Old Fires and Profitable Ghosts: A Book of Stories

d. And the gate was j

tan was trampling the g

ed over the laurels o

stable clock

ore. The sufferings of my fellows still afflict me; but always, if I stand still and listen, in my own room, or in a crowded street, or in a waste s

EVENT

ng-much as they had sat, evening after evening, for months. They had a clock, and by it they divided the hours into day a

rd off the length, and this made the interior exactly square. Each of these bunks had two doors, with brass latches on the inner side; so that the owner, if he chose, could shut himself up and go

, and behind it when it opened, three hammocks were s

But about eighteen inches beneath the spring of the roof there ran a line of small trap-doors with sliding panels, to admit the cold air, and below these the room was almost clear of smoke. A newcomer's eyes might have smarted, but these men stitched their clothes and read in comfort. To keep the up-draught steady they had plugged every chink and crevice in the match-boarding below the trap-doo

liamson, of Dundee, bet

ndee; George Lashman,

les Silchester, otherwis

and Daniel Cooney, shi

ish-American by birth a

nd now and then he broke off to glance mildly at Faed and the Snipe, who were busy beside the fire with a greasy pack of cards; or to listen to the peevish grumbling of Lashman in the bunk below him. Lashman had taken to his bed six weeks before with scurvy, and complained incessantly; and though they hardly knew it, these complaints were wearing his comrades' nerves to fiddle-strings-doing the mischief that cold and bitter hard work and the cruel loneliness had hitherto failed to do. Long Ede lay stretche

eorge! Hang it

by the silence of the others. They were good seamen all, and

rulous than ever, cut int

g. I'm just an encumbrance, and the sooner you're shut of me the better, says you. Y

shoulder and laid his cards face downward. "Here

ean. Plucky deal you care a

he Snipe slipped an arm under the invalid's head

't he? Let him s

arkable Transactions of Europe, And discovering several Intrigues and Secrets of the Christian Courts (especially of that of France)," etc., etc. "Written originally in Arabick. Translated into Italian, and from thence into English by the Translator of the First Volume. The Eleventh Edition. London: Printed for G. Strahan, S. Ballard"-and a score of bookse

the thirteenth Antique made them commit, they stood still like Fools, gazing at one another: None daring to unmask, or speak a Word; for that would have put all the Spectators into a Disorder and Confusion. Cardinal Mazarini (who was the chief Contriver of these Entertainments, to divert the King from more serious Thoughts) stood close by the young Monarch, with the Scheme of the Ballet in his Hand. Knowing therefore that this Dance was to consist but of twelve Antiques, and taking notice that there were actually thirteen, he at first imputed it to som

m say he didn't mean it

of his hammock, jerked himself out, and

hroat to show there's no bad blood, and that ye belave me." He took up a pannikin from the floor beside the bunk, pulled a hot iron from the fire, and stirred the

Faed dealing the cards and licking his thumb between each. Long Ede shifted from one cramped elbow to another

" the Snipe

acks of them each player guessed pretty shrewdly what the other held. Yet they went on playing nigh

an. What ails

hands to his thighs and s

tside the

r nothing," said Dav

isten! There

is ear close to the jamb. The sound resembled breathing-or so he thought for a moment. Then it seemed r

circle of the fire, their breath came from them in clouds. It trickled from them now i

Then the invalid's

n. I warned you-I told you he wasn't deep enough. O Lord, have mercy . . . m

Gaffer gently; and L

s ear to the door. "Leastways . . . we've had be

Take us the foxes, t

The snow was falling an hour back, and I dessay 'tis pretty thick outside. If 'tis a bear, we don't want him fo

chink, here . . . like a warm breath. It'

? Did it smel

smell nothing, to notice. Her

ently. All stared; and saw the latch move up, up . . . and f

these there had been no pressure. The men waited in a

shook his feet free of the rugs. His eyes searched for the Gaffer's face. But the old man had drawn back into the gloom of his

nd. Wait, if there's a chance of a shot. The trap wo

vered and grew vague to sight in the smoke-wreaths. "Heard anything more?" he asked. "Nothing since," answered the Snipe. With his shoulder Long Ede pushed up the trap. They saw his head framed in a panel of

lapping the door. Their breath tightened. They waited for the explosion of his gun. None came. The crunching bega

seen aught," Dav

atch. It did not move. After a while Cooney slipped off to his hammock; Faed to his bunk, alongside Lashman's. The Gaffer had picked up his book again. The Snipe laid a couple of logs on the blaze,

ick man's voic

nt-it's Bill! They're

get in. . . . Why didn

ll y

d right-about-face, and stood now, poi

for the love

something wrong here

See his poor hammock

sh it, you white-livered swine! Hush it, or by-

losed his book and leaned

Sir. Not

ba

and b

he third time that n

farther over the ledge, a

ven disturbed. Neither beast nor man, but only God, can break up the hard ea

afraid of himself, and the way his mind had been running for the last forty-eight hours upon green fields and visions of spring. As he put it to himself, something inside his head was melting. Biblical texts chattered within him like running brooks, and as they fleeted he could almost smell the blown meadow-scent. "Take us the foxes, the little foxes . . . for our vines have tender grapes . . . A fountain of gardens, a well o

on. He could see for miles. Bear or fox, no living creature was in sight. But who could tell what might be hiding behind any one of a thou

ere was a bear, after all, behind one of the hummocks, and a shot, or the chance of one,

. . on a hummock, not

d forwar

seen something. He low

and from the eaves to

lid, but for a treacher

pon this, and down

picked himself up, and unstrapping one, took a step into the bright mo

two, three, four-many footprints: prints of a naked human foot: righ

his fingers in them; touched the frozen blood. The snow before

, he was mad for certain! He ran like a madman- floundering, slipping, plunging in his clumsy moccasins. "Take us the foxes, the little foxes . . . My beloved pu

yards maybe, and then stopped

ps. The footprints-those which pointed towards the hut and those which pointed away from it-lay close together; and he knelt before each, breaking fresh snow over the hollows and carefully hiding the blood. And now a great happiness

were weakening fast; their wits and courage coming down at the end with a rush. Faed and Long Ede were the only two to be depended on for a day. The Gaffer liked Long Ede, who was a religious man. Indeed he had a growing suspicion that Long Ede, in spite of some amiable

rned. "Go you up to the roof. The lad must be frozen." The Snipe climbed the ladder, pushed open the trap, and came back, reporting that Long Ede was nowhere to be seen. The old man slipped a jumper over his suits of clothing-alre

. . .Here, bea

ady covered out of sight by the powdery snow which ran and trickled incessantly-trickled between his lo

and beat his hands and feet, and kneaded and rubbed him. A sigh fluttered on his lips: something between a

e?" It was the

voice broke off, but

un would not be due for a week or two yet: how many weeks he could not

ving shook the hut. His gaze wandered over their bowed forms-"The Gaffer, David Faed, Dan Cooney, the Snipe, and-and George Lashman in his bunk, of course-and me." But, then, who was the seventh? He began to count. "There's myself-Lashman, in his bunk- David Faed, the Gaffer, the Snipe, Dan Cooney . . . One, two, three, four-well, but that made seven. Then who was the seventh? Was it George who had crawled out of bed and was kneeling there? Decidedly there were five kneeling. No: there was George, plai

caught sight of Long Ede's face. While the others fetched th

Ye've se

Long Ede

? Speak low-wa

his lips, and his face grew full of awe

said he; and was turning to go, when Long Ed

count . . ."

fer muttered to his beard as he mo

sed to complain, and, unless their eyes played them a trick, had taken a turn for the better. "I declare, if I don't feel like pitching to sing!" the Snipe announced on the second evening, as much to his own wonder as to theirs. "Then

e went about with a dazed look in his eyes. He was counting, coun

, Long Ede had scarcely uttered a word. But towards

the roof still. It will be froze pretty stiff by this. You might nip up and s

mouth, but shut it a

went up

e roof-a cry that fetched them all trembling, chok

boys!-t

anchor, Long Ede told the Gaffer his story. "It was a hall-a hallu-what d'ye call it, I reckon. I was crazed, eh?" The Gaffer's eyes wandered from a brambling hopping about the lichen-co

believe the Lord sent a mi

ed. "I doubt it was meant just for you and me, and th

OM OF

seat. The jingle of bells might have warned me; but the horse's hoofs came noiselessly on the half-frozen snow, which lay just deep enough to hide where the paveme

windows of the house opposite let fall their light across his red and astonished face. I laughed, and gave him another volley. My head was hot, though my feet and hands were cold; and I felt equal to cursi

n and women crossed the blinds, and

ts; white tables heaped with roses and set with silver and crystal, jewelled fingers moving in the soft candle-light, bare necks bending, diamonds, odours, bubbles in the wine; blue water and white foam beneath the leaning shadow of sails; hot air flickering over

erhaps than to any other. Did I long to pass behind it again? I thrust both hands into my poc

igh light in the portico flung the shadows of both down the crimson carpet laid on the entrance-steps. Snow had fallen and covered the edges o

o whistle for a hansom. But he turned, gave an order to the butler, and stepping briskly down into the street, made off eastwards. The door closed b

ozen but the thinnest crust of it. He was walking briskly, as men do in such weather, but with no appearance of hurry. At the corner of Sloane

now and here than in a crowded thoroughfare. My right hand gripped the revolver more tightly. No, there was plenty of time: and I was curious to know what had brought Gerva

ase meet and pass a policeman, and altered my own pace to a lagging walk. Even so, the fellow eyed me suspiciously as I went by-or so I thought: and guessing that he kept a w

e to a halt, by the stone drinking-trough: and flattening myself against the railings, I saw him try the thin ice in the trough with his finger-tips, but in a hesitating way, as if his thoughts ran on somethin

ten minutes to one. At the entrance of Down Street he turned aside again, and began to lead me a z

rvase, and asked me what my game was. I demanded innocently enough to be shown the nearest way to Oxford Street, and the fellow, aft

growled, "straight on.

il well clear of the square. At the crossing of Davies and Grosveno

porch at my elbow a t

gent

as a woman, stretching out one skinny hand a

a copper. I've known be

'm in the same case. And they cou

eld out her hand. I felt for my last coin, and her fingers close

gent

re kind, ar

a nerveless tone let one

f at a shuffling run, I doubled back along Grosvenor Street and Bond Street to the point where I hoped to

said the one who set

then to the other, "Be

i

my pocket: the next moment I found myself spr

se. He had turned leisurely back from the slope of Conduit Street

have reason to think

e answered cheerfully

you knew

In fact, he was follow

a lie, then?" grumbled

ok here," I put in, "I asked you the way to Oxford Street, that

r a bit," he growled.

letting flash a diamond finger-ring in the lamp-light. "He is a bit of a be

hand. The other constable had di

ame, it's

n his heartiest tone. "Here is my c

e satisfi

he pedestal from under me as a figure of tragedy. Five minutes ago I had been the implacable avenger tracking my unconscious victim across the city. Heaven knows how small an excuse it was for self-respect; but one who has lost character may yet chance to catch a dignity fr

equinade as easily as you might bash in a hat; and my enemy had refined the cruelty of it by coming to the rescue and ironically restarting the poor play on lines of comedy. I saw too late that I ought to have refused his help, to hav

strode on without deigning a single glance behind, still in cold derision presenting me his broad back and silently challenging me to shoot. And I foll

in the roadway crackled under our feet. At the Circus I began to guess, and when Gervase struck off into Great

eet in which it stood he halted

humb, "if you still have the entry. Thes

burning. He could not see this, nor could I

hen. You know the window, the one which opens into the passage leading

in the daytime used only by their children, who played hop-scotch on the flagged pavement, where no one interrupted them. You wondered at its survival-from end to end it must have measured a good fifty yards-in a district where every square foot of ground fetched money; until you learned that the house h

ven with the glimmer of snow to help me, I had to grope for the window-sill to make sure of my bearings. The minutes crawled by, and the only sound came from a stall where one of the horses had kicked through his th

have sent off the night porter. He tells me the bank is still

stake it for a harmless studio-was merely a sheath, so to speak. Within, a corridor divided it from the true wall of the ro

oportions, never used by the tenants of the house, and

a Duke of the Blood Royal, who could hardly be accused to his face. The Earl's sense of honour forbade him to accuse any meaner man while the big c

ing his expectant guests to the door, ushering them in with a wave of the hand, and taking his seat tranquilly amid the dead,

the shutters. The tables had mirrors for tops: the whole ceiling was one vast mirror. From it

s had lost half their rings and drooped askew from their soiled vallances. Across one of the wall-panels ran an ugly scar. A smell of rat pervaded the air. The present occupiers had no use for a room so obviously unsuitable to games of chance, as they unde

d I wished to be alone. I did not explain by what entrance I expected him. The people in the front cannot hear us. Have a cigar?" He pushed

a match. Glancing round, I saw a hundred small flames spurt up

hand. He, too, glanced about him while he puffed. "Ugh!" He blew a

a world," said I fatuously,

e for his elbow on the looking-glass table. "It takes only two sorts to make the world we've lived in, and that's you a

ar as the world goes-

d it a good e

, afterwards, when we came to grips, you were the under-do

Only if you suppose I came here to

m between his teeth and

he cards on the table?" He drew a small revolver from his pocket and laid it with a light clink on the tabl

n lips as he observed

to himself, "that is

u know my purpose here, perh

ughly, it might be enough to say that I saw you standing outside my house a while ago; that I needed a talk with you alone, in some private place; th

d, "all that seem

g to the fireplace, turned his back on me and spread his palms to the blaze. "Well,

back staring- I daresay sulkily enough-at the two r

ch things, and you haven't the nerve to sin off your own bat. Come"-he strolled back to his seat and leaned towards me across the table-"it's not much to boast of, but a

t. I never see you without wanting to ki

it. No: let's be honest about it. There was no r

was," I

ese mirrors have taught me how to say it. Take a look at them- the world we

nd on it, slewing h

hat it meant: and with unlimited pocket-money and his wits about him any boy can make himself a power in a big school. That is what we did: towards the end we even set the fashion for a certain set; and a rank bad fashion it was. But, in truth, we had no business the

eerly. I kept my hands

sa

I-as utterly alone as two shipwrecked men on a raft. The others were shadows to us: we followed their code because we had to be gentlemen, but we did not understand it in the least. For, after all, the roots of that code lay in the breeding and

," said I. "You'

ibly baser. The sanctity of gambling debts, on the other hand, we did nothing to impair: because we had money. I recall your virtuous indignation at the amount of paper floated by poor W-- towards the end of the great

are, Ge

s my point. Wasn't I ju

Newmarket Heath, if I'd

in, shouldn't I feel

under

et Elaine

admit: but I was clever enough to keep my hold on the old set; and then, after office-hours, I met you constantly, and studied and hated you-studied you because I hated you. Elaine came between us. You fell in love with her. That I, too, should fall in love with her was no coincidence, but the severest of logic. Given such a woman and two such men, no other

yed me again, and res

had trained myself to look into your mind and anticipate its working. Don't I tell you that from the first you were the only real creature this world held for me? You were my only book, and

I mutter

r you-or for me: just t

letting out a laugh

ha

ining me, you have

id, "I could time your intelligence over any fence. But to-night there's something wrong. Either I'm out of practi

, give me time-between you and your aims, whatever they were. Very well. You trod over me; or, rather, you pulled me up by the r

tell you. See-you and I-you and I-always you and I! Man, I pitched you into darkn

ey

ke from him in a cry. "So help m

oke out laughing. "Jeshurun waxed fat and-turned sen

er back to me- I c

x Gardens? Then you'd be able to contemplate me all day long, and no

ruth," said

e gras. Can't do without me, can't you? Well, I

me, but by George if I stand up and let you shoot me-well, I hate

it anyway

and folded his arms. "Sh

the revolver, hesit

said. "I've got my cod

e forbid suic

differen

who commits suicide k

ed man happens

t we have hated, we two, is not each other, but ourselves or our own likeness. I swear I believe we two have so shared natures in hate that no power can untwist and separate them to

on to tell me which of us two has been Elaine's husband, feeding daintil

g up his revolver and strid

ed, with a queer look, "and perhaps you may go back to

is detested face. It was white but curiously eager- hopeful even. I lowered my ar

is torture to you to live and do without me: well, I'll try you with that. It will do me good to hurt you a bit." I slipped the revolver into my pocket and tapped it. "Though I don't un

corridor, and climbing out through the

ow a revolver-shot rang o

e! I waited for the sound of footsteps: waited for three minutes-perhaps longer. None came. To be sure, the room stood we

stable close by was still shuffling his

e, and tip-toed my way to the door. The candles were still burning in the Room

tammered. "I heard-

to was not Gervase, but my own reflected image, stepping forward with pale face

nd towards the fire. I caught up a candle, and ben

bliterated in the flesh, gazed at me in a ring, a hundred times repeated behind a hundred

, but I flung it off and pelted down the lane and through the mews. Once in the street I breathed ag

t. I had, I say, no clear purpose in following this line rather than another. I had none for taking Lennox Gardens on the way to my squalid lodging

g there and rolling up the strip of red carpet. As he pul

od erect, and with the air

rva

re stood Elaine in her ball-

have you been? We have

hes in the full glare of the lamp. And then I heard the butler catch his bre

It's Reg-Mr. Traver

hou

and stood before her: an

had better run to the police station. Stay: take this revolver. It won't count anythi

eside Elaine, and as I stooped to lift her-as my hand t

It is I who cannot do without

R OF

AID'S GH

nds and her knitting lie for the moment idle in her lap. "Oh, yes, I have se

n one of my host's da

the other at t

"Well, my dears, I am not quite the coward you take me for. And, as it happens, mine was the most harm

emale ghosts are the horridest of all. They wear little shoes w

aw her feet. Perhaps she was like the Queen of Spain, and hadn't any. And as for the hands, it

n you know that we're just

ith a small deprecating laug

ry, or t

ot

Miss Le Pet

for though the coombe led down to a wide open beach, it wound and twisted half a dozen times on its way, and its overlapping sides closed the view from the house, which was advertised as 'secluded.' I was very poor

n the country? Well, yes, there are several kinds; but they seem to agree in being odious. No one knows where they come from, though they soon remove all doubt about where they're

or it: afterwards I set it down as an unpleasant feature in the local character. I was doubly mistaken. Farmer Hosking was slow-witted, but as honest a man as ever stood up against hard times; and a more open and hospitable race than the people on that coast I never wish to meet. It was the caution of a child who had burnt his fingers, not once but many times. Had I known what I afterwards learned of Farmer Hosking's tribulation

a housekeeper, a widow-woman, and she'll show you round. With your leave I'll step up the coombe so far with you, and put you in your way.' As I th

hoed dolefully. 'Is t

to be; 'but I had to make it a rule after-after some things that happened. And I dare say you won't find her so bad. Mary Carkeek's a sen

ing, with an apology, strode on ahead to beat aside the brambles. But whenever its width allowed us to walk side by side I caught him from time to time stealing a shy inquisitive glance under his

rompted it, but about halfway up t

no ghosts,

I never heard tell of any ghosts.' He laid a queer sort of stress on the word. 'There's always been trouble with ser

d with his stick. 'It don't look l

verandah ran from end to end. Clematis, Banksia roses and honeysuckle climbed the posts of this verandah, and big blooms of the Marechal Niel were clustered along its roof, beneath the lattices of the bedroom windows. The house was

the farmer's description of her. She was a comfortable woman; and while we walked through the rooms together (for Mr. Hosking waited outside) I 'took to' Mrs. Carkeek. Her speech was direct and practical; the rooms, in spite of their faded furniture, we

mer Hosking pocketed the pruning-knife wh

an anything I had d

wise way of beginning a bar

haise waited to convey me back to the market town. I had meant to engage a maid of my own, but now it occurred to me that I might do ver

moderately young, entirely healthy; I felt myself independent and adventurous; the season was high summer, the weather glorious, the garden in all the pomp of June, yet sufficiently unkempt to keep me busy, give me a sharp appet

d even when I addressed her seemed at times unable to give me her attention. It was as though her mind strayed off to some small job she had forgotten, and her eyes wore a listenin

wl upon the dining-table, sure enough at the next meal they would be replaced by fresh ones. Mrs. Carkeek (I told myself) must have surprised and interpreted a glance of mine. And yet I could not remember having glanced at the bowl in her presence. And how on earth had she guessed

a-bed. For once, finding the drawing-room (where I had been sitting late) 'redded up' at four in the morning, and no trace of a plate of raspberries which I had carried thither after dinner and left overnight, I determined to test her, and walked through to the kitchen, calling her by

ur morning's work over night. But you mustn't wait for me when I choose to sit up. A

in the dawn. Her f

d, 'I made sure you mu

wered, 'but it was neit

grey bedroom-which faced the north. And I took this for a carele

ater I began

you found two others right and left, the left opening on the kitchen, the right on a passage which ran by a store-cupboard under the bend of the stairs to a neat pantry with the usual shelves and linen-press, and under the window (which faced north) a porcelain basin and

f roses, and carried them into the pantry as a handy place to arrange them in. I

k. 'What is wrong wit

house is well e

ow, miss. I

ance washing up the plate and glasses in the kitchen. Come arou

ight, miss. I assure you I

hen garden, and from its lower path we looked over the wall's parapet upon the cisterns. There were two-a very large one, supplying the kitchen and the bathroom above the kitchen; and a small one,

. 'The pipe between the two is choke

ly cold water, and no use to me. From th

. Carkeek, who had grown suddenly red in the face. Her eyes were fixed on the cork in my hand. To keep it more firmly wedged in its place somebody had wrapped it round with a rag of calico print; and, discolo

I felt disappointed in her. It seemed such a paltry thing to be disingenuous over. She had deliberately acted a fib before me; and why? Merely because she preferred

all sound disturbed me. I listened. The sound was clearly that of water trickling; and I set it down to rain. A shower (I told myself) had filled the water-p

lope of the coombe, the distant plash of waves, and the fragrance of many roses. I went back to bed and listened again. Yes, the trickling sound continued, quite distinct in the silence of the house

nning,' said I: and, sure enough, I found it so-a thin trickle steadily running to waste

g again. Now it had shut easily in my hand, but not so easily that I could believe it had slipped open ag

again. At the pantry door I paused. I was not afraid-not one little bit. In fact the notion that anything might be wrong had never crossed my

ight have sent me scurrying upstairs two steps at a time, but which as a matter of fact held me to the spot. My heart seemed t

beneath the water trickling

ds, a child's hands. I cann

g themselves clean. I saw the water trickle and splash over them-not through them-but just as it would on real hands. They were the hands of a little girl,

t of drawers. After the crash, in the darkness there, with the water running, I suffered some bad moments. Oddly enough, the thought uppermost with me was that I must shut off

my bath, dressed and went downstairs. And there at the pantry door

I, 'you pi

wished me to begin, and I determin

That's what accounts for yo

? . . .'

ust tell me all about

it-m

, whatever put such h

washing

oor dear! But-murder

wouldn't go t

s Mar

; and that's over twenty year ago. I was her nurse, miss, an

you know it

could I mistake, that

does she w

ays a dainty child-and

hat all this tidying and dusting-' I broke off.

ek met my l

else,

littl

t like this. For there isn't really nothing to be afraid of-is there?' She eyed me wistfully. 'It

hers?' I

ants, miss: the

e the

ll you? They carried on fearful-one after

e matter with

bout the coombe in his nightshirt. Oh, scandalous! And his wife drank too-that is, if she

hive

s a pair here-from the colonies, or so they gave out-with two

what ha

e been told, away back in the high-road, and that's the best part of half a mile. Sometimes they was locked up without food for days tog

lf when these awful people were here

ns. She've been here all the while: and only to think what her innocent eyes and

f I'm to have any peace

be leaving her to-what sort of tenant might come next. For she can't go. She've b

but all of a sudden I felt

I, 'there's nothi

night as regular as clockwork, and the floors sanded, and the pots and pans scoured, and all while the maids slept. They put it down to the piskies; but we

, 'there's only one con

t's t

you let me

this was as close to familiarity as she allowed herself

completely wrapped around with love as we were during those three years. It ran through my waking life like a song: it smoothed my pillow, tou

rought me word that he had sold the house-or was about to sell it; I forget which. There was no

ied man?

children as ever you see, and the mother a go

t is why you fee

hat he offers. You mustn't

you, Mr. Hosking; but you

ment lacked nothing of absolute perfection-e

happy,' I said; 'with

l be happy, sure enough

I packed up my boxes, a

when they stood corded

some poor excuse, and

nt

et!' I w

hope for one. Yet I tried again, and, shutting my e

rgar

that two little hands stole and

DY OF

astle, in Cornwall: of her coming in the Portugal Ship, anno 1526; her marriage with the said Milliton and alleged sor

o fight the Devil with his own armoury. He never was a robber as Mr. Thomas St. Aubyn and Mr. William Godolphin accused him; nor, as the vulgar pretended, a lustful and bloody man. What he did was done in effort to save a woman's soul; as Jude tells us, "Of some have compassion, that are in doubt; and others save, having mercy with

southward of Pengersick. She was bound from Flanders to Lisbon with a freight extraordinary rich-as I know after a fashion by my own eyesight, as well as from the inventory drawn up

pper, valued by h

f silver, '

s, plate, pat

pearls, pre

wels o

coined money, in

00 barber's basins; 3,200 laten candlesticks; a great chest of shalmers and other instruments of music; four sets of armour for the King of Portugal, much harness for his ho

in the neighbourhood saved all that was most valuable of the cargo. But shortly after (says he) there came on the scene three gentlemen, Thomas Saint Aubyn, William Godolphin, and John Milliton, with about sixty men armed in manner of war with bows and swords, and made an assault on

he ambassador obtained of the English Court a Commissioner, Sir Nicholas Fleming, to travel down and push enquiries on the spot-where Master Porson did not scruple to repeat his accusation, and to our faces (having indeed followed the Commissioner down for that purpose). I must say I thought him a very honest man-not to say a brave one, seeing what words he dared to use to Mr. Saint Aubyn in his own house at Clowance, calling him a mere robber.

ve the cargo also, a man of Mr. Saint Aubyn's-one Will Carnarthur-was drowned; that, in fact, very little was rescued; and, seeing the men destitute and without money to buy meat and drink, we bought the goods in lawful bargain with the master. As for the assault, we denied it, or that we took g

nown him lie or deceive, or engage me to further any deceit; his word was his bond, and by practice my word was his bond also. Further, of this affair I had already begun to wonder if a man's plain senses could be trusted, as you will hear reason by-and-by. As for Mr. Saint Aubyn and Mr. Godolphin, they had no doubt at all that my Master was lying, and that I had come wittingly to further his lie. They would have drawn on him (I make no doubt) had he brought the tale in person. From me, his intermediate, they took it as the bes

nd as I was mounting my horse in Clowance courtyard, Mr. Saint

will come and take my share-you may tell your master-and a trifle over! And the n

ood at an easy distance with his eye on us-I sa

two hours after noon: the date, the 20th of January, 1526, and the weather at the time coarse and foggy with a gale yet

rmhouse on the road to Helleston: and so turning aside, he, whose dwelling lay farthest from it, came first to the cove. The news reached us at Pengersick a little after three o'clock; as I

e ship's extremity to bury them): and three as good as dead-among whom was Master Porson, with a great wound of the scalp; also everywhere great piles of freight, chests, bales, and casks-a few staved and taking damage from salt water and rain, but the most in apparent good condition. The crew had worked very busily at the salving, and to the gre

hat older, being pinched and peaked by the cold, yet the loveliest I have ever seen or shall see. Her hair, which seemed of a copper red, darkened by rain, was blown about her shoulders, and her drenched blue gown, hitched at the waist with a snakeskin girdle, flapped about her as she turned to one or the other, using more play of hands than our home-bred ladies do. Her feet were bare and rosy; ruddied doubtl

e a dark-skinned fellow whom two of Saint Aubyn's men held prisoner with his arms trussed behind him. On her other hand were gathered the rest of the Portuguese, very sullen and with dark looks wheneve

llow"- pointing at the prisoner-"has just drawn a knife on the lady here; and indeed would have killed her, but for this hound of hers. My fellows have him tight and safe, as you see: but I was thinking by your leave to lodge him with you, yours being the nearest house for the safe keeping of such. But the plague is," says he, "the

tter, though but a moment since she had been using excellent English. Only she stood, sligh

g but that his name was Gil Perez of Lagos, the boatswain of the wrecked ship. Questioned of the assault, he shook his head merely and shrugged his shoulders. His fa

rust forward a small man who seemed not over-willing. Indeed his face had nothing t

y Master deman

ugged his shoulders and replied with an oath he knew nothing about her beyond this, that she had taken passage with him at Dunquerque for Lisbon, paying him bef

rmured something here, but for a look from her, who

he took me for passenger, and how he has behaved towards me. Yourselves may see how I have saved his freight. And for the

ce past thirty) and a handsome, the deep wedge-mark showed between th

he prisoner to Pengersick and have him there in safe keeping. And if"-with a bow-" the Lady Alicia will accept my poor shelt

ly breakers between her and shore; and so balanced that every sea worked her to and fro. Moreover, her mizzen mast yet stood, as b

s he more tractable to Mr. Saint Aubyn's offer to set a mixed guard of our three companies upon the stuff until daybreak. He plainly had his doubts of such protection: and I could not avoid some respect for his wisdom while showing it by argument to be mere perversity. To my Master's persuasions and mine he shook his head: asking for the present to b

Godolphin, who took charge of the three wounded men; while we carried the Lady Alicia off to Pengersick (whither the pri

that had been his mother's, and in these antique fittings the lady looked not awkwardly (as you might suppose), but rather like some player in a masque. I know not how 'twas: but whereas (saving my respect) I had always been to my dear Master as a brother, close to his heart and thoughts, her coming did at once remove him

t, and turning in a kind of fever: so returned and fetched a cooling draught in place of the victuals, and without questioning made him drink it. He thanked me amid some rambl

n from the spoils by a number of men with pikes (no doubt belonging to Saint Aubyn or Godolphin, or both), and forced to flee to the cliffs. But (here came in the wonder) the assailants, having mastered the field, fell on the casks, chests, and packages, only to find them utterly empty or filled with weed and gravel! Of freight-so Will Hendra had it

g his fast. And I went about my customary duties until full daybreak, w

tion, and while applying it thought no harm to tell him the report from the Cove. To my astonishment it threw him into a transport, though

doing, I tell you. It is she who has killed that fool Affonzo. She is a witch!" He fell back

ht-headed with your hurt. Li

me, and nothing for me but to say my prayers. But listen you"-here he sat up again and plucked me by the

id I, inc

s my watch. I was leaning on the rail of the poop when I caught sight of her first. She was running for her life across the dunes-running for the waterside-she and her hound beside her. Away behind her, like ants dotted over the rises of the sand, were little figures running and pursuing. Down by the waterside one boat was waiting, with a man in it-or the Devil belike-leaning on his oars. She whistled; he pulled close in shore. She leapt into the boat with the dog at her heels, and was half-way across towards our

e, holding but six men besides the one rower, and then over-laden. They pulled towards us and hailed just as the lady took the master's promise and

below so many of our crew as had gathered to the side to listen, commanding me with curses to see to this. Yet I heard something of the mayor's accusation; which was that the woman had come to Dunquerque, travelling as a great lady with a retinue of servants and letters of commendation to the religious houses, on which and on many private persons of note she had bestowed relics of our L

let weigh incontinently and clear with the tide, which by this was turned to ebb. And so, amid curses which we answered by display of our guns, we stood out from

him, but was in time called off by her. Within an hour we met with the weather which after three days drove us ashore. Now whether Affonzo suspected her true nature or not- as

ns; and afterwards lay back as one dead. Before I could make head or tail of my wond

the outside of it. My Master had dismounted, and while he called his orders the blood ran down his face from a cut above the forehead. As for

thief or robber; as you may satisfy yourself by search and question, bringing, if you will, Mr. Godolphin and three men to help you under protection of my word. If you will not, then I am ready

rstand. And after a moment Saint Aubyn, who was a very courteous

earching will satisfy me. But that some of your men have made of

hen Godolphin's sneering laugh broke in on

his parley for my stomach. Look ye, Penge

ot in my keeping, nor do I believe them stolen by any of my men. For the words that have passed between us to-day, he knows me well

rot away towards Godolphin. Happening to take a glance upwards at the house-front, I caught sight of the strange lady at the window of the guest-chamber, which faced towards the sou

ought him to have his wound seen to. "And after that," said I, "there is another wounded man wh

tend to him first," said he shortly, and led the way to the strong room. "Hullo!" was his n

move," I stammered,

not well done," he re

his eyes wide open in a rigor. "Take her away!

d on me sharply. To this day I know

ed you. For the present yo

e came forth my Master's face was white and set beneath its dry smear of blood. Pas

m. The en

ablemen; and not too soon. For by this he was foaming at the mouth and gnashing, the man in him turned to beast and trying to bite, so that we were forced to strap him to his bed. I sha

sure of the wall, looking over the sea: to the eye a figure so maidenly and innocent and (in a sense) forlorn that I recalled Gil Perez' tale as the merest frenzy, and wondered how I had come to listen to i

eat in the gayest spirits, and laughed and talked with the stranger throughout the meal. And afterwards, having fetched an old lute which had been his mother's, he sat and watched her fit new strings to it, rallying her over her tangle. But when she had i

ioner showed himself pardonably suspicious of us all. He was a dry, foxy-faced man, who spoke little and at times seemed scarce to be listening; but rather turning over some deeper matters in his brain behind his grey-coloured eyes. But at length, Mr. Saint Aubyn having twice or thrice ma

below and busy with the cargo at the time, and knew nothing

l the statements received by me Mr. Milliton bears no small part: his house lies at no distance from Gunwallo Cove: and I have heard much of your Cornish courtesy. It appears to me singular, therefore, that although I have been these f

protested, "I have my Mas

rative that I see Mr. Milliton of Pengersick and hear his evidence, as also this Lady Ali

had not been seen at Pengersick! They had vanished, and two horses with them: but when and how I neither knew nor dared push inquiries to discover. Only the porter could have told me had

now on the road home from Clowance I carried an anxious heart as well as a sore. To tell the truth-that my Master was away-I had not been able, knowing how prompt Saint Aubyn and Godolphin might be to take the advantage and pay us an unwelcome visit. "And indeed," thought I, "if my

I found my Master there and helping the strange lady to dismount, with the porter and two sleepy grooms standing by and holding torches. Beneath the belly of the lady's horse stood her hound, his tongue lolling and his coat a cake of mire. The night had

yet full of a sort of happiness: and I saw that his clothes were disordered and his boots mi

repeated i

s lit in the hall, and a table spread. My lady

?" was my

d my wife, and hence

you please! After

er) showed no fatigue, though her skirts were soiled as if they had been dragged through a sea of mud. Her eyes sparkled and her bosom heaved as she watched my Master, who ate greedily. But beyond the gallant words with which he pledged her welcome home to Pengersick

ming, nor any profit. The goods are not with us:

Mistress, who with bent brows s

y and well. I will go to my room now and rest: but let me be aroused when this visitor comes, for I be

ommissioner arrived: and with him Master Porson. I led them at once to the hall and, setting wine before them, sent to learn when my Master and Mistress would be pleased to give audience. The la

m the top of her packet. It was spotted with sea-water, but (as I could see) yet legible. The Commissioner studied it, sh

manner: a great part of the cargo had undoubtedly been landed. It was on the beach when she had left it under conduct of Mr. Mill

saluted the Commissioner and

servants. My livery is known by everyone in this neighbourhood to be purple an

rve colours: and for that matter to disguise them would have been a natural precau

a bite received from this lady's houn

turned to my Mistress-"shoul

n." She glanced from the Commissioner to Master Porson. "Sir Nicholas Fleming-surely I have heard his name spoken, as of a good friend to the Holy Father and not too anxious for the Emperor's marriage with Mary Tudor?" The Commissioner started in his chair, while she turned serenely upon his companion. "And Master Porson," she continued, "as a faithful servant of His Majesty of Portugal will needs be glad to see a princess of Portugal take Mary Tu

ew back. "The Emperor-" I heard the Comm

the paper and, replacing it, addressed my Master. "Your visito

Nicholas. My lady stood smiling upon the both for a moment, then dismissed me to the kitchens upon a pretended errand. They were gone when I returned, nor did I again set eyes upon the Commissioner or the

I tell you how it was? At first to see them together was like looking through a glass upon a picture; a picture gallant and beautiful yet removed behind a screen and not of this world. Suppose now that by little and little the glass began to be flawed, or the picture behind it to crumble (you could not tell which) until when it s

k clear to view over our broad bay) she would take up her lute and touch it to one of those outlandish love-chants with which she had first wiled my Master's heart to her. As time went on, stories came to us that these chants, which fell so softly on the ears of us as we went about the rooms and gardens, had been heard by fishermen riding by their nets

confession ever passed my lips-the common folk soon held it for a certainty that the cargo saved from the Saint Andrew had been saved by her magic only; that the

easier to us to fear witch-craft than to denounce it. Also (and it concerns my tale) the three years which followed the stranding of the Saint Andrew were remarkable for a great number of wrecks upon our coast. In that short time we of our parish and the men of St. Hilary upon our north were between us favoured with no fewer than fourteen; the most of them vessels of good burd

men of Market Jew, I happened on hints of this; but nothing which could be taken hold of until one day a certain Peter Chynoweth of that town, coming drunk to Pengersick with a basket of fish, blurted

" said I. "What ne

me that have seen the false light on Cuddan Point more time

ould not be so dismissed. "It may be," thought I, "some one of Pengersick has engaged upon

pskin with me and a poignard for protection; and for a week, from midnight to dawn, I played sentinel on Cuddan Point, walking to and fr

and stepped behind a boulder. The light drew nearer, came, and passed me. To my bewilderment it was no lantern, but an open flame, running close along the turf and too low for anyone to be carrying it: nor was the motion that of a light which a man carries. Moreover, though it passe

ily back towards me by the way it had gone, and as it came I ran upon it with my dagger. But it slipped by me, travelling at speed towards the mainland; whither I pelted after it hot-foot, and so across the fields towards Pengersick. Strain as I might, I could not overtake it; yet contrived to keep

ng. Also-but this had become ordinary-a smell of burning gums and herbs filled the passage leading to his door. He opened to my knock, and stood before me in his dressing-gown of sables-a tall fig

broke into my tale, giving him no time to forbid me. And presently he drew me inside, and shutting the d

rew back, "this must not come to my la

since: of a disease

then broke out violently: "She is in

n a voice which showed

these things do but happen in her sleep. In her waking senses she is mine, as one day she shall be mine wholly

I stammer

ow and resolute, "I will win her from

he pointed to the door. "I will win her," he repeated. "What you have se

meaning. "There will be less peril

appy man!" He flung a hand to his forehead, but recovering himself peered at me under the shadow

least I saw, and gave

ng (for no more could

carce above once a month. In form it never varied from the cresseted globe of flame I had first seen, and always it took the path across the fields towards Cuddan Point. No sound went with it, or announced its going or return: and while it was absent, my lady's chamber would be utterly dark and silent. My custom was not to follow it (which I had proved to be useless), but to let myself out and patrol th

night was a dark one, with flying clouds and a stiff breeze blowing up from the south-east. The flame left my lady's window at the usual hour-a few minutes after midnight-but returned some while before its due time. In ordinary it would be away for an hour and a half, or from

omething. It means something," he kept repeating. He had already run to his wife's chamber, but found her in a deep slumber and

had run ashore that night, under the Mount; but with how much damage was doubtful. She lay within sight, in a pretty safe position, and not so badly fixed but I guessed the next tide would float her if her bottom were not broken. The Moslems (nine in all) had rowed ashore in their boat and landed on the causeway; but with what purpose they had no chance to explain: for the inhabitants, catching sight of t

making signals that he intended no mischief but rather sued for assistance, at once a cry went up, "The Plague!" "The Plague!" at which I

k was a magistrate and would be forward to help them either with hospitality or in lending aid to get their ship afloat; further that they need have no apprehension of the crowd,

hed from his crew not only by authority as patron of the ship, but by a natural dignity. I judged him about forty. Me he treated with courtesy, yet with a reticence which seemed to say he reserved his speech for my Master. Of the wreck he said nothing except that his ship

er in the hall, went off to seek my Master. For the change that came over my de

preading both hands helplessly on the table bef

s but a chance pirate cast ashore by misadventure; and as vain that, his fears

hour is come. I must f

Another time I shall

d then go and tell my l

h h

aster signalled me to run on my further errand. Having delivered my message at my lady's door, I went down to the hall, an

food, listening. From the courtyard came the noise of the grooms chattering and splashing: but from the left wing, where lay my Master's rooms, no sound

nning to the window, saw the porter closing his wicket gate. A minute later, on a rise beyond the wall, I spied the Moo

my Master's door. No one answered. I could

ress with her hands crossed upon a crucifix. My Master had no crucifi

000 pounds in

EN M

icans) shipwrecked among the Quinaiult Tribes of the N.W. Coast of America, in the winter of 1807-8. With some remarkable Experiences of the said

owned and cultivated by our father Renatus Lanyon. Our mother was a Falmouth woman, daughter of a ship's captain of that port: and I suppose it was this inclined us to a sea-fari

the end was that we stole ashore and offered ourselves. Obed had the luck to be picked. Though very like in face, I was already the taller by two inches; and no doubt the Captain judged I had outgrown my strength. But it surprised me to be

shed into Behring's Strait beyond the 70th parallel; was a witness, on February 4th, 1779, of his commander's tragical end; and returned to England in October, 1780. Eleven years later he made another voyage to the same N.W. American Coast; this time as master's mate under Vancouver, who had kept an interest in him since they sailed together under Cook, and thought highly of him as a practical navigator and draughtsman. It was my brother who, under Vancouver, drew up the first chart of the Straits of

ust then my fortune deserted me. In a sudden fear of French invasion, our Government bought the four new ships which the Company had building (and a bad bargain they proved). This put a stop for the time to all chance of promotion; and a s

ions they have given over-to his favourite amusement of sounding the coast of Vellingey and correcting the printed charts. He kept a small lugger mainly for this purpose, and plied her so briskly that he promised to know the sea-bottom between Kelsey He

the towans, where the ewes were gathered in the lew.[1] They kept us so busy that for forty-eight hours we neither changed our clothes (at least, I did not) nor sat down to a meal. The sand about Vellingey is always driving, more or less; and the gale so mixed it up with fine snow that we made our journeys to and from the house, so to speak, blindfold, and took our chance of the drifts. But the evening of the 11th promise

heavy blueish grey, like steel. I was coming over the towans, just then, with a lamb under either arm (making t

carried a mast, stepped right forward; but no sail. She was full of people. I counted five sitting, all white with snow-one by the mast, three amidships, and one in the stern sheets, ste

clear as bells. I shouted to him and pointed towards the boat: and after looking a moment, he set down his pails and started off at a run, down towards the porth. I then hurried towards th

were longer than Obed's; but I dare say he had arrived five minutes ahead of me. He was standing and calling to the boat's crew to get out an oar and pull her head-to-sea: for

d with him-"Pull her round h

ler one curved on the back-draught and splashed in over her gunwale as she took ground. But what knocked the wind out of our sails was this-As

and fumbled with my line.

Obed, "they're dead m

he: "I've seen froze

a-hogshead pouring over her quarter. This wave knocked her broadside-on again, and the water shipped made her heavier to handle. But by whipping my end of the line round the thwart in which her ma

n board?" O

yself. For twice the heave had tilled me up to the armpits, and once lifted me clean off my feet; and I had no

rst," he said. "I've

s of this," I answered.

k on the gunwale strake by her port quarter- "MARGIT PEDERSEN, BERGEN": but by their f

wards the bows. The snow was heaped on his head and shoulders like a double cape. This one had no hair on his face; and his complexion being very fr

im out: and carried him up to the house still holding it. Later on we buried it beside him. This man wore a good blue coat and black breeches; and at first we took him to be the captain. He turned o

the thwart and fallen against the steersman. He was an oldish man, yellow and thin and marked with the small-pox; the only one in the boat who might have come from

d wrapped in a shawl and seaman's jacket, a young woman. Her arms were about the young man and her face pressed close and hidden against

first to speak; and he said "She has beautiful hair." This was the bare truth: a great lock of it lay along the bot

ace and afterwards forget it. It was, then and always, very pale: but this had nothing to do with ill health. In fact I am not sure it would have been noticeable but for the warm colour of her hair and her red lips and (especially) her eyebrows and lashes, of a deep brown that seemed almost b

wild as he. "Get her out, then," I

ough less than a yard apart, we bot

ound out when I stepped in to Obed's help. "We must carry u

ll above reach of the tide. And here I must tell of something that happened on the way: the first sign of Obed's madness, as I may call it. All

erics. We laid the pair on a blanket before the open fire, and very soon Obed was trying to force some warm milk and brandy between the girl's lips. I think she swallowed a little: but the first time she opened her eyes was when one of the lambs (which everyone had neglected for twen

a word or two, but in Norwegian, which none of us understood. Obed by this time had loosened the dead man's arms; and we thought it best to get her upstairs to bed before the ful

in separate graves, but all close together. The boat being worthless, we sawed it in two just abaft the mast and set the fore-part over the centre grave, which was that of Captain Pedersen, the young man we had carried up with Margit. The mast rotted and fell,

the pocket of the seaman's jacket to which she owed her life. On the first page was some foreign writing which I could not make out. The interpreter translated it: first the names "Margit Hansen to Nil

wished me to marry him. They were proud. But they left very little money, considering; and with it I bought the brig and cargo. She was an old craft, half rotten. We had fair weather, mostly, down the English Channel and almost to Ushant. There we met a strong southerly gale, and in the middle of it a pintle of our rudder gave way and the loose rudder damaged our stern-post. We tried to bear up for Falmouth, but she would not steer; and we drove up towards the Irish Coast, just missing Scilly. On the 8th the wind changed to N.W. and increased. That night, as Nils tried to lay to, she carr

ames of the dead men, she showed no further interest in them. At first, knowing how weak she was, and fearing to distress her, I fought shy of the subject; but one day, towards the end of the third week-she being strong enough to walk a moderate distance- I plucked up courage and asked if she cared to come with me to the churchyard. She agreed, and that afternoon, after a heav

ble. "This belongs to you," I said: "I have kept it to help me with your language"-but I held it op

alted, expecting her to be angry. But she halted too, and said

shift the logs on the hearth. "What makes you say so?" he asked. "Well, she will have friends in Bergen, and business-" "Has she written to her friends?" he interrupted. "Not to my knowledge: but

nd I had not quarrelled since we were boys. I put a stopper on my tongue, and went on s

he made show enough of frankness in his talk, but I knew him far too well to miss the suspicion behind it. And his suspicion bred suspicion in me. Yet though I searched, I could find nothing amiss in his outward bearing. If he were indeed in love with the girl-her age, she told us, was twenty-one-he gave no sign upon which one could lay hold. And certainly Margit's bearing towards u

day she came downstairs, and had a cold way of seeing that her orders were attended to. With about twenty words of English she at once gave battle to Selina, who had bullied us two men from childhood; and routed her. The old woman kept up a running fight for a week before appealing to Obed, and

rposes; and no pleasanter. In the two months that followed I hated myself pretty often, and at times came near to despise myself for the thought that before long I might be hating Obed. This would never have done: and luckily I saw it in time. Towards the end of June I made application to the Board: and left Vel

deal concerning Margit-her health, her walks, her household business-everything, in short, but what I expected and dreaded to hear. "Come," I said to

us north-wester blew the Atlantic weather in our teeth as we mounted the rise over Vellingey churchtown. My head being bent down, I did not observe the fig

matter?" I aske

!" she moaned. "My dear, t

e she accused the "foreign woman ": but I, it seemed, had started the quarrel this time; or, rather, it started over the preparati

he should return to us within a week, I could not avoid a foolish pleasure in the thought that Margit deemed my coming of such importance. Then i

round of the farm buildings and lock up. Margit had removed the white cloth,

pen about Selina?" I

lestick. "Selina has g

if you stay here alon

mind my sa

suppose the

speak to you: but perhaps, if it had not been for this, I might have put off speaking for some days. If you

wing them gently. She looked up. "I rather thought," she said, "you would have spoken last

his is a question

like you better. I shall m

slamming the back-door loudly. He did not look at our fac

ays with them. No married life could well be smoother than was Obed's and Margit's in all this time. He worshipped her to fondness; and she, without the least parade of affection, s

e that I have reasons for not wishing to make public the actual name of this vessel, which, however, will be sufficiently familiar to all who knew me at that time and who have therefore what I may call a pri

the Canton River and back in the Macartney. I had often given this invitation in jest: but such voyages merely for health and pleasure were then far from common. Yet there was no single impedimen

foreign barbarians the Chinese government confines our ships to the one port of Canton and reserves the right of nominating such persons as shall be permitted to trade with us. These Hong merchants (in number less than a dozen) are each and all responsible to the Emperor for any disturbance that may be committed by a

steady while Margit embarked. She and Obed waited on the step next above, with Mr. Tomlinson close behind. A small crowd had followed us: and just then one dirty Chinaman reached forward and with a word or two (no doubt indecent) laid his open palm on the back of Margit's neck. Quick as thought, she lifted a hand and dealt him a rousing box in the ear.

more of it until early next morning, when Mr. Findlater, the first officer, came with a puzzled face and reported t

on the landing. I told off two of the rowers of the previous day-the two whose position in the bows had given them the best view of the scuffle-to c

tory. He brought serious news. The boat had drifted up the river and had been recovered by a crowd of Chinese, who took out the dead man and laid him on the doorstep of the factory, clamo

his testimony would avail in a Chinese court. The two Hong merchants assured me that their brother, the Macartney's guarantor, was already in the hands of the magistrates

e penalty of her offence, if proved to the satisfaction of the Chinese magistrates, being-I can hardly bring myself to write it-nothing short of strangulati

who would swear to having seen the Englishwoman strike the deceased. The agents conducted their parley from a boat, and only made off on being threatened with a bucket of slops. I kept the ship's guns loaded, and set on a double watch, night and day. His wife's peril threw Obed into a state of apprehension so pitiable tha

ne day, Mr. Tomlinson reported a boat under our quarter demanding speech with us. I went to the side and saw a

Independence: and I want to come aboard." He pointed to his vessel, which had enter

e he came running up the ladder, and introduced himsel

erve you don't chew." He glanced at the stern-wi

I've come

ave come, sir, to

at. I know all about it, and came in

wish to buy

at all. I'm

"What,

head cask of pretty o

oman i

n earth could you h

The captain was drunk, and I traded with the mate. I never miss a chance. The mate said nothing of the woman inside. I believe her to be his captain's wife, preserved for burial ashore. This

hat do y

nd. Now it happens I have business up there among the Russian settlements-part trade, part exploring- I needn't say more, for the United States' Government didn't send me to tell secrets. A man like your brother would be money in my pocket all the way: an

rgit among the negro women at Macao: and our friend engaged that by spending a few hundred additional dollars he would get the Dutchwoman's corpse accepted as full discharge for the offence, provided that Mrs. Lanyon could be smuggled out of the Canton River. This Captain Wills readily undertook to do. Mr. '-' then suggested that his negotiations would be made easier by the disappearance of all implicated in the scuffle-i.e. Mr. Tomlinson and myself, as well as O

brought the famous cask of Geneva alongside, and took us four English people

g, and demanded to know what brought him there? He answered that he wanted water and fresh provisions (we had a plenty of both), and to prove it, ordered several butts to be started, and brought empty on deck. This was enough for the hospitable Japanese; who next day brought supplies of hogs, fish, and vegetables, for which they asked no payment; besides

from the time of our entering the parallels above 50 degrees. Her usual calm bearing had given way to succeeding fits of restlessness and apathy. At times she would sit dejected for hours together; at others, she would walk the deck without pause, her cloak thrown open to the cold wind, which she seemed to drink like a thirsty creature. One day, the vessel being awkwardly becalmed within a mile of an ugly-looking iceberg, her excitement rose to something like a frenzy. The weather being hazy, Obed-who was busy with the

e weather. The natives, too, were friendly beyond expectation. The sight of our vessel brought them off in great numbers and at times we had as many as a hundred canoes about us, the largest holding perhaps a dozen, some armed with muskets, but the most with lances and forks pointed with stags' antlers and a kind of scimet

og came up with some wind and a heavy swell from the south and hid the coast completely. This lasted until November 2nd at daybreak, when the weather lifted and we saw land at about eight miles' distance. Unhappily the wind dropped at once,

at conning the ship, since Captain Wills had received an awkward blow between the shoulders from the swinging of a loose block, and lay below in considerable pain and occa

ep. I believe indeed that, had fate allowed, I could have slept round the clock. But at ten

her was out of the question. We therefore made the best of our way ashore in the dense fog, taking with us all our guns and the best part of our ammunition, as well as provisions and a quantity of sails and spars for rigging up tents. On no side of us could we see further than twenty paces. Of the inhabitants of this dreary spot-if indeed it had inhabitants-

from Margit, who stood by the big cauldron, a few paces off, cooking our dinner o

muskets. These last I soon discovered to be toens, or elders, of the tribe. They stood and observed us with great gravity (indeed in all my acquai

a savage thrust his lance into the pot, drew out our dinner on the end of it, and laid it on the sand. One of t

tives chewed away at the pork. The meal over, we fell to work and finished the second tent without opposition, though curiosity drew some of our visit

p. I own that this impudence tried my temper sorely, and Obed-the only one of us who knew some scraps of the language of these Indians- went so far as to remonstrate with them. But if they understood, they gave

ship. At great risk Obed ran out to seek one of the toens and reason with him: but the mischief happened too quickly. Some of our men caught up their muskets and fired. Our assailants at once broke up and fled; and half-a-dozen of us charged down to the water's edge, where we saw a score and more with torches, busily setting fire

shift to escape, had been either fired or taken off by the savages. At 10 a.m., therefore, Captain Wills called a council of war, and informed us that he could think of no better plan than to push on for a harbour (its name, if I mistake not, was Gray's Harbour) lying about seventy miles to the southward, where a ship of the Company was due to call early in the spring. Obed remembered it, and added t

s more lightly laden were Margit and Captain Wills. The latter, indeed, could with pain manage to walk at all, and so clogged the pace of the party that we ma

f his powers and we allowed him an hour's rest while we cleaned our firearms. Margit gave no sign of fatig

aring to start again, a big stone came crashing down among our stores; and, as we scattered in alarm, two or three others followed. Looking up, I caught sight of a couple of Indians on the crest of the slope, and fired

iscovered a shallow cave in the hillside, and here we huddled and continued all the next day and night, waiting for the storm to abate; wh

nd had died in the night without complaint and, as far as could be learnt, without sound. The rain of stones not being resumed with day

became apparent at about one in the afternoon, when I, too, heard the sound of running water: and an hour later we halted on the edge of a broad vall

fairly intelligible to Obed. He proposed to supply us with boats to cross the river, if we would give up our muskets in payment. This, of course, we refused: but offered him the whole collection of beads and trinkets that we had brought with us in the hope of trafficking for food. After some haggling-to which the handsome chief, Yootramaki, listened with seeming disdain-the toen unde

's bottom, at the same time calling to his comrades, who leapt up and flung themselves overboard. The next moment he was after them, and the whole party swimming to shore. The current swept us down and carried us so near to a spit of the shore we had left, that the savages, who now pelted us with arrows, succeeded in killing one seaman, and wounding four

ith a volley which disposed of three and sank the canoe. The survivors swam for it, and I dare say reached shore. A second canoe put off, and from the bows of it th

ces aside; for his wishes were madness, yet we were asking him to sacrifice what was dearest to him in the world. In his distraction then he tore off most of his clothes, and piling them in a heap besoug

d not keep a cat alive for another forty-eight hours. Retiring to a clump of firs about 100 yards back from the river's bank, we scooped a hole in the snow and entrenched ourselves as well as

shaking one of the sleepers by the elbow and bidding him watch, I leaped over our low breastwork and ran towards the river in the track of my brother's footsteps. Almost as I started, a flash and a report of a musket right ahead changed the current of my fears. B

now have a hostage for Margit?" I ought at the same time to have begged his pardon for my suspicions. As the reader already knows, Obed had a far keener ear than I, and it had warned him

and watched. The village opposite seemed deserted: but at Obed's hail an Indian woman ran out of the largest hut, and returning, must have summoned the good-looking chief Yootramak

s to take us on our journey. The chief stood considering for a while; then spoke to a native boy, who ran to the house; and in a minute or so Margit her

ll our troubles. We caught him last night, and have brought him along as ransom for you. But stand close to the

and slow, "I think you are wasting your ti

e, and then, supposing he had

ve the word. All may depend on your quickness

xplain. I am not going w

wide eyes. "God of mercy!" he cried hoar

ind. I should be mad, rather, to wander with you through the forests, and in the end fall into worse hands, or perhaps die of starvation or cold. I d

ered it. "Dom," he muttered,

d I know not. Perhaps Margit, having given her answer, turned back towards the house. At any rate, shrilly crying her name, Obed sprang up and discharged his musket. The sho

e down on the sandy spit where we had nearly come to shipwreck, the day before. Several Indians had gathered there. One ran into the w

a matter of fact, however, I was allowed to do pretty much as I liked; and my employment (absurd as it may sound) for the most part consisted in designing k

es turned and fled into the woods: and from that hour no more was heard of them. Probably they perished of we

irksome reminder: and one day early in April Yootramaki took me aside and promised me my liberty if I would travel with him as far as the Strait, where an American brig had lately arrived. Of course I accepted his offer with gratitude; and we set forth next day. The captain of this brig (the Cordelia) was a Mr. Best, and his business in those

e to Valparaiso, whence I shipped for England, reac

rom the wind.

VENTURE OF A SM

"merchant," alias smuggler-whether or not a descendant of the famous Herve of that name, I do not know. He chanced to fall ill while visiting some friends in the small Cornish fishing-town, of which my grandfather was the only doctor

tinct, and the visit of M. Riel to his old customers

the little green flask, 144 ankers at 4 gallons per anker, at 5s. 6d

other was reading the letter aloud. "It costs a man a working day, with their gal

traight run. Come close in, any wind but easterly, and can load up horses alongside. March 24th or 25th will be best, night tides suiting, and no moon. Horses will be

ugh," was my fa

knees and elbows, the same as tante Yvonne use

-'." My father dropped into his chair, and sat spee

ceived from this Cornish venturer, in a woman's hand, small and delicate, with upstrokes like spider's thread; written in French, too, quite

rom Admiral Brueys upwards; but fifteen l

to watch the bouillon. "You can get as many as you like in the very next

r exampl

to take me on the very nex

raight run, as they call it, and not

at war with England again, and then it will be the

ds the Isle de Batz. I had been coaxing her half t

Roscoff, and made a good landfall of the Dodman at four in the afternoon, just twenty hours after starting. This was a trifle too early for us; so we dowsed sail, to escape notice, and waited for nightfall. As soon as it grew dark, we lowered the two tub-boats we carried-one on davits and the other inboard-and loaded them up and started to pull for shore, leaving two men beh

the troop of horses standing behind, quite quiet, shoulder to shoulder, shaved from forelock to tail, all smooth and shining with grease. I had heard of these Cornish horses, and how closely they were clipped; but these beat all I had ever imagined. I could see no hair on them; and I saw them quite close; for in the hurry each horse, as

glers that used to be common as skate at Roscoff in those days; so I made shift to ask one of the men alongside where the freighter might be. As well as I could make out, he said that the freigh

t missed him. I stood still to listen. This side of the track was quite deserted, but the noise of the runners behind me, though not loud, was enough to confuse

rse came up laden from the water and joined the troop behind, no man leading or following. The queer thing about my mare, though, was that her coat had no grease on it like the others, but was close and smooth as satin, and her mane as long

her to be quiet, and quiet she was at once. I found that the tubs, being slung high, made quite a little cradle between them. "Just a moment," I told myself, "and then I'll slip off and r

and was raising my head to look when the mare rose too, upon her hind legs, and with the fling of her neck caught me a blow on the nose th

twinkling on his sleeve as he reached past my nose, and finding neither bit nor rein, laid his hand at length right on top of mine. I believe that, till then, the riding-officer-it was he, for the next time I saw a riding-officer I recognised the buttons-had no guess of anyone's being on the mare's back. But instead of the oath that I expected, he gave a shrill scream, and his arm dropped, for the mare had turned and caught it in her teeth, just above the elbow. The next moment she picked up her stride again, and forged past him. As he dropped back, a bullet or two sang over us, and one went ping! into the right-hand keg. But I had no time to be afraid, for the mare's neck rose again and caught me another sad knock on the nose as she heaved herself up the cliff-track, and now I had work to grip the edge of the keg, and twine my left han

raid-it was like swinging in a hammock to the pitch of a weatherly ship. I was not in dread of falling, either; for her heels fell so lightly on the turf that they persuaded all fear of broken bones out of the thought of falling; but I was in desperate dread o

ould be. Here I was, in a foreign land I had never seen in my life, and could not see now; on horseback for the first time in my life; and going the dickens knew whither, at the dickens knew what pace; in much certain and more possible danger; alone, and without speech to explain myself when-as I supposed must happen sooner or later-my runaway fate should shoot me among human folk

ed the back of my head as I ducked it; then a moorland rising straight in front, and rounded hills with the daylight on them. And as I saw this, we were dashing over a granite bridge and through a whitewashed street, our hoofs drummi

worked their soaped hides into a complete lather. But the mare generalled them all the while; and striking on a cart-track beyond the second rise of the moor, slowed down to a w

the middle of it-just low enough to be hidden from the valley beneath-stood a whitewashed farmhouse, with a cou

n, who stood some paces away, was a very different person-tall and slight, like a lady; grey-haired, and yet not seeming old; with long white hands and tiny high-heeled shoes, and dressed in black silk, w

coat! Good Lilith!" Then, as Lilith munched the sugar-"Who are you, li

"Yann Riel. I am from Rosco

he clapped her hands, drew me down from

t. Tell me only how you came-a word or

the run, and the dragoons on the be

ful! But how came

. But when I spoke to he

" She patted the mare's neck, and broke off to clap her hands again and interpret the tale

But the packet on your back-your night-shirt, I suppose? You h

," said I, "jointed at the knees and

e boy!" She kissed me twice again. "Come, and you s

een damask, all closely pinned around it, and a green valance. But she went to the little bed, which was hung with pink dimity, and pulled the white sheets out of it and replaced them with others from a great wardrobe sunk in the wall. And whi

turned at the door. "The tubs are all in

slept the round of the clock before I opened my eyes, for the room was now bright with c

he convent schools in Brittany, and her grey hair was tied just like a girl's. One litt

that I was awake, and she

ve you to the coast, to a town called Fowey, where some friends of his 'in the trade' are starting for Roscoff. In six hours you will be aboard ship again; and in another twenty, perhaps, you

re I will

that. I am the Demoise

t. Pol de

as my own town

Nuns, on the road to Morlai

shed a small table over to the big bed and loaded it with candlesticks. There were three candles already alight in the room, but she lit others and set them in line-brass candlesticks, plated candlesticks, candlesticks of chinaware-fourt

and laid down, and rose-trees gummed on little sticks, and a fish-pond and brook of looking-glass, with embroidered flowers stuck along their edges, and along the paths (of real sand) a score of litt

ty, mademoise

so long ago that I may have forgotten. Tell me if it is like

tly like, m

walks with me- this is I-as she always did. And what do you think? With the fifteen dolls that you have brought I am going to have a real Pardon, and townspeople and fisher people to stand

, madem

an lay but a mile from my mother's house. He fled to us, wounded; and we carried him to the coast-there was

me words I have never forgotten, though it was not until years after that I got

andle down again and gently d

ood. Although I have written the farmer's letters for him, it never seemed to me that I wrote to living p

when I passed out of the room, dressed and ready for my journey, it was quite dark on

dolls,"

examined it under the table's edge. It was a litt

Y OF JOSEP

n Lanihale, August 15, 1810: or so much of it as is hereby related by the R

s to little more than this-that Laquedem, a young Hebrew of extraordinary commercial gifts, first came to our parish in 1807 and settled here as managing secretary of a privateering company at Porthlooe; that by his aptitude and daring in this and the illicit trade he amassed a respectable fortune, and at length opened a private bank at

he mysteries of another world, but knowing that the time is near when all accounts must be rendered, desire to take stock honestly of what they believe and what they do not. And here lies my difficulty. On the one hand I would not make public an experience which, however honestly set down, might mislead others, and especially the youn

as well as the brass plaque of which I sent you a tracing; and I think not above a fortnight later that, on your suggestion, I set to work to decipher and copy out the old churchwardens' accounts. On the Monday after Easter, at about nine o'clock P.M.,

gentleman

that came along quickly found its way to the Jews. People said that Government was buying up gold, through the Jews, to send to the armies. I know not the degree of truth in this, but I had some five and twenty g

tted a young man in a caped overcoat and tall boots bemired

r.

m," said he in

said I, "though it was

-Your fathe

left the room to fet

dirty ride," I b

ed, lifting a muddy boot.

in this weather? My faith, sir,

olding them up to the candlelight, testing their edges with his thumbn

r of scales,"

not need them. The guineas are good weight, all but t

rely on your hand

. He was a decidedly handsome young man, with dark intelligent eyes and a slightly scornful- or shall I say iron

ed, "1.898, or practically

ly astounded, "a lifetime too little

ent again until the business of payment was concluded. While folding the recei

as well

tain

o my bureau I took out the brass plaque which Mr. Pollard had detached from the planks

s him in an absent-minded fashion, and, sitting down, rested his brow on his open palms. I can recall

this?" he asked, but

ng upon it is singular.

an imperial crown surmounting-these are the arms of the Greek Empire, the two gates are Rome and Constantinople. The question is, h

rescoes and charcoal drawings

egan to drum

ich might tell us when the

astering, but the entries of expenditure on whitewashing occur periodically, the first under the year 1633." I turned the old pages an

n the leaf, then up, then turned back a page. "Perhaps this may explain it," said he. "Ite deliued Mr. Beuill to make puision for the companie o

about to suggest that you draw it to the

to stay the night; not so much, I confess, from desire of his company, as in the hope that

ger, fervid, sublimis cupidusque, as I was before my beard grew stiff. But this young man had the air of a spectator at a play, composing himself to be amused. There was too much wisdom in him and too little emotion. We did not, of course, touch upon any religious question-indeed, of his own opinions

for the church. The day was sunny and warm; the atmosphere brilliant after the night's rain. The hedges exhaled a scent of spring. And, as we entere

handsome girl!" m

, "she has her goo

poor s

nearly so," said I, fitt

o begin with the frescoes, or original series. One, as you know, represented the Crucifixion. The head of the Saviour bore a large crown of gilded thorns, and from the wound in His left side flowed a continuous stream of red gouts of blood, extraordinarily intense in colour (and

g up a road, at the top of which stood a circular building with an arched doorway and, within the doorway, the

the two foremost furnished with yards and square sails, the others with lateen-shaped sails, after the Greek fashion; her sides were decorated with six gaily painted bands or streaks, e

p-a group rendered conspicuous by an isolated right hand and arm drawn on a larger scale than the rest. A gilded circlet adorned the arm, which was flexed at the elbow, the hand h

paws clasped in a supplicating posture, thick black horns, and eyes which (for additional horror) the artist had painted red and edged with a circle of white. At his feet crawled the hindmost limb of a peculiarly loathsome monster with claws stuck in the so

ine, if you can, the incongruous tableau; the Prince of Darkness almost touching the mourners beside the cross; the sorrowful nun and g

r some while in silence, holdin

discovered the plaque

to the e

hat ship must be Greek

her masts, too, with t

and peered into the fre

r

ely behind me, and turning, I saw that the

also. "What do you mean b

an, and made as if to tap

thing," she persiste

memb

o you r

wavered and changed into a vague foolish smile. "I can

?" asked Mr

r parents are dead; an aunt looks

coes. "Julia Constantine-an odd name," he mutt

, the manor-farm. The family has belonged to this paris

u say? That's a strange thing to remember. H

sy-chain. After a while she shook her head. "I can't t

gested. To tell the truth I disappr

ile with something between a "by-your-leave" and a cha

tly to and fro. "Look at it, please, and stretch out your arm; look steadily. Now your

you please, sir, b

t ma

rk on m

k her sleeve, somewhat roughly, as I thought. "Look here, sir!" he exclaimed, pointing to a thin red

I, "with a string or ribbon, whi

is a birthmark. You have had

ed and confiding; and for the moment he too seemed to be startled. But his smile came ba

longed to you, there

did the san

ulum-swing of the chain. "Tell us,"

s below me . . . and something above . . . something like a great tent." She fa

re thousands of pe

n the sand . . . the rest were around . . . under the

s forehead. "Good Lord!" I hea

ed, "I think we have had

went on steadily as i

hen yo

y, and I saw a horror dawn

fault. Automatically he began to sway the daisy-chain afresh. "We were

ring his voice almost to a whisper; and

gain . . . we were up there, stretched on deck, near the tiller . . . anoth

he insisted, "is

. . . we and the crew . . . the sea is close behind us . . . some men h

h boots. As for him, I cannot hope to describe his face to you. There was something more in it than wonder-something more than dismay, even-at the success of his unhallowed experiment.

foot, "relax your cursed spells! Relax the

hain in his hand. She looked about her, shivered and stood erect. "Where am I?" she asked. "Did I fall

d marched up the path without deigning a glance at the young m

opped the experiment before. But I was startled-thr

like has happened to other

no thought-" he began.

a curious puzzle in archaeology, and you fall to playing devil's

sand-the velarium-the outstretched arm and hand-pollic

ray, of gladiatorial s

demanded

t," he mused, "only mak

gate, and there lies the highroad, on to Porthlooe or back to Plymouth, as you please. I wish you

e young man took his

ere and raised his ha

ng on his heel, walke

thl

e had bought the Providence schooner; he had acted as freighter for Minards' men in their last run with the Morning Star; he had slipped over to Cork and brought home a Porthlooe prize illegally detained there; he was in London, fighting a salvage case in the Admiralty Court; . . . Within twelve months he was account

ime in the street of Porthlooe, and he accosted me with a politeness to which, though distrusting him, I

alking homewards from a visit to a sick parishioner, when at Cove Bottom, by the miller's footbridge, I passed two figures-a man and a woman sta

"I put it to you, as a man of education an

ough, "I can convince you that it is. But cl

nt on, "but I have known J

ed; and added, with a change of tone, "Had you not forbidden

piritual welfare-or yours-I

myself the pleasure of calling upon

sted to me to draw the comparison; at any rate I observed then for the first time that rapid ageing of his features which afterwards became a matter of common remark. The fac

unwell," said I,

concern, he cut me short. "Oh, there will be no hurry about it! I mean, perhaps, no more than that all men carry

having known her and her affliction all her life, I

, do you not begin to observe

," said I, "she

done that; or rathe

u are going to tell me! If you have intended or wr

who have loved, and lost, and sought each other, and loved again through centuries, have outlearned

e back of my chair and

g man was

, "the learned antiquary to whom, as you told me, you were sending your trac

est to get him out of the house), "My friend tells me that a similar design is

e Paleologus, descenda

eaning. "The race, so far as

is never extinct; and while it lasts, the soul of Julia Constant

ait

lifts the curse, an

" said I, my tongue bl

if you meet me to-morrow, shall recognise none. Just now you are forced to believe me mad. Believe it then; but listen while I tell you this:-When Rome was, I was; when Constantinople was, I was. I was that Jew rescued from the lions. It was I who sailed from the Bosphorus in that ship, with Julia beside me; I from whom the Moorish pirates tore her, on the beach beside Tetuan; I who, ce

rd his legend," said I;[1] "and have unde

suspect, he has not travelled beyond forgiveness. Many times I have known her who shall save me in the end; and now in the end I have found her and shall be a

is face on his arms, sobbed aloud. I let him sob the

the arm almost to the shoulder. "I want you close," he added with half a smile; for I have to confess that during the process I had backed a couple of paces towards the door. He took up a candle, and held it wh

mysteries deeper yet. The Church Catholic, whose servant I am, has never to my knowledge denied this; yet has providentially made a rule of St. Paul's advice to the Colossians against intruding into those things which she hath not seen. In the matter of this extraordinary belief of y

as he slipped on his coat. "M

, and, having shaken hands,

ing game; and one day her lover found her in the centre of a knot of women fringed by a dozen children with open mouths and ears. He stepped forward. "Ladies," said he, "the difficulty which vexes you cannot, I feel sure, be altogether good for your small sons and daughters. Let me put an end to it." He bent forward and reverently took July's hand. "My dear, it appears that the depth of my respect for you will not be cr

wn the transfiguration-if such it was-entirely to the dawn and growth of her reason. To this I can add a curious scrap of evidence. I was walking along the cliff track, one afternoon, between Porthlooe and Lanihale church-town, when, a few yards ahead, I heard a man's voice declaiming in monotone some sentences which I could not catch; and rounding the corner, came upon Laquedem and July. She was

ast scene, of which I was

ere many riders and moving at a trot; and a minute later the jingle of metal gave me an inkling of the truth. I hurried to the window and pulled up the blind. Day was breaking on a grey dr

parish priest in those days to know too much-it had reached my ears that Laquedem was himself in Roscoff bargaining for the freight. But we had all learnt confidence in him by this time-his increasing bodily weakness never seemed to affect his cleverness and resou

d July Constantine came running down the hill, her

I hope?" She turned a white, di

, and sent up the rocket from the church-tower. But the lugger stood in-the

run out towards the point; we- you, I

ent-cloth, and through the rent I saw a broad patch of the cove below; the sands (for the tide was at low ebb) shining like silver; the dragoons with their greatcoats thrown back from their scarlet breasts and their accoutrements flashin

the verge of the cliff, whe

e s

re of the hand in the fresco-the forefinger extended, the t

ll, but rather as one musing, much as she had answered Laqu

mob of free-traders and wheeled their horses round, fetlock deep in the tide, I saw a figure break from the crowd and run, but presently check himself and walk composedly towards the cl

suit, he turned deliberately. There was no defiance in his attitude; of that I am sure. What followed must have been mere blundering ferocity.

halfway down the cliffside, springing as surely as a goat, and, where she found no foothold, clutching the grass, the rooted samphires and sea pinks, and sliding. While my h

ke, the riding-officer

ive, we mu

the skirmish to ease her off, so that a push would set her afloat. He asserts that as July came up to him she never uttered a word, but the look on her face said "Push me off

s you may guess, the free-traders did nothing to help and a great deal to impede. And first the crews tumbled in too hurriedly, and had to climb out again (looking very foolish) and push afresh, and then one of the boats had mysteriously lost her plug and sank in half a fathom of water. July had gained a full hundred yards' offing before the pur

se under the point, and gone about on the port tack-the next would clear-when the first shot struck her, cutting a hole through her jib, and I expected th

e running right up into the wind. The stern swung round and I strained my eyes to catch a glimpse of her. At that moment a

a will. I saw them run alongside, clamber

st have lifted her lover's body overboard and followed it to the bottom of the sea, There is no other explanation; and of the bond that knit these two together there is, when I ask myself candidly,

Calvary, Kartophilus smote Him, saying, "Man, go quicker!" and was a

NERS

D TALE OF

about Ardevora, and making a study of us; and I know you can read, because I've seen you doing it down to the Institute. But sometimes, when I ask

d to call him "Calves-in-front," because of his legs being put on in an unusual manner, which made him walk slow all his days, and that's another part of the story. And Billy Bosistow, or Uncle Billy, was my father's father's'

and walking the paths of repute for eleven years with his funny-shaped calves, got himself elected Mayor of the Borough. You may suppose it was a proud day for him. In those times the borough used to pay the mayor a hundred p

down our side of the street, and my mother holding me tight as we leaned out, for I was just rising five, and extraordinary heavy in the head. And out upon the steps of the Town Hall stepped Landl

istow! He was a ragged old scarecrow, turned a bit grey and lean with iniquitous living, but not more than half-drunk; and he stepped into the middle of

justice, love mercy, and w

and speaking vicious. And Uncle Billy was collared and marched off between tw

the stocks than off he went to Lawyer Mennear, who was a young man then just set up in practice, and as keen for a job as

t there coin. His heart's in the right place, which is more'n can be said for his calves. Two-pennyworth of gin, please, your Worship." The Mayor's dignity wouldn't let him serve it, so, the first day, he called his wife down. Mrs. Cummins began by trying argument. "William," she said, "the Lord knows you wouldn't have this money if there was justice in England. But got it you have, and now be a sensible man and put it by for a rainy day." "Mrs. Mayor," answers Billy, slow and vicious, "if there was any chance of presentin' you with a silver cradle, I'd save it up and subscribe." After that there was nothing more to say. It hurt the poor soul terrible, and she went up

appearances of Billy, and they spoiled his term of office, I do believe. But all the same he turned out a very passable

soners together and spent ten years in captivity to the French, and come home aboard the same ship like brothers. The bigger the love the bigge

s Bay, and good seamen the both, though not a bit alike in looks and ways. Abe, the elder by a year, was a bit slow and heavy on his pins; given to reading, too, though he seemed to take it up for peace and quietness more than for any show he made of his learning. Bill was smarter alto

m fit. There never was such a pair since David and Jonathan, and I believe 'twas partly this that kept them from running after girls. So far as I can see, the most of the lads begin at seventeen; b

mother's leave to twist it in plaits for the Christmas courants. And Abe and Billy each knew the other's secret almost b

Johns would be wise enough to choose- and then let the best man win! No bad blood afterwards, and meanwhile no more talk than necessary-they shook hands upon that. That Janua

the 25th (a Sunday) it blew hard from north to west, and she let go sheet anchor. Next day the weather moderated a bit, and, heaving up her sheet anchor, she rode to her best bower. On the Tuesday, the wind havin

of the fleet, which numbered over twenty sail of merchantmen; and, being a sluggard in a

lman took a glance over his shoulder, and there she was, creeping up close astern. His call fetched up Captain Wilcox, who ran aft and hailed, but got no reply. And so she came on, until, sheering close up under the Hand and Glove's port quarter, she was able to heave a grapnel on board and throw twenty well-armed Johnnies into the old brig. The Englishmen- seven in all, and taken unprepared-were soon driv

et, letter of marque of London, bound from Zante, laden with currants-to a lieutenant and a guard of foot soldiers. Not a man of them knew where they were bound. They set out through a main pretty country, where the wheat stood nearabouts knee-high, but the roads were heavy after the spring rains. Each man had seven shillings in his pocket, given him at parting by the captain of his vessel-the three captains had been left behind at Dieppe-and on they trudged for just a fortnight on an allowance o

d at the very top of the rock, on the edge of a cliff that dropped a clean 300 feet to the river: not at all a pretty place to get clear of, and none so cheerful to live in on a day's allowance of one pound of brown bread, half a pound of bullock's offal, three-halfpence in money (paid weekly, and the most of it deducted for prison repairs, if you please!), and now and then

tter to him that he was shut up, so long as he could sit in a corner and read about other folks travelling. In the second year of their captivity an English clergyman, a Mr. Wolfe, came to Jivvy, and got leave from the Commandant to fit up part of the prison granary for a place of worship and preach to the prisoners. It had a good effect on the men in ge

nd he'd wake out of that like a man dazed, sitting in a corner and brooding for days together. What he brooded on, of course, was means of escape. At first, like every other prisoner in Jivvy, he had kept himself cheerful with hopes of exchange, but it seemed the folks home in Ardevora had given up trying for a release, or else letters never reached them. And yet they must have known something of the case their poor kinsme

er year went by and his wits broke themselves on a stone wall, he grew into a very different man from the handy lad the Johnnies had take

rs stopped them, insisting that they were Irish and not Americans, and must be enlisted to serve with Bonaparty's army in Spain. The prisoners to a man refused to hear of it, and the end was they were marched back to prison in disgrace, and, to cap everything, had their English allowance stopped on pretence that they had been in the French service. Yet this brought him a second chance, for being no

hem up for a fortnight in a room by themselves, being fearful that such bad characters would contaminate the other prisoners. This room was an upstairs one in a building on the edge of the ramparts, and after a few nights they broke through the ceiling into an empty chamber, whic

lace they had to cross a river, and Billy being, like the most of our fishermen, no swimmer, his mates stuck him on a hurdle and pushed him over while they swam beh

re was Bosistow following it up for freedom-with the upshot that he made the coast and was taken like a lamb in the attempt to hire a passage, and marched in irons from one jail to another, and then clean back the whole length o

fifty miles west-sou'-west for Tours, on the Loire river. I've figured it out on the map, and even that is enough to make a man feel sore in his feet. But what made Bosistow glad at the time, and vicious after, was that on his way he fell in with a draft of prisoners, and, among them, with Abe Cummins, who, so to say, had reached the same place by walking a tenth part of the distance. And, what's more, though a man cou

day," answ

e pondering to himself. "She'll be a w

nty-seven,"

be. "I've been thinkin

ut of this here mess, and Selina hasn't gone and taken a husband. Play fair, leave it to the maid, and

ather sly-like: "And s'posin' you're the lucky on

es, I suppose; or els

f that trade in Jiv

d teach navigation. Back in Ardevora I can make betwee

head. "You've been maki

way, too, but seemin' t

kin'. Not much to keep

argain's a

Abe; "that is if your

that," answers Billy

it that night, and no girl satisfied unless she had an Englishman for a partner. But the next day it all turned out to be lies, and off they were marched again. To be short, 'twasn't till the end of April that they came to the river opposite Bordeaux, and were taken in charge by English red-coats, who told them they were free men. On the 28th of that month Abe and Billy,

wing fresh-the Suffolk sighted land, making out St. Michael's Mount; and fetching up to Mousehole Isla

ide. Not a word had been said between them on the matter that lay closest to their minds, but while they waited Billy fe

a porpoise. A heavier lurch than ordinary sent her main channels grinding down on the mackerel

"if I trust myself in a boat that'll

the mizzen lug stowed he took a run past the officer and jumped aboard, with two fellows close on his heels-one a Penzance fellow whose name I've forgot, and the t'other a chap from Ludgvan, Harry Cornish by name. I reckon the sight of the old shores just made them mazed as sheep, and like sheep they followed his lead. The office

only a short way to trudge, said "No, thank'ee," and started for home with a small crowd after him. But Bosistow and Cornish agreed 'twould be more neighbourly to accept, and, to tell the truth, they didn't quite know how to behave with so many eyes upon them. Cornish had on a soldier's red j

d called them fine fellows, and mixed them two more glasses while they talked; and when the time

that from Mousehole to Penzance it was a regular procession. And then they had to go to the hotel and tell the whole story over

s Nancledrea, which was a goodish bit out of Cornish's road to Ludgvan. By the time they reached Nancledrea Billy was shedding tears and begging Cornish to come along to Ardevora. "I'll make a man of 'ee there," he promised: "

moking solemn, and an upstanding woman in a black gown attending on them.

pot of ale all round, and let 'em drink to two Cornish boys home from

ay, Billy was boasting ahead for all he was worth, and the company with their mouth

diggin' slowheads-I ben't. I've broke out of prison three times, and now-" He nodded at the company, whose faces by this time he couldn't very well pick out of a heap-"do any of 'ee know a maid the

n' to me," answered up the landl

his life in slavery while you've been diggin' taties?" I can't tell you why potatoes ran so much in the poor fellow's head; but they did, and he seemed to see the hoeing of them almost

eat dignity which was only spoiled by his mistaking the shadow across the doorway for a raised step. He didn't forget to slam

mind on the road. But by-and-by his brain cleared a bit, and when he reached the hill over Ardevora, and saw the

'law, though I do love every stone of her streets. But there's one there that didn' forget me in my captivity, and won't despise me in these here rags. I wish I'd seen Abe's

me on them shining just so on their way home on Saturday nights from Bessie's Cove. Poor old mate!-first of all he pictured Abe's chap-fallen face, and chuckled; the

d French cloak out of his knapsack and wrapped himself in it a

on every fine morning since he'd left Ardevora. And somehow, though he had dropped asleep in a puzzle of mind, he woke up with not a doubt to trouble hi

by-and-by he came in sight of Nancledrea and the inn he'd left in such a hurry over night. And w

arth did you come

ween four and five th

meet you, anyway, for-tell 'ee the trut

s Abe, like o

end by the button-hole-"strickly speakin' I'd the right on my side. 'Let the best man win' was our agreement. But you needn' to fret yourself: I ben't the man to take an advantage of an old friend, fair th

looked up, studying the

mind to know you've played so fair. For man

illy, "man and boy, i

Johns," Abe went on, "th

tell me s

sband that's dead. She

have 'ee k

re public. What's more, her name isn't going to be Selina Widlake, but Selina Cummins. We'

, and, coming back, stuck his hands in his

at was too honou

it turns out, 'twouldn't have made no difference. For she see'd you last evenin', and she was tellin' m

now you know why Billy Bosistow and Abe Cummins could never bear the sight of eac

ennes. The river, of

riancon in the

ers in a Ch

N'S M

T TO THE

of stepping up the hill to take a look at the cemetery, and there find all they sought. This man stood under the archway of the Pack-horse Inn (by A. Walters), with h

the Mining District, had made money out there, and meant to return to make more, and was home just now on a holiday, with gold in h

maids who came out to take the letters were different; in one of them the Emigrant recognised a little girl who had once sat facing him in the Wesleyan day-school; but the bells that fetched them out were those on which he had sounded runaway peals in former days, and with his eyes shut he could have sworn to old Dymond's double-knock. The cart that rattled its load of empty cans up the street belonged to Nicholas Retallack ("Old Nick"), the milkman, and that was Retallack beside it, returning from

grant of a certain First of April when he had ventured in and inquired for half a pint

llors did not interfere, and the rabble passed bawling by the Pack-horse. Long before it came the Emigrant had recognised the ungainly man. It was Dicky Loony, the town butt. He had chivvied the imbecile a hundred times in just the same fashion, yelling "Black Cat!" after him as

a room at the Pack-horse, nobody asking his name; had sat after supper in a

ain't a commercial. He han't got the trunks, only a kit-bag. By the soft hat he

antial headstone. But he had not been up to the cemetery yet. He was not a sentimental man. Still, he had expected

, "E. Hosking, Maker of Cheesecakes to Queen Victoria," still decorated the window. He entered and demanded a pound of best "fairing," smiling at the magnificence

emember me,

u must speak a little l

't remem

osedly. "I'm gone terrible b

down Market Street. At the foot of the hill he paused before a row of white-washed cottages. A green fenc

est live her

ozen pins from her mouth and

ried agen five year ago; second husbing, h

, one by one, in the bosom of her print gown,

nd scratched the back of his head, tilting h

ond of me when I was a

to ask what business

when I was born. I suppose tha

had a little girl of her own before I left Tregarrick," the Emigrant persisted, not because she appeared interested-she did not, at all-but with s

lizabeth"-she lengthened the name with an

ocket. He flushed scarlet. At the same time he could hardly keep back a smile a

ny little ones

haven't

n. My name is Peter Jago-

es

r mother's whereabouts; and concluded, rightly

. "I thought I might be ab

ecame atten

eavin' with me, sir, it should duly re

ll think it ov

ng in after with a pint of port to his order, found the Emigrant with a g

, eyeing the heap, "you've travell

self a second time. Indeed, his humour by this had turned sour, and his mind was made up that, if no one recognised him spontaneously, he would leave his native town as quietly as he had come-would go back without revealing himself to a soul. It would be u

sle afterwards with the offertory-plate he recognised one Billy Smithers, who had been a crony of his some twenty years ago; who had, in fact, helped

mistake?" he asked

manner, and William Smithers, sidesman, proceed

hrist's Church militant here on earth, and the Emigra

nds suddenly seized his right hand and shook

and and mumbled it with his wry mouth, then shook it agai

ure at whom he had flung scores of stones,

he made the gesture of one flinging a stone. "Often, ha, ha! So high

oftly. They stood now on the green to

it, smiling and looking him straight in the eyes with innocent gaiety. "These boys-no

Emigrant; "I'm bles

OF THE RE

ithin the

on their hin

sung in the p

uldering wain

crevice pe

immer'd thro

s trod the u

ed her from wit

hy my interest in the house with the grey chimneys suddenly became a personal one. Five miles separated me from my inn in Aber town. But the white smoke of a goods train went crawling across the green and cultivated plain at my feet; a

d fallen from the roof of byre and stable lay buried already under the growth of nettle and mallow and wild parsnip; and the yard-wall was down in a dozen places. I shuffled through one of these gaps, and almost at once found myself face to face with a park-fence of split oak-in yet worse repair, if that were possible. It stretched away right and le

he top; and under these many dead boughs lay as they had fallen, in grass that obliterated almost all trace of the broad carriage-road. But nine out of ten stood hale and

ore I was relieved, as I drew near, to catch the sound of voices behind the shrubberies on my right hand. This dete

rse! Lobelia, how many horses has your

ntry-go, and father says he'll have to g

on his back: with rings on my

to the knac

led at

re then the c

that

y-go's head and nailed it over the gate. So he died, and she very imprudently married the master knacker, who had heard she was an heiress in he

, how you

two leaden statuettes (headless)-a willowy child in a large-brimmed hat, with a riding-switch in one hand and the other holding up an

it ad imos Et vera

perhaps a year older, dressed in a buff print frock and pink sunbonnet, looked up at her from the foot of the steps. The faces of both were averted, and I stood

d lost its vane, and the stable-clock its minute-hand. The very nails had dropped out of the gable wall, and the wistaria and Gloire de Dijons they should have supported trailed down in tangles, like curtains. Grass chok

d and cook, and talk of business. We came out, I b

he caught sight of me, and stopped with a

sir, but no stranger

ifted my walking-stick, my foolish ankle gave way,

s me, but halted a pace or two off. "Y

st twisted my ankle on the side of Skirrid, and I

hesitated a second, then went on defia

k of putting you t

there is no train for the next two

rea

re. I am Wilhelmi

elf by name. She nodded. The child had a thoughtful face-though

Admirals that a gentleman ha

unpinned her tartan riding-skirt. Its removal disclosed, not-as I had expected-a short f

ally think you will be able to help. But you must not be surprised

We passed across a stone-flagged hall and through a carpetless corridor, which brought us to the foot of the grand staircase: and a magnificent staircase it was, ornate with twisted balusters and hung with fine pictures, mostly by old Dutch masters. But no carpet covered the broad st

the gentleman who ha

the cool and shadowy room; a tall white-haired figure in a loose suit of holland. He did not advance, but held out a

le Melchior?" exc

hands courteously and motioned me to find a chair, while he resumed his seat beside a little table heaped with letters, or rather with bundles of

nd of Fritz's?

eaves me to explain that I am just a wayfarer who had the misfortune to t

e, sir, to rest your foot here; and I ask your pardon for not perceiving your m

hile. "She is with me daily, but I have not seen her since she was a small child,

, decidedly more woman th

he is to marry Fritz, and I wi

ad nothing to say-he startled me with a sudden

hat a great deal depe

though, of course, they know it to be my wish-the wish of both of us, I may say; for Melchior is at one with me in this. Wilhelmina accepts her future-speaks of it, indeed,

tation. He sends his love to 'Mina, and jokes about her being husband-high: 'but she must grow, if we are to do credit to the Van der Knoopes at the altar.' It seems that he

l had quoted. But it struck me that Fritz Van der Knoope used a very la

l be home, all being well. And

t rank

ell you. Ay, and we have fought against England in our time. As late as 1672, Adrian Van der Knoope commanded a ship under De Ruyter when he out

at the letter in my hands enough light filtered through the transparent "fore

ough I had been playing some dishonourable trick. I was hastily folding up the paper

Admiral, and almost as swiftly took the letter from my hand and restored it to the pac

ld-fashioned frockcoat: a mummy of a man, with a fixed air of mild bewilderment and a trick of running his left hand through hi

lking of Fritz,"

ked at me with a puzzled smile. There was silence in the room till hi

r word, but repeated, "-entertainingly. If the state of your ankle permits, sir, you

y Thomas de Keyser-the Admiral Nicholas, by Kneller-the Admiral Peter (grand-uncle of the blind Admiral), by Romney. . . . My guide seemed as honestly proud of them as insensible of their condition, which was in almost every case deplorable. By-and-by, in the library we came upon a modern portrait of a rosy-faced boy in a blue suit, who held (

is F

e," I said, "it must be time for

ry," said Miss Wilhelm

ber has gone at leas

and sleep with

f fact, I never slept better. Possibly the lightness of the dinner (cooked by the small handmaid Lobelia) had something to do with it; possibly, too, the infectious somnolence of the two Admirals, who spoke but little during the meal, and nodded, without attempt at dissimulation, over the dessert. At any rate, shortly after nine o'clock-when Miss Wilh

lained, "rarely comes

ts in his room. He is b

ea

dly. "They take a de

that I must catch an early train back to Aber, she mere

ething on her mind, and waited. Once, by a ruinous fountain where a stone Triton blew patiently at a conch-shell plugged with turf, she paused and dug at the mortared joints of th

y at once," she said

, "the public were as q

rview' with you in '-'s Ma

the slightest

silly. There wa

to be

me-help us all

about

and set about with trimmed yews. She led the way to the low and whitewashed porch, and pushed open the iron-studded door. As I followed, the

re

CR

e Mem

DE KEYSER VA

an of the

n Oct. 21st

Dr

sizing of

rth Coast

of January

eculiar prom

reater in

wise Pr

stinction of h

the last male

ountry's

w

own his y

-

uer! Si qua fat

cellus

set up. I wonder what

le Peter stil

ets puzzled whenever it comes to writing; and I am afraid of making mistakes. We've put him down in the South Pacific station at

let me be Fritz, and you shall

ate comes round, I am Fritz Opdam de Keyser van der Knoope, a young midshipman of Her Majesty's Navy; and wonder what my affianced bride is doing; and see her on the terrace steps with those butterflies floating about her

NCE OF J

entirely conscientious man; which means that he would rather do wrong himself than persuade or advise another man-above all, a young man-to do it. I am sure therefore that in burying the body of John Emmet as he did, and enlisting my help, he did what he thought right, though the action was undoubtedly an illegal one. Still, the question is one for cas

nother. Lansulyan parish is a wide one in acreage, and the stipend exiguous even for a bachelor. From the first the Parson eked out his income by preparing small annotated editions of the Classics for the use of Schools and by taking occasional pupils, of whom in 188- I was the latest. He could not teach me scholar

ng the coombe, and you come to a white-washed fishing haven, with a life-boat house and short sea-wall. The Porth is its only name. On the whole, if one has to live in Lansulyan parish the Porth is gayer than the church-town, where from the Vicarage windows you look through the trees southward upon ships moving up or down Channel in the blue distance and the white water girdling Menawhidden; northward upon downs where herds of ponies wander at will between the treeless farms, and a dun-coloured British earthwork tops the hi

t to tell, happening as it did at the very gates of the P

outine rigidly and punctually for three months or so when, one evening in June, he returned from the Porth a good ten minutes late, very hot and d

ng before the window with his back toward

xswain of the lif

. a long illness. Well, well, it's all over!" Parson West sighed. "He saved, or help

Porth. A hundred and fifty, I think they sai

round on me, and added

them: he was not even

re t

ides, the number was a hundred an

his gaze wandered away from me and fell upon his fingers drumming upon the table's edge. A slant of red sunshine touched the signet-ring on his little finger, which he moved up and down watching the play of light on the r

rning up the word in "Liddell and Scott,

grasp the meaning of it. Then for the first and last time in

itus." And "Offensive!" I heard him muttering once more, as he picked up the book and found his place. I began to construe. His outburst had disconcerted me, and no doubt I performed discreditably: but glancing up in some apprehensi

in the year, Parson West had his dessert laid and sipped his thin port-an old common-room fashion to which he clung. To the en

cream. He sat nervously folding and refolding the napkin o

s afternoon, and I be

ut he cut me short with a wave of the hand. "The fact is,"

He nodded, and looked at me queerly wh

o, before he set up market-g

ueer too,

r?" He asked

gardener cox'n

icular desire was that I, and I alone, should screw down the coffin. He had Trudgeon the carpenter up t

ant," was my comment,

der which had let itself down from a branch overhead and was casting anchor on t

ou keep you

en putting in a new s

r down on the b

ach this afternoon and couldn't see her. You

ow evening if you'll come

a famous fisherman. He shook his head; and then, leaning

nient to go fishing for conger this

something more t

well as secrecy. After some perplexity I've resolved to ask you: because, upon my word, you're the only person I can ask. That doesn't sound flattering-eh? But it isn

istle. "A smugglin

boy! What do yo

ou talk of a row-boat-at night-a job

the whole tale, I see

erwards tell me your reasons, if you care to. Indeed, Sir, I'd rather have i

e about

leave, Sir, that's the for

with my hands

said the Vicar, eyei

k in the most de

that is, unless you pref

pleaded he. "Tha

instructions, please.

all knot on the beach inspected my fishing-gear and lent a hand to push off. "Ben't goin' alone, be 'e?" asked Renatus Warne. "Yes," said I. "The conger'll have 'ee then, sure

ger; and having hauled up the boat and cleaned her, I made my way back to the

d started fishing on the inner grounds, well in sight of the Porth. Dusk fell, and with it the young moon dropped behind the western

adow, beached her cunningly between two rocks, and pulled a tarpaulin over to hide her white-painted interior. My only danger now lay in blundering against the coastguard: but by dodging from one big boulde

brought me in rear of a kitchen-garden and a lonely cob-walled cottage, the front of which faced down a dozen precipitous steps upon the road leading from Lansulyan to the Por

Right: it's all ready. We must stow it in the outhouse. Tr

ing white glimmered in the opening of the window-something like a long bundle of linen, extr

t i

slide into my arms, and lowered it on to the gravelled

I must show Trudgeon the coffin and hand him the

to strike through its linen wrappers. But I lifted it inside, shut the door upon it, and stood wiping

d off the fuchsia-bush round the corner, and the two men stumbled down the staircase-stood muttering on the doorstep while a key grated in the lock-stumbled down the steps and stood muttering in the s

ore-how that one Leontius, the son of Aglaion, coming up one day from the Piraeus under the north wall of the city, observed some corpses lying on the ground at the place of execution; and how he fought between his desire to look and his abhorrence until at length, the fascination mast

t in my ear and fetched me off my flower-pot in a nervous quake. He wore a heavy pea-jacket, and, as a smell of hot

icted of kidnapping a corpse, and (as the Vicar afterwards allowed) there was simply no explanation to be given. When we gained the orchard and pushed through the broken fence, every twig that crackled fetched my heart into my

covert not ten yards away I saw the glow on his face as he shielded the match in the hollow of both his hands. It was the coastguard-a fellow called Simms. His match lit, I expected him to resume his walk. But no: he loitered ther

tone kicked over the cliff. Another coastguard! The pair hailed each othe

long!" and each made slowly off by the way he had c

sing the beach we found the boat left high and dry by the ebb, and had an interminable job to get her down to t

ispered. "That's the

n barrier of Menawhidden, where it breaks up towards its western end into a maze of islets. Wh

ead the burial service in due form by the light of his dark lantern: and by the light of it, as I arranged John Emmet's shroud, I had my first and last glimpse of his face-a thin face, old and holl

ruption, looking for the resurrection of the body (when the sea

ith the help of the stern-board tilted it ove

weather-beaten stones and, within the church, on many tablets which I used to con on Sundays during the Vicar's discourses. The life-boat men had mustered in force, and altogether there w

at elm. Somehow I felt certain he would choose this

ettling to roost and making a mighty pother of it. "But I'm afraid there's no getting roun

ine, and went o

fair you insisted on putting your conscience into my hands. Well, I took the responsibility, and charge myself with any wrong you have committed, letting your confidence

odd

f the Nerbuddha, East Indiaman, on Menawhidden, January 15th, 1857. . . .' Then follows a list of the officers. Underneath, if you remember, is a separa

knew the inscription

. Dick Hobart was his name, his age seventeen or thereabouts, and my business to put some polish on a neglected education before

ked novel: and so he happened to be dressed that night when he saw the first signal of distress go up from Menawhidden. He c

before; but the crew got her off briskly, and were pulling away lustily for the reef when it occurred to a few of those left behind that the sea running was not too

enawhidden. Three signals only had been shown, and these in quick succession. We learned afterwards that she went down within twelve minutes of striking. She had dashed straight on the Carrac

n with women and children, in charge of the fourth officer and half-a-dozen seamen. From her they learned the vessel's name and whereabouts, and having directed her on her way to the Porth, hurried forward again. They passed another boat similarly laden, and presently heard the distracting cries of swimmers, and drove straight into the wreckage and the struggling crowd of bodies. The life-boat resc

ove the gangway while the women passed down the side into the boats: for that noble English lady had insisted that as it was the Colonel's duty to follow his men, so it was for the Colonel's wife to wait un

accounts thirty-six. That was my first experience of what Menawhidden could do. I have had many since: but to this day our little church-yes, even when we decorate it for harvest-festival and pile the sheaves within the Communion rails

urth officer (survivor) had also been on deck. He gave evidence that his superior, Mr. Rands, had said nothing about the course. For his own part he had supposed the ship to be a good fifteen miles from the coast. They had sighted no shore-lights to warn them: but the weather was hazy. Five minutes before the catastrophe Mr. Rands had remarked that the wind was increasing, but had deferred shortening sail. The ship was an old one, but newly rigged throughout. Her compasses had been adjusted and the ship swung at Greenhithe, just before the voyage. Mr.

ohn Derwent, came down and fetched her home, with the bodies of her father and mother. I have told you that Dick was just then waiting for his commission, which, by the way, his family could poorly afford to purchase. Well, in recognition of his 'gallantry' (as the old gentleman was g

h her 'preserver': childish letters, to begin with, but Dick kept them all. In Bombay, in Abyssinia, for a few weeks in England (when he saw her for the first time since the

'72 on a long furlough. Needless to say he paid a visit to Cressingham, where Felicia lived under the wing of a widowed aunt: equally needless to say

k gazed up at the now silent nests. "All this," thoug

e village inn where I too had a room, took me over to pay my respects to the ladies. We had taken our leave and were passing down the pretty avenue of limes

John E

ack, faced round, and came

said Dick, turning to me, 'that Miss Felicia and John Emmet are sworn friends, and he owes me a migh

here before the wreck of the Nerbud

lled off, and with the brim of which he was fumblin

ut in Dick. 'I ought to

of Lansulyan, and was at

th a face for which I spared a glance before bending my eyes on the da

sies on Felicia's property, arise early to-morrow and begin. But if we're to dine at

retreating back of John Emmet, already

that night on our return to the inn, as Dick and I mixed our

lighted match in his hand. 'I've an idea that he owes

es you tha

d spend in the garden, chatting with John Emmet while he worked, were the happiest in her childhood. He see

nt. 'It struck me, on the contrary, that the man

ering how he took the news of Felicia's-of our enga

t hap

k like a goat out for a holiday. Well, as I was saying, at this particular dance it happened. It was daybreak when we started to drive home; a perfect midsummer morning, sun shining, dew on the hedges, and the birds singing fit to split themselves. Felicia and I had a lot to say to each other, naturally; and it occurred to us to stop the carriage at the gates and send it on while we walked up to the house together. We took the path leading through the Italian garden, and there-pret

u who frigh

r, he didn't seem to hear. After a bit, however, he picked up his speech and muttered something about fate

question, but has the 2-th made any changes in i

ind, I suppose. In point of fact we've kept the same rig-officers and men-for something like a quarter

he wreck of the Nerbuddha: the night you took a turn in Lansulyan Church, watching

ere shaken. I've been through some queer things since: but upon my soul I'd as soon face th

-the

westward in the south aisle-the one above the font. I ran out, you remember, a

enty a man could hide behind.

me as a face so much as a pair of eyes; I remember t

ing so. After you left me that night, and while I was dressing, it occurred to me from the last of the three signals-the only one I saw-that the wreck must

Tregaskis, who answered my knock, told me that her husband and the boys had already started off-she believed for Gunner's Meadow, to launch their boat. There had been talk of doing so, anyhow, before they set out. Accordingly, off I pelted hot-foot for the meadow, but on reaching the slope above it could see no lanterns either about the pal

hastily I ran round the wall and gave a loud hail. It was not answered: the sound had ceased: but hurrying down the beach with my lantern held high, I presently saw a man between me and the water's edge. I believe now that he was trying to get away unobserved: but finding this hopeless he stood still

d I, "where do

e came from one of the shore-farms in that direction. He looked like a middle-aged farmer-a grizzled

I fairly lost my temper. 'It seems to me,' said I, "a man of your age should be ashamed of himself, lurking here for miserable booty when there are lives to save! In God's name, if you have a spark of manhood in you, follow me to the Porth!" I swung off

The fellow-now I came to think it over-had certainly shrunk from detection. Then, thirty hours later, came your story of the face, and upset me further. I kept my suspicions to myself

sulyan: and I am absolutely sure now that n

an?' was Di

d out for him: for, unlike you, I remembered the fac

il to

n the beach was Miss F

ed his beard; but

from his mouth and give a long whistle. 'But

ing. Where doe

of the village, just outside t

arr

oor and he pays the eldest girl t

,' said I, 'I'll

ning, as we walked up towards the hou

have a proposition to make to Miss Felicia, if

. You'll hardly believe it"-here the Vicar's gaze travelled over the unkempt flower-beds-"but under John Emmet's hand this garden of mine was a picture. The fellow would have half a day's work done before the rest of

you that the Trinity House had discovered Menawhidden at last and placed the bell-buoy there -which is and always has been entirely useless: also that the Lifeboat Institution had listened to some suggestions of mine and were re-organising the service down at the Porth. And it was now my hope that John Emmet might become coxswain of the boat as soon as he had local knowledge to back up the

and Heaven knows if in his shoes I should not have done the same. For two nights and a day a hideous fascination tied him to the spot. It was his face Dick had seen at the window. The man had been hiding all day in the trench by the north wall of the churchyard; as Dick ran out with a lantern he slipped behind a gravestone, and when Dick gave up the search, he broke cover and fled inland. He changed his name: let this be his excuse, he had neither wife nor child. The man knew something of gardening: he had a

iry. You may light, and buoy, and beacon every danger along the coast, and still you leave that small kink in the skipper's brain which will cast away a ship for all your care. The second of his desires you have helped me to fulfil. He wished in death to be John Murchison again, and li

lchard

IS

the Plain of Jezreel at the point where the road from Samaria and the south divided into two-its main stem still climbing due north

s bare legs. He carried a staff, and tapped the ground carefully before planting his feet. It was the time of barley harvest, and a scorching afternoon. On the

to a stony ravine. Once or twice he paused on its edge and peered downward, as if seeking for a

But the old man's ear had caught another sou

g-clink! C

of hammering; o

cling-

mself face to face with a man-as well as he could see, a tall man-

he traveller. But tell me if the way be unsafe hereabouts? For my eyes are ve

did no

hunem come in sight-or here-its white walls among the oaks below-the house of Miriam

swer. Slightly nettled

of him who answereth fit words.' And further, 'To the aged every stranger shall be a staff, nor shall he twice inqui

d out, as it seemed to him, from behind the m

Elisha, son

nowest?

am of Shunem? Put nea

s are v

than Shunem. My face ha

o me. As I came along I was reck

t add

lain. And thy so

and leaves his elders to speak first. If w

se and the f

e down towards the vall

e plain. Sit, and through my eyes thou shalt see again distant Carme

she prevented him quickly; was gone for a moment; and returned, rolling a moss-covered boulder to

own the mountain with Gehazi, thy servant, on that da

nod

ast been careful for us,' said I, 'with all this care. What is to be done for thee? Shall I speak to the

greener spo

spot is greener where a child plays.' T

my knees. On such a day as this I left him dead, and saddled the ass and rode between the same yellow fields to Megiddo, and thence towards Carmel, seeking thee. See the white road winding, and the long blue chine yonder, by the sea. By and by, when the sun sinks over

ack shadows that pass

crows, m

hey do here in

stone at the birds. Seati

the corn; and there are conies within t

ch thou hast spoken-

stored thy

ther, ma

ery great upon thee. Speak no

on thy wrestling gave him back. And again the Lord meditated to take my child by famine, but at thy warning I arose and conveyed him int

, and flung another

ink not slightly

thinking that God was

one. His dull eyes tried to read

, and

quite close and peered. Dimly, and then less dimly, he discerned first that the head had fallen forward on the breast, and that the hair upon the scalp was caked in dry blood; next, that the fi

y s

ith these stones.

Syr

ing her. The plain is otherwise burnt than on the

f the Lord rather than the hand of man.

to Philistia, to them that sheltered us i

etraye

kes yet-she called and pointed after him. And they ran and overtook him. With this iron they fastened h

d the heap of stones gently, stone a

as wi

cling-

h it was hammering feebly, impotentl

rophet cast down his staff and stretc

OARD THE

nly, in the pauses of acute suffering. On the seventh day he died, of pleuro-pneumonia; and on the tenth (a Sunday) they buried him. For just fifty years the dead man had been minister of the Independent chapel on the hill, and had laid down his pastorate two years before, on his golden wedding-day. Consequently there was a funeral sermon, and the young man, his successor, chose II. Samuel, i. 23, for his text-"Lovely and pleasant

, at any rate, were sharp enough. They counted his thumps upon the desk, noted his one reference to "the original Greek," saw and remembered the flush on his young face and the glow in his eyes as he hammered the doctrine of the redemption out of original sin. The deacons fixed the subject of these trial sermons, and had chosen original sin on the ground that a good beginning was half the battle. The maids in the congregation knew beforehand that he was unmarried, and came out of chapel knowing also that his eyes were brown, that his hair had a reddish tinge in certain lights; that one of his cuffs was frayed slightly, but his black coat had scarcely been worn a dozen times; w

big plait," commented

d t'wards her, but it

best from the left si

l. She was apprenticed to a dressmaker and engaged to a young tin-smith. Having laid

nned hissel', an' Lizzie's too near his own

'll have more money than ei

Ruan!" the speaker t

y n

as though he meant Botany Bay. There is no cogent reason for this, except that the poorer class at Ruan earns its livelihood by fishing. In the eyes of its neighbours the shadow of this lonely calling is cast upwards upon its wealthier inhabitants. Troy depen

builder," urged Sue

crab pots, for all th

sex. She had known before coming out of her pew that the young minister had a well shaped back to his head and a gold ring on his little finger with somebody's hair in the collet, under a crystal. She was dark, straight, and lissom of figure, with ripe lips and eyes as black as sloes, and she hoped that the hair in the minister's ring was his mother's. She was well aware of her social inferiority; but-the truth may be told-she chose to forget it that morning, and to wonder what this young man would be like as a husband. She had lo

the Rev. Samuel Bax

small, yellow-washed building, containing just half-a-dozen rooms, and of these the two set apart for the minister looked straight upon the harbour. Under his sitting-room window was a little garden, and at the end of the garden a low wall with a stretch of water beyond it, and a barq

hardly prepared for the rapture with which he stared out of the window. His boyhood had been spent in a sooty Lancashire t

" she said. "An' to be sur

e was a benign-looking woman of about fifty,

you sa

harbour, an' two facin' the street. Now, if you'd took a dislike to this look-out, I must ha' put yo

will be better in every wa

-an' it'll be so much handier for me answerin' the door, too. There's a back door at the end o' the passage. You've only to slip a bolt an' you'm out in the garden-out to your boat, if

, a soft radiance heralded the rising moon. It was a young moon, and, while he waited, her thin horn pushed up through the furze brake on the hill's summit and she mounted into the free heaven. With upturned eye the young minister followed her course for twenty minutes, not consciously observant; for he was thinking over his ambitions, and at his time of life these are apt to soar with the moon. Though possessed with zeal for good

quay-door. Its upper flap still stood open, allowing a square of

The young man felt a slight chill run down his spine. He leant forward out of the win

you?" he

the wall's shadow to the centre of the bright grass-plat under the window. It was the figure of a young woman. Her head was bare and her sleeves turned up to the elbows. She wore no cloak or wrap t

asked, resting a hand on her hi

w Independen

ve come

e fo

nted across the water, quick as possible. Old

wants

l you've seen her. I reckon she's got something 'pon he

town chimed out the hour, and immediately

his own watch and see

pause. "I'll come. I suppos

ght father's boat to the ladder below, an' I'll bring you back again. You've only t

suppose it's r

d you'll come,"

at, picked up his hat, and turned the lamp down carefully. Then he struck a match, found his way to

something like constraint in her voice. As he pulled-to the

e; but now the high tide left but three of its rungs uncovered. At the young minister's feet a small fishin

oung man with dignity,

nter. Then she pushed gently away from the ladder, hoisted the small foresail, and, r

e fore-sheet," s

eaning, did not in fact know the difference between a fore-sheet and a mainsai

ok and filled softly as they glided out from under the wall. The soft breeze blew straight behind them, the tide was just beginning

een them the minister saw the cottages of Ruan glimmering on the eastern shore, and over it the coast-guard flagstaff

id at length, "that Mrs.-the d

in Ruan itsel'-Ruan parish. We

ine as well as drift net fishing, clinker-built, about twenty-seven feet in the keel, and nine in beam. It had no deck beyond a small cuddy forward, on top

you don't take cold, wearing no wrap

s firm and warm. Then he withdrew his hand hastily, without finding anything to say. His eyes avoided hers. When, after half

n either side. On the reef stood a wooden cross, painted white, warning vessels to give a wide berth; on the cli

girl began to flatten the sails, and asked her companion to bear a hand. Their hands met over a rope, and the man noted with surprise that the girl's was feverishly hot.

ther?" asked

ty would often take him on such journeys as this. Also he felt thankful that the sea was smooth. He might, or might not, be given t

headland and still the

s distance. Didn't you promise me the house

ew herself up, looked him st

no such

ha

There's nobody ill at

n why in the name of c

sir, I'm sick o' love for you

g minister muttered, rec

l before you take up with some other o' the girls. To-morrow they'll be all after 'ee, an' this'll be my only chance; for my father's no better'n a plain fisherman, an' the

me ashore at once!" he co

t's flat. Dear lad, listen-an' consent, consent-

in my life. Turn back; I order you t

s more, you don't know how to handle a boat, an'

ou abandoned woman, how long

ind holds-as 'twill-we'll be off the Rame in two hours. If you haven't said me y

t if I'm not back by d

, too, if I turn back without your word? How sha

nce of responsibility th

that before," he said, emplo

it. An' now there's no goin' back." She paused a moment and then added,

der the question. Once

can

ddy, on the roof of which he seated himself

an' sit 'pon it. The frost'

shoulders and the star-shine in her dark eyes. Around them the heavens blazed with constellations. Never had the minister seen them so multitudinous or so resplendent. Never befo

er. This was the word he kept grinding between his teeth-"ruin," "ruin." Whenever it pleased this mad creature to set him ashore, he must write to Deacon Snowden for his boxes and resign all connection with

ness behind the girl's shoulders. His eyes, following it, e

ith a sharp gesture flung both arms out towards him. "Oh, lad, think bette

ere parted, her head was thrown back a little, and for the fir

I've wanted 'ee to do all along. Take my hands: th

took them; then in a moment he let them

or good or ill. He bent forwar

ourse; but no sooner had the girl received the kiss than

re," she commanded, "an

of and sat down to reflect. Not a word was spoken till they reached the harbour's

was clumsy at this work, but she instructed him in whispers, and they managed to reach the ladder as the clocks were striking five. The tide was far down by this time, a

u say your na

no

s the

u off, if you wan

g softly up the ladder, stood at the top and w

on and triumphed. There is no reason to believe that he ever repented of his choice, or rather of Nance's. To be sure, she had kidnapped hi

IC

in the West End of Lo

just twenty-five minu

ess-all but one, where, half-way down the street on the left-hand side, an enterprising florist had set up an electric lamp at his private cost, to shine upon his window and attract the attention of rich people as they drove by on their way to the theatres. At nine o'cloc

, and the florist's lamp flung down its ugly incandescent stare on an empty pavement. Himself in darkness, a policeman on th

nearer. A man suddenly stepped into the circle of light on the pavement, as if up

h, with a shabby silk hat and country-made boots. He stared up at the

a woman sidled out from the hollow of a sh

began. "Going

peak; but now she caught it away, gasping. Mock globes danced before his eyes and for the moment he saw nothing but these: did not s

nn

o ward him off, but dropped both arms before

this . . ." He cho

eyes to meet his. "He le

s

s afr

rai

put an end. . . . It's not so easy to sta

" he said abruptly, "can't we talk? C

to answer: they asked

s there

o think. There must be somewhere, away from this light . . ." He br

. ." the wo

must th

: every

nine times out of ten? Why"-and he uttered it with an air of foolish triumph-"of the c

. . . of that . .

ooks aft

get word. S

hink o

t, Wi

he theatre: I still go to the theatre sometimes; it's a splendid thing to distract your thoughts: takes you out of yourself-Frou-Frou, it was . . . the finest play in the world . . . next to East Lynne. It made me cry, to-night,

ptember, when I knew you'd be up in town buying for the season. All the day long

red up irritably, as though the lamp were to blame for

up to it, just now, when I wanted to hide. It's like as if

I tell you I've tho

, or almost all; and th

t. "I've made allowa

anim

"Look at the gas-jets, Willy-in the fog. What do they remind you of? That Christmas-tree . . . after Dick was born. . . . Don't

ne for the shop, people would talk-'drawing attention,' they'd say, after what has happened. But I thought that Dick, perhaps . . . when he grows up and enters the business . . . perhaps he might

adily now. "Yes," she asse

e up here, at the old lodgings . . . I won't come to them again. If I

t, Wi

his pocket. "I daresay,

y again, and she laug

make money. That's t

it me? Why was you

evolted. But his weakness had a

ie . . . is

is h

again. "It might take s

hen sighed. "But you haven't

e went on musing, "I won

e lamp," he cried wit

. . this circle of lig

ap of th

our two sha

arching the darkness. "If there were nothing to conce

shadows close at our feet, and so small! But directl

render account to each other only? I tell you I've made allowances. I didn't make any in the old days, being wrappe

k me, Willy, instead

ether. It would never be the same, of course: but we can understand . . . or at least overlook.

idly, yet more gently, "Truth knows of the world outside, and is wakeful. If we move a step our shadows wi

ee .

rward and almost to

the first time how happy we might hav

his weapons again and is fighting. He is bewildered here, in this great light, and he fights at random . . . fights to make you strong and me weak, you we

t for you. Ann

you-and th

om

eyes were wistful, intent upon his. "You have lived it down. . . .

choose. . . I wonder w

the road-way. He had heard nothing, and

on there, you two!"

d it, the light abo

half-way across. "Tw

's taken

n the darkness for a few yards

ceman fumbled for his watch and slipped back the slide of his lantern, the white

said the Policeman, glancing up and then down at

! . . ." sa

it?-the man