第81章

Thewizardthought，butcouldquotenoone；andhelookedatthesaint，andthesaintathim，andboththeirheartsweretrembling。’Canyoumentiononlyone？’askedthesaint，pointingapieceofthetruecrossathim，hopinghemightclingtoit；’evenalittlechildwilldo；trytothinkofsomeone。’

Theearthwasrockingbeneaththeirfeet，andthepalacewindowsdarkenedonthem，withatintofblood，fornowthesaintwascomeinside，hopingtosavethewizard。

’IfImusttellthepuretruth，’saidthewizard，lookingupatthearchesofhiswindows，’IcantellofonlyonetowhomIeverhavedonegood。’

’Onewilldo；oneisquiteenough；bequickbeforethegroundopens。Thenameofone——andthiscrosswillsaveyou。Layyourthumbontheendofit。’

’Nay，thatIcannotdo，greatsaint。Thedevilhavemercyuponme。’

Allthiswhilethepalacewassinking，andblacknesscomingoverthem。

’Thouhastallbutdoneforthyself，’saidthesaint，withagloryburningroundhishead；’bythatlastinvocation。Yetgiveusthenameoftheone，myfriend，ifonetherebe；itwillsavethee，withthecrossuponthybreast。Alliscrashingroundus；dearbrother，whoisthatone？’

’Myownself，’criedthewretchedwizard。

’Thenthereisnohelpforthee。’Andwiththatthehonestsaintwentupward，andthewizard，andallhispalace，andeventhecragthatboreit，sanktothebowelsoftheearth；andoverthemwasnothingleftexceptablackbogfringedwithreed，ofthetintofthewizard’swhiskers。Thesaint，however，wasallright，aftersleepingofftheexcitement；andhefoundedachapel，somethreemileswestward；andtherehelieswithhisholyrelicandthitherinafteragescame(asweallcomehomeatlast)bothmyLorna’sAuntSabina，andherguardianEnsorDoone。

WhileyetIdwelleduponthisstrangestory，wonderingifitallweretrue，andwhysuchthingsdonothappennow，amanonhorsebackappearedassuddenlyasifhehadrisenoutoftheearth，ontheothersideofthegreatblackslough。AtfirstIwasalittlescared，mymindbeinginthetuneforwonders；butpresentlythewhitehair，whiterfromtheblacknessofthebogbetweenus，showedmethatitwasUncleReubencometolookforme，thatway。ThenIleftmychairofrock，andwavedmyhatandshoutedtohim，andthesoundofmyvoiceamongthecragsandlonelycornersfrightenedme。

OldMasterHuckabackmadenoanswer，but(sofarasI

couldguess)beckonedmetocometohim。Therewasjustroombetweenthefringeofreedandthebeltofrockaroundit，foramangoingverycarefullytoescapethathorriblepit-hole。AndsoIwentroundtotheotherside，andtherefoundopenspaceenough，withstuntedbushes，andstarvelingtrees，andstragglingtuftsofrushes。

’Youfool，youarefrightened，’saidUncleBen，ashelookedatmyfaceaftershakinghands：’Iwantayoungmanofsteadfastcourage，aswellasofstrengthandsilence。AndafterwhatIheardofthebattleatGlenDoone，IthoughtImighttrustyouforcourage。’

’Soyoumay，’saidI，’whereverIseemineenemy；butnotwherewitchandwizardbe。’

’Tush，greatfool!’criedMasterHuckaback；’theonlywitchorwizardhereistheonethatbewitchethallmen。Nowfastenupmyhorse，JohnRidd，andnottooneartheslough，lad。Ah，wehavechosenourentrancewisely。Twogoodhorsemen，andtheirhorses，cominghithertospyusout，aregoneminingontheirownaccount(andtheirlastaccountitis)downthisgoodwizard’sbog-hole。’

Withthesewords，UncleReubenclutchedthemaneofhishorseandcamedown，asamandoeswhenhislegsareold；andasImyselfbegintodo，atthistimeofwriting。Iofferedahand，buthewasvexed，andwouldhavenoughttodowithit。

’Nowfollowme，stepforstep，’hesaid，whenIhadtetheredhishorsetoatree；’thegroundisnotdeath(likethewizard’shole)，butmanypartsaretreacherous，Iknowitwellbythistime。’

Withoutanymoreado，heledmeinandoutthemarshyplaces，toagreatroundholeorshaft，bratticedupwithtimber。Ineverhadseenthelikebefore，andwondered