Therewas
no
denying
anything
to
such
a
winning
loving
face
.
"
Dear
me
!
"
she
cried
very
thoughtfully
,
with
her
mites
of
hands
out
of
her
muff
—
she
had
the
prettiest
set
of
fur
I
ever
beheld
,
and
how
it
became
her
!
—
"
Dear
me
!
she
could
n't
have
meant
it
,
I
feel
quite
sure
she
could
n't
.
You
'll
come
to
my
opinion
when
you
have
time
to
consider
,
dear
"
—
this
was
said
so
sagely
that
I
could
have
kissed
her
all
over
like
a
duck
of
a
baby
.
"
To
steal
from
you
who
had
just
given
her
more
than
you
could
afford
!
Now
come
with
me
,
dear
,
you
shall
have
all
the
money
I
have
got
;
though
I
do
n't
think
it
's
anything
like
the
nine
pounds
you
have
lost
,
and
I
'm
sure
it
is
not
new
money
.
Only
I
have
n't
got
it
with
me
.
I
never
carry
money
.
Do
you
know
why
,
dear
?
"
"
No.
How
should
I
?
"
"
Well
,
I
do
n't
mind
telling
you
.
Because
then
I
ca
n't
spend
it
,
or
give
it
away
.
I
do
n't
care
a
bit
about
money
.
What
good
is
it
to
me
?
Why
,
I
can
never
keep
it
,
somehow
or
other
.
But
papa
says
if
I
can
show
five
pounds
on
Christmas-day
,
he
will
put
five
more
on
the
top
of
it
,
and
then
do
you
know
what
I
'll
do
?
I
'll
give
away
five
,
and
spend
the
rest
for
Pappy
and
Conrad
.
"
And
the
lively
little
thing
clapped
her
hands
at
the
prospect
,
quite
forgetting
that
she
had
just
offered
me
all
her
store
.
Presently
this
occurred
to
her
.
"
No.
Now
I
come
to
think
of
it
,
I
wo
n't
have
the
five
pounds
on
Christmas-day
.
As
the
girls
at
the
College
say
,
I
'll
just
sell
the
old
Pappy
.
That
will
be
better
fun
still
.
He
will
find
a
good
reason
for
it
.
He
always
does
for
everything
.
You
shall
have
every
bit
of
it
.
Come
home
with
me
now
,
that
's
a
dear
.
You
are
better
now
,
you
know
.
Come
,
that
's
a
love
.
I
am
sure
I
shall
love
you
with
all
my
heart
,
and
you
are
so
terribly
unlucky
.
"
I
yielded
at
once
.
She
was
so
loving
and
natural
,
I
could
not
resist
her
.
She
broke
upon
me
like
soft
sunshine
through
the
fog
,
laughing
,
smiling
,
dancing
,
her
face
all
light
and
warmth
,
yet
not
a
shallow
light
,
but
one
that
played
up
from
the
fount
of
tears
.
Her
deep
rich
violet
eyes
seldom
used
their
dark
lashes
,
except
when
she
was
asleep
.
She
was
life
itself
,
quick
,
playful
,
loving
life
,
feeling
for
and
with
all
life
around
;
pitying
,
trusting
,
admiring
all
things
;
yet
true
as
the
hearth
to
household
ties
.
I
never
found
another
such
nature
:
it
was
the
perfection
of
maiden
womanhood
,
even
in
its
unreason
.
And
therefore
nobody
could
resist
her
.
With
me
,
of
ten
times
her
strength
of
will
,
and
power
of
mind
—
small
though
it
be
—
she
could
do
in
a
moment
exactly
as
she
liked
;
I
mean
of
course
in
trivial
matters
.
It
was
impossible
to
be
offended
with
her
.
When
she
had
led
me
a
few
steps
towards
her
home
—
for
I
went
with
her
(
not
,
of
course
,
to
take
her
money
,
but
to
see
her
safe
)
,
she
turned
round
suddenly
:
—
"
Oh
I
forgot
,
dear
;
I
must
not
take
you
to
our
house
.
We
have
had
new
orders
.
But
where
do
you
live
?
I
will
bring
you
my
little
bag
to-morrow
.
They
wo
n't
let
me
out
again
to-night
.
Now
I
know
you
will
oblige
me
.
I
am
so
sorry
that
I
must
n't
see
you
safe
home
,
dear
.
"
This
she
said
with
the
finest
air
of
protection
imaginable
.
I
gave
her
my
name
and
address
,
and
asked
for
hers
.
"
My
name
is
Isola
Ross
,
I
am
seventeen
and
a
half
,
and
my
papa
is
Professor
at
the
College
.
I
ran
away
from
old
Cora
.
It
seemed
such
fun
to
be
all
alone
in
the
fog
.
What
trouble
I
shall
get
into
!
But
they
ca
n't
be
angry
with
me
long
.
Kiss
me
,
darling
.
Mind
,
to-morrow
!
"
Off
she
danced
through
the
fog
;
and
I
went
sadly
home
,
yet
thinking
more
of
her
,
than
of
my
serious
and
vexatious
loss
.
CHAPTER
XII
.
Inspector
Cutting
,
upon
the
first
tidings
of
the
robbery
,
came
at
once
,
and
assured
me
that
he
knew
the
"
party
"
well
,
and
wanted
her
for
several
other
plants
,
and
crafty
as
she
was
(
"
leary
"
was
the
elegant
word
he
used
)
he
was
sure
to
be
down
upon
her
in
the
course
of
a
very
short
time
.
Isola
Ross
,
to
my
great
surprise
,
did
not
come
the
next
day
,
nor
even
the
day
after
;
so
I
set
out
to
look
for
her
,
at
the
same
time
wondering
at
myself
for
doing
so
.
Knowing
that
College
Street
must
take
its
name
from
some
academic
building
in
or
near
it
,
I
concluded
of
course
that
there
I
should
find
Professor
Ross
and
my
lovely
new
friend
.
So
without
consulting
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
who
would
have
chattered
for
an
hour
,
away
I
went
one
tine
frosty
morning
to
ask
about
the
College
.
I
found
that
a
low
unsightly
building
,
which
I
had
often
passed
,
near
the
bottom
of
the
street
,
was
the
only
College
there
;
so
I
entered
a
small
quadrangle
,
to
make
further
inquiries
.
The
first
person
I
saw
was
a
young
man
dressed
like
one
of
my
father
's
grooms
,
and
cracking
a
long
whip
and
whistling
.
He
had
a
brilliant
scarlet
neckcloth
,
green
sporting
coat
,
and
black
boots
up
to
his
knees
.
I
studied
him
for
a
moment
because
it
struck
me
that
he
would
look
well
in
a
foreground
,
when
toned
down
a
little
,
as
water
colours
would
render
him
.
He
appreciated
my
attention
,
and
seemed
proud
of
it
.
"
Now
,
Polly
,
what
can
I
do
for
you
,
dear
?
"
He
must
have
been
three
parts
drunk
,
or
he
would
never
have
dared
to
address
me
so
.
Of
course
I
made
no
answer
,
but
walked
on
.
He
cracked
his
whip
like
a
pistol
,
to
startle
me
.
"
Splendid
filly
,
"
I
heard
him
mutter
,
"
but
cussed
high
action
.
"
What
he
meant
I
do
not
know
or
care
.
The
next
I
met
was
a
fussy
little
man
,
dressed
all
in
brown
,
who
smelt
of
musty
hay
.
"
Will
you
kindly
tell
me
,
"
I
asked
,
"
where
to
find
Professor
Ross
?
'
"
Ross
,
Ross
!
Do
n't
know
the
name
.
No
Ross
about
here
.
What
's
he
Professor
of
?
"
"
That
I
was
not
told
.
But
it
is
something
the
young
ladies
study
.
"
"
No
young
ladies
about
here
.
But
I
see
you
have
brought
your
dear
mamma
's
lapdog
.
Take
it
out
of
the
bag
.
Let
me
look
at
it
.
"
"
Is
not
this
the
College
?
"
"
Yes
to
be
sure
.
The
best
College
in
London
.
Quick
,
let
me
see
the
dog
.
"
"
I
have
no
dog
,
sir
.
I
have
made
some
mistake
.
"
"
Then
you
have
got
a
pony
.
Pet
over-fed
.
Shetland
breed
.
"
"
No
indeed
.
Nothing
except
myself
;
and
I
am
looking
for
Miss
Ross
.
"
"
Young
lady
,
you
have
made
a
very
great
mistake
.
You
have
kept
me
five
minutes
from
a
lecture
on
the
navicular
disease
.
And
my
practice
is
controverted
by
an
upstart
youth
from
the
country
.
I
am
in
search
of
authorities
.
"
And
off
he
darted
,
I
suppose
to
the
library
.
It
was
clear
that
I
had
made
some
mistake
,
so
I
found
my
way
back
to
the
street
,
and
asked
in
the
nearest
shop
what
building
it
was
that
I
had
just
left
.
"
Oh
,
them
's
the
weterans
,
"
said
the
woman
,
"
and
a
precious
set
they
be
!
"
"
Why
,
they
did
not
look
like
soldiers
.
"
"
No
,
no
,
Miss.
Weterans
,
where
they
takes
in
all
the
sick
horses
and
dogs
.
And
very
clever
they
are
,
I
have
heard
say
.
"
"
And
where
is
the
College
where
the
young
ladies
are
?
"
"
I
do
n't
know
of
no
other
College
nearer
than
High
Street
,
where
the
boys
wear
flat
caps
.
But
there
's
a
girls
'
school
down
the
road
.
"
"
I
do
n't
want
a
school
.
I
want
a
College
where
young
ladies
go
.
"
"
Then
I
cant
help
you
,
Miss.
"
And
back
I
went
to
consult
Mrs.
Shelfer
.
"
Bless
my
soul
,
Miss
Valence
,
"
cried
the
little
woman
,
out
of
breath
with
amazement
,
"
have
you
been
among
them
niggers
?
It
's
a
mercy
they
did
n't
skin
and
stuff
you
.
What
do
you
think
now
they
did
to
my
old
Tom
?
"
"
How
can
I
guess
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
?
"
"
No
,
no
,
to
be
sure
not
.
I
forgot
,
my
good
friend
.
Why
,
they
knowed
him
well
it
seems
,
because
he
had
been
there
in
dear
Miss
Minto
's
time
,
for
a
salmon
bone
that
had
got
crossways
in
his
oesop
,
so
they
said
at
least
,
but
they
are
the
biggest
liars
—
so
only
a
year
ago
come
next
Boxing-day
,
here
comes
to
the
door
half
a
dozen
of
them
,
bus-cad
and
coachman
all
in
one
,
all
looking
as
grave
as
judges
.
When
I
went
to
the
door
they
all
pulled
their
hats
off
,
as
if
I
had
been
the
Queen
at
the
very
least
.
'
What
can
I
do
for
you
,
my
good
friends
?
'
says
I
;
for
Shelfer
was
out
of
the
way
,
and
catch
me
letting
them
in
for
all
their
politeness
.
No
,
no
,
thank
you
.
'
Mrs
.
Shelfer
,
'
says
the
biggest
of
them
,
a
lantern-jawed
young
fellow
with
covers
over
his
pockets
,
'
Mrs
.
Shelfer
,
you
are
possessed
of
a
most
remarkable
cat
.
An
animal
,
ma'am
,
of
unparalleled
cemetery
and
organic
dewelopment
.
Our
Professor
,
ma'am
,
is
delivering
a
course
of
lectures
on
the
Canonical
Heapatightness
of
the
Hirumbillycuss
.
"
"
Well
done
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
!
What
a
memory
you
must
have
!
"
"
Pretty
well
,
Miss
,
pretty
well
.
Particular
for
long
words
,
when
I
likes
the
sound
of
them
.
'
Well
sir
,
'
I
says
,
feeling
rather
taken
aback
,
'
thank
God
I
have
n't
got
it
.
'
'
No
,
ma'am
,
'
says
he
,
'
your
blooming
countenance
entirely
negatives
any
such
dyingnoses
.
But
the
Professor
,
in
passing
the
other
morning
,
observed
some
symptoms
of
it
in
your
magnificent
cat
,
for
whom
he
entertains
the
most
sincere
attachment
,
and
whom
he
will
cure
for
our
advancement
and
edification
upon
the
lecture
table
.
And
now
,
ma'am
,
Professor
Sallenders
desires
his
most
respectful
compliments
,
and
will
you
allow
us
to
take
that
dear
good
cat
to
be
cured
.
The
Professor
was
instrumental
once
in
preserving
his
honoured
existence
,
therefore
he
feels
assured
that
you
will
not
now
refuse
him
.
'
Well
you
see
,
Miss
,
I
did
n't
half
like
to
let
him
go
,
but
I
was
afraid
to
offend
the
Professor
,
because
of
all
my
animals
,
for
I
knew
that
he
could
put
a
blight
upon
them
,
birds
and
all
,
if
he
chose
.
Old
Tom
was
lying
roasting
his
back
again
the
fender
,
the
same
as
you
see
him
now
,
poor
soul
;
so
I
catched
him
up
and
put
him
in
a
double
covered
basket
,
with
a
bit
of
flannel
over
him
,
because
the
weather
was
cold
;
and
he
was
so
clever
,
would
you
believe
it
,
he
put
up
his
old
paws
to
fight
me
,
he
knew
he
was
going
to
mischief
,
and
that
turned
me
rather
.
'
Now
will
you
promise
to
bring
him
back
safe
?
'
I
says
.
'
Ma'am
,
'
says
the
lantern-jawed
young
man
,
bowing
over
his
heart
,
and
as
serious
as
a
pulpit
,
'
Ma'am
,
in
less
than
an
hour
.
Rely
upon
the
honour
of
Weteran
Arian
Gent
.
"
"
Well
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
I
am
astonished
.
Even
I
should
never
have
been
so
silly
.
Poor
old
Tom
among
the
Philistines
!
"
"
Well
,
Miss
,
I
began
to
feel
very
uneasy
directly
they
was
gone
.
I
thought
they
looked
back
so
queerly
,
and
old
Tom
was
mewing
so
dreadful
in
the
basket
.
Presently
I
began
to
hear
a
mewing
out
of
the
cupboard
,
and
a
mewing
out
of
the
clock
,
and
even
out
of
the
dripping-pan
.
So
I
put
on
my
bonnet
as
quick
as
I
could
,
and
ran
right
away
to
the
College
,
and
somehow
or
other
by
the
time
I
got
there
,
I
was
in
a
fright
all
over
.
As
good
luck
would
have
it
,
the
man
was
at
the
gate
;
a
nice
respectable
married
man
,
and
a
friend
of
Charley
's
.
'
Curbs
,
'
I
says
,
'
where
is
Professor
Sallenders
?
'
'
Down
in
the
country
,
'
says
he
,
'
since
last
Friday
.
He
never
stops
here
at
Christmas
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
he
's
a
deal
too
knowing
for
that
.
'
My
heart
went
pop
,
Miss
,
like
an
oyster
shell
in
the
fire
.
I
held
on
by
the
door
,
and
I
thought
it
was
all
up
with
me
.
'
Do
n't
take
on
so
,
Missus
,
'
says
Curbs
,
'
if
any
of
your
museum
is
ill
,
there
's
half
a
dozen
clever
young
coves
in
the
operating
room
over
there
,
only
they
're
busy
just
now
,
cutting
up
a
big
black
cat
.
My
eyes
,
how
he
did
squeal
!
'
I
screamed
out
and
ran
—
Curbs
thought
I
was
mad
,
and
he
was
not
far
out
—
bang
went
the
door
before
me
,
and
there
on
the
table
,
with
the
lantern-jawed
young
man
flourishing
a
big
knife
over
him
,
there
lay
my
precious
old
Tom
strapped
down
on
his
back
,
with
his
mouth
tied
up
in
white
tape
,
and
leather
gloves
over
his
feet
,
and
sticks
trussed
across
him
the
same
as
a
roasting
rabbit
,
and
a
streak
of
white
all
along
his
blessed
stomach
—
you
know
,
Miss
,
he
had
n't
got
one
white
hair
by
rights
—
where
the
niggers
had
shaved
and
floured
him
,
to
see
what
they
were
about
.
He
turned
up
his
dear
old
eyes
when
he
saw
me
;
it
would
have
made
you
cry
,
and
he
tried
to
speak
.
Oh
you
precious
old
soul
,
did
n't
I
scatter
them
right
and
left
?
I
scratched
that
lantern-jawed
hypocrite
's
face
till
I
gave
him
the
hirumbillycuss
and
hirumtommycuss
too
,
I
expect
.
I
called
a
policeman
in
,
and
there
was
n't
one
of
them
finished
his
Christmas
in
London
.
But
the
poor
old
soul
has
never
been
the
same
cat
since
.
The
anxiety
he
was
in
,
turned
his
hair
white
on
both
sides
of
his
heart
and
all
round
the
backs
of
his
ears
.
He
would
n't
come
to
the
door
,
he
shook
so
,
at
the
call
of
the
cat's-meat
man
for
better
than
a
month
,
and
he
wo
n't
look
at
it
now
,
while
there
's
a
skewer
in
it
.
"
The
poor
little
woman
was
crying
with
pity
and
rage
.
Old
Tom
looked
up
all
the
time
as
if
he
knew
all
she
said
,
and
then
jumped
on
her
lap
,
and
showed
his
paws
,
and
purred
.
Meanwhile
,
a
change
had
come
over
my
intentions
.
Perhaps
all
the
rudeness
I
had
met
with
that
day
had
called
my
pride
into
arms
.
At
any
rate
,
much
as
I
liked
pretty
Isola
,
and
much
as
I
longed
for
her
fresh
warm
kindness
,
I
now
resolved
to
wait
until
she
should
choose
to
seek
me
.
So
I
did
not
even
ask
Mrs.
Shelfer
whether
she
knew
the
College
where
the
Professor
lectured
.
What
were
love
and
warm
young
hearts
to
me
?
I
deserved
such
a
rebuff
for
swerving
so
from
my
duty
.
Now
I
would
give
all
my
thoughts
to
the
art
,
whence
only
could
spring
any
hope
of
attaining
my
end
,
and
the
very
next
day
I
would
follow
the
picture-dealer
's
advice
.
CHAPTER
XIII
.
There
was
a
school
of
design
not
very
far
from
my
lodgings
,
and
thither
I
went
the
next
morning
.
My
landlady
offered
to
come
with
me
and
see
me
safe
in
the
room
;
and
of
course
her
Charley
,
who
seemed
to
know
everybody
,
knew
some
one
even
there
,
to
whom
she
kindly
promised
to
recommend
me
.
So
I
gladly
accepted
her
offer
.
In
some
respects
,
Mr.
Shelfer
was
more
remarkable
than
even
his
wife
.
He
was
so
shy
,
that
on
the
rare
occasions
when
we
met
,
I
never
could
get
him
to
look
at
me
,
except
once
when
he
was
drunk
;
yet
by
some
mysterious
process
he
seemed
to
know
everything
about
me
—
the
colour
of
my
eyes
,
the
arrangement
of
my
hair
,
the
dresses
I
put
on
,
the
spirits
I
was
in
—
a
great
deal
more
,
in
fact
,
than
I
ever
cared
to
know
.
So
that
sometimes
my
self-knowledge
was
largely
increased
,
through
his
observations
repeated
by
his
wife
.
But
I
was
not
allowed
to
flatter
myself
that
this
resulted
from
any
especial
interest
;
for
he
seemed
to
possess
an
equal
acquaintance
with
the
affairs
of
all
his
neighbours
.
Mention
any
one
anywhere
around
,
and
he
,
without
seeming
to
mean
it
,
would
describe
him
or
her
unmistakably
in
half
a
dozen
words
.
He
never
praised
or
blamed
,
he
simply
identified
.
He
must
have
seen
more
with
a
blink
of
his
eye
,
than
most
people
see
in
five
minutes
of
gazing
.
He
seldom
brought
any
one
home
with
him
,
though
he
often
promised
to
do
so
;
he
never
seemed
to
indulge
in
gossip
,
at
any
rate
not
with
his
wife
.
"
Cut
it
short
,
old
'
ooman
,
"
was
all
the
encouragement
he
ever
gave
her
in
that
way
.
When
he
was
at
home
—
a
thing
of
rare
occurrence
—
he
sat
with
his
head
down
and
a
long
pipe
in
his
mouth
;
he
walked
in
the
street
with
his
head
down
,
and
never
accosted
any
one
.
Where
did
he
get
all
his
knowledge
?
I
doubt
if
there
were
a
public-house
in
London
,
but
what
Shelfer
knew
at
the
furthest
a
cousin
of
the
landlord
,
and
a
brother
of
one
of
the
potboys
.
"
Charley
Shelfer
"
everybody
called
him
,
and
everybody
spoke
of
him
,
not
with
distinguished
respect
,
but
with
a
kindly
feeling
.
His
luck
was
proverbial
;
he
had
a
room
full
of
things
which
he
had
won
at
raffles
,
and
he
was
in
constant
requisition
to
throw
for
less
fortunate
people
.
As
for
his
occupation
—
he
called
himself
a
nurseryman
,
but
he
had
no
nursery
that
I
could
discover
.
He
received
a
pound
a
week
for
looking
after
the
garden
in
the
great
square
;
but
when
any
one
came
for
him
,
he
was
never
to
be
found
there
.
I
think
he
spent
most
of
his
time
in
jobbing
about
,
and
"
swopping
"
(
as
Mrs.
Shelfer
called
it
)
among
his
brother
gardeners
.
Sometimes
,
he
brought
home
beautiful
plants
,
perfectly
lovely
flowers
,
unknown
to
me
even
by
name
,
and
many
of
these
he
presented
to
me
by
Mrs.
Shelfer
's
hands
.
Every
Sunday
morning
he
was
up
before
the
daylight
,
and
away
for
an
excursion
,
or
rather
an
incursion
,
through
the
Hampstead
,
Highgate
,
and
Holloway
district
.
From
these
raids
he
used
to
return
as
I
came
home
from
the
morning
service
.
By
the
way
,
if
I
had
wanted
to
puzzle
him
and
find
a
blank
in
his
universal
acquaintance
,
the
best
chance
would
have
been
to
ask
him
about
the
clergyman
.
He
never
gave
the
pew-openers
any
trouble
,
neither
indeed
did
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
who
called
herself
a
Catholic
;
but
the
lively
little
woman
's
chiefest
terror
was
death
,
and
a
parson
to
her
was
always
an
undertaker
.
If
Mr.
Shelfer
had
not
spent
the
Sunday
morning
quite
so
well
as
I
had
,
at
any
rate
he
had
not
wasted
his
time
.
I
think
he
must
have
robbed
hen-roosts
and
allotment
grounds
;
and
yet
he
was
too
respectable
for
that
.
But
whence
and
how
could
he
ever
have
come
by
the
gipsey
collection
he
always
produced
from
his
hat
,
from
his
countless
pockets
,
from
his
red
cotton
handkerchief
,
every
Sunday
at
1
P.M.
?
Eggs
,
chickens
,
mushrooms
,
sticks
of
horseradish
and
celery
,
misletoe-thrushes
,
cucumbers
,
cabbages
red
and
white
,
rabbits
,
watercress
,
Aylesbury
ducks
—
I
cannot
remember
one
quarter
of
his
manifold
forage
.
All
I
can
say
is
,
that
if
these
things
are
to
be
found
by
the
side
of
the
road
near
London
,
Middlesex
is
a
far
better
field
for
the
student
of
natural
history
than
Gloucestershire
,
or
even
beloved
Devon
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
said
it
was
all
his
luck
;
but
I
hardly
think
it
could
have
rained
Aylesbury
ducks
,
even
for
Mr.
Shelfer
.
All
the
time
he
was
extracting
from
his
recesses
this
multifarious
store
,
he
never
once
smiled
,
or
showed
any
symptoms
of
triumph
,
but
gravely
went
through
the
whole
,
as
if
a
simple
duty
.
How
was
it
such
a
man
had
not
made
his
fortune
?
Because
he
had
an
incurable
habit
of
"
backing
bills
"
for
any
one
who
asked
him
;
and
hence
he
was
always
in
trouble
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
and
I
were
admitted
readily
into
the
school
of
design
.
It
was
a
long
low
room
,
very
badly
lighted
,
and
fitted
up
for
the
time
until
a
better
could
be
provided
.
It
looked
very
cold
and
comfortless
;
forms
instead
of
chairs
,
and
desks
like
a
parish
school
.
The
whitewashed
walls
were
hung
with
diagrams
,
sections
,
tracings
,
reductions
,
most
of
them
stiff
and
ugly
,
but
no
doubt
instructive
.
At
one
end
was
a
raised
platform
,
reserved
for
lecturers
and
the
higher
powers
.
Shelves
round
the
wall
were
filled
with
casts
and
models
,
and
books
of
instruction
were
to
be
had
out
of
cupboards
.
Of
course
we
were
expected
to
bring
our
own
materials
,
and
a
code
of
rules
was
exhibited
.
The
more
advanced
students
were
permitted
to
tender
any
work
of
their
own
which
might
be
of
service
to
the
neophytes
.
From
no
one
there
did
I
ever
receive
any
insolence
.
At
first
,
the
young
artists
used
to
look
at
me
rather
hard
,
but
my
reserved
and
distant
air
was
quite
enough
to
discourage
them
.
After
the
introduction
,
which
Mrs.
Shelfer
accomplished
in
very
great
style
,
I
dismissed
her
,
and
set
to
in
earnest
to
pore
once
more
over
the
rudiments
of
perspective
.
One
simple
truth
as
to
the
vanishing
point
struck
me
at
once
.
I
was
amazed
that
I
had
never
perceived
it
before
.
It
was
not
set
forth
in
the
book
I
was
studying
;
but
it
was
the
sole
key
to
all
my
errors
of
distance
.
At
once
I
closed
the
book
;
upon
that
one
subject
I
wanted
no
more
instruction
,
I
had
caught
the
focus
of
truth
.
Books
,
like
bad
glass
,
would
only
refract
my
perception
.
All
I
wanted
now
was
practice
and
adaptation
of
the
eye
.
Strange
as
it
seemed
to
me
then
,
I
could
draw
no
more
that
day
.
I
was
so
overcome
at
first
sight
by
the
simple
beauty
of
truth
,
mathematical
yet
poetical
truth
,
that
error
and
obscurity
(
for
there
is
a
balance
in
all
things
)
had
their
revenge
for
a
while
on
my
brain
.
But
the
truth
,
once
seen
,
could
never
be
lost
again
.
Thenceforth
there
were
few
higher
penances
for
me
,
in
a
small
way
,
than
to
look
at
one
of
my
early
drawings
.
When
my
brain
was
clear
,
I
returned
to
do
a
real
day
's
work
.
For
the
cups
,
and
vases
,
and
plates
,
and
things
of
"
æsthetic
art
"
(
as
they
chose
to
call
it
)
,
I
did
not
care
at
all
;
but
the
copies
and
models
and
figures
were
most
useful
to
me
.
Unless
I
am
much
mistaken
,
I
made
more
advance
in
a
fortnight
there
,
than
I
had
in
any
year
of
my
life
before
.
With
my
usual
perseverance
—
if
I
have
no
other
virtue
,
I
have
that
—
I
worked
away
to
correct
my
many
shortcomings
;
not
even
indulging
(
much
as
I
wanted
the
money
)
in
any
attempts
at
a
finished
drawing
,
until
I
felt
sure
that
all
my
foundations
were
thoroughly
laid
and
set
.
"
And
now
,
"
I
cried
towards
Christmas
,
"
now
for
Mr.
Oxgall
;
if
I
do
n't
astonish
him
this
time
,
my
name
is
not
Clara
Vaughan
!
"
It
did
me
good
when
I
was
alone
,
to
call
myself
by
my
own
name
,
and
my
right
to
be
my
father
's
daughter
.
CHAPTER
XIV
.
Meanwhile
old
Christmas
was
come
,
and
all
I
was
worth
in
the
world
was
change
for
half
a
sovereign
.
True
,
my
lodgings
were
paid
for
,
a
fortnight
in
advance
,
because
good
Mrs.
Shelfer
wanted
to
treat
all
her
pets
to
a
Christmas
dinner
;
but
as
for
my
own
Christmas
dinner
—
though
I
ca
n't
say
I
cared
much
for
it
—
if
I
got
one
at
all
,
it
must
be
upon
credit
,
since
my
drawing
would
not
be
finished
for
another
week
.
Credit
,
of
course
,
I
would
not
think
of
.
Any
day
in
the
week
or
year
,
I
would
rather
starve
than
owe
money
.
However
,
I
was
not
going
to
cry
about
plum-pudding
,
though
once
or
twice
it
made
me
hungry
to
think
of
the
dinner
in
the
great
hall
at
Vaughan
Park
on
the
Christmas
eve
;
a
much
more
elaborate
matter
in
the
old
time
,
than
the
meal
served
in
the
dining-room
next
day
.
Now
I
sat
in
my
little
room
this
dreary
Christmas
eve
;
and
do
what
I
would
,
I
could
not
help
thinking
a
little
.
It
was
a
gusty
evening
,
cold
and
damp
,
with
scuds
of
sleet
and
snow
,
as
yet
it
had
not
made
up
its
mind
whether
to
freeze
or
thaw
.
Nevertheless
,
the
streets
were
full
of
merry
laughing
parties
,
proud
of
their
bargains
for
the
Christmas
cheer
;
and
as
they
went
by
,
the
misletoe
and
the
holly
glistened
in
the
flickering
gaslight
.
For
old
recollection
's
sake
,
I
had
made
believe
to
dress
my
little
room
with
some
few
sprigs
of
laurel
and
unberried
holly
;
the
sceptre
branch
,
all
cobbed
with
coral
beads
,
was
too
expensive
for
me
.
Misletoe
I
wanted
not
.
Who
was
there
now
to
kiss
me
?
From
the
sheer
craving
of
human
nature
for
a
word
of
kindness
,
I
had
called
,
that
afternoon
,
upon
Mrs.
Elton
.
But
good
as
she
was
and
sweet
to
me
,
she
had
near
relatives
coming
;
and
I
saw
or
fancied
,
that
I
should
be
in
the
way
.
Yet
I
thought
that
her
mother
heart
yearned
toward
me
as
she
said
"
Good
bye
,
"
and
showed
me
out
by
the
Christmas
tree
,
all
trembling
to
be
lighted
.
Now
I
sat
alone
and
lonely
by
the
flickering
of
three
pennyworth
of
wood
which
I
had
bought
recklessly
for
the
sake
of
the
big
ash-tree
that
used
to
glow
with
the
lichen
peeling
round
it
on
the
old
Christmas
hearth
,
where
I
was
believed
the
heiress
.
The
little
spark
and
sputter
of
my
sallow
billet
(
chopped
by
the
poor
old
people
at
St.
Pancras
workhouse
)
led
me
back
through
eight
sad
years
to
the
last
merry
time
when
my
father
was
keeping
his
latest
Christmas
,
and
I
his
pride
and
hope
was
prouder
than
all
,
at
being
just
ten
years
old
.
How
he
carved
and
ladled
the
gravy
;
how
he
flourished
his
knife
and
fork
with
a
joke
all
hot
for
every
one
;
how
he
smiled
when
the
thrice-helped
farmers
sent
for
another
slice
,
and
laughed
when
the
crow-boy
was
nearly
choked
with
plum-pudding
;
how
he
patted
me
on
the
head
and
caught
me
for
a
kiss
,
when
I
,
dressed
up
as
head-waitress
,
with
my
long
hair
all
tied
back
,
pulled
his
right
arm
and
pointed
to
widow
Hiatt
's
plate
—
the
speech
he
made
after
dinner
,
when
I
was
amazed
at
his
eloquence
and
clapped
my
little
hands
,
and
the
way
he
made
me
stand
up
on
a
chair
and
drink
the
Queen
's
health
first
—
then
the
hurrahs
of
the
tenants
and
servants
,
and
how
they
kissed
me
outside
—
all
this
goes
through
my
memory
as
the
smoke
of
the
billet
goes
up
the
chimney
,
and
the
tears
steal
under
my
eyelids
.
Then
I
see
the
long
hall
afterwards
,
with
the
tables
cleared
away
and
the
lights
hung
round
the
tapestry
,
and
the
yule
log
roaring
afresh
;
my
father
(
a
type
of
the
true
English
gentleman
,
not
of
the
past
but
the
present
century
)
,
holding
the
hand
of
his
wife
(
a
lady
of
no
condescending
airs
,
but
true
womanly
warmth
and
love
)
—
both
dressed
for
the
tenants
'
ball
as
if
for
the
lord-lieutenant
's
;
both
eager
to
lead
off
the
country
dance
,
and
beating
their
feet
to
the
music
.
Next
them
,
a
laughing
child
in
a
little
white
frock
and
pink
slip
(
scarce
to
be
known
for
myself
)
,
hand-in-hand
with
my
brave
chevalier
,
Master
Roderick
Blount
,
accounted
by
Cooky
and
both
lady's-maids
,
and
most
of
all
by
himself
,
my
duly
affianced
lord
.
Then
the
housekeeper
,
starched
beyond
measure
,
yet
not
too
stiff
to
smile
,
and
open
for
the
nonce
even
to
jokes
about
courtship
,
yielding
her
gracious
hand
for
the
dance
to
the
senior
tenant
,
a
man
with
great
calves
,
red
face
,
and
snow-white
hair
.
After
them
come
—
Hark
!
a
loud
knock
and
a
ring
.
It
is
just
in
time
before
I
begin
the
palinode
.
Who
can
want
me
to-night
?
I
want
no
one
but
those
I
cannot
have
,
whom
the
fire
has
now
restored
me
,
though
the
earth
has
hidden
them
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
is
hard
at
work
in
the
kitchen
,
preparing
a
wonderful
supper
for
Charley
,
who
has
promised
to
come
home
.
She
has
canvassed
the
chance
of
his
keeping
this
promise
fifty
times
in
the
day
.
Hope
cries
"
yes
;
"
experience
whispers
"
no.
"
At
any
rate
the
knock
is
not
his
,
for
he
always
carries
a
latch-key
.
She
calls
up
the
stairs
"
Miss
Valence
!
"
before
she
goes
to
the
door
,
for
who
knows
but
she
might
be
murdered
in
the
midst
of
her
Christmas
pudding
?
I
come
out
to
prove
my
existence
and
stand
in
the
dark
on
the
landing
.
She
draws
back
the
bolt
;
I
hear
a
gruff
voice
as
if
it
came
through
a
hat
.
"
Young
'
ooman
by
the
name
of
Clara
Waun
live
here
?
"
"
Yes
to
be
sure
;
Miss
Valence
you
mean
,
my
good
friend
.
"
"
The
name
on
this
here
ticket
ai
n't
Walence
,
but
Waun
.
"
"
All
right
,
my
good
friend
.
All
right
.
It
's
just
the
same
.
"
"
Hor
,
I
do
n't
know
that
though
.
Jim
,
the
name
of
the
party
here
ai
n't
Waun
after
all
.
It
be
Walence
.
And
three
blessed
days
us
has
been
all
over
London
!
"
Jim
,
from
the
top
of
the
van
,
suggests
that
,
after
all
,
Walence
and
Waun
be
much
of
a
muchness
.
For
his
part
,
he
'll
be
blessed
if
he
'll
go
any
further
with
it
.
Let
him
and
Ben
look
at
the
young
lady
,
and
see
if
she
be
like
the
card
.
Meanwhile
,
of
course
,
I
come
forward
and
claim
the
parcel
,
whatever
it
is
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
redoubles
her
assurances
,
and
calls
the
man
a
great
oaf
,
which
has
more
effect
than
anything
.
"
Why
,
Jim
,
this
must
be
Charley
's
missus
;
Charley
Shelfer
's
missus
!
Him
as
beat
you
so
at
skittles
last
week
,
you
know
.
"
"
Ah
,
he
did
so
.
And
I
'd
like
to
back
him
again
you
,
Ben
,
for
a
quart
all
round
.
"
This
fact
is
decisive
.
Who
can
doubt
any
more
?
But
for
all
that
,
the
book
must
be
signed
in
the
name
of
"
Waun
,
"
with
which
of
course
I
comply
.
When
the
two
strong
men
have
,
with
much
difficulty
(
of
which
they
made
much
more
)
,
lowered
the
enormous
package
from
the
van
,
Ben
stands
wiping
his
forehead
.
"
Lor
,
how
hot
it
be
to-night
to
be
sure
!
And
the
job
us
has
had
with
this
big
lump
sure
*
ly
*
!
Both
the
handles
come
off
long
ago
.
I
wish
my
missus
had
got
a
featherbed
half
the
weight
of
that
.
Five-and-twenty
year
I
've
been
along
of
this
company
,
man
and
boy
,
but
I
never
see
such
a
direction
as
that
there
in
all
my
born
days
.
Did
ever
you
,
Jim
?
"
"
Well
,
"
replies
Jim
,
"
I
've
seed
a
many
queer
ones
,
but
none
as
could
come
up
to
that
.
And
who
'd
a
thought
after
all
their
trouble
—
for
I
'm
blessed
if
they
wrote
that
there
under
a
week
—
who
'd
a
'
thought
they
'd
a
put
'
Waun
'
on
it
when
they
meant
'
Walence
.
'
But
the
young
lady
is
awaiting
for
us
to
drink
her
health
,
Ben
,
and
a
merry
Christmas
to
her
.
"
"
How
much
is
the
carriage
?
"
I
ask
,
trembling
for
my
change
of
the
half-sovereign
.
"
Nothing
,
miss.
Only
eightpence
for
delivery
.
It
be
paid
to
Paddington
,
and
if
ever
our
Company
airned
eightpence
,
I
'm
blessed
if
they
have
n't
airned
it
now
.
Thank
you
,
Miss
,
and
werry
handsome
on
you
,
and
us
hopes
the
contents
will
prove
to
your
liking
,
Miss
,
and
make
you
a
merry
Christmas
.
"
Away
they
go
with
the
smoking
horses
,
after
carrying
into
the
little
kitchen
the
mighty
maun
,
which
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
with
my
assistance
,
could
not
stir
.
"
Bless
me
,
Miss
Valence
,
what
a
direction
!
"
cries
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
when
the
full
light
falls
upon
it
.
The
direction
was
written
in
round
hand
upon
a
strip
of
parchment
,
about
four
inches
wide
and
at
least
eight
feet
in
length
.
It
came
from
the
bottom
all
up
over
the
cover
and
down
upon
the
other
side
,
so
that
no
one
could
open
the
basket
without
breaking
it
asunder
.
It
was
as
follows
:
—
"
Miss
Clara
Vaughan
lodges
at
number
seven
in
Prince
Albert
Street
in
London
town
near
Windsor
Castle
in
Gloucestershire
the
daughter
of
Mr.
Henry
Valentine
Vaughan
Esquire
a
nice
tall
young
lady
her
always
wears
black
things
and
walks
very
peart
pale
with
a
little
red
on
her
cheeks
when
they
lets
her
alone
ca
n't
be
no
mistake
without
it
be
done
a
purpose
If
so
be
this
here
little
maun
hai
n't
brought
to
her
safe
and
sweet
and
wholesome
will
be
prosecuted
with
the
utmost
rigour
of
the
law
signed
John
Huxtable
his
mark
x
witness
Timothy
Badcock
his'n
X
.
"
I
wondered
much
whether
Mr.
Beany
Dawe
had
been
called
in
to
achieve
this
masterpiece
of
manuscript
,
which
was
all
in
large
round
hand
,
but
without
any
stops
.
It
seemed
beyond
poor
Sally
's
art
,
yet
were
some
loops
and
downstrokes
that
must
be
dear
little
Sally
's
.
I
took
it
off
with
much
trouble
—
the
parchment
was
joined
in
four
places
—
and
I
have
it
now
.
Meanwhile
Mrs.
Shelfer
was
dancing
around
it
,
neglecting
her
supper
in
the
wonder
of
this
gigantic
hamper
.
"
Let
me
get
a
chopper
,
Miss
,
you
'll
never
get
it
open
.
Why
it
's
sewed
as
tight
as
an
oyster
.
"
However
,
I
did
get
it
open
at
last
,
and
never
shall
I
forget
the
contents
.
There
was
a
month
's
food
for
a
family
of
twelve
.
First
came
hay
,
such
as
I
never
smelt
out
of
Devonshire
;
then
eighteen
rolls
of
butter
,
each
with
a
snowy
cloth
around
it
;
the
butter
so
golden
even
at
that
time
of
year
,
that
Mrs.
Shelfer
compared
it
to
the
yolk
of
an
egg
looking
out
of
the
white
.
Then
a
storey
of
clotted
cream
and
beautiful
lard
and
laver
,
which
they
knew
I
loved
.
Then
a
floor
of
hay
.
Below
it
a
pair
of
guinea
fowls
,
two
large
turkeys
,
and
most
carefully
wrapped
from
the
rest
a
fine
hare
filled
with
dried
sweet
herbs
.
Below
these
a
flitch
of
bacon
,
two
wood-smoked
hams
,
a
pair
of
tongues
,
a
leg
of
Exmoor
mutton
,
and
three
bottles
of
best
elder
wine
.
Then
a
brown
paper
parcel
containing
Sally
's
last
copy-book
(
I
had
set
her
copies
for
half
a
year
to
come
)
and
a
long
letter
,
the
first
I
had
ever
received
from
Tossil
's
Barton
.
When
all
was
out
at
last
,
after
the
greatest
delight
and
laughter
as
each
thing
appeared
,
I
fell
back
in
utter
dismay
at
the
spectacle
before
me
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
sat
on
the
floor
unable
to
find
her
way
out
,
she
was
so
flounced
and
tippeted
with
good
things
.
When
I
came
to
her
relief
,
she
did
nothing
but
go
round
and
round
what
was
left
of
the
little
room
,
humming
a
Catholic
hymn
,
and
pressing
both
hands
to
her
side
.
But
something
must
be
done
at
once
.
Waste
is
wickedness
;
how
could
we
stave
it
off
?
Everything
would
depend
upon
the
weather
.
At
present
all
was
beautifully
fresh
,
thanks
to
the
skilful
packing
and
the
frost
,
albeit
the
mighty
package
had
made
the
round
of
all
the
Albert
Streets
in
London
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
would
have
looked
at
it
for
a
month
,
and
at
intervals
exclaimed
,
"
Bless
me
,
my
good
friend
,
that
beats
Charley
's
pockets
.
How
they
must
eat
in
Devonshire
!
"
"
Come
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
what
good
are
you
at
housekeeping
?
You
do
n't
help
me
at
all
.
Let
us
put
most
of
it
out
of
doors
at
once
.
You
have
no
cellar
,
and
I
suppose
they
have
none
in
London
.
At
least
we
can
give
it
the
chance
of
the
open
air
,
and
it
is
not
snowing
now
.
"
"
Oh
,
but
the
cats
,
Miss
!
"
"
Well
,
I
must
find
some
plan
for
them
before
we
go
to
bed
.
Now
come
and
help
,
that
's
a
good
little
creature
,
and
I
'll
give
you
some
elder
wine
when
we
have
done
.
"
So
we
got
all
that
was
taintable
into
the
little
yard
,
while
Tom
,
who
never
stole
,
except
when
quite
sure
of
impunity
,
looked
on
very
sagely
.
There
we
fixed
it
all
up
to
the
wall
secure
,
except
from
cats
,
of
whom
a
roving
band
serenaded
me
every
night
.
I
presented
Mrs.
Shelfer
at
once
with
a
turkey
—
a
specimen
of
natural
history
not
found
by
the
roadside
,
even
on
Mr.
Shelfer
's
Sabbath
journey
—
also
a
ham
,
and
three
rolls
of
butter
.
As
to
the
rest
,
I
would
think
what
to
do
with
it
afterwards
.
Mrs.
Shelfer
kept
off
the
cats
until
midnight
,
after
which
I
held
them
at
bay
by
the
following
means
.
With
one
of
my
mineral
paints
mingled
with
some
phosphorus
,
I
drew
upon
a
black
board
a
ferocious
terrier
,
the
size
of
life
,
with
fangs
unsheathed
,
bristles
erect
,
and
eyes
starting
out
of
his
head
.
We
tried
the
effect
in
the
dark
on
poor
Tom
,
who
arched
his
back
,
and
sputtered
with
the
strongest
execration
,
then
turned
and
fled
ignobly
,
amid
roars
of
laughter
from
Mr.
Shelfer
,
who
by
this
time
was
come
home
.
This
one-headed
Cerberus
being
hung
so
as
to
oscillate
in
the
wind
,
right
across
the
cat-leap
,
I
felt
quite
safe
,
so
long
as
my
chemical
mixture
should
continue
luminous
.
CHAPTER
XV
.
Dear
little
Sally
's
letter
gave
me
the
greatest
delight
.
It
was
all
in
round
hand
,
and
had
taken
at
least
a
week
to
write
,
and
she
must
have
washed
her
hands
almost
every
time
.
There
were
no
stops
in
it
,
but
I
have
put
some
.
The
spelling
was
wonderfully
good
for
her
,
but
here
and
there
I
have
shaped
it
to
the
present
fashion
.
"
Please
Miss
Clara
dear
,
father
and
mother
and
I
begs
their
most
respectable
duty
and
love
and
they
hopes
no
offence
and
will
you
be
so
kind
as
to
have
this
here
little
hamper
and
wishes
it
was
ten
times
as
much
but
hopes
you
will
excuse
it
and
please
to
eat
it
all
yourself
Miss.
All
the
pegmate
be
our
own
doctrine
,
and
very
wholesome
,
and
we
have
took
all
the
hair
off
,
please
Miss
,
because
you
said
one
time
you
did
n't
like
it
.
Likely
you
'll
remember
,
Miss
,
the
young
black
sow
as
twisted
her
tail
to
the
left
,
her
as
Tim
was
ringing
the
day
as
I
wrote
first
copy
,
and
the
other
chillers
ran
out
,
well
most
of
it
be
she
,
Miss.
Father
say
as
he
do
n't
think
they
ever
see
butter
in
London
town
,
but
Beany
Dawe
says
yes
for
they
makes
a
plenty
out
of
red
herrings
and
train
oil
.
Please
Miss
,
Tabby
Badcock
would
go
on
the
ice
in
the
old
saw-pit
last
Sunday
,
by
the
upper
linhay
when
I
told
her
it
would
not
bear
,
and
so
her
fell
through
and
would
have
been
drownded
at
last
,
only
our
little
Jack
crawled
over
the
postesses
and
give
her
his
heel
to
hold
on
by
,
and
please
Miss
it
would
have
done
your
heart
good
,
mother
says
,
to
see
how
Tim
Badcock
dressed
her
when
he
come
home
from
church
for
getting
her
best
frock
all
of
a
muck
.
Please
Miss
,
Beany
Dawe
come
when
you
was
gone
,
and
made
a
poem
about
you
,
and
father
like
it
so
much
he
give
him
free
of
the
cider
and
as
he
was
going
home
he
fell
into
a
bit
of
a
ditch
down
Breakneck
hill
,
and
when
he
come
to
himself
the
road
had
taken
to
run
the
wrong
way
Beany
do
n't
know
how
for
the
life
of
him
,
so
he
come
back
here
'
nolus
wolus
'
he
saith
and
that
be
the
way
to
spell
it
and
no
mistake
,
and
here
he
have
been
ever
since
a-making
of
poems
and
sawing
up
hellums
out
of
the
lower
cleeve
,
and
he
sleepth
in
the
onion
loft
and
Suke
ca
n't
have
no
rest
of
nights
for
the
noise
he
makes
making
verses
.
Mother
tell
Suke
to
pote
him
down
stairs
and
too
good
for
him
,
but
father
say
no
,
he
be
a
fine
chap
for
sure
and
airneth
his
meat
and
drink
,
let
alone
all
the
poetry
.
Please
Miss
he
wanted
to
larn
me
to
write
,
but
father
say
no
I
had
got
better
learning
than
hisn
,
and
I
say
he
may
learn
Tabby
Badcock
if
he
will
,
but
he
sha
n't
learn
me
.
No
tino
.
"
How
she
tossed
her
pretty
curls
when
she
wrote
this
I
'll
be
bound
.
I
wished
that
I
could
see
her
.
"
Please
Miss
I
be
forced
to
write
this
when
he
be
away
,
or
he
'd
a
made
it
all
in
poetry
;
and
Tim
Badcock
tell
me
to
be
sure
to
tell
you
as
how
at
the
wrastling
to
Barnstaple
fair
,
week
after
you
was
gone
,
father
was
so
crule
unkid
that
in
playing
off
the
ties
he
heaved
a
Cornisher
up
through
the
chandelier
,
and
a
come
down
with
a
candle
stuck
so
fast
down
his
throat
doctor
was
forced
to
set
it
a-fire
and
blow
with
a
pair
of
bellises
afore
he
could
put
him
to
rights
.
Cornisher
be
all
right
again
now
,
Tim
saith
,
but
he
have
a
made
up
his
mind
not
to
wrastle
no
more
in
Devonshire
.
Please
Miss
,
father
saith
before
this
here
goes
he
'll
shoot
the
old
hare
as
sits
in
the
top
of
the
cleeve
if
Queen
Victoria
transports
him
for
it
with
hard
labour
.
Tim
have
made
four
pops
at
her
,
but
he
say
the
powder
were
crooked
.
Please
Miss
Clara
,
all
the
eggs
as
my
little
black
hen
have
laid
,
since
the
last
of
the
barley
was
housed
,
is
to
be
sewed
up
inside
the
Turkey
with
the
black
comb
;
he
be
strutting
about
in
the
court
and
looking
at
me
now
as
peart
as
a
gladdy
;
but
her
have
not
laid
more
than
a
dozen
to
now
,
though
I
have
been
up
and
whistled
to
her
in
the
tall
at
every
morning
and
evening
same
as
we
used
to
do
when
you
was
in
good
spirits
.
But
the
other
hens
has
not
laid
none
at
all
.
Please
Miss
,
father
say
as
how
he
have
sold
such
a
many
beasties
,
he
be
afeared
to
keep
all
the
money
in
the
house
,
and
he
have
told
mother
to
sew
up
the
rent
for
next
Ladyday
in
the
turkey
with
the
white
comb
when
he
be
killed
and
he
humbly
hope
no
offence
.
Please
Miss
Clara
,
us
has
had
three
letters
from
you
,
and
I
reads
them
all
to
father
and
mother
every
Sunday
evening
,
and
Joe
the
Queen
's
boy
do
n't
know
but
what
he
lost
another
one
in
leathering
the
jackass
across
the
brook
after
the
rain
.
Joe
tells
as
he
ca
n't
say
for
certain
,
because
why
he
baint
no
scholar
the
same
as
us
be
,
and
Joe
only
knows
the
letters
by
the
pins
they
sticks
in
his
sleeve
afore
he
leaves
Martinhoe
.
Whoever
'
twas
for
he
thinks
there
was
crockery
in
it
by
reason
it
sunk
so
quick
.
Anyhow
mother
give
him
a
little
tap
with
a
mop
on
the
side
of
his
head
,
to
make
him
mind
the
Queen
's
business
,
and
did
n't
he
holler
a
bit
,
and
he
flung
down
the
parson
's
letters
all
in
the
muck
,
but
us
washed
them
in
a
bucket
and
let
parson
have
them
on
Sunday
.
Joe
Queen
's
boy
have
n't
been
nigh
us
since
,
and
they
did
say
to
Martinhoe
us
should
n't
have
no
more
letters
,
but
father
say
if
he
do
n't
he
will
show
the
man
there
what
a
forehip
mean
pretty
smart
.
Please
Miss
Clara
,
us
would
have
written
afore
,
but
mother
say
no
,
not
till
I
finish
twelve
copybooks
one
every
week
,
that
the
folks
to
London
town
might
see
the
way
as
they
ought
to
write
and
spell
.
Father
say
London
be
in
Gloucestershire
,
but
I
am
most
sure
it
baint
,
and
Beany
Dawe
shake
his
head
and
wo
n't
tell
,
and
mother
believe
he
do
n't
know
.
Please
Miss
,
there
be
a
new
babby
come
a
month
agone
and
better
,
and
mother
find
out
as
how
it
be
a
girl
,
and
please
if
you
have
no
objection
Miss
,
and
if
you
do
n't
think
as
it
would
be
a
liberty
,
us
has
all
made
up
our
minds
upon
having
it
christened
Clara
,
and
please
to
say
Miss
if
it
be
too
high
,
or
any
way
unfitty
.
Father
be
'
most
afeared
that
it
sound
too
grand
for
the
like
of
us
,
but
mother
says
as
the
Huxtables
was
thought
brave
things
on
,
to
Coom
and
Parracombe
a
hundred
years
agone
.
Please
Miss
,
father
heard
to
Coom
market
last
week
,
as
there
's
going
to
be
a
French
invasion
,
and
they
be
sure
to
go
to
London
first
,
and
he
beg
you
to
let
him
know
as
soon
as
ever
there
be
one
,
and
he
come
up
at
once
with
the
big
ash-stick
and
the
ivy
on
it
as
growed
in
Challacombe
wood
,
and
see
as
they
does
n't
hurt
you
,
Miss.
Please
Miss
,
the
young
chap
as
saved
you
from
the
great
goyal
come
here
to
ask
for
you
,
day
after
you
was
gone
,
and
mother
believes
he
baint
after
no
good
,
by
token
he
would
not
come
in
nor
drink
a
drop
of
cider
.
Please
Miss
,
father
say
it
make
his
heart
ache
every
night
,
to
think
of
you
all
to
yourself
in
the
wicked
London
town
,
and
he
go
down
the
lane
to
the
white
gate
every
evening
in
the
hope
to
see
you
acoming
,
and
mother
say
if
you
be
a
selling
red
and
blue
picturs
her
hope
you
will
send
for
they
as
father
gave
the
hog
's
puddens
for
,
and
us
wont
miss
them
at
all
.
And
Miss
Clara
dear
,
I
expect
you
'll
be
mazed
to
see
how
I
writes
and
spells
,
father
say
it
must
be
in
the
family
,
and
I
wo
n't
write
no
more
till
I
have
finished
another
dozen
of
copy
books
;
and
oh
dear
how
I
do
wish
that
you
were
come
back
again
,
but
father
say
to
me
to
say
no
more
about
it
for
fear
to
make
you
cry
,
Miss.
All
the
little
childers
except
the
new
babby
who
have
not
seen
you
yet
,
sends
their
hearts
'
loves
and
duty
and
a
hundred
kisses
,
and
father
and
mother
the
same
,
and
Timothy
Badcock
,
and
Tabby
,
and
Suke
,
and
Beany
Dawe
,
now
he
knows
it
.
I
remain
,
Miss
Clara
dear
,
your
thankful
and
loving
scholar
to
command
,
SARAH
HUXTABLE
.
Signed
all
this
here
papper
scrawl
in
the
settle
by
the
fire
.
JOHN
HUXTABLE
his
mark
X
HONOR
HUXTABLE
hern
X
.
"
CHAPTER
XVI
.
I
was
much
grieved
at
the
loss
of
my
last
letter
to
Tossil
's
Barton
,
because
it
contained
my
little
Christmas
presents
for
all
the
family
.
It
was
registered
for
security
,
but
I
suppose
they
"
took
no
count
"
of
that
where
the
delivery
of
letters
depended
so
much
upon
luck
.
Of
their
Christmas
present
to
me
I
resolved
to
give
the
surplus
to
those
who
would
be
the
better
for
it
,
and
not
(
according
to
the
usual
law
of
such
things
)
to
those
who
did
not
want
it
,
and
would
make
return
with
interest
.
So
on
the
Christmas
morning
Mrs.
Shelfer
and
myself
,
each
carrying
a
large
basket
,
went
to
the
mews
round
the
corner
,
and
distributed
among
the
poor
lodgers
there
,
more
Christmas
dinners
than
had
ever
entered
those
doors
before
;
and
how
grateful
the
poor
things
were
,
only
they
all
wanted
the
best
.
Now
the
school
of
design
was
closed
for
a
while
,
and
I
worked
hard
for
several
days
at
the
landscape
for
Mr.
Oxgall
,
though
the
store
of
provisions
sent
me
and
the
rent
enclosed
in
the
turkey
had
saved
me
from
present
necessity
.
On
the
day
of
all
days
in
the
year
the
saddest
and
darkest
to
me
,
I
could
not
keep
to
my
task
,
but
went
for
a
change
of
thoughts
to
the
school
,
now
open
again
.
It
was
the
30th
of
December
,
1850
,
and
,
though
I
crouch
not
to
the
mumming
of
prigs
scolloped
out
at
the
throat
,
who
block
out
with
a
patchwork
screen
the
simple
hearth
of
religion
,
and
kneel
at
an
ashbin
to
warm
themselves
;
though
I
do
n't
care
a
herring
for
small
anniversaries
dotted
all
over
the
calendar
,
and
made
by
some
Murphy
of
old
;
yet
I
reverence
deeply
the
true
feasts
of
Church
and
Chapel
,
the
refreshings
of
faith
and
charity
,
whereupon
we
forgive
and
are
sorry
for
those
who
work
hard
to
mar
them
.
Neither
does
it
seem
to
me
—
so
far
as
my
timid
and
wavering
judgment
extends
—
to
be
superstition
or
vanity
,
if
we
dare
to
set
mark
by
those
dates
in
our
own
little
span
which
God
has
scarred
on
our
memory
.
In
the
long
dark
room
so
bare
and
comfortless
,
and
,
to-day
,
so
lonely
and
cold
,
I
got
my
usual
books
and
studies
,
and
tried
,
all
in
vain
,
to
fix
my
attention
on
them
.
Finding
the
effort
so
fruitless
,
I
packed
up
my
things
in
the
little
black
bag
and
rose
to
depart
.
Turning
round
,
I
saw
on
the
table
,
where
students
'
works
were
exhibited
,
a
small
object
newly
placed
there
.
It
was
a
statuette
in
white
marble
of
a
magnificent
red
deer
,
such
as
I
had
seen
once
or
twice
in
the
north
of
Devon
.
The
listening
attitude
,
the
turn
of
the
neck
,
the
light
poise
of
the
massive
head
,
even
the
mild
,
yet
spirited
eye
,
and
the
quivering
sensitive
lip
,
I
could
answer
for
them
all
,
they
were
done
to
the
very
life
.
Truth
,
power
,
and
elegance
triumphed
in
every
vein
of
it
.
For
a
minute
I
stood
overcome
with
wonder
.
If
this
were
the
work
of
a
youthful
sculptor
,
England
might
hope
at
last
for
something
beyond
the
grotesque
.
Before
me
rose
at
once
all
the
woodland
scenery
,
the
hill-side
garbed
with
every
shade
of
green
,
the
brambled
quarry
standing
forth
,
the
trees
,
the
winding
vales
embosoming
the
light
,
the
haze
that
hovers
above
the
watersmeet
,
bold
crests
of
amaranth
heath
behind
,
and
far
away
the
russet
wold
of
Exmoor
.
The
stag
in
the
foreground
of
my
landscape
,
I
feel
so
grateful
to
him
for
this
expanse
of
vision
that
I
stoop
down
and
kiss
him
,
while
no
one
can
see
me
.
As
I
bend
,
the
gordit
drops
from
its
warm
home
in
my
breast
.
By
some
impulse
undefined
I
lift
the
ribbon
from
my
neck
,
and
hang
the
little
fairy
's
heart
on
the
antlers
of
the
Devonshire
deer
.
Out
springs
from
behind
a
chest
full
of
casts
and
models
—
what
model
can
compare
with
her
?
—
the
loveliest
of
all
lovely
beings
,
my
little
Isola
Ross
.
I
hide
the
tears
in
my
eyes
,
and
try
to
look
cold
and
reserved
.
What
use
is
it
?
One
