第43章
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  amratherglad;UncleReubenwelldeservesthathispetschemeshouldmiscarry。Hewhocalledmyboyacoward,anignoblecoward,becausehewouldnotjoinsomecrack-brainedplanagainstthevalleywhichshelteredhisbelovedone!Andallthetimethisdreadful“coward“riskinghislifedailythere,withoutawordtoanyone!HowgladIamthatyouwillnothave,forallhermiserablemoney,thatlittledwarfishgranddaughteroftheinsolentoldmiser!’

  Sheturned,andbyhersidewasstandingpoorRuthHuckabackherself,white,andsad,andlookingsteadilyatmymother’sface,whichbecameasredasaplumwhileherbreathdesertedher。

  ’Ifyouplease,madam,’saidthelittlemaiden,withherlargecalmeyesunwavering,’itisnotmyfault,butGodAlmighty’s,thatIamalittledwarfishcreature。Iknewnotthatyouregardedmewithsomuchcontemptonthataccount;neitherhaveyoutoldmygrandfather,atleastwithinmyhearing,thathewasaninsolentoldmiser。WhenIreturntoDulverton,whichItrusttodoto-morrowforitistoolateto-day,I

  shallbecarefulnottotellhimyouropinionofhim,lestIshouldthwartanyschemesyoumayhaveuponhisproperty。Ithankyouallforyourkindnesstome,whichhasbeenverygreat,farmorethanalittledwarfishcreaturecould,forherownsake,expect。I

  willonlyaddforyourfurtherguidanceonemorelittletruth。Itisbynomeanscertainthatmygrandfatherwillsettleanyofhismiserablemoneyuponme。IfI

  offendhim,asIwouldinamoment,forthesakeofabraveandstraightforwardman’——hereshegavemeaglancewhichIscarcelyknewwhattodowith——’mygrandfather,uprightasheis,wouldleavemewithoutashilling。AndIoftenwishitwereso。Somanymiseriescomeuponmefromthemiserablemoney——’Hereshebrokedown,andburstoutcrying,andranawaywithafaintgood-bye;whilewethreelookedatoneanother,andfeltthatwehadtheworstofit。

  ’Impudentlittledwarf!’saidmymother,recoveringherbreathaftereversolong。’Oh,John,howthankfulyououghttobe!Whatalifeshewouldhaveledyou!’

  ’Well,Iamsure!’saidAnnie,throwingherarmsaroundpoormother:’whocouldhavethoughtthatlittleatomyhadsuchanoutrageousspirit!FormypartIcannotthinkhowshecanhavebeenslyenoughtohideitinthatcraftymanner,thatJohnmightthinkheranangel!’

  ’Well,formypart,’Ianswered,laughing,’IneveradmiredRuthHuckabackhalf,oraquartersomuchbefore。Sheisrarestuff。Iwouldhavebeengladtohavemarriedherto-morrow,ifIhadneverseenmyLorna。’

  ’AndanicenobodyIshouldhavebeen,inmyownhouse!’criedmother:’InevercanbethankfulenoughtodarlingLornaforsavingme。Didyouseehowhereyesflashed?’

  ’ThatIdid;andveryfinetheywere。Nowninemaidensoutoftenwouldhavefeignednottohaveheardonewordthatwassaid,andhaveborneblackmaliceintheirhearts。Come,Annie,now,wouldnotyouhavedoneso?’

  ’Ithink,’saidAnnie,’althoughofcourseIcannottell,youknow,John,thatIshouldhavebeenashamedathearingwhatwasnevermeantforme,andshouldhavebeenalmostasangrywithmyselfasanybody。’

  ’Soyouwould,’repliedmymother;’soanydaughterofminewouldhavedone,insteadofrailingandreviling。

  However,Iamverysorrythatanywordsofminewhichthepoorlittlethingchosetooverhearshouldhavemadehersoforgetherself。Ishallbegherpardonbeforeshegoes,andIshallexpecthertobegmine。’

  ’Thatshewillneverdo,’saidI;’amoreresolutelittlemaidenneveryethadrightuponherside;

  althoughitwasamereaccident。Imighthavesaidthesamethingmyself,andshewasharduponyou,motherdear。’

  Afterthis,wesaidnomore,atleastaboutthatmatter;andlittleRuth,thenextmorning,leftus,inspiteofallthatwecoulddo。ShevowedaneverlastingfriendshiptomyyoungersisterEliza;butshelookedatAnniewithsomeresentment,whentheysaidgood-bye,forbeingsomuchtaller。AtanyratesoAnniefancied,butshemayhavebeenquitewrong。I

  rodebesidethelittlemaidtillfarbeyondExeford,whenalldangerofthemoorwaspast,andthenIleftherwithJohnFry,notwishingtobetooparticular,afterallthetalkabouthermoney。Shehadtearsinhereyeswhenshebademefarewell,andshesentakindmessagehometomother,andpromisedtocomeagainatChristmas,ifshecouldwinpermission。

  Uponthewhole,myopinionwasthatshehadbehaveduncommonlywellforamaidwhoseself-lovewasoutraged,withspirit,Imean,andproperpride;andyetwithagreatendeavourtoforgive,whichis,meseems,thehardestofallthingstoawoman,outsideofherownfamily。

  Afterthis,foranothermonth,nothingworthyofnoticehappened,exceptofcoursethatIfounditneedful,accordingtothestrictestgoodsenseandhonour,tovisitLornaimmediatelyaftermydiscoursewithmother,andtotellherallaboutit。Mybeautygavemeonesweetkisswithallherheartasshealwaysdid,whenshekissedatall,andIbeggedforonemoretotaketoourmother,andbeforeleaving,Iobtainedit。Itisnotformetotellallshesaid,evensupposingwhatisnotlikelythatanyonecaredtoknowit,beingmoreandmorepeculiartoourselvesandnooneelse。Butonethingthatshesaidwasthis,andItookgoodcaretocarryit,wordforword,tomymotherandAnnie:——

  ’Inevercanbelieve,dearJohn,thatafterallthecrimeandoutragewroughtbymyrecklessfamily,itevercanbemeantformetosettledowntopeaceandcomfortinasimplehousehold。WithallmyheartI

  longforhome;anyhome,howeverdullandwearisometothoseusedtoit,wouldseemaparadisetome,ifonlyfreefrombrawlandtumult,andsuchasIcouldcallmyown。ButevenifGodwouldallowmethis,inlieuofmywildinheritance,itisquitecertainthattheDoonesnevercanandneverwill。’

  Again,whenItoldherhowmymotherandAnnie,aswellasmyself,longedtohaveheratPlover’sBarrows,andteachherallthequietdutiesinwhichshewassuretotakesuchdelight,sheonlyansweredwithabrightblush,thatwhilehergrandfatherwaslivingshewouldneverleavehim;andthatevenifshewerefree,certainruinwasallsheshouldbringtoanyhousethatreceivedher,atleastwithintheutmostreachofheramiablefamily。Thiswastooplaintobedenied,andseeingmydejectionatit,shetoldmebravelythatwemusthopeforbettertimes,ifpossible,andaskedhowlongIwouldwaitforher。

  ’NotadayifIhadmywill,’Iansweredverywarmly;

  atwhichsheturnedawayconfused,andwouldnotlookatmeforawhile;’butallmylife,’Iwentontosay,’ifmyfortuneissoill。Andhowlongwouldyouwaitforme,Lorna?’

  ’TillIcouldgetyou,’sheansweredslyly,withasmilewhichwasbrightertomethanthebrightestwitcouldbe。’Andnow,’shecontinued,’youboundme,John,withaverybeautifulringtoyou,andwhenI

  darenotwearit,Icarryitalwaysonmyheart。ButI

  willbindyoutome,youdearest,withtheverypoorestandplainestthingthateveryouseteyeson。Icouldgiveyoufiftyfairerones,buttheywouldnotbehonest;andIloveyouforyourhonesty,andnothingelseofcourse,John;sodon’tyoubeconceited。Lookatit,whataqueeroldthing!Therearesomeancientmarksuponit,verygrotesqueandwonderful;itlookslikeacatinatreealmost,butnevermindwhatitlookslike。Thisoldringmusthavebeenagiant’s;

  thereforeitwillfityouperhaps,youenormousJohn。

  Ithasbeenonthefrontofmyoldglassnecklacewhichmygrandfatherfoundthemtakingaway,andverysoonmadethemgivebackagaineversinceIcanremember;andlongbeforethat,assomewomantoldme。

  Nowyouseemverygreatlyamazed;praywhatthinksmylordofit?’

  ’ThatisworthfiftyofthepearlthingwhichIgaveyou,youdarling;andthatIwillnottakeitfromyou。’

  ’Thenyouwillnevertakeme,thatisall。Iwillhavenothingtodowithagentleman’——

  ’Nogentleman,dear——ayeoman。’

  ’Verywell,ayeoman——nothingtodowithayeomanwhowillnotacceptmylove-gage。So,ifyouplease,giveitbackagain,andtakeyourlovelyringback。’

  Shelookedatmeinsuchamanner,halfinearnest,halfinjest,andthreetimesthreeinlove,thatinspiteofallgoodresolutions,andherownfaintprotest,Iwasforcedtoabandonallfirmideas,andkisshertillshewasquiteashamed,andherheadhungonmybosom,withthenightofherhairshedoverme。

  ThenIplacedthepearlringbackonthesoftelasticbendofthefingershehelduptoscoldme;andonmyownsmallestfingerdrewtheheavyhoopshehadgivenme。Iconsideredthiswithsatisfaction,untilmydarlingrecoveredherself;andthenIbeganverygravelyaboutit,tokeepherifIcouldfromchidingme:——

  ’MistressLorna,thisisnottheringofanygiant。Itisnothingmorenorlessthanaveryancientthumb-ring,suchasonceinmyfather’stimewasploughedupoutofthegroundinourfarm,andsenttolearneddoctors,whotoldusallaboutit,butkepttheringfortheirtrouble。Iwillacceptit,myownonelove;anditshallgotomygravewithme。’Andsoitshall,unlesstherebevillainswhowoulddaretorobthedead。

  NowIhavespokenaboutthisringthoughIscarcelymeanttodoso,andwouldratherkeeptomyselfthingssoveryholybecauseitholdsanimportantpartinthehistoryofmyLorna。Iaskedherwheretheglassnecklacewasfromwhichtheringwasfastened,andwhichshehadworninherchildhood,andsheansweredthatshehardlyknew,butrememberedthathergrandfatherhadbeggedhertogiveituptohim,whenshewastenyearsoldorso,andhadpromisedtokeepitforheruntilshecouldtakecareofit;atthesametimegivingherbackthering,andfasteningitfromherprettyneck,andtellinghertobeproudofit。

  Andsoshealwayshadbeen,andnowfromhersweetbreastshetookit,anditbecameJohnRidd’sdelight。

  Allthis,oratleastgreatpartofit,Itoldmymothertruly,accordingtomypromise;andshewasgreatlypleasedwithLornaforhavingbeensogoodtome,andforspeakingsoverysensibly;andthenshelookedatthegreatgoldring,butcouldbynomeansinterpretit。Onlyshewasquitecertain,asindeedI

  myselfwas,thatitmusthavebelongedtoanancientraceofgreatconsideration,andhighrank,intheirtime。UponwhichIwasfortakingitoff,lestitshouldbedegradedbyacommonfarmer’sfinger。Butmothersaid’No,’withtearsinhereyes;’ifthecommonfarmerhadwonthegreatladyoftheancientrace,whatwereringsandold-worldtrinkets,whencomparedtothelivingjewel?’Beingquiteofheropinioninthis,andlovingtheringwhichhadnogeminitasthetokenofmypricelessgem,Iresolvedtowearitatanycost,exceptwhenIshouldbeploughing,ordoingthingslikelytobreakit;althoughImustownthatitfeltveryqueerforIneverhadthrottledafingerbefore,anditlookedveryqueer,foralengthoftime,uponmygreathard-workinghand。

  AndbeforeIgotusedtomyring,orpeoplecouldthinkthatitbelongedtomeplainandungarnishedthoughitwas,andbeforeIwenttoseeLornaagain,havingfailedtofindanynecessity,andrememberingmydutytomother,weallhadsomethingelsetothinkof,notsopleasant,andmorepuzzling。

  NowNovemberwasuponus,andwehadkeptAllhallowmass,withroastingofskeweredappleslikesomanyshuttlecocks,andafterthatthedayofFawkes,asbecamegoodProtestants,withmerrybonfiresandburnedbatatas,andplentyofgoodfeedinginhonourofourreligion;andthenwhilewewereatwheat-sowing,anothervisitorarrived。

  ThiswasMasterJeremyStickles,whohadbeenagoodfriendtomeasdescribedbeforeinLondon,andhadearnedmymother’sgratitude,sofaraseverhechosetohaveit。Andheseemedinclinedtohaveitall;forhemadeourfarm-househisheadquarters,andkeptusquiteathisbeckandcall,goingoutatanytimeoftheevening,andcomingbackatanytimeofthemorning,andalwaysexpectingustobeready,whetherwithhorse,orman,ormaiden,orfire,orprovisions。

  WeknewthathewasemployedsomehowupontheserviceoftheKing,andhadatdifferentstationscertaintroopersandorderliesquiteathisdisposal;alsoweknewthatheneverwentout,norevensleptinhisbedroom,withoutheavyfirearmswellloaded,andasharpswordnighhishand;andthatheheldagreatcommission,underroyalsignet,requiringallgoodsubjects,allofficersofwhateverdegree,andespeciallyjusticesofthepeace,toaidhimtotheutmost,withperson,beast,andchattel,ortoansweritattheirperil。

  NowMasterJeremyStickles,ofcourse,knowingwellwhatwomenare,durstnotopentoanyofthemthenatureofhisinstructions。But,afterawhile,perceivingthatIcouldbereliedupon,andthatitwasagreatdiscomfortnottohavemewithhim,hetookmeasideinalonelyplace,andtoldmenearlyeverything;

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