’Haveyouso，sir？Butperhapsthemaidmighthavenodesiretosuitme。’
’Thatyoumaytakemywordshehas。Thecolourofthiswinewillproveit。Thelittleslyhussyhasbeentothecobwebbedarchofthecellar，whereshehasnorighttogo，foranyoneunderamagistrate。However，Iamgladtoseeit，andwewillnotspareit，John。
Aftermytime，somebody，whoevermarrieslittleRuth，willfindsomerarewinesthere，Itrow，andperhapsnotknowthedifference。’
Thinkingofthistheoldmansighed，andexpectedmetosighafterhim。Butasighisnotlikeayawn
infectious；andweareallmorepronetobesenttosleepthantosorrowbyoneanother。Notbutwhatasighsometimesmaymakeusthinkofsighing。
’Well，sir，’criedI，inmysprightliestmanner，whichrousesupmostpeople，’here’stoyourhealthanddearlittleRuth’s：andmayyoulivetoknockoffthecobwebsfromeverybottleinunderthearch。UncleReuben，yourlifeandhealth，sir？’
WiththatItookmyglassthoughtfully，foritwaswondrousgood；andUncleBenwaspleasedtoseemedwellingpleasantlyonthesubjectwithparenthesis，andself-commune，andoraljudgmentunpronounced，thoughsmackingoffinedecision。’Curiavultadvisari，’asthelawyerssay；whichmeans，’Letushaveanotherglass，andthenwecanthinkaboutit。’
’Comenow，John，’saidUncleBen，layinghiswrinkledhandonmyknee，whenhesawthatnonecouldheedus，’IknowthatyouhaveasneakingfondnessformygrandchildRuth。Don’tinterruptmenow；youhave；andtodenyitwillonlyprovokeme。’
’IdolikeRuth，sir，’Isaidboldly，forfearofmisunderstanding；’butIdonotloveher。’
’Verywell；thatmakesnodifference。Likingmayverysoonbelovingassomepeoplecallitwhenthemaidhasmoneytohelpher。’
’Butiftherebe，asthereisinmycase——’
’Onceforall，John，notaword。IdonotattempttoleadyouintoanyengagementwithlittleRuth；neitherwillIblameyouthoughImaybedisappointedifnosuchengagementshouldeverbe。Butwhetheryouwillhavemygrandchild，orwhetheryouwillnot——andsuchachanceisrarelyofferedtoafellowofyourstanding’——UncleBendespisedallfarmers——’inanycaseIhaveatleastresolvedtoletyouknowmysecret；andfortwogoodreasons。Thefirstisthatitwearsmeouttodwelluponit，allalone，andthesecondisthatIcantrustyoutofulfilapromise。Moreover，youaremynextofkin，exceptamongthewomankind；andyouarejustthemanIwant，tohelpmeinmyenterprise。’
’AndIwillhelpyou，sir，’Ianswered，fearingsomeconspiracy，’inanythingthatistrue，andloyal，andaccordingtothelawsoftherealm。’
’Ha，ha!’criedtheoldman，laughinguntilhiseyesranover，andspreadingouthisskinnyhandsuponhisshiningbreeches，’thouhastgonethesamefools’trackastherest；evenasspyStickleswent，andallhisprecioustroopers。LandingofarmsatGlenthorne，andLynmouth，wagonsescortedacrossthemoor，soundsofmetalandboomingnoises!Ah，butwemanageditcleverly，tocheateventhosesoneartous。
DisaffectionatTaunton，signsofinsurrectionatDulverton，revolutionarytanneratDunster!Wesetitallabroad，rightwell。Andnotevenyoutosuspectourwork；thoughwethoughtatonetimethatyouwatchedus。Nowwho，doyousuppose，isatthebottomofallthisExmoorinsurgency，allthiswesternrebellion——notthatIsaythereisnone，mind——butwhoisatthebottomofit？’
’EitherMotherMelldrum，’saidI，beingnowalittleangry，’orelseoldNickhimself。’
’Nay，oldUncleReuben!’Sayingthis，MasterHuckabackcastbackhiscoat，andstoodup，andmadethemostofhimself。
’Well!’criedI，beingnowquitecometothelimitsofmyintellect，’then，afterall，CaptainStickleswasrightincallingyouarebel，sir!’
’Ofcoursehewas；couldsokeenamanbewrongaboutanoldfoollikeme？Butcome，andseeourrebellion，John。Iwilltrustyounowwitheverything。Iwilltakenooathfromyou；onlyyourwordtokeepsilence；
andmostofallfromyourmother。’
’Iwillgiveyoumyword，’Isaid，althoughlikingnotsuchpledges；whichmakeamanthinkbeforehespeaksinordinarycompany，againsthisusualpractices。
However，Iwasnowsocurious，thatIthoughtofnothingelse；andscarcelycouldbelieveatallthatUncleBenwasquiterightinhishead。
’Takeanotherglassofwine，myson，’hecriedwithacheerfulcountenance，whichmadehimlookmorethantenyearsyounger；’youshallcomeintopartnershipwithme：yourstrengthwillsaveustwohorses，andwealwaysfearthehorsework。Comeandseeourrebellion，myboy；youareamademanfromto-night。’
’ButwhereamItocomeandseeit？WhereamItofindit，sir？’
’Meetme，’heanswered，yetclosinghishands，andwrinklingwithdoubthisforehead，’comealone，ofcourse；andmeetmeattheWizard’sSlough，attento-morrowmorning。’
KnowingMasterHuckabacktobeamanofhisword，aswellasonewhowouldhaveothersso，Iwascarefultobeingoodtimethenextmorning，bythesideoftheWizard’sSlough。Iamfreetoadmitthatthenameoftheplaceboreafeelingofuneasiness，andaloveofdistance，insomemeasuretomyheart。ButIdidmybestnottothinkofthis；onlyIthoughtitawiseprecaution，anddueforthesakeofmymotherandLorna，toloadmygunwithadozenslugsmadefromtheleadoftheoldchurch-porch，laidby，longsince，againstwitchcraft。
Iamwellawarethatsomepeoplenowbegintodoubtaboutwitchcraft；oratanyratefeigntodoso；beingdesiroustodisbelievewhatevertheyareafraidof。
Thisspiritisgrowingtoocommonamongus，andwillendunlessweputastoptoit!inthedestructionofallreligion。Andasregardswitchcraft，amanisboundeithertobelieveinit，ortodisbelievetheBible。ForevenintheNewTestament，discardingmanythingsoftheOld，suchassacrifices，andSabbath，andfasting，andothermiseries，witchcraftisclearlyspokenofasathingthatmustcontinue；thattheEvilOnebenotutterlyrobbedofhisvestedinterests。
Henceletnoonetellmethatwitchcraftisdoneawaywith；forIwillmeethimwithSt。Paul，thanwhomnobetterman，andfewlesssuperstitious，canbefoundinalltheBible。
FeelingthesethingsmoreinthosedaysthanIfeelthemnow，Ifetchedagoodishcompassround，bythewayoftheclovenrocks，ratherthancrossBlackBarrowDown，inarecklessandunholymanner。Therewereseveralspots，uponthatDown，cursedandsmitten，andblasted，asifthunderboltshadfallenthere，andSatansattokeepthemwarm。Atanyrateitwasgoodaseveryoneacknowledgednottowandertheretoomuch；
evenwithadoctorofdivinityononearmandofmedicineupontheother。
Therefore，I，beingallalone，andonfootasseemedthewisest，preferredacourseofroundabout；andstartingabouteighto’clock，withoutmentioningmybusiness，arrivedatthemouthofthedeepdescent，suchasJohnFrydescribedit。NowthisthoughIhavenotspokenofitwasnotmyfirsttimeofbeingthere。
For，althoughIcouldnotbringmyselftospyuponUncleReuben，asJohnFryhaddone，yetIthoughtitnoillmanners，afterhehadleftourhouse，tohavealookatthefamousplace，wherethemalefactorcametolife，atleastinJohn’sopinion。Atthattime，however，Isawnothingexceptthegreatuglyblackmorass，withthegrislyreedsaroundit；andIdidnotcaretogoverynearit，muchlesstopryonthefurtherside。
Now，ontheotherhand，Iwasbenttogetattheverybottomofthismysteryiftherewereany，havinglessfearofwitchorwizard，withamanofUncleReuben’swealthtotakemypart，andseemethrough。SoI
rattledtheramroddownmygun，justtoknowifthechargewereright，aftersomuchwalking；andfindingitfullsixinchesdeep，asIliketohaveit，wentboldlydownthesteepgorgeofrock，withafirmresolvetoshootanywitchunlessitweregoodMotherMelldrum。Neverthelesstomysurprise，allwasquiet，andfairtolookat，inthedeclineofthenarrowway，withgreatstalkedfernscomingforthliketrees，yethanginglikecobwebsoverone。Andalongoneside，alittlespringwasgettingridofitswaters。Anymanmightstopandthink；orhemightgoonandthink；andineithercase，therewasnonetosaythathewasmakingafoolofhimself。
WhenIcametothefootofthisravine，andoveragainstthegreatblackslough，therewasnosignofMasterHuckaback，norofanyotherlivingman，exceptmyself，inthesilence。Therefore，Isatinanicheofrock，gazingattheslough，andponderingtheoldtraditionaboutit。
Theysaythat，intheancienttimes，amightynecromancerlivedinthewildernessofExmoor。Here，byspellandincantation，hebuilthimselfastronghighpalace，eight-sidedlikeaspider’sweb，andstandingonacentralsteep；sothatneithermannorbeastcouldcrossthemoorswithouthisknowledge。Ifhewishedtorobandslayatraveller，ortohavewildox，orstagforfood，hehadnothingmoretodothansitatoneofhiseightwindows，andpointhisunholybookathim。Anymovingcreature，atwhichthatbookwaspointed，mustobeythecall，andcomefromwhateverdistance，ifsightedoncebythewizard。
Thiswasabadconditionofthings，andallthecountrygroanedunderit；andExmooralthoughthemosthonestplacethatamancouldwishtoliveinwasbeginningtogetabadreputation，andallthroughthatvilewizard。Nomandurstevengotostealasheep，orapony，orsomuchasadeerfordinner，lestheshouldbebroughttobookbyafarbiggerroguethanhewas。
Andthiswentonformanyyears；thoughtheyprayedtoGodtoabateit。Butatlast，whenthewizardwasgettingfatandhaughtyuponhishighstomach，amightydeliverancecametoExmoor，andawarning，andamemory。Foronedaythesorcerergazedfromhiswindowfacingthesoutheastofthecompass，andheyawned，havingkilledsomanymenthatnowhewaswearyofit。
“Ifackins，’hecried，orsomesuchoath，bothprofaneanduncomely，’Iseeamanonthevergeofthesky-line，goingalonglaboriously。Apilgrim，Itrow，orsomesuchfool，withthenailsofhisbootsinsidethem。Toothintobewortheating；butIwillhavehimforthefunofthething；andmostofthosesaintshavegotmoney。’
Withthesewordshestretchedforthhislegsonastool，andpointedthebookofheathenishspellsbackupwardsatthepilgrim。Nowthisgoodpilgrimwasploddingalong，soberlyandreligiously，withapoundofflintsineitherboot，andnotanounceofmeatinsidehim。Hefeltthespellofthewickedbook，butonlyasahorsemightfeela’gee-wug!’addressedtohim。Itwasinthepowerofthisgoodman，eithertogoon，orturnaside，andseeoutthewizard’smeaning。
Andforamomenthehaltedandstood，likeoneintwomindsaboutathing。Thenthewizardclappedonecoverto，inajocularandinsultingmanner；andthesoundofitcametothepilgrim’sear，aboutfivemilesinthedistance，likeagreatgunfiredathim。
’ByourLady，’hecried，’Imustseetothis；althoughmypoorfeethavenoskinbelowthem。IwillteachthisheathenmiscreanthowtoscoffatGlastonbury。’
Thereuponheturnedhiscourse，andploughedalongthroughthemoorsandbogs，towardstheeight-sidedpalace。Thewizardsatonhischairofcomfort，andwiththerankestcontemptobservedtheholymanploughingtowardshim。’Hehassomethinggoodinhiswallet，Itrow，’saidtheblackthieftohimself；
’thesefellowsgetalwaysthepickofthewine，andthebestofawoman’smoney。’Thenhecried，’Comein，comein，goodsir，’ashealwaysdidtoeveryone。
’Badsir，Iwillnotcomein，’saidthepilgrim；
’neithershallyoucomeoutagain。Herearethebonesofallyouhaveslain；andhereshallyourownbonesbe。’
’Hurrymenot，’criedthesorcerer；’thatisathingtothinkabout。Howmanymileshastthoutravelledthisday？’
Butthepilgrimwastoowideawake，forifhehadspokenofanynumber，bearingnocrossuponit，thenecromancerwouldhavehadhim，likeaballatbando-play。Thereforeheanswered，astrulyasneedbe，’BythegraceofourLady，nine。’
Nownineisthecrossestofallcrossnumbers，andfulltothelipofallcrochets。Sothewizardstaggeredback，andthought，andinquiredagainwithbravery，’Wherecanyoufindamanandwife，onegoingup-hillandonegoingdown，andnotawordspokenbetweenthem？’
’Inacucumberplant，’saidthemodestsaint；blushingeventothinkofit；andthewizardknewhewasdonefor。
’Youhavetriedmewithungodlyquestions，’continuedthehonestpilgrim，withonehandstilloverhiseyes，ashethoughtofthefemininecucumber；’andnowIwillaskyouapureone。Towhomofmankindhaveyoueverdonegood，sinceGodsawfittomakeyou？’