i ddnt know brasrouge any more than i know brasnoir it rained hard and i stepped into the alley for shelter you was beating this poor girl and i beat you thats all


just so besides i dont want to know anything of your affairs those who stand in need of the services of brasrouge dont tell it to all rome say no more about it then turning to la goualeuse he said on my faith youre a good girl you handle your scissors well


it was only in fun but it was really kindon


your part that you did not wish that madman there to thrash me when i cried enough


youll come and drink with us this gentleman pays


by theby instead of going to drink suppose we go and sup at the lapin blanc


agreed


ill pay for supper


will you come la goualeuse said the unknown


oh


i was very hungryshe answered sbut this fight has made me heartsick i have no more appetite


nonsense that will come when once at the table besides the cookingat the white rabbit is firstrate


the three individuals now on the most friendly footing turned their steps towards the tavern


during the whole time of this conflict a charbonnier of gigantic stature concealed in another alley had watched with anxiety the chances of the combat without having lent the least assistance to either of the ad versaries and when the trio started for the tapis franc the charbonnier followed them


the bandit and la goualeuse entered first the unknown was about following when the charbonnier approached and whis pered in a most respectful tone in english smy lordtake care


the unknown shrugged his shoulders and joined his companions


the pretended charcoaldealer hovered near the door listening with great attention and from time to time peeping through a small hole of the wretched window which as is usual in these dens was thickly incrusted with white paint on the inside


the tavern was situated about half way down the street


above the door of the dark vaulted entrance was suspended a cracked lantern on which was painted in red lettershere lodgings may be had for the night


the chourincur the goualeuse and the unknown entered the tavern


it was a long low room with smoky ceiling and blackened rafters badly lighted by the murky rays of a miserable lamp


the counter covered with lead was fur nished with jugs and difierentsized measures of tin on a small shelf there were several glass flagons moulded in the form of the emperor which were filled with adulterated liquors of a rose and green colour known by the name of parfait amour and consolation finally a large black cat with yellow eyes crouching near the ogrese seemed the amniliar spirit of the place by a contrast that almost seems incredible if we diduot know that the human breast is


an impenetrable abyssa holy easter branch bought at the church by the ogresse was placed behind the box of an old cuckoo clock


two men with sinister looks unshorn beards and clothed almost in rags were whispering over their jug of wine evidently in an unquiet and uneasy manner


one of them especially who was very pale almost livid kept continually drawing his wretched cap over his eyes


he held his left hand concealed


at a short dis tance was seated a young man of hardly sixteen years with a drunken pale and livid look a lamentable specimen ofjuve nile precocity


he was sitting with his hands in the pockets of his blouse and he never took the pipe from his mouth except to drink of the brandy which stood before him


the chourineur was a man of tall stature athletic make with flaxen coloured


hair ialmdst white heavy eyebrows and enormous whiskers of burning red


poverty and therude labor atthe galleys in the scorching sun had bronzed his skin to dark olive which is almost peculiar to galleyslaves notwithstanding his terrible name the features of this man intimated audacity rather than ferocity although the back part of his head most singularly do


veloped announced the preponderance of animal propensities by a strange anminaly the face of la goualeusepresented one of those angelic and lovely expressions which preserve their


ideality even in the midst of de pravity as if the creature were unable to efface by its vices the noble stamp which the creator had placed on the forehead of a privileged being


the charming voice of la goualeuse had attractca the attention of hter unknown defender in fact this voice so sweet and harmonious had such an irresistible at traction that the crowd of miserable wretches in the midst of whom she lived often begged her to sing and in listening to her touching notes had surnamed her la goualeuse the siren


she had also received another name


due no doubt to the innocent expression of her face and the purity of her manners it was fleur de marie


her unknown defender we shall call him rodolphe was about thirty years of age and of middling size his slight and per fectlyproportioned figure gave no indica tion of the great strength which he had just shown


his features were regularly handsome almost too handsome for a mar his delicate pale complexion nis large brown eyes almost half closed his lounging gait his ironical smile seemed to announce a dissipated man whose constitution was as yet only weakened by the excesses of opulent life


yet notwithstanding his white and delicate hands rodolphe had just knocked down one of the most re nowned bravos of this resort of robbers


on entering the tapis franc the lhouri neurplacing one of his large hairy hands on the shoulder of rodolphe cried make way for the chourineurs master yes comrades this young man has just been sousing me fair notice to those who have any desire to have their sculls cracked or backs broken including also the maitre decole who this time will find his master ill answer for it


at these words all eyes were turned towards the stranger with cowardly res pect


some of them drawing their jugs to the end of their tables made room for ro dolphe if lie might wish to seat himself while others gathered around the chou rineur to learn some details of the un knbwn who had just made such a victo rious debut into their society and even the ogresse herself smiled most graciously on rodolphe


one


of the two men whom we have men tioned he who kept his hand so carefully concealed leant over towards the ogresse as she wiped the table for rodolph and said in a hoarse voice


has the maitre decole been here to day


no said mother ponisse yesterday


yes he came


with his new wife bab


do you take me for a spy with your questioningsl said the ogresse in a rough manner


i have a rendezvous with the maitre decole this night we have some business together


thantmust be something very nice your affairs assassins as you are


assassins


said the irritated bandit it is from them you make your livingl


come come will you hold your tongue


cried the ogresse or ill throw this jug at your head


the cowardly wretch sat down growling


fleur de marie as she came in had ex changed a look of recognition with the young man we have mentioned


the chourineur said to him ah


bar billon always drinking brandy


salways


id rather fast and go bare foot than go without brandy in my throat and tobacco in my pipe said the young man in a cracked voice without changing his position and puffing out volumes of smoke


goodevening madame ponisse said la goualeuse


goodevening fleur de marie answered the ogresse inspecting closely the vest ments which covered the unfortunate ah it is a pleasure to rent ones things to you


i never would have let such a fine orange shawl to such creatures as la tourneuse or tete de mort


but i havetaken good care of you since you came from prison and i must confess you are the best creature in all the cit


i hollo mother said rodolphe i see you have got some holy wood up there pointing with his finger to the easter bough


swell and would you have one live like a heathen answered the horrible woman and then speaking to la goualeuse come wont you give us one of your songs safter supper said the chourineur


sand what will you have my good fel


low said she to rodolphe desiring to make him welcome so that she might count upon his assistance when required


sask the chourineur mother it is his feast but i pay


the entrance of a newcomer into the tavern interrupted the conversation


he placed himself in such a position that he might observe the two men who were whis pering over their wine


they could not however see that they were watched


notwithstanding his audacity the chouri neur showed much deference to rodolphe


this man had no respect for the laws but he had for physical strength oh


hiow


i would rejoice he said to rodolphe to see you serve the maitre decole as you have served me


ah ahb do you think im going to jump on the maitre decole like a bulldog just to please you ti no but he will jump on you as soon as he hears that you are stronger than he an swered the chourineur rubbing his hands


si have money enough leftto give him his change said rodolphe


carelessly but what horrid weather suppose we have some brandy and sugar perhaps it will


make la goualense find her voice


agreed said the chourineur


and to become acquainted well just tell each other who we are added ro dolphe to be continued


i


literature


the story of a feather


jsu


jsuoin uttrftr


a story from povcn


chapteh xvi


continued fi oin our last


madame spanneus customerstheir humilitydomestic peace and pickles


dirmno


my sojourn with madame spanneu i had frequent opportunities of considering the various characters of her customers whoi confess i was at first astonished at the dis covery were many of thom most genteel and easygoing people and indeed in their own esteem coparcel of the very best society


still whatever was their bigoled opinion of their own worldly consequence their visits to madame spanneu gave pleasant proof of their humility of spirit inasmuch as they all came to habit themselves in the leftoff garments of their betters


and this humility was the more christianlikc inasmuch as verily believe that many of the purchasers would bave gone to the stake in cast brocade rather tbnn have con fessed to the meekness which induced thom to buy it they were it is true lowly of heart but would not for the world have had the virtue made public


i how often have i seen the gown of a peeress carried off by the wife of a tallowchandler


i how often has the cloak of an j earls daughter been doomed to the shoulders of the spinster oft iv o rooms


nny the countesss gownsthe rustling per quisites of mrs pillow saw no less than three of tbomcoli lu ntiusc crassy looks and bold voices made me tremble for the future destiny of the garments


and can ever forget the cold chill that struck through mo when once felt myself


i taken up by such a customer who blew through mc mid shook ime andmy heart of pith sank at the wordsinquired


how mich madame spanneu with a just estimate of my virtues asked a good round sum and thanking my stars for my escape i felt myself dropped from the hand


feathers jemima darling isnt the thing no my rosebud they isnt indeed


thus spoke an old gentlewomandear airs gaptooth as madame spanneu called herto the giri who desired to make me her own but the reproof of the matron though uttered in the calmest most maternal voice appeared by the very force of its sweetnessor certainly by some forceto convince jemima


she sighed pouted a second then seemed resigned


gals of your talness jemima dont carry off feathers well j they makes you gawky and in this wicked world looks is everything


i was quite charmed with the appearancethe manner of mrs gaptooth


thought i had never seen so venerable a woman and even while she spoke of the necessary shows of life she did so in so passionless a toneseemed to have so just a value of all the fleshly vanities of the earth that she appeared to me a kind of lay saint a creature doomed by the imperfection of human nature to cat drink and sleep but ot the same time never forgetting the real value of mere mortal beauty when most beautiful


ha i madame spanneu the dear old soul would cry beauty as often says to my gals is a flowera tulipmadame spanneu a painted tulip now a flourishing in a bed and now on a dunghill


true my dear very truebeautymadame spanneu would reply doesnt last as it ought not even with the best of us


ha i my dear madame spanneu the beauty ive seen come on and go offbeauty


its like a guinea madame span neu when its once changed at all its gone in a twinkling


that satin by candlelight jemima will be worth any money


and thus mrs gaptoothwho was a frequent visitor at madame spanneuswould discourse before her daughters as i concluded they were from the maternal tenderness which she would shed upon her mingled talk of the outward loveliness of humanity and the glories sold at secondhand by madame spanneu


for mrs gaptooth herself i must repeat i had the very deepest respect


charming easy lovenble old woman her eye had such a soft halfslumbering look her voice came like the gentle breathing of a flute she always walked as if she trod a churchfloor and seemed fed on nothing coarser than marmalade and honey


as for her numerous family of daugh j ters must confess i have often wished they lind been a little moro like their mother they must i am sure have been at times most troublesome to the good old lady they appeared so forward loud selfwilled and frolicsome


but be it under stood once and for all time that i write from the impressions of characters and scenes as they first rose upon me


mrs gaptooth on one of her visits caine alone


madame sjianneu who was always with us received the dear old crea ture in her showroom


one of madames young womenfor there were two or three assistant semptresscs in the house was present and the conversation was carried on between madame and her visitor in so low a voice that i could only catch here and there a few words


was convinced however that mrs gaptooth spoke of lord huntingtoppcr with the air and manner of an acquaintance


theres no accounting for taste madame spanneu said mrs gaptooth in a somewhat piteous voice but where shes got to im a sinner if i know


and youve come to tell his lordship as much my dear i certainly not madame spnnneu lord huntingtoppers


coming here today to see your husbandmr curhvcll told me as muchso im come just to throw myself promiscuously into his way that i may know a little more about the business


one cant be too safe


thus much i could piece out from tbe lowvoiced colloquy of the ladies


madame span neu was however fidget ty under the restraint of a third person and so told the young woman to go down stairs and see that those nasty dogs did no mischief


the girl being gone upon lier delicate mission madame spanneu talked freely


well i did hear that lord hunt ingtopper was going to marry lady dinah willowby


what of that my dear


why shouldnt he


but after all said airs


gaptooth in her mild matronlika way who knows if the fellows serious


no doubt of it responded madame spanneu he must be in earnest for hes bought her ladyship a poodle julien s teaching it all sorts of things


ha i airs


gaptooth men are nice creatures they are cried aladame spanncu with bitter ness


charming however most charming was the charity of airs


gaptooth for she gently clasped her hands twisted her thumbs and a smile gliding her broad quiet face she cried


poor fellows


silly things


and then she chuckled gently chuckled


dont talk in that way my love said madame


spanncu it makes my flesh crawl to hear you pity em it isnt standing up for your sex


ha you dont know what ive to suffer


anything new asked airs


gaptooth with that peculiar serenity which characterises the interest of some people in the misfortunes of their neighbours new


p exclaimed the wife and she closed her eyes gave a spasmodic shake of the head and seemed to swallow a rising emotion


then there was silence for a moment and then aladame spanneu with an alacrity that appeared to do her heart good cried but my dear ill tell you all about the villain


i had not yet seen monsieur julien spanneu for his wife rigidly enforced his seclusion to his own room and as she would say to his fittest company his filthy dogshis pupil poodles


i had however heard more than enough of him and had formed in my own mind his outward man from the notes which proceeded from his fiddle as well as from himself for really they were so eternally blended that man and fiddle seemed but one instrument


i have heard men declare that they have only to hear a voice to immediately fit it ith an anatomy albeit the fleshy instrument from which the voice is heard shall in its reality be in every point a contradiction to the body which has been by the fancy of the listener bestowed upon it


i suppose this habit of men not only hen hearing persons but also when hearing of themthis custom of endow ing them with flesh and blood of some sort arises from the difficulty that poor human nature has to consider mind in the abstractto think of the human soulwithout head andshoulders legs and arms


be this as it may i hadfrom a too frequent overhearing of monsieur spanneumade him a present of a long thin lixnrdlike body a face sharp as a bladebone twink ling eyes grinning jaw and a back bending like a willow in a brete


hit voice ame with a cutting scream far above his catgut


hour by hour i heard bim raving stamping singing flddlmg at his canine pupils witbal so passionately so earnestly with such apparent consciousness of the importance of his function of the great social value of bis teaching a dog to go on three legs at tbe word of commandto limp as if wounded to tumble head over heelsto feign the last mortal agony and steve all to tots a sixpence from its nose at any given numberthat whatever might have been my opinion of the value of monsieurs labours i could not but respect tho amount of sincerity of real heart he put into them


then how he would vociferate i how he would scream chien que tu es as if in his indignation bo told the dunce of a dog a startling truth and then as the gender might be crying chienne que lu is as the worst opprobrium he could wreak upon a female learner


with these things fresh in my mindfor alonsieur julien kept them day by day smarting like a new sorei listened with all my ears to the coming narrative of aladame spanncu perceiving thatlike a good wife as she wasshe never felt so truly happy as when she could convince a dear female friend who would keep the imparted secret locked for ever in her breast what a villain she was married to


when madame spanneu as i have observed promised mrs gaptooth such happiness the matron decorously preparing herself for the pleasure merely said da well my dear begins the injured wife you recollect that creature louisa


a very fine gal answered airs


gaptooth with some vivacity


beautiful flaxen hair and eyes as blue as bl ue chaney


where is she my dear


this question madame spanncu did not answer but waving it with a real or affected shiver kept to the story of her wrongs


and you know my dear that im a little particular in my pickles


lu the name of the mummy of king cheopscertainly one of the best preserves of the earthwhat can there be in common with domestic wrongs and domestic pickles


this question stirred mc but not airs


gaptooth


she evidently felt there was nothing inharmonious in the matter for had she been a statue made to speak she could not willi more tranquility


huuo ausworofl


my dear i do


im not a proud woman airs


gaptooth no my worst enemy my dear if i have ssch a thing cant say that but ill lum my back upon no woman for pickles


no if i cut stand upon anything in the world it is my onions


very true my dear was the corroboraron of airs


gap tooth


but the gal


well my dear i was called to leatherhead for a week to see my aunt in the jaundice


she got over that but she cant live long my dear and whenever she goes theres something for us


well there was i out a week from home i may say upon business leaving that louisa to keep the house


when i carne back there wasnt a walnuta bit of cabbagenot a single onion my dear if youd have died for it


and all with louisa asked mrs gaptooth


aly love cried madame spanneu most affectionate in her wretchedness my love i afterwards found out shed been altogether mistress of the house and so the wretch had not only destroyed my peace but ate my pickles


to be continued


the story of feather


jsy jbttolit servolt a story from punch chapter xxx


continued vom our last


patty is visited by mrs


gaptoth and curlwelloffer of marriage


itr she haint fainted


cried the turnkeys wife jumping from her scat to the side of patty


poor little lamb said the woman as she applied restoratives to the girl and chatted calmly the whilefor her prison experience had taught her composure at such moments poor little kitten t a stout heart she has for tyburn


i no no i shall dance at her wed ding yet


dear me


well she is gone


ha i


im sure when traply first asked me thought id be torn to bits first and nowwell it might be worse


in this wise the turnkeys wife continued to talk to herself when at length patty sighed heavily


yes yes said the woman shell cry soon and then be nice and comfortable


at this moment there vas a knock at the door


come in cried airs


traply not stir ring from her charge


the door was opened and mrs gaptooth and curlwell the valet immediately entered


lal and is it you cried mrs traply


here she is poor thing but shell be better now youre come air


curl well t and the woman threw what she believed to be a very speaking look at the valet graced too with a pretty bridling of the neck


poor soul poor heart i


well if ever i cried curhvcll and he then stared at patty with knitted eyebrows and open mouth


whod ha thought it


he then cried


if new gate hasnt made her all the beautifuller


ha mrs gaptooth shes a lily that would grow anywhere n golden flower she is


i could perceive that mrs gaptooth had the most contemp tuous opinion of curlnells taste and this opinion she tele graphed to the turnkeys wife who by her mute acknowledg ment of the intelligence showed that she too considered the valet as a poor fascinated lost man


as however curlwell looked for some sort of affirmation from mrs gaptooth that w ellpracticed woman awarded to him one of her most elaborate smiles


shes coming round a dove


said mrs gaptooth


as times getting short mr curlwell and as i nouldnt have you throw your money away upon an ungrateful person ill spend a hundred pounds upon her cried the valet with magnanimous energy


not upon another mans wife i should think youd necr be so extravagant as that air


curlwell cried the fullfed oily hag


what do you mean maam asked air


curlwell


another mans fe maam


certainly


if the gal will marry you why you know best and may buy your wife out of newgate but if like a proud saucy jilt as she may be she wont have nothing to do with you why youre only saving an ungrateful thing from tyburn to be for what you know wife to some other man


thats my meanin air


curlwell said the hideous woman


to be sure said mrs traply the gentleman oughtnt to lay his money out in the dark


he ought to know whats what first its but reasonable


ill spend a hundred pounds upon the dear creature


repeated the valet


youll do as you like air


curlwell but as your friend though the lord help me i real friends are held cheap now adaysas your friend and as the trials coming on next week you ought not to throw away your money the reward of your tionest labourthe very sweat of your brow as i may say without knowing what for


so let the gal speak out once and for all


for my part im upright and downstraight and cant abide pigs in pokes


and now cried mrs gaptooth dropping with physical emphasis on a chair now you know tny mind shes coming to said mrs traply


go into the next roomhe may my dear maynt he


atti


when the rwva quita racovared


yoi cm gat n iniwur


thus counselled mrs gaptooth


mr curlwcll again muttered his determination to lay out a hundred pounds and passed into the adjoining room


airs


gaptooth slowly turned her head following him with a most pitying sneer


she then rose and approached putty


a hundred pounds and for a nose like that i if the blessings of money arnt thrown away upon some people


shes getting better said sirs


traply who continued in a low tone of confidence youre right mrs gaptooth


men are fools maam when they get a fancy in their heads quite fools


noses indeed the noses and the eyes and the complexions too that ive seen taken out of the dirt carried to church and stuck up for life in carriages


people talk of beauty but i do think theres often great luck in solid ugliness


shes getting better


men are fools


they are my dear said mrs gaptooth and perhaps after all fa as well it is so it mokes all the belter for the weakness of our sex


shell do now


and mrs gaptooth turned aside as patty unclosed her eyes and looked drearily about her


there youre better to be sure you are said airs


traply and it was very foolish of you to take on so


bless your poor heart


youll never suffer anything of the sort not you


no no youve too many good friends about you if youll only let em be your friends


lam better said patty leaning her brow as if in pain upon lier hand it was weak of me tobut pray say no more of it there your colours coming like a carnation said airs


traply and since youve been ill some friends have come to see you


mr lintleycried patty with sparkling eyes and ani mated face


no not air


lintley but


ere the woman could end the sentence


airs


gaptooth showed herself approaching patty


i shall never forget the two faces


they seemed the incarnated expressions of confi dent wickedness and alarmed innocence


when i first saw the old woman at afadame spanneus i confess i was tricked into a respect for her she seemed so meek so mild so matronly


and now perhapsit was from seeing her in con trast with pattyi felt for her a loathing a disgust


this feeling was strengthened by what i witnessed in the turnkeys room


the old woman overlaying her broad ripe face with


smile j


laborious look of complacencymade up to patty


as she approached the face of the girl changed lo marble pale ness her eyes looked darker and darker and her mouth became rigidly curved with an expression of mingled fear and scorn


once as from some ungovernable impulse she shivered from head to sole


she grasped the arms of the chair nd still shrank back as the old woman came nearer to her


she seemed possessed by some terrible antipathysome irrepres sible loathing that in its intensity made her powerless


still mrs gaptooth with her undaunted smiles advanced


she was about to lay her hand upon patty whenwith almost a shriekthe girl leapt from her chair


creature


touch me not patty exclaimed with a vehemence that surprised me


she then passionately seised mrs traply by the hand begging protection from that horrid woman


as patty spoke the words the shadow of a blaek heart darkened the womans face in one brief moment i beheld within it the iniquities of a long noisome life


the old crone stood for a moment eyeing the girl like a baulked witch


it was


hideous sight


youre a foolish flyaway puss said mrs gaptooth rallying herself and gain essaying her customary mile though i could se the harridan still shaking with passion


i came to do you good and yon call me wicked names


ha t you have much to answer foryou have


i know the good you would oller said patty you have offered it before


i was helpless alonewithout a friend and therefore you offered it


ob


and patty cried as from a crushed heartshame upon you i you tilly little child said mrs gaptooth still striving to trample upon her passion you foolish little pet she cried and laughing would have playfully pinched pattys cheek but tke girl with a look repelled btvthere you tilly creature shv continued all i said about a lord and a fine gentleman end carriage and gay clothes and all that wat only a tale


story to try you


now there ii no lord in the cate but an tenet worthy gentleman


you lbse yolr pains said patty again restored to her composure


he can and will take you out of this place cried the irascible mrs gaptooth and make you his lawful wedded wife


do you hear what i say childhis lawful wedded wife


what say you now patty


i say again to you answered the girl with the natural dignity of a pure heart say again you lose your paiiif woman


go


putty had overcome the patience of mrs gaptooth


that ignominious wordwoman that name so stung its unworthy possessor that the old crone gave up her tongue to most un limited indulgence


in a deep contemptuous tone she first begged to ask patty what she thought of herself that she called her betters woman


you


indeed exclaimed mrs gap tbotri


woman indeed


and in such a placel in newgate madoranewgale


or perhaps missi say miss you have forgotten where you are


indeed no nor the cause the wicked cause which brought me hither snid patty


clickly abrnm and a gold watch cried mrs gaptooth with a loud malicious laugh


at this moment i observed the door open and apothecary lintley followed by some one whose face i could not sec was about to enter


he however shrank back the door remain ing jar


the noise caused by mrs gaptobth enabled lintley to make this backward movement without being noticed


i was happy at least i was content when yoblike some bad thingsaid


pattywhen you beset my daily walk when you followed me to my home when you uttered words to meyou an old woman that should have advised have comforted a helpless creature like myself wlien you tempted me withbut you know the wickedness the shume


it was to avoid you who seemed to taint my life i left a comfortable homelost the means of certain bread


i was drivenby want and sickness driven to the miserable house where the most cruel accident accident


i ha


ha


i chuckled airs


gaptooth


acci dent put a gold watch in a ladys bed


and do you know what comes of such accidents


patty looked pityingly upon the hardhearted creature say ing


yes know


and now you would have the impudence to abuse me who would have been your best friendyou standing there so bold and glib do you know that you maynt have another mouth to live


oh airs


gaptooth i cried the turnkeys wife moved by the fiendish malice of the ling


she does not hurt mc let her speak said patty with a patient yet a worn and wearied look


it is very true she then said turning to the wretched woman another month or lessand may be with the dead


i do not fear to go to them and that your own heart will tell you sonone better that is much let mc then seem to you a dying creature and with my dying breath let mepoor wretched woman


let


ne pray you to repent


consider it what a eight of broken hearts is upon your soul


what daily misery what nights of horror fall to your account ltcpeut i say or what indeed will be the last hour to you


what the thoughts of helpless happy thoughtless creatures snared and killed hy your wicked ness


again i say repent i there was a moments pause


the old woman had recoiled shrunk beneath the quiet energy of soul with which putty addressed her


there was a pause and the woman with a tenacity of evila daring resolution not to be awed and beaten by a girlshrieked at her


alaby of her words were unintelligible from their shrill volubility they seemed to me the sounds of some fierce brutish thing


what you


you you


nt last i distinguished


you to preach to me


to me


now i tell you hati tell you whatscreamed the hnrrldan approaching patty with clenched trembling fists


ill see you bangedill sec you hanged


if i give twenty guineas for a window ill sec you hangedill see you hanged twenty guineas


twenty guineas the door opened and apothecary lintley followed by air


inglewoodwhohi we trust the reader has not wholly forgot tenentered the roora


what wretched creature is this asked lintley looking at airs


gaptooth as she stood writhing and spent with execra tion


she however made one last raging effort for bursting into a loud hysteric laugh she exclaimed tweuty guineas to sec her hanged


twenty guineas


and screaming the old demoniacal woman rushed from the room


to be continuel


barna rudge a ciiater iir


a strange story i said the man who had been the cause of the narration stranger still if it comes about as you predict is that all i a question so unexpected nettled solomon daisy not a little


by dint of relating the story very often and ornamenting it according to village report with a few flourishes suggested by the various hearers from time to time he had come by degrees to tell it with great effect and is that allt after the climax is not what he was accustomed to


is that all phe repeated yes thats all sir


and enough too think


i think so too


my horse young man he is but a hack hired from a roadside posting house but he mnistscarry me to london tonight


tonighti said joe


tonight returned the other


what do you stare at i this tavern would seem to be a house of call for the gaping idlers of the neighbourhood at this remark which evidently had reference to the scrutiny he had undergone as mentioned in the foregoing chapter the eyes of john willot and his friends were diverted with marvellous rapidity to the copper boiler again


not so with joe who being a mettlesome fellow returned the strangers angry glance with a steady look and rejoined its not a very bold thing to wonder at your going on tonight surely you have been asked such a harmless question in an inn before and in better weather than this


i thought you mightnt know the way as you seem strange to this part


the way repeated the other irritably


iyes


do you know itl rllhusph


ll find it replied the man waving his hand and turning on his heel


land lord take the reckoning here


john willet did as he was desired for on that point he was seldom slow except in the particulars of giving change and testing the goodness of any piece of coin that was proffered to him by the appli cation of his teeth or his tongue or some other test or in dloubtful cases by a long series of tests termi


asting in iisrejection


the guest then wrapped his garment about him so as to shelter himself as effec


tually as he could from the rough weather and with out any word or sign of farewell betook himself to the stable yard


here joe who had left the room on the conclusion of their short dialogue was pro


tecting himself and the horse from the rain under the shelter of an old penthouse roof


hes pretty much of my opinion said joe patting the horse upon the neck ill wager that your stopping here tonight would please him better than it would please me


he and are of different opinions as we have heen morethan once on our way here was the short reply


r


so i was thinking before you came out for he has felt your spurs poor beast


the stranger adjusted his coat collar about his face ad made no answer


youll know me again i see he said marking the young fellows earnest gaze when he had sprung into the saddle


the mans worth knowing master who travels a road he dont know mounted on a jaded horse and leaves good quarters to do it on such a night as ti


you have sharp eyes and a sharp tongue i find


both i litipe by nature but the last grows rusty sotietimes for the want of using


use the first less too


and keep their sharpness for your sweethearts boy said the man


so saying he shook his hand from the bridle struck him roughly on the head with the butt end of his whip and galloped away dashing through the mud and darkness with a headlong speed which few badly mounted horsemen would have cased to ven


ture even had they been thoroughly acquainted with the country and which to one who knew nothing of the way he rode was attended at every step with great hazard and danger


the roads even within twelve miles of london were at that time ill paved seldom repaired and very badly made


the way this rider traversed had been ploughed up by the heels of heavy waggons and rendered rotten by the frosts and thaws of the preceding win er or possibly of many winters


great holes and gaps had worn into the soil which being now filled with water from the late rains were not easily distinguishable even by day and a plunge into one of them might have brought iown a surerfooted horse than the poor beast now urged forward to the utmost extent of his powers


sharp flints and stones rolled from under his hoofs continually the rider could scarcely see beyond the animals head or further on either side than his own arm would have extended


at that time too all the roads in the neighbourhood of the metropolis were infested by footpads or highwaymen and it was a night of all others in which any evil disposed person of this class might have pursued his unlawful calling with little fear of detectton


still the traveller dashed forward at the same reckless pace regardless alike of the dirt and wet which flew about his head the profound darkness of the night and the probability of encountering some desperate characters abroad


at every turn and angle even where a deviation from the direct course might have been least expected and could not pos sibly be seen until he was close upon it he guided the bridle with ian unerring hand and kept the mid dle of the road


thus he sped onward raising himself in the stirrups leaning his body forward until it almost touched the borses neck and fiou


tishing his heavy whip above his head with the fervour of a madman


there are times when the elements being in unusual commotion these who are bent on daring enterprises or agitatedhby great thoughts whether of good or evil feel a mysterious sympathy with the tumult of niature and are roused into corresponding violence


in the midst of thunder lighining and storm marty treinendoai deeds hiave been committed men selfpossessed before have given a sudden loose to passions they could no longer control


the demons of wrath and despair have striven to emulate ihose who ride the whilwlnd arid direct the storm and man lashed into madness with the roasing winds and boiling waters has become for the time as wild and raerciless as the elements thtemselees


wheslhec the traveller was possessed by thoughts which the furyof the eight had heated and stimu eared into a quicker current or wvas merely impelled by soestrong motive to rescht tile journeys end on hemwept nore like a husted phantom tan a man nor checked his pace until arilviug at some cross roadis one of which led by a longer route to the place


whence he had lately started he bore down so suddhnly uponi o vehicle which was combitg towards himrthat in the effort to avoid it lie well nigh pulled his horse upows hisl haunches and narrowvly escaped being thrown va


oho i cried the voice of a main


whats that who goes there i a friendi replied the traveller a filend i re ested rie voice who calls himiself a friend anrides like that abuning heavens gifts irn the shape of liorsefleshi and endangering diot only his uwn neck which might ho no great matter hut the necks of other people


syou have a lantern there i see said the trt yeller diamountliig


land it me tar a moment


yists lave wounded toy hiorse i thiink with your shaft or wheel v wounded him


gried the other if havens killed him its


no fsult of yours


what do you mbiazi by gallepleg sarig the kings highway like tatgies me the light returned the traveller spnatchtiing it fomn his hand and dornt ask idle questnonat of a miiir jvho is in no mood inc talking


if you hadsavidyouwere in no mood for talking before i shouild jiet hals have been in no mood for lighting said the voice housever as its rthe poor horse thats damaged and not you one of you as welcome to the light at all eventsbiut its uot the crusty one


the traveller returned no answer sto this speech but holding the light neiar to his panting and reekiug beast examined himrn t liub and carcyse


meats while rthe oilier man sat very composedly in his vehi


clo which was a kind of chasio wirti a depository for o large bag of tools and watched his penceedings with a careful eye


the lookeros was a round redfacedshturdy ya man with a double ethin sod a voice husk withgo living good sleeping goosd huthdur ahd goud ielh lie was past thu prime of hlfobut fatiter fime is not always a turd parent and though he tsrrieu for none of iss children often inys his hmand lightlyigion titoseowho hidve tsssdhiliwellittkikngthemi


old men and wotiten inexorably ennish bift leavbigl their hearzsand iepirltsyentig and flnholvlgott


with suc people the greheadh lobit thi impression of than old fellors thnd in


giving themn his blessing


tsnd evehy wrlnkle bitt vsdtoh in the quiet chiersdar of a well spent life


thejmrson whmn the ttivelldr had so abhruptly ennowntered was of this kind bluff hale linaty and in a green old age at peace with himself ani evidently disapsed to be so with all the world although muffled up in aivers coats and handker


chiefs one of which passed over his crown and tied in a convenient crease of his double chin so


cured his three cornered hat and bob wig from blow tng off his head there was no disguising his plump and comfortable figure neither did certain dirty finger marks upon his face give it any other than an odd and comical expression through which its na tural good humour shone with undiminished lustre


he is not hurt said the traveller at length raising his head and the lantern together


you have found that out at last have you rejoined the old man


my eyes have seen more light than yours but i wouldnt change with you


what do you mean mean i i could have told you he wasnt hurt five minutes ago


give me the light friend ride forward at a gentler pace and good night


in handing up the lantern the man necessarily cast its rays full on the speakers face


their eyes met at the instant


he suddenly dropped it and crushed it withhis foot


saw you never a locksmith before that you start as if you had come upon a ghost cried the old man in the chaise or is this lie added hastily thrusting his hand into the tool basket and drawing outoa hammer a scheme for robbing me


l


i know these roads friend


when i travel them i carry nothing but a few shitlings and not a crowns worth of thenm


i tell you plainly to save us both trouble that theres nothing to be got from me but a pretty stout arm considering my years and this tool which mayhap from long acquaintance with i can use pretty briskly


you shall not have it all your own way i promise you if you play at that game


with these words he stood upon the defensive


i am not what you take me for gabriel var den replied the other


then what and who are yout returned the locksmith


you know my name it seems


let me know yours


i have not gained the information from any confidence of yours but from the inscription on your cart which tells it to all the town replied the traveller


you had better eyes for that than you had for your horse then said varden descending nimbly from his chaise


who are you let me see your face


while the locksmith alighted the traveller had regained his saddle from which lie now confronted the old man who moving as the horse moved in chafing under thetightened rein keptclosebeside him


let me see your face i say


stand off i no masquerading tricks said the locksmith and tales at the club tomorrow how gabriel varden was frightened by a surly voice and a dark night


standlet me see your face


finding that further resistance would only involve him in a personal struggle with an antagonistby no means to be despised the traveller threw back his coat and stooping down looked steadily at the locksmith


perhaps two men more powerfully contrasted never opposed each other face to face


the ruddy features of the locksmith so set off and heightened the excessive paleness of the man on horseback that he looked like a bloodless ghost while the moisture which hard riding had brought out upan his skin hung there in dark and heavy drops like dews of agony and death


the countenance of the od locksmith was lighted up with the smile of one expecting to detect in this unpromisitg stranger some latent roguery of eye or lip which should reveal a familiar person in that arch disguise and spoil his jest


the face of the other sullen and fierce but shrinking too was that of a man who stood at bay while his firmly closed jaws his puckered mouth and more than all a certain stealthy motion of the hand within his breast seemed to an nounce a desperate purpose very foreign to acting or childs play


thus they regarded each other for some time in silence


fumph i he said when lie had scanned his features i dont know you


dont desire to i returned the other muffling himself as before


i doer said gabriel


to be plain with you friend you dont carry in your countenance a letter of aecommendation


its not my wish said the traveller


my t humour is to be avoided


well said the locksmith bluntly i think i youll have your humour


i will at any cost rejoined the traveller


in proof of it lay this to heartthat you were never in such peril of your life as you have been within these few moments when you are within five minutes of breathing your last


you will not be nearer death than you have been tonight


aye said the sturdy locksmith


aye i and a violent death


from whose hand from mine replied the traveller


with that he put spurs to his horse and rode i away at first plashing heavily through the mite at a smart trot but gradually increasing in speed until i the last sound of hia horses hoofs died away upon the wind when be was again hurrying on at the same furious gallop which had been his pace when the locksmith first encountered him


gabriel varden remained standing in the road with the broken lantern in his hand listening in stupified silence until no sound reached his ear but the moaning of the wind and the fast falling rain when he struck himself one or two smart blows in the breast by way of rousing himself and broke into an exclamation of surprise


what in the name of wonder can this fellow be i a madman a highwayman


a cut throat


if lie had not scoured off so fast wed have seen who was in most danger he or i never nearer death than i have been tonight


i i hope i may be no nearer to it for a score of years to comeif so ill be content to be no further from it


my stars


a pretty brag this to a stout manpooh pooh i qabriel resumed his seat and looked wistfully up the road by whtich the traveller had come murmur


ing lnao half whisper sthe mayrpole two miles to sthe maypole


i came the oilie oad from ithe warren after a long days work at lacks and belts on purpono that i should not canto by the maypole and break my pro mine to martha by looking intheres resotutaion i is would be dangerous to go on to london without a isghts and its four miles and a good half mile besides to the halfway house and between this and that is the very place where one needs a light atost


tiwo miles


so she maypole


i i told martlta i wouldnt i said i wouldnt and didntthterss reasloltion


i repeating thene two last words very often as if to cotnptnaate for the little resolution heo was going to show by piquing himsseif on she g rest resolution be had shown gabriel varden quietly turned back determining to get a ight at the maypole and to take nothing but a light


when he gas so the maypole however and joe responding to his wellknowts hail came running oat to the horses bead leaving the door open behind hitm and disclosing a delicious pesective of warmth and brightness when she rudd loam of the fire


atreansing through the old ted carsis of the common stinm seemed to bring with it as part of itself a pleasant hum of voices and a fragrant odour of steaming grog and rare tobacco all steeped as it wvere in tho cheerful glow when ithe shsadowes flitting across the curisan aitowed that those inside had risen fromi their snug seats and were making room in the snuggest cotner how wvell las knew ihat cotner for the honest locksmith and ao broad glare suddenly streaming up bespoke the goodness at she criacklin log from whsich a brilliant train of sparks was loutlesq at that momaent sehirling up the chum


ney so honour of his couling nvhen astperadded soj these etiticemtents titers stole upon huts from ithe distant kilehen a gentle sound of frying with a musical clatter of plates and dishes snd a savoury sianeil that made even sthe boisterous wind perfumke gabriel felt hsis firminesi oozing rapidly sway


hei trievd to lout stoicaily at she tavern but his features woutld relaxc into a look of fondness he turned his isead the other wa and the cold bisek ourntry leemed to frown him off and to drive him for a refuge into its hospitable arms rthe merciful man joev said thae locksmith is merciful to his beast


ill gel out for a little whiile


and how natural it was to get oat and bow unnatural it aeemad for s sober man to be plodding jvearlily along tharoughs miiy


roads encountering the rode buffets uf the witid asnd pelting of thto rsln vhtn there was a clean floor covered whith crisp white sand a wall swelts hearth a blazing firea fable decorated with while ollsh brigh pewier fisgons and otiher tempting pruparatinan for a well cooked meal


wlen


there were ilseso tisinga and comisthbyidlajoisetl to maike themost of them already tohlfa liaqtdaade iatretthig hlim to eitjoymoent


barnaby budge ciihttt xv


at noon next day john willets guest sat linger ing over his breakfast in his own home surrounded by a variety of comforts which left the maypoles highest flight and utmost stretch of accommodation at an infinite distance behind and suggestedcor parisons very much to the disadnantage and disfavour of that venerable tavern


in the broad old fashioned windowseatas capaciius as many modern sofas and cushioned toserveethe purpose of a luxurious setteein the broad old fashioned window seast of a rooniychamber mr chester lounged very much at his ease over a well furnished breakfast table


he had exchanged his riding coat for a handsome morning gown his boots for slippers had been at great pains to attonesfor having been obliged to make his toilet when he rose without the aid of dressing case and tiring equipage and having gradually forgotten through theta means the discomnforts of an indiffererit night and an early ride was in a state of perfect complacency indolence and satisfaction


the situation in which he found himself indeed was particularly favourable to the growthof these feelings for not to mention thelazy influence of a late and lonely breakfast with the additional sedative of a newspaper there wasan air of repose about this place of residence peculiar to itself and which hangs about it even in these times when it is more bustling and busy than it was in days of yore


there are still worse places thantho temple on a sultry day for basking in the sun or restingidly is the shsade


there isyet a drowsiness soits courts and a dreamy dulness in its trees and gardens those who pace its lanes and squares may yet hear the echoes of theirfootsteps on thesounding stones and read upon its gates inpassing from the tumult of the srand or fleetstreet


w ho enters here leaves noise behind


there is stillithe plashof falling water in fair fountaincourt and there are yet nooks and corners where dunhanoted students may look down from their dusty garrets on a vagrant ray of sunlight patching the shade of the tall houses and seldom troubled to reflect apassiig strangers form


there is yet in thetemple some thing of a clerkly monkish atmosphere which public offices of law havenot disturbed and even legal firms have failed to scare away inssmmer time its pumps suggest to thirstyidlers springs cooler and more sparkling and deeper


than other wells and as they trace the spillings of full pitchers on the heated ground they snuff the freshness and sighing cast sad looks towards the thames and think of baths and boats and saunter on despondent


it was in a room in paper


buildingsa row of goodly tenements shaded in front by ancient trees and looking at the back upon the temple gardens that this our idler lounged now taking upagain the paper he had


laid down a hundred times now trifling with the fragments of his meal now pdllitig forth his golden toothpick and glancing leisurely about the room or out at window into the trim garden walks where a few early loitererswerealreialdy to pacing to and fro


here a pair of loversgmiet quarrel and make up there a darkeyed nuriery mnaid had better eyes for templars than her charge on this hand an ancient spinster with her lapdog in a string regarded both enormities wash scornful side


long looks on that a weazen old gentleman ogling the nursery maid looked with like scorn upon the spinster and wondered she didnt know site was no longer young


apart from all these on the rivers margin two or three couple of business talkers walked slowly up and down in earnest conversation and one young man sat thoughtfully on a beoch alone


ned is amazingly patient said mr chester glancing at this last named person as he set down ihis teacup and plied the golden toothpick i im mensely patientl


he was sitting yonder when began to dress and has scarcely changed his posture since


a most eccentric dog i as he spoke the figure rose and came itoetards him with a rapid pace


really as if he had heardme said the father resuming his newspaper with a yawn


dea ned ioo presently the room door opened and the young man entered to whom his father gently wavedi his hand and smiled


are you at leisure for alittle converialiin sir said edward


surely ned


i amn always at leisure


you know my constitution


have you breakfasted


three hours ago


what a very early dog cried his father contemplating him from behind the toothpick wsila a languid smile


the truth is said ehdwardi lringiog a chair forward and seating himself near the table thati slept but ill last night and was glad to


rise


tiu cause of my uneasiness cannot but be known to you sir and it is upbn thati wish to speak


my dear boyreturned l his father confide in me i beg


but you know my constitutiondont beprosy ned


will be plain endbriefsaid edward dont say youwill my good fellowp retained his fathercrossisnghislegs or you certainly vtill not


you aregoing to tell me plainly this then ssid thelson with anrti of at concern that i knowwhere yos were jolt ightfrom being onthe spot indledand whom you sswsand what your purposevwas


you dont say solt criedhis father


piami


delighted to hear it


it saves usthieworryaiid tr rible wear andlear of a long esplhnahloi hdddlka great relief for both


at the verb houise


fa w iy didnt you come up


i should havebehd bhaied to see you


i t


iknew that what i had to say wodidis tlttr said after a nights reflectiton when boatibf itfwilt cool returned the sort


m fore gad ned rejoined the fatllerti w cool enough last night


ltht


detestabld myibole


i


by some infernal contrivance of the builder ithids the wind and keeps it fresh


yduretii n br the sharp east wind that blew so hard flye woekis dgol igive yot myhiotnor it was rampantitii tlffiold house last night tltough out of doors there iia dead csalm


is you were saig pemwes was about to skyh ieaveosknows liariksily end earnestly that ydu have miade mestratihed slr


will you hear ole gravely for a momidfint my dear ned said his fatiiir iallar yo wvitli the patience of anr sniohorlte robilgly me wtir the milk


i esyw mils ilaredale last nitghtlldward e esumed when hie had complied wviehtls v thiliiiitj


hir


uncle in tier presence immsedlnthaftl iitryoiir tintervlew nod as of course i know in csnssquenuss f it forbade me the house and with circumstances if indignity which are of your creation


i am sure commanded me to leave it on the instant


for his manner of doing so i give you my honor ned i am not accountable said his father


that you must excuse


he is a mere boor a lop a brute with no address in life


positively a fly in the jug


i the first i have seen this year


edward rose and paced the room


his imperturb


able parent sipped his tea


father said the young man stopping at length before him we must not trifle in this matter


we must not deceive each other or ourselves


let me pursue the manly open part i wish to take and do not repel me by this unkind indifference


whether i am indifferent or


no returned the other i leave you my dearboy to judge


a ride of twentyfive or thirty miles through miry roads a maypole dinner a tote adte with haredale which vanity apart was quite a valentine and orson business a maypole bed a maypole landlord and a maypole retinue of idiots and centaurswhether the voluntary endurance of these things looks like indifference dear ned


or like the excessive anxiety and devotion and all that sort of thing of a parent you shall determine for yourself


i with you to consider sir said edward in what a cruel situation i am placed


loving miss haredale as ide my dear felldw interrupted his father with a compassionate smile you do nothing of the kind


you dont know anything about it


theres no such thing i assure you


now do take my word for it


you have good sense ned great good sense


i wonder you should be guilty of such amazing absur dities


you really surprise me


i repeat said his son firmly that i love her


you have interposed to part us and have to the extent i have justnow told you of


succeeded


may i induce you sir in time to think more fa vourably of our attachment or is it your intention and your lued design to hold us asunder if you can


my dear ned returned his father taking a pinch of snuff and pushing his box towards him that is my purpose most undoubtedly


the time that has elapsed rejoined his son since i began to know her worth has flown in such a dream that until now i have hardly once paused to reflect upon my true position


what is it


from my childhood i have been accustomed to lux ury and idleness and have been bred as though my fortune were large and my expectations almost without a limit


the idea of wealth has been fami liarised to me from my cradle


i have been taught to look upon those means by which menraisethem selves to riches and distinction as being beyond my jseeding and beneath my care


i have been as the phrase is liberally educated and am fit for nothing


i find myself at last wholly dependent upon you with no resource but in your favour


in this inn snentousquestion of my life we do not and it would seem we nevercan agree


i have shrunk instinct ively alike from those to whom you have urged me to pay court and from the motives of interest and gain which have rendered them in your eyes visible objects for my suit


if there never has been thus much plainspeaking between us before sir the fault has not been mine sndeed


if i seem to speak too plainly now it is believe me father in the hope that there may be a franker spirit a worthier reliance and a kinder confidence between us in time to come


my good fellow said his smiling father you quite affect me


go on my dear edward i beg


but remember you promise


there is great earnest ness vast candour a manifest sincerity in all you say but i fear i observe the faintest indications of a tendency to prose


i am very sorry sir


i am very sorry too ned but you know that i cannot fix my mind for any long period upon one subject


if youll come to the point at once ill imagine all that ought to go before and conclude it said


oblige me with the milk again


listening invariablyomakes me feverish


what i would say then tends to this said edward cannot bear this absolute dependence sir even upon you time has been lost and oppor


tunity thrown away but


i am yet a young man and may retrieve it


will you give me the means of devoting such abilities and energies asi possess to some worthy pursuitl will you let me try to make for myself an honourable path in life for any term you please to namesay for five years if you willi will pledge myself to move no further in the matter of our difference without your full con currence i during that period i will endeavour earnestly andpatiently if ever man did to open some prospect for myself and free you from the burden you fear i should become if i married one whose worth and beauty are her chief endowments


will you do this sir


at the expiration of the term we agree upon let us discuss this subjectagain


till then unless it is revived by you let it never be renewed between us


m mydear ned returned his father laying down the newspaper at which he had been glancing care


lessly and throwing himself back in the window seat


i believe you know how very much i dislike what are called family affairs which are only fit for plebeian


chrismasdays and have no manner of business with people of our condition


but asyou are proceeding upon amistake ned altogether upon a mistake i will conquer my repugnance to entering on such matters and give


you a perfectly plain and candid answer if you will do me the favour to shut the door


edward having obeyed him he took an elegant little knife from his pocket and pairing his nails continued you have to thank me ned for being of good family for your mother charming person as she wasand almost broken hearted and soforth as she left me when she was prematurely compelled to become immortal had nothing to boast of in that respect


her father was at least an eminent lawyer sir said edward


quite right ned perfectly so he stood high at the bar had a great name and great wealth but having risen from nothingi have always closed my eyes to the circumstance and steadily resisted its contemplation buti fear his father deal in perk and thathis business did once involve cowlteel and sausageshe wished to marry his daughter into a good family


he had his hearts desire ned


i was a younger sons younger sun and i married her we had each our object and gained it


she stepped at once into the politest and beat circles and i stepped into a fortune which i assure you wsvery necessary to my comfortquite indispens ale


now my good fellow that fortune is among the things that have been s it le gene ned aud has been gonehow oldare you always forget


seven and twenty sir


areyou indeed cried hia father raising his eyesaina languishing sorprise


so much


i trhen


i should say


ned that asnearly as i remember its skirts vanished from human knowledge about eighteen or nineteen years ago


it was about that time when i came to live in these chambers once your grandfathers and bequeathed by that extremely respectable person to me and commenced to live upon an inconsiderable annuity and my past repuua


tion


you are jesting with me sir said edward not in the slightest degree i assure you re turned his lather with great composure


these fantily topics are so extremely dry that


i am sorry to say they dont admit of any such relief it is for that reason and because they have an appearance of business ithatli dislike them so very niceb


well you know the rest


a son ned unless he is old enougli tnbe acompanionthiat is to say unless ito is some two or three and twentyis not the kind of sthing tottave about one


lie is areatraint upon lila father his father is a restraint upon him and they make eachoilier mutually uncomfortable trhere


fore until avithino tlta lost four years or soi have a poor memory for dates and if i mistake you will correct me in your own mindyou puisited your studies at a distance and picked up a great variety of accomplishments


occasionally we passed a week or euvo together here and disconcerted each ether as only such near relaions can


at last you camehoe


i candidly tel you my dear boy ta if youhsd been awkward and overgrown i should have as ported you to


some distant part of the wvorld


i wish with all my soul you had sir said edward no you dont ned rejoinedlila father ceolly you aremistaken i asaute you


i found you a handsome preposnesslng elegant fellow and i threw you into the society i can atill command


aying done that my dear fellow i consider that i have provided for you in life and rely on your doing something to provide for me inreturn


do net understand your meaning air imy meaning ned is obviousi observe another fly in the creamjug but have the goodness not to take it out as you did the first for their watk when gheir legs ace ntiky is extremely ungraceful atid disagreelable my simeaning isthat you must do as i did tihat you must marry well and make the most of yourself


a mere fortune hunter cried the son indig


iaantly


what in the devils name ned would you be returned the father


all men are fortune hunters are they not i the law the church the court the campsee how how they are all crowded with fortune hunters jostling each other in the pur suit


the stock exchange the pulpit the counting house the royal drawingroom the senate what but fortune hunters are they filled with


a fortune hunter


yes you are one and you would be nothing else my dear ned if you wore the greatest courtier lawyer legislator prelate or merchantin existence


if you are squeamish and moral ned console yourself with the reflection that at the worst your fortune hunting can make but one person mi serable or unhappy


how many people dlo you suppose these other kinds of huntsmen crush in following their sporthundreds at a step or thou sands


the tourg man leant his head upon his hand and made no answer


i am quite charmed said the fathier rising and walking slowly to and fro stopping now and then to glance at himself in a mirror or survey a picture through his glass with the sir of a connois seur that we have had this conversation ned unpromising as it was


it establishes a confidence between us which is quite delightful and was cer tainly necessary though how you can ever have mistaken our position and designs i confess i cannot understand


i conceived until i found your fancy for this girl that all these points were tacitly agreed upon between us


i knew you were embarrassedsir returned the son raising his head for a moment and then falling into his farmer attitude but i had no idea we were the beggared wretches you describe


how could i suppose it bred as i have been witnessing the life you have always led and the appearance you have always made


my dear child said the father for you really talk so like a child that i must call yon one you were bred upon a careful principle the very manner of your education i assure you maintained my credit surprisingly


as to the life i lead i must lead it ned


i must have these little refinements about me i have always been used to them and i cannot exist without them they must surround me you observe and therefore they are here


with regard to our circumstances ned you may set your mind at rest upon that score


they are desperate


your own appearance is by no means despicable and our josot pocketmoney alone devours our income


thats the truth


why have i never known this before i why have you encouraged me sir to an expenditure and mode of life to which we have no right or title my good fellow returned his father more com passionately than ever if you made no appearance how could you possibly succeed in the pursuit for which i destined you


as to our mode of life every man has a right to live in the best way he can and to make himself as comfortable as hie can or he is an unnatural scoundrel


our debts i grant are very great and therefore it the more behoves you as a young man of principle and honour to pay them off as speedlyas possible


the villains part muttered edward that i have unconsciously played


ito win the heart of emma haredale


i would for her sake i had died first i i am glad you see ned returned his father how perfectly selfevident it is that nothing can be done in that quarter


but apart from this and the necessity of your speedily bestowing yourself in another as you know you could tomorrow if you chose i wish youd look upon it pleasantly


in a religious point of view alorelow could you ever think of uniting yourself to a catholic unless she was amazingly rich


you who ought to be so very protestant coming of such a protestant family as you do


let us be moral ned or we are nothing


even if one could set that objection aside which is impossible we come to another which is quite cos clusive


the very idea of marrying a girl whose father was killed like meat


i good god ned how disagreeable i consider the impossibility of having any respect for your fatherinlaw under such un pleasant circumstances think of hishaving been viewed by jurors and sat upon by coroners and of his very doubtful position in the family ever afterwards


it seems to me such an indelicate sort of thing that i really think the girl ought to have been put to death by the state to prevent its hap


pening


but i tease you perhaps


you would rather be alonei


my dear ned most willingly


god bless you


i shall be going out presently but we shall meet tonight or if not tonight certainly tomorrow


take care of yourself in the meantime for both our sakes


you are a person of great con sequence to me nedof vast consequence indeed


god bless youi with these words the father who had been arranging his cravat in the glass while lie uttered them in a disconnected careless manner withdrew humming a tune as he went


the son who had appeared so lost in thought as not to hear or under stand them remained quite still and silent


after the lapse of half an hour or so the elder chester gaily dressed went out


the younger still sat with hris head resting on his hands in what appeared to be a kind of stupor


to be continued


cuapteik x


it was on one of those mornings common in early spring when the year fickle and changeable in its youth like all other created things is undecided whether to step backward into winter or forward into summer and in its uncertainty inclines now to the one and now to the other and now to both at oncewooing summer in the sunshine and linger ing still with winter in the shade it was in short on one of those mornings when it is hot and cold wet and dry bright and lowering sad and cheerful withering and genial in the compass of one short hour that old john willet who was dropping asleep over the copper boiler was roused by tile sound of a horses feet and glancing out at window beheld a iravellerof goodly promise checking his bridle at the mlaypole door


he was none of your flippant young fellows who would call for a tankard of mulled ale and make themselvesas much at home as if they had ordered a hogshead of wine none of your audacious young swaggerers who would even penetrate into the bar that solemn sanctuaryand smiting old john upon the back inquire if there was never a pretty girl in the houseand where he had his little cham ber maids with a hundred other impertinences of thatnature none of your freeandeasy companions who would scrape their boots upon the firedogs in the common room and be not at all particular on the subject of spittoons none of your unconscton able blades requiring impossible chops and taking unheardof pickles for granted


lie was a staid grave placid gentleman something past the prime of life yet uprightin his carriage for all that and slim as a greyhounds he was well mounted upon a sturdy chelititcob and had tihe graceful


seat of an experienced horseman while his riding gear though free from such fopperies as were then in vogue ishandsomeand well chosen


hie were a riding coat of somewhat brighter green than might have beetsexpected to suit thetaste of a gentleman of his years with a short black ielvet capes laced pocket holes and cuffs all of ajaunty fashion his linen too was of the finest kind worked in a rich pattern at tihe wrlsts and throat and scrupulously white


although he seemed judging from the mud he had picked upon the way to have come from london his horse was as smooth and cool as his own iron grey periwig and pigtail


neither man nor beast had turned a single hair and saving for his soiled skirts and spatterdashes this gentleman with his blooming face white teeth exactlyordered dress and perfect calnness might have come from making an elaborate and leisurely toilet to sit for an equestrian portrait at old john willets gate


it must not be supposed that john observed these several characteristics by other than slow degrees or that he took in more than half a one at a time or that he even made up his mind upon that without a great deal of very serious consideration


indeea if he had been distracted in the first instance by ques tionings and orders it would have taken him at the least a fortnight to have noted whalt is here set down but it happened that the gentleman being struck with the old house or with the plump pigeons which were skimming and courtseying about it or with the tall maypole on the top of which a weathetcock which had been out of order for fifteen years per formed a perpetual walts to the music of its own creaking sat for someliltle time looking round in si lence


hence john standing with his hand upon the horses bridle and his great eyes on the rider and with nothing passing to divert his thoughts had really got some of these little circumstances into his brain by the time he was called upon to speak


a quaint place this said the gentleman and his voice was as rich as his dress


are you the landlord


at your service sir replied john willet


a you can give my horse good stabling can you and me an early dinner i am not particular what so that it be cleanly served and a decent room of which there seems to be no lack in this great man sion said the stranger again running his eyes over the exterior


you can have sir returned john with a rea diness quite surprising anything you please


its well i am easily satisfied returned the other with a smile or that might prove a hardy pledge my friend and saying so he dismounted with the aid of the block before the door in a twink ling


halloa there i hugh l roared john


i ask your pardon sir for keeping you standing in the porch but my son has gone to town on business and the boy being as i may say of a kind of use to me im ratherput out when lies away


hugh


a dreadful idle vagrant fellow sir half a gipsy as i think always sleeping in the sun in summer and in the straw in winter time sirhugh i dear lord to keep a gentleman a waiting here through him


hugh i i wish that chap was deadi do indeed


possibly heis returned the other


i should think if he were living he would have heard you by this time


in his fits of laziness he sleeps so desperate hard said the distracted host if you were to fire off cannon balls into his eats it wouldnt wake him sir


the guest made no remark upon this novel cure for drowsiness and recipe for making people lisely but with his hands clasped behind him stood in the porch apparently very much amused to see old johrn with his bridle in his hand wavering between a strong impulse to abandon the animal to his fate and a half disposition to lead him into the house and shut him up in the parlour while he waited on his master


pillory the fellow here ire is at last cried john in the very height and zenith of his distress


did you hear me a calling villain


the figure he addressed made no answer but putting his hand upon the saddle sprung into it at a bound turned the horses head towards the stable and was gone in an instant


brisk enough when he is awake said the guest


brisk enough sir i replied john looking at the place where the horse had been as if not yet understanding quite what had become of himn


he melts i think he goes like a drop of froth


you look at him and there he is you look at him again andthere he isnt


having in the absence of any more words put this sudden climax to what he had faintly intended should be a long explanation of the whole life and character of his man the oracular john willet led the gentleman up his wide dismantled staircase into the maypoles best apartment


it was spacious enough in all conscience occu


pying the whole depth of the house and having at either end a great bay window as large as many modern rooms in which some few pains of stained glass emblazoned with fragments of armosial bear ings though cracked and patched and shattered yet renained attesting by their presence that the former owner had made the very light subservient to his state and pressed the sun itself into his list of flatterers bidding it when it shone into his chainm her reflect the badges of his ancient family and take new lhues and colours from their pride


but those were old days and nowtv every little ray came and went as it would telling thie plain bare searching truth


although the best room of the inan it hiad thie melancholy aspect of grandeur in decay and was mucht too vast for comfort


rich rustling hangings waving on the walls and better far the rustling of youth mnd beautys dress the lightof womens eyes outshining the tapers and their own rich jewels the sound of gentle tongues and music and the tread of maiden feet had once been threre and filled it with delight


but they were gone and with them all its gladness


it was no longer a home children were never born and bred there tihe fireside had become mercenarya something to be bought and solda very courtesan a let who would die or sit beside or leave it it was still the same it missed nobody cared for nobody had equal warmth and smiles for all


god help tihe man whose ieart ever changes with the world as an old mansion when it becomes an ico


no effort had been made to furnish this chilly waste but before the broad chimney a colony of chairs and tables had been planted on a square of carpet flanked by a ghostly screen enriched with figures grinning and grotesque


after lighting with hisa own hands the faggots which were heaped upon thie hearth old john withdrew to hiold grave council withhie cook touching tile atrangers entertainment while the guest himself seeing small comfort in the yet unkindled wood opened a lattice ih the distant window and basked in thie sickly gleam of a cold vlarch sun


leaving thie window now and then to rake the crackling logs together or pace the echoing rebm frorn endlio end he closed it when the fire wvao quite burnt up and having wheeled theeasiest cihir into thie warmest corier atiimmoned john willet


sirsaid john


he wanted pen ink and paper tlhere was an old standishi on the high mantelrshlelf containing an apology for allthree having set this before him the labdlord nias retiring when hermotioned him to


theres a houabenot fcai roumt heroe said ethe guest when he had wvrittpp a few lines which you call the warren i believel ap thiswas saidin thetonq of ope who knewltih fact and asked the question as athingof course john contented himselt with nodding iis head in the aitrmative at the same time taking one hand out of his pockets to cough behind and then putting it in again


i want this note said the guest glancing on what he had swritlt q


n folding it conveyed there without losifv lisre and anannnser brought back here


have a messenger at hand


john was thoughtful for a minute or thereabouts and then said yes let me see hitm said the guest


this was disconcerting for joe being out and hugh engaged in rubbing down the chestnut cob he designed sending on the errand barnahy who had just arrived in one of his rambles and who so that he thought himself employed on grave and serious business would go anywhere


why the truth is said john after a long pause that the person whod go quickest is a sort of natural as one may say sir and though quick of foot and as much to be trusted as the post itself hes not good at talking being touched and


flighty sir


you dont said the guest raising his eyes to johns fat face you dont meanwhats the fellows nameyou dont mean barnaby yes i do returned the landlord his features turning quite expressive with surprise


low comes he to be here inquired the guest leaning back in ihis chair speaking in the bland even tone from which he never varied and with the same soft courteous nevetrchanging smile upon his face


i saw him in london last night


hes for ever here one hour and there the next returned old john after the usual pause to get the question in his mind


sometimes he walks and sometimes runs


hes known along the road by everybody and sometimes comes here in a cart or chaise and sometimes riding double


he comes and goes through wind rain snow and hail and on the darkest nights


nothing hurts him


he goes often to this warren does he not said the guest carelessly


i seem to remember his mother telling me something to that effect yesterday


but i was not attending to the good woman much


youre right sir


john made answer he does


his father sir was murdered in that house


so i have heard returned the guest taking a gold toothpick from his pocket with the same sweet smile


a very disagreeable circumstance for the family


very said john with a puzzled look as if it occurred to him dimly and afar off that this might by possibility be a cool way of treating the subject


all the circumstances after a murder said the guest soliloquising


must be dreadfully unpleasant so much bustle and disturbance no repose a con


atant dwelling upon one subject and the running in and out and up and down stairs intolerable


i wouldnt have such a thing happen to anybody i was nearly interested in on any account


twould be enough to wear ones life out


you were going to say friend he added turning to john again


only that mrs itudge lives on a little pension from the family and that barnabys as free of the house as any cat or dog about it answered john


shall he do your errand sir


oh yes replied the guest


oh certainly


let him do it by all means


please to bring him here that i may charge him to be quick


if he ob jects to come you may tell him its mr chester


he will remember my name i dare say


john was so very much astonished to find who his visitor was that he could express no astonishment at all by looks or otherwise but left the room as if ire were in the most placid and imperturbable of all possible conditions


it has been reported that when he got down stairs he looked steadily at the boiler for ten minutes by the clock and all that time never once left off shaking his head for which statement there would seem to be some ground of truth and feasibility inasmuch as that time did certainly elapse before he returned with barnaby to the guests apartment


come hither lad said mr chester


you know mr geoffrey haredale blrnaby lauglhed and looked at the landlord as though he would say you hear him john who was greatly shocked at this breach


of decorum clapped his finger to his nose and shook his head in mute remonstrance


he knows him sir said john frowning aside at barnaby as well as you


or i do


i havent the pleasure of much acquaintance with the gentleman returned his guest


you may have


limit the comparison to yourself my friend


although this was said with the same easy affa bility and the same smile john flt himtelf put down and laying the indignity at harnabjs door determined to kick his raven on the wvary first oppor


tunity


give that said the guest who had by this time sealed the note and who beckoned his messnger to wards him as hire spoke into mr haredales own hands


wait for an answer and bring it back to mehere


if you should find that mr haredale is engaged just now tell himcan he remember a message landlord


when he chooses sir replied john


he wont forget thlis one


how are you sure of that


john merely pointed to him as lhe stood with his head bent forward and his earnest gaze fixed closely on his questioners face and nodded sagely


tell him then barnaby should he be engaged said mr chestiier that i shall be glad to wait itis convenience itere


and to see him if he wi call at any time this evening at the worst can hae a bed here willet i suppose old johln immensely falttered by the persoai n o toriety impiied


in this familiar form of address an swered with something like a knowing look i slould believe you could sir and was turning over in his mind various formsof eulogium with the view of srelecting one appropriate to the qualities of hiis best bed when iris ideas were put to flight by mlr


chester giving barnaby the leiter and bidding him make all speed away


speed l said barnaby folding thelittle packet in his breast speed


if you want oieuliutry anid mystery comne here


here l swith that ire put iris hand very muh to john willets horror on the guests fine broadcloth sleeve anl led him stealthily to the back windbw


look down there he said sotsly do you mark how they uhisper in each others ears then dance and leap to make believe thly are in sport do yots ee how they stopfor a moment


wvlen they hink there is no one looking and


mutter among hemselves again and rlthen iow they roll and giambol alighaed withr the mischief theyie been plottingl unok at em now


see how they whirland plunge


and now they stop againsandwlwhisper cauiouuslv together little thinking tijd howoifte i havelsin stpoa


nthe g rass andw achd them


i say want is it hat they plot and hatch o


you know p


they jfd ialyrjilothesi


rirened the guesrt such ns we wear hanliig on thoasp iups to dry an fiutteripqiu ti i l


td ilothes echoedi arnaby looking close into his face andfalling quickly back


ijttl lia i why holvtiici better to be silly than as wve as you


i


you dont see shadowy people there like those that live in sleep not you


nor eyes


in the knotted panes of glass nor swift ghosts when it lowa hart nor do yop liear voices in the air nor see men stalking in the skynot you


i ilead a merrier life than you with all your cleverness


youre the dull men


were the bright ones


ila


i ha


i ill not change with you clover as you are not


i with that he waved his hat above his head and darted off


a strange creature upon my word i said the guest pulling out a hlandsome box and taking a pinch of snuff


he wants imagination said mr willet very slowly and after a long silence thats what he wants


ive tried to itnstil it into him many and manys the time but john added this in con fidence behant made for it thats the fact


to record that ar


chester smiled at johns re mark would be little to


the purpose for he preserved the same conciliatory and pleasant look at all times


he drew his chair nearer the fire tlough as a kind of hint thiat he would prefer to be


alone and john having no reasonable excuse for remaining left him to himself


very thoughtful old john


willet was while the dinner was preparing and if hlis brain were ever less clear at one time than another it is but reason able to suppose that he addled it in no slight degree by shaking his head so mueh that day


that mr chester between whom and mr haredale it was notorious to all the neighbourhood a deep and bitter animosity existed should come down there for the sole purpose as it seemed of seeing him and should choose the maypole for their place of meeting and should send to him express were stumbling blocks john could not overcome


the only resource he had was to consult theboiler and watt impatiently for barnabys return


but barnaby delayed beyond all precedent


the visitors dinner was served removed his wine was set the fire replenished the hearth clean swept the light waned without it grew dusk became quite dark and still no barnaby appeared


yet though john willet was full of wonder and misgiving his guest sat crosslegged in the easy chair to all appearance as little ruffled in his thoughts as in his dress the same calm easy cool gentleman with out a care or thought beyond his golden toothpick


baroabys late john ventured to observe as he placed a pair of tarnished candlelticks some three feet high upon the table and snuffed the lights they held


ite is rather so replied the gests sipping his wine


he will not be much longer i dare say


john coughed and raked the fire together


as your roads bear no very good character if i may judge from my sons mishap though said mir


chester and as i have no fancy to be knocked on the head which is not only disconcerting at the moment but places one besides in a ridiculous position with respect to the people who chance to pick one up i shall stop here tonight


i think you said you had a bed to spare such a bed sir returned john willet aye such a bed as few even of the gentrys houses own a fixter here sir


ive heard say that bedstead is nigh two hundred years of age


your noble son a fine young gentlemanslept in it last air half a year ago


upon my life a recommendation i said the guest shrugging his shoulders and wheeling his chair nearer to the fire


see that it be well aired mr willet and let a blazing fire be lighted there at once


this house is something damp and chilly


john raked the faggots up again more from habit than presence of mind or any reference to this reo mark and was about to withdraw when a bounding step was heard upon the stair and bainaby caime panting in


hell have his foot in the stirrup in on hours time he cried advancing


lie has been tiding hard all day has just come home but will be in the saddle again as soon as he has eat and drank to meet his loving friend


was that his mcssage asked the visitor looking up but without the inallest discomposure or at least without the smallest show of any


all but the last words barnaby rejoined


l he meant those


i saw that in his face


this for your pains said the other putting money in ihis hand and glancing at him steadfastly


this for your pains sharp barnaby


for grip and me and hugh to share among us he rejoined putting it up and noddingashe counted it on his fingers


grip one me two and hugh three the dog the goat the catswell we shall spend it pretty soon i varn you


staylook


do you wise men see nothing thlerenow


he bent eagerly down on one knee an gazed in tently at lte smoke which was rolling up the chim ney in a thick black cloud


john willet who appeared to consider himself particularly and chiefly referred to under the lernm wise moo lopked that waylikewie with great solidiy of feature


nowwhere do they go to when they spring so fast up there asked barnaby oeh why do they tread so closely on each others heels and why are they always in a hurry which is what you blame me for when i only take pattern by these blisytoll abbii me


moir of en i catching io each others skirts ansil as faist is they go others come i


what a merry dance it


isl i would that grip and i coulid frisk like that


what has ie in jhat basketat his back iasked the guest after a few moments during which barnaby was still bending down to look higher up theclhim


ney snd ernestly witching the smoike


ip tli a


he


answered jumping up before john willet could reply rshaking it as he spoke and stoopling his head to listen


in thisn wvhat is thee here


tele hjn l a devil a devil a devil cried a hoarse voice


ileres money i stlid blarnahy chinking it in is lind mony for ii atgripl slulrrail hburrasi hurrah


repliedtthe rayen kkepup your spirits


never say die


bow w wo


iulrwiitllet who appeared to entertain strong doubtst whether acsttomer in a laced coat and line linen could be supposed to have any acquaintance evoe iv withl the exlseriicaf iuceh unpolite gentry as the bird claimed


to


belong to took bartnabyoffat this juncture with theo view of preventing any otlier ilnmproper declarations and quitted the rodst ivltl his very best bow


o


to iw oqitlnled


a goon ituia gisnlemhan who employed several labouters made it a rule never to aylany tutn


however


small withoutt getting a re eospt


lthe shame which thosleouwhowere unable to waite their names jiltainnsetting their marks hnouh no observationwas inaddon the circunm


tance hsadi perceptible teffct iin inducing them i seeklinstructlon for their children and in more han ootinstance for themtelvesiptourtal f clii llmlfon


let re dtnet


the battle of life


love story


by charles dickens part ii hjc third


m she wept but not for sorrow as he pressed her to his heart


after a brief space he looked down at the child who was sitting at their feet playing with a little basket of flowers and bade discolour how golden and how red the sky was


a alfred said grace raising her head quickly at these words


the sun is going down


you have not forgotten what i am to know before it sets


you are to know the truth of marions history posy love he answered


all the truth she said imploringly


nothing veiled from me any wore


that was he promise


was it not


i it was he answered before the sun went down on marions birthday


and you see it alfred r is sink ing fast


j jle put his arm about her waist and looking steadily into her eyes rejoined that truth is not reserved so long for me to tell dear grace


it is to come from other lips


from other lips i she faintly echoed


yes


i know your constant heart i know how brave you are i know that to you a word of preparation is enough


you have said truly that the time is come


it is


tell me that you have present fortitude to bear a trial sur prisea shock and the messenger is waiting at the gate


what messenger


she said


and what intelligence does he bring i am pledged he answered her preserving his steady look to say no more do you think you understand me


i am afraid to think she said


there was that emotion in his face despite its steady gaze which frightened her


again she bid her own face on his shoulder trembling and entreated him to pause a moment


a courage my wife when you have firm ness to receive the messenger the messenger is waiting at the gate


the sun is getting on marionsbirthday


courage courage grace


i she raised her head and looking at him told him she was ready


as she stood and looked upon him going away her face was so like marions as it had been in her later days at home that it was wonderful to see


he took the child with him


she called her back she bore the lost girls nameand pressed her to her bosom


the little creature being released again speed after him and grace was left alone


she knew not what she dreaded or what hoped but remained there motionless looking at the porch by which they had disappeared


all what was that emerging from its shadow standing on its threshold that figure with its white garments rustling in the evening air its head laid down upon her fathers breast and pressed against it to his loving heart i


oh gocvt was it a vision that came bursting from the old mans arms and with a cry and with a wavering of its hands and with a wild precipitation of itself upon her in its boundless love sank down in her embrace


i oh marion marion i


oh my sister i


oh my hearts dear loved oh joy and happiness unutterable so to meet again


it was no dream no phantom conjured up by hope and fear but marion sweet marion i so beautiful so happy so unalloyed by care and trial so elevated and exalted in her loveliness that as the setting sun shone brightly on her upturned face she might have been a spirit visiting the earth upon some healing mission


clinging to her sister who had dropped upon a seat and bent down over her and smiling through her tears and kneeling close before her with both arms twining round her and never turning for an instant from her face and with the glory of the setting sun upon her brow and with the soft tranquillity of evening gathering around them marion at length broke silence her voice so calm low clear and pleasant wellturned to the time


when this was my dear home grace as it will be now again stay my sweet love a moment of marion to hear you speak again


she could not bear the voice she loved so well at first


when this was my dear home grace as it will be now again i loved him from my soul


i loved him most devoutly


i would have died for him though i was so young


i never slighted his affection in my secret breast for one brief instant


it was far beyond all price to me


although it is so long ago and past and gone and everything is wholly changed i could not bear to think that you who love so well should think i did not truly love him once


i never loved him better grace than when he left this very scene upon this very day


i never loved him better dear one than i did that night when i left here


her sister bending over her could only look into her face and hold her fast


but he had gained unconsciously said marion with a gentle smile another heart before i knew that i had one to give him


that heartyours my sisterwas so yielded up in all its other tenderness to me was so devoted and so noble that it plucked its love away and kept its secret from all eyes but mineah what other eyes were quickened by such tender ness and gratitude iand was content to sacrifice itself to me


but i knew something of its depths


i knew the struggle it had made


i knew its high inestimable worth to him and his appreciation of it let him love me as he would knew the debt i owed it


i had its great example every day before me


what you had done for me i knew that i could do grace if i would for you


i never laid my head down on my pillow but i prayed with tears to do it


i never laid my head down on my pillow but i thought of alfreds own words on the day of his departure and how truly he had said for i knew that by you that there were victories gained every day in struggling hearts to which these fields of battles were nothing


thinking more and more upon the great endurance cheerfully sustained and never known or cared for that there must be every day and hour in that great strife of which he spoke my trial seemed to grow light and easy and he who knows our hearts my dearest at this moment and who knows there is no drop of bitterness or griefof anything but unmixed happinessin mine enabled me to make the resolution that i never would be alfreds wife


that he should be my brother and your husband if the course i took could bring that happy end to pass but that i never would grace i then loved him dearly dearly i be his wife i i j


e


oh marion on maripnl if i had tried to seem indifferent to him land she pressed her sisters face against her own hot that was hard and you were always his true advocate


i had tried to tell you of my resolution but you would never hear me you would never understand me


the time has drawing near for h return


i felt that i must act before the daily intercourse between us was renewed


i knew that one great pang undergone at that time would save a length


vepetd agony in all of us


i knew that if i went away then that end must follow which sat for lowed and which has made us both so happy


graces iwroteito good aunt martha jor refuge in harbour i did not then tell her all butmoniething of my story and she freely


promisedtewhile j was contesting that step wuhlwymlfnd with love of you and home mr warden brought here by an accident became for some time our companion


i have sometimes feared of late years that this might have been exclaimed her sister and her countenance was ashy pale