第75章

Thesetwoveryworthyfellows——nay，morethanthatbytheirownaccount，beingdownrightmartyrs——werecome，forthepublicbenefit，fromtheCourtofChancery，sittingforeverybody’sgood，andboldlyredressingevil。ThiscourthasapowerofscentunknowntotheCommon-lawpractitioners，andslowlyyetsurelytracksitsgame；evenasthegreatlumberingdogs，nowintroducedfromSpain，andcalledbysomepeople’pointers，’differfromtheswiftgaze-hound，whoseeshispreyandrunshimdowninthemannerofthecommonlawyers。Ifaman’sillfateshoulddrivehimtomakeachoicebetweenthesetwo，lethimratherbechasedbythehoundsoflaw，thantrackedbythedogsofEquity。

Now，asitfellinaveryblackday(forallexceptthelawyers)HisMajesty’sCourtofChancery，ifthatbewhatitcalleditself，gainedscentofpoorLorna’slife，andofallthatmightbemadeofit。Whetherthroughthatbraveyounglordwhoranintosuchperil，orthroughanyofhisfriends，orwhetherthroughthatdeepoldCounsellor，whosegamenonemightpenetrate；

orthroughanydisclosuresoftheItalianwoman，orevenofJeremyhimself；nonejustnowcouldtellus；

onlythistruthwastooclear——ChanceryhadheardofLorna，andthenhadseenhowrichshewas；andneverdelayinginonething，hadopenedmouth，andswallowedher。

TheDoones，withashareofthatdryhumourwhichwasinthemhereditary，hadwelcomedthetwoapparitors(ifthatbethepropernameforthem)andledthemkindlydownthevalley，andtoldthemthentoservetheirwrit。Mislikingthelookofthings，thesepoormenbegantofumbleamongtheirclothes；uponwhichtheDoonescried，’offwiththem!Letusseeifyourmessageheonyourskins。’Andwithnomoremannersthanthat，theystripped，andlashedthemoutofthevalley；onlybiddingthemcometous，iftheywantedLornaDoone；andtoustheycameaccordingly。Neitherweretheysureatfirstbutthatweshouldtreatthemso；fortheyhadnoknowledgeofthewestcountry，andthoughtitquiteagodlessplace，whereinnowritwasholy。

Wehowevercomfortedandcheeredthemsoconsiderably，that，ingratitude，theyshowedtheirwrits，towhichtheyhadstucklikeleeches。Andtheseweretwofold；

oneaddressedtoMistressLornaDoone，socalled，andbiddingherkeepinreadinesstotravelwhenevercalledupon，andcommitherselftonobody，excepttheaccreditedmessengersoftherighthonourableCourt；

whiletheotherwasaddressedtoallsubjectsofHisMajesty，havingcustodyofLornaDoone，oranypoweroverher。Andthislastthreatenedandexhorted，andheldouthopesofrecompense，ifshewererenderedtruly。MymotherandIheldconsultation，overboththesedocuments，withamixtureofsomewrathandfear，andaforkofgreatsorrowtostirthem。AndnowhavingJeremyStickles’sleave，whichhegavewithanodwhenItoldhimall，andatlastmadehimunderstandit，IlaidbaretomymotheraswellwhatI

knew，aswhatImerelysurmised，orguessed，concerningLorna’sparentage。Allthisshereceivedwithgreattears，andwonder，andferventthankstoGod，andstillmoreferventpraiseofherson，whohadnothingwhatevertodowithit。However，nowthequestionwas，howtoactaboutthesewrits。AndhereinitwasmostunluckythatwecouldnothaveMasterStickles，withhisknowledgeoftheworld，andespeciallyofthelaw-courts，toadviseuswhattodo，andtohelpindoingit。AndfirstlyofthefirstIsaid，’Wehaveroguestodealwith；buttrywenottoroguethem。’

Tothis，insomemeasure，dearmotheragreed，thoughshecouldnotseethejusticeofit，yetthoughtthatitmighthewiser，becauseofourwantofpractice。

AndthenIsaid，’NowweareboundtotellLorna，andtoservehercitationuponher，whichthesegoodfellowshavegivenus。’

’Thengo，anddoitthyself，myson，’motherrepliedwithamournfulsmile，misdoubtingwhattheendmightbe。SoItooktheslipofbrownparchment，andwenttoseekmydarling。

Lornawasinherfavouriteplace，thelittlegardenwhichshetendedwithsuchcareanddiligence。Seeinghowthemaidenlovedit，andwashappythere，Ihadlabouredhardtofenceitfromthedangersofthewood。

Andhereshehadcorrectedme，withbettertas