bridal vest, wrought by our +Annie, and red with the blood of the bride), I went +forth just to find out this; whether in this world +there be or be not God of justice. + +With my vicious horse at a furious speed, I came upon +Black Barrow Down, directed by some shout of men, which +seemed to me but a whisper. And there, about a furlong +before me, rode a man on a great black horse, and I +knew that the man was Carver Doone. + +'Your life or mine,' I said to myself; 'as the will of +God may be. But we two live not upon this earth, one +more hour together.' + +I knew the strength of this great man; and I knew that +he was armed with a gun--if he had time to load again, +after shooting my Lorna--or at any rate with pistols, +and a horseman's sword as well. Nevertheless, I had no +more doubt of killing the man before me than a cook has +of spitting a headless fowl. + +Sometimes seeing no ground beneath me, and sometimes +heeding every leaf, and the crossing of the +grass-blades, I followed over the long moor, reckless +whether seen or not. But only once the other man +turned round and looked back again, and then I was +beside a rock, with a reedy swamp behind me. + +Although he was so far before me, and riding as hard as +ride he might, I saw that he had something on the horse +in front of him; something which needed care, and +stopped him from looking backward. In the whirling of +my wits, I fancied first that this was Lorna; until the +scene I had been through fell across hot brain and +heart, like the drop at the close of a tragedy. +Rushing there through crag and quag, at utmost speed of +a maddened horse, I saw, as of another's fate, calmly +(as on canvas laid), the brutal deed, the piteous +anguish, and the cold despair. + +The man turned up the gully leading from the moor to +Cloven Rocks, through which John Fry had tracked Uncle +Ben, as of old related. But as Carver entered it, he +turned round, and beheld me not a hundred yards behind; +and I saw that he was bearing his child, little Ensie, +before him. Ensie also descried me, and stretched his +hands and cried to me; for the face of his father +frightened him. + +Carver Doone, with a vile oath, thrust spurs into his +flagging horse, and laid one hand on a pistol-stock; +whence I knew that his slung carbine had received no +bullet since the one that had pierced Lorna. And a cry +of triumph rose from the black depths of my heart. +What cared I for pistols? I had no spurs, neither was +my horse one to need the rowel; I rather held him in +than urged him, for he was fresh as ever; and I knew +that the black steed in front, if he breasted the steep +ascent, where the track divided, must be in our reach +at once. + +His rider knew this; and, having no room in the rocky +channel to turn and fire, drew rein at the crossways +sharply, and plunged into the black ravine leading to +the Wizard's Slough. 'Is it so?' I said to myself with +a brain and head cold as iron; 'though the foul fiend +come from the slough, to save thee; thou shalt carve +it, Carver.' + +I followed my enemy carefully, steadily, even +leisurely; for I had him, as in a pitfall, whence no +escape might be. He thought that I feared to approach +him, for he knew not where he was: and his low +disdainful laugh came back. 'Laugh he who wins,' +thought I. + +A gnarled and half-starved oak, as stubborn as my own +resolve, and smitten by some storm of old, hung from +the crag above me. Rising from my horse's back, +although I had no stirrups, I caught a limb, and tore +it (like a mere wheat-awn) from the socket. Men show +the rent even now, with wonder; none with more wonder +than myself. + +Carver Doone turned the corner suddenly on the black +and bottomless bog; with a start of fear he reined back +his horse, and I thought he would have turned upon me. +But instead of that, he again rode on; hoping to find a +way round the side. + +Now there is a way between cliff and slough for those +who know the ground thoroughly, or have time enough to +search it; but for him there was no road, and he lost +some time in seeking it. Upon this he made up his +mind; and wheeling, fired, and then rode at me. + +His bullet struck me somewhere, but I took no heed of +that. Fearing only his escape, I laid my horse across +the way, and with the limb of the oak struck full on +the forehead his charging steed. Ere the slash of the +sword came nigh me, man and horse rolled over, and +wellnigh bore my own horse down, with the power of +their onset. + +Carver Doone was somewhat stunned, and could not arise +for a moment. Meanwhile I leaped on the ground and +awaited, smoothing my hair back, and baring my arms, as +though in the ring for wrestling. Then the little boy +ran to me, clasped my leg, and looked up at me, and the +terror in his eyes made me almost fear myself. + +'Ensie, dear,' I said quite gently, grieving that he +should see his wicked father killed, 'run up yonder +round the corner and try to find a pretty bunch of +bluebells for the lady.' The child obeyed me, hanging +back, and looking back, and then laughing, while I +prepared for business. There and then I might have +killed mine enemy, with a single blow, while he lay +unconscious; but it would have been foul play. + +With a sullen and black scowl, the Carver gathered his +mighty limbs, and arose, and looked round for his +weapons; but I had put them well away. Then he came to +me and gazed; being wont to frighten thus young men. + +'I would not harm you, lad,' he said, with a lofty +style of sneering: 'I have punished you enough, for +most of your impertinence. For the rest I forgive you; +because you have been good and gracious to my little +son. Go, and be contented.' + +For answer, I smote him on the cheek, lightly, and not +to hurt him: but to make his blood leap up. I would +not sully my tongue by speaking to a man like this. + +There was a level space of sward between us and the +slough. With the courtesy derived from London, and the +processions I had seen, to this place I led him. And +that he might breathe himself, and have every fibre +cool, and every muscle ready, my hold upon his coat I +loosed, and left him to begin with me, whenever he +thought proper. + +I think that he felt that his time was come. I think +he knew from my knitted muscles, and the firm arch of +my breast, and the way in which I stood; but most of +all from my stern blue eyes; that he had found his +master. At any rate a paleness came, an ashy paleness +on his cheeks, and the vast calves of his legs bowed +in, as if he were out of training. + +Seeing this, villain as he was, I offered him first +chance. I stretched forth my left hand, as I do to a +weaker antagonist, and I let him have the hug of me. +But in this I was too generous; having forgotten my +pistol-wound, and the cracking of one of my short lower +ribs. Carver Doone caught me round the waist, with +such a grip as never yet had been laid upon me. + +I heard my rib go; I grasped his arm, and tore the +muscle out of it* (as the string comes out of an +orange); then I took him by the throat, which is not +allowed in wrestling; but he had snatched at mine; and +now was no time of dalliance. In vain he tugged, and +strained, and writhed, dashed his bleeding fist into my +face, and flung himself on me with gnashing jaws. +Beneath the iron of my strength--for God that day was +with me--I had him helpless in two minutes, and his +fiery eyes lolled out. + +* A far more terrible clutch than this is handed down, +to weaker ages, of the great John Ridd.--Ed. + + +'I will not harm thee any more,' I cried, so far as I +could for panting, the work being very furious: 'Carver +Doone, thou art beaten: own it, and thank God for it; +and go thy way, and repent thyself.' + +It was all too late. Even if he had yielded in his +ravening frenzy--for his beard was like a mad dog's +jowl--even if he would have owned that, for the first +time in his life, he had found his master; it was all +too late. + +The black bog had him by the feet; the sucking of the +ground drew on him, like the thirsty lips of death. In +our fury, we had heeded neither wet nor dry; nor +thought of earth beneath us. I myself might scarcely +leap, with the last spring of o'er-laboured legs, from +the engulfing grave of slime. He fell back, with his +swarthy breast (from which my gripe had rent all +clothing), like a hummock of bog-oak, standing out the +quagmire; and then he tossed his arms to heaven, and +they were black to the elbow, and the glare of his eyes +was ghastly. I could only gaze and pant; for my +strength was no more than an infant's, from the fury +and the horror. Scarcely could I turn away, while, +joint by joint, he sank from sight. + + + +CHAPTER LXXV + +LIFE AND LORNA COME AGAIN + +When the little boy came back with the bluebells, +which he had managed to find--as children always do +find flowers, when older eyes see none--the only sign +of his father left was a dark brown bubble, upon a +newly formed patch of blackness. But to the center of +its pulpy gorge the greedy slough was heaving, and +sullenly grinding its weltering jaws among the flags +and the sedges. + +With pain, and ache, both of mind and body, and shame +at my own fury, I heavily mounted my horse again, and, +looked down at the innocent Ensie. Would this playful, +loving child grow up like his cruel father, and end a +godless life of hatred with a death of violence? He +lifted his noble forehead towards me, as if to answer, +"Nay, I will not": but the words he spoke were these:-- + +'Don,'--for he could never say 'John'--'oh, Don, I am +so glad that nasty naughty man is gone away. Take me +home, Don. Take me home.' + +It has been said of the wicked, 'not even their own +children love them.' And I could easily believe that +Carver Doone's cold-hearted ways had scared from him +even his favorite child. No man would I call truly +wicked, unless his heart be cold. + +It hurt me, more than I can tell, even through all +other grief, to take into my arms the child of the man +just slain by me. The feeling was a foolish one, and a +wrong one, as the thing has been --for I would fain +have saved that man, after he was conquered-- +nevertheless my arms went coldly round that little +fellow; neither would they have gone at all, if there +had been any help for it. But I could not leave him +there, till some one else might fetch him; on account +of the cruel slough, and the ravens which had come +hovering over the dead horse; neither could I, with my +wound, tie him on my horse and walk. + +For now I had spent a great deal of blood, and was +rather faint and weary. And it was lucky for me that +Kickums had lost spirit, like his master, and went home +as mildly as a lamb. For, when we came towards the +farm, I seemed to be riding in a dream almost; and the +voices both of man and women (who had hurried forth +upon my track), as they met me, seemed to wander from a +distant muffling cloud. Only the thought of Lorna's +death, like a heavy knell, was tolling in the belfry of +my brain. + +When we came to the stable door, I rather fell from my +horse than got off; and John Fry, with a look of wonder +took Kickum's head, and led him in. Into the old +farmhouse I tottered, like a weanling child, with +mother in her common clothes, helping me along, yet +fearing, except by stealth, to look at me. + +'I have killed him,' was all I said; 'even as he killed +Lorna. Now let me see my wife, mother. She belongs +to me none the less, though dead.' + +'You cannot see her now, dear John,' said Ruth +Huckaback, coming forward; since no one else had the +courage. 'Annie is with her now, John.' + +'What has that to do with it? Let me see my dead one; +and pray myself to die.' + +All the women fell away, and whispered, and looked at +me, with side glances, and some sobbing; for my face +was hard as flint. Ruth alone stood by me, and +dropped her eyes, and trembled. Then one little hand +of hers stole into my great shaking palm, and the other +was laid on my tattered coat: yet with her clothes she +shunned my blood, while she whispered gently,-- + +'John, she is not your dead one. She may even be your +living one yet, your wife, your home, and your +happiness. But you must not see her now.' + +'Is there any chance for her? For me, I mean; for me, +I mean?' + +'God in heaven knows, dear John. But the sight of you, +and in this sad plight, would be certain death to her. +Now come first, and be healed yourself.' + +I obeyed her, like a child, whispering only as I went, +for none but myself knew her goodness--'Almighty God +will bless you, darling, for the good you are doing +now.' + +Tenfold, ay and a thousandfold, I prayed and I believed +it, when I came to know the truth. If it had not been +for this little maid, Lorna must have died at once, as +in my arms she lay for dead, from the dastard and +murderous cruelty. But the moment I left her Ruth came +forward and took the command of every one, in right of +her firmness and readiness. + +She made them bear her home at once upon the door of +the pulpit, with the cushion under the drooping head. +With her own little hands she cut off, as tenderly as a +pear is peeled, the bridal-dress, so steeped and +stained, and then with her dainty transparent fingers +(no larger than a pencil) she probed the vile wound in +the side, and fetched the reeking bullet forth; and +then with the coldest water stanched the flowing of the +life-blood. All this while my darling lay insensible, +and white as death; and needed nothing but her maiden +shroud. + +But Ruth still sponged the poor side and forehead, and +watched the long eyelashes flat upon the marble cheek; +and laid her pure face on the faint heart, and bade +them fetch her Spanish wine. Then she parted the +pearly teeth (feebly clenched on the hovering breath), +and poured in wine from a christening spoon, and raised +the graceful neck and breast, and stroked the delicate +throat, and waited; and then poured in a little more. + +Annie all the while looked on with horror and +amazement, counting herself no second-rate nurse, and +this as against all theory. But the quiet lifting of +Ruth's hand, and one glance from her dark bright eyes, +told Annie just to stand away, and not intercept the +air so. And at the very moment when all the rest had +settled that Ruth was a simple idiot, but could not +harm the dead much, a little flutter in the throat, +followed by a short low sigh, made them pause, and look +and hope. + +For hours, however, and days, she lay at the very verge +of death, kept alive by nothing but the care, the +skill, the tenderness, and the perpetual watchfulness +of Ruth. Luckily Annie was not there very often, so as +to meddle; for kind and clever nurse as she was, she +must have done more harm than good. But my broken rib, +which was set by a doctor, who chanced to be at the +wedding, was allotted to Annie's care; and great +inflammation ensuing, it was quite enough to content +her. This doctor had pronounced poor Lorna dead; +wherefore Ruth refused most firmly to have aught to do +with him. She took the whole case on herself; and with +God's help she bore it through. + +Now whether it were the light and brightness of my +Lorna's nature; or the freedom from anxiety--for she +knew not of my hurt;--or, as some people said, her +birthright among wounds and violence, or her manner of +not drinking beer--I leave that doctor to determine who +pronounced her dead. But anyhow, one thing is certain; +sure as stars of hope above us; Lorna recovered, long +ere I did. + +For the grief was on me still of having lost my love +and lover at the moment she was mine. With the power +of fate upon me, and the black cauldron of the wizard's +death boiling in my heated brain, I had no faith in the +tales they told. I believed that Lorna was in the +churchyard, while these rogues were lying to me. For +with strength of blood like mine, and power of heart +behind it, a broken bone must burn itself. + +Mine went hard with fires of pain, being of such size +and thickness; and I was ashamed of him for breaking by +reason of a pistol-ball, and the mere hug of a man. +And it fetched me down in conceit of strength; so that +I was careful afterwards. + +All this was a lesson to me. All this made me very +humble; illness being a thing, as yet, altogether +unknown to me. Not that I cried small, or skulked, or +feared the death which some foretold; shaking their +heads about mortification, and a green appearance. +Only that I seemed quite fit to go to heaven, and +Lorna. For in my sick distracted mind (stirred with +many tossings), like the bead in the spread of +frog-spawn carried by the current, hung the black and +central essence of my future life. A life without +Lorna; a tadpole life. All stupid head; and no body. + +Many men may like such life; anchorites, fakirs, +high-priests, and so on; but to my mind, it is not the +native thing God meant for us. My dearest mother was a +show, with crying and with fretting. The Doones, as +she thought, were born to destroy us. Scarce had she +come to some liveliness (though sprinkled with tears, +every now and then) after her great bereavement, and +ten years' time to dwell on it--when lo, here was her +husband's son, the pet child of her own good John, +murdered like his father! Well, the ways of God were +wonderful! + +So they were, and so they are; and so they ever will +be. Let us debate them as we will, are ways are His, +and much the same; only second-hand from Him. And I +expected something from Him, even in my worst of times, +knowing that I had done my best. + +This is not edifying talk--as our Nonconformist parson +says, when he can get no more to drink--therefore let +me only tell what became of Lorna. One day, I was +sitting in my bedroom, for I could not get downstairs, +and there was no one strong enough to carry me, even if +I would have allowed it. + +Though it cost me sore trouble and weariness, I had put +on all my Sunday clothes, out of respect for the +doctor, who was coming to bleed me again (as he always +did twice a week); and it struck me that he had seemed +hurt in his mind, because I wore my worst clothes to be +bled in--for lie in bed I would not, after six o'clock; +and even that was great laziness. + +I looked at my right hand, whose grasp had been like +that of a blacksmith's vice; and it seemed to myself +impossible that this could be John Ridd's. The great +frame of the hand was there, as well as the muscles, +standing forth like the guttering of a candle, and the +broad blue veins, going up the back, and crossing every +finger. But as for colour, even Lorna's could scarcely +have been whiter; and as for strength, little Ensie +Doone might have come and held it fast. I laughed as I +tried in vain to lift the basin set for bleeding me. + +Then I thought of all the lovely things going on +out-of-doors just now, concerning which the drowsy song +of the bees came to me. These must be among the +thyme, by the sound of their great content. Therefore +the roses must be in blossom, and the woodbine, and +clove-gilly-flower; the cherries on the wall must be +turning red, the yellow Sally must be on the brook, +wheat must be callow with quavering bloom, and the +early meadows swathed with hay. + +Yet here was I, a helpless creature quite unfit to stir +among them, gifted with no sight, no scent of all the +changes that move our love, and lead our hearts, from +month to month, along the quiet path of life. And what +was worse, I had no hope of caring ever for them more. + +Presently a little knock sounded through my gloomy +room, and supposing it to be the doctor, I tried to +rise and make my bow. But to my surprise it was +little Ruth, who had never once come to visit me, since +I was placed under the doctor's hands. Ruth was +dressed so gaily, with rosettes, and flowers, and what +not, that I was sorry for her bad manners; and thought +she was come to conquer me, now that Lorna was done +with. + +Ruth ran towards me with sparkling eyes, being rather +short of sight; then suddenly she stopped, and I saw +entire amazement in her face. + +'Can you receive visitors, Cousin Ridd?--why, they +never told me of this!' she cried: 'I knew that you +were weak, dear John; but not that you were dying. +Whatever is that basin for?' + +'I have no intention of dying, Ruth; and I like not to +talk about it. But that basin, if you must know, is +for the doctor's purpose.' + +'What, do you mean bleeding you? You poor weak cousin! +Is it possible that he does that still?' + +'Twice a week for the last six weeks, dear. Nothing +else has kept me alive.' + +'Nothing else has killed you, nearly. There!' and she +set her little boot across the basin, and crushed it. +'Not another drop shall they have from you. Is Annie +such a fool as that? And Lizzie, like a zany, at her +books! And killing her brother, between them!' + +I was surprised to see Ruth excited; her character +being so calm and quiet. And I tried to soothe her +with my feeble hand, as now she knelt before me. + +'Dear cousin, the doctor must know best. Annie says +so, every day. What has he been brought up for?' + +'Brought up for slaying and murdering. Twenty doctors +killed King Charles, in spite of all the women. Will +you leave it to me, John? I have a little will of my +own; and I am not afraid of doctors. Will you leave it +to me, dear John? I have saved your Lorna's life. And +now I will save yours; which is a far, far easier +business.' + +'You have saved my Lorna's life! What do you mean by +talking so?' + +'Only what I say, Cousin John. Though perhaps I +overprize my work. But at any rate she says so.' + +'I do not understand,' I said, falling back with +bewilderment; 'all women are such liars.' + +'Have you ever known me tell a lie?' Ruth in great +indignation--more feigned, I doubt, than real--'your +mother may tell a story, now and then when she feels it +right; and so may both your sisters. But so you cannot +do, John Ridd; and no more than you can I do it.' + +If ever there was virtuous truth in the eyes of any +woman, it was now in Ruth Huckaback's: and my brain +began very slowly to move, the heart being almost +torpid from perpetual loss of blood. + +'I do not understand,' was all I could say for a very +long time. + +'Will you understand, if I show you Lorna? I have +feared to do it, for the sake of you both. But now +Lorna is well enough, if you think that you are, Cousin +John. Surely you will understand, when you see your +wife.' + +Following her, to the very utmost of my mind and heart, +I felt that all she said was truth; and yet I could not +make it out. And in her last few words there was such +a power of sadness rising through the cover of gaiety, +that I said to myself, half in a dream, 'Ruth is very +beautiful.' + +Before I had time to listen much for the approach of +footsteps, Ruth came back, and behind her Lorna; coy as +if of her bridegroom; and hanging back with her beauty. +Ruth banged the door, and ran away; and Lorna stood +before me. + +But she did not stand for an instant, when she saw what +I was like. At the risk of all thick bandages, and +upsetting a dozen medicine bottles, and scattering +leeches right and left, she managed to get into my +arms, although they could not hold her. She laid her +panting warm young breast on the place where they meant +to bleed me, and she set my pale face up; and she would +not look at me, having greater faith in kissing. + +I felt my life come back, and warm; I felt my trust in +women flow; I felt the joys of living now, and the +power of doing it. It is not a moment to describe; who +feels can never tell of it. But the rush of Lorna's +tears, and the challenge of my bride's lips, and the +throbbing of my wife's heart (now at last at home on +mine), made me feel that the world was good, and not a +thing to be weary of. + +Little more have I to tell. The doctor was turned out +at once; and slowly came back my former strength, with +a darling wife, and good victuals. As for Lorna, she +never tired of sitting and watching me eat and eat. +And such is her heart that she never tires of being +with me here and there, among the beautiful places, and +talking with her arm around me--so far at least as it +can go, though half of mine may go round her--of the +many fears and troubles, dangers and discouragements, +and worst of all the bitter partings, which we used to +have, somehow. + +There is no need for my farming harder than becomes a +man of weight. Lorna has great stores of money, though +we never draw it out, except for some poor neighbor; +unless I find her a sumptuous dress, out of her own +perquisites. And this she always looks upon as a +wondrous gift from me; and kisses me much when she puts +it on, and walks like the noble woman she is. And yet +I may never behold it again; for she gets back to her +simple clothes, and I love her the better in them. I +believe that she gives half the grandeur away, and +keeps the other half for the children. + +As for poor Tom Faggus, every one knows his bitter +adventures, when his pardon was recalled, because of +his journey to Sedgemoor. Not a child in the country, +I doubt, but knows far more than I do of Tom's most +desperate doings. The law had ruined him once, he +said; and then he had been too much for the law: and +now that a quiet life was his object, here the base +thing came after him. And such was his dread of this +evil spirit, that being caught upon Barnstaple Bridge, +with soldiers at either end of it (yet doubtful about +approaching him), he set his strawberry mare, sweet +Winnie, at the left-hand parapet, with a whisper into +her dove-coloured ear. Without a moment's doubt she +leaped it, into the foaming tide, and swam, and landed +according to orders. Also his flight from a +public-house (where a trap was set for him, but Winnie +came and broke down the door, and put two men under, +and trod on them,) is as well known as any ballad. It +was reported for awhile that poor Tom had been caught +at last, by means of his fondness for liquor, and was +hanged before Taunton Jail; but luckily we knew better. +With a good wife, and a wonderful horse, and all the +country attached to him, he kept the law at a wholesome +distance, until it became too much for its master; and +a new king arose. Upon this, Tom sued his pardon +afresh; and Jeremy Stickles, who suited the times, was +glad to help him in getting it, as well as a +compensation. Thereafter the good and respectable Tom +lived a godly (though not always sober) life; and +brought up his children to honesty, as the first of all +qualifications. + +My dear mother was as happy as possibly need be with +us; having no cause for jealousy, as others arose +around her. And everybody was well pleased, when Lizzy +came in one day and tossed her bookshelf over, and +declared that she would have Captain Bloxham, and +nobody should prevent her. For that he alone, of all +the men she had ever met with, knew good writing when +he saw it, and could spell a word when told. As he had +now succeeded to Captain Stickle's position (Stickles +going up the tree), and had the power of collecting, +and of keeping, what he liked, there was nothing to be +said against it; and we hoped that he would pay her +out. + +I sent little Ensie to Blundell's school, at my own +cost and charges, having changed his name, for fear of +what anyone might do to him. I called him Ensie Jones; +and we got him a commission, and after many scrapes of +spirit, he did great things in the Low Countries. He +looks upon me as his father; and without my leave will +not lay claim to the heritage and title of the Doones, +which clearly belong to him. + +Ruth Huckaback is not married yet; although upon Uncle +Reuben's death she came into all his property; except, +indeed, 2000 pounds, which Uncle Ben, in his driest +manner, bequeathed 'to Sir John Ridd, the worshipful +knight, for greasing of the testator's boots.' And he +left almost a mint of money, not from the mine, but +from the shop, and the good use of usury. For the mine +had brought in just what it cost, when the vein of gold +ended suddenly; leaving all concerned much older, and +some, I fear, much poorer; but no one utterly ruined, +as is the case with most of them. Ruth herself was his +true mine, as upon death-bed he found. I know a man +even worthy of her: and though she is not very young, +he loves her, as I love Lorna. It is my firm +conviction, that in the end he will win her; and I do +not mean to dance again, except at dear Ruth's wedding; +if the floor be strong enough. + +Of Lorna, of my lifelong darling, of my more and more +loved wife, I will not talk; for it is not seemly that +a man should exalt his pride. Year by year her beauty +grows, with the growth of goodness, kindness, and true +happiness--above all with loving. For change, she +makes a joke of this, and plays with it, and laughs at +it; and then, when my slow nature marvels, back she +comes to the earnest thing. And if I wish to pay her +out for something very dreadful--as may happen once or +twice, when we become too gladsome--I bring her to +forgotten sadness, and to me for cure of it, by the two +words 'Lorna Doone.' + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Lorna Doone, A Romance of Exmoor + diff --git a/old/lorna10.zip b/old/lorna10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b8800d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/lorna10.zip |