but perceiving the great alteration in the looks of rodolphe and remarking in his eyes the traces of recent tears clemence thought he had met with some misfortune more severe than the death of la goua louse


lorgetting the object of her visit she cried grand dieu monsiegneur what is the matter t speak i rodolphe in a hollow voice making a violent effort to restrainuhimself replied since i was informed of the death of marie i have learned that she was my child


marie your child cried clemence thanks


my god i le praised ii amcoie to inform you that your child is alive she is below in my carriage


had it not been for the presence of sir walter who quick a lightniiig threw himself before rodolpho he would have rushed at once to the street


monsiegneur you would kill her r cried the knight holding back the prince


she is scarcely yet convalescent added clemence


you are right said rodolphe restrain ing lhimself with difficulty you are right will be calmi will not see her yeti will waitlet my first emotions be con


trolled


ah


it is too muchtoo much in one day l added he in a broken voice


and how was she saved again cried rodolphe


see my ingratitude


i have not yet asked you this question


at the moment she was drownlng she was rescued from a watery grave by a courageous woman


do you know her tomorrow she will come to see me


my debt to her is immensesaidthe prince but i hope i shall find means to pay it


what a happy circumstance mon dieu


that i did not bring marie with me said the marchioness this scene would have beenfatal to her


now said the prince who had for a few moments been endeavouring to conquer his emotions now i have selfcommand i assure you


sir walter go and seek my daughter


are you quite sure of yourself said clemence


no imprudence


oh i know the danger there would be for heri will not expose her to it my good sir walter i entreat yougogo


reassure yourself madam answered the knight who had attentively observed the prince she can come


monseigneur will restrain himself


sthen gogo quickly my old friend


yes monseigneur i ask but for a momentone is not made of iron said the good man wiping away the traces of his teats she must not see that i have been wcoping


courage


i i am ready but what shall i say


that rodolphe wishes to see her nothing more it seems to me


but sir walter did not stir


sir walter said clemence smiling you are afraid


it is true madame in spite of my six feet and my rough exterior i am still under the influence of violent emotions


my friend take care wait a moment longer if you are not sure of your self possession


courage i courage


this time i am vie torious said the knight after having passed over his eyes his herculean hand


really at my age this weakness is per fectly ridiculous the young girl descending from the carriage of the marchioness had crossed a first antechamber filled with footmen in livery a waitingroom where valets de shambre attended then the saloon of the huissiers and finally the salon de service occupied by a chamberlain and the aids o the paince in full uniform


let the reader imagine the astonishment of the poor gou aleuse who knew no other splendours than those of the farm at boqueval on travers ing these princely apartments resplendent with gold mirrors and paintings


as soon as she appeared madamedhar ville ran towards her took her by the hand and placing her arm around her for sup port conducted her towards the prince who had not been able to move


sir walter murphy after having confided marie to the care of madame delarville iatily disappeared behind the folds of one of the immense windowcurtainsfinding that he was not altogether sure of his self possession


at the sight of her benefactor who re garded her with silent extacy marie already so agitated began to tremble


compose yourself my child said ma dame dharville there is your friend monsieur rodolphe who awaits you im patiently he has been very uneasy about you


oh


yes veryvery uneasy said rodolphe still immoveable and whose heart was almost breaking at the sight of the sweet and pale face of his child


in spite of his resolution the prince was for ait moment obliged to turn his head to conceal his emotion


holdl my child you are still very weak sit down there said clemence and she led her to a large armchair in which la goualeuse


seated herself


her agitation increased every moment she was op pressed speech failed her she had not a worid of gratitude for rodolphe


at lenigth on a sign from madame dharville who was leaning on the back of the chair and holding one of maries hands in her own the prince approached softly to the other side of the seat


with more selfcommand he then said to milarie who turned towards him her enchanting face at length my child you are once more reunited to your friends and for ever


you never shall leave them more


now you must forget what you have suffered


believe me said marie that if i do recal it sometimes it will only be to say to myself that without you i should still be very unhappy


yes but we will take care thatyou have no more such gloomy thoughts


our tenderniess will not leave you the time my dear marie answered rodolphe


after a short pause marie enquired is madame georges who allowed me to call her mother well


very well my child


but ihave im portant news to tell you


me monsieur rodolphe since have seen you great discoveries have been made conconconcerning your birth


my birth


it is known who were your parents who was your father


rodolphe was somuch choked by his tears on pronouncing these words that marie very muich affected turned quickly towards him he had turned away his head


the worthy kinight who still remained behind the curtain and apparently was very attentively looking into the gardenof the mansion could not refrain from blowing his nose with a most formidable noise for he wept like a child


yes my dear marie clemence hastened to say your father is known ho still lives my father i cried la gonaleuse with an expression which put the composure of itodolphe to a new trial and sbnrd day resumed clemence very soonl perhaps you will see him


what will doubtless surprise you ver much is thathe is of high standingaoble birth


andmy mother madameshall i see her


your falther will answer this question my child but shall you not be very happy tosee him


oh i yes madame answered marie casting down her eyes


l iow mucli you will love him when you


know hinm


said the marchioness


sfrom that day forward a new life will commence for youwill it not be so marie added the prince


oh ino monsieur rodolphe answered la goualeuse


my new life commenced onthe day when you took pity on me when you sent me to the farm


but your father will cherish you


said the prince


do not know him and to you i owe all monsieur rodolphe


i see my child resumed rodolphei hardly containing his joy that in your heart i have almhnost taken the place of your father


it is not my fault that it is so monsieur rodolphe


it is perhaps wrong in me but as i have told you i know you and i do not knew my father and added she holding down her head in confusion per haps he will regret having found me and since he is as madame said of high birth doubtless he will be ashamedhe will blush for me


blush for youl cried rodolphe drawing himself up proudly


reassure yourself poor child your father will place you in a position so brilliant that the greatest among the great of this world will regard you henceforth with respect


blush for you i no no you will rank with the noblest princesses of europe


chapter xiii


iiis dpsrerate iielve aptee ii k left kb


recksnikfs house what persons he encoontkiied what anxieties he dpfeeed and what kkks hk ifeaud


carrying tom pinchs book quite unconsci ously under his arm and nut even buttoning iiis coat ds a protection against the heavy ruin martin went doggedly forward at the same quick pace until he had pajsed the ungerpobt anil wa on the high road to londou


he blackened very little in bis speed even tlien but lie began to think find look about him and to disengage bis senses from the coil uf angry passious which hitherto beld them pri it must be confessed that at ihat moment he tad no very agreeable employment either lor his moral or his physical perceptions


the ilny was dawning trwn a patch of watery light in the eist and sullen clouds came driving up before it from which tbe ram descended in a itiick wet mist


it streamed from every twig aud bramble in the hedge made little gullies in the path ran down a hundred channels in the road and punched innumerable holes into the ace of every nd and putter


it fell with an oozy slushy souud among the grass and marie a muddy kennel of every furrow in hie ploughed fields


no living creature was any where to be seeo


the prospect could hurdly have been more desuiale if animated nature lad beeu dissolved in water and poured down upon the eirtb again in tiiat form


the range of view within the solitary tra veller was quite as cheerless as the scene without


friendless and penniless incensed to tue last degree deeply wounded in his pride aud selflove full uf independent schemes and perfectly destitute of any means uf realis ing ihent jiis most viudieiive enemy might lmve been satisfied with the extent uf his trou ble


to add ti bis other miseries he was by this time sensible uf being net to the elia aud cold at his very heart


iti this deplu ruble condition he remembered sir hindis book more because it was rather troublesome to tarry iban from any hope of being comforted by thut partinggift


he loosed hi me aiugy lettering on me uack ana finding it to be ati odd volume of tbe bacbe cursed tom pinchs fully twenty times


he was on tbe point of throwing it away in bis i jhumuur and vexation when be bethought himself that turn bad referred him to a leaf turned down and opening it


at that place that he tmgltt have additional caute of com plaint ugiiinsl him fur supposing that any cold scrap uf the buculorti wisdom cculd cheer hi in tu giich circumstances found well well i not much hut turns all


a hallsovereign


theae words were scrawled in pencil on the inside i dont want it indeed i should nut kuoiv what to do with it it i hud


there are some falsehoods tom on which men mount os on bright wings towards hea ven


there are sume truths cold bitter taunting truths wherein yoor worldly scholars are very ant and punctual which bind men down loijirth with leaden chains


who would not rather huve u fun him in his dying hour with the lightest feather of a falsehood tuili us thine than all the quills that have been plucked from the sharp purcupine reproachful truth since time began martin felt keenly for himself and he felt this good deed of toms keenly


alter a lew i miuuies it hail the effect uf raising his spirits and rewinding him that he was nut altogether destitute as he had left a fair stock of clutiies behind him and wore a uold huntingwatch in his pocket lie tbuud a curious rratifichtiuti too in thinking what a winuing fellow he must be to llve qisue such u impression on toil r and in reflecting how superior he was u tom and how much more likely ut muke his way in the world


animated by these thoughts and strengthened iu his design uf endeavouring to push his fortune in another country he resolved to get to limdoii as a rallying point in the best way he could aud to lose no time about it


he was ten good miles from the village made illustrious by being the abidingplsee of mr pecksniff when he stopped to breakfast at a little roadside alehouse and resting upon a highhacked settle before the fire pulled off his coat and hung it before the cheerful blaze to dry


it was a very different place from the last uvern iu wbirh he had rpffaled tumstinp no greater extent of accommodation than the brickfloored kitchen yielded but the mind no soouer accommodates itself to the necessities i of the body thut this poor waggoners house


i ofcall which he would have despised tester day became now quite a choice hotel while hie dish of eggs and bacon and his mug of


beer were not by any meant the coarse fare


j he had supposed but fully bore out the in scription on the windowshutter which pro


claimed those viands tu be good entertain mem for travellers


he pushed away his empty plate and with a second mug upon the earth before him looked thoughtfully at the fire until his eyes ached


then he looked at the highlycoloured scripture pieces on the walls in little black frames like common shavingglasses and taw how the wise men with alrong family like ness among them worshipped in a pink manger aud how the prodigal son came home in red rags to a purple fatherjad already feasted his imagination on a sben calf


then he glanced through thebw at tbe falling ram coming down hepon the signpost over against the houshlovernow ing tbe horsetrough and tlbf looked gt the fire again and seemed tjhr doubly distant london retreating hw tbe frag ments of tbe burning wood


s lie had repeated this process in just the same order many limes as if ft were a inauer of oecwiity when the sound of wheeli called his attention to tlielwindow out of its regular turn and there bj beheld a kind of light van drawn by fourhorls and laden as well as he could see for it we covered in witli corn and straw


tue drivel who was alone stopped at the door to wbter hi tenm bnd presently came steaming and sbauug the wet off his hat and coat into the roonjwhere martin sat


he was a reduced burly young fellow smart in his wnyland with a goodhumoured countenance


ab ll advanced towards the fire he touched his shifing forehead with the fore finger of his stiff inlher glove by wa of sa lutation and saia rather unnecessarily that tme continued


the mysteries of paris


continued


remaining alone rodolphe reflected on the singular circumstance that again brought him in contact with brasrouge what astonished him the most was that francois germain could have remained three months in this house before he was discovered by the accomplices of the maitre decole who were in concert with bras rouge


at this moment apostman knocked against the window of the lodge and pass


ing through his arm holding two letters said three sous


after having paid it rodolphe at first regarded the two letters mechanically the one addressed to ma dame pipelet exhaled from within its enve lope of satin paper a strong perfume


on its seal was the cipher c r surmounted by a helmet with for support a cross of the legion of honor


but who was the corres pondent perfumed blazoned of madame pipelet


the other letter was for m cosar bradamante surgeon dentist


madame pipelet reentered bringing the bottle of wine and two glasses


here are two letters the postman has left said rodolphe


ahli excuse me and you have paidi yes


you are very kind then ill account to you for it when we make


our settlement


how much is it


three sous answered rodolphe smiling at the singular method of reimbursement


in the meantime the portress had un sealed the letter which was addressed to her


she turned and twisted it about and after a moments hesitation she said it is always alfred that reads my letters be cause i dont know how


if you would monsieur take alfreds place


to read the letter


willingly said ro dolphe very curious to know who was the correspondent of madame pilielelte read as follows tomorrowfriday at eleven oclock you will have a large fire made in the two sa loons have the glasses well cleaned take all the coverings off the furniture and be careful not to injure the gildihig industing


if by chance i have not arrived and a lady should come and alk for m charles at about one oclock show her up to the apartment and i shall soon come


madame pipelet then informed rodolphe that the first floor was let to the person whom the letterwas from a fine young fitir haired man small mustaches cross of honor fine linen and that he had only been there three times upon each of which times he had expected to meet a lady who however had disappointed hifia twice on the third time she did come and appeared to have been weeping and seemed irreso lute about alighting


this woman did notget out said ro dolphe


no monsieur i rushed out and before the man had timeto mount to his seat i said to him well my good fellow where doyou come from


and he replied from the rue saint dominique at the corner of the rue belle chasse at these words rodolliphe shuddered


the marquis dhlarville one of his best friends overwhelmed by


some secret grief lived just in this place


was it the mar chioness


and lie could notrecall any one to mind that


in any way resembled the commandant


after all this young woman might have taken a hack at this place with out living there nothing proved it to be the marchioness nevertheless he retained vague and painful suspicions


rodolphe afterwards ascertained from the portress that the second floor was oc cupied by mother burette who was a great fortuneteller rodolphe asked and mother burette hasno other trade i suppose she has no other


andyet i donit know what kind of business she carries on in a littleroom where no one enteirs except


brasrouge and old la chouette


rodolphe looked with astonishment


she mistaking the look of surprise siaid s it is a funny name aint it la chouette


yes and does this woman come hero often


she has not made her appearance for six weeks but the day before yesterday we saw her she limped a little


and what did she cometodo with the fortuneteller


just what i dont know but i have always remarked that on the days they have the secret conference in


the little room la chouette always brings a bundle and brasrouge one under his cloak but that they take nothing away


and what do these bundles contain know nothing about it unless they make with all this a sacrifice tothe devil for you can smell in passing on the stair i case an odour of sulphur and charcoal and melted tin and then you can


hear them blow blow blow like blacksmiths certain it is that mother burette prospers either by her fortunetelling or magic


i at least that is what m casar bradamanto told methe lodger on the third floor


h ile is a learned individuali m csmsar


foral month past he has hired the soi of brias rouge little tortillard whom he has dressed like a triiubndour with ari black cap and an apricot coloured jacket and collar


he beats the drum to attract cus toiners around ma


ssar and besides this he takes care of the tiger horse of the dentist


it seems to me that the son of the prin ciple tenant has a very low employment


his father says he wishes this child to be held with a taught rein otherwise he will dance on the scaffold and truly he is a wicked imp


wicked


he had played more than one trick on the poor m caesar bradamante


who is the cream of honest people


since he cured alfred of the rheumatism we like him much


there are some strange tales about m cusar but are they not a heap of slanders


what


a man who has brought a spotted horse from lebanon a man who proposes to take out five teeth gratis provided you pay for the sixth a man who has certifi cates from all parts of europe and pays his rent to a farthing


ah well id rather die than believe them


during the time that madame pipelet manifested her indignation against the ca lumniators ltodolphe recalled to his mind the letter addressed to this man


an invo luutary presentment told him thatthe rumours mightbewell founded


a ab here is alfred cried the portress


im linelet entered the lodge with a grave and majestic air


he was about sixty years of age with an enorrrous noea respectable corporation a large face shaped and colored like a pair of nutcrackers of the nuremberg pattern


this strange look ing heid was covered wirth a broad brimmed hat rusty with age


this gentleman is an applicant forthe chamber and closet on the fourth floor said madame pipelet presenting rodolphe to her husband and we have only waited for you to drink a bottle of wine which he has ordered


this delicate attention insired the porter with confidence


he carried his hand to his hat and said in a bass voice worthy of a cathedral chorister we will satisfy you monsieur as por ters in the same way as you satisfy us as lodgers that is to say mousieur if you are not a painterl no i am a shopkeepers assistant shen monsieur t tender you myhumble services


i felicitiitenature for not having placed you on a level with these monsters of artists


artists


monsters asked rodolphe


m pipelet instead of answering lifted his two hands towards the ceiling of the lodge and uttered a sort of angry moan


he afterwards informed rodolphe that lie had been much annoyed by a lodger who was an artist named cabrion who never paid his rent and hence his dislike to admit another of that class asan inmate


i conceive now that you cannot like painters said rodolphe but this mger main whose room have taken must have made amends for m cabrion oh


yes he is a good and worthy young man true as gold ready to serve one not proud and gay but the right kind of gaiety which does harm to no onein stead of being insolent and jeering


like this cabrion whom the devil confouindi come calm yourself my dear pipelet


and now who is the proprietor so happy as to possess this jewel of a lodger m


germain


gerinin


neither seennorktowi nobodykinows nor will know where at this momeht lives m germail


when i sayi nobodylex cept mademoiselle itigolette


d


and who is mademoiselle rigolette asked rodolphe


a little seanistress the otherodger on the fourth story said madame pipelet


here is aiother jewell paying her term in advance and so neat in her little room and so good to everybody and so gaya true bird of heaven so joyous so lively and with all that industrious as a little beaver earning sometimes as much as two francs a day


but forsooth with much


but how is itthat mademoiselle rigo lette alone knows the residence of l


ger main


c when he left the house said madame pipelet he said to us i dont expect any letter but if by chance any should arrive you will give them to mademoiselle rigo lette and in that she was wortlhv of his confidence


and ai


germain has never seen rigo letle since he has left this house


no monsieur unless it might have been on a sunday for on other days rigo lette has no time to think of sweethearts i tell you


she gets up at five or six


oclock and orks until ten sometimes eleven at night she never leaves her room except in the morning when she goes to buy food for herself and her two canary birds and the three dont want much


now only think said the porter these poor unforunates in the garret that bras rouge will put on the pavement in three or four days rigolette and germain have sat up with their children many nights


there is then an unfortunate family here


unfortunate god of heaven


i think so


five smll children the mother in bed almost dying the grandmother an idiot and to feed allthese a man who does not have even bread enough although he works like a negro forhe is afamous workman


three hours sleepout of the twenty four is all he takes and then what sleep


when one is awakened byochildren who cryfor bread by a sick wile who is groaning on her straw bed or by the old idiot who sometimes begiusto howl like a wolf with hunger for she has no more reason than a beast


when she is very hungry you can hear her on the staircase she roars


ah i this is frightful cried rodolphe and does no one succour them


ob yes we do whait can be done among poor people


since the commandant has given me twelve francs a month to take care of his room i make soup once a week aind these poor folks always have a taste


rtigolette sits up at night and makes with shreds of stuff caps and jackets for the little ones


poor


germain who hadnt much to spare neuther pretended to receive now and then abottle of wince and lmorel that is the name of the unfortuniate man drank one or two glasses which warmed him famously and lbr the time raised his spirits


anid what trade does thepoor workman follow


wourkmnan in falsejwels he works by the piece


youll seeall a man is but a man hie cdin oily do whi lie cain do


and when tuherrear seven mouths to fill wiithbut counting ones owli it is a dead drag andl besides his oldest daughter does whatshe can but it is not much


and how old is his daughter


seventeen and beautiful beautiful as dylight she is a servant to an old miser


rich enough to buy all parisa notary jacques ferrand


jacques ferrand said rodolphe asto nished at this encounter for it was at this notarys that he was to seek information respecting la goualeuse jacques fer rand who lives in the rue du santier r exactly so


ah welli then you must know that he is a great miser butsaid to be justhonest and devout


it is now eighteen months since poor louise was his servant


she is a lamb in disposition but a horse for work


she does every thing and eighteen francs is all she getsshe keeps six francs for her own support and gives the rest to her family but what is that for seven persons to enaw on


yet the fathers laborif he is indus trious


if he is


industriousi


he is a man that has never been drunk correct quiet as a lamb who only prays the good god to make the days fortyeight hours long so that he might get a little more for his brats


his labbr produices so little thent


he kepthis bed for three months thats whatgot hiin


beliridland i his wife ruined her own health in attending him and at thismoment she is in a dying condition during these three months they had to live on the twelve francs of louise and on what they pawned with mother


burette anid also some crowns lent them by the dealer in mock jewellery for whom le worked


do you wish to see the room said the porter


yes if it suits me ill take it


the porter came out of his den and rodolphe followed him


the dark and humid staircase appeared still more obscure on this globmy winters day


the entrance to each apartment of thehouse presented to the eye of an ob server a most distinct and different appear ance


thus the doorwhich opened into the rooms of the commandant was freshly painted in imitation ofsatin wood a gilt handle shone at the lock and a fine bell rope with a silk tassel made a strange contrast with the dirty and ancient walls


the door of the second floor which was occupied by the pawnbroker and fortune teller presented a still more singular ap pearance a stuffed owl a bird supremely synbolical and cabalistic was nailed by the feet and wings over the


doorway a little window grated with wire allowed the visitors to be reconnoitered before opening the door


the apartment of the italian quack was also distinguished by its singular entrance


his name traced with horses teeth on


a black ground was fastened against the door


the bellrope was fas tenedto the arm and paw of a dried mon kev


the withered arm and little hand with its flue outstretched fingers was hideous to behold itlooked like a childs


as rodolphe passed before this door which to him had a mysterious look he thought he heard stifled sobs


then all at once burst fortha sad convulsive horrible crya cry that appdared tobe wrung from the


heartresounded through


the quiet house


riodolphe shuddered


with movement quicker than thought heran to the door and pulled the bell violently


what is the matter with you monsieur t said the surprised


porter


sthat cry said riodolphe did you not hear it


yes monsieur


no doubt it is some patient from whom l


cassar bradamante is pulling a toothperhaps two


this explanation was probable yet it did not satisfy rodolphc this terrible cry which he had just heard did not seem to him an exclamation of physical suffering along but also if it may he said a cry of mental suffering


his pull at the bell had been of great force at firstlit was not an


swered


then many doors were shut with violence and behind a pane of glass placed in the door a thin face of ghastly paleness appeared an immeise mass of red and grey hair crowned this hideous visage which was terminated by a long beard of the same colour


the vision disappeared at the end of a second


rodolphe remained petrcfiied


he thought he


had some re membrance of such a face


those green sparkling eyes like emeralds under their heavy brisling red eyebrows that livid paleness that thin tiose pro minent and curved


like the beak of an eagle with wide and distended nostrils all recalled to his mind a certain abbe named polidori


although rodolphehad not seen him for sixteen or seventeen years he had a thou sand reasons for not forgettng him but that which rather puzzled him which made him rather doubt the identity of these two personages was that thepriest whomlie thought lie had found uiiderthe disguise of this quack was ofvery dark hair and com plexion


determined to clear up his doubts at sonefuture time he followed the porterto the floor above where hefound the room he wished to hire


the dwellingplace of mademoiselle rigo lette next to this chamber was easily to be recognised thaniks to thh gallantry of the painter themortal enemy of i pipelet


a halfdozen chubby cheeked little cupids very prettily and neatly painted in the styleof wvateau were grouping around a kindof workbox and bore allegorically one a thimble adther a pair of scissors this onea smoothingiron that one a small mirror


in the middle of the boxona clearblue ground was written in roseco loured letters lmademoiselle rigolette mantua maker


the whole wasenclosed by a gnarland ol flowers which stood out in boldreliefwith the seagreen color ofthe door


this little affair was very pretty and forumed a striking contrast to theblack staircase


after loking at his room rodolphe said this chambner suits me perfectly here is the adiance to morrow i shall send for some furniture i suppose it is not necessary that i should see the princi pal tenanbrasrouge i sno monsieur ie only comes here from timeto time except for his dealings with mother burette


tell me hmonsieur pipelot oughti not to morrow as a new neighbour go anid ask the morels if i canhibe of aniy seritice tb them since mniy predecessor assisted them accordingto his means


yes monsieur you can do tlhat it is true it will be of no


great service to them notwithstanding but lundcrstandit is a commencement which wil end in your plhiyingtheigood neighbour to your little neighbour alongside


but stop i am sure that mademoiselle rigolette has heard that some one was looking at the apartment and that she is on the watch to see us go down


ill make a noise on purpose when i turn the key look sharp as you pass along


in truth rodolphe perceived that the door so prettily embellished with the little cupids was ajar and he saw indistinctly through the narrow opening the rosy end of a little turnedup nose and a large black eye sparkling and curious but as he slackened his pace the door was shut quickly


as rodolphe was descending he heard some one come out of the quacks room he recognised the light step of a woman and distinguished the rustling of a silk dress


pfor a moment he stopped for dis cretions sake and then hearing nothing further he descended


when he reached the second floor he picked up a handker chief belonging no doubt to the person who had just left the apartment of hi


bra damante


riodolphe approached one of the narrow windows and examined the hand


kerchief magnificently trimmed with costly lace in one of thecorners was embroidered an l and an n surmounted with ta ducal coronet


the handkerchief was soaked with tears


the first thought of rodolphe was to hasten that he might deliver it to the person who had lost it but he reflected that this might be considered under the circumstances an inconvenint curiosity he kept it thus finding himself without wishing it on the trace of a mysterious and without doubt sinister adventure


the holy homes


continued from daee


chapter xxyi


pleas


miss norths opportunity of speaking to walter in relation to liddy norman soon came


that same evening that the girl had been to the manorhouse lady jane was sent for to the hall to dine with lord bure


so miss north taking tea in her own room employed herself in reading as was her habit


upon enquiring from lady janes maid she learnt that mr verdun was likewise at the hall though he had left word that he should return as soon as he possibly could


it was therefore be fore the evening was very late that walter entered her room


mis counten ance wore a worn anxions look and his usually calm and genial manner was changed into one betraying recent anger and agitation


this was so evident that miss north enquired the cause almost as soon they were alone


oh


my uncle he said is as usual full of schemes and plans totally opposite to those of mine


but to thwart instead of aid or wisely counsel has always been his way especially when he has some selfish purpose to serve so i suppose i must not wonder at what is neither new nor strange in the actions of such a man certainly not


but what is this new annoyance


lady jane has had hers and it is on business concerning it that she has been asked up to the hall to night


indeed all the circumstances of this hurried return into the country strike me as singular nay almost ex traordinary even his conduct who is always in some way moved by the hideous passion that makes the purpose of his life


but tell me walter what it is to me you can speak as you know unreservedly


and the wise and thougtful lady bent her anxious looks upon the young mans face


oh he sent me a ride of twelve miles this afternoon to speak to the vicar of darnley when a note from the steward whould have done just as well


tomorrow he insists upon my going up to the town on what he calls confidential business


then my being here is again a source of discord to say nothing of his threat of an at tacheship instead of what he calls idling at oxford


but what annoys me most is the journey to london when i need to be at home


we quarrelled almost seriously so


indeed he may put his threat in force and will take away money that was my fathers


well let him do so my name he cannot take


the young man spoke these latter words with all the force of wounded pride that sat strangely on one so full of humanity and goodness


walter said the lady in a very low voice as she drew with inexpressible signs of love the young mans hand in hers for she had lived with him since his birth and regarded him with as much affection as though he were her son there is a new and more than ordinary reason for your wishing to be here is there not


i have been reading a romance of yours i think to day


i am not surprised at it though i doubt its wisdom and see misery and peril in it


the young man looked amazed


then covering his face with his hands to hide as it were the gloom that overspread it lie said you refer to liddy norman


i do


at your age and with a spirit such as yours i should love that child i will say the true word madly


her love liness is great indeed and when deve loped by maturity will be extraordinary j but beauty is not perhaps her greatest i charm it is a piquant naivete a childlike i trustfulness that enriches all else


still i is this innocence quite perfect


is


there nothing like design under it


eecollect what you are your birth and position


j amazement confusion all else was i forgotten in the vehement haste with which the young man sought to vindicate liddy as she well deserved for amongst the little number of her frailties selfish ness or any sort of trickery to serve self interest was not there


she was in fact too ignorant of the world too much a child for any such purpose as had been referred to


north said the young man even you that are privileged must never hint such a thing again


liddy novman is as innocent and free from guile or deceit of any kind as a child newly born


such a nature as hers have never known before


it is as exquisite and to me more priceless than her beauty


i love her with my whole being profoundly ardently as i love no other human thing


it is therefore best to know this for i am deaf to all suspicion against her


walter spoke these words with a measur ed firmness and austerity that belonged to the elder years of manhood rather than to those of youth


miss north herself was grave but kind


love such as this walter is a rock on which the hopes of many men have split


and you are not less likely than the rest for all reason or foresight being absurd nothing but what belongs to the immediate present is perceived


satiety and hate too often follow in this state of things and then come in the woes which so many men have to endure un complainingly when middle age is theirs


it may be but then it has been love without principle to guide it or rest upon


my attachment for this child is something very different as you who know me


north should understand


i do walter and this is where i see the difficulty will lie you are incapable of betraying her and to make her your wife seems to me equally an impossi bility


for think of her breeding and rearing and the unhappiness that would spring indirectly out of both


for with all my freedom of opinion with all the liberality i have sought to leaven the state of things here i am aware that nothing is so involved in the question of case as that of training and thus it is not my intention to take liddy as she is interrupted walter my beau tiful flower shall be brought as near per fection as humanity can be


i will place her in some excellent school for a year or two till i have finisiied at oxford then marry and take her abroad


i have already resolved to do this and no one shall gainsay my purpose


i shall not attempt then walter only in arranging this state of things for your self you forget dear lady janes pre judices and feelings and what a new sort of war there will be with your uncle


ive weighed it all well


north re plied the yonng man firmly none can combat my aunts pride better than you if you will so befriend me and you will i am sure when you find as you will do how settled my purpose is and how my happiness in life depends upon its fulfil ment


as for what my uncle says or does i shall care but little his profligate life robs me of all respect for him and if i i am a poorer man for doing what is natural and virtuous i cannot help it


miss north made no reply so walter presently went on again


none know better than yourself that i shall never be a rich man


were i to come to the earldom tomorrow it would take years to raise the income wasted as it is in one absorbing and discreditable pursuit


years hence matters must be still worse


what therefore have i to wait for except a name of which no one can rob me


in the meanwhile should i be the happier if i married for mere money


would it be better if t nuuncl one of my own order some luy lavv or lady caroline without wealth tu support her in the rank she lias beer accustomed to


am i to forget the point we have so often discussed together and in which i theroughly believe that it is from its own continuous act of intermarriage solely amongst its own caste that the great blow to aristocracy will come


nothing that democracy can do none of the widespread results of education will be half so powerful in effecting the over throw of the aristocratic principal viewed in its own relation as the result of the monstrous physical error of intermarriage and what it begets of deteriorated moral and mental faculties


if such is there fore the truth if i know these to be solemn facts not to be gainsaid am i for the sake of false pride to commit the same error and reap the sure reward


no


i will be a true man educate where i know education will bless and make the result my own


miss north smiled


this is very romantic walter and taking some points we have discussed at even more than their full value


but because you do not marry some lady this or some honorable that it does not follow that you may not find a young and handsome gentlewoman of high breeding and education


there are plenty such and there can be no earthly cause that you should fall in love with a workmans child and marry simply because she is beautiful


edu cation might do much but you could never erase the long association of ideas incident to her class


tlunk when the freshness of passion had passed away how little you would relish the acquaint anceship and claims of relations such as hers


i shall love liddy for her own sake and not for her relations interrupted the young man rather haughtily


hear me to the end continued miss north


theories may be pushed too far or too hurriedly when brought to the test of practice


what will most surely be the inevitable result of a long course of things of a more level mean in education of a more generous rearing on the part of one half of society and a simpler one on the other in fact the long result of edu cation branching out in every way can not be taken and acted upon at least with any hope of efficient results with out the larger number of such collateral aids


it is under this view that many of george sands assumptions and the ories prove themselves utterly false


she marries educated countesses to igno rant wrkmen and does not seem to see that even animal love cannot be pro longed under sirch conditions beyond a brief period


for his rearing his early associations are half the life of a man and under the force of such a law i can see little happiness for you walter in the course you have resolved to pursue


if these are your ideas north re plied walter we will not discuss the matter further


you neither know liddy nor understand what love like mine is


in this case all i have to ask youis to keep inviolate at least for a time what i have confided to you


walter rose as if to go and held out his hand more for mally than he had ever done before


miss north took it but retained it with kindness


sit down again walter she said you and i must not for the first time in our lives part otherwise than friends


i am an old maid it is true and do not see love in the light you do


still i have had some experience of human nature and human life and know that some few if not all of my opinions are correct


if i do not aid you or ap prove of your scheme i will not at least be one to throw obstacles in your way


i only hope that you will see reason before long and listen again to me of whose judgment you have so often thought well and acted upon


she pressed her lips with motherly love upon the young mans hand as she spoke and still retaining it in hers added dear walter i will be your friend whatever come to pass still think how earnestly and how unselfishly i have spoken what i have


as to what you intend to do you must break it out to your aunt who was greatly more struck with the child than i was


but i believe her father is going to fetch her back to town if so try to forget the whole consider it but a dream and the sorrow will end the sooner


walter shook his head


if i have to go to town which i suppose i must i shall try and see norman


i do not like liddy being at the hal tons or at hop low school


a shadow passed across miss norths face as though some sudden thought had arisen of a very painful kind


nor do i walter


apart from the interest that i learn you have in her it would be a profound grief to see evil arise


it is said that john halton acts very foolishly in regard te her nor do i see much safety in a place like hoplow school


something soirowful and sinful oe curved there not five years ago in rela tion to one of the children a poor orphan child whose beauty and innocence should have been her protection


there can be no doubt that your uncle was the cause of her ruin and that old margery was his vile agent in the matter


now you find he is down here again on what in tent neither i nor lady jane can ima gine


several excuses are made but they are not the real ones it is quite plain to us who know so much of his habits and character for he is not one to hastily return to a dismantled house at this season of the year and when he had made all his arrangements to go abroad


more than this lady janes maid tells that avril the valet and the woman this man calls his wife are down too as well as that infamous woman prince who seems to be your uncles satellite when any design more base than usual is in progress


as before when they effected the ruin of that miserable child these people are said to be at the lodge in the woods and therefore there may be some darker plot hatching of which if you regard normans daughter you must be ware


for it may be possible that this woman prince has seen the child in lon don her search it is said being indefati gable in behalf of her vicious employer


there is some cause more than those as signed both lady jane and i have agreed for lord bures return and since i have learnt the fact of this woman prince being in attendance what may be the real truth has occurred to me


walter had listened earnestly to what miss north said and with evidently in creased pain and astonishment as her words drew to a close


stung by this new and terrible apprehension he rose and walked hastily up and down the room for there now recurred to his memory something which liddy had told him in one of her childish confi dences about a womans rudeness and the mysterious presence of a gentleman at a house where she had gone to school


however he made no remark to miss north as to this remembrance for he saw that she was prejudiced against his beau tiful love so merely saying that he would enquire and be cautious and briefly asking her to befriend him in this the deepest and holiest passion of his life he left the room


for he was more moved and tortured than he wished should be known


t once in his study the room that he loved the more that he had first seen liddy in it he sent for his confidential servant and asked him what he knew as to the visits of the earls servant to the village and the occupation of the cottage in the woods


the man could tell but little except as to the fact that the valet avril had been seen near the church on the evening of the day that normans wife had been buried and to this he ad ded that some of lord bureg servants were said to be at the cottage for the reason that so many rooms at the hall were dismantled and their masters stay in the country to be but brief


his fears thus in some degree stilled walter bid his man learn what he could on the mor row and dismissed him


so consummate was the art employed for the stake to be gained was far more priceless than any foregone that what the man could learn on the morrow ivas still more satisfactory as to the absence of all relation between lord bures visit and a knowledge of liddy norman


with his mind thus set at rest at least for the present mr verdun negatived less ear nestly than he otherwise would have done lady janes wish that he should if for peace alone oblige his uncle and go to town that afternoon


you may not be detained many hours she said and george says it is a matter much too confidential for any servant to be entrusted with


indeed from what he said it appears to be so and so i would go


yon see how much it is in your uncles power to annoy us how he has been again interfering in my pecuniary affairs and wounding me by the bitterest reproof as to my love for you


so pray go dear walter dear norths and my distress is on many accounts very great without adding to it by the refusal of so small a thing


please go there can be nothing of account here to bid yon stay


how often we speak in ignorance of the truth and so did lady jane


this was said after breakfast as she and walter were pacing up and down one of the beautiful terraces of the maner house miss north seated near as usual reading


i really cannot go


aunt i have an appointment one of moment and interest to me


with whom on what account where and when asked lady jane rapidly for she saw by walters manner and hi pale and anxious face that something strange was in the rear


as he did not answer her she appealed to miss north


i really may not say


walter will best explain his own affairs


she looked so grave and walter so distressed not as it would seem so much on account of what miss north had referred to as in the matter of the journey to town that lady jane ended by saying well walter i will press the subject no more


you know what your uncle is and the distress it is possible for him to involve me in because he is certain to say that the denial has arisen through me


so you must please yourself what your reason is you know best


she went onward a little coldly from him but he followed and put his arm tenderly and boylike about her neck


do not be vexed i will go i will put off my engagement till another time


what it is you shall know before long


no more was said on the subject so when walter had given his instructions to thornton his confidential servant to see liddy and say why he should not be able to meet her that afternoon though he would hasten to the school the mo ment he was home from london he rode over to bure park


his uncle re ceived him at first coldly though his mood marvellously and instantly changed to one of unusual warmth for him when he heard that avalter assented to his re quest


nothing was either said about oxfoid or reference made to the ordinary topics of discord and when lord bure had given walter somewhat in detail the matters relative to the business he had to transact which after all was but of trivial account he urged his early depar ture by adding trusting to your compliance with my request i told faulkner when i wrote to him yesterday to be at your rooms at mivarts by six this evening


i would not therefore walter lose time by re turning to jane and north but take the carriage to the station at once


you would then reach town time enough to dine before faulkner came


and by the way walter should the business require your attention tomorrow pray stav you will find something to amuse you i dare say


walter again reluctantly consented and refusing to lunch said he would go at once


so the carriage was ordered and he departed


as lord bure heard the carriage drive from the portico he rose from his study chair and went to a window that commanding the nobie avenue of the park permitted him to see the vehicle its way for a considerable distance


he watched it earnestly and as he retraced his steps a stnile of tri umph ill concealed flitted across his haughty passionridden face


when he sat down he buried his face in his hands and remained thus some minutes


when he slowly withdrew themone had the diamond of countless price upon itthere was still the same look there glorified now by a fiendish joy that satan might have worn


for he had traced his foul plot step by step to its final consumma tion and gloried in the shame and ruin and dishonor that would have broke the heart of any worthier man by the mere idea of the weight of woe and depth of ruin it would beget


there was a portrait hanging on the wall near which he sat and on this his gaze incidentally fell as the look of tri umph reached its climax


and there it for a moment rested the glory waning into bitterness as it did so


it was the portrait of his wifefor this man had had onedead only within a year or two a childless brokenhearted beautiful and tender wife living apart from him for many years and sending word to him from the solitude of her dying bed that even from his greatest triumph his most retributive woe would come


presently he rang his bell and winter appeared


order the carriage for a drive through the woods


i go to the cottage at four


yes my lord has any one come thence


yes my lord mrs prince


say she is wanted


and winter have a groom saddled there will be a telegraphic message to take as quickly as may be to the station


mr yerdun had reached mivarts had dined had taken coffee when mr faulk ner was announced


his business though complex was over by eight and when he was gone a waiter came in


the porter sir has returned from wimpolestreet and brought this address


he was further told that the house is a private one and a brass plate with the name of tadcaster on the door


thank you


send for a cab


in a few minutes mr yerdun was on his way to speak to liddys father


to be continued


chapter iii


welcome again as the mays scented blossom welcomc again to your home in this bosom


oh for the sweet blessed hour that has brought you back to the arms that so long long have sought you


welcome oh


welcome with wildringing laughter tears than the eveningdew sweeter and softer music and light in my souls depth oerflowing pulses that throb color coming and going whispers that none but my loved one shall listen glances where every fond secret shall glisten clasping of hands that have long been asunder hearts brimming over with rapture and wonder


thoughts like the green leaves so joyously dancing when warm sun and sweet winds around them are glancing joy for me joy


for you never will leave me and now there is naught on the wide earth to grieve me


mary eva kelly


after the trying interview with her australian suitor poor nora wandered out into the garden with sorrow at her heart


she bent her steps towards the gate probably because it was shadowed by a grand old oak tree which seemed like a bit of the rick and rare land itself


now she leant against the old treetrunk disconsolately oh connor connor its all for you


and after a sigh or two as if she were giving away her own every hope of happiness may you be happy connor wherever you are


ah sure and i will mavourneen for where should i be happy if not here cried a voice behind her


she turned suddenly round to meet connor her own connor who had en tered unperceived at the gate behind her


there is no need of telling what either of them said at first something undig nified and stupid i dare say but my readers may have the benefit of guessing


after they were calmer nora asked a very natural question considering the circumstances how he came there


after you my darling reached london too late the day after the ship sailed went to aunt honor got mrs markhams address back again to ireland sold off the estate pocketed the cash posted hack to london took pas sage in next ship ship sailed reached port and here i am


and he rang out his joyous laughter


nora blushed and could find nothing better to say than very kind of you i am sure


of course it was kind to myself


couldnt live without you nora


and now asthore for what were you particu larly wishing for connor when i came behind you


nora stammered and stuttered and blushed and made a fuss but was at last obliged to tell him what had caused her grief upon which he volunteered to go strait away at once and knock the scoundrel down but nora detaining him with a glowing account of mrs markhams goodness and of the rejected gentlemans worth connor thought better of it and said he was sure he pitied the poor fellow and was sorry to snatch such a prize from him but couldnt give it up nohow for all that and as for the old lady mrs mark ham being noras senior by about six years why hed made up his mind to worship her all the rest of his days


and so nora took him up to the house and mrs markham was very glad to see him and he shook hands in a patroniz ing manner with the forlorn australian who looked as if he thought nora had taken a trip on a broomstick to bring back her irish champion and byand


bye there was a bustle and a hubbub that ended in a wedding


and as the dear old tales always say of their heros and heroines nora and con nor lived happy all the rest of their lives barrin however a few drawbacks in the shape of differences of opinion and so on and if theyre not dead are alive still for aught the story tells


kate stafford


chapter i whos here beside foul weatherking lear


late in the afternoon of a sultry day in october a gentlemans carriage stop ped at the little roadside inn which forrtis the resting place between thornton and wallawallah


servants children and luggage the tired horses and the whole equipment generally betokened the party to be in the course of a long journey


the children weary of the confine ment of the carriage were disappointed at hearing they were to goon that night a step determined by the earnest entrea ties of their mother a pretty delicate woman evidently a stranger in the colony and apparently unfitted for its roughusages


the time of our story was before the year and a person with less delicate nerves than fanny aylmer might have shrunk from a road side inn of that period


never mind harry


you shall have a game of play with aunt kate among those trees while the horses are fed and we will see if those great coils are really creepers or ropes the speaker was a tall brightlooking girl of eighteen or nineteen whose amused interest in the strange objects surrounding her was contrasted by her sisters languid indifference and ayl mers impatient perplexity as he tried to gather from the contradictory accounts of the landlord some clear idea of his far ther route


the children were in full enjoyment of their game when kate saw ayliner making signs for them to return to the carriage


make haste kate


we have no time to lose


look at the sky


all overhead was bright clear blue specked with light clouds which were rapidly scudding before the wind while far to the west a huge white cloud rose like a mountain above the dark blue hills of wallawallali


the air which had been sultry be came suddenly chilled


aylmer drove on quickly


how far are we from breeza asked fanny


nine miles the man said from the inn and we are about a mile on our way


these roads are execrable


do you see that


the cloud hitherto stationary now rose slowly and losing its consistency as it dilated hung suspended like an amjjle curtain covering more than a third of the visible heavens


the children crept closer to their mother


get ongetoncried aylmer we must cross the river before the storm comes oh


the carriage dashed onward


all things reflected a strange unnatural light


now for it


this is the ford


fanny it is getting deep


lift the children on theseat put p your feet


oh lor maam we shall all bo drownded


little harry began to cry and the nurse went into hysterics


the cloud was lifted up hung for an instant above their heads then plassed over to the east dark clouds rose to meet it and flung their shadows on the earth


on on but the thick rain soon hid every object


blacker and blacker grew the sky


the thunder bellowed among the hills


fanny leant back in the carriage weeping bitterly


i do be quiet my love


catherine attend to your sister


crashwent the wheel over a broken bough oh maam miss staffordlor sir


the horses stopped


all was now quite dark but in a few seconds a flash of lightning shewed a deep narrow creek immediately before them


aylmer turned the horses


here we can cross


now the waste glittering with unearthly brilliancy was before themnow ihe blackness of night


couldnt we have gone back


are you mad fanny


on


its our only chance


fanny clasped her baby closer


kate spoke for the first time


see a light


nonsense


j ihe reflection on the water


no a clear steady light it must come from a hut


give me a knife anflcut these traces


we have none


if we could get help from that hut


gould i hold the horses


no they are plunging dreadful


ill go


oh kate do not be o mad screamed fanny


barnes you must come with me


oh


miss


leave off crying and come


you have some sense kate said aylmer keep to the right as much as yoa can


splashdashcrashflounder


the rain falling in torrents


oh i shall die


i shall die


ill leave you if you dont keep on


oh miss


that flash pray good ness it isnt a warning


keep on


climb over this log


oh miss ive lost my shoe


leave it then kate stumbled over some brushwood and soon after found herself stopped by an uncouth but efficient barrier


the lightning showed her a rough log fence an obstacle which was surmounted with much difficulty by mrs barnes and kate thought her troubles were over for tba light was near at hand


not so there wsytft another creek to cross


kate jumped and narrowly escaped slipping in frome muddy bank opposite


barnes kneltdown stretched her hands across to kate and splashing her feet into the water drew herself with kates help to the shore


kate dragged down her dripping shawl and stood at the door of the hut


for a moment she wished herself back again as she looked on the fierce rude counten ances of its inhabitants


a woman stood by the fire


leaning against a wall near her was a young man who scowled sav agely on the strangers as they appeared


at a table sat two men


they looked up without speaking


the woman turned round


hillo who have we here


j a gentlemans carriage has been over turned not far frem here


well bill you go and jim too and the young woman can shew you where tis while the lady sits down by the fire


there was something harsh in her voice and an unpleasant expression in her eye though her words were not other wise than civil


oh miss stafford you wont send me alone


no i will go with you myself


no need of that miss i know where you mean


we wont trouble you said the younger man


better sit down and rest ye said the woman


as kate approached the fire place she perceived that the hut con tained a visitor besides herself


he was a man who looked aged with care meanly dressed and in appearance not remark able but his air was that of a gentleman as he offered kate his seat by the fire


you will find this side better sheltered i believe kate turned to reply to his courtesy but he had disappeared


she could now more at leisure survey the hut the mud with which it had once been plastered bad fallen off fn many pces r and in some instancos the ore vices fcad been stopped with rags the shutter of the hole which served a window was wedged in with atnoldi red shirt


a low stretcher covered with a tattered quilt a shelf with a gaudy collection of earth enware the teachest open in one corner a quantity of tear in a dirty towel a heap of eggs in a china bowlstrangely mingled coarse plenty and squalid misery


the woman now sat opposite to kate she was tall and might have been comely but one of her eyes was disfigured by a blow and a deep scar m her forehead gave her a sinister expression her light hair hung about her neck


her dress consisted of a stuff peticoat with a striped shirt by way of jacket and a torn silk handkerchief


the rain continued with such violence that the sound of approaching footsteps was unheard till the door flew open and aylmer came in with the little girl in his arms supporting fanny who was fainting with terror and fatigue her bon net half off her white gown clinging about her


next came one of the men of the hut with cloaks bags and packages and lastly the gravelooking man whom we have described as a visitor and whom aylmer described as mr graham


will you shew me the way to the shed t he said to the young man


i have one of the horses here and then sir if you choose we will try what can be done for the other


a blanket was swung across the room on a rope and in the space thus cur tained off kate arranged shawls and carpetbags as a couch for fanny who was completely exhausted


the servants were soon asleep and kate with the strange woman whom she dreaded more and more remained the only waking occupants of the hut for aylmer had again left it


the baby began to fret it was chilled and kate took it to the fire to warm it


i she tried to hush it to rest and fell asleep herself with the little head leaning on her shoulder


she woke with a start


the woman was removing some things from a high shelf above the fireplace her ragged sleeve caught some heavy object


it fell and kate saw that it was a handsomely mounted pistol


the woman glared at her but removed it without speaking


kate had new ground for alarm in finding that her dressing case and fannys incautiously left un covered had been removed from their original position to the entrance of a dark hidingplace which seemed a sort of storeroom


the door opened


kate was so placed that she could see the person who came in but with a sensation of relief she recognised grahams profile thrown in strong shadow on the wall


she had observed it before though wasted and bowed down the outline of his features was marked and very peculiar


the woman however called out hey tom is that you


and as he lounged forward kate became aware that it was indeed the fiercelooking young man whom she had seen at first


the accident was the more curious for two faces more different could scarce have been found


aylmer returned in the course of an hour accompanied by graham


kates apprehensions were not much abated the men were now muttering in the dark room we have mentioned she believed them to be well provided with arms and she feared from the broken words which reached her that their designs were evil she longed to communicate her reasons for alarm to aylmer but finding this impossible sherose to withdraw


aylmer had taken from his pocket a sydney newspaper after glancing at its contents he handed it to mr graham the latter looked at it carelessly some thing arrested his eye he started tkrew down the paper took it up again and read more attentively then made a memorandum in his pockethook


the young man called tom took up the paper without ceremony he too read earnestly


kate laid down by her sister close to the outer wall she was awak ened by hearing toms voice he spoke in an undeitone to the woman who stood with him outside the hut


im off at cockcrow mother


ill pistol jim and bill too if they stir in this job


my necks worthaye worth fifty of theirs any day now and im not j such a fool as to risk it in a beggarly j scrape like this


the woman made some angry remon


j strance then they moved away and kate


heard no more


tales and sketches


father tudkins malediction


up to the skies with that wild halloo


l b c ii


big pierce kennedy stood at the front of his mansion to receive and welcome his principle guests as they arrived


he was finely dressed and stood stoutly and straightly up with his hands behind his back looking just as bold and almost as youthful as when he and his three brothers beat the poor discarded priest in the streets of innisbofey


though he affected a smile of openhearted jollity and goodhumour as well became him on this evening there was a dark twinkle in his eye and a quiver in his under lip that showed his temper was not entirely unruffled


in fact the numerous excuses he had received from persons whom he would gladly have had honour his daughters nup tials with their presence had greatly chagrined him and he was besides at all times of a hasty and ireful mood


as group after group thronged in he transferred them after a word of welcome and some hearty joke to the care and attention of his sons or his brothers whilst he awaited fresh arrivals gave instructions to the domestics as they hurried to and fro in all directions or kept the coveys of idle boys and vagabonds hovering about the premises in check by a quite glance of his eye which they dreaded above all things


the curse o cromwell on that dog


he muttered to himself


joe hickey he cried aloud to a man who was bearing a huge basket of black turf from the turfstack across the yard whats the matter with that dog


is it twisther you mean said the man laying down his load as usual to answer and looking in a direction where on an angle of the garden wall a large halfbred mastiff lay shivering and uttering those loud doleful howls which the irish peasantry invariably consider predictive of some coming death or other calamity


is it twisther you mean


dickonsaone o me knows what ails the brute shure we didnt sleep a wink o the night these two nights with his yowlins psoo


psoo


and the man by a well but gently directed sod of turf dis lodged the animal from its position who leaping down came cowering to its masters feet and crouching there renewed its mournful lamentations


irritated at such an ill timed and ominous disturbance kennedy kicked the dog wrathfully away pursuing it until it had vanished from his presence altogether


it was now five oclock the hour for dinner the greater part of the guests were assembled and the signal to dish was only delayed until the priests arrival now momently expected


big pierce had just pulled out his watch in a fury of impatience when the messenger his horse covered with foam galloped up and announced that sir phelims immediate and pressing claim and compelled his reverence to defer the pleasure of visiting glenmore until after dinner


nothing more was wanting to complete the illhumour of the irascible host


consigning sir phelims soul to its destination a full hour at least before its time he was turning in with the oath upon his lips when again the mournful cry of the house dog met his ear


looking savagely round for some in strument of punishment he snatched up a spancel that hung at the dairy window and hastening down to a thicket beneath which twister was now shaking and moaning more dismally than ever he passed the halter round the hapless mastiffs neck who deeming itself the object of some un wonted caresses turned a sickly look upon its master and licked his hand


the next minute big pierce kennedy had hanged his dog out of the great blackthorntree and had retired to dinner


while the crowd of vagrant boys who beheld this pro ceeding still stood watching in awe after the disastrous exit of their old acquaintance some with fingers in their mouths at a loss to know whether to take the catastrophe as an excellent jest or a wholesome admonition others arguing that it was a burnin shame so it was to hang the poor crathur


for in ireland lord bless us even the hanging of a dog is a source of popular sympathy a sound was heard at a distance greatly resembling the noise of eight or ten cracked triangles all making music to


gether and ere the shout with which the sorrowing raga muffins hailed its approach had died away an additional group of vagrants was descried approaching rapidly by short cuts across the fields as if apprehensive that they were late for the great object of the evening


considerably in front and heading this detatchment marched an individual or more properly speaking limped for he was lame of the right foot of singular appearance and evidently of no small importance amongst those who loudly applauding followed him


he was a slight tall young man bareheaded with fair and heavy eyelids which drooping very low added an appearance as if he were purblind to his pale vacant face


he wore a tight fitting dress of the light grey frieze of the country and held beneath his left arm an enormous pair of tongs which by ingeniously inserting his thumb between its claws so as to keep them slightly assunder as with a spring and then beating on them in a curious manner with the right band he managed to convert into a musical instrument on which he played almost every popular tune of his native land with extraordinary accuracy


the gifted young gentle man second only to jack rue the club huntsman in local celebrity was no less a personage than tom mannix the parish fool an indispensible attendant at all wakes weddings fairs and fights within ten miles round him and who now with a soul attuned to melody and a sad crazy head intent upon mirth was making his way in full career for pierce kennedys marriage feast


the group round the blackthorn did not fail to arrest his attention though it was sometime before he compre hended the extent of the disaster


did ye cruist the hangman boys


did ye cruist the hangman


asked the fool that it mightnt


if he hasnt hung twisther without han cuffs the way the redcoats hung dick hoy at gowlah bridge


faith mannix youre


goin to dine with the hang man for all that was the cry shure mananouns twas big pierce hung the baste


aa ha ha


big pierce


he exclaimed with great gusto but dropping his voice o if thats all shure no one had better right


he said very rationally and touching his tongs he poured forth a planxty it was doubtful whether to the memory of the human or the canine malefactor


great pains had been taken to improve and decorate the mighty barn where the kennedies held their feast


the rafters and heavy thatch over head were concealed by a temporary ceiling of thin deals whitewashed the narrow and open loopholes or crennels common to such buildings though left unfilled to allow a thorough circulation of air were concealed within by boughs of green holly and the graceful redberried branches of the mountain ash


the walls were thickly studded with rows of sconces in which four mould candles were burning like so many stars and at each end of the appartment a huge fire of black turf blazed abundantly away and sent its slight smoke through an aperture opened for the purpose in the roof


along the room were ranged the tables in an unbroken line shin ing with their snowey coverlids sparkling with glass and china and turreted at intervals with decanters of poteen and port and bastioned with mighty jugs of cold punch


a tierce of porter stood on draft at one extremity of this gay banquethall and a cask of whiskey at another while two men were stationed at each whose care it was to keep the revellers in constant supply


the entrance doors were in the centre a back and front one of thick oak which as they were narrow hung most hospitably open and when the infinite dinner was introduced from the cooking de partment emitted a savoury and delicious odour that if a second repast had not been equally and amply provided outside for the hungry interlopers that crowded and cram med the avenues might have proved too potent for their forbearance and have induced them to pull the house to pieces


the mighty board was crowded


big pierce kennedy sat at the head of the table and eyed with pride and pom pous exultation the goodly line of his relatives boxum blooming women and tall boldhearted men mingled with friends and retainers that stretched down the bright apartment


thronging thickly at their backs stood all the humbler claimants on his hospitality who were allowed the entree and who eagerly availed themselves of it to gratify as well their pride as curiosity by being thus dis tinguished from the herd without


on the right of ken nedy sat the bride his dark eyed daughter who had broken so many hearts and jilted so many gallant wooers


her betrothed sat opposite upon the left of his chief behind whom seated at each side of the spacious hearth were placed six bagpipers three at a side who relieved each other at intervals and filled the gailylighted laughter shaken and denselyscrowded building with their stormy but enlivening music


in short the banquet was at its height and nothing seemed wanting to complete the en joyment but the presence of their favourite fool when that important personage was heard rapidly approaching the clink of his very peculiar musical instrument ringing clearly in the distance


he soon made his appearance at the entrance his eyes almost closed by the blaze of light that burst on them his head bent and ear completely absorbed by the delicious clangour he was making


ah tom


hollo mannix


welcome welcome


well done tomthe tongs


here this way


mannix do your manners sir resounded from a hundred mouths


tom cast a hurried glance around grinned with delight and anticipated gluttony and made his way towards the head of the table


why burn the idiots bones


swore pierce kennedy does he forget were at a feast not a funeral that hes playing that strowncaun


here mannix take a pull at the jug and drop your infernal jingling


slaunthauth pierce


youre the boy afther all tisnt every day tom has the luck to come in for a glimpse of a bride an a berrin together


why wheres the berrin tom


haiks just twisthers ablow under the blackthorn tree said the fool with huge satisfaction


i left jem donahoo an the two cartys diggin a grave for him as i kem up ha ha


hell tear no jackets next christmas day at any rate


go an hould your crazy jaw said kennedy his eyes flashing go sit with the pipers there and hammer away


he of the tongs laughed loudly and limping towards the spot where the musicians were seated was about to take his place among them when he stopped short in amaze as if smitten with the palsy and gliding back wards his eye riveted on the chimneycorner he cried out fearfully why they said there was only six pipers but theres seven


pierce kennedy aroo


where did the black piper come from


lord save us


and the fool struggled back through the crowd


why what can be the matter with that gauk


ex claimed the host


hollo you sir come back here when i bid you or ill get you ducked in the horse pond


theres a piper too many kennedy cried tom still retreating through the throng an whats more hes all in black like a hearse pipes an all and he crossed himself


some few looked uneasily in the direction he kept his eyes on some laughed at the creatures folly others again attempted to detain him but his alarm and distress were too powerful to be jested with it was evident some recent excitement had affected his imagination


he con tinued to strugle violently until he had gained the door through which he darted eagerly and mingled with the crowd outside


this incident did not long disturb the bridal


the merriment flowed on in a fuller tide than ever


the ladies began to look lovelier and the men to ply the bottle more rapidly than before


the domestics were fairly outworn from serving and supplying exhausted bowls and had latterly sent round the liquor in capacious cans or forwarded it to the court yard in pails


the doors and loopholes no longer afforded sufficient air complaints of the exces sive heat were becoming general


pierce kennedy him self found his position no longer tolerable and called with an oath and a loud voice for some one to slake the fires


the man whose office it was to attecd to them per haps flurried by his masters anger or more probably confused by drinking snatched up a bucket of water as lie thought and flung its contents into the fire


there was a moments hiss the next instant the place was en veloped as with the flames of hell the servant had mis taken whisky for water and the building was floating in fire from one end to end


what ear that heard it will ever forget the cry that burst from that


doomed assem blage


a few five or six or perhaps eight or ten of the humbler individuals who happened to be close to the entrance escaped instantly but the frightful rush that was made towards the doors closed them at once and shut in the hapless revellers more effectually than could bars of oak and iron


those nearest them were wedged toge ther then borne down trampled upon and crushed to death depriving those behind of all chance of beating down the pannels


indeed if that were practicable it was now impossible to attempt it


the cask of ardent spirits had been staved in the first mad tumult of fear and frenzy and all from thatch to threshold was one roaring storm of delirium and fire from which shouts for air and water the groans of the trampled and dying the shreicks of women the grappling and raving and oaths of men resounded in one deafening and distracting yell


the dismay and terror outside were little inferiar to that within


those who were still sober or sufficiently collected to make an effort for the rescue of their friends hurried about now for water which when procured could not be conveyed to the roof now attempting to tear away or enlarge the crennels through which the flames came surging before they had removed a stone


to add to the horror the idot mannix had contrived to clamber halfway up the gable of the burning building and look in through a crevice left open to receive a rafter before the flames had reached it and continued calling to those within and addressing the terrified crowd without as his curiosity anxiety or con sternation predominated


wait till the smoke clears i can see nothin yet


mille murdhers


he shouted everythings broke to smash theres not a stick o the beattiful tables together an all the quality are climbin an crawlin over one another where the doors are an i can see big pierce ah theres young pierce bue has caugnt phe kennedy an shes holdin him tight roarin an cryin an hes kissin her though shes not his before the priest yet an theres kennedy boccol that killed the gauger in the gap o dunloe


an kennedy faugh that coaxed away the proctors wife


an ha ha


if big pierce and his brother phil arent trottlin each other to see wholl get at


the windy


look look pierce is down as dead as he struck father tudkin the fair night o kanturk


no by gonnies


hes up again ravin mad pierce aroo


kennedy


dhar dhieu


if lie takes one more spring hell leap on his own daughter


shes just dhroped down by the side o bue


an the pipers are all floor edha


but i see jem rice an tede kelly with their pipes ablaze an now theres four an canavan the piper from leap five an llieum hays six


ooh he said with a shudder theres the seventh


and he dropped from the spot mutter ing as he limped terrified off playing away as if it was at a bonfire he was


the news of this calamity flew in an hour through the country and far and wide persons hastening to the spot beheld as they paused on the brow of the hills that sloped to the valley the whole extent of the kennedies beautiful track of land flickering in the crimson light that blazed and quivered on the green summit of glenmore the river winding along it glistening darkly red like a streak of blood


amongst those who flew earliest and swiftest to the place wild with anxiety and grief was mark foley


he found that though anty and her father had set out late for the bridal they must have reached it long before the catastrophe oc curred and had most likely perished in the conflagration


when he reached glenmore no one could give him any information respecting them those of the survivors who could know any thing of the matter being absorbed in misery and horror and unable to account for any thing


shriek and sob and sound had long died away within that place of dreadful revelry


the blazing roof had fallen in carrying with it the upper portion of the walls split and loosened as they had been by the action of the devouring element


mark foley sick and dizzy turned away from the terrible spectacle and galloped homewards hopeless and heart less


in returning he took a different route from that by which he came and crossed the ford at the quarter where a shorter but an indifferent byroad led to innisbofey


on he went for a couple of miles his horse stumbling and jibbing at every step until he was obliged to dismount and lead it


just as he had passed a miserable cottage on the roadside he heard his name faintly pro nounced and turning round beheld anty conroy at the door her face nearly as white as her gay muslin dress but not quite as dirty for that much cherished and elaboratelyadorned garment was soiled and draggled with mountain mud from the frill down to the fourteenth flounce in which it terminated


mark sprang for ward and anty with a blush submitted to the delighted embrace in which he folded her and wept loudly and heartily on his bosom


her story was soon told in order to bring up lost time and ar rived punctually at glenmore her father had chosen the short cut through the mountains and in urging cricket forward that unto ward animal stumbled thank heaven and fell heavily rolling martin over and partially tumbling on him thereby bruising him so severely that though anty hoped no limb was broken he was quite unable to proceed and having contrived to reach the hut where he was now lying he had despatched its only inmate an old man upon cricket to innisbofy for assistance


anty added that she had already heard the dreadful tidings from glenmore and concluded by introducing mark to where her father lay smarting under his bruises alternately groaning and giving thanks for the accident that had saved himself and his beloved child from a frightful death


sweet are the uses of adversity and mark foley proved the truth of this immortal axiom that night before martin conroy and his daughter reached innisbofey for anty had promised never again to disregard his advice on the propriety of going to weddings or staying from them


and as he was shaking hands with her father the postmasters parting words were some thing to the effect that hed talk to his wife about it and if she was satisfied why he wouldnt say nay against marks request let it be that day month with his blessin that is if they all lived and did well


few witnessed the breaking of the ghastly day over glenmore the morning that followed the destruction of its people


that fiery tombhouse held its own sound sleepers and sorrow or des pair or fatigue or debauchery had overcome the rest


but far away on the ledge of a high bleak rock from which the smoulder ing house was just visible an aged man with hoary locks and feeble limbs and clad in tattered garments watched the dawn and as he was turning to depart from the spot he more than once looked back towards the valley of the kennedies repeating with a stern voice


fiant nati ejus in interitum in generatione una deleatur nomen ejus et dispereat de terra memoria eorum


f itctlitnve


the mysteries of paris


continued


chapter iii lb chourtnetiur


the reader will remember that two of the guests of the tapis franc were watched by a third person


during the story of the goualeuse which they could not hear these two men had conversed in a low tone looking towards the door from time to time with great anxiety


they were waiting for the maitre decole


the new comer after having consulted a aper ivwhich he held concealed appeared to


be satisfied with the result for he came forward and said to the ogresse who was nodding at her counter with her feet on the stove and the black cat on her knees


i say mother pouisse justkeep an eye on the glass and plate


ill be back in a moment


be easy


my good man said mother tonisse if your plate and glass are empty no one will touch them


the man laughed at the pleasantry and disappeared


as the door opened when the man went out rodolphe perceived in the street the charbonnier of whom we have spoken and before the door was closed he had time to make agesture of impatience to show lhow much he was annoyed at being watched but the latter paid no attention anddid not quit the precincts of the tapis franc


nottwitlistanding the brandy and sugar side had taken la goualeuse did not recover her gaiety her expression on the contrary become more sad her back against the wall her head hanging on her breast her large blue eyes gazing vacantly around the unfortunate creature seemed overwhelmed with the most gloomy thoughts


two or three times when her eyes met those of rodolphe she turned away in confusion


restrained oppressed by his presence she reproached herself for not showing more gratitude and almost re gretted having so plainly related the story of her life


he chourineur on the con trary was very gay


the brandy had made him very talkative the shame of having found his master as hlie said was effaced by the generous treatment hlie had received and his humiliation gave way to a sentiment of admiration and respect


this absence of malice the savage frank ness with which he had acknowledged his crimes and that he had been justly punished the ferocious pride with which he had denied that he was a thief proved at least that the chourineur was not com pletely callous this had not escaped the observation of rodolphe and be waited somewhat curious to hear his story


come mongarcon said he to him we listen


the chliorineur emptied his glass and thus began you my poor goualeuse were at least taken care of by la chouette whom the devil confound


you had at least a shelter until you weresent to prison as avagabond


i cannot remember to have slept in what you call a bed before i was nineteen when became a trooper


you have been in the service said rodolphe


sthree years but we will come to that prdseintly


the pavement of the louvre the lime kilnse of chiley and the quarries of mountrouge iere the hotels of my youth you


see i had town house and country house


i have an ihdistinct recollection of havinglived in myichildhoodwith an old chiffonier rag gatherer who knocked me down with his iron hook this must be so for i never meet one of them with their rag baskets that i do not feel a strong in clination to pounce on them


my first oc cupation was to help the horse killers at montfaucoon


i was about ten or twelve years old when i first began to chouriner the poor beasts


atofirst i feltbadly but byeandbye i liked the business


no one had


such sharp knives as i had so i was always called upon


after i had done my work they threw me a piece of the rump of a horse whidh had died from some com plaint for my pay for those which we killed were sold to the restaurateurs who mrade beef lamb veal or game of itjust to suit any ones taste


alh when got my piece of horseflesh the king was not my master iflew to the lime kiln like a wolf to his den and there i roasted my


meat on the embers


my hair was still more the colour of flax then than it is now and my eyes were always bloodshot


on this account i was called the albino


sand your parents


your family


my family


oh they lodged at the next number to those of la goualeuse the firstcorner of no matter what street the curbstonoeat the right or left as you go donn to the gutter


you cursed your father and mother then for having abandoned you oh


that would have doneme a great deal of good


however they did play a poor farce in bringing me into the world


i wvould not complain if had been made as poor folks ought to be made


that is to say without feeling huniger and thirst


you have beess hungry and cold and yet you have not stolen chourineur


no no yet


ihave seen murch misery much misery


i have fasted sometimes more thanu two days but i have never stolen for fear of the prison no no said the chourineur


honest i was starving thief they would have led me in prison


no


i did not steal becausebecausebecause it is not my niture to steal


this iaswer which the chourineur him self did not comprehend astonished ro dolphe he felt that a poor wretch who could thus remain honest amid cruel priva uions wassin some degree to be respected since the punishment of the crime would have offered him refuge and he extended his hand to the wretched man whom misery had not completely lost


the chou rineur regarded itodolphe with astonish ment and respect but he felt that there was an unfathomable abyss between them


well well said itodoliphe you have yeta heart


i j know nothing about it said the chourineur much affected what do you say


now seeilnever felt so before sn matter for yours blois swhichs you iright


this is eo flction even the superior class of rvaots at mentfeulon live on horselleshl have repeated until tomorrow but you have given me to eat and drink and you have said such things to meno matter in life or death i am yours you can always count on the thourineur as your own


afterwards as i was tall and strong i enlisted in a regiment as made a first rate grenadier i was enrolled


with your strength your courage and your predilections


if there had been a war in those times you might have become a general said rodolphe thunder


that is true but there was the difficulty there was no war and there was no discipline


one day my sergeant gave me a blow to make me obey more quickly perhaps he was right but the blow made me mad and i kicked him he pushed and pushed he took me by the throat


and i struck him


they fell upon me then mad ness took possession of me my blood flew to my eyes i had my knife in my hand andandif killed the sergeant i wounded two soldiers eleven blows of the knife to the threeyes eleven


the wretch let fall his head on his bheast and remained for some time with a fixed and haggard look


he recovered himself and then went on with his usual indiffer ence


ni was seized judged and condemned to death


you escaped


no but i was sent for fifteen years to the galleys instead of being executed


i had forgotten to tell you that while i be longed to the regiment we were in garrison at melun where i saved two comrades from drowning in the marne


another time you will laugh and say i am amphibious both for fire and water a preserver of men and womenanother time being in gar rison at rouen a fire broke out in a wooden house


it burned like a box of matches


they told me that there was an old woman who could not get out and would be burned


i ran thither


thunder


i how hot it was it made me remember the limekiln of my early days


i saved the old creature


my lawyer twisted his tongue so much and made such a talk that my punishment was changed and instead of going to the scaffold i had fifteen years at the galleys


you were in a good school to learn to steal


yes but it wasnt to my taste


the other criminals laughed at me but ibeat them with my chain


that is the way i became acquainted with the maitredecole


she is then a liberated criminal


no hlie was condemned for life hut he made his escape


he escaped


and yet he is not de nounced


it is not i that would denounce him besides that would look as if i was afraid of him


swhen you left the galleys what did you then chonrineur si went and offered my services at the quai st paul where i earn my living


but since you are not a robber why do you live in the cite


swhere would you have me live


who wants to associate with a criminal


and since it is very tiresome to be alone and i like company i come here to associate with my fellows


they fear me like the devil in the citd and the officers have no thing to say to me except sometimes for assault and battery


how much do you earn each day


thirty five sous


when my strength is gone ill take a hook and abasket like the old raggatherer that i recollect in my childhood


so with all this you are not unhappy


there are many worse off than i am certainly and if it were not for my dreams of the sergeant and the soldiers dreams which i yet have could die tranquilly at the corner of the street or in the hospital but this dreamholdmy demon


i dont like to think about it said the chourineur and he struck the ashes from his pipe on the corner of the table


the goualeuse had listened to the story with an absent air she seemed plunged in a painful reverie


rodolphe himself re nained thoughtful but a characteristic in cident recalled to his mind in what place he was


chapter xxxi


mr


pinch is discharged of a dutv which he never owed to anybody and mb


pecksniff discharges a ddtv which he owes to society


the closing words of the last chapter lead naturally to the commencement of this its successor for it has to do with a church


with the church so often mentioned hereto fore in which tom pinch played the organ for nothing


one sultry afternoon about a week after miss charitvs denarturc for london


mr pecksniff being out walking by himselt took it into his head to stray into the churchyard


as he was lingering among the tombstones endeavouring to extract an available sentiment or two from the epitaphs for he never lost an opportunity of making up a few moral crackere to be let off as occasion served tom pinch began to practise


tom could ruu down to the church and do so whenever he had time to spare for it was a simple little organ provided with wiud by the action of the musicians feet and he was independent even of a bellows blower


though if tom had wanted one m any time there was not a man or buy in all the village aud away to the turnpike tollman included but nould have blown away for him till he was black in the face


mr pecksniff had no objection to music net the least


he was tolerant of everything he often said so


he considered ita vagabond kind of trifling in general just suited to toms capacity


but in regard to toms performance upon this same organ he was remarkably lenient singularly amiable for when tom pliyed it en sundays mr pecksniff in his unbounded sympathy felt us if he played it himself and were a benefactor to the congre gation


o whenever it was impossible to devise any other means of taking the value ol toms wages out of him mr pecksniff gave him leave to cultivate that instrument


for which mark of his consideration torn was very grateful


the afternoon was remarkably warm and mr pecksniff had been strolling a long way


he had not what nmy he called a fine ear fur music but he knew when it had a tranquilising influence on his soul and that was the cose now for it sounded to him like a melodious snore


he approached the church and looking thruugh the diamond lattice of a window near the porcli aw tom with tiic curtains in the loft drawn back playing away with great ex pression and tenderness


the church had an inviting air of coolness


the oak roof supported by crossbeams the hoary walls the marble tablelsaud the cracked stone pavement were refreshing to look at


there were leaves of ivy tapping gently at the opposite windows and i lie sun poured in through only one leaving the body of the church in tempting shade


but the most tempting spot of all was ono redcurtained und solicushioned pew wherein tbo official dignitaries of the place of whom mr pecksniff was the head and chief enshrined themselves on sundays


mr pecksniffs seat was in the corner a remarkably comfortable corner where his very large irayerbook was at that minute making the most of its quarto self upon the desk


he determined to go in and rest


he entered very softly in part because it was u church in part because his tread ivas always soft in purl because tom played a solemn tune in part because he thought he would surprise him when he stopped


unbolt ing the door of the high pew of state he glided in and shut it after him then sitting in his usual place and stretching out his legs upon the hassocks he composed himself to listen to the music


it is nn unaccountable circumstance that he should have felt drowsy there where the force of association might burely have been enough to keep him wide awake but lie did


he had not been in tlie suug little corner five minutes before he began to nod


he had not recovered himself one minute before he began to nod again


in the very act of opening his eyes indolently he nodded again


in the very act of shutting them he nodded again


so he fell out of one nod into another until at last he ceased to nod at all and was as fast as the church itself


he had a consciousness of the organ long after he fell asleep though as to its being an organ he had no more idea of that tbnn he had of being a bull