INSTEAD OF SLEEPING HE SPENT THE NIGHT IN SIGHS AND GROANS BEWAILING THE LOT OF HIS DAUGHTER OF WHOM HE BELIEVED HE SHOULD HIMSELF SHORTLY BE THE EXECUTIONER AS WITH THIS MELANCHOLY PROSPECT BEFORE HIM HE DREADED TO MEET THE SULTAN


HE WAS AGREEABLY SURPRISED WHEN HE FOUND THE PRINCE ENTERED THE COUNCIL CHAMBER WITHOUT GIVING HIM THE FATAL ORDERS HE EXPECTED THE SULTAN ACCORDING TO HIS CUSTOM SPENT THE DAY IN REGULATING HIS AFFAIRS AND WHEN THE NIGHT HAD CLOSED IN RETIRED WITH SCHEHERAZADE


THE NEXT MORNING BEFORE DAY DINARZADE FAILED NOT TO CALL TO HER SISTER MY DEAR SISTER IF YOU BE NOT ASLEEP I PRAY YOU TILL DAY BREAK WHICH IS VERY NEAR TO GO ON WITH THE STORY YOU BEGAN LAST NIGHT


THE SULTAN WITHOUT WAITING FOR SCHEHERAZADE TO ASK HIS PERMISSION BADE HER PROCEED WITH THE STORY OF THE GENIE AND THE MERCHANT UPON WHICH SCHEHERAZADE CONTINUED HER RELATION AS FOLLOWS F N


IN THE ORIGINAL WORK SCHEHERAZADE CONTINUALLY BREAKS OFF TO ASK THE SULTAN TO SPARE HER LIFE FOR ANOTHER DAY THAT SHE MAY FINISH THE STORY SHE IS RELATING AS THESE INTERRUPTIONS CONSIDERABLY INTERFERE WITH THE CONTINUED INTEREST OF THE STORIES IT HAS BEEN DEEMED ADVISABLE TO OMIT THEM


FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE HOLD YOUR HAND ALLOW ME ONE WORD


TO BID MY WIFE AND CHILDREN ADIEU AND


THAT THEY MAY NOT GO TO LAW AFTER MY DEATH WHEN I HAVE DONE THIS I WILL COME BACK AND SUBMIT TO WHATEVER YOU SHALL PLEASE TO COMMAND BUT SAID THE GENIE IF I GRANT YOU THE TIME YOU ASK I DOUBT YOU WILL NEVER RETURN


IF YOU WILL BELIEVE MY OATH ANSWERED THE MERCHANT I SWEAR BY ALL THAT IS SACRED THAT I WILL COME AND MEET YOU HERE WITHOUT FAIL WHAT TIME DO YOU REQUIRE THEN DEMANDED THE GENIE


I ASK A YEAR SAID THE MERCHANT I CANNOT IN LESS SETTLE MY AFFAIRS AND PREPARE MYSELF TO DIE WITHOUT REGRET BUT I PROMISE YOU THAT THIS DAY TWELVE MONTHS I WILL RETURN UNDER THESE TREES


TO PUT MYSELF INTO YOUR HANDS DO YOU TAKE HEAVEN TO BE WITNESS TO THIS PROMISE SAID THE GENIE I DO ANSWERED THE MERCHANT AND YOU MAY RELY ON MY OATH UPON THIS THE GENIE LEFT HIM NEAR THE FOUNTAIN AND DISAPPEARED


THE MERCHANT BEING RECOVERED FROM HIS TERROR MOUNTED HIS HORSE AND PROCEEDED ON HIS JOURNEY


BUT GRIEVED ON THE OTHER WHEN HE REFLECTED ON HIS FATAL OATH WHEN HE REACHED HOME HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN RECEIVED HIM WITH ALL THE DEMONSTRATIONS OF PERFECT JOY BUT HE INSTEAD OF RETURNING THEIR CARESSES WEPT SO BITTERLY


THAT HIS FAMILY APPREHENDED SOMETHING CALAMITOUS HAD BEFALLEN HIM


WE ARE ALL OVERJOYED SAID SHE AT YOUR RETURN BUT YOU ALARM US BY YOUR LAMENTATIONS PRAY TELL US THE CAUSE OF YOUR SORROW ALAS REPLIED THE HUSBAND I HAVE BUT A YEAR TO LIVE


HE THEN RELATED WHAT HAD PASSED BETWIXT HIM AND THE GENIE AND INFORMED HER THAT HE HAD GIVEN HIM HIS OATH TO RETURN AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO RECEIVE DEATH FROM HIS HANDS WHEN THEY HEARD THIS AFFLICTING INTELLIGENCE THEY ALL BEGAN TO LAMENT IN THE MOST DISTRESSING MANNER


THE CHILDREN ALL IN TEARS MADE THE HOUSE RESOUND WITH THEIR GROANS AND THE FATHER NOT BEING ABLE TO RESIST THE IMPULSE OF NATURE MINGLED HIS TEARS WITH THEIRS SO THAT IN A WORD THEY EXHIBITED THE MOST AFFECTING SPECTACLE POSSIBLE


ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING THE MERCHANT APPLIED HIMSELF TO PUT HIS AFFAIRS IN ORDER AND FIRST OF ALL TO PAY HIS DEBTS HE MADE PRESENTS TO HIS FRIENDS GAVE LIBERAL ALMS TO THE POOR


HE GAVE HER IN ADDITION AS MUCH AS THE LAW WOULD ALLOW HIM AT LAST THE YEAR EXPIRED AND HE WAS OBLIGED TO DEPART HE PUT HIS BURIAL CLOTHES IN HIS WALLET BUT WHEN HE CAME TO BID HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN ADIEU THEIR GRIEF SURPASSED DESCRIPTION


WHEN HOWEVER IT BECAME NECESSARY FOR HIM TO TEAR HIMSELF FROM THESE DEAR OBJECTS HE ADDRESSED THEM IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS MY DEAR WIFE AND CHILDREN I OBEY THE WILL OF HEAVEN IN QUITTING YOU FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE


SUBMIT WITH FORTITUDE TO THIS NECESSITY AND CONSIDER THAT IT IS THE DESTINY OF MAN TO DIE HAVING THUS SPOKEN HE WENT OUT OF THE HEARING OF THE CRIES OF HIS FAMILY AND PURSUING HIS JOURNEY ARRIVED ON THE DAY APPOINTED


AN OLD MAN LEADING A HIND APPEARED AND DREW NEAR HIM


BROTHER MAY I ASK WHY YOU ARE COME INTO THIS DESERT PLACE WHICH IS POSSESSED SOLELY BY EVIL SPIRITS AND WHERE CONSEQUENTLY YOU CANNOT BE SAFE FROM THE BEAUTIFUL TREES WHICH ARE SEEN HERE ONE MIGHT INDEED SUPPOSE THE PLACE INHABITED


HE THEN SEATED HIMSELF BY THE MERCHANT AND THEY ENTERED INTO CONVERSATION BUT I SEE DAY SAID SCHEHERAZADE AND MUST LEAVE OFF YET THE BEST OF THE STORY IS TO COME THE SULTAN RESOLVING TO HEAR THE END OF IT


SUFFERED HER TO LIVE THAT DAY ALSO THE NEXT MORNING DINARZADE MADE THE SAME REQUEST TO HER SISTER AS BEFORE MY DEAR SISTER SAID SHE


BUT THE SULTAN WISHING TO LEARN WHAT FOLLOWED BETWIXT THE MERCHANT AND THE GENIE BADE HER PROCEED WITH THAT WHICH SHE DID AS FOLLOWS SIR WHILE THE MERCHANT AND THE OLD MAN WHO LED THE HIND WERE CONVERSING


THEY SAW ANOTHER OLD MAN COMING TOWARDS THEM FOLLOWED BY TWO BLACK DOGS


THE OLD MAN WITH THE HIND TOLD HIM THE ADVENTURE OF THE MERCHANT AND GENIE WITH ALL THAT HAD PASSED BETWEEN THEM PARTICULARLY THE MERCHANT'S OATH


THEY HAD SCARCELY BEGUN TO CONVERSE TOGETHER WHEN THERE ARRIVED A THIRD OLD MAN LEADING A MULE HE ADDRESSED HIMSELF TO THE TWO FORMER AND ASKED WHY THE MERCHANT WHO SAT WITH THEM LOOKED SO MELANCHOLY THEY TOLD HIM THE REASON


WHICH APPEARED TO HIM SO EXTRAORDINARY


THE MERCHANT AND THE THREE OLD MEN BEGAN TO LAMENT AND FILL THE AIR WITH THEIR CRIES WHEN THE OLD MAN WHO LED THE HIND SAW THE GENIE LAY HOLD OF THE MERCHANT AND ABOUT TO KILL HIM


I WILL TELL YOU THE HISTORY OF MY LIFE AND OF THE HIND YOU SEE AND IF YOU THINK IT MORE WONDERFUL AND SURPRISING THAN THE ADVENTURE OF THE MERCHANT I HOPE YOU WILL PARDON THE UNFORTUNATE MAN A THIRD OF HIS OFFENCE


WHAT IS MORE MY WIFE SHE WAS ONLY TWELVE YEARS OF AGE WHEN I MARRIED HER SO THAT I MAY JUSTLY SAY SHE OUGHT TO REGARD ME EQUALLY AS HER FATHER HER KINSMAN AND HER HUSBAND


WE LIVED TOGETHER TWENTY YEARS WITHOUT ANY CHILDREN HER BARRENNESS DID NOT EFFECT ANY CHANGE IN MY LOVE I STILL TREATED HER WITH MUCH KINDNESS AND AFFECTION


MY DESIRE OF HAVING CHILDREN ONLY INDUCED ME TO PURCHASE A SLAVE BY WHOM I HAD A SON WHO WAS EXTREMELY PROMISING MY WIFE BEING JEALOUS CHERISHED A HATRED FOR BOTH MOTHER AND CHILD


BUT CONCEALED HER AVERSION SO WELL THAT I KNEW NOTHING OF IT TILL IT WAS TOO LATE MEAN TIME MY SON GREW UP AND WAS TEN YEARS OLD WHEN I WAS OBLIGED TO UNDERTAKE A LONG JOURNEY


BEFORE I WENT I RECOMMENDED TO MY WIFE OF WHOM I HAD NO MISTRUST THE SLAVE AND HER SON AND PRAYED HER TO TAKE CARE OF THEM DURING MY ABSENCE WHICH WAS TO BE FOR A WHOLE YEAR


SHE HOWEVER EMPLOYED THAT TIME TO SATISFY HER HATRED SHE APPLIED HERSELF TO MAGIC


THE WRETCH CARRIED MY SON TO A DESOLATE PLACE WHERE BY HER ENCHANTMENTS SHE CHANGED HIM INTO A CALF AND GAVE HIM TO MY FARMER TO FATTEN PRETENDING SHE HAD BOUGHT HIM


HER ENMITY DID NOT STOP AT THIS ABOMINABLE ACTION BUT SHE LIKEWISE CHANGED THE SLAVE INTO A COW AND GAVE HER ALSO TO MY FARMER AT MY RETURN I ENQUIRED FOR THE MOTHER AND CHILD


YOUR SLAVE SAID SHE IS DEAD AND AS FOR YOUR SON I KNOW NOT WHAT IS BECOME OF HIM I HAVE NOT SEEN HIM THIS TWO MONTHS I WAS AFFLICTED AT THE DEATH OF THE SLAVE


BUT AS SHE INFORMED ME MY SON HAD ONLY DISAPPEARED I WAS IN HOPES HE WOULD SHORTLY RETURN HOWEVER EIGHT MONTHS PASSED AND I HEARD NOTHING OF HIM WHEN THE FESTIVAL OF THE GREAT BAIRAM WAS TO BE CELEBRATED


THE UNFORTUNATE MOTHER OF MY SON I BOUND HER BUT AS I WAS GOING TO SACRIFICE HER SHE BELLOWED PITEOUSLY AND I COULD PERCEIVE TEARS STREAMING FROM HER EYES THIS SEEMED TO ME VERY EXTRAORDINARY


AND FINDING MYSELF MOVED WITH COMPASSION I COULD NOT FIND IN MY HEART TO GIVE HER A BLOW BUT ORDERED MY FARMER TO GET ME ANOTHER MY WIFE WHO WAS PRESENT WAS ENRAGED AT MY TENDERNESS


AND RESISTING AN ORDER WHICH DISAPPOINTED HER MALICE SHE CRIED OUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING HUSBAND SACRIFICE THAT COW YOUR FARMER HAS NOT A FINER NOR ONE FITTER FOR THE FESTIVAL OUT OF DEFERENCE TO MY WIFE I CAME AGAIN TO THE COW


AND COMBATING MY COMPASSION WHICH SUSPENDED THE SACRIFICE WAS GOING TO GIVE HER THE FATAL BLOW WHEN THE VICTIM REDOUBLING HER TEARS AND BELLOWING DISARMED ME A SECOND TIME


I THEN PUT THE MALLET INTO THE FARMER'S HANDS AND DESIRED HIM TO TAKE IT AND SACRIFICE HER HIMSELF FOR HER TEARS AND BELLOWING PIERCED MY HEART THE FARMER LESS COMPASSIONATE THAN MYSELF SACRIFICED HER


THOUGH TO SHE SEEMED VERY FAT TAKE HER YOURSELF SAID I TO HIM


I DID NOT ENQUIRE WHAT HE DID WITH THE COW BUT SOON AFTER HE HAD TAKEN HER AWAY HE RETURNED WITH A FAT CALF THOUGH I KNEW NOT THE CALF WAS MY SON YET I COULD NOT FORBEAR BEING MOVED AT THE SIGHT OF HIM ON HIS PART


AS SOON AS HE BEHELD ME HE MADE SO GREAT AN EFFORT TO COME NEAR ME THAT HE BROKE HIS CORD


WITH HIS HEAD AGAINST THE GROUND AS IF HE MEANT TO EXCITE MY COMPASSION CONJURING ME NOT TO BE SO CRUEL AS TO TAKE HIS LIFE AND DID AS MUCH AS WAS POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO SIGNIFY THAT HE WAS MY SON


I WAS MORE SURPRISED AND AFFECTED WITH THIS ACTION THAN WITH THE TEARS OF THE COW I FELT A TENDER PITY WHICH INTERESTED ME ON HIS BEHALF OR RATHER NATURE DID ITS DUTY


GO SAID I TO THE FARMER CARRY HOME THAT CALF TAKE GREAT CARE OF HIM AND BRING ME ANOTHER IN HIS STEAD IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS MY WIFE HEARD ME GIVE THIS ORDER SHE EXCLAIMED WHAT ARE YOU ABOUT HUSBAND


TAKE MY ADVICE SACRIFICE NO OTHER CALF BUT THAT WIFE I REPLIED I WILL NOT SACRIFICE HIM I WILL SPARE HIM AND PRAY DO NOT YOU OPPOSE ME


THE WICKED WOMAN HAD NO REGARD TO MY WISHES SHE HATED MY SON TOO MUCH TO CONSENT THAT I SHOULD SAVE HIM I TIED THE POOR CREATURE AND TAKING UP THE FATAL KNIFE WAS GOING TO PLUNGE IT INTO MY SON'S THROAT


WHEN TURNING HIS EYES BATHED WITH TEARS IN A LANGUISHING MANNER TOWARDS ME HE AFFECTED ME SO MUCH THAT I HAD NOT STRENGTH TO KILL HIM I LET THE KNIFE FALL AND TOLD MY WIFE POSITIVELY


THAT I WOULD HAVE ANOTHER CALF TO SACRIFICE AND NOT THAT SHE USED ALL HER ENDEAVOURS TO PERSUADE ME TO CHANGE MY RESOLUTION BUT I CONTINUED FIRM


I COME SAID HE TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU A PIECE OF INTELLIGENCE FOR WHICH I HOPE YOU WILL RETURN ME THANKS I HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT HAS SOME SKILL IN MAGIC YESTERDAY


THESE TWO METAMORPHOSES WERE MADE BY THE ENCHANTMENTS OF OUR MASTER'S WIFE WHO HATED BOTH THE MOTHER


THIS IS WHAT MY DAUGHTER TOLD ME SAID THE FARMER AND I COME TO ACQUAINT YOU WITH IT I LEAVE YOU TO JUDGE HOW MUCH I WAS SURPRISED I WENT IMMEDIATELY TO MY FARMER TO SPEAK TO HIS DAUGHTER MYSELF


AS SOON AS I ARRIVED I WENT FORTHWITH TO THE STALL WHERE MY SON WAS KEPT HE COULD NOT RETURN MY EMBRACES BUT RECEIVED THEM IN SUCH A MANNER AS FULLY SATISFIED ME HE WAS MY SON


MY GOOD MAID SAID I CAN YOU RESTORE MY SON TO HIS FORMER SHAPE YES SHE REPLIED I CAN


EXCEPT ON TWO CONDITIONS THE FIRST IS THAT YOU GIVE HIM TO ME FOR MY HUSBAND AND THE SECOND THAT YOU ALLOW ME TO PUNISH THE PERSON WHO CHANGED HIM INTO A CALF AS TO THE FIRST I REPLIED


AS TO WHAT RELATES TO MY WIFE I ALSO AGREE A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN CAPABLE OF COMMITTING SUCH A CRIMINAL ACTION JUSTLY DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED


ONLY I MUST PRAY YOU NOT TO TAKE HER LIFE I AM GOING THEN ANSWERED SHE TO TREAT HER AS SHE TREATED YOUR SON TO THIS I CONSENT SAID I


PROVIDED YOU FIRST OF ALL RESTORE TO ME MY SON


PRONOUNCED OVER IT WORDS THAT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESSING HERSELF TO THE CALF O CALF IF THOU WEST CREATED BY THE ALMIGHTY AND SOVEREIGN MASTER OF THE WORLD SUCH AS THOU APPEAREST AT THIS TIME CONTINUE IN THAT FORM


BUT IF THOU BE A MAN AND ART CHANGED INTO A CALF BY ENCHANTMENT RETURN TO THY NATURAL SHAPE BY THE PERMISSION OF THE SOVEREIGN CREATOR AS SHE SPOKE SHE THREW WATER UPON HIM


AND IN AN INSTANT HE RECOVERED HIS NATURAL FORM MY SON


WITH SUCH A TRANSPORT OF JOY THAT I KNEW NOT WHAT I WAS DOING IT IS HEAVEN THAT HATH SENT US THIS YOUNG MAID TO REMOVE THE HORRIBLE CHARM BY WHICH YOU WERE ENCHANTED AND TO AVENGE THE INJURY DONE TO YOU AND YOUR MOTHER I DOUBT NOT


BUT IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT YOU WILL MAKE YOUR DELIVERER YOUR WIFE AS I HAVE PROMISED HE JOYFULLY CONSENTED BUT BEFORE THEY MARRIED SHE CHANGED MY WIFE INTO A HIND AND THIS IS SHE WHOM YOU SEE HERE


I DESIRED SHE MIGHT HAVE THIS SHAPE RATHER THAN ANOTHER LESS AGREEABLE THAT WE MIGHT SEE HER IN THE FAMILY WITHOUT HORROR SINCE THAT TIME MY SON IS BECOME A WIDOWER AND GONE TO TRAVEL


IT BEING NOW SEVERAL YEARS SINCE I HEARD OF HIM I AM COME ABROAD TO INQUIRE AFTER HIM AND NOT BEING WILLING TO TRUST ANYBODY WITH MY WIFE TILL I SHOULD RETURN HOME I THOUGHT FIT TO TAKE HER EVERYWHERE WITH ME


THIS IS THE HISTORY OF MYSELF AND THIS HIND IS IT NOT ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL AND SURPRISING I ADMIT IT IS SAID THE GENIE AND ON THAT ACCOUNT FORGIVE THE MERCHANT ONE THIRD OF HIS CRIME


THE STORY OF THE GRECIAN KING


THERE WAS IN THE COUNTRY OF YUNAUN OR GREECE A KING WHO WAS LEPROUS AND HIS PHYSICIANS HAD IN VAIN ENDEAVOURED HIS CURE


ARRIVED AT HIS COURT THIS PHYSICIAN HAD LEARNT THE THEORY OF HIS PROFESSION IN GREEK PERSIAN TURKISH ARABIC LATIN SYRIAC AND HEBREW BOOKS HE WAS AN EXPERIENCED NATURAL PHILOSOPHER


I KNOW SAID HE AFTER THE USUAL CEREMONIALS THAT YOUR MAJESTY'S PHYSICIANS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HEAL YOU OF THE LEPROSY BUT IF YOU WILL ACCEPT MY SERVICE I WILL ENGAGE TO CURE YOU WITHOUT POTIONS


OR EXTERNAL APPLICATIONS THE KING LISTENED TO WHAT HE SAID AND ANSWERED IF YOU BE ABLE TO PERFORM WHAT YOU PROMISE I WILL ENRICH YOU AND YOUR POSTERITY


DO YOU ASSURE ME THAT YOU WILL CURE MY LEPROSY WITHOUT POTION OR APPLYING ANY EXTERNAL MEDICINE YES SIRE REPLIED THE PHYSICIAN I PROMISE MYSELF SUCCESS THROUGH GOD'S ASSISTANCE


AND TO MORROW WITH YOUR MAJESTY'S PERMISSION I WILL MAKE THE TRIAL THE PHYSICIAN RETURNED TO HIS QUARTERS MADE A HOLLOW MACE AND AT THE HANDLE HE PUT IN HIS DRUGS


WITH WHICH NEXT MORNING HE PRESENTED HIMSELF BEFORE THE KING AND FALLING DOWN AT HIS FEET KISSED THE GROUND


AND AFTER A PROFOUND REVERENCE SAID TO THE KING HE JUDGED IT MEET THAT HIS MAJESTY SHOULD TAKE HORSE


THE KING DID SO AND WHEN HE ARRIVED THERE THE PHYSICIAN CAME TO HIM WITH THE MACE AND SAID EXERCISE YOURSELF WITH THIS MACE AND STRIKE THE BALL UNTIL YOU FIND YOUR HANDS AND BODY PERSPIRE


WHEN THE MEDICINE I HAVE PUT UP IN THE HANDLE OF THE MACE IS HEATED WITH YOUR HAND IT WILL PENETRATE YOUR WHOLE BODY AND AS SOON AS YOU PERSPIRE YOU MAY LEAVE OFF THE EXERCISE


IMMEDIATELY ON YOUR RETURN TO YOUR PALACE GO INTO THE BATH AND CAUSE YOURSELF TO BE WELL WASHED AND RUBBED THEN RETIRE TO BED AND WHEN YOU RISE TO MORROW YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF CURED


THE KING TOOK THE MACE AND STRUCK THE BALL WHICH WAS RETURNED BY HIS OFFICERS WHO PLAYED WITH HIM HE PLAYED SO LONG THAT HIS HANDS AND HIS WHOLE BODY WERE IN A SWEAT AND THEN THE MEDICINE SHUT UP IN THE HANDLE OF THE MACE HAD ITS OPERATION


AS THE PHYSICIAN HAD SAID UPON THIS THE KING LEFT OFF PLAY RETURNED TO HIS PALACE ENTERED THE BATH AND OBSERVED VERY EXACTLY HIS PHYSICIAN HAD PRESCRIBED TO HIM


THE NEXT MORNING WHEN HE AROSE HE PERCEIVED WITH EQUAL WONDER AND JOY THAT HIS LEPROSY WAS CURED AND HIS BODY AS CLEAN AS IF IT HAD NEVER BEEN AFFECTED AS SOON AS HE WAS DRESSED HE CAME INTO THE HALL OF AUDIENCE WHERE HE ASCENDED HIS THRONE


AND SHEWED HIMSELF TO HIS COURTIERS WHO EAGER TO KNOW THE SUCCESS OF THE NEW MEDICINE CAME THITHER BETIMES AND WHEN THEY SAW THE KING PERFECTLY CURED EXPRESSED GREAT JOY


BOWED HIMSELF BEFORE THE THRONE WITH HIS FACE TO THE GROUND THE KING PERCEIVING HIM MADE HIM SIT DOWN BY HIS SIDE PRESENTED HIM TO THE ASSEMBLY AND GAVE HIM ALL THE COMMENDATION HE DESERVED


BUT AS HE TREATED ALL HIS COURT THAT DAY MADE HIM EAT AT HIS TABLE ALONE WITH HIM


BUT CAUSED HIM TO BE CLAD IN A RICH ROBE


CONTINUED EVERY DAY TO LOAD HIM WITH NEW FAVOURS BUT THIS KING HAD A VIZIER WHO WAS AVARICIOUS ENVIOUS AND NATURALLY CAPABLE OF EVERY KIND OF MISCHIEF


HE COULD NOT BEHOLD WITHOUT ENVY THE PRESENTS THAT WERE GIVEN TO THE PHYSICIAN WHOSE OTHER MERITS HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO MAKE HIM JEALOUS


TO EFFECT THIS HE WENT TO THE KING AND TOLD HIM IN PRIVATE THAT HE HAD SOME INFORMATION OF THE GREATEST CONSEQUENCE TO COMMUNICATE THE KING HAVING ASKED WHAT IT WAS SIRE SAID HE


IT IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS FOR A MONARCH TO CONFIDE IN A MAN WHOSE FIDELITY HE HAS NEVER TRIED


I AM WELL INFORMED OF WHAT I HAVE HAD THE HONOUR TO REVEAL TO YOUR MAJESTY THEREFORE DO NOT REST IN DANGEROUS SECURITY IF YOUR MAJESTY BE ASLEEP BE PLEASED TO AWAKE


AND CAME TO SETTLE HIMSELF AT YOUR COURT FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF EXECUTING THE HORRIBLE DESIGN WHICH I HAVE INTIMATED NO NO VIZIER INTERRUPTED THE KING


I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS PHYSICIAN WHOM YOU SUSPECT TO BE A VILLAIN AND A TRAITOR IS ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST VIRTUOUS OF MEN YOU KNOW BY WHAT MEDICINE OR RATHER BY WHAT MIRACLE HE CURED ME OF MY LEPROSY


IF HE HAD HAD A DESIGN UPON MY LIFE WHY DID HE SAVE ME THEN HE NEEDED ONLY TO HAVE LEFT ME TO MY DISEASE I COULD NOT HAVE ESCAPED IT AS LIFE WAS FAST DECAYING FORBEAR THEN TO FILL ME WITH UNJUST SUSPICIONS


INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO YOU I TELL YOU THAT FROM THIS DAY FORWARD I WILL GIVE THAT GREAT MAN A PENSION OF A THOUSAND PIECES OF GOLD PER MONTH FOR HIS LIFE NAY THOUGH I WERE TO SHARE WITH HIM ALL MY RICHES AND DOMINIONS


I SHOULD NEVER PAY HIM SUFFICIENTLY FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE I PERCEIVE IT TO BE HIS VIRTUE THAT RAISES YOUR ENVY BUT DO NOT THINK I WILL BE UNJUSTLY PREJUDICED AGAINST HIM I REMEMBER TOO WELL WHAT A VIZIER SAID TO KING SINBAD HIS MASTER


TO PREVENT HIS PUTTING TO DEATH THE PRINCE HIS SON WHAT THE GRECIAN KING SAID ABOUT KING SINBAD RAISED THE VIZIER'S CURIOSITY WHO SAID I PRAY YOUR MAJESTY TO PARDON ME


IF I HAVE THE BOLDNESS TO ASK WHAT THE VIZIER OF KING SINBAD SAID TO HIS MASTER TO DIVERT HIM FROM PUTTING THE PRINCE HIS SON TO DEATH THE GRECIAN KING HAD THE CONDESCENSION TO SATISFY HIM THAT VIZIER SAID HE


AFTER HAVING REPRESENTED TO KING SINBAD THAT HE OUGHT TO BEWARE LEST ON THE ACCUSATION OF A MOTHER IN LAW HE SHOULD COMMIT AN ACTION OF WHICH HE MIGHT AFTERWARDS REPENT


ALL THE WITNESSES WHO HAD ANYTHING TO SAY HAD LONG AGO GIVEN IN THEIR TESTIMONY AND WHEN AT OR NEAR NOON


IT WAS TO FIND IN TWO FACES ONLY ANY SIGNS OF THE EAGERNESS AND EXPECTANCY WHICH FILLED HIS OWN BREAST TO SUFFOCATION BUT AS THESE FACES WERE THOSE OF AGNES HALLIDAY AND AMABEL PAGE


HE SOON RECOGNISED THAT HIS OWN JUDGMENT WAS NOT AT FAULT AND THAT NOTWITHSTANDING OUTWARD APPEARANCES AND THE LANGUID INTEREST SHOWN IN THE NOW LAGGING PROCEEDINGS


BUT VITAL CONSEQUENCE FREDERICK WAS NOT VISIBLE IN THE GREAT HALL BUT THAT HE WAS NEAR AT HAND SOON BECAME EVIDENT FROM THE CHANGE SWEETWATER NOW SAW IN AMABEL


FOR WHILE SHE HAD HITHERTO SAT UNDER THE UNIVERSAL GAZE WITH ONLY THE FAINT SMILE OF CONSCIOUS BEAUTY ON HER INSCRUTABLE FEATURES


AND GLANCED AT THE GREAT DOOR OF ENTRANCE WITH AN EVIL EXPECTANCY THAT STARTLED EVEN SWEETWATER SO LITTLE HAD HE REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE NATURE OF THE PASSIONS LABOURING IN THAT VENOMOUS BREAST


SMILED AS SHE MET HIS EYE WITH THAT CURIOUS SLOW DIPPING OF HER DIMPLES WHICH HAD MORE THAN ONCE CONFOUNDED THE CORONER AND RENDERED HER AT ONCE THE ADMIRATION AND ABHORRENCE OF THE CROWD


LOOKED AWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE


FROM WHICH HE HAD REMOVED THE RING WHICH UP TO THIS HOUR HE HAD INVARIABLY WORN ON HIS THIRD FINGER IN THIS GLANCE OF HERS AND THIS ACTION OF HIS BEGAN THE STRUGGLE THAT WAS TO MAKE THAT DAY MEMORABLE IN MANY HEARTS


AND TO HIM A FULL ATTENTION WAS BEING GIVEN IN THE HOPE THAT SOME REAL ENLIGHTENMENT WOULD COME AT LAST TO SETTLE THE QUESTIONS WHICH HAD BEEN RAISED BY AMABEL'S INCOMPLETE AND UNSATISFACTORY TESTIMONY BUT NO MAN CAN FURNISH WHAT HE DOES NOT POSSESS


AND THE FEW FINAL MINUTES BEFORE NOON PASSED BY WITHOUT ANY ADDITION BEING MADE TO THE FACTS WHICH HAD ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED FOR GENERAL CONSIDERATION AS THE WITNESS SAT DOWN THE CLOCK BEGAN TO STRIKE AS THE SLOW


HESITATING STROKES RANG OUT SWEETWATER SAW FREDERICK YIELD TO A SUDDEN BUT MOST PROFOUND EMOTION THE OLD FEAR WHICH WE UNDERSTAND IF SWEETWATER DID NOT HAD AGAIN SEIZED THE VICTIM OF AMABEL'S AMBITION


WITH A FELL AND STEADY PURPOSE HE FOUND HIS RIGHT HAND STEALING TOWARD THE LEFT IN THE SIGNIFICANT ACTION SHE EXPECTED BETTER TO YIELD THAN FALL HEADLONG INTO THE PIT ONE WORD OF HERS WOULD OPEN


HE HAD NOT MEANT TO YIELD BUT NOW THAT THE MOMENT HAD COME NOW THAT HE MUST AT ONCE AND FOREVER CHOOSE BETWEEN A COURSE THAT LED SIMPLY TO PERSONAL UNHAPPINESS AND ONE THAT INVOLVED NOT ONLY HIMSELF


BUT THOSE DEAREST TO HIM IN DISGRACE AND SORROW HE FELT HIMSELF WEAKEN TO THE POINT OF CLUTCHING AT WHATEVER WOULD SAVE HIM FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF CONFESSION MORAL STRENGTH AND THAT TENACITY OF PURPOSE


WHICH ONLY COMES FROM YEARS OF SELF CONTROL WERE TOO LATELY AWAKENED IN HIS BREAST TO SUSTAIN HIM NOW AS STROKE AFTER STROKE FELL ON THE EAR HE FELT HIMSELF YIELDING BEYOND RECOVERY


AND HAD ALMOST TOUCHED HIS FINGER IN THE SIGNIFICANT ACTION OF ASSENT WHICH AMABEL AWAITED WITH BREATHLESS EXPECTATION WHEN WAS IT MIRACLE OR ONLY THE SUGGESTION OF HIS BETTER NATURE


THE MEMORY OF A FACE FULL OF HOLY PLEADING ROSE FROM THE PAST BEFORE HIS EYES AND WITH AN INNER CRY OF MOTHER HE FLUNG HIS HAND OUT AND CLUTCHED HIS FATHER'S ARM IN A WAY TO BREAK THE CHARM OF HIS OWN DREAD


AND END FOREVER THE EFFECTS OF THE INTOLERABLE FASCINATION THAT WAS WORKING UPON HIM NEXT MINUTE THE LAST STROKE OF NOON RANG OUT AND THE HOUR WAS UP WHICH AMABEL HAD SET AS THE LIMIT OF HER SILENCE A PAUSE


WHICH TO THEIR TWO HEARTS IF TO NO OTHERS SEEMED STRANGELY APPROPRIATE FOLLOWED THE CESSATION OF THESE SOUNDS THEN THE WITNESS WAS DISMISSED AND AMABEL


WHEN FREDERICK LEAPING WITH A BOUND TO HIS FEET DREW ALL EYES TOWARDS HIMSELF WITH THE CRY LET ME BE PUT ON MY OATH I HAVE TESTIMONY TO GIVE OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN THIS CASE THE CORONER WAS ASTOUNDED


EVERYONE WAS ASTOUNDED NO ONE HAD EXPECTED ANYTHING FROM HIM AND INSTINCTIVELY EVERY EYE TURNED TOWARDS AMABEL TO SEE HOW SHE WAS AFFECTED BY HIS ACTION STRANGELY EVIDENTLY


EVER FORGOT THOUGH IT CONVEYED NO HINT OF HER REAL FEELINGS WHICH WERE SOMEWHAT CHAOTIC FREDERICK WHO HAD FORGOTTEN HER NOW THAT HE HAD MADE UP HIS MIND TO SPEAK WAITED FOR THE CORONER'S REPLY IF YOU HAVE TESTIMONY


SAID THAT GENTLEMAN AFTER EXCHANGING A FEW HURRIED WORDS WITH MISTER COURTNEY AND THE SURPRISED KNAPP YOU CAN DO NO BETTER THAN GIVE IT TO US AT ONCE MISTER FREDERICK SUTHERLAND WILL YOU TAKE THE STAND


WITH A NOBLE AIR FROM WHICH ALL HESITATION HAD VANISHED FREDERICK STARTED TOWARDS THE PLACE INDICATED BUT STOPPED BEFORE HE HAD TAKEN A HALF DOZEN STEPS


GO HE WHISPERED BUT IN SO THRILLING A TONE IT WAS HEARD TO THE REMOTEST CORNER OF THE ROOM SPARE ME THE ANGUISH OF SAYING WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IN YOUR PRESENCE I COULD NOT BEAR IT YOU COULD NOT BEAR IT LATER


IF YOU WILL WAIT FOR ME IN ONE OF THESE ROOMS I WILL REPEAT MY TALE IN YOUR EARS BUT GO NOW IT IS MY LAST ENTREATY THERE WAS A SILENCE NO ONE VENTURED A DISSENT


NO ONE SO MUCH AS MADE A GESTURE OF DISAPPROVAL THEN MISTER SUTHERLAND STRUGGLED TO HIS FEET CAST ONE LAST LOOK AROUND HIM AND DISAPPEARED THROUGH A DOOR WHICH HAD OPENED LIKE MAGIC BEFORE HIM THEN AND NOT TILL THEN


DID FREDERICK MOVE FORWARD THE MOMENT WAS INTENSE THE CORONER SEEMED TO SHARE THE UNIVERSAL EXCITEMENT


THIS YOU WILL BELIEVE WHEN I TELL YOU THAT I WAS THE PERSON MISS PAGE FOLLOWED INTO MISSUS WEBB'S HOUSE AND WHOM SHE HEARD DESCEND THE STAIRS DURING THE MOMENT SHE CROUCHED BEHIND THE FIGURE OF THE SLEEPING PHILEMON IT WAS MORE


INFINITELY MORE THAN ANYONE THERE HAD EXPECTED


AND THE SHOCK THE SURPRISE


WAS ALMOST APPALLING IN ITS INTENSITY HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF MISTER SUTHERLAND'S NEAR PRESENCE THE FEELING WOULD HAVE RISEN TO OUTBREAK AND MANY VOICES WERE HELD IN SUBJECTION BY THE REMEMBRANCE OF THIS VENERATED MAN'S LAST LOOK


THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE MADE THEMSELVES HEARD IN DESPITE OF THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE PLACE AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE POLICE TO FREDERICK IT WAS A MOMENT OF IMMEASURABLE GRIEF AND HUMILIATION


ON EVERY FACE IN EVERY SHRINKING FORM IN SUBDUED MURMURS AND OPEN CRIES HE READ INSTANT AND COMPLETE CONDEMNATION AND YET IN ALL HIS LIFE FROM BOYHOOD UP TO THIS HOUR NEVER HAD HE BEEN SO WORTHY OF THEIR ESTEEM AND CONSIDERATION


HE DID NOT LOSE HIS DETERMINED ATTITUDE HE HAD OBSERVED A CHANGE IN AMABEL AND A CHANGE IN AGNES AND IF ONLY TO DISAPPOINT THE VILE TRIUMPH OF THE ONE


HE WITHSTOOD THE CLAMOUR AND BEGAN SPEAKING AGAIN BEFORE THE CORONER HAD BEEN ABLE TO FULLY RESTORE QUIET I KNOW SAID HE


BUT IF ANYONE WHO LISTENS TO ME THINKS ME GUILTY OF THE DEATH I WAS SO UNFORTUNATE AS TO HAVE WITNESSED


DOCTOR TALBOT AND YOU GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY IN THE FACE OF GOD AND MAN I HERE DECLARE THAT MISSUS WEBB IN MY PRESENCE AND BEFORE MY EYES


GAVE TO HERSELF THE BLOW WHICH HAS ROBBED US ALL OF A MOST VALUABLE LIFE SHE WAS NOT MURDERED IT WAS A SOLEMN ASSERTION BUT IT FAILED TO CONVINCE THE CROWD BEFORE HIM AS BY ONE IMPULSE MEN AND WOMEN BROKE INTO A TUMULT


SHE WAS TOO GOOD IT'S ALL CALUMNY A WRETCHED LIE BROKE IN UNRESTRAINED EXCITEMENT FROM EVERY PART OF THE LARGE ROOM IN VAIN THE CORONER SMOTE WITH HIS GAVEL IN VAIN THE LOCAL POLICE ENDEAVOURED TO RESTORE ORDER


THE TIDE WAS UP AND OVER SWEPT EVERYTHING FOR AN INSTANT


OF AMABEL SMOOTHING OUT THE FOLDS OF HER CRISP WHITE FROCK WITH AN INCREDULOUS ALMOST INSULTING SMILE THAT AT ONCE FIXED ATTENTION AGAIN ON FREDERICK HE SEIZED THE OCCASION AND SPOKE UP IN A TONE OF GREAT RESOLVE


I HAVE MADE AN ASSERTION SAID HE BEFORE GOD AND BEFORE THIS JURY TO MAKE IT SEEM A CREDIBLE ONE I SHALL HAVE TO TELL MY OWN STORY FROM THE BEGINNING AM I ALLOWED TO DO SO MISTER CORONER YOU ARE


WAS THE FIRM RESPONSE THEN GENTLEMEN CONTINUED FREDERICK STILL WITHOUT LOOKING AT AMABEL WHOSE SMILE HAD ACQUIRED A MOCKERY THAT DREW THE EYES OF THE JURY TOWARD HER MORE THAN ONCE DURING THE FOLLOWING RECITAL


YOU KNOW AND THE PUBLIC GENERALLY NOW KNOW THAT MISSUS WEBB HAS LEFT ME THE GREATER PORTION OF THE MONEY OF WHICH SHE DIED POSSESSED I HAVE NEVER BEFORE ACKNOWLEDGED TO ANYONE NOT EVEN TO THE GOOD MAN WHO AWAITS THIS JURY'S VERDICT


ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DOOR YONDER THAT SHE HAD REASONS FOR THIS GOOD REASONS REASONS OF WHICH UP TO THE VERY EVENING OF HER DEATH


OR THAT I WAS THE SPECIAL OBJECT OF HER ATTENTION OR THAT WE WERE UNDER ANY MUTUAL OBLIGATIONS IN ANY WAY WHY THEN I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF GOING TO HER IN THE GREAT STRAIT IN WHICH I FOUND MYSELF ON THAT DAY


I CANNOT SAY I KNEW SHE HAD MONEY IN HER HOUSE THIS I HAD UNHAPPILY BEEN MADE ACQUAINTED WITH IN AN ACCIDENTAL WAY


AND QUITE CAPABLE OF DOING A VERY UNSELFISH ACT STILL THIS WOULD NOT SEEM TO BE REASON ENOUGH FOR ME TO INTRUDE UPON HER LATE AT NIGHT WITH A PLEA FOR A LARGE LOAN OF MONEY HAD I NOT BEEN IN A DESPERATE CONDITION OF MIND


WHICH MADE ANY ATTEMPT SEEM REASONABLE THAT PROMISED RELIEF FROM THE UNENDURABLE BURDEN OF A PRESSING AND DISREPUTABLE DEBT I WAS OBLIGED TO HAVE MONEY A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY AND I HAD TO HAVE IT AT ONCE


AS I HAD BEEN TOLD EARLY IN THE EVENING A SMALL ENTERTAINMENT WAS BEING GIVEN WHICH WOULD INSURE ITS BEING OPEN EVEN AT SO LATE AN HOUR AS MIDNIGHT MISS PAGE WHO WILL I AM SURE PARDON THE INTRODUCTION OF HER NAME INTO THIS NARRATIVE


HAS TAKEN PAINS TO DECLARE TO YOU THAT IN THE EXPEDITION SHE HERSELF MADE INTO TOWN THAT EVENING SHE FOLLOWED SOME PERSON'S STEPS DOWN HILL THIS IS VERY LIKELY TRUE AND THOSE STEPS WERE PROBABLY MINE FOR AFTER LEAVING THE HOUSE BY THE GARDEN DOOR


AND SO HASTENED ON TILL I CAME TO THE GATE ON HIGH STREET HERE I HAD A MOMENT OF HESITATION AND THOUGHTS BITTER ENOUGH FOR ME TO RECALL THEM AT THIS MOMENT CAME INTO MY MIND


BUT THEY PASSED THANK GOD AND WITH NO MORE DESPERATE FEELING THAN A SULLEN INTENTION OF HAVING MY OWN WAY ABOUT THIS MONEY I LIFTED THE LATCH OF THE FRONT DOOR AND STEPPED IN


OR AT LEAST TO HEAR THE SOUND OF MERRY VOICES AND LAUGHTER IN THE ROOMS ABOVE BUT NO SOUNDS OF ANY SORT AWAITED ME INDEED THE HOUSE SEEMED STRANGELY SILENT FOR ONE SO FULLY LIGHTED AND ASTONISHED AT THIS


I PUSHED THE DOOR AJAR AT MY LEFT AND LOOKED IN AN UNEXPECTED AND PITIFUL SIGHT AWAITED ME


I SAW THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE WITH HIS HEAD SUNK FORWARD ON HIS ARMS ASLEEP THE EXPECTED GUESTS HAD FAILED TO ARRIVE AND HE TIRED OUT WITH WAITING HAD FALLEN INTO A DOZE AT THE BOARD


THIS WAS A CONDITION OF THINGS FOR WHICH I WAS NOT PREPARED MISSUS WEBB WHOM I WISHED TO SEE WAS PROBABLY UP STAIRS AND WHILE I MIGHT SUMMON HER BY A STURDY RAP ON THE DOOR BESIDE WHICH I STOOD I HAD SO LITTLE DESIRE TO WAKE HER HUSBAND


OF WHOSE MENTAL CONDITION I WAS WELL AWARE THAT I COULD NOT BRING MYSELF TO MAKE ANY LOUD NOISE WITHIN HIS HEARING YET I HAD NOT THE COURAGE TO RETREAT ALL MY HOPE OF RELIEF FROM THE MANY DIFFICULTIES THAT MENACED ME


LAY IN THE GENEROSITY OF THIS GREAT HEARTED WOMAN AND IF OUT OF PUSILLANIMITY


NOTHING BUT SHAME AND DISASTER AWAITED ME YET HOW COULD I HOPE TO LURE HER DOWN STAIRS WITHOUT NOISE I COULD NOT AND SO YIELDING TO THE IMPULSE OF THE MOMENT WITHOUT ANY REALISATION


I SLIPPED UP THE NARROW STAIRCASE


FOR SHE ROSE AND MEETING MY EYE WITH A GAZE IN WHICH SHOCK AND SOME STRANGE AND POIGNANT AGONY TOTALLY INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO ME WERE STRANGELY BLENDED SHE CRIED OUT NO NO FREDERICK YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING


IF YOU WANT MY MONEY TAKE IT IF YOU WANT MY LIFE


DON'T STAIN YOURS DON'T I DID NOT UNDERSTAND HER I DID NOT KNOW UNTIL I THOUGHT IT OVER AFTERWARD THAT MY HAND WAS THRUST CONVULSIVELY INTO MY BREAST IN A WAY WHICH TAKEN WITH MY WILD MIEN


GIVE THEN I WANT HUNDREDS THOUSANDS NOW NOW TO SAVE MYSELF DISGRACE SHAME PRISON AWAIT ME IF I DON'T HAVE THEM GIVE GIVE AND MY HAND WENT OUT TOWARD IT NOT TOWARD HER


BUT SHE MISTOOK THE ACTION MISTOOK MY PURPOSE AND


MORE THAN THE OUTWARD SEEMING OF HER LIFE CAN HARDLY MEASURE PLUNGED AGAINST IT AND I CAN TELL YOU NO MORE HER BLOOD AND BATSY'S SHRIEK FROM THE ADJOINING ROOM SWAM THROUGH MY CONSCIOUSNESS AND THEN SHE FELL AS I SUPPOSED


AND I IN SCARCELY BETTER CASE FELL ALSO THIS AS GOD LIVES IS THE TRUTH CONCERNING THE WOUND FOUND IN THE BREAST OF THIS NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN WOMAN THE FEELING THE PATHOS THE ANGUISH EVEN TO BE FOUND IN HIS TONE MADE THIS STORY


SEEMED APPEAR FOR THE MOMENT PLAUSIBLE AND BATSY ASKED THE CORONER MUST HAVE FALLEN WHEN WE DID FOR I NEVER HEARD HER VOICE AFTER THE FIRST SCREAM BUT I SHALL SPEAK OF HER AGAIN


WHAT I MUST NOW EXPLAIN IS HOW THE MONEY IN MISSUS WEBB'S DRAWER CAME INTO MY POSSESSION AND HOW THE DAGGER SHE HAD PLANTED IN HER BREAST CAME TO BE FOUND ON THE LAWN OUTSIDE WHEN I CAME TO MYSELF AND THAT MUST HAVE BEEN VERY SOON I FOUND


THAT THE BLOW OF WHICH I HAD BEEN SUCH A HORRIFIED WITNESS HAD NOT YET PROVED FATAL THE EYES I HAD SEEN CLOSE AS I HAD SUPPOSED FOREVER WERE NOW OPEN AND SHE WAS LOOKING AT ME WITH A SMILE THAT HAS NEVER LEFT MY MEMORY AND NEVER WILL


THERE IS NO BLOOD ON YOU SHE MURMURED YOU DID NOT STRIKE THE BLOW


THERE ARE FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ON THAT TABLE TAKE THEM AND LET THEM PAVE YOUR WAY TO A BETTER LIFE


DO THESE WORDS THIS ACTION OF HERS SEEM INCREDIBLE TO YOU SIRS ALAS ALAS THEY WILL NOT WHEN I TELL YOU AND HERE HE CAST ONE ANXIOUS DEEPLY ANXIOUS GLANCE AT THE ROOM IN WHICH MISTER SUTHERLAND WAS HIDDEN


THAT UNKNOWN TO ME UNKNOWN TO ANYONE LIVING BUT HERSELF UNKNOWN TO THAT GOOD MAN FROM WHOM IT CAN NO LONGER BE KEPT HIDDEN AGATHA WEBB WAS MY MOTHER


AND GRADUALLY SUBSIDE SO THIS CROWD YIELDED TO ITS AWE AND MAN BY MAN SANK BACK INTO HIS SEAT TILL QUIET WAS AGAIN RESTORED AND ONLY A CIRCLE OF LISTENING FACES CONFRONTED THE MAN WHO HAD JUST STIRRED A WHOLE ROOMFUL TO ITS DEPTHS


SEEING THIS AND REALISING HIS OPPORTUNITY FREDERICK AT ONCE ENTERED INTO THE EXPLANATIONS FOR WHICH EACH HEART THERE PANTED THIS WILL BE OVERWHELMING NEWS TO HIM WHO HAS CARED FOR ME SINCE INFANCY


YOU HAVE HEARD HIM CALL ME SON WITH WHAT WORDS SHALL I OVERTHROW HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE TRUTH AND RECTITUDE OF HIS LONG BURIED WIFE AND MAKE HIM KNOW IN HIS OLD AGE THAT HE HAS WASTED YEARS OF PATIENCE UPON ONE WHO WAS NOT OF HIS BLOOD


OR LINEAGE THE WONDER THE INCREDULITY YOU MANIFEST ARE MY BEST EXCUSE FOR MY LONG DELAY IN REVEALING THE SECRET ENTRUSTED TO ME BY THIS DYING WOMAN AN AWED SILENCE GREETED THESE WORDS


THE ASTOUNDING FACT WHICH I HAVE JUST COMMUNICATED TO YOU WAS MADE KNOWN BY MY MOTHER WITH THE DAGGER STILL PLUNGED IN HER BREAST SHE WOULD NOT LET ME DRAW IT OUT SHE KNEW THAT DEATH WOULD FOLLOW THAT ACT


AND SHE PRIZED EVERY MOMENT REMAINING TO HER BECAUSE OF THE BLISS SHE ENJOYED OF SEEING


THE LOVE THE PASSION


TRANSFORMED ME IN AN INSTANT FROM A SELFISH BRUTE INTO A DEEPLY REPENTANT MAN I KNELT BEFORE HER IN ANGUISH I MADE HER FEEL THAT WICKED AS I HAD BEEN I WAS NOT


AND WHEN I SAW BY HER CLEARING BROW AND PEACEFUL LOOK THAT I HAD FULLY PERSUADED HER OF THIS I LET HER SPEAK WHAT WORDS SHE WOULD AND TELL AS SHE WAS ABLE


IT IS A SACRED STORY TO ME AND IF YOU MUST KNOW IT LET IT BE FROM HER OWN WORDS IN THE LETTERS SHE LEFT BEHIND HER SHE ONLY TOLD ME THAT TO SAVE ME FROM THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN WHO HAD PRECEDED ME


AND UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES CALCULATED TO DECEIVE MISTER SUTHERLAND CONSEQUENTLY HE HAD NEVER KNOWN I WAS NOT HIS OWN CHILD


SHE ENJOINED ME NOT TO ENLIGHTEN HIM NOW IF BY ANY SACRIFICE ON MY PART I COULD RIGHTFULLY AVOID IT THAT SHE WAS HAPPY IN HAVING ME HEAR THE TRUTH BEFORE SHE DIED THAT THE JOY WHICH THIS GAVE HER WAS SO GREAT


SHE DID NOT REGRET HER FATAL ACT VIOLENT AND UNCALLED FOR AS IT WAS FOR IT HAD SHOWED HER MY HEART AND ALLOWED ME TO READ HERS


AND SHE MADE ME PROMISE I WOULD CARE FOR HIM TO THE LAST WITH TENDERNESS SAYING THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT SEEMING IMPROPRIETY SINCE SHE HAD WILLED ME ALL HER FORTUNE UNDER THIS PROVISO FINALLY


AND THOUGH HER STRENGTH AND BREATH WERE FAST FAILING HER SHE MADE ME UNDERSTAND THAT SHE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE ZABELS WHO HAD NOT COME ACCORDING TO A SACRED CUSTOM BETWEEN THEM TO CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARY OF HER WEDDING


AND PRAYED ME TO SEE THE TWO OLD GENTLEMEN BEFORE I SLEPT SINCE NOTHING BUT DEATH OR DIRE DISTRESS WOULD HAVE KEPT THEM FROM GRATIFYING THE ONE WHIM OF MY FATHER'S FAILING MIND I PROMISED


SHE POINTED TO THE DAGGER IN HER BREAST BUT BEFORE I COULD LAY MY HAND UPON IT SHE CALLED FOR BATSY I WANT HER TO HEAR ME DECLARE BEFORE I GO SAID SHE THAT THIS STROKE WAS DELIVERED BY MYSELF UPON MYSELF


BUT WHEN I ROSE TO LOOK FOR BATSY I FOUND THAT THE SHOCK OF HER MISTRESS'S FATAL ACT HAD KILLED HER


IN CASE MY PRESENCE IN THIS HOUSE OF DEATH SHOULD BECOME KNOWN


FOR FEAR IT WOULD MAKE HER LAST MOMENTS MISERABLE


BUT WAS TOO TERRIFIED TO MOVE OR SPEAK AND THIS SATISFIED MY MOTHER AND MADE HER LAST BREATH ONE OF TRUST AND CONTENTED LOVE SHE DIED AS I DREW THE DAGGER FROM HER BREAST


AND FLUNG IT WILDLY FROM THE WINDOW THEN I LIFTED HER AND LAID HER WHERE YOU FOUND HER ON THE SOFA


JAMES ZABEL MUCH LESS THAT IT BORE HIS INITIALS ON THE HANDLE HE PAUSED AND THE AWE OCCASIONED BY THE SCENE HE HAD DESCRIBED WAS SO DEEP AND THE SILENCE SO PROLONGED THAT A SHUDDER PASSED OVER THE WHOLE ASSEMBLAGE


WHEN FROM SOME UNKNOWN QUARTER A SINGLE CUTTING VOICE AROSE IN THIS ONE SHORT MOCKING COMMENT OH THE FAIRY TALE WAS IT AMABEL WHO SPOKE SOME THOUGHT SO AND LOOKED HER WAY


AS IF BEGGING PARDON FOR THE WICKED DOUBTS WHICH HAD DRIVEN HIM TO THIS DEFENCE FREDERICK MET THAT LOOK WITH ONE SO SEVERE IT PARTOOK OF HARSHNESS THEN RESUMING HIS TESTIMONY HE SAID


AND OF HOW ONE OF THEM JAMES BY NAME CAME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS AFFAIR WHEN I LEFT MY DEAD MOTHER'S SIDE I WAS IN SUCH A STATE OF MIND THAT I PASSED WITH SCARCELY SO MUCH AS A GLANCE THE ROOM WHERE MY NEW FOUND FATHER SAT SLEEPING


BUT AS I HASTENED ON TOWARD THE QUARTER WHERE THE ZABELS LIVED I WAS SEIZED BY SUCH COMPUNCTION FOR HIS DESOLATE STATE THAT I FALTERED IN MY RAPID FLIGHT AND DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE PLACE OF MY DESTINATION AS QUICKLY AS I INTENDED WHEN I DID


BUT I DID NOT TURN AWAY REMEMBERING MY MOTHER'S ANXIETY AN ANXIETY SO EXTREME IT DISTURBED HER FINAL MOMENTS I APPROACHED THE FRONT DOOR AND WAS ABOUT TO KNOCK WHEN I FOUND IT OPEN GREATLY ASTONISHED I AT ONCE PASSED IN


AND SEEING MY WAY PERFECTLY IN THE MOONLIGHT ENTERED THE ROOM ON THE LEFT THE DOOR OF WHICH ALSO STOOD OPEN IT WAS THE SECOND HOUSE I HAD ENTERED UNANNOUNCED THAT NIGHT AND IN THIS AS IN THE OTHER


I ENCOUNTERED A MAN SITTING ASLEEP BY THE TABLE IT WAS JOHN THE ELDER OF THE TWO AND PERCEIVING THAT HE WAS SUFFERING FOR FOOD AND IN A CONDITION OF EXTREME MISERY I TOOK OUT THE FIRST BILL MY HAND ENCOUNTERED


AS I DID SO HE GAVE A SIGH BUT DID NOT WAKE


I HASTENED AWAY AND TOOK THE SHORTEST PATH HOME HAD I BEEN MORE OF A MAN OR IF MY VISIT TO MISSUS WEBB HAD BEEN ACTUATED BY A MORE COMMUNICABLE MOTIVE I WOULD HAVE GONE AT ONCE TO THE GOOD MAN WHO BELIEVED ME TO BE OF HIS OWN FLESH AND BLOOD


AND TOLD HIM OF THE STRANGE AND HEART RENDING ADVENTURE WHICH HAD CHANGED THE WHOLE TENOR OF MY THOUGHTS AND LIFE


IN WHICH I FOUND MYSELF PLACED BUT THE MEMORY OF A THOUSAND PAST INGRATITUDES TOGETHER WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SHOCK WHICH HE COULD NOT FAIL TO RECEIVE ON LEARNING AT THIS LATE DAY


WAS NEITHER OF HER BLOOD NOR HIS ROSE UP BETWEEN US AND CAUSED ME NOT ONLY TO ATTEMPT SILENCE BUT TO SECRETE IN THE ADJOINING WOODS THE MONEY I HAD RECEIVED IN THE VAIN HOPE THAT ALL VISIBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN MYSELF AND MY MOTHER'S TRAGIC DEATH


WOULD THUS BE LOST YOU SEE I HAD NOT CALCULATED ON MISS AMABEL PAGE


STARTLED THE CROWD AND GAVE SWEETWATER ALREADY SUFFERING UNDER SHOCK AFTER SHOCK OF MINGLED SURPRISE AND WONDER


AND THAT SOMETHING BESIDES JUSTICE HAD ACTUATED AMABEL IN HER TREATMENT OF THIS YOUNG MAN THIS FEELING WAS SHARED BY OTHERS AND A REACTION SET IN IN FREDERICK'S FAVOUR WHICH EVEN AFFECTED THE OFFICIALS WHO WERE CONDUCTING THE INQUIRY


FREDERICK HIMSELF FELT THE CHANGE AND SHOWED IT BY THE LOOK OF RELIEF AND GROWING CONFIDENCE HE CAST AT AGNES OF THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WHICH NOW PASSED BETWEEN HIM AND THE VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE JURY I NEED GIVE NO ACCOUNT


THEY BUT EMPHASISED FACTS ALREADY KNOWN AND PRODUCED BUT LITTLE CHANGE IN THE GENERAL FEELING


WHEN HE WAS ALLOWED TO RESUME HIS SEAT


SHE ROSE WITH A BOUND NOUGHT THAT SHE HAD ANTICIPATED HAD OCCURRED FACTS OF WHICH SHE COULD KNOW NOTHING HAD CHANGED THE ASPECT OF AFFAIRS AND MADE THE POSITION OF FREDERICK SOMETHING SO REMOTE FROM ANY SHE COULD HAVE IMAGINED


THAT SHE WAS STILL IN THE MAZE OF THE NUMBERLESS CONFLICTING EMOTIONS WHICH THESE REVELATIONS WERE CALCULATED TO CALL OUT IN ONE WHO HAD RISKED ALL ON THE HAZARD OF A DIE AND LOST SHE DID NOT EVEN KNOW AT THIS MOMENT WHETHER SHE WAS GLAD OR SORRY HE COULD EXPLAIN SO CLEVERLY


SHE HAD NOT A PURE ENOUGH HEART TO DO SO TO HER ALL SELF SACRIFICE WAS AN ANOMALY NO WOMAN OF THE MENTAL OR PHYSICAL STRENGTH OF AGATHA WEBB WOULD PLANT A DAGGER IN HER OWN BREAST JUST TO PREVENT ANOTHER PERSON FROM COMMITTING A CRIME


WERE HE LOVER HUSBAND OR SON SO AMABEL BELIEVED AND SO WOULD THESE OTHERS BELIEVE ALSO WHEN ONCE RELIEVED OF THE MAGNETIC PERSONALITY OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY WITNESS


YET HOW THRILLING IT HAD BEEN TO HEAR HIM PLEAD HIS CAUSE SO WELL IT WAS ALMOST WORTH THE LOSS OF HER REVENGE TO MEET HIS LOOK OF HATE AND DREAM OF THE POSSIBILITY OF TURNING IT LATER INTO THE OLD LOOK OF LOVE YES YES SHE LOVED HIM NOW


NOT EVEN FOR HIS MONEY FOR SHE COULD CONTEMPLATE ITS LOSS BUT FOR HIMSELF WHO HAD SO BOLDLY SHOWN THAT HE WAS STRONGER THAN SHE AND COULD TRIUMPH OVER HER BY THE SHEER FORCE OF HIS MASCULINE DARING


WITH SUCH FEELINGS


HOW CONDUCT HERSELF UNDER QUESTIONS WHICH WOULD BE MUCH MORE SEARCHING NOW THAN BEFORE SHE COULD NOT EVEN DECIDE IN HER OWN MIND SHE MUST LET IMPULSE HAVE ITS WAY HAPPILY SHE TOOK THE RIGHT STAND AT FIRST


SHE DID NOT ENDEAVOUR TO MAKE ANY CORRECTIONS IN HER FORMER TESTIMONY ONLY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE FLOWER WHOSE PRESENCE ON THE SCENE OF DEATH HAD BEEN SUCH A MYSTERY HAD FALLEN FROM HER HAIR AT THE BALL AND THAT SHE HAD SEEN FREDERICK PICK IT UP AND PUT IT IN HIS BUTTONHOLE


BEYOND THIS AND THE INFERENCES IT AFTERWARD AWAKENED IN HER MIND SHE WOULD NOT GO


THE TWO WERE ALONE IN THE GRASSY COURTYARD OF THE RUINED CASTLE THE REST OF THE PICNIC PARTY HAD WANDERED AWAY FROM THEM OR THEY FROM IT OUT OF THE GREEN GROWN MOUND OF FALLEN MASONRY BY THE CORNER OF THE CHAPEL A GREAT MAY BUSH GREW


SILVERED AND PEARLED ON EVERY SCENTED STILL SPRAY THE SKY WAS DEEP CLEAR STRONG BLUE ABOVE AND AGAINST THE BLUE THE WALLFLOWERS SHONE BRAVELY FROM THE CRACKS AND CREVICES OF RUINED ARCH AND WALL AND BUTTRESS


THEY SHINE LIKE GOLD SHE SAID


DO YOU WANT SOME HE SAID AND ON THE INSTANT HIS HAND HAD FOUND A STRONG JUTTING STONE HIS FOOT A FIRM LEDGE AND SHE SAW HIS FIGURE GREY FLANNEL AGAINST GREY STONE GO UP THE WALL TOWARDS THE YELLOW FLOWERS


OH DON'T SHE CRIED I DON'T REALLY WANT THEM PLEASE NOT I WISH THEN SHE STOPPED BECAUSE HE WAS ALREADY SOME TWELVE FEET FROM THE GROUND AND SHE KNEW THAT ONE SHOULD NOT SPEAK TO A MAN WHO IS CLIMBING RUINED WALLS


HAD LOVED HIM THESE TWO YEARS HAD LOVED HIM SINCE THE DAY OF THEIR FIRST MEETING AND THAT WAS JUST AS LONG AS HE HAD LOVED HER BUT HE HAD NEVER TOLD HIS LOVE THERE IS A CODE OF HONOUR RIGHT OR WRONG


AND IT FORBIDS A MAN WITH AN INCOME OF A HUNDRED AND FIFTY A YEAR TO SPEAK OF LOVE TO A GIRL WHO IS RECKONED AN HEIRESS THERE ARE PLENTY WHO TRANSGRESS THE CODE BUT THEY ARE IN ALL THE OTHER STORIES


HE DROVE HIS PASSION ON THE CURB AND MASTERED IT YET THE QUESTIONS DOES SHE LOVE ME DOES SHE KNOW I LOVE HER DOES SHE WONDER WHY I DON'T SPEAK AND THE COUNTER QUESTIONS WILL SHE THINK I DON'T CARE


WHEN WE LET OUR EMOTIONS PLAY THE PRIMITIVE GAMES WITH US BUT ALWAYS THE MORNING BROUGHT STRENGTH TO KEEP TO HIS RESOLUTION HE SAW HER THREE TIMES A YEAR WHEN CHRISTMAS EASTER AND MIDSUMMER BROUGHT HER TO STAY WITH AN AUNT BROUGHT HIM HOME TO HIS PEOPLE FOR HOLIDAYS


AND THOUGH HE HAD DENIED HIMSELF THE JOY OF SPEAKING IN WORDS HE HAD LET HIS EYES SPEAK MORE THAN HE KNEW AND NOW HE HAD REACHED THE WALLFLOWERS HIGH UP AND WAS PLUCKING THEM AND THROWING THEM DOWN SO THAT THEY FELL IN A WAVERING BRIGHT SHOWER ROUND HER FEET


THERE WAS NO SOUND AT ALL BUT THE GRATING OF HIS FEET AS HE SET THEM ON THE STONES AND THE MOVEMENT NOW AND THEN OF A BIRD IN THE IVY THEN CAME A RUSTLE A GRITTY CLATTER LOUD FALLING STONES HIS FOOT HAD SLIPPED AND HE HAD FALLEN


NO HE WAS HANGING BY HIS HANDS ABOVE THE GREAT REFECTORY ARCH AND HIS BODY SWUNG HEAVILY WITH THE IMPETUS OF THE CHECKED FALL HE WAS MOVING ALONG NOW SLOWLY HANGING BY HIS HANDS NOW HE GRASPED AN IVY ROOT ANOTHER


AND PULLED HIMSELF UP TILL HIS KNEE WAS ON THE MOULDING OF THE ARCH SHE WOULD NEVER HAVE BELIEVED ANYONE WHO HAD TOLD HER THAT ONLY TWO MINUTES HAD BEEN LIVED BETWEEN THE MOMENT OF HIS STUMBLE AND THE OTHER MOMENT WHEN HIS FOOT TOUCHED THE GRASS


CAUGHT HIM BY THE ARMS JUST ABOVE THE ELBOW SHOOK HIM ANGRILY AS ONE SHAKES A NAUGHTY CHILD LOOKED HIM ONCE IN THE EYES AND BURIED HER FACE IN HIS NECK SOBBING LONG DRY BREATHLESS SOBS EVEN THEN HE TRIED TO BE STRONG


DON'T HE SAID TENDERLY DON'T WORRY IT'S ALL RIGHT I WAS A FOOL PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER THERE'S SOMEONE COMING I DON'T CARE SHE SAID


FOR THE TOUCH OF HIS CHEEK PRESSED AGAINST HER HAIR TOLD HER ALL THAT SHE WANTED TO KNOW LET THEM COME I DON'T CARE OH HOW COULD YOU BE SO SILLY AND HORRID


OH HOW COULD YOU OF COURSE A REALLY HONOURABLE YOUNG MAN


HE DIDN'T HE ACCEPTED IT WITH HIS ARMS ROUND HER AND HIS LIPS AGAINST THE FACE WHERE THE TEARS NOW RAN WARM AND SALT IT WAS ONE OF THE IMMORTAL MOMENTS THE PICTURE WAS CHARMING TOO


A PICTURE TO WRING THE HEART OF THE ONLOOKER WITH ENVY OR SYMPATHY ACCORDING TO HIS NATURE BUT THERE WAS ONLY ONE ONLOOKER A MAN OF FORTY OR THEREABOUTS WHO PAUSED FOR AN INSTANT UNDER THE GREAT GATE OF THE CASTLE AND TOOK IN THE FULL CHARM AND MEANING OF THE SCENE


HE TURNED AWAY AND WENT BACK ALONG THE GREEN PATH WITH HELL IN HIS HEART THE OTHER TWO WERE IN PARADISE THE ONLOOKER FELL LIKE THE THIRD IN EDEN THE SERPENT IN FACT TWO MILES AWAY HE STOPPED AND LIT A PIPE


IT'S GOT TO BE BORNE I SUPPOSE HE SAID LIKE ALL THE REST OF IT SHE'S HAPPY ENOUGH I OUGHT TO BE GLAD ANYWAY I CAN'T STOP IT PERHAPS HE SWORE A LITTLE


IF HE DID THE LESS PRECISE AND DEVOTIONAL MAY PARDON HIM HE HAD LOVED THE GIRL SINCE HER EARLY TEENS AND IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY'S POST THAT HAD BROUGHT HIM THE APPOINTMENT THAT ONE MIGHT MARRY ON THE APPOINTMENT HAD COME THROUGH HER FATHER


THE LOVER WHO CAME TO HIS LOVE OVER STREWN WALLFLOWERS DESIRED ALWAYS AS HAS BEEN SEEN TO ACT UP TO HIS MORAL IDEAS SO HE TOOK NEXT DAY A MUCH EARLIER TRAIN THAN WAS AT ALL PLEASANT


AND CALLED ON HER FATHER TO EXPLAIN HIS POSITION AND SET FORTH HIS PROSPECTS HIS COMING WAS HERALDED BY A LETTER FROM HER ONE MUST NOT QUOTE IT IT IS NOT PROPER TO READ OTHER PEOPLE'S LETTERS ESPECIALLY LETTERS TO A TRUSTED FATHER FROM A CHILD ONLY AND ADORED


ITS EFFECT MAY BE INDICATED BRIEFLY IT SHOWED THE FATHER THAT THE GIRL'S HAPPINESS HAD HAD TWO LONG YEARS IN WHICH TO LEARN TO GROW ROUND THE THOUGHT OF THE YOUNG MAN WHOM HE NOW FACED FOR THE FIRST TIME ODD


FOR TO THE FATHER HE SEEMED JUST LIKE OTHER YOUNG MEN IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT THERE WERE SO MANY MORE OF THE SAME PATTERN FROM WHOM SHE MIGHT HAVE CHOSEN AND MANY OF THEM WELL OFF TOO HOWEVER THE LETTER LAY IN THE PROSPEROUS POCKET BOOK IN THE BREAST OF THE FATHER'S FROCK COAT


AND THE LOVER WAS RECEIVED AS THOUGH THAT LETTER WERE A CHARM TO ENSURE SUCCESS A FAULTY OR AT LEAST A SLOW WORKING CHARM HOWEVER FOR THE FATHER DID NOT LIFT A BAG OF GOLD FROM HIS SAFE AND SAY TAKE HER TAKE THIS ALSO BE HAPPY


HE ONLY CONSENTED TO A PROVISIONAL ENGAGEMENT TOOK AN EARNEST INTEREST IN THE YOUNG MAN'S AFFAIRS AND OFFERED TO MAKE HIS DAUGHTER AN ANNUAL ALLOWANCE ON HER MARRIAGE AT MY DEATH SHE WILL HAVE MORE HE SAID


THE YOUNG MAN MADE A REVERENT NOTE OF THE NAME AND THE INTERVIEW SEEMED PLAYED OUT IT'S A COMPLICATED NUISANCE THE FATHER MUSED IT ISN'T EVEN AS IF I KNEW ANYTHING OF THE CHAP I OUGHTN'T TO HAVE ALLOWED THE CHILD TO MAKE THESE LONG VISITS TO HER AUNT


BUT AS UNCOMFORTABLE AS TOOTHACHE ALL THE SAME HE HAD ANOTHER CALLER THAT AFTERNOON HE WHOM WE KNOW AS THE ONLOOKER CAME TO THANK HIM FOR THE INFLUENCE THAT HAD GOT HIM THE APPOINTMENT AS DOCTOR TO THE INFLUENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY THE FATHER OPENED HIS HEART TO THE ONLOOKER


BUT I DON'T SEE HOW TO DEVELOP THE ACTION IT REALLY IS RATHER AMUSING THAT I I SHOULD HAVE TO TAP HIS BEASTLY CHEST AND LISTEN TO HIS CURSED LUNGS AND ASK SYMPATHETIC QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS IDIOTIC INFANT ILLNESSES


ONE THING HE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO REMEMBER THOSE PRETTY VIVIDLY THE CONFOUNDED PUP THE ONLOOKER HAD NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONGER THAN YOU HAVE DONE MY GOOD READER AND HE NEVER EXPECTED TO MEET A GIANT TEMPTATION ANY MORE THAN YOU DO


WHAT DID HE DIE OF FOR THE ANSWER WAS HEART AND IN IT THE DEVIL ROSE AND SHOWED THE ONLOOKER THE REALLY ONLY TRUE AND ARTISTIC WAY TO DEVELOP THE ACTION IN THIS SITUATION SO DRAMATIC IN ITS POSSIBILITIES


THE ILLUMINATIVE FLASH OF TEMPTATION WAS SO SUDDEN SO BRILLIANT THAT THE DOCTOR ONLOOKER CLOSED HIS SOUL'S EYES AND YIELDED WITHOUT EVEN THE LEAST PRETENCE OF RESISTANCE HE TOOK HIS STETHOSCOPE FROM THE TABLE


HE WALKED WITH MORE THAN HIS ORDINARY FIRMNESS OF GAIT AS A MAN DOES WHO IS JUST DRUNK ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT HE MUST TRY TO LOOK SOBER HE WALKED DOWN THE STREET CERTAIN WORDS RINGING IN HIS EARS HEART AFFECTED PROBABLY HEREDITARY WEAKNESS


NO OFFICE IN THE WORLD WOULD INSURE YOU AND SO IT WAS ALL OVER THE DREAMS THE HOPES THE PALPITATING FAITH IN A BEAUTIFUL FUTURE HIS DAYS MIGHT BE LONG THEY MIGHT BE BRIEF BUT BE HIS LIFE LONG OR SHORT HE MUST LIVE IT ALONE


HE HAD A LITTLE FIGHT WITH HIMSELF AS HE WENT DOWN WIMPOLE STREET THEN HE HAILED A HANSOM AND WENT AND TOLD HER FATHER WHO QUITE AGREED WITH HIM THAT IT WAS ALL OVER THE FATHER WONDERED AT HIMSELF FOR BEING MORE SORRY THAN GLAD


SHE SAID WHY YOU WANT ME MORE THAN EVER BUT I MAY DIE AT ANY MOMENT SO MAY I AND YOU MAY LIVE TO BE A HUNDRED I'LL TAKE MY CHANCE


OH DON'T YOU SEE TOO THAT IF THERE IS ONLY A LITTLE TIME WE OUGHT TO SPEND IT TOGETHER IT'S IMPOSSIBLE HE SAID IT'S NO GOOD I MUST SET MY TEETH AND BEAR IT AND YOU I HOPE IT WON'T BE AS HARD FOR YOU AS IT WILL FOR ME


BUT YOU CAN'T GIVE ME UP IF I WON'T BE GIVEN UP CAN YOU HIS SMILE STRUCK HER DUMB IT WAS MORE CONVINCING THAN HIS WORDS


YOU'LL FORGIVE ME WON'T YOU I DIDN'T KNOW AND OH WHAT'S THE USE OF TALKING YET THEY TALKED FOR HOURS CONVENTIONALLY HE SHOULD HAVE TORN HIMSELF AWAY UNABLE TO BEAR THE STRAIN OF HIS AGONY


AS A MATTER OF FACT HE SAT BY HER HOLDING HER HAND IT WAS FOR THE LAST TIME THE LAST LAST TIME THERE WAS REALLY A THIRD AT THAT INTERVIEW THE ONLOOKER HAD IMAGINATION ENOUGH TO SEE THE SCENE BETWEEN THE PARTING LOVERS


THEY PARTED AND NOW THE ONLOOKER DARED NOT MEET HER DARED NOT CALL AT THE HOUSE AS HE HAD USED TO DO AT LAST THE FATHER PRESSED HIM HE WENT HE MET HER AND IT WAS AS THOUGH HE HAD MET THE GHOST OF HER WHOM HE HAD LOVED


HER EYES HAD BLUE MARKS UNDER THEM HER CHIN HAD GROWN MORE POINTED HER NOSE SHARPER THERE WAS A NEW LINE ON HER FOREHEAD AND HER EYES HAD CHANGED OVER THE WINE HE HEARD FROM THE FATHER THAT SHE WAS PINING FOR THE LOVER WHO HAD INHERITED HEART DISEASE


I SUPPOSE IT WAS YOU WHO SAW HIM BY THE WAY SAID HE A TALL WELL SET UP YOUNG FELLOW DARK NOT BAD LOOKING I I DON'T REMEMBER LIED THE ONLOOKER


WITH THE EYES OF HIS MEMORY ON THE WHITE FACE OF THE MAN HE HAD STABBED NOW THE LOVER AND THE ONLOOKER HAD EACH HIS OWN BURDEN TO BEAR AND THE LOVER'S WAS THE EASIER HE WORKED STILL THOUGH THERE WAS NOW NOTHING TO WORK FOR MORE


HE WORKED AS HE HAD NEVER WORKED IN HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT IF HE DID NOT TAKE TO WORK HE SHOULD TAKE TO DRINK OR WORSE DEVILS AND HE SET HIS TEETH AND SWORE THAT HER LOVER SHOULD NOT BE DEGRADED HE KNEW THAT SHE LOVED HIM AND THERE WAS A KIND OF FIERCE PAIN PLEASURE


LIKE THAT OF SCRATCHING A SORE IN THE THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS AS WRETCHED AS HE WAS THAT DIVIDED IN ALL ELSE THEY WERE YET UNITED IN THEIR SUFFERING HE THOUGHT IT MADE HIM MORE MISERABLE TO KNOW OF HER MISERY BUT IT DIDN'T HE NEVER SAW HER BUT HE DREAMED OF HER


AND SOMETIMES THE DREAMS GOT OUT OF HAND AND CARRIED HIM A THOUSAND WORLDS FROM ALL THAT LAY BETWEEN THEM THEN HE HAD TO WAKE UP AND THAT WAS BAD BUT THE ONLOOKER WAS NO DREAMER AND HE SAW HER ABOUT THREE TIMES A WEEK


COVERING A CLEAR CUT MASK OF SET ENDURANCE AND THERE WAS NO WORK THAT COULD SHUT OUT THAT SIGHT NO TEMPTATION OF THE WORLD THE FLESH OR THE DEVIL TO GIVE HIM EVEN THE RELIEF OF A FIGHT HE HAD NO TEMPTATIONS HE HAD NEVER HAD BUT THE ONE


HIS SOUL WAS NAKED TO THE BITTER WIND OF THE ACTUAL AND THE DAYS WENT BY WENT BY AND EVERY DAY HE KNEW MORE AND MORE SURELY THAT HE HAD LIED AND THROWN AWAY HIS SOUL AND THAT THE WAGES OF SIN WERE DEATH AND NO OTHER THING WHATEVER


AND GRADUALLY LITTLE BY LITTLE THE WHOLE WORTH OF LIFE SEEMED TO LIE IN THE FAINT FAR CHANCE OF HIS BEING ABLE TO UNDO THE ONE TRIUMPHANTLY IMPULSIVE AND UNREASONING ACTION OF HIS LIFE


BUT THERE ARE SOME ACTS THAT THERE IS NO UNDOING AND THE HELL THAT HAD BURNED IN HIS HEART SO FIERCELY WHEN HE HAD SEEN HER IN THE OTHER MAN'S ARMS BURNED NOW WITH NEW BRIGHT LIGHTS AND INFERNAL FLICKERING FLAME TONGUES AND AT LAST OUT OF HELL


THE ONLOOKER REACHED OUT HIS HANDS AND CAUGHT AT PRAYER HE CAUGHT AT IT AS A DROWNING MAN CATCHES AT A WHITE GLEAM IN THE BLACK OF THE SURGING SEA ABOUT HIM IT MAY BE A PAINTED SPAR IT MAY BE EMPTY FOAM THE ONLOOKER PRAYED


YES SPEAKING PROFESSIONALLY I THINK YOU ARE WRONG YOU LESSEN YOUR CHANCES OF LIFE WHY DON'T YOU TRY A COMPLETE CHANGE BECAUSE IF YOU MUST KNOW MY CHANCES OF LIFE HAVE CEASED TO INTEREST ME


THE LOVER WAS SHORT WITH THE ONLOOKER BUT HE PERSISTED WELL IF ONE ISN'T INTERESTED IN ONE'S LIFE ONE MAY BE INTERESTED IN ONE'S DEATH OR THE MANNER OF IT IN YOUR PLACE I SHOULD ENLIST


IT'S BETTER TO DIE OF A BULLET IN SOUTH AFRICA THAN OF FRIGHT IN LONDON THAT ROUSED THE LOVER AS IT WAS MEANT TO DO I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT BUSINESS IT IS OF YOURS SIR HE SAID


BUT IT'S YOUR BUSINESS TO KNOW THAT THEY WOULDN'T PASS A MAN WITH A HEART LIKE MINE I DON'T KNOW THEY'RE NOT SO PARTICULAR JUST NOW THEY WANT MEN I SHOULD TRY IT IF I WERE YOU IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COMPLETE CHANGE YOU'LL GO ALL TO PIECES


THAT'S ALL THE ONLOOKER GOT OUT AT THE NEXT STATION SHORT OF OWNING TO HIS OWN LIE HE HAD DONE WHAT HE COULD TO INSURE ITS BEING FOUND OUT FOR THE LIE IT WAS OR AT LEAST FOR A MISTAKE


AND WHEN HE HAD DONE WHAT HE COULD HE SAW THAT THE LOVER MIGHT NOT FIND IT OUT MIGHT BE PASSED FOR THE ARMY MIGHT GO TO THE FRONT MIGHT BE KILLED AND THEN WELL I'VE DONE MY BEST ANYHOW HE SAID TO HIMSELF


AND HIMSELF ANSWERED HIM LIAR YOU HAVE NOT DONE YOUR BEST YOU WILL HAVE TO EAT YOUR LIE YES THOUGH IT WILL SMASH YOUR LIFE AND RUIN YOU SOCIALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY YOU WILL HAVE TO TELL HIM YOU LIED AND TELL HIM WHY


YOU WILL NEVER LET HIM GO TO SOUTH AFRICA WITHOUT TELLING HIM THE TRUTH AND YOU KNOW IT WELL YOU KNOW BEST I SUPPOSE HE SAID TO HIMSELF BUT ARE YOU PERFECTLY CERTAIN


YE'LL MAK A FINE SOLDIER MY LAD I THINK NOT SAID THE LOVER AND HE WENT OUT FROM THE PRESENCE THIS TIME HE REELED LIKE A MAN TOO DRUNK TO CARE HOW DRUNK HE LOOKS HE DROVE IN CABS FROM HARLEY STREET TO WIMPOLE STREET


WHEN HE HAD TOLD THE GIRL EVERYTHING AND WHEN SHE WAS ABLE TO DO ANYTHING BUT LAUGH AND CRY AND CLING TO HIM WITH THIN HANDS SHE SAID DEAR I DO SO HATE TO THINK BADLY OF ANYONE BUT DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT MAN WAS MISTAKEN


HE'S VERY VERY CLEVER MY CHILD


DON'T MEAN THAT I KNOW YOU'RE ALL RIGHT THANK GOD OH THANK GOD I MEAN DON'T YOU THINK HE MAY HAVE LIED TO YOU TO PREVENT YOUR MARRYING ME


WHY SHOULD HE HE ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM THREE WEEKS AGO HE'S A VERY OLD FRIEND OF OURS I DO HATE TO BE SUSPICIOUS BUT IT IS ODD AND THEN HIS TRYING TO GET YOU TO SOUTH AFRICA


I'M CERTAIN HE WANTED YOU OUT OF THE WAY HE WANTED YOU TO GET KILLED OH HOW CAN PEOPLE BE SO CRUEL


CHAPTER TWENTY NINE EDITH CAVELL AS THE NAME OF FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE BECAME WORLD FAMOUS AT THE CLOSE OF THE CRIMEAN WAR MORE THAN SIXTY YEARS AGO THE NAME OF ANOTHER ENGLISH NURSE WHO SUFFERED MARTYRDOM IN THE WORLD WAR


WILL GO DOWN INTO HISTORY WITH THE LUSTRE OF GLORY AND SELF SACRIFICE SURROUNDING IT THAT NAME IS EDITH CAVELL EDITH CAVELL WAS BORN AT SWARDESTON IN NORWICH ENGLAND IN EIGHTEEN SEVENTY THREE


HER FATHER WAS AN ENGLISH MINISTER OF THE OLD SCHOOL WHO WAS RECTOR OF A SINGLE PARISH IN NORWICH FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY EDITH AND HER SISTER WERE BROUGHT UP IN STRICT CONFORMANCE WITH CHURCH IDEAS


AND WERE TAUGHT THE VALUE OF LEADING USEFUL LIVES AND THE GLORY OF SELF SACRIFICE AS WAS CUSTOMARY AT THE TIME WHEN SHE WAS A YOUNG GIRL SHE RECEIVED HER EDUCATION ON THE CONTINENT ATTENDING SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF BRUSSELS IN BELGIUM


SHE THEN RETURNED TO HER HOME AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL WHEN TWENTY ONE YEARS OLD AND RESOLVED TO GIVE HER LIFE TO SOME USEFUL AND BENEVOLENT OCCUPATION SHE DECIDED TO BECOME A TRAINED NURSE AND WENT TO LONDON TO STUDY THAT CALLING


SHE STUDIED AT THE LONDON HOSPITAL A PLACE WE ARE TOLD WHERE THE HARDEST AND MOST DIFFICULT CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND WHERE THE NURSES WERE WORKED TO THE LIMIT OF THEIR STRENGTH SHE ALSO HELD THE POSITION OF A NURSE IN TWO OTHER HOSPITALS


THE SHOREDITCH INFIRMARY IN HOXTON AND THE SAINT PANCRAS INFIRMARY AND SHE GAINED A REPUTATION BOTH FOR HARD WORK AND EFFICIENCY WHILE HER PATIENTS OFTEN SPOKE OF HER GENTLENESS AND HER KINDNESS NOT CONTENT WITH FORGETTING A PATIENT WHEN DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL


AND AT FIRST THEY WERE INCLINED TO LOOK UPON MISS CAVELL AS AN UNTRAINED OUTSIDER BUT HER TACT EFFICIENCY AND SKILL SOON WON THE HEARTS OF THESE GOOD WOMEN WHO AFFORDED HER EVERY COURTESY AND ENTERED INTO CORDIAL COOPERATION WITH HER


HER HOME SUCCEEDED SO WELL THAT THREE YEARS AFTER ITS COMMENCEMENT MISS CAVELL STARTED ALSO A TRAINING SCHOOL FOR NURSES SHE WAS POPULAR EVERYWHERE IN THE BELGIAN CAPITAL


BUT HER MOTHER WAS CLOSE TO HER HEART AND SHE SAW HER AS OFTEN AS SHE COULD I MAY BE LOOKED ON AS AN OLD MAID SHE IS REPORTED AS SAYING BUT WITH MY WORK AND MY MOTHER I AM A VERY HAPPY ONE AND DESIRE NOTHING MORE AS LONG AS I HAVE THESE TWO


WHEN WAR WAS DECLARED MISS CAVELL LOST NO TIME IN HURRYING BACK TO BRUSSELS BELIEVING THAT HER DUTY CALLED HER THERE SHE WROTE A LETTER COMMENTING ON THE GERMAN ARMY WHEN IT SWEPT THROUGH BELGIUM AND IN IT SHE VOICED HER PITY FOR THE TIRED FOOTSORE GERMAN SOLDIERS


WHO WERE LATER TO SLAY HER BRUSSELS BECAME A PART OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE AND A TYRANNICAL GOVERNOR CAME THERE TO ESTABLISH HIS HEADQUARTERS ISSUING PROCLAMATIONS THREATENING THE BELGIANS WITH DEATH FOR MINOR OFFENSES AND FILLING BRUSSELS WITH SPIES AND INTRIGUE


MISS CAVELL DESIRED TO CONTINUE HER HOSPITAL WORK AND WENT TO THE GOVERNOR VON BISSING TO GET PERMISSION TO DO SO HE GRANTED IT FOR THE QUIET ENGLISH NURSE MADE AN IMPRESSION UPON HIM WE ARE TOLD THAT THE ARROGANT GERMAN FORMED A HIGH OPINION OF HER


SO MUCH SO THAT HE SECRETLY DETERMINED TO KEEP HER UNDER THE STRICTEST SUPERVISION FROM THAT TIME ON SPIES DOGGED HER TRACKS SHE CARED FOR THE WOUNDED GERMAN SOLDIERS AND NURSED A NUMBER OF GERMAN OFFICERS AS WELL AS THE BELGIANS WHO WERE IN HER CARE


BUT THIS MADE NO DIFFERENCE TO THE AUTHORITIES THEY WERE DETERMINED TO DETECT HER IN SOME CRIME AND PUNISH HER IT WAS NOT FITTING THEY THOUGHT THAT AN ENEMY SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN WORKS OF MERCY EVEN THOUGH THEY THEMSELVES MIGHT BENEFIT THEREBY


AND SOON SPIES BEGAN TO COME TO THE GOVERNOR WITH TALES AND FABRICATIONS OF THE CRIMES THAT SHE HAD BEEN COMMITTING IN THEIR EYES THEY BORE WITNESS THAT SHE HAD GIVEN AN OVERCOAT TO A FRENCHMAN WHO WAS COLD AND HUNGRY AND THE FRENCHMAN LATER ESCAPED OVER THE DUTCH FRONTIER


ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST FIFTH NINETEEN FIFTEEN WE ARE TOLD MISS CAVELL WAS TYING UP THE WOUNDS OF A WOUNDED GERMAN SOLDIER WHEN A GROUP OF ARMED MEN ENTERED THE ROOM AND THEIR LEADER TOLD HER ROUGHLY THAT SHE WAS UNDER ARREST


A BLOW WAS THE ONLY RESPONSE WHEN SHE TRIED TO EXPOSTULATE SHE WAS TAKEN TO PRISON AND PLACED IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT HER ARREST WAS SHROUDED WITH THE MOST CAREFUL SECRECY FOR THE GERMANS DID NOT WANT TO HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF NEUTRAL GOVERNMENTS


SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES KNOW OF THE AFFAIR OR OF WHAT THEY PROPOSED TO DO BUT WORD OF HER PLIGHT DID REACH ENGLAND THROUGH A TRAVELER AND AT ONCE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT REQUESTED THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR DOCTOR PAGE


TO GET WHAT INFORMATION HE COULD FROM BRAND WHITLOCK THE AMERICAN MINISTER IN BELGIUM HE WENT AT ONCE TO THE GERMAN AUTHORITIES BUT THEY EVADED HIS QUESTIONS AND WAITED TEN DAYS BEFORE GIVING HIM A REPLY THEN THE GERMANS SENT HIM A STATEMENT


AND FURNISHING THEM WITH GUIDES TO HELP THEM TO THE DUTCH FRONTIER WHENCE THEY MIGHT ESCAPE INTO HOLLAND AND RETURN TO ENGLAND THIS WAS THE GERMAN STATEMENT IF WHAT THEY SAID WERE TRUE THERE WAS STILL NO CAUSE FOR KILLING THE UNFORTUNATE WOMAN IN THEIR POWER


FOR SHE WAS NOT ACCUSED AT ANY TIME OF HAVING BEEN A SPY BUT THEY HAD PLANNED TO TRY HER FOR HER LIFE AND MISTER WHITLOCK SOON GUESSED THIS IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE GERMANS KEPT THEIR PREPARATIONS FROM HIM SO FAR AS POSSIBLE


AN AMERICAN LAWYER MISTER DE LEVAL WAS REQUESTED BY MISTER WHITLOCK TO TAKE MISS CAVELL'S CASE AND DO WHATEVER WAS POSSIBLE IN HER BEHALF HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO SEE THE PRISONER AND WAS NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS IN THE CASE UNTIL THE TRIAL BEGAN


ANOTHER LAWYER WHO WAS A BELGIAN SUDDENLY APPEARED AND TOLD THE AMERICANS THAT THERE WAS NOT THE LEAST CAUSE FOR THEM TO WORRY AS MISS CAVELL WAS SURE TO RECEIVE ONLY JUST TREATMENT HE ALSO PROMISED TO LET THEM KNOW WHEN THE TRIAL WAS TO TAKE PLACE


AND THAT HE WOULD KEEP THEM INFORMED OF ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CASE ALL THESE PROMISES WERE BROKEN IT IS TRUE THAT HE SENT A NOTE A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE TRIAL TELLING MISTER WHITLOCK THAT THE CASE WAS ABOUT TO COME TO COURT


HE NEVER INFORMED THEM THAT THE DEATH SENTENCE HAD BEEN IMPOSED HE NEVER CAME TO SEE THEM AFTERWARD AND WHEN THEY SOUGHT HIM FOR AN EXPLANATION AND FOR ASSISTANCE HE HAD DISAPPEARED MISS CAVELL WAS KEPT IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR TWO MONTHS


WAS CALM DIGNIFIED AND BRAVE AT THE TRIAL AND FACED HER ACCUSERS HEROICALLY SHE WAS DRESSED IN HER NURSE'S UNIFORM AND WORE THE BADGE OF THE RED CROSS WHEN MISTER WHITLOCK LEARNED THAT SHE HAD BEEN TRIED AND SENTENCED TO DEATH


HE DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SECURE HER PARDON OR AT LEAST A MODERATION OF THE PUNISHMENT HE WROTE TO BARON VON DER LANCKEN POINTING OUT IN A CLEAR AND DECISIVE MANNER THAT MISS CAVELL HAD SERVED THE GERMANS BY CARING FOR THEIR WOUNDED


AND THAT THE DEATH SENTENCE HAD NEVER BEFORE BEEN INFLICTED FOR THE CRIME OF WHICH SHE WAS ACCUSED HE ALSO WROTE A NOTE TO THE BARON WHICH IS AS FOLLOWS MY DEAR BARON I AM TOO ILL TO PRESENT MY REQUEST TO YOU IN PERSON


BUT I APPEAL TO YOUR GENEROSITY OF HEART TO SUPPORT IT AND SAVE THIS UNFORTUNATE WOMAN FROM DEATH HAVE PITY ON HER BRAND WHITLOCK


ALL THROUGH THE DAY THE AMERICAN LEGATION SENT MESSAGE AFTER MESSAGE TO THE GERMAN AUTHORITIES ASKING FOR INFORMATION THEY RECEIVED NONE AT SIX TWENTY IN THE EVENING THEY WERE TOLD BY A SUBORDINATE THAT THE SENTENCE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN


ONLY TO LEARN LATER THAT IT HAD INDEED BEEN DECLARED AND THAT MISS CAVELL WOULD FACE A FIRING SQUAD AT TWO O'CLOCK THE FOLLOWING MORNING MISTER WHITLOCK THEN URGED BARON VON DER LANCKEN


TO MITIGATE THE SENTENCE AND AT ELEVEN IN THE EVENING HE WAS TOLD THAT VON BISSING REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING TO SAVE MISS CAVELL'S LIFE AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE GOVERNOR DENIED THIS APPEAL EDITH CAVELL WAS ALLOWED TO SEE A BRITISH CHAPLAIN SHE TOLD HIM THAT SHE WAS NOT IN THE LEAST AFRAID OF DEATH


AND WILLINGLY GAVE HER LIFE FOR HER COUNTRY HER WORDS RESEMBLED THOSE OF FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE THAT HAVE BEEN QUOTED ELSEWHERE IN THIS BOOK DEATH SHE SAID WAS WELL KNOWN TO HER AND SHE HAD SEEN IT SO OFTEN THAT IT WAS NOT STRANGE OR FEARFUL TO HER


EARLY IN THE MORNING WITH HER EYES BANDAGED MISS CAVELL WAS LED OUT TO FACE THE RIFLES OF THE HUNS SHE WORE AN ENGLISH FLAG OVER HER BOSOM ONLY GERMANS WERE WITNESSES OF THE EXECUTION BUT THE GERMAN CHAPLAIN WHO ATTENDED SAID THAT SHE DIED LIKE A HEROINE


WHEN HER DEATH BECAME KNOWN THE ENTIRE CIVILIZED WORLD WAS SHOCKED AND HORRIFIED IN ENGLAND THIS MURDER DID MORE TO STIMULATE RECRUITING THAN ANYTHING ELSE UP TO THAT TIME ALL DAY LONG LINES OF MEN WAITED TO SIGN THE PAPERS OF ENLISTMENT


AND IN MISS CAVELL'S HOME TOWN EVERY ELIGIBLE MAN WAS SWORN INTO THE ARMY A BITTER DENUNCIATION OF THE GERMAN ACT WAS MADE BY SIR EDWARD GREY THE GERMANS THEMSELVES HAD ONLY A POOR EXCUSE FOR WHAT THEY HAD DONE


IN BRIEF THE CASE AGAINST THE GERMAN AUTHORITIES IS AS FOLLOWS THEY HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY INFLICTED THE DEATH PENALTY FOR THE OFFENSE OF WHICH MISS CAVELL WAS ACCUSED THEY HAD KEPT HER IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AND PREVENTED HER FROM CONSULTING AN ADVOCATE UP TO THE TIME OF HER TRIAL


SHE WAS TRIED WITH GREAT HASTE AND WITH GREAT SECRECY AND AFTER THE TRIAL THE SENTENCE WAS CARRIED OUT FAR MORE SPEEDILY THAN USUAL MOREOVER THEY HAD DECEIVED MISTER WHITLOCK AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN LEGATION AND HAD DONE SO DELIBERATELY


AFTER THE EXECUTION THEY REFUSED TO RETURN THE BODY BUT THE NAME OF EDITH CAVELL HAS BECOME ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT NAMES AND HER FAME GROWS BRIGHTER AS TIME PASSES


NONE OF US WHETHER CHILDREN OR ADULTS NEEDS AN INTRODUCTION TO MOTHER GOOSE THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE EARLIEST IMPRESSED UPON OUR MINDS CLING TO THEM MOST TENACIOUSLY THE SNATCHES SUNG IN THE NURSERY ARE NEVER FORGOTTEN


NOR ARE THEY EVER RECALLED WITHOUT BRINGING BACK WITH THEM MYRIADS OF SLUMBERING FEELINGS AND HALF FORGOTTEN IMAGES WE HEAR THE SWEET LOW VOICE OF THE MOTHER SINGING SOFT LULLABIES TO HER DARLING


AND SEE THE KINDLY WRINKLED FACE OF THE GRANDMOTHER AS SHE CROONS THE OLD DITTIES TO QUIET OUR RESTLESS SPIRITS ONE GENERATION IS LINKED TO ANOTHER BY THE EVERLASTING SPIRIT OF SONG


THE BALLADS OF THE NURSERY FOLLOW US FROM CHILDHOOD TO OLD AGE AND THEY ARE READILY BROUGHT FROM MEMORY'S RECESSES AT ANY TIME TO AMUSE OUR CHILDREN OR OUR GRANDCHILDREN THE COLLECTION OF JINGLES WE KNOW AND LOVE AS THE MELODIES OF MOTHER GOOSE


ARE EVIDENTLY DRAWN FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WHILE THEY ARE TAKEN ALTOGETHER A HAPPY UNION OF RHYME WIT


THE RESEARCH AFTER THE AUTHOR OF EACH INDIVIDUAL VERSE WOULD INDEED BE HOPELESS IT WOULD BE FOLLY TO SUPPOSE THEM ALL THE COMPOSITION OF UNEDUCATED OLD NURSES FOR MANY OF THEM CONTAIN MUCH REFLECTION WIT AND MELODY


IT IS SAID THAT SHELLEY WROTE PUSSY CAT MEW AND DEAN SWIFT LITTLE BO PEEP AND THESE ASSERTIONS ARE AS DIFFICULT TO DISPROVE AS TO PROVE SOME OF THE OLDER VERSES HOWEVER


ARE DOUBTLESS OFFSHOOTS FROM ANCIENT FOLK LORE SONGS AND HAVE DESCENDED TO US THROUGH MANY CENTURIES THE CONNECTION OF MOTHER GOOSE WITH THE RHYMES WHICH BEAR HER NAME IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE AND IN FACT THREE COUNTRIES CLAIM HER FOR THEIR OWN


FRANCE ENGLAND AND AMERICA ABOUT THE YEAR SIXTEEN FIFTY THERE APPEARED IN CIRCULATION IN LONDON A SMALL BOOK NAMED RHYMES OF THE NURSERY OR LULLA BYES FOR CHILDREN


WHICH CONTAINED MANY OF THE IDENTICAL PIECES THAT HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN TO US BUT THE NAME OF MOTHER GOOSE WAS EVIDENTLY NOT THEN KNOWN IN THIS EDITION WERE THE RHYMES OF LITTLE JACK HOMER OLD KING COLE MISTRESS MARY SING A SONG O SIXPENCE


AND LITTLE BOY BLUE IN SIXTEEN NINETY SEVEN CHARLES PERRAULT PUBLISHED IN FRANCE


ALTHOUGH PERRAULT'S TALES DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE WE NOW KNOW UNDER THIS TITLE THEY COMPRISED THE SLEEPING BEAUTY THE FAIRY LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD BLUE BEARD PUSS IN BOOTS


RIQUET WITH THE TUFT CINDERELLA AND LITTLE THUMB EIGHT STORIES IN ALL ON THE COVER OF THE BOOK WAS DEPICTED AN OLD LADY HOLDING IN HER HAND A DISTAFF


AMERICA BASES HER CLAIM TO MOTHER GOOSE UPON THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT MADE BY THE LATE JOHN FLEET ELIOT A DESCENDANT OF THOMAS FLEET THE PRINTER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY THERE LIVED IN BOSTON A LADY NAMED ELIZA GOOSE


WRITTEN ALSO VERGOOSE AND VERTIGOOSE WHO BELONGED TO A WEALTHY FAMILY HER ELDEST DAUGHTER ELIZABETH GOOSE OR VERTIGOOSE


AND IN DUE TIME GAVE BIRTH TO A SON LIKE MOST MOTHERS IN LAW IN OUR DAY THE IMPORTANCE OF MISSUS GOOSE INCREASED WITH THE APPEARANCE OF HER GRANDCHILD AND POOR MISTER FLEET HALF DISTRACTED WITH HER ENDLESS NURSERY DITTIES FINDING ALL OTHER MEANS FAIL


TRIED WHAT RIDICULE COULD EFFECT AND ACTUALLY PRINTED A BOOK UNDER THE TITLE SONGS OF THE NURSERY OR MOTHER GOOSE'S MELODIES FOR CHILDREN ON THE TITLE PAGE WAS THE PICTURE OF A GOOSE WITH A VERY LONG NECK AND A MOUTH WIDE OPEN AND BELOW THIS


PRINTED BY T FLEET AT HIS PRINTING HOUSE IN PUDDING LANE SEVENTEEN NINETEEN PRICE TWO COPPERS MISTER WM A WHEELER THE EDITOR OF HURD AND HOUGHTON'S ELABORATE EDITION OF MOTHER GOOSE EIGHTEEN SEVENTY REITERATED THIS ASSERTION


AND A WRITER IN THE BOSTON TRANSCRIPT OF JUNE SEVENTEENTH EIGHTEEN SIXTY FOUR SAYS FLEET'S BOOK WAS PARTLY A REPRINT OF AN ENGLISH COLLECTION OF SONGS BARCLAY'S AND THE NEW TITLE WAS DOUBTLESS A COMPLIMENT BY THE PRINTER TO HIS MOTHER IN LAW GOOSE FOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS


SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF SIXTEEN CHILDREN AND A TYPICAL OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A SHOE WE MAY TAKE IT TO BE TRUE THAT FLEET'S WIFE WAS OF THE VERGOOSE FAMILY AND THAT THE NAME WAS OFTEN CONTRACTED TO GOOSE


BUT THE REST OF THE STORY IS UNSUPPORTED BY ANY EVIDENCE WHATEVER IN FACT ALL THAT MISTER ELIOT KNEW OF IT WAS THE STATEMENT OF THE LATE EDWARD A CROWNINSHIELD OF BOSTON THAT HE HAD SEEN FLEET'S EDITION IN THE LIBRARY OF THE AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY


REPEATED RESEARCHES AT WORCESTER HAVING FAILED TO BRING TO LIGHT THIS SUPPOSED COPY AND NO RECORD OF IT APPEARING ON ANY CATALOGUE THERE WE MAY DISMISS THE ENTIRE STORY WITH THE SUPPOSITION THAT MISTER ELIOT MISUNDERSTOOD THE REMARKS MADE TO HIM


INDEED AS MISTER WILLIAM H WHITMORE POINTS OUT IN HIS CLEVER MONOGRAPH UPON MOTHER GOOSE ALBANY EIGHTEEN EIGHTY NINE IT IS VERY DOUBTFUL WHETHER IN SEVENTEEN NINETEEN


BOSTON CHILDREN AT THAT DATE SAYS MISTER WHITMORE WERE FED UPON GOSPEL FOOD AND IT SEEMS EXTREMELY IMPROBABLE THAT AN EDITION COULD HAVE BEEN SOLD


IS OF ABOUT THE SAME DATE AS BOSTON'S THERE LIVED IN A TOWN IN SUSSEX ABOUT THE YEAR SEVENTEEN O FOUR AN OLD WOMAN NAMED MARTHA GOOCH SHE WAS A CAPITAL NURSE AND IN GREAT DEMAND TO CARE FOR NEWLY BORN BABIES THEREFORE


THROUGH LONG YEARS OF SERVICE AS NURSE SHE CAME TO BE CALLED MOTHER GOOCH THIS GOOD WOMAN HAD ONE PECULIARITY SHE WAS ACCUSTOMED TO CROON QUEER RHYMES AND JINGLES OVER THE CRADLES OF HER CHARGES AND THESE RHYMES


SEEMED SO SENSELESS AND SILLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO OVERHEARD THEM THAT THEY BEGAN TO CALL HER MOTHER GOOSE IN DERISION THE TERM BEING DERIVED FROM QUEEN GOOSEFOOT THE MOTHER OF CHARLEMAGNE THE OLD NURSE PAID NO ATTENTION TO HER CRITICS


BUT CONTINUED TO SING HER RHYMES AS BEFORE FOR HOWEVER MUCH GROWN PEOPLE MIGHT LAUGH AT HER THE CHILDREN SEEMED TO ENJOY THEM VERY MUCH AND NOT ONE OF THEM WAS TOO PEEVISH TO BE QUIETED AND SOOTHED BY HER VERSES


AT ONE TIME MISTRESS GOOCH WAS NURSING A CHILD OF MISTER RONALD BARCLAY A PHYSICIAN RESIDING IN THE TOWN AND HE NOTICED THE RHYMES SHE SANG AND BECAME INTERESTED IN THEM IN TIME HE WROTE THEM ALL DOWN AND MADE A BOOK OF THEM


WHICH IT IS SAID WAS PRINTED BY JOHN WORTHINGTON AND SON IN THE STRAND LONDON IN SEVENTEEN TWELVE UNDER THE NAME OF YE MELODIOUS RHYMES OF MOTHER GOOSE BUT EVEN THIS STORY OF MARTHA GOOCH


IS BASED UPON VERY MEAGER AND UNSATISFACTORY EVIDENCE THE EARLIEST ENGLISH EDITION OF MOTHER GOOSE'S MELODIES THAT IS ABSOLUTELY AUTHENTIC WAS ISSUED BY JOHN NEWBURY OF LONDON ABOUT THE YEAR SEVENTEEN SIXTY AND THE FIRST AUTHENTIC AMERICAN EDITION


IN SEVENTEEN EIGHTY FIVE NONE OF THE EARLIER EDITIONS HOWEVER CONTAINED ALL THE RHYMES SO WELL KNOWN AT THE PRESENT DAY SINCE EVERY DECADE HAS ADDED ITS QUOTA TO THE MASS OF JINGLES ATTRIBUTED TO MOTHER GOOSE


SOME OF THE EARLIER VERSES HAVE BECOME ENTIRELY OBSOLETE AND IT IS WELL THEY HAVE FOR MANY WERE CRUDE AND SILLY AND OTHERS WERE COARSE IT IS SIMPLY A RESULT OF THE GREATER REFINEMENT OF MODERN CIVILIZATION


THAT THEY HAVE BEEN RELEGATED TO OBLIVION WHILE THE REAL GEMS OF THE COLLECTION WILL DOUBTLESS LIVE AND GROW IN POPULAR FAVOR FOR MANY AGES


IT DOES NOT MATTER IN THE LEAST WHETHER SHE WAS IN REALITY A MYTH OR A LIVING ELIZA GOOSE MARTHA GOOCH OR THE MERE OYE OF PERRAULT THE SONGS THAT CLUSTER AROUND HER NAME ARE WHAT WE LOVE


AND EACH INDIVIDUAL VERSE APPEALS MORE TO THE CHILDISH MIND THAN DOES MOTHER GOOSE HERSELF MANY OF THESE NURSERY RHYMES ARE COMPLETE TALES IN THEMSELVES TELLING THEIR STORY TERSELY BUT COMPLETELY THERE ARE OTHERS WHICH ARE BUT BARE SUGGESTIONS


LEAVING THE IMAGINATION TO WEAVE IN THE DETAILS OF THE STORY PERHAPS THEREIN MAY LIE PART OF THEIR CHARM BUT HOWEVER THAT MAY BE I HAVE THOUGHT THE CHILDREN MIGHT LIKE THE STORIES TOLD AT GREATER LENGTH THAT THEY MAY DWELL THE LONGER UPON THEIR FAVORITE HEROES AND HEROINES


FOR THAT REASON I HAVE WRITTEN THIS BOOK IN MAKING THE STORIES I HAVE FOLLOWED MAINLY THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE RHYMES AND MY HOPE IS THAT THE LITTLE ONES WILL LIKE THEM AND NOT FIND THAT THEY INTERFERE WITH THE FANCIFUL CREATIONS OF THEIR OWN IMAGINATIONS


L FRANK BAUM CHICAGO ILLINOIS


AND ONE OF THESE FLOCKS USED TO BE CARED FOR BY A POOR WOMAN WHO SUPPORTED HERSELF AND HER LITTLE GIRL BY THIS MEANS THEY LIVED IN A SMALL COTTAGE NESTLED AT THE FOOT OF ONE OF THE HILLS AND EACH MORNING THE MOTHER TOOK HER CROOK


AND STARTED OUT WITH HER SHEEP THAT THEY MIGHT FEED UPON THE TENDER JUICY GRASSES WITH WHICH THE HILLS ABOUNDED THE LITTLE GIRL USUALLY ACCOMPANIED HER MOTHER AND SAT BY HER SIDE


UPON THE GRASSY MOUNDS AND WATCHED HER CARE FOR THE EWES AND LAMBS SO THAT IN TIME SHE HERSELF GREW TO BE A VERY PROFICIENT SHEPHERDESS SO WHEN THE MOTHER BECAME TOO OLD AND FEEBLE TO LEAVE HER COTTAGE LITTLE BO PEEP AS SHE WAS CALLED


DECIDED THAT SHE WAS FULLY ABLE TO MANAGE THE FLOCKS HERSELF SHE WAS A LITTLE MITE OF A CHILD WITH FLOWING NUT BROWN LOCKS AND BIG GRAY EYES THAT CHARMED ALL WHO GAZED INTO THEIR INNOCENT DEPTHS SHE WORE A LIGHT GRAY FROCK


FASTENED ABOUT THE WAIST WITH A PRETTY PINK SASH AND THERE WERE WHITE RUFFLES AROUND HER NECK AND PINK RIBBONS IN HER HAIR ALL THE SHEPHERDS AND SHEPHERDESSES UPON THE HILLS BOTH YOUNG AND OLD SOON CAME TO KNOW LITTLE BO PEEP VERY WELL INDEED


AND THERE WERE MANY WILLING HANDS TO AID HER IF WHICH WAS NOT OFTEN SHE NEEDED THEIR ASSISTANCE BO PEEP USUALLY TOOK HER SHEEP TO THE SIDE OF A HIGH HILL ABOVE THE COTTAGE AND ALLOWED THEM TO EAT THE RICH GRASS WHILE SHE HERSELF SAT UPON A MOUND AND


LAYING ASIDE HER CROOK AND HER BROAD STRAW HAT WITH ITS PINK RIBBONS DEVOTED HER TIME TO SEWING AND MENDING STOCKINGS FOR HER AGED MOTHER ONE DAY WHILE THUS OCCUPIED


GOOD MORNING LITTLE BO PEEP AND LOOKING UP THE GIRL SAW A WOMAN STANDING NEAR HER AND LEANING UPON A SHORT STICK SHE WAS BENT NEARLY DOUBLE BY WEIGHT OF MANY YEARS HER HAIR WAS WHITE AS SNOW AND HER EYES AS BLACK AS COALS


DEEP WRINKLES SEAMED HER FACE AND HANDS WHILE HER NOSE AND CHIN WERE SO POINTED THAT THEY NEARLY MET SHE WAS NOT PLEASANT TO LOOK UPON BUT BO PEEP HAD LEARNED TO BE POLITE TO THE AGED SO SHE ANSWERED SWEETLY


GOOD MORNING MOTHER CAN I DO ANYTHING FOR YOU NO DEARIE RETURNED THE WOMAN IN A CRACKED VOICE BUT I WILL SIT BY YOUR SIDE AND REST FOR A TIME THE GIRL MADE ROOM ON THE MOUND BESIDE HER


AND THE STRANGER SAT DOWN AND WATCHED IN SILENCE THE BUSY FINGERS SEW UP THE SEAMS OF THE NEW FROCK SHE WAS MAKING BY AND BY THE WOMAN ASKED WHY DO YOU COME OUT HERE TO SEW BECAUSE I AM A SHEPHERDESS REPLIED THE GIRL


BUT WHERE IS YOUR CROOK ON THE GRASS BESIDE ME AND WHERE ARE YOUR SHEEP BO PEEP LOOKED UP AND COULD NOT SEE THEM THEY MUST HAVE STRAYED OVER THE TOP OF THE HILL SHE SAID AND I WILL GO AND SEEK THEM


DO NOT BE IN A HURRY CROAKED THE OLD WOMAN THEY WILL RETURN PRESENTLY WITHOUT YOUR TROUBLING TO FIND THEM DO YOU THINK SO ASKED BO PEEP OF COURSE DO NOT THE SHEEP KNOW YOU


OH YES THEY KNOW ME EVERY ONE AND DO NOT YOU KNOW THE SHEEP I CAN CALL EVERY ONE BY NAME SAID BO PEEP CONFIDENTLY FOR THOUGH I AM SO YOUNG A SHEPHERDESS I AM FOND OF MY SHEEP AND KNOW ALL ABOUT THEM


THE OLD WOMAN CHUCKLED SOFTLY AS IF THE ANSWER AMUSED HER AND REPLIED NO ONE KNOWS ALL ABOUT ANYTHING MY DEAR BUT I KNOW ALL ABOUT MY SHEEP PROTESTED LITTLE BO PEEP DO YOU INDEED


THEN YOU ARE WISER THAT MOST PEOPLE AND IF YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THEM YOU ALSO KNOW THEY WILL COME HOME OF THEIR OWN ACCORD AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THEY WILL ALL BE WAGGING THEIR TAILS BEHIND THEM AS USUAL


OH SAID LITTLE BO PEEP IN SURPRISE DO THEY WAG THEIR TAILS I NEVER NOTICED THAT INDEED EXCLAIMED THE OLD WOMAN THEN YOU ARE NOT VERY OBSERVING FOR ONE WHO KNOWS ALL ABOUT SHEEP


PERHAPS YOU HAVE NEVER NOTICED THEIR TAILS AT ALL NO ANSWERED BO PEEP THOUGHTFULLY I DO N'T KNOW THAT I EVER HAVE THE WOMAN LAUGHED SO HARD AT THIS REPLY


THAT SHE BEGAN TO COUGH AND THIS MADE THE GIRL REMEMBER THAT HER FLOCK HAD STRAYED AWAY I REALLY MUST GO AND FIND MY SHEEP SHE SAID RISING TO HER FEET AND THEN I SHALL BE SURE TO NOTICE THEIR TAILS AND SEE IF THEY WAG THEM SIT STILL MY CHILD


SAID THE OLD WOMAN I AM GOING OVER THE HILL TOP MYSELF AND I WILL SEND THE SHEEP BACK TO YOU SO SHE GOT UPON HER FEET AND BEGAN CLIMBING THE HILL AND THE GIRL HEARD HER SAYING AS SHE WALKED AWAY LITTLE BO PEEP HAS LOST HER SHEEP


AND DOES N'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND EM BUT LEAVE EM ALONE AND THEY LL COME HOME ALL WAGGING THEIR TAILS BEHIND EM LITTLE BO PEEP SAT STILL AND WATCHED THE OLD WOMAN TOIL SLOWLY UP THE HILL SIDE AND DISAPPEAR OVER THE TOP BY AND BY SHE THOUGHT


VERY SOON I SHALL SEE THE SHEEP COMING BACK BUT TIME PASSED AWAY AND STILL THE ERRANT FLOCK FAILED TO MAKE ITS APPEARANCE SOON THE HEAD OF THE LITTLE SHEPHERDESS BEGAN TO NOD


LITTLE BO PEEP FELL FAST ASLEEP AND DREAMT SHE HEARD THEM BLEATING BUT WHEN SHE AWOKE SHE FOUND IT A JOKE FOR STILL THEY WERE A FLEETING THE GIRL NOW BECAME QUITE ANXIOUS AND WONDERED WHY THE OLD WOMAN HAD NOT DRIVEN HER FLOCK OVER THE HILL


BUT AS IT WAS NOW TIME FOR LUNCHEON SHE OPENED HER LITTLE BASKET AND ATE OF THE BREAD AND CHEESE AND COOKIES SHE HAD BROUGHT WITH HER AFTER SHE HAD FINISHED HER MEAL AND TAKEN A DRINK OF COOL WATER FROM A SPRING NEAR BY


SHE DECIDED SHE WOULD NOT WAIT ANY LONGER SO UP SHE TOOK HER LITTLE CROOK DETERMINED FOR TO FIND THEM AND BEGAN CLIMBING THE HILL WHEN SHE GOT TO THE TOP THERE WAS NEVER A SIGHT OF SHEEP ABOUT


ONLY A GREEN VALLEY AND ANOTHER HILL BEYOND NOW REALLY ALARMED FOR THE SAFETY OF HER CHARGE BO PEEP HURRIED INTO THE VALLEY AND UP THE FARTHER HILL SIDE PANTING AND TIRED SHE REACHED THE SUMMIT AND PAUSING BREATHLESSLY


GAZED BELOW HER QUIETLY FEEDING UPON THE RICH GRASS WAS HER TRUANT FLOCK LOOKING AS PEACEFUL AND INNOCENT AS IF IT HAD NEVER STRAYED AWAY FROM ITS GENTLE SHEPHERDESS BO PEEP UTTERED A CRY OF JOY AND HURRIED TOWARD THEM


BUT WHEN SHE CAME NEAR SHE STOPPED IN AMAZEMENT AND HELD UP HER LITTLE HANDS WITH A PRETTY EXPRESSION OF DISMAY SHE HAD FOUND THEM INDEED BUT IT MADE HER HEART BLEED


NOTHING WAS LEFT TO EACH SHEEP BUT A WEE LITTLE STUMP WHERE A TAIL SHOULD BE AND LITTLE BO PEEP WAS SO HEART BROKEN THAT SHE SAT DOWN BESIDE THEM AND SOBBED BITTERLY


BUT AFTER AWHILE THE TINY MAID REALIZED THAT ALL HER TEARS WOULD NOT BRING BACK THE TAILS TO HER LAMBKINS SO SHE PLUCKED UP COURAGE AND DRIED HER EYES AND AROSE FROM THE GROUND JUST AS THE OLD WOMAN HOBBLED UP TO HER


SO YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR SHEEP DEARIE SHE SAID IN HER CRACKED VOICE YES REPLIED LITTLE BO PEEP WITH DIFFICULTY REPRESSING A SOB BUT LOOK MOTHER THEY VE ALL LEFT THEIR TAILS BEHIND THEM WHY SO THEY HAVE EXCLAIMED THE OLD WOMAN


AND THEN SHE BEGAN TO LAUGH AS IF SOMETHING PLEASED HER WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE HAS BECOME OF THEIR TAILS ASKED THE GIRL OH SOME ONE HAS PROBABLY CUT THEM OFF THEY MAKE NICE TIPPETS IN WINTER TIME YOU KNOW


AND THEN SHE PATTED THE CHILD UPON HER HEAD AND WALKED AWAY DOWN THE VALLEY BO PEEP WAS MUCH GRIEVED OVER THE LOSS THAT HAD BEFALLEN HER DEAR SHEEP AND SO DRIVING THEM BEFORE HER SHE WANDERED AROUND TO SEE IF BY ANY CHANCE SHE COULD FIND THE LOST TAILS


BUT SOON THE SUN BEGAN TO SINK OVER THE HILL TOPS AND SHE KNEW SHE MUST TAKE HER SHEEP HOME BEFORE NIGHT OVERTOOK THEM SHE DID NOT TELL HER MOTHER OF HER MISFORTUNE FOR SHE FEARED THE OLD SHEPHERDESS WOULD SCOLD HER


AND BO PEEP HAD FULLY DECIDED TO SEEK FOR THE TAILS AND FIND THEM BEFORE SHE RELATED THE STORY OF THEIR LOSS TO ANYONE EACH DAY FOR MANY DAYS AFTER THAT LITTLE BO PEEP WANDERED ABOUT THE HILLS SEEKING THE TAILS OF HER SHEEP


AND THOSE WHO MET HER WONDERED WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO MAKE THE SWEET LITTLE MAID SO ANXIOUS BUT THERE IS AN END TO ALL TROUBLES NO MATTER HOW SEVERE THEY MAY SEEM TO BE AND IT HAPPENED ONE DAY AS BO PEEP DID STRAY UNTO A MEADOW HARD BY


THE LITTLE SHEPHERDESS WAS OVERJOYED AT THIS DISCOVERY AND REACHING UP HER CROOK SHE KNOCKED THE ROW OF PRETTY WHITE TAILS OFF THE TREE AND GATHERED THEM UP IN HER FROCK BUT HOW TO FASTEN THEM ONTO HER SHEEP AGAIN WAS THE QUESTION


AND AFTER PONDERING THE MATTER FOR A TIME SHE BECAME DISCOURAGED AND THINKING SHE WAS NO BETTER OFF THAN BEFORE THE TAILS WERE FOUND SHE BEGAN TO WEEP AND TO BEWAIL HER MISFORTUNE BUT AMIDST HER TEARS SHE BETHOUGHT HERSELF OF HER NEEDLE AND THREAD


WHY SHE EXCLAIMED SMILING AGAIN I CAN SEW THEM ON OF COURSE THEN SHE HEAVED A SIGH AND WIPED HER EYE AND RAN O'ER HILL AND DALE OH AND TRIED WHAT SHE COULD AS A SHEPHERDESS SHOULD TO TACK TO EACH SHEEP ITS TAIL OH


BUT THE VERY FIRST SHEEP SHE CAME TO REFUSED TO ALLOW HER TO SEW ON THE TAIL AND RAN AWAY FROM HER AND THE OTHERS DID THE SAME SO THAT FINALLY SHE WAS UTTERLY DISCOURAGED SHE WAS BEGINNING TO CRY AGAIN WHEN THE SAME OLD WOMAN SHE HAD BEFORE MET


CAME HOBBLING TO HER SIDE AND ASKED WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY CAT TAILS YOUR CAT TAILS REPLIED BO PEEP IN SURPRISE WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHY THESE TAILS ARE ALL CUT FROM WHITE PUSSYCATS AND I PUT THEM ON THE TREE TO DRY


WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THEM I THOUGHT THEY BELONGED TO MY SHEEP ANSWERED BO PEEP SORROWFULLY


I MUST HUNT UNTIL I FIND THOSE THAT BELONG TO MY SHEEP MY DEAR SAID THE OLD WOMAN I HAVE BEEN DECEIVING YOU YOU SAID YOU KNEW ALL ABOUT YOUR SHEEP AND I WANTED TO TEACH YOU A LESSON FOR HOWEVER WISE WE MAY BE


NO ONE IN THIS WORLD KNOWS ALL ABOUT ANYTHING SHEEP DO NOT HAVE LONG TAILS THERE IS ONLY A LITTLE STUMP TO ANSWER FOR A TAIL NEITHER DO RABBITS HAVE TAILS NOR BEARS NOR MANY OTHER ANIMALS


AND IF YOU HAD BEEN OBSERVING YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN ALL THIS WHEN I SAID THE SHEEP WOULD BE WAGGING THEIR TAILS BEHIND THEM AND THEN YOU WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED ALL THOSE DAYS IN SEARCHING FOR WHAT IS NOT TO BE FOUND


SO NOW LITTLE ONE RUN AWAY HOME AND TRY TO BE MORE THOUGHTFUL IN THE FUTURE YOUR SHEEP WILL NEVER MISS THE TAILS


AND NOW LITTLE BO PEEP NO MORE DID WEEP MY TALE OF TAILS ENDS HERE


AND A GIRL CALLED BELLAH POSTIK THEY WERE COUSINS AND AS THEIR MOTHERS WERE GREAT FRIENDS AND CONSTANTLY IN AND OUT OF EACH OTHER'S HOUSES THEY HAD OFTEN BEEN LAID IN THE SAME CRADLE AND HAD PLAYED AND FOUGHT OVER THEIR GAMES WHEN THEY ARE GROWN UP THEY WILL MARRY SAID THE MOTHERS


AND SOON THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN HEARD BEWAILING TO EACH OTHER THE HARDNESS OF THEIR LOTS


I WOULD RENT A BIT OF GROUND FROM THE MASTER AND THEN WE COULD BE MARRIED YES ANSWERED BELLAH WITH A DEEP SIGH BUT WE LIVE IN SUCH HARD TIMES AND AT THE LAST FAIR THE PRICE OF PIGS HAD RISEN AGAIN WE SHALL HAVE LONG TO WAIT


THAT IS QUITE CLEAR REPLIED HOUARN TURNING AWAY TO HIS WORK WHENEVER THEY MET THEY REPEATED THEIR GRIEVANCES AND AT LENGTH HOUARN'S PATIENCE WAS EXHAUSTED AND ONE MORNING HE CAME TO BELLAH AND TOLD HER THAT HE WAS GOING AWAY TO SEEK HIS FORTUNE


THE GIRL WAS VERY UNHAPPY AS SHE LISTENED TO THIS AND FELT SORRY THAT SHE HAD NOT TRIED TO MAKE THE BEST OF THINGS SHE IMPLORED HOUARN NOT TO LEAVE HER BUT HE WOULD LISTEN TO NOTHING THE BIRDS HE SAID CONTINUE FLYING UNTIL THEY REACH A FIELD OF CORN AND


LIKE THEM I SHALL SEEK TILL I GET WHAT I WANT THAT IS MONEY TO BUY A COW AND A PIG TO FATTEN AND IF YOU LOVE ME BELLAH YOU WON'T ATTEMPT TO HINDER A PLAN WHICH WILL HASTEN OUR MARRIAGE THE GIRL SAW IT WAS USELESS TO SAY MORE SO SHE ANSWERED SADLY


WELL GO THEN SINCE YOU MUST BUT FIRST I WILL DIVIDE WITH YOU ALL THAT MY PARENTS LEFT ME AND GOING TO HER ROOM SHE OPENED A SMALL CHEST AND TOOK FROM IT A BELL A KNIFE AND A LITTLE STICK THIS BELL SHE SAID CAN BE HEARD AT ANY DISTANCE HOWEVER FAR


BUT IT ONLY RINGS TO WARN US THAT OUR FRIENDS ARE IN GREAT DANGER THE KNIFE FREES ALL IT TOUCHES FROM THE SPELLS THAT HAVE BEEN LAID ON THEM WHILE THE STICK WILL CARRY YOU WHEREVER YOU WANT TO GO I WILL GIVE YOU THE KNIFE TO GUARD YOU AGAINST THE ENCHANTMENTS OF WIZARDS


AND THE BELL TO TELL ME OF YOUR PERILS THE STICK I SHALL KEEP FOR MYSELF SO THAT I CAN FLY TO YOU IF EVER YOU HAVE NEED OF ME THEN THEY CRIED FOR A LITTLE ON EACH OTHER'S NECKS AND HOUARN STARTED FOR THE MOUNTAINS BUT IN THOSE DAYS AS IN THESE BEGGARS ABOUNDED


AND THROUGH EVERY VILLAGE HE PASSED THEY FOLLOWED HOUARN IN CROWDS MISTAKING HIM FOR A GENTLEMAN BECAUSE THERE WERE NO HOLES IN HIS CLOTHES THERE IS NO FORTUNE TO BE MADE HERE HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF IT IS A PLACE FOR SPENDING AND NOT EARNING I SEE I MUST GO FURTHER


AND HE WALKED ON TO PONT AVEN A PRETTY LITTLE TOWN BUILT ON THE BANK OF A RIVER HE WAS SITTING ON A BENCH OUTSIDE AN INN


AND THE MEN ANSWERED THAT IT WAS THE NAME GIVEN TO THE FAIRY THAT DWELT IN THE LAKE


AND BESOUGHT HIM NOT TO BE SO MAD AND TO THROW AWAY HIS LIFE IN SUCH A FOOLISH MANNER BUT HE ONLY LAUGHED


BUT THE MEN DID NOT KNOW HOW THIS WAS TO BE DONE AND SHAKING THEIR HEADS OVER HIS OBSTINACY LEFT HIM TO HIS FATE


THE ISLAND WAS LARGE AND LYING ALMOST ACROSS IT WAS A LAKE WITH A NARROW OPENING TO THE SEA HOUARN PAID THE BOATMAN AND SENT HIM AWAY AND THEN PROCEEDED TO WALK ROUND THE LAKE


AS SOON AS THE YOUNG MAN HAD RECOVERED FROM HIS SURPRISE HE PREPARED TO JUMP INTO THE LAKE AND SWIM TO SHORE BUT THE BIRD HAD GUESSED HIS INTENTIONS AND PLUNGED BENEATH THE WATER


THE PINK AND WHITE OF HER FACE REMINDED YOU OF THE SHELLS OF HER PALACE WHILE HER LONG BLACK HAIR WAS INTERTWINED WITH STRINGS OF CORAL AND HER DRESS OF GREEN SILK SEEMED FORMED OUT OF THE SEA AT THE SIGHT OF HER HOUARN STOPPED DAZZLED BY HER BEAUTY


MY NAME IS HOUARN HE ANSWERED


AND SHE BECKONED HIM TO FOLLOW HER INTO A SECOND HALL WHOSE FLOORS AND WALLS WERE FORMED OF PEARLS WHILE DOWN THE SIDES THERE WERE TABLES LADEN WITH FRUIT AND WINES OF ALL KINDS


CAME FROM SHIPWRECKED VESSELS AND WERE BROUGHT TO HER PALACE BY A MAGIC CURRENT OF WATER I DO NOT WONDER EXCLAIMED HOUARN WHO NOW FELT QUITE AT HOME DO NOT WONDER THAT THE PEOPLE ON THE EARTH HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT YOU THE RICH ARE ALWAYS ENVIED


THE YOUNG MAN GAZED AT HER IN SURPRISE COULD ANY ONE SO RICH AND SO BEAUTIFUL REALLY WISH TO BE HIS WIFE HE LOOKED AT HER AGAIN AND BELLAH WAS FORGOTTEN AS HE ANSWERED A MAN WOULD BE MAD INDEED TO REFUSE SUCH AN OFFER I CAN ONLY ACCEPT IT WITH JOY


WHEN IT WAS FULL SHE WENT INTO A LARGE KITCHEN AND THREW THEM ALL INTO A GOLDEN POT


BUT IT DID NOT SOUND THE LEAST LIKE THAT TO HOUARN THERE IT IS AGAIN HE SAID AFTER A SHORT PAUSE


JUMP SHE REPLIED BUT SOON THE NOISE GREW LOUDER AND LIKE CRIES WHAT IS IT ASKED HOUARN BEGINNING TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE JUST THE CRICKETS ON THE HEARTH SAID SHE AND BROKE INTO A SONG WHICH DROWNED THE CRIES FROM THE POT


BUT THOUGH HOUARN HELD HIS PEACE HE WAS NOT AS HAPPY AS BEFORE SOMETHING SEEMED TO HAVE GONE WRONG AND THEN HE SUDDENLY REMEMBERED BELLAH IS IT POSSIBLE I CAN HAVE FORGOTTEN HER SO SOON


AND FOUR MEN STOOD BEFORE HIM HOUARN SAVE US WE ENTREAT YOU AND SAVE YOURSELF TOO MURMURED THEY NOT DARING TO RAISE THEIR VOICES


AND NO SOONER WAS THE CEREMONY OVER THAN SHE TURNED US INTO FISHES AS SHE HAD DONE TO ALL OUR FORERUNNERS WHO ARE IN THE FISH POND STILL WHERE YOU WILL SHORTLY JOIN THEM


IT WAS AT THIS VERY MOMENT THAT BELLAH WHO WAS SKIMMING THE MILK IN THE FARM DAIRY HEARD THE FAIRY BELL TINKLE VIOLENTLY AT THE SOUND SHE GREW PALE FOR SHE KNEW IT MEANT THAT HOUARN WAS IN DANGER


LITTLE STAFF OF APPLE TREE OVER THE EARTH AND OVER THE SEA UP IN THE AIR BE GUIDE TO ME EVERYWHERE TO WANDER FREE AND IMMEDIATELY THE STICK BECAME A SMART LITTLE HORSE WITH A ROSETTE AT EACH EAR AND A FEATHER ON HIS FOREHEAD HE STOOD QUITE STILL


THE SWALLOW IS LESS SWIFT THAN THE WIND THE WIND IS LESS SWIFT THAN THE LIGHTNING BUT YOU MY HORSE IF YOU LOVE ME MUST BE SWIFTER THAN THEM ALL FOR THERE IS A PART OF MY HEART THAT SUFFERS THE BEST PART OF MY HEART THAT IS IN DANGER AND THE HORSE HEARD HER


AND GALLOPED LIKE A STRAW CARRIED ALONG BY A TEMPEST TILL THEY REACHED THE FOOT OF A ROCK CALLED THE LEAP OF THE DEER


TO SAVE YOU REPEATED BELLAH BUT WHO ARE YOU MY LITTLE FRIEND


AND IT IS OWING TO HER THAT I AM HERE BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THIS NEST I AM SITTING ON SIX EGGS OF STONE AND I SHALL NOT BE SET FREE TILL THEY ARE HATCHED


WHEN YOU HAVE FOUND HER YOU MUST CONTRIVE TO GET HOLD OF THE NET OF STEEL THAT HANGS FROM HER WAIST AND SHUT HER UP IN IT FOR EVER BUT WHERE AM I TO FIND A YOUNG MAN'S CLOTHES ASKED SHE I WILL SHOW YOU HE REPLIED


AND THE FOURTH AN IRON WITHOUT WAITING FOR ORDERS THEY SAT DOWN IN THE NEST AND CROSSING THEIR LEGS COMFORTABLY BEGAN TO PREPARE THE SUIT OF CLOTHES FOR BELLAH WITH ONE OF THE LEAVES OF THE CABBAGE THEY MADE HER A COAT


AND WITH IT IN HER HAND SHE STEPPED INTO THE BLUE BOAT WHICH CONDUCTED HER TO THE PALACE OF SHELLS THE GROAC'H SEEMED OVERJOYED TO SEE HER AND TOLD HER THAT NEVER BEFORE HAD SHE BEHELD SUCH A HANDSOME YOUNG MAN


VERY SOON SHE LED HER VISITOR INTO THE GREAT HALL WHERE WINE AND FRUIT WERE ALWAYS WAITING AND ON THE TABLE LAY THE MAGIC KNIFE LEFT THERE BY HOUARN


AND TO THE POND WHICH CONTAINED THE FISH THEIR SIDES SHINING WITH A THOUSAND DIFFERENT COLOURS


AND TURNING RAPIDLY FLUNG IT OVER THE WITCH'S HEAD BECOME IN BODY WHAT YOU ARE IN SOUL CRIED SHE AND IN AN INSTANT THE LOVELY FAIRY OF THE SEA WAS A TOAD HORRIBLE TO LOOK UPON SHE STRUGGLED HARD TO TEAR THE NET ASUNDER BUT IT WAS NO USE


HER EYES FELL ON A GREEN FROG ON HIS KNEES BESIDE HER HIS LITTLE PAWS CROSSED OVER HIS LITTLE HEART BELLAH FELT AS IF FINGERS WERE TIGHTENING ROUND HER THROAT BUT SHE MANAGED TO CRY IS THIS YOU MY HOUARN IS THIS YOU IT IS I CROAKED THE LITTLE FROG


IN A CAR DRAWN BY SIX COCKCHAFERS WHICH ONCE HAD BEEN THE SIX STONE EGGS HERE I AM HE EXCLAIMED YOU HAVE BROKEN THE SPELL THAT HELD ME AND NOW COME AND GET YOUR REWARD AND DISMOUNTING FROM HIS CHARIOT HE LED THEM DOWN INTO THE CAVES FILLED WITH GOLD AND JEWELS


AND SHOES WITH SILVER BUCKLES THE WOMEN WERE ALL FILLED WITH ENVY BUT LITTLE CARED BARBAIK WHAT THEY MIGHT WHISPER BEHIND HER BACK AS LONG AS SHE KNEW THAT HER CLOTHES WERE FINER THAN ANYONE ELSE'S AND THAT SHE HAD MORE PARTNERS THAN ANY OTHER GIRL


AND WHAT WAS WORSE OFTEN MADE FUN OF HIM WITH THE REST


ONE EVENING HE WAS BRINGING BACK HIS HORSES FROM THE FIELDS AND STOPPED AT A LITTLE LAKE ON THE WAY HOME TO LET THEM DRINK HE WAS TIRED WITH A LONG DAY'S WORK AND STOOD WITH HIS HAND ON THE MANE OF ONE OF THE ANIMALS WAITING TILL THEY HAD DONE AND THINKING ALL THE WHILE OF BARBAIK


WHEN A VOICE CAME OUT OF THE GORSE CLOSE BY


IT IS I THE BROWNIE OF THE LAKE REPLIED THE VOICE BUT WHERE ARE YOU INQUIRED JEGU LOOK CLOSE AND YOU WILL SEE ME AMONG THE REEDS IN THE FORM OF A LITTLE GREEN FROG I CAN TAKE HE ADDED PROUDLY ANY SHAPE I CHOOSE


AND EVEN WHICH IS MUCH HARDER BE INVISIBLE IF I WANT TO THEN SHOW YOURSELF TO ME IN THE SHAPE IN WHICH YOUR FAMILY GENERALLY APPEAR REPLIED JEGU CERTAINLY IF YOU WISH AND THE FROG JUMPED ON THE BACK OF ONE OF THE HORSES AND CHANGED INTO A LITTLE DWARF ALL DRESSED IN GREEN


AT FIRST UNDER DIFFERENT ANIMAL SHAPES SINCE THAT TIME PARTLY FROM HABIT AND PARTLY TO AMUSE OURSELVES WE HAVE CONTINUED TO TRANSFORM OURSELVES AND IT WAS IN THIS WAY THAT I GOT TO KNOW YOU HOW EXCLAIMED JEGU FILLED WITH ASTONISHMENT


BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT EXCLAIMED JEGU WONDERINGLY THAT IS MY AFFAIR PERHAPS I MAY TELL YOU LATER MEANWHILE YOU JUST EAT AND SLEEP AND DON'T WORRY YOURSELF ABOUT ANYTHING


JEGU DECLARED THAT NOTHING COULD BE EASIER AND THEN TAKING OFF HIS HAT HE THANKED THE DWARF HEARTILY AND LED HIS HORSES BACK TO THE FARM NEXT MORNING WAS A HOLIDAY AND BARBAIK WAS AWAKE EARLIER THAN USUAL


AS SHE WISHED TO GET THROUGH HER WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND BE READY TO START FOR A DANCE WHICH WAS TO BE HELD SOME DISTANCE OFF SHE WENT FIRST TO THE COW HOUSE WHICH IT WAS HER DUTY TO KEEP CLEAN BUT TO HER AMAZEMENT SHE FOUND FRESH STRAW PUT DOWN


THE RACKS FILLED WITH HAY THE COWS MILKED AND THE PAILS STANDING NEATLY IN A ROW


AND WHEN SHE MET HIM OUTSIDE THE DOOR SHE STOPPED AND THANKED HIM FOR HIS HELP TO BE SURE JEGU ONLY REPLIED ROUGHLY THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT BUT THIS ANSWER MADE HER FEEL ALL THE MORE CERTAIN THAT IT WAS HE AND NOBODY ELSE


INDEED BARBAIK HAD ONLY TO EXPRESS A WISH FOR IT TO BE SATISFIED IF THE WIND WAS COLD OR THE SUN WAS HOT AND SHE WAS AFRAID TO GO OUT LEST HER COMPLEXION SHOULD BE SPOILT SHE NEED ONLY TO RUN DOWN TO THE SPRING CLOSE BY AND SAY SOFTLY I SHOULD LIKE MY CHURNS TO BE FULL


AND MY WET LINEN TO BE STRETCHED ON THE HEDGE TO DRY AND SHE NEED NEVER GIVE ANOTHER THOUGHT TO THE MATTER IF SHE FOUND THE RYE BREAD TOO HARD TO BAKE OR THE OVEN TAKING TOO LONG TO HEAT SHE JUST MURMURED I SHOULD LIKE TO SEE MY SIX LOAVES ON THE SHELF ABOVE THE BREAD BOX


WHY AM I NOT ALREADY BACK FROM MORLAIX WITH MY MILK POT EMPTY MY BUTTER BOWL INSIDE IT A POUND OF WILD CHERRIES ON MY WOODEN PLATE AND THE MONEY I HAVE GAINED IN MY APRON POCKET AND IN THE MORNING WHEN SHE GOT UP LO AND BEHOLD


AND SIX NEW PIECES OF SILVER IN THE POCKET OF HER APRON AND SHE BELIEVED THAT ALL THIS WAS OWING TO JEGU AND SHE COULD NO LONGER DO WITHOUT HIM EVEN IN HER THOUGHTS WHEN THINGS HAD REACHED THIS PASS THE BROWNIE TOLD THE YOUNG MAN THAT HE HAD BETTER ASK BARBAIK TO MARRY HIM


AND THIS TIME THE GIRL DID NOT TURN RUDELY AWAY BUT LISTENED PATIENTLY TO THE END


AND SHE COULD SLEEP EVERY MORNING TILL BREAKFAST TIME JUST LIKE A YOUNG LADY AND AS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY


SHE WOULD WEAR THE BEAUTIFUL DRESSES THAT CAME WHEN SHE WISHED FOR THEM


BARBAIK WAS FURIOUS


HER HEART WAS FILLED WITH RAGE AGAINST THE BROWNIE WHO HAD CAUSED HER TO EXPECT A LIFE OF EASE AND PLEASURE BUT WHEN SHE LOOKED AT JEGU AND BEHELD HIS RED FACE SQUINTING EYES AND UNTIDY HAIR HER ANGER WAS DOUBLED


WHILE NOW I CAN RECEIVE NO PRESENTS EXCEPT FROM MY HUSBAND I CAN NEVER DANCE EXCEPT WITH MY HUSBAND OH YOU WRETCHED DWARF I WILL NEVER NEVER FORGIVE YOU IN SPITE OF HER FIERCE WORDS NO ONE KNEW BETTER THAN BARBAIK HOW TO PUT HER PRIDE IN HER POCKET WHEN IT SUITED HER


AND AFTER RECEIVING AN INVITATION TO A WEDDING SHE BEGGED THE BROWNIE TO GET HER A HORSE TO RIDE THERE TO HER GREAT JOY HE CONSENTED BIDDING HER SET OUT FOR THE CITY OF THE DWARFS AND TO TELL THEM EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTED


SHE HAD HARDLY SPOKEN WHEN THE HORSE APPEARED AND MOUNTING ON HIS BACK SHE STARTED FOR THE VILLAGE WHERE THE WEDDING WAS TO BE HELD AT FIRST SHE WAS SO DELIGHTED WITH THE CHANCE OF A HOLIDAY FROM THE WORK WHICH SHE HATED THAT SHE NOTICED NOTHING


BUT VERY SOON IT STRUCK HER AS ODD THAT AS SHE PASSED ALONG THE ROADS FULL OF PEOPLE THEY ALL LAUGHED AS THEY LOOKED AT HER HORSE AT LENGTH SHE CAUGHT SOME WORDS UTTERED BY ONE MAN TO ANOTHER WHY THE FARMER'S WIFE HAS SOLD HER HORSE'S TAIL AND TURNED IN HER SADDLE


BUT IT WAS OF NO USE HE DECLINED TO MOVE OUT OF A WALK


SO ONE DAY THE BROWNIE ASKED JEGU IF HE MIGHT BRING HIS FRIENDS TO HAVE SUPPER IN THE GREAT BARN AND WHETHER HE WOULD ALLOW THEM TO DANCE THERE OF COURSE JEGU WAS ONLY TOO PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING FOR THE BROWNIE AND HE ORDERED BARBAIK TO SPREAD HER BEST TABLE CLOTHS IN THE BARN


WHEN ALL WAS READY THE DWARFS IN NEW GREEN SUITS CAME BUSTLING IN VERY HAPPY AND MERRY AND TOOK THEIR SEATS AT THE TABLE BUT IN A MOMENT THEY ALL SPRANG UP WITH A CRY AND RAN AWAY SCREAMING FOR BARBAIK HAD PLACED PANS OF HOT COALS UNDER THEIR FEET AND ALL THEIR POOR LITTLE TOES WERE BURNT


YOU WON'T FORGET THAT IN A HURRY SHE SAID SMILING GRIMLY TO HERSELF BUT IN A MOMENT THEY WERE BACK AGAIN WITH LARGE POTS OF WATER WHICH THEY POURED ON THE FIRE THEN THEY JOINED HANDS AND DANCED ROUND IT SINGING WICKED TRAITRESS


THE WEDDING SHUTS ONE GATE AND OPENS ANOTHER THE LONGINGS AND DREAMINGS OF COURTSHIP ARE AT AN END THE SUPREME INTIMACY OF LIFE BEGINS AS JOHN AND MARY MOVE AWAY FROM THE ALTAR PRONOUNCED MAN AND WIFE THEY KNOW THEY ARE STARTING A GREAT ADVENTURE


HIS BEAMING FACE MASKS A STIFF DETERMINATION TO KEEP HIS BRIDE HAPPY IN SPITE OF ANY WORLDLY OBSTACLES HER RADIANCE HIDES A SOLEMN INWARD VOW TO DO EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE SMOOTH THE WAY OF THEIR LIFE TOGETHER THEY ARE RIGHT


UNLESS THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM MOST PEOPLE THIS NEW JOINT ENTERPRISE IS GOING TO MEAN MORE TO EACH OF THEM THAN ANYTHING ELSE EVER CAN BEFORE THEM IS A CLEAR ROAD NOT TO HAPPINESS AS THEY MAY BELIEVE BUT TO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GAINING HAPPINESS


WHEN ONE HAS RECEIVED THE PROMISE OF SOMETHING GREATLY DESIRED BUT MUST WAIT AWHILE BEFORE ITS DELIVERY THE HAPPINESS OF THE WAITING PERIOD IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE ABSENCE OF A CRITICAL SPIRIT AND THEREFORE IS APT TO BE THOUGHT OF AS AN EXPERIENCE OF PURE DELIGHT


BUT THE FIRST DAYS OF MARRIAGE BRING OUT A DIFFERENT SET OF FEELINGS THOSE THAT COME WHEN ONE HAS DEFINITELY OBTAINED POSSESSION OF ANYTHING THAT BEFORE WAS ONLY PROMISED AT FIRST THE EMOTIONS SEEM TO STAND STILL THIS IS THE LONG COVETED MOMENT THEN ONE BEGINS TO APPRAISE


IS THE OBJECT OF ONE'S WISHES AS DESIRABLE AS ONE HAD EXPECTED BECAUSE REALITY RARELY MEASURES UP TO IMAGINATION THE FIRST ANSWER IS ALMOST BOUND TO BE NO THIS IS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED AND THE FIRST EMOTION TENDS TO BE DISAPPOINTMENT


REGARDLESS OF HAZY BUT OPTIMISTIC EXPECTATIONS AND THE OBJECT POSSESSED WILL MORE THAN LIKELY TURN OUT TO BE BETTER THAN ALTHOUGH DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE IMAGINATION PICTURED KNOWING THAT A FLEETING SENSE OF DISAPPOINTMENT IS NOT PECULIAR TO ONE'S OWN MARRIAGE BUT LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ALL


ROUGHLY BOTH THE HELPS AND THE HINDRANCES TO MARRIED HAPPINESS CAN BE LUMPED UNDER ONE WORD PERSONALITIES TEMPERAMENT MANNERISMS TASTES ALL THAT IS IMPLIED IN THE DISTINCT INDIVIDUALITY OF EACH PERSON MAKE UP THE CHIEF SOURCE OF THE ADVANTAGES


AND DISADVANTAGES WITH WHICH THE COUPLE ENTER MARRIAGE THESE TRAITS CANNOT BE CHANGED OVERNIGHT NOR IS IT NECESSARY OR AT ALL WISE THAT THEY SHOULD BE JOHN ATTRACTS MARY AND SHE APPEALS TO HIM BECAUSE THE PERSONALITY OF EACH ONE IS WHAT IT IS


LOVE HAS GROWN UP BETWEEN THE TWO AS A RESULT OF THIS PERSONALITY ATTRACTION AND LOVE IS THE MOTIVE THAT WILL MAKE BOTH TRY TO KEEP OPEN THE PATHWAY TO MARRIAGE SUCCESS BUT LOVE IS NOT A FINISHED PRODUCT THAT ONCE IT COMES CAN FOREVER AFTER BE TRUSTED TO KEEP ITS STRENGTH


LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS ALIVE IT MUST BE KEPT GROWING THROUGH EXERCISE OR IT WASTES AWAY LOVE GIVES THE PUSH THAT KEEPS A MARRIAGE MOVING BUT IT DOES NOT GIVE THE DIRECTION THAT COMES FROM UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION


THIS IS WHAT THEY MUST GUARD AGAINST WHILE LOVE IS STILL THE MOVING FORCE OF THEIR LIVES THEY MUST STUDY THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE DUE TO COME TO WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE BESET BY THEM IS TO BEG FOR TROUBLE


IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THEIR PROBLEMS THEY MUST REALIZE FIRST THAT THEY CANNOT STUMBLE UPON MARRIED HAPPINESS THAT THEY MUST POSSESS AND CULTIVATE A POSITIVE WILL TO SUCCEED


HERE ARE NINE GUIDEPOSTS TO HELP JOHN AND MARY ALONG THEIR ROAD ONE THE FIRST REQUIREMENT IS THE BUILDING OF A UNION THAT IS JUST TO BOTH THE SMALLER ISSUES ON WHICH THIS RESTS ARE THE LIVELY CLASHES OF OPPOSITE DESIRES


INEVITABLE IN THE COMING TOGETHER OF ANY TWO PERSONS INTENSIFIED WHEN THOSE TWO PERSONS ARE AS DIFFERENT AS A MAN AND A WOMAN AND UNAVOIDABLE FOR TWO COMMITTED TO A LIFETIME TOGETHER IN THE CLOSE QUARTERS OF MARRIAGE TWO


COMPROMISE WILL LIFT THESE ESSENTIALLY PETTY DECISIONS OF PRECEDENCE ABOVE THE LEVEL OF SELFISHNESS DECISIONS MUST BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF WHAT IS GOOD FOR BOTH NOT THE SELFISH OR NARROW WISH OF EITHER


THE CHOICE THAT BRINGS THE LARGER ADVANTAGE TO THE TWO PERSONS IN THEIR COMMON ROLE OF MARRIAGE PARTNERS IS THE ONE TO BE MADE HUMAN JUDGMENT BEING AS FAULTY AS IT IS


IN EITHER SITUATION THE PARTICULAR COUPLE INVOLVED HAVE TO WEIGH DELICATELY THE EFFECT ON THEIR JOINT ENTERPRISE OF THE CONFLICTING COURSES OF ACTION MUCH AS MARY MAY CRAVE A CHILD OR A CAR


IF EACH ONE IS HURT AT THE OTHER'S INABILITY TO JOIN INSTANTLY IN HIS OR HER PLANS THEY WILL NEED TO TAKE PAINS NOT TO GET SIDETRACKED INTO MAKING A PERSONAL CONTEST OF THE AFFAIR TRYING TO WIN OVER YOUR PARTNER WITH A SINGLE EYE TO GETTING WHAT YOU WANT


REGARDLESS OF ITS EFFECT ON THE MATE IS SHORT SIGHTED IN THE EXTREME EVEN IF YOU COULD CARE ONLY FOR PERSONAL PLEASURE THAT CANNOT LONG OUTLAST YOUR SPOUSE'S DISPLEASURE STAGING A CONTEST OR A SUCCESSION OF SMALL CONTESTS FOR THE SAKE OF FINDING OUT WHO IS BOSS


BUILDS UP A HABIT OF FIGHTING THAT MAY LEAD TO A BITTER END IT IS USELESS TO DISCOVER WHO CAN WIN IN ANY PARTICULAR SKIRMISH WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO LEARN WHETHER ONE OF YOU IS SET ON BEING HEAD OF THE HOUSE IF YOUR SPOUSE CRAVES THAT DISTINCTION BY ALL MEANS HAND IT OVER WITHOUT DELAY


IT IS AN EMPTY HONOR FOR THE ONE WHO BENDS BUT DOES NOT BREAK WILL READILY DEVELOP THE FINE ART OF INFLUENCING THE HEADSTRONG ONE BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE TRADITIONAL FEMININE CHARACTER TO ENJOY GIVING IN TO THE MAN THIS TENDENCY MUST BE SCRUTINIZED WHEN IT APPEARS


NO MAN CAN AFFORD TO BE CRIPPLED FOR LIFE BY LETTING HIS WIFE SWADDLE HIM WITH SOLICITUDE AS SOME MOTHERS SPOIL THEIR CHILDREN FOR THEIR OWN GLORIFICATION A WOMAN'S FEELING THAT SHE WILL BE EMOTIONALLY GRATIFIED BY MAKING A SACRIFICE DOES NOT PROVE THAT ASIDE FROM HER MOMENTARY PLEASURE