EVEN MOTORING THROUGH TOO QUICKLY AS MOTORISTS MUST ONE CANNOT HELP BEING STRUCK BY THE SUBSTANTIAL DIGNITY OF THE PLACE BY THE WELL KEPT PROSPERITY OF THE HOUSES LARGE AND SMALL WHICH FRINGE THE FINE OLD HIGHWAY


THE TOWN HAS PRESERVED A CRANFORD LIKE CHARM AND WHY NOT WHEN THE VERY HOUSE IS STILL HANDSOMELY PRESERVED WHERE THE NAMELESS NOBLEMAN FRANCIS LE BARON WAS CONCEALED BETWEEN THE FLOORS


AND AS WE ARE TOLD IN MISSUS AUSTEN'S NOVEL VERY PROPERLY CAPPED THE CLIMAX BY MARRYING HIS BRAVE LITTLE PROTECTOR MOLLY WILDER WHY NOT WHEN THE LINCOLN FAMILY ANCESTORS OF ABRAHAM


NAMED AFTER THE INDIAN CHIEF WHO GRANTED THE ORIGINAL DEEDS OF THE TOWN HAS FOUND QUARTERS IN AN EXTREMELY INTERESTING HOUSE DATING FROM SIXTEEN EIGHTY IN THE SPACIOUS LIVING ROOM ARE SEVENTEEN PANELS ON THE WALLS AND IN THE DOORS


PAINTED WITH CHARMING OLD FASHIONED SKILL BY JOHN HAZLITT THE BROTHER OF THE ENGLISH ESSAYIST THE REVEREND DANIEL SHUTE HOUSE BUILT IN SEVENTEEN FORTY SIX IS PRACTICALLY INTACT WITH ITS PANELED ROOMS


AND WALL PAPER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD HINGHAM'S FAMOUS ELMS SHADE THE HOUSE WHERE PARSON EBENEZER GAY LIVED OUT HIS LONG PASTORATE OF SIXTY NINE YEARS AND NINE MONTHS AND THE GARRISON HOUSE BUILT BEFORE SIXTEEN FORTY


SHELTERED IN ITS PRIME NINE GENERATIONS OF THE SAME FAMILY THE RAINBOW ROOF HOUSE SO CALLED FROM THE DELICIOUS CURVE IN ITS ROOF IS ONE OF HINGHAM'S PRETTIEST TWO HUNDRED YEAR OLD COTTAGES AND MISS SUSAN B WILLARD'S COTTAGE


IS ONE OF THE OLDEST IN THE UNITED STATES DERBY ACADEMY FOUNDED ALMOST TWO CENTURIES AND A HALF AGO BY MADAM DERBY STILL MAINTAINS ITS SOCIAL AND SCHOLARLY PRESTIGE THROUGH ALL THE EDUCATIONAL TURMOIL OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY


THAT JOHN ALBION ANDREW WHO PROVED HIMSELF SO TRULY ONE OF OUR GREAT MEN DURING THE CIVIL WAR COURTED ELIZA JONES HERSEY AND HERE THAT THE HAPPY YEARS OF THEIR EARLY MARRIED LIFE WERE SPENT


LATER ANOTHER GOVERNOR JOHN D LONG WAS FOR MANY YEARS A MIGHTY FIGURE IN THE TOWN WITH ITS ANCIENT CHURCHES AND INSTITUTIONS ITS PENSIVE GRAVEYARDS AND LOVELY ELMS


HINGHAM TYPIFIES WHAT IS QUAINTEST AND BEST IN NEW ENGLAND TOWNS POSSIBLY THE DAPPLING OF THE ELMS POSSIBLY THE SHADOW OF THE OLD SHIP CHURCH


HOWEVER IT MAY SEEM TO ITS INHABITANTS TO THE STRANGER EVERYTHING IN HINGHAM IS TINCTURED BY THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE STERN OLD ECCLESIASTICISM EVEN THE NUMBER OF HISTORIC FORTS SEEMS A PROPER PART OF THOSE RIGHTEOUS DAYS


FOR WHEN DID RELIGION AND WARFARE NOT GO HAND IN HAND DURING THE TROUBLE WITH KING PHILIP THE TOWN HAD THREE FORTS ONE AT FORT HILL ONE AT THE CEMETERY AND ONE ON THE PLAIN ABOUT A MILE FROM THE HARBOR AND THE SITES MAY STILL BE IDENTIFIED


WERE LANDED ON THEIR SALTY DECKS FOR FIFTY YEARS BETWEEN EIGHTEEN ELEVEN AND EIGHTEEN SIXTY THE RAPID SAILED AS A PACKET BETWEEN THIS TOWN AND BOSTON MAKING THE TRIP ON ONE MEMORABLE OCCASION IN SIXTY SEVEN MINUTES


SHE WAS CARRIED UP THE WEYMOUTH RIVER AND COVERED MASTS AND HULL WITH GREEN BUSHES SO THAT THE MARAUDING BRITISH CRUISERS MIGHT NOT FIND HER AND AS WE READ WE FIND OURSELVES REMEMBERING THAT CAMOUFLAGE IS NEW ONLY IN NAME


OR WOULD THEY REALIZE THAT THEIR SOWING HAD BROUGHT FORTH RICHER FRUIT THAN THEY COULD GUESS IT HAS ALL CHANGED SINCE PURITAN DAYS AND YET PERHAPS IN NO OTHER PLACE IN NEW ENGLAND DOES THE HAND OF THE PAST LIE SO VISIBLY UPON THE COMMUNITY


YOU CANNOT LIFT YOUR EYES BUT THEY REST UPON SOME BUILDING RAISED TWO CENTURIES AND MORE AGO THE SHADE WHICH RIPPLES UNDER YOUR FEET IS CAST BY ELMS PLANTED BY THAT VERY HAND OF THE PAST EVEN YOUR VOICE REPEATS THE WORDS WHICH THOSE OLD PATRIARCHS


WELL VERSED IN BIBLICAL LORE CHOSE FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD NAMES ACCORD POND AND GLAD TIDINGS PLAIN MIGHT HAVE BEEN LIFTED FROM SOME PILGRIM'S PROGRESS WHILE THE NEAR BY SEA OF GALILEE AND JERUSALEM ROAD


ARE FROM THE GOOD BOOK ITSELF WHICH WAY TO EGYPT IS THIS AN ECHO FROM THAT TIME WHEN THE BIBLE WAS THE CORNER STONE OF CHURCH AND STATE OF HOME AND SCHOOL WHAT'S THE BEST ROAD TO JERICHO BEACH SURELY IT IS SOME GRAVE FACED SHADE WHO CALLS


A TOWN OF ENTERPRISE AND CHARACTER EVER SINCE THE FIRST WATER POWER MILL IN THIS COUNTRY THE FIRST POWDER MILL IN THIS COUNTRY THE FIRST CHOCOLATE MILL IN THIS COUNTRY AND THUS THROUGH A WHOLE LINE OF FIRST THINGS THE FIRST VIOLONCELLO


FEW PEOPLE TO DAY THINK OF MILTON IN TERMS OF INDUSTRIAL REPUTE BUT RATHER AS A PLACE OF ESTATES TOO ARISTOCRATIC TO BE FASHIONABLE


AND OF CHARMING WALKS AND DRIVES AND VIEWS MANY OF THE OLD FAMILIES WHO HAVE GIVEN THE TOWN ITS PRESTIGE STILL LIVE IN THEIR ANCESTRAL MANORS AND MANY OF THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE MOVED THERE IN RECENT YEARS


AS THE STRANGER PASSES THROUGH MILTON HE IS CAPTIVATED BY GLIMPSES OF ANCIENT HOMESTEADS SETTLING BEHIND THEIR WHITE COLONIAL FENCES TOPPED WITH WHITE COLONIAL URNS HALF HIDDEN BY THEIR ANTIQUE TREES WITH AN AIR OF COMFORTABLE EASE


OF BREEDING THAT NEITHER PARADES NOR CONCEALS ITS QUALITY YES THIS IS MILTON THIS IS MODERN MILTON BOSTON SOCIETY RECEIVES SOME OF ITS MOST PROMINENT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THIS PATRICIAN SOURCE


BUT MODERN MILTON IS SOMETHING MORE THAN THIS AS OLD MILTON


THAT SWIMS FOREVER AGAINST THE SKY THAT MARCHES FOREVER AROUND THE HORIZON THE ROUNDED SUMMITS OF THE BLUE HILLS TO WHICH THE EYE IS IRRESISTIBLY ATTRACTED BEFORE ENTERING THE TOWN WHICH PRINCIPALLY CLAIMS THEM ARE THE WORN DOWN STUMPS OF ANCIENT MOUNTAINS


AND ALTHOUGH SO LEVELED BY THE PROCESS OF THE AGES THEY ARE STILL THE HIGHEST LAND NEAR THE COAST FROM MAINE TO MEXICO THESE EIGHTEEN OR TWENTY SKYEY CRESTS FORM THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE SO CALLED BOSTON BASIN


AND ARE THE MOST PROMINENT FEATURE OF THE SOUTHERN COAST FROM THEM THE MASSACHUSET TRIBE ABOUT THE BAY DERIVED ITS NAME SIGNIFYING NEAR THE GREAT HILLS WHICH NAME WAS CHANGED BY THE ENGLISH TO MASSACHUSETTS


AND APPLIED TO BOTH BAY AND COLONY ALTHOUGH ITS INDIAN NAME HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM THIS LOVELY RANGE THE LOVELINESS REMAINS ALL THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY SHIMMERS UNDER THE MYSTERIOUS BLOOM OF THESE HEIGHTS


SO VAST THAT EVERYTHING ELSE IS DWARFED BESIDE THEM AND YET SO CURIOUSLY AIRY THAT THEY SEEM TO PERPETUALLY RIPPLE AGAINST THE SKY THE GREAT BLUE HILL ESPECIALLY THE ONE WHICH BEARS AN OBSERVATORY ON ITS SUMMIT SWIMS ABOVE ONE'S HEAD


IT SEEMS TO HAVE A SINGULAR WAY OF MOVING FROM POINT TO POINT AS ONE MOTORS AND ALTHOUGH ONE MAY BE FORCED TO ADMIT THAT THIS MAY BE DUE MORE TO THE WINDING ROADS THAN TO THE ILLUSIVENESS OF THE HILL STILL THE BUOYANT EFFECT IS THE SAME


RUSKIN DECLARES SOMEWHERE WITH HIS QUAINT AND CHARACTERISTIC MIXTURE OF POSITIVENESS AND IDEALISM THAT INHABITANTS OF GRANITE COUNTRIES


THAT CLEARLY DISTINGUISHES THEM FROM THE INHABITANTS OF LESS PURE DISTRICTS PERHAPS HE WAS RIGHT FOR SURELY HERE


EACH HAS THROUGH ITS OWN FAIR NAME DONE HONOR TO THE FAIR NAMES WHICH HAVE PRECEDED IT ONE OF THE VERY FIRST TO BE ATTRACTED BY THE LOFTY AND YET LOVELY APPEAL OF THIS REGION WAS GOVERNOR THOMAS HUTCHINSON


AND THE WIDE FLAT TWIST OF THE NEPONSET RIVER WINDING THROUGH IT FOR ALL THE WORLD LIKE A DECORATIVE PANEL


THIS IS THE VIEW THAT THE GOVERNOR SO ADMIRED AND TRADITION TELLS US


HE WALKED ON FOOT DOWN THE HILL SHAKING HANDS WITH HIS NEIGHBORS PATRIOT AND TORY ALIKE WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES AS HE LEFT BEHIND HIM THE GARDEN AND THE TREES HE HAD PLANTED AND THE HOUSE WHERE HE HAD SO HAPPILY LIVED


THE VIEW FROM THE BACK HOLDS EVEN MORE INTIMATE ATTRACTION HERE IS THE OLD OLD GARDEN AND ALTHOUGH THE EPHEMERAL BLOSSOMS OF THE PRESENT SPRINGTIME SHINE BRIGHTLY FORTH THE BOX FULL TWENTY FEET HIGH SPEAKS OF ANOTHER EPOCH


THAT VISITORS ON ENTERING FROM THE STREET MIGHT SEE THE GLEAM OF HIS GOLD KNEE BUCKLES AS HE STOOD ON THE DISTANT PORCH THE AVENUE HOWEVER WAS NEVER COMPLETED AS BELCHER WAS APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF AND TRANSFERRED TO NEW JERSEY SHORTLY AFTER


TWO OTHER MEN OF NOTE WHO SINCE THE DAYS OF OUR YEARS ARE BUT THREESCORE AND TEN CHOSE THAT THEIR DAYS WITHOUT NUMBER SHOULD BE SPENT IN THE TOWN THEY LOVED WERE WENDELL PHILLIPS AND RIMMER THE SCULPTOR WHO ARE BOTH BURIED AT MILTON


NOT ONLY NOTABLE PERSONAGES BUT NOTABLE EVENTS HAVE BEEN ENGENDERED UNDER THE SHADOW OF THESE HILLS THE SUFFOLK RESOLVES WHICH WERE THE PRELUDE OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WERE ADOPTED AT THE VOSE HOUSE


STILL RETAINS IN ITS BROAD HOSPITABLE LINES SOME SHRED OF ITS ANCIENT CHARM MILTON IS FULL OF HISTORY FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY DAYS WHEN THE CANNONADING AT BUNKER HILL SHOOK THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE HOUSES BUT NOT THE NERVES OF THE MILTON LADIES


WHEN THE FOURTH LIBERTY LOAN OF TWO MILLION NINE HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS WAS SUBSCRIBED FROM A POPULATION OF NINE THOUSAND ALL THE VARIOUS VICISSITUDES OF PEACE AND WAR HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED ON THE HIGH LEVEL


THAT ONE MIGHT EXPECT FROM MEN AND WOMEN NOBLY NURTURED BY THE STRENGTH OF THE HILLS HOW MUCH OF ITS SUCCESS MILTON ATTRIBUTES TO ITS LOCATION FOR ONE JOINS INDEED A DISTINGUISHED FELLOWSHIP WHEN ONE BUILDS UPON A HILL


OR ON SEVERAL HILLS AS ROMAN AS WELL AS BOSTONIAN HISTORY TESTIFIES CAN ONLY BE GUESSED BY ITS TRIBUTE IN THE FORM OF THE BLUE HILLS RESERVATION THIS STATE RECREATION PARK AND FOREST RESERVE


OF ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND ACRES A LABYRINTH OF IDYLLIC FOOTPATHS AND LEAFY TRAILS OF TWISTING DRIVES AND WALKS THAT OPEN OUT UPON SUPERB VISTAS IS NOW THE PROPERTY OF THE PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS THE GRANITE QUARRY MAN


FAR MORE INTERESTED IN THE VALUE OF THE STONE THAT UNDERLAY THE WOODED SLOPES THAN IN RUSKIN'S THEORY OF ITS PURIFYING EFFECT UPON THE INHABITANTS HAD ALREADY OBTAINED A FOOTING HERE WHEN UNDER THE ABLE LEADERSHIP OF CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS


THE WHOLE REGION WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE STATE IN EIGHTEEN NINETY FOUR AS YOU PASS THROUGH THE RESERVATION AND IF YOU ARE TAKING EVEN THE MOST CURSORY GLIMPSE OF MILTON YOU MUST INCLUDE SOME PORTION OF THIS PARK


THE RACE TRACK WITH ITS JUDGES STANDS IS STILL THERE BUT THERE ARE NO MORE HORSE RACES ALTHOUGH THE FORBES FAMILY STILL HOLDS A CONSPICUOUS PLACE


YOU MAY SEE TOO A SOLITARY FIGURE WITH A SCIENTIST'S STOOP OR A TUTOR WITH A GROUP OF BOYS MAKING A FIRST HAND STUDY OF A REGION WHICH IS FULL OF INTEREST TO THE GEOLOGIST CIRCLING THUS AROUND THE BASE OF THE GREAT BLUE HILL


ERECTED IN EIGHTEEN EIGHTY FOUR BY THE LATE A LAWRENCE ROTCH OF MILTON WHO BEQUEATHED FUNDS FOR ITS MAINTENANCE IT IS NOW CONNECTED WITH HARVARD UNIVERSITY


ONCE AT THE TOP THE EYE IS OVERWHELMED BY A CIRCUIT OF MORE THAN A HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILES IT IS ALMOST TOO IMMENSE AT FIRST ALMOST AS BARREN AS AN EMPTY EXPANSE OF ROLLING GREEN SEA BUT AS THE EYE GROWS ACCUSTOMED TO THE STRETCHING DISTANCES


OBJECTS BOTH NEAR AND FAR BEGIN TO APPEAR AND SOON IF THE DAY IS CLEAR BUILDINGS MAY BE IDENTIFIED IN MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE VILLAGES WE ARE SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE FEET ABOVE THE SEA ON THE HIGHEST COASTLAND


FROM AGAMENTICUS NEAR YORK MAINE TO THE RIO GRANDE AND THE PANORAMA THUS UNROLLED IS TRULY MAGNIFICENT FACING NORTHERLY WE CAN EASILY DISTINGUISH CAMBRIDGE SOMERVILLE AND MALDEN


AND FAR BEYOND THE HILLS OF ANDOVER AND GEORGETOWN A LITTLE TO THE EAST BOSTON WITH ITS GILDED DOME THEN THE HARBOR WITH ITS ISLANDS HEADLANDS AND FORTIFICATIONS


AS FAR AS EASTERN POINT LIGHTHOUSE IN GLOUCESTER FORTY MILES TO THE NORTHEAST APPEAR THE TWIN LIGHTHOUSES ON THATCHER'S ISLAND SEEMING FROM HERE TO BE STANDING NOT ON THE LAND BUT OUT IN THE OCEAN


WHILE BEYOND IT STRETCHES MASSACHUSETTS BAY TURNING NEARLY EAST THE EYE PASSING OVER CHICKATAWBUT HILL THREE MILES OFF AND SECOND IN HEIGHT OF THE BLUE HILLS FOLLOWS THE BEAUTIFUL CURVE OF NANTASKET BEACH


AND THE POINTING FINGER OF MINOT'S LIGHT FACING NEARLY SOUTH THE LONG RIDGE OF MANOMET HILL IN PLYMOUTH THIRTY THREE MILES AWAY STANDS CLEAR AGAINST THE SKY WHILE TWENTY SIX MILES AWAY IN DUXBURY ONE SEES THE MYLES STANDISH MONUMENT


AND FAR BEYOND IT IS THE GRAND MONADNOCK IN JAFFREY


WITH ITS TWO EQUAL SUMMITS THE NEXT GROUP TO THE RIGHT IS IN LYNDEBORO AT THE RIGHT OF LYNDEBORO AND NEARLY OVER THE READVILLE RAILROAD STATIONS IS JOE ENGLISH HILL AND TO COMPLETE THE ROUND NEARLY NORTH NORTHWEST ARE THE SUMMITS


OF THE UNCANOONUC MOUNTAINS FIFTY NINE MILES AWAY THIS THEN IS THE GREAT BLUE HILL OF MILTON THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW ENGLAND CAN STAND HERE AND PICK OUT A HUNDRED DISTINGUISHING LANDMARKS


AND THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE MAY FIND AN UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE WHOLE REGION AT ONE SWEEP OF THE EYE FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF TOPOGRAPHY THE SUMMIT OF GREAT BLUE HILL IS THE PLACE TO REACH BUT FOR THE SENSE OF MYSTERIOUS BEAUTY


THE HILL ITSELF SEEN FROM A DISTANCE FLOATING LIGHTLY LIKE A VAST BLUE BALL AGAINST A VASTER SKY IS DREAMILY SUGGESTIVE IN A WAY WHICH THE ACTUAL VIEW SUPERB AS IT IS IS NOT


ONE REMEMBERS STEVENSON'S OBSERVATION THAT SOMETIMES TO TRAVEL HOPEFULLY IS BETTER THAN TO ARRIVE SO LET US COME DOWN FOR AFTER ALL LOVE IS OF THE VALLEY DOWN AGAIN TO THE OLD TOWN OF MILTON


WE HAVE NOT HALF BEGUN TO WANDER OVER IT NOT HALF BEGUN TO HEAR THE PLEASANT STORIES IT HAS TO TELL WHEN ONE IS AS OLD AS THIS FOR MILTON WAS DISCOVERED BY A BAND FROM PLYMOUTH WHO CAME UP THE NEPONSET RIVER IN SIXTEEN TWENTY ONE


WHICH DRIFTS TO US WITH A TURN OF THE WIND COMES FROM A CHOCOLATE MILL WHOSE TRADE MARK OF A NEAT HANDED MAID WITH HER LITTLE TRAY IS KNOWN ALL OVER THE CIVILIZED WORLD


AND THOSE MILLS STAND UPON THE SITE OF THE FIRST GRIST MILL IN NEW ENGLAND TO BE RUN BY WATER POWER THIS WAS IN SIXTEEN THIRTY FOUR AND ONE LIKES TO PICTURE THE STURDY COLONISTS TRAILING INTO TOWN THEIR PACKS UPON THEIR BACKS


LIKE CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN GAMES TO HAVE THEIR GRAIN GROUND ISRAEL STOUGHTON WAS THE NAME OF THE MAN WHO ESTABLISHED THIS FIRST MILL A NAME PERPETUATED


ALL GROUND IS HISTORIC GROUND IN MILTON THAT ROLLICKING GROUP OF SCHOOLBOYS YONDER BELONGS TO AN ACADEMY WHICH HANDSOME AND FLOURISHING AS IT IS TO DAY WAS FOUNDED AS LONG AGO AS SEVENTEEN EIGHTY SEVEN


SET AGAINST A STONE WALL NEAR ITS ORIGINAL SITE THIS EARLY CHURCH AND EARLY SCHOOL WAS A LOG CABIN WITH A THATCHED ROOF AND LATTICED WINDOWS IF ONE MAY BELIEVE THE RELIEF


BUT MEN OF BRAINS AND CHARACTER WERE TAUGHT THERE LESSONS WHICH STOOD THEM AND THE COLONY IN GOOD STEAD ONE FANCIES THE STUDENTS ROVING EYES MAY HAVE OCCASIONALLY STRAYED DOWN THE INDIAN TRAIL DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE OLD SITE A TRAIL WHICH


ALTHOUGH NOW ATTAINED TO THE PROUD RANK OF A LANE CHURCHILL'S LANE STILL INVITES ONE DOWN ITS TANGLED GREEN WAY ALONG THE GRAY STONE WALL YES EVERY STEP OF GROUND HAS ITS TRADITION HERE


YONDER RAILROAD TRACK MARKS THE SPOT WHERE THE VERY FIRST TIE IN THE COUNTRY WAS LAID AND LAID FOR NO LESS SIGNIFICANT PURPOSE THAN TO FACILITATE THE CARRYING OF GRANITE BLOCKS FOR BUNKER HILL MONUMENT FROM THEIR QUARRY TO THE HARBOR GRANITE FROM THE HILLS


AGAIN WE ARE DRAWN BACK TO THE IRRESISTIBLE MAGNET OF THOSE MIGHTY MONITORS YES WHEREVER ONE GOES IN MILTON EITHER ON FOOT TO DAY OR BACK THROUGH THE CHAPTERS OF THREE CENTURIES AGO THE BLUE HILLS DOMINATE EVERY EVENT


AND THE GREAT BLUE HILL FLOATS ABOVE THEM ALL


CHAPTER EIGHTEEN GRAVE QUESTIONS


AND BARBICANE AND HIS TWO COMPANIONS WATCHED WITH SCRUPULOUS ATTENTION THE BRILLIANT RAYS WHICH THE CELEBRATED MOUNTAIN SHED SO CURIOUSLY OVER THE HORIZON WHAT WAS THIS RADIANT GLORY WHAT


SOME TWELVE MILES OTHERS THIRTY MILES BROAD


AND SEEMED TO COVER PARTICULARLY TOWARD THE EAST THE NORTHEAST AND THE NORTH THE HALF OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE ONE OF THESE JETS EXTENDED AS FAR AS THE CIRCLE OF NEANDER SITUATED ON THE FORTIETH MERIDIAN


ANOTHER BY A SLIGHT CURVE FURROWED THE SEA OF NECTAR BREAKING AGAINST


WITH A LUMINOUS NETWORK WHAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF THESE SPARKLING RAYS WHICH SHONE ON THE PLAINS AS WELL AS ON THE RELIEFS AT WHATEVER HEIGHT THEY MIGHT BE ALL STARTED FROM A COMMON CENTER THE CRATER


THEY SPRANG FROM HIM HERSCHEL ATTRIBUTED THEIR BRILLIANCY TO CURRENTS OF LAVA CONGEALED BY THE COLD AN OPINION HOWEVER WHICH HAS NOT BEEN GENERALLY ADOPTED


BECAUSE THE REGULARITY OF THESE LUMINOUS LINES AND THE VIOLENCE NECESSARY TO CARRY VOLCANIC MATTER TO SUCH DISTANCES IS INEXPLICABLE


BY JOVE REPLIED MICHEL ARDAN


INDEED SAID BARBICANE INDEED CONTINUED MICHEL IT IS ENOUGH TO SAY


WELL REPLIED BARBICANE SMILING AND WHAT HAND WOULD BE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO THROW A BALL TO GIVE SUCH A SHOCK AS THAT THE HAND IS NOT NECESSARY ANSWERED NICHOLL NOT AT ALL CONFOUNDED


THE SHOCK WHICH PRODUCED THAT RENT


A CONTRACTION SOMETHING LIKE A LUNAR STOMACH ACHE SAID MICHEL ARDAN BESIDES ADDED BARBICANE THIS OPINION IS THAT OF AN ENGLISH SAVANT


THAT NASMYTH WAS NO FOOL REPLIED MICHEL


THEIR PROJECTILE SATURATED WITH LUMINOUS GLEAMS IN THE DOUBLE IRRADIATION OF SUN AND MOON MUST HAVE APPEARED LIKE AN INCANDESCENT GLOBE


TO INTENSE HEAT NATURE WAS THUS PREPARING THEM TO BECOME SELENITES BECOME SELENITES THAT IDEA BROUGHT UP ONCE MORE THE QUESTION OF THE HABITABILITY OF THE MOON AFTER WHAT THEY HAD SEEN COULD THE TRAVELERS SOLVE IT


WOULD THEY DECIDE FOR OR AGAINST IT MICHEL ARDAN PERSUADED HIS TWO FRIENDS TO FORM AN OPINION AND ASKED THEM DIRECTLY IF THEY THOUGHT THAT MEN AND ANIMALS WERE REPRESENTED IN THE LUNAR WORLD


I THINK THAT WE CAN ANSWER SAID BARBICANE BUT ACCORDING TO MY IDEA THE QUESTION OUGHT NOT TO BE PUT IN THAT FORM I ASK IT TO BE PUT DIFFERENTLY PUT IT YOUR OWN WAY REPLIED MICHEL


HERE IT IS CONTINUED BARBICANE THE PROBLEM IS A DOUBLE ONE AND REQUIRES A DOUBLE SOLUTION IS THE MOON HABITABLE HAS THE MOON EVER BEEN INHABITABLE GOOD


REPLIED NICHOLL FIRST LET US SEE WHETHER THE MOON IS HABITABLE TO TELL THE TRUTH I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT ANSWERED MICHEL AND I ANSWER IN THE NEGATIVE CONTINUED BARBICANE


IN HER ACTUAL STATE WITH HER SURROUNDING ATMOSPHERE CERTAINLY VERY MUCH REDUCED HER SEAS FOR THE MOST PART DRIED UP HER INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF WATER RESTRICTED VEGETATION SUDDEN ALTERNATIONS OF COLD AND HEAT


HER DAYS AND NIGHTS OF THREE HUNDRED FIFTY FOUR HOURS THE MOON DOES NOT SEEM HABITABLE TO ME NOR DOES SHE SEEM PROPITIOUS TO ANIMAL DEVELOPMENT NOR SUFFICIENT FOR THE WANTS OF EXISTENCE AS WE UNDERSTAND IT


AGREED REPLIED NICHOLL BUT IS NOT THE MOON HABITABLE FOR CREATURES DIFFERENTLY ORGANIZED FROM OURSELVES


SEEMED TO US TO MOVE ON THE MOON'S SURFACE


AND WHAT HAVE WE SEEN EVERYWHERE AND ALWAYS THE GEOLOGICAL WORKS OF NATURE NEVER THE WORK OF MAN IF THEN THERE EXIST REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM ON THE MOON


THEY MUST HAVE FLED TO THOSE UNFATHOMABLE CAVITIES WHICH THE EYE CANNOT REACH WHICH I CANNOT ADMIT FOR THEY MUST HAVE LEFT TRACES OF THEIR PASSAGE ON THOSE PLAINS WHICH THE ATMOSPHERE MUST COVER HOWEVER SLIGHTLY RAISED IT MAY BE


THESE TRACES ARE NOWHERE VISIBLE THERE REMAINS BUT ONE HYPOTHESIS THAT OF A LIVING RACE TO WHICH MOTION WHICH IS LIFE IS FOREIGN ONE MIGHT AS WELL SAY LIVING CREATURES WHICH DO NOT LIVE REPLIED MICHEL


THE SCIENTIFIC COMMISSION ASSEMBLED IN THE PROJECTILE OF THE GUN CLUB AFTER HAVING FOUNDED THEIR ARGUMENT ON FACTS RECENTLY OBSERVED DECIDE UNANIMOUSLY UPON THE QUESTION OF THE HABITABILITY OF THE MOON NO THE MOON


SAID NICHOLL LET US ATTACK THE SECOND QUESTION AN INDISPENSABLE COMPLEMENT OF THE FIRST I ASK THE HONORABLE COMMISSION IF THE MOON IS NOT HABITABLE HAS SHE EVER BEEN INHABITED CITIZEN BARBICANE


MY FRIENDS REPLIED BARBICANE I DID NOT UNDERTAKE THIS JOURNEY IN ORDER TO FORM AN OPINION ON THE PAST HABITABILITY OF OUR SATELLITE BUT I WILL ADD THAT OUR PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS ONLY CONFIRM ME IN THIS OPINION


I BELIEVE INDEED I AFFIRM THAT THE MOON HAS BEEN INHABITED BY A HUMAN RACE ORGANIZED LIKE OUR OWN THAT SHE HAS PRODUCED ANIMALS ANATOMICALLY FORMED LIKE THE TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS


BUT I ADD THAT THESE RACES HUMAN AND ANIMAL HAVE HAD THEIR DAY AND ARE NOW FOREVER EXTINCT


RELATIVELY THE ORGANIZING FORCE OF MATTER HAS BEEN MUCH MORE VIOLENT IN THE INTERIOR OF THE MOON THAN IN THE INTERIOR OF THE TERRESTRIAL GLOBE THE ACTUAL STATE OF THIS CRACKED TWISTED AND BURST DISC ABUNDANTLY PROVES THIS


THE MOON AND THE EARTH WERE NOTHING BUT GASEOUS MASSES ORIGINALLY


CONTINUED BARBICANE AN ATMOSPHERE SURROUNDED IT


FOR EXAMPLE ITS DAYS AND NIGHTS OF THREE HUNDRED FIFTY FOUR HOURS AT THE TERRESTRIAL POLES THEY LAST SIX MONTHS SAID MICHEL AN ARGUMENT OF LITTLE VALUE SINCE THE POLES ARE NOT INHABITED LET US OBSERVE MY FRIENDS CONTINUED BARBICANE


THAT IF IN THE ACTUAL STATE OF THE MOON ITS LONG NIGHTS AND LONG DAYS CREATED DIFFERENCES OF TEMPERATURE INSUPPORTABLE TO ORGANIZATION IT WAS NOT SO AT THE HISTORICAL PERIOD OF TIME THE ATMOSPHERE ENVELOPED THE DISC WITH A FLUID MANTLE


VAPOR DEPOSITED ITSELF IN THE SHAPE OF CLOUDS THIS NATURAL SCREEN TEMPERED THE ARDOR OF THE SOLAR RAYS AND RETAINED THE NOCTURNAL RADIATION


LIGHT LIKE HEAT CAN DIFFUSE ITSELF IN THE AIR HENCE AN EQUALITY BETWEEN THE INFLUENCES WHICH NO LONGER EXISTS NOW THAT ATMOSPHERE HAS ALMOST ENTIRELY DISAPPEARED AND NOW I AM GOING TO ASTONISH YOU


ASTONISH US SAID MICHEL ARDAN I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT AT THE PERIOD WHEN THE MOON WAS INHABITED THE NIGHTS AND DAYS DID NOT LAST THREE HUNDRED FIFTY FOUR HOURS AND WHY


ASKED NICHOLL QUICKLY BECAUSE MOST PROBABLY THEN THE ROTARY MOTION OF THE MOON UPON HER AXIS WAS NOT EQUAL TO HER REVOLUTION AN EQUALITY WHICH PRESENTS EACH PART OF HER DISC DURING FIFTEEN DAYS TO THE ACTION OF THE SOLAR RAYS


GRANTED REPLIED NICHOLL BUT WHY SHOULD NOT THESE TWO MOTIONS HAVE BEEN EQUAL AS THEY ARE REALLY SO BECAUSE THAT EQUALITY HAS ONLY BEEN DETERMINED BY TERRESTRIAL ATTRACTION


AND WHO CAN SAY THAT THIS ATTRACTION WAS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO ALTER THE MOTION OF THE MOON AT THAT PERIOD WHEN THE EARTH WAS STILL FLUID JUST SO REPLIED NICHOLL AND WHO CAN SAY THAT THE MOON HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SATELLITE OF THE EARTH


EXCLAIMED MICHEL ARDAN THAT THE MOON DID NOT EXIST BEFORE THE EARTH THEIR IMAGINATIONS CARRIED THEM AWAY INTO AN INDEFINITE FIELD OF HYPOTHESIS BARBICANE SOUGHT TO RESTRAIN THEM


THOSE SPECULATIONS ARE TOO HIGH SAID HE PROBLEMS UTTERLY INSOLUBLE


LET US ONLY ADMIT THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRIMORDIAL ATTRACTION AND THEN BY THE INEQUALITY OF THE TWO MOTIONS OF ROTATION AND REVOLUTION


BESIDES EVEN WITHOUT THESE CONDITIONS LIFE WAS POSSIBLE AND SO ASKED MICHEL ARDAN HUMANITY HAS DISAPPEARED FROM THE MOON YES REPLIED BARBICANE


AFTER HAVING DOUBTLESS REMAINED PERSISTENTLY FOR MILLIONS OF CENTURIES


AS THE TERRESTRIAL GLOBE WILL ONE DAY BECOME BY COOLING BY COOLING CERTAINLY REPLIED BARBICANE AS THE INTERNAL FIRES BECAME EXTINGUISHED


AND THE INCANDESCENT MATTER CONCENTRATED ITSELF THE LUNAR CRUST COOLED BY DEGREES THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE PHENOMENA SHOWED THEMSELVES IN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ORGANIZED BEINGS AND BY THE DISAPPEARANCE OF VEGETATION SOON THE ATMOSPHERE WAS RAREFIED


PROBABLY WITHDRAWN BY TERRESTRIAL ATTRACTION THEN AERIAL DEPARTURE OF RESPIRABLE AIR AND DISAPPEARANCE OF WATER BY MEANS OF EVAPORATION AT THIS PERIOD THE MOON BECOMING UNINHABITABLE WAS NO LONGER INHABITED IT WAS A DEAD WORLD


AND HAVE THEY CALCULATED THE TIME WHICH OUR UNFORTUNATE SPHERE WILL TAKE TO COOL CERTAINLY AND YOU KNOW THESE CALCULATIONS PERFECTLY


BUT SPEAK THEN MY CLUMSY SAVANT EXCLAIMED MICHEL ARDAN FOR YOU MAKE ME BOIL WITH IMPATIENCE VERY WELL MY GOOD MICHEL REPLIED BARBICANE QUIETLY WE KNOW WHAT DIMINUTION OF TEMPERATURE THE EARTH UNDERGOES IN THE LAPSE OF A CENTURY


BE BROUGHT DOWN TO ZERO FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND YEARS EXCLAIMED MICHEL AH I BREATHE AGAIN REALLY I WAS FRIGHTENED TO HEAR YOU I IMAGINED THAT WE HAD NOT MORE THAN FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS TO LIVE


BARBICANE AND NICHOLL COULD NOT HELP LAUGHING AT THEIR COMPANION'S UNEASINESS


WHICH HAD JUST BEEN CONSIDERED AGAIN HAS THE MOON BEEN INHABITED HE ASKED THE ANSWER WAS UNANIMOUSLY IN THE AFFIRMATIVE BUT DURING THIS DISCUSSION FRUITFUL IN SOMEWHAT HAZARDOUS THEORIES


THE PROJECTILE WAS RAPIDLY LEAVING THE MOON THE LINEAMENTS FADED AWAY FROM THE TRAVELERS EYES MOUNTAINS WERE CONFUSED IN THE DISTANCE AND OF ALL THE WONDERFUL STRANGE AND FANTASTICAL FORM OF THE EARTH'S SATELLITE THERE SOON REMAINED NOTHING


THE GIRL WHO CAME INTO THE WORLD ON THAT NIGHT WHEN JESSE RAN THROUGH THE FIELDS CRYING TO GOD THAT HE BE GIVEN A SON HAD GROWN TO WOMANHOOD ON THE FARM


AND WHEN NOT ANGRY SHE WAS OFTEN MOROSE AND SILENT IN WINESBURG IT WAS SAID THAT SHE DRANK HER HUSBAND THE BANKER


BUT LOUISE COULD NOT BE MADE HAPPY SHE FLEW INTO HALF INSANE FITS OF TEMPER DURING WHICH SHE WAS SOMETIMES SILENT SOMETIMES NOISY AND QUARRELSOME SHE SWORE AND CRIED OUT IN HER ANGER SHE GOT A KNIFE FROM THE KITCHEN AND THREATENED HER HUSBAND'S LIFE


SOMETIMES ON SUMMER AFTERNOONS SHE CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND GOT INTO HER CARRIAGE DISMISSING THE DRIVER SHE TOOK THE REINS IN HER OWN HANDS AND DROVE OFF AT TOP SPEED THROUGH THE STREETS


TO THE PEOPLE OF THE TOWN IT SEEMED AS THOUGH SHE WANTED TO RUN THEM DOWN WHEN SHE HAD DRIVEN THROUGH SEVERAL STREETS TEARING AROUND CORNERS AND BEATING THE HORSES WITH THE WHIP SHE DROVE OFF INTO THE COUNTRY ON THE COUNTRY ROADS


SHE BECAME THOUGHTFUL AND MUTTERED WORDS SOMETIMES TEARS CAME INTO HER EYES


BUT FOR THE INFLUENCE OF HER HUSBAND AND THE RESPECT HE INSPIRED IN PEOPLE'S MINDS


HE WAS TOO YOUNG THEN TO HAVE OPINIONS OF HIS OWN ABOUT PEOPLE BUT AT TIMES IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HIM NOT TO HAVE VERY DEFINITE OPINIONS ABOUT THE WOMAN WHO WAS HIS MOTHER DAVID WAS ALWAYS A QUIET ORDERLY BOY


AND FOR A LONG TIME WAS THOUGHT BY THE PEOPLE OF WINESBURG TO BE SOMETHING OF A DULLARD HIS EYES WERE BROWN AND AS A CHILD HE HAD A HABIT OF LOOKING AT THINGS AND PEOPLE A LONG TIME WITHOUT APPEARING TO SEE WHAT HE WAS LOOKING AT


WHEN HE HEARD HIS MOTHER SPOKEN OF HARSHLY OR WHEN HE OVERHEARD HER BERATING HIS FATHER HE WAS FRIGHTENED AND RAN AWAY TO HIDE SOMETIMES HE COULD NOT FIND A HIDING PLACE AND THAT CONFUSED HIM


HE CLOSED HIS EYES AND TRIED NOT TO THINK OF ANYTHING HE HAD A HABIT OF TALKING ALOUD TO HIMSELF AND EARLY IN LIFE A SPIRIT OF QUIET SADNESS OFTEN TOOK POSSESSION OF HIM ON THE OCCASIONS WHEN DAVID WENT TO VISIT HIS GRANDFATHER ON THE BENTLEY FARM


SOMETHING HAPPENED TO DAVID HE COULD NOT BEAR TO GO INTO THE HOUSE WHERE HIS MOTHER AND FATHER LIVED AND ON AN IMPULSE HE DECIDED TO RUN AWAY FROM HOME


THE BOY'S IMAGINATION WAS EXCITED AND HE FANCIED THAT HE COULD SEE AND HEAR STRANGE THINGS IN THE DARKNESS INTO HIS MIND CAME THE CONVICTION THAT HE WAS WALKING AND RUNNING IN SOME TERRIBLE VOID WHERE NO ONE HAD EVER BEEN BEFORE


THE DARKNESS ABOUT HIM SEEMED LIMITLESS THE SOUND OF THE WIND BLOWING IN TREES WAS TERRIFYING WHEN A TEAM OF HORSES APPROACHED ALONG THE ROAD IN WHICH HE WALKED HE WAS FRIGHTENED AND CLIMBED A FENCE THROUGH A FIELD HE RAN UNTIL HE CAME


INTO ANOTHER ROAD AND GETTING UPON HIS KNEES FELT OF THE SOFT GROUND WITH HIS FINGERS BUT FOR THE FIGURE OF HIS GRANDFATHER WHOM HE WAS AFRAID HE WOULD NEVER FIND IN THE DARKNESS HE THOUGHT THE WORLD MUST BE ALTOGETHER EMPTY


WHEN HIS CRIES WERE HEARD BY A FARMER WHO WAS WALKING HOME FROM TOWN AND HE WAS BROUGHT BACK TO HIS FATHER'S HOUSE HE WAS SO TIRED AND EXCITED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO HIM BY CHANCE DAVID'S FATHER KNEW THAT HE HAD DISAPPEARED


ON THE STREET HE HAD MET THE FARM HAND FROM THE BENTLEY PLACE AND KNEW OF HIS SON'S RETURN TO TOWN WHEN THE BOY DID NOT COME HOME AN ALARM WAS SET UP AND JOHN HARDY WITH SEVERAL MEN OF THE TOWN WENT TO SEARCH THE COUNTRY


THE REPORT THAT DAVID HAD BEEN KIDNAPPED RAN ABOUT THROUGH THE STREETS OF WINESBURG WHEN HE CAME HOME THERE WERE NO LIGHTS IN THE HOUSE BUT HIS MOTHER APPEARED AND CLUTCHED HIM EAGERLY IN HER ARMS DAVID THOUGHT SHE HAD SUDDENLY BECOME ANOTHER WOMAN


FOR AN HOUR THE WOMAN SAT IN THE DARKNESS AND HELD HER BOY ALL THE TIME SHE KEPT TALKING IN A LOW VOICE DAVID COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD SO CHANGED HER HER HABITUALLY DISSATISFIED FACE HAD BECOME HE THOUGHT


THE MOST PEACEFUL AND LOVELY THING HE HAD EVER SEEN


ON AND ON WENT HER VOICE IT WAS NOT


BUT SHE MADE HIM HIDE AND BE SILENT UNTIL SHE HAD SENT THEM AWAY HE THOUGHT IT MUST BE A GAME HIS MOTHER AND THE MEN OF THE TOWN WERE PLAYING WITH HIM AND LAUGHED JOYOUSLY


INTO HIS MIND CAME THE THOUGHT THAT HIS HAVING BEEN LOST AND FRIGHTENED IN THE DARKNESS WAS AN ALTOGETHER UNIMPORTANT MATTER


HE THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD HAVE BEEN WILLING TO GO THROUGH THE FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE A THOUSAND TIMES TO BE SURE OF FINDING AT THE END OF THE LONG BLACK ROAD A THING SO LOVELY AS HIS MOTHER HAD SUDDENLY BECOME


DURING THE LAST YEARS OF YOUNG DAVID'S BOYHOOD HE SAW HIS MOTHER BUT SELDOM AND SHE BECAME FOR HIM JUST A WOMAN WITH WHOM HE HAD ONCE LIVED STILL HE COULD NOT GET HER FIGURE OUT OF HIS MIND AND AS HE GREW OLDER IT BECAME MORE DEFINITE


WHEN HE WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD HE WENT TO THE BENTLEY FARM TO LIVE OLD JESSE CAME INTO TOWN AND FAIRLY DEMANDED THAT HE BE GIVEN CHARGE OF THE BOY THE OLD MAN WAS EXCITED AND DETERMINED ON HAVING HIS OWN WAY HE TALKED TO JOHN HARDY


IT IS AN ATMOSPHERE NOT CORRUPTED BY MY PRESENCE SHE SAID SHARPLY


DIFFERENT WITH HIM LOUISE TURNED AND WENT OUT OF THE ROOM LEAVING THE TWO MEN TO SIT IN EMBARRASSED SILENCE AS VERY OFTEN HAPPENED SHE LATER STAYED IN HER ROOM FOR DAYS


EVEN WHEN THE BOY'S CLOTHES WERE PACKED AND HE WAS TAKEN AWAY SHE DID NOT APPEAR THE LOSS OF HER SON MADE A SHARP BREAK IN HER LIFE AND SHE SEEMED LESS INCLINED TO QUARREL WITH HER HUSBAND JOHN HARDY THOUGHT IT HAD ALL TURNED OUT VERY WELL INDEED


AND SO YOUNG DAVID WENT TO LIVE IN THE BENTLEY FARMHOUSE WITH JESSE TWO OF THE OLD FARMER'S SISTERS WERE ALIVE AND STILL LIVED IN THE HOUSE THEY WERE AFRAID OF JESSE AND RARELY SPOKE WHEN HE WAS ABOUT


ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN NOTED FOR HER FLAMING RED HAIR WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER WAS A BORN MOTHER AND BECAME THE BOY'S CARETAKER EVERY NIGHT WHEN HE HAD GONE TO BED SHE WENT INTO HIS ROOM AND SAT ON THE FLOOR


WHEN HE BECAME DROWSY SHE BECAME BOLD AND WHISPERED THINGS THAT HE LATER THOUGHT HE MUST HAVE DREAMED HER SOFT LOW VOICE CALLED HIM ENDEARING NAMES


AND HE DREAMED THAT HIS MOTHER HAD COME TO HIM AND THAT SHE HAD CHANGED SO THAT SHE WAS ALWAYS AS SHE HAD BEEN THAT TIME AFTER HE RAN AWAY HE ALSO GREW BOLD AND REACHING OUT HIS HAND STROKED THE FACE OF THE WOMAN ON THE FLOOR SO THAT SHE WAS ECSTATICALLY HAPPY


BEGAN TO THINK THAT AT LAST HIS PRAYERS HAD BEEN ANSWERED ALTHOUGH HE WAS AT THAT TIME ONLY FIFTY FIVE YEARS OLD HE LOOKED SEVENTY AND WAS WORN OUT WITH MUCH THINKING AND SCHEMING


THE EFFORT HE HAD MADE TO EXTEND HIS LAND HOLDINGS HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND THERE WERE FEW FARMS IN THE VALLEY THAT DID NOT BELONG TO HIM BUT UNTIL DAVID CAME HE WAS A BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED MAN


THERE WERE TWO INFLUENCES AT WORK IN JESSE BENTLEY AND ALL HIS LIFE HIS MIND HAD BEEN A BATTLEGROUND FOR THESE INFLUENCES FIRST THERE WAS THE OLD THING IN HIM HE WANTED TO BE A MAN OF GOD AND A LEADER AMONG MEN OF GOD


HIS WALKING IN THE FIELDS AND THROUGH THE FORESTS AT NIGHT HAD BROUGHT HIM CLOSE TO NATURE AND THERE WERE FORCES IN THE PASSIONATELY RELIGIOUS MAN THAT RAN OUT TO THE FORCES IN NATURE THE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT HAD COME TO HIM WHEN A DAUGHTER


BUT HE NO LONGER DEMANDED SUCH RECOGNITION INSTEAD HE PRAYED FOR IT SOMETIMES HE WAS ALTOGETHER DOUBTFUL AND THOUGHT GOD HAD DESERTED THE WORLD


HE HAD GROWN INTO MATURITY IN AMERICA IN THE YEARS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR AND HE LIKE ALL MEN OF HIS TIME HAD BEEN TOUCHED BY THE DEEP INFLUENCES THAT WERE AT WORK IN THE COUNTRY DURING THOSE YEARS WHEN MODERN INDUSTRIALISM WAS BEING BORN


JESSE FORMED THE HABIT OF READING NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES HE INVENTED A MACHINE FOR THE MAKING OF FENCE OUT OF WIRE FAINTLY HE REALIZED THAT THE ATMOSPHERE OF OLD TIMES AND PLACES THAT HE HAD


ALWAYS CULTIVATED IN HIS OWN MIND WAS STRANGE AND FOREIGN TO THE THING THAT WAS GROWING UP IN THE MINDS OF OTHERS THE BEGINNING OF THE MOST MATERIALISTIC AGE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD WHEN WARS WOULD BE FOUGHT WITHOUT PATRIOTISM WHEN MEN WOULD FORGET GOD AND


ONLY PAY ATTENTION TO MORAL STANDARDS WHEN THE WILL TO POWER WOULD REPLACE THE WILL TO SERVE AND BEAUTY WOULD BE WELL NIGH FORGOTTEN IN THE TERRIBLE HEADLONG RUSH OF MANKIND TOWARD THE ACQUIRING OF POSSESSIONS WAS TELLING ITS STORY TO JESSE THE MAN OF GOD


AS IT WAS TO THE MEN ABOUT HIM THE GREEDY THING IN HIM WANTED TO MAKE MONEY FASTER THAN IT COULD BE MADE BY TILLING THE LAND MORE THAN ONCE HE WENT INTO WINESBURG TO TALK WITH HIS SON IN LAW JOHN HARDY ABOUT IT YOU ARE A BANKER AND YOU WILL HAVE CHANCES I NEVER HAD


BIG THINGS ARE GOING TO BE DONE IN THE COUNTRY


YOU GET INTO IT I WISH I WERE YOUNGER AND HAD YOUR CHANCE


AT ONE TIME IN HIS LIFE HE HAD BEEN THREATENED WITH PARALYSIS AND HIS LEFT SIDE REMAINED SOMEWHAT WEAKENED AS HE TALKED HIS LEFT EYELID TWITCHED LATER


AND THE STARS CAME OUT IT WAS HARDER TO GET BACK THE OLD FEELING OF A CLOSE AND PERSONAL GOD WHO LIVED IN THE SKY OVERHEAD AND WHO MIGHT AT ANY MOMENT REACH OUT HIS HAND TOUCH HIM ON THE SHOULDER


AND IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT GOD HAD AT LAST LOOKED WITH FAVOR UPON HIM AS FOR THE BOY ON THE FARM LIFE BEGAN TO REVEAL ITSELF TO HIM IN A THOUSAND NEW AND DELIGHTFUL WAYS THE KINDLY ATTITUDE OF ALL ABOUT HIM EXPANDED HIS QUIET NATURE


AND HE LOST THE HALF TIMID HESITATING MANNER HE HAD ALWAYS HAD WITH HIS PEOPLE AT NIGHT WHEN HE WENT TO BED AFTER A LONG DAY OF ADVENTURES IN THE STABLES IN THE FIELDS OR DRIVING ABOUT FROM FARM TO FARM WITH HIS GRANDFATHER HE WANTED TO EMBRACE EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE


IF SHERLEY BENTLEY THE WOMAN WHO CAME EACH NIGHT TO SIT ON THE FLOOR BY HIS BEDSIDE DID NOT APPEAR AT ONCE HE WENT TO THE HEAD OF THE STAIRS AND SHOUTED HIS YOUNG VOICE RINGING THROUGH THE NARROW HALLS WHERE FOR SO LONG THERE HAD BEEN A TRADITION OF SILENCE IN THE MORNING WHEN HE AWOKE AND LAY STILL IN BED


THE SOUNDS THAT CAME IN TO HIM THROUGH THE WINDOWS FILLED HIM WITH DELIGHT HE THOUGHT WITH A SHUDDER OF THE LIFE IN THE HOUSE IN WINESBURG AND OF HIS MOTHER'S ANGRY VOICE THAT HAD ALWAYS MADE HIM TREMBLE THERE IN THE COUNTRY ALL SOUNDS WERE PLEASANT SOUNDS


WHEN HE AWOKE AT DAWN THE BARNYARD BACK OF THE HOUSE ALSO AWOKE IN THE HOUSE PEOPLE STIRRED ABOUT ELIZA STOUGHTON THE HALF WITTED GIRL WAS POKED IN THE RIBS BY A FARM HAND AND GIGGLED NOISILY IN SOME DISTANT FIELD A COW BAWLED AND WAS ANSWERED


BY THE CATTLE IN THE STABLES AND ONE OF THE FARM HANDS SPOKE SHARPLY TO THE HORSE HE WAS GROOMING BY THE STABLE DOOR DAVID LEAPED OUT OF BED AND RAN TO A WINDOW ALL OF THE PEOPLE STIRRING ABOUT EXCITED HIS MIND AND HE WONDERED WHAT HIS MOTHER WAS DOING


SIX SEVEN HE SAID SLOWLY WETTING HIS FINGER AND MAKING STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN MARKS ON THE WINDOW LEDGE DAVID RAN TO PUT ON HIS TROUSERS AND SHIRT A FEVERISH DESIRE TO GET OUT OF DOORS TOOK POSSESSION OF HIM


WHEN HE HAD RUN THROUGH THE LONG OLD HOUSE SHUTTING THE DOORS BEHIND HIM WITH A BANG HE CAME INTO THE BARNYARD AND LOOKED ABOUT WITH AN AMAZED AIR OF EXPECTANCY


HENRY STRADER AN OLD MAN WHO HAD BEEN ON THE FARM SINCE JESSE CAME INTO POSSESSION AND WHO BEFORE DAVID'S TIME HAD NEVER BEEN KNOWN TO MAKE A JOKE MADE THE SAME JOKE EVERY MORNING IT AMUSED DAVID SO THAT HE LAUGHED AND CLAPPED HIS HANDS


THEY RODE IN A COMFORTABLE OLD PHAETON DRAWN BY THE WHITE HORSE THE OLD MAN SCRATCHED HIS THIN WHITE BEARD AND TALKED TO HIMSELF OF HIS PLANS FOR INCREASING THE PRODUCTIVENESS OF THE FIELDS THEY VISITED AND OF GOD'S PART IN THE PLANS ALL MEN MADE


SOMETIMES HE LOOKED AT DAVID AND SMILED HAPPILY AND THEN FOR A LONG TIME HE APPEARED TO FORGET THE BOY'S EXISTENCE


WHEN HE HAD FIRST COME OUT OF THE CITY TO LIVE ON THE LAND


JESSE AND HIS GRANDSON WERE DRIVING IN A DISTANT PART OF THE VALLEY SOME MILES FROM HOME A FOREST CAME DOWN TO THE ROAD AND THROUGH THE FOREST WINE CREEK WRIGGLED ITS WAY OVER STONES TOWARD A DISTANT RIVER


ALL THE AFTERNOON JESSE HAD BEEN IN A MEDITATIVE MOOD AND NOW HE BEGAN TO TALK HIS MIND WENT BACK TO THE NIGHT WHEN HE HAD BEEN FRIGHTENED BY THOUGHTS OF A GIANT THAT MIGHT COME TO ROB AND PLUNDER HIM OF HIS POSSESSIONS


AND AGAIN AS ON THAT NIGHT WHEN HE HAD RUN THROUGH THE FIELDS CRYING FOR A SON HE BECAME EXCITED TO THE EDGE OF INSANITY


WHEN A RABBIT JUMPED UP AND RAN AWAY THROUGH THE WOODS HE CLAPPED HIS HANDS AND DANCED WITH DELIGHT


JESSE BENTLEY WENT ALONG UNDER THE TREES WITH HIS HEAD BOWED AND WITH HIS MIND IN A FERMENT HIS EARNESTNESS AFFECTED THE BOY WHO PRESENTLY BECAME SILENT AND A LITTLE ALARMED


THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE BOY AND MAN ON THEIR KNEES IN SOME LONELY SPOT IN THE FOREST WOULD MAKE THE MIRACLE HE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR ALMOST INEVITABLE


IT WAS IN JUST SUCH A PLACE AS THIS THAT OTHER DAVID TENDED THE SHEEP WHEN HIS FATHER CAME AND TOLD HIM TO GO DOWN UNTO SAUL HE MUTTERED


HE CLIMBED OVER A FALLEN LOG AND WHEN HE HAD COME TO AN OPEN PLACE AMONG THE TREES HE DROPPED UPON HIS KNEES AND BEGAN TO PRAY IN A LOUD VOICE A KIND OF TERROR HE HAD NEVER KNOWN BEFORE TOOK POSSESSION OF DAVID


IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT HE WAS IN THE PRESENCE NOT ONLY OF HIS GRANDFATHER BUT OF SOMEONE ELSE SOMEONE WHO MIGHT HURT HIM SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT KINDLY BUT DANGEROUS AND BRUTAL


WHEN JESSE BENTLEY ABSORBED IN HIS OWN IDEA SUDDENLY AROSE AND ADVANCED TOWARD HIM HIS TERROR GREW UNTIL HIS WHOLE BODY SHOOK IN THE WOODS AN INTENSE SILENCE SEEMED TO LIE OVER EVERYTHING AND SUDDENLY OUT OF THE SILENCE CAME THE OLD MAN'S HARSH AND INSISTENT VOICE


GRIPPING THE BOY'S SHOULDERS JESSE TURNED HIS FACE TO THE SKY AND SHOUTED THE WHOLE LEFT SIDE OF HIS FACE TWITCHED AND HIS HAND ON THE BOY'S SHOULDER TWITCHED ALSO MAKE A SIGN TO ME GOD HE CRIED HERE I STAND WITH THE BOY DAVID


COME DOWN TO ME OUT OF THE SKY AND MAKE THY PRESENCE KNOWN TO ME WITH A CRY OF FEAR DAVID TURNED AND SHAKING HIMSELF LOOSE FROM THE HANDS THAT HELD HIM RAN AWAY THROUGH THE FOREST


THE MAN DID NOT LOOK LIKE HIS GRANDFATHER THE CONVICTION THAT SOMETHING STRANGE AND TERRIBLE HAD HAPPENED THAT BY SOME MIRACLE A NEW AND DANGEROUS PERSON HAD COME INTO THE BODY OF THE KINDLY OLD MAN TOOK POSSESSION OF HIM


ON AND ON HE RAN DOWN THE HILLSIDE SOBBING AS HE RAN WHEN HE FELL OVER THE ROOTS OF A TREE AND IN FALLING STRUCK HIS HEAD


AND HE AWOKE TO FIND THE OLD MAN'S HAND STROKING HIS HEAD TENDERLY THAT THE TERROR LEFT HIM


STEVENTON IS A SMALL RURAL VILLAGE UPON THE CHALK HILLS OF NORTH HANTS SITUATED IN A WINDING VALLEY ABOUT SEVEN MILES FROM BASINGSTOKE THE SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY CROSSES IT BY A SHORT EMBANKMENT


AND AS IT CURVES ROUND PRESENTS A GOOD VIEW OF IT ON THE LEFT HAND TO THOSE WHO ARE TRAVELLING DOWN THE LINE ABOUT THREE MILES BEFORE ENTERING THE TUNNEL UNDER POPHAM BEACON IT MAY BE KNOWN TO SOME SPORTSMEN AS LYING IN ONE OF THE BEST PORTIONS OF THE VINE HUNT


IT IS CERTAINLY NOT A PICTURESQUE COUNTRY IT PRESENTS NO GRAND OR EXTENSIVE VIEWS BUT THE FEATURES ARE SMALL RATHER THAN PLAIN THE SURFACE CONTINUALLY SWELLS AND SINKS BUT THE HILLS ARE NOT BOLD NOR THE VALLEYS DEEP


AND THOUGH IT IS SUFFICIENTLY WELL CLOTHED WITH WOODS AND HEDGEROWS YET THE POVERTY OF THE SOIL IN MOST PLACES PREVENTS THE TIMBER FROM ATTAINING A LARGE SIZE STILL IT HAS ITS BEAUTIES THE LANES WIND ALONG IN A NATURAL CURVE


CONTINUALLY FRINGED WITH IRREGULAR BORDERS OF NATIVE TURF AND LEAD TO PLEASANT NOOKS AND CORNERS ONE WHO KNEW AND LOVED IT WELL VERY HAPPILY EXPRESSED ITS QUIET CHARMS WHEN HE WROTE TRUE TASTE IS NOT FASTIDIOUS


NOR REJECTS BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT COME WITHIN THE RULE OF COMPOSITION PURE AND PICTURESQUE UNNUMBERED SIMPLE SCENES WHICH FILL THE LEAVES OF NATURE'S SKETCH BOOK OF THIS SOMEWHAT TAME COUNTRY STEVENTON FROM THE FALL OF THE GROUND AND THE ABUNDANCE OF ITS TIMBER


IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE PRETTIEST SPOTS


COMPARED WITH THE BROAD RIVER THE RICH VALLEY AND THE NOBLE HILLS WHICH SHE HAD BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO BEHOLD AT HER NATIVE HOME NEAR HENLEY UPON THAMES THE HOUSE ITSELF STOOD IN A SHALLOW VALLEY SURROUNDED BY SLOPING MEADOWS WELL SPRINKLED WITH ELM TREES AT THE END OF A SMALL VILLAGE OF COTTAGES


EACH WELL PROVIDED WITH A GARDEN SCATTERED ABOUT PRETTILY ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROAD IT WAS SUFFICIENTLY COMMODIOUS TO HOLD PUPILS IN ADDITION TO A GROWING FAMILY AND WAS IN THOSE TIMES CONSIDERED TO BE ABOVE THE AVERAGE OF PARSONAGES


NO CORNICE MARKED THE JUNCTION OF WALL AND CEILING WHILE THE BEAMS WHICH SUPPORTED THE UPPER FLOORS PROJECTED INTO THE ROOMS BELOW IN ALL THEIR NAKED SIMPLICITY COVERED ONLY BY A COAT OF PAINT OR WHITEWASH


AND ABOUT FORTY FIVE YEARS AGO IT WAS PULLED DOWN FOR THE PURPOSE OF ERECTING A NEW HOUSE IN A FAR BETTER SITUATION ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VALLEY


ON THE SOUTH SIDE THE GROUND ROSE GENTLY AND WAS OCCUPIED BY ONE OF THOSE OLD FASHIONED GARDENS IN WHICH VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS ARE COMBINED FLANKED AND PROTECTED ON THE EAST BY ONE OF THE THATCHED MUD WALLS COMMON IN THAT COUNTRY AND OVERSHADOWED BY FINE ELMS


ALONG THE UPPER OR SOUTHERN SIDE OF THIS GARDEN RAN A TERRACE OF THE FINEST TURF


BUT THE CHIEF BEAUTY OF STEVENTON CONSISTED IN ITS HEDGEROWS A HEDGEROW IN THAT COUNTRY DOES NOT MEAN A THIN FORMAL LINE OF QUICKSET BUT AN IRREGULAR BORDER OF COPSE WOOD AND TIMBER OFTEN WIDE ENOUGH TO CONTAIN WITHIN IT A WINDING FOOTPATH OR A ROUGH CART TRACK


AND NOW AND THEN THE UNWELCOME ADDER TWO SUCH HEDGEROWS RADIATED AS IT WERE FROM THE PARSONAGE GARDEN ONE A CONTINUATION OF THE TURF TERRACE PROCEEDED WESTWARD FORMING THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE HOME MEADOWS


AND WAS FORMED INTO A RUSTIC SHRUBBERY WITH OCCASIONAL SEATS ENTITLED THE WOOD WALK THE OTHER RAN STRAIGHT UP THE HILL UNDER THE NAME OF THE CHURCH WALK BECAUSE IT LED TO THE PARISH CHURCH


WHO HAVE FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY RENTED IT TOGETHER WITH THE CHIEF FARM IN THE PARISH THE CHURCH ITSELF I SPEAK OF IT AS IT THEN WAS BEFORE THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE BY THE PRESENT RECTOR


MIGHT HAVE APPEARED MEAN AND UNINTERESTING TO AN ORDINARY OBSERVER BUT THE ADEPT IN CHURCH ARCHITECTURE WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT IT MUST HAVE STOOD THERE SOME SEVEN CENTURIES AND WOULD HAVE FOUND BEAUTY IN THE VERY NARROW EARLY ENGLISH WINDOWS


WHILE ITS SOLITARY POSITION FAR FROM THE HUM OF THE VILLAGE AND WITHIN SIGHT OF NO HABITATION EXCEPT A GLIMPSE OF THE GRAY MANOR HOUSE THROUGH ITS CIRCLING SCREEN OF SYCAMORES HAS IN IT SOMETHING SOLEMN AND APPROPRIATE TO THE LAST RESTING PLACE OF THE SILENT DEAD


SWEET VIOLETS BOTH PURPLE AND WHITE GROW IN ABUNDANCE BENEATH ITS SOUTH WALL ONE MAY IMAGINE FOR HOW MANY CENTURIES THE ANCESTORS OF THOSE LITTLE FLOWERS HAVE OCCUPIED THAT UNDISTURBED SUNNY NOOK


THICK COMING FANCIES ROSE IN HER MIND AND GRADUALLY ASSUMED THE FORMS IN WHICH THEY CAME FORTH TO THE WORLD


THE FAMILY WAS UNBROKEN BY DEATH AND SELDOM VISITED BY SORROW THEIR SITUATION HAD SOME PECULIAR ADVANTAGES BEYOND THOSE OF ORDINARY RECTORIES STEVENTON WAS A FAMILY LIVING MISTER KNIGHT THE PATRON WAS ALSO PROPRIETOR OF NEARLY THE WHOLE PARISH


THEY SHARED WITH THE PRINCIPAL TENANT THE COMMAND OF AN EXCELLENT MANOR AND ENJOYED IN THIS REFLECTED WAY SOME OF THE CONSIDERATION USUALLY AWARDED TO LANDED PROPRIETORS


THEY HAD ENOUGH TO AFFORD A GOOD EDUCATION TO THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO MIX IN THE BEST SOCIETY OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD AND TO EXERCISE A LIBERAL HOSPITALITY TO THEIR OWN RELATIONS AND FRIENDS A CARRIAGE AND A PAIR OF HORSES WERE KEPT


THIS MIGHT IMPLY A HIGHER STYLE OF LIVING IN OUR DAYS THAN IT DID IN THEIRS THERE WERE THEN NO ASSESSED TAXES THE CARRIAGE ONCE BOUGHT ENTAILED LITTLE FURTHER EXPENSE AND THE HORSES PROBABLY LIKE MISTER BENNET'S WERE OFTEN EMPLOYED ON FARM WORK


MOREOVER IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED THAT A PAIR OF HORSES IN THOSE DAYS WERE ALMOST NECESSARY IF LADIES WERE TO MOVE ABOUT AT ALL


WHEN ONE LOOKS AT THE FEW SPECIMENS STILL REMAINING OF COACH BUILDING IN THE LAST CENTURY IT STRIKES ONE THAT THE CHIEF OBJECT OF THE BUILDERS MUST HAVE BEEN TO COMBINE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE WEIGHT WITH THE LEAST POSSIBLE AMOUNT OF ACCOMMODATION


THE FAMILY LIVED IN CLOSE INTIMACY WITH TWO COUSINS EDWARD AND JANE COOPER THE CHILDREN OF MISSUS AUSTEN'S ELDEST SISTER AND DOCTOR COOPER THE VICAR OF SONNING NEAR READING THE COOPERS LIVED FOR SOME YEARS AT BATH


I BELIEVE THAT CASSANDRA AND JANE SOMETIMES VISITED THEM THERE AND THAT JANE THUS ACQUIRED THE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TOPOGRAPHY AND CUSTOMS OF BATH WHICH ENABLED HER TO WRITE NORTHANGER ABBEY LONG BEFORE SHE RESIDED THERE HERSELF


AFTER THE DEATH OF THEIR OWN PARENTS THE TWO YOUNG COOPERS PAID LONG VISITS AT STEVENTON EDWARD COOPER DID NOT LIVE UNDISTINGUISHED


AND IN LATER LIFE HE WAS KNOWN BY A WORK ON PROPHECY CALLED THE CRISIS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS ESPECIALLY FOR SEVERAL VOLUMES OF SERMONS MUCH PREACHED IN MANY PULPITS IN MY YOUTH


JANE COOPER WAS MARRIED FROM HER UNCLE'S HOUSE AT STEVENTON TO CAPTAIN AFTERWARDS SIR THOMAS WILLIAMS UNDER WHOM CHARLES AUSTEN SERVED IN SEVERAL SHIPS SHE WAS A DEAR FRIEND OF HER NAMESAKE


BUT WAS FATED TO BECOME A CAUSE OF GREAT SORROW TO HER FOR A FEW YEARS AFTER THE MARRIAGE SHE WAS SUDDENLY KILLED BY AN ACCIDENT TO HER CARRIAGE THERE WAS ANOTHER COUSIN CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AT STEVENTON


WHO MUST HAVE INTRODUCED GREATER VARIETY INTO THE FAMILY CIRCLE THIS WAS THE DAUGHTER OF MISTER AUSTEN'S ONLY SISTER MISSUS HANCOCK


OF WHOM I KNOW LITTLE MORE THAN THAT HE PERISHED BY THE GUILLOTINE DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION PERHAPS HIS CHIEF OFFENCE WAS HIS RANK BUT IT WAS SAID THAT THE CHARGE OF INCIVISM UNDER WHICH HE SUFFERED RESTED ON THE FACT OF HIS HAVING LAID DOWN SOME ARABLE LAND INTO PASTURE


HIS WIFE ESCAPED THROUGH DANGERS AND DIFFICULTIES TO ENGLAND WAS RECEIVED FOR SOME TIME INTO HER UNCLE'S FAMILY AND FINALLY MARRIED HER COUSIN HENRY AUSTEN


SHE AND HER SECOND HUSBAND WENT TO FRANCE IN THE HOPE OF RECOVERING SOME OF THE COUNT'S PROPERTY AND THERE NARROWLY ESCAPED BEING INCLUDED AMONGST THE DETENUS ORDERS HAD BEEN GIVEN BY BUONAPARTE'S GOVERNMENT TO DETAIN ALL ENGLISH TRAVELLERS


BUT AT THE POST HOUSES MISSUS HENRY AUSTEN GAVE THE NECESSARY ORDERS HERSELF AND HER FRENCH WAS SO PERFECT THAT SHE PASSED EVERYWHERE FOR A NATIVE


SHE WAS A CLEVER WOMAN AND HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED AFTER THE FRENCH RATHER THAN THE ENGLISH MODE AND IN THOSE DAYS WHEN INTERCOURSE WITH THE CONTINENT WAS LONG INTERRUPTED BY WAR SUCH AN ELEMENT IN THE SOCIETY OF A COUNTRY PARSONAGE MUST HAVE BEEN A RARE ACQUISITION


THE SISTERS MAY HAVE BEEN MORE INDEBTED TO THIS COUSIN THAN TO MISSUS LA TOURNELLE'S TEACHING FOR THE CONSIDERABLE KNOWLEDGE OF FRENCH WHICH THEY POSSESSED SHE ALSO TOOK THE PRINCIPAL PARTS IN THE PRIVATE THEATRICALS IN WHICH THE FAMILY SEVERAL TIMES INDULGED


HAVING THEIR SUMMER THEATRE IN THE BARN AND THEIR WINTER ONE WITHIN THE NARROW LIMITS OF THE DINING ROOM WHERE THE NUMBER OF THE AUDIENCE MUST HAVE BEEN VERY LIMITED ON THESE OCCASIONS THE PROLOGUES AND EPILOGUES WERE WRITTEN BY JANE'S ELDEST BROTHER


AND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY VIGOROUS AND AMUSING JANE WAS ONLY TWELVE YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF THE EARLIEST OF THESE REPRESENTATIONS AND NOT MORE THAN FIFTEEN WHEN THE LAST TOOK PLACE SHE WAS HOWEVER AN EARLY OBSERVER


AND IT MAY BE REASONABLY SUPPOSED THAT SOME OF THE INCIDENTS AND FEELINGS WHICH ARE SO VIVIDLY PAINTED IN THE MANSFIELD PARK THEATRICALS ARE DUE TO HER RECOLLECTIONS OF THESE ENTERTAINMENTS SOME TIME BEFORE THEY LEFT STEVENTON ONE GREAT AFFLICTION CAME UPON THE FAMILY


HE ACCOMPANIED THIS FRIEND TO THE WEST INDIES AS CHAPLAIN TO HIS REGIMENT AND THERE DIED OF YELLOW FEVER TO THE GREAT CONCERN OF HIS FRIEND AND PATRON WHO AFTERWARDS DECLARED THAT IF HE HAD KNOWN OF THE ENGAGEMENT HE WOULD NOT HAVE PERMITTED HIM TO GO OUT TO SUCH A CLIMATE


THIS LITTLE DOMESTIC TRAGEDY CAUSED GREAT AND LASTING GRIEF TO THE PRINCIPAL SUFFERER AND COULD NOT BUT CAST A GLOOM OVER THE WHOLE PARTY THE SYMPATHY OF JANE WAS PROBABLY FROM HER AGE AND HER PECULIAR ATTACHMENT TO HER SISTER


HER REVIEWER IN THE QUARTERLY OF JANUARY EIGHTEEN TWENTY ONE OBSERVES CONCERNING THE ATTACHMENT OF FANNY PRICE TO EDMUND BERTRAM THE SILENCE IN WHICH THIS PASSION IS CHERISHED THE SLENDER HOPES AND ENJOYMENTS BY WHICH IT IS FED


THE RESTLESSNESS AND JEALOUSY WITH WHICH IT FILLS A MIND NATURALLY ACTIVE CONTENTED AND UNSUSPICIOUS THE MANNER IN WHICH IT TINGES EVERY EVENT AND EVERY REFLECTION ARE PAINTED WITH A VIVIDNESS AND A DETAIL OF WHICH WE CAN SCARCELY CONCEIVE ANY ONE BUT A FEMALE


AND WE SHOULD ALMOST ADD A FEMALE WRITING FROM RECOLLECTION CAPABLE THIS CONJECTURE HOWEVER PROBABLE WAS WIDE OF THE MARK THE PICTURE WAS DRAWN FROM THE INTUITIVE PERCEPTIONS OF GENIUS NOT FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE


IN NO CIRCUMSTANCE OF HER LIFE WAS THERE ANY SIMILARITY BETWEEN HERSELF AND HER HEROINE IN MANSFIELD PARK


IN HER YOUTH SHE HAD DECLINED THE ADDRESSES OF A GENTLEMAN WHO HAD THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF GOOD CHARACTER AND CONNECTIONS AND POSITION IN LIFE OF EVERYTHING IN FACT EXCEPT THE SUBTLE POWER OF TOUCHING HER HEART


THERE IS HOWEVER ONE PASSAGE OF ROMANCE IN HER HISTORY WITH WHICH I AM IMPERFECTLY ACQUAINTED AND TO WHICH I AM UNABLE TO ASSIGN NAME OR DATE OR PLACE THOUGH I HAVE IT ON SUFFICIENT AUTHORITY


MANY YEARS AFTER HER DEATH SOME CIRCUMSTANCES INDUCED HER SISTER CASSANDRA TO BREAK THROUGH HER HABITUAL RETICENCE AND TO SPEAK OF IT


WHOSE CHARM OF PERSON MIND AND MANNERS WAS SUCH THAT CASSANDRA THOUGHT HIM WORTHY TO POSSESS AND LIKELY TO WIN HER SISTER'S LOVE WHEN THEY PARTED


AND CASSANDRA FELT NO DOUBT AS TO HIS MOTIVES BUT THEY NEVER AGAIN MET WITHIN A SHORT TIME THEY HEARD OF HIS SUDDEN DEATH I BELIEVE THAT IF JANE EVER LOVED IT WAS THIS UNNAMED GENTLEMAN BUT THE ACQUAINTANCE HAD BEEN SHORT


ANY DESCRIPTION THAT I MIGHT ATTEMPT OF THE FAMILY LIFE AT STEVENTON WHICH CLOSED SOON AFTER I WAS BORN COULD BE LITTLE BETTER THAN A FANCY PIECE


WOULD SEEM STRANGE TO US AND SHOULD MISS MANY MORE TO WHICH WE ARE ACCUSTOMED EVERY HUNDRED YEARS AND ESPECIALLY A CENTURY LIKE THE LAST MARKED BY AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVANCE IN WEALTH LUXURY AND REFINEMENT OF TASTE AS WELL AS IN THE MECHANICAL ARTS WHICH EMBELLISH OUR HOUSES


MUST PRODUCE A GREAT CHANGE IN THEIR ASPECT THESE CHANGES ARE ALWAYS AT WORK THEY ARE GOING ON NOW BUT SO SILENTLY THAT WE TAKE NO NOTE OF THEM MEN SOON FORGET THE SMALL OBJECTS WHICH THEY LEAVE BEHIND THEM AS THEY DRIFT DOWN THE STREAM OF LIFE


AS POPE SAYS NOR DOES LIFE'S STREAM FOR OBSERVATION STAY IT HURRIES ALL TOO FAST TO MARK THEIR WAY IMPORTANT INVENTIONS SUCH AS THE APPLICATIONS OF STEAM GAS AND ELECTRICITY MAY FIND THEIR PLACES IN HISTORY


WHO CAN NOW RECORD THE DEGREES BY WHICH THE CUSTOM PREVALENT IN MY YOUTH OF ASKING EACH OTHER TO TAKE WINE TOGETHER AT DINNER BECAME OBSOLETE WHO WILL BE ABLE TO FIX TWENTY YEARS HENCE THE DATE WHEN OUR DINNERS BEGAN TO BE CARVED AND HANDED ROUND BY SERVANTS


INSTEAD OF SMOKING BEFORE OUR EYES AND NOSES ON THE TABLE TO RECORD SUCH LITTLE MATTERS WOULD INDEED BE TO CHRONICLE SMALL BEER


BUT WHICH THE HISTORIAN HAS THE GREATEST DIFFICULTY IN RECOVERING AT THAT TIME THE DINNER TABLE PRESENTED A FAR LESS SPLENDID APPEARANCE THAN IT DOES NOW IT WAS APPROPRIATED TO SOLID FOOD RATHER THAN TO FLOWERS FRUITS AND DECORATIONS


NOR WAS THERE MUCH GLITTER OF PLATE UPON IT FOR THE EARLY DINNER HOUR RENDERED CANDLESTICKS UNNECESSARY


THOUGH NOT LESS PLENTIFUL AND SAVOURY AND THE BILL OF FARE IN ONE HOUSE WOULD NOT BE SO LIKE THAT IN ANOTHER AS IT IS NOW FOR FAMILY RECEIPTS WERE HELD IN HIGH ESTIMATION


AND MIGHT INFLUENCE THE FAMILY DINNER FOR MANY GENERATIONS


ONE HOUSE WOULD PRIDE ITSELF ON ITS HAM ANOTHER ON ITS GAME PIE AND A THIRD ON ITS SUPERIOR FURMITY OR TANSEY PUDDING BEER AND HOME MADE WINES ESPECIALLY MEAD WERE MORE LARGELY CONSUMED VEGETABLES WERE LESS PLENTIFUL AND LESS VARIOUS


POTATOES WERE USED BUT NOT SO ABUNDANTLY AS NOW AND THERE WAS AN IDEA THAT THEY WERE TO BE EATEN ONLY WITH ROAST MEAT THEY WERE NOVELTIES TO A TENANT'S WIFE WHO WAS ENTERTAINED AT STEVENTON PARSONAGE CERTAINLY LESS THAN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO


AND WHEN MISSUS AUSTEN ADVISED HER TO PLANT THEM IN HER OWN GARDEN SHE REPLIED NO NO THEY ARE VERY WELL FOR YOU GENTRY BUT THEY MUST BE TERRIBLY COSTLY TO REAR BUT A STILL GREATER DIFFERENCE WOULD BE FOUND IN THE FURNITURE OF THE ROOMS


WHICH WOULD APPEAR TO US LAMENTABLY SCANTY THERE WAS A GENERAL DEFICIENCY OF CARPETING IN SITTING ROOMS BED ROOMS AND PASSAGES A PIANOFORTE OR RATHER A SPINNET OR HARPSICHORD WAS BY NO MEANS A NECESSARY APPENDAGE


IT WAS TO BE FOUND ONLY WHERE THERE WAS A DECIDED TASTE FOR MUSIC NOT SO COMMON THEN AS NOW OR IN SUCH GREAT HOUSES AS WOULD PROBABLY CONTAIN A BILLIARD TABLE THERE WOULD OFTEN BE BUT ONE SOFA IN THE HOUSE AND THAT A STIFF ANGULAR


UNCOMFORTABLE ARTICLE THERE WERE NO DEEP EASY CHAIRS NOR OTHER APPLIANCES FOR LOUNGING FOR TO LIE DOWN OR EVEN TO LEAN BACK WAS A LUXURY PERMITTED ONLY TO OLD PERSONS OR INVALIDS


AND A MODEL GENTLEMAN OF HIS DAY THAT HE WOULD HAVE MADE THE TOUR OF EUROPE WITHOUT EVER TOUCHING THE BACK OF HIS TRAVELLING CARRIAGE BUT PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE MOST STRUCK WITH THE TOTAL ABSENCE OF THOSE ELEGANT LITTLE ARTICLES WHICH NOW EMBELLISH AND ENCUMBER OUR DRAWING ROOM TABLES


WE SHOULD MISS THE SLIDING BOOKCASES AND PICTURE STANDS


THE PERIODICALS AND ILLUSTRATED NEWSPAPERS ABOVE ALL


A SMALL WRITING DESK WITH A SMALLER WORK BOX OR NETTING CASE WAS ALL THAT EACH YOUNG LADY CONTRIBUTED TO OCCUPY THE TABLE FOR THE LARGE FAMILY WORK BASKET THOUGH OFTEN PRODUCED IN THE PARLOUR LIVED IN THE CLOSET


THERE MUST HAVE BEEN MORE DANCING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN THOSE DAYS THAN THERE IS NOW


AS IF IT WERE A NATURAL PRODUCTION WITH LESS FASTIDIOUSNESS AS TO THE QUALITY OF MUSIC LIGHTS AND FLOOR MANY COUNTRY TOWNS HAD A MONTHLY BALL THROUGHOUT THE WINTER IN SOME OF WHICH THE SAME APARTMENT SERVED FOR DANCING AND TEA ROOM


TO THE MUSIC OF A HARPSICHORD IN THE HOUSE OR A FIDDLE FROM THE VILLAGE THIS WAS ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE


FOR SHE ATTRIBUTES THIS TASTE TO HER FAVOURITE HEROINES


AND MADE OF IMPORTANCE MANY THINGS CONNECTED WITH THE BALL ROOMS OF THOSE DAYS HAVE NOW PASSED INTO OBLIVION THE BARBAROUS LAW WHICH CONFINED THE LADY TO ONE PARTNER THROUGHOUT THE EVENING MUST INDEED HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED BEFORE JANE WENT TO BALLS


IT MUST BE OBSERVED HOWEVER THAT THIS CUSTOM WAS IN ONE RESPECT ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GENTLEMAN INASMUCH AS IT RENDERED HIS DUTIES MORE PRACTICABLE HE WAS BOUND TO CALL UPON HIS PARTNER THE NEXT MORNING


TO GALLOP ALL THE COUNTRY OVER THE LAST NIGHT'S PARTNER TO BEHOLD AND HUMBLY HOPE SHE CAUGHT NO COLD BUT THE STATELY MINUET STILL REIGNED SUPREME AND EVERY REGULAR BALL COMMENCED WITH IT IT WAS A SLOW AND SOLEMN MOVEMENT


EXPRESSIVE OF GRACE AND DIGNITY RATHER THAN OF MERRIMENT IT ABOUNDED IN FORMAL BOWS AND COURTESIES WITH MEASURED PACES FORWARDS BACKWARDS AND SIDEWAYS AND MANY COMPLICATED GYRATIONS


IT WAS EXECUTED BY ONE LADY AND GENTLEMAN AMIDST THE ADMIRATION OR THE CRITICISM OF SURROUNDING SPECTATORS IN ITS EARLIER AND MOST PALMY DAYS AS WHEN SIR CHARLES AND LADY GRANDISON DELIGHTED THE COMPANY BY DANCING IT AT THEIR OWN WEDDING


THE GENTLEMAN WORE A DRESS SWORD AND THE LADY WAS ARMED WITH A FAN OF NEARLY EQUAL DIMENSIONS ADDISON OBSERVES THAT WOMEN ARE ARMED WITH FANS AS MEN WITH SWORDS AND SOMETIMES DO MORE EXECUTION WITH THEM


THE GRACEFUL CARRIAGE OF EACH WEAPON WAS CONSIDERED A TEST OF HIGH BREEDING THE CLOWNISH MAN WAS IN DANGER OF BEING TRIPPED UP BY HIS SWORD GETTING BETWEEN HIS LEGS


AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THOSE LADIES WHO INTENDED TO DANCE MINUETS USED TO DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES FROM OTHERS BY WEARING A PARTICULAR KIND OF LAPPET ON THEIR HEAD DRESS I HAVE HEARD ALSO OF ANOTHER CURIOUS PROOF OF THE RESPECT IN WHICH THIS DANCE WAS HELD


GLOVES IMMACULATELY CLEAN WERE CONSIDERED REQUISITE FOR ITS DUE PERFORMANCE WHILE GLOVES A LITTLE SOILED WERE THOUGHT GOOD ENOUGH FOR A COUNTRY DANCE AND ACCORDINGLY SOME PRUDENT LADIES PROVIDED THEMSELVES WITH TWO PAIRS FOR THEIR SEVERAL PURPOSES


THE MINUET EXPIRED WITH THE LAST CENTURY BUT LONG AFTER IT HAD CEASED TO BE DANCED PUBLICLY IT WAS TAUGHT TO BOYS AND GIRLS IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM A GRACEFUL CARRIAGE HORNPIPES COTILLONS AND REELS WERE OCCASIONALLY DANCED


BUT THE CHIEF OCCUPATION OF THE EVENING WAS THE INTERMINABLE COUNTRY DANCE IN WHICH ALL COULD JOIN THIS DANCE PRESENTED A GREAT SHOW OF ENJOYMENT BUT IT WAS NOT WITHOUT ITS PECULIAR TROUBLES


THE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WERE RANGED APART FROM EACH OTHER IN OPPOSITE ROWS SO THAT THE FACILITIES FOR FLIRTATION OR INTERESTING INTERCOURSE WERE NOT SO GREAT AS MIGHT HAVE BEEN DESIRED BY BOTH PARTIES MUCH HEART BURNING AND DISCONTENT SOMETIMES AROSE AS TO WHO SHOULD STAND ABOVE WHOM


AND ESPECIALLY AS TO WHO WAS ENTITLED TO THE HIGH PRIVILEGE OF CALLING AND LEADING OFF THE FIRST DANCE AND NO LITTLE INDIGNATION WAS FELT AT THE LOWER END OF THE ROOM WHEN ANY OF THE LEADING COUPLES RETIRED PREMATURELY FROM THEIR DUTIES AND DID NOT CONDESCEND TO DANCE UP AND DOWN THE WHOLE SET


WE MAY REJOICE THAT THESE CAUSES OF IRRITATION NO LONGER EXIST AND THAT IF SUCH FEELINGS AS JEALOUSY RIVALRY AND DISCONTENT EVER TOUCH CELESTIAL BOSOMS IN THE MODERN BALL ROOM THEY MUST ARISE FROM DIFFERENT AND MORE RECONDITE SOURCES


I AM TEMPTED TO ADD A LITTLE ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE OF PERSONAL HABITS IT MAY BE ASSERTED AS A GENERAL TRUTH THAT LESS WAS LEFT TO THE CHARGE AND DISCRETION OF SERVANTS AND MORE WAS DONE OR SUPERINTENDED BY THE MASTERS AND MISTRESSES


WITH REGARD TO THE MISTRESSES IT IS I BELIEVE GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT AT THE TIME TO WHICH I REFER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO THEY TOOK A PERSONAL PART IN THE HIGHER BRANCHES OF COOKERY AS WELL AS IN THE CONCOCTION OF HOME MADE WINES


AND DISTILLING OF HERBS FOR DOMESTIC MEDICINES WHICH ARE NEARLY ALLIED TO THE SAME ART LADIES DID NOT DISDAIN TO SPIN THE THREAD OF WHICH THE HOUSEHOLD LINEN WAS WOVEN SOME LADIES LIKED TO WASH WITH THEIR OWN HANDS THEIR CHOICE CHINA AFTER BREAKFAST OR TEA


AS THAT THEY TOOK AN INTEREST IN SUCH OCCUPATIONS AND IT MUST BE BORNE IN MIND HOW MANY SOURCES OF INTEREST ENJOYED BY THIS GENERATION WERE THEN CLOSED OR VERY SCANTILY OPENED TO LADIES A VERY SMALL MINORITY OF THEM CARED MUCH FOR LITERATURE OR SCIENCE


BUT I DOUBT WHETHER THE RISING GENERATION ARE EQUALLY AWARE HOW MUCH GENTLEMEN ALSO DID FOR THEMSELVES IN THOSE TIMES


THAN THEY ARE NOW MASTER'S EYE MAKES THE HORSE FAT AND IF YOU WOULD BE WELL SERVED SERVE YOURSELF SOME GENTLEMEN TOOK PLEASURE IN BEING THEIR OWN GARDENERS PERFORMING ALL THE SCIENTIFIC AND SOME OF THE MANUAL WORK THEMSELVES


WELL DRESSED YOUNG MEN OF MY ACQUAINTANCE WHO HAD THEIR COAT FROM A LONDON TAILOR WOULD ALWAYS BRUSH THEIR EVENING SUIT THEMSELVES RATHER THAN ENTRUST IT TO THE CARELESSNESS OF A ROUGH SERVANT AND TO THE RISKS OF DIRT AND GREASE IN THE KITCHEN


FOR IN THOSE DAYS SERVANTS HALLS WERE NOT COMMON IN THE HOUSES OF THE CLERGY AND THE SMALLER COUNTRY GENTRY IT WAS QUITE NATURAL THAT CATHERINE MORLAND SHOULD HAVE CONTRASTED THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THE OFFICES AT NORTHANGER ABBEY WITH THE FEW SHAPELESS PANTRIES IN HER FATHER'S PARSONAGE


A YOUNG MAN WHO EXPECTED TO HAVE HIS THINGS PACKED OR UNPACKED FOR HIM BY A SERVANT WHEN HE TRAVELLED


IT WAS THOUGHT MERITORIOUS ON THE EVENING OF A HUNTING DAY TO TURN OUT AFTER DINNER LANTHORN IN HAND AND VISIT THE STABLE TO ASCERTAIN THAT THE HORSE HAD BEEN WELL CARED FOR THIS WAS OF THE MORE IMPORTANCE BECAUSE PREVIOUS TO THE INTRODUCTION OF CLIPPING ABOUT THE YEAR EIGHTEEN TWENTY


IT WAS A DIFFICULT AND TEDIOUS WORK TO MAKE A LONG COATED HUNTER DRY AND COMFORTABLE AND WAS OFTEN VERY IMPERFECTLY DONE OF COURSE SUCH THINGS WERE NOT PRACTISED BY THOSE WHO HAD GAMEKEEPERS AND STUD GROOMS AND PLENTY OF WELL TRAINED SERVANTS


BUT THEY WERE PRACTISED BY MANY WHO WERE UNEQUIVOCALLY GENTLEMEN AND WHOSE GRANDSONS OCCUPYING THE SAME POSITION IN LIFE MAY PERHAPS BE ASTONISHED AT BEING TOLD THAT SUCH THINGS WERE


OF COURSE THEY CANNOT BE UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE SUCH DETAILS VARIED IN VARIOUS CIRCLES AND WERE CHANGED VERY GRADUALLY


BUT IT IS PROBABLE THAT THEIR WAY OF LIFE DIFFERED A LITTLE FROM OURS


IT MAY BE THAT USEFUL ARTICLES WHICH WOULD NOT NOW BE PRODUCED IN DRAWING ROOMS WERE HEMMED AND MARKED AND DARNED IN THE OLD FASHIONED PARLOUR BUT ALL THIS CONCERNED ONLY THE OUTER LIFE THERE WAS AS MUCH CULTIVATION AND REFINEMENT OF MIND AS NOW


THE EARLY HOUR AT WHICH HOUNDS THEN MET MAY ACCOUNT FOR THIS


FOR THEY HUNTED AT AN EARLY AGE IN A SCRAMBLING SORT OF WAY UPON ANY PONY OR DONKEY THAT THEY COULD PROCURE OR IN DEFAULT OF SUCH LUXURIES ON FOOT I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT SIR FRANCIS AUSTEN WHEN SEVEN YEARS OLD


BOUGHT ON HIS OWN ACCOUNT IT MUST BE SUPPOSED WITH HIS FATHER'S PERMISSION A PONY FOR A GUINEA AND A HALF AND AFTER RIDING HIM WITH GREAT SUCCESS FOR TWO SEASONS SOLD HIM FOR A GUINEA MORE


THE SAME AUTHORITY INFORMS ME THAT HIS FIRST CLOTH SUIT WAS MADE FROM A SCARLET HABIT WHICH ACCORDING TO THE FASHION OF THE TIMES HAD BEEN HIS MOTHER'S USUAL MORNING DRESS IF ALL THIS IS TRUE


THE FUTURE ADMIRAL OF THE BRITISH FLEET MUST HAVE CUT A CONSPICUOUS FIGURE IN THE HUNTING FIELD THE OTHER PECULIARITY WAS THAT WHEN THE ROADS WERE DIRTY THE SISTERS TOOK LONG WALKS IN PATTENS THIS DEFENCE AGAINST WET AND DIRT IS NOW SELDOM SEEN


THE FEW THAT REMAIN ARE BANISHED FROM GOOD SOCIETY AND EMPLOYED ONLY IN MENIAL WORK BUT A HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO THEY WERE CELEBRATED IN POETRY AND CONSIDERED SO CLEVER A CONTRIVANCE THAT GAY IN HIS TRIVIA


ASCRIBES THE INVENTION TO A GOD STIMULATED BY HIS PASSION FOR A MORTAL DAMSEL AND DERIVES THE NAME PATTEN FROM PATTY THE PATTEN NOW SUPPORTS EACH FRUGAL DAME WHICH FROM THE BLUE EYED PATTY TAKES THE NAME


BUT MORTAL DAMSELS HAVE LONG AGO DISCARDED THE CLUMSY IMPLEMENT FIRST IT DROPPED ITS IRON RING AND BECAME A CLOG AFTERWARDS IT WAS FINED DOWN INTO THE PLIANT GALOSHE LIGHTER TO WEAR AND MORE EFFECTUAL TO PROTECT


A NO LESS MANIFEST INSTANCE OF GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT THAN COWPER INDICATES WHEN HE TRACES THROUGH EIGHTY LINES OF POETRY HIS ACCOMPLISHED SOFA BACK TO THE ORIGINAL THREE LEGGED STOOL


I ADD THE FOLLOWING EPIGRAM WRITTEN BY JANE AUSTEN'S UNCLE MISTER LEIGH PERROT ON READING IN A NEWSPAPER THE MARRIAGE OF CAPTAIN FOOTE TO MISS PATTEN THROUGH THE ROUGH PATHS OF LIFE WITH A PATTEN YOUR GUARD MAY YOU SAFELY AND PLEASANTLY JOG


MAY THE KNOT NEVER SLIP NOR THE RING PRESS TOO HARD NOR THE FOOT FIND THE PATTEN A CLOG AT THE TIME WHEN JANE AUSTEN LIVED AT STEVENTON A WORK WAS CARRIED ON IN THE NEIGHBOURING COTTAGES WHICH OUGHT TO BE RECORDED BECAUSE IT HAS LONG CEASED TO EXIST


THIS WAS A BETTER OCCUPATION FOR THEM THAN STRAW PLAITING


AND DID NOT ADMIT OF GADDING AND GOSSIPING ABOUT THE VILLAGE THE IMPLEMENT USED WAS A LONG NARROW MACHINE OF WOOD RAISED ON LEGS FURNISHED AT ONE END WITH A LARGE WHEEL AND AT THE OTHER WITH A SPINDLE ON WHICH THE FLAX OR WOOL WAS LOOSELY WRAPPED


BALLAD POETRY AND FAIRY TALES ARE FULL OF ALLUSIONS TO IT


IT WAS THE LABOUR ASSIGNED TO THE EJECTED NUNS BY THE ROUGH EARL WHO SAID GO SPIN YE JADES GO SPIN IT WAS THE EMPLOYMENT AT WHICH ROMAN MATRONS AND GRECIAN PRINCESSES PRESIDED AMONGST THEIR HANDMAIDS


HEATHEN MYTHOLOGY CELEBRATED IT IN THE THREE FATES SPINNING AND MEASURING OUT THE THREAD OF HUMAN LIFE


A CERTAIN KING AND QUEEN HAD THREE DAUGHTERS THE CHARMS OF THE TWO ELDER WERE MORE THAN COMMON BUT THE BEAUTY OF THE YOUNGEST WAS SO WONDERFUL THAT THE POVERTY OF LANGUAGE IS UNABLE TO EXPRESS ITS DUE PRAISE THE FAME OF HER BEAUTY WAS SO GREAT


THAT STRANGERS FROM NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES CAME IN CROWDS TO ENJOY THE SIGHT AND LOOKED ON HER WITH AMAZEMENT PAYING HER THAT HOMAGE WHICH IS DUE ONLY TO VENUS HERSELF IN FACT VENUS FOUND HER ALTARS DESERTED


WHILE MEN TURNED THEIR DEVOTION TO THIS YOUNG VIRGIN AS SHE PASSED ALONG THE PEOPLE SANG HER PRAISES AND STREWED HER WAY WITH CHAPLETS AND FLOWERS THIS PERVERSION OF HOMAGE DUE ONLY TO THE IMMORTAL POWERS TO THE EXALTATION OF A MORTAL


GAVE GREAT OFFENCE TO THE REAL VENUS SHAKING HER AMBROSIAL LOCKS WITH INDIGNATION SHE EXCLAIMED AM I THEN TO BE ECLIPSED IN MY HONORS BY A MORTAL GIRL IN VAIN THEN DID THAT ROYAL SHEPHERD WHOSE JUDGMENT WAS APPROVED BY JOVE HIMSELF


GIVE ME THE PALM OF BEAUTY OVER MY ILLUSTRIOUS RIVALS PALLAS AND JUNO BUT SHE SHALL NOT SO QUIETLY USURP MY HONORS I WILL GIVE HER CAUSE TO REPENT OF SO UNLAWFUL A BEAUTY


MISCHIEVOUS ENOUGH IN HIS OWN NATURE AND ROUSES AND PROVOKES HIM YET MORE BY HER COMPLAINTS SHE POINTS OUT PSYCHE TO HIM AND SAYS MY DEAR SON PUNISH THAT CONTUMACIOUS BEAUTY GIVE THY MOTHER A REVENGE AS SWEET AS HER INJURIES ARE GREAT


INFUSE INTO THE BOSOM OF THAT HAUGHTY GIRL A PASSION FOR SOME LOW MEAN UNWORTHY BEING SO THAT SHE MAY REAP A MORTIFICATION AS GREAT AS HER PRESENT EXULTATION AND TRIUMPH CUPID PREPARED TO OBEY THE COMMANDS OF HIS MOTHER


THERE ARE TWO FOUNTAINS IN VENUS'S GARDEN ONE OF SWEET WATERS THE OTHER OF BITTER CUPID FILLED TWO AMBER VASES ONE FROM EACH FOUNTAIN AND SUSPENDING THEM FROM THE TOP OF HIS QUIVER HASTENED TO THE CHAMBER OF PSYCHE WHOM HE FOUND ASLEEP


HE SHED A FEW DROPS FROM THE BITTER FOUNTAIN OVER HER LIPS THOUGH THE SIGHT OF HER ALMOST MOVED HIM TO PITY THEN TOUCHED HER SIDE WITH THE POINT OF HIS ARROW AT THE TOUCH SHE AWOKE AND OPENED EYES UPON CUPID HIMSELF INVISIBLE


WHICH SO STARTLED HIM THAT IN HIS CONFUSION HE WOUNDED HIMSELF WITH HIS OWN ARROW HEEDLESS OF HIS WOUND HIS WHOLE THOUGHT NOW WAS TO REPAIR THE MISCHIEF HE HAD DONE AND HE POURED THE BALMY DROPS OF JOY OVER ALL HER SILKEN RINGLETS


PSYCHE HENCEFORTH FROWNED UPON BY VENUS DERIVED NO BENEFIT FROM ALL HER CHARMS TRUE ALL EYES WERE CAST EAGERLY UPON HER AND EVERY MOUTH SPOKE HER PRAISES


HER TWO ELDER SISTERS OF MODERATE CHARMS HAD NOW LONG BEEN MARRIED TO TWO ROYAL PRINCES BUT PSYCHE IN HER LONELY APARTMENT DEPLORED HER SOLITUDE SICK OF THAT BEAUTY WHICH WHILE IT PROCURED ABUNDANCE OF FLATTERY HAD FAILED TO AWAKEN LOVE


CONSULTED THE ORACLE OF APOLLO AND RECEIVED THIS ANSWER THE VIRGIN IS DESTINED FOR THE BRIDE OF NO MORTAL LOVER HER FUTURE HUSBAND AWAITS HER ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN HE IS A MONSTER WHOM NEITHER GODS NOR MEN CAN RESIST


THIS DREADFUL DECREE OF THE ORACLE FILLED ALL THE PEOPLE WITH DISMAY AND HER PARENTS ABANDONED THEMSELVES TO GRIEF BUT PSYCHE SAID WHY MY DEAR PARENTS DO YOU NOW LAMENT ME


YOU SHOULD RATHER HAVE GRIEVED WHEN THE PEOPLE SHOWERED UPON ME UNDESERVED HONORS AND WITH ONE VOICE CALLED ME A VENUS I NOW PERCEIVE THAT I AM A VICTIM TO THAT NAME I SUBMIT LEAD ME TO THAT ROCK TO WHICH MY UNHAPPY FATE HAS DESTINED ME


ACCORDINGLY ALL THINGS BEING PREPARED THE ROYAL MAID TOOK HER PLACE IN THE PROCESSION WHICH MORE RESEMBLED A FUNERAL THAN A NUPTIAL POMP AND WITH HER PARENTS AMID THE LAMENTATIONS OF THE PEOPLE ASCENDED THE MOUNTAIN


ON THE SUMMIT OF WHICH THEY LEFT HER ALONE AND WITH SORROWFUL HEARTS RETURNED HOME WHILE PSYCHE STOOD ON THE RIDGE OF THE MOUNTAIN PANTING WITH FEAR AND WITH EYES FULL OF TEARS THE GENTLE ZEPHYR RAISED HER FROM THE EARTH


AND BORE HER WITH AN EASY MOTION INTO A FLOWERY DALE BY DEGREES HER MIND BECAME COMPOSED AND SHE LAID HERSELF DOWN ON THE GRASSY BANK TO SLEEP WHEN SHE AWOKE


SHE ENTERED IT AND IN THE MIDST DISCOVERED A FOUNTAIN SENDING FORTH CLEAR AND CRYSTAL WATERS AND FAST BY A MAGNIFICENT PALACE WHOSE AUGUST FRONT IMPRESSED THE SPECTATOR THAT IT WAS NOT THE WORK OF MORTAL HANDS


BUT THE HAPPY RETREAT OF SOME GOD DRAWN BY ADMIRATION AND WONDER SHE APPROACHED THE BUILDING AND VENTURED TO ENTER EVERY OBJECT SHE MET FILLED HER WITH PLEASURE AND AMAZEMENT GOLDEN PILLARS SUPPORTED THE VAULTED ROOF


AND THE WALLS WERE ENRICHED WITH CARVINGS AND PAINTINGS REPRESENTING BEASTS OF THE CHASE AND RURAL SCENES ADAPTED TO DELIGHT THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER PROCEEDING ONWARD SHE PERCEIVED THAT BESIDES THE APARTMENTS OF STATE


THERE WERE OTHERS FILLED WITH ALL MANNER OF TREASURES AND BEAUTIFUL AND PRECIOUS PRODUCTIONS OF NATURE AND ART WHILE HER EYES WERE THUS OCCUPIED A VOICE ADDRESSED HER THOUGH SHE SAW NO ONE UTTERING THESE WORDS SOVEREIGN LADY


RETIRE THEREFORE TO YOUR CHAMBER AND REPOSE ON YOUR BED OF DOWN AND WHEN YOU SEE FIT REPAIR TO THE BATH SUPPER AWAITS YOU IN THE ADJOINING ALCOVE WHEN IT PLEASES YOU TO TAKE YOUR SEAT THERE PSYCHE GAVE EAR TO THE ADMONITIONS OF HER VOCAL ATTENDANTS


AND AFTER REPOSE AND THE REFRESHMENT OF THE BATH SEATED HERSELF IN THE ALCOVE WHERE A TABLE IMMEDIATELY PRESENTED ITSELF WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE AID FROM WAITERS OR SERVANTS AND COVERED WITH THE GREATEST DELICACIES OF FOOD AND THE MOST NECTAREOUS WINES


HER EARS TOO WERE FEASTED WITH MUSIC FROM INVISIBLE PERFORMERS OF WHOM ONE SANG ANOTHER PLAYED ON THE LUTE AND ALL CLOSED IN THE WONDERFUL HARMONY OF A FULL CHORUS SHE HAD NOT YET SEEN HER DESTINED HUSBAND


BUT HIS ACCENTS WERE FULL OF LOVE AND INSPIRED A LIKE PASSION IN HER SHE OFTEN BEGGED HIM TO STAY AND LET HER BEHOLD HIM BUT HE WOULD NOT CONSENT ON THE CONTRARY HE CHARGED HER TO MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO SEE HIM


FOR IT WAS HIS PLEASURE FOR THE BEST OF REASONS TO KEEP CONCEALED WHY SHOULD YOU WISH TO BEHOLD ME HE SAID HAVE YOU ANY DOUBT OF MY LOVE HAVE YOU ANY WISH UNGRATIFIED IF YOU SAW ME PERHAPS YOU WOULD FEAR ME PERHAPS ADORE ME


BUT ALL I ASK OF YOU IS TO LOVE ME I WOULD RATHER YOU WOULD LOVE ME AS AN EQUAL THAN ADORE ME AS A GOD THIS REASONING SOMEWHAT QUIETED PSYCHE FOR A TIME AND WHILE THE NOVELTY LASTED SHE FELT QUITE HAPPY


BUT AT LENGTH THE THOUGHT OF HER PARENTS LEFT IN IGNORANCE OF HER FATE


PREYED ON HER MIND AND MADE HER BEGIN TO FEEL HER PALACE AS BUT A SPLENDID PRISON WHEN HER HUSBAND CAME ONE NIGHT SHE TOLD HIM HER DISTRESS AND AT LAST DREW FROM HIM AN UNWILLING CONSENT THAT HER SISTERS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO SEE HER


SO CALLING ZEPHYR SHE ACQUAINTED HIM WITH HER HUSBAND'S COMMANDS AND HE PROMPTLY OBEDIENT SOON BROUGHT THEM ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN DOWN TO THEIR SISTER'S VALLEY THEY EMBRACED HER AND SHE RETURNED THEIR CARESSES COME SAID PSYCHE


ENTER WITH ME MY HOUSE AND REFRESH YOURSELVES WITH WHATEVER YOUR SISTER HAS TO OFFER THEN TAKING THEIR HANDS SHE LED THEM INTO HER GOLDEN PALACE AND COMMITTED THEM TO THE CARE OF HER NUMEROUS TRAIN OF ATTENDANT VOICES TO REFRESH THEM IN HER BATHS


AND AT HER TABLE AND TO SHOW THEM ALL HER TREASURES THE VIEW OF THESE CELESTIAL DELIGHTS CAUSED ENVY TO ENTER THEIR BOSOMS AT SEEING THEIR YOUNG SISTER POSSESSED OF SUCH STATE AND SPLENDOR SO MUCH EXCEEDING THEIR OWN


THEY ASKED HER NUMBERLESS QUESTIONS AMONG OTHERS WHAT SORT OF A PERSON HER HUSBAND WAS PSYCHE REPLIED THAT HE WAS A BEAUTIFUL YOUTH WHO GENERALLY SPENT THE DAYTIME IN HUNTING UPON THE MOUNTAINS THE SISTERS NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS REPLY


SOON MADE HER CONFESS THAT SHE HAD NEVER SEEN HIM THEN THEY PROCEEDED TO FILL HER BOSOM WITH DARK SUSPICIONS CALL TO MIND THEY SAID


THE INHABITANTS OF THIS VALLEY SAY THAT YOUR HUSBAND IS A TERRIBLE AND MONSTROUS SERPENT WHO NOURISHES YOU FOR A WHILE WITH DAINTIES THAT HE MAY BY AND BY DEVOUR YOU TAKE OUR ADVICE PROVIDE YOURSELF WITH A LAMP AND A SHARP KNIFE


PUT THEM IN CONCEALMENT THAT YOUR HUSBAND MAY NOT DISCOVER THEM AND WHEN HE IS SOUND ASLEEP SLIP OUT OF BED BRING FORTH YOUR LAMP AND SEE FOR YOURSELF WHETHER WHAT THEY SAY IS TRUE OR NOT IF IT IS HESITATE NOT TO CUT OFF THE MONSTER'S HEAD AND THEREBY RECOVER YOUR LIBERTY


PSYCHE RESISTED THESE PERSUASIONS AS WELL AS SHE COULD BUT THEY DID NOT FAIL TO HAVE THEIR EFFECT ON HER MIND AND WHEN HER SISTERS WERE GONE THEIR WORDS AND HER OWN CURIOSITY WERE TOO STRONG FOR HER TO RESIST SO SHE PREPARED HER LAMP


AND A SHARP KNIFE AND HID THEM OUT OF SIGHT OF HER HUSBAND WHEN HE HAD FALLEN INTO HIS FIRST SLEEP SHE SILENTLY ROSE AND UNCOVERING HER LAMP BEHELD NOT A HIDEOUS MONSTER BUT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND CHARMING OF THE GODS


WITH TWO DEWY WINGS ON HIS SHOULDERS WHITER THAN SNOW AND WITH SHINING FEATHERS LIKE THE TENDER BLOSSOMS OF SPRING AS SHE LEANED THE LAMP OVER TO HAVE A NEARER VIEW OF HIS FACE A DROP OF BURNING OIL FELL ON THE SHOULDER OF THE GOD


STARTLED WITH WHICH HE OPENED HIS EYES AND FIXED THEM FULL UPON HER THEN WITHOUT SAYING ONE WORD HE SPREAD HIS WHITE WINGS AND FLEW OUT OF THE WINDOW PSYCHE IN VAIN ENDEAVORING TO FOLLOW HIM FELL FROM THE WINDOW TO THE GROUND


CUPID BEHOLDING HER AS SHE LAY IN THE DUST STOPPED HIS FLIGHT FOR AN INSTANT AND SAID O FOOLISH PSYCHE IS IT THUS YOU REPAY MY LOVE AFTER HAVING DISOBEYED MY MOTHER'S COMMANDS AND MADE YOU MY WIFE WILL YOU THINK ME A MONSTER AND CUT OFF MY HEAD


BUT GO RETURN TO YOUR SISTERS WHOSE ADVICE YOU SEEM TO THINK PREFERABLE TO MINE I INFLICT NO OTHER PUNISHMENT ON YOU THAN TO LEAVE YOU FOREVER LOVE CANNOT DWELL WITH SUSPICION SO SAYING HE FLED AWAY LEAVING POOR PSYCHE PROSTRATE ON THE GROUND


FILLING THE PLACE WITH MOURNFUL LAMENTATIONS WHEN SHE HAD RECOVERED SOME DEGREE OF COMPOSURE SHE LOOKED AROUND HER BUT THE PALACE AND GARDENS HAD VANISHED AND SHE FOUND HERSELF IN THE OPEN FIELD NOT FAR FROM THE CITY WHERE HER SISTERS DWELT


PSYCHE MEANWHILE WANDERED DAY AND NIGHT WITHOUT FOOD OR REPOSE IN SEARCH OF HER HUSBAND CASTING HER EYES ON A LOFTY MOUNTAIN HAVING ON ITS BROW A MAGNIFICENT TEMPLE SHE SIGHED AND SAID TO HERSELF PERHAPS MY LOVE MY LORD INHABITS THERE


AND DIRECTED HER STEPS THITHER SHE HAD NO SOONER ENTERED THAN SHE SAW HEAPS OF CORN SOME IN LOOSE EARS AND SOME IN SHEAVES WITH MINGLED EARS OF BARLEY


SCATTERED ABOUT LAY SICKLES AND RAKES AND ALL THE INSTRUMENTS OF HARVEST WITHOUT ORDER AS IF THROWN CARELESSLY OUT OF THE WEARY REAPERS HANDS IN THE SULTRY HOURS OF THE DAY THIS UNSEEMLY CONFUSION


BY SEPARATING AND SORTING EVERYTHING TO ITS PROPER PLACE AND KIND


TO ENGAGE THEM ALL IN HER BEHALF THE HOLY CERES WHOSE TEMPLE IT WAS FINDING HER SO RELIGIOUSLY EMPLOYED THUS SPOKE TO HER O PSYCHE TRULY WORTHY OF OUR PITY THOUGH I CANNOT SHIELD YOU FROM THE FROWNS OF VENUS


YET I CAN TEACH YOU HOW BEST TO ALLAY HER DISPLEASURE GO THEN AND VOLUNTARILY SURRENDER YOURSELF TO YOUR LADY AND SOVEREIGN AND TRY BY MODESTY AND SUBMISSION TO WIN HER FORGIVENESS AND PERHAPS HER FAVOR WILL RESTORE YOU THE HUSBAND YOU HAVE LOST


PSYCHE OBEYED THE COMMANDS OF CERES AND TOOK HER WAY TO THE TEMPLE OF VENUS ENDEAVORING TO FORTIFY HER MIND AND RUMINATING ON WHAT SHE SHOULD SAY AND HOW BEST PROPITIATE THE ANGRY GODDESS FEELING THAT THE ISSUE WAS DOUBTFUL AND PERHAPS FATAL


MOST UNDUTIFUL AND FAITHLESS OF SERVANTS SAID SHE DO YOU AT LAST REMEMBER THAT YOU REALLY HAVE A MISTRESS OR HAVE YOU RATHER COME TO SEE YOUR SICK HUSBAND YET LAID UP OF THE WOUND GIVEN HIM BY HIS LOVING WIFE YOU ARE SO ILL FAVORED AND DISAGREEABLE


THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN MERIT YOUR LOVER MUST BE BY DINT OF INDUSTRY AND DILIGENCE I WILL MAKE TRIAL OF YOUR HOUSEWIFERY THEN SHE ORDERED PSYCHE TO BE LED TO THE STOREHOUSE OF HER TEMPLE


WHERE WAS LAID UP A GREAT QUANTITY OF WHEAT BARLEY MILLET VETCHES BEANS AND LENTILS PREPARED FOR FOOD FOR HER PIGEONS AND SAID TAKE AND SEPARATE ALL THESE GRAINS PUTTING ALL OF THE SAME KIND IN A PARCEL BY THEMSELVES


AND SEE THAT YOU GET IT DONE BEFORE EVENING THEN VENUS DEPARTED AND LEFT HER TO HER TASK BUT PSYCHE IN A PERFECT CONSTERNATION AT THE ENORMOUS WORK SAT STUPID AND SILENT WITHOUT MOVING A FINGER TO THE INEXTRICABLE HEAP


WHILE SHE SAT DESPAIRING CUPID STIRRED UP THE LITTLE ANT A NATIVE OF THE FIELDS TO TAKE COMPASSION ON HER THE LEADER OF THE ANT HILL FOLLOWED BY WHOLE HOSTS OF HIS SIX LEGGED SUBJECTS


APPROACHED THE HEAP AND WITH THE UTMOST DILIGENCE TAKING GRAIN BY GRAIN THEY SEPARATED THE PILE SORTING EACH KIND TO ITS PARCEL AND WHEN IT WAS ALL DONE THEY VANISHED OUT OF SIGHT IN A MOMENT


VENUS AT THE APPROACH OF TWILIGHT RETURNED FROM THE BANQUET OF THE GODS BREATHING ODORS AND CROWNED WITH ROSES SEEING THE TASK DONE SHE EXCLAIMED THIS IS NO WORK OF YOURS WICKED ONE


SO SAYING SHE THREW HER A PIECE OF BLACK BREAD FOR HER SUPPER AND WENT AWAY NEXT MORNING VENUS ORDERED PSYCHE TO BE CALLED AND SAID TO HER BEHOLD YONDER GROVE WHICH STRETCHES ALONG THE MARGIN OF THE WATER


THERE YOU WILL FIND SHEEP FEEDING WITHOUT A SHEPHERD WITH GOLDEN SHINING FLEECES ON THEIR BACKS GO FETCH ME A SAMPLE OF THAT PRECIOUS WOOL GATHERED FROM EVERY ONE OF THEIR FLEECES


PSYCHE OBEDIENTLY WENT TO THE RIVERSIDE PREPARED TO DO HER BEST TO EXECUTE THE COMMAND BUT THE RIVER GOD INSPIRED THE REEDS WITH HARMONIOUS MURMURS WHICH SEEMED TO SAY O MAIDEN SEVERELY TRIED TEMPT NOT THE DANGEROUS FLOOD


NOR VENTURE AMONG THE FORMIDABLE RAMS ON THE OTHER SIDE FOR AS LONG AS THEY ARE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE RISING SUN THEY BURN WITH A CRUEL RAGE TO DESTROY MORTALS WITH THEIR SHARP HORNS OR RUDE TEETH BUT WHEN THE NOONTIDE SUN HAS DRIVEN THE CATTLE TO THE SHADE


AND THE SERENE SPIRIT OF THE FLOOD HAS LULLED THEM TO REST YOU MAY THEN CROSS IN SAFETY AND YOU WILL FIND THE WOOLLY GOLD STICKING TO THE BUSHES AND THE TRUNKS OF THE TREES THUS THE COMPASSIONATE RIVER GOD GAVE PSYCHE INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO ACCOMPLISH HER TASK


AND BY OBSERVING HIS DIRECTIONS SHE SOON RETURNED TO VENUS WITH HER ARMS FULL OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE BUT SHE RECEIVED NOT THE APPROBATION OF HER IMPLACABLE MISTRESS WHO SAID I KNOW VERY WELL IT IS BY NONE OF YOUR OWN DOINGS THAT YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED IN THIS TASK


AND I AM NOT SATISFIED YET THAT YOU HAVE ANY CAPACITY TO MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL BUT I HAVE ANOTHER TASK FOR YOU HERE TAKE THIS BOX AND GO YOUR WAY TO THE INFERNAL SHADES AND GIVE THIS BOX TO PROSERPINE


AND SAY MY MISTRESS VENUS DESIRES YOU TO SEND HER A LITTLE OF YOUR BEAUTY FOR IN TENDING HER SICK SON SHE HAS LOST SOME OF HER OWN BE NOT TOO LONG ON YOUR ERRAND FOR I MUST PAINT MYSELF WITH IT TO APPEAR AT THE CIRCLE OF THE GODS AND GODDESSES THIS EVENING


PSYCHE WAS NOW SATISFIED THAT HER DESTRUCTION WAS AT HAND BEING OBLIGED TO GO WITH HER OWN FEET DIRECTLY DOWN TO EREBUS WHEREFORE TO MAKE NO DELAY OF WHAT WAS NOT TO BE AVOIDED


SHE GOES TO THE TOP OF A HIGH TOWER TO PRECIPITATE HERSELF HEADLONG THUS TO DESCEND THE SHORTEST WAY TO THE SHADES BELOW BUT A VOICE FROM THE TOWER SAID TO HER WHY POOR UNLUCKY GIRL DOST THOU DESIGN TO PUT AN END TO THY DAYS IN SO DREADFUL A MANNER


AND WHAT COWARDICE MAKES THEE SINK UNDER THIS LAST DANGER WHO HAST BEEN SO MIRACULOUSLY SUPPORTED IN ALL THY FORMER THEN THE VOICE TOLD HER HOW BY A CERTAIN CAVE SHE MIGHT REACH THE REALMS OF PLUTO AND HOW TO AVOID ALL THE DANGERS OF THE ROAD


BUT THE VOICE ADDED WHEN PROSERPINE HAS GIVEN YOU THE BOX FILLED WITH HER BEAUTY OF ALL THINGS THIS IS CHIEFLY TO BE OBSERVED BY YOU


PSYCHE ENCOURAGED BY THIS ADVICE OBEYED IT IN ALL THINGS AND TAKING HEED TO HER WAYS TRAVELLED SAFELY TO THE KINGDOM OF PLUTO SHE WAS ADMITTED TO THE PALACE OF PROSERPINE


AND WITHOUT ACCEPTING THE DELICATE SEAT OR DELICIOUS BANQUET THAT WAS OFFERED HER BUT CONTENTED WITH COARSE BREAD FOR HER FOOD SHE DELIVERED HER MESSAGE FROM VENUS PRESENTLY THE BOX WAS RETURNED TO HER SHUT AND FILLED WITH THE PRECIOUS COMMODITY


THEN SHE RETURNED THE WAY SHE CAME AND GLAD WAS SHE TO COME OUT ONCE MORE INTO THE LIGHT OF DAY BUT HAVING GOT SO FAR SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH HER DANGEROUS TASK A LONGING DESIRE SEIZED HER TO EXAMINE THE CONTENTS OF THE BOX


WHAT SAID SHE SHALL I THE CARRIER OF THIS DIVINE BEAUTY NOT TAKE THE LEAST BIT TO PUT ON MY CHEEKS TO APPEAR TO MORE ADVANTAGE IN THE EYES OF MY BELOVED HUSBAND SO SHE CAREFULLY OPENED THE BOX BUT FOUND NOTHING THERE OF ANY BEAUTY AT ALL


BUT AN INFERNAL AND TRULY STYGIAN SLEEP WHICH BEING THUS SET FREE FROM ITS PRISON TOOK POSSESSION OF HER AND SHE FELL DOWN IN THE MIDST OF THE ROAD A SLEEPY CORPSE WITHOUT SENSE OR MOTION BUT CUPID BEING NOW RECOVERED FROM HIS WOUND


AND NOT ABLE LONGER TO BEAR THE ABSENCE OF HIS BELOVED PSYCHE SLIPPING THROUGH THE SMALLEST CRACK OF THE WINDOW OF HIS CHAMBER WHICH HAPPENED TO BE LEFT OPEN FLEW TO THE SPOT WHERE PSYCHE LAY


AND GATHERING UP THE SLEEP FROM HER BODY CLOSED IT AGAIN IN THE BOX AND WAKED PSYCHE WITH A LIGHT TOUCH OF ONE OF HIS ARROWS AGAIN SAID HE HAST THOU ALMOST PERISHED BY THE SAME CURIOSITY


BUT NOW PERFORM EXACTLY THE TASK IMPOSED ON YOU BY MY MOTHER AND I WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST THEN CUPID AS SWIFT AS LIGHTNING PENETRATING THE HEIGHTS OF HEAVEN PRESENTED HIMSELF BEFORE JUPITER WITH HIS SUPPLICATION JUPITER LENT A FAVORING EAR


AND PLEADED THE CAUSE OF THE LOVERS SO EARNESTLY WITH VENUS THAT HE WON HER CONSENT ON THIS HE SENT MERCURY TO BRING PSYCHE UP TO THE HEAVENLY ASSEMBLY AND WHEN SHE ARRIVED HANDING HER A CUP OF AMBROSIA HE SAID DRINK THIS PSYCHE AND BE IMMORTAL


NOR SHALL CUPID EVER BREAK AWAY FROM THE KNOT IN WHICH HE IS TIED BUT THESE NUPTIALS SHALL BE PERPETUAL THUS PSYCHE BECAME AT LAST UNITED TO CUPID AND IN DUE TIME THEY HAD A DAUGHTER BORN TO THEM WHOSE NAME WAS PLEASURE


THE FABLE OF CUPID AND PSYCHE IS USUALLY CONSIDERED ALLEGORICAL THE GREEK NAME FOR A BUTTERFLY IS PSYCHE AND THE SAME WORD MEANS THE SOUL THERE IS NO ILLUSTRATION OF THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL SO STRIKING AND BEAUTIFUL AS THE BUTTERFLY


BURSTING ON BRILLIANT WINGS FROM THE TOMB IN WHICH IT HAS LAIN AFTER A DULL GROVELLING CATERPILLAR EXISTENCE TO FLUTTER IN THE BLAZE OF DAY AND FEED ON THE MOST FRAGRANT AND DELICATE PRODUCTIONS OF THE SPRING PSYCHE THEN IS THE HUMAN SOUL


WHICH IS PURIFIED BY SUFFERINGS AND MISFORTUNES AND IS THUS PREPARED FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF TRUE AND PURE HAPPINESS IN WORKS OF ART PSYCHE IS REPRESENTED AS A MAIDEN WITH THE WINGS OF A BUTTERFLY ALONG WITH CUPID


IN THE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS DESCRIBED IN THE ALLEGORY MILTON ALLUDES TO THE STORY OF CUPID AND PSYCHE IN THE CONCLUSION OF HIS COMUS CELESTIAL CUPID HER FAMED SON ADVANCED HOLDS HIS DEAR PSYCHE SWEET ENTRANCED


AFTER HER WANDERING LABORS LONG TILL FREE CONSENT THE GODS AMONG MAKE HER HIS ETERNAL BRIDE AND FROM HER FAIR UNSPOTTED SIDE TWO BLISSFUL TWINS ARE TO BE BORN YOUTH AND JOY SO JOVE HATH SWORN


THE ALLEGORY OF THE STORY OF CUPID AND PSYCHE IS WELL PRESENTED IN THE BEAUTIFUL LINES OF T K HARVEY THEY WOVE BRIGHT FABLES IN THE DAYS OF OLD WHEN REASON BORROWED FANCY'S PAINTED WINGS


WHEN TRUTH'S CLEAR RIVER FLOWED O'ER SANDS OF GOLD AND TOLD IN SONG ITS HIGH AND MYSTIC THINGS AND SUCH THE SWEET AND SOLEMN TALE OF HER THE PILGRIM HEART TO WHOM A DREAM WAS GIVEN THAT LED HER THROUGH THE WORLD LOVE'S WORSHIPPER


THROUGH THE DIM GROTTO'S TRACERY OF SPARS MID THE PINE TEMPLES ON THE MOONLIT MOUNT WHERE SILENCE SITS TO LISTEN TO THE STARS IN THE DEEP GLADE WHERE DWELLS THE BROODING DOVE THE PAINTED VALLEY AND THE SCENTED AIR


SHE HEARD FAR ECHOES OF THE VOICE OF LOVE AND FOUND HIS FOOTSTEPS TRACES EVERYWHERE BUT NEVERMORE THEY MET SINCE DOUBTS AND FEARS THOSE PHANTOM SHAPES THAT HAUNT AND BLIGHT THE EARTH HAD COME TWIXT HER A CHILD OF SIN AND TEARS


AND THAT BRIGHT SPIRIT OF IMMORTAL BIRTH UNTIL HER PINING SOUL AND WEEPING EYES HAD LEARNED TO SEEK HIM ONLY IN THE SKIES TILL WINGS UNTO THE WEARY HEART WERE GIVEN AND SHE BECAME LOVE'S ANGEL BRIDE IN HEAVEN


THE STORY OF CUPID AND PSYCHE FIRST APPEARS IN THE WORKS OF APULEIUS A WRITER OF THE SECOND CENTURY OF OUR ERA IT IS THEREFORE OF MUCH MORE RECENT DATE THAN MOST OF THE LEGENDS OF THE AGE OF FABLE IT IS THIS THAT KEATS ALLUDES TO IN HIS ODE TO PSYCHE


O LATEST BORN AND LOVELIEST VISION FAR OF ALL OLYMPUS FADED HIERARCHY FAIRER THAN PHOEBE'S SAPPHIRE REGIONED STAR OR VESPER AMOROUS GLOW WORM OF THE SKY FAIRER THAN THESE THOUGH TEMPLE THOU HAST NONE


NOR ALTAR HEAPED WITH FLOWERS NOR VIRGIN CHOIR TO MAKE DELICIOUS MOAN UPON THE MIDNIGHT HOURS NO VOICE NO LUTE NO PIPE NO INCENSE SWEET FROM CHAIN SWUNG CENSOR TEEMING NO SHRINE NO GROVE NO ORACLE NO HEAT


OF PALE MOUTHED PROPHET DREAMING IN MOORE'S SUMMER FETE A FANCY BALL IS DESCRIBED IN WHICH ONE OF THE CHARACTERS PERSONATED IS PSYCHE NOT IN DARK DISGUISE TO NIGHT HATH OUR YOUNG HEROINE VEILED HER LIGHT


FOR SEE SHE WALKS THE EARTH LOVE'S OWN HIS WEDDED BRIDE BY HOLIEST VOW PLEDGED IN OLYMPUS AND MADE KNOWN TO MORTALS BY THE TYPE WHICH NOW HANGS GLITTERING ON HER SNOWY BROW


CHAPTER SIXTEEN A GIRL AND A BIT OF LOWESTOFT IMMEDIATELY AFTER BREAKFAST THE NEXT MORNING BILLY WAS SUMMONED TO THE TELEPHONE OH GOOD MORNING UNCLE WILLIAM SHE CALLED IN ANSWER TO THE MASCULINE VOICE THAT REPLIED TO HER HULLO


BILLY ARE YOU VERY BUSY THIS MORNING NO INDEED NOT IF YOU WANT ME WELL I DO MY DEAR UNCLE WILLIAM'S VOICE WAS TROUBLED I WANT YOU TO GO WITH ME IF YOU CAN TO SEE A MISSUS GREGGORY SHE'S GOT A TEAPOT I WANT


IT'S A GENUINE LOWESTOFT HARLOW SAYS WILL YOU GO OF COURSE I WILL WHAT TIME ELEVEN IF YOU CAN AT PARK STREET SHE'S AT THE WEST END


HARLOW SAYS OTHERS WILL HAVE TO KNOW OF IT OF COURSE YOU SEE SHE'S JUST MADE UP HER MIND TO SELL IT AND ASKED HIM TO FIND A CUSTOMER I WOULDN'T TROUBLE YOU BUT HE SAYS THEY'RE PECULIAR THE DAUGHTER ESPECIALLY AND MAY NEED SOME CAREFUL HANDLING THAT'S WHY I WANTED YOU


THOUGH I WANTED YOU TO SEE THE TEA POT TOO


THAT SHE WAS ONE DAY TO BE MISTRESS OF THE STRATA AND ALL IT CONTAINED WAS STILL ANYTHING BUT COMMON TO HER I'D LOVE TO SEE IT AND I'LL COME GLADLY BUT I'M AFRAID I WON'T BE MUCH HELP UNCLE WILLIAM SHE WORRIED I'LL TAKE THE RISK OF THAT


WHY HOW FUNNY WELL I'LL COME AT ELEVEN YOU SAY AT PARK STREET YES AND THANK YOU MY DEAR I TRIED TO GET KATE TO GO TOO BUT SHE WOULDN'T BY THE WAY I'M GOING TO BRING YOU HOME TO LUNCHEON KATE LEAVES THIS AFTERNOON YOU KNOW


AND IT'S BEEN SO SNOWY SHE HASN'T THOUGHT BEST TO TRY TO GET OVER TO THE HOUSE MAYBE AUNT HANNAH WOULD COME TOO FOR LUNCHEON WOULD SHE I'M AFRAID NOT RETURNED BILLY WITH A RUEFUL LAUGH SHE'S GOT THREE SHAWLS ON THIS MORNING


I'LL TELL HER THOUGH AND I'LL SEE YOU AT ELEVEN FINISHED BILLY AS SHE HUNG UP THE RECEIVER PROMPTLY AT THE APPOINTED TIME BILLY MET UNCLE WILLIAM AT PARK STREET AND TOGETHER THEY SET OUT FOR THE WEST END STREET NAMED ON THE PAPER IN HIS POCKET


BUT WHEN THE SHABBY HOUSE ON THE NARROW LITTLE STREET WAS REACHED THE MAN LOOKED ABOUT HIM WITH A TROUBLED FROWN I DECLARE BILLY I'M NOT SURE BUT WE'D BETTER TURN BACK HE FRETTED I DIDN'T MEAN TO TAKE YOU TO SUCH A PLACE AS THIS BILLY SHIVERED A LITTLE


NONSENSE UNCLE WILLIAM OF COURSE YOU WON'T TURN BACK


SHE FINISHED JUST ABOVE HER BREATH MISSUS GREGGORY WAS FOUND TO BE LIVING IN TWO BACK ROOMS AT THE TOP OF FOUR FLIGHTS OF STAIRS UP WHICH WILLIAM HENSHAW TOILED WITH INCREASING WEARINESS AND DISMAY PUNCTUATING EACH FLIGHT WITH A DESPAIRING


BILLY REALLY I THINK WE SHOULD TURN BACK BUT BILLY WOULD NOT TURN BACK AND AT LAST THEY FOUND THEMSELVES IN THE PRESENCE OF A WHITE HAIRED SWEET FACED WOMAN WHO SAID YES SHE WAS MISSUS GREGGORY YES SHE WAS EVEN AS SHE UTTERED THE WORDS


HOWEVER SHE LOOKED FEARFULLY OVER HER SHOULDERS AS IF EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM THE HALL BEHIND THEM A VOICE DENYING HER ASSERTION MISSUS GREGGORY WAS A CRIPPLE HER SLENDER LITTLE BODY WAS POISED ON TWO ONCE COSTLY CRUTCHES


BOTH THE WORN PLACES ON THE CRUTCHES AND THE SKILL WITH WHICH THE LITTLE WOMAN SWUNG HERSELF ABOUT THE ROOM TESTIFIED THAT THE CRIPPLED CONDITION WAS NOT A NEW ONE BILLY'S EYES WERE BRIMMING WITH PITY AND DISMAY


MECHANICALLY SHE HAD TAKEN THE CHAIR TOWARD WHICH MISSUS GREGGORY HAD MOTIONED HER SHE HAD TRIED NOT TO SEEM TO LOOK ABOUT HER BUT THERE WAS NOT ONE DETAIL OF THE BARE LITTLE ROOM FROM ITS FADED RUG TO THE PATCHED BUT SPOTLESS TABLECLOTH THAT WAS NOT STAMPED ON HER BRAIN


MISSUS GREGGORY HAD SEATED HERSELF NOW AND WILLIAM HENSHAW HAD CLEARED HIS THROAT NERVOUSLY


WE ER I CAME FROM HARLOW MISSUS GREGGORY HE GAVE ME TO UNDERSTAND YOU HAD AN ER TEAPOT THAT ER WITH HIS EYES ON THE CRACKED WHITE CROCKERY PITCHER ON THE TABLE WILLIAM HENSHAW CAME TO A HELPLESS PAUSE


A CURIOUS EXPRESSION OR RATHER SERIES OF EXPRESSIONS CROSSED MISSUS GREGGORY'S FACE TERROR JOY DISMAY AND RELIEF SEEMED ONE AFTER THE OTHER TO FIGHT FOR SUPREMACY RELIEF IN THE END CONQUERED


THOUGH EVEN YET THERE WAS A SECOND HURRIEDLY APPREHENSIVE GLANCE TOWARD THE DOOR BEFORE SHE SPOKE THE LOWESTOFT YES I'M SO GLAD THAT IS OF COURSE I MUST BE GLAD I'LL GET IT HER VOICE BROKE AS SHE PULLED HERSELF FROM HER CHAIR


THERE WAS ONLY DESPAIRING SORROW ON HER FACE NOW THE MAN ROSE AT ONCE


WHAT A BEAUTY MISSUS GREGGORY HAD THROWN OPEN THE DOOR OF A SMALL CUPBOARD NEAR THE COLLECTOR'S CHAIR DISCLOSING ON ONE OF THE SHELVES A BEAUTIFULLY SHAPED TEAPOT CREAMY IN TINT AND EXQUISITELY DECORATED IN A ROSE DESIGN


NEAR IT SET A TRAY LIKE PLATE OF THE SAME WARE AND DECORATION IF YOU'LL LIFT IT DOWN PLEASE YOURSELF MOTIONED MISSUS GREGGORY I DON'T LIKE TO WITH THESE SHE EXPLAINED TAPPING THE CRUTCHES AT HER SIDE


WITH FINGERS THAT WERE ALMOST REVERENT IN THEIR APPRECIATION THE COLLECTOR REACHED FOR THE TEAPOT HIS EYES SPARKLED BILLY LOOK WHAT A BEAUTY AND IT'S A LOWESTOFT TOO THE REAL THING THE GENUINE TRUE SOFT PASTE


AND THERE'S THE TRAY DID YOU NOTICE HE EXULTED TURNING BACK TO THE SHELF YOU DON'T SEE THAT EVERY DAY THEY GET SEPARATED MOST GENERALLY YOU KNOW THESE PIECES HAVE BEEN IN OUR FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS SAID MISSUS GREGGORY WITH AN ACCENT OF PRIDE


YOU'LL FIND THEM QUITE PERFECT I THINK PERFECT I SHOULD SAY THEY WERE CRIED THE MAN THEY ARE THEN VALUABLE MISSUS GREGGORY'S VOICE SHOOK INDEED THEY ARE BUT YOU MUST KNOW THAT


I HAVE BEEN TOLD SO YET TO ME THEIR CHIEF VALUE OF COURSE LIES IN THEIR ASSOCIATION MY MOTHER AND MY GRANDMOTHER OWNED THAT TEAPOT SIR AGAIN HER VOICE BROKE WILLIAM HENSHAW CLEARED HIS THROAT BUT


MADAM IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO SELL HE STOPPED ABRUPTLY HIS LONGING EYES HAD GONE BACK TO THE ENTICING BIT OF CHINA MISSUS GREGGORY GAVE A LOW CRY BUT I DO THAT IS I MUST


AND THAT IT WILL BRING IN MONEY AND WE NEED MONEY SHE THREW A QUICK GLANCE TOWARD THE HALL DOOR THOUGH SHE DID NOT PAUSE IN HER REMARKS I CAN'T DO MUCH AT WORK THAT PAYS I SEW SHE NODDED TOWARD THE MACHINE BY THE WINDOW


BUT WITH ONLY ONE FOOT TO MAKE IT GO YOU SEE THE OTHER IS


SHE FINISHED WITH A WISTFUL WHIMSICALITY BILLY TURNED AWAY SHARPLY THERE WAS A LUMP IN HER THROAT AND A SMART IN HER EYES SHE WAS CONSCIOUS SUDDENLY OF A FIERCE ANGER AGAINST SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT EXACTLY BUT SHE FANCIED IT WAS AGAINST THE TEAPOT


OR AGAINST UNCLE WILLIAM FOR WANTING THE TEAPOT OR FOR NOT WANTING IT IF HE DID NOT BUY IT AND SO YOU SEE I DO VERY MUCH WISH TO SELL MISSUS GREGGORY SAID THEN PERHAPS YOU WILL TELL ME WHAT IT WOULD BE WORTH TO YOU SHE CONCLUDED TREMULOUSLY


THE COLLECTOR'S EYES GLOWED HE PICKED UP THE TEAPOT WITH CAREFUL RAPTURE AND EXAMINED IT THEN HE TURNED TO THE TRAY AFTER A MOMENT HE SPOKE I HAVE ONLY ONE OTHER IN MY COLLECTION AS RARE HE SAID


I PAID A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THAT I SHALL BE GLAD TO GIVE YOU THE SAME FOR THIS MADAM MISSUS GREGGORY STARTED VISIBLY A HUNDRED DOLLARS SO MUCH AS THAT SHE CRIED ALMOST JOYOUSLY


BROUGHT OF COURSE IF IT'S WORTH THAT TO YOU SHE PAUSED SUDDENLY A QUICK STEP HAD SOUNDED IN THE HALL OUTSIDE THE NEXT MOMENT THE DOOR FLEW OPEN


MOTHER ONLY THINK I'VE SHE STOPPED AND DREW BACK A LITTLE HER STARTLED EYES WENT FROM ONE FACE TO ANOTHER THEN DROPPED TO THE LOWESTOFT TEAPOT IN THE MAN'S HANDS HER EXPRESSION CHANGED AT ONCE SHE SHUT THE DOOR QUICKLY AND HURRIED FORWARD


MOTHER WHAT IS IT WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE SHE ASKED SHARPLY BILLY LIFTED HER CHIN THE LEAST BIT SHE WAS CONSCIOUS OF A FEELING WHICH SHE COULD NOT NAME BILLY WAS NOT USED TO BEING CALLED THESE PEOPLE IN PRECISELY THAT TONE OF VOICE


WILLIAM HENSHAW TOO RAISED HIS CHIN HE ALSO WAS NOT IN THE HABIT OF BEING REFERRED TO AS THESE PEOPLE MY NAME IS HENSHAW MISS GREGGORY I PRESUME HE SAID QUIETLY I WAS SENT HERE BY MISTER HARLOW


STAMMERED MISSUS GREGGORY WETTING HER LIPS WITH AN AIR OF HURRIED APOLOGY AND CONCILIATION THIS GENTLEMAN SAYS HE WILL BE GLAD TO BUY IT ER MY DAUGHTER ALICE MISTER HENSHAW SHE HASTENED ON IN EMBARRASSED INTRODUCTION AND MISS


NEILSON SUPPLIED THE MAN AS SHE LOOKED AT BILLY AND HESITATED A SWIFT RED STAINED ALICE GREGGORY'S FACE WITH BARELY AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE INTRODUCTIONS SHE TURNED TO HER MOTHER YES DEAR BUT THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY NOW


AS I STARTED TO TELL YOU WHEN I CAME IN I HAVE TWO NEW PUPILS AND SO TURNING TO THE MAN AGAIN I THANK YOU FOR YOUR OFFER BUT WE HAVE DECIDED NOT TO SELL THE TEAPOT AT PRESENT


WILLIAM HENSHAW FROWNED ANGRILY THAT WAS THE MAN BUT HIS EYES THE COLLECTOR'S EYES SOUGHT THE TEAPOT LONGINGLY BEFORE EITHER THE MAN OR THE COLLECTOR COULD SPEAK HOWEVER MISSUS GREGGORY INTERPOSED QUICK WORDS OF REMONSTRANCE


BUT ALICE MY DEAR SHE ALMOST SOBBED YOU DIDN'T WAIT TO LET ME TELL YOU


HE WILL GIVE US A HUNDRED DOLLARS A HUNDRED DOLLARS ECHOED THE GIRL FAINTLY


BILLY WATCHING THE LITTLE SCENE WITH MINGLED EMOTIONS SAW THE GLANCE WITH WHICH THE GIRL SWEPT THE BARE LITTLE ROOM AND SHE KNEW THAT THERE WAS NOT A PATCH OR DARN OR POVERTY SPOT IN SIGHT OR OUT OF SIGHT WHICH THAT GLANCE DID NOT ENCOMPASS


BILLY WAS WONDERING WHICH SHE HERSELF DESIRED MORE THAT UNCLE WILLIAM SHOULD BUY THE LOWESTOFT OR THAT HE SHOULD NOT SHE KNEW SHE WISHED MISSUS GREGGORY TO HAVE THE HUNDRED DOLLARS THERE WAS NO DOUBT ON THAT POINT THEN UNCLE WILLIAM SPOKE


AND THE FINAL PLEA OF THE COLLECTOR WHO SEES A COVETED TREASURE SLIPPING FROM HIS GRASP I AM VERY SORRY OF COURSE IF MY OFFER HAS ANNOYED YOU HE SAID STIFFLY I CERTAINLY SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT HAD I NOT HAD MISSUS GREGGORY'S ASSURANCE THAT SHE WISHED TO SELL THE TEAPOT


ALICE GREGGORY TURNED AS IF STUNG WISHED TO SELL SHE REPEATED THE WORDS WITH SUPERB DISDAIN SHE WAS PLAINLY VERY ANGRY HER BLUE GRAY EYES GLEAMED WITH SCORN AND HER WHOLE FACE WAS SUFFUSED WITH A RED THAT HAD SWEPT TO THE ROOTS OF HER SOFT HAIR


DO YOU THINK A WOMAN WISHES TO SELL A THING THAT SHE'S TREASURED ALL HER LIFE A THING THAT IS PERHAPS THE LAST VISIBLE REMINDER OF THE DAYS WHEN SHE WAS LIVING NOT MERELY EXISTING ALICE


I CAN'T HELP IT STORMED THE GIRL HOTLY I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU THINK OF THAT TEAPOT THAT WAS GRANDMOTHER'S I KNOW WHAT IT COST YOU TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO SELL IT AT ALL AND THEN TO HEAR THESE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT YOUR WISHING TO SELL IT


PERHAPS THEY THINK TOO WE WISH TO LIVE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS THAT WE WISH TO HAVE RUGS THAT ARE DARNED AND CHAIRS THAT ARE BROKEN AND GARMENTS THAT ARE PATCHES INSTEAD OF CLOTHES ALICE GASPED MISSUS GREGGORY IN DISMAYED HORROR


WITH A LITTLE OUTWARD FLING OF HER TWO HANDS ALICE GREGGORY STEPPED BACK HER FACE HAD GROWN WHITE AGAIN I BEG YOUR PARDON OF COURSE SHE SAID IN A VOICE THAT WAS BITTERLY QUIET I SHOULD NOT HAVE SPOKEN SO


YOU ARE VERY KIND MISTER HENSHAW BUT I DO NOT THINK WE CARE TO SELL THE LOWESTOFT TO DAY BOTH WORDS AND MANNER WERE OBVIOUSLY A DISMISSAL AND WITH A PUZZLED SIGH WILLIAM HENSHAW PICKED UP HIS HAT HIS FACE SHOWED VERY CLEARLY THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO


OR WHAT TO SAY BUT IT SHOWED TOO AS CLEARLY THAT HE LONGED TO DO SOMETHING OR SAY SOMETHING DURING THE BRIEF MINUTE THAT HE HESITATED HOWEVER BILLY SPRANG FORWARD MISSUS GREGGORY PLEASE WON'T YOU LET ME BUY THE TEAPOT


AND THEN WON'T YOU KEEP IT FOR ME HERE I HAVEN'T THE HUNDRED DOLLARS WITH ME BUT I'LL SEND IT RIGHT AWAY YOU WILL LET ME DO IT WON'T YOU IT WAS AN IMPULSIVE SPEECH AND A FOOLISH ONE OF COURSE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF SENSE AND LOGIC AND REASONABLENESS


BUT IT WAS ONE THAT MIGHT BE EXPECTED PERHAPS FROM BILLY MISSUS GREGGORY MUST HAVE DIVINED IN A WAY THE SPIRIT THAT PROMPTED IT FOR HER EYES GREW WET AND WITH A CHOKING DEAR CHILD SHE REACHED OUT AND CAUGHT BILLY'S HAND IN BOTH HER OWN


EVEN WHILE SHE SHOOK HER HEAD IN DENIAL NOT SO HER DAUGHTER ALICE GREGGORY FLUSHED SCARLET SHE DREW HERSELF PROUDLY ERECT THANK YOU SHE SAID WITH CRISP COLDNESS BUT DISTASTEFUL AS DARNS AND PATCHES ARE TO US


WE PREFER THEM INFINITELY TO CHARITY OH BUT PLEASE I DIDN'T MEAN YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND FALTERED BILLY FOR ANSWER ALICE GREGGORY WALKED DELIBERATELY TO THE DOOR AND HELD IT OPEN OH ALICE MY DEAR PLEADED MISSUS GREGGORY AGAIN FEEBLY


COME BILLY WE'LL BID YOU GOOD MORNING LADIES SAID WILLIAM HENSHAW THEN DECISIVELY AND BILLY WITH A LITTLE WISTFUL PAT ON MISSUS GREGGORY'S CLASPED HANDS WENT ONCE DOWN THE LONG FOUR FLIGHTS OF STAIRS AND OUT ON THE SIDEWALK


WILLIAM HENSHAW DREW A LONG BREATH WELL BY JOVE BILLY THE NEXT TIME I TAKE YOU CURIO HUNTING IT WON'T BE TO THIS PLACE HE FUMED WASN'T IT AWFUL CHOKED BILLY AWFUL


THE GIRL WAS THE MOST STUBBORN UNREASONABLE VIXENISH LITTLE PUSS I EVER SAW I DIDN'T WANT HER OLD LOWESTOFT IF SHE DIDN'T WANT TO SELL IT BUT TO PRACTICALLY INVITE ME THERE AND THEN TREAT ME LIKE THAT SCOLDED THE COLLECTOR HIS FACE GROWING RED WITH ANGER


STILL I WAS SORRY FOR THE POOR LITTLE OLD LADY I WISH SOMEHOW SHE COULD HAVE THAT HUNDRED DOLLARS IT WAS THE MAN WHO SAID THIS NOT THE COLLECTOR SO DO I REJOINED BILLY DOLEFULLY


WELL WELL BUT THE DARKNESS OF MANKIND IS UNTOLLABLE WELL SIR YOU MUST KNOW AS YOU DIDN'T HEAR IT AFORE THAT THERE WAS A KING


AND IT WAS HE THAT OWNED THE CHURCHES IN THE EARLY DAYS THE KING YOU SEE WAS THE RIGHT SORT HE WAS THE REAL BOY AND LOVED SPORT AS HE LOVED HIS LIFE AND HUNTING IN PARTICULAR AND FROM THE RISING O THE SUN UP HE GOT AND AWAY HE WENT OVER THE MOUNTAINS AFTER THE DEER


AND THINKING OF DROWNING HIMSELF THAT COULD GET NO DIVERSION IN LIFE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN TURNING ROUND THE CORNER


GOD SAVE YOU KINDLY KING O'TOOLE SAYS THE YOUNG MAN TRUE FOR YOU SAYS THE KING I AM KING O'TOOLE SAYS HE PRINCE AND PLENNYPENNYTINCHERY OF THESE PARTS SAYS HE BUT HOW CAME YE TO KNOW THAT SAYS HE OH NEVER MIND SAYS SAINT KAVIN


YOU SEE IT WAS SAINT KAVIN SURE ENOUGH THE SAINT HIMSELF IN DISGUISE AND NOBODY ELSE OH NEVER MIND SAYS HE I KNOW MORE THAN THAT


BLUR AN AGERS HOW CAME YE TO KNOW ABOUT MY GOOSE SAYS THE KING OH NO MATTER I WAS GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND IT SAYS SAINT KAVIN AFTER SOME MORE TALK THE KING SAYS WHAT ARE YOU I'M AN HONEST MAN SAYS SAINT KAVIN WELL HONEST MAN SAYS THE KING


AND HOW IS IT YOU MAKE YOUR MONEY SO AISY


IS IT A TINKER YOU ARE SAYS THE KING NO SAYS THE SAINT I'M NO TINKER BY TRADE KING O'TOOLE


SAYS HE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY SAYS HE IF I MADE YOUR OLD GOOSE AS GOOD AS NEW MY DEAR AT THE WORD OF MAKING HIS GOOSE AS GOOD AS NEW YOU'D THINK THE POOR OLD KING'S EYES WERE READY TO JUMP OUT OF HIS HEAD


WITH THAT THE KING WHISTLED AND DOWN CAME THE POOR GOOSE JUST LIKE A HOUND WADDLING UP TO THE POOR CRIPPLE HER MASTER AND AS LIKE HIM AS TWO PEAS THE MINUTE THE SAINT CLAPT HIS EYES ON THE GOOSE I'LL DO THE JOB FOR YOU SAYS HE KING O'TOOLE


BY JAMINEE SAYS KING O'TOOLE IF YOU DO I'LL SAY YOU'RE THE CLEVEREST FELLOW IN THE SEVEN PARISHES OH BY DAD SAYS SAINT KAVIN


SAYS HE AS TO REPAIR YOUR OLD GOOSE FOR NOTHING WHAT'LL YOU GI ME IF I DO THE JOB FOR YOU THAT'S THE CHAT SAYS SAINT KAVIN I'LL GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU ASK SAYS THE KING ISN'T THAT FAIR


SAYS THE SAINT THAT'S THE WAY TO DO BUSINESS NOW


THIS IS THE BARGAIN I'LL MAKE WITH YOU KING O'TOOLE WILL YOU GI ME ALL THE GROUND THE GOOSE FLIES OVER THE FIRST OFFER AFTER I MAKE HER AS GOOD AS NEW I WILL SAYS THE KING YOU WON'T GO BACK O YOUR WORD SAYS SAINT KAVIN


HONOUR BRIGHT SAYS KING O'TOOLE HOLDING OUT HIS FIST HONOUR BRIGHT SAYS SAINT KAVIN BACK AGAIN IT'S A BARGAIN COME HERE SAYS HE TO THE POOR OLD GOOSE


AND IT'S I THAT'LL MAKE YOU THE SPORTING BIRD WITH THAT MY DEAR HE TOOK UP THE GOOSE BY THE TWO WINGS


AND THROWING HER UP IN THE AIR WHEW SAYS HE JIST GIVIN HER A BLAST TO HELP HER AND WITH THAT MY JEWEL SHE TOOK TO HER HEELS FLYIN LIKE ONE O THE EAGLES THEMSELVES AND CUTTING AS MANY CAPERS AS A SWALLOW BEFORE A SHOWER OF RAIN


LOOKING AT HIS POOR OLD GOOSE FLYING AS LIGHT AS A LARK AND BETTER THAN EVER SHE WAS


SAYS SAINT KAVIN FOR MAKING HER THE LIKE BY JABERS SAYS THE KING I SAY NOTHING BEATS THE ART O MAN BARRING THE BEES AND DO YOU SAY NO MORE NOR THAT SAYS SAINT KAVIN AND THAT I'M BEHOLDEN TO YOU SAYS THE KING


I WILL SAYS KING O'TOOLE AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO IT SAYS HE THOUGH IT'S THE LAST ACRE I HAVE TO GIVE BUT YOU'LL KEEP YOUR WORD TRUE SAYS THE SAINT AS TRUE AS THE SUN SAYS THE KING IT'S WELL FOR YOU KING O'TOOLE THAT YOU SAID THAT WORD SAYS HE


WHEN THE KING WAS AS GOOD AS HIS WORD SAINT KAVIN WAS PLEASED WITH HIM AND THEN IT WAS THAT HE MADE HIMSELF KNOWN TO THE KING AND SAYS HE KING O'TOOLE YOU'RE A DECENT MAN FOR I ONLY CAME HERE TO TRY YOU YOU DON'T KNOW ME SAYS HE BECAUSE I'M DISGUISED MUSHA


THEN SAYS THE KING WHO ARE YOU I'M SAINT KAVIN SAID THE SAINT BLESSING HIMSELF OH QUEEN OF HEAVEN SAYS THE KING MAKING THE SIGN OF THE CROSS BETWEEN HIS EYES AND FALLING DOWN ON HIS KNEES BEFORE THE SAINT IS IT THE GREAT SAINT KAVIN SAYS HE


THAT I'VE BEEN DISCOURSING ALL THIS TIME WITHOUT KNOWING IT SAYS HE