i am from the cutter lying off the coast
don't cry he said i was obliged to come
and and you have not found out anything came in quick frightened tones
i wish you would believe me that i am in as great trouble about it as you are
that my father sir risdon graeme has smuggled goods here
he could not help it he hates the smugglers you shall not tell
pray pray say you will not archy was silent
then as archy stood in the dark literally aghast with astonishment he heard the faint rustling once more and again all was silent
he laughed but it was a curious kind of laugh full of vexation injured amour propre as the french call our love of our own dignity of which archibald raystoke in the full flush of his young belief in his importance as a british officer had a pretty good stock
it all comes of dressing up in this stupid way like a rough fisher lad
cold water came on this idea directly as he recalled the fact that the darkness was intense and celia could not have seen him
i'll soon show them that i am not going to be played with
for it suddenly occurred to him that he was not only a prisoner but a prisoner in the power of a very reckless set of people who would stop at nothing
no he thought to himself i don't believe they would kill me but they would knock me about
the kick he had received was a foretaste of what he might expect and after a little consideration he came to the conclusion that his duty was to escape and get back to the cutter as quickly as he could
to do this he must scheme lie hid till morning then make for the nearest point and signal for help unless a boat's crew were already searching for him how to escape
the window was barred but he went to it and tried the bars one by one to find them all solidly fitted into the stone sill
next moment as he felt his way about his hand touched an old fashioned marble mantelpiece fireplace chimney
yes if other ways failed he could escape up the chimney
no that was too bad he could not do that
sympathy and pity for the dwellers in the hoze were completely gone now and he set his teeth fast and mentally called himself a weak idiot for ever thinking about such people
a narrow table against the wall in two places
he went and tried to force his head through recalling as he did that where a person's head would go the rest of the body would pass
but there was no chance for his body there the head would not go first
a fellow who was shut up in prison for life might do it he said but not in a case like this
sure you've looked round everywhere boy yes father quite
i'm going home to breakfast
shall i come too father no
stop here till sir risdon comes down and tell him i'm very sorry that we should have cleared out last night only a born fool saw jerry nandy's lobster boat coming into the cove and came running to say it was a party from the cutter yes father
tell him not to be uneasy tis all right and i'll have everything clear away to night
the dull sound of departing steps and a low whistling sound coming down through the skylight window into the cabin where archy raystoke lay with his heavy eyelids pressed down by sleep
what a queer dream he thought to himself
but how queer for mister gurr to be talking like that to andrew teal the boy who helped the cook
and why did andy call mister gurr father
there was an interval of thinking over this knotty question during which the low whistling went on
and i'm hungry too time i was up i suppose
no he was not dreaming for he was looking out on the sea over which a faint mist hung like wreaths of smoke
what did they say false alarm tell sir risdon they would clear all away to night see if anything had been left about lobster boat
once out of that room he could ran and by daylight the smugglers dare not hunt him down
oh those bars he mentally exclaimed and he was advancing toward them when just as he drew near there was a rustling noise under the window a couple of hands seized the bars there was a scratching of boot toes against stone work and ram's face appeared to gaze into the room by intention but into the astonished countenance of the young midshipman instead
ram was the first to recover from his surprise
hullo he said who are you
go round and open the door i was shut in last night by mistake
i saw you last night and wondered whose boy you was
it was you father kicked for shirking and my well i hardly knowed you
nonsense
won't do said ram grinning
think i don't know you mister orficer
won't do said ram quickly i know you
been playing the spy that's what you've been doing who locked you in
archy stepped back to the door listening but there was not a sound
he has gone to give the alarm thought the prisoner and he looked excitedly round for a way of escape
nothing but the chimney presented itself
a happy inspiration had come and placing one hand upon his breast he thrust in the other gave a tug and drew out his little curved dirk glanced at the edge ran to the window and began to cut at one of the bars labour in vain
he divided the paint and produced a few squeaks and grating sounds as he realised that the attempt was madness
the result was not very satisfactory but sufficiently so to make him essay the bar of the window once more producing a grating ear assailing sound as he found that now he did make a little impression so little though that the probability was if he kept on working well for twenty four hours he would not get through
but at the end of five minutes he stopped and thrust back the dirk into its sheath
no i can't part with that ha ha ha laughed the boy jeeringly
but i'll yes i'll give you a guinea if you will let me out
guinea said the boy think i'd do it for a guinea well then two
be quick there's a good fellow i want to get away at once
not you only a sham
why your clothes don't fit you and your cap's put on all skew rew
never mind about that let me out of this place
i told you a fisher boy cried archy impatiently but trying not to offend his visitor who possessed the power of conferring freedom by speaking sharply
not you look like a wild beast in a cage like a monkey you insolent
archy checked himself and the boy laughed
it was your turn yesterday it's mine to day what a game
you laughed and fleered at me when i was on the cutter's deck
i say you do look a rum un just like a big monkey in a show
ram showed his white teeth as he burst out with a long low fit of laughter
you rope's end me he said
why i could tie you up in a knot and heave you off the cliff any day what a game
bit of a middy fed on salt tack and weevilly biscuit talk of giving me rope's end
once more will you come and let me out no
to his astonishment the boy did not flinch but thrust his own arms through placing them about the middy's waist clenching his hands behind and uttering a sharp whistle
seemed in good spirits last night mister gurr eh
yes sir but he may turn up on the cliff at any moment
yes men quite ready yes sir
that's right of course well armed
soon as the signal comes we shall push off
awkward bit o country sir six miles row before you can find a place to land
so shall we yet sir
you don't think mister gurr that they would dare to injure him if he was so unlucky as to be caught
well sir said the master hesitating smugglers are smugglers
certainly sir smugglers are smugglers indeed
beg pardon sir didn't mean any harm
i'm getting very anxious about mister raystoke start at once sir
no wait another half hour
very ill advised thing to do
then i must request that you will not make it again very true
awk ward mister gurr awkward
yes sir of course
say awk ward in future not awk'ard
i mean all alone by myself sir
what for there aren't a public house for ten miles didn't mean that
then what did you mean speak out and don't do the double shuffle all over my clean deck no sir
hopping about like a cat on hot bricks
now then why do you want to go ashore
beg pardon didn't mean nowt sir said the sailor touching his forelock
yes sir said the man humbly shall i go at once sir
no wait
keep a sharp look out on the cliff to see if mister raystoke is making signals for a boat
he swung round walked aft and began sweeping the shore again with his glass while the master and dick exchanged glances which meant a great deal
at last the little lieutenant could bear the anxiety no longer
pipe away the men to that boat there he said and as the crew sprang in
now mister gurr he said i'm only going to say one thing to you in the way of instructions yes sir
beg pardon sir said the master deprecatingly
steady my lads steady cried the master keep stroke and then he began to make plans as to his first proceedings on getting ashore
say mester gurr said dick after one of these searches he wouldn't run away what
mister raystoke sir don't be a fool
what chucked him off yonder
gurr glanced round to see if the men were looking and then said rather huskily but kindly
ah ejaculated dick sadly
say mester gurr sir which thankful i am to you for speaking so but you don't really think as he has come to harm
i hope not dick i hope not but smugglers don't stand at anything sometimes
i do assure you there's nothing here but what you may see
if you'd let me finish you'd know said gurr gruffly one of our boys is missing seen him up here
boy bout seventeen with a red cap no sir indeed i've not
don't know as he has been seen about here do you said gurr looking at her searchingly no sir
if she knew evil had come to the poor lad her face would tell tales like print
i said a lad bout seventeen in a red cap like yours said gurr very shortly
the man shook his head and stared as if he didn't half understand the drift of what was said
here my lad where's your master
eh i say where's your master
gurr turned away impatiently again and signing to his men to follow they all began to tramp up the steep track leading toward the hoze with the rabbits scuttling away among the furze and showing their white cottony tails for a moment as they darted down into their holes
i dunno muttered dick and a man can't be sure
gurr saluted and stated his business while the baronet who had turned sallower and more careworn than his lot drew a breath full of relief one of your ship boys he said
a lad looking like a common sailor and wearing a red cap no said sir risdon
i have seen no one answering to the description here
beg pardon sir but can you as a gentleman assure me that he is not here certainly said sir risdon
surely cried sir risdon excitedly
sir risdon was silent
lady graeme looked ghastly
you do not know no
then i took up a great stone from among the trees and coming up to him smote him therewith on the head with all my might and crushed in his skull as he lay dead drunk
behold a ship was making for the island through the dashing sea and clashing waves
hearing this i was sore troubled remembering what i had before suffered from the ape kind
upon this he brought me a cotton bag and giving it to me said take this bag and fill it with pebbles from the beach and go forth with a company of the townsfolk to whom i will give a charge respecting thee
do as they do and belike thou shalt gain what may further thy return voyage to thy native land
then he carried me to the beach where i filled my bag with pebbles large and small and presently we saw a company of folk issue from the town each bearing a bag like mine filled with pebbles
to these he committed me commending me to their care and saying this man is a stranger so take him with you and teach him how to gather that he may get his daily bread and you will earn your reward and recompense in heaven
now sleeping under these trees were many apes which when they saw us rose and fled from us and swarmed up among the branches whereupon my companions began to pelt them with what they had in their bags and the apes fell to plucking of the fruit of the trees and casting them at the folk
we weighed anchor and shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say
when it was the five hundred and fifty ninth night
and ceased not sailing till we arrived safely at bassorah
there i abode a little and then went on to baghdad where i entered my quarter and found my house and foregathered with my family and saluted my friends who gave me joy of my safe return and i laid up all my goods and valuables in my storehouses
after which i returned to my old merry way of life and forgot all i had suffered in the great profit and gain i had made
next morning as soon as it was light he prayed the dawn prayer and after blessing mohammed the cream of all creatures betook himself to the house of sindbad the seaman and wished him a good day
here i found a great ship ready for sea and full of merchants and notables who had with them goods of price so i embarked my bales therein
haply amongst you is one righteous whose prayers the lord will accept
presently the ship struck the mountain and broke up and all and everything on board of her were plunged into the sea
but it burneth in their bellies so they cast it up again and it congealeth on the surface of the water whereby its color and quantities are changed and at last the waves cast it ashore and the travellers and merchants who know it collect it and sell it
each that died we washed and shrouded in some of the clothes and linen cast ashore by the tides and after a little the rest of my fellows perished one by one till i had buried the last of the party and abode alone on the island with but a little provision left i who was wont to have so much
but there is majesty and there is no might save in allah the glorious the great
when it was the five hundred and sixty first night
then sighing for myself i set to work collecting a number of pieces of chinese and comorin aloes wood and i bound them together with ropes from the wreckage then i chose out from the broken up ships straight planks of even size and fixed them firmly upon the aloes wood making me a boat raft a little narrower than the channel of the stream and i tied it tightly and firmly as though it were nailed
land after land shalt thou seek and find but no other life on thy wish shall wait fret not thy soul in thy thoughts o night all woes shall end or sooner or late
i rowed my conveyance into the place which was intensely dark and the current carried the raft with it down the underground channel
and i threw myself down upon my face on the raft by reason of the narrowness of the channel whilst the stream ceased not to carry me along knowing not night from day for the excess of the gloom which encompassed me about and my terror and concern for myself lest i should perish
when i awoke at last i found myself in the light of heaven and opening my eyes i saw myself in a broad stream and the raft moored to an island in the midst of a number of indians and abyssinians
but i was delighted at my escape from the river
when they saw i understood them not and made them no answer one of them came forward and said to me in arabic peace be with thee o my brother
o my brother answered he we are husbandmen and tillers of the soil who came out to water our fields and plantations and finding thee asleep on this raft laid hold of it and made it fast by us against thou shouldst awake at thy leisure
i answered for allah's sake o my lord ere i speak give me somewhat to eat for i am starving and after ask me what thou wilt
when it was the five hundred and sixty second night
she said it hath reached me o auspicious king that sindbad the seaman continued when i landed and found myself amongst the indians and abyssinians and had taken some rest they consulted among themselves and said to one another there is no help for it but we carry him with us and present him to our king that he may acquaint him with his adventures
so i consorted with the chief of the islanders and they paid me the utmost respect
so i rose without stay or delay and kissed the king's hand and acquainted him with my longing to set out with the merchants for that i pined after my people and mine own land
quoth he thou art thine own master yet if it be thy will to abide with us on our head and eyes be it for thou gladdenest us with thy company
by allah o my lord answered i thou hast indeed overwhelmed me with thy favours and well doings but i weary for a sight of my friends and family and native country
then i took leave of him and of all my intimates and acquaintances in the island and embarked with the merchants aforesaid
he asked me whence they came and i said to him by allah o commander of the faithful i know not the name of the city nor the way thither
for state processions a throne is set for him upon a huge elephant eleven cubits high and upon this he sitteth having his great lords and officers and guests standing in two ranks on his right hand and on his left
his letter hath shown me this and as for the mightiness of his dominion thou hast told us what thou hast eye witnessed
presently my friends came to me and i distributed presents among my family and gave alms and largesse after which i yielded myself to joyance and enjoyment mirth and merry making and forgot all that i had suffered
such then o my brothers is the history of what befel me in my sixth voyage and to morrow inshallah
i will tell you the story of my seventh and last voyage which is still more wondrous and marvellous than that of the first six
when it was the five hundred and sixty third night
she said it hath reached me o auspicious king that when sindbad the seaman had related the history of what befel him in his sixth voyage and all the company had dispersed sindbad the landsman went home and slept as of wont
the seventh voyage of sindbad the seaman
know o company that after my return from my sixth voyage which brought me abundant profit i resumed my former life in all possible joyance and enjoyment and mirth and making merry day and night and i tarried some time in this solace and satisfaction till my soul began once more to long to sail the seas and see foreign countries and company with merchants and hear new things
so having made up my mind i packed up in bales a quantity of precious stuffs suited for sea trade and repaired with them from baghdad city to bassorah town where i found a ship ready for sea and in her a company of considerable merchants
but the captain arose and tightening his girdle tucked up his skirts and after taking refuge with allah from satan the stoned clomb to the mast head whence he looked out right and left and gazing at the passengers and crew fell to buffeting his face and plucking out his beard
this he set in a saucer wetted with a little water and after waiting a short time smelt and tasted it and then he took out of the chest a booklet wherein he read awhile and said weeping know o ye passengers that in this book is a marvellous matter denoting that whoso cometh hither shall surely die without hope of escape for that this ocean is called the sea of the clime of the king wherein is the sepulchre of our lord solomon son of david on both be peace
a second fish made its appearance than which we had seen naught more monstrous
when suddenly a violent squall of wind arose and smote the ship which rose out of the water and settled upon a great reef the haunt of sea monsters where it broke up and fell asunder into planks and all and everything on board were plunged into the sea
although the plague was there in the most part of all the houses they nevertheless entered everywhere then plundered and carried away all that was within and yet for all this not one of them took any hurt which is a most wonderful case
i beseech you think upon it
nevertheless at all adventures they rang the bells ad capitulum capitulantes
by the virtue of god why do not you sing panniers farewell vintage is done
by the belly of sanct james what shall we poor devils drink the while
lord god da mihi potum
let him be carried to prison for troubling the divine service
wherefore is it that our devotions were instituted to be short in the time of harvest and vintage and long in the advent and all the winter
hark you my masters you that love the wine cop's body follow me for sanct anthony burn me as freely as a faggot if they get leave to taste one drop of the liquor that will not now come and fight for relief of the vine
to others again he unjointed the spondyles or knuckles of the neck disfigured their chaps gashed their faces made their cheeks hang flapping on their chin and so swinged and balammed them that they fell down before him like hay before a mower
to some with a smart souse on the epigaster he would make their midriff swag then redoubling the blow gave them such a homepush on the navel that he made their puddings to gush out
believe that it was the most horrible spectacle that ever one saw
o the holy lady nytouch said one the good sanctess o our lady of succours said another help help
some died without speaking others spoke without dying some died in speaking others spoke in dying
can you tell with what instruments they did it
in the meantime friar john with his formidable baton of the cross got to the breach which the enemies had made and there stood to snatch up those that endeavoured to escape
draw reach fill mix give it me without water
so my friend so whip me off this glass neatly bring me hither some claret a full weeping glass till it run over
a cessation and truce with thirst
you have catched a cold gammer yea forsooth sir
by the belly of sanct buff let us talk of our drink i never drink but at my hours like the pope's mule
which was first thirst or drinking
what it seems i do not drink but by an attorney
drink always and you shall never die
if i drink not i am a ground dry gravelled and spent i am stark dead without drink and my soul ready to fly into some marsh amongst frogs the soul never dwells in a dry place drouth kills it
he drinks in vain that feels not the pleasure of it
it is enough to break both girds and petrel
what difference is there between a bottle and a flagon
bravely and well played upon the words
our fathers drank lustily and emptied their cans
well cacked well sung
come let us drink will you send nothing to the river
i drink no more than a sponge
i drink like a templar knight
and i tanquam sponsus
and i sicut terra sine aqua
give me a synonymon for a gammon of bacon
it is the compulsory of drinkers it is a pulley
a little rain allays a great deal of wind long tippling breaks the thunder
but if there came such liquor from my ballock would you not willingly thereafter suck the udder whence it issued
here page fill
i appeal from thirst and disclaim its jurisdiction
i was wont heretofore to drink out all but now i leave nothing
heyday here are tripes fit for our sport and in earnest excellent godebillios of the dun ox you know with the black streak
o for god's sake let us lash them soundly yet thriftily
sparrows will not eat unless you bob them on the tail nor can i drink if i be not fairly spoke to
ho this will bang it soundly
but this shall banish it utterly
let us wind our horns by the sound of flagons and bottles and cry aloud that whoever hath lost his thirst come not hither to seek it
the great god made the planets and we make the platters neat
appetite comes with eating says angeston but the thirst goes away with drinking
i have a remedy against thirst quite contrary to that which is good against the biting of a mad dog
white wine here wine boys
o lachryma christi it is of the best grape
i'faith pure greek greek o the fine white wine
there is no enchantment nor charm there every one of you hath seen it
my prenticeship is out i am a free man at this trade
i should say master past
o the drinkers those that are a dry o poor thirsty souls
clear off neat supernaculum
it is significant to note in this connection that the new king was an unswerving adherent of the cult of ashur by the adherents of which he was probably strongly supported
at the beginning of his reign there was much social discontent and suffering
well might sharduris exclaim in the words of the prophet where is the king of arpad
tiglath pileser however crossed the euphrates and moving northward delivered an unexpected attack on the urartian army in qummukh
a fierce battle ensued and one of its dramatic incidents was a single combat between the rival kings
an attempt was made to capture king sharduris who leapt from his chariot and made hasty escape on horseback hotly pursued in the gathering darkness by an assyrian contingent of cavalry
despite the blow dealt against urartu assyria did not immediately regain possession of north syria
the shifty mati ilu either cherished the hope that sharduris would recover strength and again invade north syria or that he might himself establish an empire in that region
tiglath pileser had therefore to march westward again
for three years he conducted vigorous campaigns in the western land where he met with vigorous resistance
arpad was captured and mati ilu deposed and probably put to death
once again the hebrews came into contact with assyria
its fall may not have been unconnected with the trend of events in assyria during the closing years of the middle empire
jehoash the grandson of jehu had achieved successes in conflict with damascus
six months afterwards he was assassinated by shallum
this usurper held sway at samaria for only a month
no resistance was possible on the part of menahem the usurper who was probably ready to welcome the assyrian conqueror so that by arranging an alliance he might secure his own position
tiglath pileser next operated against the median and other hill tribes in the north east
he overthrew buildings destroyed orchards and transported to nineveh those of the inhabitants he had not put to the sword with all the live stock he could lay hands on
thus was urartu crippled and humiliated it never regained its former prestige among the northern states
in the following year tiglath pileser returned to syria
menahem king of israel had died and was succeeded by his son pekahiah
judah had taken advantage of the disturbed conditions in israel to assert its independence
he condemned israel for its idolatries and cried
for thus saith the lord unto the house of israel seek ye me and ye shall live have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years o house of israel
the remnant of the philistines shall perish
israel was also dealt with
he swept through israel like a hurricane
the philistines and the arabians of the desert were also subdued
he invaded babylonia
ukinzer took refuge in his capital shapia which held out successfully although the surrounding country was ravaged and despoiled
would it would leave me and then i could believe i shall not always have occasion for it
my poor lady vavasour is carried to the tower and her great belly could not excuse her because she was acquainted by somebody that there was a plot against the protector and did not discover it
she has told now all that was told her but vows she will never say from whence she had it we shall see whether her resolutions are as unalterable as those of my lady talmash
i wonder how she behaved herself when she was married
i never saw any one yet that did not look simply and out of countenance nor ever knew a wedding well designed but one and that was of two persons who had time enough i confess to contrive it and nobody to please in't but themselves
the truth is i could not endure to be missus bride in a public wedding to be made the happiest person on earth
do not take it ill for i would endure it if i could rather than fail but in earnest i do not think it were possible for me
yet in earnest your father will not find my brother peyton wanting in civility though he is not a man of much compliment unless it be in his letters to me nor an unreasonable person in anything so he will allow him out of his kindness to his wife to set a higher value upon her sister than she deserves
my aunt told me no longer agone than yesterday that i was the most wilful woman that ever she knew and had an obstinacy of spirit nothing could overcome take heed
you see i give you fair warning
by the next i shall be gone into kent and my other journey is laid aside which i am not displeased at because it would have broken our intercourse very much
here are some verses of cowley's tell me how you like them
i told you in my last that my suffolk journey was laid aside and that into kent hastened
if i drown by the way this will be my last letter and like a will i bequeath all my kindness to you in it with a charge never to bestow it all upon another mistress lest my ghost rise again and haunt you
indeed i like him extremely and he is commended to me by people that know him very well and are able to judge for a most excellent servant and faithful as possible
because you find fault with my other letters this is like to be shorter than they i did not intend it so though i can assure you
i do not find it though i am told i was so extremely when i believed you loved me
but i am called upon
directed for your master
i see you can chide when you please and with authority but i deserve it i confess and all i can say for myself is that my fault proceeded from a very good principle in me
we dare not let our tongues lie more on one side of our mouths than t'other for fear of overturning it
you are satisfied i hope ere this that i scaped drowning
but i am troubled much you should make so ill a journey to so little purpose indeed i writ by the first post after my arrival here and cannot imagine how you came to miss of my letters
how welcome you will be but alas
for my life i cannot beat into their heads a passion that must be subject to no decay an even perfect kindness that must last perpetually without the least intermission
they laugh to hear me say that one unkind word would destroy all the satisfaction of my life and that i should expect our kindness should increase every day if it were possible but never lessen
we go abroad all day and play all night and say our prayers when we have time
well in sober earnest now i would not live thus a twelvemonth to gain all that the king has lost unless it were to give it him again
will you be so good natured
he has one son and tis the finest boy that e'er you saw and has a noble spirit but yet stands in that awe of his father that one word from him is as much as twenty whippings
you must give me leave to entertain you thus with discourses of the family for i can tell you nothing else from hence
not to know when you would come home i can assure you nor for any other occasion of my own but with a cousin of mine that had long designed to make herself sport with him and did not miss of her aim
in my life i never heard so ridiculous a discourse as he made us and no old woman who passes for a witch could have been more puzzled to seek what to say to reasonable people than he was
ever since this adventure i have had so great a belief in all things of this nature that i could not forbear laying a peas cod with nine peas in't under my door yesterday and was informed by it that my husband's name should be thomas how do you like that
but i am hugely pleased that you have seen my lady
i knew you could not choose but like her but yet let me tell you you have seen but the worst of her
her conversation has more charms than can be in mere beauty and her humour and disposition would make a deformed person appear lovely
why did you not send me that news and a garland
well the best on't is i have a squire now that is as good as a knight
in earnest we have had such a skirmish and upon so foolish an occasion as i cannot tell which is strangest
all the people that i had ever in my life refused were brought again upon the stage like richard the three s ghosts to reproach me withal and all the kindness his discoveries could make i had for you was laid to my charge
my best qualities if i have any that are good served but for aggravations of my fault and i was allowed to have wit and understanding and discretion in other things that it might appear i had none in this
tis a strange change and i am very sorry for it but i'll swear i know not how to help it
mister fish is the squire of dames and has so many mistresses that anybody may pretend a share in him and be believed but though i have the honour to be his near neighbour to speak freely i cannot brag much that he makes any court to me and i know no young woman in the country that he does not visit often
i think my youngest brother comes down with him
i can no sooner give you some little hints whereabouts they live but you know them presently and i meant you should be beholding to me for your acquaintance
but it seems this gentleman is not so easy access but you may acknowledge something due to me if i incline him to look graciously upon you and therefore there is not much harm done
i have missed four fits and had but five and have recovered so much strength as made me venture to meet your letter on wednesday a mile from home
but besides i can give you others
i am here much more out of people's way than in town where my aunt and such as pretend an interest in me and a power over me do so persecute me with their good nature and take it so ill that they are not accepted as i would live in a hollow tree to avoid them
you will think him altered and if it be possible more melancholy than he was
if marriage agrees no better with other people than it does with him i shall pray that all my friends may scape it
well in earnest if i were a prince that lady should be my mistress but i can give no rule to any one else and perhaps those that are in no danger of losing their hearts to her may be infinitely taken with one i should not value at all for so says the justinian wise providence has ordained it that by their different humours everybody might find something to please themselves withal without envying their neighbours
the matter is not great for i confess i do naturally hate the noise and talk of the world and should be best pleased never to be known in't upon any occasion whatsoever yet since it can never be wholly avoided one must satisfy oneself by doing nothing that one need care who knows
if i had a picture that were fit for you you should have it
how can you talk of defying fortune nobody lives without it and therefore why should you imagine you could
i know not how my brother comes to be so well informed as you say but i am certain he knows the utmost of the injuries you have received from her
we have had another debate but much more calmly
and besides there was a time when we ourselves were indifferent to one another did i do so then or have i learned it since
i have been studying how tom cheeke might come by his intelligence and i verily believe he has it from my cousin peters
how kindly do i take these civilities of your father's in earnest you cannot imagine how his letter pleased me
old mister dinsmore had accepted a pressing invitation from his granddaughter and her husband to join the party and with the addition of servants it was a large one
as they were in no haste and the confinement of a railroad car would be very irksome to the younger children it had been decided to make the journey by water
there were no sad leave takings to mar their pleasure the children were in wild spirits and all seemed cheerful and happy as they sat or stood upon the deck watching the receding shore as the vessel steamed out of the harbor
at length the land had quite disappeared nothing could be seen but the sky overhead and a vast expanse of water all around and the passengers found leisure to turn their attention upon each other
there are some nice looking people on board remarked mister travilla in an undertone to his wife
beside ourselves added cousin ronald laughing
yes she answered that little group yonder a young minister and his wife and child i suppose
and what a dear little fellow he is just about the age of our harold i should judge
do you son was the smiling rejoinder
he certainly looks like a very nice little boy
suppose you and he shake hands frank
i do indeed though probably comparatively few are aware that tobacco is the cause of their ailments
doubtless that is the case remarked mister dinsmore
with all my heart if you will step into the gentlemen's cabin where there's a light
he led the way the others all following and taking out a slip of paper read from it in a distinct tone loud enough to be heard by those about him without disturbing the other passengers
one drop of nicotine extract of tobacco placed on the tongue of a dog will kill him in a minute the hundredth part of a grain picked under the skin of a man's arm will produce nausea and fainting
the half dozen cigars which most smokers use a day contain six or seven grains enough if concentrated and absorbed to kill three men and a pound of tobacco according to its quality contains from one quarter to one and a quarter ounces
is it strange then that smokers and chewers have a thousand ailments
that the french polytechnic institute had to prohibit its use on account of its effects on the mind
notice the multitude of sudden deaths and see how many are smokers and chewers
in a small country town seven of these mysterious providences occurred within the circuit of a mile all directly traceable to tobacco and any physician on a few moments reflection can match this fact by his own observation
and then such powerful acids produce intense irritation and thirst thirst which water does not quench
hence a resort to cider and beer
no sir what know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy ghost which is in you which ye have of god and ye are not your own
for ye are bought with a price therefore glorify god in your body and in your spirit which are god's
we certainly have no right to injure our bodies either by neglect or self indulgence
and again i beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of god that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto god which is your reasonable service
it must require a good deal of resolution for one who has become fond of the indulgence to give it up remarked mister daly
no doubt no doubt returned mister lilburn but if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell
there was a pause broken by young horace who had been watching a group of men gathered about a table at the further end of the room
they are gambling yonder and i'm afraid that young fellow is being badly fleeced by that middle aged man opposite
the eyes of the whole party were at once turned in that direction
no sir he is not here
and the door was slammed violently to
now the voice came from the skylight overhead apparently and with a fierce imprecation the irate gamester rushed upon deck and ran hither and thither in search of his tormentor
his victim who had been looking on during the little scene and listening to the mysterious voice in silent wide eyed wonder and fear now rose hastily his face deathly pale with trembling hands gathered up the money he had staked and hurrying into his state room locked himself in
what does it mean cried one
a ventriloquist aboard of course returned another let's follow and see the fun
i wonder which of us it is remarked the first looking hard at our party i don't know but come on
that fellow nick ward is a noted blackleg and ruffian had his nose broken in a fight and is sensitive on the subject was cheating of course
who asked the mate i've seen none up here though there are some in the steerage
they heard him in silence with a cool phlegmatic indifference most exasperating to one in his present mood
a man of giant size and herculean strength had laid aside his pipe and slowly rising to his feet seized the scoundrel in his powerful grasp
let me go yelled ward making a desperate effort to free his arms
i dinks no i dinks i deach you von lesson returned his captor not relaxing his grasp in the least
the german released his prisoner and the latter slunk away with muttered threats and imprecations upon the head of his tormentor
mister lilburn and mister daly each at a different time sought out the young man ward's intended victim and tried to influence him for good
yet there was gambling again the second night between ward and several others of his profession
they kept it up till after midnight
then mister lilburn waking from his first sleep in a stateroom near by thought he would break it up once more
an intense voiceless excitement possessed the players for the game was a close one and the stakes were very heavy
they bent eagerly over the board each watching with feverish anxiety his companion's movements each casting now and again a gloating eye upon the heap of gold and greenbacks that lay between them and at times half stretching out his hand to clutch it
a deep groan startled them and they sprang to their feet pale and trembling with sudden terror each holding his breath and straining his ear to catch a repetition of the dread sound
but all was silent and after a moment of anxious waiting they sat down to their game again trying to conceal and shake off their fears with a forced unnatural laugh
it came from under the table gasped ward look what's there look yourself
what can it have been they asked each other
oh nonsense what fools we are
it was the last game of cards for that trip
the captain coming in shortly after the sudden flight of the gamblers took charge of the money and the next day restored it to the owners
to elsie's observant eyes it presently became evident that the dalys were in very straitened circumstances
oh how kind how very kind missus daly said with tears of joy and gratitude we have hardly known how we should meet the most necessary expenses of this trip but have been trying to cast our care upon the lord asking him to provide
and how wonderfully he has answered our petitions
elsie answered pressing her hand affectionately art we not sisters in christ
ye are all the children of god by faith in christ jesus
ye are all one in christ jesus
we feel my husband and i that we are only the stewards of his bounty and that because he has said inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me it is the greatest privilege and delight to do anything for his people
afterward it was supposed that he was satisfied with the blood of oxen lambs and doves and that in exchange for or on account of these sacrifices this god gave rain sunshine and harvest
whether he was the creator of yourself and myself
whether any prayer was ever answered
why did he create the intellectually inferior
why did he create the deformed and helpless why did he create the criminal the idiotic the insane
are the failures under obligation to their creator
is he responsible for all the wars that have been waged for all the innocent blood that has been shed
is he responsible for the centuries of slavery for the backs that have been scarred with the lash for the babes that have been sold from the breasts of mothers for the families that have been separated and destroyed
is this god responsible for religious persecution for the inquisition for the thumb screw and rack and for all the instruments of torture
did this god allow the cruel and vile to destroy the brave and virtuous
did he allow tyrants to shed the blood of patriots
can we conceive of a devil base enough to prefer his enemies to his friends
how can we account for the wild beasts that devour human beings for the fanged serpents whose bite is death
how can we account for a world where life feeds on life
did infinite wisdom intentionally produce the microscopic beasts that feed upon the optic nerve think of blinding a man to satisfy the appetite of a microbe
fear builds the altar and offers the sacrifice
fear erects the cathedral and bows the head of man in worship
lips religious and fearful tremblingly repeat this passage though he slay me yet will i trust him
can we say that he cared for the children of men
can we say that his mercy endureth forever
do we prove his goodness by showing that he has opened the earth and swallowed thousands of his helpless children or that with the volcanoes he has overwhelmed them with rivers of fire
was there goodness was there wisdom in this
ought the superior races to thank god that they are not the inferior
most people cling to the supernatural
if they give up one god they imagine another
what is this power
man advances and necessarily advances through experience
a man wishing to go to a certain place comes to where the road divides
he has tried that road and knows that it is the wrong road
a child charmed by the beauty of the flame grasps it with its dimpled hand
the power that works for righteousness has taught the child a lesson
it is a result
it is insisted by these theologians and by many of the so called philosophers that this moral sense this sense of duty of obligation was imported and that conscience is an exotic
we live together in families tribes and nations
they are praised admired and respected
they are regarded as good that is to say as moral
the members who add to the misery of the family the tribe or the nation are considered bad members
the greatest of human beings has said conscience is born of love
as people advance the remote consequences are perceived
the imagination is cultivated
a man puts himself in the place of another
the sense of duty becomes stronger more imperative
man judges himself
in all this there is nothing supernatural
man has deceived himself
has christianity done good
when the church had control were men made better and happier
what has religion done for hungary or austria
could these countries have been worse without religion
could they have been worse had they had any other religion than christianity
what did christianity do for them
they hated pleasure
they muffled all the bells of gladness
the religion of the puritan was an unadulterated curse
the puritan believed the bible to be the word of god and this belief has always made those who held it cruel and wretched
let me refer to just one fact showing the influence of a belief in the bible on human beings
the queen received the bible kissed it and pledged herself to diligently read therein
in other words it was just as fiendish just as infamous as the catholic spirit
has the bible made the people of georgia kind and merciful
religion has been tried and in all countries in all times has failed
religion has always been the enemy of science of investigation and thought
religion has never made man free
it has never made man moral temperate industrious and honest
are christians more temperate nearer virtuous nearer honest than savages
can we cure disease by supplication
can we receive virtue or honor as alms
religion rests on the idea that nature has a master and that this master will listen to prayer that this master punishes and rewards that he loves praise and flattery and hates the brave and free
we must have corner stones
the structure must have a basement
if we build we must begin at the bottom
i have a theory and i have four corner stones
the first stone is that matter substance cannot be destroyed cannot be annihilated
if these corner stones are facts it follows as a necessity that matter and force are from and to eternity that they can neither be increased nor diminished
it follows that nothing has been or can be created that there never has been or can be a creator
it follows that there could not have been any intelligence any design back of matter and force
i say what i think
every event has parents
that which has not happened could not
in the infinite chain there is and there can be no broken no missing link
we now know that our first parents were not foreigners
we now know if we know anything that the universe is natural and that men and women have been naturally produced
we know the paths that life has traveled
we know the footsteps of advance they have been traced
for thousands of years men and women have been trying to reform the world
why have the reformers failed
they depend on the lord on luck and charity
they live by fraud and violence and bequeath their vices to their children
failure seems to be the trademark of nature why
nature produces without purpose sustains without intention and destroys without thought
must the world forever remain the victim of ignorant passion
why should men and women have children that they cannot take care of children that are burdens and curses why
passion is and always has been deaf
law can punish but it can neither reform criminals nor prevent crime
this cannot be done by talk or example
this is the solution of the whole question
this frees woman
poverty and crime will be childless
it is far better to be free to leave the forts and barricades of fear to stand erect and face the future with a smile
the gentleman had not even needed to sit down to become interested apparently he had taken up the volume from a table as soon as he came in and standing there after a single glance round the apartment had lost himself in its pages
that has an unflattering sound for me said the young man
she is willing to risk that
just as i am the visitor inquired presenting himself with rather a work a day aspect
he was tall and lean and dressed throughout in black his shirt collar was low and wide and the triangle of linen a little crumpled exhibited by the opening of his waistcoat was adorned by a pin containing a small red stone
in spite of this decoration the young man looked poor as poor as a young man could look who had such a fine head and such magnificent eyes
those of basil ransom were dark deep and glowing his head had a character of elevation which fairly added to his stature it was a head to be seen above the level of a crowd on some judicial bench or political platform or even on a bronze medal
these things the eyes especially with their smouldering fire might have indicated that he was to be a great american statesman or on the other hand they might simply have proved that he came from carolina or alabama
and yet the reader who likes a complete image who desires to read with the senses as well as with the reason is entreated not to forget that he prolonged his consonants and swallowed his vowels that he was guilty of elisions and interpolations which were equally unexpected and that his discourse was pervaded by something sultry and vast something almost african in its rich basking tone something that suggested the teeming expanse of the cotton field
and he took up his hat vaguely a soft black hat with a low crown and an immense straight brim
well so it is they are all witches and wizards mediums and spirit rappers and roaring radicals
if you are going to dine with her you had better know it oh murder
he looked at missus luna with intelligent incredulity
she was attractive and impertinent especially the latter
have you been in europe
no i haven't been anywhere
she hates it she would like to abolish it
this last remark he made at a venture for he had naturally not devoted any supposition whatever to missus luna
are you very ambitious you look as if you were
and missus luna added that now she was back she didn't know what she should do
one didn't even know what one had come back for
besides olive didn't want her in boston and didn't go through the form of saying so
that was one comfort with olive she never went through any forms
she stood there looking consciously and rather seriously at mister ransom a smile of exceeding faintness played about her lips it was just perceptible enough to light up the native gravity of her face
her voice was low and agreeable a cultivated voice and she extended a slender white hand to her visitor who remarked with some solemnity he felt a certain guilt of participation in missus luna's indiscretion that he was intensely happy to make her acquaintance
he observed that miss chancellor's hand was at once cold and limp she merely placed it in his without exerting the smallest pressure
i shall be back very late we are going to a theatre party that's why we dine so early
missus luna's familiarity extended even to her sister she remarked to miss chancellor that she looked as if she were got up for a sea voyage
miss chancellor herself had thought so much on the vital subject would not she make a few remarks and give them some of her experiences
how did the ladies on beacon street feel about the ballot
perhaps she could speak for them more than for some others
with her immense sympathy for reform she found herself so often wishing that reformers were a little different
olive hated to hear that fine avenue talked about as if it were such a remarkable place and to live there were a proof of worldly glory
all sorts of inferior people lived there and so brilliant a woman as missus farrinder who lived at roxbury ought not to mix things up
she knew her place in the boston hierarchy and it was not what missus farrinder supposed so that there was a want of perspective in talking to her as if she had been a representative of the aristocracy
she wished to work in another field she had long been preoccupied with the romance of the people
this might seem one of the most accessible of pleasures but in point of fact she had not found it so
charlie was a young man in a white overcoat and a paper collar it was for him in the last analysis that they cared much the most
olive chancellor wondered how missus farrinder would treat that branch of the question
if it be necessary we are prepared to take certain steps to conciliate the shrinking
our movement is for all it appeals to the most delicate ladies
raise the standard among them and bring me a thousand names
i look after the details as well as the big currents missus farrinder added in a tone as explanatory as could be expected of such a woman and with a smile of which the sweetness was thrilling to her listener
said olive chancellor with a face which seemed to plead for a remission of responsibility
i want to be near to them to help them
it was one thing to choose for herself but now the great representative of the enfranchisement of their sex from every form of bondage had chosen for her
the unhappiness of women
they were her sisters they were her own and the day of their delivery had dawned
this was the only sacred cause this was the great the just revolution it must triumph it must sweep everything before it it must exact from the other the brutal blood stained ravening race the last particle of expiation
they would be names of women weak insulted persecuted but devoted in every pulse of their being to the cause and asking no better fate than to die for it
it was not clear to this interesting girl in what manner such a sacrifice as this last would be required of her but she saw the matter through a kind of sunrise mist of emotion which made danger as rosy as success
when miss birdseye approached it transfigured her familiar her comical shape and made the poor little humanitary hack seem already a martyr
olive chancellor looked at her with love remembered that she had never in her long unrewarded weary life had a thought or an impulse for herself
she had been consumed by the passion of sympathy it had crumpled her into as many creases as an old glazed distended glove
poor ransom announced this fact to himself as if he had made a great discovery but in reality he had never been so boeotian as at that moment
the women he had hitherto known had been mainly of his own soft clime and it was not often they exhibited the tendency he detected and cursorily deplored in missus luna's sister
ransom was pleased with the vision of that remedy it must be repeated that he was very provincial
he was sorry for her but he saw in a flash that no one could help her that was what made her tragic
she could not defend herself against a rich admiration a kind of tenderness of envy of any one who had been so happy as to have that opportunity
his family was ruined they had lost their slaves their property their friends and relations their home had tasted of all the cruelty of defeat
the state of mississippi seemed to him the state of despair so he surrendered the remnants of his patrimony to his mother and sisters and at nearly thirty years of age alighted for the first time in new york in the costume of his province with fifty dollars in his pocket and a gnawing hunger in his heart
it was in the female line as basil ransom had written in answering her letter with a good deal of form and flourish he spoke as if they had been royal houses
if it had been possible to send missus ransom money or even clothes she would have liked that but she had no means of ascertaining how such an offering would be taken
olive had a fear of everything but her greatest fear was of being afraid
she had erected it into a sort of rule of conduct that whenever she saw a risk she was to take it and she had frequent humiliations at finding herself safe after all
she was perfectly safe after writing to basil ransom and indeed it was difficult to see what he could have done to her except thank her he was only exceptionally superlative for her letter and assure her that he would come and see her the first time his business he was beginning to get a little should take him to boston
he was too simple too mississippian for that she was almost disappointed
of all things in the world contention was most sweet to her though why it is hard to imagine for it always cost her tears headaches a day or two in bed acute emotion and it was very possible basil ransom would not care to contend
when he came from the bath proclus visited him again
but hermon was not in the mood to share a joyous revel and he frankly said so although immediately after his return he had accepted the invitation to the festival which the whole fellowship of artists would give the following day in honour of the seventieth birthday of the old sculptor euphranor
she would appear herself at dessert and the banquet must therefore begin at an unusually early hour
so the artist found himself obliged to relinquish his opposition
the banquet was to begin in a few hours yet he could not let the day pass without seeing daphne and telling her the words of the oracle
he longed with ardent yearning for the sound of her voice and still more to unburden his sorely troubled soul to her
since his return from the oracle the fear that the rescued demeter might yet be the work of myrtilus had again mastered him
the approval as well as the doubts which it aroused in others strengthened his opinion although even now he could not succeed in bringing it into harmony with the facts
then he went directly to the neighbouring palace the queen might have appeared already and it would not do to keep her waiting
hitherto the merchant had been induced it is true to advance large sums of money to the queen but the loyal devotion which he showed to her royal husband had rendered it impossible to give him even a hint of the conspiracy
when hermon entered the residence of the grammateus in the palace the guests had already assembled
the place by hermon's side which althea had chosen for herself would then be given up to arsinoe
true an interesting conversation still had power to charm him but often during its continuance the full consciousness of his misfortune forced itself upon his mind for the majority of the subjects discussed by the artists came to them through the medium of sight and referred to new creations of architecture sculpture and painting from whose enjoyment his blindness debarred him
a stranger out of his own sphere he felt chilled among these closely united men and women to whom no tie bound him save the presence of the same host
crates had really been invited in order to win him over to the queen's cause but charming fair haired nico had been commissioned by the conspirators to persuade him to sing arsinoe's praises among his professional associates
his son had been this royal dame's first husband and she had deserted him to marry lysimachus the aged king of thrace
the king's sister the object of his love cried hermon incredulously
we women are only as old as we look and the leeches and tiring women of this beauty of forty practise arts which give her the appearance of twenty five yet perhaps the king values her intellect more than her person and the wisdom of a hundred serpents is certainly united in this woman's head
the three most trustworthy ones are here amyntas the leech chrysippus and the admirable proclus
let us hope that you will make this three leaved clover the luck promising four leaved one
your uncle too has often with praiseworthy generosity helped arsinoe in many an embarrassment
how long he kept you waiting for the first word concerning a work which justly transported the whole city with delight
when he did finally summon you he said things which must have wounded you
that is going too far replied hermon
he winked at her and made a significant gesture as he spoke and then informed the blind artist how graciously arsinoe had remembered him when she heard of the remedy by whose aid many a wonderful cure of blind eyes had been made in rhodes
the royal lady had inquired about him and his sufferings with almost sisterly interest and althea eagerly confirmed the statement
hermon listened to the pair in silence
the rhodian was just beginning to praise arsinoe also as a special friend and connoisseur of the sculptor's art when crates hermon's fellow student asked the blind artist in behalf of his beautiful companion why his demeter was placed upon a pedestal which to others as well as himself seemed too high for the size of the statue
yet what mattered it even if these miserable people considered themselves deceived and pointed the finger of scorn at him
a woman who yearns for the regard of all men and makes love a toy easily lessens the demands she imposes upon individuals
only even though love has wholly disappeared she still claims consideration and althea did not wish to lose hermon's regard
how indifferent you look but i tell you her deep blue eyes flashed as she spoke that so long as you were still a genuine creating artist the case was different
though so loud a denial is written on your face i persist in my conviction and that no idle delusion ensnares me i can prove
it was nay it could have been nothing else that very spider
not a sound if you value your lives
to offer resistance would have been madness for even hermon perceived by the loud clanking of weapons around them the greatly superior power of the enemy and they were acting by the orders of the king to the prison near the place of execution
was he to be led to the executioner's block
what pleasure had life to offer him the blind man who was already dead to his art
ought he not to greet this sudden end as a boon from the immortals
did it not spare him a humiliation as great and painful as could be imagined
whatever might await him he desired no better fate
if he had passed into annihilation he hermon wished to follow him thither and annihilation certainly meant redemption from pain and misery
but if he were destined to meet his myrtilus and his mother in the world beyond the grave what had he not to tell them how sure he was of finding a joyful reception there from both
the power which delivered him over to death just at that moment was not nemesis no it was a kindly deity
yet it was no illusion that deceived him
again he heard the beloved voice and this time it addressed not only him but with the utmost haste the commander of the soldiers
sometimes with touching entreaty sometimes with imperious command she protested after giving him her name that this matter could be nothing but an unfortunate mistake
lastly with earnest warmth she besought him before taking the prisoners away to permit her to speak to the commanding general philippus her father's guest who she was certain was in the palace
cried hermon in grateful agitation but she would not listen to him and followed the soldier whom the captain detailed to guide her into the palace
to morrow you shall confess to me who treacherously directed you to this dangerous path
daphne again pleaded for the liberation of the prisoners but philippus silenced her with the grave exclamation the order of the king
as soon as the captive artist was alone with the woman he loved he clasped her hand pouring forth incoherent words of the most ardent gratitude and when he felt her warmly return the pressure he could not restrain the desire to clasp her to his heart
in spite of his deep mental distress he could have shouted aloud in his delight and gratitude
he might now have been permitted to bind forever to his life the woman who had just rescued him from the greatest danger but the confession he must make to his fellow artists in the palaestra the following morning still sealed his lips yet in this hour he felt that he was united to her and ought not to conceal what awaited him so obeying a strong impulse he exclaimed you know that i love you
i love you and have loved you always
daphne exclaimed tenderly what more is needed
but hermon with drooping head murmured to morrow i shall no longer be what i am now
then daphne raised her face to his asking so the demeter is the work of myrtilus
what a terrible ordeal again awaits you
and i fool blinded also in mind could be vexed with you for it
bring this before your mind and everything else that you must accept with it if you consent when the time arrives to become mine conceal and palliate nothing
so archias intended to leave the city on one of his own ships that very day
he himself on the way to expose himself to the malice and mockery of the whole city
his heart contracted painfully and his solicitude about his uncle's fate increased when philippus informed him that the conspirators had been arrested at the banquet and headed by amyntas the rhodian chrysippus and proclus had perished by the executioner's sword at sunrise
besides he knew that the object of his love would not part from him without granting him one last word
on the way his heart throbbed almost to bursting
even daphne's image and what threatened her father and her with him receded far into the background
he was appearing before his companions only to give truth its just due
the egyptian obeyed and his master crossed the wide space strewn with sand and approached the stage which had been erected for the festal performances even had his eyes retained the power of sight his blood was coursing so wildly through his veins that he might perhaps have been unable to distinguish the statues around him and the thousands of spectators who crowded closely together richly garlanded their cheeks glowing with enthusiasm surrounded the arena hermon
shouted his friend soteles in joyful surprise in the midst of this painful walk hermon
even while he believed himself to be the creator of the demeter he had been seriously troubled by the praise of so many critics because it had exposed him to the suspicion of having become faithless to his art and his nature
honour to myrtilus and his art but he trusted this noble festal assemblage would pardon the unintentional deception and aid his prayer for recovery
and also these
then she threw herself upon him and he gathered her to his bosom and the twain fell down in a fainting fit
when the eunuch saw this case he wondered at them and throwing over them somewhat to cover them waited till they should recover
after a while they came to themselves and nuzhat al zaman rejoiced with exceeding joy oppression and depression left her and gladness took the mastery of her and she repeated these verses
accordingly she told him all that had come to her since their separation at the khan and what had happened to her with the badawi how the merchant had bought her of him and had taken her to her brother sharrkan and had sold her to him how he had freed her at the time of buying how he had made a marriage contract with her and had gone in to her and how the king their sire had sent and asked for her from sharrkan
but now go to thy master and bring him quickly to me
the chamberlain called the castrato and charged him to do accordingly so he replied i hear and i obey and he took his pages with him and went out in search of the stoker till he found him in the rear of the caravan girthing his ass and preparing for flight
she said it hath reached me o auspicious king that when the stoker girthed his ass for flight and bespake himself saying oh would i knew what is become of him
i believe he hath denounced me to the eunuch hence these pages et about me and he hath made me an accomplice in his crime
why didst thou say i never repeated these couplets nor do i know who repeated them when it was thy companion
but now i will not leave thee between this place and baghdad and what betideth thy comrade shall betide thee
twas as i feared the coming ills discerning but unto allah we are all returning
then the eunuch cried upon the pages saying take him off the ass
and he answered i am the chamberlain of the emir of damascus king sharrkan son of omar bin al nu'uman lord of baghdad and of the land of khorasan and i bring tribute and presents from him to his father in baghdad
so fare ye forwards no harm shall befal you till you join his grand wazir dandan
then he bade him be seated and questioned him and he replied that he was chamberlain to the emir of damascus and was bound to king omar with presents and the tribute of syria
so it was agreed that we go to damascus and fetch thence the king's son sharrkan and make him sultan over his father's realm
and amongst them were some who would have chosen the cadet zau al makan for quoth they his name be light of the place and he hath a sister nuzhat al zaman highs the delight of the time but they set out five years ago for al hijaz and none wotteth what is become of them
replied he of a truth i heard him not and i wot him not and folks are all sleeping
but she said whomsoever thou seest awake he is the reciter
then said the eunuch art thou he who repeated poetry but now and my lady heard him
rejoined the eunuch who then was the reciter point him out to me
by allah replied the fireman i tell thee the truth
tell me what happened quoth zau al makan
what ails thee then that thou must needs recite verses seeing that we are tired out with walking and watching and all the folk are asleep for they require sleep to rest them of their fatigue
and he also improvised the two following distichs
when nuzhat al zaman heard the first improvisation she called to mind her father and her mother and her brother and their whilome home then she wept and cried at the eunuch and said to him woe to thee
he who recited the first time hath recited a second time and i heard him hard by
by allah an thou fetch him not to me i will assuredly rouse the chamberlain on thee and he shall beat thee and cast thee out
but take these hundred diners and give them to the singer and bring him to me gently and do him no hurt
return quickly and linger not
when it was the seventy third night
but the eunuch said i will not leave thee till thou show me who it was that recited the verses for i dread returning to my lady without him
now when the fireman heard these words he feared for zau al makan and wept with exceeding weeping and said to the eunuch by allah it was not i and i know him not
so go thou to thy station and if thou again meet any one after this hour reciting aught of poetry whether he be near or far it will be i or some one i know and thou shalt not learn of him but by me
then he kissed the eunuch's head and spake him fair till he went away but the castrato fetched a round and returning secretly came and stood behind the fireman fearing to go back to his mistress without tidings
i say what made my ignomy whate'er the bitter cup i drain far be fro me that land to flee nor will i bow to those who blame and for such love would deal me shame
then said the eunuch to zau al makan peace be with thee o my lord
o my lord continued the eunuch and shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say
we will do thee no upright o my son nor wrong thee in aught but our object is that thou bend thy gracious steps with me to my mistress to receive her answer and return in weal and safety and thou shalt have a handsome present as one who bringeth good news
then the eunuch went out to zau al makan and said to him recite what verses thou knowest for my lady is here hard by listening to thee and after i will ask thee of thy name and thy native country and thy condition
so he turned to the wazir dandan and said to him verily your tale is a wonder of wonders
know o chief wazir that here where you have encountered me allah hath given you rest from fatigue and bringeth you your desire after the easiest of fashions for that his almighty will restoreth to you zau al makan and his sister nuzhat al zaman whereby we will settle the matter as we easily can
when the minister heard these words he rejoiced with great joy and said o chamberlain tell me the tale of the twain and what befel them and the cause of their long absence
zau al makan bowed his head awhile and then said i accept this position for indeed there was no refusing and he was certified that the chamberlain had counselled him well and wisely and set him on the right way
then he added o my uncle how shall i do with my brother sharrkan
after awhile the dust dispersed and there appeared under it the army of baghdad and khorasan a conquering host like the full tide sea and shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say
when it was the seventy eighth night
and in it all rejoiced at the accession of the light of the place
lastly the minister went in and kissed the ground before zau al makan who rose to meet him saying welcome o wazir and sire sans peer
moreover the sultan commanded his wazir dandan call a ten days halt of the army that he might be private with him and learn from him how and wherefore his father had been slain
he then repaired to the heart of the encampment and ordered the host to halt ten days
she pulled her hair down turned her skirt back put her feet on the fender and took puttel into her lap all of which arrangements signified that something very important had got to be thought over and settled
the more proposals the more credit
i ve tried it and liked it and maybe this is the consequence of that night's fun
just suppose it is true that he does ask me and i say yes
what a spiteful thing i am
i could do so much for all at home how i should enjoy that
let me see how can i begin
he has known her all her life and has a good influence over her
now as polly was by no means a perfect creature i am free to confess that the old temptation assailed her more than once that week for when the first excitement of the dodging reform had subsided she missed the pleasant little interviews that used to put a certain flavor of romance into her dull hard working days
i don't think it was his wealth accomplishments or position that most attracted polly though these doubtless possessed a greater influence than she suspected
it was that indescribable something which women are quick to see and feel in men who have been blessed with wise and good mothers
this had an especial charm to polly for she soon found that this side of his character was not shown to every one
lately this had changed especially towards polly and it flattered her more than she would confess even to herself
at first she tried to think she could but unfortunately hearts are so contrary that they won't be obedient to reason will or even gratitude
polly felt a very cordial friendship for mister sydney but not one particle of the love which is the only coin in which love can be truly paid
this finished polly's indecision and after that night she never allowed herself to dwell upon the pleasant temptation which came in a guise particularly attractive to a young girl with a spice of the old eve in her composition
when saturday came polly started as usual for a visit to becky and bess but could n't resist stopping at the shaws to leave a little parcel for fan though it was calling time
a foolish little speech to make to a dog but you see polly was only a tender hearted girl trying to do her duty
take hold of master charley's hand miss mamie and walk pretty like willy and flossy said the maid
at a street corner a black eyed school boy was parting from a rosy faced school girl whose music roll he was reluctantly surrendering
how he got there was never very clear to polly but there he was flushed and a little out of breath but looking so glad to see her that she had n't the heart to be stiff and cool as she had fully intended to be when they met
she really could n't help it it was so pleasant to see him again just when she was feeling so lonely
that is the way i get to the roths answered polly
she did not mean to tell but his frankness was so agreeable she forgot herself
but i know her better and i assure you that she does improve she tries to mend her faults though she won't own it and will surprise you some day by the amount of heart and sense and goodness she has got
thank you no
how lovely the park looks she said in great confusion
asked the artful young man laying a trap into which polly immediately fell
he was quicker to take a hint than she had expected and being both proud and generous resolved to settle the matter at once for polly's sake as well as his own
so when she made her last brilliant remark he said quietly watching her face keenly all the while i thought so well i m going out of town on business for several weeks so you can enjoy your little bit of country without being annoyed by me annoyed
she thought she had a good deal of the coquette in her and i ve no doubt that with time and training she would have become a very dangerous little person but now she was far too transparent and straightforward by nature even to tell a white lie cleverly
he was gone before she could do anything but look up at him with a remorseful face and she walked on feeling that the first and perhaps the only lover she would ever have had read his answer and accepted it in silence
polly did not return to her favorite walk till she learned from minnie that uncle had really left town and then she found that his friendly company and conversation was what had made the way so pleasant after all
wagging to and fro as usual what's the news with you
perhaps she ll jilt him
utterly done with and laid upon the shelf
minnie said the other day she wished she was a pigeon so she could paddle in the puddles and not fuss about rubbers
now don't be affected polly but just tell me like a dear has n't he proposed
don't you think he means to
truly truly fan
i don't mean to be prying but i really thought he did
well i always meant to try it if i got a chance and i have
i just gave him a hint and he took it
he meant to go away before that so don't think his heart is broken or mind what silly tattlers say
he understood and being a gentleman made no fuss
but polly it would have been a grand thing for you
i m odd you know and prefer to be an independent spinster and teach music all my days
never mind what the business was it suffices to say that it was a good beginning for a young man like tom who having been born and bred in the most conservative class of the most conceited city in new england needed just the healthy hearty social influences of the west to widen his views and make a man of him
fortunately every one was so busy with the necessary preparations that there was no time for romance of any sort and the four young people worked together as soberly and sensibly as if all sorts of emotions were not bottled up in their respective hearts
pity that the end should come so soon but the hour did its work and went its way leaving a clearer atmosphere behind though the young folks did not see it then for their eyes were dim because of the partings that must be
if it had not been for two things i fear she never would have stood a summer in town but sydney often called till his vacation came and a voluminous correspondence with polly beguiled the long days
tom wrote once a week to his mother but the letters were short and not very satisfactory for men never do tell the interesting little things that women best like to hear
no i m only tired had a good deal to do lately and the dull weather makes me just a trifle blue
forgive me polly but i can't help saying it for it is there and i want to be as true to you as you were to me if i can
i try not to deceive myself but it does seem as if there was a chance of happiness for me
thank heaven for that
cried polly with the heartiest satisfaction in her voice
poor polly was so taken by surprise that she had not a word to say
none were needed her telltale face answered for her as well as the impulse which made her hide her head in the sofa cushion like a foolish ostrich when the hunters are after it
once or twice but sort of jokingly and i thought it was only some little flirtation
it was so stupid of me not to guess before
it was so tender earnest and defiant that fanny forgot the defence of her own lover in admiration of polly's loyalty to hers for this faithful all absorbing love was a new revelation to fanny who was used to hearing her friends boast of two or three lovers a year and calculate their respective values with almost as much coolness as the young men discussed the fortunes of the girls they wished for but could not afford to marry
i hope maria bailey is all he thinks her she added softly for i could n't bear to have him disappointed again
said fanny turning hopeful all at once
suppose i say a word to tom just inquire after his heart in a general way you know and give him a chance to tell me if there is anything to tell
bear it people always do bear things somehow answered polly looking as if sentence had been passed upon her
it was a very different winter from the last for both the girls
if fanny wanted to show him what she could do toward making a pleasant home she certainly succeeded better than she suspected for in spite of many failures and discouragements behind the scenes the little house became a most attractive place to mister sydney at least for he was more the house friend than ever and seemed determined to prove that change of fortune made no difference to him
she kept much at home when the day's work was done finding it pleasanter to sit dreaming over book or sewing alone than to exert herself even to go to the shaws
polly was not at all like herself that winter and those nearest to her saw and wondered at it most
for ned was so absorbed in business that he ignored the whole bailey question and left them in utter darkness
fanny came walking in upon her one day looking as if she brought tidings of such great joy that she hardly knew how to tell them
but if work baskets were gifted with powers of speech they could tell stories more true and tender than any we read
vain hope i fear
mister and missus hattersley have been staying at the grove a fortnight and as mister hargrave is still absent and the weather was remarkably fine i never passed a day without seeing my two friends milicent and esther either there or here
no unless you can tell me when to expect him home
i can't you don't want him do you
it is a resolution you ought to have formed long ago
we all have a bit of a liking for him at the bottom of our hearts though we can't respect him
no i'd rather be like myself bad as i am
never mind my plain speaking said i it is from the best of motives
but tell me should you wish your sons to be like mister huntingdon or even like yourself
oh no i couldn't stand that
fire and fury
now don't burst into a tempest at that
but hang it that's not my fault
not years for she's only five and twenty
what would you make of me and the children to be sure that worry her to death between them
i know they are bless them
he followed me into the library
i sought out and put into his hands two of milicent's letters one dated from london and written during one of his wildest seasons of reckless dissipation the other in the country during a lucid interval
the former was full of trouble and anguish not accusing him but deeply regretting his connection with his profligate companions abusing mister grimsby and others insinuating bitter things against mister huntingdon and most ingeniously throwing the blame of her husband's misconduct on to other men's shoulders
i've been a cursed rascal god knows said he as he gave it a hearty squeeze but you see if i don't make amends for it d n me if i don't
if you intend to reform invoke god's blessing his mercy and his aid not his curse
god help me then for i'm sure i need it
where's milicent
nay not i said he turning her round and pushing her towards me
milicent flew to thank me overflowing with gratitude
cried she i couldn't have influenced him i'm sure by anything that i could have said
you never tried me milly said he
after that they will repair to their country home
when churchyards yawn
i knew well enough that he might be carried thousands of miles in the box car locked in perhaps without water or food
i am sure i kissed liddy and i have had terrible moments since when i seem to remember kissing mister jamieson too in the excitement
fortunately warner and the detectives were keeping bachelor hall in the lodge
out of deference to liddy they washed their dishes once a day and they concocted queer messes according to their several abilities
miss innes he said stopping me as i was about to go to my room up stairs how are your nerves tonight
i have none i said happily
i mean he persisted do you feel as though you could go through with something rather unusual
the most unusual thing i can think of would be a peaceful night
something is going to occur he said
put on heavy shoes and some old dark clothes and make up your mind not to be surprised at anything
liddy was sleeping the sleep of the just when i went up stairs and i hunted out my things cautiously
they were talking confidentially together but when i came down they ceased
there were a few preparations to be made the locks to be gone over winters to be instructed as to renewed vigilance and then after extinguishing the hall light we crept in the darkness through the front door and into the night
i asked no questions
once only somebody spoke and then it was an emphatic bit of profanity from doctor stewart when he ran into a wire fence
i hardly know what i expected
the doctor was puffing somewhat when we finally came to a halt
i confess that just at that minute even sunnyside seemed a cheerful spot
in spite of myself i drew my breath in sharply
it was alex armed with two long handled spades
the doctor kept a keen lookout but no one appeared
there's one thing sure i'll not be suspected of complicity
a doctor is generally supposed to be handier at burying folks than at digging them up
i held on to him frantically and somehow i got there and looked down
but how am i to get over the ten or twelve days that must yet elapse before they go
for none could injure me as he has done oh
the word stares me in the face like a guilty confession but it is true i hate him i hate him
i sometimes think i ought to give him credit for the good feeling he simulates so well and then again i think it is my duty to suspect him under the peculiar circumstances in which i am placed
i have done well to record them so minutely
they had betaken themselves to their work i less to divert my mind than to deprecate conversation had provided myself with a book
i am too well acquainted with your character and conduct to feel any real friendship for you and as i am without your talent for dissimulation i cannot assume the appearance of it
upon perusing this she turned scarlet and bit her lip
you may go milicent and she'll follow in a while milicent went
will you oblige me helen continued she
ah you are suspicious
if i were suspicious i replied i should have discovered your infamy long before
i enjoy a moonlight ramble as well as you i answered steadily fixing my eyes upon her and the shrubbery happens to be one of my favourite resorts
she coloured again excessively and remained silent pressing her finger against her teeth and gazing into the fire
i watched her a few moments with a feeling of malevolent gratification then moving towards the door i calmly asked if she had anything more to say
yes yes
suppose i do
she paused in evident disconcertion and perplexity mingled with anger she dared not show
i cannot renounce what is dearer than life she muttered in a low hurried tone
if you are generous here is a fitting opportunity for the exercise of your magnanimity if you are proud here am i your rival ready to acknowledge myself your debtor for an act of the most noble forbearance
i shall not tell him
give me no thanks it is not for your sake that i refrain
and milicent will you tell her
i would not for much that she should know the infamy and disgrace of her relation
you use hard words missus huntingdon but i can pardon you
how dare you mention his name to me
it seems very interesting love said he lifting his head and turning to where i stood wringing my hands in silent rage and anguish but it's rather long i'll look at it some other time and meanwhile i'll trouble you for your keys my dear what keys
the keys of your cabinet desk drawers and whatever else you possess said he rising and holding out his hand
the key of my desk in fact was at that moment in the lock and the others were attached to it
now then sneered he we must have a confiscation of property
and putting the keys into his pocket he walked into the library
that and all replied the master and the things were cleared away
mister huntingdon then went up stairs
muttered he starting back she's the very devil for spite
i didn't say i'd broken it did i returned he
i shall put you upon a small monthly allowance in future for your own private expenses and you needn't trouble yourself any more about my concerns i shall look out for a steward my dear i won't expose you to the temptation
and as for the household matters missus greaves must be very particular in keeping her accounts we must go upon an entirely new plan
what great discovery have you made now mister huntingdon
have i attempted to defraud you
not in money matters exactly it seems but it's best to keep out of the way of temptation
here benson entered with the candles and there followed a brief interval of silence i sitting still in my chair and he standing with his back to the fire silently triumphing in my despair
i know that day after day such feelings will return upon me
i try to look to him and raise my heart to heaven but it will cleave to the dust
she had even been in society before the revolution
it was her pleasure and her vanity to drag in these names on every pretext
every year she solemnly renewed her vows and at the moment of taking the oath she said to the priest monseigneur saint francois gave it to monseigneur saint julien monseigneur saint julien gave it to monseigneur saint eusebius monseigneur saint eusebius gave it to monseigneur saint procopius et cetera et cetera
and the school girls would begin to laugh not in their sleeves but under their veils charming little stifled laughs which made the vocal mothers frown
it was a century which spoke through her but it was the eighteenth century
the rule of fontevrault did not forbid this
she would not show this object to anyone
thus it furnished a subject of comment for all those who were unoccupied or bored in the convent
some unique chaplet some authentic relic
they lost themselves in conjectures
when the poor old woman died they rushed to her cupboard more hastily than was fitting perhaps and opened it
he is resisting fluttering his tiny wings and still making an effort to fly but the dancer is laughing with a satanical air
moral love conquered by the colic
the prioress returned and seated herself once more on her chair
we will present a stenographic report of the dialogue which then ensued to the best of our ability
father fauvent
reverend mother do you know the chapel
and you have been in the choir in pursuance of your duties two or three times
there is a stone to be raised heavy
the slab of the pavement which is at the side of the altar
the slab which closes the vault yes
it would be a good thing to have two men for it
a woman is never a man
because dom mabillon gives four hundred and seventeen epistles of saint bernard while merlonus horstius only gives three hundred and sixty seven i do not despise merlonus horstius neither do i
merit consists in working according to one's strength a cloister is not a dock yard
and a woman is not a man but my brother is the strong one though
and can you get a lever
there is a ring in the stone
i will put the lever through it
that is good reverend mother i will open the vault
will that be all no
give me your orders very reverend mother
fauvent we have confidence in you
i am here to do anything you wish
and to hold your peace about everything yes reverend mother
when the vault is open i will close it again
but before that what reverend mother
father fauvent reverend mother
you know that a mother died this morning
no did you not hear the bell
nothing can be heard at the bottom of the garden really
and then the wind is not blowing in my direction this morning
it was mother crucifixion
three years ago madame de bethune a jansenist turned orthodox merely from having seen mother crucifixion at prayer ah
the mothers have taken her to the dead room which opens on the church i know
a fine sight it would be to see a man enter the dead room more often
hey more often
what do you say
i say more often more often than what
reverend mother i did not say more often than what i said more often
but i did not say more often
at that moment nine o'clock struck
at nine o'clock in the morning and at all hours praised and adored be the most holy sacrament of the altar said the prioress
it cut more often short
fauchelevent mopped his forehead
in her lifetime mother crucifixion made converts after her death she will perform miracles she will
father fauvent the community has been blessed in mother crucifixion
she retained her consciousness to the very last moment
she gave us her last commands
if you had a little more faith and if you could have been in her cell she would have cured your leg merely by touching it she smiled
there was something of paradise in that death
fauchelevent thought that it was an orison which she was finishing
fauchelevent held his peace she went on
i have consulted upon this point many ecclesiastics laboring in our lord who occupy themselves in the exercises of the clerical life and who bear wonderful fruit
fortunately the prioress completely absorbed in her own thoughts did not hear it
she continued father fauvent
yes reverend mother
saint terentius bishop of port where the mouth of the tiber empties into the sea requested that on his tomb might be engraved the sign which was placed on the graves of parricides in the hope that passers by would spit on his tomb this was done
the dead must be obeyed so be it
for that matter no reverend mother
father fauvent mother crucifixion will be interred in the coffin in which she has slept for the last twenty years that is just
it is a continuation of her slumber
so i shall have to nail up that coffin yes
i am at the orders of the very reverend community
the four mother precentors will assist you
no in lowering the coffin
where into the vault
fauchelevent started the vault under the altar
under the altar but
you will have an iron bar yes but
you will raise the stone with the bar by means of the ring but
the dead must be obeyed to be buried in the vault under the altar of the chapel not to go to profane earth to remain there in death where she prayed while living such was the last wish of mother crucifixion
she asked it of us that is to say commanded us
but it is forbidden
oh i am a stone in your walls
think father fauvent if she were to work miracles here
what a glory of god for the community and miracles issue from tombs
but reverend mother if the agent of the sanitary commission
but the commissary of police
chonodemaire one of the seven german kings who entered among the gauls under the empire of constantius expressly recognized the right of nuns to be buried in religion that is to say beneath the altar
the world is nothing in the presence of the cross
martin the eleventh general of the carthusians gave to his order this device stat crux dum volvitur orbis
the prioress who was usually subjected to the barrier of silence and whose reservoir was overfull rose and exclaimed with the loquacity of a dam which has broken away
i have on my right benoit and on my left bernard who was bernard
the first abbot of clairvaux
his order has produced forty popes two hundred cardinals fifty patriarchs sixteen hundred archbishops four thousand six hundred bishops four emperors twelve empresses forty six kings forty one queens three thousand six hundred canonized saints and has been in existence for fourteen hundred years
on one side saint bernard on the other the agent of the sanitary department
god subordinated to the commissary of police such is the age silence fauvent
no one doubts the right of the monastery to sepulture
only fanatics and those in error deny it
we live in times of terrible confusion
we are ignorant and impious
and then religion is attacked why
because there have been bad priests because sagittaire bishop of gap was the brother of salone bishop of embrun and because both of them followed mommol
they persecute the saints
they shut their eyes to the truth darkness is the rule
the most ferocious beasts are beasts which are blind
oh how wicked people are
by order of the king signifies to day by order of the revolution
one no longer knows what is due to the living or to the dead a holy death is prohibited
gauthier bishop of chalons held his own in this matter against otho duke of burgundy
the prioress took breath then turned to fauchelevent
you will close the coffin the sisters will carry it to the chapel
the office for the dead will then be said
but she will hear she will not listen
besides what the cloister knows the world learns not
a pause ensued
you will remove your bell
has the doctor for the dead paid his visit
he will pay it at four o'clock to day
the peal which orders the doctor for the dead to be summoned has already been rung
but you do not understand any of the peals
that is well father fauvent
where will you obtain it
i have my heap of old iron at the bottom of the garden
reverend mother what
if you were ever to have any other jobs of this sort my brother is the strong man for you a perfect turk
you will do it as speedily as possible
i cannot work very fast i am infirm that is why i require an assistant i limp
everything must have been completed a good quarter of an hour before that
i will do anything to prove my zeal towards the community these are my orders i am to nail up the coffin
at eleven o'clock exactly i am to be in the chapel
mother ascension will be there two men would be better
however never mind i shall have my lever
after which there will be no trace of anything
the government will have no suspicion
the empty coffin remains this produced a pause
what is to be done with that coffin father fauvent
it will be given to the earth empty
ah the de exclaimed fauchelevent
the vil stuck fast in his throat
he made haste to improvise an expedient to make her forget the oath
i will put earth in the coffin reverend mother that will produce the effect of a corpse
i will make that my special business
these hatreds were soon to make trouble for me of which i had never dreamed
henry washington younger my father represented jackson county three times in the legislature and was also judge of the county court
my mother who was bursheba fristoe of independence was the daughter of richard fristoe who fought under general andrew jackson at new orleans jackson county having been so named at my grandfather fristoe's insistence
i cannot remember when i did not know how to shoot
my brother james was born january fifteenth eighteen forty eight john in eighteen fifty one and robert in december eighteen fifty three
my eldest brother richard died in eighteen sixty
my father was in the employ of the united states government and had the mail contract for five hundred miles
he had started back to harrisonville in a buggy but was waylaid one mile south of westport a suburb of kansas city and brutally murdered falling out of his buggy into the road with three mortal bullet wounds
missus washington wells and her son samuel on the road home from kansas city to lee's summit recognized the body as that of my father
missus wells stayed to guard the remains while her son carried the news of the murder to colonel peabody of the federal command who was then in camp at kansas city
missus mc corkle jumped from the window of the house and escaped
as the raiders left one of them shouted
now old lady call on your protectors why don't you call on cole younger now
every knot represented a human life
but she failed to find the comfort she sought for annoyances continued in a more aggravated form
two months after this incident the same persecutors again entered our home in the dead of the night and at the point of a pistol tried to force my mother to set fire to her own home
i have always felt that the exposure to which she was subjected on this cruel journey too hard even for a man to take was the direct cause of her death
from harrisonville she went to waverly where she was hounded continually
one of the conditions upon which her life was spared was that she would report at lexington weekly
one of my old school teachers whom i have never seen since the spring or summer of eighteen sixty two is stephen b elkins senator from west virginia
when i was taken prisoner i expected to be shot without ceremony
although every book purporting to narrate the lives of the younger brothers has told of the liberty robbery and implied that we had a part in it the youngers were not suspected at that time nor for a long time afterward
it was claimed by people of liberty that they positively recognized among the robbers oll shepherd red monkers and bud pence who had seen service with quantrell
this raid was accompanied by bloodshed judge mc lain the banker being shot though not fatally
no warrant was issued for the youngers but subsequent historians have inferentially at least accused us of taking part but as i said before there is no truth in the accusation
june third eighteen seventy one obocock brothers bank at corydon iowa was robbed of forty thousand dollars by seven men in broad daylight
it was charged that arthur mc coy or a c mc coy and myself had been participants in the gad's hill affair and the two stage robberies
the parts of this letter now relevant are as follows
you may use this letter in your own way
i will give you this outline and sketch of my whereabouts and actions at the time of certain robberies with which i am charged
at the time of the gallatin bank robbery i was gathering cattle in ellis county texas cattle that i bought from pleas taylor and rector
this can be proved by both of them also by sheriff barkley and fifty other respectable men of that county
i brought the cattle to kansas that fall and remained in saint clair county until february
i then went to arkansas and returned to saint clair county about the first of may
i went to kansas where our cattle were in woodson county at colonel ridge's
during the summer i was either in saint clair jackson or kansas but as there was no robbery committed that summer it makes no difference where i was
i went through independence and from there to ace webb's
there i took dinner and then went to doctor l w twyman's
our business there was to see e p west he was not at home but the family will remember that we were there
we crossed on the bridge stayed in the city all night and the next morning we rode up through the city
i met several of my friends among them was bob hudspeth
we were not on good terms at the time nor have we been for several years
poor john he has been hunted down and shot like a wild beast and never was a boy more innocent
doctor l lewis was his physician
there were fifty or a hundred persons there who will testify in any court that john and i were there
helvin fickle and wife of greenton valley were attending the springs at that time and either of them will testify to the above for john and i sat in front of mister smith while he was preaching and was in his company for a few moments together with his wife and mister and missus fickle after service
about the last of december eighteen seventy three i arrived in carroll parish louisiana
i stayed there until the eighth of february eighteen seventy four
i had not heard of that when i wrote the letter of eighteen seventy four and to correct any misapprehension that might be created by omitting it i will say that at that time i was at neosho kansas with a drove of cattle which i sold to major ray
it was immediately following the rock island robbery at adair iowa that there first appeared a deliberate enlistment of some local papers in missouri to connect us with this robbery
we took the oath perhaps three hundred of us down on luther mason's farm a few miles from where i now write where colonel hays had encamped after independence
boone muir and myself met coffee and the rest below rose hill on grand river
accordingly i was shortly awakened to accompany him to lone jack where he would personally make known the situation to the other colonels
foster had nearly one thousand cavalrymen and two pieces of rabb's indiana battery that had already made for itself a name for hard fighting
come in colonel hays exclaimed colonel cockrell
i think he'll be rather tough meat for breakfast i replied he might be all right for dinner
jackman with a party of thirty seasoned men charged the indiana guns and captured them but major foster led a gallant charge against the invaders and recaptured the pieces
we were out of ammunition and were helpless had the fight been pressed
they did mark my clothes in one or two places however
major foster in a letter to judge george m bennett of minneapolis said
i was told by some of our men from the western border of the state that they recognized the daring young rider as cole younger
about nine thirty a m i was shot down
the wounded of both forces were gathered up and were placed in houses
that night it started to rain and we wore out our horses
friday we moved toward waterville and friday night we camped between elysian and german lake
bob's shattered elbow was requiring frequent attention and that night we made only nine miles and monday monday night and tuesday we spent in a deserted farm house close to mankato
that day a man named dunning discovered us and we took him prisoner
finally we administered to him an oath not to betray our whereabouts until we had time to make our escape and he agreed not to
no sooner however was he released than he made posthaste into mankato to announce our presence and in a few minutes another posse was looking for us
the whistle on the oil mill blew and we feared that it was a signal that had been agreed upon to alarm the town in case we were observed but we were not molested
he had to sleep with it pillowed on my breast jim being also crippled with a wound in his shoulder and we could not get much sleep
but they soon after got close enough so that one of them broke my walking stick with a shot
we were in sight of our long sought horses when they cut us off from the animals and our last hope was gone
six stepped to the front sheriff glispin colonel t l vought b m rice g a bradford c a pomeroy and s j severson
forming in line four paces apart he ordered them to advance rapidly and concentrate the fire of the whole line the instant the robbers were discovered
make for the horses i said every man for himself
there is no use stopping to pick up a comrade here for we can't get him through the line just charge them and make it if we can
i got up as the signal for the charge and we fired one volley
one of the fellows in the outer line not brave enough himself to join the volunteers who had come in to beat us out was not disposed to believe in the surrender and had his gun levelled on bob in spite of the handkerchief which was waving as a flag of truce
sheriff glispin of watonwan county who was taking bob's pistol from him was also shouting to the fellow
including those received in and on the way from northfield i had eleven wounds
and sheriff glispin's order not to shoot was the beginning of the protectorate that minnesota people established over us
i urged on the boys that whatever happened we should not shoot any one
when miller and i crossed the bridge the three were on some dry goods boxes at the corner near the bank and as soon as they saw us went right into the bank instead of waiting for us to get there
when we came up i told miller to shut the bank door which they had left open in their hurry
j s allen whose hardware store was near tried to go into the bank but miller ordered him away and he ran around the corner shouting
get your guns boys they're robbing the bank
and i called to him to get inside at the same time firing a pistol shot in the air as a signal to the three boys at the bridge that we had been discovered
almost at this instant i heard a pistol shot in the bank
chadwell woods and jim rode up and joined us shouting to people in the street to get inside and firing their pistols to emphasize their commands
if any of our party shot him it must have been woods
meantime the street was getting uncomfortably hot
every time i saw any one with a bead on me i would drop off my horse and try to drive the shooter inside but i could not see in every direction
doctor wheeler who had gone upstairs in the hotel shot miller and he lay dying in the street
changing his pistol to his left hand bob ran out and mounted miller's mare
what kept you so long i asked pitts
as to the rest of the affair inside the bank i take the account of a northfield narrator
where's the money outside the safe bob asked
the shutters were closed and this caused bunker an instant's delay that was almost fatal pitts chased him with a bullet
the first one missed him but the second went through his right shoulder
they swarmed up in front of sherburn's palings as thick as they could jam together and you couldn't hear yourself think for the noise
some sung out tear down the fence tear down the fence
the stillness was awful creepy and uncomfortable
sherburn run his eye slow along the crowd and wherever it struck the people tried a little to out gaze him but they couldn't they dropped their eyes and looked sneaky
the average man's a coward
because they're afraid the man's friends will shoot them in the back in the darkand it's just what they would do
so they always acquit and then a man goes in the night with a hundred masked cowards at his back and lynches the rascal
you didn't want to come
but a mob without any man at the head of it is beneath pitifulness
now leave and take your half a man with you tossing his gun up across his left arm and cocking it when he says this
the crowd washed back sudden and then broke all apart and went tearing off every which way and buck harkness he heeled it after them looking tolerable cheap
you can't be too careful
they argued and tried to keep him out but he wouldn't listen and the whole show come to a standstill
and one or two women begun to scream
so then the ringmaster he made a little speech and said he hoped there wouldn't be no disturbance and if the man would promise he wouldn't make no more trouble he would let him ride if he thought he could stay on the horse
it warn't funny to me though i was all of a tremble to see his danger
and the horse a going like a house afire too
he shed them so thick they kind of clogged up the air and altogether he shed seventeen suits
why it was one of his own men
which was sound enough judgment but you take the average man and he wouldn't wait for him to howl
the king's duds was all black and he did look real swell and starchy
why before he looked like the orneriest old rip that ever was but now when he'd take off his new white beaver and make a bow and do a smile he looked that grand and good and pious that you'd say he had walked right out of the ark and maybe was old leviticus himself
jim cleaned up the canoe and i got my paddle ready
wher you bound for young man
git aboard says the king
i done so and then we all three started on again
the young chap was mighty thankful said it was tough work toting his baggage such weather
he asked the king where he was going and the king told him he'd come down the river and landed at the other village this morning and now he was going up a few mile to see an old friend on a farm up there the young fellow says
but then i says again no i reckon it ain't him or else he wouldn't be paddling up the river you ain't him are you
no my name's blodgett elexander blodgett reverend elexander blodgett i s'pose i must say as i'm one o the lord's poor servants
you see he was pretty old and george's g'yirls was too young to be much company for him except mary jane the red headed one and so he was kinder lonesome after george and his wife died and didn't seem to care much to live
too bad too bad he couldn't a lived to see his brothers poor soul
i'm going in a ship next wednesday for ryo janeero where my uncle lives
but it'll be lovely wisht i was a going
mary jane's nineteen susan's fifteen and joanna's about fourteenthat's the one that gives herself to good works and has a hare lip poor things
well they could be worse off
old peter had friends and they ain't going to let them come to no harm
blamed if he didn't inquire about everybody and everything in that blessed town and all about the wilkses and about peter's businesswhich was a tanner and about george'swhich was a carpenter and about harvey'swhich was a dissentering minister and so on and so on then he says
when they're deep they won't stop for a hail
was peter wilks well off
when we struck the boat she was about done loading and pretty soon she got off
now hustle back right off and fetch the duke up here and the new carpet bags
so then they waited for a steamboat
but the king was ca'm he says
they give a glance at one another and nodded their heads as much as to say what d i tell you
then one of them says kind of soft and gentle
phelps was one of these little one horse cotton plantations and they all look alike
i went around and clumb over the back stile by the ash hopper and started for the kitchen
i out with a yes'm before i thought
so then she started for the house leading me by the hand and the children tagging after
when we got there she set me down in a split bottomed chair and set herself down on a little low stool in front of me holding both of my hands and says
well it's lucky because sometimes people do get hurt
and i think he died afterwards he was a baptist
yes it was mortificationthat was it
your uncle's been up to the town every day to fetch you
you must a met him on the road didn't you oldish man with a
why child it ll be stole
it was kinder thin ice but i says
i had my mind on the children all the time i wanted to get them out to one side and pump them a little and find out who i was
pretty soon she made the cold chills streak all down my back because she says
i see it warn't a bit of use to try to go ahead i'd got to throw up my hand
so i says to myself here's another place where i got to resk the truth
i opened my mouth to begin but she grabbed me and hustled me in behind the bed and says here he comes
children don't you say a word
i see i was in a fix now
missus phelps she jumps for him and says
has he come no says her husband
i can't imagine says the old gentleman and i must say it makes me dreadful uneasy
uneasy she says i'm ready to go distracted
he must a come and you've missed him along the road
oh don't distress me any more'n i'm already distressed
why silas look yonder up the road ain't that somebody coming
the old gentleman stared and says
i hain't no idea who is it
it's tom sawyer
being tom sawyer was easy and comfortable and it stayed easy and comfortable till by and by i hear a steamboat coughing along down the river
then i says to myself s'pose tom sawyer comes down on that boat
andbut never mind the rest of his outfit it was just wild but it was awful funny
the people most killed themselves laughing and when the king got done capering and capered off behind the scenes they roared and clapped and stormed and haw hawed till he come back and done it over again and after that they made him do it another time
twenty people sings out
the duke says yes
everybody sings out sold
but a big fine looking man jumps up on a bench and shouts hold on
just a word gentlemen they stopped to listen
what we want is to go out of here quiet and talk this show up and sell the rest of the town
you bet it is the jedge is right everybody sings out
we struck the raft at the same time and in less than two seconds we was gliding down stream all dark and still and edging towards the middle of the river nobody saying a word
we never showed a light till we was about ten mile below the village
greenhorns flatheads
no i says it don't
well it don't because it's in the breed i reckon they're all alike
well that's what i'm a saying all kings is mostly rapscallions as fur as i can make out is dat so
and look at charles second and louis fourteen and louis fifteen and james second and edward second and richard third and forty more besides all them saxon heptarchies that used to rip around so in old times and raise cain
my you ought to seen old henry the eight when he was in bloom he was a blossom
ring up fair rosamun
well henry he takes a notion he wants to get up some trouble with this country
s'pose he opened his mouthwhat then
all i say is kings is kings and you got to make allowances
take them all around they're a mighty ornery lot it's the way they're raised
well they all do jim
now de duke he's a tolerble likely man in some ways
this one's a middling hard lot for a duke
when i waked up just at daybreak he was sitting there with his head down betwixt his knees moaning and mourning to himself
it don't seem natural but i reckon it's so
he was often moaning and mourning that way nights when he judged i was asleep and saying po little lizabeth
doan you hear me shet de do
i lay i make you mine
jis as loud as i could yell
even the sun came out pale and watery at noon
the colds and rheumatism of the rainy months vanished
asked a worker last sunday you did it when the yunkers
well didn't they shoot us one man exhibited his arm in a sling
haven't i got something to remember them by the devils
who are you to destroy the legal government who is lenin a german
who are you a counter revolutionist a provocator they bellowed at him
you call yourselves the people of russia but you're not the people of russia
the peasants are the people of russia wait until the peasants
we know what the peasants will say aren't they workingmen like ourselves
these men especially welcomed the call to a congress of peasants
these last were the young generation who had been serving in the army
whereupon the old executive committee left the hall
down with him they shrieked
fearful tumult cries down with the bolsheviki
upon my return i visited smolny no such accusation was made against me there after a brief conversation i left and that's all let any one present make such an accusation
meanwhile the question of the status of the executive committee was agitating all minds
by declaring the assembly extraordinary conference it had been planned to block the reelection of the executive committee
but this worked both ways the left socialist revolutionists decided that if the congress had no power over the executive committee then the executive committee had no power over the congress
on the twenty seventh occurred the debate on the land question which revealed the differences between the agrarian programme of the bolsheviki and the left socialist revolutionaries
the constituent assembly will not dare to break with the will of the people
followed him lenin listened to now with absorbing intensity
the first stage was the crushing of autocracy and the crushing of the power of the industrial capitalists and land owners whose interests are closely related
the dumas and zemstvos were dropped
he knew that an agreement with the bolsheviki was being discussed but he did not know that it had been concluded
he spoke to the rump convention
the villages will save us in the end
but the present movement is international and that is why it is invincible
the will of millions of workers is now concentrated in this hall
a new humanity will be born of this war
i greet you with the christening of a new russian life and freedom
there was a man coming from earth on a second ship who would see him
the little publisher was back at the crusader again
only gordon and sheila were left
credit had been established again and the businesses were open
gordon came to a row of temporary bubbles individual dwellings built like the dome but opaque for privacy
they had been lucky
schulberg's volunteers were official now
fats place was still open though the crooked tables had been removed gordon dropped to a stool slipping off his helmet
he reached automatically for the glass of ether needled beer
thought you'd be in the chips
that's mars gordon echoed the other's comment why don't you pull off the planet fats you could go back to earth i'd guess the other nodded
guess a man gets used to anything hell maybe i can hire some bums to sit around and whoop it up when the ships come in and bill this as a real old martian den of sin
there was a grin on the other's face
finally got our orders for you it's mercury
we sent twenty others the same way and they failed
let's say you've shifted some of the misery around a bit and given them a chance to do better
you can't stay here
there's a rocket waiting to transship you to the moon on the way to mercury right now gordon sighed
and i've paid her the pay we owe you from the time you began using your badge she's out shopping
but his old eyes were glinting
did you think we'd let you go without seeing you off cobber he asked
i i oh drat it i'm getting old izzy you tell him
he grabbed gordon's hand and waddled down the landing plank izzy shook his head
it was night outside and the phosphor bulbs at the corners glowed dimly giving him barely enough light by which to locate the way to the extemporized precinct house
it had probably been years since any had dared risk it after the sun went down
and the slow doubtful respect on the faces of the citizens as they nodded to him was even more proof that haley's system was working
gordon hit the signal switch and the marspeaker let out a shrill whistle
guns suddenly seemed to be flourishing everywhere
you can't do it to me
i'm reformed i'm going straight
you damned cops can't o'neill was blubbering
one look was enough the work papers had the telltale over thickening of the signature that had showed up on other papers obviously forgeries
some turned away as gordon and the other cop went to work but most of them weren't squeamish
when it was over the two picked up their whimpering captive
jenkins the other cop had been holding the wallet
must of been making a big contact in something fifty fifty
there must have been over two thousand credits in the wallet
when gordon and jenkins came back murdoch tossed the money to them split it
whatever comes to hand gov'nor
like this social call gordon asked him
the little man shook his head his ancient eighteen year old face turning sober nope
you owe me some bills gov'nor
eleven hundred fifty credits
you didn't pay up your pledge to the campaign fund so i hadda fill in
a thousand interest at ten per cent a week standard right
gordon had heard of the friendly interest charged on the side here but he shook his head wrong izzy
huh izzy turned it over and shook his head
now show me where i signed any agreement saying i'd pay you back
for a second izzy's face went blank then he chuckled
he pulled out the bills and handed them over
thanks izzy thanks yourself
the kid pocketed the money cheerfully nodding
the little guy knew mars as few others did apparently from all sides
and if any of the other cops had private rackets of their own izzy was undoubtedly the man to find it out and use the information with a beat such as that even going halves and with all the graft to the upper brackets he'd still be able to make his pile in a matter of months
the captain looked completely beaten as he came into the room and dropped onto the bench
go on accept damn it
captain murdoch
but marsport had flourished enough to kill it off
some of mars laws dated from the time when law enforcement had been hampered by lack of men rather than by the type of men
the stonewall gang numbered perhaps five hundred
even derelicts and failures had to eat there were stores and shops throughout the district which eked out some kind of a marginal living
they were safe from protection racketeers there none bothered to come so far out
the shopkeepers and some of the less unfortunate people there had protested loud enough to reach clear back to earth
captain murdoch was an unknown factor and now was asking for more men
the pressure was enough to get them for him
gordon reported for work with a sense of the bottom falling out mixed with a vague relief
i've got a free hand and we're going to run this the way we would on earth
your job is to protect the citizens here and that means everyone not breaking the laws whether you feel like it or not no graft
the first man making a shakedown will get the same treatment we're going to use on the stonewall boys you'll get double pay here and you can live on it
he picked out five of the men including gordon you five will come with me
the rest of you can team up any way you want tonight pick any route that's open okay men let's go
bruce gordon grinned slowly as he swung the stick and murdoch's eyes fell on him earth cop
two years gordon admitted
for a second gordon cursed himself
he began wondering about security then
nobody had tried to get in touch with him
there was a crude lighting system here put up by the citizens at the front of each building a dim phosphor bulb glowed when darkness fell they would have nothing else to see by
moving in two groups of threes at opposite sides of the street they began their beat
there was no chance to save the citizen who was dying from lack of air
gordon felt the solid pleasure of the finely turned club in his hands
gordon's eyes popped at that
he swallowed the sentiment his own club was moving now
the other four cops had come in reluctantly
he brought him to the ground with a single blow across the kidneys
they rounded up the men of the gang and one of the cops started off
to find a phone and call the wagon
we're not using wagons murdoch told him line them up
if they tried to run they were hit from behind if they stood still they were clubbed carefully
murdoch indicated one who stood with his shoulders shaking and tears running down his cheeks
the captain's face was as sick as gordon felt
i want the name of every man in the gang you can remember he told the man
colonel they'd kill me i don't know
murdoch took his nod as evidence enough and turned to the wretched toughs
if he should turn up dead i'll know you boys are responsible and i'll find you
trouble began brewing shortly after though
murdoch sent one of the men to pick up a second squad of six and then a third
in the third one bruce gordon spotted one of the men who'd been beaten before
get a stretcher and take him wherever he belongs he ordered
but the captain stirred finally sighing
no the cops they're giving me we're covered gordon
but the stonewall gang is backing wayne
but it's going to be tough on them
bruce gordon grimaced i've got a yellow ticket from security
murdoch blinked he dropped his eyes slowly
what makes you think wayne will be re elected
nobody wants him except a gang of crooks and those in power
ever see a martian election
no you're a firster he can't lose
and then hell is going to pop and this whole planet may be blown wide open
it fitted with the dire predictions of security and with the spying gordon was going to do according to them
he was getting even fatter now that he was eating better food from the fair restaurant around the corner
cost em more but they'd be respectable
because izzy is always honest according to how he sees it
but you got earth ideas of the stuff like i had once
the groups grew more experienced and murdoch was training a new squad every night
it wasn't exactly legal but nothing was here
this could lead to abuses as he'd seen on earth
but there probably wouldn't be time for it if mayor wayne was re elected
captain lake did not look at all like a london dandy now
there was a very natural savagery and dejection there and a wild leer in his yellow eyes rachel sat down
a slave only think a slave
oh frightful frightful is it a dream
oh frightful frightful
stanley stanley it would be mercy to kill me she broke out again
bright and natty were the chintz curtains and the little toilet set out not inelegantly and her pet piping goldfinch asleep on his perch with his bit of sugar between the wires of his cage her pillow so white and unpressed with its little edging of lace
when he came back to the drawing room a toilet bottle of eau de cologne in his hand with her lace handkerchief he bathed her temples and forehead
there was nothing very brotherly in his look as he peered into her pale sharp features during the process
there don't mind me she said sharply and getting up she looked down at her dress and thin shoes and seeming to recollect herself she took the candle he had just set down and went swiftly to her room
and she threw back her veil and going hurriedly to the toilet mechanically surveyed herself in the glass
rachel lake rachel lake what are you now
i'll stay here that is in the drawing room she answered and the face was withdrawn
he slackened his pace and tapped sharply at the little window of that modest post office at which the young ladies in the pony carriage had pulled up the day before and within which luke waggot was wont to sleep in a sort of wooden box that folded up and appeared to be a chest of drawers all day
luke took care of mister larkin's dogs and groomed mister wylder's horse and cleaned up his dog cart for mark being close about money and finding that the thing was to be done more cheaply that way put up his horse and dog cart in the post office premises and so evaded the livery charges of the brandon arms
but luke was not there and captain lake recollecting his habits and his haunt hurried on to the silver lion which has its gable towards the common only about a hundred steps away for distances are not great in gylingden
here were the flow of soul and of stout long pipes long yarns and tolerably long credits and the humble scapegraces of the town resorted thither for the pleasures of a club life and often revelled deep into the small hours of the morning
lose no time and i'll give you half a crown
luke stuck on his greasy wideawake and in a few minutes more the dog cart was trundled out into the lane and the horse harnessed went between the shafts with that wonderful cheerfulness with which they bear to be called up under startling circumstances at unseasonable hours
if i thought you'd fail me now tamar i should never come back good night tamar
the act said that in case of difference of opinion there must be a ballot
he went up to the table and striking it with his finger ring he shouted loudly a ballot
he was shouting for the very course sergey ivanovitch had proposed but it was evident that he hated him and all his party and this feeling of hatred spread through the whole party and roused in opposition to it the same vindictiveness though in a more seemly form on the other side
shouts were raised and for a moment all was confusion so that the marshal of the province had to call for order a ballot
we shed our blood for our country
the confidence of the monarch no checking the accounts of the marshal he's not a cashier but that's not the point
votes please beastly
they expressed the most implacable hatred
levin did not in the least understand what was the matter and he marveled at the passion with which it was disputed whether or not the decision about flerov should be put to the vote
he forgot as sergey ivanovitch explained to him afterwards this syllogism that it was necessary for the public good to get rid of the marshal of the province that to get rid of the marshal it was necessary to have a majority of votes that to get a majority of votes it was necessary to secure flerov's right to vote that to secure the recognition of flerov's right to vote they must decide on the interpretation to be put on the act
but levin forgot all that and it was painful to him to see all these excellent persons for whom he had a respect in such an unpleasant and vicious state of excitement
to escape from this painful feeling he went away into the other room where there was nobody except the waiters at the refreshment bar
he particularly liked the way one gray whiskered waiter who showed his scorn for the other younger ones and was jeered at by them was teaching them how to fold up napkins properly
levin advanced but utterly forgetting what he was to do and much embarrassed he turned to sergey ivanovitch with the question where am i to put it
sergey ivanovitch frowned
that is a matter for each man's own decision he said severely
having put it in he recollected that he ought to have thrust his left hand too and so he thrust it in though too late and still more overcome with confusion he beat a hasty retreat into the background
a hundred and twenty six for admission ninety eight against
sang out the voice of the secretary who could not pronounce the letter r
then there was a laugh a button and two nuts were found in the box
but the old party did not consider themselves conquered
in reply snetkov spoke of the trust the noblemen of the province had placed in him the affection they had shown him which he did not deserve as his only merit had been his attachment to the nobility to whom he had devoted twelve years of service
this expression in the marshal's face was particularly touching to levin because only the day before he had been at his house about his trustee business and had seen him in all his grandeur a kind hearted fatherly man
if there are men younger and more deserving than i let them serve
and the marshal disappeared through a side door
they were to proceed immediately to the election
two noble gentlemen who had a weakness for strong drink had been made drunk by the partisans of snetkov and a third had been robbed of his uniform
on learning this the new party had made haste during the dispute about flerov to send some of their men in a sledge to clothe the stripped gentleman and to bring along one of the intoxicated to the meeting
levin did not care to eat and he was not smoking he did not want to join his own friends that is sergey ivanovitch stepan arkadyevitch sviazhsky and the rest because vronsky in his equerry's uniform was standing with them in eager conversation
he went to the window and sat down scanning the groups and listening to what was being said around him
he's such a blackguard
i have told him so but it makes no difference only think of it
these persons were unmistakably seeking a place where they could talk without being overheard
shall we go on your excellency fine champagne
last year at our district marshal nikolay ivanovitch's
oh still just the same always at a loss the landowner answered with a resigned smile but with an expression of serenity and conviction that so it must be
why what is there to understand
there's no meaning in it at all
then too one must keep up connections
it's a moral obligation of a sort
and then to tell the truth there's one's own interests
they're proprietors of a sort but we're the landowners
that it may be but still it ought to be treated a little more respectfully
if we're laying out a garden planning one before the house you know and there you've a tree that's stood for centuries in the very spot old and gnarled it may be and yet you don't cut down the old fellow to make room for the flowerbeds but lay out your beds so as to take advantage of the tree
well and how is your land doing
but one's work is thrown in for nothing
oh well one does it what would you have
and what's more the landowner went on leaning his elbows on the window and chatting on my son i must tell you has no taste for it
so there'll be no one to keep it up and yet one does it
we walked about the fields and the garden no said he stepan vassilievitch everything's well looked after but your garden's neglected
to my thinking i'd cut down that lime tree
here you've thousands of limes and each would make two good bundles of bark
you're married i've heard said the landowner
yes it's rather strange he went on
the landowner chuckled under his white mustaches
why don't we cut down our parks for timber
said levin returning to a thought that had struck him
there's a class instinct too of what one ought and oughtn't to do
there's the peasants too i wonder at them sometimes any good peasant tries to take all the land he can
without a return too at a simple loss
i swear it answered sancho
i say so continued don quixote because i hate taking away anyone's good name
i say replied sancho that i swear to hold my tongue about it till the end of your worship's days and god grant i may be able to let it out tomorrow
though your worship was not so badly off having in your arms that incomparable beauty you spoke of but i what did i have except the heaviest whacks i think i had in all my life
unlucky me and the mother that bore me
didn't i say so worse luck to my line said sancho
it cannot be the moor answered don quixote for those under enchantment do not let themselves be seen by anyone
if they don't let themselves be seen they let themselves be felt said sancho if not let my shoulders speak to the point
mine could speak too said don quixote but that is not a sufficient reason for believing that what we see is the enchanted moor
the officer turned to him and said well how goes it good man
sancho got up with pain enough in his bones and went after the innkeeper in the dark and meeting the officer who was looking to see what had become of his enemy he said to him senor whoever you are do us the favour and kindness to give us a little rosemary oil salt and wine for it is wanted to cure one of the best knights errant on earth who lies on yonder bed wounded by the hands of the enchanted moor that is in this inn
to be brief he took the materials of which he made a compound mixing them all and boiling them a good while until it seemed to him they had come to perfection
sancho panza who also regarded the amendment of his master as miraculous begged him to give him what was left in the pigskin which was no small quantity
don quixote consented and he taking it with both hands in good faith and with a better will gulped down and drained off very little less than his master
if your worship knew that returned sancho woe betide me and all my kindred why did you let me taste it
search your memory and if you find anything of this kind you need only tell me of it and i promise you by the order of knighthood which i have received to procure you satisfaction and reparation to the utmost of your desire
then this is an inn said don quixote
and a very respectable one said the innkeeper
the cries of the poor blanketed wretch were so loud that they reached the ears of his master who halting to listen attentively was persuaded that some new adventure was coming until he clearly perceived that it was his squire who uttered them
he saw him rising and falling in the air with such grace and nimbleness that had his rage allowed him it is my belief he would have laughed
sancho took it and as he was raising it to his mouth he was stopped by the cries of his master exclaiming sancho my son drink not water drink it not my son for it will kill thee see here i have the blessed balsam and he held up the flask of liquor and with drinking two drops of it thou wilt certainly be restored
lobsters and lobsters
when is a lobster not a lobster when it is a crayfish
this question and answer might well go into the primer of information for those who come to san francisco from the east for what is called a lobster in san francisco is not a lobster at all but a crayfish
the pacific crayfish however serves every purpose and while many contend that its meat is not so delicate in flavor as that of its eastern cousin the californian will as strenuously insist that it is better but of course something must always be allowed for the patriotism of the californian
a book could be written about this restaurant and then all would not be told for all its secrets can never be known
it was here that most magnificent dinners were arranged it was here that extraordinary dishes were concocted by chefs of world wide fame it was here that lobster a la newberg reached its highest perfection and this is the recipe that was followed when it was prepared in the delmonico
lobster a la newberg
one pound of lobster meat one teaspoonful of butter one half pint of cream yolks of four eggs one wine glass of sherry lobster fat
put this in a double boiler and let cook until thick stirring constantly
serve in a chafing dish with thin slices of dry toast
king of shell fish
one has to come to san francisco to partake of the king of shell fish the mammoth pacific crab
i say come to san francisco advisedly for while the crab is found all along the coast it is prepared nowhere so deliciously as in san francisco
gobey's passed with the fire and the little restaurant bearing his name and in charge of his widow in union square avenue has not attained the fame of the old place
it is possible that she knows the secret of preparing crab as it was prepared in the gobey's of before the fire but his prestige did not descend to her
gobey's crab stew
take the meat of one large crab scraping out all of the fat from the shell
soak the crab meat in the sherry two hours before cooking
chop fine the onion sweet pepper and tomato with the rosemary
heat this in a stewpan and when simmering add the sherry and crab meat and let all cook together with a slow fire for eight minutes
serve in a chafing dish with toasted crackers or thin slices of toasted bread
lobster in miniature
so far it has been used mostly for garnishment of other dishes and it is only recently that the hof brau has been making a specialty of them
all of the better class restaurants however will serve them if you order them
this is the recipe for eight people and it is well worth trying if you are giving a dinner of importance
bisque of crawfish
take thirty crawfish from which remove the gut containing the gall in the following manner take firm hold of the crawfish with the left hand so as to avoid being pinched by its claws with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand pinch the extreme end of the central fin of the tail and with a sudden jerk the gut will be withdrawn
mince or cut into small dice a carrot an onion one head of celery and a few parsley roots and to these add a bay leaf a sprig of thyme a little minionette pepper and two ounces of butter
put these ingredients into a stewpan and fry them ten minutes then throw in the crawfish and pour on them half a bottle of french white wine
allow this to boil and then add a quart of strong consomme and let all continue boiling for half an hour
pick out the crawfish and strain the broth through a napkin by pressure into a basin in order to extract all the essence from the vegetables
pick the shells off twenty five of the crawfish tails trim them neatly and set them aside until wanted
reserve some of the spawn also half of the body shells with which to make the crawfish butter to finish the soup
this butter is made as follows place the shells on a baking sheet in the oven to dry let the shells cool and then pound them in a mortar with a little lobster coral and four ounces of fresh butter thoroughly bruising the whole together so as to make a fine paste
there was once on a time a widower who had a son and a daughter by his first wife
from the very day that the new wife came into the house there was no peace for the man's children and not a corner to be found where they could get any rest so the boy thought that the best thing he could do was to go out into the world and try to earn his own bread
but his sister who was still at home fared worse and worse
kiss me girl said the head
when the king entered and saw it he stood still as if he were in fetters and could not stir from the spot for the picture seemed to him so beautiful
the youth promised to make all the haste he could and set forth from the king's palace
at last they came in sight of land
well if my brother says so i must do it said the man's daughter and she flung her casket into the sea
what is my brother saying asked his sister again
on the first thursday night after this a beautiful maiden came into the kitchen of the palace and begged the kitchen maid who slept there to lend her a brush
she begged very prettily and got it and then she brushed her hair and the gold dropped from it
out on thee ugly bushy bride sleeping so soft by the young king's side on sand and stones my bed i make and my brother sleeps with the cold snake unpitied and unwept
i shall come twice more and then never again said she
this time also as before she borrowed a brush and brushed her hair with it and the gold dropped down as she did it and again she sent the dog out three times and when day dawned she departed but as she was going she said as she had said before i shall come once more and then never again
no one can tell how delighted the king was to get rid of that hideous bushy bride and get a queen who was bright and beautiful as day itself
wilt thou serve me and watch my seven foals asked the king
the youth thought that it was very easy work to watch the foals and that he could do it well enough
hast thou watched faithfully and well the whole day long said the king when the lad came into his presence in the evening
yes that i have said the youth
he had gone out once to seek a place he said but never would he do such a thing again
then the king promised him the same punishment and the same reward that he had promised his brother
when he had run after the foals for a long long time and was hot and tired he passed by a cleft in the rock where an old woman was sitting spinning with a distaff and she called to him
come hither come hither my handsome son and let me comb your hair
the youth liked the thought of this let the foals run where they chose and seated himself in the cleft of the rock by the side of the old hag
so there he sat with his head on her lap taking his ease the livelong day
on the third day cinderlad wanted to set out
the two brothers laughed at him and his father and mother begged him not to go but all to no purpose and cinderlad set out on his way
i am walking about in search of a place said cinderlad
i would much rather have the princess said cinderlad
and thus they journeyed onwards a long long way
when they had gone thus for a long long way the foal again asked dost thou see anything now
yes now i see something that is white said cinderlad
it looks like the trunk of a great thick birch tree
cinderlad tried but could not do it so he had to take a draught from the pitcher and then one more and after that still another and then he was able to wield the sword with perfect ease
for we are brothers of the princess whom thou art to have when thou canst tell the king what we eat and drink but there is a mighty troll who has cast a spell over us
when they had travelled a long long way the foal said dost thou see anything
and now inquired the foal seest thou nothing now
now then said the foal dost thou not see anything now
that is a river said the foal and we have to cross it
i have done my best replied cinderlad
once upon a time there was a king in the north who had won many wars but now he was old
the old king went out and fought bravely but at last his sword broke and he was wounded and his men fled
but in the night when the battle was over his young wife came out and searched for him among the slain and at last she found him and asked whether he might be healed
so he asked the queen how do you know in the dark of night whether the hours are wearing to the morning and she said
then the old man said drive all the horses into the river and choose the one that swims across
he is no bigger than other dragons said the tutor and if you were as brave as your father you would not fear him
then the person who had killed otter went down and caught the dwarf who owned all the treasure and took it from him
only one ring was left which the dwarf wore and even that was taken from him
so regin made a sword and sigurd tried it with a blow on a lump of iron and the sword broke
then sigurd went to his mother and asked for the broken pieces of his father's blade and gave them to regin
so sigurd said that sword would do
then he saw the track which the dragon made when he went to a cliff to drink and the track was as if a great river had rolled along and left a deep valley
but sigurd waited till half of him had crawled over the pit and then he thrust the sword gram right into his very heart
sigurd said i would touch none of it if by losing it i should never die
but all men die and no brave man lets death frighten him from his desire
die thou fafnir and then fafnir died
then sigurd rode back and met regin and regin asked him to roast fafnir's heart and let him taste of it
so sigurd put the heart of fafnir on a stake and roasted it
there is sigurd roasting fafnir's heart for another when he should taste of it himself and learn all wisdom
that let him do and then ride over hindfell to the place where brynhild sleeps
there must she sleep till thou comest for her waking rise up and ride for now sure she will swear the vow fearless of breaking
then he took the helmet off the head of the sleeper and behold she was a most beautiful lady
then sigurd rode away and he came to the house of a king who had a fair daughter
then brynhild's father told gunnar that she would marry none but him who could ride the flame in front of her enchanted tower and thither they rode and gunnar set his horse at the flame but he would not face it
for one day when brynhild and gudrun were bathing brynhild waded farthest out into the river and said she did that to show she was guirun's superior
for her husband she said had ridden through the flame when no other man dared face it
not long to wait he said till the bitter sword stands fast in my heart and thou will not live long when i am dead
general observations on preserves confectionary ices and dessert dishes
the expense of preserving them with sugar is a serious objection for except the sugar is used in considerable quantities the success is very uncertain
fruit gathered in wet or foggy weather will soon be mildewed and be of no service for preserves
but to distinguish these properly requires very great attention and considerable experience
if you dip the finger into the syrup and apply it to the thumb the tenacity of the syrup will on separating the finger and thumb afford a thread which shortly breaks this is the little thread
let it boil up again then take it off and remove carefully the scum that has risen
it is considered to be sufficiently boiled when some taken up in a spoon pours out like oil
before sugar was in use honey was employed to preserve many vegetable productions though this substance has now given way to the juice of the sugar cane
fourteen ninety nine
boil them up three days successively skimming each time and they will then be finished and in a state fit to be put into pots for use
the reason why the fruit is emptied out of the preserving pan into an earthen pan is that the acid of the fruit acts upon the copper of which the preserving pans are usually made
from this example the process of preserving fruits by syrup will be easily comprehended
they should be dried in the stove or oven on a sieve and turned every six or eight hours fresh powdered sugar being sifted over them every time they are turned
in this way it is also that orange and lemon chips are preserved
marmalades jams and fruit pastes are of the same nature and are now in very general request
marmalades and jams differ little from each other they are preserves of a half liquid consistency made by boiling the pulp of fruits and sometimes part of the rinds with sugar
that they may keep it is necessary not to be sparing of sugar fifteen o three
in all the operations for preserve making when the preserving pan is used it should not be placed on the fire but on a trivet unless the jam is made on a hot plate when this is not necessary
confectionary fifteen o eight
in speaking of confectionary it should be remarked that all the various preparations above named come strictly speaking under that head for the various fruits flowers herbs roots and juices which when boiled with sugar were formerly employed in pharmacy as well as for sweetmeats were called confections from the latin word conficere to make up but the term confectionary embraces a very large class indeed of sweet food many kinds of which should not be attempted in the ordinary cuisine
the thousand and one ornamental dishes that adorn the tables of the wealthy should be purchased from the confectioner they cannot profitably be made at home
however as late as the reigns of our two last georges fabulous sums were often expended upon fanciful desserts
the shape of the dishes varies at different periods the prevailing fashion at present being oval and circular dishes on stems
ices
at desserts or at some evening parties ices are scarcely to be dispensed with
the spaddle is generally made of copper kept bright and clean
they should be taken immediately after the repast or some hours after because the taking these substances during the process of digestion is apt to provoke indisposition
his followers rushed forward to where he lay and their united force compelling the black knight to pause they dragged their wounded leader within the walls
it was on their journey to that town that they were overtaken on the road by cedric and his party in whose company they were afterwards carried captive to the castle of torquilstone
as he lay upon his bed racked with pain and mental agony and filled with the fear of rapidly approaching death he heard a voice address him
what art thou he exclaimed in terror
leave me and seek the saxon witch ulrica who was my temptress let her as well as i taste the tortures which anticipate hell
exclaimed the norman ho
rememberest thou the magazine of fuel that is stored beneath these apartments woman
they are fast rising at least said ulrica and a signal shall soon wave to warn the besiegers to press hard upon those who would extinguish them
meanwhile the black knight had led his forces again to the attack and so vigorous was their assault that before long the gate of the castle alone separated them from those within
the defenders finding the castle to be on fire now determined to sell their lives as dearly as they could and headed by de bracy they threw open the gate and were at once involved in a terrific conflict with those outside
the black knight with portentous strength forced his way inward in despite of de bracy and his followers
two of the foremost instantly fell and the rest gave way notwithstanding all their leaders efforts to stop them
the black knight was soon engaged in desperate combat with the norman chief and the vaulted roof of the hall rung with their furious blows
at length de bracy fell
tell me thy name or work thy pleasure on me
yet first let me say said de bracy what it imports thee to know
exclaimed the black knight prisoner and perish
the life of every man in the castle shall answer it if a hair of his head be singed show me his chamber
raising the wounded man with ease the black knight rushed with him to the postern gate and having there delivered his burden to the care of two yeomen he again entered the castle to assist in the rescue of the other prisoners
but in other parts the besiegers pursued the defenders of the castle from chamber to chamber and satiated in their blood the vengeance which had long animated them against the soldiers of the tyrant front de boeuf
as the fire commenced to spread rapidly through all parts of the castle ulrica appeared on one of the turrets
before long the towering flames had surmounted every obstruction and rose to the evening skies one huge and burning beacon seen far and wide through the adjacent country tower after tower crashed down with blazing roof and rafter
at length with a terrific crash the whole turret gave way and she perished in the flames which had consumed her tyrant
when the outlaws had divided the spoils which they had taken from the castle of torquilstone cedric prepared to take his departure
he left the gallant band of foresters sorrowing deeply for his lost friend the lord of coningsburgh and he and his followers had scarce departed when a procession moved slowly from under the greenwood branches in the direction which he had taken in the centre of which was the car in which the body of athelstane was laid
de bracy bowed low and in silence threw himself upon a horse and galloped off through the wood
here is a bugle which an english yeoman has once worn i pray you to keep it as a memorial of your gallant bearing
so saying he mounted his strong war horse and rode off through the forest
during all this time isaac of york sat mournfully apart grieving for the loss of his dearly loved daughter rebecca
and with this epistle the unhappy old man set out to procure his daughter's liberation
the templar is fled said de bracy in answer to the prince's eager questions front de boeuf you will never see more and he added in a low and emphatic tone richard is in england i have seen him and spoken with him
he appealed to de bracy to assist him in this project and became at once deeply suspicious of the knight's loyalty towards him when he declined to lift hand against the man who had spared his own life
before reaching his destination he was told that lucas de beaumanoir the grand master of the order of the templars was then on visit to the preceptory
he had not until then been informed of the presence of the jewish maiden in the abode of the templars and great was his fury and indignation on learning that she was amongst them
poor isaac was hurried off accordingly and expelled from the preceptory all his entreaties and even his offers unheard and disregarded
the assurance that she possessed some friend in this awful assembly gave her courage to look around and to mark into whose presence she had been conducted
she gazed accordingly upon a scene which might well have struck terror into a bolder heart than hers
at his feet was placed a table occupied by two scribes whose duty it was to record the proceedings of the day
the preceptors of whom there were four present occupied seats behind their superiors and behind them stood the esquires of the order robed in white
and laura had her own pet plans
she meant to be scrupulously conscientious in the administration of her talents and sometimes at church on a sunday when the sermon was particularly awakening she mentally debated the serious question as to whether new bonnets and a pair of jouvin's gloves daily were not sinful but i think she decided that the new bonnets and gloves were on the whole a pardonable weakness as being good for trade
one morning laura told her husband with a gay laugh that she was going to victimize him but he was to promise to be patient and bear with her for once in a way
i want to see all the pictures the modern pictures especially
i remember all the rubenses at the louvre for i saw them three years ago when i was staying in paris with grandpapa
she returned in a little more than ten minutes in the freshest toilette all pale shimmering blue like the spring sky with pearl grey gloves and boots and parasol and a bonnet that seemed made of azure butterflies
it was drawing towards the close of this delightful honeymoon tour and it was a bright sunshiny morning early in february but february in paris is sometimes better than april in london
but she fixed upon a picture which she said she preferred to anything she had seen in the gallery
philip jocelyn was examining some pictures on the other side of the room when his wife made this discovery
how i wish you could get me a copy of that picture philip laura said entreatingly
i should so like one to hang in my morning room at jocelyn's rock
she turned to the french artist presently and asked him where the elder mister kerstall lived and if there was any possibility of seeing him
they have said that he is even a little imbecile that he does not remember himself of the most common events of his life
but there are some others who say that his memory has not altogether failed and that he is still enough harshly critical towards the works of others
i don't think you will have any difficulty in finding the house
you will be doing me such a favour philip if you'll say yes
when it was the seven hundred and eighteenth night
but he answered needs must i have zaynab also now suddenly there came a rap at the door and the maid said who is at the door
the knocker replied kamar daughter of azariah the jew say me is ali of cairo with you
replied the broker's daughter o thou daughter of a dog
and having thus islamised she asked him do men in the faith of al islam give marriage portions to women or do women dower men
and she threw down the jew's head before him
now the cause of her slaying her sire was as follows
then he set out rejoicing to return to the barrack of the forty
so he ate and fell down senseless for the sweetmeats were drugged with bhang whereupon the kazi bundled him into the sack and made off with him charger and chest and all to the barrack of the forty
presently hasan shuman came out of a closet and said to him hast thou gotten the gear o ali
so he told him what had befallen him and added if i know whither the rascal is gone and where to find the knave i would pay him out
knowest thou whither he went
answered hasan i know where he is and opening the door of the closet showed him the sweetmeat seller within drugged and senseless
so i went round about the highways of the city till i met a sweetmeat seller and buying his clothes and stock in trade and gear for ten dinars did what was done
quoth al rashid whose head is this
so ali related to him all that had passed from first to last and the caliph said i had not thought thou wouldst kill him for that he was a sorcerer
he replied i have forty lads but they are in cairo
the strides of a lame man are like the ogling glances of a one eyed man they do not reach their goal very promptly
cosette had waked up
jean valjean had placed her near the fire
you will wait for me at a lady's house i shall come to fetch you
everything is arranged and nothing is said fauchelevent
i have permission to bring you in but before bringing you in you must be got out
that's where the difficulty lies
it is easy enough with the child you will carry her out
and she will hold her tongue i answer for that
fauchelevent grumbled more to himself than to jean valjean
you understand father madeleine the government will notice it
jean valjean stared him straight in the eye and thought that he was raving
fauchelevent went on
it is to morrow that i am to bring you in the prioress expects you
then he explained to jean valjean that this was his recompense for a service which he fauchelevent was to render to the community
that the nun who had died that morning had requested to be buried in the coffin which had served her for a bed and interred in the vault under the altar of the chapel
that the prioress and the vocal mothers intended to fulfil the wish of the deceased
that he fauchelevent was to nail up the coffin in the cell raise the stone in the chapel and lower the corpse into the vault
and then that there was another the empty coffin
what is that empty coffin
asked jean valjean fauchelevent replied
what coffin what administration
fauchelevent who was seated sprang up as though a bomb had burst under his chair you
you know fauchelevent what you have said mother crucifixion is dead
and i add and father madeleine is buried ah
you are not like other men father madeleine
this offers the means but give me some information in the first place
how long is the coffin six feet
it is a chamber on the ground floor which has a grated window opening on the garden which is closed on the outside by a shutter and two doors one leads into the convent the other into the church what church
the church in the street the church which any one can enter
have you the keys to those two doors
no i have the key to the door which communicates with the convent the porter has the key to the door which communicates with the church
only to allow the undertaker's men to enter when they come to get the coffin
who nails up the coffin i do
who spreads the pall over it
not another man except the police doctor can enter the dead room that is even written on the wall
could you hide me in that room to night when every one is asleep
about three o'clock in the afternoon
i shall be hungry i will bring you something
you can come and nail me up in the coffin at two o'clock
fauchelevent recoiled and cracked his finger joints but that is impossible
bah impossible to take a hammer and drive some nails in a plank
jean valjean had been in worse straits than this
any man who has been a prisoner understands how to contract himself to fit the diameter of the escape
what does not a man undergo for the sake of a cure
to have himself nailed up in a case and carried off like a bale of goods to live for a long time in a box to find air where there is none to economize his breath for hours to know how to stifle without dying this was one of jean valjean's gloomy talents
you surely must have a gimlet you will make a few holes here and there around my mouth and you will nail the top plank on loosely good and what if you should happen to cough or to sneeze
a man who is making his escape does not cough or sneeze
who is there who has not said to a cat do come in
the over prudent cats as they are and because they are cats sometimes incur more danger than the audacious
but jean valjean's coolness prevailed over him in spite of himself he grumbled
if you are sure of coming out of the coffin all right i am sure of getting you out of the grave
an old fellow of the old school the grave digger puts the corpses in the grave and i put the grave digger in my pocket
i shall follow that is my business
the hearse halts the undertaker's men knot a rope around your coffin and lower you down
the priest says the prayers makes the sign of the cross sprinkles the holy water and takes his departure
one of two things will happen he will either be sober or he will not be sober
that is settled father fauchelevent all will go well
on the following day as the sun was declining the very rare passers by on the boulevard du maine pulled off their hats to an old fashioned hearse ornamented with skulls cross bones and tears
this hearse contained a coffin covered with a white cloth over which spread a large black cross like a huge corpse with drooping arms
a mourning coach in which could be seen a priest in his surplice and a choir boy in his red cap followed
behind it came an old man in the garments of a laborer who limped along
the grave diggers being thus bound to service in the evening in summer and at night in winter in this cemetery they were subjected to a special discipline
these gates therefore swung inexorably on their hinges at the instant when the sun disappeared behind the dome of the invalides
dampness was invading it the flowers were deserting it
the bourgeois did not care much about being buried in the vaugirard it hinted at poverty pere lachaise if you please
to be buried in pere lachaise is equivalent to having furniture of mahogany it is recognized as elegant
the interment of mother crucifixion in the vault under the altar the exit of cosette the introduction of jean valjean to the dead room all had been executed without difficulty and there had been no hitch let us remark in passing that the burial of mother crucifixion under the altar of the convent is a perfectly venial offence in our sight
it is one of the faults which resemble a duty
the nuns had committed it not only without difficulty but even with the applause of their own consciences
in the cloister what is called the government is only an intermeddling with authority an interference which is always questionable
make as many laws as you please men but keep them for yourselves
a prince is nothing in the presence of a principle
fauchelevent limped along behind the hearse in a very contented frame of mind
jean valjean's composure was one of those powerful tranquillities which are contagious
what remained to be done was a mere nothing
he played with father mestienne
he did what he liked with him he made him dance according to his whim
the permission for interment must be exhibited
he was a sort of laboring man who wore a waistcoat with large pockets and carried a mattock under his arm
the man replied the grave digger
the grave digger yes
you i
father mestienne is the grave digger he was
fauchelevent had expected anything but this that a grave digger could die
it is true nevertheless that grave diggers do die themselves
he had hardly the strength to stammer
but he persisted feebly father mestienne is the grave digger
do you know who little father lenoir is he is a jug of red wine
but you are a jolly fellow too
are you not comrade we'll go and have a drink together presently
the man replied
he limped more out of anxiety than from infirmity
the grave digger walked on in front of him
fauchelevent passed the unexpected gribier once more in review
fauchelevent who was illiterate but very sharp understood that he had to deal with a formidable species of man with a fine talker he muttered
so father mestienne is dead
the man replied completely
the good god consulted his note book which shows when the time is up it was father mestienne's turn father mestienne died
stammered fauchelevent it is made
you are a peasant i am a parisian
fauchelevent thought i am lost
they were only a few turns of the wheel distant from the small alley leading to the nuns corner
and he added with the satisfaction of a serious man who is turning a phrase well
fortunately the soil which was light and wet with the winter rains clogged the wheels and retarded its speed
my father was a porter at the prytaneum town hall
but he had reverses he had losses on change i was obliged to renounce the profession of author but i am still a public writer
so you are not a grave digger then
returned fauchelevent clutching at this branch feeble as it was
here a remark becomes necessary
fauchelevent whatever his anguish offered a drink but he did not explain himself on one point who was to pay
the grave digger went on with a superior smile
one must eat
ol mistah buzzard grinned
this sounded like another story
he was curious about that black headed cousin of ol mistah buzzard very curious indeed
anyway he would find out
please mister buzzard please tell us the story he begged
now ol mistah buzzard is naturally good natured and accommodating and when peter begged so hard he just couldn't find it in his heart to refuse
way back in the days when grandpap buzzard had his lil falling out with ol king eagle and done fly so high he sco'tch the feathers offen his haid he had a cousin did grandpap buzzard and this cousin was jes naturally lazy and no count
like most no count people he used to make a regular nuisance of hisself poking his nose into ev'ybody's business and never tending to his own
wasn't anything going on that this trifling member of the buzzard fam'ly didn't find out about and meddle in he could ask mo questions than peter rabbit can an anybody that can do that has got to ask a lot
everybody looked at peter and laughed
so we uns sit on the chimney tops whenever ol jack frost gets to straying down where he have no business
one day this no count trifling cousin of grandpap buzzard get cold in his feet
it was on a lil ol house a lil ol tumble down house
why he jes stretch his fool haid as far down that chimney as he can an listen an listen
but he don't mind that
will yo' alls please speak a lil louder he holler down the chimney jes like that
yes sah she sho'ly was plumb scared
they like to choke that no count buzzard to death
when he get home he try an try to brush that soot off but it done get into the skin an it stay there
a little sigh of satisfaction went around the circle of listeners
it was just as good as one of grandfather frog's
the duke comes every morning they will tell him when he comes that i am asleep and perhaps he will wait until i wake
yes but if i should already ask for something what
well do it for me for i swear to you that i don't love you as the others have loved you
there are bolts on the door wretch
i don't know how it is but it seems to me as if i do
now go i can't keep my eyes open
it seemed to me as if this sleeping city belonged to me i searched my memory for the names of those whose happiness i had once envied and i could not recall one without finding myself the happier
education family feeling the sense of duty the family are strong sentinels but there are no sentinels so vigilant as not to be deceived by a girl of sixteen to whom nature by the voice of the man she loves gives the first counsels of love all the more ardent because they seem so pure
the more a girl believes in goodness the more easily will she give way if not to her lover at least to love for being without mistrust she is without force and to win her love is a triumph that can be gained by any young man of five and twenty see how young girls are watched and guarded
then how surely must they desire the world which is hidden from them how surely must they find it tempting how surely must they listen to the first voice which comes to tell its secrets through their bars and bless the hand which is the first to raise a corner of the mysterious veil
with them the body has worn out the soul the senses have burned up the heart dissipation has blunted the feelings
they love by profession and not by instinct
when a creature who has all her past to reproach herself with is taken all at once by a profound sincere irresistible love of which she had never felt herself capable when she has confessed her love how absolutely the man whom she loves dominates her
they know not what proof to give
in order to disturb the labourers in the field was one day devoured by a wolf because those whom he had so often deceived no longer believed in his cries for help
it is the same with these unhappy women when they love seriously
but when the man who inspires this redeeming love is great enough in soul to receive it without remembering the past when he gives himself up to it when in short he loves as he is loved this man drains at one draught all earthly emotions and after such a love his heart will be closed to every other
but to return to the first day of my liaison
when i reached home i was in a state of mad gaiety
the woman becomes the man's mistress and loves him
how why
my whole being was exalted into joy at the memory of the words we had exchanged during that first night
here are my orders to night at the vaudeville
come during the third entr'acte
the boxes filled one after another
only one remained empty the stage box
at the beginning of the third act i heard the door of the box on which my eyes had been almost constantly fixed open and marguerite appeared
did she love me enough to believe that the more beautiful she looked the happier i should be
what is the matter with you to night said marguerite rising and coming to the back of the box and kissing me on the forehead
you should go to bed she replied with that ironical air which went so well with her delicate and witty face
where at home
you still love me can you ask
because you don't like seeing him
nonetheless i was very unhappy all the rest of the evening and went away very sadly after having seen prudence the count and marguerite get into the carriage which was waiting for them at the door
i have not come to hinder you from leaving paris
you in the way marguerite but how
well you might have had a woman here said prudence and it would hardly have been amusing for her to see two more arrive
during this remark marguerite looked at me attentively
my dear prudence i answered you do not know what you are saying
yes but besides not wishing to put you out i was sure that if you came as far as my door you would want to come up and as i could not let you i did not wish to let you go away blaming me for saying no
because i am watched and the least suspicion might do me the greatest harm
is that really the only reason
if there were any other i would tell you for we are not to have any secrets from one another now
honestly do you care for me a little a great deal
i fancied for a moment that i might give myself that happiness for six months you would not have it you insisted on knowing the means
well good heavens the means were easy enough to guess
i listened and i gazed at marguerite with admiration
when i thought that this marvellous creature whose feet i had once longed to kiss was willing to let me take my place in her thoughts my part in her life and that i was not yet content with what she gave me i asked if man's desire has indeed limits when satisfied as promptly as mine had been it reached after something further
truly she continued we poor creatures of chance have fantastic desires and inconceivable loves
we are not allowed to have hearts under penalty of being hooted down and of ruining our credit
we no longer belong to ourselves
we stand first in their self esteem last in their esteem
never do they give you advice which is not lucrative
it means little enough to them that we should have ten lovers extra as long as they get dresses or a bracelet out of them and that they can drive in our carriage from time to time or come to our box at the theatre
such a man i found in the duke but the duke is old and old age neither protects nor consoles
i thought i could accept the life which he offered me but what would you have
what i loved in you was not the man who was but the man who was going to be
marguerite tired out with this long confession threw herself back on the sofa and to stifle a slight cough put up her handkerchief to her lips and from that to her eyes
marguerite do with me as you will i am your slave your dog but in the name of heaven tear up the letter which i wrote to you and do not make me leave you to morrow it would kill me
marguerite drew the letter from her bosom and handing it to me with a smile of infinite sweetness said
here it is i have brought it back
i tore the letter into fragments and kissed with tears the hand that gave it to me
look here prudence do you know what he wants said marguerite
he wants you to forgive him
one has to but he wants more than that what then
i embraced marguerite until she was almost stifled
as i thought that this was due to some fault in the earth i wanted to make these first experiments before i undertook my perseus
when i saw that this bust came out sharp and clean i set at once to construct a little furnace in the workshop erected for me by the duke after my own plans and design in the house which the duke had given me
it was an extremely difficult task and i was anxious to observe all the niceties of art which i had learned so as not to lapse into some error
i in my turn feel the same desire and hope to play my part like them therefore my lord give me the leave to go
but beware of letting bandinello quit you rather bestow upon him always more than he demands for if he goes into foreign parts his ignorance is so presumptuous that he is just the man to disgrace our most illustrious school
i ask no further reward for my labours up to this time than the gracious favour of your most illustrious excellency
then i thanked him and said i had no greater desire than to show those envious folk that i had it in me to execute the promised work
i had better look to my conduct for it had come to his ears that i relied upon his favour to take in first one man and then another
i begged his most illustrious excellency to name a single person whom i had ever taken in
i said my lord i thank you and beg you to condescend so far as to listen to four words it is true that he lent me a pair of old scales two anvils and three little hammers which articles i begged his workman giorgio da cortona fifteen days ago to fetch back
giorgio came for them himself
i hope to prove on what account that scoundrel tries to bring me into disgrace
when he had heard this speech the duke rose up in anger and sent for bernardone who was forced to take flight as far as venice he and antonio landi with him
you had better put this to the proof and i will go at once to the bargello
i am willing to enter into competition with the ancients and feel able to surpass them for since those early days in which i made the medals of pope clement i have learned so much that i can now produce far better pieces of the kind i think i can also outdo the coins i struck for duke alessandro which are still held in high esteem in like manner i could make for you large pieces of gold and silver plate as i did so often for that noble monarch king francis of france thanks to the great conveniences he allowed me without ever losing time for the execution of colossal statues or other works of the sculptors craft
after several months were wasted and piero would neither work nor put men to work upon the piece i made him give it back
among artists certain enraged sculptors laughed at me and called me the new sculptor
now i hope to show them that i am an old sculptor if god shall grant me the boon of finishing my perseus for that noble piazza of his most illustrious excellency
having this excellent resolve in heart i reached my home
but the middle son was little and lorn he was neither dark nor fair he was neither handsome nor strong
throwing himself on his knees before the king he cried oh royal sire bestow upon me also a sword and a steed that i may up and away to follow my brethren
but the king laughed him to scorn thou a sword he quoth
in sooth thou shalt have one but it shall be one befitting thy maiden size and courage if so small a weapon can be found in all my kingdom
forthwith the grinning jester began shrieking with laughter so that the bells upon his motley cap were all set a jangling
i did but laugh to think the sword of ethelried had been so quickly found responded the jester and he pointed to the scissors hanging from the tailor's girdle
one night as he lay in a deep forest too unhappy to sleep he heard a noise near at hand in the bushes
thou shalt have thy liberty he cried even though thou shouldst rend me in pieces the moment thou art free
it had suddenly disappeared and in its place stood a beautiful fairy with filmy wings which shone like rainbows in the moonlight
at this moment there was a distant rumbling as of thunder tis the ogre cried the fairy we must hasten
scissors grow a giant's height and save us from the ogre's might
he could see the ogre standing powerless to hurt him on the other side of the chasm and gnashing his teeth each one of which was as big as a millston
the sight was so terrible that he turned on his heel and fled away as fast as his feet could carry him
thou shalt not be left a prisoner in this dismal spot while i have the power to help thee
he lifted the scissors and with one stroke destroyed the web and gave the fly its freedom
a faint glimmer of light on the opposite wall shows me the keyhole
the prince spent all the following time until midnight trying to think of a suitable verse to say to the scissors
as he uttered the words the scissors leaped out of his hand and began to cut through the wooden shutters as easily as through a cheese
in a very short time the prince had crawled through the opening
while he stood looking around him in bewilderment a firefly alighted on his arm flashing its little lantern in the prince's face it cried this way my friend the fly sent me to guide you to a place of safety
what is to become of me cried the poor peasant
my grain must fall and rot in the field from overripeness because i have not the strength to rise and harvest it then indeed must we all starve
the grandame whom he supplied with fagots the merchant whom he rescued from robbers the king's councillor to whom he gave aid all became his friends up and down the land to beggar or lord homeless wanderer or high born dame he gladly gave unselfish service all unsought and such as he helped straightway became his friends
to him who could bring her back to her father's castle should be given the throne and kingdom as well as the princess herself so from far and near indeed from almost every country under the sun came knights and princes to fight the ogre
among those who drew back were ethelried's brothers the three that were dark and the three that were fair
but ethelried heeded not their taunts
so they all cried out long and loud long live the prince prince ciseaux
he felt what the earth may possibly feel at the moment when it is torn open with the iron in order that grain may be deposited within it it feels only the wound the quiver of the germ and the joy of the fruit only arrive later
he had but just acquired a faith must he then reject it already
he affirmed to himself that he would not he declared to himself that he would not doubt and he began to doubt in spite of himself
to stand between two religions from one of which you have not as yet emerged and another into which you have not yet entered is intolerable and twilight is pleasing only to bat like souls
marius was clear eyed and he required the true light
the half lights of doubt pained him
whatever may have been his desire to remain where he was he could not halt there he was irresistibly constrained to continue to advance to examine to think to march further
he feared after having taken so many steps which had brought him nearer to his father to now take a step which should estrange him from that father
his discomfort was augmented by all the reflections which occurred to him
in the troubled state of his conscience he no longer thought of certain serious sides of existence
they soon elbowed him abruptly
request courfeyrac to come and talk with me said marius
what is to become of you said courfeyrac
what are you going to do i do not know
silver gold here it is
you will then have only a pair of trousers a waistcoat a hat and a coat and my boots
that will be enough
no it is not good what will you do after that
do you know german no
it is badly paid work but one can live by it
the clothes dealer was sent for
he paid twenty francs for the cast off garments they went to the watchmaker's
he bought the watch for forty five francs
hello i had forgotten that said marius
the landlord presented his bill which had to be paid on the spot
i have ten francs left said marius
that will be swallowing a tongue very fast or a hundred sous very slowly
one morning on his return from the law school marius found a letter from his aunt and the sixty pistoles that is to say six hundred francs in gold in a sealed box
marius sent back the thirty louis to his aunt with a respectful letter in which he stated that he had sufficient means of subsistence and that he should be able thenceforth to supply all his needs
at that moment he had three francs left
wylder was rather surly after the ladies had floated away from the scene and he drank his liquor doggedly
it was his fancy i suppose to revive certain sentimental relations which had it may be once existed between him and miss lake and he was a person of that combative temperament that magnifies an object in proportion as its pursuit is thwarted
the story of fridolin and retzch's pretty outlines
sit down beside me and i'll tell you the story
he assisted at it but took no part and in fact was listening to that other conversation which sounded with its pleasant gabble and laughter like a little musical tinkle of bells in the distance
but honest mark forgot that young ladies do not always come out quite alone and jump unassisted into their vehicles
there's iron they say in all our blood and a grain or two perhaps is good but his he makes me harshly feel has got a little too much of steel anon
margaret said mister hale as he returned from showing his guest downstairs i could not help watching your face with some anxiety when mister thornton made his confession of having been a shop boy
you don't mean that you thought me so silly
i really liked that account of himself better than anything else he said
his statement of having been a shop boy was the thing i liked best of all
you who were always accusing people of being shoppy at helstone
i don't think mister hale you have done quite right in introducing such a person to us without telling us what he had been
i really was very much afraid of showing him how much shocked i was at some parts of what he said
his father dying in miserable circumstances
why it might have been in the workhouse
his father speculated wildly failed and then killed himself because he could not bear the disgrace
all his former friends shrunk from the disclosures that had to be made of his dishonest gambling wild hopeless struggles made with other people's money to regain his own moderate portion of wealth
no one came forwards to help the mother and this boy
at least no friend came forwards immediately and missus thornton is not one i fancy to wait till tardy kindness comes to find her out
so they left milton
how tainted asked her father
oh papa by that testing everything by the standard of wealth
when he spoke of the mechanical powers he evidently looked upon them only as new ways of extending trade and making money
and the poor men around him they were poor because they were vicious out of the pale of his sympathies because they had not his iron nature and the capabilities that it gives him for being rich
not vicious he never said that
improvident and self indulgent were his words
margaret was collecting her mother's working materials and preparing to go to bed
just as she was leaving the room she hesitated she was inclined to make an acknowledgment which she thought would please her father but which to be full and true must include a little annoyance
however out it came
papa i do think mister thornton a very remarkable man but personally i don't like him at all
and i do said her father laughing
personally as you call it and all
i don't set him up for a hero or anything of that kind
but good night child
there were several other signs of something wrong about missus hale
she and dixon held mysterious consultations in her bedroom from which dixon would come out crying and cross as was her custom when any distress of her mistress called upon her sympathy
once margaret had gone into the chamber soon after dixon left it and found her mother on her knees and as margaret stole out she caught a few words which were evidently a prayer for strength and patience to endure severe bodily suffering
but though she received caresses and fond words back again in such profusion as would have gladdened her formerly yet she felt that there was a secret withheld from her and she believed it bore serious reference to her mother's health
she lay awake very long this night planning how to lessen the evil influence of their milton life on her mother
a servant to give dixon permanent assistance should be got if she gave up her whole time to the search and then at any rate her mother might have all the personal attention she required and had been accustomed to her whole life
visiting register offices seeing all manner of unlikely people and very few in the least likely absorbed margaret's time and thoughts for several days
one afternoon she met bessy higgins in the street and stopped to speak to her
well bessy how are you
better and not better if yo know what that means
not exactly replied margaret smiling
i'm better in not being torn to pieces by coughing o'nights but i'm weary and tired o milton and longing to get away to the land o beulah and when i think i'm farther and farther off my heart sinks and i'm no better i'm worse
margaret turned round to walk alongside of the girl in her feeble progress homeward
but for a minute or two she did not speak
at last she said in a low voice
bessy do you wish to die
bessy was silent in her turn for a minute or two then she replied
nought worse than many others i reckon
but what was it
you know i'm a stranger here so perhaps i'm not so quick at understanding what you mean as if i'd lived all my life at milton
i had forgotten what i said for the time continued margaret quietly
i should have thought of it again when i was less busy may i go with you now
the sharpness in her eye turned to a wistful longing as she met margaret's soft and friendly gaze
as they turned up into a small court opening out of a squalid street bessy said
yo'll not be daunted if father's at home and speaks a bit gruffish at first
but nicholas was not at home when they entered
gasped bessy at last
bessy took a long and feverish draught and then fell back and shut her eyes
margaret bent over and said bessy don't be impatient with your life whatever it is or may have been
remember who gave it you and made it what it is
now i'll not have my wench preached to
but surely said margaret facing round you believe in what i said that god gave her life and ordered what kind of life it was to be
i believe what i see and no more
that's what i believe young woman
i don't believe all i hear no not by a big deal
but hoo's come at last and hoo's welcome as long as hoo'll keep from preaching on what hoo knows nought about
it's simple and not far to fetch nor hard to work
but the girl only pleaded the more with margaret
don't think hardly on him he's a good man he is
i sometimes think i shall be moped wi sorrow even in the city of god if father is not there
the feverish colour came into her cheek and the feverish flame into her eye
but you will be there father you shall oh my heart
she put her hand to it and became ghastly pale
margaret held her in her arms and put the weary head to rest upon her bosom
presently the spasm that foreshadowed death had passed away and bessy roused herself and said
i'll go to bed it's best place but catching at margaret's gown yo'll come again i know yo will but just say it
i will come to morrow said margaret
margaret went away very sad and thoughtful
she was late for tea at home
have you met with a servant dear
no mamma that anne buckley would never have done
suppose i try said mister hale
everybody else has had their turn at this great difficulty now let me try
i may be the cinderella to put on the slipper after all
what would you do papa how would you set about it
why i would apply to some good house mother to recommend me one known to herself or her servants
very good but we must first catch our house mother
the mother of whom he spoke to us said margaret
missus thornton the only mother he has i believe said mister hale quietly
i shall like to see her she must be an uncommon person her mother added
perhaps she may have a relation who might suit us and be glad of our place
she sounded to be such a careful economical person that i should like any one out of the same family
my dear said mister hale alarmed pray don't go off on that idea
i am sure at any rate she would not like strangers to know anything about it
take notice that is not my kind of haughtiness papa if i have any at all which i don't agree to though you're always accusing me of it
i don't know positively that it is hers either but from little things i have gathered from him i fancy so
they cared too little to ask in what manner her son had spoken about her
they went down to their quarters first
guess mister finney went to his quarters i don't remember seeing him cross the deck or come over that way at all
next ned cilley was relieved at the helm by elbert jones who took over ned went on down
it looks to me as if it could have been one of several people and i'll be switched if i know who i'll keep my eyes open
the mirabelle was nearing tahiti
we've water and fresh stores to take on there
chris lost no time as soon as he could do it without being noticed in hurrying down to his cabin
certainly my boy boomed out the captain his blue eyes abruptly keen and penetrating
mister finney will be some time on deck we cannot be overheard in here
his face froze with nervousness that this might not do as an answer and he stood stiff and still before captain blizzard
the captain sat forward in his chair looking at him for a long moment considering
then he said well i do not care for it i cannot say i do
this ship is more to me than wife or mother or family
he paused fingering his lower lip and looking sideways in a reflective fashion at chris standing before him
we shall say no more but i trust you understand the responsibility you have
this ship its cargo and its men will be in your hands
yes sir i think i can do it safely or i should not try sir
captain blizzard's round pink face creased in his winning smile
he then went on to describe what else was to follow the covering of the ship with leaves to make it blend with its surroundings
camouflage was not a word the captain or anyone else of his time yet understood
what can be said during that time sir chris thought to ask
i am somewhat skilled in medicaments i have to be as captain of a ship and the crew know it
i shall say that you are in my own cabin so that i can care for you
not since he had left mister wicker had chris felt such confidence as he did in the words and actions of captain blizzard
he knew now that his absence for as long as he had to be away would be covered up and satisfactorily accounted for
their conversation had taken some little while
the learning of magic was by no means easy
he had told his master at once about simon gosler his horde of money and his hiding places for it
chris therefore threw himself into all the preliminaries of his task
one afternoon when he returned after a rest to mister wicker's study he saw that there was something new in the room a bowl with a goldfish in it stood on the table but mister wicker was not to be seen
what shall i do first
how you have improved my boy he exclaimed it is now time for you to try and this is as good a change as any
suppose i change and can't change back
mister wicker waited patiently beside him for a few moments for chris to get up his courage
then as nothing happened with a voice like a whip mister wicker said start at once
the sensation spread faster and faster
his head swam and he felt faint and a little sick but he persisted through the final words
he thought not without a feeling of pride and commenced experimenting with his tail and fins with such enthusiasm and delight that some little time elapsed before mister wicker's voice boomed close by
seventy four book one the return
the figure's shoes carved in some eastern style had curved up pointing toes
then all at once the idea came to chris
if he was to be a magician could he make this boy come to life
he squatted on his haunches examining the carved wooden figure attentively and felt convinced that once alive the boy would be an ideal and happy companion
but how did one change inanimate to animate
chris got up and stole back to mister wicker's door
he heard the magician going up the spiral staircase to his room above and after changing himself to a mouse to slip under the door and see that the room was really empty chris resumed his proper shape and opened the doors of the cupboard at the far end of the room
the afternoon rainy before increased in storm
dusk came two hours before its time thunder snarled in the sky
certain elements were to be mixed and poured at the proper time
mister wicker began moving about upstairs the floorboards creaked and still chris could not leave until the potion fumed and glowed
with infinite caution chris closed the door silently behind him and running lightly forward reached the figure of the negro boy
it was as if the stiffness melted
under his eyes the wooden folds of cloth became rich silk embroidery gleamed in its reality upon the coat and oh the face
the wooden grin loosened the large eyes turned the hand holding the hard bouquet of carved flowers moved and let the bouquet fall
say you know sumthin
chris looked from a nickel plated flashlight to a car jack and spark plug
know who needs a job bad that's jakey harris
o k he said
only why didn't you ask him yourself
mike became uneasy and fished an elastic band out of his pocket made a flick of paper and sent it soaring out into m street
well he admitted i did
chris asked and for the first time that day the heavy weight he carried within him lifted and lightened a little
think he really needs it he pursued
he would have liked to get the job for jakey who needed it but somehow the task of facing mister wicker especially now that the light was going and dusk edging into the streets was not what chris had intended for ending the afternoon
mike's expression changed at once to one of triumph but chris was only partly encouraged
betcha aren't goin after all chris turned on him
mike was standing on the corner
aw shucks
chris started off once more passing the bleak little victorian church perched on the hill above mister wicker's house
an empty lot cut into by church lane gave a look of isolation to the l shaped brick building that served mister wicker as both house and place of business
the longer wing toward the back had a back door that opened onto water street the space between the house and wisconsin avenue had been made into a neat oblong flower garden fenced off from the sidewalk by box shrubs and a white picket fence
a livid yellow stained the horizon beyond the factories and gray clouds lowered and tumbled above
the air was growing chill and chris decided to finish his job
all at once he wondered how his mother was and everything in him pinched and tightened itself
at the foot of the hill he reached the house
there were three things that always caught his eye amid the litter of dusty pieces
on the left the coil of rope in the center the model of a sailing ship in a green glass bottle and on the right the wooden statue of a negro boy in baggy trousers turkish jacket and white turban
but the name still showed at the prow and many a time chris safe at home in bed had sailed imaginary voyages in the mirabelle
he had never seen anyone go into mister wicker's shop now he thought of it
how then did he live and what did he ever sell
a sudden car horn woke him from his dream
of the many times he had examined mister wicker's window and pored over the rope the ship and the nubian boy he had never gone into mister wicker's shop
so now alone until someone should answer the bell he looked eagerly if uneasily around him
what with the one window and the lowering day outside the long narrow shop was somber
heavy hand hewn beams crossed it from one side to the other
mister wicker's back being toward the source of light chris could not see his face
the double fans of minute wrinkles breaking from eye corner to temple and joining with those over the cheekbones were drawn into the horizontal lines across the domed forehead
little tufts of white fuzz above the ears were all that remained of the antiquarian's hair but what drew and held chris's gaze were the old man's eyes
chris blinked and looked again yes they were still there
chris swallowed and his voice came back to him
yes sir he said
i saw your sign and i know a boy who needs the job
he's a schoolmate of mine
jakey harris his name is and he really needs the job
i i just wondered if the place was still open
what he saw was a fresh cheeked lad tall for thirteen sturdy with sincerity and good humor in his face and something sensitive and appealing about his eyes
he guessed there must be a lively fire in that room beyond
would that interfere with jakey's getting the job sir
but even as he slowly turned the thought pierced his mind why had he not seen the reflection of the headlights of the cars moving up around the corner of water street and up the hill toward the traffic signals
the room seemed overly still
then in that second he turned and faced about
the wide bow window was there before him the three objects he liked best showing frosty in the moonlight that poured in from across the water
across the water where was the freeway
it was no longer there nor were the high walls and smokestacks of factories to be seen
the warehouses were still there
flabbergasted and breathless chris was unaware that he had moved closer to peer out the window in every direction
no electric signs no lamplit streets
where the people's drugstore had stood but a half hour before rose the roofs of what was evidently an inn
a courtyard was sparsely lit by a flaring torch or two showing a swinging sign hung on a post
the post was planted at the edge of what was now a broad and muddy road
a coach with its top piled high with luggage stamped to a halt beside the flagged courtyard
they moved into the inn the coach rattled off to the stable
my window has a power for those few who are to see
a thousand blessings from a grateful heart
perusal said the pawnbroker that's the way to pernounce it
his books told him that treasure is best hidden under loose boards unless of course your house has a secret panel which his had not
he got it up and pushed his treasures as far in as he could along the rough crumbly surface of the lath and plaster
when dickie came down his aunt slightly slapped him and he took the halfpenny and limped off obediently
he had never seen one before and it interested him extremely
he looked about him and knew that he did not at all know where he was
what's up matey lost your way dickie explained
when he said ave i bin asleep
here we are said the man
not exackly said the man but it's all right
when it was over the man asked dickie if he could walk a little way and when dickie said he could they set out in the most friendly way side by side
and the tea and all an the egg
and this is the prettiest place ever i see
i shall catch it a fair treat as it is
she was waitin for the wood to boil the kettle when i come out mother
ain't bad when she's in a good temper
that ain't what she'll be in when you gets back
i got to stick it said dickie sadly i'd best be getting home
i wouldn't go ome not if i was you said the man
no said dickie oh no no i never
i ain't it yer have i like what yer aunt do
well that'll show you the sort of man i am
the man's manner was so kind and hearty the whole adventure was so wonderful and new is it country where you going
the sun shot long golden beams through the gaps in the hedge
a bird paused in its flight on a branch quite close and clung there swaying
he took out of his pocket a new envelope a new sheet of paper and a new pencil ready sharpened by machinery
an i asks you let me come alonger you got that
get it wrote down then done
then he folded it and put it in his pocket
now we're square he said
they could put a man away for less than that
i see that there in a book said dickie charmed
he reward the wake the last of the english and i wunnered what it stood for
wild ones ain't alf the size i lay
adventures i should think so
ah said dickie and a full silence fell between them
that was charming but it was pleasant too to wash the mud off on the wet grass
dickie always remembered that moment
so you shall said mister beale a reg'ler wash all over this very night i always like a wash meself
some blokes think it pays to be dirty but it don't
if you're clean they say honest poverty an if you're dirty they say serve you right
you are good said dickie i do like you
i know you will said dickie with enthusiasm i know ow good you are
bless me said mister beale uncomfortably well there
step out sonny or we'll never get there this side christmas
well you'll know all about it presently
if called to a case supposed or suspected to be one of poisoning the medical man has two duties to perform to save the patient's life and to place himself in a position to give evidence if called on to do so
he should make inquiries as to symptoms and time at which food or medicine was last taken
he should notice the position and temperature of the body the condition of rigor mortis marks of violence appearance of lips and mouth
in making a post mortem examination the alimentary canal should be removed and preserved for further investigation
the gut and the gullet being cut across between these ligatures the stomach may be removed entire without spilling its contents
if the medical practitioner is in doubt on any point he should obtain technical assistance from someone who has paid attention to the subject
in a case of attempted suicide by poisoning is it the duty of the doctor to inform the police
the best emetic is that which is at hand
the dose for an adult is ten minims
apomorphine is not allied in physiological action to morphine and may be given in cases of narcotic poisoning
tickling the fauces with a feather may excite vomiting
in using the elastic stomach tube some fluid should be introduced into the stomach before attempting to empty it or a portion of the mucous membrane may be sucked into the aperture
the tube should be examined to see that it is not broken or cracked as accidents have happened from neglecting this precaution
antidotes are usually given hypodermically or if by mouth in the form of tablets
in the absence of a hypodermic syringe the remedy may be given by the rectum
notice the smell colour and general appearance of the matter submitted for examination
for the separation of an alkaloid the following is the process of stas otto
this process is based upon the principle that the salts of the alkaloids are soluble in alcohol and water and insoluble in ether
the pure alkaloids with the exception of morphine in its crystalline form are soluble in ether
two cool the mixture and filter wash the residue with strong alcohol and mix the filtrates
the residue may be set aside for the detection of the metallic poisons if suspected expel the alcohol by careful evaporation
on the evaporation of the alcohol the resinous and fatty matters separate
evaporate the filtrate to a syrup and extract with successive portions of absolute alcohol
separate the ethereal solution and evaporate
five a part of this ethereal solution is poured into a watch glass and allowed to evaporate
to purify it add a small quantity of dilute sulphuric acid and after evaporating to three quarters of its bulk add a saturated solution of carbonate of potash or soda
boil the finely divided substance with about one eighth its bulk of pure hydrochloric acid add from time to time potassic chlorate until the solids are reduced to a straw yellow fluid
the residue of the material after digestion with hydrochloric acid and potassium chlorate may have to be examined for silver lead and barium
the singing and laughing went on long after he had fallen asleep and if later in the evening there were loud voiced arguments or quarrels even dickie did not hear them
what's all that there dickie asked pointing to the odd knobbly bundles of all sorts and shapes tied on to the perambulator's front
tell yer what mate looks to me as if i'd took a fancy to you
swelp me he said helplessly
oh look said dickie the flowers
they're only weeds said beale
but i shall have them while they're alive said dickie as he had said to the pawnbroker about the moonflowers
hi there goes a rabbit
see im crost the road there see him
how beautiful said dickie wriggling with delight
this life of the rabbit as described by mister beale was the child's first glimpse of freedom i'd like to be a rabbit
ow'm i to wheel the bloomin pram if you goes on like as if you was a bag of eels
i like you nexter my own daddy and mister baxter next door
that's all right said mister beale awkwardly
dickie quick to imitate touched his
poor little man said the lady you miss your mother don't you
oh well done little un said mister beale to himself
the two travellers were left facing each other the richer by a penny and oh wonderful good fortune a whole half crown
no i never said dickie ere's the steever
you stick to that said beale radiant with delight you're a fair masterpiece you are you earned it honest if ever a kid done
they went on up the hill as happy as any one need wish to be
please do not be too shocked
remember that neither of them knew any better
to the elder tramp lies and begging were natural means of livelihood
but you said the bed with the green curtains urged dickie
which this ain't not by no means
the night is full of interesting little sounds that will not at first let you sleep the rustle of little wild things in the hedges the barking of dogs in distant farms the chirp of crickets and the croaking of frogs
the new game of begging and inventing stories to interest the people from whom it was worth while to beg went on gaily day by day and week by week and dickie by constant practice grew so clever at taking his part in the acting that mister beale was quite dazed with admiration
blessed if i ever see such a nipper he said over and over again
clever as a traindawg e is an all outer is own ead
i ain't sure as i adn't better stick to the road and keep away from old ands like you jim
i ope e's clever enough to do wot e's told keep is mug shut that's all
if e's straight e'll do for me and if he ain't i'll do for im see
see that bloke just now said mister beale yuss said dickie
well you never see im
if any one arsts you if you ever see im you never set eyes on im in all your born not to remember im
dickie was full of questions but mister beale had no answers for them
nor was it sunday on which they took a rest and washed their shirts according to mister beale's rule of life
they did not stay there but walked out across the downs where the skylarks were singing and on a dip of the downs came upon great stone walls and towers very strong and gray
what's that there said dickie
with that notorious failing of his he was not the sort of person one wanted in one's house
well the failing still exists doesn't it said her husband or do you suppose a reform of character is entailed along with the estate
besides cynicism apart his being rich will make a difference in the way people will look at his failing
when a man is absolutely wealthy not merely well to do all suspicion of sordid motive naturally disappears the thing becomes merely a tiresome malady
wilfrid pigeoncote had suddenly become heir to his uncle sir wilfrid pigeoncote on the death of his cousin major wilfrid pigeoncote who had succumbed to the after effects of a polo accident
a wilfrid pigeoncote had covered himself with honours in the course of marlborough's campaigns and the name wilfrid had been a baptismal weakness in the family ever since the new heir to the family dignity and estates was a young man of about five and twenty who was known more by reputation than by person to a wide circle of cousins and kinsfolk
and the reputation was an unpleasant one
from his late schooldays onward he had been possessed by an acute and obstinate form of kleptomania he had the acquisitive instinct of the collector without any of the collector's discrimination
the search usually produced a large and varied yield this is funny said peter pigeoncote to his wife some half hour after their conversation here's a telegram from wilfrid saying he's passing through here in his motor and would like to stop and pay us his respects
signed wilfrid pigeoncote
i suppose he's bringing us a present for the silver wedding good gracious
the talk flitted nervously and hurriedly from one impersonal topic to another
in the drawing room after dinner their nervousness and awkwardness increased
oh we haven't shown you the silver wedding presents said missus peter suddenly as though struck by a brilliant idea for entertaining the guest here they all are
such nice useful gifts a few duplicates of course
seven cream jugs put in peter
we feel that we must live on cream for the rest of our lives
of course some of them can be changed
i put it down by the claret jug said wilfrid busy with another object
vigilance was not completely crowned with a sense of victory
after they had said good night to their visitor missus peter expressed her conviction that he had taken something
how on earth are we to know said peter the mean pig hasn't brought us a present and i'm hanged if he shall carry one off
it's the only thing to do
wilfrid was late in coming down to breakfast and his manner showed plainly that something was amiss
it's an unpleasant thing to have to say he blurted out presently but i'm afraid you must have a thief among your servants something's been taken out of my portmanteau
it was a little present from my mother and myself for your silver wedding
i should have given it to you last night after dinner only it happened to be a cream jug and you seemed annoyed at having so many duplicates so i felt rather awkward about giving you another
the snatcher had been an orphan these many years
lady ernestine pigeoncote his mother moved in circles which were entirely beyond their compass or ambitions and the son would probably one day be an ambassador
husband and wife looked blankly and desperately at one another
it was missus peter who arrived first at an inspiration how dreadful to think there are thieves in the house we keep the drawing room locked up at night of course but anything might be carried off while we are at breakfast
she rose and went out hurriedly as though to assure herself that the drawing room was not being stripped of its silverware and returned a moment later bearing a cream jug in her hands
the pigeoncotes had turned paler than ever missus peter had a final inspiration
peter dashed out of the room with glad relief he had lived so long during the last few minutes that a golden wedding seemed within measurable distance
missus peter turned to her guest with confidential coyness
peter's little weakness it runs in the family good lord
do you mean to say he's a kleptomaniac like cousin snatcher
brave little woman said peter with a gasp of relief i could never have done it
unfortunately there could be no doubt or misconception as to platterbaff's guilt
he had not only pleaded guilty but had expressed his intention of repeating his escapade in other directions as soon as circumstances permitted throughout the trial he was busy examining a small model of the free trade hall in manchester
the jury could not possibly find that the prisoner had not deliberately and intentionally blown up the albert hall the question was could they find any extenuating circumstances which would permit of an acquittal
of course any sentence which the law might feel compelled to inflict would be followed by an immediate pardon but it was highly desirable from the government's point of view that the necessity for such an exercise of clemency should not arise
a headlong pardon on the eve of a bye election with threats of a heavy voting defection if it were withheld or even delayed would not necessarily be a surrender but it would look like one
hence the anxiety in the crowded court and in the little groups gathered round the tape machines in whitehall and downing street and other affected centres
the jury returned from considering their verdict there was a flutter an excited murmur a deathlike hush
the foreman delivered his message
the jury find the prisoner guilty of blowing up the albert hall
the jury wish to add a rider drawing attention to the fact that a by election is pending in the parliamentary division of nemesis on hand
and may the lord have mercy on the poll a junior counsel exclaimed irreverently
fifteen hundred said the prime minister with a shudder it's too horrible to think of
our majority last time was only a thousand and seven
seven thirty amended the prime minister we must avoid any appearance of precipitancy
not later than seven thirty then said the chief organiser i have promised the agent down there that he shall be able to display posters announcing platterbaff is out before the poll opens
he said it was our only chance of getting a telegram radprop is in to night
despite the earliness of the hour a small crowd had gathered in the street outside and the horrible menacing trelawney refrain of the fifteen hundred voting men came in a steady monotonous chant
he exclaimed won't go
he says he never has left prison without a brass band to play him out and he's not going to go without one now
said the prime minister we can hardly be supposed to supply a released prisoner with a brass band how on earth could we defend it on the estimates
anyway he won't go unless he has a band
poll opens in five minutes
is platterbaff out yet
in heaven's name why
the chief organiser rang off
this is not a moment for standing on dignity he observed bluntly musicians must be supplied at once
can't you get a strike permit asked the organiser
i'll try said the home secretary and went to the telephone
eight o'clock struck the crowd outside chanted with an increasing volume of sound will vote the other way
a telegram was brought in
it was from the central committee rooms at nemesis
without a band he would not go and they had no band
a quarter past ten half past
have you any band instruments of an easy nature to play
demanded the chief organiser of the prison governor drums cymbals those sort of things
the warders have a private band of their own said the governor but of course i couldn't allow the men themselves
lend us the instruments said the chief organiser
the popular song of the moment replied the agitator after a moment's reflection
it was a tune they had all heard hundreds of times so there was no difficulty in turning out a passable imitation of it to the improvised strains of i didn't want to do it the prisoner strode forth to freedom
the word of the song had reference it was understood to the incarcerating government and not to the destroyer of the albert hall
the seat was lost after all by a narrow majority
the local trade unionists took offence at the fact of cabinet ministers having personally acted as strike breakers and even the release of platterbaff failed to pacify them
evidently the intention was to make things pleasant for the royal foe of tobacco during his visit
the prohibition in the regulation quoted of smoking in saint mary's church referred it may be noted to the act which was held therein
sometimes tobacco was used in church for disinfecting or deodorizing purposes
blackburn archbishop of york was a great smoker
on one occasion he was at saint mary's church nottingham for a confirmation
another eighteenth century clerical worthy the famous doctor parr an inveterate smoker was accustomed to do what mister disney prevented archbishop blackburn from doing he smoked in his vestry at hatton
parr was such a continual smoker that anyone who came into his company if he had never smoked before had to learn the use of a pipe as a means of self defence
one sunday says mister ditchfield he had an extra pipe and joshua the clerk told him that the people were getting impatient
let them sing another psalm said the curate
they have sir replied the clerk
then let them sing the hundred and nineteenth replied the curate
six arms the nearest within reach presented with an obedient start as many tobacco pouches to the man of office
david deans however did not at all approve this irreverence
going to church at hayes in those days must have been quite an exciting experience
when these men in the course of my remonstrance found that i was not going to continue the custom they no longer cared to be communicants
then moses was afraid and said surely the thing is known
hold on hold fast hold out patience is genius
let us have faith that right makes might and in that faith let us dare to do our duty as we understand it lincoln
the egyptian background of the bondage
every one who is turbulent has been found by king merneptah the testimony of the oldest biblical narratives regarding the sojourn of the hebrews in egypt is also in perfect accord with the picture which the contemporary egyptian inscriptions give of the period
the absence of detailed reference to the hebrews is therefore perfectly natural
it seems probable that not all but only part of the tribes which ultimately coalesced into the hebrew nation found their way to egypt
the stories regarding joseph the traditional father of ephraim and manasseh imply that these strong central tribes possibly together with the southern tribes of benjamin and judah were the chief actors in this opening scene in israel's history
the biblical narratives apparently disagree regarding the duration of the sojourn in egypt
the later traditions tend to extend the period
here were found several inscriptions bearing the egyptian name of the city p atum house of the god atum
a contemporary inscription also states that he founded near pithum the house of ramses a city with a royal residence and temples
that the hebrews were restive under this tyranny was natural inevitable
was any other procedure to be expected from a despotic ruler of that land and day
the making of a loyal patriot
the story of moses birth and early childhood is one of the most interesting chapters in biblical history
was moses justified in resisting the egyptian taskmaster
is peonage always disastrous not only to its victims but also to the government imposing it
naturally he went to the land of midian
the wilderness to the east of egypt had for centuries been the place of refuge for egyptian fugitives
from about two thousand b c
on the borders of the wilderness he found certain bedouin herdsmen who received him hospitably
these sand wanderers sent him on from tribe to tribe until he reached the land of kedem east of the dead sea where he remained for a year and a half
later he found his way to the court of one of the local kings in central palestine where he married and became in time a prosperous local prince
the school of the wilderness
the story of moses is in many ways closely parallel to that of sinuhit
the priest of the sub tribe of the kenites received him into his home and gave him his daughter in marriage
note the characteristic oriental idea of marriage
here moses learned the lessons that were essential for his training as the leader and deliverer of his people
after the capture of jericho certain of them went up with the southern tribes to conquer southern palestine
many modern scholars draw the conclusion from the biblical narrative that it was from the kenites that moses first learned of yahweh or as the distinctive name of israel's god was translated by later jewish scribes jehovah
do the earliest hebrew traditions imply that the ancestors of the israelites were worshippers of jehovah
the title of his father in law implies that this priest ministered at some wilderness sanctuary
moses in the home of the midian priest was brought into direct and constant contact with the jehovah worship
the cruel fate of his people and the painful experience in egypt that had driven him into the wilderness prepared his mind to receive this training
his quest was for a just and strong god able to deliver the oppressed
the wilderness with its lurking foes and the ever present dread of hunger and thirst deepened his sense of need and of dependence upon a power able to guide the destinies of men
the peasants of the vast antolian plain in central asia minor still call every life giving spring god hath given
the constant necessity of meeting the dangers of the wilderness and of defending the flocks entrusted to moses care developed his courage and power of leadership and action
proas in that quarter were usually distrusted by ships it is true but the sea is full of them and far more are innocent than are guilty of any acts of violence
an hour after the sun had set the wind fell to a light air that just kept steerage way on the ship
fortunately the john was not only fast but she minded her helm as a light footed girl turns in a lively dance
i never was in a better steering ship most especially in moderate weather
mister marble he i do believe was fairly snoozing on the hen coops being like the sails as one might say barely asleep
at that moment i heard a noise one familiar to seamen that of an oar falling in a boat
i sang out sail ho and close aboard
he was too much of a seaman to require a second look in order to ascertain what was to be done
although they went three feet to our two this gave us a moment of breathing time
as our sheets were all flying forward and remained so for a few minutes it gave me leisure to look about
i soon saw both proas and glad enough was i to perceive that they had not approached materially nearer
mister kite observed this also and remarked that our movements had been so prompt as to take the rascals aback
a breathless stillness succeeded
the proas did not alter their course but neared us fast
i heard the rattling of the boarding pikes too as they were cut adrift from the spanker boom and fell upon the decks
kite went aft and returned with three or four muskets and as many pikes
the stillness that reigned on both sides was like that of death
the john behaved beautifully and came round like a top
the question was now whether we could pass them or not before they got near enough to grapple
the captain behaved perfectly well in this critical instant commanding a dead silence and the closest attention to his orders
not a soul on board the john was hurt
on our side we gave the gentlemen the four sixes two at the nearest and two at the stern most proa which was still near a cable's length distant
they were like the yells of fiends in anguish
i doubt if we touched a man in the nearest proa
in this state the ship passed ahead all her canvas being full leaving the proa motionless in her wake
but scuse me didn't yo figger on doin some detectin an give up fishin
and shag with the freedom of an old servant stood looking at his master as if not quite understanding the new twist the affairs had taken
i'm going off fishing i may not catch anything i may not want to after i get there
get ready shag yes sah colonel
and having put himself in a fair way as he hoped to solve some of the problems connected with the darcy case colonel ashley went down to police headquarters to learn more facts in connection with the murder of the east indian
pinkus and donovan haven't they carroll yep
carroll was too much engaged in watching the blue smoke curl lazily upward from his cigar just then to say more
are you going to work on that case colonel
but he hadn't any more to do with it colonel than that cat
perhaps not admitted colonel ashley
we've got our man and that's all we want
you're on the darcy case they tell me in a way yes
i'm working in the interests of the young man
it's just one of them coincidences like
busted his head in with a heavy candlestick one of a pair
gad exclaimed the colonel
the very pair i was going to buy
look here colonel do you know anything about this
and the detective's professional instincts got the upper hand of his friendliness not the least in the world not as much as you do was the cool answer
i happened to see those candlesticks in the window of singa phut's shop the other day and i made up my mind to buy them when i had a chance
now i'm afraid i won't but how did it happen
phut i don't know whether that's his first or his last name anyhow he had a partner named shere ali
anyhow he and phut didn't get along very well it seems
neighbors often heard em scrappin a lot and this afternoon they went at it again hot and heavy
toward dark a man went in to buy a lamp
he found the place without a light in it stumbled over something on the floor and there was ali's body with the head busted in and this heavy candlestick near it
sure held so tight we could hardly get it out
maybe the fight was about who owned the watch for the dagos talked in their foreign lingo and none of the neighbors could tell what they were sayin i see
and the watch have you it yes it's here
that's the watch announced the headquarters detective reaching in for it going yet see
you're not as squeamish as all that are you just because it was in a dead man's hand and in a woman's
and donovan's voice was plainly skeptical
yes it may have some rough edges on it
and i've read enough about germs to know the danger i'd advise you to be careful
if you don't mind i should like to examine this a bit
before the big wind in ireland suggested thong with a nod at his irish compatriot slightly laughed the colonel
that's right agreed the colonel as he continued to move his magnifying glass over the surface of the still ticking watch
and a close observer might have observed that he did not touch his bare fingers to the timepiece but poked it about and touched it here and there with the end of a leadpencil
and donovan take a friend's advice and don't be too free with that watch too free with it
asked the surprised detective yes
don't scratch yourself on it whatever you do why not
simply because this watch
some one out here to see you
all right be there in a second
singa phut was the panting answer
i want to talk over darcy's case with you the colonel had said and the two had talked had thought had talked again and now were silent for a time
what are the chances of getting him off legally if we go at it from a negative standpoint asked the colonel
rather a hypothetical question colonel but i should say it might be a fifty fifty proposition
at best he would get off with a scotch verdict of not proven but he doesn't want that nor do i
and you i don't want it either
but i want to know just where we stand now i know
but i need to do a little more smoking out first now i want to think
if you'll excuse me i'll pretend i'm fishing and i may catch something
in fact i have a feeling that i'll land my fish
i'd recommend him to you instead of blackstone thanks laughed kenneth
what is it perhaps i can help you
the old adage of two heads you know
yes it still holds good
no alimony repeated the colonel puzzled yes just that
and there's no reason you shouldn't know
chuckled the colonel as he skilfully played the luckless trout now struggling to get loose from the hook
and when the fish was landed panting on the grass and shag had been roused from his slumber to slip the now limp fish into the creel colonel ashley gave a sigh of relief and remarked i think i see it now
the reason she asked no alimony inquired kenneth
no i wasn't thinking of that
however don't think i'm not interested in your case i've fished enough for to day
well i don't know that you can
it isn't generally known went on the lawyer that the hotel keeper's wife has left him
it was one of what at first might be called refined cruelty on her husband's part degenerating gradually into that of the baser sort
you don't mean that larch struck her that there was physical abuse do you asked the colonel that's what he did
the colonel did not disclose the fact that it was no news to him
aaron grafton's statement was being unexpectedly confirmed
he remembered that cynthia and grafton had once been in love with each other
she said he had struck her more than once and she could stand it no longer
because larch made no defense
larch by refusing to appear practically admitted the charges against him and did not oppose the separation
so i had to let her have her way and we did not ask the court for money though i had no such squeamish feelings when it came to my counsel fee
no but he will or i'll sue him and get judgment oh he'll pay all right
and it takes all sorts of persons to make it up
still i would like to know
the murder of missus darcy had some time ago been shifted off the front page though it would get back there when the young jeweler was tried
it had a double reputation so to speak
grave and even reverend conventions assembled in its ballroom and politicians of the upper if not better class were frequently seen in its dining room or cafe
larch himself was a peculiar character
in a smaller place he would have been called a saloon keeper
and it was this man rich it was said handsome certainly that cynthia ratchford had married
to this was the answer whispered money
and in a way it was true
she also saw an opportunity of paying old debts and reaping some revenges
after the marriage which was a brilliant and gay one if not happy the larch hotel it could hardly be called a home became the scene of many festive occasions
then it was said of larch that soon after the echoes of the wedding chimes had died away he had begun to treat his wife with refined cruelty that hidden away from the public underneath his habitual manner there was the rawness of the brute
but it was noticed that the older and more conservative families were less often represented and when they were it was by some of the younger members whose reputations were already smirched or who had not yet acquired any and were willing to take a chance
it wouldn't do you know after that story came out for me and the vice chancellor who sat in the case as well as other judges and members of the bar to be seen there kenneth explained to the colonel
meanwhile colonel ashley was a very busy man and to no one did he tell very much about his activities he saw darcy frequently at the jail and to that young man's pleadings that something be done always returned the answer
don't worry it will come out all right
i'm going to rectify them but it will take time
it's hard for miss mason too although she's bearing up like a major
so king got bail who put it up
it was high larch
they took harry away a while ago
but his are pretty uncertain shoes to be in just the same
only that i darcy hesitated and grew red
good evening colonel he called genially will you join me in a welsh rabbit
thank you no
i'm afraid my digestion isn't quite up to that as i've had to cut out my fishing of late
now as to certain matters in the store on the morning of the murder
the stopped clocks for instance have you any theory
there were three of them the center figure being that of harry king and he was very much intoxicated
that is not always but sometimes it happened to be so now
i beg your pardon he said in the cultured tones he knew so well how to use yet of which he made so little use of late
i said where have you been remarked the other we've missed you
i said i was golfing he went on exceedingly distinctly though with an effort
why polonius some one asked
because dear friend replied king softly he somewhat resembles a certain person here who talks too much but who is not so wise as he thinks
there was a rattle of coins on the mahogany bar as king sought to disentangle a single bill from the wadded up currency in his pocket
it's it's an odd coin an old roman one that missus darcy had in her private collection kept in the jewelry store safe was the whispered answer
i went over them the other day and noticed some were missing though i saw them all when i paid a visit to her just a short time before she was killed
that was hers went on the jeweler
now harry king has it exclaimed colonel ashley
then should anything appear to merit a more minute examination albert de morcerf could follow up his researches by means of a small gate similar to that close to the concierge's door and which merits a particular description
shrubs and creeping plants covered the windows and hid from the garden and court these two apartments the only rooms into which as they were on the ground floor the prying eyes of the curious could penetrate
at a quarter to ten a valet entered he composed with a little groom named john and who only spoke english all albert's establishment although the cook of the hotel was always at his service and on great occasions the count's chasseur also
wait then during the day tell rosa that when i leave the opera i will sup with her as she wishes
very well at half past ten
is the countess up yet
the valet left the room
good morning lucien good morning said albert your punctuality really alarms me
you whom i expected last you arrive at five minutes to ten when the time fixed was half past
no no my dear fellow do not confound our plans
yes he has not much to complain of bourges is the capital of charles seven
it is for that reason you see me so early
i returned home at daybreak and strove to sleep but my head ached and i got up to have a ride for an hour
peste i will do nothing of the kind the moment they come from government you would find them execrable
besides that does not concern the home but the financial department
about what about the papers
in the entire political world of which you are one of the leaders
they say that it is quite fair and that sowing so much red you ought to reap a little blue
come come that is not bad said lucien
with your talents you would make your fortune in three or four years
franz who seemed attracted by some invisible influence towards the count in which terror was strangely mingled felt an extreme reluctance to permit his friend to be exposed alone to the singular fascination that this mysterious personage seemed to exercise over him and therefore made no objection to albert's request but at once accompanied him to the desired spot and after a short delay the count joined them in the salon
my very good friend and excellent neighbor replied the count with a smile you really exaggerate my trifling exertions
my father the comte de morcerf although of spanish origin possesses considerable influence both at the court of france and madrid and i unhesitatingly place the best services of myself and all to whom my life is dear at your disposal
i can scarcely credit it
then it is settled said the count and i give you my solemn assurance that i only waited an opportunity like the present to realize plans that i have long meditated
shall we make a positive appointment for a particular day and hour inquired the count only let me warn you that i am proverbial for my punctilious exactitude in keeping my engagements day for day hour for hour said albert that will suit me to a dot
so be it then replied the count and extending his hand towards a calendar suspended near the chimney piece he said to day is the twenty first of february and drawing out his watch added it is exactly half past ten o'clock now promise me to remember this and expect me the twenty first of may at the same hour in the forenoon
i reside in my father's house but occupy a pavilion at the farther side of the court yard entirely separated from the main building
now then said the count returning his tablets to his pocket make yourself perfectly easy the hand of your time piece will not be more accurate in marking the time than myself
that depends when do you leave
for france no for venice i shall remain in italy for another year or two
then we shall not meet in paris
i fear i shall not have that honor
well since we must part said the count holding out a hand to each of the young men allow me to wish you both a safe and pleasant journey
what is the matter asked albert of franz when they had returned to their own apartments you seem more than commonly thoughtful
i will confess to you albert replied franz the count is a very singular person and the appointment you have made to meet him in paris fills me with a thousand apprehensions
did you ever meet him previously to coming hither
upon my honor then listen to me
he dwelt with considerable force and energy on the almost magical hospitality he had received from the count and the magnificence of his entertainment in the grotto of the thousand and one nights he recounted with circumstantial exactitude all the particulars of the supper the hashish the statues the dream and how at his awakening there remained no proof or trace of all these events save the small yacht seen in the distant horizon driving under full sail toward porto vecchio
then he detailed the conversation overheard by him at the colosseum between the count and vampa in which the count had promised to obtain the release of the bandit peppino an engagement which as our readers are aware he most faithfully fulfilled
but said franz the corsican bandits that were among the crew of his vessel
why really the thing seems to me simple enough
talking of countries replied franz of what country is the count what is his native tongue whence does he derive his immense fortune and what were those events of his early life a life as marvellous as unknown that have tinctured his succeeding years with so dark and gloomy a misanthropy
certainly these are questions that in your place i should like to have answered
my dear franz replied albert when upon receipt of my letter you found the necessity of asking the count's assistance you promptly went to him saying my friend albert de morcerf is in danger help me to deliver him
what are his means of existence what is his birthplace of what country is he a native
i confess he asked me none no he merely came and freed me from the hands of signor vampa where i can assure you in spite of all my outward appearance of ease and unconcern i did not very particularly care to remain
and this time it must be confessed that contrary to the usual state of affairs in discussions between the young men the effective arguments were all on albert's side
well said franz with a sigh do as you please my dear viscount for your arguments are beyond my powers of refutation
and now my dear franz let us talk of something else
they're done for said the schoolmaster in a low key to the chouette out with your vitriol and mind your eye
the two monsters took off their shoes and moved stealthily along keeping in the shadows of the houses
by means of this stratagem they followed so closely that although within a few steps of sarah and tom they did not hear them
sarah and her brother having again passed by the tapis franc arrived close to the dilapidated house which was partly in ruins and its opened cellars formed a kind of gulf along which the street ran in that direction
in an instant the schoolmaster with a leap resembling in strength and agility the spring of a tiger seized seyton with one hand by the throat and exclaimed your money or i will fling you into this hole
no said the old brute grumblingly no not one ring what a shame
tom seyton did not lose his presence of mind during this scene rapidly and unexpectedly as it had occurred
oh ah to lay a trap to catch us replied the thief
then addressing thomas seyton you know the plain of saint denis
did you see in the cabaret we have just left for i know you again the man whom the charcoal man came to seek
cried the schoolmaster a thousand francs and i'll kill him
wretch i do not seek his life replied sarah to the schoolmaster
let's go and meet him
old boy it will pay for looking after
well my wife shall be there said the schoolmaster you will tell her what you want and i shall see
in the plain of saint denis
between saint ouen and the road of la revolte at the end of the road agreed
he had forgotten the address of the self styled fan painter
the fiacre started
whither hath my lonesomeness gone spake he
my shadow calleth me
what matter about my shadow
let it run after me i run away from it
thus spake zarathustra to his heart and ran away
verily my folly hath grown big in the mountains
now do i hear six old fools legs rattling behind one another
but doth zarathustra need to be frightened by his shadow
also methinketh that after all it hath longer legs than mine
for when zarathustra scrutinised him with his glance he was frightened as by a sudden apparition so slender swarthy hollow and worn out did this follower appear
asked zarathustra vehemently what doest thou here
and why callest thou thyself my shadow
thou art not pleasing unto me
must i ever be on the way
o earth thou hast become too round for me
when the devil casteth his skin doth not his name also fall away it is also skin
the devil himself is perhaps skin
sometimes i meant to lie and behold
then only did i hit the truth
how have i still inclination
have i still a goal
a haven towards which my sail is set
for it do i ask and seek and have sought but have not found it
o eternal everywhere o eternal nowhere o eternal in vain
thou art my shadow
said he at last sadly
thy danger is not small thou free spirit and wanderer
they sleep quietly they enjoy their new security
beware lest in the end a narrow faith capture thee a hard rigorous delusion
for now everything that is narrow and fixed seduceth and tempteth thee
thou hast lost thy goal
thou poor rover and rambler thou tired butterfly
wilt thou have a rest and a home this evening
thus accomplished he excited the admiration of every silly coquette and the envy of every fluttering coxcomb but by all young gentlemen and ladies of understanding he was heartily despised as a mere civilized monkey
that his soul might afterwards occupy such a station as would be most suitable to his character it was sentenced to inhabit the body of that finical grinning and mischievous little mimick with four legs which you now behold before you
once upon a time a brahman who was walking along the road came upon an iron cage in which a great tiger had been shut up by the villagers who caught him
the brahman answered no i will not for if i let you out of the cage you will eat me
oh father of mercy answered the tiger in truth that i will not
i will never be so ungrateful only let me out that i may drink some water and return
then the brahman took pity on him and opened the cage door but no sooner had he done so than the tiger jumping out said now i will eat you first and drink the water afterwards
so the brahman and the tiger walked on till they came to a banyan tree and the brahman said to it banyan tree banyan tree hear and give judgment
on what must i give judgment asked the banyan tree
this tiger said the brahman begged me to let him out of his cage to drink a little water and he promised not to hurt me if i did so but now that i have let him out he wishes to eat me
is it just that he should do so or no
let the tiger eat the man for men are an ungrateful race
sir camel sir camel cried the brahman hear and give judgment
at a little distance they found a bullock lying by the roadside
is it fair that he should do so or not
let the tiger eat the man for men have no pity
three out of the six had given judgment against the brahman but still he did not lose all hope and determined to ask the other three
on what must i give judgment asked the eagle
the brahman stated the case and the eagle answered whenever men see me they try to shoot me they climb the rocks and steal away my little ones
then the tiger began to roar and said the judgment of all is against you o brahman
after this they saw an alligator and the brahman related the matter to him hoping for a more favorable verdict
but the alligator said whenever i put my nose out of the water men torment me and try to kill me
the brahman gave himself up as lost but again he prayed the tiger to have patience and let him ask the opinion of the sixth judge
now the sixth was a jackal
the brahman told his story and said to him uncle jackal uncle jackal say what is your judgment
show me the place
when they got there the jackal said now brahman show me exactly where you stood
exactly there was it asked the jackal
exactly here replied the brahman
where was the tiger then
why i stood so said the tiger jumping into the cage and my head was on this side
very good said the jackal but i cannot judge without understanding the whole matter exactly
shut and bolted said the brahman
then shut and bolt it said the jackal
when the brahman had done this the jackal said oh you wicked and ungrateful tiger
when the good brahman opened your cage door is to eat him the only return you would make
proceed on your journey friend brahman
your road lies that way and mine this
what hath happened unto me
he asked himself something warm and living quickeneth me it must be in the neighbourhood
when however zarathustra was quite nigh unto them then did he hear plainly that a human voice spake in the midst of the kine and apparently all of them had turned their heads towards the speaker
what do i here seek
answered he the same that thou seekest thou mischief maker that is to say happiness upon earth
for i tell thee that i have already talked half a morning unto them and just now were they about to give me their answer
he would not be rid of his affliction
who hath not at present his heart his mouth and his eyes full of disgust
thou also thou also
but behold these kine
the kine however gazed at it all and wondered
wanton avidity bilious envy careworn revenge populace pride all these struck mine eye
it is no longer true that the poor are blessed
the kingdom of heaven however is with the kine and why is it not with the rich
why dost thou tempt me
answered the other
thou knowest it thyself better even than i
thus spake the peaceful one and puffed himself and perspired with his words so that the kine wondered anew
thou doest violence to thyself thou preacher on the mount when thou usest such severe words
they also abstain from all heavy thoughts which inflate the heart
well
said zarathustra thou shouldst also see mine animals mine eagle and my serpent their like do not at present exist on earth
and talk to mine animals of the happiness of animals
now however take leave at once of thy kine thou strange one
thou amiable one
for they are thy warmest friends and preceptors
thou evil flatterer
he perceived that it was no good talking to the old man and that the principal person in the house was the mother
before her he decided to scatter his pearls
the princess was distracted and did not know what to do she felt she had sinned against kitty
well doctor decide our fate said the princess tell me everything
is there hope she meant to say but her lips quivered and she could not utter the question well doctor
as you please the princess went out with a sigh
the family doctor respectfully ceased in the middle of his observations
and there are indications malnutrition nervous excitability and so on
the question stands thus in presence of indications of tuberculous process what is to be done to maintain nutrition
yes that's an understood thing responded the celebrated physician again glancing at his watch
beg pardon is the yausky bridge done yet or shall i have to drive around
he asked ah it is
oh well then i can do it in twenty minutes
and how about a tour abroad asked the family doctor
what is wanted is means of improving nutrition and not for lowering it
the family doctor listened attentively and respectfully
but in favor of foreign travel i would urge the change of habits the removal from conditions calling up reminiscences
and then the mother wishes it he added
ah well in that case to be sure let them go only those german quacks are mischievous
oh time's up already and he went to the door
the celebrated doctor announced to the princess a feeling of what was due from him dictated his doing so that he ought to see the patient once more
oh no only a few details princess come this way
and the mother accompanied by the doctor went into the drawing room to kitty
when the doctor came in she flushed crimson and her eyes filled with tears
she answered him and all at once got up furious
excuse me doctor but there is really no object in this
this is the third time you've asked me the same thing
the celebrated doctor did not take offense
nervous irritability he said to the princess when kitty had left the room however i had finished
and the doctor began scientifically explaining to the princess as an exceptionally intelligent woman the condition of the young princess and concluded by insisting on the drinking of the waters which were certainly harmless
at the question should they go abroad the doctor plunged into deep meditation as though resolving a weighty problem
finally his decision was pronounced they were to go abroad but to put no faith in foreign quacks and to apply to him in any need
it seemed as though some piece of good fortune had come to pass after the doctor had gone
the mother was much more cheerful when she went back to her daughter and kitty pretended to be more cheerful
educated people of the upper classes are trying to stifle the ever growing sense of the necessity of transforming the existing social order
this is absolutely incorrect
in the social conception of life it is supposed that since the aim of life is found in groups of individuals individuals will voluntarily sacrifice their own interests for the interests of the group
the champions of the social conception of life usually try to connect the idea of authority that is of violence with the idea of moral influence but this connection is quite impossible
the man who is controlled by moral influence acts in accordance with his own desires
the basis of authority is bodily violence
the possibility of applying bodily violence to people is provided above all by an organization of armed men trained to act in unison in submission to one will
these bands of armed men submissive to a single will are what constitute the army
the army has always been and still is the basis of power
power is always in the hands of those who control the army and all men in power from the roman caesars to the russian and german emperors take more interest in their army than in anything and court popularity in the army knowing that if that is on their side their power is secure
indeed it could not be otherwise
only under those conditions could the social organization be justified
but since this is not the case and on the contrary men in power are always far from being saints through the very fact of their possession of power the social organization based on power has no justification
even if there was once a time when owing to the low standard of morals and the disposition of men to violence the existence of an authority to restrain such violence was an advantage because the violence of government was less than the violence of individuals one cannot but see that this advantage could not be lasting
between the members of one state subject to a single authority the strife between individuals seems still less and the life of the state seems even more secure
it was produced on one hand by the natural growth of population and on the other by struggle and conquest
after conquest the power of the emperor puts an end to internal dissensions and so the state conception of life justifies itself
but this justification is never more than temporary
internal dissensions disappear only in proportion to the degree of oppression exerted by the authority over the dissentient individuals
government authority even if it does suppress private violence always introduces into the life of men fresh forms of violence which tend to become greater and greater in proportion to the duration and strength of the government
and therefore the oppression of the oppressed always goes on growing up to the furthest limit beyond which it cannot go without killing the goose with the golden eggs
the most convincing example of this is to be found in the condition of the working classes of our epoch who are in reality no better than the slaves of ancient times subdued by conquest
so it has always been
footnote the fact that in america the abuses of authority exist in spite of the small number of their troops not only fails to disprove this position but positively confirms it
the upper classes know that an army of fifty thousand will soon be insufficient and no longer relying on pinkerton's men they feel that the security of their position depends on the increased strength of the army
the reason to which he gave expression is essentially the same as that which made the french kings and the popes engage swiss and scotch guards and makes the russian authorities of to day so carefully distribute the recruits so that the regiments from the frontiers are stationed in central districts and the regiments from the center are stationed on the frontiers
the meaning of caprivi's speech put into plain language is that funds are needed not to resist foreign foes but to buy under officers to be ready to act against the enslaved toiling masses
and this abnormal order of things is maintained by the army
but there is not only one government there are other governments exploiting their subjects by violence in the same way and always ready to pounce down on any other government and carry off the fruits of the toil of its enslaved subjects
and so every government needs an army also to protect its booty from its neighbor brigands
this increase is contagious as montesquieu pointed out one hundred fifty years ago
every increase in the army of one state with the aim of self defense against its subjects becomes a source of danger for neighboring states and calls for a similar increase in their armies
the despotism of a government always increases with the strength of the army and its external successes and the aggressiveness of a government increases with its internal despotism
the rivalry of the european states in constantly increasing their forces has reduced them to the necessity of having recourse to universal military service since by that means the greatest possible number of soldiers is obtained at the least possible expense
and by this means all citizens are under arms to support the iniquities practiced upon them all citizens have become their own oppressors
this inconsistency has become obvious in universal military service
in fact the whole significance of the social conception of life consists in man's recognition of the barbarity of strife between individuals and the transitoriness of personal life itself and the transference of the aim of life to groups of persons
but with universal military service it comes to pass that men after making every sacrifice to get rid of the cruelty of strife and the insecurity of existence are called upon to face all the perils they had meant to avoid
but instead of doing that they expose the individuals to the same necessity of strife substituting strife with individuals of other states for strife with neighbors
the taxes raised from the people for war preparations absorb the greater part of the produce of labor which the army ought to defend
the danger of war ever ready to break out renders all reforms of life social life vain and fruitless
but the fatal significance of universal military service as the manifestation of the contradiction inherent in the social conception of life is not only apparent in that
governments assert that armies are needed above all for external defense but that is not true
they are needed principally against their subjects and every man under universal military service becomes an accomplice in all the acts of violence of the government against the citizens without any choice of his own
and for the sake of what am i making them
i am expected for the sake of the state to make these sacrifices to renounce everything that can be precious to man peace family security and human dignity
except for the state they say we should be exposed to the attacks of evil disposed persons in our own country
we know now that threats and punishments cannot diminish their number that that can only be done by change of environment and moral influence
so that the justification of state violence on the ground of the protection it gives us from evil disposed persons even if it had some foundation three or four centuries ago has none whatever now
except for the state they tell us we should not have any religion education culture means of communication and so on
without the state men would not have been able to form the social institutions needed for doing any thing
this argument too was well founded only some centuries ago
the great extension of means of communication and interchange of ideas has made men completely able to dispense with state aid in forming societies associations corporations and congresses for scientific economic and political objects
without governments nations would be enslaved by their neighbors
the government they tell us with its army is necessary to defend us from neighboring states who might enslave us
and if defense against barbarous nations is meant one thousandth part of the troops now under arms would be amply sufficient for that purpose
the power of the state far from being a security against the attacks of our neighbors exposes us on the contrary to much greater danger of such attacks
even looking at it practically weighing that is to say all the burdens laid on him by the state no man can fail to see that for him personally to comply with state demands and serve in the army would in the majority of cases be more disadvantageous than to refuse to do so
to resist would need independent thought and effort of which every man is not capable
so much for the advantages and disadvantages of both lines of conduct for a man of the wealthy classes an oppressor
for a man of the poor working class the advantages and disadvantages will be the same but with a great increase of disadvantages
the commons also voted that the new created peers ought to have no voice in this trial because the accusation being agreed to while they were commoners their consent to it was implied with that of all the commons of england
in the government of ireland his administration had been equally promotive of his master's interest and that of the subjects committed to his care
the case of lord mountnorris of all those which were collected with so much industry is the most flagrant and the least excusable
the court which consisted of the chief officers of the army found the crime to be capital and condemned that nobleman to lose his head
where the token by which i should discover it
it is now full two hundred and forty years since treasons were defined and so long has it been since any man was touched to this extent upon this crime before myself
let us not to our own destruction awake those sleeping lions by rattling up a company of old records which have lain for so many ages by the wall forgotten and neglected
however these gentlemen at the bar say they speak for the commonwealth and they believe so yet under favor it is i who in this particular speak for the commonwealth
my lords i have now troubled your lordships a great deal longer than i should have done
young vane falling upon this paper of notes deemed the matter of the utmost importance and immediately communicated it to pym who now produced the paper before the house of commons
the king proposes this difficulty but how can i undertake offensive war if i have no more money
your majesty having tried the affections of your people you are absolved and loose from all rules of government and may do what power will admit
the guild of saint elizabeth
immediately after dinner that evening leslie ran up to her room to make preparations for her visit to east hall
i'm not coming said annie
every student is to be in east hall at half past eight
it doesn't matter replied annie whether it is an order or not i'm not coming say nothing about me please
it burned as if with fever
you don't know what a trial it is for me to have you here
i want to be alone go
i know you don't quite mean what you say said leslie but of course if you really wish me
you fret me beyond endurance
wrapping a pretty blue shawl round her head and shoulders she turned to annie
leslie was just closing the door behind her when annie called after her
i took it out said leslie took it out
have the goodness to find it and put it back
but don't lock me out please annie
oh i won't lock you out she said but i must have the key
jane heriot's voice was heard in the passage
as she walked down the corridor she heard it being turned in the lock
what can this mean she said to herself
oh i won't press you replied jane
oh i shall never do that replied leslie
you see all the girls except eileen and marjorie laugh at her and that seems to me to make her worse
some day jane you must see her
if you are in london during the summer you must come and pay us a visit will you
that is if you care to confide in me
i believe poor annie is dreadfully unhappy
that's just it jane that is what frightens me she refuses to come
refuses to come she cried
she will get into an awful scrape
i am sure she is ill she works too hard and she but there i don't know that i ought to say any more
i'll wait for you here said leslie
do come annie do
scarcely likely replied leslie she told me she was determined not to come to the meeting
but marjorie and eileen had already departed and leslie and jane found themselves among the last students to arrive at the great east hall
miss lauderdale was standing with the other tutors and principals of the different halls on a raised platform
then a roll call was gone through by one of the tutors the only absentee was annie colchester
the physical part of your training and also the mental part are abundantly supplied in this great house of learning she continued but the spiritual part it seems to me ought now to be strengthened
hear hear and once again hear
she uttered her strange remark standing up
marjorie and eileen were close to her
i will talk with you belle acheson presently she said
the names of proposed members are to be submitted to me before this day week
am i my brother's keeper
you ask she continued
god answers to each of you you are
the world says no i am not but god says yes you are
all men are your brothers
for all who sin all who suffer you are to a certain extent responsible
after the address the girls themselves were encouraged to speak and a very animated discussion followed
it was past ten o'clock when she left the hall
just as she was doing so miss frere came up
annie colchester is your roomfellow is she not she said
i see by your face miss gilroy that you are distressed about something are you keeping anything back
i am afraid i am replied leslie distress now in her tone
i must see her myself early in the morning and i am quite sure that nothing will satisfy miss lauderdale except a very ample apology and a full explanation of the reason why she absented herself
excuses make no difference
the girl who breaks the rules has to be punished
i will tell her
annie colchester had begun to make friends with leslie
leslie determined to try for honors in english language and literature
her tastes all lay in this direction her idea being by and by to follow her mother's profession of journalism for which she already showed considerable aptitude
she had no idea of allowing herself to break down
what do you mean replied leslie
why you will be parting from me you know
i won't be the constant worry and plague of your life
it is this if by any chance you don't leave saint wode's annie i hope you will allow me to be your roomfellow again next term
said annie a flash of light coming into her eyes and then leaving them
but she added abruptly you speak of something which must not take place
i must pass in honors if i don't i shall die
a few moments later there came a tap at the door
leslie opened the door
jane heriot stood without
these letters have just come for you and annie colchester she said and as i was coming upstairs i thought i would leave them with you
leslie thanked her and eagerly grasped the little parcel
her eyes shone with pleasure at the anticipation of the delightful time she would have reveling in the home news the other letter was directed to annie colchester
here is a letter for you annie cried leslie
her face grew suddenly white as death what is it dear
i have been starving or rather i have been thirsting
well read it in peace said leslie i won't disturb you
i am truly glad it has come
leslie seated herself with her back to her companion and opened her own letters
don't notice me replied annie
i must go into the grounds the air is stifling
but they are just shutting up
i shall go i know a way
just after midnight she rose with a sigh to prepare for bed
she looked round the room
now i remember she got a letter which upset her very much and went out
leslie went to the window and flung it open she put her head out and tried to peer into the darkness but the moon had already set and she could not see more than a couple of yards in front of her
she is a very queer erratic creature and that letter there was bad news in that letter
what can she be doing out by herself
leslie left the room but she had scarcely gone a dozen paces down the corridor before she met annie returning
annie's eyes were very bright her cheeks were no longer pale and there was a brilliant color in them
she did not take the least notice of leslie but going into the room shut the door
don't begin said annie
don't begin what do you mean
i mean that i don't want you to begin to ask questions
i walked up and down as fast as ever i could outside in order to make myself sleepy
don't talk to me leslie don't say a single word
i shall go off to sleep that is all i care for
don't said annie
now drink this at once she said in a voice of authority if you really wish to sleep
annie stared vacantly at the cocoa then she uttered a laugh
drink that she said
do you want to kill me don't talk any more
i am sleepy i shall sleep
she got into bed as she spoke and wrapped the clothes tightly round her
can't you manage with a candle just for once
certainly said leslie
she turned off the light and lit a candle which she put behind her screen then prepared to get into bed
annie's manner was very mysterious
annie did not mean to confide in anyone that night and the kindest thing was to leave her alone
tired out leslie herself dropped asleep
annie is that you she called out
there was no reply but the sound of hurrying steps came quicker and quicker now and then they were interrupted by a groan
oh this will kill me my heart will break this will kill me