thisexcess
of
generosity
on
her
part
,
but
that
he
was
by
nature
careless
upon
such
subjects
,
and
hoped
to
provide
amply
for
her
interests
by
his
will
:
moreover
he
was
hot
to
remove
all
obstacles
to
their
marriage
.
But
it
was
now
discovered
that
he
had
no
power
to
charge
the
real
estate
for
her
benefit
,
in
the
manner
his
will
imported
;
that
he
had
never
been
more
than
a
tenant
in
tail
,
and
that
entail
such
that
I
could
not
inherit
.
Neither
,
of
course
,
could
I
take
under
his
will
,
as
he
possessed
no
power
of
disposition
.
One
quarter
of
all
that
has
been
written
upon
the
subject
I
never
could
understand
;
and
even
as
to
the
simplest
points
,
sometimes
I
seem
to
apprehend
them
clearly
,
and
then
I
feel
that
I
do
not
.
My
account
of
the
matter
is
compressed
from
what
I
remember
of
the
legal
opinions
.
The
leading
fact
,
at
any
rate
,
and
the
key
to
all
the
mischief
,
was
,
that
the
entail
had
never
been
barred
at
all
:
the
legal
process
(
called
a
"
recovery
"
)
which
was
to
have
had
that
effect
,
being
null
and
void
through
some
absurd
informality
.
They
told
me
something
about
a
tenant
to
a
precipice
,
but
they
must
have
made
a
mistake
,
for
there
was
no
precipice
on
the
estate
,
unless
some
cliffs
near
the
church
could
be
called
so
,
and
they
were
never
let
.
Be
that
as
it
may
,
my
father
's
will
was
declared
to
be
waste
paper
,
except
as
regarded
what
they
called
the
personalty
,
or
,
in
good
English
,
the
money
he
had
to
bequeath
.
And
of
this
there
was
very
little
,
for
,
shortly
before
his
death
,
he
had
spent
large
sums
in
drainage
,
farm-buildings
,
and
other
improvements
.
Furthermore
,
he
had
always
maintained
a
profuse
hospitality
,
and
his
charity
was
most
lavish
.
The
lawyers
told
us
that
,
under
the
circumstances
(
a
favourite
expression
of
theirs
when
they
mean
some
big
robbery
)
,
a
court
of
equity
would
perhaps
consider
our
application
to
be
"
recupped
,
"
as
they
called
it
,
out
of
the
estate
,
for
the
money
laid
out
in
improvements
under
a
false
impression
.
But
we
had
been
cupped
enough
already
.
Grossly
plundered
by
legal
jargon
,
robbed
by
statute
,
and
scourged
by
scriveners
'
traditions
,
we
flung
away
in
disgust
the
lint
the
bandits
offered
,
and
left
them
"
all
estate
,
right
,
title
,
interest
,
and
claim
,
whether
at
law
or
in
equity
,
in
to
or
out
of
"
the
licking
of
our
blood
.
But
now
my
long
suspicions
,
and
never-discarded
conviction
of
my
guardian
's
guilt
,
were
,
by
summary
process
,
not
only
revived
,
but
redoubled
.
This
arose
partly
from
the
discovery
of
the
stake
he
had
on
my
father
's
life
,
and
partly
,
perhaps
,
from
a
feeling
of
hatred
towards
our
supplanter
.
That
he
knew
not
till
now
the
flaw
in
our
title
,
and
his
own
superior
claim
,
was
more
than
I
could
believe
.
I
felt
sure
that
he
had
gained
this
knowledge
while
in
needy
circumstances
and
sharp
legal
practice
,
brought
,
as
he
then
most
probably
was
,
into
frequent
contact
with
the
London
agents
who
had
the
custody
of
the
documents
.
To
be
in
the
same
room
with
him
,
was
now
more
than
I
could
bear
,
and
it
became
impossible
that
we
should
live
any
longer
in
the
same
house
.
He
,
indeed
,
wished
,
or
feigned
to
wish
,
that
we
should
remain
there
,
and
even
showed
some
reluctance
to
urge
his
unrighteous
rights
.
But
neither
my
mother
(
who
bore
the
shock
with
strange
resignation
)
nor
myself
would
hear
of
any
compromise
,
or
take
a
farthing
at
his
hands
,
and
he
was
too
proud
and
stern
to
press
upon
us
his
compunctions
.
Statements
of
our
case
had
been
prepared
and
submitted
to
three
most
eminent
conveyancers
,
and
the
three
opinions
had
been
found
to
agree
,
except
upon
some
trivial
points
.
More
than
two
months
had
been
thus
consumed
,
and
it
was
now
once
more
the
anniversary
of
my
father
's
death
.
I
had
spent
the
time
in
narrowly
watching
my
ex-guardian
's
conduct
,
though
keeping
aloof
,
as
much
as
possible
,
from
any
intercourse
with
him
.
One
night
,
I
stole
into
the
room
which
he
called
his
study
,
and
where
(
with
a
child
's
simplicity
)
I
believed
him
to
keep
his
private
documents
.
Through
Thomas
Kenwood
,
to
whom
I
now
confided
almost
everything
,
and
whose
suspicions
were
even
stronger
than
mine
,
I
obtained
clandestine
possession
of
the
keys
of
the
large
bureau
.
As
I
stood
before
that
massive
repository
in
the
dead
of
night
,
the
struggle
within
me
was
intense
and
long
.
What
letters
,
what
journals
,
documents
,
or
momentous
relics
of
a
thousand
kinds
,
might
be
lurking
here
,
waiting
only
for
a
daughter
's
hand
to
turn
the
lock
,
and
cast
the
light
she
bore
on
the
death-warrant
of
her
father
!
How
easy
then
to
snatch
away
the
proof
,
clutching
it
,
though
it
should
burn
the
hand
or
bosom
,
to
wave
it
,
with
a
triumph
wilfully
prolonged
,
before
the
eyes
of
justice
's
dull-visioned
ministers
;
and
then
to
see
,
without
a
shudder
or
a
thrill
of
joy
,
but
with
the
whole
soul
gazing
,
the
slow
,
struggling
,
ghastly
expiation
.
As
this
thought
came
crawling
through
my
heart
,
lighting
up
its
depth
as
would
a
snake
of
fire
,
the
buhl
before
me
grew
streaks
of
blood
,
and
the
heavy
crossbars
a
gallows
.
I
lifted
my
hand
to
open
the
outer
lock
.
Already
the
old
cruciform
key
was
trembling
in
the
silver
scutcheon
.
I
raised
the
lamp
in
my
left
hand
to
show
the
lunette
guard
which
curved
above
the
hole
,
when
a
heavy
mass
all
cold
and
dark
fell
across
my
eyes
.
I
started
,
and
thought
for
the
moment
,
in
my
strong
excitement
,
that
it
was
my
father
's
hand
.
One
instant
more
,
and
,
through
the
trembling
of
my
senses
,
I
saw
that
it
was
only
a
thick
fold
of
my
long
black
hair
,
shaken
down
on
the
face
by
my
bending
and
quivering
posture
.
But
the
check
was
enough
.
A
Vaughan
,
and
that
the
last
one
of
so
proud
and
frank
a
race
,
to
be
prowling
meanly
,
with
a
stolen
tool
,
to
violate
confidence
,
and
pry
through
letters
!
No
suspicion
,
however
strong
,
nothing
short
of
certainty
(
if
even
that
)
could
warrant
it
.
Driven
away
by
shame
combined
with
superstition
,
I
glided
from
the
cold
silent
room
,
and
restored
the
keys
to
my
faithful
friend
,
whom
I
had
left
in
the
passage
,
ordering
him
at
once
to
replace
them
,
and
never
touch
them
again
.
"
Well
,
miss
,
"
he
whispered
,
with
a
smile
,
"
I
knew
you
could
n't
do
it
,
because
I
seemed
,
somehow
,
it
was
n't
like
a
Vaughan
.
"
We
were
already
preparing
to
quit
the
house
,
no
longer
ours
,
when
our
dismissal
became
abrupt
,
through
another
act
of
mine
.
What
drove
me
to
such
a
wild
deed
I
can
scarcely
tell
.
Shame
,
perhaps
,
for
the
furtive
nature
of
my
last
attempt
hurried
me
into
the
other
extreme
;
and
now
I
was
so
shaken
by
conflicting
impulse
,
that
nothing
was
too
mad
for
me
.
On
the
seventh
anniversary
of
my
father
's
death
,
and
the
last
which
I
was
likely
ever
to
spend
beneath
that
roof
,
I
passed
the
whole
day
in
alternate
sadness
and
passion
,
in
the
bedroom
where
he
died
.
All
the
relics
I
possessed
,
both
of
his
love
and
of
his
death
,
I
brought
thither
;
and
spread
them
out
,
and
wept
upon
the
one
,
and
prayed
upon
the
other
.
I
also
brought
my
choicest
histories
of
murder
and
revenge
,
and
pored
over
them
by
the
waning
daylight
and
the
dull
lamp
,
and
so
on
through
the
night
,
until
my
mind
became
the
soul
's
jetsam
.
Then
I
procured
four
very
large
wax
candles
,
and
lit
them
at
the
head
of
the
bed
,
two
on
each
side
,
and
spread
a
long
white
cloth
between
,
as
if
my
father
were
lying
in
state
;
and
hung
a
row
of
shorter
lights
above
,
to
illuminate
the
letters
of
blood
.
Then
I
took
a
small
alarum
clock
,
given
me
by
dear
father
,
that
I
might
rise
for
early
walks
with
him
,
and
set
it
upon
a
chest
by
the
door
,
and
fixed
it
so
as
to
ring
five
minutes
before
the
hour
at
which
the
murder
befell
.
A
cold
presentiment
crawled
through
me
that
,
at
the
fatal
time
,
I
should
see
the
assassin
.
After
all
these
arrangements
I
took
my
volume
again
,
and
sat
in
the
shade
of
the
curtain
,
with
a
strong
light
on
the
page
.
I
was
deep
in
some
horrible
record
,
and
creeping
with
terror
and
hope
,
when
the
clear
bell
rang
a
long
and
startling
peal
.
I
leaped
up
,
like
one
shot
through
the
heart
,
and
what
I
did
was
without
design
or
purpose
.
My
glance
fell
on
the
dagger
;
I
caught
it
up
,
and
snatched
the
lamp
,
and
hurried
down
corridor
and
staircase
,
straight
to
my
guardian
's
private
room
.
He
was
sitting
at
the
table
,
for
he
never
passed
that
night
in
bed
.
At
the
sound
of
the
lock
he
leaped
up
,
and
pointed
a
pistol
,
then
hid
it
.
Straight
up
to
him
I
went
,
as
swiftly
and
quietly
as
a
spirit
,
and
spoke
:
"
Seven
years
ago
,
at
this
very
moment
,
my
father
was
killed
.
Do
you
know
this
dagger
?
"
He
started
back
,
as
if
I
had
stabbed
him
with
it
,
then
covered
his
eyes
with
both
hands
.
"
You
know
it
,
then
?
"
I
said
,
with
a
triumph
chill
all
over
me
.
"
It
was
your
hand
that
used
it
.
"
Another
moment
,
and
I
should
have
struck
him
with
it
.
I
lifted
it
in
my
frenzy
;
when
he
looked
at
me
by
some
wonderful
effort
,
calmly
,
steadily
,
even
coldly
.
"
Yes
,
"
he
said
,
"
I
have
seen
that
weapon
before
.
Alas
my
poor
dear
brother
!
"
Whether
it
was
true
feeling
that
made
his
voice
so
low
and
deep
,
or
only
fierce
self-control
,
I
knew
not
then
,
nor
tried
to
think
.
"
You
know
who
owned
it
?
"
I
asked
,
with
my
life
upon
his
answer
.
"
Yes
.
I
know
who
owned
it
once
;
but
many
years
ago
.
And
I
know
not
in
the
least
what
is
become
of
him
now
.
"
The
baffled
fury
and
prostrate
hope
—
for
at
the
moment
I
fully
believed
him
—
were
too
much
for
my
reeling
brain
and
fasting
body
.
For
one
minute
's
command
of
my
faculties
,
I
would
have
sold
them
for
ever
;
but
I
felt
them
ebbing
from
me
,
as
the
life
does
from
a
wound
.
The
hemispheres
of
my
brain
were
parting
one
from
the
other
,
and
a
grey
void
spreading
between
them
.
I
tried
to
think
,
but
could
not
.
I
strove
to
say
anything
,
but
failed
.
Fainter
and
fainter
grew
the
room
,
the
lamp
,
the
ceiling
,
the
face
at
which
I
tried
to
look
.
Things
went
to
and
fro
with
a
quicker
quiver
,
like
flame
in
the
wind
,
then
,
round
and
round
like
whirling
water
;
my
mouth
grew
stiff
,
and
the
tongue
between
my
teeth
felt
like
a
glove
;
and
with
a
rush
of
sound
in
my
brain
and
throat
,
and
a
scream
pent
up
,
yet
bursting
,
I
fell
,
as
I
thought
,
through
the
earth
.
I
was
only
on
the
floor
,
in
a
fit
.
When
I
came
to
myself
,
I
was
in
my
own
bed
,
and
my
own
dear
mother
bending
over
me
,
pale
,
and
haggard
,
and
full
of
tears
.
The
broad
daylight
was
around
us
,
and
the
faint
sunshine
on
her
face
.
She
had
been
with
me
ever
since
.
In
my
weakness
,
I
looked
up
at
her
with
a
pang
of
self-reproach
,
to
think
how
little
I
had
valued
her
love
;
and
I
vowed
to
myself
to
make
up
for
it
by
future
care
and
devotion
.
That
violent
convulsion
,
and
the
illness
after
it
,
changed
me
not
a
little
both
in
mind
and
body
.
CHAPTER
XI
.
It
was
indeed
high
time
for
me
to
cherish
my
mother
.
Her
pain
at
leaving
the
place
where
she
had
known
her
little
all
of
happiness
—
for
her
childhood
had
been
overcast
with
trouble
—
her
pain
was
so
acute
and
overpowering
that
all
my
deep
impassioned
feelings
sunk
reproved
before
it
.
My
guardian
now
seemed
much
embittered
against
me
,
and
anxious
for
our
departure
.
He
came
once
or
twice
,
in
my
illness
,
to
ask
for
and
to
see
me
;
and
he
brought
back
,
unperceived
by
any
one
,
the
weapon
for
which
I
raved
.
But
ere
I
was
quite
recovered
,
he
wrote
,
requesting
to
see
me
on
business
in
his
study
.
I
could
not
speak
yet
without
pain
,
having
bitten
my
tongue
severely
.
"
Your
mother
shall
have
a
home
here
,
"
he
said
,
"
as
long
as
ever
she
wants
one
;
but
as
for
you
,
malignant
or
mad
,
I
will
try
no
more
to
soften
you
.
When
first
I
saw
you
in
your
early
childhood
,
you
flew
at
me
as
a
murderer
.
Soon
after
you
ransacked
my
cupboards
and
stole
my
boots
,
to
compare
them
with
some
impressions
or
casts
you
kept
.
Yes
,
you
look
astonished
.
I
never
told
you
of
it
,
but
I
knew
it
for
all
that
.
Of
those
absurdities
I
thought
little
,
for
I
regarded
them
as
the
follies
of
a
mad
child
,
and
I
pitied
you
deeply
,
and
even
liked
you
for
your
filial
devotion
.
But
now
I
find
that
you
have
grown
up
in
the
same
belief
,
and
you
dare
even
now
to
avow
it
.
You
know
that
I
have
no
fear
of
you
.
"
"
Then
why
had
you
got
that
pistol
?
"
I
saw
that
he
was
vexed
and
surprised
at
my
having
perceived
it
.
"
In
a
house
like
this
,
where
such
deeds
have
been
done
,
I
think
it
right
to
be
armed
.
Do
you
think
if
I
had
feared
you
,
or
your
evidence
,
I
would
have
restored
that
dagger
?
"
"
Whose
was
it
?
"
"
I
told
you
the
other
night
that
I
once
saw
a
weapon
like
it
,
for
which
at
first
I
mistook
it
,
but
closer
examination
convinced
me
of
the
difference
.
"
"
How
does
it
differ
?
"
"
In
this
.
There
was
no
snake
on
the
handle
of
the
other
,
though
there
was
the
cross
on
the
blade
.
"
"
And
where
did
you
see
the
other
?
"
"
Some
day
I
will
tell
you
.
It
is
not
right
to
do
so
now
.
"
"
Not
convenient
to
you
,
I
suppose
you
mean
.
"
"
I
have
also
shown
you
that
the
lock
of
hair
found
in
your
poor
mother
's
hand
is
much
finer
and
more
silky
than
mine
;
and
you
know
that
I
cannot
draw
on
my
foot
a
boot
so
small
as
the
one
whose
impression
you
have
.
But
I
am
ashamed
of
myself
for
having
stooped
to
such
proofs
as
these
.
Dare
you
to
look
at
me
and
suppose
that
I
with
my
own
hand
could
have
stabbed
my
brother
,
a
brother
so
kind
and
good
to
me
,
and
for
whose
sake
alone
I
have
borne
so
long
with
you
?
"
He
tried
to
look
me
down
.
I
have
met
but
one
whose
gaze
could
master
mine
;
and
he
was
not
that
one
.
"
So
,
you
doubt
me
still
?
Are
your
things
packed
?
'
"
Yes
,
and
my
mother
's
.
"
"
Then
if
your
mother
is
well
enough
,
and
will
not
let
you
leave
her
,
you
had
better
go
next
week
.
"
"
No
,
"
I
replied
,
"
we
will
go
to-morrow
.
"
"
Wilful
to
the
last
.
So
be
it
.
Take
this
;
you
cannot
refuse
it
in
duty
to
your
mother
.
"
He
put
in
my
hand
an
order
for
a
large
sum
of
money
.
I
threw
it
into
the
fire
.
"
There
have
been
criminals
,
"
I
exclaimed
,
"
who
have
suffered
from
a
life-long
fear
,
lest
the
widow
and
orphans
,
starved
through
their
crime
,
should
compass
their
dying
bed
.
Though
we
starve
in
a
garret
,
we
touch
no
bread
of
yours
.
"
"
Bravo
,
Miss
Melodrame
.
You
need
never
starve
in
the
present
state
of
the
stage
.
"
"
That
I
do
n't
understand
;
but
this
I
do
.
It
is
perhaps
the
last
time
I
shall
ever
see
you
living
.
Whether
you
did
that
deed
or
not
is
known
to
God
,
and
you
,
and
possibly
one
other
.
But
whether
you
did
it
or
not
,
I
know
it
is
on
your
soul
.
Your
days
are
wretched
,
your
nights
are
troubled
.
You
shall
die
as
your
brother
died
,
but
not
so
prepared
for
death
.
"
"
Good
bye
,
Clara
.
My
lunch
is
coming
up
.
"
God
has
much
to
forgive
me
,
but
nothing
worse
than
the
dark
thought
of
that
speech
.
In
my
fury
at
weakness
in
such
a
cause
,
I
had
dared
sometimes
to
imagine
that
my
mother
knew
him
to
be
the
murderer
,
but
concealed
it
for
the
sake
of
the
family
honour
!
CHAPTER
XII
.
No
need
to
recount
my
bitter
farewell
to
all
the
scenes
and
objects
I
had
loved
so
long
,
to
all
which
possessed
a
dark
yet
tender
interest
,
and
most
of
all
to
my
father
's
grave
.
That
some
attention
might
still
be
paid
to
this
,
I
entrusted
it
to
the
care
of
an
old
housekeeper
of
ours
,
who
was
living
in
the
village
.
My
last
visit
was
in
the
moonlight
,
and
dear
mother
was
there
.
I
carried
rather
than
led
her
away
.
Slight
as
my
knowledge
has
been
of
lightsome
and
happy
love
,
I
am
sure
that
a
sombre
affection
is
far
the
stronger
and
sweeter
.
As
we
began
our
journey
,
a
crowd
of
the
villagers
met
us
beyond
the
lodge
,
and
lined
the
Gloucester
road
as
far
as
the
old
oak-tree
.
While
our
hired
conveyance
passed
between
them
,
the
men
stood
mute
with
their
hats
in
their
hands
,
the
women
sobbed
and
curtseyed
,
and
blessed
us
,
and
held
up
their
children
to
look
at
us
.
Our
refuge
was
the
small
estate
or
farm
in
Devonshire
,
which
I
have
mentioned
as
my
mother
's
property
.
This
,
which
produced
£
45
a-year
,
was
all
that
now
remained
to
us
,
except
a
sum
of
£
1
,
000
left
to
me
by
a
godfather
,
and
of
which
I
could
not
touch
the
principal
.
The
residue
of
the
personalty
,
and
the
balance
at
the
banker
's
,
we
had
refused
to
take
,
being
assured
that
legally
we
were
responsible
to
Mr.
Vaughan
,
even
for
the
back
rents
of
the
Gloucestershire
estate
.
Of
course
we
had
plenty
of
jewellery
,
some
of
it
rather
valuable
,
but
the
part
most
precious
was
heirloom
,
and
that
we
had
left
behind
.
Most
of
our
own
had
been
my
father
's
gift
,
and
therefore
we
could
not
bear
to
sell
it
.
As
regarded
myself
,
this
comparative
poverty
was
not
of
very
great
moment
,
except
as
impairing
my
means
of
search
;
but
for
my
mother
's
sake
I
was
cut
to
the
heart
,
and
lost
in
perplexity
.
She
had
so
long
been
accustomed
to
much
attention
and
many
luxuries
,
which
her
weak
health
had
made
indispensable
to
her
.
Thomas
Henwood
and
poor
Ann
Maples
insisted
on
following
our
fortunes
,
at
one
third
of
their
previous
wages
.
My
mother
thought
it
beyond
our
means
to
keep
them
even
so
;
but
for
her
sake
I
resolved
to
try
.
I
need
not
say
that
I
carried
all
my
relics
,
difficult
as
it
was
to
hide
them
from
my
mother
.
When
we
reached
our
new
home
,
late
in
the
evening
of
the
second
day
,
a
full
sense
of
our
privation
for
the
first
time
broke
upon
us
.
It
was
mid-winter
,
and
in
the
gloom
of
a
foggy
night
,
and
after
the
weariness
of
a
long
journey
,
our
impressions
were
truly
dismal
.
Jolted
endlessly
up
and
down
by
ruts
a
foot
deep
and
slaty
stones
the
size
of
coal-scuttles
,
entombed
alive
betwixt
grisly
hedges
which
met
above
us
like
the
wings
of
night
,
then
obliged
to
walk
up
treadmill
hills
while
the
rickety
fly
crawled
up
behind
;
then
again
plunging
and
lurching
down
some
corkscrew
steep
to
the
perpetual
wood
and
rushing
stream
at
the
bottom
;
at
length
and
at
last
along
a
lane
so
narrow
that
it
scraped
us
on
both
sides
as
we
passed
,
a
lane
which
zig-zagged
every
thirty
yards
with
a
tree-bole
jutting
at
every
corner
,
at
length
and
at
last
we
came
to
the
farmyard
gate
.
It
was
not
far
from
the
lonely
village
of
Trentisoe
,
which
lies
some
six
miles
to
the
west
of
Lynmouth
.
This
part
is
little
known
to
London
tourists
,
though
it
possesses
scenery
of
a
rarer
kind
than
Lynmouth
itself
can
show
.
Passing
through
an
outer
court
,
with
a
saw-pit
on
one
side
and
what
they
call
a
"
linhay
"
on
the
other
,
and
where
a
slop
of
straw
and
"
muck
"
quelched
under
the
wheels
,
we
came
next
to
the
farmyard
proper
,
and
so
(
as
the
flyman
expressed
it
)
"
home
to
ouze
.
"
The
"
ouze
"
was
a
low
straggling
cottage
,
jag-thatched
,
and
heavy-eaved
,
and
reminded
me
strongly
of
ragged
wet
horse-cloths
on
a
rack
.
The
farmer
was
not
come
home
from
Ilfracombe
market
,
but
his
wife
,
Mrs.
Honor
Huxtable
,
soon
appeared
in
the
porch
,
with
a
bucket
in
one
hand
and
a
candle
stuck
in
a
turnip
in
the
other
.
In
the
cross-lights
,
we
saw
a
stout
short
woman
,
brisk
and
comely
,
with
an
amazing
cap
,
and
cheeks
like
the
apples
which
they
call
in
Devonshire
"
hoary
mornings
.
"
"
A
massy
on
us
,
Zuke
,
"
she
called
into
the
house
,
"
if
here
bai
n't
the
genelvolks
coom
,
and
us
be
arl
of
a
muck
!
Hum
,
cheel
,
hum
for
thee
laife
to
the
calves
'
ouze
,
and
toorn
out
both
the
pegs
,
and
take
the
pick
to
the
strah
,
and
gie
un
a
veed
o
'
wets
.
"
Having
thus
provided
for
our
horse
,
she
advanced
to
us
.
"
So
,
ye
be
coom
at
last
!
I
be
crule
glad
to
zee
e
,
zure
enough
.
Baint
e
starved
amost
!
An
unkid
place
it
be
for
the
laikes
of
you
.
"
So
saying
,
she
hurried
us
into
the
house
,
and
set
us
before
a
wood-fire
all
glowing
upon
the
ground
,
beneath
an
enormous
chimney
podded
with
great
pots
and
crocks
hung
on
things
like
saws
.
These
pots
,
like
Devonshire
hospitality
,
were
always
boiling
and
chirping
.
The
kitchen
was
low
,
and
floored
with
lime
and
sand
,
which
was
worn
into
pits
such
as
boys
use
for
marbles
;
but
the
great
feature
was
the
ceiling
.
This
was
divided
by
deep
rafters
into
four
compartments
lengthwise
.
Across
some
of
these
,
battens
of
wood
were
nailed
,
forming
a
series
of
racks
,
wherein
reposed
at
least
a
stye-ful
of
bacon
.
Herbs
and
stores
of
many
kinds
,
and
ropes
of
onions
dangled
between
.
Mrs.
Huxtable
went
to
the
dresser
,
and
got
a
large
dish
,
and
then
turned
round
to
have
a
good
look
at
us
.
"
Poor
leddy
,
"
she
said
gently
,
"
I
sim
her
's
turble
weist
and
low
.
But
look
e
zee
,
there
be
a
plenty
of
bakken
yanner
,
and
us
'll
cut
a
peg
's
drort
to-morrow
,
and
Varmer
Badcock
'
ll
zend
we
a
ship
,
by
rason
ourn
be
all
a'lambing
.
"
Then
she
turned
to
me
.
"
Whai
,
Miss
,
you
looks
crule
unkid
tu
.
Do
e
love
zider
?
"
"
No
,
Mrs.
Huxtable
.
Not
very
much
.
I
would
rather
have
water
.
"
"
Oh
drat
that
wash
,
e
sha
n't
have
none
of
thiccy
.
Us
has
got
a
brown
gearge
of
beer
,
and
more
nor
a
dizzen
pans
of
mulk
and
crame
.
"
Her
chattering
warmth
soon
put
us
at
our
ease
;
and
as
soon
as
the
parlour
fire
burnt
up
,
she
showed
us
with
many
apologies
,
and
"
hopping
no
offence
"
the
room
which
was
thenceforth
to
be
ours
.
After
tea
,
I
put
my
dear
mother
to
bed
as
soon
as
possible
,
and
sat
by
the
dying
fire
to
muse
upon
our
prospects
.
Not
the
strangeness
of
the
place
,
the
new
ideas
around
me
,
not
even
my
weariness
after
railroad
,
coach
,
and
chaise
,
could
keep
my
mind
from
its
one
subject
.
In
fact
,
its
colour
had
now
become
its
form
.
To
others
indeed
,
all
hope
of
ever
detecting
and
bringing
to
justice
the
man
,
for
whose
death
I
lived
,
might
seem
to
grow
fainter
and
fainter
.
Expelled
from
that
place
,
and
banished
from
those
recollections
,
where
,
and
by
which
alone
,
I
could
well
expect
ever
to
wind
up
my
clue
,
robbed
of
all
means
of
moving
indifferent
persons
and
retaining
strong
ones
;
and
,
more
than
this
,
engrossed
(
as
I
must
henceforth
be
)
in
keeping
debt
at
bay
,
and
shielding
my
mother
from
care
—
what
prospect
was
there
,
nay
what
possibility
,
that
I
a
weak
unaided
girl
,
led
only
by
set
will
and
fatalism
,
should
ever
overtake
and
grasp
a
man
of
craft
,
and
power
,
and
desperation
?
It
mattered
not
:
let
other
things
be
doubtful
,
unlikely
,
or
impossible
;
let
the
hands
of
men
be
clenched
against
me
,
and
the
ears
of
heaven
be
stopped
;
let
the
earth
be
spread
with
thick
darkness
,
as
the
waters
are
spread
with
earth
,
and
the
murderer
set
Sahara
between
us
,
or
turn
hermit
on
the
Andes
;
happen
what
would
,
so
God
were
still
above
us
,
and
the
world
beneath
our
feet
—
I
was
as
sure
that
I
should
send
that
man
from
the
one
to
the
throne
of
the
other
,
as
he
was
sure
to
be
dragged
away
thence
,
to
fire
,
and
chains
,
and
gnashing
of
teeth
.
CHAPTER
XIII
.
So
impulsive
,
kind-hearted
,
and
honest
was
Mrs.
Huxtable
,
that
we
could
always
tell
what
was
the
next
thing
she
was
going
to
say
or
do
.
Even
at
her
meals
she
contrived
to
be
in
a
bustle
,
except
on
Sundays
;
but
she
got
through
a
great
deal
of
work
.
On
Sundays
she
put
on
,
with
her
best
gown
,
an
air
of
calm
dignity
which
made
her
unhappy
until
it
was
off
,
which
it
was
directly
after
the
evening
service
.
She
seemed
a
very
sensible
woman
,
and
whatever
the
merits
of
the
case
she
sided
always
with
the
weakest
.
The
next
morning
we
asked
how
it
was
she
appeared
not
to
expect
us
,
as
I
had
written
and
posted
the
letter
myself
on
the
previous
Saturday
.
"
For
sure
now
,
"
she
replied
,
"
and
the
papper
scrawl
coom
'd
on
Monday
;
but
us
bai
n't
girt
scholards
,
and
Varmer
said
most
like
'
twas
the
Queen
's
taxes
,
for
there
was
her
head
upon
it
;
so
us
put
un
in
the
big
mortar
till
Beany
Dawe
should
come
over
,
or
us
should
go
to
church
next
Zunday
,
and
passon
would
discoorse
it
for
us
.
But
"
—
and
off
she
ran
—
"
But
her
belongs
to
you
now
,
Miss
Clerer
,
seeing
as
how
you
've
coom
after
un
.
"
So
they
had
only
a
general
idea
that
we
were
coming
,
and
knew
not
when
it
would
be
.
The
following
day
,
Thomas
Henwood
arrived
,
bringing
our
boxes
in
a
vehicle
called
a
"
butt
,
"
which
is
a
short
and
rudely
made
cart
,
used
chiefly
for
carrying
lime
.
After
unpacking
our
few
embellishments
,
we
set
up
a
clumsy
but
comfortable
sofa
for
my
mother
,
and
tried
to
divert
her
sadness
a
little
by
many
a
shift
and
device
to
garnish
our
narrow
realm
.
We
removed
the
horrible
print
of
"
Death
and
the
Lady
,
"
which
was
hung
above
the
chimneypiece
,
and
sundry
daubs
of
our
Lord
and
the
Apostles
,
and
a
woman
of
Samaria
with
a
French
parasol
,
and
Eli
falling
from
a
turnpike
gate
over
the
Great
Western
steamer
.
But
these
alterations
were
not
made
without
some
wistful
glances
from
poor
Mrs.
Huxtable
.
At
last
,
when
I
began
to
nail
up
a
simple
sketch
of
the
church
at
Vaughan
St.
Mary
instead
of
a
noble
representation
of
the
Prodigal
Son
,
wearing
a
white
hat
with
a
pipe
stuck
under
the
riband
,
and
weeping
into
a
handkerchief
with
some
horse
upon
it
,
the
good
dame
could
no
longer
repress
her
feelings
.
"
Whai
,
Miss
Clerer
,
Miss
,
dear
art
alaive
,
cheel
,
what
be
'
bout
?
Them
's
the
smartest
picters
anywhere
this
saide
of
Coorn
.
Varmer
gied
a
pan
of
hogs
'
puddens
for
they
,
and
a
Chainey
taypot
and
a
Zunday
pair
of
corderahoys
.
Why
them
'll
shaine
with
the
zun
on
'
um
,
laike
a
vield
of
poppies
and
charlock
.
But
thic
smarl
pokey
papper
of
yourn
ha'ant
no
more
colour
nor
the
track
of
a
marly
scrarly
.
A
massy
on
us
if
I
could
n't
walk
a
better
picter
than
thic
,
with
my
pattens
on
in
the
zider
squash
.
"
To
argue
with
such
a
connoisseur
would
have
been
worse
than
useless
;
so
I
pacified
her
by
hanging
the
rejected
gems
in
her
own
little
summer
room
by
the
dairy
.
Our
parlour
began
before
long
to
look
neat
and
even
comfortable
.
Of
course
the
furniture
was
rough
,
but
I
care
not
much
for
upholstery
,
and
am
quite
rude
of
French
polish
.
My
only
fear
was
lest
the
damp
from
the
lime-ash
floor
should
strike
to
my
dear
mother
's
feet
,
through
the
scanty
drugget
which
covered
it
.
The
fire-place
was
bright
and
quaint
,
lined
with
old
Dutch
tiles
,
and
the
grey-washed
walls
were
less
offensive
to
the
eye
than
would
have
been
a
paper
chosen
by
good
Mrs.
Huxtable
.
The
pretty
lattice
window
,
budding
even
now
with
woodbine
,
and
impudent
to
the
winds
with
myrtle
,
would
have
made
amends
for
the
meanest
room
in
England
.
Before
it
lay
a
simple
garden
with
sparry
walks
and
bright-thatched
hives
,
and
down
a
dingle
rich
with
trees
and
a
crystal
stream
,
it
caught
a
glimpse
of
the
Bristol
Channel
.
CHAPTER
XIV
.
When
our
things
were
nearly
settled
,
and
I
was
sitting
by
myself
,
with
dirty
hands
and
covered
with
dust
,
there
came
a
little
timid
tap
at
the
door
,
followed
by
a
shuffling
outside
,
as
if
some
one
contemplated
flight
,
yet
feared
to
fly
.
Opening
the
door
,
I
was
surprised
to
find
the
child
whom
I
expected
a
massive
figure
,
some
six
feet
and
a
quarter
high
,
and
I
know
not
how
many
feet
in
width
,
but
wide
enough
to
fill
the
entire
passage
.
He
made
a
doubtful
step
in
advance
,
till
his
great
open-hearted
face
hung
sheepishly
above
my
head
.
"
Have
I
the
pleasure
of
seeing
Mr.
Huxtable
?
"
I
asked
.
"
Ees
'
um
,
"
he
stammered
,
blushing
like
a
beet-root
,
"
leastways
Miss
,
I
ort
to
zay
,
no
plasure
'
um
to
the
laikes
of
thee
,
but
a
honour
to
ai
.
Varmer
Uxtable
they
karls
me
round
about
these
'
ere
parts
,
and
some
on
'
em
Varmer
Jan
,
and
Beany
Dawe
,
he
karl
me
'
Varmer
Brak-plew-harnish
,
as
tosses
arl
they
Garnish
,
'
and
a
dale
he
think
of
his
potry
as
it
please
God
to
give
'
un
:
but
Maister
,
may
be
,
is
the
riglar
thing
,
leastways
you
knows
best
,
Miss.
"
"
Danged
if
I
can
coom
to
discourse
with
girt
folks
nohow
,
no
more
nor
a
sto-un
.
"
This
was
an
"
aside
,
"
but
audible
a
long
way
off
,
as
they
always
are
on
the
stage
.
"
But
I
am
a
very
small
folk
,
Mr.
Huxtable
,
compared
at
least
with
you
.
"
"
I
humbly
ax
your
parding
,
Miss
,
but
ai
did
n't
goo
for
to
be
zuch
a
beg
,
nockety
,
sprarling
zort
of
a
chap
.
I
did
n't
goo
for
to
do
it
nohow
.
Reckon
'
twar
my
moother
's
valt
,
her
were
always
draining
of
hayricks
.
"
This
also
was
an
"
aside
.
"
"
Come
in
,
"
I
said
,
"
I
am
very
glad
to
see
you
,
and
so
will
my
mother
be
.
"
"
Noo
!
Be
e
now
?
Be
e
though
undade
,
my
dear
?
"
he
asked
with
the
truest
and
finest
smile
I
ever
saw
:
and
I
felt
ashamed
in
front
of
the
strong
simplicity
which
took
my
conventional
words
for
heart
's
truth
.
"
Them
's
the
best
words
,
"
he
continued
"
as
ai
'
ve
'
eered
this
many
a
dai
;
for
ai
'll
be
danged
if
ever
a
loi
could
coom
from
unner
such
eyes
as
yourn
.
"
And
thereupon
he
took
my
puny
weak
hand
in
his
rough
iron
palm
,
like
an
almond
in
the
nut-crackers
,
and
examined
it
with
pitying
wonder
.
"
Wull
,
wull
!
some
hands
be
made
for
mulking
coos
,
and
some
be
made
of
the
crame
itself
.
Now
there
could
n't
be
such
a
purty
thing
as
this
ere
,
unless
it
wor
to
snow
war'rm
.
But
her
bai
n't
no
kaind
of
gude
for
rarstling
?
and
ai
be
aveared
thee
'll
have
to
rarstle
a
rare
bout
wi
the
world
,
my
dearie
:
one
down
,
tother
coom
on
,
that
be
the
wai
of
'
un
.
"
"
Oh
,
I
am
not
afraid
,
Mr.
Huxtable
.
"
He
took
some
time
to
meditate
upon
this
,
and
shook
his
head
when
he
had
finished
.
"
Noo
,
thee
bai
n't
aveard
yet
I
'll
warr'ne
.
Gude
art
alaive
,
if
e
bai
n't
a
spurrity
maid
.
But
if
ere
a
chap
zays
the
black
word
on
e
—
and
thiccy
's
the
taime
when
a
maid
ca
n't
help
herzell
,
then
ony
you
karl
Jan
Uxtable
that
's
arl
my
dear
,
and
if
so
be
it
's
in
the
dead
hoor
of
the
naight
,
and
thee
beest
to
tother
zaide
of
Hexymoor
,
ai
'll
be
by
the
zaide
of
thee
zooner
nor
ai
could
thraw
a
vorehip
.
"
Before
I
could
thank
him
for
his
honest
championship
my
mother
entered
the
room
,
and
all
his
bashfulness
(
lost
for
the
moment
in
the
pride
of
strength
)
came
over
him
again
like
an
extinguisher
.
Although
he
did
not
tremble
—
his
nerves
were
too
firm
for
that
—
he
stood
fumbling
with
his
hat
,
and
reddening
,
and
looking
vaguely
about
,
at
a
loss
where
to
put
his
eyes
or
anything
else
.
My
mother
,
quite
worn
out
with
her
morning
's
walk
,
surprised
at
her
uncouth
visitor
,
and
frightened
perhaps
at
his
bulk
,
sank
on
our
new-fangled
sofa
,
in
a
stupor
of
weakness
.
Then
it
was
strange
and
fine
to
see
the
strong
man
's
sense
of
her
feeble
state
.
All
his
embarrassment
vanished
at
once
;
he
saw
there
was
something
to
do
;
and
a
look
of
deep
interest
quickened
his
great
blue
eyes
.
Poising
his
heavy
frame
with
the
lightness
of
a
bird
,
he
stepped
to
her
side
as
if
the
floor
had
been
holy
,
and
,
scarcely
touching
her
,
contrived
to
arrange
the
rude
cushions
,
and
to
lay
her
delicate
head
in
an
easy
position
,
as
a
nurse
composes
a
child
.
All
the
while
,
his
looks
and
manner
expressed
so
much
feeling
and
gentleness
,
that
he
must
have
known
what
it
was
to
lose
a
daughter
or
mother
.
"
Poor
dear
leddy
,
"
he
whispered
to
me
,
"
her
be
used
to
zummut
more
plum
nor
thiccy
,
I
reckon
.
Her
zimth
crule
weist
and
low
laike
.
Hath
her
been
long
in
that
there
wai
?
"
"
Yes
,
she
has
long
been
weak
and
poorly
;
but
I
fear
that
her
health
has
been
growing
worse
for
the
last
few
months
.
"
I
could
n't
help
crying
a
little
;
and
I
could
n't
help
his
seeing
it
.
"
Dang
thee
,
Jan
Uxtable
,
for
a
doilish
girt
zinny
.
Now
doon
e
tak
on
so
,
Miss
;
doon
e
,
that
's
a
dear
.
Avore
her
's
been
here
a
wake
,
her
'll
be
as
peart
as
a
gladdy
.
There
bai
n't
in
arl
they
furren
parts
no
place
the
laike
of
this
ere
to
make
a
body
ston
upraight
.
The
braze
cooms
off
o
Hexymoor
as
frash
as
a
young
coolt
,
and
up
from
the
zay
as
swate
as
the
breath
of
a
coo
on
the
clover
,
and
he
'll
zit
on
your
chake
the
zame
as
a
dove
on
her
nestie
;
and
ye
'll
be
so
hearty
the
both
on
ye
,
that
ye
'll
karl
for
taties
and
heggs
and
crame
and
inyons
avore
e
be
hout
of
bed
.
Ee
's
fai
ye
wull
.
"
With
this
homely
comfort
he
departed
,
after
a
cheering
glance
at
my
mother
.
Before
I
proceed
,
the
Homeric
epithet
"
Break-plough-harness
,
"
applied
by
the
poet
to
Mr.
Huxtable
,
needs
some
explanation
.
It
appears
that
the
farmer
,
in
some
convivial
hour
(
for
at
other
times
he
detested
vaunting
)
,
had
laid
a
wager
that
he
and
Timothy
Badcock
,
his
farm-labourer
,
would
plough
half
an
acre
of
land
,
"
wiout
no
beastessy
in
the
falde
.
"
Now
,
it
happened
that
the
Parracombe
blacksmith
had
lately
been
at
Barnstaple
,
and
there
had
seen
a
man
who
had
heard
of
ploughing
by
steam
.
So
when
the
farmer
's
undertaking
got
noised
abroad
and
magnified
,
all
Exmoor
assembled
to
witness
the
exploit
,
wondering
,
trembling
,
and
wrathful
.
Benches
and
tables
were
set
in
the
"
higher
Barton
,
"
a
nice
piece
of
mealy
land
,
just
at
the
back
of
the
house
,
while
Suke
and
Mrs.
Huxtable
plied
the
cider-barrel
for
the
yeomen
of
the
neighbourhood
.
The
farmer
himself
was
not
visible
—
no
plough
or
ploughing
tackle
of
any
description
appeared
,
and
a
rumour
began
to
spread
that
the
whole
affair
was
a
hoax
,
and
the
contriver
afraid
to
show
himself
.
But
as
people
began
to
talk
of
"
sending
for
the
constable
"
(
who
,
of
course
was
there
all
the
time
)
,
and
as
cart-whips
and
knob-sticks
began
to
vibrate
ominously
,
Mrs.
Huxtable
made
a
signal
to
Mr.
Dawe
,
who
led
off
the
grumbling
throng
to
the
further
end
of
the
field
,
where
an
old
rick-cloth
lay
along
against
the
hedge
.
While
the
tilting
was
moved
aside
,
the
bold
sons
of
Exmoor
shrunk
back
,
expecting
some
horrible
monster
,
whose
smoke
was
already
puffing
.
All
they
saw
was
a
one-horse
plough
with
the
farmer
,
in
full
harness
,
sitting
upon
it
and
smoking
his
pipe
,
and
Timothy
Badcock
patiently
standing
at
the
plough-tail
.
Amid
a
loud
hurrah
from
his
friends
,
Mr.
Huxtable
leaped
to
the
fore
,
and
cast
his
pipe
over
the
hedge
;
then
settled
the
breast-band
across
the
wrestling-pads
on
his
chest
,
and
drew
tight
both
the
chain-traces
.
"
Gee
wugg
now
,
if
e
wull
,
"
cried
stout
Tim
Badcock
cheerily
,
and
off
sailed
the
good
ship
of
husbandly
,
cleaving
a
deep
bright
furrow
.
But
when
they
reached
the
corner
,
the
farmer
turned
too
sharply
,
and
snapped
the
off-side
trace
.
That
accident
impressed
the
multitude
with
a
deeper
sense
of
his
prowess
than
even
the
striking
success
which
attended
his
primitive
method
of
speeding
the
plough
.
To
return
to
my
mother
.
As
spring
came
on
,
and
the
beautiful
country
around
us
freshened
and
took
green
life
from
the
balmy
air
,
I
even
ventured
to
hope
that
the
good
yeoman
's
words
would
be
true
.
He
had
become
,
by
this
time
,
a
great
friend
of
ours
,
doing
his
utmost
that
we
might
not
feel
the
loss
of
our
faithful
Thomas
Henwood
.
Poor
Thomas
had
been
very
loth
to
depart
;
but
I
found
,
as
we
got
settled
,
that
my
mother
ceased
to
want
him
,
and
it
would
have
been
wrong
as
well
as
foolish
to
keep
him
any
longer
.
He
invested
his
savings
in
a
public-house
at
Gloucester
,
which
he
called
the
"
Vaughan
Arms
,
"
and
soon
afterwards
married
Jane
Hiatt
,
a
daughter
of
our
head
game-keeper
;
or
I
ought
to
say
,
Mr.
Vaughan
's
.
Ann
Maples
remained
with
us
still
.
We
lived
,
as
may
be
supposed
,
in
the
most
retired
manner
.
My
time
was
chiefly
occupied
in
attendance
upon
dear
mother
,
and
in
attempts
to
create
for
her
some
of
those
countless
comforts
,
whose
value
we
know
not
until
they
are
lost
.
After
breakfast
,
my
mother
would
read
for
an
hour
her
favourite
parts
of
Scripture
,
and
vainly
endeavour
to
lead
me
into
the
paths
of
peace
.
Her
soul
discarded
more
and
more
the
travel
garb
and
wayfaring
troubles
of
this
lower
existence
,
as
,
day
by
day
,
it
won
a
nearer
view
of
the
golden
gate
,
and
the
glories
beyond
;
with
which
I
have
seen
her
eyes
suffused
,
like
the
lucid
heaven
with
sunrise
.
It
has
been
said
,
and
I
believe
,
that
there
is
nothing
,
in
all
our
material
world
,
so
lovely
as
a
fair
woman
looking
on
high
for
the
angels
she
knows
to
be
waiting
for
her
.
Even
I
,
though
looking
in
an
opposite
direction
,
and
for
an
opposite
being
,
could
not
but
admire
that
gentle
meekness
,
whose
absence
formed
the
main
fault
of
my
character
.
Not
that
I
was
hard-hearted
,
or
cross
,
(
unless
self-love
deceives
me
)
,
but
restless
yearning
and
hatred
were
ever
at
work
within
me
;
and
these
repel
things
of
a
milder
nature
,
as
a
bullet
cries
tush
to
the
zephyr
.
CHAPTER
XV
.
One
cold
day
in
March
,
when
winter
had
come
to
say
"
good-bye
"
with
a
roar
,
after
wheeling
the
sofa
with
my
mother
upon
it
towards
the
parlour
fire
,
I
went
out
to
refresh
my
spirit
in
the
kitchen
with
Mrs.
Huxtable
,
and
to
"
yat
myself
"
(
for
the
sofa
took
all
the
parlour
fire
)
by
the
fragrant
hearth
of
wood
and
furze
.
The
farmer
's
wife
was
"
larning
"
me
some
strange
words
of
her
native
dialect
,
which
I
was
now
desirous
to
"
discoorse
,
"
and
which
she
declared
to
be
"
the
only
vitty
talk
.
Arl
the
lave
of
thiccy
stoof
,
zame
as
the
Carnishers
and
the
Zummersets
and
the
Lunnoners
tulls
up
,
arl
thiccy
's
no
more
nor
a
passel
of
gibbersh
,
Miss
Clerer
,
and
not
vitty
atarl
;
noo
,
nor
English
nother
.
Instead
of
zaying
'
ai
'
laike
a
Kirsten
,
zome
on
em
zays
'
oi
,
'
and
zome
on
em
'
I
.
'
"
In
the
middle
of
her
lecture
,
and
just
as
I
had
learned
that
to
"
quilty
"
is
the
proper
English
for
to
"
swallow
,
"
and
that
the
passage
down
which
we
quilty
is
,
correctly
speaking
,
not
the
throat
,
but
the
"
ezelpipe
,
"
a
strange-looking
individual
darkened
the
"
draxtool
"
(
corruptly
called
the
threshold
)
and
crossed
the
"
planch
,
"
or
floor
,
to
the
fireplace
where
we
sat
.
Turning
round
,
I
beheld
a
man
about
fifty
years
old
,
of
moderate
stature
,
gauntly
bodied
,
and
loosely
built
,
and
utterly
reckless
of
his
attire
.
His
face
was
long
and
thin
,
the
profile
keenly
aquiline
;
and
the
angles
made
yet
sharper
,
by
a
continual
twitching
and
tension
of
the
muscles
.
The
skin
of
his
cheeks
was
drawn
,
from
his
solemn
brows
to
his
lipless
and
down-curved
mouth
,
tight
and
hollow
,
like
the
bladder
on
a
jam-pot
.
His
eyes
,
of
a
very
pale
blue
,
seemed
always
to
stand
on
tip-toe
,
and
never
to
know
what
he
was
going
to
say
.
A
long
,
straight
,
melancholy
chin
,
grisly
with
patches
of
hair
,
was
meant
by
nature
to
keep
his
mouth
shut
,
and
came
back
sullenly
when
it
failed
.
Over
his
shoulders
was
flung
a
patched
potato-sack
,
fastened
in
front
with
a
wooden
skewer
,
and
his
nether
clothes
were
as
ragged
as
poetry
.
In
his
air
and
manner
,
self-satisfaction
strove
hard
with
solemn
reserve
.
Upon
the
whole
he
reminded
me
of
an
owl
who
has
lost
his
heart
to
a
bantam
hen
.
I
cannot
express
him
justly
;
but
those
who
have
seen
may
recognise
Beany
Dawe
,
the
sawyer
,
acknowledged
the
bard
of
the
north
of
Devon
.
Mr.
Ebenezer
Dawe
,
without
any
hesitation
or
salute
,
took
a
three-legged
stool
,
and
set
it
between
our
chairs
,
then
looked
from
Mrs.
Huxtable
to
me
,
and
introduced
himself
.
"
Wull
,
here
be
us
three
,
And
I
hopps
us
shall
agree
.
"
"
Agray
indeed
,
"
cried
Mrs.
Huxtable
,
"
doon
'
e
zee
the
quarlity
be
here
,
ye
aul
vule
?
"
Then
turning
to
me
.
"
Doon'e
be
skeared
,
Miss
Clerer
,
it
be
oney
that
there
aul
mazed
ramscallion
,
Beany
Dawe
.
Her
makth
what
girt
scholards
,
laike
you
,
karls
potry
,
or
zum
such
stoof
.
Her
casn
'
oppen
the
drort
of
him
nohow
,
but
what
her
must
spake
potry
.
Pote
indeed
!
No
tino
,
I
'd
pote
un
out
of
ouze
if
I
was
the
waife
of
un
.
'
Zee
zaw
,
Beany
Dawe
!
'
that
be
arl
the
name
he
hath
airned
vor
his
rhaiming
and
rubbish
,
and
too
good
for
'
un
too
!
Rhaime
,
rhaime
,
drash
,
drash
,
like
two
girt
gawks
in
a
barn
!
Oh
fai
,
oh
fai
;
and
a
maight
have
aimed
two
zhillings
a
dai
and
his
zider
!
"
The
subject
of
these
elegant
strictures
regarded
her
all
the
time
,
with
that
pleased
pity
which
none
but
a
great
Poet
so
placed
can
feel
.
Then
swinging
slowly
on
his
tripod
,
and
addressing
the
back
of
the
chimney
,
he
responded
:
"
Poor
vule
!
Her
dunno
what
a
saight
'
tis
haigher
To
be
a
Pout
,
nor
a
hunderzawyer
!
"
Perhaps
his
lofty
couplet
charmed
her
savage
ear
;
at
any
rate
she
made
a
peaceful
overture
.
"
Coom
now
,
Mr.
Dawe
,
wull
e
have
a
few
broth
?
"
He
assented
with
an
alacrity
much
below
his
dignity
;
"
Taties
,
and
zider
,
maat
,
and
broth
a
few
,
"
Wull
,
zin
you
ax
ai
,
ai
'll
not
answer
noo
.
"
"
E
sha
n't
have
no
cider
,
"
replied
his
hostess
,
"
without
e
'll
spake
,
for
wance
,
laike
a
Kirsten
,
maind
that
,
without
no
moor
of
thiccy
jingle
jangle
,
the
very
zame
for
arl
the
world
as
e
be
used
to
droon
in
the
zawpit
,
'
Zee
,
zaw
,
Margery
Daw
,
'
with
the
arms
of
e
a
gwayn
up
and
doon
,
up
and
doon
,
and
your
oyes
and
maouth
most
chokked
with
pilm
and
the
vace
of
e
a
hurning
laike
a
taypot
,
and
never
a
drop
of
out
to
aise
the
crickles
of
your
barck
.
That
's
the
steet
you
potes
be
in
,
and
zawyers
.
"
As
she
delivered
this
comment
,
she
swung
to
and
fro
on
her
chair
,
in
weak
imitation
of
the
impressive
roll
,
with
which
he
enforced
his
rhyme
.
This
plagiarism
annoyed
him
much
more
than
her
words
:
but
he
vindicated
his
cause
,
like
a
true
son
of
song
.
"
And
if
zo
hap
,
I
be
a
pout
grand
,
Thee
need
n't
jah
,
'
cos
thee
doo
n't
understand
.
A
pout
,
laike
a
'
ooman
,
or
a
bell
,
Must
have
his
clack
out
,
and
ca
n't
help
hiszell
.
"
A
mighty
"
ha
ha
"
from
the
door
,
like
a
jocund
earthquake
,
proved
that
this
last
hit
had
found
an
echo
in
some
ample
bosom
.
"
Thee
shall
have
as
much
vittels
as
ever
thee
can
let
down
,
"
said
the
farmer
,
as
he
entered
,
"
danged
if
thee
bai
n't
a
wunnerful
foine
chap
,
zure
enough
.
Ai
'd
as
lieve
a'most
to
be
a
pote
,
plase
God
,
as
I
wud
to
be
a
ooman
:
zimth
to
ai
,
there
bai
n't
much
differ
atwixt
'
em
.
But
they
vainds
out
a
saight
of
things
us
taks
no
heed
on
.
I
reckon
now
,
Beany
,
thee
cas'n
drink
beer
?
"
This
was
a
home
thrust
,
for
Mr.
Dawe
was
a
notorious
drinker
.
He
replied
with
a
heavy
sigh
and
profoundly
solemn
look
:
"
Ah
noo
!
a
noo
!
Unless
when
I
be
vorced
,
By
rason
,
Dactor
zaith
,
my
stommirk
ba'in
exhaust
.
"
"
And
what
was
it
the
doctor
said
to
you
,
Mr.
Dawe
?
"
I
asked
,
perceiving
that
he
courted
inquiry
.
He
fixed
his
eyes
upon
me
,
with
a
searching
look
;
eager
,
as
it
seemed
,
yet
fearing
to
believe
that
he
had
found
at
last
a
generous
sympathy
.
"
'
Twas
more
nor
dree
months
zince
ai
titched
a
drap
,
When
ai
was
compelled
to
consult
the
Dactor
chap
;
He
zaith
,
zaith
he
,
'
'
tai
n't
no
good
now
this
here
,
Oh
,
Ebenezer
Dawe
,
you
must
tak
beer
.
'
"
These
words
he
repeated
with
impressive
earnestness
,
shaking
his
head
and
sighing
,
as
if
in
deprecation
of
so
sad
a
remedy
.
Yet
the
subject
possessed
perhaps
a
melancholy
charm
,
and
his
voice
relented
to
a
pensive
unctuousness
,
as
he
concluded
.
"
'
Tak
beer
!
'
I
zays
,
'
Lor
,
I
dunnow
the
way
!
'
'
Then
you
must
larn
,
'
zays
he
,
'
this
blessed
day
:
You
'm
got
,
'
he
zays
,
'
a
daungerous
zinking
here
,
Your
constitooshun
do
requaire
beer
.
'
"
"
Thee
wasn
'
long
avore
thee
tried
it
,
I
'll
warr'n
,
"
said
the
farmer
,
"
tache
the
calf
the
wai
to
the
coo
!
"
Scorning
this
vile
insinuation
,
Mr.
Dawe
continued
thus
:
"
Wull
,
after
that
,
mayhap
a
month
or
zo
,
I
was
gooin
home
,
the
zame
as
maight
be
noo
:
I
had
zawed
a
hellum
up
for
Varmer
Yeo
,
And
a
velt
my
stommick
gooin
turble
low
,
Her
cried
and
skooned
,
like
a
chield
left
in
the
dark
,
And
a
maze
laike
in
my
head
,
and
a
maundering
in
my
barck
.
Zo
whun
ai
coom
to
the
voot
of
Breakneck
hill
,
I
zeed
the
public
kept
by
Pewter
Will
:
The
virelight
showed
the
glasses
in
the
bar
,
And
'
um
danced
and
twinkled
like
the
avening
star
.
"
Here
he
paused
,
overcome
by
his
own
description
.
"
Wull
,
"
said
the
farmer
,
brightening
with
fellow-feeling
,
for
he
liked
his
glass
,
"
Wull
,
thee
toorned
in
and
had
a
drap
,
laike
a
man
,
and
not
be
shamed
of
it
nother
.
And
how
did
her
tast
?
A
must
have
been
nation
good
,
after
so
long
a
drouth
!
"
"
Coom
'd
down
my
drort
,
like
the
Quane
and
Princess
Royal
,
The
very
sa-am
as
a
drap
of
oi-al
!
"
"
The
very
sa-am
,
the
very
sa-am
,
"
he
repeated
with
an
extrametrical
smack
of
his
lips
,
which
he
wiped
with
the
back
of
his
hand
,
and
cast
a
meaning
glance
towards
the
cellar
.
The
farmer
rose
,
and
took
from
the
dresser
a
heavy
quart
cup
made
of
pewter
.
With
this
he
went
to
the
cellar
,
whence
issued
presently
a
trickling
and
frothing
sound
,
which
thrilled
to
the
sensitive
heart
of
Mr.
Dawe
.
The
tankard
of
ale
,
with
a
crown
of
white
foam
,
was
presented
to
the
thirsty
bard
by
his
host
,
who
did
not
,
however
,
relinquish
his
grasp
upon
the
vessel
;
but
imposed
(
like
Pluto
to
Orpheus
)
a
stern
condition
.
"
Now
,
Beany
Dawe
,
thee
sha
n't
have
none
,
unless
thee
can
zay
zummut
without
no
poetry
in
it
.
"
At
this
barbarous
restriction
,
poor
Ebenezer
rolled
his
eyes
in
a
most
tragic
manner
;
he
thrust
his
tongue
into
his
cheek
,
and
swung
himself
,
not
to
and
fro
as
usual
,
but
sideways
,
and
clutched
one
hand
on
the
tatters
of
his
sack
,
while
he
clung
with
the
other
to
the
handle
of
the
cup
.
Then
with
a
great
effort
,
and
very
slowly
,
he
spoke
—
"
If
my
poor
vasses
only
maks
you
frown
,
I
'll
try
,
ees
fai
I
wull
,
to
keep
'
em
—
A
rhyme
came
over
him
,
the
twitching
of
his
face
showed
the
violence
of
the
struggle
;
he
attempted
to
say
"
in
,
"
but
nature
triumphed
,
and
he
uttered
the
fatal
"
down
.
"
In
a
moment
the
farmer
compressed
his
mighty
fingers
,
and
crushed
the
thick
metal
like
silver
paper
.
The
forfeit
liquor
flew
over
the
poet
's
knees
,
and
hissed
at
his
feet
in
the
ashes
.
Foreseeing
a
storm
of
verse
from
him
,
and
of
prose
from
Mrs.
Huxtable
at
the
fate
of
the
pride
of
her
dresser
,
I
made
a
hasty
retreat
.
Thenceforth
I
took
a
kind
interest
in
our
conceited
but
harmless
bard
.
His
neighbours
seemed
not
to
know
,
how
long
it
was
since
he
had
first
yielded
to
his
unfortunate
ailment
;
which
probably
owed
its
birth
to
the
sound
of
the
saw
.
During
our
first
interview
,
his
rhythm
and
rhyme
had
been
unusually
fluent
and
finished
,
from
pride
perhaps
at
having
found
a
new
audience
,
or
from
some
casual
inspiration
.
Candour
compels
me
to
admit
that
his
subsequent
works
were
little
,
if
at
all
,
better
than
those
of
his
more
famous
contemporaries
;
and
I
am
not
so
proud
,
as
he
expects
me
to
be
,
of
his
connexion
with
my
sad
history
.
CHAPTER
XVI
.
About
half
a
mile
from
Tossil
's
Barton
(
the
farmhouse
where
we
lived
)
there
is
a
valley
,
