THAN THE CREAKY OLD CLEAT DOOR WAS GENTLY CLOSED UPON US AND BUTTONED BY OUR HOSTESS UPON THE OUTSIDE AS THE ONLY MEANS OF KEEPING IT SHUT AND WE WERE LEFT FREE TO GROPE ABOUT AMONG THESE MYSTERIES AS BEST WE MIGHT


WE HAD HARDLY RECOVERED FROM OUR ASTONISHMENT AT THUS BEING LOCKED INTO A DARK HOLE THE SIZE OF A FASHIONABLE LADY'S TRUNK AND WERE QUIETLY LAUGHING OVER THIS ODD ADVENTURE WHEN THE LANDLADY APPLIED HER MOUTH TO A CRACK AND SHOUTED AS IF SHE WOULD HAVE WAKED THE DEAD HI THERE


A FEW MINUTES LATER RETURNING TO THE CRACK SHE ADDED


REPRESSING OUR MIRTH WE ASSURED OUR GOOD HOSTESS THAT WE WOULD HAVE A DUE REGARD FOR OUR PERSONAL SAFETY


AT FIRST HE SAW NOTHING REPREHENSIBLE IN THIS BUT IN THE SECOND YEAR OF HIS MARRIAGE HIS VIEW OF THAT FORM OF PUNISHMENT SUDDENLY CHANGED ONCE IN SUMMER HE HAD SENT FOR THE VILLAGE ELDER FROM BOGUCHAROVO


A MAN WHO HAD SUCCEEDED TO THE POST WHEN DRON DIED AND WHO WAS ACCUSED OF DISHONESTY AND VARIOUS IRREGULARITIES NICHOLAS WENT OUT INTO THE PORCH TO QUESTION HIM AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ELDER HAD GIVEN A FEW REPLIES THE SOUND OF CRIES AND BLOWS WERE HEARD


ON RETURNING TO LUNCH NICHOLAS WENT UP TO HIS WIFE WHO SAT WITH HER HEAD BENT LOW OVER HER EMBROIDERY FRAME AND AS USUAL BEGAN TO TELL HER WHAT HE HAD BEEN DOING THAT MORNING AMONG OTHER THINGS HE SPOKE OF THE BOGUCHAROVO ELDER COUNTESS MARY TURNED RED AND THEN PALE


SUCH AN INSOLENT SCOUNDREL HE CRIED GROWING HOT AGAIN AT THE MERE RECOLLECTION OF HIM IF HE HAD TOLD ME HE WAS DRUNK AND DID NOT SEE BUT WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU MARY HE SUDDENLY ASKED


WHY WHATEVER IS THE MATTER MY DEAREST THE LOOKS OF THE PLAIN COUNTESS MARY ALWAYS IMPROVED WHEN SHE WAS IN TEARS SHE NEVER CRIED FROM PAIN OR VEXATION BUT ALWAYS FROM SORROW OR PITY AND WHEN SHE WEPT HER RADIANT EYES ACQUIRED AN IRRESISTIBLE CHARM


THE MOMENT NICHOLAS TOOK HER HAND SHE COULD NO LONGER RESTRAIN HERSELF AND BEGAN TO CRY NICHOLAS I SAW IT HE WAS TO BLAME BUT WHY DO YOU NICHOLAS AND SHE COVERED HER FACE WITH HER HANDS NICHOLAS SAID NOTHING HE FLUSHED CRIMSON LEFT HER SIDE AND PACED UP AND DOWN THE ROOM


HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT SHE WAS WEEPING ABOUT BUT COULD NOT IN HIS HEART AT ONCE AGREE WITH HER THAT WHAT HE HAD REGARDED FROM CHILDHOOD AS QUITE AN EVERYDAY EVENT WAS WRONG IS IT JUST SENTIMENTALITY OLD WIVES TALES OR IS SHE RIGHT HE ASKED HIMSELF


MARY HE SAID SOFTLY GOING UP TO HER IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN I GIVE YOU MY WORD NEVER HE REPEATED IN A TREMBLING VOICE LIKE A BOY ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS


SHE TOOK HIS HAND AND KISSED IT NICHOLAS WHEN DID YOU BREAK YOUR CAMEO SHE ASKED TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT LOOKING AT HIS FINGER ON WHICH HE WORE A RING WITH A CAMEO OF LAOCOON'S HEAD TODAY IT WAS THE SAME AFFAIR OH MARY DON'T REMIND ME OF IT AND AGAIN HE FLUSHED


I GIVE YOU MY WORD OF HONOR IT SHAN'T OCCUR AGAIN AND LET THIS ALWAYS BE A REMINDER TO ME AND HE POINTED TO THE BROKEN RING AFTER THAT WHEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH HIS VILLAGE ELDERS OR STEWARDS THE BLOOD RUSHED TO HIS FACE AND HIS FISTS BEGAN TO CLENCH


NICHOLAS WOULD TURN THE BROKEN RING ON HIS FINGER AND WOULD DROP HIS EYES BEFORE THE MAN WHO WAS MAKING HIM ANGRY BUT HE DID FORGET HIMSELF ONCE OR TWICE WITHIN A TWELVEMONTH AND THEN HE WOULD GO AND CONFESS TO HIS WIFE AND WOULD AGAIN PROMISE THAT THIS SHOULD REALLY BE THE VERY LAST TIME


MARY YOU MUST DESPISE ME HE WOULD SAY I DESERVE IT YOU SHOULD GO GO AWAY AT ONCE IF YOU DON'T FEEL STRONG ENOUGH TO CONTROL YOURSELF SHE WOULD REPLY SADLY TRYING TO COMFORT HER HUSBAND AMONG THE GENTRY OF THE PROVINCE NICHOLAS WAS RESPECTED BUT NOT LIKED


HE DID NOT CONCERN HIMSELF WITH THE INTERESTS OF HIS OWN CLASS AND CONSEQUENTLY SOME THOUGHT HIM PROUD AND OTHERS THOUGHT HIM STUPID THE WHOLE SUMMER FROM SPRING SOWING TO HARVEST HE WAS BUSY WITH THE WORK ON HIS FARM IN AUTUMN HE GAVE HIMSELF UP TO HUNTING WITH THE SAME BUSINESS LIKE SERIOUSNESS


LEAVING HOME FOR A MONTH OR EVEN TWO WITH HIS HUNT IN WINTER HE VISITED HIS OTHER VILLAGES OR SPENT HIS TIME READING THE BOOKS HE READ WERE CHIEFLY HISTORICAL AND ON THESE HE SPENT A CERTAIN SUM EVERY YEAR


READING A TASK HE FIRST IMPOSED UPON HIMSELF AS A DUTY BUT WHICH AFTERWARDS BECAME A HABIT AFFORDING HIM A SPECIAL KIND OF PLEASURE AND A CONSCIOUSNESS OF BEING OCCUPIED WITH SERIOUS MATTERS


IN WINTER EXCEPT FOR BUSINESS EXCURSIONS HE SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME AT HOME MAKING HIMSELF ONE WITH HIS FAMILY AND ENTERING INTO ALL THE DETAILS OF HIS CHILDREN'S RELATIONS WITH THEIR MOTHER THE HARMONY BETWEEN HIM AND HIS WIFE GREW CLOSER AND CLOSER


AND HE DAILY DISCOVERED FRESH SPIRITUAL TREASURES IN HER FROM THE TIME OF HIS MARRIAGE SONYA HAD LIVED IN HIS HOUSE BEFORE THAT NICHOLAS HAD TOLD HIS WIFE ALL THAT HAD PASSED BETWEEN HIMSELF AND SONYA BLAMING HIMSELF AND COMMENDING HER


HE HAD ASKED PRINCESS MARY TO BE GENTLE AND KIND TO HIS COUSIN SHE THOROUGHLY REALIZED THE WRONG HE HAD DONE SONYA FELT HERSELF TO BLAME TOWARD HER AND IMAGINED THAT HER WEALTH HAD INFLUENCED NICHOLAS CHOICE


BUT OFTEN FELT ILL WILL TOWARD HER WHICH SHE COULD NOT OVERCOME ONCE SHE HAD A TALK WITH HER FRIEND NATASHA ABOUT SONYA AND ABOUT HER OWN INJUSTICE TOWARD HER YOU KNOW SAID NATASHA YOU HAVE READ THE GOSPELS A GREAT DEAL THERE IS A PASSAGE IN THEM THAT JUST FITS SONYA WHAT ASKED COUNTESS MARY SURPRISED


TO HIM THAT HATH SHALL BE GIVEN AND FROM HIM THAT HATH NOT SHALL BE TAKEN AWAY YOU REMEMBER SHE IS ONE THAT HATH NOT WHY I DON'T KNOW PERHAPS SHE LACKS EGOTISM I DON'T KNOW BUT FROM HER IS TAKEN AWAY AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY


SHE IS A STERILE FLOWER YOU KNOW LIKE SOME STRAWBERRY BLOSSOMS


THOUGH COUNTESS MARY TOLD NATASHA THAT THOSE WORDS IN THE GOSPEL MUST BE UNDERSTOOD DIFFERENTLY YET LOOKING AT SONYA SHE AGREED WITH NATASHA'S EXPLANATION


AND HAD GROWN QUITE RECONCILED TO HER LOT AS A STERILE FLOWER SHE SEEMED TO BE FOND NOT SO MUCH OF INDIVIDUALS AS OF THE FAMILY AS A WHOLE LIKE A CAT SHE HAD ATTACHED HERSELF NOT TO THE PEOPLE BUT TO THE HOME


SHE WAITED ON THE OLD COUNTESS PETTED AND SPOILED THE CHILDREN WAS ALWAYS READY TO RENDER THE SMALL SERVICES FOR WHICH SHE HAD A GIFT AND ALL THIS WAS UNCONSCIOUSLY ACCEPTED FROM HER WITH INSUFFICIENT GRATITUDE THE COUNTRY SEAT AT BALD HILLS HAD BEEN REBUILT THOUGH NOT ON THE SAME SCALE AS UNDER THE OLD PRINCE


THE BUILDINGS BEGUN UNDER STRAITENED CIRCUMSTANCES WERE MORE THAN SIMPLE THE IMMENSE HOUSE ON THE OLD STONE FOUNDATIONS WAS OF WOOD PLASTERED ONLY INSIDE IT HAD BARE DEAL FLOORS AND WAS FURNISHED WITH VERY SIMPLE HARD SOFAS ARMCHAIRS TABLES AND CHAIRS


MADE BY THEIR OWN SERF CARPENTERS OUT OF THEIR OWN BIRCHWOOD THE HOUSE WAS SPACIOUS AND HAD ROOMS FOR THE HOUSE SERFS AND APARTMENTS FOR VISITORS WHOLE FAMILIES OF THE ROSTOVS AND BOLKONSKIS RELATIONS SOMETIMES CAME TO BALD HILLS WITH SIXTEEN HORSES AND DOZENS OF SERVANTS AND STAYED FOR MONTHS


AT THE END OF JANUARY PIERRE WENT TO MOSCOW AND STAYED IN AN ANNEX OF HIS HOUSE WHICH HAD NOT BEEN BURNED HE CALLED ON COUNT ROSTOPCHIN AND ON SOME ACQUAINTANCES WHO WERE BACK IN MOSCOW AND HE INTENDED TO LEAVE FOR PETERSBURG TWO DAYS LATER


EVERYBODY WAS CELEBRATING THE VICTORY EVERYTHING WAS BUBBLING WITH LIFE IN THE RUINED BUT REVIVING CITY EVERYONE WAS PLEASED TO SEE PIERRE EVERYONE WISHED TO MEET HIM AND EVERYONE QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT WHAT HE HAD SEEN PIERRE FELT PARTICULARLY WELL DISPOSED TOWARD THEM ALL


BUT WAS NOW INSTINCTIVELY ON HIS GUARD FOR FEAR OF BINDING HIMSELF IN ANY WAY TO ALL QUESTIONS PUT TO HIM WHETHER IMPORTANT OR QUITE TRIFLING SUCH AS WHERE WOULD HE LIVE WAS HE GOING TO REBUILD WHEN WAS HE GOING TO PETERSBURG


AND WOULD HE MIND TAKING A PARCEL FOR SOMEONE HE REPLIED YES PERHAPS OR I THINK SO AND SO ON HE HAD HEARD THAT THE ROSTOVS WERE AT KOSTROMA BUT THE THOUGHT OF NATASHA SELDOM OCCURRED TO HIM


IF IT DID IT WAS ONLY AS A PLEASANT MEMORY OF THE DISTANT PAST HE FELT HIMSELF NOT ONLY FREE FROM SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS BUT ALSO FROM THAT FEELING WHICH IT SEEMED TO HIM HE HAD AROUSED IN HIMSELF ON THE THIRD DAY AFTER HIS ARRIVAL HE HEARD FROM THE DRUBETSKOYS


THAT PRINCESS MARY WAS IN MOSCOW THE DEATH SUFFERINGS AND LAST DAYS OF PRINCE ANDREW HAD OFTEN OCCUPIED PIERRE'S THOUGHTS AND NOW RECURRED TO HIM WITH FRESH VIVIDNESS HAVING HEARD AT DINNER THAT PRINCESS MARY WAS IN MOSCOW AND LIVING IN HER HOUSE


WHICH HAD NOT BEEN BURNED IN VOZDVIZHENKA STREET HE DROVE THAT SAME EVENING TO SEE HER ON HIS WAY TO THE HOUSE PIERRE KEPT THINKING OF PRINCE ANDREW OF THEIR FRIENDSHIP OF HIS VARIOUS MEETINGS WITH HIM AND ESPECIALLY OF THE LAST ONE AT BORODINO


IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE DIED IN THE BITTER FRAME OF MIND HE WAS THEN IN IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE MEANING OF LIFE WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO HIM BEFORE HE DIED THOUGHT PIERRE HE RECALLED KARATAEV AND HIS DEATH AND INVOLUNTARILY BEGAN TO COMPARE THESE TWO MEN SO DIFFERENT


AND YET SO SIMILAR IN THAT THEY HAD BOTH LIVED AND BOTH DIED AND IN THE LOVE HE FELT FOR BOTH OF THEM PIERRE DROVE UP TO THE HOUSE OF THE OLD PRINCE IN A MOST SERIOUS MOOD THE HOUSE HAD ESCAPED THE FIRE IT SHOWED SIGNS OF DAMAGE BUT ITS GENERAL ASPECT WAS UNCHANGED THE OLD FOOTMAN


WHO MET PIERRE WITH A STERN FACE AS IF WISHING TO MAKE THE VISITOR FEEL THAT THE ABSENCE OF THE OLD PRINCE HAD NOT DISTURBED THE ORDER OF THINGS IN THE HOUSE INFORMED HIM THAT THE PRINCESS HAD GONE TO HER OWN APARTMENTS AND THAT SHE RECEIVED ON SUNDAYS ANNOUNCE ME PERHAPS SHE WILL SEE ME SAID PIERRE


YES SIR SAID THE MAN PLEASE STEP INTO THE PORTRAIT GALLERY A FEW MINUTES LATER THE FOOTMAN RETURNED


IN A RATHER LOW ROOM LIT BY ONE CANDLE SAT THE PRINCESS AND WITH HER ANOTHER PERSON DRESSED IN BLACK PIERRE REMEMBERED THAT THE PRINCESS ALWAYS HAD LADY COMPANIONS BUT WHO THEY WERE AND WHAT THEY WERE LIKE HE NEVER KNEW OR REMEMBERED THIS MUST BE ONE OF HER COMPANIONS HE THOUGHT


GLANCING AT THE LADY IN THE BLACK DRESS THE PRINCESS ROSE QUICKLY TO MEET HIM AND HELD OUT HER HAND YES SHE SAID LOOKING AT HIS ALTERED FACE AFTER HE HAD KISSED HER HAND SO THIS IS HOW WE MEET AGAIN


HE SPOKE OF YOU EVEN AT THE VERY LAST SHE WENT ON TURNING HER EYES FROM PIERRE TO HER COMPANION WITH A SHYNESS THAT SURPRISED HIM FOR AN INSTANT I WAS SO GLAD TO HEAR OF YOUR SAFETY IT WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF GOOD NEWS WE HAD RECEIVED FOR A LONG TIME


ALL I KNOW I HEARD AT SECOND HAND FROM OTHERS I ONLY KNOW THAT HE FELL IN WITH THE ROSTOVS WHAT A STRANGE COINCIDENCE PIERRE SPOKE RAPIDLY AND WITH ANIMATION HE GLANCED ONCE AT THE COMPANION'S FACE SAW HER ATTENTIVE AND KINDLY GAZE FIXED ON HIM


AND AS OFTEN HAPPENS WHEN ONE IS TALKING FELT SOMEHOW THAT THIS COMPANION IN THE BLACK DRESS WAS A GOOD KIND EXCELLENT CREATURE WHO WOULD NOT HINDER HIS CONVERSING FREELY WITH PRINCESS MARY BUT WHEN HE MENTIONED THE ROSTOVS PRINCESS MARY'S FACE EXPRESSED STILL GREATER EMBARRASSMENT


SHE AGAIN GLANCED RAPIDLY FROM PIERRE'S FACE TO THAT OF THE LADY IN THE BLACK DRESS AND SAID DO YOU REALLY NOT RECOGNIZE HER PIERRE LOOKED AGAIN AT THE COMPANION'S PALE DELICATE FACE WITH ITS BLACK EYES AND PECULIAR MOUTH AND SOMETHING NEAR TO HIM LONG FORGOTTEN AND MORE THAN SWEET


LOOKED AT HIM FROM THOSE ATTENTIVE EYES BUT NO IT CAN'T BE HE THOUGHT THIS STERN THIN PALE FACE THAT LOOKS SO MUCH OLDER IT CANNOT BE SHE IT MERELY REMINDS ME OF HER BUT AT THAT MOMENT PRINCESS MARY SAID NATASHA


AND WITH DIFFICULTY EFFORT AND STRESS LIKE THE OPENING OF A DOOR GROWN RUSTY ON ITS HINGES A SMILE APPEARED ON THE FACE WITH THE ATTENTIVE EYES AND FROM THAT OPENING DOOR CAME A BREATH OF FRAGRANCE WHICH SUFFUSED PIERRE WITH A HAPPINESS HE HAD LONG FORGOTTEN


AND OF WHICH HE HAD NOT EVEN BEEN THINKING ESPECIALLY AT THAT MOMENT IT SUFFUSED HIM SEIZED HIM AND ENVELOPED HIM COMPLETELY WHEN SHE SMILED DOUBT WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE IT WAS NATASHA AND HE LOVED HER


AT THAT MOMENT PIERRE INVOLUNTARILY BETRAYED TO HER TO PRINCESS MARY AND ABOVE ALL TO HIMSELF A SECRET OF WHICH HE HIMSELF HAD BEEN UNAWARE HE FLUSHED JOYFULLY YET WITH PAINFUL DISTRESS HE TRIED TO HIDE HIS AGITATION BUT THE MORE HE TRIED TO HIDE IT THE MORE CLEARLY


CLEARER THAN ANY WORDS COULD HAVE DONE DID HE BETRAY TO HIMSELF TO HER AND TO PRINCESS MARY THAT HE LOVED HER NO IT'S ONLY THE UNEXPECTEDNESS OF IT THOUGHT PIERRE BUT AS SOON AS HE TRIED TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION HE HAD BEGUN WITH PRINCESS MARY HE AGAIN GLANCED AT NATASHA


HE BECAME CONFUSED IN HIS SPEECH AND STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT HE WAS SAYING


BUT HE HAD FAILED TO RECOGNIZE HER BECAUSE THE CHANGE IN HER SINCE HE LAST SAW HER WAS IMMENSE SHE HAD GROWN THIN AND PALE BUT THAT WAS NOT WHAT MADE HER UNRECOGNIZABLE SHE WAS UNRECOGNIZABLE AT THE MOMENT HE ENTERED


BECAUSE ON THAT FACE WHOSE EYES HAD ALWAYS SHONE WITH A SUPPRESSED SMILE OF THE JOY OF LIFE NOW WHEN HE FIRST ENTERED AND GLANCED AT HER THERE WAS NOT THE LEAST SHADOW OF A SMILE ONLY HER EYES WERE KINDLY ATTENTIVE AND SADLY INTERROGATIVE


WHAT FORCE MOVES THE NATIONS BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORIANS AND HISTORIANS OF SEPARATE NATIONS UNDERSTAND THIS FORCE AS A POWER INHERENT IN HEROES AND RULERS IN THEIR NARRATION EVENTS OCCUR SOLELY BY THE WILL OF A NAPOLEON AND ALEXANDER


OR IN GENERAL OF THE PERSONS THEY DESCRIBE THE ANSWERS GIVEN BY THIS KIND OF HISTORIAN TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT FORCE CAUSES EVENTS TO HAPPEN ARE SATISFACTORY ONLY AS LONG AS THERE IS BUT ONE HISTORIAN TO EACH EVENT


AS SOON AS HISTORIANS OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES AND TENDENCIES BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE SAME EVENT THE REPLIES THEY GIVE IMMEDIATELY LOSE ALL MEANING FOR THIS FORCE IS UNDERSTOOD BY THEM ALL NOT ONLY DIFFERENTLY BUT OFTEN IN QUITE CONTRADICTORY WAYS


ONE HISTORIAN SAYS THAT AN EVENT WAS PRODUCED BY NAPOLEON'S POWER ANOTHER THAT IT WAS PRODUCED BY ALEXANDER'S


BESIDES THIS HISTORIANS OF THAT KIND CONTRADICT EACH OTHER EVEN IN THEIR STATEMENT AS TO THE FORCE ON WHICH THE AUTHORITY OF SOME PARTICULAR PERSON WAS BASED THIERS A BONAPARTIST SAYS THAT NAPOLEON'S POWER WAS BASED ON HIS VIRTUE AND GENIUS


LANFREY A REPUBLICAN SAYS IT WAS BASED ON HIS TRICKERY AND DECEPTION OF THE PEOPLE SO THE HISTORIANS OF THIS CLASS BY MUTUALLY DESTROYING ONE ANOTHER'S POSITIONS DESTROY THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FORCE WHICH PRODUCES EVENTS


AND FURNISH NO REPLY TO HISTORY'S ESSENTIAL QUESTION WRITERS OF UNIVERSAL HISTORY WHO DEAL WITH ALL THE NATIONS SEEM TO RECOGNIZE HOW ERRONEOUS IS THE SPECIALIST HISTORIANS VIEW OF THE FORCE WHICH PRODUCES EVENTS


THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS A POWER INHERENT IN HEROES AND RULERS BUT AS THE RESULTANT OF A MULTIPLICITY OF VARIOUSLY DIRECTED FORCES IN DESCRIBING A WAR OR THE SUBJUGATION OF A PEOPLE A GENERAL HISTORIAN LOOKS FOR THE CAUSE OF THE EVENT


NOT IN THE POWER OF ONE MAN BUT IN THE INTERACTION OF MANY PERSONS CONNECTED WITH THE EVENT ACCORDING TO THIS VIEW THE POWER OF HISTORICAL PERSONAGES REPRESENTED AS THE PRODUCT OF MANY FORCES CAN NO LONGER IT WOULD SEEM


BE REGARDED AS A FORCE THAT ITSELF PRODUCES EVENTS YET IN MOST CASES UNIVERSAL HISTORIANS STILL EMPLOY THE CONCEPTION OF POWER AS A FORCE THAT ITSELF PRODUCES EVENTS AND TREAT IT AS THEIR CAUSE


IN THEIR EXPOSITION AN HISTORIC CHARACTER IS FIRST THE PRODUCT OF HIS TIME AND HIS POWER ONLY THE RESULTANT OF VARIOUS FORCES AND THEN HIS POWER IS ITSELF A FORCE PRODUCING EVENTS GERVINUS SCHLOSSER AND OTHERS FOR INSTANCE


AT ONE TIME PROVE NAPOLEON TO BE A PRODUCT OF THE REVOLUTION OF THE IDEAS OF SEVENTEEN EIGHTY NINE AND SO FORTH AND AT ANOTHER PLAINLY SAY THAT THE CAMPAIGN OF EIGHTEEN TWELVE AND OTHER THINGS THEY DO NOT LIKE WERE SIMPLY THE PRODUCT OF NAPOLEON'S MISDIRECTED WILL


AND THAT THE VERY IDEAS OF SEVENTEEN EIGHTY NINE WERE ARRESTED IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT BY NAPOLEON'S CAPRICE THE IDEAS OF THE REVOLUTION AND THE GENERAL TEMPER OF THE AGE PRODUCED NAPOLEON'S POWER BUT NAPOLEON'S POWER SUPPRESSED THE IDEAS OF THE REVOLUTION


AND THE GENERAL TEMPER OF THE AGE THIS CURIOUS CONTRADICTION IS NOT ACCIDENTAL NOT ONLY DOES IT OCCUR AT EVERY STEP BUT THE UNIVERSAL HISTORIANS ACCOUNTS ARE ALL MADE UP OF A CHAIN OF SUCH CONTRADICTIONS


THIS CONTRADICTION OCCURS BECAUSE AFTER ENTERING THE FIELD OF ANALYSIS THE UNIVERSAL HISTORIANS STOP HALFWAY TO FIND COMPONENT FORCES EQUAL TO THE COMPOSITE OR RESULTANT FORCE THE SUM OF THE COMPONENTS MUST EQUAL THE RESULTANT


AND SO TO EXPLAIN THE RESULTANT FORCES THEY ARE OBLIGED TO ADMIT IN ADDITION TO THE INSUFFICIENT COMPONENTS ANOTHER UNEXPLAINED FORCE AFFECTING THE RESULTANT ACTION


SPECIALIST HISTORIANS DESCRIBING THE CAMPAIGN OF EIGHTEEN THIRTEEN OR THE RESTORATION OF THE BOURBONS PLAINLY ASSERT THAT THESE EVENTS WERE PRODUCED BY THE WILL OF ALEXANDER BUT THE UNIVERSAL HISTORIAN GERVINUS REFUTING THIS OPINION OF THE SPECIALIST HISTORIAN


TRIES TO PROVE THAT THE CAMPAIGN OF EIGHTEEN THIRTEEN AND THE RESTORATION OF THE BOURBONS WERE DUE TO OTHER THINGS BESIDE ALEXANDER'S WILL SUCH AS THE ACTIVITY OF STEIN METTERNICH MADAME DE STAEL TALLEYRAND


FICHTE CHATEAUBRIAND AND OTHERS THE HISTORIAN EVIDENTLY DECOMPOSES ALEXANDER'S POWER INTO THE COMPONENTS TALLEYRAND CHATEAUBRIAND AND THE REST BUT THE SUM OF THE COMPONENTS THAT IS THE INTERACTIONS OF CHATEAUBRIAND


TALLEYRAND MADAME DE STAEL AND THE OTHERS EVIDENTLY DOES NOT EQUAL THE RESULTANT NAMELY THE PHENOMENON OF MILLIONS OF FRENCHMEN SUBMITTING TO THE BOURBONS THAT CHATEAUBRIAND MADAME DE STAEL


BUT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE SUBMISSION OF MILLIONS AND THEREFORE TO EXPLAIN HOW FROM THESE RELATIONS OF THEIRS THE SUBMISSION OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE RESULTED THAT IS HOW COMPONENT FORCES EQUAL TO ONE A GAVE A RESULTANT EQUAL TO A THOUSAND TIMES A


THE HISTORIAN IS AGAIN OBLIGED TO FALL BACK ON POWER THE FORCE HE HAD DENIED AND TO RECOGNIZE IT AS THE RESULTANT OF THE FORCES THAT IS HE HAS TO ADMIT AN UNEXPLAINED FORCE ACTING ON THE RESULTANT


AND THAT IS JUST WHAT THE UNIVERSAL HISTORIANS DO AND CONSEQUENTLY


BUT CONTRADICT THEMSELVES PEASANTS HAVING NO CLEAR IDEA OF THE CAUSE OF RAIN SAY ACCORDING TO WHETHER THEY WANT RAIN OR FINE WEATHER THE WIND HAS BLOWN THE CLOUDS AWAY OR THE WIND HAS BROUGHT UP THE CLOUDS


AND IN THE SAME WAY THE UNIVERSAL HISTORIANS SOMETIMES WHEN IT PLEASES THEM AND FITS IN WITH THEIR THEORY SAY THAT POWER IS THE RESULT OF EVENTS AND SOMETIMES WHEN THEY WANT TO PROVE SOMETHING ELSE SAY THAT POWER PRODUCES EVENTS


A THIRD CLASS OF HISTORIANS THE SO CALLED HISTORIANS OF CULTURE FOLLOWING THE PATH LAID DOWN BY THE UNIVERSAL HISTORIANS WHO SOMETIMES ACCEPT WRITERS AND LADIES AS FORCES PRODUCING EVENTS AGAIN TAKE THAT FORCE TO BE SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT


THEY SEE IT IN WHAT IS CALLED CULTURE IN MENTAL ACTIVITY THE HISTORIANS OF CULTURE ARE QUITE CONSISTENT IN REGARD TO THEIR PROGENITORS THE WRITERS OF UNIVERSAL HISTORIES FOR IF HISTORICAL EVENTS MAY BE EXPLAINED BY THE FACT THAT CERTAIN PERSONS TREATED ONE ANOTHER IN SUCH AND SUCH WAYS


WHY NOT EXPLAIN THEM BY THE FACT THAT SUCH AND SUCH PEOPLE WROTE SUCH AND SUCH BOOKS OF THE IMMENSE NUMBER OF INDICATIONS ACCOMPANYING EVERY VITAL PHENOMENON THESE HISTORIANS SELECT THE INDICATION OF INTELLECTUAL ACTIVITY AND SAY THAT THIS INDICATION IS THE CAUSE


ONLY BY A GREAT STRETCH CAN ONE ADMIT THAT THERE IS ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN INTELLECTUAL ACTIVITY AND THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLES AND IN NO CASE CAN ONE ADMIT THAT INTELLECTUAL ACTIVITY CONTROLS PEOPLE'S ACTIONS


FOR THAT VIEW IS NOT CONFIRMED BY SUCH FACTS AS THE VERY CRUEL MURDERS OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION RESULTING FROM THE DOCTRINE OF THE EQUALITY OF MAN OR THE VERY CRUEL WARS AND EXECUTIONS RESULTING FROM THE PREACHING OF LOVE BUT EVEN ADMITTING AS CORRECT


ALL THE CUNNINGLY DEVISED ARGUMENTS WITH WHICH THESE HISTORIES ARE FILLED ADMITTING THAT NATIONS ARE GOVERNED BY SOME UNDEFINED FORCE CALLED AN IDEA HISTORY'S ESSENTIAL QUESTION STILL REMAINS UNANSWERED


AND TO THE FORMER POWER OF MONARCHS AND TO THE INFLUENCE OF ADVISERS AND OTHER PEOPLE INTRODUCED BY THE UNIVERSAL HISTORIANS ANOTHER NEWER FORCE THE IDEA IS ADDED THE CONNECTION OF WHICH WITH THE MASSES NEEDS EXPLANATION


IT IS POSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT NAPOLEON HAD POWER AND SO EVENTS OCCURRED WITH SOME EFFORT ONE MAY EVEN CONCEIVE THAT NAPOLEON TOGETHER WITH OTHER INFLUENCES WAS THE CAUSE OF AN EVENT BUT HOW A BOOK


HAD THE EFFECT OF MAKING FRENCHMEN BEGIN TO DROWN ONE ANOTHER CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION OF THE CAUSAL NEXUS OF THIS NEW FORCE WITH THE EVENT UNDOUBTEDLY SOME RELATION EXISTS BETWEEN ALL WHO LIVE CONTEMPORANEOUSLY


JUST AS SUCH A CONNECTION MAY BE FOUND BETWEEN THE MOVEMENTS OF HUMANITY AND COMMERCE HANDICRAFT GARDENING OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU PLEASE


ONE THAT HISTORY IS WRITTEN BY LEARNED MEN AND SO IT IS NATURAL AND AGREEABLE FOR THEM TO THINK THAT THE ACTIVITY OF THEIR CLASS SUPPLIES THE BASIS OF THE MOVEMENT OF ALL HUMANITY JUST AS A SIMILAR BELIEF IS NATURAL AND AGREEABLE


TO TRADERS AGRICULTURISTS AND SOLDIERS IF THEY DO NOT EXPRESS IT THAT IS MERELY BECAUSE TRADERS AND SOLDIERS DO NOT WRITE HISTORY AND TWO THAT SPIRITUAL ACTIVITY ENLIGHTENMENT CIVILIZATION CULTURE IDEAS ARE ALL INDISTINCT


INDEFINITE CONCEPTIONS UNDER WHOSE BANNER IT IS VERY EASY TO USE WORDS HAVING A STILL LESS DEFINITE MEANING AND WHICH CAN THEREFORE BE READILY INTRODUCED INTO ANY THEORY BUT NOT TO SPEAK OF THE INTRINSIC QUALITY OF HISTORIES OF THIS KIND


WHICH MAY POSSIBLY EVEN BE OF USE TO SOMEONE FOR SOMETHING THE HISTORIES OF CULTURE


ARE SIGNIFICANT FROM THE FACT THAT AFTER SERIOUSLY AND MINUTELY EXAMINING


AS SOON AS THEY HAVE TO DESCRIBE AN ACTUAL HISTORIC EVENT SUCH AS THE CAMPAIGN OF EIGHTEEN TWELVE FOR INSTANCE THEY INVOLUNTARILY DESCRIBE IT AS RESULTING FROM AN EXERCISE OF POWER AND SAY PLAINLY THAT THAT WAS THE RESULT OF NAPOLEON'S WILL SPEAKING SO


THE HISTORIANS OF CULTURE INVOLUNTARILY CONTRADICT THEMSELVES AND SHOW THAT THE NEW FORCE THEY HAVE DEVISED DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR WHAT HAPPENS IN HISTORY


CHAPTER TWENTY THREE IT WAS EIGHT O'CLOCK WHEN WE LANDED WE WALKED FOR A SHORT TIME ON THE SHORE ENJOYING THE TRANSITORY LIGHT AND THEN RETIRED TO THE INN


THE WIND WHICH HAD FALLEN IN THE SOUTH NOW ROSE WITH GREAT VIOLENCE IN THE WEST THE MOON HAD REACHED HER SUMMIT IN THE HEAVENS AND WAS BEGINNING TO DESCEND


THE CLOUDS SWEPT ACROSS IT SWIFTER THAN THE FLIGHT OF THE VULTURE AND DIMMED HER RAYS WHILE THE LAKE REFLECTED THE SCENE OF THE BUSY HEAVENS RENDERED STILL BUSIER BY THE RESTLESS WAVES


THAT WERE BEGINNING TO RISE SUDDENLY A HEAVY STORM OF RAIN DESCENDED I HAD BEEN CALM DURING THE DAY BUT SO SOON AS NIGHT OBSCURED THE SHAPES OF OBJECTS


AND NOT SHRINK FROM THE CONFLICT UNTIL MY OWN LIFE OR THAT OF MY ADVERSARY WAS EXTINGUISHED ELIZABETH OBSERVED MY AGITATION FOR SOME TIME IN TIMID AND FEARFUL SILENCE


WHEN SUDDENLY I HEARD A SHRILL AND DREADFUL SCREAM IT CAME FROM THE ROOM INTO WHICH ELIZABETH HAD RETIRED AS I HEARD IT THE WHOLE TRUTH RUSHED INTO MY MIND MY ARMS DROPPED THE MOTION OF EVERY MUSCLE AND FIBRE WAS SUSPENDED


I COULD FEEL THE BLOOD TRICKLING IN MY VEINS AND TINGLING IN THE EXTREMITIES OF MY LIMBS THIS STATE LASTED BUT FOR AN INSTANT


GREAT GOD WHY DID I NOT THEN EXPIRE WHY AM I HERE TO RELATE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BEST HOPE


SHE WAS THERE LIFELESS AND INANIMATE THROWN ACROSS THE BED HER HEAD HANGING DOWN AND HER PALE AND DISTORTED FEATURES HALF COVERED BY HER HAIR EVERYWHERE I TURN I SEE THE SAME FIGURE HER BLOODLESS ARMS AND RELAXED FORM


FLUNG BY THE MURDERER ON ITS BRIDAL BIER COULD I BEHOLD THIS AND LIVE ALAS LIFE IS OBSTINATE AND CLINGS CLOSEST WHERE IT IS MOST HATED


BUT THE HORROR OF OTHERS APPEARED ONLY AS A MOCKERY A SHADOW OF THE FEELINGS THAT OPPRESSED ME I ESCAPED FROM THEM


TO THE ROOM WHERE LAY THE BODY OF ELIZABETH MY LOVE MY WIFE SO LATELY LIVING SO DEAR SO WORTHY SHE HAD BEEN MOVED FROM THE POSTURE IN WHICH I HAD FIRST BEHELD HER


BUT THE DEADLY LANGUOR AND COLDNESS OF THE LIMBS TOLD ME THAT WHAT I NOW HELD IN MY ARMS HAD CEASED TO BE THE ELIZABETH WHOM I HAD LOVED AND CHERISHED THE MURDEROUS MARK OF THE FIEND'S GRASP WAS ON HER NECK


AND I FELT A KIND OF PANIC ON SEEING THE PALE YELLOW LIGHT OF THE MOON ILLUMINATE THE CHAMBER THE SHUTTERS HAD BEEN THROWN BACK AND WITH A SENSATION OF HORROR NOT TO BE DESCRIBED


I SAW AT THE OPEN WINDOW A FIGURE THE MOST HIDEOUS AND ABHORRED A GRIN WAS ON THE FACE OF THE MONSTER HE SEEMED TO JEER AS WITH HIS FIENDISH FINGER HE POINTED TOWARDS THE CORPSE OF MY WIFE


BUT HE ELUDED ME LEAPED FROM HIS STATION AND RUNNING WITH THE SWIFTNESS OF LIGHTNING PLUNGED INTO THE LAKE THE REPORT OF THE PISTOL BROUGHT A CROWD INTO THE ROOM


NETS WERE CAST BUT IN VAIN AFTER PASSING SEVERAL HOURS WE RETURNED HOPELESS


AFTER HAVING LANDED THEY PROCEEDED TO SEARCH THE COUNTRY PARTIES GOING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AMONG THE WOODS AND VINES I ATTEMPTED TO ACCOMPANY THEM AND PROCEEDED A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE HOUSE


A FILM COVERED MY EYES AND MY SKIN WAS PARCHED WITH THE HEAT OF FEVER IN THIS STATE I WAS CARRIED BACK AND PLACED ON A BED HARDLY CONSCIOUS OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED MY EYES WANDERED ROUND THE ROOM


AS IF TO SEEK SOMETHING THAT I HAD LOST AFTER AN INTERVAL I AROSE AND AS IF BY INSTINCT CRAWLED INTO THE ROOM WHERE THE CORPSE OF MY BELOVED LAY THERE WERE WOMEN WEEPING AROUND I HUNG OVER IT


AND JOINED MY SAD TEARS TO THEIRS ALL THIS TIME NO DISTINCT IDEA PRESENTED ITSELF TO MY MIND


SUBJECTS REFLECTING CONFUSEDLY ON MY MISFORTUNES AND THEIR CAUSE I WAS BEWILDERED IN A CLOUD OF WONDER AND HORROR THE DEATH OF WILLIAM THE EXECUTION OF JUSTINE


THE MURDER OF CLERVAL AND LASTLY OF MY WIFE EVEN AT THAT MOMENT I KNEW NOT THAT MY ONLY REMAINING FRIENDS WERE SAFE FROM THE MALIGNITY OF THE FIEND


MY FATHER EVEN NOW MIGHT BE WRITHING UNDER HIS GRASP AND ERNEST MIGHT BE DEAD AT HIS FEET THIS IDEA MADE ME SHUDDER AND RECALLED ME TO ACTION


THERE WERE NO HORSES TO BE PROCURED AND I MUST RETURN BY THE LAKE BUT THE WIND WAS UNFAVOURABLE AND THE RAIN FELL IN TORRENTS


HOWEVER IT WAS HARDLY MORNING AND I MIGHT REASONABLY HOPE TO ARRIVE BY NIGHT


BUT NOTHING COULD APPEAR TO ME AS IT HAD DONE THE DAY BEFORE A FIEND HAD SNATCHED FROM ME EVERY HOPE OF FUTURE HAPPINESS NO CREATURE HAD EVER BEEN SO MISERABLE AS I WAS SO FRIGHTFUL AN EVENT IS SINGLE IN THE HISTORY OF MAN


BUT WHY SHOULD I DWELL UPON THE INCIDENTS THAT FOLLOWED THIS LAST OVERWHELMING EVENT MINE HAS BEEN A TALE OF HORRORS I HAVE REACHED THEIR ACME AND WHAT I MUST NOW RELATE


KNOW THAT ONE BY ONE MY FRIENDS WERE SNATCHED AWAY I WAS LEFT DESOLATE MY OWN STRENGTH IS EXHAUSTED


AND I MUST TELL IN A FEW WORDS WHAT REMAINS OF MY HIDEOUS NARRATION I ARRIVED AT GENEVA MY FATHER AND ERNEST YET LIVED BUT THE FORMER SUNK UNDER THE TIDINGS THAT I BORE


MISERY ON HIS GREY HAIRS AND DOOMED HIM TO WASTE IN WRETCHEDNESS HE COULD NOT LIVE UNDER THE HORRORS THAT WERE ACCUMULATED AROUND HIM THE SPRINGS OF EXISTENCE SUDDENLY GAVE WAY


SOMETIMES INDEED I DREAMT THAT I WANDERED


MELANCHOLY FOLLOWED BUT BY DEGREES I GAINED A CLEAR CONCEPTION OF MY MISERIES AND SITUATION AND WAS THEN RELEASED FROM MY PRISON FOR THEY HAD CALLED ME MAD AND DURING MANY MONTHS AS I UNDERSTOOD A SOLITARY CELL HAD BEEN MY HABITATION


THE MONSTER WHOM I HAD CREATED THE MISERABLE DAEMON WHOM I HAD SENT ABROAD INTO THE WORLD FOR MY DESTRUCTION I WAS POSSESSED BY A MADDENING RAGE WHEN I THOUGHT OF HIM


AND DESIRED AND ARDENTLY PRAYED THAT I MIGHT HAVE HIM WITHIN MY GRASP TO WREAK A GREAT


REVENGE ON HIS CURSED HEAD NOR DID MY HATE LONG CONFINE ITSELF TO USELESS WISHES I BEGAN TO REFLECT ON THE BEST MEANS OF SECURING HIM AND FOR THIS PURPOSE


AND TOLD HIM THAT I HAD AN ACCUSATION TO MAKE THAT I KNEW THE DESTROYER OF MY FAMILY AND THAT I REQUIRED HIM TO EXERT HIS WHOLE AUTHORITY FOR THE APPREHENSION OF THE MURDERER


HOWEVER WONDERFUL FORCES CONVICTION THE STORY IS TOO CONNECTED TO BE MISTAKEN FOR A DREAM AND I HAVE NO MOTIVE FOR FALSEHOOD


MY MANNER AS I THUS ADDRESSED HIM WAS IMPRESSIVE


AND THIS PURPOSE QUIETED MY AGONY AND FOR AN INTERVAL RECONCILED ME TO LIFE I NOW RELATED MY HISTORY BRIEFLY BUT WITH FIRMNESS AND PRECISION MARKING THE DATES WITH ACCURACY


AND NEVER DEVIATING INTO INVECTIVE OR EXCLAMATION THE MAGISTRATE APPEARED AT FIRST PERFECTLY INCREDULOUS BUT AS I CONTINUED HE BECAME MORE ATTENTIVE AND INTERESTED


WHEN I HAD CONCLUDED MY NARRATION I SAID THIS IS THE BEING WHOM I ACCUSE AND FOR WHOSE SEIZURE AND PUNISHMENT I CALL UPON YOU TO EXERT YOUR WHOLE POWER


FROM THE EXECUTION OF THOSE FUNCTIONS ON THIS OCCASION


I WOULD WILLINGLY AFFORD YOU EVERY AID IN YOUR PURSUIT BUT THE CREATURE OF WHOM YOU SPEAK APPEARS TO HAVE POWERS WHICH WOULD PUT ALL MY EXERTIONS TO DEFIANCE


WHO CAN FOLLOW AN ANIMAL WHICH CAN TRAVERSE THE SEA OF ICE AND INHABIT CAVES AND DENS WHERE NO MAN WOULD VENTURE TO INTRUDE


SINCE THE COMMISSION OF HIS CRIMES AND NO ONE CAN CONJECTURE TO WHAT PLACE HE HAS WANDERED OR WHAT REGION HE MAY NOW INHABIT I DO NOT DOUBT THAT HE HOVERS NEAR THE SPOT WHICH I INHABIT


AND IF HE HAS INDEED TAKEN REFUGE IN THE ALPS HE MAY BE HUNTED LIKE THE CHAMOIS AND DESTROYED AS A BEAST OF PREY BUT I PERCEIVE YOUR THOUGHTS YOU DO NOT CREDIT MY NARRATIVE


AND DO NOT INTEND TO PURSUE MY ENEMY WITH THE PUNISHMENT WHICH IS HIS DESERT AS I SPOKE RAGE SPARKLED IN MY EYES THE MAGISTRATE WAS INTIMIDATED YOU ARE MISTAKEN SAID HE


I WILL EXERT MYSELF AND IF IT IS IN MY POWER TO SEIZE THE MONSTER BE ASSURED THAT HE SHALL SUFFER PUNISHMENT PROPORTIONATE TO HIS CRIMES BUT I FEAR FROM WHAT YOU


HAVE YOURSELF DESCRIBED TO BE HIS PROPERTIES THAT THIS WILL PROVE IMPRACTICABLE AND THUS WHILE EVERY PROPER MEASURE IS PURSUED YOU SHOULD MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO DISAPPOINTMENT THAT CANNOT BE


BUT ALL THAT I CAN SAY WILL BE OF LITTLE AVAIL MY REVENGE IS OF NO MOMENT TO YOU YET WHILE I ALLOW IT TO BE A VICE


MY RAGE IS UNSPEAKABLE WHEN I REFLECT THAT THE MURDERER WHOM I HAVE TURNED LOOSE UPON SOCIETY STILL EXISTS YOU REFUSE MY JUST DEMAND I HAVE BUT ONE RESOURCE AND I DEVOTE MYSELF EITHER IN MY LIFE OR DEATH TO HIS DESTRUCTION


I TREMBLED WITH EXCESS OF AGITATION AS I SAID THIS THERE WAS A FRENZY IN MY MANNER AND SOMETHING I DOUBT NOT OF THAT HAUGHTY FIERCENESS WHICH THE MARTYRS OF OLD ARE SAID TO HAVE POSSESSED


HOW IGNORANT ART THOU IN THY PRIDE OF WISDOM CEASE


CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR MY PRESENT SITUATION WAS ONE IN WHICH ALL VOLUNTARY THOUGHT WAS SWALLOWED UP AND LOST I WAS HURRIED AWAY BY FURY


MY FIRST RESOLUTION WAS TO QUIT GENEVA FOREVER MY COUNTRY WHICH WHEN I WAS HAPPY AND BELOVED WAS DEAR TO ME NOW IN MY ADVERSITY BECAME HATEFUL


I PROVIDED MYSELF WITH A SUM OF MONEY TOGETHER WITH A FEW JEWELS WHICH HAD BELONGED TO MY MOTHER AND DEPARTED AND NOW MY WANDERINGS BEGAN WHICH ARE TO CEASE BUT WITH LIFE


ALL THE HARDSHIPS WHICH TRAVELLERS IN DESERTS AND BARBAROUS COUNTRIES ARE WONT TO MEET HOW I HAVE LIVED I HARDLY KNOW


AND PRAYED FOR DEATH BUT REVENGE KEPT ME ALIVE I DARED NOT DIE AND LEAVE MY ADVERSARY IN BEING WHEN I QUITTED GENEVA MY FIRST LABOUR


UNCERTAIN WHAT PATH I SHOULD PURSUE AS NIGHT APPROACHED I FOUND MYSELF AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CEMETERY WHERE WILLIAM ELIZABETH AND MY FATHER REPOSED I ENTERED IT


AND APPROACHED THE TOMB WHICH MARKED THEIR GRAVES EVERYTHING WAS SILENT EXCEPT THE LEAVES OF THE TREES WHICH WERE GENTLY AGITATED BY THE WIND THE NIGHT WAS NEARLY DARK AND THE SCENE WOULD HAVE BEEN SOLEMN


AND AFFECTING EVEN TO AN UNINTERESTED OBSERVER THE SPIRITS OF THE DEPARTED SEEMED TO FLIT AROUND


THEIR MURDERER ALSO LIVED AND TO DESTROY HIM I MUST DRAG OUT MY WEARY EXISTENCE I KNELT ON THE GRASS AND KISSED THE EARTH AND WITH QUIVERING LIPS EXCLAIMED BY THE SACRED EARTH


ON WHICH I KNEEL BY THE SHADES THAT WANDER NEAR ME BY THE DEEP AND ETERNAL GRIEF THAT I FEEL I SWEAR AND BY THEE O NIGHT AND THE SPIRITS THAT PRESIDE OVER THEE TO PURSUE THE DAEMON


WHICH OTHERWISE SHOULD VANISH FROM MY EYES FOREVER AND I CALL ON YOU SPIRITS OF THE DEAD AND ON YOU WANDERING MINISTERS OF VENGEANCE TO AID AND CONDUCT ME IN MY WORK


DEEP OF AGONY LET HIM FEEL THE DESPAIR THAT NOW TORMENTS ME I HAD BEGUN MY ADJURATION WITH SOLEMNITY AND AN AWE WHICH ALMOST ASSURED ME THAT THE SHADES OF MY MURDERED FRIENDS


HEARD AND APPROVED MY DEVOTION BUT THE FURIES POSSESSED ME AS I CONCLUDED AND RAGE CHOKED MY UTTERANCE


IT RANG ON MY EARS LONG AND HEAVILY THE MOUNTAINS RE ECHOED IT AND I FELT AS IF ALL HELL SURROUNDED ME WITH MOCKERY AND LAUGHTER


AND THAT I WAS RESERVED FOR VENGEANCE THE LAUGHTER DIED AWAY WHEN A WELL KNOWN AND ABHORRED VOICE APPARENTLY CLOSE TO MY EAR


I AM SATISFIED MISERABLE WRETCH YOU HAVE DETERMINED TO LIVE AND I AM SATISFIED I DARTED TOWARDS THE SPOT FROM WHICH THE SOUND PROCEEDED BUT THE DEVIL ELUDED MY GRASP


SUDDENLY THE BROAD DISK OF THE MOON AROSE AND SHONE FULL UPON HIS GHASTLY AND DISTORTED SHAPE AS HE FLED WITH MORE THAN MORTAL SPEED I PURSUED HIM AND FOR MANY MONTHS THIS HAS BEEN MY TASK


SCARED BY THIS HORRID APPARITION INFORMED ME OF HIS PATH SOMETIMES HE HIMSELF WHO FEARED THAT IF I LOST ALL TRACE OF HIM I SHOULD DESPAIR AND DIE LEFT SOME MARK TO GUIDE ME


THE SNOWS DESCENDED ON MY HEAD AND I SAW THE PRINT OF HIS HUGE STEP ON THE WHITE PLAIN TO YOU FIRST ENTERING ON LIFE TO WHOM CARE IS NEW AND AGONY UNKNOWN


WOULD SUDDENLY EXTRICATE ME FROM SEEMINGLY INSURMOUNTABLE DIFFICULTIES SOMETIMES WHEN NATURE OVERCOME BY HUNGER SANK UNDER THE EXHAUSTION A REPAST WAS PREPARED FOR ME IN THE DESERT


THAT RESTORED AND INSPIRITED ME THE FARE WAS INDEED COARSE SUCH AS THE PEASANTS OF THE COUNTRY ATE


AND VANISH I FOLLOWED WHEN I COULD THE COURSES OF THE RIVERS BUT THE DAEMON GENERALLY AVOIDED THESE AS IT WAS HERE THAT THE POPULATION OF THE COUNTRY CHIEFLY COLLECTED


I ALWAYS PRESENTED TO THOSE WHO HAD PROVIDED ME WITH FIRE AND UTENSILS FOR COOKING MY LIFE AS IT PASSED THUS WAS INDEED HATEFUL TO ME AND IT WAS DURING SLEEP ALONE THAT I COULD TASTE JOY O BLESSED SLEEP


OFTEN WHEN MOST MISERABLE I SANK TO REPOSE AND MY DREAMS LULLED ME EVEN TO RAPTURE THE SPIRITS THAT GUARDED ME HAD PROVIDED THESE MOMENTS OR RATHER HOURS OF HAPPINESS THAT I MIGHT RETAIN STRENGTH TO FULFIL MY PILGRIMAGE


DURING THE DAY I WAS SUSTAINED AND INSPIRITED BY THE HOPE OF NIGHT FOR IN SLEEP I SAW MY FRIENDS MY WIFE AND MY BELOVED COUNTRY AGAIN I SAW THE BENEVOLENT COUNTENANCE OF MY FATHER


HEARD THE SILVER TONES OF MY ELIZABETH'S VOICE AND BEHELD CLERVAL ENJOYING HEALTH AND YOUTH OFTEN WHEN WEARIED BY A TOILSOME MARCH I PERSUADED MYSELF THAT I WAS DREAMING UNTIL NIGHT SHOULD COME


AND THAT I SHOULD THEN ENJOY REALITY IN THE ARMS OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS WHAT AGONIZING FONDNESS DID I FEEL FOR THEM


AND PERSUADE MYSELF THAT THEY STILL LIVED AT SUCH MOMENTS VENGEANCE THAT BURNED WITHIN ME DIED IN MY HEART AND I PURSUED MY PATH TOWARDS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DAEMON MORE AS A TASK ENJOINED BY HEAVEN


AS THE MECHANICAL IMPULSE OF SOME POWER OF WHICH I WAS UNCONSCIOUS THAN AS THE ARDENT DESIRE OF MY SOUL WHAT HIS FEELINGS WERE WHOM I PURSUED I CANNOT KNOW


THESE WORDS WERE LEGIBLE IN ONE OF THESE INSCRIPTIONS YOU LIVE AND MY POWER IS COMPLETE FOLLOW ME I SEEK THE EVERLASTING ICES OF THE NORTH


WHERE YOU WILL FEEL THE MISERY OF COLD AND FROST TO WHICH I AM IMPASSIVE YOU WILL FIND NEAR THIS PLACE IF YOU FOLLOW NOT TOO TARDILY A DEAD HARE


AGAIN DO I VOW VENGEANCE AGAIN DO I DEVOTE THEE MISERABLE FIEND TO TORTURE AND DEATH NEVER WILL I GIVE UP MY SEARCH UNTIL HE OR I PERISH AND THEN WITH WHAT ECSTASY


THE PEASANTS WERE SHUT UP IN THEIR HOVELS AND ONLY A FEW OF THE MOST HARDY VENTURED FORTH TO SEIZE THE ANIMALS WHOM STARVATION HAD FORCED FROM THEIR HIDING PLACES TO SEEK FOR PREY THE RIVERS WERE COVERED WITH ICE


AND NO FISH COULD BE PROCURED AND THUS I WAS CUT OFF FROM MY CHIEF ARTICLE OF MAINTENANCE THE TRIUMPH OF MY ENEMY INCREASED WITH THE DIFFICULTY OF MY LABOURS


ONE INSCRIPTION THAT HE LEFT WAS IN THESE WORDS PREPARE YOUR TOILS ONLY BEGIN WRAP YOURSELF IN FURS AND PROVIDE FOOD FOR WE SHALL SOON ENTER UPON A JOURNEY WHERE YOUR SUFFERINGS


WILL SATISFY MY EVERLASTING HATRED MY COURAGE AND PERSEVERANCE WERE INVIGORATED BY THESE SCOFFING WORDS


AND CALLING ON HEAVEN TO SUPPORT ME I CONTINUED WITH UNABATED FERVOUR TO TRAVERSE IMMENSE DESERTS UNTIL THE OCEAN APPEARED AT A DISTANCE AND FORMED THE UTMOST BOUNDARY OF THE HORIZON


OH HOW UNLIKE IT WAS TO THE BLUE SEASONS OF THE SOUTH COVERED WITH ICE IT WAS ONLY TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM LAND BY ITS SUPERIOR WILDNESS AND RUGGEDNESS


THE GREEKS WEPT FOR JOY WHEN THEY BEHELD THE MEDITERRANEAN FROM THE HILLS OF ASIA AND HAILED WITH RAPTURE THE BOUNDARY OF THEIR TOILS I DID NOT WEEP BUT I KNELT DOWN


AND WITH A FULL HEART THANKED MY GUIDING SPIRIT FOR CONDUCTING ME IN SAFETY TO THE PLACE WHERE I HOPED NOTWITHSTANDING MY ADVERSARY'S GIBE TO MEET AND GRAPPLE WITH HIM


SOME WEEKS BEFORE THIS PERIOD I HAD PROCURED A SLEDGE AND DOGS AND THUS TRAVERSED THE SNOWS WITH INCONCEIVABLE SPEED


AND I HOPED TO INTERCEPT HIM BEFORE HE SHOULD REACH THE BEACH WITH NEW COURAGE THEREFORE I PRESSED ON AND IN TWO DAYS ARRIVED AT A WRETCHED HAMLET ON THE SEASHORE I INQUIRED OF THE INHABITANTS


CONCERNING THE FIEND AND GAINED ACCURATE INFORMATION A GIGANTIC MONSTER THEY SAID HAD ARRIVED THE NIGHT BEFORE ARMED WITH A GUN AND MANY PISTOLS PUTTING TO FLIGHT THE INHABITANTS OF A SOLITARY COTTAGE


THROUGH FEAR OF HIS TERRIFIC APPEARANCE HE HAD CARRIED OFF THEIR STORE OF WINTER FOOD AND PLACING IT IN A SLEDGE TO DRAW WHICH HE HAD SEIZED ON A NUMEROUS DROVE OF TRAINED DOGS


HE HAD HARNESSED THEM AND THE SAME NIGHT TO THE JOY OF THE HORROR STRUCK VILLAGERS HAD PURSUED HIS JOURNEY ACROSS THE SEA IN A DIRECTION THAT LED TO NO LAND AND THEY CONJECTURED


AMIDST COLD THAT FEW OF THE INHABITANTS COULD LONG ENDURE AND WHICH I THE NATIVE OF A GENIAL AND SUNNY CLIMATE COULD NOT HOPE TO SURVIVE YET AT THE IDEA THAT THE FIEND SHOULD LIVE AND BE TRIUMPHANT


MY RAGE AND VENGEANCE RETURNED AND LIKE A MIGHTY TIDE OVERWHELMED EVERY OTHER FEELING AFTER A SLIGHT REPOSE DURING WHICH THE SPIRITS OF THE DEAD HOVERED ROUND AND INSTIGATED ME TO TOIL AND REVENGE


I DEPARTED FROM LAND I CANNOT GUESS HOW MANY DAYS HAVE PASSED SINCE THEN BUT I HAVE ENDURED MISERY WHICH NOTHING BUT THE ETERNAL SENTIMENT


WHICH THREATENED MY DESTRUCTION BUT AGAIN THE FROST CAME AND MADE THE PATHS OF THE SEA SECURE


I SHOULD GUESS THAT I HAD PASSED THREE WEEKS IN THIS JOURNEY AND THE CONTINUAL PROTRACTION OF HOPE RETURNING BACK UPON THE HEART OFTEN WRUNG BITTER DROPS OF DESPONDENCY AND GRIEF FROM MY EYES


DESPAIR HAD INDEED ALMOST SECURED HER PREY AND I SHOULD SOON HAVE SUNK BENEATH THIS MISERY ONCE AFTER THE POOR ANIMALS THAT CONVEYED ME HAD WITH INCREDIBLE TOIL


GAINED THE SUMMIT OF A SLOPING ICE MOUNTAIN AND ONE SINKING UNDER HIS FATIGUE DIED I VIEWED THE EXPANSE BEFORE ME WITH ANGUISH WHEN SUDDENLY MY EYE CAUGHT A DARK SPECK UPON THE DUSKY PLAIN


WHAT IT COULD BE AND UTTERED A WILD CRY OF ECSTASY WHEN I DISTINGUISHED A SLEDGE AND THE DISTORTED PROPORTIONS OF A WELL KNOWN FORM WITHIN


WARM TEARS FILLED MY EYES WHICH I HASTILY WIPED AWAY THAT THEY MIGHT NOT INTERCEPT THE VIEW I HAD OF THE DAEMON BUT STILL MY SIGHT WAS DIMMED BY THE BURNING DROPS UNTIL


WHEN FOR A SHORT TIME SOME ICE ROCK CONCEALED IT WITH ITS INTERVENING CRAGS I INDEED PERCEPTIBLY GAINED ON IT AND WHEN AFTER NEARLY TWO DAYS JOURNEY


MY HEART BOUNDED WITHIN ME BUT NOW WHEN I APPEARED ALMOST WITHIN GRASP OF MY FOE MY HOPES WERE SUDDENLY EXTINGUISHED AND I LOST ALL TRACE OF HIM MORE UTTERLY THAN I HAD EVER DONE BEFORE


AS WITH THE MIGHTY SHOCK OF AN EARTHQUAKE IT SPLIT AND CRACKED WITH A TREMENDOUS AND OVERWHELMING SOUND THE WORK WAS SOON FINISHED IN A FEW MINUTES A TUMULTUOUS SEA ROLLED BETWEEN ME AND MY ENEMY


AND I WAS LEFT DRIFTING ON A SCATTERED PIECE OF ICE THAT WAS CONTINUALLY LESSENING AND THUS PREPARING FOR ME A HIDEOUS DEATH


SEVERAL OF MY DOGS DIED AND I MYSELF WAS ABOUT TO SINK UNDER THE ACCUMULATION OF DISTRESS WHEN I SAW YOUR VESSEL RIDING AT ANCHOR


I HAD NO CONCEPTION THAT VESSELS EVER CAME SO FAR NORTH AND WAS ASTOUNDED AT THE SIGHT I QUICKLY DESTROYED PART OF MY SLEDGE TO CONSTRUCT OARS AND BY THESE MEANS WAS ENABLED WITH INFINITE FATIGUE TO MOVE MY ICE RAFT IN THE DIRECTION OF YOUR SHIP


BUT YOUR DIRECTION WAS NORTHWARDS YOU TOOK ME ON BOARD WHEN MY VIGOUR WAS EXHAUSTED AND I SHOULD SOON HAVE SUNK UNDER MY MULTIPLIED HARDSHIPS INTO A DEATH WHICH I STILL DREAD FOR MY TASK IS UNFULFILLED


OH WHEN WILL MY GUIDING SPIRIT IN CONDUCTING ME TO THE DAEMON ALLOW ME THE REST I SO MUCH DESIRE OR MUST I DIE AND HE YET LIVE IF I DO


SWEAR TO ME WALTON THAT HE SHALL NOT ESCAPE THAT YOU WILL SEEK HIM AND SATISFY MY VENGEANCE IN HIS DEATH AND DO I DARE TO ASK OF YOU TO UNDERTAKE MY PILGRIMAGE TO ENDURE THE HARDSHIPS THAT I HAVE UNDERGONE NO


SOMETIMES SEIZED WITH SUDDEN AGONY HE COULD NOT CONTINUE HIS TALE AT OTHERS HIS VOICE BROKEN YET PIERCING UTTERED WITH DIFFICULTY THE WORDS SO REPLETE WITH ANGUISH


THE YOUNG PARTY AT ROSELANDS HAD NOW GROWN SO LARGE SEVERAL ADDITIONS HAVING BEEN MADE TO IT ON MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING THAT A SEPARATE TABLE WAS ORDERED TO BE SPREAD FOR THEM IN THE NURSERY WHERE THEY TOOK THEIR MEALS TOGETHER


MISSUS BROWN THE HOUSEKEEPER TAKING THE HEAD OF THE TABLE FOR THE DOUBLE PURPOSE OF KEEPING THEM IN ORDER AND SEEING THAT THEIR WANTS WERE WELL SUPPLIED ELSIE CAME IN TO BREAKFAST FROM A BRISK WALK WITH HER PAPA LOOKING FRESH AND ROSY AND BRIGHT AS THE MORNING


QUITE DIFFERENT FROM SOME OF THE LITTLE GUESTS WHO HAD BEEN UP FAR BEYOND THEIR USUAL HOURS THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HAVING JUST LEFT THEIR BEDS HAD COME DOWN PALE AND LANGUID IN LOOKS AND IN SOME INSTANCES SHOWING PEEVISH AND FRETFUL TEMPERS


VERY TRYING TO THE PATIENCE OF THEIR ATTENDANTS O ELSIE EXCLAIMED CARRY HOWARD


WE WERE ALL SO SORRY THAT YOU HAD TO LEAVE US SO SOON LAST NIGHT WE HAD LOTS OF FUN AFTER YOU LEFT I THINK YOUR PAPA MIGHT HAVE LET YOU STAY UP A LITTLE LONGER BUT HE HAS PROMISED THAT TONIGHT AS WE ARE TO HAVE THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND EVER SO MUCH WILL BE GOING ON


LATE HOURS AND RICH FOOD ARE VERY BAD FOR LITTLE FOLKS AND I NOTICE THAT MISS ELSIE HAS GROWN A DEAL STRONGER AND HEALTHIER LOOKING SINCE HER PAPA CAME HOME HE TAKES SUCH GOOD CARE OF HER INDEED HE DOES SAID ELSIE HEARTILY THANKING MISSUS BROWN WITH ONE OF HER SWEETEST SMILES


WHATEVER YOU ALL PREFER SAID ELSIE IF YOU LIKE I WILL PRACTICE THAT DUET WITH YOU THE FIRST HOUR AFTER BREAKFAST OR DO ANYTHING ELSE YOU WISH BUT THE SECOND HOUR I MUST SPEND WITH PAPA AND AFTER THAT I HAVE NOTHING TO DO BUT ENTERTAIN MY COMPANY ALL DAY


DO YOU DO LESSONS IN HOLIDAYS ASKED MARY LESLIE A MERRY FUN LOVING CHILD ABOUT ELSIE'S OWN AGE WHO CONSIDERED LESSONS AN INTOLERABLE BORE AND HAD SOME VAGUE IDEA THAT THEY MUST HAVE BEEN INVENTED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF TORMENTING CHILDREN


HER BLUE EYES OPENED WIDE WITH ASTONISHMENT WHEN ELSIE QUIETLY REPLIED THAT HER PAPA HAD KINDLY ARRANGED TO GIVE HER AN HOUR EVERY MORNING


THAN SPENDING THE WHOLE DAY IN PLAY ELSIE DID KEENLY ENJOY THAT QUIET HOUR SPENT IN STUDYING AND RECITING TO HER FATHER SITTING ON A LOW STOOL AT HIS FEET OR PERHAPS OFTENER ON HIS KNEE WITH HIS ARM AROUND HER WAIST


LOVING ALSO HIS LITTLE PUPIL WITH ALL A FATHER'S FOND YEARNING AFFECTION DELIGHTED IN HIS TASK WHEN ELSIE LEFT HER FATHER SHE FOUND THAT THE CARRINGTONS HAD JUST ARRIVED


SHE AND LUCY HAD NOT SEEN EACH OTHER SINCE THE WEEK THE LATTER HAD SPENT AT ROSELANDS EARLY IN THE SUMMER AND BOTH FELT PLEASED TO MEET MISSUS CARRINGTON GAVE ELSIE A WARM EMBRACE REMARKING THAT SHE HAD GROWN AND WAS LOOKING EXTREMELY WELL BETTER THAN SHE HAD EVER SEEN HER


BUT NO ONE WAS MORE DELIGHTED TO MEET ELSIE THAN HERBERT AND SHE WAS VERY GLAD TO LEARN THAT HIS HEALTH WAS GRADUALLY IMPROVING HE WAS NOT HOWEVER AT ALL STRONG EVEN YET AND HIS MOTHER THOUGHT IT BEST FOR HIM TO LIE DOWN AND REST A LITTLE AFTER HIS RIDE


A VARIETY OF STORY BOOKS TOYS AND GAMES HAD BEEN PROVIDED FOR THEIR AMUSEMENT ELSIE'S ENTRANCE WAS HAILED WITH DELIGHT FOR SHE WAS A GENERAL FAVORITE OH ELSIE CAN'T YOU TELL US WHAT TO PLAY CRIED MARY LESLIE I'M SO TIRED


AND SHE YAWNED WEARILY HERE ARE SOME DISSECTED MAPS MARY REPLIED ELSIE OPENING A DRAWER WOULD YOU NOT LIKE THEM NO INDEED THANK YOU THEY ARE TOO MUCH LIKE LESSONS


WILL YOU PLAY JACK STONES HERE ARE SOME SMOOTH PEBBLES YES IF YOU AND CARRY AND LUCY WILL PLAY WITH ME AGREED SAID THE OTHERS LET'S HAVE A GAME SO ELSIE HAVING FIRST SET THE LITTLE ONES TO BUILDING BLOCK HOUSES


SUPPLIED HARRY CARRINGTON AN OLDER BROTHER OF LUCY'S WITH A BOOK AND TWO YOUNGER BOYS WITH DISSECTED MAPS TO ARRANGE THE FOUR GIRLS SAT DOWN IN A CIRCLE ON THE CARPET AND BEGAN THEIR GAME FOR A FEW MOMENTS ALL WENT ON SMOOTHLY


WHO WAS SOBBING AND WIPING HER EYES WITH THE CORNER OF HER APRON ENNA TOOK MY BLOCKS SOBBED THE CHILD


YOU KNOW FLORA IS A VISITOR AND WE MUST BE VERY POLITE TO HER NO I WON'T RETURNED ENNA FLATLY SHE'S GOT ENOUGH NOW NO I HAVEN'T I CAN'T BUILD A HOUSE WITH THOSE FLORA SAID WITH ANOTHER SOB


ELSIE STOOD A MOMENT LOOKING MUCH PERPLEXED THEN WITH A BRIGHTENING FACE EXCLAIMED IN HER CHEERFUL PLEASANT WAY WELL NEVER MIND FLORA DEAR I WILL GET YOU MY DOLL


THE LITTLE WEEPER ANSWERED EAGERLY SMILING THROUGH HER TEARS ELSIE RAN OUT OF THE ROOM AND WAS BACK AGAIN ALMOST IN A MOMENT WITH THE DOLL IN HER ARMS THERE DEAR LITTLE FLORA SHE SAID LAYING IT GENTLY ON THE CHILD'S LAP


PLEASE BE CAREFUL OF IT FOR I HAVE HAD IT A LONG WHILE AND PRIZE IT VERY MUCH BECAUSE MY GUARDIAN GAVE IT TO ME WHEN I WAS A VERY LITTLE GIRL AND HE IS DEAD NOW I WON'T BREAK IT ELSIE INDEED I WON'T REPLIED FLORA CONFIDENTLY


AND ELSIE SAT DOWN TO HER GAME AGAIN A FEW MOMENTS AFTERWARD MISTER HORACE DINSMORE PASSED THROUGH THE ROOM ELSIE HE SAID AS HE CAUGHT SIGHT OF HIS LITTLE DAUGHTER GO UP TO MY DRESSING ROOM THERE WAS EVIDENTLY DISPLEASURE AND REPROOF IN HIS TONE


MISTER DINSMORE PASSED OUT OF ONE DOOR WHILE ELSIE LEFT BY THE OTHER THE THREE LITTLE GIRLS LOOKED INQUIRINGLY INTO EACH OTHER'S FACES WHAT IS THE MATTER WHAT HAS ELSIE DONE ASKED CARRY IN A WHISPER I DON'T KNOW


NOTHING I GUESS REPLIED LUCY INDIGNANTLY I DO BELIEVE HE'S JUST THE CROSSEST MAN ALIVE WHEN I WAS HERE LAST SUMMER HE WAS ALL THE TIME SCOLDING AND PUNISHING POOR ELSIE FOR JUST NOTHING AT ALL I THINK HE MUST BE VERY STRICT SAID CARRY


AND THAT WAS THE CONCLUSION THEY ALL CAME TO IN THE MEANTIME ELSIE SAT DOWN ALONE IN HER BANISHMENT AND TRIED TO THINK WHAT SHE COULD HAVE DONE TO DESERVE IT IT WAS SOME TIME BEFORE SHE COULD FORM ANY IDEA OF ITS CAUSE


BUT AT LENGTH IT SUDDENLY CAME TO HER RECOLLECTION THAT ONCE SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THIS HER FATHER HAD FOUND HER SITTING ON THE CARPET AND HAD BADE HER GET UP IMMEDIATELY AND SIT ON A CHAIR OR STOOL SAYING NEVER LET ME SEE YOU SITTING ON THE FLOOR ELSIE


WHEN THERE ARE PLENTY OF SEATS AT HAND I CONSIDER IT A VERY UNLADYLIKE AND SLOVENLY TRICK SHE COVERED HER FACE WITH HER HANDS AND SAT THUS FOR SOME MOMENTS FEELING VERY SORRY FOR HER FORGETFULNESS AND DISOBEDIENCE VERY PENITENT ON ACCOUNT OF IT


AND THEN KNEELING DOWN SHE ASKED FORGIVENESS OF GOD A FULL HOUR SHE HAD BEEN THERE ALONE AND THE TIME HAD SEEMED VERY LONG WHEN AT LAST THE DOOR OPENED AND HER FATHER CAME IN ELSIE ROSE AND CAME FORWARD TO MEET HIM


WITH THE AIR OF ONE WHO HAD OFFENDED AND KNEW SHE WAS IN DISGRACE BUT PUTTING ONE OF HER LITTLE HANDS IN HIS SHE LOOKED UP PLEADINGLY INTO HIS FACE ASKING IN A SLIGHTLY TREMULOUS TONE DEAR PAPA ARE YOU ANGRY WITH ME


I AM ALWAYS DISPLEASED WHEN YOU DISOBEY ME ELSIE HE REPLIED VERY GRAVELY LAYING HIS OTHER HAND ON HER HEAD I AM VERY SORRY I WAS NAUGHTY PAPA SHE SAID HUMBLY AND CASTING DOWN HER EYES


NO SIR I DID NOT MEAN IT SO AND I AM VERY VERY SORRY DEAR PAPA PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND I WILL TRY NEVER TO FORGET AGAIN I THINK YOU DISOBEYED IN ANOTHER MATTER HE SAID


BUT I THINK I WILL REMEMBER NOT TO DO IT AGAIN


SHE HELD UP HER FACE FOR A KISS WHICH HE GAVE I WISH I COULD ALWAYS BE GOOD PAPA SHE SAID BUT I AM NAUGHTY SO OFTEN NO SAID HE I THINK YOU HAVE BEEN A VERY GOOD GIRL FOR QUITE A LONG TIME


AND ELSIE FOUND THE CHILDREN IN THE NURSERY ENGAGED IN EATING FLORA TURNED TO HER AS SHE ENTERED PLEASE ELSIE DON'T BE CROSS SHE SAID COAXINGLY I AM REAL SORRY YOUR DOLL'S BROKEN BUT IT WASN'T MY FAULT ENNA WOULD TRY TO SNATCH IT


AND THAT MADE IT FALL AND BREAK ITS HEAD POOR ELSIE THIS WAS QUITE A TRIAL AND SHE COULD SCARCELY KEEP BACK THE TEARS AS FOLLOWING FLORA'S GLANCE SHE SAW HER VALUED DOLL LYING ON THE WINDOW SEAT


WITH ITS HEAD BROKEN ENTIRELY OFF SHE SAID NOT A WORD BUT HASTILY CROSSING THE ROOM TOOK IT UP AND GAZED MOURNFULLY AT IT KIND MISSUS BROWN WHO HAD JUST FINISHED HELPING HER YOUNG CHARGE ALL ROUND


FOLLOWED HER TO THE WINDOW NEVER MIND DEAR SHE SAID IN HER PLEASANT CHEERY TONE PATTING ELSIE'S CHEEK AND SMOOTHING HER HAIR I'VE GOT SOME EXCELLENT GLUE AND I THINK I CAN STICK IT ON AGAIN AND MAKE IT ALMOST AS GOOD AS EVER


NO INDEED HE IS NOT MARY AND HE LETS ME EAT EVERYTHING THAT HE THINKS IS GOOD FOR ME ELSIE ANSWERED WITH SOME WARMTH SHE WAS SEATED BETWEEN CAROLINE HOWARD AND LUCY CARRINGTON WHAT DID YOUR PAPA SEND YOU AWAY FOR ELSIE WHISPERED THE LATTER


QUITE UNUSUAL WITH HER WHILE THE HOT TEARS CAME INTO HER EYES FOR SHE KNEW VERY WELL WHAT WAS LUCY'S OPINION OF HER FATHER AND MORE THAN HALF SUSPECTED THAT SHE HAD BEEN MAKING SOME UNKIND REMARK ABOUT HIM TO THE OTHERS


AND SHE WAS EAGER TO REMOVE ANY UNFAVORABLE IMPRESSION THEY MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED I AM SURE HE MUST LOVE YOU VERY DEARLY ELSIE REMARKED CAROLINE SOOTHINGLY NO ONE COULD HELP SEEING THAT JUST BY THE WAY HE LOOKS AT YOU ELSIE ANSWERED HER WITH A PLEASED AND GRATEFUL LOOK


WHOM SHE DID NOT REMEMBER EVER TO HAVE SEEN BEFORE BUT WHO INSISTED ON SEATING THE LITTLE GIRL ON THE SOFA BY HER SIDE AND KEEPING HER THERE A LONG WHILE LOADING HER WITH CARESSES AND FLATTERY MY DEAR CHILD SHE SAID WHAT LOVELY HAIR YOU HAVE


SO FINE AND SOFT AND GLOSSY SUCH A BEAUTIFUL COLOR TOO


NATURAL RINGLETS I'M SURE ARE THEY NOT YES MA'AM ELSIE ANSWERED SIMPLY WISHING FROM THE BOTTOM OF HER HEART THAT THE LADY WOULD RELEASE HER AND TALK TO SOME ONE ELSE BUT THE LADY HAD NO SUCH INTENTION YOU ARE A


VERY SWEET LITTLE GIRL I AM SURE AND I SHALL LOVE YOU DEARLY SHE SAID KISSING HER SEVERAL TIMES AH I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING IF I HAD SUCH A CLEAR FAIR COMPLEXION AND SUCH ROSY CHEEKS THAT MAKES YOU BLUSH WELL I LIKE TO SEE IT


BLUSHES ARE VERY BECOMING OH YOU NEEDN'T PRETEND YOU DON'T KNOW YOU'RE HANDSOME YOU'RE A PERFECT LITTLE BEAUTY DO TELL ME WHERE DID YOU GET SUCH SPLENDID EYES BUT I NEEDN'T ASK FOR I HAVE ONLY TO LOOK AT YOUR FATHER TO SEE WHERE THEY CAME FROM


MISTER DINSMORE TO ELSIE'S PAPA WHO JUST THEN CAME TOWARD THEM YOU OUGHT TO BE VERY PROUD OF THIS CHILD SHE IS THE VERY IMAGE OF YOURSELF AND A PERFECT LITTLE BEAUTY TOO


MISS STEVENS IS PLEASED TO FLATTER ME HE SAID BOWING LOW BUT FLATTERY IS NOT GOOD FOR EITHER GROWN UP CHILDREN OR YOUNGER ONES AND I MUST BEG LEAVE TO DECLINE THE COMPLIMENT


AS I CANNOT SEE THAT ELSIE BEARS THE SLIGHTEST RESEMBLANCE TO ME OR ANY OF MY FAMILY SHE IS VERY LIKE HER MOTHER THOUGH HE ADDED WITH A HALF SIGH AND A TENDER LOVING GLANCE AT HIS LITTLE GIRL AND THAT IS JUST WHAT I WOULD HAVE HER


IT IS SUCH A LOVELY DAY BUT HOW SOON DO YOU START AS SOON AS THE LADIES CAN BE READY THE HORSES WILL BE AT THE DOOR IN A VERY FEW MOMENTS


RISING AND SAILING OUT OF THE ROOM MISTER DINSMORE TOOK THE SEAT SHE HAD VACATED AND PASSING HIS ARM ROUND HIS LITTLE GIRL SAID TO HER IN AN UNDERTONE MY LITTLE DAUGHTER MUST NOT BE SO FOOLISH AS TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE MEAN ALL THEY SAY TO HER


FOR SOME PERSONS TALK IN A VERY THOUGHTLESS WAY AND WITHOUT PERHAPS INTENDING TO BE EXACTLY UNTRUTHFUL SAY A GREAT DEAL THAT THEY REALLY DO NOT MEAN AND I SHOULD BE SORRY INDEED TO SEE MY LITTLE GIRL SO SPOILED BY ALL THIS SILLY FLATTERY


AS TO GROW UP CONCEITED AND VAIN SHE LOOKED AT HIM WITH HER OWN SWEET INNOCENT SMILE FREE FROM THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH OF VANITY NO PAPA SHE SAID I DO NOT MIND WHEN PEOPLE SAY SUCH THINGS BECAUSE I KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS


FAVOR IS DECEITFUL AND BEAUTY IS VAIN AND IN ANOTHER PLACE HE THAT FLATTERETH HIS NEIGHBOR SPREADETH A NET FOR HIS FEET SO I WILL TRY TO KEEP AWAY FROM THAT LADY SHALL I NOT PAPA WHENEVER YOU CAN DO SO WITHOUT RUDENESS DAUGHTER


AND HE MOVED AWAY THINKING TO HIMSELF HOW STRANGELY THE TEACHINGS OF THAT BOOK SEEM TO PRESERVE MY CHILD FROM EVERY EVIL INFLUENCE A SIGH ESCAPED HIM THERE WAS LURKING WITHIN HIS BREAST A VAGUE CONSCIOUSNESS THAT HER FATHER NEEDED SUCH A SAFEGUARD


BUT HAD IT NOT LUCY WHO WAS STANDING AT THE WINDOW TURNED QUICKLY ROUND COME GIRLS SHE SAID LET US RUN OUT AND SEE THEM OFF THEY'RE BRINGING UP THE HORSES


HOW PRETTY SHE LOOKS AND THERE'S THAT MISS STEVENS COMING OUT NOW HATEFUL THING I CAN'T BEAR HER COME ELSIE AND CARRY AND SHE RAN OUT CAROLINE AND ELSIE FOLLOWING


ELSIE HOWEVER WENT NO FURTHER THAN THE HALL WHERE SHE STOOD STILL AT THE FOOT OF THE STAIRS COME ELSIE CALLED THE OTHER TWO FROM THE PORTICO COME OUT HERE NO REPLIED THE LITTLE GIRL I CANNOT COME WITHOUT SOMETHING ROUND ME


NO LUCY I MUST OBEY MY FATHER ELSIE ANSWERED IN A VERY PLEASANT BUT NO LESS DECIDED TONE SOME ONE CAUGHT HER ROUND THE WAIST AND LIFTED HER UP OH PAPA SHE EXCLAIMED I DID NOT KNOW YOU WERE THERE


AND SET HER DOWN THE LITTLE GIRLS WATCHED UNTIL THE LAST OF THE PARTY HAD DISAPPEARED DOWN THE AVENUE AND THEN RAN GAYLY UP STAIRS TO ELSIE'S ROOM WHERE THEY BUSIED THEMSELVES UNTIL TEA TIME IN VARIOUS LITTLE PREPARATIONS FOR THE EVENING


WHO PASSED IN AND OUT WITH AN AIR OF MYSTERY AND IMPORTANCE AND GENERALLY LADEN WITH SOME ODD LOOKING BUNDLE WHEN GOING IN WHICH THEY INVARIABLY LEFT BEHIND ON COMING OUT AGAIN AND MANY A WHISPERED CONSULTATION HAD BEEN HELD AS TO WHAT WAS PROBABLY GOING ON IN THERE


ELSIE AND CARRY SEEMED TO BE IN THE SECRET BUT ONLY SMILED AND SHOOK THEIR HEADS WISELY WHEN QUESTIONED BUT AT LENGTH TEA BEING OVER AND ALL BOTH OLD AND YOUNG ASSEMBLED AS IF BY COMMON CONSENT IN THE DRAWING ROOM IT BEGAN TO BE WHISPERED ABOUT


THAT THEIR CURIOSITY WAS NOW ON THE POINT OF BEING GRATIFIED


AND EVERY FACE BRIGHTENED WITH MIRTH AND EXPECTATION AND WHEN A MOMENT AFTER THE DOORS WERE THROWN OPEN THERE WAS A UNIVERSAL BURST OF APPLAUSE A LARGE CHRISTMAS TREE HAD BEEN SET UP AT THE FURTHER END OF THE ROOM


AND WITH ITS MYRIAD OF LIGHTED TAPERS AND ITS LOAD OF TOYS AND BONBONS INTERSPERSED WITH MANY A RICHER AND MORE COSTLY GIFT MADE QUITE A DISPLAY BEAUTIFUL


MISSUS DINSMORE AND ADELAIDE APPROACHED THE TREE AND BEGAN THE PLEASANT TASK OF DISTRIBUTING THE GIFTS EVERYTHING WAS LABELLED AND EACH AS HIS OR HER NAME WAS CALLED OUT STEPPED FORWARD TO RECEIVE THE PRESENT NO ONE HAD BEEN FORGOTTEN EACH HAD SOMETHING


AND ALMOST EVERY ONE HAD SEVERAL PRETTY PRESENTS MARY LESLIE AND LITTLE FLORA ARNOTT WERE MADE PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH WAX DOLLS THAT COULD OPEN AND SHUT THEIR EYES CAROLINE HOWARD RECEIVED A GOLD CHAIN FROM HER MAMMA AND A PRETTY PIN FROM ELSIE


BECAUSE MARY LESLIE'S DOLL WAS A LITTLE LARGER THAN HERS ELSIE HAD ALREADY RECEIVED A PRETTY BRACELET FROM HER AUNT ADELAIDE A NEEDLE CASE FROM LORA AND SEVERAL LITTLE GIFTS FROM HER YOUNG GUESTS


AND WAS JUST BEGINNING TO WONDER WHAT HAD BECOME OF HER PAPA'S PROMISED PRESENT WHEN SHE HEARD HER NAME AGAIN AND ADELAIDE TURNING TO HER WITH A PLEASED LOOK SLIPPED A MOST BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND RING ON HER FINGER FROM YOUR PAPA SHE SAID


GO AND THANK HIM IT IS WELL WORTH IT ELSIE SOUGHT HIM OUT WHERE HE STOOD ALONE IN A CORNER AN AMUSED SPECTATOR OF THE MERRY SCENE SEE PAPA SHE SAID HOLDING UP HER HAND I THINK IT VERY BEAUTIFUL


THANK YOU DEAR PAPA THANK YOU VERY MUCH DOES IT PLEASE YOU MY DARLING HE ASKED STOOPING TO PRESS A KISS ON THE LITTLE UPTURNED FACE SO BRIGHT AND HAPPY YES PAPA


THE VERY PRETTIEST RING I EVER SAW YET I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED BETTER IS THERE NOT HE ASKED LOOKING SEARCHINGLY INTO HER FACE DEAR PAPA I LIKE IT VERY MUCH I WOULD RATHER HAVE IT THAN ANYTHING ELSE ON THE TREE


STILL YOU HAVE NOT ANSWERED MY QUESTION HE SAID WITH A SMILE AS HE SAT DOWN AND DREW HER TO HIS SIDE ADDING IN A PLAYFUL TONE COME I AM NOT GOING TO PUT UP WITH ANY EVASION TELL ME TRULY IF YOU WOULD HAVE PREFERRED SOMETHING ELSE


AND IF SO WHAT IT IS ELSIE BLUSHED AND LOOKED DOWN THEN RAISING HER EYES AND SEEING WITH WHAT A TENDER LOVING GLANCE HE WAS REGARDING HER SHE TOOK COURAGE TO SAY YES PAPA THERE IS ONE THING I WOULD HAVE LIKED BETTER


AND THAT IS YOUR MINIATURE TO HER SURPRISE HE LOOKED HIGHLY PLEASED AT HER REPLY AND GIVING HER ANOTHER KISS SAID WELL DARLING SOME DAY YOU SHALL HAVE IT


MISTER HORACE DINSMORE CALLED ADELAIDE TAKING SOME SMALL GLITTERING OBJECT FROM THE TREE ANOTHER PRESENT FOR ME HE ASKED AS WALTER CAME RUNNING WITH IT HE HAD ALREADY RECEIVED SEVERAL FROM HIS FATHER AND SISTERS


DO YOU LIKE IT PAPA SHE ASKED HER FACE GLOWING WITH DELIGHT TO SEE HOW PLEASED HE WAS YES DARLING VERY MUCH AND I SHALL ALWAYS THINK OF MY LITTLE GIRL WHEN I USE IT KEEP IT IN YOUR POCKET AND USE IT EVERY DAY WON'T YOU PAPA


AND HE LAUGHED AND STROKED HER HAIR


NOT TO NIGHT TO MORROW AFTER BREAKFAST YOU MAY EAT THE CREAM CANDY AND THE ROCK BUT NONE OF THE OTHERS THEY ARE COLORED AND VERY UNWHOLESOME WON'T YOU EAT SOME PAPA SHE ASKED WITH WINNING SWEETNESS NO DEAREST HE SAID


FOR THOUGH I TOO AM FOND OF SWEET THINGS I WILL NOT EAT THEM WHILE I REFUSE THEM TO YOU DO PAPA SHE URGED IT WOULD GIVE ME PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ENJOYING IT NO DARLING I WILL WAIT UNTIL TO MORROW TOO


THEN PLEASE KEEP IT FOR ME UNTIL TO MORROW PAPA WILL YOU YES HE SAID


AND THEN AS THE GIFTS HAD ALL BEEN DISTRIBUTED AND THE LITTLE FOLKS WERE IN HIGH GLEE A VARIETY OF SPORTS WERE COMMENCED BY THEM IN WHICH SOME OF THEIR ELDERS ALSO TOOK A PART AND THUS THE HOURS SPED AWAY SO RAPIDLY


THAT ELSIE WAS VERY MUCH SURPRISED WHEN HER FATHER CALLED HER TO GO TO BED IS IT HALF PAST NINE ALREADY PAPA SHE ASKED


IN THAT HOUR JESUS REJOICED IN SPIRIT AND SAID I THANK THEE O FATHER LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH THAT THOU HAST HID THESE THINGS FROM THE WISE AND PRUDENT AND HAST REVEALED THEM UNTO BABES EVEN SO FATHER FOR SO IT SEEMED GOOD IN THY SIGHT


SAYS THE APOSTLE PAUL I SAY THE TRUTH IN CHRIST I LIE NOT MY CONSCIENCE ALSO BEARING ME WITNESS IN THE HOLY GHOST THAT I HAVE GREAT HEAVINESS AND CONTINUAL SORROW IN MY HEART


MY KINSMEN ACCORDING TO THE FLESH BRETHREN MY HEART'S DESIRE AND PRAYER TO GOD FOR ISRAEL IS THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED AND SUCH DEAR READER IS IN GREATER OR LESS DEGREE THE FEELING OF EVERY RENEWED HEART


LOVING JESUS IT WOULD FAIN HAVE OTHERS LOVE HIM TOO IT DESIRES THE SALVATION OF ALL BUT FOR THAT OF ITS OWN DEAR ONES IT LONGS AND LABORS AND PRAYS IT IS LIKE JACOB WRESTLING WITH THE ANGEL WHEN HE SAID


I WILL NOT LET THEE GO EXCEPT THOU BLESS ME AND THUS IT WAS WITH ELSIE SHE KNEW NOW THAT HER FATHER WAS NOT A CHRISTIAN THAT HE HAD NO REAL LOVE FOR JESUS NONE OF THE TRUE FEAR OF GOD BEFORE HIS EYES


SHE SAW THAT IF HE PERMITTED HER TO READ TO HIM FROM GOD'S WORD AS HE SOMETIMES DID IT WAS NOT THAT HE FELT ANY PLEASURE IN LISTENING BUT ONLY TO PLEASE HER SHE HAD NO REASON TO SUPPOSE HE EVER PRAYED AND THOUGH HE WENT REGULARLY TO CHURCH


IT WAS BECAUSE HE CONSIDERED IT PROPER AND RESPECTABLE TO DO SO AND NOT THAT HE CARED TO WORSHIP GOD OR TO LEARN HIS WILL THIS CONVICTION WHICH HAD GRADUALLY DAWNED UPON ELSIE UNTIL NOW IT AMOUNTED TO CERTAINTY CAUSED HER GREAT GRIEF


SHE SHED MANY TEARS OVER IT IN SECRET AND VERY MANY AND VERY EARNEST WERE THE PRAYERS SHE OFFERED UP FOR HER DEAR FATHER'S CONVERSION SHE WAS SITTING ON HIS KNEE ONE EVENING IN THE DRAWING ROOM WHILE HE AND SEVERAL OTHER GENTLEMEN WERE CONVERSING ON THE SUBJECT OF RELIGION


THEY WERE DISCUSSING THE QUESTION WHETHER OR NO A CHANGE OF HEART WERE NECESSARY TO SALVATION THE GENERAL OPINION SEEMED TO BE THAT IT WAS NOT AND ELSIE LISTENED WITH PAIN WHILE HER FATHER EXPRESSED HIS DECIDED CONVICTION THAT ALL WHO LED AN HONEST UPRIGHT MORAL LIFE


AND ATTENDED TO THE OUTWARD OBSERVANCES OF RELIGION WERE QUITE SAFE HE COULD SEE NO NECESSITY FOR A CHANGE OF HEART HE DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE DOCTRINE OF TOTAL DEPRAVITY NOT HE NO INDEED HE THOUGHT THE WORLD MUCH BETTER THAN MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE


ELSIE FIXED HER EYES ON HIS FACE WITH A VERY MOURNFUL GAZE WHILE HE WAS SPEAKING BUT HE WAS BUSY WITH HIS ARGUMENT AND DID NOT NOTICE HER BUT ONE OF THE GUESTS WAS JUST EXPRESSING HIS APPROVAL OF MISTER DINSMORE'S SENTIMENTS WHEN CATCHING SIGHT OF ELSIE'S FACE


HE STOPPED REMARKING YOUR LITTLE GIRL LOOKS AS IF SHE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT WHAT IS IT MY DEAR ELSIE BLUSHED HESITATED AND LOOKED AT HER FATHER YES SPEAK MY DAUGHTER IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY HE SAID ENCOURAGINGLY ELSIE LIFTED


MARVEL NOT THAT I SAID UNTO THEE YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN SHE REPEATED THESE WORDS OF INSPIRATION WITH A DEEP EARNEST SOLEMNITY THAT SEEMED TO IMPRESS EVERY HEARER FOR A MOMENT THERE WAS A DEEP HUSH IN THE ROOM THEN THE GENTLEMAN ASKED


CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART O GOD AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME WHERE DID YOU LEARN ALL THIS HE ASKED LOOKING AT HER WITH MINGLED SURPRISE AND ADMIRATION IN THE BIBLE SIR SHE MODESTLY REPLIED YOU SEEM TO HAVE READ IT TO SOME PURPOSE SAID HE


AND NOW SINCE YOU CONSIDER THAT CHANGE SO NECESSARY CAN YOU TELL ME HOW IT IS TO BE BROUGHT ABOUT GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT ALONE CAN CHANGE A SINNER'S HEART SIR AND HOW AM I TO SECURE HIS AID HE ASKED ELSIE ANSWERED WITH A TEXT


SHE REPLIED THE SWEET LITTLE FACE ALL SUFFUSED WITH BLUSHES AND THE SOFT DOWNCAST EYES FILLING WITH TEARS WHY DO YOU THINK SO HE ASKED AGAIN


I THINK THERE IS A TEXT THAT SAYS YOU MUST BE ABLE ALWAYS TO GIVE A REASON FOR THE HOPE THAT IS IN YOU OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT IS THERE NOT YES SIR BE READY ALWAYS TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO EVERY MAN THAT ASKETH YOU A REASON OF THE HOPE THAT IS IN YOU


WITH MEEKNESS AND FEAR THEN RAISING HER EYES TO HIS FACE WITH A TOUCHING MIXTURE OF DEEP HUMILITY AND HOLY BOLDNESS SHE CONTINUED AND THIS SIR IS MY ANSWER JESUS SAYS HIM THAT COMETH UNTO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT


AND I BELIEVE HIM I DID GO TO HIM AND HE DID NOT CAST ME OUT BUT FORGAVE MY SINS AND TAUGHT ME TO LOVE HIM AND DESIRE TO SERVE HIM ALL MY LIFE THIS CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE GENTLEMAN AND THE LITTLE GIRL HAD DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF ALL PRESENT


AND NOW MISSUS DINSMORE WHO HAD MORE THAN ONCE SHOWN SIGNS OF IMPATIENCE SAID WELL ELSIE I THINK YOU HAVE NOW TALKED QUITE ENOUGH FOR A CHILD OF YOUR AGE THEN PULLING OUT HER WATCH IT IS HIGH TIME FOR LITTLE FOLKS TO BE IN BED ELSIE


BLUSHING DEEPLY WOULD HAVE RETIRED IMMEDIATELY BUT HER FATHER HELD HER FAST SAYING AS HE GAVE HIS STEPMOTHER AN ANGRY GLANCE YOU NEED NOT GO ELSIE UNLESS YOU CHOOSE I AM QUITE CAPABLE OF JUDGING WHEN IT IS TIME TO SEND YOU TO BED


WHISPERED ELSIE WHO HAD A GREAT DREAD OF MISSUS DINSMORE'S ANGER VERY WELL THEN YOU MAY DO AS YOU LIKE HE REPLIED GIVING HER A GOOD NIGHT KISS AND WITH A GRACEFUL GOOD NIGHT TO THE COMPANY THE LITTLE GIRL LEFT THE ROOM


HER QUESTIONER FOLLOWED HER WITH AN ADMIRING GLANCE THEN TURNING TO HER FATHER EXCLAIMED WARMLY SHE IS A REMARKABLY INTELLIGENT CHILD DINSMORE ONE THAT ANY FATHER MIGHT BE PROUD OF I WAS ASTONISHED AT HER ANSWERS


YES REMARKED TRAVILLA A TEXT HAS BEEN RUNNING IN MY HEAD EVER SINCE YOU COMMENCED YOUR CONVERSATION SOMETHING ABOUT THESE THINGS BEING HID FROM THE WISE AND PRUDENT AND REVEALED UNTO BABES AND HE ADDED


AND HER FATHER'S VOICE SAID GOOD MORNING LITTLE DAUGHTER


SHE ASKED RAISING HER HEAD TO GIVE HIM A SMILE OF JOYFUL WELCOME I DID NOT KNOW YOU WERE THERE AH I HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOU FOR SEVERAL MINUTES HE SAID ALWAYS PORING OVER THE SAME BOOK ELSIE DO YOU NEVER TIRE OF IT NO INDEED PAPA


IT IS ALWAYS NEW AND I DO LOVE IT SO IT IS SO VERY SWEET MAY I READ A LITTLE TO YOU SHE ADDED COAXINGLY YES I LOVE TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING READ BY MY DARLING HE SAID SITTING DOWN AND TAKING HER ON HIS KNEE


LAID HER HEAD ON HIS BREAST ASKING DEAR PAPA DON'T YOU BELIEVE THE BIBLE CERTAINLY DAUGHTER I AM NOT AN INFIDEL HE REPLIED IN A CARELESS TONE WELL THEN PAPA SHE CONTINUED HALF HESITATINGLY


I WAS MUCH PLEASED WITH YOUR INTELLIGENT ANSWERS TO MISTER LEE LAST EVENING ELSIE SIGHED AND HER EYES FILLED WITH TEARS IT WAS NOT WHAT SHE WANTED WHAT AN ODD CHILD YOU ARE HE SAID LAUGHING


SHE DROPPED HER HEAD ON HIS BREAST AND BURST INTO TEARS AND SOBS WHY ELSIE MY OWN DARLING WHAT AILS YOU HE ASKED IN GREAT SURPRISE


I KNOW NO WAY IN WHICH A WRITER MAY MORE FITTINGLY INTRODUCE HIS WORK TO THE PUBLIC THAN BY GIVING A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF WHO AND WHAT HE IS BY THIS MEANS SOME OF THE BLAME FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE IS VERY PROPERLY SHIFTED TO THE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS LIFE


MY PARENTS MIGRATED TO CANADA IN EIGHTEEN SEVENTY SIX AND I DECIDED TO GO WITH THEM MY FATHER TOOK UP A FARM NEAR LAKE SIMCOE IN ONTARIO THIS WAS DURING THE HARD TIMES OF CANADIAN FARMING


AND MY FATHER WAS JUST ABLE BY GREAT DILIGENCE TO PAY THE HIRED MEN AND IN YEARS OF PLENTY TO RAISE ENOUGH GRAIN TO HAVE SEED FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S CROP WITHOUT BUYING ANY BY THIS PROCESS MY BROTHERS AND I WERE INEVITABLY DRIVEN OFF THE LAND


THAT IS INDUCED BY HONEST MANUAL TOIL I WAS EDUCATED AT UPPER CANADA COLLEGE TORONTO OF WHICH I WAS HEAD BOY IN EIGHTEEN EIGHTY SEVEN FROM THERE I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO WHERE I GRADUATED IN EIGHTEEN NINETY ONE


AT THE UNIVERSITY I SPENT MY ENTIRE TIME IN THE ACQUISITION OF LANGUAGES LIVING DEAD AND HALF DEAD AND KNEW NOTHING OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD IN THIS DILIGENT PURSUIT OF WORDS I SPENT ABOUT SIXTEEN HOURS OF EACH DAY


IN OTHER WORDS I WAS WHAT IS CALLED A DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AND AS SUCH I TOOK TO SCHOOL TEACHING AS THE ONLY TRADE I COULD FIND THAT NEED NEITHER EXPERIENCE NOR INTELLECT I SPENT MY TIME FROM EIGHTEEN NINETY ONE TO EIGHTEEN NINETY NINE ON THE STAFF OF UPPER CANADA COLLEGE


AN EXPERIENCE WHICH HAS LEFT ME WITH A PROFOUND SYMPATHY FOR THE MANY GIFTED AND BRILLIANT MEN WHO ARE COMPELLED TO SPEND THEIR LIVES IN THE MOST DREARY THE MOST THANKLESS AND THE WORST PAID PROFESSION IN THE WORLD


AND BY MEANS OF THIS AND SOME TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT BY MC GILL UNIVERSITY I SURVIVED UNTIL I TOOK THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN NINETEEN O THREE THE MEANING OF THIS DEGREE IS THAT THE RECIPIENT OF INSTRUCTION IS EXAMINED FOR THE LAST TIME IN HIS LIFE AND IS PRONOUNCED COMPLETELY FULL


AFTER THIS NO NEW IDEAS CAN BE IMPARTED TO HIM FROM THIS TIME AND SINCE MY MARRIAGE WHICH HAD OCCURRED AT THIS PERIOD I HAVE BELONGED TO THE STAFF OF MC GILL UNIVERSITY FIRST AS LECTURER IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND LATER AS HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE


I AM ABLE TO REGARD MYSELF AS SINGULARLY FORTUNATE THE EMOLUMENT IS SO HIGH AS TO PLACE ME DISTINCTLY ABOVE THE POLICEMEN POSTMEN STREET CAR CONDUCTORS AND OTHER SALARIED OFFICIALS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD


WHILE I AM ABLE TO MIX WITH THE POORER OF THE BUSINESS MEN OF THE CITY ON TERMS OF SOMETHING LIKE EQUALITY IN POINT OF LEISURE I ENJOY MORE IN THE FOUR CORNERS OF A SINGLE YEAR THAN A BUSINESS MAN KNOWS IN HIS WHOLE LIFE I THUS HAVE WHAT THE BUSINESS MAN CAN NEVER ENJOY


AN ABILITY TO THINK AND WHAT IS STILL BETTER TO STOP THINKING ALTOGETHER FOR MONTHS AT A TIME I HAVE WRITTEN A NUMBER OF THINGS IN CONNECTION WITH MY COLLEGE LIFE A BOOK ON POLITICAL SCIENCE AND MANY ESSAYS MAGAZINE ARTICLES AND SO ON


A FEW YEARS AGO I WENT ALL ROUND THE BRITISH EMPIRE DELIVERING ADDRESSES ON IMPERIAL ORGANIZATION WHEN I STATE THAT THESE LECTURES WERE FOLLOWED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA THE BANANA RIOTS IN TRINIDAD AND THE TURCO ITALIAN WAR


NOR TO CONSTRUCT EVEN THE SMALLEST SECTION OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILWAY THIS HOWEVER IS A FORM OF NATIONAL INGRATITUDE TO WHICH ONE BECOMES ACCUSTOMED IN THIS DOMINION APART FROM MY COLLEGE WORK I HAVE WRITTEN TWO BOOKS ONE CALLED LITERARY LAPSES


AND THE OTHER NONSENSE NOVELS EACH OF THESE IS PUBLISHED BY JOHN LANE LONDON AND NEW YORK AND EITHER OF THEM CAN BE OBTAINED ABSURD THOUGH IT SOUNDS FOR THE MERE SUM OF THREE SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE ANY READER OF THIS PREFACE FOR EXAMPLE RIDICULOUS THOUGH IT APPEARS


COULD WALK INTO A BOOKSTORE AND BUY BOTH OF THESE BOOKS FOR SEVEN SHILLINGS YET THESE WORKS ARE OF SO HUMOROUS A CHARACTER THAT FOR MANY YEARS IT WAS FOUND IMPOSSIBLE TO PRINT THEM THE COMPOSITORS FELL BACK FROM THEIR TASK SUFFOCATED WITH LAUGHTER AND GASPING FOR AIR


MANY OF MY FRIENDS ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT I WRITE THESE HUMOROUS NOTHINGS IN IDLE MOMENTS WHEN THE WEARIED BRAIN IS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE SERIOUS LABOURS OF THE ECONOMIST MY OWN EXPERIENCE IS EXACTLY THE OTHER WAY


BUT TO WRITE SOMETHING OUT OF ONE'S OWN MIND WORTH READING FOR ITS OWN SAKE IS AN ARDUOUS CONTRIVANCE ONLY TO BE ACHIEVED IN FORTUNATE MOMENTS FEW AND FAR BETWEEN


IN REGARD TO THE PRESENT WORK I MUST DISCLAIM AT ONCE ALL INTENTIONS OF TRYING TO DO ANYTHING SO RIDICULOUSLY EASY AS WRITING ABOUT A REAL PLACE AND REAL PEOPLE MARIPOSA IS NOT A REAL TOWN ON THE CONTRARY IT IS ABOUT SEVENTY OR EIGHTY OF THEM


YOU MAY FIND THEM ALL THE WAY FROM LAKE SUPERIOR TO THE SEA WITH THE SAME SQUARE STREETS AND THE SAME MAPLE TREES AND THE SAME CHURCHES AND HOTELS AND EVERYWHERE THE SUNSHINE OF THE LAND OF HOPE SIMILARLY THE REVEREND MISTER DRONE IS NOT ONE PERSON BUT ABOUT EIGHT OR TEN


TO MAKE HIM I CLAPPED THE GAITERS OF ONE ECCLESIASTIC ROUND THE LEGS OF ANOTHER ADDED THE SERMONS OF A THIRD AND THE CHARACTER OF A FOURTH AND SO LET HIM START ON HIS WAY IN THE BOOK TO PICK UP SUCH INDIVIDUAL ATTRIBUTES AS HE MIGHT FIND FOR HIMSELF


MULLINS AND BAGSHAW AND JUDGE PEPPERLEIGH AND THE REST ARE IT IS TRUE PERSONAL FRIENDS OF MINE BUT I HAVE KNOWN THEM IN SUCH A VARIETY OF FORMS WITH SUCH ALTERNATIONS OF TALL AND SHORT DARK AND FAIR THAT INDIVIDUALLY I SHOULD HAVE MUCH ADO TO KNOW THEM


AND NEEDS A TELLER AS FOR MISTER SMITH WITH HIS TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY POUNDS HIS HOARSE VOICE HIS LOUD CHECK SUIT


ALL OF THIS IS KNOWN BY EVERYBODY TO BE A NECESSARY AND UNIVERSAL ADJUNCT OF THE HOTEL BUSINESS THE INSPIRATION OF THE BOOK


A LAND OF HOPE AND SUNSHINE WHERE LITTLE TOWNS SPREAD THEIR SQUARE STREETS AND THEIR TRIM MAPLE TREES BESIDE PLACID LAKES ALMOST WITHIN ECHO OF THE PRIMEVAL FOREST IS LARGE ENOUGH


THE FAULT LIES RATHER WITH AN ART THAT IS DEFICIENT THAN IN AN AFFECTION THAT IS WANTING


IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE MINING BOOM AT THE TIME WHEN EVERYBODY WENT SIMPLY CRAZY OVER THE COBALT AND PORCUPINE MINES OF THE NEW SILVER COUNTRY NEAR THE HUDSON BAY


THERE WERE ALWAYS PEOPLE GOING IN AND OUT OF THE BARBER SHOP MULLINS THE MANAGER OF THE EXCHANGE BANK TOOK HIS MORNING SHAVE FROM JEFF AS A FORM OF RESUSCITATION WITH ENOUGH WET TOWELS LAID ON HIS FACE TO STEW HIM AND WITH JEFF MOVING ABOUT IN THE STEAM RAZOR IN HAND


AS GRAVE AS AN OPERATING SURGEON THEN AS I THINK I SAID MISTER SMITH CAME IN EVERY MORNING AND THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS OUTPOURING OF FLORIDA WATER AND RUMS ESSENCES AND REVIVERS AND RENOVATORS REGARDLESS OF EXPENSE


WHAT WITH JEFF'S WHITE COAT AND MISTER SMITH'S FLOWERED WAISTCOAT AND THE RED GERANIUM IN THE WINDOW AND THE FLORIDA WATER AND THE DOUBLE EXTRACT OF HYACINTH THE LITTLE SHOP SEEMED MULTI COLOURED AND LUXURIOUS ENOUGH FOR THE ANNEX OF A SULTAN'S HAREM BUT WHAT I MEAN IS THAT


TILL THE MINING BOOM JEFFERSON THORPE NEVER OCCUPIED A POSITION OF REAL PROMINENCE IN MARIPOSA


EVERYBODY KNEW JEFF AND LIKED HIM BUT THE ODD THING WAS THAT TILL HE MADE MONEY NOBODY TOOK ANY STOCK IN HIS IDEAS AT ALL IT WAS ONLY AFTER HE MADE THE CLEAN UP THAT THEY CAME TO SEE WHAT A SPLENDID FELLOW HE WAS LEVEL HEADED I THINK WAS THE TERM INDEED


IN THE SPEECH OF MARIPOSA THE HIGHEST FORM OF ENDOWMENT WAS TO HAVE THE HEAD SET ON HORIZONTALLY AS WITH A THEODOLITE AS I SAY IT WAS WHEN JEFF MADE MONEY THAT THEY SAW HOW GIFTED HE WAS AND WHEN HE LOST IT BUT STILL THERE'S NO NEED TO GO INTO THAT


I BELIEVE IT'S SOMETHING THE SAME IN OTHER PLACES TOO THE BARBER SHOP YOU WILL REMEMBER STANDS ACROSS THE STREET FROM SMITH'S HOTEL AND STARES AT IT FACE TO FACE IT IS ONE OF THOSE WOODEN STRUCTURES I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU KNOW THEM


WITH A FALSE FRONT THAT STICKS UP ABOVE ITS REAL HEIGHT AND GIVES IT AN AIR AT ONCE RECTANGULAR AND IMPOSING IT IS A FORM OF ARCHITECTURE MUCH USED IN MARIPOSA AND UNDERSTOOD TO BE IN KEEPING WITH THE PRETENTIOUS AND ARTIFICIAL CHARACTER OF MODERN BUSINESS


AND THE SHOP ITSELF HAS A LARGE SQUARE WINDOW OUT OF PROPORTION TO ITS LITTLE FLAT FACE PAINTED ON THE PANES OF THE WINDOW IS THE REMAINS OF A LEGEND THAT ONCE SPELT BARBER SHOP EXECUTED WITH THE FLOURISHES THAT PREVAILED IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF SIGN PAINTING IN MARIPOSA


THROUGH THE WINDOW YOU CAN SEE THE GERANIUMS IN THE WINDOW SHELF AND BEHIND THEM JEFF THORPE WITH HIS LITTLE BLACK SCULL CAP ON AND HIS SPECTACLES DROOPED UPON HIS NOSE AS HE BENDS FORWARD IN THE ABSORPTION OF SHAVING


AS YOU OPEN THE DOOR IT SETS IN VIOLENT AGITATION A COILED SPRING UP ABOVE AND A BELL THAT ALMOST RINGS INSIDE THERE ARE TWO SHAVING CHAIRS OF THE HEAVIER OR ELECTROCUTION PATTERN


IT IS THE CURRENT SUPPOSITION OF EACH OF JEFF'S CUSTOMERS THAT EVERYONE ELSE BUT HIMSELF USES A SEPARATE MUG ONE CORNER OF THE SHOP IS PARTITIONED OFF AND BEARS THE SIGN HOT AND COLD BATHS FIFTY CENTS


ONLY OLD NEWSPAPERS AND A MOP STILL IT LENDS DISTINCTION SOMEHOW JUST AS DO THE FADED CARDBOARD SIGNS THAT HANG AGAINST THE MIRROR WITH THE LEGENDS TURKISH SHAMPOO SEVENTY FIVE CENTS AND ROMAN MASSAGE ONE DOLLAR


THEY SAID COMMONLY IN MARIPOSA THAT JEFF MADE MONEY OUT OF THE BARBER SHOP HE MAY HAVE AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN THAT THAT TURNED HIS MIND TO INVESTMENT BUT IT'S HARD TO SEE HOW HE COULD A SHAVE COST FIVE CENTS AND A HAIR CUT FIFTEEN OR THE TWO IF YOU LIKED FOR A QUARTER


AND AT THAT IT IS HARD TO SEE HOW HE COULD MAKE MONEY


AND THEN IN THE OTHER YOU SEE IN MARIPOSA SHAVING ISN'T THE HURRIED PERFUNCTORY THING THAT IT IS IN THE CITY A SHAVE IS LOOKED UPON AS A FORM OF PHYSICAL PLEASURE AND LASTS ANYWHERE FROM TWENTY FIVE MINUTES TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN HOUR IN THE MORNING HOURS PERHAPS THERE WAS A SEMBLANCE OF HASTE ABOUT IT


THE RAZOR WOULD GO SLOWER AND SLOWER AND PAUSE AND STOP MOVE AND PAUSE AGAIN TILL THE SHAVE DIED AWAY INTO THE MERE DROWSE OF CONVERSATION AT SUCH HOURS THE MARIPOSA BARBER SHOP WOULD BECOME A VERY PALACE OF SLUMBER


AND AS YOU WAITED YOUR TURN IN ONE OF THE WOODEN ARM CHAIRS BESIDE THE WALL WHAT WITH THE QUIET OF THE HOUR AND THE LOW DRONE OF JEFF'S CONVERSATION THE BUZZING OF THE FLIES AGAINST THE WINDOW PANE AND THE MEASURED TICK OF THE CLOCK ABOVE THE MIRROR


YOUR HEAD SANK DREAMING ON YOUR BREAST AND THE MARIPOSA NEWSPACKET RUSTLED UNHEEDED ON THE FLOOR IT MAKES ONE DROWSY JUST TO THINK OF IT THE CONVERSATION OF COURSE WAS THE REAL CHARM OF THE PLACE YOU SEE JEFFERSON'S FORTE OR SPECIALTY WAS INFORMATION


WHERE HE GOT IT ALL I DON'T KNOW BUT I AM INCLINED TO THINK IT CAME MORE OR LESS OUT OF THE NEWSPAPERS IN THE CITY PEOPLE NEVER READ THE NEWSPAPERS NOT REALLY ONLY LITTLE BITS AND SCRAPS OF THEM BUT IN MARIPOSA IT'S DIFFERENT THERE


THEY READ THE WHOLE THING FROM COVER TO COVER AND THEY BUILD UP ON IT IN THE COURSE OF YEARS A RANGE OF ACQUIREMENT THAT WOULD PUT A COLLEGE PRESIDENT TO THE BLUSH


AND OF COURSE THE PECULIARITY OF JEFF'S CONVERSATION WAS THAT HE COULD SUIT IT TO HIS MAN EVERY TIME


THERE WAS A CERTAIN KIND OF MAN THAT JEFF WOULD SIZE UP SIDEWAYS AS HE STROPPED THE RAZOR AND IN WHOSE EAR HE WOULD WHISPER I SEE WHERE SAINT LOUIS HAS TOOK FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES OFF CHICAGO AND SO HOLD HIM FASCINATED TO THE END IN THE SAME WAY HE WOULD SAY TO MISTER SMITH


I SEE WHERE IT SAYS THAT THIS FLYING SQUIRL RUN A DEAD HEAT FOR THE KING'S PLATE TO A HUMBLE INTELLECT LIKE MINE HE WOULD EXPLAIN IN FULL THE RELATIONS OF THE KEESAR TO THE GERMAN RICH DOG


THE HUGE FORTUNES THAT A MAN WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF HEAD COULD MAKE I'VE KNOWN JEFFERSON TO PAUSE IN HIS SHAVING WITH THE RAZOR SUSPENDED IN THE AIR AS LONG AS FIVE MINUTES WHILE HE DESCRIBED WITH HIS EYE HALF CLOSED


EXACTLY THE KIND OF A HEAD A MAN NEEDED IN ORDER TO MAKE A HAUL OR A CLEAN UP IT WAS EVIDENTLY SIMPLY A MATTER OF THE HEAD AND AS FAR AS ONE COULD JUDGE JEFF'S OWN WAS THE VERY TYPE REQUIRED I DON'T KNOW JUST AT WHAT TIME OR HOW JEFFERSON FIRST BEGAN HIS SPECULATIVE ENTERPRISES


IT WAS PROBABLY IN HIM FROM THE START THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE VERY IDEA OF SUCH THINGS AS TRACTION STOCK AND AMALGAMATED ASBESTOS WENT TO HIS HEAD AND WHENEVER HE SPOKE OF MISTER CARNEGIE AND MISTER ROCKEFELLER THE YEARNING TONE OF HIS VOICE MADE IT AS SOFT AS LATHERED SOAP


I SUPPOSE THE MOST RUDIMENTARY FORM OF HIS SPECULATION WAS THE HENS THAT WAS YEARS AGO HE KEPT THEM OUT AT THE BACK OF HIS HOUSE WHICH ITSELF STOOD UP A GRASS PLOT BEHIND AND BEYOND THE BARBER SHOP AND IN THE OLD DAYS JEFF WOULD SAY WITH A CERTAIN NOTE OF PRIDE IN HIS VOICE


THAT THE WOMAN HAD SOLD AS MANY AS TWO DOZEN EGGS IN A DAY TO THE SUMMER VISITORS BUT WHAT WITH READING ABOUT AMALGAMATED ASBESTOS AND CONSOLIDATED COPPER AND ALL THAT THE HENS BEGAN TO SEEM PRETTY SMALL BUSINESS AND IN ANY CASE THE IDEA OF TWO DOZEN EGGS AT A CENT APIECE ALMOST MAKES ONE BLUSH


I SUPPOSE A GOOD MANY OF US HAVE FELT JUST AS JEFF DID ABOUT OUR POOR LITTLE EARNINGS ANYWAY I REMEMBER JEFF TELLING ME ONE DAY THAT HE COULD TAKE THE WHOLE LOT OF THE HENS AND SELL THEM OFF AND CRACK THE MONEY INTO CHICAGO WHEAT ON MARGIN AND TURN IT OVER IN TWENTY FOUR HOURS HE DID IT TOO


AFTER THAT THE HEN HOUSE STOOD EMPTY AND THE WOMAN HAD TO THROW AWAY CHICKEN FEED EVERY DAY AT A DEAD LOSS OF PERHAPS A SHAVE AND A HALF


AND RIGHT AT OUR VERY DOORS YOU COULD SEE AS I SAW THE NIGHT EXPRESS GOING NORTH EVERY EVENING FOR ALL ONE KNEW ROCKEFELLER OR CARNEGIE OR ANYONE MIGHT BE ON IT


SO NO WONDER THE TOWN WENT WILD ALL DAY IN THE STREET YOU COULD HEAR MEN TALKING OF VEINS AND SMELTERS AND DIPS AND DEPOSITS AND FAULTS THE TOWN HUMMED WITH IT LIKE A GEOLOGY CLASS ON EXAMINATION DAY


WITHIN A FORTNIGHT THEY PUT A PARTITION DOWN ROBERTSON'S COAL AND WOOD OFFICE AND OPENED THE MARIPOSA MINING EXCHANGE AND JUST ABOUT EVERY MAN ON THE MAIN STREET STARTED BUYING SCRIP THEN PRESENTLY YOUNG FIZZLECHIP WHO HAD BEEN TELLER IN MULLINS'S BANK AND THAT EVERYBODY HAD THOUGHT A WORTHLESS JACKASS BEFORE


CAME BACK FROM THE COBALT COUNTRY WITH A FORTUNE AND LOAFED ROUND IN THE MARIPOSA HOUSE IN ENGLISH KHAKI AND A HORIZONTAL HAT DRUNK ALL THE TIME


THEY ALL WENT IN JIM ELIOT MORTGAGED THE INSIDE OF THE DRUG STORE AND JAMMED IT INTO TWIN TAMAGAMI PETE GLOVER AT THE HARDWARE STORE BOUGHT NIPPEWA STOCK AT THIRTEEN CENTS AND SOLD IT TO HIS BROTHER AT SEVENTEEN AND BOUGHT IT BACK IN LESS THAN A WEEK AT NINETEEN THEY DIDN'T CARE THEY TOOK A CHANCE


JUDGE PEPPERLEIGH PUT THE REST OF HIS WIFE'S MONEY INTO TEMISKAMING COMMON AND LAWYER MACARTNEY GOT THE FEVER TOO AND PUT EVERY CENT THAT HIS SISTER POSSESSED INTO TULIP PREFERRED AND EVEN WHEN YOUNG FIZZLECHIP SHOT HIMSELF IN THE BACK ROOM OF THE MARIPOSA HOUSE MISTER GINGHAM BURIED HIM IN A CASKET WITH SILVER HANDLES


THEY ALL WENT IN OR ALL EXCEPT MISTER SMITH YOU SEE MISTER SMITH HAD COME DOWN FROM THERE AND HE KNEW ALL ABOUT ROCKS AND MINING AND CANOES AND THE NORTH COUNTRY HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS TO EAT FLOUR BAKED DAMPERS UNDER THE LEE SIDE OF A CANOE PROPPED AMONG THE UNDERBRUSH


BUT JEFF THORPE WAS IN THE MINING BOOM RIGHT FROM THE START HE BOUGHT IN ON THE NIPPEWA MINE EVEN BEFORE THE INTERIM PROSPECTUS WAS OUT


AND HE AND JOHNSON THE LIVERY STABLEKEEPER NEXT DOOR FORMED A SYNDICATE


AND THEN UNLOADED THEM ON ONE OF THE SAUSAGE MEN AT NETLEY'S BUTCHER SHOP AT A CLEAR CENT PER CENT ADVANCE JEFF WOULD OPEN THE LITTLE DRAWER BELOW THE MIRROR IN THE BARBER SHOP AND SHOW YOU ALL KINDS AND SORTS OF COBALT COUNTRY MINING CERTIFICATES


BLUE ONES PINK ONES GREEN ONES WITH OUTLANDISH AND FASCINATING NAMES ON THEM THAT RAN CLEAR FROM THE MATTAWA TO THE HUDSON BAY AND RIGHT FROM THE START HE WAS CONFIDENT OF WINNING THERE AIN'T NO DIFFICULTY TO IT HE SAID


I DON'T SAY HE USED TO CONTINUE WITH THE SCISSORS OPEN AND READY TO CUT


BUT IF A FELLER KNOWS THE COUNTRY AND KEEPS HIS HEAD LEVEL HE CAN'T LOSE JEFFERSON HAD LOOKED AT SO MANY PROSPECTUSES AND SO MANY PICTURES OF MINES AND PINE TREES AND SMELTERS THAT I THINK HE'D FORGOTTEN THAT HE'D NEVER BEEN IN THE COUNTRY ANYWAY WHAT'S TWO HUNDRED MILES


TO AN ONLOOKER IT CERTAINLY DIDN'T SEEM SO SIMPLE I NEVER KNEW THE MEANNESS THE TRICKERY OF THE MINING BUSINESS THE SHEER OBSTINATE DETERMINATION OF THE BIGGER CAPITALISTS NOT TO MAKE MONEY WHEN THEY MIGHT TILL I HEARD THE ACCOUNTS OF JEFF'S DIFFERENT MINES TAKE THE CASE OF CORONA JEWEL


THERE WAS A GOOD MINE SIMPLY GOING TO RUIN FOR LACK OF COMMON SENSE SHE AIN'T BEEN DEVELOPED JEFF WOULD SAY THERE'S SILVER ENOUGH IN HER SO YOU COULD DIG IT OUT WITH A SHOVEL SHE'S FULL OF IT BUT THEY WON'T GET AT HER AND WORK HER


THEN HE'D TAKE A LOOK AT THE PINK AND BLUE CERTIFICATES OF THE CORONA JEWEL AND SLAM THE DRAWER ON THEM IN DISGUST WORSE THAN THAT WAS THE SILENT PINE A CLEAR CASE OF STUPID INCOMPETENCE


UTTER LACK OF ENGINEERING SKILL WAS ALL THAT WAS KEEPING THE SILENT PINE FROM MAKING A FORTUNE FOR ITS HOLDERS THE ONLY TROUBLE WITH THAT MINE SAID JEFF IS THEY WON'T GO DEEP ENOUGH


IF THEY'D JUST GO RIGHT INTO HER GOOD THEY'D GET IT AGAIN SHE'S DOWN THERE ALL RIGHT BUT PERHAPS THE MEANEST CASE OF ALL WAS THE NORTHERN STAR THAT ALWAYS SEEMED TO ME EVERY TIME I HEARD OF IT A STRAIGHT CASE FOR THE CRIMINAL LAW THE THING WAS SO EVIDENTLY A CONSPIRACY


I BOUGHT HER SAID JEFF AT THIRTY TWO AND SHE STAYED RIGHT THERE TIGHT LIKE SHE WAS STUCK


AND I HELD ON TO HER AND THEY SHOVED HER DOWN TO TWENTY ONE THIS MORNING THEY'VE GOT HER DOWN TO SIXTEEN BUT I DON'T MEAN TO LET GO NO SIR IN ANOTHER FORTNIGHT THEY SHOVED HER THE SAME UNSCRUPULOUS CROWD DOWN TO NINE CENTS AND JEFFERSON STILL HELD ON


A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT THE SAME CRIMINAL GANG HAD HER DOWN FURTHER THAN EVER THEY'VE GOT HER DOWN TO THREE CENTS SAID JEFF BUT I'M WITH HER YES SIR THEY THINK THEY CAN SHOVE HER CLEAN OFF THE MARKET BUT THEY CAN'T DO IT I'VE BOUGHTEN IN JOHNSON'S SHARES


AND THEN AND THEN WELL THAT'S JUST THE QUEER THING ABOUT THE MINING BUSINESS WHY SUDDEN AS A FLASH OF LIGHTNING IT SEEMED THE NEWS CAME OVER THE WIRE TO THE MARIPOSA NEWSPACKET THAT THEY HAD STRUCK A VEIN OF SILVER IN THE NORTHERN STAR AS THICK AS A SIDEWALK


AND THAT THE STOCK HAD JUMPED TO SEVENTEEN DOLLARS A SHARE AND EVEN AT THAT YOU COULDN'T GET IT AND JEFF STOOD THERE FLUSHED AND HALF STAGGERED AGAINST THE MIRROR OF THE LITTLE SHOP WITH A BUNCH OF MINING SCRIP IN HIS HAND THAT WAS WORTH FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS


EXCITEMENT IT WAS ALL OVER THE TOWN IN A MINUTES


AND IN LESS THAN NO TIME THERE WASN'T STANDING ROOM IN THE BARBER SHOP AND OVER IN SMITH'S HOTEL THEY HAD THREE EXTRA BARKEEPERS WORKING ON THE LAGER BEER PUMPS


AND PEOPLE WERE JUST CLUTCHING FOR THEM THEN AT NIGHT THERE WAS A BIG OYSTER SUPPER IN SMITH'S CAFF WITH SPEECHES AND THE MARIPOSA BAND OUTSIDE AND THE QUEER THING WAS THAT THE VERY NEXT AFTERNOON WAS THE FUNERAL OF YOUNG FIZZLECHIP


A PERFECT ILIAD WHILE HE WAS CLINGING TO HER THE WHOLE THING WAS IN THE CITY PAPERS A FEW DAYS AFTER WITH A PHOTOGRAPH OF JEFF TAKEN SPECIALLY AT ED MOORE'S STUDIO UPSTAIRS OVER NETLEY'S IT SHOWED JEFF SITTING AMONG PALM TREES AS ALL MINING MEN DO


WITH ONE HAND ON HIS KNEE AND A DOG ONE OF THOSE REGULAR MINING DOGS AT HIS FEET AND A LOOK OF PIERCING INTELLIGENCE IN HIS FACE THAT WOULD EASILY ACCOUNT FOR FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS I SAY THAT THE RECOGNITION MEANT A LOT TO JEFF FOR ITS OWN SAKE


THAT UNLESS YOU HEAR ABOUT THEM SEPARATELY AND ONE BY ONE YOU CAN'T FOR A MOMENT UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE LIKE


ON HER HIGH STOOL WITH A STEEL CAP ON JABBING THE CONNECTING PLUGS IN AND OUT AS IF ELECTRICITY COST NOTHING WELL


THERE WAS MYRA WHO TREATED LOVERS LIKE DOGS AND WOULD SLAP THEM ACROSS THE FACE WITH A BANANA SKIN TO SHOW HER UTTER INDEPENDENCE AND THERE WAS MISS CLEGHORN WHO WAS SALLOW AND WHO BOUGHT A FORTY CENT ANCIENT HISTORY TO IMPROVE HERSELF AND YET IF SHE'D HIT ANY MAN IN MARIPOSA WITH A BANANA SKIN


HE'D HAVE HAD HER ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT MIND YOU I DON'T MEAN THAT MYRA WAS MERELY FLIPPANT AND WORTHLESS NOT AT ALL SHE WAS A GIRL WITH ANY AMOUNT OF TALENT YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD HER RECITE THE RAVEN AT THE METHODIST SOCIAL SIMPLY GENIUS


AND WHEN SHE ACTED PORTIA IN THE TRIAL SCENE OF THE MERCHANT OF VENICE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL CONCERT


SO OF COURSE AS SOON AS JEFF MADE THE FORTUNE MYRA HAD HER RESIGNATION IN NEXT MORNING


AND BECOME A LEADING ACTRESS BUT AS I SAID THE PUBLIC RECOGNITION COUNTED A LOT FOR JEFF THE MOMENT YOU BEGIN TO GET THAT SORT OF THING IT COMES IN QUICKLY ENOUGH BRAINS YOU KNOW ARE RECOGNIZED RIGHT AWAY THAT WAS WHY OF COURSE WITHIN A WEEK FROM THIS


JEFF RECEIVED THE FIRST BIG PACKET OF STUFF FROM THE CUBAN LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY WITH COLOURED PICTURES OF CUBA AND FIELDS OF BANANAS AND HACIENDAS AND INSURRECTOS WITH MACHETES AND HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT THEY HEARD OF HIM SOMEHOW IT WASN'T FOR A MODEST MAN LIKE JEFFERSON TO SAY HOW


FOR ALL I KNOW THIS CUBAN STUFF MAY HAVE BEEN SENT FROM MORGAN HIMSELF SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN MARIPOSA SAID YES OTHERS SAID NO THERE WAS NO CERTAINTY ANYWAY THEY WERE FAIR AND STRAIGHT THIS CUBAN CROWD THAT WROTE TO JEFF


AND THAT TOUCHES YOU NO THEY ASKED NO GUARANTEE JUST SEND THE MONEY WHETHER BY EXPRESS ORDER OR BY BANK DRAFT OR CHEQUE THEY LEFT THAT ENTIRELY TO ONESELF AS A MATTER BETWEEN CUBAN GENTLEMEN AND THEY WERE QUITE FRANK ABOUT THEIR ENTERPRISE


BANANAS AND TOBACCO IN THE PLANTATION DISTRICT RECLAIMED FROM THE INSURRECTOS YOU COULD SEE IT ALL THERE IN THE PICTURES


THEY MADE NO RASH PROMISES JUST ADMITTED STRAIGHT OUT THAT THE ENTERPRISE MIGHT REALISE FOUR HUNDRED PER CENT


I LIKED IT ABOUT JEFF THAT HE DIDN'T STOP SHAVING HE WENT ON JUST THE SAME EVEN WHEN JOHNSON THE LIVERY STABLE MAN CAME IN WITH FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND ASKED HIM TO SEE IF THE CUBAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS WOULD LET HIM PUT IT IN JEFF LAID IT IN THE DRAWER AND THEN SHAVED HIM FOR FIVE CENTS IN THE SAME OLD WAY


A FEW DAYS LATER HE GOT A LETTER FROM THE CUBAN PEOPLE FROM NEW YORK ACCEPTING THE MONEY STRAIGHT OFF WITHOUT A SINGLE QUESTION AND WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING MORE OF JOHNSON EXCEPT THAT HE WAS A FRIEND OF JEFF'S THEY WROTE MOST HANDSOMELY ANY FRIENDS OF JEFF'S WERE FRIENDS OF CUBA


ALL MONEY THEY MIGHT SEND WOULD BE TREATED JUST AS JEFF'S WOULD BE TREATED ONE REASON PERHAPS WHY JEFF DIDN'T GIVE UP SHAVING WAS BECAUSE IT ALLOWED HIM TO TALK ABOUT CUBA


AND THAT SPREAD ROUND HIM A KIND OF HALO OF WEALTH AND MYSTERY AND OUTLANDISHNESS OH SOMETHING SPANISH PERHAPS YOU'VE FELT IT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW ANYHOW THEY ASKED HIM ABOUT THE CLIMATE AND YELLOW FEVER AND WHAT THE NEGROES WERE LIKE AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING


AND FOR FRUIT THEY SAY IT COMES UP SO FAST YOU CAN'T STOP IT AND THEN HE WOULD PASS INTO DETAILS ABOUT THE HASH ENDERS AND THE RESURRECTOS AND TECHNICAL THINGS LIKE THAT TILL IT WAS THOUGHT A WONDER HOW HE COULD KNOW IT STILL IT WAS REALIZED THAT A MAN WITH MONEY HAS GOT TO KNOW THESE THINGS


LOOK AT MORGAN AND ROCKEFELLER AND ALL THE MEN THAT MAKE A PILE THEY KNOW JUST AS MUCH AS JEFF DID ABOUT THE COUNTRIES WHERE THEY MAKE IT IT STANDS TO REASON DID I SAY THAT JEFF SHAVED IN THE SAME OLD WAY NOT QUITE


I THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS GETTING SO MUCH MONEY WELL YOU KNOW THE WAY IT ACTS ON PEOPLE IN THE LARGER CITIES IT SEEMED TO SPOIL ONE'S IDEA OF JEFF THAT COPPER AND ASBESTOS AND BANANA LANDS SHOULD FORM THE GOAL OF HIS THOUGHT WHEN IF HE KNEW IT


IN FACT I HAD PERHAPS BORNE HIM A GRUDGE FOR WHAT SEEMED TO ME HIS PERPETUAL INTEREST IN THE GREAT CAPITALISTS HE ALWAYS HAD SOME ITEM OUT OF THE PAPER ABOUT THEM


HE WOULD SAY AND ANOTHER DAY HE WOULD PAUSE IN THE COURSE OF SHAVING AND ALMOST WHISPER DID YOU EVER SEE THIS ROCKEFELLER IT WAS ONLY BY A SORT OF ACCIDENT THAT I CAME TO KNOW THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER SIDE TO JEFFERSON'S SPECULATION THAT NO ONE IN MARIPOSA EVER KNEW OR WILL EVER KNOW NOW


YOU COULD SEE THE LIGHT OF THE LAMP BEHIND THE BLIND AND THROUGH THE SCREEN DOOR AS YOU CAME ALONG


THERE WAS A ROUND TABLE THAT THE WOMAN USED TO LAY FOR SUPPER


AND BESIDE IT JEFF WOULD SIT WITH HIS SPECTACLES ON AND THE PAPER SPREAD OUT READING ABOUT CARNEGIE AND ROCKEFELLER NEAR HIM BUT AWAY FROM THE TABLE WAS THE WOMAN DOING NEEDLEWORK AND MYRA WHEN SHE WASN'T WORKING IN THE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE WAS THERE TOO WITH HER ELBOWS ON THE TABLE READING MARIE CORELLI


JEFF LAID DOWN WHAT HE WAS READING AND STARTED TO TALK ABOUT CARNEGIE THIS CARNEGIE I BET YOU WOULD BE WORTH SAID JEFF CLOSING UP HIS EYES IN CALCULATION AS MUCH AS PERHAPS TWO MILLION DOLLARS IF YOU WAS TO SELL HIM UP


I MAY SAY IN PARENTHESES THAT IT WAS A FAVOURITE METHOD IN MARIPOSA IF YOU WANTED TO GET AT THE REAL WORTH OF A MAN TO IMAGINE HIM CLEAN SOLD UP PUT UP FOR AUCTION AS IT WERE IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO TEST HIM AND NOW LOOK AT EM JEFF WENT ON


THEY GIVE IT AWAY AND WHO DO THEY GIVE IT TO WHY TO THOSE AS DON'T WANT IT EVERY TIME THEY GIVE IT TO THESE PROFESSORS AND TO THIS RESEARCH AND THAT AND DO THE POOR GET ANY OF IT NOT A CENT AND NEVER WILL I TELL YOU BOYS CONTINUED JEFF


THERE WERE NO BOYS PRESENT BUT IN MARIPOSA ALL REALLY IMPORTANT SPEECHES ARE ADDRESSED TO AN IMAGINARY AUDIENCE OF BOYS I TELL YOU IF I WAS TO MAKE A MILLION OUT OF THIS CUBEY I'D GIVE IT STRAIGHT TO THE POOR YES SIR DIVIDE IT UP INTO A HUNDRED LOTS OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH AND GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE THAT HADN'T NOTHING


SO ALWAYS AFTER THAT I KNEW JUST WHAT THOSE BANANAS WERE BEING GROWN FOR INDEED AFTER THAT THOUGH JEFFERSON NEVER SPOKE OF HIS INTENTIONS DIRECTLY HE SAID A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT SEEMED TO BEAR ON THEM


HE ASKED ME FOR INSTANCE ONE DAY HOW MANY BLIND PEOPLE IT WOULD TAKE TO FILL ONE OF THESE BLIND HOMES AND HOW A FELLER COULD GET AHOLD OF THEM


A FELLER COULD GET ENOUGH OF THEM TO MAKE A SHOWING


BUT STILL WHAT'S THE USE OF TALKING OF WHAT JEFF MEANT TO DO NOBODY KNOWS OR CARES ABOUT IT NOW THE END OF IT WAS BOUND TO COME EVEN IN MARIPOSA SOME OF THE PEOPLE MUST HAVE THOUGHT SO


ELSE HOW WAS IT THAT HENRY MULLINS MADE SUCH A FUSS ABOUT SELLING A DRAFT FOR FORTY THOUSAND ON NEW YORK AND WHY WAS IT THAT MISTER SMITH WOULDN'T PAY BILLY THE DESK CLERK HIS BACK WAGES WHEN HE WANTED TO PUT IT INTO CUBA OH YES SOME OF THEM MUST HAVE SEEN IT


AND YET WHEN IT CAME IT SEEMED SO QUIET EVER SO QUIET NOT A BIT LIKE THE NORTHERN STAR MINE AND THE OYSTER SUPPER AND THE MARIPOSA BAND IT IS STRANGE HOW QUIET THESE THINGS LOOK THE OTHER WAY ROUND


YOU REMEMBER THE CUBAN LAND FRAUDS IN NEW YORK AND PORFORIO GOMEZ SHOOTING THE DETECTIVE AND HIM AND MAXIMO MOREZ GETTING CLEAR AWAY WITH TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND NO OF COURSE YOU DON'T WHY EVEN IN THE CITY PAPERS IT ONLY FILLED AN INCH OR TWO OF TYPE AND ANYWAY THE NAMES WERE HARD TO REMEMBER


THAT WAS JEFF'S MONEY PART OF IT MULLINS GOT THE TELEGRAM FROM A BROKER OR SOMEONE AND HE SHOWED IT TO JEFF JUST AS HE WAS GOING UP THE STREET WITH AN ESTATE AGENT TO LOOK AT A BIG EMPTY LOT ON THE HILL BEHIND THE TOWN THE VERY PLACE FOR THESE INCURABLES


AND JEFF WENT BACK TO THE SHOP SO QUIET HAVE YOU EVER SEEN AN ANIMAL THAT IS STRICKEN THROUGH HOW QUIET IT SEEMS TO MOVE


AND SINCE THAT THOUGH IT'S QUITE A LITTLE WHILE AGO THE SHOP'S OPEN TILL ELEVEN EVERY NIGHT NOW AND JEFF IS SHAVING AWAY TO PAY BACK THAT FIVE HUNDRED THAT JOHNSON THE LIVERY MAN SENT TO THE CUBANS AND PATHETIC TUT TUT YOU DON'T KNOW MARIPOSA


JEFF HAS TO WORK PRETTY LATE BUT THAT'S NOTHING NOTHING AT ALL IF YOU'VE WORKED HARD ALL YOUR LIFETIME


THEY WERE GLAD ENOUGH TO GET HER AND SHE SAYS NOW THAT IF THERE'S ONE THING SHE HATES IT'S THE STAGE AND SHE CAN'T SEE HOW THE ACTRESSES PUT UP WITH IT ANYWAY THINGS ARE NOT SO BAD


THE PEOPLE MARCH HE BECAME AWARE OF SOMEONE URGING A GLASS OF CLEAR FLUID UPON HIS ATTENTION LOOKED UP AND DISCOVERED THIS WAS A DARK YOUNG MAN IN A YELLOW GARMENT HE TOOK THE DOSE FORTHWITH AND IN A MOMENT HE WAS GLOWING


A TALL MAN IN A BLACK ROBE STOOD BY HIS SHOULDER AND POINTED TO THE HALF OPEN DOOR INTO THE HALL THIS MAN WAS SHOUTING CLOSE TO HIS EAR AND YET WHAT WAS SAID WAS INDISTINCT BECAUSE OF THE TREMENDOUS UPROAR FROM THE GREAT THEATRE


BEHIND THE MAN WAS A GIRL IN A SILVERY GREY ROBE WHOM GRAHAM EVEN IN THIS CONFUSION PERCEIVED TO BE BEAUTIFUL HER DARK EYES FULL OF WONDER AND CURIOSITY WERE FIXED ON HIM HER LIPS TREMBLED APART


A PARTIALLY OPENED DOOR GAVE A GLIMPSE OF THE CROWDED HALL AND ADMITTED A VAST UNEVEN TUMULT A HAMMERING CLAPPING AND SHOUTING THAT DIED AWAY AND BEGAN AGAIN AND ROSE TO A THUNDEROUS PITCH


AND SO CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY ALL THE TIME THAT GRAHAM REMAINED IN THE LITTLE ROOM HE WATCHED THE LIPS OF THE MAN IN BLACK AND GATHERED THAT HE WAS MAKING SOME EXPLANATION HE STARED STUPIDLY FOR SOME MOMENTS AT THESE THINGS AND THEN STOOD UP ABRUPTLY


HE GRASPED THE ARM OF THIS SHOUTING PERSON TELL ME HE CRIED WHO AM I WHO AM I THE OTHERS CAME NEARER TO HEAR HIS WORDS


HIS EYES SEARCHED THEIR FACES THEY HAVE TOLD HIM NOTHING CRIED THE GIRL TELL ME TELL ME CRIED GRAHAM YOU ARE THE MASTER OF THE EARTH YOU ARE OWNER OF THE WORLD


HE DID NOT BELIEVE HE HEARD ARIGHT HE RESISTED THE PERSUASION HE PRETENDED NOT TO UNDERSTAND NOT TO HEAR HE LIFTED HIS VOICE AGAIN I HAVE BEEN AWAKE THREE DAYS A PRISONER THREE DAYS


IT IS LONDON YES SAID THE YOUNGER MAN AND THOSE WHO MEET IN THE GREAT HALL WITH THE WHITE ATLAS HOW DOES IT CONCERN ME


COUNCILLORS UNDER THE ATLAS WHY SHOULD THEY TRY TO DRUG ME TO KEEP YOU INSENSIBLE SAID THE MAN IN YELLOW TO PREVENT YOUR INTERFERENCE


BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ATLAS SIRE SAID THE MAN IN YELLOW THE WORLD IS ON YOUR SHOULDERS THEY RULE IT IN YOUR NAME THE SOUNDS FROM THE HALL HAD DIED INTO A SILENCE


THREADED BY ONE MONOTONOUS VOICE NOW SUDDENLY TRAMPLING ON THESE LAST WORDS CAME A DEAFENING TUMULT A ROARING AND THUNDERING CHEER CROWDED ON CHEER VOICES HOARSE AND SHRILL BEATING OVERLAPPING AND WHILE IT LASTED


THE PEOPLE IN THE LITTLE ROOM COULD NOT HEAR EACH OTHER SHOUT GRAHAM STOOD HIS INTELLIGENCE CLINGING HELPLESSLY TO THE THING HE HAD JUST HEARD THE COUNCIL HE REPEATED BLANKLY AND THEN SNATCHED AT A NAME THAT HAD STRUCK HIM


BUT WHO IS OSTROG HE SAID


OUR LEADER IN YOUR NAME IN MY NAME


WHY IS HE NOT HERE HE HAS DEPUTED US I AM HIS BROTHER HIS HALF BROTHER LINCOLN HE WANTS YOU TO SHOW YOURSELF TO THESE PEOPLE AND THEN COME ON TO HIM THAT IS WHY HE HAS SENT


HE IS AT THE WIND VANE OFFICES DIRECTING THE PEOPLE ARE MARCHING IN YOUR NAME SHOUTED THE YOUNGER MAN THEY HAVE RULED CRUSHED TYRANNISED AT LAST EVEN IN MY NAME MY NAME MASTER


THE YOUNGER MAN SUDDENLY BECAME AUDIBLE IN A PAUSE OF THE OUTER THUNDER


NO ONE EXPECTED YOU TO WAKE THEY WERE CUNNING DAMNED TYRANTS BUT THEY WERE TAKEN BY SURPRISE THEY DID NOT KNOW WHETHER TO DRUG YOU HYPNOTISE YOU KILL YOU AGAIN THE HALL DOMINATED EVERYTHING OSTROG IS AT THE WIND VANE OFFICES READY


EVEN NOW THERE IS A RUMOUR OF FIGHTING BEGINNING THE MAN WHO HAD CALLED HIMSELF LINCOLN CAME CLOSE TO HIM OSTROG HAS IT PLANNED TRUST HIM WE HAVE OUR ORGANISATIONS READY WE SHALL SEIZE THE FLYING STAGES


EVEN NOW HE MAY BE DOING THAT THEN THIS PUBLIC THEATRE BAWLED THE MAN IN YELLOW IS ONLY A CONTINGENT WE HAVE FIVE MYRIADS OF DRILLED MEN WE HAVE ARMS CRIED LINCOLN WE HAVE PLANS A LEADER


MASSED IN THE INAUDIBLE IT IS NOW OR NEVER THE COUNCIL IS ROCKING THEY CANNOT TRUST EVEN THEIR DRILLED MEN HEAR THE PEOPLE CALLING TO YOU GRAHAM'S MIND WAS LIKE A NIGHT OF MOON AND SWIFT CLOUDS


NOW DARK AND HOPELESS NOW CLEAR AND GHASTLY HE WAS MASTER OF THE EARTH HE WAS A MAN SODDEN WITH THAWING SNOW OF ALL HIS FLUCTUATING IMPRESSIONS THE DOMINANT ONES PRESENTED AN ANTAGONISM


ON THE ONE HAND WAS THE WHITE COUNCIL POWERFUL DISCIPLINED FEW


MONSTROUS CROWDS PACKED MASSES OF INDISTINGUISHABLE PEOPLE CLAMOURING HIS NAME HAILING HIM MASTER THE OTHER SIDE HAD IMPRISONED HIM DEBATED HIS DEATH THESE SHOUTING THOUSANDS BEYOND THE LITTLE DOORWAY HAD RESCUED HIM


BUT WHY THESE THINGS SHOULD BE SO HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE DOOR OPENED LINCOLN'S VOICE WAS SWEPT AWAY AND DROWNED AND A RASH OF PEOPLE FOLLOWED ON THE HEELS OF THE TUMULT THESE INTRUDERS CAME TOWARDS HIM


AND LINCOLN GESTICULATING THE VOICES WITHOUT EXPLAINED THEIR SOUNDLESS LIPS SHOW US THE SLEEPER SHOW US THE SLEEPER WAS THE BURDEN OF THE UPROAR MEN WERE BAWLING FOR ORDER SILENCE


A WAVING INCESSANT CONFUSION OF CROWDED SHOUTING FACES MEN AND WOMEN TOGETHER WAVING PALE BLUE GARMENTS EXTENDED HANDS MANY WERE STANDING ONE MAN IN RAGS OF DARK BROWN A GAUNT FIGURE STOOD ON THE SEAT AND WAVED A BLACK CLOTH


HE MET THE WONDER AND EXPECTATION OF THE GIRL'S EYES WHAT DID THESE PEOPLE EXPECT FROM HIM HE WAS DIMLY AWARE THAT THE TUMULT OUTSIDE HAD CHANGED ITS CHARACTER WAS IN SOME WAY BEATING MARCHING HIS OWN MIND TOO CHANGED


BUT A MOMENT THAT WAS NEAR TO PANIC PASSED HE TRIED TO MAKE AUDIBLE INQUIRIES OF


LINCOLN WAS SHOUTING IN HIS EAR BUT GRAHAM WAS DEAFENED TO THAT ALL THE OTHERS SAVE THE WOMAN GESTICULATED TOWARDS THE HALL HE PERCEIVED WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE UPROAR THE WHOLE MASS OF PEOPLE WAS CHANTING TOGETHER IT WAS NOT SIMPLY A SONG


THE VOICES WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AND UPBORNE BY A TORRENT OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC MUSIC LIKE THE MUSIC OF AN ORGAN


FULL OF FLAUNTING BANNERS FULL OF THE MARCH AND PAGEANTRY OF OPENING WAR AND THE FEET OF THE PEOPLE WERE BEATING TIME TRAMP TRAMP HE WAS URGED TOWARDS THE DOOR HE OBEYED MECHANICALLY


THE STRENGTH OF THAT CHANT TOOK HOLD OF HIM STIRRED HIM EMBOLDENED HIM THE HALL OPENED TO HIM


WAVE YOUR ARM TO THEM SAID LINCOLN WAVE YOUR ARM TO THEM THIS SAID A VOICE ON THE OTHER SIDE HE MUST HAVE THIS ARMS WERE ABOUT HIS NECK DETAINING HIM IN THE DOORWAY AND A BLACK SUBTLY FOLDING MANTLE HUNG FROM HIS SHOULDERS


HE THREW HIS ARM FREE OF THIS AND FOLLOWED LINCOLN HE PERCEIVED THE GIRL IN GREY CLOSE TO HIM HER FACE LIT HER GESTURE ONWARD FOR THE INSTANT SHE BECAME TO HIM FLUSHED AND EAGER AS SHE WAS AN EMBODIMENT OF THE SONG


HE EMERGED IN THE ALCOVE AGAIN INCONTINENTLY THE MOUNTING WAVES OF THE SONG BROKE UPON HIS APPEARING AND FLASHED UP INTO A FOAM OF SHOUTING GUIDED BY LINCOLN'S HAND HE MARCHED OBLIQUELY ACROSS THE CENTRE OF THE STAGE FACING THE PEOPLE


THE HALL WAS A VAST AND INTRICATE SPACE GALLERIES BALCONIES BROAD SPACES OF AMPHITHEATRAL STEPS AND GREAT ARCHWAYS FAR AWAY HIGH UP SEEMED THE MOUTH OF A HUGE PASSAGE FULL OF STRUGGLING HUMANITY


THE WHOLE MULTITUDE WAS SWAYING IN CONGESTED MASSES INDIVIDUAL FIGURES SPRANG OUT OF THE TUMULT IMPRESSED HIM MOMENTARILY AND LOST DEFINITION AGAIN CLOSE TO THE PLATFORM SWAYED A BEAUTIFUL FAIR WOMAN CARRIED BY THREE MEN


HER HAIR ACROSS HER FACE AND BRANDISHING A GREEN STAFF NEXT THIS GROUP AN OLD CAREWORN MAN IN BLUE CANVAS MAINTAINED HIS PLACE IN THE CRUSH WITH DIFFICULTY AND BEHIND SHOUTED A HAIRLESS FACE A GREAT CAVITY OF TOOTHLESS MOUTH A VOICE CALLED


OSTROG ALL HIS IMPRESSIONS WERE VAGUE SAVE THE MASSIVE EMOTION OF THAT TRAMPLING SONG THE MULTITUDE WERE BEATING TIME WITH THEIR FEET MARKING TIME TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP THE GREEN WEAPONS WAVED


FLASHED AND SLANTED THEN HE SAW THOSE NEAREST TO HIM ON A LEVEL SPACE BEFORE THE STAGE WERE MARCHING IN FRONT OF HIM PASSING TOWARDS A GREAT ARCHWAY SHOUTING TO THE COUNCIL TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP HE RAISED HIS ARM AND THE ROARING WAS REDOUBLED


MARCH HIS MOUTH SHAPED INAUDIBLE HEROIC WORDS HE WAVED HIS ARM AGAIN AND POINTED TO THE ARCHWAY SHOUTING ONWARD THEY WERE NO LONGER MARKING TIME THEY WERE MARCHING TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP IN THAT HOST


WERE BEARDED MEN OLD MEN YOUTHS FLUTTERING ROBED BARE ARMED WOMEN GIRLS MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW AGE RICH ROBES GREY RAGS FLUTTERED TOGETHER IN THE WHIRL OF THEIR MOVEMENT AMIDST THE DOMINANT BLUE


A MONSTROUS BLACK BANNER JERKED ITS WAY TO THE RIGHT HE PERCEIVED A BLUE CLAD NEGRO A SHRIVELLED WOMAN IN YELLOW THEN A GROUP OF TALL FAIR HAIRED WHITE FACED BLUE CLAD MEN PUSHED THEATRICALLY PAST HIM HE NOTED TWO CHINAMEN


A TALL SALLOW DARK HAIRED SHINING EYED YOUTH WHITE CLAD FROM TOP TO TOE CLAMBERED UP TOWARDS THE PLATFORM SHOUTING LOYALLY AND SPRANG DOWN AGAIN AND RECEDED LOOKING BACKWARD HEADS SHOULDERS


HANDS CLUTCHING WEAPONS ALL WERE SWINGING WITH THOSE MARCHING CADENCES FACES CAME OUT OF THE CONFUSION TO HIM AS HE STOOD THERE EYES MET HIS AND PASSED AND VANISHED MEN GESTICULATED TO HIM SHOUTED INAUDIBLE PERSONAL THINGS