Iwas
not
the
doer
.
I
would
have
loved
you
,
if
you
would
have
let
me
,
my
heart
yearned
so
over
children
.
But
of
my
reason
for
letting
you
go
,
the
chiefest
perhaps
—
setting
aside
that
I
could
not
stop
you
—
was
this
consideration
.
For
years
I
had
longed
,
and
craved
in
my
heart
of
hearts
,
to
tell
your
mother
all
,
and
obtain
her
gentle
forgiveness
.
But
any
allusion
—
no
matter
how
veiled
and
mantled
—
to
the
story
of
her
loss
threw
her
,
as
you
know
well
,
into
a
most
peculiar
state
,
wherein
all
the
powers
of
mind
and
body
seemed
to
be
quite
suspended
.
With
a
man
's
usual
roughness
of
prescription
for
the
more
delicate
sex
,
I
believed
firmly
that
total
change
of
living
,
and
air
,
and
place
,
and
habits
,
would
relax
this
wonderful
closure
,
secure
my
forgiveness
,
and
re-establish
her
health
.
The
shock
I
received
at
her
death
was
almost
as
terrible
as
when
my
brother
died
.
When
I
stood
beside
you
at
her
grave
,
I
was
come
with
the
full
intention
of
telling
you
all
my
story
,
and
begging
you
to
return
with
me
,
and
live
once
more
in
your
father
's
house
.
But
your
behaviour
to
me
was
so
cold
and
contemptuous
,
that
I
forgot
my
crushing
debt
to
you
;
and
humiliation
became
,
for
the
moment
,
impossible
.
I
meant
,
however
,
to
have
written
to
you
that
evening
,
before
you
should
leave
the
village
;
but
(
as
you
now
are
aware
)
that
very
evening
,
I
was
smitten
helpless
.
Partially
recovering
,
after
months
of
illness
,
I
was
deeply
distressed
to
find
that
you
had
left
your
good
friends
in
Devonshire
,
and
were
gone
,
my
informants
could
not
say
whither
.
Neither
had
I
learned
your
whereabouts
up
to
the
time
of
my
last
illness
,
when
I
was
making
inquiries
,
of
which
your
enemy
reaped
the
benefit
.
For
the
rest
,
you
know
that
I
never
meant
to
rob
you
of
your
inheritance
,
though
bigoted
nonsense
enables
me
.
To-morrow
,
please
God
,
I
will
put
it
out
of
my
power
to
do
so
.
Mrs.
Daldy
's
motive
you
have
long
since
perceived
.
Failing
my
children
,
and
the
attainted
Lepardo
,
her
son
is
the
heir
to
all
the
lands
of
the
Della
Croce
.
She
has
held
me
much
in
her
power
,
by
her
knowledge
of
parts
of
my
history
.
Henry
's
baptismal
entry
,
as
well
as
that
of
my
marriage
,
was
in
the
packet
she
stole
.
One
word
more
,
my
darling
—
and
from
an
old
man
,
who
has
wandered
and
suffered
much
,
you
will
not
think
it
impertinent
.
Leave
your
revenge
to
God
.
In
His
way
—
which
we
call
wonderful
,
because
the
steps
are
unseen
—
He
will
accomplish
it
for
you
,
as
righteousness
demands
.
Any
interference
of
ours
is
a
worm-cast
in
His
avenue
.
Though
I
am
stricken
and
dying
,
He
,
if
so
pleases
Him
,
will
bring
me
my
children
before
I
die
,
that
I
may
bless
Him
,
and
tell
my
Lily
.
"
I
fell
upon
the
old
man
's
neck
—
old
he
was
,
though
not
in
years
—
and
as
I
wept
I
kissed
him
.
How
could
I
have
wronged
him
so
,
and
how
could
I
keep
myself
from
loving
one
so
long
unhappy
?
If
sorrow
be
the
sponge
of
sin
,
his
fault
was
wiped
away
.
BOOK
V.
CHAPTER
I
.
At
this
time
and
place
,
I
,
Clara
Vaughan
,
leap
from
the
pillion
of
my
Uncle
's
pensive
mule
,
and
am
upon
the
curb-stone
of
my
own
strange
life
again
.
How
I
wandered
with
him
through
the
olive
groves
of
Corsica
,
how
I
wept
for
his
loving
Lily
,
that
ancient
Signor
,
and
the
stolen
babes
;
and
how
,
beyond
the
vomito
of
words
,
I
loathed
that
fiend
who
had
injured
whom
or
what
most
I
know
not
,
unless
it
were
his
own
soul
,
if
he
had
any
,
and
for
God
's
sake
I
hope
he
had
—
all
this
,
though
I
am
too
weak
of
language
,
will
,
perhaps
,
be
understood
.
To
myself
I
would
hardly
confess
the
interest
I
could
not
discard
in
the
pure
and
constant
love
of
that
impassioned
pair
;
for
what
had
I
any
longer
to
do
with
Pyramus
and
Thisbe
?
No
more
of
love
for
me
.
You
will
not
see
me
droop
,
and
fret
,
and
turn
to
a
mossy
green
.
No
nonsense
of
that
sort
for
me
:
I
have
a
loop
at
either
side
entitled
self-respect
,
which
will
keep
my
skirt
from
draggling
.
Neither
will
I
rush
into
the
opposite
extreme
,
pronounce
all
love
a
bubble
because
my
own
has
burst
,
take
to
low-necked
dresses
,
and
admire
cats
more
than
babies
.
No
;
I
am
only
eighteen
,
not
yet
eighteen
and
a
half
;
I
have
loved
with
all
my
heart
,
and
a
free
true
heart
it
is
,
albeit
a
hot
and
haughty
one
;
if
it
be
despised
,
outraged
,
and
made
nothing
of
,
though
I
can
never
transfer
,
I
will
not
turn
it
sour
.
The
world
is
every
whit
as
fair
,
children
are
quite
as
pretty
,
flowers
have
as
rich
a
scent
,
and
goodness
as
pure
a
charm
,
as
if
that
silly
maiden
Clara
had
not
leaped
before
she
looked
.
And
yet
how
I
wish
that
I
could
only
think
so
.
Before
I
go
on
with
my
tale
,
I
must
recur
to
one
or
two
little
matters
,
that
everything
may
be
as
clear
as
it
lies
in
my
power
to
make
it
.
For
although
I
am
but
a
"
female
,
"
as
Inspector
Cutting
observed
,
I
am
doing
my
best
to
make
everything
as
clear
as
if
told
by
a
male
.
In
the
first
place
then
,
when
my
Uncle
had
recovered
from
the
exertion
of
telling
his
tale
,
I
acquainted
him
with
my
discovery
of
the
letters
upon
the
bed-hangings
.
They
confirmed
his
account
of
the
fearful
Vendetta
usages
,
and
explained
the
point
which
had
been
to
him
most
mysterious
.
Secondly
,
as
to
the
anonymous
letter
which
had
led
me
first
to
London
;
like
the
detective
policeman
,
he
now
attached
but
little
importance
to
it
.
He
had
done
his
best
,
at
the
time
,
to
trace
the
writer
and
follow
the
clue
,
if
there
were
any
.
But
he
had
met
with
no
success
.
His
reason
for
passing
it
on
to
me
,
was
that
he
hoped
to
create
some
diversion
of
my
thought
,
some
break
in
the
clouds
of
my
sorrow
.
Next
,
to
show
the
full
meaning
of
Mrs.
Daldy
's
manoeuvres
.
Through
her
connexion
—
which
she
had
carefully
cultivated
,
when
it
began
to
seem
worth
her
while
—
with
her
husband
's
kindred
near
Genoa
,
she
had
learned
some
portions
of
my
poor
Uncle
's
history
;
for
,
as
he
himself
observed
,
the
islanders
are
much
addicted
to
gossip
,
as
indeed
all
islanders
are
,
and
continentals
too
for
that
matter
,
especially
in
hot
climates
.
Now
there
is
no
lack
of
intercourse
between
the
Balagna
and
Genoa
.
Of
course
our
chastened
hypocrite
made
the
most
of
her
knowledge
in
a
hundred
ways
,
and
by
her
sham
sympathy
and
pretended
aid
—
for
up
to
the
time
of
his
illness
the
desolate
father
still
sought
and
sought
—
she
even
secured
some
little
influence
over
her
brother-in-law
.
How
often
is
it
so
:
though
we
know
people
to
be
false
,
we
do
not
believe
,
when
our
hearts
are
concerned
,
that
they
are
so
false
to
us
.
Moreover
,
when
she
found
him
shattered
in
body
and
mind
by
paralysis
,
she
commenced
an
active
bombardment
,
pulling
out
the
tompions
from
every
gun
of
mock
religion
.
But
,
as
in
her
treatment
of
me
,
she
displayed
,
in
spite
of
all
her
experience
and
trials
,
a
sad
ignorance
of
unregenerate
human
nature
.
My
Uncle
was
not
the
man
,
palsied
or
no
,
to
be
terrified
by
a
Calvinist
:
and
he
knew
too
much
of
her
early
days
,
and
certain
doings
at
Baden
,
to
identify
her
at
present
with
the
angel
that
stands
in
the
sun
.
And
this
prison-eyed
mole
made
another
mistake
.
Not
content
with
one
good
gallery
,
she
must
needs
work
two
runs
,
side
by
side
,
in
a
very
mealy
soil
.
The
result
was
of
course
that
they
ran
into
one
,
and
she
had
to
dig
her
way
out
.
If
she
had
worked
,
heart
and
soul
,
for
my
Uncle
's
money
only
,
which
he
rightly
regarded
as
his
own
,
and
at
his
own
disposal
,
I
believe
she
might
have
got
most
of
it
.
At
any
rate
,
under
the
will
which
I
caught
her
carrying
off
,
she
was
to
take
half
of
the
large
sum
which
he
had
laid
by
;
I
mean
if
his
children
did
not
come
to
light
,
and
prove
their
legitimacy
.
But
twenty-five
thousand
pounds
would
be
nothing
to
her
dear
son
,
who
had
inherited
his
father
's
extravagance
,
or
to
herself
,
who
loved
high
play
.
Therefore
,
believing
me
out
of
the
field
,
she
began
to
plot
for
the
Vaughan
estate
as
well
,
and
furthermore
for
the
magnificent
property
in
Corsica
.
Of
the
Vaughan
estates
she
had
no
chance
—
albeit
she
had
the
impudence
to
propose
a
compromise
with
me
—
of
Veduta
tower
she
had
some
prospect
,
if
the
right
heirs
,
the
poor
children
,
should
never
appear
,
or
establish
their
claim
,
and
if
she
could
procure
the
outlawry
of
Lepardo
.
Believing
my
Uncle
to
be
dying
by
inches
,
she
made
a
bold
stroke
for
possession
of
the
most
important
documents
;
and
,
but
for
Giudice
and
me
,
no
doubt
she
would
have
succeeded
.
But
she
had
dashed
far
out
of
her
depth
,
and
had
little
chance
now
of
reaching
the
coveted
land
.
I
hope
she
felt
that
everything
was
ordered
for
her
good
.
Another
point
which
seems
to
require
some
explanation
,
is
the
discovery
by
the
assassin
of
the
secret
entrance
,
an
access
quite
unknown
to
the
family
,
the
servants
,
or
any
other
person
,
except
,
at
a
later
time
,
Mrs.
Daldy
.
The
house
,
as
I
said
before
,
was
built
upon
the
site
and
partly
embodied
the
fabric
of
a
still
more
ancient
structure
.
Probably
these
narrow
stairs
,
now
enclosed
in
the
basement
of
the
eastern
wall
,
had
saved
many
a
ripe
priest
from
reeling
,
in
the
time
of
the
Plantagenets
.
They
led
,
I
think
,
from
the
ancient
chapel
,
long
since
destroyed
,
to
the
chaplain
's
room
,
and
perhaps
had
been
reopened
secretly
during
the
great
rebellion
,
when
the
Vaughans
were
in
hot
trouble
.
Beatrice
Vaughan
,
the
cavalier
's
child
,
who
was
now
supposed
to
begin
her
ghost
walk
at
the
eastern
window
,
glided
probably
down
this
staircase
,
when
,
as
the
legend
relates
,
she
escaped
mysteriously
from
the
house
,
in
her
father
's
absence
,
roused
the
tenants
,
and
surprised
the
Roundhead
garrison
in
their
beds
.
The
house
was
soon
retaken
,
and
Beatrice
,
in
her
youthful
beauty
,
given
up
to
the
brutal
soldiers
.
She
snapped
a
pistol
at
the
Puritan
officer
,
and
flew
like
a
bird
along
this
corridor
.
At
the
end
,
while
trying
perhaps
to
draw
the
old
oak
slide
—
though
nothing
was
said
of
this
—
she
was
caught
by
the
gloating
fanatics
,
and
stabbed
herself
on
the
spot
rather
than
yield
to
dishonour
.
The
poor
maiden
's
tomb
is
in
the
church
,
not
far
from
the
chancel
arch
,
with
some
lines
of
quaint
Latin
upon
it
.
Her
lover
,
Sir
William
Desborough
,
slit
that
Puritan
officer
's
nose
and
cut
off
both
his
ears
.
I
wonder
that
he
let
him
off
so
lightly
;
but
perhaps
it
was
all
he
was
worth
.
Major
Cecil
Vaughan
married
again
,
and
the
direct
line
was
re-established
.
The
chapel
well
,
as
it
was
called
,
dark
and
overhung
with
ivy
,
was
a
spring
of
limpid
icy
crystal
,
spanned
by
and
forming
a
deep
alcove
in
the
ancient
chapel
wall
,
which
,
partly
for
its
sake
,
and
partly
as
a
buttress
for
the
east
end
of
the
house
,
had
been
left
still
standing
.
This
old
well
had
long
time
been
disused
,
hiding
,
as
it
did
,
in
a
wild
and
neglected
corner
out
of
sight
from
the
terrace
walk
;
and
the
gardeners
,
who
found
the
pump
less
troublesome
,
had
condemned
the
water
as
too
cold
for
their
plants
.
The
mouth
,
with
its
tangled
veil
of
ivy
and
periwinkle
,
was
also
masked
by
a
pile
of
the
chapel
ruins
,
now
dignified
with
the
name
of
a
rockwork
.
Some
steps
of
jagged
stone
led
through
the
low
black
archway
to
the
crouching
water
,
which
was
so
clear
that
it
seemed
to
doubt
which
was
itself
and
which
was
stone
.
This
peaceful
,
cold
,
unruffled
well
,
formed
the
antechamber
to
the
murderer
's
passage
.
For
on
the
right-hand
side
,
not
to
be
seen
in
the
darkness
,
and
the
sublustrous
confusion
,
by
any
common
eye
,
was
a
small
niche
and
footing-place
not
a
yard
above
the
water
.
It
needed
some
nerve
and
vigour
to
spring
from
the
lowest
stepping-stone
sideways
to
this
scarcely
visible
ledge
.
None
,
of
the
few
whose
eyes
were
good
enough
to
espy
it
,
would
be
tempted
to
hazard
the
leap
,
unless
they
knew
or
suspected
that
the
facing
would
yield
to
the
foot
,
that
it
was
in
fact
a
small
door
purposely
coloured
and
jointed
like
the
slimy
green
of
the
masonry
.
In
this
well
the
murderer
must
have
lurked
;
and
he
might
have
done
so
from
one
year
's
end
to
another
.
There
with
the
craft
of
his
devilish
race
—
my
Uncle
may
admire
them
,
but
not
I
—
and
with
their
wonderful
powers
of
sight
,
he
must
have
found
this
entrance
,
and
rejoiced
in
his
hellish
heart
.
As
for
Mrs.
Daldy
,
she
found
it
out
at
the
other
end
,
most
likely
.
Unless
my
memory
fails
me
,
I
spoke
long
ago
of
some
boards
which
sounded
hollow
to
the
ring
of
my
childish
knuckles
.
These
were
in
the
skirting
—
if
that
be
the
proper
name
for
it
—
under
the
centre
of
the
great
oriel
window
.
The
oak
slides
,
when
pressed
from
below
,
ran
in
a
groove
with
but
little
noise
,
and
without
much
force
being
used
:
but
it
required
some
strength
to
move
them
on
the
side
of
the
corridor
.
It
was
the
sound
of
these
sliding
boards
which
had
first
drawn
Judy
's
notice
:
but
as
they
were
in
deep
shadow
,
I
neither
perceived
the
opening
,
nor
gave
him
the
opportunity
.
That
woman
would
never
have
dreamed
of
the
thing
,
if
she
had
not
surprised
me
one
day
when
I
was
prying
about
there
;
she
must
have
returned
alone
,
and
being
,
as
we
have
seen
,
a
superior
cabinet-maker
,
discovered
the
secret
which
baffled
me
.
As
I
did
not
want
Judy
to
catch
cold
by
watching
there
any
longer
,
I
had
this
horrible
passage
walled
up
at
either
end
,
and
built
across
in
the
middle
.
Having
thus
made
good
my
arrears
,
I
am
at
liberty
to
proceed
.
When
my
Uncle
had
paused
from
his
many
sorrows
,
which
he
did
with
a
mellow
dignity
not
yet
understood
by
me
;
and
when
I
,
in
the
fervour
of
youth
,
had
offered
much
comfort
kindly
received
,
but
far
better
let
alone
,
I
asked
him
for
one
thing
only
:
—
the
most
minute
and
accurate
description
he
could
give
of
that
Lepardo
Della
Croce
.
His
answer
was
as
follows
:
—
"
My
dear
,
I
have
seen
him
once
only
,
and
that
more
than
twenty
years
ago
,
and
in
an
interview
of
some
excitement
"
—
I
should
think
so
indeed
,
when
one
tried
to
kill
the
other
—
"
but
I
will
describe
him
to
the
best
of
my
recollection
.
He
is
rather
a
tall
man
,
at
least
of
about
my
own
height
,
but
more
lightly
built
than
myself
.
His
hands
and
feet
are
remarkably
small
and
elegant
.
His
face
is
of
the
true
Italian
type
,
a
keen
oval
with
a
straight
nose
,
and
plenty
of
width
between
the
eyes
,
which
are
large
and
very
dark
.
His
forehead
is
not
massive
,
but
well-formed
,
and
much
whiter
than
the
rest
of
his
face
.
The
expression
of
his
countenance
is
that
of
shrewdness
and
versatility
,
with
a
quickness
eager
to
save
both
you
and
himself
from
the
trouble
of
completing
your
sentence
.
But
all
this
is
common
enough
.
One
thing
I
saw
,
or
fancied
,
which
is
not
quite
so
common
.
As
I
dealt
him
that
blow
with
my
fist
,
my
eyes
for
one
flash
met
his
,
and
his
leaped
towards
one
another
,
as
if
he
had
a
strong
cast
in
them
.
Before
that
,
and
afterwards
too
,
there
was
no
appearance
of
any
distortion
:
if
there
were
any
at
that
moment
,
it
arose
from
the
start
of
terror
or
fury
jerking
the
muscles
awry
.
His
voice
is
flexible
and
persuasive
,
and
soft
as
a
serpent-charmer
's
.
I
think
he
must
be
a
most
arrogant
man
;
profoundly
convinced
of
his
own
abilities
,
but
seldom
caring
to
vindicate
them
.
Just
the
man
to
get
on
in
the
world
,
if
he
were
only
what
is
called
respectable
.
Just
the
man
to
break
a
woman
's
heart
,
and
crush
the
spirit
of
a
meek
and
humble
child
.
Ah
,
I
would
forgive
him
his
sins
against
me
,
though
not
his
wrongs
towards
you
,
if
I
could
only
learn
that
he
had
been
kind
to
my
children
.
"
This
description
dwelt
on
my
mind
for
days
and
days
of
thinking
.
It
did
not
altogether
apply
to
the
man
whom
I
had
observed
so
closely
at
the
meeting
of
the
conspirators
.
That
man
was
of
middle
height
,
and
though
his
face
was
oval
,
there
was
scarcely
the
average
width
between
the
eyes
.
And
he
did
not
seem
to
me
like
an
arrogant
man
,
cold
except
when
excited
;
but
rather
of
a
hasty
,
impassioned
nature
,
sure
to
do
its
utmost
in
trifles
.
Could
it
be
that
I
had
watched
and
hated
the
wrong
man
?
It
might
be
so
;
and
it
was
not
unlikely
that
Mr.
Cutting
himself
knew
not
which
was
the
guilty
one
.
Like
most
of
the
London
policemen
—
my
Uncle
had
taught
me
this
—
he
was
too
proud
of
his
sagacity
to
be
in
truth
very
sagacious
.
Experience
he
had
,
and
all
that
;
but
he
would
not
have
done
in
Paris
.
The
real
depth
,
that
goes
below
,
and
yet
allows
for
the
depth
of
another
,
must
be
in
the
nature
,
can
rarely
exist
in
a
small
one
,
and
in
a
large
one
is
seldom
worked
but
for
theoretical
purposes
.
Therefore
shallow
men
overreach
in
daily
life
,
and
fancy
they
have
blinded
those
who
know
them
thoroughly
,
and
know
themselves
as
well
.
So
far
as
my
experience
goes
,
large-natured
men
abhor
cunning
so
much
,
that
they
fear
to
work
the
depth
of
their
own
intelligence
,
because
it
seems
akin
to
it
.
So
they
are
cheated
every
day
,
as
a
strong
man
yields
to
the
push
of
a
child
;
and
the
fools
who
cheat
them
chuckle
in
the
idea
that
they
have
done
it
by
fine
sagacity
,
and
without
the
victim
's
knowledge
.
CHAPTER
II
.
At
my
earnest
entreaty
,
the
idea
of
assembling
the
tenants
especially
was
allowed
to
drop
,
and
I
was
to
be
inducted
at
the
Midsummer
dinner
,
which
was
very
near
at
hand
.
A
deed
had
been
prepared
by
the
London
solicitors
,
reciting
the
facts
and
assuring
all
the
estate
to
me
,
as
my
father
's
proper
heiress
.
My
Uncle
also
desired
to
settle
upon
me
all
the
personal
property
,
except
a
sum
of
10
,
000
*
l
.
*
,
which
he
would
reserve
for
his
children
,
to
enable
them
,
if
ever
they
should
be
found
,
to
establish
their
claims
in
Corsica
:
then
if
the
son
obtained
his
rights
,
his
sister
was
to
have
the
money
with
all
expenditure
made
good
by
him
.
But
I
would
not
hear
of
it
.
It
would
have
made
me
a
rogue
.
By
his
skill
and
economy
,
my
Uncle
,
during
the
nine
years
of
his
management
,
had
saved
more
than
50
,
000
*
l
.
*
from
the
proceeds
of
the
estate
.
But
he
had
added
at
least
an
equal
amount
to
the
value
of
the
land
,
by
carrying
out
most
judiciously
the
improvements
begun
by
my
father
;
and
the
whole
was
now
considered
the
best-managed
estate
in
Gloucestershire
.
Therefore
,
when
he
abandoned
his
legal
right
,
in
the
most
honourable
manner
,
it
would
have
been
horribly
shabby
and
unlike
a
Vaughan
,
to
hold
him
accountable
for
the
back
rents
.
I
begged
him
to
leave
the
whole
of
it
for
the
benefit
of
his
poor
children
,
requesting
only
,
and
unnecessarily
,
that
the
hypocrite
might
not
have
sixpence
.
Another
thing
I
entreated
,
that
he
would
prolong
his
guardianship
,
and
stewardship
,
if
his
health
allowed
it
,
until
I
should
be
of
age
,
that
is
to
say
,
for
two
years
and
a
half
.
Seeing
how
earnestly
I
desired
it
,
he
undertook
to
do
so
,
though
he
made
the
promise
with
a
melancholy
smile
,
adding
that
he
hoped
his
children
would
be
found
ere
then
,
if
he
was
to
see
them
at
all
.
When
the
rent-dinner
was
over
,
and
the
glasses
had
been
replaced
,
my
Uncle
,
who
had
not
been
there
as
usual
,
led
me
into
the
great
old
hall
.
Feeble
as
he
was
,
he
entered
with
a
grace
and
courtesy
not
always
to
be
discovered
in
the
mien
of
princes
.
The
supper
—
as
the
farmers
called
it
—
had
not
begun
till
six
o'clock
;
and
now
the
evening
sunshine
glanced
through
the
western
window
,
and
between
the
bunches
of
stoning
grapes
into
the
narrow
doorway
,
stealing
in
from
the
Vinery
with
sandals
of
leafy
pattern
.
The
hall
was
decked
with
roses
,
no
other
flower
but
roses
;
yet
who
could
want
any
other
,
when
every
known
rose
was
there
?
Even
the
bright
yellow
blossoms
of
the
Corsican
rock-rose
,
a
plant
so
sensitive
that
to
steal
one
flower
is
to
kill
all
the
rest
.
From
time
out
of
mind
,
some
feudal
custom
of
tenure
by
the
rose
had
been
handed
down
in
our
family
.
All
the
guests
rose
as
we
passed
,
which
made
me
rather
nervous
,
albeit
I
knew
every
one
of
them
from
my
childhood
up
.
Then
my
Uncle
,
leaning
on
me
,
spoke
a
few
words
from
the
step
,
plain
and
simple
words
without
flourish
or
pretence
.
What
he
said
was
known
long
since
,
and
had
been
thoroughly
discussed
in
every
house
of
the
village
.
He
finished
by
setting
me
in
the
black
oak
chair
of
state
—
which
he
had
never
used
—
and
presenting
me
with
a
rose
;
then
he
turned
round
and
proposed
my
health
.
When
I
took
the
rose
,
an
exquisite
crested
moss
,
kissed
it
and
placed
it
in
my
bosom
,
according
to
the
usage
,
such
a
shout
arose
,
such
an
English
hurrah
,
that
it
must
have
echoed
to
the
other
bank
of
the
distant
Severn
.
At
first
I
was
quite
frightened
,
then
I
burst
into
tears
as
I
thought
of
him
whose
chair
I
sat
in
,
whose
memory
still
was
echoing
in
that
mighty
shout
.
It
was
not
only
love
of
right
,
or
sympathy
with
a
helpless
girl
,
that
moved
those
honest
bosoms
,
but
the
remembrance
of
him
who
had
been
so
pleasant
to
them
,
humble
,
kind
and
just
,
in
one
word
,
a
gentleman
.
But
as
they
came
up
,
one
by
one
,
and
begged
to
take
my
hand
,
and
wished
me
joy
and
long
life
with
all
their
hearts
,
I
found
that
I
was
right
in
one
thing
;
I
knew
them
better
than
my
Uncle
did
.
Instead
of
being
rude
or
cold
to
him
,
as
he
expected
,
they
almost
overwhelmed
him
with
praise
and
admiration
.
But
all
this
I
must
not
dwell
on
,
for
my
story
hurries
hence
,
and
its
path
is
not
through
roses
.
Annie
Franks
,
who
still
was
with
us
,
and
did
not
mean
to
go
until
she
had
finished
all
the
Froissart
novels
,
and
such
a
dear
good
girl
she
was
,
that
we
hoped
they
would
last
for
ever
,
Annie
Franks
brought
me
next
day
two
letters
of
aspect
strange
to
"
good
society
.
"
One
I
knew
at
a
glance
to
be
from
Tossil
's
Barton
,
though
the
flourishes
were
amazing
,
and
the
lead-pencil
lines
rubbed
out
.
The
other
,
a
work
of
far
less
ambition
and
industry
,
was
an
utter
stranger
;
so
of
course
I
took
it
first
.
Nevertheless
,
I
will
treat
of
it
last
,
because
it
opens
the
stormy
era
.
Dear
Sally
's
gossip
is
not
to
be
served
up
whole
.
Even
if
it
were
interesting
to
others
as
to
me
,
my
space
permits
no
dalliance
with
farm-yards
,
no
idyls
of
Timothy
Badcock
,
nay
,
nor
even
the
stern
iambics
of
Ebenezer
Dawe
.
Only
to
be
just
and
clear
,
I
may
not
slur
it
all
.
The
direction
was
remarkable
.
The
farmer
was
always
afraid
of
not
being
duly
explicit
,
for
he
believed
that
letters
were
delivered
throughout
England
as
in
the
parish
of
Trentisoe
;
where
all
,
except
those
for
the
parson
and
Tossil
's
Barton
farm
,
were
set
upside
down
in
the
window
at
Pewter
Will
's
,
the
most
public-house
in
the
place
.
The
idea
was
ingenious
,
and
,
I
believe
,
original
—
having
been
suggested
by
the
Queen
's
boy
,
whose
head
Mrs.
Huxtable
punched
.
It
was
that
no
one
could
read
the
name
upside
down
,
except
the
owner
of
the
name
and
therefore
of
the
letter
.
Sound
or
not
,
I
cannot
say
,
having
had
no
experience
;
but
there
was
this
to
be
said
for
it
,
that
no
one
would
try
the
puzzle
who
did
not
expect
a
letter
,
unless
indeed
he
were
of
precocious
genius
,
and
from
that
Trentisoe
was
quite
safe
.
Upon
the
present
"
papper-scrawl
,
"
after
a
long
description
of
me
,
patronymical
,
local
,
and
personal
,
the
following
injunctions
and
menaces
were
added
,
"
Not
be
stuck
tops
I
turve
I
on
no
account
in
no
public
house
.
She
be
in
her
own
house
now
again
,
thank
God
and
dang
them
as
turned
her
out
I
say
,
so
mind
you
carr
it
there
.
A
deal
of
money
there
be
in
it
,
and
no
fear
of
Joe
because
he
knows
it
,
and
there
lives
a
man
in
Gloucestershire
knows
me
well
by
the
name
of
Thomas
Henwood
.
Best
look
sharp
I
say
.
I
be
up
to
every
one
of
you
.
John
Huxtable
his
name
,
no
mark
this
time
.
God
save
the
queen
.
"
So
the
farmer
had
actually
learned
to
write
,
although
as
yet
to
a
strictly
limited
extent
.
Of
course
he
had
not
written
any
of
the
above
except
his
name
;
but
that
was
his
,
and
did
him
credit
,
though
it
nearly
described
a
circle
.
After
the
warmest
congratulations
and
returning
the
five-pound
note
,
which
I
had
sent
for
interest
,
with
an
indignant
inquiry
from
father
whether
I
took
him
for
a
Jew
,
and
after
several
anecdotes
and
some
histories
of
butter
sold
at
Ilfracombe
market
,
Sally
proceeded
thus
:
"
Now
what
do
you
think
,
Miss
Clara
dear
?
No
you
never
would
guess
as
long
as
you
live
—
father
are
going
to
London
town
,
and
me
,
and
Jack
,
and
Beany
Dawe
.
None
of
us
have
slept
two
grunts
of
a
pig
,
ever
since
it
were
made
up
,
only
father
,
and
he
always
sleep
without
turning
.
Now
mind
if
I
tell
you
all
about
it
,
you
must
not
tell
again
,
Miss
Clara
,
because
there
is
ever
so
much
money
upon
it
,
and
we
do
hear
they
have
put
it
on
some
London
paper
and
no
business
of
theirs
.
Two
great
gentlefolks
,
the
greatest
of
any
about
these
parts
,
have
been
and
made
up
a
bet
for
my
father
to
wrestle
along
with
a
great
big
chap
as
they
calls
the
North
Country
champion
.
Seems
as
some
great
Northern
lord
was
boasting
in
London
one
dinner-time
,
Speaker
's
dinner
they
called
it
because
there
were
a
deaf
and
dumb
dinner
next
day
,
this
here
great
lord
was
telling
up
as
how
Sam
Richardson
were
the
strongest
man
in
the
world
.
So
our
Sir
Arthur
spake
up
for
Devonshire
,
and
laid
him
a
quart-pot
full
of
sovereigns
as
he
would
find
a
better
man
in
the
West
country
.
And
so
I
do
n't
know
the
rights
of
it
,
nor
father
nor
mother
either
,
but
it
was
made
up
atwixt
them
that
Farmer
Huxtable
,
that
's
my
father
,
Miss
,
should
try
this
great
North
country
chap
at
the
time
of
the
great
Xabition
—
you
never
showed
me
the
way
to
spell
it
,
Miss
,
so
I
go
by
the
light
of
nature
,
as
you
used
to
say
,
Miss
—
and
should
take
best
of
three
falls
for
200
*
l
.
*
a
side
.
That
will
be
400
*
l
.
*
for
us
,
when
father
gets
it
,
and
all
his
expenses
paid
,
and
they
say
the
other
folk
wo
n't
allow
no
kicking
,
so
he
must
be
a
soft-shelled
chap
;
but
father
feel
no
call
to
hurt
him
,
if
so
be
he
can
help
it
.
Mother
do
n't
want
father
to
go
,
but
he
say
he
be
bound
for
the
honour
of
old
Devonshire
,
or
maybe
they
will
take
a
man
not
good
enough
to
make
a
standard
.
And
please
,
Miss
,
when
we
brings
home
the
money
,
I
be
to
go
to
Miss
Bowden
's
,
in
Boutport
Street
,
and
our
Jack
to
be
put
to
a
day-school
not
more
than
six
miles
away
,
and
then
I
hope
he
know
himself
,
and
look
higher
than
that
minx
of
a
Tabby
Badcock
.
What
do
you
think
,
Miss
Clara
,
you
would
never
believe
it
I
know
,
but
only
a
week
ago
last
Tuesday
I
come
sudden
round
the
corner
,
and
catched
her
a
kissing
of
our
Jack
in
the
shed
there
by
the
shoot
.
And
after
all
you
taught
her
,
Miss
!
Jack
he
ran
away
,
as
red
as
mangawazzle
,
but
that
brazen
slut
,
there
she
stand
with
her
legs
out
,
as
innocent
as
a
picture
.
Never
a
word
I
said
,
but
with
no
more
to
do
I
put
her
head
in
the
calves
'
stommick
as
we
makes
the
cheese
with
,
in
a
bucket
handy
.
It
would
have
done
you
good
to
see
her
Miss
,
she
did
cry
so
hard
,
and
she
smell
of
it
for
a
week
,
and
it
cure
our
Jack
,
up
to
Sunday
anyhow
.
Mother
come
out
at
the
noise
,
but
her
see
that
she
deserve
it
,
and
the
runnet
was
no
account
,
except
for
the
pigs
,
because
it
were
gone
by
.
I
hope
she
know
her
manners
now
and
her
spear
in
life
with
her
sheep
's
eyes
,
and
not
come
trying
to
catch
any
of
my
family
.
Well
,
Miss
Clara
please
,
father
want
mother
to
go
;
but
no
,
say
she
,
"
with
all
they
"
—
she
ought
to
have
said
"
them
"
Miss
,
now
had
n't
she
ought
?
—
"
with
all
they
young
pigs
,
and
the
brown
cow
expecting
every
day
,
and
Suke
no
head
at
all
,
and
all
the
chillers
and
little
Clara
"
—
she
call
her
"
Clara
"
now
,
Miss
,
—
"
why
farmer
what
be
thinking
of
?
"
Then
father
rub
the
nose
of
him
,
you
know
the
way
he
do
it
,
Miss
,
and
he
say
,
"
I
must
have
some
one
.
London
be
such
a
wicked
place
.
"
Mother
look
up
very
sharp
at
that
,
and
say
quite
peart
,
"
take
your
daughter
,
farmer
Huxtable
,
if
you
wants
to
be
kept
respectable
.
"
So
I
be
to
go
Miss
;
and
go
I
would
n't
without
Jack
and
leave
him
along
of
that
sly
cat
Tabby
,
and
her
got
sweet
again
now
;
besides
I
want
him
to
choose
a
knife
I
promised
him
,
same
as
he
saw
to
Coom
one
time
,
if
he
would
n't
let
Tabby
kiss
him
with
seven
blades
and
a
corkscrew
,
and
I
'll
give
eighteen
pence
for
it
,
that
I
will
.
And
Beany
Dawe
must
go
to
show
us
the
way
about
,
and
see
as
they
does
n't
cheat
us
,
because
his
father
was
once
to
London
town
,
and
told
him
a
power
about
it
.
If
you
please
,
Miss
Clara
,
father
be
put
in
training
as
they
call
it
in
these
parts
,
all
the
same
as
a
horse
.
He
run
up
and
down
Breakneck
hill
,
with
the
best
bed
on
his
back
,
nine
times
every
day
,
and
he
do
n't
drink
no
cider
,
no
nor
beer
,
nor
gin
and
water
,
and
mother
hardly
know
him
,
he
be
come
so
clear
in
the
skin
;
but
he
say
his
hand
shake
still
from
the
time
I
taught
him
to
write
,
and
please
,
Miss
,
what
do
you
think
of
the
way
he
is
going
to
sign
this
?
I
ca
n't
get
him
to
put
his
thumb
right
,
no
nor
his
middle
finger
,
and
he
stick
his
elbow
out
every
bit
as
bad
as
Tabby
,
and
he
say
he
like
the
pot-hooks
over
the
fire
best
,
but
for
all
that
I
believe
I
shall
make
a
scholard
of
him
,
particular
when
he
give
up
wrestling
,
which
he
have
sworn
to
do
if
he
throw
this
Cumberland
chap
,
and
stick
to
his
Bible
and
Prayer-book
.
Please
,
Miss
,
not
to
be
offended
,
but
excuse
us
asking
if
you
like
to
see
the
great
wrestling
.
Father
say
no
,
it
would
not
be
fitty
,
and
that
be
the
worst
of
being
a
gentlefolk
;
but
mother
say
what
harm
,
and
she
be
sure
the
farmer
do
it
twice
as
well
with
you
there
,
and
you
shall
have
the
best
seat
in
the
place
next
to
the
two
judges
,
and
such
a
pretty
handkerchief
they
sent
down
all
spotted
the
same
as
a
Guernsey
cow
,
how
the
people
in
church
did
stare
at
me
,
and
you
shall
have
two
of
the
best
,
Miss
,
but
I
am
afraid
it
be
making
too
bold
;
but
you
never
see
any
wrestling
,
Miss
,
and
I
am
sure
you
would
enjoy
it
so
.
It
take
place
in
the
copandhagen
fields
,
next
Saturday
week
.
Do
come
,
Miss
Clara
dear
,
it
will
do
you
so
much
good
,
and
you
see
father
,
and
me
,
and
Jack
,
and
Beany
Dawe
.
"
I
need
recount
no
more
of
poor
Sally
's
soft
persuasions
.
The
other
letter
was
of
a
different
vein
:
—
"
HONOURED
Miss
,
—
Balak
and
me
after
a
deal
of
trouble
and
labouring
night
and
day
and
throwing
up
our
vacation
has
at
last
succeeded
in
finding
you
knows
who
.
Personal
interview
will
oblige
,
earliest
inconvenience
.
No
more
at
present
not
being
safe
on
paper
,
from
your
most
obedient
servants
and
suitors
BALAAM
AND
BALAK
—
you
knows
who
.
—
Poscrip
.
—
Balak
says
a
sharp
young
lady
quite
sure
to
know
what
is
right
,
but
for
fear
of
accidents
please
a
little
of
the
ready
will
oblige
,
large
families
both
of
us
has
and
it
do
take
a
deal
of
beer
more
than
our
proper
vacation
no
one
would
guess
unless
they
was
to
try
and
bad
beer
too
a
deal
of
it
.
For
self
and
partner
.
—
BALAAM
.
"
CHAPTER
III
.
When
my
Uncle
saw
that
letter
,
he
declared
that
he
would
go
to
London
with
me
.
No
power
on
earth
should
prevent
him
.
Not
even
his
self-willed
Clara
.
It
was
not
revenge
he
wanted
:
even
though
it
were
for
his
innocent
brother
,
whose
wrongs
he
could
not
pardon
.
No
,
if
the
small-minded
wretch
who
had
spent
his
life
in
destroying
a
fellow-creature
's
,
if
that
contemptible
miscreant
lay
at
his
feet
to-morrow
,
he
would
not
plant
foot
upon
him
;
but
forgive
him
heartily
,
if
he
had
the
grace
to
desire
it
.
But
for
his
children
,
—
for
them
he
must
go
to
London
.
Only
let
him
see
them
once
before
he
died
.
No
torpid
limbs
for
him
.
Who
said
he
was
old
—
and
he
only
forty-seven
?
One
thing
seemed
rather
strange
to
me
.
He
longed
,
yearned
I
should
say
,
to
look
upon
his
little
Lily
even
more
than
on
the
child
he
knew
,
his
son
,
his
first-born
Harry
.
"
Why
,
Clara
,
"
he
used
to
say
,
"
she
is
nearly
as
old
as
you
,
and
you
are
a
full-grown
girl
.
On
the
21st
of
this
month
"
—
it
was
now
July
—
"
she
will
be
eighteen
;
I
can
hardly
believe
it
.
I
wonder
what
she
is
like
.
Most
likely
she
takes
after
her
lovely
mother
.
No
doubt
of
it
,
I
should
say
.
Do
n't
you
think
so
,
Clara
?
"
"
Of
course
,
Uncle
,
"
I
would
reply
,
knowing
nothing
at
all
about
it
,
"
of
course
she
does
.
How
I
should
like
to
see
her
.
"
Perhaps
fifty
times
a
day
,
he
would
ask
for
my
opinion
,
and
I
would
deliver
it
firmly
,
perhaps
in
the
very
same
words
and
without
a
shade
of
misgiving
;
and
though
of
no
value
whatever
,
it
seemed
to
comfort
him
every
time
.
But
the
prolonged
excitement
,
and
the
stress
of
imagination
exerted
on
Lily
junior
,
told
upon
him
rapidly
in
his
worn
and
weak
condition
.
Longing
for
his
company
,
assistance
,
and
advice
,
I
waited
from
day
to
day
,
even
at
the
risk
of
leaving
Balaam
and
Balak
without
good
beer
.
All
this
time
,
my
imagination
was
busy
with
weak
surmises
,
faint
suspicions
,
and
tangled
recollections
.
At
last
,
I
could
delay
no
longer
.
Tuesday
was
the
latest
day
I
could
consent
to
wait
for
,
and
on
the
Monday
my
Uncle
was
more
nervous
and
weak
than
ever
.
It
was
too
plain
that
he
must
not
attempt
the
journey
,
and
that
the
long
suspense
was
impairing
his
feeble
health
.
So
for
once
I
showed
some
decision
—
which
seemed
to
have
failed
me
of
late
—
without
telling
him
any
more
about
it
,
I
got
everything
ready
,
and
appeared
at
his
bedroom
door
,
only
to
say
"
Good
bye
.
"
Annie
Franks
,
who
was
going
with
me
,
for
a
short
visit
to
her
father
,
hung
back
in
some
amazement
,
doubting
whether
she
had
any
right
to
be
there
,
and
dragged
off
her
legs
by
the
coil
of
my
strong
will
.
My
poor
Uncle
seemed
quite
taken
aback
;
but
as
it
could
not
be
helped
,
he
speedily
made
up
his
mind
to
it
.
"
The
carriage
was
at
the
door
;
"
which
announcement
to
English
minds
precludes
all
further
argument
.
"
Good
bye
,
Uncle
dear
,
"
I
cried
,
as
cheerily
as
I
could
,
"
I
shall
be
back
by
the
end
of
the
week
and
bring
your
Lily
with
me
.
Give
me
a
good
kiss
for
her
,
and
now
another
for
myself
.
"
He
was
sitting
up
in
the
bed
,
with
a
Cashmere
dressing-gown
on
,
and
poring
over
some
relics
of
olden
time
.
"
Good
bye
,
my
darling
,
and
do
n't
be
long
away
.
They
have
robbed
me
enough
already
.
"
After
giving
Judy
the
strictest
orders
,
I
hurried
off
in
fear
and
hope
,
doubtful
whether
I
ought
to
go
.
Annie
lingered
and
gave
him
a
kiss
,
for
she
was
very
fond
of
him
.
He
whispered
something
about
me
,
which
I
did
not
stop
to
hear
,
for
I
wanted
to
leave
him
in
good
spirits
.
After
a
rapid
journey
,
I
saw
dear
Annie
safe
in
the
arms
of
her
father
and
mother
,
and
found
Mrs.
Shelfer
at
home
,
and
in
capital
spirits
,
all
the
birds
,
etc.
well
,
and
no
distress
in
the
house
.
Charley
was
doing
wonders
,
wonders
,
my
good
friend
,
sticking
to
his
work
,
yes
,
yes
,
and
not
inside
the
public
house
for
the
best
part
of
the
week
.
Leastways
so
he
said
,
and
it
would
not
do
to
contradict
him
.
And
she
really
did
believe
there
were
only
three
bills
over-due
!
My
little
rooms
were
snug
and
quiet
,
and
the
dust
not
more
than
half
an
inch
thick
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
used
to
say
that
dusting
furniture
was
the
worst
thing
in
the
world
to
wear
it
out
.
According
to
her
theory
,
the
dust
excluded
the
air
,
especially
from
the
joints
,
and
prevented
the
fly-blows
coming
.
However
,
I
made
her
come
up
and
furbish
,
while
I
went
out
to
post
a
letter
for
Messrs.
Balaam
and
Balak
,
requesting
them
to
visit
me
in
the
morning
.
When
things
were
set
to
rights
a
little
,
and
air
,
which
Mrs.
Shelfer
hated
,
flowed
in
from
either
balcony
,
I
bought
a
fine
crab
and
some
Sally
Lunns
,
and
begged
for
the
pleasure
of
my
landlady
's
company
at
tea
.
This
she
gladly
gave
me
,
for
the
little
woman
loved
nothing
better
than
sucking
the
hairy
legs
of
a
crab
.
But
she
was
so
overcome
by
the
rumours
of
my
wealth
,
that
she
even
feared
to
eject
the
pieces
in
her
ordinary
manner
,
and
the
front
rail
of
her
chair
was
like
the
beam
of
a
balance
.
Infinitely
rather
would
I
be
poor
myself
,
than
have
people
ceremonious
to
me
because
I
am
not
poor
;
and
to
tell
the
honest
truth
,
I
believe
there
is
a
vein
of
very
low
blood
in
me
,
which
blushes
at
the
sense
of
riches
and
position
.
Why
should
I
have
every
luxury
,
that
is
if
I
choose
to
have
it
,
while
men
and
women
of
a
thousand
times
my
mind
,
and
soul
,
and
heart
,
spend
their
precious
lives
in
earning
the
value
of
their
coffins
?
This
thought
has
wearied
many
a
mind
of
pure
aerial
flight
,
compared
whereto
my
weak
departures
are
but
the
hops
of
a
flea
;
so
I
lose
the
imago
,
but
catch
the
larva
,
upon
the
nettle
,
practice
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
is
soon
at
ease
;
and
we
talk
of
the
price
of
cat
's
meat
,
and
how
dear
sausages
are
,
and
laugh
—
myself
with
sorrow
—
over
the
bygone
days
,
when
dripping
played
the
role
of
butter
,
and
Judy
would
not
take
a
bone
because
he
thought
I
wanted
it
.
Then
we
talk
over
the
news
.
Miss
Idols
had
been
there
,
bless
her
sweet
face
,
yes
,
ever
so
many
times
,
to
look
for
letters
,
or
to
hear
tidings
of
me
.
But
she
was
not
one
bit
like
herself
.
She
never
teased
the
poor
little
woman
now
;
the
poor
little
woman
wished
very
much
she
would
.
Oh
,
I
should
hardly
know
her
.
She
did
not
know
which
bird
it
was
that
had
the
wooden
leg
,
and
had
forgotten
the
difference
between
a
meal-worm
and
a
lob
.
And
she
did
not
care
which
way
she
rubbed
the
ears
of
the
marmoset
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
believed
,
but
for
the
world
it
must
not
be
told
again
,
that
Isola
was
deeply
in
love
,
unrequited
love
,
perhaps
one
of
the
weteranarian
gents
.
They
did
say
they
had
some
stuff
as
would
lead
a
girl
like
a
horse
.
But
whatever
it
was
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
only
knew
that
she
could
not
get
at
the
rights
of
it
.
Girls
had
grown
so
cunning
now-a-days
,
what
with
the
great
supernatural
exhibition
,
and
the
hats
they
had
taken
to
wear
flat
on
the
tops
of
their
heads
,
not
at
all
what
they
used
to
be
when
she
and
Charley
were
young
.
Then
a
young
woman
was
not
afraid
of
showing
what
her
neck
was
like
;
now
she
tucked
it
in
cotton
wool
like
a
canary
's
egg
.
And
what
were
they
the
better
,
sly
minxes
?
She
saw
enough
of
it
in
the
Square
garden
,
and
them
showing
their
little
sisters
'
legs
for
patterns
of
their
own
,
oh
fie
!
"
"
Come
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
no
scandal
,
if
you
please
.
What
news
of
your
Uncle
John
?
"
"
Ah
,
Miss
,
you
must
ask
the
sharks
,
and
the
lobsters
,
and
the
big
sea-serpent
.
They
do
say
,
down
at
Wapping
,
that
the
ship
was
cast
away
among
the
cannibal
islands
,
and
the
people
ate
a
policeman
,
and
he
upon
his
promotion
.
What
a
pity
,
what
a
pity
!
And
his
coat
four
and
sixpence
a
yard
,
ready
shrunk
!
But
them
natives
is
outrageous
.
"
"
Nonsense
,
Patty
,
I
do
n't
believe
a
word
of
it
.
Sailors
are
dreadful
story-tellers
,
ever
since
the
days
of
Sindbad
.
Has
any
one
besides
Miss
Isola
,
Mrs.
Elton
,
or
any
one
,
been
here
to
ask
for
me
?
"
"
No
,
Miss
,
Mr.
Conrad
never
come
after
the
day
you
served
him
so
dreadful
;
and
Miss
Idols
say
he
went
back
and
spoiled
300
*
l
.
*
worth
of
work
;
but
that
great
lady
with
the
red
plush
breeches
,
and
the
pink
silk
stockings
,
and
the
baker
's
shop
in
their
hair
,
she
been
here
twice
last
week
,
and
left
a
letter
for
you
.
And
Balaam
been
here
several
times
,
and
Balak
along
of
him
;
but
I
banged
the
door
on
them
both
,
now
I
hear
they
be
out
of
the
business
,
and
a
nice
young
man
set
up
who
do
n't
bother
about
the
gun
.
"
"
Lady
Cranberry
's
letter
may
lie
there
,
and
go
back
the
next
time
Ann
Maples
comes
.
But
the
bailiffs
I
must
see
.
If
they
come
to-morrow
,
let
them
in
immediately
.
And
how
are
all
my
friends
at
the
Mews
?
"
Her
reply
would
fill
a
chapter
,
so
I
will
not
enter
upon
it
,
but
go
to
bed
and
miss
the
sound
of
dear
Judy
's
tail
at
the
door
.
In
the
first
course
of
my
dreams
,
Mr.
Shelfer
passed
on
his
bedward
road
,
having
politely
taken
his
shoes
off
at
the
bottom
of
the
stairs
;
in
doing
which
he
made
at
least
three
times
the
noise
his
shodden
feet
would
have
inflicted
.
In
the
morning
I
took
my
old
walk
round
the
Square
,
and
then
sat
down
and
tried
to
be
patient
until
the
bailiffs
should
come
.
Of
course
I
did
not
mean
to
go
to
my
darling
Isola
,
nor
even
to
let
her
know
that
I
was
so
near
at
hand
,
although
my
heart
was
burning
to
see
her
sweet
face
again
.
I
even
kept
away
from
the
window
,
though
I
wanted
to
watch
for
the
bailiffs
,
and
strictly
ordered
Mrs.
Shelfer
not
to
tell
her
,
if
she
should
call
,
a
word
about
my
being
there
.
However
,
it
was
all
in
vain
.
Mr.
Shelfer
went
out
after
breakfast
to
his
play-work
in
the
Square
,
and
the
smell
of
his
pipe
invaded
my
little
room
.
I
think
he
must
have
left
the
front
door
open
;
at
any
rate
I
heard
,
all
of
a
sudden
,
a
quick
patter
of
running
feet
,
and
such
a
crying
and
sobbing
,
and
Mrs.
Shelfer
hurrying
out
to
meet
it
.
"
You
ca
n't
,
Miss
,
you
ca
n't
indeed
—
not
for
a
thousand
pounds
.
The
rooms
are
let
,
I
tell
you
,
and
you
ca
n't
go
up
.
Oh
dear
,
oh
dear
,
whatever
am
I
to
do
?
"
"
Patty
,
I
will
go
up
.
I
do
n't
care
who
's
there
.
My
heart
is
breaking
,
and
I
will
die
on
my
darling
's
bed
.
If
you
stand
there
,
I
'll
push
you
.
Out
of
the
way
,
I
tell
you
.
"
And
up
flew
Idols
,
in
a
perfect
mess
of
tears
.
What
could
I
do
but
fly
to
meet
her
,
and
hug
my
only
pet
?
What
with
her
passion
of
grief
,
and
sudden
joy
,
at
seeing
me
,
she
fainted
away
in
my
arms
.
I
got
her
somehow
to
the
sofa
,
and
kissed
her
into
her
senses
again
.
When
she
came
to
herself
,
and
felt
sure
it
was
not
a
dream
,
she
nestled
into
my
bosom
,
as
if
I
had
been
her
husband
,
and
stole
long
glances
at
me
to
see
whether
I
was
offended
.
Her
pretty
cloak
lay
on
the
floor
,
and
her
hat
beneath
the
table
.
For
a
long
time
she
sobbed
and
trembled
so
that
she
could
not
say
a
word
,
while
I
kept
on
whispering
such
vain
words
as
these
:
"
Never
mind
,
my
pet
.
There
,
you
have
cried
enough
.
Tell
your
own
dear
Clara
who
has
dared
to
vex
you
.
"
To
see
that
sweet
child
's
misery
,
I
felt
in
such
a
rage
,
I
could
have
boxed
her
enemy
's
ears
.
But
I
never
thought
that
it
was
more
than
a
child
's
vexation
.
At
last
,
after
drinking
a
tumblerful
of
water
,
and
giving
room
to
her
palpitating
heart
,
she
contrived
to
tell
me
her
trouble
.
"
Why
,
dear
,
you
know
my
pappy
—
pappy
I
used
to
call
him
—
he
is
not
my
papa
at
all
,
he
says
himself
he
is
not
;
and
that
is
not
the
worst
of
it
,
for
I
could
do
well
enough
without
him
,
he
is
always
so
dreadfully
cross
,
and
does
n't
care
for
me
one
bit
.
I
could
do
without
him
very
well
,
if
I
had
a
proper
papa
,
or
if
my
father
was
dead
and
had
loved
me
before
he
died
;
but
now
I
have
no
father
at
all
,
and
never
had
any
in
the
world
;
I
am
only
an
outcast
,
an
abandoned
—
Oh
,
Clara
,
will
you
promise
to
forgive
me
,
and
love
me
all
the
same
?
"
"
To
be
sure
I
will
,
my
dearest
.
I
am
sure
,
you
have
done
no
harm
.
And
even
if
you
have
been
led
astray
—
"
She
looked
at
me
with
quick
pride
flashing
through
her
abasement
,
and
she
took
her
arm
off
my
shoulder
.
"
No
,
you
have
quite
mistaken
me
.
Do
you
think
I
would
sit
here
and
kiss
you
,
if
I
were
a
wicked
girl
?
But
who
am
I
to
be
indignant
at
anything
now
?
He
told
me
—
are
you
sure
the
door
is
shut
?
—
he
told
me
,
with
a
sneer
,
that
I
was
a
base-born
child
,
and
he
used
a
worse
word
than
that
.
"
She
fell
away
from
me
,
her
cheeks
all
crimson
with
shame
,
and
her
long
eyelashes
drooping
heavily
on
them
.
I
caught
her
to
my
heart
:
poor
wronged
one
,
was
she
a
whit
less
pure
?
I
seemed
to
love
her
the
better
,
for
her
great
misfortune
.
Of
course
,
I
had
guessed
it
long
ago
,
from
what
her
brother
told
me
.
"
And
who
is
your
father
,
my
pretty
?
Any
father
must
be
a
fool
who
would
not
be
proud
of
you
.
"
"
Oh
,
Clara
,
the
worst
of
it
is
that
I
have
not
the
least
idea
.
But
from
something
that
hard
man
said
,
I
believe
he
was
an
Englishman
.
I
think
I
could
have
got
everything
from
him
,
he
was
so
beside
himself
;
but
when
he
told
me
that
dreadful
thing
,
and
said
that
my
father
had
lied
to
my
mother
and
ruined
her
,
I
felt
so
sick
that
I
could
not
speak
,
till
he
turned
me
out
of
the
house
,
and
struck
me
as
I
went
.
"
"
What
?
"
"
Yes
,
he
turned
me
out
of
the
house
,
and
gave
me
the
blow
of
disgrace
,
and
said
I
should
never
look
on
his
face
again
.
He
had
won
his
revenge
—
I
cannot
tell
what
he
meant
,
for
I
never
harmed
him
—
and
now
I
might
follow
my
mother
,
and
take
to
—
I
ca
n't
repeat
it
,
but
it
was
worse
than
death
.
No
fear
of
my
starving
,
he
said
,
with
this
poor
face
of
mine
.
And
so
I
was
going
to
Conny
,
dear
Conny
;
I
think
he
knew
it
all
long
ago
,
but
could
not
bear
to
tell
me
.
And
I
sat
on
some
steps
in
a
lonely
place
,
for
I
did
not
know
how
to
walk
,
and
I
prayed
to
see
you
and
die
:
then
old
Cora
came
after
me
,
and
even
she
was
crying
,
and
she
gave
me
all
her
money
,
and
a
morsel
of
the
true
cross
,
and
told
me
to
come
here
first
,
for
Conny
was
out
of
town
,
and
she
would
come
to
see
me
at
dark
;
and
perhaps
the
Professor
would
take
me
back
when
his
rage
was
over
.
Do
you
think
I
would
ever
go
?
And
after
what
he
told
me
to
do
!
"
Such
depth
of
loathing
and
scorn
in
those
gentle
violet
eyes
,
and
her
playful
face
for
the
moment
so
haughtily
wild
and
implacable
—
Clara
Vaughan
,
in
her
stately
rancour
,
seemed
an
iceberg
by
a
volcano
.
I
saw
that
it
was
the
moment
for
learning
all
that
she
knew
;
and
the
time
for
scruples
was
past
.
"
Isola
,
tell
me
all
you
have
heard
,
about
this
dastard
bully
?
"
"
I
know
very
little
;
he
has
taken
good
care
of
that
.
I
only
know
that
he
did
most
horrible
things
to
unfortunate
cats
and
dogs
.
It
made
me
shudder
to
touch
him
at
one
time
.
But
he
gave
that
up
I
believe
.
But
there
is
some
dark
and
fearful
mystery
,
which
my
brother
has
found
out
;
that
is
if
he
be
my
brother
.
How
can
I
tell
even
that
?
Whatever
the
discovery
was
,
it
made
such
a
change
in
him
,
that
he
cared
for
nothing
afterwards
,
until
he
saw
you
,
Clara
.
I
am
not
very
sharp
,
you
know
,
though
I
have
learned
so
much
,
that
perhaps
you
think
I
am
.
"
"
My
darling
,
I
never
thought
such
a
thing
for
a
moment
.
"
"
Oh
,
I
am
very
glad
.
At
any
rate
I
like
to
