’“ThenIamyourfaithfulguardian，AlanBrandirofLochAwe；calledLordAlanBrandir，sonofaworthypeerofScotland。Nowwillyouconfideinme？“
’“Iconfideinyou!“Icried，lookingathimwithamazement；“why，youarenotolderthanIam!“
’“YesIam，threeyearsatleast。You，myward，arenotsixteen。I，yourworshipfulguardian，amalmostnineteenyearsofage。“
’UponhearingthisIlookedathim，forthatseemedthenavenerableage；butthemoreIlookedthemoreI
doubted，althoughhewasdressedquitelikeaman。Heledmeinacourtlymanner，steppingathistallesttoanopenplacebesidethewater；wherethelightcameasinchannel，andwasmadethemostofbyglancingwavesandfairwhitestones。
’“NowamItoyourliking，cousin？“heasked，whenI
hadgazedathim，untilIwasalmostashamed，exceptatsuchastripling。“DoesmyCousinLornajudgekindlyofherguardian，andhernearestkinsman？Inaword，isouradmirationmutual？“
’“TrulyIknownot，“Isaid；“butyouseemgood-natured，andtohavenoharminyou。Dotheytrustyouwithasword？“
’Forinmyusageamongmenofstatureandstrongpresence，thisprettyyouth，sotrickedandslender，seemednothingbutadolltome。Althoughhescaredmeinthewood，nowthatIsawhimingoodtwilight，lo!
hewasbutlittlegreaterthanmylittleself；andsotasselledandsoruffledwithamintofbravery，andagreencoatbarredwithred，andaslimswordhangingunderhim，itwastheutmostIcoulddotolookathimhalf-gravely。
’“Ifearthatmypresencehathscarceenoughofferocityaboutit“hegaveajerktohisswordashespoke，andclankeditonthebrook-stones；“yetdoI
assureyou，cousin，thatIamnotwithoutsomeprowess；
andmanyamasterofdefencehaththisgoodswordofminedisarmed。Nowiftheboldestandbiggestrobberinallthischarmingvalleydurstsomuchasbreathethescentofthatflowercoronal，whichdothnotadornbutisadorned“——herehetalkedsomenonsense——“Iwouldcleavehimfromheadtofoot，ereeverhecouldflyorcry。“
’“Hush!“Isaid；“talknotsoloudly，orthoumaysthavetodoboththyself，anddothembothinvain。“
’Forhewasquiteforgettingnow，inhisbraverybeforeme，wherehestood，andwithwhomhespoke，andhowthesummerlightningshoneabovethehillsanddownthehollow。AndasIgazedonthisslightfairyouth，clearlyoneofhighbirthandbreedingalbeitover-boastful，achilloffearcreptoverme；becausehehadnostrengthorsubstance，andwouldbenomorethanapin-cushionbeforethegreatswordsoftheDoones。
’“Iprayyoubenotvexedwithme，“heanswered，inasoftervoice；“forIhavetravelledfarandsorely，forthesakeofseeingyou。IknowrightwellamongwhomI
am，andthattheirhospitalityismoreoftheknifethanthesalt-stand。NeverthelessIamsafeenough，formyfootisthefleetestinScotland，andwhatarethesehillstome？Tush!Ihaveseensomeborderforaysamongwilderspiritsandcraftiermenthanthesebe。OnceImindsomeyearsagone，whenIwasquiteastriplinglad——“
’“Worshipfulguardian，“Isaid，“thereisnotimenowforhistory。Ifthouartinnohaste，Iam，andcannotstayhereidling。OnlytellmehowIamakinandunderwardshiptothee，andwhatpurposebringstheehere。“
’“Inorder，cousin——allthingsinorder，evenwithfairladies。First，Iamthyuncle’sson，myfatheristhymother’sbrother，oratleastthygrandmother’s——unlessIamdeceivedinthatwhichIhaveguessed，andnootherman。Formyfather，beingaleadinglordinthecouncilsofKingCharlestheSecond，appointedmetolearnthelaw，notformylivelihood，thankGod，butbecausehefeltthelackofitinaffairsofstate。
Butfirstyourleave，youngMistressLorna；Icannotlaydownlegalmaxims，withoutaidofsmoke。“
’Heleanedagainstawillow-tree，anddrawingfromagildedboxalittledarkthinglikeastick，placeditbetweenhislips，andthenstrikingaflintonsteelmadefireandcaughtitupontouchwood。Withthishekindledthetipofthestick，untilitglowedwitharingofred，andthenhebreathedforthcurlsofsmoke，blueandsmellingontheairlikespice。Ihadneverseenthisdonebefore，thoughacquaintedwithtobacco-pipes；anditmademelaugh，untilIthoughtoftheperilthatmustfollowit。
’“Cousin，havenofear，“hesaid；“thismakesmeallthesafer；theywilltakemeforaglow-worm，andtheeforthefloweritshinesupon。Buttoreturn——oflawI
learnedasyoumaysuppose，butlittle；althoughIhavecapacities。Butthethingwasfartoodullforme。
AllIcareforisadventure，movingchance，andhotencounter；thereforealloflawIlearnedwashowtolivewithoutit。Nevertheless，foramusement’ssake，asImustneedsbeatmydeskanhourorsointheafternoon，Itooktothesportingbranchofthelaw，thepitfalls，andtheambuscades；andofallthetrapstobelaidtherein，pedigreesaretherarest。Thereisscarceamanworthacrossofbutter，butwhatyoumayfindaholeinhisshieldwithinfourgenerations。AndsoIstruckourownescutcheon，anditsoundedhollow。
Thereisapoint——butheednotthat；enoughthatbeingcuriousnow，Ifollowedupthequarry，andIamcometothisatlast——we，evenwe，thelordsofLochAwe，haveanoutlawforourcousin，andIwouldwehadmore，iftheybelikeyou。“
’“Sir，“Ianswered，beingamusedbyhismanner，whichwasnewtomefortheDoonesaremuchinearnest，“surelyyoucountitnodisgracetobeofkintoSirEnsorDoone，andallhishonestfamily!“
’“Ifitbeso，itisintruththeveryhighesthonourandwouldhealtenholesinourescutcheon。Whatnoblefamilybutspringsfromacaptainamongrobbers？Tradealonecanspoilourblood；robberypurifiesit。Therobberyofoneageisthechivalryofthenext。Wemaystartanew，andviewitheventhenobilityofFrance，ifwecanonceenrolbuthalftheDoonesuponourlineage。“
’“IlikenottohearyouspeakoftheDoones，asiftheywerenomorethanthat，“Iexclaimed，beingnowunreasonable；“butwillyoutellme，onceforall，sir，howyouaremyguardian？“
’“ThatIwilldo。Youaremywardbecauseyouweremyfather’sward，undertheScottishlaw；andnowmyfatherbeingsodeaf，Ihavesucceededtothatright——atleastinmyownopinion——underwhichclaimI
amheretoneglectmytrustnolonger，buttoleadyouawayfromscenesanddeedswhichthoughofgoodreputeandcomelyarenotthebestforyounggentlewomen。
TherespokeInotlikeaguardian？Afterthatcanyoumistrustme？“
’“But，“saidI，“goodCousinAlanifImaysocallyou，itisnotmeetforyounggentlewomentogoawaywithyounggentlemen，thoughfiftytimestheirguardians。Butifyouwillonlycomewithme，andexplainyourtaletomygrandfather，hewilllistentoyouquietly，andtakenoadvantageofyou。“
’“Ithankyoumuch，kindMistressLorna，toleadthegooseintothefox’sden!But，settingbyallthoughtofdanger，Ihaveotherreasonsagainstit。Now，comewithyourfaithfulguardian，child。Iwillpledgemyhonouragainstallharm，andtobearyousafetoLondon。Bythelawoftherealm，Iamnowentitledtothecustodyofyourfairperson，andofallyourchattels。“
’“But，sir，allthatyouhavelearnedoflaw，ishowtolivewithoutit。“
’“Fairlymet，faircousinmine!Yourwitwilldomecredit，afteralittlesharpening。Andthereisnonetodothatbetterthanyouraunt，mymother。Althoughsheknowsnotofmycoming，sheislongingtoreceiveyou。Come，andinafewmonths’timeyoushallsetthemodeatCourt，insteadofpininghere，andweavingcoronalsofdaisies。“
’Iturnedaside，andthoughtalittle。Althoughheseemedsolightofmind，andgayindressandmanner，I
couldnotdoubthishonesty；andsaw，beneathhisjauntyair，truemettleandripebravery。ScarcehadI
thoughtofhisprojecttwice，untilhespokeofmyaunt，hismother，butthentheformofmydearestfriend，mysweetAuntSabina，seemedtocomeandbidmelisten，forthiswaswhatsheprayedfor。MoreoverI
feltthoughnotasnowthatDooneGlenwasnoplaceformeoranyproudyoungmaiden。ButwhileIthought，theyellowlightningspreadbehindabulkofclouds，threetimeseretheflashwasdone，faroffandvoidofthunder；andfromthepileofcloudbeforeit，cutasfromblackpaper，andlittodepthsofblacknessbytheblazebehindit，aformasofanagedman，sittinginachairloose-mantled，seemedtoliftahandandwarn。
’Thismindedmeofmygrandfather，andallthecareI
owedhim。Moreover，nowthestormwasrisingandI
begantogrowafraid；forofallthingsawfultomethunderisthedreadfulest。Itdothsogrowl，likealioncoming，andthensoroll，androar，andrumble，outofathickeningdarkness，thencracklikethelasttrumpoverheadthroughclovenairandterror，thatallmyheartlieslowandquivers，likeaweedinwater。I
listenednowforthedistantrollingofthegreatblackstorm，andheardit，andwashurriedbyit。Buttheyouthbeforemewavedhisrolledtobaccoatit，anddrawledinhisdaintiesttoneandmanner，——
’“Theskyishavingasmoke，Isee，anddroppingsparks，andgrumbling。IshouldhavethoughttheseExmoorhillstoosmalltogatherthunder。“
’“Icannotgo，Iwillnotgowithyou，LordAlanBrandir，“Ianswered，beingvexedalittlebythosewordsofhis。“Youarenotgraveenoughforme，youarenotoldenoughforme。MyAuntSabinawouldnothavewishedit；norwouldIleavemygrandfather，withouthisfullpermission。Ithankyoumuchforcoming，sir；butbegoneatoncebythewayyoucame；
andprayhowdidyoucome，sir？“
’“Faircousin，youwillgrieveforthis；youwillmourn，whenyoucannotmendit。Iwouldmymotherhadbeenhere，soonwouldshehavepersuadedyou。Andyet，“headded，withthesmileofhisaccustomedgaiety，“itwouldhavebeenanuncothing，aswesayinScotland，forherladyshiptohavewaiteduponyou，ashergracelesssonhasdone，andhopestodoagainerelong。DownthecliffsIcame，andupthemImustmakewaybackagain。Nowadieu，fairCousinLorna，Iseeyouareinhastetonight；butIamrightproudofmyguardianship。Givemejustoneflowerfortoken“——
herehekissedhishandtome，andIthrewhimatrussofwoodbine——“adieu，faircousin，trustmewell，Iwillsoonbehereagain。“
’“Thatthounevershalt，sir，“criedavoiceasloudasaculverin；andCarverDoonehadAlanBrandirasaspiderhathafly。Theboymadealittleshriekatfirst，withthesuddenshockandtheterror；thenhelooked，methought，ashamedofhimself，andsethisfacetofightforit。Verybravelyhestroveandstruggled，tofreeonearmandgrasphissword；butaswellmightaninfantburiedaliveattempttolifthisgravestone。
CarverDoone，withhisgreatarmswrappedaroundtheslimgaybody，smiledasIsawbytheflashfromheavenatthepooryoungfaceturneduptohim；thenasanursebearsoffachild，whoisloathtogotobed，heliftedtheyouthfromhisfeet，andborehimawayintothedarkness。
’Iwasyoungthen。Iamoldernow；olderbytenyears，inthought，althoughitisnotatwelvemonthsince。Ifthatblackdeedweredoneagain，Icouldfollow，andcouldcombatit，couldthrowweakarmsonthemurderer，andstrivetobemurderedalso。Iamnowathomewithviolence；andnodarkdeathsurprisesme。
’But，beingasIwasthatnight，thehorrorovercameme。Thecrashofthunderoverhead，thelastdespairinglook，thedeath-pieceframedwithblazeoflightning——myyoungheartwassoaffrightedthatI
couldnotgasp。Mybreathwentfromme，andIknewnotwhereIwas，orwho，orwhat。OnlythatIlay，andcowered，undergreattreesfullofthunder；andcouldneithercount，normoan，norhavemyfeettohelpme。
’Yethearkening，asacowarddoes，throughthebrushingofthewind，andechooffarnoises，Iheardasharpsoundasofiron，andafallofheavywood。Nounmanlyshriekcamewithit，neithercryformercy。CarverDooneknowswhatitwas；andsodidAlanBrandir。’
HereLornaDoonecouldtellnomore，beingovercomewithweeping。Onlythroughhertearsshewhispered，asathingtoobadtotell，thatshehadseenthatgiantCarver，inafewdaysafterwards，smokingalittleroundbrownstick，likethoseofherpoorcousin。Icouldnotpressheranymorewithquestions，orforclearness；althoughIlongedverymuchtoknowwhethershehadspokenofittohergrandfatherortheCounsellor。Butshewasnowinsuchcondition，bothofmindandbody，fromtheforceofherownfearmultipliedbytellingit，thatIdidnothingmorethancoaxher，atadistancehumbly；andsothatshecouldseethatsomeonewasatleastafraidofher。
ThisalthoughIknewnotwomeninthosedays，asnowI