I HAVE HEARD SO HIS COMPLAINT WAS RHEUMATISM VERY MUCH AS I FANCY THE SAME SORT OF RHEUMATISM THAT AFFLICTS YOU HE TOLD ME HE CAME TO EUROPE WITH VERY LITTLE HOPE HE FEARED HIS COMPLAINT HAD BECOME CHRONIC AND INCURABLE


BUT HE HAS BEEN RESTORED IN A WONDERFUL MANNER AND IS IN SOUND HEALTH AGAIN AND WHAT REMEDIES DID HE USE EAGERLY ASKED MISTER CHANNING A THREE MONTHS RESIDENCE AT SOME MEDICINAL SPRINGS IN GERMANY NOTHING ELSE WHEN I SAY NOTHING ELSE OF COURSE I MUST IMPLY THAT HE WAS UNDER MEDICAL TREATMENT THERE


IT IS THE VERY THING YOU SEE SIR THAT HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR YOU AY SIGHED MISTER CHANNING FEELING HOW VERY FAINT APPEARED TO BE THE HOPE THAT HE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF TRYING IT I WAS MENTIONING YOUR CASE TO HIM OBSERVED MISTER YORKE


THE CHANNINGS THEMSELVES WERE SILENT THEY COULD NOT SEE THE WAY AT ALL CLEAR WHEN MISTER YORKE WAS LEAVING HE BECKONED CONSTANCE AND ARTHUR INTO THE HALL


THINK OF ALL THAT IS AT STAKE RENEWED HEALTH EXERTION HAPPINESS ARTHUR


ARTHUR DID NOT FEEL HOPEFUL INDEED HIS HEART SANK WITHIN HIM THE WHOLE TIME THAT THEY WERE TALKING HAMISH AND HIS DIFFICULTIES WERE THE DARK SHADOW THOUGH HE COULD NOT TELL THIS TO MISTER YORKE WERE MISTER CHANNING TO GO ABROAD AND THE ARREST OF HAMISH TO FOLLOW UPON IT


DOCTOR LAMB SAYS THE COST WAS SO TRIFLING AS SCARCELY TO BE CREDITED CONTINUED MISTER YORKE IN A TONE OF REMONSTRANCE ARTHUR DON'T YOU CARE TO HELP TO SAVE HIM I WOULD MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO SAVE MY FATHER IMPULSIVELY SPOKE ARTHUR


STUNG BY THE IMPLIED REPROOF I SHOULD NOT CARE WHAT LABOUR IT COST ME TO PROCURE THE MONEY SO THAT I SUCCEEDED WE ALL WOULD SAID CONSTANCE YOU MUST KNOW WE WOULD WILLIAM FROM HAMISH DOWNWARDS


DID YOU THINK I WAS LOST I WAS SEDUCED INTO JOINING YOUR MISSIONARY MEETING PEOPLE AND HAVE HAD TO STOP LATE AT THE OFFICE TO MAKE UP FOR IT


FRESH HOPE SEEMS TO ARISE DAILY THAT THOSE GERMAN BATHS WOULD RESTORE HIM TO HEALTH THEY CURED DOCTOR LAMB I SAY HAMISH THAT THE MONEY MUST BE FOUND FOR IT SOMEHOW ADDED MISTER YORKE FOUND OF COURSE IT SHALL BE FOUND CRIED GAY HAMISH


I INTEND TO BE A CHIEF CONTRIBUTOR TO IT MYSELF BUT HIS JOKING WORDS AND CARELESS MANNER JARRED AT THAT MOMENT UPON THE SPIRIT BOTH OF ARTHUR AND CONSTANCE CHANNING WHY


HE AND ANOTHER FARMER HIS NEIGHBOUR HAD BEEN SO OFTEN RE ELECTED CHURCHWARDENS THAT AT LAST THEY SEEMED TO HAVE GAINED A PRESCRIPTIVE RIGHT TO THE OFFICE AND THE FORM OF ELECTION FELL INTO DISUSE


BEEN SAID ABOUT THE ELECTION OF A COLLEAGUE SO LITTLE SEEMED TO FALL TO THE DUTY OF THE CHURCHWARDEN THAT I REGARDED THE NEGLECT AS A TRIFLE AND WAS REMISS IN SETTING IT RIGHT I HAD THEREFORE TO SUFFER AS WAS JUST INDEED MISTER BROWNRIGG WAS NOT THE MAN TO HAVE POWER IN HIS HANDS UNCHECKED


I HAD SO FAR RECOVERED THAT I WAS ABLE TO RISE ABOUT NOON AND GO INTO MY STUDY THOUGH I WAS VERY WEAK AND HAD NOT YET BEEN OUT WHEN ONE MORNING MISSUS PEARSON CAME INTO THE ROOM AND SAID PLEASE SIR


CONFIDENT THERE MUST BE A GOOD REASON FOR IT AND SO TOLD MISSUS PEARSON TO SHOW HIM IN OH SIR I KNOW YOU WOULD BE VEXED IF YOU HADN'T BEEN TOLD HE EXCLAIMED AND I AM SURE YOU WILL NOT BE ANGRY WITH ME FOR TROUBLING YOU WHAT IS THE MATTER TOM I SAID


WHICH WERE NECESSARY AND MUST BE DONE BEFORE ANOTHER WINTER I CONFESS I WAS RATHER PLEASED FOR I WANTED MY PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT THE CHURCH WAS THEIR PROPERTY AND THAT IT WAS THEIR PRIVILEGE IF THEY COULD REGARD IT AS A BLESSING TO HAVE THE CHURCH TO KEEP IT IN DECENT ORDER AND REPAIR


TO MY CHURCHWARDEN WE MUST CALL A VESTRY BEFORE LONG AND HAVE THIS LOOKED TO NOW MY PREDECESSOR HAD LEFT EVERYTHING OF THE KIND TO HIS CHURCHWARDENS AND THE INHABITANTS FROM THEIR SIDE HAD LIKEWISE LEFT THE WHOLE AFFAIR TO THE CHURCHWARDENS BUT MISTER BROWNRIGG


WHO I MUST SAY HAD TAKEN MORE PAINS THAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPECTED OF HIM TO MAKE HIMSELF ACQUAINTED WITH THE LEGALITIES OF HIS OFFICE DID NOT FAIL TO CALL A VESTRY TO WHICH AS USUAL NO ONE HAD RESPONDED WHEREUPON HE IMPOSED A RATE ACCORDING TO HIS OWN UNAIDED JUDGMENT THIS I BELIEVE


HE DID DURING MY ILLNESS WITH THE NOTION OF PLEASING ME BY THE DISCOVERY THAT THE REPAIRS HAD BEEN ALREADY EFFECTED ACCORDING TO MY MIND NOR DID ANY ONE OF MY CONGREGATION THROW THE LEAST DIFFICULTY IN THE CHURCHWARDEN'S WAY AND NOW I MUST REFER TO ANOTHER CIRCUMSTANCE IN THE HISTORY OF MY PARISH


THERE WAS A LITTLE CHAPEL DOWN A LANE LEADING FROM THE MAIN STREET OF THE VILLAGE IN WHICH THERE WAS SERVICE THREE TIMES EVERY SUNDAY


AMONGST WHOM WERE THE FAMILIES OF TWO OR THREE FARMERS OF SUBSTANCE WHILE THE VILLAGE AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTRIBUTED A PORTION OF THE POOREST OF THE INHABITANTS A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE I CAME THEIR MINISTER DIED AND THEY HAD CHOSEN ANOTHER A VERY WORTHY MAN OF CONSIDERABLE ERUDITION


BUT OF EXTREME VIEWS AS I HEARD UPON INSIGNIFICANT POINTS AND MOVED BY A GREAT DISLIKE TO NATIONAL CHURCHES AND EPISCOPACY THIS I SAY IS WHAT I HAD MADE OUT ABOUT HIM FROM WHAT I HAD HEARD


AND MY READER WILL VERY PROBABLY BE INCLINED TO ASK BUT WHY WITH PRINCIPLES SUCH AS YOURS SHOULD YOU HAVE ONLY HEARSAY TO GO UPON WHY DID YOU NOT MAKE THE HONEST MAN'S ACQUAINTANCE IN SUCH A SMALL PLACE MEN SHOULD NOT KEEP EACH OTHER AT ARM'S LENGTH


AND ANY READER WHO SAYS SO WILL SAY RIGHT ALL I HAVE TO SUGGEST FOR MYSELF IS SIMPLY A CERTAIN SHYNESS FOR WHICH I CANNOT ENTIRELY ACCOUNT BUT WHICH WAS PARTLY MADE UP OF FEAR TO INTRUDE OR OF BEING SUPPOSED TO ARROGATE TO MYSELF THE RIGHT OF MAKING ADVANCES


PARTLY OF A DREAD LEST WE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET ON TOGETHER AND SO THE ATTEMPT SHOULD RESULT IN SOMETHING UNPLEASANTLY AWKWARD I DARESAY LIKEWISE THAT THE NATURAL SHELLINESS OF THE ENGLISH HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT AT ALL EVENTS I HAD NOT MADE HIS ACQUAINTANCE


MISTER TEMPLETON THEN HAD REFUSED AS A POINT OF CONSCIENCE TO PAY THE CHURCH RATE WHEN THE COLLECTOR WENT ROUND TO DEMAND IT HAD BEEN SUMMONED BEFORE A MAGISTRATE IN CONSEQUENCE HAD SUFFERED A DEFAULT AND PROCEEDINGS BEING PUSHED FROM THE FIRST IN ALL THE PRIDE OF MISTER BROWNRIGG'S LEGALITY


HAD ON THIS VERY DAY BEEN VISITED BY THE CHURCHWARDEN ACCOMPANIED BY A BROKER FROM THE NEIGHBOURING TOWN OF ADDICEHEAD AND AT THE VERY TIME WHEN I WAS HEARING OF THE FACT WAS SUFFERING DISTRAINT OF HIS GOODS THE PORCINE HEAD OF THE CHURCHWARDEN WAS NOT ON HIS SHOULDERS BY ACCIDENT NOR WITHOUT SIGNIFICANCE


BUT I DID NOT WAIT TO UNDERSTAND ALL THIS NOW IT WAS ENOUGH FOR ME THAT TOM BORE WITNESS TO THE FACT THAT AT THAT MOMENT PROCEEDINGS WERE THUS DRIVEN TO EXTREMITY I RANG THE BELL FOR MY BOOTS AND TO THE OPEN MOUTHED DISMAY OF MISSUS PEARSON LEFT THE VICARAGE LEANING ON TOM'S ARM


BUT SUCH WAS THE COMMOTION IN MY MIND THAT I HAD BECOME QUITE UNCONSCIOUS OF ILLNESS OR EVEN FEEBLENESS HURRYING ON IN MORE TERROR THAN I CAN WELL EXPRESS LEST I SHOULD BE TOO LATE I REACHED MISTER TEMPLETON'S HOUSE JUST AS A SMALL MAHOGANY TABLE WAS BEING HOISTED INTO A SPRING CART


WHICH STOOD AT THE DOOR BREATHLESS WITH HASTE I WAS YET ABLE TO CALL OUT PUT THAT TABLE DOWN DIRECTLY AT THE SAME MOMENT MISTER BROWNRIGG APPEARED FROM WITHIN THE DOOR


I THINK HE HAD NOT HEARD ME YOU SEE I'M PROMPT MISTER WALTON HE SAID BUT BLESS MY SOUL HOW ILL YOU LOOK WITHOUT ANSWERING HIM FOR I WAS MORE ANGRY WITH HIM THAN I OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN I REPEATED PUT THAT TABLE DOWN I TELL YOU THEY DID SO


NOW I SAID CARRY IT BACK INTO THE HOUSE WHY SIR INTERPOSED MISTER BROWNRIGG IT'S ALL RIGHT YES I SAID AS RIGHT AS THE DEVIL WOULD HAVE IT


I'M NOT SO SURE OF THAT I BELIEVE I HAD THE RIGHT TO BE CHAIRMAN AT THE VESTRY MEETING BUT INSTEAD OF EVEN LETTING ME KNOW YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF MY ILLNESS TO HURRY ON MATTERS TO THIS SHAMEFUL AND WICKED EXCESS I DID THE POOR MAN WRONG IN THIS FOR I BELIEVE HE HAD HURRIED THINGS REALLY TO PLEASE ME


HIS FACE HAD LENGTHENED CONSIDERABLY BY THIS TIME AND ITS RUBICUND HUE DECLINED I DID NOT THINK YOU WOULD STAND UPON CEREMONY ABOUT IT SIR


BEFORE SUCH A THING SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED I FEEL SO DISGRACED I AM ASHAMED TO LOOK MISTER TEMPLETON IN THE FACE CARRY THAT TABLE INTO THE HOUSE AGAIN DIRECTLY IT'S MY PROPERTY NOW INTERPOSED THE BROKER I'VE BOUGHT IT OF THE CHURCHWARDEN AND PAID FOR IT


BUT I TELL YOU THE WHOLE AFFAIR IS ILLEGAL AND IF YOU CARRY AWAY THAT TABLE I SHALL SEE WHAT THE LAW WILL DO FOR ME I ASSURE YOU I WILL PROSECUTE YOU MYSELF YOU TAKE UP THAT MONEY OR I WILL IT WILL GO TO PAY COUNSEL I GIVE YOU MY WORD IF YOU DO NOT TAKE IT TO QUENCH STRIFE


I STRETCHED OUT MY HAND BUT THE BROKER WAS BEFORE ME WITHOUT ANOTHER WORD HE POCKETED THE MONEY JUMPED INTO HIS CART WITH HIS MAN AND DROVE OFF LEAVING THE CHURCHWARDEN AND THE PARSON STANDING AT THE DOOR OF THE DISSENTING MINISTER WITH HIS MAHOGANY TABLE ON THE PATH BETWEEN THEM NOW MISTER BROWNRIGG I SAID


LEND ME A HAND TO CARRY THIS TABLE IN AGAIN HE YIELDED NOT GRACIOUSLY THAT COULD NOT BE EXPECTED BUT IN SILENCE OH SIR INTERPOSED YOUNG TOM WHO HAD STOOD BY DURING THE DISPUTE LET ME TAKE IT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO LIFT IT


AND SO MISTER BROWNRIGG AND I BLUNDERED INTO THE LITTLE PARLOUR WITH OUR BURDEN NOT A GREAT ONE


MISTER TEMPLETON SAT IN A WINDSOR CHAIR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM EVIDENTLY THE TABLE HAD BEEN CARRIED AWAY FROM BEFORE HIM LEAVING HIS POSITION UNCOVERED THE FLOOR WAS STREWED WITH THE BOOKS WHICH HAD LAIN UPON IT HE SAT READING AN OLD FOLIO AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED


BUT WHEN WE ENTERED HE ROSE HE WAS A MAN OF MIDDLE SIZE ABOUT FORTY WITH SHORT BLACK HAIR AND OVERHANGING BUSHY EYEBROWS HIS MOUTH INDICATED GREAT FIRMNESS NOT UNMINGLED WITH SWEETNESS AND EVEN WITH HUMOUR HE SMILED AS HE ROSE BUT LOOKED EMBARRASSED


GLANCING FIRST AT THE TABLE THEN AT ME AND THEN AT MISTER BROWNRIGG AS IF BEGGING SOMEBODY TO TELL HIM WHAT TO SAY BUT I DID NOT LEAVE HIM A MOMENT IN THIS PERPLEXITY MISTER TEMPLETON I SAID QUITTING THE TABLE AND HOLDING OUT MY HAND


THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANNOYED LIKE THIS I HAVE MISTER TEMPLETON INTERRUPTED ME I ASSURE YOU IT WAS A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE WITH ME HE SAID ON NO OTHER GROUND I KNOW IT I KNOW IT I SAID INTERRUPTING HIM IN MY TURN


I BEG YOUR PARDON AND I HAVE DONE MY BEST TO MAKE AMENDS FOR IT OFFENCES MUST COME YOU KNOW MISTER TEMPLETON BUT I TRUST I HAVE NOT INCURRED THE WOE THAT FOLLOWS UPON THEM BY MEANS OF WHOM THEY COME FOR I KNEW NOTHING OF IT AND INDEED WAS TOO ILL


MISTER BROWNRIGG I SPOKE IN HEAT WHEN I CAME UP TO YOU AND I AM SURE I DID YOU WRONG I AM CERTAIN YOU HAD NO IMPROPER MOTIVE IN NOT MAKING ME ACQUAINTED WITH YOUR PROCEEDINGS YOU MEANT NO HARM TO ME BUT YOU DID VERY WRONG TOWARDS MISTER TEMPLETON I WILL TRY TO SHOW YOU THAT WHEN I AM WELL AGAIN


BUT BUT YOU MUSTN'T TALK MORE NOW SAID DOCTOR DUNCAN SO I SHOOK HANDS WITH MISTER BROWNRIGG AND WE PARTED I FEAR FROM WHAT I KNOW OF MY CHURCHWARDEN THAT HE WENT HOME WITH THE CONVICTION THAT HE HAD DONE PERFECTLY RIGHT


AND AMONGST THEM BY MISTER TEMPLETON AND HERE I MAY AS WELL SKETCH THE RESULT OF THAT STRANGE INTRODUCTION TO THE DISSENTING MINISTER


THE GIST OF THE LETTER LAY IN THESE WORDS I CONFESS IT PERPLEXES ME TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO RECONCILE YOUR CHRISTIAN AND FRIENDLY BEHAVIOUR TO ONE WHOM MOST OF YOUR BRETHREN WOULD CONSIDER AS MUCH BENEATH THEIR NOTICE AS INFERIOR TO THEM IN SOCIAL POSITION


WITH YOUR REMAINING THE MINISTER OF A CHURCH IN WHICH SUCH ENORMITIES AS YOU EMPLOYED YOUR PRIVATE INFLUENCE TO COUNTERACT IN MY CASE ARE NOT ONLY POSSIBLE BUT CERTAINLY LAWFUL AND RECOGNIZED BY MOST OF ITS MEMBERS AS LIKEWISE EXPEDIENT TO THIS I REPLIED


MY DEAR SIR I DO NOT LIKE WRITING LETTERS ESPECIALLY ON SUBJECTS OF IMPORTANCE THERE ARE A THOUSAND CHANCES OF MISUNDERSTANDING WHEREAS IN A PERSONAL INTERVIEW THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF CONTROVERSY BEING HALLOWED BY COMMUNION


TO MISSUS TEMPLETON FOR NOT INVITING HER WITH YOU


HOW YOU COULD BELONG TO A CHURCH WHICH AUTHORIZES THINGS OF WHICH YOU YOURSELF SO HEARTILY DISAPPROVE AND I ANSWER YOU I RETURNED THAT JUST TO SUCH A CHURCH OUR LORD BELONGED I DO NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND YOU OUR LORD BELONGED TO THE JEWISH CHURCH


I WANT IF YOU WILL ALLOW ME TO SHOW YOU THE PRINCIPLE UPON WHICH HE ACTED WITH REGARD TO CHURCH RATES CERTAINLY I BEG YOUR PARDON FOR INTERRUPTING YOU THE PHARISEES DEMANDED A TRIBUTE WHICH IT IS ALLOWED WAS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE TEMPLE AND ITS WORSHIP


OUR LORD DID NOT REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR AUTHORITY NOTWITHSTANDING THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH THEY HAD DEGRADED THE RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES OF THE JEWISH CHURCH HE ACKNOWLEDGED HIMSELF A CHILD OF THE CHURCH BUT SAID THAT AS A CHILD HE OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN LEFT TO CONTRIBUTE AS HE PLEASED


TO THE SUPPORT OF ITS ORDINANCES AND NOT TO BE COMPELLED AFTER SUCH A FASHION THERE I HAVE YOU EXCLAIMED MISTER TEMPLETON


I GRANT IT IT IS ENTIRELY WRONG A VERY UNCHRISTIAN PROCEEDING BUT OUR LORD DID NOT THEREFORE DESERT THE CHURCH AS YOU WOULD HAVE ME DO HE PAID THE MONEY LEST HE SHOULD OFFEND AND NOT HAVING IT OF HIS OWN HE HAD TO ASK HIS FATHER FOR IT


OR WHAT CAME TO THE SAME THING MAKE A SERVANT OF HIS FATHER NAMELY A FISH IN THE SEA OF GALILEE


IT IS WRONG TO COMPEL AND WRONG TO REFUSE THE PAYMENT OF A CHURCH RATE I DO NOT SAY EQUALLY WRONG IT IS MUCH WORSE TO COMPEL THAN TO REFUSE YOU ARE VERY GENEROUS RETURNED MISTER TEMPLETON


MAY I HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO ME THE CREDIT TO BELIEVE THAT IF I SAW CLEARLY THAT THEY WERE THE SAME THING I WOULD NOT HESITATE A MOMENT TO FOLLOW OUR LORD'S EXAMPLE I BELIEVE IT PERFECTLY THEREFORE HOWEVER WE MAY DIFFER WE ARE IN REALITY AT NO STRIFE


BUT IS THERE NOT THIS DIFFERENCE THAT OUR LORD WAS AS YOU SAY A CHILD OF THE JEWISH CHURCH WHICH WAS INDUBITABLY ESTABLISHED BY GOD NOW IF I CANNOT CONSCIENTIOUSLY BELONG TO THE SO CALLED ENGLISH CHURCH WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY CHURCH RATE OR TRIBUTE


SHALL I TELL YOU THE ARGUMENT THE ENGLISH CHURCH MIGHT THEN USE THE CHURCH MIGHT SAY THEN YOU ARE A STRANGER AND NO CHILD THEREFORE LIKE THE KINGS OF THE EARTH WE MAY TAKE TRIBUTE OF YOU SO YOU SEE IT WOULD COME TO THIS THAT DISSENTERS ALONE SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO PAY CHURCH RATES


WE BOTH LAUGHED AT THIS PUSHING OF THE ARGUMENT TO ILLEGITIMATE CONCLUSIONS THEN I RESUMED BUT THE REAL ARGUMENT IS THAT NOT FOR SUCH FAULTS SHOULD WE SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER NOT FOR SUCH FAULTS OR ANY FAULTS SO LONG AS IT IS THE REPOSITORY OF THE TRUTH SHOULD YOU SEPARATE FROM THE CHURCH


I WILL YIELD THE POINT WHEN YOU CAN SHOW ME THE SAME GROUND FOR BELIEVING THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND THE NATIONAL CHURCH APPOINTED SUCH BY GOD THAT I CAN SHOW YOU AND YOU KNOW ALREADY FOR RECEIVING THE JEWISH CHURCH AS THE APPOINTMENT OF GOD


THAT WOULD INVOLVE A LONG ARGUMENT UPON WHICH THOUGH I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT UPON THE MATTER MYSELF I CANNOT SAY I AM PREPARED TO ENTER AT THIS MOMENT MEANTIME I WOULD JUST ASK YOU WHETHER YOU ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY A CHILD OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND


HAVING RECEIVED FROM IT A THOUSAND INFLUENCES FOR GOOD IF IN NO OTHER WAY YET THROUGH YOUR FATHERS TO FIND IT NO GREAT HARDSHIP AND NOT VERY UNREASONABLE TO PAY A TRIFLE TO KEEP IN REPAIR ONE OF THE TABERNACLES IN WHICH OUR FOREFATHERS WORSHIPPED TOGETHER IF


AS I HOPE YOU WILL ALLOW IN SOME IMPERFECT MEASURE GOD IS WORSHIPPED AND THE TRUTH IS PREACHED IN IT MOST WILLINGLY WOULD I PAY THE MONEY I OBJECT SIMPLY BECAUSE THE RATE IS COMPULSORY AND THEREIN YOU HAVE OUR LORD'S EXAMPLE TO THE CONTRARY


A SILENCE FOLLOWED FOR I HAD TO DEAL WITH AN HONEST MAN WHO WAS THINKING I RESUMED A THOUSAND DIFFICULTIES WILL NO DOUBT COME UP TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE MATTER DO NOT SUPPOSE I AM ANXIOUS TO CONVINCE YOU I BELIEVE THAT OUR FATHER OUR ELDER BROTHER


AND THE SPIRIT THAT PROCEEDETH FROM THEM IS TEACHING YOU AS I BELIEVE I TOO AM BEING TAUGHT BY THE SAME WHY THEN SHOULD I BE ANXIOUS TO CONVINCE YOU OF ANYTHING WILL YOU NOT IN HIS GOOD TIME COME TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD HAVE YOU SEE


I AM RELIEVED TO SPEAK MY MIND KNOWING HE WOULD HAVE US SPEAK OUR MINDS TO EACH OTHER BUT I DO NOT WANT TO PROSELYTIZE IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND YOU WILL PROBABLY DO SO ON DIFFERENT GROUNDS FROM ANY I GIVE YOU


AND I HAVEN'T BEEN TO A UNIVERSITY LIKE YOU BUT I'M NO FOOL EITHER I HOPE DON'T BE OFFENDED AT MY QUESTION WOULDN'T YOU BE GLAD TO SEE ME OUT OF YOUR PARISH NOW I BEGAN TO SPEAK BUT HE WENT ON


DON'T YOU REGARD ME AS AN INTERLOPER NOW ONE WHO HAS NO RIGHT TO SPEAK BECAUSE HE DOES NOT BELONG TO THE CHURCH GOD FORBID I ANSWERED IF A WORD OF MINE WOULD MAKE YOU LEAVE MY PARISH TO MORROW I DARE NOT SAY IT


I DO NOT WANT TO INCUR THE REBUKE OF OUR LORD FOR SURELY THE WORDS FORBID HIM NOT INVOLVED SOME REBUKE WOULD IT NOT BE A FEARFUL THING THAT ONE SOUL BECAUSE OF A DEED OF MINE SHOULD RECEIVE A LESS PORTION OF ELEVATION OR COMFORT IN HIS JOURNEY TOWARDS HIS HOME


ARE THERE NOT COUNTLESS MODES OF SAYING THE TRUTH YOU HAVE SOME OF THEM I HOPE I HAVE SOME


WHO WILL NOT HEAR ME PREACH TO THEM IN THE NAME AND LOVE OF GOD MISTER TEMPLETON SPEAK THAT YOU DO KNOW AND TESTIFY THAT YOU HAVE SEEN YOU AND I WILL HELP EACH OTHER IN PROPORTION AS WE SERVE THE MASTER


I ONLY SAY THAT IN SEPARATING FROM US YOU ARE IN EFFECT AND BY YOUR CONDUCT SAYING TO US DO NOT PREACH FOR YOU FOLLOW NOT WITH US I WILL NOT BE GUILTY OF THE SAME TOWARDS YOU YOUR FATHERS DID THE CHURCH NO END OF GOOD BY LEAVING IT


BUT IT IS TIME TO UNITE NOW ONCE MORE FOLLOWED A SILENCE IF PEOPLE COULD ONLY MEET AND LOOK EACH OTHER IN THE FACE SAID MISTER TEMPLETON AT LENGTH THEY MIGHT FIND THERE WAS NOT SUCH A GULF BETWEEN THEM AS THEY HAD FANCIED AND SO WE PARTED


NOW I DO NOT WRITE ALL THIS FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHURCH RATE QUESTION I WRITE IT TO COMMEMORATE THE SPIRIT IN WHICH MISTER TEMPLETON MET ME FOR IT IS OF CONSEQUENCE THAT TWO MEN WHO LOVE THEIR MASTER SHOULD RECOGNIZE EACH THAT THE OTHER DOES SO AND THEREUPON IF NOT BEFORE


AND MANY A TIME ERE HIS DEATH WE CONSULTED TOGETHER ABOUT THINGS THAT BEFELL ONCE HE CAME TO ME ABOUT A LEGAL DIFFICULTY IN CONNEXION WITH THE DEED OF TRUST OF HIS CHAPEL AND ALTHOUGH I COULD NOT HELP HIM MYSELF I DIRECTED HIM TO SUCH HELP AS WAS THOROUGH


AND COST HIM NOTHING I NEED NOT SAY HE NEVER BECAME A CHURCHMAN OR THAT I NEVER EXPECTED HE WOULD ALL HIS MEMORIES OF A RELIGIOUS CHILDHOOD ALL THE SOURCES OF THE INFLUENCES WHICH HAD REFINED AND ELEVATED HIM WERE SURROUNDED WITH OTHER ASSOCIATIONS


THAN THOSE OF THE CHURCH AND HER FORMS THE CHURCH WAS HIS GRANDMOTHER NOT HIS MOTHER AND HE HAD NOT MADE ANY ACQUAINTANCE WITH HER TILL COMPARATIVELY LATE IN LIFE BUT WHILE I DO NOT SAY THAT HIS INTELLECTUAL OBJECTIONS TO THE CHURCH WERE LESS STRONG THAN THEY HAD BEEN


I AM SURE THAT HIS FEELINGS WERE MODERATED EVEN CHANGED TOWARDS HER AND THOUGH THIS MAY SEEM OF NO CONSEQUENCE TO ONE WHO LOVES THE CHURCH MORE THAN THE BROTHERHOOD IT DOES NOT SEEM OF LITTLE CONSEQUENCE TO ME WHO LOVE THE CHURCH BECAUSE OF THE BROTHERHOOD OF WHICH IT IS THE TYPE AND THE RESTORER


IT WAS LONG BEFORE ANOTHER CHURCH RATE WAS LEVIED IN MARSHMALLOWS AND WHEN THE CIRCUMSTANCE DID TAKE PLACE NO ONE DREAMED OF CALLING ON MISTER TEMPLETON FOR HIS SHARE IN IT BUT HAVING HEARD OF IT HE CALLED HIMSELF UPON THE CHURCHWARDEN MISTER BROWNRIGG STILL AND OFFERED THE MONEY CHEERFULLY


ORPHANS KESEBERG AND HIS ACCUSERS SENSATIONAL ACCOUNTS OF THE TRAGEDY AT DONNER LAKE PROPERTY SOLD AND GUARDIAN APPOINTED KINDLY INDIANS GRANDPA


THE REPORT OF OUR AFFLICTION SPREAD RAPIDLY AND THE WELL MEANING TENDER HEARTED WOMEN AT THE FORT CAME TO CONDOLE AND WEEP WITH US AND MADE THEIR CHILDREN WEEP ALSO BY URGING


NOW DO SAY SOMETHING COMFORTING TO THESE POOR LITTLE GIRLS WHO WERE FROZEN AND STARVED UP IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ARE NOW ORPHANS IN A STRANGE LAND WITHOUT ANY HOME OR ANY ONE TO CARE FOR THEM SUCH ORDEALS WERE TOO OVERWHELMING


I WOULD RUSH OFF ALONE AMONG THE WILD FLOWERS TO GET AWAY FROM THE TORTURING SYMPATHY EVEN THERE I MET THOSE WHO WOULD LOOK AT ME WITH GREAT SERIOUS EYES SHAKE THEIR HEADS AND MOURNFULLY SAY YOU POOR LITTLE MITE


HOW MUCH BETTER IT WOULD BE IF YOU HAD DIED IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH YOUR DEAR MOTHER INSTEAD OF BEING LEFT ALONE TO STRUGGLE IN THIS WICKED WORLD THIS WOULD BUT INCREASE MY DISTRESS FOR I DID NOT WANT TO BE DEAD AND BURIED UP THERE UNDER THE COLD DEEP SNOW


AND I KNEW THAT MOTHER DID NOT WANT ME TO BE THERE EITHER HAD SHE NOT SENT ME AWAY TO SAVE ME AND ASKED GOD OUR HEAVENLY FATHER TO TAKE CARE OF ME


INTENSE EXCITEMENT AND INDIGNATION PREVAILED AT THE FORT AFTER CAPTAIN FALLON AND OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS PARTY GAVE THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE CONDITIONS FOUND AT THE MOUNTAIN CAMPS AND OF INTERVIEWS HAD WITH KESEBERG WHOM THEY NOW CALLED CANNIBAL


ROBBER AND MURDERER THE WRETCHED MAN WAS ACCUSED BY THIS PARTY NOT ONLY OF HAVING NEEDLESSLY PARTAKEN OF HUMAN FLESH AND OF HAVING APPROPRIATED COIN AND OTHER PROPERTY WHICH SHOULD HAVE COME TO US ORPHANED CHILDREN


BUT ALSO OF HAVING WANTONLY TAKEN THE LIFE OF MISSUS MURPHY AND OF MY MOTHER SOME DECLARED HIM CRAZY OTHERS CALLED HIM A MONSTER KESEBERG DENIED THESE CHARGES AND


HE STATED THAT MISSUS MURPHY HAD DIED OF STARVATION SOON AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF THE THIRD RELIEF AND THAT MY MOTHER HAD WATCHED BY FATHER'S BEDSIDE UNTIL HE DIED


AFTER PREPARING HIS BODY FOR BURIAL SHE HAD STARTED OUT ON THE TRAIL TO GO TO HER CHILDREN IN ATTEMPTING TO CROSS THE DISTANCE FROM HER CAMP TO HIS SHE HAD STRAYED AND WANDERED ABOUT FAR INTO THE NIGHT


AND FINALLY REACHED HIS CABIN WET SHIVERING AND GRIEF STRICKEN YET DETERMINED TO PUSH ONWARD SHE HAD BROUGHT NOTHING WITH HER BUT TOLD HIM WHERE TO FIND MONEY TO TAKE TO HER CHILDREN IN THE EVENT OF HER NOT REACHING THEM


HE STATED THAT HE OFFERED HER FOOD WHICH SHE REFUSED HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO PERSUADE HER TO WAIT UNTIL MORNING AND WHILE THEY WERE TALKING SHE SANK UPON THE FLOOR COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED AND HE COVERED HER WITH BLANKETS AND MADE A FIRE TO WARM HER


IN THE MORNING HE FOUND HER COLD IN DEATH


SAVED HIM FROM PERSONAL VIOLENCE BUT NOT FROM SUSPICION AND ILL WILL WOMEN SHUNNED HIM AND CHILDREN STONED HIM AS HE WALKED ABOUT THE FORT THE CALIFORNIA STAR PRINTED IN FULL THE ACCOUNT OF THE FALLON PARTY


AND BLOOD CURDLING EDITORIALS INCREASED PUBLIC SENTIMENT AGAINST KESEBERG STAMPING HIM WITH THE MARK OF CAIN AND CLOSING THE DOOR OF EVERY HOME AGAINST HIM


ALSO OF WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT THE ALLEGED MURDER OF OUR MOTHER STILL WE DID HEAR FRAGMENTS OF CONVERSATIONS WHICH GREATLY DISTURBED US AND OUR SISTERS FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO ANSWER SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS MEANWHILE


MORE DISAPPOINTMENTS FOR US WERE BREWING AT THE FORT FALLON'S PARTY DEMANDED AN IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT OF ITS CLAIM IT HAD GONE UP THE MOUNTAINS UNDER PROMISE THAT ITS MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE NOT ONLY A PER DIEM AS RESCUERS


TAKEN FROM CONCEALMENT ON KESEBERG'S PERSON AND TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS ADDITIONAL TAKEN FROM A CACHE THAT KESEBERG HAD DISCLOSED AFTER THE CAPTAIN HAD PARTIALLY STRANGLED HIM


SHOULD BE HANDED OVER TO CAPTAIN FALLON TO SATISFY THE CLAIMS OF HIS PARTY AND THE OTHER HALF SHOULD BE PUT INTO THE HANDS OF A GUARDIAN


NOTWITHSTANDING THESE PLANS FOR OUR WELL BEING UNACCOUNTABLE DELAYS FOLLOWED MAKING OUR SITUATION DAILY MORE TRYING


THEY HAD NOT FULLY RECOVERED FROM THE EFFECTS OF THEIR LONG PRIVATIONS AND PHYSICAL SUFFERINGS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE LOSS OF PARENTS AND MEANS OF SUPPORT PLACED UPON THEM RESPONSIBILITIES GREATER THAN THEY COULD CARRY


NO MATTER HOW BRAVELY THEY STROVE TO MEET THE SITUATION HOW CAN WE PROVIDE FOR OURSELVES AND THESE LITTLE SISTERS WAS A QUESTION WHICH HAUNTED THEM BY NIGHT AND PERPLEXED THEM BY DAY


THEY HAD NO WAY OF COMMUNICATING WITH OUR FRIENDS IN EASTERN STATES AND THE WOMEN AT THE FORT COULD ILL AFFORD TO PROVIDE LONGER FOR US SINCE THEIR BREAD WINNERS WERE STILL WITH FREMONT AND THEIR OWN SUPPLIES WERE LIMITED


FINALLY MY TWO ELDEST SISTERS WERE GIVEN EMPLOYMENT BY DIFFERENT FAMILIES IN EXCHANGE FOR FOOD WHICH THEY SHARED WITH US BUT IT WAS OFTEN INSUFFICIENT AND WE LITTLE ONES DRIFTED ALONG FORLORNLY SOMETIMES HOME


WAS WHERE NIGHT OVERTOOK US OFTEN WE TRUDGED TO THE RANCHERIA BEYOND THE POND MADE BY THE ADOBE MOULDERS WHO HAD BUILT THE HOUSES AND WALL SURROUNDING THE FORT THERE THE INDIAN MOTHERS WERE GOOD TO US


WE THREE WERE PLAYING NEAR IT WHEN A JOYOUS INDIAN GIRL WITH A BUNDLE OF CLOTHES ON HER HEAD RAN DOWN THE BANK TO THE WATER'S EDGE WE FOLLOWING


MERRILY UP AND DOWN IN THE CLEAR WATER SHE LATHERED THEM WITH A FRESHLY GATHERED SOAP ROOT AND CLEANSED THEM ACCORDING TO THE WAYS OF THE SPANISH MISSION TEACHERS AS SHE TIED THE WET GARMENTS IN A BUNDLE AND TURNED TO CARRY THEM TO THE DRYING GROUND FRANCES


FLOATING NEAR THE END OF THE BOARD AND LAY DOWN UPON IT FOR THE PURPOSE OF CATCHING THEM


SAW THE POPPIES DRIFT JUST BEYOND HER FINGER TIPS SAW HER LEAN A LITTLE FARTHER THEN SLIP HEAD FIRST INTO THE DEEP WATER SUCH SHRIEKS AS TERRIFIED CHILDREN GIVE BROUGHT THE INDIAN GIRL QUICKLY TO OUR AID LIKE A FLASH


SHE TOSSED THE BUNDLE FROM HER HEAD SPRANG INTO THE WATER SNATCHED FRANCES AS SHE ROSE TO THE SURFACE AND RESTORED HER TO US WITHOUT A WORD BEFORE WE HAD RECOVERED SUFFICIENTLY TO SPEAK SHE WAS GONE


NOT A SOUL WAS IN SIGHT WHEN WE STARTED TOWARD THE FORT ALL UNCONSCIOUS OF WHAT THE INEVITABLE IS TO BE WAS WEAVING INTO OUR LIVES


WE WERE TOO YOUNG TO KEEP TRACK OF TIME BY CALENDAR BUT COUNTED IT BY HAPPENINGS SOME WERE MARKED WITH TEARS SOME WITH SMILES AND SOME STOLE UNAWARES UPON US JUST AS ON THAT BRIGHT JUNE EVENING


WHEN WE DID NOT FIND OUR SISTERS AND AIMLESSLY FOLLOWED OTHERS TO THE LITTLE SHOP WHERE A FRIENDLY APPEARING ELDERLY MAN WAS CUTTING SLICES OF MEAT AND HANDING THEM TO CUSTOMERS


WE DID NOT KNOW HIS NAME NOR DID WE REALIZE THAT HE WAS SELLING THE MEAT HE HANDED OUT ONLY THAT WE WANTED SOME SO AFTER ALL THE OTHERS HAD GONE WE ADDRESSED HIM ASKING GRANDPA PLEASE GIVE US A LITTLE PIECE OF MEAT


AND SAID THAT WE SHOULD SLEEP AT HER HOUSE THAT NIGHT AND SEE OUR SISTERS IN THE MORNING SHE ALSO GAVE US PERMISSION TO COOK OUR PIECES OF LIVER OVER HER BED OF LIVE COALS FRANCES OFFERED TO COOK THEM ALL ON HER STICK BUT


I BEING THE SMALLEST CHILD WAS GIVEN THE SHORTEST STICK AND ALLOWED TO STAND NEAREST THE FIRE SOON THE THREE SLICES WERE SIZZLING AND BROWNING FROM THE ENDS OF THREE WILLOW RODS AND SMELLED SO GOOD THAT WE COULD HARDLY WAIT FOR THEM TO BE DONE


THEN LED US TO THE HOUSE WHERE A NUMBER OF PERSONS HAD GATHERED MOST OF THEM SITTING AT TABLE LAUGHING AND TALKING AND AMONG THEM ELITHA AND LEANNA UPON OUR ENTRANCE THE MERRIMENT CEASED AND ALL EYES WERE TURNED INQUIRINGLY TOWARD US


SOME ONE POINTED TO HIM WHO SAT BESIDE OUR ELDEST SISTER AND GAYLY SAID LOOK AT YOUR NEW BROTHER ANOTHER ASKED


TEARS CAME ALSO TO THE CHILD WIFE'S EYES AS SHE CLASPED HER ARMS ABOUT US SOOTHINGLY ASSURING US THAT SHE WAS STILL OUR SISTER AND WOULD CARE FOR US NEVERTHELESS


SHE AND HER HUSBAND SLIPPED AWAY SOON ON HORSEBACK AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE TO STAY AT OUR NEIGHBOR'S UNTIL THEY RETURNED FOR US


AND SOME IN THEIR EAGERNESS FORGOT TO ROLL DOWN THEIR SLEEVES BEFORE THEY BEGAN TO TALK ONE TRIUMPHANTLY REPEATED TO EACH NEWCOMER THE MOTHERLY ADVICE WHICH SHE GAVE THE YOUNG COUPLE WHEN SHE FIRST


NOTICED HIS AFFECTION FOR THAT SORROWING GIRL WHO IS TOO PRETTY TO BE IN THIS NEW COUNTRY WITHOUT A PROTECTOR THEY ALSO RECALLED HOW PERRY MC COON'S LAUNCH HAD BROUGHT SUPPLIES UP THE RIVER FOR THE SECOND RELIEF TO TAKE OVER THE MOUNTAINS


AND HOW FINALLY HE HIMSELF HAD CARRIED TO THE BEREAVED DAUGHTER THE LAST ACCOUNTS FROM DONNER CAMP


WOULD SHE TAKE US THREE TO LIVE WITH HER ON THAT CATTLE RANCH TWENTY FIVE MILES BY BRIDLE TRAIL FROM THE FORT


CAPTAIN FRISBIE WEDDING FESTIVITIES THE MASTERPIECE OF GRANDMA'S YOUTH SENORA VALLEJO JAKIE'S RETURN HIS DEATH A CHEROKEE INDIAN WHO HAD STOOD BY MY FATHER'S GRAVE


CAPTAIN FRISBIE SPENT MUCH TIME IN SONOMA AFTER COMPANY H WAS DISBANDED AND OBSERVING ONES REMARKED THAT THE ATTRACTION WAS MISS FANNIE VALLEJO YET NOT UNTIL EIGHTEEN FIFTY ONE DID THE GENERAL CONSENT TO PART WITH HIS FIRST BORN DAUGHTER


SHE ANTICIPATED THE COMING EVENT WITH INTEREST AND PLEASURE BECAUSE THE PROLONGED AND BRILLIANT FESTIVITIES WOULD AFFORD HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISPLAY HER FANCY AND TALENT IN BUTTER MODELLING FOR THE WORK SHE DID NOT CHARGE


IN THE EVENINGS AFTER CANDLE LIGHT WE THREE GATHERED HER IMPLEMENTS WERE A CIRCULAR HARDWOOD BOARD A PADDLE A SET OF SMALL WELL POINTED STICKS


SHE TALKED AND MODELLED AND WE LISTENING WATCHED THE FASCINATING PROCESS SAW HER TAKE THE PLASTIC SUBSTANCE FASHION A DUCK WITH DUCKLINGS ON A POND A LAMB CURLED UP ASLEEP


AND A COUCHED LION WITH SHAGGY HEAD RESTING UPON HIS FORE PAWS WE WATCHED HER PRESS BEADS OF PROPER SIZE AND COLOR INTO THE EYE SOCKETS SKILFULLY FINISH THE BASE UPON WHICH EACH FIGURE LAY


THEN TWIST A LUMP OF BUTTER INTO A SQUARE OF FINE MUSLIN AND DEFTLY SQUEEZE UNTIL IT CRINKLED THROUGH THE MESHES IN FORM OF FLEECE FOR THE LAMB'S COAT


THEN USE A DIFFERENT MESH TO PRODUCE THE STRANDS FOR THE LION'S MANE AND THE TUFT FOR THE END OF HIS TAIL IN EXUBERANT DELIGHT WE EXCLAIMED OH GRANDMA HOW DID YOU LEARN TO MAKE SUCH WONDERFUL THINGS


I DID NOT LEARN IT IS A GIFT SHE REPLIED THEN SHE SPOKE OF HER MODELLING IN CHILDHOOD AND HER SUBSEQUENT MASTERPIECE WHICH HAD WON THE COMMENDATION OF NAPOLEON AND EMPRESS JOSEPHINE AT THAT AUSPICIOUS TIME SHE WAS BUT EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE


AND SECOND COOK IN THE PRINCIPAL TAVERN OF NEUCHATEL SWITZERLAND GEORGIA AND I SAT ENTRANCED AS WITH ANIMATED WORDS AND GESTURES SHE PICTURED THE APPEARANCE OF THE BUGLERS AND HERALDS WHO CAME WEEKS IN ADVANCE


AND EMPRESS WOULD ARRIVE IN THAT TOWN AND DINE AT THE TAVERN THEN THE EXCITEMENT AND ENTHUSIASTIC PREPARATIONS WHICH FOLLOWED


AND WHAT A CENTREPIECE IT WAS IT REQUIRED THE CAREFUL HANDLING OF NO LESS THAN THREE PERSONS TO GET IT IN PLACE ON THE TABLE WHERE THE EMPEROR MIGHT SEE AT A GLANCE THE GROUPS OF FIGURES ALONG THE SPLENDID HIGHWAY


OF THE SNOW WHITE POODLE SNUGGLED CLOSE IN THE EMPRESS'S ARMS THEN SHE TOLD HOW SHE HEARD A HEAVY THUD BY THE KITCHEN FIRE WHICH MADE HER RUSH BACK ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT THE HEAD COOK HAD FALLEN TO THE FLOOR IN A FAINT


SHE GAVE THE QUICK CALL WHICH BROUGHT THE FRAU WIRTHIN TO THE SCENE OF CONFUSION WHERE IN MUTE AGONY SHE LOOKED FROM SERVANT TO SERVANT UNTIL WITH HANDS CLASPED AND EYES FULL OF TEARS SHE IMPLORED MARIE


TAKE THE HIGHER PLACE FOR THE DAY AND WITH GOD'S HELP MAKE NO MISTAKE THEN SHE WENT ON TO SAY THAT WHILE THE DINNER WAS BEING SERVED THE EMPEROR ADMIRED THE BUTTER PIECE AND ON HEARING THAT IT WAS THE WORK OF A YOUNG MAIDSERVANT IN THE HOUSE


THAT SHE WAS NERVOUS FROM ADDED RESPONSIBILITIES AND NOT DRESSED FOR PRESENTATION CRIED WITH QUIVERING LIPS


THE GREAT EMPEROR ASKS TO SEE THEE AND THOU MUST COME SHE TOLD HOW POOR RED FACED BEWILDERED MARIE DROPPED HER LADLE AND STARED AT THE SPEAKER


THEN ROLLED DOWN HER SLEEVES WHILE THE FRAU WIRTHIN TIED HER OWN BEST WHITE APRON AROUND HER WAIST AT THE SAME TIME INSTRUCTING HER IN THE MANNER IN WHICH SHE MUST HOLD HER DRESS AT THE SIDES BETWEEN THUMB AND FOREFINGER AND SPREAD THE SKIRT WIDE


YET AFTER IT WAS ALL OVER SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS HAD SPOKEN KINDLY TO HER AND THAT SHE HERSELF HAD MADE HER BOW AND BACKED OUT OF THE ROOM ADMIRABLY FOR ONE IN HER POSITION


THE EMPEROR AND THE EMPRESS SHE NOW FINISHED HER MODELLING WITH A DAINTY CENTREPIECE FOR THE BRIDE'S TABLE AND LET ME GO WITH HER WHEN SHE CARRIED IT TO THE VALLEJO MANSION IT GAVE GREAT SATISFACTION AND WHILE THE FAMILY AND GUESTS WERE ADMIRING IT


SENORA VALLEJO TOOK ME BY THE HAND SAYING IN HER OWN MUSICAL TONGUE COME LITTLE DAUGHTER AND PLAY WHILE YOU WAIT SHE LED ME TO A ROOM THAT HAD PICTURES ON THE WALLS AND LEFT ME SURROUNDED BY TOYS BUT I COULD NOT PLAY


MY EYES WANDERED ABOUT UNTIL THEY BECAME RIVETED ON ONE CORNER OF THE ROOM WHERE STOOD A CHILD'S CRIB WHICH LOOKED LIKE GOLD ITS HEAD AND FOOT BOARDS WERE EMBELLISHED WITH FIGURES OF ANGELS


AND A CANOPY OF LACE LIKE A FLEECY CLOUD HOVERED OVER THEM THE BED WAS WHITE BUT THE PILLOWS WERE COVERED WITH PINK SILK AND ENCASED IN SLIPS OF LINEN LAWN EXQUISITE WITH RARE NEEDLEWORK


I TOUCHED IT BEFORE I LEFT THE ROOM WONDERING WHAT THE LITTLE GIRL DREAMED IN THAT BEAUTIFUL BED AND ON THE WAY HOME GRANDMA AND I DISCUSSED ALL THESE THINGS


THE LINEN PILLOW SLIPS WERE AS FINE AS THOSE SENORITA ISABELLA FITCH SHOWED ME WHEN SHE GAVE ME THE FEW HIGHLY PRIZED LESSONS IN SIMPLE DRAWN WORK AND HER COUSIN SENORITA LEESE HAD TAUGHT ME HEMMING


THESE YOUNG LADIES WERE RELATED TO THE VALLEJOS AND ALSO LIVED IN LARGE HOUSES FACING THE PLAZA AND WERE ALWAYS KIND TO GEORGIA AND ME IN FACT SOME OF MY SWEETEST MEMORIES OF SONOMA ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE THREE SPANISH HOMES


THEIR PEOPLE NEVER ASKED UNFEELING QUESTIONS NOR REPEATED HARROWING TALES AND I DID NOT LEARN UNTIL I WAS GROWN THAT THEY HAD BEEN AMONG THE LARGE CONTRIBUTORS TO THE FUND FOR THE RELIEF OF OUR PARTY


I HAVE A FAINT RECOLLECTION OF LISTENING TO THE CHIMES OF THE WEDDING BELLS AND LATER OF HEARING THAT CAPTAIN FRISBIE HAD TAKEN HIS BRIDE AWAY BUT THAT IS ALL FOR ABOUT THAT TIME DEAR OLD JAKIE RETURNED TO US IN ILL HEALTH AND OUR THOUGHTS AND CARE TURNED TO HIM


I HAVE DONE MY BEST WITH THE MEDICINES AT HAND THE ONLY THING THAT REMAINS TO BE TRIED IS A TEA STEEPED FROM THE NETTLE ROOT THAT MAY GIVE RELIEF AS SOON AS WE COULD GET READY AFTER THE DOCTOR UTTERED THOSE WORDS GEORGIA AND I EQUIPPED WITH HOE


WHILE I CUT THEM OFF AND HOED UP THE ROOTS THE PLANTS TOWERED LUXURIANTLY ABOVE OUR HEADS MAKING THE TASK EXTREMELY PAINFUL


NO SOONER WOULD I COMMENCE OPERATIONS THAN THE BRANCHES SLIPPING FROM UNDER THE STICK WOULD BRUSH GEORGIA'S FACE AND STRIKE MY HANDS AND ARMS WITH STINGING FORCE AND BY THE TIME WE HAD SECURED THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF ROOTS WE WERE COVERED WITH FIERY WELTS


THE ONE IN FRONT STAGGERING AND HIS SQUAW BEHIND MAKING FRANTIC MOTIONS TO US TO HURRY OVER THE SNAKE FENCE NEAR BY THIS WE DID AS SPEEDILY AS POSSIBLE AND SUCCEEDED NONE TOO SOON FOR AS WE REACHED THE GROUND ON THE SAFE SIDE HE STOPPED US


AND ANGRILY DEMANDED THE CONTENTS OF OUR BASKET WE OPENED IT AND WHEN HE SAW WHAT IT CONTAINED HE STAMPED HIS WABBLING FOOT AND MOTIONED US TO BE OFF WE OBEYED WITH ALACRITY FOR IT WAS OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH A DRUNKEN INDIAN


AND GREATLY ALARMED US THE TEA MAY HAVE EASED JAKIE'S PAIN BUT IT DID NOT ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE HAD HOPED


AFTER THE LAWYER WENT AWAY GRANDMA TOLD US THAT JAKIE HAD WILLED US EACH FIFTY DOLLARS IN GOLD AND THE REST OF HIS PROPERTY TO GRANDPA AND HERSELF A FEW WEEKS LATER WHEN THE SAP CEASED FLOWING TO THE BRANCHES OF THE TREES AND THE YELLOW LEAVES WERE FALLING


GRANDPA HAD THE GRAVE ENCLOSED WITH A WHITE PALING AND WE CHILDREN PLANTED CASTILIAN ROSE BUSHES AT THE HEAD AND FOOT OF THE MOUND AND CARRIED WATER TO THEM FROM THE HOUSE AND IN TIME THEIR BRANCHES MET AND THE GRAVE WAS A BED OF FRAGRANT BLOSSOMS


ONE DAY AS I WAS RETURNING FROM IT WITH MY EMPTY PAIL A TIDY BLACK EYED WOMAN CAME UP TO ME AND SAID I'M A CHEROKEE INDIAN THE WIFE OF ONE OF THE THREE DROVERS THAT SOLD THE BRUNNERS THEM LONG HORNED CATTLE THAT WAS DELIVERED THE OTHER DAY


WHILE THE SETTLERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE CONTENTEDLY AT WORK DEVELOPING THE RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY THE ASTOUNDING CRY GOLD DISCOVERED CAME THROUGH THE VALLEY LIKE A BLIGHT STOPPING EVERY INDUSTRY IN ITS WAKE


EXCITED MEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN RUSHED TO TOWN IN QUEST OF INFORMATION IT WAS FURNISHED BY


WHO HAD BEEN CALLED AWAY PRIVATELY TWO WEEKS EARLIER AND HAD JUST RETURNED IN A STATE OF GREAT ENTHUSIASM DECLARING THAT GOLD IN DUST GRAINS AND CHUNKS HAD BEEN DISCOVERED AT COLOMA NOT MORE THAN A DAY'S JOURNEY FROM SUTTER'S FORT


HOW SOON CAN WE GET THERE BECAME THE ALL ABSORBING PROBLEM OF EAGER LISTENERS THE ONLY HOTEL KEEPER IN THE TOWN SOLD HIS KETTLES AND PANS CLOSED HIS HOUSE AND DEPARTED


SHOPKEEPERS PACKED MOST OF THEIR SUPPLIES FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT AND RAISED THE PRICE OF THOSE LEFT FOR HOME TRADE MEN AND HALF GROWN BOYS HARDLY TOOK TIME TO COLLECT A MEAGRE OUTFIT


WITH THE LONG HOPED FOR REPORT OF THE RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY OF PEACE AND GENERAL MASON'S PROCLAMATION OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCING IT THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH MEN LEFT IN THE VALLEY OUTSIDE OF THE BARRACKS TO GIVE A DECENT ROUND OF CHEERS FOR THE BLESSING OF PEACE


GRANDPA BROUGHT THE NEWS HOME CALIFORNIA IS OURS THERE WILL BE NO MORE WAR NO MORE TROUBLE AND NO MORE NEED OF SOLDIERS YET THE WOMEN FELT THAT THEIR BATTLES AND TRIALS HAD JUST BEGUN


HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR BECOME THE WATCHWORDS OF THE DAY NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO SUFFER THROUGH LACK OF PRACTICAL SYMPATHY FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE BY TURNS WENT THE STRONG TO HELP THE WEAK TO BRIDGE THEIR TROUBLES


THEY WENT NOT WITH CHEERING WORDS ONLY BUT WITH SOMETHING IN STORE FOR THE EMPTY CUPBOARDS


GRANDMA WAS IN SUCH DEMAND THAT SHE HAD LITTLE TIME TO REST FOR THERE WAS NOT A DOCTOR NOR A MEDICINE SHOP IN THE VALLEY AND HER PARCELS OF HERBS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR USES HAD TO SERVE FOR BOTH NIGHTS SHE SET HER SHOES HANDY


SO THAT SHE COULD DRESS QUICKLY WHEN SUMMONED TO THE SICK AND DAWN OF DAY OFTEN MARKED HER HOME COMING GEORGIA AND I WERE LED INTO HER WORK EARLY FOR WE WERE SENT WITH BROTHS AND APPETIZERS TO THE SICK ON CLEARINGS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCES


AND SHE WOULD BID US STAY A WHILE AT DIFFERENT HOUSES WHERE WE COULD BE HELPFUL BUT TO BE SURE AND BRING CAREFUL REPORTS FROM EACH HOME WE ENTERED UNDER SUCH TRAINING WE LEARNED MUCH ABOUT DISEASES AND THE CARE OF THE SUFFERING ANON


WE WOULD FIND IN THE PLAIN WOODEN CRADLE A DAINTY BUNDLE OF SWEETNESS ALL DONE UP IN WHITE


THEN SHE WOULD METE OUT TO US THAT HARDEST OF PUNISHMENTS NAMELY THAT WE WERE NOT TO SPEAK WITH EACH OTHER UNTIL SHE SHOULD FORGIVE OUR OFFENCE FORGIVENESS USUALLY CAME BEFORE TIME TO DRIVE UP THE COWS


FOR SHE KNEW THAT WE WERE NIMBLER FOOTED WHEN SHE STARTED US OFF IN HAPPY MOOD EACH COW WORE A BELL OF DIFFERENT TONE AND KNEW HER OWN NAME YET IT WAS NOT AN EASY TASK EVEN IN PLEASANT WEATHER TO COLLECT THE VARIOUS STRINGS AND GET THEM HOME ON TIME


THEY MIXED AND FED WITH NEIGHBORS CATTLE ON THE RANGE AND HID THEMSELVES BEHIND CLUMPS OF TREES AND OTHER CONVENIENT OBSTRUCTIONS OFTEN GRANDMA WOULD GET HER STRING IN BY THE MAIN TRAIL AND HAVE THEM MILKED


BEFORE WE COULD BRING UP THE LAGGARDS THAT PROVOKINGLY DAWDLED ALONG NIBBLING STRAY BUNCHES OF GRASS WHEN LATE ON THE ROAD WE SAW COYOTES SNEAKING OUT FOR THEIR EVENING MEAL AND HEARD THE FAR AWAY CRY OF THE PANTHER


BUT WE WERE NOT MUCH AFRAID WHEN IT WAS LIGHT ENOUGH SO THAT IMAGINATION COULD NOT PICTURE THEM CREEPING STEALTHILY BEHIND US OUR GALLANT COMPANY C OFFICERED BY CAPTAIN BARTLETT AND LIEUTENANTS STONEMAN AND STONE


TO THE GOOD WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND WHEN CAPTAIN JOE HOOKER BROUGHT HIM OUT TO VISIT GRANDMA'S DAIRY SHE TOO WAS GREATLY PLEASED BY HIS SOLDIERLY BEARING AFTER HE MENTIONED THAT HE HAD HEARD OF HER INTEREST IN THE COMPANY WHICH HAD BEEN CALLED AWAY


AND THAT HE BELIEVED SHE WOULD FIND COMPANY H EQUALLY DESERVING OF HER CONSIDERATION SHE READILY EXTENDED TO THE NEW MEN THE HOMELIKE PRIVILEGES WHICH THE OTHERS HAD ENJOYED THUS MORE FRIENDS CAME AMONG US


NOTABLE AMONG MINE WAS THE OLD DARKEY COOK AT HEADQUARTERS FROM WHOM GEORGIA AND I TRIED TO HIDE THE FIRST TIME SHE WADDLED OUT TO OUR HOUSE SHE SEARCHED US OUT SAYING NOW HONEYS DON'T YO BE SO SCARED OF DIS OLE AUNT LUCY


LAWD HONEY YO NEEDN'T HAVE NO PUNCTIONS BOUT TAKIN DIS YER BOOK


NOW I WANTS YO TO BE NICE AND YO CAN'T LESSEN YO CAN READ AND TALK LIKE DE CAPTAIN DONE TOLE ME YO MUDDER DONE I WAS DELIGHTED WITH THE BOOK AND TOLD HER SO AND HUGGED IT ALL THE WAY HOME


FOR IT HAD A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE NEAR THE BACK SHOWING A LITTLE GIRL WITH A SPRINKLING POT WATERING HER GARDEN OF STOCKS SWEET WILLIAMS AND HOLLYHOCKS HER HAIR WAS IN FOUR LONG CURLS AND SHE HAD TRIMMING ON HER DRESS APRON AND LONG PANTALETS


PUNCTIONS AND QUALITY FOLKS I REPEATED THEM OVER AND OVER TO MYSELF SO THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL THEM TO GEORGIA OUR LAST VISIT TO AUNT LUCY MUST HAVE BEEN PREARRANGED FOR AS SHE ADMITTED US SHE SAID


AND MUS TAKE YOS RIGHT IN TO DE GENERAL I HAD NEVER SEEN A GENERAL AND WAS SHY ABOUT MEETING ONE UNTIL AFTER SHE ASSURED ME THAT ONLY COWARDS AND BAD MEN FEARED HIM WE WALKED DOWN THE CORRIDOR AND ENTERED A LARGE ROOM


WHERE AN ELDERLY GENTLEMAN IN UNIFORM SAT WRITING AT A TABLE AUNT LUCY STOPPED BESIDE HIM AND STILL HOLDING EACH BY THE HAND BOWED LOW SAYING GENERAL SMITH


THEN SHE SLIPPED OUT HE WAS AS COURTEOUS TO US AS THOUGH WE WERE GROWN LADIES SHOOK HANDS ASKED HOW WE FELT BEGGED US TO BE SEATED AND THEN STEPPED TO A DOOR AND CALLED SUSAN SUSAN


WHO CALLED US HONEYS AND DEAR LITTLE GIRLS SHE SAT BETWEEN US JOINING WITH HER HUSBAND IN EARNEST INQUIRIES ABOUT OUR STAY IN THE MOUNTAINS AND OUR HOME WITH GRANDMA GEORGIA DID MOST OF THE TALKING


I WAS SATISFIED JUST TO LOOK AT THEM AND HEAR THEM SPEAK AT THE CLOSE OF OUR VISIT WITH A KNOWING LOOK SHE TOOK US TO SEE WHAT AUNT LUCY HAD BAKED THE GENERAL AND SHE HAD RECENTLY COME TO PAY A LAST VISIT TO A SICK OFFICER


SOLDIERS DUG HIS GRAVE ON THE HILLSIDE NORTH OF TOWN AND WORD CAME FROM ARMY HEADQUARTERS THAT HE WOULD BE BURIED ON THE MORROW AT MIDDAY WITH MILITARY HONORS GEORGIA AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT MILITARY HONORS WERE


AND AS IT CAME TIME FOR THE FUNERAL WE GATHERED WITH OTHERS ON THE PLAZA WHERE THE PROCESSION FORMED WE WERE DEEPLY IMPRESSED THE EMIGRANTS UNCOVERED AND BOWED THEIR HEADS REVERENTLY BUT THE SOLDIERS IN LINE WITH GUNS REVERSED


STOOD ERECT AND MOTIONLESS AS FIGURES IN STONE WHILE THE BIER OF THE DEAD WAS BEING CARRIED THROUGH OPEN RANKS TO THE WAITING CAISSON THE COFFIN WAS COVERED WITH A FLAG AND UPON IT LAY HIS CHAPEAU GAUNTLETS SASH AND SWORD


ONLY SOLDIERS STOOD CLOSE AROUND THE GRAVE AND HEARD WHAT WAS READ BY THE OFFICER WHO STOOD AT ITS HEAD WITH AN OPEN BOOK IN ONE HAND AND A DRAWN SWORD IN THE OTHER


ALL THE CAPACITIES OF A DARING AND SKILLFUL SOLDIER


BUT AS HE HAD NEVER SOUGHT DISTINCTION FOR HIS OWN SAKE ALONE AND AS HIS HEART REMAINED TRUE TO HIS FORMER LORD HE PREFERRED TO GIVE UP THE WORLD SO HE CUT OFF HIS HAIR AND BECAME A TRAVELING PRIEST TAKING THE BUDDHIST NAME OF KWAIRYO


AS IN OTHER YEARS HE HAD LAUGHED AT PERIL SO NOW ALSO HE SCORNED DANGER


SO HE RESIGNED HIMSELF TO PASS THE NIGHT UNDER THE STARS AND HAVING FOUND A SUITABLE GRASSY SPOT BY THE ROADSIDE HE LAY DOWN THERE AND PREPARED TO SLEEP


HE HAD ALWAYS WELCOMED DISCOMFORT AND EVEN A BARE ROCK WAS FOR HIM A GOOD BED WHEN NOTHING BETTER COULD BE FOUND AND THE ROOT OF A PINE TREE AN EXCELLENT PILLOW HIS BODY WAS IRON AND HE NEVER TROUBLED HIMSELF ABOUT DEWS OR RAIN OR FROST OR SNOW


SCARCELY HAD HE LAIN DOWN WHEN A MAN CAME ALONG THE ROAD CARRYING AN AXE AND A GREAT BUNDLE OF CHOPPED WOOD THIS WOODCUTTER HALTED ON SEEING KWAIRYO LYING DOWN


AND AFTER A MOMENT OF SILENT OBSERVATION SAID TO HIM IN A TONE OF GREAT SURPRISE WHAT KIND OF A MAN CAN YOU BE GOOD SIR THAT YOU DARE TO LIE DOWN ALONE IN SUCH A PLACE AS THIS THERE ARE HAUNTERS ABOUT HERE MANY OF THEM ARE YOU NOT AFRAID OF HAIRY THINGS


MY FRIEND CHEERFULLY ANSWERED KWAIRYO I AM ONLY A WANDERING PRIEST A CLOUD AND WATER GUEST AS FOLKS CALL IT


AS FOR LONESOME PLACES I LIKE THEM THEY ARE SUITABLE FOR MEDITATION I AM ACCUSTOMED TO SLEEPING IN THE OPEN AIR AND I HAVE LEARNED NEVER TO BE ANXIOUS ABOUT MY LIFE


TO LIE DOWN HERE THIS PLACE HAS A BAD NAME A VERY BAD NAME BUT AS THE PROVERB HAS IT KUNSHI AYAYUKI NI CHIKAYORAZU THE SUPERIOR MAN DOES NOT NEEDLESSLY EXPOSE HIMSELF TO PERIL


AND I MUST ASSURE YOU SIR THAT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO SLEEP HERE THEREFORE ALTHOUGH MY HOUSE IS ONLY A WRETCHED THATCHED HUT LET ME BEG OF YOU TO COME HOME WITH ME AT ONCE IN THE WAY OF FOOD I HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER YOU BUT THERE IS A ROOF AT LEAST AND YOU CAN SLEEP UNDER IT WITHOUT RISK


ACCEPTED THIS MODEST OFFER THE WOODCUTTER GUIDED HIM ALONG A NARROW PATH LEADING UP FROM THE MAIN ROAD THROUGH MOUNTAIN FOREST IT WAS A ROUGH AND DANGEROUS PATH SOMETIMES SKIRTING PRECIPICES SOMETIMES OFFERING NOTHING BUT A NETWORK OF


SLIPPERY ROOTS FOR THE FOOT TO REST UPON SOMETIMES WINDING OVER OR BETWEEN MASSES OF JAGGED ROCK BUT AT LAST KWAIRYO FOUND HIMSELF UPON A CLEARED SPACE AT THE TOP OF A HILL WITH A FULL MOON SHINING OVERHEAD AND HE SAW BEFORE HIM A SMALL THATCHED COTTAGE


AND THEY MUST HAVE BEEN TAUGHT BY SOME ONE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE RULES OF PROPRIETY THEN TURNING TO HIS HOST THE ARUJI OR HOUSE MASTER AS THE OTHERS CALLED HIM KWAIRYO SAID


FROM THE KINDNESS OF YOUR SPEECH AND FROM THE VERY POLITE WELCOME GIVEN ME BY YOUR HOUSEHOLD I IMAGINE THAT YOU HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN A WOODCUTTER PERHAPS YOU FORMERLY BELONGED TO ONE OF THE UPPER CLASSES SMILING THE WOODCUTTER ANSWERED SIR YOU ARE NOT MISTAKEN


THOUGH NOW LIVING AS YOU FIND ME I WAS ONCE A PERSON OF SOME DISTINCTION MY STORY IS THE STORY OF A RUINED LIFE RUINED BY MY OWN FAULT I USED TO BE IN THE SERVICE OF A DAIMYO AND MY RANK IN THAT SERVICE WAS NOT INCONSIDERABLE


BUT I LOVED WOMEN AND WINE TOO WELL AND UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PASSION I ACTED WICKEDLY


RETRIBUTION FOLLOWED ME AND I LONG REMAINED A FUGITIVE IN THE LAND NOW I OFTEN PRAY THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME ATONEMENT FOR THE EVIL WHICH I DID AND TO REESTABLISH THE ANCESTRAL HOME BUT I FEAR THAT I SHALL NEVER FIND ANY WAY OF SO DOING


KWAIRYO WAS PLEASED BY THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OF GOOD RESOLVE AND HE SAID TO THE ARUJI MY FRIEND I HAVE HAD OCCASION TO OBSERVE THAT MAN PRONE TO FOLLY IN THEIR YOUTH MAY IN AFTER YEARS BECOME VERY EARNEST IN RIGHT LIVING


IN THE HOLY SUTRAS IT IS WRITTEN THAT THOSE STRONGEST IN WRONG DOING CAN BECOME BY POWER OF GOOD RESOLVE THE STRONGEST IN RIGHT DOING I DO NOT DOUBT THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD HEART AND I HOPE THAT BETTER FORTUNE WILL COME TO YOU


TO NIGHT I SHALL RECITE THE SUTRAS FOR YOUR SAKE AND PRAY THAT YOU MAY OBTAIN THE FORCE TO OVERCOME THE KARMA OF ANY PAST ERRORS WITH THESE ASSURANCES KWAIRYO BADE THE ARUJI GOOD NIGHT AND HIS HOST SHOWED HIM TO A VERY SMALL SIDE ROOM WHERE A BED HAD BEEN MADE READY


THEN ALL WENT TO SLEEP EXCEPT THE PRIEST WHO BEGAN TO READ THE SUTRAS BY THE LIGHT OF A PAPER LANTERN UNTIL A LATE HOUR HE CONTINUED TO READ AND PRAY


THE NIGHT WAS BEAUTIFUL THERE WAS NO CLOUD IN THE SKY THERE WAS NO WIND AND THE STRONG MOONLIGHT THREW DOWN SHARP BLACK SHADOWS OF FOLIAGE AND GLITTERED ON THE DEWS OF THE GARDEN


AND THE SOUND OF THE NEIGHBORING CASCADE DEEPENED WITH THE NIGHT KWAIRYO FELT THIRSTY AS HE LISTENED TO THE NOISE OF THE WATER AND REMEMBERING THE BAMBOO AQUEDUCT AT THE REAR OF THE HOUSE HE THOUGHT THAT HE COULD GO THERE AND GET A DRINK WITHOUT DISTURBING THE SLEEPING HOUSEHOLD


VERY GENTLY HE PUSHED APART THE SLIDING SCREENS THAT SEPARATED HIS ROOM FROM THE MAIN APARTMENT AND HE SAW BY THE LIGHT OF THE LANTERN FIVE RECUMBENT BODIES WITHOUT HEADS


FOR ONE INSTANT HE STOOD BEWILDERED IMAGINING A CRIME BUT IN ANOTHER MOMENT HE PERCEIVED THAT THERE WAS NO BLOOD AND THAT THE HEADLESS NECKS DID NOT LOOK AS IF THEY HAD BEEN CUT THEN HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF


AND REMOVE THE BODY TO ANOTHER PLACE THE HEAD WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO JOIN ITSELF AGAIN TO THE NECK AND THE BOOK FURTHER SAYS THAT WHEN THE HEAD COMES BACK AND FINDS THAT ITS BODY HAS BEEN MOVED IT WILL STRIKE ITSELF UPON THE FLOOR THREE TIMES BOUNDING LIKE A BALL AND WILL PANT AS IN GREAT FEAR


AND PRESENTLY DIE NOW IF THESE BE ROKURO KUBI THEY MEAN ME NO GOOD SO I SHALL BE JUSTIFIED IN FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE BOOK HE SEIZED THE BODY OF THE ARUJI BY THE FEET PULLED IT TO THE WINDOW AND PUSHED IT OUT


GENTLY UNBARRING THE DOOR HE MADE HIS WAY TO THE GARDEN AND PROCEEDED WITH ALL POSSIBLE CAUTION TO THE GROVE BEYOND IT HE HEARD VOICES TALKING IN THE GROVE AND HE WENT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE VOICES STEALING FROM SHADOW TO SHADOW UNTIL HE REACHED A GOOD HIDING PLACE


THEN FROM BEHIND A TRUNK HE CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE HEADS ALL FIVE OF THEM FLITTING ABOUT AND CHATTING AS THEY FLITTED THEY WERE EATING WORMS AND INSECTS WHICH THEY FOUND ON THE GROUND OR AMONG THE TREES


PRESENTLY THE HEAD OF THE ARUJI STOPPED EATING AND SAID AH THAT TRAVELING PRIEST WHO CAME TO NIGHT HOW FAT ALL HIS BODY IS WHEN WE SHALL HAVE EATEN HIM OUR BELLIES WILL BE WELL FILLED I WAS FOOLISH TO TALK TO HIM AS I DID


TO GO NEAR HIM WHILE HE IS RECITING WOULD BE DIFFICULT AND WE CANNOT TOUCH HIM SO LONG AS HE IS PRAYING BUT AS IT IS NOW NEARLY MORNING PERHAPS HE HAS GONE TO SLEEP SOME ONE OF YOU GO TO THE HOUSE AND SEE WHAT THE FELLOW IS DOING


ANOTHER HEAD THE HEAD OF A YOUNG WOMAN IMMEDIATELY ROSE UP AND FLITTED TO THE HOUSE LIGHTLY AS A BAT AFTER A FEW MINUTES IT CAME BACK AND CRIED OUT HUSKILY IN A TONE OF GREAT ALARM THAT TRAVELING PRIEST IS NOT IN THE HOUSE HE IS GONE BUT THAT IS NOT THE WORST OF THE MATTER


HE HAS TAKEN THE BODY OF OUR ARUJI AND I DO NOT KNOW WHERE HE HAS PUT IT AT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THE HEAD OF THE ARUJI DISTINCTLY VISIBLE IN THE MOONLIGHT ASSUMED A FRIGHTFUL ASPECT ITS EYES OPENED MONSTROUSLY ITS HAIR STOOD UP BRISTLING AND ITS TEETH GNASHED


SINCE MY BODY HAS BEEN MOVED TO REJOIN IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THEN I MUST DIE AND ALL THROUGH THE WORK OF THAT PRIEST


AND THERE HE IS BEHIND THAT TREE HIDING BEHIND THAT TREE SEE HIM THE FAT COWARD IN THE SAME MOMENT THE HEAD OF THE ARUJI FOLLOWED BY THE OTHER FOUR HEADS SPRANG AT KWAIRYO


BUT THE STRONG PRIEST HAD ALREADY ARMED HIMSELF BY PLUCKING UP A YOUNG TREE AND WITH THAT TREE HE STRUCK THE HEADS AS THEY CAME KNOCKING THEM FROM HIM WITH TREMENDOUS BLOWS FOUR OF THEM FLED AWAY BUT THE HEAD OF THE ARUJI THOUGH BATTERED AGAIN AND AGAIN DESPERATELY CONTINUED TO BOUND AT THE PRIEST


AND AT LAST CAUGHT HIM BY THE LEFT SLEEVE OF HIS ROBE KWAIRYO HOWEVER AS QUICKLY GRIPPED THE HEAD BY ITS TOPKNOT AND REPEATEDLY STRUCK IT IT DID NOT RELEASE ITS HOLD BUT IT UTTERED A LONG MOAN AND THEREAFTER CEASED TO STRUGGLE IT WAS DEAD


BUT ITS TEETH STILL HELD THE SLEEVE AND FOR ALL HIS GREAT STRENGTH KWAIRYO COULD NOT FORCE OPEN THE JAWS WITH THE HEAD STILL HANGING TO HIS SLEEVE HE WENT BACK TO THE HOUSE AND THERE CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE OTHER FOUR ROKURO KUBI SQUATTING TOGETHER


WITH THEIR BRUISED AND BLEEDING HEADS REUNITED TO THEIR BODIES BUT WHEN THEY PERCEIVED HIM AT THE BACK DOOR ALL SCREAMED THE PRIEST THE PRIEST AND FLED THROUGH THE OTHER DOORWAY OUT INTO THE WOODS EASTWARD THE SKY WAS BRIGHTENING DAY WAS ABOUT TO DAWN


AND KWAIRYO KNEW THAT THE POWER OF THE GOBLINS WAS LIMITED TO THE HOURS OF DARKNESS HE LOOKED AT THE HEAD CLINGING TO HIS SLEEVE ITS FACE ALL FOULED WITH BLOOD AND FOAM AND CLAY AND HE LAUGHED ALOUD AS HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF


AFTER WHICH HE GATHERED TOGETHER HIS FEW BELONGINGS AND LEISURELY DESCENDED THE MOUNTAIN TO CONTINUE HIS JOURNEY RIGHT ON HE JOURNEYED UNTIL HE CAME TO SUWA


SEIZED THE PRIEST AND TOOK HIM TO JAIL FOR THEY SUPPOSED THE HEAD TO BE THE HEAD OF A MURDERED MAN WHO IN THE MOMENT OF BEING KILLED HAD CAUGHT THE MURDERER'S SLEEVE IN HIS TEETH AS THE KWAIRYO HE ONLY SMILED AND SAID NOTHING WHEN THEY QUESTIONED HIM


SO AFTER HAVING PASSED A NIGHT IN PRISON HE WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES OF THE DISTRICT THEN HE WAS ORDERED TO EXPLAIN HOW HE A PRIEST HAD BEEN FOUND WITH THE HEAD OF A MAN FASTENED TO HIS SLEEVE AND WHY HE HAD DARED THUS SHAMELESSLY TO PARADE HIS CRIME IN THE SIGHT OF PEOPLE


KWAIRYO LAUGHED LONG AND LOUDLY AT THESE QUESTIONS AND THEN HE SAID SIRS I DID NOT FASTEN THE HEAD TO MY SLEEVE IT FASTENED ITSELF THERE MUCH AGAINST MY WILL AND I HAVE NOT COMMITTED ANY CRIME FOR THIS IS NOT THE HEAD OF A MAN IT IS THE HEAD OF A GOBLIN


BUT THE MAGISTRATES DID NOT LAUGH THEY JUDGED HIM TO BE A HARDENED CRIMINAL AND HIS STORY AN INSULT TO THEIR INTELLIGENCE THEREFORE WITHOUT FURTHER QUESTIONING THEY DECIDED TO ORDER HIS IMMEDIATE EXECUTION ALL OF THEM EXCEPT ONE


A VERY OLD MAN THIS AGED OFFICER HAD MADE NO REMARK DURING THE TRIAL BUT AFTER HAVING HEARD THE OPINION OF HIS COLLEAGUES HE ROSE UP AND SAID LET US FIRST EXAMINE THE HEAD CAREFULLY FOR THIS I THINK HAS NOT YET BEEN DONE


THE OLD MAN TURNED IT ROUND AND ROUND CAREFULLY EXAMINED IT AND DISCOVERED ON THE NAPE OF ITS NECK SEVERAL STRANGE RED CHARACTERS HE CALLED THE ATTENTION OF HIS COLLEAGUES TO THESE AND ALSO BADE THEM OBSERVE THAT THE EDGES OF THE NECK NOWHERE PRESENTED THE APPEARANCE OF HAVING BEEN CUT BY ANY WEAPON


ON THE CONTRARY THE LINE OF LEVERANCE WAS SMOOTH AS THE LINE AT WHICH A FALLING LEAF DETACHES ITSELF FROM THE STEM THEN SAID THE ELDER I AM QUITE SURE THAT THE PRIEST TOLD US NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH THIS IS THE HEAD OF A ROKURO KUBI


THERE ARE THE CHARACTERS YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELVES THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PAINTED MOREOVER IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT SUCH GOBLINS HAVE BEEN DWELLING IN THE MOUNTAINS OF THE PROVINCE OF KAI FROM VERY ANCIENT TIME BUT YOU SIR HE EXCLAIMED TURNING TO KWAIRYO


PERHAPS YOU ONCE BELONGED TO THE SAMURAI CLASS


BEFORE BECOMING A PRIEST I LONG FOLLOWED THE PROFESSION OF ARMS AND IN THOSE DAYS I NEVER FEARED MAN OR DEVIL MY NAME THEN WAS ISOGAI HEIDAZAEMON TAKETSURA OF KYUSHU THERE MAY BE SOME AMONG YOU WHO REMEMBER IT


AT THE MENTION OF THAT NAME A MURMUR OF ADMIRATION FILLED THE COURT ROOM FOR THERE WERE MANY PRESENT WHO REMEMBERED IT AND KWAIRYO IMMEDIATELY FOUND HIMSELF AMONG FRIENDS INSTEAD OF JUDGES FRIENDS ANXIOUS TO PROVE THEIR ADMIRATION BY FRATERNAL KINDNESS


WHEN KWAIRYO LEFT SUWA HE WAS AS HAPPY AS ANY PRIEST IS PERMITTED TO BE IN THIS TRANSITORY WORLD AS FOR THE HEAD HE TOOK IT WITH HIM JOCOSELY INSISTING THAT HE INTENDED IT FOR A MIYAGE AND NOW IT ONLY REMAINS TO TELL WHAT BECAME OF THE HEAD


A DAY OR TWO AFTER LEAVING SUWA KWAIRYO MET WITH A ROBBER WHO STOPPED HIM IN A LONESOME PLACE AND BADE HIM STRIP KWAIRYO AT ONCE REMOVED HIS KOROMO AND OFFERED IT TO THE ROBBER WHO THEN FIRST PERCEIVED WHAT WAS HANGING TO THE SLEEVE


THOUGH BRAVE THE HIGHWAYMAN WAS STARTLED HE DROPPED THE GARMENT AND SPRANG BACK THEN HE CRIED OUT YOU


KWAIRYO ANSWERED I SHALL LET YOU HAVE THE HEAD AND THE ROBE IF YOU INSIST BUT I MUST TELL YOU THAT THIS IS NOT THE HEAD OF A MAN IT IS A GOBLIN'S HEAD SO IF YOU BUY IT AND HAVE ANY TROUBLE IN CONSEQUENCE PLEASE TO REMEMBER THAT YOU WERE NOT DECEIVED BY ME


WHAT A NICE PRIEST YOU ARE EXCLAIMED THE ROBBER YOU KILL MEN AND JEST ABOUT IT BUT I AM REALLY IN EARNEST HERE IS MY ROBE AND HERE IS THE MONEY AND LET ME HAVE THE HEAD WHAT IS THE USE OF JOKING


TAKE THE THING SAID KWAIRYO I WAS NOT JOKING


AND HE THEN BECAME AFRAID THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE ROKURO KUBI MIGHT GIVE HIM TROUBLE SO HE MADE UP HIS MIND TO TAKE BACK THE HEAD TO THE PLACE FROM WHICH IT HAD COME AND TO BURY IT WITH ITS BODY HE FOUND HIS WAY TO THE LONELY COTTAGE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF KAI BUT NOBODY WAS THERE


AND HE COULD NOT DISCOVER THE BODY THEREFORE HE BURIED THE HEAD BY ITSELF IN THE GROVE BEHIND THE COTTAGE AND HE HAD A TOMBSTONE SET UP OVER THE GRAVE AND HE CAUSED A SEGAKI SERVICE TO BE PERFORMED ON BEHALF OF THE SPIRIT OF THE ROKURO KUBI


EVEN TO DAY IN THE COURTS OF CERTAIN JAPANESE TEMPLES YOU MAY SEE HEAPS OF OLD BRONZE MIRRORS CONTRIBUTED FOR SUCH A PURPOSE THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF THIS KIND THAT I EVER SAW WAS IN THE COURT OF A TEMPLE OF THE JODO SECT AT HAKATA IN KYUSHU


WHO PRESENTED HER MIRROR TO THE TEMPLE TO BE USED FOR BELL METAL BUT AFTERWARDS SHE MUCH REGRETTED HER MIRROR SHE REMEMBERED THINGS THAT HER MOTHER HAD TOLD HER ABOUT IT AND SHE REMEMBERED THAT IT HAD BELONGED NOT ONLY TO HER MOTHER BUT TO HER MOTHER'S MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER AND SHE REMEMBERED SOME HAPPY SMILES WHICH IT HAD REFLECTED


BUT SHE HAD NOT THE MONEY NECESSARY WHENEVER SHE WENT TO THE TEMPLE SHE SAW HER MIRROR LYING IN THE COURT YARD BEHIND A RAILING AMONG HUNDREDS OF OTHER MIRRORS HEAPED THERE TOGETHER SHE KNEW IT BY THE SHO CHIKU BAI IN RELIEF ON THE BACK OF IT THOSE THREE FORTUNATE EMBLEMS OF PINE BAMBOO AND PLUMFLOWER


WHICH DELIGHTED HER BABY EYES WHEN HER MOTHER FIRST SHOWED HER THE MIRROR SHE LONGED FOR SOME CHANCE TO STEAL THE MIRROR AND HIDE IT THAT SHE MIGHT THEREAFTER TREASURE IT ALWAYS BUT THE CHANCE DID NOT COME AND SHE BECAME VERY UNHAPPY FELT AS IF SHE HAD FOOLISHLY GIVEN AWAY A PART OF HER LIFE


A SAYING MYSTICALLY EXPRESSED BY THE CHINESE CHARACTER FOR SOUL UPON THE BACKS OF MANY BRONZE MIRRORS AND SHE FEARED THAT IT WAS TRUE IN WEIRDER WAYS THAN SHE HAD BEFORE IMAGINED BUT SHE COULD NOT DARE TO SPEAK OF HER PAIN TO ANYBODY


EVIDENTLY THE WOMAN WHO HAD GIVEN THAT MIRROR TO THE TEMPLE MUST HAVE REGRETTED THE GIVING SHE HAD NOT PRESENTED HER OFFERING WITH ALL HER HEART AND THEREFORE HER SELFISH SOUL REMAINING ATTACHED TO THE MIRROR KEPT IT HARD AND COLD IN THE MIDST OF THE FURNACE


OF COURSE EVERYBODY HEARD OF THE MATTER AND EVERYBODY SOON KNEW WHOSE MIRROR IT WAS THAT WOULD NOT MELT AND BECAUSE OF THIS PUBLIC EXPOSURE OF HER SECRET FAULT THE POOR WOMAN BECAME VERY MUCH ASHAMED AND VERY ANGRY AND AS SHE COULD NOT BEAR THE SHAME SHE DROWNED HERSELF


AFTER HAVING WRITTEN A FAREWELL LETTER CONTAINING THESE WORDS WHEN I AM DEAD IT WILL NOT BE DIFFICULT TO MELT THE MIRROR AND TO CAST THE BELL BUT TO THE PERSON WHO BREAKS THAT BELL BY RINGING IT GREAT WEALTH WILL BE GIVEN BY THE GHOST OF ME


BUT THE BELL PROVED TO BE A GOOD BELL AND IT BRAVELY WITHSTOOD THEIR ASSAULTS NEVERTHELESS THE PEOPLE WERE NOT EASILY DISCOURAGED DAY AFTER DAY AT ALL HOURS THEY CONTINUED TO RING THE BELL FURIOUSLY CARING NOTHING WHATEVER FOR THE PROTESTS OF THE PRIESTS


SO THE RINGING BECAME AN AFFLICTION AND THE PRIESTS COULD NOT ENDURE IT AND THEY GOT RID OF THE BELL BY ROLLING IT DOWN THE HILL INTO A SWAMP THE SWAMP WAS DEEP AND SWALLOWED IT UP AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE BELL


OR BELL OF MUGEN NOW THERE ARE QUEER OLD JAPANESE BELIEFS IN THE MAGICAL EFFICACY OF A CERTAIN MENTAL OPERATION IMPLIED THOUGH NOT DESCRIBED BY THE VERB


THE WORD ITSELF CANNOT BE ADEQUATELY RENDERED BY ANY ENGLISH WORD FOR IT IS USED IN RELATION TO MANY KINDS OF MIMETIC MAGIC AS WELL AS IN RELATION TO THE PERFORMANCE OF MANY RELIGIOUS ACTS OF FAITH


TO COMPARE TO LIKEN BUT THE ESOTERIC MEANING IS TO SUBSTITUTE IN IMAGINATION ONE OBJECT OR ACTION FOR ANOTHER SO AS TO BRING ABOUT SOME MAGICAL OR MIRACULOUS RESULT


FOR EXAMPLE YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO BUILD A BUDDHIST TEMPLE BUT YOU CAN EASILY LAY A PEBBLE BEFORE THE IMAGE OF THE BUDDHA WITH THE SAME PIOUS FEELING THAT WOULD PROMPT YOU TO BUILD A TEMPLE IF YOU WERE RICH ENOUGH TO BUILD ONE THE MERIT OF SO OFFERING THE PEBBLE BECOMES EQUAL OR ALMOST EQUAL TO THE MERIT OF ERECTING A TEMPLE


YOU CANNOT READ THE SIX THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE VOLUMES OF THE BUDDHIST TEXTS BUT YOU CAN MAKE A REVOLVING LIBRARY CONTAINING THEM TURN ROUND BY PUSHING IT LIKE A WINDLASS


SO MUCH WILL PERHAPS SUFFICE TO EXPLAIN THE RELIGIOUS MEANINGS OF NAZORAERU THE MAGICAL MEANINGS COULD NOT ALL BE EXPLAINED WITHOUT A GREAT VARIETY OF EXAMPLES BUT FOR PRESENT PURPOSES THE FOLLOWING WILL SERVE IF YOU SHOULD MAKE A LITTLE MAN OF STRAW


FOR THE SAME REASON THAT SISTER HELEN MADE A LITTLE MAN OF WAX AND NAIL IT


THAT WOULD ILLUSTRATE ONE SIGNIFICATION OF NAZORAERU OR LET US SUPPOSE THAT A ROBBER HAS ENTERED YOUR HOUSE DURING THE NIGHT AND CARRIED AWAY YOUR VALUABLES IF YOU CAN DISCOVER THE FOOTPRINTS OF THAT ROBBER IN YOUR GARDEN AND THEN PROMPTLY BURN A VERY LARGE MOXA ON EACH OF THEM


THE SOLES OF THE FEET OF THE ROBBER WILL BECOME INFLAMED AND WILL ALLOW HIM NO REST UNTIL HE RETURNS OF HIS OWN ACCORD TO PUT HIMSELF AT YOUR MERCY THAT IS ANOTHER KIND OF MIMETIC MAGIC EXPRESSED BY THE TERM NAZORAERU


AFTER THE BELL HAD BEEN ROLLED INTO THE SWAMP THERE WAS OF COURSE NO MORE CHANCE OF RINGING IT IN SUCH WISE AS TO BREAK IT


BUT PERSONS WHO REGRETTED THIS LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY WOULD STRIKE AND BREAK OBJECTS IMAGINATIVELY SUBSTITUTED FOR THE BELL THUS HOPING TO PLEASE THE SPIRIT OF THE OWNER OF THE MIRROR THAT HAD MADE SO MUCH TROUBLE ONE OF THESE PERSONS WAS A WOMAN CALLED UMEGAE


WHILE THE PAIR WERE TRAVELING TOGETHER KAJIWARA ONE DAY FOUND HIMSELF IN GREAT STRAITS FOR WANT OF MONEY AND UMEGAE REMEMBERING THE TRADITION OF THE BELL OF MUGEN TOOK A BASIN OF BRONZE AND MENTALLY REPRESENTING IT TO BE THE BELL BEAT UPON IT UNTIL SHE BROKE IT


CRYING OUT AT THE SAME TIME FOR THREE HUNDRED PIECES OF GOLD A GUEST OF THE INN WHERE THE PAIR WERE STOPPING


AFTERWARDS A SONG WAS MADE ABOUT UMEGAE'S BASIN OF BRONZE AND THAT SONG IS SUNG BY DANCING GIRLS EVEN TO THIS DAY UMEGAE NO CHOZUBACHI TATAITE


IF BY STRIKING UPON THE WASH BASIN OF UMEGAE I COULD MAKE HONORABLE MONEY COME TO ME


BECAME GREAT AND MANY PEOPLE FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF UMEGAE THEREBY HOPING TO EMULATE HER LUCK


AS IT DESERVES TO BE ANSWERED TAKE THEREFORE THIS JAR SO SAYING SHE PUT THE JAR INTO HIS HANDS AND DISAPPEARED INTO HIS HOUSE THE HAPPY MAN RUSHED TO TELL HIS WIFE THE GOOD NEWS HE SET DOWN IN FRONT OF HER THE COVERED JAR WHICH WAS HEAVY


AND THEY OPENED IT TOGETHER AND THEY FOUND THAT IT WAS FILLED UP TO THE VERY BRIM WITH


JIKININKI ONCE WHEN MUSO KOKUSHI


FOR A LONG TIME HE WANDERED ABOUT HELPLESSLY AND HE WAS BEGINNING TO DESPAIR OF FINDING SHELTER FOR THE NIGHT WHEN HE PERCEIVED ON THE TOP OF A HILL LIGHTED BY THE LAST RAYS OF THE SUN ONE OF THOSE LITTLE HERMITAGES CALLED


WHICH ARE BUILT FOR SOLITARY PRIESTS IT SEEMED TO BE IN RUINOUS CONDITION BUT HE HASTENED TO IT EAGERLY AND FOUND THAT IT WAS INHABITED BY AN AGED PRIEST FROM WHOM HE BEGGED THE FAVOR OF A NIGHT'S LODGING


THIS THE OLD MAN HARSHLY REFUSED BUT HE DIRECTED MUSO TO A CERTAIN HAMLET IN THE VALLEY ADJOINING WHERE LODGING AND FOOD COULD BE OBTAINED MUSO FOUND HIS WAY TO THE HAMLET WHICH CONSISTED OF LESS THAN A DOZEN FARM COTTAGES


BUT A LITTLE BEFORE MIDNIGHT HE WAS ROUSED FROM SLEEP BY A SOUND OF LOUD WEEPING IN THE NEXT APARTMENT PRESENTLY THE SLIDING SCREENS WERE GENTLY PUSHED APART AND A YOUNG MAN CARRYING A LIGHTED LANTERN ENTERED THE ROOM RESPECTFULLY SALUTED HIM AND SAID


THE PEOPLE WHOM YOU SAW IN THE NEXT ROOM ARE THE INHABITANTS OF THIS VILLAGE


STRANGE THINGS ALWAYS HAPPEN IN THE HOUSE WHERE A CORPSE HAS THUS BEEN LEFT SO WE THINK THAT IT WILL BE BETTER FOR YOU TO COME AWAY WITH US WE CAN FIND YOU GOOD LODGING IN THE OTHER VILLAGE


BUT I AM SORRY THAT YOU DID NOT TELL ME OF YOUR FATHER'S DEATH WHEN I CAME FOR THOUGH I WAS A LITTLE TIRED I CERTAINLY WAS NOT SO TIRED THAT I SHOULD HAVE FOUND DIFFICULTY IN DOING MY DUTY AS A PRIEST HAD YOU TOLD ME I COULD HAVE PERFORMED THE SERVICE BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE


AS IT IS I SHALL PERFORM THE SERVICE AFTER YOU HAVE GONE AWAY AND I SHALL STAY BY THE BODY UNTIL MORNING I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY YOUR WORDS ABOUT THE DANGER OF STAYING HERE ALONE


THEN THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY AND THE FOLK ASSEMBLED IN THE ADJOINING ROOM HAVING BEEN TOLD OF THE PRIEST'S KIND PROMISES CAME TO THANK HIM AFTER WHICH THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE SAID NOW REVEREND SIR MUCH AS WE REGRET TO LEAVE YOU ALONE WE MUST BID YOU FAREWELL


BY THE RULE OF OUR VILLAGE NONE OF US CAN STAY HERE AFTER MIDNIGHT WE BEG KIND SIR THAT YOU WILL TAKE EVERY CARE OF YOUR HONORABLE BODY WHILE WE ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND UPON YOU AND IF YOU HAPPEN TO HEAR OR SEE ANYTHING STRANGE DURING OUR ABSENCE PLEASE TELL US OF THE MATTER WHEN WE RETURN IN THE MORNING


ALL THEN LEFT THE HOUSE EXCEPT THE PRIEST WHO WENT TO THE ROOM WHERE THE DEAD BODY WAS LYING THE USUAL OFFERINGS HAD BEEN SET BEFORE THE CORPSE AND A SMALL BUDDHIST LAMP TOMYO WAS BURNING


THE PRIEST RECITED THE SERVICE AND PERFORMED THE FUNERAL CEREMONIES AFTER WHICH HE ENTERED INTO MEDITATION SO MEDITATING HE REMAINED THROUGH SEVERAL SILENT HOURS AND THERE WAS NO SOUND IN THE DESERTED VILLAGE


BUT WHEN THE HUSH OF THE NIGHT WAS AT ITS DEEPEST THERE NOISELESSLY ENTERED A SHAPE VAGUE AND VAST AND IN THE SAME MOMENT MUSO FOUND HIMSELF WITHOUT POWER TO MOVE OR SPEAK


HE SAW THAT SHAPE LIFT THE CORPSE AS WITH HANDS DEVOUR IT MORE QUICKLY THAN A CAT DEVOURS A RAT BEGINNING AT THE HEAD AND EATING EVERYTHING THE HAIR AND THE BONES AND EVEN THE SHROUD AND THE MONSTROUS THING HAVING THUS CONSUMED THE BODY


TURNED TO THE OFFERINGS AND ATE THEM ALSO THEN IT WENT AWAY AS MYSTERIOUSLY AS IT HAD COME WHEN THE VILLAGERS RETURNED NEXT MORNING THEY FOUND THE PRIEST AWAITING THEM AT THE DOOR OF THE HEADMAN'S DWELLING ALL IN TURN SALUTED HIM AND WHEN THEY HAD ENTERED


AND LOOKED ABOUT THE ROOM NO ONE EXPRESSED ANY SURPRISE AT THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE DEAD BODY AND THE OFFERINGS BUT THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE SAID TO MUSO REVERENT SIR YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN UNPLEASANT THINGS DURING THE NIGHT


ALL OF US WERE ANXIOUS ABOUT YOU BUT NOW WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO FIND YOU ALIVE AND UNHARMED GLADLY WE WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH YOU IF IT HAD BEEN POSSIBLE BUT THE LAW OF OUR VILLAGE AS I TOLD YOU LAST EVENING OBLIGES US TO QUIT OUR HOUSES AFTER A DEATH HAS TAKEN PLACE


AND TO LEAVE THE CORPSE ALONE WHENEVER THIS LAW HAS BEEN BROKEN HERETOFORE SOME GREAT MISFORTUNE HAS FOLLOWED WHENEVER IT IS OBEYED WE FIND THAT THE CORPSE AND THE OFFERINGS DISAPPEAR DURING OUR ABSENCE PERHAPS YOU HAVE SEEN THE CAUSE


THEN MUSO TOLD OF THE DIM AND AWFUL SHAPE THAT HAD ENTERED THE DEATH CHAMBER TO DEVOUR THE BODY AND THE OFFERINGS NO PERSON SEEMED TO BE SURPRISED BY HIS NARRATION AND THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE OBSERVED


WHAT YOU HAVE TOLD US REVEREND SIR AGREES WITH WHAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THIS MATTER FROM ANCIENT TIME MUSO THEN INQUIRED DOES NOT THE PRIEST ON THE HILL SOMETIMES PERFORM THE FUNERAL SERVICE FOR YOUR DEAD WHAT PRIEST THE YOUNG MAN ASKED


THE PRIEST WHO YESTERDAY EVENING DIRECTED ME TO THIS VILLAGE ANSWERED MUSO I CALLED AT HIS ANJITSU ON THE HILL YONDER HE REFUSED ME LODGING BUT TOLD ME THE WAY HERE THE LISTENERS LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AS IN ASTONISHMENT


AND AFTER A MOMENT OF SILENCE THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE SAID REVEREND SIR THERE IS NO PRIEST AND THERE IS NO ANJITSU ON THE HILL FOR THE TIME OF MANY GENERATIONS THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY RESIDENT PRIEST IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD MUSO SAID NOTHING MORE ON THE SUBJECT


FOR IT WAS EVIDENT THAT HIS KIND HOSTS SUPPOSED HIM TO HAVE BEEN DELUDED BY SOME GOBLIN BUT AFTER HAVING BIDDEN THEM FAREWELL AND OBTAINED ALL NECESSARY INFORMATION AS TO HIS ROAD HE DETERMINED TO LOOK AGAIN FOR THE HERMITAGE ON THE HILL AND SO TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER HE HAD REALLY BEEN DECEIVED


AND THIS TIME ITS AGED OCCUPANT INVITED HIM TO ENTER WHEN HE HAD DONE SO THE HERMIT HUMBLY BOWED DOWN BEFORE HIM EXCLAIMING AH I AM ASHAMED I AM VERY MUCH ASHAMED I AM EXCEEDINGLY ASHAMED


YOU NEED NOT BE ASHAMED FOR HAVING REFUSED ME SHELTER SAID MUSO YOU DIRECTED ME TO THE VILLAGE YONDER WHERE I WAS VERY KINDLY TREATED AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT FAVOR I CAN GIVE NO MAN SHELTER THE RECLUSE MADE ANSWER


SO IN THAT TIME THE BODIES OF THE MOUNTAIN FOLK WHO DIED USED TO BE BROUGHT HERE SOMETIMES FROM GREAT DISTANCES IN ORDER THAT I MIGHT REPEAT OVER THEM THE HOLY SERVICE BUT I REPEATED THE SERVICE AND PERFORMED THE RITES ONLY AS A MATTER OF BUSINESS


I THOUGHT ONLY OF THE FOOD AND THE CLOTHES THAT MY SACRED PROFESSION ENABLED ME TO GAIN AND BECAUSE OF THIS SELFISH IMPIETY I WAS REBORN IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY DEATH INTO THE STATE OF A JIKININKI


SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN OBLIGED TO FEED UPON THE CORPSES OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIE IN THIS DISTRICT EVERY ONE OF THEM I MUST DEVOUR IN THE WAY THAT YOU SAW LAST NIGHT NOW REVEREND SIR


HELP ME BY YOUR PRAYERS I ENTREAT YOU SO THAT I MAY BE SOON ABLE TO ESCAPE FROM THIS HORRIBLE STATE OF EXISTENCE NO SOONER HAD THE HERMIT UTTERED THIS PETITION THAN HE DISAPPEARED AND THE HERMITAGE ALSO DISAPPEARED AT THE SAME INSTANT


CHAPTER SEVENTEEN WHEN WENDY GREW UP I HOPE YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT BECAME OF THE OTHER BOYS THEY WERE WAITING BELOW TO GIVE WENDY TIME TO EXPLAIN ABOUT THEM AND WHEN THEY HAD COUNTED FIVE HUNDRED THEY WENT UP


THEY WENT UP BY THE STAIR BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THIS WOULD MAKE A BETTER IMPRESSION THEY STOOD IN A ROW IN FRONT OF MISSUS DARLING WITH THEIR HATS OFF AND WISHING THEY WERE NOT WEARING THEIR PIRATE CLOTHES THEY SAID NOTHING BUT THEIR EYES ASKED HER TO HAVE THEM


BUT THEY FORGOT ABOUT HIM OF COURSE MISSUS DARLING SAID AT ONCE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE THEM BUT MISTER DARLING WAS CURIOUSLY DEPRESSED AND THEY SAW THAT HE CONSIDERED SIX A RATHER LARGE NUMBER I MUST SAY HE SAID TO WENDY


THAT YOU DON'T DO THINGS BY HALVES A GRUDGING REMARK WHICH THE TWINS THOUGHT WAS POINTED AT THEM THE FIRST TWIN WAS THE PROUD ONE AND HE ASKED FLUSHING DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE TOO MUCH OF A HANDFUL SIR BECAUSE IF SO WE CAN GO AWAY


FATHER WENDY CRIED SHOCKED BUT STILL THE CLOUD WAS ON HIM HE KNEW HE WAS BEHAVING UNWORTHILY BUT HE COULD NOT HELP IT WE COULD LIE DOUBLED UP SAID NIBS I ALWAYS CUT THEIR HAIR MYSELF SAID WENDY


GEORGE MISSUS DARLING EXCLAIMED PAINED TO SEE HER DEAR ONE SHOWING HIMSELF IN SUCH AN UNFAVOURABLE LIGHT THEN HE BURST INTO TEARS AND THE TRUTH CAME OUT HE WAS AS GLAD TO HAVE THEM AS SHE WAS HE SAID


BUT HE THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE ASKED HIS CONSENT AS WELL AS HERS


I DON'T THINK HE IS A CYPHER TOOTLES CRIED INSTANTLY DO YOU THINK HE IS A CYPHER CURLY NO I DON'T DO YOU THINK HE IS A CYPHER SLIGHTLY RATHER NOT TWIN WHAT DO YOU THINK


IT TURNED OUT THAT NOT ONE OF THEM THOUGHT HIM A CYPHER AND HE WAS ABSURDLY GRATIFIED AND SAID HE WOULD FIND SPACE FOR THEM ALL IN THE DRAWING ROOM IF THEY FITTED IN WE'LL FIT IN SIR THEY ASSURED HIM THEN FOLLOW THE LEADER HE CRIED GAILY


MIND YOU I AM NOT SURE THAT WE HAVE A DRAWING ROOM BUT WE PRETEND WE HAVE AND IT'S ALL THE SAME HOOP LA HE WENT OFF DANCING THROUGH THE HOUSE AND THEY ALL CRIED HOOP LA AND DANCED AFTER HIM SEARCHING FOR THE DRAWING ROOM AND I FORGET WHETHER THEY FOUND IT


BUT AT ANY RATE THEY FOUND CORNERS AND THEY ALL FITTED IN AS FOR PETER HE SAW WENDY ONCE AGAIN BEFORE HE FLEW AWAY HE DID NOT EXACTLY COME TO THE WINDOW BUT HE BRUSHED AGAINST IT IN PASSING SO THAT SHE COULD OPEN IT IF SHE LIKED AND CALL TO HIM


THAT IS WHAT SHE DID HULLO WENDY GOOD BYE HE SAID OH DEAR ARE YOU GOING AWAY YES YOU DON'T FEEL PETER SHE SAID FALTERINGLY


THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING TO MY PARENTS ABOUT A VERY SWEET SUBJECT NO ABOUT ME PETER NO MISSUS DARLING CAME TO THE WINDOW


WOULD YOU SEND ME TO SCHOOL HE INQUIRED CRAFTILY YES AND THEN TO AN OFFICE I SUPPOSE SO


VERY SOON I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL AND LEARN SOLEMN THINGS HE TOLD HER PASSIONATELY I DON'T WANT TO BE A MAN O WENDY'S MOTHER IF I WAS TO WAKE UP AND FEEL THERE WAS A BEARD PETER SAID WENDY THE COMFORTER I SHOULD LOVE YOU IN A BEARD


AND MISSUS DARLING STRETCHED OUT HER ARMS TO HIM BUT HE REPULSED HER KEEP BACK LADY


BUT WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE WITH TINK IN THE HOUSE WE BUILT FOR WENDY THE FAIRIES ARE TO PUT IT HIGH UP AMONG THE TREE TOPS WHERE THEY SLEEP AT NIGHTS HOW LOVELY CRIED WENDY SO LONGINGLY THAT MISSUS DARLING TIGHTENED HER GRIP I THOUGHT ALL THE FAIRIES WERE DEAD MISSUS DARLING SAID


BECAUSE YOU SEE WHEN A NEW BABY LAUGHS FOR THE FIRST TIME A NEW FAIRY IS BORN AND AS THERE ARE ALWAYS NEW BABIES THERE ARE ALWAYS NEW FAIRIES THEY LIVE IN NESTS ON THE TOPS OF TREES AND THE MAUVE ONES ARE BOYS AND THE WHITE ONES ARE GIRLS AND THE BLUE ONES ARE JUST LITTLE SILLIES WHO ARE NOT SURE WHAT THEY ARE


I SHALL HAVE TINK TINK CAN'T GO A TWENTIETH PART OF THE WAY ROUND SHE REMINDED HIM A LITTLE TARTLY


TINK CALLED OUT FROM SOMEWHERE ROUND THE CORNER IT DOESN'T MATTER PETER SAID O PETER YOU KNOW IT MATTERS


MAY I MUMMY CERTAINLY NOT I HAVE GOT YOU HOME AGAIN AND I MEAN TO KEEP YOU BUT HE DOES SO NEED A MOTHER SO DO YOU MY LOVE OH ALL RIGHT PETER SAID AS IF HE HAD ASKED HER FROM POLITENESS MERELY


LONG IN COMING BUT THIS PROMISE SENT PETER AWAY QUITE GAY AGAIN


I SUPPOSE IT WAS BECAUSE WENDY KNEW THIS THAT HER LAST WORDS TO HIM WERE THESE RATHER PLAINTIVE ONES YOU WON'T FORGET ME PETER WILL YOU BEFORE SPRING CLEANING TIME COMES OF COURSE PETER PROMISED AND THEN HE FLEW AWAY HE TOOK MISSUS DARLING'S KISS WITH HIM


THE KISS THAT HAD BEEN FOR NO ONE ELSE PETER TOOK QUITE EASILY FUNNY BUT SHE SEEMED SATISFIED OF COURSE ALL THE BOYS WENT TO SCHOOL


BUT IT WAS TOO LATE NOW AND SOON THEY SETTLED DOWN TO BEING AS ORDINARY AS YOU OR ME OR JENKINS MINOR


IN TIME THEY COULD NOT EVEN FLY AFTER THEIR HATS WANT OF PRACTICE THEY CALLED IT BUT WHAT IT REALLY MEANT WAS THAT THEY NO LONGER BELIEVED MICHAEL BELIEVED LONGER THAN THE OTHER BOYS


THOUGH THEY JEERED AT HIM SO HE WAS WITH WENDY WHEN PETER CAME FOR HER AT THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR SHE FLEW AWAY WITH PETER IN THE FROCK SHE HAD WOVEN FROM LEAVES AND BERRIES IN THE NEVERLAND AND HER ONE FEAR WAS THAT HE MIGHT NOTICE HOW SHORT IT HAD BECOME BUT HE NEVER NOTICED HE HAD SO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT HIMSELF


SHE HAD LOOKED FORWARD TO THRILLING TALKS WITH HIM ABOUT OLD TIMES BUT NEW ADVENTURES HAD CROWDED THE OLD ONES FROM HIS MIND WHO IS CAPTAIN HOOK


WHEN SHE SPOKE OF THE ARCH ENEMY DON'T YOU REMEMBER SHE ASKED AMAZED HOW YOU KILLED HIM AND SAVED ALL OUR LIVES I FORGET THEM AFTER I KILL THEM HE REPLIED CARELESSLY WHEN SHE EXPRESSED A DOUBTFUL HOPE THAT TINKER BELL WOULD BE GLAD TO SEE HER HE SAID


WHO IS TINKER BELL O PETER SHE SAID SHOCKED BUT EVEN WHEN SHE EXPLAINED HE COULD NOT REMEMBER THERE ARE SUCH A LOT OF THEM HE SAID I EXPECT SHE IS NO MORE I EXPECT HE WAS RIGHT FOR FAIRIES DON'T LIVE LONG


BUT THEY ARE SO LITTLE THAT A SHORT TIME SEEMS A GOOD WHILE TO THEM WENDY WAS PAINED TOO TO FIND THAT THE PAST YEAR WAS BUT AS YESTERDAY TO PETER


BUT HE WAS EXACTLY AS FASCINATING AS EVER AND THEY HAD A LOVELY SPRING CLEANING IN THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE TREE TOPS NEXT YEAR HE DID NOT COME FOR HER SHE WAITED IN A NEW FROCK BECAUSE THE OLD ONE SIMPLY WOULD NOT MEET BUT HE NEVER CAME


PERHAPS HE IS ILL MICHAEL SAID YOU KNOW HE IS NEVER ILL MICHAEL CAME CLOSE TO HER AND WHISPERED WITH A SHIVER PERHAPS THERE IS NO SUCH PERSON WENDY AND THEN WENDY WOULD HAVE CRIED IF MICHAEL HAD NOT BEEN CRYING


PETER CAME NEXT SPRING CLEANING AND THE STRANGE THING WAS THAT HE NEVER KNEW HE HAD MISSED A YEAR THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THE GIRL WENDY EVER SAW HIM FOR A LITTLE LONGER SHE TRIED FOR HIS SAKE NOT TO HAVE GROWING PAINS


AND SHE FELT SHE WAS UNTRUE TO HIM WHEN SHE GOT A PRIZE FOR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE BUT THE YEARS CAME AND WENT WITHOUT BRINGING THE CARELESS BOY AND WHEN THEY MET AGAIN WENDY WAS A MARRIED WOMAN AND PETER WAS NO MORE TO HER


THAN A LITTLE DUST IN THE BOX IN WHICH SHE HAD KEPT HER TOYS WENDY WAS GROWN UP YOU NEED NOT BE SORRY FOR HER SHE WAS ONE OF THE KIND THAT LIKES TO GROW UP IN THE END SHE GREW UP OF HER OWN FREE WILL A DAY QUICKER THAN OTHER GIRLS


ALL THE BOYS WERE GROWN UP AND DONE FOR BY THIS TIME SO IT IS SCARCELY WORTH WHILE SAYING ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THEM YOU MAY SEE THE TWINS AND NIBS AND CURLY ANY DAY GOING TO AN OFFICE EACH CARRYING A LITTLE BAG AND AN UMBRELLA


YOU SEE THAT JUDGE IN A WIG COMING OUT AT THE IRON DOOR THAT USED TO BE TOOTLES THE BEARDED MAN WHO DOESN'T KNOW ANY STORY TO TELL HIS CHILDREN


AND ALWAYS HAD AN ODD INQUIRING LOOK


WHEN SHE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO ASK THEM THEY WERE MOSTLY ABOUT PETER PAN SHE LOVED TO HEAR OF PETER AND WENDY TOLD HER ALL SHE COULD REMEMBER IN THE VERY NURSERY FROM WHICH THE FAMOUS FLIGHT HAD TAKEN PLACE


WHO WAS NO LONGER FOND OF STAIRS MISSUS DARLING WAS NOW DEAD AND FORGOTTEN THERE WERE ONLY TWO BEDS IN THE NURSERY NOW JANE'S AND HER NURSE'S AND THERE WAS NO KENNEL FOR NANA ALSO HAD PASSED AWAY


SHE DIED OF OLD AGE AND AT THE END SHE HAD BEEN RATHER DIFFICULT TO GET ON WITH BEING VERY FIRMLY CONVINCED THAT NO ONE KNEW HOW TO LOOK AFTER CHILDREN EXCEPT HERSELF ONCE A WEEK JANE'S NURSE HAD HER EVENING OFF


AND THEN IT WAS WENDY'S PART TO PUT JANE TO BED THAT WAS THE TIME FOR STORIES IT WAS JANE'S INVENTION TO RAISE THE SHEET OVER HER MOTHER'S HEAD AND HER OWN THUS MAKING A TENT


I DON'T THINK I SEE ANYTHING TO NIGHT SAYS WENDY WITH A FEELING THAT IF NANA WERE HERE SHE WOULD OBJECT TO FURTHER CONVERSATION YES YOU DO SAYS JANE


THAT IS A LONG TIME AGO SWEETHEART SAYS WENDY AH ME HOW TIME FLIES DOES IT FLY ASKS THE ARTFUL CHILD THE WAY YOU FLEW WHEN YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL


WHY CAN'T YOU FLY NOW MOTHER BECAUSE I AM GROWN UP DEAREST WHEN PEOPLE GROW UP THEY FORGET THE WAY WHY DO THEY FORGET THE WAY BECAUSE THEY ARE NO LONGER GAY AND INNOCENT AND HEARTLESS


IT IS ONLY THE GAY AND INNOCENT AND HEARTLESS WHO CAN FLY WHAT IS GAY AND INNOCENT AND HEARTLESS


OR PERHAPS WENDY ADMITS SHE DOES SEE SOMETHING I DO BELIEVE SHE SAYS THAT IT IS THIS NURSERY I DO BELIEVE IT IS SAYS JANE GO ON


THEY ARE NOW EMBARKED ON THE GREAT ADVENTURE OF THE NIGHT WHEN PETER FLEW IN LOOKING FOR HIS SHADOW


YOU HAVE MISSED A BIT INTERRUPTS JANE WHO NOW KNOWS THE STORY BETTER THAN HER MOTHER WHEN YOU SAW HIM SITTING ON THE FLOOR CRYING WHAT DID YOU SAY I SAT UP IN BED AND I SAID BOY WHY ARE YOU CRYING


YES THAT WAS IT SAYS JANE WITH A BIG BREATH AND THEN HE FLEW US ALL AWAY TO THE NEVERLAND AND THE FAIRIES AND THE PIRATES AND THE REDSKINS AND THE MERMAID'S LAGOON


YES WHICH DID YOU LIKE BEST OF ALL I THINK I LIKED THE HOME UNDER THE GROUND BEST OF ALL


WHAT WAS THE LAST THING PETER EVER SAID TO YOU THE LAST THING HE EVER SAID TO ME WAS JUST ALWAYS BE WAITING FOR ME AND THEN SOME NIGHT YOU WILL HEAR ME CROWING YES BUT ALAS HE FORGOT ALL ABOUT ME


WENDY SAID IT WITH A SMILE SHE WAS AS GROWN UP AS THAT WHAT DID HIS CROW SOUND LIKE JANE ASKED ONE EVENING IT WAS LIKE THIS WENDY SAID


TRYING TO IMITATE PETER'S CROW NO IT WASN'T JANE SAID GRAVELY


JANE SAID AH YES MANY GIRLS HEAR IT WHEN THEY ARE SLEEPING BUT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO HEARD IT AWAKE LUCKY YOU SAID JANE AND THEN ONE NIGHT CAME THE TRAGEDY IT WAS THE SPRING OF THE YEAR


WENDY WAS SITTING ON THE FLOOR VERY CLOSE TO THE FIRE SO AS TO SEE TO DARN FOR THERE WAS NO OTHER LIGHT IN THE NURSERY AND WHILE SHE SAT DARNING SHE HEARD A CROW THEN THE WINDOW BLEW OPEN AS OF OLD


HE WAS EXACTLY THE SAME AS EVER AND WENDY SAW AT ONCE THAT HE STILL HAD ALL HIS FIRST TEETH HE WAS A LITTLE BOY AND SHE WAS GROWN UP SHE HUDDLED BY THE FIRE NOT DARING TO MOVE HELPLESS AND GUILTY


A BIG WOMAN HULLO WENDY HE SAID NOT NOTICING ANY DIFFERENCE FOR HE WAS THINKING CHIEFLY OF HIMSELF AND IN THE DIM LIGHT HER WHITE DRESS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE NIGHTGOWN IN WHICH HE HAD SEEN HER FIRST HULLO PETER


SHE REPLIED FAINTLY SQUEEZING HERSELF AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE SOMETHING INSIDE HER WAS CRYING WOMAN WOMAN LET GO OF ME HULLO WHERE IS JOHN HE ASKED SUDDENLY MISSING THE THIRD BED


JOHN IS NOT HERE NOW SHE GASPED IS MICHAEL ASLEEP HE ASKED WITH A CARELESS GLANCE AT JANE


THAT IS NOT MICHAEL SHE SAID QUICKLY LEST A JUDGMENT SHOULD FALL ON HER PETER LOOKED HULLO IS IT A NEW ONE YES BOY OR GIRL GIRL NOW SURELY HE WOULD UNDERSTAND BUT NOT A BIT OF IT


PETER SHE SAID FALTERING ARE YOU EXPECTING ME TO FLY AWAY WITH YOU OF COURSE THAT IS WHY I HAVE COME HE ADDED A LITTLE STERNLY HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT THIS IS SPRING CLEANING TIME


SHE KNEW IT WAS USELESS TO SAY THAT HE HAD LET MANY SPRING CLEANING TIMES PASS I CAN'T COME SHE SAID APOLOGETICALLY I HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW TO FLY I'LL SOON TEACH YOU AGAIN O PETER DON'T WASTE THE FAIRY DUST ON ME


WHAT IS IT HE CRIED SHRINKING


FOR ALMOST THE ONLY TIME IN HIS LIFE THAT I KNOW OF PETER WAS AFRAID DON'T TURN UP THE LIGHT HE CRIED SHE LET HER HANDS PLAY IN THE HAIR OF THE TRAGIC BOY SHE WAS NOT A LITTLE GIRL HEART BROKEN ABOUT HIM


SHE WAS A GROWN WOMAN SMILING AT IT ALL


THEN SHE TURNED UP THE LIGHT AND PETER SAW HE GAVE A CRY OF PAIN AND WHEN THE TALL BEAUTIFUL CREATURE STOOPED TO LIFT HIM IN HER ARMS HE DREW BACK SHARPLY WHAT IS IT HE CRIED AGAIN SHE HAD TO TELL HIM


I AM OLD PETER I AM EVER SO MUCH MORE THAN TWENTY I GREW UP LONG AGO YOU PROMISED NOT TO I COULDN'T HELP IT


NO YOU'RE NOT YES AND THE LITTLE GIRL IN THE BED IS MY BABY NO SHE'S NOT


OF COURSE HE DID NOT STRIKE


AND WENDY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO COMFORT HIM THOUGH SHE COULD HAVE DONE IT SO EASILY ONCE SHE WAS ONLY A WOMAN NOW AND SHE RAN OUT OF THE ROOM TO TRY TO THINK PETER CONTINUED TO CRY AND SOON HIS SOBS WOKE JANE


BOY SHE SAID WHY ARE YOU CRYING PETER ROSE AND BOWED TO HER AND SHE BOWED TO HIM FROM THE BED HULLO HE SAID HULLO SAID JANE MY NAME IS PETER PAN HE TOLD HER


YES I KNOW I CAME BACK FOR MY MOTHER HE EXPLAINED TO TAKE HER TO THE NEVERLAND YES I KNOW JANE SAID I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU WHEN WENDY RETURNED DIFFIDENTLY SHE FOUND PETER SITTING ON THE BED POST CROWING GLORIOUSLY


WHILE JANE IN HER NIGHTY WAS FLYING ROUND THE ROOM IN SOLEMN ECSTASY SHE IS MY MOTHER PETER EXPLAINED AND JANE DESCENDED AND STOOD BY HIS SIDE WITH THE LOOK IN HER FACE THAT HE LIKED TO SEE ON LADIES WHEN THEY GAZED AT HIM


HE DOES SO NEED A MOTHER JANE SAID YES I KNOW WENDY ADMITTED RATHER FORLORNLY NO ONE KNOWS IT SO WELL AS I GOOD BYE SAID PETER TO WENDY AND HE ROSE IN THE AIR AND THE SHAMELESS JANE ROSE WITH HIM


IT WAS ALREADY HER EASIEST WAY OF MOVING ABOUT WENDY RUSHED TO THE WINDOW NO NO SHE CRIED IT IS JUST FOR SPRING CLEANING TIME JANE SAID HE WANTS ME ALWAYS TO DO HIS SPRING CLEANING


IF ONLY I COULD GO WITH YOU WENDY SIGHED YOU SEE YOU CAN'T FLY SAID JANE OF COURSE IN THE END WENDY LET THEM FLY AWAY TOGETHER


OUR LAST GLIMPSE OF HER SHOWS HER AT THE WINDOW


AS YOU LOOK AT WENDY YOU MAY SEE HER HAIR BECOMING WHITE AND HER FIGURE LITTLE AGAIN FOR ALL THIS HAPPENED LONG AGO


AND EVERY SPRING CLEANING TIME EXCEPT WHEN HE FORGETS PETER COMES FOR MARGARET AND TAKES HER TO THE NEVERLAND WHERE SHE TELLS HIM STORIES ABOUT HIMSELF TO WHICH HE LISTENS EAGERLY WHEN MARGARET GROWS UP SHE WILL HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO IS TO BE PETER'S MOTHER IN TURN


CLEAN THE FISH DIP IN FLOUR THEN IN BEATEN EGG THEN IN CRUMBS AND FRY IN PLENTY OF FAT DRAIN AND GARNISH WITH LEMON AND PARSLEY


SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER DIP IN EGG AND CORN MEAL AND FRY IN DEEP FAT


STRAIN THE LIQUID THICKEN WITH BUTTER AND FLOUR SEASON TO TASTE POUR OVER THE FISH AND SERVE BOILED PERCH WITH OYSTER SAUCE PREPARE AND CLEAN THE FISH AND SIMMER UNTIL DONE IN SALTED AND ACIDULATED WATER


DRAIN AND SERVE WITH OYSTER SAUCE PERCH A L'ALLEMANDE PUT TWO LARGE CLEANED PERCH INTO A SAUCEPAN WITH TWO CHOPPED CARROTS A SPRIG OF PARSLEY A CELERY ROOT A SLICED ONION AND A PINCH OF SALT


COVER WITH WHITE WINE AND SIMMER FOR TWENTY MINUTES DRAIN AND KEEP WARM TAKE OUT THE ONION PARSLEY AND CELERY ROOT ADD HALF A CUPFUL OF CHOPPED MUSHROOMS AND COOK FOR FIVE MINUTES


COOK WITH A TABLESPOONFUL EACH OF BUTTER AND FLOUR THICKENED TOGETHER TAKE FROM THE FIRE ADD A TABLESPOONFUL OF BUTTER AND THE JUICE OF TWO LEMONS POUR OVER THE FISH AND SERVE


TO WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED CHOPPED COOKED CARROTS AND MUSHROOMS AND A TABLESPOONFUL OF MINCED PARSLEY ADD ALSO TO THE SAUCE A TABLESPOONFUL OF BUTTER AND GRATED NUTMEG


AND PUT INTO A STEWPAN WITH A CHOPPED ONION A BUNCH OF PARSLEY A PINCH OF SALT AND ENOUGH WHITE WINE TO COVER SIMMER FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES


PUT INTO A SAUCEPAN ONE TABLESPOONFUL OF MALT VINEGAR ONE TABLESPOONFUL OF TARRAGON VINEGAR A TEASPOONFUL OF MINCED PARSLEY A SMALL CHOPPED ONION A BAY LEAF AND FOUR PEPPER CORNS


BOIL FOR TEN MINUTES STRAIN AND COOL COOK TOGETHER FOUR TABLESPOONFULS OF BUTTER AND TWO OF FLOUR WHEN BROWN ADD A PINT OF BEEF STOCK AND COOK UNTIL THICK STIRRING CONSTANTLY TAKE FROM THE FIRE


ADD THE STRAINED VINEGAR THE BEATEN YOLKS OF SIX EGGS AND TWO TABLESPOONFULS OF GRATED HORSERADISH BRING TO THE BOIL POUR OVER THE FISH AND SERVE PERCH A LA STANLEY


TAKE FROM THE FIRE ADD THE YOLKS OF FOUR EGGS BEATEN WITH THE JUICE OF A LEMON AND THREE TABLESPOONFULS OF BUTTER BRING TO THE BOIL ADD A DOZEN PARBOILED OYSTERS POUR OVER THE FISH AND SERVE BAKED PERCH


PREPARE AND CLEAN THE FISH STUFF WITH SEASONED CRUMBS


BAKE WITH A LITTLE WHITE WINE AND MELTED BUTTER PERCH SALAD


BEFORE THE SITTINGS OF THE GREAT ASSEMBLY HAD COME TO AN END A YOUNG STATESMAN DESTINED TO PLAY THE LEADING PART IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC DURING TWO DECADES HAD ALREADY MADE HIS MARK


HIS READINESS AND PERSUASIVENESS OF SPEECH HIS INDUSTRY AND HIS GIFTS AT ONCE OF SWIFT INSIGHT AND ORDERLY THOROUGHNESS


BUT THE OLD SORES REMAINED OPEN MOREOVER THE REFUSAL OF THE STATES GENERAL TO RECEIVE THE PARLIAMENTARY ENVOYS THE MURDER OF DORESLAER AND THE PROTECTION AFFORDED TO ROYALIST REFUGEES HAD BEEN ADDITIONAL CAUSES OF RESENTMENT


BUT THE ENGLISH COUNCIL HAD NOT FELT STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE ACTION THE DEATH OF THE PRINCE OF ORANGE


APPEARED AT FIRST TO OPEN OUT A PROSPECT OF FRIENDLIER RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO NEIGHBOURING REPUBLICS IN JANUARY SIXTEEN FIFTY ONE THE GREAT ASSEMBLY FORMALLY RECOGNISED THE COMMONWEALTH


AND DETERMINED TO SEND BACK TO HIS OLD POST IN LONDON THE VETERAN AMBASSADOR JOACHIMI WHO HAD BEEN RECALLED THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT ON THEIR PART ANTICIPATED HIS RETURN BY DESPATCHING IN MARCH OLIVER SAINT JOHN AND WALTER STRICKLAND


AND SAINT JOHN AND STRICKLAND GREETED WITH LOUD CRIES OF REGICIDES AND MANY ABUSIVE EPITHETS REMEMBERING THE FATE OF DORESLAER WERE IN FEAR OF THEIR LIVES


ON APRIL FOURTH A CONFERENCE WAS OPENED BETWEEN THE ENVOYS AND SIX COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED BY THE STATES TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSALS OF THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT FOR A MORE STRICT AND INTIMATE ALLIANCE AND UNION BETWEEN THE TWO STATES THE DUTCH QUICKLY PERCEIVED


THAT WHAT THE ENGLISH REALLY WANTED WAS NOTHING LESS THAN SUCH A BINDING ALLIANCE OR RATHER COALITION AS WOULD PRACTICALLY MERGE THE LESSER STATE IN THE GREATER BUT THE VERY IDEA OF SUCH A LOSS OF THE INDEPENDENCE THAT THEY HAD ONLY JUST WON WAS TO THE NETHERLANDERS UNTHINKABLE


THE NEGOTIATIONS CAME TO A DEADLOCK


FOREMOST AMONGST THEM PRINCE EDWARD SON OF THE QUEEN OF BOHEMIA THE PARLIAMENT THREATENED TO RECALL THE ENVOYS BUT CONSENTED THAT THEY SHOULD REMAIN ON THE UNDERTAKING OF THE ESTATES OF HOLLAND TO PROTECT THEM FROM FURTHER ATTACKS AND TO PUNISH THE OFFENDERS


NEW PROPOSALS WERE ACCORDINGLY MADE FOR AN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE ALLIANCE WITHOUT ANY SUGGESTION OF A UNION COUPLED WITH THE CONDITION THAT BOTH STATES SHOULD BIND THEMSELVES NOT TO ALLOW THE PRESENCE WITHIN THEIR BOUNDARIES OF AVOWED ENEMIES OF THE OTHER IN OTHER WORDS


THE EXPULSION OF THE MEMBERS AND ADHERENTS OF THE HOUSE OF STEWART INCLUDING THE PRINCESS ROYAL AND THE QUEEN OF BOHEMIA WITH THEIR CHILDREN


EVEN THE ESTATES OF HOLLAND DARED NOT CONSIDER SUCH TERMS AND THE STATES GENERAL WOULD HAVE ANGRILY REJECTED THEM AFTER SOME FURTHER PARLEYING THEREFORE ABOUT FISHERIES AND TRADE RESTRICTIONS IT WAS FELT THAT NO AGREEMENT COULD BE REACHED


AND SAINT JOHN AND STRICKLAND RETURNED TO ENGLAND ON JULY THIRTY FIRST SIXTEEN FIFTY ONE THEIR FAILURE CREATED A VERY BAD IMPRESSION UPON THE PARLIAMENT ALL THE OLD COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE DUTCH WERE REVIVED AND


AS THEY HAD REFUSED THE OFFER OF FRIENDSHIP THAT HAD BEEN MADE TO THEM IT WAS RESOLVED THAT STRONG MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN TO OBTAIN REDRESS FOR PAST GRIEVANCES AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF ENGLISH TRADE INTERESTS AT THE INSTANCE OF SAINT JOHN


THE FAMOUS NAVIGATION ACT WAS PASSED BY THE PARLIAMENT OCTOBER NINTH SIXTEEN FIFTY ONE THIS ACT STRUCK A MORTAL BLOW AT THE DUTCH CARRYING TRADE BY FORBIDDING THE IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN GOODS INTO ENGLISH PORTS EXCEPT IN ENGLISH BOTTOMS OR IN THOSE OF THE COUNTRIES WHICH HAD PRODUCED THE GOODS


SCARCELY LESS INJURIOUS WAS THE PROHIBITION TO ALIENS TO FISH IN BRITISH WATERS AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE RIGHTS BASED ON THE MAGNUS INTERCURSUS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF WHICH DUTCH STATESMEN HAD SO LONG AND STRENUOUSLY FOUGHT


THERE WAS CONSTERNATION IN HOLLAND AND THE STATES GENERAL DETERMINED TO SEND A SPECIAL EMBASSY TO LONDON


A MAN IN WHOSE RIPE JUDGMENT THEY HAD CONFIDENCE TO THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL PENSIONARY


WHO HAVING BEEN GIVEN LETTERS OF MARQUE TO PREY UPON FRENCH COMMERCE


THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT HOWEVER MET THE DUTCH COMPLAINTS BY RAKING UP THE LONG LIST OF GRIEVANCES THAT HAD STIRRED UP A BITTER FEELING OF POPULAR HATRED AGAINST THE UNITED PROVINCES IN ENGLAND AND BY DEMANDING REPARATION


THEY FURTHER DEMANDED THAT DUTCH COMMANDERS SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE ENGLAND'S SOVEREIGNTY BY STRIKING FLAG AND SAIL AND BY FIRING A SALUTE WHENEVER ANY OF THEIR SQUADRONS MET ENGLISH SHIPS IN THE NARROW SEAS IT WAS THESE LAST TWO QUESTIONS


THE RIGHT OF SEARCH AND THE STRIKING OF THE FLAG THAT WERE TO BE THE REAL CAUSES OF THE OUTBREAK OF A WAR THAT WAS DESIRED BY NEITHER OF THE TWO GOVERNMENTS BUT POPULAR FEELING AND THE COURSE OF EVENTS WAS TOO STRONG FOR THEM THE NEWS OF THE SEIZURE OF THEIR VESSELS


NOT MERELY BY PRIVATEERS BUT BY AN ENGLISH SQUADRON UNDER AYSCUE IN THE WEST INDIES HAD CAUSED INTENSE INDIGNATION AND ALARM IN HOLLAND AND ESPECIALLY IN AMSTERDAM PRESSURE WAS BROUGHT TO BEAR ON THE STATES GENERAL AND THE ADMIRALTIES


WHO IN PURSUANCE OF ECONOMY HAD REDUCED THE FLEET TO SEVENTY FIVE SHIPS IT WAS RESOLVED THEREFORE ON FEBRUARY TWENTY SECOND


THE COUNCIL OF STATE ON HEARING OF THIS BEGAN ALSO TO MAKE READY FOR EVENTUALITIES NEGOTIATIONS WERE STILL PROCEEDING BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES WHEN MARTIN TROMP THE VICTOR OF THE BATTLE OF THE DOWNS


NOW LIEUTENANT ADMIRAL OF HOLLAND WAS SENT TO SEA WITH FIFTY SHIPS AND INSTRUCTIONS TO PROTECT DUTCH MERCHANTMEN FROM INTERFERENCE AND TO SEE THAT THE STATES SUFFERED NO AFFRONT NOTHING WAS ACTUALLY SAID ABOUT THE STRIKING OF THE FLAG


IT CAME SUDDENLY THROUGH A MISUNDERSTANDING THE DUTCH ADMIRAL WHILE CRUISING PAST DOVER MET ON MAY TWENTY NINTH FIFTEEN ENGLISH SHIPS UNDER BLAKE


TROMP DECLARED THAT HE HAD GIVEN ORDERS TO STRIKE THE FLAG BUT THAT BLAKE AGAIN FIRED BEFORE THERE WAS TIME TO CARRY THEM OUT BE THIS AS IT MAY THE TWO FLEETS WERE SOON ENGAGED IN A REGULAR FIGHT AND THE ENGLISH BEING REINFORCED TROMP WITHDREW AT NIGHTFALL


TO THE FRENCH COAST HAVING LOST TWO SHIPS GREAT WAS THE ANGER AROUSED IN ENGLAND WHERE THE DUTCH WERE UNIVERSALLY REGARDED AS THE AGGRESSORS IN THE NETHERLANDS WHERE THE PEACE PARTY WAS STRONG MANY WERE DISPOSED TO BLAME TROMP DESPITE HIS PROTESTS


ADRIAN PAUW HIMSELF LEFT HASTILY FOR LONDON JOHN DE WITT BEING APPOINTED TO ACT AS HIS DEPUTY DURING HIS ABSENCE PAUW'S STRENUOUS EFFORTS HOWEVER TO MAINTAIN PEACE WERE ALL IN VAIN DESPITE THE STRONG LEANINGS OF CROMWELL TOWARDS A PEACEFUL SOLUTION


BUT POPULAR FEELING ON BOTH SIDES WAS NOW AROUSED


IF HUMILIATING TERMS WERE SUBMITTED TO STIFFENED THEIR ATTITUDE THE RESULT WAS THAT THE ENVOYS LEFT LONDON ON JUNE THIRTIETH SIXTEEN FIFTY TWO AND WAR WAS DECLARED THE DUTCH STATESMEN WHO SOUGHT TO AVOID HOSTILITIES WERE RIGHT


ALL THE ADVANTAGES WERE ON THE SIDE OF THEIR ENEMIES THE DUTCH MERCHANT FLEETS COVERED THE SEAS AND THE WELFARE OF THE LAND DEPENDED ON COMMERCE THE ENGLISH HAD LITTLE TO LOSE COMMERCIALLY


WAS SUPERIOR IN ALMOST ALL OTHER RESPECTS THE STUARTS HAD DEVOTED GREAT ATTENTION TO THE FLEET AND WOULD HAVE DONE MORE BUT FOR LACK OF MEANS CHARLES MUCH ABUSED SHIP MONEY WAS EMPLOYED BY HIM FOR THE CREATION OF THE FIRST ENGLISH PROFESSIONAL NAVY


IT HAD BEEN LARGELY INCREASED BY THE PARLIAMENT AFTER SIXTEEN FORTY EIGHT AND ITS GENERALS BLAKE PENN AND AYSCUE HAD ALREADY ACQUIRED MUCH VALUABLE EXPERIENCE IN THEIR ENCOUNTERS WITH THE ROYALIST SQUADRON UNDER PRINCE RUPERT


AND IN LONG CRUISES TO THE WEST INDIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF FORCING THE ENGLISH COLONIES TO ACKNOWLEDGE PARLIAMENTARY RULE THE CREWS THEREFORE WERE WELL TRAINED AND THE SHIPS WERE LARGER STRONGER AND BETTER ARMED THAN THOSE OF THE DUTCH


THE POSITION OF ENGLAND LYING AS IT DID ATHWART THE ROUTES BY WHICH THE DUTCH MERCHANT FLEETS MUST SAIL WAS A GREAT ADVANTAGE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT WAS THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING A CENTRAL CONTROL


WHEREAS IN THE NETHERLANDS THERE WERE FIVE DISTINCT BOARDS OF ADMIRALTY TO SOME EXTENT JEALOUS OF EACH OTHER AND NOW LACKING THE SUPREME DIRECTION OF AN ADMIRAL GENERAL THE WAR BEGAN BY A SERIES OF ENGLISH SUCCESSES AND OF DUTCH MISFORTUNES


EARLY IN JULY SIXTEEN FIFTY TWO BLAKE AT THE HEAD OF SIXTY SHIPS SET SAIL FOR THE NORTH TO INTERCEPT THE DUTCH BALTIC COMMERCE AND TO DESTROY THEIR FISHING FLEET OFF THE NORTH OF SCOTLAND


HE LEFT AYSCUE WITH A SMALL SQUADRON TO GUARD THE MOUTH OF THE THAMES TROMP MEANWHILE HAD PUT TO SEA AT THE HEAD OF NEARLY A HUNDRED SHIPS AYSCUE SUCCEEDED IN INTERCEPTING A FLEET OF DUTCH MERCHANTMEN NEAR CALAIS


ALL OF THEM BEING CAPTURED OR BURNT WHILE BLAKE WITH THE MAIN FORCE OFF THE NORTH COAST OF SCOTLAND DESTROYED THE DUTCH FISHING FLEET AND THEIR CONVOY AFTER THESE FIRST BLOWS AGAINST THE ENEMY'S COMMERCE GOOD FORTUNE CONTINUED TO ATTEND THE ENGLISH


TROMP WAS PREVENTED FROM FOLLOWING BLAKE BY STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS HE THEN TURNED UPON AYSCUE WHOSE SMALL FORCE HE MUST HAVE OVERWHELMED BUT FOR A SUDDEN CHANGE TO A SOUTHERLY GALE THE DUTCH ADMIRAL NOW SAILED NORTHWARDS AND JULY TWENTY FIFTH


FOUND THE ENGLISH FLEET OFF THE SHETLANDS A VIOLENT STORM AROSE FROM THE FORCE OF WHICH BLAKE WAS PROTECTED WHILE THE DUTCH VESSELS WERE SCATTERED FAR AND WIDE ON THE FOLLOWING DAY OUT OF NINETY NINE SHIPS TROMP COULD ONLY COLLECT THIRTY FIVE


AND TO MEET AND CONVOY BACK THE HOME COMING SHIPS


AYSCUE HAD PREVIOUSLY SAILED UP CHANNEL WITH FORTY MEN OF WAR AND FIVE FIRESHIPS FOR A SIMILAR PURPOSE THE TWO FLEETS MET ON AUGUST SIXTEENTH AND DESPITE HIS INFERIORITY OF FORCE DE RUYTER FORCED AYSCUE TO WITHDRAW INTO PLYMOUTH AND WAS ABLE TO BRING HIS CONVOY HOME TO SAFETY


THE ILL SUCCESS OF TROMP THOUGH HE WAS IN NO WAY TO BLAME FOR IT CAUSED CONSIDERABLE ALARM AND DISCONTENT IN HOLLAND HIS ENEMIES OF THE STATES PARTY IN THAT PROVINCE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT TO SUSPEND THE GALLANT OLD SEAMAN FROM HIS COMMAND HE WAS AN ORANGIST


AND AS THE ORANGE PARTISANS WERE EVERYWHERE CLAMOROUSLY ACTIVE THE ADMIRAL WAS SUSPECT IN HIS PLACE CORNELISZ WITTE DE WITH WAS APPOINTED A CAPABLE SAILOR BUT DISLIKED IN THE FLEET AS MUCH AS TROMP WAS BELOVED DE WITH EFFECTED A JUNCTION WITH DE RUYTER


AND WITH JOINT FORCES THEY ATTACKED BLAKE ON OCTOBER EIGHTH NEAR THE SHOAL KNOWN AS THE KENTISH KNOCK THE ENGLISH FLEET WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE POWERFUL THAN THE DUTCH AND THE DESERTION OF DE WITH BY SOME TWENTY SHIPS DECIDED THE ISSUE THE DUTCH HAD TO RETURN HOME WITH SOME LOSS


BUT THEY WERE DECEIVED IN THINKING THAT THE STRUGGLE IN THE CHANNEL WAS OVER FOR THE WINTER THE DESERTERS AT THE KENTISH KNOCK WERE PUNISHED


FULL OF RESENTMENT THOUGH HE WAS AT THE BAD TREATMENT HE HAD RECEIVED TROMP WAS TOO GOOD A PATRIOT TO REFUSE AT THE END OF NOVEMBER THE OLD ADMIRAL AT THE HEAD OF ONE HUNDRED WARSHIPS PUT TO SEA FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONVOYING SOME FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY MERCHANTMEN THROUGH THE STRAITS


STORMY WEATHER COMPELLED HIM TO SEND THE CONVOY WITH AN ESCORT INTO SHELTER BUT HE HIMSELF WITH SIXTY SHIPS SET OUT TO SEEK THE ENGLISH FLEET WHICH LAY IN THE DOWNS AFTER SOME MANOEUVRING THE TWO FLEETS MET ON DECEMBER TENTH OFF DUNGENESS


WHILE MANY ENGLISH PRIZES WERE CAPTURED THIS STATE OF THINGS WAS HOWEVER NOT TO LAST LONG TOWARDS THE END OF FEBRUARY SIXTEEN FIFTY THREE BLAKE PUT TO SEA WITH NEARLY EIGHTY SHIPS AND ON THE TWENTY FIFTH OFF PORTLAND MET TROMP AT THE HEAD OF A FORCE NEARLY EQUAL TO HIS OWN IN NUMBER


AND HE HAD MOREOVER BEEN AT SEA WITHOUT REPLENISHMENT OF STORES EVER SINCE THE FIGHT AT DUNGENESS WHILE THE ENGLISH HAD COME STRAIGHT FROM PORT THE FIGHT


HAD LASTED FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS WHEN TROMP FOUND THAT HIS POWDER HAD RUN OUT AND THAT ON THE THIRD DAY MORE THAN HALF HIS FLEET WERE UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE BUT INSPIRING HIS SUBORDINATES DE RUYTER EVERTSEN AND FLORISZOON WITH HIS OWN INDOMITABLE COURAGE


TROMP SUCCEEDED BY EXPERT SEAMANSHIP IN HOLDING OFF THE ENEMY AND CONDUCTING HIS CONVOY WITH SMALL LOSS INTO SAFETY


MEANWHILE BOTH NATIONS HAD BEEN GETTING SICK OF THE WAR THE DUTCH WERE SUFFERING TERRIBLY FROM THE SERIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH THEIR COMMERCE AND CARRYING TRADE AND FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF THE IMPORTANT FISHERIES INDUSTRY


WHILE THE ENGLISH ON THEIR SIDE WERE SHUT OUT FROM THE BALTIC WHERE THE KING OF DENMARK AS THE ALLY OF THE UNITED PROVINCES HAD CLOSED THE SOUND AND FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN WHERE ADMIRAL VAN GALEN


DESTROYED A BRITISH SQUADRON OFF LEGHORN MARCH TWENTY THIRD IN BOTH COUNTRIES THERE WAS A PEACE PARTY


AND WAS AVERSE TO WAR IN THE DUTCH REPUBLIC THE STATES PARTY ESPECIALLY IN HOLLAND THE CHIEF SUFFERER BY THE WAR WAS ANXIOUS FOR A CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES AND IT FOUND ITS LEADER IN THE YOUTHFUL JOHN DE WITT


HAD BEEN APPOINTED COUNCIL PENSIONARY CROMWELL TOOK PAINS TO LET THE ESTATES OF HOLLAND KNOW HIS FAVOURABLE FEELINGS TOWARDS THEM BY SENDING OVER IN FEBRUARY A PRIVATE EMISSARY


THUS EARLY DID THE NEW COUNCIL PENSIONARY INITIATE A FORM OF DIPLOMACY IN WHICH HE WAS TO PROVE HIMSELF AN ADEPT THIS FIRST EFFORT WAS NOT A SUCCESS THE PARLIAMENT PUBLISHED THE LETTER WITH THE TITLE HUMBLE SUPPLICATION OF THE STATES OF HOLLAND


HE INDUCED THE STATES GENERAL BY A BARE MAJORITY FOUR PROVINCES TO THREE TO SEND A CONCILIATORY LETTER THE DATE OF WHICH APRIL THIRTIETH SIXTEEN FIFTY THREE COINCIDED WITH CROMWELL'S FORCIBLE DISSOLUTION OF THE RUMP PARLIAMENT AND THE ASSUMPTION BY HIM


WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE ARMY OF DICTATORIAL POWERS


AND THEIR INSISTENCE NOW ON THE FULL SATISFACTION OF ALL THE ENGLISH DEMANDS MADE A CONTINUATION OF HOSTILITIES INEVITABLE TROMP AFTER SUCCESSFULLY BRINGING IN TWO LARGE CONVOYS OF MERCHANTMEN ENCOUNTERED JUNE TWELFTH


NEAR THE GABBARD THE ENGLISH FLEET UNDER MONK AND DEANE EACH FLEET NUMBERED ABOUT ONE HUNDRED SAIL BUT THE DUTCH SHIPS WERE INFERIOR IN SIZE SOLIDITY AND WEIGHT OF METAL FOR TWO DAYS THE FIGHT WAS OBSTINATELY AND FIERCELY CONTESTED


TROMP WAS OBLIGED TO RETREAT HAVING LOST TWENTY SHIPS HE COMPLAINED BITTERLY AS DID HIS VICE ADMIRALS DE RUYTER AND DE WITH TO THE BOARD OF ADMIRALTY OF THE INFERIORITY OF THE VESSELS OF HIS FLEET AS COMPARED WITH THOSE OF THE ADVERSARY


THE ENGLISH NOW INSTITUTED A BLOCKADE OF THE DUTCH COAST WHICH HAD THE EFFECT OF REDUCING TO DESPERATE STRAITS A LAND WHOSE WELFARE AND PROSPERITY DEPENDED WHOLLY ON COMMERCE AMSTERDAM WAS RUINED IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES DIRECT NEGOTIATION WAS PERFORCE ATTEMPTED


FOUR ENVOYS WERE SENT REPRESENTING THE THREE MARITIME PROVINCES AT FIRST IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE THAT ANY COMMON GROUND OF AGREEMENT COULD BE FOUND CROMWELL WAS OBSESSED WITH THE IDEA OF A POLITICO RELIGIOUS UNION BETWEEN THE TWO REPUBLICS WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT THE EXTINCTION OF DUTCH INDEPENDENCE


UNA RESPUBLICA WHICH NOTHING BUT SHEER CONQUEST AND DIRE NECESSITY WOULD EVER INDUCE THE DUTCH PEOPLE TO ACCEPT ACCORDINGLY THE WAR WENT ON THOUGH THE ENVOYS DID NOT LEAVE LONDON HOPING STILL THAT SOME BETTER TERMS MIGHT BE OFFERED


BUT IN ORDER TO GAIN BREATHING SPACE FOR THE EFFORTS OF THE NEGOTIATORS ONE THING WAS ESSENTIAL THE BREAKING OF THE BLOCKADE THE ADMIRALTIES MADE A SUPREME EFFORT TO REFIT AND REINFORCE THEIR FLEET BUT IT LAY IN TWO PORTIONS EIGHTY FIVE SAIL UNDER TROMP IN THE MAAS


MONK WITH ABOUT ONE HUNDRED SHIPS LAY BETWEEN THEM TO PREVENT THEIR JUNCTION ON AUGUST FOURTH TROMP SAILED OUT AND AFTER A REARGUARD ACTION OFF KATWIJK OUT MANOEUVRED THE ENGLISH COMMANDER AND JOINED DE WITH HE NOW TURNED AND WITH SUPERIOR NUMBERS ATTACKED MONK OFF SCHEVENINGEN


THE OLD HERO FELL MORTALLY WOUNDED AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF WHAT PROVED TO BE AN UNEQUAL FIGHT


THE STATES THOUGH MUCH PERPLEXED TO FIND A SUCCESSOR TO MARTIN TROMP WERE SO FAR FROM BEING DISCOURAGED THAT GREAT ENERGY WAS SHOWN IN REORGANISING THE FLEET


MEANWHILE NEGOTIATIONS HAD BEEN SLOWLY DRAGGING ON THE ACCESSION OF CROMWELL TO SUPREME POWER IN DECEMBER SIXTEEN FIFTY THREE WITH THE TITLE OF LORD PROTECTOR


FOR THE NEW RULER OF ENGLAND HAD ALWAYS PROFESSED HIMSELF AN OPPONENT OF THE WAR WHICH HAD SHATTERED HIS FANTASTIC DREAM OF A UNION BETWEEN THE TWO REPUBLICS MANY CONFERENCES TOOK PLACE BUT THE PROTECTOR'S ATTITUDE AND INTENTIONS WERE AMBIGUOUS AND DIFFICULT TO DIVINE


AT LAST CROMWELL FORMULATED HIS PROPOSALS IN TWENTY SEVEN ARTICLES THE DEMANDS WERE THOSE OF THE VICTOR AND WERE SEVERE ALL THE OLD DISPUTES WERE TO BE SETTLED IN FAVOUR OF ENGLAND AN ANNUAL SUM WAS TO BE PAID FOR THE RIGHT OF FISHING


COMPENSATION TO BE MADE FOR THE MASSACRE OF AMBOINA AND THE OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT PUNISHED THE NUMBER OF WARSHIPS IN ENGLISH WATERS WAS TO BE LIMITED THE FLAG HAD TO BE STRUCK WHEN ENGLISH SHIPS WERE MET AND THE RIGHT OF SEARCH TO BE PERMITTED THESE DEMANDS


ARTICLE TWELVE STIPULATED THAT THE PRINCE OF ORANGE SHOULD NOT AT ANY TIME HOLD ANY OF THE OFFICES OR DIGNITIES WHICH HAD BEEN HELD BY HIS ANCESTORS OR BE APPOINTED TO ANY MILITARY COMMAND