第49章

First，andmostostensibly，toseetothelevyingofpoundageinthelittlehavenofLynmouth，andfartherupthecoast，whichwasnowbecomingaplaceofresortforthefolkwhomwecallsmugglers，thatistosay，wholandtheirgoodswithoutregardtoKing’srevenueasbylawestablished。Andindeedtherehadbeennoofficerappointedtotaketoll，untilonehadbeensenttoMinehead，notsoverylongbefore。Theexciseaswell(whichhadbeenorderedinthetimeoftheLongParliament)hadbeenlittleheededbythepeoplehereabouts。

Second，hisdutywas(thoughonlytheDooneshaddiscoveredit)towatchthoseoutlawsnarrowly，andreportoftheirmanners(whichwerescanty)，doings(whichweretoomanifold)，reputation(whichwasexecrable)，andpolitics，whethertruetotheKingandthePope，orotherwise。

JeremyStickles’thirdbusinesswasentirelypolitical；

tolearnthetemperofourpeopleandthegentlefamilies，towatchthemovementsofthetrainedbands(whichcouldnotalwaysbetrusted)，todiscoveranycollectingofarmsanddrillingofmenamongus，toprevent(ifneedwere，byopenforce)anyimportationofgunpowder，ofwhichtherehadbeensomerumour；inaword，toobserveandforestalltheenemy。

Nowinprovidingforthislast-mentionedservice，theGovernmenthadmadeagreatmistake，doubtlessthroughtheiranxietytoescapeanypublicattention。Forallthedisposableforceattheiremissary’scommandamountedtonomorethanascoreofmusketeers，andthesesodividedalongthecoastasscarcelytosufficeforthedutyofsentinels。Heheldacommission，itistrue，fortheemploymentofthetrain-bands，butupontheunderstandingthathewasnottocalluponthem(exceptasalastresource)，foranypoliticalobject；

althoughhemightusethemagainsttheDoonesasprivatecriminals，iffoundneedful；andsupposingthathecouldgetthem。

’Soyousee，John，’hesaidinconclusion，’Ihavemoreworkthantoolstodoitwith。IamheartilysorryI

everacceptedsuchamixedandmeagrecommission。Atthebottomofitlies(Iamwellconvinced)notonlythedesiretokeepthingsquiet，butthepaltryjealousyofthemilitarypeople。BecauseIamnotaColonel，forsooth，oraCaptaininHisMajesty’sservice，itwouldneverdototrustmewithacompanyofsoldiers!AndyettheywouldnotsendeitherColonelorCaptain，forfearofastirintherusticmind。TheonlythingthatIcandowithanychanceofsuccess，istoroutoutthesevileDoonefellows，andburntheirhousesovertheirheads。Nowwhatthinkyouofthat，JohnRidd？’

’DestroythetownoftheDoones，’Isaid，’andalltheDoonesinsideit!Surely，Jeremy，youwouldneverthinkofsuchacruelactasthat!’

’Acruelact，John!Itwouldbeamercyforatleastthreecounties。Nodoubtyoufolk，wholivesonear，arewellaccustomedtothem，andwouldmissyourlivelinessincominghomeafternightfall，andthejoyoffindingyoursheepandcattleright，whenyounotexpectedit。Butafterawhileyoumightgetusedtothedullnessofbeingsafeinyourbeds，andnotlosingyoursistersandsweethearts。Surely，onthewhole，itisaspleasantnottoberobbedastoberobbed。’

’Ithinkweshouldmissthemverymuch，’Iansweredafterconsideration；forthepossibilityofhavingnoDooneshadneveryetoccurredtome，andweallweresothoroughlyusedtothem，andallowedforitinouryear’sreckoning；’Iamsureweshouldmissthemverysadly；andsomethingworsewouldcomeofit。’

’ThouartthestaunchestofallstaunchTories，’criedStickles，laughing，asheshookmyhand；’thoubelievestinthedivinerightofrobbers，whoaregoodenoughtostealthyownfatsheep。IamajollyTory，John，butthouarttentimesjollier：oh!thegriefinthyfaceatthethoughtofbeingrobbednolonger!’

Helaughedinaveryunseemlymanner；whileIdescriednothingtolaughabout。Forwealwaysliketoseeourway；andasuddenchangeupsetsus。Andunlessitwereinthelossofthefarm，orthedeathoftheKing，orofBettyMuxworthy，therewasnothingthatcouldsounsettleourmindsasthelossoftheDoonesofBagworthy。

Andbesideallthis，Iwasthinking，ofcourse，andthinkingmorethanalltherest，aboutthetroublesthatmightensuetomyownbelovedLorna。IfanattackofGlenDooneweremadebysavagesoldiersandrudetrain-bands，whatmighthappen，orwhatmightnot，tomydelicate，innocentdarling？Therefore，whenJeremySticklesagainplacedthematterbeforeme，commendingm