“Iadmitsheisn’telegant，butIthinkshe’sagoodwifeandmother。“
“Iwonderifthey’realllikethat？“
“Now，Mate，wemusttrynottooffendthem。Wemusttrytobeoneofthem。“
Butthiswaseasiersaidthandone。Ashewentdowntothepostofficeandstoodwaitingforhismailliketherest，hetriedtoenterintoconversationwitbthem，butmainlytheymovedawayfromhim。WilliamMcTurgnoddedathimandsaid，“Howdedo？“andMcLaneaskedhowhelikedhisnewplace，andthatwasaboutall。
Hecouldn’treachthem。Theysuspectedhim。Theyhadonlytheestimateofthemenwhohadworkedforhim；and，whiletheywerecivil，theyplainlydidn’tneedhimintheslightestdegree，exceptasatopicofconversation。
Hedidnotimproveashehadhopedtodo。Thespringwaswetandcold，themostrainyanddepressingthevalleyhadseeninmanyyears。Dayafterdaytheraincloudssailedinoverthenorthernhillsanddelugedtheflatlittletownwithwater，tillthefrogssangineverystreet，tillthemainstreetmireddowneveryteamthatdroveintoit。
Thecornrottedintheearth，butthegrassgrewtallandyellow-green，thetreesglistenedthroughthegrayair，andthehillswerelikegreenjewelsofincalculableworth，whenthesunshone，atsweetinfrequentintervals。
Thecoldanddampstruckthroughintothealien’sheart。Itseemedtoprophesyhisdarkfuture。Hesatathisdeskandlookedoutintothegrayrainwithgloomyeyes-aprisonerwhenhehadexpectedtobefree。
Hehadfailedinhislastventure。Hehadnotgainedanypower-hewasreailyweakerthanever。Therainhadkepthimconfinedtothehouse。Thejoyhehadanticipatedoftracingoutallhisboyishpleasurehauntswascutoff。Hehadrelied，too，uponthatasasourceofliterarypower。
Hecouldnotdomuchmorethanwalkdowntothepostofficeandbackonthepleasantestdays。Afewpeoplecalled，buthecouldnottalktothem，andtheydidnotcallagain。
Inthemeanwhilehislittlebankaccountwasvanishing。Theboyswerestrongandhappy；thatwashisonlycomfort。Andhiswifeseemedstrong，too。Shehadlittletimetogetlonesome。
Hegrewmorbid。Hisweaknessandinsecuritymadehimjealousofthesecurityandhealthofothers。
Hegrewalmosttohatethepeopleashesawthemcomingandgoinginthemud，orheardtheirloudheartyvoicessoundingfromthestreet。Hehatedtheirgossip，theirdulljokes。Theflatlittletowngrewvulgarandlowanddesolatetohim。
Everylittlethingwhichhadamusedhimnowannoyedhim。Thecutoftheirbeardsworriedhim。Theirvoicesjarreduponhim。
Everydayortwohebrokeforthtohiswifeinlongtiradesofabuse。
“Oh，Ican’tstandthesepeople!Theydon’tknowany-thing。Theytalkeveryragofgossipintoshreds。Taters，fish，hops；hops，fish，andtaters。They’vesavedandpinchedandtoiledtilltheirsoulsarepinchedandgroundaway。You’reright。Theyarecaricatures。Theydon’treadorthinkaboutanythinginwhichI’minterested。Thislifeisnerve-destroying。Talkaboutthehealthofthevillagelife!itdestroysbodyandsoul。Itdebilitatesme。Itwillwarpusbothdowntothelevelofthesepeople。“
Shetriedtostophim，buthewenton，aflushoffeveronhischeek：
“Theydegradethenaturetheyhavetouched。Theirsquatlittletownisacaricaturelikethemselves。Everythingtheytouchtheybelittle。Heretheysitwhileside-walksrotandteamsmireinthestreets。“
Heragedonlikeonedemented-bitter，accusing，rebellious。Insuchamoodhecouldnotwrite。Inplaceofinspiringhim，thelittletownanditspeopleseemedtounderminehispowerandturnhissweetnessofspiritintogallandacid。Heonlybowedtothemnowashewalkedfeeblyamongthem，andtheyexcuseditbyreferringtohissickness。Theyeyedhimeachtimewithpityingeyes；“He’sfailin’fast，“theysaidamongthemselves。
Oneday，ashewasreturningfromthepostoffice，hefeltblindforamomentandputhishandtohishead。Thewoldofvividgreengrewgray，andlifercededfromhimintoillimitabledistance。Hehadonedimfadingglimpseofashaggy-beardedfacelookingdownathim，andfelttheclutchofaniron-hardstrongarmunderhim，andthenhelostholdevenonsomuchconsciousness。
Hecamebackslowly，risingoutofimmeasurabledeepstowardadistantlightwhichwaslikethemouthofawellfilledwithcloudsofmistyvapor。Occasionallyhesawabrownbighairyfacefloatinginoverthislightedhorizon，tosmilekindlyandgoawayagain。Otherscamewithshaggybeards。Heheardacheerytenorvoicewhichherecognized，andthenanotherface，abigbrownsmilingface；verylovelyitlookednowtohim-almostaslovelyashiswife’s，whichfloatedinfromtheotherside。
“He’sallrightnow，“saidthecheerytenorvoicefromthebigbeardedface。
“Oh，Mr。McTurg；doyouthinkso？“
“Ye-e-s，sir。He’sallright。Thefever’slefthim。Braceup，oldman。
Weneedyeyitawhile。“Thenallwassilentagam。
Thewellmouthclearedawayitsmistagain，andhesawmoreclearly。Partofthetimeheknewhewasinbedstaringattheceiling。Partofthetimethewellmouthremainedclosedinwithclouds。
Gauntoldwomenputspoonsofdeliciousbrothtohislips，andtheirtoothlessmouthshadkindlylinesaboutthem。Heheardtheirhighvoicessoundingfaintly。
“Now，Mis’Bloom，jestletMis’Folsoman’meattendtothingsouthere。We’llgetsupperfortheboys，an’youjestgoan’laydown。
We’lltakecareofhim。Don’tworry。Bell’sagoodhandwithsick。“
Thenthelightcameagain，andheheardarobinsinging，andacatbirdsqualledsoftly，pitifully。Hecouldseetheceilingagain。Helayonhisback，withhishandsonhisbreast。Hefeltasifhehadbeendead。Heseemedtofeelhisbodyasifitwereanalienthing。
“Howareyou，sir？“calledthelaughing，thrillinglyheartyvoiceofWilliamMcTurg。
Hetriedtoturnhishead，butitwouldn’tmove。Hetriedtospeak，buthisdrythroatmadenonoise。
Thebigmanbentoverhim。“Want’ochangeplacealittle？“
Heclosedhiseyesinanswer。
Agiantarmrandeftlyunderhisshouldersandturnedhimasifhewereaninfant，andanewpartofthegoodoldworldburstonhissight。Thesunshinestreamedinthewindowsthroughawavingscreenoflilacleavesandfelluponthecarpetinapricelessfloodofradiance。
TheresatWilliamMcTurgsmilingathim。Hehadnocoatonandnohat，andhisbushythickhairroseupfromhisforeheadlikethickmarshgrass。Helookedtobetheembodimentofsunshineandhealth。Sunandairwereinhisbrownface，andtheperfecthealthofafineanimalwasinhishugelimbs。HelookedatRobertwithasmilethatbroughtastrangefeelingintohisthroat。Itmadehimtrytospeak；atlasthewhispered。
Thegreatfigurebentcloser：“Whatisit？“
“Thank-you。“
Williamlaughedalowchuckle。“Don’tbotheraboutthanks。Wouldyoulikesomewater？“
AtallfigurejoinedWilliam，awkwardiy。
“Hello，Evan!“
“Howishe，Bm？“
“He’sawaketoday。“
“That’sgood。AnythingIcando？“
“No，Iguessnot。Anheneedsissomethin’toeat。“
“Ijestbroughtachickenup，an’somejellan’thingsthewomensent。I’llstaywithhimtilltwelve，thenFolsomwillcomein。“
Thereafterhelayhearingtherobinslaughandtheorioleswhistle，andthenthefrogsandkatydidsatnight。Thesemenwithgreasyvestsandunkemptbeardscameineveryday。Theybathedhim，andhelpedhimtoandfromthebed。Theyhelpedtodresshimandmovehimtothewindow，wherehecouldlookoutontheblessedgreenofthegrass。
OGod，itwassobeautiful!Itwasalover’sjoyonlytolive，tolookintotheseradiantvistasagain。Acatbirdwassinginginthecurranthedge。Arobinwashoppingacrossthelawn。Thevoicesofthechildrensoundedsoftandjocundacrosstheroad。Andthesurshine-“BelovedChrist，Thysunshinefallinguponmyfeet!“Hissoulachedwiththejoyofit，andwhenhiswifecameinshefoundhimsobbinglikeachild。
Theyseemednevertowearyinhisservice。Theyliftedhimaboutandtalkedtohiminloudandheartyvoiceswhichrousedhimlikefreshwindsfromfreespaces。
Heheardthewomenbusywiththingsinthekitchen。Heoftensawthemloadedwiththingstoeatpassinghiswindow，andoftenhiswifecameinandkneltdownathisbed。
“Oh，Robert，they’resogood!TheyfeeduslikeGodsravens。“
Oneday，ashesatatthewindowfullydressedforthefourthoffifthtime，WilliamMcTurgcameupthewalk。
“Well，Robert，howareyetoday？“
“First-rate，William，“hesmiled。“IbelieveIcanwalkoutalittleifyou’llhelpme。“
“Allright，sir。“
AndhewentforthleaningonWilliam’sarm，apiteouswraithofaman。
OneverysidethegoldenJunesunshinefell，fillingthevalleyfrompurplebrimtopurplebrim。Downoverthehilltothewestthelightpoured，tangledandglowingintheplumandcherrytrees，leavingtheglisteninggrasssprayingthroughtheelmsandflingingstreamersofpinkacrosstheshavengreenslopeswherethecattlefed。
Oneverysidehesawkindlyfacesandheardheartyvoices：“Goodday，Robert。Gladtoseeyououtagain。“Itthrilledhimtohearthemcallhimbyhisfirstname。
Hisheartswelledtillhecouldhardlybreathe。Thepassionoflivingcamebackuponhim，shaking，upliftinghim。Hispallidlipsmoved。Hisfacewasturnedtothesky。
“OGod，letmelive!Itissobeautiful!OGod，givemestrengthagain!Keepmeinthelightofthesun!Letmeseethegreengrasscomeandgo!“
HeturnedtoWilliamwithtremblinglips，tryingtospeak：
“Oh，Iunderstandyounow。Iknowyouallnow。“
ButWilliamdidnotunderstandhim。
“There!there!“hesaidsoothingly。“Iguessyou’regettin’tired。“HeledRobertbackandputhimtobed。
“I’dknowbutwewasalittlebrashaboutgoin’out，“WilliamsaidtohimasRobertlaytheresmilingupathim。
“Oh，I’mallrightnow，“thesickmansaid。
“Matie，“thealiencried，whenWilliamhadgone，“weknewourneighborsnow，don’twe？Wenevercanhateorridiculethemagain。“
“Yes，Robert。Theyneverwillbecaricaturesagain-tome。“
A“GOODFELLOW’S“WIFE
I
LIFEinthesmalltownsoftheolderWestmovesslowly-almostasslowlyasintheseaportvillagesorlittletownsoftheEast。TownslikeTyreandBluffSidinghavegrownduringthelasttwentyyears，butveryslowly，byalmostimperceptibledegrees。LyingtoofarawayfromtheMississippitobeaffectedbythelumberinterest，theyaremerelytradingpointsforthefarmers，withnoperceivablegermsofboomintheirquietlife。
AstrangercomingintoBelfast，Minnesota，excitesmuchthesamelanquidbutpersistentinquiryasinBelfast，NewHampshire。Juriesofmen，seatedonsaltbarrelsandnallkegs，discussthestranger’sappearanceandhisprobableaction，justasinKittery，Maine，butwithalazierspeechtuneandwithashadelessofapparentinterest。
OnsucharainydayascomesinMayafterthecornisplanted-acold，wetrainyday-theusualcrowdwasgatheredinWilson’sgrocerystoreatBluffSiding，asmalltowninthe“couleecountry。“
Theywerefarmers，forthemostpart，retiredfromactiveservice。
Theircoatswereofcheapdiagonalorcassimere，muchfadedandburnedbythesun；theirhats，flappedaboutbywindsandsoakedwithcountlessrains，werealsoofthesameyellow-browntints。
Oneortwoworepapercollarsontheirhickoryshirts。
Mcllvaine，farmerandwheatbuyer，woreapapercollarandabutterflynecktie，asbefittedamanofhisstationinlife。Hewasashort，squarelymadeScotchman，withsandywhiskersmuchgrayedandwithakeen，in-tenselyblueeye。
“Say，“calledMcPhail，ex-sheriffofthecounty，inthesilencethatfollowedsomeremarkabouttherain，“anyo’youfellershadanytalkwiththisfellerSanford？“
“Ihain’t，“saidVance。“You，Bill？“