’YouknowthatIamnotluxurious，neitherinanywaygiventothecommonlustsoftheflesh，John。Myfatherneverallowedhishairtogrowafourthpartofaninchinlength，andhewasathoroughlygodlyman；
andItrytofollowinhisfootsteps，wheneverIthinkaboutit。Nevertheless，Idoassureyouthatmyviewofthatlittlehouseandthewaythelightsweretwinkling，sodifferentfromthecoldanddarknessoftherollingsea，movedtheancientAdaminme，ifhecouldhefoundtomove。Ilovenotahousewithtoomanywindows：beingoutofhouseanddoorssomethree-quartersofmytime，whenIgetinsideahouseI
liketofeelthedifference。Airandlightaregoodforpeoplewhohaveanylackofthem；andifamanoncetalksaboutthem，’tisenoughtoprovehisneedofthem。But，asyouwellknow，JohnRidd，thehorsewhohasbeenatworkallday，withthesunshineinhiseyes，sleepsbetterindarkstables，andneedsnomoontohelphim。
’Seeingthereforethatthissameinnhadfourwindows，andnomore，Ithoughttomyselfhowsnugitwas，andhowbeautifulIcouldsleepthere。AndsoImadetheoldhorsedrawhand，whichhewasonlytoogladtodo，andweclombabovethespring-tidemark，andoveralittlepieceofturf，andstruckthedoorofthehostelry。Someonecameandpeepedatmethroughthelatticeoverhead，whichwasfullofbulls’eyes；andthentheboltwasdrawnback，andawomanmetmeverycourteously。Adarkandforeign-lookingwoman，veryhotofblood，Idoubt，butnotaltogetherabadone。
Andshewaitedformetospeakfirst，whichanEnglishwomanwouldnothavedone。
’“CanIresthereforthenight？“Iasked，withaliftofmyhattoher；forshewasnoprovincialdame，whowouldstareatmeforthecourtesy；“myhorseiswearyfromthesloughs，andmyselfbutlittlebetter：besidethat，webotharefamished。“
’“Yes，sir，youcanrestandwelcome。Butoffood，I
fear，thereisbutlittle，unlessofthecommonorder。
Ourfisherswouldhavedrawnthenets，butthewaveswereviolent。However，wehave——whatyoucallit？I
nevercanremember，itissohardtosay——thefleshofthehogsalted。“
’“Bacon!“saidI；“whatcanbebetter？Andhalfdozenofeggswithit，andaquartoffresh-drawnale。Youmakemeragewithhunger，madam。Isitcruelty，orhospitality？“
’“Ah，good!“shereplied，withamerrysmile，fullofsouthernsunshine：“youarenotofthemenroundhere；
youcanthink，andyoucanlaugh!“
’“Andmostofall，Icaneat，goodmadam。InthatwayIshallastonishyou；evenmorethanbymyintellect。“
’Shelaughedaloud，andswunghershoulders，asyournativescannotdo；andthenshecalledalittlemaidtoleadmyhorsetostable。However，Ipreferredtoseethatmatterdonemyself，andtoldhertosendthelittlemaidforthefrying-panandtheegg-box。
’Whetheritweremynaturalwitandeleganceofmanner；
orwhetheritweremyLondonfreedomandknowledgeoftheworld；orwhichisperhapsthemostprobable，becausetheleastpleasingsuppositionmyreadyandpermanentappetite，andappreciationofgarlic——Ileaveyoutodecide，John：butperhapsallthreecombinedtorecommendmetothegracesofmycharminghostess。
WhenIsay“charming，“Imeanofcoursebymannersandbyintelligence，andmostofallbycooking；forasregardsexternalcharmsmostfleetingandfallacious
hershadceasedtocausedistress，forIcannotsayhowmanyyears。Shesaidthatitwastheclimate——forevenuponthatsubjectsherequestedmyopinion——andI
answered，“iftherebeachange，letmadamblametheseasons。“
’However，nottodwelltoomuchuponourlittlepleasantriesforIalwaysgetonwiththeseforeignwomenbetterthanwithyourMollsandPegs，Ibecame，notinquisitive，butreasonablydesiroustoknow，bywhatstrangehaporhazard，acleverandahandsomewoman，asshemusthavebeensomeday，awomanmoreoverwithgreatcontemptfortherusticmindsaroundher，couldhavesettledhereinthislonelyinn，withonlythewavesforcompany，andaboorishhusbandwhoslavedalldayinturningapotter’swheelatWatchett。Andwhatwasthemeaningoftheemblemsetaboveherdoorway，averyunattractivecatsittinginaruinedtree？
’However，Ihadnotverylongtostrainmycuriosity；
forwhenshefoundoutwhoIwas，andhowIheldtheKing’scommission，andmightbecalledanofficer，herdesiretotellmeallwasmorethanequaltomineofhearingit。Manyandmanyaday，shehadlongedforsomeonebothskilfulandtrustworthy，mostofallforsomeonebearingwarrantfromacourtofjustice。Butthemagistratesoftheneighbourhoodwouldhavenothingtosaytoher，declaringthatshewasacrack-brainedwoman，andawicked，andevenaforeignone。
’Withmanygrimacessheassuredmethatneverbyherownfree-willwouldshehavelivedsomanyyearsinthathatefulcountry，wheretheskyforhalftheyearwasfog，andrainfornearlytheotherhalf。Itwassotheverynightwhenfirstherevilfortunebroughtherthere；andsonodoubtitwouldbe，longafterithadkilledher。ButifIwishedtoknowthereasonofherbeingthere，shewouldtellmeinfewwords，whichI
willrepeatasbriefly。
’BybirthshewasanItalian，fromthemountainsofApulia，whohadgonetoRometoseekherfortunes，afterbeingbadlytreatedinsomelove-affair。HerChristiannamewasBenita；asforhersurname，thatcouldmakenodifferencetoanyone。Beingaquickandactivegirl，andresolvedtoworkdownhertroubles，shefoundemploymentinalargehotel；andrisinggradually，begantosendmoneytoherparents。Andhereshemighthavethrivenwell，andmarriedwellundersunnyskies，andbeenahappywoman，butthatsomeblackdaysentthitherarichandnobleEnglishfamily，eagertobeholdthePope。Itwasnot，however，theirferventlongingfortheHolyFatherwhichhadbroughtthemtoSt。Peter’sroof；butrathertheirownbadluckinmakingtheirhometoohottoholdthem。
ForalthoughinthemaingoodCatholics，andpleasantreceiversofanything，oneoftheirnumberhadgivenoffence，bythefollyoftryingtothinkforhimself。
Somebitterfeudhadbeenamongthem，Benitaknewnothowitwas；andthesisterofthenoblemanwhohaddiedquitelatelywasmarriedtotherivalclaimant，whomtheyalldetested。Itwassomethingaboutdividingland；Benitaknewnotwhatitwas。
’ButthisBenitadidknow，thattheywereallgreatpeople，andrich，andveryliberal；sothatwhentheyofferedtotakeher，toattendtothechildren，andtospeakthelanguageforthem，andtocomfortthelady，shewasonlytoogladtogo，littleforeseeingtheendofit。Moreover，shelovedthechildrenso，fromtheirprettywaysandthat，andthethingstheygaveher，andthestyleoftheirdresses，thatitwouldhavebrokenherheartalmostnevertoseethedearsagain。
’Andso，inaveryevilhour，sheacceptedtheserviceofthenobleEnglishman，andsentherfatheranoldshoefilledtothetonguewithmoney，andtrustedherselftofortune。Butevenbeforeshewent，sheknewthatitcouldnotturnoutwell；forthelaurelleafwhichshethrewonthefirewouldnotcrackleevenonce，andthehornofthegoatcamewronginthetwist，andtheheelofherfootwasshining。Thismadehersighatthestarting-time；andafterthatwhatcouldyouhopefor？
’However，atfirstallthingswentwell。MyLordwasasgayasgaycouldbe：andneverwouldcomeinsidethecarriage，whenadecenthorsecouldbegottoride。Hewouldgallopinfront，atarecklesspace，withoutaweaponofanykind，delightedwiththepureblueair，andthrowinghisheartaroundhim。Benitahadneverseenanymansoadmirable，andsochildish。Asinnocentasaninfant；andnotonlycontented，butnoisilyhappywithanything。Onlyotherpeoplemustsharehisjoy；andtheshadowofsorrowscatteredit，thoughitwerebuttheshadeofpoverty。
’HereBenitaweptalittle；andIlikedhernonetheless，andbelievedhertentimesmore；invirtueofatearortwo。
’AndsotheytravelledthroughNorthernItaly，andthroughoutthesouthofFrance，makingtheirwayanyhow；sometimesincoaches，sometimesincarts，sometimesuponmule-back，sometimesevena-footandweary；butalwaysashappyascouldbe。Thechildrenlaughed，andgrew，andthroveespeciallytheyounglady，theelderofthetwo，andBenitabegantothinkthatomensmustnotbereliedupon。Butsuddenlyherfaithinomenswasconfirmedforever。
’MyLord，whowasquiteayoungmanstill，andlaughedatEnglisharrogance，rodeoninfrontofhiswifeandfriends，tocatchthefirstofafamousview，ontheFrenchsideofthePyreneehills。Hekissedhishandtohiswife，andsaidthathewouldsaveherthetroubleofcoming。Forthosetwoweresooneinone，thattheycouldmakeeachotherknowwhateverheorshehadfelt。AndsomyLordwentroundthecorner，withafineyounghorseleapingupatthesteps。
’Theywaitedforhim，longandlong；buthenevercameagain；andwithinaweek，hismangledbodylayinalittlechapel-yard；andifthepriestsonlysaidaquarteroftheprayerstheytookthemoneyfor，Godknowstheycanhavenothroatsleft；onlyarelaxation。
’Myladydwelledforsixmonthsmore——itisamelancholytalewhattruetaleisnotso？——scarcelyabletobelievethatallherfrightwasnotadream。
Shewouldnotwearapieceorshapeofanymourning-clothes；shewouldnothaveapersoncry，oranysorrowamongus。Shesimplydisbelievedthething，andtrustedGodtorightit。TheProtestants，whohavenofaith，cannotunderstandthisfeeling。Enoughthatsoitwas；andsomyLadywenttoheaven。
’ForwhenthesnowcamedowninautumnontherootsofthePyrenees，andthechapel-yardwaswhitewithit，manypeopletoldtheladythatitwastimeforhertogo。Andthestrongestpleaofallwasthis，thatnowsheboreanotherhopeofrepeatingherhusband’svirtues。SoattheendofOctober，whenwolvescamedowntothefarm-lands，thelittleEnglishfamilywenthometowardstheirEngland。
’TheylandedsomewhereontheDevonshirecoast，tenorelevenyearsagone，andstayedsomedaysatExeter；andsetoutthenceinahiredcoach，withoutanyproperattendance，forWatchett，inthenorthofSomerset。
Fortheladyownedaquietmansionintheneighbourhoodofthattown，andheronedesirewastofindrefugethere，andtomeetherlord，whowassuretocomeshesaidwhenheheardofhisnewinfant。Thereforewithonlytwoserving-menandtwomaidsincludingBenita，thepartysetforthfromExeter，andlaythefirstnightatBampton。
’Onthefollowingmorntheystartedbravely，withearnesthopeofarrivingattheirjourney’sendbydaylight。Buttheroadsweresoftandverydeep，andthesloughswereoutinplaces；andtheheavycoachbrokedownintheaxle，andneededmendingatDulverton；andsotheylostthreehoursormore，andwouldhavebeenwisertosleepthere。Butherladyshipwouldnothearofit；shemustbehomethatnight，shesaid，andherhusbandwouldbewaiting。Howcouldshekeephimwaitingnow，aftersuchalong，longtime？
’Therefore，althoughitwasafternoon，andtheyearnowcometoDecember，thehorseswereputtoagain，andtheheavycoachwentupthehill，withtheladyandhertwochildren，andBenita，sittinginsideofit；theothermaid，andtwoserving-meneachmanwithagreatblunderbussmountedupontheoutside；anduponthehorsesthreeExeterpostilions。MuchhadbeensaidatDulverton，andevenbackatBampton，aboutsomegreatfreebooters，towhomallExmoorowedsuitandservice，andpaidthemverypunctually。Boththeserving-menwerescared，evenovertheirale，bythis。Buttheladyonlysaid，“Driveon；Iknowalittleofhighwaymen：theyneverrobalady。“
’Throughthefogandthroughthemuckthecoachwenton，asbestitmight；sometimesfounderedinaslough，withhalfofthehorsessplashingit，andsome-timesknuckleduponabank，andstrainingacrossthemiddle，whileallthehorseskickedatit。However，theywentontilldarkaswellasmightbeexpected。Butwhentheycame，allthankingGod，tothepitchandslopeofthesea-bank，leadingontowardsWatchetttown，andwheremyhorsehadshiedso，therethelittleboyjumpedup，andclappedhishandsatthewater；andthereasBenitasaidtheymettheirfate，andcouldnotflyit。
’Althoughitwaspasttheduskofday，thesilverlightfromtheseaflowedin，andshowedthecliffs，andthegraysand-line，andthedriftsofwreck，andwrack-weed。Itshowedthemalsoatroopofhorsemen，waitingunderarockhardby，andreadytodashuponthem。Thepostilionslashedtowardsthesea，andthehorsesstroveinthedepthofsand，andtheserving-mencockedtheirblunder-busses，andcoweredawaybehindthem；buttheladystoodupinthecarriagebravely，andneitherscreamednorspoke，buthidhersonbehindher。Meanwhilethedriversdroveintothesea，tilltheleadinghorseswereswimming。
’Butbeforethewavescameintothecoach，ascoreoffiercemenwereroundit。Theycursedthepostilionsformadcowards，andcutthetraces，andseizedthewheel-horses，all-wildwithdismayinthewetandthedark。Then，whilethecarriagewasheelingover，andwell-nighupsetinthewater，theladyexclaimed，“I