第24章

’AndoftenwhenIwakeatnight，andlistentothesilence，orwanderfarfrompeopleinthegraynessoftheevening，orstandandlookatquietwaterhavingshadowsoverit，somevagueimageseemstohoverontheskirtofvision，everchangingplaceandoutline，everflittingasIfollow。Thissomovesandhurriesme，intheeagernessandlonging，thatstraightwayallmychanceislost；andmemory，scaredlikeawildbird，flies。OramIasachildperhaps，chasingaflowncageling，whoamongthebranchesfreeplaysandpeepsattheofferedcage(asahomenottobeurgedonhim)，andmeanstotakehistimeofcoming，ifhecomesatall？

’OftentooIwonderattheoddsoffortune，whichmademe(helplessasIam，andfondofpeaceandreading)

theheiressofthismaddomain，thesanctuaryofunholiness。ItisnotlikelythatIshallhavemuchpowerofauthority；andyettheCounsellorcreepsuptobemyLordoftheTreasury；andhissonaspirestomyhand，asofaRoyalalliance。Well，“honouramongthieves，“theysay；andmineisthefirsthonour：

althoughamongdecentfolkperhaps，honestyisbetter。

’Weshouldnotbesoquiethere，andsafefrominterruptionbutthatIhavebeggedoneprivilegeratherthancommandedit。Thiswasthatthelowerend，justthisnarrowingofthevalley，whereitismosthardtocomeat，mightbelookeduponasmine，exceptforpurposesofguard。Thereforenonebesidethesentriesevertrespassonmehere，unlessitbemygrandfather，ortheCounsellororCarver。

’Byyourface，MasterRidd，IseethatyouhaveheardofCarverDoone。Forstrengthandcourageandresourcehebearsthefirstreputeamongus，asmightwellbeexpectedfromthesonoftheCounsellor。Buthediffersfromhisfather，inbeingveryhotandsavage，andquitefreefromargument。TheCounsellor，whoismyuncle，giveshissonthebestadvice；commendingallthevirtues，witheloquenceandwisdom；yethimselfabstainingfromthemaccuratelyandimpartially。

’Youmustbetiredofthisstory，andthetimeItaketothink，andtheweaknessofmytelling；butmylifefromdaytodayshowssolittlevariance。AmongtheridersthereisnonewhosesafereturnIwatchfor——I

meannonemorethanother——andindeedthereseemsnorisk，allarenowsofearedofus。NeitheroftheoldmenistherewhomIcanrevereorlove(exceptalonemygrandfather，whomIlovewithtrembling)：neitherofthewomenanywhomIliketodealwith，unlessitbealittlemaidenwhomIsavedfromstarving。

’AlittleCornishgirlsheis，andshapedinwesternmanner，notsoverymuchlessinwidththanifyoutakeherlengthwise。Herfatherseemstohavebeenaminer，aCornishman(asshedeclares)ofmorethanaverageexcellence，andbetterthananytwomentobefoundinDevonshire，oranyfourinSomerset。Veryfewthingscanhavebeenbeyondhispowerofperformance，andyethelefthisdaughtertostarveuponapeat-rick。Shedoesnotknowhowthiswasdone，andlooksuponitasamystery，themeaningofwhichwillsomedaybeclear，andredoundtoherfather’shonour。HisnamewasSimonCarfax，andhecameasthecaptainofagangfromoneoftheCornishstannaries。GwennyCarfax，myyoungmaid，wellremembershowherfatherwasbroughtupfromCornwall。Hermotherhadbeenburied，justaweekorsobefore；andhewassadaboutit，andhadbeenoffhiswork，andwasreadyforanotherjob。Thenpeoplecametohimbynight，andsaidthathemustwantachange，andeverybodylosttheirwives，andworkwasthewaytomendit。Sowhatwithgrief，andover-thought，andtheinsideofasquarebottle，Gwennysaystheybroughthimoff，tobecomeamightycaptain，andchoosethecountryround。Thelastshesawofhimwasthis，thathewentdownaladdersomewhereonthewildsofExmoor，leavingherwithbreadandcheese，andhistravelling-hattoseeto。Andfromthatdaytothishenevercameabovethegroundagain；sofaraswecanhearof。

’ButGwenny，holdingtohishat，andhavingeatenthebreadandcheese(whenhecamenomoretohelpher)，dweltthreedaysnearthemouthofthehole；andthenitwasclosedover，thewhilethatshewassleeping。

Withweaknessandwithwantoffood，shelostherselfdistressfully，andwentawayformilesormore，andlayuponapeat-rick，todiebeforetheravens。

’ThatverydayIchancedtoreturnfromAuntSabina’sdying-place；forshewouldnotdieinGlenDoone，shesaid，lesttheangelsfearedto