merrywith
any
young
fellow
in
the
place
,
but
it
went
no
farther
.
She
was
bonne
camarade
with
all
the
world
—
no
more
.
Perhaps
at
bottom
some
coolness
of
temperament
protected
her
;
nobody
,
at
any
rate
,
suspected
that
it
had
anything
to
do
with
Isaac
,
or
that
she
cared
a
ha'porth
for
so
lugubrious
and
hypocritical
a
husband
.
She
had
showered
drinks
on
all
her
friends
,
and
had
,
moreover
,
chattered
and
screamed
herself
hoarse
,
when
the
church-clock
outside
slowly
struck
eight
.
She
started
,
changed
countenance
,
and
got
up
to
pay
at
once
.
“
Why
,
there
's
another
o
'
them
half-crowns
o
'
yourn
,
Bessie
,
”
said
a
consumptive-looking
girl
in
a
bedraggled
hat
and
feathers
,
as
Mrs.
Costrell
handed
her
coin
to
the
landlord
.
“
Wheriver
do
yer
get
'
em
?
”
“
If
yer
do
n't
ask
no
questions
,
I
wo
n't
tell
yer
no
lies
,
”
said
Bessie
,
with
quick
impudence
.
“
Where
did
you
get
them
hat
and
feathers
?
”
There
was
a
coarse
laugh
from
the
company
.
The
girl
in
the
hat
reddened
furiously
,
and
she
and
Bessie
—
both
of
them
in
a
quarrelsome
state
—
began
to
bandy
words
.
Meanwhile
the
landlord
was
showing
the
coin
to
his
assistant
at
the
bar
.
“
Rum
,
ai
n't
it
?
I
niver
seed
one
o
'
them
pieces
in
the
village
afore
this
winter
,
an
'
I
've
been
'
ere
twenty-two
year
come
April
.
”
A
decent-looking
labourer
,
who
did
not
often
visit
the
Spotted
Deer
,
was
leaning
over
the
bar
and
caught
the
words
.
“
Well
,
then
,
I
'
ave
,
”
he
said
promptly
.
“
I
mind
well
as
when
I
were
a
lad
,
sixteen
year
ago
,
my
fayther
borrered
a
bit
o
'
money
off
John
Bolderfield
,
to
buy
a
cow
with
—
an
'
there
was
'
arf
of
it
in
them
'
arf-crowns
.
”
Those
standing
near
overheard
.
Bessie
and
the
girl
stopped
quarrelling
.
The
landlord
,
startled
,
cast
a
sly
eye
in
Bessie
's
direction
.
She
came
up
to
the
bar
.
“
What
's
that
yer
sayin
'
?
”
she
demanded
.
The
man
repeated
his
remark
.
“
Well
,
I
dessay
there
was
,
”
said
Bessie
—
“
I
dessay
there
was
.
I
s'pose
there
's
plenty
of
'
em
.
Where
do
I
get
'
em
?
—
why
,
I
get
'
em
at
Bedford
,
of
course
,
when
I
goes
for
my
money
.
”
She
looked
round
defiantly
.
No
one
said
anything
;
but
everybody
instinctively
suspected
a
lie
.
The
sudden
silence
was
striking
.
“
Well
,
give
me
my
change
,
will
yer
?
”
she
said
impatiently
to
the
landlord
.
“
I
ca
n't
stan
'
here
all
night
.
”
He
gave
it
to
her
,
and
she
went
out
showering
reckless
good-nights
,
to
which
there
was
little
response
.
The
door
had
no
sooner
closed
upon
her
than
every
one
in
the
tap-room
pressed
round
the
bar
in
a
close
gathering
of
heads
and
tongues
.
Bessie
ran
across
the
green
and
began
to
climb
the
hill
at
a
rapid
pace
.
Her
thin
woollen
shawl
blown
back
by
the
wind
left
her
arms
and
bosom
exposed
.
But
the
effects
of
the
spirit
in
her
veins
prevented
any
sense
of
cold
,
though
it
was
a
bitter
night
.
Once
or
twice
,
as
she
toiled
up
the
hill
,
she
gave
a
loud
sudden
sob
.
“
Oh
my
God
!
”
she
said
to
herself
.
“
My
God
!
”
When
she
was
half-way
up
she
met
a
neighbour
.
“
Have
yer
seen
Isaac
?
”
Bessie
asked
her
,
panting
.
“
'
Ee
's
at
the
Club
,
ar
n't
'
ee
?
”
said
the
woman
.
“
Well
,
they
wo
n't
be
up
yet
.
Jim
tolt
me
as
Muster
Perris
”
—
Muster
Perris
was
the
vicar
of
Clinton
Magna
—
“
'
ad
got
a
strange
gen'leman
stayin
'
with
'
im
,
and
was
goin
'
to
take
him
into
the
Club
to-night
to
speak
to
'
em
.
'
Ee
's
a
bishop
,
they
ses
—
someun
from
furrin
parts
.
”
Bessie
threw
her
good-night
and
climbed
on
.
When
she
reached
the
cottage
the
lamp
was
flaming
on
the
table
and
the
fire
was
bright
.
Her
lame
boy
had
done
all
she
had
told
him
,
and
her
miserable
heart
softened
.
She
hurriedly
put
out
some
food
for
Isaac
.
Then
she
lit
a
candle
and
went
up
to
look
at
the
children
.
They
were
all
asleep
in
the
room
to
the
right
of
the
stairs
—
the
two
little
boys
in
one
bed
,
the
two
little
girls
in
the
other
,
each
pair
huddled
together
against
the
cold
,
like
dormice
in
a
nest
.
Then
she
looked
,
conscience-stricken
,
at
the
untidiness
of
the
room
.
She
had
bought
the
children
a
wonderful
number
of
new
clothes
lately
,
and
the
family
being
quite
unused
to
such
abundance
,
there
was
no
place
to
keep
them
in
.
A
new
frock
was
flung
down
in
a
corner
just
as
it
had
been
taken
off
;
the
kitten
was
sleeping
on
Arthur
's
last
new
jacket
;
a
smart
hat
with
a
bunch
of
poppies
in
it
was
lying
about
the
floor
;
and
under
the
iron
beds
could
be
seen
a
confusion
of
dusty
boots
,
new
and
old
.
The
children
were
naturally
reckless
like
their
mother
,
and
they
had
been
getting
used
to
new
things
.
What
excited
them
now
,
more
than
the
acquisitions
themselves
,
was
that
their
mother
had
strictly
forbidden
them
ever
to
show
any
of
their
new
clothes
to
their
father
.
If
they
did
,
she
would
beat
them
well
,
she
said
.
That
they
understood
;
and
life
was
thereby
enriched
,
not
only
by
new
clothes
but
by
a
number
of
new
emotions
and
terrors
.
If
Bessie
noted
the
state
of
the
room
,
she
made
no
attempt
to
mend
it
.
She
smoothed
back
the
hair
from
the
boys
'
foreheads
with
a
violent
,
shaky
hand
,
and
kissed
them
all
,
especially
Arthur
.
Then
she
went
out
and
closed
the
door
behind
her
.
Outside
she
stood
a
moment
on
the
tiny
landing
—
listening
.
Not
a
sound
;
but
the
cottage
walls
were
thin
.
If
any
one
came
along
the
lane
with
heavy
boots
she
must
hear
them
.
Very
like
he
would
be
half
an
hour
yet
.
She
ran
down
the
stairs
and
shut
the
door
at
the
bottom
of
them
,
opening
into
the
kitchen
.
It
had
no
key
or
she
would
have
locked
it
;
and
in
her
agitation
,
her
state
of
clouded
brain
,
she
forgot
the
outer
door
altogether
.
Hurrying
up
again
,
she
sat
down
on
the
topmost
step
,
putting
her
candle
on
the
boards
beside
her
.
The
cupboard
at
the
stair-head
where
John
had
left
his
money
was
close
to
her
left
hand
.
As
she
sank
into
the
attitude
of
rest
,
her
first
instinct
was
to
cry
and
bemoan
herself
.
Deep
in
her
woman
's
being
great
floods
of
tears
were
rising
,
and
would
fain
have
spent
themselves
.
But
she
fought
them
down
,
rapidly
passing
instead
into
a
state
of
cold
terror
—
terror
of
Isaac
's
step
—
terror
of
discovery
—
of
the
man
in
the
public-house
.
There
was
a
mousehole
in
the
skirting
of
the
stairs
close
to
the
cupboard
.
She
slipped
in
a
finger
,
felt
along
an
empty
space
behind
,
and
drew
out
a
key
.
It
turned
easily
in
the
cupboard
lock
,
and
the
two
boxes
stood
revealed
,
standing
apparently
just
as
they
stood
when
John
left
them
.
In
hot
haste
Bessie
dragged
the
treasure-box
from
under
the
other
,
starting
at
every
sound
in
the
process
,
at
the
thud
the
old
wooden
trunk
made
on
the
floor
of
the
cupboard
as
its
supporter
was
withdrawn
,
at
the
rustle
of
her
own
dress
.
All
the
boldness
she
had
shown
at
the
Spotted
Deer
had
vanished
.
She
was
now
the
mere
trembling
and
guilty
woman
.
The
lock
on
Bolderfield
's
box
had
been
forced
long
before
;
it
opened
to
her
hand
.
A
heap
of
sovereigns
and
half-sovereigns
lay
on
one
side
,
divided
by
a
wooden
partition
from
the
few
silver
coins
,
crowns
and
half-crowns
,
still
lying
on
the
other
.
She
counted
both
the
gold
and
silver
,
losing
her
reckoning
again
and
again
,
because
of
the
sudden
anguish
of
listening
that
would
overtake
her
.
Thirty-six
pounds
on
the
one
side
,
not
much
more
than
thirty
shillings
on
the
other
.
When
John
left
it
there
had
been
fifty-one
pounds
in
gold
,
and
rather
more
than
twenty
pounds
in
silver
,
most
of
it
in
half-crowns
.
Ah
!
she
knew
the
figures
well
.
Did
that
man
who
had
spoken
to
the
landlord
in
the
public-house
suspect
?
How
strange
they
had
all
looked
!
What
a
silly
fool
she
had
been
to
change
so
much
of
the
silver
,
instead
of
sticking
to
the
gold
!
Yet
she
had
thought
the
gold
would
be
noticed
more
.
When
was
old
John
coming
back
?
He
had
written
once
from
Frampton
to
say
that
he
was
“
laid
up
bad
with
the
rheumatics
,
”
and
was
probably
going
into
the
Frampton
Infirmary
.
That
was
in
November
.
Since
then
nothing
had
been
heard
of
him
.
John
was
no
scholar
.
What
if
he
died
without
coming
back
?
There
would
be
no
trouble
then
,
except
—
except
with
Isaac
.
Her
mind
suddenly
filled
with
wild
visions
,
—
of
herself
marched
through
the
village
by
Watson
,
as
she
had
once
seen
him
march
a
poacher
who
had
mauled
one
of
Mr.
Forrest
's
keepers
—
of
the
towering
walls
of
Frampton
jail
—
of
a
visible
physical
shame
which
would
kill
her
—
drive
her
mad
.
If
,
indeed
,
Isaac
did
not
kill
her
before
any
one
but
he
knew
!
He
had
been
that
cross
and
glum
all
these
last
weeks
—
never
a
bit
of
talk
hardly
—
always
snapping
at
her
and
the
children
.
Yet
he
had
never
said
a
word
to
her
about
the
drink
—
nor
about
the
things
she
had
bought
.
As
to
the
“
things
”
and
the
bills
,
she
believed
that
he
knew
nothing
—
had
noticed
nothing
.
At
home
he
was
always
smoking
,
sitting
silent
,
with
dim
eyes
,
like
a
man
in
a
dream
—
or
reading
his
father
's
old
books
,
“
good
books
,
”
which
filled
Bessie
with
a
sense
of
dreariness
unspeakable
—
or
pondering
his
weekly
paper
.
But
she
believed
he
had
begun
to
notice
the
drink
.
Drinking
was
universal
in
Clinton
,
though
there
was
not
much
drunkenness
.
Teetotalers
were
unknown
,
and
Isaac
himself
drank
his
beer
freely
,
and
a
glass
of
spirits
,
like
anybody
else
on
occasion
.
She
had
been
used
for
years
to
fetch
his
beer
from
the
public
,
and
she
had
been
careful
.
But
there
were
signs
—
Oh
!
if
she
could
only
think
of
some
way
of
putting
it
back
—
this
thirty
odd
pounds
.
She
held
her
head
between
her
hands
,
thinking
and
thinking
.
Could
n't
that
little
lawyer
man
to
whom
she
went
every
month
at
Bedford
,
to
fetch
her
legacy
money
—
could
n't
he
lend
it
her
,
and
keep
her
money
till
it
was
paid
?
She
could
make
up
a
story
,
and
give
him
something
for
himself
to
induce
him
to
hold
his
tongue
.
She
had
thought
of
this
often
before
,
but
never
so
urgently
as
now
.
She
would
take
the
carrier
's
cart
to
Bedford
next
day
,
while
Isaac
was
at
work
,
and
try
.
Yet
all
the
time
despair
was
at
her
heart
.
So
hard
to
undo
!
Yet
how
easy
it
had
been
to
take
and
to
spend
.
She
thought
of
that
day
in
September
,
when
she
had
got
the
news
of
her
legacy
—
six
shillings
a
week
from
an
old
aunt
—
her
fathers
aunt
,
whose
very
existence
she
had
forgotten
.
The
wild
delight
of
it
!
Isaac
got
sixteen
shillings
a
week
in
wages
—
here
was
nearly
half
as
much
again
.
She
was
warned
that
it
would
come
to
an
end
in
two
years
.
But
none
the
less
it
seemed
to
her
a
fortune
—
and
all
her
life
,
before
it
came
,
mere
hard
pinching
and
endurance
.
She
had
always
been
one
to
spend
where
she
could
.
Old
John
had
often
rated
her
for
it
.
So
had
Isaac
.
But
that
was
his
money
.
This
was
hers
,
and
he
who
,
for
religious
reasons
,
had
never
made
friends
with
or
thought
well
of
any
of
her
family
,
instinctively
disliked
the
money
which
had
come
from
them
,
and
made
few
inquiries
into
the
spending
of
it
.
Oh
!
the
joy
of
those
first
visits
to
Frampton
,
when
all
the
shops
had
seemed
to
be
there
for
her
,
and
she
their
natural
mistress
!
How
ready
people
had
been
to
trust
her
in
the
village
!
How
tempting
it
had
been
to
brag
and
make
a
mystery
!
That
old
skinflint
,
Mrs.
Moulsey
,
at
“
the
shop
,
”
she
had
been
all
sugar
and
sweets
then
.
And
a
few
weeks
later
—
six
,
seven
weeks
later
—
about
the
beginning
of
October
,
these
halcyon
days
had
all
come
to
an
end
.
She
owed
what
she
could
not
pay
—
people
had
ceased
to
smile
upon
her
—
she
was
harassed
,
excited
,
worried
out
of
her
life
.
Old
familiar
wonder
of
such
a
temperament
!
How
can
it
be
so
easy
to
spend
,
so
delightful
to
promise
,
and
so
unreasonably
,
so
unjustly
difficult
,
to
pay
?
She
began
to
be
mortally
afraid
of
Isaac
—
of
the
effect
of
disclosures
.
One
night
she
was
alone
in
the
cottage
,
almost
beside
herself
under
the
pressure
of
one
or
two
claims
she
could
not
meet
—
one
claim
especially
,
that
of
a
little
jeweller
,
from
whom
she
had
bought
a
gold
ring
and
a
brooch
at
Frampton
—
when
the
thought
of
John
's
hoard
swept
upon
her
—
clutched
her
like
something
living
and
tyrannical
,
not
to
be
shaken
off
.
It
struck
her
all
in
an
instant
that
there
was
another
cupboard
in
the
little
parlour
,
exactly
like
that
on
the
stairs
.
The
lower
cupboard
had
a
key
—
what
if
it
fitted
?
The
Devil
must
have
been
eager
and
active
that
night
,
for
the
key
turned
in
the
lock
with
a
smoothness
that
made
honesty
impossible
—
almost
foolish
.
And
the
old
,
weak
lock
on
the
box
itself
—
why
,
a
chisel
had
soon
made
an
end
of
that
!
Only
five
minutes
—
it
had
been
so
quick
—
there
had
been
no
trouble
.
God
had
made
no
sign
at
all
.
Since
!
All
the
village
smiles
—
the
village
flatteries
recovered
—
an
orgie
of
power
and
pleasure
—
new
passions
and
excitements
—
above
all
,
the
rising
passion
of
drink
,
sweeping
in
storms
through
a
weak
nature
that
alternately
opened
to
them
and
shuddered
at
them
.
And
through
everything
the
steadily
dribbling
away
of
the
hoard
—
the
astonishing
ease
and
rapidity
with
which
the
coins
—
gold
or
silver
—
had
flowed
through
her
hands
!
How
could
one
spend
so
much
in
meat
and
dress
,
in
beer
and
gin
,
in
giving
other
people
beer
and
gin
?
How
was
it
possible
?
She
sat
lost
in
miserable
thoughts
,
a
mist
around
her
...
.
“
Wal
,
I
niver
!
”
said
a
low
,
astonished
voice
at
the
foot
of
the
stairs
.
Bessie
rose
to
her
feet
with
a
shriek
,
the
heart
stopping
in
her
breast
.
The
door
below
was
ajar
,
and
through
the
opening
peered
a
face
—
the
vicious
,
drunken
face
of
her
husband
's
eldest
son
,
Timothy
Costrell
.
The
man
below
cast
one
more
look
of
amazement
at
the
woman
standing
on
the
top
stair
,
at
the
candle
behind
her
,
at
the
open
box
.
Then
an
idea
struck
him
:
he
sprang
up
the
stairs
at
a
bound
.
“
By
gosh
!
”
he
said
,
looking
down
at
the
gold
and
silver
.
“
By
gosh
!
”
Bessie
tried
to
thrust
him
back
.
“
What
are
you
here
for
?
”
she
asked
fiercely
,
her
trembling
lips
the
colour
of
the
whitewashed
wall
behind
.
“
You
get
off
at
onst
,
or
I
'll
call
yer
father
.
”
He
pushed
her
contemptuously
aside
.
The
swish
of
her
dress
caught
the
candle
,
and
by
good
fortune
put
it
out
,
or
she
would
have
been
in
a
blaze
.
Now
there
was
only
the
light
from
the
paraffin
lamp
in
the
kitchen
below
striking
upwards
through
the
open
door
.
She
fell
against
the
doorway
of
her
bedroom
,
panting
and
breathless
,
watching
him
.
He
seated
himself
in
her
place
,
and
stooped
to
look
at
the
box
.
On
the
inside
of
the
lid
was
pasted
a
discoloured
piece
of
paper
,
and
on
the
paper
was
written
,
in
a
round
,
laborious
hand
,
the
name
,
“
John
Bolderfield
.
”
“
My
blazes
!
”
he
said
slowly
,
his
bloodshot
eyes
opening
wider
than
ever
.
“
It
's
old
John
's
money
!
So
yo
've
been
after
it
,
eh
?
”
He
turned
to
her
with
a
grin
,
one
hand
on
the
box
.
He
had
been
tramping
for
more
than
three
months
,
during
which
time
they
had
heard
nothing
of
him
.
His
filthy
clothes
scarcely
hung
together
.
His
cheeks
were
hollow
and
wolfish
.
From
the
whole
man
there
rose
a
sort
of
exhalation
of
vice
.
Bessie
had
seen
him
drunken
and
out
at
elbows
before
,
but
never
so
much
of
the
beast
as
this
.
However
,
by
this
time
she
had
somewhat
recovered
herself
,
and
,
approaching
him
,
she
stooped
and
tried
to
shut
the
box
.
“
You
take
yourself
off
,
”
she
said
,
desperately
,
pushing
him
with
her
fist
.
“
That
money
's
no
business
o
'
yourn
.
It
's
John
's
,
an
'
he
's
comin
'
back
directly
.
He
gave
it
us
to
look
after
,
an
'
I
wor
countin
'
it
.
March
!
—
there
's
your
father
comin
'
!
”
And
with
all
her
force
she
endeavoured
to
wrench
his
hand
away
.
He
tore
it
from
her
,
and
hit
out
at
her
backwards
—
a
blow
that
sent
her
reeling
against
the
wall
.
“
Yo
take
yer
meddlin
'
fist
out
o
'
that
!
”
he
said
.
“
Father
ai
n't
coming
,
and
if
he
wor
,
I
'
spect
I
could
manage
the
two
on
yer
—
Keowntin
it
—
”
he
mimicked
her
.
“
Oh
!
yer
a
precious
innercent
,
ai
n't
yer
?
But
I
know
all
about
yer
.
Bless
yer
,
I
've
been
in
at
the
Spotted
Deer
to-night
,
and
there
wor
n't
nothin
'
else
talked
of
but
yo
and
yor
goin
's
on
.
There
wo
n't
be
a
tongue
in
the
place
to-morrow
that
wo
n't
be
a-waggin
'
about
yer
—
yur
a
public
charickter
,
yo
are
—
they
'll
be
sendin
'
the
reporters
down
on
yer
for
a
hinterview
.
‘Where
the
devil
do
she
get
the
money
?
’
they
says
.
”
He
threw
his
curly
head
back
and
laughed
till
his
sides
shook
.
“
Lor
,
I
did
n't
think
I
wor
going
to
know
quite
so
soon
!
An
'
sich
queer
'
arf-crowns
,
they
ses
,
as
she
keeps
a-changin
'
.
Jarge
somethin
'
—
an
old
cove
in
a
wig
.
An
'
'
ere
they
is
,
I
'll
be
blowed
,
—
some
on
'
em
.
Well
,
yer
a
nice
'
un
,
yer
are
!
”
He
stared
her
up
and
down
with
a
kind
of
admiration
.
Bessie
began
to
cry
feebly
—
the
crying
of
a
lost
soul
.
“
Tim
,
if
yer
'll
go
away
an
'
hold
yer
tongue
,
I
'll
give
yer
five
o
'
them
suverins
,
and
not
tell
yer
father
nothin
'
.
”
“
Five
on
'
em
?
”
he
said
,
grinning
.
“
Five
on
'
em
,
eh
?
”
And
dipping
his
hands
into
the
box
,
he
began
deliberately
shovelling
the
whole
hoard
into
his
trousers
and
waistcoat
pockets
.
Bessie
flung
herself
upon
him
.
He
gave
her
one
business-like
blow
which
knocked
her
down
against
the
bedroom
door
.
The
door
yielded
to
her
fall
,
and
she
lay
there
half
stunned
,
the
blood
dripping
from
her
temple
.
“
Noa
,
I
'll
not
take
'
em
all
,
”
he
said
,
not
even
troubling
to
look
where
she
had
fallen
.
“
That
'
ud
be
playing
it
rayther
too
low
down
on
old
John
.
I
'll
leave
'
im
two
—
jest
two
—
for
luck
.
”
He
buttoned
up
his
coat
tightly
,
then
turned
to
throw
a
last
glance
at
Bessie
.
He
had
always
disliked
his
father
's
second
wife
,
and
his
sense
of
triumph
was
boundless
.
“
Oh
!
yer
not
hurt
,
”
he
said
;
“
yer
shammin
.
I
advise
yer
to
look
sharp
with
shuttin
'
up
.
Father
'll
be
up
the
hill
in
two
or
three
minutes
now
.
Sorry
I
ca
n't
'
elp
yer
,
now
yer
've
set
me
up
so
comfortabul
.
Bye-bye
!
”
He
ran
down
the
stairs
.
She
,
as
her
senses
revived
,
heard
him
open
the
back-door
,
cross
the
little
garden
,
and
jump
the
hedge
at
the
end
of
it
.
Then
she
lay
absolutely
motionless
,
till
suddenly
there
struck
on
her
ear
the
distant
sound
of
heavy
steps
.
They
roused
her
like
a
goad
.
She
dragged
herself
to
her
feet
,
shut
the
box
,
had
just
time
to
throw
it
into
the
cupboard
and
lock
the
door
,
when
she
heard
her
husband
walk
into
the
kitchen
.
She
crept
into
her
own
room
,
threw
herself
on
the
bed
,
and
wrapped
her
head
and
eyes
in
an
old
shawl
,
shivering
so
that
the
mattresses
shook
.
“
Bessie
,
where
are
yer
?
”
She
did
not
answer
.
He
made
a
sound
of
astonishment
,
and
,
finding
,
no
candle
,
took
the
lamp
and
mounted
the
stairs
.
They
were
covered
with
traces
of
muddy
snow
,
and
at
the
top
he
stooped
to
examine
a
spot
upon
the
boards
.
It
was
blood
;
and
his
heart
thumped
in
his
breast
.
“
Bessie
,
whatever
is
the
matter
?
”
For
by
this
time
he
had
perceived
her
on
the
bed
.
He
put
down
the
lamp
and
came
to
the
bedside
to
look
at
her
.
“
I
've
'
ad
a
fall
,
”
she
said
,
faintly
.
“
I
tripped
up
over
my
skirt
as
I
wor
comin
'
up
to
look
at
Arthur
.
My
head
's
all
bleedin
'
.
Get
me
some
water
from
over
there
.
”
His
countenance
fell
sadly
.
But
he
got
the
water
,
exclaiming
when
he
saw
the
wound
.
He
bathed
it
clumsily
,
then
tied
a
bit
of
rag
round
it
,
and
made
her
head
easy
with
the
pillow
.
She
did
not
speak
,
and
he
sat
on
beside
her
,
looking
at
her
pale
face
,
and
torn
,
as
the
silent
minutes
passed
,
between
conflicting
impulses
.
He
had
just
passed
an
hour
listening
to
a
good
man
's
plain
narrative
of
a
life
spent
for
Christ
,
amid
fever-swamps
,
and
human
beings
more
deadly
still
.
The
vicar
's
friend
was
a
missionary
bishop
,
and
a
High
Churchman
;
Isaac
,
as
a
staunch
Dissenter
by
conviction
and
inheritance
,
thought
ill
both
of
bishops
and
Ritualists
.
Nevertheless
he
had
been
touched
;
he
had
been
fired
.
Deep
,
though
often
perplexed
instincts
in
his
own
heart
had
responded
to
the
spiritual
passion
of
the
speaker
.
The
religious
atmosphere
had
stolen
ahout
him
,
melting
and
subduing
.
And
the
first
effect
of
it
had
been
to
quicken
suddenly
his
domestic
conscience
;
to
make
him
think
painfully
of
Bessie
and
the
children
as
he
climbed
the
hill
.
Was
his
wife
going
the
way
of
his
son
?
And
he
,
sitting
day
after
day
like
a
dumb
dog
,
instead
of
striving
with
her
!
He
made
up
his
mind
hurriedly
.
“
Bessie
,
”
he
said
,
stooping
to
her
and
speaking
in
a
strange
voice
,
“
Bessie
,
had
yer
been
to
Dawson
's
?
”
Dawson
was
the
landlord
of
the
Spotted
Deer
.
Bessie
was
long
in
answering
.
At
last
she
said
,
almost
inaudibly
—
“
Yes
.
”
She
fully
understood
what
he
had
meant
by
the
question
,
and
she
wondered
whether
he
would
fall
into
one
of
his
rages
,
and
beat
her
.
Instead
,
his
hand
sought
clumsily
for
hers
.
“
Bessie
,
yer
should
n't
;
yer
must
n't
do
it
no
more
;
it
'll
make
a
bad
woman
of
yer
.
I
know
as
I
'm
not
good
to
live
with
;
I
do
n't
make
things
pleasant
to
yer
;
but
I
've
been
thinkin
'
;
I
'll
try
if
yo
'll
try
.
”
Bessie
burst
into
tears
.
It
seemed
as
though
her
life
were
breaking
within
her
.
Never
since
their
early
married
days
had
he
spoken
to
her
like
this
.
And
she
was
in
such
piteous
need
of
comfort
;
of
some
strong
hand
to
help
her
out
of
the
black
pit
in
which
she
lay
.
The
wild
impulse
crossed
her
to
sit
up
and
tell
him
—
to
throw
it
all
on
Timothy
,
to
show
him
the
cupboard
and
the
box
.
Should
she
tell
him
;
brave
it
all
now
that
he
was
like
this
?
Between
them
they
might
find
a
way
—
make
it
good
.
Then
the
thought
of
the
man
in
the
public-house
,
of
the
half-crowns
,
a
host
of
confused
and
guilty
memories
,
swept
upon
her
.
How
could
she
ever
get
herself
out
of
it
?
Her
heart
beat
so
that
it
seemed
a
live
creature
strangling
and
silencing
her
.
She
was
still
fighting
with
her
tears
and
her
terror
when
she
heard
Isaac
say
—
“
I
know
yer
'll
try
,
and
I
'll
help
yer
.
I
'll
be
a
better
husband
to
yer
,
I
swear
I
will
.
Give
us
a
kiss
,
old
woman
.
”
She
turned
her
face
,
sobbing
,
and
he
kissed
her
cheek
.
Then
she
heard
him
say
in
another
tone
—
“
An
'
I
got
a
bit
o
'
news
down
at
the
Club
as
will
liven
yer
up
.
Parkinson
was
there
;
just
come
over
from
Frampton
to
see
his
mother
;
an
'
he
says
John
will
be
here
to-morrer
or
next
day
.
'
Ee
seed
him
yesterday
—
pulled
down
dreadful
—
quite
the
old
man
,
'
ee
says
.
An
'
John
told
him
as
he
was
comin
'
'
ome
directly
to
live
comfortable
.
”
Bessie
drew
her
shawl
over
her
head
.
“
To-morrer
,
did
yer
say
?
”
she
asked
in
a
whisper
.
“
Mos
'
like
.
Now
you
go
to
sleep
;
I
'll
put
out
the
lamp
.
”
But
all
night
long
Bessie
lay
wide
awake
in
torment
,
her
soul
hardening
within
her
,
little
by
little
.
SCENE
IV
JUST
before
dark
on
the
following
day
,
a
man
descended
from
a
down
train
at
the
Clinton
Magna
station
.
The
porters
knew
him
and
greeted
him
;
so
did
one
or
two
labourers
outside
,
as
he
set
off
to
walk
to
the
village
,
which
was
about
a
mile
distant
.
“
Well
,
John
,
so
yer
coom
back
,
”
said
one
of
them
,
an
old
man
,
grasping
the
newcomer
by
the
hand
.
“
An
'
I
ca
n't
say
as
yer
looks
is
any
credit
to
Frampton
—
no
,
that
aa
ca
n't
.
”
John
,
indeed
,
wore
a
sallow
and
pinched
air
,
and
walked
lamely
,
with
a
stick
.
“
Noa
,
”
he
said
peevishly
;
“
it
's
a
beastly
place
is
Frampton
;
a
damp
,
nassty
hole
as
iver
I
saw
—
gives
yer
the
rheumaticks
to
look
at
it
.
I
've
'
ad
a
doose
of
a
time
,
I
'
ave
,
I
can
tell
yer
—
iver
sense
I
went
.
But
I
'll
pull
up
now
.
”
“
Aye
,
this
air
'll
do
yer
,
”
said
the
other
.
“
Where
are
yer
stoppin
'
?
Costrells
'
?
”
John
nodded
.
“
They
do
n't
know
nothin
'
about
my
cousin
,
but
I
dessay
they
'll
find
me
somethin
'
to
sleep
on
.
I
'll
'
ave
my
own
place
soon
,
and
some
one
to
look
arter
it
.
”
He
drew
himself
up
involuntarily
,
with
the
dignity
that
waits
on
property
.
A
laugh
,
rather
jeering
than
cordial
,
ran
through
the
group
of
labourers
.
“
Aye
,
yer
'll
be
livin
'
at
your
ease
,
”
said
the
man
who
had
spoken
first
.
“
When
will
yo
'
give
us
a
drink
,
yer
lardship
?
”
The
others
grinned
.
“
Where
's
your
money
,
John
?
”
said
a
younger
man
suddenly
,
staring
hard
at
the
returned
wanderer
.
John
started
.
“
Do
n't
you
talk
your
nonsense
!
”
he
said
fretfully
;
“
an
'
I
must
be
getting
on
,
afore
dark
.
”
He
went
his
way
,
but
as
he
turned
a
corner
of
the
road
,
he
saw
them
still
standing
where
he
had
left
them
.
They
seemed
to
be
watching
his
progress
,
which
astonished
him
.
A
light
of
windy
sunset
lay
spread
over
the
white
valley
,
and
the
freshening
gusts
drove
the
powdery
snow
before
them
,
and
sent
little
stabs
of
pain
through
John
's
shrinking
body
.
Yet
how
glad
he
was
to
find
himself
again
between
those
familiar
hedges
,
to
see
the
church-tower
in
front
of
him
,
the
long
hill
to
his
right
!
His
heart
swelled
at
once
with
longing
and
satisfaction
.
During
his
Frampton
job
,
and
in
the
infirmary
,
he
had
suffered
much
,
physically
and
mentally
.
He
had
missed
Eliza
and
the
tendance
of
years
more
than
he
had
ever
imagined
he
could
;
and
he
had
found
himself
too
old
for
new
faces
and
a
new
society
.
When
he
fell
ill
he
had
been
sorely
tempted
to
send
for
some
of
his
money
,
and
get
himself
nursed
and
cared
for
at
the
respectable
lodging
where
he
had
put
up
.
But
no
;
in
the
end
he
set
his
teeth
and
went
into
the
infirmary
.
He
had
planned
not
to
touch
his
hoard
till
he
had
done
with
the
Frampton
job
,
and
returned
to
Clinton
for
good
.
His
peasant
obstinacy
could
not
endure
to
be
beaten
;
nor
,
indeed
,
could
he
bring
himself
to
part
with
his
keys
,
to
trust
the
opening
of
the
hoard
even
to
Isaac
.
Since
then
he
had
passed
through
many
weary
weeks
,
sometimes
of
acute
pain
,
sometimes
of
sinking
weakness
,
during
which
he
had
been
haunted
by
many
secret
torments
,
springing
mainly
from
the
fear
of
death
.
He
had
almost
been
driven
to
make
his
will
.
But
in
the
end
superstitious
reluctance
prevailed
.
He
had
not
made
his
will
;
and
to
dwell
on
the
fact
gave
him
the
sensation
of
having
escaped
a
bond
,
if
not
a
danger
.
He
did
not
want
to
leave
his
money
behind
him
;
he
wanted
to
spend
it
,
as
he
had
told
Eliza
and
Mary
Anne
and
Bessie
scores
of
times
.
To
have
assigned
it
to
any
one
else
,
even
after
his
death
,
would
have
made
it
less
his
own
.
Ah
,
well
!
those
bad
weeks
were
done
,
and
here
he
was
,
at
home
again
.
Suddenly
,
as
he
tramped
on
,
he
caught
sight
against
the
hill
of
Bessie
's
cottage
,
the
blue
smoke
from
it
blown
across
the
rime-laden
trees
behind
it
.
He
drew
in
his
breath
with
a
deep
,
tremulous
delight
.
That
buoyant
self-congratulation
indeed
which
had
stood
between
him
and
the
pain
of
Eliza
's
death
was
gone
.
Rather
there
was
in
him
a
profound
yearning
for
rest
,
for
long
dreaming
by
the
fire
or
in
the
sun
,
with
his
pipe
to
smoke
,
and
Jim
's
Louisa
to
look
after
him
,
and
nothing
to
do
but
to
draw
a
half-crown
from
his
box
when
he
wanted
it
.
No
more
hard
work
in
rain
and
cold
;
and
no
cringing
,
either
,
to
the
young
and
prosperous
for
the
mere
fault
of
age
.
The
snowy
valley
with
its
circling
woods
opened
to
him
like
a
mother
's
breast
;
the
sight
of
it
filled
him
with
a
hundred
simple
hopes
and
consolations
;
he
hurried
to
bury
himself
in
it
,
and
be
at
peace
.
He
was
within
a
hundred
yards
of
the
first
house
in
the
village
,
when
he
saw
a
tall
figure
in
uniform
approaching
,
and
recognized
Watson
.
At
sight
of
him
the
policeman
stopped
short
,
and
John
was
conscious
of
a
moment
's
vague
impression
of
something
strange
in
Watson
's
looks
.
However
,
Watson
shook
hands
with
great
friendliness
.
“
Well
,
I
'm
glad
to
see
yer
,
John
,
I
'm
sure
.
An
'
now
,
I
spose
,
you
're
back
for
good
?
”
“
Aye
.
I
'm
not
going
away
no
more
.
I
've
done
my
share
—
I
wants
a
bit
o
'
rest
.
”
“
Of
coorse
yer
do
.
You
've
been
ill
,
'
ave
n't
yer
?
You
look
like
it
.
An
'
yer
puttin
'
up
at
Costrells
'
?
”
“
Yes
,
till
I
can
turn
round
a
bit
.
'
Ave
yer
seen
anythin
'
ov
'
em
?
'
Ow
's
Bessie
?
”
Watson
faced
back
towards
the
village
.
“
I
'll
walk
with
yer
a
bit
—
I
'm
in
no
'
urry
.
Oh
,
she
's
all
right
.
You
'
eard
of
her
bit
o
'
money
?
”
John
opened
his
eyes
.
“
Noa
,
I
don
'
know
as
I
did
.
”
“
It
wor
an
aunt
o
'
hers
,
soa
I
understan
'
—
quite
a
good
bit
o
'
money
.
”
“
Did
yer
iver
hear
the
name
?
”
said
John
,
eagerly
.
“
Some
one
livin
'
at
Bedford
,
I
did
'
ear
say
.
”
John
laughed
,
not
without
good-humoured
relief
.
It
would
have
touched
his
vanity
had
his
niece
been
discovered
to
be
richer
than
himself
.
“
Oh
,
that
's
old
Sophy
Clarke
,
”
he
said
.
“
Her
'
usband
bought
the
lease
o
'
two
little
'
ouses
in
Church
Street
,
and
they
brȧȧt
'
er
in
six
shillins
a
week
for
years
,
an
'
she
allus
said
she
'd
leave
it
to
Bessie
if
she
wor
took
afore
the
lease
wor
up
.
But
the
lease
ull
be
up
end
o
'
next
year
,
I
know
,
for
I
saw
the
old
lady
myself
last
Michaelmas
twelvemonth
,
an
'
she
told
me
all
about
it
,
though
I
wor
n't
to
tell
nobody
meself
.
An
'
I
did
n't
know
Sophy
wor
gone
.
Ah
,
well
!
it
's
not
much
,
but
it
's
'
andy
—
it
's
'
andy
.
”
“
Six
shillins
a
week
!
”
said
Watson
,
raising
his
eyebrows
.
“
It
's
a
nice
bit
o
'
money
while
it
lassts
,
but
I
'd
ha
'
thought
Mrs.
Costrell
'
ad
come
into
a
deal
more
nor
that
.
”
“
Oh
,
but
she
's
sich
a
one
to
spend
,
is
Bessie
,
”
said
John
,
anxiously
.
“
It
's
surprisin
'
'
ow
the
money
runs
.
It
's
sixpence
'
ere
,
an
'
sixpence
there
,
allus
dribblin
'
,
an
'
dribblin
'
,
out
ov
'
er
.
I
've
allus
tole
'
er
as
she
'll
end
'
er
days
on
the
parish
.
”
“
Sixpences
!
”
said
Watson
,
with
a
laugh
.
“
It
's
not
sixpences
as
Mrs.
Costrell
's
'
ad
the
spendin
'
of
this
last
month
or
two
—
it
's
suverins
—
an
'
plenty
ov
'
em
.
You
may
be
sure
you
've
got
the
wrong
tale
about
the
money
,
John
;
it
wor
a
deal
more
nor
you
say
.
”
John
stood
stock
still
at
the
word
“
sovereigns
,
”
his
jaw
dropping
.
“
Suverins
,
”
he
said
trembling
;
“
suverins
?
Bessie
ai
n't
got
no
suverins
.
Isaac
arns
sixteen
shillin
a
week
.
”
The
colour
was
ebbing
fast
from
his
cheek
and
lips
.
Watson
threw
him
a
quick
professional
glance
,
then
rapidly
consulted
with
himself
.
No
;
he
decided
to
hold
his
tongue
.
“
Yo
'
are
reg'lar
used
up
,
”
he
said
,
taking
hold
of
the
old
fellow
kindly
by
the
arm
.
“
Shall
I
walk
yer
up
the
hill
?
”
John
withdrew
himself
.
“
Suverins
!
”
he
repeated
,
in
a
low
hoarse
voice
.
“
She
ai
n't
got
'
em
,
I
tell
yer
—
she
ai
n't
got
'
em
!
”
The
last
words
rose
to
a
sort
of
cry
,
and
without
another
word
to
Watson
the
old
man
started
at
a
feeble
run
,
his
head
hanging
.
Watson
followed
him
,
afraid
lest
he
should
drop
in
the
road
.
Instead
,
John
seemed
to
gather
strength
.
He
made
straight
for
the
hill
,
taking
no
heed
whatever
of
two
or
three
startled
acquaintances
who
stopped
and
shouted
to
him
.
When
the
ground
began
to
rise
,
he
stumbled
again
and
again
,
but
by
a
marvel
did
not
fall
,
and
his
pace
hardly
slackened
.
Watson
had
difficulty
in
keeping
up
with
him
.
But
when
the
policeman
reached
his
own
cottage
on
the
side
of
the
road
,
he
stopped
,
panting
,
and
contented
himself
with
looking
after
the
mounting
figure
.
As
soon
as
it
turned
the
corner
of
the
Costrells
'
lane
,
he
went
into
his
own
house
,
said
a
word
to
his
wife
,
and
sat
himself
down
at
his
own
back
door
to
await
events
—
to
ponder
,
also
,
a
few
conversations
he
had
held
that
morning
,
with
Mrs.
Moulsey
at
“
the
shop
,
”
with
Dawson
,
with
Hall
the
butcher
.
Poor
old
John
—
poor
old
fellow
!
When
Bolderfield
reached
the
paling
in
front
of
the
Costrells
'
cottage
,
he
paused
a
moment
,
holding
for
support
to
the
half-open
gate
and
struggling
for
breath
.
“
I
must
keep
my
'
edd
,
I
must
,
”
he
was
saying
to
himself
piteously
;
“
don
'
yer
be
a
fool
,
John
Borroful
,
don
'
yer
be
a
fool
!
”
As
he
stood
there
,
a
child
's
face
pushed
the
window-blind
of
the
cottage
aside
,
and
the
lame
boy
's
large
eyes
looked
Bolderfield
up
and
down
.
Immediately
after
,
the
door
opened
,
and
all
four
children
stood
huddling
behind
each
other
on
the
threshold
.
They
all
looked
shyly
at
the
newcomer
.
They
knew
him
,
but
in
six
months
they
had
grown
strange
to
him
.
“
Arthur
,
where
's
your
mother
?
”
said
John
,
at
last
able
to
walk
firmly
up
to
the
door
.
“
Don
'
know
.
”
“
When
did
yer
see
her
lasst
?
”
“
She
wor
'
ere
gettin
'
us
our
tea
,
”
said
another
child
;
“
but
she
did
n't
eat
nothin
'
.
”
John
impatiently
pushed
the
children
before
him
back
into
the
kitchen
.
“
You
'
old
your
tongues
,
”
he
said
,
“
an
'
stay
'
ere
.
”
And
he
made
for
the
door
in
the
kitchen
wall
.
But
Arthur
caught
hold
of
his
coat
tails
and
clung
to
them
.
“
Yer
ought
n't
to
go
up
there
—
mother
do
n't
let
any
one
go
there
.
”
John
wrenched
himself
violently
away
.
“
Oh
,
do
n't
she
!
yo
'
take
your
'
ands
away
,
yer
little
varmint
,
or
I
'll
brain
yer
.
”
He
raised
his
stick
,
threatening
.
The
child
,
terrified
,
fell
back
,
and
John
,
opening
the
door
,
rushed
up
the
stairs
.
He
was
so
terribly
excited
that
his
fumbling
fingers
could
hardly
find
the
ribbon
round
his
neck
.
At
last
he
drew
it
over
his
head
,
and
made
stupendous
efforts
to
steady
his
hand
sufficiently
to
put
the
key
in
the
lock
.
The
children
below
heard
a
sharp
cry
directly
the
cupboard
door
was
opened
;
then
the
frantic
dragging
of
a
box
on
to
the
stairs
,
the
creak
of
hinges
—
a
groan
long
and
lingering
—
and
then
silence
.
They
clung
together
in
terror
,
and
the
little
girls
began
to
cry
.
At
last
Arthur
took
courage
and
opened
the
door
.
The
old
man
was
sitting
on
the
top
stair
,
supported
sideways
by
the
wall
,
his
head
hanging
forward
,
and
his
hands
dropping
over
his
knees
,
in
a
dead
faint
.
At
the
sight
all
four
children
ran
helter-skelter
into
the
lane
,
shouting
“
Mammy
!
mammy
!
”
in
an
anguish
of
fright
.
Their
clamour
was
caught
by
the
fierce
north
wind
,
which
had
begun
to
sweep
the
hill
,
and
was
borne
along
till
it
reached
the
ears
of
a
woman
who
was
sitting
sewing
in
a
cottage
some
fifty
yards
further
up
the
lane
.
She
stepped
to
her
door
,
opened
it
and
listened
.
“
It
's
at
Bessie
's
,
”
she
said
;
“
whativer
's
wrong
wi
'
the
childer
?
”
By
this
time
Arthur
had
begun
to
run
towards
her
.
Darkness
was
falling
rapidly
,
but
she
could
distinguish
his
small
figure
against
the
snow
,
and
his
halting
gait
.
“
What
is
it
,
Arthur
?
—
what
is
it
,
lammie
?
”
“
O
Cousin
Mary
Anne
!
Cousin
Mary
Anne
!
It
's
Uncle
John
,
an
'
'
ee
's
dead
!
”
She
ran
like
the
wind
at
the
words
,
catching
at
the
child
's
hand
in
the
dark
,
and
dragging
him
along
with
her
.
“
Where
is
he
,
Arthur
?
—
do
n't
take
on
,
honey
!
”
The
child
hurried
on
with
her
,
sobbing
,
and
she
was
soon
on
the
stairs
beside
the
unconscious
John
.
Mary
Anne
looked
with
amazement
at
the
cupboard
and
the
open
box
.
Then
she
laid
the
old
man
on
the
floor
,
her
gentle
face
working
with
the
effort
to
remember
what
the
doctor
had
once
told
her
of
the
best
way
of
dealing
with
persons
in
a
faint
.
She
got
water
,
and
she
sent
Arthur
to
a
neighbour
for
brandy
.
“
Where
's
your
mother
,
child
?
”
she
asked
,
as
she
despatched
him
.
“
Don
'
know
,
”
repeated
the
boy
,
stupidly
.
“
Oh
,
for
goodness
'
sake
,
she
's
never
at
Dawson
's
again
!
”
groaned
Mary
Anne
to
herself
;
“
she
wor
there
last
night
,
an
'
the
night
afore
that
.
And
her
mother
's
brother
lyin
'
like
this
in
'
er
house
!
”
He
was
so
long
in
coming
round
that
her
ignorance
began
to
fear
the
worst
.
But
just
as
she
was
telling
the
eldest
girl
to
put
on
her
hat
and
jacket
and
run
for
the
doctor
,
poor
John
revived
.
He
struggled
to
a
sitting
posture
,
looked
wildly
at
her
and
at
the
box
.
As
his
eye
caught
the
two
sovereigns
still
lying
at
the
bottom
,
he
gave
a
cry
of
rage
,
and
got
upon
his
feet
with
a
mighty
effort
.
“
Where
's
Bessie
,
I
tell
yer
?
Where
's
the
huzzy
gone
?
I
'll
have
the
law
on
'
er
!
I
'll
make
'
er
give
it
up
—
by
the
Lord
I
will
!
”
“
John
,
what
is
it
?
—
John
,
my
dear
!
”
cried
Mary
Anne
,
supporting
him
,
and
terrified
lest
he
should
pitch
headlong
down
the
stairs
.
“
Yo
'
'
elp
me
down
,
”
he
said
violently
.
“
We
'll
find
'
er
—
we
'll
wring
it
out
ov
'
er
—
the
mean
,
thievin
'
vagabond
!
Changin
'
suverins
,
'
as
she
?
we
'll
soon
know
about
that
—
yo
'
'
elp
me
down
,
I
tell
yer
.
”
And
with
her
assistance
he
hobbled
down
the
stairs
,
hardly
able
to
stand
.
Mary
Anne
's
eyes
were
starting
out
of
her
head
with
fear
and
agitation
,
and
the
children
were
staring
at
the
old
man
as
he
came
tottering
into
the
kitchen
,
when
a
sound
at
the
outer
door
made
them
all
turn
.
The
door
opened
,
and
Bessie
appeared
on
the
threshold
.
At
sight
of
her
John
seemed
to
lose
his
senses
.
He
rushed
at
her
,
threatening
,
imploring
,
reviling
—
while
Mary
Ann
could
only
cling
to
his
arms
and
coat
,
lest
he
should
attempt
some
bodily
mischief
.
Bessie
closed
the
door
,
leant
against
it
,
and
folded
her
arms
.
She
was
white
and
haggard
,
but
perfectly
cool
.
In
this
moment
of
excitement
it
struck
neither
John
nor
Mary
Anne
—
nor
,
indeed
,
herself
—
that
her
manner
,
with
its
brutality
,
and
its
poorly
feigned
surprise
,
was
the
most
revealing
element
in
the
situation
.
“
What
's
all
this
about
yer
money
?
”
she
said
,
staring
John
in
the
face
.
“
What
do
I
know
about
yer
money
?
'
Ow
dare
yer
say
such
things
?
I
'
ave
n't
anythin
'
to
do
with
it
,
an
'
never
'
ad
.
”
He
raved
at
her
,
in
reply
,
about
the
position
in
which
he
had
found
the
box
—
on
the
top
of
its
fellow
instead
of
underneath
,
where
he
had
placed
it
—
about
the
broken
lock
,
the
sovereigns
she
had
been
changing
,
and
the
things
Watson
had
said
of
her
—
winding
up
with
a
peremptory
demand
for
his
money
.
“
Yo
'
gi
'
me
my
money
back
,
”
he
said
,
holding
out
a
shaking
hand
.
“
Yer
ca
n't
'
ave
spent
it
all
—
'
tai
n't
possible
—
an
'
yer
ai
n't
chucked
it
out
o
'
winder
.
Yer
've
got
it
somewhere
'
idden
,
an
'
I
'll
get
it
out
o
'
you
if
I
die
for
'
t
!
”
Bessie
surveyed
him
steadily
.
She
had
not
even
flinched
at
the
mention
of
the
sovereigns
.
“
What
yer
'
ave
n't
got
,
yer
ca
n't
give
,
”
she
said
.
“
I
don
'
know
nothin
'
about
it
,
an
'
I
've
tole
yer
.
There
's
plenty
o
'
bad
people
in
the
world
—
beside
me
.
Somebody
came
in
o
'
nights
,
I
suppose
,
an
'
picked
the
lock
—
there
's
many
as
ud
think
nothin
'
of
it
.
And
it
ud
be
easy
done
—
we
all
sleeps
'
ard
.
”
“
Bessie
!
”
cried
Mary
Anne
,
outraged
by
something
in
her
tone
,
“
are
n't
yer
sorry
for
'
im
?
”
She
pointed
to
the
haggard
and
trembling
man
.
Bessie
turned
to
her
reluctantly
.
“
Aye
,
I
'm
sorry
,
”
she
said
sullenly
.
“
But
he
should
n't
fly
out
at
yer
without
'
earin
'
a
word
.
'
Ow
should
I
know
anythin
'
about
his
money
?
'
Ee
locked
it
up
hisself
,
an
'
tuk
the
keys
.
”
“
An
'
them
suverins
,
”
roared
John
,
rattling
his
stick
on
the
floor
;
“
where
did
yer
get
them
suverins
?
”
“
I
got
'
em
from
old
Sophy
Clarke
—
leastways
,
from
Sophy
Clarke
's
lawyer
.
And
it
ai
n't
no
business
o
'
yourn
.
”
At
this
John
fell
into
a
frenzy
,
shouting
at
her
in
inarticulate
passion
,
calling
her
liar
and
thief
.
She
fronted
it
with
perfect
composure
.
Her
fine
eyes
blazed
,
but
otherwise
her
face
might
have
been
a
waxen
mask
.
With
her
,
in
this
scene
,
was
all
the
tragic
dignity
;
with
him
,
the
weakness
and
vulgarity
.
At
last
the
little
widow
caught
her
by
the
arm
,
and
drew
her
from
the
door
.
“
Let
me
take
'
im
to
my
place
,
”
she
pleaded
:
“
it
's
no
good
talkin
'
while
'
ee
's
like
'
ee
is
—
not
a
bit
o
'
good
.
John
—
John
dear
!
you
come
along
wi
'
me
.
Shall
I
get
Saunders
to
come
an
'
speak
to
yer
?
”
A
gleam
of
sudden
hope
shot
into
the
old
man
's
face
.
He
had
not
thought
of
Saunders
;
but
Saunders
had
a
head
;
he
might
unravel
this
accursed
thing
.
“
Aye
!
”
he
said
,
lurching
forward
,
“
let
's
find
Saunders
—
coom
along
—
let
's
find
Saunders
.
”
Mary
Anne
guided
him
through
the
door
,
Bessie
standing
aside
.
As
the
widow
passed
,
she
touched
Bessie
piteously
.
“
Oh
,
Bessie
,
yer
did
n't
do
it
—
say
yer
did
n't
!
”
Bessie
looked
at
her
dry-eyed
and
contemptuous
.
Something
in
the
speaker
's
emotion
seemed
to
madden
her
.
“
Do
n't
yer
be
a
fool
,
Mary
Anne
—
that
's
all
!
”
she
said
scornfully
,
and
Mary
Anne
fled
from
her
.
When
the
door
had
closed
upon
them
,
Bessie
came
up
to
the
fire
,
her
teeth
chattering
.
She
sank
down
in
front
of
it
,
spreading
out
her
hands
.
The
children
silently
crowded
up
to
her
;
first
she
pushed
them
away
,
then
she
caught
at
the
child
nearest
to
her
,
pressed
its
fair
head
against
her
,
then
again
roughly
put
it
aside
.
She
was
accustomed
to
chatter
with
them
,
scold
them
and
slap
them
;
but
to-night
they
were
uneasily
dumb
.
They
looked
at
her
with
round
eyes
;
and
at
last
their
looks
annoyed
her
.
She
told
them
to
go
to
bed
,
and
they
slunk
away
,
gaping
at
the
open
box
on
the
stairs
,
and
huddling
together
overhead
,
all
on
one
bed
,
in
the
bitter
cold
,
to
whisper
to
each
other
.
Isaac
was
a
stern
parent
;
Bessie
a
capricious
one
;
and
the
children
,
though
they
could
be
riotous
enough
by
themselves
,
were
nervous
and
easily
cowed
at
home
.
Bessie
,
left
alone
,
sat
silently
over
the
fire
,
her
thin
lips
tight-set
.
She
would
deny
everything
—
everything
.
Let
them
find
out
what
they
could
.
Who
could
prove
what
was
in
John
's
box
when
he
left
it
?
Who
could
prove
she
had
n't
got
those
half-crowns
in
change
somewhere
?
The
reflection
of
the
day
had
only
filled
her
with
a
passionate
and
fierce
regret
.
Why
had
she
not
followed
her
first
impulse
,
and
thrown
it
all
on
Timothy
?
—
told
the
story
to
Isaac
,
while
she
was
still
bleeding
from
his
son
's
violence
?
It
had
been
her
only
chance
,
and
out
of
pure
stupidness
she
had
lost
it
.
To
have
grasped
it
might
at
least
have
made
him
take
her
part
,
if
it
had
forced
him
to
give
up
Timothy
.
And
who
would
have
listened
to
Timothy
's
tales
?
She
sickened
at
the
thought
of
her
own
folly
,
beating
her
knee
with
her
clenched
fist
.
For
to
tell
the
tale
now
would
only
be
to
make
her
doubly
vile
in
Isaac
's
eyes
.
He
would
not
believe
her
—
no
one
would
believe
her
.
What
motive
could
she
plead
for
her
twenty-four
hours
of
silence
,
she
knowing
that
John
was
coming
back
immediately
?
Isaac
would
only
hate
her
for
throwing
it
on
Timothy
.
Then
again
the
memory
of
the
half-crowns
,
and
the
village
talk
—
and
Watson
—
would
close
upon
her
,
putting
her
in
a
cold
sweat
.
When
would
Isaac
come
?
Who
would
tell
him
?
As
she
looked
forward
to
the
effect
upon
him
,
all
her
muscles
stiffened
.
If
he
drove
her
to
it
,
aye
,
she
would
tell
him
—
she
did
n't
care
a
haporth
,
she
vowed
.
If
he
must
have
it
,
let
him
.
But
as
the
name
of
Isaac
,
the
thought
of
Isaac
,
hovered
in
her
brain
,
she
must
needs
brush
away
wild
tears
.
That
morning
,
for
the
first
time
for
months
,
he
had
been
so
kind
to
her
and
the
children
,
so
chatty
and
cheerful
.
Distant
steps
along
the
lane
!
She
sprang
to
her
feet
,
ran
into
the
back
kitchen
,
tied
on
her
apron
,
hastily
filled
an
earthenware
bowl
with
water
from
the
pump
,
and
carrying
it
back
to
the
front
kitchen
,
began
to
wash
up
the
tea-things
,
making
a
busy
household
clatter
as
she
slid
them
into
the
bowl
.
A
confused
sound
of
feet
approached
the
house
,
and
there
was
a
knock
.
“
Come
in
,
”
said
Bessie
.
Three
figures
appeared
,
the
huge
form
of
Saunders
the
smith
in
front
,
John
and
Mary
Anne
Waller
behind
.
Saunders
took
off
his
cap
politely
.
The
sight
of
his
bald
head
,
his
double
chin
,
his
mouth
with
its
queer
twitch
,
which
made
him
seem
as
though
perpetually
about
to
laugh
,
if
he
had
not
perpetually
thought
better
of
it
,
filled
Bessie
with
angry
excitement
.
She
barely
nodded
to
him
,
in
reply
to
his
greeting
.
“
May
we
come
in
,
Mrs.
Costrell
?
”
Saunders
inquired
,
in
his
most
deliberate
voice
.
“
If
yer
want
to
,
”
said
Bessie
,
shortly
,
taking
out
a
cup
and
drying
it
.
Saunders
drew
in
the
other
two
and
shut
the
door
.
“
Sit
down
,
John
.
Sit
down
,
Mrs.
Waller
.
”
John
did
as
he
was
told
.
Dishevelled
and
hopeless
misery
spoke
in
his
stained
face
,
his
straggling
hair
,
his
shirt
burst
open
at
the
neck
and
showing
his
wrinkled
throat
.
But
he
fixed
his
eyes
passionately
on
Saunders
,
thirsting
for
every
word
.
“
Well
,
Mrs.
Costrell
,
”
said
Saunders
,
settling
himself
comfortably
,
“
you
'll
be
free
to
confess
,
wo
n't
yer
,
this
is
an
oogly
business
—
a
very
oogly
business
?
Now
,
will
yer
let
us
ask
yer
a
question
or
two
?
”
“
I
dessay
,
”
said
Bessie
,
polishing
her
cup
.
“
Well
,
then
—
to
begin
reg'lar
,
Mrs.
Costrell
—
yo
'
agree
,
do
n't
yer
,
as
Muster
Bolderfield
put
his
money
in
your
upstairs
cupboard
?
”
“
I
agree
as
he
put
his
box
there
,
”
said
Bessie
,
sharply
.
John
broke
into
inarticulate
and
abusive
clamour
.
Bessie
turned
upon
him
.
“
'
Ow
did
any
of
us
know
what
yer
'd
got
in
your
box
?
Did
yer
ever
show
it
to
me
,
or
Mary
Anne
there
,
or
any
livin
soul
in
Clinton
?
Did
yer
?
”
She
waited
,
hawk-like
,
for
the
answer
.
“
Did
yer
,
John
?
”
repeated
Saunders
,
judicially
.
John
groaned
,
rocking
himself
to
and
fro
.
“
Noa
.
I
niver
did
—
I
niver
did
,
”
he
said
.
“
Nobbut
to
Eliza
—
an
'
