fickle.
—
Oh
,
you
do
not
know
—
you
never
can
know
—
how
much
I
,
too
,
have
felt
!
’
He
stopped
,
spell-bound
.
In
an
instant
his
conversation
with
the
Irishman
flashed
up
before
him
with
new
force
and
meaning
.
A
thousand
petty
incidents
,
which
he
had
driven
contemptuously
from
his
mind
,
returned
as
triumphant
evidences
;
and
,
with
an
impetuous
determination
,
he
cried
out
,
—
‘I
see
—
I
see
it
all
,
Argemone
!
We
love
each
other
!
You
are
mine
,
never
to
be
parted
!
’
What
was
her
womanhood
,
that
it
could
stand
against
the
energy
of
his
manly
will
!
The
almost
coarse
simplicity
of
his
words
silenced
her
with
a
delicious
violence
.
She
could
only
bury
her
face
in
her
hands
and
sob
out
,
—
‘Oh
,
Lancelot
,
Lancelot
,
whither
are
you
forcing
me
?
’
‘I
am
forcing
you
no
whither
.
God
,
the
Father
of
spirits
,
is
leading
you
!
You
,
who
believe
in
Him
,
how
dare
you
fight
against
Him
?
’
‘Lancelot
,
I
cannot
—
I
cannot
listen
to
you
—
read
that
!
’
And
she
handed
him
the
vicar’s
letter
.
He
read
it
,
tossed
it
on
the
carpet
,
and
crushed
it
with
his
heel
.
‘Wretched
pedant
!
Can
your
intellect
be
deluded
by
such
barefaced
sophistries
?
“
God’s
will
,
”
forsooth
!
And
if
your
mother’s
opposition
is
not
a
sign
that
God’s
will
—
if
it
mean
anything
except
your
own
will
,
or
that
—
that
man’s
—
is
against
this
mad
project
,
and
not
for
it
,
what
sign
would
you
have
?
So
“
celibacy
is
the
highest
state
!
”
And
why
?
Because
“
it
is
the
safest
and
the
easiest
road
to
heaven
?
”
A
pretty
reason
,
vicar
!
I
should
have
thought
that
that
was
a
sign
of
a
lower
state
and
not
a
higher
.
Noble
spirits
show
their
nobleness
by
daring
the
most
difficult
paths
.
And
even
if
marriage
was
but
one
weed-field
of
temptations
,
as
these
miserable
pedants
say
,
who
have
either
never
tried
it
,
or
misused
it
to
their
own
shame
,
it
would
be
a
greater
deed
to
conquer
its
temptations
than
to
flee
from
them
in
cowardly
longings
after
ease
and
safety
!
’
She
did
not
answer
him
,
but
kept
her
face
buried
in
her
hands
.
‘Again
,
I
say
,
Argemone
,
will
you
fight
against
Fate
—
Providence
—
God
—
call
it
what
you
will
?
Who
made
us
meet
at
the
chapel
?
Who
made
me
,
by
my
accident
,
a
guest
in
your
father’s
house
!
Who
put
it
into
your
heart
to
care
for
my
poor
soul
?
Who
gave
us
this
strange
attraction
towards
each
other
,
in
spite
of
our
unlikeness
?
Wonderful
that
the
very
chain
of
circumstances
which
you
seem
to
fancy
the
offspring
of
chance
or
the
devil
,
should
have
first
taught
me
to
believe
that
there
is
a
God
who
guides
us
!
Argemone
!
speak
,
tell
me
,
if
you
will
,
to
go
for
ever
;
but
tell
me
first
the
truth
—
You
love
me
!
’
A
strong
shudder
ran
through
her
frame
—
the
ice
of
artificial
years
cracked
,
and
the
clear
stream
of
her
woman’s
nature
welled
up
to
the
light
,
as
pure
as
when
she
first
lay
on
her
mother’s
bosom
:
she
lifted
up
her
eyes
,
and
with
one
long
look
of
passionate
tenderness
she
faltered
out
,
—
‘I
love
you
!
’
He
did
not
stir
,
but
watched
her
with
clasped
hands
,
like
one
who
in
dreams
finds
himself
in
some
fairy
palace
,
and
fears
that
a
movement
may
break
the
spell
.
‘Now
,
go
,
’
she
said
;
‘go
,
and
let
me
collect
my
thoughts
.
All
this
has
been
too
much
for
me
.
Do
not
look
sad
—
you
may
come
again
to-morrow.’
She
smiled
and
held
out
her
hand
.
He
caught
it
,
covered
it
with
kisses
,
and
pressed
it
to
his
heart
.
She
half
drew
it
back
,
frightened
.
The
sensation
was
new
to
her
.
Again
the
delicious
feeling
of
being
utterly
in
his
power
came
over
her
,
and
she
left
her
hand
upon
his
heart
,
and
blushed
as
she
felt
its
passionate
throbbings
.
He
turned
to
go
—
not
as
before
.
She
followed
with
greedy
eyes
her
new-found
treasure
;
and
as
the
door
closed
behind
him
,
she
felt
as
if
Lancelot
was
the
whole
world
,
and
there
was
nothing
beside
him
,
and
wondered
how
a
moment
had
made
him
all
in
all
to
her
;
and
then
she
sank
upon
her
knees
,
and
folded
her
hands
upon
her
bosom
,
and
her
prayers
for
him
were
like
the
prayers
of
a
little
child
.
CHAPTER
XI
:
THUNDERSTORM
THE
FIRST
But
what
had
become
of
the
‘bit
of
writing’
which
Harry
Verney
,
by
the
instigation
of
his
evil
genius
,
had
put
into
the
squire’s
fly-book
?
Tregarva
had
waited
in
terrible
suspense
for
many
weeks
,
expecting
the
explosion
which
he
knew
must
follow
its
discovery
.
He
had
confided
to
Lancelot
the
contents
of
the
paper
,
and
Lancelot
had
tried
many
stratagems
to
get
possession
of
it
,
but
all
in
vain
.
Tregarva
took
this
as
calmly
as
he
did
everything
else
.
Only
once
,
on
the
morning
of
the
éclaircissement
between
Lancelot
and
Argemone
,
he
talked
to
Lancelot
of
leaving
his
place
,
and
going
out
to
seek
his
fortune
;
but
some
spell
,
which
he
did
not
explain
,
seemed
to
chain
him
to
the
Priory
.
Lancelot
thought
it
was
the
want
of
money
,
and
offered
to
lend
him
ten
pounds
whenever
he
liked
;
but
Tregarva
shook
his
head
.
‘You
have
treated
me
,
sir
,
as
no
one
else
has
done
—
like
a
man
and
a
friend
;
but
I
am
not
going
to
make
a
market
of
your
generosity
.
I
will
owe
no
man
anything
,
save
to
love
one
another.’
‘But
how
do
you
intend
to
live
?
’
asked
Lancelot
,
as
they
stood
together
in
the
cloisters
.
‘There’s
enough
of
me
,
sir
,
to
make
a
good
navigator
if
all
trades
fail.’
‘Nonsense
!
you
must
not
throw
yourself
away
so.’
‘Oh
,
sir
,
there’s
good
to
be
done
,
believe
me
,
among
those
poor
fellows
.
They
wander
up
and
down
the
land
like
hogs
and
heathens
,
and
no
one
tells
them
that
they
have
a
soul
to
be
saved
.
Not
one
parson
in
a
thousand
gives
a
thought
to
them
.
They
can
manage
old
folks
and
little
children
,
sir
,
but
,
somehow
,
they
never
can
get
hold
of
the
young
men
—
just
those
who
want
them
most
.
There’s
a
talk
about
ragged
schools
,
now
.
Why
don’t
they
try
ragged
churches
,
sir
,
and
a
ragged
service
?
’
‘What
do
you
mean
?
’
‘Why
,
sir
,
the
parsons
are
ready
enough
to
save
souls
,
but
it
must
be
only
according
to
rule
and
regulation
.
Before
the
Gospel
can
be
preached
there
must
be
three
thousand
pounds
got
together
for
a
church
,
and
a
thousand
for
an
endowment
,
not
to
mention
the
thousand
pounds
that
the
clergyman’s
education
costs
:
I
don’t
think
of
his
own
keep
,
sir
;
that’s
little
enough
,
often
;
and
those
that
work
hardest
get
least
pay
,
it
seems
to
me
.
But
after
all
that
expense
,
when
they’ve
built
the
church
,
it’s
the
tradesmen
,
and
the
gentry
,
and
the
old
folk
that
fill
it
,
and
the
working
men
never
come
near
it
from
one
year’s
end
to
another.’
‘What’s
the
cause
,
do
you
think
?
’
asked
Lancelot
,
who
had
himself
remarked
the
same
thing
more
than
once
.
‘Half
of
the
reason
,
sir
,
I
do
believe
,
is
that
same
Prayer-book
.
Not
that
the
Prayer-book
ain’t
a
fine
book
enough
,
and
a
true
one
;
but
,
don’t
you
see
,
sir
,
to
understand
the
virtue
of
it
,
the
poor
fellows
ought
to
be
already
just
what
you
want
to
make
them.’
‘You
mean
that
they
ought
to
be
thorough
Christians
already
,
to
appreciate
the
spirituality
of
the
liturgy.’
‘You’ve
hit
it
,
sir
.
And
see
what
comes
of
the
present
plan
;
how
a
navvy
drops
into
a
church
by
accident
,
and
there
he
has
to
sit
like
a
fish
out
of
water
,
through
that
hour’s
service
,
staring
or
sleeping
,
before
he
can
hear
a
word
that
he
understands
;
and
,
sir
,
when
the
sermon
does
come
at
last
,
it’s
not
many
of
them
can
make
much
out
of
those
fine
book-words
and
long
sentences
.
Why
don’t
they
have
a
short
simple
service
,
now
and
then
,
that
might
catch
the
ears
of
the
roughs
and
the
blowens
,
without
tiring
out
the
poor
thoughtless
creatures’
patience
,
as
they
do
now
?
’
‘Because
,
’
said
Lancelot
,
—
‘because
—
I
really
don’t
know
why
.
—
But
I
think
there
is
a
simpler
plan
than
even
a
ragged
service.’
‘What
,
then
,
sir
?
’
‘Field-preaching
.
If
the
mountain
won’t
come
to
Mahomet
,
let
Mahomet
go
to
the
mountain.’
‘Right
,
sir
;
right
you
are
.
“
Go
out
into
the
highways
and
hedges
,
and
compel
them
to
come
in
.
”
And
why
are
they
to
speak
to
them
only
one
by
one
?
Why
not
by
the
dozen
and
the
hundred
?
We
Wesleyans
know
,
sir
,
—
for
the
matter
of
that
,
every
soldier
knows
,
—
what
virtue
there
is
in
getting
a
lot
of
men
together
;
how
good
and
evil
spread
like
wildfire
through
a
crowd
;
and
one
man
,
if
you
can
stir
him
up
,
will
become
leaven
to
leaven
the
whole
lump
.
Oh
why
,
sir
,
are
they
so
afraid
of
field-preaching
?
Was
not
their
Master
and
mine
the
prince
of
all
field-preachers
?
Think
,
if
the
Apostles
had
waited
to
collect
subscriptions
for
a
church
before
they
spoke
to
the
poor
heathens
,
where
should
we
have
been
now
?
’
Lancelot
could
not
but
agree
.
But
at
that
moment
a
footman
came
up
,
and
,
with
a
face
half
laughing
,
half
terrified
,
said
,
—
‘Tregarva
,
master
wants
you
in
the
study
.
And
please
,
sir
,
I
think
you
had
better
go
in
too
;
master
knows
you’re
here
,
and
you
might
speak
a
word
for
good
,
for
he’s
raging
like
a
mad
bull.’
‘I
knew
it
would
come
at
last
,
’
said
Tregarva
,
quietly
,
as
he
followed
Lancelot
into
the
house
.
It
had
come
at
last
.
The
squire
was
sitting
in
his
study
,
purple
with
rage
,
while
his
daughters
were
trying
vainly
to
pacify
him
.
All
the
men-servants
,
grooms
,
and
helpers
,
were
drawn
up
in
line
along
the
wall
,
and
greeted
Tregarva
,
whom
they
all
heartily
liked
,
with
sly
and
sorrowful
looks
of
warning
,
‘Here
,
you
sir
;
you
—
,
look
at
this
!
Is
this
the
way
you
repay
me
?
I
,
who
have
kept
you
out
of
the
workhouse
,
treated
you
like
my
own
child
?
And
then
to
go
and
write
filthy
,
rascally
,
Radical
ballads
on
me
and
mine
!
This
comes
of
your
Methodism
,
you
canting
,
sneaking
hypocrite
!
—
you
viper
—
you
adder
—
you
snake
—
you
—
!
’
And
the
squire
,
whose
vocabulary
was
not
large
,
at
a
loss
for
another
synonym
,
rounded
off
his
oration
by
a
torrent
of
oaths
;
at
which
Argemone
,
taking
Honoria’s
hand
,
walked
proudly
out
of
the
room
,
with
one
glance
at
Lancelot
of
mingled
shame
and
love
.
‘This
is
your
handwriting
,
you
villain
!
you
know
it’
(
and
the
squire
tossed
the
fatal
paper
across
the
table
)
;
‘though
I
suppose
you’ll
lie
about
it
.
How
can
you
depend
on
fellows
who
speak
evil
of
their
betters
?
But
all
the
servants
are
ready
to
swear
it’s
your
handwriting.’
‘Beg
your
pardon
,
sir
,
’
interposed
the
old
butler
,
‘we
didn’t
quite
say
that
;
but
we’ll
all
swear
it
isn’t
ours.’
‘The
paper
is
mine
,
’
said
Tregarva
.
‘Confound
your
coolness
!
He’s
no
more
ashamed
of
it
than
—
Read
it
out
,
Smith
,
read
it
out
every
word
;
and
let
them
all
hear
how
this
pauper
,
this
ballad-singing
vagabond
,
whom
I
have
bred
up
to
insult
me
,
dares
to
abuse
his
own
master.’
‘I
have
not
abused
you
,
sir
,
’
answered
Tregarva
.
‘I
will
be
heard
,
sir
!
’
he
went
on
in
a
voice
which
made
the
old
man
start
from
his
seat
and
clench
his
fist
but
he
sat
down
again
.
‘Not
a
word
in
it
is
meant
for
you
.
You
have
been
a
kind
and
a
good
master
to
me
.
Ask
where
you
will
if
I
was
ever
heard
to
say
a
word
against
you
.
I
would
have
cut
off
my
right
hand
sooner
than
write
about
you
or
yours
.
But
what
I
had
to
say
about
others
lies
there
,
and
I
am
not
ashamed
of
it.’
‘Not
against
me
?
Read
it
out
,
Smith
,
and
see
if
every
word
of
it
don’t
hit
at
me
,
and
at
my
daughters
,
too
,
by
—
,
worst
of
all
!
Read
it
out
,
I
say
!
’
Lancelot
hesitated
;
but
the
squire
,
who
was
utterly
beside
himself
,
began
to
swear
at
him
also
,
as
masters
of
hounds
are
privileged
to
do
;
and
Lancelot
,
to
whom
the
whole
scene
was
becoming
every
moment
more
and
more
intensely
ludicrous
,
thought
it
best
to
take
up
the
paper
and
begin
:
—
‘A
ROUGH
RHYME
ON
A
ROUGH
MATTER
.
‘The
merry
brown
hares
came
leaping
Over
the
crest
of
the
hill
,
Where
the
clover
and
corn
lay
sleeping
Under
the
moonlight
still
.
‘Leaping
late
and
early
,
Till
under
their
bite
and
their
tread
The
swedes
,
and
the
wheat
,
and
the
barley
,
Lay
cankered
,
and
trampled
,
and
dead
.
‘A
poacher’s
widow
sat
sighing
On
the
side
of
the
white
chalk
bank
,
Where
under
the
gloomy
fir-woods
One
spot
in
the
ley
throve
rank
.
‘She
watched
a
long
tuft
of
clover
,
Where
rabbit
or
hare
never
ran
;
For
its
black
sour
haulm
covered
over
The
blood
of
a
murdered
man
.
‘She
thought
of
the
dark
plantation
,
And
the
hares
and
her
husband’s
blood
,
And
the
voice
of
her
indignation
Rose
up
to
the
throne
of
God
.
‘
“
I
am
long
past
wailing
and
whining
—
I
have
wept
too
much
in
my
life
:
I’ve
had
twenty
years
of
pining
As
an
English
labourer’s
wife
.
‘
“
A
labourer
in
Christian
England
,
Where
they
cant
of
a
Saviour’s
name
,
And
yet
waste
men’s
lives
like
the
vermin’s
For
a
few
more
brace
of
game
.
‘
“
There’s
blood
on
your
new
foreign
shrubs
,
squire
;
There’s
blood
on
your
pointer’s
feet
;
There’s
blood
on
the
game
you
sell
,
squire
,
And
there’s
blood
on
the
game
you
eat
!
”
’
‘You
villain
!
’
interposed
the
squire
,
‘when
did
I
ever
sell
a
head
of
game
?
’
‘
“
You
have
sold
the
labouring
man
,
squire
,
Body
and
soul
to
shame
,
To
pay
for
your
seat
in
the
House
,
squire
,
And
to
pay
for
the
feed
of
your
game
.
“
‘You
made
him
a
poacher
yourself
,
squire
,
When
you’d
give
neither
work
nor
meat
;
And
your
barley-fed
hares
robbed
the
garden
At
our
starving
children’s
feet
;
‘
“
When
packed
in
one
reeking
chamber
,
Man
,
maid
,
mother
,
and
little
ones
lay
;
While
the
rain
pattered
in
on
the
rotting
bride-bed
,
And
the
walls
let
in
the
day
;
‘
“
When
we
lay
in
the
burning
fever
On
the
mud
of
the
cold
clay
floor
,
Till
you
parted
us
all
for
three
months
,
squire
,
At
the
cursed
workhouse
door
.
“
‘We
quarrelled
like
brutes
,
and
who
wonders
?
What
self-respect
could
we
keep
,
Worse
housed
than
your
hacks
and
your
pointers
,
Worse
fed
than
your
hogs
and
your
sheep
?
”
’
‘And
yet
he
has
the
impudence
to
say
he
don’t
mean
me
!
’
grumbled
the
old
man
.
Tregarva
winced
a
good
deal
—
as
if
he
knew
what
was
coming
next
;
and
then
looked
up
relieved
when
he
found
Lancelot
had
omitted
a
stanza
—
which
I
shall
not
omit
.
‘
“
Our
daughters
with
base-born
babies
Have
wandered
away
in
their
shame
;
If
your
misses
had
slept
,
squire
,
where
they
did
,
Your
misses
might
do
the
same
.
“
‘Can
your
lady
patch
hearts
that
are
breaking
With
handfuls
of
coals
and
rice
,
Or
by
dealing
out
flannel
and
sheeting
A
little
below
cost
price
?
“
‘You
may
tire
of
the
gaol
and
the
workhouse
,
And
take
to
allotments
and
schools
,
But
you’ve
run
up
a
debt
that
will
never
Be
repaid
us
by
penny-club
rules
.
‘
“
In
the
season
of
shame
and
sadness
,
In
the
dark
and
dreary
day
When
scrofula
,
gout
,
and
madness
,
Are
eating
your
race
away
;
“
‘When
to
kennels
and
liveried
varlets
You
have
cast
your
daughters’
bread
;
And
worn
out
with
liquor
and
harlots
,
Your
heir
at
your
feet
lies
dead
;
“
‘When
your
youngest
,
the
mealy-mouthed
rector
,
Lets
your
soul
rot
asleep
to
the
grave
,
You
will
find
in
your
God
the
protector
Of
the
freeman
you
fancied
your
slave
.
”
‘She
looked
at
the
tuft
of
clover
,
And
wept
till
her
heart
grew
light
;
And
at
last
,
when
her
passion
was
over
,
Went
wandering
into
the
night
.
‘But
the
merry
brown
hares
came
leaping
Over
the
uplands
still
,
Where
the
clover
and
corn
lay
sleeping
On
the
side
of
the
white
chalk
hill.’
‘Surely
,
sir
,
’
said
Lancelot
,
‘you
cannot
suppose
that
this
latter
part
applies
to
you
.
or
your
family
?
’
‘If
it
don’t
,
it
applies
to
half
the
gentlemen
in
the
vale
,
and
that’s
just
as
bad
.
What
right
has
the
fellow
to
speak
evil
of
dignities
?
’
continued
he
,
quoting
the
only
text
in
the
Bible
which
he
was
inclined
to
make
a
‘rule
absolute.’
‘What
does
such
an
insolent
dog
deserve
?
What
don’t
he
deserve
,
I
say
?
’
‘I
think
,
’
quoth
Lancelot
,
ambiguously
,
‘that
a
man
who
can
write
such
ballads
is
not
fit
to
be
your
gamekeeper
,
and
I
think
he
feels
so
himself
;
’
and
Lancelot
stole
an
encouraging
look
at
Tregarva
.
‘And
I
say
,
sir
,
’
the
keeper
answered
,
with
an
effort
,
‘that
I
leave
Mr.
Lavington’s
service
here
on
the
spot
,
once
and
for
all.’
‘And
that
you
may
do
,
my
fine
fellow
!
’
roared
the
squire
.
‘Pay
the
rascal
his
wages
,
steward
,
and
then
duck
him
soundly
in
the
weir-pool
.
He
had
better
have
stayed
there
when
he
fell
in
last.’
‘So
I
had
,
indeed
,
I
think
.
But
I’ll
take
none
of
your
money
.
The
day
Harry
Verney
was
buried
I
vowed
that
I’d
touch
no
more
of
the
wages
of
blood
.
I’m
going
,
sir
;
I
never
harmed
you
,
or
meant
a
hard
word
of
all
this
for
you
,
or
dreamt
that
you
or
any
living
soul
would
ever
see
it
.
But
what
I’ve
seen
myself
,
in
spite
of
myself
,
I’ve
set
down
here
,
and
am
not
ashamed
of
it
.
And
woe
,
’
he
went
on
with
an
almost
prophetic
solemnity
in
his
tone
and
gesture
—
‘woe
to
those
who
do
these
things
!
and
woe
to
those
also
who
,
though
they
dare
not
do
them
themselves
,
yet
excuse
and
defend
them
who
dare
,
just
because
the
world
calls
them
gentlemen
,
and
not
tyrants
and
oppressors.’
He
turned
to
go
.
The
squire
,
bursting
with
passion
,
sprang
up
with
a
terrible
oath
,
turned
deadly
pale
,
staggered
,
and
dropped
senseless
on
the
floor
.
They
all
rushed
to
lift
him
up
.
Tregarva
was
the
first
to
take
him
in
his
arms
and
place
him
tenderly
in
his
chair
,
where
he
lay
back
with
glassy
eyes
,
snoring
heavily
in
a
fit
of
apoplexy
.
‘Go
;
for
God’s
sake
,
go
,
’
whispered
Lancelot
to
the
keeper
,
‘and
wait
for
me
at
Lower
Whitford
.
I
must
see
you
before
you
stir.’
The
keeper
slipped
away
sadly
.
The
ladies
rushed
in
—
a
groom
galloped
off
for
the
doctor
—
met
him
luckily
in
the
village
,
and
,
in
a
few
minutes
,
the
squire
was
bled
and
put
to
bed
,
and
showed
hopeful
signs
of
returning
consciousness
.
And
as
Argemone
and
Lancelot
leant
together
over
his
pillow
,
her
hair
touched
her
lover’s
,
and
her
fragrant
breath
was
warm
upon
his
cheek
;
and
her
bright
eyes
met
his
and
drank
light
from
them
,
like
glittering
planets
gazing
at
their
sun
.
The
obnoxious
ballad
produced
the
most
opposite
effects
on
Argemone
and
on
Honoria
.
Argemone
,
whose
reverence
for
the
formalities
and
the
respectabilities
of
society
,
never
very
great
,
had
,
of
late
,
utterly
vanished
before
Lancelot’s
bad
counsel
,
could
think
of
it
only
as
a
work
of
art
,
and
conceived
the
most
romantic
longing
to
raise
Tregarva
into
some
station
where
his
talents
might
have
free
play
.
To
Honoria
,
on
the
other
hand
,
it
appeared
only
as
a
very
fierce
,
coarse
,
and
impertinent
satire
,
which
had
nearly
killed
her
father
.
True
,
there
was
not
a
thought
in
it
which
had
not
at
some
time
or
other
crossed
her
own
mind
;
but
that
made
her
dislike
all
the
more
to
see
those
thoughts
put
into
plain
English
.
That
very
intense
tenderness
and
excitability
which
made
her
toil
herself
among
the
poor
,
and
had
called
out
both
her
admiration
of
Tregarva
and
her
extravagant
passion
at
his
danger
,
made
her
also
shrink
with
disgust
from
anything
which
thrust
on
her
a
painful
reality
,
which
she
could
not
remedy
.
She
was
a
staunch
believer
,
too
,
in
that
peculiar
creed
which
allows
every
one
to
feel
for
the
poor
,
except
themselves
,
and
considers
that
to
plead
the
cause
of
working-men
is
,
in
a
gentleman
,
the
perfection
of
virtue
,
but
in
a
working-man
himself
,
sheer
high
treason
.
And
so
beside
her
father’s
sick-bed
she
thought
of
the
keeper
only
as
a
scorpion
whom
she
had
helped
to
warm
into
life
;
and
sighing
assent
to
her
mother
,
when
she
said
,
‘That
wretch
,
and
he
seemed
so
pious
and
so
obliging
!
who
would
have
dreamt
that
he
was
such
a
horrid
Radical
?
’
she
let
him
vanish
from
her
mind
and
out
of
Whitford
Priors
,
little
knowing
the
sore
weight
of
manly
love
he
bore
with
him
.
As
soon
as
Lancelot
could
leave
the
Priory
,
he
hastened
home
to
find
Tregarva
.
The
keeper
had
packed
up
all
his
small
possessions
and
brought
them
down
to
Lower
Whitford
,
through
which
the
London
coach
passed
.
He
was
determined
to
go
to
London
and
seek
his
fortune
.
He
talked
of
turning
coal-heaver
,
Methodist
preacher
,
anything
that
came
to
hand
,
provided
that
he
could
but
keep
independence
and
a
clear
conscience
.
And
all
the
while
the
man
seemed
to
be
struggling
with
some
great
purpose
,
—
to
feel
that
he
had
a
work
to
do
,
though
what
it
was
,
and
how
it
was
to
be
done
,
he
did
not
see
.
‘I
am
a
tall
man
,
’
he
said
,
‘like
Saul
the
son
of
Kish
;
and
I
am
going
forth
,
like
him
,
sir
,
to
find
my
father’s
asses
.
I
doubt
I
shan’t
have
to
look
far
for
some
of
them.’
‘And
perhaps
,
’
said
Lancelot
,
laughing
,
‘to
find
a
kingdom.’
‘May
be
so
,
sir
.
I
have
found
one
already
,
by
God’s
grace
,
and
I’m
much
mistaken
if
I
don’t
begin
to
see
my
way
towards
another.’
‘And
what
is
that
?
’
‘The
kingdom
of
God
on
earth
,
sir
,
as
well
as
in
heaven
.
Come
it
must
,
sir
,
and
come
it
will
some
day.’
Lancelot
shook
his
head
.
Tregarva
lifted
up
his
eyes
and
said
,
—
‘Are
we
not
taught
to
pray
for
the
coming
of
His
kingdom
,
sir
?
And
do
you
fancy
that
He
who
gave
the
lesson
would
have
set
all
mankind
to
pray
for
what
He
never
meant
should
come
to
pass
?
’
Lancelot
was
silent
.
The
words
gained
a
new
and
blessed
meaning
in
his
eyes
.
‘Well
,
’
he
said
,
‘the
time
,
at
least
,
of
their
fulfilment
is
far
enough
off
.
Union-workhouses
and
child-murder
don’t
look
much
like
it
.
Talking
of
that
,
Tregarva
,
what
is
to
become
of
your
promise
to
take
me
to
a
village
wake
,
and
show
me
what
the
poor
are
like
?
’
‘I
can
keep
it
this
night
,
sir
.
There
is
a
revel
at
Bone-sake
,
about
five
miles
up
the
river
.
Will
you
go
with
a
discharged
gamekeeper
?
’
‘I
will
go
with
Paul
Tregarva
,
whom
I
honour
and
esteem
as
one
of
God’s
own
noblemen
;
who
has
taught
me
what
a
man
can
be
,
and
what
I
am
not
,
’
—
and
Lancelot
grasped
the
keeper’s
hand
warmly
.
Tregarva
brushed
his
hand
across
his
eyes
,
and
answered
,
—
‘
“
I
said
in
my
haste
,
All
men
are
liars
;
”
and
God
has
just
given
me
the
lie
back
in
my
own
teeth
.
Well
,
sir
,
we
will
go
to-night
.
You
are
not
ashamed
of
putting
on
a
smock-frock
?
For
if
you
go
as
a
gentleman
,
you
will
hear
no
more
of
them
than
a
hawk
does
of
a
covey
of
partridges.’
So
the
expedition
was
agreed
on
,
and
Lancelot
and
the
keeper
parted
until
the
evening
.
But
why
had
the
vicar
been
rambling
on
all
that
morning
through
pouring
rain
,
on
the
top
of
the
London
coach
?
And
why
was
he
so
anxious
in
his
inquiries
as
to
the
certainty
of
catching
the
up-train
?
Because
he
had
had
considerable
experience
in
that
wisdom
of
the
serpent
,
whose
combination
with
the
innocence
of
the
dove
,
in
somewhat
ultramontane
proportions
,
is
recommended
by
certain
late
leaders
of
his
school
.
He
had
made
up
his
mind
,
after
his
conversation
with
the
Irishman
,
that
he
must
either
oust
Lancelot
at
once
,
or
submit
to
be
ousted
by
him
,
and
he
was
now
on
his
way
to
Lancelot’s
uncle
and
trustee
,
the
London
banker
.
He
knew
that
the
banker
had
some
influence
with
his
nephew
,
whose
whole
property
was
invested
in
the
bank
,
and
who
had
besides
a
deep
respect
for
the
kindly
and
upright
practical
mind
of
the
veteran
Mammonite
.
And
the
vicar
knew
,
too
,
that
he
himself
had
some
influence
with
the
banker
,
whose
son
Luke
had
been
his
pupil
at
college
.
And
when
the
young
man
lay
sick
of
a
dangerous
illness
,
brought
on
by
debauchery
,
into
which
weakness
rather
than
vice
had
tempted
him
,
the
vicar
had
watched
and
prayed
by
his
bed
,
nursed
him
as
tenderly
as
a
mother
,
and
so
won
over
his
better
heart
that
he
became
completely
reclaimed
,
and
took
holy
orders
with
the
most
earnest
intention
to
play
the
man
therein
,
as
repentant
rakes
will
often
do
,
half
from
a
mere
revulsion
to
asceticism
,
half
from
real
gratitude
for
their
deliverance
.
This
good
deed
had
placed
the
banker
in
the
vicar’s
debt
,
and
he
loved
and
reverenced
him
in
spite
of
his
dread
of
‘Popish
novelties.’
And
now
the
good
priest
was
going
to
open
to
him
just
as
much
of
his
heart
as
should
seem
fit
;
and
by
saying
a
great
deal
about
Lancelot’s
evil
doings
,
opinions
,
and
companions
,
and
nothing
at
all
about
the
heiress
of
Whitford
,
persuade
the
banker
to
use
all
his
influence
in
drawing
Lancelot
up
to
London
,
and
leaving
a
clear
stage
for
his
plans
on
Argemone
.
He
caught
the
up-train
,
he
arrived
safe
and
sound
in
town
,
but
what
he
did
there
must
be
told
in
another
chapter
.
CHAPTER
XII
:
THUNDERSTORM
THE
SECOND
Weary
with
many
thoughts
,
the
vicar
came
to
the
door
of
the
bank
.
There
were
several
carriages
there
,
and
a
crowd
of
people
swarming
in
and
out
,
like
bees
round
a
hive-door
,
entering
with
anxious
faces
,
and
returning
with
cheerful
ones
,
to
stop
and
talk
earnestly
in
groups
round
the
door
.
Every
moment
the
mass
thickened
—
there
was
a
run
on
the
bank
.
An
old
friend
accosted
him
on
the
steps
,
—
‘What
!
have
you
,
too
,
money
here
,
then
?
’
‘Neither
here
nor
anywhere
else
,
thank
Heaven
!
’
said
the
vicar
.
‘But
is
anything
wrong
?
’
‘Have
not
you
heard
?
The
house
has
sustained
a
frightful
blow
this
week
—
railway
speculations
,
so
they
say
—
and
is
hardly
expected
to
survive
the
day
.
So
we
are
all
getting
our
money
out
as
fast
as
possible.’
‘By
way
of
binding
up
the
bruised
reed
,
eh
?
’
‘Oh
!
every
man
for
himself
.
A
man
is
under
no
obligation
to
his
banker
,
that
I
know
of.’
And
the
good
man
bustled
off
with
his
pockets
full
of
gold
.
The
vicar
entered
.
All
was
hurry
and
anxiety
.
The
clerks
seemed
trying
to
brazen
out
their
own
terror
,
and
shovelled
the
rapidly
lessening
gold
and
notes
across
the
counter
with
an
air
of
indignant
nonchalance
.
The
vicar
asked
to
see
the
principal
.
‘If
you
want
your
money
,
sir
—
’
answered
the
official
,
with
a
disdainful
look
.
‘I
want
no
money
.
I
must
see
Mr.
Smith
on
private
business
,
and
instantly.’
‘He
is
particularly
engaged.’
‘I
know
it
,
and
,
therefore
,
I
must
see
him
.
Take
in
my
card
,
and
he
will
not
refuse
me.’
A
new
vista
had
opened
itself
before
him
.
He
was
ushered
into
a
private
room
:
and
,
as
he
waited
for
the
banker
,
he
breathed
a
prayer
.
For
what
?
That
his
own
will
might
be
done
—
a
very
common
style
of
petition
.
Mr.
Smith
entered
,
hurried
and
troubled
.
He
caught
the
vicar
eagerly
by
the
hand
,
as
if
glad
to
see
a
face
which
did
not
glare
on
him
with
the
cold
selfish
stamp
of
‘business
,
’
and
then
drew
back
again
,
afraid
to
commit
himself
by
any
sign
of
emotion
.
The
vicar
had
settled
his
plan
of
attack
,
and
determined
boldly
to
show
his
knowledge
of
the
banker’s
distress
.
‘I
am
very
sorry
to
trouble
you
at
such
an
unfortunate
moment
,
sir
,
and
I
will
be
brief
;
but
,
as
your
nephew’s
spiritual
pastor
—
’
(
He
knew
the
banker
was
a
stout
Churchman
.
)
‘What
of
my
nephew
,
sir
!
No
fresh
misfortunes
,
I
hope
?
’
‘Not
so
much
misfortune
,
sir
,
as
misconduct
—
I
might
say
frailty
—
but
frailty
which
may
become
ruinous.’
‘How
?
how
?
Some
mésalliance
?
’
interrupted
Mr.
Smith
,
in
a
peevish
,
excited
tone
.
‘I
thought
there
was
some
heiress
on
the
tapis
—
at
least
,
so
I
heard
from
my
unfortunate
son
,
who
has
just
gone
over
to
Rome
.
There’s
another
misfortune
.
—
Nothing
but
misfortunes
;
and
your
teaching
,
sir
,
by
the
bye
,
I
am
afraid
,
has
helped
me
to
that
one.’
‘Gone
over
to
Rome
?
’
asked
the
vicar
,
slowly
.
‘Yes
,
sir
,
gone
to
Rome
—
to
the
pope
,
sir
!
to
the
devil
,
sir
!
I
should
have
thought
you
likely
to
know
of
it
before
I
did
!
’
The
vicar
stared
fixedly
at
him
a
moment
,
and
burst
into
honest
tears
.
The
banker
was
moved
.
‘’Pon
my
honour
,
sir
,
I
beg
your
pardon
.
I
did
not
mean
to
be
rude
,
but
—
but
—
To
be
plain
with
a
clergyman
,
sir
,
so
many
things
coming
together
have
quite
unmanned
me
.
Pooh
,
pooh
,
’
and
he
shook
himself
as
if
to
throw
off
a
weight
;
and
,
with
a
face
once
more
quiet
and
business-like
,
asked
,
‘And
now
,
my
dear
sir
,
what
of
my
nephew
?
’
‘As
for
that
young
lady
,
sir
,
of
whom
you
spoke
,
I
can
assure
you
,
once
for
all
,
as
her
clergyman
,
and
therefore
more
or
less
her
confidant
,
that
your
nephew
has
not
the
slightest
chance
or
hope
in
that
quarter.’
‘How
,
sir
?
You
will
not
throw
obstacles
in
the
way
?
’
‘Heaven
,
sir
,
I
think
,
has
interposed
far
more
insuperable
obstacles
—
in
the
young
lady’s
own
heart
—
than
I
could
ever
have
done
.
Your
nephew’s
character
and
opinions
,
I
am
sorry
to
say
,
are
not
such
as
are
likely
to
command
the
respect
and
affection
of
a
pure
and
pious
Churchwoman.’
‘Opinions
,
sir
?
What
,
is
he
turning
Papist
,
too
?
’
‘I
am
afraid
,
sir
,
and
more
than
afraid
,
for
he
makes
no
secret
of
it
himself
,
that
his
views
tend
rather
in
the
opposite
direction
;
to
an
infidelity
so
subversive
of
the
commonest
principles
of
morality
,
that
I
expect
,
weekly
,
to
hear
of
some
unblushing
and
disgraceful
outrage
against
decency
,
committed
by
him
under
its
fancied
sanction
.
And
you
know
,
as
well
as
myself
,
the
double
danger
of
some
profligate
outbreak
,
which
always
attends
the
miseries
of
a
disappointed
earthly
passion.’
‘True
,
very
true
.
We
must
get
the
boy
out
of
the
way
,
sir
.
I
must
have
him
under
my
eye.’
‘Exactly
so
,
sir
,
’
said
the
subtle
vicar
,
who
had
been
driving
at
this
very
point
.
‘How
much
better
for
him
to
be
here
,
using
his
great
talents
to
the
advantage
of
his
family
in
an
honourable
profession
,
than
to
remain
where
he
is
,
debauching
body
and
mind
by
hopeless
dreams
,
godless
studies
,
and
frivolous
excesses.’
‘When
do
you
return
,
sir
?
’
‘An
hour
hence
,
if
I
can
be
of
service
to
you.’
The
banker
paused
a
moment
.
‘You
are
a
gentleman’
(
with
emphasis
on
the
word
)
,
‘and
as
such
I
can
trust
you.’
‘Say
,
rather
,
as
a
clergyman.’
‘Pardon
me
,
but
I
have
found
your
cloth
give
little
additional
cause
for
confidence
.
I
have
been
as
much
bitten
by
clergymen
—
I
have
seen
as
sharp
practice
among
them
,
in
money
matters
as
well
as
in
religious
squabbles
,
as
I
have
in
any
class
.
Whether
it
is
that
their
book
education
leaves
them
very
often
ignorant
of
the
plain
rules
of
honour
which
bind
men
of
the
world
,
or
whether
their
zeal
makes
them
think
that
the
end
justifies
the
means
,
I
cannot
tell
;
but
—
’
‘But
,
’
said
the
vicar
,
half
smiling
,
half
severely
,
‘you
must
not
disparage
the
priesthood
before
a
priest.’
‘I
know
it
,
I
know
it
;
and
I
beg
your
pardon
:
but
if
you
knew
the
cause
I
have
to
complain
.
The
slipperiness
,
sir
,
of
one
staggering
parson
,
has
set
rolling
this
very
avalanche
,
which
gathers
size
every
moment
,
and
threatens
to
overwhelm
me
now
,
unless
that
idle
dog
Lancelot
will
condescend
to
bestir
himself
,
and
help
me.’
The
vicar
heard
,
but
said
nothing
.
‘Me
,
at
least
,
you
can
trust
,
’
he
answered
proudly
;
and
honestly
,
too
—
for
he
was
a
gentleman
by
birth
and
breeding
,
unselfish
and
chivalrous
to
a
fault
—
and
yet
,
when
he
heard
the
banker’s
words
,
it
was
as
if
the
inner
voice
had
whispered
to
him
,
‘Thou
art
the
man
!
’
‘When
do
you
go
down
?
’
again
asked
Mr.
Smith
.
‘To
tell
you
the
truth
,
I
was
writing
to
Lancelot
when
you
were
announced
!
but
the
post
will
not
reach
him
till
to-morrow
at
noon
,
and
we
are
all
so
busy
here
,
that
I
have
no
one
whom
I
can
trust
to
carry
down
an
express.’
The
vicar
saw
what
was
coming
.
Was
it
his
good
angel
which
prompted
him
to
interpose
?
‘Why
not
send
a
parcel
by
rail
?
’
‘I
can
trust
the
rail
as
far
as
D
—
;
but
I
cannot
trust
those
coaches
.
If
you
could
do
me
so
great
a
kindness
—
’
‘I
will
.
I
can
start
by
the
one
o’clock
train
,
and
by
ten
o’clock
to-night
I
shall
be
in
Whitford.’
‘Are
you
certain
?
’
‘If
God
shall
please
,
I
am
certain.’
‘And
you
will
take
charge
of
a
letter
?
Perhaps
,
too
,
you
could
see
him
yourself
;
and
tell
him
—
you
see
I
trust
you
with
everything
—
that
my
fortune
,
his
own
fortune
,
depends
on
his
being
here
to-morrow
morning
.
He
must
start
to-night
,
sir
—
to-night
,
tell
him
,
if
there
were
twenty
Miss
Lavingtons
in
Whitford
—
or
he
is
a
ruined
man
!
’
The
letter
was
written
,
and
put
into
the
vicar’s
hands
,
with
a
hundred
entreaties
from
the
terrified
banker
.
A
cab
was
called
,
and
the
clergyman
rattled
off
to
the
railway
terminus
.
‘Well
,
’
said
he
to
himself
,
‘God
has
indeed
blessed
my
errand
;
giving
,
as
always
,
“
exceeding
abundantly
more
than
we
are
able
to
ask
or
think
!
”
For
some
weeks
,
at
least
,
this
poor
lamb
is
safe
from
the
destroyer’s
clutches
.
I
must
improve
to
the
utmost
those
few
precious
days
in
strengthening
her
in
her
holy
purpose
.
But
,
after
all
,
he
will
return
,
daring
and
cunning
as
ever
;
and
then
will
not
the
fascination
recommence
?
’
And
,
as
he
mused
,
a
little
fiend
passed
by
,
and
whispered
,
‘Unless
he
comes
up
to-night
,
he
is
a
ruined
man.’
It
was
Friday
,
and
the
vicar
had
thought
it
a
fit
preparation
for
so
important
an
errand
to
taste
no
food
that
day
.
Weakness
and
hunger
,
joined
to
the
roar
and
bustle
of
London
,
had
made
him
excited
,
nervous
,
unable
to
control
his
thoughts
,
or
fight
against
a
stupifying
headache
;
and
his
self-weakened
will
punished
him
,
by
yielding
him
up
an
easy
prey
to
his
own
fancies
.
‘Ay
,
’
he
thought
,
‘if
he
were
ruined
,
after
all
,
it
would
be
well
for
God’s
cause
.
The
Lavingtons
,
at
least
,
would
find
no
temptation
in
his
wealth
:
and
Argemone
—
she
is
too
proud
,
too
luxurious
,
to
marry
a
beggar
.
She
might
embrace
a
holy
poverty
for
the
sake
of
her
own
soul
;
but
for
the
gratification
of
an
earthly
passion
,
never
!
Base
and
carnal
delights
would
never
tempt
her
so
far.’
Alas
,
poor
pedant
!
Among
all
that
thy
books
taught
thee
,
they
did
not
open
to
thee
much
of
the
depths
of
that
human
heart
which
thy
dogmas
taught
thee
to
despise
as
diabolic
.
Again
the
little
fiend
whispered
,
—
‘Unless
he
comes
up
to-night
,
he
is
a
ruined
man.’
‘And
what
if
he
is
?
’
thought
the
vicar
.
‘Riches
are
a
curse
;
and
poverty
a
blessing
.
Is
it
not
his
wealth
which
is
ruining
his
soul
?
Idleness
and
fulness
of
bread
have
made
him
what
he
is
—
a
luxurious
and
self-willed
dreamer
,
battening
on
his
own
fancies
.
Were
it
not
rather
a
boon
to
him
to
take
from
him
the
root
of
all
evil
?
’
Most
true
,
vicar
.
And
yet
the
devil
was
at
that
moment
transforming
himself
into
an
angel
of
light
for
thee
.
But
the
vicar
was
yet
honest
.
If
he
had
thought
that
by
cutting
off
his
right
hand
he
could
have
saved
Lancelot’s
soul
(
by
canonical
methods
,
of
course
;
for
who
would
wish
to
save
souls
in
any
other
?
)
,
he
would
have
done
it
without
hesitation
.
Again
the
little
fiend
whispered
,
—
‘Unless
he
comes
up
to-night
he
is
a
ruined
man.’
A
terrible
sensation
seized
him
.
—
Why
should
he
give
the
letter
to-night
?
‘You
promised
,
’
whispered
the
inner
voice
.
‘No
,
I
did
not
promise
exactly
,
in
so
many
words
;
that
is
,
I
only
said
I
would
be
at
home
to-night
,
if
God
pleased
.
And
what
if
God
should
not
please
?
—
I
promised
for
his
good
.
What
if
,
on
second
thoughts
,
it
should
be
better
for
him
not
to
keep
my
promise
?
’
A
moment
afterwards
,
he
tossed
the
temptation
from
him
indignantly
:
but
back
it
came
.
At
every
gaudy
shop
,
at
every
smoke-grimed
manufactory
,
at
the
face
of
every
anxious
victim
of
Mammon
,
of
every
sturdy
,
cheerful
artisan
,
the
fiend
winked
and
pointed
,
crying
,
‘And
what
if
he
be
ruined
?
Look
at
the
thousands
who
have
,
and
are
miserable
—
at
the
millions
who
have
not
,
and
are
no
sadder
than
their
own
tyrants.’
Again
and
again
he
thrust
the
thought
from
him
,
but
more
and
more
weakly
.
His
whole
frame
shook
;
the
perspiration
stood
on
his
forehead
.
As
he
took
his
railway
ticket
,
his
look
was
so
haggard
and
painful
that
the
clerk
asked
him
whether
he
were
ill.
The
train
was
just
starting
;
he
threw
himself
into
a
carriage
—
he
would
have
locked
himself
in
if
he
could
;
and
felt
an
inexpressible
relief
when
he
found
himself
rushing
past
houses
and
market-gardens
,
whirled
onward
,
whether
he
would
or
not
,
in
the
right
path
—
homeward
.
But
was
it
the
right
path
?
for
again
the
temptation
flitted
past
him
.
He
threw
himself
back
,
and
tried
to
ask
counsel
of
One
above
;
but
there
was
no
answer
,
nor
any
that
regarded
.
His
heart
was
silent
,
and
dark
as
midnight
fog
.
Why
should
there
have
been
an
answer
?
He
had
not
listened
to
the
voice
within
.
Did
he
wish
for
a
miracle
to
show
him
his
duty
?
‘Not
that
I
care
for
detection
,
’
he
said
to
himself
.
‘What
is
shame
to
me
?
Is
it
not
a
glory
to
be
evil-spoken
of
in
the
cause
of
God
?
How
can
the
world
appreciate
the
motives
of
those
who
are
not
of
the
world
?
—
the
divine
wisdom
of
the
serpent
—
at
once
the
saint’s
peculiar
weapon
,
and
a
part
of
his
peculiar
cross
,
when
men
call
him
a
deceiver
,
because
they
confound
,
forsooth
,
his
spiritual
subtlety
with
their
earthly
cunning
.
Have
I
not
been
called
“
liar
,
”
“
hypocrite
,
”
“
Jesuit
,
”
often
enough
already
,
to
harden
me
towards
bearing
that
name
once
again
?
’
That
led
him
into
sad
thoughts
of
his
last
few
years’
career
,
—
of
the
friends
and
pupils
whose
secession
to
Rome
had
been
attributed
to
his
hypocrisy
,
his
‘disguised
Romanism
;
’
and
then
the
remembrance
of
poor
Luke
Smith
flashed
across
him
for
the
first
time
since
he
left
the
bank
.
‘I
must
see
him
,
’
he
said
to
himself
;
‘I
must
argue
with
him
face
to
face
.
Who
knows
but
that
it
may
be
given
even
to
my
unworthiness
to
snatch
him
from
this
accursed
slough
?
’
And
then
he
remembered
that
his
way
home
lay
through
the
city
in
which
the
new
convert’s
parish
was
—
that
the
coach
stopped
there
to
change
horses
;
and
again
the
temptation
leapt
up
again
,
stronger
than
ever
,
under
the
garb
of
an
imperative
call
of
duty
.
He
made
no
determination
for
or
against
it
.
He
was
too
weak
in
body
and
mind
to
resist
;
and
in
a
half
sleep
,
broken
with
an
aching
,
terrified
sense
of
something
wanting
which
he
could
not
find
,
he
was
swept
down
the
line
,
got
on
the
coach
,
and
mechanically
,
almost
without
knowing
it
,
found
himself
set
down
at
the
city
of
A
—
,
and
the
coach
rattling
away
down
the
street
.
He
sprang
from
his
stupor
,
and
called
madly
after
it
—
ran
a
few
steps
—
‘You
might
as
well
try
to
catch
the
clouds
,
sir
,
’
said
the
ostler
.
‘Gemmen
should
make
up
their
minds
afore
they
gets
down.’
Alas
!
so
thought
the
vicar
.
But
it
was
too
late
;
and
,
with
a
heavy
heart
,
he
asked
the
way
to
the
late
curate’s
house
.
Thither
he
went
.
Mr.
Luke
Smith
was
just
at
dinner
,
but
the
vicar
was
,
nevertheless
,
shown
into
the
bachelor’s
little
dining-room
.
But
what
was
his
disgust
and
disappointment
at
finding
his
late
pupil
tête-à-tête
over
a
comfortable
fish-dinner
,
opposite
a
burly
,
vulgar
,
cunning-eyed
man
,
with
a
narrow
rim
of
muslin
turned
down
over
his
stiff
cravat
,
of
whose
profession
there
could
be
no
doubt
.
‘My
dearest
sir
,
’
said
the
new
convert
,
springing
up
with
an
air
of
extreme
empressement
,
‘what
an
unexpected
pleasure
!
Allow
me
to
introduce
you
to
my
excellent
friend
,
Padre
Bugiardo
!
’
The
padre
rose
,
bowed
obsequiously
,
‘was
overwhelmed
with
delight
at
being
at
last
introduced
to
one
of
whom
he
had
heard
so
much
,
’
sat
down
again
,
and
poured
himself
out
a
bumper
of
sherry
;
while
the
vicar
commenced
making
the
best
of
a
bad
matter
by
joining
in
the
now
necessary
business
of
eating
.
He
had
not
a
word
to
say
for
himself
.
Poor
Luke
was
particularly
jovial
and
flippant
,
and
startlingly
unlike
his
former
self
.
The
padre
went
on
staring
out
of
the
window
,
and
talking
in
a
loud
forced
tone
about
the
astonishing
miracles
of
the
‘Ecstatica’
and
‘Addolorata
;
’
and
the
poor
vicar
,
finding
the
purpose
for
which
he
had
sacrificed
his
own
word
of
honour
utterly
frustrated
by
the
priest’s
presence
,
sat
silent
and
crestfallen
the
whole
evening
.
The
priest
had
no
intention
of
stirring
.
The
late
father-confessor
tried
to
outstay
his
new
rival
,
but
in
vain
;
the
padre
deliberately
announced
his
intention
of
taking
a
bed
,
and
the
vicar
,
with
a
heavy
heart
,
rose
to
go
to
his
inn
.
As
he
went
out
at
the
door
,
he
caught
an
opportunity
of
saying
one
word
to
the
convert
.
‘My
poor
Luke
!
and
are
you
happy
?
Tell
me
honestly
,
in
God’s
sight
tell
me
!
’
‘Happier
than
ever
I
was
in
my
life
!
No
more
self-torture
,
physical
or
mental
,
now
.
These
good
priests
thoroughly
understand
poor
human
nature
,
I
can
assure
you.’
The
vicar
sighed
,
for
the
speech
was
evidently
meant
as
a
gentle
rebuke
to
himself
.
But
the
young
man
ran
on
,
half
laughing
,
—
‘You
know
how
you
and
the
rest
used
to
tell
us
what
a
sad
thing
it
was
that
we
were
all
cursed
with
consciences
,
—
what
a
fearful
miserable
burden
moral
responsibility
was
;
but
that
we
must
submit
to
it
as
an
inevitable
evil
.
Now
that
burden
is
gone
,
thank
God
.
We
of
the
True
Church
have
some
one
to
keep
our
consciences
for
us
.
The
padre
settles
all
about
what
is
right
or
wrong
,
and
we
slip
on
as
easily
as
—
’
‘A
hog
or
a
butterfly
!
’
said
the
vicar
,
bitterly
.
‘Exactly
,
’
answered
Luke
.
‘And
,
on
your
own
showing
,
are
clean
gainers
of
a
happy
life
here
,
not
to
mention
heaven
hereafter
.
God
bless
you
!
We
shall
soon
see
you
one
of
us.’
‘Never
,
so
help
me
God
!
’
said
the
vicar
;
all
the
more
fiercely
because
he
was
almost
at
that
moment
of
the
young
man’s
opinion
.
The
vicar
stepped
out
into
the
night
.
The
rain
,
which
had
given
place
during
the
afternoon
to
a
bright
sun
and
clear
chilly
evening
,
had
returned
with
double
fury
.
The
wind
was
sweeping
and
howling
down
the
lonely
streets
,
and
lashed
the
rain
into
his
face
,
while
gray
clouds
were
rushing
past
the
moon
like
terrified
ghosts
across
the
awful
void
of
the
black
heaven
.
Above
him
gaunt
poplars
groaned
and
bent
,
like
giants
cowering
from
the
wrath
of
Heaven
,
yet
rooted
by
grim
necessity
to
their
place
of
torture
.
The
roar
and
tumult
without
him
harmonised
strangely
with
the
discord
within
.
He
staggered
and
strode
along
the
plashy
pavement
,
muttering
to
himself
at
intervals
,
—
‘Rest
for
the
soul
?
peace
of
mind
?
I
have
been
promising
them
all
my
life
to
others
—
have
I
found
them
myself
?
And
here
is
this
poor
boy
saying
that
he
has
gained
them
—
in
the
very
barbarian
superstition
which
I
have
been
anathematising
to
him
!
What
is
true
,
at
this
rate
?
What
is
false
?
Is
anything
right
or
wrong
?
except
in
as
far
as
men
feel
it
to
be
right
or
wrong
.
Else
whence
does
this
poor
fellow’s
peace
come
,
or
the
peace
of
many
a
convert
more
?
They
have
all
,
one
by
one
,
told
me
the
same
story
.
And
is
not
a
religion
to
be
known
by
its
fruits
?
Are
they
not
right
in
going
where
they
can
get
peace
of
mind
?
’
Certainly
,
vicar
.
If
peace
of
mind
be
the
summum
bonum
,
and
religion
is
merely
the
science
of
self-satisfaction
,
they
are
right
;
and
your
wisest
plan
will
be
to
follow
them
at
once
,
or
failing
that
,
to
apply
to
the
next
best
substitute
that
can
be
discovered
—
alcohol
and
opium
.
As
he
went
on
,
talking
wildly
to
himself
,
he
passed
the
Union
Workhouse
.
Opposite
the
gate
,
under
the
lee
of
a
wall
,
some
twenty
men
,
women
,
and
children
,
were
huddled
together
on
the
bare
ground
.
They
had
been
refused
lodging
in
the
workhouse
,
and
were
going
to
pass
the
night
in
that
situation
.
As
he
came
up
to
them
,
coarse
jests
,
and
snatches
of
low
drinking-songs
,
ghastly
as
the
laughter
of
lost
spirits
in
the
pit
,
mingled
with
the
feeble
wailings
of
some
child
of
shame
.
The
vicar
recollected
how
he
had
seen
the
same
sight
at
the
door
of
Kensington
Workhouse
,
walking
home
one
night
in
company
with
Luke
Smith
;
and
how
,
too
,
he
had
commented
to
him
on
that
fearful
sign
of
the
times
,
and
had
somewhat
unfairly
drawn
a
contrast
between
the
niggard
cruelty
of
‘popular
Protestantism
,
’
and
the
fancied
‘liberality
of
the
middle
age.’
What
wonder
if
his
pupil
had
taken
him
at
his
word
?
Delighted
to
escape
from
his
own
thoughts
by
anything
like
action
,
he
pulled
out
his
purse
to
give
an
alms
.
There
was
no
silver
in
it
,
but
only
some
fifteen
or
twenty
sovereigns
,
which
he
that
day
received
as
payment
for
some
bitter
reviews
in
a
leading
religious
periodical
.
Everything
that
night
seemed
to
shame
and
confound
him
more
.
As
he
touched
the
money
,
there
sprang
up
in
his
mind
in
an
instant
the
thought
of
the
articles
which
had
procured
it
;
by
one
of
those
terrible
,
searching
inspirations
,
in
which
the
light
which
lighteth
every
man
awakes
as
a
lightning-flash
of
judgment
,
he
saw
them
,
and
his
own
heart
,
for
one
moment
,
as
they
were
;
—
their
blind
prejudice
;
their
reckless
imputations
of
motives
;
their
wilful
concealment
of
any
palliating
clauses
;
their
party
nicknames
,
given
without
a
shudder
at
the
terrible
accusations
which
they
conveyed
.
And
then
the
indignation
,
the
shame
,
the
reciprocal
bitterness
which
those
articles
would
excite
,
tearing
still
wider
the
bleeding
wounds
of
that
Church
which
they
professed
to
defend
!
And
then
,
in
this
case
,
too
,
the
thought
rushed
across
him
,
‘What
if
I
should
have
been
wrong
and
my
adversary
right
?
What
if
I
have
made
the
heart
of
the
righteous
sad
whom
God
has
not
made
sad
?
I
!
to
have
been
dealing
out
Heaven’s
thunders
,
as
if
I
were
infallible
!
I
!
who
am
certain
at
this
moment
of
no
fact
in
heaven
or
earth
,
except
my
own
untruth
!
God
!
who
am
I
that
I
should
judge
another
?
’
And
the
coins
seemed
to
him
like
the
price
of
blood
—
he
fancied
that
he
felt
them
red-hot
to
his
hand
,
and
,
in
his
eagerness
to
get
rid
of
the
accursed
thing
,
he
dealt
it
away
fiercely
to
the
astonished
group
,
amid
whining
and
flattery
,
wrangling
and
ribaldry
;
and
then
,
not
daring
to
wait
and
see
the
use
to
which
his
money
would
be
put
,
hurried
off
to
the
inn
,
and
tried
in
uneasy
slumbers
to
forget
the
time
,
until
the
mail
passed
through
at
daybreak
on
its
way
to
Whitford
.
CHAPTER
XIII
:
THE
VILLAGE
REVEL
At
dusk
that
same
evening
the
two
had
started
for
the
village
fair
.
A
velveteen
shooting-jacket
,
a
pair
of
corduroy
trousers
,
and
a
waistcoat
,
furnished
by
Tregarva
,
covered
with
flowers
of
every
imaginable
hue
,
tolerably
disguised
Lancelot
,
who
was
recommended
by
his
conductor
to
keep
his
hands
in
his
pockets
as
much
as
possible
,
lest
their
delicacy
,
which
was
,
as
it
happened
,
not
very
remarkable
,
might
betray
him
.
As
they
walked
together
along
the
plashy
turnpike
road
,
overtaking
,
now
and
then
,
groups
of
two
or
three
who
were
out
on
the
same
errand
as
themselves
,
Lancelot
could
not
help
remarking
to
the
keeper
how
superior
was
the
look
of
comfort
in
the
boys
and
young
men
,
with
their
ruddy
cheeks
and
smart
dresses
,
to
the
worn
and
haggard
appearance
of
the
elder
men
.
‘Let
them
alone
,
poor
fellows
,
’
said
Tregarva
;
‘it
won’t
last
long
.
When
they’ve
got
two
or
three
children
at
their
heels
,
they’ll
look
as
thin
and
shabby
as
their
own
fathers.’
‘They
must
spend
a
great
deal
of
money
on
their
clothes.’
‘And
on
their
stomachs
,
too
,
sir
.
They
never
lay
by
a
farthing
;
and
I
don’t
see
how
they
can
,
when
their
club-money’s
paid
,
and
their
insides
are
well
filled.’
‘Do
you
mean
to
say
that
they
actually
have
not
as
much
to
eat
after
they
marry
?
’
‘Indeed
and
I
do
,
sir
.
They
get
no
more
wages
afterwards
round
here
,
and
have
four
or
five
to
clothe
and
feed
off
the
same
money
that
used
to
keep
one
;
and
that
sum
won’t
take
long
to
work
out
,
I
think.’
‘But
do
they
not
in
some
places
pay
the
married
men
higher
wages
than
the
unmarried
?
’
‘That’s
a
worse
trick
still
,
sir
;
for
it
tempts
the
poor
thoughtless
boys
to
go
and
marry
the
first
girl
they
can
get
hold
of
;
and
it
don’t
want
much
persuasion
to
make
them
do
that
at
any
time.’
‘But
why
don’t
the
clergymen
teach
them
to
put
into
the
savings
banks
?
’
‘One
here
and
there
,
sir
,
says
what
he
can
,
though
it’s
of
very
little
use
.
Besides
,
every
one
is
afraid
of
savings
banks
now
;
not
a
year
but
one
reads
of
some
breaking
and
the
lawyers
going
off
with
the
earnings
of
the
poor
.
And
if
they
didn’t
,
youth’s
a
foolish
time
at
best
;
and
the
carnal
man
will
be
hankering
after
amusement
,
sir
—
amusement.’
‘And
no
wonder
,
’
said
Lancelot
;
‘at
all
events
,
I
should
not
think
they
got
