ALWAYS SHE WAS THE PRINCESS IN EXILE WHO IN TIME OF FAMINE WAS TO HAVE HER BREAKFAST ROLL MADE OF THE FINEST BOLTED FLOUR FROM THE SEVEN THIN EARS OF WHEAT AND IN A GENERAL DECAMPMENT WAS TO HAVE HER SILVER FORK KEPT OUT OF THE BAGGAGE


HOW WAS THIS TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR THE ANSWER MAY SEEM TO LIE QUITE ON THE SURFACE IN HER BEAUTY A CERTAIN UNUSUALNESS ABOUT HER


A DECISION OF WILL WHICH MADE ITSELF FELT IN HER GRACEFUL MOVEMENTS AND CLEAR UNHESITATING TONES SO THAT IF SHE CAME INTO THE ROOM ON A RAINY DAY WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE WAS FLACCID AND THE USE OF THINGS IN GENERAL WAS NOT APPARENT TO THEM


THERE SEEMED TO BE A SUDDEN SUFFICIENT REASON FOR KEEPING UP THE FORMS OF LIFE AND EVEN THE WAITERS AT HOTELS SHOWED THE MORE ALACRITY IN DOING AWAY WITH CRUMBS AND CREASES AND DREGS WITH STRUGGLING FLIES IN THEM


THIS POTENT CHARM ADDED TO THE FACT THAT SHE WAS THE ELDEST DAUGHTER TOWARD WHOM HER MAMMA HAD ALWAYS BEEN IN AN APOLOGETIC STATE OF MIND FOR THE EVILS BROUGHT ON HER BY A STEP FATHER MAY SEEM SO FULL A REASON FOR GWENDOLEN'S DOMESTIC EMPIRE


THAT TO LOOK FOR ANY OTHER WOULD BE TO ASK THE REASON OF DAYLIGHT WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING BUT BEWARE OF ARRIVING AT CONCLUSIONS WITHOUT COMPARISON


WHOSE FIRMNESS SHOWED ITSELF IN NO VERY GRACEFUL OR EUPHONIOUS WAY AND WHO WERE NOT ELDEST DAUGHTERS WITH A TENDER TIMID MOTHER COMPUNCTIOUS AT HAVING SUBJECTED THEM TO INCONVENIENCES


SOME OF THEM WERE A VERY COMMON SORT OF MEN AND THE ONLY POINT OF RESEMBLANCE AMONG THEM ALL WAS A STRONG DETERMINATION TO HAVE WHAT WAS PLEASANT WITH A TOTAL FEARLESSNESS IN MAKING THEMSELVES DISAGREEABLE OR DANGEROUS WHEN THEY DID NOT GET IT


THE FEAR AND THE FONDNESS BEING PERHAPS BOTH HEIGHTENED BY WHAT MAY BE CALLED THE IRIDESCENCE OF HER CHARACTER THE PLAY OF VARIOUS NAY CONTRARY TENDENCIES


FOR MACBETH'S RHETORIC ABOUT THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF BEING MANY OPPOSITE THINGS IN THE SAME MOMENT REFERRED TO THE CLUMSY NECESSITIES OF ACTION AND NOT TO THE SUBTLER POSSIBILITIES OF FEELING WE CANNOT SPEAK A LOYAL WORD AND BE MEANLY SILENT


WE CANNOT KILL AND NOT KILL IN THE SAME MOMENT


ALL THINGS ARE CHANGES NOT INTO NOTHING BUT INTO THAT WHICH IS NOT AT PRESENT MARCUS AURELIUS


DEEDS ARE THE PULSE OF TIME HIS BEATING LIFE AND RIGHTEOUS OR UNRIGHTEOUS BEING DONE MUST THROB IN AFTER THROBS TILL TIME ITSELF BE LAID IN DARKNESS


AND THE UNIVERSE QUIVER AND BREATHE UPON NO MIRROR MORE IN THE EVENING SHE SENT FOR HIM AGAIN IT WAS ALREADY NEAR THE HOUR AT WHICH SHE HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN FROM THE SEA THE EVENING BEFORE


AND THE LIGHT WAS SUBDUED ENOUGH WITH BLINDS DRAWN UP AND WINDOWS OPEN SHE WAS SEATED GAZING FIXEDLY ON THE SEA RESTING HER CHEEK ON HER HAND LOOKING LESS SHATTERED THAN WHEN HE HAD LEFT HER BUT WITH A DEEP MELANCHOLY IN HER EXPRESSION


WHICH AS DERONDA APPROACHED HER PASSED INTO AN ANXIOUS TIMIDITY SHE DID NOT PUT OUT HER HAND BUT SAID HOW LONG AGO IT IS THEN WILL YOU SIT NEAR ME AGAIN A LITTLE WHILE


AND AGAIN TURNED WITH THE SAME EXPRESSION WHICH YET DID NOT ISSUE IN SPEECH THERE WAS SOME FEAR HINDERING HER AND DERONDA WISHING TO RELIEVE HER TIMIDITY AVERTED HIS FACE


PRESENTLY HE HEARD HER CRY IMPLORINGLY YOU WILL NOT SAY THAT ANY ONE ELSE SHOULD KNOW MOST DECIDEDLY NOT SAID DERONDA THERE IS NO ACTION THAT OUGHT TO BE TAKEN IN CONSEQUENCE


BUT IF I HAD NOT HAD THAT MURDEROUS WILL THAT MOMENT IF I HAD THROWN THE ROPE ON THE INSTANT PERHAPS IT WOULD HAVE HINDERED DEATH NO I THINK NOT SAID DERONDA SLOWLY


IF IT WERE TRUE THAT HE COULD SWIM HE MUST HAVE BEEN SEIZED WITH CRAMP WITH YOUR QUICKEST UTMOST EFFORT IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO SAVE HIM


THAT MOMENTARY MURDEROUS WILL CANNOT I THINK HAVE ALTERED THE COURSE OF EVENTS ITS EFFECT IS CONFINED TO THE MOTIVES IN YOUR OWN BREAST WITHIN OURSELVES OUR EVIL WILL IS MOMENTOUS


AND SOONER OR LATER IT WORKS ITS WAY OUTSIDE US IT MAY BE IN THE VITIATION THAT BREEDS EVIL ACTS BUT ALSO IT MAY BE IN THE SELF ABHORRENCE THAT STINGS US INTO BETTER STRIVING I AM SAVED FROM ROBBING OTHERS


SHE SPOKE HESITATINGLY I HAD NOT THOUGHT OF THEM SAID DERONDA I WAS THINKING TOO MUCH OF THE OTHER THINGS PERHAPS YOU DON'T QUITE KNOW THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL SAID GWENDOLEN SLOWLY AS IF SHE WERE OVERCOMING HER RELUCTANCE


THERE WAS SOME ONE ELSE HE OUGHT TO HAVE MARRIED AND I KNEW IT AND I TOLD HER I WOULD NOT HINDER IT AND I WENT AWAY THAT WAS WHEN YOU FIRST SAW ME


BUT THEN WE BECAME POOR ALL AT ONCE AND I WAS VERY MISERABLE AND I WAS TEMPTED I THOUGHT I SHALL DO AS I LIKE AND MAKE EVERYTHING RIGHT I PERSUADED MYSELF AND IT WAS ALL DIFFERENT IT WAS ALL DREADFUL


THEN CAME HATRED AND WICKED THOUGHTS THAT WAS HOW IT ALL CAME I TOLD YOU I WAS AFRAID OF MYSELF


IF YOU DID NOT KNOW HOW MISERABLE I WAS YOU MIGHT BUT NOW IT HAS ALL BEEN NO USE I CAN CARE FOR NOTHING BUT SAVING THE REST FROM KNOWING POOR MAMMA


WORTH ANYTHING WORTHY ENOUGH I SHALL ALWAYS BE TOO WICKED TO THE VOICE BROKE OFF HELPLESS DERONDA'S HEART WAS PIERCED HE TURNED HIS EYES ON HER POOR BESEECHING FACE AND SAID


I BELIEVE THAT YOU MAY BECOME WORTHIER THAN YOU HAVE EVER YET BEEN WORTHY TO LEAD A LIFE THAT MAY BE A BLESSING NO EVIL DOOMS US HOPELESSLY EXCEPT THE EVIL WE LOVE AND DESIRE TO CONTINUE IN


AND MAKE NO EFFORT TO ESCAPE FROM YOU HAVE MADE EFFORTS YOU WILL GO ON MAKING THEM BUT YOU WERE THE BEGINNING OF THEM YOU MUST NOT FORSAKE ME SAID GWENDOLEN LEANING WITH HER CLASPED HANDS ON THE ARM OF HER CHAIR AND LOOKING AT HIM


WHILE HER FACE BORE PITEOUS TRACES OF THE LIFE EXPERIENCE CONCENTRATED IN THE TWENTY FOUR HOURS THAT NEW TERRIBLE LIFE LYING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DEED WHICH FULFILLS A CRIMINAL DESIRE I WILL BEAR ANY PENANCE


I WILL LEAD ANY LIFE YOU TELL ME BUT YOU MUST NOT FORSAKE ME YOU MUST BE NEAR IF YOU HAD BEEN NEAR ME IF I COULD HAVE SAID EVERYTHING TO YOU I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT YOU WILL NOT FORSAKE ME


IT COULD NEVER BE MY IMPULSE TO FORSAKE YOU SAID DERONDA PROMPTLY WITH THAT VOICE WHICH LIKE HIS EYES HAD THE UNINTENTIONAL EFFECT OF MAKING HIS READY SYMPATHY SEEM MORE PERSONAL AND SPECIAL THAN IT REALLY WAS


AND IN THAT MOMENT HE WAS NOT HIMSELF QUITE FREE FROM A FOREBODING OF SOME SUCH SELF COMMITTING EFFECT HIS STRONG FEELING FOR THIS STRICKEN CREATURE COULD NOT HINDER RUSHING IMAGES OF FUTURE DIFFICULTY


TO AN INDEFINITE HOPE ANXIETIES BOTH IMMEDIATE AND DISTANT CROWDED ON HIS THOUGHT AND IT WAS UNDER THEIR INFLUENCE THAT AFTER A MOMENT'S SILENCE HE SAID


AND I AM NOT WITHOUT HOPE THAT MISSUS DAVILOW MAY SHORTLY FOLLOW HIM HER PRESENCE WILL BE THE GREATEST COMFORT TO YOU IT WILL GIVE YOU A MOTIVE TO SAVE HER FROM UNNECESSARY PAIN YES YES I WILL TRY AND YOU WILL NOT GO AWAY


NOT TILL AFTER SIR HUGO HAS COME BUT WE SHALL ALL GO TO ENGLAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SAID DERONDA NOT WISHING TO ENTER INTO PARTICULARS


GWENDOLEN LOOKED TOWARD THE WINDOW AGAIN WITH AN EXPRESSION WHICH SEEMED LIKE A GRADUAL AWAKENING TO NEW THOUGHTS THE TWILIGHT WAS PERCEPTIBLY DEEPENING


OR ELSE AT DIPLOW I AM QUITE UNCERTAIN WHERE I SHALL LIVE SAID DERONDA COLORING SHE WAS WARNED BY HIS CHANGED COLOR THAT SHE HAD SPOKEN TOO RASHLY AND FELL SILENT


WHEN YOU ARE AMONG YOUR FRIENDS AGAIN YOU WILL DISCERN NEW DUTIES SAID DERONDA MAKE IT A TASK NOW TO GET AS WELL AND CALM AS MUCH LIKE YOURSELF AS YOU CAN BEFORE HE HESITATED


BEFORE MY MOTHER COMES SAID GWENDOLEN AH I MUST BE CHANGED I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT MYSELF SHOULD YOU HAVE KNOWN ME SHE ADDED TURNING TOWARD HIM IF YOU HAD MET ME NOW


SHOULD YOU HAVE KNOWN ME FOR THE ONE YOU SAW AT LEUBRONN YES I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN YOU SAID DERONDA MOURNFULLY THE OUTSIDE CHANGE IS NOT GREAT I SHOULD HAVE SEEN AT ONCE THAT IT WAS YOU AND THAT YOU HAD GONE THROUGH SOME GREAT SORROW


DON'T WISH NOW THAT YOU HAD NEVER SEEN ME DON'T WISH THAT SAID GWENDOLEN IMPLORINGLY WHILE THE TEARS GATHERED I SHOULD DESPISE MYSELF FOR WISHING IT SAID DERONDA HOW COULD I KNOW WHAT I WAS WISHING


WE MUST FIND OUR DUTIES IN WHAT COMES TO US NOT IN WHAT WE IMAGINE MIGHT HAVE BEEN IF I TOOK TO FOOLISH WISHING OF THAT SORT I SHOULD WISH NOT THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN YOU BUT THAT I HAD BEEN ABLE TO SAVE YOU FROM THIS


YOU HAVE SAVED ME FROM WORSE SAID GWENDOLEN IN A SOBBING VOICE


IT WILL BE BETTER FOR ME TO GO NOW SAID DERONDA WORN IN SPIRIT BY THE PERPETUAL STRAIN OF THIS SCENE REMEMBER WHAT WE SAID OF YOUR TASK TO GET WELL AND CALM BEFORE OTHER FRIENDS COME


HE ROSE AS HE SPOKE AND SHE GAVE HIM HER HAND SUBMISSIVELY BUT WHEN HE HAD LEFT HER SHE SANK ON HER KNEES IN HYSTERICAL CRYING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM WAS TOO GREAT


BEHOLDING A POSSIBLE LIFE WHICH SHE HAD SINNED HERSELF AWAY FROM


CHAPTER TWELVE O GENTLEMEN THE TIME OF LIFE IS SHORT TO SPEND THAT SHORTNESS BASELY WERE TOO LONG IF LIFE DID RIDE UPON A DIAL'S POINT STILL ENDING AT THE ARRIVAL OF AN HOUR SHAKESPEARE


ON THE SECOND DAY AFTER THE ARCHERY MEETING MISTER HENLEIGH MALLINGER GRANDCOURT WAS AT HIS BREAKFAST TABLE WITH MISTER LUSH EVERYTHING AROUND THEM WAS AGREEABLE


THE STILL LIFE IN THE ROOM WHICH SEEMED THE STILLER FOR ITS SOBER ANTIQUATED ELEGANCE AS IF IT KEPT A CONSCIOUS WELL BRED SILENCE UNLIKE THE RESTLESSNESS OF VULGAR FURNITURE WHETHER THE GENTLEMEN WERE AGREEABLE TO EACH OTHER WAS LESS EVIDENT


MISTER GRANDCOURT HAD DRAWN HIS CHAIR ASIDE SO AS TO FACE THE LAWN AND WITH HIS LEFT LEG OVER ANOTHER CHAIR AND HIS RIGHT ELBOW ON THE TABLE WAS SMOKING A LARGE CIGAR WHILE HIS COMPANION WAS STILL EATING THE DOGS


GAVE A VACILLATING PREFERENCE FIRST TO ONE GENTLEMAN THEN TO THE OTHER BEING DOGS IN SUCH GOOD CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY COULD PLAY AT HUNGER AND LIKED TO BE SERVED WITH DELICACIES WHICH THEY DECLINED TO PUT IN THEIR MOUTHS ALL EXCEPT FETCH


THE BEAUTIFUL LIVER COLORED WATER SPANIEL WHICH SAT WITH ITS FOREPAWS FIRMLY PLANTED AND ITS EXPRESSIVE BROWN FACE TURNED UPWARD WATCHING GRANDCOURT WITH UNSHAKEN CONSTANCY


HE HELD IN HIS LAP A TINY MALTESE DOG WITH A TINY SILVER COLLAR AND BELL AND WHEN HE HAD A HAND UNUSED BY CIGAR OR COFFEE CUP IT RESTED ON THIS SMALL PARCEL OF ANIMAL WARMTH


GRANDCOURT LOOKED AT HER WITH UNCHANGED FACE FOR HALF A MINUTE AND THEN TOOK THE TROUBLE TO LAY DOWN HIS CIGAR WHILE HE LIFTED THE UNIMPASSIONED FLUFF CLOSE TO HIS CHIN AND GAVE IT CARESSING PATS ALL THE WHILE GRAVELY WATCHING FETCH


WHO POOR THING WHIMPERED INTERRUPTEDLY AS IF TRYING TO REPRESS THAT SIGN OF DISCONTENT AND AT LAST RESTED HER HEAD BESIDE THE APPEALING PAW LOOKING UP WITH PITEOUS BESEECHING SO AT LEAST A LOVER OF DOGS MUST HAVE INTERPRETED FETCH


AND GRANDCOURT KEPT SO MANY DOGS THAT HE WAS REPUTED TO LOVE THEM AT ANY RATE HIS IMPULSE TO ACT JUST IN THAT WAY STARTED FROM SUCH AN INTERPRETATION BUT WHEN THE AMUSING ANGUISH BURST FORTH IN A HOWLING BARK


THAT THE BRUTE OF A CIGAR REQUIRED RELIGHTING FETCH HAVING BEGUN TO WAIL FOUND LIKE OTHERS OF HER SEX THAT IT WAS NOT EASY TO LEAVE OFF INDEED THE SECOND HOWL WAS A LOUDER ONE AND THE THIRD WAS LIKE UNTO IT


TURN OUT THAT BRUTE WILL YOU SAID GRANDCOURT TO LUSH WITHOUT RAISING HIS VOICE OR LOOKING AT HIM AS IF HE COUNTED ON ATTENTION TO THE SMALLEST SIGN AND LUSH IMMEDIATELY ROSE LIFTED FETCH THOUGH SHE WAS RATHER HEAVY


SHALL YOU RIDE OR DRIVE TO QUETCHAM TO DAY I AM NOT GOING TO QUETCHAM YOU DID NOT GO YESTERDAY GRANDCOURT SMOKED IN SILENCE FOR HALF A MINUTE AND THEN SAID


I SUPPOSE YOU SENT MY CARD AND INQUIRIES I WENT MYSELF AT FOUR AND SAID YOU WERE SURE TO BE THERE SHORTLY THEY WOULD SUPPOSE SOME ACCIDENT PREVENTED YOU FROM FULFILLING THE INTENTION ESPECIALLY IF YOU GO TO DAY


SILENCE FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES THEN GRANDCOURT SAID WHAT MEN ARE INVITED HERE WITH THEIR WIVES


THEN THERE ARE MISTER HOLLIS AND LADY FLORA AND THE CUSHATS AND THE GOGOFFS RATHER A RAGGED LOT REMARKED GRANDCOURT AFTER A WHILE WHY DID YOU ASK THE GOGOFFS


GRANDCOURT LIKE MANY OTHERS HAD TWO REMARKABLY DIFFERENT VOICES HITHERTO WE HAVE HEARD HIM SPEAKING IN A SUPERFICIAL INTERRUPTED DRAWL SUGGESTIVE CHIEFLY OF LANGUOR


AND ONE OF YOUR DAMNED MUSICIANS BUT NOT A COMIC FELLOW I WONDER IF KLESMER WOULD CONSENT TO COME TO US WHEN HE LEAVES QUETCHAM NOTHING BUT FIRST CLASS MUSIC WILL GO DOWN WITH MISS ARROWPOINT


LUSH SPOKE CARELESSLY BUT HE WAS REALLY SEIZING AN OPPORTUNITY AND FIXING AN OBSERVANT LOOK ON GRANDCOURT WHO NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME TURNED HIS EYES TOWARD HIS COMPANION BUT SLOWLY AND WITHOUT SPEAKING UNTIL HE HAD GIVEN TWO LONG LUXURIANT PUFFS


WHEN HE SAID PERHAPS IN A LOWER TONE THAN EVER BUT WITH A PERCEPTIBLE EDGE OF CONTEMPT WHAT IN THE NAME OF NONSENSE HAVE I TO DO WITH MISS ARROWPOINT AND HER MUSIC


YOU NEED NOT GIVE YOURSELF MUCH TROUBLE PERHAPS BUT SOME FORMS MUST BE GONE THROUGH BEFORE A MAN CAN MARRY A MILLION VERY LIKELY BUT I AM NOT GOING TO MARRY A MILLION


THAT'S A PITY TO FLING AWAY AN OPPORTUNITY OF THIS SORT AND KNOCK DOWN YOUR OWN PLANS YOUR PLANS I SUPPOSE YOU MEAN YOU HAVE SOME DEBTS YOU KNOW AND THINGS MAY TURN OUT INCONVENIENTLY AFTER ALL


AND THE DAUGHTER'S LOOKS AND MANNERS REQUIRE NO ALLOWANCES ANY MORE THAN IF SHE HADN'T A SIXPENCE SHE IS NOT BEAUTIFUL BUT EQUAL TO CARRYING ANY RANK AND SHE IS NOT LIKELY TO REFUSE SUCH PROSPECTS AS YOU CAN OFFER HER


PERHAPS NOT THE FATHER AND MOTHER WOULD LET YOU DO ANYTHING YOU LIKE WITH THEM BUT I SHOULD NOT LIKE TO DO ANYTHING WITH THEM HERE IT WAS LUSH WHO MADE A LITTLE PAUSE BEFORE SPEAKING AGAIN


AND THEN HE SAID IN A DEEP VOICE OF REMONSTRANCE GOOD GOD GRANDCOURT AFTER YOUR EXPERIENCE WILL YOU LET A WHIM INTERFERE WITH YOUR COMFORTABLE SETTLEMENT IN LIFE SPARE YOUR ORATORY I KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO DO


WHAT LUSH PUT DOWN HIS CIGAR AND THRUST HIS HANDS INTO HIS SIDE POCKETS AS IF HE HAD TO FACE SOMETHING EXASPERATING BUT MEANT TO KEEP HIS TEMPER I AM GOING TO MARRY THE OTHER GIRL


HAVE YOU FALLEN IN LOVE THIS QUESTION CARRIED A STRONG SNEER I AM GOING TO MARRY HER YOU HAVE MADE HER AN OFFER ALREADY THEN NO SHE IS A YOUNG LADY WITH A WILL OF HER OWN I FANCY


EXTREMELY WELL FITTED TO MAKE A RUMPUS SHE WOULD KNOW WHAT SHE LIKED SHE DOESN'T LIKE YOU SAID GRANDCOURT WITH THE GHOST OF A SMILE PERFECTLY TRUE SAID LUSH ADDING AGAIN IN A MARKEDLY SNEERING TONE


HOWEVER IF YOU AND SHE ARE DEVOTED TO EACH OTHER THAT WILL BE ENOUGH GRANDCOURT TOOK NO NOTICE OF THIS SPEECH BUT SIPPED HIS COFFEE ROSE AND STROLLED OUT ON THE LAWN ALL THE DOGS FOLLOWING HIM


LUSH GLANCED AFTER HIM A MOMENT THEN RESUMED HIS CIGAR AND LIT IT BUT SMOKED SLOWLY CONSULTING HIS BEARD WITH INSPECTING EYES AND FINGERS TILL HE FINALLY STROKED IT WITH AN AIR OF HAVING ARRIVED AT SOME CONCLUSION AND SAID IN A SUBDUED VOICE


CHECK OLD BOY LUSH BEING A MAN OF SOME ABILITY HAD NOT KNOWN GRANDCOURT FOR FIFTEEN YEARS WITHOUT LEARNING WHAT SORT OF MEASURES WERE USELESS WITH HIM THOUGH WHAT SORT MIGHT BE USEFUL REMAINED OFTEN DUBIOUS


IN THE BEGINNING OF HIS CAREER HE HELD A FELLOWSHIP AND WAS NEAR TAKING ORDERS FOR THE SAKE OF A COLLEGE LIVING BUT NOT BEING FOND OF THAT PROSPECT ACCEPTED INSTEAD THE OFFICE OF TRAVELING COMPANION TO A MARQUESS AND AFTERWARD TO YOUNG GRANDCOURT


WHO HAD LOST HIS FATHER EARLY AND WHO FOUND LUSH SO CONVENIENT THAT HE HAD ALLOWED HIM TO BECOME PRIME MINISTER IN ALL HIS MORE PERSONAL AFFAIRS THE HABIT OF FIFTEEN YEARS HAD MADE GRANDCOURT MORE AND MORE IN NEED OF LUSH'S HANDINESS


AND LUSH MORE AND MORE IN NEED OF THE LAZY LUXURY TO WHICH HIS TRANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF GRANDCOURT MADE NO INTERRUPTION WORTH RECKONING I CANNOT SAY THAT THE SAME LENGTHENED HABIT HAD INTENSIFIED GRANDCOURT'S WANT OF RESPECT FOR HIS COMPANION


SINCE THAT WANT HAD BEEN ABSOLUTE FROM THE BEGINNING BUT IT HAD CONFIRMED HIS SENSE THAT HE MIGHT KICK LUSH IF HE CHOSE ONLY HE NEVER DID CHOOSE TO KICK ANY ANIMAL BECAUSE THE ACT OF KICKING IS A COMPROMISING ATTITUDE


AND A GENTLEMAN'S DOGS SHOULD BE KICKED FOR HIM HE ONLY SAID THINGS WHICH MIGHT HAVE EXPOSED HIMSELF TO BE KICKED IF HIS CONFIDANT HAD BEEN A MAN OF INDEPENDENT SPIRIT


BUT WHAT SON OF A VICAR WHO HAS STINTED HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTERS OF CALICO IN ORDER TO SEND HIS MALE OFFSPRING TO OXFORD CAN KEEP AN INDEPENDENT SPIRIT WHEN HE IS BENT ON DINING WITH HIGH DISCRIMINATION RIDING GOOD HORSES


LIVING GENERALLY IN THE MOST LUXURIANT HONEY BLOSSOMED CLOVER AND ALL WITHOUT WORKING MISTER LUSH HAD PASSED FOR A SCHOLAR ONCE AND HAD STILL A SENSE OF SCHOLARSHIP WHEN HE WAS NOT TRYING TO REMEMBER MUCH OF IT


SINCE IN HIS OWN OPINION HE HAD NEVER DONE A BAD ACTION IT DID NOT SEEM NECESSARY TO CONSIDER WHETHER HE SHOULD BE LIKELY TO COMMIT ONE IF HIS LOVE OF EASE REQUIRED IT LUSH'S LOVE OF EASE WAS WELL SATISFIED AT PRESENT


AND IF HIS PUDDINGS WERE ROLLED TOWARD HIM IN THE DUST HE TOOK THE INSIDE BITS AND FOUND THEM RELISHING


FRIDAY WAS A COMFORTABLE DAY IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF KING EVERYBODY WAS IN GOOD HUMOUR THE STORY GIRL SPARKLED THROUGH SEVERAL TALES THAT RANGED FROM THE AFRITES AND JINNS OF EASTERN MYTH THROUGH THE PIPING DAYS OF CHIVALRY DOWN TO THE HOMELY ANECDOTES OF CARLISLE WORKADAY FOLKS


SHE WAS IN TURN AN ORIENTAL PRINCESS BEHIND A SILKEN VEIL THE BRIDE WHO FOLLOWED HER BRIDEGROOM TO THE WARS OF PALESTINE DISGUISED AS A PAGE THE GALLANT LADY WHO RANSOMED HER DIAMOND NECKLACE BY DANCING A CORANTO


WITH A HIGHWAYMAN ON A MOONLIT HEATH AND BUSKIRK'S GIRL WHO JOINED THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF TEMPERANCE JUST TO SEE WHAT WAS INTO IT AND IN EACH IMPERSONATION SHE WAS SO THOROUGHLY THE THING IMPERSONATED


CECILY AND SARA RAY FOUND A SWEET NEW KNITTED LACE PATTERN IN AN OLD MAGAZINE


CHANCING ACCIDENTALLY I VOW TO OVERHEAR CERTAIN OF THESE SECRETS I LEARNED THAT SARA RAY HAD NAMED AN APPLE FOR JOHNNY PRICE AND CECILY TRUE'S YOU LIVE THERE WAS EIGHT SEEDS IN IT AND YOU KNOW EIGHT MEANS THEY BOTH LOVE


WHILE CECILY ADMITTED THAT WILLY FRASER HAD WRITTEN ON HIS SLATE AND SHOWED IT TO HER IF YOU LOVE ME AS I LOVE YOU NO KNIFE CAN CUT OUR LOVE IN TWO BUT SARA RAY NEVER YOU BREATHE THIS TO A LIVING SOUL


CECILY HOW OLD MUST WE BE BEFORE WE CAN HAVE A REAL BEAU BUT SARA ALWAYS DENIED IT SO I AM INCLINED TO BELIEVE FELIX SIMPLY MADE IT UP HIMSELF PADDY DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY CATCHING A RAT


AND BEING INTOLERABLY CONCEITED ABOUT IT UNTIL SARA RAY CURED HIM BY CALLING HIM A DEAR SWEET CAT AND KISSING HIM BETWEEN THE EARS THEN PAT SNEAKED ABJECTLY OFF HIS TAIL DROOPING


VERY FEW CATS HAVE AND MOST OF THEM HAVE SUCH AN INORDINATE APPETITE FOR FLATTERY THAT THEY WILL SWALLOW ANY AMOUNT OF IT AND THRIVE THEREON PADDY HAD A FINER TASTE THE STORY GIRL AND I WERE THE ONLY ONES WHO COULD PAY HIM COMPLIMENTS TO HIS LIKING


THE STORY GIRL WOULD BOX HIS EARS WITH HER FIST AND SAY BLESS YOUR GRAY HEART PADDY YOU'RE A GOOD SORT OF OLD RASCAL AND PAT WOULD PURR HIS SATISFACTION I USED TO TAKE A HANDFUL OF THE SKIN ON HIS BACK SHAKE HIM GENTLY AND SAY


PAT YOU'VE FORGOTTEN MORE THAN ANY HUMAN BEING EVER KNEW AND I VOW PADDY WOULD LICK HIS CHOPS WITH DELIGHT BUT TO BE CALLED A SWEET CAT OH SARA SARA


FELICITY TRIED AND HAD THE MOST GRATIFYING LUCK WITH A NEW AND COMPLICATED CAKE RECIPE A GORGEOUS COMPOUND


THE NUMBER OF EGGS SHE USED IN IT WOULD HAVE SHOCKED AUNT JANET'S THRIFTY SOUL BUT THAT CAKE LIKE BEAUTY WAS ITS OWN EXCUSE UNCLE ROGER ATE THREE SLICES OF IT AT TEA TIME AND TOLD FELICITY SHE WAS AN ARTIST


THE POOR MAN MEANT IT AS A COMPLIMENT BUT FELICITY WHO KNEW UNCLE BLAIR WAS AN ARTIST AND HAD A POOR OPINION OF SUCH FRY LOOKED INDIGNANT AND RETORTED INDEED SHE WASN'T


I'D LIKE TO SIGHED FELICITY BUT WE'D COME HOME TIRED AND WITH ALL THE MILKING TO DO YOU BOYS BETTER GO ALONE PETER AND I WILL ATTEND TO THE MILKING FOR ONE EVENING SAID UNCLE ROGER YOU CAN ALL GO


I HAVE AN IDEA THAT A RASPBERRY PIE FOR TO MORROW NIGHT WHEN THE FOLKS COME HOME WOULD HIT THE RIGHT SPOT ACCORDINGLY AFTER TEA WE ALL SET OFF ARMED WITH JUGS AND CUPS FELICITY THOUGHTFUL CREATURE ALSO TOOK A SMALL BASKETFUL OF JELLY COOKIES ALONG WITH HER


A PRETTY WALK THROUGH A WORLD OF GREEN WHISPERING BOUGHS AND SPICE SWEET FERNS AND SHIFTING PATCHES OF SUNLIGHT THE RASPBERRIES WERE PLENTIFUL


THEN WE FOREGATHERED AROUND A TINY WOOD SPRING COLD AND PELLUCID UNDER ITS YOUNG MAPLES AND ATE THE JELLY COOKIES AND THE STORY GIRL TOLD US A TALE OF A HAUNTED SPRING IN A MOUNTAIN GLEN WHERE A FAIR WHITE LADY DWELT


WHO PLEDGED ALL COMERS IN A GOLDEN CUP WITH JEWELS BRIGHT AND IF YOU DRANK OF THE CUP WITH HER SAID THE STORY GIRL HER EYES GLOWING THROUGH THE EMERALD DUSK ABOUT US YOU WERE NEVER SEEN IN THE WORLD AGAIN YOU WERE WHISKED STRAIGHTWAY TO FAIRYLAND AND LIVED THERE WITH A FAIRY BRIDE


I THINK THERE IS SUCH A PLACE IN SPITE OF UNCLE EDWARD SAID THE STORY GIRL DREAMILY AND I THINK THERE IS A WAY OF GETTING THERE TOO IF WE COULD ONLY FIND IT


ONE BITTER DAY WHEN THEY SEEK IT


AND THAT IS THE TRAGEDY OF LIFE ON THAT DAY THE GATES OF EDEN ARE SHUT BEHIND THEM AND THE AGE OF GOLD IS OVER HENCEFORTH THEY MUST DWELL IN THE COMMON LIGHT OF COMMON DAY ONLY A FEW WHO REMAIN CHILDREN AT HEART CAN EVER FIND THAT FAIR LOST PATH AGAIN


THEY AND ONLY THEY CAN BRING US TIDINGS FROM THAT DEAR COUNTRY WHERE WE ONCE SOJOURNED AND FROM WHICH WE MUST EVERMORE BE EXILES THE WORLD CALLS THEM ITS SINGERS AND POETS AND ARTISTS AND STORY TELLERS


AS WE SAT THERE THE AWKWARD MAN PASSED BY WITH HIS GUN OVER HIS SHOULDER AND HIS DOG AT HIS SIDE HE DID NOT LOOK LIKE AN AWKWARD MAN THERE IN THE HEART OF THE MAPLE WOODS


HE STRODE ALONG RIGHT MASTERFULLY AND LIFTED HIS HEAD WITH THE AIR OF ONE WHO WAS MONARCH OF ALL HE SURVEYED THE STORY GIRL KISSED HER FINGERTIPS TO HIM WITH THE DELIGHTFUL AUDACITY WHICH WAS A PART OF HER


YOU'D UNDERSTAND WHY IF YOU EVER SAW HIM AT A PARTY OR A PICNIC SAID FELICITY TRYING TO PASS PLATES AND DROPPING THEM WHENEVER A WOMAN LOOKED AT HIM THEY SAY IT'S PITIFUL TO SEE HIM I MUST GET WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THAT MAN NEXT SUMMER SAID THE STORY GIRL


IF I PUT IT OFF ANY LONGER IT WILL BE TOO LATE I'M GROWING SO FAST AUNT OLIVIA SAYS I'LL HAVE TO WEAR ANKLE SKIRTS NEXT SUMMER IF I BEGIN TO LOOK GROWN UP HE'LL GET FRIGHTENED OF ME AND THEN I'LL NEVER FIND OUT THE GOLDEN MILESTONE MYSTERY


DO YOU THINK HE'LL EVER TELL YOU WHO ALICE IS I ASKED I HAVE A NOTION WHO ALICE IS ALREADY SAID THE MYSTERIOUS CREATURE BUT SHE WOULD TELL US NOTHING MORE WHEN THE JELLY COOKIES WERE ALL EATEN IT WAS HIGH TIME TO BE MOVING HOMEWARD


AND THE PRECINCTS OF A POSSIBLY ENCHANTED SPRING WHEN WE REACHED THE FOOT OF THE ORCHARD AND ENTERED IT THROUGH A GAP IN THE HEDGE IT WAS THE MAGICAL MYSTICAL TIME OF BETWEEN LIGHTS OFF TO THE WEST WAS A DAFFODIL GLOW HANGING OVER THE VALLEY OF LOST SUNSETS


AND I GOT BACK ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO I SET DOWN ON THE FRONT DOOR STEPS FOR A MOMENT AND ALL AT ONCE I HEARD A BELL RING IN THE HOUSE EIGHT TIMES I TELL YOU I WAS SKEERED I MADE A BOLT FOR THE ORCHARD AND YOU WON'T CATCH ME GOING NEAR THAT HOUSE TILL YOUR UNCLE ROGER COMES HOME


THERE WE STOOD IN A HUDDLED DEMORALIZED GROUP OH WHAT AN EERIE PLACE THAT ORCHARD WAS WHAT SHADOWS WHAT NOISES


WELL HERE'S THE KEY GO AND SEE FOR YOURSELF SAID PETER FELICITY HAD NO INTENTION OF GOING AND SEEING I THINK YOU BOYS OUGHT TO GO SHE SAID RETREATING BEHIND THE DEFENCE OF SEX YOU OUGHT TO BE BRAVER THAN GIRLS


SOMEBODY KILLED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT YOU KNOW NOTHING LIKE THAT EVER HAPPENED IN OUR FAMILY THE KINGS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RESPECTABLE PERHAPS IT IS EMILY


KING'S GHOST WHISPERED FELIX SHE NEVER APPEARED ANYWHERE BUT IN THE ORCHARD SAID THE STORY GIRL OH OH CHILDREN ISN'T THERE SOMETHING UNDER UNCLE ALEC'S TREE WE PEERED FEARFULLY THROUGH THE GLOOM THERE WAS SOMETHING SOMETHING THAT WAVERED AND FLUTTERED ADVANCED RETREATED


THAT'S ONLY MY OLD APRON SAID FELICITY I HUNG IT THERE TO DAY WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR THE WHITE HEN'S NEST OH WHAT SHALL WE DO UNCLE ROGER MAY NOT BE BACK FOR HOURS I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE HOUSE MAYBE IT'S ONLY PEG BOWEN SUGGESTED DAN


THERE WAS NOT A GREAT DEAL OF COMFORT IN THIS WE WERE ALMOST AS MUCH AFRAID OF PEG BOWEN AS WE WOULD BE OF ANY SPECTRAL VISITANT PETER SCOFFED AT THE IDEA PEG BOWEN WASN'T IN THE HOUSE BEFORE YOUR UNCLE ROGER LOCKED IT UP AND HOW COULD SHE GET IN AFTERWARDS HE SAID


NO IT ISN'T PEG BOWEN IT'S SOMETHING THAT WALKS I KNOW A STORY ABOUT A GHOST SAID THE STORY GIRL THE RULING PASSION STRONG EVEN IN EXTREMITY IT IS ABOUT A GHOST WITH EYEHOLES BUT NO EYES


DON'T CRIED CECILY HYSTERICALLY DON'T YOU GO ON DON'T YOU SAY ANOTHER WORD I CAN'T BEAR IT DON'T YOU THE STORY GIRL DIDN'T BUT SHE HAD SAID ENOUGH


ALL AT ONCE SOMETHING LEAPED FROM THE BOUGH OF A TREE AND ALIGHTED BEFORE US WE SPLIT THE AIR WITH A SIMULTANEOUS SHRIEK


HE STRUGGLED OUT OF MY CLASP AND DISAPPEARED OVER THE LONG GRASSES WITH SOUNDLESS LEAPS


HE WAS A STRANGE FURTIVE ANIMAL A QUESTING BEAST PRESENTLY THE MOON ROSE BUT THIS ONLY MADE MATTERS WORSE THE SHADOWS HAD BEEN STILL BEFORE NOW THEY MOVED AND DANCED AS THE NIGHT WIND TOSSED THE BOUGHS THE OLD HOUSE WITH ITS DREADFUL SECRET


WAS WHITE AND CLEAR AGAINST THE DARK BACKGROUND OF SPRUCES WE WERE WOEFULLY TIRED BUT WE COULD NOT SIT DOWN BECAUSE THE GRASS WAS REEKING WITH DEW THE FAMILY GHOST ONLY APPEARS IN DAYLIGHT SAID THE STORY GIRL


I KNOW HE'LL LAUGH AT US AWFUL BUT IT'S BETTER TO BE LAUGHED AT THAN SCARED LIKE THIS UNCLE ROGER DID NOT COME UNTIL NEARLY TEN NEVER WAS THERE A MORE WELCOME SOUND THAN THE RUMBLE OF HIS WHEELS IN THE LANE


WE RAN TO THE ORCHARD GATE AND SWARMED ACROSS THE YARD JUST AS UNCLE ROGER ALIGHTED AT THE FRONT DOOR HE STARED AT US IN THE MOONLIGHT


THERE'S NO USE ASKING THE MEANING OF THIS I SUPPOSE SAID UNCLE ROGER WITH THE CALM OF DESPAIR I'VE GAVE UP TRYING TO FATHOM YOU YOUNG ONES PETER WHERE'S THE KEY WHAT YARN HAVE YOU BEEN TELLING


UNCLE ROGER UNLOCKED AND FLUNG OPEN THE FRONT DOOR AS HE DID SO CLEAR AND SWEET RANG OUT TEN BELL LIKE CHIMES


WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL UNCLE ROGER STOPPED LAUGHING BEFORE WE HEARD THE EXPLANATION WE THOUGHT HE NEVER WOULD STOP


AND NOW IT HAS ALMOST FRIGHTENED YOU POOR LITTLE MONKEYS TO DEATH WE HEARD UNCLE ROGER CHUCKLING ALL THE WAY TO THE BARN


I WAS SO FRIGHTENED I WOULDN'T MIND IF HE'D LAUGH ONCE AND HAVE IT DONE WITH IT


I SHALL TELL IT TOO I DON'T CARE IF THE JOKE IS AS MUCH ON MYSELF AS ANY ONE A STORY IS A STORY NO MATTER WHO IT'S ON BUT IT IS HATEFUL TO BE LAUGHED AT AND GROWN UPS ALWAYS DO IT I NEVER WILL WHEN I'M GROWN UP I'LL REMEMBER BETTER


IT'S ALL PETER'S FAULT SAID FELICITY I DO THINK HE MIGHT HAVE HAD MORE SENSE THAN TO TAKE A CLOCK STRIKING FOR A BELL RINGING


IT DON'T SOUND A BIT LIKE OTHER CLOCKS


I WOULDN'T HAVE SAID THE STORY GIRL HONESTLY I THOUGHT IT WAS A BELL WHEN I HEARD IT AND THE DOOR OPEN TOO LET US BE FAIR FELICITY


BUT IT WAS OVER TWO HOURS SINCE WE HAD EATEN THE COOKIES AND FELICITY SUGGESTED THAT A SAUCERFUL APIECE


MISSUS ALLEN SAID CATHERINE THE NEXT MORNING WILL THERE BE ANY HARM IN MY CALLING ON MISS TILNEY TODAY I SHALL NOT BE EASY TILL I HAVE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING GO BY ALL MEANS MY DEAR ONLY PUT ON A WHITE GOWN MISS TILNEY ALWAYS WEARS WHITE


CATHERINE CHEERFULLY COMPLIED AND BEING PROPERLY EQUIPPED WAS MORE IMPATIENT THAN EVER TO BE AT THE PUMP ROOM THAT SHE MIGHT INFORM HERSELF OF GENERAL TILNEY'S LODGINGS FOR THOUGH SHE BELIEVED THEY WERE IN MILSOM STREET SHE WAS NOT CERTAIN OF THE HOUSE


AND MISSUS ALLEN'S WAVERING CONVICTIONS ONLY MADE IT MORE DOUBTFUL TO MILSOM STREET SHE WAS DIRECTED AND HAVING MADE HERSELF PERFECT IN THE NUMBER HASTENED AWAY WITH EAGER STEPS AND A BEATING HEART TO PAY HER VISIT EXPLAIN HER CONDUCT AND BE FORGIVEN


TRIPPING LIGHTLY THROUGH THE CHURCH YARD AND RESOLUTELY TURNING AWAY HER EYES THAT SHE MIGHT NOT BE OBLIGED TO SEE HER BELOVED ISABELLA AND HER DEAR FAMILY WHO SHE HAD REASON TO BELIEVE WERE IN A SHOP HARD BY SHE REACHED THE HOUSE WITHOUT ANY IMPEDIMENT LOOKED AT THE NUMBER


AND WITH A LOOK WHICH DID NOT QUITE CONFIRM HIS WORDS SAID HE HAD BEEN MISTAKEN FOR THAT MISS TILNEY WAS WALKED OUT CATHERINE WITH A BLUSH OF MORTIFICATION LEFT THE HOUSE SHE FELT ALMOST PERSUADED THAT MISS TILNEY WAS AT HOME AND TOO MUCH OFFENDED TO ADMIT HER


AND AS SHE RETIRED DOWN THE STREET COULD NOT WITHHOLD ONE GLANCE AT THE DRAWING ROOM WINDOWS IN EXPECTATION OF SEEING HER THERE


AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STREET HOWEVER SHE LOOKED BACK AGAIN AND THEN NOT AT A WINDOW BUT ISSUING FROM THE DOOR SHE SAW MISS TILNEY HERSELF SHE WAS FOLLOWED BY A GENTLEMAN WHOM CATHERINE BELIEVED TO BE HER FATHER AND THEY TURNED UP TOWARDS EDGAR'S BUILDINGS


CATHERINE IN DEEP MORTIFICATION PROCEEDED ON HER WAY SHE COULD ALMOST BE ANGRY HERSELF AT SUCH ANGRY INCIVILITY BUT SHE CHECKED THE RESENTFUL SENSATION SHE REMEMBERED HER OWN IGNORANCE SHE KNEW NOT HOW SUCH AN OFFENCE AS HERS MIGHT BE CLASSED BY THE LAWS OF WORLDLY POLITENESS


TO WHAT A DEGREE OF UNFORGIVINGNESS IT MIGHT WITH PROPRIETY LEAD NOR TO WHAT RIGOURS OF RUDENESS IN RETURN IT MIGHT JUSTLY MAKE HER AMENABLE DEJECTED AND HUMBLED SHE HAD EVEN SOME THOUGHTS OF NOT GOING WITH THE OTHERS TO THE THEATRE THAT NIGHT


FOR SHE SOON RECOLLECTED IN THE FIRST PLACE THAT SHE WAS WITHOUT ANY EXCUSE FOR STAYING AT HOME AND IN THE SECOND


TO THE THEATRE ACCORDINGLY THEY ALL WENT NO TILNEYS APPEARED TO PLAGUE OR PLEASE HER SHE FEARED THAT AMONGST THE MANY PERFECTIONS OF THE FAMILY A FONDNESS FOR PLAYS WAS NOT TO BE RANKED BUT PERHAPS IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE HABITUATED TO THE FINER PERFORMANCES OF THE LONDON STAGE


ON THE BEGINNING OF THE FIFTH HOWEVER THE SUDDEN VIEW OF MISTER HENRY TILNEY AND HIS FATHER JOINING A PARTY IN THE OPPOSITE BOX RECALLED HER TO ANXIETY AND DISTRESS THE STAGE COULD NO LONGER EXCITE GENUINE MERRIMENT NO LONGER KEEP HER WHOLE ATTENTION


EVERY OTHER LOOK UPON AN AVERAGE WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE OPPOSITE BOX AND FOR THE SPACE OF TWO ENTIRE SCENES DID SHE THUS WATCH HENRY TILNEY WITHOUT BEING ONCE ABLE TO CATCH HIS EYE NO LONGER COULD HE BE SUSPECTED OF INDIFFERENCE FOR A PLAY


HIS NOTICE WAS NEVER WITHDRAWN FROM THE STAGE DURING TWO WHOLE SCENES


AND FORCED HIM TO HEAR HER EXPLANATION FEELINGS RATHER NATURAL THAN HEROIC POSSESSED HER INSTEAD OF CONSIDERING HER OWN DIGNITY INJURED BY THIS READY CONDEMNATION INSTEAD OF PROUDLY RESOLVING IN CONSCIOUS INNOCENCE


TO SHOW HER RESENTMENT TOWARDS HIM WHO COULD HARBOUR A DOUBT OF IT TO LEAVE TO HIM ALL THE TROUBLE OF SEEKING AN EXPLANATION AND TO ENLIGHTEN HIM ON THE PAST ONLY BY AVOIDING HIS SIGHT OR FLIRTING WITH SOMEBODY ELSE SHE TOOK TO HERSELF ALL THE SHAME OF MISCONDUCT


OR AT LEAST OF ITS APPEARANCE AND WAS ONLY EAGER FOR AN OPPORTUNITY OF EXPLAINING ITS CAUSE THE PLAY CONCLUDED THE CURTAIN FELL HENRY TILNEY WAS NO LONGER TO BE SEEN WHERE HE HAD HITHERTO SAT BUT HIS FATHER REMAINED


AND PERHAPS HE MIGHT BE NOW COMING ROUND TO THEIR BOX SHE WAS RIGHT IN A FEW MINUTES HE APPEARED


YOU MUST HAVE THOUGHT ME SO RUDE BUT INDEED IT WAS NOT MY OWN FAULT WAS IT MISSUS ALLEN DID NOT THEY TELL ME THAT MISTER TILNEY AND HIS SISTER WERE GONE OUT IN A PHAETON TOGETHER AND THEN WHAT COULD I DO BUT I HAD TEN THOUSAND TIMES RATHER HAVE BEEN WITH YOU


MY DEAR YOU TUMBLE MY GOWN WAS MISSUS ALLEN'S REPLY HER ASSURANCE HOWEVER STANDING SOLE AS IT DID WAS NOT THROWN AWAY IT BROUGHT A MORE CORDIAL MORE NATURAL SMILE INTO HIS COUNTENANCE


AND HE REPLIED IN A TONE WHICH RETAINED ONLY A LITTLE AFFECTED RESERVE WE WERE MUCH OBLIGED TO YOU AT ANY RATE FOR WISHING US A PLEASANT WALK AFTER OUR PASSING YOU IN ARGYLE STREET YOU WERE SO KIND AS TO LOOK BACK ON PURPOSE


BUT INDEED I DID NOT WISH YOU A PLEASANT WALK I NEVER THOUGHT OF SUCH A THING BUT I BEGGED MISTER THORPE SO EARNESTLY TO STOP I CALLED OUT TO HIM AS SOON AS EVER I SAW YOU NOW MISSUS ALLEN DID NOT OH YOU WERE NOT THERE BUT INDEED I DID AND IF MISTER THORPE WOULD ONLY HAVE STOPPED


I WOULD HAVE JUMPED OUT AND RUN AFTER YOU IS THERE A HENRY IN THE WORLD WHO COULD BE INSENSIBLE TO SUCH A DECLARATION HENRY TILNEY AT LEAST WAS NOT WITH A YET SWEETER SMILE HE SAID EVERYTHING THAT NEED BE SAID OF HIS SISTER'S CONCERN REGRET


AND DEPENDENCE ON CATHERINE'S HONOUR OH DO NOT SAY MISS TILNEY WAS NOT ANGRY CRIED CATHERINE BECAUSE I KNOW SHE WAS FOR SHE WOULD NOT SEE ME THIS MORNING WHEN I CALLED I SAW HER WALK OUT OF THE HOUSE THE NEXT MINUTE AFTER MY LEAVING IT I WAS HURT BUT I WAS NOT AFFRONTED


PERHAPS YOU DID NOT KNOW I HAD BEEN THERE I WAS NOT WITHIN AT THE TIME BUT I HEARD OF IT FROM ELEANOR AND SHE HAS BEEN WISHING EVER SINCE TO SEE YOU TO EXPLAIN THE REASON OF SUCH INCIVILITY BUT PERHAPS I CAN DO IT AS WELL IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN THAT MY FATHER


AND HE BEING HURRIED FOR TIME AND NOT CARING TO HAVE IT PUT OFF MADE A POINT OF HER BEING DENIED THAT WAS ALL I DO ASSURE YOU


AND MEANT TO MAKE HER APOLOGY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE CATHERINE'S MIND WAS GREATLY EASED BY THIS INFORMATION YET A SOMETHING OF SOLICITUDE REMAINED FROM WHICH SPRANG THE FOLLOWING QUESTION THOROUGHLY ARTLESS IN ITSELF THOUGH RATHER DISTRESSING TO THE GENTLEMAN BUT MISTER TILNEY


WHY WERE YOU LESS GENEROUS THAN YOUR SISTER IF SHE FELT SUCH CONFIDENCE IN MY GOOD INTENTIONS AND COULD SUPPOSE IT TO BE ONLY A MISTAKE WHY SHOULD YOU BE SO READY TO TAKE OFFENCE ME I TAKE OFFENCE


NAY I AM SURE BY YOUR LOOK WHEN YOU CAME INTO THE BOX YOU WERE ANGRY I ANGRY I COULD HAVE NO RIGHT WELL NOBODY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOU HAD NO RIGHT WHO SAW YOUR FACE HE REPLIED BY ASKING HER TO MAKE ROOM FOR HIM AND TALKING OF THE PLAY HE REMAINED WITH THEM SOME TIME


AND WAS ONLY TOO AGREEABLE FOR CATHERINE TO BE CONTENTED WHEN HE WENT AWAY BEFORE THEY PARTED HOWEVER IT WAS AGREED THAT THE PROJECTED WALK SHOULD BE TAKEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND SETTING ASIDE THE MISERY OF HIS QUITTING THEIR BOX


SHE WAS UPON THE WHOLE LEFT ONE OF THE HAPPIEST CREATURES IN THE WORLD WHILE TALKING TO EACH OTHER


WAS ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION WITH GENERAL TILNEY


WHAT COULD THEY HAVE TO SAY OF HER SHE FEARED GENERAL TILNEY DID NOT LIKE HER APPEARANCE SHE FOUND IT WAS IMPLIED IN HIS PREVENTING HER ADMITTANCE TO HIS DAUGHTER RATHER THAN POSTPONE HIS OWN WALK A FEW MINUTES HOW CAME MISTER THORPE TO KNOW YOUR FATHER WAS HER ANXIOUS INQUIRY


AS SHE POINTED THEM OUT TO HER COMPANION HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT BUT HIS FATHER LIKE EVERY MILITARY MAN


WHEN THE ENTERTAINMENT WAS OVER THORPE CAME TO ASSIST THEM IN GETTING OUT CATHERINE WAS THE IMMEDIATE OBJECT OF HIS GALLANTRY AND WHILE THEY WAITED IN THE LOBBY FOR A CHAIR HE PREVENTED THE INQUIRY WHICH HAD TRAVELLED FROM HER HEART ALMOST TO THE TIP OF HER TONGUE BY ASKING


IN A CONSEQUENTIAL MANNER WHETHER SHE HAD SEEN HIM TALKING WITH GENERAL TILNEY HE IS A FINE OLD FELLOW UPON MY SOUL STOUT ACTIVE LOOKS AS YOUNG AS HIS SON I HAVE A GREAT REGARD FOR HIM I ASSURE YOU


KNOW HIM THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE MUCH ABOUT TOWN THAT I DO NOT KNOW I HAVE MET HIM FOREVER AT THE BEDFORD AND I KNEW HIS FACE AGAIN TODAY THE MOMENT HE CAME INTO THE BILLIARD ROOM ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS WE HAVE BY THE BY AND WE HAD A LITTLE TOUCH TOGETHER THOUGH I WAS ALMOST AFRAID OF HIM AT FIRST


THE ODDS WERE FIVE TO FOUR AGAINST ME AND IF I HAD NOT MADE ONE OF THE CLEANEST STROKES THAT PERHAPS EVER WAS MADE IN THIS WORLD I TOOK HIS BALL EXACTLY BUT I COULD NOT MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND IT WITHOUT A TABLE HOWEVER I DID BEAT HIM A VERY FINE FELLOW AS RICH AS A JEW


LOWERING HIS VOICE WELL DONE GENERAL SAID I I AM QUITE OF YOUR MIND


ELINOR SAW WITH GREAT UNEASINESS THE LOW SPIRITS OF HER FRIEND HIS VISIT AFFORDED HER BUT A VERY PARTIAL SATISFACTION


WHILE HIS OWN ENJOYMENT IN IT APPEARED SO IMPERFECT IT WAS EVIDENT THAT HE WAS UNHAPPY SHE WISHED IT WERE EQUALLY EVIDENT THAT HE STILL DISTINGUISHED HER BY THE SAME AFFECTION WHICH ONCE SHE HAD FELT NO DOUBT OF INSPIRING


BUT HITHERTO THE CONTINUANCE OF HIS PREFERENCE SEEMED VERY UNCERTAIN AND THE RESERVEDNESS OF HIS MANNER TOWARDS HER CONTRADICTED ONE MOMENT WHAT A MORE ANIMATED LOOK HAD INTIMATED THE PRECEDING ONE


HE JOINED HER AND MARIANNE IN THE BREAKFAST ROOM THE NEXT MORNING BEFORE THE OTHERS WERE DOWN AND MARIANNE WHO WAS ALWAYS EAGER TO PROMOTE THEIR HAPPINESS AS FAR AS SHE COULD SOON LEFT THEM TO THEMSELVES BUT BEFORE SHE WAS HALF WAY UPSTAIRS SHE HEARD THE PARLOUR DOOR OPEN


AS YOU ARE NOT YET READY FOR BREAKFAST


THIS WAS A SUBJECT WHICH ENSURED MARIANNE'S ATTENTION AND SHE WAS BEGINNING TO DESCRIBE HER OWN ADMIRATION OF THESE SCENES


WHEN EDWARD INTERRUPTED HER BY SAYING YOU MUST NOT ENQUIRE TOO FAR MARIANNE REMEMBER I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE IN THE PICTURESQUE AND I SHALL OFFEND YOU BY MY IGNORANCE AND WANT OF TASTE IF WE COME TO PARTICULARS


WHICH OUGHT TO BE IRREGULAR AND RUGGED AND DISTANT OBJECTS OUT OF SIGHT WHICH OUGHT ONLY TO BE INDISTINCT THROUGH THE SOFT MEDIUM OF A HAZY ATMOSPHERE YOU MUST BE SATISFIED WITH SUCH ADMIRATION AS I CAN HONESTLY GIVE I CALL IT A VERY FINE COUNTRY


THE HILLS ARE STEEP THE WOODS SEEM FULL OF FINE TIMBER


I CAN EASILY BELIEVE IT TO BE FULL OF ROCKS AND PROMONTORIES GREY MOSS AND BRUSH WOOD BUT THESE ARE ALL LOST ON ME I KNOW NOTHING OF THE PICTURESQUE


I AM AFRAID IT IS BUT TOO TRUE SAID MARIANNE BUT WHY SHOULD YOU BOAST OF IT I SUSPECT SAID ELINOR THAT TO AVOID ONE KIND OF AFFECTATION EDWARD HERE FALLS INTO ANOTHER BECAUSE HE BELIEVES MANY PEOPLE PRETEND TO MORE ADMIRATION OF THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE THAN THEY REALLY FEEL


AND IS DISGUSTED WITH SUCH PRETENSIONS HE AFFECTS GREATER INDIFFERENCE AND LESS DISCRIMINATION IN VIEWING THEM HIMSELF THAN HE POSSESSES HE IS FASTIDIOUS AND WILL HAVE AN AFFECTATION OF HIS OWN IT IS VERY TRUE SAID MARIANNE THAT ADMIRATION OF LANDSCAPE SCENERY


IS BECOME A MERE JARGON EVERY BODY PRETENDS TO FEEL AND TRIES TO DESCRIBE WITH THE TASTE AND ELEGANCE OF HIM WHO FIRST DEFINED WHAT PICTURESQUE BEAUTY WAS I DETEST JARGON OF EVERY KIND AND SOMETIMES I HAVE KEPT MY FEELINGS TO MYSELF


BECAUSE I COULD FIND NO LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE THEM IN BUT WHAT WAS WORN AND HACKNEYED OUT OF ALL SENSE AND MEANING I AM CONVINCED SAID EDWARD THAT YOU REALLY FEEL ALL THE DELIGHT IN A FINE PROSPECT WHICH YOU PROFESS TO FEEL


BUT IN RETURN YOUR SISTER MUST ALLOW ME TO FEEL NO MORE THAN I PROFESS I LIKE A FINE PROSPECT BUT NOT ON PICTURESQUE PRINCIPLES I DO NOT LIKE CROOKED TWISTED BLASTED TREES I ADMIRE THEM MUCH MORE IF THEY ARE TALL STRAIGHT AND FLOURISHING


I DO NOT LIKE RUINED TATTERED COTTAGES I AM NOT FOND OF NETTLES OR THISTLES OR HEATH BLOSSOMS I HAVE MORE PLEASURE IN A SNUG FARM HOUSE THAN A WATCH TOWER


MARIANNE LOOKED WITH AMAZEMENT AT EDWARD WITH COMPASSION AT HER SISTER


TILL A NEW OBJECT SUDDENLY ENGAGED HER ATTENTION SHE WAS SITTING BY EDWARD AND IN TAKING HIS TEA FROM MISSUS DASHWOOD HIS HAND PASSED SO DIRECTLY BEFORE HER AS TO MAKE A RING WITH A PLAIT OF HAIR IN THE CENTRE VERY CONSPICUOUS ON ONE OF HIS FINGERS


BUT I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT HER HAIR HAD BEEN DARKER MARIANNE SPOKE INCONSIDERATELY WHAT SHE REALLY FELT BUT WHEN SHE SAW HOW MUCH SHE HAD PAINED EDWARD HER OWN VEXATION AT HER WANT OF THOUGHT COULD NOT BE SURPASSED BY HIS


HE COLOURED VERY DEEPLY AND GIVING A MOMENTARY GLANCE AT ELINOR REPLIED YES IT IS MY SISTER'S HAIR THE SETTING ALWAYS CASTS A DIFFERENT SHADE ON IT YOU KNOW ELINOR HAD MET HIS EYE AND LOOKED CONSCIOUS LIKEWISE


THAT THE HAIR WAS HER OWN SHE INSTANTANEOUSLY FELT AS WELL SATISFIED AS MARIANNE THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THEIR CONCLUSIONS WAS THAT WHAT MARIANNE CONSIDERED AS A FREE GIFT FROM HER SISTER ELINOR WAS CONSCIOUS MUST HAVE BEEN PROCURED BY SOME THEFT OR CONTRIVANCE UNKNOWN TO HERSELF


SHE WAS NOT IN A HUMOUR HOWEVER TO REGARD IT AS AN AFFRONT AND AFFECTING TO TAKE NO NOTICE OF WHAT PASSED BY INSTANTLY TALKING OF SOMETHING ELSE SHE INTERNALLY RESOLVED HENCEFORWARD TO CATCH EVERY OPPORTUNITY OF EYEING THE HAIR AND OF SATISFYING HERSELF BEYOND ALL DOUBT


THAT IT WAS EXACTLY THE SHADE OF HER OWN EDWARD'S EMBARRASSMENT LASTED SOME TIME AND IT ENDED IN AN ABSENCE OF MIND STILL MORE SETTLED HE WAS PARTICULARLY GRAVE THE WHOLE MORNING MARIANNE SEVERELY CENSURED HERSELF FOR WHAT SHE HAD SAID


BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY THEY WERE VISITED BY SIR JOHN AND MISSUS JENNINGS WHO HAVING HEARD OF THE ARRIVAL OF A GENTLEMAN AT THE COTTAGE CAME TO TAKE A SURVEY OF THE GUEST WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF HIS MOTHER IN LAW SIR JOHN WAS NOT LONG IN DISCOVERING


THAT THE NAME OF FERRARS BEGAN WITH AN F AND THIS PREPARED A FUTURE MINE OF RAILLERY AGAINST THE DEVOTED ELINOR WHICH NOTHING BUT THE NEWNESS OF THEIR ACQUAINTANCE WITH EDWARD COULD HAVE PREVENTED FROM BEING IMMEDIATELY SPRUNG


BUT AS IT WAS SHE ONLY LEARNED FROM SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT LOOKS HOW FAR THEIR PENETRATION FOUNDED ON MARGARET'S INSTRUCTIONS EXTENDED SIR JOHN NEVER CAME TO THE DASHWOODS WITHOUT EITHER INVITING THEM TO DINE AT THE PARK THE NEXT DAY OR TO DRINK TEA WITH THEM THAT EVENING


ON THE PRESENT OCCASION FOR THE BETTER ENTERTAINMENT OF THEIR VISITOR TOWARDS WHOSE AMUSEMENT HE FELT HIMSELF BOUND TO CONTRIBUTE HE WISHED TO ENGAGE THEM FOR BOTH YOU MUST DRINK TEA WITH US TO NIGHT SAID HE


MISSUS JENNINGS ENFORCED THE NECESSITY AND WHO KNOWS BUT YOU MAY RAISE A DANCE SAID SHE AND THAT WILL TEMPT YOU MISS MARIANNE A DANCE CRIED MARIANNE IMPOSSIBLE WHO IS TO DANCE WHO WHY YOURSELVES AND THE CAREYS AND WHITAKERS TO BE SURE


WHAT YOU THOUGHT NOBODY COULD DANCE BECAUSE A CERTAIN PERSON THAT SHALL BE NAMELESS IS GONE I WISH WITH ALL MY SOUL CRIED SIR JOHN THAT WILLOUGHBY WERE AMONG US AGAIN THIS AND MARIANNE'S BLUSHING GAVE NEW SUSPICIONS TO EDWARD


AND WHO IS WILLOUGHBY SAID HE IN A LOW VOICE TO MISS DASHWOOD BY WHOM HE WAS SITTING SHE GAVE HIM A BRIEF REPLY


EDWARD SAW ENOUGH TO COMPREHEND NOT ONLY THE MEANING OF OTHERS BUT SUCH OF MARIANNE'S EXPRESSIONS AS HAD PUZZLED HIM BEFORE AND WHEN THEIR VISITORS LEFT THEM HE WENT IMMEDIATELY ROUND HER AND SAID IN A WHISPER I HAVE BEEN GUESSING SHALL I TELL YOU MY GUESS


WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHALL I TELL YOU CERTAINLY WELL THEN I GUESS THAT MISTER WILLOUGHBY HUNTS MARIANNE WAS SURPRISED AND CONFUSED YET SHE COULD NOT HELP SMILING AT THE QUIET ARCHNESS OF HIS MANNER AND AFTER A MOMENT'S SILENCE SAID


HOPE I AM SURE YOU WILL LIKE HIM


CHAPTER THIRTEEN SOMEBODY RUNS AWAY SCHOOL IS DONE NOW WE'LL HAVE FUN SUNG BAB AND BETTY


TIRED TEACHER HAD DISMISSED THEM FOR EIGHT WHOLE WEEKS AND GONE AWAY TO REST THE LITTLE SCHOOL HOUSE WAS SHUT UP LESSONS WERE OVER SPIRITS RISING FAST AND VACATION HAD BEGUN THE QUIET TOWN SEEMED SUDDENLY INUNDATED WITH CHILDREN


ALL IN SUCH A RAMPANT STATE THAT BUSY MOTHERS WONDERED HOW THEY EVER SHOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR FRISKY DARLINGS OUT OF MISCHIEF THRIFTY FATHERS PLANNED HOW THEY COULD BRIBE THE IDLE HANDS TO PICK BERRIES OR RAKE HAY AND THE OLD FOLKS


WHILE WISHING THE YOUNG FOLKS WELL SECRETLY BLESSED THE MAN WHO INVENTED SCHOOLS THE GIRLS IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT PICNICS AND HAVE THEM TOO FOR LITTLE HATS SPRUNG UP IN THE FIELDS LIKE A NEW SORT OF MUSHROOM


EVERY HILLSIDE BLOOMED WITH GAY GOWNS LOOKING AS IF THE FLOWERS HAD GONE OUT FOR A WALK AND THE WOODS WERE FULL OF FEATHERLESS BIRDS CHIRPING AWAY AS BLITHELY AS THE THRUSHES ROBINS AND WRENS


THE BOYS TOOK TO BASE BALL LIKE DUCKS TO WATER AND THE COMMON WAS THE SCENE OF TREMENDOUS BATTLES WAGED WITH MUCH TUMULT BUT LITTLE BLOODSHED TO THE UNINITIATED IT APPEARED AS IF THESE YOUNG MEN HAD LOST THEIR WITS


FOR NO MATTER HOW WARM IT WAS THERE THEY WERE TEARING ABOUT IN THE MADDEST MANNER JACKETS OFF SLEEVES ROLLED UP QUEER CAPS FLUNG ON ANY WAY ALL BATTING SHABBY LEATHER BALLS AND CATCHING THE SAME


AS IF THEIR LIVES DEPENDED ON IT EVERY ONE TALKING IN HIS GRUFFEST TONE BAWLING AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE SQUABBLING OVER EVERY POINT OF THE GAME AND SEEMING TO ENJOY HIMSELF IMMENSELY IN SPITE OF THE HEAT DUST UPROAR


AND IMMINENT DANGER OF GETTING EYES OR TEETH KNOCKED OUT THORNY WAS AN EXCELLENT PLAYER BUT NOT BEING STRONG ENOUGH TO SHOW HIS PROWESS HE MADE BEN HIS PROXY AND SITTING ON THE FENCE ACTED AS UMPIRE TO HIS HEART'S CONTENT


BEN WAS A PROMISING PUPIL AND MADE RAPID PROGRESS FOR EYE FOOT AND HAND HAD BEEN SO WELL TRAINED THAT THEY DID HIM GOOD SERVICE NOW AND BROWN WAS CONSIDERED A FIRST RATE CATCHER


AND GUARDING JACKETS WHEN NOT NEEDED WITH THE AIR OF ONE OF THE OLD GUARD ON DUTY AT THE TOMB OF NAPOLEON BAB ALSO LONGED TO JOIN IN THE FUN WHICH SUITED HER BETTER THAN STUPID PICNICS OR FUSSING OVER DOLLS


BUT HER HEROES WOULD NOT HAVE HER AT ANY PRICE AND SHE WAS OBLIGED TO CONTENT HERSELF WITH SITTING BY THORNY AND WATCHING WITH BREATHLESS INTEREST THE VARYING FORTUNES OF OUR SIDE A GRAND MATCH WAS PLANNED FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY BUT WHEN THE CLUB MET


UNPROPITIOUS THORNY HAD GONE OUT OF TOWN WITH HIS SISTER TO PASS THE DAY TWO OF THE BEST PLAYERS DID NOT APPEAR AND THE OTHERS WERE SOMEWHAT EXHAUSTED BY THE FESTIVITIES WHICH BEGAN AT SUNRISE FOR THEM


SO THEY LAY ABOUT ON THE GRASS IN THE SHADE OF THE BIG ELM LANGUIDLY DISCUSSING THEIR VARIOUS WRONGS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS IT'S THE MEANEST FOURTH I EVER SAW CAN'T HAVE NO CRACKERS BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S HORSE GOT SCARED LAST YEAR


GROWLED SAM KITTERIDGE BITTERLY RESENTING THE STERN EDICT WHICH FORBADE FREE BORN CITIZENS TO BURN AS MUCH GUNPOWDER AS THEY LIKED ON THAT GLORIOUS DAY LAST YEAR JIMMY GOT HIS ARM BLOWN OFF WHEN THEY FIRED THE OLD CANNON


DIDN'T WE HAVE A LIVELY TIME GOING FOR THE DOCTORS AND GETTING HIM HOME ASKED ANOTHER BOY LOOKING AS IF HE FELT DEFRAUDED OF THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF THE ANNIVERSARY BECAUSE NO ACCIDENT HAD OCCURRED AIN'T GOING TO BE FIREWORKS EITHER UNLESS SOMEBODY'S


BARN BURNS UP DON'T I JUST WISH THERE WOULD GLOOMILY RESPONDED ANOTHER YOUTH WHO HAD SO RASHLY INDULGED IN PYROTECHNICS ON A FORMER OCCASION THAT A NEIGHBOR'S COW HAD BEEN ROASTED WHOLE


I WOULDN'T GIVE TWO CENTS FOR SUCH A SLOW OLD PLACE AS THIS WHY LAST FOURTH AT THIS TIME


ALL IN MY BEST TOGGERY HOT AS PEPPER BUT GOOD FUN LOOKING IN AT THE UPPER WINDOWS AND HEARING THE WOMEN SCREAM WHEN THE OLD THING WAGGLED ROUND AND I MADE BELIEVE I WAS GOING TO TUMBLE OFF SAID BEN


AND FELT SOME NATURAL REGRET AT DESCENDING FROM SO LOFTY A SPHERE CATCH ME CUTTIN AWAY IF I HAD SUCH A CHANCE AS THAT ANSWERED SAM TRYING TO BALANCE HIS BAT ON HIS CHIN


AND GETTING A SMART RAP ACROSS THE NOSE AS HE FAILED TO PERFORM THE FEAT MUCH YOU KNOW ABOUT IT OLD CHAP IT'S HARD WORK I CAN TELL YOU AND THAT WOULDN'T SUIT SUCH A LAZY BONES THEN YOU ARE TOO BIG TO BEGIN


THOUGH YOU MIGHT DO FOR A FAT BOY IF SMITHERS WANTED ONE SAID BEN SURVEYING THE STOUT YOUTH WITH CALM CONTEMPT LET'S GO IN SWIMMING NOT LOAF ROUND HERE IF WE CAN'T PLAY


PROPOSED A RED AND SHINY BOY PANTING FOR A GAME OF LEAP FROG IN SANDY POND MAY AS WELL DON'T SEE MUCH ELSE TO DO SIGHED SAM RISING LIKE A YOUNG ELEPHANT THE OTHERS WERE ABOUT TO FOLLOW


TEARING DOWN THE STREET LIKE A RUNAWAY COLT WAVING A LONG STRIP OF PAPER AS HE RAN NOW THEN WHAT'S THE MATTER DEMANDED BEN AS THE OTHER CAME UP GRINNING AND PUFFING BUT FULL OF GREAT NEWS


PANTED BILLY PUTTING THE PAPER INTO SAM'S HAND AND SURVEYING THE CROWD WITH A FACE AS BEAMING AS A FULL MOON LOOK OUT FOR THE BIG SHOW READ SAM


NEW GREAT GOLDEN MENAGERIE CIRCUS AND COLOSSEUM WILL EXHIBIT AT BERRYVILLE JULY FOURTH AT ONE AND SEVEN PRECISELY ADMISSION FIFTY CENTS CHILDREN HALF PRICE


DON'T FORGET DAY AND DATE H FROST MANAGER WHILE SAM READ THE OTHER BOYS HAD BEEN GLOATING OVER THE ENTICING PICTURES WHICH COVERED THE BILL THERE WAS THE GOLDEN CAR


FILLED WITH NOBLE BEINGS IN HELMETS ALL PLAYING ON IMMENSE TRUMPETS THE TWENTY FOUR PRANCING STEEDS WITH MANES TAILS AND FEATHERED HEADS TOSSING IN THE BREEZE THE CLOWNS THE TUMBLERS THE STRONG MEN


AND THE RIDERS FLYING ABOUT IN THE AIR AS IF THE LAWS OF GRAVITATION NO LONGER EXISTED BUT BEST OF ALL WAS THE GRAND CONGLOMERATION OF ANIMALS WHERE THE GIRAFFE APPEARS TO STAND ON THE ELEPHANT'S BACK


THE ZEBRA TO BE JUMPING OVER THE SEAL THE HIPPOPOTAMUS TO BE LUNCHING OFF A COUPLE OF CROCODILES AND LIONS AND TIGERS TO BE RAINING DOWN IN ALL DIRECTIONS WITH THEIR MOUTHS WIDE OPEN AND THEIR TAILS AS STIFF AS THAT OF THE FAMOUS NORTHUMBERLAND HOUSE LION


CRICKY WOULDN'T I LIKE TO SEE THAT SAID LITTLE CYRUS FAY DEVOUTLY HOPING THAT THE CAGE IN WHICH THIS PLEASING SPECTACLE TOOK PLACE WAS A VERY STRONG ONE YOU NEVER WOULD IT'S ONLY A PICTURE


THAT NOW IS SOMETHING LIKE AND BEN WHO HAD PRICKED UP HIS EARS AT THE WORD CIRCUS LAID HIS FINGER ON A SMALLER CUT OF A MAN HANGING BY THE BACK OF HIS NECK WITH A CHILD IN EACH HAND TWO MEN SUSPENDED FROM HIS FEET


AND THE THIRD SWINGING FORWARD TO ALIGHT ON HIS HEAD I M GOING SAID SAM WITH CALM DECISION FOR THIS SUPERB ARRAY OF UNKNOWN PLEASURES FIRED HIS SOUL AND MADE HIM FORGET HIS WEIGHT HOW WILL YOU FIX IT ASKED BEN


JUST AS HE USED TO FEEL IT WHEN HIS FATHER CAUGHT HIM UP TO DASH INTO THE RING FOOT IT WITH BILLY IT'S ONLY FOUR MILES AND WE'VE GOT LOTS OF TIME SO WE CAN TAKE IT EASY MOTHER WON'T CARE IF I SEND WORD BY CY


ANSWERED SAM PRODUCING HALF A DOLLAR AS IF SUCH MAGNIFICENT SUMS WERE NO STRANGERS TO HIS POCKET COME ON BROWN YOU'LL BE A FIRST RATE FELLOW TO SHOW US ROUND AS YOU KNOW ALL THE DODGES SAID BILLY


ANXIOUS TO GET HIS MONEY'S WORTH WELL I DON'T KNOW BEGAN BEN LONGING TO GO BUT AFRAID MISSUS MOSS WOULD SAY NO IF HE ASKED LEAVE HE'S AFRAID SNEERED THE RED FACED BOY


WHO FELT BITTERLY TOWARD ALL MANKIND AT THAT INSTANT BECAUSE HE KNEW THERE WAS NO HOPE OF HIS GOING SAY THAT AGAIN AND I'LL KNOCK YOUR HEAD OFF AND BEN FACED ROUND WITH A GESTURE WHICH CAUSED THE OTHER TO SKIP OUT OF REACH PRECIPITATELY


HASN'T GOT ANY MONEY MORE LIKELY OBSERVED A SHABBY YOUTH WHOSE POCKETS NEVER HAD ANY THING IN THEM BUT A PAIR OF DIRTY HANDS BEN CALMLY PRODUCED A DOLLAR BILL AND WAVED IT DEFIANTLY BEFORE THIS DOUBTER


OBSERVING WITH DIGNITY I'VE GOT MONEY ENOUGH TO TREAT THE WHOLE CROWD IF I CHOOSE TO WHICH I DON'T THEN COME ALONG AND HAVE A JOLLY TIME WITH SAM AND ME WE CAN BUY SOME DINNER AND GET A RIDE HOME AS LIKE AS NOT


SAID THE AMIABLE BILLY WITH A SLAP ON THE SHOULDER AND A CORDIAL GRIN WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR BEN TO RESIST WHAT ARE YOU STOPPING FOR DEMANDED SAM READY TO BE OFF THAT THEY MIGHT TAKE IT EASY


HE'LL GET LOST OR STOLEN IF I TAKE HIM AND IT'S TOO FAR TO CARRY HIM HOME IF YOU ARE IN A HURRY BEGAN BEN PERSUADING HIMSELF THAT THIS WAS THE TRUE REASON OF HIS DELAY LET CY TAKE HIM BACK HE'LL DO IT FOR A CENT WON'T YOU CY PROPOSED BILLY


SMOOTHING AWAY ALL OBJECTIONS FOR HE LIKED BEN AND SAW THAT HE WANTED TO GO NO I WON'T I DON'T LIKE HIM HE WINKS AT ME AND GROWLS WHEN I TOUCH HIM MUTTERED NAUGHTY CY REMEMBERING HOW MUCH REASON POOR SANCH HAD TO DISTRUST HIS TORMENTOR


THERE S BAB SHE'LL DO IT COME HERE SISSY BEN WANTS YOU CALLED SAM BECKONING TO A SMALL FIGURE JUST PERCHING ON THE FENCE DOWN IT JUMPED AND CAME FLUTTERING UP


I WANT YOU TO TAKE SANCH HOME AND TELL YOUR MOTHER I'M GOING TO WALK AND MAY BE WON'T BE BACK TILL SUNDOWN MISS CELIA SAID I MIGHT DO WHAT I PLEASED ALL DAY YOU REMEMBER NOW


BEN SPOKE WITHOUT LOOKING UP AND AFFECTED TO BE VERY BUSY BUCKLING A STRAP INTO SANCH'S COLLAR FOR THE TWO WERE SO SELDOM PARTED THAT THE DOG ALWAYS REBELLED IT WAS A MISTAKE ON BEN'S PART FOR


WHILE HIS EYES WERE ON HIS WORK BAB'S WERE DEVOURING THE BILL WHICH SAM STILL HELD


YOU JUST CATCH HOLD OF THIS AND RUN ALONG HOME LOCK SANCH UP FOR AN HOUR AND TELL YOUR MOTHER I'M ALL RIGHT ANSWERED BEN BOUND TO ASSERT HIS MANLY SUPREMACY BEFORE HIS MATES HE'S GOING TO THE CIRCUS


WHISPERED FAY HOPING TO MAKE MISCHIEF CIRCUS


FALLING INTO A STATE OF GREAT EXCITEMENT AT THE MERE THOUGHT OF SUCH DELIGHT YOU COULDN'T WALK FOUR MILES BEGAN BEN YES I COULD AS EASY AS NOT YOU HAVEN'T GOT ANY MONEY YOU HAVE I SAW YOU SHOWING YOUR DOLLAR


AND YOU COULD PAY FOR ME AND MA WOULD PAY IT BACK CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO GET READY I'LL GO AS I AM I DON'T CARE IF IT IS MY OLD HAT AND BAB JERKED IT ON TO HER HEAD YOUR MOTHER WOULDN'T LIKE IT SHE WON'T LIKE YOUR GOING EITHER


SHE ISN'T MY MISSIS NOW MISS CELIA WOULDN'T CARE AND I'M GOING ANY WAY DO DO TAKE ME BEN I'LL BE JUST AS GOOD AS EVER WAS


DON'T YOU BOTHER WE DON'T WANT ANY GIRLS TAGGING AFTER US SAID SAM WALKING OFF TO ESCAPE THE ANNOYANCE I'LL BRING YOU A ROLL OF CHICKERBERRY LOZENGERS IF YOU WON'T TEASE


WHISPERED KIND HEARTED BILLY WITH A CONSOLING PAT ON THE CROWN OF THE SHABBY STRAW HAT WHEN THE CIRCUS COMES HERE YOU SHALL GO CERTAIN SURE AND BETTY TOO SAID BEN FEELING MEAN WHILE HE PROPOSED WHAT HE KNEW WAS A HOLLOW MOCKERY


THEY NEVER DO COME TO SUCH LITTLE TOWNS YOU SAID SO AND I THINK YOU ARE VERY CROSS AND I WON'T TAKE CARE OF SANCH SO NOW CRIED BAB GETTING INTO A PASSION YET READY TO CRY SHE WAS SO DISAPPOINTED


I SUPPOSE IT WOULDN'T DO HINTED BILLY WITH A LOOK FROM BEN TO THE LITTLE GIRL WHO STOOD WINKING HARD TO KEEP THE TEARS BACK OF COURSE IT WOULDN'T I'D LIKE TO SEE HER WALKING EIGHT MILES


GIRLS ARE SUCH A BOTHER WHEN YOU WANT TO KNOCK ROUND NO BAB YOU CAN'T GO TRAVEL RIGHT HOME AND DON'T MAKE A FUSS COME ALONG BOYS


AND WE DON'T WANT TO WALK FAST BEN SPOKE VERY DECIDEDLY AND TAKING BILLY'S ARM AWAY THEY WENT LEAVING POOR BAB AND SANCH TO WATCH THEM OUT OF SIGHT ONE SOBBING THE OTHER WHINING DISMALLY


SOMEHOW THOSE TWO FIGURES SEEMED TO GO BEFORE BEN ALL ALONG THE PLEASANT ROAD AND HALF SPOILT HIS FUN FOR THOUGH HE LAUGHED AND TALKED CUT CANES AND SEEMED AS MERRY AS A GRIG


HE COULD NOT HELP FEELING THAT HE OUGHT TO HAVE ASKED LEAVE TO GO AND BEEN KINDER TO BAB


IF I'D TOLD HER I'D LIKE TO SHOW HER ROUND AND SHE'S BEEN REAL GOOD TO ME NO USE NOW I'LL TAKE THE GIRLS A LOT OF CANDY AND MAKE IT ALL RIGHT HE TRIED TO SETTLE IT IN THAT WAY AND TRUDGED GAYLY OFF


AND PLANNING TO DO THE HONORS HANDSOMELY TO THE BOYS IT WAS VERY WARM AND JUST OUTSIDE OF THE TOWN THEY PAUSED BY A WAYSIDE WATERING TROUGH TO WASH THEIR DUSTY FACES


AND COOL OFF BEFORE PLUNGING INTO THE EXCITEMENTS OF THE AFTERNOON AS THEY STOOD REFRESHING THEMSELVES A BAKER'S CART CAME JINGLING BY AND SAM PROPOSED A HASTY LUNCH WHILE THEY RESTED A SUPPLY OF GINGERBREAD WAS SOON BOUGHT


AND CLIMBING THE GREEN BANK ABOVE THEY LAY ON THE GRASS UNDER A WILD CHERRY TREE MUNCHING LUXURIOUSLY WHILE THEY FEASTED THEIR EYES AT THE SAME TIME ON THE SPLENDORS AWAITING THEM FOR THE GREAT TENT WITH ALL ITS FLAGS FLYING


WAS VISIBLE FROM THE HILL WE'LL CUT ACROSS THOSE FIELDS


I WANT TO HAVE A GOOD GO AT EVERY THING ESPECIALLY THE LIONS SAID SAM BEGINNING ON HIS LAST COOKIE I HEARD EM ROAR JUST NOW AND BILLY STOOD UP TO GAZE WITH BIG EYES AT THE FLAPPING CANVAS


WHICH HID THE KING OF BEASTS FROM HIS LONGING SIGHT THAT WAS A COW MOOING DON'T YOU BE A DONKEY BILL WHEN YOU HEAR A REAL ROAR YOU'LL SHAKE IN YOUR BOOTS SAID BEN HOLDING UP HIS HANDKERCHIEF TO DRY


I WISH YOU'D HURRY UP SAM FOLKS ARE GOING IN NOW I SEE EM AND BILLY PRANCED WITH IMPATIENCE FOR THIS WAS HIS FIRST CIRCUS AND HE FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BEHOLD ALL THAT THE PICTURES PROMISED


HOLD ON A MINUTE WHILE I GET ONE MORE DRINK BUNS ARE DRY FODDER SAID SAM ROLLING OVER TO THE EDGE OF THE BANK AND PREPARING TO DESCEND WITH AS LITTLE TROUBLE AS POSSIBLE HE NEARLY WENT DOWN HEAD FIRST HOWEVER FOR


AS HE LOOKED BEFORE HE LEAPED HE BEHELD A SIGHT WHICH CAUSED HIM TO STARE WITH ALL HIS MIGHT FOR AN INSTANT THEN TURN AND BECKON SAYING IN AN EAGER WHISPER


AND BOTH SUPPRESSED AN ASTONISHED HULLO FOR THERE STOOD BAB WAITING FOR SANCHO TO LAP HIS FILL OUT OF THE OVERFLOWING TROUGH SUCH A SHABBY TIRED LOOKING COUPLE AS THEY WERE


BAB WITH A FACE AS RED AS A LOBSTER AND STREAKED WITH TEARS SHOES WHITE WITH DUST PLAYFROCK TORN AT THE GATHERS SOMETHING BUNDLED UP IN HER APRON AND ONE SHOE DOWN AT THE HEEL AS IF IT HURT HER


SANCHO LAPPED EAGERLY WITH HIS EYES SHUT ALL HIS RUFFLES WERE GRAY WITH DUST AND HIS TAIL HUNG WEARILY DOWN THE TASSEL AT HALF MAST AS IF IN MOURNING FOR THE MASTER WHOM HE HAD COME TO FIND


BAB STILL HELD THE STRAP INTENT ON KEEPING HER CHARGE SAFE THOUGH SHE LOST HERSELF BUT HER COURAGE SEEMED TO BE GIVING OUT AS SHE LOOKED ANXIOUSLY UP AND DOWN THE ROAD


SEEING NO SIGN OF THE THREE FAMILIAR FIGURES SHE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING AS STEADILY AS A LITTLE INDIAN ON THE WAR TRAIL OH SANCH WHAT SHALL I DO IF THEY DON'T COME ALONG WE MUST HAVE GONE BY THEM SOMEWHERE FOR I DON'T SEE ANY ONE THAT WAY


AND THERE ISN'T ANY OTHER ROAD TO THE CIRCUS SEEMS TO ME BAB SPOKE AS IF THE DOG COULD UNDERSTAND AND ANSWER


AND FIXING HIS SHARP EYES ON THE GRASS ABOVE HIM GAVE A SUSPICIOUS BARK IT'S ONLY SQUIRRELS DON'T MIND BUT COME ALONG AND BE GOOD FOR I M SO TIRED I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO SIGHED BAB


TRYING TO PULL HIM AFTER HER AS SHE TRUDGED ON BOUND TO SEE THE OUTSIDE OF THAT WONDERFUL TENT EVEN IF SHE NEVER GOT IN BUT SANCHO HAD HEARD A SOFT CHIRRUP AND WITH A SUDDEN BOUND TWITCHED THE STRAP AWAY SPRANG UP THE BANK


AND LANDED DIRECTLY ON BEN'S BACK AS HE LAY PEEPING OVER A PEAL OF LAUGHTER GREETED HIM AND HAVING GOT THE BETTER OF HIS MASTER IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE HE MADE THE MOST OF THE ADVANTAGE BY PLAYFULLY WORRYING HIM AS HE KEPT HIM DOWN


LICKING HIS FACE IN SPITE OF HIS STRUGGLES BURROWING IN HIS NECK WITH A TICKLISH NOSE SNAPPING AT HIS BUTTONS AND YELPING JOYFULLY AS IF IT WAS THE BEST JOKE IN THE WORLD TO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK FOR FOUR LONG MILES


BEFORE BEN COULD QUIET HIM BAB CAME CLIMBING UP THE BANK WITH SUCH A FUNNY MIXTURE OF FEAR FATIGUE DETERMINATION AND RELIEF IN HER DIRTY LITTLE FACE


THAT THE BOYS COULD NOT LOOK AWFUL IF THEY TRIED HOW DARED YOU COME AFTER US MISS DEMANDED SAM AS SHE LOOKED CALMLY ABOUT HER AND TOOK A SEAT BEFORE SHE WAS ASKED SANCH WOULD COME AFTER BEN


I COULDN'T MAKE HIM GO HOME SO I HAD TO HOLD ON TILL HE WAS SAFE HERE ELSE HE'D BE LOST AND THEN BEN WOULD FEEL BAD THE CLEVERNESS OF THAT EXCUSE TICKLED THE BOYS IMMENSELY


AND SAM TRIED AGAIN WHILE BEN WAS GETTING THE DOG DOWN AND SITTING ON HIM NOW YOU EXPECT TO GO TO THE CIRCUS I SUPPOSE COURSE I DO BEN SAID HE DIDN'T MIND PAYING IF I COULD GET THERE WITHOUT BOTHERING HIM AND I HAVE


AND I'LL GO HOME ALONE I AIN'T AFRAID SANCH WILL TAKE CARE OF ME IF YOU WON'T ANSWERED BAB STOUTLY WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE YOUR MOTHER WILL SAY TO YOU ASKED BEN FEELING MUCH REPROACHED BY HER LAST WORDS


I GUESS SHE'LL SAY YOU LED ME INTO MISCHIEF AND THE SHARP CHILD NODDED AS IF SHE DEFIED HIM TO DENY THE TRUTH OF THAT


ADVISED SAM THINKING BAB GREAT FUN


WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU HADN'T FOUND US ASKED BILLY FORGETTING HIS IMPATIENCE IN HIS ADMIRATION FOR THIS PLUCKY YOUNG LADY I'D HAVE GONE ON AND SEEN THE CIRCUS


WAS THE PROMPT ANSWER BUT YOU HAVEN'T ANY MONEY OH I'D ASK SOMEBODY TO PAY FOR ME I M SO LITTLE IT WOULDN'T BE MUCH


I THOUGHT OF THAT AND PLANNED HOW I'D FIX IT IF I DIDN'T FIND BEN I'D MAKE SANCH DO HIS TRICKS AND GET A QUARTER THAT WAY SO NOW ANSWERED BAB UNDAUNTED BY ANY OBSTACLE I DO BELIEVE SHE WOULD


YOU ARE A SMART CHILD BAB AND IF I HAD ENOUGH I'D TAKE YOU IN MYSELF SAID BILLY HEARTILY FOR HAVING SISTERS OF HIS OWN HE KEPT A SOFT PLACE IN HIS HEART FOR GIRLS ESPECIALLY ENTERPRISING ONES


I'LL TAKE CARE OF HER IT WAS VERY NAUGHTY TO COME BAB BUT SO LONG AS YOU DID YOU NEEDN'T WORRY ABOUT ANY THING I'LL SEE TO YOU AND YOU SHALL HAVE A REAL GOOD TIME SAID BEN ACCEPTING HIS RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT A MURMUR


AND BOUND TO DO THE HANDSOME THING BY HIS PERSISTENT FRIEND I THOUGHT YOU WOULD AND BAB FOLDED HER ARMS AS IF SHE HAD NOTHING FURTHER TO DO BUT ENJOY HERSELF ARE YOU HUNGRY ASKED BILLY


FISHING OUT SEVERAL FRAGMENTS OF GINGERBREAD STARVING AND BAB ATE THEM WITH SUCH A RELISH THAT SAM ADDED A SMALL CONTRIBUTION AND BEN CAUGHT SOME WATER FOR HER IN HIS HAND WHERE THE LITTLE SPRING BUBBLED UP BESIDE A STONE NOW


COMMANDED BEN GIVING SANCH A ROLL ON THE GRASS TO CLEAN HIM BAB SCRUBBED HER FACE TILL IT SHONE AND PULLING DOWN HER APRON TO WIPE IT SCATTERED A LOAD OF TREASURES COLLECTED IN HER WALK SOME OF THE DEAD FLOWERS


BITS OF MOSS AND GREEN TWIGS FELL NEAR BEN AND ONE ATTRACTED HIS ATTENTION A SPRAY OF BROAD SMOOTH LEAVES WITH A BUNCH OF WHITISH BERRIES ON IT WHERE DID YOU GET THAT HE ASKED POKING IT WITH HIS FOOT


IN A SWAMPY PLACE COMING ALONG SANCH SAW SOMETHING DOWN THERE AND I WENT WITH HIM CAUSE I THOUGHT MAY BE IT WAS A MUSK RAT AND YOU'D LIKE ONE IF WE COULD GET HIM


AND WITH INTENSE INTEREST NO ONLY A SNAKE AND I DON'T CARE FOR SNAKES I PICKED SOME OF THAT IT WAS SO GREEN AND PRETTY THORNY LIKES QUEER LEAVES AND BERRIES YOU KNOW ANSWERED BAB SPATTING DOWN HER ROUGH LOCKS


WELL HE WON'T LIKE THAT NOR YOU EITHER


AND I SHOULDN'T WONDER IF YOU'D GOT POISONED BAB DON'T TOUCH IT


AND BEN LOOKED ANXIOUSLY AT BAB WHO FELT HER CHUBBY FACE ALL OVER AND EXAMINED HER DINGY HANDS WITH A SOLEMN AIR ASKING EAGERLY WILL IT BREAK OUT ON ME FORE I GET TO THE CIRCUS


NOT FOR A DAY OR SO I GUESS BUT IT'S BAD WHEN IT DOES COME


OF THE NUMBER OF LETTERS THAT ARRIVED IN MONKSHAVEN THE FOSTERS SHOPKEEPERS AND BANKERS HAD THE LARGEST SHARE THE MORNING SUCCEEDING THE DAY ON WHICH SYLVIA HAD ENGAGED HERSELF TO KINRAID THE FOSTERS SEEMED UNUSUALLY ANXIOUS TO OBTAIN THEIR LETTERS


SEVERAL TIMES JEREMIAH CAME OUT OF THE PARLOUR IN WHICH HIS BROTHER JOHN WAS SITTING IN EXPECTANT SILENCE AND PASSING THROUGH THE SHOP LOOKED UP AND DOWN THE MARKET PLACE IN SEARCH OF THE OLD LAME WOMAN WHO WAS CHARITABLY EMPLOYED TO DELIVER LETTERS


AND WHO MUST HAVE BEEN LAMER THAN EVER THIS MORNING TO JUDGE FROM THE LATENESS OF HER COMING ALTHOUGH NONE BUT THE FOSTERS KNEW THE CAUSE OF THEIR IMPATIENCE FOR THEIR LETTERS YET THERE WAS SUCH TACIT SYMPATHY BETWEEN THEM AND THOSE WHOM THEY EMPLOYED


WITH HER BASKET OF LETTERS ONE OF THESE SEEMED OF ESPECIAL CONSEQUENCE TO THE GOOD BROTHERS THEY EACH SEPARATELY LOOKED AT THE DIRECTION AND THEN AT ONE ANOTHER AND WITHOUT A WORD THEY RETURNED WITH IT UNREAD INTO THE PARLOUR SHUTTING THE DOOR AND DRAWING THE GREEN SILK CURTAIN CLOSE THE BETTER TO READ IT IN PRIVACY


AND WERE PERHAPS AS FULL OF CONSIDERATION AS TO THE POSSIBLE CONTENTS OF THIS LONDON LETTER


A MINUTE AGO PHILIP AND HE WERE ON A LEVEL OF IGNORANCE FROM WHICH THE FORMER WAS EVIDENTLY GOING TO BE RAISED BUT HE SOON RETURNED TO HIS USUAL STATE OF ACQUIESCENCE IN THINGS AS THEY WERE WHICH WAS PARTLY CONSTITUTIONAL AND PARTLY THE RESULT OF HIS QUAKER TRAINING


IT WAS APPARENTLY BY JOHN FOSTER'S WISH THAT PHILIP HAD BEEN SUMMONED JEREMIAH THE LESS ENERGETIC AND DECIDED BROTHER WAS STILL DISCUSSING THE PROPRIETY OF THE STEP WHEN PHILIP ENTERED


THAT THE FOSTERS HAD FOR SOME TIME RECEIVED ANONYMOUS LETTERS WARNING THEM WITH DISTINCT MEANING THOUGH IN AMBIGUOUS TERMS AGAINST A CERTAIN SILK MANUFACTURER IN SPITALFIELDS WITH WHOM THEY HAD HAD STRAIGHTFORWARD BUSINESS DEALINGS FOR MANY YEARS


BUT TO WHOM THEY HAD LATTERLY ADVANCED MONEY THE LETTERS HINTED AT THE UTTER INSOLVENCY OF THIS MANUFACTURER THEY HAD URGED THEIR CORRESPONDENT TO GIVE THEM HIS NAME IN CONFIDENCE AND THIS MORNING'S LETTER HAD BROUGHT IT


BUT THE NAME WAS TOTALLY UNKNOWN TO THEM THOUGH THERE SEEMED NO REASON TO DOUBT THE REALITY OF EITHER IT OR THE ADDRESS THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS GIVEN IN FULL


AND WAS PUBLICLY DISTINGUISHED FOR HIS EXCELLENT AND PHILANTHROPIC CHARACTER BUT THESE LETTERS WERE PROVOCATIVE OF ANXIETY ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS MORNING'S POST HAD BROUGHT OUT THE WRITER'S FULL NAME AND VARIOUS PARTICULARS SHOWING HIS INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF DICKINSON'S AFFAIRS


AFTER MUCH PERPLEXED CONSULTATION JOHN HAD HIT UPON THE PLAN OF SENDING HEPBURN TO LONDON TO MAKE SECRET INQUIRIES RESPECTING THE TRUE CHARACTER AND COMMERCIAL POSITION OF THE MAN WHOSE CREDITORS NOT A MONTH AGO THEY HAD ESTEEMED IT AN HONOUR TO BE


EVEN NOW JEREMIAH WAS ASHAMED OF THEIR WANT OF CONFIDENCE IN ONE SO GOOD HE BELIEVED THAT THE INFORMATION THEY HAD RECEIVED WOULD ALL PROVE A MISTAKE FOUNDED ON ERRONEOUS GROUNDS IF NOT A PURE INVENTION OF AN ENEMY


AND HE HAD ONLY BEEN BROUGHT PARTIALLY TO CONSENT TO THE SENDING OF HEPBURN BY HIS BROTHER'S PLEDGING HIMSELF THAT THE REAL NATURE OF PHILIP'S ERRAND SHOULD BE UNKNOWN TO ANY HUMAN CREATURE SAVE THEM THREE AS ALL THIS WAS BEING REVEALED TO PHILIP HE SAT APPARENTLY UNMOVED AND SIMPLY ATTENTIVE


IN FACT HE WAS GIVING ALL HIS MIND TO UNDERSTANDING THE PROBABILITIES OF THE CASE LEAVING HIS OWN FEELINGS IN THE BACKGROUND TILL HIS INTELLECT SHOULD HAVE DONE ITS WORK HE SAID LITTLE BUT WHAT HE DID SAY WAS TO THE POINT AND SATISFIED BOTH BROTHERS


JOHN PERCEIVED THAT HIS MESSENGER WOULD EXERCISE PENETRATION AND ACT WITH ENERGY WHILE JEREMIAH WAS SOOTHED BY PHILIP'S CAUTION IN NOT HASTILY ADMITTING THE PROBABILITY OF ANY CHARGE AGAINST DICKINSON AND IN GIVING FULL WEIGHT TO HIS PREVIOUS GOOD CONDUCT AND GOOD CHARACTER


PHILIP HAD THE SATISFACTION OF FEELING HIMSELF EMPLOYED ON A MISSION WHICH WOULD CALL OUT HIS POWERS AND YET NOT EXCEED THEM IN HIS OWN MIND HE FORESTALLED THE INSTRUCTIONS OF HIS MASTERS AND WAS SILENTLY IN ADVANCE OF JOHN FOSTER'S PLANS AND ARRANGEMENTS


WHILE HE APPEARED TO LISTEN TO ALL THAT WAS SAID WITH QUIET BUSINESS LIKE ATTENTION IT WAS SETTLED THAT THE NEXT MORNING HE WAS TO MAKE HIS WAY NORTHWARDS TO HARTLEPOOL WHENCE HE COULD EASILY PROCEED EITHER BY LAND OR SEA TO NEWCASTLE FROM WHICH PLACE SMACKS WERE CONSTANTLY SAILING TO LONDON


SAYING IT WAS MORE THAN HE SHOULD REQUIRE BUT THEY REPEATED WITH FRESH URGENCY THEIR WARNINGS ABOUT THE TERRIBLE HIGH PRICES OF LONDON TILL HE COULD ONLY RESOLVE TO KEEP A STRICT ACCOUNT AND BRING BACK ALL THAT HE DID NOT EXPEND SINCE NOTHING BUT HIS TAKING THE WHOLE SUM WOULD SATISFY HIS EMPLOYERS


THE LATTER WAS SILENT BROODING OVER THE CONFIDENCE WHICH PHILIP HAD APPARENTLY RECEIVED BUT WHICH WAS WITHHELD FROM HIM HE DID NOT YET KNOW OF THE CULMINATING POINT OF PHILIP'S PROPOSED JOURNEY TO LONDON


THAT GREAT CITY OF LONDON WHICH FROM ITS VERY INACCESSIBILITY FIFTY YEARS AGO LOOMED SO MAGNIFICENT THROUGH THE MIST OF MEN'S IMAGINATIONS IT IS NOT TO BE DENIED THAT PHILIP FELT EXULTANT AT THE MERE FACT OF GOING TO LONDON BUT THEN AGAIN THE THOUGHT OF LEAVING SYLVIA


OF NOT SEEING HER FOR A WEEK A FORTNIGHT NAY HE MIGHT BE AWAY FOR A MONTH FOR NO RASH HURRY WAS TO MAR HIS DELICATE NEGOTIATION GNAWED AT HIS HEART


SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY AS HE PERCEIVED COULSON'S JEALOUS SULLENNESS


AS THEY ALL SAT AT TEA IN ALICE ROSE'S HOUSE PLACE PHILIP ANNOUNCED HIS INTENDED JOURNEY


TO LUNNON EXCLAIMED ALICE HESTER SAID NOTHING


SAID COULSON LUCK SAID ALICE TURNING SHARP ROUND ON HIM NIVER LET ME HEAR SUCH A VAIN WORD OUT O THY MOUTH LADDIE AGAIN IT'S THE LORD'S DOING AND LUCK'S THE DEVIL'S WAY O PUTTING IT


NIVER FRET THYSELF MOTHER ABOUT T SHIRT SAID PHILIP IF I NEED A SHIRT


BUT IF THAT'S THE FRAME O MIND THOU'RT IN LUNNON IS LIKE FOR TO BE A SORE PLACE O TEMPTATION THERE'S PITFALLS FOR MEN AND TRAPS FOR MONEY AT IVERY TURN AS I'VE HEERD SAY


SAID COULSON HE'S SENT FOR


PHILIP KNOWS SAID HESTER AND THEN SOMEHOW HER VOICE FAILED HER AND SHE STOPPED PHILIP PAID NO ATTENTION TO THIS HALF UTTERED SENTENCE HE WAS EAGER TO TELL COULSON AS FAR AS HE COULD DO SO WITHOUT BETRAYING HIS MASTER'S SECRET HOW MANY DRAWBACKS THERE WERE TO HIS PROPOSED JOURNEY


IN THE RESPONSIBILITY WHICH IT INVOLVED AND HIS UNWILLINGNESS TO LEAVE MONKSHAVEN HE SAID COULSON I'D GIVE A DEAL IT WERE THOU THAT WERE GOING AND NOT ME AT LEAST THERE IS MANY A TIME I'D GIVE A DEAL


I'LL NOT DENY BUT AT OTHER TIMES I'M PLEASED AT THE THOUGHT ON'T BUT IF I COULD I'D CHANGE PLACES WI THEE AT THIS MOMENT IT'S FINE TALKING SAID COULSON HALF MOLLIFIED AND YET NOT CARING TO SHOW IT I MAKE NO DOUBT IT WERE AN EVEN CHANCE BETWIXT US TWO AT FIRST


SHE WAS PLAYING WITH HER TEASPOON BUT HE COULD SEE THAT SHE WAS CHOKING DOWN HER TEARS


WHAT'S TO DO HESTER SAID HE SHE LIFTED UP THOSE EYES USUALLY SO SOFT AND SERENE NOW THEY WERE FULL OF THE LIGHT OF INDIGNATION SHINING THROUGH TEARS TO DO SHE SAID COULSON I'D THOUGHT BETTER OF THEE


GOING AND DOUBTING AND ENVYING PHILIP AS NIVER DID THEE AN ILL TURN OR SAID AN ILL WORD OR THOUGHT AN ILL THOUGHT BY THEE AND SENDING HIM AWAY OUT O T HOUSE THIS LAST NIGHT OF ALL


SHE HASTILY GOT UP AND LEFT THE ROOM


AND YET HE WAS REPROACHED FOR THE COURSE IT WAS TAKING


AND TILL HE HAD PATIENTLY WITH LONG CONTINUING AND DEEP AFFECTION WORKED HIS WAY INTO HER REGARD WAS SET ASIDE DURING THE PRESENT WALK HE WOULD SPEAK TO HER OF HIS PASSIONATE ATTACHMENT BEFORE HE LEFT FOR AN UNCERTAIN LENGTH OF TIME AND THE CERTAIN DISTANCE OF LONDON


AND ALL THE MODIFICATION ON THIS POINT WHICH HIS JUDGMENT COULD OBTAIN FROM HIS IMPETUOUS AND EXCITED HEART WAS THAT HE WOULD WATCH HER WORDS AND MANNER WELL WHEN HE ANNOUNCED HIS APPROACHING ABSENCE AND IF IN THEM HE READ THE SLIGHTEST TOKEN OF TENDER REGRETFUL FEELING


HE WOULD POUR OUT HIS LOVE AT HER FEET NOT EVEN URGING THE YOUNG GIRL TO MAKE ANY RETURN OR TO EXPRESS THE FEELINGS OF WHICH HE HOPED THE GERM WAS ALREADY BUDDING IN HER HE WOULD BE PATIENT WITH HER HE COULD NOT BE PATIENT HIMSELF


THEY HAD SEEN HIM ALREADY OR HIS IMPULSE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO DODGE BEHIND THE WALL AND AVOID THEM EVEN THOUGH ONE OF HIS PURPOSES IN GOING TO HAYTERSBANK HAD BEEN TO BID HIS UNCLE FAREWELL KINRAID TOOK HIM BY SURPRISE FROM THE HEARTY GREETING HE GAVE HIM


AND CONVINCED OF HER GREAT LOVE TOWARDS HIMSELF HAD FORGOTTEN ANY PREVIOUS JEALOUSY OF PHILIP SECURE AND EXULTANT HIS BROAD HANDSOME WEATHER BRONZED FACE WAS AS GREAT A CONTRAST TO PHILIP'S LONG THOUGHTFUL SALLOW COUNTENANCE


HE TOLD HIS UNCLE THAT HE WAS BOUND FOR LONDON THE NEXT DAY ON BUSINESS CONNECTED WITH THE FOSTERS DANIEL WAS DEEPLY STRUCK WITH THE FACT THAT HE WAS TALKING TO A MAN SETTING OFF FOR LONDON AT A DAY'S NOTICE


NAY SAID PHILIP I KNEW NOUGHT ABOUT IT LAST NIGHT IT'S NONE O MY DOING GOING FOR I'D LIEFER HA STAYED WHERE I AM YO'LL LIKE IT WHEN ONCE YO'RE THERE


NO I SHAN'T HE REPLIED SHORTLY LIKING HAS NOUGHT TO DO WITH IT AH YO KNEW NOUGHT ABOUT IT LAST NEET CONTINUED DANIEL MUSINGLY


BEFORE GOING TO SEA SAID PHILIP HALF SMILING NA


THOUGH OUR SHIP LAY A FORTNEET OFF GRAVESEND KINRAID NOW SEEMED IN A HURRY BUT PHILIP WAS STUNG WITH CURIOSITY TO ASCERTAIN HIS MOVEMENTS AND SUDDENLY ADDRESSED HIM I HEARD YO WERE THESE PARTS


AND SAIL FOR THE NORTH SEAS DAY AFTER HE TURNED AWAY AND BEGAN TO WHISTLE AS IF HE DID NOT WISH FOR ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH HIS INTERROGATOR PHILIP INDEED HAD NOTHING MORE TO SAY TO HIM HE HAD LEARNED ALL HE WANTED TO KNOW I'D LIKE TO BID GOOD BY TO SYLVIE IS SHE AT HOME HE ASKED OF HER FATHER


SO THEY PARTED BUT PHILIP HAD NOT GONE MANY STEPS BEFORE HIS UNCLE CALLED HIM BACK KINRAID SLOWLY LOITERING ON MEANWHILE


GEARIN AND A AN FOLK IS TALKIN ON A NEW KIND O MAK AND IF THOU'S BOUND FOR YORK I'M NOT GOING BY YORK I'M GOING BY A NEWCASTLE SMACK NEWCASSEL


CAN GIVE ALL REQUISITE INFORMATION AY AY SAID ROBSON


I'LL RECKON TO HEAR FRO THEE IN A WEEK OR MAYHAP LESS


BRUNTON SELLS CHEESE AND THAT'S NO BETTER PHILIP PROMISED TO DO HIS BEST AND TO WRITE WORD TO ROBSON WHO SATISFIED WITH HIS WILLINGNESS TO UNDERTAKE THE COMMISSION BADE HIM GO ON AND SEE IF HE COULD NOT FIND THE LASS


AND SHE HAD COVERTLY WATCHED THEM UP THE BROW IN THE FIELD SHE SATE DOWN TO MEDITATE AND DREAM ABOUT HER GREAT HAPPINESS IN BEING BELOVED BY HER HERO CHARLEY KINRAID NO GLOOMY DREAD OF HIS LONG SUMMER'S ABSENCE NO FEAR OF THE COLD


GLITTERING ICEBERGS BEARING MERCILESSLY DOWN ON THE URANIA NOR SHUDDERING ANTICIPATION OF THE DARK WAVES OF EVIL IMPORT CROSSED HER MIND HE LOVED HER AND THAT WAS ENOUGH HER EYES LOOKED TRANCE LIKE INTO A DIM GLORIOUS FUTURE OF LIFE


HER LIPS STILL WARM AND REDDENED BY HIS KISS WERE JUST PARTED IN A HAPPY SMILE WHEN SHE WAS STARTLED BY THE SOUND OF AN APPROACHING FOOTSTEP A FOOTSTEP QUITE FAMILIAR ENOUGH FOR HER TO RECOGNIZE IT AND WHICH WAS UNWELCOME NOW


AS DISTURBING HER IN THE ONE BLESSED SUBJECT OF THOUGHT IN WHICH ALONE SHE CARED TO INDULGE WELL PHILIP AN WHAT BRINGS HERE WAS HER RATHER UNGRACIOUS GREETING WHY SYLVIE ARE YO SORRY TO SEE ME


BUT SHE TURNED IT OFF WITH ASSUMED LIGHTNESS OH YES


PENITENTLY AS IF ANXIOUS TO BE FORGIVEN SYLVIA DID NOT WANT HIS PENITENCE DID NOT CARE FOR HER RIBBON WAS TROUBLED BY HIS EARNESTNESS OF MANNER BUT HE KNEW NOTHING OF ALL THAT HE ONLY KNEW


THAT SHE WHOM HE LOVED HAD ASKED HIM TO DO SOMETHING FOR HER AND HE HAD NEGLECTED IT SO ANXIOUS TO BE EXCUSED AND FORGIVEN HE WENT ON WITH THE APOLOGY SHE CARED NOT TO HEAR IF SHE HAD BEEN LESS OCCUPIED WITH HER OWN AFFAIRS LESS ENGROSSED WITH DEEP FEELING


SHE WOULD HAVE REPROACHED HIM IF ONLY IN JEST FOR HIS CARELESSNESS AS IT WAS SHE SCARCELY TOOK IN THE SENSE OF HIS WORDS


HE PAUSED A LITTLE SYLVIA'S GALLOPING THOUGHTS WERE PULLED SUDDENLY UP BY HIS SILENCE SHE FELT THAT HE WANTED HER TO SAY SOMETHING BUT SHE COULD THINK OF NOTHING BESIDES AN AMBIGUOUS WELL


ALMOST AS IF BESEECHING HER TO SHOW OR EXPRESS SOME SORROW AT A JOURNEY THE VERY DESTINATION OF WHICH SHOWED THAT HE WOULD BE ABSENT FOR SOME TIME TO LUNNON


NOTHING MORE AS PHILIP'S INSTINCT TOLD HIM BUT HE REASONED THAT FIRST CORRECT IMPRESSION AWAY WITH INGENIOUS SOPHISTRY NOT TO LIVE THERE ONLY TO STAY FOR SOME TIME


SUDDENLY A LIGHT SHONE DOWN INTO PHILIP'S MIND HIS VOICE WAS CHANGED AS HE SPOKE NEXT


SHE STOOPED FOR SOMETHING SHE HAD DROPPED AND CAME UP RED AS A ROSE TO BE SURE WHAT THEN AND SHE EYED HIM DEFIANTLY THOUGH IN HER HEART SHE TREMBLED SHE KNEW NOT WHY WHAT THEN


THAT THE HALF OF SOME SILVER COIN WAS AMONG THE CONTENTS THUS TURNED OVER BEFORE THE BOX WAS LOCKED BUT THY MOTHER WOULDN'T LIKE IT SYLVIE HE'S PLAYED FALSE WI OTHER LASSES HE'LL BE PLAYING THEE FALSE SOME O THESE DAYS IF THOU LETS HIM COME ABOUT THEE


IT WERE WILLIE COULSON AS TELLED ME AS SOLEMN AND SERIOUS AS ONE MAN CAN SPEAK TO ANOTHER


SAID SYLVIA SHIVERING ALL OVER WITH PASSION


IT WERE YO'R OWN MOTHER SYLVIA AS KNOWED YO HAD NO BROTHER OR ANY ONE TO SEE AFTER YO AND YO SO PRETTY SO PRETTY SYLVIA HE CONTINUED SHAKING HIS HEAD SADLY THAT MEN RUN AFTER YO AGAINST THEIR WILL AS ONE MAY SAY


AND TO WARN YO IF NEED WERE MY MOTHER NIVER BADE YO TO COME SPYING AFTER ME AND BLAMING ME FOR SEEING A LAD AS MY FEYTHER THINKS WELL ON


SYLVIE SYLVIE


DARK THE WOOD FIRE NOT GATHERED TOGETHER BY CAREFUL HANDS DIED OUT INTO GRAY ASHES DOLLY REID HAD DONE HER WORK AND GONE HOME THERE WERE BUT PHILIP AND SYLVIA IN THE HOUSE


AT LENGTH HE RAISED HIS STIFFENED BODY AND STOOD UP DIZZY UP THE LITTLE WOODEN STAIRS HE WENT WHERE HE HAD NEVER BEEN BEFORE TO THE SMALL SQUARE LANDING ALMOST FILLED UP WITH THE GREAT CHEST FOR OAT CAKE HE BREATHED HARD FOR A MINUTE AND THEN KNOCKED AT THE DOOR OF SYLVIA'S ROOM


SYLVIE I'M GOING AWAY SAY GOOD BY NO ANSWER NOT A SOUND HEARD SYLVIE A LITTLE LOUDER AND LESS HOARSELY SPOKEN THERE WAS NO REPLY SYLVIE


I SHALL BE A LONG TIME AWAY PERHAPS I MAY NIVER COME BACK AT ALL HERE HE BITTERLY THOUGHT OF AN UNREGARDED DEATH SAY GOOD BY NO ANSWER HE WAITED PATIENTLY CAN SHE BE WEARIED OUT AND GONE TO SLEEP HE WONDERED YET ONCE AGAIN


AND GOD BLESS YO I'M SORRY I VEXED YO NO REPLY WITH A HEAVY HEAVY HEART HE CREAKED DOWN THE STAIRS FELT FOR HIS CAP AND LEFT THE HOUSE


THE NEED FOR HIS DEPARTURE AND YET HE STOOD STILL FOR A LITTLE TIME LIKE ONE ENTRANCED AS IF HIS WILL HAD LOST ALL POWER TO COMPEL HIM TO LEAVE THE PLACE THOSE TWO WORDS OF HERS WHICH TWO HOURS BEFORE WOULD HAVE BEEN SO FAR BENEATH HIS ASPIRATIONS


AND TOUCHED HER PRIDE MAYBE TOO


AND I'LL BE HOME AGAIN AS SOON AS IVER I CAN IN HALF A YEAR SUCH AS HE FORGETS IF IVER HE'S THOUGHT SERIOUS ABOUT HER BUT IN A MY LIFETIME IF I LIVE TO FOURSCORE I CAN NIVER FORGET


BLACK AND BITTER BUT WELCOME ENOUGH TO THE FARMERS


AND BELL ROBSON THOUGH NOT GETTING WORSE DID NOT MAKE ANY PROGRESS TOWARDS AMENDMENT


OR WASHING OR CHURNING DAYS HER LIFE WAS QUIET AND MONOTONOUS ALTHOUGH HARD WORKING AND WHILE HER HANDS MECHANICALLY FOUND AND DID THEIR ACCUSTOMED LABOUR THE THOUGHTS THAT ROSE IN HER HEAD ALWAYS CENTRED ON CHARLEY KINRAID HIS WAYS HIS WORDS


LIKE NANCY AND BORROWING THE POOR GIRL'S OWN WORDS SHE WOULD SAY SOFTLY TO HERSELF HE ONCE WAS HERE BUT ALL ALONG SHE BELIEVED IN HER HEART HE WOULD COME BACK AGAIN TO HER THOUGH IT TOUCHED HER STRANGELY TO IMAGINE THE AGONIES OF FORSAKEN LOVE


HE WAS VERY BUSY WITH FACTS AND FIGURES


AND TO SEE SYLVIA FOR THE TWO FOSTERS WERE PUNCTILIOUSLY ANXIOUS TO MAKE THEIR SHOPMEN TEST ALL THEIR STATEMENTS INSISTING ON AN EXAMINATION OF THE STOCK AS IF HEPBURN AND COULSON WERE STRANGERS TO THE SHOP


BY DEGREES BOTH HEPBURN AND COULSON WERE INTRODUCED TO DISTANT MANUFACTURERS AND WHOLESALE DEALERS


BUT THIS IT WAS EVIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE SATISFIED THEIR MASTERS WHO WERE SCRUPULOUS IN INSISTING THAT WHATEVER ADVANTAGE THERE WAS SHOULD ALWAYS FALL ON THE SIDE OF THE YOUNGER MEN WHEN PHILIP SAW SYLVIA SHE WAS ALWAYS QUIET AND GENTLE


PERHAPS MORE SILENT THAN SHE HAD BEEN A YEAR AGO AND SHE DID NOT ATTEND SO BRISKLY TO WHAT WAS PASSING AROUND HER SHE WAS RATHER THINNER AND PALER BUT WHATEVER CHANGE THERE WAS IN HER WAS ALWAYS AN IMPROVEMENT IN PHILIP'S EYES


SO LONG AS SHE SPOKE GRACIOUSLY TO HIM HE THOUGHT SHE WAS SUFFERING FROM LONG CONTINUED ANXIETY ABOUT HER MOTHER OR THAT SHE HAD TOO MUCH TO DO AND EITHER CAUSE WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE HIM TREAT HER WITH A GRAVE REGARD AND DEFERENCE WHICH HAD A REPRESSED TENDERNESS IN IT


OF WHICH SHE OTHERWISE OCCUPIED WAS QUITE UNAWARE SHE LIKED HIM BETTER TOO THAN SHE HAD DONE A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE BECAUSE HE DID NOT SHOW HER ANY OF THE EAGER ATTENTION WHICH TEASED HER THEN ALTHOUGH ITS MEANING WAS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD


THINGS WERE MUCH IN THIS STATE WHEN THE FROST BROKE AND MILDER WEATHER SUCCEEDED THIS WAS THE TIME SO LONG LOOKED FORWARD TO BY THE INVALID AND HER FRIENDS AS FAVOURING THE DOCTOR'S RECOMMENDATION OF CHANGE OF AIR HER HUSBAND WAS TO TAKE HER


TO SPEND A FORTNIGHT WITH A KINDLY NEIGHBOUR WHO LIVED NEAR THE FARM THEY HAD OCCUPIED FORTY MILES OR SO INLAND BEFORE THEY CAME TO HAYTERSBANK THE WIDOW WOMAN WAS TO COME AND STAY IN THE HOUSE TO KEEP SYLVIA COMPANY DURING HER MOTHER'S ABSENCE


DANIEL INDEED WAS TO RETURN HOME AFTER CONVEYING HIS WIFE TO HER DESTINATION BUT THERE WAS SO MUCH TO BE DONE ON THE LAND AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR THAT SYLVIA WOULD HAVE BEEN ALONE ALL DAY HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE ARRANGEMENT JUST MENTIONED


AND YET THESE MUST BE REACHED BEFORE JUNE OR THE YEAR'S EXPEDITION WOULD BE OF LITTLE AVAIL EVERY BLACKSMITH'S SHOP RUNG WITH THE RHYTHMICAL CLANG OF BUSY HAMMERS BEATING OUT OLD IRON SUCH AS HORSESHOES NAILS OR STUBS INTO THE GREAT HARPOONS


CONSCIOUS OF THE DEMAND IN WHICH THEY WERE HELD AT THIS SEASON OF THE YEAR IT WAS WAR TIME TOO MANY CAPTAINS UNABLE TO PROCURE MEN IN MONKSHAVEN WOULD HAVE TO COMPLETE THEIR CREWS IN THE SHETLANDS THE SHOPS IN THE TOWN WERE EQUALLY BUSY


STORES HAD TO BE PURCHASED BY THE WHALING MASTERS WARM CLOTHING OF ALL SORTS TO BE PROVIDED THESE WERE THE LARGER WHOLESALE ORDERS BUT MANY A MAN AND WOMAN TOO BROUGHT OUT THEIR SMALL HOARDS TO PURCHASE EXTRA COMFORTS OR PRECIOUS KEEPSAKES FOR SOME BELOVED ONE


IT WAS THE TIME OF THE GREAT HALF YEARLY TRAFFIC OF THE PLACE ANOTHER IMPETUS WAS GIVEN TO BUSINESS WHEN THE WHALERS RETURNED IN THE AUTUMN AND THE MEN WERE FLUSH OF MONEY AND FULL OF DELIGHT AT ONCE MORE SEEING THEIR HOMES AND THEIR FRIENDS


THERE WAS MUCH TO BE DONE IN FOSTERS SHOP AND LATER HOURS WERE KEPT THAN USUAL SOME PERPLEXITY OR OTHER WAS OCCUPYING JOHN AND JEREMIAH FOSTER


BUT IT THUS HAPPENED THAT THEY DID NOT GIVE THE PROMPT ASSISTANCE THEY WERE ACCUSTOMED TO RENDER AT SUCH TIMES AND COULSON HAD BEEN AWAY ON SOME OF THE NEW EXPEDITIONS DEVOLVING ON HIM AND PHILIP AS FUTURE PARTNERS


ONE EVENING AFTER THE SHOP WAS CLOSED WHILE THEY WERE EXAMINING THE GOODS AND COMPARING THE SALES WITH THE ENTRIES IN THE DAY BOOK COULSON SUDDENLY INQUIRED BY THE WAY HESTER DOES THEE KNOW WHERE THE PARCEL OF BEST BANDANAS IS GONE THERE WAS FOUR LEFT AS I'M PRETTY SURE WHEN I SET OFF TO SANDSEND


IS HE HERE AGAIN SAID PHILIP I DIDN'T SEE HIM WHAT BRINGS HIM HERE


I WISH I'D SEEN HIM SAID COULSON


WHY WHAT'S UP SAID PHILIP SURPRISED AT WILLIAM'S UNUSUAL MANNER AND AT THE SAME TIME RATHER GRATIFIED TO FIND A REFLECTION OF HIS OWN FEELINGS ABOUT KINRAID COULSON'S FACE WAS PALE WITH ANGER


AND THEN MY MASTER SAW ANOTHER GIRL THAT HE LIKED BETTER' WILLIAM ALMOST CHOKED IN HIS ENDEAVOUR TO KEEP DOWN ALL APPEARANCE OF VIOLENT ANGER AND THEN WENT ON AND THAT HE PLAYED T SAME GAME WI AS I'VE HEERD TELL AND HOW DID THY SISTER TAKE IT


SHE DIED IN A SIX MONTH SAID WILLIAM SHE FORGIVED HIM BUT IT'S BEYOND ME I THOUGHT IT WERE HIM WHEN I HEERD OF T WORK ABOUT DARLEY KINRAID AND COMING FRA NEWCASSEL WHERE ANNIE LIVED PRENTICE AND I MADE INQUIRY


THIS FAULT OF HIS WAS ONE WITH WHICH THE TWO GRAVE SEDATE YOUNG MEN HAD NO SYMPATHY THEIR HEARTS WERE TRUE AND CONSTANT WHATEVER ELSE MIGHT BE THEIR FAILINGS AND IT IS NO NEW THING TO DAMN THE FAULTS WE HAVE NO MIND TO


HE HAD ONLY COME THAT AFTERNOON TO MONKSHAVEN AND FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF SEEING SYLVIA ONCE MORE BEFORE HE WENT TO FULFIL HIS ENGAGEMENT AS SPECKSIONEER IN THE URANIA A WHALING VESSEL THAT WAS TO SAIL FROM NORTH SHIELDS ON THURSDAY MORNING AND THIS WAS MONDAY


SYLVIA SAT IN THE HOUSE PLACE HER BACK TO THE LONG LOW WINDOW IN ORDER TO HAVE ALL THE LIGHT THE AFTERNOON HOUR AFFORDED FOR HER WORK A BASKET OF HER FATHER'S UNMENDED STOCKINGS WAS ON THE LITTLE ROUND TABLE BESIDE HER


AND ONE WAS ON HER LEFT HAND WHICH SHE SUPPOSED HERSELF TO BE MENDING BUT FROM TIME TO TIME SHE MADE LONG PAUSES AND LOOKED IN THE FIRE AND YET THERE WAS BUT LITTLE MOTION OF FLAME OR LIGHT IN IT OUT OF WHICH TO CONJURE VISIONS


IT WAS REDD UP FOR THE AFTERNOON COVERED WITH A BLACK MASS OF COAL OVER WHICH THE EQUALLY BLACK KETTLE HUNG ON THE CROOK IN THE BACK KITCHEN DOLLY REID SYLVIA'S ASSISTANT DURING HER MOTHER'S ABSENCE CHANTED A LUGUBRIOUS DITTY BEFITTING HER CONDITION AS A WIDOW


CHARLEY KINRAID AND THE STORY OF CRAZY NANCY HAD BEEN THE SUBJECTS FOR HER DREAMS FOR MANY A DAY AND MANY A NIGHT NOW HE STOOD THERE BRIGHT AND HANDSOME AS EVER WITH JUST THAT MUCH TIMIDITY IN HIS FACE THAT ANXIETY AS TO HIS WELCOME


SHE DID NOT COME FORWARD TO MEET HIM SHE WENT CRIMSON TO THE VERY ROOTS OF HER HAIR BUT THAT IN THE WANING LIGHT HE COULD NOT SEE AND SHE SHOOK SO THAT SHE FELT AS IF SHE COULD HARDLY STAND BUT THE TREMOR WAS NOT VISIBLE TO HIM


THE TONES THE LOOKS THAT HAD ACCOMPANIED THOSE WORDS BUT ALL SHE SAID WAS I DIDN'T THINK TO SEE YO


SHE FELT HIS EYES WERE UPON HER WATCHING EVERY MOTION AND GREW MORE AND MORE CONFUSED IN HER EXPRESSION AND BEHAVIOUR HE WAS A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK BY THE NATURE OF HIS RECEPTION AND WAS NOT SURE AT FIRST WHETHER TO TAKE THE GREAT CHANGE IN HER MANNER


AS A FAVOURABLE SYMPTOM OR OTHERWISE BY AND BY LUCKILY FOR HIM IN SOME TURN OF HER ARM TO REACH THE SCISSORS ON THE TABLE SHE CAUGHT THE EDGE OF HER WORK BASKET AND DOWN IT FELL SHE STOOPED TO PICK UP THE SCATTERED STOCKINGS AND BALL OF WORSTED


AND SO DID HE AND WHEN THEY ROSE UP HE HAD FAST HOLD OF HER HAND AND HER FACE WAS TURNED AWAY HALF READY TO CRY


YO MIGHT HA FORGOTTEN ME AND YET I THOUGHT WE MADE A BARGAIN AGAINST FORGETTING EACH OTHER NO ANSWER HE WENT ON YO'VE NEVER BEEN OUT O MY THOUGHTS SYLVIA ROBSON


AND I'VE BEEN NEAR NEITHER KITH NOR KIN AS YET AND NOW I'M HERE YOU WON'T SPEAK TO ME I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY


TILL I'D TAUGHT HER TO LOVE ME MORE BUT IF SHE'S A COLD HEART AND CANNOT CARE FOR A HONEST SAILOR WHY THEN I'D BEST GO BACK AT ONCE HE MADE FOR THE DOOR HE MUST HAVE BEEN PRETTY SURE FROM SOME SIGN OR OTHER OR HE WOULD NEVER HAVE LEFT IT TO HER WOMANLY PRIDE TO GIVE WAY


HE HAD NOT TAKEN TWO STEPS WHEN SHE TURNED QUICKLY TOWARDS HIM AND SAID SOMETHING


AND THEN THEY SAT DOWN ON THE SETTLE TOGETHER AND WHEN SHE WAS MORE COMPOSED THEY BEGAN TO TALK HE ASKED HER ABOUT HER MOTHER NOT SORRY IN HIS HEART AT BELL ROBSON'S ABSENCE


HE HAD INTENDED IF NECESSARY TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS WISHES AND DESIRES WITH REGARD TO SYLVIA TO HER PARENTS BUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS HE WAS NOT SORRY THAT CIRCUMSTANCES


HAD GIVEN HIM THE CHANCE OF SEEING HER ALONE AND OBTAINING HER PROMISE TO MARRY HIM WITHOUT BEING OBLIGED TO TELL EITHER HER FATHER OR HER MOTHER AT PRESENT I HA SPENT MY MONEY PRETTY FREE HE SAID AND I'VE NE'ER A PENNY TO THE FORE


AND YO'R PARENTS MAY LOOK FOR SOMETHING BETTER FOR YO MY PRETTY


I SHALL GO TO SEA HAPPY NOW THINKING I'VE YO'R WORD YO'RE NOT ONE TO GO BACK FROM IT I'M SURE ELSE IT'S A LONG TIME TO LEAVE SUCH A PRETTY GIRL AS YO AND NE'ER A CHANCE OF A LETTER REACHING YO JUST TO TELL YO ONCE AGAIN HOW I LOVE YO


THERE'LL BE NO NEED O THAT MURMURED SYLVIA SHE WAS TOO DIZZY WITH HAPPINESS TO HAVE ATTENDED MUCH TO HIS DETAILS OF HIS WORLDLY PROSPECTS BUT AT THE SOUND OF HIS TENDER WORDS OF LOVE HER EAGER HEART WAS READY TO LISTEN I DON'T KNOW


AND THERE'S YON TALL FELLOW OF A COUSIN AS LOOKS BLACK AT ME


HE'S A NOTION OF BEING SWEET ON YO HISSELF NOT HE SAID SYLVIA WITH SOME CONTEMPT IN HER TONE


BUT SHE WEARY OF A SUBJECT SHE CARED NOTHING ABOUT AND EAGER TO IDENTIFY HERSELF WITH ALL HIS INTERESTS ASKED HIM ABOUT HIS PLANS ALMOST AT THE SAME TIME THAT HE SAID THESE LAST WORDS AND THEY WENT ON AS LOVERS DO


AT ANY RATE IT WAS NOT UNWELCOME HE LIKED KINRAID AND HAD STRONG SYMPATHY NOT MERELY WITH WHAT HE KNEW OF THE YOUNG SAILOR'S CHARACTER BUT WITH THE LIFE HE LED AND THE BUSINESS HE FOLLOWED


ROBSON LISTENED TO ALL HE SAID WITH APPROVING NODS AND WINKS TILL CHARLEY HAD TOLD HIM EVERYTHING HE HAD TO SAY AND THEN HE TURNED AND STRUCK HIS BROAD HORNY PALM INTO KINRAID'S AS IF CONCLUDING A BARGAIN


HE WOUND UP WITH A CHUCKLE AS THE THOUGHT STRUCK HIM THAT THIS GREAT PIECE OF BUSINESS OF DISPOSING OF THEIR ONLY CHILD HAD BEEN CONCLUDED WHILE HIS WIFE WAS AWAY


MISCHIEF ONLY KNOWS BUT SHE'S NOAN KEEN ON MATTERIMONY


WE'N BEST KEEP THIS MATTER TO OURSELVES TILL THOU COMES INT PORT AGAIN


AN OUD MAN LIKE ME ISN'T AS GOOD COMPANY AS A PRETTY LASS LAUGHING A LOW RICH LAUGH OVER HIS OWN WIT DANIEL WENT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS AND CALLED SYLVIE


FOR A TIME THERE WAS NO ANSWER THEN A DOOR WAS UNBOLTED AND SYLVIA SAID I CAN'T COME DOWN AGAIN


WHAT SEEMED AT THE MOMENT AN INCOMPREHENSIBLE PUZZLE HAD AS WE AFTERWARDS LEARNED A VERY SIMPLE EXPLANATION ONE OF THE G S DIRECTORS MISTER BALDWIN WHO HAD COME IN ON MISTER CAMP'S CAR


SEEING THROUGH THE DEVICE THE PARTY HAD AT ONCE GONE TO THIS RANCH WHERE THE OWNER BALDWIN MOUNTED THEM AND IT WAS THEIR DUST CLOUD WE HAD SEEN AS THEY RODE UP TO ASH FORKS


TO MAKE MATTERS MORE SERIOUS BALDWIN HAD ROUNDED UP HIS COWBOYS AND BROUGHT THEM ALONG WITH HIM IN ORDER TO MAKE ANY RESISTANCE IMPOSSIBLE I MADE NO OBJECTION TO THE SHERIFF SERVING THE PAPER


AND THE STARS IN THEIR COURSES ARE AGAINST SISERA WITH THE SHERIFF AND MISTER CAMP I THEN WALKED OVER TO THE SALOON WHERE JUDGE WILSON WAS WAITING TO DISPOSE OF MY CASE


AND ANSWERED THAT I ASKED AN ADJOURNMENT OF THE CASE SO THAT I MIGHT BE HEARD BY COUNSEL IT WAS DENIED AS WAS TO HAVE BEEN EXPECTED INDEED WHY THEY TOOK THE TROUBLE TO GO THROUGH THE FORMS WAS BEYOND ME


I TOLD WILSON I SHOULD NOT PRODUCE THE LETTERS AND HE ASKED IF I KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT I COULDN'T HELP LAUGHING AND RETORTING IT VERY APPROPRIATELY MEANS CONTEMPT OF THE COURT YOUR HONOR


SEEING THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE MOVES TOO WELL TO BE BLUFFED THE JUDGE MISTER CAMP AND THE LAWYER HELD A WHISPERED CONSULTATION MY SURPRISE CAN BE IMAGINED WHEN AT ITS CONCLUSION MISTER CAMP SAID


ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER FOURTEENTH AND ASK THAT HE BE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON THAT CHARGE I COULDN'T MAKE OUT THIS NEW MOVE AND PUZZLED OVER IT WHILE JUDGE WILSON ORDERED MY COMMITMENT


BUT THE NEXT STEP REVEALED THE OBJECT FOR THE LAWYER THEN ASKED FOR A SEARCH WARRANT TO LOOK FOR STOLEN PROPERTY THE JUDGE WAS EQUALLY OBLIGING AND BEGAN TO FILL ONE OUT ON THE INSTANT


THIS MADE ME FEEL PRETTY SERIOUS FOR THE LETTERS WERE IN MY BREAST POCKET AND I SWORE AT MY OWN STUPIDITY IN NOT HAVING PUT THEM IN THE STATION SAFE WHEN I HAD FIRST ARRIVED AT ASH FORKS


THERE WEREN'T MANY MOMENTS IN WHICH TO THINK WHILE THE JUDGE SCRIBBLED AWAY AT THE WARRANT BUT IN WHAT TIME THERE WAS I DID A LOT OF HEAD WORK WITHOUT HOWEVER FINDING MORE THAN ONE WAY OUT OF THE SNARL


AND WHEN I SAW THE JUDGE FINISH OFF HIS SIGNATURE WITH A FLOURISH I PLAYED A PRETTY DESPERATE CARD YOU'RE JUST TOO LATE GENTLEMEN I SAID POINTING OUT THE SIDE WINDOW OF THE SALOON THERE COME THE CAVALRY


THE THREE CONSPIRATORS JUMPED TO THEIR FEET AND BOLTED FOR THE WINDOW


AS HE DID SO I GAVE HIM A SHOVE TOWARDS THE THREE WHICH SENT THEM ALL SPRAWLING ON THE FLOOR IN A PRETTY BADLY MIXED UP CONDITION I MADE A DASH FOR THE DOOR AND AS I WENT THROUGH IT


I GRABBED THE KEY AND LOCKED THEM IN WHEN I TURNED TO DO SO I SAW THE LOT STRUGGLING UP FROM THE FLOOR AND KNOWING THAT IT WOULDN'T TAKE THEM MANY SECONDS TO FIND THEIR WAY OUT THROUGH THE WINDOW


AS ONLY WESTERN HORSES WILL STAND IT DIDN'T TAKE ME LONG TO HAVE THOSE BRIDLES BACK IN PLACE AND AS I TOSSED EACH OVER THE PEAK OF THE MEXICAN SADDLE


I GAVE TWO OF THE PONIES SLAPS WHICH STARTED THEM OFF AT A LOPE ACROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS I SWUNG MYSELF INTO THE SADDLE OF THE THIRD AND FLICKED HIM WITH THE LOOSE ENDS OF THE BRIDLE IN A WAY WHICH MADE HIM UNDERSTAND THAT I MEANT BUSINESS


AND CONSIDERING THAT HE HAD COVERED OVER FORTY MILES THAT AFTERNOON IN PRETTY QUICK TIME IT WAS NOT SURPRISING THAT THERE WASN'T VERY MUCH GO LEFT IN HIM


TWO HUNDRED FEET THEREFORE BROUGHT ME TO THE EDGE OF THE TOWN AND I WHEELED MY PONY AND RODE DOWN BEHIND THE REAR OF THE BUILDINGS IN TURNING I LOOKED BACK AND SAW HALF A DOZEN MOUNTED MEN ALREADY IN PURSUIT


BUT I LOST SIGHT OF THEM THE NEXT MOMENT AS SOON AS I REACHED A STREET LEADING BACK TO THE RAILROAD I TURNED AGAIN AND RODE TOWARDS IT MY ONE THOUGHT BEING TO GET BACK IF POSSIBLE TO THE STATION


AND PUT THE LETTERS INTO THE RAILROAD AGENT'S SAFE WHEN I REACHED THE MAIN STREET I SAW THAT MY HOPE WAS FUTILE FOR ANOTHER BATCH OF COWBOYS WERE COMING IN FULL GALLOP TOWARDS ME VERY THOROUGHLY HEADING ME OFF IN THAT DIRECTION


TO ESCAPE THEM I HEADED UP THE STREET AWAY FROM THE STATION WITH THE PACK IN CLOSE PURSUIT THEY YELLED AT ME TO HOLD UP AND I EXPECTED EVERY MOMENT TO HEAR THE CRACK OF REVOLVERS


IN EXPECTATION OF HEARING THE SHOOTING BEGIN AND TO KNOW THAT ANY MOMENT MAY BE YOUR LAST I DON'T SUPPOSE I WAS ON THE RAGGED EDGE MORE THAN THIRTY SECONDS BUT THEY WERE ENOUGH TO PROVE TO ME THAT


TO KEEP ONE'S BACK TURNED TO AN ENEMY AS ONE RUNS AWAY TAKES A DEAL MORE PLUCK THAN TO STAND UP AND FACE HIS GUN FORTUNATELY FOR ME MY PURSUERS FELT SO SURE OF MY CAPTURE


THAT NOT ONE OF THEM DREW A BEAD ON ME THE MOMENT I SAW THAT THERE WAS NO ESCAPE I PUT MY HAND IN MY BREAST POCKET AND TOOK OUT THE LETTERS INTENDING TO TEAR THEM INTO A HUNDRED PIECES BUT


AS I DID SO I REALIZED THAT TO DESTROY UNITED STATES MAIL NOT MERELY ENTAILED CRIMINAL LIABILITY BUT WAS OFF COLOR MORALLY I FALTERED


BALANCING THE OUTWITTING OF CAMP AGAINST STATE'S PRISON THE DOING MY BEST FOR MADGE AGAINST THE WRONG OF IT I THINK I'M AS HONEST A FELLOW AS THE AVERAGE BUT I HAVE TO CONFESS THAT I COULDN'T DECIDE TO DO RIGHT


TILL I THOUGHT THAT MADGE WOULDN'T WANT ME TO BE DISHONEST EVEN FOR HER I TURNED ACROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND CUT IN BEHIND SOME FREIGHT CARS THAT WERE STANDING ON A SIDING


THIS PUT ME OUT OF VIEW OF MY PURSUERS FOR A MOMENT AND IN THAT INSTANT I STOOD UP IN MY STIRRUPS LIFTED THE BROAD LEATHER FLAP OF THE SADDLE AND TUCKED THE LETTERS UNDERNEATH IT AS FAR IN AS I COULD FORCE THEM


IT WAS A DESPERATE PLACE IN WHICH TO HIDE THEM BUT THE GAME WAS A DESPERATE ONE AT BEST AND THE VERY BOLDNESS OF THE IDEA MIGHT BE ITS BEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS


I WAS NOW HEADING FOR THE STATION OVER THE TIES AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE FRED CULLEN WITH LORD RALLES ON THE TRACKS UP BY THE SPECIAL FOR MY MIND HAD BEEN SO BUSY IN THE LAST HOUR


THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT FRED WAS DUE THE MOMENT I SAW HIM I RODE TOWARDS HIM PRESSING MY PONY FOR ALL HE WAS WORTH MY HOPE WAS THAT I MIGHT GET TIME TO GIVE FRED THE TIP AS TO WHERE THE LETTERS WERE


BUT BEFORE I WAS WITHIN SPEAKING DISTANCE BALDWIN CAME RUNNING OUT FROM BEHIND THE STATION AND SEEING ME TURNED CALLED BACK AND GESTICULATED EVIDENTLY TO SUMMON SOME COWBOYS TO HEAD ME OFF


AFRAID TO SHOUT ANYTHING WHICH SHOULD CONVEY THE SLIGHTEST CLUE AS TO THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE LETTERS AS THE NEXT BEST THING I PULLED A COUPLE OF OLD SECTION REPORTS FROM MY POCKET


INTENDING TO RIDE UP AND RUN INTO MY CAR FOR I KNEW THAT THE PAPERS IN MY HAND WOULD BE TAKEN TO BE THE WANTED LETTERS AND THAT IF I COULD ONLY GET INSIDE THE CAR EVEN FOR A MOMENT THE SUSPICION WOULD BE THAT I HAD BEEN ABLE TO HIDE THEM


HIDE THEM FRED WAS QUICK AS A FLASH AND GRABBING THEM OFF THE GROUND SPRANG UP THE STEPS OF MY CAR AND RAN INSIDE JUST ESCAPING A BULLET FROM MY PURSUERS


OURS ARE NOT THE CAROLLINGS OF YOUR POOR SHIVERING LITTLE EAST ANGLES OR SOUTH MERCIANS WHERE THEY HAVE TO PLOD ROUND AFOOT IN COUNTRIES WHERE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT A SLEIGH RIDE IS


I HAD ASKED HARRY TO HAVE SIXTEEN OF THE BEST VOICES IN THE CHAPEL SCHOOL TO BE TRAINED TO EIGHT OR TEN GOOD CAROLS WITHOUT KNOWING WHY WE DID NOT CARE TO DISAPPOINT THEM IF A FEBRUARY THAW SETTING IN ON THE TWENTY FOURTH OF DECEMBER


SHOULD BREAK UP THE SPREE BEFORE IT BEGAN THEN I HAD TOLD HOWLAND THAT HE MUST RESERVE FOR ME A SPAN OF GOOD HORSES AND A SLEIGH THAT I COULD PACK SIXTEEN SMALL CHILDREN INTO TIGHT STOWED


HOWLAND IS ALWAYS GOOD ABOUT SUCH THINGS KNEW WHAT THE SLEIGH WAS FOR HAVING DONE THE SAME IN OTHER YEARS AND DOUBLED THE SPAN OF HORSES OF HIS OWN ACCORD BECAUSE THE CHILDREN WOULD LIKE IT BETTER AND IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENCE TO HIM


SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE WEATHER NYMPHS ORDERED THE WIND HAULED ROUND TO THE NORTHWEST AND EVERYTHING FROZE HARD MONDAY NIGHT THINGS MODERATED AND THE SNOW BEGAN TO FALL STEADILY SO STEADILY


AND SO TUESDAY NIGHT THE METROPOLITAN PEOPLE GAVE UP THEIR UNEQUAL CONTEST ALL GOOD MEN AND ANGELS REJOICING AT THEIR DISCOMFITURE AND ONLY A FEW OF THE PEOPLE IN THE VERY LOWEST BOLGIE BEING ILL NATURED ENOUGH TO GRIEVE


AND WITHOUT FATIGUE TO HORSE OR MAN SO IT WAS THAT WHEN I CAME DOWN WITH LYCIDAS TO THE CHAPEL AT SEVEN O'CLOCK I FOUND HARRY HAD GATHERED THERE HIS EIGHT PRETTY GIRLS AND HIS EIGHT JOLLY BOYS


AND HAD THEM PRACTISING FOR THE LAST TIME CAROL CAROL CHRISTIANS CAROL JOYFULLY CAROL FOR THE COMING OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY I THINK THE CHILDREN HAD GOT INKLING OF WHAT WAS COMING


OR PERHAPS HARRY HAD HINTED IT TO THEIR MOTHERS CERTAINLY THEY WERE WARMLY DRESSED AND WHEN FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTERWARDS HOWLAND CAME ROUND HIMSELF WITH THE SLEIGH HE HAD PUT IN AS MANY RUGS AND BEAR SKINS


AS IF HE THOUGHT THE CHILDREN WERE TO BE TAKEN NEW BORN FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE CRADLES GREAT WAS THE REJOICING AS THE BELLS OF THE HORSES RANG BENEATH THE CHAPEL WINDOWS AND HARRY DID NOT GET HIS LAST DA CAPO FOR HIS LAST CAROL


UNDER THE FULL MOON ON THE SNOW STILL WHITE WITH SIXTEEN CHILDREN AT THE HAPPIEST


THERE CAN BE NOTHING BETTER THAN TWO OR THREE SUCH HOURS FIRST DRIVER OUT ON COMMONWEALTH AVENUE THAT WILL TONE DOWN THE HORSES STOP ON THE LEFT AFTER YOU HAVE PASSED FAIRFIELD STREET


SO WE DASHED UP TO THE FRONT OF HALIBURTON'S PALACE WHERE HE WAS KEEPING HIS FIRST CHRISTMAS TIDE AND THE CHILDREN WHOM HARRY HAD HUSHED DOWN FOR A SQUARE OR TWO BROKE FORTH WITH GOOD FULL VOICE UNDER HIS STRONG LEAD IN


SHEPHERD OF TENDER SHEEP SINGING WITH ALL THAT UNCONSCIOUS PATHOS WITH WHICH CHILDREN DO SING AND STARTING THE TEARS IN YOUR EYES IN THE MIDST OF YOUR GLADNESS THE INSTANT THE HORSES BELLS STOPPED THEIR VOICES BEGAN


IN AN INSTANT MORE WE SAW HALIBURTON AND ANNA RUN TO THE WINDOW AND PULL UP THE SHADES AND IN A MINUTE MORE FACES AT ALL THE WINDOWS AND SO THE CHILDREN SUNG THROUGH CLEMENT'S OLD HYMN


LITTLE DID CLEMENT THINK OF BELLS AND SNOW AS HE TAUGHT IT IN HIS SUNDAY SCHOOL THERE IN ALEXANDRIA BUT PERHAPS TO DAY AS THEY PIN UP THE LAURELS AND THE PALM IN THE CHAPEL AT ALEXANDRIA


THEY ARE HUMMING THE WORDS NOT THINKING OF CLEMENT MORE THAN HE THOUGHT OF US AS THE CHILDREN CLOSED WITH


HALIBURTON CAME RUNNING OUT AND BEGGED ME TO BRING THEM IN BUT I TOLD HIM NO AS SOON AS I COULD HUSH THEIR SHOUTS OF MERRY CHRISTMAS THAT WE HAD A LONG JOURNEY BEFORE US AND MUST NOT ALIGHT BY THE WAY


AND THE CHILDREN BROKE OUT WITH HAIL TO THE NIGHT HAIL TO THE DAY RATHER A FAVORITE QUICKER AND MORE TO THE CHILDISH TASTE PERHAPS THAN THE OTHER AND WITH ANOTHER MERRY CHRISTMAS WE WERE OFF AGAIN


WE RAN THE SLEIGH INTO A BANK ON THE SLOPE OF PINCKNEY STREET IN FRONT OF WALTER'S HOUSE AND BEFORE THEY SUSPECTED THERE THAT ANY ONE HAD COME THE CHILDREN WERE SINGING CAROL CAROL CHRISTIANS CAROL JOYFULLY


KISSES FLUNG FROM THE WINDOW KISSES FLUNG BACK FROM THE STREET MERRY CHRISTMAS AGAIN WITH A GOOD WILL AND THEN ONE OF THE GIRLS BEGAN WHEN ANNA TOOK THE BABY AND PRESSED HIS LIPS TO HERS


AND ALL OF THEM FELL IN SO CHEERILY O DEAR ME IT IS A SCRAP OF OLD EPHREM THE SYRIAN IF THEY DID BUT KNOW IT AND WHEN AFTER THIS HARRY WOULD FAIN HAVE DRIVEN ON


BECAUSE TWO CAROLS AT ONE HOUSE WAS THE RULE HOW THE LITTLE WITCHES BEGGED THAT THEY MIGHT SING JUST ONE SONG MORE THERE BECAUSE MISSUS ALEXANDER HAD BEEN SO KIND TO THEM WHEN SHE SHOWED THEM ABOUT THE GERMAN STITCHES


AND THEN UP THE HILL AND OVER TO THE NORTH END AND AS FAR AS WE COULD GET THE HORSES UP INTO MOON COURT THAT THEY MIGHT SING TO THE ITALIAN IMAGE MAN WHO GAVE LUCY THE BOY AND DOG IN PLASTER


THOUGH CHRYSOSTOM SHOULD HAVE MADE A FEW REMARKS TO THEM SEVENTEEN TIMES IN THE CHAPEL THEN THE ITALIAN IMAGE MAN HEARD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE NOW IS THE TIME OF CHRISTMAS COME AND


JESUS IN HIS BABES ABIDING AND THEN WE CAME UP HANOVER STREET AND STOPPED UNDER MISTER GERRY'S CHAPEL WHERE THEY WERE DRESSING THE WALLS WITH THEIR EVERGREENS AND GAVE THEM HAIL TO THE NIGHT HAIL TO THE DAY


AND SO DOWN STATE STREET AND STOPPED AT THE ADVERTISER OFFICE BECAUSE WHEN THE BOYS GAVE THEIR LITERARY ENTERTAINMENT MISTER HALE PUT IN THEIR ADVERTISEMENT FOR NOTHING AND UP IN THE OLD ATTIC THERE


AND THE IN GENERAL MAN FROM HIS MORE SERIOUS VIEWS AND THE DAILY THE NEXT MORNING WISHED EVERYBODY A MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH EVEN MORE UNCTION AND RESOLVED THAT IN COMING YEARS IT WOULD HAVE A SUPPLEMENT


LARGE ENOUGH TO CONTAIN ALL THE GOOD WISHES SO AWAY AGAIN TO THE HOUSES OF CONFECTIONERS WHO HAD GIVEN THE CHILDREN CANDY


TO THE PALACES OF MILLIONNAIRES WHO HAD PRAYED FOR THESE CHILDREN WITH TEARS IF THE CHILDREN ONLY KNEW IT TO DOCTOR FROTHINGHAM'S IN SUMMER STREET I REMEMBER WHERE WE STOPPED BECAUSE THE BOSTON ASSOCIATION OF MINISTERS MET THERE


AND OUT ON DOVER STREET BRIDGE THAT THE POOR CHAIR MENDER MIGHT HEAR OUR CAROLS SUNG ONCE MORE BEFORE HE HEARD THEM BETTER SUNG IN ANOTHER WORLD WHERE NOTHING NEEDS MENDING


KING OF GLORY KING OF PEACE HEAR THE SONG AND SEE THE STAR WELCOME BE THOU HEAVENLY KING


AND ALL THE OTHERS RUNG OUT WITH ORDER OR WITHOUT ORDER BREAKING THE HUSH DIRECTLY AS THE HORSES BELLS WERE STILLED THROWN INTO THE AIR WITH ALL THE GLADNESS OF CHILDHOOD


EVERYWHERE A LITTLE CROWD GATHERED ROUND US AND THEN WE DASHED AWAY FAR ENOUGH TO GATHER QUITE ANOTHER CROWD AND THEN BACK PERHAPS NOT SORRY TO DOUBLE ON OUR STEPS IF NEED WERE AND LEAVING EVERY CROWD WITH A HAPPY THOUGHT OF


THE STAR THE MANGER AND THE CHILD AT NINE WE BROUGHT UP AT MY HOUSE D STREET THREE DOORS FROM THE CORNER AND THE CHILDREN PICKED THEIR VERY BEST FOR POLLY AND MY SIX LITTLE GIRLS TO HEAR


BEGGED THAT THEY MIGHT STAY TILL THE LAST MOMENT THEY COULD WALK BACK FROM THE STABLE AND RATHER WALK THAN NOT INDEED


PATRICK DEASEY DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS A PHILOSOPHER PSYCHOLOGIST AND HUMORIST IT WAS PARTLY BECAUSE PATRICK DELIGHTED IN LONG WORDS AND PARTLY TO EXCUSE HIMSELF


FOR BEING FULL OF THE SOUR CREAM OF AN INHUMAN CURIOSITY HIS CURIOSITY HOWEVER DID NOT EXTEND ITSELF TO SCIENCE


AT FIRST WHEN DEASEY RETIRED FROM THE POLICE FORCE WITH A PENSION AND AN HEIRESS WITH THREE HUNDRED POUNDS AND TIME HUNG HEAVY ON HIS HANDS HE WOULD TRY TO SATISFY THIS CRAVING THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF A HOST OF SMALL


FLIRTATIONS WITH EVERYBODY'S MAID IN THIS WAY HE COULD INFORM HIMSELF EXACTLY HOW MANY LOAVES WERE TAKEN BY THE SWEENEYS FOR A WEEK'S CONSUMPTION AS COMPARED WITH THOSE WHICH WERE DEVOURED BY ALL THE CASSIDYS


FOR WHOM THE BOTTLES AT THE PRESBYTERY WENT IN BY THE BACK DOOR AND WHAT WAS THE REAL CAUSE OF THE QUARREL BETWEEN THE TWIN MISS MC INERNEYS BUT THESE WERE BUT BLACKBIRD SCRATCHINGS AS IT WERE