第38章

Isawatoncethatitwasvaintomakeanypursuitbymoonlight；andresolvingtoholdmyowncounselaboutit(thoughpuzzlednotalittle)andtokeepwatchthereanothernight，backIreturnedtothetallatt-ladder，andsleptwithoutleavingofftillmorning。

Nowmanypeoplemaywishtoknow，asindeedImyselfdidverygreatly，whathadbroughtMasterHuckabackoverfromDulverton，atthattimeofyear，whentheclothingbusinesswasmostactiveonaccountofharvestwages，andwhenthenewwheatwasbeginningtosamplefromtheearlypartsupthecountry(forhemeddledaswellincorn-dealing)andwhenwecouldnotattendtohimproperlybyreasonofouroccupation。Andyetmoresurprisingitseemedtomethatheshouldhavebroughthisgranddaughteralso，insteadofthetroopofdragoons，withoutwhichhehadvowedhewouldnevercomehereagain。Andhowhehadmanagedtoenterthehousetogetherwithhisgranddaughter，andbesittingquiteathomeintheparlourthere，withoutanyknowledgeorevensuspiciononmypart。Thatlastquestionwaseasilysolved，formotherherselfhadadmittedthembymeansofthelittlepassage，duringachorusoftheharvest-songwhichmighthavedrownedanearthquake：butasforhismeaningandmotive，andapparentneglectofhisbusiness，nonebuthimselfcouldinterpretthem；andashedidnotseefittodoso，wecouldnotberudeenoughtoinquire。

Heseemedinnohurrytotakehisdeparture，thoughhisvisitwassoinconvenienttous，ashimselfindeedmusthavenoticed：andpresentlyLizzie，whowasthesharpestamongus，saidinmyhearingthatshebelievedhehadpurposelytimedhisvisitsothathemighthavelibertytopursuehisownobject，whatsoeveritwere，withoutinterruptionfromus。MothergazedharduponLizzieatthis，havingformedaverydifferentopinion；

butAnnieandmyselfagreedthatitwasworthlookinginto。

Nowhowcouldwelookintoit，withoutwatchingUncleReuben，wheneverhewentabroad，andtryingtocatchhiminhisspeech，whenhewastakinghiseaseatnight。For，inspiteofallthedisgustwithwhichhehadspokenofharvestwassailing，therewasnotamancomingintoourkitchenwholikeditbetterthanhedid；onlyinaquietway，andwithouttoomanywitnesses。Nowtoendeavourtogetatthepurposeofanyguest，evenatreacherousone(whichwehadnorighttothinkUncleReuben)bymeansofobservinghiminhiscups，isathingwhicheventhelowestofpeoplewouldregardwithabhorrence。Andtomyminditwasnotclearwhetheritwouldbefair-playatalltofollowavisitorevenatadistancefromhomeandclearofourpremises；exceptforthepurposeoffetchinghimback，andgivinghimmoretogoonwith。Neverthelesswecouldnotbutthink，thetimesbeingwildanddisjointed，thatUncleBenwasnotusingfairlythepartofaguestinourhouse，tomakelongexpeditionsweknewnotwhither，andinvolveusintroubleweknewnotwhat。

ForhismodewasdirectlyafterbreakfasttopraytotheLordalittle(whichusednottobehispractice)，andthentogoforthuponDolly，thewhichwasourAnnie’spony，veryquietandrespectful，withabagofgoodvictualshungbehindhim，andtwogreatcavalrypistolsinfront。Andhealwaysworehismeanestclothesasifexpectingtoberobbed，ortodisarmthetemptationthereto；andhenevertookhisgoldenchronometerneitherhisbagofmoney。Somuchthegirlsfoundoutandtoldme(forIwasneverathomemyselfbyday)；andtheyverycraftilyspurredmeon，havinglessnobleideasperhaps，tohituponUncleReuben’strack，andfollow，andseewhatbecameofhim。

Forheneverreturneduntildarkormore，justintimetobeinbeforeus，whowerecominghomefromtheharvest。AndthenDollyalwaysseemedveryweary，andstainedwithamuckfrombeyondourparish。

ButIrefusedtofollowhim，notonlyforthelossofaday’sworktomyself，andatleasthalfadaytotheothermen，butchieflybecauseIcouldnotthinkthatitwouldbeuprightandmanly。ItwasallverywelltocreepwarilyintothevalleyoftheDoones，andheedeverythingaroundme，bothbecausetheywerepublicenemies，andalsobecauseIriskedmylifeateverystepItookthere。Butastotrackingafeebleoldman(howeversubtlehemightbe)，aguestmoreoverofourown，andarelativethroughmymother——’Onceforall，’