The Torch and Other Tales

d a patient, sensible, and kind-hearted chap. He got engaged to be married also, and seemed so bright and cheerful as need be, and good friends with his brother Lawrence, and popular with high and

ck as he had got from me on the

heir lives, and cut short my little games. They set a trap for me, and I got catched. There's no need to dwell upon the details, but I found myself surrounded by six of 'em, and knowing very well that, if I showed fight, 'twould only be a long sight worse for me in the end, I threw up the sponge, gived 'em my air-gun-a wonderful weapon I'd got from a gipsy-and let 'em take me. I

d they was, and very proud of themselves, for I'd been a thorn in their hands for a good bit. And I said noug

afore him, and I came in, handcuffed, to his libery, and there he sat with a good fire and a book. And a very beautiful satin smoking-jacket he wore, and the room smelled of rich cigars. I bli

all to do with sport, and he said that 'twas a crying sin and shame that suc

. "You've been warned more than once, and you knew right

uch like from his point of view. And I told him that I was tokened to a good girl-same as he was-and that 'twould break her very heart if I got a month, and very likely make her throw me over and wreck my life, and so on. I worked myself up into a proper heat, and pleaded all I knew with the man. I implored him to put mercy before justice for once, and assured him that 'twould pay him a thousandfold to let me off. I was contrite, and allowed that no do

turned a awful sort o' green colour, and started from his chair. Then he fell back in it again and stared upon me as if I was a spectrum rose out of a grave. [284] He couldn't speak for a bit, but presently he l

id. "Could it be-is

have made me keep it there for evermore. I ban't your judge, though you be going to be mine, and I didn't speak them words in no sense to threaten, and I didn't speak 'e

d and co

uiet way-"tell me everything you know

atter, and my wish, man to man, to give him another chance for to do right. And

, after I'd finished. Then, after a pause: "Yes, a

e had

e when I was searching for another paper. But he only laughed at it. My late uncle was a man of strong temper, a gusty, fiery [285] man of moods and whims. His passions were like storms-he would forget them when they had swept over him. More than once in his life had he committed the gravest actions in a rage and entirely forgotten them afterwards, until he was reminded, by unpleasant results, of the things that he had done. 'Your uncle,' said the lawyer to me, 'well understood his own peculiarities, and was aware, long before his end

y tender about his honour, and didn't thi

her, no doubt; and though the young man never forgave himself for his one slip, he forgave me for my many, and a month from that day I went as third keeper to Woodcotes. And I never regretted it, I do assure you, no