TOUCHED ME WITH HER HAND I WOULD PERHAPS FAINT AWAY I ACHED TO FORGIVE AND FORGET WASH WILLIAMS STOPPED AND STOOD STARING AT GEORGE WILLARD


AGAIN THE MAN'S VOICE BECAME SOFT AND LOW SHE CAME INTO THE ROOM NAKED HE WENT ON HER MOTHER DID THAT WHILE I SAT THERE SHE WAS TAKING THE GIRL'S CLOTHES OFF PERHAPS COAXING HER TO DO IT


FIRST I HEARD VOICES AT THE DOOR THAT LED INTO A LITTLE HALLWAY


THE GIRL WAS ASHAMED AND STOOD PERFECTLY STILL STARING AT THE FLOOR THE MOTHER DIDN'T COME INTO THE ROOM WHEN SHE HAD PUSHED THE GIRL IN THROUGH THE DOOR SHE STOOD IN THE HALLWAY WAITING HOPING WE WOULD WELL


YOU SEE WAITING GEORGE WILLARD AND THE TELEGRAPH OPERATOR CAME INTO THE MAIN STREET OF WINESBURG THE LIGHTS FROM THE STORE WINDOWS LAY BRIGHT AND SHINING ON THE SIDEWALKS PEOPLE MOVED ABOUT LAUGHING AND TALKING


THE YOUNG REPORTER FELT ILL AND WEAK IN IMAGINATION HE ALSO BECAME OLD AND SHAPELESS I DIDN'T GET THE MOTHER KILLED SAID WASH WILLIAMS STARING UP AND DOWN THE STREET I STRUCK HER ONCE WITH A CHAIR


AND THEN THE NEIGHBORS CAME IN AND TOOK IT AWAY


MANTELISH EXCUSED HIMSELF AND WENT OFF WITH THE MESSENGER THE DOOR CLOSED QUILLAN CAME BACK TO HIS CHAIR WE'RE MOVING THE OUTFIT LATER TONIGHT THE COMMISSIONER EXPLAINED


EIGHT TONS OF HIS LAB EQUIPMENT PLUS HIS SPECIAL U LEAGUE GUARDS OH TRIGGER PICKED UP THE PUYA GLASS SHE LOOKED INTO IT IT WAS EMPTY MOVING WHERE SHE ASKED MANON SAID THE COMMISSIONER TELL YOU ABOUT THAT LATER


EVERY LAST MUSCLE IN TRIGGER'S BODY SEEMED TO GO LIMP SIMULTANEOUSLY SHE SETTLED BACK SLIGHTLY IN THE CHAIR SURPRISED BY THE FORCE OF THE REACTION SHE HADN'T REALIZED BY NOW HOW KEYED UP SHE WAS SHE SIGHED A SMALL SIGH


THEN SHE SMILED AT QUILLAN MAJOR SHE SAID HOW ABOUT A TINY LITTLE REFILL ON THAT PUYA ABOUT HALF QUILLAN TOOK CARE OF THE TINY LITTLE REFILL COMMISSIONER TATE SAID BY THE WAY


QUILLAN DOES HAVE A DEGREE IN SUBSPACE ENGINEERING AND GETS ASSIGNED TO THE ENGINEERS NOW AND THEN BUT HIS REAL JOB'S SPACE SCOUT INTELLIGENCE TRIGGER NODDED I'D ALMOST GUESSED IT SHE GAVE QUILLAN ANOTHER SMILE


AND NOW SAID THE COMMISSIONER WE'LL TALK MORE FREELY WE TELL MANTELISH JUST AS LITTLE AS WE CAN TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH TRIGGER THE PROFESSOR IS A TERRIBLE HANDICAP ON AN OPERATION LIKE THIS I UNDERSTAND HE WAS A GREAT FRIEND OF YOUR FATHER'S YES SHE SAID


GOING OVER FOR VISITS TO MANTELISH'S GARDEN WITH MY FATHER IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST THINGS I REMEMBER I CAN IMAGINE HE'S A PROBLEM SHE SHIFTED HER GAZE CURIOUSLY FROM ONE TO THE OTHER OF THE TWO MEN WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING


LOOKING FOR GESS FAYLE AND THE KEY UNIT HOLATI TATE SAID THAT'S ABOUT IT WE'RE ONE OF A FEW THOUSAND FEDERATION GROUPS ASSIGNED TO THE SAME GENERAL JOB EACH GROUP WORKS AT ITS SPECIALTIES AND THE INFORMATION GETS CORRELATED


IN WHAT WAY TRIGGER ASKED WELL SUPPOSE THAT KEY UNIT IS LOST AND STAYS LOST SUPPOSE ALL THE OTHER PLASMOIDS PUT TOGETHER DON'T CONTAIN ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SHOW HOW THE OLD GALACTICS PRODUCED THE THINGS AND GOT THEM TO OPERATE


SOMEBODY WOULD GET THAT WORKED OUT PRETTY SOON WOULDN'T THEY


THERE SEEM TO BE TOO MANY BASIC FACTORS MISSING IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO DEVELOP A WHOLE NEW CLASS OF SCIENCES FIRST AND THAT COULD TAKE A FEW CENTURIES WELL TRIGGER ADMITTED I COULD GET ALONG WITHOUT THE THINGS INDEFINITELY


SAME HERE THE PLASMOID NABOB AGREED UNGRATEFULLY WEIRD BEASTIES BUT LET'S SEE AT PRESENT THERE ARE TWELVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT MEMBER WORLDS TO THE FEDERATION AREN'T THERE MORE OR LESS


AND THE NUMBER OF PLANETARY CONFEDERACIES SUBPLANETARY GOVERNMENTS INDUSTRIAL FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL COMBINES ASSORTED POWER GROUPS ET CETERA AND SO ON IS SOMETHING I'D HATE TO HAVE TO CALCULATE WHAT ARE YOU DRIVING AT SHE ASKED


THEY'VE ALL BEEN TOLD WE'RE HEADING FOR A NEW GOLDEN AGE COURTESY OF THE PLASMOID SCIENCE PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY HAS BELIEVED IT NOW THERE'S CONSIDERABLE DOUBT


OF COURSE PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY IS GOING TO GET VERY UNHAPPY EH THAT SAID COMMISSIONER TATE IS ONLY A LITTLE OF IT YES THE THING ISN'T JUST LOST SOMEBODY'S GOT IT VERY LIKELY TRIGGER NODDED


SO ANY ONE OF UMPTEEN THOUSANDS OF ORGANIZATIONS IN THE HUB MIGHT BE THE ONE THAT HAS THAT PLASMOID NOW INCLUDING SAID HOLATI ANY ONE OF THE TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN RESTRICTED WORLDS


THEIR TREATIES OF LIMITATION WOULDN'T HAVE LET THEM GET INTO THE PLASMOID PIE UNTIL THE OTHERS HAD BEEN AT IT A DECADE OR SO THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE EAGER THERE WAS A LITTLE PAUSE THEN TRIGGER SAID LORDY


THE THING COULD EVEN SET OFF ANOTHER STRING OF WARS THAT'S A POINT THE COUNCIL IS NERVOUS ABOUT HE SAID WELL IT CERTAINLY IS A MESS YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE FEDERATION MIGHT HAVE HAD A SECURITY CHIEF IN ON THAT FIRST OPERATION


RIGHT THERE ON HARVEST MOON THEY DID HE SAID IT WAS FAYLE


HOLATI COULD THOSE THINGS EVER BECOME AS VALUABLE AS PEOPLE KEEP SAYING IT'S ALL SOUNDED A LITTLE EXAGGERATED TO ME THE COMMISSIONER SAID HE'D WONDERED ABOUT IT TOO


I'M NOT ENOUGH OF A BIOLOGIST TO MAKE AN EDUCATED GUESS WHAT IT SEEMS TO BOIL DOWN TO IS THAT THEY MIGHT WHICH WOULD BE ENOUGH TO TEMPT A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GAMBLE VERY HIGH FOR A CHANCE TO GET CONTROL OF THE PLASMOID PROCESS


AND WE KNOW DEFINITELY THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE GAMBLING FOR IT HOW DO YOU KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING A COUPLE OF LEADS HERE PRETTY SHORT LEADS SO FAR BUT YOU WORK WITH WHAT YOU CAN GET HE NODDED AT THE TABLE


TRIGGER GLANCED DOWN THE PLASMOID LAY THERE SOME INCHES FROM THE SIDE OF HER HAND YOU KNOW SHE SAID UNCOMFORTABLY OLD REPULSIVE MOVED AGAIN WHILE WE WERE TALKING TOWARDS MY HAND SHE DREW THE HAND AWAY


I WAS WATCHING IT MAJOR QUILLAN SAID REASSURINGLY FROM THE END OF THE TABLE


MANTELISH BROUGHT IT BACK TO MACCADON WITH HIM


HE WAS CURIOUS BECAUSE HE COULDN'T EVEN GUESS AT WHAT ITS FUNCTION WAS IT WAS JUST LYING THERE IN A CUBICLE SO HE DID CONSIDERABLE EXPERIMENTING WITH IT WHILE HE WAITED FOR GESS FAYLE TO SHOW UP


AND LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS FIDGETED AROUND HOPING TO GET THE KIND OF REPORT FROM MANTELISH AND FAYLE THAT MANTELISH THOUGHT THEY'D ALREADY RECEIVED THEY WERE WONDERING WHERE FAYLE WAS TOO BUT THEY KNEW FAYLE WAS SECURITY SO THEY DIDN'T LIKE TO GET TOO NOSY


TRIGGER SHOOK HER HEAD WONDERFUL SO


MANTELISH BEGAN TO GET RESULTS WITH IT THE COMMISSIONER SAID ONE EXPERIMENT WAS RATHER STARTLING HE'D BEEN TRYING THAT ELECTRICAL STIMULATION BUSINESS NOTHING HAPPENED UNTIL HE HAD FINISHED THEN HE TOUCHED THE PLASMOID AND IT FED THE WHOLE CHARGE BACK TO HIM


SHE LAUGHED DELIGHTEDLY GOOD FOR REPULSIVE STOOD UP FOR HIS RIGHTS EH MANTELISH GAINED SOME SUCH IMPRESSION ANYWAY HE BECAME MORE CAUTIOUS WITH IT AFTER THAT AND THEN HE LEARNED SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE IMPORTANT


HE WAS VISITING ANOTHER LAB WHERE THEY HAD A COUPLE OF PLASMOIDS WHICH ACTUALLY MOVED NOW AND THEN


THE TWO LAB PLASMOIDS STOPPED MOVING WHILE HE WAS THERE THEY HAVEN'T MOVED SINCE


RIGHT HE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND THEN LOCATED ANOTHER MOVING PLASMOID


THE BIG ONE INDUCES PLASMOID ACTIVITY THE LITTLE ONE MODIFIES IT


BUT HIS TWO LAB GUARDS AND ONE OF THE RAIDERS WERE KILLED THE OTHERS GOT AWAY GESS FAYLE'S DEFECTION WAS A CERTAINTY BY THEN AND EVERYBODY WAS VERY NERVOUS THE FEDS GOT THERE FAST AND DEAD BRAINED THE RAIDER THEY LEARNED JUST TWO THINGS


ONE HE'D BEEN MIND BLOCKED AND COULDN'T HAVE SPILLED ANY SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION EVEN IF THEY HAD GOT HIM ALIVE THE OTHER ITEM THEY DREW FROM HIS BRAIN WAS A CLEAR IMPRESSION OF THE TARGET OF THE RAID THE PROFESSOR'S PAL HERE UH HUH TRIGGER SAID LOST IN THOUGHT


SHE POKED REPULSIVE LIGHTLY THAT WOULD BE FAYLE AND HIS ASSOCIATES THEN OR SOMEBODY WHO KNEW ABOUT THEM DID THEY WANT TO KILL IT OR GRAB IT THE COMMISSIONER LOOKED AT HER GRAB IT WAS THE DEAD BRAIN REPORT WHY


SO THEY NEED IT IN CONNECTION WITH THE KEY UNIT TRIGGER ASKED PROBABLY THAT MAKES EVERYTHING LOOK VERY MUCH BETTER DOESN'T IT QUITE A LITTLE HE SAID THE UNIT MAY NOT WORK


MANTELISH TALKS OF SOMETHING HE CALLS PROXIMITY INFLUENCE


SO TRIGGER SAID THEY MIGHT HAVE TWO THIRDS OF WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS AND YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE THIRD RIGHT HERE ON THE TABLE HOW MANY OF THE LATER RAIDERS DID YOU CATCH ALL OF THEM SAID THE COMMISSIONER AROUND FORTY


WE GOT THEM DEAD WE GOT THEM ALIVE IT DIDN'T MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE THEY WERE HIRED HANDS VERY EXPENSIVE HIRED HANDS BUT STILL JUST THAT MOST OF THEM DIDN'T KNOW A THING WE COULD USE THE ONES THAT DID KNOW SOMETHING WERE MIND BLOCKED AGAIN


I THOUGHT TRIGGER SAID REFLECTIVELY YOU COULD UN BLOCK SOMEONE LIKE THAT YOU CAN SOMETIMES IF YOU'RE VERY GOOD AT IT AND IF YOU HAVE TIME ENOUGH WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO WAIT A YEAR THEY DIED BEFORE THEY COULD TELL US ANYTHING


THERE WAS A PAUSE THEN TRIGGER ASKED HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THIS PERSONALLY MORE OR LESS BY ACCIDENT THE COMMISSIONER SAID IT WAS IN CONNECTION WITH OUR SECOND LEAD THAT'S ME HUH SHE SAID UNHAPPILY YES


WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO GRAB ME I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING HE SHOOK HIS HEAD WE HAVEN'T FOUND OUT YET WE'RE HOPING WE WILL IN A VERY FEW DAYS IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN'T TELL ME ABOUT


I CAN TELL YOU MOST OF WHAT I KNOW AT THE MOMENT SAID THE COMMISSIONER


I NEVER SELL GOODS WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE I CAN FIND THEM WHEN I WANT THEM AND IF THESE FELLOWS TRY TO PUT THEIR FOREFEET IN THE TROUGH OR START ANY SHOVING AND CROWDING THEY'RE GOING TO FIND ME FORGETTING MY TABLE MANNERS TOO


FOR WHEN IT COMES TO FUNNY BUSINESS I'M SOMETHING OF A HUMORIST MYSELF AND WHILE I'M TOO OLD TO RUN I'M YOUNG ENOUGH TO STAND AND FIGHT FIRST AND LAST A GOOD MANY MEN HAVE GONE GUNNING FOR ME BUT THEY'VE ALWAYS PLANNED THE OBSEQUIES BEFORE THEY CAUGHT THE DECEASED


I RECKON THERE HASN'T BEEN A TIME IN TWENTY YEARS WHEN THERE WASN'T A NICE GATES AJAR PIECE ALL MADE UP AND READY FOR ME IN SOME OFFICE NEAR THE BOARD OF TRADE BUT THE FIRST ESSENTIAL OF A QUIET FUNERAL IS A WILLING CORPSE AND I'M STILL SITTING UP AND TAKING NOURISHMENT


ABUSE AND FLATTERY THE FIRST CAN'T HARM YOU AND THE SECOND CAN'T HELP YOU SOME MEN ARE LIKE YELLOW DOGS


LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS BULLING THE MARKET THE LONGS ALL SAID THAT I WAS A KIND HEARTED OLD PHILANTHROPIST WHO WAS LAYING AWAKE NIGHTS SCHEMING TO GET THE FARMERS A TOP PRICE FOR THEIR HOGS


AND THE SHORTS ALLOWED THAT I WAS AN INFAMOUS OLD ROBBER WHO WAS STEALING THE PORK OUT OF THE WORKINGMAN'S POT AS LONG AS YOU CAN'T PLEASE BOTH SIDES IN THIS WORLD THERE'S NOTHING LIKE PLEASING YOUR OWN SIDE


I REMEMBER ONCE I HAD A VACANT LOT OUT ON THE AVENUE AND A LADY CAME IN TO MY OFFICE AND IN A SOOTHING SYRUPY WAY ASKED IF I WOULD LEND IT TO HER AS SHE WANTED TO BUILD A CRECHE ON IT I HESITATED A LITTLE BECAUSE I HAD NEVER HEARD OF A CRECHE BEFORE


AND SOMEWAYS IT SOUNDED SORT OF FOREIGN AND FRISKY THOUGH THE WOMAN LOOKED LIKE A GOOD SAFE RELIABLE OLD HEIFER BUT SHE EXPLAINED THAT A CRECHE WAS A BABY FARM WHERE OLD MAIDS WENT TO WASH AND FEED AND STICK PINS IN OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN WHILE THEIR MOTHERS WERE OFF AT WORK


OF COURSE THERE WAS NOTHING IN THAT TO GET OUR PASTOR OR THE POLICE AFTER ME SO I TOLD HER TO GO AHEAD SHE WENT OFF HAPPY BUT ABOUT A WEEK LATER SHE DROPPED IN AGAIN LOOKING SORT OF DISSATISFIED TO FIND OUT IF I WOULDN'T BUILD THE CRECHE ITSELF


IT SEEMED LIKE A WORTHY OBJECT SO I SENT SOME CARPENTERS OVER TO KNOCK TOGETHER A LONG FRAME PAVILION SHE WAS MIGHTY GRATEFUL YOU BET AND I DIDN'T SEE HER AGAIN FOR A FORTNIGHT THEN SHE CALLED BY TO SAY THAT SO LONG AS I WAS IN THE BUSINESS AND THEY DIDN'T COST ME ANYTHING SPECIAL


WOULD I MIND GIVING HER A FEW COWS SHE HAD A SURPRISED AND GRIEVED EXPRESSION ON HER FACE AS SHE TALKED AND THE WAY SHE PUT IT MADE ME FEEL THAT I OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF MYSELF FOR NOT HAVING THOUGHT OF THE LIVE STOCK MYSELF SO I THREW IN HALF A DOZEN COWS TO PROVIDE THE REFRESHMENTS


TO ASK WHY I HADN'T HAD IT PAINTED I WAS TOO BUSY THAT MORNING TO QUARREL SO I SENT WORD THAT I WOULD FIX IT UP AND WHEN I WAS DRIVING BY THERE NEXT DAY THE PAINTERS WERE HARD AT WORK ON IT


GRAHAM'S EXTRACT IT MAKES THE WEAK STRONG


WENT ALL AROUND TOWN SAYING THAT I HAD GIVEN A FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR SHED TO CHARITY AND PAINTED A THOUSAND DOLLAR AD ON IT ALLOWED I OUGHT TO SEND MY CHECK FOR THAT AMOUNT TO THE CRECHE FUND KEPT AT IT TILL I BEGAN TO THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING IN IT AFTER ALL AND SENT HER THE MONEY


THEN I FOUND A FELLOW WHO WANTED TO BUILD IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SOLD HIM THE LOT CHEAP AND GOT OUT OF THE CRECHE INDUSTRY


BUT THE ONLY THING I'VE EVER PUT INTO IT WHICH DIDN'T DRAW DIVIDENDS IN FUN OR DOLLARS WAS WORRY THAT IS A BRANCH OF THE TRADE WHICH YOU WANT TO LEAVE TO OUR COMPETITORS I'VE ALWAYS FOUND WORRYING A BLAMED SIGHT MORE UNCERTAIN THAN HORSE RACING IT'S HARDER TO PICK A WINNER AT IT


YOU GO HOME WORRYING BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID THAT YOUR FOOL NEW CLERK FORGOT TO LOCK THE SAFE AFTER YOU AND DURING THE NIGHT THE LARD REFINERY BURNS DOWN YOU SPEND A YEAR FRETTING BECAUSE YOU THINK BILL JONES IS GOING TO CUT YOU OUT WITH YOUR BEST GIRL AND THEN YOU SPEND TEN WORRYING BECAUSE HE DIDN'T


A BUSY MAN HAS NO TIME TO BOTHER WITH IT HE CAN ALWAYS FIND PLENTY OF OLD WOMEN IN SKIRTS OR TROUSERS TO SPEND THEIR DAYS WORRYING OVER THEIR OWN TROUBLES AND TO SIT UP NIGHTS WAKING HIS SPEAKING OF HANDING OVER YOUR WORRIES TO OTHERS NATURALLY CALLS TO MIND THE WIDOW WILLIAMS AND HER SON BUD


WHO WAS A PLAYMATE OF MINE WHEN I WAS A BOY BUD WAS THE YOUNGEST OF THE WIDOW'S TROUBLES AND SHE WAS A WOMAN WHOSE TROUBLES SELDOM CAME SINGLY HAD FOURTEEN ALTOGETHER AND FOUR PAIR OF EM WERE TWINS


AND THEN SHE'D SHED ALL WORRY OVER THEM FOR THE REST OF THE DAY ALLOWED THAT IF THEY GOT HURT THE NEIGHBORS WOULD BRING THEM HOME


AND SOMEWAYS THE WHOLE DROVE ALWAYS SHOWED UP SAFE AND DIRTY ABOUT MEAL TIME


AND SO WHEN BUD'S CLOTHES WERE FOUND AT THE SWIMMING HOLE ONE DAY AND NO BUD INSIDE THEM SHE DIDN'T TAKE ON UP TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE NEIGHBORS WHO HAD BROUGHT THE NEWS AND WHO WERE STANDING AROUND WAITING FOR HER TO GO OFF INTO SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THE WAY OF HIGH STRIKES


HINTED THAT THERE'D BE NO FUNERAL OR SUCH LIKE EXPENSIVE GOINGS ON UNTIL SOME ONE PRODUCED THE DECEASED TAKE HER BY AND LARGE SHE WAS A PRETTY COOL CALM CUCUMBER


AND EVERY ONE JUST QUIT WORK TO TELL EACH OTHER WHAT A NOBLE LITTLE FELLOW HE WAS AND HOW HIS MOTHER HADN'T DESERVED TO HAVE SUCH A BRIGHT LITTLE SUNBEAM IN HER HOME AND TO DRAG THE RIVER BETWEEN TALKS BUT THEY COULDN'T GET A RISE


BUT FINALLY AT THE END OF A WEEK WHEN THEY'D STRAINED THE WHOLE RIVER THROUGH THEIR DRAGS AND HADN'T ANYTHING TO SHOW FOR IT BUT A COLLECTION OF TIN CANS AND DEAD CATFISH


AND WENT DOWN THE STREET TO THE CABIN OF LOUISIANA CLYTEMNESTRA AN OLD YELLOW WOMAN WHO WOULD GO INTO A TRANCE FOR FOUR BITS AND FIND A FORTUNE FOR YOU FOR A DOLLAR I RECKON SHE'D HAVE CALLED HERSELF A CLAIRVOYANT NOWADAYS BUT THEN SHE WAS JUST A VOODOO WOMAN


WELL THE WIDOW SAID SHE RECKONED THAT BOYS OUGHT TO BE LET OUT AS WELL AS IN FOR HALF PRICE AND SO SHE LAID DOWN TWO BITS ALLOWING THAT SHE WANTED A FEW MINUTES PRIVATE CONVERSATION WITH HER BUD


CLYTIE SAID SHE'D DO HER BEST BUT THAT SPIRITS WERE MIGHTY SNIFTY AND HIGH TONED EVEN WHEN THEY'D ONLY BEEN POOR WHITE TRASH ON EARTH AND IT MIGHT MAKE THEM MAD TO BE CALLED AWAY FROM THEIR HIGH JINKS IF THEY WERE TAKING A LITTLE RECREATION OR FROM THEIR HIGH PRICED NEW YORK CUSTOMERS IF THEY WERE WORKING


BUT NEXT DAY SHE CAME AGAIN AND PAID DOWN FOUR BITS AND CLYTIE RECKONED THAT THAT OUGHT TO FETCH BUD SURE SOMEWAYS THOUGH SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANY LUCK AND FINALLY THE WIDOW SUGGESTED THAT SHE CALL UP BUD'S FATHER BUCK WILLIAMS HAD BEEN DEAD A MATTER OF TEN YEARS


AND THE OLD MAN RESPONDED PROMPTLY WHERE'S BUD ASKED THE WIDOW


NO THEN HE'D HAVE TO LOOK DOWNSTAIRS FOR HIM CLYTIE TOLD THE WIDOW TO CALL AGAIN AND THEY'D GET HIM SURE SO SHE CAME BACK NEXT DAY AND LAID DOWN A DOLLAR THAT FETCHED OLD BUCK WILLIAMS GHOST ON THE JUMP YOU BET


BUT THEY COULDN'T GET A WHISPER EVEN FROM BUD I RECKON CLYTIE HAD BEEN STRINGING THE OLD LADY ALONG INTENDING TO PRODUCE BUD'S SPOOK AS A SORT OF RED FIRE CALCIUM LIGHT GRAND MARCH OF THE AMAZONS CLIMAX BUT SHE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE


FOR RIGHT THERE THE OLD LADY GOT UP WITH A MIGHTY SET EXPRESSION AROUND HER LIPS AND MARCHED OUT MUTTERING THAT IT WAS JUST AS SHE HAD THOUGHT ALL ALONG BUD WASN'T THERE AND WHEN THE NEIGHBORS DROPPED IN THAT AFTERNOON TO PLAN OUT A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR HER LOST LAMB


SHE CHASED THEM OFF THE LOT WITH A BROOM


AND THAT THEY WOULD JUST STAND PAT NOW AND WAIT FOR HIM TO MAKE THE NEXT MOVE


BUT THERE WOULDN'T BE TILL THEN ALTOGETHER IT LOOKED AS IF THERE WAS A HEAP OF TROUBLE COMING TO BUD IF HE HAD MADE ANY MISTAKE AND WAS STILL ALIVE THE WIDOW FOUND HER LOST LAMB HIDING BEHIND A RAIN BARREL WHEN SHE OPENED UP THE HOUSE NEXT MORNING


AND THERE WAS A MIGHTY TOUCHING AND AFFECTING SCENE IN FACT THE WIDOW MUST HAVE TOUCHED HIM AT LEAST A HUNDRED TIMES AND EVERY TIME HE WAS AFFECTED TO TEARS FOR SHE WAS USING A BED SLAT WHICH IS A POWERFULLY STRONG MORAL AGENT FOR MAKING A BOY SEE THE ERROR OF HIS WAYS


AND IT WAS A MONTH AFTER THAT BEFORE BUD COULD GO DOWN MAIN STREET WITHOUT SOME MAN WHO HAD CALLED HIM A NOBLE LITTLE FELLOW OR A BRIGHT MANLY LITTLE CHAP WHILE HE WAS DROWNED REACHING OUT AND FETCHING HIM A CLIP ON THE EAR FOR HAVING COME BACK AND PUT THE LAUGH ON HIM


BUT IT APPEARED THAT HE LEFT HOME TO GET A FEW INDIAN SCALPS AND THAT HE CAME BACK FOR A LITTLE BACON AND CORN PONE I SIMPLY MENTION THE WIDOW IN PASSING AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FACT THAT THE TIME TO DO YOUR WORRYING IS WHEN A THING IS ALL OVER AND THAT THE WAY TO DO IT IS TO LEAVE IT TO THE NEIGHBORS


I SAIL FOR HOME TO MORROW


AND FINDS A FAIR MARGIN OF PROFIT IN SHOVING IT THERE'S A CHANCE FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM LATIN TO POETRY IN THE PACKING BUSINESS THOUGH WE DON'T USE MUCH POETRY HERE EXCEPT IN OUR STREET CAR ADS


AND ABOUT THE ONLY TIME OUR PRODUCTS ARE GIVEN LATIN NAMES IS WHEN THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH CONDEMNS THEM SO I THINK YOU'LL FIND IT SAFE TO GO SHORT A LITTLE ON THE FRILLS OF EDUCATION IF YOU WANT THEM BAD ENOUGH YOU'LL FIND A WAY TO PICK THEM UP LATER AFTER BUSINESS HOURS


BUT I WANTED YOU TO FORM GOOD MENTAL HABITS JUST AS I WANT YOU TO HAVE CLEAN STRAIGHT PHYSICAL ONES BECAUSE I WAS RUN THROUGH A THRESHING MACHINE WHEN I WAS A BOY AND DIDN'T BEGIN TO GET THE STRAW OUT OF MY HAIR TILL I WAS PAST THIRTY


I HAVEN'T ANY SYMPATHY WITH A LOT OF THESE OLD FELLOWS WHO GO AROUND BRAGGING OF THEIR IGNORANCE AND SAYING THAT BOYS DON'T NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING EXCEPT ADDITION AND THE BEST POLICY BRAND OF HONESTY WE STARTED IN A MIGHTY DIFFERENT WORLD AND WE WERE ALL IGNORANT TOGETHER


THE LORD LET US IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR GAVE US CORNER LOTS AND THEN STARTED IN TO IMPROVE THE ADJACENT PROPERTY WE DIDN'T HAVE TO KNOW FRACTIONS TO FIGURE OUT OUR PROFITS NOW A MERCHANT NEEDS ASTRONOMY TO SEE THEM AND WHEN HE LOCATES THEM THEY ARE OUT SOMEWHERE NEAR THE FIFTH DECIMAL PLACE


AND THERE'RE JUST AS MANY CHANCES FOR A FELLOW AS EVER BUT THEY'RE A LITTLE GUN SHY AND YOU CAN'T CATCH THEM BY ANY SUCH COARSE METHOD AS PUTTING SALT ON THEIR TAILS THIRTY YEARS AGO YOU COULD TAKE AN OLD MUZZLE LOADER AND KNOCK OVER PLENTY OF DUCKS IN THE CITY LIMITS


AND CHICAGO WASN'T COOK COUNTY THEN EITHER YOU CAN GET THEM STILL BUT YOU'VE GOT TO GO TO KANKAKEE AND TAKE A HAMMERLESS ALONG AND WHEN I STARTED IN THE PACKING BUSINESS IT WAS ALL STRAIGHT SAILING NO FRILLS JUST TURNING HOGS INTO HOG MEAT


DRY SALT FOR THE NIGGERS DOWN SOUTH AND SUGAR CURED FOR THE WHITE FOLKS UP NORTH EVERYTHING ELSE WAS SAUSAGE OR THROWN AWAY BUT WHEN WE GET THROUGH WITH A HOG NOWADAYS HE'S SCATTERED THROUGH A HUNDRED DIFFERENT CANS AND PACKAGES AND HE'S ALL ACCOUNTED FOR WHAT WE USED TO THROW AWAY IS OUR PROFIT


IT TAKES DOCTORS LAWYERS ENGINEERS POETS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO RUN THE BUSINESS AND I RECKON THAT IMPROVEMENTS WHICH CALL FOR PARSONS WILL BE CREEPING IN NEXT NATURALLY A YOUNG MAN WHO EXPECTS TO HOLD HIS OWN WHEN HE IS THROWN IN WITH A LOT OF MEN LIKE THESE


MUST BE AS CLEAN AND SHARP AS A HOUND'S TOOTH OR SOME OTHER FELLOW'S SIMPLY GOING TO EAT HIM UP THE FIRST COLLEGE MAN I EVER HIRED WAS OLD JOHN DURHAM'S SON JIM THAT WAS A GOOD MANY YEARS AGO WHEN THE HOUSE WAS A MUCH SMALLER AFFAIR


BUT OLD DURHAM FOUND OUT WHAT EVERY ONE LEARNS WHO GETS HIS AMBITIONS MIXED UP WITH NUMBER TWO RED THAT THERE'S A HEAP OF IT LYING AROUND LOOSE IN THE COUNTRY THE BEARS DID QUICK WORK AND KEPT THE CASH WHEAT COMING IN SO LIVELY THAT ONE SETTLING DAY


AND THAT HE HAD BETTER TURN HIS ATTENTION TO THE STOCKS OF MESS PORK


HE APPLIED FOR EVERY OTHER POSITION ON THE PREMISES RIGHT DOWN TO OFFICE BOY I TOLD HIM I WAS SORRY BUT I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HIM THEN THAT WE WERE LETTING MEN GO BUT I'D KEEP HIM IN MIND AND SO ON


FINALLY AFTER ABOUT A MONTH OF THIS HE WORE ME DOWN SO THAT I STOPPED HIM ONE DAY AS HE WAS PASSING ME ON THE STREET I THOUGHT I'D FIND OUT IF HE REALLY WAS SO RED HOT TO WORK AS HE PRETENDED TO BE


BESIDES I FELT THAT PERHAPS I HADN'T TREATED THE BOY JUST RIGHT AS I HAD DELIVERED QUITE A JAG OF THAT WHEAT TO HIS FATHER MYSELF HELLO JIM I CALLED DO YOU STILL WANT THAT JOB YES SIR HE ANSWERED QUICK AS LIGHTNING WELL


I TELL YOU HOW IT IS JIM I SAID LOOKING UP AT HIM HE WAS ONE OF THOSE HUSKY LAZY MOVING SIX FOOTERS I DON'T SEE ANY CHANCE IN THE OFFICE BUT I UNDERSTAND THEY CAN USE ANOTHER GOOD STRONG MAN IN ONE OF THE LOADING GANGS


I THOUGHT THAT WOULD SETTLE JIM AND LET ME OUT FOR IT'S NO JOKE LUGGING BEEF OR ROLLING BARRELS AND TIERCES A HUNDRED YARDS OR SO TO THE CARS BUT JIM CAME RIGHT BACK AT ME WITH DONE WHO'LL I REPORT TO


THAT SPORTY WAY OF ANSWERING AS IF HE WAS CLOSING A BET MADE ME SURER THAN EVER THAT HE WAS NOT CUT OUT FOR A BUTCHER BUT I TOLD HIM AND OFF HE STARTED HOT FOOT TO FIND THE FOREMAN I SENT WORD BY ANOTHER ROUTE TO SEE THAT HE GOT PLENTY TO DO


HE GOT TO SCHEMING AROUND FOR A WAY TO MAKE THE WORK EASIER AND HE HIT ON AN IDEA FOR A SORT OF OVERHEAD RAILROAD SYSTEM BY WHICH THE BARRELS COULD BE SWUNG OUT OF THE STOREROOMS AND RUN RIGHT ALONG INTO THE CARS


IT WAS JUST AS I THOUGHT JIM WAS LAZY BUT HE HAD PUT THE HOUSE IN THE WAY OF SAVING SO MUCH MONEY THAT I COULDN'T FIRE HIM SO I RAISED HIS SALARY AND MADE HIM AN ASSISTANT TIMEKEEPER AND CHECKER


JIM KEPT AT THIS FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS UNTIL HIS FEET BEGAN TO HURT HIM I GUESS AND THEN HE WAS OUT OF A JOB AGAIN IT SEEMS HE HAD HEARD SOMETHING OF A NEW MACHINE FOR REGISTERING THE MEN THAT DID AWAY WITH MOST OF THE TIMEKEEPERS EXCEPT THE FELLOWS WHO WATCHED THE MACHINES


OF COURSE HE CLAIMED A RAISE AGAIN FOR EFFECTING SUCH A SAVING


I WAS BEGINNING TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN JIM SO I BROUGHT HIM UP INTO THE OFFICE AND SET HIM TO COPYING CIRCULAR LETTERS WE USED TO SEND OUT A RAFT OF THEM TO THE TRADE THAT WAS JUST BEFORE THE GENERAL ADOPTION OF TYPEWRITERS WHEN THEY WERE STILL IN THE EXPERIMENTAL STAGE


BUT JIM HADN'T BEEN IN THE OFFICE PLUGGING AWAY AT THE LETTERS FOR A MONTH BEFORE HE HAD THE WRITER'S CRAMP AND BEGAN NOSING AROUND AGAIN THE FIRST THING I KNEW HE WAS SICKING THE AGENTS FOR THE NEW TYPEWRITING MACHINE ON TO ME


AND HE KEPT THEM POUNDING AWAY UNTIL THEY HAD MADE ME GIVE THEM A TRIAL THEN IT WAS ALL UP WITH MISTER JIM'S JOB AGAIN


JIM MADE TWO TRIPS WITHOUT SELLING ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM WORKING OVERTIME AT THE FACTORY AND THEN HE CAME INTO MY OFFICE WITH A LONG STORY ABOUT HOW WE WERE DOING IT ALL WRONG SAID WE OUGHT TO GO FOR THE CONSUMER BY ADVERTISING


BUT JIM JUST KEPT PLUGGING AWAY AT ME BETWEEN TRIPS UNTIL FINALLY I TOOK HIM OFF THE ROAD AND TOLD HIM TO GO AHEAD AND TRY IT IN A SMALL WAY JIM PRETTY NEARLY SCARED ME TO DEATH THAT FIRST YEAR


AT LAST HE HAD GOT INTO SOMETHING THAT HE TOOK AN INTEREST IN SPENDING MONEY AND HE JUST FAIRLY WALLOWED IN IT USED TO LAY AWAKE NIGHTS THINKING UP NEW WAYS OF GETTING RID OF THE OLD MAN'S PROFITS


I REMEMBER ONE PICTURE HE GOT OUT SHOWING SIXTEEN COWS STANDING BETWEEN SOMETHING THAT LOOKED LIKE A LETTER PRESS AND TELLING HOW EVERY POUND OR SO OF GRAHAM'S EXTRACT CONTAINED THE JUICE SQUEEZED FROM A HERD OF STEERS IF AN EXPLORER STARTED FOR THE NORTH POLE


JIM WOULD SEND HIM A CASE OF EXTRACT AND THEN ADVERTISE THAT IT WAS THE GREAT HEAT MAKER FOR COLD CLIMATES AND IF SOME OTHER FELLOW STARTED ACROSS AFRICA HE SENT HIM A CASE TOO AND ADVERTISED WHAT A BULLY DRINK IT WAS SERVED UP WITH A LITTLE ICE


HE BROKE OUT IN A NEW PLACE EVERY DAY AND EVERY TIME HE BROKE OUT IT COST THE HOUSE MONEY FINALLY I MADE UP MY MIND TO SWALLOW THE LOSS AND MISTER JIM WAS JUST ABOUT TO LOSE HIS JOB SURE ENOUGH


WHEN THE ORDERS FOR EXTRACT BEGAN TO LOOK UP AND HE GOT A REPRIEVE THEN HE BEGAN TO MAKE EXPENSES AND HE GOT A PARDON AND FINALLY A RUSH CAME THAT LEFT HIM HIGH AND DRY IN A PERMANENT PLACE


JIM WAS ALL RIGHT IN HIS WAY BUT IT WAS A NEW WAY AND I HADN'T BEEN BROAD GAUGED ENOUGH TO SEE THAT IT WAS A BETTER WAY THAT WAS WHERE I CAUGHT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN A COLLEGE EDUCATION AND BUSINESS


I'VE ALWAYS MADE IT A RULE TO BUY BRAINS AND I'VE LEARNED NOW THAT THE BETTER TRAINED THEY ARE THE FASTER THEY FIND REASONS FOR GETTING THEIR SALARIES RAISED THE FELLOW WHO HASN'T HAD THE TRAINING MAY BE JUST AS SMART BUT HE'S APT TO PAW THE AIR WHEN HE'S REACHING FOR IDEAS


I SUPPOSE YOU'RE ASKING WHY IF I'M SO HOT FOR EDUCATION I'M AGAINST THIS POST GRADUATE COURSE


I SEE YOU'VE BEEN ELECTED PRESIDENT OF YOUR CLASS I'M GLAD THE BOYS AREN'T DOWN ON YOU BUT WHILE THE MOST POPULAR MAN IN HIS CLASS ISN'T ALWAYS A FAILURE IN BUSINESS BEING AS POPULAR AS THAT TAKES UP A HEAP OF TIME


I NOTICED TOO WHEN YOU WERE HOME EASTER THAT YOU WERE RUNNING TO SPORTY CLOTHES AND CIGARETTES THERE'S NOTHING CRIMINAL ABOUT EITHER BUT I DON'T HIRE SPORTY CLERKS AT ALL AND THE ONLY PART OF THE PREMISES ON WHICH CIGARETTE SMOKING IS ALLOWED IS THE FERTILIZER FACTORY


I SIMPLY MENTION THIS IN PASSING I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ULTIMATE GOOD SENSE AND I GUESS YOU'LL SEE THE POINT WITHOUT MY ELABORATING WITH A MEAT AX MY REASONS FOR THINKING THAT YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH COLLEGE FOR THE PRESENT


PETER SEES ROSEBREAST AND FINDS REDCOAT


WHO'S THAT PETER RABBIT PRICKED UP HIS LONG EARS AND STARED UP AT THE TOPS OF THE TREES OF THE OLD ORCHARD INSTANTLY JENNY WREN POPPED HER HEAD OUT OF HER DOORWAY SHE COCKED HER HEAD ON ONE SIDE TO LISTEN


THEN LOOKED DOWN AT PETER AND HER SHARP LITTLE EYES SNAPPED I DON'T HEAR ANY STRANGE VOICE SAID SHE THE WAY YOU ARE STARING PETER RABBIT ONE WOULD THINK THAT YOU HAD REALLY HEARD SOMETHING NEW AND WORTH WHILE


JUST THEN THERE WERE TWO OR THREE RATHER SHARP SQUEAKY NOTES FROM THE TOP OF ONE OF THE TREES THERE CRIED PETER THERE DIDN'T YOU HEAR THAT JENNY WREN


FOR GOODNESS SAKE PETER RABBIT YOU DON'T MEAN TO SAY YOU DON'T KNOW WHOSE VOICE THAT IS SHE CRIED THAT'S ROSEBREAST HE AND MISSUS ROSEBREAST HAVE BEEN HERE FOR QUITE A LITTLE WHILE


I DIDN'T SUPPOSE THERE WAS ANY ONE WHO DIDN'T KNOW THOSE SHARP SQUEAKY VOICES THEY RATHER GET ON MY NERVES WHAT ANYBODY WANTS TO SQUEAK LIKE THAT FOR WHEN THEY CAN SING AS ROSEBREAST CAN IS MORE THAN I CAN UNDERSTAND


AT THAT VERY INSTANT MISTER WREN BEGAN TO SCOLD AS ONLY HE AND JENNY CAN PETER LOOKED UP AT JENNY AND WINKED SLYLY AND WHAT ANYBODY WANTS TO SCOLD LIKE THAT FOR WHEN THEY CAN SING AS MISTER WREN CAN IS TOO MUCH FOR ME


RETORTED PETER BUT YOU HAVEN'T TOLD ME WHO ROSEBREAST IS THE GROSBEAK OF COURSE STUPID SPUTTERED JENNY IF YOU DON'T KNOW ROSEBREAST THE GROSBEAK PETER RABBIT YOU CERTAINLY MUST HAVE BEEN BLIND AND DEAF EVER SINCE YOU WERE BORN


LISTEN TO THAT JUST LISTEN TO THAT SONG PETER LISTENED THERE WERE MANY SONGS FOR IT WAS A VERY BEAUTIFUL MORNING AND ALL THE SINGERS OF THE OLD ORCHARD WERE POURING OUT THE JOY THAT WAS WITHIN THEM


ONE SONG WAS A LITTLE LOUDER AND CLEARER THAN THE OTHERS BECAUSE IT CAME FROM A TREE VERY CLOSE AT HAND THE VERY TREE FROM WHICH THOSE SQUEAKY NOTES HAD COME JUST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE PETER SUSPECTED THAT THAT MUST BE THE SONG JENNY WREN MEANT HE LOOKED PUZZLED


HE WAS PUZZLED DO YOU MEAN WELCOME ROBIN'S SONG HE ASKED RATHER SHEEPISHLY FOR HE HAD A FEELING THAT HE WOULD BE THE VICTIM OF JENNY WREN'S SHARP TONGUE NO I DON'T MEAN WELCOME ROBIN'S SONG SNAPPED JENNY


WHAT GOOD ARE A PAIR OF LONG EARS IF THEY CAN'T TELL ONE SONG FROM ANOTHER THAT SONG MAY SOUND SOMETHING LIKE WELCOME ROBIN'S BUT IF YOUR EARS WERE GOOD FOR ANYTHING AT ALL YOU'D KNOW RIGHT AWAY THAT THAT ISN'T WELCOME ROBIN SINGING


THAT'S A BETTER SONG THAN WELCOME ROBIN'S WELCOME ROBIN'S SONG IS ONE OF GOOD CHEER BUT THIS ONE IS OF PURE HAPPINESS I WOULDN'T HAVE A PAIR OF EARS LIKE YOURS FOR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD PETER RABBIT


PETER LAUGHED RIGHT OUT AS HE TRIED TO PICTURE TO HIMSELF JENNY WREN WITH A PAIR OF LONG EARS LIKE HIS WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT DEMANDED JENNY CROSSLY DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH AT ME


IF THERE IS ANY ONE THING I CAN'T STAND IT IS BEING LAUGHED AT I WASN'T LAUGHING AT YOU REPLIED PETER VERY MEEKLY I WAS JUST LAUGHING AT THE THOUGHT OF HOW FUNNY YOU WOULD LOOK WITH A PAIR OF LONG EARS LIKE MINE


NOW YOU SPEAK OF IT JENNY THAT SONG IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM WELCOME ROBIN'S OF COURSE IT IS RETORTED JENNY THAT IS ROSEBREAST SINGING UP THERE AND THERE HE IS RIGHT IN THE TOP OF THAT TREE


ISN'T HE HANDSOME PETER LOOKED UP TO SEE A BIRD A LITTLE SMALLER THAN WELCOME ROBIN HIS HEAD THROAT AND BACK WERE BLACK HIS WINGS WERE BLACK WITH PATCHES OF WHITE ON THEM


BUT IT WAS HIS BREAST THAT MADE PETER CATCH HIS BREATH WITH A LITTLE GASP OF ADMIRATION FOR THAT BREAST WAS A BEAUTIFUL ROSE RED THE REST OF HIM UNDERNEATH WAS WHITE IT WAS ROSEBREAST THE GROSBEAK ISN'T HE LOVELY


CRIED PETER AND ADDED IN THE NEXT BREATH WHO IS THAT WITH HIM MISSUS GROSBEAK OF COURSE WHO ELSE WOULD IT BE SPUTTERED JENNY RATHER CROSSLY FOR SHE WAS STILL A LITTLE PUT OUT BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN LAUGHED AT


SAID PETER SHE DOESN'T LOOK THE LEAST BIT LIKE HIM THIS WAS QUITE TRUE THERE WAS NO BEAUTIFUL ROSE COLOR ABOUT MISSUS GROSBEAK SHE WAS DRESSED CHIEFLY IN BROWN AND GRAYISH COLORS WITH A LITTLE BUFF HERE AND THERE AND WITH DARK STREAKS ON HER BREAST


OVER EACH EYE WAS A WHITISH LINE ALTOGETHER SHE LOOKED MORE AS IF SHE MIGHT BE A BIG MEMBER OF THE SPARROW FAMILY THAN THE WIFE OF HANDSOME ROSEBREAST


WHILE ROSEBREAST SANG MISSUS GROSBEAK WAS VERY BUSILY PICKING BUDS AND BLOSSOMS FROM THE TREE WHAT IS SHE DOING THAT FOR INQUIRED PETER FOR THE SAME REASON THAT YOU BITE OFF SWEET CLOVER BLOSSOMS AND LEAVES


REPLIED JENNY WREN TARTLY DO YOU MEAN TO SAY THAT THEY LIVE ON BUDS AND BLOSSOMS CRIED PETER I NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING TUT TUT TUT TUT TUT YOU CAN ASK MORE SILLY QUESTIONS THAN ANYBODY OF MY ACQUAINTANCE RETORTED JENNY WREN


OF COURSE THEY DON'T LIVE ON BUDS AND BLOSSOMS IF THEY DID THEY WOULD SOON STARVE TO DEATH FOR BUDS AND BLOSSOMS DON'T LAST LONG THEY EAT A FEW JUST FOR VARIETY BUT THEY LIVE MOSTLY ON BUGS AND INSECTS


YOU ASK FARMER BROWN'S BOY WHO HELPS HIM MOST IN HIS POTATO PATCH AND HE'LL TELL YOU IT'S THE GROSBEAKS THEY CERTAINLY DO LOVE POTATO BUGS THEY EAT SOME FRUIT BUT ON THE WHOLE THEY ARE ABOUT AS USEFUL AROUND A GARDEN AS ANY ONE I KNOW


NOW RUN ALONG PETER RABBIT AND DON'T BOTHER ME ANY MORE SEEING FARMER BROWN'S BOY COMING THROUGH THE OLD ORCHARD PETER DECIDED THAT IT WAS HIGH TIME FOR HIM TO DEPART SO HE SCAMPERED FOR THE GREEN FOREST LIPPERTY LIPPERTY LIP


JUST WITHIN THE EDGE OF THE GREEN FOREST HE CAUGHT SIGHT OF SOMETHING WHICH FOR THE TIME BEING PUT ALL THOUGHT OF FARMER BROWN'S BOY OUT OF HIS HEAD FLUTTERING ON THE GROUND WAS A BIRD THAN WHOM NOT EVEN GLORY THE CARDINAL WAS MORE BEAUTIFUL


IT WAS ABOUT THE SIZE OF REDWING THE BLACKBIRD WINGS AND TAIL WERE PURE BLACK AND ALL THE REST WAS A BEAUTIFUL SCARLET IT WAS REDCOAT THE TANAGER AT FIRST PETER HAD EYES ONLY FOR THE WONDERFUL BEAUTY OF REDCOAT


NEVER BEFORE HAD HE SEEN REDCOAT SO CLOSE AT HAND THEN QUITE SUDDENLY IT CAME OVER PETER THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH REDCOAT AND HE HURRIED FORWARD TO SEE WHAT THE TROUBLE MIGHT BE REDCOAT HEARD THE RUSTLE OF PETER'S FEET AMONG THE DRY LEAVES


BUT HE COULD NOT GET OFF THE GROUND WHAT IS IT REDCOAT HAS SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOU IT IS JUST PETER RABBIT YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO FEAR FROM ME CRIED PETER THE LOOK OF TERROR WHICH HAD BEEN IN THE EYES OF REDCOAT DIED OUT


AND HE STOPPED FLUTTERING AND SIMPLY LAY PANTING OH PETER HE GASPED YOU DON'T KNOW HOW GLAD I AM THAT IT IS ONLY YOU I'VE HAD A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM TO DO


I CAN'T FLY AND IF I HAVE TO STAY ON THE GROUND SOME ENEMY WILL BE SURE TO GET ME WHAT SHALL I DO PETER WHAT SHALL I DO RIGHT AWAY PETER WAS FULL OF SYMPATHY


WHAT KIND OF AN ACCIDENT WAS IT REDCOAT AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN HE ASKED BROADWING THE HAWK TRIED TO CATCH ME


AND DID NOT SEE JUST WHERE I WAS GOING I STRUCK A SHARP POINTED DEAD TWIG AND DROVE IT RIGHT THROUGH MY RIGHT WING REDCOAT HELD UP HIS RIGHT WING AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS A LITTLE STICK PROJECTING FROM BOTH SIDES CLOSE UP TO THE SHOULDER


THE WING WAS BLEEDING A LITTLE OH DEAR WHATEVER SHALL I DO PETER RABBIT


SOBBED REDCOAT DOES IT PAIN YOU DREADFULLY ASKED PETER REDCOAT NODDED BUT I DON'T MIND THE PAIN HE HASTENED TO SAY IT IS THE THOUGHT OF WHAT MAY HAPPEN TO ME


POOR REDCOAT WITH THE OLD LOOK OF TERROR IN HIS EYES FLUTTERED ALONG TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING UNDER WHICH TO HIDE BUT THERE WAS NOTHING UNDER WHICH HE COULD CRAWL AND THERE WAS NO HIDING THAT WONDERFUL RED COAT


PETER HEARD THE SOUND OF HEAVY FOOTSTEPS AND LOOKING BACK SAW THAT FARMER BROWN'S BOY WAS COMING DON'T BE AFRAID REDCOAT HE WHISPERED IT'S FARMER BROWN'S BOY AND I'M SURE HE WON'T HURT YOU PERHAPS HE CAN HELP YOU


THEN PETER SCAMPERED OFF FOR A SHORT DISTANCE AND SAT UP TO WATCH WHAT WOULD HAPPEN


NO ONE WITH ANY EYES AT ALL COULD HAVE HELPED SEEING HIM BECAUSE OF THAT WONDERFUL SCARLET COAT HE SAW TOO BY THE WAY REDCOAT WAS ACTING THAT HE WAS IN GREAT TROUBLE AS FARMER BROWN'S BOY DREW NEAR AND REDCOAT SAW THAT HE WAS DISCOVERED


HE TRIED HIS HARDEST TO FLUTTER AWAY FARMER BROWN'S BOY UNDERSTOOD INSTANTLY THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH ONE WING AND RUNNING FORWARD HE CAUGHT REDCOAT YOU POOR LITTLE THING


SAID FARMER BROWN'S BOY SOFTLY AS HE SAW THE CRUEL TWIG STICKING THROUGH REDCOATS SHOULDER


CONTINUED FARMER BROWN'S BOY STROKING REDCOAT EVER SO GENTLY SOMEHOW AT THAT GENTLE TOUCH REDCOAT LOST MUCH OF HIS FEAR AND A LITTLE HOPE SPRANG IN HIS HEART


FARMER BROWN'S BOY TOOK OUT HIS KNIFE AND CAREFULLY CUT OFF THE TWIG ON THE UPPER SIDE OF THE WING THEN DOING HIS BEST TO BE CAREFUL AND TO HURT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE HE WORKED THE OTHER PART OF THE TWIG OUT FROM THE UNDER SIDE


CAREFULLY HE EXAMINED THE WING TO SEE IF ANY BONES WERE BROKEN NONE WERE AND AFTER HOLDING REDCOAT A FEW MINUTES HE CAREFULLY SET HIM UP IN A TREE AND WITHDREW A SHORT DISTANCE REDCOAT HOPPED FROM BRANCH TO BRANCH


UNTIL HE WAS HALFWAY UP THE TREE THEN HE SAT THERE FOR SOME TIME AS IF FEARFUL OF TRYING THAT INJURED WING MEANWHILE MISSUS TANAGER CAME AND FUSSED ABOUT HIM AND TALKED TO HIM AND COAXED HIM AND MADE AS MUCH OF HIM AS IF HE WERE A BABY


FROM TREE TO TREE HE FLEW


THE MOMENT HAS ARRIVED FOR MAKING THE CIRCUIT OF THIS COUPLE AND CONSIDERING IT UNDER ALL ITS ASPECTS THENARDIER HAD JUST PASSED HIS FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY MADAME THENARDIER WAS APPROACHING HER FORTIES WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO FIFTY IN A WOMAN


SO THAT THERE EXISTED A BALANCE OF AGE BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE OUR READERS HAVE POSSIBLY PRESERVED SOME RECOLLECTION OF THIS THENARDIER WOMAN EVER SINCE HER FIRST APPEARANCE TALL BLOND RED FAT ANGULAR SQUARE


ENORMOUS AND AGILE SHE BELONGED AS WE HAVE SAID TO THE RACE OF THOSE COLOSSAL WILD WOMEN WHO CONTORT THEMSELVES AT FAIRS WITH PAVING STONES HANGING FROM THEIR HAIR SHE DID EVERYTHING ABOUT THE HOUSE


MADE THE BEDS DID THE WASHING THE COOKING AND EVERYTHING ELSE COSETTE WAS HER ONLY SERVANT A MOUSE IN THE SERVICE OF AN ELEPHANT EVERYTHING TREMBLED AT THE SOUND OF HER VOICE WINDOW PANES FURNITURE AND PEOPLE


HER BIG FACE DOTTED WITH RED BLOTCHES PRESENTED THE APPEARANCE OF A SKIMMER SHE HAD A BEARD SHE WAS AN IDEAL MARKET PORTER DRESSED IN WOMAN'S CLOTHES SHE SWORE SPLENDIDLY


SHE BOASTED OF BEING ABLE TO CRACK A NUT WITH ONE BLOW OF HER FIST EXCEPT FOR THE ROMANCES WHICH SHE HAD READ AND WHICH MADE THE AFFECTED LADY PEEP THROUGH THE OGRESS AT TIMES IN A VERY QUEER WAY THE IDEA WOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED TO ANY ONE TO SAY OF HER


THAT IS A WOMAN THIS THENARDIER FEMALE WAS LIKE THE PRODUCT OF A WENCH ENGRAFTED ON A FISHWIFE WHEN ONE HEARD HER SPEAK ONE SAID THAT IS A GENDARME WHEN ONE SAW HER DRINK ONE SAID THAT IS A CARTER


WHEN ONE SAW HER HANDLE COSETTE ONE SAID THAT IS THE HANGMAN ONE OF HER TEETH PROJECTED WHEN HER FACE WAS IN REPOSE THENARDIER WAS A SMALL THIN PALE ANGULAR BONY FEEBLE MAN


HIS CUNNING BEGAN HERE HE SMILED HABITUALLY BY WAY OF PRECAUTION AND WAS ALMOST POLITE TO EVERYBODY EVEN TO THE BEGGAR TO WHOM HE REFUSED HALF A FARTHING HE HAD THE GLANCE OF A POLE CAT AND THE BEARING OF A MAN OF LETTERS


HE GREATLY RESEMBLED THE PORTRAITS OF THE ABBE DELILLE HIS COQUETRY CONSISTED IN DRINKING WITH THE CARTERS NO ONE HAD EVER SUCCEEDED IN RENDERING HIM DRUNK HE SMOKED A BIG PIPE


HE WORE A BLOUSE AND UNDER HIS BLOUSE AN OLD BLACK COAT HE MADE PRETENSIONS TO LITERATURE AND TO MATERIALISM THERE WERE CERTAIN NAMES WHICH HE OFTEN PRONOUNCED TO SUPPORT WHATEVER THINGS HE MIGHT BE SAYING VOLTAIRE


HE DECLARED THAT HE HAD A SYSTEM IN ADDITION HE WAS A GREAT SWINDLER


THE SPECIES DOES EXIST IT WILL BE REMEMBERED THAT HE PRETENDED TO HAVE SERVED IN THE ARMY HE WAS IN THE HABIT OF RELATING WITH EXUBERANCE HOW BEING A SERGEANT IN THE SIXTH OR THE NINTH LIGHT SOMETHING OR OTHER AT WATERLOO


HE HAD ALONE AND IN THE PRESENCE OF A SQUADRON OF DEATH DEALING HUSSARS COVERED WITH HIS BODY AND SAVED FROM DEATH IN THE MIDST OF THE GRAPE SHOT A GENERAL WHO HAD BEEN DANGEROUSLY WOUNDED


THENCE AROSE FOR HIS WALL THE FLARING SIGN AND FOR HIS INN THE NAME WHICH IT BORE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE CABARET OF THE SERGEANT OF WATERLOO HE WAS A LIBERAL A CLASSIC AND A BONAPARTIST


WE BELIEVE THAT HE HAD SIMPLY STUDIED IN HOLLAND FOR AN INN KEEPER THIS RASCAL OF COMPOSITE ORDER WAS IN ALL PROBABILITY SOME FLEMING FROM LILLE IN FLANDERS A FRENCHMAN IN PARIS A BELGIAN AT BRUSSELS


BEING COMFORTABLY ASTRIDE OF BOTH FRONTIERS AS FOR HIS PROWESS AT WATERLOO THE READER IS ALREADY ACQUAINTED WITH THAT IT WILL BE PERCEIVED THAT HE EXAGGERATED IT A TRIFLE EBB AND FLOW


A TATTERED CONSCIENCE ENTAILS A FRAGMENTARY LIFE AND APPARENTLY AT THE STORMY EPOCH OF JUNE EIGHTEENTH EIGHTEEN FIFTEEN THENARDIER BELONGED TO THAT VARIETY OF MARAUDING SUTLERS OF WHICH WE HAVE SPOKEN


BEATING ABOUT THE COUNTRY SELLING TO SOME STEALING FROM OTHERS AND TRAVELLING LIKE A FAMILY MAN WITH WIFE AND CHILDREN IN A RICKETY CART IN THE REAR OF TROOPS ON THE MARCH WITH AN INSTINCT FOR ALWAYS ATTACHING HIMSELF TO THE VICTORIOUS ARMY


THIS CAMPAIGN ENDED AND HAVING AS HE SAID


OF GOLD RINGS AND SILVER CROSSES GATHERED IN HARVEST TIME IN FURROWS SOWN WITH CORPSES DID NOT AMOUNT TO A LARGE TOTAL AND DID NOT CARRY THIS SUTLER TURNED EATING HOUSE KEEPER VERY FAR


ACCOMPANIED BY AN OATH RECALLS THE BARRACKS AND BY A SIGN OF THE CROSS THE SEMINARY HE WAS A FINE TALKER HE ALLOWED IT TO BE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS AN EDUCATED MAN


BUT PRACTISED EYES SOMETIMES SPIED OUT ORTHOGRAPHICAL ERRORS IN IT THENARDIER WAS CUNNING GREEDY SLOTHFUL AND CLEVER HE DID NOT DISDAIN HIS SERVANTS WHICH CAUSED HIS WIFE TO DISPENSE WITH THEM


THIS GIANTESS WAS JEALOUS IT SEEMED TO HER THAT THAT THIN AND YELLOW LITTLE MAN MUST BE AN OBJECT COVETED BY ALL THENARDIER WHO WAS ABOVE ALL AN ASTUTE AND WELL BALANCED MAN WAS A SCAMP OF A TEMPERATE SORT


THIS IS THE WORST SPECIES HYPOCRISY ENTERS INTO IT IT IS NOT THAT THENARDIER WAS NOT ON OCCASION CAPABLE OF WRATH TO QUITE THE SAME DEGREE AS HIS WIFE BUT THIS WAS VERY RARE


AND AT SUCH TIMES SINCE HE WAS ENRAGED WITH THE HUMAN RACE IN GENERAL AS HE BORE WITHIN HIM A DEEP FURNACE OF HATRED AND SINCE HE WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONTINUALLY AVENGING THEIR WRONGS


WHO ACCUSE EVERYTHING THAT PASSES BEFORE THEM OF EVERYTHING WHICH HAS BEFALLEN THEM AND WHO ARE ALWAYS READY TO CAST UPON THE FIRST PERSON WHO COMES TO HAND AS A LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCE THE SUM TOTAL OF THE DECEPTIONS THE BANKRUPTCIES AND THE CALAMITIES OF THEIR LIVES


WHEN ALL THIS LEAVEN WAS STIRRED UP IN HIM AND BOILED FORTH FROM HIS MOUTH AND EYES HE WAS TERRIBLE WOE TO THE PERSON WHO CAME UNDER HIS WRATH AT SUCH A TIME IN ADDITION TO HIS OTHER QUALITIES THENARDIER WAS ATTENTIVE AND PENETRATING


SILENT OR TALKATIVE ACCORDING TO CIRCUMSTANCES AND ALWAYS HIGHLY INTELLIGENT HE HAD SOMETHING OF THE LOOK OF SAILORS WHO ARE ACCUSTOMED TO SCREW UP THEIR EYES TO GAZE THROUGH MARINE GLASSES THENARDIER WAS A STATESMAN


EVERY NEW COMER WHO ENTERED THE TAVERN SAID ON CATCHING SIGHT OF MADAME THENARDIER THERE IS THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE A MISTAKE SHE WAS NOT EVEN THE MISTRESS THE HUSBAND WAS BOTH MASTER AND MISTRESS


SHE WORKED HE CREATED HE DIRECTED EVERYTHING BY A SORT OF INVISIBLE AND CONSTANT MAGNETIC ACTION A WORD WAS SUFFICIENT FOR HIM SOMETIMES A SIGN THE MASTODON OBEYED


THOUGH SHE DID NOT THOROUGHLY REALIZE IT SHE WAS POSSESSED OF VIRTUES AFTER HER OWN KIND IF SHE HAD EVER HAD A DISAGREEMENT AS TO ANY DETAIL WITH


WHICH WAS AN INADMISSIBLE HYPOTHESIS BY THE WAY SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BLAMED HER HUSBAND IN PUBLIC ON ANY SUBJECT WHATEVER SHE WOULD NEVER HAVE COMMITTED BEFORE STRANGERS THAT


EXPOSING THE CROWN ALTHOUGH THEIR CONCORD HAD ONLY EVIL AS ITS RESULT


VIEWED ON ITS DWARFED AND GROTESQUE SIDE THIS WAS THAT GRAND AND UNIVERSAL THING THE ADORATION OF MIND BY MATTER FOR CERTAIN UGLY FEATURES HAVE A CAUSE IN THE VERY DEPTHS OF ETERNAL BEAUTY


HENCE THE ABSOLUTE EMPIRE OF THE MAN OVER THAT WOMAN AT CERTAIN MOMENTS SHE BEHELD HIM LIKE A LIGHTED CANDLE AT OTHERS SHE FELT HIM LIKE A CLAW THIS WOMAN WAS A FORMIDABLE CREATURE WHO LOVED NO ONE EXCEPT HER CHILDREN


AND WHO DID NOT FEAR ANY ONE EXCEPT HER HUSBAND SHE WAS A MOTHER BECAUSE SHE WAS MAMMIFEROUS BUT HER MATERNITY STOPPED SHORT WITH HER DAUGHTERS AND AS WE SHALL SEE DID NOT EXTEND TO BOYS THE MAN HAD BUT ONE THOUGHT HOW TO ENRICH HIMSELF


A THEATRE WORTHY OF THIS GREAT TALENT WAS LACKING


IF RUIN IS POSSIBLE TO ZERO IN SWITZERLAND OR IN THE PYRENEES THIS PENNILESS SCAMP WOULD HAVE BECOME A MILLIONAIRE BUT AN INN KEEPER MUST BROWSE WHERE FATE HAS HITCHED HIM


IT WILL BE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE WORD INN KEEPER IS HERE EMPLOYED IN A RESTRICTED SENSE AND DOES NOT EXTEND TO AN ENTIRE CLASS IN THIS SAME YEAR EIGHTEEN TWENTY THREE


THENARDIER WAS BURDENED WITH ABOUT FIFTEEN HUNDRED FRANCS WORTH OF PETTY DEBTS AND THIS RENDERED HIM ANXIOUS WHATEVER MAY HAVE BEEN THE OBSTINATE INJUSTICE OF DESTINY IN THIS CASE THENARDIER WAS ONE OF THOSE MEN WHO UNDERSTAND BEST


WITH THE MOST PROFUNDITY AND IN THE MOST MODERN FASHION THAT THING WHICH IS A VIRTUE AMONG BARBAROUS PEOPLES AND AN OBJECT OF MERCHANDISE AMONG CIVILIZED PEOPLES HOSPITALITY BESIDES HE WAS AN ADMIRABLE POACHER


AND QUOTED FOR HIS SKILL IN SHOOTING HE HAD A CERTAIN COLD AND TRANQUIL LAUGH WHICH WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS HIS THEORIES AS A LANDLORD SOMETIMES BURST FORTH IN LIGHTNING FLASHES


HE HAD PROFESSIONAL APHORISMS WHICH HE INSERTED INTO HIS WIFE'S MIND THE DUTY OF THE INN KEEPER


AND A SMILE TO STOP PASSERS BY TO EMPTY SMALL PURSES AND TO HONESTLY LIGHTEN HEAVY ONES TO SHELTER TRAVELLING FAMILIES RESPECTFULLY


TO SHAVE THE MAN TO PLUCK THE WOMAN TO PICK THE CHILD CLEAN TO QUOTE THE WINDOW OPEN THE WINDOW SHUT THE CHIMNEY CORNER THE ARM CHAIR THE CHAIR THE OTTOMAN THE STOOL THE FEATHER BED THE MATTRESS AND THE TRUSS OF STRAW


TO KNOW HOW MUCH THE SHADOW USES UP THE MIRROR AND TO PUT A PRICE ON IT AND BY FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DEVILS TO MAKE THE TRAVELLER PAY FOR EVERYTHING


THIS MAN AND THIS WOMAN WERE RUSE AND RAGE WEDDED A HIDEOUS AND TERRIBLE TEAM WHILE THE HUSBAND PONDERED AND COMBINED MADAME THENARDIER THOUGHT NOT OF ABSENT CREDITORS


TOOK NO HEED OF YESTERDAY NOR OF TO MORROW AND LIVED IN A FIT OF ANGER ALL IN A MINUTE SUCH WERE THESE TWO BEINGS COSETTE WAS BETWEEN THEM SUBJECTED TO THEIR DOUBLE PRESSURE


THE MAN AND THE WOMAN EACH HAD A DIFFERENT METHOD COSETTE WAS OVERWHELMED WITH BLOWS THIS WAS THE WOMAN'S SHE WENT BAREFOOTED IN WINTER THAT WAS THE MAN'S DOING


COSETTE RAN UP STAIRS AND DOWN WASHED SWEPT RUBBED DUSTED RAN FLUTTERED ABOUT PANTED MOVED HEAVY ARTICLES AND WEAK AS SHE WAS DID THE COARSE WORK THERE WAS NO MERCY FOR HER


A FIERCE MISTRESS AND VENOMOUS MASTER THE THENARDIER HOSTELRY WAS LIKE A SPIDER'S WEB IN WHICH COSETTE HAD BEEN CAUGHT AND WHERE SHE LAY TREMBLING THE IDEAL OF OPPRESSION WAS REALIZED BY THIS SINISTER HOUSEHOLD


IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE THE FLY SERVING THE SPIDERS THE POOR CHILD PASSIVELY HELD HER PEACE WHAT TAKES PLACE WITHIN THESE SOULS WHEN THEY HAVE BUT JUST QUITTED GOD FIND THEMSELVES THUS


AT THE VERY DAWN OF LIFE VERY SMALL


THEY WERE HABITUALLY INDIFFERENT TO SELF EXALTATION AND ALLOWED THEMSELVES TO BE THRUST INTO THIS OR THAT UNFITTING ROLE PROFESSING THAT THE QUEEN'S GOVERNMENT AND THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY WERE THEIR ONLY CONSIDERATIONS


BECAUSE IT WAS FELT ON ALL SIDES THAT SIR ORLANDO COULD NOT JOIN THE NEW COMPOSITE PARTY WITHOUT HIGH PLACE AND THE SAME GRACE WAS SHOWN IN REGARD TO LORD DRUMMOND WHO REMAINED AT THE COLONIES KEEPING THE OFFICE TO WHICH HE HAD BEEN LATELY TRANSFERRED UNDER MISTER DAUBENY


FOR LEGAL OFFICES HAVE A SIGNIFICATION DIFFERING MUCH FROM THAT WHICH ATTACHES ITSELF TO PLACES SIMPLY POLITICAL A LORD CHANCELLOR BECOMES A PEER AND ON GOING OUT OF OFFICE ENJOYS A LARGE PENSION WHEN THE WOOLSACK HAS BEEN REACHED THERE COMES AN END OF DOUBT


AND A BEGINNING OF EASE SIR GREGORY WAS NOT A YOUNG MAN AND THIS WAS A TERRIBLE BLOW BUT HE BORE IT MANFULLY SAYING NOT A WORD WHEN THE DUKE SPOKE TO HIM BUT HE BECAME CONVINCED FROM THAT MOMENT THAT NO MORE INEFFICIENT LAWYER EVER SAT UPON THE ENGLISH BENCH


OR A MORE PRESUMPTUOUS POLITICIAN IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT THAN LORD RAMSDEN THE REAL STRUGGLE HOWEVER LAY IN THE APPROPRIATE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RATTLERS AND THE ROBYS THE FITZGIBBONS AND THE MACPHERSONS AMONG THE SUBORDINATE OFFICES OF STATE


MISTER MACPHERSON AND MISTER ROBY WITH A HOST OF OTHERS WHO HAD BELONGED TO MISTER DAUBENY WERE PREPARED AS THEY DECLARED FROM THE FIRST TO LEND THEIR ASSISTANCE TO THE DUKE THEY HAD CONSULTED MISTER DAUBENY ON THE SUBJECT AND MISTER DAUBENY TOLD THEM THAT THEIR DUTY LAY IN THAT DIRECTION


AT THE FIRST BLUSH OF THE MATTER THE ARRANGEMENT TOOK THE FORM OF A GRACIOUS TENDER FROM THEMSELVES TO A STATESMAN CALLED UPON TO ACT IN VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEY WERE THANKED ACCORDINGLY BY THE DUKE WITH SOMETHING OF REAL CORDIAL GRATITUDE


HE WAS ASTOUNDED NOT SO MUCH BY THE PRETENSIONS AS BY THE UNBLUSHING ASSERTION OF THESE PRETENSIONS IN REFERENCE TO PLACES WHICH HE HAD BEEN INNOCENT ENOUGH TO THINK WERE ALWAYS BESTOWED AT ANY RATE WITHOUT DIRECT APPLICATION HE HAD MEASURED HIMSELF RIGHTLY WHEN HE TOLD THE OLDER DUKE


IN ONE OF THOSE ANXIOUS CONVERSATIONS WHICH HAD BEEN HELD BEFORE THE ATTEMPT WAS MADE THAT LONG AS HE HAD BEEN IN OFFICE HIMSELF HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS THE WAY OF BESTOWING OFFICE TWO GENTLEMEN HAVE BEEN HERE THIS MORNING HE SAID ONE DAY TO THE DUKE OF SAINT BUNGAY


ONE ON THE HEELS OF THE OTHER EACH ASSURING ME NOT ONLY THAT THE WHOLE STABILITY OF THE ENTERPRISE DEPENDS ON MY GIVING A CERTAIN OFFICE TO HIM BUT ACTUALLY TELLING ME TO MY FACE THAT I HAD PROMISED IT TO HIM THE OLD STATESMAN LAUGHED


TO BE TOLD WITHIN THE SAME HALF HOUR BY TWO MEN THAT I HAD MADE PROMISES TO EACH OF THEM INCONSISTENT WITH EACH OTHER WHO WERE THE TWO MEN MISTER RATTLER AND MISTER ROBY I AM ASSURED THAT THEY ARE INSEPARABLE SINCE THE WORK WAS BEGUN


THEY ALWAYS HAD A LEANING TO EACH OTHER AND NOW I HEAR THEY PASS THEIR TIME BETWEEN THE STEPS OF THE CARLTON AND REFORM CLUBS BUT WHAT AM I TO DO ONE MUST BE PATRONAGE SECRETARY NO DOUBT THEY'RE BOTH GOOD MEN IN THEIR WAY YOU KNOW


BUT WHY DO THEY COME TO ME WITH THEIR MOUTHS OPEN LIKE DOGS CRAVING A BONE IT USED NOT TO BE SO OF COURSE MEN WERE ALWAYS ANXIOUS FOR OFFICE AS THEY ARE NOW WELL YES WE'VE HEARD OF THAT BEFORE TO DAY I THINK


BUT I DON'T THINK ANY MAN EVER VENTURED TO ASK MISTER MILDMAY TIME HAD DONE MUCH FOR HIM IN CONSOLIDATING HIS AUTHORITY AND PERHAPS THE PRESENT WORLD IS LESS RETICENT IN ITS EAGERNESS THAN IT WAS IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS I DOUBT HOWEVER


WHETHER IT IS MORE DISHONEST AND WHETHER STRUGGLES WERE NOT MADE QUITE AS DISGRACEFUL TO THE STRUGGLERS AS ANYTHING THAT IS DONE NOW YOU CAN'T ALTER THE MEN AND YOU MUST USE THEM THE YOUNGER DUKE SAT DOWN AND SIGHED OVER THE DEGENERATE PATRIOTISM OF THE AGE


BUT AT LAST EVEN THE RATTLERS AND ROBYS WERE FIXED IF NOT SATISFIED AND A COMPLETE LIST OF THE MINISTRY APPEARED IN ALL THE NEWSPAPERS THOUGH THE THING HAD BEEN LONG A DOING STILL IT HAD COME SUDDENLY


SO THAT AT THE FIRST PROPOSITION TO FORM A COALITION MINISTRY THE NEWSPAPERS HAD HARDLY KNOWN WHETHER TO ASSIST OR TO OPPOSE THE SCHEME THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN THE MINDS OF ALL THESE EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS THE TEACHING OF A TRADITION THAT COALITIONS OF THIS KIND HAVE BEEN GENERALLY FEEBLE


SOMETIMES DISASTROUS AND ON OCCASIONS EVEN DISGRACEFUL WHEN A MAN PERHAPS THROUGH A LONG POLITICAL LIFE HAS BOUND HIMSELF TO A CERTAIN CODE OF OPINIONS HOW CAN HE CHANGE THAT CODE AT A MOMENT


AND WHEN AT THE SAME MOMENT TOGETHER WITH THE CHANGE HE SECURES POWER PATRONAGE AND PAY HOW SHALL THE PUBLIC VOICE ABSOLVE HIM BUT THEN AGAIN MEN WHO HAVE BY THE WORK OF THEIR LIVES GROWN INTO A CERTAIN POSITION IN THE COUNTRY


AND HAVE UNCONSCIOUSLY BUT NOT THEREFORE LESS ACTUALLY MADE THEMSELVES INDISPENSABLE EITHER TO THIS SIDE IN POLITICS OR TO THAT CANNOT FREE THEMSELVES ALTOGETHER FROM THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGING THEM WHEN A PERIOD COMES SUCH AS THAT NOW REACHED


THIS ALSO THE NEWSPAPERS PERCEIVED AND HAVING SINCE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SESSION BEEN VERY LOUD IN EXPOSING THE DISGRACEFUL COLLAPSE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COULD HARDLY REFUSE THEIR SUPPORT TO ANY ATTEMPT AT A FEASIBLE ARRANGEMENT


WHEN IT WAS FIRST KNOWN THAT THE DUKE OF OMNIUM HAD CONSENTED TO MAKE THE ATTEMPT THEY HAD BOTH ON ONE SIDE AND THE OTHER BEEN LOUD IN HIS PRAISE GOING SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT HE WAS THE ONLY MAN IN ENGLAND WHO COULD DO THE WORK


BUT WHEN THE NEWSPAPERS TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS THE ONLY MAN FOR THE OCCASION HOW COULD HE BE JUSTIFIED IN CREDITING HIMSELF IN PREFERENCE TO THEM THE WORK IN PARLIAMENT BEGAN UNDER THE NEW AUSPICES WITH GREAT TRANQUILLITY


AND FURTHER EDUCATION QUESTIONS ALL MEN KNEW WHO KNEW ANYTHING BUT FOR THE MOMENT FOR THE MONTH EVEN PERHAPS FOR THE SESSION THERE WAS TO BE PEACE WITH FULL LATITUDE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF ROUTINE DUTIES THERE WAS SO TO SAY NO OPPOSITION


AND AT FIRST IT SEEMED THAT ONE SPECIAL BENCH IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS WOULD REMAIN UNOCCUPIED BUT AFTER A DAY OR TWO ON ONE OF WHICH MISTER DAUBENY HAD BEEN SEEN SITTING JUST BELOW THE GANGWAY THAT GENTLEMAN RETURNED TO THE PLACE USUALLY HELD BY THE PRIME MINISTER'S RIVAL


SAYING WITH A SMILE THAT IT MIGHT BE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE HOUSE THAT THE SEAT SHOULD BE UTILISED MISTER GRESHAM AT THIS TIME HAD WITH DECLARED PURPOSE ASKED AND OBTAINED THE SPEAKER'S LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND WAS ABROAD WHO SHOULD LEAD THE HOUSE


THAT HAD BEEN A GREAT QUESTION CAUSED BY THE FACT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER WAS IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS AND WHAT OFFICE SHOULD THE LEADER HOLD MISTER MONK HAD CONSENTED TO TAKE THE EXCHEQUER


WAS AT LAST ASSIGNED TO SIR ORLANDO DROUGHT IT WILL NEVER DO SAID MISTER RATTLER TO MISTER ROBY I DON'T MEAN TO SAY ANYTHING AGAINST DROUGHT WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY USEFUL MAN TO YOUR PARTY BUT HE LACKS SOMETHING OF THE POSITION


THE FACT IS SAID ROBY THAT WE'VE TRUSTED TO TWO MEN SO LONG THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SUPPOSE ANY ONE ELSE BIG ENOUGH TO FILL THEIR PLACES MONK WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THE HOUSE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT MONK I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE WILSON


AND SO I TOLD THE DUKE HE HAD AN IDEA THAT IT SHOULD BE ONE OF YOUR MEN I THINK HE'S RIGHT THERE SAID ROBY THERE OUGHT TO BE SOMETHING LIKE A FAIR DIVISION INDIVIDUALS MIGHT BE CONTENT BUT THE PARTY WOULD BE DISSATISFIED


FOR MYSELF I'D HAVE SOONER STAYED OUT AS AN INDEPENDENT MEMBER BUT DAUBENY SAID THAT HE THOUGHT I WAS BOUND TO MAKE MYSELF USEFUL I TOLD THE DUKE FROM THE BEGINNING SAID RATTLER THAT I DIDN'T THINK THAT I COULD BE OF ANY SERVICE TO HIM


OF COURSE I WOULD SUPPORT HIM BUT I HAD BEEN TOO THOROUGHLY A PARTY MAN FOR A NEW MOVEMENT OF THIS KIND BUT HE SAID JUST THE SAME THAT HE CONSIDERED I WAS BOUND TO JOIN HIM I ASKED GRESHAM AND WHEN GRESHAM SAID SO TOO OF COURSE I HAD NO HELP FOR IT


A MEANING TO A MAN'S WORDS EXACTLY OPPOSITE TO THAT WHICH ANOTHER TONE WOULD CONVEY OR IF HE DOES LIE IN DOING SO HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT HE LIES MISTER RATTLER HAD GONE BACK TO HIS OLD OFFICE AT THE TREASURY


AND MISTER ROBY HAD BEEN FORCED TO CONTENT HIMSELF WITH THE SECRETARYSHIP AT THE ADMIRALTY BUT AS THE OLD DUKE HAD SAID THEY WERE CLOSE FRIENDS AND PREPARED TO FIGHT TOGETHER ANY BATTLE WHICH MIGHT KEEP THEM IN THEIR PRESENT POSITION


MANY OF THE CARES OF OFFICE THE PRIME MINISTER DID SUCCEED IN SHUFFLING OFF ALTOGETHER ON TO THE SHOULDERS OF HIS ELDER FRIEND HE WOULD NOT CONCERN HIMSELF WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF LADIES ABOUT WHOM HE SAID HE KNEW NOTHING


AND AS TO WHOSE FITNESS AND CLAIMS HE PROFESSED HIMSELF TO BE AS IGNORANT AS THE OFFICE MESSENGER THE OFFERS WERE OF COURSE MADE IN THE USUAL FORM AS THOUGH COMING DIRECT FROM THE QUEEN THROUGH THE PRIME MINISTER BUT THE SELECTIONS WERE IN TRUTH EFFECTED BY THE OLD DUKE IN COUNCIL WITH


AN ILLUSTRIOUS PERSONAGE THE MATTER AFFECTED OUR DUKE ONLY IN SO FAR THAT HE COULD NOT GET OUT OF HIS MIND THAT STRANGE APPLICATION FROM HIS OWN WIFE THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE EVEN DREAMED OF IT HE WOULD SAY TO HIMSELF


THE DESIRE FOR PLOUGHING HAD COME UPON THE DUCHESS BUT THE DUKE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND IT HE PERCEIVED HOWEVER IN SPITE OF THE MULTIPLICITY OF HIS OFFICIAL WORK THAT HIS REFUSAL SAT HEAVILY ON HIS WIFE'S BREAST AND THAT THOUGH SHE SPOKE NO FURTHER WORD


SHE BROODED OVER HER INJURY AND HIS HEART WAS SAD WITHIN HIM WHEN HE THOUGHT THAT HE HAD VEXED HER LOVING HER AS HE DID WITH ALL HIS HEART BUT WITH A HEART THAT WAS NEVER DEMONSTRATIVE WHEN SHE WAS UNHAPPY HE WAS MISERABLE


THOUGH HE WOULD HARDLY KNOW THE CAUSE OF HIS MISERY HER RIDICULE AND RAILLERY HE COULD BEAR


OR HER SULLENNESS IF EVER SHE WERE SULLEN UPSET HIM ALTOGETHER HE WAS IN TRUTH SO SOFT OF HEART


HE HAD EXPRESSLY ASKED HER FOR HER SYMPATHY IN THE BUSINESS HE HAD ON HAND THEREBY GOING MUCH BEYOND HIS USUAL COLDNESS OF MANNER


HAD PROMISED THAT SHE WOULD SLAVE FOR HIM IF SLAVERY WERE NECESSARY THEN SHE HAD MADE HER REQUEST HAD BEEN REFUSED AND WAS NOW MOODY THE DUCHESS OF


IS TO BE MISTRESS OF THE ROBES HE SAID TO HER ONE DAY HE HAD GONE TO HER UP TO HER OWN ROOM BEFORE HE DRESSED FOR DINNER HAVING DEVOTED MUCH MORE TIME THAN AS PRIME MINISTER HE OUGHT TO HAVE DONE TO A RESOLUTION THAT HE WOULD MAKE THINGS STRAIGHT WITH HER AND TO THE BEST WAY OF DOING IT


SO I AM TOLD SHE OUGHT TO KNOW HER WAY ABOUT THE PLACE AS I REMEMBER SHE WAS AT THE SAME WORK WHEN I WAS A GIRL OF ELEVEN THAT'S NOT SO VERY LONG AGO CORA SILVERBRIDGE IS OLDER NOW THAN I WAS THEN


AND I THINK THAT MAKES IT A VERY LONG TIME AGO LORD SILVERBRIDGE WAS THE DUKE'S ELDEST SON BUT WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF SHE BEGAN HER CAREER IN THE TIME OF GEORGE THE FOURTH WHAT IS IT TO YOU


IT'S A PITY SHE SHOULD NOT REMEMBER HERS IN THE WAY SHE DRESSES SAID THE DUCHESS THIS WAS MARVELLOUS TO HIM THAT HIS WIFE


THAT IT WON'T COME WITHIN THE COMPASS OF MY OFFICE TO EFFECT OR EVEN TO PROPOSE ANY RADICAL CHANGE IN HER GRACE'S APPAREL BUT DON'T YOU THINK THAT YOU AND I CAN AFFORD TO IGNORE ALL THAT I CAN CERTAINLY SHE MAY BE AN ANTIQUATED EVE FOR ME


I HOPE CORA YOU ARE NOT STILL DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I DID NOT AGREE WITH YOU WHEN YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE PLACE FOR YOURSELF NOT BECAUSE YOU DID NOT AGREE WITH ME BUT BECAUSE YOU DID NOT THINK ME FIT TO BE TRUSTED WITH ANY JUDGMENT OF MY OWN


AND FREE FROM BONDS BY WHICH THEY ARE CRAMPED AND CONFINED OF COURSE SUCH A TURN OF CHARACTER IS SUBJECT TO CERTAIN DANGERS OF ITS OWN THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT THE DANGERS THE CHANCES ARE THAT WHEN I SEE HER GRACE I SHALL TELL HER WHAT I THINK ABOUT HER


YOU WILL I AM SURE SAY NOTHING UNKIND TO A LADY WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE PLACE SHE NOW FILLS BY MY AUTHORITY BUT DO NOT LET US QUARREL ABOUT AN OLD WOMAN I WON'T QUARREL WITH YOU EVEN ABOUT A YOUNG ONE


YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW CONSTANTLY I CARRY YOU ABOUT WITH ME YOU CARRY A VERY UNNECESSARY BURDEN THEN SHE SAID BUT HE COULD TELL AT ONCE FROM THE ALTERED TONE OF HER VOICE AND FROM THE LIGHT OF HER EYE AS HE GLANCED INTO HER FACE


THAT HER ANGER ABOUT THE ROBES WAS APPEASED I HAVE DONE AS YOU ASKED ABOUT A FRIEND OF YOURS HE SAID THIS OCCURRED JUST BEFORE THE FINAL AND PERFECTED LIST OF THE NEW MEN HAD APPEARED IN ALL THE NEWSPAPERS WHAT FRIEND


MISTER FINN IS TO GO TO IRELAND GO TO IRELAND HOW DO YOU MEAN IT IS LOOKED UPON AS BEING VERY GREAT PROMOTION INDEED I AM TOLD THAT HE IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE LUCKIEST MAN IN ALL THE SCRAMBLE YOU DON'T MEAN AS CHIEF SECRETARY


YES I DO HE CERTAINLY COULDN'T GO AS LORD LIEUTENANT BUT THEY SAID THAT BARRINGTON ERLE WAS GOING TO IRELAND WELL YES I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'D BE INTERESTED BY ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF IT


THE ONE MAN IN PARLIAMENT MODEST ENOUGH NOT TO CONSIDER HIMSELF TO BE FIT FOR ANY PLACE THAT CAN BE OFFERED TO HIM POOR BARRINGTON HE DOES NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF CROSSING THE CHANNEL SO OFTEN I QUITE SYMPATHISE WITH HIM AND SO PHINEAS IS TO BE SECRETARY FOR IRELAND


NOT IN THE CABINET NO NOT IN THE CABINET IT IS NOT BY ANY MEANS USUAL THAT HE SHOULD BE THAT IS PROMOTION AND I AM GLAD POOR PHINEAS I HOPE THEY WON'T MURDER HIM OR ANYTHING OF THAT KIND


THEY DO MURDER PEOPLE YOU KNOW SOMETIMES HE'S AN IRISHMAN HIMSELF THAT'S JUST THE REASON WHY THEY SHOULD HE MUST PUT UP WITH THAT OF COURSE I WONDER WHETHER SHE'LL LIKE GOING THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SPEND MONEY WHICH THEY ALWAYS LIKE


OVER THERE HE COMES BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS EVERY WEEK DOESN'T HE NOT QUITE THAT I BELIEVE I SHALL MISS HER IF SHE HAS TO STAY AWAY LONG I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE HER I DO LIKE HER


SHE HAS ALWAYS BEHAVED WELL BOTH TO ME AND TO MY UNCLE SHE WAS AN ANGEL TO HIM


THIS SHE SAID WITH A SMILE AS THOUGH NOT MEANING IT ALTOGETHER BUT YET HALF MEANING IT I HAVE ASKED HIM TO UNDERTAKE THE OFFICE SAID THE DUKE SOLEMNLY BECAUSE I AM TOLD THAT HE IS FIT FOR IT


BUT I DID HAVE SOME PLEASURE IN PROPOSING IT TO HIM BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD PLEASE YOU IT DOES PLEASE ME AND I WON'T BE CROSS ANY MORE AND THE DUCHESS OF


BUT SHE IS IN TRUTH THE ONLY WOMAN IN LONDON TO WHOM I CAN SAY WHAT I THINK AND IT IS A COMFORT YOU KNOW TO HAVE SOME ONE IN THIS WAY THE DOMESTIC PEACE OF THE PRIME MINISTER WAS READJUSTED


AND THAT SYMPATHY AND CO OPERATION FOR WHICH HE HAD FIRST ASKED WAS ACCORDED TO HIM IT MAY BE A QUESTION WHETHER ON THE WHOLE THE DUCHESS DID NOT WORK HARDER THAN HE DID


IN REGARD TO MAGNIFICENCE AND HOSPITALITY SHE SAID NOTHING OF ANY EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURE OF MONEY BUT SHE SET HERSELF TO WORK AFTER HER OWN FASHION MAKING TO HIM SUGGESTIONS AS TO DINNERS AND EVENING RECEPTIONS


TO WHICH HE OBJECTED ONLY ON THE SCORE OF TIME YOU MUST EAT YOUR DINNER SOMEWHERE SHE SAID AND YOU NEED ONLY COME IN JUST BEFORE WE SIT DOWN AND GO INTO YOUR OWN ROOM IF YOU PLEASE WITHOUT COMING UPSTAIRS AT ALL I CAN AT ANY RATE DO THAT PART OF IT FOR YOU


NEITHER AT DINNER ON THAT EVENING AT MANCHESTER SQUARE NOR AFTER DINNER AS LONG AS MISSUS ROBY REMAINED IN THE HOUSE WAS A WORD SAID ABOUT LOPEZ BY MISTER WHARTON HE REMAINED LONGER THAN USUAL WITH HIS BOTTLE OF PORT WINE IN THE DINING ROOM


BUT AS SOON AS MISSUS ROBY WAS GONE AND MISSUS ROBY WENT HOME ROUND THE CORNER SOMEWHAT EARLIER THAN USUAL THEN MISTER WHARTON WOKE UP INSTANTLY AND MADE INQUIRY OF HIS DAUGHTER


THERE HAD HOWEVER BEEN A FEW WORDS SPOKEN ON THE SUBJECT BETWEEN MISSUS ROBY AND HER NIECE WHICH HAD SERVED TO PREPARE EMILY FOR WHAT WAS COMING LOPEZ HAS BEEN TO YOUR FATHER


IF HE DID NOT MEAN YOU TO CHOOSE FOR YOURSELF WHY DIDN'T HE KEEP A CLOSER LOOK OUT I HAVEN'T CHOSEN ANY ONE AUNT HARRIET WELL TO SPEAK FAIRLY I THOUGHT YOU HAD AND I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY AGAINST YOUR CHOICE


NO DOUBT YOUR PAPA WILL HAVE IT OUT WITH YOU JUST NOW SO YOU HAD BETTER MAKE UP YOUR MIND WHAT YOU WILL SAY TO HIM IF YOU REALLY LIKE THE MAN I DON'T SEE WHY YOU SHOULDN'T SAY SO AND STICK TO IT HE HAS MADE A REGULAR OFFER AND GIRLS IN THESE DAYS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE THEIR FATHER'S SLAVES


MISSUS ROBY WAS PLEASED WITH LITTLE INTRIGUES WAS ADDICTED TO THE AMUSEMENT OF FOSTERING LOVE AFFAIRS WAS FOND OF BEING THOUGHT TO BE USEFUL IN SUCH MATTERS AND WAS NOT AVERSE TO HAVING PRESENTS GIVEN TO HER SHE HAD MARRIED A VULGAR MAN


AND THOUGH SHE HAD NOT BECOME LIKE THE MAN SHE HAD BECOME VULGAR SHE WAS NOT AN ELIGIBLE COMPANION FOR MISTER WHARTON'S DAUGHTER A MATTER AS TO WHICH THE FATHER HAD NOT GIVEN HIMSELF PROPER OPPORTUNITIES OF LEARNING THE FACTS AN AUNT IN HIS CLOSE NEIGHBOURHOOD WAS SO GREAT A COMFORT TO HIM


SO READY AND SO NATURAL AN ASSISTANCE TO HIM IN HIS DIFFICULTIES BUT EMILY WHARTON WAS NOT IN THE LEAST LIKE HER AUNT NOR HAD MISSUS WHARTON BEEN AT ALL LIKE MISSUS ROBY NO DOUBT THE CONTACT WAS DANGEROUS


INJURY HAD PERHAPS ALREADY BEEN DONE IT MAY BE THAT SOME SLIGHTEST SOIL HAD ALREADY MARRED THE PURE WHITE OF THE GIRL'S NATURAL CHARACTER BUT IF SO THE STAIN WAS AS YET TOO IMPALPABLE TO BE VISIBLE TO ORDINARY EYES


RATHER EXCEEDING THE AVERAGE PROPORTIONS AS WELL AS HEIGHT OF WOMEN HER FEATURES WERE REGULAR AND HANDSOME AND HER FORM WAS PERFECT BUT IT WAS BY HER MANNER AND HER VOICE THAT SHE CONQUERED RATHER THAN BY HER BEAUTY


WHICH STRANGERS DID NOT FIND ON HER FACE BUT AS WE DO NOT LIGHT UP OUR HOUSES WITH OUR BRIGHTEST LAMPS FOR ALL COMERS SO NEITHER DID SHE EMIT FROM HER EYES THEIR BRIGHTEST SPARKS TILL SPECIAL OCCASION FOR SUCH SHINING HAD ARISEN


TO THOSE WHO WERE ALLOWED TO LOVE HER NO WOMAN WAS MORE LOVABLE THERE WAS INNATE IN HER AN APPRECIATION OF HER OWN POSITION AS A WOMAN AND WITH IT A PRINCIPLE OF SELF DENIAL AS A HUMAN BEING WHICH IT WAS BEYOND THE POWER OF ANY MISSUS ROBY TO DESTROY


THE YOUNG MAN MAY BECOME LORD CHANCELLOR OR AT ANY RATE EARN HIS BREAD COMFORTABLY AS A COUNTY COURT JUDGE BUT THE GIRL CAN LOOK FORWARD TO LITTLE ELSE THAN THE CHANCE OF HAVING A GOOD MAN FOR HER HUSBAND A GOOD MAN


OR IF HER TASTES LIE IN THAT DIRECTION A RICH MAN EMILY WHARTON HAD DOUBTLESS THOUGHT ABOUT THESE THINGS AND SHE SINCERELY BELIEVED THAT SHE HAD FOUND THE GOOD MAN IN FERDINAND LOPEZ


WHEN GOING TO MISTER WHARTON AT HIS CHAMBERS HE HAD NOT INTENDED TO CHEAT THE LAWYER INTO ANY ERRONEOUS IDEA ABOUT HIS FAMILY


AND MISTER WHARTON HAD FELT HIMSELF BOUND TO ABSTAIN FROM ALLUSION TO SUCH MATTERS FROM AN ASSURED FEELING THAT HE COULD NOT IN THAT DIRECTION PLANT AN ENDURING OBJECTION IN THIS WAY LOPEZ HAD CARRIED HIS POINT WITH MISTER WHARTON


AND THIS HE HAD DONE WITHOUT EVER HAVING ASKED FOR HER LOVE AND HE HAD EVEN TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO ALLURE DICK AND HAD LISTENED TO AND HAD TALKED WHOLE PAGES OUT OF BELL'S LIFE ON HIS OWN BEHALF IT MUST BE ACKNOWLEDGED


THAT HE DID LOVE THE GIRL AS WELL PERHAPS AS HE WAS CAPABLE OF LOVING ANY ONE BUT HE HAD FOUND OUT MANY PARTICULARS AS TO MISTER WHARTON'S MONEY BEFORE HE HAD ALLOWED HIMSELF TO LOVE HER AS SOON AS MISSUS ROBY HAD GATHERED UP HER KNITTING


AND DECLARED AS SHE ALWAYS DID ON SUCH OCCASIONS THAT SHE COULD GO ROUND THE CORNER WITHOUT HAVING ANY ONE TO LOOK AFTER HER


HE CAME TO ME TO DAY AND ASKED FOR MY PERMISSION TO ADDRESS YOU SHE SAT PERFECTLY QUIET STILL LOOKING AT HIM BUT SHE DID NOT SAY A WORD OF COURSE I DID NOT GIVE HIM PERMISSION WHY OF COURSE PAPA


BECAUSE HE IS A STRANGER AND A FOREIGNER WOULD YOU HAVE WISHED ME TO TELL HIM THAT HE MIGHT COME YES PAPA HE WAS SITTING ON A SOFA AND SHRANK BACK A LITTLE FROM HER AS SHE MADE THIS FREE AVOWAL


IN THAT CASE I COULD HAVE JUDGED FOR MYSELF I SUPPOSE EVERY GIRL WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT BUT SHOULD YOU HAVE ACCEPTED HIM I THINK I SHOULD HAVE CONSULTED YOU BEFORE I DID THAT BUT I SHOULD HAVE WISHED TO ACCEPT HIM PAPA I DO LOVE HIM


I HAVE NEVER SAID SO BEFORE TO ANY ONE I WOULD NOT SAY SO TO YOU NOW IF HE HAD NOT SPOKEN TO YOU AS HE HAS DONE EMILY IT MUST NOT BE WHY NOT PAPA IF YOU SAY IT SHALL NOT BE SO IT SHALL NOT


I WILL DO AS YOU BID ME THEN HE PUT OUT HIS HAND AND CARESSED HER STROKING DOWN HER HAIR BUT I THINK YOU OUGHT TO TELL ME WHY IT MUST NOT BE


HE IS A FOREIGNER BUT IS HE AND WHY SHOULD NOT A FOREIGNER BE AS GOOD AS AN ENGLISHMAN HIS NAME IS FOREIGN BUT HE TALKS ENGLISH AND LIVES AS AN ENGLISHMAN HE HAS NO RELATIVES NO FAMILY NO BELONGINGS


HE IS WHAT WE CALL AN ADVENTURER MARRIAGE MY DEAR IS A MOST SERIOUS THING YES PAPA I KNOW THAT ONE IS BOUND TO BE VERY CAREFUL HOW CAN I GIVE YOU TO A MAN I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT AN ADVENTURER


WHAT WOULD THEY SAY IN HEREFORDSHIRE I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY SHOULD SAY ANYTHING BUT IF THEY DID I SHOULDN'T MUCH CARE I SHOULD MY DEAR I SHOULD CARE VERY MUCH ONE IS BOUND TO THINK OF ONE'S FAMILY SUPPOSE IT SHOULD TURN OUT AFTERWARDS THAT HE WAS


DISREPUTABLE YOU MAY SAY THAT OF ANY MAN PAPA BUT WHEN A MAN HAS CONNEXIONS A FATHER AND MOTHER OR UNCLES AND AUNTS PEOPLE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THEN THERE IS SOME GUARANTEE OF SECURITY


DID YOU EVER HEAR THIS MAN SPEAK OF HIS FATHER I DON'T KNOW THAT I EVER DID OR HIS MOTHER OR HIS FAMILY DON'T YOU THINK THAT IS SUSPICIOUS


I WOULD NOT WISH THAT THERE SHOULD BE OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCH ASKING IF THERE HAS BEEN INTIMACY BETWEEN YOU SUCH INFORMATION SHOULD HAVE COME NATURALLY AS A THING OF COURSE YOU HAVE MADE HIM NO PROMISE OH NO PAPA


NOR SPOKEN TO HIM OF YOUR REGARD FOR HIM NEVER NOT A WORD NOR HE TO ME EXCEPT IN SUCH WORDS AS ONE UNDERSTANDS EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY NOTHING I WISH HE HAD NEVER SEEN YOU IS HE A BAD MAN PAPA


PAPA I WISH YOU KNEW HIM BETTER THAN YOU DO I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW HIM BETTER IS NOT THAT PREJUDICE PAPA MY DEAR EMILY SAID MISTER WHARTON STRIVING TO WAX INTO ANGER


THAT HE MIGHT BE FIRM AGAINST HER I DON'T THINK THAT IT BECOMES YOU TO ASK YOUR FATHER SUCH A QUESTION AS THAT YOU OUGHT TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE CHIEF OBJECT OF MY LIFE TO DO THE BEST I CAN FOR MY CHILDREN I AM SURE IT IS


AND YOU OUGHT TO FEEL THAT AS I HAVE HAD A LONG EXPERIENCE IN THE WORLD MY JUDGMENT ABOUT A YOUNG MAN MIGHT BE TRUSTED THAT WAS A STATEMENT WHICH MISS WHARTON WAS NOT PREPARED TO ADMIT


SHE HAD ALREADY PROFESSED HERSELF WILLING TO SUBMIT TO HER FATHER'S JUDGMENT AND DID NOT NOW BY ANY MEANS CONTEMPLATE REBELLION AGAINST PARENTAL AUTHORITY BUT SHE DID FEEL THAT ON A MATTER SO VITAL TO HER


SHE HAD A RIGHT TO PLEAD HER CAUSE BEFORE JUDGMENT SHOULD BE GIVEN AND SHE WAS NOT SLOW TO ASSURE HERSELF EVEN AS THIS INTERVIEW WENT ON THAT HER LOVE FOR THE MAN WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO ENTITLE HER TO ASSURE HER FATHER THAT HER HAPPINESS DEPENDED ON HIS REVERSAL OF THE SENTENCE


ALREADY PRONOUNCED YOU KNOW PAPA THAT I TRUST YOU SHE SAID AND I HAVE PROMISED YOU THAT I WILL NOT DISOBEY YOU


YOU ARE A GOOD GIRL YOU WERE ALWAYS A GOOD GIRL BUT I THINK THAT YOU OUGHT TO HEAR ME THEN HE STOOD STILL WITH HIS HANDS IN HIS TROWSERS POCKETS LOOKING AT HER


HE DID NOT WANT TO HEAR A WORD BUT HE FELT THAT HE WOULD BE A TYRANT IF HE REFUSED IF YOU TELL ME THAT I AM NOT TO SEE HIM I SHALL NOT SEE HIM BUT I SHALL BE VERY UNHAPPY I DO LOVE HIM AND I SHALL NEVER LOVE ANY ONE ELSE IN THE SAME WAY


IF IT IS ONLY BECAUSE MISTER LOPEZ HAS A FOREIGN NAME IT ISN'T ONLY THAT NO ONE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT HIM OR WHERE TO INQUIRE EVEN I THINK YOU SHOULD INQUIRE PAPA AND BE QUITE CERTAIN BEFORE YOU PRONOUNCE SUCH A SENTENCE AGAINST ME


IT WILL BE A CRUSHING BLOW HE LOOKED AT HER AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A FIXED PURPOSE IN HER COUNTENANCE OF WHICH HE HAD NEVER BEFORE SEEN SIMILAR SIGNS YOU CLAIM A RIGHT TO MY OBEDIENCE AND I ACKNOWLEDGE IT


I AM SURE YOU BELIEVE ME WHEN I PROMISE NOT TO SEE HIM WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION I DO BELIEVE YOU OF COURSE I BELIEVE YOU BUT IF I DO THAT FOR YOU PAPA I THINK THAT YOU OUGHT TO BE VERY SURE ON MY ACCOUNT


I WILL OF COURSE I WILL AND HE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF THINKING ABOUT IT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE DOOR WAS CLOSED BEHIND HER BUT WHAT WAS THERE TO THINK ABOUT NOTHING THAT SHE HAD SAID ALTERED IN THE LEAST HIS IDEA ABOUT THE MAN


HE WAS AS CONVINCED AS EVER THAT UNLESS THERE WAS MUCH TO CONCEAL THERE WOULD NOT BE SO MUCH CONCEALMENT BUT A FEELING BEGAN TO GROW UPON HIM ALREADY THAT HIS DAUGHTER HAD A MODE OF PLEADING WITH HIM WHICH HE WOULD NOT ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO RESIST


HE HAD THE POWER HE KNEW OF PUTTING AN END TO THE THING ALTOGETHER HE HAD ONLY TO SAY RESOLUTELY AND UNCHANGEABLY THAT THE THING SHOULDN'T BE AND IT WOULDN'T BE


POTHIER SEEMS TO THINK THAT PROPERTY LIKE ROYALTY EXISTS BY DIVINE RIGHT HE TRACES BACK ITS ORIGIN TO GOD HIMSELF


PRINCIPIUM HE BEGINS IN THIS WAY GOD IS THE ABSOLUTE RULER OF THE UNIVERSE AND ALL THAT IT CONTAINS DOMINI


FOR THE HUMAN RACE HE HAS CREATED THE EARTH AND ALL ITS CREATURES AND HAS GIVEN IT A CONTROL OVER THEM SUBORDINATE ONLY TO HIS OWN THOU MADEST HIM TO HAVE DOMINION OVER THE WORKS OF THY HANDS


THOU HAST PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET SAYS THE PSALMIST GOD ACCOMPANIED THIS GIFT WITH THESE WORDS ADDRESSED TO OUR FIRST PARENTS AFTER THE CREATION BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY


ARE FATHERS UNNATURAL AND CHILDREN PRODIGAL GOD GAVE THE EARTH TO THE HUMAN RACE WHY THEN HAVE I RECEIVED NONE HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS UNDER MY FEET


AND I HAVE NOT WHERE TO LAY MY HEAD MULTIPLY HE TELLS US THROUGH HIS INTERPRETER POTHIER AH LEARNED POTHIER THAT IS AS EASY TO DO AS TO SAY


BUT YOU MUST GIVE MOSS TO THE BIRD FOR ITS NEST THE HUMAN RACE HAVING MULTIPLIED MEN DIVIDED AMONG THEMSELVES THE EARTH AND MOST OF THE THINGS UPON IT THAT WHICH FELL TO EACH


FROM THAT TIME EXCLUSIVELY BELONGED TO HIM THAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF THE RIGHT OF PROPERTY SAY RATHER THE RIGHT OF POSSESSION MEN LIVED IN A STATE OF COMMUNISM


WHETHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE IT MATTERS LITTLE THEN THERE WAS NO PROPERTY NOT EVEN PRIVATE POSSESSION THE GENESIS AND GROWTH OF POSSESSION GRADUALLY FORCING PEOPLE TO LABOR FOR THEIR SUPPORT


THEY AGREED EITHER FORMALLY OR TACITLY IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHICH THAT THE LABORER SHOULD BE SOLE PROPRIETOR OF THE FRUIT OF HIS LABOR THAT IS THEY SIMPLY DECLARED THE FACT


THAT THEREAFTER NONE COULD LIVE WITHOUT WORKING IT NECESSARILY FOLLOWED THAT TO OBTAIN EQUALITY OF PRODUCTS THERE MUST BE EQUALITY OF LABOR AND THAT TO OBTAIN EQUALITY OF LABOR


THERE MUST BE EQUALITY OF FACILITIES FOR LABOR WHOEVER WITHOUT LABOR GOT POSSESSION BY FORCE OR BY STRATEGY OF ANOTHER'S MEANS OF SUBSISTENCE DESTROYED EQUALITY


WHOEVER VIOLATED IT WAS UNJUST THUS LABOR GIVES BIRTH TO PRIVATE POSSESSION THE RIGHT IN A THING


BUT IN WHAT THING EVIDENTLY IN THE PRODUCT NOT IN THE SOIL SO THE ARABS HAVE ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD IT AND SO ACCORDING TO CAESAR AND TACITUS THE GERMANS FORMERLY HELD THE ARABS


WHO ADMIT A MAN'S PROPERTY IN THE FLOCKS WHICH HE HAS RAISED DO NOT REFUSE THE CROP TO HIM WHO PLANTED THE SEED BUT THEY DO NOT SEE WHY ANOTHER HIS EQUAL SHOULD NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO PLANT IN HIS TURN


THE INEQUALITY WHICH RESULTS FROM THE PRETENDED RIGHT OF THE FIRST OCCUPANT SEEMS TO THEM TO BE BASED ON NO PRINCIPLE OF JUSTICE AND WHEN ALL THE LAND FALLS INTO THE HANDS OF A CERTAIN NUMBER OF INHABITANTS


THERE RESULTS A MONOPOLY IN THEIR FAVOR AGAINST THE REST OF THE NATION TO WHICH THEY DO NOT WISH TO SUBMIT WELL THEY HAVE SHARED THE LAND


AND THAT THIS METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION FIXED AND DURABLE IS ADVANTAGEOUS TO PRODUCTION BUT HOW COULD THIS DIVISION GIVE TO EACH A TRANSFERABLE RIGHT OF PROPERTY IN A THING TO WHICH


ALL HAD AN INALIENABLE RIGHT OF POSSESSION


THIS METAMORPHOSIS FROM POSSESSOR TO PROPRIETOR IS LEGALLY IMPOSSIBLE IT IMPLIES IN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS THE UNION OF POSSESSOIRE AND PETITOIRE


AND THE MUTUAL CONCESSIONS OF THOSE WHO SHARE THE LAND ARE NOTHING LESS THAN TRAFFIC IN NATURAL RIGHTS THE ORIGINAL CULTIVATORS OF THE LAND WHO WERE ALSO THE ORIGINAL MAKERS OF THE LAW WERE NOT AS LEARNED


INTO THE RIGHT OF ABSOLUTE PROPERTY BUT WHY HAVE NOT THOSE WHO IN LATER TIMES HAVE ESTABLISHED THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN JUS IN RE AND JUS AD REM


APPLIED IT TO THE PRINCIPLE OF PROPERTY ITSELF LET ME CALL THE ATTENTION OF THE WRITERS ON JURISPRUDENCE TO THEIR OWN MAXIMS THE RIGHT OF PROPERTY PROVIDED IT CAN HAVE A CAUSE CAN HAVE BUT ONE


DOMINIUM NON POTEST NISI EX UNA CAUSA


I CAN POSSESS BY SEVERAL TITLES I CAN BECOME PROPRIETOR BY ONLY ONE


TO ME AS MY SHARE BUT NONE OF THESE TITLES CONFER UPON ME THE RIGHT OF PROPERTY FOR IF I ATTEMPT TO BASE IT UPON OCCUPANCY SOCIETY CAN REPLY


I AM THE ORIGINAL OCCUPANT IF I APPEAL TO MY LABOR IT WILL SAY IT IS ONLY ON THAT CONDITION THAT YOU POSSESS IF I SPEAK OF AGREEMENTS IT WILL RESPOND


THESE AGREEMENTS ESTABLISH ONLY YOUR RIGHT OF USE SUCH HOWEVER ARE THE ONLY TITLES WHICH PROPRIETORS ADVANCE THEY NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DISCOVER ANY OTHERS INDEED EVERY RIGHT


IT IS POTHIER WHO SAYS IT SUPPOSES A PRODUCING CAUSE IN THE PERSON WHO ENJOYS IT


IN THIS SON OF EARTH WHO PASSES AWAY LIKE A SHADOW THERE EXISTS WITH RESPECT TO EXTERNAL THINGS ONLY TITLES OF POSSESSION NOT ONE TITLE OF PROPERTY WHY THEN


HAS SOCIETY RECOGNIZED A RIGHT INJURIOUS TO ITSELF WHERE THERE IS NO PRODUCING CAUSE WHY IN ACCORDING POSSESSION HAS IT ALSO CONCEDED PROPERTY WHY HAS THE LAW SANCTIONED THIS ABUSE OF POWER


SOME PHILOSOPHERS PRETEND THAT MAN IN EMPLOYING HIS FORCES UPON A NATURAL OBJECT SAY A FIELD OR A TREE ACQUIRES A RIGHT ONLY TO THE IMPROVEMENTS WHICH HE MAKES


TO THE FORM WHICH HE GIVES TO THE OBJECT NOT TO THE OBJECT ITSELF USELESS DISTINCTION IF THE FORM COULD BE SEPARATED FROM THE OBJECT PERHAPS THERE WOULD BE ROOM FOR QUESTION


BUT AS THIS IS ALMOST ALWAYS IMPOSSIBLE THE APPLICATION OF MAN'S STRENGTH TO THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE VISIBLE WORLD IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE RIGHT OF PROPERTY THE PRIMARY ORIGIN OF RICHES


VAIN PRETEXT IF THE FORM CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THE OBJECT NOR PROPERTY FROM POSSESSION POSSESSION MUST BE SHARED IN ANY CASE


SOCIETY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO FIX THE CONDITIONS OF PROPERTY LET US SUPPOSE THAT AN APPROPRIATED FARM YIELDS A GROSS INCOME OF TEN THOUSAND FRANCS AND AS VERY SELDOM HAPPENS


THE POSSESSOR OF THIS FARM SHOULD BE OBLIGED TO GUARD HIS REPUTATION AS A GOOD FATHER OF A FAMILY BY PAYING TO SOCIETY TEN THOUSAND FRANCS LESS THE TOTAL COSTS OF CULTIVATION


AND THE THREE THOUSAND FRANCS REQUIRED FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF HIS FAMILY THIS PAYMENT IS NOT RENT IT IS AN INDEMNITY WHAT SORT OF JUSTICE IS IT THEN WHICH MAKES SUCH LAWS AS THIS


WHEREAS SINCE LABOR SO CHANGES THE FORM OF A THING THAT THE FORM AND SUBSTANCE CANNOT BE SEPARATED WITHOUT DESTROYING THE THING ITSELF EITHER SOCIETY MUST BE DISINHERITED


OR THE LABORER MUST LOSE THE FRUIT OF HIS LABOR AND WHEREAS IN EVERY OTHER CASE PROPERTY IN RAW MATERIAL WOULD GIVE A TITLE TO ADDED IMPROVEMENTS MINUS THEIR COST


AND WHEREAS IN THIS INSTANCE PROPERTY IN IMPROVEMENTS OUGHT TO GIVE A TITLE TO THE PRINCIPAL


SHALL NEVER BE ADMITTED AGAINST INDIVIDUALS BUT ONLY AGAINST SOCIETY IN SUCH A WAY DO LEGISLATORS ALWAYS REASON IN REGARD TO PROPERTY


THE LAW IS INTENDED TO PROTECT MEN'S MUTUAL RIGHTS THAT IS THE RIGHTS OF EACH AGAINST EACH AND EACH AGAINST ALL


THE LAW MAKERS ALWAYS DISREGARD THE LATTER AS LONG AS MAN IS OPPOSED TO MAN PROPERTY OFFSETS PROPERTY AND THE TWO FORCES BALANCE EACH OTHER AS SOON AS MAN IS ISOLATED


THAT IS OPPOSED TO THE SOCIETY WHICH HE HIMSELF REPRESENTS JURISPRUDENCE IS AT FAULT THEMIS HAS LOST ONE SCALE OF HER BALANCE LISTEN TO THE PROFESSOR OF RENNES THE LEARNED TOULLIER


POSSESSION AGRICULTURE WAS A NATURAL CONSEQUENCE OF THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE HUMAN RACE AND AGRICULTURE IN ITS TURN FAVORS POPULATION AND NECESSITATES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PERMANENT PROPERTY


FOR WHO WOULD TAKE THE TROUBLE TO PLOUGH AND SOW IF HE WERE NOT CERTAIN THAT HE WOULD REAP TO SATISFY THE HUSBANDMAN IT WAS SUFFICIENT TO GUARANTEE HIM POSSESSION OF HIS CROP ADMIT EVEN THAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN


PROTECTED IN HIS RIGHT OF OCCUPATION OF LAND AS LONG AS HE REMAINED ITS CULTIVATOR THAT WAS ALL THAT HE HAD A RIGHT TO EXPECT THAT WAS ALL THAT THE ADVANCE OF CIVILIZATION DEMANDED


BUT PROPERTY PROPERTY THE RIGHT OF ESCHEAT OVER LANDS WHICH ONE NEITHER OCCUPIES NOR CULTIVATES


WHO PRETENDED TO HAVE IT AGRICULTURE ALONE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO ESTABLISH PERMANENT PROPERTY POSITIVE LAWS WERE NEEDED AND MAGISTRATES TO EXECUTE THEM IN A WORD


THE CIVIL STATE WAS NEEDED THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE HUMAN RACE HAD RENDERED AGRICULTURE NECESSARY THE NEED OF SECURING TO THE CULTIVATOR THE FRUIT OF HIS LABOR MADE PERMANENT PROPERTY NECESSARY


AND ALSO LAWS FOR ITS PROTECTION SO WE ARE INDEBTED TO PROPERTY FOR THE CREATION OF THE CIVIL STATE


A STATE WHICH AT FIRST WAS DESPOTISM THEN MONARCHY THEN ARISTOCRACY TODAY DEMOCRACY AND ALWAYS TYRANNY WITHOUT THE TIES OF PROPERTY IT NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE


TO SUBORDINATE MEN TO THE WHOLESOME YOKE OF THE LAW AND WITHOUT PERMANENT PROPERTY THE EARTH WOULD HAVE REMAINED A VAST FOREST LET US ADMIT THEN


IT IS THE CIVIL LAW WHICH HOLDS THAT WHEN ONCE ACQUIRED PROPERTY CAN BE LOST ONLY BY THE ACTION OF THE PROPRIETOR AND THAT IT EXISTS EVEN AFTER THE PROPRIETOR HAS RELINQUISHED POSSESSION OF THE THING


AND IT HAS FALLEN INTO THE HANDS OF A THIRD PARTY THUS PROPERTY AND POSSESSION WHICH ORIGINALLY WERE CONFOUNDED BECAME THROUGH THE CIVIL LAW TWO DISTINCT AND INDEPENDENT THINGS TWO THINGS WHICH IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE LAW


HAVE NOTHING WHATEVER IN COMMON IN THIS WE SEE WHAT A WONDERFUL CHANGE HAS BEEN EFFECTED IN PROPERTY AND TO WHAT AN EXTENT NATURE HAS BEEN ALTERED BY THE CIVIL LAWS THUS THE LAW IN ESTABLISHING PROPERTY


THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATURAL LAW THE APPLICATION OF A MORAL PRINCIPLE IT HAS LITERALLY CREATED A RIGHT OUTSIDE OF ITS OWN PROVINCE IT HAS REALIZED AN ABSTRACTION A METAPHOR


IT HAS INDORSED MONSTROUS PRETENSIONS IT HAS RECEIVED WITH FAVOR IMPIOUS VOWS AS IF IT WERE ABLE TO FILL UP A BOTTOMLESS PIT


BLIND LAW THE LAW OF THE IGNORANT MAN A LAW WHICH IS NOT A LAW THE VOICE OF DISCORD DECEIT AND BLOOD THIS IT IS WHICH CONTINUALLY REVIVED REINSTATED REJUVENATED


RESTORED RE ENFORCED AS THE PALLADIUM OF SOCIETY HAS TROUBLED THE CONSCIENCES OF THE PEOPLE HAS OBSCURED THE MINDS OF THE MASTERS AND HAS INDUCED ALL THE CATASTROPHES


THIS IT IS WHICH CHRISTIANITY HAS CONDEMNED BUT WHICH ITS IGNORANT MINISTERS DEIFY WHO HAVE AS LITTLE DESIRE TO STUDY NATURE AND MAN AS ABILITY TO READ THEIR SCRIPTURES


BUT INDEED WHAT GUIDE DID THE LAW FOLLOW IN CREATING THE DOMAIN OF PROPERTY WHAT PRINCIPLE DIRECTED IT WHAT WAS ITS STANDARD WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT IT WAS EQUALITY


UNLESS THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION WERE AT THE SAME TIME SECURED TO HIM TO FORTIFY THE WEAK AGAINST THE INVASION OF THE STRONG TO SUPPRESS SPOLIATION AND FRAUD


AND THE CUPIDITY OF THE HUSBANDMAN INCREASE IT WAS THOUGHT BEST TO PUT A BRIDLE ON AMBITION BY SETTING BOUNDARIES WHICH AMBITION WOULD IN VAIN ATTEMPT TO OVERSTEP


A MULTITUDE OF RIGHTS SOME FOUNDED IN NATURE BUT WRONGLY INTERPRETED AND STILL MORE WRONGLY APPLIED INHERITANCE GIFT AND EXCHANGE OTHERS LIKE THE PRIVILEGES OF BIRTH AND POSITION


FOR THE BARBARIANS INSTEAD OF INDULGING IN ANNUAL QUARRELS AND FIGHTS INSTEAD OF CONTINUALLY MOVING THEIR HOUSES FURNITURE AND FAMILIES FROM SPOT TO SPOT THAN TO ASSIGN TO EACH INDIVIDUAL A FIXED AND INALIENABLE ESTATE


IT WAS NOT RIGHT THAT THE SOLDIER ON RETURNING FROM AN EXPEDITION SHOULD FIND HIMSELF DISPOSSESSED ON ACCOUNT OF THE SERVICES WHICH HE HAD JUST RENDERED TO HIS COUNTRY


AND BY THE ACTION OF THE PROPRIETOR IT WAS NECESSARY THAT THE EQUALITY IN THE DIVISION SHOULD BE KEPT UP FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER WITHOUT A NEW DISTRIBUTION OF THE LAND UPON THE DEATH OF EACH FAMILY


THE FEUDAL AND PATRIARCHAL CUSTOM OF RECOGNIZING ONLY ONE HEIR THEN BY A QUITE CONTRARY APPLICATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY THE ADMISSION OF ALL THE CHILDREN TO A SHARE IN THEIR FATHER'S ESTATE


WHO NEVER HAD THE FAINTEST IDEA OF STATISTICS VALUATION OR POLITICAL ECONOMY FURNISH US WITH PRINCIPLES OF LEGISLATION THE LAW SAYS A MODERN WRITER ON JURISPRUDENCE


BY WHICH SOCIAL WANTS MUST BE SATISFIED THE PEOPLE DO NOT VOTE IT THE LEGISLATOR DOES NOT EXPRESS IT THE SAVANT DISCOVERS AND FORMULATES IT BUT IN FACT THE LAW


WAS IN THE BEGINNING ONLY THE EXPRESSION OF A WANT AND THE INDICATION OF THE MEANS OF SUPPLYING IT AND UP TO THIS TIME IT HAS BEEN NOTHING ELSE THE LEGISTS WITH MECHANICAL FIDELITY


FULL OF OBSTINACY ENEMIES OF PHILOSOPHY BURIED IN LITERALITIES


TO BE SURE WERE WELL MEANING BUT WANTING IN FORESIGHT THEY DID NOT FORESEE THESE OLD FOUNDERS OF THE DOMAIN OF PROPERTY THAT THE PERPETUAL AND ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO RETAIN ONE'S ESTATE A RIGHT WHICH SEEMED TO THEM


EQUITABLE BECAUSE IT WAS COMMON INVOLVES THE RIGHT TO TRANSFER SELL GIVE GAIN AND LOSE IT THAT IT TENDS CONSEQUENTLY TO NOTHING LESS THAN THE DESTRUCTION OF THAT EQUALITY


THEY DISREGARDED IT THE PRESENT WANT OCCUPIED THEIR WHOLE ATTENTION AND AS ORDINARILY HAPPENS IN SUCH CASES THE DISADVANTAGES WERE AT FIRST SCARCELY PERCEPTIBLE AND THEY PASSED UNNOTICED


THEY DID NOT FORESEE THESE INGENUOUS LEGISLATORS THAT IF PROPERTY IS RETAINABLE BY INTENT ALONE NUDO ANIMO


IT CARRIES WITH IT THE RIGHT TO LET TO LEASE TO LOAN AT INTEREST TO PROFIT BY EXCHANGE TO SETTLE ANNUITIES AND TO LEVY A TAX ON A FIELD WHICH INTENT RESERVES


WHILE THE BODY IS BUSY ELSEWHERE THEY DID NOT FORESEE THESE FATHERS OF OUR JURISPRUDENCE THAT IF THE RIGHT OF INHERITANCE IS ANY THING OTHER THAN NATURE'S METHOD OF PRESERVING EQUALITY OF WEALTH


FAMILIES WILL SOON BECOME VICTIMS OF THE MOST DISASTROUS EXCLUSIONS AND SOCIETY


WILL COME TO ITS DEATH THROUGH OPULENCE


THAT IS THAT INHERITANCE AND SUCCESSION WILL LAST FOR EVER WHOEVER MAY BE THE RECOGNIZED HEIR BUT THE SAINT SIMONIANS WISH THE HEIR TO BE DESIGNATED BY THE MAGISTRATE


OTHERS WISH HIM TO BE CHOSEN BY THE DECEASED OR ASSUMED BY THE LAW TO BE SO CHOSEN


TO DAY THE REAL CONTROLLER OF INHERITANCE IS CHANCE OR CAPRICE NOW IN MATTERS OF LEGISLATION CHANCE AND CAPRICE CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AS GUIDES


IT IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF AVOIDING THE MANIFOLD DISTURBANCES WHICH FOLLOW IN THE WAKE OF CHANCE THAT NATURE AFTER HAVING CREATED US EQUAL SUGGESTS TO US THE PRINCIPLE OF HEREDITY


WHICH SERVES AS A VOICE BY WHICH SOCIETY ASKS US TO CHOOSE FROM AMONG ALL OUR BROTHERS HIM WHOM WE JUDGE BEST FITTED TO COMPLETE OUR UNFINISHED WORK THEY DID NOT FORESEE


BUT WHY NEED I GO FARTHER THE CONSEQUENCES ARE PLAIN ENOUGH AND THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO CRITICISE THE WHOLE CODE THE HISTORY OF PROPERTY AMONG THE ANCIENT NATIONS IS THEN


SIMPLY A MATTER OF RESEARCH AND CURIOSITY IT IS A RULE OF JURISPRUDENCE THAT THE FACT DOES NOT SUBSTANTIATE THE RIGHT NOW PROPERTY IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE


THEN THE UNIVERSAL RECOGNITION OF THE RIGHT OF PROPERTY DOES NOT LEGITIMATE THE RIGHT OF PROPERTY MAN IS MISTAKEN AS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF SOCIETY THE NATURE OF RIGHT


OF WHAT CONSEQUENCE IS IT TO US THAT THE INDIAN RACE WAS DIVIDED INTO FOUR CLASSES THAT ON THE BANKS OF THE NILE AND THE GANGES BLOOD AND POSITION FORMERLY DETERMINED


THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE LAND THAT THE GREEKS AND ROMANS PLACED PROPERTY UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE GODS THAT THEY ACCOMPANIED WITH RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES THE WORK OF PARTITIONING THE LAND AND APPRAISING THEIR GOODS


THE VARIETY OF THE FORMS OF PRIVILEGE DOES NOT SANCTION INJUSTICE THE FAITH OF JUPITER


THAN DO THE MYSTERIES OF VENUS THE WANTON AGAINST CONJUGAL CHASTITY THE AUTHORITY OF THE HUMAN RACE IS OF NO EFFECT AS EVIDENCE IN FAVOR OF THE RIGHT OF PROPERTY BECAUSE THIS RIGHT


RESTING OF NECESSITY UPON EQUALITY CONTRADICTS ITS PRINCIPLE THE DECISION OF THE RELIGIONS WHICH HAVE SANCTIONED IT IS OF NO EFFECT BECAUSE IN ALL AGES THE PRIEST HAS SUBMITTED TO THE PRINCE


THE SOCIAL ADVANTAGES ATTRIBUTED TO PROPERTY CANNOT BE CITED IN ITS BEHALF BECAUSE THEY ALL SPRING FROM THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY OF POSSESSION WHAT MEANS THEN THIS DITHYRAMB UPON PROPERTY


THE SHELTER OF HIS FAMILY IN A WORD THE CORNER STONE OF THE DOMESTIC DWELLING OF COMMUNITIES AND OF THE POLITICAL STATE POSSESSION ALONE PRODUCED ALL THAT


ETERNAL PRINCIPLE PROPERTY IS ETERNAL LIKE EVERY NEGATION OF ALL SOCIAL AND CIVIL INSTITUTIONS FOR THAT REASON


EVERY INSTITUTION AND EVERY LAW BASED ON PROPERTY WILL PERISH IT IS A BOON AS PRECIOUS AS LIBERTY FOR THE RICH PROPRIETOR IN FACT THE CAUSE OF THE CULTIVATION


OF THE HABITABLE EARTH IF THE CULTIVATOR CEASED TO BE A TENANT WOULD THE LAND BE WORSE CARED FOR THE GUARANTEE AND THE MORALITY OF LABOR UNDER THE REGIME OF PROPERTY


LABOR IS NOT A CONDITION BUT A PRIVILEGE THE APPLICATION OF JUSTICE WHAT IS JUSTICE WITHOUT EQUALITY OF FORTUNES A BALANCE WITH FALSE WEIGHTS


ALL MORALITY A FAMISHED STOMACH KNOWS NO MORALITY ALL PUBLIC ORDER CERTAINLY THE PRESERVATION OF PROPERTY


STUMBLING BLOCK OF ALL WHICH OUGHT TO BE SUCH IS PROPERTY TO SUM UP AND CONCLUDE NOT ONLY DOES OCCUPATION LEAD TO EQUALITY IT PREVENTS PROPERTY


FOR SINCE EVERY MAN FROM THE FACT OF HIS EXISTENCE HAS THE RIGHT OF OCCUPATION AND IN ORDER TO LIVE MUST HAVE MATERIAL FOR CULTIVATION ON WHICH HE MAY LABOR AND SINCE


ON THE OTHER HAND THE NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS VARIES CONTINUALLY WITH THE BIRTHS AND DEATHS IT FOLLOWS THAT THE QUANTITY


OF MATERIAL WHICH EACH LABORER MAY CLAIM VARIES WITH THE NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS CONSEQUENTLY THAT OCCUPATION IS ALWAYS SUBORDINATE TO POPULATION FINALLY THAT INASMUCH AS POSSESSION


IN RIGHT CAN NEVER REMAIN FIXED IT IS IMPOSSIBLE IN FACT THAT IT CAN EVER BECOME PROPERTY EVERY OCCUPANT IS THEN NECESSARILY A POSSESSOR


HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THING ENTRUSTED TO HIM HE MUST USE IT IN CONFORMITY WITH GENERAL UTILITY WITH A VIEW TO ITS PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT HE HAS NO POWER TO TRANSFORM IT


TO DIMINISH IT OR TO CHANGE ITS NATURE HE CANNOT SO DIVIDE THE USUFRUCT THAT ANOTHER SHALL PERFORM THE LABOR WHILE HE RECEIVES THE PRODUCT IN A WORD


AN IMMORALITY BORN OF VIOLENCE THE MOST MONSTROUS PRETENSION THAT THE CIVIL LAWS EVER SANCTIONED MAN RECEIVES HIS USUFRUCT FROM THE HANDS OF SOCIETY


WHICH ALONE IS THE PERMANENT POSSESSOR THE INDIVIDUAL PASSES AWAY SOCIETY IS DEATHLESS WHAT A PROFOUND DISGUST FILLS MY SOUL WHILE DISCUSSING SUCH SIMPLE TRUTHS


THE AMOUNT OCCUPIED BEING MEASURED NOT BY THE WILL BUT BY THE VARIABLE CONDITIONS OF SPACE AND NUMBER PROPERTY CANNOT EXIST


THIS NO CODE HAS EVER EXPRESSED THIS NO CONSTITUTION CAN ADMIT THESE ARE AXIOMS WHICH THE CIVIL LAW AND THE LAW OF NATIONS DENY


BUT I HEAR THE EXCLAMATIONS OF THE PARTISANS OF ANOTHER SYSTEM LABOR LABOR THAT IS THE BASIS OF PROPERTY READER DO NOT BE DECEIVED


THE MAN HALTED ON THE CREST OF THE HILL AND LOOKED SOMBRELY DOWN INTO THE LONG VALLEY BELOW IT WAS EVENING AND ALTHOUGH THE HILLS AROUND HIM WERE STILL IN THE LIGHT THE VALLEY WAS ALREADY FILLED WITH KINDLY PLACID SHADOWS


IT HAD BEEN BY THESE FIRS HE HAD HALTED TWENTY YEARS AGO TURNING FOR ONE LAST GLANCE AT THE VALLEY BELOW THE HOME VALLEY WHICH HE HAD NEVER SEEN SINCE BUT THEN


THE FIRS HAD BEEN LITTLE MORE THAN VIGOROUS YOUNG SAPLINGS THEY WERE TALL GNARLED TREES NOW WITH LICHENED TRUNKS AND THEIR LOWER BOUGHS WERE DEAD BUT HIGH UP THEIR TOPS WERE GREEN AND CAUGHT THE SAFFRON LIGHT OF THE WEST


HE REMEMBERED THAT WHEN A BOY HE HAD THOUGHT THERE WAS NOTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE EVENING SUNSHINE FALLING ATHWART THE DARK GREEN FIR BOUGHS ON THE HILLS AS HE LISTENED TO THE SWISH AND MURMUR OF THE WIND


THE EARTH OLD TUNE WITH THE POWER TO CARRY THE SOUL BACK TO THE DAWN OF TIME THE YEARS FELL AWAY FROM HIM AND HE FORGOT MUCH REMEMBERING MORE


HE HAD CALLED THAT LONGING BY OTHER NAMES BUT HE KNEW IT NOW FOR WHAT IT WAS WHEN HEARING HE WAS SATISFIED HE WAS A TALL MAN WITH IRON GREY HAIR AND THE FACE OF A CONQUEROR STRONG


PITILESS UNSWERVING EAGLE EYES QUICK TO DISCERN AND UNFALTERING TO PURSUE JAW SQUARE AND INTREPID MOUTH FORMED TO KEEP SECRETS AND CAJOLE MEN TO HIS WILL


A FACE THAT HID MUCH AND REVEALED LITTLE IT TOLD OF POWER AND INTELLECT BUT THE SOUL OF THE MAN WAS A HIDDEN THING


NOT IN THE ARENA WHERE HE HAD FOUGHT AND TRIUMPHED GIVING FIERCE BLOW FOR BLOW WAS IT TO BE SHOWN BUT HERE LOOKING DOWN ON THE HOMELAND WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE HILLS ABOUT HIM IT ROSE DOMINANTLY AND CLAIMED ITS OWN


THE OLD BOND HELD YONDER BELOW HIM WAS HOME THE OLD HOUSE THAT HAD SHELTERED HIM THE GRAVES OF HIS KIN THE WIDE FIELDS WHERE HIS BOYHOOD DREAMS HAD BEEN DREAMED


THE PITTING OF STRENGTH AND CRAFT AGAINST STRENGTH AND CRAFT THE TIRELESS STRUGGLE THE EXULTATION OF VICTORY THEN SUDDENLY THEY HAD FAILED THEIR WORSHIPPER THEY CEASED TO SATISFY


THE SACRIFICES HE HAD HEAPED ON THEIR ALTARS AVAILED HIM NOTHING IN THIS NEW NEED AND HUNGER OF HIS BEING HIS GODS MOCKED HIM AND HE WEARIED OF THEIR SERVICE WERE THERE NOT BETTER THINGS THAN THESE


THINGS HE HAD ONCE KNOWN AND LOVED AND FORGOTTEN WHERE WERE THE IDEALS OF HIS YOUTH THE LOFTY ASPIRATIONS THAT HAD UPBORNE HIM THEN WHERE WAS THE EAGERNESS AND ZEST OF NEW DAWNS


THE EARNESTNESS OF WELL FILLED PURPOSEFUL HOURS OF LABOUR THE SATISFACTION OF A GOOD DAY WORTHILY LIVED AT EVENTIDE THE UNBROKEN REST OF LONG STARRY NIGHTS WHERE MIGHT HE FIND THEM AGAIN


WERE THEY YET TO BE HAD FOR THE SEEKING IN THE OLD VALLEY WITH THE THOUGHT CAME A GREAT YEARNING FOR HOME HE HAD HAD MANY HABITATIONS BUT HE REALIZED NOW THAT HE HAD NEVER THOUGHT OF ANY OF THESE PLACES AS HOME


THAT NAME HAD ALL UNCONSCIOUSLY BEEN KEPT SACRED TO THE LONG GREEN SEAWARD LOOKING GLEN WHERE HE HAD BEEN BORN SO HE HAD COME BACK TO IT DRAWN BY A LONGING NOT TO BE RESISTED


BUT AT THE LAST HE FELT AFRAID THERE HAD BEEN MANY CHANGES OF THAT HE FELT SURE WOULD IT STILL BE HOME AND IF NOT WOULD NOT THE LOSS BE MOST IRREPARABLE AND BITTER


WOULD IT NOT BE BETTER TO GO AWAY HAVING LOOKED AT IT FROM THE HILL AND HAVING HEARD THE SAGA OF THE FIRS KEEPING HIS MEMORY OF IT UNBLURRED THAN RISK THE PROBABLE DISILLUSION OF A RETURN TO THE PLACES THAT HAD FORGOTTEN HIM


AND FRIENDS WHOM THE VARYING YEARS MUST CERTAINLY HAVE CHANGED AS HE HAD CHANGED HIMSELF NO HE WOULD NOT GO DOWN IT HAD BEEN A FOOLISH WHIM TO COME AT ALL


FOOLISH BECAUSE THE OBJECT OF HIS QUEST WAS NOT TO BE FOUND THERE OR ELSEWHERE HE COULD NOT ENTER AGAIN INTO THE HERITAGE OF BOYHOOD AND THE HEART OF YOUTH HE COULD NOT FIND THERE THE OLD DREAMS AND HOPES THAT HAD MADE LIFE SWEET


HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE COULD NOT BRING BACK TO THE OLD VALLEY WHAT HE HAD TAKEN FROM IT HE HAD LOST THAT INTANGIBLE ALL REAL WEALTH OF FAITH AND IDEALISM AND ZEST


AND HE REALIZED AT LAST HOW MUCH POORER HE WAS THAN WHEN HE HAD LEFT THAT HOME VALLEY HIS WAS A NAME THAT STOOD FOR MILLIONS BUT HE WAS BEGGARED OF HOPE AND PURPOSE NO HE WOULD NOT GO DOWN


THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT THERE UNCHANGED AND UNCHANGING TO WELCOME HIM HE WOULD BE A STRANGER THERE EVEN AMONG HIS KIN HE WOULD STAY AWHILE ON THE HILL UNTIL THE NIGHT CAME DOWN OVER IT


AND THEN HE WOULD GO BACK TO HIS OWN PLACE DOWN BELOW HIM ON THE CREST OF A LITTLE UPLAND HE SAW HIS OLD HOME A WEATHER GREY HOUSE ALMOST HIDDEN AMONG WHITE BIRCH AND APPLE TREES


WITH A THICK FIR GROVE TO THE NORTH OF IT HE HAD BEEN BORN IN THAT OLD HOUSE HIS EARLIEST MEMORY WAS OF STANDING ON ITS THRESHOLD AND LOOKING AFAR UP TO THE LONG GREEN HILLS WHAT IS OVER THE HILLS HE HAD ASKED OF HIS MOTHER


WITH A SMILE SHE HAD MADE ANSWER MANY THINGS LADDIE WONDERFUL THINGS BEAUTIFUL THINGS HEART BREAKING THINGS SOME DAY I SHALL GO OVER THE HILLS AND FIND THEM ALL MOTHER


HE HAD SAID STOUTLY SHE HAD LAUGHED AND SIGHED AND CAUGHT HIM TO HER HEART HE HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF HIS FATHER WHO HAD DIED SOON AFTER HIS SON'S BIRTH BUT HOW WELL HE REMEMBERED HIS MOTHER


HIS LITTLE BROWN EYED GIRLISH FACED MOTHER HE HAD LIVED ON THE HOMESTEAD UNTIL HE WAS TWENTY HE HAD TILLED THE BROAD FIELDS AND GONE IN AND OUT AMONG THE PEOPLE AND THEIR LIFE HAD BEEN HIS LIFE BUT HIS HEART WAS NOT IN HIS WORK


HE WANTED TO GO BEYOND THE HILLS AND SEEK WHAT HE KNEW MUST BE THERE THE VALLEY WAS TOO NARROW TOO PLACID HE LONGED FOR CONFLICT AND ACCOMPLISHMENT


HE SOLD THE FARM TO HIS COUSIN STEPHEN MARSHALL HE SUPPOSED IT STILL BELONGED TO HIM STEPHEN HAD BEEN A GOOD SORT OF A FELLOW A BIT SLOW AND PLODDING PERHAPS BOVINELY CONTENT TO DWELL WITHIN THE HILLS


NEVER HEARKENING OR RESPONDING TO THE LURE OF THE BEYOND YET IT MIGHT BE HE HAD CHOSEN THE BETTER PART TO DWELL THUS ON THE LAND OF HIS FATHERS WITH A WIFE WON IN YOUTH AND CHILDREN TO GROW UP AROUND HIM


THE CHILDLESS WIFELESS MAN LOOKING DOWN FROM THE HILL WONDERED IF IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SO WITH HIM HAD HE BEEN CONTENT TO STAY IN THE VALLEY PERHAPS SO THERE HAD BEEN JOYCE


NOT SO FAR FROM HIS OWN JUST ACROSS A GREEN MEADOW BY WAY OF A FOOTPATH AND STILE AND THROUGH THE FIRS BEYOND IT HOW OFTEN HE HAD TRAVERSED THAT PATH IN THE OLD DAYS KNOWING THAT JOYCE WOULD BE WAITING AT THE END OF IT AMONG THE FIRS


JOYCE THE PLAYMATE OF CHILDHOOD THE SWEET CONFIDANTE AND COMPANION OF YOUTH THEY HAD NEVER BEEN AVOWED LOVERS BUT HE HAD LOVED HER THEN AS A BOY LOVES ALTHOUGH HE HAD NEVER SAID A WORD OF LOVE TO HER


JOYCE ALONE KNEW OF HIS LONGINGS AND HIS AMBITIONS AND HIS DREAMS HE HAD TOLD THEM ALL TO HER FREELY SURE OF THE UNDERSTANDING AND SYMPATHY NO OTHER SOUL IN THE VALLEY COULD GIVE HIM


HOW TRUE AND STRONG AND WOMANLY AND GENTLE SHE HAD ALWAYS BEEN WHEN HE LEFT HOME HE HAD MEANT TO GO BACK TO HER SOME DAY THEY HAD PARTED WITHOUT PLEDGE OR KISS YET HE KNEW SHE LOVED HIM AND THAT HE LOVED HER


AT FIRST THEY CORRESPONDED THEN THE LETTERS BEGAN TO GROW FEWER IT WAS HIS FAULT HE HAD GRADUALLY FORGOTTEN THE NEW FIERCE BURNING INTERESTS THAT CAME INTO HIS LIFE CROWDED THE OLD ONES OUT


BOYHOOD'S LOVE WAS SCORCHED UP IN THAT HOT FLAME OF AMBITION AND CONTEST HE HAD NOT HEARD FROM OR OF JOYCE FOR MANY YEARS NOW AGAIN HE REMEMBERED AS HE LOOKED DOWN ON THE HOMELAND FIELDS


THE OLD PLACES HAD CHANGED LITTLE WHATEVER HE MIGHT FEAR OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THEM THERE WAS THE SCHOOL HE HAD ATTENDED A SMALL LOW EAVED WHITE WASHED BUILDING SET BACK FROM THE MAIN ROAD AMONG GREEN SPRUCES


BEYOND IT AMID TALL ELMS WAS THE OLD CHURCH WITH ITS SQUARE TOWER HUNG WITH IVY HE FELT GLAD TO SEE IT HE HAD EXPECTED TO SEE A NEW CHURCH


OFFENSIVELY SPICK AND SPAN AND MODERN FOR THIS CHURCH HAD BEEN OLD WHEN HE WAS A BOY HE RECALLED THE MANY TIMES HE HAD WALKED TO IT ON THE PEACEFUL SUNDAY AFTERNOONS SOMETIMES WITH HIS MOTHER SOMETIMES WITH JOYCE


THE SUN SET FAR OUT TO SEA AND SUCKED DOWN WITH IT ALL THE LIGHT OUT OF THE WINNOWED DOME OF SKY THE STARS CAME OUT SINGLY AND CRYSTAL CLEAR OVER THE FAR PURPLE CURVES OF THE HILLS


SUDDENLY GLANCING OVER HIS SHOULDER HE SAW THROUGH AN ARCH OF BLACK FIR BOUGHS A YOUNG MOON SWUNG LOW IN A LAKE OF PALELY TINTED SAFFRON SKY HE SMILED A LITTLE


REMEMBERING THAT IN BOYHOOD IT HAD BEEN HELD A GOOD OMEN TO SEE THE NEW MOON OVER THE RIGHT SHOULDER DOWN IN THE VALLEY THE LIGHTS BEGAN TO TWINKLE OUT HERE AND THERE LIKE EARTH STARS


HE WOULD WAIT UNTIL HE SAW THE KITCHEN LIGHT FROM THE WINDOW OF HIS OLD HOME THEN HE WOULD GO


BUT NO LIGHT GLIMMERED OUT THROUGH HIS NATIVE TREES WHY WAS IT LACKING THAT LIGHT HE HAD SO OFTEN HAILED AT DARK COMING HOME FROM BOYISH RAMBLES ON THE HILLS


HE FELT ANXIOUS AND DISSATISFIED AS IF HE COULD NOT GO AWAY UNTIL HE HAD SEEN IT WHEN IT WAS QUITE DARK HE DESCENDED THE HILL RESOLUTELY HE MUST KNOW WHY THE HOMELIGHT HAD FAILED HIM


EVEN IN THE DIMNESS OF THE SUMMER NIGHT TO SEE THAT THE OLD HOUSE WAS DESERTED AND FALLING TO DECAY THE KITCHEN DOOR SWUNG OPEN ON RUSTY HINGES THE WINDOWS WERE BROKEN AND LIFELESS


CUTHBERT MARSHALL SAT DOWN ON THE OLD RED SANDSTONE STEP OF THE DOOR AND BOWED HIS HEAD IN HIS HANDS THIS WAS WHAT HE HAD COME BACK TO THIS GHOST AND WRECK OF HIS PAST OH


STEPHEN CAME TO IT A STOUT GRIZZLED FARMER WITH A CHUBBY BOY ON HIS SHOULDER HE WAS NOT MUCH CHANGED CUTHBERT EASILY RECOGNIZED HIM


CUTHBERT WAS OBLIGED TO TELL WHO HE WAS HE WAS MADE INSTANTLY AND WARMLY WELCOME STEPHEN WAS UNFEIGNEDLY GLAD TO SEE HIM AND STEPHEN'S COMELY WIFE WHOM HE REMEMBERED AS A SLIM FRESH CHEEKED VALLEY GIRL


HE AND STEPHEN TALKED LATE THAT NIGHT AND IN THE MORNING HE YIELDED TO THEIR ENTREATIES TO STAY ANOTHER DAY WITH THEM HE SPENT IT WANDERING ABOUT THE FARM AND THE OLD HAUNTS OF WOOD AND STREAM YET HE COULD NOT FIND HIMSELF


THIS VALLEY HAD HIS PAST IN ITS KEEPING BUT IT COULD NOT GIVE IT BACK TO HIM HE HAD LOST THE MASTER WORD THAT MIGHT HAVE COMPELLED IT HE ASKED STEPHEN FULLY ABOUT ALL HIS OLD FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS WITH ONE EXCEPTION


BY THE OLD FOOTPATH WHICH WAS STILL KEPT OPEN HE WALKED SLOWLY AND DREAMILY WITH HIS EYES ON THE FAR HILLS SCARFED IN THE SPLENDOUR OF SUNSET SO HE HAD WALKED IN THE OLD DAYS BUT HE HAD NO DREAMS NOW OF WHAT LAY BEYOND THE HILLS


AND JOYCE WOULD NOT BE WAITING AMONG THE FIRS THE STILE HE REMEMBERED WAS GONE REPLACED BY A LITTLE RUSTIC GATE AS HE PASSED THROUGH IT HE LIFTED HIS EYES AND THERE BEFORE HIM


AND THE SOUL OF HER LOOKED OUT THROUGH THEM TRUE TO ITSELF THE STAUNCH BRAVE SWEET SOUL OF THE MAIDEN RIPENED TO WOMANHOOD JOYCE HE SAID STUPIDLY UNBELIEVINGLY


BUT HE TOOK BOTH AND HELD HER SO LOOKING HUNGRILY DOWN AT HER AS A MAN LOOKS AT SOMETHING HE KNOWS MUST BE HIS SALVATION IF SALVATION EXISTS FOR HIM IS IT POSSIBLE YOU ARE HERE STILL JOYCE


HE SAID SLOWLY AND YOU HAVE NOT CHANGED AT ALL SHE COLOURED SLIGHTLY AND PULLED AWAY HER HANDS LAUGHING OH INDEED I HAVE I HAVE GROWN OLD


THE TWILIGHT IS SO KIND IT HIDES THAT BUT IT IS TRUE COME INTO THE HOUSE CUTHBERT FATHER AND MOTHER WILL BE GLAD TO SEE YOU AFTER A LITTLE HE SAID IMPLORINGLY LET US STAY HERE AWHILE FIRST JOYCE


LAST NIGHT I STOOD ON THOSE HILLS YONDER AND LOOKED DOWN BUT I MEANT TO GO AWAY BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE NO ONE LEFT TO WELCOME ME IF I HAD KNOWN YOU WERE HERE YOU HAVE LIVED HERE IN THE OLD VALLEY ALL THESE YEARS


ALL THESE YEARS SHE SAID GENTLY I SUPPOSE YOU THINK IT MUST HAVE BEEN A VERY MEAGRE LIFE NO I AM MUCH WISER NOW THAN I WAS ONCE JOYCE I HAVE LEARNED WISDOM BEYOND THE HILLS ONE LEARNS THERE


IN TIME BUT SOMETIMES THE LESSON IS LEARNED TOO LATE SHALL I TELL YOU WHAT I HAVE LEARNED JOYCE THE GIST OF THE LESSON IS THAT I LEFT HAPPINESS BEHIND ME IN THE OLD VALLEY WHEN I WENT AWAY FROM IT HAPPINESS AND PEACE AND THE JOY OF LIVING


I DID NOT MISS THESE THINGS FOR A LONG WHILE I DID NOT EVEN KNOW I HAD LOST THEM BUT I HAVE DISCOVERED MY LOSS YET YOU HAVE BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL MAN SHE SAID WONDERINGLY


AS THE WORLD CALLS SUCCESS HE ANSWERED BITTERLY I HAVE PLACE AND WEALTH AND POWER BUT THAT IS NOT SUCCESS JOYCE I AM TIRED OF THESE THINGS THEY ARE THE TOYS OF GROWN UP CHILDREN


THEY DO NOT SATISFY THE MAN'S SOUL I HAVE COME BACK TO THE OLD VALLEY SEEKING FOR WHAT MIGHT SATISFY BUT I HAVE LITTLE HOPE OF FINDING IT UNLESS UNLESS HE WAS SILENT


REMEMBERING THAT HE HAD FORFEITED ALL RIGHT TO HER HELP IN THE QUEST YET HE REALIZED CLEARLY THAT ONLY SHE COULD HELP HIM ONLY SHE COULD GUIDE HIM BACK TO THE PATH HE HAD MISSED IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT SHE HELD IN HER KEEPING


ALL THE GOOD OF HIS LIFE ALL THE BEAUTY OF HIS PAST ALL THE POSSIBILITIES OF HIS FUTURE HERS WAS THE MASTER WORD BUT HOW SHOULD HE DARE ASK HER TO UTTER IT


THEY WALKED AMONG THE FIRS UNTIL THE STARS CAME OUT AND THEY TALKED OF MANY THINGS SHE HAD KEPT HER FRESHNESS OF SOUL AND HER IDEALS UNTARNISHED IN THE PEACE OF THE OLD VALLEY SHE HAD LIVED A LIFE NARROW OUTWARDLY


WONDROUSLY DEEP AND WIDE IN THOUGHT AND ASPIRATION HER NATIVE HILLS BOUNDED THE VISION OF HER EYES BUT THE OUTLOOK OF THE SOUL WAS FAR AND UNHINDERED


IN THE QUIET PLACES AND THE GREEN WAYS SHE HAD FOUND WHAT HE HAD FAILED TO FIND THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS AND CONTENT HE KNEW THAT IF THIS WOMAN HAD WALKED HAND IN HAND WITH HIM THROUGH THE YEARS