,I
could
not
go
back
;
and
the
scene
was
a
grand
and
thrilling
one
.
In
the
centre
of
a
roped
arena
,
hedged
by
countless
faces
,
all
rigid
,
flushed
,
and
straining
with
suspense
,
stood
two
mighty
forms
;
the
strongest
men
in
England
and
perhaps
in
all
the
world
.
A
loose
sack
,
or
jerkin
,
of
the
toughest
canvass
,
thrown
back
clear
of
the
throat
,
half-sleeved
,
and
open
in
front
,
showed
the
bole
of
the
pollard
neck
,
the
solid
brawn
of
the
chest
,
and
the
cords
of
the
outstretched
arm
.
Stout
fustian
breeches
,
belted
at
waist
,
and
strapped
at
knee
,
cased
their
vast
limbs
so
exactly
,
yet
so
easily
,
that
every
curve
was
thew
,
and
every
wrinkle
sinew
.
Thin
white
stockings
,
flaked
with
sawdust
and
looking
rather
wet
,
rolled
and
stood
out
,
like
the
loops
of
a
mace
,
with
the
rampant
muscles
of
the
huge
calf
,
and
the
bulge
of
the
broad
foreleg
.
As
the
shout
proclaimed
,
they
had
caught
or
clutched
;
a
thing
which
is
done
with
much
fencing
and
feinting
,
each
foining
to
get
the
best
grasp
.
Where
I
went
,
or
what
happened
to
me
,
I
never
noticed
at
all
,
so
absorbed
at
once
I
became
in
this
rare
and
noble
probation
of
glorious
strength
,
trained
skill
,
and
emulous
manhood
.
Round
and
round
the
ring
they
went
,
as
in
musical
measure
,
holding
each
other
at
arms
'
length
,
pacing
warily
and
in
distance
,
skilfully
poised
to
throw
the
weight
for
either
attack
or
defence
.
Each
with
his
left
hand
clutched
the
jerkin
of
the
other
,
between
the
neck
and
shoulder
,
each
kept
his
right
arm
lightly
bent
,
and
the
palm
like
a
butterfly
quivering
.
Neither
dared
to
move
his
eyes
from
the
pupils
of
the
other
;
for
though
they
were
not
built
alike
,
each
knew
the
strength
of
his
fellow
.
The
Northern
Champion
was
at
least
three
inches
taller
than
the
Son
of
Devon
,
quite
as
broad
in
the
shoulders
and
large
of
limb
,
but
not
so
thick-set
and
close-jointed
,
not
quite
so
stanch
in
the
loins
and
quarters
.
But
he
was
longer
in
the
reach
,
and
made
the
most
of
that
advantage
.
On
his
breast
he
bore
the
mark
of
a
hug
as
hard
as
a
bear
's
;
and
his
face
,
though
a
fine
and
manly
one
,
looked
rather
savage
and
spiteful
.
The
farmer
was
smiling
pleasantly
,
an
honest
but
anxious
smile
.
For
the
first
time
he
had
met
with
a
man
of
almost
his
own
power
;
and
on
a
turn
of
the
heel
depended
at
least
four
hundred
pounds
,
and
what
was
more
than
four
million
to
him
,
the
fame
of
the
county
that
nursed
him
.
Above
them
hung
the
champion
's
belt
,
not
of
the
west
or
north
,
but
of
England
and
of
the
world
.
Suddenly
,
ere
I
could
see
how
they
did
it
,
they
had
closed
in
the
crowning
struggle
.
Breast
to
breast
,
and
thigh
to
thigh
,
they
tugged
,
and
strained
,
and
panted
.
Nothing
though
I
knew
of
the
matter
,
I
saw
that
the
North-man
had
won
the
best
hold
,
and
as
his
huge
arms
enwrapped
my
friend
,
a
tremble
went
through
my
own
frame
.
The
men
of
the
North
and
their
backers
saw
it
,
and
a
loud
hurrah
pealed
forth
;
deep
silence
ensued
,
and
every
eye
was
intent
.
Though
giant
arms
were
round
him
and
Titan
legs
inlocked
,
never
a
foot
he
budged
.
John
Huxtable
stood
like
a
buttress
.
He
tried
not
to
throw
the
other
;
placed
as
he
was
,
he
durst
not
;
but
he
made
up
his
mind
to
stand
,
and
stand
he
did
with
a
vengeance
.
In
vain
the
giant
jerked
and
twisted
,
levered
,
heaved
,
and
laboured
,
till
his
very
eyeballs
strained
;
all
the
result
was
ropes
and
bunches
in
the
wide-spread
Devonshire
calves
,
and
a
tightening
of
the
clench
that
threatened
to
crush
the
Northern
ribs
.
As
well
might
a
coiling
snake
expect
to
uproot
an
oak
.
As
this
exertion
of
grand
stability
lasted
and
outlasted
,
shouts
arose
and
rang
alike
from
friend
and
foe
,
from
north
,
and
west
,
and
east
;
even
I
could
not
help
clapping
my
feeble
hands
.
But
the
trial
was
nearly
over
.
The
assailant
's
strength
was
ebbing
;
I
could
hear
him
gasp
for
breath
under
the
fearful
pressure
.
By
great
address
he
had
won
that
hold
,
and
made
sure
of
victory
from
it
,
it
had
never
failed
before
;
but
to
use
a
Devonshire
word
,
the
farmer
was
too
"
stuggy
.
"
Now
,
the
latter
watched
his
time
,
and
his
motive
power
waxed
as
the
other
's
waned
.
At
length
he
lifted
him
bodily
off
his
legs
,
and
cast
him
flat
on
his
back
.
A
flat
and
perfectly
level
cast
,
as
ever
pancake
crackled
at
.
Thunders
of
applause
broke
forth
,
and
scarcely
could
I
keep
quiet
.
With
amazement
the
farmer
espied
me
as
he
was
bowing
on
all
sides
,
and
amid
the
tumult
and
uproar
that
shook
the
canvass
like
a
lark
's
wing
,
he
ran
across
the
ring
full
speed
.
Then
he
stopped
short
,
remembering
his
laboured
and
unpresentable
plight
,
and
he
would
have
blushed
,
if
he
had
not
been
as
red
as
fire
already
.
None
of
such
nonsense
for
me
.
I
called
him
by
name
,
took
his
hand
,
and
with
all
my
heart
congratulated
.
"
But
,
farmer
,
I
want
you
immediately
,
on
a
matter
of
life
and
death
.
"
Beany
Dawe
and
the
children
came
,
but
I
only
stopped
to
kiss
Sally
,
and
motioned
them
all
away
.
"
If
you
remember
your
promise
to
me
,
get
ready
for
a
journey
in
a
moment
,
and
run
all
the
way
to
my
lodgings
.
We
must
leave
London
,
at
two
o'clock
,
to
save
my
Uncle
's
life
.
"
Mr.
Huxtable
looked
astounded
,
and
his
understanding
,
unlike
his
legs
,
for
the
moment
was
carried
away
.
Meanwhile
up
came
Sally
again
,
caught
hold
of
my
hand
,
and
silently
implored
for
some
little
notice
,
if
only
of
her
costume
,
violet
,
indigo
,
blue
,
green
,
yellow
,
orange
and
red
.
I
could
only
kiss
her
again
.
"
Oh
do
come
,
farmer
Huxtable
,
do
come
at
once
,
I
entreat
you
;
or
I
must
go
alone
and
helpless
.
"
"
That
you
sha
n't
,
my
dearie
,
dang
Jan
Uxtable
for
a
girt
lout
.
"
"
Please
,
sir
,
I
am
sent
to
tell
you
that
the
umpires
gives
it
no
fall
,
and
you
must
play
again
.
"
The
man
looked
abased
by
his
errand
;
even
he
knew
better
.
In
my
hurry
I
had
paid
no
attention
to
the
ominous
hissing
and
hooting
around
a
knot
of
men
on
the
benches
at
the
end
.
The
farmer
's
face
I
shall
never
forget
;
as
he
slowly
gathered
the
truth
,
it
became
majestic
with
honest
indignation
.
A
strong
man
's
wrath
at
deceit
and
foul
play
sat
upon
it
,
like
a
king
on
his
throne
.
"
For
the
chillers
—
"
he
stammered
at
last
—
"
ony
for
the
poor
chiller
's
sake
—
else
I
'd
never
stand
it
,
danged
if
I
wud
,
Miss
Clara
;
it
make
a
man
feel
like
a
rogue
and
a
cheat
himself
.
"
Then
,
with
all
the
power
of
his
mighty
voice
he
shouted
,
so
that
every
fold
of
the
canvass
shook
,
and
every
heart
thrilled
fearfully
:
"
Men
of
Lunnon
,
if
men
you
be
,
no
chap
can
have
fair
play
with
you
.
It
be
all
along
of
your
swindling
bets
about
things
you
do
n't
know
nothing
of
.
You
offered
me
five
hunder
pound
,
afore
ever
here
I
come
,
to
sell
my
back
to
the
Northman
.
A
good
honest
man
he
be
,
and
the
best
cross-buttock
as
ever
I
met
with
;
but
a
set
of
rogues
and
cowards
that
's
what
you
be
;
and
no
sport
can
live
with
you
.
As
for
your
danged
belt
,
I
wu
n't
have
it
,
no
tino
,
it
wud
be
a
disgrace
to
the
family
;
it
sha
n't
never
go
along
side
the
Devonshire
and
Cornwall
leather
.
But
I
'll
throw
your
man
over
again
,
and
any
six
of
you
to
once
as
plases
.
"
Then
,
thorough
gentleman
as
he
was
,
he
apologized
to
me
for
his
honest
anger
,
and
for
having
drawn
all
eyes
upon
me
,
as
there
I
stood
at
his
side
.
"
But
never
fear
about
the
time
,
Miss
Clara
,
I
wo
n't
kape
you
two
minutes
.
I
'll
give
him
Abraham
's
staylace
this
time
.
They
have
a
drove
me
to
it
,
as
us
has
n't
a
moment
to
spare
.
"
Proudly
he
stepped
into
the
ring
again
,
and
again
the
North
Country
giant
,
looking
rather
ashamed
,
confronted
him
.
No
fencing
or
feinting
this
time
;
but
the
Devonshire
wrestler
,
appealing
thus
to
the
public
,
"
Now
look
here
,
Lunnoners
,
wull
e
,
and
zee
if
this
here
be
a
back
,
"
rushed
straight
at
his
antagonist
,
grappled
him
in
some
peculiar
manner
,
seemed
to
get
round
his
back
,
and
then
spun
him
up
over
his
own
left
shoulder
,
in
such
a
way
that
he
twirled
in
the
air
and
came
down
dead
on
his
spine
.
Dead
indeed
he
appeared
to
be
,
and
a
dozen
surgeons
came
forward
,
in
the
midst
of
a
horrible
silence
,
and
some
were
preparing
to
bleed
him
,
when
the
farmer
moved
them
aside
;
he
knew
that
the
poor
man
was
only
stunned
by
concussion
of
the
spine
.
Awhile
he
knelt
over
him
sadly
,
with
the
tears
in
his
own
brave
eyes
:
"
I
wud
n't
have
doed
it
,
lad
;
indade
and
indade
I
wud
n't
,
ony
they
forced
me
to
it
;
and
you
did
n't
say
nought
agin
them
.
It
be
all
fair
enough
,
but
it
do
hoort
so
tarble
.
That
there
trick
was
invented
by
a
better
man
nor
I
be
,
and
it
be
karled
'
Abraham
Cann
's
staylace
.
'
I
'll
show
e
how
to
do
it
,
if
ever
us
mates
again
.
Now
tak
the
belt
,
man
,
tak
it
—
"
he
leaped
up
,
and
tore
it
down
,
with
very
little
respect
,
"
I
resigns
it
over
to
you
;
zimth
they
arl
wants
you
to
have
it
and
you
be
a
better
man
nor
deserves
it
.
And
I
'll
never
wrastle
no
more
;
Jan
Uxtable
's
time
be
over
.
Give
us
your
hond
,
old
chap
.
We
two
never
mate
again
,
unless
you
comes
down
our
wai
,
and
us
ha
n't
got
a
man
to
bate
e
,
now
I
be
off
the
play
.
There
be
dacent
zider
and
bakkon
to
Tossil
's
Barton
Farm
.
Give
us
your
hond
like
a
man
,
there
be
no
ill
will
atween
us
,
for
this
here
little
skumdoover
.
"
Perhaps
he
meant
skirmish
and
manoeuvre
,
all
in
one
.
Sam
Richardson
,
slowly
recovering
,
put
out
his
great
hand
,
all
white
and
clammy
,
and
John
Huxtable
took
it
tenderly
,
amid
such
uproarious
cheering
,
that
I
expected
the
tent
on
our
heads
.
Even
Shelfer
's
sharp
eyes
had
a
drop
of
moisture
in
them
.
As
for
Beany
Dawe
,
he
flung
to
the
winds
all
dithyrambic
gravity
,
and
chanted
and
danced
incoherently
,
Cassandra
and
Chorus
in
one
;
while
Sally
Huxtable
blotted
all
her
rainbow
in
heavy
drops
.
Hundreds
of
pipes
were
smashed
,
even
the
Stoic
Shelfer
's
,
in
the
rush
to
get
at
the
farmer
;
but
he
parted
the
crowd
right
and
left
,
as
I
might
part
willow-sprays
,
and
came
at
once
to
me
.
Whether
by
his
aid
,
or
by
the
sympathies
of
the
multitude
,
I
am
sure
I
cannot
tell
,
but
I
found
myself
in
a
cab
,
with
Sally
at
my
side
,
and
Mrs.
Shelfer
on
the
box
,
and
the
farmer
's
face
at
the
window
.
"
Twenty
minutes
,
Miss
,
I
'll
be
there
,
raddy
to
go
where
you
plases
.
It
bai
n't
quite
one
o'clock
yet
.
I
must
put
myself
dacent
like
,
avore
I
can
go
with
you
,
Miss
;
and
git
the
money
for
the
sake
of
them
poor
chiller
,
if
so
be
they
Lunnoners
be
honest
enough
to
pai
.
Jan
Uxtable
never
come
to
Lunnon
town
no
more
.
"
With
thousands
of
people
hurraing
,
we
set
off
full
gallop
for
Albert
Street
.
CHAPTER
XI
.
At
the
door
we
found
Mrs.
Fletcher
just
returned
from
Lady
Cranberry
's
,
and
eager
to
say
a
great
deal
which
could
not
now
be
listened
to
.
Having
proved
the
speed
of
our
horse
,
I
begged
the
cabman
to
wait
for
a
quarter
of
an
hour
,
and
then
take
us
to
Paddington
at
any
fare
he
pleased
,
so
long
as
he
drove
full
gallop
.
This
suited
his
views
very
nicely
,
and
knowing
Mr.
Shelfer
,
as
every
one
in
London
does
—
so
at
least
I
am
forced
to
believe
—
he
fain
would
have
kept
me
ten
minutes
of
the
fifteen
,
to
tell
of
Charley
's
knowingness
,
how
he
had
kept
it
all
dark
as
could
be
,
you
see
,
Miss
,
and
had
won
three
hundred
and
twenty-five
pounds
,
without
reckoning
the
odd
money
,
Miss
—
"
Reckon
it
then
,
Mr.
Cabman
,
"
and
I
ran
upstairs
full
speed
,
after
telling
Mrs.
Shelfer
the
sum
,
lest
she
should
be
cheated
.
In
five
minutes
I
was
ready
,
and
came
out
of
my
bedroom
into
the
sitting-room
,
with
my
hat
in
one
hand
,
and
a
little
bag
in
the
other
;
and
there
,
instead
of
Mrs.
Fletcher
,
I
found
,
whom
?
—
Conrad
!
Very
pale
and
ill
he
looked
,
so
unlike
himself
that
I
was
shocked
,
and
instead
of
leaping
to
him
,
fell
upon
a
chair
.
He
mistook
me
,
and
approached
very
slowly
,
but
with
his
dear
old
smile
:
how
my
heart
beat
,
how
I
longed
to
be
in
his
arms
;
but
they
looked
too
weak
to
hold
me
.
"
Oh
,
Miss
Vaughan
,
I
know
everything
.
Will
you
ever
forgive
me
?
"
"
Never
,
my
own
darling
,
while
you
call
me
that
.
Forgive
you
indeed
!
Can
I
ever
forgive
myself
,
for
the
evil
I
have
thought
of
you
?
How
very
ill
you
look
!
Come
and
let
me
kiss
you
well
.
"
But
instead
of
my
doing
that
,
he
had
to
do
it
for
me
;
for
I
was
quite
beaten
at
last
,
and
fainted
away
in
his
arms
.
By
this
folly
five
minutes
were
lost
;
and
I
had
so
much
to
say
to
him
,
and
more
to
think
of
than
twenty
such
heads
could
hold
.
But
he
seemed
to
think
that
it
must
be
all
right
,
so
long
as
he
had
me
there
.
"
Oh
,
Conny
,
"
I
said
through
my
tears
at
last
,
"
my
own
pet
Conny
,
come
with
me
.
Your
father
is
in
such
danger
.
"
"
Life
of
my
heart
,
I
will
follow
you
by
the
very
next
train
.
This
one
I
cannot
go
by
.
"
I
could
wait
for
no
explanation
,
and
he
seemed
inclined
to
give
none
.
Perhaps
this
was
the
reason
that
he
spent
all
the
time
in
kissing
me
;
which
,
much
as
I
enjoyed
it
,
would
have
done
quite
as
well
at
leisure
.
Be
that
as
it
may
,
there
was
no
time
to
talk
about
it
;
he
said
it
did
his
lips
good
,
and
I
believe
it
did
,
they
were
so
pale
at
first
,
and
now
so
fine
a
red
.
Suddenly
in
the
midst
of
it
,
a
great
voice
was
heard
from
the
passage
:
"
Why
now
,
what
ever
be
us
to
do
with
the
chillers
?
"
Out
I
ran
,
with
my
hair
down
as
usual
,
and
a
great
flush
in
my
cheeks
,
but
I
did
not
let
any
one
see
me
.
"
Leave
them
here
,
to
be
sure
,
leave
them
here
,
Mr.
Huxtable
.
They
shall
have
my
rooms
;
and
in
all
London
they
would
not
find
such
a
hostess
as
Mrs.
Shelfer
.
"
There
was
no
time
to
consider
it
.
The
throat
of
hurry
is
large
,
and
gulps
almost
any
suggestion
.
Away
we
went
full
gallop
;
the
farmer
was
on
the
box
,
—
how
the
driver
found
room
I
ca
n't
say
,
—
Mrs
.
Fletcher
and
I
inside
,
all
consulting
her
watch
every
minute
.
Across
the
Regent
's
Park
,
scattering
the
tame
wild
ducks
,
past
Marylebone
Church
,
and
the
Yorkshire
Stingo
,
and
Edgware
Road
—
we
saved
it
by
just
two
minutes
.
Although
I
had
taken
his
ticket
,
the
farmer
would
not
come
with
us
,
but
went
in
a
second-class
carriage
.
"
They
blue
featherbeds
trimmed
with
pig
's
tails
,
is
too
good
for
the
likes
of
I
,
Miss
Clara
;
and
I
should
be
afeared
all
the
wai
that
the
Missus
was
rating
of
me
for
my
leg-room
.
I
paid
parlour
price
coming
up
,
and
went
in
the
kitchen
waggons
,
because
it
zim
'd
only
fair
,
as
I
takes
such
a
dale
of
room
.
"
I
knew
that
none
ever
could
turn
him
from
what
he
considered
just
,
and
therefore
allowed
him
to
ride
where
he
pleased
.
But
a
dozen
times
I
thought
we
should
have
lost
him
on
the
way
;
for
at
every
station
,
where
the
train
stopped
,
he
made
a
point
of
coming
to
our
window
,
which
he
had
marked
with
a
piece
of
chalk
,
and
"
humbly
axing
our
pardon
,
but
was
we
all
right
and
no
fire
?
He
could
n't
think
what
they
wanted
,
not
he
,
with
tempting
God
Almighty
fast
.
"
Not
fast
enough
for
me
,
I
told
him
every
time
;
whereupon
he
put
on
his
hat
with
a
sigh
,
and
said
he
supposed
I
was
born
to
it
.
And
yet
all
the
time
he
seemed
to
consider
that
he
was
protecting
me
somehow
,
and
once
he
called
me
his
dearie
,
to
the
great
surprise
of
the
other
passengers
,
and
the
horror
of
Mrs.
Fletcher
;
seeing
which
he
repented
hastily
,
and
"
Miss
Vaughan
'd
"
me
three
times
in
a
sentence
,
with
a
hot
flush
on
his
forehead
.
At
Swindon
,
where
we
changed
carriages
,
he
pulled
out
very
mysteriously
from
an
inner
breast-pocket
a
little
sack
tied
with
whipcord
,
and
in
which
,
I
do
believe
,
the
simple
soul
had
deposited
all
his
hard-earned
prize-money
.
Then
he
led
us
to
the
counter
,
proud
to
show
that
he
had
been
there
before
,
and
earnestly
begged
for
the
honour
of
treating
us
to
a
drop
of
somewhat
.
His
countenance
fell
so
on
my
refusal
,
that
I
was
fain
to
cancel
it
,
and
to
drink
at
his
expense
a
glass
of
iced
sherry
and
water
;
while
Mrs.
Fletcher
,
with
much
persuasion
and
simpering
,
and
for
the
sake
of
her
poor
inside
,
that
had
been
so
long
her
enemy
,
ventured
on
a
"
wee
wee
thimbleful
of
Cognac
.
"
The
farmer
himself
,
much
abashed
at
the
splendour
around
him
,
which
he
told
me
,
in
a
whisper
,
beat
Pewter
Will
's
out
and
out
,
and
even
the
"
Fortescue
Arms
,
"
would
not
call
for
anything
,
until
I
insisted
upon
it
;
being
hard
pressed
he
asked
at
last
,
hoping
no
offence
of
the
lady
,
for
a
pint
of
second
cider
.
The
young
woman
turned
up
her
nose
,
but
I
soon
made
her
turn
it
down
again
,
and
fetch
him
,
as
the
nearest
thing
,
a
bottle
of
sparkling
perry
.
As
always
happens
,
when
one
is
in
a
great
hurry
,
the
train
was
an
hour
behind
its
time
,
and
the
setting
sun
was
casting
gold
upon
the
old
cathedral
—
to
my
mind
one
of
the
lightest
and
grandest
buildings
in
England
,
though
the
farmer
prefers
that
squat
and
heavy
Norman
thing
at
Exeter
—
when
we
glided
smoothly
and
swiftly
into
the
Gloucester
Station
.
I
fully
intended
to
have
sent
an
electric
message
from
London
,
not
for
the
sake
of
the
carriage
,
which
mattered
nothing
,
but
to
warn
my
dear
uncle
;
at
Paddington
,
however
,
we
found
no
time
to
do
it
,
and
so
stupid
I
was
that
I
never
once
thought
of
telegraphing
from
Swindon
.
To
make
up
by
over
alacrity
,
in
a
case
of
far
less
importance
,
I
went
to
the
office
at
Gloucester
,
and
sent
this
message
to
Tiverton
,
then
the
nearest
Station
to
Exmoor
—
"
Farmer
has
won
,
and
got
the
money
.
Clara
Vaughan
to
Mrs.
Huxtable
.
"
The
amazement
of
the
farmer
,
I
cannot
stop
to
describe
.
No
time
was
lost
by
doing
this
,
for
I
had
ordered
a
pair
of
horses
,
and
they
were
being
put
to
.
Then
,
stimulating
the
driver
,
we
dashed
off
for
Vaughan
St.
Mary
.
Anxious
as
I
was
,
and
wretched
at
the
thought
of
what
we
might
find
,
so
exhausted
was
my
frame
by
the
thaumatrope
of
the
last
six-and-thirty
hours
,
that
I
fell
fast
asleep
,
and
woke
not
until
we
came
to
the
lodge
.
Old
Whitehead
came
out
,
hat
in
hand
,
and
whispered
something
into
Mrs.
Fletcher
's
ear
.
That
good
old
lady
had
been
worrying
me
dreadfully
about
her
jams
,
for
the
weather
was
so
hot
,
she
was
sure
all
the
fruit
would
be
over
,
etc.
,
none
of
which
could
I
listen
to
now
.
As
Whitehead
spoke
,
I
saw
through
my
half-open
lashes
that
she
started
violently
;
but
she
would
not
tell
me
what
it
was
,
and
I
did
not
want
to
intrude
on
secrets
that
might
be
between
them
.
The
farmer
also
diverted
attention
by
calling
from
the
box
,
as
we
wound
into
the
avenue
,
"
Dear
heart
alaive
;
this
bate
all
the
sojers
as
ever
I
see
,
Miss
Clara
,
or
even
the
melisher
to
Coom
.
Why
,
arl
thiccy
treeses
must
a
growed
so
a
puppose
,
just
over
again
one
another
,
and
arl
of
a
bigness
too
.
Wull
,
wull
!
Coachman
,
was
ever
you
to
Davonsheer
?
"
I
do
believe
those
men
of
Devon
see
nothing
they
admire
,
without
thinking
at
once
of
their
county
.
At
the
front
door
,
the
butler
met
us
,
which
surprised
me
rather
,
as
being
below
his
dignity
.
He
was
a
trusty
old
servant
,
who
had
been
under
Thomas
Henwood
,
and
had
come
back
to
his
place
since
the
general
turn-out
of
the
household
.
Now
he
looked
very
grave
and
sad
,
and
instead
of
leading
me
on
,
drew
me
aside
in
the
hall
.
It
was
getting
dark
,
and
the
fire
in
the
west
was
dying
.
Great
plumes
of
asparagus
—
shame
it
was
to
cut
them
—
waved
under
the
ancient
mantel-piece
.
"
Bad
news
it
is
,
Miss
Clara
"
—
they
all
seemed
to
call
me
that
—
"
very
bad
news
indeed
,
Miss.
But
I
hope
you
was
prepared
for
it
.
"
"
What
do
you
mean
?
"
"
Why
,
have
n't
you
heard
about
poor
master
's
death
?
"
"
Dead
,
my
dear
uncle
dead
!
Do
you
mean
to
say
"
—
I
could
not
finish
the
sentence
.
"
No
,
Miss
,
only
to-day
,
and
not
as
you
thinks
;
no
fit
at
all
,
nor
paralyatic
stroke
.
He
went
off
quiet
as
a
lamb
,
as
near
as
could
be
three
o'clock
.
He
was
very
poorly
before
;
but
he
had
a
deal
to
do
,
and
would
not
give
in
on
no
account
.
He
was
sitting
by
himself
in
the
study
after
breakfast
,
and
at
last
he
rang
the
bell
,
and
told
them
to
send
me
up
.
When
I
went
in
,
he
was
bolt
upright
in
his
chair
,
with
a
beautiful
smile
on
his
face
,
but
so
pale
,
white
I
ought
to
say
,
Miss
,
and
so
weak
he
could
hardly
move
.
'
John
,
'
he
says
,
'
Yes
,
Sir
,
'
says
I
;
'
John
,
'
he
says
again
,
'
you
are
a
most
respectable
man
,
and
I
can
trust
you
with
anything
in
the
world
,
John
.
Take
this
letter
for
Miss
Vaughan
,
and
put
it
with
your
own
hands
into
her
own
,
directly
the
moment
she
comes
back
.
I
am
rather
uneasy
about
the
poor
girl
,
'
he
says
,
as
it
were
to
himself
.
'
Which
Miss
Vaughan
,
Sir
?
'
says
I
.
'
Your
mistress
,
John
.
Ca
n't
you
see
what
is
written
on
it
?
And
now
help
me
upstairs
;
and
if
ever
I
spoke
to
you
harshly
,
John
Hoxton
,
I
ask
your
pardon
for
it
.
You
will
find
as
I
have
n't
forgotten
you
.
'
And
with
that
I
helped
him
upstairs
,
Miss
,
and
I
had
almost
to
carry
him
;
and
then
he
says
,
'
Help
me
to
bed
,
John
.
I
would
like
to
die
in
my
bed
,
and
it
will
save
some
trouble
.
And
let
me
look
out
of
the
window
;
what
a
lovely
day
it
is
,
it
reminds
me
quite
of
the
South
.
So
I
set
him
up
in
the
bed
,
Miss
,
handy
altogether
,
and
beautiful
,
and
he
could
see
two
larks
on
the
lawn
,
and
he
asked
me
what
they
was
.
Then
he
says
,
'
Thank
you
,
John
,
you
have
done
it
wonderful
well
,
and
I
hope
they
wo
n't
speak
evil
of
me
round
this
place
,
after
I
am
gone
.
I
have
tried
to
do
my
duty
,
John
,
as
between
man
and
man
:
though
I
would
be
softer
with
them
,
if
I
had
my
time
over
again
.
Now
send
my
daughter
to
me
,
though
I
wish
I
had
seen
my
son
,
John
.
But
I
ought
to
be
very
thankful
,
and
what
's
more
,
I
am
.
All
of
you
likes
Miss
Lily
,
unless
they
tell
me
stories
,
John
.
'
'
Sir
,
'
says
I
,
'
we
wusships
her
,
though
not
like
our
own
Miss
Vaughan
.
'
"
Ah
,
John
Hoxton
,
did
you
say
that
to
him
,
I
wonder
,
or
interpolate
,
ex
post
facto
?
"
So
he
looked
very
pleased
at
that
,
Miss
,
and
he
says
again
,
'
John
,
let
all
that
love
her
know
that
she
is
the
living
image
of
her
mother
.
Now
go
and
send
her
quickly
;
but
John
,
take
care
not
to
frighten
my
little
darling
.
'
So
I
went
and
found
Miss
Lily
got
along
with
the
Shetland
pony
and
giving
it
bits
of
clover
,
and
I
sent
her
up
and
Jane
too
,
for
I
was
dreadfully
frightened
,
and
you
away
,
Miss
,
at
the
time
.
And
what
come
afterwards
I
ca
n't
tell
,
only
no
luncheon
went
up
,
and
there
was
orders
not
to
ring
the
bell
for
the
servants
'
dinner
;
and
I
heard
poor
Miss
Lily
crying
terrible
all
along
the
corridor
,
and
I
did
hear
say
that
his
last
words
was
,
and
he
trying
to
raise
his
arms
toward
the
window
,
'
Blessed
be
God
,
I
can
see
my
own
Lily
,
'
but
she
war
n't
that
side
of
the
bed
,
Miss
;
so
he
must
have
made
some
mistake
.
"
"
No.
He
meant
her
mother
.
Where
is
my
cousin
now
?
"
"
In
your
own
room
,
Miss
,
lying
down
,
they
tell
me
.
She
did
take
on
so
awful
,
Jane
thought
she
would
have
died
.
But
at
last
she
brought
her
round
a
little
,
and
persuaded
her
to
lie
down
.
She
calls
for
you
,
Miss
,
every
time
she
comes
to
herself
.
"
I
went
straightway
to
the
poor
little
dear
,
without
even
stopping
to
read
the
letter
placed
in
my
hands
.
The
room
in
which
she
lay
was
dark
;
for
Jane
,
who
was
watching
in
my
little
parlour
,
whispered
to
me
that
the
poor
child
could
not
bear
the
lamp-light
,
her
eyes
were
so
weak
and
sore
.
At
first
Lily
did
not
know
me
;
and
it
went
to
my
heart
,
after
all
my
own
great
sorrows
,
to
hear
the
sad
low
moaning
.
She
lay
on
my
own
little
bed
,
with
her
pale
face
turned
to
the
wall
,
her
thick
hair
all
over
her
shoulders
,
and
both
hands
pressed
to
her
heart
.
Annie
Franks
had
been
many
times
to
ask
for
her
,
but
Lily
would
not
let
her
come
in
.
Bending
over
I
laid
my
cheek
on
Lily
's
,
and
softly
whispered
her
name
.
At
last
she
knew
me
,
and
took
my
hand
,
and
turned
her
sweet
lips
to
kiss
me
.
Then
she
sobbed
and
cried
most
bitterly
;
but
I
saw
that
it
did
her
good
.
By
and
by
she
said
,
with
her
fingers
among
my
hair
:
"
Oh
,
Clara
,
is
n't
it
hard
to
find
him
at
last
,
and
love
him
so
,
and
only
for
three
days
,
and
then
,
and
then
—
"
"
And
then
,
my
pet
,
to
let
him
go
where
his
heart
has
been
nearly
twenty
years
.
Would
you
be
so
selfish
as
to
rob
your
mother
of
him
?
And
to
go
so
happy
.
I
am
sure
he
has
.
Come
with
me
and
see
.
"
"
Oh
no
,
oh
no.
I
cannot
.
"
And
her
lovely
young
form
trembled
,
at
the
thought
of
visiting
death
.
"
Yes
,
you
can
,
if
you
only
try
,
and
I
am
sure
that
he
would
wish
it
.
That
you
and
I
should
kneel
hand
in
hand
and
bless
him
,
as
others
shall
kneel
some
day
by
us
.
What
,
Lily
afraid
of
her
father
!
Then
I
have
no
fear
of
my
Uncle
.
"
God
knows
that
I
spoke
so
,
not
from
harshness
,
only
in
the
hope
to
do
her
good
.
"
If
you
really
think
he
would
wish
it
,
dear
—
"
"
Yes
.
It
is
a
duty
I
owe
him
.
He
would
be
disappointed
in
me
,
if
I
failed
.
"
"
Oh
,
how
he
longed
to
see
you
once
more
,
dear
Clara
,
But
he
felt
that
you
were
safe
,
and
he
said
you
would
come
to
see
him
,
though
he
could
not
see
you
.
He
talked
of
you
quite
to
the
last
;
you
and
darling
Conny
.
"
"
Conny
will
be
here
to-night
.
"
"
No
!
Oh
I
am
so
glad
!
"
and
a
bright
flash
of
joy
shone
forth
from
the
eyes
that
were
red
with
weeping
.
Something
cold
pushed
quietly
in
between
us
,
and
then
gave
a
sniff
and
a
sigh
.
It
was
darling
Judy
's
nose
.
He
had
learned
in
the
lower
regions
,
where
he
always
dwelled
in
my
absence
,
that
Miss
Clara
was
come
home
;
and
knowing
my
name
as
well
as
his
own
,
he
had
set
off
at
once
in
quest
of
me
.
After
offering
me
his
best
love
and
respects
,
with
the
tip
of
his
tongue
,
as
he
always
did
,
he
looked
from
one
to
the
other
of
us
,
with
his
eyebrows
raised
in
surprise
,
and
the
deepest
sorrow
and
sympathy
in
his
beautiful
soft-brown
pupils
.
I
declare
it
made
us
cry
more
than
ever
.
"
Oh
,
Clara
,
"
sobbed
Lily
at
length
,
"
he
did
howl
so
last
night
.
Do
you
think
he
could
have
known
it
?
"
His
eyes
dropped
,
as
she
was
telling
me
.
They
always
did
,
when
he
thought
he
had
been
a
bad
dog
.
"
Now
go
down
,
Judy
;
good
little
Judy
,
go
to
Mrs.
Fletcher
.
A
great
friend
of
mine
is
with
her
.
"
Away
he
trotted
obediently
,
and
his
tail
recovered
its
flourish
before
he
had
got
to
the
corner
.
"
Now
,
darling
,
let
us
go
there
,
"
said
the
poor
child
,
trembling
again
.
"
I
would
go
anywhere
with
you
.
"
Hand
in
hand
we
walked
into
my
Uncle
's
chamber
.
Young
as
I
was
,
and
still
thoughtless
in
many
ways
,
twice
before
now
had
I
gazed
on
the
solemn
face
of
death
;
but
never
,
not
even
in
my
mother
's
holy
countenance
,
saw
I
such
perfect
peace
and
bliss
as
dwelt
in
and
seemed
to
smile
from
my
dearest
Uncle
's
lineaments
.
The
life
,
in
youth
puffed
here
and
there
by
every
captious
breeze
of
pride
,
in
its
prime
becalmed
awhile
on
the
halycon
deep
of
love
,
then
tempest-tossed
through
the
lonely
dark
,
and
shattered
of
late
by
blows
from
God
,
that
life
whose
flaw
of
misanthropy
and
waste
of
high
abilities
had
been
redeemed
,
ennobled
even
,
by
a
pure
and
perfect
love
—
now
it
had
bidden
farewell
to
all
below
the
clouds
,
calmly
,
happily
,
best
of
all
—
in
faith
.
We
knelt
beside
the
bed
and
prayed
—
Lily
as
a
Catholic
,
Clara
as
a
Protestant
—
that
we
,
and
all
we
loved
,
might
have
so
blest
an
end
.
Then
we
both
sat
peacefully
,
with
a
happy
awe
upon
us
,
in
the
dark
recess
behind
the
velvet
curtains
.
Two
wax
candles
were
burning
on
the
table
towards
the
door
,
and
by
their
light
the
face
we
loved
,
looked
not
wan
,
but
glorious
,
as
with
a
silver
glory
.
Clasping
each
the
other
's
waist
,
and
kissing
away
each
other
's
tranquil
tears
,
how
long
we
sat
there
I
know
not
,
neither
what
high
fluttering
thoughts
,
thoughts
or
angels
,
which
be
they
—
stealthily
a
door
was
opened
,
not
the
door
of
heaven
,
not
even
the
main
door
of
the
room
we
sat
in
,
but
a
narrow
side-door
.
Through
it
crept
,
with
crawling
caution
,
he
whom
most
of
all
men
I
now
despised
and
pitied
.
Lily
did
not
hear
his
entrance
,
neither
did
she
see
him
;
but
my
eyes
and
ears
were
keen
from
many
a
call
of
danger
.
Stunned
for
a
while
by
the
heavy
blow
,
that
met
me
on
my
return
,
I
had
forgotten
all
about
him
;
I
mean
,
at
least
,
all
about
his
present
design
.
I
had
indeed
told
the
farmer
,
for
it
was
only
fair
to
do
so
,
my
object
in
bringing
him
down
;
and
how
I
relied
on
his
wonderful
strength
and
courage
,
having
then
no
other
to
help
me
;
but
since
I
got
home
,
and
heard
the
sad
tidings
,
it
seemed
a
mere
thing
for
contempt
.
Not
even
Lepardo
Della
Croce
could
catch
a
departed
spirit
.
So
,
and
in
the
landslip
of
the
mind
,
sapped
by
its
own
,
and
sliding
swiftly
into
another
's
sorrow
,
I
had
not
even
ordered
that
the
house
should
be
watched
at
all
;
I
had
not
even
posted
Giudice
,
who
had
a
vendetta
of
his
own
,
anywhere
on
guard
.
With
a
stiletto
still
concealed
,
all
but
the
handle
on
which
the
light
fell
,
he
approached
the
bed
,
wriggling
along
and
crouching
,
as
a
cat
or
leopard
would
.
Then
he
rose
and
stood
upright
at
the
side
of
the
bed
,
not
our
side
but
the
other
,
and
glared
upon
his
intended
victim
's
face
.
I
pushed
Lily
back
behind
the
curtain
as
if
with
the
weight
of
my
bosom
,
while
I
watched
the
whole
.
Never
in
all
my
tempestuous
life
,
of
all
the
horrible
things
I
have
seen
,
and
heard
,
and
shuddered
at
,
saw
I
anything
so
awful
,
so
utterly
beyond
not
only
description
,
but
conception
,
as
that
disdainful
,
arrogant
face
,
when
the
truth
burst
on
him
.
Not
the
body
only
,
but
the
mind
and
soul
—
if
God
had
cursed
him
with
one
—
were
smitten
back
all
of
a
lump
,
as
if
he
had
leaped
from
a
train
at
full
speed
into
a
firing
cannon
's
mouth
.
Before
he
had
time
to
recover
,
I
advanced
and
faced
him
.
All
dressed
in
white
I
was
,
with
my
black
hair
below
my
waist
,
for
I
had
thrown
off
my
travelling
frock
,
and
taken
what
first
came
to
hand
.
They
tell
me
I
look
best
in
white
,
it
shows
my
hair
and
eyes
so
.
He
believed
that
it
was
a
spirit
,
the
Vendetta
spirit
of
the
other
side
;
and
he
cowered
from
me
.
I
was
the
first
to
speak
.
"
Lepardo
Della
Croce
,
it
is
the
rebuke
of
heaven
.
Dust
upon
ashes
;
such
is
man
's
revenge
.
I
have
nursed
,
but
scorn
it
now
.
Go
in
peace
,
and
pray
the
Almighty
that
He
be
not
like
you
.
Stop
;
I
will
show
you
forth
.
You
have
a
vindictive
foe
here
,
who
would
tear
you
to
atoms
.
"
I
led
the
way
,
trembling
at
every
corner
lest
we
should
meet
Giudice
;
for
I
knew
he
would
not
obey
me
,
if
he
once
caught
sight
of
this
hated
one
.
After
standing
silently
,
unable
to
take
his
eyes
from
the
placid
face
of
the
dead
,
Lepardo
began
to
follow
me
,
walking
as
if
in
a
dream
.
Meeting
none
,
I
led
him
forth
along
the
corridor
,
down
the
end
staircase
,
and
out
on
the
eastern
terrace
.
There
I
waved
him
off
,
and
pointed
to
the
dark
refuge
of
the
shrubbery
,
beyond
the
mineral
spring
.
The
moonlight
slept
upon
the
black
water
narrowly
threading
the
grass
.
Over
our
heads
drooped
the
ivy
,
the
creeper
of
oblivion
.
The
murderer
turned
and
looked
at
me
;
hitherto
he
had
glided
along
with
his
head
down
,
as
in
bewilderment
.
Oh
that
he
had
said
one
word
of
sorrow
or
repentance
!
He
spoke
not
at
all
;
but
shuddered
,
as
the
ivy
rustled
above
us
.
His
face
was
pale
as
the
moonlight
.
Did
he
see
in
me
something
higher
than
the
spirit
of
Vendetta
?
I
pointed
again
to
the
trees
,
and
urged
him
away
from
the
house
.
He
had
two
strong
enemies
there
;
a
minute
might
make
all
the
difference
.
Breaking
as
if
from
a
spell
,
he
waved
his
Italian
cap
,
and
his
lithe
strong
figure
was
lost
among
the
Portugal
laurels
.
For
a
minute
I
stood
there
,
wondering
;
then
slowly
went
round
the
house-corner
,
and
gazed
at
the
grey
stone
mullions
of
the
room
which
had
been
my
father
's
.
I
was
still
in
the
anguish
of
doubt
and
misgiving
—
what
right
had
an
ignorant
girl
like
me
to
play
judge
and
jury
,
or
more
,
to
absolve
and
release
a
crime
against
all
humanity
?
—
when
a
mighty
form
stood
beside
me
,
and
Giudice
,
all
bristle
and
fire
,
dashed
forth
from
the
door
in
the
gable
.
With
command
and
entreaty
I
called
him
,
but
he
heard
me
not
,
neither
looked
at
me
;
but
scoured
the
ground
like
a
shadow
,
quartering
it
as
a
pointer
does
,
only
he
carried
his
nose
down
.
"
Dang
my
slow
bones
,
"
said
the
farmer
,
"
but
I
'll
have
him
yet
,
Miss.
I
seed
him
go
,
I
'll
soon
find
him
.
"
"
No
,
no.
I
wo
n't
have
him
stopped
.
He
shall
go
free
,
and
repent
.
"
"
By
your
lave
,
Miss
,
it
ca
n't
be
.
A
man
as
have
done
what
he
have
,
us
has
no
right
to
play
buff
with
.
Never
before
did
I
go
again
your
will
,
Miss
;
but
axing
your
pardon
,
I
must
now
.
Look
,
the
girt
dog
know
better
.
"
As
the
dog
found
the
track
and
gave
tongue
,
the
farmer
rushed
from
me
and
followed
him
,
dashing
headlong
into
the
shrubbery
,
after
leaping
the
mineral
spring
,
at
the
very
spot
where
the
footprints
had
been
.
Judy
and
Farmer
Huxtable
were
fast
friends
already
;
for
that
dog
always
made
up
his
mind
in
a
moment
on
the
question
of
like
and
dislike
.
For
a
time
I
was
so
horror-struck
,
that
no
power
of
motion
was
left
.
I
knew
that
the
farmer
was
quite
unarmed
,
he
carried
not
even
a
stick
.
Even
with
the
great
dog
to
help
him
,
what
could
he
do
against
fire-arms
,
which
Lepardo
was
sure
to
have
?
What
should
I
say
to
his
wife
and
children
,
what
should
I
say
to
myself
,
if
John
Huxtable
fell
a
victim
to
that
wily
and
desperate
criminal
?
Resolved
to
be
present
,
if
possible
,
I
rushed
down
the
narrow
path
which
led
to
the
little
park-gate
,
where
probably
they
would
pass
.
I
was
right
:
they
had
passed
,
and
flung
it
wide
open
.
Breathless
I
looked
around
,
for
hence
several
tracks
diverged
.
No
living
thing
could
I
see
or
hear
,
but
the
beating
of
my
heart
,
which
seemed
to
be
in
my
throat
,
and
the
hooting
of
an
owl
from
the
hollow
elm
at
the
corner
.
I
flung
myself
down
on
the
dewy
grass
,
and
strained
my
eyes
in
vain
;
until
by
some
silver
birch-trees
on
which
the
moonlight
was
glancing
,
I
saw
first
a
gliding
figure
that
looked
like
a
deer
in
the
distance
,
then
a
tall
man
running
rapidly
.
Away
I
made
by
a
short
cut
for
the
"
Witches
'
grave
,
"
as
the
end
of
the
lake
was
called
,
for
I
knew
that
the
path
they
were
on
led
thither
.
Quite
out
of
breath
I
was
,
for
I
had
run
more
than
half
a
mile
,
when
I
came
full
upon
a
scene
,
which
would
have
robbed
me
of
breath
if
I
had
any
.
At
the
end
of
a
little
dingle
,
under
a
willow-tree
,
and
within
a
few
feet
of
the
water
,
stood
Lepardo
Della
Croce
,
brought
to
bay
at
last
.
A
few
yards
from
him
,
Giudice
was
struggling
furiously
to
escape
the
farmer
's
grasp
;
perhaps
no
other
hand
in
England
could
have
held
him
.
His
eyes
kindled
in
the
moonlight
,
like
the
red
stars
of
a
rocket
,
and
a
deep
roar
of
baffled
rage
came
from
the
surge
of
his
chest
,
as
he
champed
his
monstrous
fangs
,
and
volleyed
all
the
spring
of
his
loins
.
The
farmer
leaned
backward
to
hold
him
,
and
stayed
himself
by
a
tree-stump
.
"
Sharp
now
,
surrender
,
wull
e
,
man
.
In
the
name
of
of
the
Quane
and
the
Lord
Chafe
Justice
,
and
the
High
Shariff
of
Devon
,
I
tell
e
surrender
—
dang
this
here
dog
—
surrender
,
and
I
'
ont
hoort
e
;
and
I
'
ont
let
the
girt
dog
.
"
Lepardo
answered
calmly
,
in
a
voice
that
made
my
blood
cold
:
"
Do
you
value
your
life
?
If
so
,
stand
out
of
my
way
.
I
have
death
here
for
you
,
and
five
other
dogs
.
"
I
saw
the
barrel
of
a
large
revolver
,
with
a
stream
of
light
upon
it
.
He
held
it
steadily
as
a
tobacco-pipe
.
I
am
glad
he
owned
some
courage
.
For
my
life
,
I
could
not
stir
.
All
the
breath
in
my
body
was
gone
.
"
Dear
heart
alaive
.
Thiccy
man
must
be
a
fule
,
"
said
the
farmer
quite
contemplatively
.
"
Do
n't
e
know
who
I
be
?
Do
e
reckon
they
peppermint
twistesses
can
hurt
Jan
Uxtable
?
I
seed
ever
so
many
in
a
smarl
shop
window
to
Lunnon
.
Surrender
now
wull
e
,
thou
shalt
have
fair
traial
to
Hexeter
,
as
a
Davonshire
man
have
took
e
,
and
a
dale
more
nor
e
desarves
.
Sharp
now
:
I
be
afeared
of
the
girt
dog
getting
loose
.
Dang
you
dog
.
Ston
up
a
bit
.
"
And
the
farmer
approached
him
coolly
,
trailing
the
dog
along
;
as
if
what
the
murderer
held
in
his
hand
was
a
stick
of
Spanish
liquorice
.
"
Fool
,
if
you
pass
that
stump
,
your
great
carcase
shall
lie
on
it
.
"
"
Fire
away
,
"
said
the
farmer
,
"
I
knowed
you
was
a
coward
,
and
I
be
glad
it
be
so
.
Now
mind
,
if
so
be
you
shuts
,
I
lets
the
dog
go
,
honour
braight
,
because
e
dunno
what
fair
play
be
.
But
if
e
harken
to
rason
,
I
'll
give
e
one
chance
more
.
I
'll
tie
up
the
dog
with
my
braces
to
thiccy
tree
—
allers
wear
cart
rope
I
does
—
and
I
'll
tak
e
Quane
's
prisoner
,
with
my
left
hond
,
and
t'other
never
out
of
my
breeches
pocket
;
look
e
,
zee
,
laike
thiccy
.
"
And
the
farmer
buried
his
right
hand
in
his
capacious
trowsery
.
The
Corsican
seemed
astonished
.
"
Fool-hardy
clown
,
worthy
son
of
a
bull-headed
country
,
stop
at
the
stump
—
then
,
take
that
.
"
Out
blazed
the
pistol
with
a
loud
ring
,
and
I
saw
that
the
farmer
was
struck
.
He
let
go
the
dog
,
and
leaped
up
;
his
right
hand
fell
on
Lepardo
's
temple
,
and
seemed
to
crush
the
skull
in
,
—
another
shot
at
the
same
instant
and
down
fell
the
farmer
heavily
.
"
Great
God
,
"
I
screamed
,
and
leaped
forward
.
But
Giudice
was
loose
to
avenge
him
,
though
I
could
swear
that
it
was
on
a
corpse
.
Corpse
or
living
body
,
over
and
over
it
rolled
,
with
the
dog
's
fangs
in
its
throat
.
I
heard
a
gurgle
,
a
tearing
,
and
grinding
,
and
then
a
loud
splash
in
the
water
.
The
dog
,
and
the
murderer
,
both
of
man
and
dog
,
sunk
in
the
lake
together
.
Twenty
feet
out
from
the
shore
rose
above
water
one
moment
,
drawn
ghastly
white
in
the
moonbeams
,
the
last
view
seen
till
the
judgment-day
of
the
face
of
Lepardo
Della
Croce
.
Almost
drowned
himself
—
for
he
would
not
release
his
father
's
murderer
,
while
a
gasp
was
in
him
—
staggered
at
last
to
the
shore
my
noble
and
true
dog
Giudice
.
He
fell
down
awhile
,
to
recover
his
breath
,
then
shook
himself
gratefully
,
tottered
to
me
,
where
I
knelt
at
the
farmer
's
side
,
and
wagged
his
tail
for
approval
.
The
water
from
his
chest
and
stomach
dripped
on
the
farmer
's
upturned
face
,
and
for
a
moment
revived
him
.
"
No
belt
,
no
tino
lad
,
I
'
ont
tak
'
it
.
Zimth
laike
a
ticket
for
chating
.
I
dunno
as
I
'd
tak
'
the
mony
,
if
it
war
n't
for
the
poor
chillers
,
naine
chillers
now
,
and
anither
a-coomin
.
Must
n't
drink
no
more
beer
,
but
Beany
shall
have
his'n
.
"
And
his
head
fell
back
on
my
lap
,
and
I
felt
sure
that
he
was
dead
.
How
I
screamed
and
shrieked
,
till
I
lay
beside
him
,
with
Judy
licking
my
face
,
none
can
tell
but
the
gamekeepers
,
who
had
heard
the
shots
,
and
came
hurrying
.
Of
this
lower
end
of
the
lake
they
happened
to
be
most
jealous
;
for
a
brood
of
pintail
ducks
,
very
rare
I
believe
in
England
,
had
been
hatched
here
this
summer
,
and
no
one
was
allowed
to
go
near
them
.
Poor
Judy
kept
all
the
men
aloof
,
till
I
was
able
to
speak
to
him
.
Then
I
perceived
that
he
as
well
was
bleeding
,
wounded
perhaps
by
the
poniard
as
he
leaped
on
his
enemy
's
breast
.
It
had
entered
just
under
the
shoulder
,
and
narrowly
missed
the
heart
.
They
took
us
at
once
towards
the
house
,
carrying
the
farmer
and
Judy
on
the
wooden
floodgates
of
the
stream
called
the
"
Witches
'
brook
,
"
which
here
fell
into
the
lake
.
As
we
entered
the
avenue
,
being
obliged
to
take
the
broad
way
,
though
much
further
round
,
we
heard
a
carriage
coming
.
It
was
the
one
I
had
sent
for
Conrad
,
with
a
hurried
note
to
break
the
sad
news
of
his
father
's
death
.
He
had
been
detained
in
London
by
a
challenge
he
found
from
Lepardo
;
which
was
of
course
a
stratagem
to
keep
him
out
of
the
way
.
How
delighted
I
was
to
see
his
calm
brave
face
again
,
as
he
leaped
down
,
and
took
my
tottering
form
in
his
arms
.
In
a
minute
he
understood
everything
,
and
knew
what
was
best
to
be
done
.
He
would
not
allow
them
to
place
the
poor
farmer
in
the
carriage
,
as
they
foolishly
wanted
to
do
;
but
laid
the
rude
litter
down
,
examined
the
wounds
by
the
lamplight
,
and
bound
them
up
most
cleverly
with
the
appliances
of
the
moment
.
"
Oh
,
Conrad
,
will
he
die
?
"
"
No
,
my
darling
,
I
hope
not
;
but
he
must
if
they
had
let
him
bleed
so
much
longer
.
"
"
I
never
heard
that
you
were
a
surgeon
,
Conny
.
"
"
Could
I
call
myself
a
sculptor
,
without
having
studied
anatomy
?
My
dearest
one
,
how
you
tremble
!
Go
home
in
the
carriage
,
and
give
directions
for
us
.
A
room
downstairs
,
with
a
wide
doorway
,
and
plenty
of
air
.
I
will
stay
with
them
,
and
see
that
they
bear
him
gently
.
Poor
Judy
may
go
with
you
.
"
Thus
Conrad
saw
for
the
first
time
the
hearth
and
home
of
his
ancestors
,
with
his
father
lying
dead
there
,
and
his
avenger
carried
helpless
.
But
I
met
him
at
the
door
.
Did
that
comfort
you
just
a
little
,
my
darling
?
CHAPTER
XII
.
The
lake
was
dragged
that
night
,
and
all
the
following
day
,
in
spite
of
the
gamekeeper
's
strong
remonstrance
for
the
sake
of
the
tender
pintails
.
But
nothing
whatever
was
found
,
except
the
Italian
cap.
The
"
Witches
'
grave
,
"
invisible
I
am
glad
to
say
from
the
house
,
is
more
than
forty
feet
deep
,
when
the
water
is
at
its
lowest
.
Three
or
four
years
afterwards
young
William
Hiatt
caught
a
monstrous
pike
in
the
lake
,
and
sent
him
,
with
our
permission
,
to
be
stuffed
at
Gloucester
.
Like
the
famous
fish
of
Samos
,
this
pike
had
swallowed
a
ring
,
which
was
sent
to
Conrad
by
the
Gloucester
gun-maker
.
It
was
Lepardo
's
seal-ring
,
the
cross
of
the
family
engraved
on
a
bloodstone
,
with
L.D.C.
below
it
.
Whether
the
midnight
stabber
died
by
the
blow
of
an
English
fist
,
or
suffered
vivisection
through
a
dog
's
vendetta
—
an
institution
more
excusable
and
dignified
than
man
's
—
is
known
to
Him
,
and
Him
alone
,
who
holds
the
scales
of
retribution
,
and
laughs
in
scorn
as
well
as
wrath
at
our
attempts
to
swing
them
.
For
are
we
not
therein
ourselves
;
and
how
shall
the
best
and
strongest
of
us
carry
the
thing
he
is
carried
in
?
Right
glad
I
am
,
and
ever
shall
be
,
that
I
moved
not
in
the
awful
scene
,
which
closed
my
father
's
tragedy
.
Through
Conrad
's
skill
and
presence
of
mind
,
the
dear
farmer
's
life
was
saved
.
We
sent
to
Gloucester
immediately
for
the
cleverest
surgeon
there
;
and
he
owned
that
he
could
not
have
fixed
the
ligatures
better
,
though
he
did
what
Conny
durst
not
attempt
,
he
extracted
the
murderer
's
bullet
.
It
was
the
first
shot
that
did
all
the
mischief
,
being
aimed
deliberately
at
the
large
and
tender
heart
.
Thanks
to
the
waving
of
the
willow-tree
,
for
Lepardo
was
a
known
marksman
,
it
had
missed
by
about
two
inches
.
The
second
shot
,
fired
quite
close
and
wildly
,
had
grooved
the
left
temple
,
and
stricken
the
farmer
senseless
.
For
six
weeks
now
our
dear
friend
,
whose
patience
amazed
all
but
me
,
was
kept
from
his
Devonshire
home
.
To
London
I
sent
at
once
for
the
two
children
and
Mr.
Dawe
,
and
would
have
sent
to
Devon
as
well
,
for
kind
and
good
Mrs.
Huxtable
,
but
her
husband
would
not
hear
of
it
.
By
Ann
Maples
,
who
had
left
Lady
Cranberry
"
shockingly
,
"
on
hearing
from
Mrs.
Fletcher
that
I
would
take
her
again
,
he
sent
to
his
wife
"
kind
love
and
best
duty
,
and
for
goodness
'
sake
,
stop
at
home
now
.
No
call
to
make
a
fule
of
yourself
,
and
the
farm
go
to
rack
and
ruin
.
There
be
fuss
enough
'
bout
I
already
,
and
never
I
brag
no
more
,
when
a
pill
like
thiccy
upsot
me
.
But
Miss
Clara
,
God
bless
her
bootiful
eyes
,
she
nurse
me
,
just
as
if
she
wor
my
own
darter
,
with
the
apron
on
as
you
give
her
.
And
you
should
see
the
kitchen
,
Honor
,
you
loves
a
kitchen
so
;
they
be
a
bilin
and
roastin
arl
day
,
and
they
be
vorced
to
swape
the
chimbley
three
times
in
a
vortnight
"
—
the
rest
of
this
glorious
message
,
about
three
pages
long
,
I
am
"
vorced
"
to
suppress
;
I
only
hope
Ann
Maples
remembered
a
quarter
of
it
.
But
his
wonderful
Miss
Clara
did
not
nurse
him
long
.
Hearing
from
the
surgeon
that
all
the
danger
was
over
by
the
end
of
the
following
week
—
so
strong
was
the
constitution
—
Conrad
,
Lily
,
and
I
set
sail
for
Corsica
on
our
melancholy
errand
.
In
that
letter
,
which
seemed
to
come
to
me
from
the
grave
,
my
poor
Uncle
after
expressing
his
joy
and
deep
gratitude
at
so
happy
a
close
to
his
life
,
continued
thus
:
—
"
Yes
,
my
dear
child
,
the
close
of
my
wasted
and
weary
life
.
You
may
be
surprised
and
perplexed
at
what
I
am
about
to
tell
you
;
but
you
are
not
one
of
those
low-minded
ones
,
who
condemn
as
superstition
all
beyond
their
philosophy
.
The
very
night
after
you
brought
me
my
new
Lily
,
a
sweet
thing
just
like
her
mother
,
I
lay
for
some
hours
awake
,
broad
awake
as
I
am
now
.
I
was
thinking
of
my
two
Lilies
,
the
lovely
and
loving
creatures
.
I
was
not
in
the
least
excited
,
but
calm
,
reflective
,
and
happy
.
Soon
after
the
clock
struck
two
,
at
the
time
when
our
life
burns
lowest
,
I
heard
a
soft
voice
,
sweet
as
the
music
of
heaven
,
call
me
by
name
three
times
.
Of
course
I
knew
whose
it
was
:
too
often
that
voice
had
murmured
upon
my
bosom
,
for
me
not
to
know
it
now
.
Not
rashly
,
but
with
a
mind
long
since
resolved
,
I
answered
:
'
Sweetest
mine
'
—
her
own
artless
and
young
endearment
—
'
Sweetest
mine
