Notaword，norsoundbetweenus；notevenakisswasinterchanged；butman，ormaid，whohaseverlovedhathlearnedourunderstanding。
Thereforeitcametopass，thatwesawfittoenterSirEnsor’sroominthefollowingmanner。Lorna，withherrighthandswallowedentirelybythepalmofmine，andherwaistretiredfromviewbymeansofmyleftarm。
Allonesideofherhaircamedown，inawaytoberemembered，upontheleftandfairestpartofmyfavouriteotter-skinwaistcoat；andherheadaswellwouldhavelaintheredoubtless，butforthedangerofwalkingso。I，formypart，wastoofargonetolagbehindinthematter；butcarriedmylovebravely，fearingneitherdeathnorhell，whilesheabodebesideme。
OldSirEnsorlookedmuchastonished。Forfortyyearshehadbeenobeyedandfearedbyallaroundhim；andheknewthatIhadfearedhimvastly，beforeIgotholdofLorna。AndindeedIwasstillafraidofhim；onlyforlovingLornaso，andhavingtoprotecther。
ThenImadehimabow，totheverybestofallIhadlearnedbothatTivertonandinLondon；afterthatI
waitedforhimtobegin，asbecamehisageandrankinlife。
’Yetwofools!’hesaidatlast，withadepthofcontemptwhichnowordsmayexpress；’yetwofools!’
’Mayitpleaseyourworship，’Iansweredsoftly；’maybewearenotsuchfoolsaswelook。Butthoughwebe，wearewellcontent，solongaswemaybetwofoolstogether。’
’Why，John，’saidtheoldman，withaspark，asofsmilinginhiseyes；’thouartnotaltogethertheclumsyyokel，andtheclod，Itooktheefor。’
’Oh，no，grandfather；oh，deargrandfather，’criedLorna，withsuchzealandflashing，thatherhandswentforward；’nobodyknowswhatJohnRiddis，becauseheissomodest。Imean，nobodyexceptme，dear。’Andheresheturnedtomeagain，androseupontiptoe，andkissedme。
’Ihaveseenalittleo’theworld，’saidtheoldman，whileIwashalfashamed，althoughsoproudofLorna；
’butthisisbeyondallIhaveseen，andnearlyallI
haveheardof。ItismorefitforsouthernclimatesthanforthefogsofExmoor。’
’Itisfitforalltheworld，yourworship；withyourhonour’sgoodleave，andwill，’Iansweredinhumility，beingstillashamedofit；’whenithappenssotopeople，thereisnothingthatcanstopit，sir。’
NowSirEnsorDoonewasleaningbackuponhisbrownchair-rail，whichwasbuiltlikeatriangle，asinoldfarmhousesfromoneofwhichithadcome，nodoubt，freefromexpenseorgratitude；andasIspokehecoughedalittle；andhesighedagooddealmore；andperhapshisdyingheartdesiredtoopentimeagain，withsuchaliftofwarmthandhopeashedescriedinoureyes，andarms。Icouldnotunderstandhimthen；
anymorethanababyplayingwithhisgrandfather’sspectacles；neverthelessIwonderedwhether，athistimeoflife，orratheronthebrinkofdeath，hewasthinkingofhisyouthandpride。
’Foolsyouare；befoolsforever，’saidSirEnsorDoone，atlast；whilewefearedtobreakhisthoughts，butleteachotherknowourown，withlittlewaysofpressure；’itisthebestthingIcanwishyou；boyandgirl，beboyandgirl，untilyouhavegrandchildren。’
Partlyinbitternesshespoke，andpartlyinpureweariness，andthenheturnedsoasnottoseeus；andhiswhitehairfell，likeashroud，aroundhim。
Allthingsbeingfullofflaw，allthingsbeingfullofholes，thestrengthofallthingsisinshortness。
IfSirEnsorDoonehaddwelledforhalfanhouruponhimself，andanhourperhapsuponLornaandme，wemustbothhaveweariedofhim，andrequiredchangeofair。
ButnowIlongedtoseeandknowagreatdealmoreabouthim，andhopedthathemightnotgotoHeavenforatleastaweekormore。However，hewastoogoodforthisworldaswesayofallpeoplewholeaveit；andIverilybelievehisheartwasnotabadone，afterall。
Evilhehaddone，nodoubt，asevilhadbeendonetohim；yethowmanyhavedoneevil，whilereceivingonlygood!Bethatasitmay；andnotvexingaquestionsettledforeverwithoutourvotes，letusownthathewas，atleast，abraveandcourteousgentleman。
Andhislossarousedgreatlamentation，notamongtheDoonesalone，andthewomentheyhadcarriedoff，butalsoofthegeneralpublic，andmanyevenofthemagistrates，forseveralmilesroundExmoor。Andthis，notonlyfromfearlestonemorewickedmightsucceedhimasappearedindeedtooprobable，butfromtrueadmirationofhisstrongwill，andsympathywithhismisfortunes。
Iwillnotdeceiveanyone，bysayingthatSirEnsorDoonegaveinsomanywordshisconsenttomyresolveaboutLorna。Thisheneverdid，exceptbyhisspeechlastwrittendown；fromwhichashementionedgrandchildren，alawyerperhapsmighthavearguedit。
Notbutwhathemayhavemeanttobestowonushisblessing；onlythathediednextday，withouttakingthetroubletodoit。
Hecalledindeedforhisboxofsnuff，whichwasaveryhighthingtotake；andwhichhenevertookwithoutbeinginverygoodhumour，atleastforhim。Andthoughitwouldnotgouphisnostrils，throughthefailureofhisbreath，hewaspleasedtohaveitthere，andnottothinkofdying。
’Willyourhonourhaveitwiped？’Iaskedhimverysoftly，forthebrownappearanceofitspoiledtomyideahiswhitemostacchio；butheseemedtoshakehishead；andIthoughtitkepthisspiritsup。Ihadneverbeforeseenanyonedo，whatallofushavetodosomeday；anditgreatlykeptmyspiritsdown，althoughitdidnotsoverymuchfrightenme。
Forittakesamanbutalittlewhile，hisinstinctbeingofdeathperhaps，atleastasmuchasoflifewhichaccountsforhisslayinghisfellowmenso，andeveryothercreature，itdoesnottakeamanverylongtoenterintoanotherman’sdeath，andbringhisownmoodtosuitit。Heknowsthathisownissuretocome；andnatureisfondofthepractice。HenceitcametopassthatI，aftereasingmymother’sfears，andseeingalittletobusiness，returnedasifdrawnbyapolarneedletothedeath-bedofSirEnsor。
Therewassomelittleconfusion，peoplewantingtogetaway，andpeopletryingtocomein，fromdownrightcuriosityofallthingsthemosthateful，andothersmakinggreatto-do，andtalkingoftheirowntimetocome，tellingtheirownage，andsoon。Buteveryoneseemedtothink，orfeel，thatIhadarighttobethere；becausethewomentookthatviewofit。AsforCarverandCounsellor，theyweremindingtheirownaffairs，soastowinthesuccession；andneverfounditintheirbusinessatleastsolongasIwasthere
tocomenearthedyingman。
He，forhispart，neveraskedforanyonetocomenearhim，notevenapriest，noramonkorfriar；butseemedtobegoinghisownway，peaceful，andwellcontented。
Onlythechiefofthewomensaidthatfromhisfaceshebelievedandknewthathelikedtohavemeatonesideofhisbed，andLornaupontheother。Anhourortwoeretheoldmandied，whenonlywetwowerewithhim，helookedatusbothverydimlyandsoftly，asifhewishedtodosomethingforus，buthadleftitnowtoolate。Lornahopedthathewantedtoblessus；butheonlyfrownedatthat，andlethishanddropdownward，andcrookedoneknottedfinger。
’Hewantssomethingoutofthebed，dear，’Lornawhisperedtome；’seewhatitis，uponyourside，there。’
Ifollowedthebentofhispoorshrunkenhand，andsoughtamongthepilings；andthereIfeltsomethinghardandsharp，anddrewitforthandgaveittohim。
Itflashed，likethesprayofafountainuponus，inthedarkwinteroftheroom。Hecouldnottakeitinhishand，butletithang，asdaisiesdo；onlymakingLornaseethathemeanthertohaveit。
’Why，itismyglassnecklace!’Lornacried，ingreatsurprise；’mynecklacehealwayspromisedme；andfromwhichyouhavegotthering，John。Butgrandfatherkeptit，becausethechildrenwantedtopullitfrommyneck。MayIhaveitnow，deargrandfather？Notunlessyouwish，dear。’
DarlingLornaweptagain，becausetheoldmancouldnottellherexceptbyoneveryfeeblenodthatshewasdoingwhathewished。Thenshegavetomethetrinket，forthesakeofsafety；andIstoweditinmybreast。Heseemedtometofollowthis，andtobewellcontentwithit。
BeforeSirEnsorDoonewasburied，thegreatestfrostofthecenturyhadsetin，withitsironhand，andstepofstone，oneverything。Howitcameisnotmybusiness，norcanIexplainit；becauseIneverhavewatchedtheskies；aspeoplenowbegintodo，whenthegroundisnottotheirliking。ThoughofallthisI
knownothing，andlessthannothingImaysaybecauseIoughttoknowsomething；Icanhearwhatpeopletellme；andIcanseebeforemyeyes。
Thestrongmenbrokethreegoodpickaxes，eretheygotthroughthehardbrownsod，streakedwithlittlemapsofgraywhereoldSirEnsorwastolie，uponhisback，awaitingthedarknessoftheJudgment-day。Itwasinthelittlechapel-yard；Iwillnottellthenameofit；
becausewearenowsuchProtestants，thatImightdoitanevilturn；onlyitwasthelittleplacewhereLorna’sAuntSabinalay。
HerewasI，remaininglong，withalittlecuriosity；
becausesomepeopletoldmeplainlythatImustbedamnedforeverbyaPapistfuneral；andherecameLorna，scarcelybreathingthroughthethickofstuffaroundher，yetwithallherlittlebreathsteamingontheair，likefrost。
Istoodapartfromtheceremony，inwhichofcourseI
wasnotentitled，eitherbybirthorreligion，tobearanyportion；andindeeditwouldhavebeenwiserinmetohavekeptawayaltogether；fornowtherewasnoonetoprotectmeamongthosewildandlawlessmen；andbothCarverandtheCounsellorhadvowedafearfulvengeanceonme，asIheardfromGwenny。Theyhadnotdaredtomeddlewithmewhilethechieflaydying；norwasitintheirpolicy，forashorttimeafterthat，toendangertheirsuccessionbyanopenbreachwithLorna，whosetenderageandbeautyheldsomanyoftheyouthsinthrall。
Theancientoutlaw’sfuneralwasagrandandmovingsight；moreperhapsfromthesenseofcontrastthanfromthatoffitness。Toseethosedarkandmightymen，inuredtoallofsinandcrime，recklessbothofmanandGod，yetnowwithheadsdevoutlybent，claspedhands，anddowncasteyes，followingthelongblackcoffinoftheircommonancestor，totheplacewheretheymustjoinhimwhentheirsumofillwasdone；andtoseethefeeblepriestchanting，overthedeadform，wordsthelivingwouldhavelaughedat，sprinklingwithhislittlebroomdropsthatcouldnotpurify；whilethechildren，robedinwhite，swungtheirsmokingcensersslowlyoverthecoldandtwilightgrave；andafterseeingall，toask，withashudderunexpressed，’IsthistheendthatGodintendedforamansoproudandstrong？’
Notatearwassheduponhim，exceptfromthesweetestofallsweeteyes；notasighpursuedhimhome。Exceptinhotanger，hislifehadbeencold，andbitter，anddistant；andnowaweekhadexhaustedallthesorrowofthosearoundhim，agriefflowinglessfromaffectionthanfear。Agedmenwillshowhistombstone；mothershastewiththeirinfantsbyit；childrenshrinkfromthenameuponit，untilintimehishistoryshalllapseandbeforgottenbyallexceptthegreatJudgeandGod。
Afterallwasover，Istrodeacrossthemoorsverysadly；tryingtokeepthecoldawaybyvirtueofquickmovement。Notaflakeofsnowhadfallenyet；alltheearthwascakedandhard，withadrybrowncrustuponit；alltheskywasbankedwithdarkness，hard，austere，andfrowning。Thefogofthelastthreeweekswasgone，neitherdidanyrimeremain；butallthingshadalookofsameness，andakindoffurzycolour。Itwasfreezinghardandsharp，withapiercingwindtobackit；andIhadobservedthattheholywaterfrozeuponSirEnsor’scoffin。
Onethingstruckmewithsomesurprise，asImadeoffforourfiresidewithastrongdeterminationtoheaveanash-treeupthechimney-place，andthatwashowthebirdsweregoing，ratherthanflyingastheyusedtofly。Allthebirdsweresetinonedirection，steadilyjourneyingwestward，notwithanyheatofspeed，neitherflyingfaratonce；butallasifonbusinessbound，partlyrunning，partlyflying，partlyflutteringalong；silently，andwithoutavoice，neitherprickingheadnortail。Thismovementofthebirdswenton，evenforaweekormore；everykindofthrushespassedus，everykindofwildfowl，evenploverswentaway，andcrows，andsnipesandwood-cocks。Andbeforehalfthefrostwasover，allwehadinthesnowyditcheswereharessotamethatwecouldpatthem；partridgesthatcametohand，withadrynoiseintheircrops；heath-poults，makingcupsofsnow；andafewpoorhoppingredwings，flippinginandoutthehedge，havinglostthepowertofly。Andallthetimetheirgreatblackeyes，setwithgoldaroundthem，seemedtolookatanyman，formercyandforcomfort。