YOU SIMPLETONS YOU SHOULD HAVE CUT THE ROSE BUSH IN TWO AND HAVE BROKEN OFF THE ROSE AND BROUGHT IT HOME WITH YOU GO AND DO IT AT ONCE THEY HAD THEREFORE TO GO OUT AND LOOK FOR THE SECOND TIME THE CHILDREN HOWEVER SAW THEM COMING FROM A DISTANCE THEN LINA SAID FUNDEVOGEL


NEVER LEAVE ME AND I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU FUNDEVOGEL SAID NEITHER NOW NOR EVER SAID LINA THEN DO YOU BECOME A CHURCH AND I'LL BE THE CHANDELIER IN IT SO WHEN THE THREE SERVANTS CAME NOTHING WAS THERE BUT A CHURCH WITH A CHANDELIER IN IT


THEY SAID THEREFORE TO EACH OTHER WHAT CAN WE DO HERE LET US GO HOME WHEN THEY GOT HOME THE COOK ASKED IF THEY HAD NOT FOUND THEM SO THEY SAID NO THEY HAD FOUND NOTHING BUT A CHURCH AND THERE WAS A CHANDELIER IN IT AND THE COOK SCOLDED THEM AND SAID


YOU FOOLS WHY DID YOU NOT PULL THE CHURCH TO PIECES AND BRING THE CHANDELIER HOME WITH YOU AND NOW THE OLD COOK HERSELF GOT ON HER LEGS AND WENT WITH THE THREE SERVANTS IN PURSUIT OF THE CHILDREN THE CHILDREN HOWEVER SAW FROM AFAR THAT THE THREE SERVANTS WERE COMING


AND THE COOK WADDLING AFTER THEM THEN SAID LINA FUNDEVOGEL NEVER LEAVE ME AND I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU THEN SAID FUNDEVOGEL NEITHER NOW NOR EVER SAID LINA BE A FISHPOND AND I WILL BE THE DUCK UPON IT


CRISIS IN MY MENTAL HISTORY ONE STAGE ONWARD FOR SOME YEARS AFTER THIS TIME I WROTE VERY LITTLE AND NOTHING REGULARLY FOR PUBLICATION AND GREAT WERE THE ADVANTAGES WHICH I DERIVED FROM THE INTERMISSION


IT WAS OF NO COMMON IMPORTANCE TO ME AT THIS PERIOD TO BE ABLE TO DIGEST AND MATURE MY THOUGHTS FOR MY OWN MIND ONLY WITHOUT ANY IMMEDIATE CALL FOR GIVING THEM OUT IN PRINT HAD I GONE ON WRITING


MIGHT TRULY BE CALLED AN OBJECT IN LIFE TO BE A REFORMER OF THE WORLD MY CONCEPTION OF MY OWN HAPPINESS WAS ENTIRELY IDENTIFIED WITH THIS OBJECT THE PERSONAL SYMPATHIES I WISHED FOR WERE THOSE OF FELLOW LABOURERS


IN THIS ENTERPRISE I ENDEAVOURED TO PICK UP AS MANY FLOWERS AS I COULD BY THE WAY


BUT AS A SERIOUS AND PERMANENT PERSONAL SATISFACTION TO REST UPON MY WHOLE RELIANCE WAS PLACED ON THIS AND I WAS ACCUSTOMED TO FELICITATE MYSELF ON THE CERTAINTY OF A HAPPY LIFE WHICH I ENJOYED


THROUGH PLACING MY HAPPINESS IN SOMETHING DURABLE AND DISTANT IN WHICH SOME PROGRESS MIGHT BE ALWAYS MAKING WHILE IT COULD NEVER BE EXHAUSTED BY COMPLETE ATTAINMENT THIS DID VERY WELL FOR SEVERAL YEARS DURING WHICH THE GENERAL


AS FROM A DREAM IT WAS IN THE AUTUMN OF EIGHTEEN TWENTY SIX I WAS IN A DULL STATE OF NERVES SUCH AS EVERYBODY IS OCCASIONALLY LIABLE TO UNSUSCEPTIBLE TO ENJOYMENT OR PLEASURABLE EXCITEMENT ONE OF THOSE MOODS


IN THIS FRAME OF MIND IT OCCURRED TO ME TO PUT THE QUESTION DIRECTLY TO MYSELF SUPPOSE THAT ALL YOUR OBJECTS IN LIFE WERE REALIZED THAT ALL THE CHANGES IN INSTITUTIONS AND OPINIONS WHICH YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO


THE WHOLE FOUNDATION ON WHICH MY LIFE WAS CONSTRUCTED FELL DOWN ALL MY HAPPINESS WAS TO HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE CONTINUAL PURSUIT OF THIS END THE END HAD CEASED TO CHARM AND HOW COULD THERE EVER AGAIN BE ANY INTEREST IN THE MEANS


I AWOKE TO A RENEWED CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE WOFUL FACT I CARRIED IT WITH ME INTO ALL COMPANIES INTO ALL OCCUPATIONS HARDLY ANYTHING HAD POWER TO CAUSE ME EVEN A FEW MINUTES OBLIVION OF IT


FOR SOME MONTHS THE CLOUD SEEMED TO GROW THICKER AND THICKER THE LINES IN COLERIDGE'S DEJECTION I WAS NOT THEN ACQUAINTED WITH THEM EXACTLY DESCRIBE MY CASE A GRIEF WITHOUT A PANG VOID


IN VAIN I SOUGHT RELIEF FROM MY FAVOURITE BOOKS THOSE MEMORIALS OF PAST NOBLENESS AND GREATNESS FROM WHICH I HAD ALWAYS HITHERTO DRAWN STRENGTH AND ANIMATION I READ THEM NOW WITHOUT FEELING


OR WITH THE ACCUSTOMED FEELING MINUS ALL ITS CHARM AND I BECAME PERSUADED THAT MY LOVE OF MANKIND AND OF EXCELLENCE FOR ITS OWN SAKE HAD WORN ITSELF OUT


I SOUGHT NO COMFORT BY SPEAKING TO OTHERS OF WHAT I FELT IF I HAD LOVED ANYONE SUFFICIENTLY TO MAKE CONFIDING MY GRIEFS A NECESSITY I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE CONDITION I WAS


I FELT TOO THAT MINE WAS NOT AN INTERESTING OR IN ANY WAY RESPECTABLE DISTRESS THERE WAS NOTHING IN IT TO ATTRACT SYMPATHY ADVICE


AND I SAW NO USE IN GIVING HIM THE PAIN OF THINKING THAT HIS PLANS HAD FAILED WHEN THE FAILURE WAS PROBABLY IRREMEDIABLE AND AT ALL EVENTS BEYOND THE POWER OF


HIS REMEDIES OF OTHER FRIENDS I HAD AT THAT TIME NONE TO WHOM I HAD ANY HOPE OF MAKING MY CONDITION INTELLIGIBLE IT WAS HOWEVER ABUNDANTLY INTELLIGIBLE TO MYSELF


AND THE MORE I DWELT UPON IT THE MORE HOPELESS IT APPEARED MY COURSE OF STUDY


WHETHER OF A GOOD OR OF A BAD KIND WERE THE RESULTS OF ASSOCIATION THAT WE LOVE ONE THING AND HATE ANOTHER TAKE PLEASURE IN ONE SORT OF ACTION OR CONTEMPLATION


WITH ALL THINGS BENEFICIAL TO THE GREAT WHOLE


ALL THINGS HURTFUL TO IT THIS DOCTRINE APPEARED INEXPUGNABLE BUT IT NOW SEEMED TO ME ON RETROSPECT THAT MY TEACHERS HAD OCCUPIED THEMSELVES


SALUTARY ASSOCIATIONS THEY SEEMED TO HAVE TRUSTED ALTOGETHER TO THE OLD FAMILIAR INSTRUMENTS PRAISE AND BLAME REWARD AND PUNISHMENT NOW


I DID NOT DOUBT THAT BY THESE MEANS BEGUN EARLY AND APPLIED UNREMITTINGLY INTENSE ASSOCIATIONS OF PAIN AND PLEASURE ESPECIALLY OF PAIN MIGHT BE CREATED


AND MIGHT PRODUCE DESIRES AND AVERSIONS CAPABLE OF LASTING UNDIMINISHED TO THE END OF LIFE BUT THERE MUST ALWAYS BE SOMETHING ARTIFICIAL AND CASUAL IN ASSOCIATIONS THUS PRODUCED


WHAT I HAD ALWAYS BEFORE RECEIVED WITH INCREDULITY THAT THE HABIT OF ANALYSIS HAS A TENDENCY TO WEAR AWAY THE FEELINGS AS INDEED IT HAS WHEN NO OTHER MENTAL HABIT IS CULTIVATED


AND THE ANALYSING SPIRIT REMAINS WITHOUT ITS NATURAL COMPLEMENTS AND CORRECTIVES THE VERY EXCELLENCE OF ANALYSIS I ARGUED IS THAT IT TENDS TO WEAKEN AND UNDERMINE WHATEVER IS THE RESULT OF PREJUDICE


THAT IT ENABLES US MENTALLY TO SEPARATE IDEAS WHICH HAVE ONLY CASUALLY CLUNG TOGETHER AND NO ASSOCIATIONS WHATEVER COULD ULTIMATELY RESIST THIS DISSOLVING FORCE


WERE IT NOT THAT WE OWE TO ANALYSIS OUR CLEAREST KNOWLEDGE OF THE PERMANENT SEQUENCES IN NATURE THE REAL CONNEXIONS BETWEEN THINGS NOT DEPENDENT ON OUR WILL AND FEELINGS NATURAL LAWS BY VIRTUE OF WHICH IN MANY CASES


ONE THING IS INSEPARABLE FROM ANOTHER IN FACT WHICH LAWS IN PROPORTION AS THEY ARE CLEARLY PERCEIVED AND IMAGINATIVELY REALIZED CAUSE OUR IDEAS OF THINGS WHICH ARE ALWAYS JOINED TOGETHER IN NATURE


TO COHERE MORE AND MORE CLOSELY IN OUR THOUGHTS ANALYTIC HABITS MAY THUS EVEN STRENGTHEN THE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CAUSES AND EFFECTS MEANS AND ENDS BUT TEND ALTOGETHER TO WEAKEN THOSE WHICH ARE


TO SPEAK FAMILIARLY A MERE MATTER OF FEELING THEY ARE THEREFORE I THOUGHT FAVOURABLE TO PRUDENCE AND CLEAR SIGHTEDNESS BUT A PERPETUAL WORM AT THE ROOT BOTH OF THE PASSIONS AND OF THE VIRTUES


OF THE ENTIRE INSUFFICIENCY OF WHICH TO MAKE LIFE DESIRABLE NO ONE HAD A STRONGER CONVICTION THAN I HAD THESE WERE THE LAWS OF HUMAN NATURE BY WHICH AS IT SEEMED TO ME


HAD MADE PRECOCIOUS AND PREMATURE ANALYSIS THE INVETERATE HABIT OF MY MIND I WAS THUS AS I SAID TO MYSELF LEFT STRANDED AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF MY VOYAGE WITH A WELL EQUIPPED SHIP


AND A RUDDER BUT NO SAIL WITHOUT ANY REAL DESIRE FOR THE ENDS WHICH I HAD BEEN SO CAREFULLY FITTED OUT TO WORK FOR NO DELIGHT IN VIRTUE OR THE GENERAL GOOD


THE FOUNTAINS OF VANITY AND AMBITION SEEMED TO HAVE DRIED UP WITHIN ME AS COMPLETELY AS THOSE OF BENEVOLENCE I HAD HAD AS I REFLECTED SOME GRATIFICATION OF VANITY AT TOO EARLY AN AGE


AND THERE SEEMED NO POWER IN NATURE SUFFICIENT TO BEGIN THE FORMATION OF MY CHARACTER ANEW AND CREATE IN A MIND NOW IRRETRIEVABLY ANALYTIC


AND IN THE RESULT WE CAN ACCOMPANY KEATS THROUGH THE GLAD AND SAD AND MAD AND BAD HOURS OF HIS SHORT AND MARVELLOUS LIFE


WE ARE STILL LEFT IN THE DARK IT IS TRUE AS TO KEATS'S RACE AND DESCENT WHETHER KEATS'S FATHER CAME TO LONDON FROM CORNWALL OR NOT SIR SIDNEY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DECIDE ON


THE RATHER SHAKY EVIDENCE THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD IF IT SHOULD HEREAFTER TURN OUT THAT KEATS WAS A CORNISHMAN AT ONE REMOVE MATTHEW ARNOLD'S CONJECTURE AS TO THE CELTIC ELEMENT IN HIM


AT THE SIGN OF THE SWAN AND HOOP FINSBURY PAVEMENT AND MARRIED HIS MASTER'S DAUGHTER IT WAS AT THE STABLE AT THE SWAN AND HOOP NOT A PUBLIC HOUSE BY THE WAY BUT A LIVERY STABLE


THAT KEATS WAS PREMATURELY BORN AT THE END OF OCTOBER SEVENTEEN NINETY FIVE


HE WAS SCARCELY NINE YEARS OLD WHEN HIS FATHER WAS KILLED BY A FALL FROM A HORSE HE WAS ONLY FOURTEEN WHEN HIS MOTHER WHO HAD RE MARRIED UNHAPPILY AND THEN BEEN SEPARATED FROM HER HUSBAND DIED A VICTIM OF CHRONIC RHEUMATISM AND CONSUMPTION


IT IS FROM HIS MOTHER THAT KEATS SEEMS TO HAVE INHERITED HIS IMPETUOUS AND PASSIONATE NATURE THERE IS THE EVIDENCE OF A CERTAIN WHOLESALE TEA DEALER THE RESPECTABILITY OF WHOSE TRADE MAY HAVE INCLINED HIM TO CENSORIOUSNESS


SHE WAS A PERSON OF UNBRIDLED TEMPERAMENT AND THAT IN HER LATER YEARS SHE FELL INTO LOOSE WAYS AND WAS NO CREDIT TO THE FAMILY THAT SHE HAD OTHER QUALITIES BESIDES THOSE MENTIONED BY THE TEA DEALER IS SHOWN BY THE PASSIONATE AFFECTION


THAT EXISTED BETWEEN HER AND HER SON JOHN ONCE AS A YOUNG CHILD WHEN SHE WAS ORDERED TO BE KEPT QUIET DURING AN ILLNESS HE IS SAID TO HAVE INSISTED ON KEEPING WATCH AT HER DOOR WITH AN OLD SWORD AND ALLOWING NO ONE TO GO IN


AS SHE LAY DYING HE SAT UP WHOLE NIGHTS WITH HER IN A GREAT CHAIR WOULD SUFFER NOBODY TO GIVE HER MEDICINE OR EVEN COOK HER FOOD BUT HIMSELF AND READ NOVELS TO HER IN HER INTERVALS OF EASE


THEIR GRANDFATHER THE PROPRIETOR OF THE LIVERY STABLE


TILL THE AGE OF SIXTEEN AND AFTERWARDS ENABLED HIM TO ATTEND GUY'S HOSPITAL AS A MEDICAL STUDENT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CREDIT THE ACCEPTED STORY THAT HE PASSED ALL HIS BOYHOOD WITHOUT MAKING ANY ATTEMPT


AT WRITING POETRY HE DID NOT BEGIN TO WRITE SAYS SIR SIDNEY COLVIN TILL HE WAS NEAR EIGHTEEN


THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON INDEED IN ALL THE KEATS CIRCLE TO WHOM ONE IS MORE PASSIONATELY GRATEFUL THAN TO COWDEN CLARKE THAT IS FANNY BRAWNE


WITH HIS GENIUS BEFORE THE AUTUMN OF EIGHTEEN EIGHTEEN WHEN HE MET FANNY BRAWNE FOR THE FIRST TIME NONE THE LESS HAD HE DIED BEFORE THAT DATE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN REMEMBERED IN LITERATURE NOT AS A MARVELLOUS ORIGINAL ARTIST


SHE WAS UNQUESTIONABLY HIS GOOD FAIRY AS A POET THIS IS THE ONLY MATTER UPON WHICH ONE IS SERIOUSLY DISPOSED TO QUARREL WITH SIR SIDNEY COLVIN AS A BIOGRAPHER HE DOES NOT EMPHASIZE AS HE OUGHT THE DEBT WE ARE UNDER TO FANNY BRAWNE


AS THE INTENSIFIER OF KEATS'S GENIUS THE MINX AS KEATS IRRITABLY CALLED HER WHO TRANSFORMED HIM IN A FEW MONTHS FROM A POET OF STILL DOUBTFUL FAME INTO A MASTER AND AN IMMORTAL THE ATTACHMENT


SIR SIDNEY THINKS WAS A MISFORTUNE FOR HIM THOUGH HE QUALIFIES THIS BY ADDING THAT SO PROBABLY UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES MUST ANY PASSION FOR A WOMAN HAVE BEEN WELL LET US TEST THIS MISFORTUNE BY ITS CONSEQUENCES


IN JANUARY EIGHTEEN NINETEEN HE WROTE THE EVE OF SAINT AGNES DURING THE SPRING OF THAT YEAR HE WROTE THE ODE TO PSYCHE THE ODE ON A GRECIAN URN THE ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE


AND WROTE THE ODE TO AUTUMN


IN OTHER WORDS PRACTICALLY ALL THE FINE GOLD OF KEATS'S WORK WAS PRODUCED IN THE MONTHS IN WHICH HIS PASSION FOR FANNY BRAWNE WAS CONSUMING HIM AS WITH FIRE HIS GREATEST POEMS WE CLEARLY OWE TO THAT HEIGHTENED SENSE OF BEAUTY


WHICH RESULTED FROM HIS TRANSLATION INTO A LOVER IT SEEMS TO ME A TREACHERY TO KEATS'S MEMORY TO BELITTLE A WOMAN WHO WAS AT LEAST THE OCCASION OF SUCH A PASSIONATE EXPENDITURE OF GENIUS SIR SIDNEY COLVIN


DOES HIS BEST TO BE FAIR TO FANNY


AS WELL AS ONE WHO WAS ABLE TO TRANSMUTE IT INTO PERFECT LITERATURE HE SEEMS TO HAVE ADMIRED WOMEN VULGARLY AS CREATURES WHOSE HANDS WERE WAITING TO BE SQUEEZED RATHER THAN AS EQUAL HUMAN BEINGS


WAS ESSENTIALLY A CYNICISM IN THE EXHAUSTED DON JUAN MOOD HENCE KEATS WAS ALMOST DOOMED TO FALL IN LOVE WITH PROVOCATION RATHER THAN WITH WHAT THE VICTORIANS CALLED SOUL HIS DESTINY


WAS NOT TO BE A HAPPY LOVER BUT THE SLAVE OF A MINX IT WAS NOT A SLAVERY WITHOUT DIGNITY HOWEVER IT HAD THE DIGNITY OF TRAGEDY


SIR SIDNEY COLVIN REGRETS THAT THE LOVE LETTERS OF KEATS TO FANNY WERE EVER PUBLISHED IT WOULD BE AS REASONABLE IN MY OPINION


HAS ALMOST NO COUNTERPART IN BIOGRAPHICAL LITERATURE THE THOUGHT OF LEAVING MISS BRAWNE HE WRITES TO BROWN FROM YARMOUTH IS BEYOND EVERYTHING HORRIBLE THE SENSE OF DARKNESS COMING OVER ME


I ETERNALLY SEE HER FIGURE ETERNALLY VANISHING AND WHEN HE REACHES NAPLES HE WRITES TO THE SAME FRIEND I CAN BEAR TO DIE I CANNOT BEAR TO LEAVE HER O GOD


MY IMAGINATION IS HORRIBLY VIVID ABOUT HER I SEE HER I HEAR HER O THAT I COULD BE BURIED NEAR WHERE SHE LIVES I AM AFRAID TO WRITE TO HER


TO RECEIVE A LETTER FROM HER TO SEE HER HANDWRITING WOULD BREAK MY HEART EVEN TO HEAR OF HER ANYHOW TO SEE HER NAME WRITTEN WOULD BE MORE THAN I CAN BEAR


SANS MERCI SIR SIDNEY IS ALL IN FAVOUR AND THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR HIS PREFERENCE OF THE EARLIER VERSION WHICH BEGINS O WHAT CAN AIL THEE KNIGHT AT ARMS ALONE AND PALELY LOITERING


BUT HE DOES NOT PERCEIVE THE REASONS THAT LED KEATS TO ALTER THIS IN THE VERSION HE PUBLISHED IN LEIGH HUNT'S INDICATOR TO AH WHAT CAN AIL THEE WRETCHED WIGHT AND SO ON


TO ACCUSE HUNT OF WISHING TO ALTER KNIGHT AT ARMS TO WRETCHED WIGHT SEEMS TO ME UNWARRANTABLE GUESSING SURELY A MUCH MORE LIKELY EXPLANATION IS THAT KEATS


EVERY EDITION OF KEATS OUGHT TO CONTAIN BOTH VERSIONS JUST AS IT OUGHT TO CONTAIN BOTH VERSIONS OF HYPERION NOTHING THAT I HAVE WRITTEN WILL BE REGARDED I TRUST AS


DEPRECIATING THE ESSENTIAL EXCELLENCE POWER AND IN ITS SCHOLARLY WAY EVEN THE GREATNESS OF SIR SIDNEY COLVIN'S BOOK BUT A CERTAIN FALSE EMPHASIS HERE AND THERE


AND HIS LUXURIOUS LOVE OF BEAUTY


HIS MORBIDNESS HIS MAWKISHNESS HIS FASCINATION AS BY SERPENTS ON THE OTHER BUT IN THE RESULTANT PORTRAIT IT IS A TOO RESPECTABLE AND VIRILE KEATS THAT EMERGES KEATS WAS MORE VIRILE AS A MAN


THAN IS GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD HE DOES NOT OWE HIS IMMORTALITY TO HIS VIRILITY HOWEVER HE OWES IT TO HIS SERVITUDE TO GOLDEN IMAGES TO HIS CITIZENSHIP OF THE WORLD OF THE SENSES TO HIS BONDAGE TO PHYSICAL LOVE


HAD HE LIVED LONGER HE MIGHT HAVE INVADED OTHER WORLDS HIS RECASTING OF HYPERION OPENS WITH A CRY OF DISTRUST IN THE ARTIST WHO IS CONTENT TO LIVE IN THE LITTLE WORLD OF HIS ART


WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SURPASSED IN LITERATURE THAT HIS OWN ACHIEVEMENT LIES HE IS GREAT AMONG THE PAGANS NOT AMONG THE PROPHETS UNLESS WE KEEP THIS CLEARLY IN MIND OUR PRAISE OF HIM WILL NOT BE APPRECIATION


IT WILL BE BUT A SOUNDING FUNERAL SPEECH INSTEAD OF COMMUNION WITH A LOVELY AND BROKEN SPIRIT


THE BUTCHER AND HOW HE WAS CAST INTO THE VAULT OF THE CURFEW TOWER TURNING OFF ON THE RIGHT THE EARL AND HIS COMPANION CONTINUED TO DESCEND THE HILL UNTIL THEY CAME IN SIGHT OF THE GARTER


THE DOOR OF THE HOSTEL OPENED AND A FAT JOLLY LOOKING PERSONAGE WITH A BALD HEAD AND BUSHY GREY BEARD AND CLAD IN A BROWN SERGE DOUBLET AND HOSE TO MATCH ISSUED FORTH BEARING A FOAMING JUG OF ALE AND A HORN CUP


HIS APPEARANCE WAS WELCOMED BY A JOYFUL SHOUT FROM THE ATTENDANTS COME MY MASTERS HE CRIED FILLING THE HORN HERE IS A CUP OF STOUT WINDSOR ALE IN WHICH TO DRINK THE HEALTH OF OUR JOLLY MONARCH BLUFF KING HAL


AND THERE'S NO HARM I TRUST IN CALLING HIM SO MARRY IS THERE NOT MINE HOST CRIED THE FOREMOST ATTENDANT I SPOKE OF HIM AS SUCH IN HIS OWN HEARING NOT LONG AGO AND HE LAUGHED AT ME


IN RIGHT MERRY SORT I LOVE THE ROYAL BULLY AND WILL DRINK HIS HEALTH GLADLY AND MISTRESS ANNE BOLEYN'S TO BOOT AND HE EMPTIED THE HORN


THEY TELL ME MISTRESS ANNE BOLEYN IS COMING TO WINDSOR WITH THE KING AND THE KNIGHTS COMPANIONS TO MORROW IS IT SO ASKED THE HOST AGAIN FILLING THE HORN AND HANDING IT TO ANOTHER ATTENDANT


HOW TIMES ARE CHANGED SINCE I BRYAN BOWNTANCE FIRST STEPPED INTO MY FATHER'S SHOES AND BECAME HOST OF THE GARTER IT WAS IN FIFTEEN O ONE TWENTY EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN KING HENRY THE SEVENTH


RULED THE LAND AND WHEN HIS ELDER SON PRINCE ARTHUR WAS ALIVE LIKEWISE IN THAT YEAR THE YOUNG PRINCE ESPOUSED CATHERINE OF ARRAGON OUR PRESENT QUEEN AND SOON AFTERWARDS DIED WHEREUPON THE OLD KING


NOT LIKING FOR HE LOVED HIS TREASURE BETTER THAN HIS OWN FLESH TO PART WITH HER DOWRY GAVE HER TO HIS SECOND SON HENRY OUR GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN WHOM GOD PRESERVE


HERE COMES OUR YOUNG MASTER THE EARL OF SURREY WELL I CARE NOT REPLIED THE HOST BLUFFLY I'VE SPOKEN NO TREASON I LOVE MY KING AND IF HE WISHES TO HAVE A DIVORCE


WHO WAS RUSHING IN TO SEE WHAT WAS THE MATTER THE PERSON THUS EJECTED WHO WAS A POWERFULLY BUILT YOUNG MAN IN A LEATHERN DOUBLET WITH HIS MUSCULAR ARMS BARED TO THE SHOULDER


TURNED HIS RAGE UPON THE HOST AND SEIZED HIM BY THE THROAT WITH A GRIP THAT THREATENED HIM WITH STRANGULATION INDEED BUT FOR THE INTERVENTION OF THE EARL'S ATTENDANTS WHO RUSHED TO HIS ASSISTANCE


BRYAN CRIED IN A VOICE OF MINGLED RAGE AND SURPRISE TO HIS ASSAILANT


ARE YOU GONE MAD OR DO YOU MISTAKE ME FOR A SHEEP OR A BULLOCK THAT YOU ATTACK ME IN THIS FASHION MY STRONG ALE MUST HAVE GOT INTO YOUR ADDLE PATE WITH A VENGEANCE THE KNAVE HAS BEEN SPEAKING TREASON OF THE KING'S HIGHNESS SAID THE TALL MAN


AND I REQUIRE THE SAME ATTENTION AT YOUR HANDS TO MORROW I SHALL HAVE MY COMRADES


BUT HE IS APT TO GET QUARRELSOME OVER HIS CUPS WELL SAID HONEST BRYAN CRIED THE DUKE YOU HAVE ONE QUALITY OF A GOOD LANDLORD THAT OF A PEACEMAKER


GIVE THE KNAVE A CUP OF ALE AND LET HIM WASH DOWN HIS FOUL WORDS IN A HEALTH TO THE KING WISHING HIM A SPEEDY DIVORCE AND A NEW QUEEN


I DO NOT DESIRE TO SIT WITH YOU YOU SELF DUBBED DUKE REJOINED MARK BUT IF YOU WILL DOFF YOUR FINE JERKIN AND STAND UP WITH ME ON THE GREEN


AND KEEP YOUR MISCHIEVOUS TONGUE BETWEEN YOUR TEETH BESHREW ME IF I DRINK THE KING'S HEALTH OR THAT OF HIS MINION ANNE BOLEYN CRIED MARK BOLDLY BUT I WILL TELL YOU WHAT I WILL DRINK


I WILL DRINK THE HEALTH OF KING HENRY'S LAWFUL CONSORT


AND I WILL ADD TO IT A WISH THAT THE POPE MAY FORGE HER MARRIAGE CHAINS TO HER ROYAL HUSBAND FASTER THAN EVER A FOOLISH WISH CRIED BRYAN WHY MARK YOU ARE CLEAN CRAZED


SAINTS PROTECT US EXCLAIMED BRYAN WHY THIS IS FLAT TREASON MARK I CAN NO LONGER UPHOLD YOU NOT IF YOU DO NOT DESIRE TO SHARE HIS PRISON MINE HOST CRIED THE DUKE OF SHOREDITCH


AND I PROMISE YOU I WILL SHOW THEM NO BETTER TREATMENT AWED BY MARK'S DETERMINED MANNER THE BYSTANDERS KEPT ALOOF I COMMAND YOU IN THE KING'S NAME TO SEIZE HIM ROARED SHOREDITCH IF HE OFFERS RESISTANCE HE WILL


FULL LENGTH UPON THE GROUND HIS COMPANIONS DREW THEIR SWORDS AND WOULD HAVE INSTANTLY FALLEN UPON THE STURDY OFFENDER IF MORGAN FENWOLF WHO WITH THE EARL OF SURREY WAS STANDING AMONG THE SPECTATORS HAD NOT RUSHED FORWARD AND CLOSING


WITH MARK BEFORE THE LATTER COULD STRIKE A BLOW GRAPPLED WITH HIM AND HELD HIM FAST TILL HE WAS SECURED AND HIS ARMS TIED BEHIND HIM AND SO IT IS YOU MORGAN FENWOLF


I NOW BELIEVE ALL I HAVE HEARD OF YOU WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD OF HIM ASKED SURREY ADVANCING THAT HE HAS DEALINGS WITH THE FIEND WITH HERNE THE HUNTER REPLIED MARK IF I AM HANGED FOR A TRAITOR


HEED NOT WHAT THE VILLAIN SAYS MY GOOD FELLOW SAID THE DUKE OF SHOREDITCH YOU HAVE CAPTURED HIM BRAVELY AND I WILL TAKE CARE YOUR CONDUCT IS DULY REPORTED TO HIS MAJESTY TO THE CASTLE WITH HIM TO THE CASTLE


HE WILL LODGE TO NIGHT IN THE DEEPEST DUNGEON OF YON FORTIFICATION POINTING TO THE CURFEW TOWER ABOVE THEM THERE TO AWAIT THE KING'S JUDGMENT AND TO MORROW NIGHT IT WILL BE WELL FOR HIM IF HE IS NOT SWINGING FROM THE


HAD ISSUED FROM THE HOSTEL AND JOINED THE EARL AND THEY WALKED TOGETHER AFTER THE CROWD IN A FEW MINUTES THE DUKE OF SHOREDITCH REACHED HENRY THE EIGHTH'S GATE WHERE HE SHOUTED TO A SENTINEL AND TOLD HIM WHAT HAD OCCURRED


AFTER SOME DELAY A WICKET IN THE GATE WAS OPENED AND THE CHIEF PERSONS OF THE PARTY WERE ALLOWED TO PASS THROUGH IT WITH THE PRISONER WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO THE CUSTODY OF A COUPLE OF ARQUEBUSIERS BY THIS TIME AN OFFICER HAD ARRIVED AND IT WAS AGREED


AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE DUKE OF SHOREDITCH TO TAKE THE OFFENDER TO THE CURFEW TOWER ACCORDINGLY THEY CROSSED THE LOWER WARD AND PASSING BENEATH AN ARCHWAY NEAR THE SEMICIRCULAR RANGE OF HABITATIONS ALLOTTED TO THE PETTY CANONS


TRAVERSED THE SPACE BEFORE THE WEST END OF SAINT GEORGE'S CHAPEL AND DESCENDING A SHORT FLIGHT OF STONE STEPS AT THE LEFT AND THREADING A NARROW PASSAGE PRESENTLY ARRIVED AT THE ARCHED ENTRANCE IN THE CURFEW


WHOSE HOARY WALLS SHONE BRIGHTLY IN THE MOONLIGHT THEY HAD TO KNOCK FOR SOME TIME AGAINST THE STOUT OAK DOOR BEFORE ANY NOTICE WAS TAKEN OF THE SUMMONS AT LENGTH


THE ROOF OF WHICH WAS COMPOSED OF STOUT PLANKS CROSSED BY HEAVY OAKEN RAFTERS AND SUPPORTED BY BEAMS OF THE SAME MATERIAL ON THE LEFT A STEEP LADDER LIKE FLIGHT OF WOODEN STEPS LED TO AN UPPER ROOM


CAME TO A LOW STRONG DOOR WHICH THEY UNLOCKED AND OBTAINED ADMISSION TO A LARGE OCTANGULAR CHAMBER WITH A VAULTED ROOF AND DEEP EMBRASURES TERMINATED BY NARROW LOOPHOLES


WITH THIS THE PARTY WITHDREW AND THE DOOR WAS FASTENED UPON THE PRISONER AN ARQUEBUSIER WAS STATIONED AT THE FOOT OF THE STEPS


HAVING FULLY SATISFIED THEIR CURIOSITY SHAPED THEIR COURSE TOWARDS THE CASTLE GATE ON THEIR WAY THITHER THE EARL LOOKED ABOUT FOR MORGAN FENWOLF BUT COULD NOWHERE DISCERN HIM


THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTER IN THE STORY IF YOU PRESUMING YOU ARE OF THE SEX THAT DOES SUCH THINGS IF YOU HAD GONE INTO THE DRAPERY EMPORIUM WHICH IS REALLY ONLY MAGNIFICENT FOR SHOP


A PERFECTLY FICTITIOUS CO BY THE BYE OF PUTNEY ON THE FOURTEENTH OF AUGUST EIGHTEEN NINETY FIVE HAD TURNED TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WHERE THE BLOCKS OF WHITE LINEN AND PILES OF BLANKETS RISE UP TO THE RAIL FROM WHICH THE PINK AND BLUE PRINTS DEPEND


YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN SERVED BY THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF THIS STORY THAT IS NOW BEGINNING HE WOULD HAVE COME FORWARD BOWING AND SWAYING


WHAT HE MIGHT HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SHOWING YOU UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AS FOR INSTANCE HATS BABY LINEN GLOVES SILKS LACE OR CURTAINS


AND MAKING A KIND OF CIRCULAR SWEEP INVITED YOU TO STEP THIS WAY AND SO LED YOU BEYOND HIS KEN


HUCKABACK BLANKETS DIMITY CRETONNE LINEN CALICO ARE CASES IN POINT


UNDER WHICH HAPPIER CIRCUMSTANCES YOU MIGHT IF OF AN OBSERVING TURN OF MIND AND NOT TOO MUCH OF A HOUSEWIFE TO BE INHUMAN HAVE GIVEN THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF THIS STORY LESS CURSORY ATTENTION


NOW IF YOU HAD NOTICED ANYTHING ABOUT HIM IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CHIEFLY TO NOTICE HOW LITTLE HE WAS NOTICEABLE HE WORE THE BLACK MORNING COAT THE BLACK TIE AND THE SPECKLED GREY NETHER PARTS DESCENDING INTO SHADOW AND MYSTERY BELOW THE COUNTER OF HIS CRAFT


HAIR OF A KIND OF DIRTY FAIRNESS GREYISH EYES AND A SKIMPY IMMATURE MOUSTACHE UNDER HIS PEAKED INDETERMINATE NOSE HIS FEATURES WERE ALL SMALL BUT NONE ILL SHAPED A ROSETTE OF PINS DECORATED THE LAPPEL OF HIS COAT


WE COULD SHOW YOU SOMETHING BETTER OF COURSE NO TROUBLE MADAM I ASSURE YOU SUCH WERE THE SIMPLE COUNTERS OF HIS INTERCOURSE SO I SAY


HE WOULD HAVE DANCED ABOUT BEHIND THE COUNTER HAVE NEATLY REFOLDED THE GOODS HE HAD SHOWN YOU HAVE PUT ON ONE SIDE THOSE YOU SELECTED EXTRACTED A LITTLE BOOK WITH A CARBON LEAF AND A TINFOIL SHEET FROM A FIXTURE


MADE YOU OUT A LITTLE BILL IN THAT WEAK FLOURISHING HAND PECULIAR TO DRAPERS


SAYN THEN A PUFFY LITTLE SHOP WALKER WOULD HAVE COME INTO VIEW


HAVE SCRIBBLED A STILL MORE FLOURISHING J M ALL OVER THE DOCUMENT HAVE ASKED YOU IF THERE WAS NOTHING MORE HAVE STOOD BY YOU SUPPOSING THAT YOU WERE PAYING CASH UNTIL THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF THIS STORY REAPPEARED WITH THE CHANGE


ONE GLANCE MORE AT HIM AND THE PUFFY LITTLE SHOP WALKER WOULD HAVE BEEN BOWING YOU OUT WITH FOUNTAINS OF CIVILITIES AT WORK ALL ABOUT YOU


BUT REAL LITERATURE AS DISTINGUISHED FROM ANECDOTE DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH SUPERFICIAL APPEARANCES ALONE LITERATURE IS REVELATION MODERN LITERATURE IS INDECOROUS REVELATION


IT IS THE DUTY OF THE EARNEST AUTHOR TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN EVEN AT THE COST OF SOME BLUSHES AND THE THING THAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN ABOUT THIS YOUNG MAN AND THE THING OF THE GREATEST MOMENT TO THIS STORY


THE THING THAT MUST BE TOLD IF THE BOOK IS TO BE WRITTEN WAS LET US FACE IT BRAVELY THE REMARKABLE CONDITION OF THIS YOUNG MAN'S LEGS LET US APPROACH THE BUSINESS WITH DISPASSIONATE EXPLICITNESS


LET US ASSUME SOMETHING OF THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT THE HARD ALMOST PROFESSORIAL TONE OF THE CONSCIENTIOUS REALIST LET US TREAT THIS YOUNG MAN'S LEGS AS A MERE DIAGRAM AND INDICATE THE POINTS OF INTEREST WITH THE UNEMOTIONAL


AND SO TO OUR REVELATION ON THE INTERNAL ASPECT OF THE RIGHT ANKLE OF THIS YOUNG MAN YOU WOULD HAVE OBSERVED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN A CONTUSION AND AN ABRASION ON THE INTERNAL ASPECT OF THE LEFT ANKLE A CONTUSION ALSO


ON ITS EXTERNAL ASPECT A LARGE YELLOWISH BRUISE ON HIS LEFT SHIN THERE WERE TWO BRUISES ONE A LEADEN YELLOW GRADUATING HERE AND THERE INTO PURPLE AND ANOTHER OBVIOUSLY OF MORE RECENT DATE OF A BLOTCHY RED


TUMID AND THREATENING PROCEEDING UP THE LEFT LEG IN A SPIRAL MANNER AN UNNATURAL HARDNESS AND REDNESS WOULD HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED ON THE UPPER ASPECT OF THE CALF


AND ABOVE THE KNEE AND ON THE INNER SIDE AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPANSE OF BRUISED SURFACE A KIND OF CLOSELY STIPPLED SHADING OF CONTUSED POINTS


THE RIGHT LEG WOULD BE FOUND TO BE BRUISED IN A MARVELLOUS MANNER ALL ABOUT AND UNDER THE KNEE AND PARTICULARLY ON THE INTERIOR ASPECT OF THE KNEE SO FAR WE MAY PROCEED WITH OUR DETAILS


FIRED BY THESE DISCOVERIES AN INVESTIGATOR MIGHT PERHAPS HAVE PURSUED HIS INQUIRIES FURTHER TO BRUISES ON THE SHOULDERS ELBOWS AND EVEN THE FINGER JOINTS OF THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF OUR STORY


HE HAD INDEED BEEN BUMPED AND BATTERED AT AN EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER OF POINTS BUT ENOUGH OF REALISTIC DESCRIPTION IS AS GOOD AS A FEAST


EVEN IN LITERATURE ONE MUST KNOW WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE NOW THE READER MAY BE INCLINED TO WONDER HOW A RESPECTABLE YOUNG SHOPMAN


ONE MIGHT FANCY THAT HE HAD BEEN SITTING WITH HIS NETHER EXTREMITIES IN SOME COMPLICATED MACHINERY A THRESHING MACHINE SAY OR ONE OF THOSE HAY MAKING FURIES BUT SHERLOCK HOLMES


WOULD HAVE FANCIED NOTHING OF THE KIND


CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE OTHER ABRASIONS AND CONTUSIONS POINTED UNMISTAKABLY TO THE VIOLENT IMPACT OF THE MOUNTING BEGINNER UPON THE BICYCLING SADDLE AND THAT THE RUINOUS STATE OF THE RIGHT KNEE WAS EQUALLY ELOQUENT


OF THE CONCUSSIONS ATTENDANT ON THAT PERSON'S HASTY FREQUENTLY CAUSELESS AND INVARIABLY ILL CONCEIVED DESCENTS ONE LARGE BRUISE ON THE SHIN IS EVEN MORE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE PRENTICE CYCLIST


FOR UPON EVERY ONE OF THEM WAITS THE JEST OF THE UNEXPECTED TREADLE YOU TRY AT LEAST TO WALK YOUR MACHINE IN AN EASY MANNER AND WHACK YOU ARE RUBBING YOUR SHIN SO OUT OF INNOCENCE WE RIPEN


TWO BRUISES ON THAT PLACE MARK A CERTAIN WANT OF APTITUDE IN LEARNING SUCH AS ONE MIGHT EXPECT IN A PERSON UNUSED TO MUSCULAR EXERCISE BLISTERS ON THE HANDS ARE ELOQUENT OF THE NERVOUS CLUTCH OF THE WAVERING RIDER AND SO FORTH


UNTIL SHERLOCK IS PRESENTLY EXPLAINING BY THE HELP OF THE MINOR INJURIES THAT THE MACHINE RIDDEN IS AN OLD FASHIONED AFFAIR WITH A FORK INSTEAD OF THE DIAMOND FRAME A CUSHIONED TIRE WELL WORN ON THE HIND WHEEL


RISES A VISION OF A NIGHTLY STRUGGLE OF TWO DARK FIGURES AND A MACHINE IN A DARK ROAD THE ROAD TO BE EXPLICIT FROM ROEHAMPTON TO PUTNEY HILL AND WITH THIS VISION IS THE SOUND OF A HEEL SPURNING THE GRAVEL


A GASPING AND GRUNTING A SHOUTING OF STEER MAN STEER A WAVERING UNSTEADY FLIGHT A SPASMODIC TURNING OF THE MISSILE EDIFICE OF MAN AND MACHINE AND A COLLAPSE THEN YOU DESCRY DIMLY THROUGH THE DUSK


THUS EVEN IN A SHOP ASSISTANT DOES THE WARMTH OF MANHOOD ASSERT ITSELF AND DRIVE HIM AGAINST ALL THE CONDITIONS OF HIS CALLING AGAINST THE COUNSELS OF PRUDENCE AND THE RESTRICTIONS OF HIS MEANS


TO SEEK THE WHOLESOME DELIGHTS OF EXERTION AND DANGER AND PAIN AND OUR FIRST EXAMINATION OF THE DRAPER REVEALS BENEATH HIS DRAPERIES THE MAN TO WHICH INITIAL FACT AMONG OTHERS WE SHALL COME AGAIN IN THE END


BUT ENOUGH OF THESE REVELATIONS THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF OUR STORY IS NOW GOING ALONG BEHIND THE COUNTER A DRAPER INDEED WITH YOUR PURCHASES IN HIS ARMS TO THE WAREHOUSE WHERE THE VARIOUS ARTICLES YOU HAVE SELECTED WILL PRESENTLY BE PACKED BY THE SENIOR PORTER AND SENT TO YOU


AND GRIPPING THE CORNERS OF THE FOLDS IN HIS HANDS BEGINS TO STRAIGHTEN THEM PUNCTILIOUSLY NEAR HIM IS AN APPRENTICE APPRENTICED TO THE SAME HIGH CALLING OF DRAPER'S ASSISTANT


A RUDDY RED HAIRED LAD IN A VERY SHORT TAILLESS BLACK COAT AND A VERY HIGH COLLAR WHO IS DELIBERATELY UNFOLDING AND REFOLDING SOME PATTERNS OF CRETONNE


THE ASSISTANT IS DREAMING OF THE DELICIOUS TIME ONLY FOUR HOURS OFF NOW WHEN HE WILL RESUME THE TALE OF HIS BRUISES AND ABRASIONS THE APPRENTICE IS NEARER THE LONG LONG THOUGHTS OF BOYHOOD AND HIS IMAGINATION RIDES CAP A PIE


THROUGH THE CHAMBERS OF HIS BRAIN SEEKING SOME KNIGHTLY QUEST IN HONOUR OF THAT FAIR LADY THE LAST BUT ONE OF THE GIRL APPRENTICES TO THE DRESS MAKING UPSTAIRS


HE INCLINES RATHER TO STREET FIGHTING AGAINST REVOLUTIONARIES BECAUSE THEN SHE COULD SEE HIM FROM THE WINDOW JERKING THEM BACK TO THE PRESENT COMES THE PUFFY LITTLE SHOP WALKER WITH A PAPER IN HIS HAND THE APPRENTICE BECOMES EXTREMELY ACTIVE


THEY'RE GOING FAIRLY WELL SIR


THE SHOP WALKER BRINGS UP PARALLEL TO THE COUNTER ANY PARTICULAR TIME WHEN YOU WANT YOUR HOLIDAYS HE ASKS HOOPDRIVER PULLS AT HIS SKIMPY MOUSTACHE NO DON'T WANT THEM TOO LATE SIR OF COURSE


HOW ABOUT THIS DAY WEEK HOOPDRIVER BECOMES RIGIDLY MEDITATIVE GRIPPING THE CORNERS OF THE GINGHAM FOLDS IN HIS HANDS HIS FACE IS ELOQUENT OF CONFLICTING CONSIDERATIONS CAN HE LEARN IT IN A WEEK THAT'S THE QUESTION


OTHERWISE BRIGGS WILL GET NEXT WEEK AND HE WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SEPTEMBER WHEN THE WEATHER IS OFTEN UNCERTAIN HE IS NATURALLY OF A SANGUINE DISPOSITION


ALL DRAPERS HAVE TO BE OR ELSE THEY COULD NEVER HAVE THE FAITH THEY SHOW IN THE BEAUTY WASHABILITY AND UNFADING EXCELLENCE OF THE GOODS THEY SELL YOU THE DECISION COMES AT LAST


THE NEXT IN THE STRICT SCALE OF PRECEDENCE OF THE DRAPERY EMPORIUM MISTER HOOPDRIVER IN ALTERNATING SPASMS ANON STRAIGHTENS HIS GINGHAM AND ANON BECOMES MEDITATIVE WITH HIS TONGUE IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS DECAYING WISDOM TOOTH


AT SUPPER THAT NIGHT HOLIDAY TALK HELD UNDISPUTED SWAY MISTER PRITCHARD SPOKE OF SCOTLAND MISS ISAACS CLAMOURED OF BETTWS


I SAID HOOPDRIVER WHEN THE QUESTION CAME TO HIM WHY CYCLING OF COURSE YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO RIDE THAT DREADFUL MACHINE OF YOURS DAY AFTER DAY SAID MISS HOWE OF THE COSTUME DEPARTMENT I AM


SAID HOOPDRIVER AS CALMLY AS POSSIBLE PULLING AT THE INSUFFICIENT MOUSTACHE


YOU STOW IT SAID MISTER HOOPDRIVER LOOKING HARD AND THREATENINGLY AT THE JUNIOR APPRENTICE AND SUDDENLY ADDING IN A TONE OF BITTER CONTEMPT


I'M GETTING FAIRLY SAFE UPON IT NOW HE TOLD MISS HOWE AT OTHER TIMES HOOPDRIVER MIGHT HAVE FURTHER RESENTED THE SATIRICAL EFFORTS OF THE APPRENTICE BUT HIS MIND WAS TOO FULL OF THE PROJECTED TOUR TO ADMIT ANY PETTY DELICACIES OF DIGNITY


WHEN THE GAS WAS TURNED OFF FOR THE NIGHT HE WAS SITTING ON THE EDGE OF HIS BED RUBBING ARNICA INTO HIS KNEE A NEW AND VERY BIG PLACE AND STUDYING A ROAD MAP OF THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND


WAS SITTING UP IN BED AND TRYING TO SMOKE IN THE DARK BRIGGS HAD NEVER BEEN ON A CYCLE IN HIS LIFE BUT HE FELT HOOPDRIVER'S INEXPERIENCE AND OFFERED SUCH ADVICE AS OCCURRED TO HIM HAVE THE MACHINE THOROUGHLY WELL OILED SAID BRIGGS


CARRY ONE OR TWO LEMONS WITH YOU DON'T TEAR YOURSELF TO DEATH THE FIRST DAY AND SIT UPRIGHT NEVER LOSE CONTROL OF THE MACHINE AND ALWAYS SOUND THE BELL ON EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY YOU MIND THOSE THINGS AND NOTHING VERY MUCH CAN'T HAPPEN TO YOU HOOPDRIVER YOU TAKE MY WORD


SAVE PERHAPS FOR A CURSE OR SO AT HIS PIPE AND THEN BREAK OUT WITH AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SET OF TIPS AVOID RUNNING OVER DOGS HOOPDRIVER WHATEVER YOU DO


NEVER LET THE MACHINE BUCKLE THERE WAS A MAN KILLED ONLY THE OTHER DAY THROUGH HIS WHEEL BUCKLING DON'T SCORCH DON'T RIDE ON THE FOOT PATH KEEP YOUR OWN SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IF YOU SEE A TRAMLINE GO ROUND THE CORNER AT ONCE AND HURRY OFF INTO THE NEXT COUNTY


AND ALWAYS LIGHT UP BEFORE DARK YOU MIND JUST A FEW LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT HOOPDRIVER AND NOTHING MUCH CAN'T HAPPEN TO YOU YOU TAKE MY WORD RIGHT YOU ARE SAID HOOPDRIVER GOOD NIGHT OLD MAN GOOD NIGHT SAID BRIGGS


HOOPDRIVER RODE OFF INTO DREAMLAND ON HIS MACHINE AND WAS SCARCELY THERE BEFORE HE WAS PITCHED BACK INTO THE WORLD OF SENSE AGAIN SOMETHING WHAT WAS IT NEVER OIL THE STEERING IT'S FATAL


A VOICE THAT CAME FROM ROUND A FITFUL GLOW OF LIGHT WAS SAYING AND CLEAN THE CHAIN DAILY WITH BLACK LEAD YOU MIND JUST A FEW LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT


THE OSTLER BEING A FOOL RUSHED VIOLENTLY DOWN THE ROAD VOCIFERATING AFTER THEM THEN HE RETURNED PANTING TO THE VICUNA HOTEL AND FINDING A GROUP OF MEN OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE WHO WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS UP STOPPED TO GIVE THEM THE CREAM OF THE ADVENTURE


THAT GAVE THE FUGITIVES FIVE MINUTES THEN PUSHING BREATHLESSLY INTO THE BAR HE HAD TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE BARMAID WHAT THE MATTER WAS AND THE GOV'NOR BEING OUT THEY SPENT SOME MORE PRECIOUS TIME WONDERING WHAT EVER WAS TO BE DONE


THERE WERE ALSO MORAL REMARKS AND OTHER IRRELEVANT CONTRIBUTIONS THERE WERE CONFLICTING IDEAS OF TELLING THE POLICE AND PURSUING THE FLYING COUPLE ON A HORSE THAT MADE TEN MINUTES


THEN STEPHEN THE WAITER WHO HAD SHOWN HOOPDRIVER UP CAME DOWN AND LIT WONDERFUL LIGHTS AND STARTED QUITE A FRESH DISCUSSION BY THE SIMPLE QUESTION WHICH THAT TURNED TEN MINUTES INTO A QUARTER OF AN HOUR AND IN THE MIDST OF THIS DISCUSSION


MAKING A SUDDEN AND AWESTRICKEN SILENCE APPEARED BECHAMEL IN THE HALL BEYOND THE BAR WALKED WITH A RESOLUTE AIR TO THE FOOT OF THE STAIRCASE AND PASSED OUT OF SIGHT YOU CONCEIVE THE BACKWARD PITCH OF THAT EXCEPTIONALLY SHAPED CRANIUM


INCREDULOUS EYES STARED INTO ONE ANOTHER'S IN THE BAR AS HIS PACES MUFFLED BY THE STAIR CARPET WENT UP TO THE LANDING TURNED REACHED THE PASSAGE AND WALKED INTO THE DINING ROOM OVERHEAD


IT WASN'T THAT ONE AT ALL MISS SAID THE OSTLER I'D SWEAR WELL THAT'S MISTER BEAUMONT SAID THE BARMAID ANYHOW THEIR CONVERSATION HUNG COMATOSE IN THE AIR SWITCHED UP BY BECHAMEL


THEY LISTENED TOGETHER HIS FEET STOPPED TURNED WENT OUT OF THE DININGROOM DOWN THE PASSAGE TO THE BEDROOM STOPPED AGAIN POOR CHAP SAID THE BARMAID SHE'S A WICKED WOMAN SSSH SAID STEPHEN


AFTER A PAUSE BECHAMEL WENT BACK TO THE DINING ROOM THEY HEARD A CHAIR CREAK UNDER HIM INTERLUDE OF CONVERSATIONAL EYEBROWS I'M GOING UP SAID STEPHEN TO BREAK THE MELANCHOLY NEWS TO HIM BECHAMEL LOOKED UP FROM A WEEK OLD NEWSPAPER


AS WITHOUT KNOCKING STEPHEN ENTERED BECHAMEL'S FACE SUGGESTED A DIFFERENT EXPECTATION BEG PARDON SIR SAID STEPHEN WITH A DIPLOMATIC COUGH WELL SAID BECHAMEL WONDERING SUDDENLY IF JESSIE HAD KEPT SOME OF HER THREATS


IF SO HE WAS IN FOR AN EXPLANATION BUT HE HAD IT READY SHE WAS A MONOMANIAC LEAVE ME ALONE WITH HER HE WOULD SAY I KNOW HOW TO CALM HER MISSUS BEAUMONT SAID STEPHEN WELL HAS GONE


HE ROSE WITH A FINE SURPRISE GONE HE SAID WITH A HALF LAUGH GONE SIR ON HER BICYCLE ON HER BICYCLE WHY SHE WENT SIR WITH ANOTHER GENTLEMAN THIS TIME BECHAMEL WAS REALLY STARTLED


AN OTHER GENTLEMEN WHO ANOTHER GENTLEMAN IN BROWN SIR WENT INTO THE YARD SIR GOT OUT THE TWO BICYCLES SIR AND WENT OFF SIR ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES AGO BECHAMEL STOOD WITH HIS EYES ROUND AND HIS KNUCKLE ON HIS HIPS


BUT AS YET HE SEEMED MERELY STUNNED BROWN CLOTHES HE SAID AND FAIRISH A LITTLE LIKE YOURSELF SIR IN THE DARK THE OSTLER SIR JIM DUKE


THEN WITH INFINITE FERVOUR HE SAID BUT LET US PUT IN BLANK CARTRIDGE HE SAID I MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT HE FLUNG HIMSELF INTO THE ARMCHAIR DAMN HER SAID BECHAMEL FOR ALL THE WORLD LIKE A COMMON MAN


I'LL CHUCK THIS INFERNAL BUSINESS THEY'VE GONE EIGH YESSIR


MAKING A MEMORABLE SAYING LET EM GO WHO CARES AND I WISH HIM LUCK AND BRING ME SOME BOURBON AS FAST AS YOU CAN THERE'S A GOOD CHAP


STEPHEN WAS TOO SURPRISED TO SAY ANYTHING BUT BOURBON SIR GO ON SAID BECHAMEL DAMN YOU STEPHEN'S SYMPATHIES CHANGED AT ONCE YESSIR HE MURMURED FUMBLING FOR THE DOOR HANDLE AND LEFT THE ROOM MARVELLING


SHE HAD EVIDENTLY GONE OFF WITH HIM AND THAT LITTLE BUSINESS WAS OVER AND HE WAS HERE STRANDED AND SOLD


AND HIS ONLY RAY OF HOPE WAS THAT IT SEEMED MORE PROBABLE AFTER ALL THAT THE GIRL HAD ESCAPED THROUGH HER STEPMOTHER IN WHICH CASE THE BUSINESS MIGHT BE HUSHED UP YET AND THE EVIL HOUR OF EXPLANATION WITH HIS WIFE INDEFINITELY POSTPONED


KNICKERBOCKERS WENT FRISKING ACROSS HIS MIND AGAIN AND HE REVERTED TO HIS BLASPHEMIES HE STARTED UP IN A GUSTY FRENZY WITH A VAGUE IDEA OF PURSUIT AND INCONTINENTLY SAT DOWN AGAIN WITH A CONCUSSION THAT STIRRED THE BAR BELOW TO ITS DEPTHS


HE BANGED THE ARMS OF THE CHAIR WITH HIS FIST AND SWORE AGAIN


I BECHAMEL WHEN WITH AN ABRUPT TAP AND PROMPT OPENING OF THE DOOR STEPHEN ENTERED WITH THE BOURBON


THE MOONLIGHT RIDE AND SO THE TWENTY MINUTES LAW PASSED INTO AN INFINITY


THE WRETCHED CREATURE HAS ALREADY SUFFICIENTLY SULLIED OUR MODEST BUT TRUTHFUL PAGES WE LEAVE THE EAGER LITTLE GROUP IN THE BAR OF THE VICUNA HOTEL WE LEAVE ALL BOGNOR AS WE HAVE LEFT ALL CHICHESTER


AND MIDHURST AND HASLEMERE AND GUILDFORD AND RIPLEY AND PUTNEY AND FOLLOW THIS DEAR FOOL OF A HOOPDRIVER OF OURS AND HIS YOUNG LADY IN GREY OUT UPON THE MOONLIGHT ROAD HOW THEY RODE


HOW THEIR HEARTS BEAT TOGETHER AND THEIR BREATH CAME FAST AND HOW EVERY SHADOW WAS ANTICIPATION AND EVERY NOISE PURSUIT FOR ALL THAT FLIGHT MISTER HOOPDRIVER WAS IN THE WORLD OF ROMANCE HAD A POLICEMAN INTERVENED BECAUSE THEIR LAMPS WERE NOT LIT


HOOPDRIVER HAD CUT HIM DOWN AND RIDDEN ON AFTER THE FASHION OF A HERO BORN HAD BECHAMEL ARISEN IN THE WAY WITH RAPIERS FOR A DUEL HOOPDRIVER HAD FOUGHT AS ONE TO WHOM AGINCOURT WAS A REALITY AND DRAPERY A DREAM


IT WAS RESCUE ELOPEMENT GLORY AND SHE BY THE SIDE OF HIM HE HAD SEEN HER FACE IN SHADOW


HE HAD SEEN HER TROUBLED AND HER EYES BRIGHT WITH TEARS BUT WHAT LIGHT IS THERE LIGHTING A FACE LIKE HERS TO COMPARE WITH THE SOFT GLAMOUR OF THE MIDSUMMER MOON THE ROAD TURNED NORTHWARD GOING ROUND THROUGH THE OUTSKIRTS OF BOGNOR


THEN AMIDST VILLAS AGAIN SOME WARM AND LAMPLIT SOME WHITE AND SLEEPING IN THE MOONLIGHT THEN BETWEEN HEDGES OVER WHICH THEY SAW BROAD WAN MEADOWS SHROUDED IN A LOW LYING MIST


THEY SCARCELY HEEDED WHITHER THEY RODE AT FIRST BEING ONLY ANXIOUS TO GET AWAY TURNING ONCE WESTWARD WHEN THE SPIRE OF CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL ROSE SUDDENLY NEAR THEM OUT OF THE DEWY NIGHT PALE AND INTRICATE AND HIGH


AT A FOOTFALL AT A ROUGHNESS IN THE ROAD SHE SEEMED TO BE TOO INTENT UPON ESCAPE TO GIVE MUCH THOUGHT TO HIM


HIS MIND BECAME AN ENORMOUS APPRECIATION OF THE POSITION THE NIGHT WAS A WARM WHITE SILENCE SAVE FOR THE SUBTILE RUNNING OF THEIR CHAINS


HE LOOKED SIDEWAYS AT HER AS SHE SAT BESIDE HIM WITH HER ANKLES GRACEFULLY RULING THE TREADLES NOW THE ROAD TURNED WESTWARD AND SHE WAS A DARK GREY OUTLINE AGAINST THE SHIMMER OF THE MOON


AND NOW THEY FACED NORTHWARDS AND THE SOFT COLD LIGHT PASSED CARESSINGLY OVER HER HAIR AND TOUCHED HER BROW AND CHEEK THERE IS A MAGIC QUALITY IN MOONSHINE IT TOUCHES ALL THAT IS SWEET AND BEAUTIFUL AND THE REST OF THE NIGHT IS HIDDEN


IT HAS CREATED THE FAIRIES WHOM THE SUNLIGHT KILLS AND FAIRYLAND RISES AGAIN IN OUR HEARTS AT THE SIGHT OF IT THE VOICES OF THE FILMY ROUTE


WHITE DUST HOT UNDERFOOT BLINDING TO THE EYE IS NOW A SOFT GREY SILENCE WITH THE GLITTER OF A CRYSTAL GRAIN SET STARLIKE IN ITS SILVER HERE AND THERE OVERHEAD RIDING SERENELY THROUGH THE SPACIOUS BLUE IS THE MOTHER OF THE SILENCE


SHE WHO HAS SPIRITUALISED THE WORLD ALONE SAVE FOR TWO ATTENDANT STEADY SHINING STARS AND IN SILENCE UNDER HER BENIGN INFLUENCE UNDER THE BENEDICTION OF HER LIGHT RODE OUR TWO WANDERERS SIDE BY SIDE THROUGH THE TRANSFIGURED AND TRANSFIGURING NIGHT


NOWHERE WAS THE MOON SHINING QUITE SO BRIGHTLY AS IN MISTER HOOPDRIVER'S SKULL AT THE TURNINGS OF THE ROAD HE MADE HIS DECISIONS WITH AN AIR OF PROFOUND PROMPTITUDE AND QUITE HAPHAZARD THE RIGHT HE WOULD SAY OR AGAIN


THE LEFT AS ONE WHO KNEW SO IT WAS THAT IN THE SPACE OF AN HOUR THEY CAME ABRUPTLY DOWN A LITTLE LANE FULL TILT UPON THE SEA


HULLO SAID MISTER HOOPDRIVER SOTTO VOCE THEY DISMOUNTED ABRUPTLY STUNTED OAKS AND THORNS ROSE OUT OF THE HAZE OF MOONLIGHT THAT WAS TANGLED IN THE HEDGE ON EITHER SIDE


YOU ARE SAFE SAID MISTER HOOPDRIVER SWEEPING OFF HIS CAP WITH AN AIR AND BOWING COURTLY WHERE ARE WE SAFE BUT WHERE CHICHESTER HARBOUR HE WAVED HIS ARM SEAWARD AS THOUGH IT WAS A GOAL DO YOU THINK THEY WILL FOLLOW US


WE HAVE TURNED AND TURNED AGAIN IT SEEMED TO HOOPDRIVER THAT HE HEARD HER SOB SHE STOOD DIMLY THERE HOLDING HER MACHINE AND HE HOLDING HIS COULD GO NO NEARER TO HER TO SEE IF SHE SOBBED FOR WEEPING OR FOR WANT OF BREATH


ARE YOU TIRED HE ASKED I WILL DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE THE TWO BLACK FIGURES IN THE BROKEN LIGHT WERE SILENT FOR A SPACE DO YOU KNOW SHE SAID I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU I AM SURE YOU ARE HONEST TO ME


HE WAS TAKEN WITH A SUDDEN SHAME OF HIS HOMELY PATRONYMIC IT'S AN UGLY NAME HE SAID BUT YOU ARE RIGHT IN TRUSTING ME I WOULD I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU THIS


PROMISED TO HELP AND PROTECT ME I WAS UNHAPPY AT HOME NEVER MIND WHY A STEPMOTHER IDLE UNOCCUPIED HINDERED CRAMPED THAT IS ENOUGH PERHAPS THEN HE CAME INTO MY LIFE AND TALKED TO ME OF ART AND LITERATURE AND SET MY BRAIN ON FIRE


TO BE A HUMAN BEING NOT A THING IN A HUTCH AND HE I KNOW SAID HOOPDRIVER AND NOW HERE I AM I WILL DO ANYTHING SAID HOOPDRIVER SHE THOUGHT YOU CANNOT IMAGINE MY STEPMOTHER NO I COULD NOT DESCRIBE HER


I AM ENTIRELY AT YOUR SERVICE I WILL HELP YOU WITH ALL MY POWER I HAVE LOST AN ILLUSION AND FOUND A KNIGHT ERRANT SHE SPOKE OF BECHAMEL AS THE ILLUSION MISTER HOOPDRIVER FELT FLATTERED BUT HE HAD NO ADEQUATE ANSWER


WHAT WE HAD BEST BE DOING YOU ARE TIRED YOU KNOW AND WE CAN'T WANDER ALL NIGHT AFTER THE DAY WE'VE HAD THAT WAS CHICHESTER WE WERE NEAR SHE ASKED IF HE MEDITATED WITH A TREMBLE IN HIS VOICE


YOU WOULD MAKE ME YOUR BROTHER MISS BEAUMONT YES WE COULD STOP THERE TOGETHER SHE TOOK A MINUTE TO ANSWER I AM GOING TO LIGHT THESE LAMPS SAID HOOPDRIVER HE BENT DOWN TO HIS OWN AND STRUCK A MATCH ON HIS SHOE


GRAVE AND INTENT HOW COULD SHE EVER HAVE THOUGHT HIM COMMON OR ABSURD BUT YOU MUST TELL ME YOUR NAME BROTHER SHE SAID ER CARRINGTON SAID MISTER HOOPDRIVER AFTER A MOMENTARY PAUSE


WHO WOULD BE HOOPDRIVER ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS BUT THE CHRISTIAN NAME CHRISTIAN NAME MY CHRISTIAN NAME WELL CHRIS HE SNAPPED HIS LAMP AND STOOD UP IF YOU WILL HOLD MY MACHINE I WILL LIGHT YOURS HE SAID


THE MUTE EMOTION OF HIS FACE AFFECTED HER STRANGELY SHE HAD TO SPEAK


SHE SAID WITH A LAUGH TO BREAK THE INTENSITY HE OPENED HIS MOUTH AND SHUT IT AGAIN AND WITH A SUDDEN WINCING OF HIS FEATURES ABRUPTLY TURNED AND BENT DOWN TO OPEN THE LANTERN IN FRONT OF HER MACHINE SHE LOOKED DOWN AT HIM


ALMOST KNEELING IN FRONT OF HER WITH AN UNREASONABLE APPROBATION IN HER EYES IT WAS AS I HAVE INDICATED THE HOUR AND SEASON OF THE FULL MOON


AND IT WAS CHIEFLY BY GOOD LUCK AND THE FACT THAT MOST ROADS ABOUT A TOWN CONVERGE THEREUPON THAT CHICHESTER WAS AT LAST ATTAINED IT SEEMED AT FIRST AS THOUGH EVERYONE HAD GONE TO BED BUT THE RED HOTEL STILL GLOWED YELLOW AND WARM


BUT THAT NIGHT HE WAS IN THE MOOD TO DARE ANYTHING SO YOU FOUND YOUR YOUNG LADY AT LAST SAID THE OSTLER OF THE RED HOTEL


QUITE A MISUNDERSTANDING SAID HOOPDRIVER WITH SPLENDID READINESS MY SISTER HAD GONE TO BOGNOR BUT I BROUGHT HER BACK HERE I'VE TOOK A FANCY TO THIS PLACE AND THE MOONLIGHT'S SIMPLY DEE VINE WE'VE HAD SUPPER THENKS AND WE'RE TIRED SAID MISTER HOOPDRIVER


I SUPPOSE YOU WON'T TAKE ANYTHING JESSIE THE GLORY OF HAVING HER EVEN AS A SISTER AND TO CALL HER JESSIE LIKE THAT BUT HE CARRIED IT OFF SPLENDIDLY AS HE FELT HIMSELF BOUND TO ADMIT GOOD NIGHT SIS HE SAID AND PLEASANT DREAMS


BUT THIS WAS LIVING INDEED HE TOLD HIMSELF


ABOVE THIS COUPLE THERE WAS ANNE QUEEN OF ENGLAND AN ORDINARY WOMAN WAS QUEEN ANNE SHE WAS GAY KINDLY AUGUST TO A CERTAIN EXTENT NO QUALITY OF HERS ATTAINED TO VIRTUE NONE TO VICE


HER STOUTNESS WAS BLOATED HER FUN HEAVY HER GOOD NATURE STUPID SHE WAS STUBBORN AND WEAK AS A WIFE SHE WAS FAITHLESS AND FAITHFUL HAVING FAVOURITES TO WHOM SHE GAVE UP HER HEART AND A HUSBAND FOR WHOM SHE KEPT HER BED


AS A CHRISTIAN SHE WAS A HERETIC AND A BIGOT SHE HAD ONE BEAUTY


THE REST OF HER PERSON WAS INDIFFERENTLY FORMED SHE WAS A CLUMSY COQUETTE AND A CHASTE ONE HER SKIN WAS WHITE AND FINE SHE DISPLAYED A GREAT DEAL OF IT IT WAS SHE WHO INTRODUCED THE FASHION OF NECKLACES OF LARGE PEARLS CLASPED ROUND THE THROAT


SHE HAD A NARROW FOREHEAD SENSUAL LIPS FLESHY CHEEKS LARGE EYES SHORT SIGHT HER SHORT SIGHT EXTENDED TO HER MIND BEYOND A BURST OF MERRIMENT NOW AND THEN ALMOST AS PONDEROUS AS HER ANGER


SHE LIVED IN A SORT OF TACITURN GRUMBLE AND A GRUMBLING SILENCE WORDS ESCAPED FROM HER WHICH HAD TO BE GUESSED AT SHE WAS A MIXTURE OF A GOOD WOMAN AND A MISCHIEVOUS DEVIL SHE LIKED SURPRISES WHICH IS EXTREMELY WOMAN LIKE ANNE WAS A PATTERN


SHE HAD FITS OF RAGE SHE WAS VIOLENT A BRAWLER NOBODY MORE AWKWARD THAN ANNE IN DIRECTING AFFAIRS OF STATE SHE ALLOWED EVENTS TO FALL ABOUT AS THEY MIGHT CHANCE HER WHOLE POLICY WAS CRACKED


SHE EXCELLED IN BRINGING ABOUT GREAT CATASTROPHES FROM LITTLE CAUSES WHEN A WHIM OF AUTHORITY TOOK HOLD OF HER


SHE DID NOT EXPLAIN HER THOUGHT SHE EXUDED IT THERE WAS SOMETHING OF THE SPHINX IN THIS GOOSE SHE RATHER LIKED FUN TEASING AND PRACTICAL JOKES COULD SHE HAVE MADE APOLLO A HUNCHBACK IT WOULD HAVE DELIGHTED HER BUT SHE WOULD HAVE LEFT HIM A GOD


GOOD NATURED HER IDEAL WAS TO ALLOW NONE TO DESPAIR AND TO WORRY ALL SHE HAD OFTEN A ROUGH WORD IN HER MOUTH


WITH WHICH SHE REDDENED HER LIPS AND HAVING COLOURED HER MOUTH WOULD LAUGH SHE WAS GREEDILY FOND OF THE FLAT ZEALAND GINGERBREAD CAKES SHE WAS PROUD OF BEING FAT MORE OF A PURITAN THAN ANYTHING ELSE SHE WOULD NEVERTHELESS


HAVE LIKED TO DEVOTE HERSELF TO STAGE PLAYS SHE HAD AN ABSURD ACADEMY OF MUSIC COPIED AFTER THAT OF FRANCE IN SEVENTEEN HUNDRED A FRENCHMAN NAMED FORETROCHE WANTED TO BUILD A ROYAL CIRCUS AT PARIS AT A COST OF FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS


THE ASSEMBLY OF TWELVE PERSONS WERE IT ONLY TO EAT OYSTERS AND DRINK PORTER WAS A FELONY UNDER HER REIGN OTHERWISE RELATIVELY MILD PRESSING FOR THE FLEET WAS CARRIED ON WITH EXTREME VIOLENCE A GLOOMY EVIDENCE THAT THE ENGLISHMAN IS A SUBJECT RATHER THAN A CITIZEN


FOR CENTURIES ENGLAND SUFFERED UNDER THAT PROCESS OF TYRANNY WHICH GAVE THE LIE TO ALL THE OLD CHARTERS OF FREEDOM AND OUT OF WHICH FRANCE ESPECIALLY GATHERED A CAUSE OF TRIUMPH AND INDIGNATION WHAT IN SOME DEGREE DIMINISHES THE TRIUMPH IS THAT WHILE SAILORS WERE PRESSED IN ENGLAND


SOLDIERS WERE PRESSED IN FRANCE IN EVERY GREAT TOWN OF FRANCE ANY ABLE BODIED MAN GOING THROUGH THE STREETS ON HIS BUSINESS WAS LIABLE TO BE SHOVED BY THE CRIMPS INTO A HOUSE CALLED THE OVEN


THOSE FIT FOR SERVICE WERE PICKED OUT


IN SIXTEEN NINETY FIVE THERE WERE THIRTY OF THESE OVENS IN PARIS THE LAWS AGAINST IRELAND EMANATING FROM QUEEN ANNE WERE ATROCIOUS ANNE WAS BORN IN SIXTEEN SIXTY FOUR TWO YEARS BEFORE THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON ON WHICH THE ASTROLOGERS THERE WERE SOME LEFT


PREDICTED THAT BEING THE ELDER SISTER OF FIRE SHE WOULD BE QUEEN AND SO SHE WAS THANKS TO ASTROLOGY AND THE REVOLUTION OF SIXTEEN EIGHTY EIGHT SHE HAD THE HUMILIATION OF HAVING ONLY GILBERT ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY FOR GODFATHER TO BE GODCHILD OF THE POPE WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE IN ENGLAND


A MERE PRIMATE IS BUT A POOR SORT OF GODFATHER ANNE HAD TO PUT UP WITH ONE HOWEVER IT WAS HER OWN FAULT WHY WAS SHE A PROTESTANT DENMARK HAD PAID FOR HER VIRGINITY VIRGINITAS EMPTA AS THE OLD CHARTERS EXPRESSED IT


THERE WAS NEVER A BON MOT BUT IN FRENCH ANNE PAID A DEAL OF ATTENTION TO HER COINS ESPECIALLY TO COPPER COINS WHICH ARE THE LOW AND POPULAR ONES SHE WANTED TO CUT A GREAT FIGURE ON THEM SIX FARTHINGS WERE STRUCK DURING HER REIGN


ON THE BACK OF THE FIRST THREE SHE HAD MERELY A THRONE STRUCK ON THE BACK OF THE FOURTH SHE ORDERED A TRIUMPHAL CHARIOT AND ON THE BACK OF THE SIXTH A GODDESS HOLDING A SWORD IN ONE HAND AND AN OLIVE BRANCH IN THE OTHER WITH THE SCROLL


WHY FRANCE EXCLUDES THEM THERE IS A REASON AT ONCE PERHAPS THERE IS NO OTHER WITH ENGLISH HISTORIANS ELIZABETH EMBODIES GRANDEUR ANNE GOOD NATURE AS THEY WILL BE IT SO BUT THERE IS NOTHING DELICATE IN THE REIGNS OF THESE WOMEN THE LINES ARE HEAVY


THREE ONE IDIOTIC HABIT OF THE PEOPLE IS TO ATTRIBUTE TO THE KING WHAT THEY DO THEMSELVES THEY FIGHT WHOSE THE GLORY THE KING'S THEY PAY WHOSE THE GENEROSITY THE KING'S THEN THE PEOPLE LOVE HIM FOR BEING SO RICH


THE EQUESTRIAN STATUE RESERVED FOR KINGS ALONE IS AN EXCELLENT FIGURE OF ROYALTY THE HORSE IS THE PEOPLE ONLY THAT THE HORSE BECOMES TRANSFIGURED BY DEGREES IT BEGINS IN AN ASS IT ENDS IN A LION


THEN IT THROWS ITS RIDER AND YOU HAVE SIXTEEN FORTY TWO IN ENGLAND AND SEVENTEEN EIGHTY NINE IN FRANCE AND SOMETIMES IT DEVOURS HIM AND YOU HAVE IN ENGLAND SIXTEEN FORTY NINE AND IN FRANCE SEVENTEEN NINETY THREE THAT THE LION SHOULD RELAPSE INTO THE DONKEY IS ASTONISHING BUT IT IS SO


COUNTED A HUNDRED AND FIFTY IN HER FLEET THE ENGLISH HAD THREE ARMIES FIVE THOUSAND MEN IN CATALONIA TEN THOUSAND IN PORTUGAL FIFTY THOUSAND IN FLANDERS


TO MONARCHICAL AND DIPLOMATIC EUROPE A SORT OF PROSTITUTE THE ENGLISH PEOPLE HAS ALWAYS HAD IN KEEPING PARLIAMENT HAVING VOTED A PATRIOTIC LOAN OF THIRTY FOUR MILLION FRANCS OF ANNUITIES THERE HAD BEEN A CRUSH AT THE EXCHEQUER TO SUBSCRIBE IT


AND THAT HE WOULD BE BUT TOO HAPPY IF ENGLAND WOULD ONLY TOLERATE THE KING OF FRANCE FISHING FOR COD AT CAPE BRETON ENGLAND WAS ABOUT TO IMPOSE UPON HIM THE SHAME OF DEMOLISHING HIMSELF THE FORTIFICATIONS OF DUNKIRK MEANWHILE SHE HAD TAKEN GIBRALTAR AND WAS TAKING BARCELONA


WHAT GREAT THINGS ACCOMPLISHED HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE TO REFUSE ANNE ADMIRATION FOR TAKING THE TROUBLE OF LIVING AT THE PERIOD


BEARS TO HIM THE VAGUE RESEMBLANCE OF A REFLECTION LIKE HIM SHE PLAYS AT A GREAT REIGN SHE HAS HER MONUMENTS HER ARTS HER VICTORIES HER CAPTAINS HER MEN OF LETTERS HER PRIVY PURSE TO PENSION CELEBRITIES HER GALLERY OF CHEFS D'OEUVRE


SIDE BY SIDE WITH THOSE OF HIS MAJESTY HER COURT TOO WAS A CORTEGE WITH THE FEATURES OF A TRIUMPH AN ORDER AND A MARCH IT WAS A MINIATURE COPY OF ALL THE GREAT MEN OF VERSAILLES NOT GIANTS THEMSELVES


IN IT THERE IS ENOUGH TO DECEIVE THE EYE ADD GOD SAVE THE QUEEN WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM LULLI AND THE ENSEMBLE BECOMES AN ILLUSION NOT A PERSONAGE IS MISSING CHRISTOPHER WREN IS A VERY PASSABLE MANSARD SOMERS IS AS GOOD AS LAMOIGNON ANNE HAS A RACINE IN DRYDEN


A LOUVOIS IN PEMBROKE AND A TURENNE IN MARLBOROUGH HEIGHTEN THE WIGS AND LOWER THE FOREHEADS THE WHOLE IS SOLEMN AND POMPOUS AND THE WINDSOR OF THE TIME HAS A FADED RESEMBLANCE TO MARLY STILL THE WHOLE WAS EFFEMINATE AND ANNE'S PERE TELLIER WAS CALLED SARAH JENNINGS


HOWEVER THERE IS AN OUTLINE OF INCIPIENT IRONY WHICH FIFTY YEARS LATER WAS TO TURN TO PHILOSOPHY IN THE LITERATURE OF THE AGE AND THE PROTESTANT TARTUFFE IS UNMASKED BY SWIFT


ALTHOUGH THE ENGLAND OF THE PERIOD QUARRELS AND FIGHTS FRANCE SHE IMITATES HER AND DRAWS ENLIGHTENMENT FROM HER AND THE LIGHT ON THE FACADE OF ENGLAND IS FRENCH LIGHT IT IS A PITY THAT ANNE'S REIGN LASTED BUT TWELVE YEARS OR THE ENGLISH WOULD NOT HESITATE TO CALL IT THE CENTURY OF ANNE


WAS GREATLY ADMIRED IN ENGLAND HE IS THE KIND OF KING THEY WANT IN FRANCE SAID THE ENGLISH THE LOVE OF THE ENGLISH FOR THEIR OWN LIBERTY IS MINGLED WITH A CERTAIN ACCEPTANCE OF SERVITUDE FOR OTHERS THAT FAVOURABLE REGARD OF THE CHAINS WHICH BIND THEIR NEIGHBOURS


NOT FROM CHOICE HOWEVER A PART OF HER RELIGION SHE DERIVED FROM THAT UGLINESS


WAS A CAUSE OF VEXATION TO THE QUEEN TO AN UGLY QUEEN A PRETTY DUCHESS IS NOT AN AGREEABLE SISTER THERE WAS ANOTHER GRIEVANCE JOSIANA'S IMPROPER BIRTH ANNE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF ANNE HYDE A SIMPLE GENTLEWOMAN LEGITIMATELY


ANNE HAVING THIS INFERIOR BLOOD IN HER VEINS FELT HERSELF BUT HALF ROYAL AND JOSIANA HAVING COME INTO THE WORLD QUITE IRREGULARLY DREW CLOSER ATTENTION TO THE INCORRECTNESS LESS GREAT BUT REALLY EXISTING IN THE BIRTH OF THE QUEEN


THE DAUGHTER OF MESALLIANCE LOOKED WITHOUT LOVE UPON THE DAUGHTER OF BASTARDY SO NEAR HER IT WAS AN UNPLEASANT RESEMBLANCE JOSIANA HAD A RIGHT TO SAY TO ANNE MY MOTHER WAS AT LEAST AS GOOD AS YOURS AT COURT NO ONE SAID SO BUT THEY EVIDENTLY THOUGHT IT


THIS WAS A BORE FOR HER ROYAL MAJESTY WHY THIS JOSIANA WHAT HAD PUT IT INTO HER HEAD TO BE BORN WHAT GOOD WAS A JOSIANA CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS ARE DETRIMENTAL


JUST AS IN EIGHTEEN TWENTY FOUR EUGENE DEVERIA WAS THE FIRST TO ALLOW HIS BEARD TO GROW


DISGUISED BY ARTFUL CURLING FOR TO RISK ONE'S HAIR WAS ALMOST TO RISK ONE'S HEAD THE INDIGNATION WAS UNIVERSAL NEVERTHELESS


AND A PEER OF ENGLAND HE WAS INSULTED AND THE DEED WAS WELL WORTH THE INSULT IN THE HOTTEST PART OF THE ROW LORD DAVID SUDDENLY APPEARED WITHOUT HIS WIG AND IN HIS OWN HAIR SUCH CONDUCT SHAKES THE FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIETY


HE HELD HIS GROUND PRINCE DEVEREUX WAS THE FIRST LORD DAVID DIRRY MOIR THE SECOND IT IS SOMETIMES MORE DIFFICULT TO BE SECOND THAN FIRST IT REQUIRES LESS GENIUS BUT MORE COURAGE THE FIRST INTOXICATED BY THE NOVELTY MAY IGNORE THE DANGER


MEN FOUND SUFFICIENT AUDACITY TO WEAR THEIR OWN HAIR AND POWDER WAS INTRODUCED AS AN EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCE IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH BEFORE WE PASS ON AN IMPORTANT PERIOD OF HISTORY WE SHOULD REMARK THAT THE FIRST BLOW IN THE WAR OF WIGS WAS REALLY STRUCK BY A QUEEN


SUCH GREAT THINGS MADE HIM A MARK FOR PUBLIC ADMIRATION THERE WAS NOT A CLUB OF WHICH HE WAS NOT THE LEADER NOT A BOXING MATCH IN WHICH HE WAS NOT DESIRED AS REFEREE THE REFEREE IS THE ARBITRATOR HE HAD DRAWN UP THE RULES OF SEVERAL CLUBS IN HIGH LIFE


THE LOWEST STAKE ALLOWED WAS A ROULEAU OF FIFTY GUINEAS AND THERE WAS NEVER LESS THAN TWENTY THOUSAND GUINEAS ON THE TABLE BY THE SIDE OF EACH PLAYER WAS A LITTLE STAND ON WHICH TO PLACE HIS CUP OF TEA AND A GILT BOWL IN WHICH TO PUT THE ROULEAUX OF GUINEAS THE PLAYERS LIKE SERVANTS WHEN CLEANING KNIVES


WORE LEATHER SLEEVES TO SAVE THEIR LACE BREASTPLATES OF LEATHER TO PROTECT THEIR RUFFLES


THOUGH HANDSOME HE BELONGED TO THE UGLY CLUB THIS CLUB WAS DEDICATED TO DEFORMITY THE MEMBERS AGREED TO FIGHT NOT ABOUT A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN BUT ABOUT AN UGLY MAN THE HALL OF THE CLUB WAS ADORNED BY HIDEOUS PORTRAITS


TRIBOULET DUNS HUDIBRAS SCARRON OVER THE CHIMNEY WAS A ESOP BETWEEN TWO MEN EACH BLIND OF AN EYE


COCLES BEING BLIND OF THE LEFT CAMOENS OF THE RIGHT EYE SO ARRANGED THAT THE TWO PROFILES WITHOUT EYES WERE TURNED TO EACH OTHER THE DAY THAT THE BEAUTIFUL MISSUS VISART CAUGHT THE SMALL POX THE UGLY CLUB TOASTED HER THIS CLUB WAS STILL IN EXISTENCE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY


AND MIRABEAU WAS ELECTED AN HONORARY MEMBER


THERE WAS THE FUN CLUB FUN IS LIKE CANT LIKE HUMOUR A WORD WHICH IS UNTRANSLATABLE FUN IS TO FARCE WHAT PEPPER IS TO SALT TO GET INTO A HOUSE AND BREAK A VALUABLE MIRROR SLASH THE FAMILY PORTRAITS POISON THE DOG


TO GIVE BAD NEWS WHICH IS UNTRUE WHEREBY PEOPLE PUT ON MOURNING BY MISTAKE IS FUN IT WAS FUN TO CUT A SQUARE HOLE IN THE HOLBEIN AT HAMPTON COURT


A YOUNG MILLIONAIRE LORD WHO HAD DURING THE NIGHT SET FIRE TO A THATCHED COTTAGE A FEAT WHICH MADE ALL LONDON BURST WITH LAUGHTER WAS PROCLAIMED THE KING OF FUN THE POOR DEVILS IN THE COTTAGE WERE SAVED IN THEIR NIGHT CLOTHES THE MEMBERS OF THE FUN CLUB ALL OF THE HIGHEST ARISTOCRACY


USED TO RUN ABOUT LONDON DURING THE HOURS WHEN THE CITIZENS WERE ASLEEP PULLING THE HINGES FROM THE SHUTTERS CUTTING OFF THE PIPES OF PUMPS FILLING UP CISTERNS DIGGING UP CULTIVATED PLOTS OF GROUND PUTTING OUT LAMPS SAWING THROUGH THE BEAMS WHICH SUPPORTED HOUSES


IT WAS THE RICH WHO ACTED THUS TOWARDS THE POOR FOR THIS REASON NO COMPLAINT WAS POSSIBLE THAT WAS THE BEST OF THE JOKE THOSE MANNERS HAVE NOT ALTOGETHER DISAPPEARED IN MANY PLACES IN ENGLAND AND IN ENGLISH POSSESSIONS AT GUERNSEY FOR INSTANCE


TO INJURE TO FULFIL THIS DUTY ALL MEANS WERE HELD GOOD IN BECOMING A MOHAWK THE MEMBERS TOOK AN OATH TO BE HURTFUL TO INJURE AT ANY PRICE NO MATTER WHEN NO MATTER WHOM NO MATTER WHERE WAS A MATTER OF DUTY


THE GENTLEMAN BEHIND HIM CHASTISED HIM FOR THIS BY A PRICK OF HIS SWORD WHICH MADE HIM SPRING ROUND ANOTHER PRICK IN THE BACK WARNED THE FELLOW THAT ONE OF NOBLE BLOOD WAS BEHIND HIM AND SO ON EACH ONE WOUNDING HIM IN HIS TURN WHEN THE MAN CLOSED ROUND BY THE CIRCLE OF SWORDS AND COVERED WITH BLOOD


HAD TURNED AND DANCED ABOUT ENOUGH THEY ORDERED THEIR SERVANTS TO BEAT HIM WITH STICKS TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF HIS IDEAS OTHERS HIT THE LION THAT IS THEY GAILY STOPPED A PASSENGER


IF HIS EYES WERE GOUGED OUT HE WAS PAID FOR THEM SUCH WERE TOWARDS THE BEGINNING OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY THE PASTIMES OF THE RICH IDLERS OF LONDON THE IDLERS OF PARIS HAD THEIRS


JUST LIKE ANY ONE ELSE HE WOULD GAILY SET FIRE TO A COT OF WOODWORK AND THATCH AND JUST SCORCH THOSE WITHIN BUT HE WOULD REBUILD THEIR HOUSES IN STONE HE INSULTED TWO LADIES ONE WAS UNMARRIED HE GAVE HER A PORTION THE OTHER WAS MARRIED HE HAD HER HUSBAND APPOINTED CHAPLAIN


AND ALL THOSE ON THE NECK SO MUCH LESS FOR THE ENEMY'S BEAK HE USED TO SAY THEN HE EXTENDED THE COCK'S WINGS AND CUT EACH FEATHER ONE AFTER ANOTHER TO A POINT AND THUS THE WINGS WERE FURNISHED WITH DARTS SO MUCH FOR THE ENEMY'S EYES HE WOULD SAY


THEN HE SCRAPED ITS CLAWS WITH A PENKNIFE SHARPENED ITS NAILS FITTED IT WITH SPURS OF SHARP STEEL SPAT ON ITS HEAD SPAT ON ITS NECK ANOINTED IT WITH SPITTLE AS THEY USED TO RUB OIL OVER ATHLETES THEN SET IT DOWN IN THE PIT A REDOUBTABLE CHAMPION EXCLAIMING


THAT'S HOW TO MAKE A COCK AN EAGLE AND A BIRD OF THE POULTRY YARD A BIRD OF THE MOUNTAIN LORD DAVID ATTENDED PRIZE FIGHTS AND WAS THEIR LIVING LAW ON OCCASIONS OF GREAT PERFORMANCES


AND FROM HIS OWN MOUTH FILLED WITH WATER BLOWING A FINE RAIN INTO HIS EYES AND EARS A THING WHICH REANIMATES EVEN A DYING MAN IF HE WAS REFEREE HE SAW THAT THERE WAS NO FOUL PLAY PREVENTED ANY ONE WHOSOEVER HE MIGHT BE FROM ASSISTING THE COMBATANTS EXCEPTING THE SECONDS


DECLARE THE MAN BEATEN WHO DID NOT FAIRLY FACE HIS OPPONENT WATCHED THAT THE TIME BETWEEN THE ROUNDS DID NOT EXCEED HALF A MINUTE PREVENTED BUTTING


AND FORBADE A MAN'S BEING HIT WHEN DOWN ALL THIS SCIENCE HOWEVER DID NOT RENDER HIM A PEDANT NOR DESTROY HIS EASE OF MANNER IN SOCIETY WHEN HE WAS REFEREE ROUGH PIMPLE FACED UNSHORN FRIENDS OF EITHER COMBATANT NEVER DARED TO COME TO THE AID OF THEIR FAILING MAN


LORD DAVID WAS ONE OF THE FEW REFEREES WHOM THEY DARED NOT THRASH NO ONE COULD TRAIN LIKE HIM THE PUGILIST WHOSE TRAINER HE CONSENTED TO BECOME WAS SURE TO WIN LORD DAVID WOULD CHOOSE A HERCULES MASSIVE AS A ROCK TALL AS A TOWER AND MAKE HIM HIS CHILD


THE PROBLEM WAS TO TURN THAT HUMAN ROCK FROM A DEFENSIVE TO AN OFFENSIVE STATE IN THIS HE EXCELLED HAVING ONCE ADOPTED THE CYCLOPS HE NEVER LEFT HIM HE BECAME HIS NURSE HE MEASURED OUT HIS WINE WEIGHED HIS MEAT AND COUNTED HIS HOURS OF SLEEP


IT WAS HE WHO INVENTED THE ATHLETE'S ADMIRABLE RULES


AFTER WHICH HE UNDRESSED HIS MAN RUBBED HIM AND PUT HIM TO BED IN THE STREET HE NEVER ALLOWED HIM TO LEAVE HIS SIGHT KEEPING HIM OUT OF EVERY DANGER RUNAWAY HORSES THE WHEELS OF CARRIAGES DRUNKEN SOLDIERS PRETTY GIRLS HE WATCHED OVER HIS VIRTUE


THIS MATERNAL SOLICITUDE CONTINUALLY BROUGHT SOME NEW PERFECTION INTO THE PUPIL'S EDUCATION HE TAUGHT HIM THE BLOW WITH THE FIST WHICH BREAKS THE TEETH AND THE TWIST OF THE THUMB WHICH GOUGES OUT THE EYE WHAT COULD BE MORE TOUCHING THUS HE WAS PREPARING HIMSELF FOR PUBLIC LIFE TO WHICH HE WAS TO BE CALLED LATER ON


IT IS NO EASY MATTER TO BECOME AN ACCOMPLISHED GENTLEMAN LORD DAVID DIRRY MOIR WAS PASSIONATELY FOND OF OPEN AIR EXHIBITIONS OF SHOWS OF CIRCUSES WITH WILD BEASTS OF THE CARAVANS OF MOUNTEBANKS OF CLOWNS TUMBLERS MERRYMEN OPEN AIR FARCES AND THE WONDERS OF A FAIR


THE TRUE NOBLE IS HE WHO SMACKS OF THE PEOPLE THEREFORE IT WAS THAT LORD DAVID FREQUENTED THE TAVERNS AND LOW HAUNTS OF LONDON AND THE CINQUE PORTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE AT NEED AND WITHOUT COMPROMISING HIS RANK IN THE WHITE SQUADRON TO BE CHEEK BY JOWL WITH A TOPMAN OR A CALKER


THE DUCHESS JOSIANA TOWARDS SEVENTEEN O FIVE ALTHOUGH LADY JOSIANA WAS TWENTY THREE AND LORD DAVID FORTY FOUR THE WEDDING HAD NOT YET TAKEN PLACE AND THAT FOR THE BEST REASONS IN THE WORLD


TO HAVE NO TIE UNTIL AS LATE AS POSSIBLE APPEARED TO HIM TO BE A PROLONGATION OF YOUTH MIDDLE AGED YOUNG MEN ABOUNDED IN THOSE RAKISH TIMES THEY GREW GRAY AS YOUNG FOPS THE WIG WAS AN ACCOMPLICE LATER ON POWDER BECAME THE AUXILIARY


WOMEN TOO HAD THEIR SUCCESSES IN THE AUTUMN OF LIFE WITNESS NINON AND MARION SUCH WERE THE MODELS OF THE DAY JOSIANA AND DAVID CARRIED ON A FLIRTATION OF A PARTICULAR SHADE THEY DID NOT LOVE THEY PLEASED EACH OTHER


FELT HERSELF A PRINCESS AND CARRIED HER AUTHORITY OVER HIM WITH A HIGH TONE IN ALL THEIR ARRANGEMENTS SHE HAD A FANCY FOR LORD DAVID LORD DAVID WAS HANDSOME BUT THAT WAS OVER AND ABOVE THE BARGAIN SHE CONSIDERED HIM TO BE FASHIONABLE TO BE FASHIONABLE IS EVERYTHING


JOSIANA THOUGHT GREAT THINGS OF HIS HORSES HIS DOGS HIS LOSSES AT PLAY HIS MISTRESSES LORD DAVID ON HIS SIDE BOWED DOWN BEFORE THE FASCINATIONS OF THE DUCHESS JOSIANA A MAIDEN WITHOUT SPOT OR SCRUPLE


HAUGHTY INACCESSIBLE AND AUDACIOUS HE ADDRESSED SONNETS TO HER WHICH JOSIANA SOMETIMES READ IN THESE SONNETS HE DECLARED THAT TO POSSESS JOSIANA WOULD BE TO RISE TO THE STARS WHICH DID NOT PREVENT HIS ALWAYS PUTTING THE ASCENT OFF TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR


HE WAITED IN THE ANTECHAMBER OUTSIDE JOSIANA'S HEART AND THIS SUITED THE CONVENIENCE OF BOTH AT COURT ALL ADMIRED THE GOOD TASTE OF THIS DELAY LADY JOSIANA SAID IT IS A BORE THAT I SHOULD BE OBLIGED TO MARRY LORD DAVID


I WHO WOULD DESIRE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO BE IN LOVE WITH HIM JOSIANA WAS THE FLESH NOTHING COULD BE MORE RESPLENDENT SHE WAS VERY TALL TOO TALL HER HAIR WAS OF THAT TINGE WHICH MIGHT BE CALLED RED GOLD SHE WAS PLUMP


FRESH STRONG AND ROSY WITH IMMENSE BOLDNESS AND WIT SHE HAD EYES WHICH WERE TOO INTELLIGIBLE SHE HAD NEITHER LOVERS NOR CHASTITY SHE WALLED HERSELF ROUND WITH PRIDE


PROVIDED THAT THE OBJECTS WERE UNCOMMON AND PROPORTIONED TO THE MERITS OF ONE SO HIGHLY PLACED SHE THOUGHT LITTLE OF HER REPUTATION BUT MUCH OF HER GLORY TO APPEAR YIELDING AND TO BE UNAPPROACHABLE IS PERFECTION JOSIANA FELT HERSELF MAJESTIC AND MATERIAL


SHE DISCOURSED ON LOCKE SHE WAS POLITE SHE WAS SUSPECTED OF KNOWING ARABIC TO BE THE FLESH AND TO BE WOMAN ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS


WHICH SO READILY TURNS TO LOVE JOSIANA WAS NOT NOT THAT SHE WAS UNFEELING THE ANCIENT COMPARISON OF FLESH TO MARBLE IS ABSOLUTELY FALSE THE BEAUTY OF FLESH CONSISTS IN NOT BEING MARBLE


ITS BEAUTY IS TO PALPITATE TO TREMBLE TO BLUSH TO BLEED TO HAVE FIRMNESS WITHOUT HARDNESS TO BE WHITE WITHOUT BEING COLD TO HAVE ITS SENSATIONS AND ITS INFIRMITIES ITS BEAUTY IS TO BE LIFE AND MARBLE IS DEATH


THE KING HAD MADE HER A DUCHESS AND JUPITER A NEREID A DOUBLE IRRADIATION OF WHICH THE STRANGE BRIGHTNESS OF THIS CREATURE WAS COMPOSED IN ADMIRING HER YOU FELT YOURSELF BECOMING A PAGAN AND A LACKEY HER ORIGIN HAD BEEN BASTARDY AND THE OCEAN


IF SHE HAD STABBED HERSELF IT WOULD LIKE LUCRETIA NOT HAVE BEEN UNTIL AFTERWARDS SHE WAS A VIRGIN STAINED WITH EVERY DEFILEMENT IN ITS VISIONARY STAGE SHE WAS A POSSIBLE ASTARTE IN A REAL DIANA SHE WAS IN THE INSOLENCE OF HIGH BIRTH


JOSIANA BROUGHT TO ONE'S MIND THE LINE


TWO WITH ALL THAT SHE WAS A PRUDE IT WAS THE FASHION REMEMBER ELIZABETH ELIZABETH WAS OF A TYPE THAT PREVAILED IN ENGLAND FOR THREE CENTURIES


THE SIXTEENTH SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH ELIZABETH WAS MORE THAN ENGLISH SHE WAS ANGLICAN HENCE THE DEEP RESPECT OF THE EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH FOR THAT QUEEN RESPECT RESENTED BY THE CHURCH OF ROME WHICH COUNTERBALANCED IT WITH A DASH OF EXCOMMUNICATION


MARY STUART LESS CONCERNED WITH THE CHURCH AND MORE WITH THE WOMAN PART OF THE QUESTION HAD LITTLE RESPECT FOR HER SISTER ELIZABETH AND WROTE TO HER AS QUEEN TO QUEEN AND COQUETTE TO PRUDE YOUR DISINCLINATION TO MARRIAGE ARISES FROM YOUR NOT WISHING TO LOSE THE LIBERTY OF BEING MADE LOVE TO


MARY STUART PLAYED WITH THE FAN ELIZABETH WITH THE AXE AN UNEVEN MATCH THEY WERE RIVALS BESIDES IN LITERATURE MARY STUART COMPOSED FRENCH VERSES ELIZABETH TRANSLATED HORACE THE UGLY ELIZABETH DECREED HERSELF BEAUTIFUL


LIKED QUATRAINS AND ACROSTICS HAD THE KEYS OF TOWNS PRESENTED TO HER BY CUPIDS BIT HER LIPS AFTER THE ITALIAN FASHION ROLLED HER EYES AFTER THE SPANISH HAD IN HER WARDROBE THREE THOUSAND DRESSES AND COSTUMES


COLLARED HATTON BOXED THE EARS OF ESSEX SHOWED HER LEGS TO BASSOMPIERRE AND WAS A VIRGIN


CYNICISM IS AT LEAST AS GOOD AS HYPOCRISY NOWADAYS ENGLAND WHOSE LOYOLA IS NAMED WESLEY CASTS DOWN HER EYES A LITTLE AT THE REMEMBRANCE OF THAT PAST AGE SHE IS VEXED AT THE MEMORY YET PROUD OF IT


JUNO RESOLVES HERSELF INTO ARAMINTA A PRETENSION TO DIVINITY NOT ADMITTED CREATES AFFECTATION IN DEFAULT OF THUNDERCLAPS THERE IS IMPERTINENCE THE TEMPLE SHRIVELS INTO THE BOUDOIR NOT HAVING THE POWER TO BE A GODDESS SHE IS AN IDOL


A GRIMACE OF DISGUST CONCEALS CUPIDITY AND THEN WOMAN FEELS HER WEAK POINT GUARDED BY ALL THAT CASUISTRY OF GALLANTRY WHICH TAKES THE PLACE OF SCRUPLES IN PRUDES IT IS A LINE OF CIRCUMVALLATION WITH A DITCH EVERY PRUDE PUTS ON AN AIR OF REPUGNANCE


TO WHOM IT WAS SAID HE HAD SOLD HIS SISTER MISS CHURCHILL BOLINGBROKE WAS IN HIS MERIDIAN AND RICHELIEU IN HIS DAWN GALLANTRY FOUND ITS CONVENIENCE IN A CERTAIN MEDLEY OF RANKS MEN WERE EQUALIZED BY THE SAME VICES AS THEY WERE LATER ON PERHAPS BY THE SAME IDEAS


DEGRADATION OF RANK AN ARISTOCRATIC PRELUDE BEGAN WHAT THE REVOLUTION WAS TO COMPLETE IT WAS NOT VERY FAR OFF THE TIME WHEN JELYOTTE WAS SEEN PUBLICLY SITTING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT ON THE BED OF THE MARQUISE D'EPINAY IT IS TRUE FOR MANNERS RE ECHO EACH OTHER


THAT IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY SMETON'S NIGHTCAP HAD BEEN FOUND UNDER ANNE BOLEYN'S PILLOW IF THE WORD WOMAN SIGNIFIES FAULT AS I FORGET WHAT COUNCIL DECIDED NEVER WAS WOMAN SO WOMANLIKE AS THEN NEVER COVERING HER FRAILTY BY HER CHARMS


AND HER WEAKNESS BY HER OMNIPOTENCE HAS SHE CLAIMED ABSOLUTION MORE IMPERIOUSLY IN MAKING THE FORBIDDEN THE PERMITTED FRUIT EVE FELL IN MAKING THE PERMITTED THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT SHE TRIUMPHS THAT IS THE CLIMAX


ALL JOSIANA'S INSTINCTS IMPELLED HER TO YIELD HERSELF GALLANTLY RATHER THAN TO GIVE HERSELF LEGALLY TO SURRENDER ON THE SCORE OF GALLANTRY IMPLIES LEARNING


IT WAS A NECESSITY DOUBTLESS BUT WHAT A PITY JOSIANA APPRECIATED LORD DAVID AND SHOWED HIM OFF THERE WAS BETWEEN THEM A TACIT AGREEMENT NEITHER TO CONCLUDE NOR TO BREAK OFF THE ENGAGEMENT THEY ELUDED EACH OTHER THIS METHOD OF MAKING LOVE ONE STEP IN ADVANCE AND TWO BACK


IT IS UNBECOMING TO BE MARRIED FADES ONE'S RIBBONS AND MAKES ONE LOOK OLD AN ESPOUSAL IS A DREARY ABSORPTION OF BRILLIANCY A WOMAN HANDED OVER TO YOU BY A NOTARY HOW COMMONPLACE


THE BRUTALITY OF MARRIAGE CREATES DEFINITE SITUATIONS SUPPRESSES THE WILL KILLS CHOICE HAS A SYNTAX LIKE GRAMMAR REPLACES INSPIRATION BY ORTHOGRAPHY MAKES A DICTATION OF LOVE DISPERSES ALL LIFE'S MYSTERIES


DIMINISHES THE RIGHTS BOTH OF SOVEREIGN AND SUBJECT BY A TURN OF THE SCALE DESTROYS THE CHARMING EQUILIBRIUM OF THE SEXES THE ONE ROBUST IN BODILY STRENGTH THE OTHER ALL POWERFUL IN FEMININE WEAKNESS STRENGTH ON ONE SIDE BEAUTY ON THE OTHER


MAKES ONE A MASTER AND THE OTHER A SERVANT WHILE WITHOUT MARRIAGE ONE IS A SLAVE THE OTHER A QUEEN TO MAKE LOVE PROSAICALLY DECENT HOW GROSS


LORD DAVID WAS RIPENING FORTY TIS A MARKED PERIOD HE DID NOT PERCEIVE THIS AND IN TRUTH HE LOOKED NO MORE THAN THIRTY HE CONSIDERED IT MORE AMUSING TO DESIRE JOSIANA THAN TO POSSESS HER HE POSSESSED OTHERS HE HAD MISTRESSES


ON THE OTHER HAND JOSIANA HAD DREAMS THE DUCHESS JOSIANA HAD A PECULIARITY LESS RARE THAN IT IS SUPPOSED ONE OF HER EYES WAS BLUE AND THE OTHER BLACK HER PUPILS WERE MADE FOR LOVE AND HATE FOR HAPPINESS AND MISERY


NIGHT AND DAY WERE MINGLED IN HER LOOK HER AMBITION WAS THIS TO SHOW HERSELF CAPABLE OF IMPOSSIBILITIES ONE DAY SHE SAID TO SWIFT YOU PEOPLE FANCY THAT YOU KNOW WHAT SCORN IS YOU PEOPLE MEANT THE HUMAN RACE


SHE WAS A SKIN DEEP PAPIST HER CATHOLICISM DID NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT NECESSARY FOR FASHION


SHE WORE GREAT DRESSES OF VELVET SATIN OR MOIRE SOME COMPOSED OF FIFTEEN OR SIXTEEN YARDS OF MATERIAL WITH EMBROIDERIES OF GOLD AND SILVER AND ROUND HER WAIST MANY KNOTS OF PEARLS ALTERNATING WITH OTHER PRECIOUS STONES SHE WAS EXTRAVAGANT IN GOLD LACE


SOMETIMES SHE WORE AN EMBROIDERED CLOTH JACKET LIKE A BACHELOR


IN LATITUDE FORTY SEVEN DEGREES


AND LONGITUDE SEVENTEEN DEGREES


IN THE AFTERMATH OF THIS STORM WE WERE THROWN BACK TO THE EAST AWAY WENT ANY HOPE OF ESCAPING TO THE LANDING PLACES OF NEW YORK OR THE SAINT LAWRENCE IN DESPAIR


POOR NED WENT INTO SECLUSION LIKE CAPTAIN NEMO CONSEIL AND I NO LONGER LEFT EACH OTHER AS I SAID THE NAUTILUS VEERED TO THE EAST TO BE MORE ACCURATE I SHOULD HAVE SAID TO THE NORTHEAST


SOMETIMES BENEATH THEM THE SHIP WANDERED FOR DAYS AMID THESE MISTS SO FEARED BY NAVIGATORS THESE ARE CAUSED CHIEFLY BY MELTING ICE WHICH KEEPS THE AIR EXTREMELY DAMP


HOW MANY SHIPS HAVE PERISHED IN THESE WATERWAYS AS THEY TRIED TO GET DIRECTIONS FROM THE HAZY LIGHTS ON THE COAST HOW MANY CASUALTIES HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THESE OPAQUE MISTS HOW MANY COLLISIONS HAVE OCCURRED WITH THESE REEFS


WHERE THE BREAKING SURF IS COVERED BY THE NOISE OF THE WIND HOW MANY VESSELS HAVE RAMMED EACH OTHER


SO THE FLOOR OF THIS SEA HAD THE APPEARANCE OF A BATTLEFIELD WHERE EVERY SHIP DEFEATED


OTHERS NEWER AND REFLECTING OUR BEACON LIGHT ON THEIR IRONWORK AND COPPER UNDERSIDES AMONG THESE VESSELS HOW MANY WENT DOWN WITH ALL HANDS WITH THEIR CREWS AND HOSTS OF IMMIGRANTS


AT THESE TROUBLE SPOTS SO PROMINENT IN THE STATISTICS CAPE RACE SAINT PAUL ISLAND THE STRAIT OF BELLE ISLE THE SAINT LAWRENCE ESTUARY


AND IN ONLY A FEW YEARS HOW MANY VICTIMS HAVE BEEN FURNISHED TO THE OBITUARY NOTICES BY THE ROYAL MAIL INMAN AND MONTREAL LINES BY VESSELS NAMED THE SOLWAY THE ISIS THE PARAMATTA


THE HUNGARIAN THE CANADIAN THE ANGLO SAXON THE HUMBOLDT


ALL RUN AGROUND BY THE ARCTIC AND THE LYONNAIS SUNK IN COLLISIONS BY THE PRESIDENT THE PACIFIC AND THE CITY OF GLASGOW


OF THEIR GLOOMY RUBBLE THE NAUTILUS NAVIGATED


BY MAY FIFTEENTH WE WERE OFF THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE GRAND BANKS OF NEWFOUNDLAND THESE BANKS ARE THE RESULT OF MARINE SEDIMENTATION AN EXTENSIVE ACCUMULATION OF ORGANIC WASTE


BROUGHT EITHER FROM THE EQUATOR BY THE GULF STREAM'S CURRENT OR FROM THE NORTH POLE BY THE COUNTERCURRENT OF COLD WATER THAT SKIRTS THE AMERICAN COAST HERE TOO ERRATICALLY DRIFTING CHUNKS COLLECT FROM THE ICE BREAKUP


HERE A HUGE BONEYARD FORMS FROM FISH MOLLUSKS


DYING OVER IT BY THE BILLIONS THE SEA IS OF NO GREAT DEPTH AT THE GRAND BANKS A FEW HUNDRED FATHOMS AT BEST BUT TO THE SOUTH THERE IS A DEEP


SUDDENLY OCCURRING DEPRESSION A THREE THOUSAND METER PIT HERE THE GULF STREAM WIDENS


A ONE METER LUMPFISH BLACKISH ON TOP


AND RARE AMONG ITS BRETHREN IN THAT IT PRACTICES MONOGAMY A GOOD SIZED EELPOUT A TYPE OF EMERALD MORAY WHOSE FLAVOR IS EXCELLENT WOLFFISH WITH BIG EYES


VIVIPAROUS BLENNIES WHOSE EGGS HATCH INSIDE THEIR BODIES LIKE THOSE OF SNAKES BLOATED GOBIO


MEASURING TWO DECIMETERS GRENADIERS WITH LONG TAILS AND GLEAMING WITH A SILVERY GLOW SPEEDY FISH VENTURING FAR FROM THEIR HIGH ARCTIC SEAS OUR NETS ALSO HAULED IN A BOLD


DARING VIGOROUS AND MUSCULAR FISH ARMED WITH PRICKLES ON ITS HEAD AND STINGS ON ITS FINS A REAL SCORPION MEASURING TWO TO THREE METERS THE RUTHLESS ENEMY


BLENNIES AND SALMON IT WAS THE BULLHEAD OF THE NORTHERLY SEAS A FISH WITH RED FINS AND A BROWN BODY COVERED WITH NODULES


THE NAUTILUS'S FISHERMEN HAD SOME TROUBLE GETTING A GRIP ON THIS ANIMAL WHICH THANKS TO THE FORMATION OF ITS GILL COVERS


CAN PROTECT ITS RESPIRATORY ORGANS FROM ANY PARCHING CONTACT WITH THE AIR AND CAN LIVE OUT OF WATER FOR A GOOD WHILE AND I'LL MENTION FOR THE RECORD SOME LITTLE BANDED BLENNIES


THAT FOLLOW SHIPS INTO THE NORTHERNMOST SEAS SHARP SNOUTED CARP EXCLUSIVE TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC SCORPIONFISH AND LASTLY


CHIEFLY THE COD SPECIES WHICH I DETECTED IN THEIR WATERS OF CHOICE OVER THESE INEXHAUSTIBLE GRAND BANKS BECAUSE NEWFOUNDLAND IS SIMPLY AN UNDERWATER PEAK


YOU COULD CALL THESE COD MOUNTAIN FISH WHILE THE NAUTILUS WAS CLEARING A PATH THROUGH THEIR TIGHT RANKS


MERCY LOOK AT THESE COD HE SAID WHY I THOUGHT COD WERE FLAT LIKE DAB OR SOLE


AND SPREAD OUT ON DISPLAY BUT IN THE WATER THEY'RE LIKE MULLET SPINDLE SHAPED AND PERFECTLY BUILT FOR SPEED I CAN EASILY BELIEVE MASTER CONSEIL REPLIED BUT WHAT CROWDS OF THEM WHAT SWARMS


BAH MY FRIEND THERE'D BE MANY MORE WITHOUT THEIR ENEMIES SCORPIONFISH AND HUMAN BEINGS DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY EGGS HAVE BEEN COUNTED IN A SINGLE FEMALE I'LL GO ALL OUT CONSEIL REPLIED


FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND ELEVEN MILLION MY FRIEND ELEVEN MILLION I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT UNTIL I COUNT THEM MYSELF SO COUNT THEM CONSEIL


BUT IT WOULD BE LESS WORK TO BELIEVE ME BESIDES FRENCHMEN ENGLISHMEN AMERICANS DANES AND NORWEGIANS CATCH THESE COD BY THE THOUSANDS THEY'RE EATEN IN PRODIGIOUS QUANTITIES AND WITHOUT


THE SEAS WOULD SOON BE DEPOPULATED OF THEM ACCORDINGLY IN ENGLAND AND AMERICA ALONE FIVE THOUSAND SHIPS MANNED BY SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND SEAMEN GO AFTER COD EACH SHIP BRINGS BACK AN AVERAGE CATCH


OF FOUR THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FISH MAKING TWENTY TWO MILLION OFF THE COAST OF NORWAY


THE TOTAL IS THE SAME FINE CONSEIL REPLIED I'LL TAKE MASTER'S WORD FOR IT I WON'T COUNT THEM COUNT WHAT THOSE ELEVEN MILLION EGGS BUT I'LL MAKE ONE COMMENT


WHAT'S THAT IF ALL THEIR EGGS HATCHED JUST FOUR CODFISH COULD FEED ENGLAND AMERICA AND NORWAY AS WE SKIMMED THE DEPTHS OF THE GRAND BANKS


I COULD SEE PERFECTLY THOSE LONG FISHING LINES EACH ARMED WITH TWO HUNDRED HOOKS THAT EVERY BOAT DANGLED BY THE DOZENS THE LOWER END OF EACH LINE DRAGGED THE BOTTOM BY MEANS OF A SMALL GRAPPLING IRON


OF A CORK FLOAT THE NAUTILUS HAD TO MANEUVER SHREWDLY IN THE MIDST OF THIS UNDERWATER SPIDERWEB BUT THE SHIP DIDN'T STAY LONG IN THESE HEAVILY TRAVELED WATERWAYS IT WENT UP TO ABOUT LATITUDE FORTY TWO DEGREES


THIS BROUGHT IT ABREAST OF SAINT JOHN'S IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND HEART'S CONTENT WHERE THE ATLANTIC CABLE REACHES ITS END POINT INSTEAD OF CONTINUING NORTH THE NAUTILUS TOOK AN EASTERLY HEADING


AS IF TO GO ALONG THIS PLATEAU ON WHICH THE TELEGRAPH CABLE RESTS WHERE MULTIPLE SOUNDINGS HAVE GIVEN THE CONTOURS OF THE TERRAIN WITH THE UTMOST ACCURACY IT WAS ON MAY SEVENTEENTH


ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED MILES FROM HEART'S CONTENT


THAT I SPOTTED THIS CABLE LYING ON THE SEAFLOOR CONSEIL WHOM I HADN'T ALERTED MISTOOK IT AT FIRST FOR A GIGANTIC SEA SNAKE AND WAS GEARING UP TO CLASSIFY IT IN HIS BEST MANNER


THE FINE LAD AND LET HIM DOWN GENTLY BY GIVING HIM VARIOUS DETAILS ON THE LAYING OF THIS CABLE THE FIRST CABLE WAS PUT DOWN DURING THE YEARS EIGHTEEN FIFTY SEVEN EIGHTEEN FIFTY EIGHT BUT


AFTER TRANSMITTING ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED TELEGRAMS IT WENT DEAD IN EIGHTEEN SIXTY THREE ENGINEERS BUILT A NEW CABLE THAT MEASURED


FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED METRIC TONS AND WAS SHIPPED ABOARD THE GREAT EASTERN THIS ATTEMPT ALSO FAILED NOW THEN


ON MAY TWENTY FIFTH WHILE SUBMERGED TO A DEPTH OF THREE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY SIX METERS THE NAUTILUS LAY IN PRECISELY THE LOCALITY WHERE THIS SECOND CABLE SUFFERED THE RUPTURE THAT RUINED THE UNDERTAKING


THE ELECTRICIANS ON BOARD DECIDED TO CUT THE CABLE BEFORE FISHING IT UP AND BY ELEVEN O'CLOCK THAT EVENING THEY HAD RETRIEVED THE DAMAGED PART THEY REPAIRED THE JOINT AND ITS SPLICE


THEN THE CABLE WAS RESUBMERGED BUT A FEW DAYS LATER IT SNAPPED AGAIN AND COULDN'T BE RECOVERED FROM THE OCEAN DEPTHS


WHO HAD RISKED HIS WHOLE FORTUNE TO PROMOTE THIS UNDERTAKING CALLED FOR A NEW BOND ISSUE IT SOLD OUT IMMEDIATELY


WHICH WAS PROTECTED BY A PADDING OF TEXTILE MATERIAL ENCLOSED IN A METAL SHEATH THE GREAT EASTERN PUT BACK TO SEA ON JULY THIRTEENTH EIGHTEEN SIXTY SIX


YET THERE WAS ONE HITCH AS THEY GRADUALLY UNROLLED THIS THIRD CABLE THE ELECTRICIANS OBSERVED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT SOMEONE HAD RECENTLY DRIVEN NAILS INTO IT TRYING TO DAMAGE ITS CORE


CAPTAIN ANDERSON HIS OFFICERS AND THE ENGINEERS PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER THEN POSTED A WARNING


WITHOUT A TRIAL AFTER THAT THESE VILLAINOUS ATTEMPTS WERE NOT REPEATED BY JULY TWENTY THIRD THE GREAT EASTERN WAS LYING NO FARTHER THAN EIGHT HUNDRED KILOMETERS FROM NEWFOUNDLAND


WHEN IT RECEIVED TELEGRAPHED NEWS FROM IRELAND


SIGNED BETWEEN PRUSSIA AND AUSTRIA AFTER THE BATTLE OF SADOVA THROUGH THE MISTS ON THE TWENTY SEVENTH IT SIGHTED THE PORT OF HEART'S CONTENT


HAD ENDED HAPPILY AND IN ITS FIRST DISPATCH YOUNG AMERICA ADDRESSED OLD EUROPE WITH THESE WISE WORDS SO RARELY UNDERSTOOD GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST AND PEACE ON EARTH TO MEN OF GOOD WILL


I DIDN'T EXPECT TO FIND THIS ELECTRIC CABLE IN MINT CONDITION AS IT LOOKED ON LEAVING ITS PLACE OF MANUFACTURE THE LONG SNAKE WAS COVERED WITH SEASHELL RUBBLE AND BRISTLING WITH


A CRUST OF CAKED GRAVEL PROTECTED IT FROM ANY MOLLUSKS THAT MIGHT BORE INTO IT IT RESTED SERENELY SHELTERED FROM THE SEA'S MOTIONS UNDER A PRESSURE FAVORABLE TO THE TRANSMISSION


THAT GOES FROM AMERICA TO EUROPE


THIS CABLE WILL NO DOUBT LAST INDEFINITELY BECAUSE AS OBSERVERS NOTE


BESIDES ON THIS WELL CHOSEN PLATEAU THE CABLE NEVER LIES AT DEPTHS THAT COULD CAUSE A BREAK THE NAUTILUS


TO ITS LOWEST REACHES LOCATED FOUR THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY ONE METERS DOWN


THEN WE RETURNED TO THE LOCALITY WHERE THE EIGHTEEN SIXTY THREE ACCIDENT HAD TAKEN PLACE THERE THE OCEAN FLOOR FORMED A VALLEY


ONE HUNDRED TWENTY KILOMETERS WIDE INTO WHICH YOU COULD FIT MT BLANC WITHOUT ITS SUMMIT POKING ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WAVES THIS VALLEY IS CLOSED OFF TO THE EAST BY A SHEER WALL


TWO THOUSAND METERS HIGH WE ARRIVED THERE ON MAY TWENTY EIGHTH AND THE NAUTILUS


HEAD UP NORTH AND BEACH US ON THE BRITISH ISLES NO MUCH TO MY SURPRISE HE WENT BACK DOWN SOUTH AND RETURNED TO EUROPEAN SEAS AS WE SWUNG AROUND THE EMERALD ISLE


I SPOTTED CAPE CLEAR FOR AN INSTANT PLUS THE LIGHTHOUSE ON FASTNET ROCK THAT GUIDES ALL THOSE THOUSANDS OF SHIPS SETTING OUT FROM GLASGOW OR LIVERPOOL AN IMPORTANT QUESTION THEN POPPED INTO MY HEAD


WOULD THE NAUTILUS DARE TO TACKLE THE ENGLISH CHANNEL NED LAND WHO PROMPTLY REAPPEARED AFTER WE HUGGED SHORE NEVER STOPPED QUESTIONING ME WHAT COULD I ANSWER HIM


AFTER GIVING THE CANADIAN A GLIMPSE OF AMERICAN SHORES WAS HE ABOUT TO SHOW ME THE COAST OF FRANCE BUT THE NAUTILUS KEPT GRAVITATING SOUTHWARD ON MAY THIRTIETH


IN SIGHT OF LAND'S END IT PASSED BETWEEN THE LOWERMOST TIP OF ENGLAND AND THE SCILLY ISLANDS WHICH IT LEFT BEHIND TO STARBOARD IF IT WAS GOING TO ENTER THE ENGLISH CHANNEL


IT CLEARLY NEEDED TO HEAD EAST IT DID NOT ALL DAY LONG ON MAY THIRTY FIRST THE NAUTILUS SWEPT AROUND THE SEA IN A SERIES OF CIRCLES


THAT HAD ME DEEPLY PUZZLED IT SEEMED TO BE SEARCHING FOR A LOCALITY THAT IT HAD SOME TROUBLE FINDING AT NOON


HE DIDN'T ADDRESS A WORD TO ME HE LOOKED GLOOMIER THAN EVER WHAT WAS FILLING HIM WITH SUCH SADNESS WAS IT OUR PROXIMITY TO THESE EUROPEAN SHORES WAS HE RELIVING HIS MEMORIES OF THAT COUNTRY


HE HAD LEFT BEHIND IF SO WHAT DID HE FEEL REMORSE OR REGRET FOR A GOOD WHILE THESE THOUGHTS OCCUPIED MY MIND AND I HAD A HUNCH THAT FATE WOULD SOON GIVE AWAY THE CAPTAIN'S SECRETS


THE NEXT DAY JUNE FIRST THE NAUTILUS KEPT TO THE SAME TACK IT WAS OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO LOCATE SOME PRECISE SPOT IN THE OCEAN JUST AS ON THE DAY BEFORE


CAPTAIN NEMO CAME TO TAKE THE ALTITUDE OF THE SUN THE SEA WAS SMOOTH THE SKIES CLEAR EIGHT MILES TO THE EAST A BIG STEAMSHIP WAS VISIBLE ON THE HORIZON LINE NO FLAG


WAS FLAPPING FROM THE GAFF OF ITS FORE AND AFT SAIL AND I COULDN'T TELL ITS NATIONALITY A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE SUN PASSED ITS ZENITH


AND TOOK HIS SIGHTS WITH THE UTMOST PRECISION THE ABSOLUTE CALM OF THE WAVES FACILITATED THIS OPERATION THE NAUTILUS LAY MOTIONLESS NEITHER ROLLING NOR PITCHING I WAS ON THE PLATFORM JUST THEN


AFTER DETERMINING OUR POSITION THE CAPTAIN PRONOUNCED ONLY THESE WORDS IT'S RIGHT HERE HE WENT DOWN THE HATCH HAD HE SEEN THAT VESSEL CHANGE COURSE


AND SEEMINGLY HEAD TOWARD US I'M UNABLE TO SAY I RETURNED TO THE LOUNGE THE HATCH CLOSED AND I HEARD WATER HISSING IN THE BALLAST TANKS THE NAUTILUS BEGAN TO SINK


ON A VERTICAL LINE BECAUSE ITS PROPELLER WAS IN CHECK AND NO LONGER FURNISHED ANY FORWARD MOTION SOME MINUTES LATER IT STOPPED AT A DEPTH OF EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY THREE METERS AND CAME TO REST ON THE SEAFLOOR


THE CEILING LIGHTS IN THE LOUNGE THEN WENT OUT THE PANELS OPENED AND THROUGH THE WINDOWS I SAW FOR A HALF MILE RADIUS THE SEA BRIGHTLY LIT BY THE BEACON'S RAYS


I LOOKED TO PORT AND SAW NOTHING BUT THE IMMENSENESS OF THESE TRANQUIL WATERS TO STARBOARD A PROMINENT BULGE ON THE SEA BOTTOM CAUGHT MY ATTENTION YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT


IT WAS SOME RUIN ENSHROUDED IN A CRUST OF WHITENED SEASHELLS AS IF UNDER A MANTLE OF SNOW CAREFULLY EXAMINING THIS MASS I COULD IDENTIFY THE SWOLLEN OUTLINES OF A SHIP SHORN


OF ITS MASTS WHICH MUST HAVE SUNK BOW FIRST THIS CASUALTY CERTAINLY DATED FROM SOME FAR OFF TIME TO BE SO CAKED WITH THE LIMESTONE OF THESE WATERS


THIS WRECKAGE MUST HAVE SPENT MANY A YEAR ON THE OCEAN FLOOR WHAT SHIP WAS THIS WHY HAD THE NAUTILUS COME TO VISIT ITS GRAVE WAS IT SOMETHING OTHER THAN A MARITIME ACCIDENT THAT HAD DRAGGED THIS CRAFT UNDER THE WATERS


I WASN'T SURE WHAT TO THINK BUT NEXT TO ME I HEARD CAPTAIN NEMO'S VOICE SLOWLY SAY ORIGINALLY THIS SHIP WAS CHRISTENED


IT CARRIED SEVENTY FOUR CANNONS AND WAS LAUNCHED IN SEVENTEEN SIXTY TWO ON AUGUST THIRTEENTH SEVENTEEN SEVENTY EIGHT COMMANDED BY LA POYPE VERTRIEUX


IT FOUGHT VALIANTLY AGAINST THE PRESTON ON JULY FOURTH SEVENTEEN SEVENTY NINE AS A MEMBER OF THE SQUADRON UNDER ADMIRAL D'ESTAING IT ASSISTED IN THE CAPTURE


OF THE ISLAND OF GRENADA ON SEPTEMBER FIFTH SEVENTEEN EIGHTY ONE UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE IT TOOK PART IN THE BATTLE OF CHESAPEAKE BAY IN SEVENTEEN NINETY FOUR


THE NEW REPUBLIC OF FRANCE CHANGED THE NAME OF THIS SHIP ON APRIL SIXTEENTH OF THAT SAME YEAR IT JOINED THE SQUADRON AT BREST UNDER REAR ADMIRAL


WHO WAS ENTRUSTED WITH ESCORTING A CONVOY OF WHEAT COMING FROM AMERICA UNDER THE COMMAND OF ADMIRAL VAN STABEL IN THIS SECOND YEAR OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY CALENDAR


THIS SQUADRON FOUGHT AN ENCOUNTER WITH ENGLISH VESSELS SIR TODAY IS JUNE FIRST EIGHTEEN SIXTY EIGHT OR THE THIRTEENTH DAY IN THE MONTH OF PASTURE


SEVENTY FOUR YEARS AGO TO THE DAY AT THIS VERY SPOT IN LATITUDE


AND LONGITUDE SEVENTEEN DEGREES


ITS THREE MASTS GONE WATER IN ITS HOLD A THIRD OF ITS CREW OUT OF ACTION IT PREFERRED TO GO TO THE BOTTOM WITH ITS THREE HUNDRED FIFTY SIX SEAMEN RATHER THAN SURRENDER AND WITH ITS FLAG


NAILED UP ON THE AFTERDECK IT DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE WAVES TO SHOUTS OF LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC THIS IS THE AVENGER I EXCLAIMED YES SIR THE AVENGER A SPLENDID NAME


OF THIS VENERABLE AND ANCIENT CITY GRADUALLY SLIPPING FROM OUR GRASP TREMBLING ON THE LIPS OF NARRATIVE OLD AGE AND DAY BY DAY DROPPING PIECEMEAL INTO THE TOMB IN A LITTLE WHILE THOUGHT I AND THOSE REVERED DUTCH BURGHERS


WHO SERVE AS THE TOTTERING MONUMENTS OF GOOD OLD TIMES WILL BE GATHERED TO THEIR FATHERS THEIR CHILDREN ENGROSSED BY THE EMPTY PLEASURES OR INSIGNIFICANT TRANSACTIONS OF THE PRESENT AGE WILL NEGLECT TO TREASURE UP THE RECOLLECTIONS OF THE PAST


AND POSTERITY WILL SEARCH IN VAIN FOR MEMORIALS OF THE DAYS OF THE PATRIARCHS THE ORIGIN OF OUR CITY WILL BE BURIED IN ETERNAL OBLIVION AND EVEN THE NAMES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOUTER VAN TWILLER


STRANGE AS IT MAY SEEM THOUGH SUCH MULTITUDES OF EXCELLENT WORKS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THIS COUNTRY THERE ARE NONE EXTANT WHICH GIVE ANY FULL AND SATISFACTORY ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF NEW YORK


OR OF ITS THREE FIRST DUTCH GOVERNORS I HAVE HOWEVER GAINED MUCH VALUABLE AND CURIOUS MATTER FROM AN ELABORATE MANUSCRIPT WRITTEN


EXCEPTING A FEW ERRORS IN ORTHOGRAPHY WHICH WAS FOUND IN THE ARCHIVES OF THE STUYVESANT FAMILY MANY LEGENDS LETTERS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS HAVE I LIKEWISE GLEANED IN MY RESEARCHES AMONG THE FAMILY CHESTS AND LUMBER GARRETS OF OUR RESPECTABLE


BY THAT ADMIRABLE AND PRAISEWORTHY INSTITUTION THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO WHICH I HERE PUBLICLY RETURN MY SINCERE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IN THE CONDUCT OF THIS INESTIMABLE WORK I HAVE ADOPTED NO INDIVIDUAL MODEL


AND THE STRICTEST ADHERENCE TO TRUTH THROUGHOUT MY HISTORY I HAVE ENRICHED IT AFTER THE MANNER OF SALLUST WITH VARIOUS CHARACTERS OF ANCIENT WORTHIES DRAWN AT FULL LENGTH AND FAITHFULLY COLORED


SWEETENED IT WITH THE GRACES OF SENTIMENT LIKE TACITUS AND INFUSED INTO THE WHOLE THE DIGNITY THE GRANDEUR AND MAGNIFICENCE OF LIVY I AM AWARE THAT I SHALL INCUR THE CENSURE OF NUMEROUS VERY LEARNED AND JUDICIOUS CRITICS FOR


OF THE HISTORIAN AND ENTICE HIM TO TURN ASIDE AND REFRESH HIMSELF FROM HIS WAYFARING BUT I TRUST IT WILL BE FOUND THAT I HAVE ALWAYS RESUMED MY STAFF AND ADDRESSED MYSELF TO MY WEARY JOURNEY WITH RENOVATED SPIRITS


YET THE LOOSE AND UNCONNECTED MANNER IN WHICH MANY OF THE FACTS HEREIN RECORDED HAVE COME TO HAND RENDERED SUCH AN ATTEMPT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT THIS DIFFICULTY WAS LIKEWISE INCREASED BY ONE OF THE GRAND OBJECTS CONTEMPLATED IN MY WORK


BUT THE CHIEF MERIT ON WHICH I VALUE MYSELF AND FOUND MY HOPES FOR FUTURE REGARD IS THAT FAITHFUL VERACITY WITH WHICH I HAVE COMPILED THIS INVALUABLE LITTLE WORK


CAREFULLY WINNOWING AWAY THE CHAFF OF HYPOTHESIS AND DISCARDING THE TARES OF FABLE WHICH ARE TOO APT TO SPRING UP AND CHOKE THE SEEDS OF TRUTH AND WHOLESOME KNOWLEDGE HAD I BEEN ANXIOUS TO CAPTIVATE THE SUPERFICIAL THRONG


THE INFANT YEARS OF OUR CITY TO INTRODUCE A THOUSAND PLEASING FICTIONS BUT I HAVE SCRUPULOUSLY DISCARDED MANY A PITHY TALE AND MARVELOUS ADVENTURE WHEREBY THE DROWSY EAR OF SUMMER INDOLENCE MIGHT BE ENTHRALLED


JEALOUSLY MAINTAINING THAT FIDELITY GRAVITY AND DIGNITY WHICH SHOULD EVER DISTINGUISH THE HISTORIAN FOR A WRITER OF THIS CLASS OBSERVES AN ELEGANT CRITIC MUST SUSTAIN THE CHARACTER OF A WISE MAN WRITING FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF POSTERITY


TO DECAY WHO GATHERS TOGETHER THEIR SCATTERED FRAGMENTS AS THEY ROT AND WHO PIOUSLY AT LENGTH COLLECTS THEIR ASHES INTO THE MAUSOLEUM OF HIS WORK AND REARS A TRIUMPHANT MONUMENT


TO TRANSMIT THEIR RENOWN TO ALL SUCCEEDING AGES WHAT HAS BEEN THE FATE OF MANY FAIR CITIES OF ANTIQUITY WHOSE NAMELESS RUINS ENCUMBER THE PLAINS OF EUROPE AND ASIA AND AWAKEN THE FRUITLESS INQUIRY OF THE TRAVELER


THEY HAVE PERISHED FROM REMEMBRANCE FOR WANT OF A HISTORIAN THE PHILANTHROPIST MAY WEEP OVER THEIR DESOLATION THE POET MAY WANDER AMONG THEIR MOULDERING ARCHES AND BROKEN COLUMNS


AND INDULGE THE VISIONARY FLIGHTS OF HIS FANCY BUT ALAS ALAS THE MODERN HISTORIAN WHOSE PEN LIKE MY OWN IS DOOMED TO CONFINE ITSELF TO DULL MATTER OF FACT


REUNITE THE THREAD OF GENERATIONS THE SAME SAD MISFORTUNE WHICH HAS HAPPENED TO SO MANY ANCIENT CITIES WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND FROM THE SAME SAD CAUSE TO NINE TENTHS OF THOSE WHICH NOW FLOURISH ON THE FACE OF THE GLOBE


CHAPTER EIGHT DUCO VAN DER STAAL HAD TAKEN A LARGE VAULT LIKE STUDIO WITH A CHILLY NORTH LIGHT UP THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS IN THE VIA DEL BABUINO HERE HE PAINTED MODELLED AND STUDIED


IN THE LITTLE SHOPS ALONG THE TIBER OR IN THE MERCATO DEI FIORI THAT WAS HIS PASSION TO HUNT THROUGH ROME FOR A PANEL OF AN OLD TRIPTYCH OR A FRAGMENT OF ANCIENT SCULPTURE


IN THIS WAY HIS STUDIO HAD NOT REMAINED THE LARGE CHILLY VAULT LIKE WORKROOM BEARING WITNESS TO ZEALOUS AND SERIOUS STUDY BUT HAD BECOME A REFUGE FOR DIM COLOURED REMNANTS OF ANTIQUITY


AND ANCIENT ART A MUSEUM FOR HIS DREAMING SPIRIT ALREADY AS A CHILD AS A BOY HE HAD FELT THAT PASSION FOR ANTIQUITY DEVELOPING HE LEARNT HOW TO RUMMAGE THROUGH THE STOCKS OF OLD JEWISH DEALERS


HE SPENT ALL HIS POCKET MONEY ON IT AND LATER WITHOUT RESERVE THE LITTLE THAT HE WAS ABLE TO EARN FOR SOMETIMES VERY SELDOM HE WOULD FINISH SOMETHING AND SELL IT


WHEN HE HAD THE MONEY TO KEEP HIMSELF GOING AND HIS PERSONAL NEEDS WERE VERY SMALL HE FELT RICH AND WAS CONTENT IN HIS STUDIO OR WOULD WANDER PERFECTLY CONTENT THROUGH THE STREETS OF ROME


AND HIS FAVOURITE HEADGEAR WAS A FADED HAT BATTERED OUT OF SHAPE BY THE RAIN


HE WOULD WANDER FOR HOURS THROUGH THE RUINS AND SEE IN A DAZZLING VISION OF PHANTOM COLUMNS ETHEREAL TEMPLES AND TRANSLUCENT MARBLE PALACES LOOMING UP IN A SHIMMERING SUNLIT TWILIGHT AND THE TOURISTS GOING BY WITH THEIR BAEDEKERS


WHO PASSED THIS LONG LEAN YOUNG MAN SEATED CARELESSLY ON THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE TEMPLE OF SATURN WOULD NEVER HAVE BELIEVED IN HIS ARCHITECTURAL ILLUSIONS OF HARMONIOUS ASCENDING LINES CROWNED BY AN ARRAY OF STATUES IN NOBLE


AND GOD LIKE ATTITUDES HIGH IN THE BLUE SKY BUT HE SAW THEM BEFORE HIM HE RAISED THE SHAFTS OF THE PILLARS HE FLUTED THE SEVERE DORIC COLUMNS HE BENT AND CURVED THE CUSHIONED IONIC CAPITALS


THE TEMPLES ROSE IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE THE BASILICAS SHOT UP AS BY MAGIC THE GRAVEN IMAGES STOOD WHITE AGAINST THE ELUSIVE DEPTHS OF THE SKY AND THE VIA SACRA BECAME ALIVE


HE IN HIS ADMIRATION LIVED HIS DREAM HIS PAST IT WAS AS THOUGH HE HAD KNOWN PREEXISTENCE IN ANCIENT ROME AND THE MODERN HOUSES THE MODERN CAPITOL


ROMAN LIFE CAME INTO BEING WITH A TOGA'D GESTURE A LINE OF HORACE A SUDDEN VISION OF AN EMPEROR'S MURDER


EATEN UP WITH AGE CRUMBLED MARTYRED MUTILATED WITH HAMMERS TILL ONLY A FEW OCCASIONAL PILLARS LIFTED AND BORE A TREMBLING ARCHITRAVE THAT THREATENED TO COME CRASHING TO THE GROUND


AND THE BROWNS AND GREYS WERE SO RICHLY AND NOBLY GILDED BY SPLASHES OF SUNLIGHT THE RUINS WERE SO EXQUISITELY BEAUTIFUL IN DECAY SO MELANCHOLY IN THEIR UNWITTING FORTUITOUSNESS OF BROKEN LINES


AND CAUSED THEM TO BURST ASUNDER AND SHAKE AND TREMBLE FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR WISTFUL AFTERMATH OF BEAUTY THEN HIS EYES GREW MOIST HIS HEART BECAME MORE FULL THAN HE COULD BEAR


AND HE WENT AWAY THROUGH THE ARCH OF TITUS BY THE COLOSSEUM THROUGH THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE


NEITHER IN HIS MOTHER NOR IN HIS SISTERS DID HE FIND A STRAIN THAT SYMPATHIZED WITH HIS ECCENTRIC TENDENCIES AND SINCE THAT ONE FRIEND WHO DIED HE HAD NEVER FOUND ANOTHER AND HAD ALWAYS BEEN LONELY WITHIN


AND WITHOUT AS THOUGH THE VICTIM OF A PREDESTINATION WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO MEET WITH SYMPATHY BUT HE HAD PEOPLED HIS LONELINESS SO DENSELY WITH HIS DREAMS THAT HE HAD NEVER FELT UNHAPPY BECAUSE OF IT


AND EVEN AS HE LOVED ROAMING ALONE AMONG THE RUINS AND ALONG THE COUNTRY ROADS SO HE CHERISHED THE PRIVACY OF HIS LONELY STUDIO WITH THE MANY SILENT FIGURES ON AN OLD PANEL OF SOME TRIPTYCH


ON A TAPESTRY OR ON THE MANY CLOSELY HUNG SKETCHES ALL AROUND HIM ALL WITH THE CHARM OF THEIR LINES


OR A SHADOWY ANTIQUE CABINET AND IN BETWEEN ALL THIS LIVED HIS CHINA AND BRONZE AND OLD SILVER WHILE THE FADED GOLD EMBROIDERY OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL VESTMENT GLEAMED FAINTLY


AND THE OLD LEATHER BINDINGS OF HIS BOOKS STOOD IN COMFORTABLE BROWN ROWS READY TO GIVE FORTH WHEN HIS HANDS OPENED THEM IMAGES WHICH MISTILY DRIFTED UPWARDS LIVING THEIR LOVES AND THEIR SORROWS IN THE TEMPERED BROWNS AND REDS AND GOLDS


OF THE SOUNDLESS ATMOSPHERE OF THE STUDIO SUCH WAS HIS SIMPLE LIFE WITHOUT MUCH INWARD DOUBTING BECAUSE HE MADE NO GREAT DEMANDS UPON HIMSELF AND WITHOUT THE MODERN ARTIST'S MELANCHOLY


BEING BY NATURE A LITTLE SHY OF BAEDEKERED TOURISTS OF SHORT SKIRTED ENGLISH LADIES WITH THEIR PERSISTENT LITTLE EXCLAMATIONS OF UNIFORM ADMIRATION AND FEELING ENTIRELY IMPOSSIBLE IN THE HALF ITALIAN


HALF COSMOPOLITAN SET OF HIS RATHER WORLDLY MOTHER AND SMART LITTLE SISTERS WHO SPENT THEIR TIME DANCING AND CYCLING WITH YOUNG ITALIAN PRINCES AND DUKES


AND AGAIN UNTIL IN HIS MUSING HE SEEMED TO HEAR IT ONCE MORE ON HER OWN LIPS UNTIL SHE JOINED THE BUSTS AND TORSOS IN HIS STUDIO AND APPEARED BEFORE HIM IN THE LILY LIKE FRAILNESS OF HER VISIBLE ACTUALITY


AGAINST THE PRERAPHAELITE STIFFNESS OF LINE


HIS LIFE HAD NEVER KNOWN MORE THAN THE NATURAL VIRILE IMPULSE AND THE ORDINARY LITTLE LOVE AFFAIR WITH A MODEL


AND UNREAL BALANCE BETWEEN A WOMAN WHO SHOWED HERSELF IN THE NUDE FOR A FEW LIRE AND PETRARCH'S LAURA


AND PREGNANT SENSE OF THE WORD AND WHEN HE BEGAN TO THINK AND TO THINK LONG AND OFTEN OF CORNELIE DE RETZ


AND DREAMED FOR DAYS FOR A WEEK ABOUT A WOMAN IN A POEM


NEVER AND THAT HE IRRITATED BY SOME OF HER SAYINGS HAD NEVERTHELESS SEEN HER STAND WITH HER LILY LIKE OUTLINE


THE BRIDGE THE LONELY BRIDGE CUTS DARK ACROSS THE MARSH


PALELY REFLECTED IN THE AMBER COLORED WATER AMONG THEM A CONSTANT BANJO TWANGING OF FROGS AND SHRILLING


DARK WITH CRUMBLING RAILING AND PLANKS THE BRIDGE LEADS INTO THE SUNSET ACROSS IT MANY LONELY FIGURES THEIR EYES A FLARE WITH THE SUNSET THEIR FACES GLOWING WITH ITS COLORS


SALVATION ARMY A DRUM POUNDS OUT THE HYMN LOUD WITH GAUDY ANGELS TINSEL CHERUBIM TO DROWN THE FANFARE OF THE STREET AND WITH EXULTANT LILTING BEAT


AND DINNING MARKET STALLS WHERE WOMEN SHOUT THEIR WARES AND MEAT HANGS OUT GROTESQUE DISTORTED BY THE GAS FLARE'S LIGHT INTO ONE SACRED RHYTHM FOR THE DEVIL'S SPITE A WOMAN'S THIN RAUCOUS VOICE CARRIES THE TUNE BIDS MEN REJOICE


BATHE IN GOD'S MERCY DRAW NEAR AND LEARN SALVATION SEE WITH THEIR OWN EYES THE MYSTERY CYMBALS AT THE HANDS OF A TIRED GIRL SLIM WISP AMID THE SWIRL OF CROWDED STREETS TAKE UP THE TUNE


FACES ARE WAN IN THE ARC LIGHT'S LIVID GLARE A WIND GUST CARRIES THE BAND'S FLARE OF SONG


TILL WITH DISTANCE DIMMING IT FADES AWAY AMONG THE SILENT DARK ARRAY OF CITY HOUSES WHERE NO SOUL STIRS


AS I GO HASTILY BY IN THE TURBULENT DARKNESS AN OVAL OLIVE FACE WITH THE SWEETLY SULLEN GRACE OF THE VIRGIN WHEN FIRST SHE SEES AMID HER GARDEN'S SILVER LILIES THE WHITE ROBED ANGEL GLEAM


AN OLD ITALIAN PAINTER LABORIOUSLY HAS PLAYED HIS SOUL AWAY HIS LOVE ALL HIS DESIRE FOR FRAGRANT THINGS AFAR FROM EARTH SHINES THE MADONNA AS WITH A VEIL OVERLAID BY INCENSE SMOKE AND DUST AGE OLD


AT WHOSE FEET IN TIME OF DEARTH OR NEED A MYRIAD MEN HAVE LAID THEIR SORROWS AND ARISEN BOLD INCESSANTLY THE LONG RAIN FALLS SLANTING ON BLACK WALLS BUT THROUGH THE DARK INTERMINABLE STREETS


ALONG PAVEMENTS WHERE RAIN BEATS ITS SHARP TATTOO AND GAS LAMPS SHINE GREENISH GOLD IN THE SOLITUDE THE VISION FLAMES THROUGH MY MOOD OF THAT ITALIAN WOMAN'S FACE


MEMORY BETWEEN ROUNDED HILLS WHITE WITH PATCHES OF BUCKWHEAT WHOSE FRAGRANCE FILLS THE LITTLE BREEZE THAT MAKES THE BIRCH LEAVES QUIVER BESIDE A ROLLICKING SWIFT RIVER


LIGHT GREEN IN THE DEEPS LIKE YOUR EYES IN SUNSHINE WINDS THE CANAL LAZY AND BROWN AS A WATER SNAKE FULL OF DAZZLE AND SHEEN WHERE THE BREEZE SWEEPS THE WATER WITH GOSSAMER GARMENTS THAT SHAKE THE REEDS STANDING SENTINEL


AND THE MARGINAL LINE OF BIRCHES AND WILLOWS OUR LITTLE STEAMER PULLS ITS WAY WITH JINGLE OF BELLS AND PANTING THROB OF OLD ENGINES IN STIFF ARRAY THE WATER REEDS WAVE AND SOLEMNLY SWAY TO THE WASH AND SWELL OF OUR PASSING


AMONG THE REEDS THE RIPPLES SOB AND DIE AWAY TILL THE CANAL IS STILL AGAIN


I STOOD BESIDE YOU IN THE BOW WATCHED THE SUNLIGHT LOSE ITSELF AMONG YOUR HAIR THAT THE BREEZE TUGGED AT BRIGHT AS THE SHATTERED SUN RAYS WHERE THE PROW CUT THE STILL WATER THE WARM LIGHT CAUGHT AND TANGLED THERE


EDUCATION AGREED THAT UNLESS SOMETHING WERE CHANGED DISASTER WOULD COME TO THE NATION YOU SMILED WHEN I POINTED WHERE A GROUP OF BIRCHES SHIVERED IN THE GREEN WOOD SHADOW UP TO THEIR KNEES IN WATER


WHITE AND FAIR AS DRYADS BATHING A ROW OF FLAT WHITE HOUSES AND A WHARF GLIDED IN SIGHT THE HOARSE WHISTLE SHRIEKED FOR A LANDING BELLS JANGLED


THE LAKE WAVES WERE FLAKES OF RED GOLD BURNISHED TO COPPER GOLD RED AS THE TANGLED GLEAM OF SUNLIGHT IN YOUR HAIR SATURNALIA


IN MEN'S HEARTS THE MAD GODS RISE AND FILL THE STREETS WITH REVELLING WITH TORCHLIGHT THAT GLANCES ON FROZEN POOLS WITH TAPERS STARRING THE THICK FOGGED NIGHT A DANCE LIKE STRAYED FIREFLIES


TO EARTH'S BROOD OF SOULS OF OLD WITH COVERED HEADS AND ASPEN WANDS MIST SHROUDED PRIESTS DO ANCIENT RITES THE BLACK RAM'S FLEECE IS STAINED WITH BLOOD THAT STEAMS DULL RED ON THE FROZEN GROUND


AND PALE VOTARIES SHIVER WITH THE COLD THAT NUMBS THE EARTH AND ETCHES PATTERNED MIRRORS ON THE PONDS WHAN THAT APRILLE


IS IT THE SONG OF A MEADOW LARK OFF THE BROWN SERE SALT MARSHES OR THE EAGER PATCHES IN DOORYARDS OF YELLOW AND PALE LILAC CROCUSES


RHYTHMED CLANK OF TRAIN COUPLINGS AT NIGHT AND THE STORMY GAY TINTED SUNRISES THAT SHADE WITH PURPLE THE CONTOURS OF FAR OFF UNFAMILIAR HILLS NIGHT PIECE


A SILVER WEB HAS THE MOON SPUN A SILVER WEB UPON ALL THE SKY WHERE THE FRAIL STARS QUIVER EVERY ONE LIKE TANGLED GNATS THAT HUM AND DIE


THE MOON HAS TANGLED THE DULL NIGHT IN HER SILVER SKEIN AND SET ALIGHT EACH DEW DAMP BRANCH WITH MILKY FLAME AND HUGE THE MOON BROODS ON THE NIGHT MY SOUL IS CAUGHT IN THE WEB OF THE MOON


BEHIND THOSE WALLS IN THOSE DARK STREETS LIKE THE SOUND OF A RIVER SWIFT UNSEEN FLOWING IN DARKNESS OH THE HOARSE HALF HEARD MURMUR SWIRLING BENEATH THE SNOWY BEAUTY OF MOONLIGHT


LOW A GREY MOON SHROUDED IN SEA FOG AIR PREGNANT WITH SPRING RASP OF MY STEPS BESIDE THE LAPPING WATER WITHIN THE DARK


DOWN THE WORN OUT YEARS A SOB OF BROKEN LOVES OLD PAIN OF DEAD FAREWELLS AND ONE FACE FADING INTO GREY A SILVER WEB HAS THE MOON SPUN A SILVER WEB OVER ALL THE SKY


BEFORE THE MORNING LEOPOLD LAY WOUND IN THE NET OF A LOW FEVER ALMOST AS ILL AS EVER BUT WITH THIS DIFFERENCE THAT HIS MIND WAS FAR LESS TROUBLED AND THAT EVEN HIS MOST RESTLESS DREAMS


TO THE FINAL EXECUTION OF THE LAW SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD FOLLOW IT ALL IN HIS MOVEMENTS AND THE EXPRESSIONS OF HIS COUNTENANCE AT A CERTAIN POINT THE COLD DEW ALWAYS APPEARED ON HIS FOREHEAD


TALKING FACE TO FACE WITH JESUS


WAS AMAZING IN ITS BEAUTY FOR HELEN HERSELF SHE WAS PREY TO A HOST OF CHANGEFUL EMOTIONS AT ONE TIME SHE ACCUSED HERSELF BITTERLY OF HAVING BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE RETURN OF HIS ILLNESS


THE NEXT A GUSH OF GLADNESS WOULD SWELL HER HEART AT THE THOUGHT THAT NOW SHE HAD HIM AT LEAST SAFER FOR A WHILE AND THAT HE MIGHT DIE AND SO ESCAPE THE WHOLE CROWD OF HORRIBLE POSSIBILITIES


FOR GEORGE'S MANIPULATION OF THE MAGISTRATE COULD BUT DELAY THE DISCLOSURE OF THE TRUTH EVEN SHOULD NO DISCOVERY BE MADE LEOPOLD MUST AT LENGTH SUSPECT A TRICK AND THAT WOULD AT ONCE DRIVE HIM TO FRESH ACTION


BUT AMONGST THE REST A FEELING WHICH HAD BUT LATELY BEGUN TO INDICATE ITS FAR OFF PRESENCE NOW THREATENED TO BRING WITH IT A DEEPER AND MORE PERMANENT SORROW IT BECAME MORE AND MORE PLAIN TO HER


THAT SHE HAD TAKEN THE EVIL PART AGAINST THE ONE SHE LOVED BEST IN THE WORLD THAT SHE HAD BEEN AS A SATAN TO HIM HAD DRIVEN HIM BACK STOOD ALMOST BODILY IN THE WAY TO TURN HIM FROM THE PATH OF PEACE


WHILE SHE FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF SHAME AND PITY FOR THE SAKE OF THE FAMILY AS SHE HAD SAID TO HERSELF HAD PURSUED A COURSE WHICH IF SUCCESSFUL WOULD AT BEST HAVE RESULTED IN SHUTTING HIM UP AS IN A MADHOUSE


WITH HIS OWN INBORN HORRORS WITH VAIN REMORSE AND EQUALLY VAIN LONGING HER CONSCIENCE NOW THAT HER MIND WAS QUIETER FROM THE GREATER DISTANCE TO WHICH THE THREATENING PERIL HAD AGAIN WITHDRAWN


WITHOUT COMMITTING THE SUICIDE OF SURRENDER SHE COULD NOT SEE THAT CONFESSION WAS THE VERY DOOR OF REFUGE AND SAFETY TOWARDS WHICH HE MUST PRESS GEORGE'S ABSENCE WAS NOW AGAIN A RELIEF


AND WHILE SHE FEARED AND SHRANK FROM THE SEVERITY OF WINGFOLD SHE COULD NOT HELP A CERTAIN INDISCRIBABLE SENSE OF SAFETY IN HIS PRESENCE AT LEAST SO LONG AS LEOPOLD WAS TOO ILL TO TALK FOR THE CURATE


HE BECAME MORE AND MORE INTERESTED IN THE WOMAN WHO COULD LOVE SO STRONGLY AND YET NOT ENTIRELY WHO SUFFERED AND MUST STILL SUFFER SO MUCH AND WHO A FAITH EVEN NO GREATER THAN HIS OWN MIGHT RENDER COMPARATIVELY BLESSED


BUT TO SO MANY OF THE SECRET CHAMBERS OF THE SOULS OF THE CONGREGATION FOR WHAT A MAN DARES NOT COULD NOT IF HE DARED AND DARED NOT IF HE COULD SAY TO ANOTHER EVEN AT THE TIME AND IN THE PLACE FITTEST OF ALL


HE CAN SAY THENCE OPEN FACED BEFORE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION AND THE PERSON IN NEED THEREOF MAY HEAR IT WITHOUT UMBRAGE OR THE CHOKING HUSK OF INDIVIDUAL APPLICATION IRRITATING TO THE REJECTION OF WHAT TRUTH MAY LIE IN IT FOR HIM