第102章

’Willyouapplaudme，kindsir，’Isaid，keepinghimverytight，allthewhile，’ifIplaceitinyourpowertoratifyyourpeacewithGod？Thepledgeisuponyourheart，nodoubt，forthereitliesatthismoment。’

Withthesewords，andsomeapologyforhavingrecoursetostrongmeasures，Ithrustmyhandinsidehiswaistcoat，anddrewforthLorna’snecklace，purelysparklinginthemoonlight，likethedancingofnewstars。Theoldmanmadeastabatme，withaknifewhichIhadnotespied；buttheviciousonsetfailed；

andthenheknelt，andclaspedhishands。

’Oh，forGod’ssake，John，myson，robmenotinthatmanner。Theybelongtome；andIlovethemso；I

wouldgivealmostmylifeforthem。ThereisonejewelIcanlookatforhours，andseeallthelightsofheaveninit；whichInevershallseeelsewhere。Allmywretched，wickedlife——oh，John，Iamasadhypocrite——butgivemebackmyjewels。Orelsekillmehere；Iamababeinyourhands；butImusthavebackmyjewels。’

Ashisbeautifulwhitehairfellawayfromhisnobleforehead，likeasilverwreathofglory，andhispowerfulface，foronce，wasmovedwithrealemotion，I

wassoamazedandovercomebythegrandcontradictionsofnature，thatverilyIwasonthepointofgivinghimbackthenecklace。Buthonesty，whichissaidtobethefirstinstinctofalltheRidds(thoughImyselfneverfounditso)，happenedheretooccurtome，andsoIsaid，withoutmorehastethanmightbeexpected，——

’SirCounsellor，Icannotgiveyouwhatdoesnotbelongtome。Butifyouwillshowmethatparticulardiamondwhichisheaventoyou，Iwilltakeuponmyselftheriskandthefollyofcuttingitoutforyou。Andwiththatyoumustgocontented；andIbeseechyounottostarvewiththatjeweluponyourlips。’

Seeingnohopeofbetterterms，heshowedmehispetloveofajewel；andIthoughtofwhatLornawastome，asIcutitout(withthehingeofmyknifeseveringthesnakesofgold)andplaceditinhiscarefulhand。

Anothermoment，andhewasgone，andawaythroughGwenny’spostern；andGodknowswhatbecameofhim。

NowastoCarver，thethingwasthis——sofarasIcouldascertainfromthevaliantminers，notwoofwhomtoldthesamestory，anymorethanoneofthemtoldittwice。ThebandofDooneswhichsalliedforthfortherobberyofthepretendedconvoywasmetbySimonCarfax，accordingtoarrangement，attheruinedhousecalledTheWarren，inthatpartofBagworthyForestwheretheriverExe(asyetaverysmallstream)runsthroughit。TheWarren，asallourpeopleknow，hadbelongedtoafineoldgentleman，whomeveryonecalled’TheSquire，’whohadretreatedfromactivelifetopasstherestofhisdaysinfishing，andshooting，andhelpinghisneighbours。Forhewasamanofsomesubstance；andnopoormaneverleftTheWarrenwithoutabagofgoodvictuals，andafewshillingsputinhispocket。However，thispoorSquirenevermadeagreatermistake，thaninhopingtoendhislifepeacefullyuponthebanksofatrout-stream，andinthegreenforestofBagworthy。Forashecamehomefromthebrookatdusk，withhisfly-rodoverhisshoulder，theDoonesfelluponhim，andmurderedhim，andthensackedhishouse，andburnedit。

NowthishadmadehonestpeopletimidaboutgoingpastTheWarrenatnight；for，ofcourse，itwassaidthattheoldSquire’walked，’uponcertainnightsofthemoon，inandoutofthetrunksoftrees，onthegreenpathfromtheriver。Onhisshoulderheboreafishing-rod，andhisbookoftrout-flies，inonehand，andonhisbackawicker-creel；andnowandthenhewouldburstoutlaughingtothinkofhiscomingsoneartheDoones。

Andnowthatoneturnstoconsiderit，thisseemsastrangelyrighteousthing，thatthesceneofoneofthegreatestcrimesevenbyDoonescommittedshould，aftertwentyyears，becomethesceneofvengeancefalling(likehailfromheaven)uponthem。ForalthoughTheWarrenlieswellawaytothewestwardofthemine；andthegold，underescorttoBristowe，orLondon，wouldhavegoneintheotherdirection；CaptainCarfax，findingthisplacebestsuitedforworkingofhisdesign，hadpersuadedtheDoones，thatforreasonsofGovernment，theoremustgofirsttoBarnstapleforinspection，orsomethingofthatsort。AndaseveryoneknowsthatourGovernmentsendsallthingswestwardwheneastwardbound，thishadwonthemorefaithforSimon，asbeingaccordingtonature。

NowSimon，havingmettheseflowersoftheflockofvillainy，wheretherisingmoonlightflowedthroughtheweir-worko