“Mr。Dodd，Iscarcebelieveyoucanbeseriousinthisoffer。”hereplied。“Haveyouforgottenthecircumstancesofthecase？
Doyouknowthesepeoplearethemagnatesofthesection？
Theywerespokenofto-nightinthesaloon；theirwealthmustamounttomanymillionsofdollarsinrealestatealone；theirhouseisoneofthesightsofthelocality，andyouoffermeabribeofafewhundred！”
“Iofferyounobribe，Mr。Bellairs，Igiveyoualms。”Ireturned。
“Iwilldonothingtoforwardyouinyourhatefulbusiness；yetI
wouldnotwillinglyhaveyoustarve。”
“Givemeahundreddollarsthen，andbedonewithit。”hecried。
“IwilldowhatIhavesaid，andneithermorenorless。”saidI。
“Takecare。”hecried。“Youareplayingafool’sgame；youaremakinganenemyfornothing；youwillgainnothingbythis，I
warnyouofit！”Andthenwithoneofhischanges，“Seventydollars——onlyseventy——inmercy，Mr。Dodd，incommoncharity。
Don’tdashthebowlfrommylips！Youhaveakindlyheart。
Thinkofmyposition，remembermyunhappywife。”
“Youshouldhavethoughtofherbefore。”saidI。“Ihavemademyoffer，andIwishtosleep。”
“Isthatyourlastword，sir？Prayconsider；prayweighbothsides：mymisery，yourowndanger。Iwarnyou——Ibeseechyou；measureitwellbeforeyouanswer。”sohehalfpleaded，halfthreatenedme，withclaspedhands。
“Myfirstword，andmylast。”saidI。
Thechangeuponthemanwasshocking。Inthestormofangerthatnowshookhim，theleesofhisintoxicationroseagaintothesurface；hisfacewasdeformed，hiswordsinsanewithfury；
hispantomimeexcessiveinitself，wasdistortedbyanaccessofSt。Vitus。
“Youwillperhapsallowmetoinformyouofmycoldopinion。”
hebegan，apparentlyself-possessed，trulyburstingwithrage：
“whenIamaglorifiedsaint，Ishallseeyouhowlingforadropofwaterandexulttoseeyou。Thatyourlastword！Takeitinyourface，youspy，youfalsefriend，youfathypocrite！Idefy，I
defyanddespiseandspituponyou！I’monthetrail，histrailoryours，Ismellblood，I’llfollowitonmyhandsandknees，I’llstarvetofollowit！I’llhuntyoudown，huntyou，huntyoudown！IfIwerestrong，I’dtearyourvitalsout，hereinthisroom——tearthemout——I’dtearthemout！Damn，damn，damn！
Youthinkmeweak！Icanbite，bitetotheblood，biteyou，hurtyou，disgraceyou。”
Hewasthusincoherentlyraging，whenthescenewasinterruptedbythearrivalofthelandlordandinnservantsinvariousdegreesofdeshabille，andtothemIgavemytemporarylunaticincharge。
“Takehimtohisroom。”Isaid，“he’sonlydrunk。”
Theseweremywords；butIknewbetter。AfterallmystudyofMr。Bellairs，onediscoveryhadbeenreservedforthelastmoment：thatofhislatentandessentialmadness。
LongbeforeIwasawake，theshysterhaddisappeared，leavinghisbillunpaid。Ididnotneedtoinquirewherehewasgone，I
knewtoowell，Iknewtherewasnothingleftmebuttofollow；
andaboutteninthemorning，setforthinagigforStallbridge-le-Carthew。
Theroad，forthefirstquarteroftheway，desertsthevalleyoftheriver，andcrossesthesummitofachalk-down，grazedoverbyflocksofsheepandhauntedbyinnumerablelarks。Itwasapleasantbutavacantscene，arousingbutnotholdingtheattention；andmymindreturnedtotheviolentpassageofthenightbefore。MythoughtofthemanIwaspursuinghadbeengreatlychanged。Iconceivedofhim，somewhereinfrontofme，uponhisdangerouserrand，nottobeturnedaside，nottobestopped，byeitherfearorreason。Ihadcalledhimaferret；I
conceivedhimnowasamaddog。Methoughthewouldrun，notwalk；methought，asheran，thathewouldbarkandfrothatthelips；methought，ifthegreatwallofChinaweretoriseacrosshispath，hewouldattackitwithhisnails。
Presentlytheroadleftthedown，returnedbyaprecipitousdescentintothevalleyoftheStall，andranthenceforwardamongenclosedfieldsandunderthecontinuousshadeoftrees。
IwastoldwehadnowenteredontheCarthewproperty。Byandby，abattlementedwallappearedonthelefthand，andalittleafterIhadmyfirstglimpseofthemansion。Itstoodinahollowofaboskypark，crowdedtoadegreethatsurprisedandevendispleasedme，withhugetimberanddenseshrubberiesoflaurelandrhododendron。Evenfromthislowstationandthethrongingneighbourhoodofthetrees，thepileroseconspicuouslikeacathedral。Behind，aswecontinuedtoskirttheparkwall，Ibegantomakeoutastragglingtownofofficeswhichbecameconjoinedtotherearwiththoseofthehomefarm。Ontheleftwasanornamentalwatersailedinbymanyswans。Ontherightextendedaflowergarden，laidintheoldmanner，andatthisseasonoftheyear，asbrilliantasstainedglass。Thefrontofthehousepresentedafacadeofmorethansixtywindows，surmountedbyaformalpedimentandraiseduponaterrace。Awideavenue，partingravel，partinturf，andborderedbytriplealleys，rantothegreatdoublegateways。Itwasimpossibletolookwithoutsurpriseonaplacethathadbeenpreparedthroughsomanygenerations，hadcostsomanytonsofmintedgold，andwasmaintainedinorderbysogreatacompanyofemulousservants。Andyetofthesetherewasnosignbuttheperfectionoftheirwork。Thewholedomainwasdrawntothelineandweededlikethefrontplotofsomesuburbanamateur；andIlookedinvainforanybelatedgardener，andlistenedinvainforanysoundsoflabour。Somelowingofcattleandmuchcallingofbirdsalonedisturbedthestillness，andeventhelittlehamlet，whichclusteredatthegates，appearedtoholditsbreathinaweofitsgreatneighbour，likeatroopofchildrenwhoshouldhavestrayedintoaking’santeroom。
TheCarthewArms，thesmallbutverycomfortableinn，wasamereappendageandoutpostofthefamilywhosenameitbore。
Engravedportraitsofby-goneCarthewsadornedthewalls；
FieldingCarthew，RecorderofthecityofLondon；Major-
GeneralJohnCarthewinuniform，commandingsomemilitaryoperations；theRightHonourableBailleyCarthew，MemberofParliamentforStallbridge，standingbyatableandbrandishingadocument；SingletonCarthew，Esquire，representedintheforegroundofaherdofcattle——doubtlessatthedesireofhistenantry，whohadmadehimacomplimentofthisworkofart；
andtheVenerableArchdeaconCarthew，D。D。，LL。D。，A。M。，layinghishandontheheadofalittlechildinamannerhighlyfrigidandridiculous。Sofarasmymemoryservesme，therewerenootherpicturesinthisexclusivehostelry；andIwasnotsurprisedtolearnthatthelandlordwasanex-butler，thelandladyanex-lady’s-maid，fromthegreathouse；andthatthebar-parlourwasasortofperquisiteofformerservants。
ToanAmerican，thesenseofthedominationofthisfamilyoversoconsiderableatractofearthwasevenoppressive；andasI
consideredtheirsimpleannals，gatheredfromthelegendsoftheengravings，surprisebegantominglewithmydisgust。
“Mr。Recorder“doubtlessoccupiesanhonourablepost；butI
thoughtthat，inthecourseofsomanygenerations，oneCarthewmighthaveclamberedhigher。ThesoldierhadstuckatMajor-
General；thechurchmanbloomedunremarkedinanarchidiaconate；andthoughtheRightHonourableBailleyseemedtohavesneakedintotheprivycouncil，Ihavestilltolearnwhathedidwhenhehadgotthere。Suchvastmeans，solongastart，andsuchamodeststandardofachievement，struckinmeastrongsenseofthedulnessofthatrace。
IfoundthattocometothehamletandnotvisittheHall，wouldberegardedasaslight。Tofeedtheswans，toseethepeacocksandtheRaphaels——forthesecommonplacepeopleactuallypossessedtwoRaphaels——torisklifeandlimbamongafamousbreedofcattlecalledtheCarthewChillinghams，andtodohomagetothesirestilllivingofDonibristle，arenownedwinneroftheoaks：these，itseemed，weretheinevitablestationsofthepilgrimage。Iwasnotsofoolishastoresist，forI
mighthaveneedbeforeIwasdoneofgeneralgood-will；andtwopiecesofnewsfellinwhichchangedmyresignationtoalacrity。Itappearedinthefirstplace，thatMr。Norriswasfromhome“travelling“；inthesecond，thatavisitorhadbeenbeforemeandalreadymadethetouroftheCarthewcuriosities。I
thoughtIknewwhothismustbe；Iwasanxioustolearnwhathehaddoneandseen；andfortunesofarfavouredmethattheunder-gardenersingledouttobemyguidehadalreadyperformedthesamefunctionformypredecessor。
“Yes，sir。”hesaid，“anAmericangentlemanrightenough。Atleast，Idon’tthinkhewasquiteagentleman，butaverycivilperson。”
Theperson，itseems，hadbeencivilenoughtobedelightedwiththeCarthewChillinghams，toperformthewholepilgrimagewithrisingadmiration，andtohavealmostprostratedhimselfbeforetheshrineofDonibristle’ssire。
“Hetoldme，sir。”continuedthegratifiedunder-gardener，“thathehadoftenreadofthe’stately’omesofEngland，’butourswasthefirsthehadthechancetosee。Whenhecametothe’eadofthelongalley，hefetchedhisbreath。’Thisisindeedalordlydomain！’hecries。Anditwasnaturalheshouldbeinterestedintheplace，foritseemsMr。CarthewhadbeenkindtohimintheStates。Infact，heseemedagratefulkindofperson，andwonderfultakenupwithflowers。”
Iheardthisstorywithamazement。Thephrasesquotedtoldtheirowntale；theywereplainlyfromtheshyster’smint。AfewhoursbackIhadseenhimamerebedlamiteandfitforastrait-
waistcoat；hewaspennilessinastrangecountry；itwashighlyprobablehehadgonewithoutbreakfast；theabsenceofNorrismusthavebeenacrushingblow；themanbyallreason
shouldhavebeendespairing。AndnowIheardofhim，clothedandinhisrightmind，deliberate，insinuating，admiringvistas，smellingflowers，andtalkinglikeabook。Thestrengthofcharacterimpliedamazedanddauntedme。
“Thisiscurious。”Isaidtotheunder-gardener。“IhavehadthepleasureofsomeacquaintancewithMr。Carthewmyself；andI
believenoneofourwesternfriendseverwereinEngland。Whocanthispersonbe？Hecouldn’t——no，that’simpossible，hecouldneverhavehadtheimpudence。HisnamewasnotBellairs？”
“Ididn’t’earthename，sir。Doyouknowanythingagainsthim？”criedmyguide。
“Well。”saidI，“heiscertainlynotthepersonCarthewwouldliketohavehereinhisabsence。”
“Goodgraciousme！”exclaimedthegardener。“Hewassopleasantspoken，too；Ithoughthewassomeformofaschoolmaster。Perhaps，sir，youwouldn’tmindgoingrightuptoMr。Denman？IrecommendedhimtoMr。Denman，whenhehaddonethegrounds。Mr。Denmanisourbutler，sir。”headded。
Theproposalwaswelcome，particularlyasaffordingmeagracefulretreatfromtheneighbourhoodoftheCarthewChillinghams；and，givingupourprojectedcircuit，wetookashortcutthroughtheshrubberyandacrossthebowlinggreentothebackquartersoftheHall。
Thebowlinggreenwassurroundedbyagreathedgeofyew，andenteredbyanarchwayinthequick。Aswewereissuingfromthispassage，myconductorarrestedme。
“TheHonourableLadyAnnCarthew。”hesaid，inanaugustwhisper。Andlookingoverhisshoulder，Iwasawareofanoldladywithastick，hobblingsomewhatbrisklyalongthegardenpath。Shemusthavebeenextremelyhandsomeinheryouth；
andeventhelimpwithwhichshewalkedcouldnotdepriveherofanunusualandalmostmenacingdignityofbearing。
Melancholywasimpressedbesidesoneveryfeature，andhereyes，asshelookedstraightbeforeher，seemedtocontemplatemisfortune。
“Sheseemssad。”saidI，whenshehadhobbledpastandwehadresumedourwalk。
“Sheenjoyratherpoorspirits，sir。”respondedtheunder-
gardener。“Mr。Carthew——theoldgentleman，Imean——diedlessthanayearago；LordTillibody，herladyship’sbrother，twomonthsafter；andthentherewasthesadbusinessabouttheyounggentleman。Killedinthe’unting-field，sir；andherladyship’sfavourite。ThepresentMr。Norrishasneverbeensoequally。”
“SoIhaveunderstood。”saidI，persistently，andIthink
gracefullypursuingmyinquiriesandfortifyingmypositionasafamilyfriend。“Dear，dear，howsad！Andhasthischange——poorCarthew’sreturn，andall——hasthisnotmendedmatters？”