第16章

Itwassurroundedbyaquadrangularwall，abouttenfeetinheight，withasquaretowerateachcorner。AtfirstIcoulddiscovernoentrance；walkinground，however，tothenorthernside，Ifoundawideandloftygatewaywithatoweraboveit，similartothoseattheanglesofthewall；onthissidethegroundslopedgentlydowntowardsthebog，whichwashereskirtedbyanabundantgrowthofcopse-woodandafewevergreenoaks。Ipassedthroughthegateway，andfoundmyselfwithinasquareinclosureofabouttwoacres。Ononesiderosearoundandloftykeep，ordonjon，withaconicalroof，partofwhichhadfallendown，strewingthesquarewithitsruins。Closetothekeep，ontheotherside，stoodtheremainsofanoblonghouse，builtsomethinginthemodernstyle，withvariouswindow-holes；nothingremainedbutthebarewallsandafewprojectingstumpsofbeams，whichseemedtohavebeenhalfburnt。

Theinteriorofthewallswasblackened，asifbyfire；firealsoappearedatonetimetohaveragedoutofthewindow-holes，fortheoutsideaboutthemwasblack，portentouslyso。’Iwonderwhathasbeengoingonhere？’Iexclaimed。

TherewereechoesamongthewallsasIwalkedaboutthecourt。I

enteredthekeepbyalowandfrowningdoorway：thelowerfloorconsistedofalargedungeon-likeroom，withavaultedroof；onthelefthandwasawindingstaircaseinthethicknessofthewall；itlookedanythingbutinviting；yetIstolesoftlyup，myheartbeating。Onthetopofthefirstflightofstairswasanarcheddoorway，totheleftwasadarkpassage，totheright，stairsleadingstillhigher。Isteppedunderthearchandfoundmyselfinanapartmentsomewhatsimilartotheonebelow，buthigher。Therewasanobjectatthefartherend。

Anoldwoman，atleasteighty，wasseatedonastone，coweringoverafewsticksburningfeeblyonwhathadoncebeenarightnobleandcheerfulhearth；herside-glancewastowardsthedoorwayasI

entered，forshehadheardmyfoot-steps。Istoodsuddenlystill，andherhaggardglancerestedonmyface。

’Isthisyourhouse，mother？’Iatlengthdemanded，inthelanguagewhichIthoughtshewouldbestunderstand。

’Yes，myhouse，myownhouse；thehouseofthebroken-hearted。’

’Anyotherperson’shouse？’Idemanded。

’Myownhouse，thebeggar’shouse-theaccursedhouseofCromwell!’

CHAPTERXII

Avisit-Figureofaman-Thedogofpeace-Therawwound-Theguardroom-Boysoldier-Personinauthority-Neversolitary-

Clergymanandfamily-Still-hunting-Fairyman-Nearsunset-

Bagg-Left-handedhitter-Irishandsupernatural-AtSwantonMorley。

ONEmorningIsetout，designingtopayavisittomybrotherattheplacewherehewasdetached；thedistancewasratherconsiderable，yetIhopedtobebackbyeveningfall，forIwasnowashrewdwalker，thankstoconstantpractice。Isetoutearly，and，directingmycoursetowardsthenorth，Ihadinlessthantwohoursaccomplishedconsiderablymorethanhalfofthejourney。Theweatherhadatfirstbeenpropitious：aslightfrosthadrenderedthegroundfirmtothetread，andtheskieswereclear；butnowachangecameoverthescene，theskiesdarkened，andaheavysnowstormcameon；theroadthenlaystraightthroughabog，andwasboundedbyadeeptrenchonbothsides；Iwasmakingthebestofmyway，keepingasnearlyasIcouldinthemiddleoftheroad，lest，blindedbythesnowwhichwasfrequentlyborneintomyeyesbythewind，Imightfallintothedyke，whenallatonceIheardashouttowindward，andturningmyeyesIsawthefigureofaman，andwhatappearedtobeananimalofsomekind，comingacrossthebogwithgreatspeed，inthedirectionofmyself；thenatureofthegroundseemedtoofferbutlittleimpedimenttothesebeings，bothclearingtheholesandabysseswhichlayintheirwaywithsurprisingagility；theanimalwas，however，someslightwayinadvance，and，boundingoverthedyke，appearedontheroadjustbeforeme。Itwasadog，ofwhatspeciesIcannottell，neverhavingseenthelikebeforeorsince；theheadwaslargeandround；

theearssotinyasscarcelytobediscernible；theeyesofafieryred：insizeitwasrathersmallthanlarge；andthecoat，whichwasremarkablysmooth，aswhiteasthefallingflakes。Itplaceditselfdirectlyinmypath，andshowingitsteeth，andbristlingitscoat，appeareddeterminedtopreventmyprogress。Ihadanashenstickinmyhand，withwhichIthreatenedit；this，however，onlyservedtoincreaseitsfury；itrusheduponme，andIhadtheutmostdifficultytopreservemyselffromitsfangs。

’Whatareyoudoingwiththedog，thefairydog？’saidaman，whoatthistimelikewiseclearedthedykeatabound。

Hewasaverytallman，ratherwelldressedasitshouldseem；hisgarments，however，were，likemyown，socoveredwithsnowthatI

couldscarcelydiscerntheirquality。

’Whatareyedoingwiththedogofpeace？’

’Iwishhewouldshowhimselfone，’saidI；’Isaidnothingtohim，butheplacedhimselfinmyroad，andwouldnotletmepass。’

’Ofcoursehewouldnotbelettingyoutillheknewwhereyeweregoing。’

’He’snotmuchofafairy，’saidI，’orhewouldknowthatwithoutasking；tellhimthatIamgoingtoseemybrother。’

’Andwhoisyourbrother，littleSas？’

’Whatmyfatheris，aroyalsoldier。’

’Oh，yearegoingthentothedetachmentat-；bymyshoul，Ihaveagoodmindtobespoilingyourjourney。’

’Youaredoingthatalready，’saidI，’keepingmeheretalkingaboutdogsandfairies；youhadbettergohomeandgetsomesalvetocurethatplaceoveryoureye；it’scatchingcoldyou’llbe，insomuchsnow。’

Ononesideoftheman’sforeheadtherewasarawandstaringwound，asiffromarecentandterribleblow。

’Faith，thenI’llbegoing，butit’stakingyouwidmeIwillbe。’

’Andwherewillyoutakeme？’

’Why，then，toRyan’sCastle，littleSas。’

’Youdonotspeakthelanguageverycorrectly，’saidI；’itisnotSasyoushouldcallme-’tisSassannach，’andforthwithI

accompaniedthewordwithaspeechfullofflowersofIrishrhetoric。

Themanlookeduponmeforamoment，fixedly，then，bendinghisheadtowardshisbreast，heappearedtobeundergoingakindofconvulsion，whichwasaccompaniedbyasoundsomethingresemblinglaughter；presentlyhelookedatme，andtherewasabroadgrinonhisfeatures。

’Bymyshoul，it’sathingofpeaceI’mthinkingye。’

Butnowwithawhiskingsoundcamerunningdowntheroadahare；itwasnearlyuponusbeforeitperceivedus；suddenlystoppingshort，however，itsprangintothebogontheright-handside；afteritamainboundedthedogofpeace，followedbytheman，butnotuntilhehadnoddedtomeafarewellsalutation。InafewmomentsIlostsightofhimamidstthesnowflakes。

TheweatherwasagainclearandfinebeforeIreachedtheplaceofdetachment。Itwasalittlewoodenbarrack，surroundedbyawallofthesamematerial；asentinelstoodatthegate，Ipassedbyhim，and，enteringthebuilding，foundmyselfinarudekindofguardroom；severalsoldierswerelyingasleeponawoodencouchatoneend，othersloungedonbenchesbythesideofaturffire。Thetallsergeantstoodbeforethefire，holdingacookingutensilinhislefthand；onseeingme，hemadethemilitarysalutation。

’Ismybrotherhere？’saidI，rathertimidly，dreadingtohearthathewasout，perhapsfortheday。

’Theensignisinhisroom，sir，’saidBagg，’Iamnowpreparinghismeal，whichwillpresentlybeready；youwillfindtheensignabovestairs，’andhepointedtoabrokenladderwhichledtosomeplaceabove。

AndthereIfoundhim-theboysoldier-inakindofupperloft，solowthatIcouldtouchwithmyhandsthesootyrafters；thefloorwasofroughboards，throughthejointsofwhichyoucouldseethegleamofthesoldiers’fire，andoccasionallydiscerntheirfiguresastheymovedabout；inonecornerwasacampbedstead，bythesideofwhichhungthechild’ssword，gorget，andsash；adealtablestoodintheproximityoftherustygrate，wheresmokedandsmoulderedapileofblackturffromthebog，-adealtablewithoutapieceofbaizetocoverit，yetfraughtwiththingsnotdevoidofinterest：aBible，givenbyamother；theODYSSEY，theGreekODYSSEY；aflute，withbroadsilverkeys；crayons，moreover，andwater-colours；andasketchofawildprospectnear，which，thoughbuthalffinished，affordedampleproofoftheexcellenceandskilloftheboyishhandnowoccupieduponit。

Ah!hewasasweetbeing，thatboysoldier，aplantofearlypromise，biddingfairtobecomeinaftertimeallthatisgreat，good，andadmirable。IhavereadofaremarkableWelshman，ofwhomitwassaid，whenthegraveclosedoverhim，thathecouldframeaharp，andplayit；buildaship，andsailit；composeanode，andsetittomusic。AbravefellowthatsonofWales-butIhadonceabrotherwhocoulddomoreandbetterthanthis，butthegravehasclosedoverhim，asoverthegallantWelshmanofyore；therearenowbuttwothatrememberhim-theonewhoborehim，andthebeingwhowasnurturedatthesamebreast。Hewastaken，andIwasleft!-

Truly，thewaysofProvidenceareinscrutable。

’Youseemtobeverycomfortable，John，’saidI，lookingaroundtheroomandatthevariousobjectswhichIhavedescribedabove：’youhaveagoodroofoveryourhead，andhaveallyourthingsaboutyou。’

’Yes，Iamverycomfortable，George，inmanyrespects；Iam，moreover，independent，andfeelmyselfamanforthefirsttimeinmylife-independentdidIsay？-that’snottheword，Iamsomethingmuchhigherthanthat；hereamI，notsixteenyet，apersoninauthority，likethecenturioninthebookthere，withtwentyEnglishmenunderme，worthawholelegionofhismen，andthatfinefellowBaggtowaituponme，andtakemyorders。Oh!

theselastsixweekshavepassedlikehoursofheaven。’