OnhisroadtothehousetopackhisportmanteauGodfreywentalittlewayroundtoarrangewithablacksmith，generallyknownasTom，whojobbedoutapony-trap，todrivehimtothestationtocatchthe7。15
train。Theblacksmithremarkedthattheywouldhavetohurry，andsettoworktoputtheponyin，whileGodfreyranontotheAbbeyHouseandhurriedlycollectedhisclothes。Hegotthempackedanddownintothehalljustasthetraparrived。
Ashewasenteringittheservantputaletterintohishandwhichshesaidhadcomeforhimbytheafternoonpost。Hethrustitintohispocketunlookedat，andofftheywentatthepony’sbestpace。
“Youaregoingawayoncommonquick，MasterGodfrey。Comingbacktothesepartssoon？“queriedtheblacksmith。
“No，notforalongwhile，Tom。“
“Ithinktheremusthavebeenlightningwiththatrain，“wentonTom，afterapause，“althoughIheardnothunder。ElsehoweverdidthatmarbleangeloverpoorLadyJane’sgravecomedownwithsuchasmash？“
Godfreyglancedathim，butTomremainedimperturbableandwenton：
“Theydusayitworawunnerfulsmash，whatbrokeoffboththewingsandnearlyflatteredoutsomeasstoodby。Rumthing，MasterGodfrey，thatthelightningshouldhavepickedoutthegraveofsogoodaladytohit；ondiscriminatingthing，lightningis。“
“Stoptalkinghumbug，Tom。Wereyouthere？“askedGodfrey。
“Well，notexactlythere，MasterGodfrey，butIandoneortwootherswasnigh，havingheardvoiceslouderthanthecommon，justlookingoverthechurchyardwall，totelltruth。“
“Oh!“ejaculatedGodfrey，andTomcontinuedinareflectivevoice。
“My!theyweretwobeuties，whatyougavethatoldfatdevilofasquire。Ifhe’dbeenabullinsteadofonlyroaringlikeone，they’dhavebroughthimdown，tosaynothingofparsonandtheangel。“
“Icouldn’thelpit，Tom。Iwasmad。“
“Andnowonder，afterbeingcrumpedonthenutwithatightumbrella。
Why，I’dhavedonethesamemyself，baroniteornobaronite。Oh!
there’snoneedtoexplain；Iknowseverythingaboutit，andsodoeseverybabeinthevillagebynow，nottomentiontheoldwomen。MasterGodfrey，youtakemyadvice，thenexttimeyougoa-courtin’shutthedoorbehindyou，whichIalwaysmadeapointo’doingwhenIwasyoung。Beingpassingthatway，Iseedparsonpeepingin，andknowingyouwasthere，guessedwhy。TruthisIcametowarnyouafterhe’dgoneuptotheHall，butseein’howyouwasengaged，thoughtitapitytointerrupt，thoughnowIwishIhad。“
Godfreygroaned；therewasnothingtosay。
“Well，allthesoot’sinthecooking-potnow，sotospeak，“proceededTomblandly，“andwe’redownrightsadaboutit，weare，forasmymissuswassaying，you’dmakeaprettypair。But，Lord，MasterGodfrey，don’tyoutakeittoomuchtoheart，forshe’sanuprightyounglady，sheis，andsteadfast。Orifsheain’t，there’splentyofothers；alsoonedayfollowsanother，asthesayinggoes，andtheworstofoldvarmintsdon’tliveforever。Butparson，hebeatsme，andyouhisson，sotheytell，thoughInevercouldthinkitmyself。
Ifheain’tthemeanestferretIeverclappedeyeson，maytheoldmarefalldownandbreakmyneck。Well，he’llhearaboutit，Icanpromisehim，especiallyifhemeetsmymissuswhat’sgotatongueinherhead，andisachapelwomanintothebargain。Lord!therecomesthetrain。Don’tyoufear，we’llcatchher。Holdtight，MasterGodfrey，andbereadytojumpout。No，no，thereain’tnothingtopay。
I’llstickitontoparson’sfarenexttimeI’vedruvehim。Good-bye，MasterGodfrey，andGodblessyou，ifonlyforthatthererightandleftwhichwarmedmyhearttosee，andmindye，“heshoutedafterhim，“there’smoreyoungwomenintheworldthanyemeetsinanafternoon’swalk，andonenaildrivesanotherout，asbeingasmithbytradeI
knowswell。“
Godfreybundledintoanemptycarriagewithhisportmanteauandhiscoat，andcoveredhisfacewithhishandsthathemightseenomoreofthataccursedstationwhenceheseemedalwaystobedepartingintrouble。Soeverythinghadbeenoverheardandseen，anddoubtlessthestorywouldtravelfarandwide。PoorIsobel!
Asamatteroffactitdid，butitwasnotIsobelwhosuffered，sincepublicsympathywasstrongonthesideofherandofherlover。Theindignationoftheneighbourhoodconcentrateditselfuponthesquareandtheparson，especiallythelatter。Indeedthevillageshoweditssympathywiththevictimsanditswrathwiththeoppressors，bygoingonstrike。FewbeatersturnedupatSirJohn’snextshootingparty，andonthefollowingSundayMr。Knightpreachedtoemptybenches，avacuumthatcontinuedfromweektoweek。TheendofitwashebecamesounpopularandhisstrainedrelationswithSirJohngrewsonotoriousthatthebishop，wholikeeveryoneelseknewthewholestory，gentlysuggestedtohimthatachangeoflivingswouldbetohisadvantage；alsotothatofthechurchinMonk’sAcreanditsneighbourhood。
SoMr。Knightdepartedtoanotherparishinaremotepartofthediocesewhich，havingbeeninundatedbythesea，wasalmostdevoidofinhabitants，andsawtheAbbeyandHawk’sHallnomore。
Insearchinghispocketsformatches，GodfreyfoundtheletterwhichhadbeengiventohimashelefttheAbbey。Heknewthewritingontheenvelopeatonce，andwasmindednottoopenit，forthisandtheforeignstamptoldhimthatitcamefromMadameRiennes。Stillcuriosity，oradesiretotakehismindoffthemiseriesbywhichitwasbeset，prevailed，andhedidopentheenvelopeandread。Itranthus：
“Ah!mylittlefriend，mygodsoninthespeerit，Godfrey“IdaresayyouthoughtthatpooroldMadamewasdead，gonetojointheCelestials，becauseyouhavenotheardfromherforsolongawhile。Notabit，mylittleGodfrey，thoughperhapsIshouldnotcallyoulittle，sincemycrystalshowsmethatyouhavegrowntallereventhanyouwereintheolddaysatLucerne，andmuchbroader，quiteagood-mademanandnicetolookat。Well，myGodfrey，Ihearthingsaboutyousometimes，forthemostpartfromthespeeritcalledEleanorwho，Iwarnyou，hasagreatbonetopickwithyou。Because，yousee，peopledonotchangesomuchasyouthinkwhentheygettotheotherside。Soawomanremainsawoman，andbeingawomanshestaysjealous，anddoesnotlikeitwhenheraffinityturnsthebackonher，asyouhavedoneonEleanor。Thereforeshewillgiveyouabadtrickifshecan，justasawomanwouldupontheearth。AlsoIhearofyousometimesfromMissOgilvyor，rather，herspeerit，forsheisasfondofyouasever，sofondthatIthinkyoumusthavemixeduptogetherinapreviouslife，becauseotherwisethereisnothingtoaccountforit。ShetriestoprotectyoufromEleanortheindignant，withwhomshehas，Igather，muchrow。
“Nowformymessage，whichcometomefromallthesespeerits。I
hearyouhavedoneverywellinwhattheycallexaminations，andhavebeforeyouashiningfuture。Butdonotthinkthatyouwillbehappy，myGodfrey，foryouwillnotgetthatgirlyouwantforalong，longwhile，andthenonlyfortheshortestoftime，justenoughtokissandsay，’Oh!mypretty，howniceyouare!’Andthen/aurevoir/totheworldofspeerits。Meanwhile，beingalittlefool，youwillgoemptyandhungry，sinceyouarenotoneofthosewhohatethewoman，which，afterall，isthebestthinginlifeforthemanwhileheisyoung，like，sothespiritstellme，doesyourdearpapa。Andoh!howplentythiswomanfruithangoneverytree，sowhynotpluckandeatbeforethetimecome，whenyoucannot，becauseifyoustillhaveappetitethoseniceplumsturnyourstomach？Soyouhaveabadtimebeforeyou，myGodfrey，waitingforthebigfatplumfarawaywhichyoucannotseeortouchandmuchlesstaste，whiletheotherniceplumsfallintodifferenthands，orwither——wither，waitingtobeeaten。
“Atend，whenyougetyourbig，fatplum，justasyousetyourteethinit，oh!somethingblowitoutofyourmouth，Iknownotwhat，thespeeritswillnotsay，perhapsbecausetheydonotknow，fortheyhavenotprescienceofallthings。Butofthisbesure，myGodfrey，whenthathappen，thatitisyourownfault，forhadyoutrustedtoyourgodmammaRiennesitneverwouldhavechanced，sinceshewouldhaveshownyouhowtogetyourplumandeatittothestoneandthenthrowawaythestoneandgetotherplumsandbehappy——happyandfullinsteadofempty。Well，soitis，andasI
mustItellyou。Thereisbutonehopeforyou，unlessyouwouldgosorrowful。Tocomebacktoyourgodmamma，whowillteachyouhowtowalkandbehappy——happyandgetallyouwant。Also，sincesheisnowpoor，youwoulddowelltosendheralittlemoneytothisaddressinItaly，sincethatoldhumbugofaPasteur，whomshecannotharmbecauseoftheinfluencesroundhim，stillpreventsherfromreturningtoSwitzerland，whereshehasfriends。
Nowthatbigplum，itisveryniceandyoudesireitmuch。Cometoyourgodmammaandshewillshowyouhowtogetitoffthetreequickly。Yes，withinoneyear。Ordonotcomeanditwillhangthereformanywintersandshrivelasplumsdo，andatlastonebiteanditwillbegone。Andthen，mygodson，then，mydearGodfrey——well，perhapsIwilltellyoutherestanothertime。Youpoorsillyboy，whowillnotunderstandthatthemoreyougetthemoreyouwillalwayshave。
“YourGodmamma，“Wholoveyoustillalthoughyoutreathersobadly，“TheCountessofRiennes。
“Ah!youdidnotknowIhadthattitle，didyou，butinthespeeritworldIhaveotherswhicharemuchhigher。“
Godfreythrustthispreciousepistlebackintohispocketwithafeelingofphysicalandmentalsickness。Howdidthishorriblewomanknowsomuchabouthimandhisaffairs，andwhydidsheprophesysuchdreadfulthings？Further，ifherknowledgewassoaccurate，althoughveiledinherforeignmetaphor，whyshouldnotherpropheciesbeaccuratealso？Andiftheywere，whyshouldhebecalledupontosuffersomanythings？
Hecouldfindnoanswertothesequestions，butafterwardshesentherlettertothePasteur，whoinduecoursereturneditwithsomeuprightandmanlycommentsbothupontheepistleitselfandthestoryofhistroubles，whichGodfreyhaddetailedtohim。AmongstmuchelsehewroteinFrench：
“Yousufferandcannotunderstandwhy，mydearboy。NordoI，butitistruththatallwhoareworthanythingarecalledupontosuffer，towhatendwedonotknow。Nothingofvalueisgainedexceptbysuffering。Why，againwedonotknow。Thiswretchedwomanisrightinawaywhensherefersallsolutionstoanotherworld，onlyherotherworldisonethatisbad，andhersolutionsareverybase。Besurethatthereareotherandbetteronesthatweshalllearninduetime，whenthislittlesunhassetforus。Foritwillriseelsewhere，Godfrey，inabrightersky。
Meanwhile，donotbefrightenedbyherthreats，foreveniftheyshouldallbetrue，tothoseevilswhichsheprophesiesthereis，besure，anotherinterpretation。AsIthinkoneofyourpoetshassaid，weaddourfiguresuntiltheycomeeven。Sogoyourwayandkeepasuprightasyoucan，andhavenofearsinceGodisoverall，notthedevil。“
ThuspreachedthePasteur，andwhathesaidgaveGodfreythegreatestcomfort。Still，beingyoung，hemadeonemistake。HedidsendMadameRiennessomemoney，partlyoutofpity——tenpoundsinapostalorderwithoutanycoveringletter，afollythatdidnottendtoacessationofherepistolatoryefforts。
OnreachingtownGodfreywentstraighttoHampstead。Theretohissurprisehefoundallpreparedforhisreception。
“Iwasexpectingyou，mydear，“saidMrs。Parsons，“andevenhavealittlebitextrainthehouseincaseyoushouldcome。“
“Why，whenItoldyouIhadgonehomeforamonth？“askedGodfrey。
“Why？ForthesamereasonasIknowsthatoilandvinegarwon’tabidemixedinthesamebottle。Iwassureenoughthatbeingamangrown，youandyourfathercouldnevergetontogetherinonehouse。Butperhapsthereissomethingelseinittoo，“sheaddeddoubtfully。