第103章

andgriefbeginstocloseonpeople，astheirpoweroflifedeclines。Wesaidthatshewashardofhearing；

butmyopinionwas，thatseeingmeinclinedformarriagemadeherthinkofmyfather，andsoperhapsalittletoomuch，todwellonthecourtingofthirtyyearsagone。Anyhow，shewastheverybestofmothers；

andwouldsmileandcommandherself；andbe(ortrytobelieveherself)ashappyascouldbe，inthedoingsoftheyoungerfolk，andherownskillindetectingthem。

Yet，withthewisdomofage，renouncinganyopinionuponthematter；sincenonecouldseetheendofit。

ButLornainherbrightyoungbeauty，andherknowledgeofmyheart，wasnottobecheckedbyanythoughtsofhaplycomingevil。Inthemorningshewasup，evensoonerthanIwas，andthroughallthecornersofthehens，rememberingeveryoneofthem。Icaughtherandsalutedherwithsuchwarmth(beingnownonetolookatus)，thatshevowedshewouldnevercomeoutagain；andyetshecamethenextmorning。

Thesethingsoughtnottobechronicled。YetIamofsuchnature，thatfindingmanypartsoflifeadversetoourwishes，Imustnowandthendrawpleasurefromtheblessedportions。Andwhatportioncanbemoreblessedthanwithyouth，andhealth，andstrength，tobelovedbyavirtuousmaid，andtoloveherwithallone’sheart？Neitherwasmypridediminished，whenIfoundwhatshehaddone，onlyfromherloveofme。

EarlBrandir’sancientsteward，inwhosechargeshehadtravelled，withaproperescort，lookeduponherasalovelymaniac；andthemixtureofpityandadmirationwherewithheregardedher，wasastrangethingtoobserve；especiallyafterhehadseenoursimplehouseandmanners。Ontheotherhand，Lornaconsideredhimaworthybutfoolisholdgentleman；towhomtruehappinessmeantnomorethanmoneyandhighposition。

Thesetwolastshehadbeenreadytoabandonwholly，andhadinpartescapedfromthem，astheenemiesofherhappiness。Andshetookadvantageofthetimes，inatrulyclevermanner。Forthathappenedtobeatime——asindeedalltimeshitherto(sofarasmyknowledgeextends)，have，somehow，orother，happenedtobe——wheneverybodywasonlytoogladtotakemoneyfordoinganything。Andthegreatestmoney-takerinthekingdom(nexttotheKingandQueen，ofcourse，whohadduepre-eminence，andhadtaughtthemaidsofhonour)wasgenerallyacknowledgedtobetheLordChiefJusticeJeffreys。

Uponhisreturnfromthebloodyassizes，withtriumphandgreatglory，afterhangingeverymanwhowastoopoortohelpit，hepleasedhisGraciousMajestysopurelywiththedescriptionoftheirdelightfulagonies，thattheKingexclaimed，’Thismanaloneisworthytobeattheheadofthelaw。’AccordinglyinhishandwasplacedtheGreatSealofEngland。

SoitcametopassthatLorna’sdestinyhunguponLordJeffreys；foratthistimeEarlBrandirdied，beingtakenwithgoutintheheart，soonafterIleftLondon。

Lornawasverysorryforhim；butashehadneverbeenabletohearonetoneofhersweetsilveryvoice，itisnottobesupposedthatsheweptwithoutconsolation。

Shegrievedforhimasweoughttogrieveforanygoodmangoing；andyetwithacomfortingsenseofthebenefitwhichtheblessedexchangemustbringtohim。

NowtheLadyLornaDugalappearedtoLordChancellorJeffreyssoexceedingwealthyawardthatthelockwouldpayforturning。Thereforehecame，ofhisownaccord，tovisither，andtotreatwithher；havingheard(forthemanwasasbigagossipasnevercaredforanybody，yetlovedtoknowallabouteverybody)

thatthiswealthyandbeautifulmaidenwouldnotlistentoanyyounglord，havingpledgedherfaithtotheplainJohnRidd。

Thereupon，ourLornamanagedsotoholdoutgoldenhopestotheLordHighChancellor，thathe，beingnotmorethanthreepartsdrunk，sawhiswaytoaheapofmoney。Andthereandthen(forhewasnotthemantodailylongaboutanything)uponsuretyofacertainroundsum——theamountofwhichIwillnotmention，becauseofhiskindnesstowardsme——hegavetohisfairwardpermission，undersignandseal，tomarrythatloyalknight，JohnRidd；uponconditiononlythattheKing’sconsentshouldbeobtained。

HisMajesty，well-disposedtowardsmeformypreviousservice，andregardingmeasagoodCatholic，beingmovedmoreoverbytheQueen，whodesiredtopleaseLorna，consented，withoutmuchhesitation，upontheunderstandingthatLorna，whenshebecameoffullage，andthemistressofherproperty(whichwasstillunderguardianship)，shouldpayaheavyfinetotheCrown，anddevoteafixedportionofherestatetothepromotionoftheholyCatholicfaith，inamannertobedictatedbytheKinghimself。Inasmuch，however，asKingJameswasdrivenoutofhiskingdombeforethisarrangementcouldtakeeffect，andanotherkingsucceeded，whodesirednotthepromotionoftheCatholicreligion，neitherhankeredaftersubsidies，whetherFrenchorEnglish)，thatagreementwaspronouncedinvalid，improper，andcontemptible。

However，therewasnogettingbackthemoneyoncepaidtoLordChancellorJeffreys。

Butwhatthoughtweofmoneyatthispresentmoment；orofposition，oranythingelse，exceptindeedoneanother？Lornatoldme，withthesweetestsmile，thatifIweremindedtotakeheratall，Imusttakeherwithoutanything；inasmuchasshemeant，uponcomingofage，tomakeovertheresidueofherestatestothenext-of-kin，asbeingunfitforafarmer’swife。AndI

repliedwiththegreatestwarmthandareadinesstoworshipher，thatthiswasexactlywhatIlongedfor，buthadneverdaredtoproposeit。Butdearmotherlookedmostexceedinggrave；andsaidthattobesureheropinioncouldnotbeexpectedtocountformuch，butshereallyhopedthatinthreeyears’timeweshouldbothhealittlewiser，andhavemoreregardforourinterests，andperhapsthoseofothersbythattime；andMasterSnowehavingdaughtersonly，andnobodycomingtomarrythem，ifanythinghappenedtothegoodoldman——andwhocouldtellinthreeyears’

timewhatmighthappentoalloranyofus？——whyperhapshisfarmwouldbeforsale，andperhapsLadyLorna’sestatesinScotlandwouldfetchenoughmoneytobuyit，andsothrowthetwofarmsintoone，andsaveallthetroubleaboutthebrook，asmypoorfatherhadlongedtodomanyandmanyatime，butnothavingatitlecouldnotdoallquiteashewanted。Andthenifweyoungpeoplegrewtiredoftheoldmother，asseemedonlytoolikely，andwasaccordingtonature，whywecouldsendheroverthere，andLizzietokeephercompany。

Whenmotherhadfinished，andwipedhereyes，Lorna，whohadbeenblushingrosilyatsomeportionsofthisgreatspeech，flungherfairarmsaroundmother’sneck，andkissedherveryheartily，andscoldedher(asshewelldeserved)forherwantofconfidenceinus。MymotherrepliedthatifanybodycoulddeserveherJohn，itwasLorna；butthatshecouldnotholdwiththerashnessofgivingupmoneysoeasily；whilehernext-of-kinwouldbeJohnhimself，andwhocouldtellwhatothers，bythetimeshewasone-and-twenty？

Hereupon，Ifeltthatafterallmymotherhadcommonsenseonherside；forifMasterSnowe’sfarmshouldbeforsale，itwouldbefarmoretothepurposethanmycoatofarms，togetit；fortherewasadifferentpasturethere，justsuitedforchangeofdiettooursheepaswellaslargecattle。Andbesidethis，evenwithallAnnie’sskill(andofcourseyetmorenowshewasgone)，theirbutterwouldalwayscommandinthemarketfromonetothreefarthingsapoundmorethanwecouldgetforours。Andfewthingsvexedusmorethanthis。Whereas，ifwegotpossessionofthefarm，wemight，withoutbreachofthemarket-laws，oranyharmdonetoanyone(thepricebeingbutaprejudice)，sellallourbutterasSnowebutter，anddogoodtoallourcustomers。

Thinkingthus，yetrememberingthatFarmerNicholasmightholdoutforanotherscoreofyears——asI

heartilyhopedhemight——orthatone，ifnotall，ofhiscomelydaughtersmightmarryagoodyoungfarmer(orfarmers，ifthecasewereso)——orthat，evenwithoutthat，thefarmmightneverbeputupforsale；

IbeggedmyLornatodoassheliked；orrathertowaitandthinkofit；forasyetshecoulddonothing。

[AlsoknownasBLOODUPONTHEALTARinothereditions]

Everythingwassettledsmoothly，andwithoutanyfearorfuss，thatLornamightfindendoftroubles，andmyselfofeagerwaiting，withthehelpofParsonBowden，andthegoodwishesoftwocounties。Icouldscarcebelievemyfortune，whenIlookeduponherbeauty，gentleness，andsweetness，mingledwithenoughofhumourandwarmwoman’sfeeling，nevertobedullortiring；neverthemselvestobeweary。

Forshemightbecalledawomannow；althoughaveryyoungone，andasfullofplayfulways，orperhapsI

maysaytentimesasfull，asifshehadknownnotrouble。Towit，thespiritofbrightchildhood，havingbeensocurbedandstraitened，ereitstimewasover，nowbrokeforth，enrichedandvariedwiththegarbofconsciousmaidenhood。Andthesenseofsteadfastlove，andeagerloveenfoldingher，colouredwithsomanytingesallherlooks，andwords，andthoughts，thattomeitwasthenoblestvisioneventothinkabouther。

Butthiswasfartoobrighttolast，withoutbitterbreak，andtheplungingofhappinessinhorror，andofpassionatejoyinagony。Mydarlinginhersoftestmomen