第101章

Foramoment，althoughweweretwicetheirnumber，wefellbackbeforetheirvalorousfame，andthepoweroftheironset。Formypart，admiringtheircouragegreatly，andcountingitsluruponmanlinessthattwoshouldbedownupononeso，Iwithheldmyhandawhile；

forIcaredtomeetnonebutCarver；andhewasnotamongthem。Thewhirlandhurryofthisfight，andthehardblowsrainingdown——fornowallgunswereempty——tookawaymypowerofseeing，orreasoninguponanything。YetonethingIsaw，whichdwelledlongwithme；andthatwasChristopherBadcockspendinghislifetogetCharley’s。

Howhehadfoundout，nonemaytell；bothbeingdeadsolongago；but，atanyrate，hehadfoundoutthatCharleywasthemanwhohadrobbedhimofhiswifeandhonour。ItwasCarverDoonewhotookheraway，butCharleworthDoonewasbesidehim；and，accordingtocastofdice，shefelltoCharley’sshare。AllthisKitBadcock(whowasmad，accordingtoourmeasures)

haddiscovered，andtreasuredup；andnowwashisrevenge-time。

Hehadcomeintotheconflictwithoutaweaponofanykind；onlybeggingmetolethimbeintheverythickofit。Forhim，hesaid，lifewasnomatter，afterthelossofhiswifeandchild；butdeathwasmattertohim，andhemeanttomakethemostofit。SuchafaceIneversaw，andneverhopetoseeagain，aswhenpoorKitBadcockspiedCharleycomingtowardsus。

Wehadthoughtthismanapatientfool，aphilosopherofalittlesort，oronewhocouldfeelnothing。Andhisquietmannerofgoingabout，andthegentlenessofhisanswers(whensomebrutesaskedhimwherehiswifewas，andwhetherhisbabyhadbeenwell-trussed)，thesehadmisledustothinkthatthemanwouldturnthemildcheektoeverything。ButI，inthelonelinessofourbarn，hadlistened，andhadweptwithhim。

ThereforewasInotsurprised，somuchasalltherestofus，when，intheforemostofredlight，KitwentuptoCharleworthDoone，asiftosomeinheritance；andtookhisseisinofrightuponhim，beinghimselfapowerfulman；andbeggedawordasidewithhim。Whattheysaidaside，Iknownot；allIknowisthatwithoutweapon，eachmankilledtheother。AndMargeryBadcockcame，andwept，andhunguponherpoorhusband；anddied，thatsummer，ofheart-disease。

Nowfortheseandotherthings(whereofIcouldtellathousand)wasthereckoningcomethatnight；andnotalinewemissedofit；soonasourbadbloodwasup。I

likenottotellofslaughter，thoughitmightbeofwolvesandtigers；andthatwasanightoffireandslaughter，andofverylong-harbouredrevenge。EnoughthaterethedaylightbrokeuponthatwanMarchmorning，theonlyDoonesstillleftaliveweretheCounsellorandCarver。AndofallthedwellingsoftheDoones(inhabitedwithluxury，andluscioustaste，andlicentiousness)notevenonewasleft，butallmadepotashintheriver。

Thismayseemaviolentandunholyrevengeuponthem。

AndI(wholedtheheartofit)haveinthesemylatteryearsdoubtedhowIshallbejudged，notofmen——forGodonlyknowstheerrorsofman’sjudgments——butbythatgreatGodHimself，thefrontofwhoseforeheadismercy。

Fromthatgreatconfusion——fornothingcanbebrokenup，whetherlawfulorunlawful，withoutavastamountofdust，andmanypeoplegrumbling，andmourningforthegoodoldtimes，whenalltheworldwashappiness，andeverymanagentleman，andthesunhimselffarbrighterthansincethebrassyidoluponwhichheshonewasbroken——fromallthislossofancientlandmarks(asunrobbedmenbegantocallourclearanceofthosemurderers)wereturnedonthefollowingday，almostasfullofanxietyaswewereoftriumph。Inthefirstplace，whatcouldwepossiblydowithallthesewomenandchildren，thrownonourhandsasonemightsay，withnonetoprotectandcareforthem？Againhowshouldweanswertothejusticesofthepeace，orperhapseventoLordJeffreys，forhaving，withoutevenawarrant，takenthelawintoourownhands，andabatedournuisancesoforcibly？Andthen，whatwastobedonewiththespoil，whichwasofgreatvalue；thoughthediamondnecklacecamenottopubliclight？Forwesawamightyhostofclaimantsalreadyleapingupforbooty。Everymanwhohadeverbeenrobbed，exp