第16章

IthadbeensettledbetweenusthatweshouldexpecthimsoonafternoononthelastdayofDecember。FortheDoonesbeinglazyandfondofbed，asthemannerisofdishonestfolk，thesurestwaytoescapethemwastotravelbeforetheywereupandabout，to-wit，intheforenoonoftheday。Buthereinwereckonedwithoutourhost：forbeinginhighfestivity，asbecamegoodPapists，therobbersweretoolazy，itseems，totakethetroubleofgoingtobed；andforththeyrodeontheOldYear-morning，notwithanyviewofbusiness，butpurelyinsearchofmischief。

Wehadputoffourdinnertilloneo’clock(whichtomewasasadforegoing)，andtherewastobeabravesupperatsixoftheclock，uponNewYear’s-eve；andthesingerstocomewiththeirlanthorns，anddoitoutsidetheparlour-window，andthenhavehotcuptilltheirheadsshouldgoround，aftermakingawaywiththevictuals。ForalthoughtherewasnobodynowinourfamilytobechurchwardenofOare，itwaswelladmittedthatwewerethepeopleentitledalonetothatdignity；

andthoughNicholasSnowewasinofficebyname，hemanageditonlybymother’sadvice；andaprettymesshemadeofit，sothateveryonelongedforaRiddagain，soonaseverIshouldbeoldenough。ThisNicholasSnowewastocomeintheevening，withhisthreetallcomelydaughters，strappinggirls，andwellskilledinthedairy；andthestorywasallovertheparish，onastupidconceitofJohnFry’s，thatI

shouldhavebeeninlovewithallthree，iftherehadbeenbutoneofthem。TheseSnowesweretocome，andcometheydid，partlybecauseMr。Huckabacklikedtoseefineyoungmaidens，andpartlybecausenonebutNicholasSnowecouldsmokeapipenowallaroundourparts，exceptoftheveryhighpeople，whomwedurstneverinvite。AndUncleBen，asweallknewwell，wasagreathandathispipe，andwouldsitforhoursoverit，inourwarmchimney-corner，andneverwanttosayaword，unlessitwereinsidehim；onlyhelikedtohavesomebodythereoveragainsthimsmoking。

NowwhenIcamein，beforeoneo’clock，afterseeingtothecattle——forthedaywasthickerthanever，andwemustkeepthecattlecloseathome，ifwewishedtoseeanymoreofthem——IfullyexpectedtofindUncleBensittinginthefireplace，liftingonecoverandthenanother，ashisfavouritemannerwas，andmakingsweetmouthsoverthem；forhelovedourbaconrarely，andtheyhadnogoodleeksatDulverton；andhewasamanwhoalwayswouldseehisbusinessdonehimself。Butthereinsteadofmyfindinghimwithhisquaintdryfacepulledoutatme，andthenshutupsharpnottobecheated——whoshouldrunoutbutBettyMuxworthy，andpokemewithasaucepanlid。

’Getoutofthatnow，Betty，’Isaidinmypolitestmanner，forreallyBettywasnowbecomeagreatdomesticevil。Shewouldhaveherownwayso，andofallthingsthemostdistressfulwasforamantotrytoreason。

’Zider-press，’criedBettyagain，forshethoughtitafinejoketocallmethat，becauseofmysize，andmyhatredofit；’herebeararegetup，anyhow。’

’Araregooddinner，youmean，Betty。Well，andIhaveararegoodappetite。’WiththatIwantedtogoandsmellit，andnottostopforBetty。

’Troosttheeforthiccy，JanRidd。Buttheemustkeepitbitlanger，Ireckon。Herbaintcoom，MaisterZiderpress。Whatt’emakofthatnow？’

’DoyoumeantosaythatUncleBenhasnotarrivedyet，Betty？’

’Raived!Iknawsnoutaboutthat，whutherahathofnoo。OnlyItell’e，herbaintcoom。RackonthemDooneseshathgat’un。’

AndBetty，whohatedUncleBen，becausehenevergaveheragroat，andshewasnotallowedtodinewithhim，IamsorrytosaythatBettyMuxworthygrinnedallacross，andpokedmeagainwiththegreasysaucepancover。ButImislikingsotobetreated，strodethroughthekitchenindignantly，forBettybehavedtomeevennow，asifIwereonlyEliza。

’Oh，Johnny，Johnny，’mymothercried，runningoutofthegrandshow-parlour，wherethecaseofstuffedbirdswas，andpeacock-feathers，andthewhiteharekilledbygrandfather；’Iamsogladyouarecomeatlast。

Thereissomethingsadlyamiss，Johnny。’

Motherhaduponherwristssomethingverywonderful，ofthenatureoffal-lalaswesay，andforwhichshehadaninbornturn，beingofgooddraperfamily，andpolishedabovetheyeomanry。NeverthelessIcouldneverbearit，partlybecauseIfeltittobeoutofplaceinourgoodfarm-house，partlybecauseIhatefrippery，partlybecauseitseemedtometohavenothingtodowithfather，andpartlybecauseInevercouldtellthereasonofmyhatingit。Andyetthepoorsoulhadputthemon，nottoshowherhandsoff(whichwereaboveherstation)butsimplyforherchildren’ssake，becauseUncleBenhadgiventhem。Butanotherthing，Inevercouldbearformanorwomantocallme，’Johnny，’’Jack，’or’John，’Icarednotwhich；andthatwashonestenough，andnosmallnessofmethere，Isay。

’Well，mother，whatisthematter，then？’

’Iamsureyouneednotbeangry，Johnny。Ionlyhopeitisnothingtogrieveabout，insteadofbeingangry。

Youareverysweet-tempered，Iknow，JohnRidd，andperhapsalittletoosweetattimes’——hereshemeanttheSnowegirls，andIhangedmyhead——’butwhatwouldyousayifthepeoplethere’——sheneverwouldcallthem’Doones’——’hadgottenyourpoorUncleReuben，horse，andSundaycoat，andall？’

’Why，mother，Ishouldbesorryforthem。Hewouldsetupashopbytheriver-side，andcomeawaywithalltheirmoney。’

’Thatallyouhavetosay，John!Andmydinnerdonetoaveryturn，andthesupperallfittogodown，andnoworry，onlytoeatandbedonewithit!AndallthenewplatescomefromWatchett，withtheWatchettblueuponthem，attheriskofthelivesofeverybody，andthecapiasfromgoodAuntJaneforstuffingacurlewwithonionbeforehebeginstogetcold，andmakeawoodcockofhim，andthewaytoturntheflapoverintheinsideofaroastingpig——’

’Well，motherdear，Iamverysorry。Butletushaveourdinner。Youknowwepromisednottowaitforhimafteroneo’clock；andyouonlymakeushungry。

Everythingwillbespoiled，mother，andwhatapitytothinkof!AfterthatIwillgotoseekforhiminthethickofthefog，likeaneedleinahay-band。Thatistosay，unlessyouthink’——forshelookedverygraveaboutit——’unlessyoureallythink，mother，thatI

oughttogowithoutdinner。’

’Ohno，John，Ineverthoughtthat，thankGod!BlessHimformychildren’sappetites；andwhatisUncleBentothem？’

Sowemadeaverygooddinnerindeed，thoughwishingthathecouldhavesomeofit，andwonderinghowmuchtoleaveforhim；andthen，asnosoundofhishorsehadbeenheard，Isetoutwithmyguntolookforhim。

Ifollowedthetrackonthesideofthehill，fromthefarm-yard，wherethesledd-marksare——forwehavenowheelsuponExmooryet，norevershall，Isuppose；

thoughadunder-headedmantrieditlastwinter，andbrokehisaxlepiteously，andwasnightobreakhisneck——andafterthatIwentallalongontheridgeoftherabbit-cleve，withthebrookrunningthininthebottom；andthendowntotheLynnstreamandleapedit，andsoupthehillandthemoorbeyond。Thefoghungcloseallaroundmethen，whenIturnedthecrestofthehighland，andthegorsebothbeforeandbehindmelookedlikeamancrouchingdowninambush。Butstilltherewasagoodcloudofdaylight，beingscarcethreeoftheclockyet，andwhenaleadofreddeercameacross，Icouldtellthemfromsheepevennow。Iwashalfinclinedtoshootatthem，forthechildrendidlovevenison；buttheydroopedtheirheadsso，andlookedsofaithful，thatitseemedhardmeasuretodoit。Ifoneofthemhadboltedaway，nodoubtIhadletgoathim。

AfterthatIkeptonthetrack，trudgingverystoutly，fornighuponthreemiles，andmybeard(nowbeginningtogrowatsomelength)wasfullofgreatdropsandprickly，whereatIwasveryproud。Ihadnotsomuchasadogwithme，andtheplacewasunkindandlonesome，andtherollingcloudsverydesolate；andnowifawildsheepranacrosshewasscaredatmeasanenemy；andIformypartcouldnottellthemeaningofthemarksonhim。WecalledallthispartGibbet-moor，notbeinginourparish；butthoughthereweregibbetsenoughuponit，mostpartofthebodieswasgoneforthevalueofthechains，theysaid，andtheteachingofyoungchirurgeons。ButofallthisIhadlittlefear，beingnomoreaschoolboynow，butayouthwell-acquaintwithExmoor，andthewiseartofthesign-posts，wherebyaman，whobarredtheroad，nowopensitupbothwayswithhisfinger-bones，sofarasroguesallowhim。Mycarbinewasloadedandfreshlyprimed，andIknewmyselftobeevennowamatchinstrengthforanytwomenofthesizearoundourneighbourhood，exceptintheGlenDoone。’GirtJanRidd，’Iwascalledalready，andfolkgrewfearedtowrestlewithme；thoughIwastiredofhearingaboutit，andoftenlongedtobesmaller。AndmostofalluponSundays，whenIhadtomakewayupourlittlechurch，andthemaidenstitteredatme。

Thesoftwhitemistcamethickeraroundme，astheeveningfell；andthepeatrickshereandthere，andthefurze-hucksofthesummer-time，werealloutofshapeinthetwistofit。By-and-by，IbegantodoubtwhereIwas，orhowcomethere，nothavingseenagibbetlately；andthenIheardthedraughtofthewindupahollowplacewithrockstoit；andforthefirsttimefearbrokeout(likecoldsweat)uponme。AndyetIknewwhatafoolIwas，tofearnothingbutasound!

ButwhenIstoppedtolisten，therewasnosound，morethanabeatingnoise，andthatwasallinsideme。

ThereforeIwentonagain，makingcompanyofmyself，andkeepingmygunquiteready。

NowwhenIcametoanunknownplace，whereastonewassetupendwise，withafaintredcrossuponit，andapolishfromsomeconflict，Igatheredmycouragetostopandthink，havingspedonthewaytoohotly。

AgainstthatstoneIsetmygun，tryingmyspirittoleaveitso，butkeepingwithhalfahandforit；andthenwhattodonextwasthewonder。AsforfindingUncleBenthatwashisownbusiness，oratanyratehisexecutor’s；firstIhadtofindmyself，andplentifullywouldthankGodtofindmyselfathomeagain，forthesakeofallourfamily。

Thevolumesofthemistcamerollingatme(likegreatlogsofwood，pillowedoutwithsleepiness)，andbetweenthemtherewasnothingmorethanwaitingforthenextone。Theneverythingwentoutofsight，andgladwasIofthestonebehindme，andviewofmineownshoes。Thenadistantnoisewentbyme，asofmanyhorsesgalloping，andinmyfrightIsetmygunandsaid，’Godsendsomethingtoshootat。’Yetnothingcame，andmygunfellback，withoutmywilltolowerit。

Butpresently，whileIwasthinking’WhatafoolIam!’

aroseasiffrombelowmyfeet，sothatthegreatstonetrembled，thatlong，lamentinglonesomesound，asofanevilspiritnotknowingwhattodowithit。ForthemomentIstoodlikearoot，withouteitherhandorfoottohelpme，andthehairofmyheadbegantocrawl，liftingmyhat，asasnailliftshishouse；andmyheartlikeashuttlewenttoandfro。Butfindingnoharmtocomeofit，neithervisibleformapproaching，I

wipedmyforehead，andhopedforthebest，andresolvedtoruneverystepoftheway，tillIdrewourownlatchbehindme。

YethereagainIwasdisappointed，fornosoonerwasI

cometothecross-waysbytheblackpoolinthehole，butIheardthroughthepatterofmyownfeetaroughlowsoundverycloseinthefog，asofahobbledsheepa-coughing。Ilistened，andfeared，andyetlistenedagain，thoughIwantednottohearit。Forbeinginhasteofthehomewardroad，andallmyhearthavingheelstoit，loathIwastostopintheduskforthesakeofanagedwether。Yetpartlymyloveofallanimals，andpartlymyfearofthefarmer’sdisgrace，compelledmetogotothesuccour，andthenoisewascomingnearer。Adryshortwheezingsounditwas，barredwithcoughsandwantofbreath；butthusImadethemeaningofit。

’Lordhavemercyuponme!OLord，uponmysoulhavemercy!AnifIcheatedSamHickslastweek，Lordknowesthowwellhedeservedit，andliedineverystocking’smouth——ohLord，wherebeIa-going？’

Thesewords，withmanyjogsbetweenthem，cametomethroughthedarkness，andthenalonggroanandachoking。Imadetowardsthesound，asnighaseverI

couldguess，andpresentlywasmet，point-blank，bytheheadofamountain-pony。Uponitsbacklayamanbounddown，withhisfeetontheneckandhisheadtothetail，andhisarmsfallingdownlikestirrups。Thewildlittlenagwasscaredofitslifebytheunaccustomedburden，andhadbeentossingandrollinghard，indesiretogeteaseofit。

Beforethelittlehorsecouldturn，Icaughthim，jadedashewas，byhiswetandgrizzledforelock，andhesawthatitwasvaintostruggle，butstrovetobitemenonetheless，untilIsmotehimuponthenose。

’Goodandworthysir，’Isaidtothemanwhowasridingsoroughly；’fearnothing；noharmshallcometothee。’

’Help，goodfriend，whoeverthouart，’hegasped，butcouldnotlookatme，becausehisneckwasjerkedso；