The Battle of Life

ld flower formed by the Almighty Hand to be a perfumed goblet for the dew, felt its enamelled cup filled high with blood that day, and shrinking dropped. Many an insect deriving its delicate colour f

rom sullen pools collected in the prints of human feet and horses'

n with upturned faces that had once at mothers' breasts sought mothers' eyes, or slumbered happily. Heaven keep us from a knowledge of the secrets whispered afterwards upon the tainted wind that blew across the scene of that day's work and

een in quiet groups at work; sheep and oxen pastured; boys whooped and called, in fields, to scare away the birds; smoke rose from cottage chimneys; sabbath bells rang peacefully; old people lived and died; the timid creatures of the field, and simple flowers of the bush and garden, grew and withered in their destined terms: and all upon the fierce and bloody battle-ground, where thousands upon thousands had been killed in the great fight. But, there were deep green patches in the growing corn at first, that people looked at awfully. Year after year they re-appeared; and it was known that underneath those fertile spots, heaps of men and horses lay buried, indiscriminately, enriching the ground. The husbandmen who ploughed those places, shrunk from the g

nd roared away. The deep green patches were no greener now than the memory of those who lay in dust below. The ploughshare still turned up from time to time some rusty bits of metal, but it was hard to say what use they had ever served, and those who found them wondered and disputed. An old dinted corselet, and a helmet, had been hanging in the church so long, that the same weak half-blind old man who tried in vain to make them out above the whitewashed arch, had marvelled at them as a baby. If the host slain upon the field, could have been for a moment reanimated in the forms in which they fell

and laughter, and where two girls danced merrily together on the grass, while some half-dozen peasant women standing on ladders, gathering the apples from the trees, stopped in their work to look down,

nitely more agreeable company than we are. It was charming to see how these girls danced. They had no spectators but the apple-pickers on the ladders. They were very glad to pl

lightful air of off-hand inspiration, from the chirping little castanets. As they danced among the orchard trees, and down the groves of stems and back again, and twirled each other lightly round and round, the influence of their airy motion seemed to spread and spread, in the sun-lighted scene, like an expanding circle in the water. Their streaming hair and fluttering skirts, the elastic grass bene

e, left off with a flourish, as if it boasted of its freshness; though the truth is, it had gone at such a pace, and worked itself to such a pitch of competition with the dancing, that it never

ouse and orchard, you should know, and these were Doctor Jeddler's daughters-came bustling out to see what was the matter, and w

elf. 'I thought they dreaded to-day. But it's a world of contradictions. Why, Gra

his younger daughter, Marion, going close to him, and

h-day? Did you never hear how many new performers enter on this-ha! ha! ha!-it's impossible t

fat

he Doctor. 'By-the-by,' and he looked into the pretty f

ried his pet daughter, pursing

many happy returns of the-the idea!-of the day. The notion of wishing happy ret

world as a gigantic practical joke; as something too absurd to be considered seriously, by any rational man. His system of

you get the music

course! Where did th

in her sister's hair, with which, in her admiration of that youthful beauty, she

e music, did he?' r

ested there last night; and as it was Marion's birth-day, and he thought it would please her, he sent

or, carelessly, 'he alw

d, with her own thrown back; 'and Marion being in high spirits, and beginning to dance, I joined her. And so we danced to Alfre

Grace. How you teas

ioning your lover?

stripping the petals from some flowers she held, and scattering them on the

ll your own, Marion,' cried her sister, 'even in jest.

not. But I don't know that there's any great merit in that. I-I don't want him to be so very true.

estness opposed to lightness, yet, with love responding tenderly to love. And it was very curious indeed to see the younger sister's eyes su

her young sister, and in the steadiness of her devotion to her, older than she was; and more removed, in course of nature, from all competition with her, or participation, otherwise than through her sympathy and true af

tain merry meditations on the folly of all loves and likings, and the idle imposition practised on themselves by young pe

y and bravery of spirit, seemed all expressed to him in the contrast between her quiet household figure and that of his younger and m

ldren, or either of them, helped in any way to make t

more easily discovered than the object of the alchemist's researches), which sometimes trips up kind and g

d the Doctor. '

d face, emerged from the house, and returned to this

eakfast table?'

se,' return

. 'Don't you know that there are gentlemen coming? That there's business to be done

ne getting in the apples, could I?' said Britain, his voice

tor, looking at his watch, and clapping his

air of clumsy feet descended briskly. 'It's all done now. Clear away

y; presenting, as she did so, an appearance suffic

ess of hers, and that she took her arms and legs as they came, and allowed them to dispose of themselves just as it happened, is to render faint justice to her equanimity. Her dress was a prodigious pair of self-willed shoes, that never wanted to go where her feet went; blue stockings; a printed gown of many colours, and the most hideous pattern procurable for money; and a white apron. She always wore short sleeves, and always had, by some accident, grazed elbows, in which she took so lively an interest, that she was continually trying to turn them round and get impossible views of them. In general, a

other, a very phenomenon of age, whom she had supported almost from a child, was dead, and she had no other relation); who now busied herself in preparing the table, and who stood, at intervals, w

ing, Mister!' said Clemency, in

hem. 'Good morning, good morning! Grace, my dear! Mario

d so much to do this morning in his preparations for departure

Which he did. 'And I wish you'-which he might or might not, for he didn't look, at first sight, like a gentleman tro

tfully, with his hands in his pockets

professional blue bag against one leg of the table, 'cut the gr

laugh at it, as long as she CAN laugh, and then say, wit

wrong, Doctor Jeddler, and your philosophy is altogether wrong, depend upon

replied

' asked Mr. Snitchey, lo

returned

r. Snitchey, 'perhaps yo

l individuality, offered a remark of his own in this place. It involved the only idea of which he did not stand sei

t deal too easy,'

asked th

ay it isn't), it ought to be made a very difficult joke to crack. It ought to be as hard a struggle, sir, as possible. That's the intention. But, it's being made far too easy

twinkles in his eyes, as if something struck sparks out of them. The three natural kingdoms, indeed, had each a fanciful representative among this brotherhood of disputants; for Snitchey was like a magpie or rav

the orchard at a brisk pace, and with an air of gaiety and hope that accorded well with the morning, these three drew together, like the b

Alf!' said the

is auspicious day, Mr. Heathfi

murmured in a deep

good, in the great sea before me. I am glad you are not the first I have met this morning: I should

r, I was the first yo

king out here, before

in the

the first,' said Alfred. 'S

and Craggs,' said Snit

g hands heartily with the Doctor, and also with Snitchey and

greement in that wise contemplated, he hastily betook himself to where the sisters stood together, and-however, I needn't more particularly e

her sister and Alfred from the rest of the company. Snitchey and Craggs sat at opposite corners, with the blue bag between them for safety; the Doctor took his usual position, opposit

with the carving knife and fork in his hands,

' returned

ant any?'

done,' replied

irm as he decently could, watching with an austere eye their disposition of the viands, and but once relaxing the severe expression of his face. This w

'for a word or two of business

d Snitchey and Craggs, who seemed to

nd seemed to have quite enough business on h

please

e serious,' the Doct

is, sir,' hi

separation, of a double birthday, which is connected with many associations pleasant to us f

se to be your ward to-day; we part with tender relations stretching far behind us, that never can be exactly renewed, and with others dawning-yet before us,' he looked down at Marion beside him, 'fraught with such considera

in Men, not earth,-so many lives were lost, that within my recollection, generations afterwards, a churchyard full of bones, and dust of bones, and chips of cloven skulls, has been dug up from underneath our feet here. Yet not a hundred people in that battle knew for what they fought, or why; not a hundred of the inconside

to me,' said Alfred,

things to be serious, you must go mad, or die, or

long ago,'

what the world has been doing, ever since? Do

ittle,' observed Mr. Sn

as been always made too

sion of my opinion, in the course of our discussions, that, in its having gone to law, and in its legal system a

against the table, occasioning a sound

e matter there?' e

ue bag,' said Clemency, 'al

ying,' resumed Snitchey, 'that commands respe

ughed, and lo

you know, when you think of it! But take this smiling country as it stands. Think of the laws appertaining to real property; to the bequest and devise of real property; to the mortgage and redemption of real property; to leasehold, freehold, and copyhold estate; think,' said Mr. Snitchey, with such great emotion that he actually smacked his lips, 'of the complicated laws relating to title and p

what freshened by his recent eloquence, observed that

hey're worth. But, you mustn't laugh at life; you've got a game to play; a very serious game indeed! Everybody's playing against you, you know, and you're playing against them. Oh! it's a very interesting thing. There are deep m

ied the Doctor, 'w

too, I am inclined to think, would be to try sometimes to forget this battle-field and

ager and very bitter in that same battle of Life. There's a great deal of cutting and slashing, and firing in

ions - not the less difficult to achieve, because they have no earthly chronicle or audience-done every day in nooks and corners, and in little households, and in men's and women's hearts-any one

sters liste

ur opinion (only she's less reasonable and more obstinate, being a woman), that we can't agree, and seldom meet. I was born upon this battle-field. I began, as a boy, to have my thoughts directed to the real history of a battle-field. Sixty years have gone over my head, and I have nev

e, if a deep sepulchral sound that escaped him might be construed into a demonstration of risibility. His face, however, was so perfectly unaffected by it, both

ousing him with one of those favourite joints, her elbows

!' said

o t

id Britain. 'T

ded every day!' cried Clemency, giving him a lunge with the other elbow, as

immovable visage. 'I don't care for anything. I don't make out

and listening day after day to innumerable orations addressed by the Doctor to various people, all tending to show that his very existence was at best a mistake and an absurdity, this unfortunate servitor had fallen, by degrees, into such an abyss of confused and contradictory suggestions from within and without, that Truth at the bottom of her well, was on the level surface as compared with Britain

s in London could add to that, and such practical knowledge as a dull old country Doctor like myself could graft upon both; you are away, now, into the world. The first term of probation appointed by your poor father, being ov

w better; why should

d, la

e sort,' returned the Doctor

dn't say it-that he was welcome to forget, if he could. Gr

morning; and here are our good friends Snitchey and Craggs, with a bagful of papers, and accounts, and documents, for the transfer of the balance of the trust fund to you (I wish it

s partner proceeded to spread upon the table; 'and Self and Craggs having been co-trustees with you, Doctor, in so

ed, Mister,'

,' chuckled Snitchey, casting his eyes ove

' answered

ght and morning, eh?' obs

y. 'Too hard. I on

Snitchey. 'What are you t

ed. 'And a nu

ct for the Lord High Chancellor!

f any property,'

n question bore an engraved motto, and so formed the pocket librar

is it, Miss Grac

She looks uncommonly like it,' he muttered, with a superci

d, Mister,' ob

?' said the lawyer. 'What do

ice, at the bottom, cleared away such intervening obstacles as a handkerchief, an end of wax candle, a flushed apple, an orange, a lucky penny, a cramp bone, a padlock, a pair of scissors in a sheath more expressively describable as promising

ed and calmly maintained, an attitude apparently inconsistent with the human anatomy and the laws of gravity. It is enough that at last she triumphantly produced the thimbl

said Mr. Snitchey, diverting himself at he

ding slowly round as if it were

laughed heartily. 'S

s. 'Such a knowledge

applicable to the a

ag

ater?' inquired th

urned Clemency, 'Do as

one brown, you mean

retorted Clemency, sha

t no l

her clients. They are serious enough in that - whimsical as your world is-and lay the blame on us afterwards. We, in our profession, are little else than mirrors after all, Mr. Alfred; but, we are generally con

ly,' sai

nitchey, returning to the papers, 'we'll sign, seal, and deliver as soon a

grater (a new idea to him) square with anybody's system of philosophy; and, in short, bewildering himself as much as ever his great namesake has done with theories and schools. But, Clemency, who was his good Genius-though he had the meanest possible opinion of her understanding, by reason of her seldom troubling herself with abstract speculations, a

urning them round to see whether there was anything fraudulent underneath; and how, having signed his name, he became desolate as one who had parted with his property and rights; I want the time to tell. Also, how the blue bag containing his signature, afterwards had a mysterious interest for him, and he couldn't leave it; also, how Clemency Newcome, in an ecstasy of laughter at the idea of her own importance and dignity, brooded over the whole table with her two elbows, like a spread eagle, and reposed her head upon her left arm as a

un to the gate, and watch for

nt! Marion-so young and beautiful, so winning and so much admired, dear

me, Alfred. She is doubly so, now. I w

nd hear your voice, and not know it! Ah, Grace! If I had your well-govern

e answered with

Sister, seems th

ly. 'I am glad to hear i

true and steadfast qualities serving us here, and making us both happie

hill-top!' exc

Alfred,' sa

ut, this warning being given, her young lover brought her tend

, and the bright prospect of our married life lies stretched before us, it shall be one of our chief pleasures to consult how we can make Grace happy; h

and cheerful, with a gaze in which affection, admiration, sorrow, wonder, almost veneration, were blended. She looked into that si

right-when SHE will want a friend to open her whole heart to, and to be to her something of what she has been to us-then, Marion, how

t - even towards him. And still those honest eyes looked bac

old times,' said Alfred-'these shall be our favourite times among them-this day most of all; and, telling ea

hrough the wood

te of all; we'll make this day the happiest in all the y

a radiant smile. 'Yes! Alfred, don't linger. There's n

brace, she again clung to her sister; and her eyes, with the sam

o forth, in such a-ha ha ha!-you know what I mean-why that, of course, would be sheer nonsense. All I can say is, that if y

ridge!' cri

y. 'Think of me sometimes, my old friend and guardian, as ser

the road!'

ance' sake! Shake hands, Britain! Marion, dea

ul in its serenity, were turned towards him in repl

gate. There was a bus

ve away. Mari

love,' said Grace. 'Your ch

rned it. Then, turning back again, and fully meeting, for

s you! But I cannot

aks my