The Virgin in Judgment

lcomed, sometimes tolerated and sometimes resented. Most people have no objection to being spoiled, and mothers of sick children, old bedridden folk and inv

joyed to be with the careworn and suffering. A residue of independent people were indifferent to

ortable, superior, selfish. They liked Margaret Stanbury so much that they held her worthy of Bartley; and he liked her as well as a man might who had

perience, studying a song-thrush on a bough. Madge trilled and chirruped from the simple goodness of her heart; they, in their deeper shrewdness, l

he took with her Bartley Crocker himself and an elaborate prescription for scalds. Then, when they had

m. That, however, appeared inevitable. Mrs. Crocker felt that Bartley must certainly be humoured. No woman born would ever deny him his own way or cloud his spirit with opposition. Susan feared that the girl had expensive tastes and

that point his parent and his aunt were satisfied. He had bee

irl thinks," said Susan; but her s

s different to what he is. He's only to drop the handkerchie

l ask her afo

again, and I may even get out to Coombeshead presently and pay her moth

d by Sunday dinner, took a rosy view of the future and held the things which they desired to happen as goo

upon a time, in the hollowed midst of them, Nature's hand held a lake. Then its granite barriers were swept away and the cup ran empty. Hereafter Meavy river flowed through the mids

ir faces towards her home. Their talk was light and cheerful. It ranged over many subj

da Bowden?" he asked, and

ike! She'm different to most of us--so tall and sweeping in her walk. M

lly fine gi

terrible f

dinner. And I got actually a touch of pink i

ways--enough to make any gi

t--but I just mentioned Simon Snell of all m

tch heat from each other. I don

would never dare t

hat reason, they mig

face on adult shoulders. Not a wrinkle of thought, not a sensual line was ruled upon his round cheeks or brow. A yellow beard and m

oke in a thin, colourless voice and his face rev

winked a

itsworthy Warren Hou

ey was all well then. I'm goin

da--eh? Or is

of a smile touched

! I never could do it, I'm sure. 'Tis about some spani

way, calm, s

ded him as a harmless joke. It might have been said of him, as of the ow

sense hidden in Simon, for all yo

more. His head is as empty as a deaf nut. He's never growed up. There's nought behind that great bush of a beard but a stupid child. He's only the image o

e its own virtues. He'd

mes I've tried to shock a swear or surprise a laugh out of that chap! Yet if ever Rhoda Bowd

you angered her thin

to hear that David was going to drink tea at Coombeshead. The eldest son of Elias was an unsociable man and little given to visiting. Yet t

s, natural to her and never far from the

that go off like a rat-trap! Mr. David is

you're in su

y n

man; but he's got all the virtues except a gentle tong

er said a word against

me, Madge. Because I don't stick to work like he does

is attention seriously to this girl was some spice of rivalry; and now it promised to appear.

's Tor's larch-clad shoulder sloped in pale gold mottled with green, while northerly Down Tor broke the withered fern. Between them lay a valley of lemon light washed with blue hazes and stained by g

rrow, its enormous and simple outline broken only by the fangs of an old ruin; while flying clouds, that shone in opposition to the sunset, crowned all

" said Madge; but Ba

y, three's no

re all a

g I will swear: David Bowden won't make you laugh as o

t our differe

oy," repeated Bartley; bu

ver to me," sh

d the position and felt that, if he desired Margaret, the time for serious lo

seen them long ago. He advanced to meet them, took no notice o

of tea along with your people this afterno

t forgotten. Why ever shou

however, I'm sorry I sp

wed upon Margaret's attitude towards Bowden. That she liked him was sufficiently clear. Her face was the brighter for his coming and

to you, Bartley?

sed David by his Christian name

Madge," he answered. "But I'll leave you

w you're so near, a

oes Dav

iness," answe

e eyes and grasped the situation. Then Bart

t reached the homestead of Coombeshead. Then, suddenly, without preliminaries, he dragged

on teach it how to behave. But mind you let him. Don't you try to bring it up.

ed Madge's face while

hank you, Mr. David. 'Twill

ivilege. He had evidently meant to

want for you to call me 'Dav

rnly as he spoke. His voice

urse--

hadow of a smile pa

u kindly,

her cheek. Then they entered together, to find the rest of th

y were tall, well-made men, flaxen of colour and scanty of hair. Their eyes were blue; their expressions were frank; their intelligence was small and their physical courage great. Save for the difference represented by thirty years of time, father and son could hardly have been more alike

same expression. The Stanburys had set their hopes on a possible match with the more prosperous and powerful Bowden

have tea. Haven't seen 'e this longful time, David, but

r," answered

owed a fairer or hotter summer, but in August the maggots got in the sheep's bac

g his chin and nodding whe

"A terrible brave show

ap, had no little air of distinction about her. Her face was long and rather sad, but it had been beautiful before the mouth fell somewhat. Constance Stanbury was eight years older than her husband and of a credulous nature, at once vaguely poetical and definitely pessimistic. She depreciated everything that belonged to herself; even wh

y, ma'am," said David, with the politene

ly fault, trying to do two things

garet. "Then you needn't take you

e any good thing, extended from the greatest to the least interest in life. Now they ate

said, "but 'tisn't much of a cake.

clared David, stoutly. "Our cakes

bury smil

h any good from the o

ecially to say she was greatly obliged for it; and if by lucky c

say the moon don't count in the matter; but there's a right and wrong in such things, and the moon did oug

k as tea in Mrs. Stanbury's days, and decoctions of i

taste, all the same," said Bart. "We have it

every day,"

folk can run t

strong as what you d

Stanbury, instantly. "It have stood ov

late," answered Margaret. "

s pretty drinking and proper to work

d in the little whitewashed kitchen. Then

fox's earth 'pon Coombesh

made an end of eating, us'll

and very much ob

e and Margaret went out together. Bart prepared to accompany them, when suddenly, as if

faither?" he asked when t

any! They do

gri

fter Mad

ing in a petticoat yourself, the

ll lose 'em both, without a d

ead Tor, and she talked to him, and for the first time let him kn

none but us. I never had no toys or nothing of that sort; but these gerstones was my dollies, and I used to give 'em names, an' play along with 'em, an' sleep among 'em when I was tired

voice, but felt not much e

s one was tired and I had to sing it to sleep. And I'd bring 'em flowers an' teach 'em their le

ever game to thi

e 'tis now, when winter comes. And yonder rock--its real name is the 'Cuckoo stone,' because cuckoo always sits th

d la

f your own head!" he exclaimed. "Ah!

nd she offered to walk a little of the

was now too dark for Margaret to see her way home at all. And so it became necessary for

and suffered as many sensations of affection, admiration and uneasiness as his nature would admit. He was d