’Theboywhowasatthepump，’saidI，’whenthecarriagebrokedownatDulverton。Theboythatlivesatoh——ah；andsomedayyouwouldcomeseekforhim。’
’Oh，yes，Iremembercertainly。Myleetleboy，withthefairwhiteskin。Ihavedesiredtoseehim，ohmany，yes，manytimes。’
Shewasopeningthedoor，whilesayingthis，andthenshestartedbackinaffrightthatthelittleboyshouldhavegrownso。
’Youcannotbethatleetleboy。Itisquiteimpossible。Whydoyouimposeonme？’
’NotonlyamIthatlittleboy，whomadethewatertoflowforyou，tillthenebulecameupontheglass；butalsoIamcometotellyouallaboutyourlittlegirl。’
’Comein，youverygreatleetleboy，’sheanswered，withherdarkeyesbrightened。AndIwentin，andlookedather。Shewasalteredbytime，asmuchasI
was。Theslightandgracefulshapewasgone；notthatIrememberedanythingofherfigure，ifyouplease；forboysoftwelvearenotyetpronetonotetheshapesofwomen；butthatherlithestraightgaithadstruckmeasbeingsounlikeourpeople。Nowhertimeforwalkingsowaspast，andtransmittedtoherchildren。
Yetherfacewascomelystill，andfullofstrongintelligence。Igazedather，andsheatme；andweweresureofoneanother。
’Nowwhatwillyepleasetoeat？’sheasked，withalivelyglanceatthesizeofmymouth：’thatisalwaysthefirstthingyoupeopleask，inthesebarbarousplaces。’
’Iwilltellyouby-and-by，’Ianswered，mislikingthissatireuponus；’butImightbeginwithaquartofale，toenablemetospeak，madam。’
’Verywell。Onequevartofbe-or；’shecalledouttoalittlemaid，whowashereldestchild，nodoubt。’Itistobeexpected，sir。Be-or，be-or，be-or，alldaylong，withyouEnglishmen!’
’Nay，’Ireplied，’notalldaylong，ifmadamwillexcuseme。Onlyapintatbreakfast-time，andapintandahalfateleveno’clock，andaquartorsoatdinner。Andthennomoretilltheafternoon；andhalfagallonatsupper-time。Noonecanobjecttothat。’
’Well，Isupposeitisright，’shesaid，withanairofresignation；’Godknows。ButIdonotunderstandit。Itis“goodforbusiness，“asyousay，toprecludeeverything。’
’Anditisgoodforus，madam，’Iansweredwithindignation，forbeerismyfavouritebeverage；’andI
amacredittobeer，madam；andsoareallwhotrusttoit。’
’Atanyrate，youare，youngman。Ifbeerhasmadeyougrowsolarge，Iwillputmychildrenuponit；itistoolateformetobegin。Thesmelltomeishateful。’
NowIonlysetdownthattoshowhowperversethoseforeignpeopleare。Theywilldrinktheirwretchedheartlessstuff，suchastheycallclaret，orwineofMedoc，orBordeaux，orwhatnot，withnomoremeaningthansourrennet，stirredwiththepulpfromtheciderpress，andstrainedthroughthecapofourBetty。Thisisverywellforthem；andasgoodastheydeserve，nodoubt，andmeantperhapsbythewillofGod，forthoseunhappynatives。ButtobringitovertoEnglandandsetitagainstourhome-brewedalenottospeakofwinesfromPortugalandsellitattentimestheprice，asacureforBritishbile，andagreatenlightenment；thisIsayisthevilestfeatureoftheagewelivein。
MadamBenitaOdam——forthenameofthemanwhoturnedthewheelprovedtobeJohnOdam——showedmeintoalittleroomcontainingtwochairsandafir-woodtable，andsatdownonathree-leggedseatandstudiedmeverysteadfastly。Thisshehadarighttodo；andI，havingallmyclothesonnow，wasnotdisconcerted。Itwouldnotbecomemetorepeatherjudgmentuponmyappearance，whichshedeliveredascalmlyasifIwereapigatmarket，andasproudlyasifherownpig。AndsheaskedmewhetherIhadevergotridoftheblackmarksonmybreast。
Notwantingtotalkaboutmyselfthoughveryfondofdoingso，whentimeandseasonfavourIledherbacktothatfearfulnightofthedaywhenfirstIhadseenher。Shewasnotdesiroustospeakofit，becauseofherownlittlechildren；however，IdrewhergraduallytorecollectionofLorna，andthenofthelittleboywhodied，andthepoormotherburiedwithhim。Andherstronghotnaturekindled，asshedwelleduponthesethings；andmywrathwaxedwithinme；andweforgotreserveandprudenceunderthesenseofsovileawrong。ShetoldmeasnearlyasmightbetheverysamestorywhichshehadtoldtoMasterJeremyStickles；onlyshedwelleduponitmore，becauseofmyknowingtheoutset。Andbeingawoman，withaninklingofmysituation，sheenlargeduponthelittlemaid，morethantodryJeremy。
’Wouldyouknowheragain？’Iasked，beingstirredbytheseaccountsofLorna，whenshewasfiveyearsold：
’wouldyouknowherasafull-grownmaiden？’
’IthinkIshould，’sheanswered；’itisnotpossibletosayuntiloneseestheperson；butfromtheeyesofthelittlegirl，IthinkthatImustknowher。Oh，thepooryoungcreature!Isittobebelievedthatthecannibalsdevouredher!Whatapeopleyouareinthiscountry!Meat，meat，meat!’
Assheraisedherhandsandeyesinhorroratourcarnivorouspropensities，towhichsheclearlyattributedthedisappearanceofLorna，Icouldscarcehelplaughing，evenafterthatsadstory。Forthoughitissaidatthepresentday，andwilldoubtlessbesaidhereafter，thattheDooneshaddevouredababyonce，astheycameupPorlockhill，afterfightinghardinthemarket-place，Iknewthatthetalewasutterlyfalse；forcruelandbrutalastheywere，theirtastewasverycorrectandchoice，andindeedonemightsayfastidious。NeverthelessIcouldnotstoptoarguethatmatterwithher。
’Thelittlemaidhasnotbeendevoured，’IsaidtoMistressOdam：’andnowsheisatallyounglady，andasbeautifulascanbe。IfIsleepinyourgoodhostelto-nightaftergoingtoWatchetttown，willyoucomewithmetoOareto-morrow，andseeyourlittlemaiden？’
’Iwouldlike——andyetIfear。Thiscountryissobarbarous。AndIamgoodtoeat——myGod，thereismuchpickingonmybones!’
Shesurveyedherselfwithaglancesomingledofpityandadmiration，andthetruthofherwordswassoapparentonlythatitwouldhavetakenaweektogetatthebones，beforepickingthatInearlylostgoodmanners；forshereallyseemedtosuspectevenmeofcannibalinclinations。However，atlastImadeherpromisetocomewithmeonthemorrow，presumingthatMasterOdamcouldbyanymeansbepersuadedtokeephercompanyinthecart，asproprietydemanded。HavinglittledoubtthatMasterOdamwasentirelyathiswife’scommand，Ilookeduponthatmatterassettled，andsetoffforWatchett，toseethegraveofLorna’spoormother，andtohireacartforthemorrow。
AndhereassooftenhappenswithmenIsucceededwithoutanytroubleorhindrance，whereIhadlookedforbothofthem，namely，infindingasuitablecart；
whereastheothermatter，inwhichIcouldhaveexpectednodifficulty，cameveryneartodefeatme。
ForwhenIheardthatLorna’sfatherwastheEarlofDugal——asBenitaimpresseduponmewithastrongenforcement，asmuchastosay，’Whoareyou，youngman，tocomeevenaskingabouther？’——thenIneverthoughtbutthateverybodyinWatchetttownmustknowallaboutthetombstoneoftheCountessofDugal。
This，however，provedotherwise。ForLordDugalhadneverlivedatWatchettGrange，astheirplacewascalled；neitherhadhisnamebecomefamiliarasitsowner。BecausetheGrangehadonlydevolvedtohimbywill，attheendofalongentail，whenthelastoftheFitz-Painsdiedout；andthoughhelikedtheideaofit，hehadgoneabroad，withouttakingseisin。Anduponnewsofhisdeath，JohnJones，arichgentlemanfromLlandaff，hadtakenpossession，asnextofright，andhushedupallthestory。Andthough，evenattheworstoftimes，aladyofhighrankandwealthcouldnotberobbed，andasbadasmurdered，andthenburiedinalittleplace，withoutmovingsomeexcitement，yetithadbeengivenout，onpurposeandwithdiligence，thatthiswasonlyaforeignladytravellingforherhealthandpleasure，alongtheseacoastofEngland。
Andasthepoorthingneverspoke，andseveralofherservantsandherbaggagelookedsoforeign，andsheherselfdiedinacollaroflaceunlikeanymadeinEngland，allWatchett，withouthesitation，pronouncedhertobeaforeigner。AndtheEnglishservingmanandmaid，whomighthaveclearedupeverything，eitherwerebribedbyMasterJones，orelsedecampedoftheirownaccordwiththerelicsofthebaggage。SothepoorCountessofDugal，almostinsightofherowngrandhouse，wasburiedinanunknowngrave，withherpairofinfants，withoutaplate，withoutatombstoneworsethanallwithoutatear，exceptfromthehiredItalianwoman。
SurelymypoorLornacameofanill-starredfamily。
Nowinspiteofallthis，ifIhadonlytakenBenitawithme，oreventoldherwhatIwished，andcravedherdirections，therecouldhavebeennotrouble。ButIdoassureyouthatamongthestupidpeopleatWatchettcomparedwithwhomourfolkofOare，exceedingdensethoughbeing，areasHamletagainstDogberrywhatwithoneofthemandanother，andthefirmconvictionofallthetownthatIcouldbecomeonlytowrestle，IdoassureyouasIsaidbeforethatmywitsalmostwentoutofme。Andwhatvexedmeyetmoreaboutitwas，thatIsawmyownmistake，incomingmyselftoseekoutthematter，insteadofsendingsomeunknownperson。
Formyfaceandformwereknownatthattimeandstillaresotoninepeopleoutofeverytenlivinginfortymilesofme。Notthroughanyexcellence，oranythingofgooddesert，ineithertheoneortheother，butsimplybecausefolkswillbefoolsontherivalryofwrestling。Theartisafineoneinitself，anddemandsalittlewitofbrain，aswellasstrengthofbody；itbindsthemanwhostudiesittotemperance，andchastity，toself-respect，andmostofalltoanevenandsweettemper；forIhavethrownstrongermenthanmyselfwhenIwasameresapling，andbeforemystrengthgrewhardonmethroughtheirlossoftemper。
Butthoughtheartisanhonestone，surelytheywhoexcelthereinhavearightlikealltherestofman-kindtotheirownprivatelife。
Bethateitherway——andIwillnotspeaktoostrongly，forfearofindulgingmyownannoyance——anyhow，allWatchetttowncaredtentimesasmuchtoseeJohnRidd，astoshowhimwhathewanted。Iwasledtoeverypublic-house，insteadoftothechurchyard；andtwentytableswerereadyforme，inlieuofasinglegravestone。’Zummerzettthoubee’st，JanRidd，andZummerzettthoushaltbe。TheecarltheezellaDavonsheerman!Whoy，theelivesinZummerzett；andinZummerzetttheewastbarn，lad。’Andsoitwenton，tillIwasweary；thoughverymuchobligedtothem。
DullandsolidasIam，andwithawildduckwaitingformeatgoodMistressOdam’s，Isawthattherewasnothingforitbuttoyieldtothesegoodpeople，andprovemeamanofSomerset，byeatingadinnerattheirexpense。Asforthechurchyard，nonewouldhearofit；
andIgrievedforbroachingthematter。
ButhowwasItomeetLornaagain，withouthavingdonethethingofallthingswhichIhadpromisedtoseeto？
Itwouldneverdototellherthatsogreatwasmypopularity，andsostrongthedesiretofeedme，thatI
couldnotattendtohermother。LeastofallcouldI
saythateveryoneinWatchettknewJohnRidd；whilenonehadheardoftheCountessofDugal。Andyetthatwasaboutthetruth，asIhintedverydelicatelytoMistressOdamthatevening。Butshebeingvexedaboutherwildduck，andnothavingEnglishideasonthematterofsport，andsoonmadeapoorunwittingfaceatme。NeverthelessMasterOdamrestoredmetomyself-respect；forhestaredatmetillIwenttobed；
andhebrokehishosewithexcitement。Forbeingintheleg-linemyself，Iwantedtoknowwhatthemuscleswereofamanwhoturnedawheelallday。IhadneverseenatreadmillthoughtheyhaveonenowatExeter，andittouchedmemuchtolearnwhetheritweregoodexercise。Andherein，fromwhatIsawofOdam，I
inclinetothinkthatitdoesgreatharm；asmovingthemusclestoomuchinaline，andwithoutvariety。