THEN WOULD MEN SOON UNDERSTAND THAT NOT THE FORM OF EVEN SOUNDEST WORDS AVAILETH ANYTHING BUT A NEW CREATURE WHEN WINGFOLD WAS IN THE PULPIT THEN HE COULD SPEAK AS FROM THE SECRET TO THE SECRET BUT ELSEWHERE HE FELT


IN REGARD TO HELEN LIKE A TRANSPORT SHIP FILLED WITH TROOPS WHICH MUST GO SAILING AROUND THE SHORES OF AN INVADED ALLY


IS IT AN INFIRMITY OF CERTAIN KINDS OF MEN OR A WISE PROVISION FOR THEIR PROTECTION THAT THE BRIGHTEST FORMS THE TRUTH TAKES IN THEIR PRIVATE COGITATIONS SEEM TO LOSE HALF THEIR LUSTRE


AND ALL THEIR GRACE WHEN UTTERED IN THE PRESENCE OF AN UNRECEPTIVE NATURE AND THEY HEAR AS IT WERE THEIR OWN VOICE REFLECTED IN A POOR DULL INHARMONIOUS ECHO AND ARE DISGUSTED BUT ON THE OTHER HAND


OR MISSING HIM GLOOMED BACK INTO THE LAND OF VISIONS THE TENDERNESS OF THE CURATE'S SERVICE THE HEART THAT SHOWED ITSELF IN EVERYTHING HE DID EVEN IN THE TURN AND EXPRESSION OF THE MINISTERING HAND


WAS A KIND OF REVELATION TO HELEN FOR WHILE HIS INTELLECT WAS HANGING ABOUT THE DOOR ASKING QUESTIONS AND UNEASILY SHIFTING HITHER AND THITHER IN ITS UNLOVED PERPLEXITIES


HAD HE NOT GONE FARTHER THAN HIS RIGHT HAD HE NOT IMPLIED MORE CONVICTION THAN WAS HIS WORDS COULD NOT GO BEYOND HIS SATISFACTION WITH WHAT HE FOUND IN THE GOSPEL OR THE HOPES FOR THE RANGE OF HIS


CONSCIOUS LIFE SPRINGING THEREFROM BUT WAS HE NOT NOW MAKING PEOPLE SUPPOSE HIM MORE CERTAIN OF THE FACT OF THESE THINGS THAN HE WAS


EVEN IF HE HAD BEEN SO CARRIED AWAY BY THE DELIGHT OF HIS HEART AS TO GIVE SUCH AN IMPRESSION IT MATTERED LITTLE WHAT WAS IT TO OTHER PEOPLE WHAT HE BELIEVED OR HOW HE BELIEVED IF HE HAD NOT BEEN UNTRUE TO HIMSELF


NO HARM WOULD FOLLOW WAS A MAN NEVER TO TALK FROM THE HIGHEST IN HIM TO THE FORGETTING OF THE LOWER WAS A MAN NEVER TO BE CARRIED BEYOND HIMSELF AND THE REGIONS OF HIS KNOWLEDGE IF SO THEN FAREWELL POETRY AND PROPHECY


YEA ALL GRAND DISCOVERY FOR THINGS MUST BE FORESEEN ERE THEY CAN BE REALIZED APPREHENDED ERE THEY BE COMPREHENDED THIS MUCH HE COULD SAY FOR HIMSELF AND NO MORE THAT HE WAS READY TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE MERE CHANCE


BUT TO THE TRUTH TO THE LOVELINESS AND HARMONY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SAFETY THAT HE SAW IN THE IDEA OF THE SON OF MAN AS HE READ IT IN THE STORY HE DARED NOT SAY WHAT IN A TIME OF PERSECUTION TORTURE MIGHT WORK UPON HIM


BUT HE FELT RIGHT HOPEFUL THAT EVEN WERE HE BASE ENOUGH TO DENY HIM ANY COCK MIGHT CROW HIM BACK TO REPENTANCE AT THE SAME TIME HE SAW PLAIN ENOUGH THAT EVEN IF HE GAVE HIS BODY TO BE BURNED


NOTHING COULD SATISFY HIM OF THAT LESS THAN THE CONSCIOUS PRESENCE OF THE PERFECT CHARITY WITHOUT THAT HE WAS STILL OUTSIDE THE KINGDOM WANDERING IN A DREAM AROUND ITS WALLS


AND WITH EVERY FRESH CONFLICT EVERY FRESH GLEAM OF DOUBTFUL VICTORY THE ESSENTIAL IDEA OF THE MASTER LOOKED MORE AND MORE LOVELY AND HE BEGAN TO SEE THE WORKING OF HIS DOUBTS ON THE GROWTH OF HIS HEART AND SOUL


HE HAD MUCH TIME FOR REFLECTION AS HE SAT SILENT BY THE BEDSIDE OF LEOPOLD SOMETIMES HELEN WOULD BE SITTING NEAR THOUGH GENERALLY WHEN HE ARRIVED SHE WENT OUT FOR HER WALK BUT NEVER ANYTHING CAME TO HIM HE COULD UTTER TO HER


CHAPTER FIVE THROUGH SOLWAY SANDS THROUGH TAROSS MOSS BLINDFOLD HE KNEW THE PATHS TO CROSS BY WILY TURNS BY DESPERATE BOUNDS HAD BAFFLED PERCY'S BEST BLOODHOUNDS


IN ESKE OR LIDDEL FORDS WERE NONE BUT HE WOULD RIDE THEM ONE BY ONE ALIKE TO HIM WAS TIME OR TIDE DECEMBER'S SNOW OR JULY'S PRIDE ALIKE TO HIM WAS TIDE OR TIME MOONLESS MIDNIGHT OR MATIN PRIME


WALTER SCOTT ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE WHARTON FAMILY LAID THEIR HEADS ON THEIR PILLOWS THAT NIGHT WITH A FOREBODING OF SOME INTERRUPTION TO THEIR ORDINARY QUIET UNEASINESS KEPT THE SISTERS FROM ENJOYING THEIR USUAL REPOSE


AND THEY ROSE FROM THEIR BEDS ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING UNREFRESHED AND ALMOST WITHOUT HAVING CLOSED THEIR EYES ON TAKING AN EAGER AND HASTY SURVEY OF THE VALLEY FROM THE WINDOWS OF THEIR ROOM NOTHING HOWEVER BUT ITS USUAL SERENITY WAS TO BE SEEN


COMPOSE THE SEASON FOR ENJOYMENT IN THE OPEN AIR THEY HAVE THEIR STORMS BUT THEY ARE DISTINCT AND NOT OF LONG CONTINUANCE LEAVING A CLEAR ATMOSPHERE AND A CLOUDLESS SKY


THE SISTERS DESCENDED TO THE PARLOR WITH A RETURNING CONFIDENCE IN THEIR BROTHER'S SECURITY AND THEIR OWN HAPPINESS THE FAMILY WERE EARLY IN ASSEMBLING AROUND THE BREAKFAST TABLE AND MISS PEYTON WITH A LITTLE OF THAT MINUTE


HAD PLEASANTLY INSISTED THAT THE ABSENCE OF HER NEPHEW SHOULD IN NO MANNER INTERFERE WITH THE REGULAR HOURS SHE HAD ESTABLISHED CONSEQUENTLY THE PARTY WERE ALREADY SEATED WHEN THE CAPTAIN MADE HIS APPEARANCE


THOUGH THE UNTASTED COFFEE SUFFICIENTLY PROVED THAT BY NONE OF HIS RELATIVES WAS HIS ABSENCE DISREGARDED I THINK I DID MUCH BETTER HE CRIED TAKING A CHAIR BETWEEN HIS SISTERS AND RECEIVING THEIR OFFERED SALUTES


TURNING TO HIS YOUNGER AND EVIDENTLY FAVORITE SISTER AND TAPPING HER CHEEK DID YOU SEE BANNERS IN THE CLOUDS AND MISTAKE MISS PEYTON'S AEOLIAN HARP FOR REBELLIOUS MUSIC NAY HENRY REJOINED THE MAID


LOOKING AT HIM AFFECTIONATELY MUCH AS I LOVE MY OWN COUNTRY THE APPROACH OF HER TROOPS JUST NOW WOULD GIVE ME GREAT PAIN THE BROTHER MADE NO REPLY BUT RETURNING THE FONDNESS EXPRESSED IN HER EYE BY A LOOK OF FRATERNAL TENDERNESS


HE GENTLY PRESSED HER HAND IN SILENCE WHEN CAESAR WHO HAD PARTICIPATED LARGELY IN THE ANXIETY OF THE FAMILY AND WHO HAD RISEN WITH THE DAWN AND KEPT A VIGILANT WATCH ON THE SURROUNDING OBJECTS AS HE STOOD GAZING FROM ONE OF THE WINDOWS


RUN MASSA HARRY RUN


RUN REPEATED THE BRITISH OFFICER GATHERING HIMSELF UP IN MILITARY PRIDE NO MISTER CAESAR RUNNING IS NOT MY TRADE WHILE SPEAKING HE WALKED DELIBERATELY TO THE WINDOW


WHERE THE FAMILY WERE ALREADY COLLECTED IN THE GREATEST CONSTERNATION


HIS HOUSE WAS SURROUNDED BY A DOZEN SENTINELS TWO OR THREE OF THE DRAGOONS NOW DISMOUNTED AND DISAPPEARED IN A FEW MINUTES HOWEVER THEY RETURNED TO THE YARD FOLLOWED BY KATY FROM WHOSE


VIOLENT GESTICULATIONS IT WAS EVIDENT THAT MATTERS OF NO TRIFLING CONCERN WERE ON THE CARPET A SHORT COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOQUACIOUS HOUSEKEEPER FOLLOWED THE ARRIVAL OF THE MAIN BODY OF THE TROOP AND THE ADVANCE PARTY REMOUNTING


BUT THEY WERE ALL HAUGHTILY REJECTED BY THE YOUNG MAN AS UNWORTHY OF HIS CHARACTER IT WAS TOO LATE TO RETREAT TO THE WOODS IN THE REAR OF THE COTTAGE FOR HE WOULD UNAVOIDABLY BE SEEN AND FOLLOWED BY A TROOP OF HORSE AS INEVITABLY TAKEN


AT LENGTH HIS SISTERS WITH TREMBLING HANDS REPLACED HIS ORIGINAL DISGUISE THE INSTRUMENTS OF WHICH HAD BEEN CAREFULLY KEPT AT HAND BY CAESAR IN EXPECTATION OF SOME SUDDEN EMERGENCY


THIS ARRANGEMENT WAS HASTILY AND IMPERFECTLY COMPLETED AS THE DRAGOONS ENTERED THE LAWN AND ORCHARD OF THE LOCUSTS RIDING WITH THE RAPIDITY OF THE WIND AND IN THEIR TURN THE WHARTONS WERE SURROUNDED


NOTHING REMAINED NOW BUT TO MEET THE IMPENDING EXAMINATION WITH AS MUCH INDIFFERENCE AS THE FAMILY COULD ASSUME THE LEADER OF THE HORSE DISMOUNTED AND FOLLOWED BY A COUPLE OF HIS MEN HE APPROACHED THE OUTER DOOR OF THE BUILDING


WHICH WAS SLOWLY AND RELUCTANTLY OPENED FOR HIS ADMISSION BY CAESAR THE HEAVY TREAD OF THE TROOPER AS HE FOLLOWED THE BLACK TO THE DOOR OF THE PARLOR RANG IN THE EARS OF THE FEMALES AS IT APPROACHED NEARER AND NEARER


AND DROVE THE BLOOD FROM THEIR FACES TO THEIR HEARTS WITH A CHILL THAT NEARLY ANNIHILATED FEELING A MAN WHOSE COLOSSAL STATURE MANIFESTED THE POSSESSION OF VAST STRENGTH ENTERED THE ROOM AND REMOVING HIS CAP


HIS APPEARANCE DID NOT INDICATE AS BELONGING TO HIS NATURE HIS DARK HAIR HUNG AROUND HIS BROW IN PROFUSION THOUGH STAINED WITH POWDER WHICH WAS WORN AT THAT DAY AND HIS FACE WAS NEARLY HID IN THE WHISKERS BY WHICH IT WAS DISFIGURED


STILL THE EXPRESSION OF HIS EYE THOUGH PIERCING WAS NOT BAD AND HIS VOICE THOUGH DEEP AND POWERFUL WAS FAR FROM UNPLEASANT FRANCES VENTURED TO THROW A TIMID GLANCE AT HIS FIGURE AS HE ENTERED


AND SAW AT ONCE THE MAN FROM WHOSE SCRUTINY HARVEY BIRCH HAD WARNED THEM THERE WAS SO MUCH TO BE APPREHENDED YOU HAVE NO CAUSE FOR ALARM LADIES SAID THE OFFICER PAUSING A MOMENT AND CONTEMPLATING THE PALE FACES AROUND HIM


MY BUSINESS WILL BE CONFINED TO A FEW QUESTIONS WHICH IF FREELY ANSWERED WILL INSTANTLY REMOVE US FROM YOUR DWELLING AND WHAT MAY THEY BE SIR STAMMERED MISTER WHARTON


RISING FROM HIS CHAIR AND WAITING ANXIOUSLY FOR THE REPLY HAS THERE BEEN A STRANGE GENTLEMAN STAYING WITH YOU DURING THE STORM CONTINUED THE DRAGOON SPEAKING WITH INTEREST AND IN SOME DEGREE SHARING IN THE EVIDENT ANXIETY OF THE FATHER


AND HAS NOT YET DEPARTED THIS GENTLEMAN REPEATED THE OTHER TURNING TO CAPTAIN WHARTON AND CONTEMPLATING HIS FIGURE FOR A MOMENT


HE APPROACHED THE YOUTH WITH AN AIR OF COMIC GRAVITY AND WITH A LOW BOW CONTINUED I AM SORRY FOR THE SEVERE COLD YOU HAVE IN YOUR HEAD SIR I EXCLAIMED THE CAPTAIN IN SURPRISE


I HAVE NO COLD IN MY HEAD I FANCIED IT THEN FROM SEEING YOU HAD COVERED SUCH HANDSOME BLACK LOCKS WITH THAT UGLY OLD WIG IT WAS MY MISTAKE YOU WILL PLEASE TO PARDON IT


MISTER WHARTON GROANED ALOUD BUT THE LADIES IGNORANT OF THE EXTENT OF THEIR VISITOR'S KNOWLEDGE REMAINED IN TREMBLING YET RIGID SILENCE THE CAPTAIN HIMSELF MOVED HIS HAND INVOLUNTARILY TO HIS HEAD


AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TREPIDATION OF HIS SISTERS HAD LEFT SOME OF HIS NATURAL HAIR EXPOSED THE DRAGOON WATCHED THE MOVEMENT WITH A CONTINUED SMILE WHEN SEEMING TO RECOLLECT HIMSELF TURNING TO THE FATHER HE PROCEEDED


MISTER HARPER ECHOED THE OTHER FEELING A LOAD REMOVED FROM HIS HEART YES I HAD FORGOTTEN BUT HE IS GONE AND IF THERE BE ANYTHING WRONG IN HIS CHARACTER WE ARE IN ENTIRE IGNORANCE OF IT


TO ME HE WAS A TOTAL STRANGER YOU HAVE BUT LITTLE TO APPREHEND FROM HIS CHARACTER ANSWERED THE DRAGOON DRYLY BUT HE IS GONE HOW WHEN AND WHITHER


HIS COUNTENANCE GRADUALLY LIGHTING INTO A SMILE OF PLEASURE


HE TURNED ON HIS HEEL AND LEFT THE APARTMENT THE WHARTONS JUDGING FROM HIS MANNER THOUGHT HE WAS ABOUT TO PROCEED IN QUEST OF THE OBJECT OF HIS INQUIRIES THEY OBSERVED THE DRAGOON ON


GAINING THE LAWN IN EARNEST AND APPARENTLY PLEASED CONVERSATION WITH HIS TWO SUBALTERNS IN A FEW MOMENTS ORDERS WERE GIVEN TO SOME OF THE TROOPS AND HORSEMEN LEFT THE VALLEY AT FULL SPEED BY ITS VARIOUS ROADS


THE SUSPENSE OF THE PARTY WITHIN WHO WERE ALL HIGHLY INTERESTED WITNESSES OF THIS SCENE


TO THE CIVIL INQUIRIES WHICH THEN POURED IN AND AMONGST WHICH SHE HAD THE PLEASURE OF DISTINGUISHING THE MUCH SUPERIOR SOLICITUDE OF MISTER BINGLEY'S SHE COULD NOT MAKE A VERY FAVOURABLE ANSWER JANE WAS BY NO MEANS BETTER


THE SISTERS ON HEARING THIS REPEATED THREE OR FOUR TIMES HOW MUCH THEY WERE GRIEVED HOW SHOCKING IT WAS TO HAVE A BAD COLD AND HOW EXCESSIVELY THEY DISLIKED BEING ILL THEMSELVES AND THEN THOUGHT NO MORE OF THE MATTER


AND THEIR INDIFFERENCE TOWARDS JANE WHEN NOT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THEM RESTORED ELIZABETH TO THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL HER FORMER DISLIKE THEIR BROTHER INDEED WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE PARTY WHOM SHE COULD REGARD WITH ANY COMPLACENCY


MISS BINGLEY WAS ENGROSSED BY MISTER DARCY HER SISTER SCARCELY LESS SO AND AS FOR MISTER HURST BY WHOM ELIZABETH SAT HE WAS AN INDOLENT MAN


WHO WHEN HE FOUND HER TO PREFER A PLAIN DISH TO A RAGOUT HAD NOTHING TO SAY TO HER WHEN DINNER WAS OVER SHE RETURNED DIRECTLY TO JANE AND MISS BINGLEY BEGAN ABUSING HER AS SOON AS SHE WAS OUT OF THE ROOM


SHE HAS NOTHING IN SHORT TO RECOMMEND HER BUT BEING AN EXCELLENT WALKER I SHALL NEVER FORGET HER APPEARANCE THIS MORNING SHE REALLY LOOKED ALMOST WILD SHE DID INDEED LOUISA


SIX INCHES DEEP IN MUD I AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN AND THE GOWN WHICH HAD BEEN LET DOWN TO HIDE IT NOT DOING ITS OFFICE YOUR PICTURE MAY BE VERY EXACT LOUISA SAID BINGLEY BUT THIS WAS ALL LOST UPON ME


CERTAINLY NOT TO WALK THREE MILES OR FOUR MILES OR FIVE MILES


SAID BINGLEY I AM AFRAID MISTER DARCY OBSERVED MISS BINGLEY IN A HALF WHISPER THAT THIS ADVENTURE HAS RATHER AFFECTED YOUR ADMIRATION OF HER FINE EYES


HE REPLIED THEY WERE BRIGHTENED BY THE EXERCISE A SHORT PAUSE FOLLOWED THIS SPEECH AND MISSUS HURST BEGAN AGAIN I HAVE AN EXCESSIVE REGARD FOR MISS JANE BENNET SHE IS REALLY A VERY SWEET GIRL


AND I WISH WITH ALL MY HEART SHE WERE WELL SETTLED BUT WITH SUCH A FATHER AND MOTHER AND SUCH LOW CONNECTIONS I AM AFRAID THERE IS NO CHANCE OF IT


YES AND THEY HAVE ANOTHER WHO LIVES SOMEWHERE NEAR CHEAPSIDE THAT IS CAPITAL ADDED HER SISTER AND THEY BOTH LAUGHED HEARTILY


IT WOULD NOT MAKE THEM ONE JOT LESS AGREEABLE BUT IT MUST VERY MATERIALLY LESSEN THEIR CHANCE OF MARRYING MEN OF ANY CONSIDERATION IN THE WORLD REPLIED DARCY TO THIS SPEECH BINGLEY MADE NO ANSWER


BUT HIS SISTERS GAVE IT THEIR HEARTY ASSENT AND INDULGED THEIR MIRTH FOR SOME TIME AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR DEAR FRIEND'S VULGAR RELATIONS


AND SAT WITH HER TILL SUMMONED TO COFFEE SHE WAS STILL VERY POORLY AND ELIZABETH WOULD NOT QUIT HER AT ALL TILL LATE IN THE EVENING WHEN SHE HAD THE COMFORT OF SEEING HER SLEEP AND WHEN IT SEEMED TO HER RATHER RIGHT THAN PLEASANT


THAT SHE SHOULD GO DOWNSTAIRS HERSELF ON ENTERING THE DRAWING ROOM SHE FOUND THE WHOLE PARTY AT LOO AND WAS IMMEDIATELY INVITED TO JOIN THEM BUT SUSPECTING THEM TO BE PLAYING HIGH SHE DECLINED IT


AND MAKING HER SISTER THE EXCUSE SAID SHE WOULD AMUSE HERSELF FOR THE SHORT TIME SHE COULD STAY BELOW WITH A BOOK MISTER HURST LOOKED AT HER WITH ASTONISHMENT DO YOU PREFER READING TO CARDS SAID HE THAT IS RATHER SINGULAR


MISS ELIZA BENNET SAID MISS BINGLEY DESPISES CARDS SHE IS A GREAT READER AND HAS NO PLEASURE IN ANYTHING ELSE


HE IMMEDIATELY OFFERED TO FETCH HER OTHERS ALL THAT HIS LIBRARY AFFORDED AND I WISH MY COLLECTION WERE LARGER FOR YOUR BENEFIT AND MY OWN CREDIT BUT I AM AN IDLE FELLOW AND THOUGH I HAVE NOT MANY I HAVE MORE THAN I EVER LOOKED INTO


I AM ASTONISHED SAID MISS BINGLEY THAT MY FATHER SHOULD HAVE LEFT SO SMALL A COLLECTION OF BOOKS WHAT A DELIGHTFUL LIBRARY YOU HAVE AT PEMBERLEY MISTER DARCY IT OUGHT TO BE GOOD HE REPLIED


IT HAS BEEN THE WORK OF MANY GENERATIONS


CHARLES WHEN YOU BUILD YOUR HOUSE


I WISH IT MAY BUT I WOULD REALLY ADVISE YOU TO MAKE YOUR PURCHASE IN THAT NEIGHBOURHOOD AND TAKE PEMBERLEY FOR A KIND OF MODEL THERE IS NOT A FINER COUNTY IN ENGLAND THAN DERBYSHIRE WITH ALL MY HEART


I WILL BUY PEMBERLEY ITSELF IF DARCY WILL SELL IT I AM TALKING OF POSSIBILITIES CHARLES UPON MY WORD CAROLINE I SHOULD THINK IT MORE POSSIBLE TO GET PEMBERLEY BY PURCHASE THAN BY IMITATION


SAID MISS BINGLEY WILL SHE BE AS TALL AS I AM I THINK SHE WILL SHE IS NOW ABOUT MISS ELIZABETH BENNET'S HEIGHT OR RATHER TALLER HOW I LONG TO SEE HER AGAIN I NEVER MET


WITH ANYBODY WHO DELIGHTED ME SO MUCH SUCH A COUNTENANCE SUCH MANNERS AND SO EXTREMELY ACCOMPLISHED FOR HER AGE HER PERFORMANCE ON THE PIANOFORTE IS EXQUISITE IT IS AMAZING TO ME SAID BINGLEY


THE WORD IS APPLIED TO MANY A WOMAN WHO DESERVES IT NO OTHERWISE THAN BY NETTING A PURSE OR COVERING A SCREEN BUT I AM VERY FAR FROM AGREEING WITH YOU IN YOUR ESTIMATION OF LADIES IN GENERAL


I CANNOT BOAST OF KNOWING MORE THAN HALF A DOZEN IN THE WHOLE RANGE OF MY ACQUAINTANCE THAT ARE REALLY ACCOMPLISHED NOR I I AM SURE SAID MISS BINGLEY THEN


OBSERVED ELIZABETH YOU MUST COMPREHEND A GREAT DEAL IN YOUR IDEA OF AN ACCOMPLISHED WOMAN YES I DO COMPREHEND A GREAT DEAL IN IT


NO ONE CAN BE REALLY ESTEEMED ACCOMPLISHED WHO DOES NOT GREATLY SURPASS WHAT IS USUALLY MET WITH A WOMAN MUST HAVE A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF MUSIC SINGING DRAWING DANCING AND THE MODERN LANGUAGES TO DESERVE THE WORD


ADDED DARCY AND TO ALL THIS SHE MUST YET ADD SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF HER MIND BY EXTENSIVE READING I AM NO LONGER SURPRISED AT YOUR KNOWING ONLY SIX ACCOMPLISHED WOMEN


ARE YOU SO SEVERE UPON YOUR OWN SEX AS TO DOUBT THE POSSIBILITY OF ALL THIS I NEVER SAW SUCH A WOMAN I NEVER SAW SUCH CAPACITY AND TASTE AND APPLICATION AND ELEGANCE AS YOU DESCRIBE UNITED


MISSUS HURST AND MISS BINGLEY BOTH CRIED OUT AGAINST THE INJUSTICE OF HER IMPLIED DOUBT AND WERE BOTH PROTESTING THAT THEY KNEW MANY WOMEN WHO ANSWERED THIS DESCRIPTION WHEN MISTER HURST CALLED THEM TO ORDER


WITH BITTER COMPLAINTS OF THEIR INATTENTION TO WHAT WAS GOING FORWARD AS ALL CONVERSATION WAS THEREBY AT AN END ELIZABETH SOON AFTERWARDS LEFT THE ROOM ELIZABETH BENNET SAID MISS BINGLEY WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED ON HER


A VERY MEAN ART UNDOUBTEDLY REPLIED DARCY TO WHOM THIS REMARK WAS CHIEFLY ADDRESSED THERE IS A MEANNESS IN ALL THE ARTS WHICH LADIES SOMETIMES CONDESCEND TO EMPLOY FOR CAPTIVATION


WHATEVER BEARS AFFINITY TO CUNNING IS DESPICABLE MISS BINGLEY WAS NOT SO ENTIRELY SATISFIED WITH THIS REPLY AS TO CONTINUE THE SUBJECT


ELIZABETH JOINED THEM AGAIN ONLY TO SAY THAT HER SISTER WAS WORSE AND THAT SHE COULD NOT LEAVE HER BINGLEY URGED MISTER JONES BEING SENT FOR IMMEDIATELY WHILE HIS SISTERS CONVINCED THAT NO COUNTRY ADVICE COULD BE OF ANY SERVICE


RECOMMENDED AN EXPRESS TO TOWN FOR ONE OF THE MOST EMINENT PHYSICIANS THIS SHE WOULD NOT HEAR OF BUT SHE WAS NOT SO UNWILLING TO COMPLY WITH THEIR BROTHER'S PROPOSAL AND IT WAS SETTLED THAT MISTER JONES SHOULD BE SENT FOR EARLY IN THE MORNING


IF MISS BENNET WERE NOT DECIDEDLY BETTER BINGLEY WAS QUITE UNCOMFORTABLE HIS SISTERS DECLARED THAT THEY WERE MISERABLE THEY SOLACED THEIR WRETCHEDNESS HOWEVER BY DUETS AFTER SUPPER


AND SOME TIME AFTERWARDS FROM THE TWO ELEGANT LADIES WHO WAITED ON HIS SISTERS IN SPITE OF THIS AMENDMENT HOWEVER SHE REQUESTED TO HAVE A NOTE SENT TO LONGBOURN DESIRING HER MOTHER TO VISIT JANE AND FORM HER OWN JUDGEMENT OF HER SITUATION


THE NOTE WAS IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED AND ITS CONTENTS AS QUICKLY COMPLIED WITH MISSUS BENNET ACCOMPANIED BY HER TWO YOUNGEST GIRLS REACHED NETHERFIELD SOON AFTER THE FAMILY BREAKFAST HAD SHE FOUND JANE IN ANY APPARENT DANGER


SHE WOULD NOT LISTEN THEREFORE TO HER DAUGHTER'S PROPOSAL OF BEING CARRIED HOME NEITHER DID THE APOTHECARY WHO ARRIVED ABOUT THE SAME TIME THINK IT AT ALL ADVISABLE AFTER SITTING A LITTLE WHILE WITH JANE


ON MISS BINGLEY'S APPEARANCE AND INVITATION THE MOTHER AND THREE DAUGHTERS ALL ATTENDED HER INTO THE BREAKFAST PARLOUR BINGLEY MET THEM WITH HOPES THAT MISSUS BENNET HAD NOT FOUND MISS BENNET WORSE THAN SHE EXPECTED


INDEED I HAVE SIR WAS HER ANSWER SHE IS A GREAT DEAL TOO ILL TO BE MOVED MISTER JONES SAYS WE MUST NOT THINK OF MOVING HER WE MUST TRESPASS A LITTLE LONGER ON YOUR KINDNESS


REMOVED CRIED BINGLEY IT MUST NOT BE THOUGHT OF MY SISTER I AM SURE WILL NOT HEAR OF HER REMOVAL YOU MAY DEPEND UPON IT MADAM SAID MISS BINGLEY WITH COLD CIVILITY


YOU WILL NOT THINK OF QUITTING IT IN A HURRY I HOPE THOUGH YOU HAVE BUT A SHORT LEASE WHATEVER I DO IS DONE IN A HURRY REPLIED HE AND THEREFORE IF I SHOULD RESOLVE TO QUIT NETHERFIELD I SHOULD PROBABLY BE OFF IN FIVE MINUTES


AT PRESENT HOWEVER I CONSIDER MYSELF AS QUITE FIXED HERE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I SHOULD HAVE SUPPOSED OF YOU SAID ELIZABETH YOU BEGIN TO COMPREHEND ME DO YOU CRIED HE TURNING TOWARDS HER


OH YES I UNDERSTAND YOU PERFECTLY I WISH I MIGHT TAKE THIS FOR A COMPLIMENT BUT TO BE SO EASILY SEEN THROUGH I AM AFRAID IS PITIFUL THAT IS AS IT HAPPENS


IT DOES NOT FOLLOW THAT A DEEP INTRICATE CHARACTER IS MORE OR LESS ESTIMABLE THAN SUCH A ONE AS YOURS LIZZY CRIED HER MOTHER REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE AND DO NOT RUN ON IN THE WILD MANNER THAT YOU ARE SUFFERED TO DO AT HOME


I DID NOT KNOW BEFORE CONTINUED BINGLEY IMMEDIATELY THAT YOU WERE A STUDIER OF CHARACTER IT MUST BE AN AMUSING STUDY


THEY HAVE AT LEAST THAT ADVANTAGE THE COUNTRY SAID DARCY CAN IN GENERAL SUPPLY BUT A FEW SUBJECTS FOR SUCH A STUDY IN A COUNTRY NEIGHBOURHOOD YOU MOVE IN A VERY CONFINED AND UNVARYING SOCIETY


BUT PEOPLE THEMSELVES ALTER SO MUCH


OFFENDED BY HIS MANNER OF MENTIONING A COUNTRY NEIGHBOURHOOD I ASSURE YOU THERE IS QUITE AS MUCH OF THAT GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY AS IN TOWN EVERYBODY WAS SURPRISED AND DARCY AFTER LOOKING AT HER FOR A MOMENT


TURNED SILENTLY AWAY MISSUS BENNET WHO FANCIED SHE HAD GAINED A COMPLETE VICTORY OVER HIM CONTINUED HER TRIUMPH I CANNOT SEE THAT LONDON HAS ANY GREAT ADVANTAGE OVER THE COUNTRY FOR MY PART


THEY HAVE EACH THEIR ADVANTAGES AND I CAN BE EQUALLY HAPPY IN EITHER AYE THAT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT DISPOSITION BUT THAT GENTLEMAN LOOKING AT DARCY SEEMED TO THINK THE COUNTRY WAS NOTHING AT ALL


INDEED MAMMA YOU ARE MISTAKEN SAID ELIZABETH BLUSHING FOR HER MOTHER YOU QUITE MISTOOK MISTER DARCY HE ONLY MEANT THAT THERE WAS NOT SUCH A VARIETY OF PEOPLE TO BE MET WITH IN THE COUNTRY AS IN THE TOWN


WHICH YOU MUST ACKNOWLEDGE TO BE TRUE CERTAINLY MY DEAR NOBODY SAID THERE WERE BUT AS TO NOT MEETING WITH MANY PEOPLE IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD I BELIEVE THERE ARE FEW NEIGHBOURHOODS LARGER I KNOW WE DINE WITH FOUR AND TWENTY FAMILIES


NOTHING BUT CONCERN FOR ELIZABETH COULD ENABLE BINGLEY TO KEEP HIS COUNTENANCE HIS SISTER WAS LESS DELICATE AND DIRECTED HER EYES TOWARDS MISTER DARCY WITH A VERY EXPRESSIVE SMILE


ELIZABETH FOR THE SAKE OF SAYING SOMETHING THAT MIGHT TURN HER MOTHER'S THOUGHTS NOW ASKED HER IF CHARLOTTE LUCAS HAD BEEN AT LONGBOURN SINCE HER COMING AWAY


SO MUCH THE MAN OF FASHION SO GENTEEL AND EASY HE HAS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO SAY TO EVERYBODY THAT IS MY IDEA OF GOOD BREEDING AND THOSE PERSONS WHO FANCY THEMSELVES VERY IMPORTANT


AND NEVER OPEN THEIR MOUTHS QUITE MISTAKE THE MATTER DID CHARLOTTE DINE WITH YOU NO SHE WOULD GO HOME I FANCY SHE WAS WANTED ABOUT THE MINCE PIES


FOR MY PART MISTER BINGLEY I ALWAYS KEEP SERVANTS THAT CAN DO THEIR OWN WORK MY DAUGHTERS ARE BROUGHT UP VERY DIFFERENTLY BUT EVERYBODY IS TO JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES AND THE LUCASES ARE A VERY GOOD SORT OF GIRLS I ASSURE YOU IT IS A PITY THEY ARE NOT HANDSOME


NOT THAT I THINK CHARLOTTE SO VERY PLAIN BUT THEN SHE IS OUR PARTICULAR FRIEND


I DO NOT TRUST MY OWN PARTIALITY WHEN SHE WAS ONLY FIFTEEN THERE WAS A MAN AT MY BROTHER GARDINER'S IN TOWN SO MUCH IN LOVE WITH HER THAT MY SISTER IN LAW WAS SURE HE WOULD MAKE HER AN OFFER BEFORE WE CAME AWAY


BUT HOWEVER HE DID NOT PERHAPS HE THOUGHT HER TOO YOUNG HOWEVER HE WROTE SOME VERSES ON HER AND VERY PRETTY THEY WERE AND SO ENDED HIS AFFECTION SAID ELIZABETH IMPATIENTLY


THERE HAS BEEN MANY A ONE I FANCY OVERCOME IN THE SAME WAY I WONDER WHO FIRST DISCOVERED THE EFFICACY OF POETRY IN DRIVING AWAY LOVE I HAVE BEEN USED TO CONSIDER POETRY AS THE FOOD OF LOVE SAID DARCY


OF A FINE STOUT HEALTHY LOVE IT MAY EVERYTHING NOURISHES WHAT IS STRONG ALREADY BUT IF IT BE ONLY A SLIGHT THIN SORT OF INCLINATION I AM CONVINCED THAT ONE GOOD SONNET WILL STARVE IT ENTIRELY AWAY


DARCY ONLY SMILED AND THE GENERAL PAUSE WHICH ENSUED MADE ELIZABETH TREMBLE LEST HER MOTHER SHOULD BE EXPOSING HERSELF AGAIN SHE LONGED TO SPEAK BUT COULD THINK OF NOTHING TO SAY


AND FORCED HIS YOUNGER SISTER TO BE CIVIL ALSO AND SAY WHAT THE OCCASION REQUIRED SHE PERFORMED HER PART INDEED WITHOUT MUCH GRACIOUSNESS BUT MISSUS BENNET WAS SATISFIED AND SOON AFTERWARDS ORDERED HER CARRIAGE UPON THIS SIGNAL


THE YOUNGEST OF HER DAUGHTERS PUT HERSELF FORWARD THE TWO GIRLS HAD BEEN WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER DURING THE WHOLE VISIT AND THE RESULT OF IT WAS THAT THE YOUNGEST SHOULD TAX MISTER BINGLEY WITH HAVING PROMISED ON HIS FIRST COMING INTO THE COUNTRY TO GIVE A BALL AT NETHERFIELD


LYDIA WAS A STOUT WELL GROWN GIRL OF FIFTEEN WITH A FINE COMPLEXION AND GOOD HUMOURED COUNTENANCE A FAVOURITE WITH HER MOTHER WHOSE AFFECTION HAD BROUGHT HER INTO PUBLIC AT AN EARLY AGE SHE HAD HIGH ANIMAL SPIRITS


AND A SORT OF NATURAL SELF CONSEQUENCE WHICH THE ATTENTION OF THE OFFICERS TO WHOM HER UNCLE'S GOOD DINNERS AND HER OWN EASY MANNERS RECOMMENDED HER HAD INCREASED INTO ASSURANCE


AND ABRUPTLY REMINDED HIM OF HIS PROMISE


HIS ANSWER TO THIS SUDDEN ATTACK WAS DELIGHTFUL TO THEIR MOTHER'S EAR I AM PERFECTLY READY I ASSURE YOU TO KEEP MY ENGAGEMENT AND WHEN YOUR SISTER IS RECOVERED YOU SHALL IF YOU PLEASE NAME THE VERY DAY OF THE BALL


BUT YOU WOULD NOT WISH TO BE DANCING WHEN SHE IS ILL LYDIA DECLARED HERSELF SATISFIED


AND BY THAT TIME MOST LIKELY CAPTAIN CARTER WOULD BE AT MERYTON AGAIN AND WHEN YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR BALL SHE ADDED I SHALL INSIST ON THEIR GIVING ONE ALSO I SHALL TELL COLONEL FORSTER IT WILL BE QUITE A SHAME IF HE DOES NOT


MISSUS BENNET AND HER DAUGHTERS THEN DEPARTED AND ELIZABETH RETURNED INSTANTLY TO JANE LEAVING HER OWN AND HER RELATIONS BEHAVIOUR TO THE REMARKS OF THE TWO LADIES AND MISTER DARCY THE LATTER OF WHOM HOWEVER


COULD NOT BE PREVAILED ON TO JOIN IN THEIR CENSURE OF HER IN SPITE OF ALL MISS BINGLEY'S WITTICISMS ON


PONSONBY SOUND BUILD WIGWAMS AND SETTLE THE FUEGIANS BIFURCATION OF THE BEAGLE CHANNEL GLACIERS RETURN TO THE SHIP SECOND VISIT IN THE SHIP TO THE SETTLEMENT EQUALITY OF CONDITION AMONGST THE NATIVES


HAVING NOW FINISHED WITH PATAGONIA AND THE FALKLAND ISLANDS I WILL DESCRIBE OUR FIRST ARRIVAL IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO A LITTLE AFTER NOON WE DOUBLED CAPE SAINT DIEGO AND ENTERED THE FAMOUS STRAIT OF LE MAIRE


WE KEPT CLOSE TO THE FUEGIAN SHORE BUT THE OUTLINE OF THE RUGGED INHOSPITABLE STATENLAND WAS VISIBLE AMIDST THE CLOUDS IN THE AFTERNOON WE ANCHORED IN THE BAY OF GOOD SUCCESS WHILE ENTERING WE WERE SALUTED IN A MANNER BECOMING THE INHABITANTS OF THIS SAVAGE LAND


A GROUP OF FUEGIANS PARTLY CONCEALED BY THE ENTANGLED FOREST WERE PERCHED ON A WILD POINT OVERHANGING THE SEA AND AS WE PASSED BY THEY SPRANG UP AND WAVING THEIR TATTERED CLOAKS SENT FORTH A LOUD AND SONOROUS SHOUT THE SAVAGES FOLLOWED THE SHIP


AND JUST BEFORE DARK WE SAW THEIR FIRE AND AGAIN HEARD THEIR WILD CRY THE HARBOUR CONSISTS OF A FINE PIECE OF WATER HALF SURROUNDED BY LOW ROUNDED MOUNTAINS OF CLAY SLATE WHICH ARE COVERED TO THE WATER'S EDGE BY ONE DENSE GLOOMY FOREST


A SINGLE GLANCE AT THE LANDSCAPE WAS SUFFICIENT TO SHOW ME HOW WIDELY DIFFERENT IT WAS FROM ANYTHING I HAD EVER BEHELD AT NIGHT IT BLEW A GALE OF WIND AND HEAVY SQUALLS FROM THE MOUNTAINS SWEPT PAST US


AND WE AS WELL AS OTHERS MAY CALL THIS GOOD SUCCESS BAY IN THE MORNING THE CAPTAIN SENT A PARTY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE FUEGIANS WHEN WE CAME WITHIN HAIL


AND BEGAN TO SHOUT MOST VEHEMENTLY WISHING TO DIRECT US WHERE TO LAND WHEN WE WERE ON SHORE THE PARTY LOOKED RATHER ALARMED BUT CONTINUED TALKING AND MAKING GESTURES WITH GREAT RAPIDITY IT WAS WITHOUT EXCEPTION THE MOST CURIOUS AND INTERESTING SPECTACLE I EVER BEHELD


I COULD NOT HAVE BELIEVED HOW WIDE WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAVAGE AND CIVILIZED MAN IT IS GREATER THAN BETWEEN A WILD AND DOMESTICATED ANIMAL


THE CHIEF SPOKESMAN WAS OLD AND APPEARED TO BE THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY THE THREE OTHERS WERE POWERFUL YOUNG MEN ABOUT SIX FEET HIGH THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN HAD BEEN SENT AWAY THESE FUEGIANS ARE A VERY DIFFERENT RACE FROM THE STUNTED MISERABLE WRETCHES FARTHER WESTWARD


AND THEY SEEM CLOSELY ALLIED TO THE FAMOUS PATAGONIANS OF THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN THEIR ONLY GARMENT CONSISTS OF A MANTLE MADE OF GUANACO SKIN WITH THE WOOL OUTSIDE THIS THEY WEAR JUST THROWN OVER THEIR SHOULDERS LEAVING THEIR PERSONS AS OFTEN EXPOSED AS COVERED


HIS FACE WAS CROSSED BY TWO BROAD TRANSVERSE BARS ONE PAINTED BRIGHT RED REACHED FROM EAR TO EAR AND INCLUDED THE UPPER LIP THE OTHER WHITE LIKE CHALK EXTENDED ABOVE AND PARALLEL TO THE FIRST SO THAT EVEN HIS EYELIDS WERE THUS COLOURED


THE OTHER TWO MEN WERE ORNAMENTED BY STREAKS OF BLACK POWDER MADE OF CHARCOAL THE PARTY ALTOGETHER CLOSELY RESEMBLED THE DEVILS WHICH COME ON THE STAGE IN PLAYS LIKE DER FREISCHUTZ THEIR VERY ATTITUDES WERE ABJECT


AND THE EXPRESSION OF THEIR COUNTENANCES DISTRUSTFUL SURPRISED AND STARTLED AFTER WE HAD PRESENTED THEM WITH SOME SCARLET CLOTH WHICH THEY IMMEDIATELY TIED ROUND THEIR NECKS THEY BECAME GOOD FRIENDS THIS WAS SHOWN BY THE OLD MAN PATTING OUR BREASTS


AS PEOPLE DO WHEN FEEDING CHICKENS I WALKED WITH THE OLD MAN AND THIS DEMONSTRATION OF FRIENDSHIP WAS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES IT WAS CONCLUDED BY THREE HARD SLAPS WHICH WERE GIVEN ME ON THE BREAST AND BACK AT THE SAME TIME HE THEN BARED HIS BOSOM FOR ME TO RETURN THE COMPLIMENT WHICH BEING DONE


HE SEEMED HIGHLY PLEASED THE LANGUAGE OF THESE PEOPLE ACCORDING TO OUR NOTIONS SCARCELY DESERVES TO BE CALLED ARTICULATE CAPTAIN COOK HAS COMPARED IT TO A MAN CLEARING HIS THROAT BUT CERTAINLY NO EUROPEAN EVER CLEARED HIS THROAT WITH SO MANY HOARSE GUTTURAL AND CLICKING SOUNDS


THEY ARE EXCELLENT MIMICS AS OFTEN AS WE COUGHED OR YAWNED OR MADE ANY ODD MOTION THEY IMMEDIATELY IMITATED US SOME OF OUR PARTY BEGAN TO SQUINT AND LOOK AWRY BUT ONE OF THE YOUNG FUEGIANS WHOSE WHOLE FACE WAS PAINTED BLACK EXCEPTING A WHITE BAND ACROSS HIS EYES


SUCCEEDED IN MAKING FAR MORE HIDEOUS GRIMACES THEY COULD REPEAT WITH PERFECT CORRECTNESS EACH WORD IN ANY SENTENCE WE ADDRESSED THEM AND THEY REMEMBERED SUCH WORDS FOR SOME TIME YET WE EUROPEANS ALL KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO DISTINGUISH APART THE SOUNDS IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE


WHICH OF US FOR INSTANCE COULD FOLLOW AN AMERICAN INDIAN THROUGH A SENTENCE OF MORE THAN THREE WORDS ALL SAVAGES APPEAR TO POSSESS TO AN UNCOMMON DEGREE THIS POWER OF MIMICRY I WAS TOLD ALMOST IN THE SAME WORDS OF THE SAME LUDICROUS HABIT AMONG THE CAFFRES


THE AUSTRALIANS LIKEWISE HAVE LONG BEEN NOTORIOUS FOR BEING ABLE TO IMITATE AND DESCRIBE THE GAIT OF ANY MAN SO THAT HE MAY BE RECOGNIZED HOW CAN THIS FACULTY BE EXPLAINED IS IT A CONSEQUENCE OF THE MORE PRACTISED HABITS OF PERCEPTION AND KEENER SENSES COMMON TO ALL MEN IN A SAVAGE STATE


AS COMPARED WITH THOSE LONG CIVILIZED WHEN A SONG WAS STRUCK UP BY OUR PARTY I THOUGHT THE FUEGIANS WOULD HAVE FALLEN DOWN WITH ASTONISHMENT WITH EQUAL SURPRISE THEY VIEWED OUR DANCING BUT ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN WHEN ASKED HAD NO OBJECTION TO A LITTLE WALTZING


LITTLE ACCUSTOMED TO EUROPEANS AS THEY APPEARED TO BE YET THEY KNEW AND DREADED OUR FIRE ARMS NOTHING WOULD TEMPT THEM TO TAKE A GUN IN THEIR HANDS THEY BEGGED FOR KNIVES CALLING THEM BY THE SPANISH WORD


THEY EXPLAINED ALSO WHAT THEY WANTED BY ACTING AS IF THEY HAD A PIECE OF BLUBBER IN THEIR MOUTH AND THEN PRETENDING TO CUT INSTEAD OF TEAR IT I HAVE NOT AS YET NOTICED THE FUEGIANS WHOM WE HAD ON BOARD


DURING THE FORMER VOYAGE OF THE ADVENTURE AND BEAGLE IN EIGHTEEN TWENTY SIX TO EIGHTEEN THIRTY CAPTAIN FITZ ROY SEIZED ON A PARTY OF NATIVES AS HOSTAGES FOR THE LOSS OF A BOAT WHICH HAD BEEN STOLEN TO THE GREAT JEOPARDY OF A PARTY EMPLOYED ON THE SURVEY


AND SOME OF THESE NATIVES AS WELL AS A CHILD WHOM HE BOUGHT FOR A PEARL BUTTON HE TOOK WITH HIM TO ENGLAND DETERMINING TO EDUCATE THEM AND INSTRUCT THEM IN RELIGION AT HIS OWN EXPENSE TO SETTLE THESE NATIVES IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY


WAS ONE CHIEF INDUCEMENT TO CAPTAIN FITZ ROY TO UNDERTAKE OUR PRESENT VOYAGE AND BEFORE THE ADMIRALTY HAD RESOLVED TO SEND OUT THIS EXPEDITION CAPTAIN FITZ ROY HAD GENEROUSLY CHARTERED A VESSEL AND WOULD HIMSELF HAVE TAKEN THEM BACK THE NATIVES WERE ACCOMPANIED BY A MISSIONARY


R MATTHEWS OF WHOM AND OF THE NATIVES CAPTAIN FITZ ROY HAS PUBLISHED A FULL AND EXCELLENT ACCOUNT TWO MEN ONE OF WHOM DIED IN ENGLAND OF THE SMALL POX A BOY AND A LITTLE GIRL WERE ORIGINALLY TAKEN AND WE HAD NOW ON BOARD


YORK MINSTER JEMMY BUTTON WHOSE NAME EXPRESSES HIS PURCHASE MONEY AND FUEGIA BASKET YORK MINSTER WAS A FULL GROWN SHORT THICK POWERFUL MAN HIS DISPOSITION WAS RESERVED TACITURN MOROSE


AND WHEN EXCITED VIOLENTLY PASSIONATE HIS AFFECTIONS WERE VERY STRONG TOWARDS A FEW FRIENDS ON BOARD HIS INTELLECT GOOD JEMMY BUTTON WAS A UNIVERSAL FAVOURITE BUT LIKEWISE PASSIONATE THE EXPRESSION OF HIS FACE AT ONCE SHOWED HIS NICE DISPOSITION


HE WAS MERRY AND OFTEN LAUGHED AND WAS REMARKABLY SYMPATHETIC WITH ANY ONE IN PAIN WHEN THE WATER WAS ROUGH I WAS OFTEN A LITTLE SEA SICK AND HE USED TO COME TO ME AND SAY IN A PLAINTIVE VOICE POOR POOR FELLOW BUT THE NOTION AFTER HIS AQUATIC LIFE


OF A MAN BEING SEA SICK WAS TOO LUDICROUS AND HE WAS GENERALLY OBLIGED TO TURN ON ONE SIDE TO HIDE A SMILE OR LAUGH


POOR POOR FELLOW HE WAS OF A PATRIOTIC DISPOSITION AND HE LIKED TO PRAISE HIS OWN TRIBE AND COUNTRY


AND HE ABUSED ALL THE OTHER TRIBES HE STOUTLY DECLARED THAT THERE WAS NO DEVIL IN HIS LAND JEMMY WAS SHORT THICK AND FAT BUT VAIN OF HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE HE USED ALWAYS TO WEAR GLOVES


HIS HAIR WAS NEATLY CUT AND HE WAS DISTRESSED IF HIS WELL POLISHED SHOES WERE DIRTIED HE WAS FOND OF ADMIRING HIMSELF IN A LOOKING GLASS AND A MERRY FACED LITTLE INDIAN BOY FROM THE RIO NEGRO WHOM WE HAD FOR SOME MONTHS ON BOARD SOON PERCEIVED THIS AND USED TO MOCK HIM


TOO MUCH SKYLARK IT SEEMS YET WONDERFUL TO ME WHEN I THINK OVER ALL HIS MANY GOOD QUALITIES THAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN OF THE SAME RACE AND DOUBTLESS PARTAKEN OF THE SAME CHARACTER WITH THE MISERABLE DEGRADED SAVAGES WHOM WE FIRST MET HERE LASTLY


FUEGIA BASKET WAS A NICE MODEST RESERVED YOUNG GIRL WITH A RATHER PLEASING BUT SOMETIMES SULLEN EXPRESSION AND VERY QUICK IN LEARNING ANYTHING ESPECIALLY LANGUAGES THIS SHE SHOWED IN PICKING UP SOME PORTUGUESE AND SPANISH


ALTHOUGH ALL THREE COULD BOTH SPEAK AND UNDERSTAND A GOOD DEAL OF ENGLISH IT WAS SINGULARLY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN MUCH INFORMATION FROM THEM CONCERNING THE HABITS OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN THIS WAS PARTLY OWING TO THEIR APPARENT DIFFICULTY IN UNDERSTANDING THE SIMPLEST ALTERNATIVE


EVERY ONE ACCUSTOMED TO VERY YOUNG CHILDREN KNOWS HOW SELDOM ONE CAN GET AN ANSWER EVEN TO SO SIMPLE A QUESTION AS WHETHER A THING IS BLACK OR WHITE THE IDEA OF BLACK OR WHITE SEEMS ALTERNATELY TO FILL THEIR MINDS SO IT WAS WITH THESE FUEGIANS


AND HENCE IT WAS GENERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND OUT BY CROSS QUESTIONING WHETHER ONE HAD RIGHTLY UNDERSTOOD ANYTHING WHICH THEY HAD ASSERTED THEIR SIGHT WAS REMARKABLY ACUTE IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT SAILORS FROM LONG PRACTICE CAN MAKE OUT A DISTANT OBJECT MUCH BETTER THAN A LANDSMAN


AND JEMMY WHEN HE HAD ANY LITTLE QUARREL WITH THE OFFICER ON WATCH WOULD SAY ME SEE SHIP ME NO TELL IT WAS INTERESTING TO WATCH THE CONDUCT OF THE SAVAGES WHEN WE LANDED TOWARDS JEMMY BUTTON


THEY IMMEDIATELY PERCEIVED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIM AND OURSELVES AND HELD MUCH CONVERSATION ONE WITH ANOTHER ON THE SUBJECT THE OLD MAN ADDRESSED A LONG HARANGUE TO JEMMY WHICH IT SEEMS WAS TO INVITE HIM TO STAY WITH THEM


BUT JEMMY UNDERSTOOD VERY LITTLE OF THEIR LANGUAGE AND WAS MOREOVER THOROUGHLY ASHAMED OF HIS COUNTRYMEN WHEN YORK MINSTER AFTERWARDS CAME ON SHORE THEY NOTICED HIM IN THE SAME WAY AND TOLD HIM HE OUGHT TO SHAVE YET HE HAD NOT TWENTY DWARF HAIRS ON HIS FACE WHILST WE ALL WORE OUR UNTRIMMED BEARDS


THEY EXAMINED THE COLOUR OF HIS SKIN AND COMPARED IT WITH OURS ONE OF OUR ARMS BEING BARED THEY EXPRESSED THE LIVELIEST SURPRISE AND ADMIRATION AT ITS WHITENESS JUST IN THE SAME WAY IN WHICH I HAVE SEEN THE OURANGOUTANG DO AT THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS


WE THOUGHT THAT THEY MISTOOK TWO OR THREE OF THE OFFICERS WHO WERE RATHER SHORTER AND FAIRER THOUGH ADORNED WITH LARGE BEARDS FOR THE LADIES OF OUR PARTY


THAT I DARE SAY HE THOUGHT HIMSELF THE HANDSOMEST MAN IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO AFTER OUR FIRST FEELING OF GRAVE ASTONISHMENT WAS OVER NOTHING COULD BE MORE LUDICROUS THAN THE ODD MIXTURE OF SURPRISE AND IMITATION WHICH THESE SAVAGES EVERY MOMENT EXHIBITED


THE NEXT DAY I ATTEMPTED TO PENETRATE SOME WAY INTO THE COUNTRY TIERRA DEL FUEGO MAY BE DESCRIBED AS A MOUNTAINOUS LAND PARTLY SUBMERGED IN THE SEA SO THAT DEEP INLETS AND BAYS OCCUPY THE PLACE WHERE VALLEYS SHOULD EXIST


THE MOUNTAIN SIDES EXCEPT ON THE EXPOSED WESTERN COAST ARE COVERED FROM THE WATER'S EDGE UPWARDS BY ONE GREAT FOREST


AND ARE SUCCEEDED BY A BAND OF PEAT WITH MINUTE ALPINE PLANTS AND THIS AGAIN IS SUCCEEDED BY THE LINE OF PERPETUAL SNOW WHICH ACCORDING TO CAPTAIN KING IN THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN DESCENDS TO BETWEEN THREE THOUSAND AND FOUR THOUSAND FEET


IS MOST RARE I RECOLLECT ONLY ONE LITTLE FLAT PIECE NEAR PORT FAMINE AND ANOTHER OF RATHER LARGER EXTENT NEAR GOEREE ROAD IN BOTH PLACES AND EVERYWHERE ELSE THE SURFACE IS COVERED BY A THICK BED OF SWAMPY PEAT EVEN WITHIN THE FOREST


THE GROUND IS CONCEALED BY A MASS OF SLOWLY PUTREFYING VEGETABLE MATTER WHICH FROM BEING SOAKED WITH WATER YIELDS TO THE FOOT FINDING IT NEARLY HOPELESS TO PUSH MY WAY THROUGH THE WOOD I FOLLOWED THE COURSE OF A MOUNTAIN TORRENT


AT FIRST FROM THE WATERFALLS AND NUMBER OF DEAD TREES I COULD HARDLY CRAWL ALONG BUT THE BED OF THE STREAM SOON BECAME A LITTLE MORE OPEN FROM THE FLOODS HAVING SWEPT THE SIDES I CONTINUED SLOWLY TO ADVANCE FOR AN HOUR ALONG THE BROKEN AND ROCKY BANKS


AND WAS AMPLY REPAID BY THE GRANDEUR OF THE SCENE THE GLOOMY DEPTH OF THE RAVINE WELL ACCORDED WITH THE UNIVERSAL SIGNS OF VIOLENCE ON EVERY SIDE WERE LYING IRREGULAR MASSES OF ROCK AND TORN UP TREES OTHER TREES THOUGH STILL ERECT


WERE DECAYED TO THE HEART AND READY TO FALL THE ENTANGLED MASS OF THE THRIVING AND THE FALLEN REMINDED ME OF THE FORESTS WITHIN THE TROPICS YET THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE FOR IN THESE STILL SOLITUDES DEATH INSTEAD OF LIFE SEEMED THE PREDOMINANT SPIRIT


HAD CLEARED A STRAIGHT SPACE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN SIDE BY THIS ROAD I ASCENDED TO A CONSIDERABLE ELEVATION AND OBTAINED A GOOD VIEW OF THE SURROUNDING WOODS THE TREES ALL BELONG TO ONE KIND THE FAGUS BETULOIDES


FOR THE NUMBER OF THE OTHER SPECIES OF FAGUS AND OF THE WINTER'S BARK IS QUITE INCONSIDERABLE THIS BEECH KEEPS ITS LEAVES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BUT ITS FOLIAGE IS OF A PECULIAR BROWNISH GREEN COLOUR WITH A TINGE OF YELLOW AS THE WHOLE LANDSCAPE IS THUS COLOURED


IT HAS A SOMBRE DULL APPEARANCE NOR IS IT OFTEN ENLIVENED BY THE RAYS OF THE SUN


ABOUT FIFTEEN HUNDRED FEET HIGH WHICH CAPTAIN FITZ ROY HAS CALLED AFTER SIR J BANKS IN COMMEMORATION OF HIS DISASTROUS EXCURSION WHICH PROVED FATAL TO TWO MEN OF HIS PARTY AND NEARLY SO TO DOCTOR SOLANDER THE SNOW STORM WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THEIR MISFORTUNE


WE FOLLOWED THE SAME WATER COURSE AS ON THE PREVIOUS DAY TILL IT DWINDLED AWAY AND WE WERE THEN COMPELLED TO CRAWL BLINDLY AMONG THE TREES THESE FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE ELEVATION AND OF THE IMPETUOUS WINDS WERE LOW THICK AND CROOKED


AT LENGTH WE REACHED THAT WHICH FROM A DISTANCE APPEARED LIKE A CARPET OF FINE GREEN TURF BUT WHICH TO OUR VEXATION TURNED OUT TO BE A COMPACT MASS OF LITTLE BEECH TREES ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE FEET HIGH


THEY WERE AS THICK TOGETHER AS BOX IN THE BORDER OF A GARDEN AND WE WERE OBLIGED TO STRUGGLE OVER THE FLAT BUT TREACHEROUS SURFACE


A RIDGE CONNECTED THIS HILL WITH ANOTHER DISTANT SOME MILES AND MORE LOFTY SO THAT PATCHES OF SNOW WERE LYING ON IT AS THE DAY WAS NOT FAR ADVANCED I DETERMINED TO WALK THERE AND COLLECT PLANTS ALONG THE ROAD


IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY HARD WORK HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR A WELL BEATEN AND STRAIGHT PATH MADE BY THE GUANACOS FOR THESE ANIMALS LIKE SHEEP ALWAYS FOLLOW THE SAME LINE WHEN WE REACHED THE HILL WE FOUND IT THE HIGHEST IN THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOURHOOD


AND THE WATERS FLOWED TO THE SEA IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS WE OBTAINED A WIDE VIEW OVER THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY TO THE NORTH A SWAMPY MOORLAND EXTENDED


WELL BECOMING TIERRA DEL FUEGO THERE WAS A DEGREE OF MYSTERIOUS GRANDEUR IN MOUNTAIN BEHIND MOUNTAIN WITH THE DEEP INTERVENING VALLEYS ALL COVERED BY ONE THICK DUSKY MASS OF FOREST THE ATMOSPHERE LIKEWISE IN THIS CLIMATE


WHERE GALE SUCCEEDS GALE WITH RAIN HAIL AND SLEET SEEMS BLACKER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN LOOKING DUE SOUTHWARD FROM PORT FAMINE THE DISTANT CHANNELS BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS APPEARED FROM THEIR GLOOMINESS TO LEAD BEYOND THE CONFINES OF THIS WORLD


AND ON THE SUCCEEDING DAY FAVOURED TO AN UNCOMMON DEGREE BY A FINE EASTERLY BREEZE WE CLOSED IN WITH THE BARNEVELTS AND RUNNING PAST CAPE DECEIT WITH ITS STONY PEAKS ABOUT THREE O'CLOCK DOUBLED THE WEATHER BEATEN CAPE HORN THE EVENING WAS CALM AND BRIGHT


AND WE ENJOYED A FINE VIEW OF THE SURROUNDING ISLES CAPE HORN HOWEVER DEMANDED HIS TRIBUTE AND BEFORE NIGHT SENT US A GALE OF WIND DIRECTLY IN OUR TEETH WE STOOD OUT TO SEA AND ON THE SECOND DAY AGAIN MADE THE LAND


WHEN WE SAW ON OUR WEATHER BOW THIS NOTORIOUS PROMONTORY IN ITS PROPER FORM VEILED IN A MIST AND ITS DIM OUTLINE SURROUNDED BY A STORM OF WIND AND WATER GREAT BLACK CLOUDS WERE ROLLING ACROSS THE HEAVENS AND SQUALLS OF RAIN WITH HAIL


THAT THE CAPTAIN DETERMINED TO RUN INTO WIGWAM COVE THIS IS A SNUG LITTLE HARBOUR NOT FAR FROM CAPE HORN AND HERE AT CHRISTMAS EVE WE ANCHORED IN SMOOTH WATER THE ONLY THING WHICH REMINDED US OF THE GALE OUTSIDE


WAS EVERY NOW AND THEN A PUFF FROM THE MOUNTAINS WHICH MADE THE SHIP SURGE AT HER ANCHORS


RISES TO THE HEIGHT OF SEVENTEEN HUNDRED FEET THE SURROUNDING ISLANDS ALL CONSIST OF CONICAL MASSES OF GREENSTONE ASSOCIATED SOMETIMES WITH LESS REGULAR HILLS OF BAKED AND ALTERED CLAY SLATE THIS PART OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO


MAY BE CONSIDERED AS THE EXTREMITY OF THE SUBMERGED CHAIN OF MOUNTAINS ALREADY ALLUDED TO THE COVE TAKES ITS NAME OF WIGWAM FROM SOME OF THE FUEGIAN HABITATIONS BUT EVERY BAY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD MIGHT BE SO CALLED WITH EQUAL PROPRIETY THE INHABITANTS


LIVING CHIEFLY UPON SHELL FISH ARE OBLIGED CONSTANTLY TO CHANGE THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE BUT THEY RETURN AT INTERVALS TO THE SAME SPOTS AS IS EVIDENT FROM THE PILES OF OLD SHELLS WHICH MUST OFTEN AMOUNT TO MANY TONS IN FREIGHT


THE FUEGIAN WIGWAM RESEMBLES IN SIZE AND DIMENSIONS A HAYCOCK IT MERELY CONSISTS OF A FEW BROKEN BRANCHES STUCK IN THE GROUND AND VERY IMPERFECTLY THATCHED ON ONE SIDE WITH A FEW TUFTS OF GRASS AND RUSHES THE WHOLE CANNOT BE THE WORK OF AN HOUR


AND IT IS ONLY USED FOR A FEW DAYS AT GOEREE ROADS I SAW A PLACE WHERE ONE OF THESE NAKED MEN HAD SLEPT WHICH ABSOLUTELY OFFERED NO MORE COVER THAN THE FORM OF A HARE THE MAN WAS EVIDENTLY LIVING BY HIMSELF


ON THE WEST COAST HOWEVER THE WIGWAMS ARE RATHER BETTER FOR THEY ARE COVERED WITH SEAL SKINS WE WERE DETAINED HERE SEVERAL DAYS BY THE BAD WEATHER THE CLIMATE IS CERTAINLY WRETCHED THE SUMMER SOLSTICE WAS NOW PASSED


YET EVERY DAY SNOW FELL ON THE HILLS AND IN THE VALLEYS THERE WAS RAIN ACCOMPANIED BY SLEET THE THERMOMETER GENERALLY STOOD


FROM THE DAMP AND BOISTEROUS STATE OF THE ATMOSPHERE


ONE FANCIED THE CLIMATE EVEN WORSE THAN IT REALLY WAS WHILE GOING ONE DAY ON SHORE NEAR WOLLASTON ISLAND WE PULLED ALONGSIDE A CANOE WITH SIX FUEGIANS THESE WERE THE MOST ABJECT AND MISERABLE CREATURES I ANYWHERE BEHELD


ON THE EAST COAST THE NATIVES AS WE HAVE SEEN HAVE GUANACO CLOAKS AND ON THE WEST THEY POSSESS SEAL SKINS AMONGST THESE CENTRAL TRIBES THE MEN GENERALLY HAVE AN OTTER SKIN OR SOME SMALL SCRAP ABOUT AS LARGE AS A POCKET HANDKERCHIEF


WHICH IS BARELY SUFFICIENT TO COVER THEIR BACKS AS LOW DOWN AS THEIR LOINS IT IS LACED ACROSS THE BREAST BY STRINGS AND ACCORDING AS THE WIND BLOWS IT IS SHIFTED FROM SIDE TO SIDE BUT THESE FUEGIANS IN THE CANOE WERE QUITE NAKED AND EVEN ONE FULL GROWN WOMAN WAS ABSOLUTELY SO


IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY AND THE FRESH WATER TOGETHER WITH THE SPRAY TRICKLED DOWN HER BODY IN ANOTHER HARBOUR NOT FAR DISTANT A WOMAN WHO WAS SUCKLING A RECENTLY BORN CHILD CAME ONE DAY ALONGSIDE THE VESSEL AND REMAINED THERE OUT OF MERE CURIOSITY


THEIR VOICES DISCORDANT AND THEIR GESTURES VIOLENT VIEWING SUCH MEN ONE CAN HARDLY MAKE ONE'S SELF BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE FELLOW CREATURES AND INHABITANTS OF THE SAME WORLD IT IS A COMMON SUBJECT OF CONJECTURE WHAT PLEASURE IN LIFE SOME OF THE LOWER ANIMALS CAN ENJOY


HOW MUCH MORE REASONABLY THE SAME QUESTION MAY BE ASKED WITH RESPECT TO THESE BARBARIANS AT NIGHT FIVE OR SIX HUMAN BEINGS NAKED AND SCARCELY PROTECTED FROM THE WIND AND RAIN OF THIS TEMPESTUOUS CLIMATE SLEEP ON THE WET GROUND COILED UP LIKE ANIMALS


WHENEVER IT IS LOW WATER WINTER OR SUMMER NIGHT OR DAY THEY MUST RISE TO PICK SHELL FISH FROM THE ROCKS AND THE WOMEN EITHER DIVE TO COLLECT SEA EGGS OR SIT PATIENTLY IN THEIR CANOES AND WITH A BAITED HAIR LINE WITHOUT ANY HOOK JERK OUT LITTLE FISH


IF A SEAL IS KILLED OR THE FLOATING CARCASS OF A PUTRID WHALE IS DISCOVERED IT IS A FEAST AND SUCH MISERABLE FOOD IS ASSISTED BY A FEW TASTELESS BERRIES AND FUNGI THEY OFTEN SUFFER FROM FAMINE


I HEARD MISTER LOW A SEALING MASTER INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH THE NATIVES OF THIS COUNTRY GIVE A CURIOUS ACCOUNT OF THE STATE OF A PARTY OF ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY NATIVES ON THE WEST COAST WHO WERE VERY THIN AND IN GREAT DISTRESS


A SUCCESSION OF GALES PREVENTED THE WOMEN FROM GETTING SHELL FISH ON THE ROCKS AND THEY COULD NOT GO OUT IN THEIR CANOES TO CATCH SEAL A SMALL PARTY OF THESE MEN ONE MORNING SET OUT AND THE OTHER INDIANS EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THEY WERE GOING A FOUR DAYS JOURNEY FOR FOOD


AS SOON AS THE BLUBBER WAS BROUGHT INTO A WIGWAM AN OLD MAN CUT OFF THIN SLICES AND MUTTERING OVER THEM BROILED THEM FOR A MINUTE


WHO DURING THIS TIME PRESERVED A PROFOUND SILENCE MISTER LOW BELIEVES THAT WHENEVER A WHALE IS CAST ON SHORE THE NATIVES BURY LARGE PIECES OF IT IN THE SAND AS A RESOURCE IN TIME OF FAMINE AND A NATIVE BOY WHOM HE HAD ON BOARD ONCE FOUND A STOCK THUS BURIED


THE DIFFERENT TRIBES WHEN AT WAR ARE CANNIBALS FROM THE CONCURRENT BUT QUITE INDEPENDENT EVIDENCE OF THE BOY TAKEN BY MISTER LOW AND OF JEMMY BUTTON IT IS CERTAINLY TRUE THAT WHEN PRESSED IN WINTER BY HUNGER


THEY KILL AND DEVOUR THEIR OLD WOMEN BEFORE THEY KILL THEIR DOGS THE BOY BEING ASKED BY MISTER LOW WHY THEY DID THIS ANSWERED DOGGIES CATCH OTTERS OLD WOMEN NO THIS BOY DESCRIBED THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY ARE KILLED BY BEING HELD OVER SMOKE AND THUS CHOKED


HE IMITATED THEIR SCREAMS AS A JOKE AND DESCRIBED THE PARTS OF THEIR BODIES WHICH ARE CONSIDERED BEST TO EAT HORRID AS SUCH A DEATH BY THE HANDS OF THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES MUST BE THE FEARS OF THE OLD WOMEN WHEN HUNGER BEGINS TO PRESS ARE MORE PAINFUL TO THINK OF


BUT THAT THEY ARE PURSUED BY THE MEN AND BROUGHT BACK TO THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE AT THEIR OWN FIRESIDES CAPTAIN FITZ ROY COULD NEVER ASCERTAIN THAT THE FUEGIANS HAVE ANY DISTINCT BELIEF IN A FUTURE LIFE THEY SOMETIMES BURY THEIR DEAD IN CAVES


AND SOMETIMES IN THE MOUNTAIN FORESTS WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT CEREMONIES THEY PERFORM JEMMY BUTTON WOULD NOT EAT LAND BIRDS BECAUSE EAT DEAD MEN THEY ARE UNWILLING EVEN TO MENTION THEIR DEAD FRIENDS WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THEY PERFORM ANY SORT OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP


THOUGH PERHAPS THE MUTTERING OF THE OLD MAN BEFORE HE DISTRIBUTED THE PUTRID BLUBBER TO HIS FAMISHED PARTY MAY BE OF THIS NATURE EACH FAMILY OR TRIBE HAS A WIZARD OR CONJURING DOCTOR WHOSE OFFICE WE COULD NEVER CLEARLY ASCERTAIN JEMMY BELIEVED IN DREAMS


THOUGH NOT AS I HAVE SAID IN THE DEVIL I DO NOT THINK THAT OUR FUEGIANS WERE MUCH MORE SUPERSTITIOUS THAN SOME OF THE SAILORS FOR AN OLD QUARTERMASTER FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT THE SUCCESSIVE HEAVY GALES WHICH WE ENCOUNTERED OFF CAPE HORN WERE CAUSED BY OUR HAVING THE FUEGIANS ON BOARD


THE NEAREST APPROACH TO A RELIGIOUS FEELING WHICH I HEARD OF WAS SHOWN BY YORK MINSTER


IN A WILD AND EXCITED MANNER HE ALSO RELATED THAT HIS BROTHER ONE DAY WHILST RETURNING TO PICK UP SOME DEAD BIRDS WHICH HE HAD LEFT ON THE COAST OBSERVED SOME FEATHERS BLOWN BY THE WIND HIS BROTHER SAID YORK IMITATING HIS MANNER WHAT THAT


AND CRAWLING ONWARDS HE PEEPED OVER THE CLIFF AND SAW WILD MAN PICKING HIS BIRDS HE CRAWLED A LITTLE NEARER AND THEN HURLED DOWN A GREAT STONE AND KILLED HIM YORK DECLARED FOR A LONG TIME AFTERWARDS STORMS RAGED AND MUCH RAIN AND SNOW FELL


AS FAR AS WE COULD MAKE OUT HE SEEMED TO CONSIDER THE ELEMENTS THEMSELVES AS THE AVENGING AGENTS IT IS EVIDENT IN THIS CASE HOW NATURALLY IN A RACE A LITTLE MORE ADVANCED IN CULTURE THE ELEMENTS WOULD BECOME PERSONIFIED WHAT THE BAD WILD MEN WERE


HAS ALWAYS APPEARED TO ME MOST MYSTERIOUS FROM WHAT YORK SAID WHEN WE FOUND THE PLACE LIKE THE FORM OF A HARE WHERE A SINGLE MAN HAD SLEPT THE NIGHT BEFORE


BUT OTHER OBSCURE SPEECHES MADE ME DOUBT THIS I HAVE SOMETIMES IMAGINED THAT THE MOST PROBABLE EXPLANATION WAS THAT THEY WERE INSANE THE DIFFERENT TRIBES HAVE NO GOVERNMENT OR CHIEF YET EACH IS SURROUNDED BY OTHER HOSTILE TRIBES SPEAKING DIFFERENT DIALECTS


AND SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER ONLY BY A DESERTED BORDER OR NEUTRAL TERRITORY THE CAUSE OF THEIR WARFARE APPEARS TO BE THE MEANS OF SUBSISTENCE THEIR COUNTRY IS A BROKEN MASS OF WILD ROCKS LOFTY HILLS AND USELESS FORESTS


AND THESE ARE VIEWED THROUGH MISTS AND ENDLESS STORMS THE HABITABLE LAND IS REDUCED TO THE STONES ON THE BEACH IN SEARCH OF FOOD THEY ARE COMPELLED UNCEASINGLY TO WANDER FROM SPOT TO SPOT AND SO STEEP IS THE COAST THAT THEY CAN ONLY MOVE ABOUT IN THEIR WRETCHED CANOES


THEY CANNOT KNOW THE FEELING OF HAVING A HOME AND STILL LESS THAT OF DOMESTIC AFFECTION FOR THE HUSBAND IS TO THE WIFE A BRUTAL MASTER TO A LABORIOUS SLAVE WAS A MORE HORRID DEED EVER PERPETRATED THAN THAT WITNESSED ON THE WEST COAST BY BYRON


WHO SAW A WRETCHED MOTHER PICK UP HER BLEEDING DYING INFANT BOY WHOM HER HUSBAND HAD MERCILESSLY DASHED ON THE STONES FOR DROPPING A BASKET OF SEA EGGS HOW LITTLE CAN THE HIGHER POWERS OF THE MIND BE BROUGHT INTO PLAY WHAT IS THERE FOR IMAGINATION TO PICTURE


FOR REASON TO COMPARE OR JUDGMENT TO DECIDE UPON TO KNOCK A LIMPET FROM THE ROCK DOES NOT REQUIRE EVEN CUNNING THAT LOWEST POWER OF THE MIND THEIR SKILL IN SOME RESPECTS MAY BE COMPARED TO THE INSTINCT OF ANIMALS FOR IT IS NOT IMPROVED BY EXPERIENCE


THE CANOE THEIR MOST INGENIOUS WORK POOR AS IT IS HAS REMAINED THE SAME AS WE KNOW FROM DRAKE FOR THE LAST TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS WHILST BEHOLDING THESE SAVAGES ONE ASKS WHENCE HAVE THEY COME WHAT COULD HAVE TEMPTED


OR WHAT CHANGE COMPELLED A TRIBE OF MEN TO LEAVE THE FINE REGIONS OF THE NORTH TO TRAVEL DOWN THE CORDILLERA OR BACKBONE OF AMERICA TO INVENT AND BUILD CANOES WHICH ARE NOT USED BY THE TRIBES OF CHILE PERU AND BRAZIL


AND THEN TO ENTER ON ONE OF THE MOST INHOSPITABLE COUNTRIES WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE GLOBE ALTHOUGH SUCH REFLECTIONS MUST AT FIRST SEIZE ON THE MIND YET WE MAY FEEL SURE THAT THEY ARE PARTLY ERRONEOUS THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE FUEGIANS DECREASE IN NUMBER


THEREFORE WE MUST SUPPOSE THAT THEY ENJOY A SUFFICIENT SHARE OF HAPPINESS OF WHATEVER KIND IT MAY BE TO RENDER LIFE WORTH HAVING


HE SURVEYED THE HOUSE FROM THE SIDEWALK WATCHING WITH A SORT OF SPECULATIVE SATISFACTION A MAN'S SHADOW THAT PASSED CONSTANTLY TO AND FRO ACROSS THE DRAWN BLINDS OF ONE OF THE LOWER WINDOWS


THE REST OF THE HOUSE WAS IN DARKNESS YES SAID JIMMIE DALE NODDING HIS HEAD I RATHER THOUGHT SO THE SERVANTS WILL HAVE RETIRED HOURS AGO IT'S SAFE ENOUGH


I WANT TO SEE MISTER THOMAS H CARLING CASHIER OF THE HUDSON MERCANTILE NATIONAL BANK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT SAID JIMMIE DALE EARNESTLY I AM MISTER CARLING REPLIED THE OTHER WHAT IS IT


JIMMIE DALE LEANED FORWARD FROM HEADQUARTERS WITH A REPORT HE SAID IN A LOW TONE AH EXCLAIMED THE BANK OFFICIAL SHARPLY WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME I'VE BEEN WAITING UP FOR IT


THOUGH I EXPECTED YOU WOULD TELEPHONE RATHER THAN THIS COME IN THANK YOU SAID JIMMIE DALE COURTEOUSLY AND STEPPED INTO THE HALL THE OTHER CLOSED THE FRONT DOOR THE SERVANTS ARE IN BED OF COURSE


HE EXPLAINED AS HE LED THE WAY TOWARD THE LIGHTED ROOM THIS WAY PLEASE BEHIND THE OTHER ACROSS THE HALL JIMMIE DALE FOLLOWED AND CLOSE AT CARLING'S HEELS ENTERED THE ROOM WHICH WAS FITTED UP


QUITE EVIDENTLY REGARDLESS OF COST AS A COMBINATION LIBRARY AND STUDY CARLING IN A SOMEWHAT POMPOUS FASHION WALKED STRAIGHT AHEAD TOWARD THE CARVED MAHOGANY FLAT TOPPED DESK AND AS HE REACHED IT


WAVED HIS HAND TAKE A CHAIR HE SAID OVER HIS SHOULDER AND THEN TURNING IN THE ACT OF DROPPING INTO HIS OWN CHAIR GRASPED SUDDENLY AT THE EDGE OF THE DESK INSTEAD


AND WITH A LOW STARTLED CRY STARED ACROSS THE ROOM JIMMIE DALE WAS LEANING BACK AGAINST THE DOOR THAT WAS CLOSED NOW BEHIND HIM AND ON JIMMIE DALE'S FACE WAS A BLACK SILK MASK


FOR AN INSTANT NEITHER MAN SPOKE NOR MOVED THEN CARLING SPARE BUILT DAPPER IN EVENING CLOTHES EDGED BACK FROM THE DESK AND LAUGHED A LITTLE UNCERTAINLY


AS HE SMILED IN PRIVATE YOU'VE A STRANGE METHOD OF SECURING PRIVACY HAVEN'T YOU A BIT MELODRAMATIC ISN'T IT


JIMMIE DALE SMILED INDULGENTLY MY MASK IS ONLY FOR EFFECT HE SAID MY NAME IS SMITH YES SAID CARLING I AM VERY STUPID THANK YOU


HE HAD REACHED THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM NOW AND WITH A QUICK SUDDEN MOVEMENT JERKED HIS HAND TO THE DIAL OF THE SAFE THAT STOOD AGAINST THE WALL BUT JIMMIE DALE WAS QUICKER WITHOUT SHIFTING HIS POSITION HIS AUTOMATIC WHIPPED FROM HIS POCKET


HELD A DISCONCERTING BEAD ON CARLING'S FOREHEAD PLEASE DON'T DO THAT SAID JIMMIE DALE SOFTLY IT'S RATHER A GOOD MAKE THAT SAFE I DARE SAY IT WOULD TAKE ME HALF AN HOUR TO OPEN IT


HIS VOICE WAS RISING GRADUALLY WELL SIR LET ME TELL YOU THAT MISTER CARLING SAID JIMMIE DALE IN A LOW EVEN TONE UNLESS YOU MODERATE YOUR VOICE SOME ONE IN THE HOUSE MIGHT HEAR YOU I AM QUITE WELL AWARE OF THAT


EXTRACTED THE KEY FROM THE DOOR LOCK HELD IT UP FOR THE OTHER TO SEE THEN DROPPED IT INTO HIS POCKET AND HIS VOICE COLD BEFORE


JIMMIE DALE MOVED OVER AND STOOD IN FRONT OF CARLING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DESK AND STARED SILENTLY AT THE IMMACULATE FASHIONABLY GROOMED FIGURE BEFORE HIM UNDER THE PROLONGED GAZE CARLING'S COMPOSURE


IN A MEASURE AT LEAST SEEMED TO FORSAKE HIM HE BEGAN TO DRUM NERVOUSLY WITH HIS FINGERS ON THE DESK AND SHIFT UNEASILY IN HIS CHAIR AND THEN FROM FIRST ONE POCKET AND THEN THE OTHER


SAID JIMMIE DALE SLOWLY I HAVEN'T COUNTED IT YOUR BANK WAS ROBBED THIS EVENING AT CLOSING TIME I UNDERSTAND YES CARLING'S VOICE WAS EXCITED NOW


BUT YOU HOW DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU ARE RETURNING THE MONEY TO THE BANK EXACTLY SAID JIMMIE DALE CARLING WAS ONCE MORE THE POMPOUS BANK OFFICIAL


HE LEANED BACK AND SURVEYED JIMMIE DALE CRITICALLY WITH HIS LITTLE BLACK EYES AH QUITE SO HE OBSERVED THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE MASK BUT I AM STILL A LITTLE IN THE DARK UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES


IT IS QUITE IMPOSSIBLE THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE STOLEN THE MONEY YOURSELF AND I DIDN'T SAID JIMMIE DALE I FOUND IT HIDDEN IN THE HOME OF ONE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES


IN MOYNE'S HOME UP IN HARLEM


YOU'RE WISER THAN YOU KNOW MY MAN THAT'S WHAT WE SUSPECTED


I'LL TELEPHONE HEADQUARTERS TO MAKE THE ARREST AT ONCE JUST A MINUTE INTERPOSED JIMMIE DALE GRAVELY I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO A LITTLE STORY FIRST A STORY


WHAT HAS A STORY GOT TO DO WITH THIS SNAPPED CARLING THE MAN HAS GOT A HOME SAID JIMMIE DALE SOFTLY A HOME AND A WIFE AND A LITTLE BABY GIRL


YOU WANT TO PLEAD FOR HIM CARLING FLUNG OUT GRUFFLY WELL HE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF ALL THAT BEFORE IT'S QUITE USELESS FOR YOU TO BRING IT UP THE MAN HAS HAD HIS CHANCE ALREADY


SAID CARLING ICILY YOU REFUSE ABSOLUTELY JIMMIE DALE'S VOICE HAD A LINGERING WISTFUL NOTE IN IT I REFUSE SAID CARLING BLUNTLY I WON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT


YOUR BANK WAS ROBBED TO NIGHT OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THERE ARE TEN THOUSAND HERE THE OTHER NINETY THOUSAND ARE IN YOUR SAFE YOU LIE ASHEN TO THE LIPS CARLING HAD RISEN IN HIS CHAIR


YOU LIE HE CRIED DO YOU HEAR YOU LIE I TELL YOU YOU LIE JIMMIE DALE'S LIPS PARTED OMINOUSLY SIT DOWN HE GRITTED BETWEEN HIS TEETH THE WHITE IN CARLING'S FACE HAD TURNED TO GRAY


HIS LIPS WERE WORKING MECHANICALLY HE SANK DOWN AGAIN IN HIS CHAIR JIMMIE DALE STILL LEANED OVER THE DESK RESTING HIS WEIGHT ON HIS RIGHT ELBOW THE AUTOMATIC IN HIS RIGHT HAND COVERING CARLING YOU CUR WHISPERED


JIMMIE DALE THERE'S JUST ONE REASON ONLY ONE THAT KEEPS ME FROM PUTTING A BULLET THROUGH YOU WHILE YOU SIT THERE WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT THERE IS THAT LITTLE STORY FIRST SHALL I TELL IT TO YOU NOW


FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND GOD KNOWS HOW MANY BEFORE THAT YOU'VE GONE THE PACE THE LAVISHNESS OF THIS BACHELOR ESTABLISHMENT OF YOURS IS COMMON TALK IN NEW YORK FAR IN EXCESS OF A BANK CASHIER'S SALARY


BUT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A WEALTHY MAN IN YOUR OWN RIGHT AND SO IN REALITY YOU WERE ONCE BUT YOU WENT THROUGH YOUR FORTUNE TWO YEARS AGO


EXPOSURE THREATENING YOU AT ANY MOMENT WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME AGAIN THAT I LIE CARLING BUT NOW THE MAN MADE NO ANSWER HE HAD SUNK A LITTLE DEEPER IN HIS CHAIR


A DAWNING LOOK OF TERROR IN THE EYES THAT HELD FASCINATED ON JIMMIE DALE YOU CUR SAID JIMMIE DALE AGAIN YOU CUR WITH YOUR DEVIL'S WORK A YEAR AGO YOU SAW THIS NIGHT COMING


WHEN YOU MUST HAVE MONEY OR FACE RUIN AND EXPOSURE YOU SAW IT THEN A YEAR AGO THE DAY THAT MOYNE CONCEALING NOTHING OF HIS PRISON RECORD APPLIED THROUGH FRIENDS FOR A POSITION IN THE BANK


YOUR CO OFFICIALS WERE OPPOSED TO HIS APPOINTMENT BUT YOU DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU PLEADED TO GIVE THE MAN HIS CHANCE AND IN YOUR HELLISH INGENUITY SAW YOUR WAY THEN OUT OF THE TRAP AN EX CONVICT FROM SING SING


IT WAS ENOUGH WASN'T IT WHAT CHANCE HAD HE JIMMIE DALE PAUSED HIS LEFT HAND CLENCHED UNTIL THE SKIN FORMED WHITISH KNOBS OVER THE KNUCKLES CARLING'S TONGUE SOUGHT HIS LIPS MADE A CIRCUIT OF THEM


AND HE TRIED TO SPEAK BUT HIS VOICE WAS AN INCOHERENT MUTTERING I'LL NOT WASTE WORDS SAID JIMMIE DALE IN HIS GRIM MONOTONE I'M NOT SURE ENOUGH MYSELF THAT I COULD KEEP MY HANDS OFF YOU MUCH LONGER


THE ACTUAL DETAILS OF HOW YOU STOLE THE MONEY TO DAY DO NOT MATTER NOW A LITTLE LATER PERHAPS IN COURT BUT NOT NOW YOU WERE THE LAST TO LEAVE THE BANK


BUT BEFORE LEAVING YOU PRETENDED TO DISCOVER THE THEFT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT DONE UP IN A PAPER PARCEL WAS EVEN THEN REPOSING IN YOUR DESK YOU BROUGHT THE PARCEL HOME PUT IT IN THAT SAFE THERE


AND NOTIFIED THE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK BY TELEPHONE FROM HERE OF THE ROBBERY SUGGESTING THAT POLICE HEADQUARTERS BE ADVISED AT ONCE HE TOLD YOU TO GO AHEAD AND ACT AS YOU SAW BEST YOU NOTIFIED THE POLICE


THE EX CONVICT IN THE BANK'S EMPLOY YOU KNEW MOYNE WAS DINING OUT TO NIGHT YOU KNEW WHERE AND AT A HINT FROM YOU THE POLICE TOOK UP THE TRAIL A LITTLE LATER IN THE EVENING YOU TOOK THESE TWO PACKAGES OF BANKNOTES FROM THE REST


AND WITH THIS STEAMSHIP TICKET WHICH YOU OBTAINED YESTERDAY WHILE OUT AT LUNCH BY SENDING A DISTRICT MESSENGER BOY WITH THE MONEY AND INSTRUCTIONS IN A SEALED ENVELOPE TO PURCHASE FOR YOU YOU WENT UP TO THE MOYNES FLAT


IN HARLEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECRETING THEM SOMEWHERE THERE YOU PRETENDED TO BE MUCH DISAPPOINTED AT FINDING MOYNE OUT YOU HAD JUST COME FOR A LITTLE SOCIAL VISIT


TO GET BETTER ACQUAINTED WITH THE HOME LIFE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES MISSUS MOYNE WAS GENUINELY PLEASED AND GRATEFUL


WHO WAS ALREADY ASLEEP IN BED


YOU JIMMIE DALE'S VOICE CHOKED AGAIN YOU BLOT ON GOD'S EARTH YOU SLIPPED THE MONEY AND TICKET UNDER THE CHILD'S MATTRESS CARLING CAME FORWARD WITH A LURCH IN HIS CHAIR AND HIS HANDS WENT OUT


AND IT WAS SAFER MUCH MORE CIRCUMSPECT ON YOUR PART NOT TO ORDER THE FLAT SEARCHED AT ONCE BUT ONLY AS A LAST RESORT AS IT WERE AFTER YOU HAD LED THE POLICE TO TRAIL HIM ALL EVENING AND STILL REMAIN WITHOUT A CLEW


AND BESIDES OF COURSE NOT UNTIL YOU HAD PLANTED THE EVIDENCE THAT WAS TO DAMN HIM AND WRECK HIS LIFE AND HOME YOU WERE EVEN GENEROUS IN THE AMOUNT YOU DEPRIVED YOURSELF OF OUT OF THE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS


EVIDENCE THAT HE HAD DONE THE JOB AND HAD THE BALANCE SOMEWHERE WHAT WOULD HIS DENIALS HIS PROTESTATIONS OF INNOCENCE COUNT FOR HE WAS AN EX CONVICT A HARDENED CRIMINAL CAUGHT RED HANDED WITH A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS OF ROBBERY


AND THEN JIMMIE DALE LAUGHED NOT PLEASANTLY YES THERE'S A WAY CARLING HE SAID GRIMLY THAT'S WHY I'M HERE HE PICKED UP A SHEET OF WRITING PAPER AND PUSHED IT ACROSS THE DESK THEN A PEN


NO HE CRIED I WON'T I CAN'T MY GOD I I WON'T THE AUTOMATIC IN JIMMIE DALE'S HAND EDGED FORWARD THE FRACTION OF AN INCH I HAVE NOT USED THIS YET YOU UNDERSTAND NOW WHY DON'T YOU HE SAID UNDER HIS BREATH


NO NO CARLING PUSHED AWAY THE PEN I'M RUINED RUINED AS IT IS BUT THIS WOULD MEAN THE PENITENTIARY TOO WHERE YOU TRIED TO SEND AN INNOCENT MAN IN YOUR PLACE YOU HOUND WHERE YOU SOME OTHER WAY


CARLING WAS BABBLING LET ME OUT OF THIS FOR GOD'S SAKE LET ME OUT OF THIS CARLING SAID JIMMIE DALE HOARSELY I STOOD BESIDE A LITTLE BED TO NIGHT AND LOOKED AT A BABY GIRL A LITTLE BABY GIRL WITH GOLDEN HAIR


WHO SMILED AS SHE SLEPT CARLING SHIVERED AND PASSED A SHAKING HAND ACROSS HIS FACE TAKE THIS PEN SAID JIMMIE DALE MONOTONOUSLY OR THIS THE AUTOMATIC


LIFTED UNTIL THE MUZZLE WAS ON A LINE WITH CARLING'S EYES CARLING'S HAND REACHED OUT STILL SHAKING AND TOOK THE PEN AND HIS BODY DRAGGED LIMPLY FORWARD HUNG OVER THE DESK


THE PEN SPLUTTERED ON THE PAPER A BEAD OF SWEAT SPURTING FROM THE MAN'S FOREHEAD DROPPED TO THE SHEET THERE WAS SILENCE IN THE ROOM A MINUTE PASSED ANOTHER


CARLING'S PEN TRAVELLED HALTINGLY ACROSS THE PAPER THEN WITH A QUEER LOW CRY AS HE SIGNED HIS NAME HE DROPPED THE PEN FROM HIS FINGERS AND RISING UNSTEADILY FROM HIS CHAIR


I GUESS IT'S ALL UP I GUESS I KNEW IT WOULD BE SOME DAY MOYNE HADN'T ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT I STOLE THE MONEY MYSELF FROM THE BANK TO NIGHT I GUESS IT'S ALL UP


THOMAS H CARLING FROM THE PAPER JIMMIE DALE'S EYES SHIFTED TO THE FIGURE BY THE COUCH AND THE PAPER FLUTTERED SUDDENLY FROM HIS FINGERS TO THE DESK CARLING WAS REELING CLUTCHING AT HIS THROAT


A SMALL GLASS VIAL ROLLED UPON THE CARPET AND THEN EVEN AS JIMMIE DALE SPRANG FORWARD THE OTHER PITCHED HEAD LONG OVER THE COUCH AND IN A MOMENT IT WAS OVER PRESENTLY JIMMIE DALE PICKED UP THE VIAL


AND DROPPED IT BACK ON THE FLOOR AGAIN THERE WAS NO LABEL ON IT BUT IT NEEDED NONE THE STRONG PENETRATING ODOR OF BITTER ALMONDS WAS TELLTALE EVIDENCE ENOUGH IT WAS PRUSSIC


OR HYDROCYANIC ACID PROBABLY THE MOST DEADLY POISON AND THE SWIFTEST IN ITS ACTION THAT WAS KNOWN TO SCIENCE CARLING HAD PROVIDED AGAINST THAT SOME DAY IN HIS CONFESSION FOR A LITTLE SPACE


MOTIONLESS JIMMIE DALE STOOD LOOKING DOWN AT THE SILENT OUTSTRETCHED FORM THEN HE WALKED SLOWLY BACK TO THE DESK AND SLOWLY DELIBERATELY PICKED UP THE SIGNED CONFESSION AND THE STEAMSHIP TICKET HE HELD THEM AN INSTANT


STARING AT THEM THEN METHODICALLY BEGAN TO TEAR THEM INTO LITTLE PIECES A STRANGE TIRED SMILE HOVERING ON HIS LIPS THE MAN WAS DEAD NOW THERE WOULD BE DISGRACE ENOUGH FOR SOME ONE TO BEAR A MOTHER PERHAPS


WHO KNEW AND THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY NOW SINCE THE MAN WAS DEAD JIMMIE DALE PUT THE PIECES IN HIS POCKET WENT TO THE SAFE OPENED IT AND TOOK OUT A PARCEL LOCKED THE SAFE CAREFULLY


AND CARRIED THE PARCEL TO THE DESK HE OPENED IT THERE INSIDE WERE NEARLY TWO DOZEN LITTLE PACKAGES OF HUNDRED DOLLAR BILLS THE OTHER TWO PACKAGES THAT HE HAD BROUGHT WITH HIM HE ADDED TO THE REST


FROM HIS POCKET HE TOOK OUT THE THIN METAL INSIGNIA CASE AND WITH THE TINY TWEEZERS LIFTED UP ONE OF THE GRAY COLOURED DIAMOND SHAPED PAPER SEALS HE MOISTENED THE ADHESIVE SIDE AND


STILL HOLDING IT BY THE TWEEZERS DROPPED IT ON HIS HANDKERCHIEF AND PRESSED THE SEAL DOWN ON THE FACE OF THE TOPMOST PACKAGE OF BANKNOTES HE TIED THE PARCEL UP THEN AND PICKING UP THE PEN ADDRESSED IT IN PRINTED CHARACTERS


WITH THE PARCEL UNDER HIS ARM STEPPED TO THE DOOR AND UNLOCKED IT HE PAUSED FOR AN INSTANT ON THE THRESHOLD FOR A SINGLE QUICK COMPREHENSIVE GLANCE AROUND THE ROOM THEN PASSED ON OUT INTO THE STREET


AT THE CORNER HE STOPPED TO LIGHT A CIGARETTE AND THE FLAME OF THE MATCH SPURTING UP DISCLOSED A FACE THAT WAS WORN AND HAGGARD HE THREW THE MATCH AWAY SMILED A LITTLE WEARILY AND WENT ON


A WHITE GLOVED ARM A VOICE AND A SILVERY LAUGH JUST THAT NO MORE JIMMIE DALE IN HIS FAVOURITE SEAT AN AISLE SEAT SOME SEVEN OR EIGHT ROWS BACK FROM THE ORCHESTRA STARED AT THE STAGE


TO ALL OUTWARD APPEARANCES ABSORBED IN THE LAST ACT OF THE PLAY INWARDLY QUITE OBLIVIOUS TO THE FACT THAT EVEN A PLAY WAS GOING ON A WHITE GLOVED ARM A VOICE


AND A SILVERY LAUGH THE WORDS HAD FORMED THEMSELVES INTO A SORT OF SINGSONG REFRAIN THAT FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS HAD BEEN RUNNING THROUGH HIS HEAD A STRANGE ENOUGH GUIDING STAR TO MOULD AND DICTATE EVERY ACTION IN HIS LIFE


AND THAT WAS ALL HE HAD EVER SEEN OF HER ALL THAT HE HAD EVER HEARD OF HER EXCEPT THOSE LETTERS OF COURSE EACH OF WHICH HAD OUTLINED THE DETAILS OF SOME AFFAIR FOR THE GRAY SEAL TO EXECUTE


INDEED IT SEEMED A GREAT LENGTH OF TIME NOW SINCE HE HAD HEARD FROM HER EVEN IN THAT WAY THOUGH IT WAS NOT SO MANY DAYS AGO AFTER ALL PERHAPS IT WAS THE CALM AS IT WERE THAT BY CONTRAST


HAD GIVEN PLACE TO THE STRENUOUS MONTHS AND WEEKS JUST PAST THE STORM RAISED BY THE NEWSPAPERS AT THE THEFT OF OLD LUDDY'S DIAMONDS HAD SUBSIDED INTO SPORADIC DIATRIBES AIMED AT THE POLICE KLINE


OF THE SECRET SERVICE HAD FINALLY ADMITTED DEFEAT AND A SHADOW NO LONGER SKULKED DAY AND NIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE SANCTUARY AND LARRY THE BAT BORE THE GOVERNMENT INDORSEMENT SO TO SPEAK OF BEING NO MORE SUSPICIOUS A CHARACTER


THAN THAT OF A DISREPUTABLE BUT HARMLESS DOPE FIEND OF THE UNDERWORLD LARRY THE BAT THE GRAY SEAL JIMMIE DALE THE MILLIONAIRE


SUBCONSCIOUSLY TELEGRAPHING TO HIS MIND THE FACT THAT THE TEXTURE OF THE PAPER WAS HERS HERS AND SHE MUST BE ONE OF THOSE AROUND HIM ONE OF THOSE CROWDING EITHER THE ROW OF SEATS IN FRONT OR BEHIND


OR ONE OF THOSE JUST PASSING IN THE AISLE IT HAD FALLEN AT HIS FEET AS HE HAD STOOPED OVER FOR HIS HAT BUT FROM JUST EXACTLY WHAT DIRECTION HE COULD NOT TELL HIS EYES EAGERLY HUNGRILY


CRITICALLY SWEPT FACE AFTER FACE WHICH ONE WAS HERS WHAT IRONY SHE WHOM HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIS LIFE TO KNOW FOR WHOM INDEED HE RISKED HIS LIFE EVERY HOUR OF THE TWENTY FOUR


WAS CLOSE TO HIM NOW WITHIN REACH AND AS FAR REMOVED AS THOUGH A THOUSAND MILES SEPARATED THEM SHE WAS THERE BUT HE COULD NOT RECOGNISE A FACE THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN


WITH AN EFFORT HE CHOKED BACK THE BITTER IMPOTENT LAUGH THAT ROSE TO HIS LIPS THEY WERE TALKING LAUGHING AROUND HIM HER VOICE YES


HE HAD ONCE HEARD THAT AND THAT HE WOULD RECOGNISE AGAIN HE STRAINED TO CATCH TO INDIVIDUALISE THE TONE SOUNDS THAT FLOATED IN A MEDLEY ABOUT HIM IT WAS USELESS OF COURSE


EVERY EFFORT THAT HE HAD EVER MADE TO FIND HER HAD BEEN USELESS SHE WAS TOO CLEVER FAR TOO CLEVER FOR THAT SHE TOO WOULD KNOW THAT HE COULD AND WOULD RECOGNISE HER VOICE WHERE HE COULD RECOGNISE NOTHING ELSE


AND THEN SUDDENLY HE REALISED THAT HE WAS ATTRACTING ATTENTION LEVEL STARES FROM THE WOMEN RETURNED HIS GAZE


OTHERS IN THE SAME ROW OF SEATS AS HIS OWN WERE IMPATIENTLY WAITING TO GET BY HIM WITH A MUTTERED APOLOGY JIMMIE DALE RAISED THE SEAT OF HIS CHAIR ALLOWING THESE LATTER TO PASS HIM AND THEN


SLIPPING THE LETTER INTO HIS POCKETBOOK HE SNATCHED UP HIS HAT FROM THE SEAT RACK THERE WAS STILL A CHANCE KNOWING HE WAS THERE SHE WOULD BE ON HER GUARD BUT IN THE LOBBY AMONG THE CROWD AND UNAWARE OF HIS PRESENCE


THERE WAS THE POSSIBILITY THAT IF HE COULD REACH THE ENTRANCE AHEAD OF HER SHE TOO MIGHT BE TALKING AND LAUGHING AS SHE LEFT THE THEATRE JUST A SINGLE WORD JUST A TONE THAT WAS ALL HE ASKED


TIGHT PACKED THE MASS OF PEOPLE JOSTLED ELBOWED AND PUSHED GOOD NATUREDLY IT WAS A VOICE NOW HER VOICE THAT HE WAS LISTENING FOR BUT THOUGH IT SEEMED THAT EVERY FACULTY WAS STRAINED AND INTENT UPON THAT ONE EFFORT


HIS EYES TOO HAD IN NO DEGREE RELAXED THEIR VIGILANCE AND ONCE HALF GRIMLY HALF SARDONICALLY HE SMILED TO HIMSELF


WITH THEIR PROSPEROUS WELL GROOMED ESCORTS THERE WAS THE WOWZER OVER THERE SLEEK DAPPER SQUIRMING IN AND OUT OF THE THRONG WITH THE AGILITY AND STEALTH OF A CAT AS LARRY THE BAT HE HAD MET THE WOWZER MANY TIMES


AS INDEED HE HAD MET AND WAS ACQUAINTED WITH MOST OF THE ELITE OF THE UNDERWORLD THE WOWZER BEYOND A SHADOW OF DOUBT IN HIS OWN PROFESSION STOOD UPON A PLANE ENTIRELY BY HIMSELF AMONG THOSE QUALIFIED TO SPEAK


POKE GETTER IN THE UNITED STATES THE CROWD THINNED IN THE LOBBY THINNED DOWN TO THE LAST FEW BELATED STRAGGLERS WHO PASSED HIM AS HE STILL LOITERED IN THE ENTRANCE


AND DISAPPOINTMENT THAT BURNED WITHIN HIM STEPPED OUT TO THE PAVEMENT AND HEADED DOWN BROADWAY AFTER ALL HE HAD KNOWN IT IN HIS HEART OF HEARTS ALL THE TIME IT HAD


ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME IT WAS ONLY ONE MORE OCCASION ADDED TO THE INNUMERABLE ONES THAT HAD GONE BEFORE IN WHICH SHE HAD ELUDED HIM AND NOW THERE WAS THE LETTER


AUTOMATICALLY HE QUICKENED HIS STEPS A LITTLE IT WAS USELESS FUTILE PROFITLESS FOR THE MOMENT AT LEAST TO DISTURB HIMSELF OVER HIS FAILURE THERE WAS THE LETTER


WHAT SUDDEN EMERGENCY WAS THE GRAY SEAL CALLED UPON TO FACE THIS TIME WHAT ROLE UNREHEARSED WITHOUT WARNING MUST HE PLAY WHAT STORY OF GRIM


JIMMIE DALE A BLOCK DOWN HE TURNED FROM BROADWAY OUT OF THE THEATRE CROWDS THAT STREAMED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS PAST HIM THE LETTER


ALMOST FEVERISHLY NOW HE WAS SEEKING AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN AND READ IT UNOBSERVED AN EAGERNESS UPON HIM THAT MINGLED EXHILARATION AT THE LURE OF DANGER WITH A SENSE OF PREMONITION THAT IRRITABLY


INEVITABLY WAS WITH HIM AT MOMENTS SUCH AS THESE IT SEEMED IT ALWAYS SEEMED THAT WITH AN UNOPENED LETTER OF HERS IN HIS POSSESSION IT WAS AS THOUGH HE WERE ABOUT TO OPEN A PAGE IN THE BOOK OF FATE AND READ


A PRONOUNCEMENT UPON HIMSELF THAT MIGHT MEAN LIFE OR DEATH HE HURRIED ON PEOPLE STILL PASSED BY HIM TOO MANY AND THEN A CAFE JUST AHEAD


MAKING A CORNER GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY THAT HE SOUGHT AWAY FROM THE ENTRANCE ON THE SIDE STREET THE BRILLIANT LIGHTS FROM THE WINDOWS SHONE OUT ON A COMPARATIVELY DESERTED PAVEMENT


THERE WAS AMPLE LIGHT TO READ BY EVEN AS FAR AWAY FROM THE WINDOW AS THE CURB AND JIMMIE DALE WITH AN APPROVING NOD TURNED THE CORNER AND WALKED ALONG A FEW STEPS UNTIL OPPOSITE THE FARTHEST WINDOW BUT


AS HE HALTED HERE AT THE EDGE OF THE STREET HE GLANCED QUICKLY BEHIND HIM AT A MAN WHOM HE HAD JUST PASSED THE OTHER HAD PAUSED AT THE CORNER AND WAS STARING DOWN THE STREET JIMMIE DALE INSTANTLY AND NONCHALANTLY PRODUCED HIS CIGARETTE CASE


SELECTED A CIGARETTE AND FASTIDIOUSLY TAPPED ITS END ON HIS THUMB NAIL INSPECTOR BURTON IN PLAIN CLOTHES HE OBSERVED MUSINGLY TO HIMSELF I WONDER IF IT'S JUST A FLUKE


OR SOMETHING ELSE WE'LL SEE JIMMIE DALE TOOK A BOX OF MATCHES FROM HIS POCKET THE FIRST WOULD NOT LIGHT


THAT SERIES OF TERRIFIC EVENTS BY WHICH OUR QUIET CITY AND UNIVERSITY IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUARTER OF GERMANY WERE CONVULSED DURING THE YEAR EIGHTEEN SIXTEEN HAS IN ITSELF AND CONSIDERED MERELY AS A BLIND MOVEMENT OF HUMAN TIGER PASSION


RANGING UNCHAINED AMONG MEN SOMETHING TOO MEMORABLE TO BE FORGOTTEN OR LEFT WITHOUT ITS OWN SEPARATE RECORD BUT THE MORAL LESSON IMPRESSED BY THESE EVENTS IS YET MORE MEMORABLE


AND DESERVES THE DEEP ATTENTION OF COMING GENERATIONS IN THEIR STRUGGLE AFTER HUMAN IMPROVEMENT NOT MERELY IN ITS OWN LIMITED FIELD OF INTEREST DIRECTLY AWAKENED BUT IN ALL ANALOGOUS FIELDS OF INTEREST


AS IN FACT ALREADY AND MORE THAN ONCE IN CONNECTION WITH THESE VERY EVENTS THIS LESSON HAS OBTAINED THE EFFECTUAL ATTENTION OF CHRISTIAN KINGS AND PRINCES ASSEMBLED IN CONGRESS


I KNEW FAMILIARLY ALL THE PARTIES WHO WERE CONCERNED IN IT EITHER AS SUFFERERS OR AS AGENTS I WAS PRESENT FROM FIRST TO LAST AND WATCHED THE WHOLE COURSE OF THE MYSTERIOUS STORM WHICH FELL UPON OUR DEVOTED CITY


IN A STRENGTH LIKE THAT OF A WEST INDIAN HURRICANE AND WHICH DID SERIOUSLY THREATEN AT ONE TIME TO DEPOPULATE OUR UNIVERSITY THROUGH THE DARK SUSPICIONS WHICH SETTLED UPON ITS MEMBERS AND THE NATURAL REACTION OF GENEROUS INDIGNATION IN REPELLING THEM


BY SACRIFICING WHENEVER CIRCUMSTANCES ALLOWED THEM THEIR HOUSES AND BEAUTIFUL GARDENS IN EXCHANGE FOR DAYS UNCURSED BY PANIC AND NIGHTS UNPOLLUTED BY BLOOD NOTHING I CAN TAKE UPON MYSELF TO ASSERT


IN EVERY ONE OF WHICH THESE PRECAUTIONARY AIDS HAD FAILED TO YIELD THE SLIGHTEST ASSISTANCE THE HORROR THE PERFECT FRENZY OF FEAR WHICH SEIZED UPON THE TOWN AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE BAFFLES ALL ATTEMPT AT DESCRIPTION


THE ASTOUNDED POLICE AFTER AN EXAMINATION THE MOST SEARCHING PURSUED FROM DAY TO DAY


HAD FINALLY PRONOUNCED THAT NO ATTEMPT APPARENTLY HAD BEEN MADE TO BENEFIT BY ANY OF THE SIGNALS PRECONCERTED THAT NO FOOTSTEP APPARENTLY HAD MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION THEN AND AFTER THAT RESULT


AND THE GENERAL FEELING AS IT WAS DESCRIBED TO ME BY A GRAVE CITIZEN WHOM I MET IN A MORNING WALK FOR THE OVERMASTERING SENSE OF A PUBLIC CALAMITY BROKE DOWN EVERY BARRIER OF RESERVE AND ALL MEN TALKED FREELY TO ALL MEN IN THE STREETS


AS THEY WOULD HAVE DONE DURING THE ROCKINGS OF AN EARTHQUAKE WAS EVEN AMONG THE BOLDEST LIKE THAT WHICH SOMETIMES TAKES POSSESSION OF THE MIND IN DREAMS WHEN ONE FEELS ONESELF SLEEPING ALONE UTTERLY DIVIDED FROM ALL CALL OR HEARING OF FRIENDS


DOORS OPEN THAT SHOULD BE SHUT OR UNLOCKED THAT SHOULD BE TRIPLY SECURED THE VERY WALLS GONE BARRIERS SWALLOWED UP BY UNKNOWN ABYSSES NOTHING AROUND ONE BUT FRAIL CURTAINS AND A WORLD OF ILLIMITABLE NIGHT


WHISPERINGS AT A DISTANCE CORRESPONDENCE GOING ON BETWEEN DARKNESS AND DARKNESS LIKE ONE DEEP CALLING TO ANOTHER AND THE DREAMER'S OWN HEART THE CENTER FROM WHICH THE WHOLE NETWORK OF THIS UNIMAGINABLE CHAOS RADIATES


AND IN WHICH THE HEART BEATS IN CONSCIOUS SYMPATHY WITH AN ENTIRE CITY THROUGH ALL ITS REGIONS OF HIGH AND LOW YOUNG AND OLD STRONG AND WEAK SUCH AGENCIES AVAIL TO RAISE AND TRANSFIGURE THE NATURES OF MEN


IN THAT RESPECT THEREFORE I HAD AN ADVANTAGE BEING UPON THE SPOT THROUGH THE WHOLE COURSE OF THE AFFAIR FOR GIVING A FAITHFUL NARRATIVE AS I HAD STILL MORE EMINENTLY FROM THE SORT OF CENTRAL STATION WHICH I OCCUPIED


WITH RESPECT TO ALL THE MOVEMENTS OF THE CASE I MAY ADD THAT I HAD ANOTHER ADVANTAGE NOT POSSESSED OR NOT IN THE SAME DEGREE BY ANY OTHER INHABITANT OF THE TOWN I WAS PERSONALLY ACQUAINTED WITH EVERY FAMILY OF THE SLIGHTEST ACCOUNT BELONGING TO THE RESIDENT POPULATION


A NOBLEMAN CONNECTED WITH THE DIPLOMACY OF RUSSIA FROM WHICH I QUOTE AN EXTRACT I WISH IN SHORT TO RECOMMEND TO YOUR ATTENTIONS AND IN TERMS STRONGER THAN I KNOW HOW TO DEVISE


A YOUNG MAN ON WHOSE BEHALF THE CZAR HIMSELF IS PRIVATELY KNOWN TO HAVE EXPRESSED THE VERY STRONGEST INTEREST HE WAS AT THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO AS AN AIDE DE CAMP TO A DUTCH GENERAL OFFICER AND IS DECORATED WITH DISTINCTIONS WON UPON THAT AWFUL DAY


HOWEVER THOUGH SERVING IN THAT INSTANCE UNDER ENGLISH ORDERS AND ALTHOUGH AN ENGLISHMAN OF RANK HE DOES NOT BELONG TO THE ENGLISH MILITARY SERVICE HE HAS SERVED YOUNG AS HE IS


WHICH MAY ACCOUNT FOR HIS SOMEWHAT MOORISH COMPLEXION THOUGH AFTER ALL THAT IS NOT OF A DEEPER TINGE THAN I HAVE SEEN AMONG MANY AN ENGLISHMAN HE IS HIMSELF ONE OF THE NOBLEST LOOKING OF GOD'S CREATURES


MISTER WYNDHAM'S SUCCESSION TO THE VAST FAMILY ESTATES IS INEVITABLE AND PROBABLY NEAR AT HAND MEANTIME HE IS ANXIOUS FOR SOME ASSISTANCE IN HIS STUDIES INTELLECTUALLY


AS I AM SURE YOU WILL NOT BE SLOW TO DISCOVER BUT HIS LONG MILITARY SERVICE AND THE UNPARALLELED TUMULT OF OUR EUROPEAN HISTORY SINCE EIGHTEEN O FIVE HAVE INTERFERED AS YOU MAY SUPPOSE WITH THE CULTIVATION OF HIS MIND


FOR HE ENTERED THE CAVALRY SERVICE OF A GERMAN POWER WHEN A MERE BOY AND SHIFTED ABOUT FROM SERVICE TO SERVICE AS THE HURRICANE OF WAR BLEW FROM THIS POINT OR FROM THAT


AND TEN YEARS HENCE YOU WILL LOOK BACK WITH PRIDE UPON HAVING CONTRIBUTED YOUR PART TO THE FORMATION OF ONE WHOM ALL HERE AT SAINT PETERSBURG NOT SOLDIERS ONLY BUT WE DIPLOMATES LOOK UPON AS CERTAIN TO PROVE A GREAT MAN


HE WAS TO KEEP A TABLE AND AN ESTABLISHMENT OF SERVANTS AT HIS OWN COST WAS TO HAVE AN APARTMENT OF SOME DOZEN OR SO OF ROOMS THE UNRESTRICTED USE OF THE LIBRARY WITH SOME OTHER PUBLIC PRIVILEGES WILLINGLY CONCEDED BY THE MAGISTRACY OF THE TOWN


THAT ALL WAS CLOSED BEFORE THE END OF SEPTEMBER AND WHEN ONCE THAT CONSUMMATION WAS ATTAINED I THAT PREVIOUSLY HAD BREATHED NO SYLLABLE OF WHAT WAS STIRRING NOW GAVE LOOSE TO THE INTERESTING TIDINGS AND SUFFERED THEM TO SPREAD THROUGH THE WHOLE COMPASS OF THE TOWN


IT WILL BE EASILY IMAGINED THAT SUCH A STORY ALREADY ROMANTIC ENOUGH IN ITS FIRST OUTLINE WOULD LOSE NOTHING IN THE TELLING AN ENGLISHMAN TO BEGIN WITH WHICH NAME OF ITSELF AND AT ALL TIMES IS A PASSPORT INTO GERMAN FAVOR


NEXT AN ENGLISHMAN OF RANK


THEN A SOLDIER COVERED WITH BRILLIANT DISTINCTIONS AND IN THE MOST BRILLIANT ARM OF THE SERVICE YOUNG MOREOVER AND YET A VETERAN BY HIS EXPERIENCE FRESH FROM THE MOST AWFUL BATTLE OF THIS PLANET SINCE THE DAY OF PHARSALIA


RADIANT WITH THE FAVOR OF COURTS AND OF IMPERIAL LADIES


AN ANTINOUS OF FAULTLESS BEAUTY A GRECIAN STATUE AS IT WERE INTO WHICH THE BREATH OF LIFE HAD BEEN BREATHED BY SOME MODERN PYGMALION SUCH A POMP OF GIFTS AND ENDOWMENTS SETTLING UPON ONE MAN'S HEAD


ON HIS ARRIVAL AT MY HOUSE I BECAME SENSIBLE OF A TRUTH WHICH I HAD OBSERVED SOME YEARS BEFORE THE COMMONPLACE MAXIM IS THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO RAISE EXPECTATIONS TOO HIGH THIS


WHICH IS THUS GENERALLY EXPRESSED AND WITHOUT LIMITATION IS TRUE ONLY CONDITIONALLY IT IS TRUE THEN AND THERE ONLY WHERE THERE IS BUT LITTLE MERIT TO SUSTAIN AND JUSTIFY THE EXPECTATION BUT IN ANY CASE WHERE THE MERIT IS TRANSCENDENT OF ITS KIND


IT IS ALWAYS USEFUL TO RACK THE EXPECTATION UP TO THE HIGHEST POINT IN ANYTHING WHICH PARTAKES OF THE INFINITE THE MOST UNLIMITED EXPECTATIONS WILL FIND AMPLE ROOM FOR GRATIFICATION WHILE IT IS CERTAIN THAT ORDINARY OBSERVERS POSSESSING LITTLE SENSIBILITY


THE WARNING AT ANY RATE PUT ME ON THE LOOKOUT FOR WHATEVER EMINENCE THERE MIGHT BE OF GRANDEUR IN HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND THIS EXISTED IN SUCH EXCESS SO FAR TRANSCENDING ANYTHING I HAD EVER MET WITH IN MY EXPERIENCE


THAT NO EXPECTATION WHICH IT IS IN WORDS TO RAISE COULD HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED THESE THOUGHTS TRAVELED WITH THE RAPIDITY OF LIGHT THROUGH MY BRAIN AS AT ONE GLANCE MY EYE TOOK IN THE SUPREMACY OF BEAUTY AND POWER


WHICH SEEMED TO HAVE ALIGHTED FROM THE CLOUDS BEFORE ME POWER AND THE CONTEMPLATION OF POWER IN ANY ABSOLUTE INCARNATION OF GRANDEUR OR EXCESS


UNIVERSALLY RECEIVED WITH FAVOR AND DISTINCTION IN REALITY HIS WEALTH AND IMPORTANCE HIS MILITARY HONORS AND THE DIGNITY OF HIS CHARACTER AS EXPRESSED IN HIS MANNERS AND DEPORTMENT


WERE TOO EMINENT TO ALLOW OF HIS BEING TREATED WITH LESS THAN THE HIGHEST ATTENTION IN ANY SOCIETY WHATEVER BUT THE EFFECT OF THESE VARIOUS ADVANTAGES ENFORCED AND RECOMMENDED AS THEY WERE BY A PERSONAL BEAUTY SO RARE


WAS SOMEWHAT TOO POTENT FOR THE COMFORT AND SELF POSSESSION OF ORDINARY PEOPLE AND REALLY EXCEEDED IN A PAINFUL DEGREE THE STANDARD OF PRETENSIONS UNDER WHICH SUCH PEOPLE COULD FEEL THEMSELVES AT THEIR EASE HE WAS NOT NATURALLY OF A RESERVED TURN


HAD COMMUNICATED TO HIS MANNERS A MORE THAN MILITARY FRANKNESS BUT THE PROFOUND MELANCHOLY WHICH POSSESSED HIM FROM WHATEVER CAUSE IT AROSE NECESSARILY CHILLED THE NATIVE FREEDOM OF HIS DEMEANOR


UNLESS WHEN IT WAS REVIVED BY STRENGTH OF FRIENDSHIP OR OF LOVE THE EFFECT WAS AWKWARD AND EMBARRASSING TO ALL PARTIES EVERY VOICE PAUSED OR FALTERED WHEN HE ENTERED A ROOM DEAD SILENCE ENSUED


NOT AN EYE BUT WAS DIRECTED UPON HIM OR ELSE SUNK IN TIMIDITY SETTLED UPON THE FLOOR AND YOUNG LADIES SERIOUSLY LOST THE POWER FOR A TIME OF DOING MORE THAN MURMURING A FEW CONFUSED HALF INARTICULATE SYLLABLES


EITHER AS ACTORS OR SPECTATORS CERTAINLY THIS RESULT WAS NOT A PURE EFFECT OF MANLY BEAUTY HOWEVER HEROIC AND IN WHATEVER EXCESS IT AROSE IN PART FROM THE MANY AND EXTRAORDINARY ENDOWMENTS WHICH HAD CENTERED IN HIS PERSON


WERE THERE THEN NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS CONDITION OF AWESTRUCK ADMIRATION YES


NEVER WAS THERE SO VICTORIOUS A CONQUEST INTERCHANGED BETWEEN TWO YOUTHFUL HEARTS NEVER BEFORE SUCH A RAPTURE OF INSTANTANEOUS SYMPATHY I DID NOT WITNESS THE FIRST MEETING OF THIS MYSTERIOUS MAXIMILIAN AND THIS MAGNIFICENT MARGARET


AND DO NOT KNOW WHETHER MARGARET MANIFESTED THAT TREPIDATION AND EMBARRASSMENT WHICH DISTRESSED SO MANY OF HER YOUTHFUL CO RIVALS BUT IF SHE DID IT MUST HAVE FLED BEFORE THE FIRST GLANCE OF THE YOUNG MAN'S EYE WHICH WOULD INTERPRET PAST ALL MISUNDERSTANDING


ON THE PART OF MARGARET IT SEEMED AS IF A NEW WORLD HAD DAWNED UPON HER THAT SHE HAD NOT SO MUCH AS SUSPECTED AMONG THE CAPACITIES OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE LIKE SOME BIRD SHE SEEMED WITH POWERS UNEXERCISED FOR SOARING AND FLYING


AND FOR A MERE POSSIBILITY WHICH HE HAD LONG TOO DEEPLY CONTEMPLATED FEARING HOWEVER THAT IN HIS OWN CASE IT MIGHT PROVE A CHIMERA OR THAT HE MIGHT NEVER MEET A WOMAN ANSWERING THE DEMANDS OF HIS HEART HE NOW FOUND A CORRESPONDING REALITY THAT LEFT NOTHING TO SEEK


HERE THEN AND THUS FAR NOTHING BUT HAPPINESS HAD RESULTED FROM THE NEW ARRANGEMENT BUT IF THIS HAD BEEN LITTLE ANTICIPATED BY MANY FAR LESS HAD I FOR MY PART ANTICIPATED THE UNHAPPY REVOLUTION WHICH WAS WROUGHT IN THE WHOLE NATURE


WHO HAD DIED IN GIVING BIRTH TO THIS THIRD CHILD THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD LONG SURVIVED HER ANXIOUS THAT HIS SON SHOULD GO THROUGH A REGULAR COURSE OF MATHEMATICAL INSTRUCTION NOW BECOMING ANNUALLY MORE IMPORTANT IN ALL THE ARTILLERY SERVICES THROUGHOUT EUROPE


AND THAT HE SHOULD RECEIVE A TINCTURE OF OTHER LIBERAL STUDIES WHICH HE HAD PAINFULLY MISSED IN HIS OWN MILITARY CAREER THE BARON CHOSE TO KEEP HIS SON FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS AT OUR COLLEGE UNTIL HE WAS NOW ENTERING UPON HIS TWENTY THIRD YEAR


FOR THE FOUR LAST HE HAD LIVED WITH ME AS THE SOLE PUPIL WHOM I HAD OR MEANT TO HAVE HAD NOT THE BRILLIANT PROPOSALS OF THE YOUNG RUSSIAN GUARDSMAN PERSUADED ME TO BREAK MY RESOLUTION FERDINAND VON HARRELSTEIN HAD GOOD TALENTS


NOT DAZZLING BUT RESPECTABLE AND SO AMIABLE WERE HIS TEMPER AND MANNERS THAT I HAD INTRODUCED HIM EVERYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE HE WAS A FAVORITE AND EVERYWHERE INDEED EXCEPT EXACTLY THERE WHERE ONLY IN THIS WORLD HE CARED FOR FAVOR


SHE IT WAS WHOM HE LOVED AND HAD LOVED FOR YEARS WITH THE WHOLE ARDOR OF HIS ARDENT SOUL SHE IT WAS FOR WHOM OR AT WHOSE COMMAND HE WOULD WILLINGLY HAVE DIED EARLY HE HAD FELT THAT IN HER HANDS LAY HIS DESTINY


THAT SHE IT WAS WHO MUST BE HIS GOOD OR HIS EVIL GENIUS AT FIRST AND PERHAPS TO THE LAST I PITIED HIM EXCEEDINGLY BUT MY PITY SOON CEASED TO BE MINGLED WITH RESPECT


AND THE SOLE RESOURCE FOR HIM AS I SAID OFTEN WAS TO QUIT THE CITY TO ENGAGE IN ACTIVE PURSUITS OF ENTERPRISE OF AMBITION OR OF SCIENCE BUT HE HEARD ME AS A SOMNAMBULIST MIGHT HAVE HEARD ME DREAMING WITH HIS EYES OPEN


STARTING FEARFUL AGITATED SOMETIMES HE BROKE OUT INTO MANIACAL MOVEMENTS OF WRATH INVOKING SOME ABSENT PERSON PRAYING BESEECHING MENACING SOME AIR WOVE PHANTOM


FOR MORE THAN I SAW ENOUGH TO FEAR SOME FEARFUL CATASTROPHE LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION SAID HIS CONFESSOR TO HIM IN MY HEARING FOR THOUGH PRUSSIANS THE VON HARRELSTEINS WERE ROMAN CATHOLICS LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION


REVEREND FATHER DO NOT YOU WITH THE PURPOSE OF REMOVING ME FROM TEMPTATION BE YOURSELF THE INSTRUMENT FOR TEMPTING ME INTO A REBELLION AGAINST THE CHURCH DO NOT YOU WEAVE SNARES ABOUT MY STEPS SNARES THERE ARE ALREADY AND BUT TOO MANY


THE OLD MAN SIGHED AND DESISTED THEN CAME BUT ENOUGH FROM PITY FROM SYMPATHY FROM COUNSEL AND FROM CONSOLATION AND FROM SCORN


WHOSE CONVENT STOOD NEAR THE CITY GATES THERE GOES ONE READY EQUALLY FOR DOING OR SUFFERING AND OF WHOM WE SHALL SOON HEAR THAT HE IS INVOLVED IN SOME GREAT CATASTROPHE IT MAY BE OF DEEP CALAMITY


FOR THE COSTLINESS OF THE ENTERTAINMENT WAS UNDERSTOOD TO BE AN EXPRESSION OF OFFICIAL PRIDE DONE IN HONOR OF THE CITY NOT AS AN EFFORT OF PERSONAL DISPLAY IT FOLLOWED FROM THE SPIRIT IN WHICH THESE HALF YEARLY DANCES ORIGINATED


THAT BEING GIVEN ON THE PART OF THE CITY EVERY STRANGER OF RANK WAS MARKED OUT AS A PRIVILEGED GUEST AND THE HOSPITALITY OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE BEEN EQUALLY AFFRONTED BY FAILING TO OFFER OR BY FAILING TO ACCEPT THE INVITATION


UPON THE EVENING AT WHICH I AM NOW ARRIVED THE TWENTY SECOND OF JANUARY EIGHTEEN SIXTEEN THE WHOLE CITY IN ITS WEALTHIER CLASSES WAS ASSEMBLED BENEATH THE ROOF OF A TRADESMAN WHO HAD THE HEART OF A PRINCE


IN EVERY POINT OUR ENTERTAINMENT WAS SUPERB AND I REMARKED THAT THE MUSIC WAS THE FINEST I HAD HEARD FOR YEARS OUR HOST WAS IN JOYOUS SPIRITS PROUD TO SURVEY THE SPLENDID COMPANY HE HAD GATHERED UNDER HIS ROOF


HAPPY TO WITNESS THEIR HAPPINESS ELATED IN THEIR ELATION JOYOUS WAS THE DANCE JOYOUS WERE ALL FACES THAT I SAW UP TO MIDNIGHT VERY SOON AFTER WHICH TIME SUPPER WAS ANNOUNCED


AND THAT ALSO I THINK WAS THE MOST JOYOUS OF ALL THE BANQUETS I EVER WITNESSED THE ACCOMPLISHED GUARDSMAN OUTSHONE HIMSELF IN BRILLIANCY EVEN HIS MELANCHOLY RELAXED IN FACT HOW COULD IT BE OTHERWISE


HANGING UPON HIS WORDS MORE LUSTROUS AND BEWITCHING THAN EVER I HAD BEHELD HER THERE SHE HAD BEEN PLACED BY THE HOST AND EVERYBODY KNEW WHY THAT IS ONE OF THE LUXURIES ATTACHED TO LOVE ALL MEN CEDE THEIR PLACES WITH PLEASURE


WOMEN MAKE WAY EVEN SHE HERSELF KNEW THOUGH NOT OBLIGED TO KNOW WHY SHE WAS SEATED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND TOOK HER PLACE IF WITH A ROSY SUFFUSION UPON HER CHEEKS YET WITH FULLNESS OF HAPPINESS AT HER HEART


THE MUSIC AGAIN BEGAN TO POUR ITS VOLUPTUOUS TIDES THROUGH THE BOUNDING PULSES OF THE YOUTHFUL COMPANY AGAIN THE FLYING FEET OF THE DANCERS BEGAN TO RESPOND TO THE MEASURES


AGAIN THE MOUNTING SPIRIT OF DELIGHT BEGAN TO FILL THE SAILS OF THE HURRYING NIGHT WITH STEADY INSPIRATION ALL WENT HAPPILY ALREADY HAD ONE DANCE FINISHED SOME WERE PACING UP AND DOWN LEANING ON THE ARMS OF THEIR PARTNERS


SOME WERE REPOSING FROM THEIR EXERTIONS WHEN O HEAVENS WHAT A SHRIEK WHAT A GATHERING TUMULT EVERY EYE WAS BENT TOWARD THE DOORS EVERY EYE STRAINED FORWARD TO DISCOVER WHAT WAS PASSING


BUT THERE EVERY MOMENT LESS AND LESS COULD BE SEEN FOR THE GATHERING CROWD MORE AND MORE INTERCEPTED THE VIEW SO MUCH THE MORE WAS THE EAR AT LEISURE FOR THE SHRIEKS REDOUBLED UPON SHRIEKS MISS LIEBENHEIM HAD MOVED DOWNWARD TO THE CROWD


AND HAD LIVED WITH HER UNCLE A TRADESMAN NOT TEN DOORS FROM MARGARET'S OWN RESIDENCE PARTLY ON THE TERMS OF A KINSWOMAN PARTLY AS A SERVANT ON TRIAL AT THIS MOMENT SHE WAS EXHAUSTED WITH EXCITEMENT AND THE NATURE OF THE SHOCK SHE HAD SUSTAINED


MERE PANIC SEEMED TO HAVE MASTERED HER AND SHE WAS LEANING UNCONSCIOUS AND WEEPING UPON THE SHOULDER OF SOME GENTLEMAN WHO WAS ENDEAVORING TO SOOTHE HER A SILENCE OF HORROR SEEMED TO POSSESS THE COMPANY


MOST OF WHOM WERE STILL UNACQUAINTED WITH THE CAUSE OF THE ALARMING INTERRUPTION A FEW HOWEVER WHO HAD HEARD HER FIRST AGITATED WORDS


NOW RUSHED TUMULTUOUSLY OUT OF THE BALLROOM TO SATISFY THEMSELVES ON THE SPOT THE DISTANCE WAS NOT GREAT AND WITHIN FIVE MINUTES SEVERAL PERSONS RETURNED HASTILY AND CRIED OUT TO THE CROWD OF LADIES THAT ALL WAS TRUE WHICH THE YOUNG GIRL HAD SAID


WHAT WAS TRUE THAT HER UNCLE MISTER WEISHAUPT'S FAMILY HAD BEEN MURDERED THAT NOT ONE MEMBER OF THE FAMILY HAD BEEN SPARED NAMELY MISTER WEISHAUPT HIMSELF AND HIS WIFE NEITHER OF THEM MUCH ABOVE SIXTY


BUT BOTH INFIRM BEYOND THEIR YEARS TWO MAIDEN SISTERS OF MISTER WEISHAUPT FROM FORTY TO FORTY SIX YEARS OF AGE AND AN ELDERLY FEMALE DOMESTIC


AN INCIDENT HAPPENED DURING THE RECITAL OF THESE HORRORS AND OF THE DETAILS WHICH FOLLOWED THAT FURNISHED MATTER FOR CONVERSATION EVEN IN THESE HOURS WHEN SO THRILLING AN INTEREST HAD POSSESSION OF ALL MINDS MANY LADIES FAINTED AMONG THEM


AND SHE WOULD HAVE FALLEN TO THE GROUND BUT FOR MAXIMILIAN WHO SPRANG FORWARD AND CAUGHT HER IN HIS ARMS SHE WAS LONG OF RETURNING TO HERSELF AND DURING THE AGONY OF HIS SUSPENSE HE STOOPED AND KISSED HER PALLID LIPS


THAT SIGHT WAS MORE THAN COULD BE BORNE BY ONE WHO STOOD A LITTLE BEHIND THE GROUP HE RUSHED FORWARD WITH EYES GLARING LIKE A TIGER'S AND LEVELED A BLOW AT MAXIMILIAN IT WAS POOR MANIACAL VON HARRELSTEIN


MANY PEOPLE STEPPED FORWARD AND CHECKED HIS ARM UPLIFTED FOR A REPETITION OF THIS OUTRAGE ONE OR TWO HAD SOME INFLUENCE WITH HIM AND LED HIM AWAY FROM THE SPOT


WHILE AS TO MAXIMILIAN SO ABSORBED WAS HE THAT HE HAD NOT SO MUCH AS PERCEIVED THE AFFRONT OFFERED TO HIMSELF MARGARET ON REVIVING WAS CONFOUNDED AT FINDING HERSELF SO SITUATED AMID A GREAT CROWD


AND YET THE PRUDES COMPLAINED THAT THERE WAS A LOOK OF LOVE EXCHANGED BETWEEN HERSELF AND MAXIMILIAN THAT OUGHT NOT TO HAVE ESCAPED HER IN SUCH A SITUATION IF THEY MEANT BY SUCH A SITUATION ONE SO PUBLIC


THAT IT WAS A SITUATION OF EXCESSIVE AGITATION BUT IF THEY ALLUDED TO THE HORRORS OF THE MOMENT NO SITUATION MORE NATURALLY OPENS THE HEART TO AFFECTION AND CONFIDING LOVE THAN THE RECOIL FROM SCENES OF EXQUISITE TERROR


WERE MARKED BY THE COOLEST NAY THE MOST SNEERING INDIFFERENCE THE FIRST THING HE DID ON BEING ACQUAINTED WITH THE SUSPICIONS AGAINST HIMSELF WAS TO LAUGH FEROCIOUSLY AND TO ALL APPEARANCE MOST CORDIALLY AND UNAFFECTEDLY


GOLD REPEATERS MASSY PLATE GOLD SNUFF BOXES UNTOUCHED THAT ARGUMENT CERTAINLY WEIGHED MUCH IN HIS FAVOR AND YET AGAIN IT WAS TURNED AGAINST HIM FOR A MAGISTRATE ASKED HIM HOW HE HAPPENED TO KNOW ALREADY THAT NOTHING HAD BEEN TOUCHED


TRUE IT WAS AND A FACT WHICH HAD PUZZLED NO LESS THAN IT HAD AWED THE MAGISTRATES THAT UPON THEIR EXAMINATION OF THE PREMISES MANY RICH ARTICLES OF BIJOUTERIE JEWELRY AND PERSONAL ORNAMENTS HAD BEEN FOUND LYING UNDERANGED


FOR THE PRIVATE CELEBRATION OF MASS THIS CRUCIFIX AS WELL AS EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE LITTLE CLOSET


FOR HITHER HAD ONE OF THE LADIES FLED HITHER HAD ONE OF THE MURDERERS PURSUED SHE HAD CLASPED THE GOLDEN PILLARS WHICH SUPPORTED THE ALTAR HAD TURNED PERHAPS HER DYING LOOKS UPON THE CRUCIFIX


FOR THERE WITH ONE ARM STILL WREATHED ABOUT THE ALTAR FOOT THOUGH IN HER AGONY SHE HAD TURNED ROUND UPON HER FACE DID THE ELDER SISTER LIE WHEN THE MAGISTRATES FIRST BROKE OPEN THE STREET DOOR AND UPON THE BEAUTIFUL PARQUET


OR INLAID FLOOR WHICH RAN ROUND THE ROOM WERE STILL IMPRESSED THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MURDERER THESE IT WAS HOPED MIGHT FURNISH A CLEW TO THE DISCOVERY OF ONE AT LEAST AMONG THE MURDEROUS BAND THEY WERE RATHER DIFFICULT TO TRACE ACCURATELY


THOSE PARTS OF THE TRACES WHICH LAY UPON THE BLACK TESSELLAE BEING LESS DISTINCT IN THE OUTLINE THAN THE OTHERS UPON THE WHITE OR COLORED MOST UNQUESTIONABLY SO FAR AS THIS WENT IT FURNISHED A NEGATIVE CIRCUMSTANCE IN FAVOR OF THE NEGRO


FOR THE FOOTSTEPS WERE VERY DIFFERENT IN OUTLINE FROM HIS AND SMALLER FOR AARON WAS A MAN OF COLOSSAL BUILD


AND AS TO HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE STATE IN WHICH THE PREMISES HAD BEEN FOUND AND HIS HAVING SO FAMILIARLY RELIED UPON THE FACT OF NO ROBBERY HAVING TAKEN PLACE AS AN ARGUMENT ON HIS OWN BEHALF


HE CONTENDED THAT HE HAD HIMSELF BEEN AMONG THE CROWD THAT PUSHED INTO THE HOUSE ALONG WITH THE MAGISTRATES THAT FROM HIS PREVIOUS ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE ROOMS AND THEIR ORDINARY CONDITION


THAT IN FACT HE HAD SEEN ENOUGH FOR HIS ARGUMENT BEFORE HE AND THE REST OF THE MOB HAD BEEN EJECTED BY THE MAGISTRATES BUT FINALLY THAT INDEPENDENTLY OF ALL THIS HE HAD HEARD BOTH THE OFFICERS AS THEY CONDUCTED HIM


IN SIX WEEKS OR LESS FROM THE DATE OF THIS TERRIFIC EVENT THE NEGRO WAS SET AT LIBERTY BY A MAJORITY OF VOICES AMONG THE MAGISTRATES IN THAT SHORT INTERVAL OTHER EVENTS HAD OCCURRED NO LESS TERRIFIC AND MYSTERIOUS


ATTACKED THEM SINGLY IN FLIGHT FOR IN THIS FIRST CASE ALL BUT ONE OF THE MURDERED PERSONS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN MAKING FOR THE STREET DOOR AND IN ALL THIS THERE WAS NO SUBJECT FOR WONDER EXCEPT THE ORIGINAL ONE AS TO THE MOTIVE


IN SAD LEISURELY OR IN TERRIFIC GROUPS SEEMED TO ARGUE A LETHARGY LIKE THAT OF APOPLEXY IN THE VICTIMS ONE AND ALL THE VERY MIDNIGHT OF MYSTERIOUS AWE FELL UPON ALL MINDS


THREE WEEKS HAD PASSED SINCE THE MURDER AT MISTER WEISHAUPT'S THREE WEEKS THE MOST AGITATED THAT HAD BEEN KNOWN IN THIS SEQUESTERED CITY WE FELT OURSELVES SOLITARY AND THROWN UPON OUR OWN RESOURCES


ALL COMBINATION WITH OTHER TOWNS BEING UNAVAILING FROM THEIR GREAT DISTANCE OUR SITUATION WAS NO ORDINARY ONE HAD THERE BEEN SOME MYSTERIOUS ROBBERS AMONG US THE CHANCES OF A VISIT DIVIDED AMONG SO MANY


WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO SMALL TO DISTRESS THE MOST TIMID WHILE TO YOUNG AND HIGH SPIRITED PEOPLE WITH COURAGE TO SPARE FOR ORDINARY TRIALS


BUT MURDERERS EXTERMINATING MURDERERS CLOTHED IN MYSTERY AND UTTER DARKNESS THESE WERE OBJECTS TOO TERRIFIC FOR ANY FAMILY TO CONTEMPLATE WITH FORTITUDE


HAD THESE VERY MURDERERS ADDED TO THEIR FUNCTIONS THOSE OF ROBBERY THEY WOULD HAVE BECOME LESS TERRIFIC


FROM THE ROLL OF THOSE WHO WERE LIABLE TO A VISIT WHILE SUCH AS KNEW THEMSELVES LIABLE WOULD HAVE HAD WARNING OF THEIR DANGER IN THE FACT OF BEING RICH AND WOULD FROM THE VERY RICHES WHICH CONSTITUTED THAT DANGER HAVE DERIVED THE MEANS OF REPELLING IT BUT AS THINGS WERE


NO MAN COULD GUESS WHAT IT WAS THAT MUST MAKE HIM OBNOXIOUS TO THE MURDERERS IMAGINATION EXHAUSTED ITSELF IN VAIN GUESSES AT THE CAUSES WHICH COULD BY POSSIBILITY HAVE MADE THE POOR WEISHAUPTS OBJECTS OF SUCH HATRED TO ANY MAN


TRUE THEY WERE BIGOTED IN A DEGREE WHICH INDICATED FEEBLENESS OF INTELLECT BUT THAT WOUNDED NO MAN IN PARTICULAR WHILE TO MANY IT RECOMMENDED THEM TRUE THEIR CHARITY WAS NARROW AND EXCLUSIVE BUT TO THOSE OF THEIR OWN RELIGIOUS BODY IT EXPANDED MUNIFICENTLY


AND BEING RICH BEYOND THEIR WANTS OR ANY MEANS OF EMPLOYING WEALTH WHICH THEIR GLOOMY ASCETICISM ALLOWED THEY HAD THE POWER OF DOING A GREAT DEAL OF GOOD AMONG THE INDIGENT PAPISTS OF THE SUBURBS


MANY OF THE CARS ARE MODERATELY PRICED AFFAIRS THE TONNEAU WELL FILLED WITH CHILDREN OF MISCELLANEOUS AGES AND ENLIVENED BY A FAMILY DOG OR TWO FOR THIS IS THE WAY THAT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN HOUSEHOLD SPENDS ITS MODERN SABBATH HOLIDAY


FOR A ROAD ORIGINALLY MARKED BY THE MOCCASINED FEET OF INDIANS AND WIDENED GRADUALLY BY THE TOILSOME JOURNEYINGS OF ROUGH COLONIAL CARTS AND COACHES


IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY WHICH FEATURE OF THE STEADILY MOVING TRAVEL WOULD MOST FORCIBLY STRIKE THE ORIGINAL PURITAN SETTLERS OF THE TOWN THE FACT THAT EVEN THE COMMON MAN THE POOR MAN COULD OWN SUCH A VEHICLE OF SPEED AND EASE OR THE FACT THAT AMERICA


SUCH A SHORT TIME AGO A WILDERNESS COULD PRODUCE NOT AS THE FINEST FLOWER ON ITS TREE OF EVOLUTION BUT CERTAINLY AS ITS MOST EXOTIC THE PLUTOCRAT WHO LIVES IN A PALACE WITH FIFTY SERVANTS TO DO HIS BIDDING


AND THE FINE LADY WHOSE SOLE EXERCISE OF HER MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS CONSISTS IN ALLOWING HER MAID TO DRESS HER YES NEW ENGLAND HAS CHANGED AMAZINGLY IN THE REVOLUTIONS OF THREE CENTURIES


AND HERE UNDER THE SHADOW OF THIS SQUARE PLAIN BUILDING HINGHAM'S OLD SHIP CHURCH WHILE WE PAUSE TO WATCH THE SUNDAY PAGEANT OF NINETEEN TWENTY WE CAN MOST EASILY CALL BACK THE SABBATH RITES AND THE IDEALS WHICH CREATED THOSE RITES


THIS WOODEN MEETING HOUSE WITH THE TRUNCATED PYRAMIDAL ROOF AND BELFRY TO SERVE AS A LOOKOUT STATION HAS JUST BEEN BUILT A STAGE AHEAD ARCHITECTURALLY OF THE LOG MEETING HOUSE WITH CLAY FILLED CHINKS THATCHED ROOF OILED PAPER WINDOWS


EARTHEN FLOOR AND A STAGE BEHIND THE CHARMING STEEPLE STYLE MADE POPULAR BY SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN AND NOW MULTIPLIED IN COUNTLESS GRACEFUL EXAMPLES ALL OVER NEW ENGLAND


THE OLD SHIP IS ENTIRELY UNCONSCIOUS OF THE DISTINCTION WHICH IS AWAITING IT THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE OLDEST HOUSE FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES WHICH STILL STANDS ON ITS ORIGINAL SITE AND WHICH IS STILL USED FOR ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE


IN THE YEAR SIXTEEN EIGHTY ONE IT IS MERELY THE NEW MEETING HOUSE OF THE LITTLE HAMLET OF HINGHAM THE PEOPLE ARE VERY PROUD OF THEIR NEW BUILDING THE TIMBERS HAVE BEEN HEWN WITH THE BROAD AXE OUT OF SOLID WHITE PINE


THE MARKS ARE STILL VISIBLE PARTICULARLY IN THOSE RAFTERS OF THE ROOF OPEN TO THE ATTIC THE BELFRY IS PRECISELY IN THE CENTER OF THE FOUR SIDED PITCHED ROOF TO BE SURE THIS NECESSITATES RINGING THE BELL FROM ONE OF THE PEWS


BUT A LITTLE LATER THE BELLRINGER WILL STAND ABOVE AND THROUGH A PANE OF GLASS LET INTO THE CEILING HE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHEN THE MINISTER ENTERS THE PULPIT THE ORIGINAL BACKLESS BENCHES WERE REPLACED BY BOX PEWS WITH NARROW SEATS LIKE SHELVES


NO PAINT NO DECORATIONS NO COLORED WINDOWS NO ORGAN OR ANYTHING WHICH COULD EVEN REMOTELY SUGGEST THE COLOR THE BEAUTY THE FORMALISM OF THE CHURCHES OF ENGLAND


SINCE IN SIXTEEN THIRTY FIVE THE GENERAL COURT DECREED THAT NO DWELLING


OF ANY NEW PLANTATION THUS ELIMINATING THE EXCUSE OF TOO GREAT DISTANCE EVERY ONE IS EXPECTED NAY COMMANDED TO COME TO CHURCH IN FACT AFTER THE TOLLING OF THE LAST BELL THE HOUSES MAY ALL BE SEARCHED


EACH TEN FAMILIES IS UNDER AN INSPECTOR IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION OF DELINQUENTS HIDING IN THEM AND SO IN TWOS AND THREES OFTEN THE MAN TRUDGING AHEAD WITH HIS GUN AND THE WOMAN CARRYING HER BABY WHILE THE SMALLER CHILDREN CLING TO HER SKIRTS


SOMETIMES MAN AND WOMAN AND A CHILD OR TWO ON HORSEBACK NO MATTER HOW WILD THE STORM HOW SWOLLEN THE STREAMS HOW DEEP THE WHIRLING SNOW THEY ALL COME TO CHURCH


THE CONGREGATION EITHER WAITS FOR THE MINISTER AND HIS WIFE OUTSIDE THE DOOR OR STANDS UNTIL HE HAS ENTERED THE PULPIT ONCE INSIDE THEY ARE SEATED WITH THE MOST METICULOUS EXACTNESS ACCORDING TO RANK AGE SEX AND WEALTH


AND THE SLAVES AND INDIANS ARE IN THE REAR TO SEAT ONE'S SELF IN THE WRONG PUE IS AN OFFENSE PUNISHABLE BY A FINE HERE IS THE CHURCH AND HERE ARE THE PEOPLE AS THE OLD RHYME HAS IT WHAT THEN OF THE SERVICES


THAT THEY ARE INTERMINABLE WE KNOW THE TITHING MAN OR CLERK MAY TURN THE BRASS BOUND HOURGLASS BY THE SIDE OF THE PULPIT TWO AND THREE TIMES DURING THE SERMON AND ONCE OR TWICE DURING THE PRAYER INTERMINABLE


THE OLD SHIP WAS NOT HEATED UNTIL EIGHTEEN TWENTY TWO THE ONLY RELIEF FROM THE CHILL AND STIFFNESS COMES DURING THE PRAYER WHEN THE CONGREGATION STANDS KNEELING OF COURSE WOULD SAVOR TOO STRONGLY OF IDOLATRY AND THE CHURCH OF ROME


THEY STAND TOO WHILE THE PSALMS AND HYMNS ARE LINED OUT AND AS THEY SING THEM VERY UNCERTAINLY AND VERY INCORRECTLY THIS PERFORMANCE ALONE SOMETIMES TAKES AN HOUR AS THERE IS NO ORGAN NOR NOTES


AND ONLY A FEW COPIES OF THE BAY PSALM BOOK OF WHICH BY THE WAY A COPY NOW WOULD BE WORTH MANY TIMES ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD AFTER THE MORNING SERVICE THERE IS A NOON INTERMISSION IN WHICH THE HALF FROZEN CONGREGATION STIRS AROUND


ONE SOMETIMES WONDERS HOW THE LITTLE THINGS HAD ANY IMPULSE TO LAUGH IN SUCH AN ABYSMAL ATMOSPHERE BUT APPARENTLY THE PURITAN BOYS AND GIRLS WERE ENTIRELY NORMAL AND EVEN WHOLESOMELY MISCHIEVOUS AS PROVED BY THE CONSTANTLY REQUIRED SERVICES OF THE TITHING MAN


THESE EXTERNAL TRAPPINGS OF THE SERVICE SOUND DEPRESSING ENOUGH BUT IF THE MESSAGE RECEIVED WITHIN THESE CHILLY WALLS IS CHEERING MAYBE WE CAN FORGET OR IGNORE THE PHYSICAL DISCOMFORTS BUT IS THE MESSAGE CHEERING HELL DAMNATION ETERNAL TORTURES


PAINFUL THEOLOGICAL HAIR SPLITTINGS HARROWING SELF EXAMINATIONS AND HUMILIATING PUBLIC CONFESSIONS THIS IS WHAT THEY GATHER ON THE NARROW WOODEN BENCHES TO LISTEN TO HOUR AFTER HOUR SEARCHING THEIR SOULS FOR SIN WITH AN ALMOST FRENZIED EAGERNESS


APPEALING TO THE EMOTIONS QUITE AS VIVIDLY ALTHOUGH THROUGH A DIFFERENT CHANNEL AS THE MOST ELABORATE CEREMONIAL WHEN THE SOUL IS WROUGHT TO A CERTAIN PITCH EACH HARDSHIP IS MERELY AN ADDED OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE ITS FAITH


FROM THE MOTHER CHURCH AND THE MOTHER COUNTRY AND FORTIFY THEM IN THEIR STRUGGLE IN A NEW LAND IT WAS RELIGIOUS ZEAL WHICH FURNISHED THIS MOTIVE POWER DIFFERENT IMPLEMENTS AND DIFFERENTLY DIRECTED FORCE ARE NEEDED TO EXTRACT THE DIAMOND FROM THE EARTH


HAVING DONE ITS WORK HAVING FOUNDED SOUNDLY AND PEOPLED STRONGLY AN EXCEPTIONAL REGION THE NEW ENGLAND CONSCIENCE HAD NO FURTHER NECESSITY FOR BEING THOSE WHOM IT NOW TORTURES WITH ITS HOT PINCERS OF DOUBT AND SELF REPROACH


ARE SACRIFICED TO A CAUSE LONG SINCE WON THE PURITANS THEMSELVES GREW AWAY FROM MANY OF THEIR EXCESSIVE SEVERITIES BUT AS THEY GAINED BODILY STRENGTH FROM THEIR CONFLICT WITH THE ELEMENTS SO THEY GAINED A CERTAIN MORAL STAMINA


BY THEIR SELF IMPOSED RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE AND THIS MORAL STAMINA HAS MARKED NEW ENGLAND EVER SINCE AND MARKED HER TO HER GLORY ONE CANNOT SPEAK OF HINGHAM CHURCHES INDEED ONE CANNOT SPEAK OF HINGHAM


WITHOUT ADMIRING MENTION OF THE NEW NORTH CHURCH THIS BUILDING OF EXQUISITE PROPORTIONS AND FINISH WITHIN AND WITHOUT BUILT BY BULFINCH IN EIGHTEEN O SIX IS ONE OF THE MOST FLAWLESS EXAMPLES OF ITS TYPE ON THE SOUTH SHORE


YOU WILL APPRECIATE THE CREAM COLORED PAINT THE BUFF WALLS THE QUAINT BOX PEWS OF OILED WOOD WITH HANDRAILS GLEAMING FROM THE TOUCH OF MANY GENERATIONS WITH WOODEN BUTTONS AND PROTRUDING HINGES PROCLAIMING AN ANCIENT FASHION


BUT THE UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE NEW NORTH CHURCH IS ITS SLAVE GALLERIES THESE TWO SMALL GALLERIES BETWEEN THE ROOF AND THE CHOIR LOFT HELD FOR THIRTY YEARS IN DIMINISHING NUMBERS NEGROES AND INDIANS


THE LAST OCCUPANT WAS A BLACK LUCRETIA WHO AFTER BEING FREED WAS INVITED TO SIT DOWNSTAIRS WITH HER MASTER AND MISTRESS WHICH SHE DID AND WHICH SHE CONTINUED TO DO UNTIL HER DEATH NOT SO VERY LONG AGO


HINGHAM ITS MAIN STREET ALAS FOR THE ORIGINAL NAME OF BACHELORS ROWE ARCHED BY A DOUBLE ROW OF SUPERB ELMS ON EITHER SIDE IS INCALCULABLY RICH IN OLD HOUSES OLD TRADITIONS OLD FAMILIES