drownedby
its
sound
.
So
Nature
's
full
,
hollowed
hand
ran
over
lightning-lighted
to
the
organ
music
of
the
thunder
;
but
for
these
horror-stricken
watchers
the
majestic
phenomena
sweeping
before
them
held
no
splendor
and
prompted
no
admiration
.
They
only
saw
ruin
tearing
at
the
roots
of
the
land
;
they
only
imagined
drowned
beasts
floating
before
them
belly
upward
,
scattered
hay
hurried
to
the
sea
,
wasted
crops
,
a
million
tons
of
precious
soil
torn
off
the
fields
,
orchards
desolated
,
bridges
and
roads
destroyed
.
For
them
misery
stared
out
of
the
lightning
and
starvation
rode
upon
the
flood
.
The
roar
of
water
answering
the
thunder
above
it
was
to
their
ears
Earth
groaning
against
the
rod
,
and
right
well
they
knew
that
the
pale
torrent
was
drowning
those
summer
labors
which
represented
money
and
food
for
the
on-coming
of
the
long
winter
months
.
They
stared
,
silent
and
dumb
,
under
the
ram
;
they
knew
that
the
kernel
of
near
a
year
's
toil
was
riding
away
upon
the
livid
torrent
;
that
the
higher
meadows
,
held
absolutely
safe
,
were
half
under
water
now
;
that
the
flood
tumbling
under
the
blue
fire
most
surely
held
sheep
and
cattle
in
its
depths
;
that
tons
of
upland
hay
swam
upon
it
;
that
,
like
enough
,
dead
men
also
turned
and
twisted
there
in
a
last
mad
journey
to
the
sea
.
A
passing
belief
that
their
labors
might
save
the
stack
sprung
up
in
the
breast
of
one
alone
.
Uncle
Chirgwin
trusted
Providence
and
his
hempen
ropes
and
clothesline
;
but
it
was
a
childish
hope
,
and
,
gazing
open-mouthed
upon
that
swelling
,
hurtling
cataract
of
roaring
water
,
none
shared
it
.
An
almost
continuous
mist
of
livid
light
crossed
and
recrossed
,
festooned
and
cut
by
its
own
crinkled
sources
,
revealed
the
progress
of
the
flood
,
and
,
heedless
of
themselves
,
Uncle
Chirgwin
and
his
men
watched
the
fate
of
the
stack
,
now
rising
very
pale
of
hue
above
the
water
,
seen
through
shining
curtains
of
rain
.
First
the
torrent
tumbled
and
rose
about
it
,
and
then
a
sudden
tremor
and
turning
of
the
mass
told
that
the
rick
floated
.
As
it
twisted
the
weak
ropes
,
receiving
the
strain
in
turn
,
snapped
one
after
another
;
then
the
great
stack
moved
solemnly
forward
,
stuck
fast
,
moved
again
,
lost
its
center
of
gravity
and
foundered
like
a
ship
.
Under
the
lightning
they
saw
it
heave
upward
upon
one
side
,
plunge
forward
against
the
torrent
which
had
swept
its
base
from
beneath
it
,
and
vanish
.
The
farmer
heaved
a
bitter
groan
.
"
Dear
God
,
that
sich
things
can
be
in
a
Christian
land
,
"
he
cried
.
"
All
gone
,
this
year
,
an
'
last
,
an
'
the
aftermath
;
an
'
Lard
He
knaws
what
be
doin
'
in
the
valley
bottom
.
I
wish
the
light
may
strike
me
dead
wheer
I
stand
,
for
I
be
a
blot
afore
Him
,
else
I
'd
never
be
made
to
suffer
like
this
here
.
Awnly
if
any
man
among
'
e
will
up
an
'
tell
me
what
I
've
done
I
'll
thank
en
.
"
"
'
Tis
the
land
as
have
sinned
,
not
you
,
"
said
Mary
.
"
This
reaches
more'n
us
o
'
Drift
.
Come
your
ways
an
'
get
out
o
'
these
clothes
,
else
you
'll
catch
your
death
.
Come
to
the
house
,
all
of
'
e
,
"
she
cried
to
the
rest
.
"
Theer
ba
n't
no
more
for
us
to
do
till
marnin
'
light
.
"
"
If
ever
it
do
come
,
"
groaned
the
man
Bartlett
.
"
So
like
's
not
the
end
o
'
the
world
be
here
;
an
'
I
'd
be
fust
to
hollo
it
,
awnly
theer
's
more
water
than
fire
here
when
all
's
said
,
an
'
the
airth
's
to
be
burned
,
not
drowned
.
"
"
Let
a
come
when
a
will
now
,
"
gasped
an
aged
man
as
the
drenched
party
moved
slowly
away
upward
to
the
farm
;
"
our
ears
be
tuned
to
the
trump
o
'
God
,
for
nort
—
no
,
not
the
screech
o
'
horns
blawed
by
all
the
angels
in
heaven
—
could
sound
awfuler
than
the
tantarra
o
'
this
gert
tempest
.
I
,
Gaffer
Polglaze
,
be
the
auldest
piece
up
Drift
,
but
I
never
heard
tell
o
'
no
sich
noise
,
let
alone
havin
'
my
awn
ears
flattened
wi
'
it
.
"
They
climbed
the
steep
lane
to
the
farm
,
and
the
wind
began
to
drown
the
more
distant
roar
of
the
water
.
Rain
fell
more
heavily
than
before
,
and
the
full
heart
of
the
storm
crashed
and
flamed
over
their
heads
as
Drift
was
reached
.
Dawn
trembled
out
upon
a
tremendous
chapter
of
disasters
,
still
fresh
in
the
memory
of
many
who
witnessed
it
.
A
gray
,
sullen
morning
,
with
sky-glimpses
of
blue
,
hastily
shown
and
greedily
hidden
,
broke
over
Western
Cornwall
and
uncovered
the
handiwork
of
a
flood
more
savage
in
its
fury
and
far-reaching
in
its
effects
than
man
's
memory
could
parallel
—
a
flood
which
already
shrunk
fast
backward
from
its
own
havoc
.
To
describe
a
single
one
of
those
valleys
through
which
small
rivers
usually
ran
to
the
sea
is
to
describe
them
all
.
Thus
the
torrent
which
raved
down
the
coomb
beneath
Drift
,
and
carried
Uncle
Chirgwin
's
massive
hayrick
with
it
like
a
child
's
toy-boat
,
had
also
uprooted
acres
of
gooseberry
bushes
and
raspberry
canes
,
torn
apple
trees
from
the
ground
,
laid
waste
extensive
tracts
of
ripe
produce
and
carried
ripening
roots
by
thousands
into
the
sea
.
Beneath
the
orchards
,
as
the
flood
subsided
,
there
appeared
great
tracts
of
nakedness
where
banks
of
stone
had
been
torn
out
of
the
land
and
scattered
upon
it
;
dead
beasts
stuck
jammed
in
the
low
forks
of
trees
;
swine
,
sheep
and
calves
appeared
,
cast
up
in
fantastic
places
,
strangled
by
the
water
;
sandy
wastes
,
stripped
of
every
living
leaf
and
blade
,
ran
like
banks
where
no
banks
formerly
existed
,
and
here
and
there
from
their
midst
stuck
out
naked
boughs
of
upturned
trees
,
fragments
of
man
's
contrivances
,
or
the
legs
of
dead
beasts
.
Looking
up
the
coomb
,
desolation
was
writ
large
and
the
utmost
margins
of
the
flood
clearly
recorded
on
branch
and
bough
,
where
rubbish
which
had
floated
to
the
fringe
of
the
flood
was
caught
and
hung
aloft
.
Below
,
as
the
waters
gained
volume
and
force
,
Buryas
Bridge
,
an
ancient
structure
of
three
arches
beneath
which
the
trout-stream
peacefully
babbled
under
ordinary
conditions
,
was
swept
headlong
away
and
the
houses
hard
by
flooded
;
while
the
greatest
desolation
had
fallen
on
those
orchards
lying
lowest
in
the
valley
.
Indeed
the
nearer
the
flood
approached
Newlyn
the
more
tremendous
had
been
the
ravage
wrought
by
it
.
The
orchards
of
Talcarne
valley
were
ruined
as
though
artillery
had
swept
them
,
and
of
the
lesser
crops
scarce
any
at
all
remained
.
Then
,
bursting
down
Street-an-nowan
,
as
that
lane
is
called
,
the
waters
running
high
where
their
courses
narrowed
,
swamped
sundry
cottages
and
leaped
like
a
wolf
on
the
low-lying
portion
of
Newlyn
.
Here
it
burst
through
the
alleys
and
narrow
passages
,
drowned
the
basements
of
many
tenements
,
isolated
cottages
,
stores
and
granaries
,
threatened
nearly
a
hundred
lives
startled
from
sleep
by
its
sudden
assault
.
Then
,
under
the
raging
weather
and
in
that
babel
of
angry
waters
,
brave
deeds
were
done
by
the
fisher
folk
,
who
chanced
to
be
ashore
.
Grave
personal
risks
were
hazarded
by
many
a
man
in
that
turbid
flood
,
and
not
a
few
women
and
children
were
rescued
with
utmost
danger
to
their
saviors
'
lives
.
Yet
the
petty
rivalry
of
split
and
riven
creeds
actuated
not
a
few
even
at
that
time
of
peril
,
and
while
life
was
allowed
sacred
and
no
man
turned
a
deaf
ear
to
the
cry
of
woman
or
child
,
with
property
the
case
was
altered
and
sects
lifted
not
a
finger
each
to
help
the
other
in
the
saving
of
furniture
and
effects
.
Newlyn
furnished
but
one
theater
of
a
desolation
which
covered
wide
regions
.
At
Penzance
,
the
Laregan
River
flooded
all
the
lowlands
as
it
swept
with
prodigious
cataracts
to
the
sea
;
mighty
lakes
stretched
between
Penzance
and
Gulval
;
the
brooklets
of
Ponsandine
and
Coombe
,
swollen
to
torrents
,
bore
crushing
destruction
upon
the
valleys
through
which
they
fell
.
Bleu
Bridge
with
its
ancient
inscribed
"
long
stone
"
was
swept
into
the
bed
of
the
Ponsandine
,
and
here
,
as
in
other
low-lying
lands
,
many
tons
of
hay
were
torn
from
their
foundations
and
set
adrift
.
At
Churchtown
the
rainfall
precipitated
off
the
slopes
of
Castle-an-dinas
begot
vast
torrents
which
,
upon
their
roaring
way
,
tore
the
very
heart
out
of
steep
and
stony
lanes
,
flooded
farmyards
,
plowed
up
miles
of
hillside
,
leaped
the
wall
of
the
cemetery
below
and
spread
twining
yellow
fingers
among
the
graves
.
Three
hundred
tons
of
rain
fell
to
the
acre
in
the
immediate
tract
of
that
terrific
storm
,
and
the
world
of
misery
,
loss
and
suffering
poured
forth
on
the
humble
dwellers
of
the
land
only
came
to
be
estimated
in
its
bitter
magnitude
during
the
course
of
the
winter
which
followed
.
Ashore
it
was
not
immediately
known
whether
any
loss
of
human
life
had
added
crowning
horror
to
the
catastrophe
,
but
evil
news
came
quickly
off
the
sea
.
Mourning
fell
upon
Mousehole
for
the
crews
of
two
among
its
fisher
fleet
who
were
lost
that
night
upon
the
way
toward
Plymouth
waters
to
join
the
herring
fishery
;
and
Newlyn
heard
the
wail
of
a
robbed
mother
.
At
Drift
the
farmhouse
was
found
to
hold
a
mystery
soon
after
the
day
had
broken
.
Joan
Tregenza
,
whose
condition
rendered
it
impossible
for
her
to
actively
assist
at
the
struggle
in
the
coomb
,
did
not
retire
early
on
the
previous
night
,
as
her
family
supposed
,
and
Mary
,
entering
her
room
at
breakfast-time
,
found
it
empty
.
There
was
no
sign
of
the
girl
and
no
indication
of
anything
which
could
explain
her
absence
.
CHAPTER
SEVEN
OUT
OF
THE
DEEP
At
the
dawn
of
the
day
which
followed
upon
the
great
storm
,
while
yet
the
sea
ran
high
and
the
gale
died
hard
,
many
tumbling
luggers
,
some
maimed
,
began
to
dot
the
wind-torn
waters
of
Mounts
Bay
.
The
tide
was
out
,
but
within
the
shelter
of
the
shore
which
rose
between
Newlyn
and
the
course
of
the
wind
,
the
returning
boats
found
safety
at
their
accustomed
anchorage
;
and
as
one
by
one
they
made
the
little
roads
,
as
boat
after
boat
came
ashore
from
the
fleet
,
tears
,
hysteric
screams
and
deep-voiced
thanks
to
the
Almighty
arose
from
the
crowd
of
men
and
women
massed
at
the
extremity
of
Newlyn
pier
beneath
the
lighthouse
.
Cheers
and
many
a
shake
of
hand
greeted
every
party
as
,
weary-eyed
and
worn
,
it
landed
and
climbed
the
slippery
steps
.
From
such
moments
even
those
still
in
the
shadow
of
terrible
fear
plucked
a
little
courage
and
brightened
hopes
.
Then
each
of
the
returned
fishermen
,
with
his
own
clinging
to
him
,
set
face
homeward
—
a
rejoicing
stream
of
little
separate
processions
,
every
one
heralding
a
saved
life
.
There
crept
thus
inland
wives
smiling
through
the
mist
of
dead
tears
,
old
mothers
hobbling
beside
their
bearded
sons
,
young
mothers
pouring
blessing
on
proud
sailor
boys
,
sweethearts
,
withered
ancients
,
daughters
,
sons
,
little
children
.
Sad
beyond
power
of
thought
were
the
hearts
of
all
as
they
had
hastened
to
the
pierhead
at
early
morning
light
;
now
the
sorrowful
still
remained
there
,
but
those
who
came
away
rejoiced
,
for
none
returned
without
their
treasures
.
Thomasin
stood
with
many
another
care-stricken
soul
,
but
her
fears
grew
greater
as
the
delay
increased
;
for
the
Tregenza
lugger
was
big
and
fast
,
yet
many
boats
of
less
fame
had
already
come
home
.
All
the
fishermen
told
the
same
story
.
Bursting
out
of
an
ominous
peace
the
storm
had
fallen
suddenly
upon
them
when
westward
of
the
Scilly
Islands
.
One
or
two
were
believed
to
have
made
neighboring
ports
in
the
isles
,
but
the
fleet
was
driven
before
the
gale
and
had
experienced
those
grave
hazards
reserved
for
small
vessels
in
a
heavy
sea
.
That
all
had
weathered
the
night
seemed
a
circumstance
too
happy
to
hope
for
,
but
Newlyn
hearts
rose
high
as
boat
after
boat
came
back
in
safety
.
Then
a
dozen
men
hastened
to
Mrs.
Tregenza
with
the
good
news
that
her
husband
's
vessel
was
in
sight
.
"
She
've
lost
her
mizzen
by
the
looks
on
it
,
"
said
a
fisherman
,
"
an
'
that
's
more'n
good
reason
for
her
bein
'
'
mong
the
last
to
make
home
.
"
But
Thomasin
's
hysterical
joy
was
cut
short
by
the
most
unexpected
appearance
of
Mary
Chirgwin
on
the
pier
.
She
had
visited
the
white
cottage
to
find
it
locked
up
and
empty
;
she
had
then
joined
the
concourse
at
the
pierhead
,
feeling
certain
that
the
Tregenza
boat
must
still
be
at
sea
;
and
she
now
added
her
congratulations
to
the
rest
,
then
told
Mrs.
Tregenza
her
news
.
"
I
be
comed
to
knaw
if
you
've
heard
or
seen
anything
o
'
Joan
.
'
Tis
'
mazin
'
straange
,
but
her
've
gone
,
like
a
dream
,
an
'
us
caa
n't
find
a
sign
of
her
.
What
wi
'
she
an
'
terrible
doin
's
'
pon
the
land
last
night
,
uncle
's
'
bout
beside
hisself
.
Us
left
her
in
the
kitchen
,
an
'
when
we
comed
back
from
tryin
'
to
save
the
hay
she
was
nowheer
.
Of
coorse
,
us
thot
she
'd
gone
to
her
bed
.
But
she
weer
n't
,
an
'
this
mornin
'
we
doa
n't
see
a
atom
of
her
,
but
finds
a
envelope
empty
'
pon
the
kitchen
floor
.
'
Twas
addressed
to
Joan
an
'
comed
from
Lunnon
.
"
"
Aw
jimmery
!
She
've
gone
to
en
arter
all
,
then
—
an
'
in
her
state
.
"
"
The
floods
was
out
,
you
see
.
Her
might
have
marched
off
to
Penzance
to
larn
'
bout
the
manner
o
'
gwaine
to
Lunnon
an
'
bin
stopped
in
home-comin
'
;
or
her
might
have
slept
in
Penzance
to
catch
a
early
train
away
.
"
"
Iss
,
or
her
might
a
got
in
the
water
,
poor
lamb
,
"
said
Thomasin
,
who
never
left
the
dark
side
of
a
position
unconsidered
.
Mary
's
face
showed
that
the
same
idea
had
struck
her
.
"
God
grant
'
tedn
'
nothin
'
like
that
,
though
maybe
'
twould
be
better
than
t'other
.
Us
caa
n't
say
she
've
run
away
,
but
I
thot
I
'd
tell
'
e
how
things
is
so
's
you
could
spread
it
abroad
that
she
'm
lost
.
Maybe
us
'll
hear
somethin
'
'
fore
the
day
's
much
aulder
.
I
be
gwaine
to
Penzance
now
an
'
I
'll
let
'
e
knaw
if
theer
's
anything
to
tell
.
Good-by
,
an
'
I
be
right
glad
all
's
well
wi
'
your
husband
,
though
I
do
n't
hold
wi
'
his
'
pinions
.
"
But
Mrs.
Tregenza
did
not
answer
.
Her
eyes
were
fixed
on
the
lugger
which
had
now
got
to
its
anchorage
and
looked
strange
and
unnatural
shorn
of
its
lesser
mast
.
She
saw
the
moorings
dragged
up
;
and
a
few
minutes
later
the
boat
,
which
had
rolled
and
tumbled
at
them
all
night
,
was
baled
.
Thereupon
men
took
their
seats
in
her
and
began
to
row
toward
the
harbor
.
It
seemed
that
Gray
Michael
was
steering
,
and
his
crew
clearly
pulled
very
weak
and
short
,
for
their
strength
was
spent
.
Then
,
as
they
came
between
the
arms
of
the
harbor
,
as
they
shipped
oars
and
glided
to
the
steps
,
Tregenza
's
hybrid
yellow
dog
,
who
accompanied
the
fisherman
in
all
his
goings
,
jumped
ashore
barking
and
galloped
up
the
slippery
steps
with
joy
;
while
,
at
the
same
moment
,
a
woman
's
sharp
cry
cut
the
air
like
a
knife
and
two
wild
eyes
looked
down
into
the
boat
.
"
Wheer
'm
the
bwoy
,
Michael
?
Oh
,
my
good
God
,
wheer
'm
Tom
?
"
Everybody
strained
silently
to
hear
the
answer
,
but
though
the
fisherman
looked
up
,
he
made
no
reply
.
The
boat
steadied
and
one
after
another
the
men
in
her
went
ashore
,
Tregenza
mounting
the
steps
last
.
His
wife
broke
the
silence
.
Only
a
murmur
of
thankfulness
had
greeted
the
other
men
,
for
their
faces
showed
a
tragedy
.
They
regarded
their
leader
fearfully
,
and
there
was
something
more
than
death
in
their
eyes
.
"
Wheer
'm
the
bwoy
—
Tom
?
For
the
love
of
God
,
speak
,
caa
n't
'
e
?
Why
be
you
all
dumb
an
'
glazin
'
that
awful
!
"
cried
the
woman
,
knowing
the
truth
before
she
heard
it
.
Then
she
listened
to
the
elder
Pritchard
,
who
whispered
his
wife
,
and
so
fell
into
a
great
convulsion
of
raving
,
dry-eyed
sorrow
.
"
Oh
,
my
bwoy
!
Drownded
—
my
awn
lil
precious
Tom
!
God
a
mercy
!
Dead
!
Then
let
me
die
tu
!
"
She
gave
vent
to
extravagant
and
savage
grief
after
the
manner
of
her
kind
.
She
would
have
torn
her
hair
and
thrown
herself
off
the
quay
but
for
kindly
hands
which
restrained
.
"
God
rot
you
,
an
'
blast
you
,
an
'
burn
you
up
!
"
she
screamed
,
shaking
her
fists
at
the
sea
.
"
I
knawed
this
would
be
the
end
.
I
dreamed
it
'
fore
'
e
was
born
.
Doa
n't
'
e
hold
me
back
,
you
poor
fools
.
Let
me
gaw
an
'
bury
myself
in
the
same
graave
along
wi
'
en
.
My
Tom
,
my
Tom
!
I
awnly
had
but
wan
—
awnly
wan
,
an
'
now
—
"
She
wailed
and
wrung
her
hands
,
while
rough
voices
filled
her
ears
with
such
comfort
as
words
could
bring
to
her
.
"
Rest
easy
,
bide
at
peace
,
dear
sawl
.
"
"
'
Tis
the
Lard
's
doin
'
,
mother
;
an
'
the
lil
bwoy
's
better
off
now
.
"
"
Take
it
calm
,
my
poor
good
creature
.
"
"
Try
an
'
bring
tears
to
your
eyes
,
theer
's
a
dear
wummon
.
"
Tears
finally
came
to
her
relief
,
and
she
wept
and
moaned
while
friends
supported
her
,
looking
with
wonder
upon
Michael
,
her
husband
.
He
stood
aloof
with
the
men
about
him
.
But
never
a
word
he
spoke
to
his
wife
or
any
other
.
His
eyes
dilated
and
had
lost
their
steady
forward
glance
,
though
a
mad
misery
lighted
them
with
flashes
that
came
and
went
;
his
face
was
a
very
burrow
of
time
,
seared
and
trenched
with
pits
and
wrinkles
.
His
hat
was
gone
,
his
hair
blew
wild
,
the
strong
set
of
his
mouth
had
vanished
;
his
head
,
usually
held
so
high
,
hung
forward
on
a
shrunken
neck
.
The
brothers
Pritchard
told
their
story
as
a
party
conducted
Thomasin
back
to
her
home
.
For
the
moment
Gray
Michael
stood
irresolute
and
alone
,
save
for
his
dog
,
which
ran
round
him
.
"
Us
was
tackin
'
when
it
fust
began
to
blaw
,
an
'
all
bustlin
'
'
bout
in
the
dark
,
when
the
mainsail
went
lerrickin
'
'
cross
an
'
knocked
the
poor
dam
bwoy
owerboard
into
as
ugly
a
rage
o
'
water
as
ever
I
seed
.
Tom
had
his
sea-boots
on
,
an
'
every
sawl
'
pon
the
bwoat
knawed
'
twas
all
up
as
soon
as
we
lost
en
.
We
shawed
a
light
an
'
tumbled
'
bout
for
quarter
o
'
an
hour
wi
'
the
weather
gettin
'
wicked
.
Then
comed
a
scat
as
mighty
near
thrawed
us
'
pon
our
beam-ends
,
an
'
took
the
mizzen
'
long
wi
'
it
.
'
Tis
terrible
bad
luck
,
sure
'
nough
,
for
never
a
tidier
bwoy
went
feeshin
'
;
but
theer
's
worse
to
tell
'
e
.
Look
at
that
gert
,
good
man
,
Tregenza
.
Oh
,
my
God
,
my
blood
do
creem
when
I
think
o
n't
!
"
The
man
stopped
and
his
brother
took
up
the
story
.
"
'
Twas
arterwards
,
when
us
had
weathered
the
worst
an
'
was
tryin
'
to
fetch
home
,
Michael
failed
forward
on
's
faace
arter
the
bwoy
was
drownded
;
an
'
us
had
to
do
all
for
the
bwoat
wi'out
en
.
But
he
comed
to
bimebye
an
'
did
n't
take
on
much
,
awnly
kept
so
dumb
as
a
adder
.
Not
a
word
did
er
say
till
marnin
'
light
;
then
a
'
orrible
thing
fell
'
pon
en
.
You
knaw
that
yaller
dog
as
sails
wi
'
us
most
times
?
He
turned
'
pon
en
sudden
an
'
sez
:
'
Praise
God
,
praise
the
Lard
o
'
Hosts
,
my
sons
,
here
's
Tom
,
here
's
my
lad
as
us
thot
weer
drownded
!
'
Then
he
kissed
that
beast
,
an
'
it
licked
his
faace
,
an
'
he
cried
—
that
iron
sawl
cried
like
a
wummon
!
Then
he
thundered
out
as
the
crew
was
to
give
God
the
praise
,
an
'
said
the
man
as
weer
n't
on
's
knees
in
a
twinklin
'
should
be
thrawed
out
the
bwoat
to
Jonah
's
whale
.
God
's
truth
!
I
never
seed
nothin
'
so
awful
as
skipper
's
eyes
'
pon
airth
!
Then
er
calmed
down
,
an
'
the
back
of
en
grawed
humpetty
an
'
his
head
failed
a
bit
forrard
an
'
he
sat
strokin
'
of
the
dog
.
Arter
that
,
when
us
seed
Newlyn
,
it
'
peared
to
bring
en
to
his
senses
a
bit
,
an
'
he
knawed
Tom
was
drownded
.
He
rambled
in
his
speech
a
while
;
then
went
mute
again
,
wi
'
a
new
look
in
his
eyes
as
though
he
'd
grawed
so
auld
as
history
in
a
single
night
.
Theer
he
do
stand
bedoled
wi
'
all
manner
o
'
airthly
sufferin
'
,
poor
creature
.
Him
wi
'
all
his
righteousness
behind
en
tu
!
But
the
thinkin
'
paarts
of
en
be
drownded
wheer
his
bwoy
was
,
an
'
I
lay
theer
ba
n't
no
druggister
,
nor
doctor
neither
,
as
'll
bring
'
em
back
to
en
.
"
"
Look
at
that
now
!
"
exclaimed
another
man
.
"
See
who
's
a
talkin
'
to
Tregenza
!
If
that
ba
n't
terrible
coorious
!
'
Tis
Billy
Jago
,
the
softy
!
"
Billy
was
indeed
addressing
Gray
Michael
and
getting
an
answer
to
his
remarks
.
The
laborer
's
brains
might
be
addled
,
but
they
still
contained
sane
patches
.
He
had
heard
of
the
fisherman
's
loss
and
now
touched
his
hat
and
expressed
regret
.
"
Ay
,
the
young
be
snatched
,
same
as
a
build-in
'
craw
will
pick
sprigs
o
'
green
wood
for
her
nest
an
'
leave
the
dead
twig
to
rot
.
Here
I
be
,
rotten
an
'
coffin-ripe
any
time
this
two
year
,
yet
I
'm
passed
awver
for
that
braave
young
youth
.
An
'
how
is
it
wi
'
you
,
Mr.
Tregenza
?
I
s'pose
the
Lard
do
look
to
His
awn
in
such
a
pass
?
"
Gray
Michael
regarded
the
speaker
a
moment
and
then
made
answer
.
"
I
be
that
sleepy
,
my
son
,
an
'
hungry
wi
'
it
.
Iss
fay
,
I
could
eat
a
bloody
raw
dog-fish
an
'
think
it
no
sin
.
See
to
this
,
but
doa
n't
say
nothin
'
'
bout
it
.
The
bwoat
went
down
wi
'
all
hands
,
but
us
flinged
a
bottle
to
Bucca
for
en
to
wash
ashore
wi
'
the
news
.
But
it
never
comed
,
for
why
?
'
Cause
that
damnation
devil
bringed
the
bottle
'
gainst
granite
rocks
,
an
'
the
message
was
washed
away
for
mermaids
to
read
an
'
laugh
at
;
an
'
the
grass-green
splinters
o
'
glass
as
held
the
last
cry
o
'
drownin
'
men
—
why
,
lil
childern
plays
wi
'
'
em
now
'
pon
the
sand
.
'
Sing
to
the
Lard
,
ye
that
gaw
down
to
the
sea
.
'
An
'
I
'll
sing
—
trust
me
for
that
,
but
I
must
eat
fust
.
I
speaks
to
you
,
Billy
,
'
cause
you
be
wan
o
'
God
's
chosen
fools
.
"
He
stopped
abruptly
,
pressed
his
hand
over
his
forehead
,
said
something
about
breaking
the
news
to
his
wife
,
and
then
walked
slowly
down
the
quay
.
The
manner
of
his
locomotion
had
wholly
changed
,
and
he
moved
like
one
whose
life
was
a
failure
.
Meantime
Jago
,
full
of
the
great
discovery
,
hastened
to
the
Pritchards
and
other
men
who
were
now
following
Gray
Michael
at
a
distance
.
Them
he
told
that
the
fisherman
had
taken
leave
of
his
senses
,
that
he
had
actually
called
Billy
himself
one
of
God
's
chosen
fools
.
Several
more
boats
had
come
in
,
and
as
it
was
certainly
known
that
some
had
taken
refuge
at
Scilly
,
those
vitally
interested
in
the
few
remaining
vessels
withdrew
from
the
quay
comforting
each
other
and
putting
a
hopeful
face
on
the
position
.
Gray
Michael
followed
his
wife
home
.
As
yet
she
had
not
learned
of
his
state
;
but
,
although
his
conduct
on
returning
was
somewhat
singular
,
no
word
which
fell
now
from
him
spoke
clearly
of
a
disordered
mind
.
He
clamored
first
for
food
,
and
,
while
he
ate
,
gave
a
clear
if
callous
account
of
his
son
's
death
and
the
lugger
's
danger
.
Having
eaten
,
he
went
to
his
bedroom
,
dragged
off
his
boots
,
flung
himself
down
and
was
soon
sleeping
heavily
;
while
Thomasin
,
marveling
at
his
stolidity
and
resenting
it
not
a
little
,
gave
way
to
utter
grief
.
During
an
interval
between
storms
of
tears
the
woman
put
on
a
black
gown
,
then
went
to
her
work
.
The
day
had
now
advanced
.
On
seeing
her
again
downstairs
,
two
or
three
friends
,
including
the
Pritchards
,
entered
the
house
and
asked
anxiously
after
Michael
,
without
,
however
,
stating
the
nature
of
their
fears
.
She
answered
querulously
that
the
man
was
asleep
and
showed
no
more
sorrow
than
a
brute
beast
.
She
was
very
red-eyed
and
bedraggled
.
Every
utterance
was
an
excuse
for
a
fresh
outburst
of
weeping
,
her
breast
heaved
,
her
hands
moved
spasmodically
,
her
nerves
were
at
extreme
tension
and
she
could
not
stay
long
in
one
place
.
Seeing
that
she
was
nearly
lightheaded
with
much
grief
,
and
hoping
that
her
husband
's
disorder
would
vanish
after
his
slumber
was
ended
,
her
friends
forbore
to
hint
at
what
had
happened
to
him
.
They
comforted
her
to
the
best
of
their
power
;
then
,
knowing
that
long
hours
of
bitter
sorrow
must
surely
pass
over
the
mother
's
head
before
such
grief
could
grow
less
,
departed
one
by
one
,
leaving
her
at
last
alone
.
She
moved
restlessly
about
from
room
to
room
,
carrying
in
one
hand
a
photograph
of
Tom
,
in
the
other
a
handkerchief
.
Now
and
then
she
sat
down
,
looked
at
the
picture
and
wept
anew
.
She
tried
to
eat
some
supper
presently
but
could
not
.
It
is
seldom
a
sudden
loss
strikes
home
so
speedily
as
had
her
tribulation
sunk
into
Thomasin
Tregenza
's
soul
.
She
drank
some
brandy
and
water
which
a
friend
had
poured
out
for
her
and
left
standing
on
the
mantel
—
shelf
.
Then
she
went
up
to
bed
—
a
stricken
ruin
of
the
woman
who
had
risen
from
it
in
the
morning
.
Her
husband
still
slept
,
and
Thomasin
,
her
grief
being
of
a
nature
which
required
spectators
for
its
fullest
and
most
soothing
expression
,
felt
irritated
alike
with
him
and
with
those
friends
who
had
all
departed
,
and
,
from
the
best
motives
,
left
her
thus
.
She
flung
herself
into
bed
and
anger
obscured
her
misery
—
anger
with
her
husband
.
His
heavy
breathing
worked
her
to
a
frenzy
at
last
,
and
she
sat
up
,
took
him
by
the
shoulder
and
tried
to
shake
him
.
"
Wake
up
,
for
God
's
sake
,
an
'
speak
to
me
,
caa
n't
'
e
?
You
eat
an
'
drink
an
'
sleep
like
a
gert
hog
—
you
new
—
come
from
your
awnly
son
's
drownin
'
!
Oh
,
Christ
,
caa
n't
'
e
think
o
'
me
,
as
have
lived
a
hunderd
cruel
years
since
you
went
to
sleep
?
Ai
n't
you
got
a
word
for
me
?
An
'
you
,
as
had
your
sawl
centered
'
pon
en
—
how
comes
it
you
can
—
"
She
stopped
abruptly
,
for
he
lay
motionless
and
made
no
sort
of
response
to
her
shrill
complaining
.
She
had
yet
to
learn
the
cause
;
she
had
yet
to
know
that
Michael
had
drifted
beyond
the
reach
of
all
further
mental
suffering
whatsoever
.
No
religious
anxieties
,
no
mundane
trials
,
none
of
the
million
lesser
carking
troubles
that
fret
the
sane
brain
and
stamp
care
on
the
face
of
conscious
intelligence
would
plague
him
more
.
Henceforth
he
was
dead
to
the
changes
and
chances
of
human
life
.
At
midnight
there
came
the
awful
waking
.
Thomasin
slept
at
last
and
slumbered
dream-tossed
in
a
shadow-world
of
fantastic
troubles
.
Then
a
sound
roused
her
—
the
sound
of
a
voice
speaking
loudly
,
breaking
off
to
laugh
,
and
speaking
again
.
The
voice
she
knew
,
but
the
laugh
she
had
never
heard
.
She
started
up
and
listened
.
It
was
her
husband
who
had
wakened
her
.
"
How
do
it
go
then
?
Lard
!
my
memory
be
like
a
fishin
'
net
,
as
holds
the
gert
things
an
'
lets
the
little
'
uns
creep
through
.
'
Twas
a
braave
song
as
faither
singed
,
though
maybe
for
God
fearers
it
ba
n't
a
likely
song
.
"
Then
the
bed
trembled
and
the
man
reared
up
violently
and
roared
out
an
order
in
such
words
as
he
had
never
used
till
then
.
"
Port
!
Port
your
God-damned
helm
if
you
do
n't
want
'
em
to
sink
us
.
"
Thomasin
,
of
whose
presence
her
husband
appeared
unconscious
,
crept
trembling
from
the
bed
.
Then
his
voice
changed
and
he
whispered
:
"
Port
,
my
son
,
'
cause
of
that
'
pon
the
waters
.
Caa
n't
'
e
see
—
they
bubbles
a
glimmerin
'
on
the
foam
?
That
's
the
last
life
of
my
lil
Tom
;
an
'
the
foam-wreath
's
put
theer
by
God
's
awn
right
hand
.
He
'm
saved
,
if
'
twas
n't
that
down
at
the
bottom
o
'
the
sea
a
man
be
twenty
fathom
nearer
hell
than
them
as
lies
in
graaves
ashore
.
But
let
en
wait
for
the
last
trump
as
'll
rip
the
deep
oceans
.
An
'
the
feesh
—
damn
'
em
—
if
I
thot
they
'd
nose
Tom
,
by
God
I
'd
catch
every
feesh
as
ever
swum
.
But
shall
feesh
be
'
lowed
to
eat
what
's
had
a
everlasting
sawl
in
it
?
God
forbid
.
He
'm
theer
,
I
doubt
,
wi
'
seaweed
round
en
an
'
sea-maids
a
cryin
'
awver
his
lil
white
faace
an
'
keepin
'
the
crabs
away
.
Hell
take
crabs
—
they
'd
a
ate
Christ
'
isself
if
so
be
He
'd
falled
in
the
water
.
Pearls
—
pearls
—
pearls
is
on
Tom
,
an
'
the
sea
creatures
gives
what
they
can
,
'
cause
they
knaw
as
he
'd
a
grawed
to
be
a
man
an
'
theer
master
.
God
bless
'
em
,
they
gives
the
best
they
can
,
'
cause
they
knawed
how
us
loved
en
.
'
The
awnly
son
o
'
his
mother
.
'
Well
,
well
,
sleep
's
better'n
medicine
;
but
no
sleepin
'
this
weather
if
us
wants
to
make
home
again
.
Steady
!
'
Tis
freshenin
'
fast
!
"
He
was
busy
about
some
matter
and
she
heard
him
breathing
in
the
darkness
and
stirring
himself
.
Thomasin
,
her
heart
near
standing
still
before
this
awful
discovery
,
hesitated
between
stopping
and
flying
from
the
room
before
he
should
discover
her
.
But
she
felt
no
fear
of
the
man
himself
,
and
bracing
her
nerves
,
struck
a
light
.
It
showed
Gray
Michael
sitting
up
and
evidently
under
the
impression
he
was
at
sea
.
He
grasped
the
bed-head
as
a
tiller
and
peered
anxiously
ahead
.
"
Theer
's
light
shawin
'
forrard
!
"
he
cried
.
Then
he
laughed
,
and
Thomasin
saw
his
face
was
but
the
caricature
of
what
it
had
been
,
with
all
the
iron
lines
blotted
out
and
a
strange
,
feeble
expression
about
eyes
and
mouth
.
He
nodded
his
head
,
looked
up
at
the
ceiling
from
time
to
time
,
and
presently
began
to
sing
.
It
was
the
old
rhyme
he
had
been
trying
to
recollect
,
and
it
now
came
,
tossed
uppermost
in
the
mind-quake
which
had
shattered
his
intellect
,
buried
matters
of
moment
,
and
flung
to
the
surface
long
hidden
events
and
words
of
his
youth
.
"
'
Bucca
's
a
churnin
'
the
waves
of
the
sea
,
Bucca
's
a
darkenin
'
the
sky
wi
'
his
frown
,
His
voice
is
the
roll
o
'
the
thunder
.
The
lightnin
'
do
shaw
us
the
land
on
our
lee
,
An
'
do
point
to
the
plaace
wheer
our
bodies
shall
drown
When
the
bwoat
gaws
down
from
under
.
'
"
Ha
,
ha
,
ha
,
missis
!
So
you
'm
aboard
,
eh
?
Well
,
'
tis
a
funny
picksher
you
makes
,
an
'
if
tweer
n't
murder
an
'
hell-fire
to
do
it
,
blamed
if
I
would
n't
thraw
'
e
out
the
ship
.
'
Thou
mad'st
him
lower
than
the
angels
,
'
but
not
much
lower
,
I
'm
thinkin
'
.
'
Tis
all
play
an
'
no
work
wi
'
them
.
They
ought
to
take
a
back
seat
'
fore
the
likes
o
'
us
.
They
abbun
no
devil
at
theer
tails
all
times
.
"
'
But
I
'll
tame
the
wild
devil
afore
very
long
.
If
I
caa
n't
wi
'
my
feests
,
I
will
wi
'
my
tongue
!
'
"
Thomasin
Tregenza
scuffled
into
her
clothes
while
he
babbled
,
and
now
,
bidding
him
sleep
in
a
shaking
voice
,
putting
out
the
candle
and
taking
the
matches
with
her
,
she
fled
into
the
night
to
rouse
her
neighbors
and
summon
a
doctor
.
She
forgot
all
her
other
troubles
before
this
overwhelming
tragedy
.
And
the
man
driveled
on
in
the
dark
,
concerning
himself
for
the
most
part
with
those
interests
which
had
occupied
his
life
when
he
was
a
boy
.
CHAPTER
EIGHT
THE
DESTINATION
OF
JOAN
Mary
Chirgwin
did
not
return
to
Newlyn
after
making
inquiries
at
Penzance
.
There
indeed
she
learned
one
fact
which
might
prove
important
,
but
the
possibilities
to
be
read
from
it
were
various
.
Joan
had
been
at
the
Penzance
railway
station
,
and
chance
made
Mary
question
the
identical
porter
who
had
studied
the
timetable
for
her
cousin
.
"
She
was
anxious
'
bout
the
Lunnon
trains
an
'
tawld
me
she
was
travelin
'
up
to
town
to-morrow
,
"
explained
the
man
.
"
I
weer
'
pon
the
lookout
this
marnin
'
,
but
she
dedn
'
come
again
.
"
"
What
time
did
you
see
her
last
night
?
"
"
'
Bout
nine
or
earlier
.
I
mind
the
time
'
cause
the
storm
burst
not
so
very
long
arter
,
an
'
I
wondered
if
the
gal
had
got
to
her
home
.
"
"
No
,
she
did
n't
.
Might
she
have
gone
by
any
other
train
?
"
"
She
might
,
but
I
'm
everywheers
,
an
'
'
tedn
'
likely
as
I
should
n't
have
seed
her
.
"
This
much
Mary
heard
,
and
then
went
home
.
Her
news
made
Mr.
Chirgwin
very
anxious
,
for
supposing
that
Joan
had
returned
from
Penzance
on
the
previous
evening
,
or
attempted
to
do
so
,
it
was
probable
that
she
had
been
in
the
lowest
part
of
the
valley
,
at
or
near
Buryas
Bridge
,
about
the
time
of
the
flood
.
The
waters
still
ran
high
,
but
Uncle
Thomas
sent
out
search
parties
through
the
afternoon
of
that
day
,
and
himself
plodded
not
a
few
miles
in
the
lower
part
of
the
coomb
.
Meantime
the
truth
must
be
stated
.
On
the
night
of
the
storm
Joan
had
gone
to
Penzance
,
ascertained
the
first
train
which
she
could
catch
next
day
,
and
then
returned
as
quickly
as
she
could
toward
Drift
.
But
at
Buryas
Bridge
she
remembered
that
her
uncle
was
in
the
coomb
with
the
farm
hands
,
and
might
be
there
all
night
.
It
was
necessary
that
he
should
know
her
intentions
and
direct
her
in
several
particulars
.
A
farm
vehicle
must
also
be
ordered
,
for
Joan
would
have
to
leave
the
farm
at
a
very
early
hour
.
Strung
to
a
tension
of
nerves
above
all
power
of
fatigue
,
in
a
whirl
of
excitement
and
wholly
heedless
of
the
mysterious
nocturnal
conditions
around
her
,
Joan
determined
to
seek
Uncle
Thomas
directly
,
and
with
that
intention
,
instead
of
climbing
the
hill
to
Drift
and
so
placing
herself
in
a
position
of
safety
,
passed
the
smithy
and
cots
which
lie
by
Buryas
Bridge
and
prepared
to
ascend
the
coomb
in
this
fashion
and
so
reach
her
friends
the
quicker
.
She
knew
her
road
blindfold
,
but
was
quite
ignorant
of
the
altered
character
of
the
stream
.
Joan
had
not
,
however
,
traveled
above
a
quarter
of
a
mile
through
the
orchard
lands
when
she
began
to
realize
the
difficulties
.
Once
well
out
of
the
orchards
,
she
believed
that
the
meadows
would
offer
an
easier
path
,
and
thus
,
buried
in
her
own
thoughts
,
proceeded
with
many
stumblings
and
splashings
over
the
wet
grasses
and
earth
,
under
a
darkness
that
made
progress
very
slow
despite
her
familiarity
with
the
way
.
Then
it
was
that
,
deep
hidden
in
the
night
and
all
alone
,
where
the
stream
ran
into
a
pool
above
big
bowlders
which
banked
it
—
at
the
spot
,
indeed
,
where
she
had
reigned
over
the
milky
meadowsweets
seated
on
a
granite
throne
—
the
vibrating
thread
of
Joan
Tregenza
's
little
life
was
sharply
severed
and
she
died
with
none
to
see
or
hear
,
in
that
tumult
of
rising
waters
which
splashed
and
gurgled
and
rose
on
the
skirts
of
the
coming
storm
.
A
pathway
ran
here
at
the
edge
of
the
river
,
and
the
girl
stepped
upon
it
to
find
the
swollen
current
suddenly
up
to
her
knees
.
Bewildered
she
turned
,
slipped
,
turned
again
,
and
then
,
under
the
impression
that
she
faced
toward
the
meadow-bank
,
put
up
her
hands
to
grapple
safety
,
set
her
foot
forward
and
,
in
a
moment
,
was
drowning
.
Distant
not
half
a
mile
,
laboring
like
giants
to
save
a
thing
far
less
precious
than
this
life
,
toiled
Uncle
Thomas
and
his
men
.
Had
silence
prevailed
among
them
the
single
cry
which
echoed
up
the
valley
might
well
have
reached
their
ears
;
but
all
were
laboring
amain
,
and
Joan
was
at
that
moment
the
last
thought
in
the
minds
of
any
among
them
.
So
she
died
;
for
the
gathering
waters
soon
beat
out
her
life
and
silenced
her
feeble
struggle
to
save
it
.
A
short
agony
ended
the
nine
months
of
experience
through
which
Joan
's
life
has
been
followed
;
her
fires
were
quenched
,
and
that
most
roughly
;
her
fears
,
hopes
,
sorrows
,
joys
were
all
swept
away
;
and
Nature
stood
defeated
by
herself
,
to
see
a
young
life
strangled
on
the
threshold
of
motherhood
,
and
an
infant
being
drowned
so
near
to
birth
that
its
small
heart
had
already
begun
to
beat
.
Two
men
,
tramping
through
the
desolation
of
the
ruined
valley
at
Uncle
Chirgwin
's
command
,
discovered
Joan
's
body
.
The
elder
was
Amos
Bartlett
,
and
he
fell
back
a
step
at
the
spectacle
with
a
sorrowful
oath
on
his
lip
;
the
younger
searcher
turned
white
and
showed
fear
.
The
dead
girl
lay
on
her
back
,
so
left
by
the
water
.
Her
dress
had
been
caught
between
two
great
bowlders
near
the
pool
of
her
drowning
and
the
flood
had
thus
caused
her
no
injury
.
"
God
's
goodness
!
how
comed
she
here
!
"
cried
out
Bartlett
.
"
Oh
,
but
this
'll
be
black
news
—
black
news
;
an
'
her
brother
drowned
at
sea
likewise
!
Theer
's
a
hidden
meanin
'
in
it
,
I
lay
,
if
us
awnly
knawed
.
"
The
lad
who
accompanied
Bartlett
was
shaking
,
and
did
not
dare
to
look
at
the
still
figure
which
lay
so
stiff
and
straight
at
their
feet
.
Amos
therefore
bid
him
use
his
legs
,
hasten
to
the
farm
,
break
the
news
,
and
dispatch
a
couple
of
men
to
the
coomb
.
"
I
can
pull
up
a
hurdle
an
'
wattle
it
with
withys
meantime
,
"
he
said
;
"
for
'
tis
allus
well
to
have
work
for
the
hand
in
such
a
pass
as
this
.
Ba
n't
no
good
for
me
to
sit
an
'
look
at
her
,
poor
fond
wummon
.
"
He
busied
himself
with
the
hurdle
accordingly
,
and
when
two
of
the
hands
presently
came
down
from
Drift
they
found
their
burden
ready
for
them
.
The
old
,
silent
man
called
Gaffer
Polglaze
found
sufficient
excitement
in
the
tragedy
to
loosen
a
tongue
which
seldom
wagged
.
He
spat
on
his
hands
and
rubbed
them
together
before
seizing
his
end
of
the
hurdle
.
Then
he
spoke
:
"
My
stars
!
to
see
maaster
when
he
heard
!
He
rolled
all
about
as
if
he
was
drunk
.
An
'
yet
'
tis
the
bestest
thing
as
could
fall
'
pon
the
gal
.
'
Er
was
lookin
'
for
the
cheel
in
a
month
or
so
,
they
do
say
.
Poor
sawl
—
so
cold
as
a
quilkin
[
Footnote
:
Quilkin
—
A
frog
.
]
now
,
and
the
unborn
baaby
tu
.
"
Then
Mr.
Bartlett
answered
:
"
The
unhappy
creature
was
fine
an
'
emperent
to
me
'
bout
a
matter
o
'
drownin
'
chets
in
the
spring
.
Yet
here
she
'm
drowned
herself
sure
'
nough
.
Well
,
well
,
God
's
will
be
done
.
"
"
'
Tis
coorious
,
to
be
sure
,
how
bazzomy
[
Footnote
:
Bazzomy
—
Blue
or
livid
.
]
a
corpse
do
get
'
bout
the
faace
arter
a
water
death
,
"
said
the
first
speaker
,
regarding
the
dead
with
frank
interest
.
"
Her
eyes
do
make
me
wimbly-wambly
in
the
stomach
,
"
declared
the
second
laborer
;
"
when
you
've
done
talkin
'
,
Gaffer
Polglaze
,
us
'll
go
up-long
,
an
'
the
sooner
the
better
.
"
"
Butivul
eyes
,
tu
,
they
was
—
wance
.
Sky-color
an
'
no
less
.
What
I
'm
wonderin
'
is
as
to
however
she
comed
here
'
tall
.
"
"
Piskey-led
,
I
'll
warrant
'
e
,
"
said
the
ancient
.
"
Nay
,
man-led
,
which
is
worse
.
You
mind
that
printed
envelope
us
found
in
the
kitchen
.
'
Twas
some
dark
doin
'
of
that
anointed
vellun
as
brot
her
in
trouble
.
Ay
,
an
'
if
I
could
do
en
a
graave
hurt
I
would
,
Methodist
or
no
Methodist
.
"
"
He
'm
away
,
"
answered
Bartlett
.
"
'
Tedn
'
no
call
for
you
nor
yet
me
to
meddle
wi
'
the
devil
's
awn
business
.
The
man
'll
roast
for't
when
his
time
do
come
.
You
'd
best
to
take
your
coats
off
an
'
cover
this
poor
clay
,
lest
the
wummen
should
catch
a
sight
an
'
go
soundin
'
.
"
They
did
as
he
bid
them
,
and
Mr.
Bartlett
laid
his
own
coat
upon
the
body
likewise
.
Then
slowly
up
the
hill
they
passed
,
and
rested
now
and
again
above
the
steep
places
.
"
A
wisht
home-comin
'
as
ever
a
body
heard
tell
on
,
"
commented
Gaffer
Polglaze
;
"
an
'
yet
the
Lard
's
good
pleasure
's
allus
right
if
you
lives
long
enough
to
look
back
an
'
see
how
things
was
from
His
bird's-eye
view
of
'
em
.
A
tidy
skuat
[
Footnote
:
Windfall
,
legacy
.
]
o
'
money
tu
they
tells
me
.
Who
Be
gwaine
to
come
by
that
?
"
"
Her
give
it
under
hand
an
'
seal
to
her
brother
.
"
"
Theer
's
another
'
mazin
'
thing
for
'
e
!
Him
drownded
in
salt
an
'
her
in
fraish
!
We
lives
in
coorious
times
to
be
sure
,
an
'
theer
's
more
in
such
happenings
than
meets
the
eye
.
"
"
Bear
yourself
more
sorrow-stricken
,
Gaffer
.
Us
be
in
sight
of
the
house
.
"
Mary
Chirgwin
met
the
mournful
train
,
directed
them
to
bring
the
body
of
Joan
into
the
parlor
where
a
place
was
prepared
for
it
,
and
then
turned
to
Bartlett
.
She
was
trembling
and
very
pale
for
one
of
her
complexion
,
but
the
woman
's
self-command
had
not
left
her
.
"
The
auld
man
's
like
wan
daft
,
"
she
said
hurriedly
.
"
He
must
be
doin
'
,
so
he
rushed
away
to
Newlyn
to
tell
'
em
theer
.
He
ba
n't
himself
'
tall
.
You
'd
best
to
go
arter
en
now
this
minute
.
An
'
theer
's
things
to
be
done
in
Penzance
—
the
doctor
an
'
the
crowner
an
'
—
an
'
the
coffin-maker
.
Do
what
you
can
to
take
trouble
off
the
auld
man
.
"
"
Get
me
my
coat
an
'
I
'll
go
straight
'
way
.
'
Tis
thrawed
awver
the
poor
faace
of
her
.
"
Two
minutes
later
Mr.
Bartlett
followed
his
master
,
but
Uncle
Chirgwin
had
taken
a
considerable
start
of
him
.
The
old
man
was
terribly
shocked
to
hear
the
news
,
for
he
had
clung
to
a
theory
that
Joan
was
long
since
in
London
.
Dread
and
fear
came
over
him
.
The
thought
of
facing
this
particular
corpse
was
more
than
he
could
contemplate
with
self-control
.
A
great
nervous
terror
mingled
with
his
grief
.
He
wished
to
avoid
the
return
from
the
valley
,
and
the
first
excuse
for
so
doing
which
came
to
his
mind
he
hurriedly
acted
upon
.
He
declared
it
essential
that
the
Tregenzas
should
be
told
instantly
,
and
hastened
away
before
Mary
could
argue
with
him
.
Only
that
morning
they
had
heard
of
Gray
Michael
's
condition
,
but
Uncle
Chirgwin
forgot
it
when
the
blasting
news
of
his
niece
's
death
fell
upon
him
.
He
hurried
snuffling
and
weeping
along
as
fast
as
his
legs
would
bear
him
,
and
not
until
he
stood
at
their
cottage
door
did
he
recollect
the
calamities
which
had
overtaken
the
fisherman
and
those
of
his
household
.
Uncle
Chirgwin
began
to
speak
hastily
the
moment
Mrs.
Tregenza
opened
the
door
.
He
choked
and
gurgled
over
his
news
.
"
She
'm
dead
—
Joan
.
They
've
found
her
in
the
brook
as
the
waters
went
down
.
Drownded
theer
—
the
awnly
sunshine
as
ever
smiled
at
Drift
.
Oh
,
my
good
God
!
—
'
tis
a
miz-maze
to
drive
us
all
out
of
our
senses
.
An
'
you
,
mother
—
my
dear
,
dear
sawl
,
my
heart
bleeds
for
'
e
.
"
"
I
caa
n't
cry
for
her
—
my
tears
be
dried
at
the
roots
o
'
my
eyes
.
I
be
down-danted
to
the
edge
o
'
my
awn
graave
.
If
my
man
was
n't
gone
daft
hisself
,
I
reckon
I
should
a
gone
.
Come
in
—
come
in
.
Joan
an
'
Tom
dead
in
a
night
,
an
'
the
faither
of
'
em
worse
than
dead
.
I
shall
knaw
it
is
so
bimebye
.
'
Tis
awnly
vain
words
yet
.
Iss
,
you
'd
best
to
see
en
now
you
'm
here
.
He
may
knaw
'
e
or
he
may
not
.
He
sits
craakin
'
beside
the
fire
,
full
o
'
wild
,
mad
,
awful
words
.
Doctor
sez
theer
ba
n't
no
bettering
of
it
.
But
he
may
live
years
an
'
years
,
though
'
tedn
'
likely
.
Tell
en
as
Joan
's
dead
.
Theer
edn
'
no
call
to
be
afeared
.
He
's
grawed
quite
calm
—
a
poor
droolin
'
gaby
.
"
Uncle
Chirgwin
approached
Gray
Michael
and
the
fisherman
held
out
his
hand
and
smiled
.
"
'
Tis
farmer
Chirgwin
,
to
be
sure
.
An
'
how
is
it
with
'
e
,
uncle
?
"
"
Bad
,
bad
,
Tregenza
.
Your
lil
darter
,
your
Joan
,
be
dead
—
drownded
in
the
flood
,
poor
sweet
lamb
.
"
"
You
'm
wrong
,
my
son
.
Joan
's
bin
dead
these
years
'
pon
years
.
She
was
damned
afore
'
er
mother
conceived
her
.
Hell-meat
in
the
womb
.
But
the
'
Lard
is
King
,
'
you
mind
.
Joan
—
iss
fay
,
her
mother
was
a
Hittite
—
a
lioness
o
'
the
Hittites
,
an
'
the
mother
's
sins
be
visited
'
pon
the
childern
,
'
cordin
'
to
the
dark
ways
o
'
the
livin
'
God
.
"
"
Doa
n't
'
e
say
it
,
Michael
!
She
died
lovin
'
Christ
.
Be
sure
o
'
that
.
"
The
other
laughed
loudly
,
and
burst
into
mindless
profanity
and
obscenity
.
So
the
purest
liver
and
most
cleanly
thinker
has
often
cursed
and
uttered
horrible
imprecations
and
profanations
under
the
knife
,
being
chloroformed
and
unconscious
the
while
.
Uncle
Chirgwin
gazed
and
listened
open
mouthed
.
This
spectacle
of
a
shattered
intellect
came
upon
him
as
an
absolutely
new
manifestation
.
Any
novel
experience
is
rare
when
a
man
has
passed
the
age
of
seventy
,
and
the
farmer
was
profoundly
agitated
.
Then
a
solemn
fit
fell
upon
Gray
Michael
,
and
as
his
visitor
rose
to
depart
he
quoted
from
words
long
familiar
to
the
speaker
—
weird
utterances
,
and
doubly
weird
from
a
madman
's
mouth
in
Uncle
Chirgwin
's
opinion
.
Out
of
the
wreck
and
ruin
of
quite
youthful
memories
,
Michael
's
maimed
mind
had
now
passed
to
these
later
,
strenuous
days
of
his
early
religious
existence
,
when
he
fought
for
his
soul
,
and
lived
with
the
Bible
in
his
hand
.
"
Hark
to
me
,
will
'
e
?
Hark
to
the
word
o
'
God
echoed
by
His
worm
.
'
He
that
heareth
let
en
hear
,
an
'
he
that
forbeareth
let
en
forbear
,
for
they
are
a
rebellious
house
.
'
An
'
what
shall
us
do
then
?
Theer
was
a
man
as
builded
a
heydge
around
a
guckoo
,
thinkin
'
,
poor
fool
,
to
catch
the
bird
;
but
her
flew
off
.
That
edn
'
the
Lard
's
way
.
'
Make
a
chain
,
for
the
land
is
full
o
'
bloody
crimes
an
'
the
city
is
full
o
'
violence
!
'
'
An
'
all
that
handle
the
oar
,
the
mariners
,
an
'
all
the
pilots
o
'
the
sea
,
shall
come
down
from
theer
ships
,
'
an
'
me
amongst
the
rest
.
That
's
why
I
be
here
now
,
wi
'
bitterness
o
'
heart
an
'
bitter
wailin
'
for
my
dead
bwoy
.
'
As
for
theer
rings
,
they
was
(
were
)
so
high
that
they
was
(
were
)
dreadful
;
an
'
theer
rings
were
full
of
eyes
round
about
.
'
Huntin
'
damned
sawls
,
my
son
—
a
braave
sight
for
godly
folks
.
That
's
why
the
rings
of
'
em
be
so
full
of
eyes
!
They
need
be
.
An
'
theer
wings
whistle
like
a
hawk
arter
a
pigeon
.
'
Because
o
'
the
mountain
of
Zion
,
which
is
desolate
,
the
foxes
walk
upon
it
.
'
"
He
relapsed
into
absolute
silence
and
sat
with
his
eyes
on
the
fire
.
Sometimes
he
shook
,
sometimes
he
nodded
his
head
;
now
he
frowned
,
then
grinned
vacuously
at
the
current
of
his
thoughts
.
Mr.
Chirgwin
took
his
leave
of
Thomasin
,
prayed
that
she
might
be
supported
in
her
tribulation
,
and
so
departing
met
Amos
Bartlett
who
was
standing
outside
the
cottage
awaiting
him
.
The
man
gave
a
forcible
and
blunt
description
of
his
morning
's
work
which
brought
many
tears
to
Uncle
Chirgwin
's
eyes
;
then
,
together
,
they
walked
to
Penzance
,
there
to
chronicle
the
sudden
death
of
Joan
Tregenza
and
arrange
for
those
necessary
formalities
which
must
precede
her
burial
.
The
spectacle
of
Tregenza
's
insanity
,
which
to
an
educated
observer
had
perhaps
presented
features
of
some
scientific
interest
and
appeared
grotesque
rather
than
tremendous
,
fell
upon
the
ignorant
soul
of
Uncle
Chirgwin
in
a
manner
far
different
.
The
mystery
of
madness
,
the
sublimity
and
horror
of
it
,
rise
only
to
tragic
heights
in
the
untutored
minds
of
such
beholders
as
the
farmer
,
for
no
mere
scientific
manifestation
of
mental
disease
is
presented
to
their
intelligence
.
Instead
they
stand
face
to
face
with
the
infinitely
more
terrific
apparition
of
God
speaking
direct
through
the
mouth
of
one
among
His
chosen
insane
.
In
their
estimation
a
madman
's
utterance
is
pregnant
,
oracular
,
a
subject
worthy
of
most
grave
consideration
and
appraisement
.
And
after
Gray
Michael
's
mental
downfall
many
humble
folks
,
incited
by
the
remarkable
religious
fame
of
his
past
life
,
begged
permission
to
approach
within
sound
of
his
voice
at
those
moments
when
the
desire
for
utterance
was
upon
him
.
This
,
indeed
,
came
to
be
a
privilege
not
a
little
sought
after
.
CHAPTER
NINE
AT
SANCREED
Mary
Chirgwin
would
allow
none
but
herself
to
perform
the
last
offices
of
kindness
for
her
cousin
.
In
poor
Joan
's
pocket
she
found
a
wet
,
crumpled
mass
of
paper
which
might
have
been
dried
and
read
without
difficulty
,
but
Mary
lacked
curiosity
to
approach
the
matter
.
She
debated
with
herself
as
to
how
her
duty
stood
in
connection
with
the
communication
from
John
Barron
,
then
took
it
in
her
hand
,
not
without
a
sensation
of
much
loathing
,
and
burned
it
to
ashes
.
The
act
produced
considerable
and
unforeseen
consequences
.
Her
own
mundane
happiness
was
wholly
dependent
on
the
burning
of
the
letter
,
and
a
man
's
life
likewise
hung
upon
the
incident
;
but
these
results
of
her
conduct
were
only
brought
to
the
woman
's
understanding
in
the
light
of
subsequent
events
.
Then
,
and
with
just
if
superficial
cause
,
she
directly
read
God
's
hand
in
the
circumstance
.
Another
discovery
saddened
Mary
far
more
than
that
of
the
letter
,
which
had
caused
her
little
surprise
.
Around
Joan
's
white
body
was
a
strange
amulet
—
the
glen-ader
.
She
had
sewed
it
upon
flannel
,
then
fastened
the
ends
about
herself
,
and
so
worn
the
snake
skin
at
all
seasons
since
the
finding
of
it
.
The
fact
was
nothing
,
the
condition
of
mind
which
it
indicated
brought
great
grief
to
the
discoverer
