Wessex Tales

had wooed for her grace and beauty was contorted and disfigured in the left limb; moreover, she had brought him no child, which rendered it likely that he would be the

ross. She was honestly attached to her husband, and was ever secretly hoping against hope to win back his heart again by regaining some at least of her personal beauty. Hence it arose that her close

esses and witch mixtures some time or other,' said her husba

such heart-swollen reproach that he looked sorry for his words,

d destroy them,' said she huskily

I once thought of adopting a boy; but he is too

word had ever passed between her husband and herself on the subject. Neither had she ever spoken to him of her visit

-and-twenty; but

herself. And then she thought of the apparent cause, and said, with a tragic glan

olitary by Rhoda against her will; but it now suddenly occurred to Gertrude that she would, in a last desperate effort at deliverance from this seeming curse, again seek out the man, if he yet lived. He was entitled to a certa

the cottage, she went to where his bent figure was pointed out to her at work a long way off. Trendle remembered her, and laying down the handful of furze-roots which he was gathering and throwing into a heap

cences I know,' she said; 'why can't you

I am old and weak now, too. No, no; it is too much f

aments and counterspells which she had ado

or such as this. This is of the nature of a blight, not of the nature

only c

never failed in kindred afflictions,-that I can declare.

me!' s

he limb the neck of a

ttle at the imag

er he's cut down,' continu

n that

it for him when he's brought off the gallows. Lots have done it, though perhaps not such pretty women as you. I used

put her into a straight track homeward, turne