OnedayatthebeginningofJuly，Icamehomefrommowingaboutnoon，oralittlelater，tofetchsomeciderforallofus，andtoeatamorselofbacon。Formowingwasnojokethatyear，thesummerbeingwonderfullywetevenforourwetcountry，andtheswathefallingheavieroverthescythethaneverIcouldrememberit。Weweredrenchedwithrainalmosteveryday；butthemowingmustbedonesomehow；andwemusttrusttoGodforthehaymaking。
InthecourtyardIsawalittlecart，withironbrakesunderneathit，suchasfastidiouspeopleusetodeadenthejoltingoftheroad；butfewmenunderalordorbaronetwouldbesoparticular。ThereforeIwonderedwhoournoblevisitorcouldbe。ButwhenIenteredthekitchen-place，brushingupmyhairforsomebody，beholditwasnoonegreaterthanourAnnie，withmygodsoninherarms，andlookingpaleandtear-begone。Andatfirstshecouldnotspeaktome。Butpresentlyhavingsatdownalittle，andreceivedmuchpraiseforherbaby，shesmiledandblushed，andfoundhertongueasifshehadnevergonefromus。
’Hownaturalitalllooksagain!Oh，Ilovethisoldkitchenso!Babydear，onlylookatitwidhimpitty，pittyeyes，andhimtongueoutofhismousy!Butwhoputtheflour-riddleupthere。Andlookatthepestleandmortar，andrustIdeclareinthepattypans!Andabook，positivelyadirtybook，wherethecleanskewersoughttohang!Oh，Lizzie，Lizzie，Lizzie!’
’Youmayjustaswellceaselamenting，’Isaid，’foryoucan’talterLizzie’snature，andyouwillonlymakemotheruncomfortable，andperhapshaveaquarrelwithLizzie，whoisproudasPunchofherhousekeeping。’
’She，’criedAnnie，withallthecontemptthatcouldbecompressedinasyllable。’Well，John，nodoubtyouarerightaboutit。Iwilltrynottonoticethings。
Butitisahardthing，afterallmycare，toseeeverythinggoingtoruin。ButwhatcanbeexpectedofagirlwhoknowsallthekingsofCarthage？’
’TherewerenokingsofCarthage，Annie。Theywerecalled，whyletmesee——theywerecalled——oh，somethingelse。’
’Nevermindwhattheywerecalled，’saidAnnie；’willtheycookourdinnerforus？Butnow，John，Iaminsuchtrouble。Allthistalkismake-believe。’
’Don’tyoucry，mydear：don’tcry，mydarlingsister，’
Ianswered，asshedroppedintothewornplaceofthesettle，andbentaboveherinfant，rockingasifboththeirheartswereone：’don’tyouknow，Annie，Icannottell，butIknow，oratleastImean，Ihaveheardthemenofexperiencesay，itissobadforthebaby。’
’PerhapsIknowthataswellasyoudo，John，’saidAnnie，lookingupatmewithagleamofheroldlaughing：’buthowcanIhelpcrying；Iaminsuchtrouble。’
’Tellmewhatitis，mydear。Anygriefofyourswillvexmegreatly；butIwilltrytobearit。’
’Then，John，itisjustthis。Tomhasgoneoffwiththerebels；andyoumust，oh，youmustgoafterhim。’
MovedasIwasbyAnnie’stears，andgentlestyleofcoaxing，andmostofallbymyloveforher，IyetdeclaredthatIcouldnotgo，andleaveourhouseandhomestead，farlessmydearmotherandLizzie，atthemercyofthemercilessDoones。
’Isthatallyourobjection，John？’askedAnnie，inherquickpantingway：’wouldyougobutforthat，John？’
’Now，’Isaid，’beinnosuchhurry’——forwhileIwasgraduallyyielding，Ilikedtopassitthroughmyfingers，asifmyfingersshapedit：’therearemanythingstobethoughtabout，andmanywaysofviewingit。’
’Oh，younevercanhavelovedLorna!Nowonderyougaveherupso!John，youcanlovenobody，butyouroat-ricks，andyourhay-ricks。’
’Sistermine，becauseIrantnot，neitherraveofwhatIfeel，canyoubesoshallowastodreamthatIfeelnothing？WhatisyourloveforTomFaggus？Whatisyourloveforyourbabyprettydarlingasheistocomparewithsuchaloveasforeverdwellswithme？
BecauseIdonotprateofit；becauseitisbeyondme，notonlytoexpress，butevenformtomyownheartinthoughts；becauseIdonotshapemyface，andwouldscorntoplaytoit，asathingofacting，andlayitoutbeforeyou，areyoufoolsenoughtothink——’buthereIstopped，havingsaidmorethanwasusualwithme。
’Iamverysorry，John。DearJohn，Iamsosorry。
WhatashallowfoolIam!’
’Iwillgoseekyourhusband，’Isaid，tochangethesubject，foreventoAnnieIwouldnotlayopenallmyheartaboutLorna：’butonlyuponconditionthatyouensurethishouseandpeoplefromtheDoonesmeanwhile。
EvenforthesakeofTom，Icannotleaveallhelpless。
Theoat-ricksandthehay-ricks，whicharemyonlylove，theyarewelcometomakecindersof。ButIwillnothavemothertreatedso；norevenlittleLizzie，althoughyouscornyoursisterso。’
’Oh，John，Idothinkyouarethehardest，aswellasthesoftestofallthemenIknow。Notevenawoman’sbitterwordbutwhatyoupayheroutfor。Willyouneverunderstandthatwearenotlikeyou，John？Wesayallsortsofspitefulthings，withoutabitofmeaning。John，forGod’ssakefetchTomhome；andthenrevilemeasyouplease，andIwillkneelandthankyou。’
’Iwillnotpromisetofetchhimhome，’Ianswered，beingashamedofmyselfforhavinglostcommandso：
’butIwillpromisetodomybest，ifwecanonlyhitonaplanforleavingmotherharmless。’
Anniethoughtforalittlewhile，tryingtogatherhersmoothclearbrowintomaternalwrinkles，andthenshelookedatherchild，andsaid，’Iwillriskit，fordaddy’ssake，darling；youprecioussoul，fordaddy’ssake。’Iaskedherwhatshewasgoingtorisk。Shewouldnottellme；buttookupperhand，andsawtomycider-cansandbacon，andwentfromcornertocupboard，exactlyasifshehadneverbeenmarried；onlywithoutanapronon。Andthenshesaid，’Nowtoyourmowers，John；andmakethemostofthisfineafternoon；kissyourgodsonbeforeyougo。’AndI，beingusedtoobeyher，inlittlethingsofthatsort，kissedthebaby，andtookmycans，andwentbacktomyscytheagain。
BythetimeIcamehomeitwasdarknight，andpouringagainwithafoggyrain，suchaswehaveinJuly，evenmorethaninJanuary。Beingsoakedallthrough，andthrough，andwithwaterquelchinginmyboots，likeapumpwithabadbucket，IwasonlytoogladtofindAnnie’sbrightface，andquickfigure，flittinginandoutthefirelight，insteadofLizziesittinggrandly，withafeastofliterature，andnotadropofgravy。
Motherwasinthecorneralso，withhercheery-colouredribbonsglisteningverynicebycandle-light，lookingatAnnienowandthen，withmemoriesofherbabyhood；
andthenatherhavingababy：yethalfafraidofpraisinghermuch，forfearofthatyoungLizzie。ButLizzieshowednojealousy：shetrulylovedourAnnienowthatshewasgonefromus，andshewantedtoknowallsortsofthings，andsheadoredthebaby。
ThereforeAnniewasallowedtoattendtome，assheusedtodo。
’Now，John，youmuststartthefirstthinginthemorning，’shesaid，whentheothershadlefttheroom，butsomehowshestucktothebaby，’tofetchmebackmyrebel，accordingtoyourpromise。’
’Notso，’Ireplied，mislikingthejob，’allIpromisedwastogo，ifthishousewereassuredagainstanyonslaughtoftheDoones。’
’Justso；andhereisthatassurance。’Withthesewordsshedrewforthapaper，andlaiditonmykneewithtriumph，enjoyingmyamazement。This，asyoumaysupposewasgreat；notonlyatthedocument，butalsoatherpossessionofit。Forintruthitwasnolessthanaformalundertaking，onthepartoftheDoones，nottoattackPlover’sBarrowsfarm，ormolestanyoftheinmates，orcarryoffanychattels，duringtheabsenceofJohnRidduponaspecialerrand。ThisdocumentwassignednotonlybytheCounsellor，butbymanyotherDoones：whetherCarver’snamewerethere，I
couldnotsayforcertain；asofcoursehewouldnotsignitunderhisnameof’Carver，’andIhadneverheardLornasaytowhatifanyhehadbeenbaptized。
Inthefaceofsuchadeedasthis，Icouldnolongerrefusetogo；andhavingreceivedmypromise，Annietoldmeaswasonlyfairhowshehadprocuredthatpaper。Itwasbothacleverandcourageousact；andwouldhaveseemedtome，atfirstsight，farbeyondAnnie’spower。Butnonemaygaugeawoman’spower，whenherloveandfaitharemoved。
ThefirstthingAnniehaddonewasthis：shemadeherselflookugly。Thiswasnotaneasything；butshehadlearnedagreatdealfromherhusband，uponthesubjectofdisguises。Ithurtherfeelingsnotalittletomakesosadafrightofherself；butwhatcoulditmatter？——ifshelostTom，shemustbeafargreaterfrightinearnest，thannowshewasinseeming。
Andthensheleftherchildasleep，underBettyMuxworthy’stendance——forBettytooktothatchild，asifthereneverhadbeenachildbefore——andawayshewentinherown’spring-cart’asthenameofthatengineprovedtobe，withoutawordtoanyone，excepttheoldmanwhohaddrivenherfromMollandparishthatmorning，andwhocoollytookoneofourbesthorses，without’byyourleave’toanyone。
AnniemadetheoldmandriveherwithineasyreachoftheDoone-gate，whosepositionsheknewwellenough，fromallourtalkaboutit。Andthereshebadetheoldmanstay，untilsheshouldreturntohim。Thenwithhercomelyfigurehiddenbyadirtyoldwoman’scloak，andherfairyoungfacedefacedbypatchesandbyliniments，sothatnonemightcovether，sheaddressedtheyoungmanatthegateinacrackedandtremblingvoice；andtheywerescarcelyciviltothe’oldhag，’
astheycalledher。ShesaidthatsheboreimportanttidingsforSirCounsellorhimself，andmustbeconductedtohim。Tohimaccordinglyshewasled，withoutevenanyhoodwinking，forshehadspectaclesoverhereyes，andmadebelievenottoseetenyards。
ShefoundSirCounsellorathome，andwhentherestwereoutofsight，threwoffalldisguisetohim，flashingforthasalovelyyoungwoman，fromallherwrapsanddisfigurements。Sheflungherpatchesonthefloor，amidtheoldman’slaughter，andlethertucked-uphaircomedown；andthenwentupandkissedhim。
’WorthyandreverendCounsellor，Ihaveafavourtoask，’shebegan。
’SoIshouldthinkfromyourproceedings，’——theoldmaninterrupted——’ah，ifIwerehalfmyage’——
’Ifyouwere，Iwouldnotsueso。ButmostexcellentCounsellor，youowemesomeamends，youknow，forthewayinwhichyourobbedme。’
’BeyondadoubtIdo，mydear。Youhaveputitratherstrongly；anditmightoffendsomepeople。
NeverthelessIownmydebt，havingsofairacreditor。’
’Anddoyourememberhowyouslept，andhowmuchwemadeofyou，andwouldhaveseenyouhome，sir；onlyyoudidnotwishit？’
’Andforexcellentreasons，child。Mybestescortwasinmycloak，afterwemadethecreamtorise。Ha，ha!
Theunholyspell。Myprettychild，hasitinjuredyou？’
’Yes，Ifearithas，saidAnnie；’orwhencecanallmyillluckcome？’Andheresheshowedsomesignsofcrying，knowingthatCounsellorhatedit。
’Youshallnothaveillluck，mydear。Ihaveheardallaboutyourmarriagetoaverynoblehighwayman。
Ah，youmadeamistakeinthat；youwereworthyofaDoone，mychild；yourfryingwasablessingmeantforthosewhocanappreciate。’
’Myhusbandcanappreciate，’sheansweredveryproudly；
’butwhatIwishtoknowisthis，willyoutrytohelpme？’
TheCounselloransweredthathewoulddoso，ifherneedsweremoderate；whereuponsheopenedhermeaningtohim，andtoldofallheranxieties。ConsideringthatLornawasgone，andhernecklaceinhispossession，andthatIagainstwhomaloneofustheDoonescouldbearanymalicewouldbeoutofthewayallthewhile，theoldmanreadilyundertookthatourhouseshouldnotbeassaulted，norourpropertymolested，untilmyreturn。Andtothepromptitudeofhispledge，twothingsperhapscontributed，namely，thatheknewnothowwewerestrippedofalldefenders，andthatsomeofhisownforceswereawayintherebelcamp。ForasIlearnedthereaftertheDoonesbeingnowindirectfeudwiththepresentGovernment，andsuretobecrushedifthatprevailed，hadresolvedtodropallreligiousquestions，andcastintheirlotwithMonmouth。Andtheturbulentyouths，beinglongrestrainedfromtheirwontedoutletforvehemence，bythetroopersintheneighbourhood，wereonlytoogladtorushforthuponanypromiseofblowsandexcitement。
However，Annieknewlittleofthis，buttooktheCounsellor’spledgeasamarkofespecialfavourinherbehalfwhichitmayhavebeentosomeextent，andthankedhimforitmostheartily，andfeltthathehadearnedthenecklace；whilehe，likeanancientgentleman，disclaimedallobligation，andsentherunderanescortsafetoherowncartagain。ButAnnie，repassingthesentinels，withheryouthrestoredandbloomingwiththeflushoftriumph，wentuptothemverygravely，andsaid，’Theoldhagwishesyougood-evening，gentlemen’；andsomadeherbestcurtsey。