第51章

ThatstoryofJohnFry’s，insteadofcausinganyamusement，gaveusgreatdisquietude；notonlybecauseitshowedthatTomFagguscouldnotresistsuddentemptationandthedelightofwildness，butalsothatwegreatlyfearedlesttheKing’spardonmightbeannulled，andallhiskindnesscancelled，byarecklessdeedofthatsort。Itwastrue(asAnnieinsistedcontinually，evenwithtears，towearinherarguments)

thatTomhadnotbroughtawayanything，exceptthewarrants，whichwereofnouseatall，afterreceiptofthepardon；neitherhadheusedanyviolence，exceptjusttofrightenpeople；butcoulditbeestablished，eventowardsChristmas-time，thatTomhadarighttogivealms，rightandleft，outofotherpeople’smoney？

DearAnnieappearedtobelievethatitcould；sayingthatiftherichcontinuallychosetoforgetthepoor，amanwhoforcedthemtoremember，andsotodogoodtothemselvesandtoothers，wasapublicbenefactor，andentitledtoeveryblessing。ButIknew，andsoLizzieknew——JohnFrybeingnowoutofhearing——thatthiswasnotsoundargument。For，ifitcametothat，anymanmighttaketheKingbythethroat，andmakehimcastawayamongthepoorthemoneywhichhewantedsadlyforHerGracetheDuchess，andthebeautifulCountess，ofthis，andofthat。Lizzie，ofcourse，knewnothingaboutHisMajesty’sdiversions，whichwerenotfitforayoungmaid’sthoughts；butInowputtheformoftheargumentasitoccurredtome。

ThereforeIsaid，onceforall(andbothmysistersalwayslistenedwhenIusedthedeepvoicefrommychest)：

’TomFaggushathdonewrongherein；wrongtohimself，andtoourAnnie。Allheneedhavedonewastoshowhispardon，andthemagistrateswouldhaverejoicedwithhim。Hemighthaveledamostgodlylife，andhavebeenrespectedbyeverybody；andknowinghowbraveTomis，Ithoughtthathewouldhavedoneasmuch。NowifIwereinlovewithamaid’——IputitthusforthesakeofpoorLizzie——’neverwouldIsoimperilmylife，andherfortuneinlifealongwithme，forthesakeofapoordiversion。Aman’sfirstdutyistothewomen，whoareforcedtohanguponhim’——

’Oh，John，notthathorribleword，’criedAnnie，tomygreatsurprise，andseriousinterruption；’oh，John，anywordbutthat!’Andsheburstforthcryingterribly。

’Whatword，Lizzie？Whatdoesthewenchmean？’I

asked，inthesaddestvexation；seeingnogoodtoaskAnnieatall，forshecarriedonmostdreadfully。

’Don’tyouknow，youstupidlout？’saidLizzie，completingmywonderment，bythescornofherquickerintelligence；’ifyoudon’tknow，axeabout？’

Andwiththat，Iwasforcedtobecontent；forLizzietookAnnieinsuchamanner(onpurposetovexme，asI

couldsee)withherheaddroopingdown，andherhaircomingover，andtearsandsobsrisingandfalling，toboot，withouteitherorderorreason，thatseeingnogoodforamantodo(sinceneitherofthemwasLorna)，Ievenwentoutintothecourtyard，andsmokedapipe，andwonderedwhatonearthisthemeaningofwomen。

NowinthisIwaswrongandunreasonable(asallwomenwillacknowledge)；butsometimesamanissoputout，bythewaytheytakeonaboutnothing，thathereallycannothelpthinking，foratleastaminute，thatwomenareamistakeforever，andhenceareforevermistaken。NeverthelessIcouldnotseethatanyofthesegreatthoughtsandideasappliedatalltomyLorna；butthatshewasadifferentbeing；notwomanenoughtodoanythingbad，yetenoughofawomanformantoadore。

Andnowathingcametopasswhichtestedmyadorationprettysharply，inasmuchasIwouldfarlieferfacedCarverDooneandhisfather，nay，eventheroaringlionhimselfwithhishoofsandflamingnostrils，thanhavemet，incoldblood，SirEnsorDoone，thefounderofallthecolony，andthefearoftheveryfiercest。

ButthatIwasforcedtodoatthistime，andinthemannerfollowing。WhenIwentuponemorningtolookformysevenrooks’nests，beholdtherewerebutsixtobeseen；forthetopmostofthemallwasgone，andthemostconspicuous。Ilooked，andlooked，andrubbedmyeyes，andturnedtotrythembyothersights；andthenIlookedagain；yes，therecouldbenodoubtaboutit；

thesignalwasmadeformetocome，becausemylovewasindanger。Formetoenterthevalleynow，duringthebroaddaylight，couldhavebroughtnocomfort，butonlyharmtothemaiden，andcertaindeathtomyself。YetitwasmorethanIcoulddotokeepaltogetheratdistance；thereforeIrantothenearestplacewhereI

couldremainunseen，andwatchedtheglenfromthewoodedheight，forhoursandhours，impatiently。

However，noimpatienceofminemadeanydifferenceinthesceneuponwhichIwasgazing。InthepartofthevalleywhichIcouldsee，therewasnothingmoving，exceptthewater，andafewstolencows，goingsadlyalong，asifknowingthattheyhadnohonestrightthere。Itsankveryheavilyintomyheart，withallthebedsofdeadleavesaroundit，andtherewasnothingIcaredtodo，exceptblowonmyfingers，andlongformorewit。

Forafrostwasbeginning，whichmadeagreatdifferencetoLornaandtomyself，Itrow；aswellastoallthefivemillionpeoplewhodwellinthisislandofEngland；suchafrostasneverIsawbefore，*

neitherhopeevertoseeagain；atimewhenitwasimpossibletomilkacowforicicles，orforamantoshavesomeofhisbeard(asIlikedtodoforLorna’ssake，becauseshewassosmooth)withoutb