第5章

Forshestoodattheheadofadeepgreenvalley，carvedfromoutthemountainsinaperfectoval，withafenceofsheerrockstandingroundit，eightyfeetorahundredhigh；fromwhosebrinkblackwoodedhillssweptuptothesky-line。Byhersidealittleriverglidedoutfromundergroundwithasoftdarkbabble，unawaresofdaylight；thengrowingbrighter，lapsedaway，andfellintothevalley。Then，asitrandownthemeadow，aldersstoodoneithermarge，andgrasswasbladingoutuponit，andyellowtuftsofrushesgathered，lookingatthehurry。Butfurtherdown，oneitherbank，werecoveredhousesbuiltofstone，squareandroughlycornered，setasifthebrookweremeanttobethestreetbetweenthem。Onlyoneroomhightheywere，andnotplacedoppositeeachother，butinandoutasskittlesare；onlythatthefirstofall，whichprovedtobethecaptain’s，wasasortofdoublehouse，orrathertwohousesjoinedtogetherbyaplank-bridge，overtheriver。

Fourteencotsmymothercounted，allverymuchofapattern，andnothingtochoosebetweenthem，unlessitwerethecaptain’s。Deepinthequietvalleythere，awayfromnoise，andviolence，andbrawl，savethatoftherivulet，anymanwouldhavedeemedthemhomesofsimplemindandinnocence。Yetnotasinglehousestoodtherebutwasthehomeofmurder。

Twomenledmymotherdownasteepandglidderystair-way，liketheladderofahay-mow；andthencefromthebreakofthefallingwaterasfarasthehouseofthecaptain。Andthereatthedoortheylefthertrembling，strungasshewas，tospeakhermind。

Now，afterall，whatrighthadshe，acommonfarmer’swidow，totakeitamissthatmenofbirththoughtfittokillherhusband。AndtheDooneswereofveryhighbirth，asallweclodsofExmoorknew；andwehadenoughofgoodteachingnow——letanymansaythecontrary——tofeelthatallwehadbelongedofrighttothoseaboveus。Thereforemymotherwashalf-ashamedthatshecouldnothelpcomplaining。

Butafteralittlewhile，asshesaid，remembranceofherhusbandcame，andthewayheusedtostandbyhersideandputhisstrongarmroundher，andhowhelikedhisbaconfried，andpraisedherkindlyforit——andsothetearswereinhereyes，andnothingshouldgainsaythem。

Atalloldman，SirEnsorDoone，cameoutwithabill-hookinhishand，hedger’sglovesgoinguphisarms，asifhewerenobetterthanalaboureratditch-work。Onlyinhismouthandeyes，hisgait，andmostofallhisvoice，evenachildcouldknowandfeelthatherewasnoditch-labourer。Goodcausehehasfoundsincethen，perhaps，towishthathehadbeenone。

Withhiswhitelocksmovinguponhiscoat，hestoppedandlookeddownatmymother，andshecouldnothelpherselfbutcurtseyunderthefixedblackgazing。

’Goodwoman，youarenoneofus。Whohasbroughtyouhither？Youngmenmustbeyoung——butIhavehadtoomuchofthiswork。’

Andhescowledatmymother，forhercomeliness；andyetlookedunderhiseyelidsasifhelikedherforit。

Butasforher，inherdepthoflove-grief，itstruckscornuponherwomanhood；andintheflashshespoke。

’WhatyoumeanIknownot。Traitors!cut-throats!

cowards!Iamheretoaskformyhusband。’Shecouldnotsayanymore，becauseherheartwasnowtoomuchforher，cominghardinherthroatandmouth；butsheopeneduphereyesathim。

’Madam，’saidSirEnsorDoone——beingbornagentleman，althoughaverybadone——’Icravepardonofyou。Myeyesareold，orImighthaveknown。Now，ifwehaveyourhusbandprisoner，heshallgofreewithoutransoms，becauseIhaveinsultedyou。’

’Sir，’saidmymother，beingsuddenlytakenawaywithsorrow，becauseofhisgraciousmanner，’pleasetoletmecryabit。’

Hestoodaway，andseemedtoknowthatwomenwantnohelpforthat。Andbythewayshecriedheknewthattheyhadkilledherhusband。Then，havingfeltofgriefhimself，hewasnotangrywithher，butlefthertobeginagain。

’LothwouldIbe，’saidmother，sobbingwithhernewredhandkerchief，andlookingatthepatternofit，’lothindeed，SirEnsorDoone，toaccuseanyoneunfairly。ButIhavelosttheverybesthusbandGodevergavetoawoman；andIknewhimwhenhewastoyourbelt，andInotuptoyourknee，sir；andneveranunkindwordhespoke，norstoppedmeshortinspeaking。

Alltheherbshelefttome，andallthebacon-curing，andwhenitwasbesttokillapig，andhowtotreatthemaidens。NotthatIwouldeverwish——oh，John，itseemssostrangetome，andlastweekyouwereeverything。’

Heremotherburstoutcryingagain，notloudly，butturningquietly，becausesheknewthatnoonenowwouldevercaretowipethetears。Andfiftyorahundredthings，ofweeklyanddailyhappening，cameacrossmymother，sothatherspiritfelllikeslackeninglime。

’Thismattermustbeseento；itshallbeseentoatonce，’theoldmananswered，movedalittleinspiteofallhisknowledge。’Madam，ifanywronghasbeendone，trustthehonourofaDoone；Iwillredressittomyutmost。Comeinsideandrestyourself，whileIaskaboutit。Whatwasyourgoodhusband’sname，andwhenandwherefellthismishap？’

’Dearyme，’saidmother，ashesetachairforherverypolite，butshewouldnotsituponit；’SaturdaymorningIwasawife，sir；andSaturdaynightIwasawidow，andmychildrenfatherless。Myhusband’snamewasJohnRidd，sir，aseverybodyknows；andtherewasnotafinerorbettermaninSomersetorDevon。HewascominghomefromPorlockmarket，andanewgownformeonthecrupper，andashelltoputmyhairup——oh，John，howgoodyouweretome!’

Ofthatshebegantothinkagain，andnottobelievehersorrow，exceptasadreamfromtheevilone，becauseitwastoobaduponher，andperhapsshewouldawakeinaminute，andherhusbandwouldhavethelaughofher。Andsoshewipedhereyesandsmiled，andlookedforsomething。

’Madam，thisisaseriousthing，’SirEnsorDoonesaidgraciously，andshowinggraveconcern：’myboysarealittlewild，Iknow。AndyetIcannotthinkthattheywouldwillinglyharmanyone。Andyet——andyet，youdolookwronged。SendCounsellortome，’heshouted，fromthedoorofhishouse；anddownthevalleywentthecall，’SendCounsellortoCaptain。’

CounsellorDoonecameinereyetmymotherwasherselfagain；andifanysightcouldastonishherwhenallhersenseofrightandwrongwasgoneastraywiththeforceofthings，itwasthesightoftheCounsellor。A

square-builtmanofenormousstrength，butafootbelowtheDoonestature(whichIshalldescribehereafter)，hecarriedalonggreybearddescendingtotheleatherofhisbelt。Greateyebrowsoverhunghisface，likeivyonapollardoak，andunderthemtwolargebrowneyes，asofanowlwhenmuting。Andhehadapowerofhidinghiseyes，orshowingthembright，likeablazingfire。Hestoodtherewithhisbeaveroff，andmothertriedtolookathim，butheseemednottodescryher。

’Counsellor，’saidSirEnsorDoone，standingbackinhisheightfromhim，’hereisaladyofgoodrepute——’-

’Oh，no，sir；onlyawoman。’

’Allowme，madam，byyourgoodleave。Hereisalady，Counsellor，ofgreatreputeinthispartofthecountry，whochargestheDooneswithhavingunjustlyslainherhusband——’

’Murderedhim!murderedhim!’criedmymother，’ifevertherewasamurder。Oh，sir!oh，sir!youknowit。’

’TheperfectrightsandtruthofthecaseisallIwishtoknow，’saidtheoldman，veryloftily：’andjusticeshallbedone，madam。’

’Oh，Iprayyou——prayyou，sirs，makenomatterofbusinessofit。GodfromHeaven，lookonme!’

’Putthecase，’saidtheCounsellor。

’Thecaseisthis，’repliedSirEnsor，holdingonehanduptomother：’Thislady’sworthyhusbandwasslain，itseems，uponhisreturnfromthemarketatPorlock，nolongeragothanlastSaturdaynight。Madam，amendmeifIamwrong。’

’Nolonger，indeed，indeed，sir。Sometimesitseemsatwelvemonth，andsometimesitseemsanhour。’

’Citehisname，’saidtheCounsellor，withhiseyesstillrollinginwards。

’MasterJohnRidd，asIunderstand。Counsellor，wehaveheardofhimoften；aworthymanandapeacefulone，whomeddlednotwithourduties。Now，ifanyofourboyshavebeenrough，theyshallansweritdearly。

AndyetIcanscarcebelieveit。Forthefolkaboutthesepartsareapttomisconceiveofoursufferings，andtohavenofeelingforus。Counsellor，youareourrecord，andverysternagainstus；tellushowthismatterwas。’

’Oh，Counsellor!’mymothercried；’SirCounsellor，youwillbefair：Iseeitinyourcountenance。Onlytellmewhoitwas，andsetmefacetofacewithhim，andI

willblessyou，sir，andGodshallblessyou，andmychildren。’

Thesquaremanwiththelonggreybeard，quiteunmovedbyanything，drewbacktothedoorandspoke，andhisvoicewaslikeafallofstonesinthebottomofamine。

’Fewwordswillbeenowforthis。Fourorfiveofourbest-behavedandmostpeacefulgentlemenwenttothelittlemarketatPorlockwithalumpofmoney。Theyboughtsomehouseholdstoresandcomfortsataveryhighprice，andprickeduponthehomewardroad，awayfromvulgarrevellers。Whentheydrewbridletoresttheirhorses，intheshelterofapeat-rick，thenightbeingdarkandsudden，arobberofgreatsizeandstrengthrodeintothemidstofthem，thinkingtokillorterrify。Hisarroganceandhardihoodatthefirstamazedthem，buttheywouldnotgiveupwithoutablowgoodswhichwereontrustwiththem。Hehadsmittenthreeofthemsenseless，forthepowerofhisarmwasterrible；whereuponthelastmantriedtowardhisblowwithapistol。Carver，sir，itwas，ourbraveandnobleCarver，whosavedthelivesofhisbrethrenandhisown；andgladenowtheyweretoescape。

Notwithstanding，wehopeditmightbeonlyaflesh-wound，andnottospeedhiminhissins。’

Asthisatrocioustaleofliesturnedupjointbyjointbeforeher，likea’devil’scoach-horse，’*motherwastoomuchamazedtodoanymorethanlookathim，asiftheearthmustopen。ButtheonlythingthatopenedwasthegreatbrowneyesoftheCounsellor，whichrestedonmymother’sfacewithadewofsorrow，ashespokeofsins。

*Thecock-tailedbeetlehasearnedthisnameintheWestofEngland。

She，unabletobearthem，turnedsuddenlyonSirEnsor，andcaught(asshefancied)asmileonhislips，andasenseofquietenjoyment。

’AlltheDoonesaregentlemen，’answeredtheoldmangravely，andlookingasifhehadneversmiledsincehewasababy。’Wearealwaysgladtoexplain，madam，anymistakewhichtherusticpeoplemayfalluponaboutus；

andwewishyouclearlytoconceivethatwedonotchargeyourpoorhusbandwithanysetpurposeofrobbery，neitherwillwebringsuitforanyattainderofhisproperty。Isitnotso，Counsellor？’

’Withoutdoubthislandisattainted；unlessismercyyouforbear，sir。’

’Counsellor，wewillforbear。Madam，wewillforgivehim。Likeenoughheknewnotrightfromwrong，atthattimeofnight。ThewatersarestrongatPorlock，andevenanhonestmanmayusehisstaffunjustlyinthisuncharteredageofviolenceandrapine。’

TheDoonestotalkofrapine!Mother’sheadwentroundsothatshecurtseyedtothemboth，scarcelyknowingwhereshewas，butcallingtomindhermanners。Allthetimeshefeltawarmth，asiftherightwaswithher，andyetshecouldnotseethewaytospreaditoutbeforethem。Withthat，shedriedhertearsinhasteandwentintothecoldair，forfearofspeakingmischief。

Butwhenshewasonthehomewardroad，andthesentinelshadchargeofher，blindinghereyes，asifshewerenotblindenoughwithweeping，someonecameinhastebehindher，andthrustaheavyleathernbagintothelimpweightofherhand。

’Captainsendsyouthis，’hewhispered；’takeittothelittleones。’

Butmotherletitfallinaheap，asifithadbeenablindworm；andthenforthefirsttimecrouchedbeforeGod，thateventheDoonesshouldpityher。