第70章

FiftyfarmslikeourscannevermakeitgoodtoLorna。’

Hereuponensuedgrimsilence。MotherlookedatLizzie’sface，forshecouldnotlookatme；andLizzielookedatme，toknow：andasforme，Icouldhavestampedalmostontheheartofanyone。Itwasnotthevalueofthenecklace——Iamnotsolowahoundasthat——norwasiteventhedamnedfollyshownbyeveryoneofus——itwasthethoughtofLorna’ssorrowforherancientplaything；andevenmore，myfuryatthebreachofhospitality。

ButLornacameuptomesoftly，asawomanshouldalwayscome；andshelaidonehanduponmyshoulder；

andsheonlylookedatme。Sheevenseemedtofeartolook，anddroppedhereyes，andsighedatme。Withoutaword，Iknewbythat，howImusthavelookedlikeSatan；andtheevilspiritleftmyheart；whenshehadmademethinkofit。

’DarlingJohn，didyouwantmetothinkthatyoucaredformymoney，morethanforme？’

Iledherawayfromtherestofthem，beingdesirousofexplainingthings，whenIsawthedepthofhernatureopened，likeaneverlastingwell，tome。Butshewouldnotletmesayaword，ordoanythingbyourselves，asitwere：shesaid，’Yourdutyistoyourmother：thisblowisonher，andnotonme。’

Isawthatshewasright；thoughhowsheknewitisbeyondme；andIaskedherjusttogoinfront，andbringmymotherroundalittle。ForImustletmypassionpass：itmaydropitsweaponsquickly；butitcannotcomeandgo，beforeamanhastimetothink。

ThenLornawentuptomymother，whowasstillinthechairofelegance；andshetookherbybothhands，andsaid，——

’Dearestmother，Ishallfretso，ifIseeyoufretting。Andtofretwillkillme，mother。Theyhavealwaystoldmeso。’

PoormotherbentonLorna’sshoulder，withoutthoughtofattitude，andlaidhercheekonLorna’sbreast，andsobbedtillLizziewasjealous，andcamewithtwopocket-handkerchiefs。Asforme，myheartwaslighter(iftheywouldonlydrytheireyes，andcomeroundbydinnertime)thanithadbeensincethedayonwhichTomFaggusdiscoveredthevalueofthatblessedandcursednecklace。NonecouldsaythatIwantedLornaforhermoneynow。AndperhapstheDooneswouldletmehaveher；nowthatherpropertywasgone。

ButwhoshalltellofAnnie’sgrief？Thepoorlittlethingwouldhavestakedherlifeuponfindingthetrinket，inallitsbeauty，lyingunderthepannikin。

Sheproudlychallengedmetoliftit——whichIhaddone，longerethat，ofcourse——ifonlyIwouldtaketheriskofthespellformyincredulity。Itoldhernottotalkofspells，untilshecouldspellawordbackwards；andthentolookintothepanwherethecharmedcreamshouldbe。Shewouldnotacknowledgethatthecreamwasthesameasalltherestwas：andindeeditwasnotquitethesame，forthepointsofpoorLorna’sdiamondshadmadeafewstar-raysacrosstherichfirmcrustofyellow。

Butwhenweraisedthepannikin，andtherewasnothingunderit，poorAnniefellagainstthewall，whichhadbeenwhitenedlately；andherfaceputallthewhitetoscorn。Mylove，whowasasfondofher，asifshehadknownherforfiftyyears，hereuponranupandcaughther，andabusedalldiamonds。IwilldwellnomoreuponAnnie’sgrief，becausewefeltitallsomuch。

ButIcouldnothelptellingher，ifshewantedawitch，toseekgoodMotherMelldrum，alegitimateperformer。

ThatsamenightMasterJeremyStickles(ofwhoseabsencetheCounsellormusthaveknown)cameback，withallequipmentreadyforthegrandattack。NowtheDoonesknew，quiteaswellaswedid，thatthisattackwasthreatening；andthatbutforthewonderfulweatheritwouldhavebeenmadelongago。Thereforewe，oratleastourpeople(forIwasdoubtfulaboutgoing)，weresuretomeetwithagoodresistance，andduepreparation。

Itwasverystrangetohearandsee，andquiteimpossibletoaccountfor，thatnowsomehundredsofcountrypeople(whofearedtowhispersomuchasawordagainsttheDoonesayearago，andwouldsoonerhavethoughtofattackingachurch，inservicetime，thanGlenDoone)nowsharpenedtheiroldcutlasses，andlaidpitch-forksonthegrindstone，andbraggedateveryvillagecross，asifeachwouldkilltenDooneshimself，neithercaretowipehishandsafterwards。

Andthisfiercebravery，andtallcontempt，hadbeengrowingeversincethenew