wasquiteabletospeak，Ireturnednoanswer。Onthedoorbeingopened，theJew，afterafewwords，probablyrelatingtopedlery，demandedwhothechildwas，sittinginthesun；themaidrepliedthatIwashermistress’syoungestson，achildweakHERE，pointingtoherforehead。TheJewlookedatmeagain，andthensaid：’’Ponmyconscience，mydear，Ibelievethatyoumustbetroubledthereyourselftotellmeanysuchthing。Itisnotmyhabittospeaktochildren，inasmuchasIhatethem，becausetheyoftenfollowmeandflingstonesafterme；butInosoonerlookedatthatchildthanI
wasforcedtospeaktoit-hisnotansweringmeshowshissense，forithasneverbeenthecustomofthewisetoflingawaytheirwordsinindifferenttalkandconversation；thechildisasweetchild，andhasallthelookofoneofourpeople’schildren。Fool，indeed!didInotseehiseyessparklejustnowwhenthemonkeyseizedthedogbytheear？-theyshonelikemyowndiamonds-doesyourgoodladywantany-realandfine？Wereitnotforwhatyoutellme，Ishouldsayitwasaprophet’schild。Fool，indeed!hecanwritealready，orI’llforfeittheboxwhichIcarryonmyback，andforwhichIshouldbelothtotaketwohundredpounds!’
HethenleanedforwardtoinspectthelineswhichIhadtraced。
Allofasuddenhestartedback，andgrewwhiteasasheet；then，takingoffhishat，hemadesomestrangegesturestome，cringing，chattering，andshowinghisteeth，andshortlydeparted，mutteringsomethingabout’holyletters，’andtalkingtohimselfinastrangetongue。ThewordsoftheJewwereinduecourseoftimereportedtomymother，whotreasuredtheminherheart，andfromthatmomentbegantoentertainbrighterhopesofheryoungestbornthanshehadeverbeforeventuredtofoster。
CHAPTERII
Barracksandlodgings-Acamp-Theviper-Adelicatechild-
Blackberrytime-MEUNandTUUM-Hythe-TheGolgotha-Daneman’sskull-Superhumanstature-Stirringtimes-Thesea-bord。
IHAVEbeenawandererthegreaterpartofmylife；indeedI
rememberonlytwoperiods，andthesebynomeanslengthy，whenI
was，strictlyspeaking，stationary。Iwasasoldier’sson，andasthemeansofmyfatherwerebynomeanssufficienttosupporttwoestablishments，hisfamilyinvariablyattendedhimwhereverhewent，sothatfrommyinfancyIwasaccustomedtotravellingandwandering，andlookeduponamonthlychangeofsceneandresidenceasamatterofcourse。Sometimeswelivedinbarracks，sometimesinlodgings，butgenerallyintheformer，alwayseschewingthelatterfrommotivesofeconomy，savewhenthebarrackswereinconvenientanduncomfortable；andtheymusthavebeenhighlysoindeed，tohavediscouragedusfromenteringthem；forthoughweweregentrypraybearthatinmind，gentlereader，gentrybybirth，andincontestablysobymyfather’sbearingthecommissionofgoodoldGeorgetheThird，wewerenotFINEGENTRY，butpeoplewhocouldputupwithasmuchasanygenteelScotchfamilywhofinditconvenienttoliveonathirdfloorinLondon，oronasixthatEdinburghorGlasgow。Itwasnotalittlethatcoulddiscourageus：weoncelivedwithinthecanvaswallsofacamp，ataplacecalledPett，inSussex；andIbelieveitwasatthisplacethatoccurredthefirstcircumstance，oradventure，callitwhichyouwill，thatIcanrememberinconnectionwithmyself：itwasastrangeone，andIwillrelateit。
Ithappenedthatmybrotherandmyselfwereplayingoneeveninginasandylane，intheneighbourhoodofthisPettcamp；ourmotherwasataslightdistance。Allofasudden，abrightyellow，and，tomyinfantineeye，beautifulandglorious，objectmadeitsappearanceatthetopofthebankfrombetweenthethickquickset，and，glidingdown，begantomoveacrossthelanetotheotherside，likealineofgoldenlight。Utteringacryofpleasure，Isprangforward，andseizeditnearlybythemiddle。Astrangesensationofnumbingcoldnessseemedtopervademywholearm，whichsurprisedmethemore，astheobjecttotheeyeappearedsowarmandsunlike。
Ididnotdropit，however，but，holdingitup，lookedatitintently，asitsheaddangledaboutafootfrommyhand。Itmadenoresistance；Ifeltnoteventheslighteststruggle；butnowmybrotherbegantoscreamandshrieklikeonepossessed。’Omother，mother!’saidhe，’theviper!-mybrotherhasaviperinhishand!’Hethen，likeonefrantic，madeanefforttosnatchthecreatureawayfromme。Thevipernowhissedamain，andraiseditshead，inwhichwereeyeslikehotcoals，menacing，notmyself，butmybrother。Idroppedmycaptive，forIsawmymotherrunningtowardsme；andthereptile，afterstandingforamomentnearlyerect，andstillhissingfuriously，madeoff，anddisappeared。Thewholesceneisnowbeforeme，asvividlyasifitoccurredyesterday-thegorgeousviper，mypoordearfranticbrother，myagitatedparent，andafrightenedhencluckingunderthebushes-
andyetIwasnotthreeyearsold。
Itismyfirmbeliefthatcertainindividualspossessaninherentpower，orfascination，overcertaincreatures，otherwiseIshouldbeunabletoaccountformanyfeatswhichIhavewitnessed，and，indeed，borneasharein，connectedwiththetamingofbrutesandreptiles。Ihaveknownasavageandviciousmare，whosestallitwasdangeroustoapproach，evenwhenbearingprovender，welcome，nevertheless，witheveryappearanceofpleasure，anuncouth，wiry-
headedman，withafrightfullyseamedface，andanironhooksupplyingtheplaceofhisrighthand，onewhomtheanimalhadneverseenbefore，playfullybitehishair，andcoverhisfacewithgentleandendearingkisses；andIhavealreadystatedhowaviperwouldpermit，withoutresentment，onechildtotakeitupinhishand，whilstitshoweditsdisliketotheapproachofanotherbythefiercesthissings。Philosophycanexplainmanystrangethings，buttherearesomewhichareafarpitchaboveher，andthisisone。
Ishouldscarcelyrelateanothercircumstancewhichoccurredaboutthistimebutforasingulareffectwhichitproduceduponmyconstitution。UptothisperiodIhadbeenratheradelicatechild；whereas，almostimmediatelyaftertheoccurrencetowhichI
allude，Ibecamebothhaleandvigorous，tothegreatastonishmentofmyparents，whonaturallyenoughexpectedthatitwouldproducequiteacontraryeffect。
IthappenedthatmybrotherandmyselfweredisportingourselvesincertainfieldsnearthegoodtownofCanterbury。Afemaleservanthadattendedus，inordertotakecarethatwecametonomischief：
she，however，itseems，hadmattersofherowntoattendto，and，allowingustogowherewelisted，remainedinonecornerofafield，inearnestconversationwithared-coateddragoon。Nowitchancedtobeblackberrytime，andthetwochildrenwanderedunderthehedges，peeringanxiouslyamongtheminquestofthattrashsogratefultourchinsoftheirdegree。Wedidnotfindmuchofit，however，andweresoonseparatedinthepursuit。AllatonceI
stoodstill，andcouldscarcelybelievemyeyes。Ihadcometoaspotwhere，almostcoveringthehedge，hungclustersofwhatseemedfruit-deliciously-temptingfruit-somethingresemblinggrapesofvariouscolours，green，red，andpurple。Dearme，thoughtI，howfortunate!yethaveIarighttogatherit？isitmine？fortheobservanceofthelawofMEUMandTUUMhadearlybeenimpresseduponmymind，andIentertained，evenatthattenderage，theutmosthorrorfortheft；soIstoodstaringatthevariegatedclusters，indoubtastowhatIshoulddo。IknownothowIarguedthematterinmymind；thetemptation，however，wasatlasttoostrongforme，soIstretchedforthmyhandandate。Iremember，perfectlywell，thatthetasteofthisstrangefruitwasbynomeanssopleasantastheappearance；buttheideaofeatingfruitwassufficientforachild，and，afterall，theflavourwasmuchsuperiortothatofsourapples，soIatevoraciously。HowlongI
continuedeatingIscarcelyknow。Onethingiscertain，thatI
neverleftthefieldasIenteredit，beingcarriedhomeinthearmsofthedragooninstrongconvulsions，inwhichIcontinuedforseveralhours。AboutmidnightIawoke，asiffromatroubledsleep，andbeheldmyparentsbendingovermycouch，whilsttheregimentalsurgeon，withacandleinhishand，stoodnigh，thelightfeeblyreflectedonthewhitewashedwallsofthebarrack-
room。
Anothercircumstanceconnectedwithmyinfancy，andIhavedone。I
needoffernoapologyforrelatingit，asitsubsequentlyexercisedconsiderableinfluenceovermypursuits。Wewere，ifIrememberright，inthevicinityofaplacecalledHythe，inKent。Onesweetevening，inthelatterpartofsummer，ourmothertookhertwolittleboysbythehand，forawanderaboutthefields。Inthecourseofourstrollwecametothevillagechurch；anold，gray-
headedsextonstoodintheporch，who，perceivingthatwewerestrangers，invitedustoenter。Wewerepresentlyintheinterior，wanderingabouttheaisles，lookingonthewalls，andinspectingthemonumentsofthenotabledead。Icanscarcelystatewhatwesaw；howshouldI？Iwasachildnotyetfouryearsold，andyetI
thinkIremembertheeveningsunstreaminginthroughastainedwindowuponthedingymahoganypulpit，andflingingarichlustreuponthefadedtintsofanancientbanner。Andnowoncemorewewereoutsidethebuilding，where，againstthewall，stoodalow-
eavedpent-house，intowhichwelooked。Itwashalffilledwithsubstancesofsomekind，whichatfirstlookedlikelargegraystones。Thegreaterpartwerelyinginlayers；some，however，wereseeninconfusedandmoulderingheaps，andtwoorthree，whichhadperhapsrolleddownfromtherest，layseparatelyonthefloor。
’Skulls，madam，’saidthesexton；’skullsoftheoldDanes!Longagotheycamepiratingintotheseparts；andthentherechancedamightyshipwreck，forGodwasangrywiththem，andHesunkthem；
andtheirskulls，astheycameashore，wereplacedhereasamemorial。ThereweremanymorewhenIwasyoung，butnowtheyarefastdisappearing。Someofthemmusthavebelongedtostrangefellows，madam。Onlyseethatone；why，thetwoyounggentrycanscarcelyliftit!’And，indeed，mybrotherandmyselfhadenteredtheGolgotha，andcommencedhandlingthesegrimrelicsofmortality。Oneenormousskull，lyinginacorner，hadfixedourattention，andwehaddrawnitforth。Spiritofeld，whataskullwasyon!
Istillseemtoseeit，thehugegrimthing；manyoftheotherswerelarge，strikinglyso，andappearedfullytojustifytheoldman’sconclusionthattheirownersmusthavebeenstrangefellows；
but，comparedwiththismightymassofbone，theylookedsmallanddiminutivelikethoseofpigmies；itmusthavebelongedtoagiant，oneofthosered-hairedwarriorsofwhosestrengthandstaturesuchwondroustalesaretoldintheancientchroniclesofthenorth，andwhosegrave-hills，whenransacked，occasionallyrevealsecretswhichfillthemindsofpunymodernswithastonishmentandawe。