第23章

HereuponIgrewsohappyatbeingondrylandagain，andcometolookforLorna，withprettytreesaroundme，thatwhatdidIdobutfallasleepwiththeholly-stickinfrontofme，andmybestcoatsunkinabedofmoss，withwaterandwood-sorrel。MayhapIhadnotdoneso，noryetenjoyedthespringsomuch，ifsobeIhadnottakenthreepartsofagallonofciderathome，atPlover’sBarrows，becauseofthelownessandsinkingeversinceImetMotherMelldrum。

Therewasalittlerunnelgoingsoftlydownbesideme，fallingfromtheupperrockbythemeansofmossandgrass，asifitfearedtomakeanoise，andhadamothersleeping。Nowandthenitseemedtostop，infearofitsowndropping，andwaitforsomeorders；andthebladesofgrassthatstraightenedtoitturnedtheirpointsalittleway，andofferedtheirallegiancetowindinsteadofwater。Yetbeforetheircarklededgesbentmorethanadrivensaw，downthewatercameagainwithheavydropsandpatsofrunning，andbrightangeratneglect。

Thiswasverypleasanttome，nowandthen，togazeat，blinkingasthewaterblinked，andfallingbacktosleepagain。Suddenlymysleepwasbrokenbyashadecastoverme；betweenmeandthelowsunlightLornaDoonewasstanding。

’MasterRidd，areyoumad？’shesaid，andtookmyhandtomoveme。

’Notmad，buthalfasleep，’Ianswered，feigningnottonoticeher，thatsoshemightkeepholdofme。

’Comeaway，comeaway，ifyoucareforlife。Thepatrolwillbeheredirectly。Bequick，MasterRidd，letmehidethee。’

’Iwillnotstirastep，’saidI，thoughbeinginthegreatestfrightthatmightbewellimagined，’unlessyoucallme“John。“’

’Well，John，then——MasterJohnRidd，bequick，ifyouhaveanytocareforyou。’

’Ihavemanythatcareforme，’Isaid，justtoletherknow；’andIwillfollowyou，MistressLorna，albeitwithoutanyhurry，unlesstherebeperiltomorethanme。’

Withoutanotherwordsheledme，thoughwithmanytimidglancestowardstheuppervalley，to，andinto，herlittlebower，wheretheinletthroughtherockwas。I

amalmostsurethatIspokebefore(thoughIcannotnowgoseekforit，andmymemoryisbutaworn-outtub)ofacertaindeepandperilouspit，inwhichIwasliketodrownmyselfthroughhurryandfrightofboyhood。AndeventhenIwonderedgreatly，andwasvexedwithLornaforsendingmeinthatheedlessmannerintosuchanentrance。Butnowitwasclearthatshehadbeenrightandthefaultmineownentirely；fortheentrancetothepitwasonlytohefoundbyseekingit。Insidethenicheofnativestone，theplainestthingofalltosee，atanyratebydaylight，wasthestairwayhewnfromrock，andleadingupthemountain，bymeansofwhichIhadescaped，asbeforerelated。Totherightsideofthiswasthemouthofthepit，stilllookingveryformidable；thoughLornalaughedatmyfearofit，forshedrewherwaterthence。Butontheleftwasanarrowcrevice，verydifficulttoespy，andhavingasweepofgreyivylaid，likeaslouchingbeaver，overit。Amanherecomingfromthebrightnessoftheouterair，witheyesdazedbythetwilight，wouldneverthinkofseeingthisandfollowingittoitsmeaning。

Lornaraisedthescreenforme，butIhadmuchadotopass，onaccountofbulkandstature。Insteadofbeingproudofmysize(asitseemedtomesheoughttobe)

LornalaughedsoquietlythatIwasreadytoknockmyheadorelbowsagainstanything，andsaynomoreaboutit。However，Igotthroughatlastwithoutawordofcompliment，andbrokeintothepleasantroom，theloneretreatofLorna。

Thechamberwasofunhewnrock，round，asnearasmightbe，eighteenortwentyfeetacross，andgaywithrichvarietyoffernandmossandlichen。Thefernwasinitswinterstill，orcoilingforthespring-tide；butmosswasinabundantlife，somefeathering，andsomegobleted，andsomewithfringeofredtoit。Overheadtherewasnoceilingbuttheskyitself，flakedwithlittlecloudsofAprilwhitelywanderingoverit。Thefloorwasmadeofsoftlowgrass，mixedwithmossandprimroses；andinanicheofsheltermovedthedelicatewood-sorrel。Hereandthere，aroundthesides，were’chairsoflivingstone，’assomeLatinwritersays，whosenamehasquiteescapedme；andinthemidstatinyspringarose，withcrystalbeadsinit，andasoftvoiceasofalaughingdream，anddimpleslikeasleepingbabe。Then，aftergoingroundalittle，withsurpriseofdaylight，thewateroverwelledtheedge，andsoftlywentthroughlinesoflighttoshadowsandanuntoldbourne。

WhileIwasgazingatallthesethingswithwonderandsomesadness，Lornaturneduponmelightly(ashermannerwas)andsaid，——

’Wherearethenew-laideggs，MasterRidd？Orhathbluehenceasedlaying？’

Ididnotaltogetherlikethewayinwhichshesaiditwithasortofdialect，asifmyspeechcouldbelaughedat。

’Herebesome，’Ianswered，speakingasifinspiteofher。’Iwouldhavebroughttheetwiceasmany，butthatIfearedtocrushtheminthenarrowways