YOU REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES HE COPIED HIS OWN FOOT WHEN HE WAS A CHILD WELL HE WAS JUST AS PATIENT AND THOROUGH WHEN HE WAS OLDER FOR A LONG TIME HE MADE A PRACTICE OF DRAWING A PICTURE OF HIMSELF EVERY NIGHT BEFORE HE WENT TO BED


HE TRAVELED A GREAT DEAL PAINTING VIEWS IN MANY COUNTRIES AND STUDYING THE PICTURES OF OTHER ARTISTS BUT HOGARTH WAS HIS FAVORITE AND IT IS INTERESTING TO KNOW THAT JAMES MC NEILL WHISTLER LIES BURIED VERY NEAR HOGARTH IN LONDON


CONTINUATION OF FREMONT'S ACCOUNT OF THE PASSAGE THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS WE HAD HARD AND DOUBTFUL LABOR YET BEFORE US AS THE SNOW APPEARED TO BE HEAVIER WHERE THE TIMBER BEGAN FURTHER DOWN WITH FEW OPEN SPOTS


ASCENDING A HEIGHT WE TRACED OUT THE BEST LINE WE COULD DISCOVER FOR THE NEXT DAY'S MARCH AND HAD AT LEAST THE CONSOLATION TO SEE THAT THE MOUNTAIN DESCENDED RAPIDLY THE DAY HAD BEEN ONE OF APRIL GUSTY WITH A FEW OCCASIONAL FLAKES OF SNOW


WHICH IN THE AFTERNOON ENVELOPED THE UPPER MOUNTAINS IN CLOUDS WE WATCHED THEM ANXIOUSLY AS NOW WE DREADED A SNOW STORM SHORTLY AFTERWARDS WE HEARD THE ROLL OF THUNDER AND LOOKING TOWARD THE VALLEY FOUND IT ALL ENVELOPED IN A THUNDERSTORM


FOR US AS CONNECTED WITH THE IDEA OF SUMMER IT HAD A SINGULAR CHARM AND WE WATCHED ITS PROGRESS WITH EXCITED FEELINGS UNTIL NEARLY SUNSET


WHEN THE SKY CLEARED OFF BRIGHTLY AND WE SAW A SHINING LINE OF WATER DIRECTING ITS COURSE TOWARDS ANOTHER A BROADER AND LARGER SHEET WE KNEW THAT THESE COULD BE NO OTHER THAN THE SACRAMENTO AND THE BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO


BUT AFTER OUR LONG WANDERING IN RUGGED MOUNTAINS WHERE SO FREQUENTLY WE HAD MET WITH DISAPPOINTMENTS AND WHERE THE CROSSING OF EVERY RIDGE DISPLAYED SOME UNKNOWN LAKE OR RIVER


WE WERE YET ALMOST AFRAID TO BELIEVE THAT WE WERE AT LAST TO ESCAPE INTO THE GENIAL COUNTRY OF WHICH WE HAVE HEARD SO MANY GLOWING DESCRIPTIONS AND DREADED AGAIN TO FIND SOME VAST INTERIOR LAKE WHOSE BITTER WATERS WOULD BRING US DISAPPOINTMENT


ON THE SOUTHERN SHORE OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE BAY COULD BE TRACED THE GLEAMING LINE WHERE ENTERED ANOTHER LARGE STREAM AND AGAIN THE BUENAVENTURA ROSE UP IN OUR MIND


CARSON HAD ENTERED THE VALLEY ALONG THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE BAY BUT THE COUNTRY THEN WAS SO ENTIRELY COVERED WITH WATER FROM SNOW AND RAIN THAT HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO FORM NO CORRECT IMPRESSION OF WATERCOURSES


WE HAD THE SATISFACTION TO KNOW THAT AT LEAST THERE WERE PEOPLE BELOW FIRES WERE LIT UP IN THE VALLEY JUST AT NIGHT APPEARING TO BE IN ANSWER TO OURS AND THESE SIGNS OF LIFE RENEWED IN SOME MEASURE THE GAYETY OF THE CAMP


THEY APPEARED SO NEAR THAT WE JUDGED THEM TO BE AMONG THE TIMBER OF SOME OF THE NEIGHBORING RIDGES BUT HAVING THEM CONSTANTLY IN VIEW DAY AFTER DAY AND NIGHT AFTER NIGHT WE AFTERWARDS FOUND THEM TO BE FIRES THAT HAD BEEN KINDLED BY THE INDIANS AMONG THE TULARES


ON THE SHORE OF THE BAY EIGHTY MILES DISTANT AXES AND MAULS WERE NECESSARY TODAY TO MAKE A ROAD THROUGH THE SNOW GOING AHEAD WITH CARSON TO RECONNOITRE THE ROAD WE REACHED IN THE AFTERNOON THE RIVER WHICH MADE THE OUTLET OF THE LAKE


CARSON SPRANG OVER CLEAR ACROSS A PLACE WHERE THE STREAM WAS COMPRESSED AMONG ROCKS BUT THE PARFLECHE SOLE OF MY MOCCASIN GLANCED FROM THE ICY ROCK AND PRECIPITATED ME INTO THE RIVER


IT WAS SOME FEW SECONDS BEFORE I COULD RECOVER MYSELF IN THE CURRENT AND CARSON THINKING ME HURT JUMPED IN AFTER ME AND WE BOTH HAD AN ICY BATH WE TRIED TO SEARCH A WHILE FOR MY GUN WHICH HAD BEEN LOST IN THE FALL


BUT THE COLD DROVE US OUT AND MAKING A LARGE FIRE ON THE BANK AFTER WE HAD PARTIALLY DRIED OURSELVES WE WENT BACK TO MEET THE CAMP WE AFTERWARDS FOUND THAT THE GUN HAD BEEN SLUNG UNDER THE ICE WHICH LINED THE BANKS OF THE CREEK


THE SKY WAS CLEAR AND PURE WITH A SHARP WIND FROM THE NORTHEAST AND THE THERMOMETER TWENTY BELOW THE FREEZING POINT WE CONTINUED DOWN THE SOUTH FACE OF THE MOUNTAIN OUR ROAD LEADING OVER DRY GROUND WE WERE ABLE TO AVOID THE SNOW ALMOST ENTIRELY


IN THE COURSE OF THE MORNING WE STRUCK A FOOT PATH WHICH WE WERE GENERALLY ABLE TO KEEP AND THE GROUND WAS SOFT TO OUR ANIMALS FEET BEING SANDY OR COVERED WITH MOULD GREEN GRASS BEGAN TO MAKE ITS APPEARANCE


AND OCCASIONALLY WE PASSED A HILL SCATTERINGLY COVERED WITH IT THE CHARACTER OF THE FOREST CONTINUED THE SAME AND AMONG THE TREES THE PINE WITH SHARP LEAVES AND VERY LARGE CONES WAS ABUNDANT SOME OF THEM BEING NOBLE TREES


WE MEASURED ONE THAT HAD TEN FEET DIAMETER THOUGH THE HEIGHT WAS NOT MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FEET ALL ALONG THE RIVER WAS A ROARING TORRENT ITS FALL VERY GREAT AND DESCENDING WITH A RAPIDITY TO WHICH WE HAD LONG BEEN STRANGERS


TO OUR GREAT PLEASURE OAK TREES APPEARED ON THE RIDGE AND SOON BECAME VERY FREQUENT ON THESE I REMARKED UNUSUALLY GREAT QUANTITIES OF MISTLETOE THE OPPOSITE MOUNTAIN SIDE WAS VERY STEEP AND CONTINUOUS


UNBROKEN BY RAVINES AND COVERED WITH PINES AND SNOW WHILE ON THE SIDE WE WERE TRAVELLING INNUMERABLE RIVULETS POURED DOWN FROM THE RIDGE


CONTINUING ON WE HALTED A MOMENT AT ONE OF THESE RIVULETS TO ADMIRE SOME BEAUTIFUL EVERGREEN TREES RESEMBLING LIVE OAK WHICH SHADED THE LITTLE STREAM


THEY WERE FORTY TO FIFTY FEET HIGH AND TWO IN DIAMETER WITH A UNIFORM TUFTED TOP AND THE SUMMER GREEN OF THEIR BEAUTIFUL FOLIAGE WITH THE SINGING BIRDS AND THE SWEET SUMMER WIND WHICH WAS WHIRLING ABOUT THE DRY OAK LEAVES


NEARLY INTOXICATED US WITH DELIGHT AND WE HURRIED ON FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT TO ESCAPE ENTIRELY FROM THE HORRID REGION OF INHOSPITABLE SNOW TO THE PERPETUAL SPRING OF THE SACRAMENTO


I STARTED AHEAD THIS MORNING WITH A PARTY OF EIGHT CONSISTING WITH MYSELF


AND JACOB WE TOOK WITH US SOME OF THE BEST ANIMALS AND MY INTENTION WAS TO PROCEED AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE TO THE HOUSE OF MISTER SUTTER AND RETURN TO MEET THE PARTY WITH A SUPPLY OF PROVISIONS AND FRESH ANIMALS


NEAR NIGHT FALL WE DESCENDED INTO THE STEEP RAVINE OF A HANDSOME CREEK THIRTY FEET WIDE AND I WAS ENGAGED IN GETTING THE HORSES UP THE OPPOSITE HILL WHEN I HEARD A SHOUT FROM CARSON WHO HAD GONE AHEAD A FEW HUNDRED YARDS


LIFE YET SAID HE AS HE CAME UP LIFE YET I HAVE FOUND A HILLSIDE SPRINKLED WITH GRASS ENOUGH FOR THE NIGHT


WE DROVE ALONG OUR HORSES AND ENCAMPED AT THE PLACE ABOUT DARK AND THERE WAS JUST ROOM ENOUGH TO MAKE A PLACE FOR SHELTER ON THE EDGE OF THE STREAM THREE HORSES WERE LOST TODAY PROVEAU


A FINE YOUNG HORSE FROM THE COLUMBIA BELONGING TO CHARLES TOWNS AND ANOTHER INDIAN HORSE WHICH CARRIED OUR COOKING UTENSILS THE TWO FORMER GAVE OUT AND THE LATTER STRAYED OFF INTO THE WOODS AS WE REACHED THE CAMP


CARSON AND I CLIMBED ONE OF THE NEAREST MOUNTAINS THE FOREST LAND STILL EXTENDED AHEAD AND THE VALLEY APPEARED AS FAR AS EVER


WE BEGAN TO BE UNEASY AT DEROSIER'S ABSENCE FEARING HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN BEWILDERED IN THE WOODS CHARLES TOWNS WHO HAD NOT YET RECOVERED HIS MIND WENT TO SWIM IN THE RIVER AS IF IT WAS SUMMER AND THE STREAM PLACID


WHEN IT WAS A COLD MOUNTAIN TORRENT FOAMING AMONG THE ROCKS


HE CAME IN AND SITTING DOWN BY THE FIRE BEGAN TO TELL US WHERE HE HAD BEEN HE IMAGINED HE HAD BEEN GONE SEVERAL DAYS AND THOUGHT WE WERE STILL AT THE CAMP WHERE HE HAD LEFT US AND WE WERE PAINED TO SEE THAT HIS MIND WAS DERANGED


IT APPEARED THAT HE HAD BEEN LOST IN THE MOUNTAIN AND HUNGER AND FATIGUE JOINED TO WEAKNESS OF BODY AND FEAR OF PERISHING IN THE MOUNTAINS HAD CRAZED HIM THE TIMES WERE SEVERE WHEN STOUT MEN LOST THEIR MINDS FROM EXTREMITY OF SUFFERING


WHEN HORSES DIED AND WHEN MULES AND HORSES READY TO DIE OF STARVATION WERE KILLED FOR FOOD YET THERE WAS NO MURMURING OR HESITATION IN THE MEANTIME MISTER PREUSS CONTINUED ON DOWN THE RIVER


AND UNAWARE THAT WE HAD ENCAMPED SO EARLY IN THE DAY WAS LOST WHEN NIGHT ARRIVED AND HE DID NOT COME IN WE BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM BUT IT WAS TOO LATE TO MAKE ANY SEARCH


WE FOLLOWED MISTER PREUSS'S TRAIL FOR A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE ALONG THE RIVER UNTIL WE REACHED A PLACE WHERE HE HAD DESCENDED TO THE STREAM BELOW AND ENCAMPED HERE WE SHOUTED AND FIRED GUNS BUT RECEIVED NO ANSWER


AND WE CONCLUDED THAT HE HAD PUSHED ON DOWN THE STREAM I DETERMINED TO KEEP OUT FROM THE RIVER ALONG WHICH IT WAS NEARLY IMPRACTICABLE TO TRAVEL WITH ANIMALS UNTIL IT SHOULD FORM A VALLEY


AND OAKS BECAME THE PRINCIPAL TREES OF THE FOREST AMONG THESE THE PREVAILING TREE WAS THE EVERGREEN OAK WHICH BY WAY OF DISTINCTION WE SHALL CALL THE LIVE OAK


AND WITH THESE OCCURRED FREQUENTLY A NEW SPECIES OF OAK BEARING A LONG SLENDER ACORN FROM AN INCH TO AN INCH AND A HALF IN LENGTH WHICH WE NOW BEGAN TO SEE FORMED THE PRINCIPAL VEGETABLE FOOD OF THE INHABITANTS OF THIS REGION


IN A SHORT DISTANCE WE CROSSED A LITTLE RIVULET WHERE WERE TWO OLD HUTS AND NEAR BY WERE HEAPS OF ACORN HULLS THE GROUND ROUND ABOUT WAS VERY RICH COVERED WITH AN EXUBERANT SWARD OF GRASS


AND WE SAT DOWN FOR A WHILE IN THE SHADE OF THE OAKS TO LET THE ANIMALS FEED WE REPEATED OUR SHOUTS FOR MISTER PREUSS AND THIS TIME WE WERE GRATIFIED WITH AN ANSWER THE VOICE GREW RAPIDLY NEARER ASCENDING FROM THE RIVER


BUT WHEN WE EXPECTED TO SEE HIM EMERGE IT CEASED ENTIRELY WE HAD CALLED UP SOME STRAGGLING INDIAN THE FIRST WE HAD MET ALTHOUGH FOR TWO DAYS BACK WE HAD SEEN TRACKS


WHO MISTAKING US FOR HIS FELLOWS HAD BEEN ONLY UNDECEIVED BY GETTING CLOSE UP IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PLEASANT TO WITNESS HIS ASTONISHMENT HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE FRIGHTENED HAD SOME OF THE OLD MOUNTAIN SPIRITS THEY ARE SO MUCH AFRAID OF


SUDDENLY APPEARED IN HIS PATH IGNORANT OF THE CHARACTER OF THESE PEOPLE WE HAD NOW ADDITIONAL CAUSE OF UNEASINESS IN REGARD TO MISTER PREUSS HE HAD NO ARMS WITH HIM AND WE BEGAN TO THINK HIS CHANCE DOUBTFUL


AT ONE OF THESE ORCHARD GROUNDS WE ENCAMPED ABOUT NOON TO MAKE AN EFFORT FOR MISTER PREUSS ONE MAN TOOK HIS WAY ALONG A SPUR LEADING INTO THE RIVER IN HOPE TO CROSS HIS TRAIL AND ANOTHER TOOK OUR OWN BACK


BOTH WERE VOLUNTEERS AND TO THE SUCCESSFUL MAN WAS PROMISED A PAIR OF PISTOLS NOT AS A REWARD BUT AS A TOKEN OF GRATITUDE FOR A SERVICE WHICH WOULD FREE US ALL FROM MUCH ANXIETY


AT THE END OF FOUR DAYS MISTER PREUSS SURPRISED AND DELIGHTED HIS FRIENDS BY WALKING INTO CAMP HE HAD LIVED ON ROOTS AND ACORNS AND WAS IN THE LAST STAGES OF EXHAUSTION


SHORTLY THE ADVANCE PARTY REACHED SUTTER'S FORT WHERE THEY RECEIVED THE MOST HOSPITABLE TREATMENT


HE DID NOT SPEAK ABOUT IT AT LENGTH BUT SAID THAT HE HAD WRITTEN ME A LETTER NOT TO BE OPENED UNTIL AFTER HIS DEATH CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLICATION THIS LETTER WAS DATED THIRTIETH APRIL


EIGHTEEN SEVENTY SIX I WILL GIVE HERE AS MUCH OF IT AS CONCERNS THE PUBLIC I WISH YOU TO ACCEPT AS A GIFT FROM ME GIVEN YOU NOW THE ACCOMPANYING PAGES WHICH CONTAIN A MEMOIR OF MY LIFE


MY INTENTION IS THAT THEY SHALL BE PUBLISHED AFTER MY DEATH AND BE EDITED BY YOU BUT I LEAVE IT ALTOGETHER TO YOUR DISCRETION WHETHER TO PUBLISH OR TO SUPPRESS THE WORK AND ALSO TO YOUR DISCRETION WHETHER ANY PART OR WHAT PART SHALL BE OMITTED


BUT I WOULD NOT WISH THAT ANYTHING SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE MEMOIR IF YOU WISH TO SAY ANY WORD AS FROM YOURSELF LET IT BE DONE IN THE SHAPE OF A PREFACE OR INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER AT THE END THERE IS A POSTSCRIPT


THE PUBLICATION IF MADE AT ALL SHOULD BE EFFECTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER MY DEATH MY FATHER DIED ON THE SIXTH OF DECEMBER EIGHTEEN EIGHTY TWO IT WILL BE SEEN THEREFORE


THAT MY DUTY HAS BEEN MERELY TO PASS THE BOOK THROUGH THE PRESS CONFORMABLY TO THE ABOVE INSTRUCTIONS I HAVE PLACED HEADINGS TO THE RIGHT HAND PAGES THROUGHOUT THE BOOK AND I DO NOT CONCEIVE THAT I WAS PRECLUDED FROM SO DOING


THAT HE HAD GIVEN UP HUNTING BUT HE STILL KEPT TWO HORSES FOR SUCH RIDING AS MAY BE HAD IN OR ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF LONDON HE CONTINUED TO RIDE TO THE END OF HIS LIFE HE LIKED THE EXERCISE AND I THINK IT WOULD HAVE DISTRESSED HIM NOT TO HAVE HAD A HORSE IN HIS STABLE


BUT HE NEVER SPOKE WILLINGLY ON HUNTING MATTERS HE HAD AT LAST RESOLVED TO GIVE UP HIS FAVOURITE AMUSEMENT AND THAT AS FAR AS HE WAS CONCERNED THERE SHOULD BE AN END OF IT IN THE SPRING OF EIGHTEEN SEVENTY SEVEN HE WENT TO SOUTH AFRICA


THE JOURNEY LASTED ALTOGETHER SIXTEEN DAYS AND DURING THAT TIME MISTER AND MISSUS BURNS WERE THE HOSPITABLE ENTERTAINERS WHEN MY FATHER RETURNED HE WROTE A SHORT ACCOUNT OF HOW THE MASTIFFS WENT TO ICELAND


THE BOOK WAS PRINTED BUT WAS INTENDED ONLY FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION EVERY DAY UNTIL HIS LAST ILLNESS MY FATHER CONTINUED HIS WORK HE WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN HAPPY


HE DEMANDED FROM HIMSELF LESS THAN HE HAD DONE TEN YEARS PREVIOUSLY BUT HIS DAILY TASK WAS ALWAYS DONE I WILL MENTION NOW THE TITLES OF HIS BOOKS THAT WERE PUBLISHED AFTER THE LAST INCLUDED IN THE LIST WHICH HE HIMSELF HAS GIVEN AT THE END OF THE SECOND VOLUME


AN EYE FOR AN EYE EIGHTEEN SEVENTY NINE COUSIN HENRY EIGHTEEN SEVENTY NINE THACKERAY EIGHTEEN SEVENTY NINE THE DUKE'S CHILDREN EIGHTEEN EIGHTY LIFE OF CICERO


EIGHTEEN EIGHTY AYALA'S ANGEL EIGHTEEN EIGHTY ONE DOCTOR WORTLE'S SCHOOL EIGHTEEN EIGHTY ONE FRAU FROHMANN AND OTHER STORIES EIGHTEEN EIGHTY TWO


AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH HE HAD WRITTEN FOUR FIFTHS OF AN IRISH STORY CALLED THE LANDLEAGUERS SHORTLY ABOUT TO BE PUBLISHED AND HE LEFT IN MANUSCRIPT A COMPLETED NOVEL CALLED AN OLD MAN'S LOVE


WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED BY MESSRS BLACKWOOD AND SONS IN EIGHTEEN EIGHTY FOUR IN THE SUMMER OF EIGHTEEN EIGHTY MY FATHER LEFT LONDON AND WENT TO LIVE AT HARTING A VILLAGE IN SUSSEX BUT ON THE CONFINES OF HAMPSHIRE


I THINK HE CHOSE THAT SPOT BECAUSE HE FOUND THERE A HOUSE THAT SUITED HIM AND BECAUSE OF THE PRETTINESS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD HIS LAST LONG JOURNEY WAS A TRIP TO ITALY IN THE LATE WINTER AND SPRING OF EIGHTEEN EIGHTY ONE


BUT HE WENT TO IRELAND TWICE IN EIGHTEEN EIGHTY TWO HE WENT THERE IN MAY OF THAT YEAR AND WAS THEN ABSENT NEARLY A MONTH THIS JOURNEY DID HIM MUCH GOOD FOR HE FOUND THAT THE SOFTER ATMOSPHERE RELIEVED HIS ASTHMA


FROM WHICH HE HAD BEEN SUFFERING FOR NEARLY EIGHTEEN MONTHS IN AUGUST FOLLOWING HE MADE ANOTHER TRIP TO IRELAND BUT FROM THIS JOURNEY HE DERIVED LESS BENEFIT HE WAS MUCH INTERESTED IN AND WAS VERY MUCH DISTRESSED BY THE UNHAPPY CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY


FEW MEN KNEW IRELAND BETTER THAN HE DID HE HAD LIVED THERE FOR SIXTEEN YEARS AND HIS POST OFFICE WORK HAD TAKEN HIM INTO EVERY PART OF THE ISLAND IN THE SUMMER OF EIGHTEEN EIGHTY TWO HE BEGAN HIS LAST NOVEL


THE LANDLEAGUERS WHICH AS STATED ABOVE WAS UNFINISHED WHEN HE DIED THIS BOOK WAS A CAUSE OF ANXIETY TO HIM HE COULD NOT RID HIS MIND OF THE FACT THAT HE HAD A STORY ALREADY IN THE COURSE OF PUBLICATION BUT WHICH HE HAD NOT YET COMPLETED


IN NO OTHER CASE EXCEPT FRAMLEY PARSONAGE DID MY FATHER PUBLISH EVEN THE FIRST NUMBER OF ANY NOVEL BEFORE HE HAD FULLY COMPLETED THE WHOLE TALE


HE WAS SEIZED WITH PARALYSIS ON THE RIGHT SIDE ACCOMPANIED BY LOSS OF SPEECH


NEARLY FIVE WEEKS FROM THE NIGHT OF HIS ATTACK I HAVE BEEN LED TO SAY THESE FEW WORDS NOT AT ALL FROM A DESIRE TO SUPPLEMENT MY FATHER'S BIOGRAPHY OF HIMSELF BUT TO MENTION THE MAIN INCIDENTS IN HIS LIFE AFTER HE HAD FINISHED HIS OWN RECORD


IN WHAT I HAVE HERE SAID I DO NOT THINK I HAVE EXCEEDED HIS INSTRUCTIONS


CHAPTER ONE MY EDUCATION


OF SO INSIGNIFICANT A PERSON AS MYSELF IT WILL NOT BE SO MUCH MY INTENTION TO SPEAK OF THE LITTLE DETAILS OF MY PRIVATE LIFE AS OF WHAT I AND PERHAPS OTHERS ROUND ME HAVE DONE IN LITERATURE


OF MY FAILURES AND SUCCESSES SUCH AS THEY HAVE BEEN AND THEIR CAUSES AND OF THE OPENING WHICH A LITERARY CAREER OFFERS TO MEN AND WOMEN FOR THE EARNING OF THEIR BREAD


AND YET THE GARRULITY OF OLD AGE AND THE APTITUDE OF A MAN'S MIND TO RECUR TO THE PASSAGES OF HIS OWN LIFE WILL I KNOW TEMPT ME TO SAY SOMETHING OF MYSELF


NOR WITHOUT DOING SO SHOULD I KNOW HOW TO THROW MY MATTER INTO ANY RECOGNISED AND INTELLIGIBLE FORM THAT I OR ANY MAN SHOULD TELL EVERYTHING OF HIMSELF I HOLD TO BE IMPOSSIBLE


I WILL SET DOWN NAUGHT IN MALICE NOR WILL I GIVE TO MYSELF OR OTHERS HONOUR WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE TO HAVE BEEN FAIRLY WON MY BOYHOOD WAS I THINK AS UNHAPPY AS THAT OF A YOUNG GENTLEMAN COULD WELL BE


MY MISFORTUNES ARISING FROM A MIXTURE OF POVERTY AND GENTLE STANDING ON THE PART OF MY FATHER


I WAS BORN IN EIGHTEEN FIFTEEN IN KEPPEL STREET RUSSELL SQUARE AND WHILE A BABY WAS CARRIED DOWN TO HARROW WHERE MY FATHER HAD BUILT A HOUSE ON A LARGE FARM


AND PERHAPS THE DIRECTOR OF HER DESTINY AND OF OURS MY FATHER HAD BEEN A WYKAMIST AND A FELLOW OF NEW COLLEGE AND WINCHESTER WAS THE DESTINATION OF MY BROTHERS AND MYSELF


AND SENT THREE OF US THERE ONE AFTER THE OTHER AT THE AGE OF SEVEN MY FATHER AT THIS TIME WAS A CHANCERY BARRISTER PRACTISING IN LONDON


CHAMBERS WHICH ON ONE MELANCHOLY OCCASION DID BECOME ABSOLUTELY SUICIDAL


IN HIS EARLY DAYS HE WAS A MAN OF SOME SMALL FORTUNE AND OF HIGHER HOPES THESE STOOD SO HIGH AT THE TIME OF MY BIRTH THAT HE WAS FELT TO BE ENTITLED TO A COUNTRY HOUSE AS WELL AS TO THAT IN KEPPEL STREET


THIS PLACE HE CALLED JULIANS AND THE LAND RUNS UP TO THE FOOT OF THE HILL ON WHICH THE SCHOOL AND CHURCH STAND ON THE SIDE TOWARDS LONDON THINGS THERE WENT MUCH AGAINST HIM THE FARM WAS RUINOUS


BUT AT ANY RATE AS OTHER DAY BOARDERS I DO NOT SUPPOSE THAT THEY WERE WELL TREATED BUT I DOUBT WHETHER THEY WERE SUBJECTED TO THE IGNOMINY WHICH I ENDURED


I WAS ONLY SEVEN AND I THINK THAT BOYS AT SEVEN ARE NOW SPARED AMONG THEIR MORE CONSIDERATE SENIORS I WAS NEVER SPARED AND WAS NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO RUN TO AND FRO BETWEEN OUR HOUSE AND THE SCHOOL


WITHOUT A DAILY PURGATORY NO DOUBT MY APPEARANCE WAS AGAINST ME I REMEMBER WELL WHEN I WAS STILL THE JUNIOR BOY IN THE SCHOOL DOCTOR BUTLER THE HEAD MASTER STOPPING ME IN THE STREET AND ASKING ME


PERHAPS HE DID NOT RECOGNISE ME BY MY FACE AT THIS TIME I WAS THREE YEARS AT HARROW AND AS FAR AS I CAN REMEMBER I WAS THE JUNIOR BOY IN THE SCHOOL WHEN I LEFT IT


THEN I WAS SENT TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL AT SUNBURY KEPT BY ARTHUR DRURY THIS I THINK MUST HAVE BEEN DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADVICE OF HENRY DRURY WHO WAS MY TUTOR AT HARROW SCHOOL AND MY FATHER'S FRIEND


WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO VISIT THE PLAYGROUND TILL THE SERMON WAS FINISHED MINE WAS ONLY DONE A DAY OR TWO BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS MISSUS DRURY WHEN SHE SAW US SHOOK HER HEAD WITH PITYING HORROR


THERE WERE EVER SO MANY OTHER PUNISHMENTS ACCUMULATED ON OUR HEADS IT BROKE MY HEART KNOWING MYSELF TO BE INNOCENT AND SUFFERING ALSO UNDER THE ALMOST EQUALLY PAINFUL FEELING THAT THE OTHER THREE NO DOUBT WICKED BOYS


MIGHT BE SUPPOSED TO BE THE LEADER OF WICKEDNESS ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEXT TERM HE WHISPERED TO ME HALF A WORD THAT PERHAPS HE HAD BEEN WRONG WITH ALL A STUPID BOY'S SLOWNESS I SAID NOTHING


AND HE HAD NOT THE COURAGE TO CARRY REPARATION FURTHER ALL THAT WAS FIFTY YEARS AGO AND IT BURNS ME NOW AS THOUGH IT WERE YESTERDAY WHAT LILY LIVERED CURS THOSE BOYS MUST HAVE BEEN NOT TO HAVE TOLD THE TRUTH


AT ANY RATE AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED I REMEMBER THEIR NAMES WELL AND ALMOST WISH TO WRITE THEM HERE WHEN I WAS TWELVE THERE CAME THE VACANCY AT WINCHESTER COLLEGE WHICH I WAS DESTINED TO FILL


MY TWO ELDER BROTHERS HAD GONE THERE AND THE YOUNGER HAD BEEN TAKEN AWAY BEING ALREADY SUPPOSED TO HAVE LOST HIS CHANCE OF NEW COLLEGE IT HAD BEEN ONE OF THE GREAT AMBITIONS OF MY FATHER'S LIFE THAT HIS THREE SONS WHO LIVED TO GO TO WINCHESTER


SHOULD ALL BECOME FELLOWS OF NEW COLLEGE BUT THAT SUFFERING MAN WAS NEVER DESTINED TO HAVE AN AMBITION GRATIFIED WE ALL LOST THE PRIZE WHICH HE STRUGGLED WITH INFINITE LABOUR TO PUT WITHIN OUR REACH


MY ELDEST BROTHER ALL BUT ACHIEVED IT AND AFTERWARDS WENT TO OXFORD TAKING THREE EXHIBITIONS FROM THE SCHOOL THOUGH HE LOST THE GREAT GLORY OF A WYKAMIST HE HAS SINCE MADE HIMSELF WELL KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC AS A WRITER


IN CONNECTION WITH ALL ITALIAN SUBJECTS


BUT MY OTHER BROTHER DIED EARLY WHILE I WAS AT WINCHESTER MY FATHER'S AFFAIRS WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE HE GAVE UP HIS PRACTICE AT THE BAR AND UNFORTUNATE THAT HE WAS TOOK ANOTHER FARM


IT IS ODD THAT A MAN SHOULD CONCEIVE AND IN THIS CASE A HIGHLY EDUCATED AND A VERY CLEVER MAN THAT FARMING SHOULD BE A BUSINESS IN WHICH HE MIGHT MAKE MONEY WITHOUT ANY SPECIAL EDUCATION OR APPRENTICESHIP


PERHAPS OF ALL TRADES IT IS THE ONE IN WHICH AN ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THINGS SHOULD BE DONE AND THE BEST MANNER OF DOING THEM IS MOST NECESSARY AND IT IS ONE ALSO FOR SUCCESS IN WHICH A SUFFICIENT CAPITAL IS INDISPENSABLE


HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE AND WHEN HE TOOK THIS SECOND FARM NO CAPITAL THIS WAS THE LAST STEP PREPARATORY TO HIS FINAL RUIN


I HAVE NO CLEAR KNOWLEDGE OF HER OBJECT OR OF MY FATHER'S BUT I BELIEVE THAT HE HAD AN IDEA THAT MONEY MIGHT BE MADE BY SENDING GOODS LITTLE GOODS SUCH AS PIN CUSHIONS PEPPER BOXES AND POCKET KNIVES OUT TO THE STILL UNFURNISHED STATES


I HAVE SEEN IT SINCE IN THE TOWN OF CINCINNATI A SORRY BUILDING BUT I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IN THOSE DAYS IT WAS AN IMPOSING EDIFICE MY MOTHER WENT FIRST WITH MY SISTERS AND SECOND BROTHER


THEN MY FATHER FOLLOWED THEM TAKING MY ELDER BROTHER BEFORE HE WENT TO OXFORD


THERE HAVE BEEN HOT WORDS BETWEEN US FOR PERFECT FRIENDSHIP BEARS AND ALLOWS HOT WORDS FEW BROTHERS HAVE HAD MORE OF BROTHERHOOD BUT IN THOSE SCHOOL DAYS HE WAS OF ALL MY FOES THE WORST


IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRACTICE OF THE COLLEGE WHICH SUBMITS OR DID THEN SUBMIT MUCH OF THE TUITION OF THE YOUNGER BOYS FROM THE ELDER HE WAS MY TUTOR AND IN HIS CAPACITY OF TEACHER AND RULER


HE HAD STUDIED THE THEORIES OF DRACO


HANG A LITTLE BOY FOR STEALING APPLES HE USED TO SAY AND OTHER LITTLE BOYS WILL NOT STEAL APPLES THE DOCTRINE WAS ALREADY EXPLODED ELSEWHERE BUT HE STUCK TO IT WITH CONSERVATIVE ENERGY THE RESULT WAS THAT AS


A PART OF HIS DAILY EXERCISE HE THRASHED ME WITH A BIG STICK THAT SUCH THRASHINGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE AT A SCHOOL AS A CONTINUAL PART OF ONE'S DAILY LIFE


SEEMS TO ME TO ARGUE A VERY ILL CONDITION OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AT THIS PERIOD I REMEMBER TO HAVE PASSED ONE SET OF HOLIDAYS THE MIDSUMMER HOLIDAYS IN MY FATHER'S CHAMBERS IN LINCOLN'S INN


THERE WAS OFTEN A DIFFICULTY ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS AS TO WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH ME ON THIS OCCASION MY AMUSEMENT CONSISTED IN WANDERING ABOUT AMONG THOSE OLD DESERTED BUILDINGS AND IN READING SHAKESPEARE OUT OF A BI COLUMNED EDITION


WHICH IS STILL AMONG MY BOOKS IT WAS NOT THAT I HAD CHOSEN SHAKESPEARE BUT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO READ AFTER A WHILE MY BROTHER LEFT WINCHESTER AND ACCOMPANIED MY FATHER TO AMERICA


THEN ANOTHER AND A DIFFERENT HORROR FELL TO MY FATE MY COLLEGE BILLS HAD NOT BEEN PAID AND THE SCHOOL TRADESMEN WHO ADMINISTERED TO THE WANTS OF THE BOYS WERE TOLD NOT TO EXTEND THEIR CREDIT TO ME


BOOTS WAISTCOATS AND POCKET HANDKERCHIEFS WHICH WITH SOME SLIGHT SUPERVEILLANCE WERE AT THE COMMAND OF OTHER SCHOLARS WERE CLOSED LUXURIES TO ME MY SCHOOLFELLOWS OF COURSE KNEW THAT IT WAS SO AND I BECAME A PARIAH


IT IS THE NATURE OF BOYS TO BE CRUEL I HAVE SOMETIMES DOUBTED WHETHER AMONG EACH OTHER THEY DO USUALLY SUFFER MUCH ONE FROM THE OTHER'S CRUELTY BUT I SUFFERED HORRIBLY


I COULD MAKE NO STAND AGAINST IT I HAD NO FRIEND TO WHOM I COULD POUR OUT MY SORROWS I WAS BIG AND AWKWARD AND UGLY AND I HAVE NO DOUBT SKULKED ABOUT IN A MOST UNATTRACTIVE MANNER


OF COURSE I WAS ILL DRESSED AND DIRTY BUT AH HOW WELL I REMEMBER ALL THE AGONIES OF MY YOUNG HEART HOW I CONSIDERED WHETHER I SHOULD ALWAYS BE ALONE


WHETHER I COULD NOT FIND MY WAY UP TO THE TOP OF THAT COLLEGE TOWER AND FROM THENCE PUT AN END TO EVERYTHING AND A WORSE THING CAME THAN THE STOPPAGE OF THE SUPPLIES FROM THE SHOPKEEPERS EVERY BOY HAD A SHILLING A WEEK POCKET MONEY WHICH WE CALLED BATTELS


AND WHICH WAS ADVANCED TO US OUT OF THE POCKET OF THE SECOND MASTER ON ONE AWFUL DAY THE SECOND MASTER ANNOUNCED TO ME THAT MY BATTELS WOULD BE STOPPED HE TOLD ME THE REASON


THE BATTELS FOR THE LAST HALF YEAR HAD NOT BEEN REPAID AND HE URGED HIS OWN UNWILLINGNESS TO ADVANCE THE MONEY THE LOSS OF A SHILLING A WEEK WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MUCH EVEN THOUGH POCKET MONEY FROM OTHER SOURCES NEVER REACHED ME


AND NOW WHEN IT CAME TO THE TURN OF ANY SERVANT HE RECEIVED SIXTY NINE SHILLINGS INSTEAD OF SEVENTY AND THE CAUSE OF THE DEFALCATION WAS EXPLAINED TO HIM


WHEN I HAD BEEN AT WINCHESTER SOMETHING OVER THREE YEARS MY FATHER RETURNED TO ENGLAND AND TOOK ME AWAY WHETHER THIS WAS DONE BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE OR BECAUSE MY CHANCE OF NEW COLLEGE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE PASSED AWAY


MY FATHER AT THIS TIME HAVING LEFT MY MOTHER AND SISTERS WITH MY YOUNGER BROTHER IN AMERICA TOOK HIMSELF TO LIVE AT A WRETCHED TUMBLE DOWN FARMHOUSE ON THE SECOND FARM HE HAD HIRED AND I WAS TAKEN THERE WITH HIM IT WAS NEARLY THREE MILES FROM HARROW


AT HARROW WEALD BUT IN THE PARISH AND FROM THIS HOUSE I WAS AGAIN SENT TO THAT SCHOOL AS A DAY BOARDER LET THOSE WHO KNOW WHAT IS THE USUAL APPEARANCE AND WHAT THE USUAL APPURTENANCES OF A BOY AT SUCH A SCHOOL


FROM BARNS TO COWSHEDS AND FROM COWSHEDS TO DUNG HEAPS ONE COULD HARDLY TELL WHERE ONE BEGAN AND THE OTHER ENDED THERE WAS A PARLOUR IN WHICH MY FATHER LIVED SHUT UP AMONG BIG BOOKS


BUT I PASSED MY MOST JOCUND HOURS IN THE KITCHEN MAKING INNOCENT LOVE TO THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER THE FARM KITCHEN MIGHT BE VERY WELL THROUGH THE EVENING WHEN THE HORRORS OF THE SCHOOL WERE OVER BUT IT ALL ADDED TO THE CRUELTY OF THE DAYS


A SIZAR AT A CAMBRIDGE COLLEGE OR A BIBLE CLERK AT OXFORD HAS NOT PLEASANT DAYS OR USED NOT TO HAVE THEM HALF A CENTURY AGO BUT HIS POSITION WAS RECOGNISED AND THE MISERY WAS MEASURED


THE INDIGNITIES I ENDURED ARE NOT TO BE DESCRIBED AS I LOOK BACK IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ALL HANDS WERE TURNED AGAINST ME THOSE OF MASTERS AS WELL AS BOYS I WAS ALLOWED TO JOIN IN NO PLAYS


THE ONLY EXPENSE EXCEPT THAT OF BOOKS TO WHICH A HOUSE BOARDER WAS THEN SUBJECT WAS THE FEE TO A TUTOR AMOUNTING I THINK TO TEN GUINEAS MY TUTOR TOOK ME WITHOUT THE FEE


BUT WHEN I HEARD HIM DECLARE THE FACT IN THE PUPIL ROOM BEFORE THE BOYS I HARDLY FELT GRATEFUL FOR THE CHARITY I WAS NEVER A COWARD AND CARED FOR A THRASHING AS LITTLE AS ANY BOY


BUT ONE CANNOT MAKE A STAND AGAINST THE ACERBITIES OF THREE HUNDRED TYRANTS WITHOUT A MORAL COURAGE OF WHICH AT THAT TIME I POSSESSED NONE I KNOW THAT I SKULKED AND WAS ODIOUS TO THE EYES OF THOSE I ADMIRED AND ENVIED


AT LAST I WAS DRIVEN TO REBELLION AND THERE CAME A GREAT FIGHT AT THE END OF WHICH MY OPPONENT HAD TO BE TAKEN HOME FOR A WHILE IF THESE WORDS BE EVER PRINTED


I TRUST THAT SOME SCHOOLFELLOW OF THOSE DAYS MAY STILL BE LEFT ALIVE WHO WILL BE ABLE TO SAY THAT IN CLAIMING THIS SOLITARY GLORY OF MY SCHOOL DAYS I AM NOT MAKING A FALSE BOAST


I WISH I COULD GIVE SOME ADEQUATE PICTURE OF THE GLOOM OF THAT FARMHOUSE MY ELDER BROTHER TOM AS I MUST CALL HIM IN MY NARRATIVE THOUGH THE WORLD I THINK KNOWS HIM BEST AS ADOLPHUS WAS AT OXFORD


MY FATHER AND I LIVED TOGETHER HE HAVING NO MEANS OF LIVING EXCEPT WHAT CAME FROM THE FARM MY MEMORY TELLS ME THAT HE WAS ALWAYS IN DEBT TO HIS LANDLORD AND TO THE TRADESMEN HE EMPLOYED


OF SELF INDULGENCE NO ONE COULD ACCUSE HIM OUR TABLE WAS POORER I THINK THAN THAT OF THE BAILIFF WHO STILL HUNG ON TO OUR SHATTERED FORTUNES THE FURNITURE WAS MEAN AND SCANTY


INTO THE HAY FIELD ON HOLIDAYS I WAS OFTEN COMPELLED TO GO NOT I FEAR WITH MUCH PROFIT MY FATHER'S HEALTH WAS VERY BAD DURING THE LAST TEN YEARS OF HIS LIFE HE SPENT NEARLY THE HALF OF HIS TIME IN BED


IT WAS HIS AMBITION TO DESCRIBE ALL ECCLESIASTICAL TERMS INCLUDING THE DENOMINATIONS OF EVERY FRATERNITY OF MONKS AND EVERY CONVENT OF NUNS WITH ALL THEIR ORDERS AND SUBDIVISIONS


UNDER CRUSHING DISADVANTAGES WITH FEW OR NO BOOKS OF REFERENCE WITH IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO NO LIBRARY HE WORKED AT HIS MOST UNGRATEFUL TASK WITH UNFLAGGING INDUSTRY WHEN HE DIED


THREE NUMBERS OUT OF EIGHT HAD BEEN PUBLISHED BY SUBSCRIPTION AND ARE NOW I FEAR UNKNOWN AND BURIED IN THE MIDST OF THAT HUGE PILE OF FUTILE LITERATURE THE BUILDING UP OF WHICH HAS BROKEN SO MANY HEARTS


AND MY FATHER THOUGH HE WOULD TRY


AND SAY MY EARLY RULES FROM THE LATIN GRAMMAR OR REPEAT THE GREEK ALPHABET AND WAS OBLIGED AT THESE EARLY LESSONS TO HOLD MY HEAD INCLINED TOWARDS HIM


SO THAT IN THE EVENT OF GUILTY FAULT HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PULL MY HAIR WITHOUT STOPPING HIS RAZOR OR DROPPING HIS SHAVING BRUSH NO FATHER WAS EVER MORE ANXIOUS FOR THE EDUCATION OF HIS CHILDREN


THOUGH I THINK NONE EVER KNEW LESS HOW TO GO ABOUT THE WORK OF AMUSEMENT AS FAR AS I CAN REMEMBER HE NEVER RECOGNISED THE NEED


HE COULD NOT GIVE HIS TIME TO TEACH ME FOR EVERY HOUR THAT HE WAS NOT IN THE FIELDS WAS DEVOTED TO HIS MONKS AND NUNS BUT HE WOULD REQUIRE ME TO SIT AT A TABLE WITH LEXICON AND GRADUS BEFORE ME


THOUGH I THINK I GRIEVED HIM MUCH BY MY IDLENESS BUT IN PASSION HE KNEW NOT WHAT HE DID AND HE HAS KNOCKED ME DOWN WITH THE GREAT FOLIO BIBLE WHICH HE ALWAYS USED


IN THE OLD HOUSE WERE THE TWO FIRST VOLUMES OF COOPER'S NOVEL CALLED THE PRAIRIE A RELIC PROBABLY A DISHONEST RELIC OF SOME SUBSCRIPTION TO HOOKHAM'S LIBRARY OTHER BOOKS OF THE KIND THERE WAS NONE


I WONDER HOW MANY DOZEN TIMES I READ THOSE TWO FIRST VOLUMES


IT WAS THE HORROR OF THOSE DREADFUL WALKS BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS WHICH MADE MY LIFE SO BAD WHAT SO PLEASANT WHAT SO SWEET AS A WALK ALONG AN ENGLISH LANE WHEN THE AIR IS SWEET AND THE WEATHER FINE


AND WHEN THERE IS A CHARM IN WALKING BUT HERE WERE THE SAME LANES FOUR TIMES A DAY IN WET AND DRY IN HEAT AND SUMMER WITH ALL THE ACCOMPANYING MUD AND DUST AND WITH DISORDERED CLOTHES


BUT HIS SUCCESSOR LIVED TO BE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY I THINK IT WAS IN THE AUTUMN OF EIGHTEEN THIRTY ONE THAT MY MOTHER WITH THE REST OF THE FAMILY RETURNED FROM AMERICA


SHE LIVED AT FIRST AT THE FARMHOUSE BUT IT WAS ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME SHE CAME BACK WITH A BOOK WRITTEN ABOUT THE UNITED STATES AND THE IMMEDIATE PECUNIARY SUCCESS WHICH THAT WORK OBTAINED ENABLED HER TO TAKE US ALL BACK TO THE HOUSE AT HARROW


NOT TO THE FIRST HOUSE WHICH WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN BEYOND HER MEANS BUT TO THAT WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN CALLED ORLEY FARM AND WHICH WAS AN EDEN AS COMPARED TO OUR ABODE AT HARROW WEALD


HERE MY SCHOOLING WENT ON UNDER SOMEWHAT IMPROVED CIRCUMSTANCES THE THREE MILES BECAME HALF A MILE AND PROBABLY SOME SALUTARY CHANGES WERE MADE IN MY WARDROBE


AND A GREAT ELEMENT OF HAPPINESS WAS ADDED TO US ALL IN THE AFFECTIONATE AND LIFE ENDURING FRIENDSHIP OF THE FAMILY OF OUR CLOSE NEIGHBOUR COLONEL GRANT BUT I WAS NEVER ABLE TO OVERCOME OR EVEN TO ATTEMPT TO OVERCOME THE ABSOLUTE ISOLATION OF MY SCHOOL POSITION


I HAVE FELT THAT I HAD NO RIGHT TO TALK OF THINGS FROM MOST OF WHICH I WAS KEPT IN ESTRANGEMENT THROUGH ALL MY FATHER'S TROUBLES HE STILL DESIRED TO SEND ME EITHER TO OXFORD OR CAMBRIDGE


AND VERY FORTUNATE IT WAS THAT I DID NOT SUCCEED FOR MY CAREER WITH SUCH ASSISTANCE ONLY AS A SCHOLARSHIP WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME WOULD HAVE ENDED IN DEBT AND IGNOMINY WHEN I LEFT HARROW I WAS ALL BUT NINETEEN


AND I HAD AT FIRST GONE THERE AT SEVEN DURING THE WHOLE OF THOSE TWELVE YEARS NO ATTEMPT HAD BEEN MADE TO TEACH ME ANYTHING BUT LATIN AND GREEK AND VERY LITTLE ATTEMPT TO TEACH ME THOSE LANGUAGES


AT THE SCHOOL AT SUNBURY THERE WAS CERTAINLY A WRITING MASTER AND A FRENCH MASTER THE LATTER WAS AN EXTRA AND I NEVER HAD EXTRAS


I SUPPOSE I MUST HAVE BEEN IN THE WRITING MASTER'S CLASS BUT THOUGH I CAN CALL TO MIND THE MAN I CANNOT CALL TO MIND HIS FERULE IT WAS BY THEIR FERULES THAT I ALWAYS KNEW THEM AND THEY ME


I FEEL CONVINCED IN MY MIND THAT I HAVE BEEN FLOGGED OFTENER THAN ANY HUMAN BEING ALIVE IT WAS JUST POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN FIVE SCOURGINGS IN ONE DAY AT WINCHESTER


AND I HAVE OFTEN BOASTED THAT I OBTAINED THEM ALL LOOKING BACK OVER HALF A CENTURY


I AM NOW A FAIR LATIN SCHOLAR THAT IS TO SAY I READ AND ENJOY THE LATIN CLASSICS AND COULD PROBABLY MAKE MYSELF UNDERSTOOD IN LATIN PROSE BUT THE KNOWLEDGE WHICH I HAVE I HAVE ACQUIRED SINCE I LEFT SCHOOL


I BEAR IN MIND WELL WITH HOW PRODIGAL A HAND PRIZES USED TO BE SHOWERED ABOUT BUT I NEVER GOT A PRIZE FROM THE FIRST TO THE LAST THERE WAS NOTHING SATISFACTORY IN MY SCHOOL CAREER


MAY TEN EIGHTEEN FIFTY ONE MADAME


IN COMPLIANCE WITH YOUR REQUEST I HAVE THE HONOR TO STATE SUCCINCTLY THE CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH MY ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE LATE MADAME OSSOLI YOUR DECEASED SISTER DURING HER RESIDENCE IN ROME


IN THE MONTH OF APRIL EIGHTEEN FORTY NINE ROME AS YOU ARE NO DOUBT AWARE WAS PLACED IN A STATE OF SIEGE BY THE APPROACH OF THE FRENCH ARMY IT WAS FILLED AT THAT TIME WITH EXILES AND FUGITIVES


WHO HAD BEEN CONTENDING FOR YEARS FROM MILAN IN THE NORTH TO PALERMO IN THE SOUTH FOR THE REPUBLICAN CAUSE AND WHEN THE GATES WERE CLOSED IT WAS COMPUTED THAT THERE WERE OF ITALIANS ALONE THIRTEEN THOUSAND REFUGEES WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE CITY


ALL OF WHOM HAD BEEN EXPELLED FROM ADJACENT STATES TILL ROME BECAME THEIR LAST RALLYING POINT AND TO MANY THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACE AMONG THESE WAS TO BE SEEN EVERY VARIETY OF AGE SENTIMENT AND CONDITION


STRIPLINGS AND BLANCHED HEADS WILD VISIONARY ENTHUSIASTS GRAVE HEROIC MEN WHO IN THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM HAD VENTURED ALL AND LOST ALL NOBLES AND BEGGARS BANDITS FELONS AND BRIGANDS GREAT EXCITEMENT NATURALLY EXISTED


AND IN THE GENERAL APPREHENSION WHICH PERVADED ALL CLASSES THAT ACTS OF PERSONAL VIOLENCE AND OUTRAGE WOULD SOON BE COMMITTED THE FOREIGN RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY FOUND THEMSELVES PLACED IN AN ALARMING SITUATION


ON THE THIRTIETH OF APRIL THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND ROMAN TROOPS AND IN A FEW DAYS SUBSEQUENTLY I VISITED SEVERAL OF MY COUNTRYMEN AT THEIR REQUEST TO CONCERT MEASURES FOR THEIR SAFETY HEARING ON THAT OCCASION AND FOR THE FIRST TIME


AND OF HER SOLITARY MODE OF LIFE I VENTURED TO CALL UPON HER AND OFFER MY SERVICES IN ANY MANNER THAT MIGHT CONDUCE TO HER COMFORT AND SECURITY SHE RECEIVED ME WITH MUCH KINDNESS AND THUS AN ACQUAINTANCE COMMENCED


HER RESIDENCE ON THE PIAZZI BARBERINI BEING CONSIDERED AN INSECURE ABODE


WHICH WAS OCCUPIED BY SEVERAL AMERICAN FAMILIES IN THE ENGAGEMENTS WHICH SUCCEEDED BETWEEN THE ROMAN AND FRENCH TROOPS THE WOUNDED OF THE FORMER WERE BROUGHT INTO THE CITY AND DISPOSED THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT HOSPITALS WHICH WERE UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF SEVERAL LADIES OF HIGH RANK


WHO HAD FORMED THEMSELVES INTO ASSOCIATIONS THE BETTER TO ENSURE CARE AND ATTENTION TO THOSE UNFORTUNATE MEN MISS FULLER TOOK AN ACTIVE PART IN THIS NOBLE WORK AND THE GREATER PORTION OF HER TIME DURING THE ENTIRE SIEGE


WHICH WAS PLACED UNDER HER DIRECTION IN ATTENDANCE UPON ITS INMATES THE WEATHER WAS INTENSELY HOT HER HEALTH WAS FEEBLE AND DELICATE THE DEAD AND DYING WERE AROUND HER IN EVERY STAGE OF PAIN AND HORROR BUT SHE NEVER SHRANK FROM THE DUTY SHE HAD ASSUMED


HER HEART AND SOUL WERE IN THE CAUSE FOR WHICH THOSE MEN HAD FOUGHT AND ALL WAS DONE THAT WOMAN COULD DO TO COMFORT THEM IN THEIR SUFFERINGS I HAVE SEEN THE EYES OF THE DYING AS SHE MOVED AMONG THEM EXTENDED ON OPPOSITE BEDS MEET IN COMMENDATION OF HER UNIVERSAL KINDNESS


AND I HAVE HEARD MANY OF THOSE WHO RECOVERED SPEAK WITH ALL THE PASSIONATE FERVOR OF THE ITALIAN NATURE


THROUGHOUT THEIR LONG ILLNESS FULFILLED ALL THE OFFICES OF LOVE AND AFFECTION MAZZINI THE CHIEF OF THE TRIUMVIRATE WHO BETTER THAN ANY MAN IN ROME KNEW HER WORTH OFTEN EXPRESSED TO ME HIS ADMIRATION OF HER HIGH CHARACTER AND THE PRINCESS BELGIOJOSO


TO WHOM WAS ASSIGNED THE CHARGE OF THE PAPAL PALACE ON THE QUIRINAL WHICH WAS CONVERTED ON THIS OCCASION INTO A HOSPITAL WAS ENTHUSIASTIC IN HER PRAISE AND IN A LETTER WHICH I RECEIVED NOT LONG SINCE FROM THIS LADY


WHO WAS GAINING THE BREAD OF AN EXILE BY TEACHING LANGUAGES IN CONSTANTINOPLE SHE ALLUDES WITH MUCH FEELING TO THE SUPPORT AFFORDED BY MISS FULLER TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN ITALY HERE IN ROME SHE IS STILL SPOKEN OF IN TERMS OF REGARD AND ENDEARMENT


AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HER DEATH WAS RECEIVED WITH A DEGREE OF SORROW NOT OFTEN BESTOWED UPON A FOREIGNER ESPECIALLY ONE OF A DIFFERENT FAITH ON THE TWENTY NINTH OF JUNE


SHELLS AND GRENADES FALLING IN EVERY PART OF THE CITY IN THE AFTERNOON OF THE THIRTIETH I RECEIVED A BRIEF NOTE FROM MISS FULLER REQUESTING ME TO CALL AT HER RESIDENCE I DID SO WITHOUT DELAY AND FOUND HER LYING ON A SOFA PALE AND TREMBLING EVIDENTLY MUCH EXHAUSTED


SHE INFORMED ME THAT SHE HAD SENT FOR ME TO PLACE IN MY HAND A PACKET OF IMPORTANT PAPERS WHICH SHE WISHED ME TO KEEP FOR THE PRESENT AND IN THE EVENT OF HER DEATH TO TRANSMIT IT TO HER FRIENDS IN THE UNITED STATES SHE THEN STATED THAT SHE WAS MARRIED TO MARQUIS OSSOLI


WHO WAS IN COMMAND OF A BATTERY ON THE PINCIAN HILL THAT BEING THE HIGHEST AND MOST EXPOSED POSITION IN ROME AND DIRECTLY IN THE LINE OF BOMBS FROM THE FRENCH CAMP IT WAS NOT TO BE EXPECTED SHE SAID THAT HE COULD ESCAPE THE DANGERS OF ANOTHER NIGHT SUCH AS THE LAST


AND THEREFORE IT WAS HER INTENTION TO REMAIN WITH HIM AND SHARE HIS FATE AT THE AVE MARIA SHE ADDED HE WOULD COME FOR HER AND THEY WOULD PROCEED TOGETHER TO HIS POST THE PACKET WHICH SHE PLACED IN MY POSSESSION CONTAINED SHE SAID THE CERTIFICATES OF HER MARRIAGE


AND OF THE BIRTH AND BAPTISM OF HER CHILD AFTER A FEW WORDS MORE I TOOK MY DEPARTURE THE HOUR SHE NAMED HAVING NEARLY ARRIVED AT THE PORTER'S LODGE I MET THE MARQUIS OSSOLI


HAPPILY THE CANNONADING WAS NOT RENEWED THAT NIGHT AND AT DAWN OF DAY SHE RETURNED TO HER APARTMENTS WITH HER HUSBAND BY HER SIDE ON THAT DAY THE FRENCH ARMY ENTERED ROME AND THE GATES BEING OPENED MADAME OSSOLI ACCOMPANIED BY THE MARQUIS


FORMERLY IN THE SERVICE OF THE OSSOLI FAMILY SHE REMAINED AS YOU ARE NO DOUBT AWARE SOME MONTHS AT RIETI WHENCE SHE REMOVED TO FLORENCE WHERE SHE RESIDED UNTIL HER ILL FATED DEPARTURE FOR THE UNITED STATES


CHAPTER THIRTY THREE ROMAN BANDITS


WHAT IS THE MATTER SAID ALBERT ENTERING NO CARRIAGE TO BE HAD JUST SO RETURNED FRANZ YOU HAVE GUESSED IT WELL YOUR ETERNAL CITY IS A NICE SORT OF PLACE


BUT FROM NOW TILL SUNDAY YOU CAN HAVE FIFTY IF YOU PLEASE AH THAT IS SOMETHING SAID ALBERT TO DAY IS THURSDAY AND WHO KNOWS WHAT MAY ARRIVE BETWEEN THIS AND SUNDAY TEN OR TWELVE THOUSAND TRAVELLERS WILL ARRIVE REPLIED FRANZ


WHICH WILL MAKE IT STILL MORE DIFFICULT MY FRIEND SAID MORCERF LET US ENJOY THE PRESENT WITHOUT GLOOMY FOREBODINGS FOR THE FUTURE AT LEAST WE CAN HAVE A WINDOW WHERE IN THE CORSO AH A WINDOW EXCLAIMED SIGNOR PASTRINI


UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE THERE WAS ONLY ONE LEFT ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF THE DORIA PALACE AND THAT HAS BEEN LET TO A RUSSIAN PRINCE FOR TWENTY SEQUINS A DAY THE TWO YOUNG MEN LOOKED AT EACH OTHER WITH AN AIR OF STUPEFACTION WELL


IT IS TO PASS THE CARNIVAL AT VENICE THERE WE ARE SURE OF OBTAINING GONDOLAS IF WE CANNOT HAVE CARRIAGES AH THE DEVIL NO CRIED ALBERT I CAME TO ROME TO SEE THE CARNIVAL AND I WILL THOUGH I SEE IT ON STILTS


BRAVO AN EXCELLENT IDEA WE WILL DISGUISE OURSELVES AS MONSTER PULCHINELLOS


AND WE SHALL HAVE COMPLETE SUCCESS DO YOUR EXCELLENCIES STILL WISH FOR A CARRIAGE FROM NOW TO SUNDAY MORNING PARBLEU SAID ALBERT


I HASTEN TO COMPLY WITH YOUR EXCELLENCIES WISHES ONLY I TELL YOU BEFOREHAND THE CARRIAGE WILL COST YOU SIX PIASTRES A DAY AND AS I AM NOT A MILLIONAIRE LIKE THE GENTLEMAN IN THE NEXT APARTMENTS SAID FRANZ I WARN YOU


THAT AS I HAVE BEEN FOUR TIMES BEFORE AT ROME I KNOW THE PRICES OF ALL THE CARRIAGES WE WILL GIVE YOU TWELVE PIASTRES FOR TO DAY TOMORROW AND THE DAY AFTER AND THEN YOU WILL MAKE A GOOD PROFIT


BUT EXCELLENCY SAID PASTRINI STILL STRIVING TO GAIN HIS POINT NOW GO RETURNED FRANZ OR I SHALL GO MYSELF AND BARGAIN WITH YOUR AFFETTATORE WHO IS MINE ALSO HE IS AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE WHO HAS PLUNDERED ME PRETTY WELL ALREADY AND


IN THE HOPE OF MAKING MORE OUT OF ME HE WILL TAKE A LESS PRICE THAN THE ONE I OFFER YOU YOU WILL LOSE THE PREFERENCE AND THAT WILL BE YOUR FAULT DO NOT GIVE YOURSELVES THE TROUBLE EXCELLENCY


RETURNED SIGNOR PASTRINI WITH THE SMILE PECULIAR TO THE ITALIAN SPECULATOR WHEN HE CONFESSES DEFEAT I WILL DO ALL I CAN AND I HOPE YOU WILL BE SATISFIED AND NOW WE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER


IN AN HOUR IN AN HOUR IT WILL BE AT THE DOOR AN HOUR AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DOOR IT WAS A HACK CONVEYANCE WHICH WAS ELEVATED TO THE RANK OF A PRIVATE CARRIAGE IN HONOR OF THE OCCASION BUT IN SPITE OF ITS HUMBLE EXTERIOR


THE YOUNG MEN WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THEMSELVES HAPPY TO HAVE SECURED IT FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS OF THE CARNIVAL EXCELLENCY CRIED THE CICERONE SEEING FRANZ APPROACH THE WINDOW


SHALL I BRING THE CARRIAGE NEARER TO THE PALACE ACCUSTOMED AS FRANZ WAS TO THE ITALIAN PHRASEOLOGY HIS FIRST IMPULSE WAS TO LOOK ROUND HIM BUT THESE WORDS WERE ADDRESSED TO HIM FRANZ WAS THE EXCELLENCY


WAS THE PALACE THE GENIUS FOR LAUDATION CHARACTERISTIC OF THE RACE WAS IN THAT PHRASE FRANZ AND ALBERT DESCENDED THE CARRIAGE APPROACHED THE PALACE THEIR EXCELLENCIES STRETCHED THEIR LEGS ALONG THE SEATS


WHERE DO YOUR EXCELLENCIES WISH TO GO ASKED HE TO SAINT PETER'S FIRST AND THEN TO THE COLOSSEUM RETURNED ALBERT BUT ALBERT DID NOT KNOW THAT IT TAKES A DAY TO SEE SAINT PETER'S AND A MONTH TO STUDY IT THE DAY WAS PASSED AT SAINT PETER'S ALONE


SUDDENLY THE DAYLIGHT BEGAN TO FADE AWAY FRANZ TOOK OUT HIS WATCH IT WAS HALF PAST FOUR THEY RETURNED TO THE HOTEL AT THE DOOR FRANZ ORDERED THE COACHMAN TO BE READY AT EIGHT HE WISHED TO SHOW ALBERT THE COLOSSEUM BY MOONLIGHT


AS HE HAD SHOWN HIM SAINT PETER'S BY DAYLIGHT WHEN WE SHOW A FRIEND A CITY ONE HAS ALREADY VISITED WE FEEL THE SAME PRIDE AS WHEN WE POINT OUT A WOMAN WHOSE LOVER WE HAVE BEEN


THE TEMPLE OF ANTONINUS AND FAUSTINA AND THE VIA SACRA THEY SAT DOWN TO DINNER SIGNOR PASTRINI HAD PROMISED THEM A BANQUET HE GAVE THEM A TOLERABLE REPAST AT THE END OF THE DINNER HE ENTERED IN PERSON


BUT AT THE FIRST WORDS HE WAS INTERRUPTED EXCELLENCY SAID PASTRINI I AM DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOUR APPROBATION BUT IT WAS NOT FOR THAT I CAME


WHEN YOU ARE TOLD ANYTHING CANNOT BE DONE THERE IS AN END OF IT IT IS MUCH MORE CONVENIENT AT PARIS WHEN ANYTHING CANNOT BE DONE YOU PAY DOUBLE AND IT IS DONE DIRECTLY THAT IS WHAT ALL THE FRENCH SAY RETURNED SIGNOR PASTRINI SOMEWHAT PIQUED


FOR THAT REASON I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY TRAVEL BUT SAID ALBERT EMITTING A VOLUME OF SMOKE AND BALANCING HIS CHAIR ON ITS HIND LEGS ONLY MADMEN


OR BLOCKHEADS LIKE US EVER DO TRAVEL MEN IN THEIR SENSES DO NOT QUIT THEIR HOTEL IN THE RUE DU HELDER THEIR WALK ON THE BOULEVARD DE GAND AND THE CAFE DE PARIS IT


SIGNOR PASTRINI REMAINED SILENT A SHORT TIME IT WAS EVIDENT THAT HE WAS MUSING OVER THIS ANSWER WHICH DID NOT SEEM VERY CLEAR BUT SAID FRANZ IN HIS TURN INTERRUPTING HIS HOST'S MEDITATIONS


YOU HAD SOME MOTIVE FOR COMING HERE MAY I BEG TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS AH YES YOU HAVE ORDERED YOUR CARRIAGE AT EIGHT O'CLOCK PRECISELY I HAVE YOU INTEND VISITING IL COLOSSEO YOU MEAN THE COLOSSEUM IT IS THE SAME THING


WHAT DO YOU NOT KNOW HIM I HAVE NOT THAT HONOR YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD HIS NAME NEVER WELL THEN HE IS A BANDIT COMPARED TO WHOM THE DECESARIS AND THE GASPARONES WERE MERE CHILDREN


NOW THEN ALBERT CRIED FRANZ HERE IS A BANDIT FOR YOU AT LAST I FOREWARN YOU SIGNOR PASTRINI THAT I SHALL NOT BELIEVE ONE WORD OF WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO TELL US HAVING TOLD YOU THIS BEGIN


ONCE UPON A TIME WELL GO ON SIGNOR PASTRINI TURNED TOWARD FRANZ WHO SEEMED TO HIM THE MORE REASONABLE OF THE TWO WE MUST DO HIM JUSTICE HE HAD HAD A GREAT MANY FRENCHMEN IN HIS HOUSE BUT HAD NEVER BEEN ABLE TO COMPREHEND THEM


EXCELLENCY SAID HE GRAVELY ADDRESSING FRANZ IF YOU LOOK UPON ME AS A LIAR IT IS USELESS FOR ME TO SAY ANYTHING IT WAS FOR YOUR INTEREST ALBERT DOES NOT SAY YOU ARE A LIAR SIGNOR PASTRINI SAID FRANZ


BUT THAT HE WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO TELL US BUT I WILL BELIEVE ALL YOU SAY SO PROCEED BUT IF YOUR EXCELLENCY DOUBT MY VERACITY SIGNOR PASTRINI RETURNED FRANZ


YOU ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE THAN CASSANDRA WHO WAS A PROPHETESS AND YET NO ONE BELIEVED HER WHILE YOU AT LEAST ARE SURE OF THE CREDENCE OF HALF YOUR AUDIENCE COME SIT DOWN AND TELL US ALL ABOUT THIS SIGNOR VAMPA


WELL WHAT HAS THIS BANDIT TO DO WITH THE ORDER I HAVE GIVEN THE COACHMAN TO LEAVE THE CITY BY THE PORTA DEL POPOLO


THIS REPLIED SIGNOR PASTRINI THAT YOU WILL GO OUT BY ONE BUT I VERY MUCH DOUBT YOUR RETURNING BY THE OTHER WHY ASKED FRANZ BECAUSE AFTER NIGHTFALL YOU ARE NOT SAFE FIFTY YARDS FROM THE GATES


ON YOUR HONOR IS THAT TRUE CRIED ALBERT COUNT RETURNED SIGNOR PASTRINI HURT AT ALBERT'S REPEATED DOUBTS OF THE TRUTH OF HIS ASSERTIONS I DO NOT SAY THIS TO YOU BUT TO YOUR COMPANION WHO KNOWS ROME


AND KNOWS TOO THAT THESE THINGS ARE NOT TO BE LAUGHED AT MY DEAR FELLOW SAID ALBERT TURNING TO FRANZ HERE IS AN ADMIRABLE ADVENTURE WE WILL FILL OUR CARRIAGE WITH PISTOLS BLUNDERBUSSES AND DOUBLE BARRELLED GUNS


LUIGI VAMPA COMES TO TAKE US AND WE TAKE HIM WE BRING HIM BACK TO ROME AND PRESENT HIM TO HIS HOLINESS THE POPE WHO ASKS HOW HE CAN REPAY SO GREAT A SERVICE THEN WE MERELY ASK FOR A CARRIAGE AND A PAIR OF HORSES AND WE SEE THE CARNIVAL IN THE CARRIAGE


AND DOUBTLESS THE ROMAN PEOPLE WILL CROWN US AT THE CAPITOL AND PROCLAIM US LIKE CURTIUS AND THE VEILED HORATIUS THE PRESERVERS OF THEIR COUNTRY


SIGNOR PASTRINI'S FACE ASSUMED AN EXPRESSION IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE AND PRAY ASKED FRANZ WHERE ARE THESE PISTOLS BLUNDERBUSSES AND OTHER DEADLY WEAPONS WITH WHICH YOU INTEND FILLING THE CARRIAGE NOT OUT OF MY ARMORY


FOR AT TERRACINA I WAS PLUNDERED EVEN OF MY HUNTING KNIFE


AND LEVEL THEIR PIECES AT YOU EH PARBLEU THEY SHOULD KILL ME THE INN KEEPER TURNED TO FRANZ WITH AN AIR THAT SEEMED TO SAY YOUR FRIEND IS DECIDEDLY MAD MY DEAR ALBERT RETURNED FRANZ


YOUR ANSWER IS SUBLIME AND WORTHY THE LET HIM DIE OF CORNEILLE ONLY WHEN HORACE MADE THAT ANSWER THE SAFETY OF ROME WAS CONCERNED


ALBERT POURED HIMSELF OUT A GLASS OF LACRYMA CHRISTI WHICH HE SIPPED AT INTERVALS MUTTERING SOME UNINTELLIGIBLE WORDS WELL SIGNOR PASTRINI SAID FRANZ NOW THAT MY COMPANION IS QUIETED AND YOU HAVE SEEN HOW PEACEFUL MY INTENTIONS ARE


TELL ME WHO IS THIS LUIGI VAMPA IS HE A SHEPHERD OR A NOBLEMAN YOUNG OR OLD TALL OR SHORT DESCRIBE HIM IN ORDER THAT IF WE MEET HIM BY CHANCE LIKE BUGABOO JOHN OR LARA WE MAY RECOGNIZE HIM


YOU COULD NOT APPLY TO ANY ONE BETTER ABLE TO INFORM YOU ON ALL THESE POINTS FOR I KNEW HIM WHEN HE WAS A CHILD AND ONE DAY THAT I FELL INTO HIS HANDS GOING FROM FERENTINO TO ALATRI HE FORTUNATELY FOR ME


RECOLLECTED ME AND SET ME FREE NOT ONLY WITHOUT RANSOM BUT MADE ME A PRESENT OF A VERY SPLENDID WATCH AND RELATED HIS HISTORY TO ME LET US SEE THE WATCH SAID ALBERT


BEARING THE NAME OF ITS MAKER OF PARISIAN MANUFACTURE AND A COUNT'S CORONET HERE IT IS SAID HE PESTE RETURNED ALBERT I COMPLIMENT YOU ON IT I HAVE ITS FELLOW HE TOOK HIS WATCH FROM HIS WAISTCOAT POCKET


AND IT COST ME THREE THOUSAND FRANCS LET US HEAR THE HISTORY SAID FRANZ MOTIONING SIGNOR PASTRINI TO SEAT HIMSELF


AT THE MOMENT SIGNOR PASTRINI WAS ABOUT TO OPEN HIS MOUTH THAT YOU KNEW LUIGI VAMPA WHEN HE WAS A CHILD


A YOUNG MAN HE IS ONLY TWO AND TWENTY HE WILL GAIN HIMSELF A REPUTATION WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT ALBERT AT TWO AND TWENTY TO BE THUS FAMOUS YES AND AT HIS AGE ALEXANDER CAESAR AND NAPOLEON


HE WAS BORN AT PAMPINARA AND ENTERED THE COUNT'S SERVICE WHEN HE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD HIS FATHER WAS ALSO A SHEPHERD WHO OWNED A SMALL FLOCK AND LIVED BY THE WOOL AND THE MILK WHICH HE SOLD AT ROME WHEN QUITE A CHILD THE LITTLE VAMPA DISPLAYED A MOST EXTRAORDINARY PRECOCITY


ONE DAY WHEN HE WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD HE CAME TO THE CURATE OF PALESTRINA AND ASKED TO BE TAUGHT TO READ IT WAS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT FOR HE COULD NOT QUIT HIS FLOCK BUT THE GOOD CURATE WENT EVERY DAY TO SAY MASS AT A LITTLE HAMLET TOO POOR TO PAY A PRIEST AND WHICH


EVERY DAY LUIGI LED HIS FLOCK TO GRAZE ON THE ROAD THAT LEADS FROM PALESTRINA TO BORGO EVERY DAY AT NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING THE PRIEST AND THE BOY SAT DOWN ON A BANK BY THE WAYSIDE


AT THE END OF A WEEK HE WROTE AS WELL WITH THIS PEN AS WITH THE STYLUS THE CURATE RELATED THE INCIDENT TO THE COUNT OF SAN FELICE WHO SENT FOR THE LITTLE SHEPHERD MADE HIM READ AND WRITE BEFORE HIM ORDERED HIS ATTENDANT TO LET HIM EAT WITH THE DOMESTICS AND TO GIVE HIM TWO PIASTRES A MONTH


WITH THIS LUIGI PURCHASED BOOKS AND PENCILS HE APPLIED HIS IMITATIVE POWERS TO EVERYTHING AND LIKE GIOTTO WHEN YOUNG HE DREW ON HIS SLATE SHEEP HOUSES AND TREES


IT WAS THUS THAT PINELLI THE FAMOUS SCULPTOR HAD COMMENCED A GIRL OF SIX OR SEVEN THAT IS A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN VAMPA TENDED SHEEP ON A FARM NEAR PALESTRINA SHE WAS AN ORPHAN BORN AT VALMONTONE AND WAS NAMED TERESA THE TWO CHILDREN MET


HAD BEEN ABLE TO GAIN ANY INFLUENCE OVER HIM OR EVEN TO BECOME HIS COMPANION HIS DISPOSITION ALWAYS INCLINED TO EXACT CONCESSIONS RATHER THAN TO MAKE THEM KEPT HIM ALOOF FROM ALL FRIENDSHIPS TERESA ALONE RULED BY A LOOK


THE TWO PIASTRES THAT LUIGI RECEIVED EVERY MONTH FROM THE COUNT OF SAN FELICE'S STEWARD AND THE PRICE OF ALL THE LITTLE CARVINGS IN WOOD HE SOLD AT ROME WERE EXPENDED IN EAR RINGS NECKLACES AND GOLD HAIRPINS SO THAT THANKS TO HER FRIEND'S GENEROSITY


TERESA WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND THE BEST ATTIRED PEASANT NEAR ROME THE TWO CHILDREN GREW UP TOGETHER PASSING ALL THEIR TIME WITH EACH OTHER AND GIVING THEMSELVES UP TO THE WILD IDEAS OF THEIR DIFFERENT CHARACTERS


THUS IN ALL THEIR DREAMS THEIR WISHES AND THEIR CONVERSATIONS VAMPA SAW HIMSELF THE CAPTAIN OF A VESSEL GENERAL OF AN ARMY OR GOVERNOR OF A PROVINCE TERESA SAW HERSELF RICH SUPERBLY ATTIRED


AND ATTENDED BY A TRAIN OF LIVERIED DOMESTICS THEN WHEN THEY HAD THUS PASSED THE DAY IN BUILDING CASTLES IN THE AIR THEY SEPARATED THEIR FLOCKS AND DESCENDED FROM THE ELEVATION OF THEIR DREAMS TO THE REALITY OF THEIR HUMBLE POSITION


AND PROWL AROUND HIS FLOCK THE STEWARD GAVE HIM A GUN THIS WAS WHAT VAMPA LONGED FOR THIS GUN HAD AN EXCELLENT BARREL MADE AT BRESCHIA AND CARRYING A BALL WITH THE PRECISION OF AN ENGLISH RIFLE BUT ONE DAY THE COUNT BROKE THE STOCK


AND HAD THEN CAST THE GUN ASIDE THIS HOWEVER WAS NOTHING TO A SCULPTOR LIKE VAMPA HE EXAMINED THE BROKEN STOCK CALCULATED WHAT CHANGE IT WOULD REQUIRE TO ADAPT THE GUN TO HIS SHOULDER AND MADE A FRESH STOCK


SO BEAUTIFULLY CARVED THAT IT WOULD HAVE FETCHED FIFTEEN OR TWENTY PIASTRES HAD HE CHOSEN TO SELL IT BUT NOTHING COULD BE FARTHER FROM HIS THOUGHTS FOR A LONG TIME A GUN HAD BEEN THE YOUNG MAN'S GREATEST AMBITION IN EVERY COUNTRY WHERE INDEPENDENCE HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF LIBERTY


THE FIRST DESIRE OF A MANLY HEART IS TO POSSESS A WEAPON WHICH AT ONCE RENDERS HIM CAPABLE OF DEFENCE OR ATTACK AND BY RENDERING ITS OWNER TERRIBLE OFTEN MAKES HIM FEARED FROM THIS MOMENT VAMPA DEVOTED ALL HIS LEISURE TIME TO PERFECTING HIMSELF IN THE USE OF HIS PRECIOUS WEAPON


HE PURCHASED POWDER AND BALL AND EVERYTHING SERVED HIM FOR A MARK THE TRUNK OF SOME OLD AND MOSS GROWN OLIVETREE THAT GREW ON THE SABINE MOUNTAINS THE FOX AS HE QUITTED HIS EARTH ON SOME MARAUDING EXCURSION THE EAGLE THAT SOARED ABOVE THEIR HEADS


AND THUS HE SOON BECAME SO EXPERT THAT TERESA OVERCAME THE TERROR SHE AT FIRST FELT AT THE REPORT AND AMUSED HERSELF BY WATCHING HIM DIRECT THE BALL WHEREVER HE PLEASED WITH AS MUCH ACCURACY AS IF HE PLACED IT BY HAND


ONE EVENING A WOLF EMERGED FROM A PINE WOOD HEAR WHICH THEY WERE USUALLY STATIONED BUT THE WOLF HAD SCARCELY ADVANCED TEN YARDS ERE HE WAS DEAD PROUD OF THIS EXPLOIT VAMPA TOOK THE DEAD ANIMAL ON HIS SHOULDERS AND CARRIED HIM TO THE FARM


THESE EXPLOITS HAD GAINED LUIGI CONSIDERABLE REPUTATION THE MAN OF SUPERIOR ABILITIES ALWAYS FINDS ADMIRERS GO WHERE HE WILL HE WAS SPOKEN OF AS THE MOST ADROIT THE STRONGEST AND THE MOST COURAGEOUS CONTADINO FOR TEN LEAGUES AROUND


AND ALTHOUGH TERESA WAS UNIVERSALLY ALLOWED TO BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL OF THE SABINES NO ONE HAD EVER SPOKEN TO HER OF LOVE BECAUSE IT WAS KNOWN THAT SHE WAS BELOVED BY VAMPA AND YET THE TWO YOUNG PEOPLE HAD NEVER DECLARED THEIR AFFECTION


THEY HAD GROWN TOGETHER LIKE TWO TREES WHOSE ROOTS ARE MINGLED WHOSE BRANCHES INTERTWINED AND WHOSE INTERMINGLED PERFUME RISES TO THE HEAVENS ONLY THEIR WISH TO SEE EACH OTHER HAD BECOME A NECESSITY AND THEY WOULD HAVE PREFERRED DEATH TO A DAY'S SEPARATION


TERESA WAS SIXTEEN AND VAMPA SEVENTEEN


THE BRIGANDS HAVE NEVER BEEN REALLY EXTIRPATED FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ROME SOMETIMES A CHIEF IS WANTED BUT WHEN A CHIEF PRESENTS HIMSELF HE RARELY HAS TO WAIT LONG FOR A BAND OF FOLLOWERS THE CELEBRATED CUCUMETTO


DRIVEN OUT OF THE KINGDOM OF NAPLES WHERE HE HAD CARRIED ON A REGULAR WAR HAD CROSSED THE GARIGLIANO LIKE MANFRED AND HAD TAKEN REFUGE ON THE BANKS OF THE AMASINE BETWEEN SONNINO AND JUPERNO


HE STROVE TO COLLECT A BAND OF FOLLOWERS AND FOLLOWED THE FOOTSTEPS OF DECESARIS AND GASPERONE WHOM HE HOPED TO SURPASS MANY YOUNG MEN OF PALESTRINA FRASCATI AND PAMPINARA HAD DISAPPEARED


THEIR DISAPPEARANCE AT FIRST CAUSED MUCH DISQUIETUDE BUT IT WAS SOON KNOWN THAT THEY HAD JOINED CUCUMETTO AFTER SOME TIME CUCUMETTO BECAME THE OBJECT OF UNIVERSAL ATTENTION


THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY TRAITS OF FEROCIOUS DARING AND BRUTALITY WERE RELATED OF HIM ONE DAY HE CARRIED OFF A YOUNG GIRL THE DAUGHTER OF A SURVEYOR OF FROSINONE THE BANDIT'S LAWS ARE POSITIVE A YOUNG GIRL BELONGS FIRST TO HIM WHO CARRIES HER OFF


THEN THE REST DRAW LOTS FOR HER AND SHE IS ABANDONED TO THEIR BRUTALITY UNTIL DEATH RELIEVES HER SUFFERINGS WHEN THEIR PARENTS ARE SUFFICIENTLY RICH TO PAY A RANSOM A MESSENGER IS SENT TO NEGOTIATE THE PRISONER IS HOSTAGE FOR THE SECURITY OF THE MESSENGER


WHEN SHE RECOGNIZED HER LOVER THE POOR GIRL EXTENDED HER ARMS TO HIM AND BELIEVED HERSELF SAFE BUT CARLINI FELT HIS HEART SINK FOR HE BUT TOO WELL KNEW THE FATE THAT AWAITED HER HOWEVER AS HE WAS A FAVORITE WITH CUCUMETTO


AS HE HAD FOR THREE YEARS FAITHFULLY SERVED HIM AND AS HE HAD SAVED HIS LIFE BY SHOOTING A DRAGOON WHO WAS ABOUT TO CUT HIM DOWN HE HOPED THE CHIEF WOULD HAVE PITY ON HIM HE TOOK CUCUMETTO ONE SIDE


WHILE THE YOUNG GIRL SEATED AT THE FOOT OF A HUGE PINE THAT STOOD IN THE CENTRE OF THE FOREST MADE A VEIL OF HER PICTURESQUE HEAD DRESS TO HIDE HER FACE FROM THE LASCIVIOUS GAZE OF THE BANDITS THERE HE TOLD THE CHIEF ALL HIS AFFECTION FOR THE PRISONER


THEIR PROMISES OF MUTUAL FIDELITY AND HOW EVERY NIGHT SINCE HE HAD BEEN NEAR THEY HAD MET IN SOME NEIGHBORING RUINS


CUCUMETTO SEEMED TO YIELD TO HIS FRIEND'S ENTREATIES AND BADE HIM FIND A SHEPHERD TO SEND TO RITA'S FATHER AT FROSINONE CARLINI FLEW JOYFULLY TO RITA TELLING HER SHE WAS SAVED AND BIDDING HER WRITE TO HER FATHER TO INFORM HIM WHAT HAD OCCURRED


AND THAT HER RANSOM WAS FIXED AT THREE HUNDRED PIASTRES TWELVE HOURS DELAY WAS ALL THAT WAS GRANTED THAT IS UNTIL NINE THE NEXT MORNING THE INSTANT THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN CARLINI SEIZED IT AND HASTENED TO THE PLAIN TO FIND A MESSENGER


HE FOUND A YOUNG SHEPHERD WATCHING HIS FLOCK THE NATURAL MESSENGERS OF THE BANDITS ARE THE SHEPHERDS WHO LIVE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE MOUNTAINS BETWEEN CIVILIZED AND SAVAGE LIFE THE BOY UNDERTOOK THE COMMISSION PROMISING TO BE IN FROSINONE IN LESS THAN AN HOUR


CARLINI RETURNED ANXIOUS TO SEE HIS MISTRESS AND ANNOUNCE THE JOYFUL INTELLIGENCE HE FOUND THE TROOP IN THE GLADE SUPPING OFF THE PROVISIONS EXACTED AS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE PEASANTS BUT HIS EYE VAINLY SOUGHT RITA AND CUCUMETTO AMONG THEM


SAYING TO THE HEALTH OF THE BRAVE CUCUMETTO AND THE FAIR RITA AT THIS MOMENT CARLINI HEARD A WOMAN'S CRY HE DIVINED THE TRUTH SEIZED THE GLASS BROKE IT ACROSS THE FACE OF HIM WHO PRESENTED IT AND RUSHED TOWARDS THE SPOT


WHENCE THE CRY CAME AFTER A HUNDRED YARDS HE TURNED THE CORNER OF THE THICKET HE FOUND RITA SENSELESS IN THE ARMS OF CUCUMETTO AT THE SIGHT OF CARLINI CUCUMETTO ROSE A PISTOL IN EACH HAND THE TWO BRIGANDS LOOKED AT EACH OTHER FOR A MOMENT


THE ONE WITH A SMILE OF LASCIVIOUSNESS ON HIS LIPS THE OTHER WITH THE PALLOR OF DEATH ON HIS BROW A TERRIBLE BATTLE BETWEEN THE TWO MEN SEEMED IMMINENT BUT BY DEGREES CARLINI'S FEATURES RELAXED HIS HAND WHICH HAD GRASPED ONE OF THE PISTOLS IN HIS BELT


THIS YOUNG GIRL IS CHARMING AND DOES CREDIT TO YOUR TASTE NOW AS I AM NOT EGOTISTICAL WE WILL RETURN TO OUR COMRADES AND DRAW LOTS FOR HER HAVE DETERMINED THEN TO ABANDON HER TO THE COMMON LAW SAID CARLINI


WHY SHOULD AN EXCEPTION BE MADE IN HER FAVOR I THOUGHT THAT MY ENTREATIES' WHAT RIGHT HAVE YOU ANY MORE THAN THE REST TO ASK FOR AN EXCEPTION IS TRUE


CONTINUED CUCUMETTO LAUGHING SOONER OR LATER YOUR TURN WILL COME CARLINI'S TEETH CLINCHED CONVULSIVELY NOW THEN SAID CUCUMETTO ADVANCING TOWARDS THE OTHER BANDITS ARE YOU COMING


HE CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THE PATH TO THE GLADE BUT TO HIS GREAT SURPRISE CARLINI ARRIVED ALMOST AS SOON AS HIMSELF LET US DRAW LOTS LET US DRAW LOTS CRIED ALL THE BRIGANDS WHEN THEY SAW THE CHIEF


THEIR DEMAND WAS FAIR AND THE CHIEF INCLINED HIS HEAD IN SIGN OF ACQUIESCENCE THE EYES OF ALL SHONE FIERCELY AS THEY MADE THEIR DEMAND AND THE RED LIGHT OF THE FIRE MADE THEM LOOK LIKE DEMONS THE NAMES OF ALL INCLUDING CARLINI WERE PLACED IN A HAT


AND THE YOUNGEST OF THE BAND DREW FORTH A TICKET THE TICKET BORE THE NAME OF DIOVOLACCIO HE WAS THE MAN WHO HAD PROPOSED TO CARLINI THE HEALTH OF THEIR CHIEF


AND TO WHOM CARLINI REPLIED BY BREAKING THE GLASS ACROSS HIS FACE A LARGE WOUND EXTENDING FROM THE TEMPLE TO THE MOUTH WAS BLEEDING PROFUSELY DIOVALACCIO SEEING HIMSELF THUS FAVORED BY FORTUNE BURST INTO A LOUD LAUGH CAPTAIN


DIAVOLACCIO SAID HE CALMLY AND HE DRANK IT OFF WITHOUT HIS HAND TREMBLING IN THE LEAST THEN SITTING DOWN BY THE FIRE MY SUPPER SAID HE MY EXPEDITION HAS GIVEN ME AN APPETITE


THAT IS ACTING LIKE A GOOD FELLOW AND THEY ALL FORMED A CIRCLE ROUND THE FIRE


CARLINI ATE AND DRANK AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED THE BANDITS LOOKED ON WITH ASTONISHMENT AT THIS SINGULAR CONDUCT UNTIL THEY HEARD FOOTSTEPS THEY TURNED ROUND


THAT EVERY ONE ROSE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CARLINI WHO REMAINED SEATED AND ATE AND DRANK CALMLY DIAVOLACCIO ADVANCED AMIDST THE MOST PROFOUND SILENCE AND LAID RITA AT THE CAPTAIN'S FEET


I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY CARLINI STAYED BEHIND ALL SAVAGE NATURES APPRECIATE A DESPERATE DEED NO OTHER OF THE BANDITS WOULD PERHAPS HAVE DONE THE SAME BUT THEY ALL UNDERSTOOD WHAT CARLINI HAD DONE NOW THEN CRIED CARLINI


RISING IN HIS TURN AND APPROACHING THE CORPSE HIS HAND ON THE BUTT OF ONE OF HIS PISTOLS DOES ANY ONE DISPUTE THE POSSESSION OF THIS WOMAN WITH ME


RETURNED THE CHIEF SHE IS THINE CARLINI RAISED HER IN HIS ARMS AND CARRIED HER OUT OF THE CIRCLE OF FIRELIGHT CUCUMETTO PLACED HIS SENTINELS FOR THE NIGHT AND THE BANDITS WRAPPED THEMSELVES IN THEIR CLOAKS AND LAY DOWN BEFORE THE FIRE


AT MIDNIGHT THE SENTINEL GAVE THE ALARM AND IN AN INSTANT ALL WERE ON THE ALERT IT WAS RITA'S FATHER WHO BROUGHT HIS DAUGHTER'S RANSOM IN PERSON HERE SAID HE TO CUCUMETTO HERE ARE THREE HUNDRED PIASTRES GIVE ME BACK MY CHILD


BUT THE CHIEF WITHOUT TAKING THE MONEY


THE OLD MAN OBEYED THEY BOTH ADVANCED BENEATH THE TREES THROUGH WHOSE BRANCHES STREAMED THE MOONLIGHT CUCUMETTO STOPPED AT LAST AND POINTED TO TWO PERSONS GROUPED AT THE FOOT OF A TREE THERE SAID HE DEMAND THY CHILD OF CARLINI


HE WILL TELL THEE WHAT HAS BECOME OF HER AND HE RETURNED TO HIS COMPANIONS THE OLD MAN REMAINED MOTIONLESS HE FELT THAT SOME GREAT AND UNFORESEEN MISFORTUNE HUNG OVER HIS HEAD AT LENGTH HE ADVANCED TOWARD THE GROUP THE MEANING OF WHICH HE COULD NOT COMPREHEND


AS HE APPROACHED CARLINI RAISED HIS HEAD AND THE FORMS OF TWO PERSONS BECAME VISIBLE TO THE OLD MAN'S EYES A WOMAN LAY ON THE GROUND HER HEAD RESTING ON THE KNEES OF A MAN WHO WAS SEATED BY HER AS HE RAISED HIS HEAD


THE WOMAN'S FACE BECAME VISIBLE THE OLD MAN RECOGNIZED HIS CHILD AND CARLINI RECOGNIZED THE OLD MAN I EXPECTED THEE SAID THE BANDIT TO RITA'S FATHER


I LOVED HER THEREFORE I SLEW HER FOR SHE WOULD HAVE SERVED AS THE SPORT OF THE WHOLE BAND THE OLD MAN SPOKE NOT AND GREW PALE AS DEATH NOW CONTINUED CARLINI IF I HAVE DONE WRONGLY AVENGE HER


AND WITHDRAWING THE KNIFE FROM THE WOUND IN RITA'S BOSOM HE HELD IT OUT TO THE OLD MAN WITH ONE HAND WHILE WITH THE OTHER HE TORE OPEN HIS VEST


RETURNED THE OLD MAN IN A HOARSE VOICE EMBRACE ME MY SON CARLINI THREW HIMSELF SOBBING LIKE A CHILD INTO THE ARMS OF HIS MISTRESS'S FATHER THESE WERE THE FIRST TEARS THE MAN OF BLOOD HAD EVER WEPT NOW SAID THE OLD MAN


AID ME TO BURY MY CHILD CARLINI FETCHED TWO PICKAXES AND THE FATHER AND THE LOVER BEGAN TO DIG AT THE FOOT OF A HUGE OAK BENEATH WHICH THE YOUNG GIRL WAS TO REPOSE WHEN THE GRAVE WAS FORMED THE FATHER KISSED HER FIRST AND THEN THE LOVER


THEN EXTENDING HIS HAND THE OLD MAN SAID I THANK YOU MY SON AND NOW LEAVE ME ALONE


I COMMAND YOU CARLINI OBEYED REJOINED HIS COMRADES FOLDED HIMSELF IN HIS CLOAK AND SOON APPEARED TO SLEEP AS SOUNDLY AS THE REST IT HAD BEEN RESOLVED THE NIGHT BEFORE TO CHANGE THEIR ENCAMPMENT


AN HOUR BEFORE DAYBREAK CUCUMETTO AROUSED HIS MEN AND GAVE THE WORD TO MARCH BUT CARLINI WOULD NOT QUIT THE FOREST WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT HAD BECOME OF RITA'S FATHER HE WENT TOWARD THE PLACE WHERE HE HAD LEFT HIM


HE FOUND THE OLD MAN SUSPENDED FROM ONE OF THE BRANCHES OF THE OAK WHICH SHADED HIS DAUGHTER'S GRAVE HE THEN TOOK AN OATH OF BITTER VENGEANCE OVER THE DEAD BODY OF THE ONE AND THE TOMB OF THE OTHER


HE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A BALL BETWEEN HIS SHOULDERS THAT ASTONISHMENT CEASED WHEN ONE OF THE BRIGANDS REMARKED TO HIS COMRADES THAT CUCUMETTO WAS STATIONED TEN PACES IN CARLINI'S REAR WHEN HE FELL ON THE MORNING OF THE DEPARTURE FROM THE FOREST OF FROSINONE


WOMAN'S VANITY OFTEN OUTRUNS HER NATURAL DIFFIDENCE AND THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF HER GREAT BEAUTY STIFLES THE CONSCIENCE OF MODESTY VISITORS TO THE ACADEMY KNOW THE PICTURE CIRCE SEATED


WITH HER BACK TO A GREAT CIRCULAR MIRROR PRESENTS A HALF DRAPED FIGURE OF MARVELLOUS DELICATE COLOURING AND BEAUTY OF OUTLINE ONE HAND HOLDS ALOFT A GOLDEN WINE GOBLET AND THE OTHER A TAPERING WAND


WHILE UPON THE TESSELATED PAVEMENT BEFORE THE DAIS PURPLE GRAPES AND YELLOW ROSES HAVE BEEN STREWN THE BLACK HAIR OF THE DAUGHTER OF PERSEIS FALLS IN PROFUSION ABOUT HER BARE SHOULDERS AND STRAYS OVER HER BREAST


BUT HER FEATURES ARE HIDDEN BY A HALF MASK OF BLACK SILK THE LIPS WITH THEIR ARC DE CUPIDON ARE SLIGHTLY PARTED DISCLOSING AN EVEN ROW OF PEARLY TEETH


OF THE THOUSANDS WHO HAVE GAZED UPON IT IN ADMIRATION NONE KNOWS THE SOMEWHAT REMARKABLE STORY CONNECTED WITH IT AS I HAVE BEEN CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH IT FROM THE DAY IT WAS OUTLINED IN CHARCOAL


UNTIL THE EVENING IT WAS PACKED IN A CRATE AND SENT FOR THE INSPECTION OF THE HANGING COMMITTEE IT IS PERHAPS APROPOS THAT I SHOULD RELATE THE NARRATIVE THE STUDIO OF MY OLD FRIEND DICK CARRUTHERS THE MAN WHO PAINTED IT


IS ON CAMPDEN HILL KENSINGTON WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED YARDS OF WHERE I RESIDE AND IN THE CENTRE OF AN AESTHETIC ARTISTIC COLONY WE HAVE BEEN CHUMS FOR YEARS FOR ON MANY OCCASIONS HE HAS DISPLAYED HIS TALENT AS A BLACK AND WHITE ARTIST


IN ILLUSTRATING MY ARTICLES AND STORIES IN VARIOUS MAGAZINES HE IS A POPULAR PAINTER AND AS HANDSOME A MAN AS EVER HAD A PICTURE ON THE LINE THREE YEARS AGO WHEN THE PROLOGUE OF THIS SECRET DRAMA WAS ENACTED


HE WAS IN THE HABIT OF COMING OVER WHEN THE LIGHT HAD FADED TO SMOKE A CIGARETTE AND DISCUSS ART AND LITERATURE WITH ME I WAS GLAD OF A CHAT AFTER A HARD DAY'S WORK AT MY WRITING TABLE BUT HIS COMPANIONSHIP HAD ONE DRAWBACK


HE DRIVELLED OVER A GIRL HE LOVED AND WAS FOREVER SUGGESTING THAT I MIGHT TAKE HER AS A CHARACTER AND DRAG HER INTO THE NOVEL UPON WHICH I WAS ENGAGED ONE DAY HE DREW A CABINET PHOTOGRAPH CAREFULLY FROM HIS POCKET


AND PLACED IT UPON THE BLOTTING PAD BEFORE ME THE GIRL HE LOVED BAH I KNEW HER THOUGH I DID NOT TELL HIM SO SHE WAS A DARK HAIRED PINK AND WHITE BEAUTY THAT FLITTED THROUGH ARTISTIC BOHEMIA LIKE A BUTTERFLY IN A HOTHOUSE


THE SIGHT OF THE PICTURED FACE BROUGHT BACK TO ME THE MEMORY OF DAYS LONG PAST OF A CLOSED CHAPTER IN MY LIFE'S HISTORY I REMEMBERED THE FIRST TIME I SAW ETHEL BROUGHTON FULLY FIVE YEARS BEFORE SHE WORE A SOILED PINK WRAPPER


HER SATIN SLIPPERS WERE TRODDEN DOWN AT HEEL AND SHE HAD A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE AT HER ELBOW AT THAT TIME HER LOVER GRANDILOQUENT AND IMPECUNIOUS MISTER HARRY ORANMORE A BAD BUT HANDSOME ACTOR HAD BEEN UNTRUE TO HER


AND SHE A THIRD RATE ACTRESS WHO HAD AN INGENUE PART AT A STRAND THEATRE


BUT SHE SCARCELY HEEDED ME PROBABLY SHE WAS THINKING OF ORANMORE FOR SHE CLASPED HER SLIM FINGERS ROUND HER SUFFERING THROAT AND OFFERED UP AN OCCASIONAL SOB FOLLOWING IT WITH A SILENT BUT PROTRACTED DRAUGHT FROM HER GLASS


THE RESULT OF THIS INTERVIEW WAS BUT NATURAL DAZZLED BY HER BEAUTY I SYMPATHISED WITH HER ENDEAVOURED TO CHEER HER AND CONCLUDED BY FALLING VIOLENTLY IN LOVE WITH HER AT THAT TIME I WAS WRITING NUMBERS OF DRAMATIC CRITICISMS


AND I CONFESS I USED WHAT WEIGHT MY OPINIONS POSSESSED FOR THE PURPOSE OF HER ADVANCEMENT IT IS NEEDLESS TO REFER TO THE SMOOTH AND UNINTERRUPTED COURSE OF OUR LOVE SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT WE WERE BOTH BOHEMIANS


AND THAT WITHIN A YEAR I HAD THE SATISFACTION OF SITTING BEFORE THE FOOTLIGHTS WATCHING HER MAKE HER DEBUT AS LEADING LADY AT A WEST END THEATRE AND A FEW DAYS LATER OF OBSERVING HER PHOTOGRAPH EXHIBITED IN SHOP WINDOWS AMONG THOSE OF OTHER STAGE BEAUTIES


BUT ALAS THOSE HALCYON DAYS WERE ALL TOO BRIEF SUDDENLY THE SCALES FELL FROM MY EYES A SCENE OCCURRED BETWEEN US AND WE PARTED TO THINK THAT SIN SHOULD LIE FOR YEARS IN THE BLOOD


JUST AS ARSENIC DOES IN A CORPSE WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT DICK CARRUTHERS WAS WASTING THE VERY HONEST AND ARDENT EMOTIONS OF HIS HEART AT THIS FEVERISH FAIRY'S SHRINE I RESOLVED TO TAKE HIM ASIDE AND WITHOUT ADMITTING THAT I KNEW HER


GIVE HIM A VERBAL DRUBBING I DID SO BUT HE BIT HIS MOUSTACHE FIERCELY AND TURNED UPON ME SHE IS CHARMING HE SAID AND I LOVE HER AH I KNOW THE TYPE


YOU KNOW NOTHING OLD FELLOW HE EXCLAIMED FLUSHING ANGRILY BUT HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS


YOU SHALL SEE HER BEFORE LONG HIS GAZE GREW BRIGHT SOFT AND VAGUE AS ONE WHO CATCHES GLIMPSES OF THE FLOATING GARMENTS OF SUPERNATURAL MYSTERIES AH SHE IS LOVELY ONLY AN ARTIST CAN APPRECIATE HER BEAUTY


HEEDLESS OF EVERYTHING UNDER THE SPELL SHE HAD CAST ABOUT HIM ONE NIGHT NOT LONG AFTER I HAD EXPRESSED MY SENTIMENTS TO HIM REGARDING HIS INFATUATION I ENTERED HIS STUDIO AND FOUND HIS GODDESS SEATED BY THE FIRE WITH HER SHAPELY FEET UPON THE FENDER


AND HOLDING A LIGHTED CIGARETTE BETWEEN HER DAINTY FINGERS DICK FLUNG DOWN HIS PALETTE AND CAME FORWARD TO INTRODUCE ME HER DARK EYES MET MINE AND WE TACITLY AGREED NOT TO RECOGNISE EACH OTHER THEREFORE WE BOWED AS PERFECT STRANGERS


I CAUGHT HER GLANCING FURTIVELY AT ME UNDER HER LONG LASHES SHE HAD GROWN EVEN HANDSOMER THAN WHEN LAST I HAD SEEN HER AND WAS THE PICTURE OF THE ROMANTIC BOHEMIENNE HER DRESS WAS OF BLACK GAUZE THROUGH WHICH THE MILKY WHITENESS OF HER FIGURE SEEMED TO SHINE


YET AS SHE TURNED HER BEAUTIFUL FACE TOWARDS ME I WAS STRUCK BY THE COMPLETE EFFECT OF PHYSICAL AND MORAL FRAILTY THAT SHE PRESENTED SHE EXPRESSED PLEASURE AT MEETING ME REMARKING THAT SHE HAD READ MY LAST NOVEL AND HAD BEEN KEENLY INTERESTED IN IT


WHEN I HAD BRIEFLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE COMPLIMENT SHE PAID ME SHE SAID ONE THING ALWAYS STRIKES ME IN READING YOUR STORIES YOUR WOMEN ARE INEVITABLY FALSE AND FICKLE PERHAPS HOWEVER YOU WRITE FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE


OF THE FAILINGS OF MY SEX SHE LAUGHED GLANCING SHARPLY AT HER I SAW THAT HER EYES DID NOT WAVER IT IS TRUE I ONCE KNEW A WOMAN WHO PROVED FALSE AND INFAMOUS I REPLIED WITH SOME EMPHASIS


AND YOU AVENGE YOURSELF BY REVILING ALL OF US IT IS REALLY TOO BAD SHE SAID POUTING LIKE A SPOILED CHILD BY JOVE OLD FELLOW DICK CHIMED IN DO TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROMANCE IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW THE REASON


YOU SET YOUR FACE AGAINST ALL THE FAIR ONES BUT I SUCCEEDED IN TURNING THE CONVERSATION INTO ANOTHER CHANNEL


SO MAKING AN EXCUSE I BADE THEM AU REVOIR AND RETURNED TO MY OWN BOOK LINED DEN UNLOCKING A DRAWER IN MY WRITING TABLE I TOOK OUT A PACKET OF LETTERS THAT STILL EMITTED A STALE ODOUR OF VIOLETS


THEN I LIT MY PIPE AND ONE BY ONE READ THEM THROUGH PAUSING AND PONDERING OVER THE DECLARATIONS OF PASSIONATE LOVE THEY CONTAINED FAR INTO THE NIGHT I SAT REVIEWING THE ROMANCE OF BYGONE DAYS UNTIL I CAME TO THE LAST LETTER


IT WAS A COLD FORMAL NOTE MERELY A FEW LINES OF HURRIED SCRAWL AND READ YOU ARE RIGHT I HAVE BEEN FALSE TO YOU THINK NO MORE OF ME BY THE TIME YOU RECEIVE THIS I SHALL BE ON MY WAY TO NEW YORK


NEVERTHELESS YOU WILL BE ALWAYS REMEMBERED BY YOURS UNWORTHILY ETHEL BITTER MEMORIES OF THE PAST OVERWHELMED ME BUT AT LAST GROWING IMPATIENT AND TOSSING THE LETTERS BACK INTO THE DRAWER


I STROVE TO FORGET THE CLOCK HAD STRUCK TWO AND MY READING LAMP WAS BURNING LOW AND SPUTTERING WHEN I ROSE TO RETIRE FOR THE NIGHT I CONFESS THAT MY FRAME OF MIND SURPRISED ME INASMUCH AS I ACTUALLY FOUND MYSELF


STILL LOVING HER GOOD AFTERNOON I HOPE I DON'T DISTURB YOU LOOKING UP FROM MY WORK I SAW ETHEL NOT AT ALL PRAY SIT DOWN I SAID COLDLY


MOTIONING HER TO AN ARMCHAIR TO WHAT DO I OWE THE HONOUR OF THIS VISIT SHE PULLED OFF HER LONG GLOVES AND LET HER SEALSKIN CAPE FALL AT HER FEET WHILE I PUT DOWN MY PEN AND RISING STOOD WITH MY BACK TO THE FIRE


WITH HER SHE HAD BROUGHT THE ODOUR OF VIOLETS THE SAME THAT I REMEMBERED YEARS AGO THE SAME PERFUME THAT ALWAYS STIRRED SAD MEMORIES WITHIN ME YOU DON'T WELCOME ME VERY WARMLY SHE SAID IN A DISAPPOINTED TONE


AS SHE GRASPED MY HAND AND LOOKED STEADILY INTO MY EYES NO I SAID STERNLY LAST NIGHT I TOLD YOU THAT A WOMAN HAD EMBITTERED MY LIFE THE WOMAN I REFERRED TO WAS YOURSELF AH


SHE SAID STRIVING TO SUPPRESS A SOB FORGIVE ME I I WAS MAD THEN I LOVED YOU BUT I DID NOT APPREHEND THE CONSEQUENCE LOVE WHAT NONSENSE TO SPEAK OF IT WHEN THROUGH YOUR BASENESS


I HAVE BEEN ALMOST RUINED THINK OF YOUR ACTIONS ON THE DAY BEFORE YOU LEFT ME HOW YOU TOOK FROM THAT DRAWER A SIGNED BLANK CHEQUE WITH WHICH YOU DREW SIX HUNDRED POUNDS NEARLY ALL THE MONEY I POSSESSED AND THEN FLED WITH YOUR LOVER


IS THAT THE WAY A WOMAN SHOWS HER AFFECTION HER HEAD WAS BOWED IN HUMILIATION FORGIVE ME HAROLD SHE SAID WITH INTENSE EARNESTNESS I ADMIT THAT I WRONGED YOU CRUELLY THAT I DISCARDED THE HONEST LOVE YOU GAVE ME


BUT YOU YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW WEAK WE WOMEN ARE WHEN TEMPTATION IS IN OUR PATH CANNOT I NOW MAKE AMENDS I SHOOK MY HEAD SADLY


SHE IMPLORED TEARFULLY AT LEAST I AM HONEST MY OBJECT IN COMING THIS AFTERNOON WAS TO REPAY THE MONEY I I BORROWED


I ASKED HESITATING TO RECEIVE IT I HAVE EARNED IT HONESTLY EVERY PENNY SHE REPLIED SINCE WE PARTED I HAVE BECOME POPULAR IN AMERICA AND PLAYED LEAD IN NEARLY ALL THE GREAT CITIES


DURING THE YEARS THAT HAVE GONE I HAVE MANY MANY TIMES WONDERED WHAT HAD BECOME OF YOU FOR IN YOUR WRITINGS I READ PLAINLY HOW SOURED AND EMBITTERED YOU HAD BECOME AND WHERE IS ORANMORE DEAD


HE CONTRACTED TYPHOID WHILE WE WERE PLAYING IN SAN FRANCISCO AND IT TERMINATED FATALLY ETHEL I SAID GRAVELY TAKING HER HAND IN MINE YOU HAVE FASCINATED DICK CARRUTHERS MY FRIEND


AND YOU WILL TREAT HIM AS YOU TREATED ME NO NO I LOVE HIM SHE SAID IN A FIERCE HALF WHISPER ADDING


I WILL BE TRUE TO HIM IF HE MARRIES ME HE SHALL NEVER HAVE CAUSE FOR REGRET NEVER SUPPOSE I TOLD HIM WHAT WOULD HE THINK OF YOU YOU WILL NOT SHE CRIED CLINGING TO ME YOU ARE TOO HONOURABLE FOR THAT


PROMISE TO KEEP MY SECRET FOR THE PRESENT I WILL PRESERVE SILENCE I ANSWERED MY HEART SOFTENING TOWARDS HER BUT I CANNOT PROMISE THAT I WILL NEVER TELL HIM


WHAT CHARACTER DO YOU THINK WOULD BEST SUIT ME WELL


THE WOMAN WHO BROKE MEN'S HEARTS I REPLIED MISCHIEVOUSLY EXCELLENT I SHALL BE ABLE TO ASSUME THAT CHARACTER WELL SHE SAID WITH A GRIM SMILE I WILL TELL HIM SPRING CAME AND WENT


BUT I SAW VERY LITTLE OF DICK HE HAD RECEIVED A COMMISSION FROM ONE OF THE ILLUSTRATED PAPERS TO MAKE A SERIES OF SKETCHES OF SCENERY IN SCOTLAND


WHENEVER HE PAID FLYING VISITS TO LONDON HOWEVER HE ALWAYS LOOKED ME UP BUT STRANGELY ENOUGH NEVER MENTIONED ETHEL NEVERTHELESS I ASCERTAINED THAT THEY FREQUENTLY MET


AT THE CLOSE OF A BLUE SUMMER'S DAY WHEN THE DREAMY GOLDEN HAZE WRAPPED THE CITY IN A MYSTIC CHARM I CALLED AT THE STUDIO HAVING HEARD THAT HE HAD RETURNED AND WAS SETTLING DOWN TO WORK WHEN I ENTERED DICK WAS STANDING BEFORE HIS EASEL


PIPE IN MOUTH AND CRAYON IN HAND BUSILY SKETCHING WHILE ON THE RAISED THRONE BEFORE HIM SAT ETHEL RADIANT AND BEAUTIFUL A TENDER SMILE PLAYED ABOUT HER LIPS IT SEEMED AS THOUGH A HAPPINESS FULL COMPLETE


PERFECTLY SATISFYING HAD TAKEN POSSESSION OF HER AND LIFTED HER OUT OF HERSELF OUT OF THE WORLD EVEN WELCOME OLD FELLOW DICK CRIED


ETHEL WILL NOT SIT FOR ANY OTHER SUBJECT IT HARDLY DOES HER JUSTICE DOES IT IT IS A STRANGE FANCY OF MINE SHE EXPLAINED WHEN I HAD GREETED HER I'M SURE THE DRESS IS VERY BECOMING ISN'T IT


AND SHE WAVED THE GOBLET SHE WAS HOLDING ABOVE HER HEAD YOUR POSE IS PERFECT DEAR PLEASE DON'T ALTER IT URGED THE ARTIST WHO ADVANCING TO HIS EASEL AGAIN CONTINUED THE FREE RAPID OUTLINE


PRESENTLY SHE REAPPEARED AND WE WENT TO DINE TOGETHER AT A RESTAURANT IN PICCADILLY AFTERWARDS VISITING A THEATRE AND SPENDING A VERY PLEASANT EVENING POOR DICK I WAS SORRY THAT HE WAS SO INFATUATED


HE WAS SUCH A LARGE HEARTED HONEST FELLOW THAT I FELT QUITE PAINED WHEN I ANTICIPATED THE AWAKENING THAT MUST INEVITABLY COME SOONER OR LATER HE KNEW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OF HER PAST AND WAS QUITE IGNORANT THAT SHE HAD BEEN A POPULAR ACTRESS


IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED I VISITED THE STUDIO ALMOST DAILY AND WATCHED THE GROWTH OF THE PICTURE


THE DELICATE TINTS OF THE NECK AND ARMS WERE REPRODUCED WITH A SKILL THAT BETRAYED THE MASTER HAND


I RETURNED HOME FROM A STROLL ACROSS KENSINGTON GARDENS


HEARD SOME ONE PLAYING UPON MY PIANO AND A SWEET SOPRANO VOICE SINGING TROTERE'S IN OLD MADRID I RECOGNISED THE CLEAR TONES AS THOSE OF ETHEL AH HAROLD SHE CRIED JUMPING UP AS I ENTERED THE ROOM


I WAS AMUSING MYSELF UNTIL YOUR RETURN I I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU WELL WHAT IS IT I ASKED RATHER SURPRISED CANNOT YOU GUESS DICK HAS ASKED ME TO BECOME HIS WIFE SHE SAID IN A LOW TONE


THE THING'S IMPOSSIBLE I CRIED WARMLY I WILL NOT ALLOW IT YOU MAY BE FRIENDS BUT HE SHALL NEVER MARRY YOU HOW CRUEL YOU ARE SHE SAID WITH A TOUCH OF SADNESS BUT AFTER ALL YOUR APPREHENSIONS ARE GROUNDLESS


I HAVE REFUSED REFUSED WHY FOR REASONS OF MY OWN


IF IF HE SPEAKS TO YOU URGE HIM TO ABANDON THOUGHTS OF LOVE AND REGARD ME AS A FRIEND ONLY YOU ARE AT LEAST SENSIBLE ETHEL I SAID IT IS GRATIFYING TO KNOW THAT YOU RECOGNISE THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF SUCH AN UNION


TEARS WELLED IN HER EYES SHE NODDED BUT DID NOT REPLY A DRY GREY DAY IN MARCH IT WAS SHOW SUNDAY THAT INSTITUTION IN THE ART WORLD WHEN THE PAINTER OPENS HIS STUDIO TO HIS FRIENDS AND THE PUBLIC


TO SHOW THEM THE PICTURE HE IS ABOUT TO SEND TO THE ACADEMY THE EXHIBITION IS IN MANY INSTANCES BUT THE SHOWING BEFOREHAND OF THE GARLANDS OF VICTORY IN A BATTLE WHICH IS DOOMED TO BE LOST FOR WHEN THE OPENING DAY COMES


HAS NO SUCH ORDEAL TO FACE HE NEVER READS HIS NEW ROMANCE TO HIS FRIENDS NOR DO HIS WELL WISHERS APPLAUD IN ADVANCE REVIEWERS HAVE FIRST TILT AT ADVANCE COPIES AND VERY PROPERLY


FROM MORN TILL EVE ON SHOW SUNDAY CAMPDEN HILL IS ALWAYS BLOCKED BY THE CARRIAGES OF THE CURIOUS AND STUDIOS ARE BESIEGED BY FASHIONABLE CROWDS WHOSE CHATTER AND LAUGHTER MINGLES PLEASANTLY WITH THE CLINKING OF TEA CUPS


ON THIS OCCASION AS ON PREVIOUS ONES I ASSISTED DICK TO RECEIVE HIS VISITORS BUT UNFORTUNATELY ETHEL HAD BEEN TAKEN SUDDENLY UNWELL AND COULD NOT ATTEND MY ANTICIPATIONS PROVED CORRECT


THE OPINIONS OF CRITICS WHO DROPPED IN WERE UNANIMOUS THAT IT WAS THE ARTIST'S MASTERPIECE AND THAT THE EXPRESSION AND GENERAL CONCEPTION WERE MARVELLOUS A VERDICT ENDORSED BY GUSHING SOCIETY WOMEN BORED CLUB MEN AND THE INANE JEUNESSE DOREE


A SCRAP OF CONVERSATION I OVERHEARD IN THE COURSE OF THE AFTERNOON HOWEVER CAUSED ME TO PONDER AN ELDERLY MAN EVIDENTLY A FOREIGNER WEARING THE VIOLET RIBBON OF THE FRENCH ACADEMY IN HIS BUTTONHOLE


WAS STANDING WITH A YOUNG GIRL IN THE CROWD AROUND THE EASEL WHY LOOK PAPA THAT FACE THE GIRL CRIED WHEN HER EYES FELL UPON THE CANVAS IT IS HER PORTRAIT SURELY THE SIGNORE CANNOT KNOW DIO


EXCLAIMED THE OLD MAN EVIDENTLY RECOGNISING THE FEATURES THE PICTURE IS INDEED MAGNIFICENT


COME AWAY ZELIE LET US GO I HEARD NO MORE FOR THEY TURNED AND LEFT HAVING ACTED AS EAVESDROPPER I COULD HARDLY QUESTION THEM NEVERTHELESS I WAS SORELY PUZZLED LOOK READ THAT


IN SURPRISE I GLANCED UP FROM MY WORK OF ROMANCE WEAVING ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND SAW DICK PALE AND AGITATED STANDING AT MY ELBOW THE LETTER HE PLACED BEFORE ME WAS IN A WOMAN'S HAND AND EMITTED THE FAINTEST BREATH OF VIOLETS


A GLANCE WAS SUFFICIENT TO RECOGNISE THAT THE SPRAWLY WRITING WAS ETHEL'S TAKING IT UP I EAGERLY READ THE FOLLOWING LINES IT CONTAINED DEAR DICK I REGRET TO TELL YOU THAT CIRCUMSTANCES PRECLUDE ME FROM EVER MEETING YOU AGAIN


I AM GOING FAR AWAY WHERE YOU CANNOT FIND ME IT WAS FOOLISH FOR US TO HAVE LOVED THEREFORE FORGET ME THAT YOU MAY MEET SOME ONE FAR WORTHIER THAN MYSELF


MAY BRING YOU FAME AND FORTUNE IS THE MOST SINCERE HOPE OF YOUR MODELS ETHEL I WARNED YOU AGAINST YOUR INFATUATION OLD FELLOW I SAID SERIOUSLY BUT I COULDN'T HELP IT I I LOVED HER


WHILE HIS FACE ASSUMED A HARD DETERMINED EXPRESSION


AND SHE HAD HER FOOT UPON MY NECK BUT IT IS ALL OVER HE ADDED BITTERLY I SHALL THINK NO MORE OF HER THEN HE WISHED ME AN ABRUPT FAREWELL AND LEFT


THAT EVENING I CALLED AT DICK'S HOUSE BUT WAS INFORMED BY HIS HOUSEKEEPER THAT HE HAD PACKED HIS BAG AND DEPARTED STATING THAT HE WOULD NOT RETURN FOR AT LEAST A MONTH PERHAPS LONGER WHEN I ENTERED THE STUDIO GLOOMY IN THE TWILIGHT


AND THAT IT WAS STANDING IN A CORNER WITH ITS FACE TO THE WALL


AND WHEN I DID SO I DISCOVERED TO MY DISMAY THAT IN HIS FRENZY OF MAD DESPAIR


AND DRAWN IT ACROSS THE FACE MAKING A GREAT UGLY DISFIGURING DAUB OVER THE FOREHEAD AND EYEBROWS UTTERLY RUINING THE FEATURES AND PRODUCING A CURIOUSLY FORBIDDING EFFECT THE COLOUR WAS NOT DRY


THEREFORE I WAS ENABLED TO REMOVE THE GREATER PORTION OF IT WITH A SILK HANDKERCHIEF BUT I SAW WITH REGRET THAT THE TINTS OF THE FOREHEAD HAD BEEN IRRETRIEVABLY RUINED RENDERING THE PICTURE VALUELESS THE DAYS WENT BY


THE LIMIT FOR SENDING IN TO THE ACADEMY WAS APPROACHING BUT DICK DID NOT WRITE AND I COULD ONLY WONDER VAGUELY WHERE HE WAS WANDERING IT WAS A GREAT PITY I THOUGHT THAT SUCH A FINE WORK SHOULD NOT BE EXHIBITED


YET THE WILFUL OBLITERATION HAD UTTERLY SPOILED IT WHILE SITTING IN HIS STUDIO MUSING ONE DAY IT SUDDENLY OCCURRED TO ME THAT IF THE FLAW UPON THE FOREHEAD COULD BE HIDDEN IT MIGHT AFTER ALL BE SENT FOR THE INSPECTION OF THE HANGING COMMITTEE


TAKING IT UP I EXAMINED IT MINUTELY IN THE LIGHT THE IDEA OF PLACING A HALF MASK UPON THE FACE SUGGESTED ITSELF AND WITHOUT DELAY I PROCEEDED TO CARRY IT INTO EFFECT


ENABLED ME TO PAINT IN THE HALF LIGHTS UPON THE BLACK SILK AND THE LAUGHING EYES BEING FORTUNATELY INTACT I ALLOWED THEM TO PEER THROUGH THE APERTURES THE EFFECT PRODUCED WAS STARTLING


THE MASK SEEMED TO INCREASE THE RECKLESS DIABLERIE OF ITS WEARER AND ENHANCE THE FAIRNESS OF THE COMPLEXION WHILE IT ADDED AN AIR OF MYSTERY NOT AT ALL UNPLEASING TO THE EYE A FEW DAYS LATER I DISPATCHED IT TO THE ACADEMY


AND WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE OPENING DAY WHEN I EXPERIENCED THE MINGLED SURPRISE AND SATISFACTION OF SEEING IT HUNG UPON THE LINE


WAS PRONOUNCED ONE OF THE PICTURES OF THE YEAR THOUSANDS ADMIRED IT THE PAPERS WERE FULL OF LAUDATORY NOTICES BUT THE MAN WHO PAINTED IT UNAWARE OF THE FAME HE HAD SUDDENLY ACHIEVED WAS HIDING HIS SORROW SOMEWHERE IN THE VOSGES


A STRAY COPY OF AN ENGLISH NEWSPAPER CONTAINING A NOTICE OF HIS WORK WHICH DICK PICKED UP IN A HOTEL HOWEVER CAUSED HIM TO RETURN HE BURST INTO MY ROOM UNCEREMONIOUSLY ONE MORNING STILL ATTIRED IN HIS TRAVELLING ULSTER


I SAW THAT HE WAS HAGGARD EYED AND WILD LOOKING FROM HIS CONVERSATION I KNEW THAT TIME HAD NOT HEALED THE WOUND IN HIS HEART I SHALL NEVER BE ABLE TO THANK YOU SUFFICIENTLY OLD CHAP FOR TOUCHING UP MY DAUB


IT SEEMS THAT THE PUBLIC ADMIRE HER AS MUCH AS I HAVE DONE I I SHALL FIND HER SOME DAY THEN SHE WILL RETURN TO ME STILL THINKING OF HER I OBSERVED REPROACHFULLY YES ALWAYS


ALWAYS HE REPLIED SHAKING HIS HEAD SORROWFULLY I I CANNOT FORGET DICK'S POPULARITY STEADILY INCREASED LUCRATIVE COMMISSIONS POURED IN UPON HIM AND HE SETTLED DOWN TO SUCH HARD


METHODICAL WORK THAT I BEGAN TO THINK HE HAD FORGOTTEN THE WOMAN WHO HAD ENMESHED HIM WITH BEAMING FACE HE CAME TO ME ONE SUMMER'S MORNING AND ANNOUNCED THAT ALTHOUGH THE COMMITTEE OF THE CHANTREY BEQUEST HAD OFFERED TO PURCHASE THE MASKED CIRCE HE


THE WELL KNOWN ANGLO ITALIAN MILLIONAIRE AND ART PATRON SAYING THAT HE DESIRED TO BUY IT AND ASKING HIM TO GO DOWN TO OXTED PARK HIS SEAT IN SURREY TO ARRANGE THE PRICE I AM GOING TO DAY HE SAID YOU MASKED HER


AND CONGRATULATED DICK WARMLY UPON HIS MASTERPIECE IT WAS EVIDENT THAT HE MEANT TO SECURE IT AT ANY COST


MY COMPANION HAD A CHEQUE FOR FOUR FIGURES IN HIS POCKET WE WERE ABOUT TO MAKE OUR ADIEUX BUT THE COUNT WOULD NOT HEAR OF IT DINNER WILL BE READY ALMOST IMMEDIATELY HE SAID YOU MUST STAY


AH HERE'S THE COUNTESS EXCLAIMED THE MILLIONAIRE STEPPING FORWARD TO INTRODUCE US WE TURNED AND SAW A PALE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN ATTIRED IN A HANDSOME DINNER GOWN ETHEL YOU


WE BOTH CRIED IN AMAZEMENT DICK SHE GASPED YOU YOU HAVE FOUND ME SHE REELED BACKWARDS AND BEFORE WE COULD SAVE HER FELL SENSELESS TO THE FLOOR A FEW WORDS OF EXCUSE


AND EXPLANATION AND WE LEFT THE COUNT WHO KNEELING BESIDE HIS WIFE AND ENDEAVOURING TO RESUSCITATE HER WAS COMPLETELY MYSTIFIED AT THE STRANGE RECOGNITION DICK ALMOST BESIDE HIMSELF WITH GRIEF


AT DISCOVERING HIS IDOL ALREADY MARRIED RETURNED AT ONCE TO LONDON WHILE I REMAINED AT AN INN AT OXTED IN ORDER TO GLEAN SOME FURTHER INFORMATION INQUIRIES SHOWED THAT THE COUNT HAD MET HER WHILE TRAVELLING IN AMERICA


TO INQUIRE AFTER THE COUNTESS'S HEALTH THE FOOTMAN LOOKED PALE AND GRAVE WHEN I ASKED AFTER HER LADYSHIP I MUCH REGRET TO INFORM YOU SIR THAT MY MISTRESS IS DEAD HE SAID


DEAD I CRIED IMPOSSIBLE YES SIR HER MAID DISCOVERED HER IN HER BOUDOIR LATE LAST NIGHT AND FOUND THAT SHE HAD TAKEN AN OVERDOSE OF MORPHIA WE SENT FOR THE DOCTOR


BUT BEFORE HIS ARRIVAL LIFE WAS EXTINCT THE COUNT IS INSANE WITH GRIEF MORE ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE MAID DISCOVERED THAT HER LADYSHIP HAD LEFT A LETTER TO SOME MAN SHE CALLS DICK TELLING HIM THAT SHE LOVED HIM


AND COULD LIVE NO LONGER DICK RARELY SMILES AND IS INVARIABLY GLOOMY AND SAD POOR FELLOW THE COUNT IGNORANT OF THE TRUTH HAS HUNG HIS LATEST PURCHASE


IN THE PRIVATE GALLERY OF HIS GREAT PALACE IN ROME LITTLE DREAMING THAT


AFTER MISTER CROW FLEW BACK TO PLEASANT VALLEY TO GATHER NEWS FOR HIM BROWNIE BEAVER CAREFULLY COUNTED EACH DAY THAT PASSED SINCE MISTER CROW HAD AGREED TO BE HIS NEWSPAPER AND COME EACH SATURDAY AFTERNOON TO TELL HIM EVERYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED DURING THE WEEK


BROWNIE WAS IN A GREAT HURRY FOR SATURDAY TO ARRIVE IN ORDER TO MAKE NO MISTAKE HE PUT ASIDE A STICK IN WHICH HE GNAWED A NOTCH EACH DAY AND IN THAT WAY HE KNEW EXACTLY WHEN SATURDAY CAME


THAT WAS PROBABLY THE LONGEST DAY IN BROWNIE BEAVER'S LIFE AT LEAST IT SEEMED SO TO HIM WHENEVER HE SAW A BIRD SOARING ABOVE THE TREE TOPS HE COULDN'T HELP HOPING IT WAS MISTER CROW


BROWNIE BEAVER DROPPED WHATEVER HE HAPPENED TO BE DOING EXPECTING THAT MISTER CROW WOULD FLAP INTO SIGHT AT ANY MOMENT BROWNIE HAD MANY DISAPPOINTMENTS BUT MISTER CROW REALLY CAME AT LAST


HE LIGHTED RIGHT ON TOP OF BROWNIE BEAVER'S HOUSE AND CALLED PAPER DOWN THE CHIMNEY JUST LIKE THAT BROWNIE HAPPENED TO BE INSIDE HIS HOUSE AND IN A WONDERFULLY SHORT TIME HIS HEAD APPEARED


ABOVE THE WATER AND HE SOON CRAWLED UP BESIDE MISTER CROW WELL I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU HE TOLD MISTER CROW PETER MINK CAUGHT A MONSTROUS EEL IN THE DUCK POND ON MONDAY MISTER CROW SAID


BEING A NEWSPAPER HE THOUGHT HE OUGHT TO SAY NOTHING EXCEPT WHAT WAS NEWS NOT EVEN GOOD AFTERNOON MISTER RABBIT OF PINE RIDGE WITH HIS WIFE AND FOURTEEN CHILDREN IS VISITING HIS BROTHER MISTER JEREMIAH RABBIT


MISTER CROW CONTINUED TO RELATE IN A SINGSONG VOICE GOODNESS GRACIOUS BROWNIE BEAVER EXCLAIMED FATTY COON MISTER CROW SAID FATTY COON WAS CONFINED TO HIS HOUSE BY ILLNESS TUESDAY NIGHT


HE ATE TOO MANY DRIED APPLES WELL WELL BROWNIE BEAVER MURMURED AND HE STARTED TO ASK MISTER CROW A QUESTION BUT MISTER CROW INTERRUPTED HIM WITH MORE NEWS


MISSUS BEAR HAD A BIRTHDAY ON WEDNESDAY AN ENJOYABLE TIME WAS HAD BY ALL EXCEPT THE PIG PIG BROWNIE BEAVER ASKED WHAT PIG THE PIG THEY ATE SAID MISTER CROW


AND HE WENT RIGHT ON TALKING ON THURSDAY MISTER WOODCHUCK WENT TO VISIT HIS COUSINS IN THE WEST MISSUS WOODCHUCK IS WORRIED WHAT'S SHE WORRIED ABOUT BROWNIE INQUIRED SHE'S AFRAID HE'S COMING BACK AGAIN


MISTER CROW EXPLAINED I HAVE HEARD HE WAS LAZY BROWNIE SAID WHAT HAPPENED ON FRIDAY TOMMY FOX MADE A VISIT BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD TIME AT ALL MISTER CROW REPORTED


AND HE LEFT FASTER THAN HE CAME BROWNIE BEAVER WANTED TO KNOW WHERE TOMMY FOX MADE HIS VISIT AT FARMER GREEN'S HEN HOUSE MISTER CROW EXPLAINED WHY DID HE HURRY AWAY BROWNIE ASKED


OLD DOG SPOT CHASED HIM MISTER CROW REPLIED BUT YOU MUSTN'T ASK QUESTIONS HE COMPLAINED YOU CAN'T ASK QUESTIONS OF A NEWSPAPER YOU KNOW WELL WHAT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY


ANOTHER QUESTION I DECLARE I DON'T BELIEVE YOU EVER TOOK A NEWSPAPER BEFORE DID YOU BROWNIE BEAVER ADMITTED THAT HE NEVER HAD THEN SAID MISTER CROW THEN DON'T INTERRUPT ME AGAIN PLEASE


I'LL TELL YOU ALL THE NEWS I'VE BROUGHT AND WHEN I'VE FINISHED I'LL STOP BEING A NEWSPAPER AND BE MYSELF FOR A WHILE AND THEN WE CAN TALK BUT NOT BEFORE HE INSISTED BROWNIE BEAVER NODDED HIS HEAD


HE WAS AFRAID THAT IF HE SAID ANOTHER WORD MISTER CROW WOULD GROW ANGRY AND FLY AWAY WITHOUT TELLING HIM ANY MORE NEWS


JIMMY RABBIT ALMOST CUT OFF FRISKY SQUIRREL'S TAIL MISTER CROW PAUSED AND LOOKED AT BROWNIE BEAVER OUT OF THE CORNER OF HIS EYE HE KNEW THAT BROWNIE WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT PREVENTED THE ACCIDENT BUT HE WAS IN NO HURRY TO TELL HIM


FOR A FEW MOMENTS BROWNIE WAITED TO HEAR THE REST BUT A FEW MOMENTS WAS MORE THAN HE COULD ENDURE WHY DIDN'T JIMMY CUT OFF HIS TAIL BROWNIE ASKED EAGERLY THERE SAID MISTER CROW YOU'VE DONE JUST AS I TOLD YOU NOT TO


SO I SHALL NOT TELL YOU THE REST UNTIL NEXT SATURDAY YOU SEE YOU HAVE A FEW THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT TAKING A NEWSPAPER


THERE WAS GREAT REJOICING IN THE LITTLE VILLAGE IN THE POND WHEN BROWNIE BEAVER RETURNED WITH THE GOOD NEWS THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MORE HUNTING AND FISHING AND WHEN OLD GRANDADDY BEAVER SAID THAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO TAKE A HOLIDAY TO CELEBRATE THE OCCASION


ALL THE VILLAGERS SAID IT WAS A FINE IDEA SO THEY STOPPED WORKING FOR ONCE AND BEGAN TO PLAN THE CELEBRATION THEY THOUGHT THAT THERE OUGHT TO BE SWIMMING RACES AND TREE FELLING CONTESTS


AND BROWNIE BEAVER SAID THAT AFTER THE HOLIDAY WAS OVER HE WOULD SUGGEST THAT SOMEONE BE CHOSEN TO GO DOWN AND THANK FARMER GREEN FOR PUTTING THE NOTICE ON THE TREE THE WHOLE VILLAGE AGREED TO BROWNIE'S PROPOSAL


BROWNIE BEAVER HIMSELF PASSED HIS HAT AROUND TO TAKE UP THE VOTES AND IT WAS QUICKLY FOUND THAT EVERY VOTE WAS FOR BROWNIE BEAVER HE HAD EVEN VOTED FOR HIMSELF BUT NO ONE SEEMED TO CARE ABOUT THAT


AND ANOTHER IN WHICH EACH PERSON WHO TOOK PART HAD TO STAY BENEATH THE SURFACE AS LONG AS HE COULD THAT LAST RACE CAUSED SOME TROUBLE A YOUNG SCAMP CALLED SLIPPERY SAM WON IT AND MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT HE HAD SWUM UP INSIDE HIS HOUSE


WHERE HE COULD GET AIR WITHOUT BEING SEEN BUT NO ONE COULD PROVE IT SO HE WON THE RACE JUST THE SAME NEXT CAME THE TREE FELLING CONTEST THERE WERE SIX INCLUDING BROWNIE BEAVER THAT TOOK PART IN IT


GRANDADDY BEAVER HAD PICKED OUT SIX TREES OF EXACTLY THE SAME SIZE EACH PERSON IN THE CONTEST HAD TO TRY TO BRING HIS TREE TO THE GROUND FIRST AND THAT CAUSED SOME TROUBLE TOO BECAUSE SOME CLAIMED THAT THEIR TREES WERE OF HARDER WOOD THAN OTHERS


AND MORE DIFFICULT TO GNAW WHILE OTHERS COMPLAINED THAT THE BARK OF THEIR TREES TASTED VERY BITTER AND OF COURSE THAT MADE THEIR TASK UNPLEASANT THOSE SIX TREES FALLING ONE AFTER ANOTHER MADE SUCH A RACKET


THAT OLD MISTER CROW HEARD THE NOISE MILES AWAY AND FLEW OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AFTER EVERYBODY CREPT OUT OF HIS HIDING PLACE SOME TIME AFTERWARD EVERYONE HAD TO HIDE FOR A WHILE YOU KNOW


THERE WAS MISTER CROW SITTING UPON ONE OF THE FALLEN TREES


THEN THEY TOLD HIM ABOUT THE CELEBRATION AND MISTER CROW BEGAN TO LAUGH WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NEXT HE ASKED WE'RE A GOING TO SEND BROWNIE BEAVER OVER TO PLEASANT VALLEY


TO THANK FARMER GREEN FOR HIS KINDNESS IN PUTTING AN END TO HUNTING AND FISHING SAID OLD GRANDADDY BEAVER AND HE'S A GOING TO START RIGHT AWAY MISTER CROW LOOKED AROUND AND THERE WAS BROWNIE BEAVER


WITH A LUNCH BASKET IN HIS HAND ALL READY TO BEGIN HIS LONG JOURNEY SAY GOOD BY TO HIM THEN SAID MISTER CROW FOR YOU'LL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN WHAT DO YOU MEAN GRANDADDY BEAVER ASKED


AND AS FOR BROWNIE HE WAS SO FRIGHTENED THAT HE DROPPED HIS BASKET RIGHT IN THE WATER I MEAN SAID MISTER CROW


YOU DON'T SEEM TO HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT SIGN IN THE FIRST PLACE IT WAS NOT FARMER GREEN BUT HIS SON JOHNNIE WHO NAILED IT TO THE TREE


THAT IS WHY ONE OF THE WORDS WAS MISSPELLED NO DOUBT MISTER CROW REMARKED AS A MATTER OF FACT NOT BEING ABLE TO READ HE HADN'T KNOWN ABOUT THE WORD THAT WAS SPELLED WRONG IN THE SECOND PLACE HE CONTINUED


THE SIGN DOESN'T MEAN THAT HUNTING AND FISHING ARE TO BE STOPPED IT MEANS THAT NO ONE BUT JOHNNIE GREEN IS GOING TO HUNT AND FISH IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD


AND INSTEAD OF HUNTING AND FISHING BEING STOPPED


HE ADDED THAT JOHNNIE GREEN HAD A NEW GUN ON THIS BIRTHDAY BROWNIE BEAVER SAID AT ONCE THAT HE WAS NOT GOING ON THE ERRAND OF THANKS I RESIGN HE SAID AND ANYONE THAT WANTS TO GO IN MY PLACE IS WELCOME TO DO SO


BUT NOBODY CARED TO GO AND THE WHOLE VILLAGE SEEMED GREATLY DISAPPOINTED UNTIL GRANDADDY BEAVER MADE A SHORT SPEECH


WAS NOT THE ONLY VILLAGE TO BE SEEN FROM BLUE MOUNTAIN THERE WAS ANOTHER WHICH FARMER GREEN SELDOM VISITED BECAUSE IT LAY BEYOND THE MOUNTAIN AND WAS A LONG DISTANCE FROM HIS HOUSE THOUGH HE OWNED THE LAND WHERE IT STOOD


THOSE THAT LIVED THERE THOUGHT THEY HAD EVERY RIGHT TO STAY THERE AS LONG AS THEY PLEASED WITHOUT BEING DISTURBED IT WAS IN THIS VILLAGE THAT BROWNIE BEAVER AND HIS NEIGHBORS LIVED IT WAS A DIFFERENT SORT OF TOWN TOO


FROM THE ONE WHERE FARMER GREEN WENT EACH WEEK OVER BEYOND BLUE MOUNTAIN ALL THE HOUSES WERE BUILT IN A POND AND ALL THEIR DOORS WERE UNDER WATER BUT NOBODY MINDED THAT BECAUSE LIKE BROWNIE BEAVER


EVERYBODY THAT DWELT THERE WAS A FINE SWIMMER YEARS AND YEARS BEFORE BROWNIE'S TIME HIS FOREFATHERS HAD COME THERE AND FINDING THAT THERE WERE MANY TREES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE SORT OF BARK THEY LIKED TO EAT


SUCH AS POPLARS WILLOWS AND BOX ELDERS THEY HAD DECIDED THAT IT WAS A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE THERE WAS A SMALL STREAM TOO WHICH WAS REALLY THE BEGINNING OF SWIFT RIVER


AND BY DAMMING IT THOSE OLD SETTLERS MADE A POND IN WHICH THEY COULD BUILD THEIR HOUSES THEY HAD IDEAS OF THEIR OWN AS TO WHAT A HOUSE SHOULD BE LIKE


THOUGH YOU PERHAPS MIGHT NOT CARE FOR THEM AT ALL THEY WANTED THEIR HOUSES TO BE SURROUNDED BY WATER BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE SAFER WHEN BUILT IN THAT MANNER AND THEY ALWAYS INSISTED THAT A DOOR LEADING INTO A HOUSE


SHOULD BE FAR BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER FOR THEY BELIEVED THAT THAT MADE A HOUSE SAFER TOO TO YOU SUCH AN IDEA MAY SEEM VERY STRANGE BUT IF YOU WERE CHASED BY AN ENEMY YOU MIGHT BE GLAD TO BE ABLE TO SWIM UNDER WATER


DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF A POND AND SLIP INSIDE A DOOR WHICH LED TO A WINDING HALL


OF COURSE YOUR ENEMY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SWIM AS WELL AS YOU BUT MAYBE HE WOULD THINK TWICE OR EVEN THREE TIMES BEFORE HE WENT PROWLING THROUGH YOUR CROOKED HALL FOR IF YOU HAD ENORMOUS STRONG SHARP TEETH


WITH WHICH YOU COULD GNAW RIGHT THROUGH A TREE HE WOULD NOT CARE TO HAVE YOU SEIZE HIM AS HE POKED HIS HEAD AROUND A CORNER IN A DARK PASSAGE OF A STRANGE HOUSE IT WAS IN A HOUSE OF THAT KIND THAT BROWNIE BEAVER LIVED


AND HE BUILT IT HIMSELF BECAUSE HE SAID HE WOULD RATHER HAVE A NEAT NEW HOUSE THAN ONE OF THE BIG OLD DWELLINGS THAT HAD BEEN BUILT MANY YEARS BEFORE WHEN HIS GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER HAD HELPED THROW THE DAM ACROSS THE STREAM THE DAM WAS THERE STILL


IT WAS SO OLD THAT TREES WERE GROWING ON IT AND THERE WAS AN ODD THING ABOUT IT IT WAS NEVER FINISHED THOUGH BROWNIE BEAVER WAS A YOUNG CHAP HE WORKED ON THE DAM SOMETIMES LIKE ALL HIS NEIGHBORS


YOU SEE THE VILLAGERS KEPT MAKING THE DAM WIDER AND SINCE IT WAS BUILT OF STICKS AND MUD THE WATER SOMETIMES WASHED BITS OF IT AWAY SO IT HAD TO BE KEPT IN REPAIR IF BROWNIE BEAVER AND HIS FRIENDS HAD NEGLECTED THEIR DAM


AND WITHOUT ANY WATER TO HIDE THEIR DOORWAYS THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFE NO LONGER THEY WOULD HAVE HAD NO PLACE EITHER TO STORE THEIR WINTER'S FOOD FOR THEY WERE IN THE HABIT OF CUTTING DOWN TREES AND SAVING THE BARK AND BRANCHES TOO


IN ORDER TO HAVE PLENTY TO EAT WHEN COLD WEATHER CAME AND THE ICE CLOSED THEIR POND SOME OF THEIR FOOD THEY CARRIED INTO THEIR HOUSES THROUGH A STRAIGHT HALL WHICH WAS MADE FOR THAT VERY PURPOSE


AND SOME OF THE BRANCHES THEY FASTENED UNDER WATER NEAR THE DAM IT WAS JUST LIKE PUTTING GREEN THINGS INTO A REFRIGERATOR SO THEY WILL KEEP NOW YOU SEE WHY BROWNIE BEAVER WOULD NO MORE HAVE THOUGHT OF BUILDING HIS HOUSE ON DRY LAND


THAN YOU WOULD THINK OF BUILDING ONE IN A POND EVERYBODY LIKES HIS OWN WAY BEST AND IT NEVER ONCE OCCURRED TO BROWNIE BEAVER THAT HIS WAY WAS THE LEAST BIT STRANGE


CHAPTER TWO GOING TO THE SOUTH MY COUNTRY SHALL THY HONOURED NAME BE AS A BYE WORD THROUGH THE WORLD ROUSE FOR AS IF TO BLAST THY FAME THIS KEEN REPROACH IS AT THEE HURLED


THE BANNER THAT ABOVE THE WAVES IS FLOATING O'ER THREE MILLION SLAVES DICK WALKER THE SLAVE SPECULATOR WHO HAD PURCHASED CURRER AND ALTHESA PUT THEM IN PRISON UNTIL HIS GANG WAS MADE UP


AND THEN WITH HIS FORTY SLAVES STARTED FOR THE NEW ORLEANS MARKET AS MANY OF THE SLAVES HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP IN RICHMOND AND HAD RELATIONS RESIDING THERE THE SLAVE TRADER DETERMINED TO LEAVE THE CITY EARLY IN THE MORNING


SO AS NOT TO WITNESS ANY OF THOSE SCENES SO COMMON WHERE SLAVES ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS WHEN ABOUT DEPARTING FOR THE SOUTHERN MARKET THIS PLAN WAS SUCCESSFUL FOR NOT EVEN CLOTEL WHO HAD BEEN EVERY DAY AT THE PRISON TO SEE HER MOTHER AND SISTER


KNEW OF THEIR DEPARTURE A MARCH OF EIGHT DAYS THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THE STATE AND THEY ARRIVED ON THE BANKS OF THE OHIO RIVER WHERE THEY WERE ALL PUT ON BOARD A STEAMER AND THEN SPEEDILY SAILED FOR THE PLACE OF THEIR DESTINATION


WALKER HAD ALREADY ADVERTISED IN THE NEW ORLEANS PAPERS THAT HE WOULD BE THERE AT A STATED TIME WITH A PRIME LOT OF ABLE BODIED SLAVES READY FOR FIELD SERVICE TOGETHER WITH A FEW EXTRA ONES BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIFTEEN AND TWENTY FIVE


BUT LIKE MOST WHO MAKE A BUSINESS OF BUYING AND SELLING SLAVES FOR GAIN HE OFTEN BOUGHT SOME WHO WERE FAR ADVANCED IN YEARS AND WOULD ALWAYS TRY TO SELL THEM FOR FIVE OR TEN YEARS YOUNGER THAN THEY ACTUALLY WERE


FEW PERSONS CAN ARRIVE AT ANYTHING LIKE THE AGE OF A NEGRO BY MERE OBSERVATION UNLESS THEY ARE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE RACE THEREFORE THE SLAVE TRADER VERY FREQUENTLY CARRIED OUT THIS DECEPTION WITH PERFECT IMPUNITY AFTER THE STEAMER HAD LEFT THE WHARF


AND INSTRUCTED HIM AS TO GETTING THE NEGROES READY FOR MARKET AMONGST THE FORTY NEGROES WERE SEVERAL WHOSE APPEARANCE INDICATED THAT THEY HAD SEEN SOME YEARS AND HAD GONE THROUGH SOME SERVICES


THEIR GREY HAIR AND WHISKERS AT ONCE PRONOUNCED THEM TO BE ABOVE THE AGES SET DOWN IN THE TRADER'S ADVERTISEMENT


AND IF HE DID NOT TAKE DELIGHT IN DISCHARGING HIS DUTY HE DID IT WITH A DEGREE OF ALACRITY SO THAT HE MIGHT RECEIVE THE APPROBATION OF HIS MASTER POMP AS WALKER USUALLY CALLED HIM WAS OF REAL NEGRO BLOOD AND WOULD OFTEN SAY WHEN ALLUDING TO HIMSELF


DIS NIGGER IS NO COUNTEFIT HE IS DE GENEWINE ARTEKIL


HAD A SET OF TEETH WHICH FOR WHITENESS AND BEAUTY COULD NOT BE SURPASSED HIS EYES LARGE LIPS THICK AND HAIR SHORT AND WOOLLY


THAT HE APPEARED PERFECTLY INDIFFERENT TO THE HEARTRENDING SCENES WHICH DAILY OCCURRED IN HIS PRESENCE IT WAS ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE STEAMER'S VOYAGE THAT POMPEY SELECTED FIVE OF THE OLD SLAVES TOOK THEM IN A ROOM BY THEMSELVES AND COMMENCED PREPARING THEM FOR THE MARKET


WELL SAID POMPEY ADDRESSING HIMSELF TO THE COMPANY I IS DE GENTMAN DAT IS TO GET YOU READY SO DAT YOU WILL BRING MARSER A GOOD PRICE IN DE ORLEANS MARKET HOW OLD IS YOU


ADDRESSING HIMSELF TO A MAN WHO FROM APPEARANCE WAS NOT LESS THAN FORTY IF I LIVE TO SEE NEXT CORN PLANTING TIME I WILL EITHER BE FORTY FIVE OR FIFTY FIVE I DON'T KNOW WHICH


BUT NOW YOU IS ONLY THIRTY YEARS OLD DAT IS WHAT MARSER SAYS YOU IS TO BE I KNOW I IS MORE DEN DAT RESPONDED THE MAN I KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT DAT


BUT WHEN YOU GET IN DE MARKET AN ANYBODY AXE YOU HOW OLD YOU IS AN YOU TELL EM FORTY FIVE MARSER WILL TIE YOU UP AN GIB YOU DE WHIP LIKE SMOKE


WELL DEN I GUESS I WILL ONLY BE THIRTY WHEN DEY AXE ME REPLIED THE CHATTEL


ANSWERED THE MAN OH UNCLE JIM IS IT YES DEN YOU MUST HAVE OFF DEM DARE WHISKERS OF YOURS AN WHEN YOU GET TO ORLEANS YOU MUST GREASE DAT FACE AN MAKE IT LOOK SHINEY


I WAS TWENTY NINE LAST POTATO DIGGING TIME SAID THE MAN WHAT'S YOUR NAME MY NAME IS TOBIAS BUT DEY CALL ME TOBY WELL TOBY OR MISTER TOBIAS IF DAT WILL SUIT YOU BETTER


YOU IS NOW TWENTY THREE YEARS OLD AN NO MORE DUS YOU HEAR DAT YES RESPONDED TOBY


AND THEN REPORTED TO HIS MASTER THAT THE OLD BOYS WERE ALL RIGHT AT EIGHT O'CLOCK ON THE EVENING OF THE THIRD DAY THE LIGHTS OF ANOTHER STEAMER WERE SEEN IN THE DISTANCE AND APPARENTLY COMING UP VERY FAST THIS WAS A SIGNAL FOR A GENERAL COMMOTION ON THE PATRIOT


AND EVERYTHING INDICATED THAT A STEAMBOAT RACE WAS AT HAND NOTHING CAN EXCEED THE EXCITEMENT ATTENDANT UPON A STEAMBOAT RACE ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY THE TIME THE BOATS HAD REACHED MEMPHIS THEY WERE SIDE BY SIDE


AND EACH EXERTING ITSELF TO KEEP THE ASCENDANCY IN POINT OF SPEED THE NIGHT WAS CLEAR THE MOON SHINING BRIGHTLY AND THE BOATS SO NEAR TO EACH OTHER THAT THE PASSENGERS WERE CALLING OUT FROM ONE BOAT TO THE OTHER


ON BOARD THE PATRIOT THE FIREMEN WERE USING OIL LARD BUTTER AND EVEN BACON WITH THE WOOD FOR THE PURPOSE OF RAISING THE STEAM TO ITS HIGHEST PITCH THE BLAZE MINGLED WITH THE BLACK SMOKE SHOWED PLAINLY THAT THE OTHER BOAT WAS BURNING MORE THAN WOOD


THE TWO BOATS SOON LOCKED SO THAT THE HANDS OF THE BOATS WERE PASSING FROM VESSEL TO VESSEL AND THE WILDEST EXCITEMENT PREVAILED THROUGHOUT AMONGST BOTH PASSENGERS AND CREW


AT THIS MOMENT THE ENGINEER OF THE PATRIOT WAS SEEN TO FASTEN DOWN THE SAFETY VALVE SO THAT NO STEAM SHOULD ESCAPE THIS WAS INDEED A DANGEROUS RESORT


THE PATRIOT STOPPED TO TAKE IN PASSENGERS AND STILL NO STEAM WAS PERMITTED TO ESCAPE


AND AS MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPECTED ONE OF THE BOILERS IMMEDIATELY EXPLODED ONE DENSE FOG OF STEAM FILLED EVERY PART OF THE VESSEL WHILE SHRIEKS GROANS AND CRIES WERE HEARD ON EVERY HAND THE SALOONS AND CABINS SOON HAD THE APPEARANCE OF A HOSPITAL


BY THIS TIME THE BOAT HAD LANDED AND THE COLUMBIA THE OTHER BOAT


THE KILLED AND SCALDED NINETEEN IN NUMBER


THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS CHANGE HANDS DURING A PASSAGE FROM LOUISVILLE OR SAINT LOUIS TO NEW ORLEANS ON A MISSISSIPPI STEAMER AND MANY MEN AND EVEN LADIES ARE COMPLETELY RUINED GO CALL MY BOY STEWARD


SAID MISTER SMITH AS HE TOOK HIS CARDS ONE BY ONE FROM THE TABLE IN A FEW MOMENTS A FINE LOOKING BRIGHT EYED MULATTO BOY APPARENTLY ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE WAS STANDING BY HIS MASTER'S SIDE AT THE TABLE


I WILL SEE YOU AND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS BETTER SAID SMITH AS HIS SERVANT JERRY APPROACHED THE TABLE


HE WILL BRING A THOUSAND DOLLARS ANY DAY IN THE NEW ORLEANS MARKET REPLIED SMITH THEN YOU BET THE WHOLE OF THE BOY DO YOU YES I CALL YOU THEN SAID JOHNSON AT THE SAME TIME SPREADING HIS CARDS OUT UPON THE TABLE


YOU HAVE BEAT ME SAID SMITH AS SOON AS HE SAW THE CARDS JERRY WHO WAS STANDING ON TOP OF THE TABLE WITH THE BANK NOTES AND SILVER DOLLARS ROUND HIS FEET WAS NOW ORDERED TO DESCEND FROM THE TABLE


YOU WILL NOT FORGET THAT YOU BELONG TO ME SAID JOHNSON AS THE YOUNG SLAVE WAS STEPPING FROM THE TABLE TO A CHAIR NO SIR REPLIED THE CHATTEL