MOST OF THE FACES WERE FLUSHED BUT MANY WERE GHASTLY WHITE AND DISEASE WAS THERE AND MANY A HAND THAT WAVED TO HIM WAS GAUNT AND LEAN MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW AGE STRANGE AND INCREDIBLE MEETING AS THE BROAD STREAM PASSED BEFORE HIM TO THE RIGHT


TRIBUTARY GANGWAYS FROM THE REMOTE UPLANDS OF THE HALL THRUST DOWNWARD IN AN INCESSANT REPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP THE UNISON OF THE SONG WAS ENRICHED AND COMPLICATED BY THE MASSIVE ECHOES OF ARCHES AND PASSAGES MEN AND WOMEN


MINGLED IN THE RANKS TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP THE WHOLE WORLD SEEMED MARCHING TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP HIS BRAIN WAS TRAMPING THE GARMENTS WAVED ONWARD THE FACES POURED BY MORE ABUNDANTLY TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP


AT LINCOLN'S PRESSURE HE TURNED TOWARDS THE ARCHWAY WALKING UNCONSCIOUSLY IN THAT RHYTHM SCARCELY NOTICING HIS MOVEMENT FOR THE MELODY AND STIR OF IT THE MULTITUDE THE GESTURE AND SONG ALL MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION


THE FLOW OF PEOPLE SMOTE DOWNWARD UNTIL THE UPTURNED FACES WERE BELOW THE LEVEL OF HIS FEET HE WAS AWARE OF A PATH BEFORE HIM OF A SUITE ABOUT HIM OF GUARDS AND DIGNITIES AND LINCOLN ON HIS RIGHT HAND


ATTENDANTS INTERVENED AND EVER AND AGAIN BLOTTED OUT THE SIGHT OF THE MULTITUDE TO THE LEFT BEFORE HIM WENT THE BACKS OF THE GUARDS IN BLACK THREE AND THREE AND THREE HE WAS MARCHED ALONG A LITTLE RAILED WAY AND CROSSED ABOVE THE ARCHWAY


WITH THE TORRENT DIPPING TO FLOW BENEATH AND SHOUTING UP TO HIM HE DID NOT KNOW WHITHER HE WENT HE DID NOT WANT TO KNOW HE GLANCED BACK ACROSS A FLAMING SPACIOUSNESS OF HALL


CHAPTER TWENTY ONE THE UNDER SIDE FROM THE BUSINESS QUARTER THEY PRESENTLY PASSED BY THE RUNNING WAYS INTO A REMOTE QUARTER OF THE CITY WHERE THE BULK OF THE MANUFACTURES WAS DONE


ON THEIR WAY THE PLATFORMS CROSSED THE THAMES TWICE AND PASSED IN A BROAD VIADUCT ACROSS ONE OF THE GREAT ROADS THAT ENTERED THE CITY FROM THE NORTH IN BOTH CASES HIS IMPRESSION WAS SWIFT AND IN BOTH VERY VIVID


THE RIVER WAS A BROAD WRINKLED GLITTER OF BLACK SEA WATER OVERARCHED BY BUILDINGS AND VANISHING EITHER WAY INTO A BLACKNESS STARRED WITH RECEDING LIGHTS A STRING OF BLACK BARGES PASSED SEAWARD MANNED BY BLUE CLAD MEN


THE ROAD WAS A LONG AND VERY BROAD AND HIGH TUNNEL ALONG WHICH BIG WHEELED MACHINES DROVE NOISELESSLY AND SWIFTLY HERE TOO THE DISTINCTIVE BLUE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WAS IN ABUNDANCE THE SMOOTHNESS OF THE DOUBLE TRACKS


STRUCK GRAHAM MOST VIVIDLY ONE LANK AND VERY HIGH CARRIAGE WITH LONGITUDINAL METALLIC RODS HUNG WITH THE DRIPPING CARCASSES OF MANY HUNDRED SHEEP ARRESTED HIS ATTENTION UNDULY ABRUPTLY THE EDGE OF THE ARCHWAY CUT


AND BLOTTED OUT THE PICTURE PRESENTLY THEY LEFT THE WAY AND DESCENDED BY A LIFT AND TRAVERSED A PASSAGE THAT SLOPED DOWNWARD AND SO CAME TO A DESCENDING LIFT AGAIN THE APPEARANCE OF THINGS CHANGED EVEN THE PRETENCE OF ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENT DISAPPEARED


THE LIGHTS DIMINISHED IN NUMBER AND SIZE THE ARCHITECTURE BECAME MORE AND MORE MASSIVE IN PROPORTION TO THE SPACES AS THE FACTORY QUARTERS WERE REACHED AND IN THE DUSTY BISCUIT MAKING PLACE OF THE POTTERS AMONG THE FELSPAR MILLS IN THE FURNACE ROOMS OF THE METAL WORKERS


THE BLUE CANVAS CLOTHING WAS ON MAN WOMAN AND CHILD MANY OF THESE GREAT AND DUSTY GALLERIES WERE SILENT AVENUES OF MACHINERY ENDLESS RAKED OUT ASHEN FURNACES TESTIFIED TO THE REVOLUTIONARY DISLOCATION


BUT WHEREVER THERE WAS WORK IT WAS BEING DONE BY SLOW MOVING WORKERS IN BLUE CANVAS THE ONLY PEOPLE NOT IN BLUE CANVAS WERE THE OVERLOOKERS OF THE WORK PLACES AND THE ORANGE CLAD LABOUR POLICE AND FRESH FROM THE FLUSHED FACES OF THE DANCING HALLS


THE VOLUNTARY VIGOURS OF THE BUSINESS QUARTER GRAHAM COULD NOTE THE PINCHED FACES THE FEEBLE MUSCLES AND WEARY EYES OF MANY OF THE LATTER DAY WORKERS SUCH AS HE SAW AT WORK WERE NOTICEABLY INFERIOR IN PHYSIQUE TO THE FEW GAILY DRESSED MANAGERS AND FOREWOMEN


WHO WERE DIRECTING THEIR LABOURS THE BURLY LABOURERS OF THE OLD VICTORIAN TIMES HAD FOLLOWED THAT DRAY HORSE AND ALL SUCH LIVING FORCE PRODUCERS TO EXTINCTION THE PLACE OF HIS COSTLY MUSCLES WAS TAKEN BY SOME DEXTEROUS MACHINE


THE LATTER DAY LABOURER MALE AS WELL AS FEMALE WAS ESSENTIALLY A MACHINE MINDER AND FEEDER A SERVANT AND ATTENDANT OR AN ARTIST UNDER DIRECTION THE WOMEN IN COMPARISON WITH THOSE GRAHAM REMEMBERED


WERE AS A CLASS DISTINCTLY PLAIN AND FLAT CHESTED TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF EMANCIPATION FROM THE MORAL RESTRAINTS OF PURITANICAL RELIGION TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF CITY LIFE HAD DONE THEIR WORK IN ELIMINATING THE STRAIN OF FEMININE BEAUTY AND VIGOUR FROM THE BLUE CANVAS MYRIADS


TO BE BRILLIANT PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY TO BE IN ANY WAY ATTRACTIVE OR EXCEPTIONAL HAD BEEN AND WAS STILL A CERTAIN WAY OF EMANCIPATION TO THE DRUDGE A LINE OF ESCAPE TO THE PLEASURE CITY AND ITS SPLENDOURS AND DELIGHTS AND AT LAST


TO THE EUTHANASY AND PEACE TO BE STEADFAST AGAINST SUCH INDUCEMENTS WAS SCARCELY TO BE EXPECTED OF MEANLY NOURISHED SOULS IN THE YOUNG CITIES OF GRAHAM'S FORMER LIFE THE NEWLY AGGREGATED LABOURING MASS


HAD BEEN A DIVERSE MULTITUDE STILL STIRRED BY THE TRADITION OF PERSONAL HONOUR AND A HIGH MORALITY NOW IT WAS DIFFERENTIATING INTO AN INSTINCT CLASS WITH A MORAL AND PHYSICAL DIFFERENCE OF ITS OWN EVEN WITH A DIALECT OF ITS OWN


THEY PENETRATED DOWNWARD EVER DOWNWARD TOWARDS THE WORKING PLACES PRESENTLY THEY PASSED UNDERNEATH ONE OF THE STREETS OF THE MOVING WAYS AND SAW ITS PLATFORMS RUNNING ON THEIR RAILS FAR OVERHEAD AND CHINKS OF WHITE LIGHTS BETWEEN THE TRANSVERSE SLITS


THE FACTORIES THAT WERE NOT WORKING WERE SPARSELY LIGHTED TO GRAHAM THEY AND THEIR SHROUDED AISLES OF GIANT MACHINES SEEMED PLUNGED IN GLOOM AND EVEN WHERE WORK WAS GOING ON THE ILLUMINATION WAS FAR LESS BRILLIANT THAN UPON THE PUBLIC WAYS


HE CAME TO THE WARREN OF THE JEWELLERS AND WITH SOME DIFFICULTY AND BY USING HIS SIGNATURE OBTAINED ADMISSION TO THESE GALLERIES THEY WERE HIGH AND DARK AND RATHER COLD IN THE FIRST A FEW MEN WERE MAKING ORNAMENTS OF GOLD FILIGREE


EACH MAN AT A LITTLE BENCH BY HIMSELF AND WITH A LITTLE SHADED LIGHT THE LONG VISTA OF LIGHT PATCHES WITH THE NIMBLE FINGERS BRIGHTLY LIT AND MOVING AMONG THE GLEAMING YELLOW COILS AND THE INTENT FACE LIKE THE FACE OF A GHOST IN EACH SHADOW


HAD THE ODDEST EFFECT THE WORK WAS BEAUTIFULLY EXECUTED


FOR THE MOST PART INTRICATE GROTESQUES OR THE RINGING OF THE CHANGES ON A GEOMETRICAL MOTIF THESE WORKERS WORE A PECULIAR WHITE UNIFORM WITHOUT POCKETS OR SLEEVES THEY ASSUMED THIS ON COMING TO WORK BUT AT NIGHT


IN SPITE OF EVERY PRECAUTION THE LABOUR POLICEMAN TOLD THEM IN A DEPRESSED TONE THE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT INFREQUENTLY ROBBED BEYOND WAS A GALLERY OF WOMEN BUSIED IN CUTTING AND SETTING SLABS OF ARTIFICIAL RUBY


MANY OF THESE WORKERS HAD LIPS AND NOSTRILS A LIVID WHITE DUE TO A DISEASE CAUSED BY A PECULIAR PURPLE ENAMEL THAT CHANCED TO BE MUCH IN FASHION ASANO APOLOGISED TO GRAHAM FOR THIS OFFENSIVE SIGHT BUT EXCUSED HIMSELF ON THE SCORE OF THE CONVENIENCE OF THIS ROUTE


THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO SEE SAID GRAHAM THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO SEE TRYING TO AVOID A START AT A PARTICULARLY STRIKING DISFIGUREMENT SHE MIGHT HAVE DONE BETTER WITH HERSELF THAN THAT SAID ASANO


GRAHAM MADE SOME INDIGNANT COMMENTS BUT SIRE WE SIMPLY COULD NOT STAND THAT STUFF WITHOUT THE PURPLE SAID ASANO IN YOUR DAYS PEOPLE COULD STAND SUCH CRUDITIES THEY WERE NEARER THE BARBARIC BY TWO HUNDRED YEARS


AND CAME TO A LITTLE BRIDGE THAT SPANNED A VAULT LOOKING OVER THE PARAPET GRAHAM SAW THAT BENEATH WAS A WHARF UNDER YET MORE TREMENDOUS ARCHINGS THAN ANY HE HAD SEEN THREE BARGES SMOTHERED IN FLOURY DUST WERE BEING UNLOADED OF THEIR CARGOES OF POWDERED FELSPAR


BY A MULTITUDE OF COUGHING MEN EACH GUIDING A LITTLE TRUCK THE DUST FILLED THE PLACE WITH A CHOKING MIST AND TURNED THE ELECTRIC GLARE YELLOW THE VAGUE SHADOWS OF THESE WORKERS GESTICULATED ABOUT THEIR FEET AND RUSHED TO AND FRO AGAINST A LONG STRETCH OF WHITE WASHED WALL


EVERY NOW AND THEN ONE WOULD STOP TO COUGH A SHADOWY HUGE MASS OF MASONRY RISING OUT OF THE INKY WATER BROUGHT TO GRAHAM'S MIND THE THOUGHT OF THE MULTITUDE OF WAYS AND GALLERIES AND LIFTS THAT ROSE FLOOR ABOVE FLOOR OVERHEAD BETWEEN HIM AND THE SKY


THEIR FEET MADE A HOLLOW THUNDER ON THE PLANKS ALONG WHICH THEY WENT TO AND FRO AND AS HE LOOKED AT THIS SCENE SOME HIDDEN VOICE IN THE DARKNESS BEGAN TO SING STOP THAT SHOUTED ONE OF THE POLICEMEN BUT THE ORDER WAS DISOBEYED


AND FIRST ONE AND THEN ALL THE WHITE STAINED MEN WHO WERE WORKING THERE HAD TAKEN UP THE BEATING REFRAIN SINGING IT DEFIANTLY THE SONG OF THE REVOLT THE FEET UPON THE PLANKS THUNDERED NOW TO THE RHYTHM OF THE SONG TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP


THE POLICEMAN WHO HAD SHOUTED GLANCED AT HIS FELLOW AND GRAHAM SAW HIM SHRUG HIS SHOULDERS HE MADE NO FURTHER EFFORT TO STOP THE SINGING AND SO THEY WENT THROUGH THESE FACTORIES AND PLACES OF TOIL SEEING MANY PAINFUL AND GRIM THINGS


THAT WALK LEFT ON GRAHAM'S MIND A MAZE OF MEMORIES FLUCTUATING PICTURES OF SWATHED HALLS AND CROWDED VAULTS SEEN THROUGH CLOUDS OF DUST OF INTRICATE MACHINES THE RACING THREADS OF LOOMS THE HEAVY BEAT OF STAMPING MACHINERY


THE ROAR AND RATTLE OF BELT AND ARMATURE OF ILL LIT SUBTERRANEAN AISLES OF SLEEPING PLACES ILLIMITABLE VISTAS OF PIN POINT LIGHTS HERE WAS THE SMELL OF TANNING AND HERE THE REEK OF A BREWERY


AND HERE UNPRECEDENTED REEKS EVERYWHERE WERE PILLARS AND CROSS ARCHINGS OF SUCH A MASSIVENESS AS GRAHAM HAD NEVER BEFORE SEEN THICK TITANS OF GREASY SHINING BRICKWORK CRUSHED BENEATH THE VAST WEIGHT OF THAT COMPLEX CITY WORLD


EVEN AS THESE ANEMIC MILLIONS WERE CRUSHED BY ITS COMPLEXITY AND EVERYWHERE WERE PALE FEATURES LEAN LIMBS DISFIGUREMENT AND DEGRADATION ONCE AND AGAIN AND AGAIN A THIRD TIME


GRAHAM HEARD THE SONG OF THE REVOLT DURING HIS LONG UNPLEASANT RESEARCH IN THESE PLACES AND ONCE HE SAW A CONFUSED STRUGGLE DOWN A PASSAGE AND LEARNT THAT A NUMBER OF THESE SERFS HAD SEIZED THEIR BREAD BEFORE THEIR WORK WAS DONE GRAHAM WAS ASCENDING TOWARDS THE WAYS AGAIN


WHEN HE SAW A NUMBER OF BLUE CLAD CHILDREN RUNNING DOWN A TRANSVERSE PASSAGE AND PRESENTLY PERCEIVED THE REASON OF THEIR PANIC IN A COMPANY OF THE LABOUR POLICE ARMED WITH CLUBS TROTTING TOWARDS SOME UNKNOWN DISTURBANCE AND THEN CAME A REMOTE DISORDER


BUT FOR THE MOST PART THIS REMNANT THAT WORKED WORKED HOPELESSLY ALL THE SPIRIT THAT WAS LEFT IN FALLEN HUMANITY WAS ABOVE IN THE STREETS THAT NIGHT CALLING FOR THE MASTER AND VALIANTLY AND NOISILY KEEPING ITS ARMS


THEY EMERGED FROM THESE WANDERINGS AND STOOD BLINKING IN THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF THE MIDDLE PASSAGE OF THE PLATFORMS AGAIN THEY BECAME AWARE OF THE REMOTE HOOTING AND YELPING OF THE MACHINES OF ONE OF THE GENERAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICES


THEN A WOMAN WITH A FACE OF MUTE WHITE TERROR AND ANOTHER WHO GASPED AND SHRIEKED AS SHE RAN WHAT HAS HAPPENED NOW SAID GRAHAM PUZZLED FOR HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THEIR THICK SPEECH THEN HE HEARD IT IN ENGLISH AND PERCEIVED THAT THE THING THAT EVERYONE WAS SHOUTING


THAT MEN YELLED TO ONE ANOTHER THAT WOMEN TOOK UP SCREAMING THAT WAS PASSING LIKE THE FIRST BREEZE OF A THUNDERSTORM CHILL AND SUDDEN THROUGH THE CITY WAS THIS OSTROG HAS ORDERED THE BLACK POLICE TO LONDON THE BLACK POLICE ARE COMING FROM SOUTH AFRICA THE BLACK POLICE THE BLACK POLICE


HE HESITATED LOOKED AT GRAHAM'S FACE AND TOLD HIM THE THING HE ALREADY KNEW BUT HOW CAN THEY KNOW ASKED ASANO GRAHAM HEARD SOMEONE SHOUTING STOP ALL WORK STOP ALL WORK


AND A SWARTHY HUNCHBACK RIDICULOUSLY GAY IN GREEN AND GOLD CAME LEAPING DOWN THE PLATFORMS TOWARD HIM BAWLING AGAIN AND AGAIN IN GOOD ENGLISH THIS IS OSTROG'S DOING OSTROG THE KNAVE THE MASTER IS BETRAYED HIS VOICE WAS HOARSE


HE YELLED AN UNSPEAKABLE HORROR THAT THE BLACK POLICE HAD DONE IN PARIS AND SO PASSED SHRIEKING OSTROG THE KNAVE FOR A MOMENT GRAHAM STOOD STILL FOR IT HAD COME UPON HIM AGAIN THAT THESE THINGS WERE A DREAM


HE LOOKED UP AT THE GREAT CLIFF OF BUILDINGS ON EITHER SIDE VANISHING INTO BLUE HAZE AT LAST ABOVE THE LIGHTS AND DOWN TO THE ROARING TIERS OF PLATFORMS AND THE SHOUTING RUNNING PEOPLE WHO WERE GESTICULATING PAST


THE MASTER IS BETRAYED THEY CRIED THE MASTER IS BETRAYED SUDDENLY THE SITUATION SHAPED ITSELF IN HIS MIND REAL AND URGENT


HE SAID I MIGHT HAVE KNOWN THE HOUR HAS COME HE THOUGHT SWIFTLY WHAT AM I TO DO GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL HOUSE SAID ASANO WHY SHOULD I NOT APPEAL THE PEOPLE ARE HERE


YOU WILL LOSE TIME THEY WILL DOUBT IF IT IS YOU BUT THEY WILL MASS ABOUT THE COUNCIL HOUSE THERE YOU WILL FIND THEIR LEADERS YOUR STRENGTH IS THERE WITH THEM SUPPOSE THIS IS ONLY A RUMOUR


IT SOUNDS TRUE SAID ASANO LET US HAVE THE FACTS SAID GRAHAM


EVEN NOW THE RUINS MAY BE IMPASSABLE GRAHAM REGARDED HIM DOUBTFULLY AND FOLLOWED HIM THEY WENT UP THE STEPPED PLATFORMS TO THE SWIFTEST ONE AND THERE ASANO ACCOSTED A LABOURER THE ANSWERS TO HIS QUESTIONS WERE IN THE THICK VULGAR SPEECH WHAT DID HE SAY ASKED GRAHAM


HAD NOT SOMEONE IN THE WIND VANE OFFICES LEARNT HE SAID A GIRL A GIRL NOT HE SAID A GIRL HE DID NOT KNOW WHO SHE WAS WHO CAME OUT FROM THE COUNCIL HOUSE CRYING ALOUD AND TOLD THE MEN AT WORK AMONG THE RUINS


AND THEN ANOTHER THING WAS SHOUTED SOMETHING THAT TURNED AN AIMLESS TUMULT INTO DETERMINATE MOVEMENTS IT CAME LIKE A WIND ALONG THE STREET


THE FOLLOWING DAY WAS THE THREE D OF JUNE EIGHTEEN THIRTY TWO A DATE WHICH IT IS NECESSARY TO INDICATE ON ACCOUNT OF THE GRAVE EVENTS WHICH AT THAT EPOCH HUNG ON THE HORIZON OF PARIS IN THE STATE OF LIGHTNING CHARGED CLOUDS


WHICH SHE HAD NOT YET DONE UP TO THAT TIME SHE HAD CONTENTED HERSELF WITH WATCHING HIM ON HIS PASSAGE ALONG THE BOULEVARD WITHOUT EVER SEEKING TO ENCOUNTER HIM IT WAS ONLY ON THE EVENING BEFORE THAT SHE HAD ATTEMPTED TO ADDRESS HIM


SO EPONINE FOLLOWED HIM WITHOUT HIS SUSPECTING THE FACT SHE SAW HIM DISPLACE THE BAR AND SLIP INTO THE GARDEN


AND READILY RECOGNIZED THE ONE WHICH MARIUS HAD MOVED


NONE OF THAT LISETTE SHE SEATED HERSELF ON THE UNDERPINNING OF THE RAILING CLOSE BESIDE THE BAR AS THOUGH SHE WERE GUARDING IT IT WAS PRECISELY AT THE POINT WHERE THE RAILING TOUCHED THE NEIGHBORING WALL THERE WAS A DIM NOOK THERE


SHE REMAINED THUS FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR WITHOUT STIRRING AND WITHOUT BREATHING A PREY TO HER THOUGHTS


AN OLD BELATED BOURGEOIS WHO WAS MAKING HASTE TO ESCAPE FROM THIS


AS HE SKIRTED THE GARDEN RAILINGS AND REACHED THE ANGLE WHICH IT MADE WITH THE WALL HEARD A DULL AND THREATENING VOICE SAYING I'M NO LONGER SURPRISED THAT HE COMES HERE EVERY EVENING


SIX MEN WHO WERE MARCHING SEPARATELY AND AT SOME DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER ALONG THE WALL AND WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN TAKEN FOR A GRAY PATROL


THE FIRST TO ARRIVE AT THE GARDEN RAILING HALTED AND WAITED FOR THE OTHERS


GRASPING EACH BAR IN SUCCESSION AND SHAKING THEM CAUTIOUSLY THUS HE CAME TO THE BAR WHICH MARIUS HAD LOOSENED AS HE WAS ON THE POINT OF GRASPING THIS BAR A HAND EMERGED ABRUPTLY FROM THE DARKNESS FELL UPON HIS ARM


HE FELT HIMSELF VIGOROUSLY THRUST ASIDE BY A PUSH IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS BREAST AND A HOARSE VOICE SAID TO HIM BUT NOT LOUDLY THERE'S A DOG


THE MAN UNDERWENT THAT SHOCK WHICH THE UNEXPECTED ALWAYS BRINGS HE BRISTLED UP IN HIDEOUS WISE NOTHING IS SO FORMIDABLE TO BEHOLD AS FEROCIOUS BEASTS WHO ARE UNEASY THEIR TERRIFIED AIR EVOKES TERROR


BRUJON AND MONTPARNASSE HAD NOISELESSLY DRAWN NEAR WITHOUT PRECIPITATION WITHOUT UTTERING A WORD WITH THE SINISTER SLOWNESS PECULIAR TO THESE MEN OF THE NIGHT SOME INDESCRIBABLE BUT HIDEOUS TOOLS WERE VISIBLE IN THEIR HANDS


WHICH PROWLERS CALL FANCHONS AH SEE HERE WHAT ARE YOU ABOUT THERE


AND THREW HERSELF ON HIS NECK I AM HERE LITTLE FATHER BECAUSE I AM HERE ISN'T A PERSON ALLOWED TO SIT ON THE STONES NOWADAYS


THERE'S NOTHING TO BE DONE HERE BUT EMBRACE ME MY GOOD LITTLE FATHER IT'S A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE SEEN YOU SO YOU'RE OUT THENARDIER TRIED TO DISENTANGLE HIMSELF FROM EPONINE'S ARMS AND GRUMBLED THAT'S GOOD


THENARDIER REPLIED SHE'S WELL I DON'T KNOW LET ME ALONE AND BE OFF I TELL YOU I WON'T GO SO THERE NOW


SMALL BONY AND FEEBLE AS THAT OF A SKELETON


YOU KNOW WELL THAT I'M NO FOOL


I HAVE RENDERED YOU SERVICE ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS WELL I HAVE MADE INQUIRIES YOU WILL EXPOSE YOURSELVES TO NO PURPOSE YOU SEE I SWEAR TO YOU THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS HOUSE THERE ARE LONE WOMEN SAID GUELEMER


WHO HAD STAYED UP TO SPREAD OUT SOME LINEN TO DRY EPONINE MADE A FINAL EFFORT WELL SAID SHE THEY'RE VERY POOR FOLKS


CRIED THENARDIER WHEN WE'VE TURNED THE HOUSE UPSIDE DOWN AND PUT THE CELLAR AT THE TOP AND THE ATTIC BELOW WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT THERE IS INSIDE AND WHETHER IT'S FRANCS OR SOUS OR HALF FARTHINGS


AND HE PUSHED HER ASIDE WITH THE INTENTION OF ENTERING MY GOOD FRIEND MISTER MONTPARNASSE SAID EPONINE I ENTREAT YOU YOU ARE A GOOD FELLOW DON'T ENTER


TAKE CARE YOU'LL CUT YOURSELF REPLIED MONTPARNASSE THENARDIER RESUMED IN HIS DECIDED TONE DECAMP MY GIRL AND LEAVE MEN TO THEIR OWN AFFAIRS


THE VENTRILOQUIST HOWEVER FINISHED HIS GRIN SHE WENT ON FRIENDS LISTEN WELL THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT


IF YOU LAY A HAND ON THIS GATE I'LL SCREAM I'LL BEAT ON THE DOOR I'LL ROUSE EVERYBODY I'LL HAVE THE WHOLE SIX OF YOU SEIZED I'LL CALL THE POLICE SHE'D DO IT TOO


YOU DON'T FRIGHTEN ME I TELL YOU THAT YOU SHAN'T ENTER THIS HOUSE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SUIT ME IF YOU APPROACH I'LL BARK I TOLD YOU I'M THE DOG AND I DON'T CARE A STRAW FOR YOU GO YOUR WAY YOU BORE ME


PARDINE I'M NOT AFRAID I SHALL BE HUNGRY THIS SUMMER AND I SHALL BE COLD THIS WINTER AREN'T THEY RIDICULOUS THESE NINNIES OF MEN


SHE FASTENED HER INTENT GAZE UPON THENARDIER AND SAID NOT EVEN OF YOU FATHER THEN SHE CONTINUED AS SHE CAST HER BLOOD SHOT SPECTRE LIKE EYES UPON THE RUFFIANS IN TURN


WHAT DO I CARE IF I'M PICKED UP TO MORROW MORNING ON THE PAVEMENT OF THE RUE PLUMET KILLED BY THE BLOWS OF MY FATHER'S CLUB


IN THE MIDST OF ROTTEN OLD CORKS AND DROWNED DOGS SHE WAS FORCED TO PAUSE SHE WAS SEIZED BY A DRY COUGH HER BREATH CAME FROM HER WEAK AND NARROW CHEST LIKE THE DEATH RATTLE SHE RESUMED


I HAVE ONLY TO CRY OUT AND PEOPLE WILL COME AND THEN SLAP BANG THERE ARE SIX OF YOU I REPRESENT THE WHOLE WORLD THENARDIER MADE A MOVEMENT TOWARDS HER DON'T APPROACH SHE CRIED HE HALTED


AND SAID GENTLY WELL NO I WON'T APPROACH BUT DON'T SPEAK SO LOUD SO YOU INTEND TO HINDER US IN OUR WORK MY DAUGHTER BUT WE MUST EARN OUR LIVING ALL THE SAME


AND HER ATTITUDE NOTHING MORE RESOLUTE AND MORE SURPRISING COULD BE SEEN THE SIX RASCALS SPEECHLESS AND GLOOMY AT BEING HELD IN CHECK BY A GIRL RETREATED BENEATH THE SHADOW CAST BY THE LANTERN AND HELD COUNSEL WITH FURIOUS AND


IT'S A SHAME TO MISS THIS ANYWAY TWO WOMEN AN OLD FELLOW WHO LODGES IN THE BACK YARD AND CURTAINS THAT AIN'T SO BAD AT THE WINDOWS THE OLD COVE MUST BE A JEW


WELL GO IN THEN THE REST OF YOU EXCLAIMED MONTPARNASSE DO THE JOB I'LL STAY HERE WITH THE GIRL AND IF SHE FAILS US HE FLASHED THE KNIFE WHICH HE HELD OPEN IN HIS HAND IN THE LIGHT OF THE LANTERN


THENARDIER SAID NOT A WORD AND SEEMED READY FOR WHATEVER THE REST PLEASED BRUJON WHO WAS SOMEWHAT OF AN ORACLE AND WHO HAD AS THE READER KNOWS PUT UP THE JOB HAD NOT AS YET SPOKEN HE SEEMED THOUGHTFUL


HE HAD THE REPUTATION OF NOT STICKING AT ANYTHING AND IT WAS KNOWN THAT HE HAD PLUNDERED A POLICE POST SIMPLY OUT OF BRAVADO BESIDES THIS HE MADE VERSES AND SONGS WHICH GAVE HIM GREAT AUTHORITY


WHERE SHALL WE GO TO SLEEP TO NIGHT UNDER PANTIN PARIS HAVE YOU THE KEY TO THE GATE THENARDIER PARDI


WHO NEVER TOOK HER EYES OFF OF THEM SAW THEM RETREAT BY THE ROAD BY WHICH THEY HAD COME SHE ROSE AND BEGAN TO CREEP AFTER THEM ALONG THE WALLS AND THE HOUSES SHE FOLLOWED THEM THUS AS FAR AS THE BOULEVARD THERE THEY PARTED


IT WAS THE REFLECTION OF THE TORCH WHICH WAS BURNING IN THE CORINTHE BARRICADE MARIUS DIRECTED HIS STEPS TOWARDS THAT RED LIGHT


HAD PRESERVED WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD AT THE CORNER OF THE LAST HOUSE ON HIS LEFT HE THRUST HIS HEAD FORWARD AND LOOKED INTO THE FRAGMENT OF THE RUE MONDETOUR


WHICH CAST A BROAD CURTAIN OF SHADOW IN WHICH HE WAS HIMSELF ENGULFED HE PERCEIVED SOME LIGHT ON THE PAVEMENT A BIT OF THE WINE SHOP AND BEYOND A FLICKERING LAMP WITHIN A SORT OF SHAPELESS WALL AND MEN CROUCHING DOWN WITH GUNS ON THEIR KNEES


ALL THIS WAS TEN FATHOMS DISTANT FROM HIM IT WAS THE INTERIOR OF THE BARRICADE THE HOUSES WHICH BORDERED THE LANE ON THE RIGHT CONCEALED THE REST OF THE WINE SHOP THE LARGE BARRICADE AND THE FLAG FROM HIM


MARIUS HAD BUT A STEP MORE TO TAKE


FOLDED HIS ARMS AND FELL TO THINKING ABOUT HIS FATHER HE THOUGHT OF THAT HEROIC COLONEL PONTMERCY WHO HAD BEEN SO PROUD A SOLDIER WHO HAD GUARDED THE FRONTIER OF FRANCE UNDER THE REPUBLIC


HIS COCKADE BLACKENED WITH POWDER HIS BROW FURROWED WITH HIS HELMET IN BARRACKS IN CAMP IN THE BIVOUAC


AT THE EXPIRATION OF TWENTY YEARS HAD RETURNED FROM THE GREAT WARS WITH A SCARRED CHEEK A SMILING COUNTENANCE TRANQUIL ADMIRABLE PURE AS A CHILD HAVING DONE EVERYTHING FOR FRANCE AND NOTHING AGAINST HER


TO OFFER HIS BREAST TO BAYONETS TO SHED HIS BLOOD TO SEEK THE ENEMY TO SEEK DEATH THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO WAGE WAR IN HIS TURN AND DESCEND TO THE FIELD OF BATTLE AND THAT THE FIELD OF BATTLE UPON WHICH HE WAS TO DESCEND WAS THE STREET


HE THOUGHT OF HIS FATHER'S SWORD WHICH HIS GRANDFATHER HAD SOLD TO A SECOND HAND DEALER AND WHICH HE HAD SO MOURNFULLY REGRETTED HE SAID TO HIMSELF THAT THAT CHASTE AND VALIANT SWORD HAD DONE WELL TO ESCAPE FROM HIM


AND TO DEPART IN WRATH INTO THE GLOOM THAT IF IT HAD THUS FLED IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS INTELLIGENT AND BECAUSE IT HAD FORESEEN THE FUTURE THAT IT HAD HAD A PRESENTIMENT OF THIS REBELLION THE WAR OF THE GUTTERS


BLOWS GIVEN AND RECEIVED IN THE REAR IT WAS BECAUSE COMING FROM MARENGO AND FRIEDLAND IT DID NOT WISH TO GO TO THE RUE DE LA CHANVRERIE IT WAS BECAUSE AFTER WHAT IT HAD DONE WITH THE FATHER IT DID NOT WISH TO DO THIS FOR THE SON


HE TOLD HIMSELF THAT IF THAT SWORD WERE THERE IF AFTER TAKING POSSESSION OF IT AT HIS FATHER'S PILLOW HE HAD DARED TO TAKE IT AND CARRY IT OFF FOR THIS COMBAT OF DARKNESS BETWEEN FRENCHMEN IN THE STREETS


IT WOULD ASSUREDLY HAVE SCORCHED HIS HANDS AND BURST OUT AFLAME BEFORE HIS EYES LIKE THE SWORD OF THE ANGEL


WOUND THE SIDE OF HIS COUNTRY AND THEN HE FELL TO WEEPING BITTERLY THIS WAS HORRIBLE BUT WHAT WAS HE TO DO LIVE WITHOUT COSETTE HE COULD NOT SINCE SHE WAS GONE HE MUST NEEDS DIE


HAD HE NOT GIVEN HER HIS WORD OF HONOR THAT HE WOULD DIE SHE HAD GONE KNOWING THAT THIS MEANT THAT IT PLEASED HER THAT MARIUS SHOULD DIE AND THEN IT WAS CLEAR THAT SHE NO LONGER LOVED HIM


SHOULD HE RETREAT AFTER GOING SO FAR SHOULD HE FLEE FROM DANGER AFTER HAVING APPROACHED IT SHOULD HE SLIP AWAY AFTER HAVING COME AND PEEPED INTO THE BARRICADE SLIP AWAY ALL IN A TREMBLE SAYING AFTER ALL I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF IT AS IT IS


WHO WERE A MERE HANDFUL AGAINST AN ARMY SHOULD HE BE UNTRUE AT ONCE TO HIS LOVE TO COUNTRY TO HIS WORD SHOULD HE GIVE TO HIS COWARDICE THE PRETEXT OF PATRIOTISM BUT THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE AND IF THE PHANTOM OF HIS FATHER WAS THERE IN THE GLOOM


ALL AT ONCE HE RAISED IT A SORT OF SPLENDID RECTIFICATION HAD JUST BEEN EFFECTED IN HIS MIND THERE IS A WIDENING OF THE SPHERE OF THOUGHT WHICH IS PECULIAR TO THE VICINITY OF THE GRAVE


IT MAKES ONE SEE CLEARLY TO BE NEAR DEATH THE VISION OF THE ACTION INTO WHICH HE FELT THAT HE WAS PERHAPS ON THE POINT OF ENTERING APPEARED TO HIM NO MORE AS LAMENTABLE BUT AS SUPERB


HE LEFT NONE OF THEM UNANSWERED LET US SEE WHY SHOULD HIS FATHER BE INDIGNANT ARE THERE NOT CASES WHERE INSURRECTION RISES TO THE DIGNITY OF DUTY


CIVIL WAR WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IS THERE A FOREIGN WAR IS NOT ALL WAR BETWEEN MEN WAR BETWEEN BROTHERS WAR IS QUALIFIED ONLY BY ITS OBJECT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FOREIGN OR CIVIL WAR


THERE IS ONLY JUST AND UNJUST WAR UNTIL THAT DAY WHEN THE GRAND HUMAN AGREEMENT IS CONCLUDED WAR THAT AT LEAST WHICH IS THE EFFORT OF THE FUTURE WHICH IS HASTENING ON AGAINST THE PAST WHICH IS LAGGING IN THE REAR MAY BE NECESSARY


WHETHER FOREIGN OR CIVIL IS INIQUITOUS IT IS CALLED CRIME OUTSIDE THE PALE OF THAT HOLY THING JUSTICE BY WHAT RIGHT DOES ONE FORM OF MAN DESPISE ANOTHER BY WHAT RIGHT SHOULD THE SWORD OF WASHINGTON


THE ONE IS THE DEFENDER THE OTHER THE LIBERATOR SHALL WE BRAND EVERY APPEAL TO ARMS WITHIN A CITY'S LIMITS WITHOUT TAKING THE OBJECT INTO A CONSIDERATION THEN NOTE THE INFAMY OF BRUTUS MARCEL ARNOULD VON BLANKENHEIM COLIGNY HEDGEROW WAR


WAR OF THE STREETS WHY NOT THAT WAS THE WAR OF AMBIORIX OF ARTEVELDE OF MARNIX OF PELAGIUS BUT AMBIORIX FOUGHT AGAINST ROME ARTEVELDE AGAINST FRANCE


AN INVASION VIOLATES THE GEOGRAPHICAL FRONTIER DRIVING OUT THE TYRANT OR DRIVING OUT THE ENGLISH IN BOTH CASES REGAINING POSSESSION OF ONE'S OWN TERRITORY THERE COMES AN HOUR WHEN PROTESTATION NO LONGER SUFFICES


THE TENTH OF AUGUST ELECTRIFIES THEM


AFTER DIDEROT DANTON MULTITUDES HAVE A TENDENCY TO ACCEPT THE MASTER THEIR MASS BEARS WITNESS TO APATHY A CROWD IS EASILY LED AS A WHOLE TO OBEDIENCE MEN MUST BE STIRRED UP PUSHED ON


TREATED ROUGHLY BY THE VERY BENEFIT OF THEIR DELIVERANCE THEIR EYES MUST BE WOUNDED BY THE TRUE LIGHT MUST BE HURLED AT THEM IN TERRIBLE HANDFULS


OF WHOM ARE YOU SPEAKING DO YOU CALL LOUIS PHILIPPE THE TYRANT NO


ARE WHAT HISTORY IS IN THE HABIT OF CALLING GOOD KINGS BUT PRINCIPLES ARE NOT TO BE PARCELLED OUT THE LOGIC OF THE TRUE IS RECTILINEAR THE PECULIARITY OF TRUTH IS THAT IT LACKS COMPLAISANCE NO CONCESSIONS THEN


BOTH REPRESENT IN A CERTAIN MEASURE THE CONFISCATION OF RIGHT AND IN ORDER TO CLEAR AWAY UNIVERSAL INSURRECTION THEY MUST BE COMBATED IT MUST BE DONE FRANCE BEING ALWAYS THE ONE TO BEGIN


WHEN THE MASTER FALLS IN FRANCE HE FALLS EVERYWHERE IN SHORT WHAT CAUSE IS MORE JUST AND CONSEQUENTLY WHAT WAR IS GREATER THAN THAT WHICH RE ESTABLISHES SOCIAL TRUTH


RESTORES THE PEOPLE TO THE PEOPLE RESTORES SOVEREIGNTY TO MAN REPLACES THE PURPLE ON THE HEAD OF FRANCE RESTORES EQUITY AND REASON IN THEIR PLENITUDE SUPPRESSES EVERY GERM OF ANTAGONISM BY RESTORING EACH ONE TO HIMSELF


ANNIHILATES THE OBSTACLE WHICH ROYALTY PRESENTS TO THE WHOLE IMMENSE UNIVERSAL CONCORD AND PLACES THE HUMAN RACE ONCE MORE ON A LEVEL WITH THE RIGHT THESE WARS BUILD UP PEACE


THERE IS NO ONE WHO HAS NOT NOTICED IT IN HIS OWN CASE THE SOUL AND THEREIN LIES THE MARVEL OF ITS UNITY COMPLICATED WITH UBIQUITY HAS A STRANGE APTITUDE FOR REASONING ALMOST COLDLY IN THE MOST VIOLENT EXTREMITIES


WITHOUT MOVING AND THERE WAS PERCEPTIBLE THAT QUASI SILENCE WHICH MARKS THE LAST STAGE OF EXPECTATION OVERHEAD AT THE SMALL WINDOW IN THE THIRD STORY MARIUS DESCRIED A SORT OF SPECTATOR WHO APPEARED TO HIM TO BE SINGULARLY ATTENTIVE


THIS WAS THE PORTER WHO HAD BEEN KILLED BY LE CABUC BELOW BY THE LIGHTS OF THE TORCH WHICH WAS THRUST BETWEEN THE PAVING STONES THIS HEAD COULD BE VAGUELY DISTINGUISHED NOTHING COULD BE STRANGER IN THAT SOMBRE AND UNCERTAIN GLEAM


ONE WOULD HAVE SAID THAT THE MAN WHO WAS DEAD WAS SURVEYING THOSE WHO WERE ABOUT TO DIE A LONG TRAIL OF BLOOD WHICH HAD FLOWED FROM THAT HEAD DESCENDED IN REDDISH THREADS FROM THE WINDOW TO THE HEIGHT OF THE FIRST FLOOR


THESE MELANCHOLY OPENINGS WHICH TAKE PLACE IN THE GLOOM BEFORE DESPAIR ARE TEMPTING MARIUS THRUST ASIDE THE BAR WHICH HAD SO OFTEN ALLOWED HIM TO PASS EMERGED FROM THE GARDEN AND SAID I WILL GO


MAD WITH GRIEF NO LONGER CONSCIOUS OF ANYTHING FIXED OR SOLID IN HIS BRAIN INCAPABLE OF ACCEPTING ANYTHING THENCEFORTH OF FATE AFTER THOSE TWO MONTHS PASSED IN THE INTOXICATION OF YOUTH AND LOVE


OVERWHELMED AT ONCE BY ALL THE REVERIES OF DESPAIR HE HAD BUT ONE DESIRE REMAINING TO MAKE A SPEEDY END OF ALL HE SET OUT AT RAPID PACE HE FOUND HIMSELF MOST OPPORTUNELY ARMED


BY THE BOULEVARD TRAVERSED THE ESPLANADE AND THE BRIDGE OF THE INVALIDES


AND REACHED THE RUE DE RIVOLI THE SHOPS WERE OPEN THERE


WOMEN WERE MAKING THEIR PURCHASES IN THE STALLS PEOPLE WERE EATING ICES IN THE CAFE LAITER AND NIBBLING SMALL CAKES AT THE ENGLISH PASTRY COOK'S SHOP


AND AT THE SAME TIME THE CROWD INCREASED IN DENSITY FOR THE PASSERS BY NOW AMOUNTED TO A CROWD NO ONE COULD BE SEEN TO SPEAK IN THIS THRONG AND YET THERE AROSE FROM IT A DULL DEEP MURMUR


NEAR THE FOUNTAIN OF THE ARBRE SEC THERE WERE ASSEMBLAGES MOTIONLESS AND GLOOMY GROUPS WHICH WERE TO THOSE WHO WENT AND CAME AS STONES IN THE MIDST OF RUNNING WATER AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE RUE DES PROUVAIRES


THERE WERE HARDLY ANY BLACK COATS OR ROUND HATS NOW BUT SMOCK FROCKS BLOUSES CAPS AND BRISTLING AND CADAVEROUS HEADS THIS MULTITUDE UNDULATED CONFUSEDLY IN THE NOCTURNAL GLOOM


ITS WHISPERINGS HAD THE HOARSE ACCENT OF A VIBRATION ALTHOUGH NOT ONE OF THEM WAS WALKING A DULL TRAMPLING WAS AUDIBLE IN THE MIRE BEYOND THIS DENSE PORTION OF THE THRONG IN THE RUE DU ROULE IN THE RUE DES PROUVAIRES


ONLY THE SOLITARY AND DIMINISHING ROWS OF LANTERNS COULD BE SEEN VANISHING INTO THE STREET IN THE DISTANCE THE LANTERNS OF THAT DATE RESEMBLED LARGE RED STARS HANGING TO ROPES AND SHED UPON THE PAVEMENT A SHADOW


WHICH HAD THE FORM OF A HUGE SPIDER THESE STREETS WERE NOT DESERTED THERE COULD BE DESCRIED PILES OF GUNS MOVING BAYONETS AND TROOPS BIVOUACKING NO CURIOUS OBSERVER PASSED THAT LIMIT THERE CIRCULATION CEASED


THERE THE RABBLE ENDED AND THE ARMY BEGAN MARIUS WILLED WITH THE WILL OF A MAN WHO HOPES NO MORE HE HAD BEEN SUMMONED HE MUST GO HE FOUND A MEANS TO TRAVERSE THE THRONG


HE SHUNNED THE PATROLS HE AVOIDED THE SENTINELS HE MADE A CIRCUIT REACHED THE RUE DE BETHISY


THERE WERE NO LONGER ANY LANTERNS AFTER HAVING PASSED THE ZONE OF THE CROWD HE HAD PASSED THE LIMITS OF THE TROOPS HE FOUND HIMSELF IN SOMETHING STARTLING THERE WAS NO LONGER A PASSER BY NO LONGER A SOLDIER


NO LONGER A LIGHT THERE WAS NO ONE SOLITUDE SILENCE NIGHT


ENTERING A STREET WAS LIKE ENTERING A CELLAR HE CONTINUED TO ADVANCE HE TOOK A FEW STEPS SOME ONE PASSED CLOSE TO HIM AT A RUN WAS IT A MAN OR A WOMAN WERE THERE MANY OF THEM HE COULD NOT HAVE TOLD


IT HAD PASSED AND VANISHED PROCEEDING FROM CIRCUIT TO CIRCUIT HE REACHED A LANE WHICH HE JUDGED TO BE THE RUE DE LA POTERIE NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THIS STREET


IT WAS AN OVERTURNED WAGON HIS FOOT RECOGNIZED POOLS OF WATER GULLIES AND PAVING STONES SCATTERED AND PILED UP


HE CLIMBED OVER THE STONES AND FOUND HIMSELF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BARRIER HE WALKED VERY NEAR THE STREET POSTS AND GUIDED HIMSELF ALONG THE WALLS OF THE HOUSES A LITTLE BEYOND THE BARRICADE IT SEEMED TO HIM


MARIUS LEFT THE HORSES BEHIND HIM AS HE WAS APPROACHING A STREET WHICH SEEMED TO HIM TO BE THE RUE DU CONTRAT SOCIAL A SHOT COMING NO ONE KNOWS WHENCE AND TRAVERSING THE DARKNESS AT RANDOM WHISTLED CLOSE BY HIM


THE WHOLE OF THIS ITINERARY


WHICH IS LIKE A CITY WITHIN A CITY


HOLLOWED OUT IN THE CENTRE OF PARIS THERE THE GLANCE FELL INTO AN ABYSS THANKS TO THE BROKEN LANTERNS THANKS TO THE CLOSED WINDOWS THERE ALL RADIANCE ALL LIFE ALL SOUND ALL MOVEMENT CEASED


THE INVISIBLE POLICE OF THE INSURRECTION WERE ON THE WATCH EVERYWHERE AND MAINTAINED ORDER THAT IS TO SAY NIGHT THE NECESSARY TACTICS OF INSURRECTION ARE TO DROWN SMALL NUMBERS IN A VAST OBSCURITY


TO MULTIPLY EVERY COMBATANT BY THE POSSIBILITIES WHICH THAT OBSCURITY CONTAINS AT DUSK EVERY WINDOW WHERE A CANDLE WAS BURNING RECEIVED A SHOT THE LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED SOMETIMES THE INHABITANT WAS KILLED HENCE


NOTHING WAS STIRRING THERE WAS NOTHING BUT FRIGHT MOURNING STUPOR IN THE HOUSES AND IN THE STREETS A SORT OF SACRED HORROR NOT EVEN THE LONG ROWS OF WINDOWS AND STORES THE INDENTATIONS OF THE CHIMNEYS AND THE ROOFS


AND THE VAGUE REFLECTIONS WHICH ARE CAST BACK BY THE WET AND MUDDY PAVEMENTS WERE VISIBLE AN EYE CAST UPWARD AT THAT MASS OF SHADOWS MIGHT PERHAPS HAVE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE HERE AND THERE AT INTERVALS


OF INDISTINCT GLEAMS WHICH BROUGHT OUT BROKEN AND ECCENTRIC LINES AND PROFILES OF SINGULAR BUILDINGS SOMETHING LIKE THE LIGHTS WHICH GO AND COME IN RUINS IT WAS AT SUCH POINTS THAT THE BARRICADES WERE SITUATED


THE REST WAS A LAKE OF OBSCURITY FOGGY HEAVY AND FUNEREAL ABOVE WHICH IN MOTIONLESS AND MELANCHOLY OUTLINES ROSE THE TOWER OF SAINT JACQUES


AND WHERE A FEW STREET LANTERNS STILL BURNED THE AERIAL OBSERVER MIGHT HAVE DISTINGUISHED THE METALLIC GLEAM OF SWORDS AND BAYONETS THE DULL RUMBLE OF ARTILLERY AND THE SWARMING OF SILENT BATTALIONS WHOSE RANKS WERE SWELLING FROM MINUTE TO MINUTE


AND AS WE HAVE JUST SEEN ANY STREET WHICH ONE MIGHT COME TO OFFERED NOTHING BUT DARKNESS A WILD DARKNESS FULL OF TRAPS FULL OF UNSEEN AND FORMIDABLE SHOCKS INTO WHICH IT WAS ALARMING TO PENETRATE


ALL WAS OVER NO MORE LIGHT WAS TO BE HOPED FOR HENCEFORTH EXCEPT THE LIGHTNING OF GUNS NO FURTHER ENCOUNTER EXCEPT THE ABRUPT AND RAPID APPARITION OF DEATH WHERE HOW WHEN NO ONE KNEW


BUT IT WAS CERTAIN AND INEVITABLE IN THIS PLACE WHICH HAD BEEN MARKED OUT FOR THE STRUGGLE THE GOVERNMENT AND THE INSURRECTION THE NATIONAL GUARD AND POPULAR SOCIETIES THE BOURGEOIS AND THE UPRISING GROPING THEIR WAY


THAT THE MOST TIMID FELT THEMSELVES SEIZED WITH RESOLUTION AND THE MOST DARING WITH TERROR MOREOVER ON BOTH SIDES THE FURY THE RAGE AND THE DETERMINATION WERE EQUAL


FOR THE ONE PARTY TO ADVANCE MEANT DEATH AND NO ONE DREAMED OF RETREATING FOR THE OTHER TO REMAIN MEANT DEATH AND NO ONE DREAMED OF FLIGHT IT WAS INDISPENSABLE THAT ALL SHOULD BE ENDED ON THE FOLLOWING DAY


THAT TRIUMPH SHOULD REST EITHER HERE OR THERE THAT THE INSURRECTION SHOULD PROVE ITSELF A REVOLUTION OR A SKIRMISH THE GOVERNMENT UNDERSTOOD THIS AS WELL AS THE PARTIES THE MOST INSIGNIFICANT BOURGEOIS FELT IT


HERE ONLY ONE SOUND WAS AUDIBLE A SOUND AS HEART RENDING AS THE DEATH RATTLE


NATURE SEEMED TO HAVE FALLEN INTO ACCORD WITH WHAT MEN WERE ABOUT TO DO NOTHING DISTURBED THE HARMONY OF THE WHOLE EFFECT THE STARS HAD DISAPPEARED HEAVY CLOUDS FILLED THE HORIZON WITH THEIR MELANCHOLY FOLDS


WHICH HAD ALREADY WITNESSED SO MANY REVOLUTIONARY EVENTS WHILE YOUTH THE SECRET ASSOCIATIONS THE SCHOOLS IN THE NAME OF PRINCIPLES AND THE MIDDLE CLASSES IN THE NAME OF INTERESTS


CLASPING AND THROWING EACH OTHER WHILE EACH ONE HASTENED AND INVITED THE LAST AND DECISIVE HOUR OF THE CRISIS FAR AWAY AND QUITE OUTSIDE OF THIS FATAL QUARTER IN THE MOST PROFOUND DEPTHS OF THE UNFATHOMABLE CAVITIES OF THAT


WRETCHED OLD PARIS WHICH DISAPPEARS UNDER THE SPLENDOR OF HAPPY AND OPULENT PARIS THE SOMBRE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE COULD BE HEARD GIVING UTTERANCE TO A DULL ROAR A FEARFUL AND SACRED VOICE


CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAINED IN WARHOON IT MUST HAVE BEEN SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE I REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS


AND BENDING OVER ME WAS AN ANCIENT AND UGLY FEMALE AS I OPENED MY EYES SHE TURNED TO ONE OF THE WARRIORS SAYING HE WILL LIVE O JED TIS WELL REPLIED THE ONE SO ADDRESSED


RISING AND APPROACHING MY COUCH HE SHOULD RENDER RARE SPORT FOR THE GREAT GAMES AND NOW AS MY EYES FELL UPON HIM I SAW THAT HE WAS NO THARK FOR HIS ORNAMENTS AND METAL WERE NOT OF THAT HORDE


HE WAS A HUGE FELLOW TERRIBLY SCARRED ABOUT THE FACE AND CHEST AND WITH ONE BROKEN TUSK AND A MISSING EAR


AND DEPENDING FROM THESE A NUMBER OF DRIED HUMAN HANDS HIS REFERENCE TO THE GREAT GAMES OF WHICH I HAD HEARD SO MUCH WHILE AMONG THE THARKS CONVINCED ME THAT I HAD BUT JUMPED FROM PURGATORY INTO GEHENNA


AFTER A FEW MORE WORDS WITH THE FEMALE DURING WHICH SHE ASSURED HIM THAT I WAS NOW FULLY FIT TO TRAVEL THE JED ORDERED THAT WE MOUNT AND RIDE AFTER THE MAIN COLUMN


I WAS STRAPPED SECURELY TO AS WILD AND UNMANAGEABLE A THOAT AS I HAD EVER SEEN AND WITH A MOUNTED WARRIOR ON EITHER SIDE TO PREVENT THE BEAST FROM BOLTING


WE RODE FORTH AT A FURIOUS PACE IN PURSUIT OF THE COLUMN MY WOUNDS GAVE ME BUT LITTLE PAIN SO WONDERFULLY AND RAPIDLY HAD THE APPLICATIONS AND INJECTIONS OF THE FEMALE EXERCISED THEIR THERAPEUTIC POWERS


WHO PROVED TO BE THE JEDDAK OF THE HORDES OF WARHOON LIKE THE JED WHO HAD BROUGHT ME HE WAS FRIGHTFULLY SCARRED AND ALSO DECORATED WITH THE BREASTPLATE OF HUMAN SKULLS AND DRIED DEAD HANDS


WHICH SEEMED TO MARK ALL THE GREATER WARRIORS AMONG THE WARHOONS AS WELL AS TO INDICATE THEIR AWFUL FEROCITY WHICH GREATLY TRANSCENDS EVEN THAT OF THE THARKS THE JEDDAK BAR COMAS WHO WAS COMPARATIVELY YOUNG


WAS THE OBJECT OF THE FIERCE AND JEALOUS HATRED OF HIS OLD LIEUTENANT DAK KOVA THE JED WHO HAD CAPTURED ME AND I COULD NOT BUT NOTE THE ALMOST STUDIED EFFORTS WHICH THE LATTER MADE TO AFFRONT HIS SUPERIOR


HE ENTIRELY OMITTED THE USUAL FORMAL SALUTATION AS WE ENTERED THE PRESENCE OF THE JEDDAK AND AS HE PUSHED ME ROUGHLY BEFORE THE RULER HE EXCLAIMED IN A LOUD AND MENACING VOICE


I HAVE BROUGHT A STRANGE CREATURE WEARING THE METAL OF A THARK WHOM IT IS MY PLEASURE TO HAVE BATTLE WITH A WILD THOAT AT THE GREAT GAMES HE WILL DIE AS BAR COMAS YOUR JEDDAK SEES FIT IF AT ALL


WITH EMPHASIS AND DIGNITY IF AT ALL ROARED DAK KOVA BY THE DEAD HANDS AT MY THROAT BUT HE SHALL DIE BAR COMAS NO MAUDLIN WEAKNESS ON YOUR PART SHALL SAVE HIM


RATHER THAN BY A WATER HEARTED WEAKLING FROM WHOM EVEN OLD DAK KOVA COULD TEAR THE METAL WITH HIS BARE HANDS BAR COMAS EYED THE DEFIANT AND INSUBORDINATE CHIEFTAIN FOR AN INSTANT HIS EXPRESSION ONE OF HAUGHTY


FEARLESS CONTEMPT AND HATE AND THEN WITHOUT DRAWING A WEAPON AND WITHOUT UTTERING A WORD HE HURLED HIMSELF AT THE THROAT OF HIS DEFAMER


I NEVER BEFORE HAD SEEN TWO GREEN MARTIAN WARRIORS BATTLE WITH NATURE'S WEAPONS AND THE EXHIBITION OF ANIMAL FEROCITY WHICH ENSUED WAS AS FEARFUL A THING AS THE MOST DISORDERED IMAGINATION COULD PICTURE


BAR COMAS HAD MUCH THE BETTER OF THE BATTLE AS HE WAS STRONGER QUICKER AND MORE INTELLIGENT IT SOON SEEMED THAT THE ENCOUNTER WAS DONE SAVING ONLY THE FINAL DEATH THRUST WHEN BAR COMAS SLIPPED IN


BREAKING AWAY FROM A CLINCH IT WAS THE ONE LITTLE OPENING THAT DAK KOVA NEEDED AND HURLING HIMSELF AT THE BODY OF HIS ADVERSARY


AND WITH A LAST POWERFUL EFFORT RIPPED THE YOUNG JEDDAK WIDE OPEN THE FULL LENGTH OF HIS BODY THE GREAT TUSK


VICTOR AND VANQUISHED ROLLED LIMP AND LIFELESS UPON THE MOSS A HUGE MASS OF TORN AND BLOODY FLESH


BAR COMAS WAS STONE DEAD AND ONLY THE MOST HERCULEAN EFFORTS ON THE PART OF DAK KOVA'S FEMALES SAVED HIM FROM THE FATE HE DESERVED THREE DAYS LATER HE WALKED WITHOUT ASSISTANCE TO THE BODY OF BAR COMAS WHICH


BY CUSTOM HAD NOT BEEN MOVED FROM WHERE IT FELL AND PLACING HIS FOOT UPON THE NECK OF HIS ERSTWHILE RULER HE ASSUMED THE TITLE OF JEDDAK OF WARHOON


THE INJURIES TO DAK KOVA HAD DELAYED THE MARCH SO GREATLY THAT IT WAS DECIDED TO GIVE UP THE EXPEDITION WHICH WAS A RAID UPON A SMALL THARK COMMUNITY IN RETALIATION FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE INCUBATOR UNTIL AFTER THE GREAT GAMES


THEY ARE A SMALLER HORDE THAN THE THARKS BUT MUCH MORE FEROCIOUS


FOOD WAS BROUGHT ME AT INTERVALS BUT OWING TO THE UTTER DARKNESS OF THE PLACE I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER I LAY THERE DAYS OR WEEKS OR MONTHS IT WAS THE MOST HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE OF ALL MY LIFE


AND THAT MY MIND DID NOT GIVE WAY TO THE TERRORS OF THAT INKY BLACKNESS HAS BEEN A WONDER TO ME EVER SINCE THE PLACE WAS FILLED WITH CREEPING CRAWLING THINGS COLD SINUOUS BODIES PASSED OVER ME WHEN I LAY DOWN


AND IN THE DARKNESS I OCCASIONALLY CAUGHT GLIMPSES OF GLEAMING FIERY EYES FIXED IN HORRIBLE INTENTNESS UPON ME NO SOUND REACHED ME FROM THE WORLD ABOVE AND NO WORD WOULD MY JAILER VOUCHSAFE WHEN MY FOOD WAS BROUGHT TO ME


ALTHOUGH I AT FIRST BOMBARDED HIM WITH QUESTIONS FINALLY ALL THE HATRED AND MANIACAL LOATHING FOR THESE AWFUL CREATURES WHO HAD PLACED ME IN THIS HORRIBLE PLACE WAS CENTERED BY MY TOTTERING REASON UPON THIS SINGLE EMISSARY


WHO REPRESENTED TO ME THE ENTIRE HORDE OF WARHOONS I HAD NOTICED THAT HE ALWAYS ADVANCED WITH HIS DIM TORCH TO WHERE HE COULD PLACE THE FOOD WITHIN MY REACH AND AS HE STOOPED TO PLACE IT UPON THE FLOOR


SO WITH THE CUNNING OF A MADMAN I BACKED INTO THE FAR CORNER OF MY CELL WHEN NEXT I HEARD HIM APPROACHING


I WAITED HIS COMING CROUCHING LIKE SOME BEAST OF PREY AS HE STOOPED TO PLACE MY FOOD UPON THE GROUND I SWUNG THE CHAIN ABOVE MY HEAD AND CRASHED THE LINKS WITH ALL MY STRENGTH UPON HIS SKULL WITHOUT A SOUND


HE SLIPPED TO THE FLOOR STONE DEAD LAUGHING AND CHATTERING LIKE THE IDIOT I WAS FAST BECOMING


NO LONGER WAS I A JIBBERING IDIOT BUT A SANE REASONING MAN WITH THE MEANS OF ESCAPE WITHIN MY VERY HANDS AS I WAS GROPING TO REMOVE THE CHAIN FROM ABOUT MY VICTIM'S NECK


BACK INTO MY CORNER I CROUCHED


AND STEALTHILY ON CAME THE AWFUL EYES UNTIL THEY REACHED THE DEAD BODY AT MY FEET THEN SLOWLY THEY RETREATED BUT THIS TIME WITH A STRANGE GRATING SOUND


THE LOOTING OF ZODANGA AS THE GREAT GATE WHERE I STOOD SWUNG OPEN MY FIFTY THARKS HEADED BY TARS TARKAS HIMSELF RODE IN UPON THEIR MIGHTY THOATS I LED THEM TO THE PALACE WALLS


WHICH I NEGOTIATED EASILY WITHOUT ASSISTANCE ONCE INSIDE HOWEVER THE GATE GAVE ME CONSIDERABLE TROUBLE


AND SOON MY FIERCE ESCORT WAS RIDING ACROSS THE GARDENS OF THE JEDDAK OF ZODANGA AS WE APPROACHED THE PALACE I COULD SEE THROUGH THE GREAT WINDOWS OF THE FIRST FLOOR INTO THE BRILLIANTLY ILLUMINATED AUDIENCE CHAMBER OF THAN KOSIS


THE IMMENSE HALL WAS CROWDED WITH NOBLES AND THEIR WOMEN AS THOUGH SOME IMPORTANT FUNCTION WAS IN PROGRESS THERE WAS NOT A GUARD IN SIGHT WITHOUT THE PALACE DUE I PRESUME TO THE FACT THAT THE CITY AND PALACE WALLS WERE CONSIDERED IMPREGNABLE


AND SO I CAME CLOSE AND PEERED WITHIN AT ONE END OF THE CHAMBER UPON MASSIVE GOLDEN THRONES ENCRUSTED WITH DIAMONDS SAT THAN KOSIS AND HIS CONSORT


SURROUNDED BY OFFICERS AND DIGNITARIES OF STATE BEFORE THEM STRETCHED A BROAD AISLE LINED ON EITHER SIDE WITH SOLDIERY AND AS I LOOKED THERE ENTERED THIS AISLE AT THE FAR END OF THE HALL


THE HEAD OF A PROCESSION WHICH ADVANCED TO THE FOOT OF THE THRONE FIRST THERE MARCHED FOUR OFFICERS OF THE JEDDAK'S GUARD BEARING A HUGE SALVER ON WHICH REPOSED UPON A CUSHION OF SCARLET SILK


AT THE FOOT OF THE THRONE THESE TWO PARTIES SEPARATED AND HALTED FACING EACH OTHER AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE AISLE THEN CAME MORE DIGNITARIES AND THE OFFICERS OF THE PALACE AND OF THE ARMY AND FINALLY


TWO FIGURES ENTIRELY MUFFLED IN SCARLET SILK SO THAT NOT A FEATURE OF EITHER WAS DISCERNIBLE THESE TWO STOPPED AT THE FOOT OF THE THRONE FACING THAN KOSIS WHEN THE BALANCE OF THE PROCESSION HAD ENTERED AND ASSUMED THEIR STATIONS


THAN KOSIS ADDRESSED THE COUPLE STANDING BEFORE HIM I COULD NOT HEAR HIS WORDS BUT PRESENTLY TWO OFFICERS ADVANCED AND REMOVED THE SCARLET ROBE FROM ONE OF THE FIGURES AND I SAW THAT KANTOS KAN HAD FAILED IN HIS MISSION


FOR IT WAS SAB THAN PRINCE OF ZODANGA WHO STOOD REVEALED BEFORE ME THAN KOSIS NOW TOOK A SET OF THE ORNAMENTS FROM ONE OF THE SALVERS AND PLACED ONE OF THE COLLARS OF GOLD ABOUT HIS SON'S NECK


SPRINGING THE PADLOCK FAST AFTER A FEW MORE WORDS ADDRESSED TO SAB THAN HE TURNED TO THE OTHER FIGURE FROM WHICH THE OFFICERS NOW REMOVED THE ENSHROUDING SILKS DISCLOSING TO MY NOW COMPREHENDING VIEW


BUT TO ME IT SEEMED THE MOST FIENDISH SIGHT I HAD EVER WITNESSED AND AS THE ORNAMENTS WERE ADJUSTED UPON HER BEAUTIFUL FIGURE AND HER COLLAR OF GOLD SWUNG OPEN IN THE HANDS OF THAN KOSIS I RAISED MY LONG SWORD ABOVE MY HEAD


I BROUGHT MY LONG SWORD DOWN UPON THE GOLDEN CHAIN THAT WOULD HAVE BOUND DEJAH THORIS TO ANOTHER IN AN INSTANT ALL WAS CONFUSION A THOUSAND DRAWN SWORDS MENACED ME FROM EVERY QUARTER


RODE TARS TARKAS AND HIS FIFTY WARRIORS ON THEIR GREAT THOATS A CRY OF ALARM AND AMAZEMENT BROKE FROM THE ASSEMBLAGE BUT NO WORD OF FEAR AND IN A MOMENT THE SOLDIERS AND NOBLES OF ZODANGA


WITH DRAWN LONG SWORD IN AN INSTANT WE WERE ENGAGED AND I FOUND NO MEAN ANTAGONIST AS WE CIRCLED UPON THE BROAD PLATFORM I SAW SAB THAN RUSHING UP THE STEPS TO AID HIS FATHER


BUT AS HE RAISED HIS HAND TO STRIKE DEJAH THORIS SPRANG BEFORE HIM AND THEN MY SWORD FOUND THE SPOT THAT MADE SAB THAN JEDDAK OF ZODANGA


AND AGAIN WE FACED EACH OTHER HE WAS SOON JOINED BY A QUARTET OF OFFICERS AND WITH MY BACK AGAINST A GOLDEN THRONE I FOUGHT ONCE AGAIN FOR DEJAH THORIS I WAS HARD PRESSED TO DEFEND MYSELF


AND WITH HIM MY LAST CHANCE TO WIN THE WOMAN I LOVED MY BLADE WAS SWINGING WITH THE RAPIDITY OF LIGHTNING AS I SOUGHT TO PARRY THE THRUSTS AND CUTS OF MY OPPONENTS TWO I HAD DISARMED AND ONE WAS DOWN


WHEN SEVERAL MORE RUSHED TO THE AID OF THEIR NEW RULER AND TO AVENGE THE DEATH OF THE OLD AS THEY ADVANCED THERE WERE CRIES OF THE WOMAN THE WOMAN STRIKE HER DOWN IT IS HER PLOT KILL HER KILL HER


CALLING TO DEJAH THORIS TO GET BEHIND ME I WORKED MY WAY TOWARD THE LITTLE DOORWAY BACK OF THE THRONE BUT THE OFFICERS REALIZED MY INTENTIONS AND THREE OF THEM SPRANG IN BEHIND ME AND BLOCKED MY CHANCES FOR GAINING A POSITION


THE THARKS WERE HAVING THEIR HANDS FULL IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM


WHEN I SAW TARS TARKAS SURGING THROUGH THE CROWD OF PYGMIES THAT SWARMED ABOUT HIM WITH ONE SWING OF HIS MIGHTY LONGSWORD HE LAID A DOZEN CORPSES AT HIS FEET


NOT ONE ATTEMPTED TO ESCAPE AND WHEN THE FIGHTING CEASED IT WAS BECAUSE ONLY THARKS REMAINED ALIVE IN THE GREAT HALL OTHER THAN DEJAH THORIS AND MYSELF SAB THAN LAY DEAD BESIDE HIS FATHER


AND THE CORPSES OF THE FLOWER OF ZODANGAN NOBILITY AND CHIVALRY COVERED THE FLOOR OF THE BLOODY SHAMBLES MY FIRST THOUGHT WHEN THE BATTLE WAS OVER WAS FOR KANTOS KAN


AND LEAVING DEJAH THORIS IN CHARGE OF TARS TARKAS I TOOK A DOZEN WARRIORS AND HASTENED TO THE DUNGEONS BENEATH THE PALACE THE JAILERS HAD ALL LEFT TO JOIN THE FIGHTERS IN THE THRONE ROOM SO WE SEARCHED THE LABYRINTHINE PRISON WITHOUT OPPOSITION


I CALLED KANTOS KAN'S NAME ALOUD IN EACH NEW CORRIDOR AND COMPARTMENT AND FINALLY I WAS REWARDED BY HEARING A FAINT RESPONSE GUIDED BY THE SOUND WE SOON FOUND HIM HELPLESS IN A DARK RECESS


HE WAS OVERJOYED AT SEEING ME AND TO KNOW THE MEANING OF THE FIGHT FAINT ECHOES OF WHICH HAD REACHED HIS PRISON CELL HE TOLD ME THAT THE AIR PATROL HAD CAPTURED HIM BEFORE HE REACHED THE HIGH TOWER OF THE PALACE


SO THAT HE HAD NOT EVEN SEEN SAB THAN WE DISCOVERED THAT IT WOULD BE FUTILE TO ATTEMPT TO CUT AWAY THE BARS AND CHAINS WHICH HELD HIM PRISONER SO AT HIS SUGGESTION


FORTUNATELY AMONG THE FIRST I EXAMINED I FOUND HIS JAILER AND SOON WE HAD KANTOS KAN WITH US IN THE THRONE ROOM THE SOUNDS OF HEAVY FIRING MINGLED WITH SHOUTS AND CRIES CAME TO US FROM THE CITY'S STREETS


AND TARS TARKAS HASTENED AWAY TO DIRECT THE FIGHTING WITHOUT KANTOS KAN ACCOMPANIED HIM TO ACT AS GUIDE THE GREEN WARRIORS COMMENCING A THOROUGH SEARCH OF THE PALACE FOR OTHER ZODANGANS AND FOR LOOT AND DEJAH THORIS AND I WERE LEFT ALONE


CAN IT BE THAT ALL EARTH MEN ARE AS YOU ALONE A STRANGER HUNTED THREATENED PERSECUTED YOU HAVE DONE IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS WHAT IN ALL THE PAST AGES OF BARSOOM NO MAN HAS EVER DONE


JOINED TOGETHER THE WILD HORDES OF THE SEA BOTTOMS AND BROUGHT THEM TO FIGHT AS ALLIES OF A RED MARTIAN PEOPLE THE ANSWER IS EASY DEJAH THORIS I REPLIED SMILING IT WAS NOT I WHO DID IT IT WAS LOVE


LOVE FOR DEJAH THORIS A POWER THAT WOULD WORK GREATER MIRACLES THAN THIS YOU HAVE SEEN A PRETTY FLUSH OVERSPREAD HER FACE AND SHE ANSWERED YOU MAY SAY THAT NOW JOHN CARTER AND I MAY LISTEN


FOR I AM FREE AND MORE STILL I HAVE TO SAY ERE IT IS AGAIN TOO LATE I RETURNED I HAVE DONE MANY STRANGE THINGS IN MY LIFE MANY THINGS THAT WISER MEN WOULD NOT HAVE DARED


BUT NEVER IN MY WILDEST FANCIES HAVE I DREAMED OF WINNING A DEJAH THORIS FOR MYSELF FOR NEVER HAD I DREAMED THAT IN ALL THE UNIVERSE DWELT SUCH A WOMAN AS THE PRINCESS OF HELIUM


BUT THAT YOU ARE YOU IS ENOUGH TO MAKE ME DOUBT MY SANITY AS I ASK YOU MY PRINCESS TO BE MINE HE DOES NOT NEED TO BE ABASHED WHO SO WELL KNEW THE ANSWER TO HIS PLEA


BEFORE THE PLEA WERE MADE SHE REPLIED RISING AND PLACING HER DEAR HANDS UPON MY SHOULDERS AND SO I TOOK HER IN MY ARMS AND KISSED HER AND THUS IN THE MIDST OF A CITY OF WILD CONFLICT FILLED WITH THE ALARMS OF WAR


WITH DEATH AND DESTRUCTION REAPING THEIR TERRIBLE HARVEST AROUND HER DID DEJAH THORIS PRINCESS OF HELIUM TRUE DAUGHTER OF MARS THE GOD OF WAR PROMISE HERSELF IN MARRIAGE TO JOHN CARTER


A FIGHT THAT WON FRIENDS THE THING WHICH MORE NEARLY RESEMBLED OUR EARTHLY MEN THAN IT DID THE MARTIANS I HAD SEEN HELD ME PINIONED TO THE GROUND WITH ONE HUGE FOOT


WHILE IT JABBERED AND GESTICULATED AT SOME ANSWERING CREATURE BEHIND ME THIS OTHER WHICH WAS EVIDENTLY ITS MATE SOON CAME TOWARD US BEARING A MIGHTY STONE CUDGEL


WITH WHICH IT EVIDENTLY INTENDED TO BRAIN ME THE CREATURES WERE ABOUT TEN OR FIFTEEN FEET TALL STANDING ERECT AND HAD LIKE THE GREEN MARTIANS AN INTERMEDIARY SET OF ARMS OR LEGS


MIDWAY BETWEEN THEIR UPPER AND LOWER LIMBS THEIR EYES WERE CLOSE TOGETHER AND NON PROTRUDING THEIR EARS WERE HIGH SET BUT MORE LATERALLY LOCATED THAN THOSE OF THE MARTIANS


WHEN A BOLT OF MYRIAD LEGGED HORROR HURLED ITSELF THROUGH THE DOORWAY FULL UPON THE BREAST OF MY EXECUTIONER WITH A SHRIEK OF FEAR THE APE WHICH HELD ME LEAPED THROUGH THE OPEN WINDOW BUT ITS MATE CLOSED IN A TERRIFIC


DEATH STRUGGLE WITH MY PRESERVER WHICH WAS NOTHING LESS THAN MY FAITHFUL WATCH THING I CANNOT BRING MYSELF TO CALL SO HIDEOUS A CREATURE A DOG AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE I GAINED MY FEET AND BACKING AGAINST THE WALL I WITNESSED SUCH A


BATTLE AS IT IS VOUCHSAFED FEW BEINGS TO SEE THE STRENGTH AGILITY AND BLIND FEROCITY OF THESE TWO CREATURES IS APPROACHED BY NOTHING KNOWN TO EARTHLY MAN


MY BEAST HAD AN ADVANTAGE IN HIS FIRST HOLD HAVING SUNK HIS MIGHTY FANGS FAR INTO THE BREAST OF HIS ADVERSARY BUT THE GREAT ARMS AND PAWS OF THE APE


BACKED BY MUSCLES FAR TRANSCENDING THOSE OF THE MARTIAN MEN I HAD SEEN HAD LOCKED THE THROAT OF MY GUARDIAN AND SLOWLY WERE CHOKING OUT HIS LIFE AND BENDING BACK HIS HEAD AND NECK UPON HIS BODY


WHERE I MOMENTARILY EXPECTED THE FORMER TO FALL LIMP AT THE END OF A BROKEN NECK IN ACCOMPLISHING THIS THE APE WAS TEARING AWAY THE ENTIRE FRONT OF ITS BREAST WHICH WAS HELD IN THE VISE LIKE GRIP OF THE POWERFUL JAWS


BACK AND FORTH UPON THE FLOOR THEY ROLLED NEITHER ONE EMITTING A SOUND OF FEAR OR PAIN PRESENTLY I SAW THE GREAT EYES OF MY BEAST BULGING COMPLETELY FROM THEIR SOCKETS AND BLOOD FLOWING FROM ITS NOSTRILS


BUT SO ALSO WAS THE APE WHOSE STRUGGLES WERE GROWING MOMENTARILY LESS SUDDENLY I CAME TO MYSELF


I SEIZED THE CUDGEL WHICH HAD FALLEN TO THE FLOOR AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE BATTLE AND SWINGING IT WITH ALL THE POWER OF MY EARTHLY ARMS I CRASHED IT FULL UPON THE HEAD OF THE APE CRUSHING HIS SKULL AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN AN EGGSHELL


SCARCELY HAD THE BLOW DESCENDED WHEN I WAS CONFRONTED WITH A NEW DANGER THE APE'S MATE RECOVERED FROM ITS FIRST SHOCK OF TERROR HAD RETURNED TO THE SCENE OF THE ENCOUNTER BY WAY OF THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING


I GLIMPSED HIM JUST BEFORE HE REACHED THE DOORWAY AND THE SIGHT OF HIM NOW ROARING AS HE PERCEIVED HIS LIFELESS FELLOW STRETCHED UPON THE FLOOR AND FROTHING AT THE MOUTH IN THE EXTREMITY OF HIS RAGE FILLED ME I MUST CONFESS


WITH DIRE FOREBODINGS I AM EVER WILLING TO STAND AND FIGHT WHEN THE ODDS ARE NOT TOO OVERWHELMINGLY AGAINST ME BUT IN THIS INSTANCE I PERCEIVED NEITHER GLORY NOR PROFIT


AGAINST THE IRON MUSCLES AND BRUTAL FEROCITY OF THIS ENRAGED DENIZEN OF AN UNKNOWN WORLD IN FACT THE ONLY OUTCOME OF SUCH AN ENCOUNTER SO FAR AS I MIGHT BE CONCERNED SEEMED SUDDEN DEATH


I WAS STANDING NEAR THE WINDOW AND I KNEW THAT ONCE IN THE STREET I MIGHT GAIN THE PLAZA AND SAFETY BEFORE THE CREATURE COULD OVERTAKE ME AT LEAST THERE WAS A CHANCE FOR SAFETY IN FLIGHT


AGAINST ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH SHOULD I REMAIN AND FIGHT HOWEVER DESPERATELY IT IS TRUE I HELD THE CUDGEL BUT WHAT COULD I DO WITH IT AGAINST HIS FOUR GREAT ARMS


EVEN SHOULD I BREAK ONE OF THEM WITH MY FIRST BLOW FOR I FIGURED THAT HE WOULD ATTEMPT TO WARD OFF THE CUDGEL HE COULD REACH OUT AND ANNIHILATE ME WITH THE OTHERS BEFORE I COULD RECOVER FOR A SECOND ATTACK


IN THE INSTANT THAT THESE THOUGHTS PASSED THROUGH MY MIND I HAD TURNED TO MAKE FOR THE WINDOW BUT MY EYES ALIGHTING ON THE FORM OF MY ERSTWHILE GUARDIAN THREW ALL THOUGHTS OF FLIGHT TO THE FOUR WINDS HE LAY GASPING UPON THE FLOOR OF THE CHAMBER


HIS GREAT EYES FASTENED UPON ME IN WHAT SEEMED A PITIFUL APPEAL FOR PROTECTION I COULD NOT WITHSTAND THAT LOOK NOR COULD I ON SECOND THOUGHT HAVE DESERTED MY RESCUER WITHOUT GIVING AS GOOD AN ACCOUNT OF MYSELF IN HIS BEHALF


AS HE HAD IN MINE WITHOUT MORE ADO THEREFORE I TURNED TO MEET THE CHARGE OF THE INFURIATED BULL APE HE WAS NOW TOO CLOSE UPON ME FOR THE CUDGEL TO PROVE OF ANY EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE


SO I MERELY THREW IT AS HEAVILY AS I COULD AT HIS ADVANCING BULK IT STRUCK HIM JUST BELOW THE KNEES ELICITING A HOWL OF PAIN AND RAGE AND SO THROWING HIM OFF HIS BALANCE THAT HE LUNGED FULL UPON ME


WITH ARMS WIDE STRETCHED TO EASE HIS FALL AGAIN AS ON THE PRECEDING DAY I HAD RECOURSE TO EARTHLY TACTICS AND SWINGING MY RIGHT FIST FULL UPON THE POINT OF HIS CHIN


I BEHELD TARS TARKAS SOLA AND THREE OR FOUR WARRIORS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY OF THE CHAMBER AS MY EYES MET THEIRS I WAS FOR THE SECOND TIME THE RECIPIENT OF THEIR ZEALOUSLY GUARDED APPLAUSE


MY ABSENCE HAD BEEN NOTED BY SOLA ON HER AWAKENING AND SHE HAD QUICKLY INFORMED TARS TARKAS WHO HAD SET OUT IMMEDIATELY WITH A HANDFUL OF WARRIORS TO SEARCH FOR ME AS THEY HAD APPROACHED THE LIMITS OF THE CITY


THIS ENCOUNTER TOGETHER WITH MY SET TO WITH THE MARTIAN WARRIOR ON THE PREVIOUS DAY AND MY FEATS OF JUMPING PLACED ME UPON A HIGH PINNACLE IN THEIR REGARD EVIDENTLY DEVOID OF ALL THE FINER SENTIMENTS OF FRIENDSHIP


LOVE OR AFFECTION THESE PEOPLE FAIRLY WORSHIP PHYSICAL PROWESS AND BRAVERY AND NOTHING IS TOO GOOD FOR THE OBJECT OF THEIR ADORATION AS LONG AS HE MAINTAINS HIS POSITION BY REPEATED EXAMPLES OF HIS SKILL


STRENGTH AND COURAGE SOLA WHO HAD ACCOMPANIED THE SEARCHING PARTY OF HER OWN VOLITION WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE MARTIANS WHOSE FACE HAD NOT BEEN TWISTED IN LAUGHTER AS I BATTLED FOR MY LIFE SHE ON THE CONTRARY


WAS SOBER WITH APPARENT SOLICITUDE AND AS SOON AS I HAD FINISHED THE MONSTER RUSHED TO ME AND CAREFULLY EXAMINED MY BODY FOR POSSIBLE WOUNDS OR INJURIES SATISFYING HERSELF THAT I HAD COME OFF UNSCATHED SHE SMILED QUIETLY


AND TAKING MY HAND STARTED TOWARD THE DOOR OF THE CHAMBER TARS TARKAS AND THE OTHER WARRIORS HAD ENTERED AND WERE STANDING OVER THE NOW RAPIDLY REVIVING BRUTE WHICH HAD SAVED MY LIFE


THEY SEEMED TO BE DEEP IN ARGUMENT AND FINALLY ONE OF THEM ADDRESSED ME BUT REMEMBERING MY IGNORANCE OF HIS LANGUAGE TURNED BACK TO TARS TARKAS WHO WITH A WORD AND GESTURE GAVE SOME COMMAND TO THE FELLOW


AND TURNED TO FOLLOW US FROM THE ROOM THERE SEEMED SOMETHING MENACING IN THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD MY BEAST AND I HESITATED TO LEAVE UNTIL I HAD LEARNED THE OUTCOME IT WAS WELL I DID SO FOR THE WARRIOR DREW AN


EVIL LOOKING PISTOL FROM ITS HOLSTER AND WAS ON THE POINT OF PUTTING AN END TO THE CREATURE WHEN I SPRANG FORWARD AND STRUCK UP HIS ARM THE BULLET STRIKING THE WOODEN CASING OF THE WINDOW EXPLODED


BLOWING A HOLE COMPLETELY THROUGH THE WOOD AND MASONRY I THEN KNELT DOWN BESIDE THE FEARSOME LOOKING THING AND RAISING IT TO ITS FEET MOTIONED FOR IT TO FOLLOW ME


AND SOLA GRASPING ME TIGHTLY BY THE ARM I HAD AT LEAST TWO FRIENDS ON MARS A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WATCHED OVER ME WITH MOTHERLY SOLICITUDE AND A DUMB BRUTE WHICH AS I LATER CAME TO KNOW


HELD IN ITS POOR UGLY CARCASS MORE LOVE MORE LOYALTY MORE GRATITUDE


THERE NEVER WAS A PROUDER MAMMA THAN MADAM CLUCK WHEN SHE LED FORTH HER FAMILY OF EIGHT DOWNY LITTLE CHICKS CHANTICLEER STRUT SNOWBALL SPECKLE PEEP PECK DOWNY AND BLOT WERE THEIR NAMES


AND NO SOONER WERE THEY OUT OF THE SHELL THAN THEY BEGAN TO CHIRP AND SCRATCH AS GAILY AS IF THE BIG WORLD IN WHICH THEY SUDDENLY FOUND THEMSELVES WAS MADE FOR THEIR ESPECIAL BENEFIT IT WAS A FINE BROOD


BUT POOR MADAM CLUCK HAD BAD LUCK WITH HER CHICKS FOR THEY WERE HER FIRST AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THEM OLD AUNT COCKLETOP TOLD HER THAT SHE DIDN'T AND PREDICTED THAT THOSE POOR DEARS WOULD COME TO BAD ENDS


AUNT COCKLETOP WAS RIGHT AS YOU WILL SEE WHEN I HAVE TOLD THE SAD HISTORY OF THIS UNFORTUNATE FAMILY THE TRAGEDY BEGAN WITH CHANTY WHO WAS THE BOLDEST LITTLE COCKADOODLE WHO EVER TRIED TO CROW


BEFORE HE HAD A FEATHER TO HIS BIT OF A TAIL CHANTY BEGAN TO FIGHT AND SOON WAS KNOWN AS THE MOST QUARRELSOME CHICK IN THE FARM YARD HAVING PECKED HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS HE TRIED TO DO THE SAME TO HIS PLAYMATES


THE DUCKLINGS GOSLINGS AND YOUNG TURKEYS AND WAS SO DISAGREEABLE THAT ALL THE FOWLS HATED HIM ONE DAY A PAIR OF BANTAMS ARRIVED PRETTY LITTLE WHITE BIRDS WITH RED CRESTS AND NICE YELLOW FEET


CHANTY THOUGHT HE COULD BEAT MISTER BANTAM EASILY HE WAS SO SMALL AND INVITED HIM TO FIGHT MISTER B DECLINED THEN CHANTY CALLED HIM A COWARD AND GAVE MISSUS B A PECK


WHICH ENDED IN CHANTY'S UTTER DEFEAT FOR HE DIED FROM HIS WOUNDS DOWNY AND SNOWBALL SOON FOLLOWED FOR THE TWO SWEET LITTLE THINGS WOULD SWING ON THE BURDOCK LEAVES THAT GREW OVER THE BROOK


SITTING SIDE BY SIDE THE PLUMP SISTERS WERE PLACIDLY SWAYING UP AND DOWN OVER THE CLEAR BROWN WATER RIPPLING BELOW WHEN AH SAD TO RELATE THE STEM BROKE AND DOWN WENT LEAF


CHICKENS AND ALL TO A WATERY DEATH I'M THE MOST UNLUCKY HEN EVER HATCHED GROANED


AND IT DID SEEM SO FOR THE VERY NEXT WEEK SPECKLE THE BEST AND PRETTIEST OF THE BROOD WENT TO WALK WITH AUNT COCKLETOP GRASSHOPPERING THEY CALLED IT IN THE GREAT FIELD ACROSS THE ROAD


WHAT A NICE TIME SPECKLE DID HAVE TO BE SURE FOR THE GRASSHOPPERS WERE LIVELY AND FAT AND AUNT WAS IN AN UNUSUALLY AMIABLE MOOD NEVER RUN AWAY FROM ANYTHING BUT FACE DANGER AND CONQUER IT


LIKE A BRAVE CHICK SAID THE OLD BIDDY AS SHE WENT CLUCKING THROUGH THE GRASS WITH HER GRAY TURBAN WAGGING IN THE WIND SPECKLE HAD HOPPED AWAY FROM A TOAD WITH A STARTLED CHIRP WHICH CAUSED AUNT TO UTTER THAT REMARK


THE WORDS HAD HARDLY LEFT HER BEAK WHEN A SHADOW ABOVE MADE HER LOOK UP GIVE ONE LOUD CROAK OF ALARM AND THEN SCUTTLE AWAY AS FAST AS LEGS AND WINGS COULD CARRY HER LITTLE SPECKLE REMEMBERING THE ADVICE


AND UNCONSCIOUS OF THE DANGER STOOD HER GROUND AS A GREAT HAWK CAME CIRCLING NEARER AND NEARER TILL WITH A SUDDEN DART HE POUNCED ON THE POOR CHICKEN AND BORE IT AWAY CHIRPING DISMALLY


WHAT SHALL I DO IT WAS A DREADFUL BLOW TO MISSUS CLUCK AND AUNT COCKLETOP DIDN'T SHOW HERSELF FOR A WHOLE DAY AFTER THAT STORY WAS KNOWN


FOR EVERY FOWL IN THE YARD TWITTED HER WITH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HER PREACHING AND HER PRACTICE


HE WAS AT IT FROM MORNING TILL NIGHT AND EVERYONE WAS TIRED TO DEATH OF HEARING HIS SHRILL SMALL VOICE MAKING FUNNY ATTEMPTS TO PRODUCE HOARSE LITTLE CROWS AS HE SAT ON THE WALL AND STRETCHED HIS YELLOW NECK


TILL HIS THROAT QUITE ACHED WITH THE EFFORT AH IF I COULD ONLY FLY TO THE HIGHEST BEAM IN THE BARN AND GIVE A SPLENDID CROW THAT EVERYONE COULD HEAR I SHOULD BE PERFECTLY HAPPY SAID THIS SILLY LITTLE FOWL


SO HE TRIED EVERY DAY TO FLY AND CROW AND AT LAST MANAGED TO GET UP THEN HOW HE DID STRUT AND RUSTLE HIS FEATHERS WHILE HIS PLAYMATES SAT BELOW AND WATCHED HIM


YOU'LL FALL AND GET HURT SAID HIS SISTER BLOT HOLD YOUR TONGUE YOU UGLY LITTLE THING AND DON'T TALK TO ME I'M GOING TO CROW AND CAN'T BE INTERRUPTED BY ANY SILLY BIT OF A HEN BE QUIET DOWN THERE


AND HEAR IF I CAN'T DO IT AS WELL AS DADDY THE CHICKS STOPPED SCRATCHING AND PEEPING AND SAT IN A ROW TO HEAR STRUT CROW PERCHING HIMSELF ON THE BEAM HE TRIED HIS BEST


CAME OF IT AND ALL THE CHICKS LAUGHED THAT MADE STRUT MAD AND HE RESOLVED TO CROW EVEN IF HE KILLED HIMSELF DOING IT HE GAVE AN ANGRY CLUCK FLAPPED HIS WINGS AND TRIED AGAIN ALAS ALAS


FOR POOR STRUT HE LEANED SO FAR FORWARD IN HIS FRANTIC EFFORT TO GET A BIG CROW OUT THAT HE TOPPLED OVER AND FELL BUMP ON THE HARD BARN FLOOR KILLING HIMSELF INSTANTLY


FOR SOME TIME AFTER THIS MISSUS CLUCK KEPT HER THREE REMAINING LITTLE ONES CLOSE TO HER SIDE WATCHING OVER THEM WITH MATERNAL CARE TILL THEY WERE HEARTILY TIRED OF HER ANXIOUS CLUCKINGS PEEP AND PECK WERE ALWAYS TOGETHER


BEING VERY FOND OF ONE ANOTHER PEEP WAS A MOST INQUISITIVE CHICKEN POKING HER HEAD INTO EVERY NOOK AND CORNER AND NEVER SATISFIED TILL SHE HAD SEEN ALL THERE WAS TO SEE PECK WAS A GLUTTON


EATING EVERYTHING SHE COULD FIND AND OFTEN MAKING HERSELF ILL BY GOBBLING TOO FAST AND FORGETTING TO EAT A LITTLE GRAVEL TO HELP DIGEST HER FOOD DON'T GO OUT OF THE BARN CHILDREN I'M GOING TO LAY AN EGG


AND CAN'T LOOK AFTER YOU JUST NOW SAID THEIR MOTHER ONE DAY YES MA'AM CHIRPED THE CHICKENS AND THEN AS SHE WENT RUSTLING INTO THE HAY MOW THEY BEGAN TO RUN ABOUT AND ENJOY THEMSELVES WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT


PEEP FOUND A LITTLE HOLE INTO THE MEAL ROOM AND SLIPPED IN FULL OF JOY AT THE SIGHT OF THE BAGS BOXES AND BINS I'LL EAT ALL I WANT AND THEN I'LL CALL PECK SHE SAID


AND HAVING TAKEN A TASTE OF EVERY THING SHE WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE WHEN SHE HEARD THE STABLEMAN COMING AND IN HER FRIGHT COULDN'T FIND THE HOLE SO FLEW INTO THE MEAL BIN AND HID HERSELF


SAM NEVER SAW HER BUT SHUT DOWN THE COVER OF THE BIN AS HE PASSED AND LEFT POOR PEEP TO DIE NO ONE KNEW WHAT HAD BECOME OF HER TILL SOME DAYS LATER WHEN SHE WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE MEAL


WITH HER POOR LITTLE CLAWS STICKING STRAIGHT UP AS IF IMPLORING HELP PECK MEANWHILE GOT INTO MISCHIEF ALSO


SHE STRAYED INTO THE SHEEP SHED AND FINDING SOME SALT ATE AS MUCH AS SHE LIKED NOT KNOWING THAT SALT IS BAD FOR HENS HAVING TAKEN ALL SHE WANTED SHE RAN BACK TO THE BARN


AND WAS INNOCENTLY CATCHING GNATS WHEN HER MAMMA CAME OUT OF THE HAY MOW WITH A LOUD CUT CUT CUT


WHERE IS PEEP ASKED MISSUS CLUCK


THERE PECK STOPPED SUDDENLY ROLLED UP HER EYES AND BEGAN TO STAGGER ABOUT AS IF SHE WAS TIPSY MERCY ON US WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH THE CHICK CRIED MISSUS CLUCK IN GREAT ALARM FITS MA'AM ANSWERED DOCTOR DRAKE


WHO JUST THEN WADDLED BY OH WHAT CAN I DO SCREAMED THE DISTRACTED HEN NOTHING MA'AM IT'S FATAL AND THE DOCTOR WADDLED ON TO VISIT DAME PARTLET'S SON WHO WAS ILL OF THE PIP MY CHILD MY CHILD


DON'T FLAP AND STAGGER SO LET ME HOLD YOU TASTE THIS MINT LEAF HAVE A DROP OF WATER WHAT SHALL I DO AS POOR MISSUS CLUCK SIGHED AND SOBBED HER UNHAPPY CHILD WENT SCUFFLING ABOUT ON HER BACK


GASPING AND ROLLING UP HER EYES IN GREAT ANGUISH FOR SHE HAD EATEN TOO MUCH OF THE FATAL SALT AND THERE WAS NO HELP FOR HER WHEN ALL WAS OVER THEY BURIED THE DEAD CHICKEN UNDER A CURRANT BUSH COVERED THE LITTLE GRAVE WITH CHICKWEED


AND THE BEREAVED PARENT WORE A BLACK STRING ROUND HER LEG FOR A MONTH BLOT THE LAST OF THAT BRIGHT BAND NEEDED NO MOURNING FOR SHE WAS AS BLACK AS A CROW THIS WAS THE REASON WHY HER MOTHER NEVER


HAD LOVED HER AS MUCH AS SHE DID THE OTHERS WHO WERE ALL WHITE GRAY OR YELLOW POOR LITTLE BLOT HAD BEEN MUCH NEGLECTED BY EVERY ONE BUT NOW HER LONELY MAMMA DISCOVERED HOW GOOD AND AFFECTIONATE A CHICKEN SHE WAS


FOR BLOT WAS A GREAT COMFORT TO HER NEVER RUNNING AWAY OR DISOBEYING IN ANY WAY BUT ALWAYS CLOSE TO HER SIDE READY TO CREEP UNDER HER WING OR BRING HER A PLUMP BUG WHEN THE POOR BIDDY'S APPETITE FAILED HER


THEY WERE VERY HAPPY TOGETHER TILL THANKSGIVING DREW NEAR WHEN A DREADFUL PESTILENCE SEEMED TO SWEEP THROUGH THE FARM YARD FOR TURKEYS HENS DUCKS AND GEESE FELL A PREY TO IT


AND WERE SEEN BY THEIR SURVIVING RELATIVES FEATHERLESS PALE AND STIFF BORNE AWAY TO SOME UNKNOWN PLACE WHENCE NO FOWL RETURNED BLOT WAS WAKED ONE NIGHT BY A GREAT CACKLING AND FLUTTERING IN THE HEN HOUSE


AND PEEPING DOWN FROM HER PERCH SAW A GREAT HAND GLIDE ALONG THE ROOST CLUTCH HER BELOVED MOTHER BY THE LEG AND PULL HER OFF SCREAMING DOLEFULLY


AUNT COCKLETOP PECKED AND CROAKED FIERCELY BUT TOUGH AS SHE WAS THE OLD BIDDY DID NOT ESCAPE AND MANY ANOTHER AMIABLE HEN AND GALLANT COCKADOODLE FELL A VICTIM TO THAT MYSTERIOUS HAND


IN THE MORNING FEW REMAINED AND BLOT FELT THAT SHE WAS A FORLORN ORPHAN A THOUGHT WHICH CAUSED HER TO SIT WITH HER HEAD UNDER HER WING FOR SEVERAL HOURS BROODING OVER HER SAD LOT


AND LONGING TO JOIN HER FAMILY IN SOME SAFE AND HAPPY LAND WHERE FOWLS LIVE IN PEACE SHE HAD HER WISH VERY SOON FOR ONE DAY WHEN THE FIRST SNOWFLAKES BEGAN TO FLUTTER


BLOT SAW A LITTLE KITTEN MEWING PITIFULLY AS IT SAT UNDER THE FENCE WHAT IS THE MATTER DEAR ASKED KIND BLOT


I LIVE AT THE RED FARM HOUSE OVER THE HILL ONLY I DON'T KNOW WHICH ROAD TO TAKE I'LL SHOW YOU COME AT ONCE FOR NIGHT IS COMING ON AND THE SNOW WILL SOON BE TOO DEEP FOR US SAID BLOT SO AWAY THEY WENT


BUT IT WAS A LONG WAY AND DUSK CAME ON BEFORE THE RED FARM HOUSE APPEARED NOW I'M SAFE THANK YOU VERY MUCH WON'T YOU COME IN AND STAY ALL NIGHT MY MOTHER WILL BE GLAD TO SEE YOU


SAID THE KIT RUBBING HER SOFT WHITE FACE AGAINST BLOT'S LITTLE BLACK BREAST


SO GOOD BY DEAR AND OFF TROTTED BLOT ALONG THE SNOWY ROAD HOPING TO GET HOME BEFORE THE HEN HOUSE DOOR WAS SHUT FASTER AND FASTER FELL THE SNOW DARKER AND DARKER GREW THE NIGHT


AND COLDER AND COLDER BECAME POOR BLOT'S LITTLE FEET AS SHE WADED THROUGH THE DRIFTS THE FIRELIGHT WAS SHINING OUT INTO THE GLOOM


TO FIND ALL DOORS SHUT AND NO SHELTER LEFT FOR HER BUT THE BOUGH OF A LEAFLESS TREE TOO STIFF AND WEAK TO FLY UP SHE CREPT AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE BRIGHT GLOW WHICH SHONE ACROSS THE DOOR STEP


AND WITH A SHIVER PUT HER LITTLE HEAD UNDER HER WING TRYING TO FORGET HUNGER WEARINESS AND THE BITTER COLD AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR MORNING BUT WHEN MORNING CAME LITTLE BLOT LAY FROZEN STIFF UNDER A COVERLET OF SNOW


BEING ALONE IN LONDON YET WISHING TO CELEBRATE THE DAY I DECIDED TO PAY MY RESPECTS TO THE LIONS AT THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS A LOVELY PLACE IT WAS AND I ENJOYED MYSELF IMMENSELY FOR MAY DAY IN ENGLAND IS JUST WHAT IT SHOULD BE


MILD SUNNY FLOWERY AND SPRING LIKE AS I WALKED ALONG THE WELL KEPT PATHS BETWEEN WHITE AND ROSY HAWTHORN HEDGES I KEPT COMING UPON NEW AND CURIOUS SIGHTS


FOR THE BIRDS AND BEASTS ARE SO SKILFULLY ARRANGED THAT IT IS MORE LIKE TRAVELLING THROUGH A STRANGE AND PLEASANT COUNTRY THAN VISITING A MENAGERIE THE FIRST THING I SAW WAS A GREAT AMERICAN BISON


AND I WAS SO GLAD TO MEET WITH ANY ONE FROM HOME THAT I'D HAVE PATTED HIM WITH PLEASURE IF HE HAD SHOWN ANY CORDIALITY TOWARD ME HE DIDN'T HOWEVER


AND PUT DOWN HIS IMMENSE HEAD WITH A SULLEN SNORT AS IF HE'D HAVE TOSSED ME WITH GREAT SATISFACTION I DID NOT BLAME HIM FOR THE POOR FELLOW WAS HOMESICK DOUBTLESS FOR HIS OWN WIDE PRAIRIES AND THE FREE LIFE HE HAD LOST


SO I THREW HIM SOME FRESH CLOVER AND WENT ON TO THE PELICANS I NEVER KNEW BEFORE WHAT HANDSOME BIRDS THEY WERE NOT GRACEFUL BUT WITH SUCH SNOWY PLUMAGE TINGED WITH PALE PINK AND FAINT YELLOW


THEY HAD JUST HAD THEIR BATH AND STOOD ARRANGING THEIR FEATHERS WITH THEIR GREAT BILLS


WHEN FED THEY GOBBLED UP THE FISH NEVER STOPPING TO SWALLOW IT TILL THE POUCHES UNDER THEIR BILLS WERE FULL THEN THEY LEISURELY EMPTIED THEM AND SEEMED TO ENJOY THEIR LUNCH WITH THE GRAVE DELIBERATION OF REGULAR ENGLISHMEN


AND THERE FOUND A SPLENDID SIGHT SIX LIONS AND LIONESSES IN THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT CAGES SITTING OR STANDING IN DIGNIFIED ATTITUDES AND EYEING THE SPECTATORS WITH A MILD EXPRESSION IN THEIR FINE EYES


ONE LIONESS WAS ILL AND LAY ON HER BED LOOKING VERY PENSIVE WHILE HER MATE MOVED RESTLESSLY ABOUT HER EVIDENTLY ANXIOUS TO DO SOMETHING FOR HER AND MUCH AFFLICTED BY HER SUFFERING


I LIKED THIS LION VERY MUCH FOR THOUGH THE BIGGEST HE WAS VERY GENTLE AND HAD A NOBLE FACE THE TIGERS WERE RUSHING ABOUT AS TIGERS USUALLY ARE SOME CREEPING NOISELESSLY TO AND FRO


SOME LEAPING UP AND DOWN AND SOME WASHING THEIR FACES WITH THEIR VELVET PAWS ALL LOOKED AND ACTED SO LIKE CATS THAT I WASN'T AT ALL SURPRISED TO HEAR ONE OF THEM PURR WHEN THE KEEPER SCRATCHED HER HEAD


IT WAS A VERY LOUD AND LARGE PURR BUT NO FIRESIDE PUSSY COULD HAVE DONE IT BETTER AND EVERY ONE LAUGHED AT THE SOUND THERE WERE PRETTY SPOTTED LEOPARDS PANTHERS AND SMALLER VARIETIES OF THE SAME SPECIES


I SAT WATCHING THEM A LONG TIME LONGING TO LET SOME OF THE WILD THINGS OUT FOR A GOOD RUN THEY SEEMED SO UNHAPPY BARRED IN THOSE SMALL DENS SUDDENLY THE LIONS BEGAN TO ROAR THE TIGERS TO SNARL


AND ALL TO GET VERY MUCH EXCITED ABOUT SOMETHING SNIFFING AT THE OPENINGS THRUSTING THEIR PAWS THROUGH THE BARS AND LASHING THEIR TAILS IMPATIENTLY I COULDN'T IMAGINE WHAT THE TROUBLE WAS TILL


THIS WAS THEIR DINNER AND AS THEY WERE FED BUT ONCE A DAY THEY WERE RAVENOUS SUCH ROARS AND HOWLS AND CRIES AS AROSE WHILE THE MAN WENT SLOWLY DOWN THE LINE


GAVE ONE A GOOD IDEA OF THE SOUNDS TO BE HEARD IN INDIAN FORESTS AND JUNGLES THE LIONS BEHAVED BEST FOR THEY ONLY PACED UP AND DOWN WITH AN OCCASIONAL CRY BUT THE TIGERS WERE QUITE FRANTIC


FOR THEY TUMBLED ONE OVER THE OTHER SHOOK THE CAGES AND TRIED TO REACH THE BYSTANDERS


ONE LADY HAD A FRIGHT FOR THE WIND BLEW THE END OF HER SHAWL WITHIN REACH OF A TIGER'S GREAT CLAW AND HE CLUTCHED IT TRYING TO DRAG HER NEARER THE SHAWL CAME OFF AND THE POOR LADY RAN AWAY SCREAMING


AS IF A WHOLE FAMILY OF WILD BEASTS WERE AFTER HER


THE TIGERS SNARLED AND FOUGHT AND TORE AND GOT SO SAVAGE I WAS VERY GRATEFUL THAT THEY WERE SAFELY SHUT UP IN A FEW MINUTES NOTHING BUT WHITE BONES REMAINED AND THEN THEY HOWLED FOR MORE


ONE LITTLE LEOPARD WAS BETTER BRED THAN THE OTHERS FOR HE WENT UP ON A SHELF IN THE CAGE AND ATE HIS DINNER IN A QUIET PROPER MANNER WHICH WAS AN EXAMPLE TO THE REST THE LIONS ATE IN DIGNIFIED SILENCE


ALL BUT MY FAVOURITE WHO CARRIED HIS SHARE TO HIS SICK MATE AND BY EVERY GENTLE MEANS IN HIS POWER TRIED TO MAKE HER EAT SHE WAS TOO ILL HOWEVER AND TURNED AWAY WITH A PLAINTIVE MOAN WHICH SEEMED TO GRIEVE HIM SADLY


HE WOULDN'T TOUCH HIS DINNER BUT LAY DOWN NEAR HER WITH THE LUMP BETWEEN HIS PAWS AS IF GUARDING IT FOR HER AND THERE I LEFT HIM PATIENTLY WAITING IN SPITE OF HIS HUNGER TILL HIS MATE COULD SHARE IT WITH HIM


AS I TOOK A LAST LOOK AT HIS FINE OLD FACE I NAMED HIM DOUGLAS AND WALKED AWAY HUMMING TO MYSELF THE LINES OF THE BALLAD DOUGLAS DOUGLAS TENDER AND TRUE


AS A CONTRAST TO THE WILD BEASTS I WENT TO SEE THE MONKEYS WHO LIVED IN A FINE LARGE HOUSE ALL TO THEMSELVES HERE WAS EVERY VARIETY FROM THE GREAT UGLY CHIMPANZEE TO THE FUNNY LITTLE FELLOWS


WHO PLAYED LIKE BOYS AND CUT UP ALL SORTS OF CAPERS A MAMMA SAT TENDING HER BABY AND LOOKING SO LIKE A LITTLE OLD WOMAN THAT I LAUGHED TILL THE GRAY MONKEY WITH THE BLUE NOSE SCOLDED AT ME


HE WAS A CROSS OLD PARTY AND SAT HUDDLED UP IN THE STRAW SCOWLING AT EVERY ONE LIKE AN ILL TEMPERED OLD BACHELOR HALF A DOZEN LITTLE ONES TEASED HIM CAPITALLY BY DROPPING BITS OF BREAD


NUT SHELLS AND STRAWS DOWN ON HIM FROM ABOVE AS THEY CLIMBED ABOUT THE PERCHES OR SWUNG BY THEIR TAILS ONE POOR LITTLE CHAP HAD LOST THE CURLY END OF HIS TAIL I'M AFRAID THE GRAY ONE BIT IT OFF


AND KEPT TRYING TO SWING LIKE THE OTHERS FORGETTING THAT THE STRONG CURLY END WAS WHAT HE HELD ON WITH HE WOULD RUN UP THE BARE BOUGHS AND GIVE A JUMP EXPECTING TO CATCH AND SWING BUT THE LAME TAIL WOULDN'T HOLD HIM AND DOWN HE'D GO


BOUNCE ON TO THE STRAW AT FIRST HE'D SIT AND STARE ABOUT HIM AS IF MUCH AMAZED TO FIND HIMSELF THERE THEN HE'D SCRATCH HIS LITTLE ROUND HEAD AND BEGIN TO SCOLD VIOLENTLY WHICH SEEMED TO DELIGHT THE OTHER MONKEYS


AND FINALLY HE'D EXAMINE HIS POOR LITTLE TAIL AND APPEAR TO UNDERSTAND THE MISFORTUNE WHICH HAD BEFALLEN HIM THE FUNNY EXPRESSION OF HIS FACE WAS IRRESISTIBLE AND I ENJOYED SEEING HIM VERY MUCH


AND GAVE HIM A BUN TO COMFORT HIM WHEN I WENT AWAY THE SNAKE HOUSE CAME NEXT AND I WENT IN ON MY WAY TO VISIT THE RHINOCEROS FAMILY I RATHER LIKE SNAKES


SINCE I HAD A TAME GREEN ONE WHO LIVED UNDER THE DOOR STEP AND WOULD COME OUT AND PLAY WITH ME ON SUNNY DAYS THESE SNAKES I FOUND VERY INTERESTING ONLY THEY GOT UNDER THEIR BLANKETS AND WOULDN'T COME OUT AND I WASN'T ALLOWED TO POKE THEM


AND BLINKED AT ME THROUGH THE GLASS LOOKING QUITE AS DANGEROUS AS HE WAS THERE WERE BIG AND LITTLE SNAKES BLACK BROWN AND SPECKLED LIVELY AND LAZY PRETTY AND PLAIN ONES BUT I LIKED THE GREAT BOA


BEST WHEN I CAME TO HIS CAGE I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING BUT THE BRANCH OF A TREE SUCH AS I HAD SEEN IN OTHER CAGES FOR THE SNAKES TO WIND UP AND DOWN WHERE IS HE I WONDER I HOPE HE HASN'T GOT


OUT I SAID TO MYSELF THINKING OF A STORY I READ ONCE OF A PERSON IN A MENAGERIE WHO TURNED SUDDENLY AND SAW A GREAT BOA GLIDING TOWARDS HIM


AS I STOOD WONDERING IF THE BIG WORM COULD BE UNDER THE LITTLE FLAT BLANKET BEFORE ME THE BRANCH BEGAN TO MOVE ALL AT ONCE AND WITH A START I SAW A LIMB SWING DOWN TO STARE AT ME WITH THE BOA'S GLITTERING EYES


AND LAY SO STILL I HAD NOT SEEN HIM TILL HE CAME TO TAKE A LOOK AT ME A VERY VILLAINOUS LOOKING REPTILE HE WAS AND I FELT GRATEFUL THAT I DIDN'T LIVE IN A COUNTRY


WHERE SUCH UNPLEASANT NEIGHBOURS MIGHT POP IN UPON YOU UNEXPECTEDLY HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO TAKE A PROMENADE AND SHOW ME HIS SIZE WHICH SEEMED IMMENSE AS HE STRETCHED HIMSELF


AND THEN KNOTTED HIS ROUGH GRAYISH BODY INTO A GREAT LOOP WITH THE FIERY EYED HEAD IN THE MIDDLE HE WAS NOT ONE OF THE LARGEST KIND BUT I WAS QUITE SATISFIED AND LEFT HIM TO HIS DINNER OF RABBITS


WHICH I HADN'T THE HEART TO STAY AND SEE HIM DEVOUR ALIVE I WAS WALKING TOWARD THE CAMEL'S PAGODA WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A LONG DARK CURLING THING CAME OVER MY SHOULDER AND I FELT WARM BREATH IN MY FACE IT'S THE BOA I THOUGHT


MUCH TO THE AMUSEMENT OF SOME CHILDREN RIDING ON THE ELEPHANT WHOSE TRUNK HAD FRIGHTENED ME HE HAD POLITELY TRIED TO TELL ME TO CLEAR THE WAY WHICH I CERTAINLY HAD DONE WITH ALL SPEED PICKING MYSELF OUT OF THE HEDGE


I WALKED BESIDE HIM EXAMINING HIS CLUMSY FEET AND PEERING UP AT HIS SMALL INTELLIGENT EYE I'M VERY SURE HE WINKED AT ME AS IF ENJOYING THE JOKE AND KEPT POKING HIS TRUNK INTO MY POCKET


HOPING TO FIND SOMETHING EATABLE I FELT AS IF I HAD GOT INTO A FOREIGN COUNTRY AS I LOOKED ABOUT ME AND SAW ELEPHANTS AND CAMELS WALKING AMONG THE TREES FLOCKS OF SNOW WHITE CRANES STALKING OVER THE GRASS


ON THEIR LONG SCARLET LEGS STRIPED ZEBRAS RACING IN THEIR PADDOCK QUEER KANGAROOS HOPPING ABOUT WITH LITTLE ONES IN THEIR POUCHES PRETTY ANTELOPES CHASING ONE ANOTHER


AND IN AN IMMENSE WIRE COVERED AVIARY ALL SORTS OF BRILLIANT BIRDS WERE FLYING ABOUT AS GAILY AS IF AT HOME ONE OF THE CURIOSITIES WAS A SEA COW WHO LIVED IN A TANK OF SALT WATER


AND CAME AT THE KEEPER'S CALL TO KISS HIM AND FLOUNDER ON ITS FLIPPERS ALONG THE MARGIN OF THE TANK AFTER A FISH IT WAS VERY LIKE A SEAL ONLY MUCH LARGER AND HAD FOUR FINS INSTEAD OF TWO


ITS EYES WERE LOVELY SO DARK AND SOFT AND LIQUID BUT ITS MOUTH WAS NOT PRETTY AND I DECLINED ONE OF THE DAMP KISSES WHICH IT WAS READY TO DISPENSE AT WORD OF COMMAND


THE GREAT POLAR BEAR LIVED NEXT DOOR AND SPENT HIS TIME SPLASHING IN AND OUT OF A POOL OF WATER OR SITTING ON A BLOCK OF ICE PANTING AS IF THE MILD SPRING DAY WAS BLAZING MIDSUMMER


HE LOOKED VERY UNHAPPY AND I THOUGHT IT A PITY THAT THEY DIDN'T INVENT A BIG REFRIGERATOR FOR HIM THESE ARE NOT HALF OF THE WONDERFUL CREATURES I SAW


THE DAY WAS STILL YOUNG AND FAR BELOW US WAS STRETCHED THE MOVING FLOOR OF THE CHANNEL WITH A SILVER GREY FILM OF NIGHT MISTS NOT YET LIFTED IN THE OFFING A HUMMOCKY UP AND DOWN LINE OF CLIFFS


WITH THE STRAIGHT SUNPATH ACROSS IT SPANGLED AND GLEAMING LIKE A MACKEREL'S BACK THE RELIEF OF BEING ONCE MORE ON FIRM GROUND AND THE EXULTATION OF AN ESCAPE FROM IMMEDIATE DANGER REMOVED MY PAIN AND MADE ME FORGET THAT MY LEG WAS BROKEN


AND THE WIND WHICH A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THREATENED TO BLOW ME FROM THAT NARROW LEDGE SEEMED NOW BUT THE GENTLEST OF BREEZES FRESH WITH THE BREATH OF THE KINDLY SEA BUT THIS WAS ONLY FOR A MOMENT FOR THE ANGUISH CAME BACK AND GREW APACE


AND I FELL TO THINKING DISMALLY OF THE PLIGHT WE WERE IN HOW THINGS HAD BEEN AGAINST US IN THESE LAST DAYS FIRST THERE WAS LOSING THE WHY NOT AND THAT WAS BAD ENOUGH SECOND


THERE WAS THE BEING KNOWN BY THE EXCISE FOR SMUGGLERS AND PERHAPS FOR MURDERERS THIRD AND LAST THERE WAS THE BREAKING OF MY LEG WHICH MADE ESCAPE SO DIFFICULT BUT MOST OF ALL


THERE CAME BEFORE MY EYES THAT GREY FACE TURNED UP AGAINST THE MORNING SUN AND I THOUGHT OF ALL IT MEANT FOR GRACE AND WOULD HAVE GIVEN MY OWN LIFE TO CALL BACK THAT OF OUR WORST ENEMY THEN ELZEVIR SAT UP STRETCHING HIMSELF LIKE ONE WAKING OUT OF SLEEP


AND SAID WE MUST BE GONE THEY WILL NOT BE BACK FOR SOME TIME YET AND WHEN THEY COME WILL NOT THINK TO SEARCH CLOSELY FOR US HEREABOUTS BUT THAT WE CANNOT RISK AND MUST GET CLEAR AWAY


THIS LEG OF THINE WILL KEEP US TIED FOR WEEKS AND WE MUST FIND SOME PLACE WHERE WE CAN LIE HID AND TEND IT NOW I KNOW SUCH A HIDING HOLE IN PURBECK WHICH THEY CALL JOSEPH'S PIT AND THITHER WE MUST GO BUT IT WILL TAKE ALL THE DAY TO GET THERE


AND SO HE TOOK ME IN HIS ARMS AGAIN AND STARTED OFF ACROSS THE FIELDS I NEED NOT TELL OF THAT WEARY JOURNEY AND INDEED COULD NOT IF I WISHED FOR THE PAIN WENT TO MY HEAD AND FILLED ME WITH SUCH A DROWSY ANGUISH


THAT I KNEW NOTHING EXCEPT WHEN SOME UNLOOKED FOR MOVEMENT GAVE ME A SHARPER TWINGE AND MADE ME CRY OUT AT FIRST ELZEVIR WALKED BRISKLY BUT AS THE DAY WORE ON WENT SLOWER


IT WAS AFTER NOON FOR THE SUN WAS PAST THE MERIDIAN AND VERY HOT FOR THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN THE FACE OF THE COUNTRY BEGAN TO CHANGE AND INSTEAD OF THE SHORT SWARD OF THE OPEN DOWN SPRINKLED WITH TINY WHITE SNAIL SHELLS


THE GROUND WAS BRASHY WITH FLAT STONES AND DIVIDED UP INTO TILLAGE FIELDS IT WAS A BLEAK WIDE BITTEN PLACE ENOUGH LOOKING AS IF TWOULD NEVER PAY FOR TURNING AND INSTEAD OF HEDGES THERE WERE DREARY WALLS BUILT OF DRY STONE WITHOUT MORTAR


BEHIND ONE OF THESE WALLS BROKEN DOWN IN PLACES BUT HELD TOGETHER WITH STRAGGLING IVY AND BUTTRESSED HERE AND THERE WITH A BRAMBLE BUSH ELZEVIR PUT ME DOWN AT LENGTH AND SAID I AM BEAT AND CAN CARRY THEE NO FARTHER FOR THIS PRESENT


THOUGH THERE IS NOT NOW MUCH FARTHER TO GO WE HAVE PASSED PURBECK GATES AND THESE WALLS WILL SCREEN US FROM PRYING EYES IF ANY CHANCE COMER PASS ALONG THE DOWN AND AS FOR THE SOLDIERS THEY ARE NOT LIKE TO COME THIS WAY SO SOON


AND IF THEY COME I CANNOT HELP IT FOR WEARINESS AND THE SUN'S HEAT HAVE MADE MY FEET LIKE LEAD A SCORE OF YEARS AGO I WOULD HAVE LAUGHED AT SUCH A TASK BUT NOW TIS DIFFERENT


SO SIT THEE HERE AND LEAN THY SHOULDER UP AGAINST THE WALL AND THUS THOU CANST LOOK THROUGH THIS BROKEN PLACE AND WATCH BOTH WAYS THEN IF THOU SEE AUGHT MOVING WAKE ME UP


I WISH I HAD A THIMBLEFUL OF POWDER TO MAKE THIS WHISTLE SOUND' AND HE TOOK MASKEW'S SILVER BUTTED PISTOL AGAIN FROM HIS BOSOM AND HANDLED IT LOVINGLY


WITH THAT HE FLUNG HIMSELF DOWN WHERE THERE WAS A NARROW SHADOW CLOSE AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE WALL AND IN A MINUTE I KNEW FROM HIS HEAVY BREATHING THAT HE WAS ASLEEP THE WIND HAD FRESHENED MUCH AND WAS BLOWING STRONG FROM THE WEST


AND NOW THAT I WAS UNDER THE LEE OF THE WALL


AND GETS AT LENGTH INTO SHELTER MOREOVER THOUGH I WAS NOT TIRED BY GRIEVOUS TOIL LIKE ELZEVIR I HAD PASSED A NIGHT WITHOUT SLEEP AND FELT BESIDES THE WEARINESS OF PAIN TO LULL ME TO SLUMBER


THEN I SOUGHT SOMETHING TO FIX MY THOUGHTS AND LOOKING ON THAT SIDE OF THE WALL WHERE THE SWARD WAS FELL TO COUNTING THE MOLE HILLS THAT WERE CAST UP IN NUMBERS THEREABOUT AND WHEN I HAD EXHAUSTED THEM AND RECKONED UP THIRTY LITTLE HEAPS OF DRY AND POWDERY BROWN EARTH


THAT LAY AT RANDOM ON THE GREEN TURF I TURNED MY EYES TO THE TILLAGE FIELD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL AND SAW THE INCH HIGH BLADES OF CORN COMING UP BETWEEN THE STONES THEN I FELL TO COUNTING THE BLADES FEELING GLAD TO HAVE DISCOVERED A RECKONING THAT WOULD NOT BE EXHAUSTED AT THIRTY


BUT WOULD GO ON FOR MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND BEFORE I HAD REACHED TEN IN SO HEROIC A NUMERATION WAS FAST ASLEEP A SHARP NOISE WOKE ME WITH A START THAT SET THE PAIN TINGLING IN MY LEG


AND THOUGH I COULD SEE NOTHING I KNEW THAT A SHOT HAD BEEN FIRED VERY NEAR US I WAS FOR WAKING ELZEVIR BUT HE WAS ALREADY FULL AWAKE AND PUT A FINGER ON HIS LIP TO SHOW I SHOULD NOT SPEAK THEN


ENOUGH FOR HIM TO LOOK THROUGH THE LEAVES WITHOUT BEING SEEN HE DROPPED DOWN AGAIN WITH A LOOK OF RELIEF AND SAID TIS BUT A LAD SCARING ROOKS WITH A BLUNDERBUSS WE WILL NOT STIR UNLESS HE MAKES THIS WAY A MINUTE LATER HE SAID THE BOY IS COMING STRAIGHT FOR THE WALL


WE SHALL HAVE TO SHOW OURSELVES AND WHILE HE SPOKE THERE WAS A RATTLE OF FALLING STONES WHERE THE BOY WAS PARTLY CLIMBING AND PARTLY PULLING DOWN THE DRY WALL AND SO ELZEVIR STOOD UP THE BOY LOOKED FRIGHTENED AND MADE AS IF HE WOULD RUN OFF


BUT ELZEVIR PASSED HIM THE TIME OF DAY IN A CIVIL VOICE AND HE STOPPED AND GAVE IT BACK WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE SON BLOCK ASKED SCARING ROOKS FOR FARMER TOPP WAS THE ANSWER


HAVE YOU GOT A CHARGE OF POWDER TO SPARE SAID ELZEVIR SHOWING HIS PISTOL I WANT TO GET A RABBIT IN THE GORSE FOR SUPPER AND HAVE DROPPED MY FLASK MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN A FLASK IN WALKING THROUGH THE FURROWS HE WHISPERED TO ME TO LIE STILL


NO TIME WAS WASTED IN WORDS ELZEVIR HAD THE FLASK IN HIS POCKET AND THE BOY WAS BITING THE CROWN WHAT SHOT HAVE YOU SAID ELZEVIR WHAT HAVE YOU DROPPED YOUR SHOT FLASK TOO ASKED THE BOY


AND HIS VOICE HAD SOMETHING OF SURPRISE IN IT NAY BUT MY SHOT ARE OVER SMALL


BUT THOU MUST PAY A SHILLING FOR THEM MY MASTER SAYS I NEVER AM TO USE THEM EXCEPT I SEE A SWAN OR BUZZARD OR SOMETHING FIT TO COOK COME OVER I SHALL GET A SOUND BEATING FOR MY PAINS AND TO BE BEAT IS WORTH A SHILLING IF THOU ART BEAT BE BEAT FOR SOMETHING MORE SAYS ELZEVIR THE TEMPTER


THE SMUGGLERS GOT OFF CLEAR BUT THEY SAY THE HUE AND CRY IS UP ALREADY AND THAT A HEAD PRICE WILL BE FIXED OF TWENTY POUND SO IF I SELL YOU A FOWLING PIECE MAYBE I SHALL DO WRONG AND HAVE THE GOVERNMENT UPON ME AS WELL AS MY MASTER THE SURPRISE IN HIS VOICE WAS CHANGED TO SUSPICION


FOR WHILE HE SPOKE I SAW THAT HIS EYE HAD FALLEN ON MY FOOT THOUGH I TRIED TO KEEP IT IN THE SHADOW AND THAT HE SAW THE BOOT CLOTTED WITH BLOOD AND THE KERCHIEF TIED ROUND MY LEG TIS FOR THAT VERY REASON SAYS ELZEVIR THAT I WANT THE FIRELOCK


THESE SMUGGLERS ARE ROAMING LOOSE AND A PISTOL IS A POOR THING TO STOP SUCH WICKED RASCALS ON A LONE HILL SIDE COME COME THOU DOST NOT WANT A PIECE TO GUARD THEE THEY WILL NOT HURT A BOY HE HAD THE GUINEA BETWEEN HIS FINGER AND THUMB


AND SO I SAID AS MUCH TO ELZEVIR WHO ONLY LAUGHED SAYING THE BOY WAS SIMPLE AND HARMLESS BUT FROM WHERE I SAT I COULD PEEP OUT THROUGH THE BRAMBLES IN THE OPEN GAP AND SEE WITHOUT BEING SEEN AND THERE WAS MY YOUNG GENTLEMAN WALKING CARELESSLY ENOUGH


BUT WHEN ELZEVIR SAT DOWN THE BOY GAVE A CAREFUL LOOK ROUND AND SEEING NO ONE WATCHING ANY MORE


THEN I KNEW THAT HE HAD GUESSED WHO WE WERE AND WAS OFF TO WARN THE HUE AND CRY BUT BEFORE ELZEVIR WAS ON HIS FEET AGAIN THE BOY WAS OUT OF SIGHT OVER THE HILL BROW LET US MOVE ON SAID BLOCK TIS BUT A LITTLE DISTANCE NOW TO GO AND THE HEAT IS PAST ALREADY


WE MUST HAVE SLEPT THREE HOURS OR MORE FOR THOU ART BUT A SORRY WATCHMAN JOHN TIS WHEN THE SENTRY SLEEPS THAT THE ENEMY LAUGHS AND FOR THEE THE POSSE MIGHT HAVE HAD US BOTH LIKE DAYLIGHT OWLS WITH THAT HE TOOK ME ON HIS BACK AND MADE OFF WITH A LUSTY STRIDE


AND IN THE SHELTER OF THE WALLS WE HAD SLEPT LONGER THAN WE THOUGHT FOR THE SUN WAS WESTERING FAST AND THOUGH THE REST HAD REFRESHED ME MY LEG HAD GROWN STIFF AND HURT THE MORE IN DANGLING WHEN WE STARTED AGAIN


ELZEVIR WAS STILL WALKING STRONGLY IN SPITE OF THE HEAVY BURDEN HE CARRIED AND IN LESS THAN HALF AN HOUR I KNEW THOUGH I HAD NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE WE WERE IN THE LAND OF THE OLD MARBLE QUARRIES AT THE BACK OF ANVIL POINT


ALTHOUGH I KNEW LITTLE OF THESE QUARRIES AND CERTAINLY WAS IN EVIL PLIGHT TO TAKE NOTE OF ANYTHING AT THAT TIME YET AFTERWARDS I LEARNT MUCH ABOUT THEM OUT OF SUCH EXCAVATIONS COMES THAT BLACK PURBECK MARBLE WHICH YOU SEE IN OLD CHURCHES IN OUR COUNTRY


AND I AM TOLD IN OTHER PARTS OF ENGLAND AS WELL AND THE WAY OF MAKING A MARBLE QUARRY IS TO SINK A TUNNEL SLANTING VERY STEEPLY DOWN INTO THE EARTH LIKE A WELL TURNED ASKEW TILL YOU REACH FIFTY SEVENTY OR PERHAPS ONE HUNDRED FEET DEEP THEN


FROM THE BOTTOM OF THIS SHAFT THERE SPREAD OUT NARROW PASSAGES OR TUNNELS MOSTLY SIX FEET HIGH BUT SOMETIMES ONLY THREE OR FOUR AND IN THESE THE MARBLE IS DUG THESE QUARRIES WERE MADE BY MEN CENTURIES AGO SOME SAY BY THE ROMANS THEMSELVES


WHICH WAS JUST PUTTING ON THE BRIGHTER GREEN OF SPRING THIS TURF WAS NOT SMOOTH BUT HUMMOCKY FOR UNDER IT LAY HEAPS OF WORTHLESS STONE AND MARBLE DRAWN OUT OF THE QUARRIES AGES AGO WHICH THE GREEN VESTMENT HAD COVERED FOR THE MOST PART


THOUGH IT LEFT SOMETIMES A LITTLE PATCH OF BROKEN RUBBLE PEERING OUT AT THE TOP OF A MOUND THERE WERE MANY TUMBLE DOWN WALLS AND LOW GABLES LEFT OF THE COTTAGES OF THE OLD QUARRYMEN GRASS COVERED RIDGES MARKED OUT THE LITTLE GARDEN FOLDS


AND HERE AND THERE STILL STOOD A FORLORN GOOSEBERRY BUSH


ON WHICH THE MARBLE BLOCKS WERE ONCE HAULED UP BY WOODEN WINCHES DOWN THESE STEPS NO FEET EVER WALKED NOW FOR NOT ONLY WERE SUFFOCATING GASES SAID TO BESET THE BOTTOM OF THE SHAFTS


FOR IF IT WERE NOT FOR THIS HOLY PURPOSE THE MANDRIVE WOULD HAVE POWER TO STRANGLE THE MAN THAT HEWED IT IT WAS BY THE SIDE OF ONE OF THESE OLD SHAFTS THAT ELZEVIR LAID ME DOWN AT LAST THE LIGHT WAS VERY LOW


AND THE SWARD CREPT OVER THE EDGES OF THE HOLE AND EVERY CRACK AND CREVICE IN STEPS AND SLIDE WAS GREEN WITH FERNS THE GREEN FERNS SHROUDED THE WALLS OF THE HOLE AND RUDDY BROWN BRAMBLES OVERGREW THE STEPS


THERE HE SAID THIS IS JOSEPH'S PIT AND HERE WE MUST LIE HID UNTIL THY FOOT IS SOUND AGAIN ONCE GET TO THE BOTTOM SAFE AND WE CAN LAUGH AT POSSE AND HUE AND CRY


AND BEFORE THEY COME TO WHERE WE LIE WE CAN HOLD THE TROOP AT BAY AND SELL OUR LIVES SO DEAR THEY WILL NOT CARE TO BUY THEM WE WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND THEN HE TOOK ME IN HIS ARMS AND BEGAN TO DESCEND THE STEPS BACK FIRST AS ONE GOES DOWN A HATCHWAY


AND HOW FAR OFF WE WERE NOW AND HOW LONG IT WAS LIKELY TO BE BEFORE I SAW THAT DEAR VILLAGE AND GRACE AGAIN THE STAIRS WERE STILL SHARP CUT AND LITTLE WORN BUT ELZEVIR PAID GREAT CARE TO HIS FEET LEST HE SHOULD SLIP ON THE FERNS AND MOSSES WITH WHICH THEY WERE OVERGROWN


HE SHOVED THEM ASIDE WITH HIS BROAD SHOULDERS AND SCREENED MY DANGLING LEG FROM GETTING CAUGHT THUS HE CAME SAFE WITHOUT STUMBLE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PIT WHEN WE GOT THERE ALL WAS DARK BUT HE STEPPED OFF INTO A NARROW OPENING ON THE RIGHT HAND


AND WALKED ON AS IF HE KNEW THE WAY I COULD SEE NOTHING BUT PERCEIVED THAT WE WERE PASSING THROUGH ENDLESS GALLERIES CUT IN THE SOLID ROCK HIGH ENOUGH FOR THE MOST PART TO ALLOW OF WALKING UPRIGHT BUT SOMETIMES SO LOW AS TO FORCE HIM TO BEND DOWN


AND CARRY ME IN A VERY CONSTRAINED ATTITUDE ONLY TWICE DID HE SET ME DOWN AT A TURNING WHILE HE TOOK OUT HIS TINDER BOX AND LIT A MATCH


HOW FEARFUL AND DIZZY TIS TO CAST ONE'S EYES SO LOW I'LL LOOK NO MORE


SHAKESPEARE THE WHILE CHALK WAS A BULWARK BETWEEN US AND THE FOE AND THOUGH ONE OR TWO OF THEM LOOSED OFF THEIR MATCHLOCKS TRYING TO GET AT US SIDEWAYS THEY COULD NOT EVEN SEE THEIR QUARRY


AND TWAS ONLY SHOOTING AT A VENTURE WE WERE SAFE BUT FOR HOW SHORT A TIME SAFE JUST FOR SO LONG AS IT SHOULD PLEASE THE SOLDIERS NOT TO COME DOWN TO TAKE US


SAFE WITH A DISCHARGED PISTOL IN OUR GRASP AND A SHOT MAN LYING AT OUR FEET ELZEVIR WAS THE FIRST TO SPEAK CAN YOU STAND JOHN IS THE BONE BROKEN


I CANNOT STAND I SAID THERE IS SOMETHING GONE IN MY LEG AND I FEEL BLOOD RUNNING DOWN INTO MY BOOT HE KNELT AND ROLLED DOWN THE LEG OF MY STOCKING BUT THOUGH HE ONLY MOVED MY FOOT


EVER SO LITTLE IT CAUSED ME SHARP PAIN FOR FEELING WAS COMING BACK AFTER THE FIRST NUMBNESS OF THE SHOT THEY HAVE BROKE THE LEG THOUGH IT BLEEDS LITTLE ELZEVIR SAID WE HAVE NO TIME TO SPLICE IT HERE


BUT I WILL PUT A KERCHIEF ROUND AND WHILE I WRAP IT LISTEN TO HOW WE LIE AND THEN CHOOSE WHAT WE SHALL DO I NODDED BITING MY LIPS HARD TO CONCEAL THE PAIN HE GAVE ME AND HE WENT ON


WE HAVE A QUARTER OF AN HOUR BEFORE THE POSSE CAN GET DOWN TO US BUT COME THEY WILL AND THOU CANST JUDGE WHAT CHANCE WE HAVE TO SAVE LIBERTY


AND HE JERKED HIS THUMB AT MASKEW


AND THEREFORE DO NOT BLAME THEE IF THOU DIDST MAKE ME WASTE A CHARGE IN AIR SO ONE THING WE CAN DO IS TO WAIT HERE UNTIL THEY COME AND I CAN ACCOUNT FOR A FEW OF THEM BEFORE THEY SHOOT ME DOWN BUT THOU CANST NOT FIGHT WITH A BROKEN LEG


AND THEY WILL TAKE THEE ALIVE AND THEN THERE IS A DANCE ON AIR AT DORCHESTER JAIL I FELT SICK WITH PAIN AND BITTERLY CAST DOWN TO THINK THAT I WAS LIKE TO COME SO SOON TO SUCH A VILE END


SO ONLY GAVE A SIGH WISHING HEARTILY THAT MASKEW WERE NOT DEAD AND THAT MY LEG WERE NOT BROKE BUT THAT I WAS BACK AGAIN AT THE WHY NOT OR EVEN HEARING ONE OF DOCTOR SHERLOCK'S SERMONS IN MY AUNT'S PARLOUR


THERE IS YET ANOTHER WAY THAT WE MAY TRY AND IF THOU HADST BUT TWO WHOLE LEGS I WOULD HAVE TRIED IT BUT NOW TIS LITTLE SHORT OF MADNESS AND YET IF THOU FEAR'ST NOT I WILL STILL TRY IT


JUST AT THE END OF THIS FLAT LEDGE FARTHEST FROM WHERE THE BRIDLE PATH LEADS DOWN BUT NOT A HUNDRED YARDS FROM WHERE WE STAND THERE IS A SHEEP TRACK LEADING UP THE CLIFF IT STARTS


WHERE THE UNDER CLIFF DIES BACK AGAIN INTO THE CHALK FACE AND CLIMBS BY SLANTS AND ELBOW TURNS UP TO THE TOP THE SHEPHERDS CALL IT THE ZIGZAG AND EVEN SHEEP LOSE THEIR FOOTING ON IT AND OF MEN


I NEVER HEARD BUT ONE HAD CLIMBED IT AND THAT WAS LANDER JORDAN WHEN THE EXCISE WAS ON HIS HEELS HALF A CENTURY BACK BUT HE THAT TRIES IT STAKES ALL ON HEAD AND FOOT AND A WOUNDED BIRD LIKE THEE MAY NOT DARE THAT FLIGHT


YET IF THOU ART CONTENT TO HANG THY LIFE UPON A HAIR I WILL CARRY THEE SOME WAY AND WHERE THERE IS NO ROOM TO CARRY


IT WAS A DESPERATE CHANCE ENOUGH BUT CAME AS WELCOME AS A PATCH OF BLUE THROUGH LOWERING SKIES YES I SAID DEAR MASTER ELZEVIR LET US GET TO IT QUICKLY AND IF WE FALL


TIS BETTER FAR TO DIE UPON THE ROCKS BELOW THAN TO WAIT HERE FOR THEM TO HALE US OFF TO JAIL AND WITH THAT I TRIED TO STAND THINKING I MIGHT GO DOT AND CARRY EVEN WITH A BROKEN LEG


AND A THREAD OF BLOOD THAT WELLED UP FROM IT AND TRICKLED OFF ON TO THE SWARD IT WAS A SIGHT TO STAGGER ANY MAN AND WOULD HAVE MADE ME SWOON PERHAPS BUT THAT THERE WAS NO TIME FOR WE WERE AT THE END OF THE UNDER CLIFF


AND TWAS A TASK THAT MIGHT COW THE BRAVEST AND WHEN I LOOKED UPON THE ZIGZAG IT SEEMED BETTER TO STAY WHERE WE WERE AND FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE POSSE THAN SET FOOT ON THAT AWFUL WAY AND FALL UPON THE ROCKS BELOW


FOR THE ZIGZAG STARTED OFF AS A FAIR ENOUGH CHALK PATH BUT IN A FEW PACES NARROWED DOWN TILL IT WAS BUT A WHITER THREAD AGAINST THE GREY WHITE CLIFF FACE


FAUGH SAID ELZEVIR TIS A POOR BEAST HAS LOST HIS FOOTHOLD IT WAS AN ILL OMEN ENOUGH AND I SAID AS MUCH BESEECHING HIM TO MAKE HIS OWN WAY UP THE ZIGZAG


AND LEAVE ME WHERE I WAS FOR THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE MERCY ON A BOY TUSH HE CRIED IT IS THY HEART THAT FAILS THEE AND TIS TOO LATE NOW TO CHANGE COUNSEL


WE HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES YET TO WIN OR LOSE WITH AND IF WE GAIN THE CLIFF TOP IN THAT TIME WE SHALL HAVE AN HOUR'S START OR MORE FOR THEY WILL TAKE ALL THAT TO SEARCH THE UNDER CLIFF AND MASKEW TOO


WILL KEEP THEM IN CHECK A LITTLE WHILE THEY TRY TO BRING THE LIFE BACK TO SO GOOD A MAN BUT IF WE FALL WHY WE SHALL FALL TOGETHER AND OUTWIT THEIR CUNNING


SO SHUT THY EYES AND KEEP THEM TIGHT UNTIL I BID THEE OPEN THEM WITH THAT HE CAUGHT ME UP AGAIN AND I SHUT MY EYES FIRM REBUKING MYSELF FOR MY FAINT HEARTEDNESS AND NOT TELLING HIM HOW MUCH MY FOOT HURT ME


IN A MINUTE I KNEW FROM ELZEVIR'S STEPS THAT HE HAD LEFT THE TURF AND WAS UPON THE CHALK NOW I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE HALF A DOZEN MEN BESIDE IN ENGLAND WHO WOULD HAVE VENTURED UP THAT PATH EVEN FREE AND UNTRAMMELLED


AND NOT A MAN IN ALL THE WORLD TO DO IT WITH A FULL GROWN LAD IN HIS ARMS YET ELZEVIR MADE NO BONES OF IT NOR SPOKE A SINGLE WORD ONLY HE WENT VERY SLOW AND I FELT HIM SCUFFLE WITH HIS FOOT


THUS HE WENT ON FOR A TIME THAT SEEMED WITHOUT END AND YET WAS REALLY BUT A MINUTE OR TWO AND BY DEGREES I FELT THE WIND THAT WE COULD SCARCE PERCEIVE AT ALL ON THE UNDER CLIFF BLOW FRESHER AND COLD ON THE CLIFF SIDE


AND THEN THE PATH GREW STEEPER AND STEEPER AND ELZEVIR WENT SLOWER AND SLOWER TILL AT LAST HE SPOKE JOHN I AM GOING TO STOP


BUT OPEN NOT THY EYES TILL I HAVE SET THEE DOWN AND BID THEE I DID AS BIDDEN AND HE LOWERED ME GENTLY SETTING ME ON ALL FOURS UPON THE PATH AND SPEAKING AGAIN


THE PATH IS TOO NARROW HERE FOR ME TO CARRY THEE AND THOU MUST CREEP ROUND THIS CORNER ON THY HANDS AND KNEES BUT HAVE A CARE TO KEEP THY OUTER HAND NEAR TO THE INNER AND THE BALANCE OF THY BODY TO THE CLIFF


FOR THERE IS NO ROOM TO DANCE HORNPIPES HERE AND HOLD THY EYES FIXED ON THE CHALK WALL LOOKING NEITHER DOWN NOR SEAWARD TWAS WELL HE TOLD ME WHAT TO DO AND WELL I DID IT


BUT SPENT MUCH TIME THAT WAS SO PRECIOUS IN TRAVELLING THOSE TEN YARDS TO TAKE ME ROUND THE FIRST ELBOW OF THE PATH FOR MY FOOT WAS HEAVY AND GAVE ME FIERCE PAIN TO DRAG THOUGH I TRIED TO MASK IT FROM ELZEVIR AND HE


FORGETTING WHAT I SUFFERED CRIED OUT QUICKEN THY PACE LAD IF THOU CANST THE TIME IS SHORT NOW SO FRAIL IS MAN'S TEMPER THAT THOUGH HE WAS DOING MORE THAN ANY EVER DID TO SAVE ANOTHER'S LIFE AND WAS ALL I HAD TO TRUST TO IN THE WORLD YET


BUT HERE WAS ANOTHER DIFFICULTY FOR THE PATH WAS STILL SO NARROW AND THE CLIFF WALL SO CLOSE THAT HE COULD NOT TAKE ME UP IN HIS ARMS SO I LAY FLAT ON MY FACE AND HE STEPPED OVER ME SETTING HIS FOOT BETWEEN MY SHOULDERS TO DO IT


AND THEN WHILE HE KNELT DOWN UPON THE PATH


PUTTING MY ARMS ROUND HIS NECK AND SO HE BORE ME PICKABACK I SHUT MY EYES FIRM AGAIN AND THUS WE MOVED ALONG ANOTHER SPELL MOUNTING STILL AND FEELING THE WIND STILL FRESHENING


BOTH WERE ON ALL FOURS NOW ELZEVIR FIRST AND I FOLLOWING BUT AS I CREPT ALONG I RELAXED CARE FOR A MOMENT AND MY EYES WANDERED FROM THE CLIFF SIDE AND LOOKED DOWN AND FAR BELOW


I SAW THE BLUE SEA TWINKLING LIKE A DAZZLING MIRROR AND THE GULLS WHEELING ABOUT THE SHEER CHALK WALL AND THEN I THOUGHT OF THAT BLOATED CARCASS OF A SHEEP THAT HAD FALLEN FROM THIS VERY SPOT PERHAPS AND IN AN INSTANT


FELT A SICKENING QUALM AND SWIMMING OF THE BRAIN AND KNEW THAT I WAS GIDDY AND MUST FALL THEN I CALLED OUT TO ELZEVIR AND HE GUESSING WHAT HAD COME OVER ME CRIES TO TURN UPON MY SIDE AND PRESS MY BELLY TO THE CLIFF


AND HOW HE DID IT IN SUCH A NARROW STRAIT I KNOW NOT BUT HE TURNED ROUND AND LYING DOWN HIMSELF THRUST HIS HAND FIRMLY IN MY BACK PRESSING ME CLOSER TO THE CLIFF YET IT WAS NONE TOO SOON FOR IF HE HAD NOT HELD ME TIGHT


I SHOULD HAVE FLUNG MYSELF DOWN IN SHEER DESPAIR TO GET QUIT OF THAT DREADFUL SICKNESS KEEP THINE EYES SHUT JOHN HE SAID AND COUNT UP NUMBERS LOUD TO ME THAT I MAY KNOW THOU ART NOT TURNING FAINT


SO I GAVE OUT ONE TWO THREE AND WHILE I WENT ON COUNTING HEARD HIM REPEATING TO HIMSELF THOUGH HIS WORDS SEEMED THIN AND FAR OFF WE MUST HAVE TAKEN TEN MINUTES TO GET HERE


AND IN FIVE MORE THEY WILL BE ON THE UNDER CLIFF AND IF WE EVER REACH THE TOP WHO KNOWS BUT THEY HAVE LEFT A GUARD NO NO THEY WILL NOT LEAVE A GUARD FOR NOT A MAN KNOWS OF THE ZIGZAG AND IF THEY KNEW


LIKE SITTING GUILLEMOTS AGAINST THE CLIFF FACE SO HE TALKED TO HIMSELF AND ALL THE WHILE I WOULD HAVE GIVEN A WORLD TO PLUCK UP HEART AND CREEP ON FARTHER YET COULD NOT FOR THE DEADLY SWEATING FEAR THAT HAD HOLD OF ME


THUS I LAY WITH MY FACE TO THE CLIFF AND ELZEVIR PUSHING FIRMLY IN MY BACK AND THE THING THAT FRIGHTENED ME MOST WAS THAT THERE WAS NOTHING AT ALL FOR THE HAND TO TAKE HOLD OF FOR HAD THERE BEEN A PIECE OF STRING OR EVEN A THREAD OF COTTON


I THINK I COULD HAVE DONE IT BUT THERE WAS ONLY THE CLIFF WALL SHEER AND WHITE AGAINST THAT NARROWEST WAY WITH NEVER CRANNY TO PUT A FINGER INTO THE WIND WAS BLOWING IN FRESH PUFFS AND THOUGH I DID NOT OPEN MY EYES


I KNEW THAT IT WAS MOVING THE LITTLE TUFTS OF BENT GRASS AND THE CHIDING CRIES OF THE GULLS SEEMED TO INVITE ME TO BE DONE WITH FEAR AND PAIN AND BROKEN LEG AND FLING MYSELF OFF ON TO THE ROCKS BELOW THEN ELZEVIR SPOKE JOHN HE SAID


THERE IS NO TIME TO PLAY THE WOMAN ANOTHER MINUTE OF THIS AND WE ARE LOST PLUCK UP THY COURAGE KEEP THY EYES TO THE CLIFF AND FORWARD YET I COULD NOT BUT ANSWERED I CANNOT I CANNOT


MOVE THOU MUST AND TIS BETTER TO RISK FALLING NOW THAN FALL FOR CERTAIN WITH ANOTHER BULLET IN THEE LATER ON AND WITH THAT HE SHIFTED HIS HAND FROM MY BACK AND FIXED IT IN MY COAT COLLAR MOVING BACKWARDS HIMSELF AND SETTING TO DRAG ME AFTER HIM


NOW I WAS SO BESOTTED WITH FRIGHT THAT I WOULD NOT BUDGE AN INCH FEARING TO FALL OVER IF I OPENED MY EYES AND ELZEVIR FOR ALL HE WAS SO STRONG COULD NOT PULL A HELPLESS LUMP BACKWARDS UP THAT PATH


SO HE GAVE IT UP LEAVING GO HOLD ON ME WITH A GROAN AND AT THAT MOMENT THERE ROSE FROM THE UNDER CLIFF BELOW A SOUND OF VOICES AND SHOUTING ZOUNDS THEY ARE DOWN ALREADY CRIED ELZEVIR AND HAVE FOUND MASKEW'S BODY


IT IS ALL UP ANOTHER MINUTE AND THEY WILL SEE US BUT SO STRANGE IS THE FORCE OF MIND ON BODY AND THE POWER OF A GREATER TO MASTER A LESSER FEAR THAT WHEN I HEARD THOSE VOICES FROM BELOW ALL FRIGHT OF FALLING LEFT ME IN A MOMENT


AND I COULD OPEN MY EYES WITHOUT A TRACE OF GIDDINESS SO I BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD AGAIN ON HANDS AND KNEES AND ELZEVIR


THINKING THAT WE WERE HIDING BY THE SEA FIVE MINUTES LATER ELZEVIR STEPPED ON TO THE CLIFF TOP WITH ME UPON HIS BACK WE HAVE MADE SOMETHING OF THIS THROW HE SAID AND ARE SAFE FOR ANOTHER HOUR THOUGH I THOUGHT THY GIDDY HEAD HAD RUINED US


HASTENING TO BEGIN HIS WORK THE TOWN IS AN OLD FASHIONED ONE AND ALTHOUGH THE OBSERVANCE OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH FESTIVAL IS NO LONGER FROWNED UPON AS IN YEARS PAST YET IT HAS BEEN LITTLE REGARDED


ESPECIALLY IN THE CHURCH OF WHICH NATHAN IS A MEMBER AS THE SADDLER MOUNTED THE STEPS OF HIS SHOP HE FELT THE BLOOD SO RUSH ALONG HIS LIMBS AND TINGLE IN HIS FINGERS


THAT HE COULD NOT FORBEAR STANDING WITHOUT THE DOOR FOR A MOMENT AS IF TO ENJOY THE TRIUMPH OF THE WARMTH WITHIN HIM OVER THE COLD MORNING AIR THE LITTLE STONE CHURCH


WHICH NATHAN ATTENDS STANDS IN THE SAME SQUARE WITH HIS SHOP AND NEARLY OPPOSITE IT WAS CLOSED AS USUAL ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND A RECENT SNOW HAD HEAPED THE STEPS AND ROOF AND LOADED THE WINDOWS


NATHAN THOUGHT THAT IT LOOKED UNCOMMONLY BEAUTIFUL IN THE SOFTENING TWILIGHT OF THE MORNING WHILE NATHAN STOOD MUSING WITH HIS EYES FIXED UPON THE CHURCH


ALTHOUGH A GOOD DEAL STOOPING WITH LONG STRAIGHT AND VERY WHITE HAIR FALLING OVER HIS SHOULDERS WHICH WAS THE MORE CONSPICUOUS FROM THE BLACK VELVET CAP AS IT APPEARED THAT HE WORE


AS TO WHO THE STRANGER COULD BE WHEN HE BEHELD HIM TURN IN BETWEEN THE POSTS BY THE PATH THAT LEADS TO THE CHURCH TREAD LIGHTLY OVER THE SNOW AND UP THE STEPS AND KNOCK HASTILY AND VIGOROUSLY AT THE CHURCH DOOR


BUT HALF RECOVERED FROM HIS WONDER HE WAS JUST RAISING HIS VOICE TO UTTER A REMONSTRANCE WHEN TO HIS SEVENFOLD AMAZEMENT THE DOOR WAS OPENED TO THE KNOCK AND THE OLD MAN DISAPPEARED WITHIN


IT WAS NOT WITHOUT A CREEPING FEELING OF AWE MINGLED WITH HIS ASTONISHMENT THAT NATHAN GAZED UPON THE DOOR THROUGH WHICH THIS SILENT FIGURE HAD VANISHED BUT HE WAS NOT EASILY TO BE DAUNTED


HE DID NOT CARE TO FOLLOW THE STEPS OF THE STRANGER INTO THE CHURCH BUT HE REMEMBERED A SHED SO PLACED AGAINST THE BUILDING NEAR THE FARTHER END THAT HE HAD OFTEN WHEN A CHILD AT SOME PERIL INDEED CLIMBED UPON ITS TOP


AND LOOKED INTO THE CHURCH THROUGH A LITTLE WINDOW AT ONE SIDE OF THE PULPIT FOR THIS HE STARTED BUT HE DID NOT FAIL TO RUN ACROSS THE SQUARE AND LEAP OVER THE CHURCH GATE AT THE TOP OF HIS SPEED


IN ORDER TO GATHER WARMTH AND COURAGE FOR THE ATTEMPT WHEN NATHAN STODDARD CLIMBED UPON THE OLD SHED AND PRESSED HIS FACE AGAINST THE GLASS OF THE LITTLE CHURCH WINDOW HE HAD AT FIRST ONLY A CONFUSED IMPRESSION


AS HE GLARED THROUGH THE DARKNESS INTO THE OLD KIRK OF ALLOWAY THE GREAT CHANDELIER OF THE CHURCH WAS PARTLY LIGHTED AND THERE WERE BESIDES MANY CANDLES AND LANTERNS BURNING IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE ROOM


WHO WERE DRESSED IN BREECHES AND RUFFLED SHIRTS AND HOOPED PETTICOATS AND TOWERING HEAD DRESSES SUCH AS HE HAD ONLY SEEN IN OLD PICTURES THEY WERE MOUNTED UPON BENCHES AND LADDERS


AND BOARDS LAID ALONG THE TOPS OF THE PEWS AND WERE APPARENTLY JUST COMPLETING THE DECORATION OF THE CHURCH WHICH WAS ALREADY DRESSED WITH GREEN WITH LITTLE TREES IN THE CORNERS AND WITH GREEN LETTERS UPON THE WALLS


THE WHOLE PARTY APPEARED FULL OF LIFE AND CHEERFULNESS WHILE THE OLD MAN WHOM NATHAN HAD SEEN ENTER STOOD NEAR THE DOOR LOOKING QUIETLY ON WITH A LITTLE GIRL HOLDING HIS HAND


IT WAS NOT UNTIL NATHAN STODDARD HAD LOOKED FOR SOME LITTLE TIME UPON THIS SPECTACLE THAT HE BEGAN TO FEEL THAT HE WAS WITNESS OF ANY THING MORE THAN NATURAL THE WHOLE PARTY HAD SO HOME LIKE AN AIR