MorethanthirtyyearsagotwoatomsoftheeternalEnergyspedforthfromtheheartofitwhichwecallGod，andincarnatedthemselvesinthehumanshapesthatweredestinedtoholdthemforawhile，asvasesholdperfumes，orgobletswine，orassparksofeverlastingradiuminhabitthebowelsoftherock。Perhapsthesetwoatoms，oressences，ormonadsindestructible，didbutrepeatanadventure，ormany，manyadventures。PerhapsagainandagaintheyhadproceededfromthatHomeaugustandimperishableoncertainmorningsofthedaysofTime，toreturnthitheratnoonornightfall，ladenwiththefruitsofgainedexperience。Soatleastoneofthemseemedtotelltheotherbeforeallwasdoneandthatothercametobelieve。Ifso，overwhatfieldsdidtheyroamthroughoutthe？ons，theywhohavingnoend，couldhavenobeginning？Notthoseofthisworldonly，wemaybesure。Itissosmallandtherearesomanyothers，millionsuponmillionsofthem，andsuchaninfinitevarietyofknowledgeisneededtoshapethesoulofman，eventhoughitremainasyetimperfectandbutashadowofwhatitshallbe。
GodfreyKnightwasbornthefirst，sixmonthslatershefollowedhernamewasIsobelBlake，asthoughtosearchforhim，orbecausewhitherhewent，thithershemustcome，thatbeingherdoomandhis。
Theircircumstances，orratherthoseoftheirparents，wereverydifferentbut，asitchanced，thehousesinwhichtheydweltstoodscarcelythreehundredyardsapart。
BetweentheriversBlackwaterandCrouchinEssex，isagreatstretchofland，flatforthemostpartandratherdreary，which，however，tojudgefromwhattheyhaveleftus，ourancestorsthoughtofmuchimportancebecauseofitssituation，itstradeandthecornitgrew。
Soitcameaboutthattheybuiltgreathousesthereandrearedbeautifulabbeysandchurchesforthewelfareoftheirsouls。Amongstthese，notveryfarfromthecoast，isthatofMonk’sAcre，stillabeautifulfanethoughtheybebutfewthatworshipthereto-day。TheoldAbbeyhouseadjacentisnowtherectory。Ithasbeengreatlyaltered，andtheoutbuildingsareshutuporusedasgranariesandsoforthbyarrangementwithaneighbouringfarmer。Stillitsgreywallscontainsomefinebutratherunfurnishedchambers，reputedbythevulgartobehaunted。Itwasforthisreason，sosaystradition，thatthesonoftheoriginalgranteeofMonk’sAcreAbbey，whoboughtitforasmallsumfromHenryVIIIattheDissolutionoftheMonasteries，turnedtheAbbeyhouseintoarectoryandwenthimselftodwellinanotherknownasHawk’sHall，situateonthebankofthelittlestreamofthatname，Hawk’sCreekitiscalled，whichfindsitswaytotheBlackwater。
Parsons，hesaid，werebetterfittedtodealwithghoststhanlaymen，especiallyifthesaidlaymenhaddispossessedtheoriginalsoftheghostsoftheirearthlyheritage。
TheancientHawk’sHall，atimberbuildingofthesortcommoninEssexassomeofitspremisesstillshow，haslongsincedisappeared。AboutthebeginningoftheVictorianeraafish-merchantofthenameofBrown，erectedonitssiteacommodious，comfortable，butparticularlyhideousmansionofwhitebrick，wherehedweltinaffluenceinthemidstofthelargeestatethathadoncebelongedtothemonks。Anattempttocornerherrings，orsomethingofthesort，broughtthisworthy，orunworthytradesmantodisaster，andtheHallwasleasedtoaHarwichsmack-ownerofthenameofBlake，ashrewdperson，whoseoriginwashumble。HehadonesonnamedJohn，ofwhomhewasdeterminedto“makeagentleman。“WiththisviewJohnwassenttoagoodpublicschool，andtocollege。Butofhimnothingcouldmakeagentleman，becausetruegentilityandhisnaturewerefarapart。Heremained，notwithstandingallhisadvantages，acunning，andinhiswayanablemanofbusiness，likehisfatherbeforehim。Fortherest，hewasbig，floridandpresentable，withthebluffandheartymannerwhichsometimesdistinguishesa/fauxbonhomme/。“HonestJohn“theycalledhimintheneighbourhood，asoubriquetwhichwasofservicetohiminmanyways。
SuddenlyHonestJohn’sfatherdied，leavinghimwelloff，thoughnotsorichashewouldhavelikedtobe。AtfirsthethoughtofleavingHawk’sHallandgoingtoliveatHarwich，wheremostofhisbusinessinterestswere。But，rememberingthattheoccupationofitgavehimacertainstandinginthecounty，whereasinHarwichhewouldhavebeenonlyasuperiortradesman，hegaveuptheidea。Itwasreplacedbyanother——tomarrywell。
NowJohnBlakewasnotanidealist，norinanysenseromantic；
therefore，frommarriageheexpectedlittle。Hedidnotevenaskthathiswifeshouldbegood-looking，knowingthatanyaspirationswhichhehadtowardsbeautycouldbesatisfiedotherwise。Nordidheseekmoney，beingwellawarethathecouldmakethisforhimself。Whathedesiredwerebirthandassociations。Afteralittlewaitinghefoundexactlywhathewanted。
AcertainLordLynfieldfromtheSouthofEngland，wholivedinLondon，andwasadirectorofmanyBoards，tookapheasant-shootingintheneighbourhoodofHawk’sHall，andwithitahouse。Herehelivedmoreorlessduringthewintermonths，goinguptotownwhennecessary，toattendhisBoards。LordLynfieldwascursedwithseveralextravagantsons，withwhomJohnBlake，whowasagoodshot，soonbecamefriendly。Alsohemadehimselfusefulbylendingoneofthemaconsiderablesumofmoney。WhenthiscametoLordLynfield’sears，asHonestJohnwascarefulthatitshould，hewasdisturbedandofferedrepayment，thoughasamatteroffacthedidnotknowwheretoturnforthecash。InhisbluffestandheartiestwayBlakerefusedtohearofsuchathing。
“No，no，myLord，letitstand。Yoursonwillrepaymeoneday，andifhedoesn’t，whatwillatriflelikethatmatter？“
“Hecertainlyshallrepayyou。Butallthesame，Mr。Blake，youhavebehavedverywellandIthankyoumuch，“repliedhisLordshipcourteously。
ThusdidJohnBlakebecomeanintimateofthataristocraticfamily。
NowLordLynfield，whowasawidower，hadoneunmarrieddaughter。Shewasanoddandtimidlittleperson，withstrongreligiousviews，whoadoredsecretlyahigh-churchcurateinLondon。This，indeed，wasthereasonwhyshehadbeenbroughttoEssexwhenherinfatuationwasdiscoveredbyoneofhermarriedsisters，who，liketherestofthefamily，wasextremely“low。“LadyJanewassmallinbodyandshrinkinganddelicateincharacter，somewhatmouselikeindeed。Evenhereyeswerelargeandtimidasarethoseofamouse。InherJohnBlakeperceivedtheexact/parti/whomhedesiredforawife。
Itisnotnecessarytofollowthepitifulstorytoitsinevitableend，one，happily，morecommonatthattimethanitisto-day。Mr。Blakeplayedtheearnest，ardentlover，andonalloccasionsproclaimedhisownunworthinessatthetopofhisloudvoice。Alsohehintedatlargesettlementstothemarriedsisters，whoputthematterbeforeJaneveryplainlyindeed。Intheend，afterafewwordswithherfather，whopointedoutthattheprovisionwhichcouldbemadeforherwasbutsmall，andthathewoulddiemorehappilyifheknewhertobecomfortablysettledinlifewithareallytrustworthyandgenerousmansuchasMr。Blakehadprovedhimselftobe，shegaveway，andinduecoursetheyweremarried。
Infact，thetragedywascomplete，sinceJaneloathedherhusband，whoserealnatureshehadreadfromthebeginning，asmuchassheadoredthehigh-churchcuratefromwhominsometerriblehourshepartedwithbrokenwords。Evenwhenhediedafewyearslater，shecontinuedtoadorehim，somuchthatheronehopewasthatshemightmeethimagaininthelandwherethereisnomarryingorgivinginmarriage。Butallofthisshekeptlockedinherpoorlittleheart，andmeanwhiledidherdutybyherhusbandwithanuntroubledbrow，thoughthosemouse-likeeyesofhersgrewevermorepiteous。
He，forhispart，didnotdohisdutybyher。Ofonesideofhisconductshewascareless，beingtotallyindifferentastowhomheadmired。Othersshefoundithardtobear。Themanwasbynatureabully，onewhofoundpleasureinoppressingthehelpless，andwholoved，intheprivacyofhishome，towreaktheill-temperwhichhewasforcedtoconcealabroad。Incompany，andespeciallybeforeanyofherpeople，hetreatedherwiththegreatestdeference，andwouldevenmakeloudlaudatoryremarksconcerningher；whentheywerealonetherewasadifferenttaletotell，particularlyifshehadinanywayfailedinpromotingthatsocialadvancementforwhichhehadmarriedher。
“WhatdoyousupposeIgiveyouallthosejewelsandfineclothesfor，tosaynothingofthemoneyyouwasteinkeepingupthehouse？“hewouldaskbrutally。
Janemadenoanswer；silencewasheronlyshield，butherheartburnedwithinher。Itisprobable，notwithstandinghersomewhatexaggeratedideasofdutyandwifelyobedience，thatshewouldhavepluckeduphercourageandlefthim，evenifshemustearnherownlivingasasempstress，haditnotbeenforonecircumstance。Thatcircumstancewasthearrivalintheworldofherdaughter，Isobel。Insomewaysthiseventdidnotaddtoherhappiness，ifthatcanbeaddedtowhichdoesnotexist，forthereasonthatherhusbandneverforgaveherbecausethischild，heronlyone，wasnotaboy。Nordidheloseanyopportunityoftellingherthistoherface，asthoughthematterwereoneoverwhichshehadcontrol。Inothers，however，forthefirsttimeinherbatteredlittlelife，shedrankdeepofthecupofjoy。Shelovedthatinfant，andfromthefirstitlovedherandheronly，whiletothefatheritwasindifferent，andattimesantagonistic。
FromthecradleIsobelshowedherselftobeanindividualofcharacter。Evenasalittlegirlsheknewwhatshewantedandformedherownopinionsquiteindependentlyofthoseofothers。Moreover，inacertainwayshewasagood-lookingchild，butofastamptotallydifferentfromthatofeitherofherparents。Hereyeswerenotrestlessandprominent，likeherfather’s，ordarkandplaintive，likehermother’s，butlarge，greyandsteady，withlongcurvedlashes。Infact，theywerefine，butitwasheronlybeauty，sincethebrowabovethemwasalmosttoopronouncedforthatofawoman，themouthwasalittlelarge，andthenosesomewhatirregular。Herhair，too，thoughlongandthick，wasstraightandratherlight-coloured。Fortherestshewaswell-groundandvigorous，withastrong，fullvoice，andassheapproachedmaturityshedevelopedafinefigure。
WhenshewasnotmuchmorethantenIsobelhadherfirsttroublewithherfather。Somethinghadgonewrongwithoneofhisshippingspeculations，andasusual，heventedituponhiswife。Socruellydidhespeaktoheronahouseholdmatterforwhichshewasnottheleasttoblame，thatthepoorwomanatlastroseandlefttheroomtohidehertears。Isobel，however，remainedbehind，andwalkinguptoherfather，whostoodwithhisbacktothefire，askedhimwhyhetreatedhermotherthus。
“Mindyourownbusiness，youimpertinentbrat，“heanswered。
“Mummyismybusiness，andyouare——abrute，“sheexclaimed，clenchingherlittlefists。Heliftedhishandasthoughtostrikeher，thenchangedhismindandwentaway。Shehadconquered。ThenceforwardMr。
BlakewascarefulnottomaltreathiswifeinIsobel’spresence。Hecomplainedtoher，however，ofthechild’sconduct，which，hesaid，wasduetoherbringingupandencouragement，andLadyJaneinturn，scoldedherinhergentlefashionforher“wickedwords。“
Isobellistened，thenasked，withoutattemptingtodefendherself，“Werenotfather’swordstoyouwickedalso，Mummy？ItwasnotyourfaultifJamesforgottobringroundthedog-cartandmadehimmissthetraintoLondon。Oughtyoutobeswornatforthat？“
“No，dear，butyousee，heismyhusband，andhusbandscansaywhattheywishtotheirwives。“
“ThenIwillneverhaveahusband；atleast，notonelikefather，“
Isobelannouncedwithdecision。
Therethematterended。Orratheritdidnotend，sincefromthatmomentIsobelbegantoreflectmuchonmatrimonyandothercivilizedinstitutions，astowhichatlastsheformedviewsthatwerenotcommonamonggirlsofhergeneration。Inshort，shetookthefirststeptowardsRadicalism，andenteredontheroadofrebellionagainsttheExistingandAcknowledged。