ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOW SUCCESSFULLY STUDYING THE ART OF HEALING AS PRACTISED IN THE WEST WHEN I WAS AT PEKING I SAW A CHINESE PHYSICIAN PRESCRIBE A DECOCTION OF THREE SCORPIONS FOR A CHILD STRUCK DOWN WITH FEVER


AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION A GROOM OF MINE SUFFERING FROM DYSENTERY WAS TREATED WITH ACUPUNCTURE OF THE TONGUE THE ART OF MEDICINE WOULD APPEAR TO BE AT THE PRESENT TIME IN CHINA MUCH IN THE STATE IN WHICH IT EXISTED IN EUROPE IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY


FOR RETENTION CAUSED BY EITHER RENAL OR VESICAL CALCULI BUT I HAVE MYSELF THOROUGHLY EXPERIENCED THE UTILITY OF AN OIL I MAKE MYSELF WHEREOF SCORPIONS FORM A VERY LARGE PORTION OF THE INGREDIENTS


IF ONLY THE REGION OF THE HEART AND ALL THE PULSES OF THE BODY BE ANOINTED WITH IT IT WILL FREE THE PATIENTS FROM THE EFFECTS OF ALL KINDS OF POISONS TAKEN BY THE MOUTH CORROSIVE ONES EXCEPTED DECOCTIONS OF EGYPTIAN MUMMIES WERE MUCH COMMENDED


AND OFTEN PRESCRIBED WITH DUE ACADEMICAL SOLEMNITY AND THE BONES OF THE HUMAN SKULL PULVERIZED AND ADMINISTERED WITH OIL WERE USED AS A SPECIFIC IN CASES OF RENAL CALCULUS SEE PETRI ANDREAE MATTHIOLI OPERA FIFTEEN SEVENTY FOUR


THEN THE MIDDLE SON WENT HUNTING AND AS HE ISSUED FROM THE TOWN A HARE SPRANG OUT OF A BUSH AND THE PRINCE AFTER IT AND HITHER AND THITHER TILL THE HARE FLED INTO THE WATER MILL AND THE PRINCE AFTER IT


BUT IT WAS NOT A HARE BUT A DRAGON WHICH WAITED FOR AND DEVOURED HIM WHEN SOME DAYS HAD ELAPSED AND THE PRINCES DID NOT RETURN EITHER OF THEM THE WHOLE COURT WAS IN SORROW


THEN THE THIRD SON WENT HUNTING TO SEE WHETHER HE COULD NOT FIND HIS BROTHERS WHEN HE ISSUED FROM THE TOWN AGAIN UP SPRANG A HARE OUT OF A BUSH AND THE PRINCE AFTER IT AND HITHER AND THITHER TILL THE HARE FLED INTO THE WATER MILL


BUT THE PRINCE DID NOT CHOOSE TO FOLLOW IT BUT WENT TO FIND OTHER GAME SAYING TO HIMSELF WHEN I RETURN I SHALL FIND YOU AFTER THUS HE WENT FOR A LONG TIME UP AND DOWN THE HILL BUT FOUND NOTHING AND THEN RETURNED TO THE WATER MILL


SHE REPLIED MY SON THAT WAS NOT A HARE BUT A DRAGON IT KILLS AND THROTTLES MANY PEOPLE HEARING THIS THE PRINCE WAS SOMEWHAT DISTURBED AND SAID TO THE OLD WOMAN WHAT SHALL WE DO NOW DOUBTLESS MY TWO BROTHERS ALSO HAVE PERISHED HERE


THE OLD WOMAN ANSWERED THEY HAVE INDEED BUT THERE'S NO HELP FOR IT GO HOME MY SON LEST YOU FOLLOW THEM THEN HE SAID TO HER DEAR OLD WOMAN DO YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE GLAD TO LIBERATE YOURSELF FROM THAT PEST


THE OLD WOMAN INTERRUPTED HIM HOW SHOULD I NOT IT CAPTURED ME TOO IN THIS WAY BUT NOW I HAVE NO MEANS OF ESCAPE THEN HE PROCEEDED LISTEN WELL TO WHAT I AM GOING TO SAY TO YOU ASK IT WHITHER IT GOES AND WHERE ITS STRENGTH IS


WHEN THE DRAGON CAME IN THE OLD WOMAN BEGAN TO QUESTION IT WHERE IN GOD'S NAME HAVE YOU BEEN WHITHER DO YOU GO SO FAR YOU WILL NEVER TELL ME WHITHER YOU GO THE DRAGON REPLIED WELL MY DEAR OLD WOMAN I DO GO FAR


MY STRENGTH IS A LONG WAY OFF AND YOU CANNOT GO THITHER FAR IN ANOTHER EMPIRE UNDER THE EMPEROR'S CITY IS A LAKE IN THAT LAKE IS A DRAGON AND IN THAT DRAGON A BOAR AND IN THE BOAR A PIGEON AND IN THAT IS MY STRENGTH


TOOK A SHEPHERD'S STAFF IN HIS HAND AND WENT INTO THE WORLD AS HE WENT ON THUS FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE AND FROM TOWN TO TOWN AT LAST HE CAME INTO ANOTHER EMPIRE AND INTO THE IMPERIAL CITY IN A LAKE UNDER WHICH THE DRAGON WAS


ON GOING INTO THE TOWN HE BEGAN TO INQUIRE WHO WANTED A SHEPHERD THE CITIZENS TOLD HIM THAT THE EMPEROR DID THEN HE WENT STRAIGHT TO THE EMPEROR AFTER HE ANNOUNCED HIMSELF THE EMPEROR ADMITTED HIM INTO HIS PRESENCE AND ASKED HIM


AND WHEN YOU CALL THE SHEEP OUT THEY GO THITHER AT ONCE AND SPREAD THEMSELVES ROUND THE LAKE BUT WHATEVER SHEPHERD GOES OFF THERE THAT SHEPHERD RETURNS BACK NO MORE THEREFORE MY SON I TELL YOU


DON'T LET THE SHEEP HAVE THEIR OWN WAY AND GO WHERE THEY WILL BUT KEEP THEM WHERE YOU WILL THE PRINCE THANKED THE EMPEROR GOT HIMSELF READY AND CALLED OUT THE SHEEP TAKING WITH HIM MORE OVER TWO HOUNDS THAT COULD CATCH A BOAR IN THE OPEN COUNTRY


AND THE HOUNDS AND BAGPIPES UNDER THE STUMP THEN TUCKED UP HIS HOSE AND SLEEVES WADED INTO THE LAKE AND BEGAN TO SHOUT DRAGON DRAGON COME OUT TO SINGLE COMBAT WITH ME TO DAY


LET ME GO PRINCE THAT I MAY MOISTEN MY PARCHED HEAD IN THE LAKE AND TOSS YOU TO THE SKY BUT THE PRINCE REPLIED COME DRAGON DON'T TALK NONSENSE IF I HAD THE EMPEROR'S DAUGHTER TO KISS ME ON THE FOREHEAD I WOULD TOSS YOU STILL HIGHER


BECAUSE HE HAD COME WHEREAS PREVIOUSLY NO SHEPHERD HAD BEEN ABLE TO COME FROM THE LAKE THE NEXT DAY THE PRINCE GOT READY AGAIN AND WENT WITH HIS SHEEP STRAIGHT TO THE LAKE BUT THE EMPEROR SENT TWO GROOMS AFTER HIM TO GO STEALTHILY AND SEE WHAT HE DID


AND THEY PLACED THEMSELVES ON A HIGH HILL WHENCE THEY COULD HAVE A GOOD VIEW WHEN THE SHEPHERD ARRIVED HE PUT THE HOUNDS AND BAGPIPES UNDER THE STUMP AND THE FALCON UPON IT THEN TUCKED UP HIS HOSE AND SLEEVES WADED INTO THE LAKE AND SHOUTED DRAGON DRAGON


COME OUT TO SINGLE COMBAT WITH ME THAT WE MAY MEASURE OURSELVES ONCE MORE TOGETHER UNLESS YOU ARE A WOMAN THE DRAGON REPLIED I WILL DO SO PRINCE NOW NOW ERELONG BEHOLD THE DRAGON IT WAS LARGE IT WAS TERRIBLE


IT WAS DISGUSTING AND IT SEIZED HIM BY THE WAIST AND WRESTLED WITH HIM A SUMMER'S DAY TILL AFTERNOON BUT WHEN THE AFTERNOON HEAT CAME ON THE DRAGON SAID LET ME GO PRINCE THAT I MAY MOISTEN MY PARCHED HEAD IN THE LAKE AND MAY TOSS YOU TO THE SKY


WHEN NIGHT APPROACHED THE PRINCE DROVE THE SHEEP AS BEFORE AND WENT HOME PLAYING THE BAGPIPES WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE TOWN THE WHOLE TOWN WAS ASTIR AND BEGAN TO WONDER BECAUSE THE SHEPHERD CAME HOME EVERY EVENING WHICH NO ONE HAD BEEN ABLE TO DO BEFORE


THOSE TWO GROOMS HAD ALREADY ARRIVED AT THE PALACE BEFORE THE PRINCE AND RELATED TO THE EMPEROR IN ORDER EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAD HEARD AND SEEN NOW WHEN THE EMPEROR SAW THAT THE SHEPHERD RETURNED HOME HE IMMEDIATELY SUMMONED HIS DAUGHTER INTO HIS PRESENCE AND TOLD HER ALL


AND I AM YOUR ONLY DAUGHTER AND YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME IF I PERISH THEN THE EMPEROR BEGAN TO PERSUADE AND ENCOURAGE HER DON'T FEAR MY DAUGHTER YOU SEE WE HAVE HAD SO MANY CHANGES OF SHEPHERDS AND OF ALL THAT WENT OUT TO THE LAKE NOT ONE HAS RETURNED


SO MANY PEOPLE WHEN ON THE MORROW THE DAY DAWNED AND THE SUN CAME FORTH UP ROSE THE SHEPHERD UP ROSE THE MAIDEN TOO TO BEGIN TO PREPARE FOR GOING TO THE LAKE THE SHEPHERD WAS CHEERFUL MORE CHEERFUL THAN EVER


BUT THE EMPEROR'S DAUGHTER WAS SAD AND SHED TEARS THE SHEPHERD COMFORTED HER LADY SISTER I PRAY YOU DO NOT WEEP BUT DO WHAT I TELL YOU WHEN IT IS TIME RUN UP AND KISS ME AND FEAR NOT AS HE WENT AND DROVE THE SHEEP


WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE LAKE THE SHEEP IMMEDIATELY SPREAD ROUND IT AND THE PRINCE PLACED THE FALCON ON THE STUMP AND THE HOUNDS AND BAGPIPES UNDER IT THEN TUCKED UP HIS HOSE AND SLEEVES WADED INTO THE WATER AND SHOUTED DRAGON DRAGON


THE PRINCE REPLIED COME DRAGON DON'T TALK NONSENSE IF I HAD THE EMPEROR'S DAUGHTER TO KISS ME ON THE FOREHEAD I WOULD TOSS YOU MUCH HIGHER WHEN HE SAID THIS THE EMPEROR'S DAUGHTER RAN UP AND KISSED HIM ON THE FACE ON THE EYE AND ON THE FOREHEAD


THEN HE SWUNG THE DRAGON AND TOSSED IT HIGH INTO THE AIR AND WHEN IT FELL TO THE GROUND IT BURST INTO PIECES BUT AS IT BURST INTO PIECES OUT OF IT SPRANG A WILD BOAR AND STARTED TO RUN AWAY BUT THE PRINCE SHOUTED TO HIS SHEPHERD DOGS


HOLD IT DON'T LET IT GO AND THE DOGS SPRANG UP AND AFTER IT CAUGHT IT AND SOON TORE IT TO PIECES BUT OUT OF THE BOAR FLEW A PIGEON AND THE PRINCE LOOSED THE FALCON AND THE FALCON CAUGHT THE PIGEON


CUT THESE THREE WANDS UP FROM BELOW AND STRIKE WITH THEM UPON THEIR ROOT AN IRON DOOR WILL IMMEDIATELY OPEN INTO A LARGE VAULT IN THAT VAULT ARE MANY PEOPLE OLD AND YOUNG RICH AND POOR SMALL AND GREAT WIVES AND MAIDENS


SO THAT YOU COULD SETTLE A POPULOUS EMPIRE THERE TOO ARE YOUR BROTHERS WHEN THE PIGEON HAD TOLD HIM ALL THIS THE PRINCE IMMEDIATELY WRUNG ITS NECK THE EMPEROR HAD GONE OUT IN PERSON


HE WASHED HIMSELF NICELY TOOK THE FALCON ON HIS SHOULDER THE HOUNDS BEHIND HIM AND THE BAGPIPES UNDER HIS ARM PLAYED AS HE WENT DROVE THE SHEEP


WHEN THEY CAME TO THE TOWN ALL THE TOWN ASSEMBLED AS TO SEE A WONDER THE EMPEROR WHO HAD SEEN ALL HIS HEROISM FROM THE HILL CALLED HIM INTO HIS PRESENCE AND GAVE HIM HIS DAUGHTER WENT IMMEDIATELY TO CHURCH HAD THEM MARRIED AND HELD A WEDDING FESTIVAL FOR A WEEK


THE BUTTERFLY'S CHILDREN BY MISSUS ALFRED GATTY LET ME HIRE YOU AS A NURSE FOR MY POOR CHILDREN SAID A BUTTERFLY TO A QUIET CATERPILLAR WHO WAS STROLLING ALONG A CABBAGE LEAF IN HER


WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF MY BABY BUTTERFLIES WHEN I AM GONE WILL YOU KIND MILD GREEN CATERPILLAR BUT YOU MUST MIND WHAT YOU GIVE THEM TO EAT CATERPILLAR THEY CANNOT OF COURSE LIVE ON YOUR ROUGH FOOD


YOU MUST GIVE THEM EARLY DEW AND HONEY FROM THE FLOWERS AND YOU MUST LET THEM FLY ABOUT ONLY A LITTLE WAY AT FIRST FOR OF COURSE ONE CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO USE THEIR WINGS PROPERLY ALL AT ONCE


DEAR ME IT IS A SAD PITY YOU CANNOT FLY YOURSELF BUT I HAVE NO TIME TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER NURSE NOW SO YOU WILL DO YOUR BEST I HOPE DEAR DEAR


AND WITH THESE WORDS THE BUTTERFLY DROOPED HER WINGS AND DIED AND THE GREEN CATERPILLAR WHO HAD NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF EVEN SAYING YES OR NO TO THE REQUEST


WAS LEFT STANDING ALONE BY THE SIDE OF THE BUTTERFLY'S EGGS A PRETTY NURSE SHE HAS CHOSEN INDEED POOR LADY EXCLAIMED SHE AND A PRETTY BUSINESS I HAVE IN HAND WHY HER SENSES MUST HAVE LEFT HER


OR SHE NEVER WOULD HAVE ASKED A POOR CRAWLING CREATURE LIKE ME TO BRING UP HER DAINTY LITTLE ONES MUCH THEY'LL MIND ME TRULY WHEN THEY FEEL THE GAY WINGS ON THEIR BACKS AND CAN FLY AWAY OUT OF MY SIGHT WHENEVER THEY CHOOSE


HOWEVER THERE LAY THE EGGS ON THE CABBAGE LEAF AND THE GREEN CATERPILLAR HAD A KIND HEART SO SHE RESOLVED TO DO HER BEST BUT SHE GOT NO SLEEP THAT NIGHT SHE WAS SO VERY ANXIOUS


SHE MADE HER BACK QUITE ACHE WITH WALKING ALL NIGHT ROUND HER YOUNG CHARGES FOR FEAR ANY HARM SHOULD HAPPEN TO THEM AND IN THE MORNING SAYS SHE TO HERSELF TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE


WHOM SHOULD THE CATERPILLAR CONSULT THERE WAS THE SHAGGY DOG WHO SOMETIMES CAME INTO THE GARDEN BUT HE WAS SO ROUGH HE WOULD MOST LIKELY WHISK ALL THE EGGS OFF THE CABBAGE LEAF WITH ONE BRUSH OF HIS TAIL


SIGHED THE CATERPILLAR IN GREAT DISTRESS AND THEN SHE THOUGHT AND THOUGHT TILL AT LAST SHE THOUGHT OF THE LARK AND SHE FANCIED THAT BECAUSE HE WENT UP SO HIGH AND NOBODY KNEW WHERE HE WENT TO


HE MUST BE VERY CLEVER AND KNOW A GREAT DEAL FOR TO GO UP VERY HIGH WHICH SHE COULD NEVER DO WAS THE CATERPILLAR'S IDEA OF PERFECT GLORY NOW IN THE NEIGHBOURING CORN FIELD THEIR LIVED A LARK


AND THE CATERPILLAR SENT A MESSAGE TO HIM TO BEG HIM TO COME AND TALK TO HER AND WHEN HE CAME SHE TOLD HIM ALL HER DIFFICULTIES AND ASKED HIM WHAT SHE WAS TO DO TO FEED AND REAR THE LITTLE CREATURES SO DIFFERENT FROM HERSELF


PERHAPS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO INQUIRE AND HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT IT NEXT TIME YOU GO UP HIGH OBSERVED THE CATERPILLAR TIMIDLY THE LARK SAID PERHAPS HE SHOULD BUT HE DID NOT SATISFY HER CURIOSITY ANY FURTHER


SOON AFTERWARDS HOWEVER HE WENT SINGING UPWARDS INTO THE BRIGHT BLUE SKY BY DEGREES HIS VOICE DIED AWAY IN THE DISTANCE TILL THE GREEN CATERPILLAR COULD NOT HEAR A SOUND


SO SHE RESUMED HER WALK ROUND THE BUTTERFLY'S EGGS NIBBLING A BIT OF THE CABBAGE LEAF NOW AND THEN AS SHE MOVED ALONG


I BELIEVE EVERYTHING I AM TOLD OBSERVED THE CATERPILLAR HASTILY WELL THEN FIRST OF ALL I WILL TELL YOU WHAT THESE LITTLE CREATURES ARE TO EAT WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS TO BE GUESS


DEW AND THE HONEY OUT OF FLOWERS I AM AFRAID SIGHED THE CATERPILLAR NO SUCH THING OLD LADY SOMETHING SIMPLER THAN THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN GET AT QUITE EASILY


NEVER SAID THE CATERPILLAR INDIGNANTLY IT WAS THEIR DYING MOTHER'S LAST REQUEST THAT I SHOULD DO NO SUCH THING THEIR DYING MOTHER KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE MATTER PERSISTED THE LARK


BUT WHY DO YOU ASK ME AND THEN DISBELIEVE WHAT I SAY YOU HAVE NEITHER FAITH NOR TRUST OH I BELIEVE EVERYTHING I AM TOLD SAID THE CATERPILLAR NAY BUT YOU DO NOT REPLIED THE LARK YOU WON'T BELIEVE ME EVEN ABOUT THE FOOD


AND YET THAT IS BUT A BEGINNING OF WHAT I HAVE TO TELL YOU WHY CATERPILLAR WHAT DO YOU THINK THOSE LITTLE EGGS WILL TURN OUT TO BE BUTTERFLIES TO BE SURE SAID THE CATERPILLAR CATERPILLARS SANG THE LARK


BUT I FIND THAT HE IS FOOLISH AND SAUCY INSTEAD


I WOULD TELL YOU IF YOU WOULD BELIEVE ME SANG THE LARK DESCENDING ONCE MORE I BELIEVE EVERYTHING I AM TOLD REITERATED THE CATERPILLAR WITH AS GRAVE A FACE AS IF IT WERE A FACT


THEN I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE CRIED THE LARK FOR THE BEST OF MY NEWS REMAINS BEHIND YOU WILL ONE DAY BE A BUTTERFLY YOURSELF WRETCHED BIRD EXCLAIMED THE CATERPILLAR


YOU JEST WITH MY INFERIORITY NOW YOU ARE CRUEL AS WELL AS FOOLISH


I WILL ASK YOUR ADVICE NO MORE I TOLD YOU YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE ME CRIED THE LARK NETTLED IN HIS TURN I BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT I AM TOLD PERSISTED THE CATERPILLAR THAT IS


I SEE SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS I KNOW NO REASON WHY THERE SHOULD NOT BE MORE OH CATERPILLAR IT IS BECAUSE YOU CRAWL BECAUSE YOU NEVER GET BEYOND YOUR CABBAGE LEAF THAT YOU CALL ANY THING IMPOSSIBLE


AS WELL AS YOU DO LOOK AT MY LONG GREEN BODY AND THESE ENDLESS LEGS AND THEN TALK TO ME ABOUT HAVING WINGS AND A PAINTED FEATHERY COAT FOOL AND FOOL YOU CRIED THE INDIGNANT LARK


OH CATERPILLAR WHAT COMES TO YOU FROM THENCE RECEIVE AS I DO


INTERRUPTED THE LARK HOW AM I TO LEARN FAITH ASKED THE CATERPILLAR AT THAT MOMENT SHE FELT SOMETHING AT HER SIDE SHE LOOKED ROUND EIGHT OR TEN LITTLE GREEN CATERPILLARS WERE MOVING ABOUT


AND HAD ALREADY MADE A SHOW OF A HOLE IN THE CABBAGE LEAF THEY HAD BROKEN FROM THE BUTTERFLY'S EGGS SHAME AND AMAZEMENT FILLED OUR GREEN FRIEND'S HEART BUT JOY SOON FOLLOWED


FOR AS THE FIRST WONDER WAS POSSIBLE THE SECOND MIGHT BE SO TOO TEACH ME YOUR LESSON LARK SHE WOULD SAY AND THE LARK SANG TO HER OF THE WONDERS OF THE EARTH BELOW AND OF THE HEAVEN ABOVE


AND THE CATERPILLAR TALKED ALL THE REST OF HER LIFE TO HER RELATIONS OF THE TIME WHEN SHE SHOULD BE A BUTTERFLY BUT NONE OF THEM BELIEVED HER SHE NEVERTHELESS HAD LEARNT THE LARK'S LESSON OF FAITH


AND WHEN SHE WAS GOING INTO HER CHRYSALIS GRAVE SHE SAID I SHALL BE A BUTTERFLY SOME DAY BUT HER RELATIONS THOUGHT HER HEAD WAS WANDERING AND THEY SAID POOR THING


AND WHEN SHE WAS A BUTTERFLY AND WAS GOING TO DIE AGAIN SHE SAID


TREES BUT TREES THERE WERE IN PLENTY THEY STOOD EVERYWHERE FROM COAST TO COAST THEY SAW THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN ALL THE RIVERS AND LAKES AND STRETCHED THEIR MIGHTY BOUGHS UP TOWARDS HEAVEN


WE ARE ALL OAK TREES THEY SAID WE OWN THE LAND AND RULE OVER IT AND THEY WERE RIGHT THERE WERE ONLY A FEW HUMAN BEINGS THERE IN THOSE DAYS AND THOSE THAT THERE WERE WERE NOTHING BETTER THAN WILD ANIMALS


THE BEAR THE WOLF AND THE FOX WENT OUT HUNTING WHILE THE STAG GRAZED BY THE EDGE OF THE FEN THE FIELD MOUSE SAT OUTSIDE HIS HOLE AND ATE ACORNS AND THE BEAVER BUILT HIS ARTISTIC HOUSES BY THE RIVER BANKS


ONE DAY THE BEAR CAME TRUDGING ALONG AND LAY DOWN AT FULL BREADTH UNDER A GREAT OAK TREE ARE YOU THERE AGAIN YOU ROBBER SAID THE OAK AND SHOOK A LOT OF WITHERED LEAVES DOWN OVER HIM YOU SHOULD NOT SQUANDER YOUR LEAVES MY OLD FRIEND


SAID THE BEAR LICKING HIS PAWS THAT IS ALL THE SHADE YOU CAN GIVE AGAINST THE SUN IF YOU ARE NOT PLEASED WITH ME YOU CAN GO ANSWERED THE OAK PROUDLY


I AM LORD IN THE LAND AND WHATEVER WAY YOU LOOK YOU FIND MY BROTHERS AND NOTHING ELSE TRUE MUTTERED THE BEAR THAT IS JUST WHAT IS SO SICKENING I HAVE BEEN FOR A LITTLE TOUR ABROAD I MAY TELL YOU AND AM JUST A LITTLE BIT SPOILT


IT WAS IN A LAND DOWN TOWARDS THE SOUTH THERE I TOOK A NAP UNDER THE BEECH TREES THEY ARE TALL SLIM TREES NOT CROOKED OLD THINGS LIKE YOU AND THEIR TOPS ARE SO DENSE THAT THE SUNBEAMS CANNOT CREEP THROUGH THEM


BUT I DON'T WANT TO CHATTER ANY MORE WITH YOU JUST NOW I HAVE HAD TO TROT A MILE ON ACCOUNT OF A CONFOUNDED HUNTER WHO STRUCK ME ON ONE OF MY HIND LEGS WITH AN ARROW NOW I SHOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SLEEP


AND PERHAPS YOU WILL BE KIND ENOUGH TO LEAVE ME AT PEACE SINCE YOU CANNOT GIVE ME SHADE THE BEAR STRETCHED HIMSELF OUT AND CLOSED HIS EYES BUT HE GOT NO SLEEP THAT TIME FOR THE OTHER TREES HAD HEARD HIS STORY


WHAT KIND OF TREES CAN THEY BE WHOSE LEAVES SIT SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT THE SUNBEAMS CANNOT CREEP BETWEEN THEM ASKED A LITTLE OAK WHO WAS LISTENING TO WHAT THE BIG ONES WERE TALKING ABOUT BUT BY HIS SIDE STOOD AN OLD GNARLED TREE


WHO GAVE THE LITTLE OAK A CLOUT ON THE HEAD WITH ONE OF HIS LOWEST BOUGHS HOLD YOUR TONGUE HE SAID AND DON'T TALK TILL YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT YOU NEED NONE OF YOU BELIEVE A WORD OF THE BEAR'S NONSENSE


I WILL BRING SOME BEECH NUTS WITH ME AND I VOW YOU WILL ALL TURN YELLOW WITH JEALOUSY WHEN YOU SEE HOW PRETTY THE NEW TREES ARE THEN HE MADE OFF BUT THE OAKS TALKED THE WHOLE DAY LONG ONE TO ANOTHER ABOUT THE FUNNY TREES HE HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT


IF THEY COME I WILL KILL THEM SAID THE LITTLE OAK TREE BUT DIRECTLY AFTERWARDS HE GOT ONE ON THE HEAD FROM THE OLD OAK IF THEY COME YOU SHALL TREAT THEM POLITELY YOU YOUNG DOG SAID HE BUT THEY WILL NOT COME


BUT IN THIS THE OLD OAK WAS WRONG FOR THEY DID COME TOWARDS AUTUMN THE BEAR CAME BACK AND LAY DOWN UNDER THE OLD OAK MY FRIENDS DOWN THERE WISH ME TO PRESENT THEIR COMPLIMENTS HE SAID


AND HE PICKED SOME FUNNY THINGS OUT OF HIS SHAGGY COAT HERE YOU MAY SEE WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU WHAT IS IT ASKED THE OAK THAT IS BEECH ANSWERED THE BEAR THE BEECH NUTS WHICH I PROMISED YOU


THEY KILLED MY WIFE AND ONE OF MY BROTHERS AND I MUST SEE ABOUT FINDING A PLACE WHERE I CAN LIVE IN PEACE THERE IS SCARCELY A SPOT LEFT WHERE A SELF RESPECTING BEAR CAN STAY GOODBYE YOU OLD GNARLED OAK TREES


THE SNOW LAY HIGH OVER THE WHOLE LAND AND EVERY TREE STOOD DEEP IN HIS OWN THOUGHTS AND DREAMT OF THE SPRING AND WHEN THE SPRING CAME THE GRASS STOOD GREEN AND THE BIRDS BEGAN SINGING WHERE THEY LEFT OFF LAST


THE KINGS OF THE WOOD DO NOT COME TILL THE WHOLE COMPANY IS ASSEMBLED BUT AT LAST THEY CAME ALL THE LEAVES BURST FORTH FROM THE SWOLLEN BUDS AND THE TREES LOOKED AT ONE ANOTHER AND COMPLIMENTED ONE ANOTHER ON THEIR BEAUTY


AND EVERY MORNING WHEN THE SUN CAME OUT THEY PEEPED DOWN TO LOOK FOR THE BEECHES THEY WERE REALLY A LITTLE UNEASY BUT THEY WERE TOO PROUD TO TALK ABOUT IT AND ONE DAY THE LITTLE SHOOTS DID AT LAST BURST FORTH FROM THE EARTH


THE SUN SHONE ON THEM AND THE RAIN FELL ON THEM SO IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE THEY GREW TALL OH HOW PRETTY THEY ARE SAID THE GREAT OAK AND STOOPED HIS CROOKED BOUGHS STILL MORE SO THAT THEY COULD GET A GOOD VIEW OF THEM


YOU ARE WELCOME AMONG US SAID THE OLD OAK AND GRACIOUSLY INCLINED HIS HEAD TO THEM YOU SHALL BE MY FOSTER CHILDREN AND BE TREATED JUST AS WELL AS MY OWN THANKS SAID THE LITTLE BEECHES


AND THEY SAID NO MORE BUT THE LITTLE OAK COULD NOT BEAR THE STRANGE TREES IT IS DREADFUL THE WAY YOU SHOOT UP INTO THE AIR HE SAID IN VEXATION YOU ARE ALREADY HALF AS TALL AS I AM BUT I BEG YOU TO TAKE NOTICE THAT I AM MUCH OLDER


AND OF GOOD FAMILY BESIDES THE BEECHES LAUGHED WITH THEIR LITTLE TINY GREEN LEAVES BUT SAID NOTHING SHALL I BEND MY BRANCHES A LITTLE ASIDE SO THAT THE SUN CAN SHINE BETTER ON YOU THE OLD TREE ASKED POLITELY


MANY THANKS ANSWERED THE BEECHES WE CAN GROW VERY NICELY IN THE SHADE AND THE WHOLE SUMMER PASSED BY AND ANOTHER SUMMER AFTER THAT AND STILL MORE SUMMERS THE BEECHES WENT ON GROWING


AND AT LAST QUITE OVERTOPPED THE LITTLE OAK KEEP YOUR LEAVES TO YOURSELF CRIED THE OAK YOU OVERSHADOW ME AND THAT IS WHAT I CAN'T ENDURE I MUST HAVE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE


THE BEECHES ONLY LAUGHED AND WENT ON GROWING AT LAST THEY CLOSED TOGETHER OVER THE LITTLE OAK'S HEAD AND THEN HE DIED THAT WAS A HORRID THING TO DO


A GREAT OAK CALLED OUT AND SHOOK HIS BOUGHS IN TERROR BUT THE OLD OAK TOOK HIS FOSTER CHILDREN UNDER HIS PROTECTION IT SERVES HIM RIGHT HE SAID HE IS PAID OUT FOR HIS BOASTING


YOU BEGIN TO BE RATHER PUSHING THE OLD TREE SAID YOU SHOULD TRY TO GROW A LITTLE BROADER AND STOP THIS SHOOTING UP INTO THE AIR JUST SEE WHERE YOUR BRANCHES ARE SOARING


HOW WILL YOU BE ABLE TO HOLD OUT WHEN A REGULAR STORM COMES I ASSURE YOU THE WIND GIVES ONE'S HEAD A GOOD SHAKING MY OLD BOUGHS HAVE CREAKED MANY A TIME AND WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BECOME OF THE FLIMSY FINERY THAT YOU STICK UP IN THE AIR


EVERY ONE HAS HIS OWN MANNER OF GROWTH AND WE HAVE OURS ANSWERED THE YOUNG BEECHES THIS IS THE WAY IT'S DONE WHERE WE COME FROM AND WE ARE PERHAPS AS GOOD AS YOU ARE


THAT IS NOT A POLITE WAY OF SPEAKING TO AN OLD TREE WITH MOSS ON HIS BOUGHS SAID THE OAK I BEGIN TO REPENT THAT I WAS SO KIND TO YOU IF YOU HAVE A SPARK OF HONOURABLE FEELING ALIVE IN YOU


BE GOOD ENOUGH TO MOVE YOUR LEAVES A LITTLE TO ONE SIDE THERE HAVE BEEN SCARCELY ANY BUDS ON MY LOWEST BRANCHES THIS YEAR YOU OVERSHADOW ME SO I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CONCERNS US ANSWERED THE BEECHES


EVERY ONE HAS QUITE ENOUGH TO DO TO LOOK AFTER HIMSELF IF HE IS EQUAL TO HIS WORK AND HAS LUCK IT TURNS OUT WELL FOR HIM IF NOT HE MUST BE PREPARED TO GO TO THE WALL THAT IS THE WAY OF THE WORLD


THEN THE OAK'S LOWEST BRANCH DIED AND HE BEGAN TO BE SERIOUSLY ALARMED YOU ARE PRETTY THINGS HE SAID IF THIS IS THE WAY YOU REWARD ME FOR MY HOSPITALITY WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE I LET YOU GROW AT MY FEET


AND SHELTERED YOU AGAINST THE STORM I LET THE SUN SHINE ON YOU AS MUCH AS EVER HE WOULD AND I TREATED YOU AS IF YOU WERE MY OWN CHILDREN AND IN RETURN FOR ALL THIS YOU STIFLE ME STUFF AND NONSENSE


SAID THE BEECHES SO THEY PUT FORTH FLOWERS AND FRUIT AND WHEN THE FRUIT WAS RIPE THE WIND SHOOK THE BOUGHS AND SCATTERED IT ROUND FAR AND WIDE YOU ARE QUICK PEOPLE LIKE ME SAID THE WIND I LIKE YOU FOR IT


AND AM GLAD TO DO YOU A GOOD TURN AND THE FOX ROLLED ON THE GROUND AT THE FOOT OF THE BEECH TREES AND GOT HIS FUR FULL OF THE PRICKLY FRUITS AND RAN WITH THEM FAR OUT INTO THE COUNTRY THE BEAR DID THE SAME


AND GRINNED INTO THE BARGAIN AT THE OLD OAK WHILE HE LAY AND RESTED IN THE SHADOW OF THE BEECHES THE FIELD MOUSE WAS BESIDE HIMSELF WITH JOY OVER HIS NEW FOOD AND THOUGHT THAT BEECH NUTS TASTED MUCH NICER THAN ACORNS


ALL ROUND NEW LITTLE BEECH TREES SHOT UP WHICH GREW JUST AS FAST AS THEIR PARENTS AND LOOKED AS GREEN AND AS HAPPY AS IF THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT AN UNEASY CONSCIENCE WAS


BUT THE OLD OAK GAZED SADLY OUT OVER THE WOOD THE LIGHT GREEN BEECH LEAVES WERE PEEPING OUT EVERYWHERE AND THE OAKS WERE SIGHING AND BEWAILING THEIR DISTRESS TO ONE ANOTHER


THEY ARE TAKING OUR STRENGTH OUT OF US THEY SAID AND SHOOK AS MUCH AS THE BEECHES AROUND WOULD LET THEM THE LAND IS OURS NO LONGER ONE BOUGH DIED AFTER ANOTHER


AND THE STORM BROKE THEM OFF AND CAST THEM ON THE GROUND THE OLD OAK HAD NOW ONLY A FEW LEAVES LEFT AT THE VERY TOP THE END IS NEAR HE SAID GRAVELY


BY THIS TIME THERE WERE MANY MORE HUMAN BEINGS IN THE LAND THAN THERE WERE BEFORE AND THEY MADE HASTE TO HEW DOWN THE OAKS WHILE THERE WERE STILL SOME REMAINING OAK TIMBER IS BETTER THAN BEECH TIMBER THEY SAID


AT LAST WE GET A LITTLE APPRECIATION SAID THE OLD OAK BUT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT WITH OUR LIVES THEN HE SAID TO THE BEECH TREES WHAT WAS I THINKING OF WHEN I HELPED YOU ON IN YOUR YOUNG DAYS


WHAT AN OLD STUPID I WAS BEFORE THAT WE OAK TREES WERE LORDS IN THE LAND AND NOW EVERY YEAR I SEE MY BROTHERS AROUND ME PERISHING IN THE FIGHT AGAINST YOU IT WILL SOON BE ALL OVER WITH ME


AND NOT ONE OF MY ACORNS HAS SPROUTED UNDER YOUR SHADE BUT BEFORE I DIE I SHOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE NAME YOU GIVE TO SUCH CONDUCT THAT WILL NOT TAKE LONG TO SAY OLD FRIEND ANSWERED THE BEECHES


JEFF THE INQUISITIVE BY GENERAL RUSH C HAWKINS AMONG THE GUNBOATS DOING DUTY ON THE INLAND WATERS OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE EARLY SPRING OF EIGHTEEN SIXTY TWO


WHICH COMPOSED WHAT COMMODORE GOLDSBOROUGH DESIGNATED HIS PASTEBOARD FLEET WAS THE LOUISIANA COMMANDED BY COMMANDER ALEXANDER MURRAY WHO WAS NOTED FOR HIS EFFICIENCY AND GOOD NATURE HIS TREATMENT OF HIS CREW


MADE HIM ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR OFFICERS IN THE WHOLE FLEET HE ENTERED INTO ALL OF THEIR SPORTS AND SYMPATHIZED WITH THE DISCOMFORTS OF FORECASTLE LIFE HE WAS FOND OF ANIMAL PETS AND ALWAYS WELCOMED THE ARRIVAL OF A NEW ONE


HE WAS A PERFECTLY BLACK PIG OF THE RACER RAZOR BACK ORDER WHICH AT THAT TIME WERE PLENTIFUL IN THE COAST SECTIONS OF THE MORE SOUTHERN OF THE SLAVE HOLDING STATES THEY WERE CALLED RACERS


BECAUSE OF THEIR LONG LEGS SLENDER BODIES AND GREAT CAPACITY FOR RUNNING AND RAZOR BACKS ON ACCOUNT OF THE PROMINENCE OF THE SPINAL COLUMN THE ORIGIN OF THIS PARTICULAR SPECIES OF THE PORCINE TRIBE IS UNKNOWN BUT THERE IS A TRADITION TO THE EFFECT


POSSIBLY WHILE ESCAPING FROM THE PROSPECTIVE MESS KETTLE OF A CONFEDERATE PICKET IN THOSE DAYS CONFEDERATE PICKETS WERE NOT VERY PARTICULAR AS TO THE QUALITY OR KIND OF FOOD AND I HAVE A SUSPICION THAT EVEN A RAZOR BACK WOULD HAVE BEEN A WELCOME ADDITION TO THEIR MEAL


THE DOCTOR WAS CONSULTED AND AFTER A CAREFUL DIAGNOSIS DECIDED THERE WAS NO ORGANIC DISEASE WANT OF PARENTAL CARE WANT OF NOURISHMENT AND EXPOSURE WERE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR JEFF'S UNFAVORABLE CONDITION


IT WAS DECIDED TO PUT HIM ON A LIGHT DIET OF MILK WHICH PROVED AN IMMEDIATE SUCCESS FOR WITHIN FORTY EIGHT HOURS AFTER HIS FIRST MEAL THE PATIENT BECAME AS LIVELY AS POSSIBLE AS DAYS AND WEEKS WENT ON


HE ATTACHED HIMSELF TO EACH INDIVIDUAL OF THE SHIP HE HAD NO FAVORITES BUT WAS HAIL FELLOW WELL MET WITH ALL HE DEVELOPED ALL THE PLAYFUL QUALITIES OF A PUPPY AND REASONED OUT A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS IN HIS OWN WAY


HIS PARTICULAR ADMIRERS DECLARED THAT HE LEARNED THE MEANING OF THE DIFFERENT WHISTLES OF THE BOATSWAIN THAT HE KNEW WHEN THE MEAL PENNANT WAS HOISTED TO THE PEAK COULD TELL WHEN THE CREW WAS BEAT TO QUARTERS FOR DRILL


IN THIS ACT OF COURTESY HE IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY THE OFFICER OF THE DECK AND OFTEN BY OTHERS THAT MAY HAPPEN TO BE AT HAND AFTER THE ADVENT OF JEFF WHENEVER I WENT ON BOARD THE LOUISIANA HE WAS ALWAYS AT THE GANGWAY


AND SEEMINGLY WAS DEEPLY INTERESTED IN THE EVENT IT MAY BE SAID OF HIM GENERALLY THAT HE WAS OVERFLOWING WITH SPIRITS AND TOOK AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN ALL THE DAILY ROUTINE WORK OF HIS SHIP


IN THE GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF JEFF'S CHARACTER IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT HE HAD NONE OF THE USUAL WELL KNOWN TRAITS OF THE PIG HE WAS MORE LIKE A PETTED AND PAMPERED DOG


WAS PLAYFUL GOOD NATURED AND EXPRESSED PLEASURE PAIN ANGER AND DESIRE WITH VARIOUS SQUEALS AND GRUNTS DELIVERED WITH A VARIETY OF INTONATIONS THAT WERE VERY EASILY INTERPRETED


HE WAS NEVER SO HAPPY AS WHEN IN THE LAP OF ONE OF THE SAILORS HAVING HIS BACK STROKED HIS PLEASURE UPON THOSE OCCASIONS WAS EVINCED BY THE EMISSION OF FREQUENT GOOD NATURED GRUNTS AND LOOKING UP INTO THE FACE OF THE FRIENDLY STROKER


WHEN ON SHORE HE FOLLOWED HIS FAVORITES LIKE A DOG AND WAS NEVER KNOWN TO ROOT EXCEPT IN SPEECH AND APPEARANCE HE WAS THE COUNTERPART OF A HAPPY GOOD NATURED AND WELL CARED FOR HOUSEHOLD DOG


POSSIBLY HOWEVER RATHER MORE INTELLIGENT THAN THE AVERAGE CANINE PET THE FOURTH OF JULY EIGHTEEN SIXTY TWO WAS A GALA DAY AT ROANOKE ISLAND


WAS MADE MORE GLORIOUS BY THE EXCHANGE OF CAMP HOSPITALITIES AND AN INDULGENCE IN SUCH SIMPLE HILARITY AS THE OCCASION SEEMED TO REQUIRE BUT JEFF WAS NOT FORGOTTEN EARLY IN THE MORNING HE WAS BATHED AND SCRUBBED


MORE THAN TO HIS HEART'S CONTENT AND THEN PATRIOTICALLY DECORATED IN HIS RIGHT EAR WAS A RED RIBBON IN HIS LEFT A WHITE ONE AROUND HIS NECK ANOTHER OF BLUE


THUS ADORNED HE WAS BROUGHT ON SHORE TO PAY ME A VISIT AND AS HE CAME THROUGH MY DOOR HE APPEARED TO BE FILLED WITH THE PRIDE OF PATRIOTISM AND A REALIZATION OF THE GREATNESS OF THE OCCASION


HIS REWARD FOR THIS UNUSUAL DEMONSTRATION WAS INSTANTANEOUS AND CONSISTED OF SOME APPLES AND A TOOTHSOME DESSERT OF SUGAR AFTERWARD HE MADE THE ROUND OF THE CAMPS WITH A SPECIAL ESCORT OF WARRANT OFFICERS AND DEVOTED JACK TARS


HE WAS SEEN AFTER HE HAD RUN A FEW YARDS TO MAKE A GREAT JUMP AND THEN REMAIN IN HIS TRACKS THE PURSUING PARTY FOUND HIM ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN DEMOLISHING A MOCCASIN WHICH HE HAD CRUSHED BY JUMPING AND LANDING WITH HIS FEET UPON ITS HEAD AND BACK


HOGS OF THIS PARTICULAR KIND ARE FAMOUS SNAKE KILLERS A BIG RATTLER OR A GARTER SNAKE IS ALL THE SAME TO THEM THEY ADVANCE TO THE ATTACK WITH THE GREATEST IMPETUOSITY AND A FEAST UPON SNAKE IS THE USUAL REWARD OF EXCEPTIONAL BRAVERY


JEFF WAS A CONFIRMED LOVER OF GOOD EATING AND IN TIME PAID THE USUAL PENALTY FOR OVER INDULGENCE OF HIS VERY PIGGISH APPETITE WHILE THE MEAL PENNANT WAS UP


IT WAS HIS HABIT TO GO FROM ONE FORE CASTLE MESS TO ANOTHER AND TO INSIST UPON HAVING RATHER MORE THAN HIS SHARE OF THE CHOICE MORSELS FROM EACH IN A SHORT TIME HE CAME TO THE REPAIR SHOP VERY MUCH THE WORSE FOR WEAR WITH AN IMPAIRED DIGESTION


AND A CUTICLE THAT SHOWED UNMISTAKABLE EVIDENCE OF SCURVY FOR THE FIRST HE WAS PUT UPON SHORT RATIONS FOR THE SECOND SAND BATHS ON SHORE WERE PRESCRIBED


UNDER THIS TREATMENT POOR JEFF LOST ALL HIS BUOYANCY OF SPIRITS AND HIS HABITUAL FRISKINESS AND BECAME SAD AND DEJECTED BUT BORE HIS TROUBLES WITH PATIENCE HE TOOK TO THE SAND BATHS AT ONCE


AND GAVE FORTH MANY DISGRUNTLED GRUNTS WHEN LIFTED OUT OF THEM THE LAST TIME I SAW JEFF IN EIGHTEEN SIXTY TWO HE WAS BURIED UP TO HIS EARS IN THE COOL SANDS OF THE ROANOKE ISLAND SHORE WITH EYES UPTURNED AND LOOKING LIKE A VERY SAD PIG


CHAPTER TWENTY ONE WHY PUCK THE PONY WAS BEATEN MARK ROBARTS RETURNED HOME THE DAY AFTER THE SCENE AT THE ALBANY CONSIDERABLY RELIEVED IN SPIRIT


INDEED AFTER WHAT MISTER SOWERBY HAD SAID AND AFTER LORD LUFTON'S ASSENT TO IT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MADNESS HE CONSIDERED TO DECLINE IT AND THEN TOO MISTER SOWERBY'S PROMISE ABOUT THE BILLS WAS VERY COMFORTABLE TO HIM AFTER ALL


ON THE DAY AFTER HIS RETURN HE RECEIVED PROPER AUTHENTIC TIDINGS OF HIS PRESENTATION TO THE PREBEND HE WAS IN FACT ALREADY PREBENDARY


THE INCOME WAS ALREADY HIS OWN


THE ENJOYMENT OF ONE'S OWN HAPPINESS AT SUCH WINDFALLS DEPENDS SO MUCH ON THE FREE AND FREELY EXPRESSED ENJOYMENT OF OTHERS LADY LUFTON'S CONGRATULATIONS HAD NEARLY MADE HIM THROW UP THE WHOLE THING BUT HIS WIFE'S SMILES RE ENCOURAGED HIM


AND LUCY'S WARM AND EAGER JOY MADE HIM FEEL QUITE DELIGHTED WITH MISTER SOWERBY AND THE DUKE OF OMNIUM AND THEN THAT SPLENDID ANIMAL DANDY CAME HOME TO THE PARSONAGE STABLES MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF THE GROOM AND GARDENER


WHICH HE HAD BOUGHT FROM MISTER SOWERBY SOME LITTLE TIME SINCE WITH THE OBJECT OF OBLIGING HIM HE MARK INTENDED TO SELL HIM AGAIN AS SOON AS HE COULD DO SO JUDICIOUSLY THIS AS I HAVE SAID ABOVE WAS NOT SATISFACTORY


NEITHER OF THE TWO LADIES AT FRAMLEY PARSONAGE KNEW MUCH ABOUT HORSES OR OF THE MANNER IN WHICH ONE GENTLEMAN MIGHT THINK IT PROPER TO OBLIGE ANOTHER BY PURCHASING THE SUPERFLUITIES OF HIS STABLE BUT THEY DID BOTH FEEL THAT THERE WERE HORSES ENOUGH IN THE PARSONAGE STABLE WITHOUT DANDY


AND THAT THE PURCHASING OF A HUNTER WITH THE VIEW OF IMMEDIATELY SELLING HIM AGAIN WAS TO SAY THE LEAST OF IT AN OPERATION HARDLY CONGENIAL WITH THE USUAL TASTES AND PURSUITS OF A CLERGYMAN I HOPE YOU DID NOT GIVE VERY MUCH MONEY FOR HIM MARK SAID FANNY


NOT MORE THAN I SHALL GET AGAIN SAID MARK


I SUPPOSE I SHALL HAVE TO GO INTO RESIDENCE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY SAID MARK RECURRING TO THE MORE AGREEABLE SUBJECT OF THE STALL


THE HOUSE WILL NOT BE FURNISHED WILL IT MARK SAID HIS WIFE I DON'T KNOW HOW WE SHALL GET ON DON'T FRIGHTEN YOURSELVES I SHALL TAKE LODGINGS IN BARCHESTER AND WE SHALL NOT SEE YOU ALL THE TIME SAID MISSUS ROBARTS WITH DISMAY


BUT THE PREBENDARY EXPLAINED THAT HE WOULD BE BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS AT FRAMLEY EVERY WEEK AND THAT IN ALL PROBABILITY HE WOULD ONLY SLEEP AT BARCHESTER ON THE SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS AND PERHAPS NOT ALWAYS THEN


THE WORST OF IT IS THAT BOTH OF THEM ARE OBLIGED TO WEAR WIGS SHALL YOU HAVE A HAT MARK WITH CURLY THINGS AT THE SIDE AND STRINGS THROUGH TO HOLD THEM UP ASKED LUCY I FEAR THAT DOES NOT COME WITHIN MY PERQUISITES NOR A ROSETTE


IT WAS NOW THE MONTH OF APRIL AND THE FIELDS WERE BEGINNING TO LOOK GREEN AND THE WIND HAD GOT ITSELF OUT OF THE EAST AND WAS SOFT AND GENIAL AND THE EARLY SPRING FLOWERS WERE SHOWING THEIR BRIGHT COLOURS IN THE PARSONAGE GARDEN AND ALL THINGS WERE SWEET AND PLEASANT


WENT AWAY WHEN THE SPRING CAME LEAVING THEIR HOUSES INNOCENT AND EMPTY THE PARISH DUTY WAS BETTER ATTENDED TO AND PERHAPS DOMESTIC DUTIES ALSO AT SUCH PERIOD HE WAS A PATTERN PARSON AND A PATTERN HUSBAND


ATONING TO HIS OWN CONSCIENCE FOR PAST SHORTCOMINGS BY PRESENT ZEAL AND THEN THOUGH SHE HAD NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED IT TO HERSELF THE ABSENCE OF HER DEAR FRIEND LADY LUFTON WAS PERHAPS IN ITSELF NOT DISAGREEABLE MISSUS ROBARTS DID LOVE LADY LUFTON HEARTILY


INDEED JUST AT THIS MOMENT


DANDY WAS RATHER A THORN IN HIS SIDE THOSE WRETCHED BILLS WERE TO COME DUE EARLY IN MAY AND BEFORE THE END OF APRIL SOWERBY WROTE TO HIM SAYING THAT HE WAS DOING HIS UTMOST TO PROVIDE FOR THE EVIL DAY


BUT THAT IF THE PRICE OF DANDY COULD BE REMITTED TO HIM AT ONCE IT WOULD GREATLY FACILITATE HIS OBJECT NOTHING COULD BE MORE DIFFERENT THAN MISTER SOWERBY'S TONE ABOUT MONEY AT DIFFERENT TIMES WHEN HE WANTED TO RAISE THE WIND EVERYTHING WAS SO IMPORTANT


HASTE AND SUPERHUMAN EFFORTS AND MEN RUNNING TO AND FRO WITH BLANK ACCEPTANCES IN THEIR HANDS COULD ALONE STAVE OFF THE CRACK OF DOOM BUT AT OTHER TIMES WHEN RETALIATORY APPLICATIONS WERE MADE TO HIM


HE COULD PROVE WITH THE EASIEST VOICE AND MOST JAUNTY MANNER THAT EVERYTHING WAS QUITE SERENE NOW AT THIS PERIOD HE WAS IN THAT MOOD OF SUPERHUMAN EFFORTS AND HE CALLED LOUDLY FOR THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY POUNDS FOR DANDY AFTER WHAT HAD PASSED


MARK COULD NOT BRING HIMSELF TO SAY THAT HE WOULD PAY NOTHING TILL THE BILLS WERE SAFE AND THEREFORE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF MISTER FORREST OF THE BANK HE DID REMIT THE PRICE OF DANDY TO HIS FRIEND SOWERBY IN LONDON AND LUCY ROBARTS


SHE HAD DECLARED TO HIM PLAINLY THAT SHE DID NOT LOVE HIM AND COULD NOT LOVE HIM AND HAD THUS THROWN AWAY NOT ONLY RICHES AND HONOUR AND HIGH STATION BUT MORE THAN THAT MUCH WORSE THAN THAT SHE HAD FLUNG AWAY FROM HER THE LOVER TO WHOSE LOVE HER WARM HEART CLUNG


THAT HER LOVE DID CLING TO HIM SHE KNEW EVEN THEN AND OWNED MORE THOROUGHLY AS SOON AS HE WAS GONE SO MUCH HER PRIDE HAD DONE FOR HER AND THAT STRONG RESOLVE THAT LADY LUFTON SHOULD NOT SCOWL ON HER AND TELL HER THAT SHE HAD ENTRAPPED HER SON


I KNOW IT WILL BE SAID OF LORD LUFTON HIMSELF THAT PUTTING ASIDE HIS PEERAGE AND BROAD ACRES AND HANDSOME SONSY FACE HE WAS NOT WORTH A GIRL'S CARE AND LOVE


BUT WHAT WOULD THE WORLD COME TO IF NONE BUT ABSOLUTE TRUE HEROES WERE TO BE THOUGHT WORTHY OF WOMEN'S LOVE WHAT WOULD THE MEN DO AND WHAT OH WHAT WOULD BECOME OF THE WOMEN


LUCY ROBARTS IN HER HEART DID NOT GIVE HER DISMISSED LOVER CREDIT FOR MUCH MORE HEROISM THAN DID TRULY APPERTAIN TO HIM DID NOT PERHAPS GIVE HIM FULL CREDIT FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HEROISM WHICH DID REALLY APPERTAIN TO HIM


TREATS HERSELF AS A FARMER TREATS HIS SHEEP AND OXEN MAKES HARDLY MORE OF HERSELF OF HER OWN INNER SELF IN WHICH ARE COMPRISED A MIND AND SOUL THAN THE POOR WRETCH OF HER OWN SEX WHO EARNS HER BREAD IN THE LOWEST STAGE OF DEGRADATION


BUT A TITLE AND AN ESTATE AND AN INCOME ARE MATTERS WHICH WILL WEIGH IN THE BALANCE WITH ALL EVE'S DAUGHTERS AS THEY DO WITH ALL ADAM'S SONS PRIDE OF PLACE AND THE POWER OF LIVING WELL IN FRONT OF THE WORLD'S EYE ARE DEAR TO US ALL ARE DOUBTLESS INTENDED TO BE DEAR


THE MISTRESS OF SUCH A DESTINY WHAT MORE OR WHAT BETTER COULD THE WORLD HAVE DONE FOR HER AND NOW SHE HAD THROWN ALL THAT ASIDE BECAUSE SHE WOULD NOT ENDURE THAT LADY LUFTON SHOULD CALL HER A SCHEMING ARTFUL GIRL ACTUATED BY THAT FEAR SHE HAD REPULSED HIM WITH A FALSEHOOD


THOUGH THE MATTER WAS ONE ON WHICH IT WAS SO TERRIBLY EXPEDIENT THAT SHE SHOULD TELL THE TRUTH AND YET SHE WAS CHEERFUL WITH HER BROTHER AND SISTER IN LAW


IT WAS WHEN SHE WAS QUITE ALONE AT NIGHT IN HER OWN ROOM OR IN HER SOLITARY WALKS THAT A SINGLE SILENT TEAR WOULD GATHER IN THE CORNER OF HER EYE AND GRADUALLY MOISTEN HER EYELIDS SHE NEVER TOLD HER LOVE NOR DID SHE ALLOW CONCEALMENT TO FEED ON HER DAMASK CHEEK


IN ALL HER EMPLOYMENTS IN HER WAYS ABOUT THE HOUSE AND HER ACCUSTOMED QUIET MIRTH SHE WAS THE SAME AS EVER IN THIS SHE SHOWED THE PECULIAR STRENGTH WHICH GOD HAD GIVEN HER BUT NOT THE LESS DID SHE IN TRUTH MOURN FOR HER LOST LOVE AND SPOILED AMBITION


WE ARE GOING TO DRIVE OVER TO HOGGLESTOCK THIS MORNING FANNY SAID ONE DAY AT BREAKFAST I SUPPOSE MARK YOU WON'T GO WITH US


THE PONY CARRIAGE IS WRETCHED FOR THREE OH AS FOR THAT I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE NEW HORSE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CARRY YOU AS FAR AS THAT I HEARD YOU SAY YOU WANTED TO SEE MISTER CRAWLEY SO I DO AND THE NEW HORSE AS YOU CALL HIM SHALL CARRY ME THERE TO MORROW


WILL YOU SAY THAT I'LL BE OVER ABOUT TWELVE O'CLOCK YOU HAD BETTER SAY EARLIER AS HE IS ALWAYS OUT ABOUT THE PARISH VERY WELL SAY ELEVEN IT IS PARISH BUSINESS ABOUT WHICH I AM GOING SO IT NEED NOT IRK HIS CONSCIENCE TO STAY IN FOR ME


WELL LUCY WE MUST DRIVE OURSELVES THAT'S ALL YOU SHALL BE CHARIOTEER GOING AND THEN WE'LL CHANGE COMING BACK TO ALL WHICH LUCY AGREED AND AS SOON AS THEIR WORK IN THE SCHOOL WAS OVER THEY STARTED


NOT A WORD HAD BEEN SPOKEN BETWEEN THEM ABOUT LORD LUFTON SINCE THAT EVENING NOW MORE THAN A MONTH AGO ON WHICH THEY HAD BEEN WALKING TOGETHER IN THE GARDEN LUCY HAD SO DEMEANED HERSELF ON THAT OCCASION


AS TO MAKE HER SISTER IN LAW QUITE SURE THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO LOVE PASSAGES UP TO THAT TIME AND NOTHING HAD SINCE OCCURRED WHICH HAD CREATED ANY SUSPICION IN MISSUS ROBARTS MIND SHE HAD SEEN AT ONCE THAT ALL THE CLOSE INTIMACY BETWEEN THEM WAS OVER AND THOUGHT THAT EVERYTHING WAS AS IT SHOULD BE


BUT SHE DID NOT BETRAY HERSELF PERHAPS HE MAY SHE SAID AND THEN GAVE THE PONY A LITTLE TOUCH WITH HER WHIP OH LUCY I WON'T HAVE PUCK BEATEN HE WAS GOING VERY NICELY I BEG PUCK'S PARDON


BUT YOU SEE WHEN ONE IS TRUSTED WITH A WHIP ONE FEELS SUCH A LONGING TO USE IT OH BUT YOU SHOULD KEEP IT STILL I FEEL ALMOST CERTAIN THAT LADY LUFTON WOULD LIKE SUCH A MATCH I DARESAY SHE MIGHT MISS GRANTLY WILL HAVE A LARGE FORTUNE I BELIEVE


AND THEN SHE IS QUIET AND RESERVED SHE DOES NOT REQUIRE EXCITEMENT AND I AM SURE IS CONSCIENTIOUS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HER DUTIES VERY CONSCIENTIOUS I HAVE NO DOUBT SAID LUCY WITH SOMETHING LIKE A SNEER IN HER TONE BUT THE QUESTION I SUPPOSE IS


WHETHER LORD LUFTON LIKES HER I THINK HE DOES IN A SORT OF WAY HE DID NOT TALK TO HER SO MUCH AS HE DID TO YOU AH THAT WAS ALL LADY LUFTON'S FAULT BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T HAVE HIM PROPERLY LABELLED


OH BY GOD'S MERCY VERY LITTLE AS FOR ME I SHALL GET OVER IT IN THREE OR FOUR YEARS I DON'T DOUBT THAT'S IF I CAN GET ASS'S MILK AND CHANGE OF AIR WE'LL TAKE YOU TO BARCHESTER FOR THAT BUT AS I WAS SAYING I REALLY DO THINK LORD LUFTON LIKES GRISELDA GRANTLY


THEN I REALLY DO THINK THAT HE HAS UNCOMMON BAD TASTE SAID LUCY WITH A REALITY IN HER VOICE DIFFERING MUCH FROM THE TONE OF BANTER SHE HAD HITHERTO USED WHAT LUCY SAID HER SISTER IN LAW LOOKING AT HER


THERE IS I BELIEVE NOTHING IN HER MENTALLY WHATEVER MAY BE HER MORAL EXCELLENCES TO ME SHE IS MORE ABSOLUTELY LIKE A STATUE THAN ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING I EVER SAW TO SIT STILL AND BE ADMIRED IS ALL THAT SHE DESIRES AND IF SHE CANNOT GET THAT


TO SIT STILL AND NOT BE ADMIRED WOULD ALMOST SUFFICE FOR HER I DO NOT WORSHIP LADY LUFTON AS YOU DO BUT I THINK QUITE WELL ENOUGH OF HER TO WONDER THAT SHE SHOULD CHOOSE SUCH A GIRL AS THAT FOR HER SON'S WIFE THAT SHE DOES WISH IT I DO NOT DOUBT


BUT I SHALL INDEED BE SURPRISED IF HE WISHES IT ALSO AND THEN AS SHE FINISHED HER SPEECH LUCY AGAIN FLOGGED THE PONY THIS SHE DID IN VEXATION BECAUSE SHE FELT THAT THE TELL TALE BLOOD HAD SUFFUSED HER FACE WHY LUCY


IF HE WERE YOUR BROTHER YOU COULD NOT BE MORE EAGER ABOUT IT NO I COULD NOT HE IS THE ONLY MAN FRIEND WITH WHOM I WAS EVER INTIMATE AND I CANNOT BEAR TO THINK THAT HE SHOULD THROW HIMSELF AWAY IT'S HORRIDLY IMPROPER TO CARE ABOUT SUCH A THING I HAVE NO DOUBT


I SHALL NOT BE SATISFIED IT'S NO USE YOUR LOOKING AT ME FANNY YOU WILL MAKE ME TALK OF IT AND I WON'T TELL A LIE ON THE SUBJECT I DO LIKE LORD LUFTON VERY MUCH AND I DO DISLIKE GRISELDA GRANTLY ALMOST AS MUCH


THEREFORE I SHALL NOT BE SATISFIED IF THEY BECOME MAN AND WIFE HOWEVER


THERE WAS THEN NOTHING MORE SAID ON THE SUBJECT AND IN TWO MINUTES THEY ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE OF THE HOGGLESTOCK CLERGYMAN MISSUS CRAWLEY HAD BROUGHT TWO CHILDREN WITH HER WHEN SHE CAME FROM THE CORNISH CURACY TO HOGGLESTOCK AND TWO OTHER BABIES HAD BEEN ADDED TO HER CARES SINCE THEN


ONE OF THESE WAS NOW ILL WITH CROUP AND IT WAS WITH THE OBJECT OF OFFERING TO THE MOTHER SOME COMFORT AND SOLACE THAT THE PRESENT VISIT WAS MADE THE TWO LADIES GOT DOWN FROM THEIR CARRIAGE HAVING OBTAINED THE SERVICES OF A BOY TO HOLD PUCK AND SOON FOUND THEMSELVES IN MISSUS CRAWLEY'S SINGLE SITTING ROOM


WHICH THEY KNEW IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE IN MISTER CRAWLEY'S PRESENCE SHE AS WE HAVE SAID WAS NOT QUITE SO GAUNT NOT ALTOGETHER SO HAGGARD AS IN THE LATTER OF THOSE DREADFUL CORNISH DAYS LADY LUFTON AND MISSUS ARABIN BETWEEN THEM


AND THE SCANTY COMFORT OF THEIR IMPROVED THOUGH STILL WRETCHED INCOME HAD DONE SOMETHING TOWARDS BRINGING HER BACK TO THE WORLD IN WHICH SHE HAD LIVED IN THE SOFT DAYS OF HER CHILDHOOD BUT EVEN THE LIBERAL STIPEND OF A HUNDRED AND THIRTY POUNDS A YEAR


LIBERAL ACCORDING TO THE SCALE BY WHICH THE INCOMES OF CLERGYMEN IN SOME OF OUR NEW DISTRICTS ARE NOW APPORTIONED WOULD NOT ADMIT OF A GENTLEMAN WITH HIS WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN LIVING WITH THE ORDINARY COMFORTS OF AN ARTISAN'S FAMILY


AS REGARDS THE MERE EATING AND DRINKING THE AMOUNTS OF BUTCHER'S MEAT AND TEA AND BUTTER THEY OF COURSE WERE USED IN QUANTITIES WHICH ANY ARTISAN WOULD HAVE REGARDED AS COMPATIBLE ONLY WITH DEMI STARVATION BETTER CLOTHING FOR HER CHILDREN WAS NECESSARY AND BETTER CLOTHING FOR HIM


AS FOR HER OWN RAIMENT THE WIVES OF FEW ARTISANS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONTENT TO PUT UP WITH MISSUS CRAWLEY'S BEST GOWN THE STUFF OF WHICH IT WAS MADE HAD BEEN PAID FOR BY HER MOTHER WHEN SHE WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY BESTOWED UPON HER DAUGHTER HER MODEST WEDDING TROUSSEAU


LUCY HAD NEVER SEEN MISSUS CRAWLEY THESE VISITS TO HOGGLESTOCK WERE NOT FREQUENT AND HAD GENERALLY BEEN MADE BY LADY LUFTON AND MISSUS ROBARTS TOGETHER


ALMOST AS PENNILESS AS THE CURATE HIMSELF THEN THEY WOULD WALK TOGETHER FOR HOURS ALONG THE ROCK BOUND SHORE LISTENING TO THE WAVES DISCUSSING DEEP POLEMICAL MYSTERIES SOMETIMES WITH HOT FURY THEN AGAIN WITH TENDER LOVING CHARITY


BUT ALWAYS WITH A MUTUAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF EACH OTHER'S TRUTH NOW THEY LIVED COMPARATIVELY NEAR TOGETHER BUT NO OPPORTUNITIES AROSE FOR SUCH DISCUSSIONS AT ANY RATE ONCE A QUARTER MISTER CRAWLEY WAS PRESSED BY HIS OLD FRIEND TO VISIT HIM AT THE DEANERY


AND DOCTOR ARABIN HAD PROMISED THAT NO ONE ELSE SHOULD BE IN THE HOUSE IF MISTER CRAWLEY OBJECTED TO SOCIETY BUT THIS WAS NOT WHAT HE WANTED THE FINERY AND GRANDEUR OF THE DEANERY AND THE COMFORT OF THAT WARM SNUG LIBRARY WOULD SILENCE HIM AT ONCE


THEN OLD DAYS WOULD HAVE COME BACK TO THEM BUT NOW ARABIN ALWAYS RIDES ON A SLEEK FINE HORSE NOW A DAYS HE ONCE SAID TO HIS WIFE WITH A SNEER


AT THE END OF THE LAST CHAPTER WE LEFT LUCY ROBARTS WAITING FOR AN INTRODUCTION TO MISSUS CRAWLEY WHO WAS SITTING WITH ONE BABY IN HER LAP WHILE SHE WAS ROCKING ANOTHER WHO LAY IN A CRADLE AT HER FEET MISTER CRAWLEY IN THE MEANWHILE HAD RISEN FROM HIS SEAT WITH HIS FINGER BETWEEN THE LEAVES OF AN OLD GRAMMAR


FOR SHE HAD WORK OF THIS KIND OF HER OWN AT HOME WHICH SHE BY NO MEANS NEGLECTED THOUGH THE ATTENDANCE OF NURSES WAS MORE PLENTIFUL WITH HER THAN AT HOGGLESTOCK MISSUS CRAWLEY DID GET UP AND TOLD LUCY THAT SHE WAS GLAD TO SEE HER AND MISTER CRAWLEY CAME FORWARD GRAMMAR IN HAND LOOKING HUMBLE AND MEEK


THE REALITIES OF LIFE HAD BECOME SO STERN TO HER THAT THE OUTWARD ASPECTS OF THEM WERE AS NOTHING SHE WOULD HAVE LIKED A NEW GOWN BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTHING TO HER IF ALL THE COUNTY KNEW THAT THE ONE IN WHICH SHE WENT TO CHURCH HAD BEEN TURNED THREE TIMES


IT GALLED HIM HOWEVER TO THINK THAT HE AND HIS WERE SO POORLY DRESSED I AM AFRAID YOU CAN HARDLY FIND A CHAIR MISS ROBARTS SAID MISTER CRAWLEY


MOVING A PILE OF RAGGED COVERLESS BOOKS ON TO THE TABLE I HOPE HE'LL FORGIVE ME FOR MOVING THEM THEY ARE NOT BOB'S AT LEAST NOT THE MOST OF THEM BUT MINE SAID THE GIRL BUT SOME OF THEM ARE MINE SAID THE BOY AIN'T THEY GRACE


AND ARE YOU A GREAT SCHOLAR ASKED LUCY DRAWING THE CHILD TO HER I DON'T KNOW SAID GRACE WITH A SHEEPISH FACE I AM IN GREEK DELECTUS AND THE IRREGULAR VERBS GREEK DELECTUS AND THE IRREGULAR VERBS AND LUCY PUT UP HER HANDS WITH ASTONISHMENT


AND SHE KNOWS AN ODE OF HORACE ALL BY HEART SAID BOB AN ODE OF HORACE SAID LUCY STILL HOLDING THE YOUNG SHAMEFACED FEMALE PRODIGY CLOSE TO HER KNEES IT IS ALL THAT I CAN GIVE THEM SAID MISTER CRAWLEY APOLOGETICALLY


A LITTLE SCHOLARSHIP IS THE ONLY FORTUNE THAT HAS COME IN MY WAY AND I ENDEAVOUR TO SHARE THAT WITH MY CHILDREN I BELIEVE MEN SAY THAT IT IS THE BEST FORTUNE ANY OF US CAN HAVE SAID LUCY THINKING HOWEVER IN HER OWN MIND


THAT HORACE AND THE IRREGULAR GREEK VERBS SAVOURED TOO MUCH OF PRECOCIOUS FORCING IN A YOUNG LADY OF NINE YEARS OLD BUT NEVERTHELESS GRACE WAS A PRETTY SIMPLE LOOKING GIRL AND CLUNG TO HER ALLY CLOSELY AND SEEMED TO LIKE BEING FONDLED


SO THAT LUCY ANXIOUSLY WISHED THAT MISTER CRAWLEY COULD BE GOT RID OF AND THE PRESENTS PRODUCED I HOPE YOU HAVE LEFT MISTER ROBARTS QUITE WELL SAID MISTER CRAWLEY WITH A STIFF CEREMONIAL VOICE


YES I HAVE HEARD OF IT SAID MISTER CRAWLEY GRAVELY I HOPE THAT HIS PROMOTION MAY TEND IN EVERY WAY TO HIS ADVANTAGE HERE AND HEREAFTER IT SEEMED HOWEVER TO BE MANIFEST FROM THE MANNER IN WHICH HE EXPRESSED HIS KIND WISHES


THAT HIS HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS DID NOT GO HAND IN HAND TOGETHER BY THE BY HE DESIRED US TO SAY THAT HE WILL CALL HERE TO MORROW AT ABOUT ELEVEN DIDN'T HE SAY FANNY YES


LOOKING UP FOR A MOMENT FROM THE ANXIOUS DISCUSSION IN WHICH SHE WAS ALREADY ENGAGED WITH MISSUS CRAWLEY ON NURSERY MATTERS PRAY TELL HIM SAID MISTER CRAWLEY THAT I SHALL BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM


HIS NEW DUTIES DO NOT DISTURB HIM MUCH AS YET SAID LUCY AND HIS RIDING OVER HERE WILL BE NO TROUBLE TO HIM YES THERE HE HAS THE ADVANTAGE OVER ME I UNFORTUNATELY HAVE NO HORSE


AND THEN LUCY BEGAN PETTING THE LITTLE BOY AND BY DEGREES SLIPPED A SMALL BAG OF GINGERBREAD NUTS OUT OF HER MUFF INTO HIS HANDS SHE HAD NOT THE PATIENCE NECESSARY FOR WAITING AS HAD HER SISTER IN LAW THE BOY TOOK THE BAG PEEPED INTO IT AND THEN LOOKED UP INTO HER FACE


WHAT IS THAT BOB SAID MISTER CRAWLEY GINGERBREAD FALTERED BOBBY FEELING THAT A SIN HAD BEEN COMMITTED THOUGH PROBABLY FEELING ALSO THAT HE HIMSELF COULD HARDLY AS YET BE ACCOUNTED AS DEEPLY GUILTY MISS ROBARTS SAID THE FATHER WE ARE VERY MUCH OBLIGED TO YOU


BUT OUR CHILDREN ARE HARDLY USED TO SUCH THINGS


OH CERTAINLY BOB MY CHILD


AND THEN THE BAG IN A SOLEMN MANNER WAS CARRIED OVER TO THEIR MOTHER WHO TAKING IT FROM HER SON'S HANDS LAID IT HIGH ON A BOOKSHELF AND NOT ONE NOW SAID LUCY ROBARTS VERY PITEOUSLY DON'T BE SO HARD MISTER CRAWLEY NOT UPON THEM BUT UPON ME


THIS WAS VERY DISCOURAGING TO LUCY IF ONE SMALL BAG OF GINGERBREAD NUTS CREATED SO GREAT A DIFFICULTY HOW WAS SHE TO DISPOSE OF THE POT OF GUAVA JELLY AND BOX OF BONBONS WHICH WERE STILL IN HER MUFF OR HOW DISTRIBUTE THE PACKET OF ORANGES WITH WHICH THE PONY CARRIAGE WAS LADEN


AND THERE WAS JELLY FOR THE SICK CHILD AND CHICKEN BROTH WHICH WAS INDEED ANOTHER JELLY AND TO TELL THE TRUTH OPENLY THERE WAS ALSO A JOINT OF FRESH PORK AND A BASKET OF EGGS FROM THE FRAMLEY PARSONAGE FARMYARD WHICH MISSUS ROBARTS WAS TO INTRODUCE SHOULD SHE FIND HERSELF CAPABLE OF DOING SO


BUT WHICH WOULD CERTAINLY BE CAST OUT WITH UTTER SCORN BY MISTER CRAWLEY IF TENDERED IN HIS IMMEDIATE PRESENCE THERE HAD ALSO BEEN A SUGGESTION AS TO ADDING TWO OR THREE BOTTLES OF PORT BUT THE COURAGE OF THE LADIES HAD FAILED THEM ON THAT HEAD AND THE WINE WAS NOT NOW ADDED TO THEIR DIFFICULTIES


LUCY FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP A CONVERSATION WITH MISTER CRAWLEY THE MORE SO AS MISSUS ROBARTS AND MISSUS CRAWLEY PRESENTLY WITHDREW INTO A BEDROOM TAKING THE TWO YOUNGER CHILDREN WITH THEM HOW UNLUCKY THOUGHT LUCY THAT SHE HAS NOT GOT MY MUFF WITH HER


BUT THE MUFF LAY IN HER LAP PONDEROUS WITH ITS RICH ENCLOSURES I SUPPOSE YOU WILL LIVE IN BARCHESTER FOR A PORTION OF THE YEAR NOW SAID MISTER CRAWLEY I REALLY DO NOT KNOW AS YET MARK TALKS OF TAKING LODGINGS FOR HIS FIRST MONTH'S RESIDENCE


MARK THINKS THAT AS HE IS SO NEAR HE NEED NOT BE MUCH ABSENT FROM FRAMLEY EVEN DURING HIS RESIDENCE AND THEN LADY LUFTON IS SO GOOD ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AH YES BUT LADY LUFTON IS NOT A CLERGYMAN MISS ROBARTS


IT WAS ON LUCY'S TONGUE TO SAY THAT HER LADYSHIP WAS PRETTY NEARLY AS BAD BUT SHE STOPPED HERSELF AT THIS MOMENT PROVIDENCE SENT GREAT RELIEF TO MISS ROBARTS IN THE SHAPE OF MISSUS CRAWLEY'S RED ARMED MAID OF ALL WORK WHO WALKING UP TO HER MASTER


WHISPERED INTO HIS EAR THAT HE WAS WANTED IT WAS THE TIME OF DAY AT WHICH HIS ATTENDANCE WAS ALWAYS REQUIRED IN HIS PARISH SCHOOL AND THAT ATTENDANCE BEING SO PUNCTUALLY GIVEN THOSE WHO WANTED HIM LOOKED FOR HIM THERE AT THIS HOUR AND IF HE WERE ABSENT DID NOT SCRUPLE TO SEND FOR HIM


MISS ROBARTS I AM AFRAID YOU MUST EXCUSE ME SAID HE GETTING UP AND TAKING HIS HAT AND STICK LUCY BEGGED THAT SHE MIGHT NOT BE AT ALL IN THE WAY AND ALREADY BEGAN TO SPECULATE HOW SHE MIGHT BEST UNLOAD HER TREASURES


AND THEN STICK IN HAND HE WALKED FORTH AND LUCY FANCIED THAT BOBBY'S EYES IMMEDIATELY RESTED ON THE BAG OF GINGERBREAD NUTS BOB SAID SHE ALMOST IN A WHISPER


I HAVE LEFT A BOOK BEHIND ME HE SAID AND COMING BACK THROUGH THE ROOM HE TOOK UP THE WELL WORN PRAYER BOOK WHICH ACCOMPANIED HIM IN ALL HIS WANDERINGS THROUGH THE PARISH BOBBY WHEN HE SAW HIS FATHER HAD RETREATED A FEW STEPS BACK AS ALSO DID GRACE WHO TO CONFESS THE TRUTH


HAD BEEN ATTRACTED BY THE SOUND OF SUGAR PLUMS IN SPITE OF THE IRREGULAR VERBS AND LUCY WITHDREW HER HAND FROM HER MUFF AND LOOKED GUILTY WAS SHE NOT DECEIVING THE GOOD MAN NAY TEACHING HIS OWN CHILDREN TO DECEIVE HIM


BUT THERE ARE MEN MADE OF SUCH STUFF THAT AN ANGEL COULD HARDLY LIVE WITH THEM WITHOUT SOME DECEIT PAPA'S GONE NOW WHISPERED BOBBY I SAW HIM TURN ROUND THE CORNER HE AT ANY RATE HAD LEARNED HIS LESSON AS IT WAS NATURAL THAT HE SHOULD DO


SOME ONE ELSE ALSO HAD LEARNED THAT PAPA WAS GONE FOR WHILE BOB AND GRACE WERE STILL COUNTING THE BIG LUMPS OF SUGAR CANDY EACH EMPLOYED THE WHILE FOR INWARD SOLACE WITH AN INCH OF BARLEY SUGAR THE FRONT DOOR OPENED AND A BIG BASKET AND A BUNDLE DONE UP IN A KITCHEN CLOTH


I DID VENTURE TO BRING THEM SAID FANNY WITH A LOOK OF SHAME FOR I KNOW HOW A SICK CHILD OCCUPIES THE WHOLE HOUSE AH MY FRIEND SAID MISSUS CRAWLEY TAKING HOLD OF MISSUS ROBARTS ARM AND LOOKING INTO HER FACE THAT SORT OF SHAME IS OVER WITH ME


GOD HAS TRIED US WITH WANT AND FOR MY CHILDREN'S SAKE I AM GLAD OF SUCH RELIEF BUT WILL HE BE ANGRY I WILL MANAGE IT DEAR MISSUS ROBARTS YOU MUST NOT BE SURPRISED AT HIM HIS LOT IS SOMETIMES VERY HARD TO BEAR


SUCH THINGS ARE SO MUCH WORSE FOR A MAN THAN FOR A WOMAN FANNY WAS NOT QUITE PREPARED TO ADMIT THIS IN HER OWN HEART BUT SHE MADE NO REPLY ON THAT HEAD I AM SURE I HOPE WE MAY BE ABLE TO BE OF USE TO YOU SHE SAID IF YOU WILL ONLY LOOK UPON ME AS AN OLD FRIEND AND WRITE TO ME IF YOU WANT ME


TO FEEL HERSELF SO DIFFERENT FROM THE WIVES OF OTHER CLERGYMEN AROUND HER TO KNOW THAT THEY LIVED SOFTLY WHILE SHE WITH ALL THE WORK OF HER HANDS AND UNCEASING STRUGGLE OF HER ENERGIES COULD HARDLY MANAGE TO PLACE WHOLESOME FOOD BEFORE HER HUSBAND AND CHILDREN IT WAS A TERRIBLE THING A GRIEVOUS THING TO THINK OF


THAT ALL THE WORK OF HER MIND SHOULD BE GIVEN UP TO SUCH SUBJECTS AS THESE BUT NEVERTHELESS SHE COULD BEAR IT SHE SAID AS LONG AS HE WOULD CARRY HIMSELF LIKE A MAN AND FACE HIS LOT BOLDLY BEFORE THE WORLD AND THEN SHE TOLD HOW HE HAD BEEN BETTER THERE AT HOGGLESTOCK THAN IN THEIR FORMER RESIDENCE DOWN IN CORNWALL


MISSUS ARABIN TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS SO ANXIOUS YOU SHOULD GO TO THEM SAID MISSUS ROBARTS AH YES BUT THAT I FEAR IS IMPOSSIBLE THE CHILDREN YOU KNOW MISSUS ROBARTS


OH NO I COULD NOT PUNISH YOU FOR YOUR GOODNESS IN THAT WAY BUT HE WOULD NOT GO HE COULD GO AND LEAVE ME AT HOME SOMETIMES I HAVE THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE SO AND I HAVE DONE ALL IN MY POWER TO PERSUADE HIM I HAVE TOLD HIM THAT IF HE COULD MIX ONCE MORE WITH THE WORLD WITH THE CLERICAL WORLD YOU KNOW


THAT HE WOULD BE BETTER FITTED FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS OWN DUTIES BUT HE ANSWERS ME ANGRILY THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT HIS COAT IS NOT FIT FOR THE DEAN'S TABLE AND MISSUS CRAWLEY ALMOST BLUSHED AS SHE SPOKE OF SUCH A REASON WHAT WITH AN OLD FRIEND LIKE DOCTOR ARABIN


BUT WHAT CAN I DO I FEAR THAT HE REGARDS THE RICH AS HIS ENEMIES HE IS PINING FOR THE SOLACE OF SOME FRIEND TO WHOM HE COULD TALK FOR SOME EQUAL WITH A MIND EDUCATED LIKE HIS OWN TO WHOSE THOUGHTS HE COULD LISTEN AND TO WHOM HE COULD SPEAK HIS OWN THOUGHTS


BUT SUCH A FRIEND MUST BE EQUAL NOT ONLY IN MIND BUT IN PURSE AND WHERE CAN HE EVER FIND SUCH A MAN AS THAT BUT YOU MAY GET BETTER PREFERMENT AH NO AND IF HE DID WE ARE HARDLY FIT FOR IT NOW IF I COULD THINK THAT I COULD EDUCATE MY CHILDREN


IF I COULD ONLY DO SOMETHING FOR MY POOR GRACE IN ANSWER TO THIS MISSUS ROBARTS SAID A WORD OR TWO BUT NOT MUCH SHE RESOLVED HOWEVER THAT IF SHE COULD GET HER HUSBAND'S LEAVE SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE FOR GRACE


AND WAS IT NOT INCUMBENT ON HER TO MAKE SOME KINDLY USE OF ALL THE GOODS WITH WHICH PROVIDENCE HAD BLESSED HERSELF AND THEN THEY WENT BACK TO THE SITTING ROOM EACH AGAIN WITH A YOUNG CHILD IN HER ARMS


LUCY HAD BEEN ENGAGED THE WHILE WITH THE CHILDREN AND WHEN THE TWO MARRIED LADIES ENTERED THEY FOUND THAT A SHOP HAD BEEN OPENED AT WHICH ALL MANNER OF LUXURIES WERE BEING READILY SOLD AND PURCHASED AT MARVELLOUSLY EASY PRICES THE GUAVA JELLY WAS THERE AND THE ORANGES AND THE SUGAR PLUMS RED AND YELLOW AND STRIPED


AND MOREOVER THE GINGERBREAD HAD BEEN TAKEN DOWN IN THE AUDACITY OF THEIR COMMERCIAL SPECULATIONS AND THE NUTS WERE SPREAD OUT UPON A BOARD BEHIND WHICH LUCY STOOD AS SHOP GIRL DISPOSING OF THEM FOR KISSES MAMMA MAMMA SAID BOBBY RUNNING UP TO HIS MOTHER YOU MUST BUY SOMETHING OF HER


AND HE POINTED WITH HIS FINGERS AT THE SHOP GIRL YOU MUST GIVE HER TWO KISSES FOR THAT HEAP OF BARLEY SUGAR LOOKING AT BOBBY'S MOUTH AT THE TIME ONE WOULD HAVE SAID THAT HIS KISSES MIGHT BE DISPENSED WITH WHEN THEY WERE AGAIN IN THE PONY CARRIAGE BEHIND THE IMPATIENT PUCK AND WERE WELL AWAY FROM THE DOOR


FANNY WAS THE FIRST TO SPEAK HOW VERY DIFFERENT THOSE TWO ARE SHE SAID DIFFERENT IN THEIR MINDS AND IN THEIR SPIRIT BUT HOW MUCH HIGHER TONED IS HER MIND THAN HIS HOW WEAK HE IS IN MANY THINGS AND HOW STRONG SHE IS IN EVERYTHING


HOW FALSE IS HIS PRIDE AND HOW FALSE HIS SHAME BUT WE MUST REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS TO BEAR IT IS NOT EVERY ONE THAT CAN ENDURE SUCH A LIFE AS HIS WITHOUT FALSE PRIDE AND FALSE SHAME BUT SHE HAS NEITHER SAID LUCY


BECAUSE YOU HAVE ONE HERO IN A FAMILY DOES THAT GIVE YOU A RIGHT TO EXPECT ANOTHER SAID MISSUS ROBARTS OF ALL MY OWN ACQUAINTANCE MISSUS CRAWLEY I THINK COMES NEAREST TO HEROISM AND THEN THEY PASSED BY THE HOGGLESTOCK SCHOOL AND MISTER CRAWLEY WHEN HE HEARD THE NOISE OF THE WHEELS CAME OUT


SOME DISORDER HAD SURELY CREPT INTO THE COURSE OF THE ELEMENTS DESTROYING THEIR BENIGNANT INFLUENCE THE WIND PRINCE OF AIR RAGED THROUGH HIS KINGDOM LASHING THE SEA INTO FURY


AND SUBDUING THE REBEL EARTH INTO SOME SORT OF OBEDIENCE THE GOD SENDS DOWN HIS ANGRY PLAGUES FROM HIGH FAMINE AND PESTILENCE IN HEAPS THEY DIE AGAIN IN VENGEANCE OF HIS WRATH HE FALLS


ON THEIR GREAT HOSTS AND BREAKS THEIR TOTTERING WALLS ARRESTS THEIR NAVIES ON THE OCEAN'S PLAIN AND WHELMS THEIR STRENGTH WITH MOUNTAINS OF THE MAIN


THEIR DEADLY POWER SHOOK THE FLOURISHING COUNTRIES OF THE SOUTH AND DURING WINTER EVEN WE IN OUR NORTHERN RETREAT BEGAN TO QUAKE UNDER THEIR ILL EFFECTS


THAT FABLE IS UNJUST WHICH GIVES THE SUPERIORITY TO THE SUN OVER THE WIND WHO HAS NOT SEEN THE LIGHTSOME EARTH THE BALMY ATMOSPHERE AND BASKING NATURE BECOME DARK COLD


AND UNGENIAL WHEN THE SLEEPING WIND HAS AWOKE IN THE EAST OR WHEN THE DUN CLOUDS THICKLY VEIL THE SKY


UNTIL THE DANK EARTH REFUSING TO IMBIBE THE SUPERABUNDANT MOISTURE IT LIES IN POOLS ON THE SURFACE WHEN THE TORCH OF DAY SEEMS LIKE A METEOR TO BE QUENCHED


WHO HAS NOT SEEN THE CLOUD STIRRING NORTH ARISE THE STREAKED BLUE APPEAR AND SOON AN OPENING MADE IN THE VAPOURS IN THE EYE OF THE WIND THROUGH WHICH THE BRIGHT AZURE SHINES


THE CLOUDS BECOME THIN AN ARCH IS FORMED FOR EVER RISING UPWARDS TILL THE UNIVERSAL COPE BEING UNVEILED THE SUN POURS FORTH ITS RAYS RE ANIMATED AND FED BY THE BREEZE


THEN MIGHTY ART THOU O WIND TO BE THRONED ABOVE ALL


WHETHER THOU COMEST DESTROYING FROM THE EAST OR PREGNANT WITH ELEMENTARY LIFE FROM THE WEST THEE THE CLOUDS OBEY THE SUN IS SUBSERVIENT TO THEE THE SHORELESS


OCEAN IS THY SLAVE THOU SWEEPEST OVER THE EARTH AND OAKS THE GROWTH OF CENTURIES SUBMIT TO THY VIEWLESS AXE THE SNOW DRIFT IS SCATTERED ON THE PINNACLES OF THE ALPS


THE AVALANCHE THUNDERS DOWN THEIR VALLIES THOU HOLDEST THE KEYS OF THE FROST AND CANST FIRST CHAIN AND THEN SET FREE THE STREAMS UNDER THY GENTLE GOVERNANCE THE BUDS AND LEAVES ARE BORN


THEY FLOURISH NURSED BY THEE WHY DOST THOU HOWL THUS O WIND BY DAY AND BY NIGHT FOR FOUR LONG MONTHS THY ROARINGS HAVE NOT CEASED THE SHORES OF THE SEA ARE STREWN WITH WRECKS


THE EARTH HAS SHED HER BEAUTY IN OBEDIENCE TO THY COMMAND THE FRAIL BALLOON DARES NO LONGER SAIL ON THE AGITATED AIR THY MINISTERS THE CLOUDS DELUGE THE LAND WITH RAIN


RIVERS FORSAKE THEIR BANKS THE WILD TORRENT TEARS UP THE MOUNTAIN PATH PLAIN AND WOOD AND VERDANT DELL ARE DESPOILED OF THEIR LOVELINESS


OUR VERY CITIES ARE WASTED BY THEE ALAS WHAT WILL BECOME OF US IT SEEMS AS IF THE GIANT WAVES OF OCEAN AND VAST ARMS OF THE SEA WERE ABOUT TO WRENCH THE DEEP ROOTED ISLAND FROM ITS CENTRE AND CAST IT


A RUIN AND A WRECK UPON THE FIELDS OF THE ATLANTIC WHAT ARE WE THE INHABITANTS OF THIS GLOBE LEAST AMONG THE MANY THAT PEOPLE INFINITE SPACE OUR MINDS EMBRACE INFINITY


OF OUR BEING IS SUBJECT TO MEREST ACCIDENT DAY BY DAY WE ARE FORCED TO BELIEVE THIS HE WHOM A SCRATCH HAS DISORGANIZED HE WHO DISAPPEARS FROM APPARENT LIFE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE HOSTILE AGENCY AT WORK AROUND US


HAD THE SAME POWERS AS I I


IN THE FACE OF ALL THIS WE CALL OURSELVES LORDS OF THE CREATION WIELDERS OF THE ELEMENTS MASTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH AND WE ALLEGE IN EXCUSE OF THIS ARROGANCE THAT THOUGH THE INDIVIDUAL IS DESTROYED


MAN CONTINUES FOR EVER THUS LOSING OUR IDENTITY THAT OF WHICH WE ARE CHIEFLY CONSCIOUS WE GLORY IN THE CONTINUITY OF OUR SPECIES AND LEARN TO REGARD DEATH WITHOUT TERROR


BUT WHEN ANY WHOLE NATION BECOMES THE VICTIM OF THE DESTRUCTIVE POWERS OF EXTERIOR AGENTS THEN INDEED MAN SHRINKS INTO INSIGNIFICANCE HE FEELS HIS TENURE OF LIFE INSECURE


HIS INHERITANCE ON EARTH CUT OFF I REMEMBER AFTER HAVING WITNESSED THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF A FIRE I COULD NOT EVEN BEHOLD A SMALL ONE IN A STOVE WITHOUT A SENSATION OF FEAR


THE MOUNTING FLAMES HAD CURLED ROUND THE BUILDING AS IT FELL AND WAS DESTROYED THEY INSINUATED THEMSELVES INTO THE SUBSTANCES ABOUT THEM


AND THE IMPEDIMENTS TO THEIR PROGRESS YIELDED AT THEIR TOUCH COULD WE TAKE INTEGRAL PARTS OF THIS POWER AND NOT BE SUBJECT TO ITS OPERATION COULD WE DOMESTICATE A CUB OF THIS WILD BEAST


AND NOT FEAR ITS GROWTH AND MATURITY THUS WE BEGAN TO FEEL WITH REGARD TO MANY VISAGED DEATH LET LOOSE ON THE CHOSEN DISTRICTS OF OUR FAIR HABITATION


AND ABOVE ALL WITH REGARD TO THE PLAGUE WE FEARED THE COMING SUMMER NATIONS BORDERING ON THE ALREADY INFECTED COUNTRIES BEGAN TO ENTER UPON SERIOUS PLANS FOR THE BETTER KEEPING OUT OF THE ENEMY


WE A COMMERCIAL PEOPLE WERE OBLIGED TO BRING SUCH SCHEMES UNDER CONSIDERATION AND THE QUESTION OF CONTAGION BECAME MATTER OF EARNEST DISQUISITION


THAT THE PLAGUE WAS NOT WHAT IS COMMONLY CALLED CONTAGIOUS LIKE THE SCARLET FEVER OR EXTINCT SMALL POX WAS PROVED IT WAS CALLED AN EPIDEMIC BUT THE GRAND QUESTION


WAS STILL UNSETTLED OF HOW THIS EPIDEMIC WAS GENERATED AND INCREASED IF INFECTION DEPENDED UPON THE AIR THE AIR WAS SUBJECT TO INFECTION


HAS BEEN BROUGHT BY SHIPS TO ONE SEA PORT TOWN YET THE VERY PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT IT THERE WERE INCAPABLE OF COMMUNICATING IT IN A TOWN MORE FORTUNATELY SITUATED BUT HOW ARE WE TO JUDGE OF AIRS


AND PRONOUNCE IN SUCH A CITY PLAGUE WILL DIE UNPRODUCTIVE IN SUCH ANOTHER NATURE HAS PROVIDED FOR IT A PLENTIFUL HARVEST


IN THE SAME WAY INDIVIDUALS MAY ESCAPE NINETY NINE TIMES AND RECEIVE THE DEATH BLOW AT THE HUNDREDTH BECAUSE BODIES ARE SOMETIMES


THESE REFLECTIONS MADE OUR LEGISLATORS PAUSE BEFORE THEY COULD DECIDE ON THE LAWS TO BE PUT IN FORCE THE EVIL WAS SO WIDE SPREADING SO VIOLENT AND IMMEDICABLE THAT NO CARE NO PREVENTION COULD BE JUDGED SUPERFLUOUS


WHICH EVEN ADDED A CHANCE TO OUR ESCAPE THESE WERE QUESTIONS OF PRUDENCE THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE NECESSITY FOR AN EARNEST CAUTION ENGLAND WAS STILL SECURE FRANCE


GERMANY ITALY AND SPAIN WERE INTERPOSED WALLS YET WITHOUT A BREACH BETWEEN US AND THE PLAGUE OUR VESSELS TRULY WERE THE SPORT OF WINDS AND WAVES EVEN AS GULLIVER


BROBDIGNAGIANS BUT WE ON OUR STABLE ABODE COULD NOT BE HURT IN LIFE OR LIMB BY THESE ERUPTIONS OF NATURE WE COULD NOT FEAR WE DID NOT YET A FEELING OF AWE


A BREATHLESS SENTIMENT OF WONDER A PAINFUL SENSE


DEGRADATION OF HUMANITY WAS INTRODUCED INTO EVERY HEART NATURE OUR MOTHER AND OUR FRIEND HAD TURNED ON US A BROW OF MENACE SHE SHEWED US PLAINLY THAT THOUGH SHE PERMITTED US TO ASSIGN HER LAWS AND SUBDUE HER APPARENT POWERS


WE MUST QUAKE SHE COULD TAKE OUR GLOBE


AND ALL THAT MAN'S MIND COULD INVENT OR HIS FORCE ACHIEVE SHE COULD TAKE THE BALL IN HER HAND AND CAST IT INTO SPACE WHERE LIFE WOULD BE DRUNK UP AND MAN AND ALL HIS EFFORTS FOR EVER ANNIHILATED


THESE SPECULATIONS WERE RIFE AMONG US YET NOT THE LESS WE PROCEEDED IN OUR DAILY OCCUPATIONS AND OUR PLANS WHOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT DEMANDED THE LAPSE OF MANY YEARS NO VOICE WAS HEARD TELLING US TO HOLD


WHEN FOREIGN DISTRESSES CAME TO BE FELT BY US THROUGH THE CHANNELS OF COMMERCE WE SET OURSELVES TO APPLY REMEDIES SUBSCRIPTIONS WERE MADE FOR THE EMIGRANTS AND MERCHANTS BANKRUPT BY THE FAILURE OF TRADE


THE ENGLISH SPIRIT AWOKE TO ITS FULL ACTIVITY AND AS IT HAD EVER DONE SET ITSELF TO RESIST THE EVIL AND TO STAND IN THE BREACH WHICH DISEASED NATURE HAD SUFFERED CHAOS AND DEATH TO MAKE


IN THE BOUNDS AND BANKS WHICH HAD HITHERTO KEPT THEM OUT AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF SUMMER WE BEGAN TO FEEL THAT THE MISCHIEF WHICH HAD TAKEN PLACE IN DISTANT COUNTRIES WAS GREATER THAN WE HAD AT FIRST SUSPECTED


QUITO WAS DESTROYED BY AN EARTHQUAKE MEXICO LAID WASTE BY THE UNITED EFFECTS OF STORM PESTILENCE AND FAMINE CROWDS OF EMIGRANTS INUNDATED THE WEST OF EUROPE


AND OUR ISLAND HAD BECOME THE REFUGE OF THOUSANDS IN THE MEAN TIME


HE HAD SOUGHT THIS OFFICE WITH EAGERNESS UNDER THE IDEA OF TURNING HIS WHOLE FORCES TO THE SUPPRESSION OF THE PRIVILEGED ORDERS OF OUR COMMUNITY


AT LENGTH FORBADE A RECOURSE TO THE USUAL MODES OF RELIEF TRADE WAS STOPPED BY THE FAILURE OF THE INTERCHANGE OF CARGOES USUAL BETWEEN US AND AMERICA INDIA EGYPT AND GREECE


IN VAIN OUR PROTECTOR AND HIS PARTIZANS SOUGHT TO CONCEAL THIS TRUTH IN VAIN DAY AFTER DAY HE APPOINTED A PERIOD FOR THE DISCUSSION OF THE NEW LAWS CONCERNING HEREDITARY RANK AND PRIVILEGE


IN VAIN HE ENDEAVOURED TO REPRESENT THE EVIL AS PARTIAL AND TEMPORARY THESE DISASTERS CAME HOME TO SO MANY BOSOMS AND THROUGH THE VARIOUS CHANNELS OF COMMERCE WERE CARRIED SO


ENTIRELY INTO EVERY CLASS AND DIVISION OF THE COMMUNITY THAT OF NECESSITY THEY BECAME THE FIRST QUESTION IN THE STATE THE CHIEF SUBJECTS TO WHICH WE MUST TURN OUR ATTENTION


CAN IT BE TRUE EACH ASKED THE OTHER WITH WONDER AND DISMAY THAT WHOLE COUNTRIES ARE LAID WASTE WHOLE NATIONS ANNIHILATED BY THESE DISORDERS IN NATURE THE VAST CITIES OF AMERICA THE FERTILE PLAINS OF


HINDOSTAN THE CROWDED ABODES OF THE CHINESE ARE MENACED WITH UTTER RUIN WHERE LATE THE BUSY MULTITUDES ASSEMBLED FOR PLEASURE OR PROFIT


NOW ONLY THE SOUND OF WAILING AND MISERY IS HEARD THE AIR IS EMPOISONED AND EACH HUMAN BEING INHALES DEATH EVEN WHILE IN YOUTH AND HEALTH THEIR HOPES ARE IN THE FLOWER


WE CALLED TO MIND THE PLAGUE OF THIRTEEN FORTY EIGHT WHEN IT WAS CALCULATED THAT A THIRD OF MANKIND HAD BEEN DESTROYED AS YET WESTERN EUROPE WAS UNINFECTED WOULD IT ALWAYS BE SO


O YES IT WOULD COUNTRYMEN FEAR NOT IN THE STILL UNCULTIVATED WILDS OF AMERICA WHAT WONDER THAT AMONG ITS OTHER GIANT DESTROYERS PLAGUE SHOULD BE NUMBERED


IT WOULD EXPIRE IN THESE CLIMES IT DRINKS THE DARK BLOOD OF THE INHABITANT OF THE SOUTH BUT IT NEVER FEASTS ON THE PALE FACED CELT IF


PERCHANCE SOME STRICKEN ASIATIC


PLAGUE DIES WITH HIM UNCOMMUNICATED AND INNOXIOUS LET US WEEP FOR OUR BRETHREN THOUGH WE CAN NEVER EXPERIENCE THEIR REVERSE


LET US LAMENT OVER AND ASSIST THE CHILDREN OF THE GARDEN OF THE EARTH LATE WE ENVIED THEIR ABODES THEIR SPICY GROVES FERTILE PLAINS AND ABUNDANT LOVELINESS BUT IN THIS MORTAL LIFE EXTREMES ARE ALWAYS MATCHED


THE THORN GROWS WITH THE ROSE THE POISON TREE AND THE CINNAMON MINGLE THEIR BOUGHS


MARBLE HALLS AND INFINITE WEALTH IS NOW A TOMB THE TENT OF THE ARAB IS FALLEN IN THE SANDS AND HIS HORSE SPURNS THE GROUND UNBRIDLED AND UNSADDLED THE VOICE OF LAMENTATION FILLS THE VALLEY OF CASHMERE


ITS DELLS AND WOODS ITS COOL FOUNTAINS AND GARDENS OF ROSES ARE POLLUTED BY THE DEAD IN CIRCASSIA AND GEORGIA THE SPIRIT OF BEAUTY WEEPS OVER THE RUIN OF ITS FAVOURITE TEMPLE THE FORM OF WOMAN


OUR OWN DISTRESSES THOUGH THEY WERE OCCASIONED BY THE FICTITIOUS RECIPROCITY OF COMMERCE ENCREASED IN DUE PROPORTION BANKERS MERCHANTS AND MANUFACTURERS


WHOSE TRADE DEPENDED ON EXPORTS AND INTERCHANGE OF WEALTH BECAME BANKRUPT SUCH THINGS WHEN THEY HAPPEN SINGLY AFFECT ONLY THE IMMEDIATE PARTIES BUT THE PROSPERITY OF THE NATION WAS NOW SHAKEN BY FREQUENT AND EXTENSIVE LOSSES


FAMILIES BRED IN OPULENCE AND LUXURY WERE REDUCED TO BEGGARY THE VERY STATE OF PEACE IN WHICH WE GLORIED WAS INJURIOUS THERE WERE NO MEANS OF EMPLOYING THE IDLE


EVEN THE SOURCE OF COLONIES WAS DRIED UP FOR IN NEW HOLLAND


AND THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE PLAGUE RAGED


AND BRING BACK THE EARTH TO ITS ACCUSTOMED HEALTH


AT THE MULTITUDE OF EVILS THAT GATHERED ROUND US MUST HE TAX THE LANDED INTEREST TO ASSIST OUR COMMERCIAL POPULATION TO DO THIS HE MUST GAIN THE FAVOUR OF THE CHIEF LAND HOLDERS THE NOBILITY OF THE COUNTRY


AND THESE WERE HIS VOWED ENEMIES HE MUST CONCILIATE THEM BY ABANDONING HIS FAVOURITE SCHEME OF EQUALIZATION HE MUST CONFIRM THEM


HE MUST SELL HIS CHERISHED PLANS FOR THE PERMANENT GOOD OF HIS COUNTRY FOR TEMPORARY RELIEF HE MUST AIM NO MORE AT THE DEAR OBJECT OF HIS AMBITION


THROWING HIS ARMS ASIDE HE MUST FOR PRESENT ENDS GIVE UP THE ULTIMATE OBJECT OF HIS ENDEAVOURS HE CAME TO WINDSOR TO CONSULT WITH US EVERY DAY ADDED TO HIS DIFFICULTIES


THE ARRIVAL OF FRESH VESSELS WITH EMIGRANTS THE TOTAL CESSATION OF COMMERCE THE STARVING MULTITUDE THAT THRONGED AROUND THE PALACE OF THE PROTECTORATE WERE CIRCUMSTANCES NOT TO BE TAMPERED WITH


THE BLOW WAS STRUCK THE ARISTOCRACY OBTAINED ALL THEY WISHED AND THEY SUBSCRIBED TO A TWELVEMONTHS BILL WHICH LEVIED TWENTY PER CENT ON ALL THE RENT ROLLS OF THE COUNTRY


CALM WAS NOW RESTORED TO THE METROPOLIS AND TO THE POPULOUS CITIES BEFORE DRIVEN TO DESPERATION AND WE RETURNED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF DISTANT CALAMITIES WONDERING IF THE FUTURE WOULD BRING ANY ALLEVIATION


TO THEIR EXCESS IT WAS AUGUST SO THERE COULD BE SMALL HOPE OF RELIEF DURING THE HEATS ON THE CONTRARY


WHILE STARVATION DID ITS ACCUSTOMED WORK THOUSANDS DIED UNLAMENTED FOR BESIDE THE YET WARM CORPSE THE MOURNER WAS STRETCHED MADE MUTE BY DEATH


ON THE EIGHTEENTH OF THIS MONTH NEWS ARRIVED IN LONDON THAT THE PLAGUE WAS IN FRANCE AND ITALY THESE TIDINGS WERE AT FIRST WHISPERED ABOUT TOWN BUT NO ONE DARED EXPRESS ALOUD THE SOUL QUAILING INTELLIGENCE


WHEN ANY ONE MET A FRIEND IN THE STREET HE ONLY CRIED AS HE HURRIED ON YOU KNOW WHILE THE OTHER WITH AN EJACULATION OF FEAR AND HORROR WOULD ANSWER


WHAT WILL BECOME OF US AT LENGTH IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE NEWSPAPERS THE PARAGRAPH WAS INSERTED IN AN OBSCURE PART WE REGRET TO STATE


THAT THERE CAN BE NO LONGER A DOUBT OF THE PLAGUE HAVING BEEN INTRODUCED AT LEGHORN GENOA AND MARSEILLES NO WORD OF COMMENT FOLLOWED


WE WERE AS A MAN WHO HEARS THAT HIS HOUSE IS BURNING AND YET HURRIES THROUGH THE STREETS BORNE ALONG BY A LURKING HOPE OF A MISTAKE


AND SEES HIS SHELTERING ROOF ENVELOPED IN A FLAME BEFORE IT HAD BEEN A RUMOUR BUT NOW IN WORDS UNERASEABLE IN DEFINITE AND UNDENIABLE PRINT THE KNOWLEDGE WENT FORTH


ITS OBSCURITY OF SITUATION RENDERED IT THE MORE CONSPICUOUS THE DIMINUTIVE LETTERS GREW GIGANTIC TO THE BEWILDERED EYE OF FEAR THEY SEEMED GRAVEN


WITH A PEN OF IRON IMPRESSED BY FIRE WOVEN IN THE CLOUDS STAMPED ON THE VERY FRONT OF THE UNIVERSE THE ENGLISH


WHETHER TRAVELLERS OR RESIDENTS CAME POURING IN ONE GREAT REVULSIVE STREAM BACK ON THEIR OWN COUNTRY AND WITH THEM CROWDS OF ITALIANS AND SPANIARDS


OUR LITTLE ISLAND WAS FILLED EVEN TO BURSTING AT FIRST AN UNUSUAL QUANTITY OF SPECIE MADE ITS APPEARANCE WITH THE EMIGRANTS BUT THESE PEOPLE HAD NO MEANS OF RECEIVING BACK INTO THEIR HANDS WHAT THEY SPENT AMONG US


RENTS WERE UNPAID AND THEIR REMITTANCES FAILED THEM IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THESE CROWDS OF WRETCHED PERISHING CREATURES LATE NURSLINGS OF LUXURY


AND NOT STRETCH OUT A HAND TO SAVE THEM AS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY THE ENGLISH UNLOCKED THEIR HOSPITABLE STORE FOR THE RELIEF OF THOSE DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES BY POLITICAL REVOLUTION


SO NOW THEY WERE NOT BACKWARD IN AFFORDING AID TO THE VICTIMS OF A MORE WIDE SPREADING CALAMITY WE HAD MANY FOREIGN FRIENDS WHOM WE EAGERLY SOUGHT OUT AND RELIEVED FROM DREADFUL PENURY


OUR CASTLE BECAME AN ASYLUM FOR THE UNHAPPY A LITTLE POPULATION OCCUPIED ITS HALLS THE REVENUE OF ITS POSSESSOR WHICH HAD ALWAYS FOUND A MODE OF EXPENDITURE CONGENIAL TO HIS GENEROUS NATURE


WAS NOW ATTENDED TO MORE PARSIMONIOUSLY THAT IT MIGHT EMBRACE A WIDER PORTION OF UTILITY IT WAS NOT HOWEVER MONEY EXCEPT PARTIALLY BUT THE NECESSARIES OF LIFE


THAT BECAME SCARCE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO FIND AN IMMEDIATE REMEDY THE USUAL ONE OF IMPORTS WAS ENTIRELY CUT OFF IN THIS EMERGENCY TO FEED THE VERY PEOPLE TO WHOM WE HAD GIVEN REFUGE WE WERE OBLIGED TO YIELD TO THE PLOUGH


OUR PLEASURE GROUNDS AND PARKS LIVE STOCK DIMINISHED SENSIBLY IN THE COUNTRY FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE GREAT DEMAND IN THE MARKET EVEN THE POOR DEER OUR ANTLERED PROTEGES


WERE OBLIGED TO FALL FOR THE SAKE OF WORTHIER PENSIONERS THE LABOUR NECESSARY TO BRING THE LANDS TO THIS SORT OF CULTURE EMPLOYED AND FED THE OFFCASTS OF THE DIMINISHED MANUFACTORIES


ADRIAN DID NOT REST ONLY WITH THE EXERTIONS HE COULD MAKE WITH REGARD TO HIS OWN POSSESSIONS HE ADDRESSED HIMSELF TO THE WEALTHY OF THE LAND HE MADE PROPOSALS IN PARLIAMENT LITTLE ADAPTED TO PLEASE THE RICH


EARNEST PLEADINGS AND BENEVOLENT ELOQUENCE WERE IRRESISTIBLE TO GIVE UP THEIR PLEASURE GROUNDS TO THE AGRICULTURIST TO DIMINISH SENSIBLY THE NUMBER OF HORSES KEPT FOR THE PURPOSES OF LUXURY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY


YET TO THE HONOUR OF THE ENGLISH BE IT RECORDED THAT ALTHOUGH NATURAL


MADE THEM DELAY AWHILE YET WHEN THE MISERY OF THEIR FELLOW CREATURES BECAME GLARING AN ENTHUSIASTIC GENEROSITY INSPIRED THEIR DECREES


THE MOST LUXURIOUS WERE OFTEN THE FIRST TO PART WITH THEIR INDULGENCIES AS IS COMMON IN COMMUNITIES A FASHION WAS SET THE HIGH BORN LADIES OF THE COUNTRY WOULD HAVE DEEMED THEMSELVES DISGRACED


IF THEY HAD NOW ENJOYED WHAT THEY BEFORE CALLED A NECESSARY THE EASE OF A CARRIAGE CHAIRS AS IN OLDEN TIME AND INDIAN PALANQUINS WERE INTRODUCED FOR THE INFIRM


BUT ELSE IT WAS NOTHING SINGULAR TO SEE FEMALES OF RANK GOING ON FOOT TO PLACES OF FASHIONABLE RESORT IT WAS MORE COMMON FOR ALL WHO POSSESSED LANDED PROPERTY TO SECEDE TO THEIR ESTATES


ATTENDED BY WHOLE TROOPS OF THE INDIGENT TO CUT DOWN THEIR WOODS TO ERECT TEMPORARY DWELLINGS AND TO PORTION OUT THEIR PARKS PARTERRES AND FLOWER GARDENS


TO NECESSITOUS FAMILIES MANY OF THESE OF HIGH RANK IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES NOW WITH HOE IN HAND TURNED UP THE SOIL IT WAS FOUND NECESSARY AT LAST


TO CHECK THE SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE AND TO REMIND THOSE WHOSE GENEROSITY PROCEEDED TO LAVISH WASTE THAT UNTIL THE PRESENT STATE OF THINGS BECAME PERMANENT OF WHICH THERE WAS NO LIKELIHOOD


SO FAR AS TO MAKE A REACTION DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATED THAT IN A YEAR OR TWO PESTILENCE WOULD CEASE IT WERE WELL THAT IN THE MEAN TIME


WE SHOULD NOT HAVE DESTROYED OUR FINE BREEDS OF HORSES OR HAVE UTTERLY CHANGED THE FACE OF THE ORNAMENTED PORTION OF THE COUNTRY


THE INFECTION HAD NOW SPREAD IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES OF FRANCE BUT THAT COUNTRY HAD SO MANY RESOURCES IN THE WAY OF AGRICULTURE


AND ITS INCREASE THROUGH FOREIGN EMIGRATION WAS LESS FELT THAN WITH US THE PANIC STRUCK APPEARED OF MORE INJURY THAN DISEASE AND ITS NATURAL


CONCOMITANTS WINTER WAS HAILED A GENERAL AND NEVER FAILING PHYSICIAN


WERE WELCOMED WITH GRATITUDE THE EFFECTS OF PURIFYING COLD WERE IMMEDIATELY FELT AND THE LISTS OF MORTALITY ABROAD WERE


MANY OF OUR VISITORS LEFT US THOSE WHOSE HOMES WERE FAR IN THE SOUTH FLED DELIGHTEDLY FROM OUR NORTHERN WINTER AND SOUGHT THEIR NATIVE LAND SECURE OF PLENTY EVEN AFTER THEIR FEARFUL


VISITATION WE BREATHED AGAIN


HE SAID SPEAKING OF THE SHIP SHE WENT OVER WHATEVER IT WAS AS EASY AS A SNAKE CRAWLING OVER A STICK THE ILLUSTRATION WAS GOOD THE QUESTIONS WERE AIMING AT FACTS


AND THE OFFICIAL INQUIRY WAS BEING HELD IN THE POLICE COURT OF AN EASTERN PORT HE STOOD ELEVATED IN THE WITNESS BOX WITH BURNING CHEEKS IN A COOL LOFTY ROOM


THE BIG FRAMEWORK OF PUNKAHS MOVED GENTLY TO AND FRO HIGH ABOVE HIS HEAD AND FROM BELOW MANY EYES WERE LOOKING AT HIM OUT OF DARK FACES OUT OF WHITE FACES OUT OF RED FACES OUT OF FACES ATTENTIVE SPELLBOUND


AS IF ALL THESE PEOPLE SITTING IN ORDERLY ROWS UPON NARROW BENCHES HAD BEEN ENSLAVED BY THE FASCINATION OF HIS VOICE IT WAS VERY LOUD IT RANG STARTLING IN HIS OWN EARS IT WAS THE ONLY SOUND AUDIBLE IN THE WORLD


FOR THE TERRIBLY DISTINCT QUESTIONS THAT EXTORTED HIS ANSWERS SEEMED TO SHAPE THEMSELVES IN ANGUISH AND PAIN WITHIN HIS BREAST CAME TO HIM POIGNANT AND SILENT


OUTSIDE THE COURT THE SUN BLAZED WITHIN WAS THE WIND OF GREAT PUNKAHS THAT MADE YOU SHIVER THE SHAME THAT MADE YOU BURN THE ATTENTIVE EYES WHOSE GLANCE STABBED THE FACE OF THE PRESIDING MAGISTRATE


CLEAN SHAVED AND IMPASSIBLE LOOKED AT HIM DEADLY PALE BETWEEN THE RED FACES OF THE TWO NAUTICAL ASSESSORS THE LIGHT OF A BROAD WINDOW UNDER THE CEILING FELL FROM ABOVE ON THE HEADS AND SHOULDERS OF THE THREE MEN


AS IF FACTS COULD EXPLAIN ANYTHING AFTER YOU HAD CONCLUDED YOU HAD COLLIDED WITH SOMETHING FLOATING AWASH SAY A WATER LOGGED WRECK YOU WERE ORDERED BY YOUR CAPTAIN TO GO FORWARD AND ASCERTAIN IF THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE DONE


LOOKING AT JIM WITH THOUGHTFUL BLUE EYES THE OTHER A HEAVY SCORNFUL MAN THROWN BACK IN HIS SEAT HIS LEFT ARM EXTENDED FULL LENGTH DRUMMED DELICATELY WITH HIS FINGER TIPS ON A BLOTTING PAD IN THE MIDDLE THE MAGISTRATE


I WAS TOLD TO CALL NO ONE AND TO MAKE NO NOISE FOR FEAR OF CREATING A PANIC I THOUGHT THE PRECAUTION REASONABLE I TOOK ONE OF THE LAMPS THAT WERE HUNG UNDER THE AWNINGS AND WENT FORWARD AFTER OPENING THE FOREPEAK HATCH I HEARD SPLASHING IN THERE


HIS FINGERS PLAYED INCESSANTLY TOUCHING THE PAPER WITHOUT NOISE I DID NOT THINK OF DANGER JUST THEN I MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE STARTLED ALL THIS HAPPENED IN SUCH A QUIET WAY AND SO VERY SUDDENLY


I KNEW THERE WAS NO OTHER BULKHEAD IN THE SHIP BUT THE COLLISION BULKHEAD SEPARATING THE FOREPEAK FROM THE FOREHOLD I WENT BACK TO TELL THE CAPTAIN I CAME UPON THE SECOND ENGINEER GETTING UP AT THE FOOT OF THE BRIDGE LADDER HE SEEMED DAZED AND


TOLD ME HE THOUGHT HIS LEFT ARM WAS BROKEN HE HAD SLIPPED ON THE TOP STEP WHEN GETTING DOWN WHILE I WAS FORWARD HE EXCLAIMED MY GOD THAT ROTTEN BULKHEAD'LL GIVE WAY IN A MINUTE


HE DID NOT STRIKE HIM AGAIN HE STOOD BENDING OVER HIM AND SPEAKING ANGRILY BUT QUITE LOW


STOP THE ENGINES INSTEAD OF MAKING A ROW ABOUT IT ON DECK I HEARD HIM SAY GET UP RUN FLY HE SWORE ALSO THE ENGINEER SLID DOWN THE STARBOARD LADDER AND BOLTED ROUND THE SKYLIGHT TO THE ENGINE ROOM COMPANION


WHICH WAS ON THE PORT SIDE HE MOANED AS HE RAN HE SPOKE SLOWLY HE REMEMBERED SWIFTLY AND WITH EXTREME VIVIDNESS HE COULD HAVE REPRODUCED LIKE AN ECHO THE MOANING OF THE ENGINEER FOR THE BETTER INFORMATION OF THESE MEN


WHO WANTED FACTS AFTER HIS FIRST FEELING OF REVOLT HE HAD COME ROUND TO THE VIEW THAT ONLY A METICULOUS PRECISION OF STATEMENT WOULD BRING OUT THE TRUE HORROR BEHIND THE APPALLING FACE OF THINGS


THE FACTS THOSE MEN WERE SO EAGER TO KNOW HAD BEEN VISIBLE TANGIBLE OPEN TO THE SENSES OCCUPYING THEIR PLACE IN SPACE AND TIME REQUIRING FOR THEIR EXISTENCE A FOURTEEN HUNDRED TON STEAMER


PERDITION THAT DWELT WITHIN LIKE A MALEVOLENT SOUL IN A DETESTABLE BODY HE WAS ANXIOUS TO MAKE THIS CLEAR THIS HAD NOT BEEN A COMMON AFFAIR EVERYTHING IN IT HAD BEEN OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE


AND FORTUNATELY HE REMEMBERED EVERYTHING HE WANTED TO GO ON TALKING FOR TRUTH'S SAKE PERHAPS FOR HIS OWN SAKE ALSO AND WHILE HIS UTTERANCE WAS DELIBERATE HIS MIND POSITIVELY FLEW ROUND AND ROUND THE SERRIED CIRCLE OF FACTS


HE SEEMED CALM ENOUGH ONLY HE STUMBLED SEVERAL TIMES AND ONCE AS I STOOD SPEAKING TO HIM HE WALKED RIGHT INTO ME AS THOUGH HE HAD BEEN STONE BLIND HE MADE NO DEFINITE ANSWER TO WHAT I HAD TO TELL


FELT A SHIVER RUN DOWN HIS BACK THE BIG ASSESSOR HAD DROPPED HIS EYELIDS AND DRUMMED ON WITHOUT A SOUND CARELESS AND MOURNFUL THE EYES OF THE OTHER ABOVE THE SUNBURNT CLASPED FINGERS


THE MAGISTRATE HAD SWAYED FORWARD


HE RESTED HIS TEMPLE IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND THE WIND OF THE PUNKAHS EDDIED DOWN ON THE HEADS ON THE DARK FACED NATIVES WOUND ABOUT IN VOLUMINOUS DRAPERIES ON THE EUROPEANS SITTING TOGETHER VERY HOT


AND IN DRILL SUITS THAT SEEMED TO FIT THEM AS CLOSE AS THEIR SKINS AND HOLDING THEIR ROUND PITH HATS ON THEIR KNEES WHILE GLIDING ALONG THE WALLS THE COURT PEONS BUTTONED TIGHT IN LONG WHITE COATS FLITTED RAPIDLY TO AND FRO


RESTED UPON A WHITE MAN WHO SAT APART FROM THE OTHERS WITH HIS FACE WORN AND CLOUDED BUT WITH QUIET EYES THAT GLANCED STRAIGHT INTERESTED AND CLEAR JIM ANSWERED ANOTHER QUESTION AND WAS TEMPTED TO CRY OUT


WHAT'S THE GOOD OF THIS WHAT'S THE GOOD HE TAPPED WITH HIS FOOT SLIGHTLY BIT HIS LIP AND LOOKED AWAY OVER THE HEADS HE MET THE EYES OF THE WHITE MAN THE GLANCE DIRECTED AT HIM WAS NOT THE FASCINATED STARE OF THE OTHERS


IT WAS AN ACT OF INTELLIGENT VOLITION JIM BETWEEN TWO QUESTIONS FORGOT HIMSELF SO FAR AS TO FIND LEISURE FOR A THOUGHT THIS FELLOW RAN THE THOUGHT LOOKS AT ME AS THOUGH HE COULD SEE SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING PAST MY SHOULDER


HE HAD COME ACROSS THAT MAN BEFORE IN THE STREET PERHAPS HE WAS POSITIVE HE HAD NEVER SPOKEN TO HIM FOR DAYS FOR MANY DAYS HE HAD SPOKEN TO NO ONE BUT HAD HELD SILENT INCOHERENT AND ENDLESS CONVERSE WITH HIMSELF


LIKE A PRISONER ALONE IN HIS CELL OR LIKE A WAYFARER LOST IN A WILDERNESS AT PRESENT HE WAS ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT DID NOT MATTER THOUGH THEY HAD A PURPOSE BUT HE DOUBTED WHETHER HE WOULD EVER AGAIN SPEAK OUT AS LONG AS HE LIVED


THE SOUND OF HIS OWN TRUTHFUL STATEMENTS CONFIRMED HIS DELIBERATE OPINION THAT SPEECH WAS OF NO USE TO HIM ANY LONGER THAT MAN THERE SEEMED TO BE AWARE OF HIS HOPELESS DIFFICULTY JIM LOOKED AT HIM THEN TURNED AWAY


AND AUDIBLY PERHAPS IT WOULD BE AFTER DINNER ON A VERANDAH DRAPED IN MOTIONLESS FOLIAGE AND CROWNED WITH FLOWERS IN THE DEEP DUSK SPECKLED BY FIERY CIGAR ENDS THE ELONGATED BULK OF EACH CANE CHAIR


HARBOURED A SILENT LISTENER NOW AND THEN A SMALL RED GLOW WOULD MOVE ABRUPTLY AND EXPANDING LIGHT UP THE FINGERS OF A LANGUID HAND PART OF A FACE IN PROFOUND REPOSE OR FLASH A CRIMSON GLEAM INTO A PAIR OF PENSIVE EYES


OVERSHADOWED BY A FRAGMENT OF AN UNRUFFLED FOREHEAD AND WITH THE VERY FIRST WORD UTTERED MARLOW'S BODY EXTENDED AT REST IN THE SEAT WOULD BECOME VERY STILL AS THOUGH HIS SPIRIT HAD WINGED ITS WAY BACK INTO THE LAPSE OF TIME


AT HIS BACK WAS THE DARK NIGHT WITH THE CLEAR STARS WHOSE DISTANT GLITTER DISPOSED IN RETREATING PLANES LURED THE EYE INTO THE DEPTHS OF A GREATER DARKNESS


AND YET A MYSTERIOUS LIGHT SEEMED TO SHOW ME HIS BOYISH HEAD AS IF IN THAT MOMENT THE YOUTH WITHIN HIM HAD FOR A MOMENT GLOWED AND EXPIRED YOU ARE AN AWFUL GOOD SORT TO LISTEN


LIKE THIS HE SAID IT DOES ME GOOD YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS TO ME YOU DON'T WORDS SEEMED TO FAIL HIM IT WAS A DISTINCT GLIMPSE HE WAS A YOUNGSTER OF THE SORT YOU LIKE TO SEE ABOUT YOU


OF THE SORT YOU LIKE TO IMAGINE YOURSELF TO HAVE BEEN OF THE SORT WHOSE APPEARANCE CLAIMS THE FELLOWSHIP OF THESE ILLUSIONS YOU HAD THOUGHT GONE OUT EXTINCT COLD AND WHICH AS IF REKINDLED AT THE APPROACH OF ANOTHER FLAME


YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS FOR A FELLOW IN MY POSITION TO BE BELIEVED MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF IT TO AN ELDER MAN IT IS SO DIFFICULT SO AWFULLY UNFAIR SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND


THE MISTS WERE CLOSING AGAIN I DON'T KNOW HOW OLD I APPEARED TO HIM AND HOW MUCH WISE NOT HALF AS OLD AS I FELT JUST THEN NOT HALF AS USELESSLY WISE AS I KNEW MYSELF TO BE


SURELY IN NO OTHER CRAFT AS IN THAT OF THE SEA DO THE HEARTS OF THOSE ALREADY LAUNCHED TO SINK OR SWIM GO OUT SO MUCH TO THE YOUTH ON THE BRINK LOOKING WITH SHINING EYES UPON THAT


GLITTER OF THE VAST SURFACE WHICH IS ONLY A REFLECTION OF HIS OWN GLANCES FULL OF FIRE THERE IS SUCH MAGNIFICENT VAGUENESS IN THE EXPECTATIONS THAT HAD DRIVEN EACH OF US TO SEA SUCH A GLORIOUS INDEFINITENESS


SUCH A BEAUTIFUL GREED OF ADVENTURES THAT ARE THEIR OWN AND ONLY REWARD WHAT WE GET WELL WE WON'T TALK OF THAT BUT CAN ONE OF US RESTRAIN A SMILE


IN NO OTHER KIND OF LIFE IS THE ILLUSION MORE WIDE OF REALITY IN NO OTHER IS THE BEGINNING ALL ILLUSION THE DISENCHANTMENT MORE SWIFT THE SUBJUGATION MORE COMPLETE


HADN'T WE ALL COMMENCED WITH THE SAME DESIRE ENDED WITH THE SAME KNOWLEDGE CARRIED THE MEMORY OF THE SAME CHERISHED GLAMOUR THROUGH THE SORDID DAYS OF IMPRECATION WHAT WONDER THAT WHEN SOME


HEAVY PROD GETS HOME THE BOND IS FOUND TO BE CLOSE THAT BESIDES THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE CRAFT THERE IS FELT THE STRENGTH OF A WIDER FEELING THE FEELING THAT BINDS A MAN TO A CHILD HE WAS THERE BEFORE ME BELIEVING THAT


AND HE HAD BEEN DELIBERATING UPON DEATH CONFOUND HIM HE HAD FOUND THAT TO MEDITATE ABOUT BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE HAD SAVED HIS LIFE WHILE ALL ITS GLAMOUR HAD GONE WITH THE SHIP IN THE NIGHT WHAT MORE NATURAL


AND HIS VOICE SPOKE I WAS SO LOST YOU KNOW IT WAS THE SORT OF THING ONE DOES NOT EXPECT TO HAPPEN TO ONE IT WAS NOT LIKE A FIGHT FOR INSTANCE


HE APPEARED CHANGED AS IF HE HAD SUDDENLY MATURED ONE COULDN'T BE SURE HE MUTTERED AH YOU WERE NOT SURE I SAID


AND WAS PLACATED BY THE SOUND OF A FAINT SIGH THAT PASSED BETWEEN US LIKE THE FLIGHT OF A BIRD IN THE NIGHT WELL I WASN'T HE SAID COURAGEOUSLY IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT WRETCHED STORY THEY MADE UP IT WAS NOT A LIE


BUT IT WASN'T TRUTH ALL THE SAME IT WAS SOMETHING ONE KNOWS A DOWNRIGHT LIE THERE WAS NOT THE THICKNESS OF A SHEET OF PAPER BETWEEN THE RIGHT AND THE WRONG OF THIS AFFAIR


HOW MUCH MORE DID YOU WANT I ASKED BUT I THINK I SPOKE SO LOW THAT HE DID NOT CATCH WHAT I SAID HE HAD ADVANCED HIS ARGUMENT AS THOUGH LIFE HAD BEEN A NETWORK OF


HIS VOICE SOUNDED REASONABLE SUPPOSE I HAD NOT I MEAN TO SAY SUPPOSE I HAD STUCK TO THE SHIP WELL HOW MUCH LONGER SAY A MINUTE HALF A MINUTE


I INTERJECTED I WOULD HAVE MEANT TO BE HE RETORTED AND THAT'S MORE THAN I MEANT WHEN I HE SHIVERED AS IF ABOUT TO SWALLOW SOME NAUSEOUS DRUG JUMPED


HE PRONOUNCED WITH A CONVULSIVE EFFORT WHOSE STRESS AS IF PROPAGATED BY THE WAVES OF THE AIR MADE MY BODY STIR A LITTLE IN THE CHAIR HE FIXED ME WITH LOWERING EYES DON'T YOU BELIEVE ME HE CRIED I SWEAR


I OUGHT TO HAVE KNOWN I AM I AM A GENTLEMAN TOO YES YES I SAID HASTILY HE WAS LOOKING ME SQUARELY IN THE FACE AND WITHDREW HIS GAZE SLOWLY


NOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHY I DIDN'T AFTER ALL DIDN'T GO OUT IN THAT WAY I WASN'T GOING TO BE FRIGHTENED AT WHAT I HAD DONE AND ANYHOW IF I HAD STUCK TO THE SHIP I WOULD HAVE DONE MY BEST TO BE SAVED


MEN HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO FLOAT FOR HOURS IN THE OPEN SEA AND BE PICKED UP NOT MUCH THE WORSE FOR IT I MIGHT HAVE LASTED IT OUT BETTER THAN MANY OTHERS THERE'S NOTHING THE MATTER WITH MY HEART


A HAIR'S BREADTH HE MUTTERED NOT THE BREADTH OF A HAIR BETWEEN THIS AND THAT AND AT THE TIME IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE A HAIR AT MIDNIGHT I PUT IN


A LITTLE VICIOUSLY I FEAR DON'T YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN BY THE SOLIDARITY OF THE CRAFT I WAS AGGRIEVED AGAINST HIM AS THOUGH HE HAD CHEATED ME


KEEP UP THE ILLUSION OF MY BEGINNINGS AS THOUGH HE HAD ROBBED OUR COMMON LIFE OF THE LAST SPARK OF ITS GLAMOUR AND SO YOU CLEARED OUT AT ONCE JUMPED HE CORRECTED ME INCISIVELY JUMPED MIND


HE REPEATED AND I WONDERED AT THE EVIDENT BUT OBSCURE INTENTION WELL YES PERHAPS I COULD NOT SEE THEN BUT I HAD PLENTY OF TIME AND ANY AMOUNT OF LIGHT IN THAT BOAT AND I COULD THINK TOO


NOBODY WOULD KNOW OF COURSE BUT THIS DID NOT MAKE IT ANY EASIER FOR ME YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE THAT TOO I DID NOT WANT ALL THIS TALK NO YES I WON'T LIE


I WANTED IT IT IS THE VERY THING I WANTED THERE DO YOU THINK YOU OR ANYBODY COULD HAVE MADE ME IF I I AM I AM NOT AFRAID TO TELL AND I WASN'T AFRAID TO THINK EITHER I LOOKED IT IN THE FACE


I WASN'T GOING TO RUN AWAY AT FIRST AT NIGHT IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THOSE FELLOWS I MIGHT HAVE NO BY HEAVENS I WAS NOT GOING TO GIVE THEM THAT SATISFACTION THEY HAD DONE ENOUGH THEY MADE UP A STORY AND BELIEVED IT FOR ALL I KNOW


BUT I KNEW THE TRUTH AND I WOULD LIVE IT DOWN ALONE WITH MYSELF I WASN'T GOING TO GIVE IN TO SUCH A BEASTLY UNFAIR THING WHAT DID IT PROVE AFTER ALL I WAS CONFOUNDEDLY CUT UP SICK OF LIFE


NO THE PROPER THING WAS TO FACE IT OUT ALONE FOR MYSELF WAIT FOR ANOTHER CHANCE


CHAPTER TWO AFTER TWO YEARS OF TRAINING HE WENT TO SEA AND ENTERING THE REGIONS SO WELL KNOWN TO HIS IMAGINATION FOUND THEM STRANGELY BARREN OF ADVENTURE HE MADE MANY VOYAGES


HE KNEW THE MAGIC MONOTONY OF EXISTENCE BETWEEN SKY AND WATER HE HAD TO BEAR THE CRITICISM OF MEN THE EXACTIONS OF THE SEA AND THE PROSAIC SEVERITY OF THE DAILY TASK THAT GIVES BREAD BUT WHOSE ONLY REWARD IS IN THE PERFECT LOVE OF THE WORK


THE EDGE OF HIS TEMPER AND THE FIBRE OF HIS STUFF THAT REVEAL THE QUALITY OF HIS RESISTANCE AND THE SECRET TRUTH OF HIS PRETENCES NOT ONLY TO OTHERS BUT ALSO TO HIMSELF


THERE ARE MANY SHADES IN THE DANGER OF ADVENTURES AND GALES AND IT IS ONLY NOW AND THEN THAT THERE APPEARS ON THE FACE OF FACTS A SINISTER VIOLENCE OF INTENTION THAT INDEFINABLE SOMETHING WHICH FORCES IT UPON THE MIND AND THE HEART OF A MAN


THAT THIS COMPLICATION OF ACCIDENTS OR THESE ELEMENTAL FURIES ARE COMING AT HIM WITH A PURPOSE OF MALICE WITH A STRENGTH BEYOND CONTROL WITH AN UNBRIDLED CRUELTY THAT MEANS TO TEAR OUT OF HIM HIS HOPE AND HIS FEAR


THE SUNSHINE THE MEMORIES THE FUTURE WHICH MEANS TO SWEEP THE WHOLE PRECIOUS WORLD UTTERLY AWAY FROM HIS SIGHT BY THE SIMPLE AND APPALLING ACT OF TAKING HIS LIFE JIM


DISABLED BY A FALLING SPAR AT THE BEGINNING OF A WEEK OF WHICH HIS SCOTTISH CAPTAIN USED TO SAY AFTERWARDS MAN IT'S A PAIRFECT MEERACLE TO ME HOW SHE LIVED THROUGH IT SPENT MANY DAYS STRETCHED ON HIS BACK DAZED BATTERED HOPELESS


AND TORMENTED AS IF AT THE BOTTOM OF AN ABYSS OF UNREST HE DID NOT CARE WHAT THE END WOULD BE AND IN HIS LUCID MOMENTS OVERVALUED HIS INDIFFERENCE THE DANGER WHEN NOT SEEN HAS THE IMPERFECT VAGUENESS OF HUMAN THOUGHT


HE LAY THERE BATTENED DOWN IN THE MIDST OF A SMALL DEVASTATION AND FELT SECRETLY GLAD HE HAD NOT TO GO ON DECK BUT NOW AND AGAIN AN UNCONTROLLABLE RUSH OF ANGUISH WOULD GRIP HIM BODILY


AND THEN THE UNINTELLIGENT BRUTALITY OF AN EXISTENCE LIABLE TO THE AGONY OF SUCH SENSATIONS FILLED HIM WITH A DESPAIRING DESIRE TO ESCAPE AT ANY COST THEN FINE WEATHER RETURNED AND HE THOUGHT NO MORE ABOUT IT


HIS LAMENESS HOWEVER PERSISTED AND WHEN THE SHIP ARRIVED AT AN EASTERN PORT HE HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL HIS RECOVERY WAS SLOW AND HE WAS LEFT BEHIND


AFFLICTED BY SOME MYSTERIOUS TROPICAL DISEASE WHO HELD THE DOCTOR FOR AN ASS AND INDULGED IN SECRET DEBAUCHERIES OF PATENT MEDICINE WHICH HIS TAMIL SERVANT USED TO SMUGGLE IN WITH UNWEARIED DEVOTION THEY TOLD EACH OTHER THE STORY OF THEIR LIVES


PLAYED CARDS A LITTLE OR YAWNING AND IN PYJAMAS LOUNGED THROUGH THE DAY IN EASY CHAIRS WITHOUT SAYING A WORD THE HOSPITAL STOOD ON A HILL AND A GENTLE BREEZE ENTERING THROUGH THE WINDOWS ALWAYS FLUNG WIDE OPEN


BROUGHT INTO THE BARE ROOM THE SOFTNESS OF THE SKY THE LANGUOR OF THE EARTH THE BEWITCHING BREATH OF THE EASTERN WATERS THERE WERE PERFUMES IN IT SUGGESTIONS OF INFINITE REPOSE THE GIFT OF ENDLESS DREAMS


JIM LOOKED EVERY DAY OVER THE THICKETS OF GARDENS BEYOND THE ROOFS OF THE TOWN OVER THE FRONDS OF PALMS GROWING ON THE SHORE AT THAT ROADSTEAD WHICH IS A THOROUGHFARE TO THE EAST AT THE ROADSTEAD DOTTED BY GARLANDED ISLETS


LIGHTED BY FESTAL SUNSHINE ITS SHIPS LIKE TOYS ITS BRILLIANT ACTIVITY RESEMBLING A HOLIDAY PAGEANT WITH THE ETERNAL SERENITY OF THE EASTERN SKY OVERHEAD AND THE SMILING PEACE OF THE EASTERN SEAS


HE ASSOCIATED NATURALLY WITH THE MEN OF HIS CALLING IN THE PORT THESE WERE OF TWO KINDS SOME VERY FEW AND SEEN THERE BUT SELDOM LED MYSTERIOUS LIVES


HAD PRESERVED AN UNDEFACED ENERGY WITH THE TEMPER OF BUCCANEERS AND THE EYES OF DREAMERS THEY APPEARED TO LIVE IN A CRAZY MAZE OF PLANS HOPES DANGERS ENTERPRISES AHEAD OF CIVILISATION IN THE DARK PLACES OF THE SEA


HAD REMAINED AS OFFICERS OF COUNTRY SHIPS THEY HAD NOW A HORROR OF THE HOME SERVICE WITH ITS HARDER CONDITIONS SEVERER VIEW OF DUTY AND THE HAZARD OF STORMY OCEANS THEY WERE ATTUNED TO THE ETERNAL PEACE OF EASTERN SKY AND SEA


HOW THIS ONE HAD AN EASY BILLET IN JAPAN SOMEWHERE AND THAT ONE WAS DOING WELL IN THE SIAMESE NAVY AND IN ALL THEY SAID IN THEIR ACTIONS IN THEIR LOOKS IN THEIR PERSONS COULD BE DETECTED THE SOFT SPOT THE PLACE OF DECAY


THE DETERMINATION TO LOUNGE SAFELY THROUGH EXISTENCE TO JIM THAT GOSSIPING CROWD VIEWED AS SEAMEN SEEMED AT FIRST MORE UNSUBSTANTIAL THAN SO MANY SHADOWS BUT AT LENGTH HE FOUND A FASCINATION IN THE SIGHT OF THOSE MEN


IN THEIR APPEARANCE OF DOING SO WELL ON SUCH A SMALL ALLOWANCE OF DANGER AND TOIL IN TIME BESIDE THE ORIGINAL DISDAIN THERE GREW UP SLOWLY ANOTHER SENTIMENT AND SUDDENLY GIVING UP THE IDEA OF GOING HOME


SHE WAS OWNED BY A CHINAMAN CHARTERED BY AN ARAB AND COMMANDED BY A SORT OF RENEGADE NEW SOUTH WALES GERMAN VERY ANXIOUS TO CURSE PUBLICLY HIS NATIVE COUNTRY BUT WHO APPARENTLY ON THE STRENGTH OF BISMARCK'S VICTORIOUS POLICY


BRUTALISED ALL THOSE HE WAS NOT AFRAID OF AND WORE A BLOOD AND IRON AIR COMBINED WITH A PURPLE NOSE AND A RED MOUSTACHE AFTER SHE HAD BEEN PAINTED OUTSIDE AND WHITEWASHED INSIDE EIGHT HUNDRED PILGRIMS MORE OR LESS


THEY STREAMED ABOARD OVER THREE GANGWAYS THEY STREAMED IN URGED BY FAITH AND THE HOPE OF PARADISE THEY STREAMED IN WITH A CONTINUOUS TRAMP AND SHUFFLE OF BARE FEET WITHOUT A WORD A MURMUR OR A LOOK BACK


AND WHEN CLEAR OF CONFINING RAILS SPREAD ON ALL SIDES OVER THE DECK FLOWED FORWARD AND AFT OVERFLOWED DOWN THE YAWNING HATCHWAYS FILLED THE INNER RECESSES OF THE SHIP LIKE WATER FILLING A CISTERN


LIKE WATER FLOWING INTO CREVICES AND CRANNIES LIKE WATER RISING SILENTLY EVEN WITH THE RIM EIGHT HUNDRED MEN AND WOMEN WITH FAITH AND HOPES WITH AFFECTIONS AND MEMORIES THEY HAD COLLECTED THERE


COMING FROM NORTH AND SOUTH AND FROM THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE EAST AFTER TREADING THE JUNGLE PATHS DESCENDING THE RIVERS COASTING IN PRAUS ALONG THE SHALLOWS CROSSING IN SMALL CANOES FROM ISLAND TO ISLAND PASSING THROUGH SUFFERING


MEETING STRANGE SIGHTS BESET BY STRANGE FEARS UPHELD BY ONE DESIRE THEY CAME FROM SOLITARY HUTS IN THE WILDERNESS FROM POPULOUS CAMPONGS FROM VILLAGES BY THE SEA AT THE CALL OF AN IDEA


THEY HAD LEFT THEIR FORESTS THEIR CLEARINGS THE PROTECTION OF THEIR RULERS THEIR PROSPERITY THEIR POVERTY THE SURROUNDINGS OF THEIR YOUTH AND THE GRAVES OF THEIR FATHERS THEY CAME COVERED WITH DUST WITH SWEAT WITH GRIME WITH RAGS


THE STRONG MEN AT THE HEAD OF FAMILY PARTIES THE LEAN OLD MEN PRESSING FORWARD WITHOUT HOPE OF RETURN YOUNG BOYS WITH FEARLESS EYES GLANCING CURIOUSLY SHY LITTLE GIRLS WITH TUMBLED LONG HAIR


THE TIMID WOMEN MUFFLED UP AND CLASPING TO THEIR BREASTS WRAPPED IN LOOSE ENDS OF SOILED HEAD CLOTHS THEIR SLEEPING BABIES THE UNCONSCIOUS PILGRIMS OF AN EXACTING BELIEF


SAID THE GERMAN SKIPPER TO HIS NEW CHIEF MATE AN ARAB THE LEADER OF THAT PIOUS VOYAGE CAME LAST HE WALKED SLOWLY ABOARD HANDSOME AND GRAVE IN HIS WHITE GOWN AND LARGE TURBAN A STRING OF SERVANTS FOLLOWED LOADED WITH HIS LUGGAGE


AND ON THE SECRET PURPOSES OF THEIR HEARTS THE STEAMER POUNDED IN THE DUSK THE CALM WATER OF THE STRAIT AND FAR ASTERN OF THE PILGRIM SHIP A SCREW PILE LIGHTHOUSE PLANTED BY UNBELIEVERS ON A TREACHEROUS SHOAL SEEMED TO WINK AT HER


ITS EYE OF FLAME AS IF IN DERISION OF HER ERRAND OF FAITH SHE CLEARED THE STRAIT CROSSED THE BAY CONTINUED ON HER WAY THROUGH THE ONE DEGREE PASSAGE SHE HELD ON STRAIGHT FOR THE RED SEA UNDER A SERENE SKY


ENVELOPED IN A FULGOR OF SUNSHINE THAT KILLED ALL THOUGHT OPPRESSED THE HEART WITHERED ALL IMPULSES OF STRENGTH AND ENERGY AND UNDER THE SINISTER SPLENDOUR OF THAT SKY THE SEA BLUE AND PROFOUND REMAINED STILL WITHOUT A STIR


WITHOUT A RIPPLE WITHOUT A WRINKLE VISCOUS STAGNANT DEAD THE PATNA WITH A SLIGHT HISS PASSED OVER THAT PLAIN LUMINOUS AND SMOOTH UNROLLED A BLACK RIBBON OF SMOKE ACROSS THE SKY


GLIDED PAST ON HIS DESCENT AND SANK MYSTERIOUSLY INTO THE SEA EVENING AFTER EVENING PRESERVING THE SAME DISTANCE AHEAD OF HER ADVANCING BOWS THE FIVE WHITES ON BOARD LIVED AMIDSHIPS ISOLATED FROM THE HUMAN CARGO


THE AWNINGS COVERED THE DECK WITH A WHITE ROOF FROM STEM TO STERN AND A FAINT HUM A LOW MURMUR OF SAD VOICES ALONE REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF A CROWD OF PEOPLE UPON THE GREAT BLAZE OF THE OCEAN


SUCH WERE THE DAYS STILL HOT HEAVY DISAPPEARING ONE BY ONE INTO THE PAST AS IF FALLING INTO AN ABYSS FOR EVER OPEN IN THE WAKE OF THE SHIP AND THE SHIP LONELY UNDER A WISP OF SMOKE


HELD ON HER STEADFAST WAY BLACK AND SMOULDERING IN A LUMINOUS IMMENSITY AS IF SCORCHED BY A FLAME FLICKED AT HER FROM A HEAVEN WITHOUT PITY


IT WOULD BE A LITTLE HARD TO BLAME THE RECTOR OF PENNICOTE THAT IN THE COURSE OF LOOKING AT THINGS FROM EVERY POINT OF VIEW HE LOOKED AT GWENDOLEN AS A GIRL LIKELY TO MAKE A BRILLIANT MARRIAGE


WHY SHOULD HE BE EXPECTED TO DIFFER FROM HIS CONTEMPORARIES IN THIS MATTER AND WISH HIS NIECE A WORSE END OF HER CHARMING MAIDENHOOD THAN THEY WOULD APPROVE AS THE BEST POSSIBLE


IT IS RATHER TO BE SET DOWN TO HIS CREDIT THAT HIS FEELINGS ON THE SUBJECT WERE ENTIRELY GOOD NATURED AND IN CONSIDERING THE RELATION OF MEANS TO ENDS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MERE FOLLY TO HAVE BEEN GUIDED BY THE EXCEPTIONAL AND IDYLLIC


IN ORDER THAT A MARQUIS MIGHT FALL IN LOVE WITH HER OR TO HAVE INSISTED THAT SINCE A FAIR MAIDEN WAS TO BE SOUGHT SHE SHOULD KEEP HERSELF OUT OF THE WAY MISTER GASCOIGNE'S CALCULATIONS WERE OF THE KIND CALLED RATIONAL


AND HE DID NOT EVEN THINK OF GETTING A TOO FRISKY HORSE IN ORDER THAT GWENDOLEN MIGHT BE THREATENED WITH AN ACCIDENT AND BE RESCUED BY A MAN OF PROPERTY HE WISHED HIS NIECE WELL AND HE MEANT HER TO BE SEEN TO ADVANTAGE IN THE BEST SOCIETY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD


HER UNCLE'S INTENTION FELL IN PERFECTLY WITH GWENDOLEN'S OWN WISHES BUT LET NO ONE SUPPOSE THAT SHE ALSO CONTEMPLATED A BRILLIANT MARRIAGE AS THE DIRECT END OF HER WITCHING THE WORLD WITH HER GRACE ON HORSEBACK OR WITH ANY OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENT


THAT SHE WAS TO BE MARRIED SOME TIME OR OTHER SHE WOULD HAVE FELT OBLIGED TO ADMIT AND THAT HER MARRIAGE WOULD NOT BE OF A MIDDLING KIND SUCH AS MOST GIRLS WERE CONTENTED WITH SHE FELT QUIETLY UNARGUMENTATIVELY SURE


BUT HER THOUGHTS NEVER DWELT ON MARRIAGE AS THE FULFILLMENT OF HER AMBITION THE DRAMAS IN WHICH SHE IMAGINED HERSELF A HEROINE WERE NOT WROUGHT UP TO THAT CLOSE TO BE VERY MUCH SUED OR HOPELESSLY SIGHED FOR AS A BRIDE WAS INDEED


AN INDISPENSABLE AND AGREEABLE GUARANTEE OF WOMANLY POWER BUT TO BECOME A WIFE AND WEAR ALL THE DOMESTIC FETTERS OF THAT CONDITION WAS ON THE WHOLE A VEXATIOUS NECESSITY HER OBSERVATION OF MATRIMONY HAD INCLINED HER TO THINK IT RATHER A DREARY STATE


IN WHICH A WOMAN COULD NOT DO WHAT SHE LIKED HAD MORE CHILDREN THAN WERE DESIRABLE WAS CONSEQUENTLY DULL AND BECAME IRREVOCABLY IMMERSED IN HUMDRUM OF COURSE MARRIAGE WAS SOCIAL PROMOTION


SHE COULD NOT LOOK FORWARD TO A SINGLE LIFE BUT PROMOTIONS HAVE SOMETIMES TO BE TAKEN WITH BITTER HERBS A PEERAGE WILL NOT QUITE DO INSTEAD OF LEADERSHIP TO THE MAN WHO MEANT TO LEAD AND THIS DELICATE LIMBED SYLPH OF TWENTY MEANT TO LEAD


FOR SUCH PASSIONS DWELL IN FEMININE BREASTS ALSO IN GWENDOLEN'S HOWEVER THEY DWELT AMONG STRICTLY FEMININE FURNITURE AND HAD NO DISTURBING REFERENCE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING OR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSTITUTION


HER KNOWLEDGE BEING SUCH AS WITH NO SORT OF STANDING ROOM OR LENGTH OF LEVER COULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO MOVE THE WORLD SHE MEANT TO DO WHAT WAS PLEASANT TO HERSELF IN A STRIKING MANNER


AND TO HAVE THEIR LIVES BLOWN HITHER AND THITHER LIKE EMPTY SHIPS IN WHICH NO WILL WAS PRESENT IT WAS NOT TO BE SO WITH HER SHE WOULD NO LONGER BE SACRIFICED TO CREATURES WORTH LESS THAN HERSELF


BUT WOULD MAKE THE VERY BEST OF THE CHANCES THAT LIFE OFFERED HER AND CONQUER CIRCUMSTANCES BY HER EXCEPTIONAL CLEVERNESS


THE ARCHERY CLUB AND INVITATIONS TO DINE WITH THE ARROWPOINTS AS THE HIGHEST LIGHTS IN HER SCENERY WAS NOT A POSITION THAT SEEMED TO OFFER REMARKABLE CHANCES BUT GWENDOLEN'S CONFIDENCE LAY CHIEFLY IN HERSELF


SHE FELT WELL EQUIPPED FOR THE MASTERY OF LIFE WITH REGARD TO MUCH IN HER LOT HITHERTO SHE HELD HERSELF RATHER HARDLY DEALT WITH BUT AS TO HER EDUCATION SHE WOULD HAVE ADMITTED THAT IT HAD LEFT HER UNDER NO DISADVANTAGES


IN THE SCHOOL ROOM HER QUICK MIND HAD TAKEN READILY THAT STRONG STARCH OF UNEXPLAINED RULES AND DISCONNECTED FACTS WHICH SAVES IGNORANCE FROM ANY PAINFUL SENSE OF LIMPNESS


AND WHAT REMAINED OF ALL THINGS KNOWABLE SHE WAS CONSCIOUS OF BEING SUFFICIENTLY ACQUAINTED WITH THROUGH NOVELS PLAYS AND POEMS ABOUT HER FRENCH AND MUSIC THE TWO JUSTIFYING ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF A YOUNG LADY SHE FELT NO GROUND FOR UNEASINESS


AND WHEN TO ALL THESE QUALIFICATIONS NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE WE ADD THE SPONTANEOUS SENSE OF CAPABILITY SOME HAPPY PERSONS ARE BORN WITH SO THAT ANY SUBJECT THEY TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO IMPRESSES THEM WITH THEIR OWN POWER OF FORMING A CORRECT JUDGMENT ON IT


WHO CAN WONDER IF GWENDOLEN FELT READY TO MANAGE HER OWN DESTINY THERE WERE MANY SUBJECTS IN THE WORLD PERHAPS THE MAJORITY IN WHICH SHE FELT NO INTEREST BECAUSE THEY WERE STUPID


FOR SUBJECTS ARE APT TO APPEAR STUPID TO THE YOUNG AS LIGHT SEEMS DULL TO THE OLD BUT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE FELT AT ALL HELPLESS IN RELATION TO THEM IF THEY HAD TURNED UP IN CONVERSATION IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT NO ONE HAD DISPUTED HER POWER OR HER GENERAL SUPERIORITY


WHAT WILL GWENDOLEN THINK IF THE FOOTMAN TROD HEAVILY IN CREAKING BOOTS OR IF THE LAUNDRESS'S WORK WAS UNSATISFACTORY THE MAID SAID THIS WILL NEVER DO FOR MISS HARLETH


IF THE WOOD SMOKED IN THE BEDROOM FIREPLACE MISSUS DAVILOW WHOSE OWN WEAK EYES SUFFERED MUCH FROM THIS INCONVENIENCE SPOKE APOLOGETICALLY OF IT TO GWENDOLEN


IF WHEN THEY WERE UNDER THE STRESS OF TRAVELING SHE DID NOT APPEAR AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE TILL EVERY ONE ELSE HAD FINISHED THE ONLY QUESTION WAS HOW GWENDOLEN'S COFFEE AND TOAST SHOULD STILL BE OF THE HOTTEST AND CRISPEST


IT WAS ALWAYS SHE HERSELF WHO HAD TO BE TOLERANT TO BEG THAT ALICE WHO SAT WAITING ON HER WOULD NOT STICK UP HER SHOULDERS IN THAT FRIGHTFUL MANNER AND THAT ISABEL INSTEAD OF PUSHING UP TO HER AND ASKING QUESTIONS WOULD GO AWAY TO MISS MERRY