DAILY FAILING THEM AT LENGTH THE SUMMER HEATS AND SUMMER SHOWERS SET IN AND NOW LO AND BEHOLD A GREAT MIRACLE WAS WROUGHT FOR THE RELIEF OF THE NEDERLANDS


FOR IT CAME TO PASS THAT A GREAT CLOUD OF MOSQUITOS AROSE OUT OF THE MARSHY BORDERS OF THE RIVER AND SETTLED UPON THE FORTRESS OF HELSENBURG BEING DOUBTLESS ATTRACTED BY THE SCENT OF THE FRESH BLOOD OF THE SWEDISH GORMANDISERS


NAY IT IS SAID THAT THE BODY OF JAN PRINTZ ALONE


WAS SUFFICIENT TO ATTRACT THE MOSQUITO FROM EVERY PART OF THE COUNTRY FOR SOME TIME THE GARRISON ENDEAVORED TO HOLD OUT BUT IT WAS ALL IN VAIN THE MOSQUITOS PENETRATED INTO EVERY CHINK AND CREVICE AND GAVE THEM NO REST DAY NOR NIGHT


SUCH WAS THE FAMOUS MOSQUITO WAR ON THE DELAWARE OF WHICH GENERAL VAN POFFENBURGH WOULD FAIN HAVE BEEN THE HERO BUT THE DEVOUT PEOPLE OF THE NIEUW NEDERLANDS ALWAYS ASCRIBED THE DISCOMFITURE OF THE SWEDES


TO THE MIRACULOUS INTERVENTION OF SAINT NICHOLAS AS TO THE FORTRESS OF HELSENBURG IT FELL TO RUIN


FROM SOMEWHERE OUT ON THE BLACK HEAVING ATLANTIC THE RAPID MUFFLED POPPING OF A SPEED BOAT'S EXHAUST DRIFTED CLEARLY THROUGH THE NIGHT


THERE WAS REAL ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE RUM RUNNERS SEEKING OUT THEIR HIDDEN PORT WITH THEIR CARGO OF CONTRABAND FROM CUBA HEADING FEARLESSLY THROUGH THE DARKNESS FIGHTING THE HIGH SEAS STILL RUNNING AFTER THE STORM OF A DAY OR SO BEFORE


DARING A THOUSAND DANGERS FOR THE SAKE OF THE STRAW PACKED BOTTLES THEY CARRIED SEA BRONZED MEN WITH HARD FLAT MUSCLES AND FEARLESS EYES READY GUNS SLAPPING THEIR THIGHS AS THEY


ABSORBED IN MY MENTAL PICTURE OF THESE MODERN FREE BOOTERS THE SUDDEN ALARM OF THE TELEPHONE STARTLED ME LIKE AN UNEXPECTED SHOT FIRED BESIDE MY EAR BRUSHING THE CIGARETTE ASHES FROM MY SMOKING JACKET I CROSSED THE ROOM AND SNATCHED UP THE RECEIVER


HELLO I SNAPPED UNGRACIOUSLY INTO THE MOUTHPIECE IT WAS AFTER ELEVEN BY THE SHIP'S CLOCK ON THE MANTEL AND IF TAYLOR THE VOICE WARREN MERCER'S FAMILIAR VOICE


GET IN YOUR CAR AND COME DOWN HERE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE COME JUST AS YOU ARE AND WHAT'S THE MATTER I MANAGED TO INTERRUPT HIM BURGLARS


I HAD NEVER HEARD MERCER SPEAK IN THAT HIGH PITCHED EXCITED VOICE BEFORE HIS USUAL SPEECH WAS SLOW AND THOUGHTFUL ALMOST DIDACTIC


IF IT WEREN'T URGENT I WOULDN'T BE CALLING YOU YOU KNOW WILL YOU COME YOU BET I SAID QUICKLY FEELING RATHER A FOOL FOR RAGGING HIM WHEN HE WAS IN SUCH DEADLY EARNEST HAVE THE RECEIVER SNAPPED AND CRACKLED


USUALLY THE VERY SOUL OF COURTESY AND CONSIDERATION


A MOMENT LATER I WAS OFF THE GRAVELLED DRIVE AND TEARING DOWN THE CONCRETE WITH THE ACCELERATOR ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE BLACK WIND SHRIEKING AROUND THE WINDSHIELD OF MY LITTLE ROADSTER MY OWN SHACK WAS OUT OF THE CITY LIMITS


MERCER PICKED THE PLACE UP FOR ME AT A SONG THE MONSTROSITY WAS SOME FOUR MILES FURTHER OUT FROM TOWN AND OFF THE HIGHWAY PERHAPS A HALF MILE MORE


I MADE THE FOUR MILES IN JUST A SHADE OVER THAT MANY MINUTES AND CLAMPED ON THE BRAKES AS I SAW THE ENTRANCE TO THE LITTLE DRIVE THAT LED TOWARD THE SEA AND MERCER'S ESTATE


WITH GRAVEL RATTLING ON MY FENDERS I TURNED OFF THE CONCRETE AND SWEPT BETWEEN THE TWO MASSIVE STUCCOED PILLARS THAT GUARDED THE DRIVE BOTH OF THEM BORE CORRODED BRONZE PLATES THE BILLOWS THE NAME GIVEN THE MONSTROSITY BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER


A NEWLY RICH MUNITIONS MANUFACTURER THE STRUCTURE ITSELF LOOMED UP BEFORE ME IN A FEW SECONDS A RAMBLING AFFAIR WITH SQUARE SHOULDERED BALCONIES AND A GREAT DEAL OF WROUGHT IRON WORK AFTER THE MOST FLAMBOYANT SPANISH PATTERN IT WAS ABLAZE WITH LIGHT


APPARENTLY EVERY BULB IN THE PLACE WAS BURNING JUST A FEW YARDS BEYOND THE SURF BOOMED HOLLOWLY ON THE SMOOTH SHADY SHORE LITTERED NOW I KNEW BY THE PITIFUL SPOILS OF THE STORM


AS I CLAMPED ON MY BRAKES A SWIFT SHADOW PASSED TWO OF THE LOWER WINDOWS BEFORE I COULD LEAP FROM THE CAR THE BROAD FRONT DOOR WITH ITS ROUNDED TOP AND CIRCULAR GRILLED WINDOW WAS FLUNG WIDE AND MERCER CAME RUNNING TO MEET ME


HE WAS WEARING A BATHROBE HASTILY FLUNG ON OVER A DAMP BATHING SUIT HIS BARE LEGS TERMINATING IN A PAIR OF DISREPUTABLE SLIPPERS FINE TAYLOR HE GREETED ME I SUPPOSE YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT I DON'T BLAME YOU BUT COME IN COME IN


JUST WAIT TILL YOU SEE HER HER I ASKED STARTLED


MERCER HE LAUGHED EXCITEDLY YOU'LL SEE YOU'LL SEE NO I'M NOT IN LOVE AND I WANT YOU TO HELP AND NOT ADMIRE THERE ARE ONLY CARSON AND MYSELF HERE YOU KNOW AND THE JOB'S TOO BIG FOR THE TWO OF US


HE HURRIED ME ACROSS THE BROAD CONCRETE PORCH AND INTO THE HOUSE THROW THE CAP ANYWHERE AND COME ON TOO MUCH AMAZED TO COMMENT FURTHER I FOLLOWED MY FRIEND THIS WAS A WARREN MERCER I DID NOT KNOW


HIS EYES DARK AND LARGE SMILED EASILY AND SHONE WITH INTEREST BUT HIS ALMOST BEAUTIFUL MOUTH BENEATH THE LONG SLIM MUSTACHE ALWAYS CLOSELY CROPPED SELDOM SMILED WITH HIS EYES BUT IT WAS HIS PRESENT EXCITED SPEECH THAT AMAZED ME MOST


MERCER DURING ALL THE YEARS I HAD KNOWN HIM HAD NEVER BEEN MOVED BEFORE TO SUCH TEMPESTUOUS OUTBURSTS OF ENTHUSIASM IT WAS HIS HABIT TO SPEAK SLOWLY AND THOUGHTFULLY IN HIS LOW MUSICAL VOICE EVEN IN THE MIDST OF OUR HOTTEST ARGUMENTS AND WE HAD HAD MANY OF THEM


THE OTHER END OF THE ROOM WAS NEARLY ALL GLASS AND OPENED ONTO THE PATIO AND THE SWIMMING POOL MERCER PAUSED A MOMENT WITH HIS HAND ON THE KNOB OF THE DOOR A STRANGE LIGHT IN HIS DARK EYES NOW YOU'LL SEE WHY I CALLED YOU HERE HE SAID TENSELY


YOU CAN JUDGE FOR YOURSELF WHETHER THE TRIP WAS WORTH WHILE HERE SHE IS WITH A GESTURE HE FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR AND I STARED FOLLOWING HIS GLANCE DOWN AT THE GREAT TILED SWIMMING POOL IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO DESCRIBE THE SCENE


THE PATIO WAS NOT LARGE BUT IT WAS BEAUTIFULLY DONE FLOWERS AND SHRUBS EVEN A FEW SMALL PALMS GREW IN PROFUSION IN THE ENCLOSURE WHILE ABOVE THROUGH THE MOVABLE GLASS ROOF MADE IN SECTIONS TO DISAPPEAR IN FINE WEATHER


WAS THE EMPTY BLACKNESS OF THE SKY NONE OF THE LIGHTS PROVIDED FOR THE ILLUMINATION OF THE COVERED PATIO WAS TURNED ON BUT ALL THE WINDOWS SURROUNDING THE PATIO WERE AGLOW AND I COULD SEE THE POOL QUITE CLEARLY THE POOL AND ITS OCCUPANT


WE WERE STANDING AT ONE SIDE OF THE POOL NEAR THE CENTER DIRECTLY OPPOSITE US SEATED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL WAS A HUMAN FIGURE NUDE SAVE FOR A GREAT MASS OF TAWNY HAIR THAT FELL ABOUT HER LIKE A SILKEN MANTLE


EVEN IN THE SOFT LIGHT I COULD SEE HER PERFECTLY THROUGH THE CLEAR WATER HER PALE BODY OUTLINED SHARPLY AGAINST THE JADE GREEN TILES I TORE MYSELF AWAY FROM THE STARING CURIOUS EYES OF THE FIGURE IN GOD'S NAME MERCER WHAT IS IT


PORCELAIN I ASKED HOARSELY THE THING HAD AN INDESCRIBABLY EERY EFFECT HE LAUGHED WILDLY PORCELAIN WATCH LOOK MY EYES FOLLOWED HIS POINTING FINGER


THE GREAT CLOUD OF CORN COLORED HAIR FLOATED DOWN ABOUT IT FALLING BELOW THE KNEES SLOWLY WITH A GRACE OF MOVEMENT COMPARABLE ONLY WITH THE SLOW SOARING OF A GULL SHE CAME TOWARD ME WALKING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL THROUGH THE CLEAR WATER AS THOUGH SHE FLOATED IN AIR


FASCINATED I WATCHED HER HER EYES STARTLINGLY LARGE AND DARK IN THE STRANGELY WHITE FACE WERE FIXED ON MINE THERE WAS NOTHING SINISTER IN THE GAZE YET I FELT MY BODY SHAKING AS THOUGH IN THE GRIP OF A TERRIBLE FEAR


I TRIED TO LOOK AWAY AND FOUND MYSELF UNABLE TO MOVE I FELT MERCER'S TENSE SUDDEN GRIP UPON MY ARM BUT I DID NOT COULD NOT LOOK AT HIM SHE SHE'S SMILING I HEARD HIM EXCLAIM


HE LAUGHED AN EXCITED HIGH PITCHED LAUGH THAT IRRITATED ME IN SOME SUBTLE WAY SHE WAS SMILING AND LOOKING UP INTO MY EYES SHE WAS VERY CLOSE NOW WITHIN A FEW FEET OF US


AND HER BOSOM RISING AND FALLING BENEATH THE VEIL OF PALE GOLD HAIR SHE WAS BREATHING WATER MERCER LITERALLY JERKED ME AWAY FROM THE EDGE OF THE POOL


HE ASKED HIS DARK EYES DANCING WITH EXCITEMENT TELL ME ABOUT IT I SAID SHAKING MY HEAD DAZEDLY SHE IS NOT HUMAN I DON'T KNOW I THINK SO AS HUMAN AS YOU OR I I'LL TELL YOU ALL I KNOW AND THEN YOU CAN JUDGE FOR YOURSELF


I THINK WE'LL KNOW IN A FEW MINUTES IF MY PLANS WORK OUT BUT FIRST SLIP ON A BATHING SUIT I DIDN'T ARGUE THE MATTER I LET MERCER LEAD ME AWAY WITHOUT A WORD AND WHILE I WAS CHANGING HE TOLD ME ALL HE KNEW OF THE STRANGE CREATURE IN THE POOL


LATE THIS AFTERNOON I DECIDED TO GO FOR A LITTLE WALK ALONG THE BEACH MERCER BEGAN I HAD BEEN WORKING LIKE THE DEVIL SINCE EARLY IN THE MORNING RUNNING SOME TESTS ON WHAT YOU CALL MY THOUGHT TELEGRAPH I FELT THE NEED OF SOME FRESH SEA AIR


I WALKED ALONG BRISKLY FOR PERHAPS FIVE MINUTES


THE SHORE WAS LITTERED WITH ALL SORTS OF FLOTSAM AND JETSAM WASHED UP BY THE BIG STORM AND I WAS JUST THINKING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A MAN WITH A TRUCK COME AND CLEAN UP THE SHORE IN FRONT OF THE PLACE WHEN IN A LITTLE SANDY POOL I SAW HER


SHE WAS LAYING FACE DOWN IN THE WATER MOTIONLESS HER HEAD TOWARDS THE SEA ONE ARM STRETCHED OUT BEFORE HER AND HER LONG HAIR WRAPPED AROUND HER LIKE A HALF TRANSPARENT CLOAK I RAN UP AND LIFTED HER FROM THE WATER HER BODY WAS COLD AND DEATHLY WHITE


AND TOOK THE LIQUOR IN A SINGLE DRAUGHT SHE DID NOT SEEM TO DRINK IT BUT SUCKED IT OUT OF THE GLASS IN A SINGLE AMAZING GULP THAT'S THE ONLY WORD FOR IT


WEBBED I ASKED STARTLED WEBBED NODDED MERCER SOLEMNLY AS ARE HER FEET BUT LISTEN TAYLOR I WAS AMAZED AND NOT A LITTLE RATTLED WHEN SHE CAME FOR ME


I RAN THROUGH THE FRENCH WINDOWS OUT INTO THE PATIO FOR A MOMENT SHE RAN AFTER ME RATHER AWKWARDLY AND HEAVILY BUT SWIFTLY NEVERTHELESS THEN SHE SAW THE POOL APPARENTLY FORGETTING THAT I EXISTED SHE LEAPED INTO THE WATER


I REMINDED HIM AS HE PAUSED APPARENTLY LOST IN THOUGHT I TRIED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HER I PUT ON MY BATHING SUIT AND DIVED INTO THE POOL WELL SHE CAME AT ME LIKE A SHARK QUICK AS A FLASH HER TEETH SHOWING HER HANDS TEARING LIKE CLAWS THROUGH THE WATER


SHE MANAGED TO CLAW ME JUST ONCE MERCER RESUMED WRAPPING THE ROBE ABOUT HIM AGAIN THEN I GOT OUT AND CALLED ON CARSON FOR HELP I PUT HIM INTO A BATHING SUIT AND WE BOTH ENDEAVORED TO CORNER HER


CARSON GOT TWO BAD SCRATCHES AND ONE RATHER SERIOUS BITE THAT I HAVE BANDAGED I HAVE A NUMBER OF LACERATIONS BUT I DIDN'T FARE SO BADLY AS CARSON BECAUSE I AM FASTER IN THE WATER THAN HE IS THE HARDER WE TRIED THE MORE DETERMINED I BECAME


WE MOVED OUT OF THE ROOM NOTHING HUMAN CAN LIVE UNDER WATER AND BREATHE WATER AS SHE DOES MERCER PAUSED A MOMENT STARING AT ME ODDLY THE HUMAN RACE HE SAID GRAVELY CAME UP OUT OF SEA THE HUMAN RACE AS WE KNOW IT SOME MAY HAVE GONE BACK


MERCER SOME MAY HAVE GONE BACK I DON'T GET IT MERCER SHOOK HIS HEAD BUT MADE NO OTHER REPLY UNTIL WE STOOD AGAIN ON THE EDGE OF THE POOL THE GIRL WAS STANDING WHERE WE HAD LEFT HER AND AS SHE LOOKED UP INTO MY FACE SHE SMILED AGAIN


AND IN THAT WHITE BATHING SUIT YES I BELIEVE SHE'S TAKEN A FANCY TO YOU MERCER'S EYES WERE DANCING IF SHE HAS HE WENT ON IT'LL MAKE OUR WORK VERY EASY WHAT WORK I ASKED SUSPICIOUSLY


I THINK I HAVE WHAT YOU CALL MY THOUGHT TELEGRAPH PERFECTED EXPERIMENTALLY HE EXPLAINED RAPIDLY I FELL ASLEEP WORKING ON IT AT THREE O'CLOCK OR THEREABOUTS THIS MORNING AND SOME TESTS WITH CARSON SEEM TO INDICATE THAT IT IS A SUCCESS


I SHOULD HAVE CALLED YOU TO MORROW FOR FURTHER TEST NEARLY FIVE YEARS OF DAMNED HARD WORK TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION TAYLOR


I ASKED EAGERLY GLANCING DOWN AT THE BEAUTIFUL PALE FACE THAT GLIMMERED UP AT ME THROUGH THE CLEAR WATER OF THE POOL WHY TRY IT ON HER EXCLAIMED MERCER WITH MOUNTING ENTHUSIASM DON'T YOU SEE TAYLOR


IF IT WILL WORK ON HER AND WE CAN DIRECT HER THOUGHTS WE CAN FIND OUT HER HISTORY THE HISTORY OF HER PEOPLE WE'LL ADD A PAGE TO SCIENTIFIC HISTORY A WHOLE BIG CHAPTER THAT WILL MAKE US FAMOUS MAN THIS IS SO BIG IT'S SWEPT ME OFF MY FEET


LOOK AND HE HELD OUT A THIN ARISTOCRATIC BROWN HAND BEFORE MY EYES A HAND THAT SHOOK WITH NERVOUS EXCITEMENT I DON'T BLAME YOU I SAID QUICKLY


LET'S GET BUSY WHAT CAN I DO MERCER REACHED AROUND THE DOOR INTO THE LABORATORY AND PRESSED A BUTTON FOR CARSON HE EXPLAINED WE'LL NEED HIS HELP IN THE MEANTIME WE'LL LOOK OVER THE SET UP THE APPARATUS IS STREWN ALL OVER THE PLACE


HE HAD NOT EXAGGERATED THE SET UP CONSISTED OF A WHOLE BANK OF TUBES EACH ONE IN ITS OWN SHIELDING COPPER BOX ON A MUCH DRILLED HORIZONTAL PANEL PROPPED UP ON INSULATORS WERE HALF A SCORE OF DELICATE METERS OF ONE KIND AND ANOTHER


WITH THIN BLACK FINGERS THAT PULSED AND TREMBLED BEHIND THE PANEL WAS A TALL CYLINDER WOUND WITH SHINING COPPER WIRE AND BESIDE IT ANOTHER PANEL UPRIGHT FAIRLY BRISTLING WITH KNOBS CONTACT POINTS POTENTIOMETERS RHEOSTATS AND SWITCHES


AND IN THE CENTER A SWITCH WITH FOUR CONTACT POINTS A HEAVY SNAKY CABLE LED FROM THIS PANEL TO THE MAZE OF APPARATUS FURTHER ON THIS IS THE CONTROL PANEL EXPLAINED MERCER THE WHOLE AFFAIR YOU UNDERSTAND IS IN LABORATORY FORM


NOTHING ASSEMBLED PUT THE DIFFERENT ANTENNAE PLUG INTO THESE JACKS LIKE THIS HE PICKED UP A WEIRD HASTILY BUILT CONTRIVANCE COMPOSED OF TWO SEMI CIRCULAR PIECES OF SPRING BRASS CROSSED AT RIGHT ANGLES


ON ALL FOUR ENDS WERE BRIGHT SILVERY ELECTRODES THREE OF THEM CIRCULAR IN SHAPE ONE OF THEM ELONGATED AND SLIGHTLY CURVED WITH A QUICK NERVOUS GESTURE MERCER FITTED THE THING TO HIS HEAD


SO THAT THE ELONGATED ELECTRODE PRESSED AGAINST THE BACK OF HIS NECK EXTENDING A FEW INCHES DOWN HIS SPINE THE OTHER THREE CIRCULAR ELECTRODES RESTED ON HIS FOREHEAD AND EITHER SIDE OF HIS HEAD


SOME TEN FEET IN LENGTH ENDING IN A SIMPLE SWITCHBOARD PLUG WHICH MERCER FITTED INTO THE UPPERMOST OF THE THREE JACKS NOW HE DIRECTED YOU PUT ON THIS ONE


HE ADJUSTED A SECOND CONTRIVANCE UPON MY HEAD SMILING AS I SHRANK FROM THE CONTACT OF THE COLD METAL ON MY SKIN AND THINK HE MOVED THE SWITCH FROM THE POSITION MARKED OFF TO THE SECOND CONTACT POINT WATCHING ME INTENTLY HIS DARK EYES GLEAMING


VERY NICE OLD CHAP CARSON IMPRESSIVE EVEN IN HIS BATHING SUIT MERCER WAS MIGHTY LUCKY TO HAVE A MAN LIKE CARSON SOMETHING SEEMED TO TICK SUDDENLY SOMEWHERE DEEP IN MY CONSCIOUSNESS YES THAT'S VERY TRUE


THE WORDS WERE NOT SPOKEN I DID NOT HEAR THEM I KNEW THEM WHAT I GLANCED AT MERCER AND HE LAUGHED ALOUD WITH PLEASURE AND EXCITEMENT IT WORKED HE CRIED


I RECEIVED YOUR THOUGHT REGARDING CARSON AND THEN TURNED THE SWITCH SO THAT YOU RECEIVED MY THOUGHT AND YOU DID RATHER GINGERLY I REMOVED THE THING FROM MY HEAD AND LAID IT ON THE TABLE IT'S WIZARDRY MERCER IF IT WILL WORK AS WELL ON HER IT WILL I KNOW IT WILL


IF WE CAN GET HER TO WEAR ONE OF THESE REPLIED MERCER CONFIDENTLY I HAVE ONLY THREE OF THEM I HAD PLANNED SOME THREE CORNERED EXPERIMENTS WITH YOU CARSON AND MYSELF WE'LL LEAVE CARSON OUT OF TO NIGHT'S EXPERIMENT HOWEVER FOR WE'LL NEED HIM TO OPERATE THIS SWITCH


THE OTHER TWO RECEIVE WHEN THE SWITCH IS ON THE FIRST CONTACT NUMBER ONE SENDS AND NUMBERS TWO AND THREE RECEIVE WHEN THE SWITCH IS ON NUMBER TWO THEN HE SENDS THOUGHTS AND NUMBERS ONE AND THREE RECEIVE THEM AND SO ON


I'LL LENGTHEN THESE LEADS SO THAT WE CAN RUN THEM OUT INTO THE POOL AND THEN WE'LL BE READY SOMEHOW WE MUST INDUCE HER TO WEAR ONE OF THESE THINGS EVEN IF WE HAVE TO USE FORCE I'M SURE THE THREE OF US CAN HANDLE HER WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO I SMILED


SHE WAS SUCH A SLIM GRACEFUL ALMOST DELICATE LITTLE THING THE THOUGHT THAT THREE STRONG MEN MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL HER SEEMED ALMOST AMUSING YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HER IN ACTION YET SAID MERCER GRIMLY


THEN WITH ALL THREE OF THE DEVICES HE CALLED ANTENNAE IN HIS HAND THEIR LEADS PLUGGED INTO THE CONTROL PANEL HE LED THE WAY TO THE SIDE OF THE POOL


IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD SEEN HER MOVE IN THIS FASHION SHE SEEMED TO PROPEL HERSELF WITH A SUDDEN MIGHTY THRUST OF HER FEET AGAINST THE BOTTOM SHE DARTED THROUGH THE WATER WITH THE SPEED OF AN ARROW YET STOPPED AS GENTLY AS THOUGH SHE HAD MERELY FLOATED THERE


AS SHE LOOKED UP HER EYES UNMISTAKABLY SOUGHT MINE AND HER SMILE SEEMED WARM AND INVITING SHE MADE AGAIN THAT STRANGE LITTLE GESTURE OF INVITATION WITH AN EFFORT I GLANCED AT MERCER


THERE WAS SOMETHING DEVILISHLY FASCINATING ABOUT THE GIRL'S GREAT DARK SEARCHING EYES I'M GOING IN I SAID HOARSELY


I HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE HEAVY BRONZE LADDER THAT LED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL I HAD TWO REASONS IN MIND I WOULD NEED SOMETHING TO KEEP ME UNDER WATER WITH MY LUNGS FULL OF AIR AND I COULD GET OUT QUICKLY IF IT WERE NECESSARY


I HAD NOT FORGOTTEN THE LIVID JAGGED FURROWS IN MERCER'S SIDE QUICKLY AS I SHOT TO THE LADDER SHE WAS THERE BEFORE ME A DIM WAVERING WHITE SHAPE WAITING I PAUSED HOLDING TO A RUNG OF THE LADDER WITH ONE HAND


SHE CAME CLOSER WALKING WITH THE AIRY GRACE I HAD NOTED BEFORE AND MY HEART POUNDED AGAINST MY RIBS AS SHE RAISED ONE LONG SLIM ARM TOWARDS ME


PERHAPS I THOUGHT QUICKLY THIS WAS WITH HER A SIGN OF GREETING I LIFTED MY OWN ARM AND RETURNED THE SALUTATION IF SALUTATION IT WERE AWARE OF A STRANGE RISING AND FALLING SOUND AS OF A DISTANT HUMMING IN MY EARS


THE SOUND CEASED SUDDENLY ON A RISING NOTE AS THOUGH OF INQUIRY AND IT DAWNED ON ME THAT I HAD HEARD THE SPEECH OF THIS STRANGE CREATURE BEFORE I COULD THINK OF A COURSE OF ACTION MY ACHING LUNGS REMINDED ME OF THE NEED OF AIR


AND I RELEASED MY HOLD ON THE LADDER AND LET MY BODY RISE TO THE SURFACE


I LOOKED DOWN THE GIRL WAS WATCHING ME AND THERE WAS NO SMILE ON HER FACE NOW


AS HER FACE CAME CLOSE TO MY OWN I BECAME AWARE OF THE HUMMING CROONING SOUND I HAD HEARD BEFORE LOUDER THIS TIME


I SMILED BACK AT HER AND SHOOK MY HEAD


I POINTED UPWARD FOR I WAS FEELING THE NEED FOR FRESH AIR AGAIN AND SLOWLY MOUNTED THE LADDER THIS TIME SHE DID NOT GRASP ME BUT WATCHED ME INTENTLY AS THOUGH UNDERSTANDING WHAT I DID AND THE REASONS FOR IT


BRING ONE OF YOUR GADGETS OVER HERE MERCER I CALLED ACROSS THE POOL I THINK I'M MAKING PROGRESS GOOD BOY HE CRIED AND CAME RUNNING WITH TWO OF THE ANTENNAE THE LONG INSULATED CORDS TRAILING BEHIND HIM THROUGH THE WATER THE GIRL WATCHED HIM EVIDENT DISLIKE IN HER EYES


THE SALT WATER WOULD SHORT THE ANTENNAE YOU SEE TRY TO GET HER TO WEAR ONE AND THEN YOU GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF WATER AND DON YOURS AND REMEMBER SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH US BY WORDS WE'LL HAVE TO GET HER TO CONVEY HER THOUGHTS BY MEANS OF MENTAL PICTURES


I'LL TRY TO IMPRESS THAT ON HER UNDERSTAND I NODDED AND PICKED UP ONE OF THE INSTRUMENTS FIRE WHEN READY GRIDLEY I COMMENTED AND SANK AGAIN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL I TOUCHED THE GIRL'S HEAD WITH ONE FINGER AND THEN POINTED TO MY OWN HEAD


TRYING TO CONVEY TO HER THAT SHE COULD GET HER THOUGHTS TO ME THEN I HELD UP THE ANTENNAE AND PLACED IT ON MY OWN HEAD TO SHOW THAT IT COULD NOT HARM HER MY NEXT MOVE WAS TO OFFER HER THE INSTRUMENT MOVING SLOWLY AND SMILING REASSURINGLY


NO MEAN FEAT UNDER WATER SHE HESITATED A MOMENT AND THEN HER EYES FIXED ON MINE


I SMILED AND NODDED AND PRESSED HER SHOULDER IN TOKEN OF FRIENDLY GREETING THEN GESTURING TOWARD MY OWN HEAD AGAIN AND POINTING UPWARD I CLIMBED THE LADDER ALL RIGHT MERCER I SHOUTED START AT ONCE BEFORE SHE GROWS RESTLESS


I'VE ALREADY STARTED HE CALLED BACK AND I HURRIEDLY DONNED MY OWN INSTRUMENT


SO THAT MY HEAD REMAINED OUT OF WATER AND SMILED DOWN AT THE GIRL TOUCHING THE INSTRUMENT ON MY HEAD AND THEN POINTING TO HERS I COULD SENSE MERCER'S THOUGHTS NOW HE WAS PICTURING HIMSELF WALKING LONG THE SHORE WITH THE STORMY OCEAN IN THE BACKGROUND


I SAW HIM RUN UP TO THE POOL AND LIFT THE SLIM PALE FIGURE IN HIS ARMS


I VISUALIZED THEM JUST AS I COULD CLOSE MY EYES AND VISUALIZE FOR EXAMPLE THE FIREPLACE IN THE LIVING ROOM OF MY OWN HOME I LOOKED DOWN AT THE GIRL SHE WAS FROWNING AND HER EYES WERE VERY WIDE


HER HEAD WAS A LITTLE ON ONE SIDE IN THE ATTITUDE OF ONE WHO LISTENS INTENTLY SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY MERCER THOUGHT OUT THE WHOLE STORY OF HIS EXPERIENCES WITH THE GIRL UNTIL SHE HAD PLUNGED INTO THE POOL THEN I SAW AGAIN THE BEACH


I WAS AWARE OF THE SOFT LITTLE TICK IN THE CENTER OF MY BRAIN THAT ANNOUNCED THAT THE SWITCH HAD BEEN MOVED TO ANOTHER CONTACT POINT I GLANCED DOWN AT HER SHE WAS STARING UP AT ME WITH HER GREAT CURIOUS EYES


AND I SENSED THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF THE INSTRUMENT I WORE THAT SHE WAS THINKING OF ME I SAW MY OWN FEATURES IDEALIZED GLOWING WITH A STRANGE BEAUTY THAT WAS CERTAINLY NONE OF MY OWN I REALIZED THAT I SAW MYSELF IN SHORT AS SHE SAW ME


A DIM BLUISH LIGHT FILTERED DOWN ON A SCENE SUCH AS MORTAL EYES HAVE NEVER SEEN ALL AROUND WERE STRANGE STRUCTURES OF JAGGED CORAL ROUGHLY CIRCULAR AS TO BASE AND ROUNDED ON TOP RESEMBLING VERY MUCH THE IGLOOS OF THE ESKIMOS


THE STRUCTURES VARIED GREATLY IN SIZE AND SEEMED TO BE ARRANGED IN SOME SORT OF REGULAR ORDER LIKE HOUSES ALONG A NARROW STREET


AROUND MANY OF THEM GREW CLUSTERS OF STRANGE AND COLORFUL SEAWEEDS THAT WAVED THEIR BANNERS GENTLY AS THOUGH SOME IMPERCEPTIBLE CURRENT DALLIED WITH THEM IN PASSING HERE AND THERE FIGURES MOVED SLIM WHITE FIGURES THAT STROLLED ALONG THE NARROW STREET


OR AT TIMES SHOT OVERHEAD LIKE VERITABLE TORPEDOES THERE WERE BOTH MEN AND WOMEN MOVING THERE THE MEN WERE BROADER OF SHOULDER AND THEIR HAIR WHICH THEY WORE TO THEIR KNEES WAS SOMEWHAT DARKER IN COLOR THAN THAT OF THE WOMEN BOTH SEXES WERE SLIM


AND THERE WAS A REMARKABLE UNIFORMITY OF SIZE AND APPEARANCE NONE OF THE STRANGE BEINGS WORE GARMENTS OF ANY KIND NOR WERE THEY NECESSARY


THE CLINGING TRESSES WERE CINCTURED AT THE WAIST WITH A SORT OF CORD OF TWISTED ORANGE COLORED MATERIAL AND SOME OF THE YOUNGER WOMEN WORE BANDS OF THE SAME MATERIAL AROUND THEIR BROWS NEAREST OF ALL THE FIGURES WAS THE GIRL WHO WAS VISUALIZING ALL THIS FOR US


SHE WAS WALKING SLOWLY AWAY FROM THE CLUSTER OF CORAL STRUCTURES ONCE OR TWICE SHE PAUSED AND SEEMED TO HOLD CONVERSATION WITH OTHERS OF THE STRANGE PEOPLE BUT EACH TIME SHE MOVED ON THE CORAL STRUCTURES GREW SMALLER AND POORER


FINALLY THE GIRL TROD ALONE ON THE FLOOR OF THE OCEAN BETWEEN GREAT GROWTHS OF KELP AND SEAWEEDS WITH DIM LOOMING MASSES OF FAINTLY TINTED CORAL EVERYWHERE ONCE SHE PASSED CLOSE TO A TILTED RAGGED HULK OF SOME ANCIENT VESSEL


ITS NAKED RIBS PACKED WITH DRIFTED SAND SAUNTERING DREAMILY SHE MOVED AWAY FROM THE ANCIENT DERELICT SUDDENLY A DIM SHADOW SWEPT ACROSS THE SAND AT HER FEET AND SHE ARROWED FROM THE SPOT LIKE A WHITE SLIM METEOR


BUT BEHIND HER DARTED A BLACK AND SWIFTER SHADOW A SHARK LIKE A FLASH SHE TURNED AND FACED THE MONSTER SOMETHING SHE HAD DRAWN FROM HER GIRDLE SHONE PALELY IN HER HAND IT WAS A KNIFE OF WHETTED STONE OR BONE


THE WHITE FIGURE OF THE GIRL SHOT ONWARD THROUGH THE SCARLET FLOOD BLINDED SHE DID NOT SEE THAT THE JUTTING RIBS OF THE ANCIENT SHIP WERE IN HER PATH I SEEMED TO SEE HER CRASH HEAD ON INTO ONE OF THE MASSIVE TIMBERS


AND I CRIED OUT INVOLUNTARILY AND GLANCED DOWN AT THE GIRL IN THE WATER AT MY FEET HER EYES WERE GLOWING SHE KNEW THAT I HAD UNDERSTOOD HAZILY THEN I SEEMED TO VISUALIZE HER BODY FLOATING LIMPLY IN THE WATER IT WAS ALL VERY VAGUE AND INDISTINCT


THE GIRL WAS THINKING OF HER SUFFERING TAKEN OUT OF HER NATIVE ELEMENT


THAT NO DOUBT WAS WHY SHE HATED HIM


ADJUSTED TO HER OWN IDEAS OF WHAT A MAN SHOULD BE I FLUNG THE INSTRUMENT FROM MY HEAD AND DROPPED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL I GRIPPED BOTH HER SHOULDERS GENTLY TO EXPRESS MY THANKS AND FRIENDSHIP MY HEART WAS POUNDING


THERE WAS A STRANGE FASCINATION ABOUT THIS GIRL FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA A SUBTLE APPEAL THAT WAS ANSWERED FROM SOME DEEP SUBTERRANEAN CAVERN OF MY BEING I FORGOT FOR THE MOMENT WHO AND WHAT I WAS


HER GREAT WEIRDLY BLUE EYES SEEMED TO BORE INTO MY BRAIN I COULD FEEL THEM THROBBING THERE I FORGOT TIME AND SPACE I SAW ONLY THAT PALE SMILING FACE AND THOSE GREAT DARK EYES


THEN STRANGLING I TORE MYSELF FROM HER EMBRACE AND SHOT TO THE SURFACE COUGHING I CLEARED MY LUNGS OF THE WATER I HAD INHALED I WAS WEAK AND SHAKING WHEN I FINISHED BUT MY HEAD WAS CLEAR THE GRIP OF THE STRANGE FANTASY THAT HAD GRIPPED ME WAS SHAKEN OFF


MERCER WAS BENDING OVER ME SPEAKING SOFTLY I WAS WATCHING OLD MAN HE SAID GENTLY I CAN IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENED A MOMENTARY PSYCHIC FUSING OF AN ANCIENT LONG SINCE BROKEN LINK YOU TOGETHER WITH ALL MANKIND CAME UP OUT OF THE SEA


BUT THERE IS NO RETRACING THE WAY I NODDED MY HEAD BOWED ON MY STREAMING CHEST SORRY MERCER I MUTTERED SOMETHING GOT INTO ME THOSE BIG EYES OF HERS SEEMED TO TUG AT THREADS OF MEMORY BURIED I CAN'T DESCRIBE IT


IT HELPED JERK ME BACK TO THE NORMAL YOU'VE GOT YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND AGAIN TAYLOR HE COMMENTED SOOTHINGLY I THINK THERE'S NO DANGER OF YOU LOSING YOUR GRIP ON TERRA FIRMA AGAIN SHALL WE CARRY ON THERE'S MORE YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN THAT YOU THINK SHE CAN GIVE US


I ASKED HESITANTLY I BELIEVE REPLIED MERCER THAT SHE CAN GIVE US THE HISTORY OF HER PEOPLE IF WE CAN ONLY MAKE HER UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WISH GOD IF WE ONLY COULD


WE CAN TRY OLD TIMER I SAID A BIT SHAKENLY MERCER HURRIED BACK TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE POOL AND I ADJUSTED MY HEAD SET AGAIN SMILING DOWN AT THE GIRL


WHERE HE WAS BROUGHT UP IN TOTAL IGNORANCE OF ARMS AND CHIVALRY HE WAS ALLOWED NO WEAPON


WHICH WAS THE ONLY THING OF ALL HER LORDES FAIRE GERE THAT HIS MOTHER CARRIED TO THE WOOD WITH HER IN THE USE OF THIS HE BECAME SO SKILFUL THAT HE COULD KILL WITH IT


NOT ONLY THE ANIMALS OF THE CHASE FOR THE TABLE BUT EVEN BIRDS ON THE WING AT LENGTH HOWEVER PERCEVAL WAS ROUSED TO A DESIRE OF MILITARY RENOWN BY SEEING IN THE FOREST FIVE KNIGHTS WHO WERE IN COMPLETE ARMOR


HE SAID TO HIS MOTHER MOTHER WHAT ARE THOSE YONDER THEY ARE ANGELS MY SON SAID SHE BY MY FAITH I WILL GO AND BECOME AN ANGEL WITH THEM AND PERCEVAL WENT TO THE ROAD AND MET THEM


TELL ME GOOD LAD SAID ONE OF THEM SAWEST THOU A KNIGHT PASS THIS WAY EITHER TODAY OR YESTERDAY


SUCH AN ONE AS I AM SAID THE KNIGHT IF THOU WILT TELL ME WHAT I ASK THEE I WILL TELL THEE WHAT THOU ASKEST ME GLADLY WILL I DO SO SAID SIR OWAIN FOR THAT WAS THE KNIGHT'S NAME


AND PERCEVAL IN RETURN GAVE HIM SUCH INFORMATION AS HE HAD THEN PERCEVAL RETURNED TO HIS MOTHER AND SAID TO HER MOTHER THOSE WERE NOT ANGELS BUT HONORABLE KNIGHTS THEN HIS MOTHER SWOONED AWAY


AND PERCEVAL WENT TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY KEPT THE HORSES THAT CARRIED FIREWOOD AND PROVISIONS FOR THE CASTLE AND HE TOOK A BONY PIEBALD HORSE WHICH SEEMED TO HIM THE STRONGEST OF THEM AND HE PRESSED A PACK INTO THE FORM OF A SADDLE


AND WITH TWISTED TWIGS HE IMITATED THE TRAPPINGS WHICH HE HAD SEEN UPON THE HORSES WHEN HE CAME AGAIN TO HIS MOTHER THE COUNTESS HAD RECOVERED FROM HER SWOON MY SON SAID SHE DESIREST THOU TO RIDE FORTH


YES WITH THY LEAVE SAID HE GO FORWARD THEN SHE SAID TO THE COURT OF ARTHUR WHERE THERE ARE THE BEST AND THE NOBLEST AND THE MOST BOUNTIFUL OF MEN AND TELL HIM THOU ART PERCEVAL THE SON OF PELENORE


AND ASK OF HIM TO BESTOW KNIGHTHOOD ON THEE AND WHENEVER THOU SEEST A CHURCH REPEAT THERE THY PATER NOSTER


FOR THUS SHALT THOU ACQUIRE FAME YET FREELY GIVE IT TO ANOTHER FOR THUS THOU SHALT OBTAIN PRAISE IF THOU SEE A FAIR WOMAN PAY COURT TO HER FOR THUS THOU WILT OBTAIN LOVE


PERCEIVING IN ONE CORNER OF THE TENT SOME FOOD TWO FLASKS FULL OF WINE AND SOME BOAR'S FLESH ROASTED HE SAID MY MOTHER TOLD ME WHENEVER I SAW MEAT AND DRINK TO TAKE IT


AND HE ATE GREEDILY FOR HE WAS VERY HUNGRY THE MAIDEN SAID SIR THOU HADST BEST GO QUICKLY FROM HERE FOR FEAR THAT MY FRIENDS SHOULD COME AND EVIL SHOULD BEFALL YOU BUT PERCEVAL SAID


AND HE GAVE THE MAIDEN HIS OWN RING IN EXCHANGE FOR HERS THEN HE MOUNTED HIS HORSE AND RODE AWAY PERCEVAL JOURNEYED ON TILL HE ARRIVED AT ARTHUR'S COURT AND IT SO HAPPENED


FOR WHEN HER PAGE WAS SERVING THE QUEEN WITH A GOLDEN GOBLET THIS KNIGHT STRUCK THE ARM OF THE PAGE AND DASHED THE WINE IN THE QUEEN'S FACE AND OVER HER STOMACHER THEN HE SAID


LET HIM FOLLOW ME TO THE MEADOW SO THE KNIGHT TOOK HIS HORSE AND RODE TO THE MEADOW CARRYING AWAY THE GOLDEN GOBLET AND ALL THE HOUSEHOLD HUNG DOWN THEIR HEADS AND NO ONE OFFERED TO FOLLOW THE KNIGHT TO TAKE VENGEANCE UPON HIM


FOR IT SEEMED TO THEM THAT NO ONE WOULD HAVE VENTURED ON SO DARING AN OUTRAGE UNLESS HE POSSESSED SUCH POWERS THROUGH MAGIC OR CHARMS THAT NONE COULD BE ABLE TO PUNISH HIM JUST THEN BEHOLD


PERCEVAL ENTERED THE HALL UPON THE BONY PIEBALD HORSE WITH HIS UNCOUTH TRAPPINGS IN THE CENTRE OF THE HALL STOOD KAY THE SENESCHAL TELL ME TALL MAN SAID PERCEVAL IS THAT ARTHUR YONDER


WHAT WOULDST THOU WITH ARTHUR ASKED KAY MY MOTHER TOLD ME TO GO TO ARTHUR AND RECEIVE KNIGHTHOOD FROM HIM BY MY FAITH SAID HE THOU ART ALL TOO MEANLY EQUIPPED WITH HORSE AND WITH ARMS


THEN ALL THE HOUSEHOLD BEGAN TO JEER AND LAUGH AT HIM BUT THERE WAS A CERTAIN DAMSEL WHO HAD BEEN A WHOLE YEAR AT ARTHUR'S COURT


AND THE KING'S FOOL FOOTNOTE A FOOL WAS A COMMON APPENDAGE OF THE COURTS OF THOSE DAYS WHEN THIS ROMANCE WAS WRITTEN A FOOL WAS THE ORNAMENT HELD IN NEXT ESTIMATION TO A DWARF HE WORE A WHITE DRESS WITH A YELLOW BONNET


AND CARRIED A BELL OR BAWBLE IN HIS HAND THOUGH CALLED A FOOL HIS WORDS WERE OFTEN WEIGHED AND REMEMBERED AS IF THERE WERE A SORT OF ORACULAR MEANING IN THEM


TILL SHE HAD SEEN HIM WHO WOULD BE THE FLOWER OF CHIVALRY NOW THIS DAMSEL CAME UP TO PERCEVAL AND TOLD HIM SMILING THAT IF HE LIVED HE WOULD BE ONE OF THE BRAVEST AND BEST OF KNIGHTS TRULY SAID KAY


THOU ART ILL TAUGHT TO REMAIN A YEAR AT ARTHUR'S COURT WITH CHOICE OF SOCIETY AND SMILE ON NO ONE AND NOW BEFORE THE FACE OF ARTHUR AND ALL HIS KNIGHTS TO CALL SUCH A MAN AS THIS THE FLOWER OF KNIGHTHOOD


THAT SHE FELL SENSELESS TO THE GROUND THEN SAID KAY TO PERCEVAL GO AFTER THE KNIGHT WHO WENT HENCE TO THE MEADOW OVERTHROW HIM AND RECOVER THE GOLDEN GOBLET AND POSSESS THYSELF OF HIS HORSE AND ARMS AND THOU SHALT HAVE KNIGHTHOOD


I WILL DO SO TALL MAN SAID PERCEVAL SO HE TURNED HIS HORSE'S HEAD TOWARD THE MEADOW AND WHEN HE CAME THERE THE KNIGHT WAS RIDING UP AND DOWN PROUD OF HIS STRENGTH AND VALOR AND NOBLE MIEN TELL ME SAID THE KNIGHT


DIDST THOU SEE ANY ONE COMING AFTER ME FROM THE COURT


AND TO TAKE FROM THEE THE GOBLET AND THY HORSE AND ARMOR FOR MYSELF SILENCE SAID THE KNIGHT GO BACK TO THE COURT AND TELL ARTHUR EITHER TO COME HIMSELF


AND UNLESS HE DO SO QUICKLY I WILL NOT WAIT FOR HIM BY MY FAITH SAID PERCEVAL CHOOSE THOU WHETHER IT SHALL BE WILLINGLY OR UNWILLINGLY FOR I WILL HAVE THE HORSE AND THE ARMS AND THE GOBLET


UPON THIS THE KNIGHT RAN AT HIM FURIOUSLY AND STRUCK HIM A VIOLENT BLOW WITH THE SHAFT OF HIS SPEAR


MY MOTHER'S SERVANTS WERE NOT USED TO PLAY WITH ME IN THIS WISE SO THUS WILL I PLAY WITH THEE AND HE THREW AT HIM ONE OF HIS SHARP POINTED STICKS AND IT STRUCK HIM IN THE EYE AND CAME OUT AT THE BACK OF HIS HEAD SO THAT HE FELL DOWN LIFELESS


VERILY SAID SIR OWAIN THE SON OF URIEN TO KAY THE SENESCHAL THOU WAST ILL ADVISED TO SEND THAT MADMAN AFTER THE KNIGHT FOR HE MUST EITHER BE OVERTHROWN OR FLEE AND EITHER WAY IT WILL BE A DISGRACE TO ARTHUR AND HIS WARRIORS


THEREFORE WILL I GO TO SEE WHAT HAS BEFALLEN HIM SO SIR OWAIN WENT TO THE MEADOW AND HE FOUND PERCEVAL TRYING IN VAIN TO GET THE DEAD KNIGHT'S ARMOR OFF IN ORDER TO CLOTHE HIMSELF WITH IT


SIR OWAIN UNFASTENED THE ARMOR AND HELPED PERCEVAL TO PUT IT ON AND TAUGHT HIM HOW TO PUT HIS FOOT IN THE STIRRUP AND USE THE SPUR


AND URGED ON HIS HORSE WITH A STICK THEN OWAIN WOULD HAVE HAD HIM RETURN TO THE COURT TO RECEIVE THE PRAISE THAT WAS HIS DUE BUT PERCEVAL SAID I WILL NOT COME TO THE COURT TILL I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE TALL MAN THAT IS THERE


TO REVENGE THE INJURY HE DID TO THE MAIDEN BUT TAKE THOU THE GOBLET TO QUEEN GUENEVER AND TELL KING ARTHUR THAT WHEREVER I AM I WILL BE HIS VASSAL AND WILL DO HIM WHAT PROFIT AND SERVICE I CAN AND SIR OWAIN


WENT BACK TO THE COURT AND RELATED ALL THESE THINGS TO ARTHUR AND GUENEVER AND TO ALL THE HOUSEHOLD


AND HE CAME TO A LAKE ON THE SIDE OF WHICH WAS A FAIR CASTLE AND ON THE BORDER OF THE LAKE HE SAW A HOARY HEADED MAN SITTING UPON A VELVET CUSHION AND HIS ATTENDANTS WERE FISHING IN THE LAKE


WHEN THE HOARY HEADED MAN BEHELD PERCEVAL APPROACHING HE AROSE AND WENT INTO THE CASTLE PERCEVAL RODE TO THE CASTLE AND THE DOOR WAS OPEN AND HE ENTERED THE HALL


AND THE HOARY HEADED MAN RECEIVED PERCEVAL COURTEOUSLY AND ASKED HIM TO SIT BY HIM ON THE CUSHION WHEN IT WAS TIME THE TABLES WERE SET AND THEY WENT TO MEAT AND WHEN THEY HAD FINISHED THEIR MEAT THE HOARY HEADED MAN ASKED PERCEVAL


IF HE KNEW HOW TO FIGHT WITH THE SWORD I KNOW NOT SAID PERCEVAL BUT WERE I TO BE TAUGHT DOUBTLESS I SHOULD AND THE HOARY HEADED MAN SAID TO HIM I AM THY UNCLE THY MOTHER'S BROTHER I AM CALLED KING PECHEUR


FOOTNOTE THE WORD MEANS BOTH FISHER AND SINNER THOU SHALT REMAIN WITH ME A SPACE IN ORDER TO LEARN THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND COURTESY AND NOBLE BEARING AND THIS DO THOU REMEMBER


IF THOU SEEST AUGHT TO CAUSE THY WONDER ASK NOT THE MEANING OF IT IF NO ONE HAS THE COURTESY TO INFORM THEE THE REPROACH WILL NOT FALL UPON THEE BUT UPON ME THAT AM THY TEACHER


WHILE PERCEVAL AND HIS UNCLE DISCOURSED TOGETHER PERCEVAL BEHELD TWO YOUTHS ENTER THE HALL BEARING A GOLDEN CUP AND A SPEAR OF MIGHTY SIZE WITH BLOOD DROPPING FROM ITS POINT TO THE GROUND


AND WHEN ALL THE COMPANY SAW THIS THEY BEGAN TO WEEP AND LAMENT BUT FOR ALL THAT THE MAN DID NOT BREAK OFF HIS DISCOURSE WITH PERCEVAL AND AS HE DID NOT TELL HIM THE MEANING OF WHAT HE SAW HE FOREBORE TO ASK HIM CONCERNING IT


NOW THE CUP THAT PERCEVAL SAW WAS THE SANGREAL AND THE SPEAR THE SACRED SPEAR AND AFTERWARDS KING PECHEUR REMOVED WITH THOSE SACRED RELICS INTO A FAR COUNTRY ONE EVENING


PERCEVAL ENTERED A VALLEY AND CAME TO A HERMIT'S CELL AND THE HERMIT WELCOMED HIM GLADLY AND THERE HE SPENT THE NIGHT AND IN THE MORNING HE AROSE AND WHEN HE WENT FORTH BEHOLD A SHOWER OF SNOW HAD FALLEN IN THE NIGHT AND A HAWK


HAD KILLED A WILD FOWL IN FRONT OF THE CELL AND THE NOISE OF THE HORSE HAD SCARED THE HAWK AWAY AND A RAVEN ALIGHTED ON THE BIRD AND PERCEVAL STOOD AND COMPARED THE BLACKNESS OF THE RAVEN AND THE WHITENESS OF THE SNOW


TO THE HAIR OF THE LADY THAT BEST HE LOVED WHICH WAS BLACKER THAN JET AND TO HER SKIN WHICH WAS WHITER THAN THE SNOW AND TO THE TWO RED SPOTS UPON HER CHEEKS WHICH WERE REDDER THAN THE BLOOD UPON THE SNOW


NOW ARTHUR AND HIS HOUSEHOLD WERE IN SEARCH OF PERCEVAL AND BY CHANCE THEY CAME THAT WAY KNOW YE SAID ARTHUR WHO IS THE KNIGHT WITH THE LONG SPEAR THAT STANDS BY THE BROOK UP YONDER LORD SAID ONE OF THEM


I WILL GO AND LEARN WHO HE IS


AND WHO HE WAS BUT PERCEVAL WAS SO INTENT UPON HIS THOUGHT THAT HE GAVE HIM NO ANSWER THEN THE YOUTH THRUST AT PERCEVAL WITH HIS LANCE AND PERCEVAL TURNED UPON HIM AND STRUCK HIM TO THE GROUND


AND WHEN THE YOUTH RETURNED TO THE KING AND TOLD HOW RUDELY HE HAD BEEN TREATED SIR KAY SAID I WILL GO MYSELF AND WHEN HE GREETED PERCEVAL AND GOT NO ANSWER HE SPOKE TO HIM RUDELY AND ANGRILY


AND PERCEVAL THRUST AT HIM WITH HIS LANCE AND CAST HIM DOWN SO THAT HE BROKE HIS ARM AND HIS SHOULDER BLADE AND WHILE HE LAY THUS STUNNED HIS HORSE RETURNED BACK AT A WILD AND PRANCING PACE THEN SAID


SURNAMED THE GOLDEN TONGUED BECAUSE HE WAS THE MOST COURTEOUS KNIGHT IN ARTHUR'S COURT IT IS NOT FITTING THAT ANY SHOULD DISTURB AN HONORABLE KNIGHT FROM HIS THOUGHT UNADVISEDLY FOR EITHER HE IS PONDERING SOME DAMAGE THAT HE HAS SUSTAINED


OR HE IS THINKING OF THE LADY WHOM BEST HE LOVES IF IT SEEM WELL TO THEE LORD I WILL GO AND SEE IF THIS KNIGHT HAS CHANGED FROM HIS THOUGHT AND IF HE HAS I WILL ASK HIM COURTEOUSLY TO COME AND VISIT THEE


AND PERCEVAL WAS RESTING ON THE SHAFT OF HIS SPEAR PONDERING THE SAME THOUGHT


IF I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AS AGREEABLE TO THEE AS IT WOULD BE TO ME I WOULD CONVERSE WITH THEE I HAVE ALSO A MESSAGE FROM ARTHUR UNTO THEE TO PRAY THEE TO COME AND VISIT HIM


AND TWO MEN HAVE BEEN BEFORE ON THIS ERRAND THAT IS TRUE SAID PERCEVAL AND UNCOURTEOUSLY THEY CAME THEY ATTACKED ME AND I WAS ANNOYED THEREAT THEN HE TOLD HIM THE THOUGHT THAT OCCUPIED HIS MIND


AND GAWAIN SAID THIS WAS NOT AN UNGENTLE THOUGHT AND I SHOULD MARVEL IF IT WERE PLEASANT FOR THEE TO BE DRAWN FROM IT THEN SAID PERCEVAL TELL ME IS SIR KAY IN ARTHUR'S COURT


AND TRULY HE IS THE KNIGHT WHO FOUGHT WITH THEE LAST VERILY SAID PERCEVAL I AM NOT SORRY TO HAVE THUS AVENGED THE INSULT TO THE SMILING MAIDEN THEN PERCEVAL TOLD HIM HIS NAME AND SAID


WHO ART THOU AND HE REPLIED


I AM RIGHT GLAD TO MEET THEE SAID PERCEVAL FOR I HAVE EVERYWHERE HEARD OF THY PROWESS AND UPRIGHTNESS AND I SOLICIT THY FELLOWSHIP THOU SHALT HAVE IT BY MY FAITH AND GRANT ME THINE SAID HE


GLADLY WILL I DO SO ANSWERED PERCEVAL SO THEY WENT TOGETHER TO ARTHUR AND SALUTED HIM


HIM WHOM THOU HAST SOUGHT SO LONG WELCOME UNTO THEE CHIEFTAIN SAID ARTHUR AND HEREUPON THERE CAME THE QUEEN AND HER HANDMAIDENS AND PERCEVAL SALUTED THEM AND THEY WERE REJOICED TO SEE HIM AND BADE HIM WELCOME


THE ADVENTURE OF THE CART IT BEFELL IN THE MONTH OF MAY QUEEN GUENEVER CALLED TO HER KNIGHTS OF THE TABLE ROUND AND GAVE THEM WARNING THAT EARLY UPON THE MORROW SHE WOULD RIDE A MAYING INTO THE WOODS AND FIELDS BESIDE WESTMINSTER


AND I WARN YOU THAT THERE BE NONE OF YOU BUT HE BE WELL HORSED AND THAT YE ALL BE CLOTHED IN GREEN EITHER SILK OR CLOTH AND I SHALL BRING WITH ME TEN LADIES AND EVERY KNIGHT SHALL HAVE A LADY BEHIND HIM


AND EVERY KNIGHT SHALL HAVE A SQUIRE AND TWO YEOMAN AND ALL WELL HORSED FOR THUS IT CHANCED ONE MORN WHEN ALL THE COURT GREEN SUITED BUT WITH PLUMES THAT MOCK'D THE MAY HAD BEEN THEIR WONT A MAYING


SO THEY MADE THEM READY AND THESE WERE THE NAMES OF THE KNIGHTS SIR KAY THE SENESCHAL SIR AGRIVAINE SIR BRANDILES SIR SAGRAMOUR LE DESIRUS


SIR DODYNAS LE SAUVAGE SIR OZANNA SIR LADYNAS SIR PERSANT OF INDE SIR IRONSIDE AND SIR PELLEAS AND THESE TEN KNIGHTS MADE THEM READY


SO UPON THE MORN THEY TOOK THEIR HORSES WITH THE QUEEN AND RODE A MAYING IN WOODS AND MEADOWS AS IT PLEASED THEM IN GREAT JOY AND DELIGHT NOW THERE WAS A KNIGHT


SON TO KING BRADEMAGUS WHO LOVED QUEEN GUENEVER PASSING WELL AND SO HAD HE DONE LONG AND MANY YEARS NOW THIS KNIGHT SIR MALEAGANS LEARNED THE QUEEN'S PURPOSE AND THAT SHE HAD NO MEN OF ARMS WITH HER


BUT THE TEN NOBLE KNIGHTS ALL ARRAYED IN GREEN FOR MAYING SO HE PREPARED HIM TWENTY MEN OF ARMS AND A HUNDRED ARCHERS TO TAKE CAPTIVE THE QUEEN AND HER KNIGHTS


IN THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY IN A MORN AT BREAK OF DAY WITH A TROOP OF DAMSELS PLAYING THE QUEEN FORSOOTH WENT FORTH A MAYING OLD SONG SO WHEN THE QUEEN HAD MAYED


TRAITOR KNIGHT SAID QUEEN GUENEVER WHAT WILT THOU DO WILT THOU SHAME THYSELF BETHINK THEE HOW THOU ART A KING'S SON AND A KNIGHT OF THE TABLE ROUND AND HOW THOU ART ABOUT TO DISHONOR ALL KNIGHTHOOD AND THYSELF


BE IT AS IT MAY SAID SIR MALEAGANS KNOW YOU WELL MADAM I HAVE LOVED YOU MANY A YEAR AND NEVER TILL NOW COULD I GET YOU TO SUCH ADVANTAGE AS I DO NOW AND THEREFORE I WILL TAKE YOU AS I FIND YOU


THEN THE TEN KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE DREW THEIR SWORDS AND THE OTHER PARTY RUN AT THEM WITH THEIR SPEARS


THEN THEY LASHED TOGETHER WITH SWORDS TILL SEVERAL WERE SMITTEN TO THE EARTH SO WHEN THE QUEEN SAW HER KNIGHTS THUS DOLEFULLY OPPRESSED AND NEEDS MUST BE SLAIN AT THE LAST THEN FOR PITY AND SORROW SHE CRIED SIR MALEAGANS


SLAY NOT MY NOBLE KNIGHTS AND I WILL GO WITH YOU UPON THIS COVENANT THAT


MADAME SAID MALEAGANS FOR YOUR SAKE THEY SHALL BE LED WITH YOU INTO MY OWN CASTLE IF THAT YE WILL BE RULED AND RIDE WITH ME THEN SIR MALEAGANS CHARGED THEM ALL THAT NONE SHOULD DEPART FROM THE QUEEN


FOR HE DREADED LEST SIR LAUNCELOT SHOULD HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT HAD BEEN DONE THEN THE QUEEN PRIVILY CALLED UNTO HER A PAGE OF HER CHAMBER THAT WAS SWIFTLY HORSED TO WHOM SHE SAID GO THOU WHEN THOU SEEST THY TIME


AND BEAR THIS RING UNTO SIR LAUNCELOT AND PRAY HIM AS HE LOVETH ME THAT HE WILL SEE ME AND RESCUE ME AND SPARE NOT THY HORSE SAID THE QUEEN NEITHER FOR WATER NOR FOR LAND


AND LIGHTLY HE TOOK HIS HORSE WITH THE SPURS AND DEPARTED AS FAST AS HE MIGHT AND WHEN SIR MALEAGANS SAW HIM SO FLEE HE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS BY THE QUEEN'S COMMANDMENT FOR TO WARN SIR LAUNCELOT


THEN THEY THAT WERE BEST HORSED CHASED HIM AND SHOT AT HIM BUT THE CHILD WENT FROM THEM ALL THEN SIR MALEAGANS SAID TO THE QUEEN MADAM YE ARE ABOUT TO BETRAY ME BUT I SHALL ARRANGE FOR SIR LAUNCELOT THAT HE SHALL NOT COME LIGHTLY AT YOU


THEN HE RODE WITH HER AND THEM ALL TO HIS CASTLE IN ALL THE HASTE THAT THEY MIGHT AND BY THE WAY SIR MALEAGANS LAID IN AMBUSH THE BEST ARCHERS THAT HE HAD TO WAIT FOR SIR LAUNCELOT


AND THE CHILD CAME TO WESTMINSTER AND FOUND SIR LAUNCELOT AND TOLD HIS MESSAGE AND DELIVERED HIM THE QUEEN'S RING ALAS SAID SIR LAUNCELOT


UNLESS I MAY RESCUE THAT NOBLE LADY THEN EAGERLY HE ASKED HIS ARMOR AND PUT IT ON HIM AND MOUNTED HIS HORSE AND RODE AS FAST AS HE MIGHT


AND MEN SAY HE TOOK THE WATER AT WESTMINSTER BRIDGE AND MADE HIS HORSE SWIM OVER THAMES UNTO LAMBETH THEN WITHIN A WHILE HE CAME TO A WOOD WHERE WAS A NARROW WAY AND THERE THE ARCHERS WERE LAID IN AMBUSH


AND THEY SHOT AT HIM AND SMOTE HIS HORSE SO THAT HE FELL THEN SIR LAUNCELOT LEFT HIS HORSE AND WENT ON FOOT BUT THERE LAY SO MANY DITCHES AND HEDGES BETWIXT THE ARCHERS AND HIM THAT HE MIGHT NOT MEDDLE WITH THEM


ALAS FOR SHAME SAID SIR LAUNCELOT THAT EVER ONE KNIGHT SHOULD BETRAY ANOTHER BUT IT IS AN OLD SAW A GOOD MAN IS NEVER IN DANGER BUT WHEN HE IS IN DANGER OF A COWARD


THEN SIR LAUNCELOT WENT AWHILE AND HE WAS EXCEEDINGLY CUMBERED BY HIS ARMOR HIS SHIELD AND HIS SPEAR AND ALL THAT BELONGED TO HIM THEN BY CHANCE THERE CAME BY HIM A CART THAT CAME THITHER TO FETCH WOOD


CARTS WERE LITTLE USED EXCEPT FOR CARRYING OFFAL AND FOR CONVEYING CRIMINALS TO EXECUTION BUT SIR LAUNCELOT TOOK NO THOUGHT OF ANYTHING BUT THE NECESSITY OF HASTE FOR THE PURPOSE OF RESCUING THE QUEEN SO HE DEMANDED OF THE CARTER


THAT HE SHOULD TAKE HIM IN AND CONVEY HIM AS SPEEDILY AS POSSIBLE FOR A LIBERAL REWARD THE CARTER CONSENTED AND SIR LAUNCELOT PLACED HIMSELF IN THE CART AND ONLY LAMENTED THAT WITH MUCH JOLTING HE MADE BUT LITTLE PROGRESS


HE DREW NEAR TO SEE WHO IT MIGHT BE THEN SIR LAUNCELOT TOLD HIM HOW THE QUEEN HAD BEEN CARRIED OFF AND HOW IN HASTENING TO HER RESCUE HIS HORSE HAD BEEN DISABLED AND HE HAD BEEN COMPELLED TO AVAIL HIMSELF OF THE CART RATHER THAN GIVE UP HIS ENTERPRISE


THEN SIR GAWAIN SAID SURELY IT IS UNWORTHY OF A KNIGHT TO TRAVEL IN SUCH SORT BUT SIR LAUNCELOT HEEDED HIM NOT AT NIGHTFALL


BUT TO ADMIT HIS COMPANION WHOM SHE SUPPOSED TO BE A CRIMINAL OR AT LEAST A PRISONER IT PLEASED HER NOT


AT SUPPER SIR LAUNCELOT CAME NEAR BEING CONSIGNED TO THE KITCHEN


NEITHER WOULD THE DAMSELS PREPARE A BED FOR HIM HE SEIZED THE FIRST HE FOUND UNOCCUPIED AND WAS LEFT UNDISTURBED NEXT MORNING HE SAW FROM THE TURRETS OF THE CASTLE A TRAIN ACCOMPANYING A LADY WHOM HE IMAGINED TO BE THE QUEEN


THE LADY OF THE CASTLE SUPPLIED SIR LAUNCELOT WITH A HORSE AND THEY TRAVERSED THE PLAIN AT FULL SPEED THEY LEARNED FROM SOME TRAVELLERS WHOM THEY MET THAT THERE WERE TWO ROADS WHICH LED TO THE CASTLE OF SIR MALEAGANS HERE THEREFORE THE FRIENDS SEPARATED


SIR LAUNCELOT FOUND HIS WAY BESET WITH OBSTACLES WHICH HE ENCOUNTERED SUCCESSFULLY BUT NOT WITHOUT MUCH LOSS OF TIME AS EVENING APPROACHED HE WAS MET BY A YOUNG AND SPORTIVE DAMSEL WHO GAYLY PROPOSED TO HIM A SUPPER


AT HER CASTLE THE KNIGHT WHO WAS HUNGRY AND WEARY ACCEPTED THE OFFER THOUGH WITH NO VERY GOOD GRACE HE FOLLOWED THE LADY TO HER CASTLE AND ATE VORACIOUSLY OF HER SUPPER BUT WAS QUITE IMPENETRABLE TO ALL HER AMOROUS ADVANCES


SUDDENLY THE SCENE CHANGED AND HE WAS ASSAILED BY SIX FURIOUS RUFFIANS WHOM HE DEALT WITH SO VIGOROUSLY THAT MOST OF THEM WERE SPEEDILY DISABLED WHEN AGAIN THERE WAS A CHANGE AND HE FOUND HIMSELF ALONE WITH HIS FAIR HOSTESS


WHICH SHE TOLD HIM WOULD BY ITS CHANGES OF COLOR DISCLOSE TO HIM ALL ENCHANTMENTS AND ENABLE HIM TO SUBDUE THEM SIR LAUNCELOT PURSUED HIS JOURNEY WITHOUT BEING MUCH INCOMMODED EXCEPT BY THE TAUNTS OF TRAVELLERS


WHO ALL SEEMED TO HAVE LEARNED BY SOME MEANS HIS DISGRACEFUL DRIVE IN THE CART ONE MORE INSOLENT THAN THE REST HAD THE AUDACITY TO INTERRUPT HIM DURING DINNER AND EVEN TO RISK A BATTLE IN SUPPORT OF HIS PLEASANTRY LAUNCELOT


AFTER AN EASY VICTORY ONLY DOOMED HIM TO BE CARTED IN HIS TURN AT NIGHT HE WAS RECEIVED AT ANOTHER CASTLE WITH GREAT APPARENT HOSPITALITY BUT FOUND HIMSELF IN THE MORNING IN A DUNGEON AND LOADED WITH CHAINS


CONSULTING HIS RING AND FINDING THAT THIS WAS AN ENCHANTMENT HE BURST HIS CHAINS SEIZED HIS ARMOR IN SPITE OF THE VISIONARY MONSTERS WHO ATTEMPTED TO DEFEND IT BROKE OPEN THE GATES OF THE TOWER AND CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY


AT LENGTH HIS PROGRESS WAS CHECKED BY A WIDE AND RAPID TORRENT WHICH COULD ONLY BE PASSED ON A NARROW BRIDGE ON WHICH A FALSE STEP WOULD PROVE HIS DESTRUCTION LAUNCELOT LEADING HIS HORSE BY THE BRIDLE AND MAKING HIM SWIM BY HIS SIDE


PASSED OVER THE BRIDGE AND WAS ATTACKED AS SOON AS HE REACHED THE BANK BY A LION AND A LEOPARD BOTH OF WHICH HE SLEW AND THEN EXHAUSTED AND BLEEDING SEATED HIMSELF ON THE GRASS AND ENDEAVORED TO BIND UP HIS WOUNDS


OFFERED HIM HIS ASSISTANCE AND INFORMED HIM THAT THE QUEEN WAS SAFE IN HIS CASTLE BUT COULD ONLY BE RESCUED BY ENCOUNTERING MALEAGANS LAUNCELOT DEMANDED THE BATTLE FOR THE NEXT DAY AND ACCORDINGLY IT TOOK PLACE AT THE FOOT OF THE TOWER


AND UNDER THE EYES OF THE FAIR CAPTIVE LAUNCELOT WAS ENFEEBLED BY HIS WOUNDS AND FOUGHT NOT WITH HIS USUAL SPIRIT AND THE CONTEST FOR A TIME WAS DOUBTFUL


AH LAUNCELOT MY KNIGHT TRULY HAVE I BEEN TOLD THAT THOU ART NO LONGER WORTHY OF ME THESE WORDS INSTANTLY REVIVED THE DROOPING KNIGHT HE RESUMED AT ONCE HIS USUAL SUPERIORITY AND SOON LAID AT HIS FEET HIS HAUGHTY ADVERSARY


MOVED BY THE ENTREATIES OF BRADEMAGUS ORDERED HIM TO WITHHOLD THE BLOW AND HE OBEYED THE CASTLE AND ITS PRISONERS WERE NOW AT HIS DISPOSAL LAUNCELOT HASTENED TO THE APARTMENT OF THE QUEEN THREW HIMSELF AT HER FEET


AND WAS ABOUT TO KISS HER HAND WHEN SHE EXCLAIMED AH LAUNCELOT WHY DO I SEE THEE AGAIN YET FEEL THEE TO BE NO LONGER WORTHY OF ME AFTER HAVING BEEN DISGRACEFULLY DRAWN ABOUT THE COUNTRY IN A SHE HAD NOT TIME TO FINISH THE PHRASE


FOR HER LOVER SUDDENLY STARTED FROM HER AND BITTERLY LAMENTING THAT HE HAD INCURRED THE DISPLEASURE OF HIS SOVEREIGN LADY RUSHED OUT OF THE CASTLE THREW HIS SWORD AND HIS SHIELD TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT RAN FURIOUSLY INTO THE WOODS AND DISAPPEARED


IT SEEMS THAT THE STORY OF THE ABOMINABLE CART WHICH HAUNTED LAUNCELOT AT EVERY STEP HAD REACHED THE EARS OF SIR KAY WHO HAD TOLD IT TO THE QUEEN AS A PROOF THAT HER KNIGHT MUST HAVE BEEN DISHONORED


THREE DAYS ELAPSED DURING WHICH LAUNCELOT WANDERED WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE HE WENT TILL AT LAST HE BEGAN TO REFLECT THAT HIS MISTRESS HAD DOUBTLESS BEEN DECEIVED BY MISREPRESENTATION


AND THAT IT WAS HIS DUTY TO SET HER RIGHT HE THEREFORE RETURNED COMPELLED MALEAGANS TO RELEASE HIS PRISONERS


HAD THE SATISFACTION OF MEETING HIM THE NEXT DAY


WE HAD GONE BACKWARDS INSTEAD OF FORWARDS BUT MY UNCLE RAPIDLY RECOVERED HIMSELF AHA WILL FATE PLAY TRICKS UPON ME WILL THE ELEMENTS LAY PLOTS AGAINST ME


SHALL FIRE AIR AND WATER MAKE A COMBINED ATTACK AGAINST ME WELL THEY SHALL KNOW WHAT A DETERMINED MAN CAN DO I WILL NOT YIELD I WILL NOT STIR A SINGLE FOOT BACKWARDS AND IT WILL BE SEEN WHETHER MAN OR NATURE IS TO HAVE THE UPPER HAND


ERECT UPON THE ROCK ANGRY AND THREATENING OTTO LIEDENBROCK WAS A RATHER GROTESQUE FIERCE PARODY UPON THE FIERCE ACHILLES DEFYING THE LIGHTNING BUT I THOUGHT IT MY DUTY TO INTERPOSE AND ATTEMPT TO LAY SOME RESTRAINT UPON THIS UNMEASURED FANATICISM


JUST LISTEN TO ME I SAID FIRMLY AMBITION MUST HAVE A LIMIT SOMEWHERE WE CANNOT PERFORM IMPOSSIBILITIES WE ARE NOT AT ALL FIT FOR ANOTHER SEA VOYAGE WHO WOULD DREAM OF UNDERTAKING A VOYAGE OF FIVE HUNDRED LEAGUES UPON A HEAP OF ROTTEN PLANKS


WITH A BLANKET IN RAGS FOR A SAIL A STICK FOR A MAST AND FIERCE WINDS IN OUR TEETH WE CANNOT STEER WE SHALL BE BUFFETED BY THE TEMPESTS AND WE SHOULD BE FOOLS AND MADMEN TO ATTEMPT TO CROSS A SECOND TIME


I WAS ABLE TO DEVELOP THIS SERIES OF UNANSWERABLE REASONS FOR TEN MINUTES WITHOUT INTERRUPTION NOT THAT THE PROFESSOR WAS PAYING ANY RESPECTFUL ATTENTION TO HIS NEPHEW'S ARGUMENTS BUT BECAUSE HE WAS DEAF TO ALL MY ELOQUENCE


TO THE RAFT HE SHOUTED SUCH WAS HIS ONLY REPLY IT WAS NO USE FOR ME TO ENTREAT SUPPLICATE GET ANGRY OR DO ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WAY OF OPPOSITION


HANS WAS FINISHING THE REPAIRS OF THE RAFT ONE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THIS STRANGE BEING WAS GUESSING AT MY UNCLE'S INTENTIONS WITH A FEW MORE PIECES OF SURTURBRAND HE HAD REFITTED OUR VESSEL


A SAIL ALREADY HUNG FROM THE NEW MAST AND THE WIND WAS PLAYING IN ITS WAVING FOLDS THE PROFESSOR SAID A FEW WORDS TO THE GUIDE AND IMMEDIATELY HE PUT EVERYTHING ON BOARD AND ARRANGED EVERY NECESSARY FOR OUR DEPARTURE


THE AIR WAS CLEAR AND THE NORTH WEST WIND BLEW STEADILY WHAT COULD I DO COULD I STAND AGAINST THE TWO IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE IF HANS HAD BUT TAKEN MY SIDE BUT NO IT WAS NOT TO BE


THE ICELANDER SEEMED TO HAVE RENOUNCED ALL WILL OF HIS OWN AND MADE A VOW TO FORGET AND DENY HIMSELF I COULD GET NOTHING OUT OF A SERVANT SO FEUDALISED AS IT WERE TO HIS MASTER MY ONLY COURSE WAS TO PROCEED


I WAS THEREFORE GOING WITH AS MUCH RESIGNATION AS I COULD FIND TO RESUME MY ACCUSTOMED PLACE ON THE RAFT WHEN MY UNCLE LAID HIS HAND UPON MY SHOULDER WE SHALL NOT SAIL UNTIL TO MORROW HE SAID


I WILL NOT LEAVE IT UNTIL I HAVE EXAMINED IT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FOLLOWED IT MUST BE BORNE IN MIND THAT


WE WERE NOT REALLY WHERE THE PROFESSOR SUPPOSED WE WERE IN FACT WE WERE NOT UPON THE NORTH SHORE OF THE SEA NOW LET US START UPON FRESH DISCOVERIES I SAID AND LEAVING HANS TO HIS WORK WE STARTED OFF TOGETHER


THE SPACE BETWEEN THE WATER AND THE FOOT OF THE CLIFFS WAS CONSIDERABLE IT TOOK HALF AN HOUR TO BRING US TO THE WALL OF ROCK WE TRAMPLED UNDER OUR FEET NUMBERLESS SHELLS OF ALL THE FORMS AND SIZES WHICH EXISTED IN THE EARLIEST AGES OF THE WORLD


I ALSO SAW IMMENSE CARAPACES MORE THAN FIFTEEN FEET IN DIAMETER


AND RIDGED UP IN SUCCESSIVE LINES I WAS THEREFORE LED TO THE CONCLUSION THAT AT ONE TIME THE SEA MUST HAVE COVERED THE GROUND ON WHICH WE WERE TREADING ON THE LOOSE AND SCATTERED ROCKS


THE WAVES HAD LEFT MANIFEST TRACES OF THEIR POWER TO WEAR THEIR WAY IN THE HARDEST STONE THIS MIGHT UP TO A CERTAIN POINT EXPLAIN THE EXISTENCE OF AN OCEAN FORTY LEAGUES BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE GLOBE BUT IN MY OPINION


THIS LIQUID MASS WOULD BE LOST BY DEGREES FARTHER AND FARTHER WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF THE EARTH AND IT CERTAINLY HAD ITS ORIGIN IN THE WATERS OF THE OCEAN OVERHEAD WHICH HAD MADE THEIR WAY HITHER THROUGH SOME FISSURE YET


IT MUST BE BELIEVED THAT THAT FISSURE IS NOW CLOSED AND THAT ALL THIS CAVERN OR IMMENSE RESERVOIR WAS FILLED IN A VERY SHORT TIME PERHAPS EVEN THIS WATER SUBJECTED TO THE FIERCE ACTION OF CENTRAL HEAT HAD PARTLY BEEN RESOLVED INTO VAPOUR


AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT ELECTRICITY WHICH RAISED SUCH TEMPESTS WITHIN THE BOWELS OF THE EARTH THIS THEORY OF THE PHENOMENA WE HAD WITNESSED SEEMED SATISFACTORY TO ME FOR HOWEVER GREAT AND STUPENDOUS THE PHENOMENA OF NATURE


FIXED PHYSICAL LAWS WILL OR MAY ALWAYS EXPLAIN THEM WE WERE THEREFORE WALKING UPON SEDIMENTARY SOIL THE DEPOSITS OF THE WATERS OF FORMER AGES THE PROFESSOR WAS CAREFULLY EXAMINING EVERY LITTLE FISSURE IN THE ROCKS


WHEREVER HE SAW A HOLE HE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW THE DEPTH OF IT TO HIM THIS WAS IMPORTANT WE HAD TRAVERSED THE SHORES OF THE LIEDENBROCK SEA FOR A MILE WHEN WE OBSERVED A SUDDEN CHANGE IN THE APPEARANCE OF THE SOIL IT SEEMED UPSET CONTORTED


WHERE THE REMAINS OF TWENTY AGES MINGLED THEIR DUST TOGETHER HUGE MOUNDS OF BONY FRAGMENTS ROSE STAGE AFTER STAGE IN THE DISTANCE THEY UNDULATED AWAY TO THE LIMITS OF THE HORIZON AND MELTED IN THE DISTANCE IN A FAINT


HAZE THERE WITHIN THREE SQUARE MILES WERE ACCUMULATED THE MATERIALS FOR A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ANIMAL LIFE OF AGES A HISTORY SCARCELY OUTLINED IN THE TOO RECENT STRATA OF THE INHABITED WORLD


BUT AN IMPATIENT CURIOSITY IMPELLED OUR STEPS CRACKLING AND RATTLING OUR FEET WERE TRAMPLING ON THE REMAINS OF PREHISTORIC ANIMALS AND INTERESTING FOSSILS THE POSSESSION OF WHICH IS A MATTER OF RIVALRY AND CONTENTION


A THOUSAND CUVIERS COULD NEVER HAVE RECONSTRUCTED THE ORGANIC REMAINS DEPOSITED IN THIS MAGNIFICENT AND UNPARALLELED COLLECTION I STOOD AMAZED MY UNCLE HAD UPLIFTED HIS LONG ARMS TO THE VAULT WHICH WAS OUR SKY


HIS MOUTH GAPING WIDE HIS EYES FLASHING BEHIND HIS SHINING SPECTACLES HIS HEAD BALANCING WITH AN UP AND DOWN MOTION HIS WHOLE ATTITUDE DENOTED UNLIMITED ASTONISHMENT HERE HE STOOD FACING AN IMMENSE COLLECTION OF SCATTERED


LEPTOTHERIA MERICOTHERIA LOPHIODIA ANOPLOTHERIA MEGATHERIA MASTODONS PROTOPITHECAE PTERODACTYLES AND ALL SORTS OF EXTINCT MONSTERS HERE ASSEMBLED TOGETHER FOR HIS SPECIAL SATISFACTION


FANCY AN ENTHUSIASTIC BIBLIOMANIAC SUDDENLY BROUGHT INTO THE MIDST OF THE FAMOUS ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY BURNT BY OMAR AND RESTORED BY A MIRACLE FROM ITS ASHES JUST SUCH A CRAZED ENTHUSIAST WAS MY UNCLE PROFESSOR LIEDENBROCK


BUT MORE WAS TO COME WHEN


HE LAID HIS HAND UPON A BARE SKULL AND CRIED WITH A VOICE TREMBLING WITH EXCITEMENT AXEL AXEL A HUMAN HEAD A HUMAN SKULL I CRIED NO LESS ASTONISHED


CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT THE PROFESSOR IN HIS CHAIR AGAIN TO UNDERSTAND THIS APOSTROPHE OF MY UNCLE'S MADE TO ABSENT FRENCH SAVANTS IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO ALLUDE TO AN EVENT OF HIGH IMPORTANCE


IN A PALAEONTOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW WHICH HAD OCCURRED A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE OUR DEPARTURE ON THE TWENTY EIGHTH OF MARCH EIGHTEEN SIXTY THREE


NEAR ABBEVILLE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOMME FOUND A HUMAN JAWBONE FOURTEEN FEET BENEATH THE SURFACE IT WAS THE FIRST FOSSIL OF THIS NATURE THAT HAD EVER BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT NOT FAR DISTANT


WERE FOUND STONE HATCHETS AND FLINT ARROW HEADS STAINED AND ENCASED BY LAPSE OF TIME WITH A UNIFORM COAT OF RUST THE NOISE OF THIS DISCOVERY WAS VERY GREAT NOT IN FRANCE ALONE BUT IN ENGLAND AND IN GERMANY


SAW AT ONCE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DISCOVERY PROVED TO DEMONSTRATION THE GENUINENESS OF THE BONE IN QUESTION AND BECAME THE MOST ARDENT DEFENDANTS IN WHAT THE ENGLISH CALLED THIS TRIAL OF A JAWBONE


THEREFORE THE GENUINENESS OF A FOSSIL HUMAN RELIC OF THE QUATERNARY PERIOD SEEMED TO BE INCONTESTABLY PROVED AND ADMITTED IT IS TRUE THAT THIS THEORY MET WITH A MOST OBSTINATE OPPONENT


AND AGREEING IN THAT WITH CUVIER HE REFUSED TO ADMIT THAT THE HUMAN SPECIES COULD BE CONTEMPORARY WITH THE ANIMALS OF THE QUATERNARY PERIOD MY UNCLE LIEDENBROCK ALONG WITH THE GREAT BODY OF THE GEOLOGISTS HAD MAINTAINED HIS GROUND DISPUTED AND ARGUED UNTIL


WE KNEW ALL THESE DETAILS BUT WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT SINCE OUR DEPARTURE THE QUESTION HAD ADVANCED TO FARTHER STAGES OTHER SIMILAR MAXILLARIES THOUGH BELONGING TO INDIVIDUALS OF VARIOUS TYPES AND DIFFERENT NATIONS WERE FOUND IN THE LOOSE GREY SOIL


OF CERTAIN GROTTOES IN FRANCE SWITZERLAND AND BELGIUM AS WELL AS WEAPONS TOOLS EARTHEN UTENSILS BONES OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS THE EXISTENCE THEREFORE OF MAN IN THE QUATERNARY PERIOD SEEMED TO BECOME DAILY MORE CERTAIN


NOR WAS THIS ALL FRESH DISCOVERIES OF REMAINS IN THE PLEIOCENE FORMATION HAD EMBOLDENED OTHER GEOLOGISTS TO REFER BACK THE HUMAN SPECIES TO A HIGHER ANTIQUITY STILL IT IS TRUE THAT THESE REMAINS WERE NOT HUMAN BONES


BUT OBJECTS BEARING THE TRACES OF HIS HANDIWORK SUCH AS FOSSIL LEG BONES OF ANIMALS SCULPTURED AND CARVED EVIDENTLY BY THE HAND OF MAN


HE WAS A PREDECESSOR OF THE MASTODON HE WAS A CONTEMPORARY OF THE SOUTHERN ELEPHANT HE LIVED A HUNDRED THOUSAND YEARS AGO WHEN ACCORDING TO GEOLOGISTS THE PLEIOCENE FORMATION WAS IN PROGRESS


SUCH THEN WAS THE STATE OF PALAEONTOLOGICAL SCIENCE AND WHAT WE KNEW OF IT WAS SUFFICIENT TO EXPLAIN OUR BEHAVIOUR IN THE PRESENCE OF THIS STUPENDOUS GOLGOTHA ANY ONE MAY NOW UNDERSTAND THE FRENZIED EXCITEMENT OF MY UNCLE WHEN


TWENTY YARDS FARTHER ON HE FOUND HIMSELF FACE TO FACE WITH A PRIMITIVE MAN IT WAS A PERFECTLY RECOGNISABLE HUMAN BODY HAD SOME PARTICULAR SOIL LIKE THAT OF THE CEMETERY SAINT MICHEL AT BORDEAUX


PRESERVED IT THUS FOR SO MANY AGES IT MIGHT BE SO BUT THIS DRIED CORPSE WITH ITS PARCHMENT LIKE SKIN DRAWN TIGHTLY OVER THE BONY FRAME THE LIMBS STILL PRESERVING THEIR SHAPE SOUND TEETH ABUNDANT HAIR


AND FINGER AND TOE NAILS OF FRIGHTFUL LENGTH THIS DESICCATED MUMMY STARTLED US BY APPEARING JUST AS IT HAD LIVED COUNTLESS AGES AGO I STOOD MUTE BEFORE THIS APPARITION OF REMOTE ANTIQUITY MY UNCLE USUALLY SO GARRULOUS


WAS STRUCK DUMB LIKEWISE WE RAISED THE BODY WE STOOD IT UP AGAINST A ROCK IT SEEMED TO STARE AT US OUT OF ITS EMPTY ORBITS WE SOUNDED WITH OUR KNUCKLES HIS HOLLOW FRAME AFTER SOME MOMENTS SILENCE THE PROFESSOR WAS HIMSELF AGAIN


OTTO LIEDENBROCK YIELDING TO HIS NATURE FORGOT ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR EVENTFUL JOURNEY FORGOT WHERE WE WERE STANDING FORGOT THE VAULTED CAVERN WHICH CONTAINED US NO DOUBT HE WAS IN MIND BACK AGAIN IN HIS JOHANNAEUM


HOLDING FORTH TO HIS PUPILS FOR HE ASSUMED HIS LEARNED AIR AND ADDRESSING HIMSELF TO AN IMAGINARY AUDIENCE HE PROCEEDED THUS GENTLEMEN I HAVE THE HONOUR TO INTRODUCE TO YOU A MAN OF THE QUATERNARY OR POST TERTIARY SYSTEM


EMINENT GEOLOGISTS HAVE DENIED HIS EXISTENCE OTHERS NO LESS EMINENT HAVE AFFIRMED IT THE SAINT THOMASES OF PALAEONTOLOGY IF THEY WERE HERE MIGHT NOW TOUCH HIM WITH THEIR FINGERS AND WOULD BE OBLIGED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR ERROR


I AM QUITE AWARE THAT SCIENCE HAS TO BE ON ITS GUARD WITH DISCOVERIES OF THIS KIND I KNOW WHAT CAPITAL ENTERPRISING INDIVIDUALS LIKE BARNUM HAVE MADE OUT OF FOSSIL MEN I HAVE HEARD THE TALE OF THE KNEEPAN OF AJAX


THE PRETENDED BODY OF ORESTES CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN FOUND BY THE SPARTANS AND OF THE BODY OF ASTERIUS TEN CUBITS LONG


I HAVE READ THE REPORTS OF THE SKELETON OF TRAPANI FOUND IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY AND WHICH WAS AT THE TIME IDENTIFIED AS THAT OF POLYPHEMUS AND THE HISTORY OF THE GIANT UNEARTHED IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY NEAR PALERMO


YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO GENTLEMEN THE ANALYSIS MADE AT LUCERNE IN FIFTEEN SEVENTY SEVEN OF THOSE HUGE BONES WHICH THE CELEBRATED DOCTOR FELIX PLATER AFFIRMED TO BE THOSE OF A GIANT NINETEEN FEET HIGH


IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY I WOULD HAVE STOOD UP FOR SCHEUCHZER'S PRE ADAMITE MAN AGAINST PETER CAMPET I HAVE PERUSED A WRITING


HERE MY UNCLE'S UNFORTUNATE INFIRMITY MET HIM THAT OF BEING UNABLE IN PUBLIC TO PRONOUNCE HARD WORDS


HE COULD GET NO FURTHER


IT WAS NOT TO BE DONE THE UNLUCKY WORD WOULD NOT COME OUT AT THE JOHANNAEUM THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LAUGH GIGANTOSTEOLOGIE AT LAST THE PROFESSOR BURST OUT BETWEEN TWO WORDS WHICH I SHALL NOT RECORD HERE


HAVE RECOGNISED IN THESE BONES NOTHING MORE REMARKABLE THAN THE BONES OF THE MAMMOTH AND OTHER MAMMALS OF THE POST TERTIARY PERIOD BUT IN THE PRESENCE OF THIS SPECIMEN TO DOUBT WOULD BE TO INSULT SCIENCE THERE STANDS THE BODY YOU MAY SEE IT TOUCH IT


IT IS NOT A MERE SKELETON IT IS AN ENTIRE BODY


I WAS GOOD ENOUGH NOT TO CONTRADICT THIS STARTLING ASSERTION IF I COULD ONLY WASH IT IN A SOLUTION OF SULPHURIC ACID PURSUED MY UNCLE I SHOULD BE ABLE TO CLEAR IT FROM ALL THE EARTHY PARTICLES AND THE SHELLS WHICH ARE INCRUSTED ABOUT IT


BUT I DO NOT POSSESS THAT VALUABLE SOLVENT YET SUCH AS IT IS THE BODY SHALL TELL US ITS OWN WONDERFUL STORY HERE THE PROFESSOR LAID HOLD OF THE FOSSIL SKELETON AND HANDLED IT WITH THE SKILL OF A DEXTEROUS SHOWMAN


YOU SEE HE SAID THAT IT IS NOT SIX FEET LONG AND THAT WE ARE STILL SEPARATED BY A LONG INTERVAL FROM THE PRETENDED RACE OF GIANTS


IT IS EVIDENTLY CAUCASIAN IT IS THE WHITE RACE OUR OWN THE SKULL OF THIS FOSSIL IS A REGULAR OVAL OR RATHER OVOID IT EXHIBITS NO PROMINENT CHEEKBONES NO PROJECTING JAWS


IT PRESENTS NO APPEARANCE OF THAT PROGNATHISM


IT IS NEARLY NINETY DEGREES BUT I WILL GO FURTHER IN MY DEDUCTIONS AND I WILL AFFIRM THAT THIS SPECIMEN OF THE HUMAN FAMILY IS OF THE JAPHETIC RACE WHICH HAS SINCE SPREAD FROM THE INDIES TO THE ATLANTIC DON'T SMILE GENTLEMEN NOBODY WAS SMILING


BUT THE LEARNED PROFESSOR WAS FREQUENTLY DISTURBED BY THE BROAD SMILES PROVOKED BY HIS LEARNED ECCENTRICITIES YES HE PURSUED WITH ANIMATION THIS IS A FOSSIL MAN THE CONTEMPORARY OF THE MASTODONS WHOSE REMAINS FILL THIS AMPHITHEATRE


HOW THOSE STRATA ON WHICH HE LAY SLIPPED DOWN INTO THIS ENORMOUS HOLLOW IN THE GLOBE I CONFESS I CANNOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION


CONSIDERABLE COMMOTIONS WERE STILL DISTURBING THE CRUST OF THE EARTH THE LONG CONTINUED COOLING OF THE GLOBE PRODUCED CHASMS FISSURES CLEFTS AND FAULTS INTO WHICH VERY PROBABLY PORTIONS OF THE UPPER EARTH MAY HAVE FALLEN


BUT THERE IS THE MAN SURROUNDED BY HIS OWN WORKS BY HATCHETS BY FLINT ARROW HEADS


THIS FOSSIL BODY WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THIS IMMENSE CATACOMB WE CAME UPON OTHER BODIES AT EVERY STEP AMONGST THIS MORTAL DUST AND MY UNCLE MIGHT SELECT THE MOST CURIOUS OF THESE SPECIMENS TO DEMOLISH THE INCREDULITY OF SCEPTICS


IN FACT IT WAS A WONDERFUL SPECTACLE THAT OF THESE GENERATIONS OF MEN AND ANIMALS COMMINGLED IN A COMMON CEMETERY THEN ONE VERY SERIOUS QUESTION AROSE PRESENTLY WHICH WE SCARCELY DARED TO SUGGEST


HAD ALL THOSE CREATURES SLIDED THROUGH A GREAT FISSURE IN THE CRUST OF THE EARTH DOWN TO THE SHORES OF THE LIEDENBROCK SEA WHEN THEY WERE DEAD AND TURNING TO DUST OR HAD THEY LIVED AND GROWN AND DIED HERE IN THIS SUBTERRANEAN WORLD UNDER A FALSE SKY


WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE RAFT WAS DASHED UPON THE ROCKS IS MORE THAN I CAN TELL I FELT MYSELF HURLED INTO THE WAVES AND IF I ESCAPED FROM DEATH AND IF MY BODY WAS NOT TORN OVER THE SHARP EDGES OF THE ROCKS


IT WAS BECAUSE THE POWERFUL ARM OF HANS CAME TO MY RESCUE THE BRAVE ICELANDER CARRIED ME OUT OF THE REACH OF THE WAVES OVER A BURNING SAND WHERE I FOUND MYSELF BY THE SIDE OF MY UNCLE


THEN HE RETURNED TO THE ROCKS AGAINST WHICH THE FURIOUS WAVES WERE BEATING TO SAVE WHAT HE COULD I WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK I WAS SHATTERED WITH FATIGUE AND EXCITEMENT


I WANTED A WHOLE HOUR TO RECOVER EVEN A LITTLE BUT A DELUGE OF RAIN WAS STILL FALLING THOUGH WITH THAT VIOLENCE WHICH GENERALLY DENOTES THE NEAR CESSATION OF A STORM


THE NEXT DAY THE WEATHER WAS SPLENDID THE SKY AND THE SEA HAD SUNK INTO SUDDEN REPOSE EVERY TRACE OF THE AWFUL STORM HAD DISAPPEARED


THE EXHILARATING VOICE OF THE PROFESSOR FELL UPON MY EARS AS I AWOKE HE WAS OMINOUSLY CHEERFUL WELL MY BOY HE CRIED HAVE YOU SLEPT WELL


AND THAT I WAS ONLY JUST COMING DOWN TO BREAKFAST AND THAT I WAS TO BE MARRIED TO GRAEUBEN THAT DAY ALAS IF THE TEMPEST HAD BUT SENT THE RAFT A LITTLE MORE EAST WE SHOULD HAVE PASSED UNDER GERMANY UNDER MY BELOVED TOWN OF HAMBURG


UNDER THE VERY STREET WHERE DWELT ALL THAT I LOVED MOST IN THE WORLD THEN ONLY FORTY LEAGUES WOULD HAVE SEPARATED US BUT THEY WERE FORTY LEAGUES PERPENDICULAR OF SOLID GRANITE WALL AND IN REALITY WE WERE A THOUSAND LEAGUES ASUNDER


ALL THESE PAINFUL REFLECTIONS RAPIDLY CROSSED MY MIND BEFORE I COULD ANSWER MY UNCLE'S QUESTION WELL NOW HE REPEATED WON'T YOU TELL ME HOW YOU HAVE SLEPT OH VERY WELL I SAID


I AM ONLY A LITTLE KNOCKED UP BUT I SHALL SOON BE BETTER OH SAYS MY UNCLE THAT'S NOTHING TO SIGNIFY YOU ARE ONLY A LITTLE BIT TIRED BUT YOU UNCLE YOU SEEM IN VERY GOOD SPIRITS THIS MORNING


BUT MY DEAR UNCLE DO LET ME ASK YOU ONE QUESTION OF COURSE AXEL HOW ABOUT RETURNING RETURNING WHY YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE RETURN BEFORE THE ARRIVAL NO


I ONLY WANT TO KNOW HOW THAT IS TO BE MANAGED IN THE SIMPLEST WAY POSSIBLE WHEN WE HAVE REACHED THE CENTRE OF THE GLOBE EITHER WE SHALL FIND SOME NEW WAY TO GET BACK OR WE SHALL COME BACK LIKE DECENT FOLKS THE WAY WE CAME


I FEEL PLEASED AT THE THOUGHT THAT IT IS SURE NOT TO BE SHUT AGAINST US BUT THEN WE SHALL HAVE TO REFIT THE RAFT OF COURSE THEN AS TO PROVISIONS HAVE WE ENOUGH TO LAST


YES TO BE SURE WE HAVE HANS IS A CLEVER FELLOW AND I AM SURE HE MUST HAVE SAVED A LARGE PART OF OUR CARGO BUT STILL LET US GO AND MAKE SURE


WE LEFT THIS GROTTO WHICH LAY OPEN TO EVERY WIND AT THE SAME TIME I CHERISHED A TREMBLING HOPE WHICH WAS A FEAR AS WELL IT SEEMED TO ME IMPOSSIBLE THAT THE TERRIBLE WRECK OF THE RAFT SHOULD NOT HAVE DESTROYED EVERYTHING ON BOARD


ON MY ARRIVAL ON THE SHORE I FOUND HANS SURROUNDED BY AN ASSEMBLAGE OF ARTICLES ALL ARRANGED IN GOOD ORDER MY UNCLE SHOOK HANDS WITH HIM WITH A LIVELY GRATITUDE THIS MAN WITH ALMOST SUPERHUMAN DEVOTION


AND HAD SAVED THE MOST PRECIOUS OF THE ARTICLES AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE NOT THAT WE HAD SUFFERED NO LOSSES FOR INSTANCE OUR FIREARMS BUT WE MIGHT DO WITHOUT THEM OUR STOCK OF POWDER HAD REMAINED UNINJURED


AFTER HAVING RISKED BLOWING UP DURING THE STORM WELL CRIED THE PROFESSOR AS WE HAVE NO GUNS WE CANNOT HUNT THAT'S ALL YES BUT HOW ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS HERE IS THE ANEROID THE MOST USEFUL OF ALL


AND FOR WHICH I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ALL THE OTHERS BY MEANS OF IT I CAN CALCULATE THE DEPTH AND KNOW WHEN WE HAVE REACHED THE CENTRE WITHOUT IT


SUCH HIGH SPIRITS AS THESE WERE RATHER TOO STRONG BUT WHERE IS THE COMPASS I ASKED HERE IT IS UPON THIS ROCK IN PERFECT CONDITION AS WELL AS THE THERMOMETERS AND THE CHRONOMETER THE HUNTER IS A SPLENDID FELLOW


THERE WAS NO DENYING IT WE HAD ALL OUR INSTRUMENTS AS FOR TOOLS AND APPLIANCES THERE THEY ALL LAY ON THE GROUND LADDERS ROPES PICKS SPADES ET CETERA STILL THERE WAS THE QUESTION OF PROVISIONS TO BE SETTLED AND I ASKED


HOW ARE WE OFF FOR PROVISIONS THE BOXES CONTAINING THESE WERE IN A LINE UPON THE SHORE IN A PERFECT STATE OF PRESERVATION FOR THE MOST PART THE SEA HAD SPARED THEM AND WHAT WITH BISCUITS SALT MEAT SPIRITS AND SALT FISH


FOUR MONTHS CRIED THE PROFESSOR WE HAVE TIME TO GO AND TO RETURN


I OUGHT BY THIS TIME TO HAVE BEEN QUITE ACCUSTOMED TO MY UNCLE'S WAYS YET THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING FRESH ABOUT HIM TO ASTONISH ME NOW SAID HE


THEREFORE WE SHALL HAVE NO REASON TO FEAR ANYTHING FROM THIRST AS FOR THE RAFT I WILL RECOMMEND HANS TO DO HIS BEST TO REPAIR IT ALTHOUGH I DON'T EXPECT IT WILL BE OF ANY FURTHER USE TO US HOW SO I CRIED AN IDEA OF MY OWN MY LAD


I DON'T THINK WE SHALL COME OUT BY THE WAY THAT WE WENT IN I STARED AT THE PROFESSOR WITH A GOOD DEAL OF MISTRUST I ASKED WAS HE NOT TOUCHED IN THE BRAIN AND YET THERE WAS METHOD IN HIS MADNESS AND NOW LET US GO TO BREAKFAST SAID HE


I FOLLOWED HIM TO A HEADLAND AFTER HE HAD GIVEN HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO THE HUNTER THERE PRESERVED MEAT BISCUIT AND TEA MADE US AN EXCELLENT MEAL ONE OF THE BEST I EVER REMEMBER HUNGER THE FRESH AIR THE CALM QUIET WEATHER


AFTER THE COMMOTIONS WE HAD GONE THROUGH ALL CONTRIBUTED TO GIVE ME A GOOD APPETITE WHILST BREAKFASTING I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT TO MY UNCLE THE QUESTION WHERE WE WERE NOW THAT SEEMS TO ME I SAID RATHER DIFFICULT TO MAKE OUT


YES IT IS DIFFICULT HE SAID TO CALCULATE EXACTLY PERHAPS EVEN IMPOSSIBLE SINCE DURING THESE THREE STORMY DAYS I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO KEEP ANY ACCOUNT OF THE RATE OR DIRECTION OF THE RAFT BUT STILL WE MAY GET AN APPROXIMATION


THE LAST OBSERVATION I REMARKED WAS MADE ON THE ISLAND WHEN THE GEYSER WAS YOU MEAN AXEL ISLAND DON'T DECLINE THE HONOUR OF HAVING GIVEN YOUR NAME TO THE FIRST ISLAND EVER DISCOVERED IN THE CENTRAL PARTS OF THE GLOBE WELL SAID I


LET IT BE AXEL ISLAND THEN WE HAD CLEARED TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY LEAGUES OF SEA AND WE WERE SIX HUNDRED LEAGUES FROM ICELAND VERY WELL ANSWERED MY UNCLE LET US START FROM THAT POINT AND COUNT FOUR DAYS STORM


SURELY AXEL IT MAY VIE IN SIZE WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN ITSELF ESPECIALLY I REPLIED IF IT HAPPENS THAT WE HAVE ONLY CROSSED IT IN ITS NARROWEST PART AND IT IS A CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE I ADDED THAT IF MY COMPUTATIONS ARE RIGHT


THAT IS A GOOD LONG WAY MY FRIEND BUT WHETHER WE ARE UNDER TURKEY OR THE ATLANTIC DEPENDS VERY MUCH UPON THE QUESTION


PERHAPS WE HAVE DEVIATED NO I THINK NOT


WELL REPLIED MY UNCLE WE MAY EASILY ASCERTAIN THIS BY CONSULTING THE COMPASS LET US GO AND SEE WHAT IT SAYS THE PROFESSOR MOVED TOWARDS THE ROCK UPON WHICH HANS HAD LAID DOWN THE INSTRUMENTS


HE WAS GAY AND FULL OF SPIRITS HE RUBBED HIS HANDS HE STUDIED HIS ATTITUDES I FOLLOWED HIM CURIOUS TO KNOW IF I WAS RIGHT IN MY ESTIMATE AS SOON AS WE HAD ARRIVED AT THE ROCK MY UNCLE TOOK THE COMPASS LAID IT HORIZONTALLY


AND QUESTIONED THE NEEDLE WHICH AFTER A FEW OSCILLATIONS PRESENTLY ASSUMED A FIXED POSITION MY UNCLE LOOKED AND LOOKED AND LOOKED AGAIN HE RUBBED HIS EYES


AND THEN TURNED TO ME THUNDERSTRUCK WITH SOME UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY WHAT IS THE MATTER I ASKED


AN EXCLAMATION OF ASTONISHMENT BURST FROM ME THE NORTH POLE OF THE NEEDLE WAS TURNED TO WHAT WE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SOUTH IT POINTED TO THE SHORE INSTEAD OF TO THE OPEN SEA I SHOOK THE BOX EXAMINED IT AGAIN


IT WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION IN WHATEVER POSITION I PLACED THE BOX THE NEEDLE PERTINACIOUSLY RETURNED TO THIS UNEXPECTED QUARTER


THAT HE SHOULD BE ELECTED AND NOW HE DID THINK IT PROBABLE THAT HE SHOULD GET THE SEAT ON A PETITION A SCRUTINY USED TO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE BUSINESS BUT UNDER THE EXISTING LAW MADE AS THE SCRUTINY WOULD BE IN THE BOROUGH ITSELF


IT WOULD COST BUT LITTLE AND THAT LITTLE SHOULD HE BE SUCCESSFUL WOULD FALL ON THE SHOULDERS OF MISTER BROWBOROUGH SHOULD HE KNOCK OFF EIGHT VOTES AND LOSE NONE HIMSELF HE WOULD BE MEMBER FOR TANKERVILLE


HE KNEW THAT MANY VOTES HAD BEEN GIVEN FOR BROWBOROUGH WHICH IF THE TRUTH WERE KNOWN OF THEM WOULD BE KNOCKED OFF AND HE DID NOT KNOW THAT THE SAME COULD BE SAID OF ANY ONE OF THOSE BY WHICH HE HAD BEEN SUPPORTED


BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE JUDGE BY WHOM ALL THIS WOULD BE DECIDED MIGHT NOT REACH TANKERVILLE IN HIS TRAVELS TILL AFTER CHRISTMAS PERHAPS NOT TILL AFTER EASTER AND IN THE MEANTIME WHAT SHOULD HE DO WITH HIMSELF


AS FOR GOING BACK TO DUBLIN THAT WAS NOW OUT OF THE QUESTION HE HAD ENTERED UPON A FEVERISH STATE OF EXISTENCE IN WHICH IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE THAT HE SHOULD LIVE IN IRELAND


HE MUST VANISH OUT OF THE WORLD


HE WOULD NOT EVEN ENDEAVOUR TO THINK HOW HE MIGHT IN SUCH CASE BEST BESTOW HIMSELF FOR THE PRESENT HE WOULD REMAIN WITHIN THE REGION OF POLITICS AND LIVE AS NEAR AS HE COULD TO THE WHIRL OF THE WHEEL OF WHICH THE SOUND WAS SO DEAR TO HIM


SO YOU'RE AT THE OLD GAME MISTER FINN SAID HIS LANDLORD YES AT THE OLD GAME I SUPPOSE IT'S THE SAME WITH YOU NOW MISTER BUNCE HAD BEEN A VERY VIOLENT POLITICIAN


PRETTY MUCH THE SAME MISTER FINN I DON'T SEE THAT THINGS ARE MUCH BETTER THAN THEY USED TO BE THEY TELL ME AT THE PEOPLE'S BANNER OFFICE THAT THE LORDS HAVE HAD AS MUCH TO DO WITH THIS ELECTION AS WITH ANY THAT EVER WENT BEFORE IT


PERHAPS THEY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT AT THE PEOPLE'S BANNER OFFICE I THOUGHT MISTER SLIDE AND THE PEOPLE'S BANNER HAD GONE OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE BUNCE MISTER SLIDE IS PRETTY WIDE AWAKE WHATEVER SIDE HE'S ON


NOT BUT WHAT HE'S DISGRACED HIMSELF BY WHAT HE'S BEEN AND DONE NOW MISTER SLIDE IN FORMER DAYS HAD BEEN THE EDITOR OF THE PEOPLE'S BANNER


BUT WHAT A MAN KEEPS IN THE WAY OF RELIGION FOR HIS OWN USE IS NEVER NOTHING TO ME AS WHAT I KEEPS IS NOTHING TO HIM I'M AFRAID YOU DON'T KEEP MUCH MISTER BUNCE AND THAT'S NOTHING TO YOU NEITHER IS IT SIR NO INDEED


BUT WHEN WE READ OF CHURCHES AS IS CALLED STATE CHURCHES CHURCHES AS HAVE BISHOPS YOU AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR AS NEVER GOES INTO THEM BUT WE DON'T PAY THE BISHOPS MISTER BUNCE OH YES WE DO BECAUSE IF THEY WASN'T PAID


THE MONEY WOULD COME TO US TO DO AS WE PLEASED WITH IT WE PROVED ALL THAT WHEN WE PARED THEM DOWN A BIT WHAT'S AN ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION ONLY ANOTHER NAME FOR A BOX TO PUT THE MONEY INTO TILL YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OUT AGAIN


JUST AS THE THEATRES ARE MISTER FINN OR THE GIN SHOPS THEN I KNOW THERE'S A DEAL MORE TO BE DONE BEFORE HONEST MEN CAN COME BY THEIR OWN YOU'RE RIGHT ENOUGH MISTER FINN YOU ARE AS FAR AS CHURCHES GO AND YOU WAS RIGHT TOO WHEN YOU CUT AND RUN OFF THE TREASURY BENCH


I NEVER EXPECTED THIS BUT I'LL DO FOR YOU MISTER FINN JUST AS I EVER DID IN THE OLD DAYS AND IT WAS I THAT WAS SORRY WHEN I HEARD OF THE POOR YOUNG LADY'S DEATH SO I WAS MISTER FINN WELL THEN I WON'T MENTION HER NAME NEVER AGAIN


BUT AFTER ALL THERE'S BEEN BETWIXT YOU AND US IT WOULDN'T BE NATURAL TO PASS IT BY WITHOUT ONE WORD WOULD IT MISTER FINN WELL YES HE'S JUST THE SAME MAN AS EVER


JUST AS HE USED TO DO AND NEVER GOT SO MUCH OUT OF IT


THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BEAR IT WELL YES THAT IS TRUE MISTER FINN THERE NEVER WAS A MAN BETTER AT BRINGING HOME HIS MONEY TO HIS WIFE THAN BUNCE


IF HE'D DRINK IT WHICH HE NEVER DOES I THINK I'D BEAR IT BETTER THAN GIVE IT TO THAT NASTY UNION AND YOUNG JACK WRITES AS WELL AS HIS FATHER PRETTY NIGH MISTER FINN WHICH IS A COMFORT MISTER BUNCE WAS A JOURNEYMAN SCRIVENER AT A LAW STATIONER'S


AND KEEPS HIS SELF BUT HE DON'T BRING HOME HIS MONEY NOR YET IT CAN'T BE EXPECTED MISTER FINN I KNOW WHAT THE YOUNG UNS WILL DO AND WHAT THEY WON'T AND MARY JANE IS QUITE HANDY ABOUT THE HOUSE NOW ONLY SHE DO BREAK THINGS


WHICH HE USED TO KNOW SO WELL A HUNDRED MEMORIES OF FORMER DAYS CROWDED BACK UPON HIM LORD CHILTERN FOR A FEW MONTHS HAD LIVED WITH HIM AND THEN THERE HAD ARISEN A QUARREL WHICH HE HAD FOR A TIME THOUGHT WOULD DISSOLVE HIS OLD LIFE INTO RUIN


NOW LORD CHILTERN WAS AGAIN HIS VERY INTIMATE FRIEND AND THERE HAD USED TO SIT A NEEDY MONEY LENDER WHOM


ALAS ALAS HOW SOON MIGHT HE NOW REQUIRE THAT MONEY LENDER'S SERVICES AND THEN HE RECOLLECTED HOW HE HAD LEFT THESE ROOMS TO GO INTO OTHERS GRANDER AND MORE APPROPRIATE TO HIS LIFE WHEN HE HAD FILLED HIGH OFFICE UNDER THE STATE


WOULD THERE EVER AGAIN COME TO HIM SUCH CAUSE FOR MIGRATION AND WOULD HE AGAIN BE ABLE TO LOAD THE FRAME OF THE LOOKING GLASS OVER THE FIRE WITH COUNTLESS CARDS FROM COUNTESSES AND MINISTERS WIVES HE HAD OPENED THE OYSTER FOR HIMSELF ONCE


WHEN THE POINT OF HIS KNIFE HAD BEEN WITHDRAWN WOULD HE BE ABLE TO INSERT THE POINT AGAIN BETWEEN THOSE TWO DIFFICULT SHELLS WOULD THE COUNTESSES ONCE MORE BE KIND TO HIM WOULD DRAWING ROOMS BE OPENED TO HIM AND SOMETIMES OPENED TO HIM AND TO NO OTHER


THEN HE THOUGHT OF CERTAIN SPECIAL DRAWING ROOMS IN WHICH WONDERFUL THINGS HAD BEEN SAID TO HIM SINCE THAT HE HAD BEEN A MARRIED MAN AND THOSE SPECIAL DRAWING ROOMS AND THOSE WONDERFUL WORDS HAD IN NO DEGREE ACTUATED HIM IN HIS CHOICE OF A WIFE


HE HAD LEFT ALL THOSE THINGS OF HIS OWN FREE WILL AS THOUGH TELLING HIMSELF THAT THERE WAS A BETTER LIFE THAN THEY OFFERED TO HIM BUT WAS HE SURE THAT HE HAD FOUND IT TO BE BETTER HE HAD CERTAINLY SIGHED FOR THE GAUDS WHICH HE HAD LEFT


WHILE HIS YOUNG WIFE WAS LIVING HE HAD KEPT HIS SIGHS DOWN SO THAT SHE SHOULD NOT HEAR THEM BUT HE HAD BEEN FORCED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HIS NEW LIFE HAD BEEN VAPID AND FLAVOURLESS NOW HE HAD BEEN TEMPTED BACK AGAIN TO THE OLD HAUNTS


WOULD THE COUNTESSES CARDS BE SHOWERED UPON HIM AGAIN ONE CARD OR RATHER NOTE HAD REACHED HIM WHILE HE WAS YET AT TANKERVILLE REMINDING HIM OF OLD DAYS IT WAS FROM MISSUS LOW THE WIFE OF THE BARRISTER


WITH WHOM HE HAD WORKED WHEN HE HAD BEEN A LAW STUDENT IN LONDON SHE HAD ASKED HIM TO COME AND DINE WITH THEM AFTER THE OLD FASHION IN BAKER STREET NAMING A DAY AS TO WHICH SHE PRESUMED THAT HE WOULD BY THAT TIME HAVE FINISHED HIS AFFAIRS AT TANKERVILLE


INTIMATING ALSO THAT MISTER LOW WOULD THEN HAVE FINISHED HIS AT NORTH BROUGHTON NOW MISTER LOW HAD SAT FOR NORTH BROUGHTON BEFORE PHINEAS LEFT LONDON AND HIS WIFE SPOKE OF THE SEAT AS A CERTAINTY


PHINEAS COULD NOT KEEP HIMSELF FROM FEELING THAT MISSUS LOW INTENDED TO TRIUMPH OVER HIM BUT NEVERTHELESS HE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION THEY WERE VERY GLAD TO SEE HIM EXPLAINING THAT


AS NOBODY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN TOWN NOBODY HAD BEEN ASKED TO MEET HIM IN FORMER DAYS HE HAD BEEN VERY INTIMATE IN THAT HOUSE HAVING RECEIVED FROM BOTH OF THEM MUCH KINDNESS MINGLED PERHAPS WITH SOME TOUCH OF SEVERITY ON THE PART OF THE LADY


BUT THE GROUND FOR THAT WAS GONE AND MISSUS LOW WAS NO LONGER PAINFULLY SEVERE A FEW WORDS WERE SAID AS TO HIS GREAT LOSS MISSUS LOW ONCE RAISED HER EYEBROWS IN PRETENDED SURPRISE


WHEN PHINEAS EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD THROWN UP HIS PLACE AND THEN THEY SETTLED DOWN ON THE QUESTION OF THE DAY AND SO SAID MISSUS LOW YOU'VE BEGUN TO ATTACK THE CHURCH IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT AT THIS MOMENT MISTER DAUBENY


AND IF HER HUSBAND COULD NOT BE SAID TO LIVE BY MEANS OF THE SAME ATMOSPHERE IT WAS BECAUSE THE BREATH OF HIS NOSTRILS HAD BEEN DRAWN CHIEFLY IN THE VICE CHANCELLOR'S COURT IN LINCOLN'S INN BUT HE NO DOUBT


WOULD BE VERY MUCH DISTURBED INDEED SHOULD HE EVER BE TOLD THAT HE WAS REQUIRED AS AN EXPECTANT MEMBER OF MISTER DAUBENY'S PARTY TO VOTE FOR THE DISESTABLISHMENT


YOU DON'T MEAN THAT I AM GUILTY OF THROWING THE FIRST STONE SAID PHINEAS THEY HAVE BEEN THROWING STONES AT THE TEMPLE SINCE FIRST IT WAS BUILT SAID MISSUS LOW WITH ENERGY BUT THEY HAVE FALLEN OFF ITS POLISHED SHAFTS IN DUST AND FRAGMENTS


I AM AFRAID THAT MISSUS LOW WHEN SHE ALLOWED HERSELF TO SPEAK THUS ENERGETICALLY ENTERTAINED SOME CONFUSED IDEA THAT THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION WERE ONE AND THE SAME THING OR AT LEAST THAT THEY HAD BEEN BROUGHT INTO THE WORLD TOGETHER


YOU HAVEN'T THROWN THE FIRST STONE SAID MISTER LOW BUT YOU HAVE TAKEN UP THE THROWING AT THE FIRST MOMENT IN WHICH STONES MAY BE DANGEROUS NO STONES CAN BE DANGEROUS SAID MISSUS LOW


THE IDEA OF A STATE CHURCH SAID PHINEAS IS OPPOSED TO MY THEORY OF POLITICAL PROGRESS WHAT I HOPE IS THAT MY FRIENDS WILL NOT SUPPOSE THAT I ATTACK THE PROTESTANT CHURCH BECAUSE I AM A ROMAN CATHOLIC IF I WERE A PRIEST


IT WOULD BE MY BUSINESS TO DO SO BUT I AM NOT A PRIEST MISTER LOW GAVE HIS OLD FRIEND A BOTTLE OF HIS BEST WINE AND IN ALL FRIENDLY OBSERVANCES TREATED HIM WITH DUE AFFECTION BUT NEITHER DID HE NOR DID HIS WIFE


FOR A MOMENT ABSTAIN FROM ATTACKING THEIR GUEST IN RESPECT TO HIS SPEECHES AT TANKERVILLE IT SEEMED INDEED TO PHINEAS THAT AS MISSUS LOW WAS BUCKLED UP IN SUCH TRIPLE ARMOUR THAT SHE FEARED NOTHING


SHE MIGHT HAVE BEEN LESS LOUD IN EXPRESSING HER ABHORRENCE OF THE ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH IF SHE FEARED NOTHING WHY SHOULD SHE SCREAM SO LOUDLY BETWEEN THE TWO HE WAS A GOOD DEAL CRUSHED AND CONFOUNDED


AND MISSUS LOW WAS VERY TRIUMPHANT WHEN SHE ALLOWED HIM TO ESCAPE FROM HER HANDS AT TEN O'CLOCK BUT AT THAT MOMENT NOTHING HAD AS YET BEEN HEARD IN BAKER STREET OF MISTER DAUBENY'S PROPOSITION TO THE ELECTORS OF EAST BARSETSHIRE


POOR MISSUS LOW WE CAN FORESEE THAT THERE IS MUCH GRIEF IN STORE FOR HER AND SOME ROCKS AHEAD TOO IN THE POLITICAL CAREER OF HER HUSBAND PHINEAS WAS STILL IN LONDON HANGING ABOUT THE CLUBS DOING NOTHING


DISCUSSING MISTER DAUBENY'S WONDERFUL TREACHERY WITH SUCH MEN AS CAME UP TO TOWN AND WAITING FOR THE MEETING OF PARLIAMENT WHEN HE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING LETTER FROM LADY LAURA KENNEDY DRESDEN NOVEMBER EIGHTEENTH


I HAVE HEARD WITH GREAT PLEASURE FROM MY SISTER IN LAW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN STAYING WITH THEM AT HARRINGTON HALL IT SEEMS SO LIKE OLD DAYS THAT YOU AND OSWALD AND VIOLET SHOULD BE TOGETHER SO MUCH MORE NATURAL


THAN THAT YOU SHOULD BE LIVING IN DUBLIN I CANNOT CONCEIVE OF YOU AS LIVING ANY OTHER LIFE THAN THAT OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS DOWNING STREET AND THE CLUBS NOR DO I WISH TO DO SO


AND WHEN I HEAR OF YOU AT HARRINGTON HALL I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO THE OTHER THINGS DO TELL ME WHAT LIFE IS LIKE WITH OSWALD AND VIOLET OF COURSE HE NEVER WRITES HE IS ONE OF THOSE MEN WHO ON MARRYING


ASSUME THAT THEY HAVE AT LAST GOT A PERSON TO DO A DUTY WHICH HAS ALWAYS HITHERTO BEEN NEGLECTED VIOLET DOES WRITE


AS THE WIFE OF A MASTER OF HOUNDS


AS THE ART IS REAL SHE TOLD ME HOW POOR DEAR LADY BALDOCK COMMUNICATED TO YOU HER UNHAPPINESS ABOUT HER DAUGHTER IN A MANNER THAT MADE EVEN ME LAUGH AND WOULD MAKE THOUSANDS LAUGH IN DAYS TO COME WERE IT EVER TO BE PUBLISHED


BUT OF HER INSIDE LIFE OF HER BABY OR OF HER HUSBAND AS A HUSBAND SHE NEVER SAYS A WORD YOU WILL HAVE SEEN IT ALL AND HAVE ENOUGH OF THE FEMININE SIDE OF A MAN'S CHARACTER TO BE ABLE TO TELL ME HOW THEY ARE LIVING


I AM SURE THEY ARE HAPPY TOGETHER BECAUSE VIOLET HAS MORE COMMON SENSE THAN ANY WOMAN I EVER KNEW AND PRAY TELL ME ABOUT THE AFFAIR AT TANKERVILLE MY COUSIN BARRINGTON WRITES ME WORD THAT YOU WILL CERTAINLY GET THE SEAT


HE DECLARES THAT MISTER BROWBOROUGH IS ALMOST DISPOSED NOT TO FIGHT THE BATTLE THOUGH A MAN MORE DISPOSED TO FIGHT NEVER BRIBED AN ELECTOR BUT BARRINGTON SEEMS TO THINK THAT YOU MANAGED AS WELL AS YOU DID BY GETTING OUTSIDE THE TRACES AS HE CALLS IT


WE CERTAINLY DID NOT THINK THAT YOU WOULD COME OUT STRONG AGAINST THE CHURCH


BUT IF IT MUST COME WHY NOT BY YOUR HANDS AS WELL AS BY ANY OTHER IT IS HARDLY POSSIBLE THAT YOU IN YOUR HEART SHOULD LOVE A PROTESTANT ASCENDANT CHURCH BUT AS BARRINGTON SAYS A HORSE WON'T GET OATS


AT HOME AS YOU KNOW NOT ONLY DID HE TAKE AN ACTIVE PART IN POLITICS BUT HE WAS ACTIVE ALSO IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HIS OWN PROPERTY NOW IT SEEMS TO HIM TO BE ALMOST TOO GREAT A TROUBLE TO WRITE A LETTER TO HIS STEWARD


OR TO REMAIN HERE BY MYSELF BUT HE WILL CONSENT TO NEITHER IN TRUTH THE BURDEN OF IDLENESS HAS NOW FALLEN UPON HIM SO HEAVILY THAT HE CANNOT SHAKE IT OFF HE DREADS THAT HE MAY BE CALLED UPON TO DO ANYTHING


TO ME IT IS ALL ONE TRAGEDY I CANNOT BUT THINK OF THINGS AS THEY WERE TWO OR THREE YEARS SINCE MY FATHER AND MY HUSBAND WERE BOTH IN THE CABINET AND YOU YOUNG AS YOU WERE STOOD BUT ONE STEP BELOW IT OSWALD WAS OUT IN THE COLD HE WAS VERY POOR


PAPA THOUGHT ALL EVIL OF HIM VIOLET HAD REFUSED HIM OVER AND OVER AGAIN HE QUARRELLED WITH YOU AND ALL THE WORLD SEEMED AGAINST HIM THEN OF A SUDDEN YOU VANISHED AND WE VANISHED AN INEFFABLE MISERY FELL UPON ME AND UPON MY WRETCHED HUSBAND


ALL OUR GOOD THINGS WENT FROM US AT A BLOW I AND MY POOR FATHER BECAME AS IT WERE OUTCASTS BUT OSWALD SUDDENLY RETRICKED HIS BEAMS AND IS FLAMING IN THE FOREHEAD OF THE MORNING SKY HE I BELIEVE


HE WON HIS WIFE HONESTLY DID HE NOT AND HE HAS EVER BEEN HONEST IT IS MY PRIDE TO THINK I NEVER GAVE HIM UP BUT THE BITTER PART OF MY CUP CONSISTS IN THIS THAT AS HE HAS WON WHAT HE HAS DESERVED SO HAVE WE


I COMPLAIN OF NO INJUSTICE OUR CASTLE WAS BUILT UPON THE SAND WHY SHOULD MISTER KENNEDY HAVE BEEN A CABINET MINISTER AND WHY SHOULD I HAVE BEEN HIS WIFE


THERE IS NO ONE WHOM I CAN ASK TO TELL ME OF HIM THAT HE DID NOT ATTEND DURING THE LAST SESSION I DO KNOW AND WE PRESUME THAT HE HAS NOW ABANDONED HIS SEAT I FEAR THAT HIS HEALTH IS BAD


BY THE GLOOM OF HIS LIFE I SUPPOSE THAT HE LIVES EXCLUSIVELY AT LOUGHLINTER FROM TIME TO TIME I AM IMPLORED BY HIM TO RETURN TO MY DUTY BENEATH HIS ROOF HE GROUNDS HIS DEMAND ON NO AFFECTION OF HIS OWN


ON NO PRESUMPTION THAT ANY AFFECTION CAN REMAIN WITH ME HE SAYS NO WORD OF HAPPINESS HE OFFERS NO COMFORT HE DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE WITH PROMISES OF FUTURE CARE HE MAKES HIS CLAIM SIMPLY ON HOLY WRIT AND ON THE FEELING OF DUTY WHICH


THENCE OUGHT TO WEIGH UPON ME HE HAS NEVER EVEN TOLD ME THAT HE LOVES ME BUT HE IS PERSISTENT IN DECLARING THAT THOSE WHOM GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER NOTHING HUMAN SHOULD SEPARATE


I HAVE TOLD PAPA THAT I SHOULD ASK YOU AND HE WOULD BE DELIGHTED


TO BE ABLE TO TALK AGAIN TO ONE WHO KNOWS ALL THE ERRORS AND ALL THE EFFORTS OF MY PAST LIFE AS YOU DO DRESDEN IS VERY COLD IN THE WINTER I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER YOU WOULD MIND THAT WE ARE VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT THE ROOMS BUT MY FATHER BEARS THE TEMPERATURE WONDERFULLY WELL


THOUGH HE COMPLAINS IN MARCH WE MOVE DOWN SOUTH FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS DO COME IF YOU CAN MOST SINCERELY YOURS LAURA KENNEDY


SAGACIOUS BOLD AND RESTLESS HE PUSHED HIS WAY FROM TOWN TO TOWN AND PRETENDED TO HAVE REACHED THE MYSTERIOUS MOUNTAINS OF APPALACHE HE SENT TO THE FORT MANTLES WOVEN WITH FEATHERS QUIVERS COVERED WITH CHOICE FURS


ARROWS TIPPED WITH GOLD WEDGES OF A GREEN STONE LIKE BERYL OR EMERALD AND OTHER TROPHIES OF HIS WANDERINGS A GENTLEMAN NAMED GROTAUT TOOK UP THE QUEST AND PENETRATED TO THE DOMINIONS OF HOSTAQUA


WHO IT WAS PRETENDED COULD MUSTER THREE OR FOUR THOUSAND WARRIORS AND WHO PROMISED WITH THE AID OF A HUNDRED ARQUEBUSIERS TO CONQUER ALL THE KINGS OF THE ADJACENT MOUNTAINS AND SUBJECT THEM AND THEIR GOLD MINES TO THE RULE OF THE FRENCH


A HUMBLER ADVENTURER WAS PIERRE GAMBIE A ROBUST AND DARING YOUTH


AND WAS NOW A SOLDIER UNDER LAUDONNIERE THE LATTER GAVE HIM LEAVE TO TRADE WITH THE INDIANS A PRIVILEGE WHICH HE USED SO WELL THAT HE GREW RICH WITH HIS TRAFFIC BECAME PRIME FAVORITE WITH THE CHIEF OF THE ISLAND OF EDELANO


MARRIED HIS DAUGHTER AND IN HIS ABSENCE REIGNED IN HIS STEAD BUT AS HIS SWAY VERGED TOWARDS DESPOTISM HIS SUBJECTS TOOK OFFENCE AND SPLIT HIS HEAD WITH A HATCHET DURING THE WINTER


INDIANS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF CAPE CANAVERAL BROUGHT TO THE FORT TWO SPANIARDS WRECKED FIFTEEN YEARS BEFORE ON THE SOUTHWESTERN EXTREMITY OF THE PENINSULA


THEY TOLD OF THE KING OF CABS ON WHOSE DOMAINS THEY HAD BEEN WRECKED A CHIEF MIGHTY IN STATURE AND IN POWER IN ONE OF HIS VILLAGES WAS A PIT SIX FEET DEEP AND AS WIDE AS A HOGSHEAD


FILLED WITH TREASURE GATHERED FROM SPANISH WRECKS ON ADJACENT REEFS AND KEYS THE MONARCH WAS A PRIEST TOO AND A MAGICIAN WITH POWER OVER THE ELEMENTS EACH YEAR HE WITHDREW FROM THE PUBLIC GAZE


TO HOLD CONVERSE IN SECRET WITH SUPERNAL OR INFERNAL POWERS AND EACH YEAR HE SACRIFICED TO HIS GODS ONE OF THE SPANIARDS WHOM THE FORTUNE OF THE SEA HAD CAST UPON HIS SHORES


THE NAME OF THE TRIBE IS PRESERVED IN THAT OF THE RIVER CABOOSA IN CLOSE LEAGUE WITH HIM WAS THE MIGHTY OATHCAQUA DWELLING NEAR CAPE CANAVERAL WHO GAVE HIS DAUGHTER A MAIDEN OF WONDROUS BEAUTY


IN MARRIAGE TO HIS GREAT ALLY BUT AS THE BRIDE WITH HER BRIDESMAIDS WAS JOURNEYING TOWARDS CALOS ESCORTED BY A CHOSEN BAND THEY WERE ASSAILED BY A WILD AND WARLIKE RACE INHABITANTS OF AN ISLAND CALLED


IN THE MIDST OF A LAKE WHO PUT THE WARRIORS TO FLIGHT BORE THE MAIDENS CAPTIVE TO THEIR WATERY FASTNESS ESPOUSED THEM ALL AND WE ARE ASSURED


BEGGED FOR TEN ARQUEBUSIERS TO AID HIM ON A NEW RAID


AGAIN ALLURING HIS GREEDY ALLIES BY THE ASSURANCE THAT THUS REINFORCED HE WOULD CONQUER FOR THEM A FREE ACCESS TO THE PHANTOM GOLD MINES OF APPALACHE OTTIGNY SET FORTH ON THIS FOOL'S ERRAND


WITH THRICE THE FORCE DEMANDED THREE HUNDRED THIRNAGOAS AND THIRTY FRENCHMEN TOOK UP THEIR MARCH THROUGH THE PINE BARRENS OUTINA'S CONJURER WAS OF THE NUMBER AND HAD WELLNIGH RUINED THE ENTERPRISE


WITH HIDEOUS GRIMACES HOWLINGS AND CONTORTIONS HE WROUGHT HIMSELF INTO A PROPHETIC FRENZY AND PROCLAIMED TO THE ASTOUNDED WARRIORS


PANIC SLAUGHTER AND A PLENTIFUL HARVEST OF SCALPS BUT NO PERSUASION COULD INDUCE OUTINA TO FOLLOW UP HIS VICTORY HE WENT HOME TO DANCE ROUND HIS TROPHIES AND THE FRENCH RETURNED DISGUSTED TO FORT CAROLINE


AND NOW IN AMPLE MEASURE THE FRENCH BEGAN TO REAP THE HARVEST OF THEIR FOLLY CONQUEST GOLD AND MILITARY OCCUPATION HAD ALONE BEEN THEIR AIMS


NOT A ROD OF GROUND HAD BEEN STIRRED WITH THE SPADE THEIR STORES WERE CONSUMED AND THE EXPECTED SUPPLIES HAD NOT COME THE INDIANS TOO WERE HOSTILE SATOURIONA HATED THEM AS ALLIES OF HIS ENEMIES


AND HIS TRIBESMEN ROBBED AND MALTREATED BY THE LAWLESS SOLDIERS EXULTED IN THEIR MISERIES YET IN THESE THEIR DARK AND SUBTLE NEIGHBORS WAS THEIR ONLY HOPE MAY DAY CAME


THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAY WHEN RIBAUT AND HIS COMPANIONS FULL OF DELIGHTED ANTICIPATION HAD FIRST EXPLORED


FOR WITHIN THE PRECINCT OF FORT CAROLINE A HOMESICK SQUALID BAND DEJECTED AND WORN DRAGGED THEIR SHRUNKEN LIMBS ABOUT THE SUN SCORCHED AREA OR LAY STRETCHED IN LISTLESS WRETCHEDNESS UNDER THE SHADE OF THE BARRACKS


SOME WERE DIGGING ROOTS IN THE FOREST OR GATHERING A KIND OF SORREL UPON THE MEADOWS IF THEY HAD HAD ANY SKILL IN HUNTING AND FISHING THE RIVER AND THE WOODS WOULD HAVE SUPPLIED THEIR NEEDS BUT IN THIS POINT AS IN OTHERS


THEY WERE LAMENTABLY UNFIT FOR THE WORK THEY HAD TAKEN IN HAND OUR MISERIE SAYS LAUDONNIERE WAS SO GREAT THAT ONE WAS FOUND THAT GATHERED UP ALL THE FISH BONES THAT HE COULD FINDE WHICH HE DRIED


AND BEATE INTO POWDER TO MAKE BREAD THEREOF THE EFFECTS OF THIS HIDEOUS FAMINE APPEARED INCONTINENTLY AMONG US FOR OUR BONES EFTSOONES BEGANNE TO CLEAVE SO NEERE UNTO THE SKINNE


THAT THE MOST PART OF THE SOULDIERS HAD THEIR SKINNES PIERCED THOROW WITH THEM IN MANY PARTES OF THEIR BODIES YET GIDDY WITH WEAKNESS THEY DRAGGED THEMSELVES IN TURN TO THE TOP OF SAINT JOHN'S BLUFF STRAINING THEIR EYES ACROSS THE SEA


TO DESCRY THE ANXIOUSLY EXPECTED SAIL HAD COLIGNY LEFT THEM TO PERISH OR HAD SOME NEW TEMPEST OF CALAMITY LET LOOSE UPON FRANCE DROWNED THE MEMORY OF THEIR EXILE


IN VAIN THE WATCHMAN ON THE HILL SURVEYED THE SOLITUDE OF WATERS A DEEP DEJECTION FELL UPON THEM


COULD THEIR EYES HAVE PIERCED THE FUTURE THE INDIANS HAD LEFT THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUT FROM TIME TO TIME BROUGHT IN MEAGRE SUPPLIES OF FISH WHICH THEY SOLD TO THE FAMISHED SOLDIERS AT EXORBITANT PRICES


LEST THEY SHOULD PAY THE PENALTY OF THEIR EXTORTION THEY WOULD NOT ENTER THE FORT


BEYOND GUNSHOT WAITING FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS TO COME OUT TO THEM OFTENTIMES SAYS LAUDONNIERE OUR POOR SOLDIERS WERE CONSTRAINED TO GIVE AWAY THE VERY SHIRTS FROM THEIR BACKS TO GET ONE FISH IF AT ANY TIME THEY SHEWED UNTO THE SAVAGES


THE EXCESSIVE PRICE WHICH THEY TOOKE THESE VILLAINES WOULD ANSWERE THEM ROUGHLY AND CHURLISHLY IF THOU MAKE SO GREAT ACCOUNT OF THY MARCHANDISE EAT IT AND WE WILL EAT OUR FISH THEN FELL THEY OUT A LAUGHING AND MOCKED US WITH OPEN THROAT


THE SPRING WORE AWAY AND NO RELIEF APPEARED ONE THOUGHT NOW ENGROSSED THE COLONISTS THAT OF RETURN TO FRANCE VASSEUR'S SHIP THE BRETON STILL REMAINED IN THE RIVER


AND THEY HAD ALSO THE SPANISH BRIGANTINE BROUGHT BY THE MUTINEERS BUT THESE VESSELS WERE INSUFFICIENT AND THEY PREPARED TO BUILD A NEW ONE THE ENERGY OF REVIVING HOPE LENT NEW LIFE TO THEIR EXHAUSTED FRAMES


SOME GATHERED PITCH IN THE PINE FORESTS SOME MADE CHARCOAL


THE MAIZE BEGAN TO RIPEN AND THIS BROUGHT SOME RELIEF BUT THE INDIANS EXASPERATED AND GREEDY SOLD IT WITH RELUCTANCE AND MURDERED TWO HALF FAMISHED FRENCHMEN WHO GATHERED A HANDFUL IN THE FIELDS


ONE ASTINA THE PLUNDER OF WHOSE VILLAGES WOULD YIELD AN AMPLE SUPPLY THE OFFER WAS ACCEPTED OTTIGNY AND VASSEUR SET OUT BUT WERE GROSSLY DECEIVED LED AGAINST A DIFFERENT ENEMY


AND SENT BACK EMPTY HANDED AND HALF STARVED THEY RETURNED TO THE FORT IN THE WORDS OF LAUDONNIERE ANGRY AND PRICKED DEEPELY TO THE QUICKE FOR BEING SO MOCKED


AND JOINED BY ALL THEIR COMRADES FIERCELY DEMANDED TO BE LED AGAINST OUTINA TO SEIZE HIM PUNISH HIS INSOLENCE AND EXTORT FROM HIS FEARS THE SUPPLIES WHICH COULD NOT BE LOOKED FOR FROM HIS GRATITUDE THE COMMANDANT WAS FORCED TO COMPLY


THOSE WHO COULD BEAR THE WEIGHT OF THEIR ARMOR PUT IT ON EMBARKED TO THE NUMBER OF FIFTY IN TWO BARGES AND SAILED UP THE RIVER UNDER LAUDONNIERE HIMSELF HAVING REACHED OUTINA'S LANDING THEY MARCHED INLAND ENTERED HIS VILLAGE


SURROUNDED HIS MUD PLASTERED PALACE SEIZED HIM AMID THE YELLS AND HOWLINGS OF HIS SUBJECTS AND LED HIM PRISONER TO THEIR BOATS HERE ANCHORED IN MID STREAM


UTTERED MOANS AND OUTCRIES FROM THE STRAND YET NO RANSOM WAS OFFERED SINCE REASONING FROM THEIR OWN INSTINCTS THEY NEVER DOUBTED THAT AFTER THE PRICE WAS PAID THE CAPTIVE WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH LAUDONNIERE


WAITED TWO DAYS AND THEN DESCENDED THE RIVER WITH HIS PRISONER


MISTER WOODHOUSE WAS FOND OF SOCIETY IN HIS OWN WAY HE LIKED VERY MUCH TO HAVE HIS FRIENDS COME AND SEE HIM AND FROM VARIOUS UNITED CAUSES FROM HIS LONG RESIDENCE AT HARTFIELD AND HIS GOOD NATURE FROM HIS FORTUNE HIS HOUSE AND HIS DAUGHTER


HE COULD COMMAND THE VISITS OF HIS OWN LITTLE CIRCLE IN A GREAT MEASURE AS HE LIKED HE HAD NOT MUCH INTERCOURSE WITH ANY FAMILIES BEYOND THAT CIRCLE HIS HORROR OF LATE HOURS AND LARGE DINNER PARTIES


AND UNLESS HE FANCIED HIMSELF AT ANY TIME UNEQUAL TO COMPANY THERE WAS SCARCELY AN EVENING IN THE WEEK IN WHICH EMMA COULD NOT MAKE UP A CARD TABLE FOR HIM REAL LONG STANDING REGARD BROUGHT THE WESTONS AND MISTER KNIGHTLEY


AND BY MISTER ELTON A YOUNG MAN LIVING ALONE WITHOUT LIKING IT THE PRIVILEGE OF EXCHANGING ANY VACANT EVENING OF HIS OWN BLANK SOLITUDE FOR THE ELEGANCIES AND SOCIETY OF MISTER WOODHOUSE'S DRAWING ROOM


AND MISSUS GODDARD THREE LADIES ALMOST ALWAYS AT THE SERVICE OF AN INVITATION FROM HARTFIELD AND WHO WERE FETCHED AND CARRIED HOME SO OFTEN THAT MISTER WOODHOUSE THOUGHT IT NO HARDSHIP FOR EITHER JAMES OR THE HORSES


FOR A WOMAN NEITHER YOUNG HANDSOME RICH NOR MARRIED MISS BATES STOOD IN THE VERY WORST PREDICAMENT IN THE WORLD FOR HAVING MUCH OF THE PUBLIC FAVOUR AND SHE HAD NO INTELLECTUAL SUPERIORITY TO MAKE ATONEMENT TO HERSELF


SHE LOVED EVERY BODY WAS INTERESTED IN EVERY BODY'S HAPPINESS QUICKSIGHTED TO EVERY BODY'S MERITS THOUGHT HERSELF A MOST FORTUNATE CREATURE AND SURROUNDED WITH BLESSINGS IN SUCH AN EXCELLENT MOTHER


AND SO MANY GOOD NEIGHBOURS AND FRIENDS AND A HOME THAT WANTED FOR NOTHING THE SIMPLICITY AND CHEERFULNESS OF HER NATURE HER CONTENTED AND GRATEFUL SPIRIT WERE A RECOMMENDATION TO EVERY BODY


AND A MINE OF FELICITY TO HERSELF SHE WAS A GREAT TALKER UPON LITTLE MATTERS WHICH EXACTLY SUITED MISTER WOODHOUSE FULL OF TRIVIAL COMMUNICATIONS AND HARMLESS GOSSIP MISSUS GODDARD WAS THE MISTRESS OF A SCHOOL


AND WHERE YOUNG LADIES FOR ENORMOUS PAY MIGHT BE SCREWED OUT OF HEALTH AND INTO VANITY BUT A REAL HONEST OLD FASHIONED BOARDING SCHOOL WHERE A REASONABLE QUANTITY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS WERE SOLD AT A REASONABLE PRICE


FOR HIGHBURY WAS RECKONED A PARTICULARLY HEALTHY SPOT SHE HAD AN AMPLE HOUSE AND GARDEN GAVE THE CHILDREN PLENTY OF WHOLESOME FOOD LET THEM RUN ABOUT A GREAT DEAL IN THE SUMMER


HUNG ROUND WITH FANCY WORK WHENEVER SHE COULD AND WIN OR LOSE A FEW SIXPENCES BY HIS FIRESIDE THESE WERE THE LADIES WHOM EMMA FOUND HERSELF VERY FREQUENTLY ABLE TO COLLECT


IT WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE ABSENCE OF MISSUS WESTON SHE WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE HER FATHER LOOK COMFORTABLE AND VERY MUCH PLEASED WITH HERSELF FOR CONTRIVING THINGS SO WELL


BUT THE QUIET PROSINGS OF THREE SUCH WOMEN MADE HER FEEL THAT EVERY EVENING SO SPENT WAS INDEED ONE OF THE LONG EVENINGS SHE HAD FEARFULLY ANTICIPATED AS SHE SAT ONE MORNING LOOKING FORWARD TO EXACTLY SUCH A CLOSE OF THE PRESENT DAY


TO BE ALLOWED TO BRING MISS SMITH WITH HER A MOST WELCOME REQUEST FOR MISS SMITH WAS A GIRL OF SEVENTEEN WHOM EMMA KNEW VERY WELL BY SIGHT AND HAD LONG FELT AN INTEREST IN ON ACCOUNT OF HER BEAUTY


A VERY GRACIOUS INVITATION WAS RETURNED AND THE EVENING NO LONGER DREADED BY THE FAIR MISTRESS OF THE MANSION HARRIET SMITH WAS THE NATURAL DAUGHTER OF SOMEBODY SOMEBODY HAD PLACED HER SEVERAL YEARS BACK AT MISSUS GODDARD'S SCHOOL


SHE WAS SHORT PLUMP AND FAIR WITH A FINE BLOOM BLUE EYES LIGHT HAIR REGULAR FEATURES AND A LOOK OF GREAT SWEETNESS AND BEFORE THE END OF THE EVENING EMMA WAS AS MUCH PLEASED WITH HER MANNERS AS HER PERSON


AND QUITE DETERMINED TO CONTINUE THE ACQUAINTANCE SHE WAS NOT STRUCK BY ANY THING REMARKABLY CLEVER IN MISS SMITH'S CONVERSATION BUT SHE FOUND HER ALTOGETHER VERY ENGAGING NOT INCONVENIENTLY SHY


NOT UNWILLING TO TALK AND YET SO FAR FROM PUSHING SHEWING SO PROPER AND BECOMING A DEFERENCE SEEMING SO PLEASANTLY GRATEFUL FOR BEING ADMITTED TO HARTFIELD


AND SO ARTLESSLY IMPRESSED BY THE APPEARANCE OF EVERY THING IN SO SUPERIOR A STYLE TO WHAT SHE HAD BEEN USED TO THAT SHE MUST HAVE GOOD SENSE AND DESERVE ENCOURAGEMENT ENCOURAGEMENT SHOULD BE GIVEN


THOSE SOFT BLUE EYES AND ALL THOSE NATURAL GRACES SHOULD NOT BE WASTED ON THE INFERIOR SOCIETY OF HIGHBURY AND ITS CONNEXIONS THE ACQUAINTANCE SHE HAD ALREADY FORMED WERE UNWORTHY OF HER


SHE WOULD FORM HER OPINIONS AND HER MANNERS IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING AND CERTAINLY A VERY KIND UNDERTAKING HIGHLY BECOMING HER OWN SITUATION IN LIFE HER LEISURE AND POWERS


SHE WAS SO BUSY IN ADMIRING THOSE SOFT BLUE EYES IN TALKING AND LISTENING AND FORMING ALL THESE SCHEMES IN THE IN BETWEENS THAT THE EVENING FLEW AWAY AT A VERY UNUSUAL RATE AND THE SUPPER TABLE WHICH


ALWAYS CLOSED SUCH PARTIES AND FOR WHICH SHE HAD BEEN USED TO SIT AND WATCH THE DUE TIME WAS ALL SET OUT AND READY AND MOVED FORWARDS TO THE FIRE BEFORE SHE WAS AWARE WITH AN ALACRITY BEYOND THE COMMON IMPULSE OF A SPIRIT


WHICH YET WAS NEVER INDIFFERENT TO THE CREDIT OF DOING EVERY THING WELL AND ATTENTIVELY WITH THE REAL GOOD WILL OF A MIND DELIGHTED WITH ITS OWN IDEAS DID SHE THEN DO ALL THE HONOURS OF THE MEAL


HE LOVED TO HAVE THE CLOTH LAID


AND WHILE HIS HOSPITALITY WOULD HAVE WELCOMED HIS VISITORS TO EVERY THING


SUCH ANOTHER SMALL BASIN OF THIN GRUEL AS HIS OWN WAS ALL THAT HE COULD WITH THOROUGH SELF APPROBATION RECOMMEND THOUGH HE MIGHT CONSTRAIN HIMSELF WHILE THE LADIES WERE COMFORTABLY CLEARING THE NICER THINGS TO SAY


MISSUS BATES LET ME PROPOSE YOUR VENTURING ON ONE OF THESE EGGS AN EGG BOILED VERY SOFT IS NOT UNWHOLESOME


I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND AN EGG BOILED BY ANY BODY ELSE BUT YOU NEED NOT BE AFRAID THEY ARE VERY SMALL YOU SEE ONE OF OUR SMALL EGGS WILL NOT HURT YOU


WHAT SAY YOU TO HALF A GLASS OF WINE A SMALL HALF GLASS PUT INTO A TUMBLER OF WATER I DO NOT THINK IT COULD DISAGREE WITH YOU EMMA ALLOWED HER FATHER TO TALK BUT SUPPLIED HER VISITORS IN A MUCH MORE SATISFACTORY STYLE


AND ON THE PRESENT EVENING HAD PARTICULAR PLEASURE IN SENDING THEM AWAY HAPPY


EMMA WOODHOUSE HANDSOME CLEVER AND RICH WITH A COMFORTABLE HOME AND HAPPY DISPOSITION SEEMED TO UNITE SOME OF THE BEST BLESSINGS OF EXISTENCE


VERY FOND OF BOTH DAUGHTERS BUT PARTICULARLY OF EMMA


THE REAL EVILS INDEED OF EMMA'S SITUATION WERE THE POWER OF HAVING RATHER TOO MUCH HER OWN WAY AND A DISPOSITION TO THINK A LITTLE TOO WELL OF HERSELF


THESE WERE THE DISADVANTAGES WHICH THREATENED ALLOY TO HER MANY ENJOYMENTS THE DANGER HOWEVER WAS AT PRESENT SO UNPERCEIVED


SORROW CAME A GENTLE SORROW BUT NOT AT ALL IN THE SHAPE OF ANY DISAGREEABLE CONSCIOUSNESS MISS TAYLOR MARRIED IT WAS MISS TAYLOR'S LOSS WHICH FIRST BROUGHT GRIEF


IT WAS ON THE WEDDING DAY OF THIS BELOVED FRIEND THAT EMMA FIRST SAT IN MOURNFUL THOUGHT OF ANY CONTINUANCE THE WEDDING OVER AND THE BRIDE PEOPLE GONE HER FATHER AND HERSELF WERE LEFT TO DINE TOGETHER


THE EVENT HAD EVERY PROMISE OF HAPPINESS FOR HER FRIEND MISTER WESTON WAS A MAN OF UNEXCEPTIONABLE CHARACTER EASY FORTUNE SUITABLE AGE AND PLEASANT MANNERS


AND THERE WAS SOME SATISFACTION IN CONSIDERING WITH WHAT SELF DENYING GENEROUS FRIENDSHIP SHE HAD ALWAYS WISHED AND PROMOTED THE MATCH BUT IT WAS A BLACK MORNING'S WORK FOR HER


THE WANT OF MISS TAYLOR WOULD BE FELT EVERY HOUR OF EVERY DAY SHE RECALLED HER PAST KINDNESS THE KINDNESS THE AFFECTION OF SIXTEEN YEARS HOW SHE HAD TAUGHT AND HOW SHE HAD PLAYED WITH HER FROM FIVE YEARS OLD


HOW SHE HAD DEVOTED ALL HER POWERS


AND HOW NURSED HER THROUGH THE VARIOUS ILLNESSES OF CHILDHOOD A LARGE DEBT OF GRATITUDE WAS OWING HERE BUT THE INTERCOURSE OF THE LAST SEVEN YEARS THE EQUAL FOOTING AND PERFECT UNRESERVE


WHICH HAD SOON FOLLOWED ISABELLA'S MARRIAGE ON THEIR BEING LEFT TO EACH OTHER WAS YET A DEARER TENDERER RECOLLECTION SHE HAD BEEN A FRIEND AND COMPANION SUCH AS FEW POSSESSED INTELLIGENT


WELL INFORMED USEFUL GENTLE KNOWING ALL THE WAYS OF THE FAMILY INTERESTED IN ALL ITS CONCERNS AND PECULIARLY INTERESTED IN HERSELF IN EVERY PLEASURE EVERY SCHEME OF HERS


ONLY HALF A MILE FROM THEM AND A MISS TAYLOR IN THE HOUSE AND WITH ALL HER ADVANTAGES NATURAL AND DOMESTIC SHE WAS NOW IN GREAT DANGER OF SUFFERING FROM INTELLECTUAL SOLITUDE SHE DEARLY LOVED HER FATHER BUT HE WAS NO COMPANION FOR HER


RATIONAL OR PLAYFUL THE EVIL OF THE ACTUAL DISPARITY IN THEIR AGES AND MISTER WOODHOUSE HAD NOT MARRIED EARLY WAS MUCH INCREASED BY HIS CONSTITUTION AND HABITS


FOR HAVING BEEN A VALETUDINARIAN ALL HIS LIFE WITHOUT ACTIVITY OF MIND OR BODY


AND THOUGH EVERYWHERE BELOVED FOR THE FRIENDLINESS OF HIS HEART AND HIS AMIABLE TEMPER HIS TALENTS COULD NOT HAVE RECOMMENDED HIM AT ANY TIME HER SISTER THOUGH COMPARATIVELY BUT LITTLE REMOVED BY MATRIMONY


BEING SETTLED IN LONDON ONLY SIXTEEN MILES OFF WAS MUCH BEYOND HER DAILY REACH


THROUGH AT HARTFIELD BEFORE CHRISTMAS BROUGHT THE NEXT VISIT FROM ISABELLA AND HER HUSBAND


BUT NOT ONE AMONG THEM WHO COULD BE ACCEPTED IN LIEU OF MISS TAYLOR FOR EVEN HALF A DAY IT WAS A MELANCHOLY CHANGE AND EMMA COULD NOT BUT SIGH OVER IT AND WISH FOR IMPOSSIBLE THINGS TILL HER FATHER AWOKE


MATRIMONY AS THE ORIGIN OF CHANGE WAS ALWAYS DISAGREEABLE AND HE WAS BY NO MEANS YET RECONCILED TO HIS OWN DAUGHTER'S MARRYING NOR COULD EVER SPEAK OF HER BUT WITH COMPASSION THOUGH IT HAD BEEN ENTIRELY A MATCH OF AFFECTION


WHEN HE WAS NOW OBLIGED TO PART WITH MISS TAYLOR TOO AND FROM HIS HABITS OF GENTLE SELFISHNESS AND OF BEING NEVER ABLE TO SUPPOSE THAT OTHER PEOPLE COULD FEEL DIFFERENTLY FROM HIMSELF HE WAS VERY MUCH DISPOSED TO THINK MISS TAYLOR HAD DONE