CHAPTER SIXTEEN I MIGHT HAVE TOLD YOU OF THE BEGINNING OF THIS LIAISON IN A FEW LINES BUT I WANTED YOU TO SEE EVERY STEP BY WHICH WE CAME I TO AGREE TO WHATEVER MARGUERITE WISHED


MARGUERITE TO BE UNABLE TO LIVE APART FROM ME IT WAS THE DAY AFTER THE EVENING WHEN SHE CAME TO SEE ME THAT I SENT HER MANON LESCAUT FROM THAT TIME SEEING THAT I COULD NOT CHANGE MY MISTRESS'S LIFE I CHANGED MY OWN


I WISHED ABOVE ALL NOT TO LEAVE MYSELF TIME TO THINK OVER THE POSITION I HAD ACCEPTED FOR IN SPITE OF MYSELF IT WAS A GREAT DISTRESS TO ME THUS MY LIFE GENERALLY SO CALM


ASSUMED ALL AT ONCE AN APPEARANCE OF NOISE AND DISORDER NEVER BELIEVE HOWEVER DISINTERESTED THE LOVE OF A KEPT WOMAN MAY BE THAT IT WILL COST ONE NOTHING


NOTHING IS SO EXPENSIVE AS THEIR CAPRICES FLOWERS BOXES AT THE THEATRE SUPPERS DAYS IN THE COUNTRY WHICH ONE CAN NEVER REFUSE TO ONE'S MISTRESS AS I HAVE TOLD YOU I HAD LITTLE MONEY


MY FATHER WAS AND STILL IS RECEVEUR GENERAL AT C HE HAS A GREAT REPUTATION THERE FOR LOYALTY THANKS TO WHICH HE WAS ABLE TO FIND THE SECURITY WHICH HE NEEDED IN ORDER TO ATTAIN THIS POSITION


I CAME TO PARIS STUDIED LAW WAS CALLED TO THE BAR AND LIKE MANY OTHER YOUNG MEN PUT MY DIPLOMA IN MY POCKET AND LET MYSELF DRIFT AS ONE SO EASILY DOES IN PARIS


MY EXPENSES WERE VERY MODERATE ONLY I USED UP MY YEAR'S INCOME IN EIGHT MONTHS AND SPENT THE FOUR SUMMER MONTHS WITH MY FATHER WHICH PRACTICALLY GAVE ME TWELVE THOUSAND FRANCS A YEAR AND IN ADDITION THE REPUTATION OF A GOOD SON


FOR THE REST NOT A PENNY OF DEBT THIS THEN WAS MY POSITION WHEN I MADE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF MARGUERITE YOU CAN WELL UNDERSTAND THAT IN SPITE OF MYSELF MY EXPENSES SOON INCREASED


MARGUERITE'S NATURE WAS VERY CAPRICIOUS AND LIKE SO MANY WOMEN SHE NEVER REGARDED AS A SERIOUS EXPENSE THOSE THOUSAND AND ONE DISTRACTIONS WHICH MADE UP HER LIFE SO WISHING TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME WITH ME AS POSSIBLE


SHE WOULD WRITE TO ME IN THE MORNING THAT SHE WOULD DINE WITH ME NOT AT HOME BUT AT SOME RESTAURANT IN PARIS OR IN THE COUNTRY I WOULD CALL FOR HER AND WE WOULD DINE AND GO ON TO THE THEATRE OFTEN HAVING SUPPER AS WELL


FORGIVE ME IF I GIVE YOU ALL THESE DETAILS BUT YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY WERE THE CAUSE OF WHAT WAS TO FOLLOW WHAT I TELL YOU IS A TRUE AND SIMPLE STORY AND I LEAVE TO IT ALL THE NAIVETE OF ITS DETAILS


AND ALL THE SIMPLICITY OF ITS DEVELOPMENTS I REALIZED THEN THAT AS NOTHING IN THE WORLD WOULD MAKE ME FORGET MY MISTRESS IT WAS NEEDFUL FOR ME TO FIND SOME WAY OF MEETING THE EXPENSES INTO WHICH SHE DREW ME THEN TOO


MY LOVE FOR HER HAD SO DISTURBING AN INFLUENCE UPON ME THAT EVERY MOMENT I SPENT AWAY FROM MARGUERITE WAS LIKE A YEAR AND THAT I FELT THE NEED OF CONSUMING THESE MOMENTS IN THE FIRE OF SOME SORT OF PASSION


AS NOT TO KNOW THAT I WAS LIVING THEM I BEGAN BY BORROWING FIVE OR SIX THOUSAND FRANCS ON MY LITTLE CAPITAL AND WITH THIS I TOOK TO GAMBLING SINCE GAMBLING HOUSES WERE DESTROYED GAMBLING GOES ON EVERYWHERE


FORMERLY WHEN ONE WENT TO FRASCATI ONE HAD THE CHANCE OF MAKING A FORTUNE ONE PLAYED AGAINST MONEY AND IF ONE LOST THERE WAS ALWAYS THE CONSOLATION OF SAYING THAT ONE MIGHT HAVE GAINED WHEREAS NOW EXCEPT IN THE CLUBS


WHERE THERE IS STILL A CERTAIN RIGOUR IN REGARD TO PAYMENTS ONE IS ALMOST CERTAIN THE MOMENT ONE GAINS A CONSIDERABLE SUM NOT TO RECEIVE IT YOU WILL READILY UNDERSTAND WHY GAMBLING IS ONLY LIKELY TO BE CARRIED ON BY YOUNG PEOPLE


VERY MUCH IN NEED OF MONEY AND NOT POSSESSING THE FORTUNE NECESSARY FOR SUPPORTING THE LIFE THEY LEAD THEY GAMBLE THEN AND WITH THIS RESULT OR ELSE THEY GAIN AND THEN THOSE WHO LOSE SERVE TO PAY FOR THEIR HORSES AND MISTRESSES


WHICH IS VERY DISAGREEABLE DEBTS ARE CONTRACTED ACQUAINTANCES BEGUN ABOUT A GREEN TABLE END BY QUARRELS IN WHICH LIFE OR HONOUR COMES TO GRIEF AND THOUGH ONE MAY BE AN HONEST MAN ONE FINDS ONESELF RUINED BY VERY HONEST MEN


WHOSE ONLY DEFECT IS THAT THEY HAVE NOT TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS A YEAR I NEED NOT TELL YOU OF THOSE WHO CHEAT AT PLAY


I FLUNG MYSELF INTO THIS RAPID NOISY AND VOLCANIC LIFE WHICH HAD FORMERLY TERRIFIED ME WHEN I THOUGHT OF IT AND WHICH HAD BECOME FOR ME THE NECESSARY COMPLEMENT OF MY LOVE FOR MARGUERITE WHAT ELSE COULD I HAVE DONE


THE NIGHTS THAT I DID NOT SPEND IN THE RUE D'ANTIN IF I HAD SPENT THEM ALONE IN MY OWN ROOM I COULD NOT HAVE SLEPT JEALOUSY WOULD HAVE KEPT ME AWAKE AND INFLAMED MY BLOOD AND MY THOUGHTS


WHILE GAMBLING GAVE A NEW TURN TO THE FEVER WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE PREYED UPON MY HEART AND FIXED IT UPON A PASSION WHICH LAID HOLD ON ME IN SPITE OF MYSELF UNTIL THE HOUR STRUCK WHEN I MIGHT GO TO MY MISTRESS THEN


AND BY THIS I KNEW THE VIOLENCE OF MY LOVE I LEFT THE TABLE WITHOUT A MOMENT'S HESITATION WHETHER I WAS WINNING OR LOSING PITYING THOSE WHOM I LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT LIKE ME FIND THEIR REAL HAPPINESS IN LEAVING IT


FOR THE MOST OF THEM GAMBLING WAS A NECESSITY FOR ME IT WAS A REMEDY FREE OF MARGUERITE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN FREE OF GAMBLING THUS IN THE MIDST OF ALL THAT I PRESERVED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF SELF POSSESSION


I LOST ONLY WHAT I WAS ABLE TO PAY AND GAINED ONLY WHAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOSE FOR THE REST CHANCE WAS ON MY SIDE I MADE NO DEBTS AND I SPENT THREE TIMES AS MUCH MONEY AS WHEN I DID NOT GAMBLE


IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO RESIST AN EXISTENCE


AS FOR HER SHE CONTINUED TO LOVE ME AS MUCH OR EVEN MORE THAN EVER AS I TOLD YOU I BEGAN BY BEING ALLOWED TO STAY ONLY FROM MIDNIGHT TO SIX O'CLOCK THEN I WAS ASKED SOMETIMES TO A BOX IN THE THEATRE


THEN SHE SOMETIMES CAME TO DINE WITH ME ONE MORNING I DID NOT GO TILL EIGHT AND THERE CAME A DAY WHEN I DID NOT GO TILL TWELVE BUT SOONER THAN THE MORAL METAMORPHOSIS A PHYSICAL METAMORPHOSIS CAME ABOUT IN MARGUERITE


I HAD TAKEN HER CURE IN HAND AND THE POOR GIRL SEEING MY AIM OBEYED ME IN ORDER TO PROVE HER GRATITUDE I HAD SUCCEEDED WITHOUT EFFORT OR TROUBLE IN ALMOST ISOLATING HER FROM HER FORMER HABITS MY DOCTOR


WHOM I HAD MADE HER MEET HAD TOLD ME THAT ONLY REST AND CALM COULD PRESERVE HER HEALTH SO THAT IN PLACE OF SUPPER AND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS I SUCCEEDED IN SUBSTITUTING A HYGIENIC REGIME AND REGULAR SLEEP IN SPITE OF HERSELF


MARGUERITE GOT ACCUSTOMED TO THIS NEW EXISTENCE WHOSE SALUTARY EFFECTS SHE ALREADY REALIZED SHE BEGAN TO SPEND SOME OF HER EVENINGS AT HOME OR IF THE WEATHER WAS FINE SHE WRAPPED HERSELF IN A SHAWL PUT ON A VEIL AND WE WENT ON FOOT


LIKE TWO CHILDREN IN THE DIM ALLEYS OF THE CHAMPS ELYSEES SHE WOULD COME IN TIRED TAKE A LIGHT SUPPER AND GO TO BED AFTER A LITTLE MUSIC OR READING WHICH SHE HAD NEVER BEEN USED TO DO THE COUGH


HAD ALMOST COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED AT THE END OF SIX WEEKS THE COUNT WAS ENTIRELY GIVEN UP AND ONLY THE DUKE OBLIGED ME TO CONCEAL MY LIAISON WITH MARGUERITE AND EVEN HE WAS SENT AWAY WHEN I WAS THERE


UNDER THE PRETEXT THAT SHE WAS ASLEEP AND HAD GIVEN ORDERS THAT SHE WAS NOT TO BE AWAKENED THE HABIT OR THE NEED OF SEEING ME WHICH MARGUERITE HAD NOW CONTRACTED HAD THIS GOOD RESULT THAT IT FORCED ME TO LEAVE THE GAMING TABLE JUST AT THE MOMENT


WHEN AN ADROIT GAMBLER WOULD HAVE LEFT IT SETTLING ONE THING AGAINST ANOTHER I FOUND MYSELF IN POSSESSION OF SOME TEN THOUSAND FRANCS


THE TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN I WAS ACCUSTOMED TO JOIN MY FATHER AND SISTER HAD NOW ARRIVED AND I DID NOT GO BOTH OF THEM WROTE TO ME FREQUENTLY BEGGING ME TO COME TO THESE LETTERS I REPLIED AS BEST I COULD


ALWAYS REPEATING THAT I WAS QUITE WELL AND THAT I WAS NOT IN NEED OF MONEY TWO THINGS WHICH I THOUGHT WOULD CONSOLE MY FATHER FOR MY DELAY IN PAYING HIM MY ANNUAL VISIT JUST THEN ONE FINE DAY IN SUMMER


MARGUERITE WAS AWAKENED BY THE SUNLIGHT POURING INTO HER ROOM AND JUMPING OUT OF BED ASKED ME IF I WOULD TAKE HER INTO THE COUNTRY FOR THE WHOLE DAY


WE SENT FOR PRUDENCE AND ALL THREE SET OFF AFTER MARGUERITE HAD GIVEN NANINE ORDERS TO TELL THE DUKE THAT SHE HAD TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE FINE DAY


PRUDENCE WAS ONE OF THOSE WOMEN WHO SEEM MADE ON PURPOSE FOR DAYS IN THE COUNTRY WITH HER UNCHANGING GOOD HUMOUR AND HER ETERNAL APPETITE SHE NEVER LEFT A DULL MOMENT TO THOSE WHOM SHE WAS WITH AND WAS PERFECTLY HAPPY IN ORDERING EGGS CHERRIES MILK


STEWED RABBIT AND ALL THE REST OF THE TRADITIONAL LUNCH IN THE COUNTRY WE HAD NOW ONLY TO DECIDE WHERE WE SHOULD GO IT WAS ONCE MORE PRUDENCE WHO SETTLED THE DIFFICULTY DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE REAL COUNTRY SHE ASKED YES


ARMAND ORDER AN OPEN CARRIAGE AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER WE WERE AT WIDOW ARNOULD'S PERHAPS YOU KNOW THE INN WHICH IS A HOTEL ON WEEK DAYS AND A TEA GARDEN ON SUNDAYS


THERE IS A MAGNIFICENT VIEW FROM THE GARDEN WHICH IS AT THE HEIGHT OF AN ORDINARY FIRST FLOOR ON THE LEFT THE AQUEDUCT OF MARLY CLOSES IN THE HORIZON


BEYOND DISTINCT IN THE SUNLIGHT RISE LITTLE WHITE HOUSES WITH RED ROOFS AND MANUFACTORIES WHICH AT THAT DISTANCE PUT AN ADMIRABLE FINISH TO THE LANDSCAPE BEYOND THAT PARIS IN THE MIST


AS PRUDENCE HAD TOLD US IT WAS THE REAL COUNTRY AND I MUST ADD IT WAS A REAL LUNCH IT IS NOT ONLY OUT OF GRATITUDE FOR THE HAPPINESS I OWE IT


I HAVE TRAVELLED A GOOD DEAL AND SEEN MUCH GRANDER THINGS


THE BREEZE THE SHINING SOLITUDE OF FIELDS OR WOODS HOWEVER MUCH ONE LOVES A WOMAN WHATEVER CONFIDENCE ONE MAY HAVE IN HER WHATEVER CERTAINTY HER PAST MAY OFFER US AS TO HER FUTURE ONE IS ALWAYS MORE OR LESS JEALOUS


IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN LOVE YOU MUST HAVE FELT THE NEED OF ISOLATING FROM THIS WORLD THE BEING IN WHOM YOU WOULD LIVE WHOLLY IT SEEMS AS IF HOWEVER INDIFFERENT SHE MAY BE TO HER SURROUNDINGS THE WOMAN WHOM ONE LOVES LOSES SOMETHING OF HER PERFUME


AND OF HER UNITY AT THE CONTACT OF MEN AND THINGS AS FOR ME I EXPERIENCED THAT MORE THAN MOST MINE WAS NOT AN ORDINARY LOVE I WAS AS MUCH IN LOVE AS AN ORDINARY CREATURE COULD BE


AND WHO HAD NO CONCERN WITH US ALONE WITH NATURE IN THE SPRING TIME OF THE YEAR THAT ANNUAL PARDON AND SHUT OFF FROM THE NOISE OF THE CITY I COULD HIDE MY LOVE AND LOVE WITHOUT SHAME OR FEAR


THE COURTESAN DISAPPEARED LITTLE BY LITTLE I HAD BY ME A YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WHOM I LOVED AND WHO LOVED ME AND WHO WAS CALLED MARGUERITE THE PAST HAD NO MORE REALITY AND THE FUTURE NO MORE CLOUDS


THE SUN SHONE UPON MY MISTRESS AS IT MIGHT HAVE SHONE UPON THE PUREST BRIDE WE WALKED TOGETHER IN THOSE CHARMING SPOTS WHICH SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN MADE ON PURPOSE TO RECALL THE VERSES OF LAMARTINE OR TO SING THE MELODIES OF SCUDO


MARGUERITE WAS DRESSED IN WHITE SHE LEANED ON MY ARM SAYING OVER TO ME AGAIN UNDER THE STARRY SKY THE WORDS SHE HAD SAID TO ME THE DAY BEFORE AND FAR OFF THE WORLD WENT ON ITS WAY


ADD TO THIS THAT FROM THE PLACE WHERE I WAS I COULD SEE ON THE SHORE A CHARMING LITTLE HOUSE OF TWO STORIES WITH A SEMICIRCULAR RAILING THROUGH THE RAILING IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE A GREEN LAWN SMOOTH AS VELVET


AND BEHIND THE HOUSE A LITTLE WOOD FULL OF MYSTERIOUS RETREATS WHERE THE MOSS MUST EFFACE EACH MORNING THE PATHWAY THAT HAD BEEN MADE THE DAY BEFORE CLIMBING FLOWERS CLUNG ABOUT THE DOORWAY OF THIS UNINHABITED HOUSE


MOUNTING AS HIGH AS THE FIRST STORY I LOOKED AT THE HOUSE SO LONG THAT I BEGAN BY THINKING OF IT AS MINE SO PERFECTLY DID IT EMBODY THE DREAM THAT I WAS DREAMING I SAW MARGUERITE AND MYSELF THERE


BY DAY IN THE LITTLE WOOD THAT COVERED THE HILLSIDE IN THE EVENING SEATED ON THE GRASS AND I ASKED MYSELF IF EARTHLY CREATURES HAD EVER BEEN SO HAPPY AS WE SHOULD BE WHAT A PRETTY HOUSE MARGUERITE SAID TO ME


WHERE ASKED PRUDENCE YONDER AND MARGUERITE POINTED TO THE HOUSE IN QUESTION AH DELICIOUS REPLIED PRUDENCE DO YOU LIKE IT VERY MUCH


WELL TELL THE DUKE TO TAKE IT FOR YOU HE WOULD DO SO I AM SURE I'LL SEE ABOUT IT IF YOU LIKE MARGUERITE LOOKED AT ME


MY DREAM VANISHED AT THE LAST WORDS OF PRUDENCE AND BROUGHT ME BACK TO REALITY SO BRUTALLY THAT I WAS STILL STUNNED WITH THE FALL


YES AN EXCELLENT IDEA I STAMMERED NOT KNOWING WHAT I WAS SAYING WELL I WILL ARRANGE THAT SAID MARGUERITE FREEING MY HAND AND INTERPRETING MY WORDS ACCORDING TO HER OWN DESIRE


LET US GO AND SEE IF IT IS TO LET THE HOUSE WAS EMPTY AND TO LET FOR TWO THOUSAND FRANCS WOULD YOU BE HAPPY HERE SHE SAID TO ME AM I SURE OF COMING HERE


AND FOR WHOM ELSE SHOULD I BURY MYSELF HERE IF NOT FOR YOU WELL THEN MARGUERITE LET ME TAKE IT MYSELF YOU ARE MAD NOT ONLY IS IT UNNECESSARY BUT IT WOULD BE DANGEROUS


YOU KNOW PERFECTLY WELL THAT I HAVE NO RIGHT TO ACCEPT IT SAVE FROM ONE MAN LET ME ALONE BIG BABY AND SAY NOTHING THAT MEANS SAID PRUDENCE THAT WHEN I HAVE TWO DAYS FREE I WILL COME AND SPEND THEM WITH YOU


WE LEFT THE HOUSE AND STARTED ON OUR RETURN TO PARIS TALKING OVER THE NEW PLAN


CHAPTER SEVENTEEN NEXT DAY MARGUERITE SENT ME AWAY VERY EARLY SAYING THAT THE DUKE WAS COMING AT AN EARLY HOUR AND PROMISING TO WRITE TO ME THE MOMENT HE WENT AND TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE EVENING


IN THE COURSE OF THE DAY I RECEIVED THIS NOTE


BE AT PRUDENCE'S TO NIGHT AT EIGHT


WELL IT IS ALL SETTLED SHE SAID AS SHE ENTERED THE HOUSE IS TAKEN ASKED PRUDENCE YES HE AGREED AT ONCE I DID NOT KNOW THE DUKE BUT I FELT ASHAMED OF DECEIVING HIM


BUT THAT IS NOT ALL CONTINUED MARGUERITE WHAT ELSE IS THERE I HAVE BEEN SEEING ABOUT A PLACE FOR ARMAND TO STAY IN THE SAME HOUSE ASKED PRUDENCE LAUGHING


NO AT POINT DU JOUR WHERE WE HAD DINNER THE DUKE AND I


I TOOK IT WAS I RIGHT I FLUNG MY ARMS AROUND HER NECK AND KISSED HER IT WILL BE CHARMING SHE CONTINUED YOU HAVE THE KEY OF THE LITTLE DOOR AND I HAVE PROMISED THE DUKE THE KEY OF THE FRONT DOOR


HE HAS ASKED ME HOW I LOVING PARIS AS I DO COULD MAKE UP MY MIND TO BURY MYSELF IN THE COUNTRY I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS ILL AND THAT I WANTED REST HE SEEMED TO HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY IN BELIEVING ME


AND WE SHALL HAVE EVERYTHING PERFECT THE DUKE IS GOING TO LOOK AFTER EVERY SINGLE THING AH MY DEAR SHE ADDED KISSING ME YOU'RE IN LUCK IT'S A MILLIONAIRE WHO MAKES YOUR BED FOR YOU


AND WHEN SHALL YOU MOVE INTO THE HOUSE INQUIRED PRUDENCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WILL YOU TAKE YOUR HORSES AND CARRIAGE I SHALL TAKE THE WHOLE HOUSE AND YOU CAN LOOK AFTER MY PLACE WHILE I AM AWAY


A WEEK LATER MARGUERITE WAS SETTLED IN HER COUNTRY HOUSE AND I WAS INSTALLED AT POINT DU JOUR THEN BEGAN AN EXISTENCE WHICH I SHALL HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY IN DESCRIBING TO YOU


PRUDENCE ON HER SIDE BROUGHT DOWN ALL THE PEOPLE SHE KNEW AND DID THE HONOURS OF THE HOUSE AS IF THE HOUSE BELONGED TO HER THE DUKE'S MONEY PAID FOR ALL THAT AS YOU MAY IMAGINE BUT FROM TIME TO TIME PRUDENCE CAME TO ME


ASKING FOR A NOTE FOR A THOUSAND FRANCS PROFESSEDLY ON BEHALF OF MARGUERITE YOU KNOW I HAD WON SOME MONEY AT GAMBLING I THEREFORE IMMEDIATELY HANDED OVER TO PRUDENCE WHAT SHE ASKED FOR MARGUERITE


AND FEARING LEST SHE SHOULD REQUIRE MORE THAN I POSSESSED I BORROWED AT PARIS A SUM EQUAL TO THAT WHICH I HAD ALREADY BORROWED AND PAID BACK I WAS THEN ONCE MORE IN POSSESSION OF SOME TEN THOUSAND FRANCS WITHOUT RECKONING MY ALLOWANCE


HOWEVER MARGUERITE'S PLEASURE IN SEEING HER FRIENDS WAS A LITTLE MODERATED WHEN SHE SAW THE EXPENSE WHICH THAT PLEASURE ENTAILED AND ESPECIALLY THE NECESSITY SHE WAS SOMETIMES IN OF ASKING ME FOR MONEY THE DUKE


AND HAVING FALLEN UPON A PARTY OF FIFTEEN WHO WERE STILL AT LUNCH AT AN HOUR WHEN HE WAS PREPARED TO SIT DOWN TO DINNER HE HAD UNSUSPECTINGLY OPENED THE DINING ROOM DOOR AND HAD BEEN GREETED BY A BURST OF LAUGHTER


MARGUERITE ROSE FROM TABLE AND JOINED THE DUKE IN THE NEXT ROOM WHERE SHE TRIED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO INDUCE HIM TO FORGET THE INCIDENT BUT THE OLD MAN WOUNDED IN HIS DIGNITY BORE HER A GRUDGE FOR IT


AND COULD NOT FORGIVE HER HE SAID TO HER SOMEWHAT CRUELLY THAT HE WAS TIRED OF PAYING FOR THE FOLLIES OF A WOMAN WHO COULD NOT EVEN HAVE HIM TREATED WITH RESPECT UNDER HIS OWN ROOF AND HE WENT AWAY IN GREAT INDIGNATION


SINCE THAT DAY HE HAD NEVER BEEN HEARD OF IN VAIN MARGUERITE DISMISSED HER GUESTS CHANGED HER WAY OF LIFE THE DUKE WAS NOT TO BE HEARD OF I WAS THE GAINER IN SO


FAR THAT MY MISTRESS NOW BELONGED TO ME MORE COMPLETELY AND MY DREAM WAS AT LENGTH REALIZED MARGUERITE COULD NOT BE WITHOUT ME NOT CARING WHAT THE RESULT MIGHT BE SHE PUBLICLY PROCLAIMED OUR LIAISON


AND I HAD COME TO LIVE ENTIRELY AT HER HOUSE THE SERVANTS ADDRESSED ME OFFICIALLY AS THEIR MASTER PRUDENCE HAD STRICTLY SERMONIZED MARGUERITE IN REGARD TO HER NEW MANNER OF LIFE BUT SHE HAD REPLIED THAT SHE LOVED ME THAT SHE COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT ME


AND THAT HAPPEN WHAT MIGHT SHE WOULD NOT SACRIFICE THE PLEASURE OF HAVING ME CONSTANTLY WITH HER ADDING THAT THOSE WHO WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS ARRANGEMENT WERE FREE TO STAY AWAY SO MUCH I HAD HEARD ONE DAY WHEN PRUDENCE HAD SAID TO MARGUERITE


THAT SHE HAD SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO TELL HER AND I HAD LISTENED AT THE DOOR OF THE ROOM INTO WHICH THEY HAD SHUT THEMSELVES NOT LONG AFTER PRUDENCE RETURNED AGAIN I WAS AT THE OTHER END OF THE GARDEN WHEN SHE ARRIVED AND SHE DID NOT SEE ME


WELL SAID MARGUERITE WELL I HAVE SEEN THE DUKE WHAT DID HE SAY THAT HE WOULD GLADLY FORGIVE YOU IN REGARD TO THE SCENE WHICH TOOK PLACE


AND THAT HE WILL NEVER FORGIVE THAT LET MARGUERITE LEAVE THE YOUNG MAN HE SAID TO ME AND AS IN THE PAST I WILL GIVE HER ALL THAT SHE REQUIRES IF NOT LET HER ASK NOTHING MORE FROM ME


AND YOU REPLIED THAT I WOULD REPORT HIS DECISION TO YOU AND I PROMISED HIM THAT I WOULD BRING YOU INTO A MORE REASONABLE FRAME OF MIND ONLY THINK MY DEAR CHILD OF THE POSITION THAT YOU ARE LOSING


AND THAT ARMAND CAN NEVER GIVE YOU HE LOVES YOU WITH ALL HIS SOUL BUT HE HAS NO FORTUNE CAPABLE OF SUPPLYING YOUR NEEDS AND HE WILL BE BOUND TO LEAVE YOU ONE DAY WHEN IT WILL BE TOO LATE AND WHEN THE DUKE WILL REFUSE TO DO ANY MORE FOR YOU


WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SPEAK TO ARMAND MARGUERITE SEEMED TO BE THINKING FOR SHE ANSWERED NOTHING MY HEART BEAT VIOLENTLY WHILE I WAITED FOR HER REPLY NO SHE ANSWERED I WILL NOT LEAVE ARMAND


AND I WILL NOT CONCEAL THE FACT THAT I AM LIVING WITH HIM IT IS FOLLY NO DOUBT BUT I LOVE HIM WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO AND THEN NOW THAT HE HAS GOT ACCUSTOMED TO BE ALWAYS WITH ME


I WILL DO WITHOUT IT BUT WHAT WILL YOU DO I DON'T IN THE LEAST KNOW PRUDENCE WAS NO DOUBT GOING TO MAKE SOME REPLY BUT I ENTERED SUDDENLY AND FLUNG MYSELF AT MARGUERITE'S FEET


COVERING HER HANDS WITH TEARS IN MY JOY AT BEING THUS LOVED MY LIFE IS YOURS MARGUERITE YOU NEED THIS MAN NO LONGER AM I NOT HERE SHALL I EVER LEAVE YOU AND CAN I EVER REPAY YOU FOR THE HAPPINESS THAT YOU GIVE ME


NO MORE BARRIERS MY MARGUERITE WE LOVE WHAT MATTERS ALL THE REST OH YES I LOVE YOU MY ARMAND SHE MURMURED PUTTING HER TWO ARMS AROUND MY NECK I LOVE YOU AS I NEVER THOUGHT I SHOULD EVER LOVE


AND I WILL SAY GOOD BYE FOREVER TO THE LIFE FOR WHICH I NOW BLUSH YOU WON'T EVER REPROACH ME FOR THE PAST TELL ME TEARS CHOKED MY VOICE I COULD ONLY REPLY BY CLASPING MARGUERITE TO MY HEART WELL


SAID SHE TURNING TO PRUDENCE AND SPEAKING IN A BROKEN VOICE YOU CAN REPORT THIS SCENE TO THE DUKE AND YOU CAN ADD THAT WE HAVE NO LONGER NEED OF HIM FROM THAT DAY FORTH THE DUKE WAS NEVER REFERRED TO


MARGUERITE WAS NO LONGER THE SAME WOMAN THAT I HAD KNOWN SHE AVOIDED EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT RECALL TO ME THE LIFE WHICH SHE HAD BEEN LEADING WHEN I FIRST MET HER NEVER DID WIFE OR SISTER SURROUND HUSBAND OR BROTHER WITH SUCH LOVING CARE AS SHE HAD FOR ME


ANY ONE WHO HAD SEEN US LEAVING THE HOUSE TO GO ON THE RIVER IN THE CHARMING LITTLE BOAT WHICH I HAD BOUGHT WOULD NEVER HAVE BELIEVED THAT THE WOMAN DRESSED IN WHITE WEARING A STRAW HAT


WAS THAT MARGUERITE GAUTIER WHO ONLY FOUR MONTHS AGO HAD BEEN THE TALK OF THE TOWN FOR THE LUXURY AND SCANDAL OF HER EXISTENCE ALAS WE MADE HASTE TO BE HAPPY AS IF WE KNEW THAT WE WERE NOT TO BE HAPPY LONG


FOR TWO MONTHS WE HAD NOT EVEN BEEN TO PARIS NO ONE CAME TO SEE US EXCEPT PRUDENCE AND JULIE DUPRAT OF WHOM I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU


I PASSED WHOLE DAYS AT THE FEET OF MY MISTRESS WE OPENED THE WINDOWS UPON THE GARDEN AND AS WE WATCHED THE SUMMER RIPENING IN ITS FLOWERS


WE BREATHED TOGETHER THAT TRUE LIFE WHICH NEITHER MARGUERITE NOR I HAD EVER KNOWN BEFORE HER DELIGHT IN THE SMALLEST THINGS WAS LIKE THAT OF A CHILD THERE WERE DAYS WHEN SHE RAN IN THE GARDEN LIKE A CHILD OF TEN


AFTER A BUTTERFLY OR A DRAGON FLY THIS COURTESAN WHO HAD COST MORE MONEY IN BOUQUETS THAN WOULD HAVE KEPT A WHOLE FAMILY IN COMFORT WOULD SOMETIMES SIT ON THE GRASS FOR AN HOUR EXAMINING THE SIMPLE FLOWER WHOSE NAME SHE BORE


IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT SHE READ MANON LESCAUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN I FOUND HER SEVERAL TIMES MAKING NOTES IN THE BOOK AND SHE ALWAYS DECLARED THAT WHEN A WOMAN LOVES SHE CAN NOT DO AS MANON DID


THE DUKE WROTE TO HER TWO OR THREE TIMES SHE RECOGNISED THE WRITING AND GAVE ME THE LETTERS WITHOUT READING THEM SOMETIMES THE TERMS OF THESE LETTERS BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES HE HAD IMAGINED THAT BY CLOSING HIS PURSE TO MARGUERITE


HE WOULD BRING HER BACK TO HIM BUT WHEN HE HAD PERCEIVED THE USELESSNESS OF THESE MEANS HE COULD HOLD OUT NO LONGER


AS BEFORE NO MATTER ON WHAT CONDITIONS I READ THESE URGENT AND REPEATED LETTERS AND TORE THEM IN PIECES WITHOUT TELLING MARGUERITE WHAT THEY CONTAINED AND WITHOUT ADVISING HER TO SEE THE OLD MAN AGAIN


THOUGH I WAS HALF INCLINED TO SO MUCH DID I PITY HIM BUT I WAS AFRAID LEST IF I SO ADVISED HER SHE SHOULD THINK THAT I WISHED THE DUKE NOT MERELY TO COME AND SEE HER AGAIN BUT TO TAKE OVER THE EXPENSES OF THE HOUSE


I FEARED ABOVE ALL THAT SHE MIGHT THINK ME CAPABLE OF SHIRKING THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EVERY CONSEQUENCE TO WHICH HER LOVE FOR ME MIGHT LEAD HER IT THUS CAME ABOUT THAT THE DUKE RECEIVING NO REPLY CEASED TO WRITE


AS THE FRONT DOOR WAS FLUNG OPEN AND AN EXCITED MAN HURRIED DOWN THE STEPS TOWARD THE SPOT WHERE THE FOUR CHUMS STOOD BREATHING HARD AFTER THEIR RECENT EXERTIONS IT'S OLD ISAAC CHASE THE MEANEST MAN IN CENTERVILLE EXCLAIMED JERRY IN DISMAY


BUT WE DIDN'T BREAK HIS OLD WINDOW YOU KNOW EXPOSTULATED WILL MILTON HERE ARE LOTS OF WITNESSES TO PROVE IT CAME FROM THE OTHER SIDE LITTLE HE'LL CARE ABOUT THAT BLUFF TOLD HIM HE MUST HAVE SEEN US IN THE FIGHT AND THAT SETTLES IT


FRANK YOU TALK WITH HIM I'D BE APT TO GET SASSY IF HE SCOLDED TOO HARD SO IT USUALLY CAME ABOUT UPON FRANK'S SHOULDERS WAS LAID THE BURDEN OF EXTRICATING THEM FROM NUMEROUS MISHAPS BUT FRANK RATHER LIKED BEING MADE THE SCAPEGOAT


HE HELD UP SOMETHING HE HAD IN HIS HAND SO THAT EVERY ONE COULD SEE IT WAS A STONE THERE COULD BE NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT WITH SOME OF THE SNOW STILL ADHERING TO ITS SIDES BLUFF RUBBED THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD AT SEEING THIS


AS THOUGH WONDERING WHETHER THE MISSILE THAT HAD STRUCK HIM THERE HAD ALSO BEEN LOADED IN THAT WAY WE'RE SORRY MISTER CHASE THAT YOUR WINDOW WAS BROKEN SAID FRANK STEADILY IT WAS AN ACCIDENT I GIVE YOU MY WORD ABOUT THAT


I HAPPENED TO DODGE A BALL FIRED FROM THE OTHER SIDE AND IT WENT THROUGH THE GLASS WHAT


EXCLAIMED THE OTHER AS THOUGH MORE THAN SURPRISED I SHALL HAVE TO SEE YOUR FATHER AND MAKE COMPLAINT IF THE CHIEF OF POLICE DECLINES TO BACK ME UP AND ARREST A FEW OF YOU AS TO THAT MISTER CHASE I WILL TELL MY FATHER ALL ABOUT IT AS SOON AS HE COMES HOME FROM THE BANK


MY FATHER WAS A BOY HIMSELF ONCE NOT LIKE SOME PEOPLE WHO FORGET THAT THEY ONCE USED TO PLAY THEMSELVES DON'T BE IMPUDENT TO ME BOY SNAPPED THE OLD MISER ANGRILY I DON'T MEAN TO BE SO MISTER CHASE FRANK CONTINUED


I'M SURE THAT IS ALL YOU COULD EXPECT FROM US THAT'S A MEASLY SHAME FRANK OBJECTED BLUFF IMPETUOUSLY WHEN IT WAS ANDY LASHER WHO BROKE THE WINDOW ADDED JERRY FILLED WITH RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION YOU ONLY DUCKED FRANK WHEN YOU SAW IT HEADED YOUR WAY


IT ISN'T FAIR FOR YOU TO PAY THE BILL LET HIM GO AFTER ANDY NO I PREFER SETTLING THE ACCOUNT MYSELF AND NOT HAVING ANY TROUBLE ABOUT IT FRANK TOLD HIS OBJECTING CHUMS BESIDES WE'VE HAD ENOUGH FUN OUT OF THE BUSINESS TO STAND A LITTLE EXPENSE LIKE THAT


THE INNOCENT OFTEN HAVE TO SUFFER FOR THE GUILTY SOME OF THE BYSTANDERS AT THIS POINT TRIED TO CONVINCE MISTER CHASE THAT FRANK WAS ENTIRELY INNOCENT OF THE WHOLE TRANSACTION BUT THE MISER ACTING ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH


HE INSISTED STUBBORNLY AND THESE BOYS ADMIT THEY WERE CONNECTED WITH THE ROWDY CREW THAT MADE THEMSELVES A DISGRACE TO THE TOWN IN FRONT OF MY DOOR I SHALL EXPECT HIM TO FULFILL HIS OFFER WHICH YOU HEARD HIM MAKE MISTER JENKINS AND MISTER MOLE


THE SOONER THAT WINDOW PANE IS REPLACED THE BETTER I SHALL BE PLEASED THAT'S ENOUGH WITH THAT HE TURNED HIS BACK UPON THE GROUP AND HURRIED TO REENTER HIS HOUSE AS THOUGH FEARFUL LEST SOME OF THE SPECTATORS MIGHT ENDEAVOR TO SHAME HIM OUT OF ACCEPTING PAY FROM AN INNOCENT PARTY


FRANK AND HIS THREE COMRADES STOOD TALKING WITH SOME OF THOSE WHO HAD GATHERED WHEN THE CRASH OF BROKEN GLASS FOLLOWED BY ANGRY WORDS IN THE HIGH PITCHED VOICE OF THE MISER DREW ATTENTION TO THE SCENE OF ACTION COME LET'S BE MOVING ALONG FELLOWS BLUFF FINALLY REMARKED


IT GALLED HIM TO THINK THEY HAD BEEN MADE THE SCAPEGOATS BY ANDY LASHER AND HIS SET THOUGH HE KNEW ONLY TOO WELL THAT ONCE FRANK'S MIND WAS MADE UP TO PAY FOR THE BROKEN WINDOW NOTHING COULD CHANGE HIM TRUE TO HIS PROMISE FRANK FIRST OF ALL VISITED THE HARDWARE STORE


AND ENGAGED THE OWNER TO SEND A MAN AROUND AT ONCE TO THE HOME OF THE MISER SO AS TO REPLACE A TWELVE BY TWENTY PANE OF GLASS I EXPECT TO HAVE A GOOD MANY ORDERS LIKE THAT FRANK BEFORE THE DAY IS OVER REMARKED THE DEALER LAUGHINGLY


EVEN IF THEY DID HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL ANDY LASHER HID A STONE IN HIS LAST BALL AND EXPECTED TO DO FRANK DAMAGE FOR HE SHIED IT STRAIGHT AT HIS HEAD BUT FRANK DODGED AND BANG WENT THE GLASS ANDY AND HIS COWARDLY BUNCH PULLED OUT LIKE FUN


WHO WAS AN INNOCENT PARTY SHOULD SUFFER FROM OUR FUN SO I RECKON WE'LL HAVE TO PUT OUR HANDS IN OUR POCKETS AND PAY YOUR BILL MISTER BENCHLEY THE HARDWARE MAN NODDED HIS HEAD THERE WAS A TWINKLE IN HIS EYE AS HE OBSERVED FRANK LANGDON HE KNEW THE SORT OF REPUTATION FRANK HAD IN CENTERVILLE


ALTHOUGH THE LATTER HAD NOT BEEN A RESIDENT THERE MUCH MORE THAN THREE YEARS


BELIEVE ME I'LL LET YOU BOYS OFF AS LIGHTLY AS I CAN AND NOT LOSE BY IT WAS WHAT HE TOLD THEM


AS THE FOUR CHUMS WENT AWAY JERRY CHUCKLED


FRANK SMILED BUT HE DID NOT LOOK DISPLEASED I'M GLAD MISTER BENCHLEY HAS SUCH A GOOD OPINION OF THE OUTDOOR CHUMS HE REMARKED FOR HE MEANT EVERY ONE OF YOU AS WELL AS ME WHEN HE SAID THAT


WE TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING MOST TIMES AND YET THERE NEVER WERE FOUR BOYS MORE FOND OF HAVING A JOLLY TIME THAN THIS BUNCH THAT'S SO BLUFF DECLARED STURDILY AND WE'VE HAD LOTS OF DANDY VACATIONS IN THE PAST TOO


WHAT'S BOTHERING ME IS WHERE WE OUGHT TO GO TO SPEND THIS UNEXPECTED TIME THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO US THROUGH THE FIRE AT THE COLLEGE WE'LL FIGURE ALL THAT OUT IN A DAY OR SO NEVER FEAR WILL OBSERVED YES ADDED JERRY LEAVE IT TO FRANK AND HE'LL ARRANGE THE DETAILS


CHANCES ARE WE'LL BE DROPPING IN TO SEE HOW OLD JESSE WILCOX IS GETTING ON WITH HIS MUSKRAT TRAPPING I THINK I'D ENJOY ANOTHER TURN UP THERE IN THE WOODS ONE THING SURE SAID FRANK WE MUST ARRANGE TO GO AWAY SOMEWHERE AND DO A LITTLE HUNTING AGAIN


JUST THE THOUGHT OF IT GIVES ME A WARM FEELING AROUND MY HEART SAME HERE BLUFF TOLD HIM CHEERFULLY I NEVER FEEL HAPPIER THAN WHEN I SMELL THE WOODS AND GET ON THE TRAIL OF GAME


THEY TALKED IT OVER AS THEY SAUNTERED IN THE DIRECTION OF THEIR HOMES IT HAPPENED THAT WILL MILTON'S HOUSE WAS THE FIRST THEY CAME TO I SAW THE POSTMAN COME OUT OF OUR GATE WILL COMMENTED I WONDER IF HE BROUGHT UNCLE FELIX THE LETTER HE'S BEEN EXPECTING FOR SOME DAYS


YOU SEE HE'S GOT A BAD ATTACK OF RHEUMATISM YET HE SAYS HE MUST TRY TO GET AWAY DOWN EAST ON SOME VERY IMPORTANT BUSINESS BETWEEN YOU AND ME HE NEVER WILL BE ABLE TO DO IT FOR DAYS OR WEEKS HE'S THAT DOUBLED UP RUN IN IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT WILL FRANK TOLD HIM WE'LL WAIT OUT HERE FOR YOU


YES ADDED JERRY AS IF IT MIGHT BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT AND WHILE YOU'RE ABOUT IT WILL JUST MENTION TO UNCLE FELIX THAT THERE ARE FOUR HUSKY BOYS AROUND WITH CONSIDERABLE TIME TO BURN JUST NOW AND IF HE WANTS ANYBODY TO TAKE THAT TRIP FOR HIM WE MIGHT BE COAXED INTO DOING IT


IF WE'RE GOING TO GET IN MANY AFFAIRS LIKE THE ONE WE JUST HAD WITH ANDY LASHER AND HIS CROWD THE LATTER REMARKED IT STANDS TO REASON WE WANT TO TUNE UP SOME IN OUR HEAVING MY BASEBALL ARM IS OUT OF PRACTICE AND I'M ASHAMED TO SAY THAT THREE OUT OF FOUR BALLS I FIRED MISSED THEIR MARK


OH WELL I NOTICED A LOT OF DODGING BEING DONE COMMENTED FRANK AND ONLY FOR THAT ALL OF US MIGHT HAVE MADE MORE BULL'S EYES CHANCES ARE THAT ANDY WILL HAVE A CIRCLE AROUND HIS LEFT EYE AFTER THAT SMASH HE GOT OBSERVED JERRY A HARD SNOWBALL CAN STING LIKE FUN WHEN IT CATCHES YOU THERE


I GOT CAUGHT THERE AND IT KEEPS ON BURNING LIKE A HOT IRON I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THERE WAS A PIECE OF COAL OR A STONE IN THAT BALL THEY MUST HAVE FIXED UP A LOT OF AMMUNITION THAT WAY BEFORE THEY TACKLED US SEEMS TO ME WILL'S A LONG TIME COMING OUT AGAIN COMPLAINED JERRY


HE'S ALWAYS SO MUCH TAKEN UP WITH THAT PHOTOGRAPHY OF HIS THAT ANY OLD TIME HE'S LIABLE TO REMEMBER SOMETHING AND GO TO WORK AT IT FORGETTING ALL ABOUT HIS CHUMS WHO MAY BE KICKING THEIR HEELS IN THE BACK YARD WAITING FOR HIM OH I DON'T THINK HE'S QUITE THAT FORGETFUL LAUGHED FRANK


PERHAPS HE'S HELD WILL UP TO TELL HIM ABOUT SOMETHING YOU KNOW UNCLE FELIX THINKS HEAPS OF OUR CHUM YES AND OF ALL THE REST OF US IN THE BARGAIN THERE HE COMES EXCLAIMED BLUFF AND SAY HE SEEMS TO BE IN A TERRIBLE HURRY ADDED JERRY


NOW WHAT D'YE RECKON CAN HAVE HAPPENED OH UNCLE FELIX DON'T I LOVE YOU MUTTERED BLUFF AS IF A SUDDEN BRILLIANT IDEA HAD COME INTO HIS MIND WHAT'S UNCLE FELIX GOT TO DO WITH IT DEMANDED JERRY


CHAPTER SIXTEEN DID TEDDY KNOW WELL WOULDN'T THAT JAR YOU REMARKED BLUFF AS HE HEARD WHAT WAS CONTAINED IN THE BRIEF COMMUNICATION FROM THE LUMBERMAN TRIED TO BURN DOWN THE CAMP AT LUMBER RUN DID THEY BURST OUT JERRY


WELL IF YOU ASKED ME MY OPINION I'D HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I DIDN'T LIKE THE LOOKS OF A FEW OF THOSE LUMBERJACKS BUT NOBODY HAS ACCUSED ANY OF THE LOGGERS OF THE CRIME REMARKED FRANK AND AT THAT THE HEAD PROJECTING FROM THE OPENING AT THE DOOR CAME A LITTLE FURTHER INTO VIEW


WHICH WAS PRETTY GOOD EVIDENCE FRANK THOUGHT THAT THE WOUNDED BOY MUST TAKE CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN THE DISCUSSION WHY WHO ELSE WOULD TRY TO TURN ON MISTER DARREL THAT WAY AND BURN HIS SHANTIES DOWN JUST WHEN WINTER IS SETTING IN ASKED BLUFF


WE CAN ONLY GIVE A GUESS AT THAT FRANK TOLD HIM WHEW EXCLAIMED BLUFF AS HE GRASPED THE MEANING BACK OF THOSE FEW WORDS AFTER ALL I WOULDN'T PUT IT PAST HIM FRANK


AND NOT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL THESE STRANGE HINTS PORTENDED WE HAD A SPECIMEN OF HIS NASTY TEMPER YOU KNOW CONTINUED BLUFF YES TWICE NOW WE'VE HEARD HIM TEAR AROUND LIKE A BULL IN A CHINA SHOP


OH NOW I TUMBLE TO WHAT YOU MEAN CRIED WILL WHO DID NOT OFTEN USE ANY SORT OF SLANG AND MUST THEREFORE HAVE BEEN UNUSUALLY EXCITED TO FALL INTO THE HABIT IT'S BILL BILL NACKERSON FRANK NODDED HIS HEAD


HE'S THE ONLY PARTY AROUND THAT WE KNOW OF WHO WOULD BE MEAN ENOUGH TO TRY TO SET BUILDINGS ON FIRE JUST TO GET EVEN WITH A MAN HE DISLIKED HE OBSERVED


YES AND DIDN'T WE HEAR HIM THREATEN TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE LONG SO AS TO HIT BACK AT MISTER DARREL JERRY WANTED TO KNOW AS IF HE HAD ALL ALONG BEEN SUSPICIOUS OF THE BIG SPORTSMAN


WHY HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE DEATH OF SOME OF THEM WHOEVER STARTED THE FIRE DIDN'T CARE A HOOT WHETHER IT HURT OR NOT I THINK BLUFF GAVE AS HIS OPINION FRANK NOTICED THAT THE HEAD HAD DISAPPEARED FROM ALONGSIDE THE OPEN DOOR


EVIDENTLY TEDDY HAD HEARD ENOUGH HE MUST HAVE LIMPED FROM HIS CHAIR TO THE DOORWAY UPON HEARING STRANGE VOICES OUTSIDE PERHAPS HE HAD SUSPECTED THAT THE OTHERS BROUGHT NEWS OF SOME STARTLING CHARACTER FRANK DID NOT TELL ALL OF HIS CHUMS ABOUT WHAT HE HAD SEEN


AT THE SAME TIME IT GAVE HIM FOOD FOR MUCH SERIOUS THOUGHT I WOULDN'T BE AT ALL SURPRISED IF TEDDY KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT THAT FIRE BUSINESS HE MENTIONED TO BLUFF A SHORT TIME LATER WHEN THEY WALKED TOGETHER DOWN TO THE SPOT WHERE THE MINK TRACKS HAD BEEN SEEN


I SAW HIS HEAD THOUGH AFTER A BIT WHEN WE HAD TALKED MATTERS OVER HE WENT BACK TO THE FIRE AGAIN


OH NO IT ISN'T SO BAD AS THAT HE WAS ASSURED


THE BIG COWARD MUTTERED BLUFF CLENCHING HIS FISTS AND SHAKING HIS HEAD AS THOUGH HE WOULD LIKE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO GET IN A BLOW AT THE BULLY MY OPINION AS FAR AS I HAVE ANY IS ABOUT LIKE THIS FRANK CONTINUED


AFTER NACKERSON STRUCK TEDDY THE BOY HAPPENED TO OVERHEAR HIM BOASTING ABOUT WHAT HE MEANT TO DO TO THE CAMP AT LUMBER RUN OH I SEE NOW WHAT YOU MEAN FRANK


YOU'VE GOT IT ABOUT STRAIGHT BLUFF FRANK ADMITTED OF COURSE I'M ONLY GUESSING ALL THIS REMEMBER


HE'LL UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S NO REASON WHY HE SHOULD KEEP A STILL TONGUE IN HIS HEAD TO SHIELD A RASCAL WHO DIDN'T HESITATE TO STRIKE HIM A COWARDLY BLOW BLUFF WAS NOT SLOW OF COMPREHENSION


JUST AS YOU SAY TEDDY COULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO PUT THE MATCH TO THE CAMP OVER AT LUMBER RUN WHEN NACKERSON HAD GONE AWAY PERHAPS WITH ONE OF HIS PALS WHO AGREED TO STAND BACK OF HIM THAT'S THE TIME TEDDY LIT OUT


HE STRUCK IT PRETTY HARD AT FIRST GETTING CAUGHT IN THAT TRAP FRANK MUSED BUT WHEN YOU COME RIGHT DOWN TO FACTS I GUESS IT WAS JUST AS WELL THAT IT HAPPENED TO HIM HUH THAT'S A QUEER THING TO SAY REMONSTRATED BLUFF


BLUFF ADMITTED AS TEDDY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE WE HUNG OUT AND COULDN'T FIND HIS WAY TO LUMBER RUN CAMP YOU CAN SEE THAT HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN GOING BACK TO NACKERSON OR LOSING HIMSELF IN THE BIG WOODS


WHEW IT DOES TAKE YOU TO SEE THROUGH THINGS BLUFF DECLARED WITH A LAUGH I CAN UNDERSTAND NOW THAT IT WAS A BIG STREAK OF LUCK FOR TED WHEN HE MET WITH THAT BEAR TRAP WE NEVER KNOW WHEN WE'RE WELL OFF DO WE


FRANK WAS ALWAYS ACCOMMODATING ESPECIALLY WHEN ANYTHING CONNECTED WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE OF NATURE WAS CONCERNED HE LOVED TO WATCH THE SMALL WOODS FOLK WHEN THEY DID NOT SUSPECT HIS PRESENCE AND LEARN MORE AND MORE OF THEIR INTERESTING HABITS


SO THAT DAY PASSED ANOTHER AND YET A THIRD FOUND THE BOYS ENJOYING THEMSELVES TO THE LIMIT TEDDY WAS SHOWING DECIDED SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT HE COULD GET AROUND FAIRLY WELL BY NOW JERRY HAVING CUT HIM A WALKING STICK WITH A CROOK AT THE END


HE WAS BEGINNING TO GET OVER THE NERVOUSNESS THAT HAD SHOWN ITSELF FOR A WHOLE DAY FOLLOWING HIS ADVENT IN THE NEW CAMP


TO GO BACK TO THAT OTHER DRUDGERY WOULD HAVE BEEN TORTURE AS SOON AS HE WAS ABLE TO GET AROUND HE INSISTED ON TAKING CHARGE OF THE COOKING AND THE BOYS SOON LEARNED THAT TEDDY COULD MANAGE SPLENDIDLY


HE HAD TO BE SHOWN VERY LITTLE SO AS TO SUIT THEIR TASTES AND NONE OF THEM REGRETTED IN THE LEAST THAT THEY HAD EXTENDED A HELPING HAND TOWARD ONE IN DISTRESS A NEW LIFE WAS OPENING UP TO TEDDY


HE HAD NEVER BEFORE COME IN CONTACT WITH SUCH AN AGREEABLE LOT OF COMPANIONS AND EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY HE TRIED TO PROVE HIMSELF GRATEFUL STILL HE DID NOT MENTION A WORD ABOUT WHAT HE MIGHT POSSIBLY KNOW OF THE DASTARDLY DEED


WHEN SOME ONE ATTEMPTED TO FIRE THE LOGGING CAMP FRANK OFTEN SAW A WORRIED EXPRESSION COME OVER THE BOY'S FACE AND AT SUCH TIMES HE SUSPECTED THAT TEDDY WAS PUZZLING HIS BRAIN AS TO JUST WHAT HIS DUTY MIGHT BE


AND IF HE DOES IT WILL NOT BE THE REWARD OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR INFORMATION THAT WILL MAKE HIM TELL ON THE SECOND DAY ABOUT NOON SOME OF THE BOYS WERE BUSY NEAR THE CABIN LAYING IN AN EXTRA SUPPLY OF FIREWOOD


FRANK HAD AN IDEA THEY WOULD BE VISITED BY A BIG SNOWFALL BEFORE TWENTY FOUR HOURS HAD PASSED OF COURSE THAT'S ONLY A HAZARD FELLOWS HE TOLD BLUFF AND JERRY WHO WERE HELPING HIM ADD TO THE HANDY HEAP CLOSE TO THE DOOR OF THE CABIN


BUT THERE DOES SEEM TO BE A FEELING OF DAMPNESS IN THE AIR FOR ALL IT'S SO COLD AND THE SUN YOU NOTICE SHINES THROUGH A SORT OF HAZY CURTAIN I THINK JUST THE SAME WAY YOU DO FRANK JERRY REMARKED AND IF YOU ASKED ME TO SAY WHEN


I'D GUESS IT WAS GOING TO STRIKE US BEFORE NIGHT WE'VE GOT OFF PRETTY FORTUNATELY SO FAR ABOUT STORMS BLUFF WENT ON AS HE THREW ANOTHER ARMFUL OF FUEL ON THE ALREADY HUGE PILE


AND TO THINK IT HAPPENED SO NEAR OUR CAMP THAT WE MANAGED TO TOTE THE WHOLE CARCASS TO THE CABIN AND BLUFF LOOKED WITH PRIDE IN HIS EYES TOWARD A DEER THAT WAS HANGING IN REAL SPORTSMAN STYLE FROM A LIMB HEAD DOWNWARD


IF WE DON'T GET ANOTHER WHILE WE'RE UP HERE IN THE BIG WOODS SAID JERRY SUPPRESSING THE NATURAL TWINGE OF JEALOUSY HE FELT WE OUGHT TO BE SATISFIED WITH OUR BAG AND WILL IS JUST WILD OVER THE BULLY PICTURES HE'S ACCUMULATING EVERY DAY AND NIGHT


IT DOES SEEM AS THOUGH HE HAD MET WITH NOTHING BUT SUCCESS SO FAR FRANK ADMITTED I HOPE HE GETS THAT PRIZE THE RAILROADS ARE OFFERING SO FAR AS I CAN TELL HE HAS A DANDY COLLECTION ALREADY AND WE'VE GOT SOME TIME AHEAD OF US STILL BY THE WAY WHERE IS WILL NOW ASKED BLUFF


ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AGO HE TOLD ME HE WAS GOING OFF TO THE PLACE WHERE WE DISCOVERED THAT COMICAL COLONY OF SQUIRRELS THAT AMUSED US YESTERDAY FRANK EXPLAINED HE HOPED BY KEEPING AS STILL AS A MOUSE TO GET A SNAP AT THEM WHEN THEY WERE CARRYING ON THAT WAY


I THINK MYSELF IT WOULD BE A FINE WOODS PICTURE AND ADD TO HIS COLLECTION SPEAKING OF ANGELS AND YOU'RE MOST SURE TO HEAR THEIR WINGS CHUCKLED JERRY FOR THERE'S WILL COMING THIS WAY NOW AND ON THE RUN TOO ADDED FRANK


HE LOOKS EXCITED FELLOWS I WONDER WHAT HE'S RUN ACROSS NOW WILL WAS ALMOST OUT OF BREATH THEY COULD SEE THAT HIS FACE WAS RED FROM HIS EXERTIONS BUT FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT AS WELL WHILE HIS EYES WERE AS BLUFF EXPRESSED IT


STICKING OUT OF HIS HEAD OH WHAT A WHOPPER HE GASPED AS HE DREW NEAR THE SPOT WHERE THEY STOOD WHAT'S THAT DEMANDED FRANK WONDERING WHAT WAS COMING NOW AND SUCH TRE MENDOUS HORNS TOO CONTINUED WILL


INVOLUNTARILY STRETCHING OUT BOTH HANDS UNTIL HE HAD THEM WIDE APART HORNS WILL BLUFF FIRED AT HIM COWS HAVE HORNS DEER CARRY ANTLERS I SAID HORNS DIDN'T I ASSERTED THE OTHER WITH DETERMINATION


BUT I SNAPPED HIM BEFORE HE TURNED AND TROTTED OFF WHAT TROTTED OFF SHRILLED BLUFF


THE BIG MOOSE A BULL MOOSE YOU SAY WILL ECHOED BLUFF HIS FACE LIGHTING UP WITH SUDDEN ENERGY THAT'S WHAT I MEAN REPLIED THE OTHER I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING BLUFF AND THAT I WOULDN'T KNOW A BULL MOOSE IF I SAW ONE


BUT YOU'RE AWAY OFF IN YOUR GUESS I'VE SO LONGED TO MEET UP WITH ONE WHEN I HAD MY CAMERA WITH ME THAT I'VE BEEN PICTURING HOW HE'D LOOK AND FRANK BELIEVE ME IT WAS A BEAUT A REGULAR MONSTER HOW DID IT HAPPEN WILL ASKED FRANK


I WAS SITTING AS STILL AS ANYTHING THE OTHER RELATED AFTER I'D GOT TWO DANDY SNAPS AT THAT FUNNY SQUIRREL FAMILY PLAYING AROUND THE TREE WHERE THEY HAVE THEIR HOME AND WAS HOPING FOR ANOTHER WHACK AT THEM TO COMPLETE THE SET WHEN ALL AT ONCE I HEARD A WHIFFING SOUND


BUT GO ON WILL WHAT HAPPENED NEXT OH I LOOKED UP TO SEE WHAT HAD MADE THAT QUEER SOUND AND THERE HE WAS JUST STANDING AND LOOKING STRAIGHT AT ME I WAS NEARLY SCARED TO DEATH AT FIRST FOR HE LOOKED NEARLY AS BIG AS A BARN


THEN I KNEW IT MUST BE A BULL MOOSE AND THE NEXT THING I FOUND MYSELF TAKING HIS PICTURE DID HE RUN AWAY THEN ASKED FRANK TURNED AND TROTTED OFF AS IF HE DIDN'T CARE WHETHER SCHOOL KEPT OR NOT WILL CONTINUED I EVEN HAD THE NERVE TO SHOOT HIM AGAIN AS HE WAS GOING


AND DON'T I HOPE THAT FIRST PICTURE TURNS OUT GOOD IT WAS A REMARKABLE POSE IF ONLY THE FOCUS WAS RIGHT HE STARTED TOWARD THE CABIN DOOR AS THOUGH ANXIOUS TO DEVELOP HIS ROLL OF FILM AND DISCOVER WHAT SUCCESS HIS LABOR HAD RESULTED IN


BLUFF CAUGHT HIM BY THE ARM WAIT JUST A MINUTE OR TWO WILL HE PLEADED TELL US SOME MORE WHERE DID ALL THIS HAPPEN FRANK KNOWS WHERE THAT SQUIRREL COLONY HAVE THEIR NEST IN THE TREE THAT'S GOT A HOLE IN THE TRUNK ABOUT THIRTY FEET UP THE OTHER REPLIED


THAT NEAR THE CAMP IF ONLY YOU'LL HOLD YOUR HORSES UNTIL I CAN DEVELOP THIS FILM YOU SHALL SEE FOR YOURSELF WHETHER I KNOW A STAG FROM A BULL MOOSE HE WAS TOLD BY THE INDIGNANT PHOTOGRAPHER AS THE LATTER BROKE AWAY AND VANISHED INSIDE THE CABIN


HE DID NOT FEEL THAT THEY COULD ENTIRELY DEPEND ON THE EVIDENCE OF WILL WHO MAY HAVE BEEN SO STARTLED BY THE SUDDEN COMING OF SOME ANIMAL THAT HIS IMAGINATION WORKED OVERTIME I HOPE IT WASN'T JUST A MULE THAT STRAYED AWAY FROM SOME LUMBER CAMP HE TOLD THE OTHERS


AS THEY HURRIED OFF BUT NOT BEFORE BLUFF AND JERRY HAD DARTED INSIDE THE CABIN AND REAPPEARED CARRYING THEIR GUNS


BLUFF ADMITTED BUT THEN WILL VOWS IT HAD HORNS TERRIBLY BIG HORNS WHICH NO MULE I EVER SAW COULD BOAST OF OWNING WELL CHANCES ARE IT WAS A BULL MOOSE FRANK ADMITTED BUT WE'LL SOON KNOW


THAT LIGHT SNOW FALLING LAST NIGHT WAS IN OUR FAVOR FOR THE TRACKS WILL SHOW UP WELL SUGGESTED JERRY HERE'S THE PLACE FRANK TOLD THEM A SHORT TIME AFTERWARD YOU CAN SEE THE TREE WITH THE HOLE IN IT OVER THERE


AND I THINK I EVEN SAW A SQUIRREL FRISK OUT OF SIGHT AS WE CAME UP YES AND HERE'S WHERE WILL MADE HIMSELF A SEAT ADDED BLUFF HE FIXED IT SO HE COULD SIT COMFORTABLY AND NOT HAVE TO FRIGHTEN THE FAMILY OF BUSHY TAILS BY MOVING


YES SAID JERRY WHICH WOULD MAKE IT OVER THERE THAT THE THING SHOWED UP LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE GROUND AND SEE IF WILL WAS DREAMING OR NOT BEFORE HALF A MINUTE HAD PASSED FRANK WAS POINTING TO CERTAIN MARKS PLAINLY SEEN IN THE INCH AND MORE OF SNOW THAT HAD FALLEN ON THE PREVIOUS NIGHT


PERHAPS AS A SORT OF FORERUNNER OF THE COMING STORM THERE YOU ARE FELLOWS HE ANNOUNCED ALL STARED HARD AT THE MONSTROUS TRACKS BLUFF EVEN GOT DOWN ON HANDS AND KNEES IN ORDER TO SEE BETTER IT WAS A MOOSE ALL RIGHT FRANK SAID JERRY


I'M BEGINNING TO BELIEVE WILL WAS NOT SO FAR OUT OF THE WAY AFTER ALL WHEN HE SAID IT MIGHT BE THE GIANT OF ALL MAINE MOOSE BLUFF GOT UP AGAIN SHAKING HIS HEAD OH THE MEANEST LUCK THAT EVER WAS HE LAMENTED


WHY COULDN'T I HAVE TAKEN A NOTION TO STEP OUT HERE WITH WILL TO WATCH THE WAY HE TOOK THE PICTURES OF THAT SQUIRREL FAMILY I'D HAVE HAD MY GUN ACROSS MY KNEES WITH BUCKSHOT IN EVERY SHELL OF COURSE THINK HOW


EASY I COULD HAVE DROPPED HIM WITH SUCH A SHORT DISTANCE BETWEEN IT'S CRUEL THAT'S WHAT IT IS JERRY CLAPPED HIM ON THE SHOULDER TELL ME WHAT'S TO HINDER A COUPLE OF US GOING AFTER THE OLD CHAP BLUFF HE ASKED IN AN EAGER VOICE


YOU'LL HAVE TO COUNT ME OUT OF THAT DEAL FRANK TOLD THEM YOU REMEMBER THAT I SPRAINED MY ANKLE YESTERDAY AND A LONG WALK WOULD LAY ME UP IF ANYBODY GOES IT WILL HAVE TO BE YOU TWO JERRY LOOKED AT BLUFF I DARE YOU HE SAID


NO NEED OF THAT CAME THE REPLY BECAUSE I'D BE WILLING TO START AFTER THAT MOOSE ALONE AND FOLLOW HIM FOR A WEEK IF I THOUGHT I COULD GET A FAIR CRACK AT HIM IN THE END THEN IT'S A GO BLUFF


FOR UP TO NOW HE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN MUCH OF A CHANCE TO BRING DOWN ANY BIG GAME ON THIS TRIP AND WAS SECRETLY CHAFING


THE SOONER THE BETTER SO AS TO KEEP HIS LEAD CUT DOWN AS MUCH AS WE CAN HE WAS TOLD BY BLUFF AFTER WHICH THEY BOTH TURNED TOWARD FRANK FOR AFTER ALL IT WOULD BE FROM THIS QUARTER THAT THE SIGNAL TO START MUST EVENTUALLY COME


NO NEED OF RUSHING OFF AS THOUGH YOU WERE CRAZY FRANK TOLD THEM WILL SAYS THE MOOSE DIDN'T ACT AS THOUGH IT WAS BADLY FRIGHTENED BY SEEING HIM


LUNCH MUST BE NEARLY READY YOU MUST STOP LONG ENOUGH TO EAT A LOT BECAUSE THERE'S NO TELLING WHEN YOU MAY GET ANOTHER SQUARE MEAL BLUFF GLANCED QUICKLY AT FRANK OH WE WON'T GET LOST HE SAID LOFTILY


I WASN'T THINKING SO MUCH OF THAT AS THE CHANCE OF A BLIZZARD COMING DOWN ON YOU FRANK CONTINUED BE SURE TO TAKE ALONG AN EXTRA SUPPLY OF MATCHES I'LL SEE TO IT THAT EACH OF YOU HAS SOMETHING TO HELP MAKE OUT A MEAL OR SO


IT WON'T WEIGH HEAVY BUT IF YOU DO NEED IT YOU'LL THANK ME FOR IT BLUFF AND JERRY MAY HAVE CONSIDERED FRANK A BIT TOO OLD WOMANISH MAKING ALL THAT FUSS OVER JUST GOING OFF ON A LITTLE CHASE AFTER A WANDERING MOOSE


FRANK HOWEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT A BLIZZARD MEANT UP THERE IN MAINE HE HAD BEEN IN ONE OR TWO HIMSELF AND WOULD NOT CARE TO REPEAT CERTAIN EXPERIENCES THAT HAD COME HIS WAY UNLESS WELL PROVIDED AGAINST HUNGER AND BITTER COLD


THE THREE SOON REACHED THE CABIN IT CHANCED THAT JUST THEN THE CALL TO THE MIDDAY MEAL CAME WILL WAS TOO BUSY WORKING AT HIS DEVELOPING TANK TO SIT DOWN WITH THE REST PLENTY OF TIME WHEN I GET THROUGH WITH THIS HE TOLD THEM


GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES MORE TO GET THIS FILM IN FRESH WATER AND THEN I'LL COME BLUFF AND JERRY WERE HURRYING AS FAST AS THEY COULD FRANK HAD REDEEMED HIS PROMISE TO SEE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING PUT UP IN SMALL SHAPE THAT WOULD HELP OUT FOR SUPPER IN CASE THEY WERE DELAYED


HE ALSO THRUST SEVERAL SMALL BOXES OF SAFETY MATCHES INTO EACH OF THEIR COATS AND MADE SURE BLUFF HAD HIS COMPASS WELL SAID WILL STEPPING FORWARD AND HOLDING UP A DRIPPING FILM TAKE A PEEP AT THIS WILL YOU AND TELL ME IF I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT OR NOT


WE TAKE IT ALL BACK JERRY VOWED AFTER THIS WE'LL OWN UP THAT YOU KNOW A BULL MOOSE FROM A MULE OR A BUCK DEER EVERY TIME THAT'S GOING TO BE A PRIZE PICTURE ALL RIGHT THOSE LAST WORDS FROM FRANK MADE WILL VERY PROUD


I'M DONE EATING ANNOUNCED BLUFF COULDN'T CRAM ANOTHER BITE DOWN AFTER SEEING THAT PICTURE JERRY PROCLAIMED AS HE DARTED OVER TO THE CORNER WHERE HIS RIFLE STOOD AND BEGAN TO BUCKLE ON THE WEBBED BELT FILLED WITH CARTRIDGES


WEAR YOUR SWEATERS AND BE SURE YOUR WOOLEN GLOVES ARE IN YOUR POCKETS CAUTIONED WEATHER WISE FRANK HE HOVERED ABOUT THE PAIR AND CONSTANTLY WARNED THEM AGAINST CARELESSNESS I HOPE YOU GET THAT BIG MOOSE HE TOLD THEM AS THEY ALL PUSHED OUTDOORS


WE WOULD FEEL PRETTY SORRY IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO MAR OUR HOLIDAY UP HERE FRANK YOU CAN DEPEND ON US TO BE CAREFUL BLUFF TOLD HIM EARNESTLY BUT FOR GOODNESS SAKE DON'T WORRY ABOUT US


WE'RE NOT THE BABES IN THE WOODS YOU KNOW IF I DO SAY IT MYSELF WE'VE HAD OUR EYETEETH CUT FOR SOME TIME THERE NEVER WAS SUCH A BULLY CHANCE TO GET A BIG MOOSE AND WE WANT TO DO OUR LEVEL BEST LOOK FOR US WHEN WE COME


IF WE DON'T SHOW UP BY NIGHT WHY CHANCES ARE WE FOUND OURSELVES SO FAR AWAY THAT WE CONCLUDED TO MAKE CAMP BLUFF AND JERRY SHOOK HANDS GRAVELY ALL AROUND EVEN WITH TEDDY GOOD LUCK AND I HOPE YOU GET HIM SAID THAT INDIVIDUAL MEANING EVERY WORD


FOR HE HAD ALREADY COME TO CARE A GREAT DEAL FOR THESE JOLLY BOYS WHO HAD BEEN THE MEANS OF HELPING HIM OVER A VERY ROUGH PLACE IN THE ROAD GOT EVERYTHING NOW ASKED BLUFF I SHOULD HOPE SO GRUNTED JERRY


WE'D BE PACK HORSES IF WE TRIED TO CARRY ANY MORE TRUCK ALONG OF COURSE FRANK TOLD THEM LAUGHINGLY


WELL SO LONG BOYS AND WE ALL WISH YOU SUCCESS


HE RECEIVED FROM MISSUS LOWDER ON THE MORNING AFTER HIS VISIT TO KATE THE TELEGRAPHIC EXPRESSION OF A HOPE THAT HE MIGHT BE FREE TO DINE WITH THEM THAT EVENING AND HIS FREEDOM AFFECTED HIM AS FORTUNATE EVEN THOUGH IN SOME DEGREE QUALIFIED BY HER MISSIVE


EXPECTING AMERICAN FRIENDS WHOM I'M SO GLAD TO FIND YOU KNOW HIS KNOWLEDGE OF AMERICAN FRIENDS WAS CLEARLY AN ACCIDENT OF WHICH HE WAS TO TASTE THE FRUIT TO THE LAST BITTERNESS THIS APPREHENSION HOWEVER WE HASTEN TO ADD


ENJOYED FOR HIM IN THE IMMEDIATE EVENT A CERTAIN MERCIFUL SHRINKAGE THE IMMEDIATE EVENT BEING THAT AT LANCASTER GATE FIVE MINUTES AFTER HIS DUE ARRIVAL PRESCRIBED HIM FOR EIGHT THIRTY MISSUS STRINGHAM CAME IN ALONE


THE LONG DAYLIGHT THE POSTPONED LAMPS THE HABIT OF THE HOUR MADE DINNERS LATE AND GUESTS STILL LATER SO THAT PUNCTUAL AS HE WAS HE HAD FOUND MISSUS LOWDER ALONE WITH KATE HERSELF NOT YET IN THE FIELD


HE HAD THUS HAD WITH HER SEVERAL BEWILDERING MOMENTS BEWILDERING BY REASON FAIRLY OF THEIR TACIT INVITATION TO HIM TO BE SUPERNATURALLY SIMPLE THIS WAS EXACTLY GOODNESS KNEW WHAT HE WANTED TO BE


BUT HE HAD NEVER HAD IT SO LARGELY AND FREELY SO SUPERNATURALLY SIMPLY FOR THAT MATTER IMPUTED TO HIM AS OF EASY ACHIEVEMENT IT WAS A PARTICULAR IN WHICH AUNT MAUD APPEARED TO OFFER HERSELF AS AN EXAMPLE APPEARED TO SAY QUITE AGREEABLY


WHAT I WANT OF YOU DON'T YOU SEE IS TO BE JUST EXACTLY AS I AM THE QUANTITY OF THE ARTICLE REQUIRED WAS WHAT MIGHT ESPECIALLY HAVE CAUSED HIM TO STAGGER HE LIKED SO IN GENERAL THE QUANTITIES IN WHICH MISSUS LOWDER DEALT


HE WOULD HAVE LIKED AS WELL TO ASK HER HOW FEASIBLE SHE SUPPOSED IT FOR A POOR YOUNG MAN TO RESEMBLE HER AT ANY POINT BUT HE HAD AFTER ALL SOON ENOUGH PERCEIVED THAT HE WAS DOING AS SHE WISHED BY LETTING HIS WONDER SHOW


JUST A LITTLE AS SILLY HE WAS CONSCIOUS MOREOVER OF A SMALL STRANGE DREAD OF THE RESULTS OF DISCUSSION WITH HER STRANGE TRULY BECAUSE IT WAS HER GOOD NATURE NOT HER ASPERITY THAT HE FEARED ASPERITY MIGHT HAVE MADE HIM ANGRY


IN WHICH THERE WAS ALWAYS A COMFORT GOOD NATURE IN HIS CONDITIONS HAD A TENDENCY TO MAKE HIM ASHAMED WHICH AUNT MAUD INDEED WONDERFULLY LIKING HIM FOR HIMSELF QUITE STRUCK HIM AS HAVING GUESSED TO SPARE HIM THEREFORE SHE ALSO AVOIDED DISCUSSION


SHE KEPT HIM DOWN BY REFUSING TO QUARREL WITH HIM THIS WAS WHAT SHE NOW PROPOSED TO HIM TO ENJOY AND HIS SECRET DISCOMFORT WAS HIS SENSE THAT ON THE WHOLE IT WAS WHAT WOULD BEST SUIT HIM BEING KEPT DOWN WAS A BORE BUT


HIS GREAT DREAD VERILY WAS OF BEING ASHAMED WHICH WAS A THING DISTINCT AND IT MATTERED BUT LITTLE THAT HE WAS ASHAMED OF THAT TOO IT WAS OF THE ESSENCE OF HIS POSITION THAT IN SUCH A HOUSE AS THIS THE TABLES COULD ALWAYS BE TURNED ON HIM


THE PLACE HOWEVER MUFFLED IN CONVENIENCE AND DECORUM CONSTANTLY HUMMED FOR HIM WITH THAT THICK IRONY


AND HE HAD ALREADY SEEN HOW LITTLE AID CAME TO HIM FROM DENOUNCING THE BRIBES AS UGLY IN FORM THAT WAS WHAT THE PRECIOUS METALS THEY ALONE COULD AFFORD TO BE IT WAS VAIN ENOUGH FOR HIM ACCORDINGLY TO TRY TO IMPART A GLOSS TO HIS OWN COMPARATIVE BRUMMAGEM


THE HUMILIATION OF THIS IMPOTENCE WAS PRECISELY WHAT AUNT MAUD SOUGHT TO MITIGATE FOR HIM BY KEEPING HIM DOWN AND AS HER EFFORT TO THAT END HAD DOUBTLESS NEVER YET BEEN SO VISIBLE HE HAD PROBABLY NEVER FELT SO DEFINITELY PLACED IN THE WORLD


AS WHILE HE WAITED WITH HER FOR HER HALF DOZEN OTHER GUESTS SHE WELCOMED HIM GENIALLY BACK FROM THE STATES AS TO HIS VIEW OF WHICH HER FEW QUESTIONS THOUGH NOT COHERENT WERE COMPREHENSIVE


AND HE HAD THE AMUSEMENT OF SEEING IN HER AS THROUGH A CLEAR GLASS THE OUTBREAK OF A PLAN AND THE SUDDEN CONSCIOUSNESS OF A CURIOSITY SHE BECAME AWARE OF AMERICA UNDER HIS EYES AS A POSSIBLE SCENE FOR SOCIAL OPERATIONS


THE IDEA OF A VISIT TO THE WONDERFUL COUNTRY HAD CLEARLY BUT JUST OCCURRED TO HER YET SHE WAS TALKING OF IT AT THE END OF A MINUTE AS HER FAVOURITE DREAM HE DIDN'T BELIEVE IN IT BUT HE PRETENDED TO THIS HELPED HER AS WELL AS ANYTHING ELSE


TO TREAT HIM AS HARMLESS AND BLAMELESS SHE WAS SO ENGAGED WITH THE FURTHER AID OF A COMPLETE ABSENCE OF ALLUSIONS WHEN THE HIGHEST EFFECT WAS GIVEN HER METHOD BY THE BEAUTIFUL ENTRANCE OF KATE THE METHOD THEREFORE RECEIVED SUPPORT ALL ROUND


FOR NO YOUNG MAN COULD HAVE BEEN LESS FORMIDABLE THAN THE PERSON TO THE RELIEF OF WHOSE SHYNESS HER NIECE OSTENSIBLY CAME THE OSTENSIBLE IN KATE STRUCK HIM ALTOGETHER ON THIS OCCASION AS PRODIGIOUS


WHILE SCARCELY LESS PRODIGIOUS FOR THAT MATTER WAS HIS OWN READING ON THE SPOT OF THE RELATION BETWEEN HIS COMPANIONS A RELATION LIGHTED FOR HIM BY THE STRAIGHT LOOK NOT EXACTLY LOVING NOR LINGERING YET SEARCHING AND SOFT


THAT ON THE PART OF THEIR HOSTESS THE GIRL HAD TO RECKON WITH AS SHE ADVANCED IT TOOK HER IN FROM HEAD TO FOOT AND IN DOING SO IT TOLD A STORY THAT MADE POOR DENSHER AGAIN THE LEAST BIT SICK IT MARKED SO SOMETHING WITH WHICH KATE HABITUALLY


AND CONSUMMATELY RECKONED THAT WAS THE STORY THAT SHE WAS ALWAYS FOR HER BENEFICENT DRAGON UNDER ARMS LIVING UP EVERY HOUR BUT ESPECIALLY AT FESTAL HOURS TO THE VALUE MISSUS LOWDER HAD ATTACHED TO HER


HIGH AND FIXED THIS ESTIMATE RULED ON EACH OCCASION AT LANCASTER GATE THE SOCIAL SCENE SO THAT HE NOW RECOGNISED IN IT SOMETHING LIKE THE ARTISTIC IDEA THE PLASTIC SUBSTANCE IMPOSED BY TRADITION BY GENIUS BY CRITICISM


IN RESPECT TO A GIVEN CHARACTER ON A DISTINGUISHED ACTRESS AS SUCH A PERSON WAS TO DRESS THE PART TO WALK TO LOOK TO SPEAK IN EVERY WAY TO EXPRESS THE PART SO ALL THIS WAS WHAT KATE WAS TO DO FOR THE CHARACTER SHE HAD UNDERTAKEN


THINGS ALL PERFECTLY PONDERABLE TO CRITICISM AND THE WAY FOR HER TO MEET CRITICISM WAS EVIDENTLY AT THE START TO BE SURE HER MAKE UP HAD HAD THE LAST TOUCH AND THAT SHE LOOKED AT LEAST NO WORSE THAN USUAL


AUNT MAUD'S APPRECIATION OF THAT TO NIGHT WAS INDEED MANAGERIAL AND THE PERFORMER'S OWN CONTRIBUTION FAIRLY THAT OF THE FAULTLESS SOLDIER ON PARADE DENSHER SAW HIMSELF FOR THE MOMENT AS IN HIS PURCHASED STALL AT THE PLAY


THE WATCHFUL MANAGER WAS IN THE DEPTHS OF A BOX AND THE POOR ACTRESS IN THE GLARE OF THE FOOTLIGHTS BUT SHE PASSED THE POOR PERFORMER HE COULD SEE HOW SHE ALWAYS PASSED HER WIG HER PAINT HER JEWELS EVERY MARK OF HER EXPRESSION IMPECCABLE


AND HER ENTRANCE ACCORDINGLY GREETED WITH THE PROPER ROUND OF APPLAUSE SUCH IMPRESSIONS AS WE THUS NOTE FOR DENSHER COME AND GO IT MUST BE GRANTED IN VERY MUCH LESS TIME THAN NOTATION DEMANDS BUT WE MAY NONE THE LESS MAKE THE POINT THAT THERE WAS STILL FURTHER


TIME AMONG THEM FOR HIM TO FEEL ALMOST TOO SCARED TO TAKE PART IN THE OVATION HE STRUCK HIMSELF AS HAVING LOST FOR THE MINUTE HIS PRESENCE OF MIND SO THAT IN ANY CASE HE ONLY STARED IN SILENCE AT THE OLDER WOMAN'S TECHNICAL CHALLENGE


IT WAS AS IF THE DRAMA IT THUS CAME TO HIM FOR THE FACT OF A DRAMA THERE WAS NO BLINKING WAS BETWEEN THEM THEM QUITE PREPONDERANTLY WITH MERTON DENSHER RELEGATED TO MERE SPECTATORSHIP A PAYING PLACE IN FRONT AND ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE


THIS WAS WHY HIS APPRECIATION HAD TURNED FOR THE INSTANT TO FEAR HAD JUST TURNED AS WE HAVE SAID TO SICKNESS


THAT THE DISCIPLINED FACE DID OFFER HIM OVER THE FOOTLIGHTS AS HE BELIEVED THE SMALL GLEAM FINE FAINT BUT EXQUISITE OF A SPECIAL INTELLIGENCE SO MIGHT A PRACTISED PERFORMER EVEN WHEN RAKED BY DOUBLE BARRELLED GLASSES SEEM TO BE ALL IN HER PART


AND YET CONVEY A SIGN TO THE PERSON IN THE HOUSE SHE LOVED BEST THE DRAMA AT ALL EVENTS AS DENSHER SAW IT MEANWHILE WENT ON AMPLIFIED SOON ENOUGH BY THE ADVENT OF TWO OTHER GUESTS STRAY GENTLEMEN BOTH STRAGGLERS IN THE ROUT OF THE SEASON


WHO VISIBLY PRESENTED THEMSELVES TO KATE DURING THE NEXT MOMENTS AS SUBJECTS FOR A LIKE IMPERSONAL TREATMENT AND SHARERS IN A LIKE USUAL MERCY AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SOCIAL COURSE THEY DISPLAYED IN RESPECT TO THE FIGURE


THAT EACH IN HIS WAY MADE ONE THE EXPANSIVE THE OTHER THE CONTRACTILE EFFECT OF THE PERFECT WHITE WAISTCOAT A SCRATCH COMPANY OF TWO INNOCUOUS YOUTHS AND A PACIFIED VETERAN WAS THEREFORE WHAT NOW OFFERED ITSELF TO MISSUS STRINGHAM


HER COMPANION AT THE LAST MOMENT HAD BEEN INDISPOSED POSITIVELY NOT WELL ENOUGH AND SO HAD PACKED HER OFF INSISTENTLY WITH EXCUSES WITH WILD REGRETS


THIS CIRCUMSTANCE OF THEIR CHARMING FRIEND'S ILLNESS WAS THE FIRST THING KATE TOOK UP WITH DENSHER ON THEIR BEING ABLE AFTER DINNER


NATURALLY AS SHE CALLED IT WHICH WASN'T WHAT HE DID TOGETHER BUT IT WAS ALREADY AS IF THE YOUNG MAN HAD BY AN ODD IMPRESSION THROUGHOUT THE MEAL


MISSUS LOWDER HAD MADE DEAR MILLY THE TOPIC AND IT PROVED ON THE SPOT A TOPIC AS FAMILIAR TO THE ENTHUSIASTIC YOUNGER AS TO THE SAGACIOUS OLDER MAN ANY KNOWLEDGE THEY MIGHT LACK MISSUS LOWDER'S NIECE WAS MOREOVER ALERT TO SUPPLY


WHILE DENSHER HIMSELF WAS FREELY APPEALED TO AS THE MOST PRIVILEGED AFTER ALL OF THE GROUP WASN'T IT HE WHO HAD IN A MANNER INVENTED THE WONDERFUL CREATURE THROUGH HAVING SEEN HER FIRST CAUGHT HER IN HER NATIVE JUNGLE HADN'T HE MORE OR LESS PAVED THE WAY


FOR HER BY HIS PROMPT RECOGNITION OF HER RARITY BY PRECEDING HER IN A FRIENDLY SPIRIT AS HE HAD THE EAR OF SOCIETY WITH A SHARP FLASHLIGHT OR TWO HE MET POOR DENSHER THESE ENQUIRIES AS HE COULD


LISTENING WITH INTEREST YET WITH DISCOMFORT WINCING IN PARTICULAR DRY JOURNALIST AS HE WAS TO FIND IT SEEMINGLY SUPPOSED OF HIM THAT HE HAD PUT HIS PEN OH HIS PEN AT THE SERVICE OF PRIVATE DISTINCTION THE EAR OF SOCIETY


THEY WERE TALKING OR ALMOST AS IF HE HAD PUBLICLY PARAGRAPHED A MODEST YOUNG LADY THEY DREAMT DREAMS IN TRUTH HE APPEARED TO PERCEIVE THAT FAIRLY WAKED HIM UP AND HE SETTLED HIMSELF IN HIS PLACE


BOTH TO RESIST HIS EMBARRASSMENT AND TO CATCH THE FULL REVELATION HIS EMBARRASSMENT CAME NATURALLY FROM THE FACT THAT IF HE COULD CLAIM NO CREDIT FOR MISS THEALE'S SUCCESS SO NEITHER COULD HE GRACEFULLY INSIST ON HIS NOT HAVING BEEN CONCERNED WITH HER


MISSUS LOWDER HAD WONDERS TO TELL OF IT THE TWO WEARERS OF THE WAISTCOAT EITHER WITH SINCERITY OR WITH HYPOCRISY PROFESSED IN THE MATTER AN EQUAL EXPERTNESS AND DENSHER AT LAST SEEMED TO KNOW HIMSELF IN PRESENCE OF A SOCIAL CASE


IT WAS MISSUS STRINGHAM OBVIOUSLY WHOSE TESTIMONY WOULD HAVE BEEN MOST INVOKED HADN'T SHE BEEN AS HER FRIEND'S REPRESENTATIVE RATHER CONFINED TO THE FUNCTION OF INHALING THE INCENSE SO THAT KATE


WHO TREATED HER BEAUTIFULLY SMILING AT HER CHEERING AND CONSOLING HER ACROSS THE TABLE APPEARED BENEVOLENTLY BOTH TO SPEAK AND TO INTERPRET FOR HER KATE SPOKE AS IF SHE WOULDN'T PERHAPS UNDERSTAND THEIR WAY OF APPRECIATING MILLY


BUT WOULD LET THEM NONE THE LESS IN JUSTICE TO THEIR GOOD WILL EXPRESS IT IN THEIR COARSER FASHION DENSHER HIMSELF WASN'T UNCONSCIOUS IN RESPECT TO THIS OF A CERTAIN BROAD BROTHERHOOD WITH MISSUS STRINGHAM WONDERING INDEED WHILE HE FOLLOWED THE TALK HOW


IT MIGHT MOVE AMERICAN NERVES HE HAD ONLY HEARD OF THEM BEFORE BUT IN HIS RECENT TOUR HE HAD CAUGHT THEM IN THE REMARKABLE FACT AND THERE WAS NOW A MOMENT OR TWO WHEN IT CAME TO HIM THAT HE HAD PERHAPS AND NOT IN THE WAY OF AN ESCAPE


TAKEN A LESSON FROM THEM THEY QUIVERED CLEARLY THEY HUMMED AND DRUMMED THEY LEAPED AND BOUNDED IN MISSUS STRINGHAM'S TYPICAL ORGANISM THIS LADY STRIKING HIM AS BEFORE ALL THINGS EXCITED AS IN THE NATIVE PHRASE KEYED UP


TO A PERCEPTION OF MORE ELEMENTS IN THE OCCASION THAN HE WAS HIMSELF ABLE TO COUNT SHE WAS ACCESSIBLE TO SIDES OF IT HE IMAGINED THAT WERE AS YET OBSCURE TO HIM FOR THOUGH SHE UNMISTAKEABLY REJOICED AND SOARED


HER LITTLE DRY NEW ENGLAND BRIGHTNESS HE HAD SAMPLED ALL THE SHADES OF THE AMERICAN COMPLEXITY IF COMPLEXITY IT WERE HAD ITS ACTUAL REASONS FOR FINDING RELIEF MOST IN SILENCE


SO THAT BEFORE THE SUBJECT WAS CHANGED HE PERCEIVED WITH SURPRISE AT THE OTHERS THAT THEY HAD GIVEN HER ENOUGH OF IT


HAD REALLY NOT MADE IN HER OWN COUNTRY THE MARK SHE HAD CHALKED SO LARGE IN LONDON


WHILE HE SCARCE KNEW IF HE WERE THE MORE IMPRESSED WITH HER LAUNCHING IT UNDER MISSUS STRINGHAM'S NOSE OR WITH HER HOPE THAT HE WOULD ALLOW TO LONDON THE HONOUR OF DISCOVERY THE LESS EXPANSIVE OF THE WHITE WAISTCOATS PROPOUNDED THE THEORY THAT THEY SAW IN LONDON


FOR ALL THAT WAS SAID MUCH FURTHER THAN IN THE STATES IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME HE URGED THAT THEY HAD TAUGHT THE AMERICANS TO APPRECIATE ESPECIALLY WHEN IT WAS FUNNY SOME NATIVE PRODUCT


BUT IT MIGHT VERY WELL BE THAT NEW YORK IN HAVING HER TO SHOW HADN'T BEEN AWARE OF ITS LUCK THERE WERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WERE NOTHING OVER THERE AND YET WERE AWFULLY TAKEN UP IN ENGLAND JUST AS TO MAKE THE BALANCE RIGHT THANK GOODNESS


THEY SOMETIMES SENT OUT BEAUTIES AND CELEBRITIES WHO LEFT THE BRITON COLD THE BRITON'S TEMPERATURE IN TRUTH WASN'T TO BE CALCULATED A FORMULATION OF THE MATTER THAT WAS NOT REACHED


SHE ANNOUNCED THAT IF THE POINT OF VIEW FOR A PROPER ADMIRATION OF HER YOUNG FRIEND HAD SEEMED TO FAIL A LITTLE IN NEW YORK THERE WAS NO MANNER OF DOUBT OF HER HAVING CARRIED BOSTON BY STORM


IT POINTED THE MORAL THAT BOSTON FOR THE FINER TASTE LEFT NEW YORK NOWHERE AND THE GOOD LADY AS THE EXPONENT OF THIS DOCTRINE WHICH SHE SET FORTH AT A CERTAIN LENGTH MADE OBVIOUSLY TO DENSHER'S MIND HER NEAREST APPROACH TO SUPPLYING


THE WEIRDNESS IN WHICH MILLY'S ABSENCE HAD LEFT THEM DEFICIENT SHE MADE IT INDEED EFFECTIVE FOR HIM BY SUDDENLY ADDRESSING HIM YOU KNOW NOTHING SIR BUT NOT THE LEAST LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY FRIEND


HE HADN'T PRETENDED HE DID BUT THERE WAS A PURITY OF REPROACH IN MISSUS STRINGHAM'S FACE AND TONE A PURITY CHARGED APPARENTLY WITH SOLEMN MEANINGS SO THAT FOR A LITTLE SMALL AS HAD BEEN HIS CLAIM HE COULDN'T BUT FEEL THAT SHE EXAGGERATED


BUT WHILE DOING SO HE DEFENDED HIMSELF I CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW ENORMOUSLY MUCH BEYOND HER HAVING BEEN MOST KIND TO ME IN NEW YORK AS A POOR BEWILDERED AND NEWLY LANDED ALIEN


AND MY HAVING TREMENDOUSLY APPRECIATED IT TO WHICH HE ADDED HE SCARCE KNEW WHY WHAT HAD AN IMMEDIATE SUCCESS REMEMBER MISSUS STRINGHAM THAT YOU WEREN'T THEN PRESENT AH THERE YOU ARE SAID KATE WITH MUCH GAY EXPRESSION


THOUGH WHAT IT EXPRESSED HE FAILED AT THE TIME TO MAKE OUT YOU WEREN'T PRESENT THEN DEAREST MISSUS LOWDER RICHLY CONCURRED YOU DON'T KNOW SHE CONTINUED WITH MELLOW GAIETY HOW FAR THINGS MAY HAVE GONE


IT MADE THE LITTLE WOMAN HE COULD SEE REALLY LOSE HER HEAD SHE HAD MORE THINGS IN THAT HEAD THAN ANY OF THEM IN ANY OTHER UNLESS PERHAPS IT WERE KATE WHOM HE FELT AS INDIRECTLY WATCHING HIM DURING THIS FOOLISH PASSAGE


AND BECAUSE OF THE FOOLISHNESS NOT TO MEET HER EYES HE MET MISSUS STRINGHAM'S WHICH AFFECTED HIM WITH HER HE COULD ON OCCASION CLEAR IT UP A SENSE PRODUCED BY THE MUTE COMMUNION BETWEEN THEM AND


REALLY THE BEGINNING AS THE EVENT WAS TO SHOW OF SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY IT WAS EVEN ALREADY A LITTLE THE EFFECT OF THIS COMMUNION THAT MISSUS STRINGHAM PERCEPTIBLY FALTERED IN HER RETORT TO MISSUS LOWDER'S JOKE


OH IT'S PRECISELY MY POINT THAT MISTER DENSHER CAN'T HAVE HAD VAST OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN SHE SMILED AT HIM I WASN'T AWAY YOU KNOW LONG IT MADE EVERYTHING IN THE ODDEST WAY IN THE WORLD IMMEDIATELY RIGHT FOR HIM


AND I WASN'T THERE LONG EITHER HE POSITIVELY SAW WITH IT THAT NOTHING FOR HIM SO FAR AS SHE WAS CONCERNED WOULD AGAIN BE WRONG SHE'S BEAUTIFUL BUT I DON'T SAY SHE'S EASY TO KNOW


AS IF NOW TO KEEP WELL WITH HIM HE ASKED NOTHING BETTER SHE WAS OFF WITH YOU TO THESE PARTS BEFORE I KNEW IT I MYSELF WAS OFF TOO AWAY OFF TO WONDERFUL PARTS WHERE I HAD ENDLESSLY MORE TO SEE


BUT YOU DIDN'T FORGET HER AUNT MAUD INTERPOSED WITH ALMOST MENACING ARCHNESS


SHE'LL THANK YOU FOR THAT SIR SAID MISSUS STRINGHAM WITH A FLUSHED FIRMNESS YET DOESN'T SILENCE IN SUCH A CASE AUNT MAUD BLANDLY ENQUIRED VERY OFTEN QUITE PROVE THE DEPTH OF THE IMPRESSION


HE WOULD HAVE BEEN AMUSED HADN'T HE BEEN SLIGHTLY DISPLEASED AT ALL THEY SEEMED DESIROUS TO FASTEN ON HIM WELL THE IMPRESSION WAS AS DEEP AS YOU LIKE BUT I REALLY WANT MISS THEALE TO KNOW HE PURSUED FOR MISSUS STRINGHAM THAT I DON'T FIGURE BY ANY CONSENT OF MY OWN


KATE CAME TO HIS ASSISTANCE IF ASSISTANCE IT WAS BEFORE THEIR FRIEND HAD HAD TIME TO MEET THIS CHARGE YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT HER NOT BEING EASY TO KNOW ONE SEES HER WITH INTENSITY SEES HER MORE THAN ONE SEES ALMOST ANY ONE BUT THEN ONE DISCOVERS


THAT THAT ISN'T KNOWING HER AND THAT ONE MAY KNOW BETTER A PERSON WHOM ONE DOESN'T SEE AS I SAY HALF SO MUCH THE DISCRIMINATION WAS INTERESTING BUT IT BROUGHT THEM BACK TO THE FACT OF HER SUCCESS AND IT WAS AT THAT COMPARATIVELY GROSS CIRCUMSTANCE


NOW SO FULLY PLACED BEFORE THEM THAT MILLY'S ANXIOUS COMPANION SAT AND LOOKED LOOKED VERY MUCH AS SOME SPECTATOR IN AN OLD TIME CIRCUS MIGHT HAVE WATCHED THE ODDITY OF A CHRISTIAN MAIDEN IN THE ARENA MILDLY CARESSINGLY MARTYRED


IT WAS THE NOSING AND FUMBLING NOT OF LIONS AND TIGERS BUT OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS LET LOOSE AS FOR THE JOKE EVEN THE JOKE MADE MISSUS STRINGHAM UNEASY AND HER MUTE COMMUNION WITH DENSHER TO WHICH WE HAVE ALLUDED


HE WONDERED AFTERWARDS IF KATE HAD MADE THIS OUT THOUGH IT WAS NOT INDEED TILL MUCH LATER ON THAT HE FOUND HIMSELF IN THOUGHT DIVIDING THE THINGS SHE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONSCIOUS OF FROM THE THINGS SHE MUST HAVE MISSED


IF SHE ACTUALLY MISSED AT ANY RATE MISSUS STRINGHAM'S DISCOMFORT THAT BUT SHOWED HOW HER OWN IDEA HELD HER HER OWN IDEA WAS BY INSISTING ON THE FACT OF THE GIRL'S PROMINENCE AS A FEATURE OF THE SEASON'S END


TO KEEP DENSHER IN RELATION FOR THE REST OF THEM BOTH TO PRESENT AND TO PAST IT'S EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THAT MAKES YOU NATURALLY A LITTLE SHY ABOUT HER YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE BUT WE DO WE'VE SEEN IT AND FOLLOWED IT


WE'VE A LITTLE BEEN OF IT THE GREAT THING FOR HIM AT THIS AS KATE GAVE IT WAS IN FACT QUITE IRRESISTIBLY THAT THE CASE WAS A REAL ONE THE KIND OF THING THAT WHEN ONE'S PATIENCE WAS SHORTER THAN ONE'S CURIOSITY


ONE HAD VAGUELY TAKEN FOR POSSIBLE IN LONDON BUT IN WHICH ONE HAD NEVER BEEN EVEN TO THIS SMALL EXTENT CONCERNED THE LITTLE AMERICAN'S SUDDEN SOCIAL ADVENTURE HER HAPPY AND NO DOUBT HARMLESS FLOURISH


HAD PROBABLY BEEN FAVOURED BY SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BUT IT HAD BEEN FAVOURED ABOVE ALL BY THE SIMPLE SPRING BOARD OF THE SCENE BY ONE OF THOSE COMMON CAPRICES OF THE NUMBERLESS FOOLISH FLOCK GREGARIOUS MOVEMENTS AS INSCRUTABLE


AS OCEAN CURRENTS THE HUDDLED HERD HAD DRIFTED TO HER BLINDLY IT MIGHT AS BLINDLY HAVE DRIFTED AWAY


BUT THE GREAT REASON WAS PROBABLY THE ABSENCE AT THE MOMENT OF A LARGER LION THE BIGGER BEAST WOULD COME AND THE SMALLER WOULD THEN INCONTINENTLY VANISH IT WAS AT ALL EVENTS CHARACTERISTIC


AND WHAT WAS OF THE ESSENCE OF IT WAS GRIST TO HIS SCRIBBLING MILL MATTER FOR HIS JOURNALISING HAND THAT HAND ALREADY IN INTENTION PLAYED OVER IT THE MOTIVE AS A SIGN OF THE SEASON A FEATURE OF THE TIME OF THE PURELY EXPEDITIOUS


AND ROUGH AND TUMBLE NATURE OF THE SOCIAL BOOM THE BOOM AS IN ITSELF REQUIRED THAT WOULD BE THE NOTE THE SUBJECT OF THE PROCESS A COMPARATIVELY MINOR QUESTION ANYTHING WAS BOOMABLE ENOUGH WHEN NOTHING ELSE WAS MORE SO


THE AUTHOR OF THE ROTTEN BOOK THE BEAUTY WHO WAS NO BEAUTY THE HEIRESS WHO WAS ONLY THAT THE STRANGER WHO WAS FOR THE MOST PART SAVED FROM BEING INCONVENIENTLY STRANGE BUT BY BEING INCONVENIENTLY FAMILIAR


THE CREATURE IN FINE AS TO WHOM SPANGLES OR SPOTS OF ANY SUFFICIENTLY MARKED AND EXHIBITED SORT COULD BE LOUDLY ENOUGH PREDICATED


AND THE TONE OF SOCIETY WENT SO FAR AS TO MAKE HIM TAKE UP AGAIN HIS SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE HE HAD SUPPOSED HIMSELF CIVILISED BUT IF THIS WAS CIVILISATION ONE COULD SMOKE ONE'S PIPE OUTSIDE WHEN TWADDLE WAS WITHIN


HE HAD RATHER AVOIDED AS WE HAVE REMARKED KATE'S EYES BUT THERE CAME A MOMENT WHEN HE WOULD FAIRLY HAVE LIKED TO PUT IT ACROSS THE TABLE TO HER I SAY LIGHT OF MY LIFE IS THIS THE GREAT WORLD


THERE CAME ANOTHER IT MUST BE ADDED AND DOUBTLESS AS A RESULT OF SOMETHING THAT OVER THE CLOTH DID HANG BETWEEN THEM WHEN SHE STRUCK HIM AS HAVING QUITE ANSWERED DEAR NO FOR WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME


NOT THE LEAST LITTLE BIT ONLY A POOR SILLY THOUGH QUITE HARMLESS IMITATION WHAT SHE MIGHT HAVE PASSED FOR SAYING HOWEVER WAS PRACTICALLY MERGED IN WHAT SHE DID SAY FOR SHE CAME OVERTLY TO HIS AID VERY MUCH AS IF GUESSING SOME OF HIS THOUGHTS


SHE ENUNCIATED TO RELIEVE HIS BEWILDERMENT THE OBVIOUS TRUTH THAT YOU COULDN'T LEAVE LONDON FOR THREE MONTHS AT THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AND COME BACK TO FIND YOUR FRIENDS JUST WHERE THEY WERE AS THEY HAD OF COURSE BEEN JIGGING AWAY


THEY MIGHT WELL BE SO RED IN THE FACE THAT YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THEM SHE RECONCILED IN FINE HIS DISCLAIMER ABOUT MILLY WITH THAT HONOUR OF HAVING DISCOVERED HER WHICH IT WAS VAIN FOR HIM MODESTLY TO SHIRK HE HAD UNEARTHED HER


BUT IT WAS THEY ALL OF THEM TOGETHER WHO HAD DEVELOPED HER SHE WAS ALWAYS A CHARMER ONE OF THE GREATEST EVER SEEN BUT SHE WASN'T THE PERSON HE HAD BACKED


DENSHER WAS TO FEEL SURE AFTERWARDS THAT KATE HAD HAD IN THESE PLEASANTRIES NO CONSCIOUS ABOVE ALL NO INSOLENT PURPOSE OF MAKING LIGHT OF POOR SUSAN SHEPHERD'S PROPERTY IN THEIR YOUNG FRIEND WHICH PROPERTY BY SUCH REMARKS


WAS VERY MUCH PUSHED TO THE WALL BUT HE WAS ALSO TO KNOW THAT MISSUS STRINGHAM HAD SECRETLY RESENTED THEM MISSUS STRINGHAM HOLDING THE OPINION OF WHICH HE WAS ULTIMATELY TO HAVE A GLIMPSE THAT ALL THE KATE CROYS IN CHRISTENDOM WERE BUT DUST FOR THE FEET OF HER MILLY


THAT IT WAS TRUE WOULD BE WHAT SHE MUST REVEAL ONLY WHEN DRIVEN TO HER LAST ENTRENCHMENTS AND WELL CORNERED IN HER PASSION THE RARE PASSION OF FRIENDSHIP THE SOLE PASSION OF HER LITTLE LIFE SAVE THE ONE OTHER MORE IMPERTURBABLY CEREBRAL


SHE SLIPPED IN THE OBSERVATION THAT HER MILLY WAS INCAPABLE OF CHANGE WAS JUST EXACTLY ON THE CONTRARY


SHE WAS PERFECTLY KIND TO SUSIE IT WAS AS IF SHE POSITIVELY KNEW HER AS HANDICAPPED FOR ANY DISAGREEMENT BY FEELING THAT SHE KATE HAD TYPE AND BY BEING COMMITTED TO ADMIRATION OF TYPE


KATE HAD OCCASION SUBSEQUENTLY SHE FOUND IT SOMEHOW TO MENTION TO OUR YOUNG MAN MILLY'S HAVING SPOKEN TO HER OF THIS VIEW ON THE GOOD LADY'S PART SHE WOULD LIKE MILLY HAD HAD IT FROM HER TO PUT KATE CROY IN A BOOK AND SEE WHAT SHE COULD SO DO WITH HER


CHOP ME UP FINE OR SERVE ME WHOLE IT WAS A WAY OF BEING GOT AT THAT KATE PROFESSED SHE DREADED IT WOULD BE MISSUS STRINGHAM'S HOWEVER SHE UNDERSTOOD BECAUSE MISSUS STRINGHAM ODDLY FELT


THAT WITH SUCH STUFF AS THE STRANGE ENGLISH GIRL WAS MADE OF STUFF THAT IN SPITE OF MAUD MANNINGHAM WHO WAS FULL OF SENTIMENT SHE HAD NEVER KNOWN THERE WAS NONE OTHER TO BE EMPLOYED THESE THINGS WERE OF LATER EVIDENCE


YET DENSHER MIGHT EVEN THEN HAVE FELT THEM IN THE AIR THEY WERE PRACTICALLY IN IT ALREADY WHEN KATE WAIVING THE QUESTION OF HER FRIEND'S CHEMICAL CHANGE WOUND UP WITH THE COMPARATIVELY UNOBJECTIONABLE PROPOSITION THAT HE MUST NOW HAVING MISSED SO MUCH


TAKE THEM ALL UP ON TRUST FURTHER ON HE MET IT PEACEFULLY A LITTLE PERHAPS AS AN EXAMPLE TO MISSUS STRINGHAM OH AS FAR ON AS YOU LIKE THIS EVEN HAD ITS EFFECT MISSUS STRINGHAM APPROPRIATED AS MUCH OF IT AS MIGHT BE MEANT FOR HERSELF


ATTEMPTS TO PRESERVE THE SYSTEM THAT SMALL FROGS AND TOADS FOR INSTANCE NEVER HAVE FALLEN FROM THE SKY BUT WERE ON THE GROUND IN THE FIRST PLACE OR THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SUCH FALLS UP FROM ONE PLACE IN A WHIRLWIND AND DOWN IN ANOTHER


WERE THERE SOME ESPECIALLY FROGGY PLACE NEAR EUROPE AS THERE IS AN ESPECIALLY SANDY PLACE THE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION WOULD OF COURSE BE THAT ALL SMALL FROGS FALLING FROM THE SKY IN EUROPE COME FROM THAT CENTER OF FROGEITY TO START WITH


I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE SOMETHING THAT I AM PERMITTED TO SEE BECAUSE I AM STILL PRIMITIVE OR INTELLIGENT OR IN A STATE OF MALADJUSTMENT


OF A FALL OF TADPOLES FROM THE SKY AS TO THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE


THE WRITER SAYS THAT ALL OBSERVERS WERE MISTAKEN THAT THE FROGS OR TOADS MUST HAVE FALLEN FROM TREES OR OTHER PLACES OVERHEAD TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF LITTLE TOADS ONE OR TWO MONTHS OLD


THAT WERE SEEN TO FALL FROM A GREAT THICK CLOUD THAT APPEARED SUDDENLY IN A SKY THAT HAD BEEN CLOUDLESS AUGUST EIGHTEEN O FOUR NEAR TOULOUSE FRANCE ACCORDING TO A LETTER FROM PROFESSOR PONTUS TO M ARAGO


MANY INSTANCES OF FROGS THAT WERE SEEN TO FALL FROM THE SKY


AS TO HAVING BEEN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE


JULY THIRTIETH EIGHTEEN THIRTY EIGHT


LITTLE TOADS FOUND IN A DESERT AFTER A RAINFALL NOTES AND QUERIES


TO START WITH I DO NOT DENY POSITIVELY THE CONVENTIONAL EXPLANATION OF UP AND DOWN I THINK THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SUCH OCCURRENCES I OMIT MANY NOTES THAT I HAVE UPON INDISTINGUISHABLES


IN THE LONDON TIMES JULY FOURTH EIGHTEEN EIGHTY THREE THERE IS AN ACCOUNT OF A SHOWER OF TWIGS AND LEAVES AND TINY TOADS IN A STORM UPON THE SLOPES OF THE APENNINES THESE MAY HAVE BEEN THE EJECTAMENTA OF A WHIRLWIND I ADD HOWEVER


THAT I HAVE NOTES UPON TWO OTHER FALLS OF TINY TOADS IN EIGHTEEN EIGHTY THREE ONE IN FRANCE AND ONE IN TAHITI ALSO OF FISH IN SCOTLAND BUT IN THE PHENOMENON OF THE APENNINES THE MIXTURE SEEMS TO ME TO BE TYPICAL OF THE PRODUCTS OF A WHIRLWIND


THE OTHER INSTANCES SEEM TO ME TO BE TYPICAL OF SOMETHING LIKE MIGRATION THEIR GREAT NUMBERS AND THEIR HOMOGENEITY OVER AND OVER IN THESE ANNALS OF THE DAMNED OCCURS THE DATUM OF SEGREGATION


BUT A WHIRLWIND IS THOUGHT OF AS A CONDITION OF CHAOS QUASI CHAOS


MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW JULY EIGHTEEN EIGHTY ONE A SMALL POND IN THE TRACK OF THE CLOUD WAS SUCKED DRY THE WATER BEING CARRIED OVER THE ADJOINING FIELDS TOGETHER WITH A LARGE QUANTITY OF SOFT MUD WHICH WAS SCATTERED OVER THE GROUND FOR HALF A MILE AROUND


BUT HERE ARE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF A SCOOP IN THE EXCLUSIONIST IMAGINATION THERE IS NO REGARD FOR MUD DEBRIS FROM THE BOTTOM OF A POND FLOATING VEGETATION LOOSE THINGS FROM THE SHORES BUT A PRECISE PICKING OUT OF FROGS ONLY


OF ALL INSTANCES I HAVE THAT ATTRIBUTE THE FALL OF SMALL FROGS OR TOADS TO WHIRLWINDS ONLY ONE DEFINITELY IDENTIFIES OR PLACES THE WHIRLWIND ALSO AS HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE A POND GOING UP WOULD BE QUITE AS INTERESTING AS FROGS COMING DOWN


WHIRLWINDS WE READ OF OVER AND OVER BUT WHERE AND WHAT WHIRLWIND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ANYBODY WHO HAD LOST A POND WOULD BE HEARD FROM IN SYMONS METEOROLOGICAL MAGAZINE


A FALL OF SMALL FROGS NEAR BIRMINGHAM ENGLAND JUNE THIRTIETH EIGHTEEN NINETY TWO IS ATTRIBUTED TO A SPECIFIC WHIRLWIND BUT NOT A WORD AS TO ANY SPECIAL POND THAT HAD CONTRIBUTED


AND SOMETHING THAT STRIKES MY ATTENTION HERE IS THAT THESE FROGS ARE DESCRIBED AS ALMOST WHITE I'M AFRAID THERE IS NO ESCAPE FOR US WE SHALL HAVE TO GIVE TO CIVILIZATION UPON THIS EARTH SOME NEW WORLDS PLACES WITH WHITE FROGS IN THEM


IN SPITE OF ALL WE THINK WE KNOW OF THE ACCELERATIVE VELOCITY OF FALLING BODIES AND HAVE PROPAGATED WHY THE EXOTIC BECOMES THE INDIGENOUS OR FROM THE STRANGEST OF PLACES WE'D EXPECT THE FAMILIAR OR


IF HOSTS OF LIVING FROGS HAVE COME HERE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE EVERY LIVING THING UPON THIS EARTH MAY ANCESTRALLY HAVE COME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE I FIND THAT I HAVE ANOTHER NOTE UPON A SPECIFIC HURRICANE


AFTER ONE OF THE GREATEST HURRICANES IN THE HISTORY OF IRELAND SOME FISH WERE FOUND AS FAR AS FIFTEEN YARDS FROM THE EDGE OF A LAKE HAVE ANOTHER THIS IS A GOOD ONE FOR THE EXCLUSIONISTS FALL OF FISH IN PARIS SAID THAT A NEIGHBORING POND HAD BEEN BLOWN DRY


DATE NOT GIVEN BUT I HAVE SEEN IT RECORDED SOMEWHERE ELSE THE BEST KNOWN FALL OF FISHES FROM THE SKY IS THAT WHICH OCCURRED AT MOUNTAIN ASH


FEBRUARY ELEVENTH EIGHTEEN FIFTY NINE THE EDITOR OF THE ZOOLOGIST


HAVING PUBLISHED A REPORT OF A FALL OF FISHES WRITES I AM CONTINUALLY RECEIVING SIMILAR ACCOUNTS OF FROGS AND FISHES BUT IN ALL THE VOLUMES OF THE ZOOLOGIST I CAN FIND ONLY TWO REPORTS OF SUCH FALLS THERE IS NOTHING TO CONCLUDE


OTHER THAN THAT HOSTS OF DATA HAVE BEEN LOST BECAUSE ORTHODOXY DOES NOT LOOK FAVORABLY UPON SUCH REPORTS THE MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW RECORDS SEVERAL FALLS OF FISHES IN THE UNITED STATES


NEVERTHELESS THE TREATMENT BY THE ZOOLOGIST OF THE FALL REPORTED FROM MOUNTAIN ASH IS FAIR FIRST APPEARS


VICAR OF ABEDARE ASSERTING THAT THE FALL HAD OCCURRED CHIEFLY UPON THE PROPERTY OF MISTER NIXON OF MOUNTAIN ASH


OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM BRISTLING WITH EXCLUSIONISM WRITES THAT SOME OF THESE FISHES WHICH HAD BEEN SENT TO HIM ALIVE WERE VERY YOUNG MINNOWS HE SAYS ON READING THE EVIDENCE IT SEEMS TO ME MOST PROBABLY ONLY A PRACTICAL JOKE


THE EDITOR SAYS THAT ONE WAS A MINNOW AND THAT THE REST WERE STICKLEBACKS HE SAYS THAT DOCTOR GRAY'S EXPLANATION IS NO DOUBT RIGHT BUT


HE PUBLISHES A LETTER FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT WHO APOLOGIZES FOR OPPOSING SO HIGH AN AUTHORITY AS DOCTOR GRAY BUT SAYS THAT HE HAD OBTAINED SOME OF THESE FISHES FROM PERSONS WHO LIVED AT A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE APART


OR CONSIDERABLY OUT OF RANGE OF THE PLAYFUL PAIL OF WATER ACCORDING TO THE ANNUAL REGISTER


THE FISHES THEMSELVES HAD FALLEN BY PAILFULS IF THESE FISHES WERE NOT UPON THE GROUND IN THE FIRST PLACE WE BASE OUR OBJECTIONS TO THE WHIRLWIND EXPLANATION UPON TWO DATA THAT THEY FELL IN NO SUCH DISTRIBUTION AS ONE COULD ATTRIBUTE TO THE DISCHARGE OF A WHIRLWIND


THAT TEN MINUTES LATER ANOTHER FALL OF FISHES OCCURRED UPON THIS SAME NARROW STRIP OF LAND EVEN ARGUING THAT A WHIRLWIND MAY STAND STILL AXIALLY IT DISCHARGES TANGENTIALLY WHEREVER THE FISHES CAME FROM IT DOES NOT SEEM THINKABLE


THAT SOME COULD HAVE FALLEN AND THAT OTHERS COULD HAVE WHIRLED EVEN A TENTH OF A MINUTE THEN FALLING DIRECTLY AFTER THE FIRST TO FALL BECAUSE OF THESE EVIL CIRCUMSTANCES THE BEST ADAPTATION WAS TO LAUGH THE WHOLE THING OFF


VERY YOUNG MINNOWS HAD BEEN CAUGHT UP IN THE LONDON TIMES MARCH SECOND EIGHTEEN FIFTY NINE IS A LETTER FROM MISTER AARON ROBERTS CURATE OF SAINT PETER'S CARMATHON IN THIS LETTER


BUT THERE IS SOME QUESTION OF SPECIES I THINK MYSELF THAT THEY WERE MINNOWS AND STICKLEBACKS SOME PERSONS THINKING THEM TO BE SEA FISHES PLACED THEM IN SALT WATER ACCORDING TO MISTER ROBERTS


SOME WERE PLACED IN FRESH WATER THESE SEEMED TO THRIVE WELL AS TO NARROW DISTRIBUTION WE ARE TOLD THAT THE FISHES FELL IN AND ABOUT THE PREMISES OF MISTER NIXON IT WAS NOT OBSERVED AT THE TIME THAT ANY FISH FELL IN ANY OTHER PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD


SAVE IN THE PARTICULAR SPOT MENTIONED IN THE LONDON TIMES MARCH TENTH EIGHTEEN FIFTY NINE VICAR GRIFFITH WRITES AN ACCOUNT THE ROOFS OF SOME HOUSES WERE COVERED WITH THEM


IN THIS LETTER IT IS SAID THAT THE LARGEST FISHES WERE FIVE INCHES LONG AND THAT THESE DID NOT SURVIVE THE FALL REPORT OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION


THE EVIDENCE OF THE FALL OF FISH ON THIS OCCASION WAS VERY CONCLUSIVE A SPECIMEN OF THE FISH WAS EXHIBITED


LEIRUS GASTEROSTEUS IS THE STICKLEBACK ALTOGETHER I THINK WE HAVE NOT A SENSE OF TOTAL PERDITION


IN WHICH WERE THOUSANDS OF FISHES FOUR OR FIVE INCHES LONG SOME OF WHICH COVERED ROOFS OF HOUSES AND SOME OF WHICH REMAINED TEN MINUTES IN THE AIR BY WAY OF CONTRAST WE OFFER OUR OWN ACCEPTANCE THAT THE BOTTOM OF A SUPER GEOGRAPHICAL POND HAD DROPPED OUT


I HAVE A GREAT MANY NOTES UPON THE FALL OF FISHES DESPITE THE DIFFICULTY THESE RECORDS HAVE IN GETTING THEMSELVES PUBLISHED BUT I PICK OUT THE INSTANCES THAT ESPECIALLY RELATE TO OUR SUPER GEOGRAPHICAL ACCEPTANCES


THAT HAVE FALLEN WITH A DISTRIBUTION NARROWER THAN IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A WHIRLWIND THAT HAVE FALLEN FOR A CONSIDERABLE LENGTH OF TIME UPON THE SAME NARROW AREA OF LAND THESE THREE FACTORS INDICATE SOMEWHERE NOT FAR ALOFT


A REGION OF INERTNESS TO THIS EARTH'S GRAVITATION OF COURSE HOWEVER A REGION THAT BY THE FLUX AND VARIATION OF ALL THINGS MUST AT TIMES BE SUSCEPTIBLE BUT AFTERWARD OUR HERESY WILL BIFURCATE


IN AMIABLE ACCOMMODATION TO THE CRUCIFIXION IT'LL GET I THINK BUT SO IMPRESSED ARE WE WITH THE DATUM THAT THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN MANY REPORTS OF SMALL FROGS THAT HAVE FALLEN FROM THE SKY


THAT TO THESE CIRCUMSTANCES ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT MUST BE MADE APART FROM OUR THREE FACTORS OF INDICATION AN EXTRAORDINARY OBSERVATION IS THE FALL OF LIVING THINGS WITHOUT INJURY TO THEM


SOMETHING ELSE APART FROM OUR THREE MAIN INTERESTS IS A PHENOMENON THAT LOOKS LIKE WHAT ONE MIGHT CALL AN ALTERNATING SERIES OF FALLS OF FISHES WHATEVER THE SIGNIFICANCE MAY BE


JULY EIGHTEEN TWENTY FOUR LIVING AGE


FIFESHIRE SCOTLAND SUMMER OF EIGHTEEN TWENTY FOUR


MORADABAD INDIA JULY EIGHTEEN TWENTY SIX LIVING AGE


ROSS SHIRE SCOTLAND EIGHTEEN TWENTY EIGHT


MORADABAD INDIA JULY TWENTIETH EIGHTEEN TWENTY NINE


FERIDPOOR INDIA FEBRUARY NINETEENTH EIGHTEEN THIRTY


DISREGARDING SERIAL SIGNIFICANCE OR MECHANICAL UNINTELLIGENT REPULSIVE REFLEX IS THAT THE FISHES OF INDIA DID NOT FALL FROM THE SKY THAT THEY WERE FOUND UPON THE GROUND AFTER TORRENTIAL RAINS BECAUSE STREAMS HAD OVERFLOWED AND HAD THEN RECEDED


IN THE REGION OF INERTNESS THAT WE THINK WE CAN CONCEIVE OF OR A ZONE THAT IS TO THIS EARTH'S GRAVITATION VERY MUCH LIKE THE NEUTRAL ZONE OF A MAGNET'S ATTRACTION WE ACCEPT THAT THERE ARE BODIES OF WATER AND ALSO CLEAR SPACES BOTTOMS OF PONDS DROPPING OUT


REMAIN AND DRY OR EVEN PUTREFY THEN SOMETIMES FALLING BY ATMOSPHERIC DISLODGMENT AFTER A TREMENDOUS DELUGE OF RAIN ONE OF THE HEAVIEST FALLS ON RECORD


JULY TWENTY FIFTH EIGHTEEN FIFTY


THE WORD FOUND IS AGREEABLE TO THE REPULSIONS OF THE CONVENTIONALISTS AND THEIR CONCEPT OF AN OVERFLOWING STREAM BUT ACCORDING TO DOCTOR BUIST SOME OF THESE FISHES WERE FOUND ON THE TOPS OF HAYSTACKS FERREL


TELLS OF A FALL OF LIVING FISHES SOME OF THEM HAVING BEEN PLACED IN A TANK WHERE THEY SURVIVED THAT OCCURRED IN INDIA ABOUT TWENTY MILES SOUTH OF CALCUTTA SEPTEMBER TWENTIETH EIGHTEEN THIRTY NINE A WITNESS OF THIS FALL SAYS


THE MOST STRANGE THING WHICH EVER STRUCK ME WAS THAT THE FISH DID NOT FALL HELTER SKELTER OR HERE AND THERE BUT THEY FELL IN A STRAIGHT LINE NOT MORE THAN A CUBIT IN BREADTH


THAT ACCORDING TO TESTIMONY TAKEN BEFORE A MAGISTRATE A FALL OCCURRED FEBRUARY NINETEENTH EIGHTEEN THIRTY NEAR FERIDPOOR INDIA OF MANY FISHES OF VARIOUS SIZES SOME WHOLE AND FRESH AND OTHERS MUTILATED AND PUTREFYING


OR TO THOSE WHO HOLD OUT FOR SEGREGATION IN A WHIRLWIND OR THAT OBJECTS SAY TWICE AS HEAVY AS OTHERS WOULD BE SEPARATED FROM THE LIGHTER WE POINT OUT THAT SOME OF THESE FISHES WERE TWICE AS HEAVY AS OTHERS IN THE JOURNAL OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL


SOME OF THE FISH WERE FRESH BUT OTHERS WERE ROTTEN AND WITHOUT HEADS AMONG THE NUMBER WHICH I GOT FIVE WERE FRESH AND THE REST STINKING AND HEADLESS THEY REMIND US OF HIS GRACE'S OBSERVATION OF SOME PAGES BACK


ACCORDING TO DOCTOR BUIST SOME OF THESE FISHES WEIGHED ONE AND A HALF POUNDS EACH AND OTHERS THREE POUNDS A FALL OF FISHES AT FUTTEPOOR INDIA MAY SIXTEENTH EIGHTEEN THIRTY THREE THEY WERE ALL DEAD AND DRY


A CORRESPONDENT WRITES FROM THE DOVE MARINE LABORATORY CUTTERCOATS ENGLAND THAT AT HINDON A SUBURB OF SUNDERLAND AUGUST TWENTY FOURTH NINETEEN EIGHTEEN HUNDREDS OF SMALL FISHES IDENTIFIED AS SAND EELS HAD FALLEN


AGAIN THE SMALL AREA ABOUT SIXTY BY THIRTY YARDS THE FALL OCCURRED DURING A HEAVY RAIN THAT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THUNDER


BUT BY NO VISIBLE LIGHTNING THE SEA IS CLOSE TO HINDON BUT IF YOU TRY TO THINK OF THESE FISHES HAVING DESCRIBED A TRAJECTORY IN A WHIRLWIND FROM THE OCEAN CONSIDER THIS REMARKABLE DATUM THAT


ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE FALL UPON THIS SMALL AREA OCCUPIED TEN MINUTES I CANNOT THINK OF A CLEARER INDICATION OF A DIRECT FALL FROM A STATIONARY SOURCE AND


THE FISH WERE ALL DEAD AND INDEED STIFF AND HARD WHEN PICKED UP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE OCCURRENCE BY ALL OF WHICH I MEAN THAT WE HAVE ONLY BEGUN TO PILE UP OUR DATA OF THINGS THAT FALL FROM A STATIONARY SOURCE OVERHEAD


WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE UP THE SUBJECT FROM MANY APPROACHES BEFORE OUR ACCEPTANCE WHICH SEEMS QUITE AS RIGOROUSLY ARRIVED AT AS EVER HAS BEEN A BELIEF CAN EMERGE FROM THE ACCURSED I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE HORSE AND THE BARN WILL HELP US TO EMERGE


BUT IF EVER ANYTHING DID GO UP FROM THIS EARTH'S SURFACE AND STAY UP THOSE DAMNED THINGS MAY HAVE MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW MAY EIGHTEEN SEVENTY EIGHT IN A TORNADO IN WISCONSIN MAY TWENTY THIRD EIGHTEEN SEVENTY EIGHT


A BARN AND A HORSE WERE CARRIED COMPLETELY AWAY AND NEITHER HORSE NOR BARN NOR ANY PORTION OF EITHER HAVE SINCE BEEN FOUND AFTER THAT WHICH WOULD BE A LITTLE STRONG WERE IT NOT FOR A STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN OUR DIGESTIONS THAT I NOTE AS WE GO ALONG


THERE IS LITTLE OF THE BIZARRE OR THE UNASSIMILABLE IN THE TURTLE THAT HOVERED SIX MONTHS OR SO OVER A SMALL TOWN IN MISSISSIPPI MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW MAY EIGHTEEN NINETY FOUR


FELL A SMALL PIECE OF ALABASTER THAT AT BOVINA EIGHT MILES FROM VICKSBURG FELL A GOPHER TURTLE THEY FELL IN A HAILSTORM THIS ITEM WAS WIDELY COPIED AT THE TIME FOR INSTANCE NATURE


AS TO DISCUSSION NOT A WORD OR SCIENCE AND ITS CONTINUITY WITH PRESBYTERIANISM DATA LIKE THIS ARE DAMNED AT BIRTH THE WEATHER REVIEW DOES SPRINKLE OR BAPTIZE OR ATTEMPT TO SAVE THIS INFANT


BUT IN ALL THE METEOROLOGICAL LITERATURE THAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH AFTER THAT DATE NOT A WORD EXCEPT MENTION ONCE OR TWICE THE EDITOR OF THE REVIEW SAYS


AN EXAMINATION OF THE WEATHER MAP SHOWS THAT THESE HAILSTORMS OCCUR ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF A REGION OF COLD NORTHERLY WINDS AND WERE BUT A SMALL PART OF A SERIES OF SIMILAR STORMS


OF ALL INCREDIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM I GIVE FIRST PLACE TO A NOTION OF A WHIRLWIND POUNCING UPON A REGION


THIS TIME THE OTHER MECHANICAL THING THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE CANNOT RISE IN RESPONSE TO ITS STIMULUS IT IS RESISTED IN THAT THESE OBJECTS WERE COATED WITH ICE MONTH OF MAY IN A SOUTHERN STATE IF A WHIRLWIND AT ALL


THERE MUST HAVE BEEN VERY LIMITED SELECTION THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE FALL OF OTHER OBJECTS BUT THERE IS NO ATTEMPT IN THE REVIEW TO SPECIFY A WHIRLWIND THESE STRANGELY ASSOCIATED THINGS WERE REMARKABLY SEPARATED THEY FELL EIGHT MILES APART


THEN AS IF THERE WERE REAL REASONING THEY MUST HAVE BEEN HIGH TO FALL WITH SUCH DIVERGENCE OR ONE OF THEM MUST HAVE BEEN CARRIED PARTLY HORIZONTALLY EIGHT MILES FARTHER THAN THE OTHER BUT EITHER SUPPOSITION ARGUES FOR POWER MORE THAN THAT OF A LOCAL WHIRL OR GUST


OR ARGUES FOR A GREAT SPECIFIC DISTURBANCE OF WHICH THERE IS NO RECORD FOR THE MONTH OF MAY EIGHTEEN NINETY FOUR


THEN I THINK OF A HURRICANE THAT OCCURRED IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI WEEKS OR MONTHS BEFORE MAY ELEVENTH EIGHTEEN NINETY FOUR NO I DON'T LOOK FOR IT AND INEVITABLY FIND IT OR THAT THINGS CAN GO UP SO HIGH IN HURRICANES THAT THEY STAY UP INDEFINITELY


BUT MAY AFTER A WHILE BE SHAKEN DOWN BY STORMS


SO THEN THAT THE TURTLE AND THE PIECE OF ALABASTER MAY HAVE HAD FAR DIFFERENT ORIGINS FROM DIFFERENT WORLDS PERHAPS HAVE ENTERED A REGION OF SUSPENSION OVER THIS EARTH WAFTING NEAR EACH OTHER LONG DURATION


FINAL PRECIPITATION BY ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCE WITH HAIL OR THAT HAILSTONES TOO WHEN LARGE ARE PHENOMENA OF SUSPENSION OF LONG DURATION THAT IT IS HIGHLY UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE VERY LARGE ONES COULD BECOME SO GREAT ONLY IN FALLING FROM THE CLOUDS


LONG DURATION OTHER INDICATIONS OF LONG DURATION I THINK OF A REGION SOMEWHERE ABOVE THIS EARTH'S SURFACE IN WHICH GRAVITATION IS INOPERATIVE AND IS NOT GOVERNED BY THE SQUARE OF THE DISTANCE


QUITE AS MAGNETISM IS NEGLIGIBLE AT A VERY SHORT DISTANCE FROM A MAGNET THEORETICALLY THE ATTRACTION OF A MAGNET SHOULD DECREASE WITH THE SQUARE OF THE DISTANCE BUT THE FALLING OFF IS FOUND TO BE ALMOST ABRUPT AT A SHORT DISTANCE


HORSES AND BARNS AND ELEPHANTS AND FLIES AND DODOES MOAS AND PTERODACTYLS LEAVES FROM MODERN TREES AND LEAVES OF THE CARBONIFEROUS ERA ALL HOWEVER TENDING TO DISINTEGRATE INTO HOMOGENEOUS LOOKING MUDS OR DUSTS


RED OR BLACK OR YELLOW TREASURE TROVES FOR THE PALAEONTOLOGISTS AND FOR THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS ACCUMULATIONS OF CENTURIES CYCLONES OF EGYPT GREECE AND ASSYRIA FISHES DRIED AND HARD THERE A SHORT TIME OTHERS THERE LONG ENOUGH TO PUTREFY


BUT THE OMNIPRESENCE OF HETEROGENEITY OR LIVING FISHES ALSO PONDS OF FRESH WATER OCEANS OF SALT WATER AS TO THE LAW OF GRAVITATION I PREFER TO TAKE ONE SIMPLE STAND


ORTHODOXY ACCEPTS THE CORRELATION AND EQUIVALENCE OF FORCES GRAVITATION IS ONE OF THESE FORCES ALL OTHER FORCES HAVE PHENOMENA OF REPULSION AND OF INERTNESS IRRESPECTIVE OF DISTANCE AS WELL AS OF ATTRACTION


BUT NEWTONIAN GRAVITATION ADMITS ATTRACTION ONLY THEN NEWTONIAN GRAVITATION CAN BE ONLY ONE THIRD ACCEPTABLE EVEN TO THE ORTHODOX OR THERE IS DENIAL OF THE CORRELATION AND EQUIVALENCE OF FORCES OR STILL SIMPLER HERE ARE THE DATA


THOUGH IT HARMONIZES WITH DATA OF FISHES THAT FALL AS IF FROM A STATIONARY SOURCE AND OF COURSE WITH OTHER DATA TOO IS INADEQUATE TO ACCOUNT FOR TWO PECULIARITIES OF THE FALLS OF FROGS THAT NEVER HAS A FALL OF TADPOLES BEEN REPORTED


THAT NEVER HAS A FALL OF FULL GROWN FROGS BEEN REPORTED ALWAYS FROGS A FEW MONTHS OLD IT SOUNDS POSITIVE BUT IF THERE BE SUCH REPORTS THEY ARE SOMEWHERE OUT OF MY RANGE OF READING BUT TADPOLES WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO FALL FROM THE SKY THAN WOULD FROGS


LITTLE OR BIG IF SUCH FALLS BE ATTRIBUTED TO WHIRLWINDS AND MORE LIKELY TO FALL FROM THE SUPER SARGASSO SEA IF THOUGH VERY TENTATIVELY AND PROVISIONALLY WE ACCEPT THE SUPER SARGASSO SEA


BEFORE WE TAKE UP AN ESPECIAL EXPRESSION UPON THE FALL OF IMMATURE AND LARVAL FORMS OF LIFE TO THIS EARTH AND THE NECESSITY THEN OF CONCEIVING OF SOME FACTOR BESIDES MERE STATIONARINESS OR SUSPENSION OR STAGNATION


THERE ARE OTHER DATA THAT ARE SIMILAR TO DATA OF FALLS OF FISHES SCIENCE GOSSIP


THAT SMALL SNAILS OF A LAND SPECIES HAD FALLEN NEAR REDRUTH CORNWALL JULY EIGHTH EIGHTEEN EIGHTY SIX DURING A HEAVY THUNDERSTORM ROADS AND FIELDS STREWN WITH THEM SO THAT THEY WERE GATHERED UP BY THE HATFUL


NONE SEEN TO FALL BY THE WRITER OF THIS ACCOUNT SNAILS SAID TO BE QUITE DIFFERENT TO ANY PREVIOUSLY KNOWN IN THIS DISTRICT


OF GREAT AND DESERVED REPUTE I THOUGHT I SHOULD FOR ONCE LIKE TO TRACE THE ORIGIN OF ONE OF THESE FABULOUS TALES OUR OWN ACCEPTANCE IS THAT JUSTICE CANNOT BE IN AN INTERMEDIATE EXISTENCE


IN WHICH THERE CAN BE APPROXIMATION ONLY TO JUSTICE OR TO INJUSTICE THAT TO BE FAIR IS TO HAVE NO OPINION AT ALL THAT TO BE HONEST IS TO BE UNINTERESTED THAT TO INVESTIGATE IS TO ADMIT PREJUDICE THAT NOBODY HAS EVER REALLY INVESTIGATED ANYTHING


BUT HAS ALWAYS SOUGHT POSITIVELY TO PROVE OR TO DISPROVE SOMETHING THAT WAS CONCEIVED OF OR SUSPECTED IN ADVANCE AS I SUSPECTED SAYS THIS CORRESPONDENT I FOUND THAT THE SNAILS WERE OF A FAMILIAR LAND SPECIES THAT THEY HAD BEEN UPON THE GROUND


IN THE FIRST PLACE HE FOUND THAT THE SNAILS HAD APPEARED AFTER THE RAIN THAT ASTONISHED RUSTICS HAD JUMPED TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THEY HAD FALLEN HE MET ONE PERSON WHO SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN THE SNAILS FALL THIS WAS HIS ERROR SAYS THE INVESTIGATOR


IN SUCH QUANTITIES THAT THEY WERE SHOVELED UP IT IS SAID THAT THE SNAILS MAY BE CONSIDERED AS A LOCAL SPECIES


AND THAT IN HIS OPINION THEY HAD BEEN UPON THE GROUND IN THE FIRST PLACE BUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME UNUSUAL CONDITION ALOFT COMES OUT IN HIS OBSERVATION UPON THE CURIOUS AZURE BLUE APPEARANCE OF THE SUN AT THE TIME


THAT ACCORDING TO DAS WETTER DECEMBER EIGHTEEN NINETY TWO UPON AUGUST NINTH EIGHTEEN NINETY TWO A YELLOW CLOUD APPEARED OVER PADERBORN GERMANY FROM THIS CLOUD FELL A TORRENTIAL RAIN IN WHICH WERE HUNDREDS OF MUSSELS


THERE IS NO MENTION OF WHATEVER MAY HAVE BEEN UPON THE GROUND IN THE FIRST PLACE NOR OF A WHIRLWIND LIZARDS


THAT DURING A HEAVY SHOWER JULY THIRD EIGHTEEN SIXTY HE HEARD A PECULIAR SOUND AT HIS FEET AND LOOKING DOWN SAW A SNAKE LYING AS IF STUNNED BY A FALL IT THEN CAME TO LIFE GRAY SNAKE ABOUT A FOOT LONG


THESE DATA HAVE ANY MEANING OR LACK OF MEANING OR DEGREE OF DAMNATION YOU PLEASE BUT IN THE MATTER OF THE FALL THAT OCCURRED AT MEMPHIS TENNESSEE OCCUR SOME STRONG SIGNIFICANCES


OUR QUASI REASONING UPON THIS SUBJECT APPLIES TO ALL SEGREGATIONS SO FAR CONSIDERED MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW JANUARY FIFTEENTH EIGHTEEN SEVENTY SEVEN THAT


RATHER STRICTLY LOCALIZED OR IN A SPACE OF TWO BLOCKS AND AFTER A VIOLENT STORM IN WHICH THE RAIN FELL IN TORRENTS SNAKES WERE FOUND THEY WERE CRAWLING ON SIDEWALKS IN YARDS AND IN STREETS AND IN MASSES


BUT NONE WERE FOUND ON ROOFS OR ANY OTHER ELEVATION ABOVE GROUND AND NONE WERE SEEN TO FALL IF YOU PREFER TO BELIEVE THAT THE SNAKES HAD ALWAYS BEEN THERE OR HAD BEEN UPON THE GROUND IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THAT IT WAS ONLY THAT SOMETHING OCCURRED TO CALL SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THEM


IN THE STREETS OF MEMPHIS JANUARY FIFTEENTH EIGHTEEN SEVENTY SEVEN WHY THAT'S SENSIBLE THAT'S THE COMMON SENSE THAT HAS BEEN AGAINST US FROM THE FIRST IT IS NOT SAID WHETHER THE SNAKES WERE OF A KNOWN SPECIES OR NOT


AND HAD NOT BEEN IN THE STREETS CRAWLING LOOSE OR IN THICK TANGLED MASSES IN THE FIRST PLACE IF WE TRY TO ACCEPT THAT THESE SNAKES HAD BEEN RAISED FROM SOME OTHER PART OF THIS EARTH'S SURFACE IN A WHIRLWIND IF WE TRY TO ACCEPT THAT A WHIRLWIND COULD SEGREGATE THEM


STONES FENCE RAILS LIMBS OF TREES SAY THAT THE SNAKES OCCUPIED THE NEXT GRADATION AND WOULD BE THE NEXT TO FALL


AGAIN OURS IS THE OBJECTION AGAINST SUCH SELECTIVENESS BY A WHIRLWIND CONCEIVABLY A WHIRLWIND COULD SCOOP OUT A DEN OF HIBERNATING SNAKES WITH STONES AND EARTH AND AN INFINITUDE OF OTHER DEBRIS SNATCHING UP DOZENS OF SNAKES


I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TO A DEN HUNDREDS MAYBE BUT ACCORDING TO THE ACCOUNT OF THIS OCCURRENCE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF THEM ALIVE FROM ONE FOOT TO EIGHTEEN INCHES IN LENGTH


RECORDS THE FALL AND SAYS THAT THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF THEM THE USUAL WHIRLWIND EXPLANATION IS GIVEN BUT IN WHAT LOCALITY SNAKES EXIST IN SUCH ABUNDANCE IS YET A MYSTERY THIS MATTER OF ENORMOUSNESS OF NUMBERS


SUGGESTS TO ME SOMETHING OF A MIGRATORY NATURE BUT THAT SNAKES IN THE UNITED STATES DO NOT MIGRATE IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY IF EVER AS TO FALLS OR FLUTTERINGS OF WINGED INSECTS FROM THE SKY PREVAILING NOTIONS OF SWARMING WOULD SEEM EXPLANATORY ENOUGH


FALL OF FISHES JUNE THIRTEENTH EIGHTEEN EIGHTY NINE IN HOLLAND ANTS AUGUST FIRST EIGHTEEN EIGHTY NINE STRASBOURG LITTLE TOADS AUGUST SECOND EIGHTEEN EIGHTY NINE SAVOY


FALL OF ANTS CAMBRIDGE ENGLAND SUMMER OF EIGHTEEN SEVENTY FOUR SOME WERE WINGLESS


ENORMOUS FALL OF ANTS NANCY FRANCE JULY TWENTY FIRST EIGHTEEN EIGHTY SEVEN MOST OF THEM WERE WINGLESS


EVERY PROMISE OF THE SOUL HAS INNUMERABLE FULFILMENTS EACH OF ITS JOYS RIPENS INTO A NEW WANT NATURE UNCONTAINABLE FLOWING FORELOOKING


IN THE FIRST SENTIMENT OF KINDNESS ANTICIPATES ALREADY A BENEVOLENCE WHICH SHALL LOSE ALL PARTICULAR REGARDS IN ITS GENERAL LIGHT THE INTRODUCTION TO THIS FELICITY IS IN A PRIVATE AND TENDER RELATION OF ONE TO ONE WHICH IS THE ENCHANTMENT OF HUMAN LIFE


UNITES HIM TO HIS RACE PLEDGES HIM TO THE DOMESTIC AND CIVIC RELATIONS CARRIES HIM WITH NEW SYMPATHY INTO NATURE ENHANCES THE POWER OF THE SENSES OPENS THE IMAGINATION ADDS TO HIS CHARACTER HEROIC AND SACRED ATTRIBUTES


ESTABLISHES MARRIAGE AND GIVES PERMANENCE TO HUMAN SOCIETY THE NATURAL ASSOCIATION OF THE SENTIMENT OF LOVE WITH THE HEYDAY OF THE BLOOD SEEMS TO REQUIRE THAT IN ORDER TO PORTRAY IT IN VIVID TINTS WHICH EVERY YOUTH AND MAID SHOULD CONFESS TO BE TRUE TO THEIR THROBBING EXPERIENCE


ONE MUST NOT BE TOO OLD THE DELICIOUS FANCIES OF YOUTH REJECT THE LEAST SAVOR OF A MATURE PHILOSOPHY AS CHILLING WITH AGE AND PEDANTRY THEIR PURPLE BLOOM


AND THEREFORE I KNOW I INCUR THE IMPUTATION OF UNNECESSARY HARDNESS AND STOICISM FROM THOSE WHO COMPOSE THE COURT AND PARLIAMENT OF LOVE BUT FROM THESE FORMIDABLE CENSORS I SHALL APPEAL TO MY SENIORS


FOR IT IS TO BE CONSIDERED THAT THIS PASSION OF WHICH WE SPEAK THOUGH IT BEGIN WITH THE YOUNG YET FORSAKES NOT THE OLD OR RATHER SUFFERS NO ONE WHO IS TRULY ITS SERVANT TO GROW OLD


GLOWS AND ENLARGES UNTIL IT WARMS AND BEAMS UPON MULTITUDES OF MEN AND WOMEN UPON THE UNIVERSAL HEART OF ALL AND SO LIGHTS UP THE WHOLE WORLD AND ALL NATURE WITH ITS GENEROUS FLAMES


ONLY IT IS TO BE HOPED THAT BY PATIENCE AND THE MUSES AID WE MAY ATTAIN TO THAT INWARD VIEW OF THE LAW WHICH SHALL DESCRIBE A TRUTH EVER YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL SO CENTRAL THAT IT SHALL COMMEND ITSELF TO THE EYE AT WHATEVER ANGLE BEHOLDEN


AND THE FIRST CONDITION IS THAT WE MUST LEAVE A TOO CLOSE AND LINGERING ADHERENCE TO FACTS AND STUDY THE SENTIMENT AS IT APPEARED IN HOPE AND NOT IN HISTORY FOR EACH MAN SEES HIS OWN LIFE DEFACED AND DISFIGURED


WHICH HAVE GIVEN HIM SINCEREST INSTRUCTION AND NOURISHMENT HE WILL SHRINK AND MOAN ALAS I KNOW NOT WHY BUT INFINITE COMPUNCTIONS EMBITTER IN MATURE LIFE THE REMEMBRANCES OF BUDDING JOY AND COVER EVERY BELOVED NAME


DWELL CARE AND CANKER AND FEAR WITH THOUGHT WITH THE IDEAL IS IMMORTAL HILARITY THE ROSE OF JOY ROUND IT ALL THE MUSES SING BUT GRIEF CLEAVES TO NAMES AND PERSONS AND THE PARTIAL INTERESTS OF TO DAY AND YESTERDAY


THE STRONG BENT OF NATURE IS SEEN IN THE PROPORTION WHICH THIS TOPIC OF PERSONAL RELATIONS USURPS IN THE CONVERSATION OF SOCIETY WHAT DO WE WISH TO KNOW OF ANY WORTHY PERSON SO MUCH AS HOW HE HAS SPED IN THE HISTORY OF THIS SENTIMENT


AND WHAT FASTENS ATTENTION IN THE INTERCOURSE OF LIFE LIKE ANY PASSAGE BETRAYING AFFECTION BETWEEN TWO PARTIES PERHAPS WE NEVER SAW THEM BEFORE AND NEVER SHALL MEET THEM AGAIN BUT WE SEE THEM EXCHANGE A GLANCE OR BETRAY A DEEP EMOTION AND WE ARE NO LONGER STRANGERS


IT IS THE DAWN OF CIVILITY AND GRACE IN THE COARSE AND RUSTIC THE RUDE VILLAGE BOY TEASES THE GIRLS ABOUT THE SCHOOL HOUSE DOOR BUT TO DAY HE COMES RUNNING INTO THE ENTRY AND MEETS ONE FAIR CHILD DISPOSING HER SATCHEL


HE HOLDS HER BOOKS TO HELP HER AND INSTANTLY IT SEEMS TO HIM AS IF SHE REMOVED HERSELF FROM HIM INFINITELY AND WAS A SACRED PRECINCT AMONG THE THRONG OF GIRLS HE RUNS RUDELY ENOUGH BUT ONE ALONE DISTANCES HIM


FOR PERSONS ARE LOVE'S WORLD AND THE COLDEST PHILOSOPHER CANNOT RECOUNT THE DEBT OF THE YOUNG SOUL WANDERING HERE IN NATURE TO THE POWER OF LOVE WITHOUT BEING TEMPTED TO UNSAY AS TREASONABLE TO NATURE AUGHT DEROGATORY TO THE SOCIAL INSTINCTS


YET THE REMEMBRANCE OF THESE VISIONS OUTLASTS ALL OTHER REMEMBRANCES AND IS A WREATH OF FLOWERS ON THE OLDEST BROWS BUT HERE IS A STRANGE FACT IT MAY SEEM TO MANY MEN IN REVISING THEIR EXPERIENCE


THAT THEY HAVE NO FAIRER PAGE IN THEIR LIFE'S BOOK THAN THE DELICIOUS MEMORY OF SOME PASSAGES WHEREIN AFFECTION CONTRIVED TO GIVE A WITCHCRAFT SURPASSING THE DEEP ATTRACTION OF ITS OWN TRUTH TO A PARCEL OF ACCIDENTAL AND TRIVIAL CIRCUMSTANCES


NO MAN EVER FORGOT THE VISITATIONS OF THAT POWER TO HIS HEART AND BRAIN WHICH CREATED ALL THINGS ANEW WHICH WAS THE DAWN IN HIM OF MUSIC POETRY AND ART WHICH MADE THE FACE OF NATURE RADIANT WITH PURPLE LIGHT


THE MORNING AND THE NIGHT VARIED ENCHANTMENTS WHEN A SINGLE TONE OF ONE VOICE COULD MAKE THE HEART BOUND AND THE MOST TRIVIAL CIRCUMSTANCE ASSOCIATED WITH ONE FORM IS PUT IN THE AMBER OF MEMORY


WHEN NO PLACE IS TOO SOLITARY AND NONE TOO SILENT FOR HIM WHO HAS RICHER COMPANY AND SWEETER CONVERSATION IN HIS NEW THOUGHTS THAN ANY OLD FRIENDS THOUGH BEST AND PUREST CAN GIVE HIM FOR THE FIGURES THE MOTIONS


THE WORDS OF THE BELOVED OBJECT ARE NOT LIKE OTHER IMAGES WRITTEN IN WATER BUT AS PLUTARCH SAID ENAMELLED IN FIRE AND MAKE THE STUDY OF MIDNIGHT THOU ART NOT GONE BEING GONE WHERE'ER THOU ART


THY LOVING HEART IN THE NOON AND THE AFTERNOON OF LIFE WE STILL THROB AT THE RECOLLECTION OF DAYS WHEN HAPPINESS WAS NOT HAPPY ENOUGH BUT MUST BE DRUGGED WITH THE RELISH OF PAIN AND FEAR FOR HE TOUCHED THE SECRET OF THE MATTER WHO SAID OF LOVE


ALL OTHER PLEASURES ARE NOT WORTH ITS PAINS AND WHEN THE DAY WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH BUT THE NIGHT TOO MUST BE CONSUMED IN KEEN RECOLLECTIONS WHEN THE HEAD BOILED ALL NIGHT ON THE PILLOW WITH THE GENEROUS DEED IT RESOLVED ON


THE CLOUDS HAVE FACES AS HE LOOKS ON THEM THE TREES OF THE FOREST THE WAVING GRASS AND THE PEEPING FLOWERS HAVE GROWN INTELLIGENT AND HE ALMOST FEARS TO TRUST THEM WITH THE SECRET WHICH THEY SEEM TO INVITE YET NATURE SOOTHES AND SYMPATHIZES


A MIDNIGHT BELL A PASSING GROAN THESE ARE THE SOUNDS WE FEED UPON BEHOLD THERE IN THE WOOD THE FINE MADMAN HE IS A PALACE OF SWEET SOUNDS AND SIGHTS HE DILATES HE IS TWICE A MAN


HE WALKS WITH ARMS AKIMBO HE SOLILOQUIZES HE ACCOSTS THE GRASS AND THE TREES HE FEELS THE BLOOD OF THE VIOLET THE CLOVER AND THE LILY IN HIS VEINS AND HE TALKS WITH THE BROOK THAT WETS HIS FOOT


THE HEATS THAT HAVE OPENED HIS PERCEPTIONS OF NATURAL BEAUTY HAVE MADE HIM LOVE MUSIC AND VERSE IT IS A FACT OFTEN OBSERVED THAT MEN HAVE WRITTEN GOOD VERSES UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF PASSION WHO CANNOT WRITE WELL UNDER ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES


THE LIKE FORCE HAS THE PASSION OVER ALL HIS NATURE IT EXPANDS THE SENTIMENT IT MAKES THE CLOWN GENTLE AND GIVES THE COWARD HEART


INTO THE MOST PITIFUL AND ABJECT IT WILL INFUSE A HEART AND COURAGE TO DEFY THE WORLD SO ONLY IT HAVE THE COUNTENANCE OF THE BELOVED OBJECT IN GIVING HIM TO ANOTHER IT STILL MORE GIVES HIM TO HIMSELF


CHAPTER TWELVE KARA LAY BACK ON HIS DOWN PILLOWS WITH A SNEER ON HIS FACE AND HIS BRAIN VERY BUSY WHAT STARTED THE TRAIN OF THOUGHT HE DID NOT KNOW BUT AT THAT MOMENT HIS MIND WAS VERY FAR AWAY


IT CARRIED HIM BACK A DOZEN YEARS TO A DIRTY LITTLE PEASANT'S CABIN ON THE HILLSIDE OUTSIDE DURAZZO TO THE LIVID FACE OF A YOUNG ALBANIAN CHIEF WHO HAD LOST AT KARA'S WHIM ALL THAT LIFE HELD FOR A MAN


TO THE HATEFUL EYES OF THE GIRL'S FATHER WHO STOOD WITH FOLDED ARMS GLARING DOWN AT THE BOUND AND MANACLED FIGURE ON THE FLOOR TO THE SMOKE STAINED RAFTERS OF THIS PEASANT COTTAGE AND THE DANCING SHADOWS ON THE ROOF


TO THAT TERRIBLE HOUR OF WAITING WHEN HE SAT BOUND TO A POST WITH A CANDLE FLICKERING AND SPLUTTERING LOWER AND LOWER TO THE LITTLE HEAP OF GUNPOWDER THAT WOULD START THE TRAIL TOWARD THE CLUMSY INFERNAL MACHINE UNDER HIS CHAIR


HE REMEMBERED THE DAY WELL BECAUSE IT WAS CANDLEMAS DAY AND THIS WAS THE ANNIVERSARY HE REMEMBERED OTHER THINGS MORE PLEASANT


HE REMEMBERED WITH A SAVAGE JOY THE SPECTACLE OF HIS WOULD BE ASSASSINS TWITCHING AND STRUGGLING ON THE GALLOWS AT PEZARA AND


HAD T X RETURNED HE SLIPPED FROM THE BED AND WENT TO THE DOOR OPENED IT SLIGHTLY AND LISTENED T X WITH A SEARCH WARRANT MIGHT BE A SOURCE OF PANIC ESPECIALLY IF HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS HE HAD SATISFIED T X AND ALLAYED HIS SUSPICIONS