the commtnading officer rode hastily into the open space between the two bodies accompanied by a magistrate and an officer of the house of com mons for whose accommodation a couple of troopers had hastily dismounted


tire riot act was read but sot a man stirred


in the first rank of the insurgents barnaby and ilugh stood side by side


somebody had thrust into barnabys hands when he came out into the street his precious flag which being now rolled up and tied round the pole looked like a giant quarterstaff as he grasped it firmly and stood upon his guard


if ever a man believed with his whole heart and soul that he was engaged in a just cause and that he was bound to stand by his leader to the last poor barnaby believed it of himself and lord george gordon


after anll ineffectual attempt to make himself heard the magistrate gave the word and the horse guards came riding in among the crowd


but even then he galloped here and there exhorting the people to disperse and although heavy stones were thrown at the men and some were desperately cut and bruisedthey had no orders but to make prisoners of such of the rioters as were the most active and to drive the people back withthe flat of their sabres


as the horses came in among them the throng gave way atimany points and the guards following up theiradvantagewere rapidly clearing the grbund when two or three of the foremost who were in a manner cut off from the rest by the people closing round them made straight towards barnaby and hlugh who had no doubt been pointed out as the two men who dropped into the lobby laying about them now with some effect and inflicting on the more turbulent of their opponents a few alight flesh wounds under the influence of which a man drop ped here and there into the arms of his fellows amid much groaning and confusion


at the sight of gashed and bloody faces seen for a moment in the crowd then hidden by the press around them barnaby turned pale and sick


buthe stood his ground and grasping his pole more fliily yet kept his eye fixed upon the nearest soldier itod ding hishead meanwhile as hiugl with a scowling visage whispered in his ear


the soldier came spurring on making his horse rear as the people pressed about him cutting at the lhands of those who would have grasped his rein and forced his charger back and waving to his comrades to follow and still barnaby without retreating an inch waited for his coming


some called to him to fly and some were in the very act of closing round him to prevent his being taken when the pole swept the air above the peoples heads and the mans saddle was empty in an instant


then he and hugh turned and fled the crowd opening to let them pass and closing up again so quickly that therewas no clue to the course they had taken


panting for breath hot dusty and exhausted with fatigue they reached the riverside in safety and getting into a boat with all despatch were soon out of any immediate danger


as they glided down the river they plainly heard thee people cheering and supposing they might have forced the soldiers to retreat lay upon their oars for a few minutes uncertain whether to return or not


but the crowd passing along westminster bridge soon assured them that the populace were dispersing and hugh tightly guessed from this that they had cheered the magistrate for offering to dismiss the military on condition of their inimediate departure to their several homes and that he and barnaby were better where they were


he advised therefore that they should proceed to blackfriars and going ashore at the bridge make the best of their way to the boot where there was not only good entertainment and safe lodging but where they would certainly be joined by many of their late companions


barnaby assenting they decided on this course of action and pulled for blackfriars arccordingly


they landed at a critical time and fortunately sfor themselves at the right moment


for coming into fleetstreet they found it in an unusual stir and inquiring the cause were told that a body of horse guards lad just galloped past and that thley were escorting some rioters whom they had taken prison ers to newgate for safety


not at all illpleased to shave so narrowly escaped the cavalcade they lostno more time in asking questions but hurried to the boot with as much speed as hugh considered it prudent to make without appearing singular or attracting an inconvenient share of public notice


to becontinued


an account of the settlemetnts of the n z company from personal observa tion during a residence there


by the ilon


h w petreloedon smith elder and co vo


pp


the author of this interesting little book formed one of the first colony which emigrated to new zealand in and founded the town of wellington which is now a flourishing commercial emporium and the pages before us form an accurate record of something more than a twelvemonths ex perience and our author bespeaks confidence in tihe very favourable opinion he gives of the colony by announcing his intention of returning theres in the spring


the work is divided into sections and the following are the subjects they embrace expedition and settlement of the first colony recent progress of the companys settlements diffllculties overcome by the colonists soil climate and productions and lastly pro spects


the enumeration of the difficulties over come and the manner in which the colonists have conducted themselves under the trying clrcum stances in which they were at first placed forms a remarkable piece of colonial history


for this we mnust refer our readers to the work itself as our space will only permit us to extract the concluding paragraph from the last section the country certainly possesses every natural capability for a series of rich and flourishing settlements


of the singular excellence of the climate of the richness of thle soil of the great fecundity of animal life of the abundance and variety ol the resources of the islands not a doubt is entertained by those whose opinions rest on experience


the mode of coloni


sation adopted by the government at home insures i if fairly carried out a regular increase of labour in due proportion to the increase of capital and private property in land


for carrying out this system the government has adopted as its principal instrument i eprivate companyfor whose prudence and energy the past furnishesa guarantee and whlose interests are identical with those of the colony itself


the revived spirit of english colonisation seems to direct its chief force on the britain of the south and it may be safely presumed that what has beena already done in this work remarkable as it is con sidering the short time employed will appear insig


nificant on being compared with tie proceedings of p thenext few years


for my own part i will con


elude as i began by saying that the best proof i can give of thel sincerity of my opinion as to the irlbght prospects of new zealand as a colony is the q factof my beitg biut a sojourner here preparing to p return tothe prace of my former residence in new p zealand


every person interested in new zealand should possess this little book


it is beautifully illustrated with an accurate map an engraving of wellington and a lithograihborf new plymouth c iveekly chronicle


ht


iemigration th


boiroumstanoo h connected with the late most aarbitrary attempt to p impede the emigration of catholics to new south a wales and in which the local government took a c part have already been amply discussed and we need it only refer to a recent number of the tablet for a full expos of this intended exclusion of all catho lies from the benefits of a measure that was sane


tloned by the government as a means to relieve the nation of its surplus population and which catho lies asiwell as protestants have equal right to par


take of


the dificulties the atholica have to encounter from the government in australia and which were so ably set forth by dr polding in his speech at the general meeting of the catholic institute are so well known that they require no repetition tihey are monuments of injustice tliat c point out clearly the partiality of those in authority r to promote protestantism notwithstanding the right a we have to be included in the advantages our country poasseasstablet


w


dasssthoro is not in the world a surer sign of a little soul than the striving to gain al respect by such desplcable means as dress and rich clothes none will dlepend on these ornaments but tc tlhe who have no othercharron


honest a trotnsthlo memory of c good and worthy actreons gives a quicker relish to the w soul than ever it could possibly take in the highest enloyments of youthislestator


it


a new series


the mysteries of sydney or the revelations of sin shame and sorrow


chapter xvii


seeming and schemingthe nettle puts forth its sting


the name of mr quelch has been twice men tioned in this veritable chronicle


so veritable that truth has at a vast expense of time and labour been brought up in a bucket from its aqueous asylum the bottom of well in order to scatter refreshing showers upon these dry pages


another word or two must be said in justice to mr quelch the clerk of hawk kitely esq


jonas he indulged in that plain and homely baptismal was one of those numerous sorts which is required to make up a world and yet in slipping into or sliding out of it would not have excited the observation of the myriad mil lions of his kindred dust


maybe he had his passions his likes and dislikes but he never evinced them marble could not seem colder than jonas quelch or an automaton perform its offices with more clocklike regularity


it was whispered that he was once a different man until severe sorrow had stricken him and frozen up the warm current of his blood and who knows


there are depths in the human breast which the head cannot fathom sweeping under currents which defeat soundings


all about him was a mysteryjonas quelch never showed the lining of his cloak


one morning an advertisement appeared in a colonial newspaper to this effectwanted a clerk who must have a thorough knowledge of bookkeeping and general business


references as to character and capability will be rigidly required


apply between the hours of ten and eleven oclock am to hawk kitely esq


as the clock struck the tenth hour jonas quelch found himself in the presence of his future master


a short colloquy sufficed to perfect the engagement


the capabilities of jonas were un doubted but where were his references the guarantees of honesty


he was a new comer unpossessed of a single acquaintance to aid him in the procurement of his daily bread


could hawk kitely hire such a weed upon the waters of life place a friendless starveling in the midst of rich temptations


reason will cryimpos sible


but he didjonas asked but the merest pittance for a wage just enough to supply the scantiest furniture for his clayey tenement what farther guarantee do the kitelies of the world require


flesh and blood selling its services at a cheap rate wears the garment which covers a multitude of sins it is superior to csars wife it is above suspicion


so jonas queich was installed into his place of honour and there he remained a portion of the desk stool ledger the dust and cobwebs of hawk kitelys office


when frank earle was introduced as a part ner to his hermitage the old manfor jonas was old more perchance in mind than yearsgreeted him briefly not unkindly and relapsed into the wearing wasting calculations of pounds shillings and pence watering the golden tree by the sweat of his brow but ever out of reach of its delicious fruit and never gathering up the wind falls which providence mercifully scatters for the lowly of the earth


frank was irresistibly attracted to him jonas did not repel his ad vances and yet they seemed to fall like moon beams upon ice


kitely returned from his interview with fanny earle infuriated maddened and fraught with the deadliest plans against her brother


his habitual caution was carried away by the torrent of pas sion and he determined to make the final coup in his dangerous game


he first summoned quelch


sit down mr quelch said he blandly i require a few minutes of your valuable time in the hope that you will be enabled to assist me in unveiling a most complicated chain of circum stances


honored sir replied jonas with profound humility it would ill become me to sit in your presence much less to suppose that i could en lighten what is dark to you


indeed remarked kitely somewhat sar


castically despite his intention to be calm and conciliating you distrust your talent sir i have the firmest confidence in it


jonas bowed to the compliment and looked a whole shower of thanks but did not utter a word he waited in respectful subservience for his masters communication


you have had opportunities of watching mr earles conduct has there not been something peculiar about it irregular positively irregu lar


the young man is new to the business and sometimes makes small errors in his accounts but precisely errors in his accounts inter rupted kitely and doubtless premeditatedly for the purpose of concealing his defalcations


mis takes aye you will swear to that if need be mr quelch of course it is your duty


assuredly i will strive to do what is right honored sir


i want less of honour or the affectatlon of it mr quelch remember i am not to be denied


the expression of jonas quelchs counten ance could not be seen his head was bowed down and his eyes were gazing in the direction of his heart if he possessed such an unmerchant able commodity


do you hear sir enquired kitely with a peculiar elevation of voice


jonas only looked at the interrogator yet he was dumbly eloquent as the american sculp ture greek slave


kitely resumed the conversation in a more moderate tone


you will be pleased to task your memory and doubtless you well recollect that mr earle handed over to me the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds a few days since


truly so honored slr replied jonas which we received from absalom webb a gold digger for goods sold and delivered on the spot en tered in ledger folio ten thousand devils


exclaimed kitely passionately


neither from webbs nor spiders from kilgrist and coriander the greatest mer chants in the worldof sydney man


man perverted word


how far beneath that creation did the speaker deem the bending biped before him


wax kitely you meant that tenacious substance extracted from the honeycomb of bees so pliable as to be readily by a skilful artificer into the stings of wasps


how could you mistake a piece of wax work for manthe image of his maker


kitely i blush for you


ah yes


i remember honored sir said quelch which closed their account and mr earles said kitely


be kind enough and send him in


then take this letter to the su perintendent of police he will send mawler


quick mr quelch your salary is too low i must raise it sir


may the laborer be worthy of his hire re plied the elderly man as he bowed himself through the doorway


frank attended to the summons little dream ing of the thunderbolt about to be hurled at him


as he entered the room he was struck by the demeanour of his employer and more so as without a moments hesitation kitely


ac cused him of passing forged notes


are you really in earnest mr kitely said frank when he partially recovered from the sur prise and horror engendered by the accusation


i do not often make jokes mr earle re plied kitely in a cool manner


nor do i receive insults said frank haugh tily


doff these airs they ill befit a felon


scarcely were the words uttered when franks hand was on the accusers throat compressing it with terrific force as if to choke the lie or com pel the speaker to swallow it


a struggle ensued between them franks youth and vigour were in his favor for a long time the issue of the con test was doubtful at length kitely by a skilful manuvre well known to wrestlers stretched frank on the floor and then threw himself upon him


kitelys devil was up and how far he might have pursued his advantage is uncertain but he was checked by the sudden appearance of another actor in the scene an infant roscius master nips


vell im blest exclaimed the page if that dont beat cockfightin


a regiar setto and no mistake six to four on the youngun age must be sarved fust as my missus says ven


she sees me a valkin into the ginger vine


up you gets muster kitely lets av a fair upstand fight cordin to the new rules


blow the lanky sis tim


nips suited the action to his words and a sharp pedal application to kitelys ribs materially contributed to put him on his feet


you devils imp exclaimed he fiercely what brought you here at such a time


vell vith respex to my werry wenerable male parent vether he vere a dark complexion man or not an orphian arnt expected to know and it stands to reason that a cove twentyfour hours of age packed in a barskit and hung upon the doornob of the fondlin hospittel to chance his luck about bein made catsmeat for the nusseses tabbies carnt pick his mother out of a crowd by a continnivel obserwation of the dimple on her chin but at the same time an orphian has his feelins and arnt partickleerly parshal to reflecshons passed upon relashuns vich he never knowed


d your relations cried kitely advan cing threateningly towards the lad who hopped round the table to get out of the reach of danger


werry good mr sprightly only recollex that cusses is like young fowls and allers comes home to roost


now dont trubbel yourself to run round the table arter me cos you see my legs is uncommon good and my vind are in fust rate order


and you neednt get that ossvip down cos you see vallopin the top of a mahogany ven a coves under it arnt werry likely to vake him up and fetch him to the vinnin post if so be a cove is inclined to be dozy vich the best of ani mals sometimes is


kitely clenched his hands


oh youve got a rattlin fistfull in both of em but vats the use of me a fightin of youa rhynockingoss agin a possum is rayther too much of the monkey


kitely tried to conjure up a smile


that looks like a change in the vether as the cabbage stalk said to the vaterin pot ven he got a sprinkle meant for a green sprout next door


during this colloquy frank recovered his self possession


unskilled as he was in the artifices of the world he saw through kitely and felt assured that he was in a perilous position to extricate himself from which required the concen tration of all his energies


the nipsean episode enabled him to play the game with less odds against him


nips took a rapid survey of the two


now then gentlemen the best vay for the pair of you is to shake hands and say no more about it as the dumb man said to his vooden leg


you vont vont you


as the costermonger said to his dunkee


tis a trifle too late as the cove said ven he lost a wolunterry passage from the bank of england to amerikay heres the traps


mawler entered the room in the background stood another official and in the remote distance as best suited his condition more humble than the earth he trode upon was jonas quelch


arrest that man said kiteiy pointing to frank earle


upon what charge enquired mawler defe rentially


passing forged notes


to whom me


of course they are in your possession said mawby in the most correct style of professional quietude


they are


ill now transfer their charge to you they are gems masterpieces of art far too valuable for my keeping


kitely glanced scornfully at frank earle as he handed five notes to the official


mawler looked at them and immediately recognised the handi work of knuckler


that hand was cold in death


something like a sigh came from the stony officials heart it was the sunbeam waking the memnon into melody


you are my prisoner said mawler to frank


have you any property about you


a mere trifle replied frank who at the same time placed a purse slenderly furnished into the detectives hands


vell blow me if his vages arnt as small as an orphians chimed in nips


anything else said mawler


yes a key belonging to mr kitely replied frank


of your desk i presume mr earle


yes mr kitely


in that case l had better search the desk remarked mawler quietly something might be found there to criminate the prisoner


as you like said kitely


jonas quelch rubbed his hands and nips joined in his ecstatic enjoyment by dancing a double shuffle upon the narrowest board he could find in the room


the happiness of witnessing a fellow creatures downfall is very contagious


the desk was searched and nothing found which could impeach the character of the accused one


there were a few letters written by his sister breathing gratitude to kitely but legal ingenuity could not twist them into the iron links which are needful to weld the broken chain of circumstantial evidence


there was a locket the last gift if his dying parents it contained two grey tresses intertwined telling of sorrows winter bound by a golden thread the type of eternal sunshine


surely that might defy the malevolent construction of crimesearchers


have you examined fully said kitely as the detective was retiring


there might be some secret place


ha exclaimed mawler you are right mr kitely there may be some crack or cranny overlooked


the detective ran his hand over the bottom of the desk touched what seemed to be a knot in the wood and the secret panel fell


in the hollow were the fifteen forged notes deposited by kiteiy


gracious heaven cried frank in all the agony of despair


thats a strong corroborative proof said kitely triumphantly and appealingly to the detec tive


i never give a legal opinion remarked maw ler


vat a shockin diskivery screamed nips


jonas quelch once more rubbed his withered palms gleefully but he said nothing


frank like eugene aram walked to prison between two stern men with gyves upon his wrist


to be continued


lord kenyonmr


townshend relates that as to his lordships black velvet smalls greasy and threadbare from constant friction once on a trial respecting a contract for shoes the chief justice was so far unguarded as to ask a witness whether the shoes supplied were like these pointing to his own


no my lord they were a great deal better and more genteeler was the reply of the witness


the yit si diragoon tafiitried from our lad


i o


e e iu n t aity otbaermode of praising may steed vould avy


been nmuch more acceptable


the word dragoirstibra thorn in my tenderest partlthat nankled sand lacerated at every stirs i a nsmoient i wasinth iaddle and aseareelvseated when at once all the msuvsise haute of blyhood left me ant


i felt every inch a in i i oftenlook back to that momsnt of my lire and comparinig it withminanyaimiar snes cannot help


acknow ledginglboot putely is he self possession which o often wins successthe result ofsome slight and trivial associationt


y confidence


in my horsemanshipsuggested onot al courage ofa very different kind and i felt that charles omalley curvetingupon a thorioughl bredzid tie


sawme man ambling upon a shetty were twvo and ves y disslnfiar individualse no chance of the castain said matthew who had returned from a reconsnaiseance pon theroad and after all ists a pity for the day is getting


quite favourable while the young ladies formed piaquets to look out for the gallant msilitaire i seied the oppur tmnity of prosecuting my acquaintance with miss dashwood and even in the few and passing obsfrvatious that fell from her


learned howvery different an order of being she was from all


i od hdtherto seen of country belles


a mixture i of courtesy with naivetea woishto lease


with a certajia feminine gentleness that always flatters a ant and still more a boy that fain would ie e onengained momentarily more and more upon r me and put me also on my mettle to prove to my feircopnpanion thatiwas not altogther a mere uncultivated and unthinking creature like the sernaiider of those about ate


hero heis at last saild helen blake as she cantered across afield waiving lienthand


aserchief as a signal to the captain who was now seen approathing at a brisk trot


as e camne along a small fence intervened bhe pressed his horse a little and as he kissed handsto the fair helen cleared it in aliound and was in an instant in the midst of us


ia sits his horse like amanvlisthercharles


said the old huntsman


trothwe must ivehiin the worst


bit of it captain hammersley was despite of all the critical acumen witlwhich


i canvassed binithe very basu deal ofa


gentleman rider indeed


although


avery heavy man his powerftil english tiofughbred shuowingnot less bione hanil ilood took away all


semblrnce of over weight hii sadile well fitted and wvell placed hislarge broad reined sunafe his own costume of black coat leathers and tops


wasin lierfect


keeping ends even to fits heavy handled hurntinwhip i could find nothinig tocavil at


as lie rodejip he paid his respects to the ladies in his usual free attdersy mnaner expremssed sonicesurprise but rio regret atkhearing that ile was late


ani


never deignlsig any notice of aiatthesw or myself


took i his place beside miss iashwood with wvhbom ie conversed ii a low and uaidertone there theygo caid matthew as five or sir dogs with their heaslsipran yelping along n furrow then stopped lowled again and once more get off itogel her


in an instant iall was commotion


in the little alley below us


t


the hiuntsman withhis hand to his mouth wascalling off the stragglers


and


thewhipperin following up the


leadissgitpga with the rest of


the pack theyre found theyre away


raid mat thes and as lee spoke a great yell abrust from the valley andin an instant the whole spack were olf at speed


rather woreiontnt at the moment upon showing off nry horsemanship than anything else dashed spure into budgers sides


and tuaned him towardsa rasping ditch before sue osr we want burlingsduwnsbehind us a rotten bank of clay dnd small atormae showings bouw little safety thesh had


been intopping instesadof clear


ing


itat a bound


besora i wasw llseated again thin captain was beside me


now for it then said i and assayrowe went


what might bethe isature uft his feelings cannit pret sead to sate rsut nsiy owa were a strange mwange of


wild boyiih ethiusiant revenge


acid reblklessness


for


omy own neeck cared little snothing and as led the way half a length


mutterd to myself let hinm follow me faislyr this day andz ask no ose


the dogs had got somnewbat the start of us and ais theyrstere infult cry and going fast vie were a little behind a thought therefore stiuck me that by appeasing to take a shortcut upon the hounds i shouldcome down


upon the river where its breadth was greatest and thus atone coup might try my iriends mettle and his horses performance at the sametime


on we went our speedincreasidgtill the roar of the river we were now approaching wasplainly audible


looked half around and now pesceived thatthe captain was standing ins iis stirrups iesif to ob taisia view of what was before him otherwise blscountenance wasscalm and unrmnved and not a muscle betrayed that lie avs not canotering on


a parade


i fixedciyself firmly in siy sear shook mny horae a little toget her and withs a shout whose import everygalway hunter well knoiws sihshed him at the river i saw the wlaterdasbinsg adrhng the large stones iheard ies splash i felt abountd likethe ricochet of a shot and we were oeer but so narrowly tillt the bank had yielded beneath hi hiind legs and it needed a bold effort of the noble aisicial to gain hnis footing


scarcely was he once more firnt when hasminoessly flew by inutaklng shim iead and sittinsgquietly inltiis segadle sas if racing


i know of isohning in all nsyiafter life like the agony of that momcnt lfor although i wo


farvery far from wishing real il to him yet i would gladly have broken my hg or nmy arm if he could not samro been aisle to follow me


a nd apsw there he was actually a idrigth ansd a lanif in advance nd torse thasi all miss dashwood msiut


hecewitaessed the ywbolea and doubtless liic leapovei the riawrwss btter rind holder than mine


one consol tion yet remainedasid while i whispeired it to mnyself i felt roniforted again


his is an english mareathey osriderstand these leapbnrt what cats be make cit a galway tval


i


the auestion was soonn to he solved


before us about three lelds were the hsousids stihl


i full cry a large stone weltlayletseen tindo it weboth directead ens e ourse together


ha thought


i he is aloorsd sat last as i perceived that thne captain meld his ilidsse rather nmore irs hand and suffered me to lead


now tehen for it


so saying i rod


at the lasgait part could find well know


ing that badgers powers were here in their element


one spring one phtunge and naway we were galloping along at the other side


not so the captain hit horse had refused the fesnee add laowns cow takinsg as circuit of the field for another trial of it


psiundsd


by ovc acid i nas i turned in say yatisletoobcerve him


onceisore shte caime sltif iid dinee iinebisilkedresariag up st the same time alniost so niotli baik ward


hlyt riumpis was conmlilete and iawas again abhout ta follow


thne lhusiids w hen throwing a look lic raw lakimnnerady clarislg the wali in a ssisfkpidersdidnannner assis tilihg a rtretch of at east thirteeni feet beyond it once snore so vms on my flanks and the costcst renewed


whiat ever nmight lie thesrntisiacstsof


the riders mine j gapop to betweces the busrces it nosy becomnid a mtaisaolil struggle


the engliah smare though gdnty superwnr ran gtrik


asd strength ias atilloverwelithted siandhadnotac isides that cat ihe activity pn irliji horse possessesao that the jdvalit asekddiad antaes on ithaer ande wkere the pace toas awful


erode side by ide


takipg our leaps exactly at the same instant and not four feet apart


the hounds were still con


siderably in advance and we eree heading towards the shannon when suddenly the fox doubled


took the hill side and madefor dangan


ow then comes the trial of strength i enid half aloud as tbrew say rye up a steep sand rugged mountain covemed with wild furze and tall heath around the crett of which ran in a igzag direction a broken and dilapidated wall once the enclosure of a deer park


this wall which varied from four to six feet in height was of solid masonry and would in the nest favourable j ground have been ai bold leap


here at the summit of a mountain with not one yard of foot


ing


it was adssolutey desperation


by the tire that we reached the fobtt of ethe hill the fox followed closely by the hounds an d passed through a breach in the wall while matthew blake with theluntssheoasnd whaipper in


were riding


along in search of a gap to lead the horses throuigh


before i put spurs to bad


ger to lace the hill


i turned one look towards hammershy


there was a slightcurl half amile i half snees upon his lip that actually maddened me and lada precipice


yawsaedbeneath my feet t i should have slashed at it after that


tire aseent wai so steep that i was obliged to take the hill in a slanting direction and even thus the v loose footing renleredit dangerous in the extreme


at length i reached the crest where the wall more than five feet in height stood frowning above and seeming to defy me


i turned my horse full round so that his very chest almost touched the stones and with a bold


cut of the whipstd a loud halloo the gallant animal rose ag if tearing pawed for an instant tojiegain hias balance and theh with a frightful struggle fell backwards and rolled from top to bottom of thehill carrying me along with him the last oliect that crossed mysight


as i lay bruised and motionless being the captain is lie took the wall in a flying leap and disappeared at the other side


after a few scrambling eflorts to rise d badger s egainced his legs and stood betide me hut such was thie shock and concussion of my fall that all the objects around me seemed wavering and floating before ore while ahowers of bright sparks fell in myriadsbefore my eyes


itried to rise but fell back helpless


cold perspiration broke over my forehead and i fainted gfrom that moment i can remember nothing till i felt myself gallopng along atfull speed upon a level tabile iaad with lhe


rounds about three fields in advance hammersly riding foremnost and taking all his leaps coolly as ever


as i swayed to either side upon my saddle from weakness i was lost to all thought or recollection save a flickering memory of some plan of vengeance which still urged me forward


the chase had now lasted i above an hour and both hounds and horses began to feel the pace tit which they were going


as for me irode mechanically


i neither kiew nor cared for the dangers before me


my eyes rested on but one object my whoe being was concentrated upon one vague and undetiinittnill sense of revenge


at this instant the huntsasan came alongsideof me


are you hunrted misthercharles


did you fallyourcheek is all blood aind your coat is torn in two and mother o god his boot is ground to powder he does not hear me


oli pull uppull for the love of thie vigin theres the clover field


and the sunk fence before you nd youll be killed onthe spot


where cried i with the cry of a mast


man wheres thei clover field


wshereis the sunk fence


dhu


i see iti see it now


so saying i dashed the rowels into my horses danks and ip an instant was beyond the reach of the poor fellows remonstrantces another moment i was beside the captain


e tuaned round as i came uap the sime smile was upon his mouth i could havestruet himn


about three hundred i yards beforeiti lay the sunken fence


its breadthi was about twenty feet and a wall of close brick


woilrforsgiid its aee


over this the hoanids were now clauts ririg some sucsceeded in crossing gut by far the greater number fell hack howlitig into the ditli i to used towardsilammerdsayhe was stand


fing high ire his stirrups and as lie looked icrirdars the yan fce down twhichthe dogs were tumbling in masses i thought perhaps it was buisuss dthaaght that ihis cheek was paler


i looked again lie neas pulling ast his horse


ha i it was true then he would nat fnticit


lturated routnd in iffy saddlelooked bis full in the face and as i pointed with my whip to the leop called out in a voice hoarse with passion come dn


i saw ro more


all obj eta avesiiist lcinses


fron ithiitmsnmentlwhen


next sy sense fiestred was standiig amiid


tlie dogs


wheretlihy lhdadjust killed badger stood biown ansd tremhling beside me hoisheaddroap


iaiganid his flanks gored svith spuin imarks


i looked abdit taitisll cotasccusness of the hs had fled the concussion of iy fall rnd shaken mv intellect and was lise one but half awake one glimslse short and and meeting of what was taking place shot through my brains as old brackley whispered to me by my soul ye did for the captain there


i turned a vague look upon aihh and my eyes fell mepou the fgure of a man that laystretchaed and bleeding upon a door before me


hitpale faice was crossed witha purple stream of bloed that ti ickled fronsa wound beside


his eye how lia hsarms lay


motionless asad heavily at citlasr side


i knew hans not


a loud report of apistol aroused ie roan my stupor i lookedbasck


i saw a crowd that hmroke asuddeasly asaunder and fld riglhtrarnd ieft


iaua lda ealiycrash upoal tli grdsiad i pointed wishnay lingerfor i could not titter a word


v it is the enigikhsla aeyer shonotssrsare istra a beanty this mnraning but shepbroklacr collar bone and innsh her legs andit waslbeatto put her outof spain


i p


itaty rudge


ciaptert


x vii


llr


uaredale stood in the widows parlour with the doorkey in his lend gazing by turns at mr chester and at gabriel varden and occasionally glancing down at the key as in the hope that of its own acrord it would unlock the mystery until mr chester putting on his lhat and gloves and sweetly inquiring whether


they were walking in the rame direction recalled him to himself


no he said


our roads divergewidely as you know


for the present shall remato bate


you will be hipped haredale you will ha miserable melancholy utterly wretched returned the other


it is n place of the very last descrip


tietn for a man of your temper


know it will make yu very miserable


let it said mr haredale sitting down and thrive upon the thought


good night i feigntig to be wholly unconscious of the abrupt wave of the hand which rendered this farewell tuntamount to a dirmissal mr chester retorted with a bland and heartfelt behediction and inquired of gabriel in what direction lie was going


yours sir would be too much honour for the like of me replied the locksmith hesitating


i wish you to remain here a little while var den said mr haredale without looking towards then


i have a word or two to say to you


i will not intrude upon your conference another moment said mr chester with inconceivable puliteress


may it be satisfactory to you both


god bless you i so saying end bestowing upon the locksntish a most refulgent smile lie left them


a deplorably constituted creature that rugged person he said as lie walked along the street lie is an atrocity that carries its own punishment oslong with ita bear that gnaws himself


and here is one of the inestimable advantages of having a perfect command over ones inclinations


i have been tempted in these two short interviews to draw upon that fellow fifty times


five men in six would have yielded to the impulse


by suppressing mine i wound him deeper and more keenly than if i were the best swoedsman in all europe and lie the worst


you are the wise mans very last resource lie said tapping the hilt of his weapon we can but appeal to you when all else is said and done


to came to you before and thereby spare our adver


varies so much is a barbarian mode of warfare quite unworthy any man with the remotest preten tion to delicacy of feeling or refinement


he smiled so very pleasantly as he communed with himself after this manner that a beggar was emboldened to follow him for alms and to dog his footsteps for some distance


he was gratified by the circumstance feeling it complimentary to his power of feature and as a reward suffered the man to follow him until lie called a chair when he gra ciously dismissed him with a fervent blessing


which is as easy as cursing he wisely added eshe took his seat and mone becoming to the face


to olerkenwell my good creatures if yo please i the chairmen were rendered quite vtva ciius by having such a courteous burden and to cletkenwell they went at a fair round trot


alighting at a certain point lie had indicated to them upon ttie road and paying them something less than they had expected from a fare of such gentle speech he turned into the street in which the loclksmith dwelt and presently stood beneath the shadow of the golden key


mr tappertit who was hard at work by lamplight in a corner of the workshop remained unconscious of his presence until a hand upon htis shoulder made him start and turn his head


industry said mr chester is thlo soul of business and the keystone of prosperity


mr tappertit i shall expect you to invite me to dinner when you are


lord mayor of london


sir returned the prentice laying down his hammer and rubbing his nose on the back of a sooty hand i scorn the lord mayor and every


thing that belongs to himn


we must have another state of society air before you catch me being lord mayor


how de do sir i the better mr tappertit for looking into your ingenuous face once more


i hope you are well


i am as well sir said sim standing up to get searer to his ear and whispering hoarsely as any man can be under the aggrawations to which i am exposed


my lifes a burden to me


if it wasnt for wengeance id play at pitch and toss with it on the losing hazard


is mrs varden at homel said mr chester


sir returned sim eyeing him over with a look of concentrated expressionshe is


did you wish to see her


mr chester nodded


then come this nay sir said sim wiping his face upon his apron


follow me sirwoutl you permit me to whisper in your ear


one half a second by all means


mr tappertit raised himself on tiptoe applied his lips to mr chesters ear drew back his head without saying anything looked hard at him ap plied them to hias ear again again drew back and finally whispered the name is joseph willet


hush


i i say no more


having said that much lie beckoned the visitor with a mysterious aspect to follow him to the parlour door where lie announced him in the voice of a gentlemanusher


mr chester


and not mr eddard mind said sim looking into the door again and adding this by way of postscript in his own person its his father


but do not let his father said mr chester advancing hat in hand as he observed the effect of this last explanatory announcement do not let his father be any check or restraint on your domestic occupations miss varden


o i now i thereo ant


i always a saying it


exclaimed miggs clapping her hands


if he ant been and took alissea for her own daughter


well site do look like it that she do


ojy think at that miimi is it possible said air


chester in his softest tones that this is dirs


varden i am amazed


that is not your daughter ars


varden


no no


your sister smy daughter lndeed air returned mrs v blushing saitho great juvenility


ah mrs vardtn i cried the visitor


alt maiamhiimasity is indeed a happy lot when we can repeat ourselves in others end still be young as they


you must allow me to solute youotto cut sow of the reountry mny dearmadam your daughter dolly showed some reluctance to perform shoe cerewony hot was sharply seproved by mrs varden who insisted en her undergoing it that minute


for pide ahe said vwibh great severity was one of rthe svndeadly sins and humility and lowness of heart were sirtuos


wherefore she desired thae olly would be kissed immediately on palo of tier just displeasure at the samo titme giving tier to en


derstand that whatever alto saw her mother do shte might safely do herself without being at the trouble of any reasoning or reflection ott the subject


which indeed was olfoesive and undutiful and in direct centrsvontion of the church catechism thus admonished dolly coniplied


thouglt by no means willingly for there was a broad bold look of admiration in mir cheaters face refined and ixolishied though it sought to he which distressed bor very much


as she stood with downcast eyes soot liking to look up and meet his lie gazed upon her with sin approving air and then turned to her mnother


my friend gabriel whose ecqoaistance i only mnade this very evening aheuld be a happy mxii mrs vardeu


hi sighed mrs v shaking her head i h echoed milggs


is that she casei said mr chester compas


sionately


detr toe m alster list us titentions sir murmured miggs as alto sidled up to him but to be as grateful as hia cnatur will let hin for everyihink ho owns which it ia in lils powers to appreciate


but vve never air said


migga tooking sideways at mrs varden and ititerlariting her discourse with a sigh wo never know the full vahoo of saome wvines and figtrees till we lose em so much lthe wvoroe air for them as trot the slighting of em en their consciences wvhen theyre gone to tie is full blowv elsewhere


and pitis miggs cast up her eyes to signify where that might be


as mrs varden distinctly heard and was intended to hear all that miggs said soil as these words appeared to convey in metaphorical terms a presage or foreboding that sho would as some early riod drcop beneath tier trials and take en easy fiht tuawirds the stars site itmmedlately began to lnuish and taking a volucin of the manual from nnonelthouring sable iand leant iter arm upon it as thougt altoe were hope and that her anchor mr cheater perceiving this arid teeing how the volume svss lettered on the back took it gently from her hand and turned thsfluttvring loaves


my favourite book dear madam flow often how very often in his early lifebefore he can remember this clause was strictly truehave deduced little easy moral lessons from its pages for my dear son ned


i


you know


ned p mrs varden had that honour and a fine affable young gentleman he wai


youre a mother mrs varden said mr chester taking a pinch of snuff and you know what i as a father feel when he is praised


he gives me some uneasinessmuch uneasinesslhes of a roving nature maamfrom flower to flower from sweet to sweetbut his is the butterfly time of life and we n ust not be hard upon such trifling


he glanced at dolly


she was attending evidently to what he said


just what he desired i the only thing i object to in this little trait of neds is said dlr


chester and the mention of his name reminds me by the way that i am about to beg the favour of a minutes talk with you alone the only thing object to in it is that it does partake of insincerity


now however i may attempt to disguirr


the fact from myself in my affection for ned still i always revert to thisthat if we are not sincere we are nothing


nothing upon earth


let us be sincere my dear madam iand protestant murmured mrs varden


and protestant above all things


let us be sinceie and protestant strictly moral strictly just though always with a leaning towards mercy strictly honest and strictly true and we gainit is a slight point certainly but still it is something tangible we throw up a groundwork and foundation no to speak of goodness oet which we may afterwards erect some worthy superstructure


now to be sure mrs varden thought here is a perfect character


here is a meek righteous thoroughgoing christian who having mastered all these qualities so difficult of attainment who having dropped a pinch of salt on the tails of all the cardinal virtues and caught them every one makes light of their possession and pants for more morality


for the good woman never doubted as many good men and women never do that this slighting kind of profession this setting so little store by great matters this seeming to say i am not proud i am what you hear but i consider myself no better than other people let us change the subject praywas perfectly genuine and true


he so contrived it and said it in that way that it appeared to have been forced from him and its effect was marvellous


aware of the impression he had madefew men wre quicker than he at such discoveriesmr cheater followed up the blow by propounding certain virtuous maxims somewhat vague and general in their nature doubtless and occasionally partaking of the character of truisms worn a little out at elbow but delivered in so charming a voice and with such uncommon serenity and peace of mind that they answered as well as the best


nor is this to be wondered at for as hollow vessels produce a far more musical sound in falling than those which are substantial so it will oftentimes be found that sentiments which have nothing in them make the loudest ringing in the world and are the most re lished


mt chester with the volume gently extended in one hand and with the other planted lightly on his breast talked to them in the most delicious manner possible and quite enchanted all his hearers not


withstanding their conflicting interests and thoughts even dolly who between his keen regards and her eyeing over by mr tappertis was put quite out of countenance could not help owning within herself that he was the sweetest spoken gentleman she had ever seen


even miss miggs who was divided between admiration of mr chester and a mortal jealousy of her young mistress had sufficient leisure to lie propitiated


even mr tappertit though occupied as we have seen in gazing at hi hearts delight could not wholly divert his thoughts from the voice of the other charmer


mrs varden to her own private thinking had never been to im proved in all her life and when mr chester rising and craving permission to speak with her apart tock her by the hand and led her at arms length up stairs to the best sittingroom she almost deemed him something more than human


dear madam he said pressing her hand deli


cately to his lips be seated


mis varden called up quite a courtly air and became seated


you guess my object said mr chester drawing a chair towards her


you divine my purposel amn an affectionate parent my dear mrs varden


that i am sure you are sir said mrs v thank you returned mr chester tapping his snuffbox lid


heavy moral responsibilities rest with parents mrs varden


mrs varden slightly raised her hands shook her head and looked at the ground as though she saw straight through the globe out at the other end and into the immensity of space beyond


i may confide in you said mr chester o without reserve


i love my son maam dearly and loving hitn as i do i would save him from working certain misery


you know of his attach


ment to miss haredale


you have abetted him in it and very kind of you it was to do so


i am deeply obliged to youmost deeply obliged to you for your interest in his behalf but my dear maam it is a mistaken one i do assure you


mlrs


varden stammered that she was sorry sorry my dear maam he interposed


never be sorry for what is so very amiable so very good in intention so perfectly like yourself


but there are grave and weighty reasons pressing family conside rations and apart even froee these points of religious difference which interpose themselves and reader their union impossibleutterly impossible


i should have mentioned these circumstances to your husband but he basyou will excuse my saying this so freely he has not your quickness of apprehension or depth of moral sense


what an extremely airy house this is and how beautifully kept i for one like myself a widower no longthese tokens of female care and superiatendence have inexpressible charms


mrs varden began to think she scarcely knew why that the young mr chester must he in the wrong and the old mr cheater must be in the right


my son ned resumed her tempter with his most winniag air lias had i am told your lovely daughters aid and your openhtearted husbands


much more lhan mine sir said srs


var den a great deal more i have often had my doubts


its a a bad example suggested mr chester


it is no doubt it is


your daughter is at that age when to set before her an encoursgemena for young persons to rebel sgainst their parents on this most smportant paoit is particularly injedicious


you ame quite right


i ought to have thought of that myself but it escaped me i confesssn far superior are your sex to ours dear madam in point of pene


iration and sagacity


mrs varden looked as wlae as if she had really said something to deserve this complimentfirmly believed site had in shortand tier taith in tier own shrewdness increased considerably


smy dear maam said mr cheater you em


bolden me to be plain with you


imsy son


and i are at variance on this point


rhe young lady and hoc natural guardian differ upon it also


and the closing point is that moy son is bound by his duty to me


by his honour by every solemn tie and obligation to marry some one else


engaged to naiury another lady i quoth mrs varden holding up tier hands my dear madam brouglit up educated and tralued expressly for that purpose


expressly for that purpoea


miss iharedale i am told is a very stiarmning creature


im tatter fostermother and should know the beet young lady in sthe world said nice varden


i have not the smallest doubt of it


i ate sure shte is


and you who htave stood in that tender relation tewards tier are bound to cetnsult tier hap


pianoss


nose cats ias i have said to haredale who quito agreescan i posnibily stand by and etler tier to throw herself assay although she is of a catholic family upon a young fellow who as yet lass no heart at all


it is no imputatien upon him so say lie has net because young men who have plunged deeply into thse frivolitiss and convestion


alities of society very seldom have their hearts never gruaw


my elear maam till after lthirty


i dans believe sno i do net believe that i bed any laeart myself when i was neds age


ott air said mrs varden i think you must have had


its impossibhu that you evho hsave so muchoosw can over have been withiout anytm i tops he answered shrugging lilt shoulders meekly i have a little a very little hleaven knows i but to return to ned i have isodoubt you thought nistd therefore interfered bcnsvolannl in lila behalf that i objected to mtisa ilaredal


ioa very natural i


my dear madam i otjet to himto himemphatically to neil ihitisef


mrs varden was perfectl tghtst at the disclosure ho hss if he honiorabl fulilts slits solemn ob ligatlota of whichs i have tahld youard ito muss bei honorable or he is no son of minea fortune within his reach


he is of most expensive ruinously cx pensive habits and if in a moment of caprice and wilfulness he were to marry this young lady and so deprive himself of the means of gratifying the tastes to which he has been so long accustomed he would my dear madam he would break the gentle creatures heart


mrs varden my good lady my dear soul i put it to youis such a sacrifice to be endured t is the female heart a thing to be trifled with in this way


ask your own my dear madam


ask your own i beseech you


truly thought hirs


varden this geutlen a is a saint


but she added aloud and not unna turally if you take mliss lsmtmas lover away sir what becomes of the poor things heart then v ithe very point said mr chester not at nil abashed to which i wished to


lead you


a marriage with my son whom should be compelled to disown would be followed by years of misery they would be separated my dear madam in a twelve month


to break off this attachment which is more fancied titan real as you and i know very well will cost the dear girl but a few teats and she is happy again


take thecase of your own daughter the young lady down stairs who is your breathing imagemrs


varden coughed and simpered there is a young man am sorry to say a dissolute fellow of very indifferent character of whom have heard ned speakbullet was it pulletmullet btere is a young man of the name of joseph willet air said mrs varden foldiag her hands loftily


thats lte cried mr chester


suppose this joseph willet now were to aspire to the affections of your charming daughter and were to engage them


it would be like his impudence interposed mlrs varden bridling to dare to think of such a thing i m ly dear madam thats the whole case


i know it would be like liis impudence


it is like neds impudence to do as he has done liut you would not on that account or because of a few tears from your beautiful daughter refrain from checking their inch


nations in their birth


i meant to have reasoned thus with your husband when i saw him at mrs rudges this evening my husband said murs


varden interposing with emotion would be a great deal better at home than going to mrs rudges so often


i dont know what he does there


i dont see what occasion he has to busy himself in her affairs at all sir


if i dont appear to express my concurrence in those last sentiments of yours returned mr chester quite so strongly as you might desire it is because his being there my dear madam and not proving conversaiional


led me hither and procured me the happiness of this interview with one in whom the whole management conduct and prosperity of her family are centred i perceive


with that lie took airs


vardens hand again and having pressed it to his lips with the highflown gallantry of the daya littled burlesqued to render it the more striking in the good ladys unaccustomed eyesproceeded in the same strain of mingled so phistry cajolery and flattery to entreat that her utmost influetnce might be exerted to restrain her husband and daughter from any further promotion of edwaids suit to miss ilaredale and from aiding or abetting either party in any way


mrs varden was but a woman and had her share of vanity obstinacy and love of power


she entered into a secret treaty of alliance offensive and defensive with her insinuating visitor and really did believe as many others would have done who saw and heard him that in so doing she furthered the ends of truth justice and morality in a very uncommon degree


overjoyed by the success of his negotiation and mightily amused within himself mr cheater con ducted her down stairs in the same state as before and having repeated the previous ceremony of salutation which also as before comprehended dolly took his leave first completing the conquest of miss miggss heart by inquiring if this young lady would light him to the door


oh mim said liggs returning with the candle


oh gracious me mim theres a gentle man i was there evet such an angel to talk as he isand such a sweetlooking wan


so upright and noble that he seems to despise the very ground he walks on and yet so mild and condescending that he seems to say


but i will take notice on it too


and to think of his taking you for miss dolly anti miss dolly for your sister


ot my goodness me if i was master wouldnt i be jealous of him


i mrs varden reproved her handmaid for this vain speaking but very gently and mildlyquite smilingly indeedremarking that she was a toolips giddy lightbeaded girl whose spirits carried her beyond all bounds and who didnt mean half she said or she would be quite angry with her


for my part said dolly in a thoughtful man ner i half believe mr chester is something like miggs in that respect


for all his politeneas and pleasant speaking i am pretty sure he was making game of us more than once


if you ventute to say such a thing again and to speak ill of people behind their backs in my presence miss said mrs varden i shall insist upon your taking a candle directly


how dare you dolly


im astonished at you


the rudeness of your wnhale behaviour this evening has been disgraceful


did anybody ever hear cried the enraged matron bursting into tears of a daughter telling her own mother she has been made game of


what a very uncertain temper mrs vardens was i to be continued


barnaby rudge


ctiapter xlr


from the workshop of the golden key there issued forth a tinkling sound so merry and good humoured that it suggested the idea of some one working blithely and made quite pleasant music


no man who hammered on at a deep monotous duty couldhave brought such cheerful notes from steel and iron none but a chirping healthy bonesthearted fellow who made the best of every thing and felt kindly towards everybody could have done it for an instant


he might have been a coppersmith and still be musical


if he had sat in a jolting waggon full of rods of iron it seemed as


fihijiylhrhais


i s iahl vdr bell and audible at every pause of the streets harsher noises as though it said i dont care nothing puts me out i am resolved to be happy


women scolded children squalled heavy carts went rumbling by torrible cries proceeded from the lungs of hawkers still it struck in again no higher no lower no louder no softer not thrusting itself on peoples notice a bit the more for having been outdone by louder sounds tink tink tink tink tink


it was a perfect embodiment of the still small voice free from all cold hoarseness huskiness or unhealthiness of any kind footpassengers slackened their pace and were disposed to linger near it neighbours that had pot up splenetic that morning felt goodhumour stealing on them as they heard it and by degrees became quite sprightly mothers danced their babies to its ringing still the same magical tink


tink tink came gaily from the work


shop of the golden key


who but the locksmith could have made such musicl a gleam of sun shining through the un sashed window and chequeriog the dark workshop with a broad patch of light fell full upon him as though attractedby his sunny heart


there he stood working at his anvil his face all radiant with exercise and gladness his sleeves turned up his wig pushed off his shining forehead the easiest freest happiest man in all the world


beside him sat a sleek cat purring and winking in the light and falling every now and then into an idle doze as from excess of comfort


toby looked on from a tall bench hard by one beaming smile from his broad nutbrown face down to the slackbaked buckles inhis shoes


the very locks that hung around had something jovial in their rust and seemed like gouty gentlemen of hearty natures dia posed to joke on their infirmities


there was no thing surly or severe in the whole scene


it seemed impossible that any one of the innumerable keys could fit a churlish strong box or a prison door


cellars of beer and wine rooms where there were fires books gossip and cheering laughterthese were their proper sphere of action


places of distrust and cruelty and restraint they would have left quadruplelocked for ever


tink tink tink


the locksmith paused at last and wiped his brow


the silence roused the cat who jumping softly down crept to the door and watched with tiger eyes a birdcage in an opposite window


gabriel lifted toby to his mouth and took a hearty draught


then as he stood upright with his head flung back and his portly chest thrown out you would see that gabriels lower man was clothed in military ear glancing at the wall beyond there mightr have been espied hanging on their several pegs a cap and feather broadsword cap and coat of scarlet which any man learned in such siattera would have known from their make and patteri to be the uniform of a serjeant in the royal east


london volunteers


as the locksmith put his mug down empty on the bench where it had smiled on him beforehe glanced at these articles with a laughing eye and looking at them with his head a little on one side as though he would get them all into a focus said leaning on his hammer time was now i remember when i was like to run mad with the desire to wear a coat of that colour


if any one except my father had called me a fool for my pains how i should have fired and fumed i but what a fool i must have been surely


ah i sighed mrs varden who had entered unobserved a fool indeed


a man at your time of life varden you should know better now


why what a ridiculous woman you are mar thal said the locksmith turniog round with a smile


certainly replied mrs v with great de mureness


of course i am


i know that var den


thank you


i mean began the locksmith


yes said his wife know what you mean you speak quite plain enough to be understood varden


its very kind of you to adapt yourself to my capacity i am sure


tut tut martha rejoined the locksmith dont take offence at nothing


i mean how strange it is of you to run down volunteering when its done to defend you and all the other women and our own fire side and every body elses in case of need


its unchristian cried mrs varden shaking her head


unchristian said the locksmith


why what the devil mrs varden looked at the ceiling as in expecta tion that the consequence of this profanity would be the immediate descent of the fourpost bedstead on the second floor together with the best sitting room on the first but no visible judgment occurring she heaved a deep sigh and begged her husband in a tone of resignation to go on and by all means to blaspheme as much as possible because he knew she liked it


the locksmith did for a moment seem disposed to gratify her but he gave a great gulp and mildly rejoined i was going to say what on earth do you call it unchristian for which would be most unchristian marthato sit quietly down and let our houses be sacked by a foreign army or to turn out like men and drive em off


shouldnt i be a nice sort of a christian if i crept into a corner of my own chim ney and looked on while a parcel of whiskered savages bore off dollyor you


when he said or you mrs vardcn despite herself selaxed into a smile


there was something complimentary in the idea


nlu such a state of things as that indeed she simpered


sas that


repeated the locksmitlh


well that would be the state of things directly


even miggs would go


some black tambourine player with a great turban on would be bearing her off and unless the tambourine player wavs proof against kicking and scratching its rny belief hed have the worst of it


ila ha hal id forgive the tambour ine player


i wouldnt have him interfered with on any account poorfellowv


and here thie locksmith laughed again so heartily that tears came into his eyesnmuch to mrs vardens indignation who thought the capture of so sound a protestant and estimable a private character as miggs by a pagan negro a circumstance too shocking and awful for contemlplation


itlhe picture gabriel had drawn indeed threatened serious conseqluences and would indubitably have led to them but luckily at that mnoment a light foot step crossed the threshold and diolly running in threw hier arms round her old fathers neck and ihugged him tight


llere ate is at last


cried gabriel


and ihowv well you look doll and how late you are my darling l hlow well shoe looked


welll why if he had exhausted every laudatory adjective in the diction ary it vwouldnt have bee plraise enough whlen ard vlwhere was there ever suert a plnml roguish comely brighteyedl enaticing lewvitching capti voting nmaddeoniag little puss i alnl this world as dully


what was the dolly of five ycaar ago to the lolly of that lay lhow lnuny coachmakers saidmlers cabinetmaakers and professors of other useful arts had deserted their fathers notheros sisters and brotlers and most of all their cousins for thq love of her how many unknown gentle mensupposed to be of mighty fortunes if not titleshad waited round thecorner after dark and tempted iltiggs the incorruptible with golden guineas to deliver offers of marriage folded up in lovelettersl how manydisconsolate fathers and substantial tradesmen had waited on the locksmith for the same purpose with dismal tales of how their sons had lost their appetites and taken to shut themselves up in dark bedrooms and wandering in desolate subtrbs with pale fces and all because of sdolly vardens loveliness and cruelty


how many young men in all previous times of unpre cedented steadiness


had turned suddenly wild and wicked for the same reaon and in an ecstasy of unrequited love taken to wrench off doorknockers and invert the box of rheumatic watchmen


i how had she recruited the kings service both by sea tand land through rendering desperate his loving subjects bletween the ages of eighteen qpd twenty


fire


flow many young ladies had publicly pro fessed with tears in their eyes that for their tastes she was much too short too tall too bold too cold too stout too thin too fair too darktoo everything hut handsome


how many old ladies taking


counsel together had thanked heaven their daughterr were not like her and had hoped she might come to no harm and had thought she would come to no good and had wondered what people saw in hier and had arrived at the conclusion that she was going off in her looks or had never come on in them and that she was a thorough imposition and a popular mistake


and yet here was this dolly varden so whim sical and hard to please that she was dolly varden


till all smiles and dimples and pleasant looks and aring no more for thie fifty or sixty young fellows who at that very moment were breaking their hearts a to marry her


than if so


many oysters had been oo


cirs


t iovesadn ned afterwards


otemtoe


the story oe


a feather


js batistas jerrara


a story from punch chapter vii


continued from our last


atty returns homean unexpected visitor


when mr flamingo had fairly crossed the threshold of the toundhouse ho paused and throwing as much solemnity m lay in his power into his figure voice and manner asked of putty what she thought would become of her


poor girl


that thought was then busy at her heartthat thought then bewildered her she answered not a m ordbut sobbed bitterly


see what it is to have fallen into the hands of a christian continued the feathermerchant


if mr curlwclphadonly pressed his chargethat worthy person being too modest to listen to his praises had walked quickly on what what could have saved you from oakum and bridewell


if youre not quite lost to shame and virtue youll pray for that good man


pray for him cried knuckle


well master if you dont make the flesh shako upon ones bones tell you as ive told you before it was the old fellow himself who iusulted the childit was silence sirsilence


i


that shocking habit you have of speaking against your betters will some day take you to tyburn


dont i know the gentleman well


a man with money in the hank


a man in the confidence of one of my best customers


a man with such a fatherly look iwears powder and everything respectable is it likely eh asked the feathermerchant with an invincible air


as for you and flamingo turned to patty as a christian i hope youll not want bread butno


i owe it to mrs flamingo owe it to the virtuous young people about meyou never eat ano ther crumb of minc


i did nothing siri said nothingindeed sirioh sir i you dont know what ive suffered


patty could stammer out no more


suffered i


and what have i suffered


is ft nothing tor have ones property flaunted about in a roundhouse


us mel if the world knew what had happened lse feathers where would be my reputationand tr where uld


v connexion


the feathers now nrf wmningo arnt worth w t been fumbled a little urged knuckle tt dtty put em all to rights again


yes indeed sir cried patty earnestlyindeed i will


ill not sleep first


humph i said flamingo and how do i know that the property will be safe


patty spoke not a word but she looked in the face of flamingoin his hard swoln prosperous faceand the look made his eye blink and his lip work he violently rubbed his chin and said hurriedly well well i hope after all that you are honest and so under the circum stancesive no doubt im setting a bad examplestill under the circumstances it was thus delicately flamingo touched upon the death of puttys mother bring myself to trust you


now go home say your prayers be a good girl and particularly mind that i have the feathers tomorrowluke i want youquick


saying this mr flamingo walked towards his westward habitation


now the feathermerchant was when all is said not really so coarse and selfish as his words and manner seem ingly proclaimed him


he did not credit all the story told or rather cunningly hinted by curlwell of fatty nevertheless he would not trust himself to disbelieve lord huntingtoppcrs valet he was so respectable so wellplaced and more he was in the establishment of a nobleman whose lady had such a lau dable love of feathers


i therefore flamingo suffered his belief to be nicely balanced between the valet and the girl both might be rightboth might be wrong


flamingo was how ever one of those politic folks who think the surest way to make people that is people depending upon them better than than they are is to treat them as if they were infinitely worse


a workman had only to commit some heinous fault and so entirely forfeit the confidence of his master to learn for the first time what an estimable person the feathermerchant had once thought him


a man had only to turn thief to make flamingo earnestly declare that he would have trusted that man vtith untold gold


such trust however it had never really been his weakness to put in the human animal


knuckle having said a few hurried words of comfort to putty followed his master


patty then with quickened steps turned towards her home


yes with lightened heart she almost ran along the street gliding and shrinking from every passerby as though dreading some new impediment some ter rible delay to keep her from a hearth where death alone re mained to greet her


so happy so strangely hjppy was she at her escape from the den she had quitted so relieved from the paralysing dread that the lastlast consolation would have been denied her that in her assurance of liberty she seemed to lose a conviction of that irreparable misery at home she j ran once more to find her mother hardly for the time remem bering that that mother had passed away for ever


the bell of st martins tolls two and patty with swoln eyes and anxious bloodless face is working alone


she is sewing some piece of dress a mourning garment a piece of decent outside black purchased by the sacrifice of almost all necessary apparelof the very bedcovering for which in the coming winter nights she may starve with winter cold she is working mechanically working her face dead blank with miseryher fingers only moving


what a hideous vanity may leer from out the ornamental mourning of the richwhat elaborate mockery of woe in gauze and flounce bought over fashions counter but what a misery on the misery of deathwhat sacrifice upon suffering in the black of the poor bought with money lentthat is sold by the moneybroker i


the churchbell had scarcely ceased to sound when a low distinct knock struck on the door again and again yet patty heard it not but continued at her work absorbed and uncon scious


the door opened and a female silently as a shadow glided in


patty patty said the visitor


patty lifted up her head was about to shriek when by a violent effort she subdued her emotion and laying down her work and rising from her chair she asked with trembling voice in the name of god who what are you


do you not know me patty said the woman with a slight shudder


can it be jessy


cried patty


it is that wretch though god bless you for calling me jessy thats something


should not have known you what has happened are you not well asked patty hurriedly becoming alarmed at the unearthly aspect of her visitor


indeed her appearance was changed and terrible


her face looked claycold and claywet white and reeking from the agony of brain and heart


her black eyes had something awful in their wild energy and her discoloured lips were pressed as one together as though to master and control the passionate grief that struggled to burst from her


thus changed thus possessed it was no wonder that patty paused ere she recognised in her visitor the lost the wretched girl whose sympathy had awakened in her sorrowing heart a feeling of sisterly pity of mournful gratitude


poor creature the look of trading misery the reckless flaunting air that a few hours since she deemed a fitting necessary grace was lost destroyed in the intensity of mental suffering


contrasting her past aspect with ber present she seemed a thing of vulgar vice elevated and purified by agony the hideous farce of wretchedness affecting mirtb heightened to the solemnity of mortal tragedy


whats the matter


what do you wanthere asked fatty timidly and endeavouring not to shrink back from the figure whichdespite of her attempted firm nessseemed to dilate and grow more terrible before her


what do you want here repeated patty and she glanced at the coffin


the look on the sudden changed the woman to meekness and the next moment touched her into tear


i would not for the world dear pattyob let me for this night call you toi would not disturb you and at such a time i would not but theres something at my heartdo let me tell itdo or my heart will break


with gushing eyes the poor outcast made this passionate request and patty with pitying loo offered ber a chair


what is the matter asked patty with her sweet tender voice made more cordial by the uncontrollable sorrow that possessed her visitor


i


ill tell you said the woman with an effort and in a few moments with dry eyes but with a voice deep and husky with subdued emotion she thus proceeded


come patty first to ask your forgiveness


you never offended meindeed no said patty


i tell you yes many a time have laughed at you sneered at youcalled you foul names


and why


it was to relieve my heartit would have burst if i had not


when i saw you to young mo innocent so cheerful working early and late for the dear soul thal now lies therepatty uncon sciously stretched her hands towards the coffin ha i cried jessy you may look thereyou may pray there i could not dare to do itfor my mother would rise in her shroud and curse me


no nodo not think so said patty it is not goodness to think


hut let me say cried jessy


what i came to say


you did not know when sneered and laughed at you how much i loved you but was it for such as i was to say so


no and so relieved my heart with madness and vile words andbut that is over i have seen that tonighthere the woman shuddered and her cheek quivered with terrorseen what has changed me


thank heaven for it jessy cried patty with a look of gladness


you forgive me


patty took the speakers hand and pressed it between her own


and will you before we part for ever let meit will case my heartlet me tell you my miserable story


iftwill please you yes said patty it shall be in few wordsfor i am in torment while i speak yet it is a torment that a something i know not what will make mc suffer


i am countryborn my childhood was one long happy holiday was an only child and wi iv father as his heart was to his bosom


all t lne was nothing but happy sounds and happy st y rst trouble was the departure of a ncighbp son for tnc soa but ve parted with a vow of lastiiovc and hat vow was appved by our parents


i wo ycars passcamy bert was changed some devil ihered my naturei became


vain headstrong selfih lcft my futners house a wicked guilty thing and for


ree years have tried to hide my shame here in london


oh i those three years i had the sky for that time rained fire upon mc i had not suffered half so much


aly story is nearly done


two hours since i was in the streetlaughing loudly laughing from an empty and corrupted heart


a man slowly passed mc with a laugh i laid my hand upon his shoulder he turned his headoh christ iit was my father i with these words the wretched woman sank back in the chair and with fallen mouth fixed eyes and ghastly features looked on the sudden deathstruck


patty was about to rise to seek assistance when jessy grasped her by the hand and held her with convulsive strength


in a cow minutes she became composed and then pro ceeded patty i am now determined


quit this life of horror


i will pray to find something like peacelike goodness


i have done you harmwill you forgive meforgive the wretched magdalenandyespray for her


suying this jessy in


passion of grief dropt upon her knees putty starting from her chair and hiding her face in her hands sobbed i do forgive youi prey for youigod in heaven bless and strengthen you


to be continued


literature the story of a feather


by douglas


introduction


i am a native of africa but my parent ostrich having been hunted down for the property he carried about with him i was many years ago shipped at the cape of good hope for london in which magnificent city i have lived a life of many changes


on my arrival i was preferred to the house of a duke there i waved and fluttered and tossed my head among the noblest of the land and now but i will narrate my adventures in the order they befell me


my duty to my parent demands that i should champion him against the supercilious sneers of the worldthat i should vindicate his memory from the ignorant slander of mankind


i will confess it when after a race of some fifty leagues with the horses close at my parents tail cujus fui minima pars where reader i picked up my latin shall in good time be made known to youwhen i beheld my honoured sire thrust his head into a bush believing as it was too plain he did that because he could not see himself nobody could see himi do confess despite of filial love i felt a fluttering of indig nation not unalloyedmay i be pardoned the sinwith contempt


the world has taught me better wisdom


expe rience hath made me tolerant


since i have seen men praised too for their excelling prudence commit the selfsame folly as my unfortunate sire reproach has subsided into sorrow and contempt become ennobled by regret


but i come of an outraged a slandered race


what bouncing fibs have been written of me by sandblind philosophers and glibly repeated by gossips of all sorts at their firesides


how venerable does a lie become by length of years


truth is never a babe and never a hag


as at the first so at the last full blown yet young her eyes lustrous through ages and her lip ruddy and fresh as with the dews of eden upon her brow sits an eternity of beauty


now falsehood is born a puling roar ing thing its very infancy is anticipative of its old age and stamped with the grossness of mortality


day by day it waxes bigger and stronger has increase of reputation crowds of clients until at length its unrighteous hoariness makes it worshipped by multitudes for no other reason save thisit has gray hairs


and so the wrinkled wizard keeps his court and works his mischiefdealing paralysing spells until truth at some time turn her sapphire eyes full upon him and as a bubble at a fingers touch falsehood is gone


for thousands of years my ancestors have borne the weight of lies upon their backs


and first for the shameless scandal that the family of ostriches wanted the love which even with the wasp makes big its parental heart towards its little ones the ostrich having laid her eggs leaves them to be hatched by the heal of the sun


such is the wickedness that for tens of centuries has passed among men for truth reducing the ostrich to a level with those hollowhearted children of adam who leave their little ones to the mercies of the worldto the dandling of chanceto the hard rearing of the poorhouse


there is lord de bowelless he has a rentroll of thousands is a plumed and jewelled peer


look at him in his robesbehold lawmaker written on the broad tablet of his comprehensive brow


he is in the house of peers the born protector of his fellowman


how the consciousness of high function sublimates his nature


he looks and speaks and lays his hand upon his breast the invin cible champion of all human sufferingall human truth


turn a moment from the peer and look at yonder biped


there is an old age of cunning cut and lined in the face of a mere youth


he has counted some nineteen summers yet is his soul wrinkled with deceit


and wherefore


poor wretch


his very birth brought upon her who bore him abuse and infamy his first wail was to his mothers ear the worlds audible reproach


he was shuffled off into the world a thing anyway to be for gotten lost got rid of


in his very babihood he was no more to men than the young lizard that crawls upon a bank and owes its nurture to the bounty of the elements


and so this hapless piece of human offalthis human ostrich deserted in its very shellwas hatched by wrong and accident into a thief and there he stands charged with the infamy of picking pockets


the world taught him nothing wise or virtuous and now most properly will the world scourge him for his ignorance


and thus because man and man alone can with icy heart neglect his little onescan leave them in the worlds sandy desert to crawl into life as best they maybecause as lord de bowelless can suffer his natural baby to be swaddled in a work house to eat the pap of poorlawsto learn as it grows nothing but the readiest means of satisfying its physical instinctsbe cause his lordship can let his own boy sneak and wind and filch through life ending the life the peer did him the deep wrong to bestow upon him in macquarie harbourbecause forsooth his lordship is capable of all this he must in the consciousness of his own depraved nature libel the parental feelings of the affectionate ostrich


oh that the slander could perish and for ever


oh that i could pierce the lie to the heart with a feather pierce it though cased in the armour of forty centuries


again the ostrich is libelled for his gluttony


believe w liit is said of him and you would not trust him even in the hojal stables lest he should devour the very shoes from the feet of the horses


why the ostrich ought to be taken as the one em blem of temperance


he lives and flourishes in the desert his choicest food a bitter spikey shrub with a few stonesfor how rarely can he find iron how few the white days in which the poor ostrich can in arabia petrea have the luxury of a lenpenny nailto season as with salt his vegetable diet i and yet common councilman prawns with face purple as the pur ple grape will call the ostrichglutton i for how many centuries did that stately rajah the elephant move about the earth mankind all the while resolutely denying to bim the natural joints of his legs poor fellow although thousands and thousands of times he must have knelt before mengoing upon his knees that his riders might tell the truth of himthey nevertheless refused to him the power of bending


but the elephant hu become a travellerhas con descended to eat cakes at a fairhas shown the combined humility and magnanimity of his nature by going on his marrowbones on the boards of a playhouse and the world has at length passed a truthful sentence upon him


in the year the elephant has joints


i have endeavoured feebly enough i know to vindicate the character of the maligned stlich


let that pass


my purpose in the following chaptersand whether i shall proceed to one or five hundred chapters is a doubt at present hidden in the mysterious depths of a bottle of inkis to tell what i have seen in my eventful evershifting existence as a leather among men


an ostrich feather i consider my mutations and give courteous car to my history chapter


my arrival in england visit to shadrach jacobs of the minories


mr voyage from the cope to the port of london i would tain pass with the fewest words


i bad at least this consolation


i was an unwilling traveller


otherwise i had deserved all the miseries of shipboardthe darkness ihe fetor


ihe hubbub and violence of the place


i have some pity for anything that in its ignorance of saltwater first trust itself to its mercies but none for the fool that ventures twice


there may be some edenlike spots even in a coalmine but the hold of s ship nh remember being once present at a party of the bishop of fatotlielands


the conversation turned apon the bounti fulness of the sea ordained as it assuredly was for the facile communication of man with man


poor simpletons


i it is my inherent faith that the ocean waa expressly created to keep nations as much as possible separate but that the courageous wickedness of man has set at nought the benevolent design of nature andto hei astonishmenthas triumphed in the very teeth of seasickness


nay have i not on my side the wisdom of lawmakers


for were they not of my faith would they tax silks and pepper


on the contrary would tbey not take to their boioms the adventurous men who are tossed to and from the far east for rare commodities to clothe um limbs and tickle the palates of tbelrfellowbipeds


and what is the fact


why legislation ai s check to the presumption of man makes mat in a hundred different modespay for hit temerity


the tes was intended to keep people to themselves but the human heart ia wicked and man became shipbuilders


let meliere advise the reader of one of my besetting fault


i ian now and then apt to give up the thread of a narrative that may run after some butterflythought starting up before me however if the reader have patience he will find that i always return to my story


if he have not let him make the history and utility of the pyramids and at once lay down the feathery tale before him


i am conscious of this infirmity of falling into idle chitchat


consider however the prejudices of my early education


consider the time of life at which i was taken to courtconsider the society amidst which i passed my whitest days and you will pardon the smalltalk of this my forlorn ragged mortified old age


however to begin the history of my adventures in merry miserable englandi found myself the properly of the third mate of the jupiter who had purchased me with other of my companions of a kaffer for a twist of pigtail my new master rejoicing himself exceedingly at the cultivated intellect which enabled him to trick the savage


he never i am certain felt so much of an englishman as when he had fobbed the hot tentot jack lipscomb for so was my new master named combined in his natureat least so he thoughtall the courage and daring of the sailor with the prudence and foresight of the experienced merchant


with this belief he had the deepest contempt for every man of every other nation save england


he believed that the blessings of arithmetic were wholly con fined to his own beloved country and her darling sons hence in his small traffic with chinese malay and hottentot he would insist that two and two made seven five mid seven fifteen or twenty as he might feel it convenient to arrange the figures


in n word he considered every foreigner to be produced by benevolent nature for this one purposeto bestow profit and pleasure on a freaborn briton


it was this consciousness of superiority that made him vote himself honest jack lips comba man as was above a lie and didnt care who knew it


hed no deceit in him not he nohe never did nothing that he need hide from nobody


it was doubtless this fine prin ciple that induced the ingenuous sailor lo pack myself and some twenty companions between lils shirt and jacket ere he quilted the docks


doubtless there was no need


ot such an arrange ment no other than the whim the caprice of honest jack lipscomb


on leaving the docks jack took his way towards the almo res and in a short time smote the hospitable door of an ancient hebrew known among his people as shailrach jacobs and still more familiarly recognised hy his intimates as old fluffy


shadrach was a dealer in the pomps and vanities of life turning the honest penny by such commodities and still benevolently deploring their existence


he would employ au hour per suading a poor wench that earrings of mosaic metal were of the purest ore pocket the girls quarters wages for the small commercial deceit and then sigh for the promised innocence the pure felicity of the new jerusalem


this was the trades man who for the past four voyages had purchased the mer chandise of honest knowing jack lipscomb


velll if it isnt mr lipscombif i didnt dream on you last nightif didnt dream you was come home captain dont never believe mc thats all


such uiis the salutation of the hebrew dealer as jack stood revealed nt the doorstep


this ray mr lipscombthis vay and old flu hy fluttered down the passage and mounted the narrow staircase shaking nt lcist twenty years from his heels with the expectation of sudden gain


jack was speedily conducted into the jews room crammed and littered as it was with exotic produceshells feathers birds bamboosticks indian hammocks warswords canoepaddles with halfadozen screaming parrots and macaws enriched the commercial sanctuary of the hebrew


if didnt dream you was captain mr lipscomb re peated the jew us jack dropt himself upon a chair


captain i ciied jack affecting a contempt for such vain dignity


veil then first mate said the jew as though his dream comprehended even the second rank


ugh i cried jack a pretty firstmate weve gotyes a good un hu isjust know a bowsprit from a umbrella and thats all


bless me


veil


i sighed the jew and then smiling and rubbing his hands he turned himself towards jack and with an affected look of anxiety said


in course mr lipscomb j ou comet back second i tell you what old fluffy said jack stung with the feeling of unrewarded personal merit i tell you whatim just what i washonest jack lipscombthird mate of the jupiterand id like you to show meamorestraightforwarder honester cleverer fellow


ha i


it would do good to my eyes to see him us could said shadrach and then in a tone of sympathy only thirdmate veil this is a vorld to be sure i having thus delivered him self mr jacobs proceeded to the first business or his life namely to business itself


he had thought it merely prudent to learn the condition of his old acquaintance whether improved or not since they last met


this it must be owned on the part of the jew was really respectful to station in the abstract for if mr lipscomb were captain lipscomb mr jacobs of course knew too well what was due to rank to offer to a com mander or even to a first or second mate that which in the traders own opinion was merely due to the third veil and vot have you brought us jack usked the jew with the old familiarity of an old friend


in the first place answered the sailor feathers and he produced me


feathersveil i dont know mused the jew as for feathers jack theyre down to nolliin


theres no vonder the vorlds vot it is for feathers is quite gone out look at them shelves there look at them boxesall fullnut sold a feather this six months


i dont know vots come to peoplu


some say its edication dont know if it is it ought to be put down for it innkes the feather trade notliinnothinnothln


thui spoke the jew his voice deepening on each of the last three words until he sounded what seemed the very bassstring of despair


indeed the jew and the sailor might have made a picture


shadrach had in his youth rejoiced in luxuriant locks of more than golden they were in the intense signification of the phrase red gold


these in the storms of life had become thickly specked with gray and white yet remained there a departing ray among them to indicate the glory that was past


shadrachs face was lean and pointed his eyes quick and as at times they seemed trembling with excess of lighta light reflected as from guineas


his nose as boldly bowed indi cating the true son of israel and whilst the corners of his upper lip were twitched hy muscular emotionhow myste riously is fashioned the civilised man when there is a connexion between the seat of the pocket and the seat of the mouth emotion due homage to the spirit of gain his under lip hung down lapped over with the weight of sensibility or sensuality i cannot here decide


his sharp face quick eye faded yellow hair and ardent complexion gave him to the eye of fancy the visage of an old fox


grown venerably grey in the blood of stolen geese


and thus shadrach sat and gated at jack lipscomb


and jack received the looks of the jew with the stalwart manner of a british tar chewing the while that sweetest con dimentpigtail tobacco


i to be continued


ciiapteri xit


there was a brief pause in the staleroom of the slaypole as mr hasredale tried the lock to satisfy himself that he had shut the door securely and striding up the dark chamber to where the screen inclosed a patch of light and warmth presented himself abruptly and in silence before the smiling guest


if the two had no greater sympathy in their inward thoughts than in their outward bearing and appearance the meeting did not seem likely to prove a calm or pleasant one


with no great disparity between them in point of years they were in every other respect as unlike and far removed from each other as two men could well be


the one was sditspoken delicately made precise and elegant the other a burly squarebuilt


man neg ligently dressed rough and abrupt in manner stern and in his present mood forbidding both in look and speech


the one preserved a calm and placid smile the other a distrustful frown


the new comer indeed appeared bent on showing by his every tone and gesture his determined opposition and hostility to the man he had come to meet


the guest who received him on the other hand seemed to feel that the contrast betweentltemwas all in his avour and to derive a quiet exultation from it which put him moreathis ease than ever


iaredale said this gentleman without the least appearance of embarrassment or reserve i am very glad to see you


let us dispense with compliments they are misplaced between us returned the other waving his hand and say plainly what we have to say


you have asked me to meet you


i am here


why do we stand face to face again


still the same frank and sturdy character i see i good


orbad sir i am returned the other learning his arm on the chimneypiece and turning a haughty look upon the occupant of the easy chair the man i used to be


i have lost no old likings ordislikings my memory has not failed me by a haisbreadth


you ask me to give you a meeting


i say i am here


our meeting haredale said mr chester tapping his snuffbox and


following with a smile the impatient gesture lhe had madeperhaps uncon sciouslytowards his sword is one of conference and peace i hope


i have come here returned the other at your desire holding myself bound to meet you when and where you would


i have not come to bandy plea sant speeches or hollow professions


you are a smooth man of the world air and at such play have me at a disadvantage


the very last man on on this earth with whom i would enter the lists to combat with gentle compliments and masked faces is r


chester i do assure you


i am not his match at such weapons and have reason to believe that few men are


you do me a great deal of honour haredale returned the other most composedly and i thank you


i will be frank with you beg your pardonwill be whatl frank open perfectly candid


halh i cried mr ilaredale drawing his breath


in with a sarcastic smile


but dont let nme interrupt you


so resolved am i to hold this course returned


the other tasting his wine with great deliberation that i have determined not to quarrel with you and not to be betrayed into a warm expression era hasty word


there again said mr haredale you will have me at a great advantage


your selfcom mand is not to be disturbed when it will serve my purpose you would say rejoined the other inter rupting itum with the same complacency


granted


i allow it


and i have a purpose to serve now


so have you


i am sure our object is the same


let us attain it like sensible men who have ceased to be boys some time


do you drink


with my friends returned the other


at least said smtr


chester you will be seated i will stand returned mr haredale impas tiently on this dismantled beggared hearth and not pollute it fallen as it is with mockeries


go on you are wrong haredale said the other crossing his legs and smiling as he held his glass up in the bright glow of the fire


you are really


very wrong the torld is alivefy place enough in which we must accommodateourselves to circutn stinces sail with sthe stream as glibly as we can be content in take froth for aubstance ithe surface for the depth the counterfeit for the real coin


i won der no philosopher has ever established that out globe itself is hollow


it should be if nature it consistent in her works


you think it is perhaps i should say he returned sipping his wine there could be no doubt about it


well we in our trifling with this jingling toy have had the ill luck to jostle and fall out


we are not what the world calls friends but we are as good and true and loving friends for all that as nine out of every ten of those on whom it bestows the title


you have a niece and i a sona fine lad haredale but foolish