第18章

However，whenthemulledwinewascome，andagooddealofitgone(theseasonbeingEpiphany)，UncleReubenbegantothinkthathemighthavebeentoohardwithus。Moreover，hewasbeginningnowtorespectFarmerNicholasbravely，becauseofthewayhehadsmokedhispipes，andthelittlenoisemadeoverthem。AndLizzieandAnnieweredoingtheirbest——fornowwehadletthegirlsout——towakemorelightsomeuproar；alsoyoungFaithSnowewastowardtokeeptheoldmen’scupsaflow，andhanselthemtotheirliking。

Soatthecloseofourentertainment，whenthegirlsweregoneawaytofetchandlighttheirlanthorns(overwhichtheymaderarenoise，blowingeachtheother’soutforcountingofthesparkstocome)，MasterHuckabackstoodup，withoutmuchaidfromthecrock-

saw，andlookedatmotherandallofus。

’Letnooneleavethisplace，’saidhe，’untilIhavesaidwhatIwanttosay；forsavingofill-willamongus；andgrowthofcheerandcomfort。MaybeIhavecarriedthingstoofar，eventotheboundsofchurlishness，andbeyondtheboundsofgoodmanners。I

willnotunsayonewordIhavesaid，havingneveryetdonesoinmylife；butIwouldalterthemannerofit，andsetitforthinthislight。IfyoufolksuponExmoorhereareloathandwaryatfighting，yetyouarebraveatbetterstuff；thebestandkindestIeverknew，inthematteroffeeding。’

Herehesatdownwithtearsinhiseyes，andcalledforalittlemulledbastard。Allthemaids，whowerenowcomeback，racedtogetitforhim，butAnnieofcoursewasforemost。Andhereinendedtheexpedition，aperilousandagreatone，againsttheDoonesofBagworthy；anenterpriseoverwhichwehadalltalkedplainlymorethanwasgoodforus。Formypart，I

sleptwellthatnight，feelingmyselfathomeagain，nowthatthefightingwasputaside，andthefearofitturnedtothecomfortoftalkingwhatwewouldhavedone。

OnthefollowingdayMasterHuckaback，withsomeshowofmystery，demandedfrommymotheranescortintoadangerouspartoftheworld，towhichhisbusinesscompelledhim。MymothermadeanswertothisthathewaskindlywelcometotakeourJohnFrywithhim；atwhichthegoodclothierlaughed，andsaidthatJohnwasnothinglikebigenough，butanotherJohnmustservehisturn，notonlyforhissize，butbecauseifhewerecarriedaway，nostonewouldbeleftunturneduponExmoor，untilheshouldbebroughtbackagain。

Hereuponmymothergrewverypale，andfoundfiftyreasonsagainstmygoing，eachofthemweightierthanthetrueone，asEliza(whowasjealousofme)managedtowhispertoAnnie。Ontheotherhand，Iwasquiteresolved(directlythethingwasmentioned)toseeUncleReubenthroughwithit；anditaddedmuchtomyself-esteemtobetheguardofsorichaman。

ThereforeIsoonpersuadedmother，withherheaduponmybreast，toletmegoandtrustinGod；andafterthatIwasgreatlyvexedtofindthatthisdangerousenterprisewasnothingmorethanavisittotheBarondeWhichehalse，tolayaninformation，andsueawarrantagainsttheDoones，andapossetoexecuteit。

StupidasIalwayshavebeen，andmusteverbenodoubt，IcouldwellhavetoldUncleReubenthathisjourneywasnowiserthanthatofthemenofGotham；

thatheneverwouldgetfromHughdeWhichehalseawarrantagainsttheDoones；moreover，thatifhedidgetone，hisownwigwouldbesingedwithit。ButfordiversreasonsIheldmypeace，partlyfromyouthandmodesty，partlyfromdesiretoseewhateverpleaseGodIshouldsee，andpartlyfromothercauses。

WerodebywayofBrendontown，IllfordBridge，andBabbrook，toavoidthegreathillaboveLynmouth；andthedaybeingfineandclearagain，IlaughedinmysleeveatUncleReubenforallhisfineprecautions。

WhenwearrivedatLeyManor，wewereshownverycivillyintothehall，andrefreshedwithgoodaleandcollaredhead，andthebackofaChristmaspudding。I

hadneverbeenundersofinearoof(unlessitwereofachurch)before；anditpleasedmegreatlytobesokindlyentreatedbyhigh-bornfolk。ButUncleReubenwasvexedalittleatbeingsetdownsidebysidewithamaninaverysmallwayoftrade，whowascomeuponsomebusinessthere，andwhomadeboldtodrinkhishealthafterfinishingtheirhornsofale。

’Sir，’saidUncleBen，lookingathim，’myhealthwouldfaremuchbetter，ifyouwouldpaymethreepoundsandtwelveshillings，whichyouhaveowedmethesefiveyearsback；andnowwearemetattheJustice’s，theopportunityisgood，sir。’

Afterthat，wewerecalledtotheJustice-room，wheretheBaronhimselfwassittingwithColonelHarding，anotherJusticiaryoftheKing’speace，tohelphim。I

hadseentheBarondeWhichehalsebefore，andwasnotatallafraidofhim，havingbeenatschoolwithhissonasheknew，anditmadehimverykindtome。Andindeedhewaskindtoeverybody，andallourpeoplespokewellofhim；andsomuchthemorebecauseweknewthatthehousewasindecadence。ForthefirstDeWhichehalsehadcomefromHolland，wherehehadbeenagreatnobleman，somehundredandfiftyyearsagone。

Beingpersecutedforhisreligion，whentheSpanishpowerwaseverything，hefledtoEnglandwithallhecouldsave，andboughtlargeestatesinDevonshire。

Sincethenhisdescendantshadintermarriedwithancientcountyfamilies，Cottwells，andMarwoods，andWalronds，andWelsesofPylton，andChichestersofHall；andseveraloftheladiesbroughtthemlargeincreaseofproperty。AndsoaboutfiftyyearsbeforethetimeofwhichIamwriting，therewerefewnamesintheWestofEnglandthoughtmoreofthanDeWhichehalse。Butnowtheyhadlostagreatdealofland，andthereforeofthatwhichgoeswithland，assurelyasfamebelongstoearth——Imeanbigreputation。

Howtheyhadlostit，nonecouldtell；exceptthatasthefirstdescendantshadamannerofamassing，sothelateronesweregiftedwithapowerofscattering。

WhetherthiscameofgoodDevonshirebloodopeningthesluiceofLowCountryveins，isbeyondbothmyprovinceandmypowertoinquire。Anyhow，allpeoplelovedthislaststrainofDeWhichehalsefarmorethanthenamehadbeenlikedahundredyearsagone。

HughdeWhichehalse，awhite-hairedman，ofverynoblepresence，withfriendlyblueeyesandasweetsmoothforehead，andaquilinenosequitebeautiful(asyoumightexpectinaladyofbirth)，andthinlipscurvingdelicately，thisgentlemanroseasweenteredtheroom；

whileColonelHardingturnedonhischair，andstruckonespuragainsttheother。Iamsurethat，withoutknowingaughtofeither，wemusthavereverencedmoreofthetwotheonewhoshowedrespecttous。Andyetninegentlemanoutoftenmakethisdullmistakewhendealingwiththeclassbelowthem!

UncleReubenmadehisverybestscrape，andthenwalkeduptothetable，tryingtolookasifhedidnotknowhimselftobewealthierthanboththegentlemenputtogether。Ofcoursehewasnostrangertothem，anymorethanIwas；and，asitprovedafterwards，ColonelHardingowedhimalumpofmoney，uponverygoodsecurity。OfhimUncleReubentooknonotice，butaddressedhimselftoDeWhichehalse。

TheBaronsmiledverygently，sosoonashelearnedthecauseofthisvisit，andthenherepliedquitereasonably。

’AwarrantagainsttheDoones，MasterHuckaback。WhichoftheDoones，sopleaseyou；andtheChristiannames，whatbethey？’

’Mylord，Iamnottheirgodfather；andmostliketheyneverhadany。ButweallknowoldSirEnsor’sname，sothatmaybenoobstacle。’

’SirEnsorDooneandhissons——sobeit。Howmanysons，MasterHuckaback，andwhatisthenameofeachone？’

’HowcanItellyou，mylord，evenifIhadknownthemallaswellasmyownshop-boys？Neverthelessthereweresevenofthem，andthatshouldbenoobstacle。’

’AwarrantagainstSirEnsorDoone，andsevensonsofSirEnsorDoone，Christiannamesunknown，anddoubtediftheyhaveany。SofarsogoodMasterHuckaback。I

haveitalldowninwriting。SirEnsorhimselfwasthere，ofcourse，asyouhavegiveninevidence——’

’No，no，mylord，Ineversaidthat：Ineversaid——’

’Ifhecanprovethathewasnotthere，youmaybeindictedforperjury。Butasforthosesevensonsofhis，ofcourseyoucanswearthattheywerehissonsandnothisnephews，orgrandchildren，orevennoDoonesatall？’

’Mylord，IcanswearthattheywereDoones。Moreover，IcanpayforanymistakeImake。Thereinneedbenoobstacle。’

’Oh，yes，hecanpay；hecanpaywellenough，’saidColonelHardingshortly。

’Iamheartilygladtohearit，’repliedtheBaronpleasantly；’foritprovesafterallthatthisrobbery(ifrobberytherehasbeen)wasnotsoveryruinous。

Sometimespeoplethinktheyarerobbed，andthenitisverysweetafterwardstofindthattheyhavenotbeenso；foritaddstotheirjoyintheirproperty。Now，areyouquiteconvinced，goodsir，thatthesepeople(iftherewereany)stole，ortook，orevenborrowedanythingatallfromyou？’

’Mylord，doyouthinkthatIwasdrunk？’

’Notforamoment，MasterHuckaback。Althoughexcusemightbemadeforyouatthistimeoftheyear。Buthowdidyouknowthatyourvisitorswereofthisparticularfamily？’

’Becauseitcouldbenobodyelse。Because，inspiteofthefog——’

’Fog!’criedColonelHardingsharply。

’Fog!’saidtheBaron，withemphasis。’Ah，thatexplainsthewholeaffair。Tobesure，nowIremember，theweatherhasbeentoothickforamantoseetheheadofhisownhorse。TheDoones(ifstilltherebeanyDoones)couldneverhavecomeabroad；thatisassureassimony。MasterHuckaback，foryourgoodsake，Iamheartilygladthatthischargehasmiscarried。I

thoroughlyunderstanditnow。Thefogexplainsthewholeofit。’

’Goback，mygoodfellow，’saidColonelHarding；’andifthedayisclearenough，youwillfindallyourthingswhereyouleftthem。Iknow，frommyownexperience，whatitistobecaughtinanExmoorfog。’

UncleReuben，bythistime，wassoputout，thathehardlyknewwhathewassaying。

’Mylord，SirColonel，isthisyourjustice!IfIgotoLondonmyselfforit，theKingshallknowhowhiscommission——howamanmayberobbed，andthejusticesprovethatheoughttobehangedatbackofit；thatinhisgoodshireofSomerset——’

’Yourpardonamoment，goodsir，’DeWhichehalseinterruptedhim；’butIwasabout(havingheardyourcase)tomentionwhatneedbeanobstacle，and，Ifear，wouldproveafatalone，evenifsatisfactoryproofwereaffordedofafelony。Themal-feasance(ifany)

waslaidinSomerset；butwe，twohumbleservantsofHisMajesty，areincommissionofhispeaceforthecountyofDevononly，andthereforecouldneverdealwithit。’

’Andwhy，inthenameofGod，’criedUncleReubennowcarriedatlastfairlybeyondhimself，’whycouldyounotsayasmuchatfirst，andsavemeallthiswasteoftimeandworryofmytemper？Gentlemen，youareallinleague；allofyousticktogether。Youthinkitfairsportforanhonesttrader，whomakesnoshamsasyoudo，toberobbedandwellnighmurdered，solongastheywhodiditwonthehighbirthrightoffelony。Ifapoorsheepstealer，tosavehischildrenfromdyingofstarvation，haddaredtolookatatwo-monthlamb，hewouldswingontheManorgallows，andallofyoucry“Goodriddance!“Butnow，becausegoodbirthandbadmanners——’HerepoorUncleBen，notbeingsostrongasbeforetheDooneshadplayedwithhim，begantofoamatthemouthalittle，andhistonguewentintothehollowwherehisshortgreywhiskerswere。

Iforgethowwecameoutofit，onlyIwasgreatlyshockedatbeardingofthegentryso，andmotherscarcecouldseeherway，whenItoldherallaboutit。

’Dependuponityouwerewrong，John，’wasallIcouldgetoutofher；thoughwhathadIdonebutlisten，andtouchmyforelock，whencalledupon。’John，youmaytakemywordforit，youhavenotdoneasyoushouldhavedone。YourfatherwouldhavebeenshockedtothinkofgoingtoBarondeWhichehalse，andinhisownhouseinsultinghim!AndyetitwasverybraveofyouJohn。Justlikeyou，allover。And(asnoneofthemenarehere，dearJohn)Iamproudofyoufordoingit。’

Allthroughoutthehomewardroad，UncleBenhadbeenverysilent，feelingmuchdispleasedwithhimselfandstillmoresowithotherpeople。Butbeforehewenttobedthatnight，hejustsaidtome，’NephewJack，youhavenotbehavedsobadlyastheresttome。Andbecauseyouhavenogiftoftalking，IthinkthatImaytrustyou。Now，markmywords，thisvillainjobshallnothaveendinghere。Ihaveanothercardtoplay。’

’Youmean，sir，Isuppose，thatyouwillgotothejusticesofthisshire，SquireMaunder，orSirRichardBlewitt，or——’