 44. Hermeticly sealed. The discovery which I have described above, but not so half as well as the Miller tells it now, created in my young heart a feeling of really strong curiosity. To begin with, how could this valuable thing have got into the Moonstream, and laid there so long unsought for, or at best so unskillfully sought for? What connection could it have with the tragic death of my grandfather? Why was that man so tardily come to search for it, if he might do so without anybody near him? Again, what woman was this whose beauty, no water or mud, could even manage to disguise? The last was a most disturbing question to one's bodily peace of mind, and then came another yet more urgent, what was in the inside of this tight case? That there was something inside of it seemed almost a certainty. The mere value of the trinket or even the fear that it might ever turn up as evidence would scarcely have brought that man so often to stir suspicion by seeking it, though after so long a time he might well hope that suspicion was dead and buried, and being unable to open this case, after breaking three good nails over it, and then the point of a penknife, I turned to Master Whithipool, who was stamping on the grass to drain himself. What sort of a man was that, I asked, who wanted you to do what you have done so kindly for me, about a month or six weeks ago? Do please to tell me as nearly as you can. If Mrs. Whithipool had been there, she might have lost all patience with me for putting long questions so selfishly to a man who had done so much for me, and whose clothes were now dripping in a wind which had arisen to test his theory of drying. He must have lost a large quantity of what scientific people called caloric, but never a shiver gave he an exchange. Well, Miss, he said, I was thinking a most of speaking on that very matter, more particular since you found that little thing with the pretty lady inside of it, if we're born in on my mind that this one were the very thing he were after. No doubt of it, I answered, with far less patience, though being comparatively dry, but what was he like? Was he like this portrait? This picture of the lady? No, I can't say that he were so much. The face of a big man he hath with short black fringes to it never showeth to my idea any likeness of a woman. No, no, Miss, thank you not at all that you have got him in that blue thing, though some of their pictures is like men the way they dress up nowadays. I did not mean that it was meant for him. What I mean is, do you see any sign of family likeness, any resemblance about the eyes or mouth or forehead? Well, now I don't know, but what I might replied, Master Withipoo, gazing very hard. If I was to look at him long enough, I might find some favor of that tall fella. I do believe indeed I do believe the more I look, the more I discovereth the image of him, the good and kind Miller's perception of the likeness strengthened almost too fast, as if the wish were father to the thought. Until I saw clearly how selfish I was in keeping him in that state so long, for I knew from what Mrs. Busk had told me that in spite of all his large and grand old English sentiments about his clothes, his wife would make him change them all ere ever she gave him a bit of dinner, and would force him then to take a glass of something hot. So I gave him a thousand thanks, though not a thousandth part of what he deserved, and saw him well on his homeward way before I went back to consider things. As soon as my landlady was at leisure to come in and talk with me, and as soon as I had told her how things happened, and shown her our discovery, we both of us did the very same thing, and said almost the very same words. Our act was, with finger and nail and eye, to rhyme into every jot of it, and our words were, I am sure there is something inside, if not it would open sensibly. In the most senseless and obstinate manner it refused not only to open, but to disclose anything at all about itself. Whether it ever had been meant to open, and if so where and by what means, whether without any gift of opening it might have a hidden thing inside, whether when opened by force or skill it might show something we had no business with, or, which would be far worse, nothing at all. Good Mrs. Busk and myself tested, tapped, felt, and blew, and listened, and tried every possible overture, and became at last quite put out with it. It is all a piece with the villains that owned it, the postmistress exclaimed at last, there is no penetrating either it or them. Most likely they have made away with this beautiful lady on the cover. Kill one, kill fifty I have heard say. I hope Master Whithypoole will let out nothing, or evil will it be for you, Miss. If I was you I would carry a pistol. Now please not to frighten me, Mrs. Busk. I am not very brave at the best of times, and Mrs. made me so nervous. If I carried a pistol I should shoot myself the very first hour of wearing it. The mere thought of it makes me tremble, oh, why was I ever born to do man's work? Because, Miss, a man would not have done it half so well. When you saw that villain digging a man would have rushed out and spoiled all chance. And now what man could ever have found this? Would Master Whithypoole have emptied the Moon River for a man, do you think? Or could any man have been down among us all this time in this jealous place without his business being long ago sifted out and scattered over him? No, no, Miss, you must not talk like that. And with me as well to help you. The rogues will have reason to wish, I do believe, that they had only got a man to deal with. In this argument there were points which had occurred to me before, but certainly it is a comfort to have one's own ideas in a doubtful manner reproduced, and perhaps put better by a mind to which one may have lent them perhaps with a loan all unacknowledged. However, trouble teaches care, and does it so well that the Master and the Lesson in usage of words are now the same. Therefore I showed no sign of being suggested with my own suggestions, but only asked quietly, what am I to do? My dear young lady, Mrs. Busk replied, after stopping some time to think of it, my own opinion is for my part that you ought to consult somebody. But I am, Mrs. Busk, I am now consulting you. Then I think, Miss, that this precious case should be taken at once to a jeweler who can open it without doing any damage, which is more than we can do. To be sure, I have thought of that, I replied, but how can that be done without arousing curiosity, without the jeweler seeing its contents, if indeed it has any? And in that case the matter would be no longer at our own disposal, as now it is. I have a great mind to split it with a hammer. What are the diamonds to me? It is not the diamonds, but the picture-miss that may be the most important, and more important that you might ruin its contents, so as not to make head and tail of them. No, no, it is a risk that must be run. We must have a jeweler, but not one of this neighborhood. Then I shall have to go to London again, and perhaps lose something most important here. Can you think of no other way out of it? No, Miss, at present I see nothing else, unless you will place it all in the hands of the police. Constable Jobbins, or to wit his son? Oh no, thank you, Mrs. Busk, not yet. Surely we are not quite reduced to such a hopeless pass as that. My father knew what the police were worth, and so does Betsy, and so does Major Hawkin. Pompous noodles, the Major calls them, who lay hold of everything by the wrong end. Then, if he can lay hold of the right end, Miss, what better could you do than consult him? I had been thinking of this already, and pride alone debarred me. That gentleman's active nature drove him to interfere with other people's business, even though he had never heard of them. And yet, through some strange reasoning of his own, or blind adoption of public unreason, he had made me dislike, or at any rate, not like him, until he began to show signs at last of changing his opinion. And now the question was, had he done that enough for me without loss of self-respect, to open my heart to him and seek counsel? In settling that point, the necessity of the case overrode, perhaps some scruples. In Seuth I had nobody else to go to. What could I do with Lord Castlewood? Nothing. All his desire was to do exactly what my father would have done, and my father had never done anything more than rove and roam his life out. To my mind, this was dreadful now, when every new thing rising around me more and more clearly to my mind established what I had never doubted his innocence. Again, what good could I do by seeking Betsy's opinion about it, or that of Mrs. Price, or Stixon, or any other person I could think of? None would ever. And perhaps much harm. Taking all in all, as things turn up, I believed myself to be almost equal to the cleverest of those three in sense, and encouraged, not inferior. Moreover, a sort of pride. Perhaps very small, but not contemptible, put me against throwing my affairs so much into the hands of servants. For this idea, Uncle Sam, no doubt the most liberal of men, would perhaps condemn me. But still I was not of the grand new world, whose pedigrees are arithmetic, at least with many of its items, though the true Uncle Sam was the last for that. Neither could I come up to the largesse of universal brotherhood. That was not to be expected of a female, and few things make a man more angry than for his wife to aspire to it. No such ideas had ever troubled me, I had more important things to think of, or at any rate something to be better carried out. And of all these disultery thoughts, it came that I packed up that odious but lovely locket. Without further attempt to unriddle it, and persuaded my very good and clever Mrs. Busk to let me start right early. By doing so, I could have three hours with a good gentleman always in a hurry, and yet return for the night to Shoxford, if he should advise me so. Men and women seem alike to love to have their councils taken. And the equinox being now gone by, Mrs. Busk was ready to begin before the tardy sun was up, who begins to give you short measure at once when he finds the weights go against him. Mrs. Busk considered not the sun, neither any of his doings. The time of day was more momentous than any of the sun's proceedings. Railway time was what she had to keep, unless a good customer dropped in. And as for the sun, clock slow, clock fast, in the almanac showed how he managed things. And if that was not enough, who could trust him to keep time after what he had done upon the dial of Ahaz? Reasoning thus, if reason it was, she packed me off in a fly for the nearest railway station, and by midday I found the major laboring on his ramparts. After proper salutations, I could not help expressing wonder at the rapid rise of things. Houses here and houses there, springing up like children's teeth, three or four in a row together, and then a long gap, and then some more, and down the slope a grand hotel open for refreshment, though at yet it had no roof on. For the major, in virtue of his charter, defied all the magistrates to stop him from selling whatever was saleable on or off the premises. But noblest and grandest of all to look at was the Brunsee Athenium Lyceum Assembly rooms, institution for mutual instruction, Christian young men's Congress and sanitary saline hydropathic hall at nominal prices to be had gratis. How you do surprise me, I said to Major Hocken, after reading all that, which he kindly requested me to do with care. But where are the people to come from? Erema, he replied, as if that question had been asked too often, you have not had time to study the laws of political economy, the noblest of all noble sciences. The first of incontrovertible facts is that supply creates demand. Now ask yourself whether there could even be a Yankee if ideas like yours had occurred to Columbus? This was beyond me, for I never could argue and strove to the utmost not to do so. You understand those things and I do not, said I with a smile, which pleased him. My dear Aunt Mary always says that you are the cleverest man in the world, and she must know the most about it. Partiality, partiality cried the major with a laugh and pulling his front hair up. Such things pass by me like the idle wind, or rather perhaps they sadden me from my sense of my own deficiencies. But lest me dinner must be waiting, look at that fellow's trowel, he knows, he turns up the point of it like a spoon. They say that he can smell his dinner two miles off. We all dine at one o'clock now, that I may route up every man-jack of them. The major sounded a steam-guard's whistle and led me off in the rapidly vanishing wake of his hungry workmen. End of Chapter 44 Chapter 45 of Arema This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Linda Dodge Arema by R. D. Blackmore Chapter 45 Conviction Sir Montague Hawkins, to my great delight, was still away from Brunsey. If he had been there, it would have been most awkward thing for me to meet him, or to refuse to do so. The latter course would probably have been the one forced upon me by self-respect and affection toward my cousin. Yet, if so, I could scarcely have avoided an explanation with my host. From the nature of the subject and several other reasons, this would have been most unpleasant. And even now I was haunted with doubts, as I had been from the first, whether I ought not to have told Mrs. Hawkins long ago what had been said of him. At first sight, that seemed the honest thing to do, but three things made against it. It might seem forward and meddlesome. It must be a grievous thing to my cousin to have his sad story discussed again. And lastly, I had promised Mrs. Price that her words should go no further. So that, on the whole, perhaps I acted a right in keeping that infamous tale to myself as long as ever it was possible. But now ere ever I spoke of him, which I was always loath to do, Mrs. Hawkins told me that he very seldom came to see them now, and when he did come he seemed to be uneasy and rather strange in his manners. I thought to myself that the cause of this was clear. Sir Montague, knowing that I went to Castlewood, was pricked in his conscience, and afraid of having his vile behavior to my cousin disclosed. However, that idea of mine was wrong, and a faulty conception of simple youth. The wicked forgive themselves so quickly, even if they find any need of it, that everybody else is supposed to do the same. With this I have no patience. A wrong, unrepentant of, and unattoned gathers interest, instead of getting discount from lost time. And so I hated that man tenfold. Good Mrs. Hawkins lamented his absence not only for the sake of her darling fowls, but also because she considered him a check upon the major's enterprise. Great as her faith was in her husband's ability and keenness, she was often visited with dark misgivings about such heavy outlay. Of economy, as she often said, she certainly ought to know something, having had to practice it as strictly as anybody in the kingdom. From an age she could hardly remember. But as for what now was brought forward as a great discovery, economy and politics, Mrs. Hawkins had tried to follow great opinions, but could only find so far downright extravagance. Supply, as she had observed fifty times with her own butcher and fishmonger, instead of creating demand, produced a lot of people hankering around the corner till the price came down to nothing. And if it were so with their institutions, as her dear husband called his new public house, who was to find all the interest due to the building and land societies? Truly she felt that Sir Rufus Hawkins, instead of doing any good to them, had behaved very badly in leaving them land and not even a shilling to work it with. It relieved her much to tell me this, once for all an in strict confidence, because her fine old fashioned, and we now may say quite obsolete, idea of duty toward her husband forbade her ever to say to him or about him when it could be helped anything he might not like. Anything which to an evil mind might convey a desire on her part to meddle with, with political economy, I said, and she laughed and said, yes, that was just it. The major, of course, knew best, and she ought with all her heart to trust him and not to burden their old days with debt. After all the children they had brought up and fairly educated upon the professional income of a distinguished British officer, who is not intended by his superiors to provide successors. Perhaps it is like the boiled eggs they send me, the old lady said with her soft sweet smile, for my poor hens to sit upon. Their race is too good to be made common, so now they get tinkers and tailors boys after much competition and the crammed sons of cooks, and in peacetime they do just as well. Of such things I knew nothing, but she seemed to speak with bitterness and the last thing to be found in all her nature yet discoverable as all bad things except its own are by the British government. I do not speak from my own case in which they discovered nothing. By the time these things had been discussed, my host, who was always particular about his dress, came down to dinner and not until that was over could I speak of the subject which had brought me here. No sooner than I had begun my tale, then they both perceived that it must neither be flurried nor interrupted, least of all should it be overheard. Come into my lock up, cried the major, or better still let us go out of doors we can sit in my snuggery on the cliff with only goals and jackdolls to listen, and mount my telescope and hoist my flag and the men know better than to sculpt their work. I can see every son of a gun of them as clearly as I had them on parade. You wish Mrs. Hawken to come, I suppose, very well let us be off at once I shall count my fellas coming back from dinner. With a short quick step the major led the way to a beautifully situated outpost at a corner of the cliff where land and sea for many a fair league rolled below. A niche of the chalk had been cleverly enlarged and scooped into a shell-shaped bower, not indeed gloriously overhung, as in the far west might have been, but broken of its white defiant glare by climbing and wandering verger. Seats and slabs of oak were fixed to check excess of chalkiness, and a parapet of a pattern which the major called Egyptian saved fear of falling down the cliff and served to spread a paper on or to rest the telescope. From this point, said the major, crossing wiry yet substantial legs, the whole of my little domain may be comprised as in a bird's eye view. It is nothing, of course, much less than nothing compared with the Earl of Crocombe's or the estate of this count Gamberley. Still, such it it is, it carries my ideas and it has an extent of marine frontage such as they might envy. We are asked five pounds per foot for a thread of land fronting on a highway, open to every kind of annoyance, overlooked without anything to look at. How much, then, per fathom, or measure if you please by cable length, is land worth fronting the noble, silent, uncontaminating, healthful sea? Wints can come no oastermongers, cries no agitating scur of bad pipes or the maddening hurdy-gurdy, no German band expecting half a crown for the creation of insanity, only the sweet murmur of the wavelets and the melodious whistle of a boatman catching your breakfast lobster. Where again, if you love the picture of— My dear, said Mrs. Hawkin gently, you always were eloquent from the first day I saw you. And if you reconstitute our burrow, as you hope, and enter Parliament for Brunsey, what a sensation you will create. But I wish to draw your attention to the fact that Arema is waiting to tell her tale. To be sure I will not stop her. Elegance is a waste of time, and I never yet have half a second to spare. Fear no eloquence from me, facts and logic are my strong points. And now Arema show what yours are. At first this made me a little timid, for I had never thought that any strong points would be needed for telling a simple tale. To my mind the difficulty was not to tell the story but to know what to make of it when told. And soon I forgot all about myself in telling what I had seen, heard and found. The Major could not keep himself from stamping great holes through his, something I forget the name of, but people sew it to make turf of chalk. And dear Aunt Mary saw pig cheeks, which her last grandchild might envy, deep into a tone of rose, while her eyes so full of heavenly faith when she got upon lofty subjects, took a most human flash and sparkle of hatred, not theological. Seven, she cried, Oh Nicholas, Nicholas, you never told me that there were seven. There were not seven graves without the mother, the Major answered sternly, and what odds whether seven or seventy. The criminality is the point, not the accumulation of results. Still I never heard of so big a blackguard, and what did he do next, my dear? The way in which they took my story was a great surprise to me, because although they were so good, they had never paid any attention to it until it became exciting. They listened with mere politeness until the scent of a very wicked man began to taint my narrative. But from that moment they drew nearer and tightened their lips and held their breath and let no word escape them. It made me almost think that people of even pure excellence weaned as they are from wicked things by teaching and long practice must still retain a hankering for them done at other people's cost. And now, cried the Major, let us see it. Even before I had time to pull it out, they're ready to be quick, from a knowledge of his ways. Show it, and you shall have my opinion, and Mary's is certain to agree with mine, my dear, that's what makes yours so priceless. Then, Nicholas, if I retain my own, yours is of no value. Never mind that. Now, don't catch words, or neither opinion will be worth a thought. My dear, let us see it, and then judge. My own idea, but not so well expressed, Major Hocken answered, as he danced about, while I, with stupid haste, was tugging at my package of the hateful locket, for I had not allowed that deceitful thing any quarters in my pocket, where dear relics of my father lay, but had fastened it under my dress in a manner intended in no way for gentlemen to think about. Such little things annoy one's comfort and destroy one's power of being quite high-minded. However, I got it out at last, and a flash of the sun make the difference. Brilliance, Mary, the Major, cried. Brilliance of first water, such as we saw, you know where, and any officer in the British army except myself, I do believe, would have had them at once in his camlet pouch. My dear, you know all about it. Bless my heart how slow you are. Is it possible you have forgotten it? There came out a fellow, and I cut him down as my duty was, without ceremony. You know how I used to do it, out of regulation, with a slash like this. Oh, Nicholas, you will be over the cliff. You have shown me how you used to do it a thousand times, but you had no cricks in your back then, and remember how brittle the chalk is. The chalk may be brittle, but I am tough. I insist upon doing everything as well as I did it forty years ago. Mary, you ought not to speak to me like that. Eighteen, nineteen, twenty brilliance, worth twenty pounds a piece on an average, I do believe, four hundred pounds, that would finish our hotel. Nicholas! Oh, my dear, I was only in fun. O'Rama understands me. But who is this beautiful lady? The very point, I exclaimed, while he held it, so that the pensive beauty of the face gleamed in the soft relief among the blight, blue enamel, and sparkling gems, the very thing that I must know, that I would give my life to know, that I have fifty thousand fancies. Now don't be excited, O'Rama, if you please. What will you give me to tell you who it is? Oh, all those diamonds, which I hate the sight of, and three quarters of my half nugget, and if that is not enough, it is a thousand times too much. I will tell you for just one smile, and I know it will be a smile of unbelief. Oh, no, no, I will believe it whoever you say. With excitement superior to grammar, I cried, only tell me at once, don't be so long. But then you won't believe me when I do tell you the major reply, in the most provoking way. I shall tell you the last person you would ever think of, and then you will only laugh at me. Oh, I won't laugh. How can I laugh in such a matter? I will believe you if you say it is Aunt Mary. My dear, you had better say it once, that it is I, and have no more mystery about it. Mrs. Hocken was almost as impatient as myself. Mrs. Hocken, you must indeed entertain an exalted idea of your own charms. I knew that you were vain, but certainly did not. Well then, if you will allow me no peace. This is the lady that lives down in the ruin, when stands like a pillar by my pillar-box. I had never thought you would joke like that, I cried with fixation and anger. Oh, is it a subject to be joked about? I was never graver in my life, and you promised implicitly to believe me, at any rate believe that I speak in earnest. Well, that I must believe when you tell me so, but what makes you think such a wonderful thing? I should have thought nothing more impossible. I had made up my mind that it was Flitimore who lived down here, but this cannot be she. Flitimore was unheard of at a time of my grandfather's death. Moreover, her character was not like this. She was giddy and light and heartless. This lady has a heart. Good or bad, a deep one. Most certainly it is not Flitimore. Flitimore, I do not remember that name. You should either tell us all or tell us nothing. The major's town was reproachful, and his eyes from their angular roofs looked fierce. I have not told you, I said, because it can have nothing to do with it. The subject is a painful one and belongs to my family only. Enough. I am not inquisitive, on the other hand, too forgetful. I have an appointment at three twenty-five. It takes me seven minutes and a quarter to get there. I must be two minutes and three quarters late. Mrs. Hawkin, mount the big telescope and point it at the rampart. Keep the flag up also. Those fellas will be certain that I am up here. While I inflate them from the western end with this fine binocular, surprises maintain discipline. Goodbye, my dear and Ms. Castlewood. Goodbye. Tea at six thirty, and not too much water. End of chapter forty-five. Chapter forty-six of Erema. This is a LibreVox recording. All LibreVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibreVox.org, recording by Ellie, Erema, by R. D. Blackmore. Chapter forty-six, Wayne Seale. Leaving his telescope leveled at the man the major marched off with his opera glass in a conspiciously provoking style, and Mrs. Hawkin most hardly joined me in condemning such behavior. In a minute or two, however, she would not have a word said against him, and the tide of her mind as befits a married woman was beyond all science, so that the drift of all words came back to her husband's extraordinary merits, and certainly these, if at all, like her description, deserve to be twelt upon a very precious period. However, I had heard enough of them before, for the major himself was not moved upon this point, though comparatively modest and oftentimes deprecating praise he ever received it, and so I brought Mrs. Hawkin back at last to talk about the lady who was living in the ruin. It is not quite the ruin, she said. My dear husband is fond of picturesque expressions, however, it is not in very good repair, and being unable to get possession of it through some legal quibble, possibly he may look at it from a rather unfavorable point of view, and for the same reason, though he is so purely just, he may have formed a bad opinion of the strange individual who lives there. What right has she to be living without his leave upon his own men, but there she is, and she does not care for us or anybody. She fetches all she wants, she speaks to none, and if anybody calls for rates or taxes or any other public intrusion, they may knock and knock and never get in, and at last they go away again. But surely that cannot go on forever, brand C is such an enlightened place. Our part of it is, but the rest quite benign, as the man says. I forgot his name, but the man he misunderstands us so. His contention is the desolate hole, as the major calls it. Although in the middle of our land is entirely distinct from it, my husband never will put up with that. His love of justice is far too strong, and he means to have a lawsuit. But still he has reasons for not beginning yet, and he puts up with the great deal I'm sure. It is too bad for them to tease him so. It does seem a very sad thing, I replied, and the poor soul living there all alone, even in some it is bad enough. But whatever will she do when winter comes? Why, the sea in bad weather must be almost upon her and the road of pebbles all night. Major Hawkin will never allow her to stay there. What can we do when he cannot get in and they even deny his title? I assure you, Erema, I have sent down cream and even a dozen of my precious eggs with the lady of the manor's compliments. But instead of being grateful, they were never taken in. And my Polly, Miss Polly Hopkins, you know, very wisely took it all to her grandmother. To her grandmother instead of mine is the major who studiously calls her, and now he says this is her portrait, and instead of giving his reasons, he runs away. Really, you must excuse me, Aunt Mary, for thinking that your good husband has a little too much upon his mind sometimes. The old lady laughed, as I love to see her do. Well, my dear, after that, I think you had better have it out with him. He comes home to tea at 6.30, which used to be half-bust six in my days. He is very tired then, though he will never allow it. And it would not be fair to attack him. I give him a mutton chop, or two poached eggs, or some other trifle of nourishment. And then I make him doze for an hour and a half to sooth his agitated intellect. And when he wakes, he has just one glass of hot water and sugar with a little loch naga, and then he is equal to anything, begam and bequiz, or even conversation. Impatient as I was, I saw nothing better. And by this time I was becoming used to what all of us must put up with, the long postponement of our heavy cares to the light convenience of others. Major Hawkins might just as well have stopped when he saw how anxious I was. Uncle Sam would have stopped the mill itself, with a dozen customers waiting. But no doubt he had spoiled me, and even that should not make me bitter. Aunt Mary and I understood each other. We gazed away over the brats of the sea and the gleam of its texture, and we held our peace. Few things are more surprising than the calm way in which ripe age looks on at things which ought to amaze it. And yet any little one of its own concerns grows more important, perhaps than ever as the shadow of future dwindles. Major Hawkins had found on the beach a pebble with the streak of a gate in it. He took it as a harbinger of countless gates and resolved to set up a lapidary with a tent, or even a shop, perhaps not to pay, but to be advertised and catch distinguished visitors. Arima, you're a mighty finder. You found the biggest nugget yet discovered. You know about stones from the Rocky Mountains, or at least the Sierra Nevada. You did not discover this beautiful gate, but you saw and greatly admired it. You might say that a young lady eminent for great skill in Lysology filmed this discovery, etc. Hold it between your eyes and this candle, but wet it in the slop basin first. Now you see the magnificent veins of blue. I see nothing of the kind, I said, for really it was too bad for him. It seems to me a dirty bit of the commonest flint you could pick up. This works too more than I wish to have done, and I could not help being sorry for event into a little fit of sulks, and Aunt Mary almost frowned me, but he did not stay long in that condition, and after his dose and his glass he came for us as lifelike and meddlesome as ever, and the first thing he did was to ask me for the locket. Open it, he cried, why of course I can. There's never any difficulty about that. The finest workmanship in the world is that of the Indian churras. I have been among them often, and know all their devices and mechanisms, of which the European are bad copies. I have only to look round this thing twice, and then pronounce my sesame. My dear, then look around it as fast as you can, says his wife. Is it right to us, smile at me, and we won't pre-assess till it flies asunder. Mary, Miss Castlewood makes you proud, although herself so well-conducted. However, I do not hesitate to say that I will open this case in two minutes. Of course you will, dear, Mrs. Hawkin replied, in provoking quiescence. The mage I never fail, Serima, in anything he's so sure about. And this is a mere child's toy to him. Well, dear, have you done it? But I need not ask, or let us see what is inside it. I have not done it yet, Mrs. Hawkin, and if you talk with such rapidity, of course you throw me out. How can I command my thoughts or even recall my experience? Hush now, hush, Serima, and I must hush myself reverently. You have no reverence in you and no patience. Do you expect me to do such a job in a second? Do you take me for a common churla? I beg you to remember. Well, my dear, I remember only what you told us. You were to turn it round twice, you know, and thank Christ, Serima. Serima, was it not so? I never said anything of the sort. What I said was simply this. However, the reason this lady is rude. I shall just be off to my study. Will you keep your tools, my darling? Mrs. Hawkin said softly after him, at least, I mean, when you know where they are. I was astonished at Aunt Mary's power of being so highly provoking and still more at her having the heart to employ it. But she knew best what her husband was, and to worship him forever is not wise. Go and knock at his door in about five minutes. Mrs. Hawkin said to me with some mischief in her eyes. If he continues to fail, he may possibly take a shorter way with it, and with his tools so close at hand. Oh, I exclaimed, his geological hammer, the dreadful crusher. May I go at once? I detest that thing, but I cannot have it smashed. He will not break it up, my dear, without your leave. He would never think of such a thing, of course. However, you may as well go after him. It was wrong of Mrs. Hawkin to make me do this, and I felt quite ashamed of myself when I saw the kind old mage as sitting by his lamp and wrinkling his forehead into locks and keys of puzzle by using violence to his own mind alone. And I was more ashamed when, instead of resenting my intrusion, he came to meet me and led me to his chair and placed the jewel trinket in my hand and said, My dear, I give it up. I was wrong in taking it away from you. You must consult someone wiser. That odious singer answered, being touched by this unusual humility of his, you shall not give it up. I know no wiser person. Let me dare restricts below your knowledge. But if you are not tired of me and offended, may I leave it to you to get it opened? I would like nothing better, he replied, recovering his natural briskness and importance. But you ought to be there, my dear. You must be there. Are you sure that you ought not rather take it to your good cousin, Lord Kesslerwood? Now think before your answer. I need not think twice of that, Major Hocken. Good and learned as my father's cousin is, he has distinctly refused to help me for some mysterious reason of his own in searching into this question. Indeed, my great hope is to do it without him, for all that I know he might even wish to twat me. Enough, my dear. It shall be just as you wish. I brought you to England and I will stand by you. My cousin, Colonel Ghandry, has committed you to me. I have no patience for my factors. I never took this matter up for very many reasons. And among them not the least was that Samson, your beloved Uncle Sam, thought it better not to do so. But if you desire it, and now that I feel certain that an infamous wrong has been done to you, which I heartily beg you to pardon for my doubt of, by the Lord of all justice, everything else may go to the devil. Till I see it out, do you desire it, Erema? I certainly do not wish that any of your great works should be neglected. But if, without that, you can give me your strong help, my only difficulty will be to thank you. I like plain speaking, and you always speak plainly. Sometimes too plainly, he said, recollecting little times when he had the worst of it. How far do you trust me now? Major Hawkin, I trust you all together. You may make mistakes as all men do. Yes, yes, yes, about my own affairs, but I never do that for other people. I pay a bill of two pens if it is my own. If I may trust you of it, I pay three half pens. His meaning was a little beyond me now, but it seemed better not to tell him so, for he loved to explain his own figures of speech even when he had no time to spare for it. And he clearly expected me to ask him to begin, or at least it seemed so from his eyebrows. But that only came home to me afterward. Please do not speak of my affairs like that, I said, as if I were quite stupid. I mean to pay four pens for every two pens. Both to friends and enemies. You are a queer girl. I've always said so. You turn things to your own ideas so. However, we must put up with that, though none of my daughters have ever done it, for which I am truly thankful. But now there is very little time to lose. The meaning of this thing must be cleared up at once. And there is another thing to be done as well. Quite is important in my opinion. I will go to London with you tomorrow if you like. My clever little Cornish man will see two things there, the man that sets up all angles. But why should I hurry to London so? I asked. Should any good country jeweler could manage it, or let this break it open? On no account he answered. We might spoil it all, besides the great risk to the diamonds, which are very brittle things. To London we must take it for this reason. The closure of this case is not jeweler's work. Of that I have quite convinced myself. It is the work of a first rate lapidary, and the same sort of man must not do it. To this I agreed quite readily, because of such things I knew nothing. Whereas my host spoke, just as if he had been brought up to both those walks of art. And then I put the question, it had been long-burning on my tongue. What made you imagine Major Hawkin, that this very beautiful face could have been that of the old lady living in ruin? In that sort of whole I will tell you at once, and then call it if you like an imagination. Of all the features of the human's face there is none more distinctive than the eyebrow. Distinctive is not exactly what they mean. They mean more permanently marked and clear. The eyes change, the nose changes, so does the mouth, and even the shape of the forehead sometimes. But the eyebrows change very little, except in colour. This I've noticed because my own may perhaps be a little peculiar, and they've always been so. At school I received a nickname about it, for boys, I'm much sharper than men about such things, and that name after 50 years fits as well as ever. You may smile if you like, I shall not tell you what it was, but leave you to reinvent it if you can. Now look at this first-rate miniature. Do you see an unusual but not uncommon information of the eyebrows? I certainly do, though I did not observe it until you drew my attention. I only regarded the face as a whole. The face as a whole is undoubtedly fine, but the eyebrows have a peculiar arch, and the least little turn at the lower end, as if they designed to rise again. The lady of desolate whole has the same. But how can you tell how very strange I thought she let nobody see her face? You are perfectly right about that, Deirema, so far at least as she has vouched safe to exhibit her countenance to me, other people may be more fortunate. But when I met her for the second time being curious about her, I ventured to offer my services, with my input and jewelry at the place where the tide was running up and threatened to surround her. My politeness was not appreciated as too often is the case, for she made me a very stiff bow and turned away. Her face had been covered by the muffler of her cloak, as if the sea breeze had been too much for her, and she did not raise her eyes. But before she turned away, I obtained a very good glance at her eyebrows, and they were formed like these. But her age made her hocking. Her age? What is it? Upon that proverbially delicate point, I can tell you but little, Deirema. Perhaps, however, I may safely say that she cannot be much under twenty. It is not right to provoke me so. You call her the old woman and compare her to your letterbox. You must have some idea. Is she seventy? Certainly not, I should say, though she cannot accept me to defend her, and she will have to show her face to me. And what is far worse, at my time of life, she won't even pay me a half penny of rent. Now let us go back to Aunt Mary, my dear. She always insists upon packing overnight. End of chapter forty-seven, recording by Ellie, July 2009. Chapter forty-seven of Erema. This is a LibreVox recording. All LibreVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibreVox.org, recording by Ellie. Erema by Adi Blackmore. Chapter forty-seven, Katmian Victory. Before two o'clock of the following day, I made a hocking at myself here in London, and ready to stay there for two or three days. If it should prove needful. Before leaving Prandtsey, I had written briefly to Lord Castlewood, telling him that important matters had taken me away from Shoxford, and as soon as I could explain them, I would come and tell him about it. This was then only so fear of his being annoyed at my independence. From London bridged a major took a cab directly to Glockenville, and again observed that of all his choice, one of the kinest was to match his wits against the Capmans. A regular mouth this time, he said, as he jerked up and down with his usual delight in displaying great knowledge of London. No sport to be had out of him. Why, he stared at me when I said Rosemont Street, and made me stick on Glockenville. Now, here he's taking us down Snow Hill, when he could have been crossing Smithfield. Smithfield, Cabby, Smithfield. Certain sir, Smithle, if you give the order, and he turned the poor horse again, and took us up the hill, and among a great number of barriers. No sleigh fair, no sleigh fair, and all hands stretched across us, but the Capmans righted his way between, till he came to the brink of the precipice. The horse seemed quite ready, like a Roman, to leap down it, seeing nothing less desirable than his present mode of life, till a man with a pig egg stopped him. What are you at, cried the major, with fury equaled by nothing except his fright. Areyma, untie me retten, quick, quick. Captain, said the Capman Cooley, I must have another shilling for this job. A extra mile in the quarter to your orders. Your nose learning so much better, Smithle stopped, new railway, new meat market. Never heard of that now, did you? You scoundrel, drive straight to the nearest police office. Must jump this little ditch then, Captain. 5.5 for you, when we get there. Hold on inside, old gentleman. Bob, you was a hunter once. It aimed more than 50 feet deep, my boy. Turn round, turn round, I tell you, turn round. If your neck is for fate, you rogue, mine is not. I never was so taken in my life. Major Hawking continued to rave, and amid many cheers, we retreated humbly, and the driver looked in at us with a gentle grin, and he thought he was so soft, you know. Areyma, may I swear at him? On no account, they said, why, after all, it's only a shilling and a loss of time, and then you can always reflect that you have discharged, as you say, a public duty by protesting against the vile system. Protesting is very well when it pays, the Major answered gloomily, but to pay for protesting is another pair of shoes. This made him cross, and he grew quite fierce when the captain smote him for eight pence more. Four parcels on the roof, Captain, he said, looking as only a captain can look at his money, and spinning his extra shilling. Two pence under each new hatched, you know, scarcely so the officer would have tried evasion. You consume its counter, and you dress yourself like a country man, I'll have your badge endorsed, I'll have your license marked. Areyma, pay the thief. It is more than I can do. Captain, your address, if you please. I shall summon you for scurrilia's luggage, as the heck directs. Ah, you do right to be driven to a pawn shop. Triumph and leader off off, while the Major cried, never tie up my retina again. Oh, it was Mrs. Hawkin, wasn't it? What a fool I was not to stop at my own manner. I pray you to disdain such low impudence, I said, for I could not be able to see him shake like that, and grieved to have brought him into it. You have beaten fifty of them, a hundred of them, I've heard you say. Certainly I have, my dear. But I had no prancy then, and I could not afford to pay rogues, that makes me feel it too bitterly, so loftily, and so righteously, to be treated like this, when I think of all my labours for the benefit of the rascally human race. My institute, my museum, my mutual improvement association, and Christian's young man's something. There is no institution, after all, to be compared to the treadmill. Recovering himself with this fine conclusion, he led me down a little shopping alley, scarcely wide enough for a wheelbarrow, to an old black door, where we set down our parcels, for he had taken his while I carried mine, and not knowing what might happen yet, like a true peacemaker, I stuck to the sheaf of umbrellas in the red and cane, and thankfully I was, and so might be the capman, to have that weapon nicely sheathed with silk. Major Hawkins pressed for short, threw too much talking without action, and he waited for a minute at his door, to come back to his equanimity. And I thought that our female press falls short for the opposite reason, when we do too much and talk too little, which happily seldom happens. He was not longing coming back to his usual sprightliness and decision, and it was no small relief to me, I was looking at him miserably, and longing that his wife was there, threw that very sad one-eight-pence, when he pulled out the key, which he always carried a signer in Lord of Branzi, the key of the town hall, which had survived locked doors and walls for centuries, and there was struck a door, which must have reminded that key of its fine old use. Before he had knocked so very many times, the door was opened by a young man wearing an apron, and the brown paper cap, her new Major Hawkins at once, and showed us upstairs to a long low workshop. There were many wheels and plates and cylinders revolving by energy of a strap which came through the floor and went through the ceiling, and the young man told us to be careful how we walked, for fear of getting entangled. Several men wearing paper caps and aprons of leather or base were sitting doing dexterous work, no doubt, and doing it very easily, and the master of them all was hissing over some fine touch of jewel as he groomed us at the horse. Then seeing us, he dropped his holders and threw a letter upon his large lens and came and took us to a little side room. Are you not afraid to leave them? Asked the Major, they may secret some gems, Mr. Hentken. Never. Said the Lepidary with some pride. I could, I could trust this man with the kui noor, which we could have done better, I believe. Then it was done by the Hollenders. But we don't get the chance to do much in diamonds. So they all superstitioned about Amsterdam and so on. No, no. The only thing I can trust my man about is to work as hard when I am away as when I am there. And now, sir, what can I do for you? Any more brandy pebbles? The last were not worth the cutting. So you said, but I didn't think so. We have some gates as good as any from Ebyswiss to Perchire. But what I want now is to open this case. It must be done quite privately, for the most particular reason. It does open, doesn't it? I'm sure it does. Certainly it opens, Mr. Hentken answered, while I trembled with anxiety as he lightly felt around the edges with fingers ingrained with corrodum. I could open it in one instant, but the animal might fly. Will you risk it? The major looked at me and they said, oh no, please don't risk anything. If any slower process will do it without risk, we want it done without injury. Then it will cost a good bit, he replied. I can open it for five shillings, if you run the risk. If that rests with me, I must charge five pounds. Say three, cried the major. Well then, say four guineas. I have a lot of work in store for you. I never overcharged, then never depart my figures. The lepidary answered. There is only one other man in London who knows the secret of this animal, and he is my brother. They never make such animal now. The art is lost, like that of the French paste of a hundred years ago, which almost passes me until I go behind it. I will give you my brother's address if you like, but instead of five pounds, he will charge you ten guineas, if it must be done in private. Without that condition, I can do it for two pounds. You wish to know why that should make such a difference? Well, for this simple reason, to make sure of the job, it must be done by daylight. It can be done only in my chief workroom. If no one is to see what I am about, and my man has sharp eyes, I can tell you all my hands must be sacked for the afternoon, but not without their wages. That alone would go far to a difference. And then there is the dropping of the jobs in hand, in the waste of power and so on. I have asked you too little, Major Hawkin. I assure you, but having said, I will stick to it, although I would much rather you would let me off. I have known you for many years, the Major answered. Ever since you were a boy with the flat box, working at our Cornish Opals, you would have done a lot of work for five pounds then, but I never knew you overcharged for anything. We agree on your terms, and are obliged to you. But do you guarantee no damage? I will open this locket. Take out its contents, whatever they may be, and reclose it so that the maker, if still alive, which is not very probable, should not know that it had been meddled with. Very well. That is exactly what you want, for if any idea about it, which I may try to go on this afterward, and for that it is essential to have no symptom that it was ever opened. What are these brilliance words, Mr. Hawkin? Well, sir, in trade about the hundred and fifty, though I dare say the cost three hundred, and the portrait is worse than other hundred, if I find on the back the marks I expect. Do you not mean to say that you know the artist? I could not help exclaiming, though determined not to speak. Oh, then we shall find out everything. Erema, you are, well you are as silly, Major Hawkin exclaimed, then Calladis remembering, that rather he should have left my lips pass, but the lapidary seemed to pay no attention, only to be calling down to someone far below. Now, mind what you say, the Major whispered to me, just as if it were the essence of discretion. The workroom is clear now, Mr. Hawkin said, the fellows were delighted to get their afternoon. Now you see that I have to take off this hoop, and there lies the difficulty. I could have taken out the gold back, as I said, this very little trouble, by simply cutting it. But the locket would never have been quite the same, though we put a new back, and more than that, the pressure of the tool might flaw the enema, or even crack the portrait, for the make of the thing is peculiar. Now, first I submit the rim of urge, without touching the brilliance, mind you, to the action of a little preparation of my own, a gentle but penetrative solvent. You are welcome to watch me, you will be an advisor, you are not in the trade, though the young lady looks as if she would make a good polisher. Very well, if this were an ordinary closure, with two flat surfaces meeting, the solvent would be absorbed into a tassion, expansion would take place and there we have it. But this is what we call a crime joint, a cohesion of two curved surfaces, formed in a flex curve, which admits the solvent most reluctantly, or indeed not at all, without too long application, for that then, another kind of process is needful, and we find it in frictional heat applied most gradually and judicously. For that I must have a bow flat of will, whose revolutions are timed to a nicety, and that will I only have in this room. Now you see why I sent the man away, though I watched his work with great interest, it is out of my power to describe it now, and moreover it is not needful. Major Hawkin, according to his nature, grew quite restless and impatient, and even went out for a walk, with his cane unpacked and sheathed against Capman. But I was content to wait and watch, having always heard and thought that good work will not do itself, but must have time and skill to second it. And Mr. Handkin, moving arms, palms and fingers beautifully, put the same thought into words. Good work takes the deal of time to do, but the man that does it all the time knows well, that it will take long time to undo. Here it comes and done at last, as he spoke, the excitable Major returned. Then, hey, well you are a clever fellow. Now don't look inside it, that is no part of your business, nor of mine either, unless this young lady desires it. Hand it to her first, my friend. Wait half a minute, said the laboratory. It is so far opened that the hoop spins around, but it must not be taken off until it cools. The lady will lift it then with care. I have done this job as a piece of fine art, I have no wish to see any more of it. Handkin, don't you be so touchy to a brother Cornish man, I thought that I was Cornish enough, but you go glyphs beyond me. Well, Major Hawkin, the laboratory answered, I beg your pardon if I said harm, but the man doing careful and skilled work, and skilled work it is, at every turn of the hand, this mis-cambia witness, while you walked off, don't care who it is Major Hawkin, he would fight his own brother to maintain it. Very well, very well, let us come away, I always enter into everybody's feelings, I see yours as clearly Handkin, as if you had laid them open on that blessed wheel. My insight has always been remarkable, everyone without exception says that of me, now come away, come away. Will you never see? Intent as it was upon what lay in my left palm relaxing itself, I could not help being sorry for the way in which the man of art, after all his care, was crowned down by his brother Cornish man. However, he had lived long enough in the world to feel no surprise and in gratitude. Now I went to one of the windows as the light, which had been very good, began to pale from its long and laboured sufferance of London, and then with soft and steady touch, I lifted off the looseened tube. A smell of mustiness, for smell goes through what nothing else can, was the first thing to perceive, and then, having moved the disc of gold, I found a piece of vellum. This was doubled and I opened it and read it in small, clear writing. May 7th, 89 AD George Lloyd Castlewood married Winifred, only child of Thomas Hull, as this his signature witness, Castlewood, witness Thomas Hull. There was nothing more inside this locket, except two little wisps of hair tied with gold thread, and the miniature upon ivory, bearing on the back some anagram, probably that of the artist. Already I had passed through a great many troubles, changed his chances and adventures, which always seemed strange when I came to look back, but never surprised me at the moment. Indeed, I might almost make bold to pronounce that not many persons of my age and sex have been visited, wholly against their own will, as such a series of incidents, not to say marvelous, but at any rate fairly to be called unusual, and throughout them perhaps, it will be acknowledged by all who have cared to consider them that up to the present time I did not feel more than themselves might have done in patience, and in no descriptions of what came to pass, have I colored things at all in my own favor, at least so far as intention goes. Never laid myself out to get sympathy, so it often would have done me a great world of good. But now I was free to confess that my patience broke down very sadly, why if what was written on that wellum was true, major hocking, correct as well, it came to no less than this, that my own dear father was a baseborn son, and I had no right to the name I was so proud of. If, moreover, as I now begin to dream, the terrible and mysterious man did not resemble my father so closely, is out some good reason, it seemed too likely that he might be his elder brother in the proper air. This was bad enough to think of, but an idea a thousand-fold worse assailed me in the small hours of the night as they lay on Mrs. Traus' best bed, which she kept for consuls of foreign parents or others whom she loved to call international notorieties. Having none of this now, she assigned me that bed after hearing all I had to say, and not making all that she might have done of it because of the praise that would fall to Mrs. Bask. However, she acknowledged that she knew nothing of the history of the poor old lord. He might have carried on, for all she could tell, with many wives before his true one, a thing she had heard too much of. But as for the captain not being his true son, and the proper heir to the peer-rich, let anyone see him walk twice, and then have a shadow of doubt about it. This logic pleased, but convinced me not, and I had to go to bed in a very unhappy, restless, and comfortless state of mind. I hoped that, rather than myself, that bed full of international confusion is to blame for the wicked ideas which has saved me, while I could not even try to sleep. One of them and a loyal daughter could scarcely have a worse one, was that my own dear father, knowing Lord Kessler's bad behavior, and his own sad plight and consequence, and through that knowledge caring little to avenge his death, for wife and children's sake preferred the foiling quarry rather than confront the truth and challenge it. He might not have meant to go so far, at first beginning with it, but starting once might be driven on by grievous loss, and bitter sense of regret and friends, and the bleak despair of a homeless world before him, and serving as the scapegoat thus, he might have received from the real culprit a pledge for concealment of the family disgrace. End of chapter 37, recording by Ellie, July 2009 Chapter 38 of Ereema This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org, recording by Ellie, Ereema by Adi Blackmore. Chapter 48 A Return Call In the morning, a labor to dismiss these sorts, these shameful suspicions, almost as injuries to my father's honor as it was to suspect him of the crime itself, and calling back my memories of him and dwelling on what Mr. Shufflin said and Uncle Sam and the others, I became quite happy in the firm conviction that they ought to be put upon bread and water for having such vile visions. Then suddenly a sin came to my mind which shattered happy penitents. Major Hocken had spoken of another purpose, which he had in store while bringing Metas to London, another object, this to say, besides the opening of the trinket, and this his second intention was to have it all out. As he expressed it, with that league of curves and serpents, VP and Golden Terrier. This was the partnership whose card of business had been delivered at the summaries and the circumstances which, to say the least, required explanation. And the major with strong words and tugs of his head crest had vowed to get the explanation, or else put a lot of them into a police dog. Moreover, when at the opening of the locket I did not think fit to show the lapetery what I had found inside it, except the painting on ivory which proved to be as he expected, and when my companions oppressed curiosity at the risk of constitution and while I could scarcely tell what I was about, through sudden shock and stupidity I must have been hurried on to tell Mr. Hocken the whole of the private things I discovered. For in truth there was scarcely any time to think, and I was afraid of giving way, which must have befallen me without relief of words. And being so much disturbed I may in the cab have rushed off to comfort the major, sitting so close to me, no doubt that it so from what happened afterward. But in the morning after such a night I rarely could not be certain what I had said to Betsy and what to him. A large mind would have been steady throughout, and regarded the question of birth as a thing to which we, who are not consented about it, should be ourselves indifferently, and gladly would have done so, if I could. But the power was not in me. No doubt it served me right for having been proud about such a trifle. But though I could call it a trifle, as long as it seemed to be in my favor, my strength of mind was not enough to look at it so when against me. Betsy told me not to be like that, for I had a great deal to go through yet. It must not be drawing on my spirit so, every atom of which would be needful, for the general, as she called the major, was going to fetch me at eleven o'clock, to face some abdominal rascals. And without any breakfast, how could I do it? Then I remembered all about the employment to go to Monsieur's Weep and Goad in Terria, and beginning to think of them as all said confirmation of her better dears. My father's wicked elder brother by an other mother had left his own rights pending, as long as my father lived for good reason. For if the latter had turned against him through a breach of compact, things might go ill in a criminal court. But having him silenced now by death, this man might come forward boldly and claim his dates and title. His first point would be to make sure, as sure as could be of the death of my father, to get hold of his private papers and of me, who might possess dangerous knowledge. And if this were so, one could understand at once Mr. Goad's attempt upon Uncle Sam. Now, none of this, none of this, I say, Erema. Major Hawkin exclaimed, as he ran in and saw me scarcely even caring to hold my own with the gentle Maximilian, to which name Mr. Strauss was promoted from the two vernacular hands. My dear, I never saw you look ill before, why, bless my heart, we will have gross feet. Nurse, what are you doing with her? Look at her eyes and be ashamed of yourself. Give her Gaila tins and Tiffany, and never know what the proper word is, something, anything. While I tell Sally, Hawson, Emonia, aromatic vinegar, saline draft, or something strong, why, I wanted to look her very, very best, as if she was a going-to-ball poor dear, bet this Strauss replied with some irony. A young lady full of high spirits by nature and have never had her first dance yet. The laws and institutions of this kingdom is too bad for me, General. I shall turn foreigner, like my poor husband. It is very good, very good always. Set the blessed Maximilian, foreigner this way, foreigner that way. According to the hills or the sea, or the fighting, or be born, or something else. Hold your tongue, Hans, replied his Wilhelmina. Remember that you are in England now, and must behave constitutionally. None of your loose, outlandish ideas will ever get your bread here in England. I was born according to fighting or hills or sea, or anything less than the well of the Lord, that made the whole of them. And what made you two? General, I beg you, excuse him if you can. When he gets upon such things, he can never stop. His goodness is very great, but he must have a firm hand put upon his philosophy. Maximilian, you may go and smoke your pipe for an hour and a quarter, and see where the cheapest greens and oil are, for his excellence is coming in tonight, and mind you get plenty of stumping them. His excellence loves them, and they fare the dish besides coming cheaper. Now, Mr. Erema, if you please come here, trust your Mimis, and sooner will make you a credit to the General. I allowed her to manage my dress and all that according to her own ideas. But when she entreated to finish me up with the leastest little touch of red, scarcely up to the usual color by reason of not sleeping, I stopped her at once, and she was quite content with the color produced by the sort of it. Meanwhile, Major Hocken, of course, was becoming beyond all description impatient. He had made the greatest point of my being adorned and expected it to be done in two minutes. And he hurried me so, when I did come down, that I scarcely noticed either cap or horse, and put on new gloves anyhow. My dear, you look very nice, he said at last, when sorely tired of crumbling. That scoundrel of a goat will be quite amazed at the sight of the child he went to steal. Mr. Goat, I replied, is a shudder, cause, perhaps, a dark remembrance. If we go to the office, you surely will not expect me to see Mr. Goat himself. That depends, as the Frenchman say. It is too late now to shrink back from anything, if I can spare you, I will. If not, you must not be ashamed to show yourself. I am never ashamed to show myself, but I would rather not go to that place at all. If things should prove to be as I begin to think, I had better withdraw from the whole of it, and only lament that I never began. My father was right, after all. My father was wise, and I ought to have known it. And perhaps Uncle Sam knew the truth, and would not tell me for fear of me rushing to choose a night. Capman, please do turn the horses, and go in the opposite direction. But the Major pulled me back, and the driver lifted his elbow and said, all right. Erema, the Major, began quite sternly. Things have gone a little too far for this. We are now embarked upon a most important investigation. Even in my mystery, I could scarcely help smiling at his love for big official words. An investigation of vast importance. A crime of the blackest die has ever been committed, and calmly hushed up. For some petty family reason, for a period of almost twenty years, I am not blaming your father, my dear. You need not look so indignant. It is your own course of action, remember, which has led to the present. The present. Well, let us say in polio, a man of honor and an officer of her majesty's service since now committed a dear request. Mind, your own request. Yes, yes and no, but I only meant to go as far as I should wish. Confidential instructions, let us say, that there are times when duty to society overrides fine feeling. I have felt that already. The die is cast. No half and half measures. No beating about the bush for me. After what they saw yesterday and delighted burst upon me, I did not act hastily. I never do. Those low coaches may have said so. I put this and that together carefully, and had my dinner and made up my mind. And you see the result of that man on the box. The capman? Oh yes, you resolve to have a cap and drive to those wicked informers. Where are your eyes? You are generally so quick. This morning, you are quite unlike yourself, so weak, so tearful, so timorous. Have you not seen that by the side of the capman, there sits another man altogether? One of the most remarkable men of the age, as your dear Yankees say. Not the policeman in disguise, I hope. I saw a very common insignificant man. I thought he was the driver's groom, perhaps. Hush, he has everything even in this granite. He is not the policeman, if he were. A few things that disgrace the force would never happen. If the policeman of England did that duty as our soldiers do, at once it would have gone to them. My duty would have been to do so. As it is, I go to our private police, who would not exist if the force were not worse a rep. Why pangode and terrier in spite of goat's clumsiness rank second? I go to the first of all these firms, and I get the cleverest rascal. Major Hawkin speaking in this hoarse whisper, for he could not whisper gently, fold his arms, and then nod at his head as much as to say, I have settled it now. You have nothing to do but praise me. But I was vexed and perplexed too much to trust my voice with an answer. The beauty of this arrangement is, he continued, with vast complacency, that the two firms hate one another as the devil hates, no, that won't do. There is no holy water to be found among them. Well, as a snake hates a slow warm, let us say. Said the thief to catch a thief, is a fine old maxim. Still better, when two thieves have robbed one another. As he spoke, the noble stranger slipped off the driving seat without troubling the capman to stop his jerking call, and he did it so well that I had no chance of observing his nimble face of form. You are disappointed? said the Major, which was the least thing I would have confessed. You may see that man thousand times and never be able to swear to him. Ha, ha, he is a warner. I disdain such tricks beyond all expression I exclaimed. It was only natural, and everything connected with them. It is so low to talk of such things. But what in the world made him do it? Where does he come from? What is his name? Like all noble persons, he has got so many names that he does not know which is the right one. Only his are short and theirs are long. He likes Jack better than anything else, because it is not distinctive. Cosmopolitan Jack, some call him, from his combining the manners and customs, features and figures of nearly all mankind. He gets on everyone. For everyone is gratified to see himself reflected in him, and he can jump from one frame to another as freely as Protois, or the other populous. And yet, with all that he is perfectly honest, to any alliance he undertakes, he would not betray us to wipe him gold and terrier for your great nugget and the castle would estates. I have heard that there are such people, I said, but what can he possibly know about me and what is he coming to do for us now? He knows all about you for a very simple reason, that you do not know him is a proof of his ability. For you must have met him times out of number. This is a fellow employed by your good, but incapable cousin, Lord Castlewood. If he is not incapable, he is a man of great learning and noble character. Well, never mind that. You must not be so hot. What I mean is that he has done nothing for you beyond providing for your safety, and that he certainly did right well, and at considerable expense. For this man can't be head for nothing. Your need have been under no terror at all in any of the scenes you have been through. Your safety was watched very continually. Then why did you not come and help me? Why did you not find out the terrible man? Because it wasn't in his orders, and Jack is the last man to go beyond those. He is so clever that the stupid moonites took him for a stupid moonite. You should have employed him yourself, Erema, but you are so broad and independent. I should hope so indeed. Should I put up with deceit? If the truth is not to be had without falsehood, this is not worth having. But what is this man to do here now? That depends on the circumstances. He has better orders than I could give, for I am no handed scheming. Here you are, or here we stop. Say nothing till I tell you. Pray allow me the honor. You keep in the background. Remember, it's your real or whatever you call it down. Nobody stops at the very door. Of course, this is Hamburg. We conform to it. With a stiff inclination, the gallant major handed me out of the cab in a quiet corner of a narrow street, then paid the driver with less fast than usual and led me into a queer little place marked in almost intelligible letters. Little England Polygon. You have the card, my dear, you whispered. Keep it till I call you in, but be ready to produce it in a moment. For the rest, I leave you to your own bit. Check is on the watch mind. There were two doors near together. One a brave door with a plate and swung on playing hinges. The other two secluded the turn to even pronounce self-private. We passed through the public door and found only a lobby with a boy on guard. Mr. Gold? Yes, sir, this way, sir. Grab the boy. Lady, stay. Yes, sir. Waiting room for ladies. Chair, miss. Here, if you please. First, right. Mr. Gold, second on the left. Knock twice. Paper, miss. Poker chained at this time of year. Bell A, glass of water. Bell B, cup of tea. If Lady grows impatient. If I had been well, I might have reduced this boy to his proper magnitude. For I could never endure young flippancy. But my spirits were so low that the boy banged the door with the fine sense of having vanquished me. And before there was any temptation to ring bell A, not to mention bell B, the sound of a restful voice began coming. Nearer and nearer it came, till the mages trod into the ladies' waiting home, and used language no ladies should wait for. Oh, don't, I said. What would Mrs. Hawkins say? And consider me too major Hawkins, if you please. I have considered you, and that makes me do it. Everybody knows what I am. Did I exaggerate in all my life? Did I ever say anything without just grounds? Did I ever take any distorted views? Did I ever draw upon my imagination? Your aima? Answer me this instant. I do not remember a single instance of you drawing upon your imagination. I answered gravely and did not add. Because there is none to draw upon. Very well. I was sure of your concurrence. Then just come with me, take my arm if you please, and have the sieves card ready. Now, keep your temper and yourself command. With this good advice the major, whose arm and whole body were jerking with rest, let me rapidly down the long passage and through a door, and my eyes met the eyes of the very man who had tried to bribe Uncle Sam of me. He never saw me then, and he did not know me now, but his insolent eyes fell under mine. I looked at him quietly and said nothing. Now, Mr. Goat, you still assert that you never were in California, never even crossed the Atlantic? This young lady under my protection? Don't be afraid, my dear. This is the honorable Erema Kesslerwood, whom you, in the pay of a murderer, went to fetch and perhaps to murder. Now, do you acknowledge it? You wrote her description and ought to know her. Your double-dyed villain. Out with it. Major Hawkins said Mr. Goat, trying to look all together at his ease but failing, and with his bulldog forehead purple. If indeed you are an officer, which I doubt for the credit of her majesty's service, if the lady were not present, I should knock you down, and the big man got up as if to do it. Never mind her. My companion answered in a magnanimous manner. She has seen worse than death, Pursing. Here I am. Just come and do it. The Major was scarcely more than half size of Mr. Goat in mere bodily bulk, and yet he defied him in this way. He carefully took his blue lights off, then threw up the crest of his hair, like his wife's most walled cocky growing, and laid down his retina upon a desk, and doubled his fists and waited. Then he gave a blink from the corner of his gables, clearly meaning. Pleased to stop and see it out. It was a distressing thing to see, that the Major's carriage was so grand, that I could not help smiling. Mr. Goat, however, did not advance, but assumed a superior manner. Major he said, We are not young men. We must not be so hasty. You carry things with too high hand as veteran officers are apt to do. Sir, I make allowance for you. I retract my menace and apologize. We move in different spheres of life, sir, or I would offer you my hand. No, thank you, the Major exclaimed, and then looked sorry for his arrogance. When a man has threatened me, that man sees the mistake of doing so, I am pacified, sir, in a moment, but it takes me some time to get over it. I have served his gracious majesty, and now hers in every quarter of the civilized globe with distinction, sir, with distinction and thanks, and no profit to take the transaction, sir. In many battles I have been menaced with personal violence and have received it, as in such position as equitable, I am capable, sir, of receiving it still and repaying it without interest. Hanging it, Major, if a man is sorry, a soldier forgives him frankly. You abuse me, and I rashly threatened you. I beg your pardon, as a man should do, and that should be an end of it. Very well, very well, say no more about it. But am I to understand that you still deny that barefaced manner is my witness here, the fact of you having been at Coronel Candice, my cousin, sir, and a man not to be denied without an insult to myself, a man who possesses ingots of gold, ingots of gold, enough to break the bank of England, and a man whose integrity doubles them all. Have you not heard of the monster nugget, transcending the whole creation, discovered by this young lady looking at you, in the bed of a sawmill river and valued at more than half a million? You don't mean to say so, when was it? Sylvester never said a word about it, the papers I mean never mentioned it. Try no more, well, I won't say lies, though they are confounded lies. What I mean is, no further evasion, Mr. Gold. Sylvester's name is enough, sir, here is the card of your firm with your own note of delivery on the back, handed to my cousin at Coronel, and here stands the lady who saw you do it. Major, I will do my very best to remember, I am here, there, everywhere, China one day, Peru the next, Siberia the day after, and this young lady found the nugget did she, how wonderfully lucky she must be. I am lucky, I find out everything, and I shall find out you, Mr. Gold. Tassi spoke on the spur of the moment, and I could not have spoken better after months of consultation, rogues are generally superstitious. Mr. Gold glanced at me with a shudder, as I had gazed at him some three years back, and then he dropped his bad, oily-looking eyes. I make mistakes sometimes, he said, as to where I have been and where I have not. If this young lady saw me, it stands to reason that I may have been there. I have a brother, extremely similar, he goes about a great deal also, probably you saw my brother. I saw no brother of yours, but yourself, yourself you mean cowardly self, and I shall bring you to justice. Well well, he replied, with a poor attempt to turn the matter lightly, I never contradict ladies, it is an honor to be observed by them. Now, Major, can you give me any reason for drawing upon a bad memory? My time is valuable, I cannot refer to such bygone matters for nothing. We will not bribe you, if that's what you mean, Major Hawkin made answers cornfully. This is a criminal case, and we have evidenced your little dream of. Our only offer is your own safety, if you make a clean press of it. We are on the track of a murderer, and your connection with him will ruin you, unless you wish to stand in the dock at his side, you will tell us everything. Sir, this is violent language, and violent acts will follow it, if you don't give up your principle, and every word you know about him, you will leave this room in custody. I have cosmopolitan checkered side, and the police a design from him will come. Is this job already in the hands of the police then? No, not yet. I resolve to try you first, if you refuse, it will be taken up at once, and the way goes your last chance, sir. Mr. Gold's large face became a field of conflicting passions and low calculations. The horror of Yuri Kupi the Deandurgatness never had a larger battlefield. Allow me at least to consult my partners, he said in a low voice and almost with a whine, we may do things irregular sometimes, but we never betray a client. Either betray your client or yourself, the major answer to the downright stem, you shall consult no one, you have by this watch 45 seconds to consider it. You need not travel yourself to time meet, the other answer zalkily, my duty to the firm overrides private feeling. Ms. Kesselwood, I call you to witness, since Major Hawken is so peppery. Peppery, sir, is the very last word that ever could be applied to me. My wife, my friends, everyone who knows me, even my furthest of correspondence, agree that I am pure patience. It may be so, Major, but you have not shown it. Ms. Kesselwood, I have done you no harm. If you had given up to me, you would have been safer than where you were. My honor would have been enlisted. I now learn things which I never dreamed of, or at least, at least only lately. I always believed the criminality to be on the other side. You never allow yourself to be wrong, but lately things have come to my knowledge which made me doubtful as to the facts. I may be dubbed. I believe I have been. I am justified therefore in turning tables. If you turn tables, broke in the Major, who was crumbling to himself at the very idea of having any pep in his nature, God, if you turn tables, mind you, you must do it better than the mesmerists. Out of this room you do not stir, nor darkness, nor when bustling. Show your papers, sir, this outslide of hand, surrender, or you'll get no quarter. To me it was very terrifying to see my comrade has pushed his victory. Mr. God could have killed him any moment, and but for me perhaps would have done so, but even in his fury he kept casting glances of superstitious awe at me while I stood quite still and gazed at him. Then he crossed the room to a great case of drawers, unlocked something above the Major's head, made a solemn bow, and handed him a packet. End of Chapter 48 Chapter 49 of Arema This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Linda Dodge. Arema by R. D. Blackmore. Chapter 49 Wanted a Sawyer To judge Mr. God by his own scale of morality and honour, he certainly had behaved very well through a trying and unexpected scene. He fought for his honour a great deal harder than ever it could have deserved of him, and then he strove well to appease it with cash, the mere thought of which must have flattered it. However, it was none the worse for a little disaster of this kind. At the call of duty it coalesced with interest and fine sense of law, and the contact of these must have strengthened it to face any future production. For the moment he laid it aside in a drawer, and the smallest he possessed would hold it, and being compelled to explain his instructions, partly in shorthand and partly in cipher, he kindly and for the main of it truly interpreted them as follows. Quote, July 31st, 1858, Receive directions from M.H. to attend without fail, at whatever expense, to any matter laid before us, by a tall, dark gentleman, bearing his card. M.H., considerably in our debt, but his father cannot last long. Understand what he means having dealt with this matter before, and managed well with it. August 2nd. Said gentleman called, gave no name, and was very close, had experienced some great wrong. Said that he was true heir to the sea estates, now held by Lord See. Only required a little further evidence to claim them, and some of this was to be got through us. Important papers must be among the effects of the old Lord's son, lately dead in California, the same for whom a reward had been offered, and we had been employed about it, must get possession of those papers, and of the girl if possible. Yankees to be bribed at whatever figure, and always stand out for a high one, ask where funds were to come from, gave good reference, and verified it. To be deaded to the account of M.H. Said we would have nothing to do with it, without more knowledge of our principle. Replied with anger that he himself was Lord See, ousted by usurpers. Had not the necessary proofs as yet, but would get them, and blast all his enemies. Had doubts about his sanity, and still greater about his solvency, resolved to inquire into both points. August 3, M.H. himself, as cool as ever, but shamed to be indignant, said we were fools if we did not take it up. Not a farthing would he pay of his old account, and fellows like us could not bring actions. Also a hat full of money was to be made of this job, managed snugly. Immigrants to California were the easiest of all things to square up. A whole train of them disappeared this very year, by Indians or Mormons and no bones made. The best and most active of us must go, too ticklish for an agent. We must carry on all above board out there, and as if sent by British government. In the far west, no one any wiser, resolved to go myself upon having a certain sum in ready. August 5, the money raised, start for Liverpool tomorrow, require a change or would not go, may hit upon a nugget, etc., etc. Mr. Goad's memoranda of his adventures, and signal defeat by Uncle Sam, have no claim to be copied here, though differing much from my account. With their terse, unfeeling strain, they might make people laugh, who had not sadder things to think of, and it matters very little how that spy escaped, as such people almost always seem to do. Two questions, Goad, if you please, said Major Hocken, who had smiled sometimes through some of his own remembrances. What has happened since your return, and what is the name of the gentlemen, whom you have called M.H.? Is it possible that you do not know, sir, why he told us quite lately that you were at his back, you must know, Sir Montague Hocken. Yes, yes, certainly I do, the old man said shortly, with a quick gleam in his eyes, a highly respected gentleman now, though he may have sewn his wild oats like the rest. To be sure, of course, I know all about it. His meaning was good, but he was misled. In all my little experience of life, nothing yet astonished me more than this. I scarcely knew whom to believe or what, that the major most upright of men should take up his cousin's roguery, all new to him, and speak of him thus. But he gave me a nudge, and being all confusion, I said nothing, and tried to look at neither of them, because my eyes must always tell the truth. As to the other point, Mr. Goad went on, since my embassy failed, we have not been trusted with the confidence that we had the right to expect. Ours is a particular business, sir, trust in me in all, or trust me not at all, as one of our modern poets says, is the very essence of it. And possibly major, if that had been done, even your vigor and our sense of law, might not have extorted from me what you have heard. Being cashiered as we are, we act according to the strictest honor in divulging things no longer confided to us. Goad, you have done yourself the utmost credit, legally, intellectually, and, well, I will not quite say morally. If I ever have a nasty job to do, at least I mean a stealthy one, which God, who has ever kept me straight for bid, I will take care not to lose your address. I have a very queer thing occurring on my manner. I believe it is bound up with this affair. Never mind, I must think. I hate all underhanded work. Major, our charges are strictly moderate. We do in a week what takes lawyers a twelve month. Allow me to hand you one of our new cards. No, no, my pockets are awful, and I don't want to have it found among my papers. No offence, Mr. Goad, no offence at all. Society is not as it was when I was young. I condemn no modern institution, sir, though the world gets worse every day of its life. In terror of committing himself to any connection with such a firm, the Major put on his dark lights again, took up his cane, and let everybody know with a summary wrap on the floor that he might have relaxed, but would not allow any further liberty about it. And as he marched away, not proudly, yet with a very nice firmness, I was almost afraid to say anything to him to disturb his high mental attitude, for Mrs. Hawkin must have exclaimed that here was a noble spectacle. But one thing I forced myself to suggest, to ask one thing before we go, that strange man who calls himself Lord Castlewood here, and Captain Brown at Soberton, have they any idea where to find him now? And why does he not come forward? My comrade turned back and put these questions, and the private inquirer answered that they had no idea of his whereabouts, but could easily imagine many good reasons for his present reserve of claim. For instance, he might be waiting for discovery of further evidence, or, which was even more likely, for the death of the present Lord Castlewood, which could not be very far distant, and would remove the chief opponent. It grieved me deeply to find that my cousin's condition was so notorious, and treated of in such a cold-blooded way like a mule fallen lame, or a Chinaman in Frisco. My dear, you must grow used to such things, Major Hocken declared, when he saw that I was vexed after leaving those selfish premises. If it were not for death, how could anybody live? Right feeling is shown by considering such points, and making for the demise of others even more preparation than for our own. Otherwise there is a selfishness about it, by no means Christian-minded. You look at things always from such an intense and even irreligious point of view, but such things are out of my line altogether. Your Aunt Mary understands them best. Would you be able, I said, to account to Aunt Mary conscientiously for that dreadful story which I heard you tell? I scarcely knew where I stood, Major Hocken. Oh, you mean about Montague. Family honor must be defended at any price, child. I was greatly pained to go beyond the truth, but in such a case it is imperative. I was shocked and amazed by my cousin's conduct, but how could I let such a fellow know that? And think what I owe to his father. Sir Rufus? No. No, there are times when Bayard himself much stretch a point. Honor and religion alike demand it, and Mrs. Hocken need never hear of it. Oh, certainly I shall not speak of it, I answered, although a little surprised at his arguments. But you mean, of course, to find out all about it. It seems to me such a suspicious thing, but I could never bear Sir Montague. The Major smiled grimly, and, perceiving that he wished to drop the subject, I said no more. He had many engagements in London always, and I must not attempt to engross his time. However, he would not for a moment hear of leaving me anywhere but with Betsy, for perhaps he saw how strange I was, and being alone at last with her, I could keep up my pride no longer. Through all that had happened, there never had been such a dreadful trial as I had borne this day without a word to anyone. Danger and loss and sad drearingness of mind from want of young companionship, mystery also an obscurity of life, had always been my fortune. With all of these I had striven to the best of my very small ability, having from nature no gift except a dull one of persistence, and throughout that struggle I had felt quite sure that a noble yearning for justice and a lofty power of devotion were my two impelling principles. But now, when I saw my self-sprung of low birth, and the father of my worship base-born down fell all my arduous castles, and I craved to go under the earth and die. For every word of Mr. Goad, and every crooked turn of little things and twist against me, even the major's last grim smile, all began to work together and make up a wretched tumult, sounding in my ears like drums. Where was the use of going on of proving anybody's guilt or anybody's innocence if the utmost issue of the whole would be to show my father an imposter? Then, and only then, I knew that love of abstract justice is to little minds impossible, that sense of honor is too prone to hang on chants of birth, and virtue's fountain, self-respect, springs but ill from perennial taint. When I could no longer keep such bitter imaginings to myself, but poured them forth to Betsy, she merely laughed, and asked me how I could be such a simpleton, only to think of my father in such a light was beyond her patience. Where was my pride, she would like to know, and my birth and my family manners? However, she did believe there was something in my ideas, if you turned them inside out, and took hold of them by the other end. It was much more likely, to her mind, that the villain, the unknown villain at the bottom of all the misery, was really the son born out of wedlock, if any such there were at all, and therefore a wild harem-scarim fellow, like Ishmael in the book of Genesis, and it would be just up a piece, she thought, with the old Lord's character, to drive such a man to desperation by refusing to give him a farthing. All that might very well be, I answered, but it would in no way serve to explain my father's conduct, which was the greatest mystery of all. Nevertheless, I was glad to accept almost any view of the case, rather than that which had forced itself upon me since the opening of the locket. Any doubt of that, most wretched conclusion was a great relief while it lasted, and after so long a time of hope and self-reliance, should I cast away all courage, through a mere suspicion? While I was thus reassuring myself and being reassured by my faithful nurse, sad news arrived and drove my thoughts into another crooked channel. Mrs. Hawken, to meet my anxiety for some tidings from California, had promised that if any letter came, she would not even wait for the post, but forward it by special messenger, and thus that very same evening I received a grimy epistle in an unknown hand with the postmark of Sacramento. Tearing it open, I read as follows, quote, Miss Rima, no good luck ever came since you to this blue river station, only to be washed away and robbed by greasers and shot through the ribs and got more work than can do, and find an almighty nugget sent by Satan. And now the very worst luck of all have come, wholly and out of all denial, by you and your faces and graces and French-going zons. Not that I do not like you, mind, for you was always very polite to me, and done your best when you found me trying to put up with the trials put on me. But now this trial is the worst of all that has ever come to my establishings, and to go away now as I used to think of doing when tyrannized upon is out of my way altogether and only an action fit for a half-breed. Saw your gundry half-cut and run, without a word behind him, no instructions for orders in hand, and pour in in, no directions where to find him, not even God bless you to any one of the many hands that looked up to him. Only a packet of dollars for me to pay the wages for two months to come, and a powerful lawyer to receive all debts, and go on anyhow just the same. And go on just the same is more than the worst of us has heart for, without the sight of his old red face. He may have been pretty sharp, and too much the master now and then, perhaps. But to do without him is a darn sight worse, and the hands don't take to me like him. Many's the time I've seen his faults of having his own way and such likes, and paying a man beyond his time if his wife was out of order, and many's the time I have said myself I was fitter to be at the head of it. About that I was right enough, perhaps. If I had started upon my own hook, but to stand in the tracks he has worn to his own foot is to go into crooked compasses. There is never a day without some hand threatening to strike and to better himself, as if they were hogs to come and go according to the acorns, and such low words I can never put up with and pack some off immediate. No place can be carried on if the master is to shut up his lips to impudence. And now I have only got three hands left with work enough for thirty, and them three only stopped on. I do believe to grumble of me if the Sawyer do come home. But what we all want to know, and old Suan took a black stick to make marks for you, is why the old man hath run away and where. Young Firm, who was getting a sight too upish for me to have long put up with him, he was going about here, there, and everywhere from the first time of your going away, open in his mouth a deal too much and askin' low questions how long I stop to dinner. Old Suan said he was troubled in his mind, as pale faces do about young girls, instead of dragging them into their wigwams, and she would give him a spell to get over it. But nothing came of that, and when the war broke out, he had words with his grandfather and went off, so they said, to join the rebels. Sawyer let him go, as proud as could be, though he would sooner have cut his own head off, and the very same night he sat down by the fire and shamed to eat supper as usual, but I happened to go in to get some orders, and my heart, I would never wish to see such things again. The old man would never waste a bit of victuals, as you know, Miss Rima, and bein' a quaint with Suan's way of watchin', he had slipped all his supper aside from his plate and put it on a clean pocket handkerchief to lock it in the press to his aposite should serve, and I caught him in the act and it vexed him. Had you the manners to knock at the door, he said, and I said certainly, and went back and done it, and troubled as he was he grinned a bit. Then he bowed his great head, as he always did when he knew he had gone perhaps a trifle too far with a man in my position. I nodded to forgive him, and he stood across, and saw that he could do no less than liquor me after such behavior. But he only brought out one glass, and I said, come, Colonel, square as square, you know. Excuse me, Martin, he said, but no drop of strong drink passes the brim of my mouth till this gallivanton is done with. I might take too much, as old men do, to sink what they don't want to think on. You mean about bully cock firm, says I, rebel firm, nigger driver firm? Hush, he said, no bad words about it. He has gone by his conscience in his heart. What do we know of what come inside of him? This was true enough, for I never did make that boy out to my lichen. And the old man now was as stiff as a rock, and pretty nigh as peculiar. He made me a cocktail of his own patent, to show how firm his hand was. But the lines of his face was like Wayne Scott Moldens, and the cords of his arms stood out like cogs. Then he took his long pipe, as he may have done perhaps every blessed night for the last fifty years. But that length of time ought to have learned him better than to go and fill it upside down. Ha ha, he said, everything is upside down since I was a man under heaven, countries and nations and kindreds and duties, and why not an old tobacco pipe? That's the way babies blow bubbles with them. We shall all have to smoke them that way if our noble republic is busted up. Fill yours and try it, Martin. Instead of enjoying my cocktail, Ms. Rima, I never was so down at mouth, for to my mind his old heart was broken while he carried on so. And let everybody say what they will, one thing there is no deny enough. Never was seen on this side of the big hills a man fit to walk in the tracks of Uncle Sam, so large and good-hearted according to his lights, hard as a grizzly bear for a man to milk him, but soft in the breastbone as a young prairie hen for all folk down on their nine pins. You may be surprised, Ms., to find me right so long. Fact is, the things won't go out of my mind without it, and it gives me a comfort, after all I may have said to put good opinions upon paper. If he never should turn up again, my language will be to his credit, whereas if he do come back, with the bet in a horse to a duck against it, to his pride he will read this testimonial of yours faithfully, Martin Clogfast. P.S., can't carry on like this much longer, enough to rip one's heart up. You would never know the old place, Ms., the heads of the horses is as long as their tails with the way they carry them, the moss is as big as a Spaniard's beer upon the kitchen door sill, and the old dog howls all day and all night like fifty thousand scalpers. So on, Seth, if you was to come back, the lad might run home after you, tisn't the lad I care so much about, but poor old Sawyer at this time of his life swallowed up in the wilderness. End of Chapter 49