 67 Lorna is still Lorna. Although a man may be as simple as the flowers of the field, knowing when but scarcely why he closes to the bitter wind, and feeling why but scarcely when he opens to the genial sun, yet without his questing much into the capsule of himself, to do which is a misery, he may have a general notion how he happens to be getting on. I felt myself to be getting on better than at any time since the last wheat harvest, as I took the lane to Kensington upon the Monday evening. For although no time was given in my Lorna's letter, I was not inclined to wait more than decency required, and though I went and watched the house, decency would not allow me to knock on the Sunday evening, especially when I found at the corner that his lordship was at home. The lanes and fields between Charing Cross and the village of Kensington are, or were at that time, more reasonably infested with footpads and with highwaymen. However, my stature and holly club kept these fellows from doing more than casting sheep's eyes at me, for it was still broad daylight, and the view of the distant villages Chelsie, Battersea, Tyburn, and others, as well as a few large houses, among the hams and toward the river, made it seem less lonely. Therefore I sang a song in the broadest Exmoor dialect, which caused no little amazement in the minds of all who met me. When I came to Earl Brandeer's house, my natural modesty forbade me to appear at the door for guests, therefore I went to the entrance for servants and retainers. Here to my great surprise, who should come and let me in but little Gweny Carfax, whose very existence had almost escaped my recollection. Her mistress, no doubt, had seen me coming and sent her to save trouble. But when I offered to kiss Gweny, in my joy and comfort to see a farmhouse face again, she looked ashamed and turned away and would hardly speak to me. I followed her to a little room, furnished very daintily, and there she ordered me to wait in a most ungracious manner. Well, thought I, if the mistress and the maid are alike in temper, better it had been for me to abide at Master Ramsach's. But almost there my thought was done, I heard the light-quick step which I knew as well as, watch, my dog, knew mine, and my breast began to tremble like the trembling of an arch ere the keystone is put in. Almost there I hoped, for fear and hope were so entangled that they hindered one another, the velvet hangings of the doorway parted, and with a little doubt, and then a good face put on it, Lorna, in her perfect beauty, stood before the crimson folds, and her dress was all pure white, and her cheeks were rosy pink, and her lips were scarlet. Like a maiden, with skill and sense checking violet impulse, she stayed there for one moment only, just to be admired, and then like a woman she came to me, seeing how alarmed I was. The hand she offered me I took, and raised it to my lips with fear, as the thing too good for me. Is that all? She whispered, and then her eyes gleamed up at me, and in another instant she was weeping on my breast. Darling Lorna, Lady Lorna, I cried in astonishment, yet unable to keep her closer to me, and closer. Surely, though I love you so, this is not as it should be. Yes, it is, John, yes it is. Nothing else should ever be. Oh, why have you behaved so? I am behaving, I replied, to the very best of my ability. There is no other man in the world could hold you so without kissing you. Then why don't you do it, John? Just Lorna looking up at me, with a flash of her old fun. Now this matter, proverbially, is not for discussion and repetition. Enough that we said nothing more than, Oh John, how glad I am, and Lorna, Lorna, Lorna, for about five minutes, then my darling drew back proudly, with blushing cheeks, and tear-bride eyes, she began to cross-examine me. Master John Ridd, you shall tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have been in chancery, sir, and can detect a story. Now why have you never, for more than a twelve-month, taken the smallest notice of your old friend, Mistress Lorna Dune? Although she spoke in this light-some manner, as if it made no difference, I saw that her quick heart was moving, and the flash of her eyes controlled. Simply for this cause, I answered, that my old friend and true love took not the smallest heat of me, nor knew I were to find her. What? cried Lorna, and nothing more, being overcome with wondering, and much inclined to fall away but for my assistance. I told her, over and over again, that not a single syllable of any message from her, or tidings of her welfare, had reached me, or any one of us, since the letter she left behind, except by soldier's gossip. Oh, you poor dear John! said Lorna, sighing at thought of my misery, how wonderfully good of you, thinking of me as you must have done, not to marry that little plain thing, or perhaps I should say that lovely creature for I have never seen her, Mistress Ruth, I forget her name, but something like a towel. Ruth Huckaback is unworthy made, I answered with some dignity, and she alone of all our world, except indeed poor Annie, has kept her confidence in you, and told me not to dread your rank, but trust your heart, Lady Lorna. Then Ruth is my best friend, she answered, and is worthy of you, dear John, and now remember one thing, dear. If God should part us, as may be by nothing short of death, try to marry that little Ruth when you cease to remember me. And now for the head-trader. I have often suspected it, but she looks me in the face, and wishes fearful things which I cannot repeat. With these words she moved in implements such as I had not seen before, and which made a ringing noise at a serious distance, and before I had ceased wondering, for if such things go on we might ring the church bells while sitting in our back kitchen. Little Gweny Carfax came, with a grave and sullen face. Gweny, began my Lorna, in a tone of high rank and dignity, go and fetch the letters which I gave you at various times, for dispatch to Mistress Ridd. How can I fetch them when they are gone? It be no use for him to tell no lies. Now, Gweny, can you look at me? I asked, very sternly, for the matter was no joke to me after a year's unhappiness. I don't want to look at you. What should I look at a young man for, although he did offer to kiss me? I saw the spite and impudence of this last remark, and so did Lorna, although she could not quite refrain from smiling. Now, Gweny, not to speak of that, said Lorna, very demurely, if you thought it honest to keep the letters, was it honest to keep the money? At this the Cornish maiden broke into a rage of honesty. I put the money before he, he shall have very farden of it, and so she flung out of the room. And Gweny, said Lorna very softly, following under the door hangings, if it's not honest to keep the money, it is not honest to keep the letters, which would have been worth more than any gold to those who were so kind to you. Your father shall know the whole, Gweny, unless you tell the truth. Now, I will tell all the truth, this strange maiden answered, talking to herself, at least as much to her mistress, while she went out of sight and hearing. And then I was so glad at having my own Lorna once again, weird of all contempt for us, and true to me, through all of it, that I would have forgiven Gweny for treason or even forgery. I trusted her so much, said Lorna, in her old, ill-fortunate way, and look how she has deceived me. That is why I love you, John, setting other things aside, because you never told me falsehood, and you never could, you know. Well, I am not so sure of that. I think I could tell any lie to have you, darling, all my own. Yes, and perhaps it might be right, to other people besides us too, but you could not do it to me, John. You never could do it to me, you know. Before I quite perceived my way to the bottom of the distinction, although beyond a doubt a valid one, Gweny came back with a leatheren bag, and tossed it upon the table. Not a word did she vouchsafe to us, but stood there, looking injured. Go, and get your letters, John, said Lorna, very gravely, for at least your mother's letters made of messages to you. As for Gweny, she shall go before Lord Justice Jefferies. I knew that Lorna meant it not, but thought that the girl deserved a frightening, as indeed she did, but we both mistook the courage of this child of Cornwall. She stepped upon a little round thing in the nature of a stool, such as I never had seen before, and thus delivered her sentiments. And you may take me, if you please, before the great Lord Jefferies. I have done no more than duty, though I did it crookedly, and told a heap of lies for your sake, and pretty gratitude I get. Much gratitude you have shown, replied Lorna, to Master Ridd, for all his kindness and his goodness to you. Who was it that went down at the peril of his life, and brought your father to you, when you had lost him for months and months? Who was it? Answer me, Gweny. Gertran Ridd, said the handmaid, very sulkily. What made you treat me so, little Gweny? I asked, for Lorna would not ask, lest the reply should vex me. Because he beest below her so, her shenna have a poor farmering chap, not even if her were a curnishman. All her land, and all her birth, and who be you I'd like to know. Gweny, you may go, said Lorna, reddening with quiet anger, and remember that you come not near me for the next three days. It is the only way to punish her, she continued to me when the maid was gone, in a storm of sobbing and weeping. Now for the next three days she will scarcely touch a morsel of food, and scarcely do a thing but cry. Make up your mind to one thing, John, if you mean to take me, for better for worse, you will have to take Gweny with me. I would take you with fifty Gwenys, said I, although every one of them hated me, which I do not believe this little maid does in the bottom of her heart. No one can possibly hate you, John, she answered very softly, and I was better pleased with this than if she had called me the most noble and glorious man in the kingdom. Through this we spoke of ourselves in the way people would regard us, supposing that when Lorna came to be her own free mistress, as she must do in the course of time, she were to throw her rank aside and refuse her title, and caring not a fig for folk who cared less than a fig stalk for her should shape her mind to its native bent, and to my perfect happiness. It was not my place to say much, lest I should appear to use an improper and selfish influence. And of course to all men of common sense, and to everybody of middle age, who must know best what is good for youth, the thoughts which my Lorna entertained would be enough to prove her madness. Not that we could not keep her well, comfortably and with nice clothes, and plenty of flowers and fruit and landscape, and the knowledge of our neighbors affairs and their kind interests in our own. Still, this would not be as if she were the owner of a county in a haughty title, and able to lead the first men of the age by her mind and face and money. Therefore I was quite resolved not to have a word to say, while this young queen of wealth and beauty, and of noblemen's desire, made her mind up how to act for her purest happiness. But to do her justice, this was not the first thing she was thinking of. The test of her judgment was only this. How will my love be happiest? Now, John, she cried, for she was so quick that she always had my thoughts beforehand. Why will you be backward as if you cared not for me? Do you dream that I am doubting? My mind has been made up, good John, that you must be my husband for—well, I will not say how long lest you should laugh at my folly, but I believe it was ever since you came, with your stockings off, and the loaches. Write early for me to make up my mind, but you know that you made up yours, John, and, of course, I knew it, and that had a great effect on me. Now, after all this age of loving, shall a trifle sever us? I told her that it was no trifle, but a most important thing, to abandon wealth and honour and the brilliance of high life, and be despised by everyone for such abundant folly, moreover, that I should appear in nave for taking advantage of her youth and boundless generosity, and ruining, as men would say, a noble maid by my selfishness. And I told her outright, having worked myself up by my own conversation, that she was bound to consult her guardian, and that without his knowledge I would come no more to see her. Her flash of pride at these last words made her look like an empress, and I was about to explain myself better, but she put forth her hand and stopped me. I think that condition should rather have proceeded from me. You are mistaken, Master Ridd, in supposing that I would think of receiving you in secret. It was a different thing in Glendoon, where all accept yourself with thieves, and when I was but a simple child, and oppressed with constant fear. You are quite right in threatening to visit me thus no more, but I think you might have waited for an invitation, sir. And you are quite right, Lady Lorna, in pointing out my presumption. It is a fault that must ever be found in any speech of mine to you. Thus I said so humbly, not with any bitterness, for I knew that I had gone too far, and made her so polite about that she forgave me in a moment, and we begged each other's pardon. Now, will you allow me just to explain my own view of this matter, John? said she, once more my darling. It may be a very foolish view, but I shall never change it. Please not to interrupt me, dear, until you have heard me to the end. In the first place, it is quite certain that neither you nor I can be happy without the other. Then what stands between us? Worldly position, and nothing else. I have no more education than you have, John Ryd, nay, and not so much. My birth and ancestry are not one whit more pure than yours, although they may be better known. Your descent from ancient freeholders, for five and twenty generations of good, honest men, although you bear no code of arms, is better than the lineage of nine proud English noblemen out of every ten I meet with. In manners, though your mighty strength and hatred of any meanness sometimes break out in violence, of which I must try to cure you, dear. In manners, if kindness and gentleness and modesty are the true things wanted, you are immeasurably above any of our court gallants, who indeed have very little. As for difference of religion, we allow for one another, neither having been brought up in a bitterly pious manner. Here, though the tears were in my eyes at the loving things love said of me, I could not help a little laugh at the notion of any better piety being found among the dunes, or even in mother, for that matter. Lorna smiled in her slyest manner and went on again. Now, you see, I have proved my point. There is nothing between us but worldly position. If you can defend me against the dunes, for which I trow I may trust you, and worldly position means wealth and title and the right to be in great houses and the pleasure of being envied, I have not been here for a year, John, without learning something. Oh, I hate it, how I hate it! Of all the people I know, there are but two besides my uncle, who do not either covet or detest me. And who are those two think you? Gwennie for one, I answered. Yes, Gwennie for one, and the queen for the other. The one is too far below me, I mean in her own opinion, and the other too high above. As for the women who dislike me without having even heard my voice, I simply have nothing to do with them. As for the men who covet me for my land and money, I merely compare them with you, John Ridd, and all thought of them is over. Oh, John, you must never forsake me, however cross I am to you. I thought you would have gone just now, and though I would not move to stop you, my heart would have broken. You don't catch me going a hurry, I answered very sensibly, when the loveliest maiden in all the world, and the best, and the dearest, loves me. All my fear of you is gone, darling Lorna, all my fear. Is it possible you could fear me, John, after all we have been through together? Now you promise not to interrupt me, is this fair behavior? Well, let me see where I left off. Oh, that my heart would have broken. Upon that point I will say no more, lest you should grow conceited, John, if anything could make you so. But I do assure you that half London, however upon that point also I will check my power of speech lest you think me conceited. And now, to put aside all nonsense, though I have talked none for a year, John, having been so unhappy, and now it is such a relief to me. Then talk it for an hour, said I, and let me sit and watch you. To me it is the very sweetest of all sweetest wisdom. Nay, there is no time, she answered, glancing at a jeweled timepiece, scarcely larger than an oyster, which she drew from her waistband. And then she pushed it away in confusion, lest its wealth should startle me. My uncle will come home in less than half an hour, dear, and you are not the one to take a side passage and avoid him. I shall tell him that you have been here, and that I mean you to come again. As Lorna said this, with a manner as confident as need be, I saw that she had learned in town the power of her beauty, and knew that she could do with most men ought she set her mind upon. And as she stood there, flushed with pride and faith in her own loveliness, and radiant with the love itself, I felt that she must do exactly as she pleased with everyone. For now, in turn, and elegance, and richness, and variety, there was nothing to compare with her face, unless it was her figure. Therefore I gave in, and said, Darling, do just what you please, only make no rogue of me. For that she gave me the simplest, kindest, and sweetest of all kisses, and I went down the great stairs grandly, thinking of nothing else but that. CHAPTER 68 of Lorna Doon. This would be hard for me to tell the state of mind in which I lived for a long time after this. I put away from me all torment, and the thought of future cares, and the sight of difficulty, and to myself appeared, which means that I became the luckiest of lucky fellows since the world itself began. I thought not of the harvest even, nor of the men who would get their wages without having earned them, nor of my mother's anxiety and worry about John Fry's great fatness, which was growing upon him, and how she would cry fifty times in a day, ah, if our John would only come home, how different everything would look. Although there were no soldiers now quartered at Plover's Barrows, all being busied in harassing the country, and hanging the people where the rebellion had thriven most, my mother, having received from me a message containing my place of abode, contrived to send me, by the packhorses, as fine a mound as need be of provisions and money and other comforts. Therein I found a dress to Colonel Jeremiah Stickles in Lizzie's best handwriting, half a side of the dried deer's flesh, in which he rejoiced so greatly. Also for Lorna a fine green goose, with a little salt towards the tail, and new laid eggs inside it, as well as a bottle of brandy cherries, and seven, or it may have been, eight pounds of fresh homemade butter. Moreover to myself there was a letter full of good advice, excellently well expressed, and would have been of the greatest value if I had cared to read it. But I read all about the farm-affares, and the man who had offered himself to our Betty for the five pounds in her stocking, as well as the antics of Sally Snow, and how she had almost thrown herself at Parson Bowden's head, old enough to be her grandfather, because on the Sunday after the hanging of a Countessbury man, he had preached a beautiful sermon about Christian love, which Lizzie, with her sharp eyes, found to be the work of good Bishop Ken. Also, I read that the dunes were quiet, the parishes round about having united to feed them well through the harvest time, so that after the day's hard work the farmers might go to bed at night, and this plan had been found to answer well and to save much trouble on both sides, so that everybody wondered it had not been done before. But Lizzie thought that the dunes could hardly be expected much longer to put up with it, and probably would not have done so now, but for little adversity, to wit that the famous Colonel Kirk had, in the most outrageous manner, hanged no less than six of them, who were captured among the rebels. For he said that men of their rank and breeding, and above all of their religion, should have known better than to join plowboys and carters and pickaxmen against our Lord the King and his holiness the Pope. This hanging of so many dunes caused some indignation among people who were used to them, and it seemed for a while to check the rest from any spirit of enterprise. Moreover, I found from this same letter, which was pinned upon the knuckle of a leg of mutton for fear of being lost in straw, that good Tom Fagas was at home again, and nearly cured of his dreadful wound, but intended to go to war no more, only to mind his family, and it grieved him more than anything he ever could have imagined that his duty to his family and the strong power of his conscience so totally forbade him to come up and see after me. For now his design was to lead a new life, and be in charity with all men. Many better men than he had been hanged, he saw no cause to doubt, but by the grace of God he hoped himself to cheat the gallows. There was no further news of moment in this very clever letter except that the price of horse's shoes was gone up again, though already two pens farthing each, and that Betty had broken her lover's head with a stocking full of money, and then in the corner it was written that the distinguished man of war and worshipful scholar, Master Bloxham, was now promoted to take the tolls, and catch all the rebels around our part. Lorna was greatly pleased with the goose and the butter and the brandy cherries, and the Earl brandyre himself declared that he never tasted better than those last, and would beg the young man from the country to procure him instructions for making them. This nobleman, being as deaf as a post, and of a very solid mind, could never be brought to understand the nature of my thoughts towards Lorna. He looked upon me as an excellent youth who had rescued the maiden from the dunes, whom he cordially detested, and learning that I had thrown two of them out of window, as the story was told him, he padded me on the back, and declared that his doors would ever be open to me, and that I could not come too often. I thought this very kind of his lordship, especially as it enabled me to see my darling Lorna, not indeed as often as I wished, but at any rate very frequently, and as many times as modesty, my ever-leading principle, would in common conscience approve of. And I made up my mind that if ever I could help Earl brandyre, it would be, as we say when with brandy and water, the proudest moment of my life when I could fulfill the pledge. And I soon was able to help Lord brandyre, as I think, in two different ways. First of all, as regarded his mind, and then as concerned his body, and the latter perhaps was the greatest service at his time of life. But not to be too nice about that, let me tell how these things were. Lorna said to me one day, being in a state of excitement, where too she was overprone, when reft of my slowness to study her, I will tell him, John, I must tell him, John, it is mean of me to conceal it. I thought that she meant all about our love, which we had endeavored thrice to drill into his fine old ears, but could not make him comprehend without risk of bringing the house down. If I said, by all means, darling, have another try at it. Lorna, however, looked at me, for her eyes told more than tongue, as much as to say, well, you are a stupid, we agreed to let that subject rest. And then she saw that I was vexed at my own want of quickness, and so she spoke very kindly. I meant about his poor son, dearest, the son of his old age almost, whose loss threw him into that dreadful cold, for he went without hat to look for him, which ended in his losing the use of his dear old ears. I believe if we could only get him to Plover's Barrow's for a month, he would be able to hear again. And look at his age, he is not much over seventy, John, you know, and I hope that you will be able to hear me, long after you are seventy, John. Well, said I, God settles that, or at any rate he leaves us time to think about those questions when we are over fifty. Now let me know what you want, Lorna, the idea of my being seventy, but you would still be beautiful. To the one who loves me, she answered, trying to make wrinkles in her pure bright forehead. But if you will have common sense, as you always will, John, whether I wish it or otherwise, I want to know whether I am bound, in honour and in conscience, to tell my dear and good old uncle what I know about his son. First, let me understand quite clearly, said I, never being in a hurry, except when passion moves me, what his Lordship thinks at present, and how far his mind is urged with sorrow and anxiety. This was not the first time we had spoken of the matter. Why, you know John well enough, she answered, wondering at my coolness, that my poor uncle still believes that his one beloved son will come to light and live again. He has made all arrangements accordingly, all his property is settled on that supposition. He knows that young Alan always was what he called a fecklesner duel, but he loves him all the more for that. He cannot believe that he will die without his son coming back to him, and he always has a bedroom ready, and a bottle of Alan's favourite wine, cool from out the cellar. He has made me work him a pair of slippers from the size of a moldy boot, and if he hears of a new tobacco, much as he hates the smell of it, he will go to the other end of London to get some for Alan. Now you know how deaf he is, but if anyone say, Alan, even in the place outside the door, he will make his courteous bow to the very highest visitor, and be out there in a moment and search the entire passage, and yet let no one know it. It is a piteous thing, I said, for Lorna's eyes were full of tears. And he means me to marry him, it is the pet scheme of his life, I am to grow more beautiful and more highly taught and graceful, until it pleases Alan to come back and demand me. Can you understand this matter, John, or do you think my uncle's mad? Lorna I should be mad myself to call any other man mad for hoping. Then what will you tell me to do, it makes me very sorrowful, for I know that Alan Brandeer lies below the sod in Dune Valley, and if you tell his father, I answered softly but clearly, in a few weeks he will lie below the sod in London, at least if there is any. Perhaps you are right, John, she replied, to lose hope must be a dreadful thing, when one is turned of seventy, therefore I will never tell him. The other way in which I managed to help the good Earl Brandeer was of less true moment to him, but as he could not know of the first, this was the one which moved him. And it happened pretty much as follows, though I hardly like to tell because it advanced me to such a height as I myself was giddy at, and which all my friends resented greatly, save those of my own family, and even now are sometimes bitter in spite of all my humility. Now this is a matter of history, because the king was concerned in it, and being so strongly misunderstood, especially in my own neighborhood, I will overcome, so far as I can, my diffidence in telling it. The good Earl Brandeer was a man of the noblest charity. True charity begins at home, and so did his, and was afraid of losing the way if it went abroad. So this good nobleman kept his money in a handsome pewter box, with his coat of arms upon it, and a double lid in locks. Moreover, there was a heavy chain, fixed to a staple in the wall, so that none might carry off the pewter with a gold inside of it. Hannah told me the box was full, for she had seen him go to it, and she often thought that it would be nice for us to begin the world with. I told her that she must not allow her mind to dwell upon things of this sort, being wholly against the last commandment set up in our church at O'er. Now one evening, toward September, when the days were drawing in, looking back at the house to see whether Lorna were looking after me, I aspired, by a little glimpse, as it were, a pair of villainous fellows, about whom there could be no mistake, watching from the thicket corner, some hundred yards or so, behind the good Earl's dwelling. There is mischief afoot, I thought to myself, being thoroughly conversant with theft, from my knowledge of the dunes. How will be the moon tonight, and when may we expect the watch? I found that neither moon nor watch could be looked for until the morning, the moon, of course, before the watch, and more likely to be punctual. Therefore I resolved to wait, and see what those two villains did, and save, if it were possible, the Earl of Brandeer's pewter box. But in as much as those bad men were almost sure to have seen me leaving the house and looking back, and striking out on the London road, I marched along at a merry pace, until they could not discern me, and then I fetched a compass round, and refreshed myself at a certain inn, called the crossbones and buttons. Here I remained until it was very nearly as dark as pitch, and the house being full of foot-pads and cut-throats, I thought it right to leave them. One or two came after me, in the hope of designing a stratagem, but I dropped them in the darkness, and knowing all the neighborhood well, I took up my position two hours before midnight, among the shrubs at the eastern end of Lord Brandeer's mansion. Hence, although I might not see, I could scarcely fail to hear if any unlawful entrance, either at back or front, were made. From my own observation I thought it likely that the attack would be in the rear, and so indeed it came to pass. For when all the lights were quenched, and all the house was quiet, I heard a low and wily whistle from a clump of trees close by, and then three figures passed between me and a whitewashed wall, and came to a window which opened into a part of the servant's basement. This window was carefully raised by someone inside the house, and after a little whispering and something which sounded like a kiss, all three men entered. Oh, you villains, I said to myself, this is worse than any doon job, because there is treachery in it. But without waiting to consider the subject from a moral point of view, I crept along the wall and entered very quietly after them, being rather uneasy about my life, because I bore no firearms and had nothing more than my holly staff for even a violent combat. To me this was a matter of deep regret, as I followed these vile men inward. Nevertheless I was resolved that my Lorna should not be robbed again. Through us, or at least through our Annie, she had lost that brilliant necklace, which then was her only birthright. Therefore it behooved me doubly to preserve the pewter box, which must belong to her in the end unless the thieves got hold of it. I went along very delicately, as a man who has learned to wrestle can do, although he may weigh twenty stone, following carefully the light brought by the traitorous maid and shaking in her loose dishonest hand. I saw her lead the men into a little place called a pantry, and there she gave them cordials, and I could hear them boasting. Not to be too long over it, which they were much inclined to be, I followed them from this drinking bout. By the aid of the light they bore, as far as Earl Brandeer's bedroom, which I knew because Lorna had shown it to me that I might admire the tapestry. But I had said that no horse could ever be shod as the horses were shod therein, unless he had the foot of a frog, as well as a frog to his foot. And Lorna had been vexed at this, as taste and high art always are at any small accurate knowledge, and so she had brought me out again before I had time to admire things. Now keeping well away in the dark, yet nearer than was necessary to my own dear Lorna's room, I saw these fellows tried the door of the good Earl Brandeer, knowing from the maid, of course, that his lordship could hear nothing except the name of Alan. They tried the lock and pushed at it, and even set their knees upright, but a Scottish nobleman may be trusted to secure his door at night. So they were forced to break it open, and at this the guilty maid or woman ran away. These three rogues, for rogues they were, and no charity may deny it, burst into Earl Brandeer's room with a light and a crowbar and firearms. I thought to myself that this was hard upon an honest nobleman, and if further mischief could be saved, I would try to save it. When I came to the door of the room, being myself in shadow, I beheld two bad men trying vainly to break open the pewter box, and the third with a pistol muzzle laid to the nightcap of his lordship. With foul face and yet fouler words, this man was demanding the key of the box, which the other men could by no means open, neither drag it from the chain. I tell you, said this aged Earl, beginning to understand at last what those rogues were up for, I will give no key to you. It all belongs to my boy Alan. No one else shall have a farthing. Then you may count your moments, Lord. The key is in your old cramped hand. One, two, and at three I shoot you. I saw that the old man was abroad, not with fear, but with great wonder, and the regrets of deafness. And I saw that rather would he be shot than let these men go rob his son, buried now, or laid to bleach in the tangles of the woods there. Three, or it might be four years, are gone, but still alive to his father. Hereupon my heart was moved, and I resolved to interfere. The thief with the pistol began to count, as I crossed the floor very quietly, while the old Earl fearfully gazed the muzzle, but clenched still tighter his wrinkled hand. The villain, with hair all over his eyes, and the great horse pistol leveled, cried, three, and pulled the trigger. But luckily at that very moment I struck up the barrel with my staff, so that the shot pierced the tester. And then, with a spin and a thwack, I brought the good holly down upon the rascal's head, and a manner which stretched him upon the floor. Meanwhile the other two robbers had taken the alarm and rushed at me, one with a pistol, and one with a hanger, which forced me to be very lively. Fearing the pistol most, I flung the heavy velvet curtain of the bed across, that he might not see where to aim at me. And then, stooping very quickly, I caught up the senseless robber and set him up for a shield and target, whereupon he was shot immediately, without having the pain of knowing it, and it was a happy thing for him. Now the other two were at my mercy, being men below the average strength and no hanger, except in most skillful hands, as well as firm and strong ones, has any chance to a powerful man armed with a stout cuddle, and thoroughly practiced in single stick. So I took these two rogues, and bound them together, and leaving them under the charge of the butler, a worthy and shrewd scotchman, I myself went in search of the constables, whom, after some few hours, I found, neither were they so drunk but what they could take roped men to prison. In the morning these two men were brought before the justices of the peace, and now my wonderful luck appeared, for the merit of having defeated and caught them would never have raised me one step in the state, or in public consideration, if they had only been common robbers or even notorious murderers. But when these fellows were recognized by someone in the court, as Protestant witnesses out of employment, companions and understrapers to oats and bed-low and car stairs, and hand in glove with Dangerfield, Turberville, and Dugdale, in a word the very men against whom His Majesty the King bore the bitterest rancor, but whom he had hitherto failed to catch, and when this was laid before the public, with emphasis and admiration, at least a dozen men came up whom I had never seen before, and prayed me to accept their congratulations, and to be sure to remember them, for all were of neglected merit, and required no more than a piece of luck. I answered them very modestly, and each according to his worth, as stated by himself, who of course could judge the best. The magistrate made me many compliments ten times more than I deserved, and took good care to have them copied that His Majesty might see them. And ere the case was thoroughly heard, and those poor fellows were committed, more than a score of generous men had offered to lend me a hundred pounds, wherewith I was to buy a new court suit when called before His Majesty. Now, this may seem very strange to us who live in a better and purer age, or say at least that we do, and yet who are we to condemn our fathers for teaching us better manners, and at their own expense? With these points any virtuous man is bound to deal quite tenderly, making allowances for corruption, and not being too sure of himself. And to tell the truth, although I had seen so little of the world as yet, that which astonished me in the matter was not so much that they paid me part, as that they found out so soon the expediency of doing it. In the course of that same afternoon I was sent for by His Majesty. He had summoned first the good Earl Brandeer, and received the tale from him, not without exaggeration, although my Lord was a Scotchman. But the chief thing His Majesty cared to know was that, beyond all possible doubt, these were the very precious fellows from perjury turned to robbery. Being fully assured at last of this, His Majesty had rubbed his hands, and ordered the boots of a stricter pattern, which he himself had invented, to be brought at once, that he might have them in the best possible order, and he oiled them himself and expressed his fear that there was no man in London quite competent to work them. Nevertheless he would try one or two rather than wait for his pleasure, till the torturer came from Edinburgh. The next thing he did was to send for me, and in great alarm and flurry I put on my best clothes, and hired a fashionable hairdresser, and drank half a gallon of ale, because both my hands were shaking. Then forth I set, with my holly staff, wishing myself well out of it. I was shown at once, and before I desired it, into His Majesty's presence, and there I stood most humbly, and made the best bow I could think of. As I could not advance any farther, for I saw that the Queen was present, which frightened me tenfold, His Majesty, in the most gracious manner, came down the room to encourage me. As I remained with my head bent down, he told me to stand up and look at him. I have seen thee before, young man, he said. Thy form is not one to be forgotten. Where was it? Thou art most likely to know. May it please your most gracious Majesty, the King! I answered, finding my voice in a manner which surprised myself, it was in the Royal Chapel. Now I meant no harm whatever by this. I ought to have said the Antichapel, but I could not remember the word, and feared to keep the King looking at me. I am well pleased, said His Majesty, with a smile which almost made his dark and stubborn face look pleasant, to find that our greatest subject, greatest I mean in the bodily form, is also a good Catholic. Thou needest not say otherwise, the time shall be, and that right soon, when men shall be proud of the one true faith. Here he stopped, having gone rather far, but the gleam of his heavy eyes was such that I durst not contradict. This is that great Johann Reed, said her Majesty, coming forward, because the King was in meditation, for whom I have so much heard from the dear, dear Lorna, ah, she is not of this black country, she is of the Brit Italia. I have tried to write it, as she said it, but it wants a better scholar to express her mode of speech. Now, John Reed, said the King, recovering from his thoughts about the true Church, and thinking that his wife was not to take the lead upon me, Thou hast done great service to the realm and to religion. It was good to save Earl Brandeer, a loyal and Catholic nobleman, but it was great service to catch two of the vilest bloodhounds ever laid on by heretics, and to make them shoot one another. It was rare, it was rare, my lad. Now ask us anything in reason. Thou canst carry any honors on thy club, like Hercules. What is thy chief ambition, lad? Well, said I, after thinking a little, and meaning to make the most of it, for so the Queen's eyes conveyed to me. My mother always used to think that having been schooled at Tiverton, with thirty marks a year to pay, I was worthy of a coat of arms, and that is what she longs for. A good lad, a very good lad, said the King, and he looked at the Queen, as if almost in joke, but what is thy condition in life? I am a freeholder, I answered in my confusion, ever since the time of King Alfred. A rid was with him in the Isle of Athelney, and we hold our farm by gift from him, or at least people say so. We have had three very good harvest running, and might support a coat of arms, but for myself I want it not. Thou shalt have a coat, my lad, said the King, smiling at his own humour, but it must be a large one to fit thee, and more than that thou shalt have, John Rid, being of such loyal breed and having done such service. And while I wondered at what he meant, he called to some of the people in waiting at the farther end of the room, and they brought him a little sword, such as Annie would skewer a turkey with. Then he signified to me to kneel, which I did, after dusting the board for the sake of my best breeches, and then he gave me a little tap very nicely upon my shoulder, before I knew what he was up to, and said, arise, Sir John Rid. This astonished and amazed me to such extent of loss of mind, that when I got up I looked about, and thought what the snows would think of it, and I said to the King, without forms of speech, Sir, I am very much obliged, but what be I to do with it? Devised for me by the royal heralds was of great size and rich colors, and full of bright imaginings. They did me the honor to consult me first, and to take no notice of my advice, for I begged that there might be a good size cow on it, so as to stamp our pats of butter before they went to market. Also a horse on the other side, and a flock snowed up at the bottom. But the gentleman would not hear of this, and to find something more appropriate, they inquired strictly into the annals of our family. I told them, of course, all about King Alfred, upon which they settled that one quarter should be three cakes on a bar with a lion regarded, dawn upon a field of gold. Also I told them that very likely there had been a rid in the battle fought, not very far from Plover's Barrows, by the Earl of Devon against the Danes, when Hubba their chief was killed, and the sacred standard taken. As some of the Danes are said to be buried, even upon land of ours, and we call their graves, as such they be, even to this day, Barrows, the heralds quite agreed with me that a rid might have been there, or thereabouts, and if he was there, he was almost certain to have done his best, being in sight of hearth and home, and it was plain that he must have had good legs to be at the same time both there and in Athelnae, and good legs are an argument for good arms, and supposing a man of this sort to have done his utmost, as the manner of the rids is, it was next to certain that he himself must have captured the standard. Moreover, the name of our farm was pure proof, of Plover being a wild bird, just the same as a raven is. Upon this chain of reasoning, and without any weak misgivings, they charged my growing astution with a black raven on a ground of red, and the next thing which I mention possessing absolute certainty to it, that a pig with two heads had been born upon our farm, not more than two hundred years ago, although he died within a week. My third quarter was made at once by a two-headed boar with noble tusks, sable upon silver. All this was very fierce and fine, and so I pressed for a peaceful corner in the lower dexter, and obtained a wheat sheaf, set upright, gold upon a field of green. Here I was inclined to pause and admire the effect, for even De Wichelhaas could not show a bearing so magnificent. But the herald said that it looked a mere signboard without a good model under it, and the model must have my name in it. They offered me first, rid known Redendis. What I said for God's sake, gentlemen, let me forget my Latin. Then they proposed, rid, redith riddles, but I begged them not to set down such a lie, for no rid ever had made, or made out, such a thing as a riddle, since Exmor itself began. Thirdly, they gave me, rid never be ridden, and fearing to make any further objections, I let them inscribe it in bronze upon blue. The heralds thought that the king would pay for this noble achievement, but his majesty, although graciously pleased with their ingenuity, declined in the most decided manner to pay a farthing towards it. And as I had now no money left, the heralds became as blue as azure, and as red as ghouls, until her majesty the queen came forward very kindly, and said that if his majesty gave me a coat of arms, I was not to pay for it. Therefore she herself did so quite handsomely, and felt goodwill towards me in consequence. Now, being in a hurry, so far at least as it is in my nature to hurry, to get to the end of this narrative, is it likely that I would have dwelled so long upon my coat of arms, but for some good reason? And this good reason is that Lorna took the greatest pride in it, and thought, or at any rate said, that it quite threw into the shade and eclipsed all her own ancient glories. And half in fun, and half in earnest, she called me Sir John so continually, that at last I was almost angry with her until her eyes were bedewed with tears. And then I was angry with myself, beginning to be short of money, and growing anxious about the farm, longing also to show myself and my noblest scooching to mother. I took advantage of Lady Lorna's interest with the queen, to obtain my acquittance and full discharge from even nominal custody. It had been intended to keep me in waiting until the return of Lord Jeffreys from that awful circuit of shambles, through which his name is still used by mothers to frighten their children into bed. And right glad was I, for even London shrank with horror at the news, to escape a man so bloodthirsty savage, and even to his friends among whom I was reckoned the lignet. Earl Brander was greatly pleased with me, not only for having saved his life, but for saving that which he valued more, the wealth laid by for Lord Ellen. And he introduced me to many great people, who quite kindly encouraged me, and promised to help me in every way when they heard how the king had spoken. As for the furrier, he could never have enough of my society, and this worthy man, praying my commendation, demanded of me one thing only, to speak of him as I found him. As I had found him many a Sunday, furbishing up old furs for new, with a glaze to conceal the moss ravages, I begged him to reconsider the point, and not to demand such accuracy. He said, well, well, all trades had tricks, especially the trick of business, and I must take him, if I were his true friend, according to his own description. This I was glad enough to do, because it saved so much trouble, and I had no money to spend with him. But still he requested the use of my name, and I begged him to do the best with it, as I never had kept a banker. And the John Ridcuffs, and the Sir John Mantles, and the Holly's staff capes he put into his window, as the winter was coming on, I, and sold, for everybody was burning with gossip about me, must have made this good man's fortune, since the excess of price overvalue is a true test of success in life. To come away from all this stuff, which grieves a man in London, when the brisk air of the autumn cleared its way to Ludgate Hill, and clever apprentices ran out and sniffed at it, and fed upon it, having little elves to eat, and when the horses from the country were a goodly sight to see, with the rasp of winter bristles rising through and among the soft summer coat, and when the new straw began to come in, golden with the harvest gloss, and smelling most divinely at those strange livery stables, where the nags are put quite tale to tale, and when all the London folk themselves are asking about white frost, from recollections of childhood. Then I say such a yearning seized me for Maury Craig, and for Dewey Blade, and even the grunting of our sheep, when the sun goes down, that nothing but the new wisps of Samson could have held me in London town. Lorna was moved with equal longing towards the country and country ways, and she spoke quite as much of the glistening dew as she did of the smell of our oven. And here let me mention, although the two are quite distinct and different, that both the dew and the bread of Exmore may be sought, whether high or low, but never found elsewhere. The dew is so crisp and pure and pearly, and in such abundance, and the bread is so sweet, so kind and homely, you can eat a loaf, and then another. Now while I was walking daily in and out great crowds of men, few of whom had any freedom from the cares of money, and many of whom were even morbid with a worse past called politics, I could not be quit of thinking how we jostle one another. God has made the earth quite large, with a spread of land large enough for all to live on, without fighting. Also a mighty spread of water, laying hands on sand and cliff with a solemn voice in storm time, and in the gentle weather moving men to thoughts of equity. This as well is full of food, being two-thirds of the world, and reserved for devouring knowledge. By the time the sons of men have fed away the dry land. Yet before the land itself has acknowledged touch of man, upon one in a hundred acres, and before one mile and ten thousand of the exhaustless ocean has ever felt the plunge of hook, or combing of the hallnets, low we crawl and flocks together upon the hot ground that stings us, even as the black grubs crowd upon the harried nettle. Surely we are too much given to follow the tracks of each other. However, for a moralist, I never set up, and never shall, while common sense abides with me. Such a man must be very wretched in this pure dearth of morality, like a fisherman where no fish be, and most of us have enough to do to attend to our own morals. Enough that I resolve to go, and as Lorna could not come with me, it was even worse than stopping. Nearly everybody vowed that I was a great fool indeed, to neglect so rudely, which was the proper word they said, the pushing of my fortunes. But I answered that to push was rude, and I left it to people who had no room, and thought that my fortune must be heavy if it would not move without pushing. Lorna cried when I came away, which gave me great satisfaction, and she sent a whole trunkful of things for mother and Annie, and even Lizzie. And she seemed to think, though she said it not, that I made my own occasion for going, and might have stayed on till winter, whereas I knew well that my mother would think, and everyone on the farm the same, that here I had been in London lagging, and taking my pleasure, and looking at shops upon pretense of King's business, and leaving the harvest to reap itself, not to mention the spending of money, while all the time there was nothing whatever except my own love of adventure and sport, to keep me from coming home again. But I knew that my coat of arms and title would turn every bit of this grumbling into fine admiration. And so it fell out to a greater extent than even I desired, for all the perishes round about united in a sumptuous dinner at the mother-meldrum in. For now that good lady was dead, and her name and face set on a signpost, to which I was invited, so that was as good as a summons. And if my health was no better next day, it was not from a want of good wishes any more than from stint of the liquor. It is needless to say that the real gentry for a long time treated my new honors with contempt and ridicule. But gradually as they found that I was not such a fool as to claim any equality with them, but went about my farm work, and threw another man at wrestling, and touched my hat to the magistrates, just the same as ever. Some gentlemen of the highest blood, of which we think a great deal more than of gold around our neighborhood, actually expressed a desire to make my acquaintance. And when in a manner quite straightforward and wholly free from bitterness I thanked them for this, which appeared to me the highest honor yet offered me, but declined to go into their company because it would make me uncomfortable, and themselves as well in a different way, they did what nearly all Englishmen do when a thing is right and sensible. They shook hands with me, and said that they could not deny but that there was reason in my view of the matter. And although they themselves must be the losers, which was a handsome thing to say, they would wait until I was a little older, and more aware of my own value. Now this reminds me how it is that an English gentleman is so far in front of foreign noblemen and princes, I have seen at times a little both of one and of the other, and making more than due allowance for the difficulties of language, and the difference of training upon the whole. The balance is in favor of our people. And this, because we have two weights, solid and even in scale of manners, outweighing all light complacence to it, the inborn love of justice, and the power of abiding. Yet some people may be surprised that men with any love of justice, whether inborn or otherwise, could continue to abide the arrogance and rapacity and tyranny of the dunes. For now, as the winter passed, the dunes were not keeping themselves at home as an honor they were bound to do. Twenty sheep a week, and one fat ox, and two stout red deer, for wholesome change of diet, as well as three score bushels of flour, and two hogs heads and a half of cider, and a hundred weight of candles. Not to mention other things of almost every variety which they got by insisting upon it. Surely these might have suffice to keep the people in their place with no outburst of wantonness. Nevertheless, it was not so. They had made complaint about something, too much you mutton, I think it was, and in spite of all the pledges given, they had ridden forth and carried away two maidens of our neighborhood. Now these two maidens were known because they had served the beer at an ale house, and many men who had looked at them over a pint or quart vessel, especially as they were calmly girls, thought that it was very hard for them to go in that way, and perhaps themselves unwilling. And their mother, although she had taken some money which the dunes were always full of, declared that it was a robbery, and though it increased for a while the custom, that must soon fall off again. And who would have her two girls now, clever as they were and good? Before we had finished meditating upon this loose outrage, for so I at least would call it, though people accustomed to the law may take a different view of it, we had news of a thing far worse, which turned the hearts of our women sick. This I will tell in most careful language, so as to give offense to none, if skill of words may help it. The following story is strictly true, and true it is that the country people rose to a man at this dastard cruelty, and did what the government failed to do. Mistress Marjorie Badcock, a healthy and upright young woman, with a good rich color and one of the finest Henrys anywhere around our neighborhood, was nursing her child about six of the clock, and looking out for her husband. Now this child was too old to be nursed as everybody told her, for he could run, say, two yards alone, and perhaps four or five, by holding to handles. And he had a way of looking round and spreading his legs and laughing, with his brave little body well fetched up, after a desperate journey to the end of the table, which his mother said nothing could equal. Nevertheless he would come to be nursed as regular as a clock almost, and in as much as he was the first, both father and mother made much of him, for God only knew whether they could ever compass such another one. Christopher Badcock was a tenant farmer in the parish of Martin Ho, renting some 50 acres of land with a rite of common attached to them. And at this particular time, being now the month of February, and fine open weather, he was hard at work plowing and preparing for spring corn. Therefore his wife was not surprised, although the dusk was falling, that farmer Christopher should be at work in blind man's holiday, as we call it. But she was surprised, nay astonished, when by the light of the kitchen fire, brightened up for her husband, she saw six or seven great armed men burst into the room upon her, and she screamed so that the maid in the back kitchen heard her, but was afraid to come to help. Two of the strongest and fiercest men at once seized poor young Marjorie, and though she fought for her child and home, she was but an infant herself in their hands. In spite of tears and shrieks and struggles, they tore the babe from the mother's arms and cast it on the limash floor. Then they bore her away to their horses, for by this time she was senseless, and telling the others to sack the house rode off with their prize to the valley. And from the description of one of those two, who carried off the poor woman, I knew beyond all doubt that it was Carver Dune himself. The other Dune's being left behind and grieved perhaps in some respects, set to with a will to scour the house and to bring away all that was good to eat, and being a little vexed herein, for the bad cocks were not a rich couple, and finding no more than bacon and eggs and cheese, and little items and nothing to drink but water, in a word their taste being offended they came back to the kitchen and stamped, and there was the baby lying. By evil luck this child began to squeal about his mother, having been petted hitherto and want to get all he wanted by raising his voice but a little. Now the mark of the floor was upon his head, as the maid who had stolen to look at him when the rough men were swearing upstairs gave evidence, and she put a dishcloth under his head and kissed him and ran away again. Her name was Honor Josie, and she meant what was right by her master and mistress, but could not help being frightened. And many women have blamed her, as I think unduly for her mode of forsaking baby- saw. If it had been her own baby, instinct rather than reason might have had the day with her. But the child being born of her mistress, she wished him good luck and left him, as the fierce men came downstairs. And being alarmed by their power of language, because they had found no silver, she crept away in a breathless hurry, and afraid how her breath might come back to her, for often time she had hiccups. While this good maid was in the oven by side of back kitchen fireplace, with a faggot of wood drawn over her, and lying so that her own heart beat worse than if she were baking, the men, as I said before, came downstairs and stamped around the baby. Rowland is the bacon good, one of the mast with an oath or two? It is too bad of Carver to go off with the only prize, and leave us in a starving cottage, and not enough to eat for two of us. Fetched down the staves of the rack, my boy, what was farmer to have for supper? Not but an onion or two, and a loaf and a rasher of rusty bacon. These poor devils live so badly, they are not worth robbing. No game? Then let us have a game of laureate with the baby. It will be the best thing that could befall a lusty infant heretic. Write a cock horse to Bambury Cross. Bye bye, baby bunting. Toss him up, and let me see if my wrist be steady. The cruelty of this man is a thing it makes me sick to speak of, enough that when the poor baby fell, without attempt at cry or scream, thinking it part of his usual play, when they tossed him up to come down again. The maid in the oven of the back kitchen, not being any door between, heard them say as follows. If any man ask us who killed thee, say twas the dunes of Badgery. Now I think that when we heard the story, and poor Kit Badcock came all around in a sort of half-crazed manner, not looking up at anyone but dropping his eyes, and asking whether we thought he had been well treated, and seeming void of regard for life. If this were all the style of it, then having known him a lusty man, and a fine singer-and-ale house, and much inclined to lay down the law, as show a high hand about women, I really think that it moved us more than if he had gone about ranting, and raving, and vowing revenge upon every one. End of CHAPTER 69 Recording by George Fairchild CHAPTER 70 OF LAWN-A-DUNE This is a Liberal Rocks recording. All Liberal Rocks recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit liberalrocks.org. Recording by Daisy 55 LAWN-A-DUNE by R. D. Blackmore CHAPTER 70 COMPALED TO VOLUNTEER There had been much trouble in our own home during the previous autumn, while yet I was in London, for certain noted fugitives from the Army of King Mammoth, which he himself had deserted in a low and curious manner, haven't failed to obtain free shipment from the coast near Watersmouth, have returned into the wilds of Exmoor, trusting to lurk, and be confident among the common people. Neither were they disappointed for a certain of the time, nor in the end was their disappointed cause by fault on our part. Major Wade was one of them, an active and well-meaning man, but prone to fail and courage, upon lasting trial, although in a moment ready. Squire John Witchhazel, not the Baron, and Parson Powell, note, not our Parson Bowden, nor any more a friend of his. Our Parson Bowden never had not whatever to do with it, and never smoked a pipe with Parson Powell after it. J. R. Caught him, two or three months before my return, and Farley found house near Breeden. He had been up at our house several times, and Lizzie thought a great deal of him. And well, I know that if, at all that time I had been in their neighborhood, he should not have been taken so easily. John Birch, the farmer who had sheltered him, was so fearful of punishment that he hanged himself in a few days time and even before he was apprehended. But nothing was done to Gracie Howell, a bridge-ball, who had been Wade's greatest comforter. Neither was anything done to us, although Eliza had added greatly to Mother's alarm and danger by falling upon Rector Powell, and most soundly raiding him for his meanness and his cruelty and cowardice, as she called it, in setting men with firearms upon a poor helpless fugitive and robbing all our neighborhood of its fame for hospitality. However, by means of Sergeant Boxham and his good report to us, as well as by virtue of Wade's confession, with proof of use of the government, my mother escaped all penalties. It is likely enough that good folk will think it hard upon our neighborhood to be threatened, and sometimes heavily punished for kindness and humanity, and yet to be left to help ourselves against tyranny and base-wrapping. And now, at last, our gorge was risen and our hearts entombed. We have bore our troubles long as a wise and wholesome chastement, quite content to have some few things of our own unmetaled with. But what could a man dare to call his own, or what right could he have to wish for it? While he left his wife and children at the pleasure of any stranger. The people came flocking all around me at the blacksmith's forge in the Breeden's alehouse, and I could scarcely come out of church, but they got me among the tombstones. They all agreed that I was bound to take the command and management. I bade them to go to the magistrates, but they said they had been too often. Then I told them that I had no wits for ordering of an armament, although I could find fault enough with one which had not succeeded. But they would hearken to none of this. All they said was, Try to lead us, and we will try not to run away. This seemed to me to be common sense and good stuff instead of mere bragging. Moreover, I myself was moved by the bitter wrongs of Marjorie. Having known her at the Sunday school, or ever I went to Tiviton, and having in those days serious thoughts of making her my sweetheart, although she was three years my elder. But now I felt this difficulty. The dunes had behaved very well to our farm and to mother, and all of us, while I was way in London. Therefore it would not be shabby and mean for me to attack them now. Yet being pressed still hard and harder as day by day the excitement grew, with more and more talking over it, and no one else coming forward to undertake the business, I agreed at last to this, that if the dunes upon fair challenge were not endeavored to make amends by giving up Mistress Marjorie, as well as the man who has slain the baby, then I would lead the expedition and do my best to seduce them. All our men were content with this, being thoroughly well assured from experience, that the hearty robbers would only shoot any man who durst or perched them with such proposal. And then arose a difficult question. Who was to take the risk of making overtures so unpleasant? I waited for the rest to offer, and as none was ready the burden fell on me, and seemed to be of my own inviting. Hence I undertook the task, sooner than reason about it, for to give the cause of everything is worse than to go through with it. It may have been three of the afternoon, when leaving my witnesses behind, for they prefer the background, I peered with our Lizzie's white handkerchief upon a kidney bean stick at the entrance to the robber's dwelling, scarcely knowing what might come of it. I had taken the wise precaution of fastening a Bible over my heart, and another crossed my spinal column, in case of having to run away with rude men shooting at me, for my mother said that the word of God would stop a two-inch bullet with three ounces of powder behind it. Now I took no weapons, save those of the spirit, for fear of being misunderstood, but I could not bring myself to think that any of honorable birth would take advantage of an unarmed man coming in guise of peace to them. And this conclusion of mine held good, at least for a certain length of time, in as much as two decent dunes appeared, and here under my purpose offered, with our violence, to go and fetch the captive, if I would stop where I was, and not being to spy about anything. To this, of course, I agreed at once, for I wanted no more spying, because I had thoroughly knowledge of all ends and outs already. Therefore, I stood waiting steadily, with one hand in my pocket, sealing a sample of corn for market, and the other against the rock, while I wondered to see if it's so brown already. Those men came back in a little while, with a sharp, short message that Captain Carver would come out and speak to me by and by when his pipe was finished. Accordingly, I waited long, and we talked about the signs of bloom for the coming Apple season, and the rain that had fallen last Wednesday night, and the principal dearth of Devonshire, that it will not grow many cow slips, which we will quite agree to be the prettiest of spring flowers, and all the time I was wondering how many black and deadly deeds these two young innocent youths had committed ever since last Christmas. At length, a heavy and hearty step sounded along the stone roof of the way, and then the great Carver Dune drew up and looked at me rather scornfully. Not with any spoken scorn, nor flash or strong contumely, but with that air of thinking little and praying not to be troubled, which always vexes a man who feels that he ought not to be despised so, and yet knows not how to help it. What is it you want, young man, he asked, as if he had never seen me before? In spite of that strong loathing, which I always felt at sight of him, I commanded my temper moderately, and told him that I was come for his good, and that of his worstful company, far more than my own, that a general feeling of indignation had arisen among us at the recent behavior of certain young men for which he might not be answerable, and for which he would not condemn him without knowing the rights of the question, but I begged him clearly to understand that a vow and inhuman wrong had been done, and such as we could not put up with it, but that if he would make what amends he could by restoring the poor woman, and given up that odious brute who had slain the harmless infant, we would take no further motion, and things should go on as usual. As I put this in the fewest words that would meet my purpose, I was grieved to see a disdainful, smile spread on his sallow countenance, then he made me a bow of mock courtesy and replied as follows, Sir John, your new honors have turned your poor head as might have been expected. We are not in the habit of deserting anything that belongs to us far less our sacred relatives. This insolent of your demand will not outdust in gratitude. If there be a man upon Exmo who has grossly ill used us, kidnapped our young woman, and slain half a dozen of our young men, you are that outrageous rude Sir John. And after all this, how have we behaved? We have laid no hand upon your farm. We have not carried off your woman. We have not even allowed you to take our queen by creeping and crawling touchily. And we have given you leave of absence to help your cousin, the highway man, and to come home with a title. And now, how do you requite us by inflaming a boy's indignation at a little frolic of our young men, and by coming with some insolent demands to yell to which would ruin us, or you ungrateful viper? As he turned away in sorrow for me, shaking his head in my badness, I became so overcome, never having quite been assured, even by people's praises about my own goodness. Moreover, the light which he threw upon things different so greatly from my own, that in a word, not to be too long, I feel that I was a villain. And with many bitter pangs, for I have bad things to repent of, I began in my leisure to ask myself whether or not this bill of indictment against John Redd was true. Some of it I knew to be. However much I condemned myself, all together out of reason, for instance, about my going away with Launa very quietly over the snow, and to save my love from being starved away from me. In this, there was no creeper near the crawling treachery, for all was done with siding, and yet I was so out of training for being charged by other people beyond my own conscience, that Calvadoon's harsh words came on me like prickly spinach sold with rake, therefore I replied and said, It is true that I owe you gratitude, sir, for a certain time of forbearance, and it is to prove my gratitude that I am come here now. I do not think that my evil deeds can be set against your own. Although I cannot speak flowingly upon my good deeds as you can, I took your queen because you starved her, having stolen her long before and killed her mother and brother. This is not for me to dwell upon now. Anymore, I will say much about your murdering of my father, but how the balance hangs between us. God knows better than thou or I, thou low, miscreant Calvadoon. I have worked myself up, as I always do, in a manner of heaven and growing hot like an ill-washed wheel revolving. Though I start with a cool axle, and I feel the shame of myself for heat and ready to ask pardon, but Calvadoon regarded me with a noble and fearless grandeur. I have given thee thy choice, John Reed, he said in a lofty manner, which made me drop away under him. I always wish to do my best with the worst people who come near me, and of all I have ever met with thou art the very worst Ser John in the most dishonest. Now, after all my laboring to pay every man to a penny, and to a lot of women over, went among the crouched grass, which is a sad thing for the grounds to be charged like this, I say so amaze me that I stood with my legs quite open, and ready for an earthquake. And the scornful way in which he served, John, went to my very heart. Nay, rather the chance of mischief, I did my best to look calmly at him, and to say with a quiet voice, Farewell, Calvadoon, this time our day of reckoning is nigh. Thou fool, it is come, he cried, leaping aside with furniture rocked by the doorway. Fire! Say for the quickness of spring and readiness, learned in many a wrestling bout, that caveish trick must have ended me, but scarce was the word fire out of his mouth, ere I was out of fire by a single bound behind the rocky platter of the opening. In this jump I was so brisk at impulse, of the love of life, for I saw the muzzle set upon me from the darkness of the cave, that the men who had trained their guns upon me with good will and daintyness, could not check their fingers crooked upon the heavy triggers, and the valleys sangled for word behind it, down the avenue of crags, with one thing and another, and most of all the treachery of this dashed scheme, I was so amazed that I turned around, at the very top of my speed, away from these vile fellows, and luckily for me, they had not another charge to send after me, and thus by good fortune, I escaped, but with a bitter heart, and mine at that treacherous upsage. Without any further hesitation, I agreed to take command of the honest men who were burning to punish, A.A. and destroy those outlaws, as now beyond bearing. One condition, however, I made, namely, that the counselor should be spared a possible, not because he was less a villain than any of the others, but that he seemed less valid, and above all, had been good to Annie, and I found hard works to make them listen to my wish upon this point. For all the dooms, sir counselor, had made himself most hated by his love of law and reason. We arranged that all our men should come and fall into order with pike and musket, over against our dung hill, and we settled early in the day that their wives might come and look at them. For most of these men had good wives, quite different from sweethearts, such as the militia had, woman indeed, who could hold to a man, and see to him, and bury him, if his luck were evil, and perhaps have no one afterwards. And all these women pressed their rights upon their precious husbands, and brought so many children with them, and made such a fuss, and hugging, and racing after little legs, that our farm yard might have been taken for an outdoor school for babies, rather than a review ground. I myself was too informed on the children continuously, for if I love anything in the world, for most I love children. They warm, and yet they cool our hearts, as we think of what they were, and what in young clothes we hope to be, and how many things have come across, and to see our motives moving in the little things, that know not what their aim or object is, must almost, or ought at least, to lead us home and soften us, for neither end of life is home, both source and issue being God. Nevertheless, I must confess, that the children where plague sometimes, they never could have enough of me, being a hundred to one, you might say, but I had more than enough of them, and yet was not contented, for they had so many ways of talking, and of tugging at my hair, and of sitting upon my neck, not even two with their legs alike, and they forced me to jump so vehemently, seeming to caught the peril of my coming down neck and crop with them, and urging me still to go faster, however fast I might go with them, I assure you that they were sometimes so hard and tonical over me, that I might almost as well have been among the very dooms themselves. Nevertheless, the way in which the children made me useful prove also of some use to me, for their mothers were so pleased by the exertions of the great Gigi, as all the small ones entitled me, that they gave me unlimited power and authority over their husbands. Moreover, they did that utmost among their relatives round about to fetch recruits for our little band, and by such means several of the yield manory from barn staple and from tibetan were added to our number, and in as much as these were armed with heavy swords and short caribons, their appearance was truly formidable. Tom Fagas also joined us heartily, being now quite healed of his wound, except at times when the wind was easterly. He was made second in command to me, and I would gladly have had him first, as more fertile in expedience, but he declined such rank on the plea that I knew most of the sea of war, besides that I might be held in some measure to draw authority from the king. Also, Uncle Ben came over to help us with his advice and presence, as well as with a band of stout warehousemen whom he brought from Doverton. For he had never forgiven the old outrage put upon him, and though it had been to his interest to keep quiet during the last attack under Commander Stickles, for the sake of his secret gold mine, yet now he was in a position to give full vent to his feelings. For he and his partners, when fully assured of the value of their digging, had obtained from the crown a license to adventure in search of minerals by payment of a heavy fine in a yearly royalty. Therefore they had now no longer any cause for secrecy, neither for dread of their outlaws, having so added to their force as to be a match for them. And although Uncle Ben was not the man to keep his miners idle and our more than might be helped, he promised that when we had fixed a moment for an assault on the valley, a score of them should come to aid us, headed by Simon Carfax, and armed with the guns which they always kept for the protection of their gold. Now whether it was Uncle Ben, or whether it was Tom Fagas, or even my own self, for all three of us claim the sole honor is more than I think fair to settle without allowing them a voice. But at any rate, a clever thing was devised among us, and perhaps it would be the fairest thing to say that this bright stagman, worthy of the great Duke himself, was contributed little by little among the entire three of us, all having pipes and snaps and water. In the chimney corner, however the world which always judges according to reputation vowed that so fine a stroke of war could only come from a highwayman and so Tom Fagas got all the honor, at least perhaps than a third of the cost. Not to attempt to rob him of it, for robbers, more than any other, contend for rights of property, let me try to describe this grand artifacts. It was known that the dunes were fond of money, as well as strong drink and other things, and more especially fond of gold when they could get it pure and fine, therefore it was greed that in this way we should tempt them, for we knew that they looked with ridicule upon our rustic preparations. After repulsing King's troopers and the militia of two countries, was it likely that they should yield their fortress to a set of plow boys. We, for our part, felt, of course, the power of this reasoning, and that where regular troops had failed, half-armed countrymen must fail, except by superior judgment and harmony of action, though perhaps the militia would have suffice if they had only fought against the foe instead of against each other. From these things we took warning, having failed through overconfidence, was it not possible now to make the enemy fail through the same self-cars? Hence, what we devised was this, to delude from home a part of the robbers, and by far surprise on the other part. We caused it to be spread abroad that a large heap of gold was now collected at the mind of the wizards loved, and when this rumor must have reached them, through women who came to encroach, as some entirely faithful to them were allowed to do, we sent Captain Simon Carfax, the father of Lutagini, to demand an interview with the counselor by night, and as it was secretly, then he was set forth a list of imaginary grievances against the owners of the mind, and to offer party through resentment, partly through the hope of grain, to betray into their hands upon the Friday night, by far the greatest weight of gold as yet sent up for refining. He was to have one quarter part, and they to take the residue but inasmuch as the convoy crossed the moors, under his command would be strong and strongly armed. The dunes must be sure to send not less than a score of men if possible. He himself, at a place agreed upon and fit for an embuscade, would call a halt and contrive in the darkness to pour a little water into the preeming of his company's guns. It cost us some trouble and a great deal of money to bring the sturdy Cornish man into the deceitful part, and perhaps he never would have consented but for his obligation to me in the wrongs, as he said of his daughter. However, as he was the man for the task, both from his coolness and courage, and being known to have charge of the mind, I pressed him until he undertook to tell all the lies we required, and right well he did it too, having once made up his mind to it in perceiving that his own interests call for the total destruction of the robbers. This is a Liberox recording. All Liberox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to follow here, please visit liverox.org. Recording by Daisy 55. Lorna Dune by Aura D. Blackmore. Chapter 71. A long account settled. Having resolved on a night assault, or as our undisciplined men, three-fourths of whom had never been shot at, could not fairly be expected to march up to visible musket mouths. We cared not much about drilling our forces, only to teach them to hold a musket so far as we could supply that weapon to those with the cleverest eyes and to give them familiarity with the noise it made in exploding. And we fixed upon Friday night for our venture because the moon would be at the full and our powder was coming from Doverton on the Friday afternoon. Uncle Rubin did not mean to expose himself to shooting, his time of life, a risk of life being now well over and the residue too valuable, but his counsels and his influence and above all his warehouse men well practiced in beating carpets were of true service to us. His miners also did great wonders, having a grudge against the dunes as indeed who had not for thirty miles round their valley. It was settled that the yieldmen having good horses under them should give account with the miners' help of as many dunes as might be dispatched to plunder the pretended gold and as soon as we knew that this party of robbers be it more or less was out of hand from the valley we were to fall to ostensibly at the dune gate which was impregnable now but in reality upon their fear by means of my old water slide for I had chosen twenty young fellows partly miners, partly warehouse men and sheep farmers and some of other vocations but all had to be relied upon for spirit and power of climbing and with proper tools to aid us and myself to lead the way I felt no doubt whatever but that we could all attain the crest where I first I met with Lorna. Upon the whole I rejoiced that Lorna was not present now it must have been irksome to her feelings to have all her kindred and old associates much as she kept aloof from them put to death without ceremony or else putting us all to death for all of us were resolved this time to have no more shilly showering but to go through with a nasty business in the style of honest Englishmen when the question comes to your life or mine there was hardly a man among us who had not suffered bitterly from the misgrants now before us one had lost his wife perhaps another had lost a daughter according to the ages another had lost his favorite cow in a word there was scarcely anyone who had not to complain of a hayrick and what surprised me then not now was that the men least injured made the greatest push concerning it but be the wrong too great to speak of or too small to sweat about from poor kid Babcock to rich master Huckaback there was not one but went heart and soul for stamping out these firebrands the moon was lifting well above the shoulder of the uplands when we the chosen band set forth having the shortcut along the valleys to foot of the bag worthy water and therefore having allowed the rest an hour to fetch round the moors and hills we were not to begin our climb until we heard a musket fire from the heights on the left hand side where John Fry himself was stationed upon his own and his wife's request so as to keep out of action and that was the place where I had been used to sit and to watch for Lorna and John Fry was to fire his gun with a ball of wood inside it so soon he had heard the hurly burly at the doon gate beginning which we by reason of waterfall could not hear down in the meadows there we waited a very long time with the moon marching up heaven steadfastly and the white fog trembling in cords and columns like a silver hop of the meadows and then the moon drew up the fogs and scoffed herself in white with them and so being proud gleamed upon the water like a bride at her looking glass and yet there was no sound of either John Fry or his blunderbluss I began to think that the worthy John being out of all danger and having brought a counter pain according to his wife's directions because one of the children had a cold must verbally have gone to sleep leaving other people to kill or to be killed as might be the will of God so that he were comfortable but herein I did wrong to John and am ready to acknowledge it for suddenly the most awful noise that anything short of thunder could make came down among the rocks and went and hung upon the corners the signals my lad I cried leaping up and rubbing my eyes for even now while condemning John unjustly I was giving him right to be hard upon me now hold on by the rope and lay your quarter-staffs across my lads and keep your guns pointing to heaven least happily we shoot one another ush ain't never shoot one another or for goons at that mark I reckon said an oldest chap but as tough as leather and esteemed a whit for his dryness you come next to me oh Ike you be enough to drop the waters now remember all lean well forward if any man throws his weight back down he goes and perhaps he may never get up again and most likely he will shoot himself I was still more afraid of their shooting me for my chief alarm in this steep ascent was neither of the water nor of the rocks but of the loaded guns we bore if any man slept off might go his gun and I'll have a good his meaning I being first was most likely to take far more than I fan with a print apprehend for this cause I had to be with Uncle Ben and with cousin Tom as to the expediency of our climbing with guns unloaded but they not being in a way themselves assured me that there was nothing to fear except through uncommon clumsiness and that as for charging our guns at the top even veteran troops could scarcely be trusted to perform it properly in the hurry and the darkness and the noise of fighting before them however thank God though a gun went off no one was any worse for it neither did the dunes notice it in the thick of the firing in front of them for the orders to those of the sham attack conducted by Tom Fakers were to make the greatest possible noise without exposure to themselves until we in the rear had fallen to which John Fry was again to give the signal of therefore we of the chosen band stole up the metal quietly keeping in the blots of shade and hollow of the water crust and the earliest notice the counselor had or anyone else of our presence was the blazing of the log wood house where lived that villain car it was my special privilege to set his house on fire upon which I had insisted exclusively and conclusively nor the hand of mine should lay a brand or strike steel on flint for it I had made all preparations carefully for a godly blaze and I must confess that I rubbed my hands with a strong delight and comfort when I saw the home of that man who had fired so many houses having its turn of smoke and blaze and of crackling fury we took good care however to burn no innocent children or woman in that most righteous destruction for we brought them all out beforehand some were glad and some were sorry according to their dispositions for Carver had ten or a dozen wives and perhaps that has something to do with his taking the loss of Lorna so easily one child noticed as I saved him a fair and handsome little fellow whom if Carver Doom could love anything on up besides his wretched self he did love the boy climbed on my back and rolled and much as I hated his father it was not in my heart to say or do a thing to vex him leaving these poor injured people to behold their burning home we drew aside by my directions into the cupboard beneath the cliff but not before we had laid our brands to three other houses after calling the woman forth and bidding them to go for their husbands and to come and fight a hundred of us in the smoke and rush and fire they believed that we were a hundred in the way they ran and constellation to the battle at the doom gate all doom town is on fire on fire we heard them shrieking as they went a hundred shoals are burning it with a dreadful great man at the head of them presently just as I expected that came the warriors of the dooms leaving but two or three at the gate and burning with wrath to crush underfoot the presumptuous clowns in their valley just then the wax and fire leaped above the red crest of the cliffs and danced on the pillars of the forest and lapped like a tide on the stones of the slope all the valley flowed with light and the limped waters reddened and the fair young woman shone and the neck of children glistened but the finest sight of all was to see those hearty men striding down the causeway dockly reckless of their end but resolved to have two lives for everyone a finer dozen of young men could not have been found in the world perhaps nor a braver nor a voller one seeing how few there were of them I was very lofty fire although I colored the leader who appeared to be Dash and Charlie for they were at easy distance now brightly shone by the firelight yet ignorant where to look for us I thought that we might take them prisoners though what good could that be God knows as they must have been hanged thereafter anyhow I was loath to shoot or to give the word to my followers but my followers waited for no word they saw a fair shot at the men they adored the men who had robbed them of home or of love and a chance was too much for their charity at a signal from old Ike who levered his own gun first a dozen muskets were discharged and half of the dunes dropped lifeless like so many logs of fire or chopping blocks rolled over although I had seen a great battle before in a hundred times the carnage this appeared to me to be horrible and I was at first inclined to fall upon our men for behaving so but one instance showed me that they were right for while the valleys were filled with howling and with shrieks of women and the beams of the blazing houses fell and hissed in the bubbling water all the rest of the dunes leaped at us like so many demons they fired wildly not seeing us well among the haze bushes and then they clubbed their muskets or drew their swords as might be and fiercely drove at us for a moment although we were twice their number we fell back before their valorous fame and the power of their onset from our part and mind their courage greatly and counted on its slur upon manliness that too should be down upon one soul I would have held my hand a while for I cared to meet none but Carver and he was not among them the whirl and hurry of this fight and the hard blows raining down for now all guns were empty took away my power seeing or reasoning upon anything yet one thing I saw which dwelled long in me and that was Christopher Babcock speeding his life to get Charlie's how he had found out none may tell both being dead so long ago but at any rate he had found out that Charlie was the man who had robbed him of his wife and honor it was Carver Dune who took her away but Charlie Worth Dune was beside him and according to Caster Dice she failed to Charlie Snare all this kit Babcock who was mad according to our measures had discovered and treasured up and now was his revenge time he had come into the conflict without a weapon of any kind only begging me to let him be in the very thick of it for him he said life was no matter after the loss of his wife and child but death was mad at him and he meant to make the most of it such a face I never saw and never hoped to see again as when poor kit Babcock spied Charlie coming towards us we had thought this man a patient fool a philosopher of a little sort or one who could feel nothing and his quiet manner of going about and the gentleness of his answers when some brutes asked him where his wife was and whether his baby had been well trusted these had misled us to think that the man would turn the mild cheek to everything but I in the loneliness of our barn had listened and had wept with him therefore was I not surprised so much as all the rest of us when in the foremost red light kit went up to Charworth Dune as if to some inheritance and took his sister a right upon him being himself a powerful man and begged a word aside with him what they had said aside I not know all I know is that without weapon each man killed the other and Marjorie Babcock came and wept and hung upon her poor husband and died that summer of heart disease now for these and other things way of I could tell a thousand was the reckoning come that night and not a line we missed of it soon as our bad blood was up I like not to tell a slaughter though it might be a wolves and tiger and there was a night of fire and slaughter and of a very long harbored revenge enough that ear that daylight broke upon that wane March morning the only Dune still left alive was a counselor in Carver and of all the dwellings of the dunes inhabited with luxury and luscious taste and luscious not even one was left but all made potash in the river this may seem a violent and unholy revenge upon them and I who led the heart of it having these my latter years doubted how I shall be judged not a man for God only knows the errors of man's judgments but by that great God himself the front of whose forehead is mercy end of chapter 71 recording by daisy 55