EVEN THAT I SHOULD BE VERY GLAD AH WELL I SHOULD HOPE SO THE YOUNG MAN EXCLAIMED ISABEL MIGHT HAVE BELIEVED IT AND NOT HAVE BEEN FAR FROM THE TRUTH HE THOUGHT A GREAT DEAL ABOUT HER SHE WAS CONSTANTLY PRESENT TO HIS MIND


AT A TIME WHEN HIS THOUGHTS HAD BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF A BURDEN TO HIM HER SUDDEN ARRIVAL WHICH PROMISED NOTHING AND WAS AN OPEN HANDED GIFT OF FATE HAD REFRESHED AND QUICKENED THEM GIVEN THEM WINGS AND SOMETHING TO FLY FOR


POOR RALPH HAD BEEN FOR MANY WEEKS STEEPED IN MELANCHOLY HIS OUTLOOK HABITUALLY SOMBRE LAY UNDER THE SHADOW OF A DEEPER CLOUD


THE OLD MAN HAD BEEN GRAVELY ILL IN THE SPRING AND THE DOCTORS HAD WHISPERED TO RALPH THAT ANOTHER ATTACK WOULD BE LESS EASY TO DEAL WITH JUST NOW HE APPEARED DISBURDENED OF PAIN BUT RALPH COULD NOT RID HIMSELF OF A SUSPICION THAT THIS WAS A SUBTERFUGE OF THE ENEMY


WHO WAS WAITING TO TAKE HIM OFF HIS GUARD IF THE MANOEUVRE SHOULD SUCCEED THERE WOULD BE LITTLE HOPE OF ANY GREAT RESISTANCE RALPH HAD ALWAYS TAKEN FOR GRANTED THAT HIS FATHER WOULD SURVIVE HIM THAT HIS OWN NAME WOULD BE THE FIRST GRIMLY CALLED


THE FATHER AND SON HAD BEEN CLOSE COMPANIONS AND THE IDEA OF BEING LEFT ALONE WITH THE REMNANT OF A TASTELESS LIFE ON HIS HANDS WAS NOT GRATIFYING TO THE YOUNG MAN WHO HAD ALWAYS AND TACITLY COUNTED UPON HIS ELDER'S HELP IN MAKING THE BEST OF A POOR BUSINESS


AT THE PROSPECT OF LOSING HIS GREAT MOTIVE RALPH LOST INDEED HIS ONE INSPIRATION


BUT WITHOUT THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF HIS FATHER'S SOCIETY HE SHOULD BARELY HAVE PATIENCE TO AWAIT HIS OWN TURN HE HAD NOT THE INCENTIVE OF FEELING THAT HE WAS INDISPENSABLE TO HIS MOTHER IT WAS A RULE WITH HIS MOTHER TO HAVE NO REGRETS


HE BETHOUGHT HIMSELF OF COURSE THAT IT HAD BEEN A SMALL KINDNESS TO HIS FATHER TO WISH THAT OF THE TWO THE ACTIVE RATHER THAN THE PASSIVE PARTY SHOULD KNOW THE FELT WOUND HE REMEMBERED THAT THE OLD MAN HAD ALWAYS TREATED HIS OWN FORECAST OF AN EARLY END AS A CLEVER FALLACY


WHICH HE SHOULD BE DELIGHTED TO DISCREDIT SO FAR AS HE MIGHT BY DYING FIRST BUT OF THE TWO TRIUMPHS THAT OF REFUTING A SOPHISTICAL SON AND THAT OF HOLDING ON A WHILE LONGER TO A STATE OF BEING WHICH WITH ALL ABATEMENTS HE ENJOYED


HE WONDERED WHETHER HE WERE HARBOURING LOVE FOR THIS SPONTANEOUS YOUNG WOMAN FROM ALBANY BUT HE JUDGED THAT ON THE WHOLE HE WAS NOT AFTER HE HAD KNOWN HER FOR A WEEK HE QUITE MADE UP HIS MIND TO THIS AND EVERY DAY HE FELT A LITTLE MORE SURE


LORD WARBURTON HAD BEEN RIGHT ABOUT HER SHE WAS A REALLY INTERESTING LITTLE FIGURE RALPH WONDERED HOW THEIR NEIGHBOUR HAD FOUND IT OUT SO SOON AND THEN HE SAID IT WAS ONLY ANOTHER PROOF OF HIS FRIEND'S HIGH ABILITIES


WHICH HE HAD ALWAYS GREATLY ADMIRED IF HIS COUSIN WERE TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN AN ENTERTAINMENT TO HIM RALPH WAS CONSCIOUS SHE WAS AN ENTERTAINMENT OF A HIGH ORDER A CHARACTER LIKE THAT HE SAID TO HIMSELF


A REAL LITTLE PASSIONATE FORCE TO SEE AT PLAY IS THE FINEST THING IN NATURE IT'S FINER THAN THE FINEST WORK OF ART THAN A GREEK BAS RELIEF


THAN A GOTHIC CATHEDRAL IT'S VERY PLEASANT TO BE SO WELL TREATED WHERE ONE HAD LEAST LOOKED FOR IT I HAD NEVER BEEN MORE BLUE MORE BORED THAN FOR A WEEK BEFORE SHE CAME I HAD NEVER EXPECTED LESS THAT ANYTHING PLEASANT WOULD HAPPEN


A GREEK BAS RELIEF TO STICK OVER MY CHIMNEY PIECE THE KEY OF A BEAUTIFUL EDIFICE IS THRUST INTO MY HAND AND I'M TOLD TO WALK IN AND ADMIRE MY POOR BOY YOU'VE BEEN SADLY UNGRATEFUL


AND NOW YOU HAD BETTER KEEP VERY QUIET AND NEVER GRUMBLE AGAIN THE SENTIMENT OF THESE REFLEXIONS WAS VERY JUST


HIS COUSIN WAS A VERY BRILLIANT GIRL


BUT SHE NEEDED THE KNOWING AND HIS ATTITUDE WITH REGARD TO HER THOUGH IT WAS CONTEMPLATIVE AND CRITICAL WAS NOT JUDICIAL HE SURVEYED THE EDIFICE FROM THE OUTSIDE AND ADMIRED IT GREATLY


ISABEL'S ORIGINALITY WAS THAT SHE GAVE ONE AN IMPRESSION OF HAVING INTENTIONS OF HER OWN WHENEVER SHE EXECUTES THEM SAID RALPH MAY I BE THERE TO SEE IT DEVOLVED UPON HIM OF COURSE TO DO THE HONOURS OF THE PLACE


AND HIS WIFE'S POSITION WAS THAT OF RATHER A GRIM VISITOR SO THAT IN THE LINE OF CONDUCT THAT OPENED ITSELF TO RALPH DUTY AND INCLINATION WERE HARMONIOUSLY MIXED HE WAS NOT A GREAT WALKER BUT HE STROLLED ABOUT THE GROUNDS WITH HIS COUSIN


A PASTIME FOR WHICH THE WEATHER REMAINED FAVOURABLE WITH A PERSISTENCY NOT ALLOWED FOR IN ISABEL'S SOMEWHAT LUGUBRIOUS PREVISION OF THE CLIMATE AND IN THE LONG AFTERNOONS OF WHICH THE LENGTH WAS BUT THE MEASURE OF HER GRATIFIED EAGERNESS


THEY TOOK A BOAT ON THE RIVER THE DEAR LITTLE RIVER AS ISABEL CALLED IT WHERE THE OPPOSITE SHORE SEEMED STILL A PART OF THE FOREGROUND OF THE LANDSCAPE OR DROVE OVER THE COUNTRY IN A PHAETON A LOW CAPACIOUS THICK WHEELED PHAETON


BUT WHICH HE HAD NOW CEASED TO ENJOY ISABEL ENJOYED IT LARGELY AND HANDLING THE REINS IN A MANNER WHICH APPROVED ITSELF TO THE GROOM AS KNOWING WAS NEVER WEARY OF DRIVING HER UNCLE'S CAPITAL HORSES THROUGH WINDING LANES AND BYWAYS


FULL OF THE RURAL INCIDENTS SHE HAD CONFIDENTLY EXPECTED TO FIND PAST COTTAGES THATCHED AND TIMBERED PAST ALE HOUSES LATTICED AND SANDED PAST PATCHES OF ANCIENT COMMON AND GLIMPSES OF EMPTY PARKS


BETWEEN HEDGEROWS MADE THICK BY MIDSUMMER WHEN THEY REACHED HOME THEY USUALLY FOUND TEA HAD BEEN SERVED ON THE LAWN


BUT THE TWO FOR THE MOST PART SAT SILENT THE OLD MAN WITH HIS HEAD BACK AND HIS EYES CLOSED HIS WIFE OCCUPIED WITH HER KNITTING AND WEARING THAT APPEARANCE OF RARE PROFUNDITY WITH WHICH SOME LADIES CONSIDER THE MOVEMENT OF THEIR NEEDLES


ONE DAY HOWEVER A VISITOR HAD ARRIVED THE TWO YOUNG PERSONS AFTER SPENDING AN HOUR ON THE RIVER STROLLED BACK TO THE HOUSE AND PERCEIVED LORD WARBURTON SITTING UNDER THE TREES AND ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION


OF WHICH EVEN AT A DISTANCE THE DESULTORY CHARACTER WAS APPRECIABLE WITH


HE HAD DRIVEN OVER FROM HIS OWN PLACE WITH A PORTMANTEAU AND HAD ASKED AS THE FATHER AND SON OFTEN INVITED HIM TO DO FOR A DINNER AND A LODGING ISABEL SEEING HIM FOR HALF AN HOUR ON THE DAY OF HER ARRIVAL HAD DISCOVERED IN THIS BRIEF SPACE THAT SHE LIKED HIM


HE HAD INDEED RATHER SHARPLY REGISTERED HIMSELF ON HER FINE SENSE AND SHE HAD THOUGHT OF HIM SEVERAL TIMES SHE HAD HOPED SHE SHOULD SEE HIM AGAIN HOPED TOO THAT SHE SHOULD SEE A FEW OTHERS GARDENCOURT WAS NOT DULL


THE PLACE ITSELF WAS SOVEREIGN HER UNCLE WAS MORE AND MORE A SORT OF GOLDEN GRANDFATHER AND RALPH WAS UNLIKE ANY COUSIN SHE HAD EVER ENCOUNTERED HER IDEA OF COUSINS HAVING TENDED TO GLOOM THEN


HER IMPRESSIONS WERE STILL SO FRESH AND SO QUICKLY RENEWED THAT THERE WAS AS YET HARDLY A HINT OF VACANCY IN THE VIEW BUT ISABEL HAD NEED TO REMIND HERSELF THAT SHE WAS INTERESTED IN HUMAN NATURE AND THAT HER FOREMOST HOPE IN COMING ABROAD


HAD BEEN THAT SHE SHOULD SEE A GREAT MANY PEOPLE WHEN RALPH SAID TO HER AS HE HAD DONE SEVERAL TIMES I WONDER YOU FIND THIS ENDURABLE YOU OUGHT TO SEE SOME OF THE NEIGHBOURS AND SOME OF OUR FRIENDS


THOUGH YOU WOULD NEVER SUPPOSE IT WHEN HE OFFERED TO INVITE WHAT HE CALLED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND MAKE HER ACQUAINTED WITH ENGLISH SOCIETY SHE ENCOURAGED THE HOSPITABLE IMPULSE AND PROMISED IN ADVANCE TO HURL HERSELF INTO THE FRAY


LITTLE HOWEVER FOR THE PRESENT HAD COME OF HIS OFFERS AND IT MAY BE CONFIDED TO THE READER THAT IF THE YOUNG MAN DELAYED TO CARRY THEM OUT IT WAS BECAUSE HE FOUND THE LABOUR OF PROVIDING FOR HIS COMPANION BY NO MEANS SO SEVERE AS TO REQUIRE EXTRANEOUS HELP


ISABEL HAD SPOKEN TO HIM VERY OFTEN ABOUT SPECIMENS IT WAS A WORD THAT PLAYED A CONSIDERABLE PART IN HER VOCABULARY SHE HAD GIVEN HIM TO UNDERSTAND THAT SHE WISHED TO SEE ENGLISH SOCIETY ILLUSTRATED BY EMINENT CASES


WELL NOW THERE'S A SPECIMEN HE SAID TO HER AS THEY WALKED UP FROM THE RIVERSIDE AND HE RECOGNISED LORD WARBURTON A SPECIMEN OF WHAT ASKED THE GIRL A SPECIMEN OF AN ENGLISH GENTLEMAN DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE ALL LIKE HIM


OH NO THEY'RE NOT ALL LIKE HIM


SAID ISABEL BECAUSE I'M SURE HE'S NICE


THE FORTUNATE LORD WARBURTON EXCHANGED A HANDSHAKE WITH OUR HEROINE AND HOPED SHE WAS VERY WELL BUT I NEEDN'T ASK THAT HE SAID SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HANDLING THE OARS I'VE BEEN ROWING A LITTLE ISABEL ANSWERED BUT HOW SHOULD YOU KNOW IT


OH I KNOW HE DOESN'T ROW HE'S TOO LAZY SAID HIS LORDSHIP INDICATING RALPH TOUCHETT WITH A LAUGH HE HAS A GOOD EXCUSE FOR HIS LAZINESS ISABEL REJOINED LOWERING HER VOICE A LITTLE AH HE HAS A GOOD EXCUSE FOR EVERYTHING


CRIED LORD WARBURTON STILL WITH HIS SONOROUS MIRTH MY EXCUSE FOR NOT ROWING IS THAT MY COUSIN ROWS SO WELL SAID RALPH SHE DOES EVERYTHING WELL SHE TOUCHES NOTHING THAT SHE DOESN'T ADORN


IT MAKES ONE WANT TO BE TOUCHED MISS ARCHER LORD WARBURTON DECLARED


WHO IF IT PLEASED HER TO HEAR IT SAID THAT HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS WERE NUMEROUS WAS HAPPILY ABLE TO REFLECT THAT SUCH COMPLACENCY WAS NOT THE INDICATION OF A FEEBLE MIND INASMUCH AS THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS IN WHICH SHE EXCELLED


HAD AT LEAST THE ELEMENT OF HUMILITY THAT IT ALWAYS NEEDED TO BE SUPPORTED BY PROOF LORD WARBURTON NOT ONLY SPENT THE NIGHT AT GARDENCOURT BUT HE WAS PERSUADED TO REMAIN OVER THE SECOND DAY AND WHEN THE SECOND DAY WAS ENDED


HE DETERMINED TO POSTPONE HIS DEPARTURE TILL THE MORROW DURING THIS PERIOD HE ADDRESSED MANY OF HIS REMARKS TO ISABEL WHO ACCEPTED THIS EVIDENCE OF HIS ESTEEM WITH A VERY GOOD GRACE SHE FOUND HERSELF LIKING HIM EXTREMELY


THE FIRST IMPRESSION HE HAD MADE ON HER HAD HAD WEIGHT BUT AT THE END OF AN EVENING SPENT IN HIS SOCIETY SHE SCARCE FELL SHORT OF SEEING HIM THOUGH QUITE WITHOUT LURIDITY AS A HERO OF ROMANCE


WITH A QUICKENED CONSCIOUSNESS OF POSSIBLE FELICITIES IT'S VERY NICE TO KNOW TWO SUCH CHARMING PEOPLE AS THOSE SHE SAID MEANING BY THOSE HER COUSIN AND HER COUSIN'S FRIEND IT MUST BE ADDED MOREOVER


THAT AN INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED WHICH MIGHT HAVE SEEMED TO PUT HER GOOD HUMOUR TO THE TEST


BUT HIS WIFE REMAINED IN THE DRAWING ROOM WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PARTY SHE PROLONGED HER VIGIL FOR SOMETHING LESS THAN AN HOUR AND THEN RISING OBSERVED TO ISABEL THAT IT WAS TIME THEY SHOULD BID THE GENTLEMEN GOOD NIGHT ISABEL HAD AS YET NO DESIRE TO GO TO BED


THE OCCASION WORE TO HER SENSE A FESTIVE CHARACTER AND FEASTS WERE NOT IN THE HABIT OF TERMINATING SO EARLY SO WITHOUT FURTHER THOUGHT SHE REPLIED VERY SIMPLY NEED I GO DEAR AUNT I'LL COME UP IN HALF AN HOUR


IT'S IMPOSSIBLE I SHOULD WAIT FOR YOU MISSUS TOUCHETT ANSWERED


RALPH WILL LIGHT MY CANDLE ISABEL GAILY ENGAGED I'LL LIGHT YOUR CANDLE DO LET ME LIGHT YOUR CANDLE MISS ARCHER


ONLY I BEG IT SHALL NOT BE BEFORE MIDNIGHT


AND TRANSFERRED THEM COLDLY TO HER NIECE


YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT AT YOUR BLEST ALBANY MY DEAR ISABEL ROSE BLUSHING I WISH I WERE SHE SAID OH I SAY MOTHER RALPH BROKE OUT


I MUST TAKE IT AS I FIND IT CAN'T I STAY WITH MY OWN COUSIN ISABEL ENQUIRED I'M NOT AWARE THAT LORD WARBURTON IS YOUR COUSIN PERHAPS I HAD BETTER GO TO BED THE VISITOR SUGGESTED THAT WILL ARRANGE IT


MISSUS TOUCHETT GAVE A LITTLE LOOK OF DESPAIR AND SAT DOWN AGAIN


RALPH MEANWHILE HANDED ISABEL HER CANDLESTICK HE HAD BEEN WATCHING HER IT HAD SEEMED TO HIM HER TEMPER WAS INVOLVED AN ACCIDENT THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING BUT IF HE HAD EXPECTED ANYTHING OF A FLARE HE WAS DISAPPOINTED FOR THE GIRL SIMPLY LAUGHED A LITTLE


NODDED GOOD NIGHT AND WITHDREW ACCOMPANIED BY HER AUNT FOR HIMSELF HE WAS ANNOYED AT HIS MOTHER THOUGH HE THOUGHT SHE WAS RIGHT ABOVE STAIRS THE TWO LADIES SEPARATED AT MISSUS TOUCHETT'S DOOR ISABEL HAD SAID NOTHING ON HER WAY UP


ISABEL CONSIDERED I'M NOT VEXED BUT I'M SURPRISED AND A GOOD DEAL MYSTIFIED WASN'T IT PROPER I SHOULD REMAIN IN THE DRAWING ROOM NOT IN THE LEAST YOUNG GIRLS HERE IN DECENT HOUSES


DON'T SIT ALONE WITH THE GENTLEMEN LATE AT NIGHT YOU WERE VERY RIGHT TO TELL ME THEN SAID ISABEL I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT BUT I'M VERY GLAD TO KNOW IT I SHALL ALWAYS TELL YOU HER AUNT ANSWERED WHENEVER I SEE YOU TAKING WHAT SEEMS TO ME TOO MUCH LIBERTY


YES I THINK I'M VERY FOND OF THEM BUT I ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW THE THINGS ONE SHOULDN'T DO SO AS TO DO THEM ASKED HER AUNT


BELL HAD DECLARED THAT HER SISTER WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE JOHN EAMES IF HE WOULD GO OVER TO ALLINGTON AND HE HAD REPLIED THAT OF COURSE HE WOULD GO THERE SO MUCH HAVING BEEN AS IT WERE SETTLED


HE WAS ABLE TO SPEAK OF HIS VISIT AS A MATTER OF COURSE AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE ON THE MORNING AFTER THE EARL'S DINNER PARTY I MUST GET YOU TO COME ROUND WITH ME DALE AND SEE WHAT I AM DOING TO THE LAND THE EARL SAID


BUT THE SQUIRE PREFERRED WALKING AND IN THIS WAY THEY WERE DISPOSED OF SOON AFTER BREAKFAST JOHN HAD IT IN HIS MIND TO GET BELL TO HIMSELF FOR HALF AN HOUR AND HOLD A CONFERENCE WITH HER BUT IT EITHER HAPPENED THAT LADY JULIA WAS TOO KEEN IN HER DUTIES AS A HOSTESS


OR ELSE AS WAS MORE POSSIBLE BELL AVOIDED THE MEETING NO OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCH AN INTERVIEW OFFERED ITSELF THOUGH HE HUNG ABOUT THE DRAWING ROOM ALL THE MORNING YOU HAD BETTER WAIT FOR LUNCHEON NOW LADY JULIA SAID TO HIM ABOUT TWELVE


BUT THIS HE DECLINED AND TAKING HIMSELF AWAY HID HIMSELF ABOUT THE PLACE FOR THE NEXT HOUR AND A HALF DURING THIS TIME HE CONSIDERED MUCH WHETHER IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR HIM TO RIDE OR WALK IF SHE SHOULD GIVE HIM ANY HOPE


HE COULD RIDE BACK TRIUMPHANT AS A FIELD MARSHAL THEN THE HORSE WOULD BE DELIGHTFUL TO HIM BUT IF SHE SHOULD GIVE HIM NO HOPE IF IT SHOULD BE HIS DESTINY TO BE REJECTED UTTERLY ON THAT MORNING THEN THE HORSE WOULD BE TERRIBLY IN THE WAY OF HIS SORROW


RESTING WHEN HE MIGHT CHOOSE TO REST AND RUNNING WHEN IT MIGHT SUIT HIM TO RUN AND SHE IS NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF SHE WON'T CARE FOR MY BOOTS BEING DIRTY SO AT LAST HE ELECTED TO WALK


STAND UP TO HER BOLDLY MAN THE EARL HAD SAID TO HIM BY GEORGE WHAT IS THERE TO BE AFRAID OF


THERE'S NOTHING SETS EM AGAINST A MAN LIKE BEING SHEEPISH HOW THE EARL KNEW SO MUCH


I AM NOT PREPARED TO SAY BUT EAMES TOOK HIS ADVICE AS BEING IN ITSELF GOOD AND RESOLVED TO ACT UPON IT NOT THAT ANY RESOLUTION WILL BE OF ANY USE HE SAID TO HIMSELF AS HE WALKED ALONG


WHEN THE MOMENT COMES I KNOW THAT I SHALL TREMBLE BEFORE HER AND I KNOW THAT SHE'LL SEE IT


HE HAD LAST SEEN HER ON THE LAWN BEHIND THE SMALL HOUSE JUST AT THAT TIME WHEN HER PASSION FOR CROSBIE WAS AT THE STRONGEST EAMES HAD GONE THITHER IMPELLED BY A FOOLISH DESIRE TO DECLARE TO HER HIS HOPELESS LOVE


AND SHE HAD ANSWERED HIM BY TELLING HIM THAT SHE LOVED MISTER CROSBIE BETTER THAN ALL THE WORLD BESIDES OF COURSE SHE HAD DONE SO AT THAT TIME BUT NEVERTHELESS HER MANNER OF TELLING HIM HAD SEEMED TO HIM TO BE CRUEL AND HE ALSO HAD BEEN CRUEL


HE HAD TOLD HER THAT HE HATED CROSBIE CALLING HIM THAT MAN AND ASSURING HER THAT NO EARTHLY CONSIDERATION SHOULD INDUCE HIM TO GO INTO THAT MAN'S HOUSE THEN HE HAD WALKED AWAY MOODILY WISHING HIM ALL MANNER OF EVIL


WAS IT NOT SINGULAR THAT ALL THE EVIL THINGS WHICH HE IN HIS MIND HAD MEDITATED FOR THE MAN HAD FALLEN UPON HIM CROSBIE HAD LOST HIS LOVE HE HAD SO PROVED HIMSELF TO BE A VILLAIN THAT HIS NAME MIGHT NOT BE SO MUCH AS MENTIONED


HE HAD BEEN IGNOMINIOUSLY THRASHED BUT WHAT GOOD WOULD ALL THIS BE IF HIS IMAGE WERE STILL DEAR TO LILY'S HEART I TOLD HER THAT I LOVED HER THEN HE SAID TO HIMSELF THOUGH I HAD NO RIGHT TO DO SO


AT ANY RATE I HAVE A RIGHT TO TELL HER NOW WHEN HE REACHED ALLINGTON HE DID NOT GO IN THROUGH THE VILLAGE AND UP TO THE FRONT OF THE SMALL HOUSE BY THE CROSS STREET BUT TURNED BY THE CHURCH GATE AND PASSED OVER THE SQUIRE'S TERRACE


HERE HE ENCOUNTERED HOPKINS


MISTER JOHN MAY I MAKE SO BOLD AND HOPKINS HELD OUT A VERY DIRTY HAND WHICH EAMES OF COURSE TOOK UNCONSCIOUS OF THE CAUSE OF THIS NEW AFFECTION I'M JUST GOING TO CALL AT THE SMALL HOUSE AND I THOUGHT I'D COME THIS WAY


TO BE SURE THIS WAY OR THAT WAY OR ANY WAY WHO'S SO WELCOME MISTER JOHN I ENVIES YOU I ENVIES YOU MORE THAN I ENVIES ANY MAN IF I COULD A GOT HIM BY THE SCUFF OF THE NECK I'D A TREATED HIM JIST LIKE ANY WERMIN I WOULD INDEED HE WAS WERMIN I


OLLAYS SAID IT I HATED HIM OLLAYS I DID INDEED MISTER JOHN


HE NEVER LOOKED AT ONE AS THOUGH ONE WERE A CHRISTIAN DID HE MISTER JOHN


ONLY SHE POOR YOUNG LADY SHE'LL BE BETTER NOW MISTER JOHN A DEAL BETTER


TELL ME MISTER JOHN DID YOU GIVE IT HIM WELL WHEN YOU GOT HIM I HEARD YOU DID TWO BLACK EYES AND ALL HIS FACE ONE MASH OF GORE AND HOPKINS WHO WAS BY NO MEANS A YOUNG MAN STIFFLY PUT HIMSELF INTO A FIGHTING ATTITUDE


EAMES PASSED ON OVER THE LITTLE BRIDGE WHICH SEEMED TO BE IN A STATE OF FAST DECAY UNATTENDED TO BY ANY FRIENDLY CARPENTER NOW THAT THE DAYS OF ITS USE WERE SO NEARLY AT AN END AND ON INTO THE GARDEN LINGERING ON THE SPOT WHERE HE HAD LAST SAID FAREWELL TO LILY


BUT THERE WAS NO ONE TO BE SEEN IN THE GARDEN AND NO SOUND TO BE HEARD AS EVERY STEP BROUGHT HIM NEARER TO HER WHOM HE WAS SEEKING HE BECAME MORE AND MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE HOPELESSNESS OF HIS ERRAND HIM SHE HAD NEVER LOVED


AND WHY SHOULD HE VENTURE TO HOPE THAT SHE WOULD LOVE HIM NOW


HAD HE NOT BEEN AWARE THAT HIS PROMISE TO OTHERS REQUIRED THAT HE SHOULD PERSEVERE HE HAD SAID THAT HE WOULD DO THIS THING AND HE WOULD BE AS GOOD AS HIS WORD BUT HE HARDLY VENTURED TO HOPE THAT HE MIGHT BE SUCCESSFUL


IN THIS FRAME OF MIND HE SLOWLY MADE HIS WAY UP ACROSS THE LAWN MY DEAR THERE IS JOHN EAMES SAID MISSUS DALE WHO HAD FIRST SEEN HIM FROM THE PARLOUR WINDOW DON'T GO MAMMA


I DON'T KNOW PERHAPS IT WILL BE BETTER THAT I SHOULD NO MAMMA NO WHAT GOOD CAN IT DO IT CAN DO NO GOOD I LIKE HIM AS WELL AS I CAN LIKE ANY ONE I LOVE HIM DEARLY BUT IT CAN DO NO GOOD LET HIM COME IN HERE AND BE VERY KIND TO HIM


AND I SHALL BE VERY GLAD TO SEE HIM THEN MISSUS DALE WENT ROUND TO THE OTHER ROOM AND ADMITTED HER VISITOR THROUGH THE WINDOW OF THE DRAWING ROOM WE ARE IN TERRIBLE CONFUSION JOHN ARE WE NOT AND SO YOU ARE REALLY GOING TO LIVE IN GUESTWICK


WELL IT LOOKS LIKE IT DOES IT NOT BUT TO TELL YOU A SECRET ONLY IT MUST BE A SECRET YOU MUST NOT MENTION IT AT GUESTWICK MANOR EVEN BELL DOES NOT KNOW WE HAVE HALF MADE UP OUR MINDS TO UNPACK ALL OUR THINGS AND STAY WHERE WE ARE


EAMES WAS SO INTENT ON HIS OWN PURPOSE AND SO FULLY OCCUPIED WITH THE DIFFICULTY OF THE TASK BEFORE HIM THAT HE COULD HARDLY RECEIVE MISSUS DALE'S TIDINGS WITH ALL THE INTEREST WHICH THEY DESERVED UNPACK THEM ALL AGAIN HE SAID


THAT WILL BE VERY TROUBLESOME IS LILY WITH YOU MISSUS DALE YES SHE IS IN THE PARLOUR COME AND SEE HER SO HE FOLLOWED MISSUS DALE THROUGH THE HALL AND FOUND HIMSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS LOVE


HOW DO YOU DO JOHN HOW DO YOU DO LILY WE ALL KNOW THE WAY IN WHICH SUCH MEETINGS ARE COMMENCED EACH LONGED TO BE TENDER AND AFFECTIONATE TO THE OTHER


BUT NEITHER KNEW HOW TO THROW ANY TENDERNESS INTO THIS FIRST GREETING SO YOU'RE STAYING AT THE MANOR HOUSE SAID LILY YES I'M STAYING THERE YOUR UNCLE AND BELL CAME YESTERDAY AFTERNOON HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT BELL SAID MISSUS DALE


OH YES MARY TOLD ME I'M SO GLAD OF IT I ALWAYS LIKED DOCTOR CROFTS VERY MUCH I HAVE NOT CONGRATULATED HER BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS A SECRET BUT CROFTS WAS THERE LAST NIGHT AND IF IT IS A SECRET HE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT KEEPING IT


I DON'T KNOW THAT I AM FOND OF SUCH SECRETS BUT AS SHE SAID THIS SHE THOUGHT OF CROSBIE'S ENGAGEMENT WHICH HAD BEEN TOLD TO EVERY ONE AND OF ITS CONSEQUENCES IS IT TO BE SOON HE ASKED WELL YES WE THINK SO


OF COURSE NOTHING IS SETTLED IT WAS SUCH FUN SAID LILY JAMES WHO TOOK AT ANY RATE A YEAR OR TWO TO MAKE HIS PROPOSAL WANTED TO BE MARRIED THE NEXT DAY AFTERWARDS NO LILY NOT QUITE THAT WELL MAMMA IT WAS VERY NEARLY THAT


I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY I SHOULD SO MUCH LIKE FOR A BROTHER I'M VERY GLAD YOU LIKE HIM VERY GLAD I HOPE YOU'LL BE FRIENDS ALWAYS THERE WAS SOME LITTLE TENDERNESS IN THIS AS JOHN ACKNOWLEDGED TO HIMSELF I'M SURE WE SHALL IF HE LIKES IT THAT IS IF I EVER HAPPEN TO SEE HIM


I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR HIM I CAN IF HE EVER COMES UP TO LONDON WOULDN'T IT BE A GOOD THING MISSUS DALE IF HE SETTLED HIMSELF IN LONDON NO JOHN IT WOULD BE A VERY BAD THING WHY SHOULD HE WISH TO ROB ME OF MY DAUGHTER MISSUS DALE WAS SPEAKING OF HER ELDEST DAUGHTER


BUT THE VERY ALLUSION TO ANY SUCH ROBBERY COVERED JOHN EAMES'S FACE WITH A BLUSH


AND FOR THE MOMENT SILENCED HIM YOU THINK HE WOULD HAVE A BETTER CAREER IN LONDON SAID LILY SPEAKING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF HER SUPERIOR PRESENCE OF MIND SHE HAD CERTAINLY SHOWN DEFECTIVE JUDGMENT IN DESIRING HER MOTHER NOT TO LEAVE THEM ALONE


AND OF THIS MISSUS DALE SOON FELT HERSELF AWARE THE THING HAD TO BE DONE AND NO LITTLE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE SUCH AS THIS OF MISSUS DALE'S ENFORCED PRESENCE WOULD PREVENT IT OF THIS MISSUS DALE WAS WELL AWARE


AND SHE FELT MOREOVER THAT JOHN WAS ENTITLED TO AN OPPORTUNITY OF PLEADING HIS OWN CAUSE


BUT NOT THE LESS SHOULD HE HAVE IT OF RIGHT SEEING THAT HE DESIRED IT BUT YET MISSUS DALE DID NOT DARE TO GET UP AND LEAVE THE ROOM LILY HAD ASKED HER NOT TO DO SO AND AT THE PRESENT PERIOD OF THEIR LIVES ALL LILY'S REQUESTS WERE SACRED


THEY CONTINUED FOR SOME TIME TO TALK OF CROFTS AND HIS MARRIAGE AND WHEN THAT SUBJECT WAS FINISHED THEY DISCUSSED THEIR OWN PROBABLE OR AS IT SEEMED NOW IMPROBABLE REMOVAL TO GUESTWICK IT'S GOING TOO FAR MAMMA SAID LILY


TO SAY THAT YOU THINK WE SHALL NOT GO IT WAS ONLY LAST NIGHT THAT YOU SUGGESTED IT THE TRUTH IS JOHN THAT HOPKINS CAME IN AND DISCOURSED WITH THE MOST WONDERFUL ELOQUENCE NOBODY DARED TO OPPOSE HOPKINS HE MADE US ALMOST CRY HE WAS SO PATHETIC


HE HAS JUST BEEN TALKING TO ME TOO SAID JOHN AS I CAME THROUGH THE SQUIRE'S GARDEN AND WHAT HAS HE BEEN SAYING TO YOU SAID MISSUS DALE OH I DON'T KNOW NOT MUCH


JOHN HOWEVER REMEMBERED WELL AT THIS MOMENT ALL THAT THE GARDENER HAD SAID TO HIM DID SHE KNOW OF THAT ENCOUNTER BETWEEN HIM AND CROSBIE AND IF SHE DID KNOW OF IT IN WHAT LIGHT DID SHE REGARD IT


HE HAD SWORN TO HIMSELF THAT HE WOULD NOT LEAVE THE SMALL HOUSE WITHOUT ASKING LILY TO BE HIS WIFE IT SEEMED TO HIM AS THOUGH HE WOULD BE GUILTY OF FALSEHOOD TOWARDS THE EARL IF HE DID SO LORD DE GUEST HAD OPENED HIS HOUSE TO HIM


AND HAD ASKED ALL THE DALES THERE AND HAD OFFERED HIMSELF UP AS A SACRIFICE AT THE CRUEL SHRINE OF A SERIOUS DINNER PARTY TO SAY NOTHING OF THAT EASIER AND LIGHTER SACRIFICE WHICH HE HAD MADE IN A PECUNIARY POINT OF VIEW IN ORDER THAT THIS THING MIGHT BE DONE


UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES EAMES WAS TOO HONEST A MAN NOT TO DO IT LET THE DIFFICULTIES IN HIS WAY BE WHAT THEY MIGHT HE HAD SAT THERE FOR AN HOUR AND MISSUS DALE STILL REMAINED WITH HER DAUGHTER


SHOULD HE GET UP BOLDLY AND ASK LILY TO PUT ON HER BONNET AND COME OUT INTO THE GARDEN AS THE THOUGHT STRUCK HIM HE ROSE AND GRASPED AT HIS HAT I AM GOING TO WALK BACK TO GUESTWICK SAID HE IT WAS VERY GOOD OF YOU TO COME SO FAR TO SEE US


I WAS ALWAYS FOND OF WALKING HE SAID


HAVE A GLASS OF WINE BEFORE YOU GO OH DEAR NO I THINK I'LL GO BACK THROUGH THE SQUIRE'S FIELDS AND OUT ON THE ROAD AT THE WHITE GATE THE PATH IS QUITE DRY NOW I DARE SAY IT IS SAID MISSUS DALE LILY


I WONDER WHETHER YOU WOULD COME AS FAR AS THAT WITH ME AS THE REQUEST WAS MADE MISSUS DALE LOOKED AT HER DAUGHTER ALMOST BESEECHINGLY DO PRAY DO SAID HE IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR WALKING


THE PATH PROPOSED LAY RIGHT ACROSS THE FIELD INTO WHICH LILY HAD TAKEN CROSBIE WHEN SHE MADE HER OFFER TO LET HIM OFF FROM HIS ENGAGEMENT COULD IT BE POSSIBLE THAT SHE SHOULD EVER WALK THERE AGAIN WITH ANOTHER LOVER NO JOHN SHE SAID NOT TO DAY


I THINK I AM ALMOST TIRED AND I HAD RATHER NOT GO OUT IT WOULD DO YOU GOOD SAID MISSUS DALE I DON'T WANT TO BE DONE GOOD TO MAMMA BESIDES I SHOULD HAVE TO COME BACK BY MYSELF I'LL COME BACK WITH YOU SAID JOHNNY


OH YES AND THEN I SHOULD HAVE TO GO AGAIN WITH YOU BUT JOHN REALLY I DON'T WISH TO WALK TO DAY WHEREUPON JOHN EAMES AGAIN PUT DOWN HIS HAT LILY SAID HE AND THEN HE STOPPED MISSUS DALE WALKED AWAY TO THE WINDOW


LILY I HAVE COME OVER HERE ON PURPOSE TO SPEAK TO YOU INDEED I HAVE COME DOWN FROM LONDON ONLY THAT I MIGHT SEE YOU HAVE YOU JOHN YES I HAVE YOU KNOW WELL ALL THAT I HAVE GOT TO TELL YOU


NO JOHN NO SHE ANSWERED


ALWAYS NO TO THAT HOW CAN IT BE OTHERWISE YOU WOULD NOT HAVE ME MARRY YOU WHILE I LOVE ANOTHER BUT HE IS GONE HE HAS TAKEN ANOTHER WIFE I CANNOT CHANGE MYSELF BECAUSE HE IS CHANGED


IF YOU ARE KIND TO ME YOU WILL LET THAT BE ENOUGH BUT YOU ARE SO UNKIND TO ME NO NO OH I WOULD WISH TO BE SO KIND TO YOU JOHN HERE TAKE MY HAND IT IS THE HAND OF A FRIEND WHO LOVES YOU AND WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU


DEAR JOHN I WILL DO ANYTHING EVERYTHING FOR YOU BUT THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE THING SAID HE STILL HOLDING HER BY THE HAND BUT WITH HIS FACE TURNED FROM HER NAY DO NOT SAY SO


I COULD NOT HAVE THAT ONE THING AND I WAS NEARER TO MY HEART'S LONGINGS THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN I CANNOT HAVE THAT ONE THING BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS AND I WILL NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO BE BROKEN HEARTED


YOU ARE STRONGER THAN I AM HE SAID NOT STRONGER BUT MORE CERTAIN MAKE YOURSELF AS SURE AS I AM AND YOU TOO WILL BE STRONG IS IT NOT SO MAMMA


I WISH IT COULD BE OTHERWISE I WISH IT COULD BE OTHERWISE IF YOU CAN GIVE HIM ANY HOPE MAMMA TELL ME THAT I MAY COME AGAIN IN A YEAR HE PLEADED I CANNOT TELL YOU SO YOU MAY NOT COME AGAIN NOT IN THIS WAY


THAT I LOVED HIM BETTER THAN ALL THE WORLD BESIDES IT IS STILL THE SAME I STILL LOVE HIM BETTER THAN ALL THE WORLD HOW THEN CAN I GIVE YOU ANY HOPE


BUT IT WILL NOT BE SO FOR EVER LILY FOR EVER WHY SHOULD HE NOT BE MINE AS WELL AS HERS WHEN THAT FOR EVER COMES JOHN IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO LOVE


YOU WILL SAY NOTHING MORE OF IT I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU MORE OPENLY ABOUT THIS THAN I HAVE EVER DONE TO ANYBODY EVEN TO MAMMA BECAUSE I HAVE WISHED TO MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND MY FEELINGS


I SHOULD BE DISGRACED IN MY OWN EYES IF I ADMITTED THE LOVE OF ANOTHER MAN AFTER AFTER IT IS TO ME ALMOST AS THOUGH I HAD MARRIED HIM


I AM NOT BLAMING HIM REMEMBER THESE THINGS ARE DIFFERENT WITH A MAN SHE HAD NOT DROPPED HIS HAND AND AS SHE MADE HER LAST SPEECH WAS SITTING IN HER OLD CHAIR WITH HER EYES FIXED UPON THE GROUND


SHE SPOKE IN A LOW VOICE SLOWLY ALMOST WITH DIFFICULTY BUT STILL THE WORDS CAME VERY CLEARLY WITH A CLEAR DISTINCT VOICE WHICH CAUSED THEM TO BE REMEMBERED WITH ACCURACY


TO HIM IT SEEMED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE THAT HE SHOULD CONTINUE HIS SUIT AFTER SUCH A DECLARATION TO MISSUS DALE THEY WERE TERRIBLE WORDS SPEAKING OF A PERPETUAL WIDOWHOOD


AND TELLING OF AN AMOUNT OF SUFFERING GREATER EVEN THAN THAT WHICH SHE HAD ANTICIPATED


OR HAD ATTEMPTED TO MAKE SO CLEAR AN EXPOSITION OF HER OWN FEELINGS I SHOULD BE DISGRACED IN MY OWN EYES IF I ADMITTED THE LOVE OF ANOTHER MAN THEY WERE TERRIBLE WORDS BUT VERY EASY TO BE UNDERSTOOD


MISSUS DALE HAD FELT FROM THE FIRST THAT EAMES WAS COMING TOO SOON THAT THE EARL AND THE SQUIRE TOGETHER WERE MAKING AN EFFORT TO CURE THE WOUND TOO QUICKLY AFTER ITS INFLICTION THAT TIME SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO HER GIRL TO RECOVER


BUT NOW THE ATTEMPT HAD BEEN MADE AND WORDS HAD BEEN FORCED FROM LILY'S LIPS THE SPEAKING OF WHICH WOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN BY HERSELF I KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE SO SAID JOHN AH YES


YOU KNOW IT BECAUSE YOUR HEART UNDERSTANDS MY HEART AND YOU WILL NOT BE ANGRY WITH ME AND SAY NAUGHTY CRUEL WORDS AS YOU DID ONCE BEFORE WE WILL THINK OF EACH OTHER JOHN AND PRAY FOR EACH OTHER AND WILL ALWAYS LOVE ONE ANOTHER


WHEN WE DO MEET LET US BE GLAD TO SEE EACH OTHER NO OTHER FRIEND SHALL EVER BE DEARER TO ME THAN YOU ARE YOU ARE SO TRUE AND HONEST WHEN YOU MARRY I WILL TELL YOUR WIFE WHAT AN INFINITE BLESSING GOD HAS GIVEN HER


YOU SHALL NEVER DO THAT YES I WILL I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN BUT YET I WILL GOOD BY MISSUS DALE HE SAID GOOD BY JOHN


AND I WILL LOVE YOU NOW THEN SHE PUT UP HER LIPS AND KISSED HIS FACE AND SO WILL I LOVE YOU SAID LILY GIVING HIM HER HAND AGAIN


HE LOOKED LONGINGLY INTO HER FACE AS THOUGH HE HAD THOUGHT IT POSSIBLE THAT SHE ALSO MIGHT KISS HIM THEN HE PRESSED HER HAND TO HIS LIPS AND WITHOUT SPEAKING ANY FURTHER FAREWELL TOOK UP HIS HAT AND LEFT THE ROOM POOR FELLOW


SAID MISSUS DALE THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE LET HIM COME SAID LILY BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND


AND THEY MEAN TO BE GOOD NATURED AND TO GIVE ME ANOTHER VERY SHORTLY AFTER THAT LILY WENT AWAY BY HERSELF AND SAT ALONE FOR HOURS AND WHEN SHE JOINED HER MOTHER AGAIN AT TEA TIME NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID OF JOHN EAMES'S VISIT


HE MADE HIS WAY OUT BY THE FRONT DOOR AND THROUGH THE CHURCHYARD AND IN THIS WAY ON TO THE FIELD THROUGH WHICH HE HAD ASKED LILY TO WALK WITH HIM


AS HE MADE HIS WAY THROUGH THE TOMBSTONES HE PAUSED AND READ ONE AS THOUGH IT INTERESTED HIM


AND THEN PULLED OUT HIS OWN WATCH AS THOUGH TO VERIFY THE ONE BY THE OTHER HE MADE UNCONSCIOUSLY A STRUGGLE TO DRIVE AWAY FROM HIS THOUGHTS THE FACTS OF THE LATE SCENE AND FOR SOME FIVE OR TEN MINUTES HE SUCCEEDED


AND LAUGHED INWARDLY AS HE REMEMBERED THE FIGURE OF RAFFERTY BRINGING IN THE KNIGHT'S SHOES HE HAD GONE SOME HALF MILE UPON HIS WAY BEFORE HE VENTURED TO STAND STILL AND TELL HIMSELF THAT HE HAD FAILED IN THE GREAT OBJECT OF HIS LIFE YES


HE HAD FAILED AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED TO HIMSELF WITH BITTER REPROACHES THAT HE HAD FAILED NOW AND FOR EVER HE TOLD HIMSELF THAT HE HAD OBTRUDED UPON HER IN HER SORROW WITH AN UNMANNERLY LOVE


AND REBUKED HIMSELF AS HAVING BEEN NOT ONLY FOOLISH BUT UNGENEROUS HIS FRIEND THE EARL HAD BEEN WONT IN HIS WAGGISH WAY TO CALL HIM THE CONQUERING HERO AND HAD SO TALKED HIM OUT OF HIS COMMON SENSE AS TO HAVE MADE HIM ALMOST THINK THAT HE WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL IN HIS SUIT


HE ALMOST HATED THE EARL FOR HAVING BROUGHT HIM TO THIS CONDITION A CONQUERING HERO INDEED HOW SHOULD HE MANAGE TO SNEAK BACK AMONG THEM ALL AT THE MANOR HOUSE CRESTFALLEN AND ABJECT IN HIS MISERY


EVERYBODY KNEW THE ERRAND ON WHICH HE HAD GONE AND EVERYBODY MUST KNOW OF HIS FAILURE HOW COULD HE HAVE BEEN SUCH A FOOL AS TO UNDERTAKE SUCH A TASK UNDER THE EYES OF SO MANY LOOKERS ON


WAS IT NOT THE CASE THAT HE HAD SO FONDLY EXPECTED SUCCESS AS TO THINK ONLY OF HIS TRIUMPH IN RETURNING AND NOT OF HIS MORE PROBABLE DISGRACE HE HAD ALLOWED OTHERS TO MAKE A FOOL OF HIM


AND HAD SO MADE A FOOL OF HIMSELF THAT NOW ALL HOPE AND HAPPINESS WERE OVER FOR HIM HOW COULD HE ESCAPE AT ONCE OUT OF THE COUNTRY BACK TO LONDON HOW COULD HE GET AWAY WITHOUT SAYING A WORD FURTHER TO ANY ONE


HE CROSSED THE ROAD AT THE END OF THE SQUIRE'S PROPERTY WHERE THE PARISH OF ALLINGTON DIVIDES ITSELF FROM THAT OF ABBOT'S GUEST IN WHICH THE EARL'S HOUSE STANDS AND MADE HIS WAY BACK ALONG THE COPSE WHICH SKIRTED THE FIELD IN WHICH THEY HAD ENCOUNTERED THE BULL


AH YES IT HAD BEEN WELL FOR HIM THAT HE HAD NOT COME OUT ON HORSEBACK THAT RIDE HOME ALONG THE HIGH ROAD AND UP TO THE MANOR HOUSE STABLES WOULD UNDER HIS PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE BEEN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO HIM


AS IT WAS HE DID NOT THINK IT POSSIBLE THAT HE SHOULD RETURN TO HIS PLACE IN THE EARL'S HOUSE HOW COULD HE PRETEND TO MAINTAIN HIS ORDINARY DEMEANOUR UNDER THE EYES OF THOSE TWO OLD MEN IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR HIM TO GET HOME TO HIS MOTHER


TO SEND A MESSAGE FROM THENCE TO THE MANOR AND THEN TO ESCAPE BACK TO LONDON SO THINKING BUT WITH NO RESOLUTION MADE HE WENT ON THROUGH THE WOODS


THERE HE STOPPED AND STOOD A WHILE WITH HIS BROAD HAND SPREAD OVER THE LETTERS WHICH HE HAD CUT IN THOSE EARLY DAYS SO AS TO HIDE THEM FROM HIS SIGHT WHAT AN ASS I HAVE BEEN ALWAYS AND EVER HE SAID TO HIMSELF


IT WAS NOT ONLY OF HIS LATE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT HE WAS THINKING BUT OF HIS WHOLE PAST LIFE HE WAS CONSCIOUS OF HIS HOBBLEDEHOYHOOD


OF THAT BACKWARDNESS ON HIS PART IN ASSUMING MANHOOD WHICH HAD RENDERED HIM INCAPABLE OF MAKING HIMSELF ACCEPTABLE TO LILY BEFORE SHE HAD FALLEN INTO THE CLUTCHES OF CROSBIE


IF SUCH SENDING MIGHT POSSIBLY BE DONE BY FAIR BEATING REGARDLESS WHETHER HE HIMSELF MIGHT BE CALLED UPON TO FOLLOW HIM WAS IT NOT HARD THAT FOR THE TWO OF THEM FOR LILY AND FOR HIM ALSO


THERE SHOULD BE SUCH PUNISHMENT BECAUSE OF THE INSINCERITY OF THAT MAN WHEN HE HAD THUS STOOD UPON THE BRIDGE FOR SOME QUARTER OF AN HOUR HE TOOK OUT HIS KNIFE AND WITH DEEP ROUGH GASHES IN THE WOOD CUT OUT LILY'S NAME FROM THE RAIL


HE HAD HARDLY FINISHED AND WAS STILL LOOKING AT THE CHIPS AS THEY WERE BEING CARRIED AWAY BY THE STREAM WHEN A GENTLE STEP CAME CLOSE UP TO HIM AND TURNING ROUND HE SAW THAT LADY JULIA WAS ON THE BRIDGE SHE WAS CLOSE TO HIM


AND HAD ALREADY SEEN HIS HANDIWORK HAS SHE OFFENDED YOU JOHN SHE SAID


DO YOU MEAN TO CUT IT OUT FROM YOUR HEART NEVER I WOULD IF I COULD BUT I NEVER SHALL KEEP TO IT AS TO A GREAT TREASURE IT WILL BE A JOY TO YOU IN AFTER YEARS AND NOT A SORROW


WILL BE A CONSOLATION WHEN YOU ARE AS OLD AS I AM IT IS SOMETHING TO HAVE HAD A HEART


AND JOHN I CAN UNDERSTAND HER FEELING NOW AND INDEED I THOUGHT ALL THROUGH THAT YOU WERE ASKING HER TOO SOON BUT THE TIME MAY YET COME WHEN SHE WILL THINK BETTER OF YOUR WISHES NO NO NEVER I BEGIN TO KNOW HER NOW


IF YOU CAN BE CONSTANT IN YOUR LOVE YOU MAY WIN HER YET REMEMBER HOW YOUNG SHE IS AND HOW YOUNG YOU BOTH ARE COME AGAIN IN TWO YEARS TIME AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE WON HER YOU SHALL TELL ME THAT I HAVE BEEN A GOOD OLD WOMAN TO YOU BOTH


I SHALL NEVER WIN HER LADY JULIA AS HE SPOKE THESE LAST WORDS THE TEARS WERE RUNNING DOWN HIS CHEEKS


IT WAS WELL FOR HIM THAT SHE HAD COME UPON HIM IN HIS SORROW WHEN HE ONCE KNEW THAT SHE HAD SEEN HIS TEARS


HOW THE SUBJECT FEELS UNDER HYPNOTIZATION DOCTOR COOPER'S EXPERIENCE EFFECT OF MUSIC DOCTOR ALFRED MARTHIEU'S EXPERIMENTS


THE SENSATIONS PRODUCED DURING A STATE OF HYPNOSIS ARE VERY INTERESTING AS MAY BE SUPPOSED THEY DIFFER GREATLY IN DIFFERENT PERSONS


ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING ACCOUNTS EVER GIVEN IS THAT OF DOCTOR JAMES R COCKE A HYPNOTIST HIMSELF WHO SUBMITTED TO BEING OPERATED UPON BY A PROFESSIONAL MAGNETIZER


HE WAS AT THAT TIME A FIRM BELIEVER IN THE THEORY OF PERSONAL MAGNETISM A DELUSION FROM WHICH HE AFTERWARD ESCAPED ON THE OCCASION WHICH HE DESCRIBES THE OPERATOR COMMANDED HIM TO CLOSE HIS EYES


BUT HE DID OPEN THEM AT ONCE AGAIN HE TOLD HIM TO CLOSE THE EYES AND AT THE SAME TIME HE GENTLY STROKED HIS HEAD AND FACE AND EYELIDS WITH HIS HAND DOCTOR COCKE FANCIED HE FELT A TINGLING SENSATION IN HIS FOREHEAD AND EYES


WHICH HE SUPPOSED CAME FROM THE HAND OF THE OPERATOR AFTERWARD HE CAME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS SENSATION WAS PURELY IMAGINARY ON HIS PART THEN HE SAYS A SENSATION AKIN TO FEAR CAME OVER ME


THE OPERATOR SAID YOU ARE GOING TO SLEEP YOU ARE GETTING SLEEPY YOU CANNOT OPEN YOUR EYES I WAS CONSCIOUS THAT MY HEART WAS BEATING RAPIDLY AND I FELT A SENSATION OF TERROR


HE THEN MADE PASSES OVER MY HEAD DOWN OVER MY HANDS AND BODY BUT DID NOT TOUCH ME HE THEN SAID TO ME YOU CANNOT OPEN YOUR EYES THE MOTOR APPARATUS OF MY LIDS WOULD NOT SEEMINGLY RESPOND TO MY WILL


YET I WAS CONSCIOUS THAT WHILE ONE PART OF MY MIND WANTED TO OPEN MY EYES ANOTHER PART DID NOT WANT TO SO I WAS IN A PARADOXICAL STATE I BELIEVED THAT I COULD OPEN MY EYES AND YET COULD NOT


THE FEELING OF NOT WISHING TO OPEN MY EYES WAS NOT BASED UPON ANY DESIRE TO PLEASE THE OPERATOR I HAD NO PERSONAL INTEREST IN HIM IN ANY WAY BUT BE IT UNDERSTOOD I FIRMLY BELIEVED IN HIS POWER TO CONTROL ME


THEN HE STROKED THE ARM AND SAID IT WAS GROWING NUMB HE SAID YOU HAVE NO FEELING IN IT HAVE YOU DOCTOR COCKE GOES ON I SAID NO AND I KNEW THAT I SAID NO


THE OPERATOR WENT ON PRICKING THE ARM WITH A PIN AND THOUGH DOCTOR COCKE FELT THE PAIN HE SAID HE DID NOT FEEL IT AND AT THE SAME TIME THE SENSATION OF TERROR INCREASED I WAS NOT CONSCIOUS OF MY BODY AT ALL HE SAYS FURTHER ON


BUT I WAS PAINFULLY CONSCIOUS OF THE TWO CONTRADICTORY ELEMENTS WITHIN ME I KNEW THAT MY BODY EXISTED BUT COULD NOT PROVE IT TO MYSELF I KNEW THAT THE STATEMENTS MADE BY THE OPERATOR WERE IN A MEASURE UNTRUE


I OBEYED THEM VOLUNTARILY AND INVOLUNTARILY THIS IS THE LAST REMEMBRANCE THAT I HAVE OF THAT HYPNOTIC EXPERIENCE AFTER THIS HOWEVER THE OPERATOR CAUSED THE DOCTOR TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS WHICH HE LEARNED OF FROM HIS FRIENDS AFTER THE PERFORMANCE WAS OVER


IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE HYPNOTIST COMMANDED ME TO AWAKE AS SOON AS I DROPPED MY ARM AND YET TEN MINUTES OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS HAD PASSED ON A SUBSEQUENT OCCASION DOCTOR COCKE WHO WAS BLIND WAS PUT INTO A DEEP HYPNOTIC SLEEP


BY FIXING HIS MIND ON THE NUMBER TWENTY SIX AND HOLDING UP HIS HAND THIS TIME HE EXPERIENCED A STILL GREATER DEGREE OF TERROR AND INCIDENTALLY LEARNED THAT HE COULD HYPNOTIZE HIMSELF THE MATTER OF SELF HYPNOTISM


WE SHALL CONSIDER IN ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THIS CONNECTION WE FIND GREAT INTEREST IN AN ARTICLE IN THE MEDICAL NEWS JULY TWENTY EIGHTH EIGHTEEN NINETY FOUR


IN WHICH HE DESCRIBES THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC UPON HYPNOTIC SUBJECTS WHILE IN VIENNA HE TOOK OCCASION TO OBSERVE CLOSELY THE ENTHUSIASTIC MUSICAL DEVOTEES AS THEY SAT IN THE AUDIENCE AT THE PERFORMANCE OF ONE OF WAGNER'S OPERAS


HE BELIEVED THEY WERE IN A CONDITION OF SELF INDUCED HYPNOTISM IN WHICH THEIR SUBJECTIVE FACULTIES WERE SO EXALTED AS TO SUPERSEDE THEIR OBJECTIVE PERCEPTIONS MUSIC WAS NO LONGER TO THEM A SUCCESSION OF PLEASING SOUNDS


BUT THE EMBODIMENT OF A DRAMA IN WHICH THEY BECAME SO WRAPPED UP THAT THEY FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE MECHANICAL AND EXTERNAL FEATURES OF THE MUSIC AND LIVED COMPLETELY IN A FAIRY WORLD OF DREAM


THIS OBSERVATION SUGGESTED TO HIM AN INTERESTING SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS HIS FIRST SUBJECT WAS EASILY HYPNOTIZED AND OF AN EMOTIONAL NATURE WAGNER'S


WAS PLAYED FROM THE PIANO SCORE THE PULSE OF THE SUBJECT BECAME MORE RAPID AND AT FIRST OF HIGHER TENSION INCREASING FROM A NORMAL RATE OF SIXTY BEATS A MINUTE TO ONE HUNDRED TWENTY THEN


AS THE MUSIC PROGRESSED THE TENSION DIMINISHED THE RESPIRATION INCREASED FROM EIGHTEEN TO THIRTY PER MINUTE GREAT EXCITEMENT IN THE SUBJECT WAS EVIDENT HIS WHOLE BODY WAS THROWN INTO MOTION HIS LEGS WERE DRAWN UP HIS ARMS TOSSED INTO THE AIR


THE STATE OF MIND BROUGHT UP BEFORE HIM IN THE MOST REALISTIC AND VIVID MANNER POSSIBLE THE PICTURE OF THE RIDE OF TAM O'SHANTER WHICH HE HAD SEEN YEARS BEFORE THE PICTURE


SOON BECAME REAL TO HIM AND HE FOUND HIMSELF TAKING PART IN A WILD CHASE NOT AS WITCH DEVIL OR TAM EVEN BUT IN SOME WAY HIS CONSCIOUSNESS WAS SPREAD THROUGH EVERY PART OF THE SCENE BEING OF IT


AND YET PLAYING THE PART OF SPECTATOR AS IS OFTEN THE CASE IN DREAMS DOCTOR WARTHIN TRIED THE SAME EXPERIMENT AGAIN THIS TIME ON A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS NOT SO EMOTIONAL AND WAS HYPNOTIZED WITH MUCH MORE DIFFICULTY


THIS SUBJECT DID NOT PASS INTO SUCH A DEEP STATE OF HYPNOTISM BUT THE RESULT WAS PRACTICALLY THE SAME THE PULSE RATE ROSE FROM SEVENTY TO ONE HUNDRED TWENTY THE SENSATION REMEMBERED WAS THAT OF RIDING FURIOUSLY THROUGH THE AIR


THE EXPERIMENT WAS REPEATED ON OTHER SUBJECTS IN ALL CASES WITH THE SAME RESULT


TO HIM IT ALWAYS EXPRESSED THE PICTURED WILD RIDE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF WOTAN THE SUBJECT TAKING PART IN THE RIDE IT WAS NOTICEABLE IN EACH CASE THAT THE SAME MUSIC PLAYED TO THEM IN THE WAKING STATE PRODUCED NO SPECIAL IMPRESSION


AT FIRST IT SEEMED TO PRODUCE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT FOR THE PULSE WAS LOWERED LATER IT ROSE TO A RATE DOUBLE THE NORMAL AND THE TENSION WAS DIMINISHED THE IMPRESSION DESCRIBED BY THE SUBJECT AFTERWARD


AND THE SUBJECT SEEMED TO CONTEMPLATE A LANDSCAPE OF LOFTY GRANDEUR A DIFFERENT SORT OF MUSIC WAS PLAYED


APPEARS TO SUMMON SIGMUND TO VALHALLA


IT BECAME SLOW AND IRREGULAR AND VERY SMALL THE RESPIRATION DECREASED ALMOST TO GASPING THE FACE GREW PALE AND A COLD PERSPIRATION BROKE OUT READERS WHO ARE ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THIS SUBJECT


WILL FIND DESCRIPTIONS OF MANY OTHER INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS IN THE SAME ARTICLE DOCTOR COCKE DESCRIBES A PECULIAR TRICK HE PLAYED UPON THE SIGHT OF A SUBJECT SAYS HE I ONCE HYPNOTIZED A MAN


AND CALL THE LETTERS AS I DIRECTED STIMULATION WAS IN THIS CASE IMPOSSIBLE AS I MADE HIM READ FIFTEEN OR TWENTY PAGES HE CALLING THE LETTERS AS SUGGESTED EACH TIME THEY OCCURRED THE EXTRAORDINARY HEIGHTENING


AND CLAIRVOYANCE IF THE POWERS OF THE MIND ARE SO ENORMOUSLY INCREASED ALL THAT IS REQUIRED OF A VERY SENSITIVE AND EASILY HYPNOTIZED PERSON IS TO HYPNOTIZE HIM OR HERSELF WHEN HE WILL BE ABLE TO READ THOUGHTS


COURTING A BROOMSTICK THE SIDE SHOW LET US NOW DESCRIBE SOME OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF HYPNOTISM TO SEE JUST HOW IT OPERATES AND HOW IT EXHIBITS ITSELF


THE FOLLOWING IS A DESCRIPTION OF A PUBLIC PERFORMANCE GIVEN BY DOCTOR HERBERT L FLINT A VERY SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC OPERATOR IT IS IN THE LANGUAGE OF AN EYE WITNESS A NEW YORK LAWYER


IN RESPONSE TO A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS TWENTY YOUNG AND MIDDLE AGED MEN CAME UPON THE STAGE THEY EVIDENTLY BELONGED TO THE GREAT MIDDLE CLASS THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMENCED BY DOCTOR FLINT PASSING AROUND THE GROUP


WHO WERE SEATED ON THE STAGE IN A SEMICIRCLE FACING THE AUDIENCE AND STROKING EACH ONE'S HEAD AND FOREHEAD REPEATING THE PHRASES CLOSE YOUR EYES THINK OF NOTHING BUT SLEEP YOU ARE VERY TIRED YOU ARE DROWSY


YOU FEEL VERY SLEEPY AS HE DID THIS SEVERAL OF THE VOLUNTEERS CLOSED THEIR EYES AT ONCE AND ONE FELL ASLEEP IMMEDIATELY ONE OR TWO REMAINED AWAKE


WHILE A FEW WERE WIDE AWAKE AND SMILING AT THE REST THESE LATTER WERE DISMISSED AS UNLIKELY SUBJECTS WHEN THE STAGE HAD BEEN CLEARED OF ALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT RESPONSIVE THE DOCTOR PASSED AROUND AND SNAPPING HIS FINGER


AT EACH INDIVIDUAL AWOKE HIM ONE OF THE SUBJECTS WHEN QUESTIONED AFTERWARD AS TO WHAT SENSATION HE EXPERIENCED AT THE SNAPPING OF THE FINGERS REPLIED THAT IT SEEMED TO HIM AS IF SOMETHING INSIDE OF HIS HEAD RESPONDED


AND WITH THIS SENSATION HE REGAINED SELF CONSCIOUSNESS THIS IS TO BE DOUBTED AS A RULE SUBJECTS IN THIS STAGE OF HYPNOTISM DO NOT FEEL ANY SENSATION THAT THEY CAN REMEMBER


THAT YOU CAN'T PULL THEM APART THEY ARE FAST YOU CANNOT PULL THEM APART TRY YOU CAN'T THE WHOLE CLASS MADE FRANTIC EFFORTS TO UNCLASP THEIR HANDS BUT WERE UNABLE TO DO SO THE DOCTOR'S EXPLANATION OF THIS IS


THAT WHAT THEY WERE REALLY DOING WAS TO FORCE THEIR HANDS CLOSER TOGETHER THUS OBEYING THE COUNTER SUGGESTION THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE TRYING TO UNCLASP THEIR HANDS WAS EVIDENT FROM THEIR ENDEAVORS


ONE YOUNG FELLOW AGED ABOUT EIGHTEEN SAID THAT HE WAS ADDICTED TO THE CIGARETTE HABIT THE SUGGESTION WAS MADE TO HIM THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SMOKE A CIGARETTE FOR TWENTY FOUR HOURS AFTER THE ENTERTAINMENT HE WAS ASKED TO SMOKE AS WAS HIS USUAL HABIT


HE WAS THEN AWAY FROM ANY ONE WHO COULD INFLUENCE HIM HE REPLIED THAT THE VERY IDEA WAS REPUGNANT HOWEVER HE WAS INDUCED TO TAKE A CIGARETTE IN HIS MOUTH BUT IT MADE HIM ILL AND HE FLUNG IT AWAY WITH EVERY EXPRESSION OF DISGUST


THIS IS AN INSTANCE OF WHAT IS CALLED POST HYPNOTIC SUGGESTION DOCTOR COCKE TELLS OF SUGGESTING TO A DRINKER WHOM HE WAS TRYING TO CURE OF THE HABIT THAT FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS ANYTHING HE TOOK WOULD MAKE HIM VOMIT


THEY IMMEDIATELY BEGAN AND TWIRLED THEM FASTER AND FASTER IN SPITE OF THEIR EFFORTS TO STOP ONE OF THE SUBJECTS SAID HE THOUGHT OF NOTHING BUT THE STRANGE ACTION OF HIS HANDS AND SOMETIMES IT PUZZLED HIM TO KNOW WHY THEY WHIRLED


AT THIS POINT DOCTOR FLINT'S DAUGHTER TOOK CHARGE OF THE CLASS SHE POINTED HER FINGER AT ONE OF THEM AND THE SUBJECT BEGAN TO LOOK STEADILY BEFORE HIM AT WHICH THE REST OF THE CLASS WERE HIGHLY AMUSED


PRESENTLY THE SUBJECT'S HEAD LEANED FORWARD THE PUPILS OF HIS EYES DILATED AND ASSUMED A PECULIAR GLASSY STARE HE AROSE WITH A STEADY GLIDING GAIT


THEN HE STOPPED MISS FLINT LED HIM TO THE FRONT OF THE STAGE AND LEFT HIM STANDING IN PROFOUND SLUMBER HE STOOD THERE STOOPING EYES SET AND VACANT FAST ASLEEP


IN THE MEANTIME THE ACT HAD CAUSED GREAT LAUGHTER AMONG THE REST OF THE CLASS ONE YOUNG FELLOW IN PARTICULAR LAUGHED SO UPROARIOUSLY THAT TEARS COURSED DOWN HIS CHEEKS AND HE TOOK OUT HIS HANDKERCHIEF TO WIPE HIS EYES


JUST AS HE WAS RETURNING IT TO HIS POCKET THE LADY SUDDENLY POINTED A FINGER AT HIM


BUT THE MOMENT THE GESTURE WAS MADE HIS COUNTENANCE FELL HIS MIRTH STOPPED WHILE THAT OF HIS COMPANIONS REDOUBLED AND THE CHANGE WAS SO OBVIOUS THAT THE AUDIENCE SHARED IN THE LAUGHTER BUT THE SUBJECT NEITHER SAW NOR HEARD


HIS EYES ASSUMED THE SAME EXPRESSION THAT HAD BEEN NOTICED IN HIS COMPANION'S HE TOO AROSE IN THE SAME ATTITUDE AS IF HIS HEAD WERE PULLING THE BODY ALONG AND FOLLOWING THE FINGER IN THE SAME WAY AS HIS PREDECESSOR


ANOTHER WAS GIVEN A BROOMSTICK AND TOLD TO HUNT GAME IN THE WOODS BEFORE HIM ANOTHER WAS GIVEN A LARGE RAG DOLL AND TOLD THAT IT WAS AN INFANT AND THAT HE MUST LOOK AMONG THE AUDIENCE AND DISCOVER THE FATHER


HE WAS INFORMED THAT HE COULD TELL WHO THE FATHER WAS BY THE SIMILARITY AND THE COLOR OF THE EYES THESE SUGGESTIONS WERE MADE IN A LOUD TONE MISS FLINT BEING NO NEARER ONE SUBJECT THAN ANOTHER


THE BARE SUGGESTION WAS GIVEN AS NOW THINK THAT YOU ARE A NEWSBOY AND ARE SELLING PAPERS OR NOW THINK THAT YOU ARE HUNTING AND ARE GOING INTO THE WOODS TO SHOOT BIRDS SO THE PARTY WAS STARTED


AT THE SAME TIME INTO THE AUDIENCE THE ONE WHO WAS IMPERSONATING A NEWSBOY WENT ABOUT CRYING HIS EDITION IN A LOUD VOICE WHILE THE HUNTER CRAWLED ALONG STEALTHILY AND CAREFULLY


THE NEWSBOY EVEN ADOPTED THE WELL WORN DEVICE OF ASKING THOSE WHOM HE SOLICITED TO BUY TO HELP HIM GET RID OF HIS STOCK ONE MAN OFFERED HIM A CENT WHEN THE PRICE WAS TWO CENTS THE NEWSBOY CHAFFED THE WOULD BE PURCHASER


AND TAKING HIM INTO THE CENTER OF THE STAGE SHOWED HIM A SMALL RIDING WHIP HE LOOKED AT IT INDIFFERENTLY ENOUGH HE WAS TOLD IT WAS A HOT BAR OF IRON BUT HE SHOOK HIS HEAD STILL INCREDULOUS


THE SUGGESTION WAS REPEATED AND AS THE GLAZED LOOK CAME INTO HIS EYES THE INCREDULOUS LOOK DIED OUT EVERY MEMBER OF THE CLASS WAS FOLLOWING THE SUGGESTION MADE TO THE SUBJECT IN HAND ALL OF THEM HAD THE SAME EXPRESSION IN THEIR EYES THE DOCTOR SAID


THAT HIS DAUGHTER WAS HYPNOTIZING THE WHOLE CLASS THROUGH THIS ONE INDIVIDUAL AS SHE SPOKE SHE LIGHTLY TOUCHED THE SUBJECT WITH THE END OF THE WHIP THE MOMENT THE SUBJECT FELT THE WHIP HE JUMPED AND SHRIEKED AS IF IT REALLY WERE A HOT IRON


SHE TOUCHED EACH ONE OF THE CLASS IN SUCCESSION AND EVERY ONE MANIFESTED THE UTMOST PAIN AND FEAR ONE SUBJECT SAT DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND CRIED IN DIRE DISTRESS


HAD THE SUGGESTION BEEN CONTINUED IT WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE RAISED A BLISTER ONE OF THE AMUSING EXPERIMENTS TRIED AT A LATER TIME WAS THAT OF A TALL YOUNG MAN DIFFIDENT PALE AND MODEST BEING GIVEN A BROOM CAREFULLY WRAPPED IN A SHEET


AND TOLD THAT IT WAS HIS SWEETHEART HE ACCEPTED THE SITUATION AND SAT DOWN BY THE BROOM HE WAS A LITTLE SHEEPISH AT FIRST BUT EVENTUALLY HE GREW BOLDER AND SMILED UPON HER SUCH A SMILE AS MALVOLIO CASTS UPON OLIVIA


THE MANNER IN WHICH LITTLE BY LITTLE HE VENTURED UPON A FAMILIAR FOOTING WAS EXCEEDINGLY FUNNY BUT WHEN IN A MOMENT OF CONFIDENT RESPONSE TO HIS WOOING HE CLASPED HER ROUND THE WAIST AND IMPRINTED A CHASTE KISS UPON THE BRUSHY PART OF THE BROOM


DISGUISED BY THE SHEET THE HOUSE RESOUNDED WITH ROARS OF LAUGHTER THE SUBJECT HOWEVER WAS DEAF TO ALL OF THE NOISE HE WAS ABSORBED IN HIS COURTSHIP AND HE CONTINUED TO HUG THE BROOM AND EXHIBIT IN HIS FEATURES


ALL THE WORLD LOVES A LOVER AS THE SAYING IS AND ALL THE WORLD LOVES TO LAUGH AT HIM ONE OF THE SUBJECTS WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD OF A MAN IN THE AUDIENCE WAS ON FIRE


HE LOOKED FOR A MOMENT AND THEN DASHED DOWN THE PLATFORM INTO THE AUDIENCE AND SEIZING THE MAN'S HEAD VIGOROUSLY RUBBED IT AS THIS DID NOT EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES HE TOOK OFF HIS COAT AND PUT THE FIRE OUT IN DOING THIS HE SET HIS COAT ON FIRE


THEN HE CALMLY RESUMED HIS GARMENT AND WALKED BACK TO THE STAGE THE SIDE SHOW CLOSED THE EVENING'S ENTERTAINMENT A YOUNG MAN WAS TOLD TO THINK OF HIMSELF AS MANAGING A SIDE SHOW AT A CIRCUS


WHEN HIS MIND HAD ABSORBED THIS IDEA HE WAS ORDERED TO OPEN HIS EXHIBITION HE AT ONCE MOUNTED A TABLE AND IN THE VOICE OF THE TRADITIONAL SIDE SHOW FAKIR BEGAN TO DILATE UPON THE FAT WOMAN AND THE SNAKES


THAT FOR THE SMALL SUM OF TEN CENTS THEY COULD SEE MORE WONDERS THAN EVER BEFORE HAD BEEN CROWDED UNDER ONE CANVAS TENT HE HARANGUED THE CROWD AS THEY SURGED ABOUT THE TENT DOOR


HE POINTED TO A SUPPOSITIOUS CANVAS PICTURE HE CHAFFED THE BOYS HE FLATTERED THE VANITY OF THE YOUNG FELLOWS WITH THEIR GIRLS TELLING THEM THAT THEY COULD NOT AFFORD FOR THE SMALL SUM OF TEN CENTS TO MISS THIS GREAT SHOW


AND IT IS TRUE THAT A PERSON CAN DELIBERATELY HYPNOTIZE HIMSELF WHEN HE WISHES TO TILL HE HAS BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO IT AND IS EXPERT IN IT SO TO SPEAK IT DOES AWAY AT A STROKE WITH THE CLAIMS OF ALL PROFESSIONAL HYPNOTISTS AND MAGNETIC HEALERS


THAT THEY HAVE ANY PECULIAR POWER IN THEMSELVES WHICH THEY EXERT OVER THEIR FELLOWS ONE OF THESE PROFESSIONALS GIVES AN ACCOUNT IN HIS BOOK OF WHAT HE CALLS THE WONDERFUL LOCK METHOD HE SAYS THAT


THOUGH HE IS LOCKED UP IN A SEPARATE ROOM HE CAN MAKE THE PSYCHIC POWER WORK THROUGH THE WALLS ALL THAT HE DOES IS TO PUT HIS SUBJECTS IN THE WAY OF HYPNOTIZING THEMSELVES


HE SHOWS HIS INCONSISTENCY WHEN HE STATES THAT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THE HYPNOTIZER IS IN DANGER OF BECOMING HYPNOTIZED HIMSELF IN THIS HE MAKES NO CLAIM THAT THE SUBJECT IS USING ANY PSYCHIC POWER


BUT OF COURSE IF THE HYPNOTIZER LOOKS STEADILY INTO THE EYES OF HIS SUBJECT AND THE SUBJECT LOOKS INTO HIS EYES THE STEADY GAZE ON A BRIGHT OBJECT WILL PRODUCE HYPNOTISM IN ONE QUITE AS READILY AS IN THE OTHER


HYPNOTISM IS AN ESTABLISHED SCIENTIFIC FACT BUT THE CLAIM THAT THE HYPNOTIZER HAS ANY MYSTERIOUS PSYCHIC POWER IS THE INVARIABLE MARK OF THE CHARLATAN


PROBABLY NO SCIENTIFIC PHENOMENON WAS EVER SO GROSSLY PROSTITUTED TO BASE ENDS AS THAT OF HYPNOTISM LATER WE SHALL SEE SOME OF THE OUTRAGEOUS FORMS THIS CHARLATANISM ASSUMES


AND HOW IT EXTENDS TO THE PROFESSIONAL SUBJECTS AS WELL AS TO THE PROFESSIONAL OPERATORS TILL THOSE SUBJECTS EVEN IMPOSE UPON SCIENTIFIC MEN WHO OUGHT TO BE PROOF AGAINST SUCH DECEPTION


MOREOVER THE POSSIBILITY OF SELF HYPNOTIZATION CAREFULLY CONCEALED AND CALLED BY ANOTHER NAME OPENS ANOTHER GREAT FIELD OF HUMBUG AND CHARLATANISM OF WHICH THE ADVERTISING COLUMNS OF THE NEWSPAPERS ARE CONSTANTLY FILLED


NAMELY THAT OF THE CLAIRVOYANT AND MEDIUM WE MAY CONCEIVE HOW SUCH A PROFESSION MIGHT BECOME PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE AND HIGHLY USEFUL BUT AT PRESENT IT SEEMS AS IF ANY PERSON WHO WENT INTO IT


HOWEVER HONEST HE MIGHT BE AT THE START SOON BEGAN TO DECEIVE HIMSELF AS WELL AS OTHERS UNTIL HE LOST HIS POWER ENTIRELY TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN FACT AND IMAGINATION BEFORE DISCUSSING THE MATTER FURTHER


LET US QUOTE DOCTOR COCKE'S EXPERIMENT IN HYPNOTIZING HIMSELF IT WILL BE REMEMBERED THAT A PROFESSIONAL HYPNOTIZER OR MAGNETIZER HAD HYPNOTIZED HIM BY TELLING HIM TO FIX HIS MIND ON THE NUMBER TWENTY SIX AND HOLDING UP HIS HAND


I WAS INTENSELY COLD MY HEART SEEMED TO STAND STILL I HAD RINGING IN MY EARS MY HAIR SEEMED TO RISE UPON MY SCALP I PERSISTED IN THE EFFORT AND THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED NOISE IN MY EARS GREW LOUDER AND LOUDER


THE ROAR BECAME DEAFENING IT CRACKLED LIKE A MIGHTY FIRE I WAS FEARFULLY CONSCIOUS OF MYSELF HAVING READ VIVID ACCOUNTS OF DREAMS VISIONS ET CETERA IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT I WOULD EXPERIENCE THEM


I FELT IN A VAGUE WAY THAT THERE WERE BEINGS ALL ABOUT ME BUT COULD NOT HEAR THEIR VOICES I FELT AS THOUGH EVERY MUSCLE IN MY BODY WAS FIXED AND RIGID


THE ROAR IN MY EARS GREW LOUDER STILL AND I HEARD ABOVE THE ROAR REPORTS WHICH SOUNDED LIKE ARTILLERY AND MUSKETRY THEN ABOVE THE DIN OF THE NOISE A MUSICAL CHORD I SEEMED TO BE ABSORBED IN THIS CHORD I KNEW NOTHING ELSE


SECONDLY I WISHED TO BE HYPNOTIZED THESE TOGETHER WITH A VIVID IMAGINATION AND STRAINED ATTENTION BROUGHT ON THE STATES WHICH OCCURRED


HIS DESCRIPTIONS OF DREAMS BEAR A WONDERFUL LIKENESS TO DE QUINCEY'S DREAMS SUCH AS THOSE DESCRIBED IN THE ENGLISH MAIL COACH DE PROFUNDIS AND THE CONFESSIONS OF AN ENGLISH OPIUM EATER


ALL OF WHICH WERE PRESUMABLY DUE TO OPIUM THE CAUSES WHICH DOCTOR COCKE THINKS PRODUCED THE HYPNOTIC CONDITION IN HIS CASE NAMELY BELIEF DESIRE TO BE HYPNOTIZED AND STRAINED ATTENTION UNITED WITH A VIVID IMAGINATION


ARE CAUSES WHICH ARE OFTEN FOUND IN CONJUNCTION AND PRODUCE EFFECTS WHICH WE MAY REASONABLY EXPLAIN ON THE THEORY OF SELF HYPNOTIZATION


FOR INSTANCE THE EFFECTS OF AN EXCITING RELIGIOUS REVIVAL ARE VERY LIKE THOSE PRODUCED BY MESMER'S OPERATIONS IN PARIS THE SUBJECTS BECOME HYSTERICAL AND ARE READY TO BELIEVE ANYTHING OR DO ANYTHING


BY PROLONGING THE OPERATION A WHOLE COMMUNITY BECOMES MORE OR LESS HYPNOTIZED IN ALL SUCH CASES HOWEVER UNUSUAL EXCITEMENT IS COMMONLY FOLLOWED BY UNUSUAL LETHARGY


IN FACT IT IS A SORT OF INTOXICATION THE SAME PHENOMENA ARE PROBABLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR MANY OF THE STRANGE RECORDS OF HISTORY THE WONDERFUL CURES AT LOURDES OF WHICH WE HAVE READ IN ZOLA'S NOVEL OF THAT NAME


ARE NO DOUBT THE EFFECT OF HYPNOTIZATION BY THE PRIESTS SOME OF THE STRANGE MOVEMENTS OF WHOLE COMMUNITIES DURING THE CRUSADES ARE TO BE EXPLAINED EITHER ON THE THEORY OF HYPNOTIZATION OR OF CONTAGION


AND POSSIBLY THESE TWO THINGS WILL TURN OUT TO BE MUCH THE SAME IN FACT ON NO OTHER GROUND CAN WE EXPLAIN THE SO CALLED CHILDREN'S CRUSADE IN WHICH OVER THIRTY THOUSAND CHILDREN FROM GERMANY FROM ALL CLASSES OF THE COMMUNITY


TRIED TO CROSS THE ALPS IN WINTER AND IN THEIR STRUGGLES WERE ALL LOST OR SOLD INTO SLAVERY WITHOUT EVEN REACHING THE HOLY LAND AGAIN HYPNOTISM IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR MANY OF THE POET'S DREAMS


GAZING STEADILY AT A BED OF BRIGHT COALS OR A STREAM OF RUNNING WATER WILL INVARIABLY THROW A SENSITIVE SUBJECT INTO A HYPNOTIC SLEEP THAT WILL LAST SOMETIMES FOR SEVERAL HOURS DOCTOR COCKE SAYS


THAT HE HAS EXPERIMENTED IN THIS DIRECTION WITH PATIENTS OF HIS SAYS HE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO RESIST THE STATE OR TO BRING IT AT WILL MANY OF THEM DESCRIBE BEAUTIFUL SCENES FROM NATURE OR SOME MIGHTY CATHEDRAL


WITH ITS LOFTY DOME OR THE FACES OF IMAGINARY BEINGS BEAUTIFUL OR DEMONIACAL ACCORDING TO THE WILL AND TEMPER OF THE SUBJECT PERHAPS THE MOST WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF SELF HYPNOTISM WHICH WE HAVE IN HISTORY


IS THAT OF THE MYSTIC SWEDENBORG WHO SAW SUCH STRANGE THINGS IN HIS VISIONS AND AT LAST CAME TO BELIEVE IN THEM AS REAL THE SAME EXPLANATION MAY BE GIVEN OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF ORIENTAL PROPHETS


FOR IN THE ORIENT HYPNOTISM IS MUCH EASIER AND MORE SYSTEMATICALLY DEVELOPED THAN WITH US OF THE WEST THE PERFORMANCES OF THE DERVISHES AND ALSO OF THE FAKIRS WHO WOUND THEMSELVES AND PERFORM MANY WONDERFUL FEATS


THEIR IMPERSONATIONS ARE RIDICULOUS IN THE EXTREME ONE MAN I REMEMBER BELIEVED HIMSELF TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT OF CHARLES SUMNER BEING UNEDUCATED HE USED THE MOST WRETCHED ENGLISH


AND HIS LANGUAGE WAS UTTERLY DEVOID OF SENSE WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND A VERY INTELLIGENT LADY WHO BELIEVED HERSELF TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT OF CHARLOTTE CUSHMAN PERSONATED THE PART VERY WELL DOCTOR COOKE SAYS OF HIMSELF


I CAN HYPNOTIZE MYSELF TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT I WILL BECOME WHOLLY UNCONSCIOUS OF EVENTS TAKING PLACE AROUND ME AND A LONG INTERVAL OF TIME SAY FROM ONE HALF TO TWO HOURS WILL BE A COMPLETE BLANK


THIS IS A PAINFUL CHAPTER FOR ME TO WRITE MERCIFULLY IT IS TO BE A SHORT ONE LATER ON I SHALL BECOME USED TO THE SITUATION INCLINED EVEN TO DWELL UPON ITS HUMOROUS SIDE


BUT FOR THE MOMENT I CANNOT SEE BEYOND THE SADNESS OF IT THAT TO A PRINCE OF THE ROYAL HOUSE OF ARABY


ROGER SCURVILEGS FRANKLY BREAKS DOWN OVER IT THAT ABOMINABLE WOMAN HE SAYS MEANING OF COURSE BELVANE AND HE HAS HYSTERICS FOR MORE THAN A PAGE LET US DESCRIBE IT CALMLY


CORONEL CAME BACK FROM HIS STROLL IN THE SAME CASUAL WAY IN WHICH HE HAD STARTED


HE WAS NOT THINKING OF UDO HE WAS WONDERING IF PRINCESS HYACINTH HAD AN ATTENDANT OF SURPASSING BEAUTY OR A DRAGON OF SURPASSING MALEVOLENCE IF IN FACT


THERE WERE ANY ADVENTURES IN EURALIA FOR A HUMBLE FELLOW LIKE HIMSELF CORONEL SAID A SMALL VOICE BEHIND HIM HE TURNED ROUND INDIFFERENTLY


HE SAID ISN'T IT TIME WE WERE STARTING WE AREN'T STARTING SAID THE VOICE WHAT'S THE MATTER WHAT ARE YOU HIDING IN THE BUSHES FOR WHATEVER'S THE MATTER UDO


CORONEL STOPPED YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS'S COMMANDS HE BEGAN RATHER COLDLY THERE WAS AN OMINOUS SNIFFING FROM THE BUSHES CORONEL SAID AN UNHAPPY VOICE AT LAST


I THINK I'M COMING OUT WONDERING WHAT IT ALL MEANT CORONEL WAITED IN SILENCE YES I AM COMING OUT CORONEL SAID THE VOICE BUT YOU MUSTN'T BE SURPRISED IF I DON'T LOOK VERY WELL


I'M I'M CORONEL HERE I AM SAID UDO PATHETICALLY


IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY WHAT HE WAS SAVE THAT THERE WAS AN IMPRESSION OF MAGNIFICENCE ABOUT HIS PERSON SUCH MAGNIFICENCE ANYHOW AS IS GIVEN BY AN ASTRAKHAN TRIMMED FUR COAT


CORONEL DECIDED THAT IT WAS AN OCCASION FOR TACT AH HERE YOU ARE HE SAID CHEERFULLY SHALL WE GET ALONG DON'T BE A FOOL CORONEL SAID UDO ALMOST CRYING


WELL THINK OF THAT UDO SHOWED WHAT HE THOUGHT OF IT BY WAVING IT PEEVISHLY THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR TACT HE SAID TELL ME WHAT I LOOK LIKE CORONEL CONSIDERED FOR A MOMENT


REALLY FRANKLY HE ASKED


SAID UDO NERVOUSLY THEN FRANKLY YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS LOOKS FUNNY VERY FUNNY SAID UDO WISTFULLY VERY FUNNY SAID CORONEL HIS HIGHNESS SIGHED


I WAS AFRAID SO HE SAID THAT'S THE CRUEL PART ABOUT IT HAD I BEEN A LION THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A CERTAIN PATHETIC SPLENDOUR ABOUT MY POSITION ISOLATED CUT OFF SUFFERING IN REGAL SILENCE


HE WAVED AN EXPLANATORY PAW EVEN IN THE MOST HIDEOUS OF BEASTS THERE MIGHT BE A DIGNITY HE MEDITATED FOR A MOMENT HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A YAK CORONEL HE ASKED NEVER


I SAW ONE ONCE IN BARODIA IT IS NOT A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL CORONEL BUT AS A YAK I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENTIRELY UNLOVABLE ONE DOES NOT LAUGH AT A YAK CORONEL


AND WHERE ONE DOES NOT LAUGH ONE MAY COME TO LOVE


STRIKING I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YOU SEE TO ONE WHO DIDN'T KNOW YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS


RABBIT HE SOBBED SO UNDIGNIFIED


HE ADDED BITTERLY HOW DID IT HAPPEN I DON'T KNOW CORONEL I JUST WENT TO SLEEP


HE SAT UP SUDDENLY AND STARED AT CORONEL IT WAS THAT OLD WOMAN DID IT YOU MARK MY WORDS CORONEL SHE DID IT WHY SHOULD SHE


I WAS VERY POLITE TO HER DON'T YOU REMEMBER MY SAYING TO YOU BE POLITE TO HER BECAUSE SHE'S PROBABLY A FAIRY


SO THEY HELD A COUNCIL OF WAR PRINCE UDO PUT FORWARD TWO SUGGESTIONS THE FIRST WAS THAT CORONEL SHOULD GO BACK ON THE MORROW AND KILL THE OLD WOMAN THE SECOND


WAS THAT CORONEL SHOULD GO BACK THAT AFTERNOON AND KILL THE OLD WOMAN CORONEL POINTED OUT THAT AS SHE HAD TURNED PRINCE UDO INTO INTO A A QUITE SO SAID UDO


IT WAS LIKELY THAT SHE ALONE COULD TURN HIM BACK AGAIN AND THAT IN THAT CASE HE HAD BETTER ONLY THREATEN HER I WANT SOMEBODY KILLED SAID UDO RATHER NATURALLY SUPPOSE SAID CORONEL


AND MAKE HER TELL ME WHAT SHE KNOWS SHE KNOWS SOMETHING I'M CERTAIN THEN WE SHALL SEE BETTER WHAT TO DO UDO MUSED FOR A SPACE WHY DIDN'T THEY TURN YOU INTO ANYTHING HE ASKED


REALLY I DON'T KNOW PERHAPS BECAUSE I'M TOO UNIMPORTANT YES THAT MUST BE IT HE BEGAN TO FEEL A LITTLE BRIGHTER OBVIOUSLY THAT'S IT HE CARESSED A WHISKER WITH ONE OF HIS PAWS


THEY WERE AFRAID OF ME HE BEGAN TO LOOK SO MUCH HAPPIER THAT CORONEL THOUGHT IT WAS A FAVOURABLE MOMENT IN WHICH TO WITHDRAW SHALL I GO NOW YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS


HE MURMURED TO HIMSELF OBVIOUSLY


GOOD BYE YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS


CORONEL GOT ON HIS HORSE AND RODE AWAY AS SOON AS HE WAS OUT OF EARSHOT HE BEGAN TO LAUGH SPASM AFTER SPASM SHOOK HIM NO SOONER HAD HE COMPOSED HIMSELF TO GRAVITY


THAN A REMEMBRANCE OF UDO'S APPEARANCE STARTED HIM OFF AGAIN I COULDN'T HAVE STAYED WITH HIM A MOMENT LONGER HE THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE BURST


HOWEVER WE'LL SOON GET HIM ALL RIGHT THAT EVENING HE REACHED THE PLACE WHERE THE COTTAGE HAD STOOD BUT IT WAS GONE NEXT MORNING HE RODE BACK TO THE WOOD UDO WAS GONE TOO


HE RETURNED TO THE PALACE AND BEGAN TO THINK IT OUT LEFT TO HIMSELF UDO VERY SOON MADE UP HIS MIND THERE WERE THREE COURSES OPEN TO HIM HE MIGHT STAY WHERE HE WAS TILL HE WAS RESTORED TO HEALTH


THIS HE REJECTED AT ONCE WHEN YOU HAVE THE HEAD OF A RABBIT THE TAIL OF A LION AND THE MIDDLE OF A WOOLLY LAMB THE NEED FOR ACTION OF SOME KIND IS IMPERATIVE


HE MIGHT GO BACK TO ARABY


SO POPULAR TO ARABY WHERE HE RODE DAILY AMONG HIS FATHER'S SUBJECTS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE THE PLEASURE OF CHEERING HIM HOW AWKWARD FOR EVERYBODY ON TO EURALIA THEN


WHY NOT THE PRINCESS HYACINTH HAD CALLED FOR HIM WHAT DEVOTION IT SHOWED IF HE CAME TO HER EVEN NOW IN HIS PRESENT STATE OF BAD HEALTH SHE WAS IN TROUBLE


ALREADY THEN HE HAD SUFFERED IN HER SERVICE SO AT LEAST HE WOULD SAY AND SO POSSIBLY IT MIGHT BE CORONEL HAD THOUGHT HIM FUNNY BUT WOMEN HAD NOT MUCH SENSE OF HUMOUR AS A RULE


SHE WOULD FIND HIM STROKABLE AND THE LION IN HIM


SHE WOULD FIND THAT INSPIRING


UNTAMABLE IN THE MAN THEY LOVE WELL THERE IT WAS IT WAS NOT AS IF HE HAD CORONEL WITH HIM CORONEL AND HE IN HIS PRESENT HEALTH COULD NEVER HAVE GONE INTO EURALIA TOGETHER


THE CONTRAST WAS TOO STRIKING BUT HE ALONE HYACINTH'S ONLY HELP SURELY SHE WOULD APPRECIATE HIS MAGNANIMITY ALSO AS HE HAD TOLD HIMSELF A MOMENT AGO


BUT NO DOUBT HE WOULD THINK OF SOME TREMENDOUSLY CUNNING DEVICE LATER ON TO EURALIA THEN WITH ALL DISPATCH HE TROTTED OFF


A WOMAN'S LIFE SAVED THE CAUSE OF HER FALLING INTO THE SEA


I OMITTED SEVERAL VERY MATERIAL PARTS IN MY FATHER'S JOURNEY ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TO HOLLAND WHICH THAT THEY MAY NOT BE TOTALLY LOST


I WILL NOW FAITHFULLY GIVE YOU IN HIS OWN WORDS AS I HEARD HIM RELATE THEM TO HIS FRIENDS SEVERAL TIMES ON MY ARRIVAL SAYS MY FATHER AT HELVOETSLUYS I WAS OBSERVED TO BREATHE WITH SOME DIFFICULTY


CARRYING THEIR HEADS AT THE EXTREMITY OF THEIR TAILS I CROSSED CONTINUED HE ONE PRODIGIOUS RANGE OF ROCKS EQUAL IN HEIGHT TO THE ALPS THE TOPS OR HIGHEST PARTS OF THESE MARINE MOUNTAINS


ARE SAID TO BE UPWARDS OF ONE HUNDRED FATHOMS BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SEA ON THE SIDES OF WHICH THERE WAS A GREAT VARIETY OF TALL NOBLE TREES LOADED WITH MARINE FRUIT SUCH AS LOBSTERS CRABS OYSTERS SCOLLOPS


FRUIT SHOOK OFF THE BRANCHES OF THE TREE IT GROWS UPON BY THE MOTION OF THE WATER AS THOSE IN OUR GARDENS ARE BY THAT OF THE WIND THE LOBSTER TREES APPEARED THE RICHEST BUT THE CRAB AND OYSTERS WERE THE TALLEST


THE PERIWINKLE IS A KIND OF SHRUB IT GROWS AT THE FOOT OF THE OYSTER TREE AND TWINES ROUND IT AS THE IVY DOES THE OAK


AS SHE SANK SHE FELL UPON HER SIDE AND FORCED A VERY LARGE LOBSTER TREE OUT OF ITS PLACE IT WAS IN THE SPRING WHEN THE LOBSTERS WERE VERY YOUNG


AND MANY OF THEM BEING SEPARATED BY THE VIOLENCE OF THE SHOCK THEY FELL UPON A CRAB TREE WHICH WAS GROWING BELOW THEM THEY HAVE LIKE THE FARINA OF PLANTS UNITED AND PRODUCED A FISH RESEMBLING BOTH


I ENDEAVOURED TO BRING ONE WITH ME BUT IT WAS TOO CUMBERSOME AND MY SALT WATER PEGASUS SEEMED MUCH DISPLEASED AT EVERY ATTEMPT TO STOP HIS CAREER WHILST I CONTINUED UPON HIS BACK


BESIDES I WAS THEN THOUGH GALLOPING OVER A MOUNTAIN OF ROCKS THAT LAY ABOUT MIDWAY THE PASSAGE AT LEAST FIVE HUNDRED FATHOM BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SEA AND BEGAN TO FIND THE WANT OF AIR INCONVENIENT


THEREFORE I HAD NO INCLINATION TO PROLONG THE TIME ADD TO THIS MY SITUATION WAS IN OTHER RESPECTS VERY UNPLEASANT I MET MANY LARGE FISH WHO WERE IF I COULD JUDGE BY THEIR OPEN MOUTHS


NOT ONLY ABLE BUT REALLY WISHED TO DEVOUR US NOW AS MY ROSINANTE WAS BLIND I HAD THESE HUNGRY GENTLEMEN'S ATTEMPTS TO GUARD AGAINST IN ADDITION TO MY OTHER DIFFICULTIES


AS WE DREW NEAR THE DUTCH SHORE AND THE BODY OF WATER OVER OUR HEADS DID NOT EXCEED TWENTY FATHOMS I THOUGHT I SAW A HUMAN FIGURE IN A FEMALE DRESS THEN LYING ON THE SAND BEFORE ME WITH SOME SIGNS OF LIFE


WHEN I CAME CLOSE I PERCEIVED HER HAND MOVE I TOOK IT INTO MINE AND BROUGHT HER ON SHORE AS A CORPSE AN APOTHECARY WHO HAD JUST BEEN INSTRUCTED BY DOCTOR HAWES


OF LONDON TREATED HER PROPERLY AND SHE RECOVERED SHE WAS THE RIB OF A MAN WHO COMMANDED A VESSEL BELONGING TO HELVOETSLUYS HE WAS JUST GOING OUT OF PORT ON A VOYAGE WHEN SHE HEARING HE HAD GOT A MISTRESS WITH HIM


FOLLOWED HIM IN AN OPEN BOAT AS SOON AS SHE HAD GOT ON THE QUARTER DECK SHE FLEW AT HER HUSBAND AND ATTEMPTED TO STRIKE HIM WITH SUCH IMPETUOSITY THAT HE THOUGHT IT MOST PRUDENT TO SLIP ON ONE SIDE


AND LET HER MAKE THE IMPRESSION OF HER FINGERS UPON THE WAVES RATHER THAN HIS FACE HE WAS NOT MUCH OUT IN HIS IDEAS OF THE CONSEQUENCE FOR MEETING NO OPPOSITION SHE WENT DIRECTLY OVERBOARD


AND IT WAS MY UNFORTUNATE LOT TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR BRINGING THIS HAPPY PAIR TOGETHER AGAIN I CAN EASILY CONCEIVE WHAT EXECRATIONS THE HUSBAND LOADED ME WITH WHEN ON HIS RETURN


HE FOUND THIS GENTLE CREATURE WAITING HIS ARRIVAL AND LEARNED THE MEANS BY WHICH SHE CAME INTO THE WORLD AGAIN


THE ENIGMA WAS MORE IMPENETRABLE THAN EVER WHO WAS THIS LITTLE ONE WHOM THENARDIER HAD CALLED THE LARK WAS SHE HIS URSULE THE PRISONER HAD NOT SEEMED TO BE AFFECTED BY THAT WORD THE LARK


THIS WAS WHAT MARIUS PERCEIVED MOST CLEARLY OF ALL A SORT OF HORRIBLE FASCINATION HELD HIM NAILED TO HIS POST FROM WHICH HE WAS OBSERVING AND COMMANDING THIS WHOLE SCENE THERE HE STOOD


ALMOST INCAPABLE OF MOVEMENT OR REFLECTION AS THOUGH ANNIHILATED BY THE ABOMINABLE THINGS VIEWED AT SUCH CLOSE QUARTERS HE WAITED IN THE HOPE OF SOME INCIDENT NO MATTER OF WHAT NATURE


AND THEN I WILL GIVE MY LIFE AND MY BLOOD IF NECESSARY BUT I WILL DELIVER HER NOTHING SHALL STOP ME NEARLY HALF AN HOUR PASSED IN THIS MANNER THENARDIER SEEMED TO BE ABSORBED IN GLOOMY REFLECTIONS


THE PRISONER DID NOT STIR STILL MARIUS FANCIED THAT AT INTERVALS AND FOR THE LAST FEW MOMENTS HE HAD HEARD A FAINT DULL NOISE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PRISONER ALL AT ONCE THENARDIER ADDRESSED THE PRISONER


THINK THAT THE LARK REALLY IS YOUR DAUGHTER


THEY WILL BOTH ENTER THE CARRIAGE WITH MY COMRADE BEHIND SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE THE BARRIER THERE IS A TRAP HARNESSED TO TWO VERY GOOD HORSES YOUR YOUNG LADY WILL BE TAKEN TO IT SHE WILL ALIGHT FROM THE FIACRE


MY COMRADE WILL ENTER THE OTHER VEHICLE WITH HER AND MY WIFE WILL COME BACK HERE TO TELL US IT'S DONE AS FOR THE YOUNG LADY NO HARM WILL BE DONE TO HER


AND JUST AS SOON AS YOU HAVE HANDED OVER TO ME THOSE LITTLE TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS SHE WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU IF YOU HAVE ME ARRESTED MY COMRADE WILL GIVE A TURN OF HIS THUMB TO THE LARK THAT'S ALL


THE PRISONER UTTERED NOT A SYLLABLE AFTER A PAUSE THENARDIER CONTINUED IT'S VERY SIMPLE AS YOU SEE THERE'LL BE NO HARM DONE UNLESS YOU WISH THAT THERE SHOULD BE HARM DONE


I'M TELLING YOU HOW THINGS STAND I WARN YOU SO THAT YOU MAY BE PREPARED HE PAUSED THE PRISONER DID NOT BREAK THE SILENCE AND THENARDIER RESUMED


AS SOON AS MY WIFE RETURNS AND SAYS TO ME THE LARK IS ON THE WAY WE WILL RELEASE YOU AND YOU WILL BE FREE TO GO AND SLEEP AT HOME YOU SEE THAT OUR INTENTIONS ARE NOT EVIL


WHAT THAT YOUNG GIRL WHOM THEY WERE ABDUCTING WAS NOT TO BE BROUGHT BACK ONE OF THOSE MONSTERS WAS TO BEAR HER OFF INTO THE DARKNESS WHITHER AND WHAT IF IT WERE SHE IT WAS CLEAR THAT IT WAS SHE


WHAT WAS HE TO DO DISCHARGE THE PISTOL PLACE ALL THOSE SCOUNDRELS IN THE HANDS OF JUSTICE BUT THE HORRIBLE MAN WITH THE MEAT AXE WOULD NONE THE LESS BE OUT OF REACH WITH THE YOUNG GIRL


IT WAS BY THE PERIL OF THE ONE HE LOVED THAT HE FELT HIMSELF RESTRAINED THIS FRIGHTFUL SITUATION WHICH HAD ALREADY LASTED ABOVE HALF AN HOUR WAS CHANGING ITS ASPECT EVERY MOMENT


MARIUS HAD SUFFICIENT STRENGTH OF MIND TO REVIEW IN SUCCESSION ALL THE MOST HEART BREAKING CONJECTURES SEEKING HOPE AND FINDING NONE


IN THE MIDST OF THIS SILENCE THE DOOR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRCASE WAS HEARD TO OPEN AND SHUT AGAIN THE PRISONER MADE A MOVEMENT IN HIS BONDS HERE'S THE BOURGEOISE SAID THENARDIER


HE HAD HARDLY UTTERED THE WORDS WHEN THE THENARDIER WOMAN DID IN FACT RUSH HASTILY INTO THE ROOM RED PANTING BREATHLESS WITH FLAMING EYES AND CRIED AS SHE SMOTE HER HUGE HANDS ON HER THIGHS SIMULTANEOUSLY


FALSE ADDRESS THE RUFFIAN WHO HAD GONE WITH HER MADE HIS APPEARANCE BEHIND HER AND PICKED UP HIS AXE AGAIN SHE RESUMED NOBODY THERE


SHE PAUSED CHOKING THEN WENT ON


YOU ARE TOO GOOD YOU SEE IF IT HAD BEEN ME I'D HAVE CHOPPED THE BEAST IN FOUR QUARTERS TO BEGIN WITH AND IF HE HAD ACTED UGLY I'D HAVE BOILED HIM ALIVE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN OBLIGED TO SPEAK AND SAY WHERE THE GIRL IS


AND WHERE HE KEEPS HIS SHINERS THAT'S THE WAY I SHOULD HAVE MANAGED MATTERS PEOPLE ARE PERFECTLY RIGHT WHEN THEY SAY THAT MEN ARE A DEAL STUPIDER THAN WOMEN


IT'S NOTHING BUT A BIG CARRIAGE GATE


AND AFTER ALL THAT RACING AND FEE TO THE COACHMAN AND ALL I SPOKE TO BOTH THE PORTER AND THE PORTRESS A FINE STOUT WOMAN AND THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HIM MARIUS BREATHED FREELY ONCE MORE


WAS SAFE WHILE HIS EXASPERATED WIFE VOCIFERATED


FOR SEVERAL MINUTES HE UTTERED NOT A WORD BUT SWUNG HIS RIGHT FOOT WHICH HUNG DOWN AND STARED AT THE BRAZIER WITH AN AIR OF SAVAGE REVERY


FINALLY HE SAID TO THE PRISONER WITH A SLOW AND SINGULARLY FEROCIOUS TONE


WHAT DID YOU EXPECT TO GAIN BY THAT TO GAIN TIME CRIED THE PRISONER IN A THUNDERING VOICE AND AT THE SAME INSTANT HE SHOOK OFF HIS BONDS THEY WERE CUT


THE PRISONER WAS ONLY ATTACHED TO THE BED NOW BY ONE LEG BEFORE THE SEVEN MEN HAD TIME TO COLLECT THEIR SENSES AND DASH FORWARD HE HAD BENT DOWN INTO THE FIREPLACE HAD STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND TO THE BRAZIER


AND HAD THEN STRAIGHTENED HIMSELF UP AGAIN AND NOW THENARDIER THE FEMALE THENARDIER AND THE RUFFIANS HUDDLED IN AMAZEMENT AT THE EXTREMITY OF THE HOVEL


STARED AT HIM IN STUPEFACTION AS ALMOST FREE AND IN A FORMIDABLE ATTITUDE HE BRANDISHED ABOVE HIS HEAD THE RED HOT CHISEL WHICH EMITTED A THREATENING GLOW


WHEN THE POLICE MADE THEIR DESCENT ON IT THIS SOU PIECE WAS ONE OF THOSE MARVELS OF INDUSTRY WHICH ARE ENGENDERED BY THE PATIENCE OF THE GALLEYS IN THE SHADOWS AND FOR THE SHADOWS MARVELS WHICH ARE NOTHING ELSE THAN INSTRUMENTS OF ESCAPE


ARE TO JEWELLERS WORK WHAT THE METAPHORS OF SLANG ARE TO POETRY THERE ARE BENVENUTO CELLINIS IN THE GALLEYS


THE UNHAPPY WRETCH WHO ASPIRES TO DELIVERANCE FINDS MEANS SOMETIMES WITHOUT TOOLS SOMETIMES WITH A COMMON WOODEN HANDLED KNIFE TO SAW A SOU INTO TWO THIN PLATES


TO HOLLOW OUT THESE PLATES WITHOUT AFFECTING THE COINAGE STAMP AND TO MAKE A FURROW ON THE EDGE OF THE SOU IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE PLATES WILL ADHERE AGAIN THIS CAN BE SCREWED TOGETHER AND UNSCREWED AT WILL IT IS A BOX


IN THIS BOX HE HIDES A WATCH SPRING AND THIS WATCH SPRING PROPERLY HANDLED CUTS GOOD SIZED CHAINS AND BARS OF IRON THE UNFORTUNATE CONVICT IS SUPPOSED TO POSSESS MERELY A SOU NOT AT ALL


HE POSSESSES LIBERTY IT WAS A LARGE SOU OF THIS SORT


THEY ALSO FOUND A TINY SAW OF BLUE STEEL WHICH WOULD FIT THE SOU IT IS PROBABLE THAT THE PRISONER HAD THIS SOU PIECE ON HIS PERSON AT THE MOMENT WHEN THE RUFFIANS SEARCHED HIM THAT HE CONTRIVED TO CONCEAL IT IN HIS HAND


AS HE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO BEND DOWN FOR FEAR OF BETRAYING HIMSELF HE HAD NOT CUT THE BONDS OF HIS LEFT LEG THE RUFFIANS HAD RECOVERED FROM THEIR FIRST SURPRISE BE EASY


THAT YOU CAN MAKE ME WRITE WHAT I DO NOT CHOOSE TO WRITE THAT YOU CAN MAKE ME SAY WHAT I DO NOT CHOOSE TO SAY HE STRIPPED UP HIS LEFT SLEEVE AND ADDED SEE HERE


AT THE SAME MOMENT HE EXTENDED HIS ARM AND LAID THE GLOWING CHISEL WHICH HE HELD IN HIS LEFT HAND BY ITS WOODEN HANDLE


THE REVOLTS OF THE FLESH AND THE SENSES WHEN SUBJECTED TO PHYSICAL SUFFERING CAUSE THE SOUL TO SPRING FORTH AND MAKE IT APPEAR ON THE BROW JUST AS REBELLIONS AMONG THE SOLDIERY FORCE THE CAPTAIN TO SHOW HIMSELF


THE HORRIBLE GLOWING TOOL DISAPPEARED INTO THE NIGHT WHIRLING AS IT FLEW AND FELL FAR AWAY ON THE SNOW THE PRISONER RESUMED DO WHAT YOU PLEASE WITH ME HE WAS DISARMED


SEIZE HIM SAID THENARDIER TWO OF THE RUFFIANS LAID THEIR HANDS ON HIS SHOULDER AND THE MASKED MAN WITH THE VENTRILOQUIST'S VOICE TOOK UP HIS STATION IN FRONT OF HIM


READY TO SMASH HIS SKULL AT THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT AT THE SAME TIME MARIUS HEARD BELOW HIM AT THE BASE OF THE PARTITION BUT SO NEAR THAT HE COULD NOT SEE WHO WAS SPEAKING THIS COLLOQUY CONDUCTED IN A LOW TONE


THERE IS ONLY ONE THING LEFT TO DO CUT HIS THROAT THAT'S IT IT WAS THE HUSBAND AND WIFE TAKING COUNSEL TOGETHER THENARDIER WALKED SLOWLY TOWARDS THE TABLE


OPENED THE DRAWER AND TOOK OUT THE KNIFE MARIUS FRETTED WITH THE HANDLE OF HIS PISTOL UNPRECEDENTED PERPLEXITY FOR THE LAST HOUR HE HAD HAD TWO VOICES IN HIS CONSCIENCE


THE ONE ENJOINING HIM TO RESPECT HIS FATHER'S TESTAMENT THE OTHER CRYING TO HIM TO RESCUE THE PRISONER THESE TWO VOICES CONTINUED UNINTERRUPTEDLY THAT STRUGGLE WHICH TORMENTED HIM TO AGONY UP TO THAT MOMENT


MARIUS CAST A WILD GLANCE ABOUT HIM THE LAST MECHANICAL RESOURCE OF DESPAIR ALL AT ONCE A SHUDDER RAN THROUGH HIM AT HIS FEET ON THE TABLE A BRIGHT RAY OF LIGHT FROM THE FULL MOON


THIS WAS THE EXPEDIENT OF WHICH HE WAS IN SEARCH THE SOLUTION OF THAT FRIGHTFUL PROBLEM WHICH WAS TORTURING HIM OF SPARING THE ASSASSIN AND SAVING THE VICTIM HE KNELT DOWN ON HIS COMMODE STRETCHED OUT HIS ARM SEIZED THE SHEET OF PAPER


SOFTLY DETACHED A BIT OF PLASTER FROM THE WALL WRAPPED THE PAPER ROUND IT AND TOSSED THE WHOLE THROUGH THE CREVICE INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE DEN IT WAS HIGH TIME THENARDIER HAD CONQUERED HIS LAST FEARS OR HIS LAST SCRUPLES


SHE HANDED IT TO HER HUSBAND WHERE DID THIS COME FROM DEMANDED THENARDIER PARDIE EJACULATED HIS WIFE WHERE DO YOU SUPPOSE IT CAME FROM THROUGH THE WINDOW OF COURSE


THENARDIER RAPIDLY UNFOLDED THE PAPER AND HELD IT CLOSE TO THE CANDLE IT'S IN EPONINE'S HANDWRITING THE DEVIL HE MADE A SIGN TO HIS WIFE WHO HASTILY DREW NEAR


ASKED THE THENARDIER WOMAN WE HAVEN'T THE TIME THROUGH WHAT


REPLIED THENARDIER SINCE PONINE HAS THROWN THE STONE THROUGH THE WINDOW IT INDICATES THAT THE HOUSE IS NOT WATCHED ON THAT SIDE THE MASK WITH THE VENTRILOQUIST'S VOICE DEPOSITED HIS HUGE KEY ON THE FLOOR


THENARDIER EXCLAIMED ARE YOU MAD ARE YOU CRAZY WHAT A PACK OF BOOBIES YOU WANT TO WASTE TIME DO YOU DRAW LOTS DO YOU BY A WET FINGER BY A SHORT STRAW


WITH WRITTEN NAMES THROWN INTO A HAT WOULD YOU LIKE MY HAT CRIED A VOICE ON THE THRESHOLD


I NOW HASTEN TO THE MORE MOVING PART OF MY STORY I SHALL RELATE EVENTS THAT IMPRESSED ME WITH FEELINGS WHICH FROM WHAT I HAD BEEN HAVE MADE ME WHAT I AM


IT SURPRISED ME THAT WHAT BEFORE WAS DESERT AND GLOOMY SHOULD NOW BLOOM WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS AND VERDURE


MY SENSES WERE GRATIFIED AND REFRESHED BY A THOUSAND SCENTS OF DELIGHT AND A THOUSAND SIGHTS OF BEAUTY IT WAS ON ONE OF THESE DAYS WHEN MY COTTAGERS PERIODICALLY RESTED FROM LABOUR THE OLD MAN PLAYED ON HIS GUITAR


THAT I OBSERVED THE COUNTENANCE OF FELIX WAS MELANCHOLY BEYOND EXPRESSION HE SIGHED FREQUENTLY AND ONCE HIS FATHER PAUSED IN HIS MUSIC AND I CONJECTURED


THAT HE INQUIRED THE CAUSE OF HIS SON'S SORROW FELIX REPLIED IN A CHEERFUL ACCENT AND THE OLD MAN WAS RECOMMENCING HIS MUSIC WHEN SOMEONE TAPPED AT THE DOOR IT WAS A LADY ON HORSEBACK ACCOMPANIED BY A COUNTRY MAN AS A GUIDE


THE LADY WAS DRESSED IN A DARK SUIT AND COVERED WITH A THICK BLACK VEIL AGATHA ASKED A QUESTION TO WHICH THE STRANGER ONLY REPLIED BY PRONOUNCING IN A SWEET ACCENT THE NAME OF FELIX


ON HEARING THIS WORD FELIX CAME UP HASTILY TO THE LADY WHO WHEN SHE SAW HIM THREW UP HER VEIL


AND HER COMPLEXION WONDROUSLY FAIR


EVERY TRAIT OF SORROW VANISHED FROM HIS FACE AND IT INSTANTLY EXPRESSED A DEGREE OF ECSTATIC JOY OF WHICH I COULD HARDLY HAVE BELIEVED IT CAPABLE


SHE APPEARED AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT FEELINGS WIPING A FEW TEARS FROM HER LOVELY EYES


SHE DID NOT APPEAR TO UNDERSTAND HIM BUT SMILED HE ASSISTED HER TO DISMOUNT AND DISMISSING HER GUIDE CONDUCTED HER INTO THE COTTAGE


AND WOULD HAVE KISSED HIS HAND BUT HE RAISED HER AND EMBRACED HER AFFECTIONATELY


SHE WAS NEITHER UNDERSTOOD BY NOR HERSELF UNDERSTOOD THE COTTAGERS THEY MADE MANY SIGNS WHICH I DID NOT COMPREHEND BUT I SAW THAT HER PRESENCE DIFFUSED GLADNESS THROUGH THE COTTAGE DISPELLING THEIR SORROW AS THE SUN DISSIPATES THE MORNING MISTS


AND POINTING TO HER BROTHER MADE SIGNS WHICH APPEARED TO ME TO MEAN THAT HE HAD BEEN SORROWFUL UNTIL SHE CAME SOME HOURS PASSED THUS WHILE THEY BY THEIR COUNTENANCES EXPRESSED JOY THE CAUSE OF WHICH I DID NOT COMPREHEND


PRESENTLY I FOUND BY THE FREQUENT RECURRENCE OF SOME SOUND WHICH THE STRANGER REPEATED AFTER THEM THAT SHE WAS ENDEAVOURING TO LEARN THEIR LANGUAGE AND THE IDEA INSTANTLY OCCURRED TO ME THAT I SHOULD MAKE USE OF THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS TO THE SAME END


RETIRED EARLY WHEN THEY SEPARATED FELIX KISSED THE HAND OF THE STRANGER AND SAID GOOD NIGHT SWEET SAFIE HE SAT UP MUCH LONGER CONVERSING WITH HIS FATHER AND BY THE FREQUENT REPETITION OF HER NAME I CONJECTURED THAT THEIR LOVELY GUEST


WAS THE SUBJECT OF THEIR CONVERSATION I ARDENTLY DESIRED TO UNDERSTAND THEM AND BENT EVERY FACULTY TOWARDS THAT PURPOSE BUT FOUND IT UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE THE NEXT MORNING FELIX WENT OUT TO HIS WORK


AND AFTER THE USUAL OCCUPATIONS OF AGATHA WERE FINISHED THE ARABIAN SAT AT THE FEET OF THE OLD MAN AND TAKING HIS GUITAR PLAYED SOME AIRS SO ENTRANCINGLY BEAUTIFUL THAT THEY AT ONCE DREW TEARS OF SORROW AND DELIGHT FROM MY EYES


WHEN SHE HAD FINISHED SHE GAVE THE GUITAR TO AGATHA WHO AT FIRST DECLINED IT SHE PLAYED A SIMPLE AIR AND HER VOICE ACCOMPANIED IT IN SWEET ACCENTS BUT UNLIKE THE WONDROUS STRAIN OF THE STRANGER


THE OLD MAN APPEARED ENRAPTURED AND SAID SOME WORDS WHICH AGATHA ENDEAVOURED TO EXPLAIN TO SAFIE AND BY WHICH HE APPEARED TO WISH TO EXPRESS THAT SHE BESTOWED ON HIM THE GREATEST DELIGHT BY HER MUSIC


THE DAYS NOW PASSED AS PEACEABLY AS BEFORE WITH THE SOLE ALTERATION THAT


IN THE COUNTENANCES OF MY FRIENDS SAFIE WAS ALWAYS GAY AND HAPPY SHE AND I IMPROVED RAPIDLY IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGE SO THAT IN TWO MONTHS I BEGAN TO COMPREHEND MOST OF THE WORDS UTTERED BY MY PROTECTORS


IN THE MEANWHILE ALSO THE BLACK GROUND WAS COVERED WITH HERBAGE AND THE GREEN BANKS INTERSPERSED WITH INNUMERABLE FLOWERS SWEET TO THE SCENT AND THE EYES STARS OF PALE RADIANCE AMONG THE MOONLIGHT WOODS THE SUN BECAME WARMER THE NIGHTS CLEAR AND BALMY


ALTHOUGH THEY WERE CONSIDERABLY SHORTENED BY THE LATE SETTING AND EARLY RISING OF THE SUN FOR I NEVER VENTURED ABROAD DURING DAYLIGHT


MY DAYS WERE SPENT IN CLOSE ATTENTION THAT I MIGHT MORE SPEEDILY MASTER THE LANGUAGE AND I MAY BOAST


WHO UNDERSTOOD VERY LITTLE AND CONVERSED IN BROKEN ACCENTS WHILST I COMPREHENDED AND COULD IMITATE ALMOST EVERY WORD THAT WAS SPOKEN WHILE I IMPROVED IN SPEECH I ALSO LEARNED THE SCIENCE OF LETTERS AS IT WAS TAUGHT TO THE STRANGER AND THIS OPENED BEFORE ME


THE BOOK FROM WHICH FELIX INSTRUCTED SAFIE WAS VOLNEY'S RUINS OF EMPIRES I SHOULD NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE PURPORT OF THIS BOOK HAD NOT FELIX IN READING IT


HE HAD CHOSEN THIS WORK HE SAID BECAUSE THE DECLAMATORY STYLE WAS FRAMED IN IMITATION OF THE EASTERN AUTHORS


AND A VIEW OF THE SEVERAL EMPIRES AT PRESENT EXISTING IN THE WORLD IT GAVE ME AN INSIGHT INTO THE MANNERS GOVERNMENTS AND RELIGIONS OF THE DIFFERENT NATIONS OF THE EARTH


DEGENERATING OF THE DECLINE OF THAT MIGHTY EMPIRE OF CHIVALRY CHRISTIANITY AND KINGS I HEARD OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE AMERICAN HEMISPHERE


INHABITANTS THESE WONDERFUL NARRATIONS INSPIRED ME WITH STRANGE FEELINGS WAS MAN INDEED AT ONCE SO POWERFUL SO VIRTUOUS AND MAGNIFICENT YET SO VICIOUS AND BASE


AND AT ANOTHER AS ALL THAT CAN BE CONCEIVED OF NOBLE AND GODLIKE TO BE A GREAT AND VIRTUOUS MAN APPEARED THE HIGHEST HONOUR THAT CAN BEFALL A SENSITIVE BEING TO BE BASE AND VICIOUS AS MANY ON RECORD HAVE BEEN APPEARED


A CONDITION MORE ABJECT THAN THAT


OR EVEN WHY THERE WERE LAWS AND GOVERNMENTS BUT WHEN I HEARD DETAILS OF VICE AND BLOODSHED MY WONDER CEASED AND I TURNED AWAY WITH DISGUST AND LOATHING EVERY CONVERSATION OF THE COTTAGERS NOW OPENED NEW WONDERS TO ME


I HEARD OF THE DIVISION OF PROPERTY OF IMMENSE WEALTH AND SQUALID POVERTY OF RANK DESCENT AND NOBLE BLOOD


UNITED WITH RICHES A MAN MIGHT BE RESPECTED WITH ONLY ONE OF THESE ADVANTAGES BUT WITHOUT EITHER HE WAS CONSIDERED EXCEPT IN VERY RARE INSTANCES AS A VAGABOND AND A SLAVE DOOMED TO WASTE HIS POWERS FOR THE PROFITS OF THE CHOSEN FEW


AND WHAT WAS I OF MY CREATION AND CREATOR I WAS ABSOLUTELY IGNORANT BUT I KNEW THAT I POSSESSED NO MONEY NO FRIENDS NO KIND OF PROPERTY


SENSATIONS OF HUNGER THIRST AND HEAT OF WHAT A STRANGE NATURE IS KNOWLEDGE


AND THAT WAS DEATH A STATE WHICH I FEARED YET DID NOT UNDERSTAND


EXCEPT THROUGH MEANS WHICH I OBTAINED BY STEALTH


MISERABLE UNHAPPY WRETCH OTHER LESSONS WERE IMPRESSED UPON ME EVEN MORE DEEPLY


HOW THE FATHER DOTED ON THE SMILES OF THE INFANT


NO MOTHER HAD BLESSED ME WITH SMILES AND CARESSES


ALL MY PAST LIFE WAS NOW A BLOT A BLIND VACANCY IN WHICH I DISTINGUISHED NOTHING FROM MY EARLIEST REMEMBRANCE I HAD BEEN AS I THEN WAS IN HEIGHT AND PROPORTION


I HAD NEVER YET SEEN A BEING RESEMBLING ME OR WHO CLAIMED ANY INTERCOURSE WITH ME WHAT WAS I


I LAY ON MY STRAW BUT I COULD NOT SLEEP I THOUGHT OF THE OCCURRENCES OF THE DAY WHAT CHIEFLY STRUCK ME WAS THE GENTLE MANNERS OF THESE PEOPLE AND I LONGED TO JOIN THEM BUT DARED NOT


WHICH INFLUENCED THEIR ACTIONS THE COTTAGERS AROSE THE NEXT MORNING BEFORE THE SUN THE YOUNG WOMAN ARRANGED THE COTTAGE AND PREPARED THE FOOD AND THE YOUTH DEPARTED AFTER THE FIRST MEAL


THIS DAY WAS PASSED IN THE SAME ROUTINE AS THAT WHICH PRECEDED IT THE YOUNG MAN WAS CONSTANTLY EMPLOYED OUT OF DOORS AND THE GIRL IN VARIOUS LABORIOUS OCCUPATIONS WITHIN THE OLD MAN WHOM I SOON PERCEIVED TO BE BLIND


EMPLOYED HIS LEISURE HOURS ON HIS INSTRUMENT OR IN CONTEMPLATION NOTHING COULD EXCEED THE LOVE AND RESPECT WHICH THE YOUNGER COTTAGERS EXHIBITED TOWARDS THEIR VENERABLE COMPANION


AND DUTY WITH GENTLENESS AND HE REWARDED THEM


THEY WERE NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY THE YOUNG MAN AND HIS COMPANION OFTEN WENT APART AND APPEARED TO WEEP I SAW NO CAUSE FOR THEIR UNHAPPINESS BUT I WAS DEEPLY AFFECTED BY IT IF SUCH LOVELY CREATURES WERE MISERABLE


IT WAS LESS STRANGE THAT I AN IMPERFECT AND SOLITARY BEING SHOULD BE WRETCHED YET WHY WERE THESE GENTLE BEINGS UNHAPPY


THEY WERE DRESSED IN EXCELLENT CLOTHES AND STILL MORE THEY ENJOYED ONE ANOTHER'S COMPANY AND SPEECH INTERCHANGING EACH DAY LOOKS OF AFFECTION AND KINDNESS WHAT DID THEIR TEARS IMPLY


A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD ELAPSED


IT WAS POVERTY AND THEY SUFFERED THAT EVIL IN A VERY DISTRESSING DEGREE THEIR NOURISHMENT CONSISTED ENTIRELY OF THE VEGETABLES OF THEIR GARDEN AND THE MILK OF ONE COW WHICH GAVE VERY LITTLE DURING THE WINTER


WHEN ITS MASTERS COULD SCARCELY PROCURE FOOD TO SUPPORT IT THEY OFTEN I BELIEVE SUFFERED THE PANGS OF HUNGER VERY POIGNANTLY ESPECIALLY THE TWO YOUNGER COTTAGERS FOR SEVERAL TIMES THEY PLACED FOOD BEFORE THE OLD MAN WHEN THEY RESERVED NONE FOR THEMSELVES


THIS TRAIT OF KINDNESS MOVED ME SENSIBLY I HAD BEEN ACCUSTOMED DURING THE NIGHT TO STEAL A PART OF THEIR STORE FOR MY OWN CONSUMPTION


I ABSTAINED AND SATISFIED MYSELF WITH BERRIES NUTS AND ROOTS WHICH I GATHERED FROM A NEIGHBOURING WOOD


AND BROUGHT HOME FIRING SUFFICIENT FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF SEVERAL DAYS


THE YOUNG WOMAN WHEN SHE OPENED THE DOOR IN THE MORNING


SHE UTTERED SOME WORDS IN A LOUD VOICE AND THE YOUTH JOINED HER WHO ALSO EXPRESSED SURPRISE I OBSERVED WITH PLEASURE THAT HE DID NOT GO TO THE FOREST THAT DAY BUT SPENT IT IN REPAIRING THE COTTAGE AND CULTIVATING THE GARDEN


BY DEGREES I MADE A DISCOVERY OF STILL GREATER MOMENT I FOUND THAT THESE PEOPLE POSSESSED A METHOD OF COMMUNICATING THEIR EXPERIENCE AND FEELINGS TO ONE ANOTHER BY ARTICULATE SOUNDS


I PERCEIVED THAT THE WORDS THEY SPOKE SOMETIMES PRODUCED PLEASURE OR PAIN SMILES OR SADNESS IN THE MINDS AND COUNTENANCES OF THE HEARERS THIS WAS INDEED A GODLIKE SCIENCE AND I ARDENTLY DESIRED TO BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH IT


BUT I WAS BAFFLED IN EVERY ATTEMPT I MADE FOR THIS PURPOSE


NOT HAVING ANY APPARENT CONNECTION WITH VISIBLE OBJECTS I WAS UNABLE TO DISCOVER ANY CLUE BY WHICH I COULD UNRAVEL THE MYSTERY OF THEIR REFERENCE BY GREAT APPLICATION HOWEVER


AND AFTER HAVING REMAINED DURING THE SPACE OF SEVERAL REVOLUTIONS OF THE MOON IN MY HOVEL I DISCOVERED THE NAMES THAT WERE GIVEN TO SOME OF THE MOST FAMILIAR OBJECTS OF DISCOURSE I LEARNED AND APPLIED THE WORDS FIRE MILK BREAD AND WOOD


BUT THE OLD MAN HAD ONLY ONE WHICH WAS FATHER THE GIRL WAS CALLED SISTER OR AGATHA AND THE YOUTH FELIX BROTHER OR SON I CANNOT DESCRIBE THE DELIGHT I FELT


WHEN I LEARNED THE IDEAS APPROPRIATED TO EACH OF THESE SOUNDS AND WAS ABLE TO PRONOUNCE THEM


AS YET TO UNDERSTAND OR APPLY THEM SUCH AS GOOD DEAREST UNHAPPY I SPENT THE WINTER IN THIS MANNER THE GENTLE MANNERS AND BEAUTY OF THE COTTAGERS GREATLY ENDEARED THEM TO ME


WHEN THEY WERE UNHAPPY I FELT DEPRESSED WHEN THEY REJOICED I SYMPATHIZED IN THEIR JOYS


OFTEN ENDEAVOURED TO ENCOURAGE HIS CHILDREN AS SOMETIMES I FOUND THAT HE CALLED THEM TO CAST OFF THEIR MELANCHOLY


AGATHA LISTENED WITH RESPECT HER EYES SOMETIMES FILLED WITH TEARS WHICH SHE ENDEAVOURED TO WIPE AWAY UNPERCEIVED


AND TONE WERE MORE CHEERFUL AFTER HAVING LISTENED TO THE EXHORTATIONS OF HER FATHER IT WAS NOT THUS WITH FELIX HE WAS ALWAYS THE SADDEST OF THE GROUP AND EVEN TO MY UNPRACTISED SENSES HE APPEARED TO HAVE SUFFERED MORE DEEPLY THAN HIS FRIENDS


BUT IF HIS COUNTENANCE WAS MORE SORROWFUL


ESPECIALLY WHEN HE ADDRESSED THE OLD MAN I COULD MENTION INNUMERABLE INSTANCES WHICH ALTHOUGH SLIGHT


IN THE MIDST OF POVERTY AND WANT


FROM BENEATH THE SNOWY GROUND EARLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE SHE HAD RISEN


WHERE TO HIS PERPETUAL ASTONISHMENT HE FOUND HIS STORE ALWAYS REPLENISHED BY AN INVISIBLE HAND IN THE DAY I BELIEVE HE WORKED SOMETIMES FOR A NEIGHBOURING FARMER BECAUSE HE OFTEN WENT FORTH AND DID NOT RETURN UNTIL DINNER YET BROUGHT NO WOOD WITH HIM


HE READ TO THE OLD MAN AND AGATHA THIS READING HAD PUZZLED ME EXTREMELY AT FIRST BUT BY DEGREES I DISCOVERED THAT HE UTTERED MANY OF THE SAME SOUNDS WHEN HE READ AS WHEN HE TALKED I CONJECTURED THEREFORE


THAT HE FOUND ON THE PAPER SIGNS FOR SPEECH WHICH HE UNDERSTOOD AND I ARDENTLY LONGED TO COMPREHEND THESE ALSO BUT HOW WAS THAT POSSIBLE WHEN I DID NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE SOUNDS FOR WHICH THEY STOOD AS SIGNS I IMPROVED HOWEVER SENSIBLY IN THIS SCIENCE


OF CONVERSATION ALTHOUGH I APPLIED MY WHOLE MIND TO THE ENDEAVOUR


TO DISCOVER MYSELF TO THE COTTAGERS


WHICH KNOWLEDGE MIGHT ENABLE ME TO MAKE THEM OVERLOOK THE DEFORMITY OF MY FIGURE


AS THE SUN BECAME WARMER AND THE LIGHT OF DAY LONGER


FROM THIS TIME FELIX WAS MORE EMPLOYED AND THE HEART MOVING INDICATIONS OF IMPENDING FAMINE DISAPPEARED


AND THEY PROCURED A SUFFICIENCY OF IT SEVERAL NEW KINDS OF PLANTS SPRANG UP IN THE GARDEN WHICH THEY DRESSED AND THESE SIGNS OF COMFORT INCREASED DAILY AS THE SEASON ADVANCED THE OLD MAN LEANING ON HIS SON


MY MODE OF LIFE IN MY HOVEL WAS UNIFORM DURING THE MORNING I ATTENDED THE MOTIONS OF THE COTTAGERS AND WHEN THEY WERE DISPERSED IN VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS I SLEPT THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY WAS SPENT IN OBSERVING MY FRIENDS


WHEN THEY HAD RETIRED TO REST IF THERE WAS ANY MOON OR THE NIGHT WAS STAR LIGHT


AND ONCE OR TWICE I HEARD THEM ON THESE OCCASIONS UTTER THE WORDS GOOD SPIRIT WONDERFUL


MY THOUGHTS NOW BECAME MORE ACTIVE AND I LONGED TO DISCOVER THE MOTIVES AND FEELINGS OF THESE LOVELY CREATURES I WAS INQUISITIVE TO KNOW WHY FELIX APPEARED SO MISERABLE AND AGATHA SO SAD I THOUGHT FOOLISH WRETCH


THAT IT MIGHT BE IN MY POWER TO RESTORE HAPPINESS TO THESE DESERVING PEOPLE WHEN I SLEPT OR WAS ABSENT THE FORMS OF THE VENERABLE BLIND FATHER


I IMAGINED THAT THEY WOULD BE DISGUSTED UNTIL


AND LED ME TO APPLY WITH FRESH ARDOUR TO THE ACQUIRING THE ART OF LANGUAGE MY ORGANS WERE INDEED HARSH BUT SUPPLE AND ALTHOUGH MY VOICE WAS VERY UNLIKE THE SOFT MUSIC OF THEIR TONES YET I PRONOUNCED SUCH WORDS AS I UNDERSTOOD WITH TOLERABLE EASE


GREATLY ALTERED THE ASPECT OF THE EARTH MEN WHO BEFORE THIS CHANGE SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN HID IN CAVES DISPERSED THEMSELVES AND WERE EMPLOYED IN VARIOUS ARTS OF CULTIVATION


HAPPY HAPPY EARTH FIT HABITATION FOR GODS WHICH SO SHORT A TIME BEFORE


MY SPIRITS WERE ELEVATED BY THE ENCHANTING APPEARANCE OF NATURE


CHAPTER ELEVEN IT IS WITH CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY THAT I REMEMBER THE ORIGINAL ERA OF MY BEING


BY DEGREES I REMEMBER A STRONGER LIGHT PRESSED UPON MY NERVES SO THAT I WAS OBLIGED TO SHUT MY EYES DARKNESS THEN CAME OVER ME AND TROUBLED ME BUT HARDLY HAD I FELT THIS WHEN BY OPENING MY EYES AS I NOW SUPPOSE


THE LIGHT POURED IN UPON ME AGAIN I WALKED AND I BELIEVE DESCENDED BUT I PRESENTLY FOUND A GREAT ALTERATION IN MY SENSATIONS BEFORE DARK AND OPAQUE BODIES HAD SURROUNDED ME


THE LIGHT BECAME MORE AND MORE OPPRESSIVE TO ME


THIS WAS THE FOREST NEAR INGOLSTADT AND HERE I LAY BY THE SIDE OF A BROOK RESTING FROM MY FATIGUE UNTIL I FELT TORMENTED BY HUNGER AND THIRST THIS ROUSED ME FROM MY NEARLY DORMANT STATE


I SLAKED MY THIRST AT THE BROOK AND THEN LYING DOWN WAS OVERCOME BY SLEEP IT WAS DARK WHEN I AWOKE I FELT COLD ALSO AND HALF FRIGHTENED


AS IT WERE INSTINCTIVELY FINDING MYSELF SO DESOLATE


I HAD COVERED MYSELF WITH SOME CLOTHES BUT THESE WERE INSUFFICIENT TO SECURE ME FROM THE DEWS OF NIGHT


I KNEW AND COULD DISTINGUISH NOTHING BUT FEELING PAIN INVADE ME ON ALL SIDES I SAT DOWN AND WEPT SOON A GENTLE LIGHT STOLE OVER THE HEAVENS AND GAVE ME A SENSATION OF PLEASURE


THE MOON I GAZED WITH A KIND OF WONDER IT MOVED SLOWLY BUT IT ENLIGHTENED MY PATH AND I AGAIN WENT OUT IN SEARCH OF BERRIES I WAS STILL COLD WHEN UNDER ONE OF THE TREES I FOUND A HUGE CLOAK


NO DISTINCT IDEAS OCCUPIED MY MIND ALL WAS CONFUSED I FELT LIGHT AND HUNGER AND THIRST AND DARKNESS INNUMERABLE SOUNDS RANG IN MY EARS AND ON ALL SIDES VARIOUS SCENTS SALUTED ME


THE ONLY OBJECT THAT I COULD DISTINGUISH WAS THE BRIGHT MOON AND I FIXED MY EYES ON THAT WITH PLEASURE SEVERAL CHANGES OF DAY AND NIGHT PASSED AND THE ORB OF NIGHT HAD GREATLY LESSENED WHEN I BEGAN TO DISTINGUISH MY SENSATIONS FROM EACH OTHER


I GRADUALLY SAW PLAINLY THE CLEAR STREAM THAT SUPPLIED ME WITH DRINK AND THE TREES THAT SHADED ME WITH THEIR FOLIAGE


WHICH OFTEN SALUTED MY EARS PROCEEDED FROM THE THROATS OF THE LITTLE WINGED ANIMALS


AND TO PERCEIVE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE RADIANT ROOF


SOMETIMES I TRIED TO IMITATE THE PLEASANT SONGS OF THE BIRDS BUT WAS UNABLE SOMETIMES I WISHED TO EXPRESS MY SENSATIONS IN MY OWN MODE BUT THE UNCOUTH AND INARTICULATE SOUNDS WHICH BROKE FROM ME FRIGHTENED ME INTO SILENCE AGAIN


THE MOON HAD DISAPPEARED FROM THE NIGHT AND AGAIN WITH A LESSENED FORM SHOWED ITSELF WHILE I STILL REMAINED IN THE FOREST MY SENSATIONS HAD BY THIS TIME BECOME DISTINCT AND MY MIND RECEIVED EVERY DAY ADDITIONAL IDEAS


MY EYES BECAME ACCUSTOMED TO THE LIGHT AND TO PERCEIVE OBJECTS IN THEIR RIGHT FORMS I DISTINGUISHED THE INSECT FROM THE HERB AND BY DEGREES ONE HERB FROM ANOTHER


ONE DAY WHEN I WAS OPPRESSED BY COLD I FOUND A FIRE WHICH HAD BEEN LEFT BY SOME WANDERING BEGGARS AND WAS OVERCOME WITH DELIGHT AT THE WARMTH I EXPERIENCED FROM IT


IN MY JOY I THRUST MY HAND INTO THE LIVE EMBERS BUT QUICKLY DREW IT OUT AGAIN WITH A CRY OF PAIN HOW STRANGE I THOUGHT THAT THE SAME CAUSE SHOULD PRODUCE SUCH OPPOSITE EFFECTS I EXAMINED THE MATERIALS OF THE FIRE


THE WET WOOD WHICH I HAD PLACED NEAR THE HEAT DRIED AND ITSELF BECAME INFLAMED I REFLECTED ON THIS AND BY TOUCHING THE VARIOUS BRANCHES


AND THEN SPREADING MY CLOAK I LAY ON THE GROUND AND SANK INTO SLEEP IT WAS MORNING WHEN I AWOKE AND MY FIRST CARE WAS TO VISIT THE FIRE


I OBSERVED THIS ALSO


WHEN THEY WERE NEARLY EXTINGUISHED WHEN NIGHT CAME AGAIN I FOUND WITH PLEASURE THAT THE FIRE GAVE LIGHT AS WELL AS HEAT AND THAT THE DISCOVERY OF THIS ELEMENT WAS USEFUL TO ME IN MY FOOD


AND TASTED MUCH MORE SAVOURY THAN THE BERRIES I GATHERED FROM THE TREES I TRIED THEREFORE TO DRESS MY FOOD IN THE SAME MANNER PLACING IT ON THE LIVE EMBERS


AND THE NUTS AND ROOTS MUCH IMPROVED


WHEN I FOUND THIS I RESOLVED TO QUIT THE PLACE THAT I HAD HITHERTO INHABITED TO SEEK FOR ONE WHERE THE FEW WANTS I EXPERIENCED


AND KNEW NOT HOW TO REPRODUCE IT I GAVE SEVERAL HOURS TO THE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS DIFFICULTY


I STRUCK ACROSS THE WOOD TOWARDS THE SETTING SUN I PASSED THREE DAYS IN THESE RAMBLES AND AT LENGTH DISCOVERED THE OPEN COUNTRY A GREAT FALL OF SNOW HAD TAKEN PLACE THE NIGHT BEFORE


THE APPEARANCE WAS DISCONSOLATE AND I FOUND MY FEET CHILLED BY THE COLD DAMP SUBSTANCE THAT COVERED THE GROUND IT WAS ABOUT SEVEN IN THE MORNING AND I LONGED TO OBTAIN FOOD AND SHELTER AT LENGTH I PERCEIVED A SMALL HUT


THIS WAS A NEW SIGHT TO ME AND I EXAMINED THE STRUCTURE WITH GREAT CURIOSITY FINDING THE DOOR OPEN I ENTERED AN OLD MAN SAT IN IT NEAR A FIRE OVER WHICH HE WAS PREPARING HIS BREAKFAST HE TURNED ON HEARING A NOISE AND PERCEIVING ME SHRIEKED LOUDLY


HIS APPEARANCE DIFFERENT FROM ANY I HAD EVER BEFORE SEEN AND HIS FLIGHT SOMEWHAT SURPRISED ME


AFTER THEIR SUFFERINGS IN THE LAKE OF FIRE I GREEDILY DEVOURED THE REMNANTS OF THE SHEPHERD'S BREAKFAST WHICH CONSISTED OF BREAD CHEESE MILK AND WINE THE LATTER HOWEVER I DID NOT LIKE THEN OVERCOME


I LAY DOWN AMONG SOME STRAW AND FELL ASLEEP


WHICH SHONE BRIGHTLY ON THE WHITE GROUND


I PROCEEDED ACROSS THE FIELDS FOR SEVERAL HOURS UNTIL AT SUNSET I ARRIVED AT A VILLAGE


ALLURED MY APPETITE ONE OF THE BEST OF THESE I ENTERED BUT I HAD HARDLY PLACED MY FOOT WITHIN THE DOOR BEFORE THE CHILDREN SHRIEKED AND ONE OF THE WOMEN FAINTED THE WHOLE VILLAGE WAS ROUSED SOME FLED SOME ATTACKED ME


REFUGE IN A LOW HOVEL QUITE BARE AND MAKING A WRETCHED APPEARANCE AFTER THE PALACES I HAD BEHELD IN THE VILLAGE THIS HOVEL HOWEVER JOINED A COTTAGE OF A NEAT AND PLEASANT APPEARANCE BUT AFTER MY LATE DEARLY BOUGHT EXPERIENCE I DARED NOT ENTER IT


NO WOOD HOWEVER WAS PLACED ON THE EARTH WHICH FORMED THE FLOOR BUT IT WAS DRY AND ALTHOUGH THE WIND ENTERED IT BY INNUMERABLE CHINKS I FOUND IT AN AGREEABLE ASYLUM FROM THE SNOW AND RAIN


HOWEVER MISERABLE FROM THE INCLEMENCY OF THE SEASON AND STILL MORE FROM THE BARBARITY OF MAN


THAT I MIGHT VIEW THE ADJACENT COTTAGE


ONE PART WAS OPEN AND BY THAT I HAD CREPT IN BUT NOW I COVERED EVERY CREVICE BY WHICH I MIGHT BE PERCEIVED WITH STONES AND WOOD


ALL THE LIGHT I ENJOYED CAME THROUGH THE STY


HAVING THUS ARRANGED MY DWELLING AND CARPETED IT WITH CLEAN STRAW I RETIRED FOR I SAW THE FIGURE OF A MAN AT A DISTANCE AND I REMEMBERED TOO WELL MY TREATMENT THE NIGHT BEFORE TO TRUST MYSELF IN HIS POWER


BY A LOAF OF COARSE BREAD WHICH I PURLOINED AND A CUP


WHICH FLOWED BY MY RETREAT THE FLOOR WAS A LITTLE RAISED SO THAT IT WAS KEPT PERFECTLY DRY AND BY ITS VICINITY TO THE CHIMNEY OF THE COTTAGE IT WAS TOLERABLY WARM


THE RAIN DROPPING BRANCHES AND DANK EARTH I ATE MY BREAKFAST WITH PLEASURE AND WAS ABOUT TO REMOVE A PLANK TO PROCURE MYSELF A LITTLE WATER WHEN I HEARD A STEP AND LOOKING THROUGH A SMALL CHINK I BEHELD A YOUNG CREATURE


WITH A PAIL ON HER HEAD PASSING BEFORE MY HOVEL THE GIRL WAS YOUNG AND OF GENTLE DEMEANOUR


HER FAIR HAIR WAS PLAITED BUT NOT ADORNED SHE LOOKED PATIENT YET SAD


AND IN ABOUT A QUARTER OF AN HOUR SHE RETURNED BEARING THE PAIL WHICH WAS NOW PARTLY FILLED WITH MILK AS SHE WALKED ALONG


PRESENTLY I SAW THE YOUNG MAN AGAIN WITH SOME TOOLS IN HIS HAND CROSS THE FIELD BEHIND THE COTTAGE


ON EXAMINING MY DWELLING I FOUND THAT ONE OF THE WINDOWS OF THE COTTAGE HAD FORMERLY OCCUPIED A PART OF IT BUT THE PANES HAD BEEN FILLED UP WITH WOOD IN ONE OF THESE WAS A SMALL AND ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLE CHINK THROUGH WHICH THE EYE COULD JUST PENETRATE


WHITEWASHED AND CLEAN BUT VERY BARE OF FURNITURE IN ONE CORNER NEAR A SMALL FIRE SAT AN OLD MAN LEANING HIS HEAD ON HIS HANDS IN A DISCONSOLATE ATTITUDE THE YOUNG GIRL WAS OCCUPIED IN ARRANGING THE COTTAGE BUT PRESENTLY


WHO TAKING UP AN INSTRUMENT BEGAN TO PLAY AND TO PRODUCE SOUNDS SWEETER THAN THE VOICE OF THE THRUSH OR THE NIGHTINGALE IT WAS A LOVELY SIGHT


THE SILVER HAIR AND BENEVOLENT COUNTENANCE OF THE AGED COTTAGER


HE RAISED HER AND SMILED WITH SUCH KINDNESS AND AFFECTION THAT I FELT SENSATIONS OF A PECULIAR AND OVERPOWERING NATURE


AND I WITHDREW FROM THE WINDOW UNABLE TO BEAR THESE EMOTIONS


BEARING ON HIS SHOULDERS A LOAD OF WOOD THE GIRL MET HIM AT THE DOOR HELPED TO RELIEVE HIM OF HIS BURDEN AND TAKING SOME OF THE FUEL INTO THE COTTAGE PLACED IT ON THE FIRE THEN SHE AND THE YOUTH WENT APART INTO A NOOK OF THE COTTAGE


AND HE SHOWED HER A LARGE LOAF AND A PIECE OF CHEESE SHE SEEMED PLEASED AND WENT INTO THE GARDEN FOR SOME ROOTS AND PLANTS WHICH SHE PLACED IN WATER AND THEN UPON THE FIRE


AND APPEARED BUSILY EMPLOYED IN DIGGING AND PULLING UP ROOTS


THE OLD MAN HAD IN THE MEANTIME BEEN PENSIVE BUT ON THE APPEARANCE OF HIS COMPANIONS


THE MEAL WAS QUICKLY DISPATCHED THE YOUNG WOMAN WAS AGAIN OCCUPIED IN ARRANGING THE COTTAGE THE OLD MAN WALKED BEFORE THE COTTAGE IN THE SUN FOR A FEW MINUTES LEANING ON THE ARM OF THE YOUTH NOTHING COULD EXCEED IN BEAUTY THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THESE TWO EXCELLENT CREATURES


BUT TO MY EXTREME WONDER


DID NOT PUT AN END TO THE PLEASURE I EXPERIENCED IN WATCHING MY HUMAN NEIGHBOURS


THE YOUTH BEGAN NOT TO PLAY BUT TO UTTER SOUNDS THAT WERE MONOTONOUS AND NEITHER RESEMBLING THE HARMONY OF THE OLD MAN'S INSTRUMENT NOR THE SONGS OF THE BIRDS


HE WAS OBLIGED FROM TIME TO TIME TO VISIT HIS CORRESPONDENTS ON BUSINESS AND ONE DAY BEING UNDER THE NECESSITY OF GOING A LONG JOURNEY ON AN AFFAIR OF IMPORTANCE HE TOOK HORSE AND CARRIED WITH HIM A WALLET CONTAINING BISCUITS AND DATES


BECAUSE HE HAD A GREAT DESERT TO PASS OVER WHERE HE COULD PROCURE NO SORT OF PROVISIONS HE ARRIVED WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT AT THE END OF HIS JOURNEY AND HAVING DISPATCHED HIS AFFAIRS TOOK HORSE AGAIN IN ORDER TO RETURN HOME


THE FOURTH DAY OF HIS JOURNEY HE WAS SO MUCH INCOMMODED BY THE HEAT OF THE SUN AND THE REFLECTION OF THAT HEAT FROM THE EARTH


HAVING ALIGHTED HE TIED HIS HORSE TO A BRANCH AND SITTING DOWN BY THE FOUNTAIN TOOK SOME BISCUITS AND DATES OUT OF HIS WALLET AS HE ATE HIS DATES HE THREW THE SHELLS CARELESSLY IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS WHEN HE HAD FINISHED HIS REPAST


BEING A GOOD MOOSULMAUN HE WASHED HIS HANDS FACE AND FEET AND SAID HIS PRAYERS BEFORE HE HAD FINISHED AND WHILE HE WAS YET ON HIS KNEES HE SAW A GENIE WHITE WITH AGE


THE GENIE SPOKE TO HIM IN A TERRIBLE VOICE RISE THAT I MAY KILL THEE WITH THIS CIMETER AS THOU HAST KILLED MY SON AND ACCOMPANIED THESE WORDS WITH A FRIGHTFUL CRY


THE MERCHANT BEING AS MUCH ALARMED AT THE HIDEOUS SHAPE OF THE MONSTER AS AT HIS THREATENING LANGUAGE ANSWERED HIM TREMBLING ALAS MY GOOD LORD OF WHAT CRIME CAN I BE GUILTY TOWARDS YOU THAT YOU SHOULD TAKE AWAY MY LIFE


DEMANDED THE GENIE DID YOU NOT TAKE DATES OUT OF YOUR WALLET


I DID ALL THAT YOU SAY ANSWERED THE MERCHANT I CANNOT DENY IT IF IT BE SO RESUMED THE GENIE I TELL THEE THAT THOU HAST KILLED MY SON AND IN THIS MANNER WHEN THOU WERT THROWING THE SHELLS ABOUT MY SON WAS PASSING BY


AND THOU DIDST THROW ONE INTO HIS EYE WHICH KILLED HIM THEREFORE I MUST KILL THEE


PARDON ME CRIED THE MERCHANT NO PARDON EXCLAIMED THE GENIE NO MERCY IS IT NOT JUST TO KILL HIM THAT HAS KILLED ANOTHER


REPLIED THE MERCHANT BUT CERTAINLY I NEVER KILLED YOUR SON AND IF I HAVE IT WAS UNKNOWN TO ME AND I DID IT INNOCENTLY I BEG YOU THEREFORE TO PARDON ME AND SUFFER ME TO LIVE NO NO RETURNED THE GENIE


PERSISTING IN HIS RESOLUTION I MUST KILL THEE SINCE THOU HAST KILLED MY SON THEN TAKING THE MERCHANT BY THE ARM HE THREW HIM WITH HIS FACE ON THE GROUND AND LIFTED UP HIS CIMETER TO CUT OFF HIS HEAD THE MERCHANT WITH TEARS


PROTESTED HE WAS INNOCENT BEWAILED HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN AND SUPPLICATED THE GENIE IN THE MOST MOVING EXPRESSIONS THE GENIE WITH HIS CIMETER STILL LIFTED UP HAD THE PATIENCE TO HEAR HIS UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS TO THE END OF HIS LAMENTATIONS


ALL THIS WHINING SAID THE MONSTER IS TO NO PURPOSE


WHAT EXCLAIMED THE MERCHANT CAN NOTHING PREVAIL WITH YOU WILL YOU ABSOLUTELY TAKE AWAY THE LIFE OF A POOR INNOCENT YES REPLIED THE GENIE I AM RESOLVED


AS SOON AS SHE HAD SPOKEN THESE WORDS PERCEIVING IT WAS DAY AND KNOWING THAT THE SULTAN ROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING TO SAY HIS PRAYERS AND HOLD HIS COUNCIL SCHEHERAZADE DISCONTINUED HER STORY DEAR SISTER SAID DINARZADE


THE REMAINDER OF IT REPLIED SCHEHERAZADE IS MORE SURPRISING AND YOU WILL BE OF THIS OPINION IF THE SULTAN WILL BUT PERMIT ME TO LIVE OVER THIS DAY


I WILL WAIT TILL TO MORROW FOR I CAN AT ANY TIME PUT HER TO DEATH WHEN SHE HAS CONCLUDED HER STORY HAVING THUS RESOLVED NOT TO PUT SCHEHERAZADE TO DEATH THAT DAY HE ROSE AND WENT TO HIS PRAYERS AND TO ATTEND HIS COUNCIL