SoIturnedmyattentiontothem，andthoughtnomoreoffighting。
Havingsomanywoundedmen，andsomanydeadamongus，weloiteredatthecavern’smouth，andlookedatoneanother，wishingonlyforsomebodytocomeandtakecommandofus。Butnoonecame；andIwasgriefedsomuchaboutpoorJeremy，besidesbeingwhollyunusedtoanyviolenceofbloodshed，thatIcouldonlykeephisheadup，andtrytostophimfrombleeding。Andhelookedupatmepitifully，beingperhapsinahazeofthought，asacalflooksatabutcher。
Theshothadtakenhiminthemouth；aboutthatnodoubtcouldbe，fortwoofhisteethwereinhisbeard，andoneofhislipswaswanting。Ilaidhisshatteredfaceonmybreast，andnursedhim，asawomanmight。
Buthelookedatmewithajerkatthis；andIsawthathewantedcoolness。
Whileherewestayed，quiteoutofdangerforthefellowsfromthegallerycouldbynomeansshootus，eveniftheyremainedthere，andtheoakendoorwhencetheothersfledwasblockedupbytheculverin，aboywhohadnobusinesstherebeinginfactourclerk’sapprenticetotheartofshoe-makingcameroundthecorneruponusinthemannerwhichboys，andonlyboys，canusewithgraceandfreedom；thatistosay，withasuddenrush，andasidelongstep，andanimpudence，——
’Gottheworstofit!’criedtheboy；’betterbeoffallofyou。ZoomerzettandDevonavighting；andtheDooneshavedrashed’emboth。MaisterRidd，eventheebedrashed。’
Wefew，whoyetremainedoftheforcewhichwastohavewontheDoone-gate，gazedatoneanother，likesomanyfools，andnothingmore。Forwestillhadsomefainthopesofwinningtheday，andrecoveringourreputation，bymeansofwhattheothermenmighthavedonewithoutus。AndwecouldnotunderstandatallhowDevonshireandSomerset，beingembarkedinthesamecause，shouldbefightingwithoneanother。
Findingnothingmoretobedoneinthewayofcarryingonthewar，welaidpoorMasterSticklesandtwomoreofthewoundeduponthecarriageofbarkandhurdles，whereonourgunhadlain；andwerolledthegunintotheriver，andharnessedthehorsesyetalive，andputtheothersoutoftheirpain，andsadlywendedhomewards，feelingourselvestobethoroughlybeaten，yetreadytomaintainthatitwasnofaultofourswhatever。Andinthisopinionthewomenjoined，beingonlytoogladandthankfultoseeushomealiveagain。
Now，thisenterprisehavingfailedso，Iprefernottodwelltoolonguponit；onlyjusttoshowthemischiefwhichlayattherootofthefailure。Andthismischiefwasthevilejealousybetwixtredandyellowuniform。NowItrytospeakimpartially，belongingnomoretoSomersetthanIdotoDevonshire，livingupontheborders，andbornofeithercounty。Thetalewastoldmebyonesidefirst；andthenquitetoadifferenttunebytheother；andthenbybothtogether，withveryhotwordsofreviling。andadesiretofightitoutagain。Andputtingthiswiththat，thetruthappearstobeasfollows：——
ThemenofDevon，whoboreredfacings，hadalongwaytogoroundthehills，beforetheycouldgetintoduepositiononthewesternsideoftheDooneGlen。Andknowingthattheircousinsinyellowwouldclaimthewholeoftheglory，ifallowedtobefirstwiththefiring，theseworthyfellowswaitednottotakegoodaimwiththeircannons，seeingtheothersabouttoshoot；butfettleditanyhowontheslope，pointinginageneraldirection；andtrustinginGodforaimworthiness，laidtheropetothebreech，andfired。
NowasProvidenceordainedit，theshot，whichwasacasualmixtureofanythingconsideredhard——forinstance，jug-bottomsandknobsofdoors——thewholeofthisperniciousdosecamescatteringandshatteringamongtheunfortunateyellowmenupontheoppositecliff；killingoneandwoundingtwo。
NowwhatdidthemenofSomersetdo，butinsteadofwaitingfortheirfriendstosendroundandbegpardon，traintheirgunfullmouthuponthem，andwithaviciousmeaningshoot。Notonlythis，buttheyloudlycheered，whentheysawfourorfiveredcoatslielow；
forwhichsavagefeelingnoteventheremarksoftheDevonshiremenconcerningtheircoatscouldentirelyexcusethem。NowIneednottelltherestofit，forthetalemakesamandiscontented。Enoughthatbothsideswaxedhotterandhotterwiththefireofdestruction。Andbutthatthegorgeofthecliffslaybetween，veryfewwouldhavelivedtotellofit；forourwesternbloodbecomesstiffandfirm，whenchurnedwiththesenseofwronginit。
AtlasttheDooneswhomusthavelaughedatthethunderpassingoverheadrecallingtheirmenfromthegallery，issuedoutofGwenny’sgatewhichhadbeenwhollyoverlookedandfellontherearoftheSomersetmen，andslewfourbesidetheircannon。Thenwhilethesurvivorsranaway，theoutlawstookthehotculverin，androlleditdownintotheirvalley。Thus，ofthethreegunssetforththatmorning，onlyoneevercamehomeagain，andthatwasthegunoftheDevonshiremen，whodraggedithomethemselves，withtheviewofmakingaboastaboutit。
Thiswasamelancholyendofourbravesettingout，andeverybodyblamedeveryoneelse；andseveralofuswantedtohavethewholethingoveragain，asthenwemusthaverightedit。Butupononepointallagreed，bysomereasonnotcleartome，thattherootoftheevilwastobefoundinthewayParsonBowdenwentupthehill，withhishaton，andnocassock。
TwooftheDevonshireofficersCaptainsPykeandDallannowtookcommandofthemenwhowereleft，andorderedalltogohomeagain，commendingmuchthebraverywhichhadbeendisplayedonallsides，andtheloyaltytotheKing，andtheEnglishconstitution。
Thislastwordalwaysseemstometosettleeverythingwhensaid，becausenobodyunderstandsit，andyetallcanpuzzletheirneighbours。SotheDevonshiremen，havingbeanstosowwhichtheyoughttohavedoneonGoodFridaywenthome；andourSomersetfriendsonlystayedfortwodaysmoretobackbitethem。
Tomethewholethingwaspurelygrievous；notfromanysenseofdefeatthoughthatwasbadenoughbutfromthepainandanguishcausedbydeath，andwounds，andmourning。’Surelywehavewoesenough，’Iusedtothinkofanevening，whenthepoorfellowscouldnotsleeporrest，orletothersrestaroundthem；’surelyallthissmellofwoundsisnotincensemenshouldpaytotheGodwhomadethem。Death，whenitcomesandisdonewith，maybeablisstoanyone；butthedoubtoflifeordeath，whenamanlies，asitwere，likeatrunkuponasawpitandagrislyheadlooksupathim，andthegroansofpainarecleavinghim，thiswouldbebeyondallbearing——butforNature’ssap——sweethope。’
JeremyStickleslayandtossed，andthrustuphisfeetinagony，andbitwithhisliplessmouththeclothes，andwasproudtoseeblooduponthem。Helookedatuseversomanytimes，asmuchastosay，’Fools，letmedie，thenIshallhavesomecomfort’；butwenoddedathimsagely，especiallythewomen，tryingtoconveytohim，onnoaccounttodieyet。Andthenwetalkedtooneanotheronpurposeforhimtohearus，howbravehewas，andnotthemantoknockunderinahurry，andhowheshouldhavethevictoryyet；andhowwellhelooked，considering。
Thesethingscheeredhimalittlenow，andalittlemorenexttime；andeverytimewewentonso，hetookitwithlessimpatience。Thenoncewhenhehadbeenveryquiet，andnoteventriedtofrownatus，Annieleanedover，andkissedhisforehead，andspreadthepillowsandsheet，withacurveasdelicateashisownwhiteears；andthenhefeeblyliftedhands，andprayedtoGodtoblessher。Andafterthathecameroundgently；thoughnevertothemanhehadbeen，andnevertospeakloudagain。
ForatimeasImayhaveimpliedbeforeMasterStickles’sauthority，andmanneroflevyingduties，hadnotbeentakenkindlybythepeopleroundourneighbourhood。ThemanorsofEastLynnandWestLynn，andeventhatofWoolhanger——althoughjustthenallthreewereatissueaboutsomerightsofwreck，andthehangingofasheep-stealeramanofnogreateminence，yetclaimedbyeachforthesakeofhisclothes——thesethree，havingtheirrightsimpugned，orevensuperseded，astheydeclaredbythequarteringofsoldiersintheirneighbourhood，unitedverykindlytoopposetheKing’sCommissioner。However，Jeremyhadcontrivedtoconciliatethewholeofthem，notsomuchbyanythingengaginginhisdeportmentordelicateaddress，asbyholdingoutbrighthopesthattheplunderoftheDooneGlenmightbecomedivisibleamongtheadjoiningmanors。NowIhaveneverdiscoveredathingwhichthelordsofmanorsatleastinourpartoftheworlddonotbelievetobelongtothemselves，ifonlytheycouldgettheirrights。AnditdidseemnaturalenoughthatiftheDooneswereousted，andanicecollectionofpreyremained，thisshouldbepartedamongthepeoplehavingancientrightsofplunder。
Nevertheless，MasterJeremyknewthatthesoldierswouldhavethefirstofit，andtheKingwhattheycouldnotcarry。
Andperhapshewaspunishedjustlyforlanguagesomisleading，bythegeneralindignationofthepeopleallaroundus，notathisfailure，butathimself，forthatwhichhecouldinnowiseprevent。Andthestewardsofthemanorsrodeuptoourhouseonpurposetoreproachhim，andweregreatlyvexedwithallofus，becausehewastooilltoseethem。
Tomyselfthoughbyrightsthelasttobethoughtof，amongsomuchpainandtroubleJeremy’swoundwasagreatmisfortune，inmorewaysthanone。Inthefirstplace，itdeferredmychanceofimpartingeithertomymotherortoMistressLornamyfirmbeliefthatthemaidIlovedwasnotsprungfromtheracewhichhadslainmyfather；neithercouldheinanywayhaveoffendedagainstherfamily。AndthisdiscoveryIwasyearningmoreandmoretodeclaretothem；beingforcedtoseeeveninthemidstofallourwarliketroubles
thatacertaindifferencewasgrowingbetwixtthemboth，andbetwixtthemandme。ForalthoughthewordsoftheCounsellorhadseemedtofailamongus，beingbravelymetandscattered，yetourcouragewasbutaswindflingingwidethetare-seeds，whenthesowercaststhemfromhisbag。Thecropmaynotcomeevenly，manyplacesmaylongliebare，andthefieldbeallinpatches；yetalmosteveryvetchwillspring，andtillerout，andstretchacrossthescatteringswherethewindpuffed。
AndsodearmotheranddarlingLornanowhadbeenformanyadaythinking，worrying，andwearing，aboutthematterbetweenus。Neitherlikedtolookattheother，astheyusedtodo；withmotheradmiringLorna’seyes，andgrace，andformofbreeding；andLornalovingmother’sgoodness，softness，andsimplicity。Andthesaddestandmosthurtfulthingwasthatneithercouldasktheotheroftheshadowfallingbetweenthem。Andsoitwenton，anddeepened。
InthenextplaceColonelStickles’sillnesswasagrievousthingtous，inthatwehadnoonenowtocommandthetroopers。Tenofthesewerestillalive，andsowellapprovedtous，thattheycouldneverfancyaught，whetherfordinnerorsupper，withoutitsbeingforth-coming。Iftheywantedtrouttheyshouldhaveit；ifcollopedvenison，orbroiledham，orsalmonfromLynmouthandTrentisoe，ortrufflesfromthewoodside，allthesewereatthewarriors’service，untiltheylustedforsomethingelse。Eventhewoundedmenatenobly；allexceptpoorJeremy，whowasforcedtohaveayoungeldershoot，withthepithdrawn，fortofeedhim。Andonce，whentheywantedpickledloachfrommydescriptionofit，Itookupmyboyishsportagain，andprongedthemagoodjarful。Therefore，noneofthemcouldcomplain；andyettheywerenotsatisfied；
perhapsforwantofcomplaining。
Bethatasitmight，weknewthatiftheyonceresolvedtogoastheymightdoatanytime，withonlyacorporaloverthemallourhouse，andallourgoods，ay，andourownpreciouslives，wouldandmustbeatthemercyofembitteredenemies。FornowtheDoones，havingdrivenback，aseveryonesaid，fivehundredmen——thoughnotthirtyhadeverfoughtwiththem——wereinsuchfeatherallroundthecountry，thatnothingwastoogoodforthem。OfferingspouredinattheDoonegate，fasterthanDoonescouldawaywiththem，andthesympathybothofDevonandSomersetbecamealmostoppressive。Andperhapsthiswealthofcongratulation，andmutualgoodfeelingbetweenplunderedandvictim，savedusfromanypieceofspite；kindlinesshavingwontheday，andeveryonelovingeveryone。
Butyetanothercausearose，andthisthestrongestoneofall，toprovetheneedofStickles’said，andcalamityofhisillness。Andthiscametoourknowledgefirst，withoutmuchtimetothinkofit。Fortwomenappearedatourgateoneday，strippedtotheirshirts，andvoidofhorses，andlookingverysorrowful。
NowhavingsomefearofattackfromtheDoones，andscarceknowingwhattheirtricksmightbe，wereceivedthesestrangerscautiously，desiringtoknowwhotheywerebeforeweletthemseeallourpremises。
However，itsoonbecameplaintousthatalthoughtheymightnotbehonestfellows，atanyratetheywerenotDoones；andsowetookthemin，andfed，andleftthemtotelltheirbusiness。Andthistheyweregladenoughtodo；asmenwhohavebeenmaltreatedalmostalwaysare。Anditwasnotforustocontradictthem，lestourvictualsshouldgoamiss。